o. 2. 



AND GARDENER'S JOURNAL. 



23 



U. 



arance of the counliy, especially in winter, I 



ikethe following suegestions. 



Evergreens generally succeed best when set out 



the spring ; and for this reason : a plant in a 



ipplcd condition is loss hardy than when it is in 



irfect health. Besides the leaves of evergreens 



tain their sensibility throughout the year ; and if 



e roots are much mutilated, or become dry in 



itumn, they must stand six months without nour- 



hment.* Such a fast is too much for them. Even 



iciduous slirubs when taken from the woods at 



at season, not unfrequently die down to the root. 



hese however, may "revive in spring, sending up 



5W stems ; but no such resuscitation awaits tlie 



ne or the sprues. When their leaves fade and 



op off, there is no hope of recovery. 



But when an evergreen is transplanted in the 



)ring, it has time to recover from its crippled 



;ate, before the rough hand of winter assails it. 



k^ithout delay it begins to acquire new roots and 



ourishment ; and takes possession of the soil 



efore any adverse season approaches. 



The roots of evergreens generally incline to 



pread near the surface ; and in this they should 



e indulged, and not loaded heavily with earth. 



ecurc the trees against wind, they should be 



veil fastened to good stakes fumly driven into the 



Tound. 



To compensate them for the rich muck and moist- 

 ire of the swamp, give them liberal supplies of 

 :hip-dirt, mixing it well with the soil ; and water 

 hem moderately in dry weather. A covering of 

 eaves or litter over the roots would be useful to 

 jrevent the earth from caking or hardening, to 

 irotect the shallow roots from the heat, and to as- 

 sist in retaining the moisture. 



Evergreens from the swamps or woods have to 

 icquirenew roots before they can flourish in ara- 

 ble land. After the first year, they are generally 

 out of danger from transplanting ; but two or three 

 years elapse before they send up vigorous shoots. 

 On this account, they are muph more likely to 

 grow from the nursery than the swamp. 



The most beautiful of our native evergreens, is 

 the Balsam Fir. The White Pine, White Spruce, 

 Red Spruce, and White Cedar of the swamps, are 

 also fine ; and the Hemlock and Red Cedar are 

 likewise deserving of a place in the door-yard or 

 shrubbery. 



Pedlars of evergreens are not always to be ti'ust- 

 ed. Last fall, one of this enterprizing class, cal 

 led on a friend of mine, and offered to sell him 

 trees of a rare and extraordinary kind. He had 

 purchased the seed on ship board, and raised them 

 in a nursery of his own in a distant county. They 

 were beautiful evergreens, bearing red berries ! 

 What an acquisition ! My friend bought some, 

 but learned in a few days they were the Red 

 Spruce — probably from a swamp in Tompkins or 

 Cortland county! 



Laierence Seckelvrsis a merchant of Philadslphia, 

 distinguished for his wealth, public spirit, and be- 

 nevolence ; and always spclUd his name in this man- 

 ner. One of the streets of that city is dedicated 

 to his memory. The original pear tree, bearing 

 this name, was found on his farm about one mile 

 above the confluence of the Delaware and Schuyl- 

 kill rivers. It was still standing there eight or ten 

 years ago, though somewhat decayed on one side. 

 All pomologists who are averse to having their 



♦That is, without nourishment drawn through the proper 

 organs — the spongioles. Moisture would he imtjibed hy the 

 b.arit, as it would he by tlie sltin of a bather ; but this Is in- 

 sufficient to nourish the leaves, except in the most favorable 

 seasons. 



,mes twisted out of shape, ought to assist us in 

 resisting such innovations. 



I was conversing lately with a friend of mine 

 from the neighborhood of Philadelphia, in regard 

 to the McdilcTTtncan Wheat, which he considered 

 a very valuable kind ; and we concluded that the 

 writer* in the Fanner's Cabinet who Ihouglit it so 

 inferior, must ha\ e meant some other sort. The 

 editor of that paper ought to be competent to set- 

 tle such disputes. He is " inclined to believe" it 

 however, " a spring wheat which ripens in three 

 months from the time of sowing"; while my cor- 

 respondents represent it as a winter wheat; and 

 one of them remarks that it bears to be sowed 

 " early" in autumn. 



Since my former communication relative to this 

 wheat was written, I have received a letter from a 

 (third) correspondent, living remote from the 

 others, and dated near Moore Hall, in Schuylkill 

 township, Chester county. It contained the fol- 

 lowing postscript : 



"Hare you the Mediterranean Wheat? If not, 

 get it." 



Ploughing Matches. 



I was gratified to see in your last number, the 

 just and excellent remarks of Myron Adams, on 

 these matches — where the man wins the prize, 

 usually, who drives his horses most severely. In 

 addition to what is there suggested, I would pro- 

 pose that the reward be given to the man whose 

 work most nearly approaches that of a perfect 

 ploughman in his common, every-day operations. 

