J40 



THE GENESEE PARMER 



Moy 7, 1831. 



TBS SSNSSE E rARBIE H. 



SATURDAY, MAY 7, 1831. 



PURSLANE, OR QOLDEN PURSLANE. 



(Portulaca oterecea, L.) 



This is an annual plant which has long been 



cultivated in gardens as a pot herb, and als:> 



for pickling. For the last use it is little, if at 



all, inferior to Sampherc. From the strong 

 prejudice against the common purslane, which 

 is so very troublesome, this plant lias been 

 much neglected. It may be raised from seed, 

 sown in beds of rich earth, early in May. — 

 When the plants have grown abont an inch, 

 ;hey shnald be transplanlcd to the distance of 

 one foot from eaoh other, and kept hood. — 

 After they have began to throw off branches, 

 they may be cat off and put down as cuttings, 

 when they will soon take root. The plants 

 will rise to the height of eighteen inches ; but 

 when intended for boiling should be cul before 

 they attain that height. The stalks are soft 

 and succulent, and are the most valuable part; 

 the leaves are very thick and wedge shaped, 

 and somo years are penetrated by a small in- 

 sect like a maggot — but those leaves are readi- 

 ly distinguished and separated when prepared 

 for boiling. The Mowers are small and yellow, 

 situated at ihe axil of the leaves, and followed 

 by a capsule filled willi small shining seeds, 

 and as these open in succession, the saving of 

 seed is rather tedious. We would recom- 

 mend raising a few plants in every garden. 



DANDELIONS. 



( LconlO'ion taraxacum, L.) 

 This plant, which has hitherto been consid- 

 ered rather a noxious weed than otherwise, 

 now bids fair to become a valuable occupant 

 of our gardens, as some recent experiments 

 iiave been made with it, which give it a new 

 character. 



General Dearborn of Massachusetts, who is 

 one of the most scientific Horticulturists in 

 the United States, has made an experiment, of 

 which bespeaks in the following manner : — 

 " Las', year in May 1 set out two rows of dan- 

 delions, which were taken up when in bloom, 

 not being able to altend lo it before. They 

 were placed a fool apart, and the rows two 

 feet assundur, and about one hundred feet in 

 length. The leaves all pen-hed, but having 

 hoed the earth upon the roots, others sprang 

 up in a few days, and continued to grow luxu- 

 riantly until autumn, and covered all the space 

 between Ihe plants. Just before the ground 

 froze, straw was spread over tliem. In Feb- 

 ruary they were opened, and my table has been 

 supplied with an abundance of greens and sai- 

 lad since. They have been cut four limes and 

 some of them five." — May 7. " TI10 rapidity 

 with which they shoot out after cutting is 

 greater than in any plant 1 havo ever seen. — 

 Soma of them were covered with flower pots, 

 after the 4th cutting, lo blanch the leaves for 

 sallad ; and they ore noarly or quite equal to 

 ardive. In fivo days after the pots were pu, 

 over, the leaves, which had previously been 

 cut, close to tho crown of tbo root, shot up 

 fivo inches in height. I kopt tho ground, which 

 is very rich, hoed and raked between the plants 

 during the last season and the prosont. 



Thus at little trouble and exponso, can a 

 family bo supplied with greens and sallad from 



February until sea kale and asparagus come 

 in.'' 



From the above it would appear that Gener- 

 al Dearborn has a very high opinion of the 

 cultivation of the Dandelion, and we hope 

 that some of our readers will make the ex- 

 periment in this section of country, and com- 

 inuuicaie the result to us. Wo see them daily 

 brought into our village, and sold for boiling. 

 They are collected from the field where they 

 have grown without culture, and in this state 

 make a very good dish. Should they improve 

 by transplanting as much as many other plants 

 have from lhoir wild state, what may we not 

 expeot from this, which is desirable in its ru- 

 dest shape. 



THE WEATHER, AND PROSPECTS. 



The weather for two weeks past has been 

 uncommonly cold for this section of country, 

 owing undoubtedly to the great collection of 

 ice at the east end of Lake Erie, and to the 

 westerly winds. The collection of this vast 

 body of ice was owing to some heavy wind 

 storms from the west, beforo Ihe ice in lake 

 Erie had dissolved, which drove it to Ihe aa9t 

 end of the lake, in such quantities as to pro- 

 vent its passim* down tho Niagara river. This 

 drift ice has been supposed to bo at least from 

 twenty to thirty feet thick, and (0 extend at 

 least twenty miles into the lake. 



