1859. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



575 



killed, particularly the wood of the previous 

 year, by the warm days in winter. These should, 

 after the fall of the leaves, be taken down and 

 laid along upon the ground, that they may not 

 be exposed to the alternate freezing and thawing 

 of that season. 



GUANO. 



more importance to discover and introduce vari- 

 eties which are capable of general and out-of- 

 door cultivation, than of such as require the aid 

 of expensive buildings and artificial heat. The 

 modes of artificial culture are already sufficiently 

 understood, and the kinds which require it, are 

 not likely to be improved or increased in num- 

 ber. It is far different with our native grapes. 

 It is very desirable to find or produce those 

 which will ripen early, and which are of more 



In our hot and dry climate, the Peruvian 

 guano, when applied to the land in spring, often 



fails of producing any marked effect; on the con- ,, „ i i i 



trarv, if applied in the fall, spreading it over' excellent flavor and texture than the common 

 the soil of our gardens, and turning it in by the h'aneties ; and also that the mode of managing 

 spade, we shall find it a good fertilizer, as well as them should be more generally understood, 

 more lasting in its effect than when applied in ^o doubt the noble bunches of hot ho 



house 

 The usual rate of manuring is! grapes which we see at horticultural exhibitions 



present a more engaging outside to visitors than 



any of the native varieties either do, or probably 



But if the object of their exhibitions be, 



April or May. 



about three hundred pounds to the acre. 



INSECTS — CHERMES. 



The currant is subject to a curl or thickening 

 of the leaf in spring, produced by a minute in- 

 sect called chermes. I have found that by apply- 

 ing air-slaked lime around the bushes early in the 

 spring, I have entirely succeeded in keeping off 

 this pest. I have also for some years applied 

 spent tan around the gooseberry, (Houghton's 

 Seedling,) with marked effect, in staying the rav- 

 ages of the gooseberry worm. J. M. IVES. 



Salem, Nov., 1859. 



will. 



as it is presumed to be, to encourage a taste for 

 gardening, and also for that kind of gardening 

 which will be more useful, then it would seem 

 tliat the latter should claim the greatest share of 

 attention. Artificial cultivation is within the 

 reach of but few. Out-of-door cultivation is open 

 to every one, both in city and country, who has 

 a house to live in. The former must be confined 

 mainly to the rich, and those who cultivate for the 

 market ; while there are none so poor that they 

 cannot, with a little pains and at almost no ex- 

 jpense, raise fruit enough for their own use by the 

 latter method, if they only knew the kinds they 

 should select, and the principles on which they 

 should be managed. 



The success which has attended the recent at- 

 tempts at the improved cultivation of our native 

 varieties gives good ground for expectation that 

 by continued attention a still greater improve- 

 ment may be attained. What is needed is ap- 

 preciation and encouragement. The foreign cul- 

 ture will take care of itself, and is not likely to 

 become any better than it is. The native is yet 

 in its infancy, and needs all the aid which emula- 

 tion or reward can give it. E. N. 



Remarks. — Excellent suggestions — they lead 

 us in the precise direction which ought to be 

 be pursued. 



WITCH GRASS. 



EXTRACTS AND REPLIES. 



ABOUT FATTENING TURKEYS. 



Will you, or some of your correspondents, in- 

 form me of the best mode to fatten turkeys ? 

 Whether to shut them up, or to let them run at 

 large, and what kind of food to give them ? 



A Subscriber. 



Oakham, Mass., Nov. 1, 1859. 



Remarks. — Turkeys are sometimes placed on 

 a comfortable roost in a dark cellar, and will fat- 

 ten rapidly ; but it is a cruel process to deprive 

 the birds of the cheerful light. A better way is 

 to feed them liberally for two months before 

 their flesh is wanted. Give them a variety of 

 food, such as corn, oats, wheat or barley, and 

 once a day a mess of boiled potatoes mashed 



while hot with Indian meal, mingled with scraps, _ ,, ■ n /- xt i -»t 



. . , . , . , ,. , ,. In your monthly Farmer for November, Mr. 



bits of fresh meat, or in the want of them, a ht-jQ^orge Morrison asks, "If you, or any of your 

 tie lard or tallow, just enough to season the correspondents, can tell him where he can get 

 ■whole. If they are fed regularly on such food,! witch grass seed, and at what price, per bushel?" 

 and have a supply early in the morning, they For my part, I tbink he will not be able to find 



„-n * _ui u I -11 .• t Imuch of the seed that will germinate; but if he 



will not ramble much, and will continue to grow •,,•,,, ,, ^ i i u u 



,, „ r , rr., , 1 I will just take the trouble, he can buy up anv 



as well as fatten freely. There may be a better iq^^j^^jfy of ^.^^^^^ ^nd 1 will risk their growing 



way than this, but if there is, we have not learned I anywhere. I guess there will be no fear of their 



it. !not taking, even if he takes very little trouble 



jwith them. If he would apply to me, I would 



sell him a lot pretty cheap. 



Anti-Witch Grass. 



CULTIVATION OF NATIVE GRAPES. 



I have noticed in many of the distributions of 

 premiums for specimens of grapes, that, to judge 

 by their relative amounts, the greatest impor- 

 tance is attached to the cultivation of the foreign 

 varieties. It seems to be worth considering, 

 whether, if the general interests of the fruit- 

 growing and fruit-consuming community are con- j being about to change my place of residence, and 

 sidered, a different principle might not be adopt- [having on hand a quantity of excellent soft soap 

 ed with advantage. It would seem to be of | which it was not convenient to remove, I re- 



HOW TO MAKE HARD SOAP. 

 Seeing in the monthly Farmer an inquiry aa 

 to the way of making hard soap, 1 will, in reply, 

 give my experience. Some twenty years ago. 



