398 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER 



Jl'NEia, IS' 



AKD HORTICULTURAL RKGI9TER. 



Edited by Joseph Breck. 



iJosToN, Wednesday, June 12, 1844. 



CULTIVATION OF THE SUN-FLOWER. 

 Mb Breck — The euggcsdon of your correspondent 

 " D." in your paper of tlie 29th ult., relative to the rais- 

 ing of sun-flower seed for poultry, is well worthy of at- 

 tention, as I can attest from experience. I do not es- 

 teem these seed any less valuable for fowls than oats. 

 Three years ago, I saved upwards of two bushels, which 

 were fed to my hens while they lasted, without grain of 

 any kind ; and I could not perceive that the fowls 

 throve less well upon this feed than when kept on oats. 

 I did not apprtipriate or prepare any particular spot for 

 the sunflowers, but planted iheni in waste placis, 

 which would not have been occupied with any thing 

 valuable; and I reconimond their culture in this way to 

 all farmers, for the sake of the seed for fowls. 



PRUNING FRUIT TREES. 

 Having practiced for the last fifteen years the plan of 

 pruning fruit trees late in June, and having succeeded 

 by this course much better than formerly, when, accord- 

 ing to general usage in my section, 1 pruned in May, 

 (sometimes in April,) 1 feel authorized to recommend 

 pruning in the latter part of June as preferable to any 

 other time. 1 do not know that this accords with the 

 experience of others, but I feel well assured that if any 

 who doubt Its superiority over other methods, will give 

 it a fair trial, thiiy will not abandon it. The wounds 

 Ileal sooner by pruning at that period, than when done 

 at any other which I have tried. 



HILLING AND NiOT HILLING POTATOES. 

 The old practice of hilling corn (which never had 

 any merit to recom i.end it, save its antiquity.) is now 

 almost universally discarded by Judicious farmers; and, 

 from a sm^ll experiment I made last year, (and which I 

 mean to extend this,) witli respect to the comparative 

 merits of hillin;; and not hillirrg potatoes, in hoeing, 1 

 am inclined to think that t!in same practice may well be 

 discarded in the management of this crop also. I left 

 two rows in the piece unbilled — that is, making only a 

 very slight hill at the first hoeing, and not enlarging the 

 hills at the two subsequent hoeings. The whole piece 

 was hoed three times in the course of tfie season, and at 

 each of these times the hills in all the rows save these 

 two, were increased in size, as usual. At harvest, I 

 measured the products of twt» rows on each side of the 

 two unbilled, and the last gave ftc? pecks more (and 

 larger potatoes) than the mean product of the other four 

 By making large hills, 1 suspect we deprive the crop of 

 an important share of the beneficial influences of the 

 enn and atmospheric moisture. 



Potatoes need a free and mellow be d to grow in, but 

 this is not best secured by increasing the size of the hill 

 ojttr planting ; — it should be done principally before 

 that, — at least, so I have been led to think from recent 

 observation. 



It is bard for us to give up our old prejudices, and 

 abandon our old practices ; hut self-interest — that om- 

 nipotent incentive--! think will, ere long, consign the 

 practicp.i of hilling corn and hilling potatoes, to the re- 

 ceptacle of things which the wiser-grown generations of 

 the sons have discovered weic unwise in their fathers. 

 Yours, truly. An Old Farmeii. 



L , Mass , June l.s(, 1S44. 



Uj"' An Old Farmer's" doctrine respecting hilling 



corn or potatoes, we believe to be correct. It will be 

 seen by reading the article on another page on the cul- 

 ture of the potato, that we differ from the editor of the 

 American Agriculturist in the matter of hilling potatoes. 

 His experience is in favor of the practice — ours is not. 

 We have e.'sperimented particularly with potatoes, and 



MASS. HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



EXHIBITION or FLOWERS. 



Saturday, June 8, 16 



From M. P. Wilder, President of the Society, b. 



ful specimens of Erica radiata and ampullacie in pi 



From Wm. E. Carter, a great variety of cut flo 



found that where no hill «as made, but the crround kept I T""° 'l'"'"'' T'l' ^^^"'"'f '"'"'■'•^''- Baplisia 

 ,.,,,, , , , , ° ; ph», and var. Sophura, Polemonium, new var, 



perfectly light between the plants, the difference in fa " ■ 



vor of not lulling was very great. The ground, how- 

 ever, should be plowed deep and finely pulverized for 

 potatoes, as well as corn, or any other crop. There is 

 a great loss to the farmer by not giving the ground a 

 thorough preparation to begin with. 



" An Old Farmer" has our thanks for his valuable 

 communication, and we are highly flattered by his note 

 accompanying it. It is our great desire to make the 

 paper interesting to our readers. From numerous 

 sources we have had the approbation of valued corres 

 pundents, which encourages us to believe that our ef- 

 forts are not altogether in vain. We have not the van- 

 ity, however, to publish these tokens of approbation, 

 as is customary with some individuals. 



MILDEW ON GRAPES. 



One of the great obstacles in our climate, in cultivat- 

 ing the Sweetwater, and some other varieties of foreii'n 

 grapes, is the mildew. As the season is now approach- 

 ing when the young fruit will begin to set, we would 

 recommend the following remedy to those who have 

 been troubled with this difficulty in past years. The 

 recipe was published in the New England Farmer about 

 twelve years since, and as we have frequent inquiries as 

 to what course to pursue in such cases, we republish it 

 for the benefit of all interested in it. We know of no 

 better remedy ; — 



" Take a pint and a half of sulphur and a lump of the 

 best unslacked lime of the size of the fist" — (a good 

 large fist, we suppose)—" put these in a vessel of about 

 seven gallons' measurement; let the sulphur be thrown 

 in first, and the lime over it; then pour in a pail of 

 boiling water, stir it well, and let it stand half an hour; 

 then fill the vessel with cold water, and after stirring 

 well, allow the whole to settle. After it has become 

 settled, dip out the clear liquor into a barrel, and fill the 

 barrel with cold water, and it is fit for use. You next 

 proceed with a syringe, holding about a pint and a half, 

 and thiow the liquid with it on the vines in every direc- 

 tion, so as completely to cover foliage, fruit and wood. 

