S46 



i\EW ENGLAND FARMER, 



MAY 15, 1S33. 



For the New /-wyVum/ Farmer. 

 HIGH BUSH CRAIVBERRIE?. 



Mr. Fessendek, In the N. E. Farirei-, of the 

 17 instant, I noticed the conintuuicatioii of N. D. 

 soliciting information relative to a locaity of this 

 shrub. Several years ago, sometime in tlie tall 

 of the year, while in the garden of a neighbor, I 

 observed a small tree or shrub, which was new to 

 me. On making inquiries respecting it, I was told 

 that it was the Cranberry Tree. It wis then bear- 

 ing a fruit which very much resemllcd in taste, 

 and appearance, the common cranberry, although 

 rather smaller in size and contained a small stone 

 instead of seeds. I was also told that it grew in 

 great abundance in several parts of the town. I 

 soon caused a number to be transplanted to my 

 own garden, where they are now growing. These 

 have for several years blossomed but as yet none 

 of the fruit has become matured. I am told, by 

 the person who brought them to me, tliat they are 

 yet abundant in the neigiiborhood and your cor- 

 respondent can be informed of the locality, &c. 

 on application to almost any person in this town. 

 C. Whitman. 



Waterford, Maine, Jipril 29. 1833. 



For the New England Farmer. 



Sir, a correspondent in the N. E. Farmer, of 

 the 17th of April, inquires for the " Hi<;h Bushed 

 Cranberry." Please to inform him through your 

 paper, or otherwise, that it grows in this vicinity, 

 but whether it can be procured in any considera- 

 ble quantity, I am not certain. I have two or 

 three of the bushes in riy garden for ornament; 

 not knowing of any medical qualities it may have 

 as mentioned by your correspondent. It bca/s 

 beautiful red berries, in clusters, which bang on 

 into winter, and when ripe have an agreeable, acid 

 taste. It is in every respect a clean handsome 

 shrub, and should have a place among the cnlt'''>»«>tt 

 ornamental trees of our country. 



Apple Trees here are now in ft'll bloom on the 

 banks of Conn, river, Lat. 42 degrees 33 minutes, 

 there is a prosjiect of an unusual supply of frull. 



The season has been uncommonly dry, having 

 had no rain for several weeks till yesterday and 

 day before, when we had plentiful showers ; tliis 

 has changed the face of nature ; our grass and 

 grain fields before were Buffering severely from 

 drought. 



Indian corn is not much up, and pliuting is not 

 yet finished. To prevent the depredation of crows 

 and other birds on corn, tar is pretty extensively 

 used here, and perhaps in other parts of the coun- 

 try ; this is the only certain preventative, among the 

 many I have tried or known. The manner of 

 using it is, to mix as much tar with the seed as 

 will give every kernel a thin coating, then stir in 

 as much gypsum or ashes as will adiwe to it ; this 

 will separate the kernels and prevent tleir sticking 

 to the fingers in planting. Shad hav« not been 

 taken here yet, though they are always in our 

 Waters when ajjple trees are in blossim, if the 

 river is of suitable height ; this rule probbly holds 

 good in all streams running to the south; requented 

 by this delicious fish. • Yours, respectfuly, 



John Vilson. 

 Deerfield, Mass. May 9 1833. 



Britain Cooper, Esq. the Treasure) of the 

 tjirard Trust, in a letter addressed on the 1st inst. 

 to the Philadelphia City Councils, ackncwledges 

 the receipt of two millions of Dollars, fjom the 

 Trustees of Girard Bank, to be appropriate! to the 

 erection of the new Girard College. 



! For the i\eu' E>i,;laml Farmer. 



SOWS DESTROYING THEIR PIGS. 



Mr. Fessendeh, — I have noticed recently an 

 extensive investigation into the causes of, and I'em- 

 edy against, sows destroying their pigs. From my 

 experience, and from a long standing custom in 

 this vicinity, I am sanguine in the opinion that if 

 sows are so placed as to be able to come to the 

 ground a few days before pigging, no disappoint- 

 ment would ever happen in the loss of pigs. If 

 it is not convenient to let them ramble at large, a 

 temporary pen upon ground is equally good. 



A Subscriber 



KariTTIJiG MAtHINE. 



NiLEs' Register contains an account of a recently 

 invented Knitting machine. It is about one foot 

 square, only weighs ten pounds, and costs but 

 It is worked by turning a crank. One girl of 12 

 might tend three machines, if arranged to work 

 together; each machine making from one to two pair 

 of men's long woollen stockings per day. 



MASS. HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



At a special meeting of the Massachusetts Hor 

 ticultural Society, held on Saturday, May iltl 

 1832, 



The following letters from Dr. ." ames Measj 

 of Philadelphia, and Alexander Walsh, Esq. d' 

 New York, were read. 



Philadelphia, .Qpril 13, 1833. 

 jtentlemen, — I have the j.leasure to send wu 

 a few Beans direct from iiiina. They may bs 

 useful by renewing the seed from the pkes in 

 'vhich the delicious ve,';eta'j;e is said to aavc 

 ori-ginaied. 