The effect has been to keep the waters of 

 lake Ontario below the common temperature 

 for the season, which taken in conneolion with 

 the vast body of ice in Lake Erie, have so re- 

 duced the temperature of Ihe atmosphere, 

 through the district of Old Genesee, that vegeta- 

 tion has been kept back but not injured by it; 

 in short, it may be considered a very favorable 

 trait in the character of the climate of this dis- 

 trict. The weather has been remarkably fino 

 for wheat, which looks well both in quality 

 and quantity. Fruit trees which begin to show 

 their blossoms are thickly set for fruit. Grass 

 lands look well for the season, and although 

 the winter has been uncommonly severe, Eu 

 ropean vinos that were left standing have no- 

 been injured by the frost, and look equally as 

 well as those which have been covered. Eve- 

 ry thing looks encouraging to agriculturists. — 

 We believe there lias nover been at any former 

 season as much wheat on ihe ground as at pre- 

 sent, and tho prospects for price for tho coining 

 crop, so fur as connected with European mar- 

 kets, is certainly favorable. We hope our far- 

 mers will not forget in this time of plenty that 

 it is easier to lay up money when wheat is 

 worth one dollar per bushel, than when it only 

 brings fifty cents. Lot them avoid ono error 

 that many run into— that is, when money is 

 plenty they spend freely. 



This is n favorable year for cancelling dolus 

 md making necessary repairs, but do not be 

 elated with the prosperity of the times, for 

 you know not how soon they will change. — 

 Lot the present prices oxcite to greator dili- 

 gence, with all ((inner economy, and with the 

 common blessingi of Providence yoOr increase 

 in worldly goods is certain. 



of the Genesee Farmer some seed of the Mel- 

 ilotus officinalis, to be distributed to the Mem- 

 bers of the Monroe Horticultural Society. — 

 This is the plant, the expressed juice of which 

 is made use of to give the flavor to the cele- 

 brated Cbapzeiger cheese of Switzerland. 



GROUTING, OR PUDDLING. 



These are terms made use of by experien- 

 ced practical gardeners, for an operation with 

 the roots of trees, shrubs and plants, after 

 they are taken out of the ground. As ihis is 

 of importance to those engaged in movin" 

 trees or plants, we will describe the best man- 

 ner of performing it : 



Immediately after taking np a tree, di» a 

 small hole in the ground, where it is rather 

 inclining to clay, and pour into it a pail full ol 

 water; then with a hoe, or some other instru- 

 ment, mix in the soil until it is as thick a? 

 cream. Into this puddle dip \':e roots of any 

 trees, or shrubs, and after stirring tkem about 

 in it a sufficient length of tir„o to have this 

 •hin mortar adhere to every part of them, 

 withdraw them, and have ready some fine dry 

 earth, in which roll them about as long as any 

 will adhere to the roots, after which, the trees 

 thus managed, may be laid in a shaded place, 

 or pneked up for transportation. 



When prepared in the above manner, trees 

 may be kept many days out of the ground, 

 without receiving injury, as the damp earth 

 adheres to all the small fibrous -oots and pre 

 vents Iheir dryiog. We havo seen trees treat 

 ed in this manner, even after the leaves were 

 expanded, remain several days out of the 

 ground, without having the leaves wither. 



As the success of a iree for the first season 

 depends much upon the care used in trans- 

 planting, we would recommend the above me- 

 thod to our readers, as from experience wc 

 know it lo be of great utility. 



IUKI.ITOT. 



Z. Barton Stout, Esq. Secretary of the Do- 

 mestic Horticultural Society of tho western 

 port of New York, has deposited at flic office 



API5IL. 



Tho moan daily temperature of April, as 

 may bo seen in our meteorological lable, was 

 47°,45. A day has not passed, the comforts of 

 which wore not augmented, morning and eve* 

 ning, by a fire. The prevailing wind has been 

 generally during the month west and north ; 

 and it is probably owing to this cause more 

 than any other, that April of the present year 

 has been more cold and stormy than the same 

 month in 1830; for it will easily be recollected 

 that the spring ol 1880 was, on the whole, un- 

 favorable to gardening, spring and summer 

 grains, and agricultural pursuit?. The last ol 

 March and the entire month of April, was ex- 

 ceedingly line. Tho whole garden of nature 

 smiled through the lineaments of beauty, fruit 

 trees were in full bloom, and vegetables in gar- 

 dens were fast putting forth tender shoots to> 

 weloome ihe summer's sun, when, with ihe 

 commonceinont of Mnj , a change of weather 

 occurred. Rains, long and cold, with little 

 intermission dining the whole month, were the 

 sum of the moioorulogical obervations; gar- 

 dening was suspended, and the animated hope? 

 of the husbandman begun rapid); to wane. — 

 Sorions doubts were common, that the " vege- 

 tating season" would he too short for corn and 

 potatoes, which, aftor wheat, are second to 

 none in this country. Wheat, however, was" 

 probably benefited by the cold and rains, trs. 



