Vol. VIII.— Nn. 3. 



AND HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 



19 



The form of this fruit is somewhat turbinate, 

 id it is undulated on its surface by swellings of 

 ' oderate extent. The eye is placed in a cavity, 

 ' ound which the fruit is generally of regular 

 rm, and the stem which is about an inch in 

 "" agth, is also in a cavity, on one side of which the 

 " rm is generally regular, but on the other varied 

 ' irregular projections. The skin is almost in- 

 ' iriably of a citron color, with a slight reddish 

 It on the sunny side, the whole surface being 

 so dotted with numerous brown points. The 

 3sli of the one from which our description was 

 ade, was white, firm, breaking, and of an agree- 

 )le odor, but its flavor being sharp, it is seldom 

 iten as a table fruit. It is therefore generally 

 led for cooking or preserving when it becomes 

 fa reddish color, and possesses a sugary flavor 

 )r which it is much- esteemed. The seeds are 

 ark brown, and generally abortive. This fine 

 uit is cultivated considerably in Provence, and its 

 eriod of ripening is in October and November. 

 '^" t is particularly worthy of culture on account of 

 a great size, whieli renders it a great ornament 

 or the dessert, and also on account of its excel- 

 nce when cooked. Having been introduced 

 bout six or seven years since, and a number of the 

 rees having been disseminated throughout the 

 inion, it will not probably be long ere our gar- 

 ens and orchards will be well supplied with this 

 "I'ruit, whence our markets will be furnished with 

 Pit in plenty. 



.J FOR TUE NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



WHITE-WASHING THE INTERIOR OF 

 BARNS, STABLES, &c. 



Mr Russell — If you think the following will 

 be useful to the interests of agriculture, you will 

 please to give it a place in your valuable paper. 



In 1813, when I first turned my attention to 

 agricultural pursuits, 1 bad a small farm with a 

 ijarn, old and not of the best kind. In the sjjriug 

 I found my cattle were infested with vermin ; this 

 led me to a belief, that the nits must be deposited 

 in the linters that the cattle were tied in. f ac- 

 cordingly lohUe-washtd them in 1814, and found, in 

 the spiing of 1815, no appearance of vermin. Since 

 I have changed my situation from a small farm to 

 one more extensive, I have adopted the same plan, 

 and I can say with satisfaction that more than 

 one half my stock in the spring would not be 

 considered inferior beef, by good judges ; and this 

 without the use of grain, only common keeping, 

 with care. 



I should recommend shearing the ears and be- 

 tween the horns, in the fall, before they are put up 

 to hay. This being long hair which they do not 

 shed, and in which nits are deposited. 



This I consider good management, on the 

 ground that where a farmer has a large stock, 

 constantly breathing in the barn, the air is purified 

 by this white-washing ; and I find the health of 

 my animals is better, as is evidently denoted by 

 ihe gloss and smoothness of their coats. 



The farmer that suffers his cattle to remain, or 

 get in this state, loses, I think, one half their ])rof- 

 its in value, during the season. I would observe 

 this for the benefit of my brother farmers. The 

 same plan may be adopted in the house, and sta- 

 bles. It will benefit, I think, those useful ani- 

 mals, horses, particularly in livery stables. In 

 doing this, the expense is trifling. No salt must 

 be used in the washing, as is usually applied on 

 the outside of buildings ; if this was done the cat- 



tle would lick it ofl^. The above mode I have 

 adopted this year again, and have no doubt it will 

 still continue to prove an effectual remedy against 

 these vermin. 



Yours with respect and esteem, 



JOHN LANE BOYLSTON. 

 Pi-inceton, July 28, 1829. 



r. S. I also approve of carding cattle in the 

 winter, after they are put up to hay ; the farmer 

 will receive the pay in the growth of his stock. 



FUR THE NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



CANADA THISTLE. 



I have seen several notices in your valuable 

 " New England Farmer," on the above subject, 

 and feeling it a duty for every subscriber to add 

 any information, Iiowever trifling, be may possess, 

 for the destruction, or use to which such a pest 

 may be applied, I now add mine. 



Possessing a farm in New Hampshire (and the 

 year 1826 being a very bad season for Iiay and 

 other fodder) and a large stock of cattle and 

 sheep, and having many scattering spots of the 

 Canada thistle in the pastures, I desired my agent 

 (who is a very intelligent and capable farmer,) to 

 mow down all the thistles, and hay them, to help 

 out his winter fodder, when they should be in 

 blossom. He employed five men the whole day 

 in doing it, and the next morning they went with 

 rakes, forks, ^c. Sfc. to collect their crop, when, be- 

 hold, it had all vanished ! In fact, as soon as it 

 had wilted, the cattle and sheep devoured it. Since 

 then the crops of liay have been abundant, and 

 labor has been used for other purposes — but I 

 have no doubt if the system of mowing them twice 

 a season when coming into flower, and using for 

 fodder, or any other purpose, that the labor would 

 be well repaid, and I do believe it would prove 

 the best means of destroying the plant — as it would 

 expose the hollow stems for the rain to fill up and 

 rot. 



