66 



THE GENESEE FARMEE. 



PROFITS OF FKUrr CTrLTURE. 



" I poi^'t know," said a friend of mine, " what 

 I should have done this winter, had it not been for 

 my orchard. My liabiUties were more than my 

 crops, tlioiigh good, could meet, on account of the 

 low prices paid for all kinds of grain. Notwitli- 

 standing the scarcity of money, people must have 

 apples ; and I readily obtained 75 cents per bushel 

 at the orchard, $1.00 and in some instances $1.25 

 per bushel in the market, for superior qualities: 

 consequently I have met all my liabilities, and my 

 credit is still unsullied." 



This man's experience has been that of all others, 

 in this part of Canada, who, like him, possess a 

 well-cultivated orchard of good ft-uit. In many in- 

 stances, farmers have made more money from an 

 orchard of three or four acres than all their farm 

 beside. 



That fruit culture is profitable, and that it adds 

 materially to the luxuries of the table, has become 

 pretty well established. This fact is proved by 

 passing through our country and noticing the vig- 

 orous young orchards on almost every homestead, 

 even on newly-cleared farms, where, if properly 

 plaated and attended to, the virgin soil of the forest 

 will cause a rapid growth, so that by the time the 

 stumps of the primitive "giants" are decayed, their 

 places are occupied with a blooming and profitable 

 forest of fruit trees. 



If I see a homestead destitute of an orchard, I am 

 pretty sure that neither the Genesee Farmer nor any 

 otlier agricultural periodical is read there. 



It is not the apple only that should engage our 

 attention ; for there are many kinds of fruit equally 

 hardy, if we select the varieties adapted to our cli- 

 mate. Pears do well, and command a high price. 

 Plums, of late, have not done well ; the combined 

 eifects of the curculio and extreme frost have in- 

 jured the crop. Peaches did well last year, and 

 enormous quantities were sold in our markets at $2 

 per basket. Cherries, of the improved English sorts, 

 die out after a few years' nursing ; but, when bud- 

 ded on the common Kentish^ stock, they do well, as 

 the growth is much slower and they blossom later. 

 The common red is a sure bearer, and sells at $2 

 per bushel. "We are quite safe, at all times, in cul- 

 tivating the small fruits, except grapes; for they 

 not only bear well, but seU well. Raspberries and 

 strawberries sold, last year, at 25 to 30 cents per 

 quart; black and white currants, at 12^ to 15; and 

 gooseberries, at 25 cents per quart. 



It is pleasing to see the increasing interest among 

 our farmers for fruit culture ; and I hope the day is 

 not distant when fruit will be as indispensable, as 

 an article of food, as potatoes. sigma, 



Woodfftock, a TK, Jan'i/., 1S5S. 



MAKING HOT-BEDS. 



Editors Genesee Farmer: — One of your cor- 

 respondents inquires the best way and material for 

 making hot-beds. As I think it is now about in 

 sea.son to make preparations, I beg to ofler a few 

 remarks. 



If the manure is quite fresh from the stable, and 

 a large quantity is wanted, it should be prepared 

 three weeks or a month before it is time to make 

 the bed ; if Ijut a small quantity, two weeks may be 

 early enough. The manure should be got together, 



and thrown into a heap under a shed or other shel- 

 tered place; or, if left outside, it must be protected 

 with old boards to keep the cutting wind and severe 

 frosts off", or it will not ferment evenly. 



After the manure is all got together, it should be 

 allowed to lie in a heap about six or seven days, 

 and then be all turned and carefully mixed with the 

 manure-fork. In about ten days, turn and mix it 

 again ; in ten or twelve days more it wiU be ready 

 to be made up into a hot-bed. 



Clioose a rather dry place, sheltered from cold 

 winds. Measure out the space one foot Avider every 

 way than the frame that is to stand upon it. Let tl)« 

 manure be thorougly shaken and mixed with a fork, 

 and well heaten down with the hack of the fori; as 

 the bed is proceeded with ; and not trodden down 

 with the feet, as some do; for it is then liable to 

 heat and settle unevenly. If any part of the ma- 

 nure has heated itself dry, Avhich will be knoAvn by 

 its being dry and dusty, it must be Avatered ; if the 

 manure is too Avet, a good portii^n of dry leaves will 

 benefit it very much. Tlie leaves Avill make the 

 manure better, and the heat milder, and last longer. 



The bed should be made three feet high. The 

 frame should be one foot deep in front and twenty 

 inches at the baclv. 



About the first of March Avill be usually early 

 enough to make up the bed. When done, put on 

 four inches of fine light earth, one-third decomposed 

 hot-bed manure, two-thirds turfy sods, Avith a little 

 sand is best. In a week it Avill be nicely Avarmod 

 through. Plant a fcAV cucumber seeds in the middle 

 of each sash, and divide off the remainder of the 

 room for a fcAV cauliflowers, early cabbages, toma- 

 toes, early radishes, celery, purple egg, etc. 



Tlie temperature of the b id should be about GO 

 deg. by night and 75 deg. by day, and 85 de?-. Avith 

 sun. Water A\-hen dry, Avith Avater of the temper- 

 ature of the bed. Cover up warm at night ; and 

 should the heat decline too nmch, it must be reno- 

 vated by linings of hot manure round tlie outside 

 of the bed. Manage the atmosphere of the bed so 

 as to keep the temperature about as directed above. 

 When the other things are all pulled aAvaj', the bed 

 can be filled eight or ten inches in depth with the 

 same soil as first recommended, for the benefit of 

 the cucumbers. josiah saltek, 



Jioch£s1ei; JaiVf/, 1858. 



McIxTOSH says : " In planting fruit trees where 

 the subsoil is of iudlfiferent quality, it is advisable to 

 place under each a piece of pavement 3 feet square 

 and about 12 or 15 inches under the surface, that 

 the roots, when they come in contact Avith it, may 

 be made to take a horizontal direction. This is one 

 great means of keeping thena near the surface and 

 has been found of much advantage." 



