1855. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



247 



Sowing grass seed with the oat and barley [Knot on the plum tree, but thus far, after haying 

 crops is dangerous, particularly with oats. The j tried each of the remedies recommended at the 

 rapidly gi-owing grain suppresses the young grass, I different dates of their puhlications, and which 



and in a dry time it is deeply shaded, overpow 

 ered and destroyed. Is this not the experience 

 of many farmers ? For these crops, and to lay 

 down to grass, manuring and dccf plowing is the 

 only safe practice. Now we will suppose the 

 grain to be harvested — the land in good tilth — 

 stubble and weeds have afforded additional ma- 

 nure ; turn them in by shallow plowing, taking 

 care not to disturb the manure first plowed in for 

 the grain ; sow gi-ass seed, 1)rush in and roll, and 

 before winter you will have a better show of 

 grass, a better catch, and full remuneration for 

 patient waiting and extra plowing. The mowing 

 field is the icatch work of farming. If worth 

 doing, see that it is well done. H. PooR. 



Brooklyn, April, 1855. 



For the New England Farmer 



SUCKER PLUM TREES. 



Mr. Browx : — Sir, — In looking over the weekly 

 issue of the New England Farmer, of March 3, 

 1 observed the inquiry of "J. F. W." what he 

 must do for his plum tree, which fails to bear 

 fruit, although "blossoming full" every year, 

 with your recommendation as a remedy. 



Now, Mr. Editor, for the benefit of "J. F. W." 

 and others, I would say that, from twenty to 



includes all that has lately been repeated, we as- 

 sert, without the fear of contradiction, that the 

 Black Knot cannot be cured after it has Axirly 

 made its appearance, by any process yet made 

 public. — Working Farmer. 



Mr, 



EXTRACTS AND REPLIES. 



THE BOYS AND THE HEXS. 



Brown : — Father has permitted us to ob- 



tain half a dozen hens, and we want to know how 

 to manage and feed them in the best way. We 

 find a good many things in the vols, of the JV. E. 

 Farmer about them, but they don't exactly suit 

 our case. What sort of a coop shall we make? 

 what shall we feed them on? Shall they be con- 

 stantly confined? We like the instructions we 

 find in your paper, better than those we find 

 in books, because they seem so natural; we think 

 the writers have seen what they tell — it is like 

 talking with one who knows. We were so well 

 pleased with the letter you wrote us last fall 

 about the hoi-se-chestnut seeds we gathered for 

 you, that we feel encouraged to write you now. 

 April 19. Henry and Eddy. 



Remarks. — One of the most encouraging facts 

 in the progress of this paper, is, that women and 

 thirty years' experience in cultivating fruit trees, j ^^^^ frequently write us and either ask 



1 find that suckers oi the plum, transplanted as , . j. . ^ \- »i • , , , . 



^ - or impart iniormation on the important topics of 



the farm. It is a great point gained. Our younf 

 friends will find no difliculty in ol)taining an 

 abundance of eggs and chickens, if they furnish 

 their hens with a dry, warm and convenient roost- 

 ing place, and plenty of wholesome food. An at- 

 tic room in an outbuilding, where the sun comes, 

 is a favorable position. They must be warmly 

 sheltered in cold weather or they will not lay. 

 They should have food regularly, and in variety ; 

 corn, occasionally boiled potatoes and meal mixed 

 with scraps, the crumbs and bits of meat from 

 the table, oats, barley or wheat, together with 

 gravel and pounded oyster or clam shells. They 

 love to run at large and eat the tender grass, in- 

 sects, young cabbage plants, and other good 

 things which they find iv the garden. But they 

 do well confine! a part of the time, being allowed 

 to range for an hour or two before going to 

 roost. 



standards, almost universally fail to produce 

 fruit ; though growing thriftily and blossoming 

 freely, they have invariably failed with me. 

 "J. F. W.'s" tree is probably a sucker. But 

 they may be used with good advantage for stocks 

 for imnroved varieties. I have grafted hundreds 

 of them with good success ; they grow finely and 

 bear profusely. I have trees grafted on suckers, 

 from four to six years from grafting, which bore 

 last season from one to two bushels per tree. 

 After grafting, your recommendations coincide 

 with my experience exactly. C. Smith. 



Shclburne, Franklin Co., Ms., March 26, 1855. 



For the New England Farmer. 



FERTILIZERS-GARGET. 



Mr. Editor : — Will you give me some informa- 

 tion through your excellent paper, in regard to 

 using phosphate of lime or some like fertilizer, on 

 such vegetaljles as beans, peas, &c. 



Also where I can get garget-root for cows, and 

 if there is any other remedy as good. a. j. i' 



Boston, April 10, 1855. 



Remarks. —Superphosphate of lime,guano, bone- 

 dust and aslics, are excellent for all garden crops 

 when properly used. Apply in small quantities, 

 mix well with the soil, hoe well, and you will 

 rarely fail of a crop. 



We can supply you with a little of the "gar- 

 get-root." Whether it is the best remedy for 

 the disease called garget in cows we do not knoAv. 



Black Knots on Plum Trees. — We see a variety 

 of cures recommended in the papers for the Black 



QUANTITY or SEED. 



Mr. Mechi, the distinguished English agricul- 

 turist at Tiptreo Hall, says — "Our farmers have, 

 many of them, yet to learn the advantages of a 

 moderate quantity of seed." The true rule we 

 believe to be to make the land rich and use the 

 less seed ; then you get a vigorous growth and 

 fully matured seed. 



Mr. L. P. Page, of Bedford, states that corn 

 planted with muriate of lime, last season, pro- 



