Vol. X.-No. 46. 



AND HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 



363 



Peas, one peck, tlie earliest and best, 4,00. 



Peas, one peck, with reference to quality 

 and yield, 4,00. 



Potatoes, one peck, the ripest and best on 

 or before the first Saturday in July, 4,00. 



Savoy Cabbage, two best heads, 3,00. 



Squash, crooked neck, two of the largest 

 and best, 4,00. 



Squash, Canada, two of the earliest and best, 4,00. 



Turnips, one dozen of the earliest and best 

 for the table, 2,00. 



Turnips, one dozen of the best for stock, 2,00. 



Discretionary premiums will be awarded by the 

 committee, on any new or fine vegetable not nam- 

 ed above. 



The committee will generally be at the hall of 

 the Society on Saturday, during the season of veg- 

 etables, from 11 to 12 o'clock, A. M., to inspect 

 such specimens as may be offered for a fjremium. 

 A particular description of the method of planting 

 and growing, will be required of those who send 

 in vegetables for a premium. 



DANIEL CHANDLER, 



May 24, 1832. Chairman. 



The flower and vegetable seeds presented to 

 the Society by the Hon. Thomas H. Perkins, M. 

 C. Perry, Esq., William Shaler and James Om- 

 brosi, Esq'rs., together with some grape cuttings 

 sent from Malaga and presented by Mr William 

 Worthington, were distributed among the mem- 

 bers of the Society. Mr Thomas ftlason exhibited 

 some fine tulips for premium. 



Saturday, May 26, 1833. 



FOR THE NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



PLANTING FRUIT SEEDS, STONES, &c. 



3Ir Fessenden — In a communication in an- 

 swer to an inquiry respecting " the proper course 

 to pursue in planting fruit seeds and stones," pub- 

 lished in your paper. No. 21, of the current vol- 

 ume, I attributed the failure of their vegetation, 

 mentioned by your correspondent, to the deficien- 

 cy of the necessary action of frost in the preceding 

 winter ; I considered the suspension as the loss 

 only of one year's growth. This, in my ground, 

 is demonstrated by the abundant germination of 

 seeds, which lay dormant through the last season. 

 I have renewed my experiment, as proposed, of 

 planting them protected from frost, but without 

 success. 



In my nursery and fruit grounds, I have shared 

 in the general calamity, but in a much lighter de- 

 gree than has been felt or predicted by others. 

 The indication of total destruction was not to me 

 so manifest in but few of my bearing trees, as to 

 justify their immediate extirpation. Some, how- 

 ever, of my large and most vigorous apple trees, 

 which did not excite early apprehension, are now 

 found enveloped in then- shroud. 



The action of an early and severe frost on the 

 redundant fluid, distended the body so far as to 

 open fissures in the bark for its corresponding en- 

 largement. As the wood contracted, the bark was 

 left detached, and the trees consequently lost. — 

 My young trees are apparently as healthy as usual. 

 My pear trees indicate the severest suflering ; 

 many, thirty years in bearing, are in fact past re- 

 covery ; a larger proportion, pronounced equally 

 . hopeless by scientific inspectors, are exhibiting 

 flattering symptoms of convalescence. In many 

 cases, should my trees not survive, it may be a 



question whether their destruction is more to be 

 imputed to the season, than to the experiments of 

 the curious, to test their vitality. Many in my 

 nursery, recently grafted or budded, have perished 

 at tlieir union with the stock. These I have graft- 

 ed as far below the injury as practicable. 



Young peach trees come out much as usual ; 

 more indeed are dead, and the buds inserted last 

 season more sparingly vegetate. Those in bearing, 

 generally from eight to ten years old, have a sickly 

 cast, but not tnore so than at the last season. The 

 young shoots in their last year's progress were 

 gummy and spotted, and their extremities decayed. 

 Having my groimd too much crowded, 1 have ta- 

 ken out a large proportion of them, giving more 

 liberal space to the remainder, which I have head- 

 ed down. Topping the branches, particularly in 

 this tree, I liave found beneficial in restoring health 

 and vigor, more esjjecially after a full bearing. 

 This process will occasion no loss of fruit the 

 present season, and will probably be the means of 

 an abundance the next, if the tree is not past 

 recovery. It will be a test of its value in its ca- 

 pacity to renovate itself; should it continue to ex- 

 hibit symptoms of disease, the next application 

 should be at its root. 



I have found it a good practice with all trees 

 when the circulation to the extremities appears to 

 be impeded, to head them down to some healthy 

 point, a few inches above a forked branch, if the 

 place be favorable ; by this method a better top is 

 reproduced and the amputation much less injuri- 

 ous. If this course was more generally practised 

 in our orchards, with prior judicious treatment on 

 the first appearance of decay, instead of their sick- 

 ly appearance and early exit, they would continue 

 to yield better and more abundant fruit ; they 

 would also retain their vigor and beauty to a good 

 old age ; our apple orchards would then become 

 an ornament instead of what they now are, the 

 most unsightly blotch on most of our farms, ex- 

 hibiting the appearance of feeble exotics, instead 

 of the healthy character of native productions. 

