10 bu. carrots,.. $2 50 50" potatoes, (part early, for sale for seed,). 26 gals. preserved tomatoes and jugs, @ 75 cts.,. 100 hubbard squashes,.. 15 bu. onions, @ 50 cts.,.... 12.50 19 50 6 00 7 50 3 bbls. pickles, @ $5 00,........ 17 50 300 cabbages, @ 3 cts.,.... Parsnips, salsify, spinach, &c., in the ground,........ Roots sent to barn, viz: 45 bu. rutabagas, @ 15 cts.,. 9.00 10 00 6 75 By permission of the Board, given last year, three new hotbed frames with sashes were made. * * * A violent tornado destroyed about half of our surface of glass, and we are now only left with about as much as was added this spring. Making 9 hot-bed sash and 3 frames: Students' labor,.. Hired labor,. Lumber,... Paint, putty, oil, &c.,. Glass, $9 47 4.38 6 12 5 58 11 32 $36 87 * * * Necessary garden and nursery tools have been purchased to the amount of $24,82, as per bill of J. M. Thorburn & Co. Among these tools is the Weatherfield seed drill, to which I would call attention. It is simple, cheap, and very satisfactory, sowing all sizes of seeds with facility. It is a great saver of labor, and would soon pay for itself in a garden of moderate dimensions, while in one as large as our it is indispensable. * * * During the past season our crops have been molested by insects to an unusual degree. It has been quite impossible to raise a crop of turnips, rutabagas and related roots, on account of the ravages of the turnip and raddish worm, which destroyed repeated plantings, notwithstanding the thorough application of the usual preventives, ashes and plaster. A kind of black beetle, Lytta Pennsylvanica, appeared in swarms upon the beets, carrots and spinach, causing great destruction. The only known remedy being to catch and destroy them, it could not be applied. An enemy to squash, and vines of that family, which has not been noticed here before, appeared in limited numbers. Dr. Miles makes the insect to be Galeruca duodecempunctata, and nearly related to the common striped bug; it is like that, black and yellow, but has more the form of the common lady-bug, and is marked with 12 black round spots. Should this insect increase largely in numbers it will prove one of the most troublesome pests to the garden. We have had this year several varieties of vegetable not before cultivated here, and I would call your attention to those which are of sufficient excellence to merit it. A variety of sweet corn was received from Dr. J. B. Chapin, of Barrington, Rhode Island. He was unable to trace it to its origin, and in order to designate it I have called it the Chapin sweet corn. As a prolific bearer, in the size of the ears, and in the size and quality of the kernels, it is superior to any variety I have yet seen. A new squash called Vowvow, is of fine quality, and judging from only two vines, a good bearer. We have not been able to test its keeping qualities. Colliflower has been a very successful crop with us, the plant heading about as easily as cabbage. We obtained the best results from Thorburn's Nonpariel, though the Early Paris did 30 SECRETARY'S REPORT-STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. well. The long purple Egg Plant is the only sort we have found early enough for this locality. By starting early in a hot bed, and protecting them until the soil becomes warm, with good after culture, a crop of this most delicious vegetable can be obtained. Among the numerous varieties of lettuce, the Butter lettuce is superior to any we have cultivated. The Boston Curled is a good variety, and of great beauty. Several new kinds of muskmellon have been tried, among them the White Japan, which is the best mellon I have seen, being productive, early, of excellent flesh, very sweet, and in every respect a superior fruit. The Jenny Lind is commended as a good and early variety. Among the kinds of waterinellon, we found the Ice Cream and Black Spanish the best. The Fegee tomato has proved very fine. It is a few days la ter than the Smooth Red, but is more productive, large and solid. I am not able to distinguish any difference between this and the Perfected, provided the seeds of the latter, received from the Patent Office, were true to their name. The new French Upright, or Tree tomato, has been cultivated; this variety has a peculiar stocky growth, and the plant is nearly self-supporting. It is about as late as the Fegee, and the early fruit is of ten of bad shape. Doubtless the shape of the fruit can be improved by careful selection. From the experience of the past season, it is considered worthy of further trial. Seeds of the above mentioned varieties are submitted for the acceptance of the members of the Board. Very respectfully, GEORGE THURBER. WARRANT STATEMENT of the Secretary of the State Board of Agriculture, for the year 1861. 4 30 M. Miles,.. 30 T. C. Abbot, 30 Parsons & Johnson,. Groceries, 30 Parsons & Johnson,. 30 Geo. Thurber,. 30 L. R. Fisk,.. 16 June 3P. C. Ayers,. 1Geo. Thurber,. 104 27 504 57 t 24 1Jus. Bayley, 23 Sept. 2 Almond Harrison,.. Bridge across Cedar, 26 Oct. 27 " 29 "" 30 66 Total, 2 T. C. Abbot,.... 2 J. G. Ramsdell,.. 2 L. R. Fisk,. 1 M. Miles,... 200 00 |