1859. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



457 



and most permanent investments they had ever 

 made. 



The farmer is receiving essential benefit from 

 the operations of men engaged in commercial or 

 professional life. If this project, for instance, is 

 faithfully carried out, and is successful, it will af- 

 ford a valuable example to the hard-working far- 

 mer, who feels as though he cannot engage in 

 any enterprise where there is danger of loss, — 

 and this feeling he will naturally have until he 

 has experimented, or seen repeated trials by 

 others. I have no more doubt of good results 

 than I have of the most certain thing that has 

 not already transpired. 



I have been delighted with my visit here ; not, 

 especially, with anything very new that I saw in 

 the cultivation of the soil, or of marked excellence 

 in buildings, stock, or implements, but in the 

 pure tone of feeling and the sweet affections that 

 exist in country life. Here were gathered por- 

 tions of four or five families from various sec- 

 tions and occupations. They had come back to 

 the old hom.estead to visit the scenes of earlier 

 days, to renew and strengthen fraternal attach- 

 ments, and, by occasional intercourse, perpetuate 

 them to the end. 



The twilight had gradually given way to the 

 deeper shades of night, and the peculiar sounds 

 of an evening in the country were hushed — the 

 plaintive note of the whippoorwill had ceased, 

 (for his time of mating and loves had gone by, 

 though he still lingered in his accustomed places,) 

 when the family all came from their respective 

 duties and "sung a hymn." Then rose the clear 

 and affectionate thanksgivings and petitions of 

 the minister ; to Him in whom we live and move 

 and h?.ve our being. He plead for the "stranger" 

 that was within their gates, and for his profes- 

 sion, that it might be blessed and prospered, and 

 made fruitful in the earth. None were forgotten, 

 the aged, middle-aged and the young. 



How is it possible that blessings shall not rest 

 upon such a household, and that peace shall not 

 remain with them to the end ? 



Truly yours, SiMON Brown. 



chosen to put away, and with a pair of small scis- 

 sors all defective and bruised berries should be 

 cut off. They should then be placed in boxec 

 well ventilated, and remain for a few days, when 

 they should be packed in boxes holding six or 

 eight pounds each, first sprinkling the bottom 

 with a layer of mahogany saw-dust, or what is 

 better, turning chips, then a layer of grapes, and 

 then saw-dust alternately to the top. it is not 

 important that the box be tight, it is better that 

 it should not be. These should be put in the 

 coolest place in the house, where the air is dry. 

 On the approach of freezing weather they may 

 be removed to upper shelves suspended in the 

 cellar, or in any dry room where the temperature 

 is as near the freezing point as possible. Some 

 recommend cotton batting in place of the turn- 

 ing chips, but we have always been most success- 

 ful with the latter. 



A most valuable addition to our old stock of 

 grapes has been made in several new varieties. 

 Some of them are well suited to the various lat- 

 itudes of the United States up to the 43u degree 

 North. 



Every homestead should have its half-dozen 

 vines, at least of the kinds best suited to the lo- 

 cality — trained to the out-houses, where they oc- 

 cupy no room. These, if taken care of, will af- 

 ford an abundant supply for the family during 

 the grape season, and leave a good store for win- 

 ter. — Valley Farmer. 



PRE8EKVINQ GRAPES FOB 'WINTER. 



While grapes may be grown in such profusion 

 and with so little labor, it is a little remarkable 

 that a supply for every household in the country 

 is not secured, not only in the regular season of 

 them, but to last until spring. There is no 

 trouble in keeping grapes through the winter as 

 fresh as when they are first gathered. In seasons 

 when other fruit is scarce, no greater luxury can 

 be enjoyed than a dish of fresh grapes in winter. 



In gathering grapes for keeping fresh, they 

 should be allowed to hang on the vines until they 

 are fully ripe, and then gathered with care, to 

 avoid bruisirg. The fairest bunches should be 



MANURING GRASS LANDS. 



In no department of farming is there a more 

 radical call for improvement, than in the manage- 

 ment of our meadows and pastures. Good grass 

 crops are at the very foundation of good hus- 

 bandry. Land which will produce these largely, 

 will produce grain, corn and roots — will sustain a 

 good proportion of stock, and thus furnish within 

 itself the means of keeping up and improving 

 its fertility. These assertions are seemingly so 

 self-evident, that we must beg pardon of the in- 

 telligent reader for referring so frequently to the 

 subject. And yet the intelligent reader who 

 looks, perhaps, over his own farm, certainly on 

 the farms around him, will see that no word is 

 out of place, which can attract attention to the 

 question before us. We shall now remark simply 

 on top-dressing meadows — the present being a 

 favorable season for the operation. 



For improving the yield of grass, and adding 

 to the permanent fertility of the soil, we cannot 

 do better with our fine manure, than to apply it 

 after hajing as a top-dressing to dry land mead- 

 ows or pastures. It will give new vigor to the 

 growth of grass, and increase the thickness of 

 the sward, so that even were it to be plowed the 

 next season for a grain croj), the manure could 

 not be better timed or applied. For meadow or 

 pasture the product would be largely increased 

 both in quantity and quality. On wet land, 

 draining should precede the application of ma- 

 ure, as no great benefit can be gained from ma- 

 uring a soil saturated with water during the wet 

 seasons of the year. 



On loamy soils the different composts of muck 

 with manure, ashes, lime, guano, etc., will be 

 found valiidble, and an addition of plaster to the 

 compost cannot well come amiss. For mucky 