 The team should move quietly, moderately, stead- 

 ily ; and the furrows should be of uniform width 

 and depth, handsomely turned, and as straight as 

 a mathematical line. The object of these exhibi- 

 tions, is to improve the art of ploughing ; to ren- 

 der it what it should be, for every day work ; and 

 not for the purpose of wearing out horses by over 

 driving. It is not the man who scratches over 

 most ground in a given time, but he who does his 

 work best, deserves commendation. 



There is one other thing that needs attention on 

 these occasions. The committees who superin. 

 tend the work, can always find some man in the 

 neighborhood, who has a field, full of stumps, 

 stones, knolls, ditches, and so forth, and who, 

 wishing, if possible, to save his own team the 

 irksome job, would be very glad to have others 

 plough it for him, and therefore ofiers it for the 

 occasion. Instead of the worst, the best field should 

 be selected ; which public spirit, or money, or 

 local pride, if nothing better, certainly ought to 

 accomplish. 



And just allow me one remark on the reports of 

 ''airs. We have had column after column, con- 

 taining nothing but the information that A. B. has 

 the fattest hog, and C. D. the finest calf, and E. 

 F. the largest crop of corn, G. H. the heaviest 

 crop of wheat, and I. J. K., &c. the second best of 

 all these ; but of what use is this information to 

 the tens of thousands of readers of an agricultural 

 paper ? Five readers out of twenty thousand may 

 know the individual named : and here the value of 

 the report terminates. How large the crops were, 

 or how they were raised, or what the size, quality, 

 and breed of the animals were, we are wholly un- 

 able to determine. But if the amount of the pro- 

 duet and the means by which it was obtained, 

 were given, all would be more or less benefited. 

 J. J. T. 



Laying out Farms. 



There is one department of agriculture very 

 much neglected, — that is the laying out of farms 



• See New Gen. Far. Vol. 2, page 178. 



for convenience and economy. Much attention is 

 given to improvements in stock, in implements, in 

 modes of culture, and in the conslruclion of farm 

 buildings, all of which are of the very first impor- 

 tance ; but the proper disposition of the difl'erent 

 fields of a farm, for the sake of economy in fcnc 

 ing, for convenience of access, and for a full com- 

 mand of pasture and protection of crops, has hard* 

 ly received a word of attention in any of our agri- 

 cnltural journals. 



Many farmers suppose that this business may be 

 very quickly disposed of; and that a few minutes, 

 or a few hours at most, will enable any man to 

 plan the arrangement of his fields about right. 

 But this is a great error. 



Even where the farm is as simple in its shape 

 and situation as can possibly be, which is that of a 

 square or parallelogram, in a level country — there 

 are many things to be considered in laying it out. 

 In the first place, we all know that the fencing of 

 a moderately sized farm costs generally, at least 

 several hundred dollars ; and it is very desirable 

 to do it well, so as to protect every part of it, and 

 at the same time use as little material as we can. 

 To accomplish this, much will depend on the shape 

 of the fields. A certain amount of material will 

 enclose more land in the shape of a square, than in 

 any other form.* Hence it is important that all 

 the fields should be nearly square. The disposi- 

 tion of the lanes which lead to the field, is a mat- 

 ter of importance, in order that they be not of un- 

 necessary length, and consequently require an un- 

 n«cessary quantity of fencing, and occupy more 

 land than is absolutely essential. But there are 

 other considerations which may materially affect 

 these rules. 



For instance, it is exceedingly desirable that land 

 of similar quality may be in one enclosure. Some 

 may be naturally too wet for any thing but meadow 

 or pasture ; some portions of the farm may be 

 much lighter than others, and susceptible of plough- 

 ing while others are not ; and some may be sterile, 

 and need all that can be done by manuring and 

 ploughing-in green crops. All these kinds of soil 

 should, as far as practicable, be enclosed, each in 

 its separate boundary. The situation of surfact 

 drains, which are needed on all farms, and which 

 should form a part of the boundary of field, may 

 affect their shape. Facilities for irrigation, a 

 practice of great importance in our comparatively 

 dry climate, and greatly neglected, should also be 

 taken into consideration. Convenience for water- 

 ing cattle, and other minor particulars, are not to 

 be forgotten. All of these should have their in. 

 fluence in laying out a farm, even if that farm be a 

 paralellogram in a level country. 



But in hilly countries, where farms are often of 

 irregular shape, and where it is impossible that 

 fields can be square, still more thought is required 

 in their subdivision, which wiH perhaps require 

 years of experience to perfect. But when fixed 

 fences are once made, it is no easy matter to re- 

 move them, and hence it becomes important to as- 

 certain beforehand where they should be. Much 

 trouble may thus be saved, by a judicious weigh- 

 ing of advantages and diflSculties. For instance, 

 a farm road, which will be much used for heavy 

 loads, should be hard, level, and short ; and th« 

 shape of fields may conform considerably to these 

 requisitions. But a road of little importance, 

 should not interfere with the shape of fields-. So 

 with other particulars. 



In a future number, I propose to carry out these 

 hints somewhat into detail, and perhaps give a few 

 plans in illustration. J. J. T.^ 



* A circle and hexagon are eiceptions to this rule, but 

 their introduction into plans of furmi wonid be impracticaj 

 ble, at leaat in most instance!, 



