VOL. XVII NO. 53. 



AND HORTICULTURAL REGISTER 



411 



not but think, and we hope it is not a foolish imag- 

 ination of our lieart, that it will eventually be rais- 

 ed in considerable quantity in our goodly Gotham. 

 The principal obstacle seems to be its liability to 

 heave out by the frost, and we arc of opinion tliat 

 if in stocking our land we will heave in liberal 

 quantities of plaster and clover seed, the product 

 of the last to be ploughed in when it has attained 

 its full grovvth, that our land will eventually be- 

 come more porous, so that the superfluous moisture 

 will pass off, that this evil will be reduced at least. 



Oats are not as much sown as usual ; they look 

 very well, as also do potatoes. Corn will give a 

 good harvest if we have a plenty of warm weather. 

 It grows as fast as possible. Grass looks accord- 

 ing to circumstances. Where plaster has been 

 sown on favorable lands, this spring, it looks very 

 well. It was much injured by the dry weather 

 early in May. 



Yours truly, W. B. 



Mount Osceola, June, 18.39. 



[From the Farmers' Cabniel,] 



PAT MUTTON— ROOTS. 



It is to be regretted that so little attention is 

 paid to the proper sheltering of cattle in this coun- 

 try. One would naturally suppose that the inter- 

 ests of owners would point out a proper course ; 

 and that once systematized, and the advantages of 

 strictly attending to the comfort and convenience 

 of our cattle made manifest, even to the most scep- 

 tical, that whole neighborhoods would adopt the 

 system, and that, in a reasonable length of time, it 

 would very extensively, if not universally prevail. 

 It is lamentable to say that this is not the case. 

 For some reason or other, which I have not as yet 

 been able to ascertain, improvements make but slow 

 advances among our farmers. It may be, that they 

 consider improvements as innovations in those cus- 

 toms which have "grown with their growth." 

 Some, with the evidence before their eyes, evidence 

 which they cannot possibly resist or gainsay, refuse 

 to profit by the experience of others. I have sev- 

 eral cases in point, one of which I will note. For 

 a number of years I have been in the habit of at- 

 tending the Philadelphia market, principally with 

 mutton, and as I always personally surperintend my 

 sheep and other animals on the farm, and saw that 

 they were regularly and sufficiently fed, I generally 

 brought meat which I was not ashamed of, and which 

 by its ffood quality recommended itself to purchas- 

 ers, insomuch that I had no difficulty in securing 

 a regular set of good customers, who cheerfully paid 

 a fair price for a good article. Some of my neigh- 

 bors attended the same market — but as I generally 

 sold out first, they thought I was " uncommonly 

 lucky." Four years since I obtained a quantity of 

 the seed of the French sugar beat, and put in an 

 acre by way of experiment, not in the way of mak- 

 ing sugar, but the making of fat. This first trial 

 fixed me. My cows, sheep, and hogs were very 

 fond of them, during the long and severe winter 

 which followed. They all kept in good heart and 

 condition ; what surprised me most was the rapid 

 manner in which my sheep fed on the sugar heat, 

 took on fat ; and when carried to market the sad- 

 dles excited particular attention, from their very 

 superior appearance. But it was not in appearance 

 only : the meat was of much belter quality, more 

 juicy, and exceedingly tender. The inquiry was, 

 " why, sir, on what do you fatten your sheep ?" 

 And when I replied on the sugar beet, hay, and a 



small portion of corn, it would generally call forth 

 an exclamation of surprise. Ever since I have 

 been a grower of the sugar beet, the meat I take 

 to market is always in demand, and brings several 

 cents more per pound than that fattened in the old 

 way; and yet, strange to say, some of my neigh- 

 bors, although I have urged them, will not plant the 

 beet for their stock. I have been benefited to the 

 extent of several hundred dollars by the introduc- 

 tion of this root — the effects are visible — my 

 neighbors know it — and yet they stand lookers on, 

 halting between two opinions. But light is break- 

 ing in upon us, and of one thing you may be assur- 

 ed, that is that the time is not far distant whtn every 

 extensive stock feeder will be an extensive root 

 grower. 



To the delinquents, and there are many in my 

 vicinity, I would say, « rouse ye from your lethargy 

 and altliough for the present season you have 

 lost the advantage of planting the sugar beet and 

 the mangel wurtzel, yet you may in some measure 

 atone for your past neglect, by putting in immediate- 

 ly a sufficient quantity of ruta baga. Vou have time 

 enough for this, but none to lose. The ruta baga 

 is an excellent root — plant it liberally — cultivate, it 

 thoroughly — and you will find your account in it in 

 more ways than one, if you are spared until the en- 

 suing winter. Depend upon it, there is nothing bet- 

 ter for cattle than roots, properly prepared. I put in 

 some of almost all kinds ; and I find carrots answer 

 well for a change. But with me the sugar beet 

 is superior to all others. My way of feeding is 

 simple. Whenthp cattle are housed they are kept 

 constantly furnished with good hay, have roots three 

 times a day, with an occasional change to corn or 

 cut feed. I find great benefit from currying my 

 cows — indeed, it seems to me as necessary to curry 

 a cow as a horse — and if any one will make the 

 experiment as I did on two o.xen, it will remove 

 every doubt. They were both put up at the same 

 time — fed precisely alike — and the treatment 

 throughout was similar in every respect, except in 

 the use of the curry comb, and the ox on which it 

 was used was in reality, as well as in appearance, 

 six per cent, better than his fellow. The cause of 

 this must be apparent to every reflecting mind. 



