102 



NEW E NGLAND FARMER, 



AND gardener's JOURNAL. 



Boston, Wednesday, October 3, 1838. 



OCTOBER 3, l!.38. 



AGRICULTURAL DEPO.SITORY. 



A Card.— The Commissioner of Agricultural Survey | 

 reopcctfully solirils of the furiners in Massachusetts, or 

 bis correspondents in other places, small samples of any 

 of their agricultural products, which they may regard as 

 possessing any peculiar excellence. Corn in the ear, of 

 any variety; Wheat; Rye; Barley; Oats; Buckwheat; 

 Broom Corn ; Cocoons; Silk ; Wool ; and valuable grass- 

 es. He would likewise be pleased to receive specimens or 

 models of any valuable implement or invention connect- 

 ed with husl.aiulry or the rural arts; or models or draw- 

 ings of any improved farm buildings; or pictures of any 

 valuable doniistic animals. His objt^cts are wholly pub- 

 lic. His intention is to place such things in a situation I 

 where they may be exannned by the farmers of the 

 State ; and to lay the fbundation of an Agricultural Mu- 

 seum solely for the public benefit. He hopes so much 

 public spirit will be felt in this case by his agricultural 

 brethren, timt their liberal contributions will soon render 

 the collection worthy of public attention. The begin- 

 nings must be small; but in time the collection may be 

 of great utility. It is imporlaiit in respect to any article 

 sent that a written account should accompany it. 



He particularly solicits likewise the attention of intel- 

 ligent .shipmasters and others visiting foreign countries, 

 to the collection of valuable agricultural s^eds in placed 

 where they may go ; an.' pledges himself, that if they 

 will do him the. favor to place them under his caie, he 

 will gratefully receive them and dispose of them in a 

 n)anner to test their value and diffuse their benefits. 



Any such donations may be forwarded for the present 

 to the store of Messrs James K. Mills & Co. Kilby street, 

 Boston ; to his address. The expenses of frciglit or 

 tran.sportation will be cheerfully paid. 



HENRY COLMAN, 

 Commissioner of Agr. Survey in Massachusetts 

 Oct. I, 18:i8. 



Printers in Mas.sachusetts, in town and country, favora- 

 bly disposed to this object, are respectfully requested to 

 give the above card one or two insertions. 



ON PAINTING ROOFS. 



Milfnrd, Sept. 28, 1633. 

 Mr Editor :_Sir,— I wish to make enquiry through 

 your paper respecting the painting of roofs, and the best 

 paint or composition for prcseiving them. 



A St;BSCRIBER. 



Remarks.— We have seen diflerent preparations ap- 

 plied for the preservation of roofs, and been acquainted 

 with many recipes for composition for the same purpose ; 

 yet from our own observation and experience, we believe 

 there is no great economy in exi)ending much upon a 

 roof for paint. The object of the greatest importance is 

 to get good shingles and then have them well laid. There 

 arc those, however, who think diHerently. A mixture 

 of black lead and linseed oil is perhaps as good a mixture 

 :iii can be used if it is thought expedient to puint ; but it 

 is very difficult with any paint, to fill every crevice so 

 that water will not find its way between the joints to tlie 

 unpainted shingle, and here is the trouble ; the wet gets 

 under the shingle, and in consequence of their boin" 

 painted do not dry so quick, and of course will decay 

 sooner for being painted. It is sometimes the case when 

 a man undertakes to build snb.stantially he paints the 

 shingles as they are laid, which no doubt adds much to 

 the durability of the roof, but then does not the expense 



of paint and additional labor and interest on the same, 

 amount to as much, or more, than another shingling.' 

 We were much struck with the appearance of a noble 

 barn, which was built two years since by our friends the 

 Shakers at Shirley. They never do anything by the 

 halves, but whatever they undertake is done in the very 

 best style. The barn was finished in the most substan- 

 tial manner, from the foundation to the ridge-pole, but we 

 were forcibly reminded by it of Noahs Ark, for it was 

 " pitched within and without." Our friends informed us 

 that the shingles were laid in hot jiitch, or a mixture of 

 j pitch and tar, and the building coated over with the 

 I same. This modq of laying shingles, has one advantage 

 : certainly; if fire should take hold of it, it would burn 

 without much trouble. 



I Since writing the above, a gentleman of some experi- 

 I enee has informed us that if shingles are dipped in strong 

 , alum water, they will last much longer, and it is also a 

 security again.st fire. We find in Vol. 12, page 283 of 

 the N. E. Farmer the following receipt and remarks, 

 which we copy, as many of our present subscribers have 

 not taken the work so far back. 



" For painting the roofs of buildings, Mr Patterson of 

 New Jersey, has, some years since, given the following 

 directions, which have been highly approved, as the best 

 composition known for preserving the roofs of houses ; 

 as it is found that it hardens by time, and is an effectual 

 preservative against the roof taking fire from the sparks 

 the chimney. 



" Take three parts of air slacked lime, two of wood 

 ashes, and one of fine sand, and add as much linseed oil 

 as will bring it to a consistence for working it with a 

 painter's brush. Great care must be taken to mix it per- 

 fectly. 



