260 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



June 



in their turn, will be considered as simple as 

 we. And so I hold it to be irrational to point 

 out anything not circumscribed as above stated, 

 and say that it cannot be done. To say that it 

 is not done, is no argument. Idex. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 NOTES ON GRAPES, 



The result of fifteen years' experience in 

 grape growing, has given me the following 

 rules as essential to success : 



The soil must he well drained. Other things 

 being equal, elevated land is best. I prefer 

 a southwestern exposure. Rich and long cul- 

 tivated land is unfit for the best development 

 of the grape. The soil should be trenched to 

 the depth of from eighteen inches to two feet. 

 For field culture this can be accomplished by 

 the sub-soil plow. One of the most import- 

 ant points is to keep the soil in its original 

 position, the top soil above, and the subsoil 

 below. 



For field culture, manure the same as for 

 corn, when you expect to get one hundred 

 bushels to the acre. This gives the plants a 

 good start the first year, when wood and not 

 fruit is the object. Plant about six inches 

 deep. Distance according to the kind. Con- 

 cord, twelve feet apart in the row ; Dela- 

 ware six feet. I prefer rows running North 

 and South. Rows may be six or eight feet 

 apart. Chestnut or cedar posts, and wire is 

 the cheapest trellis. No. 10 wire is the best 

 size. In the spring give the wire a coat of 

 paint oil, using a woolen cloth, and it will last 

 a lifetime. Fasten the wire to the outside of 

 the posts with a small wire staple. 



For field culture I prefer the Concord and 

 Hartford. The objection to the latter that it 

 drops its berries is of no account. No one 

 wishes early grapes to keep. For the garden, 

 add Delaware and Rogers' Hybrids, with one 

 vine each of Diana and Allen's Hybrid. The 

 two last should be taken down and covered in 

 the fall. 



The Concord, Hartford, Delaware, and 

 Nos. 1, 3, 4, 15, 19 and 33 of Rogers' Hybrids 

 are alike hardy with me. As a class, I prefer 

 Rogers' Hybrids. So well assured was I of 

 their superior excellence, that in 1S55 the 

 above numbers were entered for premium at 

 the Plymouth County Agricultural Exhibition, 

 as the best six varieties of Hardy Native 

 Grapes, in competition with all other varieties, 

 — using the Delaware as the teSt. They re- 

 ceived the first premium, and the committee 

 gave the No. 3 the first premium of the best 

 single dish — a grape pre-eminent above all 

 others — enormously productive, twice as large 

 as the Delaware, same color, a.nd just as good. 

 No grape that has been tested as extensively 

 as the Concord can compare with it in (lualities 

 that make it a general favorite. To-day it is 

 the grape for the million. 



It will be noticed that many varieties in cul- 



tivation and for sale, I have not mentioned. 

 If a man has money and leisure he can afford 

 to buy them. If not, he cannot. In a few 

 years the question will be settled whether the 

 immense amount of printer's ink and paper has 

 benefited most the sellers or tho buyers of 

 grape vines. L. w. p. 



North Bridgewater, Mass., March 18, 1867. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 ABSORBENTS— POTATOES— WHEAT. 



Messrs. Editors : — In the Farmer of Feb. 

 2d, Mr. "Lectum" makes the speakers at a 

 recent FaVmers' meeting say some things which 

 appear absurd. Where the meeting was, de- 

 ponent saith not ; but from some of the state- 

 ments I should think it must have been on 

 some other planet, rather than on this terra- 

 queous globe. 



"E. B." said he did not think liquid manure, 

 from any animals, required any absorbent in 

 the winter season, — the solid part being suffi- 

 cient to absorb it all. I should like to know 

 if his animals ai'e well supplied with water ; 

 and whether he ever fed his hogs on pumpkins. 



"F. D." said swamp muck is over 90 per 

 cent, water. It is about 200 per cent, water ; 

 100 pounds of muck when dry will absorb 

 very nearly 200 pounds of water. 



Dry Soil as an Absorbent. 

 I wish to say a word to Lectum through the 

 Farmer, as I can do it in no other way, not 

 knowing his real name or Post-office address. 

 He asks, "Will it pay to dry and house com- 

 mon soil for an absorbent ?" I say yes ; it will 

 pay abundantly. The same quantity of com- 

 mon soil by raeasui-e, will absorb as much 

 liquid as meadow mud. If one has four cows, 

 and will keep them in their stalls a suitable 

 length of time, they will thoroughly saturate 

 considerably more than one bushel of dry 

 soil every day, in summer and in winter, — not- 

 withstanding what "E. B." says to the con- 

 trary. This will in a year increase the quan- 

 tity of manure more than four cords ; while 

 the quality will be but little if at all injured. 



Cutting Seed and Raising Potatoes. 



In the Farmer, Feb. 9th, under the head- 

 ing of "Culture of Potatoes," it is recommend- 

 ed to cut them fine — not having more than two 

 eyes to the piece — and put two pieces in the 

 hills. It would be a great benefit to some 

 farmers if those who recommend such scant 

 seeding would prove the truth of their theory 

 by accurate experiments. 



I have received a private letter containing 

 several inquiries, which, for several reasons, I 

 (choose to answer through the Farmer. The 

 writer says : — 



I notice you pu^ three and four butts in a hill. 

 Please state the nuinher of germs or eyes each butt 

 contained, and about the quantity of the potato you 

 planted. Now, so many butts in a hill require a 

 vast amount of seed, and so great a ci'owd luxve a 

 small chance to expand and grow. Would it not 



