1S59. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Ill 



purpose of raising chickens. He says they rank 



among the largest coming from China, and as a 



proof that they thrive well in this climate, he 



mentions a cock that at eight months old, weighed 



eight pounds, and that the pullets are propor- 



tionably large. They are broad on the back and 



heart, with a body well rounded up; the plumage 



•white, with a downy softness ; the tail feathers 



short and full ; the head small, surmounted by a 



small, single, serrated comb ; wattles long and 



ide, overlaying the cheek-piece, which is also 



ge ajid extending back on the n«ck ; the legs 



e of a yellow hue, approaching a flesh color, 



ad feathered to the end of the toes. 



PKBMIUMS ON FOREST TREES AND 

 FARMS. 



The Massachusetts Society for the Promotion 

 )f Agriculture has offered a premium of one 

 thousand dollars for the best plantation of forest 

 trees, and a premium of five hundred dollars for 

 the best conducted farm. These offers are in 

 keeping with the liberal spirit which has ever 

 been manifested by this association to promote 

 the interests of the farmer. Its work is in the 

 right direction. It has given a stimulus to every 

 part of the State within the last five years, by its 

 judicious premiums upon dairy stock, and the 

 Essays upon Manures, Agricultural Education 

 and Market Fairs, and its aid to the State Board 

 of Agriculture. 



The offer of these premiums upon forest trees 

 Q.n^ farms, will probably be the means of setting 

 a good many trees growing, and brush up and 

 improve many farms that are now excellent, and 

 improve hundreds more by the examples of neat- 

 ness, system and thrift which will be established 

 by these inducements to excel. We hope there 

 will be an active competition for the prizes. They 

 are as follows : 



1. A premium of $1,000 for a plantation oj 

 forest trees. 



"The above sum is offered for the best planta- 

 tion of trees, of any kind commonly used for, and 

 adapted to, ship-building, grown from seed plant- 

 ed for the purpose, or otherwise, on not less than 

 five acres of land, une white oak at least to be 

 planted to every twi nty square yards. Notice in 

 writing must be given to the Secretary of the 

 Society, on or before January 1, 18G0, of the in- 

 tention to compete for the premium, stating 

 where the land is situated, the nature of the soil, 

 and what has been done in relation to the plan- 

 tation up to the time of giving notice. The pre- 

 mium will be awarded in 1870, in case the suc- 

 cess of any competitor has been such as, in the 

 opinion of the Trustees, or of those appointed by 

 them to adjudge the same, or give a reasonable 

 probability that the plantation v;ill produce even- 

 tually a fair supply of ship timber, in proportion 

 to the number of acres planted The Society 



likewise claims the right, after awarding the pre- 

 mium, to designate from time to time what trees 

 shall be reserved for timber, and the successful 

 competitor shall give security that the trees so 

 designated shall not be cut for any other pur- 

 pose." 



2. A premium of five hundred dollars for the 

 best conducted farm. 



"The above sum is offered, in one premium, 

 for the best conducted farm in Massachusetts, oi 

 not less than forty acres, taking into considera- 

 tion the mode of cultivation, farm building, breed- 

 ing, selection and keeping of stock. Farms, de- 

 voted to market gardening, will not be admitted 

 to competition. The Trustees reserve the right of 

 withholding the premium, in case r o farm offered 

 shall be considered worthy of it, and also of di- 

 viding it, in case no one farm shall be considered 

 decidedly the best conducted. Notice of intention 

 to compete for the premium must be given to the 

 Secretary of the Society, on or before the first 

 day of Ajyril, 1859, accompanied by the payment 

 of an entrance fee of ten dollars. A written state- 

 ment, verified by the oath of the competitor, will 

 be required, containing an accurate statement as 

 to the management of the farm, with an account 

 in figures showing the results of the year's oper- 

 ations. The account to commence on the first 

 day of April, 1859, and to terminate on the thir- 

 ty-first day of March following. All farms en- 

 tered for the premium shall be subject to the 

 visits and inspection, of the Trustees, or by others 

 appointed by them for the purpose. No Trustee 

 or officer of the Society will be allowed to com- 

 pete." 



For the New England Farmer. 



WHEIf AND HCW IS IT BEST TO TRIM 

 APPLE TREES P 



So many and such varying opinions are ex- 

 pressed on this subject, that it is easy to find 

 texts for any theory. But the question still re- 

 curs, which is the best way to trim them, and 

 what is the best time to do it ? The best way of 

 trimming is to clear out all useless and cumber- 

 some limbs, all decayed branches ; a'l such as 

 impair the form of the tree; always having re- 

 gard to the peculiarity of its growth. Some 

 kinds of fruit trees are inclined to form their 

 tops by rising in a conical form, as the Pickman 

 Pippin, for instance ; while the Roxbury Russet 

 spreads out like an open umbrella — its branches, 

 when loaded with fruit, bending to the ground. 

 Regard, therefore, should be had to the kind of 

 fruit expected to be grown. The most produc- 

 tive orchard I have witnessed is on the farm of 

 Mr. E. Ware, of Marblehead, whose trees have 

 been growing in their present position about 

 thirty years ; their limbs now extend twenty feet 

 or more, and completely cover the ground. The 

 earth has been fertilized and pulverized by the 

 running of sv.-ine freely in the orchard. The 

 fruit is large and fair, and the trees have suffered 

 very little from insects or vermin of any kind. 

 How these trees have been trimmed I have not 

 been advised ; but I think very little trimming 

 has been done upon them. They have always 

 been thrifty. P. 



3Iarch 1, 1859. 



