So. 5. 



A N D GARDE N E II 'S JO URN A L. 



73 



elves, (a useful lesson in later life. ) Tben mich an 

 cquisition would be enjoyed. 



The bloom of early flowers, however, may be much 

 irolonged by planting In different situations. Give 

 hem the reflected heat of a wall or close fence, and 

 irotcct them at night from the frost, and a week or 

 nore may be gained in earliness. Plant them on 

 he opposite side of such a wall or fence, so that 

 hey are shaded through most of the day, and they 

 vill come forth a week or two later than those in the 

 pen border. To see the nrst flower of its kind, does 

 as good, and we love to prolong the stay. 



The genus Conjdalis, like Eschschollzia, is remar- 

 kable for the delicacy of its leaves. C. aicullaria and 

 C canadensis, ( the latter fragrant, ) are natives of our 

 woods. C. cava and C. nobilis are from Siberia. All 

 lliese add to the beauty of the border. 



Eryllironium dcns-canis is a native of Europe, and 

 lecidedly prettier than either of the species indigenous 

 o this region. There are two varieties, white, and 

 'ed-purple. The flower is soon past, but there is 

 beauty in the leaf. 



The primrose or polyanthus (Primula ccris) nrns 

 nta many varieties. We have selected a dozen or 

 oiore of the finest we could procure or originate, and 

 ionie of them are very pretty. Deep red-purple, pale 

 lac, jrellow, and almost white, are among the colors. 

 The double varieties are highly valued. 



Narcissus is an interesting genus of more thansi.t- 

 .y species. It includes the Dafibdils: the single yel- 

 ow, the double yellow Ajax, and the double phoeni-x 

 jfith white petals and orange centre. The Trumpet 

 najor, in two varieties, however, is our earliest kind, 

 [t also includes tlie Jonquil with two or three rich 

 'ellow flowers on a stem. .V. angustifolius, white 

 with a crimson-tipped nectary, and N. fioiibundis, 

 dso white with a yellow nectary, are fine. The latter 

 'rom Spain, requires some protection, and is scarcely 

 luitcd with our common soil. 



The English Violet, ( Viola odcraia, ) white, blue, 

 md double, is very modest and very sweet. It has re- 

 seived many encomiums from thefoets. 



Hyacinths are a lovely group of plants; and come 

 nearer to being of all colors than any other flower that 

 we know. It should be planted in a rich soil, that its 

 aunches of blossoms may he large and fine; and when 

 jet out late in autumn, the earth slwuld be firmly pres- 

 sed down over it, to prevent the frost from heaving up 

 ;he soil, and separating the stem from the bulb. 



Of all the flowers of this month, however, we doubt 



If any makes a finer display than the liver-wort (He- 



'' padca triloba.) It only opens in the warmer part of 



■■ the day. From the woods, we have procured them of 



many colore, and with a considerable approach towards 



a duplication of the petals; but so far have found none 



that could be called double, fy'anguinaria canadensis, 



also from the woods, with pure white blossoms, should 



' be associated with them. 



The Crown Imperial is a magnificent plant, admi- 

 ' rable for its form and singularity. The double varie- 

 '' tie3, however, are mere distortions, and not worth cul- 

 tivating. 



When llola tricolor has passed tlie winter withoui 

 damage, (and snow is its best protector,) it blooms 

 very early. Many of the new varieties are very showy 

 and very pretty. 

 ' One more, and we have done. The periwinkle, 

 " ( Imca minor,) an evergreen trailer, begins to open 

 its fine blue flowem. t 



Clearing New Lands"Inquir)'> 

 Mrs5F3. Editors — I am about to remove on to a 

 new farm, and if you, omirour correspondents, will 

 give some hints respecting the best method of clearing 

 and cultivating new lands, you will confer a great fa- 

 vor on A SUBSCRIBER. 

 . Henderson, Jefferson cc, April, 18(0. 



The Meeting at Rochester. 



In amthcr column will be found a call for a public 

 meeting of farmers and friends of Agricu'ture, to be 

 held at Rochester on the 28th inst. We believe it is 

 not necessary to remind our readers of the importance 

 of this meeting, in order to induce them to attend. — 

 But we wish to remind them of the necessity of being 

 there prompily at the hour, and having their minds 

 somewhat prepared to speak and act underetandingly 

 on the tubjects which will be discussed. We do not 

 mean by this, that rhey should be prepared to make 

 long speeches; for time will not admit of it. The 

 meeting is for the transaction of important business, 

 which will need to be done " with accuracy and des- 

 piilc/!;" and theretore it is necessary that every farmer 

 who attends, should be prepared to do his part. 



The following arc some of the leading topics which 

 will probably be dicussed, and the questions which 

 will need to be decided : — 



1st. A consideration oftthe present condition of ag- 

 riculture, and the farming interests in this region o( 

 country; and 2d. what arc the best means of their ad- 

 vancement ? This will give rise to the question, 3d. 

 Shall an Agricultural Society be formed ? and if so, 

 4th. What shall be its name and character, and plan of 

 operation ^ What extent of country shall it embrace ? 

 (This will depend upon the attendance from adjoining 

 counties.) 5th. Is it advisable to have a Fair, or Ex- 

 hibition, next fall ? if so, shall premiums be awarded? 

 and how shall the funds be raised? These, and ques- 

 tions growing out of these, will most likely occupy the 

 whole attention of the meeting. 



