194 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



April 



EXTBACTS AND BEPLIES. 



APPLE TREES. 



Will you give the best method of preparing 

 the ground to set apple trees in? What kind of 

 trees is it best to set out for grafted fruits ? Also, 

 the best method of setting out, and the proper 

 distance apart ? J. H. 



South Benvick, Me., March, 1858. 



Remarks. — Plow and manure the land as you 

 wauld if you intended to getjifty bushels of corn 

 to the acre ; then dig holes thirty feet apart each 

 way, from three to six feet across, and twelve to 

 twenty inches deep. Throw the black, top soil 

 into the bottom of the hole, and scatter the yel- 

 low soil on the surface, mixing a little manure 

 with it if you can spare it. The Baldwin is as 

 good a market apple as we have at present. The 

 Hubbardston and Hunt Russet are good bearers 

 and always saleable. The Danvers Sweet, Tol- 

 man Sweet and Russet Sweet are excellent vari- 

 eties. The Massachusetts Transactions are prob- 

 ably for sale at the bookstores. 



STONE AND TILE DRAINS. 



In your number of Januai-y 2, "E. G." inquires 

 the comparative value and cost of stone and tile 

 drains. I have watched since for an answer, but 

 not having seen any, I will venture a few re- 

 marks. I see 5^ inch horse-shoe tiles and 

 their soles are advertised at about one dollar per 

 rod delivered in the vicinity of Boston ; slate 

 stone, for soles and coverings for the same size 

 drain, will cost about the same, at the same place. 

 The cost of the walls between the sole and cov- 

 ering, which can be built of cobble-stone, I leave 

 for "E. G." to judge. Stone soles, 9 inches wide 

 for oh. inch brick tile, if they can be used so, cost 

 aliout 8-'3 per thousand, delivered as above. 

 John L. Maxwell. 



Remarks. — Our correspondent describes a 

 kind of drainage which we know nothing of as 

 applied to farm drainage. Such tile and stone as 

 he speaks of are used as outlets of manufactories, 

 for sewers, &c. In another column, Mr. French 

 has an article upon the "Comjmrative cost of 

 Tiles and Stones," which is clear, and corresponds 

 with our own experience in some recent opera- 

 tions. 



CULTURE OF CELERY. 

 In answer to your correspondent, "Celery," of 

 Johnson's Creek, N. Y., I beg to offer a few re- 

 mai-ks : — 



1. Make your bed of light soil, and to every 

 barrow full of soil add five pomids of superphos- 

 phate of lime well mixed ; when the plants make 

 their appearance, dust them well with soot. 



2. Rich, light, sandy loam. 



3. The rows four feet apart — the trenches one 

 foot deep — the plants six inches apart. 



^ 4. Put 800 to 1,000 lbs. of superphosphate of 

 lime to the acre. 



5. Hill the plants four or five times, and great 

 care should be taken not to let any soil get to 



the heart of the celery ; if it does it will turn the 

 growth down, and will spoil all. 



6. The best fertilizer you will find is super- 

 phosphate of lime. 



7. I have found lime and soot mixed well to- 

 gether, and thrown lightly over, to answer well 

 in this and the old country. Try it. 



8. After rain you will find the best time to hill. 



9. I know of no better way for winter keeping 

 than taking the plants up and replanting in sand 

 in the cellar. R. F. 



Providence, B. I. 



early peaches — SUMMER SQUASHES — MELONS. 



Can you inform me which is the most profita- 

 ble early peach to raise for market ? "Cole's 

 Fruit Book" recommends the Early Chelmsford, 

 Early Maiden and Tuft's Early, and in the third 

 volume of the monthly Farmer, jNIr. Cole several 

 times recommended the Early Sturbridge peach 

 very highly indeed. Can you tell me where that 

 can be obtained, or give any other information re- 

 specting it ? Do you know of any kind superior 

 to either of these, and if so, where can it be ob- 

 tained ? 



Which is the best kind of summer squash and 

 early watermelon and musk melon ? What* do 

 you think of Lucei'ne as a crop for feeding milch 

 cows with in the latter part of the season ? Is it 

 better than Southern corn, and if so, why is it 

 not more generally raised ? 



Clinton, March, 1858. Old Subscriber. 



Remarks. — The Boyal George is one of the best 

 early peaches we have eaten. Under favorable cir- 

 cumstances they ripen about the 20th of August. 

 Craioford's Early is a little later, but is a very 

 fine peach. We suppose any of the nurserymen 

 will inform you where the varieties of peaches 

 may be obtained. We have had no experience 

 with the Lucerne. 



crows and CHICKENS. 



Mr. Crow is a thief, and a bold one too, for he 

 not only steals corn and eggs, whenever he can 

 get a chance, but chickens also, of which I had 

 convincing proof last summer. They would come 

 within a few feet of the house and take ofi' quite 

 large chickens ; even when the hen was with her 

 brood and defended them, the crows would often 

 take all from them. To protect the small chicks 

 I had a straw man dressed and stationed near the 

 coops, which kept them at a distance; but they 

 never failed to bear off any that strayed beyond 

 his protection. 



Can you tell me the price of a good Ayrshire 

 bull, two years old ? j. j. E. 



Sunderland, N. J., 1858. 



Remarks. — Bulls of the age you want, com- 

 mand from $40 to $100 each, according to make, 

 size, &c. 



Fat Cow.— Mr. John E. Merrill, of Pittsfield, 

 slaughtered on the 9th inst., a cow which weighed 

 1174 lbs. Mr. Merrill has also in preparation for 

 the shambles a noble pair of Durham oxen, very 

 heavy, Avhich excite already the attention of 

 beef fanciers. 