" We believe grinding it as a paint would be art im- 

 provement. Two coats are necessary ; the first rather 

 thin ; the second as thick as can be conveniently laid 



We have not seen an application of the above compo- 

 sition, and therefore, give it as we find it. It is no doubt 

 a good composition if it could be applied to every part of 

 the shingle. We have answered our friend " A Subscri- 

 ber " as well as we are able ; if any of our correspondents 

 who have more experience, can add anything which will 

 meet his case or benefit the public, we shall be much 

 obliged. r n 



Massachusetts Horticnltnral Society. 



Exhibition of Fkiits. 



SntuTiiuij, Sept. 2!), 1838. 

 From R. Manning, Esq. Salem, fine specimens of the 

 following Pears : Bergamottc d'Autumnal, Green Sugar, 

 Styrian, Louise, Bonne of Jersey, Autumn Superb, Belle 

 St. Bonne, and Webber's Yellow Autumnal. (Mr Man- 

 ning is entitled to the thanks of every lover of Good 

 Fruits for his exertions to introduce new varieties and to 

 sustain the exhibitions of the Society.) 



From Samuel S. Lewis, Esq. Brinley Place, Roxbury, 

 (the late residence of Hon. H. A. S. Dearborn, a zealous 

 friend and promoter of the best interests of this Society,) 

 the following Pears : Autumn Bcrgimotte, P;Lsse Col- 

 mar, NapoPeon Doyenne Gris, Newton Vergaleau, Brown 

 Beurre Capiamont, Lewis and Moorfowln Egg, and five 

 other specimens not named. These .specimens were all 

 fise. 



From E. M. Rl.hards, Esq., fine seedling Clinkstone 

 Peach. 



From Mr Eustis of South Reading, Isabella Grapes. 



From Mr S. R. Johnson, Charlestown, very fine Black 

 Hamburg and Sweetwater Grapes. 



From M. P. Sawyer, Esq. Porllan.l. Plums, variety 



Imperatrice and Magnum Bonum ; the latter were very 

 beautiful the finest exhibited this season. 



From Mr Pond, Cambridgeport ; Semiana Plums, very 

 large and fine ; also Isabella Grajies, and a new seedling 

 Grape called Pond's Seedling. This fruit was proved to 

 be a very fine variety and far su]>erior to the Isabella, 

 worthy of cultivation. 



From James L. L. F. Warren, fine specimens of Impe- 

 rial Lemon Clingstone Peach. 



The following letter, with the specimens of Fruits 

 were received from the Hon. John Lowell of Roxbury. 



RoTbury, Sept 29, 1838. 

 To the President of the Alassaclmselts Hori. Society: 



Sir— I send specimens of " Jieurre Spence " nearly or 

 quite ripe. It should be understood, that for 50 years I 

 have thought the soil at my place, not adapted "to pro- 

 duce the best pears, except certain kinds which come to 

 high perfection in it. 1 send an unripe sample of Beurre 

 Bionze, which Parmentier highly commends. Also, a 

 bunch of Grapes,* sent neither for its size nor quah'ty, 

 but novelty. It is one of tne grapes sent by the Ameri- 

 can Consul at Ferrol, to Mr Cook, late Vice President 

 of your Society. It is to me wholly new in foliage, wood, 

 bunches, berries and taste. It is a prolific grape, and' 

 can be made to produce immense bunches for those who 

 desire it ; of its value, as a fruit, it is not for me to de- 

 cide. 



I have added Beurre Crappeau and Alilanaise or Great 

 Britain ; a crisp pear when ripe. 

 I am, dear sir, very respectfully. 



Your Iniinble servant, 



JOHN LOWELL. 

 For the Committee, 



JAMES L. L. F. WARREN. 

 * 'The Grape was new to the Committee, but was found to 

 be ol verj- fine flavor. 



The reports of the Horticultural Society are necessarily 

 deferred until next week, as the committee have not 

 fully completed them. We shall publish the whole in 

 one paper, which will make it necessary for us to issue 

 an extra. 



Thanksgiving in Massachusetts.— The governor of 

 this State has appointed Thlrsdav, the 29th day of No- 

 vember next, as a day of Public Thanksgiving and 

 Praise. 



The heaviest \\ heat and Rye crop, perhaps ever taken 

 in this county, has been gathered within tlie last fort- 

 night— in good order— plump and well filled. The grass 

 crop is also good. The Corn croj), which, ut the outset 

 wa.s very promising, has been seriously injured in some 

 parts of the county from a long prevailing drought In 

 the south and southwest portion of the county it will be 

 an entire failure. Many of ourfarmersin Wa'rwick- the 

 southern part of Minisink— and in Sussex Co. N J are 

 now engaged in cutting it up. The Oat, Potato, and 

 Buckwheat crops have suffbred severely from like causes 

 In the other sections of the county, where the drought 

 has not been so severely felt, the Corn crop particuli^ly 

 IS very promising.- GosKen .V. Y. Republican. 



The Stockholders of the Eastern Railroad have re- 

 solved to complete their railroad as far as Newburvnort 

 and to put the rest to the East line of the State under 

 contract as soon as they have satisfactory assurances that 

 It will be continued to Portsmouth. 



The Trustees of the Maryland Agricultural Society 

 have postponed the Fair which was to have been held 

 on the 1st of November, on account of the deplorable 

 ilrought which has prevailed throughout the Eastern 

 ^hore. 



