72 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Feb. 



Lean county society; J. A. Wight, before the Taze- 

 well county society, and another at the North 

 Western Fruit Grower's Association. It also con- 

 tains essays on the science of agriculture, the pear 

 and its culture, transplanting evergreens, culture of 

 the grape, wine culture and wine making; on vete- 

 rinary science, origin and character of prairie soils, 

 on insects, air currents, flax, swine, birds, imple- 

 ments, and other subjects. The volume contains 

 much valuable matter, and will undoubtedly be use- 

 ful to the people of the State. There is room for 

 considerable improvement in the printing, and if 

 one-fourth of it were entirely omitted — being mere 

 lists of entries or premiums — the volume would be 

 improved and a considerable expense saved. We 

 may well refer them to the volumes of Massachu- 

 setts Transactions, as models in these particulars. 



'For the New England Farmer. 



PEACH AND PLUM TKEES. 



Peach trees, having so frequently failed of late in 

 giving good crops, are rooted up or neglected by 

 many cultivators, in regions where the winters are 

 severe. Nevertheless, I think there is more hope 

 of them than of plum trees. The winter of 1854 

 — 55 was so intensely cold, that nearly all the 

 buds of peach trees were killed throughout New 

 England, and in the spring, they could be shaken 

 or rubbed off easily with the hand. Is there no 

 remedy for this evil ? I knov,- of no certain reme- 

 dy, so long as they stand ov.t of doors. Some that 

 may be particularly sheltered by buildings, may 

 more frequently escape than others. Or if we can 

 adopt some method by which the roots of the 

 peach tree may be kept warmer, I think we might 

 find, at least, a partial remedy. 



I have several times noticed, that old peach trees, 

 neglected arKl grass-bound, bear more or less most 

 every year, though much could not be said of the 

 fruit. But the buds could not have been killed by 

 frost, and this is important. Are not the roots of 

 a tree partly covered with sod (living sod, firmly 

 knit together.) warmer than those in loose, unpro- 

 tected loam? And if so, is not the sap in the 

 branches at a higher temperature, and consequent- 



east winds cannot touch them, which seem to be 

 worse than the north. This is the position of my 

 garden, and the past year I had several of my most 

 advanced trees loaded with fruit, which was a rarity 

 in the community. 



Seedling peaches have done well with me, and 

 some of my oldest are such. Out of seven which 

 have borne, only one has proved a cling-stone with 

 firm flesh. The rest are good or excellent. 



The practice of heading in peach trees in the 

 summer or early fall, I think important ; yet some 

 trees are naturally heavier and earlier bearers than 

 others. Crawford's Late is rather shy, yet the 

 Late Admirable bears early and abundant, and the 

 fruit is large and handsome, with a delicate blush, 

 and in quality is decidedly champaigne. 



Plum trees are sinecures. That worse than Egyp- 

 tian plague, the cui-culio, takes all the fruit. A si- 

 lent and unseen enemy, there seems to be no strat- 

 agem yet discovered to keep it at bay, or to foil its 

 Indian mode of warfare. Three trees of mine, 

 which set full of fruit, only produced two plums! 

 Yet they had been frequently treated with lime, al- 

 so salt and water. A brood of chickens under a 

 tree is a partial preventive ; but something better 

 yet must be discovered, else plum trees must be re- 

 worked with peaches, or rooted up as cumberers of 

 the earth. I have a few more resources left, which 

 will be tried before capitulation. 



West Medford, Dec, 1856. D. W. Lothrop. 



WILL TURNIPS FATTEN PORE ? 



Having been successful in raising a good crop of 

 English turnips, I hardly knew in what w'ay I could 

 dispose of them all, when a neighbor informed me 

 that an acquaintance of his told him he had found 

 English turnips, washed clean, boiled and meal 

 mixed with them, to be excellent for fattening hogs, 

 &c., that he had tried them, and could also recom- 

 mend them. Notwithstanding I have confidence 

 in their judgment, yet I could hardly suppose that 

 English turnips possessed very largely of fottening 

 material for swint : but have commenced feeding 

 mine with them, and find them eaten as well as 

 potatoes, and from present appearances am not pre- 

 pared to say they are not equal, although I have 

 until recently thought them worthless for hogs. 



Vassalboro', lUh mo., 1856. D. Tabek- 



