78 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER 



SEPT. 13. 1837. 



Ijff iSW l3Sr^5£..iiSf IS- ;i?^Ss2SISSi» 



BOSTON, Wr.DNESD*Y. SKFTKMBER 13 iB37. 



FAltMER'S WORK. 



Select the Best Seeu Corn.— It is highly impor- 

 tant that your seed corn shou'd he selected fioni the hest 

 samples which can he obtained, as the oilspring, whelh. 

 ei vegetable or animal, will, in a great degieu, partake 

 or the good or bad qualities of the parent. The follow- 

 ing directions on this subject, are from a scientific and 

 practical agricul:urist ; 



" When the first ears are ri|.e enough for seed, gather 

 a suffieienl quantity for early corn, or for replanting; 

 and at the tiioe you would wish your corn to be ripe, 

 generally, gather a suflicieiil quantity for planting the 

 next year, having a particul.ir care to take it from stalks 

 which are large at the botiom, of a regular taper, noi 

 over tall, the ears set low, and containing the greatest 

 number of good siz.ible ears of the best quality ; let it 

 dry speedily ; and from the corn gathered as last des- 

 cribed, plant your main crop, and if any hills should be 

 missing, re-plant from that first gathered, wliich will 

 cause the crop to ripen more regularly than is common, 

 which is a great benefit.— 'i'he ab.ive-mentioned I liave 

 practised many years, and am satisfii-d that it lias in- 

 creased the qu.jntity and improved the quality of my 

 crops hoyon I what any person would imagine, who iias 

 not tried the ciperiment." 



Dr Deano ob.serves that " some recommend gathering 

 eeed corn before the time of harvest, being the ears that 

 first ripen. But I think it would be better lo mark them 

 und let tiiem remain on the stalks till they become sap- 

 less. Whenever they are taken in, they should be hung 

 up by the husks, in a dry place, secure from eaily frost, 

 and they will be so hardened as to be in no danger of 

 injury from the frosl in winter." 



The manner in which Air Thomas N. Baden of Ma- 

 ryland, improved liis corn, coiunfonly called the "Baden 

 Corn," is given in the N. E. Fari'ier of March 1, 1837, 

 vol. XV. p. 265, by Mr Baden htJiiself. As this mtiy not 

 be in t'^o possession ol some of our readers, we will 

 quote that part which illustrates the principle of iin- 

 provlng plants, by selecting their seeds from the best 

 specimens : 



