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NEW ENGLAND FARMER, 



JULY 20,184 8. 



A.Nn HORTICULTURAL REGISTER. 



BosTOif, Wednesday, Joly 20, J842. 



THE CROPS— PRICES, &c 



Tliere is a general and proper curiosity in ihe minds 



of all classes of our commnnily, to learn whelher the 

 labors of the husbandman are to be rewarded by a luxu- 

 riant, an ordinary or only a scanty harvest. The brief 

 items of a newspaper upon this subject, which generally 

 are founded upon the appearances in n single county, 

 and ofien upon the appearance of a single field, are 

 worth but little taken separalely as data for an opinion 

 And yet these items collectively, gathered from the pa- 

 pers of every section and State of the Union, will ena- 

 ble one to form a tolerably correct estimate of the amount 

 of the harvest. Wc seldom copy the notices which fall 

 under our eje, but we reinember the substance of them, 

 and endeavor to draw a correct inlerence from the whole. 

 The wheat crop of the country will be large. In 

 some sections, as in parts of Maryland and Virginia, the 

 rust has shortened it, but the accounts from the immense 

 West are all thus far favorable. It is not certain, how- 

 ever, that the harvest will be as abundant as accounts 

 indicate. Blight, rust, mildew, &c. often come when 

 the crop is very near maturity, and suddenly cut short 

 the expectations of the reaper. We have no special 

 grounds for anticipating such disappointmenis the pre- 

 sent season ; and we think it is late enough now for us 

 10 say with much confidence, that the crops of winter 

 and spring grains throughout the country will be unu- 

 sually large. Bread stuffs will be abundant and cheap. 

 In our vicinity, the barley worm lias mode sad rava- 

 ges in some fields; but barley is not a crop that is exten- 

 sively grown. E.\cepting where barley has thus suffer- 

 ed, all the grain that has come under our notico looks 

 well. The few fields of swheat, the winter and spring 

 rye, and the oats all promise to yield plentifully. 



Tke Hay Crop.— Farmers arc now busily getting this 

 into their barns. Last week was favorable for their ope- 

 rations, and they improved it. On Friday there were 

 showers, and Saturday was somewhat overcast. With 

 this exception, the weather has been good for drying 

 the crop for eight days preceding Monday (18lh)— and 

 the ciop is abundant. The copious rains of June and 

 the early part of July, have entirely dispelled the appre- 

 hensions which were felt in the early part of June. 

 The 6u/& of hay is very great. The crop absolutely is 

 good ; but it is not so much greater than in most years 

 as the mere looker on imagines. The growth has been 

 very rapid, and the hay is light in proportion to its bulk. 

 The pitchfork makes a much smaller return than the 

 eye does. Th<'re is less weight and less substance in a 

 barvfull of hay, than we have known for several years. 

 The crop, though good, is not so great as many persona 

 represent it ; and we predict that hay will command 

 very nearly as high a price next April and May, as was 

 paid for it in those months this year. 



Potatoes — The early kinds will yield abundantly. 

 Of the latter ones it is not yet time to have an opinion : 

 the vines look well. 



Fruit is abundant on the trees. 



Prices. With such prospects for a bountiful harvest, 



and with a general want of activity in business, the far- 

 mer can anticipate only low prices for his productions. 

 Plentiful as the harvest now promises to be, the year 

 will not be one of great prosperity with him. He would 

 make as much, probably more, money, were the crops 

 of the country generally short. The extra expense of 



harvesting and marketing, when crops are large, and the 

 greater difficulty of turning bis produce for cosA, cause 

 it to be more difficult for him to pay ofi' his laborers, and 

 to settle his grocer's and blacksmith's bills, than it is 

 when his crops are less in quantity, but meet with a 

 more ready sale. 



But whether we are correct here or not, we are not so 

 solicitous to have the farmer's purse gn^w full, as to re- 

 joice because he thrives at the expense of hunger and 

 suffering en the part of those poor, who are obliged to 

 buy their sustennnci! from day to day . Though we I 

 would gladly see the farming interest more flourishing, 

 we are not disposed to be otherwise than grateful to the 

 God of the seasons, for those genial influenci s of sun- 

 shine and showers, which are bringing fruits out of 

 earth's Ktorehouse with such rapidity and in such great 

 profusion. 



Farmers will be wise if they make themselves eco- 

 nomical, industrious and cheerful as possible, until the 

 time comes when our national government shall impose 

 a tariff, and o'iscriminating duties which shall foster 

 American labor, and give a good market to the New 

 England farmer at his own door, or in the neaiest vil- 

 lage; or, if that time is not soon to come— and we see 

 but little ground to expect it — then prepare to keep up 

 courage and to hold on manfully, until the indomitable 

 energy and enterprise of New England shall make for 

 itself, in spite of government, canals and railroads of 

 business, and shall press vigorously ahead in such 

 branches of business as will remunerate them for their 

 toils. What that business can be, we do not pretend to 

 divine; but we do cherish a faiih that Yankee sagacity 

 will find some way in whifh to recover from the pros- 

 tration of business occasioned by maladministration of 

 national affairs, and by a mad career of the people in 

 " making haste to be rich." 



HARVESTING GRAIN. 

