214: 



NEW ENGLAND FAR:MER. 



May 



ject in .ill its bearings, and let us come to a just 

 conclusion upon a matter that has a direct bearing 

 upon all classes of citizens in a New England com- 

 munity. 



An item of much importance in growing corn, is 

 to have seed that can be depended on. Some years, 

 (and the last was such an one) corn does not ripen 

 ■well in the lield, and much of it will not germin- 

 ate. We should, therefore, be on our guard and 

 note carefully what we plant. Exannne the corn 

 before and after it is shelled, and you can judge 

 very atx'urately as to its quality. In selecting 

 corii for seed, do it on the cob, then you may get 

 that which is i>erfect. An car of corn witli ten 

 rows half the length, and eight the other half, is 

 not perfect; neither is it quite right if the butt end 

 is scattered, and none should be planted except 

 the tip is covered with kernels. When such cars 

 arc found, then plant the whole corn found on the 

 car. 



The manner of planting corn, and going through 

 the whole process has much to do with the profit 

 ofthccroi)s. The writer might particularize his 

 method, but it would Vie but one among many 

 modes pra.'ticcd. Now it is a fact that many fields 

 of corn ilo fail to pay, on account of mistakes made 

 in the lal)or expended. 



Would the fanners in every town meet together, 

 la>/ asida prejudice, and discuss matters relating to 

 their business, much might be learned that would 

 be benelicial. Robeut Mansfield. 



Wcllcslei/, Mass., Jan., 1867. 



MELONS AND SQUASHES — COMPOST. 



Messrs. Enixons: — In answer to the request of 

 "F. W. C." of North Oxford, Mass., through the 

 N. E. Faumer of Feb. 23, I will, with pleasure, 

 reply, briefly, as follows: — 



As to seed, I have planted the long, dark green 

 melon with lilack seeds, from the south. They 

 have grown larger than any other kind I ever 

 raised; weighing between twenty-five and tliirty 

 pounds. They have been called "very nice," Ijy 

 my friends, and I could not dispute their judgment. 

 I prefer seeds two or three years old, for early ma- 

 turity of melons ; although seeds but one year old 

 will come up quicker. 



The very best that I have i-aised, and weighing 

 from ten to fifteen pounds, were a long, light green, 

 with red seeds ; brought from the south two years 

 l)efore. These had less waste, and were more de- 

 licious than any other kind raised in my ground. 



I never save the seeds of any unless they arc 

 first rale of their kind. 



Water melons want a rich, light soil, porous and 

 hot— uf) matter i.ow hot — to be very good. A 

 strong, heavy soil may produce large ones, but not 

 oficu very good ones. 



AtVer the ground is right in other respects, I dig 

 holes f )r hills nearly the size of a bushel basket, 

 and i)ut in the bottom from a peck to half a bushel 

 of comjiost, hiving not more than six hills to the 

 square rod, and leave not more than 4 or o vines 

 to marure in a hill. 



For Mu-row or Hubbard squashes I woidd like 

 a stronger, but alwavs a warm soil, and, like that 

 for mcl )ns, the whole surfai^e supjilied with food 

 for the joint roots; then holes for hills the same in 

 size, b;ic nt)t more than four to the square rod, and 

 not more th in three vines to mature in a hill. The 

 seeds I would wish to l)e more than one year old. 

 I always select seeds from the very best ; not from 

 any merely because they arc large; having a great- 

 er preference for the good than for the great. Yet 

 I do not despise greatness, except when it is mean. 



Every kind of garden product, I think, is better 

 when it makes a quick growth. 



I fix my compost in the Autumn, when possible, 

 for such things, and find water melons for August 



and September and Marrow squashes for winter, 

 cheap and excellent food for cows, as well for the 

 laughing ilnd singing accompaniments of fanners 

 and gardeners. 



For a compost, take night soil, with from a 

 quarter to half the quantity of plaster, from four 

 to eight times as much of charcoal dust, or dry 

 and pulverized muck, or a mixture of them, and if 

 they cannot l)e had put the amount of rich loam to 

 which some caustic iimc or hard wood ashes has 

 l)een added to destroy acids. Work it well to- 

 gether after it has lain mixed in layers through the 

 winter. 



If the compost is not mixed xmtil near the time 

 of application, I like to put some strong ashes or 

 caustic lime, or both, on the compost in every hill, 

 before filling up the hole. I wish to have the com- 

 post at least four inches below the seed, and that 

 to be filled with rich, active, surface soil. 



If these ideas may serve squashes, and those 

 who love them, and make melons more desiralile 

 and more abundant, I shall be satisfied, and wish 

 all prosperity to the printer as well as the garden- 

 er. A. G. c. 



Lee, iV. II., March, 1867. 



EFFECTS OF imEEDING IN-AND-IN. 



I have a high grade SufTolk sow, which recently 

 l)rought forth a litter of thirteen pigs. Only nine 

 survived the trials of pigliood. Of these, two 

 were found to Ijc of doubtful gender, — hermaphro- 

 dites. Some of my neighltors advised me to kill 

 them, thinking they would be valueless. Curiosi- 

 ty led me to" spare them. Thus far they have 

 done as well as others of the same litter. What 

 the flesh will be, I shall not know till they arc 

 butchered. 



But the cause of this freak of nature is what in- 

 terests me; and thinking that it may interest 

 other stock breeders, is the reason of my writing. 



I have no doul)t that a violation of the laws of 

 animal lilc, was the iirocnring cause. 



If I mistake not, we had it from quarters which 

 we are all accustomed to respect, that there is no 

 harm in lirecding in-and-in. 



To me, it seems so obviously opposed to reason 

 and Scripture, that I wonder any believer in both, 

 or even one, should doubt. 



The present condition and past history of royal- 

 ty, in all monarchical countries, settles this ques- 

 tion b.yond all doubt. 



To what else is attributable the notorious fact, 

 that the palace is more often filled with dwarfs and 

 idiots than the peasant's cottage ? that the off- 

 spring of blood relatives arc iirovcrbially sickly 

 dunces ? that fiirmers who disregard this law, arc 

 never successfid in stock raising ? 



I have learned since this development named 

 above, what I knew not before, that the mother and 

 the pigs are indebted, for their origin, to the same 

 paternal head. 



This is the fourth litter I reared by the same 

 mother. All of the first three families were strong, 

 healthy and proper grunters ; so much S(), as to 

 couuuand any extra price. From this I infer, that 

 the laws of generation, like every oilier law of na- 

 ture, must be observed or the penalty will bo 

 exacted. n. u. u. 



MY EXPERIENCE WITH HEES. 



Two years ago this spring, I purchased a swarm 

 of bees. The first year they swarmed twice dur- 

 ing the month of June, and niade about two pounds 

 of honey for my use. The hives were wintered in 

 the chamticr of an unoccupied house, and came out 

 strong and healthy in the spring; but the season 

 was very unfavorable lor bees, in this section, and 

 I had only one swarm, (the only one I have heard 

 of in our' vicinity.) On weighing the hives in the 



