S4 



THE GEKESEE FARMER. 



Df "MY NEW GARDEN."- No. 5. 



At last, a morning of sunshine. I am tempted to 

 aslv you again to walk with me, for some things in 

 "my new garden" have received little notice. 

 Failures ought to be reported as well as successes, 

 though they are far less pleasant to speak of, yet the 

 lessons they teach are often as important. One 

 tiling I failed in was in raising 



Sugar Beet Seed. — Last season I grew a small 

 patch of white sugar beets,and found them first 

 rate, both for cooking and feeding to my cows. So 

 I thought to raise seed for myself this year. Sev- 

 eral of the finest sjiecimens were planted early in 

 spring and grew well — but the trouble was they 

 kept on growing until the frost came without matu- 

 ring seed. Some of the stalks were flat; over an 

 inch wide, quarter of an' inch thick; something I 

 never observed before. I never have failed in get- 

 ting seed from beets until now, why then this time ? 

 Shall we lay it to the wet season? 



Wihte Cakrot Seed — secceeded well, though 

 there was not as fair a ripening of the seed as some 

 seasons. Treated the same as the beets — soil grav- 

 elly loam. 



"Patext Office Seeds." — The only new ones 

 tried this year, were the Sorgham^ si)oken of here- 

 tofore, and the " White Powering Marsh Beam, 

 (from P^ngland)." These grew for a while, then 

 most of them turned black in spots, and but few 

 beans were produced though thi^y Jtowered profuse- 

 ly. I set them down as not suited to our climate — 

 or that they required peculiar treatment, which I 

 knew nothing about. 



Caulifi,owei:s — -I have to confess no failure in 

 growing fair cauliflowers, but did foil in getting them 

 cooked and eaten, /found them very much to ?ny 

 liking, but they were in season so short a time that 

 I coidd oidy dispose of a few — tlie remainder grew 

 on till spoiled for the table. I shall try a few next 

 year, for they are one of the finest floicers of the 

 kitchen garden. They need special manuring and 

 attention while heading to secure large heads. 



Lima Beaxs. — Many failed in getting ripe Lima's 

 this year, but I grew a fine parcel of seed, as well 

 as a good many green beans for cooking, and the 

 frost to cut off. Plant early and c^xrefully, cultivate 

 thoroughly, and on a suitable soil one can hardly 

 fail of a crop. 



Celery. — There has been so much rain lately I 

 have done nothing more to my celery — in fact, I 

 dont know how to manage it, I thought the stalks 

 were of a longer habit of growth — mine are scarcely 

 six inches high — but tlirifty and still growing. 



The wind blows chilly Mr. Editor, this 19th of 

 November, let us come in from garden rambling, i 



Your Rural Annual for 1858 — lies on my table, 

 and I have read it with much interest. The first 

 article on " Manures for the Orchard and Garden,'''' 

 is worth all you ask for the whole volume, for it 

 2:)osts one up on the "Manure Question" — in regard 

 to all the latest discoveries. I profess to know 

 something of what science teaches on this subject, 

 as well as to have had some practical experience on 

 the farm, but I learn something new from your es- 

 say as well as find it a brief and convenient resume 

 of the whole subject. '■'■ Proftable Fruit Culture'''' 

 is well argued by Mr. Hooker ; the " B'lrds Useful 

 and Injurious'''' are pleasingly and instructively 

 written of by Mr. Bemext; while Mr. Salter gives 

 us one of his truly practical essayj on the " Culti- 

 vation of the Grapes — a subject of interest to every- 

 one with a rod of land to call his own. " Rural 

 Architecture " is illustrated by some well arranged 

 models of different styles from Mr. Forsyth, and 

 several briefer notices fill out this valuable little 

 volume — one I shall gladly refer to as reliable on all 

 the questions it discusses, a country invalid. 

 Maple mu, N. Y. 



THE NORWAY MAPLE. 



The genus Acer, or Maple, composes almost en- 

 tirely the natural order Aceracea, and comprehends 

 upwards of twenty hardy species, besides a great 

 number too tender to endure the rigors of our North- 

 ern climate. Some of our cultivated species consist 

 of distinct ahd interesting varieties. Two or three 

 of the species attain the full size of timber trees, and 

 the growth of tlie others ranges from that of trees 

 of a medium size down to the stature of shrubs. — • 

 The whole genus is remarkably handsome. Some 

 of the species grow rapidly at an early age, la 

 almost any soil, yielding fine green, smooth shoots. 

 Many kinds are interesting on account of their 

 flowering early — at the time of the expansion of 

 the foliage; and from their elegantly-lobed le&,ves, 

 of the finest texture, which in autumn furnish the 

 most exquisite tints of every shade of yellow and 

 scarlet, they are much esteemed in ornamental 

 plantations. Two species, the Silver Leaved and 

 Sugar Maples, are more extensively planted as shade 

 trees in this country, than perhaps any two others. 



The largest species of the Maple is the European 

 Sycamoro, (not the Sycamore or Button-wood of 

 this country.) Under the erroneous supposition 

 that it was the tree on which Zaccheus climbed 

 to see Jesus on his way to Jerusalem, the Syca- 

 more was extensively planted by religious per- 

 sons in Europe during the fourteenth and fifteenth 

 centuries. It was introduced into Scotland about 

 three hundred years ago, and generally marks the 

 first spots of- reclaimed land throughout the country. 

 Up to the present time, few deciduous trees are 

 found better adapted for standing singly in a rough 

 and exposed situation. Regardless of the prevail- 

 ing winds, it rises with a large and well balanced 

 bead — valuable in aiTording shelter for cattle. 



The most remarkable Sycamores in Scotland are 



