1859. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



437 



ISABELLA GRAPE. 



In an art'cle on the cultivation of this fruit 

 •which I forwarded you some months since, I then 

 recommended that, in order to prevent the inju- 

 ry which the warm, sunny days in winter, or the 

 alternation of heat and cold to which vines when 

 trained upon our buildings are often subjected, 

 they should be taken down late in the fall 

 and laid along their whole length upon the 

 ground — they will there ordinarily require no 

 covering. The Isabella grape vines in our neigh- 

 borhood have suffered greatly the past winter ; 

 large numbers are destitute of fruit ; I have, on 

 the contrary, two vines, one trained upon a 

 fence, the other upon my barn, both having a 

 southern exposure, that were laid down the past 

 winter as recommended above, and they are 

 loaded with fruit. It is not, I apprehend, the 

 extreme cold days of winter so much as the al- 

 ternation of heat and cold which produces the 

 mischief. The sap of the grape vine, as said by 

 Dr. Lindley, "is always in motion, at all seasons, 

 and under all circumstances, except in the Tery 

 coldest days." Can we wonder that, in a climate 

 so variable, where the thermometer at night 

 may descend to zero, and the next day an un- 

 clouded sun with the warmth of spring, a sus- 

 ceptible plant should be thus affected ? 



Salem, Mass., 1859. J. M. I. 



HEIFER HOLDS UP HER MILK. 



I have a two-year old heifer that calved about 

 the middle of July ; and lately she holds up her 

 milk. Can you, or any of your readers, inform 

 me if there is a remedy, and what it is ? 



Can you inform me where I can get some eggs 

 of the Dominique breed? C. C. L, 



Eockingliam, Vt., Aug., 1859. 



Remarks. — Give the heifer a little meal, sweet 

 grass or grain, when you milk her. Cannot tell 

 you about the fowls. 



THE CULTIVATION OF VINEYARDS. 



Can you, or any of your readers, tell me where 

 I can find full information relative to the meth- 

 ods practised in this country, in commencing and 

 cultivating vineyards, the processes used in pre- 

 paring wine for the market, expenses, <Jcc. 



Xew London, JV. H., 1859. 



Remarks. — A work entitled "The Culture of 

 the Grape, and Wine Making," by Robert Bu- 

 chanan, t-Us the whole story in a compact form. 

 For sale at this office — price 62^ cents. 



TO CURE A KICKING COW. 



Your correspondent "Cit" seems to ridicule 

 ■ny plan of curing kicking cows. For his bene- 

 it 1 will inform him that the rope is to surround 

 he cow, as a girth is put on a horse, just behind 

 he shoulders. He says he don't see how it can 

 jrevent her ; that is not my fault. At all events, 

 it has always cured mine, and will probably cure 

 his, if they can be cured. 

 Boston, Aug., 1859. A Belmont Farmer. 



West Wesfminsttr, Vt., July 30, 1859.— The 

 rass crop is very good in this vicinity, and oats 



look remarkably well ; corn is just tasseling out, 

 and if we do not have too early frosts, we shall 

 iget a fair crop. o. c. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 I THE "WHEAT SEASON AT HAND. 



I Mr. Editor : — The past season has probably 

 jbeen one of the most prolific ever known, in the 

 [development and securing of the cereal harvest. 

 jt)ur own great grain country proclaims it from 

 I every quarter, and all Europe echoes the wel- 

 Icome sound of overflowin,j^ granaries. This looks 

 I like cheap, home markets. On either side of the 

 I water a large surplus may remain, but it is that 

 jkind of farm product, that will keep without salt, 

 jand with very little care. It were wise in all lar- 

 jmers, that they always have six to twelve months 

 stock in advance. This would be preparation 

 I against want, in the loss of a crop which so fre- 

 quently occurs. 



Now let us suppose abundance, cheapness, 

 easily obtained, perhaps for this year only, (while 

 I the tsvo following years may result in short crops 

 and high prices,) would it be good policy for our 

 I New England farmers to relax their efforts, to 

 ^ stack their arms? Abundance is generally fol- 

 i lowed by reverse. We have been a suffering, 

 panic-stricken people, when the "rich man" could 

 not "glory in his riches ;" when labor had not 

 its reward ; Avhen the waxed ends were hung up 

 to dry ; when the mill, from trundle head to 

 breast wheel, became noiseless, and silent as a 

 cavern. Now, the village becomes dull, dim and 

 dingy. The demand for farmers' hay, butter and 

 eggs has ceased, but he has been reminded that 

 "the flour is gone ;" (sorry news for him, and he 

 almost resolves to raise his own flour.) "Well," 

 (he says,) "butter and eggs wont pay for a barrel 

 of flour, I must broach the money laid away to 

 pay taxes ; it's like drawing teeth." Now, to 

 provide against this kind of dentistry, if the far- 

 mers will put down two to five acres of wheat 

 annually, his flour bills are easily paid. It would 

 not be so much like "drawing teeth." 



It is a well known fact, that four and a quarter 

 bushels of wheat, is equal to a barrel of flour to 

 every family. Every expense, from the plow to 

 the granary, is the same as other grain crops. 

 You can make it cost no more ; more bushels of 

 wheat can be grown to the acre than of rye, on a 

 good strong soil, and an equal quantity on poor 

 soil. Half of the rye lands scarcely pay expense 

 of cultivation. Some of your rye fields are a bur- 

 lesque on farming, yet followed up with great 

 persistency, year after year. 



Hilly or sloping lands are best for winter 

 wheat. Clover fallow, old mowing or pasture 

 sod, are better than old pulverized soil. In 

 Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire, wheat 

 should be sown last week in August. In Massa- 

 chusetts, first week in September. Early sowing 

 and two to three inches depth is sure against 

 winter-kill. Late sowing is dangerous. Soak 

 twelve hours in salt pickle to kill insects, (if any,) 

 and skim off foul seed. Rake the seed in ashes ; 

 sow one and three-fourths to two bushels to the 

 acre. 



I have the satisfaction to learn from many far- 

 mers, that they have had complete success in 

 raising winter wheat. Reliance on his farm ca- 



