1860. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



161 



BETJRKE KEirarES PEAK. 



The Beurre Kennes is a fine new Belgian vari- 

 ety, described and figured in the thu-d vohnne of 

 the Annales de Pomologie. 



Size, medium. Form, pyriform, inclining to 

 turbinate, some specimens flattened at the poles. 

 Calyx, sunk in a moderately deep cavity. Stem, 

 about one inch in length, planted on the apex, 

 sometimes in a fleshy ring or protuberance. Col- 

 or, brownish green, colored with a thin gauze-like 

 covering of russet, stippled with red and gray dots ; 

 at maturity yellowish, suffused with a mixture of 

 brown and crimson on the sunny side. Flesh, 

 yellowish-white, melting and juicy. Flavor, sweet, 

 rich, with a very agreeable aroma. Season, Oc- 

 tober to November. Quality, "best." The tree 

 succeeds well on the quince stock, bearing regular 

 and abundant crops, but has not yet been proved 

 on the pear stock. The fruit is borne in clusters, 

 and adheres stronglv during the gales of autumn. 



About Corn. — A\Tiat becomes of the corn crop ? 

 According to the last census, the corn crop of the 

 United States, in the aggregate, amounted to about 

 600,000,000 bushels annually. How and in what 



manner is such a vast amount of gi-ain consumed 

 profitably for the producer ? Of the crop of 1850, 

 about 4,500,000 bushels were exported, and more 

 than 11,000,000 bushels were consumed in the 

 manufacture of spirituous liquors. The balance 

 was used at home, as food for man and beast. 

 Since that time, the amount consumed in the man- 

 ufacture of alcohol and high wines must have 

 largely increased to keep pace with the growing 

 demand for alcohol in the manufacture of Ijurning 

 fluid. — Prairie Farmer. 



ADVANTAGES OF A HEAVY SOIL. 



A clay soil Avell under-drained, is undoubtedly 

 the most perfect soil in existence. I have heard 

 cultivators say they did not want a soil that needed 

 any artificial drainage ; in other words they desired 

 one so light and porous that water could not be 

 long retained by it. Long experience has led rne 

 to a very diff'erent conclusion. A porous soil will 

 not retain manure long enough to become as fer- 

 tile as I wish, and the cost of frequent manurings 

 which it must receive, if I get large crops, is not 

 a small item. On the other hand, a heavy or 

 strong loam will hold for a great while all it gets. 

 But unless a heavy soil has a porous subsoil, which 

 I is very rare, it will not allow the water to drain oiF 

 j so readily as good farming requires — passing, as 



