Page images
PDF
EPUB

to waste.

cle objects that fall-plowing exposes the manure seems to be that for fattening stock, sweet apples are worth as much as potatoes; and that sour Official Visits to Farmers.-Recommending the apples are worth twice as much as potatoes for employment of men in each county, under the growing stock, compared by weight, not measure. appointment and pay of the State, to visit farms Machine for Chopping Brush, that does the reported to be good, and to present the facts as-work of forty men! Many farmers in Massachucertained through the press. For my own part, setts burn little but brush, themselves, as the I don't like that word "official.' Mr. Colman merchantable wood is all sent to market, and it is once held an office similar to the one proposed. lots of work to chop it up with axe and hatchet. In his valedictory preface to the Fourth Report, Don't see why a brush cutter might not be of he says:-"By many persons, the Commissioner great advantage, where wood is worth six or eight has been regarded as a kind of tax-gatherer, and dollars a cord. True, the work by hand may be his approach has carried their hands, almost in-done evenings and at odd jobs; but I have thought voluntarily, to clench their pockets.' sometimes, this winter, that I had rather be readCulture of the Pear.-75 cents a dozen," ing the Farmer, than cutting brush by lamp-light, “$1,50 a dozen, ""6 cents each,"12 cents each," to keep one stove warm.

and such like, are every fall on the cards in pear Although I have alluded, directly or indirectly, dishes, displayed in the fruit stores of Boston. to only about one-half of the articles that make This article comments on and recommends choice up this number, I will stop here, and claim for varieties, and then promises to give us the wri- once the merit of brevity-a higher mark than I A READER. ter's views on the proper culture of the Pear, often deserve. which I am looking for with much interest. Dairies.-Report of Middlesex County Committee, in which some thrusts are made at certain Book-farming cows.

Poultry cheaper than Pork, if figures don't lie.

Winchester, Feb., 1854.

ENCLOSURES.

There is, perhaps, no department of agriculture

that calls

Pulverized Peat.--May not this material be which can properly be considered of more immeused to save a portion of city waste! What has diate importance to the farmer than that of become of that committee? FENCING. Yet, singular as it may seem, there is Value of Root Crops.-This article is reviewed by E. C. P. on page 90, in a sensible article none which, by the generality of husbandmen, is so much neglected, or more badly managed. The headed Relative Value of Food. Wire Fences, made by Machinery.-The pictures habit, already become inveterate, in many secof this fence make a pretty appearance on paper, tions, of compelling the animals of the farm to and may work well on the farm, where fencing is carry the fences on their horns and necks, in the expensive. From my observation of the effect of shape of "blind-boards," "stoops," "hampers," the climate upon iron, I have always feared that rusting would prove a serious objection to wire "jewsharps" and "pokers," is one. fencing. But it seems that no trouble is anti- loudly for reform. Good and substantial fences cipated from this source, as it is "calculated" to are by no means so expensive as they are suplast 2 century or more, by being varnished, posed to be; and if, to adopt the language of an painted or tarred once in five or six years. able writer in a late New York paper, "the proBasket Willow.-Whether the people of the United States can raise their basket-stuff better portion of crops that are annually lost in the than they can their silk dresses, seems about to country from the use of such apologies for be tested. We have in this number an account fences as are frequently seen, could be correctly of a successful experiment in raising the Willow ascertained and added to the sum which must be in Hingham, Ms., and also of a machine for peel- deducted from the value of the horses and cattle ing it, invented in Vermont. The "rod is in thus taught vicious and unruly habits, and the pickle," then; but, gentlemen, don't get up a multicaulis fever with it. Do let us be sober whole presented at once to the eye of the farmer, or land-holder, it can scarcely be doubted An Agricultural Glimpse of Washington City.- he would be surprised at the result, or that he Two very interesting letters by one of the Editors. would at once awaken to the importance of havPity such pictures of life should be drawn in the ing good fences." As to the cost of fences, the capitol of a free people.

once.

a

Profits of Hens.-Why are hens worth a third following remarks, published some years since by Mr. SHURTLEFF, in the Farmer, afford valuable data.

more in December than in March?

Turnips for Pigs.-The writer found that Swedish turnips wintered over, and fed raw to his pigs in June, kept them growing finely.

A fence of white cedar-posts and rails, five rails in height, and three lengths to two rods; cost nearly ninety-one cents per rod.

