286 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER, 



MARCH 10, l«:!r.. 



^mw ^^^-^^^iL'^m ^^^m^m« 



BOSTON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, MARCH 16, 1G3G. 



FARDIBR'S WORK. 



On Sowikg Grass Seeds. — A diversity of opinion ex- 

 ists on thu subject of ihe proper lime in the jearfor sow- 

 ing gra^s seeds. Some prefer ihe fall ; but agrieullural 

 writers jienerally recommend spring in preference. Eu- 

 ropean writers direct to sow grass seed in the spring, even 

 vvlien it is sown on ground wliicli is seeded with winter 

 j»r!iin sown the fill preceding, and to liarroio it in. Tiiey 

 say, that although a few grain plants may be torn up in 

 the process, harrowing will, on the whole, prove service- 

 able to winter grain. The Hon. Richard Peters li.kewisc 

 directed to " harrow' your winter grain in ihe spring, in 

 the direction of the seed furrows, or drills, and be not 

 afraid of dislurbing a few plants; manifold produce will 

 remunerate for the seed destroyed." 



The Farmer's Assislant says — " Clover may be sown 

 with barley, oats, or spring whear,, when that article is 

 raised ; or it may be sown with winter wheat in the fall, 

 if the land be dry and warmly exposed ; or in the spring, 

 when it should be lightly harrowed in." 



The Domestic Encyclopedia asserts, that " experi- 

 enced farmers generally prefer sowing clover with wheat 

 rather than with barley or oats, as in dry seasons the 

 clover frequently overpowers the oats or barley, and if 

 sown late, in order to obviate this evil, it often fails, and 

 the crop is lost for that season." 



Probably the diversity of opinion respecting the proper 

 time of sowing clover seed may arise from the difference 

 in the nature of the soil on which trials have been made. 

 An experienced agriculturist, (Edward DufEeld, Esq., of 

 Phil.-idelphia county,) assured Dr Mease that he repeat- 

 edly failed of a crop, when he sowed his clover in au- 

 tumn or winter , and that he was uniformly successful 

 when he sowed in the spring. His soil is a light loam. 



On the other hand, an experienced and scientific cul- 

 tivator, whose remarks on this subject were published 

 in the New England Farmer, vol. vi. p. 238, dated Wes- 

 ton, Mass., and signed J. M- G. says, " Dear bought 

 experience has taught me the inefficacy of sowing grass 

 seed in the spring \yith grain; it is a custom imported 

 with the ancestors of the country from old England, 

 where the cloudy summers and moist climate will war- 

 rant a practice, which under our clear sky and powerful 

 sun is altogether unsuitable- I must add that grass sown 

 in the fall imperiously requires to be rolled in the spring 

 as soon as the ground is in fit order ; otherwise the small 

 [dants, yet slightly rooted, and heaved up by the frost, 

 will suffer much, perhaps total destruciion ; and truly 

 among the many uses lo which the roller may be applied, 

 none perhaps would be more valuable than to roll all 

 grass lands in the spring. The plants suffer from the 

 wind and from the heat, and this being the case more or 

 less every spring, it must necessarily bring on a prema- 

 ture decay, which the yearly use of the roller at that sea- 

 son might prevent- 



We cannot reconcile these authorities ; but it is proba- 

 ble that both in fall and spring sowing ofgrass seeds 

 there may be successful and unfavorable results, accord- 

 ing to circumstances of soil, season, &c. Fall sown 

 grass seeds are liable to be winter killed or destroyed by 

 frost ; spring sown grass seeds may perish by dTouglit 

 and heat. But, whenever sown, there will be loss dan- 

 ger, either from frost or drought, if the seed is well cov- 

 ered with a harrow, and the ground pressed on it with a 

 roller. 



MASSACHUSKTTS HORTICUL.TURAL, SOCIETY. 



Salurilay, March 12. 



An adjourned meeting was held this day at the Hall. 

 The President present. 



On motion <,f Mr Downer, ihe ihanks of the Society 

 were voted lo Messrs Hovey, for iheir acceptable dona- 

 tion. 



The receipt of Dr Hitchcock's Geological Survey of 

 Massachusetts, from the Secretary of State, was ac- 

 knowledged. 



Charles W. Dabney, Esq., U. S. Consul at Fayal, was 

 admitted an honorary member 



Then adjourned for three weeks, to meet at 11, A. M. 



EXHIBITION OF FLOWERS. 



Saturday, March 19. 

 " The ' New-come ' of the year is born to day, 



With a strong lusty laugh, and joyous shout. 

 Uprising, with ils mmher, it, in play. 



Throws flowers on her; pulls hard buds about. 

 To open them for blossom ; and its voice. 



Peeling o'er dells, plains, uplands, and high groves. 

 Startles all living things, till they rejoice 



In re-crea'ion of themselves; each loves. 

 And blesses each : and man's inielligence. 

 In musings grateful, thanks All Wise Beneficence." 



With these lines, Hone, in his " Every-Day Bocik " 

 ushers in spring, which he states commences on the Hth 

 of March, and lasts ninety three days; he wrote them for 

 the meridian of England ; we use them, as well adapted 

 for spring in the circle of our exhibition room to-day, 

 while three score and ten varieties of beautiful flowers 

 were arranged on our stand, from the establishment of 

 the Messrs Winship, of Brighton, by their agent and 

 superintendant, MrE. A. Story. 



Mr Thomas Mason, of Charlestown, also presented 

 two elegant bouquets, together with a specimen of a seed- 

 ling Camellia japonica and a seedling rose. 



