18S 



THE NEW GENESEE FARMER 



VoL.1. 



The Flowers of Summer. 



Wenre informed ihat the Harrison i?oje originated 

 in New York with a gardener of that name. 



On a thistly looking plant, five feet high, with eeve- 

 ral branching stems, email blue flowers are collected 

 into balls, often two inches in diameter. "Xhis ia the 

 Echinops spharocepludus from Austria. Its heads are 

 neat and singular. 



PIduz has been well represented in the past and 

 present months. A sort which we imported from 

 England some years ago, without a name, bos been 

 long in bloom, and is much admired for its rcdpurple 

 flowers. In some respects, it resembles P. maculutu, 

 but in otherf, it is very distinct. 



Phloz paniculata alTords eeverol fine Tarieties, all 

 red-purple however, and not a clear r«d. One, re- 

 markable for the size of its flowers, is rather pale; an- 

 other, of a deeper hue, has the segments of the corol, 

 reflected; and a third, not less intense in color, 

 has the segments patent. " Breck'e Seedling," 

 perhaps another variety of this species, is one of the fi- 

 nest of the fine. It is more than four feet high, form- 

 ing dense panicles; aiid as the corol is of a lighter col- 

 or near the tube, it resemliles a " multitude of eyes." 



Another kind which we received under the name of 

 P. pyramidalis V. purpurea, has made a fine display. 

 In the mornings it is tinged with blue, but not in the 

 latter part of the day. This circumstance is very cu- 

 rious.; but we proved it completely by comparing it 

 with slips from a panicle of another species, at diflier- 

 ent limes; and they agreed or diflered according to the 

 hour. 



P. drummondii is the only known annual species of 

 this genus. It is a native of Texas, and considered 

 one of the finest ornaments of the border. Almost 

 every plant is a separate variety; and we have them 

 from very pale to the most glowing purple. With us, 

 it has done beet where the sod is sheltered most of the 

 day from the sun. 



Hibisctis affords some fme ornaments at this time. 

 H. Syriacus a Syrian shrub, well known by the name 

 of Althaia frutex, has passed into several varieties 

 single and double. All that we have seen have purple 

 eyes. Such osare very double, seem to be more ten 

 der; and the double white particularly so — indeed it is 

 not adapted to this climate. We have the double pur 

 pie however, which has attained the usual height of 

 eight feet, and has withstood the winters of many 

 years. We think the single varieties have most beauty. 



Our other species of Hibiscus are herbaceous. — 

 One with very large flowers of the purest white and a 

 red eye, is a general favorite. H. Palustris from the 

 marshes of the Seneca river, when transplanted into 

 a congenial soil, has also very large flowers, but of a 

 fine rosy hue. It grows four or five feet high. H. 

 moschcutus, pale red with a deeper colored eye is very 

 fine, and does well in a dry but sunk border. Anoth- 

 er sort, almost white with a slight tinge of red, is, like 

 the two preceding kinds perhaps, only varieties of the 

 same species. 



Some years ago, we received seeds from a collector 

 who had gathered them in the South, which he called 

 a variety of Hdiiscus milituris. It differs however, 

 from Elliott's description of this species; and also 

 from H. caroZinianH5, whicli it more nearly restnibles. 

 It is quite hardy, and grows nearly seven feet high — 

 flowers five inches across, of a fine rose color with a 

 deep red eye. It is a glorious plant. 



Toimg teedlings of those species, ore liable to be 

 drawn out by the frost in winter; and older plants to 

 lose their best buds near the base of the stem. An 

 inverted sod placed over them at the commencement 

 of cold weather, and left to remain till there is no 

 longer any danger from seve're frosts in the spring, 

 ^ juld protect them effectually. 



Gdui coronopij'olia (formerly CanluaJ is a bienni- 

 al from Corolina, but succeeds well in a covered bor- 

 der. One plant has eii stems more than four feet 

 high. The flowers are tubular, beautifully speckled 

 with red and yellow, and generally hang on one side 

 of the stem. 



