Vol.. XII. NO. 49. 



AND HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 



3i). f > 



that I have here stated lia.s been before brought 

 to light by the indefatigable researches of Gen. 

 Dearborn. On this, as on other subjects, much is 

 due to his exertion. William Kenrick. 



Newton, June llh, 1331. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 PRESERVING FRUIT TREES FROM MICE. 



Mr. Fessendew, In your paper No. 45 of the 

 present volume is an article on the "injury to 

 fruit trees from mice ;" written by a or taken from 

 the Northern Farmer. The writer says he "has 

 within a few years lost trees to the value of §500." 

 Ho desires to he informed if there is " no means 

 «f destroying this mischievous race." Of the 

 means of destroying mice, except on a small scale 

 I know nothing, but to preserve trees from their 

 destruction is easy, and costs nothing; I say noth- 

 iug, because there is nothing to be done, but 

 what should be done, were there not a mouse in 

 creation. Viz : while in the nursery, keep the 

 ground clear of weeds, grass, and rubbish of every 

 kind, by ploughing and hoeing frequently ; when 

 planted out never let a weed or spear of grass 

 grow within three feet of them ; prevent this by 

 digging about them Spring, Summer, and Autumn, 

 leaving the earth about them smooth as possible, 

 particularly in Autumn. I have pursued this 

 course with many trees both in the nursery, and 

 planted out, with perfect success, but when I have 

 neglected my trees (as I have in one or two cases) 

 a/ul have not kept the ground clear of grass, &c. 

 the mice have destroyed some of them. 



Yours with respect, Natii'l S. Bennett. 



Framingham, June 6lh, 1S34. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 WHITE PIKE. 



Mr.. Fessendf.n, This is a request that some 

 of your correspondents or yourself would commu- 

 nicate the best method and time for transplanting 

 the White Pine [Pinus Strobus) also directions 

 for forming a grove of these, and what trees flour- 

 ish in their company, and produce a proper con- 

 trast ? It is well known that fifty or sixty years 

 since, this tree was scarcely to he found in dis- 

 tricts where now it fills the forest. This is the 

 case in our country, where some of the older in- 

 habitants can recollect its extreme rarity. Though 

 it is so forward under the hand of nature, it is 

 nevertheless very coy of the hand of man, at least 

 when the ordinary method of cultivation, trans- 

 planting, is used. 



The books tell much concerning the proper 

 way of making a nursery by sowing the seed, hut 

 are silent as to the transplanting, except perhaps 

 hinting that it is not the best method of culture ; 

 but this is not true, and the tree is transplanted 

 in this country at least with success, as may be 

 observed in Brookline and Cambridge. The time 

 for removing evergreens differs somewhat from 

 that proper for deciduous trees. The Pinus Cent- 

 bra, of which there is a notice in the N. E. Far- 

 mer, vol. x, p. 369, deserves the consideration 

 of agriculturists, and it might be acclimated, aud 

 the soil being probably favorable it would become 

 an important acquisition. 



Duxbury, June 1th. 



From the Maine Farmer, 

 A STRANGE THING UNDER THE SUN. 



Two brothers, blacksmiths, Joshua and Thom- 

 as, both lived ouce in the same town. A farmer 



bad been to Thomas to get his ploughshare repair- 

 ed, but when he tried it, to make it plough he 

 could not. He then carried it to Joshua. Josh- 

 ua took it up and looked at it gravely for some 

 time. At length he fixes it in his tongs and lays 

 it on the anvil and says, Here John, take that sledge 

 and strike a blow there. It was done. — Joshua 

 looked again. It was not quite right. lie placed 

 it again on the anvil, and told John to strike 

 another blow, a little lighter ; this was done and 

 master Joshua looked again. It did not quite suit 

 him, anil John was ordered to strike again, but 

 very lightly. He did so. Master looked and was 

 satisfied. "The plough will work now" said he 

 " but I think it is strange that Brother Thomas 

 does not know any better." 



There is a moral to this story. It teaches us to 

 look well to little matters, and not let anything 

 pass our hands half finished, when a little care and 

 judgment properly exercised would reuder it com- 

 plete. 



I have seen a farmer make his posts for bars 

 with the holes so far apart that small sheep, goats, 

 geese, &c. could pass through easily, when anoth- 

 er hole or two and bars sufficient to fill all the 

 boles, would stop all such creatures, and save a 

 great deal labor and vexation. 



I have seen a farmer make quite a decent gate, 

 but he could not afford the lime or the expense to 

 hang it. It would do for the present. He sets it 

 in its place with a stick against it ; but it is too 

 much to take away the stick and replace it. Of 

 course it is soon left to stand alone, slanted a lit- 

 tle of course. The geese and pigs, &c. with their 

 scrutinizing eyes, soon find the vacant spaces, and 

 walk into the garden without ceremony. The se- 

 quel 1 need not tell. 1 have seen others — yes I 

 have done it myself — make hedge and log fences, 

 year after year, where rocks were plenty, because 

 the time cotdd not well be afforded to make stone 

 fences. The result frequently is, the logs get 

 rotten, will settle or fall down in places, or the cat- 

 tle break through weak places and occasion a deal 

 of trouble. And not only this, but the fires every 

 two or three years will make a general sweep, and 

 then two or three weeks must be spent just to get 

 up something that will do for the present. For 

 my own part I have most heartily repented of this 

 practice, and am determined to forsake it as fast as 

 I can. Is it not strange that people will do so ? 



