1871. 



NEW ENGLAND FARJ^IER. 



335 



callod the petiole. This divides into numer- 

 ous branches called veins, which constitute 

 the frame-work of the leaf. They are woody 

 tubes, and convey to and from every part of 

 the leaf, the sap or nourishment of the plant 

 or tree. Leaves assume a great variety of 

 forms, and have received names to correspond. 



The Flower of a plant is an assemblage 

 of beautiful leaves, delicately and varioutly 

 formed, and placed at the upper nodes or 

 joints of the axis or stem. The upper ex- 

 tremity of the llower-stalk is called the recep- 

 tacle. The flower may be, and assuredly is 

 composed of the following members : 1. The 

 Floral Envelops, consisting of Cali/x and Co- 

 rolla ; 2. The Essential Floral Organs, con- 

 sisting of the Stamens and Pistils. 



The Calyx is the cup-like organ which sur- 

 rounds the tlower, the leaves of which are 

 called Sepals, and are usually green, but 

 sometimes highly colored. 



The Corolla is the interior envelop of the 

 flower, and is usually colored, — the leaves are 

 called jietals. The calyx and corolla together, 

 constitute the perianth. 



The STAME^'S are those thread-like organs 

 situated within the corolla, and on the top of 

 which arc small oblong bodies called anthers, 

 which furnish the dust-like substance called 

 pollen. Stamens vary in number from one to 

 a hundred or more ; but the most common 

 number is five. 



The Pistils occupy the centre of the flower. 

 The parts of a pistil are the ovary or germ at 

 its base, the stigma at its summit, and the 

 style which connects the stigma and ovary. 



The process oi fructification, or fruit-bear- 

 ing in plants, is commenced by the absorption 

 of the polk-n, as it is discharged upon the 

 stigma or extremity of the pistil. The Fruit 

 of a i)lant consists of the pericarp and seed. 



The Pericarp is the envelop of the seeds, 

 and varies greatly in different plants in tex- 

 ture, substance and form. Examples : The 

 Qlans or Nut, as the Chestnut, Beechnut, Ha- 

 zlenut, &c. The Drupe, as the Peach, Cherry, 

 Plum, and other stone fruit. The Berry, as 

 the Currant, Grape, &c. The Pepo, as the 

 IVIelon, Cucumber, &c. The Pome, as the 

 Apple, Pear, &c. The Legume or Pod, as in 

 the Bean, Pea, &c. The Strobile or Cone, as 

 in the Pine, Spruce, Hemlock, &c., &c. 



For further information concerning the 

 vegetable kingdom, we refer our readers to 

 "How Plants Grow," "School and Field Book 

 of Botany," "Manual of Botany," and other 

 works, by Prof. Asa Gray, M. D., of Harvard 

 LTniversity ; also, to "Class Book of Botany," 

 by Alphonso Wood, A. M. , principal of Brook- 

 lyn Female Academy, N. Y. 



J. H. Stedman, M. D. 



West Brattleboro\ Vt., May, 1871. 



— In many parts of the Western States, potato 

 bugs are creating gi-cat consternation. The potato 

 crops in several localities are reported as being in 

 danger of utter destruction by these pests. 



For the Neic Englcmd Farrn'r, 

 APPLICATION OP MANURE. 



JNIuch is said and written on the subject of 

 manure and its application to the soil, but 

 none too much, for it is important that far- 

 mers should know the best way of applying 

 manure to their fields in order to obtain the 

 most profit therefrom. 



I propose to give a little of my experience 

 in this matter, hoping that others more ex- 

 perienced and more capable will do the same, 

 as information is what we want and what we 

 need. About thirty years ago the Maine Far- 

 mer advocated deep ploughing, as a remedy 

 for land that had begun to fail to produce 

 good crops, and in order to test this theory 

 we spread on the grass ground, at the rate of 

 twenty cords to the acre, new manure taken 

 from the heaps, and ploughed it under to the 

 depth of ten inches, harrowed the ground 

 well, planted to corn, and got a very poor 

 crop. At least two other farmers in my 

 neighborhood pursued the same course, w.ith 

 about the same results. Of course all of us 

 came to the conclusion that manure ploughed 

 under to that depth was about the same as 

 thrown away ; for the land did not produce 

 well until dressed on top. Since then we do 

 not plough manure vmder deeper than from 

 three to five inches and raise as good crops as 

 any others in this section. 



As I want to ask some questions,. I Avill tell 

 you how I raised my corn last year. Five 

 years before, twenty loads of manure taken 

 from under my barn shed were put in a 

 pile in this field, where it remained until last 

 Spring, and had become pretty well grassed 

 over. Late in the fall of 1869, twenty loads 

 of manure were put in a pile near the first 

 pile. In the spring of 1870, twenty loads 

 were spread on two acres of ground, which 

 was pretty well run out for grass, and 

 ploughed under to the depth of three to five 

 inches, the ground was then harrowed and 

 furrowed four feet apart. The old manure 

 was taken and put in the hill at the rate of ' 

 about half a shovelful with about a tablesj)oon- 

 ful of Cumberland Superphosphate mixed 

 with the manure, and the corn was planted . 

 from th*e 27th to the 30th of May. It came 

 up and grew finely, and was cultivated and = 

 hoed when it was about ten inches high. I 

 did not stir the ground in the hills, as 1 think ; 

 it stops the growth of the corn. It Avas hoed 

 only once, but was kept clear of weeds by 

 pulling them up by hand. 



When the corn was about two feet high 

 some cattle drovers were here from Kenne- 

 bec, one of whom, on passing the field, said, 

 "Jones, what a splendid piece of corn you 

 have got. What makes it grow so ? Why, 

 I have not seen any like it this season ; in fact 

 I never saw so handsome a piece of corn 'ia 

 my life. What kind of corn do you plant?" ' 



When I was husking my corn, people, com- 