N.I. 

 Delnivare county. May I8th, 1839. 



machia quadrifolia, Lysimachia thrysifolia, Cro- 

 tolaria sagittalis, Arenaria peploides, Hud sonia 

 tomentosa, Cnicus horridulus, Verbascum thap- 

 sus, Azalea viscosa, Salsola salsa, MitchcUa re- 

 pens, Lathyrus maripinus. 



For the Commiltee, 



S. WALKER, Chairman. 



BOTANIC 



GARDEN AND 

 TORY. 



CONSERVA- 



MassacUiisetts Horticultural Society. 



Satnrduy, June 29tli, 1839 

 Our tables were again decorated with some of 

 Flora's choicest gifts. Among them we particular- 

 ly noticed some pot plants from John Towne, Esq., 

 viz: Erica ventricosa superba; do. Rubens and 

 Roella ciliata ; and the fine collection of Roses 

 by S. R. .Tohnson, Esq., of Charlestowu. 



Dahlias, by Henry Sheafe, Esq. ; Mr Mason, 

 from his garden, East Boston, and from the garden 

 of Mr James L. L. F. Warren, Brighton. 



Bouquets, from Messrs William Kenrick, Mason, 

 John Hovey, Winship, and Walker. y 



Pinks, by Samuel Walker, of Roxbury, 

 JVative plants, by William Oakes, E^q., Orchis 

 grandiflora, Viburnum lantanoides, pyrifolium and 

 acerifolium, Acer Pennsylvanicum, Corallorhiza 

 multiflova, Pyrola chlorantha, Hottonia inflata, 

 Lmntea borealis. 



JVative plants, by E.. Weston, Jr. Esq., and F. 

 Parker, Cymbidium pulchellum, Kalmia latifolia, 

 Arethusa ophiglossoides, Vaccinium macrocarpon, 

 Hypericum perforatum, Andromeda polifolia, Lysi- 



We have been very much gratified with the ex- 

 hibition of Roses at the Conservatory of the Botanic 

 Garden, for which prizes have been adjudged, 

 amounting to 75 dollars. We have for some time 

 intended to notice this establishment, and think 

 this affords a fit opportunity. If the increase of 

 grog shops and places of licentious resort debase 

 the morals of a people, it would seem reasonable to 

 suppose that places where beauty, order, neatness and 

 taste prevail, are open to the easy access of persons 

 of both sexes, the morals must be in an equal degree 

 elevated, and consequently the taste becomes grad- 

 ually more refined. We believe from the report of 

 travellers in Europe that this view is not theoreti- 

 cal, but is completely proved by the crowds of or- 

 derly persons who fi'equent such establishments 

 there, and whose countenances and demeanor ex- 

 hibit the quiet pleasure they enjoy. For this, and 

 many other obvious reasons,, we trust that the in- 

 habitants of this city, will, by their assistance and 

 countenance, cheer onward the gentlemen who are 

 directing this good work, so that it may proceed 

 towards completion and permanent stability. We 

 think the progress made, has been full as great as 

 could possibly be expected, for the time occupied 

 in converting this waste into a garden : in a few 

 weeks we believe the public may expect admis- 

 sion, and a walk round the whole area be complet- 

 ed. — The terrace on the edge of the water will 

 form a delightful evening promenade, when the 

 sun is setting behind the beautiful hills of Brook- 

 line ; and the borders are filled with as many flow 

 ers as the season permits : thus both sides will 

 oflTer various but agreeable objects to the eye. 

 We think it a happy idea to have put an open 

 fence in front, that the public at large many enjoy 

 as much as possible, the gaudy borders. Indeed, 

 we feel persuaded that the trustees are desirous of 

 p.xercising their powers in the most liberal and ju- 

 dicious way possible, keeping only in view the ne- 

 cessity of raising sufficient funds to maintain beau- 

 ty, order and neatness in the establishment, at the 

 least possible expense. 



There are many schemes of public utility which 

 may also be engrafted on this at a future period, 

 any discussion on which, would be premature at 

 present. 



Wo understand the trustees have offered premi- 

 ums to the amount of fifty dollars, for cut flowers 

 to decorate the conservatory on the 4th of July, 

 and hope this evidence of their wish to encourage 

 the trade as well as the taste, will be duly appre- 

 ciated, and meet with the return and support it 

 well merits. 



At some future time we intend to give a more 

 particular description of this garden and conserva- 

 torv as we believe they will be objects of great in- 

 terest, not only to the city, but also to the country at 

 large, and that one of the first enquiries by visiters 

 from the country, will be for these places. 



J. B. 