 Respectfully, yours, O. FISKE. 



Worceskr, May 28, 1832. 



From the New York Farmer. 



SMALL BEER. 



Mr Editor — I noticed in your paper, several 

 communications giving directions for making small 

 beer for family use ; none of which met my views 

 of the subject. The following, I know from ex- 

 perience, will furnish a very pleasant beverage : — 

 Take a five gallon keg ; take out one head, and in- 

 sert a small brass cock, about three inches above 

 the lower head. In this keg put three quarts of 

 wheat, rye, or corn meal, ground rather coarse, as 

 for stilling ; on this pour about three quarts of boil- 

 ing water; add a pound of honey, sugar, or mo- 

 lasses ; one tea-cup full of ginger or ground al- 

 spice ; stir all intimately together, and add three 

 gallons of water, heated to about seventyfive or 

 eighty degrees of the thermometer. To this add 

 about a quart of lively yest. Stir it well together 

 and set it in the sun ; a fermentation will soon en- 

 sue and continue all day. By the next morning it 

 will be settled clear, and should then be drawn off 

 into bottles, corked, and set away for twentyfour 

 hours, when it will be fit for use. This, if re 

 peated daily, will furnish a very pleasant family 

 drink. Yours, etc. R. M. W. 



Middlesex, May 1, 1832. 



THE SEASON. 

 A gentleman of this village, who has been a 

 close observer of "the times and seasons," (sa3'S 

 the Brattleborough, Vt., Messenger,) assures us, 

 that during the last twentysix years the apples 

 trees in this vicinity have been in full bloom but 

 six times, at an earlier period than they were the 

 present season, which he has recorded in his hor- 

 ticultural journal as being on the 18lh inst. He 

 also states, that in those earlier seasons the fruit 

 was small in quantity, having been more or less 

 injured by frosts. According to his theory, the 

 present season jiromises an abundant oop of ap- 

 j)les. The severity of the past winter has been 

 somewhat destructive to peach trees, though it is 

 believed the injury is not so extensive as was a 

 few weeks since generally apprehended. 



It is now the 9th of May, (says a Quebec pa- 

 per,) and no sowing has been done in this vicinity. 

 The'snow still lies along the fences, and in the 

 woods about two feet deep. Gardening is hardly 

 commenced. Some potatoes were, however, j)Ut 

 in the ground last week in the new settlements on 

 the south shore ; and it is thought that wheat sow- 

 will be general before the 14th inst. After the 

 20th it is generally considered too late to sow 

 wheat, and the chance of a good crop is diminish- 

 ed by the late period of sowing. Great distress 

 prevails throughout this district, for want of fod- 

 der for the cattle. Hay is selhng in Quebec front' 

 twenty to twentyfive dollars per hundred bundles' 

 of sixteen jiounds each. Many horned rattle have 

 died for want of proper food and by disease. 



Mohawk and Hudson Rail-Road. — This road has 

 now been in operation to the river, or to the west 

 side of Pearl street, for a week ; and the accuracy 

 and sufficiency of the power and construction of 

 the stationary engine at the head of the inclined 

 plane, at this end of the road, satisfactorily tested. 

 The number of passengers on the road last week, 

 considerably exceeded previous calculations. The 

 locomotives are in fine order, and the company 

 have purchased and have now in use some of the 

 fleetest and finest horses in the country. The trip 

 over the road, with the locomotives, is usually 

 made in from thirtyfive to fortyfive minutes, in- 

 cluding the ascent and descent of the planes; and 

 with horse power, from an hour to an lioin- and 

 ten minutes. We are informed that in two or 

 three instances, last week, the cars drawn by 

 horses came from Schenectady to the half-way 

 house in twentyfour minutes, being at the rate of 

 about a mile in three minutes. .Present indica- 

 tions promise the stockholders a rich harvest this 

 season. — Albany Argus. 



Manure for Grasses and Asparagus. — Dr J. W. 

 Smith, of Lockport, N. Y. in a communication to 

 the American Fanner, says, he has " found from 

 experience, that the coal dust cinders, and scales 

 of iron, from the blacksmith's forge, when prop, 

 erly mixed with fine garden mould, to be incom- 

 parably the best manure for the grape that can be 

 used. For asparagus, I have also made use of 

 finely pulverized oyster shells, well incorporated 

 with the earth in which it is planted, or well dug 

 in about the roots of old beds. Its effects are as- 

 tonishing, especially on old beds." 



Rais. — It is said, that chloride of lime, placed 

 in cellars, closets, garrets, &.c, will free them 

 from rats. 