Legislative Agricultural Meetings.-We have the reports of the first two meetings of this assoA fence of white pine and chestnut-rails ciation, at which the subjects of last summer's drought, and of the small grains, were discussed. white pine, sawed two inches by eight, chestnut Serf Labor in Poland.-When any American posts, four rails high, three lengths to two rods; farmer gets the blues, let him turn to the monthly cost sixty-four cents per rod. In both these cases Farmer, and read this extract. the cost was exclusive of the setting.

[ocr errors]

Volue of Apples.-An article that embodies the result of much labor to ascertain the value of Stone wall-four and a half feet high, varied apples, by scientific processes. The conclusion from one dollar to two dollars fifty cents per rod,

For the New England Farmer.

A WORD IN SEASON ABOUT GUANO

BY DR. JOSEPH REYNOLDS.

according to the amount of labor required in transporting the materials, and the manner in which the wall was laid, whether by trenching| or otherwise. The failure of guano to produce the beneficial Hedge fence, made of Virginia thorn plants-effects expected from it, the past season, seems to (cratagus cordata) set twenty-one to a rod; cost, have destroyed the faith of many farmers, in its value as a fertilizer. For my part, I have not at the end of the fourth year, including planting lost my faith in it at all, but I think I have trimming, etc., fifty cents a rod! This statement learned something from observation, with respect with respect to the cost of hedges of Virginia to the proper mode of applying it. Indeed, the thorn, accords well with the experience of others experience of the past year has only confirmed an who have introduced this species of enclosure on opinion which I have long had, that the efficacy their lands, and especially with those of Mr. of guano depends essentially upon the mode of its application. Last spring an idea got into extenKIRK, of Pennsylvania, whose experience in this sive circulation, that the mixing of guano with particular department of farming, probably ex- other substances was but little better than labor ceeds that of any person in the United States. lost. Hence, many farmers put it into the hill, and planted their corn, or other seeds, in direct The cost of stone wall, we think, will generally contact with it, or with only a little earth thrown be not far from $1 per rod, and if from this we over it perhaps with the foot, in dropping the deduct the increased value of the soil, perma- seed. In this state, when the tender radicles of nently improved by the removal of the stones, the corn shot downward, and came in contact and the very important advantage resulting from with the guano, which had now become softened having them placed forever out of the way, the into a caustic paste, they were at once burned and destroyed, as they would have been in a paste expense of this highly valuable and desirable of lime or ashes. After the corn was planted, species of enclosure will probably be less than but little rain fell for some weeks. Probably in that of hedge. But hedges, when properly man- many instances no rain reached the guano to disaged, are very desirable. They are not only per- solve it, and diffuse it through the soil, but it all remained, confined to a small space, except what manent, but very efficient as a protection against was given off in the form of vapor, and acted, the depredations of every description of animal when it acted at all, in a concentrated form.ordinarily found upon our farms. They are also This may be illustrated by the action of certain very ornamental, and communicate a rural aspect caustic substances-ammonia, for example-when to the country which other species of enclosure applied to the surface of the human body. When this is applied in a diluted form, over a considercannot equally confer. able surface, it stimulates the vessels of the skin The editor of one of our agricultural publica- to a more vigorous performance of their natural tions, in some observations pertinent to this sub-functions; but when applied in a concentrated form, it destroys the entire tissue to which it is ject, says: applied, and leaves an unsightly and painful ul"We have found by experience that in making One of the best fields of corn which I saw fence of posts and rails, or posts for bars or gates, in this town, the past season, was raised with there is nothing gained by making the posts too guano in the following manner: After the ground small. Perhaps there is no timber in which the had been properly prepared, a furrow was made difference of durability between large and small for the row, of the common depth. The guano posts is more striking than in that of the common was sprinkled into this furrow, through its entire white cedar or cypress of our swamps. Mr. length. It was then covered with the hoe to the Shurtleff found his cedar fence to last about fif- depth of two or three inches, and the corn dropteen years, the posts rotting off in that time, and ped upon this covering, the kernels being placed perhaps fifteen years may be set down as about eight or ten inches apart. The yield was estima the ordinary duration of a wood fence, let the ted, notwithstanding the drought, at a hundred method of construction be what it may. This bushels per acre. Where it is preferred to plant single fact should cause farmers and land-owners in hills, rather in drills, the guano should, if used to pause, and ask, where their fences are to come unmixed, be sprinkled over at least a square foot from, when their present, and perhaps already of surface, at the bottom of the furrow, and be half-decayed, wood fences are rotten and gone? covered with about two inches of soil, and the We are convinced that, ere many years, want of corn dropped upon this. fence will be one of the most serious evils the farmer will be called to encounter."

cer.

