504 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Nov, 



■walls, ride a spirited pony, manufacture all the 

 music she wishes on the wash-board or old-fash- 

 ioned spinning-wheel, or anything else outside of 

 the piano. These are characteristics of the far- 

 mer's daughter. 



I regret to have shocked the mirthful sensibil- 

 ities of my friend by "striking so mournful a 

 strain," but am glad she comes forth in so lively 

 a style. Contrast is bewitching oftentimes, and 

 calls out a true view of the reality. Let us look 

 at farming as it is. It is, ipso facto, a pleasant 

 occupation, laborious, independent, and honest. 

 The farmer can say lioni soit qui mal y pense, for 

 he himself need think no evil. But profitable 

 enough to secure wealth unconnected with other 

 business, I think it is not. He who is blest with 

 strong muscles and a contempt for the scrabbling, 

 money-making world, is best adapted to this oc- 

 cupation. Polly. 



Enjield Centre, N. H., 1860. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 ■WTISTTEB AND SPRING WHEAT. 



Mr. Editor : — I am most happy to hear of 

 another wheat-grower, R. H. Simmons, Esq., of 

 Hartford, Vt. His success with spring wheat pre- 

 sents a wonderful amount of encouragement to 

 farmers. This is the right source and the kind of 

 information so much needed by your yeomanry. 

 It is to be hoped the columns of your well direct- 

 ed paper will teem with it, and that many farmers 

 even less fortunate than Mr. S. will also give an 

 account of their stewardship. 



But I must say a word in defence of winter in 

 preference to spring wheat, fearing your corres- 

 pondent, Mr. S., has not made a fair trial. He 

 thinks "twenty-five per cent." more of spring 

 wheat can be raised to the acre than of winter 

 wheat, in the region where he resides. _ Of this I 

 have my doubts, unless some new varieties have 

 come to hand with which I am not familiar. My 

 experience covered the years from 1845 to 1851. 

 On strong land v/here I got good winter grain 

 the spring would rust and mildew, and could not 

 survive the dog-days without damage. Year af- 

 ter year the same fatality pervaded Massachu- 

 setts. Occasionally a farmer would succeed. He 

 felt no confidence. 



All the poor, dark flour comes from spring 

 wheat, the best and whitest from winter— this I 

 think is proverbially true. Now, if Mr, S. will 

 try another year to get his wheat in the 25th of 

 August, two to three inches deep, so as to give it 

 root to guard against winter-kill, taking the same 

 pains as with his spring crop, he will doubtless 

 get as heavy a yield, and grain of far better quali- 

 ty. It matures two to three weeks earlier, and is 

 likely to escape the hazards of dog-days. 



As a matter of prudence, every farmer among 

 you should have his spring and winter patch. If 

 he fails in one, he may secure the other ; one year 

 gives him this double advantage for a crop. Prov- 

 idence has made wonderful provision for the far- 

 mer, most surely — now will he reject or accept 

 the terms ? Bread is the home question. 

 BrooUiin, L. I., Sept. 10. H. Poor. 



P. S. The crop of Mr. Simmons, 217 bush- 

 els from 7 acres, is equal to 54 bbls. of flour in 

 value for the farmer. 



EXTRACTS AND REPLIES. 



WILD TURNIP. I 



I wish to inquire through the Farmer how wild tur- 

 nips can be cradicaeed from a field ? If it cannot be \ 

 done, how much will they lessen the value per acre ? | 

 Will they do any damage while the field is in grass ? 



Indian Orchard, Se23t'^20. c. W. 



Remarks. — Go through the field as often as you find 

 any in blossom, and pull it out by the roots. This is 

 our practice, and it succeeds. The wild turnip is a 

 robber, always injurious to the crops, and ought not to 

 be allowed among them. 



TOMATO KETCHUP. 



I like your paper — in fact, I prefer a farmer's paper, 

 at any time, l)ctbre a tras^h.y story paper, so I buy the 

 Farmer; couldn't keep house without it — although 

 not a former — hope I shall be one before many years. 

 But what I want now is, to have you tell me or find 

 some correspondent to, how to make tomato ketchup. 

 It is no use to see my own tomatoes rot in the yard 

 and buy my ketchup. I can make a kind that won't 

 keep, but I want to find out how to make a good kind 

 that jfiVnvcep. A Mechanic. 



Cambridge, 1860. 



Remarks. — We gave two recipes, which our women 

 folks pronounce good, in last week's paper. 



A GOOD YIELD OF BARLEY. 



My father raised this year, from one acre of land, 

 forty-one and a half Inishels of barley. The land is a 

 strong, deep loam, and after a thorough and careful 

 cultivatiou for thi'ce years, the above crop was realized. 



W. H. Savage. 



Remarks. — ^We are glad to learn that the barley 

 crop is receiving more attention than it formerly had. 

 Wc think it worth more, per bushel, for several uses 

 than corn meal. Nothing equals it when ground into 

 meal, for feeding to calves that are being reared by 

 hand. So it is excellent for hogs, sheep and hens. The 

 flour, also, makes excellent bread. 



soil for pear trees. 



I have about an acre of ground on the south-east 

 bank of a river, where I wish to plant pear trees. 

 Will you, or some of your correspondents, inform me 

 how the soil should be prepared? Also, where trees 

 can be obtained of the best variety. B. Saunders. 



Nashua, N. II., 1860. 



Remarks. — Drain the soil in the first place, if it is 

 wet; then trench it, or at least spade it a foot deep, 

 manure and pulverize well, and set the trees. Stir the 

 surface frequently, and never allow a weed to gi'ow. 

 Cultivate corn or garden stuff among them, but man- 

 ure liberally every year. 



RAPID DECAY OF SHINGLES. 



There is much complaint at the present day that 

 shingles decay very soon when placed upon the roof. 

 Will you, or some of your readers, inform us through 

 your columns whether sulyectmg them to a high tem- 

 perature of heat before laid, say as high as the temper- ' 

 ature of a baker's oven when they bake biscuit, or per- 

 haps higher, will prevent their decaying so soon, and 

 give them more durability when made use of? If so, 

 It will be of great use to the community at large. 



Derry, Sept. 18, 1860. A Subscriber. 



Remarks. — We have had no experience m the mat- 

 ter. Would not soaking them in a solution of the sul- 

 phate of zinc make them very durable ? That will pre- 

 sei-ve posts set in the ground for a long time. 



improvement of SHEEP FOR WOOL. 



In answer to Mr. Doane I would advise him to cross 

 with fall blood Spanish merino, and let the buck to 

 the sheep as early as the first of November. 

 . Harrisville, N. H., Sept. 12, 1860. C. Barker. 



