220 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Mat 



The seedling asparagus should also have a slight 

 dressing, that is, to clear the bed from weeds, and 

 then to spread an inch or two in depth of light 

 dung over it, to defend the crown of the plants 

 from frost. 



SPRING DRESSING OF THE BEDS. 



This work should be done from about the latter 

 end of March to the middle of April, just before 

 the buds begin to rise. After clearing away all 

 the long litter, or whatever may incumber the 

 ground, spread the short dung over the whole sur- 

 face, and dig it in ; if the alleys be dug at the 

 same time, it will be very beneficial to the plants. 

 Care must be taken at this season not to wound 

 the crowns with the tines of the fork, but forking 

 the bed should not be neglected ; as the admit- 

 ting of sun and rain into the ground induces the 

 plants to throw up buds of superior size ; to pro- 

 mote such a desirable object, the ground should 

 be kept clear of weeds at all seasons, as these 

 greatly impoverish, and frequently smother the 

 plants. 



Asparagus plants will not produce buds large 

 enough to cut for general use, in less than three 

 years from the time of planting, but in the fourth 

 year, when the shoots are three or four inches 

 high, they will bear extensive cutting, which should 

 however be discontinued when no large buds are 

 thro-wTi up. The best way of cutting, is to slip 

 the knife down perpendicularly close to each shoot, 

 and cut it off slantingly, about three or four inch- 

 es within the ground, taking care not to wound 

 any young buds coming from the same root, for 

 there are always several shoots advancing in dif- 

 ferent stages of growth. 



The above directions are intended for family 

 gardens. 



EXTRACTS AND BEPLIES. 



SUPERPHOSPHATE — FLAX. 



Will you please inform me whether Coe's Su- 

 perphosphate of Lime can be economically used 

 as a top dressing for old pastures and worn- 

 out mowings ? Is it lasting in its effects, or does 

 it act only as a stimulant ? How much superphos- 

 phate is equal to one cord of rotten bam-yard 

 manure for this purpose ? How much is equal to 

 one hundred pounds of poudrette ? 



Can you, or any of your subscribers, answer the 

 following questions in relation to flax, viz.: 



How much of the fibre is a fair crop, per acre ? 

 What is the chemical process by which the flux is 

 rotted, and what the cost, per hundred pounds of 

 fibre, of rotting by said process ? Where, and at 

 what prices, can the most approved machinery for 

 dressing be obtained ? What is the cost per hun- 

 dred pounds, of dressing by such machinery ? 

 And where, and at what price, could the fibre 

 probably be sold. 



Much has been written within the last few years 

 of the profits of flax -raising, and the policy of pro- 

 ducing it as a substitute for cotton. There is no 



doubt that much of the soil of Vermont is well 

 adapted to flax-raising, and many would doubtless 

 raise it if they knew how to dispose of it so as to 

 make it profitable. By answering the above ques- 

 tions you would enable farmers to act understand- 

 ingly in the matters to which they relate, and 

 oblige at least one subscriber. Adin Bugbee. 

 Snow's Store, Vt., March, 1862. 



Remarks. — ^We are now experimenting on old 

 pastures, with Coe's superphosphate ; have had no 

 results yet. Nothing will restore "worn-out mow- 

 ing" but re-seeding, because there are few roots 

 there to be restored, of the kinds of grass wanted. 

 The superphosphate must be quite permanent in 

 its effects. We have not the means of answering 

 your other questions so as to give reliable infor- 

 mation. 



lime for spring wheat — WHEN TO PRTTNE 



ELMS — SALTING CRANBERRY PLANTS — 



DITCHING CLAY LANDS. 



I wish to learn through the Farmer the best 

 method of applying lime for spring wheat on a 

 piece of gravelly loam, where there was corn last 

 year. There are about forty young apple trees on 

 the piece. Would it be beneficial to the trees ? 



When is the best time to prune elm trees ? I 

 have one of over a century's growth ; the top is 

 beginning to die, and it is my wish to save it for 

 shade, if possible. Could not the top be cut off, 

 say a part of the branches each year, and have it 

 sprout out again ? 



Which is the best way to set out cranbeiTy 

 plants ? I have a small meadow I wish to set out 

 this spring, and I want to know the best way to 

 do it and secure a good crop in three or four yeai-s. 

 There have been several ways tried about here ; 

 some have failed, and the others have not done as 

 well as Avas expected, leaving us in the dark ? 



How is the Avay to manage a piece of clay land 

 where the banks of ditches Avill not stand the 

 frost. Young Farmer. 



Franklin, March, 1862. 



Remarks. — Sow the lime at the time of sow- 

 ing the wheat, say from five to ten or fifteen bush- 

 els per acre. It will probably be as useful to the 

 apple trees as to the wheat. 



Prune the elm when there is the least sap in 

 motion — in midsummer, or soon after it has shed 

 all its leaves next fall. The tree may be renovat- 

 ed by the process you speak of, if you protect 

 the wounds from the weather. 



See an article on Planting Cranberries in an- 

 other column by Mr. Addison Flint. 



Drain your clay lands with tile. 



TO DESTROY WARTS ON A COW'S TEATS. 



In answer to your East Bridgewater "Subsciib- 

 er" I would say that I have a young cow whose 

 teats last spring were covered with warts. I took 

 the Avater that baking beans, (common pea beans) 

 had been soaked or boiled in, and washed the 

 teats twice a day, for a week or so, using a shal- 

 low three-pint pan, so that I could wet all the 

 teats at once, leaving the water to dry on thera. 



