478 



NEW ENGLAND Ex\HMEP.. 



Oct. 



ger and their lives happier by a knowledge of the 

 varied objects of anin^ate creation. 



Doctor Hooker is certainly fortunate in his hap- 

 py talent of making the subjects of his thought so 

 attractive and understandable as this book as- 

 sures us. 



He, in the first place, classifies animals, showing 

 the difference existing- between them as classes. 

 Then he takes up the sub-classes, or species, and 

 last, the varieties, with the native country and 

 habits of each — together with their uses in the 

 economy of nature. He uses some technicalities, 

 of course, but only just enough for novelty to the 

 young reader, and these are so beautifully angli- 

 cised, that they make the work interesting. Some 

 300 engravings illustrate the work, and a series of 

 questions at the close of each chapter are well 

 prepared to aid inexperienced teachers, who may 

 introduce it. I have read the work with much 

 ])leasure and instruction, and fully commend it 

 for schools or for families. W. Baron. 



Biclimond, Aug., 1860. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 BAKKEN- GKAPE VINES. 



Dear Sir : — In your monthly journal, page 

 331, of this yeai", there is an article entitled, "Cause 

 of Barrett Qrape Vines." Two drawings are giv- 

 en, one of an imperfect, the other of a perfect 

 flower. There is one point on which information 

 would be acceptable, of which, however, nothing 

 is said directly, in the above named communica- 

 tion. 7s it ascertained that the impression of 

 these barren Jioivers is radical and perpetual, or it 

 is a result of immatiirity,iohich time will remove'? 



The point is one of importance. The late Ru- 

 fus Clark, of this town, informed me that a vine 

 which was then bearing several bushels of bunch- 

 es of grapes was accounted to be barren for twen- 

 ty-five years. It sprang from a seed, and was 

 only saved from the axe because it made a hand- 

 some shade while it occupied no valuable room. 



Another gentleman has fruit on a vine this year 

 which for four or five seasons past has contented 

 itself with flowering, and was called barren. 



The small bunch of flowers sent herewith is 

 from a vine, (at the Parsonage, in Brattleboro', 

 which I occupy,) a very rank grower, short joint- 

 ed, and generally attractive to the eye of grape- 

 growers, but barren for four years. Its age is 

 six. The flowers sent are forced out from cutting 

 back too closely. They are flowers of next year 

 properly. The point on which light is sought is. 

 Do those vines which are for a time barren, have 

 then imperfect pistils ? Or are they always per- 

 ' feet, only lacking in vigor ? 



Until this point is settled, what shall prevent 

 vines, which might ultimately be far better than 

 the Concord, being thrown away as hopelessly 

 barren ? George P. Tyler. 



Brattleboro', Vt., Aug. 27, 1860. 



of sward ten inches deep, and it did the work to 

 my satisfaction — it entirely buried the sod, and 

 brought up about six inches of new black soil 

 that never had been up. I anticipated a large 

 yield of corn, but in that I was disappointed. The 

 yield was not as large as on similar soil plowed 

 in the ordinary way. I also plowed loose ground 

 nine inches deep with no better result." 



Remarks. — Mr, E. A. Brackett, of Winches- 

 ter, is familiar with this matter, and we hope will 

 reply. 



Deep Plowing. — ^Mr. D. H. Kellerman writes 

 to the Ohio Cultivator, "last spring I purchased a 

 Columbus Doubl4 Sod Plow, and plowed a piece 



EXTRACTS AM"D KBPLIES. 



CRANBERRY CULTURE. 



Mr. Editor : — As a portion of your columns are de- 

 voted to questions and replies, I would like to make a 

 few inquiries concerning the culture of cranberries. I 

 have an old bog meadow which I am at work upon, 

 and have taken the top off, below all the grass, roots, 

 &c. What shall I do next ? Is it necessary for me 

 to put on a lop-dre-ising of some sort before setting 

 out the vines ? Is clean, white sand better than any- 

 thing else for the above pui-posc ? If so, why? will 

 sand which wo can get from old pine hills answer ? It 

 is hard getting white sand at a convenient distance 

 from the meadow. How would loam do ? Shall I 

 plant the vines this fall, or had I better wait until the 

 spring ? T. 



Hudso>i, N. H., 1860. 



Remarks. — If the meadow is composed mainly of 

 decomposed vegetable matter, what is called muck, a 

 top-dressing of sand, or even gravel, wilt be of essen- 

 tial service. The sand supplies silcx, which means 

 sand, to the plants, and probably benefits them as sand 

 does grass, when applied to meadows — that is, sup- 

 plies the stiffening principle, that hard surface cover- 

 ing which enables the plant to sustain an upright posi- 

 tion. When sand underlies a meadow, we are in- 

 clined to think that it operates as a strainer, by pass- 

 ing oil" the surplus water, as well as supplying silex. 



Set the plants this fall after growth has entirely 

 ceased, or in April or May. 



BUTTERNUT TREES. 



In the last number of the Farmer I noticed the in- 

 quiry of "L. T. S.," respecting the bad effects of but- 

 ternut trees on fruit trees. The remark was made to 

 me some live or six years since that ajiple trees would 

 not grow near a buttenmt tree, and I liave ever since 

 been tookijig for evidence in proof of the statement. I 

 have ibund one case in point which looks very strong- 

 ly in that direction. In an orchard set some fifty years 

 since stands a large spreading butternut tree, and the 

 apple trees for some reason give it a widebei'th; as 

 there are none standing within four or five rods in 

 either direction, and those nearest are dwarfed, timid 

 things, and appear as if they were enduring the frowns 

 of the lof(y butternut. 



I am very much pleased that "L. T. S." has made 

 the inquiry ; for I am sure that the facts will be drawn 

 out from the observations of j'our numerous readers. 



I should have said above that the balance of the 

 orchard stands in the order which it is usual to set 

 troos M 



wllbraham, Auff. 30, 1860. 



ABOUT MAKING PICKLES. 



Can you, or some of your readers, inform me how- 

 pickles arc prepared as they have them to sell in jarsj 

 or by the barrel ? a. g. c. 



Westboro', Sept., 1860. _ 



CROPS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE. 



The crops look well here — hay came in well, the 

 drought not having much effect upon it. i. d. m. 

 West Witidham, N. H. 



Remarks. — The description of a new cheese press 

 accompanying the above was so imperfectly written , 

 that v/e could not clearly make it out. 