 This should be particularly done when the fruit is jusj 

 forming, and about one-third the size of a pea, and may 

 be continued twice or thrice a week, fdr two or three 

 weeks. The whole process for 200 grape vines, need 

 nut exceed half an hour." 



Lice on Dahlias. — Pols of Dahlias from green-houses, 

 are often infested with the green louse : to destroy 

 them, syringe the plants with the same solution as rec- 

 ommended for the grape. 



nies, var. Pottsii, Reevesii, and Whitleji ; new S' 

 Honeysuckle, Fraxinella Dictamus alba, and ,3 hour 



From Samuel Sweetser, a magnificent plant of 

 umph d'Arcole Rose; also, a fine specimen of C 

 speciosissimus. 



From Messrs. Hovey & Co., China and other i 

 among them the new Crimson Boursault, and H 

 China Lanzeseur ; bouquets. 



From J. Breck & Co , Ins of various sorts, Pseix 

 Fraxinellas, Pansies, Papaver orientalis, and otiier p 

 nial flowers; Roses, General Lamarque, Toiletl 

 Roses, new Crimson Boursault, &c. ; bouquets. 



From John .\. Kenrick ; Alagnulia Macrophyll 

 fine specimen ; Paiony Whitleji, Azaleas, &c. 



From J. L. L. F. Warren, Dahlias, fine Pansies* 

 handsome Seedlino; Picotees, one variety very fine. 



From Samuel Walker, Lychnis angiisti folia plei 

 very superb new perennial ; SpirsB aruncus, and . 

 cut flowers ; bouquets. 



From Parker Barnes, Honeysuckles, of sons, 

 flowers, and bouquets. 



From AVilliani Kenrick, Roses, Pieonies, var. P 

 and Whitleji, &c., Fraxinella, Spireas, Iris, Verb' 

 Delphiniums, Geraniums, with a variety of othe 

 flowers, neatly arranged, in bouquets, baskets, &c. 



From Samuel R. Johnson, Yellow Harrison and 

 and Yellow Austrian Roies, a fine display. 



For the Committee, J. BRECK, Chm 



EXHIBITION or FRUITS. 



The President of the Society presented 6 boxes 

 a branch literally loaded with fruit of the Bigarrea 

 Mai Clierry. 



J. F. Allen, Salem, presented Grapes — Black L 

 burg, superior Ferral and Bar Sur Aube, very I 

 Peaches, Royal George Clinostone ; very superior 

 fine specimens Golden Nectarines ; Black Naples 1 

 very large and fine. 



From Mrs. Howard, Brookline ; very fine Black H 

 burgh and Sweetwater grape.'i, and fine specimei 

 Aliller's Burgundy. 



From J. L. L. F. Warren, 4 boxes of very fine E 

 Virginia Strawberries 



From E. K. Whitaker, three boxes of Strawherrie 

 For the Committee, JOSIAH LOVETT, 2i 



EXHIBITION OF VEGETABLES. 



By Thomas Nugent, gardener to Mrs. Howard 

 basket of green Peas 



From John Hill, West Cambridge, a basket of gr 

 Peas. 



For the Committee, JOSEPH BRECK 



O'Two frames, covered with cotton cloth, 

 pared with Whitney's Waterproof Composition, vi 

 exhibited by Mr Dutton. This article is gettiii" ' 

 extensive use in England, as a substitute for jilass 

 horticultural purposes, the coverings lor hot-beds, 

 to protect trees, vines and wall fruit from cold, inse 

 birds, &c. — Trans. 



Transactions of the JV. Y. State Agricultural Society. 

 We are indebted to Henry O'Reilly, Esq , Secretary of 

 the New York State Agricultural Society, for the 3d 

 volume of their " Transactions." This is a highly in- 

 teresting and useful work, and reflects much credit upon 

 the Society, which, in spirit and efficiency, is second to 

 no other of like cliaracter in the country. The volume 

 contains 071 large octavo pages, embracing a number of 

 prize essays : one on Insects iiijuiious to Orchards, Gar- 

 dens, Field Crops, and Domestic Animals, by the late 

 much lamented Willis Gaylord, Esq, ; an article on the 

 Diseases and Insects most injurious to the Wheat Crop, 

 by J. J. Thomas ; abstracts of the doings of the County 

 Societies, &c. We have marked several artirles of in- 

 terest fiir publication in the Farmer. New York has 

 more able agricultural writers than any other State in 

 the Union . 



Early Virginia Straioberries — We acknowledge 

 receipt of a box of fine Early Virginia Strawber 

 from Edgar K. Whitaker, Esq , of Needham, whi 

 with a little sugar and cream, were highly relish 

 Some difference between these and the sour, decay 

 things that are sent on from Long Island and New J 

 sey. 



inrThe Cincinnati Gazette states that to preset 

 milk from souring in a thunder storm, it is only nee 

 essary to put it in a glass vessel with a glass cover, b 

 set it in a moderately cool place. 



[CFAn English chemist says that if one-quarter of I 

 human urine wasted in London annually, could 

 saved and judiciously applied to land, it would prodt 

 the astonisliing quantity of 109,087,500 lbs. of flour,, 

 about 800,000 barrels of flour. 



