J^EW ENCJL.ANI> FARMER. 



PUliLISHED BY GEO. C. BARRETT, NO. 52, NORTH MARKET STREET, (at the Agricultural Warehouse.)— T. G. FESSENDEN EDITOR. 



VOt. XIII. 



BOSTON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, JULY 30, 1834. 



NO. 3. 



COMMUNICATIONS. 



Fur the New Unglund Fanner. 

 Mr. Fessf.nden' — Sir, Tlie lollDwiiig articles are 

 abstracts tVorn a work 1 am now |ire|)ariiig for the 

 press, entitled — The Young Gardencr^s Companion, 

 and Horticultural Compendium,; which will embrace 

 every branch of Horticulture, as tbrciug, kitchen 

 gardens, flower ganlenintr, landscape, &c. &c., 

 adapted to the northern States ; with practical re- 

 marks and reviews. If tliey are worthy a notice 

 in your paper you will please insert them, and 

 send your paper for the year directed to Esopus 

 Garden, to Dr. Hosack, Hyde I'ark, Dutchess co. 

 N. Y. Yours, &c. Edwaro Sayp.e. 



RED DUTCH CURRANT. 



Tills fine variety of Currant I find has found its 

 \ray in inost good collections of fruits, in the jV. S. 

 but it is not generally cultivated, although it is lit- 

 tle to be doubted when its superiority to all other 

 red currants is generally known and fully tested, 

 that it will be the universal favorite. 



The tree may be known from the common red 

 by its being more dwarf and the branches being 

 more pendulous, the wood is not so luxuriant as 

 the fornier, the fruit spurs thicker set in clusters, 

 Bud the foliage of a very dark green. 



The fruit when fully ripe, is a very dark red, 

 and nearly double the size of the common red, 

 hanging in dense clusters of bunches, which con- 

 Uiin from S to 10 fruits each. The fruit is every 

 way desirable, as forming a handsome dessert — 

 preserves well, makes an e.vcellent wine, and is an 

 excellent bearer in all parts of tlie States. 



WHITE DUTCH CURRANT. 



The white Dutch may be considered the supe- 

 rior variety of the white currant. The (;-eeand fruit 

 has every habit of the above with an exception of 

 the tree being more dwarf and the fruit white, or 

 rather of an amber color, and when fully ripe of a 

 sweet and agreeable taste, and perhaps better adapt- 

 ed for dessert, although it has not good qualities 

 for preserving, but makes a very pleasant white 

 wine. The tree is a good bearer, and thrives well 

 in most parts of the States. The excellent proper- 

 ties of these Currants should recommend them to 

 every planter as particularly ada|)tcd to this coun- 

 try in connexiim with their fine qualities. 



THE BLACK CURRANT. 



This fruit should find its way into every collec- 

 tion of fruit, for its valuable properties in cases of 

 illness, as in jetties, imns, wines, &:c. It is known 

 by the color of the fruit being black, and of a very 

 strong smell. 



RED CHAMPAIGNE CURRANT. 



This fruit may be considered as next in excel- 

 lence to the red Dutch, although it does not pos- 

 sess the fine qualities in respect to preserving, &c. 

 The character of the fruit is, a tolerable bearer ; 

 the tree erect, and bearing in bunches on the old 

 wood ; the fruit in color is a light red, very trans- 

 parent, and more acid than any variety I am ac- 

 quainted with. It thrives well in most parts of 

 the U. S. 



To the above varieties many may be named of 

 inferior qualities, which are perhaps not worth no- 

 tio« in this place, as my object is to recommend no 

 fruits b^e but those fully tested. E. S. 



The following communication appears to us to 

 be very valuable, and we think will prove usuful 

 in ensuring the vegetation of many other small 

 seeds as well as flower seeds. — Ed. 



For the Nrw England Farmer. 

 IMPROVED METHOD OP SOWING DELICATE 

 FLOWER SEEDS. 