" I have the pleasure to say that 1 have brought this 

 corn to iis high state of perfection, by carefully selett- 

 ing the best seed in the field, for a long course of years, 

 having especial reference to those stalks which produc- 

 ed the most ears. When the corn was husked, I then 

 made a re-selection, taking «nly that which appeared 

 sound and fully ripe, having a regard to the deepest and 

 best color, as well as to the size of the cob. In the 

 spring, before shelling the corn, I examined it again, 

 and selected that which was the best in all respects. — 

 In shelling the corn, 1 omitted to take the irregular ker- 

 nels at both the large and small ends. I have careful- 

 ly followed this mode of selecting seed corn for Iwenlij- 

 two or iwenUj-tkrec years, and still continue to do so. — 

 When 1 first commenced, it was with a common kind 

 of corn, for there were no other in this part of the coun- 

 try. If any other person undeitook the same experi- 

 mert I did not hear of it; 1 do not believe oiher.s ever 

 exercised the patience to brir:g the experiment to the 

 present slate of pi:rll'Ction. At first I was troubled to 

 find stalks with even two good cara on them, perhapg 

 one good ear and one smtill one, or one good ear and a 

 (' nubbin." It was several years before 1 could discov- 

 er much benefit resulting from my eilorts however, at 

 length the quality and quantity hegaii to iiiipruvp, and 



he improvement was~then very lapid. At present 1 

 do not pretend to lay up any seed, without it comes from 

 stalks which bear four, five or six ears, 1 have seen 

 stalks bearing eight ears. One ol my neighbors inform- 

 ed me that he had a single sialk with ten perfect ears 

 on i , and that he intended to send the same to the mu- 

 seum at Baltimore. In addition to the numb 'r of ear-, 

 and ol course the great increase in quantity unshelled, 

 it may be mentioned, that it yields much more than 

 common corn, when shelled. Some gentlemen in whom 

 1 have full confidence, informed me that they shelled a 

 barrel (10 bushels of cars,) of my kind of coin, which 

 measured a little more than six bushels. Tho common 

 kind of corn will measure about five bushels only.- I 

 believe I raise double, or nearly so, to what I coulil with 

 any other corn I have ever seen. I generally plant the 

 corn about the first of May, and jilace the hills five feet 

 apart each way, and have two stalks in a hill. 



" Early last spring, 1 let George Law, Esq of Balti- 

 more city, have some of this seed corn ; he sent it to 

 his friend in Illinois, with instructions how to manage 

 it. A few weeks since, he informed me that the in- 

 crease was 120 bushels to an acre ; that there was no 

 corn in Illinois like it, and that it [iroduced more fod 

 der than any other kind. I have supplied many friends 

 with seed corn, hut some of them have planted it with 

 other corn, and will, 1 fear, find it degenerate. 



" 1 have lately been inquired of, if this corn was not 

 later than any other kinds .' It is rather earlier, cer- 

 tainly not later. Corn planted in moist or wet soils, 

 will not ripen so quick as that which is planted on a 

 dry soil. In the former there will be found more damp- 

 ness in the cob, although the kernel may appear ripe in 

 both. In tile two last years, the wet seasons have in- 

 jured much corn that was early lofted or housed." 



It appears from the expeiiment of Gorham Parsons, 

 Esq., [see page 74 of today's paper,] that the Baden 

 corn, under that gentleman's skillful treatment, grew 

 very large, but is late, and it is doubtful whether it will 

 ripen sufficiently to germinate another season. The 

 same thing would take place in all soutlbern corn Prob- 

 ably our shortest as well as surest way to improve our 

 northern corn, would be to plant the Latlirop, the Dut- 

 ton, the Canadian, or some othei early sort of corn, and 

 imjirove it by selecting the best samples, and adopting 

 the same process, so successfully pursued by ftir Bad«n, 

 as above detailed. 



MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAIi SOCIETY. 



EXHIBITION OF FRUITS. 



■Saturday, Sept. 9, 1837. 

 Jj'In consequence of the great length of the report 

 on fruits, it will be omitted till next week. 



P. S. The usual exhibition of fruits at the hall of the 

 Society, is to be omitted on Saturday next ; this is to 

 give place to the annual Exhibition, which commences 

 on\Vednesday the 20th inst., at the new and spacious 

 hall of the Society, No. 23 Tremont Row. Gentlemen 

 are respectfully requested to forward specimens of ev- 

 ery rare and valuable horticultural production, at an 

 early hour on that morning, oi on a previous day. 



WM. KENRICK. 



some of the specimens were extremely fine. The fol- 

 lowing we consider as extra fine specimens, viz : 



In Col. Wilder's collection of upwards of 100 speci- 

 mens — Mc Kenzies Contender, Lady of the Lake, Con- 

 queror of Europe, Desdemona, Stone's Yellow Perfec- 

 tion, Lavinia, and Apollo. 



By tho Messrs Ilovey & Co., in a fine collection of 

 about 100 specimens,— Victoria, Reform, Mrs Broad- 

 htad, Hermione, Warminster Rival, Dodd's Mary, and 

 Mary Queen of Scots. 



In Mr S. Swec'tser's stand of 72 specimens, — Crite- 

 rion, King of Dahlias, Paragon, Hebe and Napoleon. 



