302 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



July 



For the New England Farmer. 

 ITEMS FROM MAINE. 



Clearing Land of Stones. — Your remarks 

 upon this subject, a few weeks ago, Mr. Editor, I 

 have seen verified here upon a moist, loamy, rich 

 soil that lay upon a gravel pan, almost impene- 

 trable by water. There were but a few stones 

 upon the land, butwhen the loose ones and those 

 that the plow cam© in contact with were' dug out, 

 the soil seemed entirely changed. It was later in 

 the spring, and the grass did not hold out but 

 about half as long as before the stones were re- 

 moved. Had it been underdrained, I am confi- 

 dent it would have been much improved, and in- 

 stead of being a week later in seed-time, would 

 have been a week earlier than originally. It is 

 quite an item to gain a week, in Maine, as it is 

 throughout the N. E. States, in the spring. 



A very dry soil does not seem to deteriorate so 

 much from the removal of the stones. It is a 

 common practice here where a large stone is tak- 

 en out, to throw small ones into the bottom of the 

 hole and then plow in the top soil. 



Underdraining is not yet tested in this part of 

 the State, yet open or ditch draining has been 

 tried, in a very imperfect manner, and conse- 

 quently not 80 great benefit realized as was ex- 

 pected. If the small stones were put into drains, 

 properly, instead of being put in the corners of 

 the fields in large heaps, it would be a permanent 

 improvement to the soil. 



There are not a few instances where our well- 

 to-do farmers, after building all the stone wall 

 fences upon their farms that were considered eco- 

 nomical, double up on one or both sides as wide 

 as necessary to take up the remaining surplus 

 stones ; thus, in the end, having a wall eight to 

 ten feet in width upon the land, and their field 

 all the time while doing this, producing poorer 

 crops, even with a more liberal supply of manure, 

 than formerly, simply because it was wet and cold 

 from the natural attractors of heat being so near- 

 ly all removed ; though, probably, some mineral 

 fertilizers were added by the rains and frosts, and 

 the wear of the stones in cultivation. 



It has been reported to me several times of 

 farmers drawing back the small stones to plow 

 in on account of the cold and barren condition of 

 their fields, where they had been removed at quite 

 an expense ; because good cultivation and deep 

 manuring did not give the former light, warm 

 and productive seed-bed desirable. But these 

 experiments, or expedients, were resorted to be- 

 fore underdraining was in vogue. 



Rural Architecture. — The "Cottage-House" 

 design which was given for April, is of some use 

 to the great body of farmers. The suburban 

 plans and designs generally given are of but lit- 

 tle use to the majority of farmers, and indirectly 

 at that. These costly and magnificent cottage 

 and villa designs are useful to a few, but they 

 engender a longing for their possession, and fos- 

 ter a spirit of discontent among ruralists, because 

 they see that farming profits will not soon supply 

 them with $2000 to $5000 to build them a home 

 with. 



A desideratum seems to be to have plans that 

 will admit of being constructed of different kinds 

 of material, and in sections, or additions, and 

 when completed, present a uniform appearance as 



though built at one time ; admitting of a neat and 

 tasteful finish, or plain, convenient and economi- 

 cal in area and cost. 



Young farmers, and many older ones, have to 

 build to live in, M'hen commencing farming, and 

 of a necessity wish to build but what will, by-and- 

 by, be a kitchen and wood-house perhaps, in such 

 form and proportion that it will be worth building 

 well, and then as the means and demand increase, 

 it will be worth enlarging. 



To this end the attention of architects is invit- 

 ed, and it is with pleasure that I examine such 

 simple yet tasteful designs and plans as the one 

 referred to above. How cosy, and yet cheap ; and 

 how easily a "little more room" could be added. 

 This points in the right direction, and I doubt not 

 Mr. Harney has already received many a silent 

 "I thank ye," from unknown well-wishers. 



O. W. True. 



Elm Tree Farm, Maine, May, 1861. 



Remarks. — Our correspondent is informed 

 that the world is not made up only of farmers 

 who live in an isolated condition. We have thou- 

 sands of readers, who are farmers, but who live 

 around populous villages, and are able to build 

 dwellings worth not only $2,000 to $5,000, but 

 such as would cost $5,000 to $10,000. It is our 

 desire to furnish suggestions for all, and while 

 he finds something adapted to hi& own wants or 

 those of his neighbors, he may fairly allow us the 

 exercise of our own judgment in regard to the 

 wants of others. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 MR. J. -W. MANNING'S NURSERY. 



Last summer I made a call at Mr. J. W. Man- 

 ning's nursery in Reading, Mass., and I intend- 

 ed soon to have made some remarks upon what I 

 saw there, but sickness prevented. As the spring 

 is near, my visit is brought to mind, and I think 

 I cannot do a better service to the public, than by 

 calling attention to Mr. Manning's nursery, which 

 is highly creditable to his industry and his intel- 

 ligence. It was planted on new land a few years 

 ago, upon a tract that was singularly barren, and 

 chosen by him on account of its advantageous lo- 

 cation. I was surprised to see the results of ju- 

 dicious labor skilfully applied to a soil consisting 

 of an inferior gravelly loam. But the work has 

 been done, and here is a thriving plantation of a 

 large variety of trees, and herbaceous plants in 

 the most healthy and growing condition. 



Mr. Manning is now ready to supply customers 

 with almost every thing that is likely to be wanted 

 for a fruit-garden or orchard, and for an orna- 

 mental garden, or pleasure-ground ; and the pub- 

 lic may rely with certainty upon being furnished 

 with the identical variety which is ordered. 



In the course of my walk around the nursery, I 

 was particularly pleased with a bed of Cutter's 

 Seedling Strawberries. Mr. Manning showed me 

 a square, planted with six or seven of the most 

 approved varieties of the strawberry, in beds of 

 equal size, and among them Cutter's Seedling. 

 When I was there, all the other sorts had ceased 

 bearing, while the vines of Cutter's Seedling were 



