222 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



deformed plants are sold as half, or full-trained 

 trees for four times the price of others ; and 

 when sold, they are again taken up, and the 

 roots treated and diminished in the same care- 

 less manner. 



Miller, Forsyth, Knight, and others, uniform- 

 ly direct that trees from the nursery ground be 

 cut down, or headed back, to two or three eyes, 

 the next spring after planting; and with such 

 plants as here described, there cannot be a bet- 

 ter mode of treatment, but this is evidently los- 

 ing time, and wasting its produce. 



Whenever the roots of a tree are diminished 

 on transplantation, the supply of sap must be 

 proportionally lessened : for if the branches of 

 a tree, under such circumstances, are left at 

 full length, the sap vessels, for want of a due 

 quantity to distend them become bark-bound 

 and inflexible ; and when the roots are restor- 

 ed, and furnish a luxuriant quantity of sap, 

 this, from being obstructed in its former channels, 

 forms new ones through the buds that offer 

 the most perpendicular position, next the stem 

 or trunk ; and although these shoots may be 

 rubbed off, still they form again in the same 

 place, and it will be in vain to attempt sup- 

 porting the original branches. 



A regular head cannot be formed but by a 

 removal of the entire old one ; and frequently 

 the vessels of the trunk itself become so fixed 

 and stubborn in the bark, and particularly in 

 standards, as to force the sap out into luxuriant 

 branches near the root. 



It has often been made a question and a 

 subject for argument, whether it is better to 

 transplant from a rich to a poor soil, or the re- 

 verse ; but as the transplanting from a rich to a 

 poor soil even were the roots entire, must 

 cause the bark or sap-vessels to contract, for want 

 of the usual supply of food, and be productive of 

 the same consequences as curtailing the root, the 

 doubt is easily solved. 



It may further be remarked, that however 

 diminutive a plant be from poverty, provided 

 the vessels have always been free from con- 

 traction, they will readily expand through all 

 the usual channels, and receive and regularly 

 dispose of every additional supply of sap, how- 

 ever great it may be. 



NEWENG LAND FARMER. 



SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 1S24. 



NEW VARIETIES OF FBCiT. We hope that the let- 

 ter from T. A. Kmicht, Esq. and the introductory re- 

 marks by .Mr. LowEi.i., which compose the first articles 

 jn this day's paper, will meet with that attention 

 from those who are engaged in Agriculture and Horti- 

 culture, which their importance demands. The exer- 

 tions of those gentlemen will be more highly and justly 

 appreciated, when it is reflected that their efforts are 

 entirely disinterested ; — thty can have no other mo- 

 tive than the consciousness of having contributed to the 

 welfare and enjoyment of their fellow creatures. 



Farmers in general are too apt to consider fruit as a 

 naiere luxury, and therefore pay but little attention to 

 its cultivation. But, although fruit is not absolutely 

 tndispcnsablt to the support of human existence, it is a 

 very useful article, and niay be ranked among the best 

 gifts of Providence. Mr. Knight, in one of his publica- 

 tions, has well observed that " The palate, which re- 

 lishes fruit, is seldom pleased with strong fermented 

 )iquors ; and as feeble causes, continually acting, ulti- 



mately produce extensive effects, the supplying the pub- 

 lic with fruit, at a cheap rate, would have a tendency 

 to operate favorably, both on the physical and moral 

 health of the people." This view of the subject gives 

 an importance to the pursuits of the orchardist, which 

 few seem to realize. 



It is as easy to cultivate the best kinds of fruits, as those 

 which are of inferior quality, and the former are no 

 doubt more wholesome, as well as more palatable than 

 the latter. Besides, by introducing fruit of superior 

 kinds into our markets, and furnishing them in plenty 

 on the domestic board, we render their consumption 

 more common, and cause the most pleasant and most 

 wholesome articles of aliment to be those of most gene- 

 ral use. The philanthropist therefore, can in no way 

 better make known his good will to his species than by 

 using his best efforts to cause fruit to be cheap, plenti- 

 ful, and of an excellent quality. 



ON PRESERVING ICE. We have heretofore given di- 

 rections relative to the construction of ice houses, and 

 as the season has arrived or is near at hand, in which 

 it will be proper to lay in a store of that article we will 

 offer some observations on the subject, mostly taken 

 from Ur. Willich's Domestic Encyclopedia. 



The space between the ice-cham er, and the bank 

 should be filled with dry straw, or what is still better, 

 dry shavings* closely pressed. The ice should be col- 

 lected in the coldest weather ; let itfbe exposed at least 

 one night to the cold atmosphere after it is removed 

 from the water : which will reduce its temperature ma- 

 ny degrees if the weather is severe. When put into 

 the house it should be beaten small ;t and I think it 

 would be useful frequently to sprinkle it with a water- 

 ing pot whilst putting in: the mass would by that 

 means be rendered more compact. When the cham- 

 ber is filled, cover the whole with a good thickness of 

 straw, (or shavings, &c.) but T should suppose it would 

 be best to cover the ice first with plank supported by 

 the sides of the chamber, only leaving a door to descend 

 through. 



