148 



KEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



March 



three years ago informed the Selectmen that he 

 had 30 sheep, worth $4 each, that had been 

 maimed by dogs, and they told him to kill them. 

 He did so, and they paid him his price for them 

 out of the dog license fund. It afterwards ap- 

 peared that two months before the same sheep 

 had cost him S'- each, and he had consequently 

 doubled his money on them, besides getting the 

 wool, pelts and carcasses to boot. He said he did 

 not know any class of husbandry that was better 

 protected than sheep husbandry. He closed by 

 saying that every owner of sheep had a remedy 

 at common law against the owners of dogs that 

 injured his property. 



Mr. Mekuiam, of Fitchburg, briefly spoke in 

 favor of an amendment to the dog law, so that 

 towns should not return the amount of money 

 paid for licenses, but that they should enforce the 

 law, and keep the money for a fund from which 

 to pay damages. 



It was announced that the subject for discus- 

 sion at the next meeting would he, "The most 

 advantarjeous methods of improving pasture and 

 meadow lands." The meeting then adjourned. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 A NEW GRAPE. 



Mr. Editor : — There has been so much written 

 and said of late, descriptive of many of the newer 

 varieties of grapes, that I should maintain a pro- 

 found silence, did I not think that I might do 

 some service to a portion of your readers, by giv- 

 ing a description of a variety which came under 

 my observation during the past autumn. It has 

 been difficult for the past three years to thoroughly 

 ripen any of the newer varieties of grapes, such 

 as the Catawba, Isabella, Diana and Concord, 

 though the last two have, in southerly exposures, 

 and with careful attention, succeeded fairly. Most 

 of our New England horticulturists recommend 

 for this latitude the three last named varieties, 

 which, so far as quality goes, are unsurpassed, but 

 are not sure to ripen sufficiently early to escape 

 our severe frosts. What is particularly needed 

 now is a variety which is sure to ripen at least 

 two weeks earlier than the Concord, and I think 

 such a one has been found. While in the nursery 

 of Mr. Geo. Bryant, last fall, I was shown "a 

 vine of what ho called the Catawba Seedling ; it 

 was about the 10th of September when I saw it, 

 the vine was of good size, trained on a trellis in 

 the open nursery, and at this time nearly all the 

 berries were turned, and most of them were nearly 

 ripe. I ate a few, and found the quality very 

 good, though not as thin skinned and pulpy as 

 the Isabella or Diana ; the berries are medium 

 size ; color, a dark purple ; the bunches are of 

 good size, very compact though not shouldered ; 

 the vine is very hardy, withstanding our winters 

 without any protection. 



I write this from actual experience, as I bought 

 a vine of this kind two or three years ago, and it 

 has withstood the past two winters without the 

 least protection. I would not advise those who 



are about setting a few vines to purchase only 

 this kind, but would ask them to set a portion of 

 this in addition to the other varieties, on account 

 of its hardiness and early ripening, not doubting 

 that they will experience much satisfaction by so 

 doing. J. N. N. 



East Bridgewater, Jan., 1861. 



ORWAMENTAIi HEDGES. 



One of the most striking features of any coun- 

 try is its fences ; so much so, that the various 

 styles of these division lines seem to have almost 

 as much influence in determining its character 

 and general appearance, as the nose on a man's 

 face has in giving expression to his physiogno- 

 my. Very many — in fact, the great majority of 

 fences — are excessively ugly. Even those primi- 

 tives ones in new countries, formed by turning 

 up edgewise the spreading roots of great trees, 

 have the merit of being picturesque — which some 

 have not. 



In England, the face of the country is made to 

 wear an aspect of smiling cheerfulness by reason 

 of its numerous hedges ; while, in the opposite ex- 

 treme, in France, where no obvious lines mark the 

 divisions of property, the effect must be quite 

 monotonous. Our own institution — the rail fence 

 — may perhaps give a type of the independence 

 of time and circumstance peculiar to the great 

 American people, but it is not particularly orna- 

 mental. 



There is no one who cannot appreciate, and will 

 not acknowledge the great beauty of well kept 

 hedges. So popular is the idea, that experiments 

 have been made with almost every variety of har- 

 dy plants, Avith a view to test their efficiency in 

 forming suitable hedges. Failure has followed 

 very many of these attempts, and partial success 

 rewarded others. Some few hold their own un- 

 der all circumstances, as well adapted to make, 

 with proper management, strong and efficient 

 fences. Of these we will not speak, but leave 

 Buckthorn and Hawthorn, Honey Locust and 

 Osage Orange, each to assert its own claims to 

 superiority as best it can. 



But there are many situations where screens 

 and ornamental fences only are required — not 

 protection against depredators. Many such cir- 

 cumstances will suggest themselves to every one. 

 As a means of shielding certain spots from cold 

 winds, belts of trees or shrubbery are, often- 

 times, very efficient, as well as ornamental ; and 

 for inside division lines, screens of hardy ever- 

 greens cannot be too highly recommended — be- 

 ing at the same time very beautiful, rapid in their 

 growth, simple and easy in their construction, and 

 managed without difficulty. To hide disagreea- 

 ble and unsightly objects ; to inclose portions of 

 the garden devoted to half-hardy plants ; to sep- 

 arate the kitchen garden from the more ornamen- 

 tal portions of the grounds ; and for an indefinite 

 variety of circumstances, each peculiar to its own 

 locality, these evergreen screens are very happily 

 adapted. They are becoming very popular wher- 

 ever known. 



Of all the evergreens employed for this pur- 

 pose, the American Arbor Vitce (Thin/a, or, ac- 

 cording to some botanists. Biota, occidenialis,) 

 seems "best adapted to succeed, for several rea- 

 sons. It is easily and cheaply obtained, perfectly 



