44 



THE GENESEE FARMER. 



SPIRIT OF THE AGRICULTURAL PBESS. 



Hessian Fly. — A correspondent of the Ohio Field 

 Notes says the Hessian fly has injured some of the early 

 sown wheat in that State. 



Goon Hogs. — A correspondent of the Cultivator states 

 that J. C. Smith, of Butler Co., Ohio, latted one hundred 

 hogs which averaged 431 lbs. each, net. The year before 

 he had one hundred head that averaged 467 lbs. each. 



Beans from one Seed. — W. Metcalf, of Franklin, 

 Mass., says he raised from two beans one hundred and 

 fifty-three pods on one, and one hundred and fifty-six 

 on the other. The beans counted up fifteen hundred and 

 thirty-three, or over seven hundred fold. 



Food for Caged Seed-Eating Birds. — A correspon- 

 of the London Poultry Chronicle says: — "The best 

 food for seed eating caged birds I consider is canary 

 seed, shelled oats and millet, accompanied with clean 

 water, sand and green food ; occasionally a little piece 

 of bread, or boiled carrot, potato, or broccoli, and a 

 slice of apple or pear as a treat. Kapeseed I consider too 

 pungent, hempseed too exciting, and both too oily to be 

 proper for constant use." , 



Get tour Seed for Sprng. — The World well remarks : 

 " One of the most important matters is the quality of seed 

 of all kinds for farm and garden, and of the trees and 

 vines which are to be planted. Without careful selection 

 in these matters, all the preparation for grain and fruits 

 aud vegetables are lessened in value. As surely as like 

 produces like, so certainly will not poor seed produce 

 good crops in fruits, roots, and grain. See then, instant- 

 ly, to these matters, if you have not already arranged for 

 supplies of the best quality which labor and expense can 

 procure; and when you have to buy, buy only from per- 

 sons of well-known character in the cultivation of such 

 articles as you may desire for planting." 



Take Care of Your Harness. — The Wisconsin Far- 

 mer says : "More damage is done to harness during the 

 rainy weather of early and late winter than during all the 

 rest of the year. Saturated with water, covered with 

 mud, and often frozen stiff, so as to almost break when 

 bent, in necessary handling, unusual care should be taken 

 to keep it well oiled and hung up in proper shape when 

 not in use. Thus treated, it will not only last many times 

 longer, but look infinitely better than when neglected in 

 the usual manner. 



" As to the kind of oil, we know of nothing better than 

 neats-foot, or the daubing used by tanners. To give the 

 black color, characteristic of new leather, a little lamp- 

 black may be added without detriment, though it is better 

 not to use this until the second going over. 



" Before putting on the oil, however, there are two im- 

 portant conditions which must be observed — cleanness 

 aud dampness. The necessity of the first is obvious, and 

 the last is not less important, since the oil cannot pene- 

 trate the leather and make it soft and pliable, if put on 

 when it is dry and hard. 



" One of the best ways to give to the leather the requi- 

 site degree of moisture is to wrap up the several parts of 

 the harness in wet cloth a few hours previous to oiling. 

 But this trouble is unnecessary where washing has been 



resorted to for cleaning, as the oil may then be applied 

 before the leather is entirely dry. The oil should be 

 rubbed in briskly with a brush or cloth, so as to insure its 

 absorption." 



The Chinch Bug and Deep Plowing. — A correspon- 

 dent of the Wisconsin Farmer relates the following inter- 

 esting fact: "An old farmer in this town told a young 

 farmer as follows : If you ever raise a good crop by late 

 sowing, be sure and not tell your children of it. 



"I will state a fact in relation to chinch bugs and deep 

 plowing ; and this, perhaps, should be kept from the 

 children. 



" In the spring of 1857, 1 followed the common breaking 

 plow, on prairie sod, with a common steel plow made 

 sharp, and turned a good heavy furrow from beneath the 

 first one, on the center of the land, being a strip about 

 three rods wide and one hundred rods long. Since then 

 I have taken two crops of corn and two of wheat from 

 the field through which the three rods strip was double 

 plowed. This year wheat grew upon it, and the three 

 rods strip turned white from the ravages of the chinch 

 bugs, while each side was green aud growing. The lines 

 on each side were as straight as the farrows. 



"Can any one give the reasons? The only one I can 

 find is, that in the deep plowing the bugs found better 

 quarters by going deeper. The wheat followed corn. 

 About three-fourths fall-plowed, and both fall and spring 

 was done across the narrow strip." 



An American Apple in Europe. — The London Florist 

 and Pomologist, for January, contains a colored plate of 

 the Northern Spy apple, and remarks : 



This is not at all a new variety of apple, nor one which 

 is to be estimated on account of its rarity, for it is. one 

 that already exists in several nurseries of this country, 

 and in not a few private collections, it is entirely for its 

 intrinsic worth that we hare been induced to select it as 

 one of the subjects wherewith to grace the first number 

 of the Florist and Pomologist. Its size and handsome ap- 

 pearance would alone recommend it to be grown in any 

 collection ; but when it is known that it is a dessert apple 

 of the finest texture and excellent flavor, it commands an 

 interest which attaches to but few even ofonr best varieties. 



Although a native of North America, it is one of those 

 varieties which attain their greatest perfection in this 

 country. Even as a standard, an open dwarf, or a pyra- 

 mid, it ripens perfectly and grows to a large size; but 

 when grown against a wall or in an orchard house, it ac- 

 quires a size and beauty and a delicacy of flavor which it 

 does not when grown in the open ground. Our figure was 

 taken from a fruit grown in an orchard-house by George 

 F. Wilson, Esq., at Gishurst Cottage, Weybridge Heath. 

 The tree was planted in a pot, and the fruit was set in the 

 house ; but during the summer months it was turned out 

 in the open air, and there the fruit ripened. 



The fruit is fragrant when ripe, large, ovate, inclining 

 sometimes to conical. The skin is thin, at first of a 

 greenish-yellow on the shaded side, and on the side next 

 the sun covered entirely with a thin, pale, crimson cheek, 

 which is covered with broken streak* of a darker crim- 

 son ; hut as the fruit acquires maturity after being kept, 

 the shaded side changes to a rich golden yellow, and the 

 crimson becomes brilliant. The whole is covered with a 

 thin bloom like a grape. Eye small and closed, set in a 

 very deep, narrow, and furrowed cavity. Stalk three 

 quarters of an inch long, slender, deeply inserted in ;i 

 wide hollow. Flesh white, very tender, fine grained, crisp, 

 and very juicy. Juice sprightly, sweel, and with a fine, 

 delicate aroma. 



A valuable dessert apple, in use from December till May. 



The tree is a fast and vigorous grower, and has an up- 

 right habit. When it acquires a little age it is an abun- 

 dant bearer; but it is apt to become bushy-headed, and 



