258 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



try to become rich, when every facility for the pur- 

 pose is, as it were, laid at their very doors. The 

 quantity of marl required to the acre, to produce 

 much beneficial result, does not admit of extended 

 land transportation ; but there are thousands, if not 

 tens of thousands, of acres bordering on and near 

 tide water, both in this and neighboring states, now 

 thrown out as waste lands, because they will no 

 longer yield even a stinted growth of vegetation ; 

 most, if not all, of which might readily be reclaimed 

 by the judicious use of marl, and at one fourth the 

 cost per acre that lands in the interior — originally 

 no better, if so good — are made to yield ten to 

 twelve barrels of corn, or thirty to forty bushels of 

 wheat, to the acre. I have been informed by some 

 of the large landed proprietors — not owning nor 

 residing within less than eight to ten miles of the 

 marl beds — that a boat load of a thousand to twelve 

 hundred bushels of marl, rich in carbonate of lime, 

 could be delivered at many of their landings, at an 

 expense not exceeding eight to ten dollars. Yet not 

 one bushel was ever vised ! 



But, as was justly remarked by one of these very 

 intelligent and hospitable gentlemen, " It's no use to 

 preach to a deaf congregation ; " and a further re- 

 mark or two will only be added, not altogether with- 

 out the hope that something will eventually " stir 

 them up," and induce a trial, at least, of this valua- 

 ble manure. It matters loss how, when, or what 

 quantity of marl or lime is applied ; only make the 

 application, and that jjretty liberally. Its applica- 

 tion, like lime, is best made one, two, or three years, 

 and on the surface, before breaking up the land, and 

 thus give it the benefit of the winter's frosts and 

 snows to dissolve and incorporate it with the soU. 



STRAWBERRIES. 



Mr. Editor : Please inform me of the best straw- 

 berry, to be sure of a good crop, and the best time to 

 set them out? A SUBSCRIBER. 



Answer. — The best strawberry, for New Eng- 

 land, if the cultivator has but one kind, is the Early 

 Virginia, called in the Middle States Large Early. 

 It is hardy, a vigorous grower, very productive, and 

 excellent fruit. This has been long and extensively 

 tried. There are some new kinds of high pretensions, 

 but they have not yet been fully tested. We can 

 give examples, from good authorities, of the largest 

 crop from this strawberry that was ever known. 



In cultivating two kinds, we should add Hovey's 

 Seedling ; and from its large size, which makes it 

 more salable, and more convenient to pick, some 

 cultivators give this a preference over the Early Vir- 

 ginia. But as it is a pistillate plant, it will not 

 yield much alone, and the Early Virginia is a good 

 kind to plant near it, for the purpose of fertilizing it 

 with its pollen or dust, and producing an earlier 

 crop, it being about a week earlier than Hovey's. 

 These two kinds form a succession of crops, and 

 are the most valuable that have been fully tested 

 in this part of the countr j\ 



In setting the two kinds, set every fifth or sixth 

 plant of the Early Virginia, and let the Early Vir- 

 ginia in one row come between the same kind in 

 adjacent rows. Thus, h for Hovey, v for Virginia. 



vhhhhhvhhhhhvhhhhhv 



hhhvhhhhhvhhhhhvhhh 



vhhhhhvhhhhhvhhhhhv 



Or set single or double rows four feet apart, and 

 set every second row of each kind ; or, if j'ou would 

 have more of Hovey's, set two rows of them and one 

 of Early Virginia. 



The best time to set strawberries is in the spring, 

 and then they should be set in rows four feet apart, 

 and vigorous kinds, like Early Virginia, should be 

 set about a foot apart, and those of moderate growth, 

 like Hovey's, about eight or ten inches apart, in the 

 row. 



Strawberry plants are often set in August, or the 

 last of July, frequently on land that has been cleared 

 of early crops, and in a wet season they succeed well ; 

 but if it is dry and hot, they often fail ; or if the 

 plants set do not fail, they fail to send out runners, 

 and there is no crop excepting from the plants set 

 out. Therefore the surest way, in setting the latter 

 part of summer, is to set double rows for every four 

 feet, having the two rows about fifteen inches apart, 

 and set the plants nearly twice as thick as in spring 

 planting ; then, if there be no new plants made, 

 owing to drought, or other cause, the old plants 

 may be sufficiently numerous for a good crop. 



The plants set late in July, or in August, generally 

 yield a good crop the next season ; but it is very un- 

 certain about getting a good product from new 

 plants that are made from them, or rather uncertain 

 about their sending out new plants, especially on 

 dry ground. Moist land is much better adapted to 

 late setting. The surest way is to set in spring, and 

 then, from a few plants set, the ground is generally 

 well covered with vines, and a good crop produced 

 the next season. 



HEREFORD CATTLE. 



In our last number, p. 250, is an interesting arti- 

 cle on this race. We learn from the advertisement 

 of Messrs. Bingham, in our advertising department, 

 that they have this stock for sale, and are making 

 experiments with it in New England. We are 

 pleased that a race of animals, so famous in the old 

 country, is now subjected to a fair trial, by the en- 

 terprising and intelligent in our own section of the 

 Union. 



In the numerous attempts to improve the breeds 

 of cattle, the noble Herefords have been too much 

 neglected. Some think that they are too large, and 

 require too liigh keeping for our short pastures ; but 

 we would inquire where larger oxen can be found 

 than many that are used in the lumber business in 

 Maine. And these noble animals have been raised 

 there, and they are preferred in most cases to lighter 

 cattle. 



If large native cattle may be raised and used to 

 advantage in our northern region, then why may 

 not superior foreign breeds, of a large size, do weU ? 

 And may they not be used to good advantage in 

 crossing with our common cattle, for which purpose 

 the Messrs. Bingham say the Herefords are well 

 adapted ? 



We do not recommend to the farmer, in common 

 circumstances, to run into numerous experiments ; 

 but let the enterprising, who are well able, lead off 



