112 



FARMERS' REGISTER, 



No. 2 



For six or seven ynavs back, I have been in the 

 habit of curing salt marsh [grass] as fodder lor 

 my horses and cattle. I find that they prefer it 

 Avhen properly cured, to any other lodder which 

 vou cun rrivc them. It must, however, be proper- 

 ly cured, or, like all other fodder, your creatures 

 will refuse L This (April) and the two commg 

 months, (May and June,) is the time for cuttmg 

 the marsh. It is then most tender, possesses 

 Sost "ce, and will dry best. l^^ring these 

 *Tionlhs, I keep a boy or two continually cutt ng. 

 One boy will cut one or two boat loads per daj , 

 as the tide suits. As soon as cut, 1 have it well 

 washed in the salt water; spread it out a day to 

 dry in the sun; and immediately after, pile it up in 

 stacks to keep. No apprehension need be enter- 

 tained of its heating or mouldmg; as the salt m 

 the marsh prevents every thing o| the kind. 



Marsh r"T-ass] thus cured, will keep during the 

 whole year; and in the winter will allbrd a lodder 

 that horses and cattle will prefer to all others. Its 

 advantao-es are many. Cattle that feed upon it, 

 will seldom, if ever, be troubled with worms or 

 cholic; since the salt in the marsh total y destroys 

 the worms, and prevents the choiic. When given 

 green to your horses in the spring, it will at tirst 

 act upon them as a gentle purgative, but alter 

 feedino- with it for a day or two, this ehect will en- 

 tirely wear away, and it will then prove one of 

 the most rapid fatfeners. 



Few planters plant corn enough to attord them 

 fodder fbr the cattle throughout the entire year. 

 Let those who reside in the vicinity of marsh, 

 cure this article as I have directed; and if they 

 will take the word of one who has tried it, they 

 will never want fodder, nor have to eat poor cat- 

 tle. 



TRY IT. 



a friend who had a fine row of them, and whose 

 bushes were early in the season loaded with the 

 fruit, did not gather one that was fit to eat. 



While all admit they are much larger and 

 fairer, and when free from mildew a most splendid 

 fi'uit, still to our palate the foreign varieties lack 

 that condensed richness and fragrance which be- 

 long to some of ours; and beauty, though a good 

 thing in itsellj can hardly be considered a fair set, 

 off fbr flavor when the palate is to be the jud;ffe of 

 merit. On the table we are sensible a plate of our 

 half prickly wildwood fruit can hardly compare 

 with the round plump glossy skins of the English 

 kinds; yet there are few, who, so far as taste is 

 concerned, would not resolutely prefer those grown 

 from our own native shrubbery. That these may 

 be improved in size we have no doubt, and if it 

 can be done without sacrificing flavor and richness, 

 all would hail such improvement; but if this can- 

 not be done, if each advance in size and beauty 

 deteriorates them in quality, why then we say 

 give us our old lashioned berries, smaller m size, 

 but free fi-om disease, and rich in all the qualities 

 that constitute one of the most delicious fruits ia 

 the world. 



G. 



From the Genesee Fanner. 

 GOOSEBKRRIES. 



Unless we much misunderstand the signs of 

 the times, the current of public opinion is at the 

 present moment setting strongly against the im- 

 ported, or, as they are more generally termed, 

 JEnglish varieties of gooseberries. There can be 

 two°reasons assignedfor this state of feeling, one 

 of which is the great uncertainty which attends 

 their fi-uit reaching perfection; and the other is the 

 fact that in richness of flavor they are inferior to 

 some varieties of our native ones. These objec- 

 tions in the main appear to be well founded, and 

 as such, are certainly deserving the attention of 

 those who wish to engage in the cultivation of 

 this excellent fi'uit. That the English gooseberry 

 sometimes arrives at maturity unaffected by the 

 mildew, is certain; but the chance is very small 

 that it will do so, and it is extremely tantalizing to 

 the grower to see the plague s|)ots spreading over 

 his fruit, and at once placing them beyond the 

 reach of hope. The attack of this disease, fur 

 such the mildew is, is the more disagreeable, fi-om 

 the fact that gardeners have as yet discovered no 

 remedy in any measure adequate to the evil. 

 While the native varieties remain untouched, the 



foreign kinds, standing near, arc entirely destroyed. 

 We had a few bushes last year, the fruit of which, 

 with a few exceptions, was fice from mildew, while 'be kc|tt clean of grass and weeds for a year or 



From tlie Genesee Farmer. 

 CURRANTS. 



Among the great numbers of fruit-bearing shrubs 

 and vines, there are few more wortliy of no- 

 tice, or which better repay the expense of culti- 

 vation, than the. currant. It is an abundant bearer; 

 of easy culture and rapid growth; and whether 

 dried or fresh, is convertible to a great variety of 

 uses in culinary operations. In this country we 

 have three kinds; the red, which is the most com- 

 mon; the white or rather yellowish, since when 

 ripe it has a slight yellow hue; and the black, 

 which is chiefly cultivated and valued tor its medi- 

 cinal qualities. Of these varieties we much prefer 

 the white; as the fruit is usually much larger than 

 the red; it possesses more saccharine matter when 

 ripe, and is consequently better adapted fbr the 

 table; and fi'om it a wine, by proper management, 

 may be produced, superior to many of the import- 

 ed wines. No man, liovvever smalt may be the 

 piece of land he owns and cultivates, should neglect 

 the growth of the gooseberry, currant, &c. as they 

 occupy little room, and contribute much to the 

 comfort of a family, besides preventing so far the 

 thankless business of begging fruit, or saving 

 many a six-pence in its purchase. Currants are 

 grown, where the roots are not to bo procured, or 

 vvhere new kinds are to be introduced, by cutting 

 shoots of six or eight inches in length, making a 

 shallow furrow in the earth, and placing them at 

 proper distances in a slanting position with one or 

 two buds above the surflice. In this way they will 

 hardly liiil of growing well. The earlier in the 

 spring the operation of setting the shoots is per- 

 formed the bettor; although tliey will frequently 

 do well until the buds are fully swelled. Goose- 

 berries may also be propagated in the same man- 

 ner, though their growth is not quite so certain; 

 and neither they or currants, when set in this way, 

 require any other care than that the shoots should 



