528 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Nov. 



ing, as our autlior says, to 40 cubic feet of stiff mor- 

 tar. Of this mortar J of the batch was used in 

 making concrete — say 13| cubic feet of mortar, 22^ 

 cubic feet of granite fragments, and 11| cubic feet 

 of gravel, making 33| cubic feet of stony material. 

 In the preparation of this batch the gravel was first 

 mixed with a portion of the mortar, and when well 

 incorporated, the mass was spread out, over which 

 were then spread the granite fragments, and after- 

 wards, the remainder of the mortar. The whole 

 was then worked thoroughly, and ])roduced 38^ 

 cubic feet of concrete. The gravel consisted of 

 various sizes, from that of a pea to that of a small 

 hen's-egg, and the fragments of granite were broken 

 to about the size of a hen's-egg. This concrete was 

 placed in a very dry situation. But if it was placed 

 below ground, I am convinced that the pot lime 

 should have been omitted. The cost of this concrete 

 was $2,62i per cubic yard. 



After the thorough and critical experiments of 

 our author, he illustrates the economy of using con- 

 crete, by giAing a table of the cost of masonry at 

 Fort Warren. 



Rubbled masonry, dry, costs per cubic yard, about $3,00 



Rubbled masonry laid in mortar, - - - - $4,25 



Brick masonry per cubic yard, - . - - $6,25 



Facing stone, sea-wall beds and joints hammered, - $9,00 



Concrete, least costly kind a little over - . - $2,00 



Concrete, most costly kind a little over - - - $3,50 



In this compend of Lieut. Wright's valuable 

 book, justice is not and cannot be done him ; a 

 newspaper article being too limited. If the work 

 was to be obtained of the publishers or the trade, I 

 should have referred your readers to it for ample 

 information on the subject of which it treats. 



Waltham, 1855. w. H. K. 



Fur the New England Farmer. 



PLUM EOT. 



Friend Brown : — As the rain pours — and everj' 

 body is thankful, or should be, after a long drought — 

 I look out u])on my plum trees near the windows, 

 at the same time taking up the JV. E. Farmer to 

 read again. I notice particularly the "Extracts and 

 RepHes," and only wish that I had inquired, too, 

 why my plums rot upon the trees, just as they had 

 attained their natural size and beauty, and look as 

 if ripe. How disappointed ! After having spent 

 so much time, money and labor to have trees laden 

 vnth unripe fruit, promising a full harvest in the 

 end, attacked with the "plum rot," every one of 

 them of the "same sort," not even a "few left." 

 This is one trouljle. And here is another. Look 

 at the Isabella grapes — Jack Frost did it all — we 

 know who did this, and do not inquire. But a few 

 days tnore, and I should have had my heart's de- 

 sire, ripe grajjes. In looking over the "Extracts 

 and RepHes," I must confess that I smile at others' 

 troubles ; (misery loves company, you know.) For 

 here is one Mr. A., who says, "I wish to inquire," 

 &c ; Mr. B. says, "I am much troubled," &c. ; 

 Mr. C. says "Will you inform me," &c. Now, all 

 I want to know is — though I would like to know 

 what Mr. A., B. and C. want to know — what is the 

 cause and preventive of "my plum rot." But no 

 grumbling — while I have gangrenous plums, I have 

 pears fidly ripe — though Jack Frost claims my Isa- 

 bellas, my Dianas are left, and I like them best — 

 so no grumbhng, it's all right. 



Plums and Grapes. 



Manchester, .Y. H., 1855. 



For the New England Fanner. 



HOPS--IlfaUIRIES ABOUT. 



Mr. Editor : — From a child I have been accus- 

 tomed to ex])erimental farming on a slope of one of 

 the Green Mountain ranges. Percei\'ing and sen- 

 sibly feeling my inefficiency, with the hope of ob- 

 taining some idea of what is termed its theory, I 

 some time since, commenced as a reader and also a 

 subscriber to the JVew England Farmer. 



To the agriculturist, a knowledge of its theory 

 may be of about as much consequence, as that of 

 })hysic to the ])hj'sician. Both are made available, 

 when accom])anied with a corresponcHng share of 

 good sound common sense ; necessary in the varied 

 aspects and different developments of the same, and 

 also of different chseases. 



I ask my brother farmers if in too many in- 

 stances, our sickly soils do not denote that their 

 attendant physician has been a mere quack ? Why 

 is it that so many of our brethren are obliged un- 

 remittingly to toil, from "early dawn to evening's 

 shade," until they are physically and intellectually 

 more feeble than the soil they cultivate, in order to 

 make the "strap and buckle come together at the 

 end of the year," quoting from my good old neigh- 

 bor. Economy ? 



While I hail the weekly arrival of the JVew 

 EngJand Farmer, I lament that those whose organ 

 or mouth-piece it should be, should compel Individ- 

 uals in the learned professions, and perhaps some 

 gentleman farmer, to do so much of the talking. I 

 believe, however, that my brother farmers do go to 

 the editor with some of their more difficult ques- 

 tions. I projjose a simple suggestion, and a ques- 

 tion or two. Will experimenters in the soil be 

 more particular in stating the nature, formation, and 

 locahty of their soil, as well as its treatment and 

 results ? 



The deacons and laymen in agriculture, if not 

 the priests of this vicinity, are making almost one 

 simultaneous rush into the hop-growing business. 

 Now in this place we sail in small boats, and have 

 to guard against an aj)proachmg storm, that we 

 may see ourselves safely in harbor. 



I wish to inquire, first, has art or discovery de- 

 voted the use of the hop to any purpose that it was 

 not used for ten years ago ? 



What has been the average price of hops for fif- 

 teen years past ? What, with the best information 

 for judging, might be considered a safe estimate for 

 the same time to come ? 



Is the price of the article any more fluctuating 

 than that of other staple flirming products of New 

 England ? s. P. J. 



Waitsfield, Vt, 1855. 



Massachusetts Horticultural Society. — The 

 following officers have been chosen for the ensuing 

 year, commencing on the first Saturday of 1856 : 

 President — Joseph S. Cabot. 

 Vice Presidents — Benjamin V. French, Cheever 

 Newhall, Edward M. Richards, Josiah Stickney. 

 Treasurer — William R. Austin. 

 Corresponding Secretary — Eben Wight. 

 Recording Secretary — \Y. C. Strong- 

 Professor of Botany and Vegetable Physiology — 

 John Lewis Russell. 



Professor of Entomology — T. W. Harris, M. D. 

 Professor of Horticultural Chemistry — E. N. 

 Horsford. 



