182 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



April 



pies, pears, peaches, figs, quince, &c. Little 

 attention, however, is paid to fruit cultivation, 

 but it might be exceeding profitable. Any re- 

 spectable settler would be warmly received, 

 who will labor, as the freedmen will not work 

 with any regularity, and no dependence can be 

 placed on them as hirelings. Otherwise their 

 conduct is very good. 



Having taken no pains to inform myself, I 

 can give little information as to prices of farms. 

 A neighbor offers a farms of some 130 acres, 

 very good house, immediately on East River, 

 with plenty of wood, and within one mile of 

 steamboat landing, by land or water; the 

 oyster j^hore would pay at least, IjuJge, $1000 

 perj-ear; fishing, crabs, «S;c. to your heai't's 

 content; certainly healthy location, at $5000. 

 Another, adjoining, 3U0 acres, splendid oyster 

 shore, for $10,000. Another, immediately on 

 the bay, splendid water view, fine improve- 

 ments, between 200 and 300 acres, for $8000 

 Another of 100 acres, with steamboat wharf 

 on premises, trifling improvements, for$i000. 

 There are plenty of chances to buy land, and 

 with a reasonable capital plenty of chances to 

 make money. Without capital would advise 

 no one to think of emigrating to East Vir- 

 ginia. Samuel Clark. 



Matthews C. H., E. Va., Jan., 1869. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 SMALL FRUITS. 



I was pleased with an editorial in the Far- 

 mer a few weeks ago, upon raising small 

 fruits. I think far too little attention is paid 

 to that branch of gardening. Perhaps no 

 fruit is more healthi'ul or more ea:^ily raised 

 than currants, and yet many farmers have 

 scarcely a currant bush on their farms. For 

 several years past the cuirant-worm has been 

 very destructive in various parts of the coun- 

 try. In this region, the fruit and nearly all 

 the bushes were destroyed two years ago. 

 For a time it seemed as if currants were 

 doomed, but a remedy has been found, and 

 those v.'ho were fortunate enough to keep a 

 few buthes alive, can cultivate them with a 

 good prospect of success. 



The root of White Hellebore, ( Veratrum 

 Viride,) powdered and sprinkled on the 

 leaves, from a common pepper-box, will de- 

 stroy the vermin, without injury to the fruit. 



I had a Jew currant bushes last spring, 

 which I had preserved from the ravages of the 

 enemy. They started to grow finely, but 

 soon the worms made their appearance. I 

 went to the druggist and purchased a small 

 quantity of Hellebore, and commenced pow- 

 dering the leaves of my currant buthes, and 

 the worms disappeared almost as soon as 1 

 left. I watched ihemcarefully, but found no 

 trouble v/ith them afterwards. Whenever a 

 leaf showed signs of a raid, I gave another 

 dose of medicine. My currants ripened beau- 

 tifully. 



I intend to set out a considerable number of 

 slips next spring. I consider the Cherry and 

 White Grape varieties good enough, and shall 

 cultivate them until I find some belter kinds. 



Black currants are also worthy of cultiva- 

 tion. The Black Naples is a fine variety, and 

 very productive. At first it is unpleasant to 

 some people, but it makes a fine jelly, and is 

 a profitable crop to cikivate. 



I hope others will take up the subject, and 

 that many will be stimulated to raise more of 

 this valuable, healthy fruit. Granite. 



Bloomjield, G. W., 1869. 



For the New England Farmer, 

 BOUTHDOWNS. 



According to English writers there has exist- 

 ed from time immemorial a breed of sheep 

 curiously marked with black faces and legs, 

 while their bodies were covered with white 

 wool. They took the name from that of the 

 section of England where they were kept — 

 the South Downs. They are reported as having 

 been originally a hardy active sheep, with 

 rather light quarters, tbin fleece and well 

 adapted to travel about after the somewhat 

 scant supply furnished by the. pastures they 

 then occupied ; but with the introduction of 

 the system of feeding large crops of turnips 

 upon the ground, with other nourishing food, 

 and with more care in selecting the breeding 

 stock, these sheep gradually changed in form, 

 becoming broader in the back, shorter in the 

 legs, with a better development of all the 

 valuable parts, including the fleece. 



The Southdowns have been introduced into 

 this country by various importers from the 

 flocks of Webb, Ellman, and other En'glish 

 breeders, and in the hands of J. C. Taylor, 

 Thorne, and others have fully sustained their 

 reputation as a hardy, quiet, prolific race, 

 yielding a good fleece of wool adapted to a 

 variety of clothing, and producing mutton of 

 superior excellence. 



In New England there are several flocks 

 that are so well cared for that they are in no 

 way likely to deteriorate. In Vermont, A. Be- 

 mis & Sons, East Burke, have a flock number- 

 ing about one hundred that comprise some 

 premium animals and are very uniform in ap- 

 pearance. H. G. White, South Framingham, 

 Mass., has a flock of good repute, and near 

 Newport, R. I., is the flock of Thomas B. 

 Buflum, Esq. This flock I have recently 

 visited. It numbers sixty ewes, thirty-four 

 lambs, eighteen bucks. On examining this flock 

 one is quickly impressed with their uniformi- 

 ty, especially in the flock of bi ceding ewes. 

 Among ordinary farmers the high condition of 

 the ewes would excite apprehensions of mis- 

 fortune in breeding, but Mr. B. entertains the 

 same opinions as is held by other successful 

 breeders that there are more animals injured 

 by leanness than by fatness. 



His objects in breeding are not only to retain 