But my object in writing at this time is to say a few words about the use of guano as a top dressing. Those farmers who intend to use it for WHEAT.-According to the most correct analy- this purpose, should improve the present time to obtain it, and prepare it for use. During the sis, wheat contains, in one hundred parts, 3.3 per stormy days of this month, or the early part of cent. of ashes, and these ashes consist of 12 per March, when they cannot work out of doors, they cent. lime salts, and 51 of silica, or sand. Hence, can pulverize it upon the barn floor, and stow it wheat will sometimes succeed after buck-wheat, away in barrels for use. During the cold weathas they are composed of different elements, both er it gives off but little of its ammonia by expoof which may co-exist in the soil.

sure to the air. But during the warm days of spring, when exposed, it parts with a great amount

TO YOUNG MEN AT SCHOOL.

AN APPEAL TO THOSE THAT MOST FREQUENTLY MAKE
TROUBLE.

of it. My own belief is, that it is best, for what- pears not to be requisite to develope the excelever use it is intended, to mix it with plaster, lencies of this crop, which is indebted less to the pulverized peat, fine dry compost, or in the ab- soil than many other vegetables, and more to the sence of anything better, with fine rich soil from air, for the food which perfects its growth. the garden. These should be mixed with it in the proportion of at least five bushels to one. If this mixture is now made in the barn floor, or in a dry cellar, whatever ammonia is given off by the guano will be absorbed and retained by the diluting substance. If before you have occasion Those to whom we refer is a class of young to nse the mixture, you should find it smelling of men, who attend the winter schools, and are so ammonia, dissolve five or six pounds of copperas disorderly, and in some cases determined not to in a barrel of water, and occasionally sprinkle obey the teacher, that things are rendered trying the surface, or throw over it an additional quan- and disagreeable; and the usefulness of the school tity of pulverized peat, or a little charcoal. In is much prevented. They are from 12 or 14 years this way, you will have your guano ready to ap- of age, up to 20. It is not common to find feply as a top-dressing, at the time when it should male pupils of these ages that make trouble.— be applied, which is as soon as the frost is out of There is generally too much pliancy, delicacy and refinement in them for this. Man has more roughthe ground, and the grass begins to start. If you can avail yourself of a new-fallen snow, about ness in his nature, and unless he exercises selfthe first week in April, as is often the case, you control, he will go far astray.

will be able to sow it more evenly. If not, sow In a few observations for the benefit of this it during or just before a rain. If sowed upon class, let it be said that your teacher may not be dry land, and the sowing should be followed by right in every course he takes, nor in everything several days of bright sunshine, a great part of he does; but then it is not for you to correct him or to be revenged on him for any acts that are not

its value will be lost.

