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NEW ENGLAND FARMER 



JULT 19, 1843 



A>n HORTICULTURAL REGISTER. 



Boston, Wednesday, Jult 11), 1843. 



THE SEASON AND CROPS. 



The snows remained iipun our grounds until late — la- 

 ter than in almnst any olher year that we remember — 

 and after lliey disajipeared, the rains were copious and 

 the grounds were so wet, that the commencing of field 

 labor was deferred until two or three weeks beyond the 

 usual time of starting the plow. And when we did be- 

 gin to slir the soil, much of it was too wet for profitable 

 working. 



The wet and cold of the first part of the season, 

 caused the grass lo set thick, and was favorable to the 

 growth of winter grains. But about the 20tli of June, 

 the weatiier became unusually warm, and continued so 

 for ten or twelve days. And in many places no rain lias 

 now fallen since the J6ih of June — though some sec- 

 tions of New England have been refreshed by sliowers. 

 The change from cold and wet to heat and dryness, 

 caused a very rapid and simultaneous ripening of glass, 

 and made the hay crop somewhat less than appearances 

 indicated at the first of July — though we say now, as 

 we did last week, that the crop will be sufficient to pre- 

 sorre us from any scarcity. But the grounds are not in 

 a favorable state for an after-growth or second crop. 

 The heat followed the rains so immediately, that the 

 grounds, even the swarded lands, are baked and hard, so 

 that the grass will not start freely after the scythe, it 

 cannot grow until we are favored with copious rains. 

 The hay crop from high lands has been secured wilh 

 great facility and in good condition. 



The tilled lands are suffering from lack of moisture ; 

 and those which were wet when plowed in the spring, 

 suffer most. This is the natural and necessary conse- 

 quence where the ground lumps as you work it in 

 spring. These lumps are less retentive of moisture than 

 well pulverized soil. Many farmers in their hurry to 

 get spring work along, will plow and harrow before the 

 soil is dry enough to break ;freely under their instru- 

 ments, and in doing so leave the hind in nn unfavorable 

 state for the growth of iheir plants, and also put it in a 

 condition wliich causes it to become exceedingly dry in 

 the lime ofdrought. It would be bettor to wait until 

 the ground became dryer, before tha plow was put to it. 



Indian corn has grown rapidly for the last three weeks, 

 and is as forward now as it has been at the same season 

 of the year in the two last summers. The appearances 

 are that this crop may be fair. 



Potatoes, beets, and roots generally are suffHring from 

 drought. Early potatoes, on high lands, must be small, 

 fqr their growth has already been checked ; and when 

 once checked after the tubers are formed, subsequent 

 rain, however abundant, never causes tht-m to do well: 

 it may improve theio — but we believe it never makes 

 them good in either quantity or quality. The late pota- 

 toes have yet a chance to do well. 



Frutl. — As far as our observation ex^tends, fruit gen- 

 erally is far from abundant on the trees, And very much 

 of what has been there, the heat has brought to the 

 ground. Peach trees and grape vines suffered much 

 from the winter. Peaches are few on the trees — and 

 the grapes in open culture have not set very well. Ap- 

 ples anil pears are far from being abundant, on the trees 

 generally ilinn have come within the range of our obset- 

 vation, and the crop, we infer, will bo less than an ave- 

 rage one. 



WET MEADOW OR FRESH HAY MAKING. 



The natural grasses that grow upon wet lands, make 

 a large part of ibe winter food of cattle upon very many 

 farms. Some of these grasses, as the fowl-meadow, the 

 blue-joint, and generally those that grow on the firmer 

 parts of the meadow and hear seed abundantly, furnish 

 very good food for stock. Lands in which such grasses 

 abound, are as profitable as any on the farm. Hay 

 from such grasses is more allied to the higli land or Eng- 

 lish hay, than to meadow or fresh hay And it may be 

 best cured in the same way that the English is best cured. 

 But the less valuable grasses upon our bog and peat 

 lands, which aie winter food of the slock upon many 

 farms, is not generally relished so well by our animals 

 when it is thoroughly and rapidly dried in the sun and 

 then stowed away immediately in the barn or tlio stack, 

 as it ia if cocked up when but half dried and left to 

 make in cock, or if put into the barn when not more 

 than two-thirds dried, and then well sailed. Either let 

 such hay make mostly in cock, or else mow it aivay be- 

 fore it is dry, salting it well as the mowing is going on. 



These meadow grasses make better hay when cut 

 young — that is, in the laet week in July or the first in 

 August, than when suffered to stand until September. 

 The early cutting is thought, however, to have a ten- 

 dency to lessen the quantity of grass in future years. If 

 so, the cause of the diminution is, that no new seed is 

 dropped upon the land from year to year, and few, if 

 any, new grass roots get a hold in the soil. If the 

 grasses are suffered to get ripe, before they are cut, such 

 of them as bear seed will shed the seed, and thus make 

 provision for keeping the gra§s undiminished in quanti- 

 ty in future years. 



Such is the common reasoning : it may be correct, 

 but it does not fully satisfy us. It is a fact that the wet 

 meadows generally give less grass now ^than they did 

 30 or 50 years ago ; and it is also a fact that we mow 

 earlier than our fathers did. But it does not necessarily 

 follow that early mowing is the cause of the decrease of 

 growth. The meadows are generally becoming harder 

 and dryer — partly from processes in nature, in which 

 the low places retain the decaying and decayed matters 

 that have grown there, and also are the receptacles of 

 what the rains carry down fiom the surrounding high- 

 lands. Here is one cause of tlio hardening of the lands 

 where our fresh meadow hay grows. Another cause, 

 not universal, but yet common, is the opening of ditch- 

 es and partial draining of the grounds. Now, as the 

 grounds become harder and dryer, many kinds of the 

 meadow grasses will die out and this loo whether we 

 mow e.irly or late. Wet lands are the only ones in 

 which they can flourish. 



