1854. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



495 



sweeten and boil it up, and make it into the de- 

 sired shape, by straining into the proper vessels ; 

 use good white sugar, or the jelly will not be 

 clear. 



Cranberry and Rice Jelly. — Boil and press 

 the fruit;, strain the juice, and by degrees mix it 

 with as much ground rice as will, when boiled, 

 thicken to a jelly ; boil it gently, stirring it, and 

 sweeten to your taste ; put it into a basin or form, 

 and serve with cream or milk. 



COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHU- 

 SETTS. 



BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



State House, Boston, Sept. 15, 1854. 



Dear Sir : — Will you be so kind as to favor me 

 •with answers to the following questions, together 

 with such other suggestions as may be of general 

 interest or value to the farmers of this Common- 

 wealth. 



If not in your power to give the desired in- 

 formation, you will do me a great service by in- 

 teresting some one in your town who will procure 

 and send it to me. 



1. "What has been the effect of the drought 

 upon the corn, potato and other crops, the present 

 season, and what is their estimated yield per 

 acre ^ 



2. What has been the comparative effect of the 

 drought on deep and shallow plowed lands! 



3. What has been the comparative effect of the 

 drought on lands where the manure was spread 

 and plowed in, and on those where it was put in 

 thehiin 



4. What has been the effect of the drought on 

 forest trees ? 



5. What is the best mode of guarding against 

 the effects of droughts like that of the present 

 season ? 



6. Have there been any experiments in irriga^ 

 tion in your town, and if so, with what result? 



7. To what extent has the disease affected the 

 potato the present season 1 



8. What is the estimated decrease in the quan- 

 tity of potatoes cultivated, and the decrease, per 

 acre, on account of the disease, or other causes ? 



9. What has been the result of experiments 

 this season in the use of guano, super-phosphate 

 of lime, poudrette, or other concentrated manures ? 



10. To what extent is guano used in your 

 town, and on what soils does it produce the best 

 results ? 



11. Have you used guano several years in suc- 

 cession on the same soil, and if so, with what ap- 

 parent result on the soil and crops 1 



12. What is the comparative cost or value, per 

 ton, of the different kinds of manures used on the 

 farm, and which produces the best return? 



13. Whatis the best way of using swamp muck, 

 and on what soils should it be used ? 



14. What is the worth of dry swamp muck, 

 per cord, for agricultural purposes 1 



15. AVhat is the average cost of raising and 

 storing one acre of Indian corn, rye, wheat, oata, 

 or barley, in your town, the average yield per 

 acre, and the price per bushel? 



IG. How many pounds of Indian meal are equiv- 

 alent to one hundred pounds of good English hay, 

 as food for stock ? 



17. What is thought to be the value of apples, 

 either for flesh or milk, for stock, and the value 

 of cooked apples for swine ? 



18. To what extent have the ravages of worn^ 

 affected the orchards this season ? 



19. What number of mowing machines have 

 been used in your town, and with what success 1 



20. What is the cost, per head, of raising pigs 

 up to the age of nine months, and what is the 

 average value at that age ? 



21. What is the cost of raising a horse up to 

 the age of three, four or five years, and what is 

 the average value at those ages ? 



22. What proportion of the farmers of your 

 town derive their entire support from the farm ? 



23. Has the number of farmers in your town 

 increased or decreased within the last ten years, 

 and how much 1 



You will greatly oblige me by sending a reply 

 before the first of November. 



Very truly, your obedient servant, 



Charles L. Flint, 

 Secretary of the Board of Agriculture. 



GARDENS THAT NEVER FAIL. 



"My garden failed last year, owing to the 

 drought," was the remark of a friend of ours, 

 when apologizing for the slovenly appearance of 

 the patch of ground which he dignified with the 

 name of garden, and in which, each year, after 

 plowing and harrowing the ground, he is accus- 

 tomed to plant cabbages, onions, beets, cucum- 

 bers, melons, &c., for the supply of his family ; 

 but the soil being clayey, and not over 5 or G 

 inches in depth, with a compact subsoil beneath, 

 the crops were of course liable to dry up in such 

 a season of severe drought as was last year in 

 June ; and as such seasons arc by no means unus- 

 ual in this climate, it is good policy for every 

 one who hasa garden or vegetable patch, to adopt 

 such a system of culture as will prevent the dan- 

 ger of failure from this source. 



Deepening the soil is the only effective means of 

 protection against failure from drought. Plow 

 or spade up the subsoil in the fall, so as to ex- 

 pose it to the mellowing effects of frost, say to the 

 depth of a foot at least, and if deeper so much the 

 better, adding a good supply of stable manure ; 

 the crops will then push their roots so deep, and 

 moisture will rise from below so constantly, that 

 while other gardens around may fail from 

 drought, this will continue green and flourishing; 

 and the increased yield as well as improved qual- 

 ity of its products will in a single year almi.)st or 

 quite pay for the improvement. 



Cucumber, melon, and similar vines appear to 

 have small roots, but their roots run very deep if 

 opportunity is offered them. Experienced gar- 

 deners will not fail to give them deep as well 

 as rich ground, in this sunny climate^ where 

 droughts are so frequent. The same is true 

 of cabbages, and in short all kinds .of garden 

 vegetables. The directions for the culture of 

 such things as are given in most books on garden- 

 ing, are written by persons unaccustomed to 

 so dry and warm a climate as ours, and hence 

 are deficient in not suflicieutly insisting upon 

 deep culture as a proven tativ) of injury from 

 drought. We find it necessary to give "line upon 

 line" on this subject. — Ohio Cultivator. 



