1862. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMEPt. 



29 



dian chief, Massasoit, and ninety of Iiis men v,-ere 

 present on the occasion, and participated in the 

 festivities. Thus the festival of "Thanksgiving" 

 was instituted in New England, and those nolile 

 lords of the forest united with the Pilgrim fath- 

 ers, in peace and hai'mony, on this memorable day, 



In the second j-ear after this festival, the day 

 was rendered more solemn and ini])ressive in con- 

 sequence of an almost providential dehverance of 

 the colonists from an impending famine. 



"In 1G23," says the historian, "fears were en- 

 tertained for the safety of the colony, by reason of 

 anticipated fomine." For M-eeks and months the 

 colonists suffered from a severe drought. Corn 

 withered under the heat of the scorching sun. 

 Every vegetable, shrub and tree, bore signs of an- 

 ticipated famine. The Indians prophesied famine 

 for the suffering colonists, for, by starvation, they 

 thought they could easily conquer and subdue the 

 "pale faces ;" but those brave and faitliful Pilgrims 

 were not to be discouraged, nor dismayed. In 

 this fearful extremity, a day of pubhc fast was ap- 

 pointed, and was accordingly observed with "great 

 solemnity." This was the first Fast Day ever kept 

 in this country. The day opened with no better 

 prospects of rain. Nine hours, these trusting 

 Christians continued in prayer. At length, towards 

 evening, clouds began to collect, and before morn- 

 ing, rain descended in refreshing showers, and thus 

 it continued to rain for several days, until the 

 crops revived, and the fields were clothed in their 

 former verdure. A bountiful harvest succeeded. 

 In token of general gratitude for tliis deliverance, 

 a day of public thanksgiving was ordered, being 

 the second such day ever observed on these West- 

 ern shores. 



This festival was originally confined in its ob- 

 servance to the State of Massachusetts. Now, al- 

 most every State in the Union, if not all, hail its 

 return, and join in its celebration with gratitude 

 and joy. 



This day is productive of many pleasing reminis- 

 cences connected with our childhood, and with 

 those whose fiimihar faces we have been accus- 

 tomed to look upon, on this day, but who are now 

 gone to their peaceful rest. 



When we have met around the festive board to 

 exchange greetings and smiles, and to enjoy the 

 plentiful repast before us, we should not forget 

 others whom misfortune has deprived of the real 

 comforts and blessings of life ; who are now strug- 

 gling for the life-blood of our nation. Let us give 

 our prayers for the restoration of peace, and be 

 thankful that we have lived to participate in a fes- 

 tival in token of gratitude for a bountiiul harvest. 

 A Green Mountain Boy. 



West Charleston, Vt., Nov., 186L 



Simple Method of Striking Rose Cut- 

 tings. — "Rusticus" describes his plan of striking 

 roses in a late number of the Gardeners' Chronicle, 

 as follows : 



"I_ have been in the habit, for some years, of 

 strildng roses in what apjiears to me a much more 

 simple way than is described in your paper of the 

 .0th inst. At any time of the year, when they are 

 to be procured, I take cuttings of any sorts of roses 

 I want to propagate, (Moss included,) and cut tlie 

 halt-ripened wood into lengths of two eyes. I re- 



move the bottom leaf, leaving the top one to rest 

 upon the surfocc of the bed and nourish the cut- 

 ting while it forms its roots. The hot-bed (a very 

 slight one) in vvhich I plant the cuttings, is made 

 thus : On the top of a little manure, just enough 

 to give a slight bottom heat, I place G inches of 

 earth, moistened to the consistency of mortar, then 

 cover with white sand, and set in" the cuttings. I 

 have occasionally struck every cutting, v.liile 99 

 out of 100 are an average result." 



For the Keic Ensland Farmer. 

 CUIiTUIlE OI' PEABS— VARIETIES. 



The great variety of pears now cultivated by 

 nurserymen, renders it rather a difficult matter for 

 an amateur, with a small garden, to make satisfac- 

 tory selections. Hardly two men can agree upon 

 the best varieties. One man's soil develops a few 

 kinds only to perfection, v.hile anotliers biings up 

 to a high state of excellence other kinds. Besides, 

 men's tastes differ very much. One individual 

 may possess an old tree which matures its fruit to 

 perfection ; wliile another is dissatisfied with the 

 same fruit grown on younger trees. The Glout 

 Morceau, on young standard trees, is almost 

 worthless ; but on matured trees, excellent. Some 

 soils or positions bring up the Beurre Clairgeau to 

 a high and beautiful color, while others leave it a 

 russet hue. So also with the rich coloring of the 

 Flemish Beauty. The Vicar of Winkfield, as a ta- 

 ble pear, is harshly judged from its general pro- 

 duct, v.'hereas, only the finest and largest are fit to 

 eat. 



A good plan for an amateur is, to plant merely 

 \\Gd\l\\y stocks, for the most part — especially if he 

 is making additions to his collection — as in a little 

 time he Vviil be better able to judge for himself 

 what varieties do best with liim or with his neigli- 

 bors, and then graft the stocks accordingly. By 

 this process he will get large trees equally as soon 

 as by setting grafted varieties, and without so 

 great a liability of disappointment. 



If a person requires a few dwarf trees, it is well 

 to purchase the Louise Bonne de Jerse)-, the 

 Duchess d'Angouleme, the Urbaniste and Flemish 

 Beauty, or others Avhose junction is strong and 

 healthy, and then re-work upon them to his fjjicy 

 — for all, or nearly all pears, do well double- 

 worked upon the quince root. 



To facilitate the striking of pear roots from 

 dwarf trees, they should be set from two to fjur 

 inches below the junction, even if many of the 

 bottom roots are sacrificed ; and at the same time 

 of setting (if in the spring,) or better, in the fol- 

 lowing July, the bark should be raised in two or 

 three places, v.'ith a sharp knife, on the lovvcrcdge 

 of the pear stock. On the closely pruned quince 

 roots fibres will readily appear, and the returning 

 elaborated sap, or cambium, will be likely to make 

 deposits at the slits, from Avhich pear roots will 

 proceed. 



Many foreign winter varieties, hard to mature 

 in our climate, should be planted in the Marmer 

 and dryer situations, but the earlier varieties will 

 ripen in a heavier or damper soil. 



Though many of the hundreds of pears under 

 cultiv<(.tion are faulty or wortliless, still there are 

 a dozen or twenty varieties which, by general 

 consent, arc well worthy of extensive propagation. 



