752 



FARMER S' REGISTER. 



[No. 12 



country subject to severe drou<rhts; ms trees planted 

 in autumn are less liable to sutler li'om this cause 

 than if planted in the s|)ring. 



When we consider how very short our sprinoris, 

 we ousht to plant ourlarire shrubs in the lall and 

 open weather in winter; for the necessary vegeia- 

 bie and flower (farden, transplantinir flowers, herbs 

 and other small ariicles that would be in danger 

 of beiuiT thrown out of ground, if transplanted in 

 the fall, by frost, will be as much as most people 

 will be able to accomplish during our short sprinirs. 

 On this subject there is much truth in an asseruun 

 of that shrewd scientific writer, Wm._ Cobbett, 

 where ! think he says in some ot his writings, "a 

 person in America would hardly think of there be- 

 irnT any spring, the winter being so soon succeeded 

 by'summer heat." Our autumns are mild and so 

 pleasantas to be the admiraiion of most European 

 visiters, ali'ording the opportunity li'om the lolh of 

 October to hard frost, which seldom inierrupis_ 

 transplanting in this latitude beliire the fiheenrhot 

 December. "But ifoiher business should interrupt 

 fell planting, large trees and shrubs may very safely 

 be planted 'in the sprinsr, from 1st of March (some- 

 times earlier) to the fifteenth of April, and many 

 small matters, and all the evergreen plants, much 

 later in the spriuiT, it being much the best season 

 to plant those last. 



slrrwal of the trees at the place of their des/i- 

 ,^„/;ort. —Immediately on the receipt of the trees 

 from the nursery, have the bundles carelully open- 

 ed, and have a trench dug deep enough to receive 

 the roots below the surtiice in a compact manner, 

 with the bodies of the trees in a slanting position, 

 then fill in some fine mould on and among the 

 roots of the trees, and water them bolh roots and 

 mould, till all is very moist, and cover all up till 

 preparation is made for planting, which ought to 

 be done before the trees arrive. Another excellent 

 way to preserve trees is to plunge the bundles ol 

 trees, especially the roots, into water, where they 

 will keep saleiv for a lomx time. 



Method of 'Planting.— The holes for planting 

 should be dug at least two and a hall feet diameter, 

 and about two spits oreighteen inches deep, casting 

 round the lower spadeful, and using only the top 

 one lor planting the trees, which, it insufficient, use 

 the surrounding top soil, or other, equally good or 

 better, brouirht IVom elsewhere lor the pnrfiose. 

 Mixino- any sort of manure when planting, is con- 

 sidereif injurious, but may be usefully applied 

 around the trees as a top dressing. Belore plant- 

 inn- trim olfthe bruised parts of roots, and trimofl 

 thetops of trees freely, leaving them as light as 

 possible, preserving merely the form o( a head; 

 shortening the branches, especially the leading 

 shoot, is considered injurious. 



Before the trees are set in the holes, shovel in 

 some "-ood mould, in order that the tree may not be 

 planted more than two inches deeper titan they 

 stood in the nursery, and spread the roots ol the 

 trees equally around on the said mould, in hllinir 

 up the hole, care should be taken to make the earth 

 fme, in order that it may run in among the roots oi 

 the tree, which may be promoted by genlly sha- 

 kin-' the tree as it is thrown in— water the roots 

 well, then fill the hole up level with thesurround- 

 inn- tTOund; drive in a strong stake on the north- 

 wesrside, and fasten the tree to it by a band of 

 damp straw, passing it several times between and 

 around the tree and stake, so as to keep it steady 



and prevent the wind form chafing it; in dry 

 weather, duriuL' the first summer, the trees ought 

 to be watered occasionally; once a week will be 

 sufficient if done plentifully, so as effectually to 

 wet the whole space occupied by the roots; some 

 half rotten litter spread round the tree during the 

 summer, would be useful in preventing the rays of 

 the sun and the wind from dissipating the mois- 

 ture—but it should be removed in the fall, as it 

 miijht be a harbor for mice during the winier, who 

 would be apt to injure the trees by Itieding on the 

 bark and roots. 



ROBT. SINCLAIR. 



From tlie New Yoric Farmer. 

 NEW-EXGLAND AGRICULTURE. 



I propose to sketch some very general view.s of 

 the a<n-icullure of ihe northern and western parta 

 of the countrv, which I have had recently the 

 gratification of visiting. With much ol New- 

 EmMand, I have been long acquainted; and this 

 season has afl'orded me the opportunity of seeing 

 some of the western parts of New York, the north- 

 western and central parts of Pennsylvania, and 

 parts of Michiixan an<l Ohio, not under all the ad- 

 vantaires, which 1 could have desired; but with as 

 manylis usually fall to the lot of travellers in their 

 transit over the country, by the usual public con- 

 vey a nces. 



There is a strong impression prevailinii, and not^ 

 without plausible reasons, that the agriculture of 

 New-Eno;land is on the decline ; I do not mean in 

 respect to^the character, but the extent of the cul- 

 tivation. Much less land in proportion to the pop- 

 ulation is under cultivation than was under culii- 

 i vation twenty years aso ; though in respect to the 

 I modes of cultivation, and the utensils employed, 

 'especially the plough, great improvements have 

 ' been made. The amount of crops, from the same 

 i extent of land, has been greatly increased, and 

 I they are more carelully husbanded than iormerly. 

 i Yet it is a discreditable fact, that New-England is 

 I dependent upon other parts of the country for the 

 common necessaries of life ; and has little to ex- 

 port, exceptirifr perhaps a small amount of beet ; 

 ' and the amount of this article, which New-Eng- 

 land exports, does not exceed that whudi is brought 

 here ali've li-om other parts of the country. 



Maine, with an admirable wheat soil in many 

 parts, (Trows comparatively little; and wheat flour 

 with the Rochester, N. Y. brand upon it, is to be 

 found far in the interior, a hundred miles, it may be, 

 from the sea coast. Little Indian corn is produced, 

 and small quantities of rye. Oats are raised in 

 considerable amount; but not more than is de- 

 manded lor home consumi)tioii. Excellent pota- 

 toes are produced; and of these, as well as o hay, 

 some are sent to the capital of New-England, and 

 there is an occasional shipment to the southern ci- 

 ties. A i-ood many cattle are driven from Maine 

 to Bricrhton and likewise into tne British provin- 

 ces ; a"lid, as grass-led cattle, they are of a good 

 description ; but airriculture in Maine, though the 

 state, notwithstanding its climate, possesses in this 

 respect, .Teat advantages, cannot be set down as 

 a primary interest of the state. The fisheries, and 

 especially the lumber business, are the great ob- 

 jects of pursuit. . . ■ J 

 New-Hampshire is even in this matter, behind 



