NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



229 



session of complete sets of all the agricultural pub- 

 lications of the country. Already have the states 

 of New York, Massachusetts, and Ohio, put forward 

 their annual volumes of digested agricultural science 

 — an example that will be likely to be followed in 

 every state of the Union. Access to complete sets 

 of such publications will be of inestimable value. 

 Let an invitation be extended to all who rightly ap- 

 preciate the object, to make such contributions as 

 their convenience and ability will admit, and when 

 the enterprise shall be properly started, there cannot 

 be a doubt it will be liberally supported. At all 

 events, it is an exprriment worth trying, a failure 

 in which can do no one any harm. 



We would recommend the appointment of a com- 

 mittee on the library annually, whose duty it shall 

 be to devise means for its increase; to make a 

 selection of such books as it is expedient to pur- 

 chase ; and to make such regulations, from time to 

 time, in relation to their use, as shall be deemed 

 most expedient and proper. 



Ilespectfully submitted. 



JOHN W. PROCTOR, 

 DAVID CHOATE, 

 GARDNER B. PERRY, 



Salem, Juiie 15, 1849. 



Com- 

 mittee. 



For the Neic England Farmer. 

 PEACH-TREES. 



Mr. Editor : I have frequently heard it asserted, 

 hy some of our most experienced cultivators of the 

 peach, that the decay of this valuable tree is in a 

 great measure owing to the practice of budding or 

 grafting, as imperfect union takes place, a sickly 

 growth is the consequence, and the diseased tree is 

 then rendered more liable to external injuries and 

 of the worm which complete its destruction. 



So far as my limited knowledge extends, this is 

 the case, in a great measure. In my peach orchard, 

 which contains about one hundred trees. I have a 

 few natural trees, most of which are equal to our best 

 varieties ; and this spring they are healthy, and are 

 loaded with young fruit, while most of my budded 

 trees were more or less injured by the severity of our 

 past winter, and but few of them have much young 

 firuit on them. Now, I think, if we would have 

 healthy peach-trees, avc must not do violence to 

 nature. We must cultivate from the stone ; and 

 although we might find some bad and worthless 

 fruit, we shall have much that is excellent, and 

 obtain new varieties by planting the stones of those 

 onl}- which are very superior. I have obtained lino 

 peaches the third year from planting the stone, with- 

 out grafting or budding. 



ROCKINGHAM. 



Editorial Remarks. — Budding or grafting trees 

 renders them less hardy, shorter-lived, and generally 

 of a smaller size. Our long-lived and very large 

 cherry-trees are, generally, mazards, which is a 

 common term for a natural cherry-tree. Budded 

 peach-trees are more tender in fruit and buds than 

 natural ones. One cause of the tenderness of budded 

 peach-trees is the use of buds from a foreign country, 

 or a warmer region in our own country. 



If stones from excellent fruit are planted, they 

 ■will generally yield good fruit ; and if they are taken 

 from good natural fruit, they will be still more sure 

 to yield fine fruit. By proper attention in collecting 

 stones from superior seedlings or natural trees, where 

 they are not liable to mix in the blossom, and testing 

 them, valuable fixed varieties may be obtained that 



can be relied on to produce their like, as well as by 

 budding and grafting. 



We have six or eight kinds that yield nearly the 

 same from seed, and they are equal to any budded 

 varieties in quality. AVe have hundreds of some 

 kinds growing in the nursery, that are perfectly uni- 

 form in wood, growth, leaf, glands, &c. They have 

 all originated in the north, and show a hardiness 

 beyond budded varieties which are from warmer 

 climates. We have several others on experiment, 

 and hope to obtain, in a short time, a complete as- 

 sortment of seedlings extending through the season, 

 and affording every desirable variety ; so that we 

 can dispense with budding altogether. 



With proper attention to selecting natural peaches, 

 and choosing a suitable location and soil, and pur- 

 suing a judicious mode of cultivation, the peach cul- 

 ture would be far more successful in New England. 

 Many now cultivate without proper regard to these 

 important considerations. 



For the Neio England Farmer. 

 HAYING - HORSE-RAKES. 



Mr. Editor : I am of the opinion that many farm- 

 ers allow their grass to become too ripe before it is 

 cut. It is my impression that it is best to cut nearly 

 all kinds of grass as soon as the largest bulk of it is 

 in blossom, as in the formation and ripening of the 

 seed, the stem must lose much of its nutritive mat- 

 ter, and will be less tender and palatable to animals. 

 The largest amount of clover heads will usually be 

 found in bloo7n when about one third of them are 

 turned brown. Herdsgrass may become quite ripe 

 without losing its nourishing properties ; but the 

 stem grows dry and woody, and stock do not relish 

 it as well as that which is earlier cut ; and if it has 

 grown rank, they will not eat it up very closely, un- 

 less they are kept rather short of feed. Red top may 

 become equally as ripe as herdsgrass, and still have 

 its value less impaired. I believe many are led to 

 suppose that late-cut hay contains more nutriment, 

 for the reason that the stem, becoming hard and wiry, 

 is rendered less palatable, and consequently our ani- 

 mals will not eat of it as freely. In my remarks upon 

 the time of cutting grass, I would have reference to 

 the kinds most common in this section. 



In curing hay, I aim to preserve as much of the 

 green color and natural juice as is practicable, and 

 not have it mow-burn. To effect this, it should not 

 be exposed to the dew or rain after it has begun to 

 make, nor for a long time to the sun. As soon as 

 the ground is diy between the swaths, they should 

 be spread, and when the grass is thoroughly wilted, 

 or about one third made, it should be placed in the 

 cock, where it will generally very soon begin to 

 sweat. It should be kept in this state from twelve 

 to thirty-six hours, according to the character of the 

 hay and weather. The cocks should then be Avell 

 shook out, and in from two to four hours of favorable 

 weather, with once turning, they will usually be 

 sufficiently cured for the barn. I think this the 

 best method for curing all kinds of hay, and particu- 

 larly clover. 



liay cured in this manner is more tender, sweet, 

 nutritious, and palatable ; besides, we may save many 

 leaves and heads that would be lost were it cured 

 wholly by the sun and air. And another advantage 

 is, that hay sweated in the cock is much less liable 

 to heat in the mow. Any one may satisfy himself 

 of this fact by observing" how much less likely to 



