1860. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



255 



of stock Ijetter than any other, and it is not very- 

 costly to build, where there are stones enough to 

 build it. I think the Avail should be about two feet 

 on the ground, and two and a half feet high. The 

 posts should be set one foot in the ground, and 

 about eight feet apart ; the boards being seven- 

 teen feet long, and about eight inches wide. Al- 

 ways spike the board on to the round side of the 

 post, otherwise the wind, in swaying the boai'ds 

 to and fro, will draw out the spike. Where ce- 

 dar, chestnut or oak is not plenty, brown ash 

 makes a very good fence-post. 



We have had beautiful weather since last De- 

 cember. Sap has run well the past Aveek, which 

 is early for this section of country. The prospect 

 is fair for a good sugar year. There is but little 

 snow in the fields, and the grass has started in 

 some places. Wild geese Averc flying to the north 

 on the IGth. Spring birds Avere seen on the 14th. 



Neicbunj, VL, March, 18G0. T. P. Bailey. 



For the New England Fanner. 

 CLOVER AS A FEKTILIZER. 



Mr. Editor : — There seems to be a diversity 

 of opinion in regard to clover improving the soil 

 by ploAving under. I noticed in the Farmer of 

 the 24th lUt. a statement by "W. E. D.," claim- 

 ing as a result of his experiment Avhere he ploAved 

 in grass, getting a much poorer crop than Avhen 

 there was no grass. He does not say whether it 

 •was herdsgrass, redtop or something else. If 

 either of these, I do not see as he has tested the 

 value of clover, of Avhich he first speaks. Now you 

 ai'e well aAvare that clover is, according to the laws 

 of A'egetation, a great extractor from the atmo- 

 sphere, and is abundantly supplied with leaves 

 which are spread to the Avind, and take in carbon 

 and nitrogen ; its roots are thrust into the subsoil 

 and take up the salts Avhich other plants do not 

 reach ; here we have mineral elements combined ; 

 when the clover is turned under, and we plant 

 with corn, it has an abundance of nutriment neces- 

 sary for its groAvth. Oliver Marcy, in his address 

 upon agriculture, says, Avherever you can get a 

 crop of clover you may get a crop of corn. If you 

 have nothing but a sand-bank, put on something 

 to make your seed catch and stimulate the plant, 

 and everything that is in the soil, air and rain 

 ■will be brought into the crop. Turn it in, and 

 you have gained much; but cart off the green 

 crops and you have lost the essential materials 

 which the plants extracted from the atmosphere. 

 Even that powerful stimulant, guano, cannot pro- 

 duce a crop after a fcAV repetitions. We hear of 

 the old, Avorn-out tobacco lands of Virginia being 

 completely renovated by green crops. I hope to 

 hear more upon this subject, as i think it Avill 

 prove beneficial to many. I commenced one year 

 ago to experiment with clover as a fertilizer, and 

 at some future time I Avill give you the results of 

 my experiment. w. E. J. 



Hatfield, March, 1860. 



Pie-Plaxt Wine. — The manufacture of wine 

 from the stalks of pie-plant or rhubarb, has be- 

 come quite an item in some sections of the West. 

 For tAvo years past, we have tasted of it among 

 our many western friends, and have often found 



it very pleasant. It is much improved by age, al- 

 though when quite nCAv it is palatable, and very 

 valuable in the kitchen pastry department. Last 

 summer, we had the pleasure of tasting some that 

 had been made eight years, and found it to re- 

 semble a pure Mansinello Avine, oily and mild, yet 

 with a pleasant aroma. The maker Avas William 

 GlasgoAv, Jr., Esq., of St. Louis, the "Longworth" 

 of wine-making in Missouri. — Ohio Farmer. 



EXTRACTS AND REPLIES. 



CAUTION TO BEE-KEEPEKS. 



I find that many patent hive venders are mak- 

 ing very free Avith my name, attaching it to re- 

 commendations of hives that I have never heard of, 

 as an inducement to persons to buy their Avorth- 

 loss trash. This has been done in many quarters, 

 till my reputation for consistency is in great need 

 of repairs. Take a sample of one of the boldest, 

 emanating from some point in Michigan, Avhere it 

 Avas supposed, no doubt, that it might escape my 

 notice : 



"This is the only patent hive ever used by 

 QuiNBY, the greatest bee-raiser in the United 

 States, Avho, before it Avas patented, off"cred $120 

 for his individual right, noAV sold for $5." 



And to make it still more like truth, he gives 

 my name among others for reference. I Avish it 

 distinctly understood, that / never offered a dol- 

 lar for a patent hive yet. That I never recom- 

 mended any of them, hut those toith the movable 

 combs. And to prevent being accused of inter- 

 ested motives, even here, I Avould say that I have 

 no interest in am/ of them beyond an individual 

 right to use. Of these rights I have any number 

 presented me. 



I Avould like to have this rascality exposed ; it 

 would save some of the readers of the Farmer the 

 trouble of Avriting, and of my answering numerous 

 letters asking to be further assured of my opinion 

 of this or that hive. M. Quinby. 



St Johmville, N. Y., 1860. 



A SPECIFIC FOB THE ONION MAGGOT. 



As soon as there are any appearances of the 

 maggot, remove the dirt from the bulb of all your 

 onions, and the invaders will take French leave, 

 or some feathered prowler Avill nab them for a 

 breakfast. 



This prevents as well as cui-es. The onion is 

 tenacious of life, and removing the earth from 

 contact with the bulb does not prevent the groAvth 

 or perfection of the plant, as the fibrous roots are 

 amply sufficient for its complete development. 



Nathan Ryder. 



New Haven, March 31, 1860. 



CULTIVATION OF A^thITE PINES. 



About eighteen years since I assisted in setting 

 nearly 3000 Avhite pines upon a lot of sandy land 

 nearly Avorn-out, and of little value. We pro- 

 cured the trees from a piece of land about to be 

 ploAved near a lot of young pines. A large pro- 

 portion of the trees were from six to tAvelve inches 

 in height, but thinking we Avould have some very 

 good ones, Ave took pains to get a fcAv that were 

 very thrifty, from three to five feet in height ; 

 more than one-half the large ones died, Avhile the 