 Custom has induced farmers generally to believe tin 

 it is an improper and wasteful practice to cut eithi 

 wheal or rye with the scythe and cradle. If the grai 

 be neither lodged nor entangled, it may be cut off :' 

 clean by the scythe and cradle, iis by the sickle. If | 

 be properly gathered and bound, but little, if any, moi 

 loss will arise from gathering it in this way. If tl 

 grain be cradled in proper lime, it shatters less, on lli 

 whole, than when it is reaped and secured in the Usui 

 way. It is readily granted that if grain be cradled anr 

 reaped at the same time, it shatters more by the formt 

 practice. It should be recollected, however, that ih 

 very tardy progress of the sickle greatly increases th 

 shattering, by procrastinating the harvest so long tha 

 the chaff opens, and much of the grain falls out. Where 

 as the rapid progress of the scythe and cradle cuts o 

 the grain before any material loss from shattering ca. 

 take place, if the cultivator commences in time. Ni 

 evil, but much good, will arise from beginning early 

 This not only prevents shattering, but also the risk o 

 encountering the various injuries to which the crop i 

 exposed by useless delay. Some farmers of the first re 

 sprctability assert, that practice and observation hav 

 convinced them that the grain, and also the flour ar 

 best when wheat is cut much before the usual tinu 

 This, however, does not accord with my practice. Th 

 middle course between the extremes of cutting ver 

 early, or at the usual time, will be found the best, e.ii 

 cepl when mildew occurs. In that case, wheat shoul. 

 be cut immediately after it can be determined that th 

 disease is severe. If the crop is only slightly affected 

 it is far better to let it stand until the grain be fit to cut 

 — Lorain s Hvshandry. 



SEEDING DOWN TO GRASS. 



The old custom of seeding down lands to grass with 

 the grain crop, has not been very successful for the last 

 few years. The grass has failed to do well. At this 

 we are less surprised than we are that the grass did, 

 years ago, generally survive the hardships to which it 

 was subjected. If the seed is sown in the spring with 

 orain, the young grass grows during the early and cooler 

 part of the season in the shade — and when the holiest 

 and dryest weather comes, then the plants, tender as 

 shade and shelter can niske them, are suddenly laid 

 bare to the scorchings of an August sun. No wonder 

 that they die; — greatershould be the wonder when they 

 live, as they often do. After the grain is taken off, the 

 field may be plowed or merely well harrowed, and sow- 

 ed with hay seed, and the chances for a crop the next 

 season will be good. 



Moist lands that are bound out, and that can be plow- 

 ed, may be turned over as soon as the grass is taken off, 

 or at any time in August — the earlier the better — and 

 with a top dressing well harrowed in, may be forthwith 

 sown with grass seed, and they will do well. This is a 

 profitable course on all l.mds that are so moist and lieavy 

 thai it is difficult lo plow, plant and hoe them in wet 

 seasons. On such lands grass is the best crop, and it 

 may be kept in without going through the process of 

 planting. 



It is too late now to prepare your corn fields for seed- 

 ing down at the last time of hoeing, unless you have 

 had an eye to this in the applicaticm of your manure and 

 in the hoeings up to this time. 



We regard this process of seeding down light and 

 warm lands, as the safest, the best, and the most eco- 

 nomical of any with vvhicli we are acquainted. 



MASS. HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Saturday, July 16, 1842. , 



EXHIBITION OF FLOWERS. 



From the President of the Society — Spiroea lobata 

 var. Americana, 7 feet high; Delphinium Barlowii 

 Phlox Thompsonii and Cleopatra (both handsome kinds 

 — Gladii'lus floribundus; Double Lychens, &c. 



From Hovey & Co. — Picotee and Clove Pinks ; ) 

 kinds of Bengal Tea, Noisette, and Bourbon Roses 

 Verbenas ; Lilium japonicum, and Hoya carnnsa. 



From S. Walker — Carnations and Picolees — some o 

 them very fine, and justly obtained the premium. 



From W. E. Carter— Picotees and Carnations, am 

 Lilium japonicum ; Eximicum, and Canadensis subra. 



From Messrs. Winship— Specimens of Spirtea ulina 

 ria variegata. 



From Jos. lirecU &. Co. — Fine seedling Picolees. 



From S. R. Johnson — Hardy and tenderRoses, Carna 

 tion and Picotee Pinks and Double Pomegranates. 



From A. Bowditch — lender Roses and Yucca gInriosB 



From D. Haggeiston — upwards of .50 good Dahlias. 



From P. Barnes — Dahlia Cunstanlia, and Gladiolu: 

 floribundus. 



Bouquets were exhibited from W. Kenrick, Dr. How 

 and, VV. Meller, Miss Sumner, J. Hovey, Hovey & Co. 

 J. L. L.F. Warren, ii.c. 



The exhibition of Carnations anil Picotees for premi 

 ums, took place today, and the awards were as follows 



For the best display of flowers, to S. Walker. 



For the 2d do. do. to J. Bieck & Co. 



For the best Seedling, to J. Brcck & Co. 



D. Haggerston,) , J 

 S.R.Johnson, '^"^Ses. 



Per order of the Committee, 



C. M. HOVEY, Chairman. 



[Tr'We acknowledge the receipt of a box of extra 

 large Gooseberries from J. G. Thurston, Esq., Lancas- 

 ter, Mass. Fine specimens of this fruit have a number 

 of times been exhibited by this gentleman at the Horti- 

 cultuial Rooms, equal to any that have been shown. 



J. B. 



