154 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



seeds should be covered at different depths. Soils 

 vary so much in texture, that in some, half an inch 

 is a sufficient depth, -while two inches arc necessary 

 in others. AVe have observed in our garden, that 

 ■while some moist soils remain damp at the surface 

 several days after a rain, other soils would dry 

 doAvn one or two inches deep in the same time. 

 On the wet land, half an inch depth would be suffi- 

 cient covering ; but on the dry soil, two inches would 

 be little enough ; and then rolling or pressing the 

 earth closely on the seed is indispensable to insure 

 vegetation. Seeds sowed early in spring require less 

 depth of covering than those planted late in spring 

 or early in summer, even on the same soil ; for as it 

 is usually cool early in the season, the earth dries 

 slowly, and if the seed is covered deeply it will not 

 Tcgetate so soon, and it will be more liable to decay. 

 In manj' cases, carrot seed is sown in dry soils, the 

 last of May, and early in June, and it fails from the 

 drying effects of a hot sun. The better way to 

 guard against this loss, is to soak the seed in a warm 

 place two or three days, and then drain off the 

 ■water, and let it remain a few days longer in the 

 moist state, until it is about ready to sprout. If it 

 be more convenient, the seed may be sown after 

 soaking a day or two. There is no danger in soak- 

 ing hard seeds several days. In sowing soaked seed 

 in a seed-sower, spread thinly, and dry off the 

 moisture from the surface of the seed, or apply dry 

 sand or plaster to dry them. 



We are induced to make these remarks from see- 

 ing, occasionally, arbitrary rules prescribing the depth 

 for covering different kinds of seeds, without any 

 regard to the important circumstances of soil, sea- 

 son, &c. 



TO MAKE PLUM-TREES BEAR. 



Mr. R. 0. Stoddard, Waitsfield, Vt., inquires how 

 he shall make his plum-trees bear. He has trees that 

 have blossomed for ten years, but they have borne 

 no fruit. 



In many cases, plura trees ■which had perfected no 

 fruit were rendered productive by putting salt 

 around them. Salt is an excellent manure for 

 plums, and it sometimes renders barren trees pro- 

 lific. 



But the failure of plums is usually owing to their 

 being stung by the curculio, (see Vol. I. p. 137,) from 

 a short time after blossoming until the plums are 

 half grown, or larger. This work is done so sud- 

 denly and completel)', and when the plums are so 

 small, that many cultivators think that no fruit has 

 set. The little beetle makes her crescent-shaped 

 marks on the plum, lays an egg in the slight wound, 

 the egg soon hatches, and the larva cats towards the 

 centre of the fruit, which soon falls, and the insect 

 disappears in the ground. 



The application of salt late in fall, or early in 

 spring, and sometimes any time before the blossom- 

 ing of the trees, will frequently prevent the effects 

 of the curculio ; but it is not always sure, and some 

 persons resort to the sure remedy of jarring the 



insects off on to cloths, and gathering and destroying, 

 Thisfs much labor. Some save their fruit from the 

 depredations of this insect by smoking the trees. 



Apply the salt to the surface, and dig it in lightly. 

 Spread it over the ground as far as the branches of 

 the tree extend. Apply from a pint to two or three 

 quarts to a tree, according to its size. One or two 

 quarts to trees of medial size, or about half a peck 

 to a square rod of land. 



Wc have prescribed this condiment for unproduc- 

 tive trees, and have seen excellent effects from its use 

 for several years in succession. A gardener had 

 some fine plum-trees in a piece of asparagus, but he 

 had no fruit, though the trees were large enough to 

 bear. To improve his asparagus, he manured it lib- 

 erally with dock mud, and after that time he had 

 fine plums ; which was doubtless owing to the salt 

 in the mud. But our readers will consider that we 

 do not recommend salt as an infallible remedy for 

 unproductive plum-trees, but as an agent that is 

 often effective. 



EARLY VIRGINIA AND LARGE EARLY 

 SCARLET STRAWBERRY. 



Ever since we saw a notice of the Large Early 

 Scarlet Strawberry, in Downing's Fruit-Book, wc 

 thought it was identical with the Early Virginia, and 

 as we could get no definite information on this sub- 

 ject, from numerous inquiries of horticulturists, wc 

 sent to Charles Downing, Esq., Newburg, N. Y., 

 and procured the I>arge Early Scarlet for experi- 

 ment. We planted them in the same lot with the 

 Early Virginia, in 1848, and last year we had fruit 

 from them. In flower, and the whole plant, and in 

 time of ripening, we could perceive no difference. 



This is one of the most valuable varieties of straw- 

 berries in the country, and those ■who claim that 

 seedlings recently introduced will displace this, will, 

 we think, be much disappointed. It is very early ; 

 the plants remarkably vigorous, hardy, and very 

 productive. It has produced some of the largest 

 crops ever raised in the country, and larger than any 

 other variety that is so early. The fruit is very 

 handsome, and of excellent flavor. The principal 

 object of this article is to show the probable identity 

 of those cultivated under the two names that we 

 have mentioned. We shall make further experi- 

 ments, and see the effect of new locations and dif- 

 ferent seasons. 



It is estimated that five thousand head of cattle, 

 chiefly cows, will cross from Canada this spring at 

 Cape Vincent, and that not less than fifteen thousand 

 Avill be sold this season to farmers in the States. 

 The price varies from $9 to $15. 



The safest and most reliable business a young man 

 can enter, is agriculture. A good farm, well at- 

 tended, is an inexhaustible store, an endleas mine 

 of wealth, from which the riches of the earth can be 

 profusely drawn, if the owner will remember that 

 this can only be done by the "sweat of his brow," 

 by honest, diligent labor. 