If it were our duty or wish to say pretty things, we 

 should now have an opportunity to do so; but encomi- 

 ums from us, though they should equal in number the 

 tales of the Arabian Nights, would leave us minus the 

 subject; we will, therefore, content ourselves with giv- 

 ing ihe annexed list of some of the specimens exhibited 

 by the Messrs Winship, and leave it with our friends to 

 form in their own minds the treat the lovers of Flora had 

 this day at the rooms of the Society. 

 For the Committee. 



Samuel Walker. 



Flowers presented by Messrs Winship, — Rosa King 

 Phillippi; do. Belle Elize; do. Zenobra; do. undulata; 

 do. Cann's noisette; do. sanguinea ; Geranium hybri- 

 dum ; do.feronia; do. royal purple ; do. Washingtonea ; 

 do. ignucens ; do. grosalarus; do, ardens; Echum super- 

 bum ; striped reed ; do. grass ; white and yellow grass ; 

 Cheiranthus cheri ; do. pleno; Schizanthus primatus ; 

 Primula viscosa ; Vinca rosea; Ribes pleno; Epacris 

 grandiflora; Jasminum revoluta; Erica ventricosa ; do. 

 virticulata; Oxalis rosea; do. lutea ; Iberis odorata ; 

 Cheiranthus incanus; Bellis annua; Mesembryanthe- 

 ninin cerulea ; P'rimula prajniteus; do. alba; Cyclamen 

 persicum ; Asclepi is curaseavica ; Lupinus arborea; 

 Cannaindica; Pleronia phoenicia; Teucrium fruticans; 

 Chrysanthemum; Gypsophila glomeratum ; Sparrman- 

 nia africana; Heliotropium grandiflora; Calla aethiopi- 

 ca ; Verbena anbletia; Indigofera luncena; Mimulus 

 variegatus ; Eupalorium elegans; Sisyrinchium striatum ; 

 Diosma alba ; Azalea alba ; do. phoenecia : Justicia cer- 

 jelia; Salvia splendens; do. africana Acacia armata, 

 &c. &c. 



EXHIBITION OF FRUITS. 



Pears. — By E. Barllett, Vice President of the Society, 

 St Germain ; also Brown St Germain. ' 



Apples. — By E Bartlelt, Nonsuch. 



By Jo.shua Gardner, of Dorchesler, a fruit received 

 Messrs Prince, as Seek-no-fiirllier — a yellow Pippin- 

 Ihe i-kin glossy pale yellow, wilh a blush nexl the sun 

 of handsome size, and very superior flavor. 



Scions of the Burnelt Pear were distributed by Wi 

 Iram Kenrick to the members present; these, were ri 

 ceived by him from Dr Burnett, of'Soulhboro'. fSyeh 

 letter below.] For ihe Commillee. 



William Kenkick. 



Mr BurneU's Letter. 



So>Uhbl>ro',M,mh9,^836. 



Mr Kenrick— Dear Sir: I send you some scions ti 

 ken from the tree which bore the pears I sent you la 

 flill. The tree stands on the fiim of Mr Elisha Bemi 

 of Southboro'. Mr Beniis informs me ihat lie look tl 

 tree when small, 30 years ago, from land of Mr Jo 

 Brewer, a neighbor of his. It is aseedling about 9 or 1 

 inches diameter, with rather a small top, being trirnme 

 up some distance from the ground. Mr Bemis says it 

 a constant bearer, and will avrr.nge about five bushels 

 year. It stands on rather moist land. 



The above is a short history of the large pear I se' 

 you last fall, a description of which I saw in the Farme 

 You will keep some of the scions yourself; also gi' 

 some to your brother which I promised I would sei 

 him, and distribute the remainder among whom yi 

 please. Respeclfully, your obt. servt. 



Joel Burnett. 



Incendiaries.— Our city is infested by a gang of df 

 per;le wretches more to be dreaded than the peslileni 

 The rufKan torch is nightly applied to the dwellings 

 our citizens. To put.a stop to the designs of these V 

 lainSjthe police has been doubled. Large sums of mon 

 have been placed at the disposal of the Mayor, and ma 

 rewards by priv.ate individuals have been offered forth' 

 apprehension, but to little purpose. 



Monday night there were four attempts to set fires 

 different parts of the city, almost simultaneously — thr 

 of them were successful. A house upon the Neck in t 

 rear of Gen. Davis' tavern ; a store in the rear of Bo; 

 ston market, and the Seed Store of Messrs Hovey, Coi 

 hill, with the hall of the Massachusetts Horticultui 

 Society. We are told that the library of the Society w 

 saved ; but that they sustained a loss of about $300. 

 Messrs Hovey, we understand, were fully insured. 



White Mulberry seed is now selling for 50 cents p 

 ounce, and for from $7 to 7 50 per pound. Three yea 

 ao-o the consumption was so limited that but few vvou 

 undertake to save the seed, and run the risk of havii 

 it left on their hands. Now thrice the quantity that w 

 saved last year could be disposed of at good advantag 

 This is good evidence that the people generally a 

 interesting themselves about the silk business. Tl 

 nature of it is understood, and the way it aught to ' 

 conducted is made plain. The prospects of its sucoe 

 are positive, and our farmers rely upon those prospec 



Texian papers of the 16th Jan. speak of the activi 

 of Col. Crockett, in that country, and not of his deal 

 as heretofore reported. 



A machine for making barrels is now in suecessf 

 operation at Washington, N. C which turns out r 

 markably good work, with great rapidity. From fc 

 to ten slaves are sawed out in a minute. 



The small town of Franklin, Tennessee, alone, h: 

 subscribed $100,000 towards the Nashville and Ne 

 Orleans Rail Road. 



