144 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



IVIauch 



DAITA'S TKANSPABENT "WHITE CUBEAITT. 



BRAWN AND ENGPIAVED EXPEESSLX FOR THE N. E. FARMEK. 



Among the most successful cultiva- 

 tors of garden fruits is Mr, Francis 

 Dana, of Roxbury. He has origina- 

 ted several pears of the best quality, 

 and two or three currants Avhich 

 promise to rank equal to any ot the 

 new foreign varieties. The accom- 

 panying illustration shows one of 

 these, to which Mr. Dana has given 

 the above name. 



The bunch from which the drawing 

 was made was furnished us last Au- 

 gust by ]Mr. J W. Foster, of Harrison 

 Square, and is only a fair representa- 

 tion of the berry and cluster. The 

 flavor of tliis currant is excellent, size 

 very large color more transparent 

 than the White Dutch, and the berries 

 do not appear to fall from the end of 

 the bunch before ripe. 



The currant is one of the hardiest 

 of the smaller fruits. It is very easily 

 propagated, will grow with but little 

 care, and under any ordinary cultiva- 

 tion, will rctui-n a large crop every 

 year. 



THE SNOW. 



The snow was proverbially called 

 the "poor farmer's manure" before 

 scientific analysis had shown that it 

 contained a larger per centage of am- 

 monia than rain. The snow serves 

 as a protecting mantle to the tender 

 herbage and the roots of all plants 

 against the fierce blasts and cold of 

 winter. An examination of snow in 

 Siberia showed that when the tem- 

 perature of the air was seventy-two 

 degrees below zero, the temperature 

 of the snow a little below the surface 

 was twenty-nine degrees above zero, 

 over one hundred degrees diiTerence. The snow 

 keeps the earth just below its surface in a condi- 

 tion to take on chemical changes Avhich would not 

 happen if the earth were bare and frozen to a great 

 depth. The snow prevents exhalations from the 

 earth, and is a powerful absorbent, retaining and 

 returning to the earth gases arising from vegetable 

 and animal decomposition. The snow, though it 

 falls heavily at the door of the poor, and brings 

 death and starvation to the fowls of the air and 

 beasts of the field, is yet of incalculable benefit in 

 a climate like ours, and especially at this time, 

 when the deep springs of the earth were failing 

 and the mill streams were refusing their motive 

 powers to the craving appetites of man. If, during 

 the last month, the clouds had dropped rain in- 

 stead of snow, Ave might have pumped and bored 

 the earth in vain for water ; but, Avith a foot of 

 snow upon the earth and many feet upon the 



moimtains, the hum of the mill-stones and the 

 harsh notes of the saw will soon and long testify 

 to its beneficence. Bridges, earth-works, and the 

 fruits of engineering skill and toil may be swept 

 away, but man Avill still rejoice in the general good 

 and adore the benevolence of Him who orders all 

 things aright. The snow is a great purifier of the 

 atmosphere. The absorbent poAver of cajjillary 

 action of snow is like that of a sponge or ch.ueoal. 

 Immediately after snoAV has fallen, tivAt it in a 

 clean vessel and taste it, and you will find imme- 

 diately evidences of its impurity. Try some a day 

 or tAvo old, and it becomes nauseous, especially in 

 cities. SnoAV water makes the mouth harsh and 

 dry. It has the same eflect upon the skin, and 

 upon the hands and feet produces th painful mal- 

 ady of chilblains. The f>.dlowing easy experiment 

 illustrates beautifully the absorbent property of 

 snow : Take a lump of snow (a piece of snow 



