410 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER, 



JtLYS, I?*:i9. 



July and August are the usual months for budding, 

 but the chorry frequently succeeds in June, and 

 the nectarine, &c. as late as September. 1" 



[For the New England Farmer] our labors, we are not only tlie imitators but the 



— humble agents of him who causes the "herb and 



Mr CoLMAN, — Our compiainU of the weather the tender grass to appear"' — "who sendeth the 



jrreater part of the failures that occur in budding | and of the seasons are so common, that an observer sunshine and the rain"—" who clothes the tempest 

 arise from its bein^ attempted at an improper lime, | might very reasonably infer, that they constituted , with its fury and who stays the angry winds"—" who 

 when the barli does not separate freely, or when I a part of our daily exercises. The sage remark ; sustains the falling sparrow and guides unnumber- 



far formed that ' that we never saw such a season before — one of so i ed worlds in their mighty careers." 

 ,.,,., uriioiisTre nolreadily made. A sure indica- much rain, so much dry ; so much cold, or so much j About the middle of May a stormy season com- 

 tion of the tree bein" in a suitable * state for bud- heat,— very naturally conveys the idea that we have mencec, with a cool temperaturj for youthful veg- 

 dinn- is the bark peeling freely ; this showing that | stood, our whole lives, at the post of observation, , etation, when it was just decorating the earth with 



the new wood for the year is so 

 new 



the cambium or new wood is ut that stage of lorina- 

 tion which btst secures the union and cousetiucnt , 

 life of the hud. To ensure success it is requisite 

 that the bud .'should be mature ; that the bark of 

 the stock separate freely ; and that the operation 

 be performed in sucli a manner, that the introduced 

 bud come in perfect contact with the stuck. 



The common practice in budding is to separate 

 the bud in such a way that the longer portion is 

 below the hud ; consequently in making the incis- 

 ion in the bark, the bud is crowded downwards 

 from the cross slit of the stock. As it is well known, 

 however, that the elaborated juices that form the 

 cambium or new wood, proceed from the leaves 

 downwards, it was suggested that the cross cut 

 made in the bark at the upptr end of the perpen- 

 dicular incision iiniBt have a tendency to cutotf the 

 downward flow of sap, and thus retard if not entire- 

 ly prevent in many cases the desired union of the 

 bud and stock. To remedy this it has been pro- 

 posed by some French and English fruit growers to 

 make the cross cut at the lowtr end of the incision, 

 and then having the bark to which the bud is at- 

 tached, longest above the bud, crowd it in the in- 

 cision upwards, instead of downwards as in the 

 usual mode. This by some is considered a decid- 

 ed improvement, but though its philosophy may be 

 . plausible, its superiority in effect to ihe former 

 mode, can only be tested by e.\perience. 



Every farmer should set apart a few rods of 

 ground for nursery purposes, in which a supply of 

 young trees, such as apples, peaches, plums, cher- 

 ries, &,c. may be kept, and these when of a suitable 

 age, say two or three years, should be grafted or 

 inoculated with the choicest varieties, and then 

 they can be transplanted or otherwise disposed of 

 at pleasure. Many kinds of fruit trees are so short 

 lived, particularly iu our climate, that unless some 

 efforts arc made to ensure a supply, and renew 

 them as the/ fail by age or other causes, we must 

 for the greater part of the time be destitute of some 

 of ilie must desirable fruits. We may mention for 

 the convenience of those who in moving or travel- 

 ling from one part of the country to another, would 

 be glad to secure a supply of buds of some favor- 

 ite fruit fur propagation ; that if the twigs on which 

 good buds lire found are cut, (and the longer the 

 better) and immediately deprived of their leaves by 

 cutting the leaf stem with a pair of scissors or a 



with weathergageiu hand, seeking out and noting all , spring's gay flowers. Such times are apt to de- 

 events of meteorological character, as varying wind, ! press the spirits of the husbandman, especially when 



falling storm, or tranquil sunshine have brought ' spring his so long been inviting him to his labors, 

 tlie.n to view. ! But the farmer here, among " the bleak hills of 



Yet if we will actually be close in our observa- ' Berkshire," must not be discouraged by unpropitious 

 tions, as every one should be, we shall find, after i circumstances. '1 he seasons may be unfavorable, 

 all, that some past year, and that not very far gone i but persevering skill will, in a great measure, over- 

 by, that the general features of the season were in come their peculiarities — the storm and the sun- 

 kind and character similar to those of the one we , shine may not be so agreeably blended as we might 

 are now passing, though in many of its qualities it i wish, but they set the " bow on the cloud, that har- 

 niay have been considerably different, variations of vest shall not fail." If the husbandman does his 

 character always being atlendant on different cir- duty, "nature and nature's God" will pretty surely 

 cumstances, and sometimes on very small changes sustain his efforts. 

 of them. Crops in general are promising. Wheat has 



As the success of the cultivator of the earth de- been sown this spring in greater quantity than for 

 pcnds in a great measure on the seasons, or, per- many past years. This is as it should be. It is a 

 haps more properly, on his adapting his operations deplorable sight, and one which ought never to of- 

 to the circumstances of the season than to seasons i fend the eye of sensibility, to see fanners buying 

 themselves, it would be wise and prudent in him ] their bread. This has been very much the case, 

 carefully to note, as their various circumstances I however, in past years, and by the horrid practice 

 change, tlie causes of such changes, if any definable of stocking lands with sheep to the exclusion of 



ones there are, and the effect attending them ; Uius 

 in future years enabling himself, or his successor, 

 to vary their operations to meet these vicissitudes. 



