276 



THE GENESEE FARMER. 



NOTES FOR THE MONTH-BY S. W. 



The Wild Lands, oe Bushy Oak Plains, of 

 Centeal Long Island.— A pamphlet of 28 pages, 

 from the press of Van Bknthuysen, Albany, is 

 just issued, containing another capital contribution 

 from tlie pen of Winslow 0. Watson to the vol- 

 ume of State Agricultural Transactions for 1859. 

 This paper gives a succinct but graphic account of 

 the geological structure, topography, soil, and 

 matchless climate of Long Island; with a more 

 minute description of the extensive, uncultivated, 

 bushy oak plains, so long ycleped barren, on the 

 great central plateau of the Island. 



Mr. Watson made a very thorough examination 

 of the soil of those plains, both surface and subsoil; 

 when he found — strange as it may seem — the deep- 

 est soil on the highest land, and the thinnest and 

 most indurated in the vales and swaley places ; 

 and that the soil of these bushy plains, with more 

 vegetable matter, contained the same mineral ele- 

 ments as those of the best cultivated farms ; and 

 nowhere in his researches on those plains did he 

 find coarse, barren sand, to correspond with that 

 he saw in Smithtown on cultivated farms. It 

 seems that Long Island is of unique formation ; the 

 surface and subsoil rests upon boulders and gravel, 

 which acts effectually as an underdrain to the soil 

 of the whole Island — thus saving the expense of 

 tile drains. Yet the Island is supplied with never- 

 failing springs and fresh water ponds ; and owing 

 to its alluvial formation, there is no incumbrance 

 of stone, and no rock in situ — except at Hurl Gate, 

 where it crops out from the opposite main land. 

 This gives tlie Island an area of arable soil, every 

 acre of which may be made, under the influence 

 of its moist and warm climate, the paradise of the 

 fruit-grower and market-gardener. 



The newly cleared farms, gardens, and fruit- 

 yards, now in successful cultivation at Deer Park, 

 and many other places east, on both sides of the 

 Rail Road, now clearly prove the feasibility of these 

 much slandered and long neglected wilds for farm 

 and garden purposes. Certainly, the day is fast com- 

 ing when every acre of this beautiful Island will be 

 covered with patches of soil-enriching clover, fruit- 

 yards and market-gardens, where it is not appro- 

 jiriated for villages and salubrious country-seats. 

 The milk that already goes to New York by the 

 Lung Island Rail Road, amounted last year to three 

 uud a quarter millions of quarts. 



Ckoi>s in Seneca' Co., N. Y. — Every crop on the 

 farm list, potatoes excepted, is now certain to be 

 unusually large and good. Potatoes never prom- 

 ised better until the first of August ; the vines 

 were very large, Avith much more bloom and seed 

 balls than ever before — or at least since the advent 

 of the rot; so that many began to feel that the 

 potato rot had gone with the wheat midge. But 

 within a few days, just as Early Yorhs were of 

 full size, the leaves began to wither and die, and 

 many of the tubers are rotting. It seemed to make 

 no difference whether the potatoes were on a dry 

 mucky soil or on a more compact clay, both well 

 underdrained ; but the late planted potatoes are 

 not yet affected, and in those parts of the County 

 where they have liad less rain, the potato crop may 

 be yet perfected. Fruit of all kinds fexcept peaches, 

 — particularly grapes, plums and pears — will be 

 very abundant. 



The late hot sunny weather has had a magical 

 effect on the corn crop ; and as early corn on good 

 soils has already begun to glaze, a good crop is 

 certain. But the long continued rains in this vi- 

 cinity has prevented early corn from filling to the 

 point of the ear ; the the heaviest corn crop is only 

 obtained when there is just drought enough to curl 

 the leaves by day, and they are again expanded by 

 the heavy dew at night. 



Garden Crops, Aug. 12th. — There has been no 

 frost to injure tender plants since early in May, 

 and most garden esculents have been much earlier 

 than usual. The wet weather seems to have been 

 unfavorable to beans and Hubbard squash, and cu- 

 cumbers are late. Bean leaves turn yellow, and 

 the pods do not fill well. Squashes vine and bloom, 

 but make little fruit. Lima beans alone hold their 

 verdure, and recuperate fast under the bite hot 

 weather, and tomatoes are in rapid progress towards 

 ripening. Onions, beets and cal)bages never did 

 better if well hoed ; but much hoeing has been 

 necesssary to loosen the compact, cracked surface, 

 after each heavy rain was succeeded by a hot, bak- 

 ing sun. Manure is bootless without mechanic 

 aid. &. w. 



MAINE ITEMS. 



Eds. Genesee Farmer: — As your readers have 

 not heard lately from " way down east," a few notes 

 from that portion of Uncle Sam's dominion may 

 be readable, if not interesting or instructive. 



From an agricultural point of view, the prospect 

 is rather gloomy. According to present indications, 

 crops for the year will fall below the average. The 

 grass crop which has been harvested amounts to 

 about one-quarter less than for preceding years. 



We have experienced a severe drouth, which, 

 considering the time of year, is seldom known. 

 There has been but little rain since April, and in- 

 deed no continued storm. The first thunder shower 

 that has passed over this place since August 31st, 

 1859, was to-day (Aug. 9th, '60) — whicli is nnu- 

 sual. Water is very scarce; wells and springs 

 have dried up ; pastureage is short, and all kinds of 

 crojis suffering for moisture. Unless soon revived, 

 " fall feed " will be almost entirely wanting, which, 

 with the decreased hay crop, will cause a diminu- 

 tion in the already low price of stock. Ilay (loose,) 

 is now selling in our market at $14 per ton, with 

 fair prospect of commanding $18 by housing time. 



Fruit — wiiich with us consists mainly of the ap- 

 ple — although better than last year, will hardly be 

 an average crop. The Baldwin has been for many 

 years the standard, but the cold winter of 1856, 

 which was so fatal to trees of that variety, has 

 caused our fruit-growers to look about for a hardier 

 kind — one less liable to be injured by our sudden 

 changes of temperature. The question is, which 

 is it ? 



Potatoes are as yet free from rust or rot ; whici 

 some say is owing to tlie absence of wet, foggy 

 weather. 



The temperature during the month of July his 

 been low ; the mean for the month being 67° — five 

 degrees less than for July, 1859. August has been 

 warmer — the thermometer indicating 87° at 3 PM. 

 of the 6th. To-day (9th) is cloudy, falling weatier, 

 indicating rain, which would be gratefully recei-ed. 



Belfast, Me., Aug. 9, 1S60. G. E. BKACKETT. 



