1856. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



149 



THE TREES OF AMERICA. 



Under this title Dr. R. U. Pipek, of Wobuni, 

 Mass., has issued the first number of a work of sur- 

 passing interest and beauty. It is in quarto form, 

 printed on fine, hea\'y paper, with large and hand- 

 some type, and illustrated with a beautiful vignette, 

 and a portrait of the Giant Redwood, copied by 

 permission, and given in another column of tliis 

 paper, the "Assabet Oak," on the Randall estate at 

 Stow, and the "Avery Ehn," at Stratham, N. H. 



Dr. Piper is a genius. We have seen various sjiec- 

 imens of his artistic skill which are wonderful. His 

 illustrations in surgery ,with their exquisite colorings, 

 would alone give any man an enviable reputation, 

 and so would his transfers of the frost-work on win- 

 dows, also colored in any desirable tint. That the 

 reader may better understand the purpose of the 

 Doctor we give below his own explanation. 



The subscriber proposes to publish a work on 

 Trees of tuts Country, accompanied with steel 

 engravings of such trees as are of interest, on ac- 

 count of their size and history, &c. Like their com- 

 patriots, the Soldiers of the Revolution, many of 

 these venerable trees will soon have passed away, 

 and it seems an object of much interest to preserve 

 their memory for the future. Every other civilized 

 country has done this work, making it a matter of 

 national concern. We have trees in our country 

 as beautiful as any of which foreign countries can 

 boast, and of far greater magnitude ; many of which 

 possess, to us, also much historical interest. 



To the description of each particular tree will be 

 added whatever may be deemed of interest in re 

 gard to the cultivation of the species to which it 

 belongs, giving the best method of ti-ansplanting, &c 

 In this department the author has, in addition to 

 his own experience, the promise of the aid of the 

 most eminent Arboriculturists in this country. 



It is intended to give twelve or more Plates dur- 

 ing the year, adding perhaps a few foreign trees of 

 note, for comj)arison. 



The work will be issued in Quarterly Parts, each 

 Part containing at least three plates, with the de- 

 scription. Price of one year's subscription, two dol- 

 lars, payable in advance. R. U. Piper. 



force the formation of fruit, as to keep the vine 

 within bounds ; for in good soils, they are all rapid 

 growers. The small limbs branching from the 

 main stem, may be cut back to three buds ; each 

 one of these buds will make fruit. So if each one 

 of the lateral branches produces three bunches of 

 gravies, the vine will make a splendid yield. The 

 main vine may be cut back, when it is necessary, 

 but if fruit be the object, only prune the laterals. 

 If the vine wants invigorating, dig in a mould from 

 the woods and swamps, with a little good guano, 

 or hen manure with it, around the roots, not mere- 

 ly at the base, but ten or twenty feet from it 

 Train the vine to trellis or posts before the buds 

 begin to swell, otherwise the buds may be rubbed 

 off", and lost." Prune immediately before the warm 

 sun and air starts the sap. 



THE GRAPE VINE. 



Our people are taking a great interest in the 

 culture of the grape ; and since the success of Mr. 

 Bull, in introducing a variety, at once excellent 

 in flavor, and so early and hardy as to ripen before 

 our usual autumnal frosts, and withstand the low 

 temperature of ov;r winters, there is great encoui*- 

 agement for renewed etfbrts. 



Our object now, is, however to make a suggestion 

 or two to those already possessing vines in different 

 stages of growth, and those we find at hand in 

 "The Soil of the South," an excellent paper pub- 

 lished at Columbus, Georgia. It says, "Whatever 

 pruning is to be done, should be done now. The 

 native vines are found only to succeed well in open 

 culture. Thoy will not need pruning so much to 



For the New England Farmer. 



STATE REFORM SCHOOL. 



Mr. Editor : — I was pleased with the inquiry in 

 your last as to the State Reform School at AVest- 

 borough. It seems to me your correspondent was 

 right, in considering this one of the noblest of the 

 institutions of the State — both in its origin and in 

 its object. The generous founder, who appropria- 

 ted nearly 07ie hundred thousand dollars of his pat- 

 rimony to tliis institution, had enlarged views of 

 its utility. It is the bounden dut}' of the State to 

 see that these views are carried out to their full ex- 

 tent. 



Compare it with other public institutions, such as 

 the State Prisons — the State Alms Houses — the 

 State Hospitals, and the like — all these are well 

 enough m their place ; but what is this — to provide 

 for those that are used up, and from whom there is 

 no longer hope of benefit to the community. Not 

 so with the youth sent to Westborough. To be sure, 

 they may have the misfortune to be without the 

 protection and guidance of parents, but they are 

 not wanting in physical and mental energy ; and if 

 properly guided they will be found the seed of hope- 

 ful promise. 



There are several hundred boys, between the 

 ages of ten to twenty, entirely under the control of 

 the guardians of this institution. Provision is made 

 for binding them out to service ; but this is not com- 

 pulsory, if they can be better instructed and em- 

 ployed on the farm. 



Where could there be a better opportunity to 

 educate and discipline good farmers ? The connec- 

 tion of this school with the Board of Agriculture 

 was a happy idea. Here you have a board of su- 

 pervision drawn from every section of the State, 

 selected by the best of farmers in those sections — 

 coming together not for the purpose of enriching 

 themselves by pocketing high salaries, but for the 

 noble purpose of doing good ; — if it be possible to 

 find an organization from which much is to be 

 hoped, this is the one. With all my heart, I say, 



Jau. 28, 1856. Speed the Plow. 



Remarks. — The writer of the above is not only 

 well acquainted with the institution and the farm o 

 which he speaks, but from an extensive knowledge 



