THE GENESEE FARMER. 



65 



On the Cultivation of Cranberries, 



The advautagea of slielter for Gardens, and the best 

 itieans of |)roviding it; 



On the .M:uiajj;ement of a Farmer's Garden; 



For the Lapiks. — For the best reasons why our Agri- 

 ftiltural Societies should offer premiums for a public exhi- 

 lution of Lady Equestrianism. 



A Slight JIisconception. — In an article on Barn-yard 

 iianure, in our last number, we stated that plaster, (,sul- 

 jfhate of lime,) in tlie dry state, would not decompose, or 

 " fix," carbonate cf ammonia. One of our contempora- 

 des, edited by a gentleman of considerable scientitic repu- 

 ftition, agrees with us on this point, but appears to labor 

 under a misconception as to the cause. He says : 



".But it must be recollected that Plaster of Paris does 

 not possess power in a dry state, or when applied to dry 

 manure ; only when the sulphuric acid has been set free by 

 v^ter will it act upon ammonia. 



Now, plaster is not decomposed by being dissolved in 

 *ater. The sulphuric acid is not set free. The reason 

 ■Why plaster will convert carbonate of ammonia into sul- 

 phate of ammonia when in solution, and will not do so 

 in a dry state, is referrable to a chemical law propounded 

 by Bertholet, but which we have not space to expound 

 fflt this time. We allude to the matter merely because the 

 s&bject is one of practical importance, and one on which 

 there is much difference of opinion ; and we fear that the 

 ttuth of our statement may be questioned by intelligent 

 scientific farmers, if the effect is ascribed to a wrong cause. 

 ^.We would also remind our contemporary, that the arti- 

 cle, "Peat and Peat Charcoal as Absorbents of Ammo- 

 nia," given in connection with the article in which the 

 aJ)ove extract occurs, should be credited to the Genesee 



H^mer. 



^«« 



Consumption of Meat. — The cities of New York and 

 Condon consume, as nearly as possible, the same quantity 

 (J[ meat in proportion to their inhabitants, or about half a 

 pound of meat per day for each person. As compared 

 with London, however, there is much morci beef consumed 

 in New York than mutton. The Americans, rather than 

 (Jie English, are entitled to the appellation of " Beef-eat- 

 ers." South Down mutton commands a higher price than 

 beef in England ; and if our mutton was as good as the 

 English, the consumption would be much greater, and the 

 price proportionally higher. " English mutton, brought 

 out by the last steamer," is to be found at many of the 

 principal saloons in Boston and New York. "Whether it 

 Ijas ever cropped the sweet herbage of the chalk downs of 

 Merrie England " or not, we will not undertake to decide. 



Soaking Seed Pretious to Planting. — It is the 

 practice of many to soak cucumber, squash, melon, and 

 dther seeds, previous to planting. A correspondent says 

 that " although the seeds sprout quicker, the plants will 

 not be as healthy and vigorous as if the seed was sown 

 trithout soaking, before a shower." What is the expe- 

 rience of our readers ? 



Feeding Hogs. — A correspondent at Greenwich, Ohio, 

 \Prites us that he killed a lot of hogs last fall, 210 days old, 

 n^hich weighed 25G Hjs. each, dressed. They were fed well 

 ^1 summer and fall, and eat eleven bushels of corn each. 

 T[Tiey were of the " common breed," and our corres- 

 I>ondent would like to know " if the Suffolks can beat 

 this." 



The Rural Annual tor 1857. — The first edition of 

 the Rural Annual and llorticiiUural Directory for 1?57 

 was exhausted before half our orders were supplied, and 

 many of our friends had to wait longer for the woik ihaa 

 they or we desired. As it was unavoidable, however, we 

 trust they will excuse the delay. We think they will find 

 it worth waiting for. Commendatory notices of the wurk 

 are pouring in upon us from every (juarter, and it iirornises 

 to rival the circulation of the moat popular works of tlie 

 day, in the other departments of literature. 



It contains, besides a great variety of matter interesting 

 to every farmer and gardener, articles on Rural Architec- 

 ture, with several beautiful designs of cottage, suburban, 

 and farm houses, prepared expressly for the Riirai AnnuaU 

 On laying out a small Fruit and Kitchen Garden, with a 

 list of the best varieties of fruits, directions for the prepa- 

 ration of the ground, &c., with a fine engraving: On the 

 cultivation of Strawberries, Raspberries, Blackberries, 

 Currants, Gooseberries, &c., with engravings and descrip- 

 tions of the best varieties, &c. : On the management of 

 Hedges, with illustrations of the best modes of training, 

 &c. : On the Kitchen Garden : On the management of 

 Grapes in cold houses, with engravings showing the beht 

 mode of training, &c. : On planting an Apple Orchard, 

 best varieties for different localities, &c. : On the Archi- 

 tecture of Lodges, School Houses, &c., with two beautii'ul 

 engravings : On building a Stable, with plan and descrip- 

 tion : On the breeds and management of Poultry — pro- 

 fusely illustrated : On Ornamental Planting, Landscape 

 Gardening, &c., with numerous illustrations: On the Ad- 

 vantages of Shelter, &c. Also, a corrected list of Fruita 

 recommended by the American Pomological Society, with 

 lists of Nurserymen and Agricultural Implement JMakera 

 in the United States and Canadas. The whole comprising 

 a work of 141 pages, which for usefulness and beauty 

 should be in the hands of every one interested in Rural 

 Pursuits. 



We send it, postage paid, for twenty-five cents a 

 copy. 



In Clubs of Eight, we send the Genesee Farmer and 

 Rural Annual for fiftx cents the two. 



To every one sending us eight subscribers to the Genesee 

 Fai-mer, at the lowest club terms of tiiikty-seve!» and a 

 HALF CENTS each, we will send, one copy of th& Rural 

 Annual, postage paid, for his trouble. 



Profits of Butter Making. — We have received a 

 communication from an anonymous correspondent, criii- 

 cising "A. S. B.'s" article on "Cows and Butter Mnking" 

 in the last number, and asking if -'Dora" and "liuby" 

 will knock under to his cow "Jessie;" biit he f(:r;:<.ts to 

 tell us the amonnt of butter obtained from "Jessie,"' ihe 

 quantity of food consumed, cost of keeping, &c. Widi- 

 ont these particulars, we are unable to judge. If mr 

 correspondent will give us his name, we will reiurn the 

 article for his correction in these resjects, and will then 

 publi?h it. 



An Egg within an Ego. — H. J. Buinner, of Nazr.reth, 

 Pa., says that some 12 years ago a neit^hlor's hen laiti two 

 eggs, as large as a common sized goo?e ^g^ ; inside one of 

 which was contained anf>ther of the size of an ordinary 

 hen's eg^, the interstices between the shells of the smaller 

 and larger eggs being filled wi^h the white of egg 'albu- 

 men). The smaller egg was perfect in every respect. 

 After laying the second egg, (which wa« not examined,) 

 the hen laid down and died. 