In level situations, where a drain cannot be conveni- 

 ently dug out from the bottom of the pit, I should sup- 

 pose it would aitswer very well to enclose the ice by a 

 mound raised entirely above the surface of the earth, 

 through which the water may be discharged. This 

 perhaps would not be quite so cool a repository as if un- 

 der the surface of the earth ; unless t e mound was ve- 

 ry thick ; but I an peisuaded that the loss of ,a few de- 

 grees in temperature bears very little proportion to the 

 advantage resulting from dryness. 



In Italy, where ice is much used, both as a medicine 

 and a diet, it is formed in the following manner. Balls 

 of snow are wetted, and placed one on another in the 

 ice house. The bottom parcel rests on logs, through 

 the interstices of which the dissolved water drops ; and 

 the whole mass is formed into a solid body of ice in the 

 course of the winter. 



Pits for ice houses should be dug down to gravel, or 

 have a drain to carry off the dissolved water. 



Dr. Cooper gives the following description of " ^ 

 Portable Ice Houst,''^ 



" A well framed wooden box, «ix feet by 3 feet. Ano- 

 ther wooden box two inches larger every way. Put 



* Dry tan, oak leaves, and saw dust have been 

 recommended for the same purpose. 



t Some have given directions to break the ice into 

 lumps about the size of a man's head But it is not 

 material what is the size of the pieces provided they 

 are frozen dry and solid, packed close, and cold water 

 poured on them in cold weather till the whole coheres 

 in one mass. 



the smaller into the larger, surrounded by charcoal i 

 at bottom and on the sides ; a cover to fit close ; a h 

 at one corner to let out the water of melted ice, wi( 

 cork or plug. At the first frost put in two inche 

 water : add to it during the winter till it be frozen 

 lid; cover it. Throw a blanket over the top. Pu 

 under a shed so as to be screened from the sun." 



We have been told by a gentleman, who has 1 

 some experience in preserving ice, that in makii 

 drain to an ice house there is danger lest the apert 

 which lets the water out should let the air in, and ca 

 the ice to melt away. — That if the soil at the bott 

 of the ice house be gravel, sand, or other material i 

 loose texture, no drain will be necessary, as the es 

 will absorb any water which may flow from (he m 

 ing of the ice ; and nothing more will be needed tl 

 to lay on the ground, at the bottom of the ice hous 

 coating of dry straw, shavings, or other suitable m: 

 rial. 



The same gentleman asserts that an ice house sho 

 not be kept too close, but there should be a doe 

 other aperture in the north part which should be 

 open in clear cool weather, when the wind is nortl' 

 ly, but closed in damp sultry weather. 



[^Continued from, page 206.] 



PARING AND BURNING. It is observed by Sir J. 

 Sinclair that " paring and burning is to be preferrei 

 every other method for reclaiming land, where the 

 will produce a proper gtianlity of ashes. It is pro 

 by experiment that it is much less expensive t' 

 clearing the land by tillage ; — produces better crops 

 and leaves the land in a better state for cultivatioi 

 But where the ground is deficient in vegetable mat 

 full of stones and rocks, or covered with wood, o( 

 means must be resorted to. 



" It is scarcely possible to improve fen and ] 

 soils from a state of nature, to that of profitable ci 

 vation, without the assistance of fire. The spent: 

 ous growth is so worthless, that it must be destroy 

 and that is most readily and effectually done by pa: 

 and burning, operations to which these soils are p( 

 liarly calculated. The surface is easily pared ;— 

 soil is more inflammable than any other ; — and 

 turf can be converted into ashes at a moderate expel 



" When land covered with thick tufted coarse gi 

 is broken up and sown, without having previously 

 dergoue this process, the old rubbish carries most of 

 moisture from the seed, and proves a harbor for gri 

 slugs, and other vermin. Whereas, when the turl 

 burnt, these enemies to cultivation are destroyed ;— 

 causes of sterility are removed, — and in its stead , 

 fertilizing power is created, which, without the aic 

 this process, could not have been obtained. 



" Many soils formerly cultivated have been sub 

 quently neglected, till their surface has become m 

 sy, and unproductive, or covered with a luxuriant Cl 

 of useless weeds or coarse herbage. In these ca 

 paring and burning is the proper system to render sa 

 land fit for vegetation. Wht never oW itcarrfj, full 

 matted matter are broken up, they ought always to 

 treated in that way. But this observation is not i 

 plicable to land that has lain only a few years in grai 

 or to any land capable of producing good crops of gri 

 immediately on being ploughed." 



Sir John Sinclair agrees with Sir Humphrey Da j 

 that sandy soils cannot be pared or burnt to advs 

 tage, and observes, " where the soil produces swf 

 herbage, and contains a just mixture of good tarth, 

 where the texture is already sufficitptly soluble, pari 

 and burning ought not to l« practised, nor ought li 