We must expect this diminution of the natural 

 grasses, as fast as our wet lands become dryer. When 

 they reach the condition in which the growth upon 

 them is of little value, then ditch thoroughly, reclaim 

 and bring in the English grasses. Thus these low lands 

 are made the best there are for producing hay. 



Good Suggestion. — Gov. Seward, in his address to the 

 N. Y. State Agricul. Society, said : " You have already 

 wisely employed the agency of association, but the prin- 

 ciple is susueptible of more varied and comprehensive 

 application. Be not content wilh organizing a State 

 Society and county associations ; but organize an agri- 

 cultural society in every school district, and thus secure 

 the co-operation of all our citizens. Such associations, 

 while they would promote agricultural fellowship, and 

 vigorously second etforts immediately lending to the 

 improvement of the art, would watch over the interests 

 of education and of agriculture in the schools, in the pri- 

 mary action of society, and in the legislative councils." 



MASS. HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



IXHIBITION OF FLOWERS. 



Saturday, July 15, 1843. 



Carnations and Picotees, by Joseph Bieck & Co., of 

 Boston; John Hovey, of Roxbury ; S. R. Johnson, ot 

 Charleslown; S. Sweetser, of VVoburn ; J. L. L. F, 

 Warren, of Brighton ; and Samuel Walker, of Roubury, 



In Mr Breck's collection, we noticed several seedling 

 Picotees of considerable merit, some of them deserving 

 of a name. 



Bouquets, by Messrs. Warren, Kenrick, Hovey and 

 Walker. 



Roses, and a variety of fine cut flowers, by S. R, 

 Johnson, Charleslown. 



Dahlias, by Messrs. P. Barnes and J. L. L. F. Warren 



J. F. Trull, of Dorchester, presented specimens ol 

 Verbena, Roses, Lilies, Dahlias, Carnations, Larkspurs, 

 &c. &c. 



For the Committee, 



S. WALKER, Ch'mn. 



The committee appointed to award the premiums oi 

 Carnations and Picotees, report as follows : 



That ihe Jst premium for the best display of flowers 

 should be awarded to Joseph Breck (fc^Co. 



For the 2d best display of flowers, to S. Walker. 



For the best seedling, to Joseph Breck & Co. ; a beau 



tiful Picotee. C. M. Hovev, ) , , 



Ti 1117 r, / Judses. 



H. W. DUTTON, J = 



exhibition of FROITS. 



From J. Hovey, Roxbury ; two boxes of Gooseber 

 riea. 



From Otis Johnson, Lynn ; six boxes Cherries, viz 

 Black Tartarean, White Bigarreau, Honeylieart, an 

 Bigarrcau Cceuret — very fine specimens. Also, a dis 

 of superb Coolidge's Favorite Peaches. 



From S. Pond — one boxof Downer's Red Cherry, an 

 one box of Raspberries. 



From Hovay &. Co. — New Victoria Raspberry, anii 

 one box Ohio Ever-bearing Raspberry. Also, one bo< 

 each of White Grape, Long Bunched and Knight 

 early red Currants. 



From John A. Kenrick — one box Black Tartareai 

 four do. Red Ox-heart, five do. White Bigarreau Che: 

 ries, and one box Black Mulberries. 



From J. F. Allen, Salem— one dish of Gross Mi; 

 nonne Peaches, forced, and Ihe glass taken off in Juni 

 Black Hamburg, Wiiite Frontignac, and Black Grapet 

 the last from St. Michael, (Azures)— all very fine. A 

 so, a dish of fino Black Figs. Mr Allen informs us tin 

 he has already picked nearly four hundred figs froi 

 one tree, and will probably pick more than two hundre 

 more. He also exhibited a box of Hovey 'a scedlir 

 Strawberry. It is the third week this gentleman lii 

 shown ibis variety. 



From George Walsh, Charleslown — 10 boxes of Che 

 ries, of three different sorts, without name, all blaek- 

 one variety larger than the Black Tartarean, and a 

 very fine in flavor and appearance. 



From J. L L. F. Warren — a fine display of Cherries 

 10 boxes, consisting of the Black Tartarean, Napoleo 

 Carnalion, and Sparrowhawk's Honey. Also, one dii 

 of Scarlet Nectarines. 



From N. U. Chase, Lynn — one box of magnifice 

 Black Tartarean Cherries. 



From John C Howard — Black Hamburg and Whi 

 Chasselas Grapes — fine specimens. Also, Napolei 

 Bigarreau, Honeyheart, and a cherry unknown, ai 

 two boxes fine White and Red Dutch Currants. 



The show of Cherries has been finer today than 

 any other time this season, and there were so mar 

 competitors, and the fruit so superior, that it will bedif 

 cult to determine who shall stand at the head. 

 For the Committee, 



JOSEPH aaECK. 



EXHIBITION OF VEGETABLES. 



Hill's early White Potatoes — fine specimens — frc 

 A. U. Williams ; also, early Carrots. 



Fine specimens of Scollop Squash, and good spei 

 mens of Cucumber, open culture, from J. F. Trull, Di 

 cheater. For the Committee, 



JNO. C. HOWARD. 



Welting gooseberry ^bushes with fresh lime-wa 

 whilst the sun is shining strongly, will, it is said, destr 

 the eaterpillar. 



