364 



THE GENESEE FARMER, 



Inquiries and Answers. 



Clover Roots, Ac. — 'Which contaiiis the most fertiliz- 

 ing elements, the roots or clover tops of the same 

 weight?— A. B. Travis, Brandon, Mich. 



We can not answer this question, and if any of our 

 readers can we shall be glad to hear from them. Accord- 

 ing to the experiments of Hlubkk, in the agricultural 

 garden at Lavbach, a four-year old timothy meadow, that 

 produced at the rate of a tun of hay per acre, contained 

 2 tuns 8 cwt. of roots per acre. The roots, of course, 

 were fresh, and contained a large quantity of water. 

 There is probably about half the weight of fresh roots 

 that there is of fresh grass. 



In the case of clover, according to the late Prof. Johns- 

 ton, "at the end of the second year the quantity of dry 

 vegetable matter left in the form of roots is equal to up- 

 wards of one-half the weight of the whole hay which the 

 elover has yielded. Suppose there be three cuttings, 

 yielding four tuus of hay, then two tuns of dry vegetable 

 matter are added to the soil in the form of roots, when the 

 clover stubble is plowed vp." What the composition and 

 manurial value of the roots are as compared to the clover 

 we do not know. It is quite probable that this point has 

 been determined, but we do not recollect seeing any ex- 

 periments bearing on the question. 



Setting Out Fruit Trkes.— I should like to see the fol- 

 lowing questions answered in the Genesee. Farmer : 



I think of setting out a young orchaid of apple and 

 pear trees. How many is it best to set out— 100 or ,500— 

 and what are the most profitable kinds of apples to raise 

 for market in Genesee county? I think winter fruit is 

 the most profitable— say the Russet, Baldwin or Green- 

 ing. How many years would it probably take to get fruit 

 enough from a young orchard to pay for .setting out, and 

 all the expen.ses of an orchard, provided it was well 

 managed on excellent soil for apples ? 



How manv pear trees is U best to set out— ,50 or ."SCO- 

 dwarf or standard, or both — and what kinds are the 

 most profitable to raise for market? Are there not so 

 many pear trees set out, and being set out all over the 

 country, that it would be advisable not to go into the 

 business verv heavy ? 



As to apple-s, I think it will pay to raise good winter 

 fruit to feed to stock; and I think the easiest wav to raise 

 the future value of a piece of land is to set it out to fruit 

 trees. 



Do not pears do well grafted on large apple trees? [No.] 

 Where can cranberry roots be obtained ?— B. P., Leroy, 



Will some of our experienced readers answer the 

 above? 



Beb HivKS.— There has been much said in the papers 

 about the Rev. Mr. La.nt.stroth's bee hives. From what 

 I can gather from his own book, and otherwise, I am lead 

 to believe that his hire has advantages posessed bv no 

 other. By answering the following questions you will 

 confer a favor: 



1, Is his hive in use in Rochester or vicinity ? 



2. Do vou oelieve they are the best? ( I take it for 

 ([ranted you have seen them.) 



8. Could you procure No. 1, with the new swarming 

 blocks and all complete— as described in his book, and 

 what is the price?— John McLaoouli.v, Tyrone, C. W., 

 October 2*), 1H(J.3. 



Laxostrotu's h ves are in use in this city and vicinity. 

 We have seen them and believe they give very general 

 ■atisfaction. Whether they are the best or not, we are 

 not sufficiently acquainted with bees and their habits to 

 answer. Will some of the experienced readers of the 

 0*^MU Farmtr favor us wilh their cimW«r«<«i opinions ? 



Latino Down Grapes.— Will you please in/orm me 

 through the faiTiur how to lay down grape-vines and 

 protect them through the winter? Does the Catawba 

 need it? 1 should think it would interfere wilh the win- 

 ter pruning.— A Sdbscriber, Wheatland, N. Y. 



Not at all. Grape-vines can be pruned soon after the 

 falling of the leaf-say in November. The vines should 

 be pruned and then laid down on the ground and a spade 

 full of soil thrown over them to hold them down. This 

 is all that is needed. If you have young vines properlj 

 trained the trouble is little. In this section the Catawba 

 so seldom ripens that it is hardly worth cultivating. It 

 needs protection in winter as much as other varieties, and 

 more than the Delaware. 



Manufactcrino Tobacco.— I was thankful to you for 

 the intormation through the Genesee Farmer on the culti- 

 uafiou of tobacco. I have raised a very heavy crop 

 which I never could have done except for your paper. ' 



I wish to ask another favor: Will you inform nie 

 through the Farmer how to manufacture it? I am sure 

 it would be thankfully received by your Canadian read- 

 ers.— Pkteb Carrie, Kintail, C. W. ' 



Will some of our correspondents answer the above? 



Early White Province Wheat. — In the Genesee 

 Far?nerfoT August, 1846, there is a description of a wheat 

 of the above name, recommended for late sowing. Is it 

 still cultivated? If so, 1 should like to get a lew bushels 

 for seed.— S. Pratt, Cortland Village, jf. Y. 



We do not know the wheat. 



To Protect Pear Trees.- Will vou advise me how to 

 protect a pear tree this coming winter from the cold 

 storms, on an exposed place in this northern latitude, or 

 will you ask some of your correspondents to advise 

 through your paper.— J. P. Cockburn, Btrwivk, 0. W. 



Topping Corn.— Will some oue of j-our numerous cor- 

 respondents inform me, through the columns of the 

 Farmtr, the best time to top Indian corn, and whether it 

 improves the crop to cut the tons off the stalk before 

 frosts comes?— J. D. KibkpatrickI Mercer county, Fa. 



• >« 



Notes on the Weather from September 15th to Octo- 

 ber 16th, 1863.— As the mean temperature of the first 

 half of September was 66..50, or 2.30 below the general 

 mean, and as the mean of the la.st half was 54.4", or 

 2.50 below that average, the mean of the month was 

 very near ,58°, or 2.5° below SCS", the general average 

 for the month for twenty -six years. Last year September 

 was about as much above the general average. The heat 

 of the warmest noon of the last half was 8ri" on the 16th; 

 the coldest at noon 45o on the 25th, and this was the 

 coldest day, being 44.3". The month was pleasant, and 

 fruits matured. Frost on the 22d and 23d, and heavy on 

 the 27th. Rain of the month only 1.51 inch, and the earth 

 a little dry and dusty. 



October came in warm, so that the noon of the first was 

 76", and the day 62 7", the hottest in the first half. The 

 15th was quite warm, fiO-', and its noon 70=". The coldest 

 was the 13th, being ,30° in the morning; and for the day 

 the coldest was 89.7°, on the 12th. The mean heat of 

 this half was 50.9o, a half degree below the general 

 average. The rain for this part was 1.0.5° inch. The 

 weather has been fine, though some of it was rather cool. 

 The farm has seen its products matured. Apples, pears, 

 quinces and plums enough. Apples are transported in 

 abundance to the East and South. The outdoor grapes — 

 the Isabella and the like— have not matured in many places 

 in the city ; but in many they have, and now are delicioM. 



