1860. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



407 



an extent never before known ; in pastures the 

 growth of grass was checked, but meadows were 

 still more seriously injured. In some portions of 

 the State where the frosts had been most destruc- 

 tive, they were followed by a drouth of long con- 

 tinuance, which was even more hurtful to the 

 grass than the frosts had been ; consequently the 

 quantity of butter and cheese, and the number of 

 fat cattle and sheep, furnished from those sec- 

 tions, were much less than usual. The anticipated 

 scarcity of fodder compelled many farmers to sell 

 young stock to be slaughtered, the loss of which 

 will be felt for several years. This drouth served 

 to demonstrate that only well drained and deeply 

 tilled lands can be relied on in a dry season, for 

 on such lands the herbage was often luxuriant 

 and fresh, while old and untilled pastures were 

 almost worthless. At no distant day arrange- 

 ments will doubtless be made in Ohio for irriga- 

 tion wherever it can readily be done. Draining 

 tiles and mole plows were exhibited at many 

 fairs, and the manufacture of tiles has been com- 

 menced in various parts of the State. 



The President is gratified to report that farm- 

 mers' clubs are becoming more common in vari- 

 ous parts of the State, and that the standard ag- 

 ricultural works which have been placed in Dis- 

 trict school libraries by the State Superintendent, 

 are extensively read and highly prized by the 

 families into which they are received. He regrets 

 the decrease of more than 30 per cent, in the num- 

 ber of sheep fronf 1854 to 1858, by the annual 

 destruction of $150,000 worth of this kind of 

 property by dogs. The great expense of fencing 

 out other peoples' animals should no longer be 

 imposed on farmers. 



seems to flourish alike in the West, the South 

 and New England. It is anticipated that, with 

 good weather, the Ohio vineyards will yield this 

 year 1,600,000 gallons. There are also extensive 

 vinevards in Missouri and other Western States, 

 and in North and South Carolina, Georgia, Ten- 

 nessee and Texas. The culture is also extending 

 in Connecticut. Grape growers say this is to be 

 a great wine year. — Cincinnati Press. 



OBlGrlN OF PLANTS. 



OHIO GRAPE CULTUKE. 

 Mr. R, Buchanan, of this city, who has been 

 identified with grape culture since it was first at- 

 tempted in Ohio, for wine-making purposes, says 

 there are now about four thousand acre? laid in 

 Ohio, of which about half are in the immediate 

 vicinity of Cincinnati. The yield last year is es- 

 timated at 350 gallons per acre, for the whole 

 State, which is much above the usual average. 

 From a careful estimate of the vintages for the 

 twelve years, the average yield of the Ohio Val- 

 ley is 200 gallons per acre ; on well cultivated 

 vineyards, in favorable positions, 300 gallons, 

 which is about the average product in France and 

 Germany. In Missouri and Illinois the yield did 

 not exceed 200 per acre, owing to the prevalence 

 of the rot, and in Tennessee, Georgia and South 

 Carolina, it is very much reduced by a destructive 

 frost in April. It is said that the amount as well 

 as the quality of the various wines produced in 

 the different States of the Union is steadily gain- 

 ing. The business is as profitable as any branch 

 of agriculture — perhaps more so at present prices 

 — two or three dollars per gallon. The culture 

 of the grape has become very extensive in this 

 country. It is not confined to any section, but 



Should the following record interest our read- 

 ers as it has us, it will fully repay the space it oc- 

 cupies in our columns. 



Madder came from the East. 



Celery originated in Germany. 



The chestnut came from Italy. 



The onion originated in Egypt. 



Tobacco is a native of Virginia. 



The nettle is a native of Europe. 



The citron is a native of Greece. 



The pine is a native of the East. 



Oats originated in North Africa. 



Rye came originally from Siberia. 



Parsley Avas first known in Sardinia. 



The pear and apple are from Europe. 



Spinach was first cultivated in Arabia. 



The sunflower was first brought from Peru. 



The mulberry tree originated in Persia. 



The gourd is probably an Eastern plant. 



The walnut and peach came from Persia. 



The horse-chestnut is a native of Thibet. 



The cucumber came from the East Indies. 



The quince came from the island of Crete. 



The radish is a native of China and Japan. 



Peas are supposed to be of Egyptian origin. 



The garden beans come from the East Indies. 



The garden cress is from Egypt and the East. 



Horseradish came from the south of Europe. 



Zealand flax shows its origin by its name. 



The coriander grows wild near the Mediterra- 

 nean. 



The Jerusalem artichoke is a Brazilian product. 



Hemp is a native of Persia and the East Indies. 



The cranberry is a native of Europe and America. 



The parsnip is supposed to have been a native 

 of Arabia. 



The potato is a well known native of Peru ard 

 Mexico. 



The currant and goosebeiTy came from South- 

 ern Europe. 



Rape seed and cabbage grow wild in Sicily and 

 Naples. 



Buckwheat came originally from Siberia and 

 Tartary. 



Barley was first found in the mountains of Him- 

 alaya. 



Millet was first known in India and Abyssinia. 



Writers of undeniable respectabiHty state that 

 the cereals and others of these edible productions 

 grow spontaneously in that portion of Tartary 

 east of the Bela Tagh and north of the Himalaya 

 mountains. — Porter'' s Spirit. 



When Sheridan was asked at an amateur play 

 which performer he liked best, ho replied, "The 

 prompter ; for I saw less and heard more of him 

 than of any one else !"' 