In 40 specimens by Mr S. R Johnson, — Cross's yel- 

 low, Apollo, Augusta and the Countess of Liverpool. i 



In Mr W. E. Carters collection, of upwards of 30 va- j 

 rieties,— Wilinot's superb. King of the Whites, Lord | 

 Liverpool and Queen of Dahlias. ] 



In Mr Mcliitie's collection of 40 specimens— Juliet,! 

 Red Rover, Well's Dictator, and Stone's "Vellow Per- , 

 fcction. 



In selecting the above, we wish it understood by all 

 the cultivators, that there were many other specimens, 

 in each of the collections, deserving of a particular no- 

 tice, but which we refrain giving, least our report be too ■ 

 long for the Farmer. I 



From Messrs Winship, by Mr E. A. Story.— Tuc- ? 

 crum frutescens, Psoralea aphylla Acacia, Chrysosta- | 

 chys or Golden sjiiked Acacia, Hemerocallis Japonica,; 

 Lobelia Speciosa, Gloxinia Speciosa, Aslrantia major—-, 

 several new annuals. j 



R, ses by Mr S. R Johnson— viz. var: Parisian Belle,? 

 Hymerrian Tea, Triumph d'Areole. ' 



By J. Breck &, Co.— Senecio elegans of sorts ; Zin- • 

 nias of sorts; double asters of sorts ; svi-eet peas of sorts ; 

 Coreopsis of sorts ; Mourning bride, &c. 



By Mr Wilder,- a variety of Roses, some of which . 

 were very beautiful. 



Bouquets— by Mr Mason and Mr D. Murphy. ' 



For ttie Committee. I 



S. WALKER, Chairman. ' 

 Massachusetts Horticultural Society's Rooms, No, 25 

 Tremont Row, neaxly opposite the Savings Bank. 



O'The Annual Exhibition of the Massachusetts Hor- 

 ticultural Society, will take place at thoir new Rooms, 

 25 Tremont Row, nearly opposite the Savings Bank, 

 on Wednesday, 20th inst. and the three following days. 

 (For particulars see advertisement.) Contributors are 

 respectfully informed that there will be no exhibition 

 of Fruits or Flowers on Saturday next, 16th inst. 



S. WALKER. 



EXHtBlTION or FLOWERS. 



The contributions of Dahlias, by Messrs Wilder, 

 Hovey, Sweetser, Johnson, Breck, Mason, Carter, Mc 

 Intire, Murphy, and Walker, were more extensive than 

 at any former exhibition during the present season ; — 



FANEtJiL Hai.l Vegetable ^ kn^n-T .— Wednesday , 

 Sept. 13, 1837.— String Beans 20 cts. a peck, Shell bean« 

 8 to 10 cents a quart; Broad Windsor Beans 20 cenl». 

 do ; Cucumbers 1-4 cts. a dozen ; do. for Pickles, 17' 

 cents per hundred ; Peppers 4 to 5 cents per lb ; Greea.1 

 Corn 10 cents a dozen ; Tomatoes 50 to 75 cents pet ■, 

 bushel; Fruit of Esg Plants 25 cents per dozen ; Caul-| 

 ifiowers 12 1-2 to 15 cents a head ; Brocoli 12 1-2 to 2* 

 cents each ; Beets, Carrots, Turnips, &c., 3 toG cents " 

 bunch; Red and Yellow Onion $1,00 per bushel; 

 White Onions $1,25 do.; Potatoes 50 cents a bushel ; 

 Sweet Potatoes $2 50 per bushel ; Winter and Valp«| 

 raso Squash, 2 to 3 cents per lb.; Cabbages 50 to 7. 

 cents per dozen ; Celery 6 to 12 cts. a bunch. 



Fruit.— Apples 25 to 37 1-2 cents per peck; Pears 

 cents a peck ; Peaches 12 lo 50 cents a dozen ; Berri 

 10 to 12 12 cents a quart ; Barberries $1,50 per bus! 

 el; Plums 17 to 25 cents a quart; Grapes 75 cents 

 $1,00 per lb. ; Melons 12 1-2 to 75 cents apiece. 



