208 



NEW ENGLAND FAKMER, 



May 



A MECHANIC'S GAEDEJT. 



We have frequent inquiries for some plan of 

 cultivating small plots of ground such as are 

 owned bj multitudes of mechanics, traders and 

 merchants, residing in the suburbs of our cities 

 and villages. We cannot vyell put dovm on one, 

 or even on a hundred pages, all the minute direc- 

 tions these men require; we will, however, do 

 what we can to meet their wants. We give them 

 a list of what is one plot of ground of half an 

 acre ; and lest the statements may seem rather 

 large we may as well say in advance, that we de- 

 scribe just what we saw on the grounds of jMr. 

 J. H. Smith, at Norwalk, Conn. ; and further, 

 that although there is such a variety of trees, 

 fruits, vegetables, &c., there is no confused crowd- 

 ing or jumbling, but every thing seems to be ar- 

 ranged in perfect order. Mr. Smith showed us a 

 large sheet of paper, upon which he has marked 

 out the ground occupied by each tree, plant and 

 plot of vegetables or berries, with the name and 

 variety written down. We should also say that 

 Mr. S. is a laboring mechanic, and that he does 

 nearly all the work required in his garden with 

 his own hands, and out of the usual hours of 

 business. 



His lot is about 100 feet wide, and of course 

 extends back some 220 feet to make an acre. The 

 front half contains the house with front and side 

 plots — the house being upon one side of the lot. 

 In this front area, in part covered with grass, are 

 quite a variety of fruit and ornamental trees, in- 

 cluding 14 cherry trees of different varieties, 4 

 standard and 10 dwarf pear trees, 3 dwarf apple 

 trees, G peach trees, 8 Norway spruce, 1 white 

 pine, 2 balsam firs, 1 horse chestnut, 1 mountain 

 ash, 4 common whitewash, (in the street outside 

 the fence) 4 common forest dogwood, 2 elms, 5 

 roses of Sharon, 2 wax plants, 12 varieties of roses, 

 beside flowering currants, sweet-scented shrubs, 



&G. 



Back of this ground commences the garden, 

 which is not, as it should be, separated from it 

 by any fence. In the rear is a cold grapery, 14 

 by 13 feet, with a grape-border in front, 18 feet 

 wide. The rest of the ground is planted with 

 various fruit trees, and divided into plots con- 

 taining each of the following : beets, two varie- 

 ties of onions, cabbages, potatoes, sweet corn, cu- 

 cumbers, peas, three varieties of beans, ghei'kins, 

 summer and winter squashes, radishes, two varie- 

 ties of lettuce, nasturtions, eleven varieties of 

 strawberries, five varieties of raspberries, several 

 vigorous hills of New-Rochelle and white blacb 

 Ijerries, two varieties of gooseberries, and three 

 varieties of currants. In addition to these, there 

 are plants of hops, sage, parsley, pie plant (in 

 abundance,) wormwood, and a variety of flow- 

 ers. 



On this gi'ound are three apple trees, throe 

 plum trees, 20 peach trees, 75 dwarf pear 'trees of 

 42 varieties. 



The cold grapery is new, and cost near .$400. 

 A plain one for common use may be built for one- 

 half, or one-fourth of this expense. This one has 

 a cistern, with a simple and inexpensive force 

 pump, to which is attached hose and pipe for 

 throwing water into every part. It contains 24 

 grape vines of 13 varieties. 



The various vegetables and fruits are so selected 

 as to furnish a succession for the tal)le durins: 



the entire season. In addition to a bountiful sup- 

 ply for his own use, Mr. Smith sells strawberries, 

 blackberries, plants, &c., enough to pay all extra 

 labor employed, and for most of the manure he 

 purchases. 



After reading this enumeration, who will say 

 that a single half acre, if rightly managed, is not 

 capable of ministering greatly to one's taste and 

 comfort, as well as profit? AVhat Mr. Smith en- 

 joys from his plot of ground, could not be pur- 

 chased for many hundreds of dollars, if it could 

 be purchased at all ; while, as before stated, the 

 cost is comparatively trifling. The time and labor 

 devoted to these grounds serve as a recreation, 

 rather then a tax upon the labors of the day. — 

 American Agriculturist. 



SEED SOWERS. 

 Now that so many persons engage in the culti- 

 vation of the root crops, it is important that all 

 labor-saving machinery that is valuable, should be 

 known and brought into requisition. The first 

 sower here represented we have not used, and 

 suppose that it is intended merely for garden pur- 

 poses, such as sowing beds. No. 2, and No. 3, 

 we have used many times, and have found the 

 seed to come well after them. But any sower 

 should be carefully tested on a board or floor be- 

 fore going to the garden or field with it. 



SEED SOWER No. 1. 



This is a small hand drill, designed for the 

 garden. It is a cheap, light, pretty sower, well 

 adapted to the wants of those who cultivate root 

 and vegetable crops on a limited scale, and will 

 sow all such crops, excepting peas and beans. It 

 opens the ground, sows the seed, covers and rolls 

 it at one operation or passing. 



SEED SOWER No. 2, 



Seed Sower No. 2 is adapted to garden or field 

 sowing, is a size larger than No. 1, and is de- 

 si med for sowing the same kinds of seeds. The 



