452 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Oct. 



"Hundreds of farmers in this State do not raise this 

 grain, simply because they thinli they cannot. I have 

 tried both upland and intervale, and find it does best 

 on upland where I never manure it. I always select 

 good warm pasture land, (the older the better,) free 

 from strong winds and standing water, and where 

 the snow remains on as long as on anj^ part of the 

 farm. Break it up any time in July or August. Sow 

 from the 20th of August to the 1st of September, 

 at the rate of one and a half bushels per acre. Get it in 

 two or three inches deep, if possible, -with a plow or 

 cultivator. After it is up, a coating of plaster, lime or 

 gnano, will help it very much, especially if dr}\ Pre- 

 pare the seed the same as f>_)r spring wheat. Wash 

 thoroughly, pickle in strong brine twelve hours or 

 more, and mix with ashes or slaked lime. 



In this way I get from twelve to fifteen bushels per 

 aci'C, and thhdi it doing well without manure. Have 

 never tried manure on upland, but presume it would 

 do well. 



The kind of wheat called the White [Winter ? Ed.] 

 Blue Stem stands winter best. I have raised the above 

 quantify, per acre, without applying anything but dry 

 wheat, and simply harrowing it in." 



SLATED EOOFS AND LIGHTNING. 



In conversation with a friend a few days since, (a 

 practical slater,) on the subject of electricity, he re- 

 marked that buildings covered with slate were as sure- 

 ly protected against the evils of lightning, as they 

 could be 1)}' the rods commonly used ; and in confir- 

 mation of the fact stated that lightning had not been 

 known to strike within a distance of forty miles of 

 slate quaiTics that arc wrought. This was to me a new 

 idea, altogether; and, if true, a fact of too much 

 worth not to be generally known. The trifling differ- 

 ence in cost of roofs lietween shingle and slate is more 

 than compensated in the protection which may be af- 

 forded in the use of slate. Now, sir, as you ai-c sup- 

 posed to know about everything, and have access to 

 almost everybody, I hope that through this medium 

 the facts may be brought out ; and by so doing, you 

 will render great service to your countiy. m. 



WilbraJmm, Aug. 9, 1860. 



Remahks. — We are fortunate in having a large 

 number of intelligent querists and correspondents, and 

 have no doubt some of the latter will shed light upon 

 this subject. 



FOWL meadow grass SEED. 



I last week made inquiries as to the best kinds of 

 grass seeds to mix with fowl meadow to be sown on 

 low land. I now wish to inquire where the fowl 

 meadow grass seed can be obtained, as I have not been 

 able to find it ? F. R. Cragin. 



Woburn, Aug., 18C0. 



Remarks. — When it can be procured it is sold at 

 the agricultural warehouses in Boston. The supply 

 for three or four years past has not been equal to the 

 demand. As the grass is an exceedingly valuable va- 

 riety, and the seed is in demand, we hope large quan- 

 tities of it will be brought to market. 



GRAPE CULTURE. 



In the August number of the monthly Farmer 1 find 

 an article on "Grape Culture" from the pen of Mr. E. 

 A. Briickctt. 



Reading that article has suggested to my mind sev- 

 eral questions which I should be pleased to have Mr. 

 Brackett answer. 



First, wi'.h regard to the manner of preparing tlje 

 ground. Is it advisable to trench a strong, heavy soil 

 as deeply as he did his ? Would not one foot answer 

 as well for such a soil, as two for a light sandy one ? I 

 have thought sudi deep trenching might favor a late 



'A 



growth of wood which would not be so well ripened as ' 

 it would be if the roots did not penetrate so deeply. 



Secondhj, Are his vines protected from the winter ? ' 

 If so, how ? I do not sec how it would be possible to ' 

 lay down vines trained upon the pyramidal plan. 



Thirdly, With regard to the" Diana grape, Mr. 

 Brackett speaks of it as our most delicious native 

 grape. Does he consider its quality superior to the 

 Delaware, and is this last-named variety likely to 

 prove to be as well adapted to this section as the I)iana 

 is ? w. D. 



Leominster, Mass., Aug., 1860. 



CORN AND SQUASHES. 



I noticed in the last number of the Farmer a short 

 article from Henry J. Durgin, of Shaker Village, 

 N. H., which induced me to measure the height of a 

 field of corn growing here in old Massachusetts. Its 

 average height is aliout ten feet ; it is uncommonly 

 well set with ears, many stocks containg three and 

 some four cars. It was planted about the first of June ; 

 no manure has been applied to the land this season. 

 Last season it was planted to cucumbci's and manured 

 in the hill. My largest squash measures over five feet 

 in circumference, and is growing rapidly. Yours for 

 "some squashes" and "some corn." w. u. w. 



Shaker Village, Aug. 11, 1S60. 



MOUITTAIISr CBANBEr.RIBS. 



The demand for cranberries is every day in- 

 creasing, and their cultivation is getting to be 

 quite a study. Among the expt-riments which 

 have for several years exercised the spirit of Yan- 

 keedom, is the endeavor to cultivate the common 

 bog cranberry on upland. Where the upland is 

 pretty moist, a tolerable degree of success has at- 

 tended many of the experiments. 



There is, hov/ever, a variety of mountain berry, 

 belonging to the cranberry genus, which \\c think 

 might be cultivated more successfully than the 

 lowland kind. We last fall received a jar of this 

 last kind from Rev. Mr. Pierce, of East Winthrop, 

 who obtained them from Washington county, 

 where they grow on the waste lands, and high 

 lands in the Quoddy region. He also sent us a 

 specimen of the vine which produces them. It 

 proved to be what botanists have named Vaccini- 

 um litis Idcca, and called, commonly, "mountain 

 cranberry," "rock cranberry," and "cowberrj-." 

 We have seen it growing on the summits of the 

 White Hills, and sides and peaks of other of our 

 mountains. In the eastern section of Maine, it 

 seems they are quite abundant, and are gathered 

 in large quantities by the Quoddy Indians, and 

 others, and brought into the market. They pre 

 a smaller berry than the lowland cranberry, but 

 of a pleasant, acid flavor, and by some preferred 

 to the others. We think this variety deserving 

 some trials of culture as well as the other, and we 

 also think success would follow the trial. — Maine 

 Farmer. 



Beautiful Thoughts. — Among some of the 

 South Sea Islanders the compound word for hope 

 is beautifully expressive. It is raanolana, or the 

 swimming ikovghi — faith floating and keeping the 

 head aloft above water, when all the waves and 

 billows are going over one — a strikingly beautiful 

 definition of Hope, worthy to be set down along 

 with the answer which a deaf and duml) person 

 wrote with his pencil, in reply to the question, 

 "What was his idea of forgiveness?" "It is the 

 odor which flowers yield when trampled on." 



