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NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



May 



put into the pot, much of it in bits the size of 

 beans, and just enough in kind and quantity to 

 furnish a scanty nourishment in the plant. AVa- 

 ter enough is given to keep it in growth, but not 

 enough to excite a vigorous habit. So, likewise, 

 in the application of light and heat. 



As the Chinese pride themselves also on the 

 shape of their miniature trees, they use strings, 

 wires and pegs, and various other mechanical con- 

 trivances, to promote symmetry of habit, or to 

 fashion their pets into odd fancy figures. Thus 

 by the use of very shallow pots, the growth of the 

 tap-root is out of the question ; by the use of poor 

 soil, and little of it, and little water, strong growth 

 is prevented. Then, too, the top and side roots 

 being within easy reach of the gardener, are 

 shortened by the pruning-knife, or seared with his 

 hot iron. So the little tree, finding itself headed 

 on every side, gives up the idea of strong growth, 

 asking only for life, and just growth enough to 

 live and look M'ell. Accordingly, each new set of 

 leaves becomes more and more stunted, the buds 

 and rootlets are diminished in proportion, and at 

 length a balance is established between every part 

 of the tree, making it a dwarf in all respects. In 

 some kinds of trees this end is reached in three 

 or four years ; in others, ten or fifteen years are 

 necessary. Such is fancy horticulture among the 

 Celestials. — Scottish Farmer. 



For the New England Fanner, 

 QUALITY AND QUANTITY OF SEED. 



Mr. Editor: — This is an important subject, 

 and deserves the attention and careful considera- 

 tion of every farmer. No one can be a successful 

 farmer who is careless or indifferent about the 

 quality or the quantity of the seed he uses. The 

 subject is twofold, implying good seed, and a suf- 

 ficient quantity. On this subject, there is a great 

 diversity of opinion and practice. Some appear to 

 be quite indifferent with regard to the quality of 

 their seed, whether it be good, plump, ripe seed 

 of the right kind, or directly the opposite, poor, 

 shrivelled, unripe seed of a worthless character. 

 They do not seem to care what the quality of their 

 seed is, provided it will vegetate, and it does not 

 cost them a high price. Others appear to be quite 

 indifferent with regard to the quantity of seed 

 they use, whether too much, or too little. In 

 some instances, they use more than is necessary ; 

 and, in others, they do not use seed enough. 



With regard to the quality of seed, but little 

 need be said to put every one on his guard. It is 

 not always easy to tell good seed from bad ; but a 

 discrimination ought always to be made ; and bad 

 seed should be rejected, or what, after examina- 

 tion, is thought to be bad. By bad seed I mean 

 seed of doubtful appearance and character — seed 

 wanting in vitality and vegetative power — and 

 seed whose productions are of an inferior quality. 

 All such seed should be carefully rejected ; and 

 none but good, bright, plump, perfect seed should 

 be used. Good seed, the very best, is none too 

 good, and is always the most profitable, because 

 the most productive. 



They who raise their own seed can easily tell 

 the difference between good and bad seed ; and if 

 they continue to use poor seed, or poor kinds of 

 seed, the fault and loss are their own. But they 



who purchase their seed at the country seed stores, 

 have no certain means of telling whether the seed 

 be good or bad, or of the right kind, but are 

 obliged to rely on the honesty and fidelity of oth- 

 ers ; because the seed all comes done up in small 

 papers, less than a table spoonful in each, and is 

 sold at five cents a paper, which, at that price, 

 ought to be good seed, but frequently turns out to 

 be bad. In this case, the individual loss in money 

 is not much, but the loss in labor in preparing 

 and manuring the ground, and in sowing the seed, 

 and the loss in time in waiting for the seed to 

 vegetate, till it is too late to sow again, greatly in- 

 crease the amount of loss. These remarks apply 

 particularly to garden seeds, and, with certain lim- 

 itations, to all other kinds of seed. The best, the 

 earliest, the ripest should in every instance be se- 

 lected ; for it is a law in the vegetable, as well as 

 in the animal kingdom, that "like produces like," 

 so that, if Ave wish to secure the continuation of 

 good crops, we must sow and plant good seed. 



But other conditions are necessary to produce 

 good crops beside the use of good seed of the 

 right kind. There must be also a sufficient quan- 

 tity of seed, neither too much, nor too little ; and 

 it should be used at the proper time, and in a 

 proper manner. To tell exactly what this quanti- 

 ty is, in every instance, on different kinds of soil, 

 and at different seasons of the year, whether sowed 

 in the autumn or spring, early or late, is no easy 

 matter. It is sufficient to say, that a less quanti- 

 ty of seed is required to sow an acre, when sowed 

 early, than when sowed late, because the seed has 

 more time to vegetate, to take root, to spread 

 over the ground, and to put forth additional shoots. 

 It is believed, that we do not generally sow enough 

 seed of the cereal kinds, such as wheat, rye, oats 

 and barley. We do not sow as much as the Eng- 

 lish do, and they always have the larger crop. It 

 is very evident, that we do not sow grass seed 

 enough, nor a sufficient variety of seed. This is 

 especially the case on new land that has been re- 

 cently cleared and burned over. If we do not sow 

 enough seed on such land, the loss is very great ; 

 because the condition of the land is such that Ave 

 cannot plow and soav again, but are obliged to let 

 the land run to Avaste, on account of the stumps 

 and roots. 



The case is somewhat different in planting corn 

 and potatoes, because we generally use too much 

 seed. When Ave plant a large, but late kind of 

 corn, Ave almost always use too much seed, and 

 plant too near together ; and the consequence is, 

 that, in our climate, the corn does not get ripe be- 

 fore it is overtaken by the frost. The smaller and 

 earlier kinds of corn may be planted nearer to- 

 gether, and with more kernels in a hill. In plant- 

 ing potatoes, Ave generally use too much seed, 

 Avhether Ave plant the great or the small, the cut, 

 or the uncut ; and, as a natural consequence, Ave 

 have a large crop of small vines and of small po- 

 tatoes. This is especially the case, Avhen Ave plant 

 small potatoes without cutting, putting two or 

 three in a hill. To obviate the necessity of tasing 

 too much seed, I usually select the fairest and best 

 potatoes, instead of the largest or smallest, and 

 plant as early as our climate Avill admit. I cut 

 the potatoes lengthAvise, so as to divide the seed 

 end, and put but one piece in a hill, a foot and a 

 half apart. I ahvays plant them with the cut side 

 up, and throAV on them a spoonful of gi-ouud plas- 