The white flowered Argcmorie is a favorite annual, 

 and much eupericr to A. mczkana with yellow blos- 

 soms. There is another species (A. ochroleucaj with 

 whitish flowers but lees showy. All these have be- 

 come naturalized in the garden. 



Nuttallia pedata is a perennial from beyond the 

 Mississippi. Its red-purple flowers an inch in diame- 

 ter, are very neat and pretty, continuing long in 

 bloom. These ore on long slender stems, destitute of 

 leaves, except a few near the ground. There are oth- 

 er species of ihis interesting genua, such os N. digita- 

 ta, N. papapcr and N. grandijiora ; but the two last 

 are treoted as Green House plants. 



The Verbenas add greatly to the beauty of the bor- 

 der, v. aublctiahom Louisiana, not able to abide our 

 winters, takes the habit of an annual. It exhibits its 

 rosy flowers through part of summer and all of au- 

 tumn, unless the frosts are severe. Even F. r. ticedi- 

 ana from the Green House, bears light frosts without 

 injury. This plant should be assisted in taking root 

 from its joints; and it will grow more vigorously and 

 bloom more profusely. Its scarlet and crimson flow- 

 ers ore very splendid. 



The species of Rudhcckia are generally rough and 

 coarse, more suitable for the shrubbery than the bor- 

 der; but they are very showy. R. fulgida, R. mos- 

 cliata, R. Idrta, and R. pinnata, are among the best, 

 — the last particularly. R. laciniata is a native of this 

 district in moist woods. All of them are easily natu- 

 ralized. 



Silcne regia has star-like flowers of the brightest 

 scarlet. It is a native of Ohio, grows from three to 

 five feet high, and ths plant continues to increase 

 in magnitude from year to year. 



The Clary (Salria liorminum) is a curiosity. — 

 The top of each stem for an inch or two, is ornament- 

 ed with purple leaves which careless observers would 

 mistake for flowers. There is also a pale-red variety. 

 Both are pretty. 



Salpiglossis is a genus from South America, inclu- 

 ding several species which make a fine display. — 

 When the stem has nearly done flowering, it may be 

 made to acquire new branches by bending it down, 

 and these will continue long in bloom. 



Last spring we received seeds of Ttccdia carulca 

 from Union College. It is now finely in bloom, and 

 its cerulean hue, contrasting with oil our other flow- 

 ers, renders it more interesting. It is a Green House 

 perennial, but like many others, it may be treated as an 

 annual. 



Bartonia aurea (Golden Bartonia) an annual, is 

 consideieda great acquisition Previous to its discov- 

 ery in California by Douglas, two other species (B. 

 ornala and jB. nuda) had been found up the Missouri, 

 the former biennial and the latter apparently peren- 

 nial. Those plants had ten petals, but our present spe- 

 cies has only^rc, so that the former generic character 

 must be modified. It is remarkable that the species 

 from the Miesouri introduced into England as early 

 as the year 181 1 , are scarcely known to florists, though 

 according to Nuttall they are among " the most singu- 

 lar and splendid in North America;" and Loudon 

 says they "open during the night and spread a most 

 agreeable odor." t 



Wild Rice— Wnnted. 



We wish some of our readers living near Lakes or 

 Rivers where it may be found, would procure us some 

 seed of the Wild llicc. They shall be compensated 

 for their trouble on sending it to the Kocheeier Seed 

 Store. — Eds, 



Clover Seed and Machines. 



Since the remarks on another page were in type, we 

 have received one or two more communications on the 

 subject of cleaning clover seed. We publish such as 

 contain information to the point 



Messrs. Editors — In reply to the inquiry of S., in 

 your last paper, I would state thot lost season I sent to 

 Seneca county ond obtained a clover machine that 

 was made at Trumonsburgh, Tompkins county, by 

 Messrs. Grant & King — price $75. 



