LAWTON BLACKBERRY — PLANT TREES. ' 



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Wheat soils at a lower figure than ever before, since 

 the gold miues were discovered, it ranges irom .50 

 to 81 per bushel. I send you two samples of wheat, 

 one the big white wheat of Oregon, and the other a 

 red spring wheat, both without beard. I sowed 

 some the middle of last March, and of both I got 

 about twentj--five bushels to the acre. The white is 

 our sreatest wheat; but I thiuk the red would grow 

 free IVoni rust anywhere, as the straw is very stifi'. 

 I have never seen this kind in the States. 



Grasshoppers are becoming rather numerous, and 

 have done some damage ; and I fear we shall be over- 

 run with them, as they have been increasing for sev- 

 eral years, and in the southern part of the territory 

 they have nearly ruined everything, and are gradu- 

 ally moving north. If you know of any remedy, let 

 us have it in the Farmer. 



In apple culture we are doing finely. Trees bear 

 youiig and alnmdantly, and the apples are large. 

 I have over fifty varieties in cultivation, some of 

 them of the most approved kinds with you, if they 

 prove to be true. I am pretty certain that I have 

 the Baldwin, Esopiis Spilzcnburg, Roxbury Rvsset, 

 JYorlhern Spy, Bough, Early Harvest, Red Astra- 

 can, Jenneting, Yellow JVeivtotvn Pippin, Rambo' 

 Yellow Bellfloicer (and perhaps the White), Porter 

 Gravenstein, Sieaar, English Russet, Golden Rus- 

 set, and Vandervere ; but the Rhode Island Green- 

 ing and the Green JVewtown Pippin still remain in 

 doubt. The Green JVewtown Pippin differs essen- 

 tially here, in leaf and wood, from the Yellow JYeir. 

 toicn Pippin. The bark is greener, the leaf is smaller 

 and rounder, the twigs are shorter-jointed, and the 

 tree has a more compact and upright head, or else 

 we have not got it. Wm. Huele. 



Cincinnati, Oregon Territory. 



The Lawton Blackberry. — At a recent meeting 

 of the New York Farmers' Club, Mr. Field said he 

 had been experimenting with the common bramble, 

 to see whether the improvements effected in the 

 blackberry by Seoore, and carried into extensive 

 operation by Lawton, were the result of change in 

 the soil and cultivation, or whether it could be traced 

 to a peculiar variety of the bramble. He took a 

 plant from the woods, where it had grown in fine 

 soil, and planted it in poor soil, and yet it produced 

 berries as large as Lawton's, although only a small 

 crop. Several berries measured four inches each in 

 circumference. From his experiments he was con- 

 vinced that there were distinct varieties ot the bram- 

 ble, some of which were more favorable than others 

 to produce the fine fruit now grown by Lawton, and 

 that it is to the variety, rather than to either the soil 

 or the cultivation, that the superiority is to be attrib- 

 uted. — Year Book of Agriculture. 



PLANT TREES. 



The following eloquent extract from a report on 

 orchard culture ))y a committee of the Oneida Coun- 

 ty (N. Y.) Agricultural Society, should be read by 

 all. The remarks are as true of every town in the 

 country as of Oneida county, N. Y.: 



It is to be wondered over, that the land owners of 

 Oneida are not more zealous in planting orchards. 

 Nature has given them a soil and a climate most 

 propitious for the raising of superior apples; inviting 

 markets arc near at hand, or are easily reached; am- 

 ple inducements are held out in the direction of profit, 

 of pleasantness, and of sentiment; yet many are still 

 slow to enter into the full possession of their peculiar 

 advantages as owners of Oneida soil. Who plants 

 an apple tree in the soil of Oneida, makes a perma- 

 nent investment, that may be expected to increase 

 from year to year, until its original value is hundred- 

 folded. Who plants an apple tree, makes a prudent 

 provision against life's rainy days, against loss of 

 health, misfortune in business, old age. 'Who plants 

 a tree, extracts something of bitterness from the or- 

 iginal curse. It was a part of Adam's punishment 

 to be expelled from the society of cultivated trees ; 

 to surround one's self with them, is to take some 

 steps towards regaining the Paradise that was lost 

 to man by his first transgression. The planted fruit 

 tree will be a faithful minister to its owner's profit, 

 improvement, health, and happiness. It will stand 

 sentinel over his dwelling through winters o!' adver- 

 sity, when summer friends have fled. While its mas- 

 ter is sleeping, the tree will be growing. While he 

 is traveling, the tree will stay at home and keep on 

 growing. It will be industrious for him through all 

 seasons, converting air, and earth, and water into 

 shadow for his footsteps, perfume for his parlor, food 

 for his table, fuel for his hearth, timber for his use. 

 It will serve him contentedly through life, and min- 

 ister to his wants when its life is ended. A tree has 

 moral and social uses. It is an orthodox, wholesome 

 preacher. It will discourse daily homilies on faith, 

 hope, patience, and good will to men, with a gentle 

 eloquence that steals into the heart, making it more 

 roomy and open, and filling all its chambers with sun- 

 shine. A tree sets an example of self-denying bene- 

 volence. It embroiders its foliage, and ripens its 

 fruit by tedious processes; then gives them all away, 

 dropping its hist leaf to keep warm the tender plant 

 that has taken root in its shade. The poet Virgil 

 discovers a close relation between generous character 

 and generous fruit trees; his native land he celebrates 

 as a " mighty parent of fruit, mighty parent of heroes." 

 Children should have a double share of native de- 

 pravity not to be made better by the kindly influences 

 that distill about them when they are brought up in 

 the companionship of grand and chivalrous trees. 

 Would a man rear a monument to his memory more 

 to be coveted than one of costliest marble, let him 

 plant trees; they will sing his praise in measures 

 sweeter than a poet's, when no envious lips are there 

 to detract. 



Now, before winter .sets in, protect all half-hardy 

 plants from the rigors of the approaching season. 



