198 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



April 



For the New England Farmer. 



A CHINA PEACH. j 



I noticed in some numbers of the Horticulturist, I 

 of 1853, some account of a China peach, raised j 

 in one of our southern States. It was spoken ofj 

 as prokibly or undoubtedly the only tree in this 

 country from sueli a source. 



There are in tlie grounds adjoining my own 

 some peach trees, imported from Shanghai, in 

 China, several years since. They were rooted in 

 tubs, and the owner of the vessel for whom the 

 captain obtained them, sent them to his natural 

 home in this town. The original trees have not 

 proved good bearers. But other trees budded 

 from them have yielded very good crops. One of 

 my neighbors has had trees in bearing (budded 

 from these) for four or five years. 1 also have 

 some, which bore last f;ill for the second time. 

 It is a very large peach, above the usual size, but 

 by no means so large as to prove the truth of the 

 dictum of the captain who imported them, who 

 said that he had seen them in China as large as 

 his head. The skin and flesh is pale ; and, with- 

 out being at all deficient in juice, it is a very 

 meaty peach, the flesh seeming to have more 

 substance than is usual. I consider it a superior 

 peach, much above a medium quality ; yet there 

 are others I should prefer if mature at the same 

 time. This, ripening just as the best peaches arc 

 leaving us, becomes a superior variety at that 

 time. If you would like, I would be happy to 

 send you a specimen next season. Tlie leaves are 

 subject to the mildew ; the fruit has unequal 

 sides, forming a marked ridge around it. 



Yours, etc., Lewis S. Hopkins. 

 Northampton, Feb. 15, 1855. 



Remarks. — AVe should be gratified with a sight 

 and taste of this peach. 



The gentleman refers to the four hornless, ill- 

 lookiny cows, that average one and a half pounds 

 of butter each, for a period of forty days from 

 June 1st to July lOtli, for which the Ist premi- 

 um of the Essex Society was awarded. Mr. John 

 Stowe, Jr., of Marblehead, was then the owner of 

 these cows ; he can tell all about the quality and 

 weiglit of their butter, and whatever he may say 

 about it, IS worthy of entire confidence. 



The gentleman from AV. appears to be quite 

 sensitive, as to the use of the term native, when 

 applied to animals, as do many other gentlemen 

 of distinguislied intelligence. I presume it is not 

 in my power to enlighten him on this topic. A 

 gentleman, so entirely conversant with the best 

 farms in the best county of the commonwealth, 

 nine-tenths of the stock on which are natives, and 

 nothing difi'erent from natives, if he does not know 

 what is meant by the term native, I would nob 

 presume to instruct him. My idea of the mean- 

 ing of the term, is the same as that of the great 

 mass of the yeomanry of the commonwealth. I 

 have no patience with gentlemen when they un- 

 dertake io mystify this matter. There is an affec- 

 tation of learning in so doing, which is not to 

 be commended. 



1 repeat, sir, that I feel under great obliga- 

 tions to the gentleman from "VV., for liis careful 

 and accurately stated management of his dairy ; 

 and am glad to know that his success was mainly 

 to be attributed to the skill and fidelity of his 

 excellent wife. I was quite sure that no bachel- 

 or could ever have earned or merited such a pre- 

 mium, as he obtained, and I am equally well 

 pleased to know that our own New England 

 breed of cows (by whatever name they may be 

 called) with the same care and the same feed, 

 are as good (to say the least) as any others. 



Essex. 



For the New England Farmer. 



ABOUT DAIRY COWS. 



Friend Brown : — I am most hapny to notice 

 by your ptxper of this morning, (March 10th,) 

 that the raj^pings of the spirit of the "old Oaks 

 cow" have not in the least impaired the wits of 

 the gentleman from Worcester, and although he 

 may not be able to milk as freely as he could be- 

 fore his hand was lame, he certainly writes with- 

 out any perceptible impediment. 



If the gentleman had charged me with partial- 

 ity, instead of prejudice, I sliould at once have 

 owned vip — for I must confess, other things being 

 equal, I do like our own, better than I do foreign 

 breeds — whatever description of animals they may 

 bo. I am in spirit a native American — though 

 not in tlie modern use of the term, professed by 

 such. I detest secresy and double-shuffle, wher- 

 ever it may be found. In truth, I am a plain 

 Yankee, neither more or less. 



The gentleman from W. charges me with being 

 unfair. I crrtainly did not intend to be unfair, 

 either towards himself or his stock. He would 

 represent his pastures as being of an inferior or- 

 der. I had no suspicion of this. I supposed they 

 Were ordinarily very good pastures, only a little 

 shortened by the extraordinary dryness of the sea- 

 son, as were all pastures that came within my ob- 

 servation. I 



For the New Eni^land Farmer. 



aUINCES FOE PICKLES. 



Sir : — I noticed in one of the late numbers of 

 the Farmer, that you say that quinces are used 

 only as a preserve. It is, perhaps, unknown to 

 your readers that they make a very agreeable 

 pickle, if boiled in vinegar, with brown sugar, to 

 which are added cloves, cinnamon, &e. Even 

 when they have been unluckily' hard frozen, they 

 will answer for this purpose — only less sugar will 

 be then required, l^h&j are quartered and pared 

 and the cores cut out. Ten pounds of fruit are 

 boiled, to which add five pounds of sugar <:nd 

 from three to five pints of vinegar, one ounce of 

 whole cinnamon, and half an ounce of Avhole 

 cloves, and boil down, place in a jar and pour the 

 hot syrup upon it. With many the quince, 

 baked like an apple, is a favorite, adding syrup 

 or molasses and water to the dish in which they 

 are baked. Those fond of a tart baked apple, 

 will probably be pleased witli the baked quince, 

 and much prefer it. Yours, &c., 



Lewis S. Hopkins. 



Northampton, Feb. 15, 1855. 



Measurement of Hay in Bulk. — Multiply the 

 length-breadth and height of the hay into each 

 other, and if the hay is somewhat setiled, ten 

 solid yards will weigh a ton. Clover will take 

 eleven to twelve yards to a ton. 