The patentee is at Albion, Orleans county, where 

 the machines can be had by addressing I..V. Black- 

 well. — The machine is worked by horse-power, the 

 some OS is used to thrash grain, or it may be attached 

 to water-power. (I prefer the former, as it is easier 

 to move the machine from one farm to another, than to 

 carry the heads or chaff" to the mill.) The machine ia 

 about as large as a fanning mill, with concave and cy- 

 linder similar to a common thrashing machine. The 

 cylinder is about 30 inches long ond 18 inches in di- 

 ameter, and is covered with hoop iron, mode rough 

 like a rasp, ond the concove is lined with the same.— 

 Less power is required to propel it than a machine for 

 thrashing grain. It requires two hands to attend it, 

 one to feed the machine, and the other to drive tho 

 team. After passing through the mochine, the seed 

 is cleaned from the chofl^ by running it two or three 

 times through a fanning mill. 



I last year raised one hundred and forty bushels of 

 clover seed; and although it was new business to me, 

 I found no difficulty in the operation. I cleaned from 

 six to twelve bushels per day — and have heard of much 

 more being done by the same kind of machines. It ia 

 necessary that the clover be ripe when cut, and that 

 the chaff or heads be dry for hulling. 



Respectfully Yours, 



E. HARMON. 



Wheatland. August, 1640. 



A letter from Thos. D. Burrall, whose advertise- 

 ment appears on our last page, inlorms us that he 

 mokes clover machmes of small size for horse-power 

 and farm use — price $65; and of large size for water 

 or horse-power — price $80 — prices uniform. 



Mr. Burrall has devoted much time and money to 

 the construction and improvement of agricultural im- 

 plements, particiUarly thiroshing and clover machines. 

 His machines ore much in use, and we believe give 

 generol satisfoction. — Eds. 



" The Last Rose of Summer." 



Respectfully inscribed to Miss I\I. H. who, in a manner 

 well calculated to flatter the vanity of a man of 50, if he had 

 any, and at the same time excite in his mindnielancholly feel- 

 ings, presented the author with the last lovely Rose which 

 lnoouieii in her garden in the suumier of 1^40. 



'* 'Tis the last Rose of Summer" that gleams on its apray. 

 Thy beauties, thou, frail one, must now pass away ; 

 Like all thy companions, thou soon must begone. 

 And I sigh as I say it, ray Rose is alone. 

 Long flourished my rose, on the tree where it grew. 

 And often its petals were bathed in fresh dew ; 

 Full oft in its freshness it drank the (irsl ray 

 That lit up the morning and glowed at noon-day. 

 It was fann'd by soft zephyrs which floated along ; 

 The wild bee's sweet murmur was thy evening song ; 

 A Philomel, nightly did thee serenade-. 

 And the black -bird and Ihrushsang by day Injthe shade. 

 Xow the chill winds of autumn thy requiem must be. 

 And I sigh as I say it, my last Rose of thee. 

 The bee, whose soft niunnur oft soothed thee, is gone, 

 And she who sung ni^h'.Iy, full far otf has flown. 

 The black-bird and robin, far— far have they fled 

 And I sigh as I say it, my Rose, thmt art dead. 

 Xay, ril smile now to say it. thou art not alone, 

 Thou hast joined thy companions whobeforo iliee have gond 

 From the spray which long bore thee, another shall spring. 

 To it, as to thee, shall sweet Philomel sing; 

 The black-bird and robin shall pour forth their notes, 

 While the thrush and the wren shall tunethelr sweet tbroaUf 

 In short it shall live, as thou did'st in thy day, 

 Then submit to stern fate and pass silent away. 

 I w ill not complain but submit to my lot, 

 Since like t/uc, m'j Rv3C, I muft SOQn b« forgot. 

 Lockport, N, Y, SVB ROSA. 