I am convinced any attempt by the plough, hoe, 

 spade, Sfc. Sfc. would only cause a greater spread 

 of the root, as every fibre of the root forms a new 

 plant. 



I hope some of your subscribers will take the 

 above hint, and practice upon it faithfully for two 

 or three years, and let us know the result through 

 your " N. E. Farmer." P. 



HAMPTON COURT GRAPE VINE. 



Mr Fessenden — I observe iu your " New Eng- 

 land Farmer, of 31st July," a notice of the great 

 size and productiveness of the above vine. — 

 Would it not be well to state also, that a tvhole 

 hot-house is devoted to it. It is of the Black Ham- 

 burgh sort. Your note of its size and produce I 

 believe is correct. Yours truly, 



Jlug. 1, 1829. P. 



SIR JOHN SINCLAIR'S NEW BEET. 



[The following leUer from a respectable and inlelligenl agricul 

 turist, furnislies much desired information with regard to the 

 new beet introduced this spring into New England fr 

 London.] 



Mr Russell — Will you do me the favor to 

 send me by the first packet, the amount of the 

 enclosed in the seed of " Sir John Sinclair's New 

 Beet," as you called it in your advertisement. — 

 The seed I got from you last spring has more 

 than answered my expectations — it is a most val- 

 uable vegetable ; not, however, for the root, as I 



perceive some of the correspondents for the New 

 England Farmer bad expected, but for the leaf 

 and leafstalks, which are a most excellent spina- 

 ccous vegetable. It is neither more nor less, in 

 fact, than Siviss chard — a vegetable well known in 

 France and Switzerland, and cultivated, as we 

 learn from Loudon, in every peasant's garden. — 

 Many of the stalks of mine measure from two to 

 three inches wide, and they are as tender as the 

 best celery. The leaf is also as tender as lettuce. 

 I have the stalks of mine prepared and served up 

 in the manner of asparagus, and the leaf like spin- 

 ach — to which it is superior in flavor and rich- 

 ness. 



Do me the favor to send the seed if you have 

 any left, by the first packet, and inform me of 

 their shipment by letter. 



Yours respectfully, 



GIDEON B. SMITH. 



Baltimore, July 27, 1829. 



PEACHES. 



It affords us pleasure to state that a short es- 

 cursion among the peach orchards of New Jer- 

 sey, gives us an opportunity of stating that the 

 prospect of a fine crop is a cheering one. The 

 trees are loaded with fruit, some httle of which 

 has found its way to market, though yet of an in- 

 diflferent quality. This delicious fruit will soon 

 be abundant and cheap. — Philad. pa. 



FIGS. 



We are requested to state, that one of the Figs 

 lately produced, and gathered in the garden of 

 Gen. Van Ness, in this city, measured eight inches 

 and a quarter in circumference. It was carefully 

 measured in presence of several ladies and gen- 

 tlemen, — Washington Telegraph. 



ALABAMA SILK. 



Some beautiful silk has been made the present 

 season on Dr Purnell's plantation in Alabama. It 

 is equal in strength, quality, and appearance to 

 any, the growth of this country, and is inferioi' 

 only to the best Italian silk. The Doctor has 

 made extensive arrangements for its cultivation 

 next season ; and expects to manufacture several 

 hundred pounds for market. 



Several citizens in the north part of Lanes- 

 borough, Berkshire county, were sudilenly called 

 up one night, about a fortnight since, to hunt two 

 bears said to be in a neigh boiing orchard. After 

 reconnoitering, one of the party shouted " a bear ! " 

 and discharged bis trusty firelock. A groan was 

 heard, and for some time no- one dare approach. 

 When the rest of the company came up, they 

 found the bear was a turkey. — Patriot. 



The following is from the Massachusetts Mag- 

 azine, for January, 1789. ■> 



" Late Occurrences. — Charleston, 20th Decem- 

 ber, 1788 — Yesterday, was brought to this city, 

 from Wilkes County, State of Georgia, a large 

 hogshead of Cotton in seed, which was rolled all 

 the way through thick and thin, in the same man- 

 ner as tobacco is usually rolled to this market. — 

 The man who brought it here, says, there is a 

 great quantity of that valuable article in his neigh- 

 borhood, which will soon bo sent here." 



The Petersburgh, Va. Times, states that a new 

 cotton factory has just gone into operation thera, 

 making the third e.stablishment in that town. 