I have seen farmers running about all winter, 

 speculating, or something else to little purpose — 

 no preparation made for fence, by getting out 

 stuff. Spring comes and finds the fences down 

 and nothing of substance to repair them with. 

 The poor people are in difficulty, and I sometimes 

 think it strange they will do so. 



Another thing I have thought strange — it is 

 that any person who has no fence that he can de- 

 pend upon, should keep a herd of colts and young 

 horses, of all cattle the most unruly to torment 

 himself aud neighbors. I have sometimes seen a 

 herd of these animals come prancing over our 

 mountains in high glee, jumping over fences, run- 

 ning through cornfields, grainfields, &c. without 

 ceremony ; I protest against this, it is a public nui- 

 sance. 



But perhaps you will say fine the owners ; I 

 will tell you another story by way of answer. 



A certain Grand Juryman while attending court, 

 wished to speak with the Judge after the court 

 was adjourned. He was shewn into a chamber 

 where the honorable Judge,— lawyers, tec. were 



engaged playing cards. A little surprised to see a 

 Grand Juryman enter so unexpectedly, one sayij 

 I suppose you will present us for gambling? My 

 oath said he, requires me to do so, but where the 

 whole court are criminals, to whom shall i pre- 

 sent you ? J. II. J. 

 Pent, May 11, 1834. 



SAFE METHOD OF EXTERMINATING RATS. 



Lr.T those who wish to poison rats, instead of 

 applying to the chemist, intimately mix a pound of 

 plaster of Paris (in its unslacked state) with about 

 double the quantity of oatmeal. Let them place 

 this within the reach of the rats ; they will eat it 

 greedily, and without being deterred by any bad 

 taste. Through the humidity contained in their 

 stomachs, the plaster of Paris will "set," and form 

 an indigestible hard mass, which will, in fact, pre- 

 sent, upon dissection, a good cast of the rats 

 stomach, and speedily produce a kind of Aldei- 

 manic death, i. e. by irremediable indigestion. 



MASS. HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY 



Horticultural Hall, June 14th. 



EXHIBITION OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES. 



Grapes. A fine basket of White Chasselas grapes 

 were exhibited by S. G. Perkins, Esq. ripe the 31st 

 of May. 



From the grapery of Jacob Tidd, Est/, very 

 handsome clusters of the White Chasselas and 

 White Frontiguae or Muscat. 



Figs. A large and beautiful specimen of ripe 

 figs, of excellent quality, from the Hon. John Lowi.ll. 



Green Peas for premium by Col. Marshall M. 

 Ifitder of Dorchester. William Kenrick. 



An adjourned meeting of the Mass. Horticultu- 

 ral Society was held on Saturday, June 14th. 



The Committee chosen at the last meeting, not 

 being ready to report, the meeting was adjourned 

 to Saturday, June 21st, at eleven o'clock. 



Cha's. M. Hovet, Secretary pro tern. 



FLOWERS EXHIBITED. 



Mr. John A. Kenrick, Newton — Roses, Honey- 

 suckles, Pseonies, Corchorus, Scotch broom, Spi- 

 reas, &cc. 



Mr. Thomas Mason, Charlestown Vineyard — 

 Ranuncus', Anemonies, Roses, Larkspurs, Aus- 

 trian and French Yellow Roses, Fraxinella, Papa- 

 ver bracteata, and variety of other flowers, with a 

 splendid specimen of Cactus speciosissima. 



Messrs. Hovey e\- Co. Cambridge — Roses, Paeo- 

 nies, Lilies, Geraniums, Spirse, Sophora, Viburnum, 

 Phlox, Pinks, Roses, &c. 



Mr. S. li'alker, Roxbury — Double white rocket 

 Iris ctelestina, &c. 



Messrs. Jfinship — various kinds of Flowers ; 

 among which were the double flowering Japan 

 clematis, and the Cymbredium dependens, or air 

 plant, in fine bloom. 



The members of the Society who were present, 

 with the Committee, were highly gratified with the 

 elegant specimen of Nerium splendens, Coffea ara- 

 hica finely fruited, and the full grown and deli- 

 cious flavored Figs, equalling in the opinion of 

 gentlemen present if not surpassing most of those 

 grown in a more genial climate, by Mr. Leonard, 

 Gardener to the Hon. Jno. Lowell. Also, with 

 the Dahlia Flowers, presented by R. Rogerson, Esq. 

 By order of the Committee, 



Jona, Wihship, Chairman, 



