1858. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



127 



IMr. Howard, of the Cnltivator, believed that 

 the conducting of experiments, in a proper man- 

 ner, was one of the best means by which agricul- 

 ture coukl be aided. 



Remarks Mere also made by Mr. Busiinell, 

 of Templeton, and Mr. Buckminster. 



Mr. Feltox, from the Executive Committee, 

 said that the subject of discussion at the next 

 meeting would be, "New Plants, especially the 

 Chinese Sugar Cane," and that Hon. M. P. WILD- 

 ER would preside. 



At 9 o'clock the meeting adjourned. 



For tlie New England Farmer. 

 APPLICATIOIT OF GUANO. 



A query has often been made whether the ben- 

 eficial effect of this stimulating fertilizer, is per- 

 ceptible for more than one, or at most two years. 

 So far as 1 have witnessed, I think no benefit is 

 perceptible after the second year — and very little 

 after the first year. The effect of guano on the 

 soil is well illustrated by that of strong drink or 

 intoxicating liquor on the person — apparent for 

 a short time only. Not so with well-rotted ma- 

 nure from the barn-yard or pig-pen. This will 

 show itself for half a dozen successive years. My 

 attention to this point was called by the perusal 

 of the well conducted experiments of Gov. Cush- 

 man, published in the Massachusetts Ploiajhman 

 of this morning. In one part of his statement he 

 says, no benefit from the guano use'd was percep- 

 tible the second year. In another he leaves the 

 impression that benefit was perceptible after a 

 lapse of four years. Pei'haps this modification 

 may arise from the crops to which it was applied. 

 I think Mr. C. was not quite so clear on this 

 point as he usually is. • I wish more gentlemen 

 of his stamp \\*ould direct their attention to im- 

 proving the culture of the soil instead of founder- 

 ing in the quagmires of party politics ; by so 

 doing, the community would be greatly benefited. 

 It is by no means certain that guano is worth 

 purchasing, to be applied to our fields, when oth- 

 er varieties of fertilizers are possibly to be ob- 

 tained. My own impression is, that dressings 

 for our fields can be made from the droppings 

 and liquids of the stall, composted with mud from 

 the swamps — at less expense and of ;nore endur- 

 ing quality than any guano or phospHLte that can 

 be procured. Essex. 



January 16, 1858. 



Inhalation. — Dr. Eliotson, a leading English 

 practitioner, having a full acquaintance with all 

 that had been done by inhalation, and after mak- 

 ing thorough trial himself, expresses this view. 

 He says : "We sometimes lessen the irritation 

 by making the patient inhale the yapor of vari- 

 ous drugs. The agents which have been chiefly 

 tried are, first, a minute quantity of iodine mixed 

 with hydriodate of potassa ; and secondly, chlo- 

 rine. I have seen mo»e mitigation with the 

 chlorine than the iodine, but have never seen a 

 case of phthis's cured by these means, and don't 

 believe a case ever was cured." 



For the Neir Englajid Farmer. 

 GOLDEN FIiESH PUMPKIN. 



Mr. Editor : — About a year ago, I received 

 from the Patent Office, through the kindness of 

 Mr. Sabin, our member of Congress, a paper ot 

 seeds of the "Golden Flesh Pumpkin," the seeds 

 coming thereunto from France, as alleged on the 

 paper in which the four seeds were contained. I 

 planted them in my garden alongside of my 

 squashes, making two hills ; all the seeds germi- 

 nated and grew very thrifty for a few days, then 

 the "large black squash bug" ate them all down 

 to the ground except one, on which they left one 

 leaf, before I commenced putting on to my 

 vines a decoction made of hen-manure and wa- 

 ter. This ap])lication drove the bugs rapidly 

 out of the garden. This one plant commenced 

 a thrifty growth, taking new root at every joint, 

 by which I mean that a new root penetrated the 

 earth wherever a new leaf was formed on the 

 vine, to the depth of from four to six inches, 

 which root was full of small fibrous branches ; in 

 short, it is a very hardy grower. It raised for me, 

 on a little more than one rod of ground, five 

 pumpkins of the following weight: 1st, 158 lbs., 

 on exhibition at the Chittenden County Fair, Ut 

 Burlington, Oct. 5th, 1857; 2d, 127 'lbs.; 3d, 

 123 lbs.; 4th, 112 lbs.; 5th, 90 lbs.; making in 

 the aggregate, 610 lbs. of pumpkin from one rod 

 of ground ; this I call "some pumpkins." They 

 are good to eat, made into pies in the ordinary 

 manner of cooking the pumpkinfor that purpose. 

 I can't perceive any difference in the taste of 

 them and the common pumpkin.. They excited 

 the attention of very many persons whije on ex- 

 hibition at the fair in Burlington, from their ex- 

 traordinary size, weight and color. Theyresem- 

 ule a squash in color, more than a common 

 pumpkin ; but their taste settles the question ; 

 they are pumpkins, and nothing else. 



I have fed them to my cows, enough, at least, 

 to know that they love them equally as well as 

 the other sort, and I think that if a man can raise 

 from 90,000 to 100,000 lbs. of these from one acre 

 of ground without more than ordinary care, and 

 at the same time not impoverish a crop of corn 

 or potatoes, (which can be done,) it is far better 

 than to plant the common variety, and only get 

 from 500 to 600 lbs. of small, green pumpkins. I 

 ought to add, that on the same one rod of ground, 

 and among; the pumpkins, I had planted the 

 Webster potato, and that, though small and early, 

 I got therefrom one bushel and a half of pota- 

 toes. Herewith I send you some of the purppkin 

 seed, which I wish you would plant in some nook 

 or corner of your garden next May. Do not let 

 it climb on a fence or bush ; pull it off and lay it 

 on the ground, when it will continue taking root 

 according to its nature ; but if allowed \n climb, 

 the fruit will not come to jierfection ; it ripens 

 about the middle of October. The seed of them 

 may be had at the agricultural waivhouse of 

 Nourse, Mason & Co. next spring, and also of Mr. 

 Doolittle, in Burlington, Vt., as well as Mith t In- 

 agricultural warehouses in St. Albans and Mid- 

 dleburv, Vt. A. F. Stonk. 



Charlotte, Vt., 1857. 



Remarks. — Five seeds came to hand wn- 

 which we intend to plant as requesteil. 



