1853. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



401 



A WHEEL HOB. 



This implement, a figure of ■which we give above, 

 is one which has for many years been in use among 

 the thrifty farmers in Essex county, and particu- 

 larly by those in the practice of raising large 

 crops of onions. Nothing, probably, will ever su- 

 persede the use of the hand hoc; it is to the far- 

 mer, what the right hand is to the mechanic ; al- 

 though it may not do the work as fast as someH)th- 

 er implement, no other can do it any better. It 

 suits all places and conditions of soil, and must al 

 ways remain an indis.pensable tool on the farm. — 

 But the lohecl hoe is more than "cousin german' 

 to it ; in good hands, it will perform five times as 

 much service in a given period, and where every 

 thing is favorable, do it as well as the hand hoe 

 The figure is so plain that particular reference to 

 its parts is unnecessary. The knife may be raised 

 or lowered at will by turning the nuts on the 

 screws, — and when worn down on one side re- 

 versed, and then is as good as ever. Our atten 

 tion was called to the wheel hoe in one of the on- 

 ion fields of Dan vers, by Mr. Proctor, of that town 

 a gentleman (though educated at the feet of Black- 

 stone and ray lord Coke,) full of enthusiasm in 

 agricultural matters, and whose observing habits 

 and ripe judgment render him eminently useful to 

 the State. After seeing the beautiful appearance 

 of the field whero the hoe had been used, we or 

 dere#one, and in its daily use through the sum 

 mer, find our expectations of its excellence fulh 

 realized. It is manufactured at Danvers by Mr. 

 William Berrv, and may be purchased of him for 

 the low sum of one dollar and fifty cents at his 

 shop. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 BEES. 



Messrs. Editors : — I have seen that your cor- 

 respondents, have made the A'eio England Farmer 

 a medium for communication, and suppose others 

 enjoy tlie privilege of making inquiries. I have 

 kept bees for several years, and they have been 

 very profitable, but the two lost seasons have been 

 unfavorable to their increase, by swarming, and 

 making honey sufficient even for themselves. Now. 

 I have attributed the cause of their ill success, to 

 the dry weather, and suppose wet seasons pro- 

 longing the blossom of flowers, are better adapted to 

 the nature and growth of bees in our north New 

 England States. j. 



From the Elms. 



MAY'S VICTORIA CURRANT. 



"The luscious clusters of the vine 

 Upon my mouth do crush their wine." 



The currant is easily raised and propagated. 

 They are highly relished by many people eaten 

 from the bushes, and make a capital jelly .^ shrub, 

 and wine. As an accompaniment to roasted or 

 boiled poultry, lamb or mutton, the jelly is unri- 

 valled. It is also excellent for persons of feeble 

 appetite, and for tarts, &c. Frum the slirub may 

 be prepared a healthful summer drink, a thousand 

 times preferable to the lemonade made from sul- 

 phuric acid! A pleasant wine may also be made 



fronj their expressed juice. In Deane's old "New 

 England Farmer or Georgical Dictionary," pub- 

 lished in 1822, he says the wine from the xohile 

 currant is far better than that from the red ; that 

 it ameliorates exceedingly by age, becoming equal 

 to the best of Malaga wine, after being bottled a 

 year or two. 



The May's Victoria is a new variety from Eng- 

 land. The bunches are sometimes five inches long; 

 the berries are large, bright red, excellent flavor, 

 and hang long on the bush in perfection. Foliage 

 thick deep green. Very fine. 



