1862. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



51 



quired. Many of the improved breeds are being 

 introduced ; some sections taldng those best for 

 ■wool, and others those for mutton, but generally, 

 they are crossed upon those -which have been here 

 long enough to be called natives ; often, first fine 

 ■wool and then coarse -wool, very much as is most 

 convenient, -with the mass of sheep-keepers ; near- 

 ly every farmer keeping a few sheep, and thinking 

 It will not pay to be to so much expense as to get 

 rams of their choice. 



Matching Steers. — The farmers have mani- 

 fested quite a laudable spu-it of improvement over 

 any previous year, in matcliing up their steers 

 Avhen intending to keep them ; and, often it has 

 been found a good investment to pay the fair dif- 

 ference when designed for sale. Matched one, two, 

 three or four year old steers are in greater demand 

 than the market can supply ; and tliis demand is 

 yearly increasing. This seems as it should be, be- 

 cause it costs but a trifle more to raise them, than 

 it does those illy mated, while they command a 

 more renumerative price, which is often all that 

 there is in the way of profit. Mate up the steers. 



Elm Tree Farm, Dec, 1861. O. W. True. 



Ftyr the New England Farmer. 



TESTIMONY IN FAVOR OF FARMING. 



Opinions of an Aged Farmer — Stick to the Homestead — Work 

 with One's Own Hands — Cattle Report in N. E. Farmer — Re- 

 ceipt for making Brown Bread. 



Mr. Editor : — I have passed the period allot- 

 ted to man's existence in the present life, but my 

 interest in the success of agriculture increases with 

 my years, and I wish to leave my dying testimony 

 of its worth. Should these lines meet the eye of 

 any young man who is struggling under difficul- 

 ties upon the paternal inheritance, I would exhort 

 him to stay and overcome all obstacles that pa- 

 tience and perseverance can surmount, and, my 

 experience for it, in his maturer years, he will look 

 back with pleasui-e upon his past life, and peace 

 and plenty shall crown his declining years. 



I would recommend to all who wish to have the 

 full enjoyment of agricultural life, to labor some 

 with their own hands. There are but few who can- 

 not obtain some land to work upon, if they wish. 



One word in recommendation of the A^ew Eng- 

 land Farmer. There has been much said and 

 ■written about agricultural colleges, but I think the 

 Farmer is one already established, and endowed 

 ■with some of the best professors that this country 

 and Europe afi'ord, to which all may have access 

 at a trifling expense. The report of the Cattle 

 Market for the past few iveeks, is worth the whole 

 price of the paper to all those who have any deal- 

 ings in stock. 



I think my housekeeper makes the best brown 

 bread I have ever tasted ; the following is a re- 

 ceipt for making it. To six tea-cupfuls of Indian, 

 and three of rye meal, one table-spoon level full of 

 bread soda, one tea-cupful of molasses, and sour 

 milk sufficient to wet it to the same consistence as 

 brown bread, where the Indian is scalded. A loaf 

 of this size would require a dish Avhich would hold 

 thi'ee quarts. Cover the dish and place it on an 

 iron ring in a large iron pot, and cook by steam- 

 ing four hours, and then bake fifteen or twenty 

 minutes. If steamed a longer time, it is rather im- 

 proved. Thomas IL\skell. 

 West Gloucester, Dec. 14, 1861. 



CUIiTTTRE OF THE GRAPE. 



We have before us the December number of 

 Ilovefs Magazine, and among other good articles, 

 we find a leading one, by the editor, upon the 

 "Culture of the Grape." After si>eaking of the 

 late favorable season, and of the merits of several 

 varieties, he says : 



Having thus given our estimate of the several 

 varieties which have been introduced somewhat 

 generally, as they have appeared, more ])avticularly 

 the present year, we proceed to inquire into the 

 causes which have produced tliis favorable result, 

 deducing therefrom a lesson which may aid us iu 

 the more successful cultui'e of the grajjc. 



If we follow the course of the weather for the 

 summer, we shaU find it has been dry, warm, and 

 very free from long or continued dull or even damp 

 weather, and beyond the remembrance of cultiva- 

 tors extended further into the autimm — the fii'st 

 frost having occurred late in October. Hence the 

 well gi'own grapes had time to fully matm-e, aided 

 as they were by continuous sunsliine. How shall 

 we then avoid failure in ordinary years, when we 

 can hardly expect such as the present one to oc- 

 cur often ? 



First, then, -we can to some extent imitate its 

 drjTiess, by planting only in light, sandy, thor- 

 oughly drained soil, avoiding by all means a hard, 

 damp, stiff" loam, as sure to keep up a late growth, 

 so that winter finds the wood immature, and the 

 dormant fruit buds unable to resist the effects of 

 cold if unprotected, and liable to danger Avheii 

 covered with earth. In France the vineyards al- 

 ways cover the hillsides or elevated grounds, — 

 rarely the valleys or plains, — for the obvious rea- 

 sons that the roots are kept dry, the late gi'owth 

 checked, and the wood fully matured. 



It will be infen'ed from this that notliing could 

 be more injurious in grape culture than to make 

 the soil too deep and rich ; rich it may be upon 

 the sm-face, but not too deep, and always with a 

 dry bottom. The summer and autumn rains will 

 then leave the sm-face readily, the soil will be im- 

 diately warmed by the sun and air, and mildew, 

 so fatal to the vines, will be prevented, or at least, 

 greatly mitigated. Indeed, good sound judgment 

 will dictate that cautionary measures of tliis kind 

 should be taken wherever the grape is to be ex- 

 tensively and successfully grown. 



Secondly ; though we have not the power to 

 bring sunshine to the vines, we can, by favorable- 

 ness of locality, prevent the ill effects which often 

 ensue from long continued wet weather. Near the 

 seacoast, where the easterly storms prevail, an as- 

 pect, sheltered in that direction should be chosen, 

 say one facing the south or west, or if in the open 

 garden, near the shelter of evergreen trees or 

 hedges. The direct action of a cold, easterly storm 

 is far different from the sifted atmosphere of a 

 fence or hedge. Hence the greater certainty of a 

 crop when the vines are trained to the south side 

 of a house, where they are sheltered from the 

 cliilly blasts and pelting rains of om* easterly 

 storms. 



Thirdly ; pruning, judiciously performed, is a 

 material aid in successful grape culture. The 

 summer growth should not be so croAvded as to 

 prevent the free admission of light and air, nor so 

 open as to expose the fruit to alternate sun and 



