NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



243 



ery day grow better, just as he would every day 

 grow older. 



But what a speculating host are seen! How 

 many pine in want, because they are lacking 

 knowledge. Up with you, idle dreamers; there's 

 much to learn, and there's much to do, in this wide 

 world of ours. There's land enough in Yankee- 

 doni, that lies untilled for want of workers. There 

 is knowledge to be gained, of the most important 

 matters. Science offers her aid to agriculture 

 Shall we wait for the establishment of Agricultural 

 Colleges 1 Are there not now many engaged in 

 cultivating the soil who could take students and 

 teach them? I observe a disposition to wait for 

 some great and renowned, or, at least, until some 

 extensive and expensive preparation is made for an 

 agricultural school, before we can have one. Can 

 we not have farm schools — private instruction giv- 

 en to young men — under the direction of some of 

 our most scientific farmers? Will not the editor of 

 the N. E. Farmer give an opinion upon it, and, if 

 agreeable to his judgment, put the idea along a 

 little. It appears to me that a few smart and ac- 

 tive boys might make up a good class, and greatly 

 aid the farmer who might for proper considerations 

 be interested to teach them. 



Mason, N. H., June, 1851. c. 



Remarks. — We have occasionally given our 

 opinion on the subject of agricultural education. 

 We think that one or several agricultural colleges 

 in our State would do no more to enlighten farmers 

 generally, than our present colleges would do for 

 the education of the great mass of people without 

 common schools and academies. 



We should have proper text books to be used in 

 our common schools, and to be studied in private 

 families, in order to diffuse useful information over 

 the whole land, affording to the most humble the 

 advantages of instruction. 



For the Neiv England Farmer. 

 FRUIT, INSECTS, POTATOES, &0. 



Mr. Cole: — I send you a few memoranda re- 

 specting my small enclosure devoted only to culi- 

 nary vegetables and fruit trees. Facts are best 

 stated when fresh in the recollection, and 1 would 

 take leave to suggest that if formers and gardeners 

 would record, from time to time, on a journal for 

 their own use, all such important facts relating to 

 their business as occur under their own observa- 

 tion, they might thus collect valuable materials to 

 aid the general interests of agriculture. 



Fruit Trees. — Their buds swelled early in April, 

 and the blossoms were ready to expand, but were 

 kept nearly stationary for an unusually long time 

 by cold weather and several freezing nights. May 

 opening warm, they rapidly put forth and in profu- 

 sion, but the petals were shed sooner than usual. 

 No caterpillars appeared. Examined for borers and 

 cut out and killed them and applied ashes liberally 

 to the roots, and afterwards scraped the apple trees 

 and rubbed them and the other trees freely with 

 common soap. Also mulched several with forest 

 leaves to kill the sod around the bodies. Around 

 a plum tree, in full bloom, spread a thick coat of 

 leached ashes and stamped them smooth and hard, 



to warn curculios that they would have no chance 

 for their progeny to burrow. 



Results thus far. — The apple trees of vigorous 

 growth cast their apples to a great extent, as if 

 prepense to produce wood rather than fruit, as they 

 have heretofore done. The clusters of blossoms, 

 the petals having fallen, were not unfrequently at- 

 tacked, together with the leaves adjoining, by a 

 web worm folding up leaves, and devouring their 

 life. A portion of apples were set, but from the 

 size of a pea and onward the crescent mark was 

 placed upon them, sure stamp of the bug destroyer. 

 They are falling fast, the last week in June, and 

 few or none will escape. Cherries were punc- 

 tured quite as soon and as extensively perhaps. 

 The plum tree cast its fruit almost wholly. Cur- 

 culios followed, and probably have already made 

 sure of the plums that set, as they are falling 

 fast. Caught a few upon a sheet by rapping the 

 tree, but gave up the contest with the foe, for the 

 ground was won and the victory secured already. 

 The peach tree put out curled leaves, and many 

 buds after a sickly setting of leaves exuded gum, and 

 many extreme twigs died. Considerable fruit is 

 set, and healthier twigs and leaves are growing, 

 but the blasting of leaves and the numbers already 

 fallen are remarkable. I observe likewise a pro- 

 gressive decay and fall of apple tree foliage, of the 

 earliest growth, which I can trace to no known 

 cause. My experience thus far since attempting to 

 raise apples inclines me to despair wholly of suc- 

 cess, in the pent quarters of a small enclosure, es- 

 pecially with neighbors' trees adjoining, breeding in 

 current Ijush hedges all sorts of destroyers. Indeed 

 the original grant of every green herb, to the beast, 

 the fowl and the creeping thing for food, cannot be 

 abrogated, and plainly from providential interposi- 

 tion, fruit trees are not exempted, for man's exclu- 

 sive use and enjoyment. 



Potatoes. — Planted Peach Blows principally, 

 for they rotted least and kept best last year. Some 

 are upon a plat manured with vegetable compost, 

 and some on land where turf-turned soil yielded 

 well last year. Three other kinds are on trial. 

 A third of the peach-blow hills are struck with the 

 curl-top disease, and to save the ground a bean hill 

 stands beside them. The other kinds are free 

 from this symptom. The corn-stalk borer enters 

 some stalks and kills them, and for two or more 

 weeks the yellow, striped-bug slug-breeder has 

 been very industrious laying nits, and the progeny 

 are busy in their work, consuming the leaves, to 

 the very best of their ability. The appearance of 

 many healthy hills of peach-blows, and all of the 

 other sorts, is thus far promising. The result is 

 with the Ruler of the seasons. Lost in the multi- 

 tude of counsellors, I have followed most of them, 

 yet have planted a few with forest leaves and small 

 hemlock branches, to gratify my personal curiosity. 



Salisbury, Con., July \st, 1851. J. Lee. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 CISTERNS FOR MANURE. 



Mr. Cole :— Being about building a cistern for 

 saving liquid manure, I would iiupiire, through the 

 medium of the Farmer, if frost will have any bad 

 effect on hydraulic cement. 



Yours respectfully, s. w. c. 



Deer Isle, Me., June, 1851. 



