246 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Mat 



tent, scientific investigation, for most of the 

 knowledge that will enable us to make progress 

 in it. 



There are so many things to be considered 

 that we doubt whether we can be of any service 

 to our correspondent. His trees make wood rap- 

 idly, but will not produce fruit. Is the land too 

 rich ? Would laying it to grass and taking two 

 or three crops from it bring the desired result ? 

 Or cropping it one year with wheat or oats ? And 

 so of the pear trees, who can tell us where the 

 trouble lies ? 



Some of the wise ones say that root pruning, 

 that is cutting off a portion of the roots, will bring 

 the pear trees to bearing. The process is to 

 scrape away the earth, and with a sharp tool cut 

 off one or two of the leading roots. 



EXTKACTS AND REPLIES. 



PREMIUMS ON FOREST TREES. 



I see by some of the papers that the Massa- 

 chusetts Agricultural Society have offered a pre- 

 mium of $1000 for a plantation of white oak 

 trees. Are we to infer from this that all our 

 other kinds of oak are not valuable ? It occurred 

 to me that it might be as well to test the grow- 

 ing qualities of all our common kinds. If I lived 

 in Massachusetts, I would enter the lists for the 

 premium. B. F. Cutter. 



Ptlham, N. IL, 1859. 



Remarks. — If friend Cutter will look at the 

 Farmer carefully, he will see that, with their 

 usual liberal encouragement to agriculture, the 

 Massachusetts Society has offered a premium of 

 $1000 "for the best plantation of trees of any 

 kind commonly used for, and adapted to, ship- 

 building, grown from see^i planted for the pur- 

 pose." But there must be one white oak at least 

 to every twenty square yards. 



HAY caps. 



Which is the best kind of cotton for hay caps, 

 the light or heavy ; and what kind of a prepara- 

 tion can be applied to them to prevent grasshop- 

 pers from eating them, and make them water- 

 proof? Addison County, Vermont. 



March, 1859. 



Remarks. — Such cotton cloth as may be pur- 

 chased lor nine cents a yard will make excellent 

 water-proof hay-caps, without any preparation of 

 oil or paint of any kind. Caps made of such 

 cloth, and properly placed on the cock, will keep 

 it dry during a storm of three days. If you cut 

 a ton and a half of hay to the acre, we do not 

 think the grasshoppers will eat your caps ! 



BLIGHT IN GRAPES — HARTFORD AND CONCORD 

 GRAPES — PLANTS IN ROOMS. 



Last year my Isabella grape vine, (when the 

 grapes were about the size of peas,) blighted 



badly. The leaves and fruit withered and fell 

 off from a portion of the vine, while a part re- 

 mained thrifty and fruit ripened finely. Will 

 you tell me the cause and remedy ? 



What is the bpst grape to raise for family use 

 — what about the Hartfovd and Concord ? 



Is it well to have plants in sleeping-rooms, and 

 rooms of the sick? Old Subscriber. 



Taunton, 1859. 



Remarks. — We cannot tell you the cause or 

 remedy of the blight you speak of. 



The Concord is a large, dark purple grape, 

 earlier than the Isabella, and hardy and prolific. 

 Ripens in September. The Hartford we have 

 not cultivated, but it is represented to be prolific, 

 is large, ripens easily, never mildews, and is fit 

 to eat early in September. We cannot say which 

 is the best grape for family use. 



A few plants in any well-ventilated room are 

 healthy both for body and mind. 



blind staggers — shade trees — corn — 

 pumpkins. 



What is the surest and least barbarous cure 

 for "blind staggers" in horses ? 



What season is most preferable for trans- 

 planting shade trees, especially evergreens ? 



Will King Philip or Brown corn do well on 

 the northerly intervales of the Connecticut? 

 What is the average product, per acre, and where, 

 and at what cost can it be procured ? 



What is the best variety of pumpkins ? Mine 

 have all run to vines. Farmer. 



Vermont, March 21, 1859. 



Remarks. — To cure blind staggers in horses, 

 you must always feed well and treat kindly, and 

 be especially careful that the horse shall not be 

 overloaded, made to pull hard suddenly, and not 

 driven rapidly when first taken from feeding. 

 Then administer to him three drops of the tinc- 

 ture of stramonium, every third day for nine 

 days, immediately after a fit. 



Plant shade trees the last of April or first of 

 May. 



King Philip corn will do well on the lands you 

 speak of, if you manure in the hill with some fer- 

 tilizer that will give it an early start. Sixty 

 bushels to the acre is a good crop — we do not 

 know what the average is. Sold at the seed 

 stores for about $2 a bushel. We cannot shed 

 any light on the pumpkin question. 



TICKS ON SHEEP. 



Is there anything that can be fed to sheep that 

 will kill the ticks on them ? C. N. Andrews. 

 Chelsea, Vt., 1859. 



Reaiarks. — Give each sheep a tea spoonful of 

 sulphur in some corn meal, every other day, 

 three or four times. 



If this does not kill them, a careful applica- 

 tion of the mercurial ointment will accomplish it. 



