NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



267 



ning, but preserves its primeval character. On 

 this point my experience and observation lead to 

 the same opinion. I do not think they deteriorate 

 or change, or can change their character in any 

 respect by running. The runner, or new plant, 

 is a sucker which takes root on the surface of the 

 ground. A sucker from the root of the plum will 

 have the same characteristics and habits of the 

 parent tree, and many of the damsons are propa- 

 gated in this manner. It is the same with the 

 pear. If we wish for new varieties, we must grow 

 them from the seed. 



I have been engaged for several years in the cul- 

 tivation of strawberries for market. When I set a 

 new bed of plants I make no choice between strong 

 or weak plants. The first plant made is stronger 

 because it is older, and will bear more fruit if it 

 remains in the bed than the younger plants ; if it 

 is moved the fruit will be lost. Therefore I take 

 the plants that grow in the spaces between the 

 rows, which are generally the weakest plants. 

 Each plant will produce some fruit the season it is 

 set, which I do not gather. The next season new 

 plants will spring from the seed which fell the pre- 

 vious season, if they are not taken out, the bed 

 will be filled with seedlings, and these seedlings 

 will in two or three years overrun and take pos- 

 session of parts of the bed, especially of slow grow- 

 ing kinds, such as Hovey's seedling. The better 

 way is to plant from beds but one year old, and if 

 the plants set were true sorts, the runners will be 

 the same. 



When we order a new variety and do not get 

 the true sort, I do not think the nurseryman in- 

 tends to palm off spurious sorts. He may have never 

 had it. although he might have paid for it, and got 

 a seedling from it, or his bed might have seedlings 

 grown in it. Some strawberries produce the same 

 from seed with no perceptible difference — such as 

 the Wood and Alpines, which are perfect in their 

 sexual organization, while the Pines are generally 

 deficient, in pistils or stamens, or have one or the 

 other imperfectly developed. 



North Danvers. 



We can see how most weeds and insects may be a 

 blessing, but how any good, present, past, or to 

 come, ever was or is to be found in tobacco, is past 

 our comprehension. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 VEGETABLE POISONS. 



Mr. Editor : — I saw in the last season's paper 

 inquiries for what would cure vegetable poison, and 

 cures prescribed ; some of one thing and some of 

 another, and one of buckwheat flour and vitriol, 

 which is no doubt good. T feel disposed to give 

 you a recipe of my own, which would have paid 

 me eight years ago for five numbers of your paper 

 in a single season. It is as follows : — First scratch 

 as long as it feels good, then take wild salandine, 

 (some call it jewel weed,) crush it and rub it on 

 until it smarts well, then go to bed, and you will 

 be ready for a good day's work the next day. It 

 may need a few applications afterwards, but not 

 many. 



In another paper I saw mention made of tobac- 

 co-eating goats ; if any one will call at my barn I 

 will show them four tobacco-eating cows ; throw 

 them a tobacco plant, and they will leave good hay 

 and eat the plant first. 



Hartford, 1852. E. E. Persons. 



Remarks. — If our correspondent's cows are in 

 good health, they certainly do not manifest as 

 much good taste and good sense as most cows do. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 AGRICULTURAL COLLEGES. 



Messrs. Editors : — For a few years past, and up 

 to the present time, there has been much discus- 

 sion in our Legislature, and also in many of the 

 public prints, in regard to the utility and expe- 

 diency of establishing an institution of the above 

 character in this State. And if I am right your 

 paper, the New England Farmer advocates the 

 utility of the scheme. Now as I take the Farmer, 

 I hav^e an opportunity of seeing, and examining 

 the arguments which the different advocates put 

 forth in favor of the project. Yet I have utterly 

 failed to see its feasibility. This may arise from 

 a limited knowledge and a want of a better under- 

 standing of the subject. It is true, I profess to be 

 nothing more than a humble individual in the 

 world, and make no pretensions to the superior 

 wisdom and judgment of those more exalted in life. 

 But as I just observed, I have never been enabled 

 to see, from all the arguments which I have seen 

 advanced upon the subject. That the agricultural 

 interest of the State would be benefited by the 

 establishment of such an institution. At least, 

 to that extent which it had ought to, considering 

 the outlay and expense which would accrue to the 

 State in establishing such an institution and main- 

 taining it. And I believe if the truth were known, 

 that the opinions of nine-tenths of the practical 

 farmers of the State would be found to corres- 

 pond with mine in considering such an institu- 

 tion entirely unnecessary, and would prove an ut- 

 ter failure, so far as it would tend to benefit their 

 interest. 



As regards the means and modes for obtaining 

 an increased and necessary knowledge for the im- 

 provement and advancement in agricultural pur- 

 suits they already exist, and are afforded to a 

 very great extent in the numerous books and 

 periodicals devoted to that interest, and also in 

 the numerous agricultural and horticultural Ex- 

 hibitions of the day. These afford a better and 

 cheaper means of instruction than a College would. 

 The farmers, so far as I am acquainted, do not de- 

 sire any institution of the kind. They would not 

 try to avail themselves of any of its advantages. 

 They consider that it would not be managed upon 

 a system calculated to improve their economical 

 modes of husbandry. They consider that it would 

 amount to little else than a grand and expensive 

 experiment, whereby the State would subject it- 

 self to a great and enormous expense with no cor- 

 responding return, excepting, confering^ upon a 

 few men a rich and lucrative office, which they 

 never were by experience calculated to fill, and 

 an attempt to educate a few of the sons of certain 

 families in an art which they are entirely unfitted 

 by nature and habit to follow, and one which they 

 rarely would adopt as an occupation. 



I believe it to be one grand idea with the advo- 

 cates of the scheme, that it will furnish an op- 

 portunity for the sons of some of our rich men, 

 and also for some of the sons of those engaged in 

 some of the more genteel pursuits in life, to ob- 

 tain a knowledge of the art of farming. 



