THE GENESEE FARMER. 



2dl 



(J. li., alichi^an.) Gas Limk. — You are mistaken in sup- 

 posing tint jjas liiuc contains a l;ir_:.'e quantity of ammonia. 

 We lire uware tliat some writers have inaJe such u state- 

 ment, but it is certainly nitliout foundation. Cliemical 

 »ualv-;ls indicates — or we wouhi rather say demmistratcs — 

 that gas lime is of less value than common lime. Practi- 

 «a! experience confirms this. In England, where many 

 eiperinients have been made with it, gas lime sells for less 

 \A\\\\ frf^h lime from the kiln. 



(II. li. Dknkochk, PJielpsville.) Hemlock tan-bark is 

 an excellent muloli for strawberries ; we do not think it 

 has much fertilizing value. Some " special manure " 

 writers have argued that its tannic acid is Tery valuable 

 for strawberries. Of this, however, there is no evidence. 

 You had better get the tan-bark now, and put it in a heap 

 where it will dry. If turned over occasionally acd ex- 

 jHwcd to the air, so much the better. We regard tan- 

 baik as the best of all waste substances to mulch with. 



(R. G.) TuKXip Fly. — As soon as the turnip plants 

 appear, dust them with a little air-slacked lime. A quart 

 of slacked lime to the square rod, or five bushels per acre, 

 is about the proper quantity. This remedy has proved 

 very generally effectual. If yon try it, please report the 

 result. 



iB. K., C. W.) You can obtain the New Rochelle or 

 Lawton Blackberry at most of the leading nurseries. Mr. 

 C, P. Bi.ssELL, of this city, who is making the cultivation 

 of this fruit ?omewhat of a specialty, will undoubtedly be 

 able to satisfactoril? fill vour order this fall. 



(G. E. HiLDRETH.) The oat crop is one of the worst 

 tliat can be sown in an orchard. If you must sow some 

 crop, let it be beans, potatoes, corn, or some other crop 

 that can be horse-hoed. 



Best Time to Cut Chestnut Timbkr fob Kails 

 iND Posts. — In reply to the inquiry of Mr. Hakbis, an 



experienced correspondent says : " Tlie beat time to cut 

 chestnut timber for rails and posts, is — when the farmer 

 seldom has time to do it — in July and August, when the 

 bark peels ; and if he will fall a few trees then, and take 

 particular notice, he will find that all the little limbs will 

 season hard, and remain sound longer than those cut in 

 the following spring." 



GAKaKT. — In reply to the inquiry in your paper, I would 

 state that I have, on two occai'.ons, inserted a piece of 

 garget root in the dewlap, and it effected a perfect cure. 

 8. K. GTiviiX. — Sheepscot Bridge, Me, 



backward springs? I would suggest tliat we do moat of 

 our plowing in tlie fivll, so that, v^hcn the ground is dry 

 enougli, we will loae no time in putting in our crops. You 

 may s ly, underdrain it ; but will it |)ay on our Inlly, hard- 

 pan land, where tlie hard-pan is from six to twenty inches 

 under the surface, and not much of it over one foot, and 

 farms sell at from fifteen to twenty dollars pur acre, ana 

 no drain tile to be had? Now, Messrs. Editois, jou maj 

 suggest something that might benefit us. By the way. 

 would you recommend the use of the subsoil |)low on tlie 

 above described land ? 1. llANDAi.L. — Masouviile, Dtla- 

 wai-f Co., N. Y., Jane 15. 



We hope some of our correspondents will discuss this- 

 subject. 



Cux.TUKB or GuAi'ES. — I would like to see an article ia 

 the Parmer on the cultivation of the grape, commencing 

 in the spring when the cutting is planted, and then give tb» 

 work of each year distinct until after the vine has com- 

 menced to bear fruit ; and to designate the sort of grape 

 whose cultivation they are describing, as there is a differ- 

 ence in pruning best suited to different varieties. Dr. 

 Ward lilt, in the Rural Annual for 1856, wrote well on 

 grape culture, but his remarks are mainly in reference to- 

 the Catawba, and I think on that he might have beeu 

 more definite. All that I have seen written on the grape, 

 appears better suited for the instruction of those w1m> 

 have had some experience, rather than for the new be- 

 ginner. W. Livingston. — Laureiueburg. Pa. 



Will some of our readers give us an article on the cul- 

 ture of the grape ? 



I WOULD inquire through your columns for the best anA 

 cheapest method of improving my lanl. The soil is a 

 gravelly, sandy loam, intemixed with slate. Timber — oak, 

 chestnut, sugar, and some hickory, with a little birch, 

 beech and ash. Subsoil well mixed with sand and gravel. 

 Would it be well to plow deep ? The soil is only about 

 four inches thick. Lime and plaster have been applied 

 with very little success. Lime has, in some cases, helped 

 a little. Manure will not last long. Would buckwheat 

 and clover be beneficial as a manuiing crop, to be plowed- 

 under? Sorrel prevails to some extent. If lime should 

 be applied, please state the number of bushel per acre. 

 Uenky Allfathek. — Berlin, Sumerset^Co., Pa. 



Will some of our experienced correspondents answer 

 the above ? 



I WISH to inquire through the Genesee Farmer if it i» 

 necessary to underdrain land consisting of alluvial, loamv 

 soil, two feet deep, resting on a layer of loam and gravel, 

 quite compact, of about a foot in depth, then loose gravel, 

 the depth of which is not known. We have dug thirty 

 feet, and gravel continued. Water does not usually re- 

 main on the surface, even after heavy showers. Would a 

 garden be materially benefited by underdraining on such 

 land? Our garden is on such land, and it sometimes bakes- 

 pretty hard. How can that be prevented ? or, what is the 

 cause? for it did not formerly bake at all. There are 

 thousands of angle-worm.s, sometimes called " crawlers ; " 

 do they do any mischief? D. Edwards. — Little Genesee, 

 N. Y. 



The weather is such that it is an excuse for not working 

 out of doors ; so I have concludod to write a few lines to 

 you, for the purpose of obtaining a little information. The 

 weather here has been exceedingly wet, and vegetation 

 came forward very late and backward ; for example, ap- 

 ple trees have but just shed their blossoms. Many people 

 have not planted their potatoes ; some are but just done 

 sowing oat^, and several have not sown all they wanted. 

 The reason of their being so late is — first, the lateness of 

 the spring, when they could commence their spring's work ; 

 and second, the uncommon quantity of rain, and wetness 

 of the ground. There has been but a small part of the 

 time that the ground has been dry enough to work. Now, 

 what caa we do to forward our work, sucb oold, wet and 



The grading of our street has removed all the surface 

 soil, and left me nothing but a miserably pi. or, cumpaet 



I slate, in which to plant street trees. IJow shall I do? 



I And what trees wiJl do best in such a locality ? Your 

 item in regard to •' Six Good Shade 1'rees," in the July 

 Parmer, leaves me in the dark as to which of the varieties 

 is best adapted to my slate, and my hard, tough clay. Will 

 the sugar maple do well ? And does the American e!«i 

 bear clipping well ? 1. P. I. — HoUidaysburg, Pa. 



Wou/.D it not be good policy to build dams across 

 shower broolcs, and other small streams, to stop Itaveiand 

 other substances that are carried down and lost to th« ' 

 farmer ? Perhaps some of your correspondents oan tall ^ 

 whether it would pn.y to dam_such streams for the ma- 

 nune. C. E. Uiia>KiLTH. 



