1864. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



63 



was not quite the usual amount of land under 

 cultivation. 



I need not tell you that the sheep fever rages 

 high in this State. Of course you can't help 

 knowing it. It is almost equal to the Moms Multi- 

 caulis fever, of near thirty years ago. If some 

 folks don't get their fingers nipped, then I haven't 

 been to a "guessin' Institoot." The few "smart 

 ones" that stop in the right time, will make money 

 by it ; but woe to the tail-enders. I rather think 

 it is par ly a gum game, and some artificial oil, 

 that makes, in part, the heavy fleeces. That there 

 has been great improvement in the stock of sheep 

 in this country within a few years, I don't doubt. 

 But I don't believe that all the circumstances 

 combined relating to sheep husbandry will war- 

 rant the present excitement in the premises. I 

 think we had better raise less gum and oil in pro- 

 portion to the wool, and more wool in proportion 

 to the gum and oil, than some of these high- 

 priced, fancy sheep are reputed to produce. 



Johnson, Vt, Dec. 29, 1863. C. Whiting. 



* For the New England Farmer. 



THE BLACKBERRY.' 

 I have read with considerable interest the "Hor- 

 ticultural Notes" of Mr. Hyde. As a cultivator 

 of small fruits, my experience has been confined 

 mainly to the strawberry, which I find a profitable 

 crop. I made some inquiries last summer in re- 

 gard to the blackberry, and was invariably in- 

 formed by men both of observation and experi- 

 ence, that they would vastly rather have the itch 

 than to have the blackberry in their land. In the 

 month of August last, I called on Mr. Francis 

 Dana, of Roxbury, the highly successful cultiva- 

 tor of small fruits, and originator of the "transpa- 

 rent," — the very best white currant. 1 conversed 

 with him concerning several kinds of small fruits, 

 and the profits of their culture, not, however, men- 

 tioning the blackberry, of which I thought I had 

 sufficient proof of its worthlessness already. Next 

 day, however, 1 accidentally met Mr. D. in Bos- 

 ton. At his invitation I accompanied him to the 

 horticultural rooms, where he was carrying one or 

 more boxes of the Dorchester blackberry for ex- 

 hibition. This led to some conversation on the 

 subject, concerning which I afterwards wrote him 

 a letter. From this letter, and from statements 

 which he made verbally, I deduce the following 

 propositions : 



1. The Dorchester is the most profitable black- 

 berry to cultivate for the market. 



2. The average price to be obtained for good 

 fair berries through the season, may be safely es- 

 timated at from 20 to 25 cents per bpx, 



3. The expense of time and labor in cultivating 

 and picking them, and the expense of fertilizing 

 is comparatively small. 



4. Everything considered, they are the most 

 profitable small fruit cultivated. 



And how can the latter proposition fail to be 

 correct, if the former are ? 



Mr. Hyde estimates the average value of straw- 

 berries per box at 20 cents, through the season. 

 This is two cents per box higher than I have usu- 

 ally been informed by cultivators for Boston mar- 

 ket. I sell my strawberries in the country, and 

 thus save the expense of hulling. Some city mar- 

 kets do not require strawberries hulled. 



I wish some experienced cultivators of the 



blackberry would give their experience in regard 

 to that fruit, concerning which so much difference 

 of opinion seems to exist. It would be particu- 

 larly interesting to hear from some one who has 

 been successful. Mr. Hyde seems to consider the 

 black berry a profitable crop, and that is all. He 

 speaks in much more enthusiastic language, of 

 the strawberry. Monthly Reader. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 METEOROLOGICAL RECORD FOR DE- 

 CEMBER, 1863. 



These observations are taken for and under the 

 direction of the Smithsonian Institution. 



The average temperature of December was 22° ; 

 average midday temperature, 27°. The corres- 

 ponding figures for December, 1862, were 25° and 

 30°. Warmest day, the 4th, averaging 42°; 

 coldest day, the 10th, averaging 3°. Highest 

 temperature 46° ; lowest do. 2° below zero. 



Average height of mercury in the barometer 

 29.36 inches; do. for December, 1862, 29.28 inch- 

 es. Highest daily average 29 85 inches on the 

 7th ; lowest do. 28.71 inches on the 14th. Range 

 of mercury from 28.50 inches to 29.90 inches. 



Rain or snow fell on twelve days ; amount of 

 snow 17.50 inches; amount of rain and melted 

 snow 4 inches. Nine stormy days, with 11 inches 

 snow and 1.59 inches of rain and melted snow in 

 December, 1862. There were two entirely clear 

 days. On six days the sky was entirely overcast. 



The changes of the barometer have been re- 

 markable during this month — the mercury reach- 

 ing a point both unusually high and low, with 

 sudden changes. It will be noticed that the aver- 

 age is much higher than same month last year. 

 The difference in temperature between December 

 this year and last will be noticed. Although 

 there have been no very cold nights, the average 

 is, nevertheless, low. A. C. 



Claremont, N. H., Jan., 1864. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 A GOOD COW. 



Messrs. Editors : — I own an Ayrshire cow, 

 raised upon my farm, now seven years old, and 

 weighing about 1000 pounds, which gave during 

 the year ending with the month of April, 1863, 

 13,540 pounds of milk. I was in the habit of 

 weighing her milk, every Monday morning, dur- 

 ing the entire year, and calculating for the week, 

 upon this basis. She gave during the last ten 

 days of May, 1862, 650 lbs. of milk ; in the month 

 of June, 2100 lbs. ; in July, 1950 lbs. ; in August, 

 1800 lbs.; in September, 1650 lbs.; in October, 

 1550 lbs. ; in November, 1350 lbs. ; in Decem- 

 ber, 750 lbs. ; in January, 600 lbs. ; in February, 

 480 lbs. ; in March, 360 lbs. ; in April, 300 lbs. ; 

 total, 13,540 lbs ; making in measure 1504 gal- 

 lons. From the milk of twenty-eight days of the 

 month of June, we made 96 lbs. 3 oz. of butter, 

 and during the year, from her milk alone, were 

 made 610 lbs. of butter. 



As I am anxious to improve my stock of cattle, 

 any one having a cow which will beat this, can 

 find a purchaser, by addressing me, and giving 

 the age, color and breed of their animal, and the 

 price at which she can be obtained. 



Stephen Scammon. 



Stratham, N. H., Dec. 29, 1863. 



