1863. 



NEW EXGL.^ND FARMER. 



113 



as, owing to the mutilation which of necessity 

 takes place, a greater draught is made upon the 

 roots for moisture than they can support when 

 thus shortened, if they are placed near the sur- 

 face. But this point requires the exercise of dis- 

 cretion, and a good substitute for deeper planting 

 ■will be thorough mulching. 



As roots always spring from a bud or joint, and 

 rarely from the internode or portion between the 

 buds, the mode of propagation by which the plant 

 has been produced will exert considerable influence 

 upon the 7nodus operandi of setting it out. 







ii«»^N^\v 



In figure 1 is shown the proper disposition of 

 the roots of a young plant raised from a seed or 

 from a single eye. In this case the roots all pro- 

 ceed from within a short distance of each other, 

 and from the base of the stem. In set'ing out 

 such a plant, the better plan is to throw a shovel- 

 ful or two of fine mould on the bottom of the hole, 

 so as to form a conical heap, the top of which 

 «hould be just at a suitable height to support the 

 base of the stem in its proper ])osition. Then, 

 having placed the plant on the toj) of this little 

 mound, spread out all the roots equally and natu- 

 rally over its side and fill in with pulverized soil, 

 being careful to pack the soil firmly around the 

 roots, yet still leaving it mellow and porous. 



The soil ought to be raised some inches above 

 the surrounding ground, the amount depending 

 upon the size and depth of the hole dug. All fill- 

 ing in is apt to sink, and unless this is done, the 

 plant may be found after a few weeks to be too 

 low. Some, however, prefer to have the plant set 

 in a hollow, claiming that a basin is thus formed 

 which catches and retains the rain. We would 

 rather rely upon good mulching for obtaining the 

 requisite amount of moisture, but if this is dis- 

 pensed with, and recourse had to the former plan, 

 ■R-e should prefer to have the hollow or basin in 

 the form of a ring ai'ound the edge of the hole, 

 leaving the stem surrounded with a little mound 

 which will shed the rain. The stem is thus kept 

 dry, and the moisture is guided just where it is 



4S^!!^ 



Fio. 2. 



■wanted, viz : to the extremity of the roots. Fig- 

 ure 2 gives a sectional view of the soil so arranged. 

 AVhen vines have been raised from cuttings con- 

 sisting of several eyes or joints, there will in gen- 

 eral be several layers of roots — the plants having 

 the appeai-ance shown in figure 3. 



In this case it will be nccessarj- to proceed as 

 directed for plants from eyes in so far as the low- 

 er layer of roots is concerned — the upper layers 



^^A^'^^ 



Fig. 3. 



being held up while this is done. After the first 

 layer has been properly covered, th.o next layer is 

 laid on the surface of the soil which covers the 

 lower layer, and after bein? pro])urly disjioscd is 

 covered in turn, which process is repeated until uU 

 roots are imbedded in the s&ii. 



EXTRACTS AND KEPHES. 



AHOHTIOX IX cows — DISEASED TIGS. 



In year issue of Jan. 24th I find some remarks con- 

 cerning cows losing their young. In the Albany 

 Cultivator, for Ju'.j', 1S'j2, is a cuuininnicalion which 

 relates to the subject. The theory is iliat the di.-ease 

 is caused by the bull. A cow by fijrliting, or by some 

 ;;ccident, loses her calf. She will bo in heat in two or 

 three days. The linll is sullorcd to go to her while her 

 organs arc diseased. He afterwards serves healthy 

 cows, and coinmunicitcs the di<case to them, and they 

 in process of time lose their calves. Some cases are 

 given which make it appear plausible. The theory 

 was new to me, but I thiuk is worthy of considera- 

 tion. 



In the Farmer of Feb. 14th, a correspondent speaks 

 t)f disease in pigs. I would like to iiKiuire if they 

 were littered with meadow hay ? Some of my neigh- 

 bors think that is sure death to pigs. 



Fitchhurg, Feb., 1S63. An el F. Adams. 



"XO FAITH IX THE PROFIT OF 0UCHARD8." 



In the statement made by Dr. G. B. Loring, of Salem 

 of his magnificent farm, on which is one of the finest 

 orchards in the eastern part of Massac-husctts, occurs 

 this sentence, "I have no faith in the protif of or- 

 chards." Why the doctor j-htiuld so strongly de- 

 nounce What "his ancestors so sedulously labored to 

 cultivate, I cannot readily undorsiand. I had .sup- 

 posed that an orchard of choice fniit trees, in good 

 condition, was one of the mo>t pleasant ami i)rotita- 

 ble appendages of a farm. Suppose siuli an orchard 

 to contain forty trees to an afie. Is it unrea.'ionublo 

 to suppose that it will yield three barrels of apples to 

 a tree annually ? In what way can the land be more 

 advantageously used ? I have trees that h:ivc yielded 

 apples of the value of live dollars a year, for the last 

 ten years, and this without any extra care or culture. 

 Let his orchard do this, and I believe it would be the 

 best use of his land that can be made. v. 



THE BEST ONIOX TO SOW. 



In answer to the inrpiiry of S. A. G., of Lawrence, 

 in your last, I will inform him, from experience una 

 observation, that the true Danvers Thick, or Oval 

 Onion, is the most profitable as a market crop ; a.s tlicy 

 are very productive bearers, and measure much l)et- 

 ter than other varieties. This variety is raised al- 

 most univcrsallv in this pait of the country. 



Salem, Feb., 1863. J- S. Ives. 