The current year, since winter wept itself away, 

 has varied much from the last, though it has much 

 similarity to some long gone by. In the early part 

 of April we had a few days of high summer heat, and 

 the month for the most part was very pleasant, and 

 so -warm that many supposed that a season was 

 dawning unfavorable to the growth of wheat, and 

 that corn would produce abundantly. But alas! 

 how deceitful are appearances. How often does 

 that which promises most, prove most abortive in its 

 fulfilment ! " As man flatters most" when treason 

 is lurking in his bosom, so tlie sun shines brightly 

 when the storm is gathering, and the skies are tran- 

 quil when the tornado is maturing in embryo. 



Our May was the contrast of April. Cold and 

 frost, those allied brethren, were frequent visitors 

 until the middle of the month. Still the air was 

 pure, and the earth in good condition to receive to 

 its bosom the hopclul rudiments of a future harvest. 

 Corn planting was done some ten days earlier than 

 in former seasons. It came up tvdl, stands well, 

 but the cold and storms have given it a sickly ap- 

 pearance. When a warm day comes, as a few such 

 days do come, it improves them as a thorough man 

 will a favorable day in an unfavorable harvest, and 



sharp knife, and then wrapped in wet moss or even tlie advancement it makes is such as to assure us 

 wet cloths, thev may be preserved for many dsys | that it would grow if it could. How important, 

 fresh and iiealthy state, so as scarcely to fail I then, since it is for us "that seed time and harvest" 



of growing where skilfully inserted. — Genesee Far. 



A writer in the Farmer's Cabinet says tha:tin set- 

 ting out ruta baga, &,c , he ploughs a furfow ; then 

 lays the plants in at the required distance, the tops 

 resting upon the furrow slice. He then runs the 

 plough along again, so that the furrow shall covers 

 the root. He then follows with the hoe and re- 

 lieves those which are covered too much, or cover 

 those which may not have earth enough about 

 them. 



come at their appointed seasons, that we aid the 

 struggling plant in pushing forward to maturity. 

 We are fully aware that we cannot cause the germ 

 to spring up, nor the swelling grain to ripen, yet 

 we can become the helpmeets of " nature's God," 

 who makes them grow, and by our kindness to our 

 life-sustaining mother, may enable her topnsh them 

 forth more luxuriantly and to hasten the time of 

 their full and perfect harvest. How sublime is the 

 idea, how cheering the thought that in making the 

 earth produce more abundantly by our cares and 



ploughing and stocking with grass seed, many of 

 our best farms have depreciated in v.lue. This, 

 ike all down-hill roads, is an easier way of getting 

 along, but it cannot terminate the journey nt home. 

 We rejoice to see this foolish practice in a process 

 of abandonment, and we are sure that if once given 

 up, it will never be resumed. There can be no 

 doubt but that every farm can be made to produce 

 its own grain without any diminution of grass even 

 in our imperfect system of farming, and at the same 

 time furnish a richer and healthier herbage for the 

 herds and flocks. So then by ploughing and seed- 

 ing we gain two important points. First, raise 

 our own grain, whereby we secure it to ourselves 

 and save many dollars in our State, county and 

 town — even in our oii'H pockets annuidly; and sec- 

 ond, our ground is kept iu a more healthful condi- 

 tion, whereby it produces more and a better article. 

 But there is another consideration which should 

 induce us to venerate and use the plough and hoe. 

 It furnishes a virtuous and profitable employment 

 to the long-legged boys, who can never be easy 

 witliout business, and who, unless employed in kill- 

 ing weeds might make themselves free in killing 

 birds or fish, whose claim on life is as good as theirs, 

 and whose time is often far more profitably spent. 

 Consider it, ye who delight in torture, and instead 

 of patroling the woods with your guns to shoot 

 down your friends, or in following the meandering 

 stream wi.li your fishing rod to decoy its lawful in- 

 habitants to death, "just for sport," and "to kill 

 time," occupy the leisure of spring and autumn in 

 planting trees around your dwellings, by which 

 you will invite nature's sweet songsters from the 

 distant grove to domiciliate themselves with you, 

 and inspire you at your morning and evening meal 

 with loud and unaffected " hymns of lofty cheer" to 

 him " who makes the outgoing of the morning and 

 the evening to rejoice." 



Wheat uniformly looks well. But little winter 

 wheat is sown in the region of our roundabouts, 

 but as we know not yet what we shall do we can- 



