496 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Nov. 



and feeding on the sap which exudes. Fruit of 

 various kinds, particularly peaches, are much in- 

 jured by it, but it never occurs in sufficient num- 

 bers to do great damage to the corn crop. Very 

 little is known of its transformation, and no 

 method of preventing its depredations has yet 

 been made public. F. G. Sanborn. 



CABBAGES. 



There is no crop grown among us more suc- 

 cessfully and advantageously than the cabbage. 

 In proof of this I will state what I have this day 

 seen on the Derby farm, situate on the borders of 

 Salem harbor, under the culture of Mr. Samuel A. 

 Merrill, who has for many years been noted for 

 his superior vegetable product. Mr. M. assured 

 me that he had sold, the present season, cab- 

 bages to the amount of more than three hundred 

 dollars, from a single acre. He has several acres 

 of this crop — and finds a ready sale for them as 

 fast as he can get them to market. At my request 

 he took two of the heads to his barn, and they 

 weighed more than forty pounds each, as pulled 

 in the field ; and when divested of the root, and 

 all loose leaves, they weighed thirty pounds each. 

 The land on which they grew bore grass the last 

 year. It has been thoroughly plowed, pulverized, 

 and manured, the plow running to the depth of 

 ten inches. No weeds were discovered growing 

 among the plants. Mr. M. has many other fine 

 crops of vegetables, such as beets, carrots and 

 onions, all very handsome — but none equal to the 

 cabbage, P. 



September 10, 1861. 



FOWLS PLUCKING EACH OTHER. 



Having read with interest many numbers of 

 your much-valued paper for some years past, and 

 having noticed while so doing a willingness on 

 your part, that those interested would propound 

 such inquiries respecting matters which interest 

 the public, and particularly the farmer, I venture 

 to inquire — what is the cause of barn-yard fowls 

 plucking the feathers from each other, and what 

 will prevent such a habit in them ? 



Charlton, Sept., 18G1. MECHANIC. 



Remarks. — We have had such uncomely be- 

 havior as is spoken of by our correspondent, in 

 our own poultry yard — though only once or twice 

 during many years. Had the fowls been confined 

 we should have imputed it to that — but they were 

 not. It may be habit, or it may be the want of 

 some particular food essential to their health. 

 Who can tell ? 



DOGS A NUISANCE. 



Following the example of your learned brother, 

 the Judge, I will speak of things in their natural 

 way. I like the remarks I have seen in your pa- 

 per about dogs. I consider them a useless annoy- 

 ance, oftentimes extremely dangerous. I never 

 pass a strange dog without fearing that I may be 

 assaulted by him, especially as my imperfect 

 sight occasionally exposes me to stumbling over 

 them. It is only a short time since I inadvert- 

 ently trod upon the paw of a large dog, who be- 

 ing off"cnded at my approach, seized my foot in 

 his mouth, and had not the leather been quite 



firm, his teeth would have penetrated it, and my 

 flesh also. I cannot be reconciled to such nui- 

 sances, p. ' 

 September 14, 1861. 



EARLY GRAPES. 



I send you a sample of grapes from seed, and 

 would like your opinion of their quality. I do 

 not know of a grape that ripens the first of Sep- 

 tember that will compare with them. Many have 

 tried to procure an early table grape, and have 

 not succeeded. I think each of the light-colored 

 ones would do for table fruit ; they lack in size 

 only, I think. Please give your opinion. 



I have a vine raised from a raisin which ripens 

 from the loth to 20th of September, purple, very 

 nice. Addison Richardson. 



East Medway, Sept., 1861. 



Remarks. — The grapes sent are certainly the 

 sweetest we have ever found, ripening early in 

 September. They are "foxy," and have a hard 

 pulp, but are better than most seedlings. We 

 should think it worth while to attempt their im- 

 provement by cultivation. 



MUCK and ashes — SOWING GRASS SEED — POP- 

 PING CORN. 



Having purchased a run-down farm, and wish- 

 ing to improve the mowing land, I propose haul- 

 ing muck from the swamp, and mixing unleached 

 ashes with it. When is the best time to mix the 

 ashes with muck — when it is first dug, or wait un- 

 til spring before mixing ? I also think of run- 

 ning a harrow over the ground and sowing grass 

 seed. What kind of seed would you recommend 

 using, and when to sow it, fall or spring ? 



Is there any rule among farmers in regard to 

 the time to top corn ? SUBSCRIBER. 



North Dartmouth, Sept. 2, 1861. 



Remarks. — Mix the ashes with the muck this 

 fall, and overhaul the pile two or three times be- 

 fore next spring, so as to reduce it to a very fine 

 condition, then spread it on the grass land and 

 sow eight pounds of clover and four quarts of 

 herdsgrass seed per acre, early in April, and fol- 

 low with the harrow. Let us know the result. 



We know of no rule with regard to topping 

 corn. By those who think highly of the tops for 

 fodder, it is usually done as soon as the top or 

 spindle becomes dry ; those who think less of the 

 tops, allow them to remain longer, urging that 

 the corn is benefited by their remaining. 



POULTRY. 



I wish to inquire what is the best method of 

 treating hens, to make it profitable to raise chick- 

 ens for market, to sell eggs, &c. How should 

 they be kept and how fed ? J. D. Stowe, 



West Boylston, Sept., 1861. 



Remarks, — The Farmer has recently had sev- 

 eral excellent articles on the subject. Next week 

 we will give one from a member of the Concord 

 Farmers' Club, who is a practical poulti-y raiser. 