his

grass,

peace and

pre

When used as a top-dressing, it is worth much just what they should be, by disorder at school. more upon moist than upon dry land. Two years He is to be approached and advised by the comago, Friend Dyer, of the Shaker establishment at mittee, or by your parents, or it may be by yourLebanon, sowed guano upon four acres of selves in a private manner if he judges you wrongin the middle of a large field, upon a side-hill, fully, or does not help you in your studies as you where the land was moist and springy, and he have need. But it is often the case that it is the judged that it doubled his crop, although the determination on the part of a few on the first crop was good before. The expenditure of five day or week of the school, and sometimes even dollars to the acre gave at least an additional ton before it commences, not to like, and to be disorof hay. A gentleman who lived a mile off, told derly. This is unfair and unjust. me he could mark the limits of the said four acres Now what can be gained by disrepect to the through the whole season, from its superior green- teacher, and by ungoverned conduct at school? ness. A gentleman in the neighborhood sowed Is it of any value to you to prevent the guano the latter part of May, after the land quietness of the school, and thereby have many had become dry, and it did little or no good. that attend it, hindered in their studies, and time Here then is a practical lesson which should not and money lost? Do you wish to lose the be forgotten. cious opportunities afforded you of getting that I am acquainted with many instances where knowledge that will be more valuable than gold? the crop of grass has been doubled by the appli- Have you not self-respect enough to conduct with cation of 250 or 300 lbs. to the acre; but in every propriety and decorum? Do you not wish to act instance the land was moist, and the guano was the part of gentlemen? We appeal to all that is applied early. When the land is dry, provided it honorable in you not to let yourselves down by is level, so that the rain and snow that fall upon opposition to the teacher, and to the disgrace that it will not run off, it will probably be best to ap- attends the trouble you may make in the school. ply it later in the fall. Then the rains and melt- Be kind and respectful towards the one that has ing snows will carry it into the ground. When charge. Be orderly and polite, instead of being the land is uneven, or the surface is inclined, as wayward, coarse and vulgar. It is the direct on a side-hill, so that the surface water will run way to rise to places of usefulness, fame and peace. -Exeter News-Letter. off before the ground is thawed in the spring, the dissolved guano will be carried off by the water, and nearly the whole value will be lost, if it is applied in the fall. As a top-dressing to winter wheat and rye, I think it will be found no less In the Boston Journal of Jan. 23, it is stated, efficacious, than when applied to grass, provided by Mr. Clark, of Sunderland, that one pound one the above conditions are observed in the applic.- ounce of butter was made from three quarts of the tion. When rye is grown upon very dry land, as milk of his cow-her feed corn fodder only. I is usually the case with us, I think it will be bet- think it must have been, like the Dutchman's ter to plow and harrow it into the soil, when the wheat-straw, on which he kept his fat horse, very rye is sown. Again I say, that no time is to be poorly threshed. This goes ahead of Mr. B.'s Delost in purchasing and preparing the guano which vons or M.'s Jerseys. I should like to know, you intend to use as a top-dressing. Concord, Feb. 15.

J. R.

For the New England Farmer. MR. CLARK'S COW.

whether this milk was a fair average of the product of the cow, or whether it was the strippings. One story may be good until another is told. It PEAS.-The soil for peas should not be too lib-will not do to deny anything. erally enriched. A great degree of fertility ap- Jan. 29, 1855.

X.

HORTICULTURE.

PRUNING THE GRAPE.

to succeed; cover the scion with earth up to the topmost bud.-ED. FARMER.]

tors may easily understand them. A well-pruned will be larger, and incomparably superior than vine will not only produce earlier fruit, but it on one left to straggle without care.

In compliance with the request of our correspondent, and in reply to frequent inquiries, we Our people are beginning to appreciate the va- furnish a few hints on pruning the grape, which lue of the grape, both as an article of food, and we shall endeavor to make sufficiently plain by as affording a pure and wholesome tonic for the reference to figures, that inexperienced cultivasick and infirm. As an ornament, also, in the grounds about the house, it is scarcely excelled by any of the plants which are sufficiently hardy for our climate. There is great uncertainty in There are two leading principles that should the mind of many persons as to how and when be always observed in pruning the whatgrape, the grape vine should be pruned, and finding an ever may be the particular mode adopted. first is, that the vine always bears the fruit on the excellent article in the Country Gentleman on the present year's shoots, which have sprung from subject, we have incurred the expense of en-buds on the previous year's growth, (Fig. 1.)— graving the cuts annexed, in order to give prac- Secondly, that the full growth and perfect ripentical illustrations of the mode of pruning and ing of the fruit depends wholly on the healthy, training. These, with the explanations, will well developed leaves, which supply food to the make the whole so plain, that all may cultivate the grape with a certainty of success.

The

forming berries, and hence the growth must not be allowed to become so thick that the leaves cannot properly develop themselves, nor should the vines be trimmed so closely that there shall not

be leaves enough for the perfection of the fruit. These two facts must be always borne in mind by those who would raise the best grapes. These being understood, we now proceed to the details of pruning.

FIRST YEAR. When a vine is first procured from the nursery in spring, it is usually furnished with several irregular shoots of the previous summer's growth, resembling Fig. 2. These should be all closely pruned to the older wood, leaving only the strongest, and this should be cut back so as to leave but two or three buds, (Fig. 3.) These buds will grow, and when only a few inches in length, the strongest shoot must be selected, and the others rubbed off: This single shoot is allowed to grow till about the first of autumn. After this period, the new leaves and wood that are formed, cannot mature perfectly, and their growth will be in some degree at the expense of the matter forming in the previous portion of the shoot. Its growth should be therefore stopped by pinching off the end. This will Fig. 1.-Portion of a grape vine in bearing, representing the bear- assist in maturing and strengthening the vine. ing branches, from the sides of a last year's vine.