Mr. Barrett — I have frequently experienced 

 much difiicnlty in cultivating some kinds of annual 

 flowers, especially those having small seeds, such 

 as the Golden Coreopsis, Crepis, Ice Plant and 

 others. In sowing such seeds, it is necessary that 

 the earth should be made very fine, which only 

 renders it much more liable to pack, and the rain 

 soon beats it down so firmly that the seeds when 

 beginning to vegetate, are unable to raise it, and 

 consequently perish. The covering also being 

 thin, a warm sun soon bakes it dry, and the seeds 

 are also liable to be destroyed by the heat, and 

 want of moisture. To obviate these difliculties, I 

 have adopted the following very simple and eflec- 

 tual remedy. If the seeds are sown in patches, I 

 take a \)\ece of newspaper, aliout the size of the 

 patch to be covered, and laying it on the carpet, 

 or some other soft i>lace, I puncture it quite thick- 

 ly with a large-sized darning needle, which opera- 

 tion can be performed with great ease in a very 

 few minutes. This paper is then laid over the 

 patch, and confined at the edges by a few small 

 stones or by pegs ; and it will .lie so close to the 

 ground, especially if it be wet immediately after- 

 wards, as to be in no danger of being disturbed by 

 the wind. All the rain that fulls upon the paper 

 will gradually ooze through it, and the ground be 

 ing thus protected from the sun, will be constant- 

 ly moist, warm and light. Neither will the paper 

 be any obstruction to the shooting of the young 

 plants, as they can raise it with ease, though it 

 ought to be entirely removed as soon as they have 

 penetrated the surface. Another advantage of this 

 method is, that in case of very dry weather, the 

 smallest seeds thus protected, whether they be 

 sowed in pots or borders, may be freely wa- 

 tered with any common watering-pot. If the 

 seeds be sowed in drills, the paper is to be cut in 

 strips, and punctured along the middle, about the 

 same width as that of the space occupied by the 

 seeds. 



I have conversed with many persons n|)on this 

 subject, to all of whom the above described ineth 

 od was entirely new, and if you think it will be of 

 any service to others, you are at liberty to make it 

 public. 



Yours respectfully, Henry Williams. 



Marlboro', July ISth, 1834. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 CANADA THISTLE. 

 Mr. Fessenden, Sir — Obsta principiis* was 

 the motto of our fethers. The precept might well 

 be extended from civil to agricultural concerns. 

 The Canada Thistle has been found so great a 

 pest in some parts of our country that many per- 

 sons have abandoned their farms in consequence 

 of it. Whether there is anything in our soil so 

 hostile to it that it cannot spread and become 

 equally injurious in our vicinity I know not. Thii 



Oppose evils at their commescemeBl. 



will very probably be decided by experience, but 

 the result may be fatal to our agriculture. 



The occasion of these remarks is this: Four or 

 five years since I noticed this plant on the way- 

 side of one of the roads near oiir city, since that 

 time it has been extended and now it may be found 

 on many if not most of the roads within ten miles 

 of Boston. Whether on roads more distant I 

 know not, as I have not travelled there. Those 

 who do not know the jilant may see a small 

 patch of it on the milldam, near the long wooden 

 building, on the north side of the road. 



Is it not an object worthy the attention of the 

 Agricultural Society. Respectfully yours. 



An Amateur Farmer. 



Middlesex, Julij 23, 1834. 



By the Editor. We believe with our correspon- 

 dent that a war of extermination ought immediate- 

 ly to be commenced against each and every thistle 

 plant which makes its hateful appearance with- 

 in the precincts of every civilized community. 

 These vegetable pests can never become exten- 

 sively injurious if never suffered to ripen their 

 seeds, and nothing is easier than to clip oft" the 

 part above ground at least often enough to prevent 

 the dissemination of tbese intruders, which if 

 not suffered to colonize their detestable offspring, 

 by seeds can do comparatively but little injury. 



WORMS. 



The great liability of horses to the annoyance 

 of worlds is well known to all who have the care 

 of tllfem. The cause of this evil maybe found in 

 the imperfect digestion consequent on the artificial 

 confinement, and feeding on dry food to which 

 these animals are subject, and which are so alien 

 to their natural habits. The very best antidote to 

 the baneful effects of those diseases is common salt; 

 indeed if properly given, I believe it will be found 

 an infallible preventive. When salt is constantly 

 administered, the digestive process is so much 

 promoted that the formation of worms animalculse, 

 which are always dependent on a crude, unhealthy 

 state ol'the stomach, is effectually prevented ; and 

 when by neglect, this disease has impairetl the 

 health of tlie horse, and the animal has become 

 rough and emaciated, salt has been found capable 

 of speedily changing its condition and restoring 

 health. The usual mode of giving salt to horses 

 is by mixing it with their corn to the extent of an 

 ounce or two per diem. 1 have known large pieces 

 of rock salt kept constantly in the mangers, and 

 this is probably a better method than any other, 

 as the horse will not fail to help itself (by licking 

 to nobs) to as much as is necessary, and its owner 

 will feel no uneasiness respecting the forgetfulness 

 or prejudice of his servants. — Kemp on Salt Manure. 



EFFECTS OF INDUSTRY. 



It is stated that when Mr. Coke, the celebrated 

 English Farmer, took possession of his farm at 

 Holkham, in Norfolk, it was so poor and worn out 

 that it would not even bring grass. He said jo- 

 cosely that there was but one blade of grass on the 

 whole farm, for tvhich two rabbits were fghting. 

 But by labor and skill he has made this farm the 

 most beautiful and productive in all England, and 

 Mr. Coke is now one of the richest and most dis- 

 tinguished farmers in the whole country. 



