1S63. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



251 



a proper time. And I trust that others, having 

 like afflictions, will also enter upon the work with 

 renewed zeal ? It is high time. W. Guild. 

 Newton, Mass., June 19, 1863. 



Remarks. — We sincerely thank our correspon- 

 dent for this communication. There is no subject 

 of greater interest to the farmers and gardeners 

 of Eastern Massachusetts, We shall be very glad 

 to receive other articles on this (or any other) 

 subject from the same pen. 



For tlm New England Farmer. 

 LITTLE THINGS, 



Or a Walk in my Garden. 



I have been walking through my orchard to-day 

 and came across a tree which bears an excellent 

 apple but it has no name. This led me to seize 

 my pen and write a word respecting the 

 NAMES OF APPLES. 



Apples are like men. A small minded man 

 sometimes has a high sounding litle which bears 

 him along wonderfully througli the world. An 

 apple sometimes finds its way through all the or- 

 chards in the country whose only recommendation 

 is its name. Almost any orchard of native fruit 

 could furnish one as good. I h;ive several trees 

 grafted by somebody, probably from some seed- 

 ling variety. It has no name, yet I prefer it as 

 my eating apple, from February till June, before 

 all others. Men of real worth without a title are 

 sometimes appreciated by those who best know 

 them. Man's weakness is shown in his deference 

 to high sounding titles without regard to merit ; 

 mine has been shown in search of similar titles 

 to apples. A great title without merit is shown 

 by not producing much fruit. I have a large tree 

 whose title is known in all the books, yet it has 

 never furnished me a bushel of fruit. Conclusion. 

 'J'o see whether in men or apples their titles and 

 merits coincide. 



While looking at some cabbage plants I was 

 led to inquire whether I had not found out a foe 

 to the 



CUT WORMS. 



Would it not protect the plants to throw a hand- 

 ful or two of dry sawdust around them ? I shall 

 try it. A little paper platform, made by taking 

 pieces of paper six or seven inches square, cut- 

 ting a slit and slipping it over the plant saved my 

 ©abbages last year. The pa])cr should have a lit- 

 tle dirt or a stone put on to the corners. 

 SUNDRY ITEMS. 



While taking my garden walk I sometimes in- 

 dulge in imaginary things, which, however, I rare- 

 ly put on paper, but oflener take up the realities 

 of life. This morning I was thinking over a list 

 of articles, which, so far as I know, have not yet 

 been invented to meet the wants of man com- 

 pletely. Among these wants is an indelible pen- 

 cil which shall be a complete substitute for pens 

 and ink. Whoever will invent or discover any- 

 thing of the kind will make a fortune and bless 

 the world. Ink is altogether behind the age. 

 We want for the "women folks" wash-tubs with 

 stronger handles than those now in use. A kero- 

 sene lamp with fixtures that will not be easily 

 broken. A cheap, neat and durable window snap. 



A mowing machine where the weakest part is 

 made the strongest. A light hoe with a strong 

 nock. A washing machine warranted to run a 

 year, and which the domestics can use without 

 calling in the aid of the men. Hens that will not 

 scratch up your garden and make you say hard 

 things against them. A paring machine that will 

 be as good in three months after use as before. 



N. T. T. 



LETTER FROM THE FARM. 



Concord, JMhj 6, 1863. 



Gentlemen :— It is now more then two months 

 since we have had a rainy day — that is, a rain 

 reaching down and soaking the grass roots. The 

 drought begins to pinch sharply. On the higher 

 ard old hay lands, the grass has come to maturity, 

 clover heads ripe and dry, and haying, in such 

 places, is in brisk progress. 



The Indian corn is stout, dark green and vigor- 

 ous, but not high. Barley is beginning to head, 

 and feels the want of rain. Winter rye is halting, 

 while oafs, wheat, potatoes and all garden stuff wilt 

 a little in the hot sun, and look "desponding." 

 Before I close my letter, I hope to be able to an- 

 nounce a "refreshing rain." 



Asparagus Bods. 



1 have been weeding and hoeing the Aaparagus 

 Bed. The family have done cutting it for the sea- 

 son, and it is running up to seed — some of the 

 stalks are already four feet high. We are taught 

 that the seeding of a plant exhausts it more than 

 all its previous growth. If so, why do all persons 

 allow their asparagus to run to seed after they have 

 done cutting, instead of heading it down as we do 

 grape vines, roses, peach trees, and many other 

 plants.^ Will someone, better informed than I 

 am, enlighten me.^ 



Shade for Young Grass. 



One of the most earnest and interesting discus- 

 sions at the Concord Faimcrs' Club, occurred last 

 winter, upon the question whether ike sliade af- 

 forded by the oats or barley sown with grass seed, 

 loas favorable or unfavorable to the rp'owth of the 

 young grass9 I took the affirmative of the ques- 

 tion — that the shade is friendly to the young grass, 

 shading, sheltering it, and tending to keep tlio 

 ground moist and in a favorable condition for its 

 early growth. 



I have now spent a considerable portion of t!io 

 time for several days in pruning apple trees in an 

 orchard Inid down to grass last .\.i)ril, where bar- 

 ley was sowed with the grass seed. The trees do 

 not cover the whole ground, so that there are nu- 

 merous open places that are fully exposed to the 

 sun. In those open places, the grass docs not ap- 

 pear so well as it does under the trees. This fact 

 was observed by another jjcrson who was in tne 

 orchard a part of a day with me. 



In looking over Lieeig's new work, on The 

 Natural Laws of Husbandry, I find the following, 