Any side-shoots that appear during the summer, or any smaller shoots that happen to A correspondent at Southeast, N. Y., requests spring up from the stump, should be kept rubbed a chapter on the pruning of the grape. He adds, off as fast as they appear, as they withdraw and "I do not trim on the renewal system, and I find divide the nourishment received from the roots. that this year's shoots that are to be next year's bearers, if kept without any trimming, fling out such a profusion of side-shoots that they become altogether too thick; and by trimming them off. the bud which should be left to grow next spring, will grow this summer and proouce a crop of grapes. I had grapes on such vines this year that were about full grown when frost came. cannot keep the vines thin enough without taking off the side-shoots. I also wish to ask whether, in grafting the vine, if we have little vines up shall we graft them, and then set them out as we do root-grafted apple trees, or must they be cut off below the surface and be grafted when they are growing?"

Fig. 2.-Vine as obtained from nur- Fig. 3.-The same, pruned sery, with straggling shoots.

when set out.

the first year, (Fig. 4,) should be cut down to SECOND YEAR. The single strong shoot made three or four buds, only two shoots from which bed off, and the lateral shoots, should any appear, should be allowed to grow, the others being rubbeing removed as already described. The autum[Our experience suggests that, if taken up and nal shortening of the two shoots as above stated whip grafted, and then planted out, they are sure is also necessary. The judgment of the cultivator

ond year, or early in the spring of the third.— These horizontal branches, termed arms, are to be cut back at the same time, so as to leave two good buds on each, so that four shoots, two on each side, may spring up from them; the same care as formerly being observed to remove suckers or supernumerary shoots and side branches, and to give the autumn shortening. None of the fruit bunches should be allowed to remain. The four

Fig. 4. Growth at end of first Fig. 5.-Growth at end of second
summer from setting out.
summer from setting out.

will teach him, that if the transplanted vine is small or weak the first year, and makes but a few feet growth, the same first year's process must be gone over again the second year, until the vine becomes strong enough to send up a shoot at least some nine or ten feet in length, when the "second year's" operation may be commenced upon it.-! Any fruit which sets should be removed, as the shoots, as they advance in growth, should be tied vine is not yet strong enough to bear and support to the trellis, in the position that the figure rea vigorous growth at the same time. presents.

Fig. 6.-Growth at end of third summer from setting out.

THIRD YEAR.-The two shoots made during the FOURTH YEAR.-Two shoots or canes are sufsecond year, (Fig. 5,) are now extended each way fered to remain in their position upon the trellis, horizontally, and fastened to the newly erected merely cutting them down to three or four feet. trellis. This may be done at the end of the sec- They will throw out from each bud side-shoots,

Fig. 7.-A full grown grape vine, trained on the alternate or renewal system

the dark vines, the present year's bearers-the dotted ones,

growing this year, for bearing next.

which are the fruit-bearers, and on each of these of the previous paragraph, that the two upright spurs one or two bunches of grapes may be al-shoots are cut down to three or four feet. A bud lowed to remain and ripen; the ends of these should be allowed to grow at their upper ends, spurs or side-shoots being pinched off, as shown from which all bunches are to be removed, so at c, Fig. 1. All other bunches should be rubbed that they may serve to extend their length upoff as soon as they form. The other two or outer wards, till the full height of the trellis is atshoots should, early in the same spring, (or late tained.

the previous autumn,) be laid down horizontally There are two modes of treating vines trained so as to form an extension or continuation of the in this way. One is what is termed spur-pruning, arms, and at the same time be shortened to within and the other the long-cane or renewal systein. about two feet of the ends of the previous arms. Theoretically speaking, there is but little differTwo buds should be allowed to grow on each ence between them, but they are quite different of these horizontal portions, one of which is to in practice. We have already remarked that the be trained upon the trellis for another bearing bunches are horne on the present season's shoots. branch, and the other to serve for a continuation In spur-pruning, these shoots are thrown out of the arms, as before, no bunches being allowed yearly from the sides of a permanent upright to grow on them. In this way, two new bearing shoot, and are cut back yearly, for new ones to shoots are added yearly, until the entire space spring out from the buds left at their base in intended for the vine on the trellis is filled. pruning.

We have already remarked, at the beginning

In the long-cane or renewal system, every alter

« ՆախորդըՇարունակել »