1867. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



313 



known now, ought to be still better known 

 and more highly valued. It is a model of 

 neatness. The bark is smooth and clean, and 

 of a cheerful color ; the leaves nice and bril- 

 liant, in shade and in sunshine ; the nuts very 

 sweet; the wood very valuable. Literary 

 people ought to respect it, as its German name 

 gives us the word book ; indolent or thought- 

 ful people ought to like it, as it gives a deep, 

 clean shade to recline in. No tree is fitter to 

 be near a studious or a luxurious home than 

 the beech. 



The nut trees are shamefully undervalued 

 with us. Trees which, everywhere in Europe, 

 are carefully cultivated and furnish an impor- 

 tant part of the food of the inhabitants, are 

 here neglected or banished to distant hills and 

 pastures. Such are the Black Walnut and the 

 Butternut, to which might be added the tree 

 which bears what we call the English walnut, 

 which grows just as well here as it does in 

 France. Each of these would make a hand- 

 some border tree. The Shell-bark hickory is 

 a stately, graceful tree, and its nuts the most 

 desirable of all fruits. It requires care and 

 pains to cultivate, but it amply repays all 

 that can be given to it. The chestnut tree is 

 a very rapid grower — is easily raised from the 

 nut, or from plants, interferes little with 

 other trees, has all the elements of beauty in 

 large proportions, and in summer makes the 

 forest resplendent with its blossoms. Its nuts 

 are singularly sweet, far superior to the Euro- 

 pean, and would, with care, be gradually im- 

 proved in size. The only experiment for this 

 pm'pose that I am acquainted with has been 

 successful. John Lowell, well known by the 

 fathers and grandfathers of this generation as 

 the "Roxbury Farmer," left growing on his 

 little farm in Roxbury, some chestnut trees, 

 the fruit of which is as sweet as the common 

 American, and almost as large as the Euro- 

 pean chestnut. Is there not some patriotic 

 farmer, well to do in the world, living con- 

 tentedly on his paternal acres, and building 

 and planting to make a pleasant home for his 

 great-grandchildren, who is willing to try the 

 selection and care necessary to improve our 

 native chestnut, hickory, and walnuts ? 



There are smaller nuts worth cultivating. 

 The common hazels are very easily propagated 

 by suckers or layers, or by sowing the sweet, 

 delicate nuts. The beaked hazel is curious, 

 but probably of no great value. The Euro- 

 pean hazel may be cultivated with ease and 

 sure success ; and its filberts are worth raising. 



There are many species of whortleberries, 

 blueberries, dangleberrles, bilberries — all na- 

 tives — which ought to be retained for their 

 beauty and for their abundant fruits. Neither 

 ought the blackberries and raspberries, low or 

 high, to be neglected. These wild fruits are 

 most healthy, and the gathering them is an 

 occasion of most pleasant parties for children. 

 Whortleberrying and blueberrying on the Pig- 

 wacket plains in Maine, and nutting along one 



of Its streams, are among the most delightful 

 memories of one old man's happy childhood. 

 Boston, May, 18G7. G. B. E. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 DOES PLASTER PAY? 



This depends upon three circumstances, to 

 wit: the soil to which It is applied, the season, 

 and the kind of crop. On a loam, underlaid 

 with limestone, and on that underlaid with mi- 

 ca slate, we have found it very valuable, in- 

 creasing the amount of the crop from twenty- 

 five to fifty per cent. On sandy or gravelly 

 soils, we have also seen very fine effects from 

 its application. Perhaps a good general rule 

 to determine Its adaptation to the soil, will be, 

 to know that the latter is adapted to the growth 

 of Indian corn, clover and most broad-leaved 

 plants. On soils dry enough for these, we 

 have seen its good results. On cold, wet, 

 heavy lands its application is money thrown 

 away. If the season after its application is vrey 

 dry, its greatest effects will not be apparent 

 that year, though we have seen many Instances, 

 where a good rain followed the sowing and dry 

 weather followed, leaving It to remain dormant 

 through that season. In such cases Its bene- 

 fits Avere seen the following year. We have 

 also found it valuable when sown on grass land 

 immediately after taking off the crop, when it 

 gives the grass a vigorous start, preparatory to 

 wintering. When sown on winter grain, fall 

 sowing Is especially beneficial. Here the 

 method of application varies. Some roll their 

 seed grain in it and think that sufficient ; oth- 

 ers sow it upon the land and harrow in with 

 the seed, and another class wait until the grain 

 Is up and sow in the morning when the dew Is 

 on. Either way gives it to the soil, where it 

 will I'esult to the ultimate benefit of the crop. 



Its effects are greatest on plowed crops, and 

 where manure has been recently applied, 

 though a less quantity of the latter Is necessa- 

 ry than where It Is used alone, — the two in 

 connexion helping each other. By mixing it 

 with yard or stable manure during the winter, 

 once in two weeks — enough to whiten the ma- 

 nure heap, the odor of the manure is destroyed 

 and its value increased in greater ratio than 

 the cost of the plaster. It Is excellent sown 

 on all the grains and upland grasses, and is a 

 great clover maker, and an almost sure de- 

 stroyer of strawberries. 



In old pastures, we have seen cases where it 

 destroyed the old moss and Introduced white 

 clover in Its place. White daisies and Johns- 

 wort flourish poorly after Its application. 

 Mixed with an equal quantity of ashes and 

 thrown Into the hill with potatoes, it is held by 

 many to be just the aliment they need for suc- 

 cessful growth. 



Such are some of the uses to which we have 

 seen plaster applied, and some of the results 

 that have followed. In these cases It has paid, 

 and that in a rich percentage. We cannot, 



