272 



Plums. — Plants and Seeds. — Coirs. 



Vol. VII 



the last, with the difference very sensible at 

 every harvest." If this be so, there is every 

 reason to conclude, that by manuring' with 

 the corn-stalks and constantly tilling by the 

 plough the land between the rows, corn may 

 be grown with success for any number of 

 years on the same soil : and I have only to 

 regret that I am not in a capacity to put the 

 theory to practice — will not some one of 

 your readers devote an acre of land to the 

 purpose, and deserve the thanks of the agri- 

 cultural community ? Hardware. 

 Commerce street, Philadelphia. 



P. S. A friend reminds me, that my plan 

 of burying the corn-stalk, would be to de- 

 prive the cattle in the winter-yard, of a 

 great portion of fodder; to which I reply, 

 not a great deal of fodder, but of much 

 amusement, I admit, in picking over the 

 stalks as they lie under their feet, covered 

 with filth, and kicking about for months, 

 like dried sticks. I calculate, that by bury- 

 ing them lor manure, a tenfold profit, both 

 of corn and good fodder, would be reaped, 

 almost without labour and without price. 



We would point the attention of our correspondent 

 to an interesting article "on the culture of corn," as 

 practised in Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina, 

 at page 151, of the second vol. of the Cabinet. — Ed. 



For the Farmers' Cabinet. 



Plums. — The successful cultivation of the 

 various kinds of plums in the neighbourhood 

 of Salem, N. J., and the ease and cheapness 

 with which they can be transported from 

 thence by steamboat to market, should cause 

 the cultivation of so valuable a fruit" to be 

 widely extended in that vicinity, and it is 

 hoped that during the present spring, we 

 shall see large accessions to the plum or- 

 chards of that interesting district of country, 

 It appears that the insect which has been so 

 destructive to plum trees in the interior of 

 our country, has not committed its depreda- 

 tions within the range of the salt atmos- 

 phere of our river and bay; — perhaps they 

 don't like salt, — if so, w T e may yet have a 

 bountiful supply of good plums in the Phila- 

 delphia market, to the profit of the cultiva- 

 tor an i the comfort of the citizen, who will 

 not fail to purchase so palatable a fruit. A 

 lot of 10 acres, set out with plum trees at 

 12 feet distance each way, would accommo- 

 date 31)25 trees; which, at a peck each tree, 

 would produce 750 bushels, and at a low 

 wholesale price, would sell for more 

 thousand dollars. The ground also might 

 be cultivated to profit, and the trees derive 

 a benefit from its being kept under tillage. 

 Let us see it tried. B. 



Plants and Seeds from the Exploring 

 Expedition. — We extract from "A retro- 

 spective view of the progress of Horticul- 

 ture in the U. States, during the year 1842," 

 given in the January number of Hovey's 

 Magazine, the following interesting article: 



"An important addition has been, or ulti- 

 mately will be, made to our collections by 

 the labours of the Exploring Expedition. 

 The number of live plants brought home, 

 amounts to between 200 and 300 species; 

 among them several new fruit trees from 

 the East Indies. The collection of seeds 

 embraces many hundred kinds, from all the 

 various places where the Exploring Expedi- 

 tion touched ; among them many of the eri- 

 cas, from the Cape of Good Hope, and the 

 splendid Pinus Lambertiana, and others, 

 from the Columbia river. The seeds were 

 placed under the direction of the National 

 Institute at Washington, and have been libe- 

 rally distributed by Dr. Pickering, the cura- 

 tor. For the growth of the live plants, a 

 greenhouse, 50 feet long, has been erected 

 on the vacant ground in the rear of the pa- 

 tent office. Part of this is partitioned offi as 

 a stove or hot-house, for the tropical plants 

 and fruits. These, when increased, will 

 probably be distributed among the nursery- 

 men of the country. The whole of the 

 plants are under the charge of our corres- 

 pondent, Mr. Ereckenridge, from whom we 

 hope to receive a list of their names, as well 

 as some extracts from his original notes and 

 remarks, on the many beautiful and grand 

 productions of Flora, examined by him in 

 their native habitats. This the government 

 will not now allow him to do; but as soon 

 as the injunction is removed, we may pro- 

 mise our readers some interesting articles 

 from Mr. Breckenridge's pen." 



Cows. — The following is from one of our 

 exchanges — it is good advice. ' The point at 

 which farmers are most at fault, and that tor 

 which our correspondents and hundreds of 

 others blame them, and with reason too, is, 

 that they overstock their farms — only half 

 feed their animals — let skeleton cow-frames 

 drag themselves over the premises, and com- 

 plain because these dry bones do not give 

 milk abundantly. Wherever cows are kept 

 for the dairy, it is possible and proper — yes, 

 it is a duty — to keep them well. This can 

 be done. If you cannot keep four well, try 

 two; the two, well kept, will give more in- 

 come than lour half-starved ones. The gi ">d- 

 ness of the cow is determined partly by her 

 native properl ies — but the food also has much, 

 and very much to do, in making her good or 

 otherwise. Keep no more than you can feed 

 well — very well. — The Friend. 