3 also 2e:;d ^ ccnected copj' of my papc*"^ on the 

 influence of the stock on the graft, and beg it .nay 

 bs used, in case the Society should ever pnbl'sh u 

 volume. With my beet wishes, I am Gentlemen, 

 Ja!U£3 Mease. 

 To the Presi dents and Ijfcmber 

 or the Hor. Soc. Boston. 



Lansingburgh, March 16th. 1833. 



Dear Sir, — Urgent business requiring imme- 

 d-ato attentioj at New York, I hastily procured 

 from my garden a small parcel apple cuttings as a 

 iKendly offering to the Blassachusetts Horticultu- 

 ral Society, the quantity and variety would have 

 been greater, if time and an unusual depth of snow 

 had permitted their selection. 



It will at alJ times afford me pleasure in uniting 

 with the community ii: rendering tribute to the 

 laudable exertions of your association. 



With sentiments of great respect, I retnaiu 

 yours sincerely, Alex. Walsh. 



Gen. H. A. S. Denrborn. 

 Pres. fliass. Hor. Society. 



The bundle marked E. Devonshire Quondam, ripe last July 



" " " W. Hawthorciean — August to January. 



" '* " P. Golden Harvey — Sept. to February. 



" " " O. Ribstoae Pippin. 



" " " S. Dwarf Apple, on Paradise stock. 



" " " I. IVonningtuu Wonder. 



" " " X. Brabant. 



" B. Monks Codlin. 



N. Y. And also through Mr. Fleet, front Mr. 

 Jacob Ganber, Columbia, Penn. 

 Summer sweet Paradise, a seedling Apple; Zank, 

 ditto, ditto; winter sweet Paradise* ditto, ditto; 

 Fallow water, ditto, ditto. Shank's seeding pear, 

 yours very sincerely, A. Walsh. 



Gen. H. A. S. Dearborn. 



Ornithogalum, arabicura (very beautiful,) 

 cactus speciosa, anemonies, several varieties of 

 geraniums, tulips, tea roses, purple rocket, from Mr. 

 Masa, Charlestown Vineyard. 



Per oriler, J. WiNsmp, Chairman. 



Voted, That the thanks of this Society be given 

 to Dr. James Mease, of Philadeljihia, and Alexan- 

 der Walsh, Esq. of New York, for their accepta- 

 ble donations. 



Adjourned to Saturday, May 18, 11 o'clock. 



A'tiu ''ork, March 26, 1833. 

 ?ir, — In addition to what was put up for your 

 society belore leaving home, have the pleasure to 

 add a small parcel of the Golden Leaf Tobacco, 

 and some cuttings from the Columbia Gage, a 

 seedling plum raised by Mr. Laurauco, of Hudson, 



NOTICE. 



A special meeting of the Mass. Hor. Society 

 will he held on Saturday May IS, by adjournment 

 at 11 o'clock A. M. at the Hall of the Society. 

 Per order, R. L. Emmons Sec'ry. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 Charlestown, (.V. H.) May 9, 1833. 

 Mr. Fessenden, — I saw in the Centinel of yes- 

 terday, a note from you, making inciuiry concern- 

 ing the " Bush Cranberry." The botanical name 

 of the shrub is the Viburnum Oxycoccus, or Cran- 

 berry Viburnum, belonging to the same genus 

 wi;h the Guelda Rose or Snow-ball bush, which it 

 very nmch resembles in general appearance. It is 

 a native of several parts of New England, and 

 grows in this vicinity. I for several years had a 

 bush in my garden, but rooted it out a short time 

 jiiice on account of its unsightly appearance. 

 Like those of the snow-ball its leaves are very 

 much subject to the attack of insects, in coose- 

 queuce of which they roll and curl up to a great 

 degree, giving the plant an appearance of deformi- 

 t)' and want of thriftiucss. The fruit is small, red 

 aad oval, much resembling externally a small 

 craul)erry a little flattened ; in taste it also resem- 

 bles the cranberry, with a mixture, however, of an 

 astringent disagreeable flavor like that of the root 

 of the Rhubarb. Its produce is small in quanti- 

 ty, ai:d two large stoney seeds greatly diminish 

 the amount of eatable matter in a berry. lam 

 not aware of its possessing any valuable medical 

 ])ro|)erties. I have many times eaten as much of 

 the fruit as my jialate would permit without dis- 

 gust, and without perceiving any eft'ect more than 

 would be produced by the same quantity of any 

 sour astringent iruit, or choke-cherry, haw thorns 

 black currants and the like. To judge from its 

 sensible properties it may possess somewhat such 

 medicinal qualities as belong to the fruit last men- 

 tioned, perhaps in a little greater degree. It seems 

 to me ill no degree deserving of cultivation, and 

 not woi-th the land it occupies. You will find, 

 the plant described in Bigelow's " Flora of New 

 England" ;ind various other works on American 

 Jjotany. With much regard, yours truly, 



Samuel Webber. 



Hatvks to frighten Birds. — A hawk confined in 

 in a cage and placed in the garden or field is found 

 to be of more service to frighten away birds than 

 other scare-crows, including a sleepy boy. 



' From one of these Trees a fine Apple is seui. 



