144 



Farmers' Herbarium. — Delaicare Lands, ^c. 



Vol VI. 



For tlie Farmers' Cabinet. 

 The Farmers' Ilerbariura. 

 Will the editor allow me to correct !\n 

 error which occurs in the List of Plants pro- 

 posed for a Farmers' Herbarium, in tlie last 

 number of the Cabinet ■? In the note on 

 Triticum repens, it is stated that it is " in 

 Virsjinia called Wire grass.^'' I have as- 

 certained that the " Wire grass"' of Virgrinia, 

 is a very different plant, viz., the Cynodon 

 Daclylon, of Persoon, or Digitaria Dactylon, 

 of Elliott. This grass is not found in Ches- 

 ter county — though common in the south, 

 and well known in the old world. The error 

 originated in the employment of a popular 

 name, and furnishes another argument in 

 favour of designating plants by their scien- 

 tijic names. W. D. 



To the Editor of the Farmers' Cabinet. 

 Delaware Lands. 



Dear Sir, — The unexpected pleasure of 

 meeting with you at my marl-pit a few after- 

 noons ago, and the limited time I had the 

 pleasure of enjoying your society, are rea- 

 sons for your receiving this communication. 

 It is always particularly agreeable to me to 

 meet with those whose time, talents and ex- 

 perience are devoted to the elevation of the 

 agricultural classes of the community; I feel 

 as if a sympathetic chord in my bosom were 

 beating in unison with theirs; for while my 

 pursuits engage me to aim at demonstrating 

 practically what good old mother earth can 

 produce, it is theirs to instruct how it ought 

 to be done — hence we labour in the same vo- 

 cation, and with the same laudable and enno- 

 bling object in view. But my more immedi- 

 ate object in writing to yon is, in obedience 

 to an honest impulse of my heart; I feel 

 that my native neighbourhood is not regarded 

 as she intrinsically merits, or rather, I should 

 say that onr convenient location and resources 

 are elsewhere but little known, and therefore 

 not properly appreciated ; and I am anxious 

 to call to the subject the attention of one who 

 occupies, as editor of the only agricultural 

 paper that circulates in this region, a promi- 

 nent situation, to do us the service which we 

 require ; convinced as I am that if our coun- 

 ty were better known, it would he more high- 

 ly estimated. I have not a doubt that in the 

 tour you took in the hundreds of Red Lion 

 and St. George's, you beheld Avith pleasure 

 many fields studded with lime, as well as 

 other evidences that a spirit of improvement 

 is abroad, more especially in the large and 

 widely extended use of marl, which has been 

 induced by the ease and facility with which 

 it is obtained in this section of country — an 

 advantage which it is not possible properly 

 to appreciate, much less to overrate, for to 



that single cause will the entire renovation 

 of the whole region be owing, and that, in a 

 very short period of time. In order that you 

 may contrast what you have recently beheld, 

 with that state of things which existed 15 

 years ago, I invite you to turn to the 4th vol. 

 of the Cabinet, page 13, under the head of 

 Resialement, as giving a faint outline of 

 the picture, and would be glad if, in conso- 

 nance with your own convictions, j'ou could 

 recommend those who may happen to inquire 

 of you relative to permanent settlements in 

 improving neighbourhoods, to come down 

 amongst us and look around, and be convinced 

 that they can suit themselves better in this 

 section of country than in any other; there 

 being at the present time several fine proper- 

 ties for sale, and on very easy terms; my 

 next neighbour, for instance, offers his farm 

 of 200 acres of land of good quality and val- 

 uable location, as a profitable investment. 



I have thus hastily thrown off something 

 which I fear you will scarcely be able to de- 

 cypher, for in truth my mind, like my hand, 

 has become so rusticated, that it takes some 

 little rubbing up before I can get it into tune. 

 In conclusion, I would be glad that you would 

 come down amongst us frequently; let us 

 become better acquainted, and mutually en- 

 courage each other in pushing onward the 

 reformation of agriculture. With sentiments 

 of sincere respect, I subscribe myself, your 

 agricultural friend, 



Anthony M. Higgins. 



Linden Hill, near St. George's, Del., 

 Nov. 15th, 184L 



Transplanting Peas and Early 

 Vegretables. 



The method of rearing peas in pots or 

 boxes in hot-beds or hot-houses, and after- 

 wards transplanting them into the open 

 ground, is a common practice, and often suc- 

 ceeds well ; but I would recommend a me- 

 thod not so well known but far preferable to 

 that of pots and boxe.«, especially when they 

 are to be raised on a hot-bed. This consists 

 in having a quantity of turf cut into strips, 

 say ten inches long and three inches wide, 

 placing them in a close and regular manner 

 over the surface of the whole bed, grass-side 

 downwards. A row of peas, &c. is sown on 

 each row of turf and afterwards covered with 

 rich earth. When they are fit for transplant- 

 ing, nothing more is required than to lift up 

 the turf piece by piece, with the peas, &.c. 

 growing upon it, and place them where they 

 are to produce their crop. By this means, 

 the roots receive no injury, nor do the plants 

 sustain the least check in transplanting. This 

 method may be adopted with similar success 

 in the raising of potatoes, beans, &c. — N. Y. 

 Farmer. 