Acknowledgments. 



We are indebted to the Hon. T. Kesipshall, M. C 

 for several interesting documents, and a package of 

 seeds, kindly sent ue by him from Washington. 



Also to Hon. H. L. Ellsworth, Commissioner of 

 the Patent Office, for a package of seeds of West India 

 Plants, just received from him. We shall immediately 

 sow them in a hot-bed, and transfer them to the 

 Green House. 



A Donation for the Maseum. 



Professor C. Devvet, of this city, has presented us 

 with a collection of dried specimens of grasses, which 

 we shall add to and arrange during the summer, for 

 the proposed Agricultural Museum. Our readers are 

 indebted to his able pen for several interesting com- 

 munications which have appeared in our columns, and 

 for the essay on Grasses, part of which appears in this 

 number. 



To Readers and Correspondents. 



Several communications which need revising are 

 unavoidably deferred for the present; and a pressure 

 of business must be our apology for the omission of 

 seme cuts, and other matters intended for this month. 



From the Kalamazoo Gazette. 



Beet Sugar in Michigan. 



New Genesee Farmkr. — The first three numbers 

 of this new agricultural sheet is now upon our table. 

 We think it is fully equal to the old Genesee Farmer, 

 and will prove an invaluable work to the agriculturist. 

 It 18 nearly as large as the "Cultivator'" and costs only 

 half as much; and we think will be more valuable to 

 our farming community. 



In answer to the "Farmer's" inquiry, in reference 

 to the manufacturing sugar from the beet, in this 

 State, we would say, what we have heretofore slated, 

 that the company established for that purpose in the 

 adjoining county of St. Joseph, did not meet with suc- 

 cess the last season, on account of the incapacity of 

 their workman. They have now sent an agent to 

 France to secure an experienced workman to take 

 charge of the business. If they succeed in getting a 

 competent workman, as they undoubtedly will, we 

 presume succ^-ss "''ll intend liicir efforts this scnson. 

 as they 8iir'*ee.lr<i «> far last as t'> make mOiassf s. 



For the AVw Genttce Farmtr. 

 THE GRA8.SES.— Xo. I. 



In common language, the grasses include all those 

 herbaceous vegetables, which arc used, or may le usB'J, 

 as food for our domesticated animals. Turnips, peas, 

 and the like, would be considered as excepted. In the 

 anguageof botanists, the grasses embrace those plants 

 with hollow and jointed stems, with solid joints, with 

 long, parallel-veined leaves, rising from slit sheaths, and 

 with one or two, or more, chaff"-like leaves, or glumes 

 about the flower. While this description excludes 

 the rusli-likc and sedgi/ grasses, some of which are 

 eaten by cattle, it comprehends the most important 

 vegetables; for it includes wheat, rye, barley, oats, 

 sugar-cane, rice, wild rice, Indian com, «Scc., as well 

 as timothy, red-top, and all the common grasses. It 

 excludes indeed, clover, pea, buckwheat, and the like; 

 but it evidently embraces the most importont articles 

 of agriculture. 



In the views now to be presented to the farmer, the 

 grasses used for food for our animfJs, alone are res- 

 pected. Those which are intentionally cultivated are 

 very few; but several others are mixed with these in 

 more or less abundance, and some of them are worthy 

 of more attention than they have yet received, and 

 otheis may be soon introduced. 



Vast provision has been made in the multitude of 

 grasses, for the support of the graminivorous races of 

 anim.ila. More than eighteen hundred species have 

 been described by botanists; more than three hundred 

 are ascribed to North America; and more than orus 

 hundred and ticcntij are found in the State of New- 

 York. While thtsc are useful for the food of cattle 

 to some extent, is it not probable that far more will 

 ultimately be found valuable to the agriculturist ? 



The value of the cultivated grasses for our working 

 animals, as well as for those that graze only, is inesti- 

 mable. They cannot be sustained on wheat, rye, oats, 

 corn, and the like, but must have more volume put 

 into their stomachs. Whether it is that grain baa a 

 nourishment too concentrated to be used alone, or that 

 the stomach of the graminivorous is adapted, by its 

 capacity, tor the uee of the leaves and culms them- 

 selves, which is the mopt probable, and that this capa- 

 city must be filled up by the food, it is very clear that 

 they must have a coarser food with the finer, for 

 their support. Hence comes the advantage of even 

 the innulritiovs cut-strnic of wheat, or rye, or cats, 

 mixed up with their grained provender. There must 

 be volume, as well as nutriment, in the food of our 

 animals, and especially of those which are to do the 

 hard work for ue. For pnsiurage, as well as hay, the 

 grasses have an imnicn(?e value. 



In the selection of grasses for cultivation, the object 

 to be ertected is the first thing to be considered, and the 

 adaptation to this object is the first business of practi- 

 cal agriculture. For the early pasturage of spring, or 

 the late feed of autumn, we need the grasses most ap- 

 propriate to those parts of the year, as well as for the 

 hay of summer. One grass maybe more nutritious 

 in the early stage of its growth, and another in the la- 

 ter, while some are bettor fitted to be food for horses, 

 and other.? for cattle and sheep. 



The quantity of nutriment in the diflferent grasses, 

 is probably very djfierent, and is not very easily as- 

 certained. The experiments made under the order of 

 ihfi DjUc cf Dcdf<-.r<l. at W^burn. Englnnrl. nnd often 



