198 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



April 



Mr. Sheldon said that from some facts which 

 he had observed, he thought sand good for the 

 cranberry, but they should be kept moist and oc- 

 casionally flowed. 



Mr. Beck with, Mr. Wilder and the chairman 

 made a few more remarks upon this point, when 

 the time having passed for closing the meeting, 

 the subject for the next discussion was announced 

 to be, Farm Implements. 



For the New England Parmer. 

 IfOTES FROM THE MONOMACK. 

 BY SAGGAHEW^ 



Grapes. — Last spring I set out nearly one 

 hundred grape vines, of various kinds. They were 

 set upon a piece of land newly trenched ; the soil 

 was mostly a medium sandy loam, with a subsoil 

 of sand and gravel. Through one part of the piece 

 there is a strip, or vein, where the soil was quite 

 thin, and the subsoil is a dry, coarse gravel. This 

 was trenched like the rest, about eighteen inches 

 deep, and, like the rest, was quite moderately ma- 

 nured with green cow manure. As will be re- 

 membered, the last season was an unusually trying 

 one for newly transplanted trees and vines, and as 

 my land was of the kind generally considered the 

 most susceptible to droughts, and was not in even 

 average condition as to manure, and, moreover, 

 had just been trenched, I did not expect much 

 growth of vine — at least, for one or two years, — 

 through the gravelly portion above mentioned. 

 Judge of my surprise, then, on finding that the 

 vines set in that part of the garden made the most 

 vigorous growth of any I had. I speak within 

 bounds, when I say that a Hartford Prolific, a 

 Concord, and a Diana, which were set in this thin, 

 poor and gravelly soil, made double the growth 

 of vines of the same age, set out at the same time, 

 and taken from the same lots, but which were set 

 in soil at least twice the depth, entirely free from 

 gravel, and resting upon a subsoil of clear sand. 



As a single year is insufficient to justify too 

 strong conclusions as to which will do the best in 

 the long run, I make a note of the above for the 

 encouragement of those who may wish to set out 

 a few vines, but fear that their soil may be too 

 poor and gravelly for vines to succeed. To such 

 persons I would say trench your ground thorough- 

 ly ; put on much or little manure, — as you may 

 chance to have it — and set out your vines. After- 

 wards, you can top-dress at your leisure. K you 

 cannot afford to trench all the ground now, trench 

 at least three or four feet around each vine before 

 you set them out. Next year you can work over 

 a few feet more, and in this way you will hardly 

 feel the expense. Many person neglect to do any 

 thing, because they are not prepared now to do 

 everything. This is not the true policy. Rather 

 do a little at a time, and keej} doing. 



Buckwheat Cakes. — If any one of the readers 

 of the Farmer are fond of buckwheat griddle cakes, 

 and like them all the better when light and crispy, 

 let them use about one-fourth part of oatmeal in 

 making them, serve them hot, from a wncovered 

 dish, and in the winter on warm plates. My word 

 for it, they -will decide that these liints are good 

 ones. 



The oatmeal makes the cakes lighter, healthier, 

 and improves their flavor ; and the uncovered dish 

 prevents them from becoming sodden by steam- 

 ing. The best of all griddles to cook them upon 

 are those made of soapstone. They require less 

 care in cooking and not more than half as much 

 lard as the common iron griddles. My family 

 have breakfasted on buckwheat and oatmeal cakes 

 for the past eighteen months, without regard to 

 the season ; and, although personally a chronic 

 dyspeptic, I find them easy of digestion, and every 

 way satisfactory. My family of five persons con- 

 sume less than ten pounds of meal per week, at 

 an average cost of less than three cents per pound, 

 or less than one cent per breakfast for each per- 

 son. When served as above directed, with good 

 butter and syrup added, I doubt if a cheaper or 

 better breakfast can be placed on a workingman's 

 table. » 



GUANO. 



"How much guano is necessary for an acre of 

 corn ?" This inquiry is often made. No definite 

 quantity can be given in reply, because the cir- 

 cumstances under which it is used, will always be 

 variable. As a general thing, too much is expect- 

 ed of guano, or any of the other so-called, specific 

 fertilizers. Used sparingly, as they are usually 

 employed, their principal office is to give immedi- 

 ate nourishment to young plants, and enable them 

 to throw off vigorous roots in search of food far- 

 ther from home, and to push them along rapidly 

 in the early stages of their growth. 



In order to accomplish these purposes, the opin- 

 ion seems to be common, that 300 pounds of 

 guano, or other specific fertilizer, is enough. We, 

 however, think this quantity too small — that it is 

 more profitable to add a larger amount per acre, 

 and go over less land, — unless the dressing from 

 the compost-heap is unusually large. Whatever 

 the amount used, we think it should be mixed 

 with good muck or loam — to which a little plaster 

 may be added with great propriety — and a quart 

 applied in the hill. This quantity will be sufficient 

 to give the plants a good start, and maintain their 

 growth and development until the roots shall have 

 had time to penetrate to the manure which has 

 been plowed in, or to take hold of the food natu- 

 rally extant in the soil. The application of Peru- 

 vian guano alone in the hill is not advisable, as 

 the ammonia in which it abounds exists in a too 

 concentrated state to allow of its coming into im- 

 mediate contact with the seed while in a state of 

 germination, or even with the tender roots of vege- 

 tation. By incorporating it with mould, muck, or 

 plaster, the guano will be less Hkely to cause the 

 mischief which is sometimes experienced by the 

 escape of its ammonia. We have known Peruvi- 

 an guano to be mixed with old, finely-pulverized 

 muck, early in March, in the proportion of one 

 part of guano to Jive parts of muck. This laid in 

 a mass from that time to the tenth of May, being 



