^o. 2. 



AND GARmiNKK'S JOURNAL. 



45 



There is BCnreely anything which logitimately Uc- 

 )ngs to fcinals imlufiry, bo niucU neglected as tlini 

 rhich is of all others the meet »^reenble, the most 

 ondiicive to houltli nnd iinppinesj, viz. the cHlliVn- 

 cin of shrubs, ploii^s and flowers ; those ox'.eriial 

 rnameius of home, that throw around it such nn air 

 f comfort nnd contentment, that cheer, enliven, nnd 

 eaiitify country life, thnl multiply nnd etrengthcn the 

 ttachnient of families to their heme, and that cause it 



be associated in the memory, when pjrhnjis fnr, far 

 listant from it, with the most endearing recollectione. 

 f the altenlion of fomnles enu be generally eul^ted 

 II this cause, if they can bo persuaded to vcninr« out 

 ntothe pure air, nnd, with their own hands, aid in 

 he cultivation of the ^' lovelieet of nature's gems,** 

 hen we may expect a change to come over the ai»penr- 

 nco of our country homes, and such a cbanjje as 

 annot bin givo universal delight. Instead of see- 



thcni ns they now are, for the most part without a 

 shrub, a (lower, or aught that indicates an apprecia- 

 ion of nature's beauties, we would IJnd a shrubbery 

 nda llower garden a certain accompaniment of the 

 dwelling. 



Why should we devote such assiduous ntlenlion to 

 our furniture, its brilliancy and beauty, and with nn 

 unwearied care keep all the internal ornaments of our 

 houses in order, neatness and taste, while at the same 

 ime we never think of displaying our taste jin out- 

 door ornaments? Is it right? is it consistent? I 

 ;m sure the reader will tnswer no I and certainly I 

 do. Notiiing is mere provoking than to hear a woman 

 isk " what is the use of plants or flowers?" Hns 

 ihe Almighty created us without any i tier than 

 animal feelings and appetites ? What a grossnesa 

 of intellect it must be that can prompt such a ques- 

 tion ! yet that same person is nn ardent admirer of 

 B'lk ribbons, and other similar gewgaws, and would 

 not hcsitRte in eacrificing whole days and wcel'sof 

 valuable time, and spending much hard earned money 

 «n fashion nnd Irivolity 1 



The advantage which our hea'th would derive 

 ifrom the delightful labors cf the gord.n, is another 

 etroug argument in favor of it; thrte fourths of us 

 are coniplaiuing of ill health, one of the greatest of 

 human ills ; and no one will deny but that it is caus- 

 ed by the delicate manner in which we are brought 

 up. We want more exercise, — wc vyjnt physical ns 

 well as mental exercise in the free open air ; our 

 honlth nnd true rational enjoyments have been sacrifi- 

 ced, to unworthy motives. Strange illusion 1 That 

 in the pursuit of mere phantoms, we should so shame- 

 fully neglect the means vihich a beneficent creator 

 has kindly given us, for the grnliticalionof the purest 

 desires of our natiire! 



Ifow is it possible that so many should seem insen- 

 sible to the pleasures of the garden ? What more ex- 

 quisite than to leave the confined atmosphere 

 of a dwelling, and inhale plentifully the balmy 

 breath of morning, sweetened with the perfume cf 

 flowers, perform the neceasary labor, nnd roturn to the 

 domestic duties with a glowing check and a healthful 

 appetite ? How sweet to pluck the opining rose bud, 

 or gather n nosegay which, with our own hands, we 

 have planted and cherished I "As long as I live, 

 flowers shall multiply in my gard'sn, and be cherished 

 in my bosom ; and when I die, if ony kind hand will 

 place them there, flowers shall smile upon my grave." 



1 fear I have extended my remarks too far already. I 

 intended to alludt to other matters, but will postpone 

 them till next month, when you will hear from me 

 again, if these humble remarks arc wo.t'iy a corner 

 of your paper. I do not wri'.e with a view of afford 

 ing instruction to others, bat to elicit the views of 

 those who are competent to in3tri;ct, that I may my- 

 self learn. Were it in my power to do, say, or write 

 anything that would promote the general gt.'od. most 



happy wou'd I be indeed. Wishing you a honrty 

 welcome to our rcgioji) nnd hoping thnt your Inbors 

 will be rewarded with the fullest fiucccss, 



J am &c. i^ELIA. 



Chesmil Hi!', HI: Unh, 1812. 



Crunbeiries. 



We extract the following article from (lie Maine 

 Cultivator, ai highly deserving the attention of far- 

 mers. Wc. have had no practical experience of 

 this cultivation, but have known cases in which 

 several acres of swamp or low meadow have been 

 sown'wilh Ihem, which have afterwards yielded n 

 large product. We know one instance upon the 

 best authority, in which a i'armer sold of them 

 from his own farm lo the amount of more than one 

 thousand dollars. That they are capable of being 

 grown with advajitage upon high ami sandy land, 

 is to us a new fact ; but, from the confidence with 

 which it is stated, it certainly deserves attention. 

 The fruit itself is healthy and, properly prepared, 

 delicious; and large amourUs are wanted as well 

 for exportation as home use. 



The cultivation of the cranberry Coxycoccusmac- 

 rocarpus) has not, we believe, received much at- 

 tention in this region. 



Most of those usually exhibited in our markets, 

 are gathered by the country people from the bogs 

 and swamps where they grow wild, and without 

 any assistance whatever from the hand of man. 



Like all our native (iuits, however, the cranber- 

 ry is susceptible of being greatly improved by culti- 

 vation. In Massachusetts many farmers cultivate 

 from one to a dozen acres, and as the fruit brings 

 readily a dollar per bushel in the Boston market, 

 they iind them the most lucrative crop they can 

 raise. It is stated in the New England Farmer, 

 Vol. IX, No. 18, that Mr. F. A. Haydcn, of Lin 

 coin, in that state, raised, in 1830, four hundred 

 bushels, I'or which he received four h«udred dol- 

 lars in cash. This IS profitable farming. 



Kenrick, asserts Sir Joseph Bank*, who had ta- 

 ken pains to obtain the oxijcoccits macrocarpus from 

 America, harvested in 1831, from a square of 

 eighteen feet each way, three and a half Winches- 

 ter bushels, being at the rate of four hundred and 

 sixty bushels to the acre. 



The soil inosisuitaWe to the culture of tliis plant, 

 is a low, moist and swampy muck, but large crops 

 have been taken from lands in every respect pre- 

 cisely the reverse of that in which they flourish in 

 their natural state. Even light sandy loam, and 

 in which there is a predominance of vitrious or si- 

 liciousinatter, if manured with compost composed 

 of clay, muck, and swamp mud, and kept uniform- 

 ly and moderately humid, will produce excellent 

 cranberries. It is even asserted by those who have 

 had ample experience in the business of cranberry 

 culture, that the vines, under this treatment, will 

 not only be much more thrifty and prolilic, but that 

 the fruit will also be much larger, fairer, and of 

 belter flavor than that gathered from vines in their 

 natural state. On most farms, however, there are 

 numerous low places which might be advantage- 

 ously devoted to this plant, and wherever such pla- 

 ces arc lo be found on a farm, they should un- 

 questionably be seleeted in preference to artificial 

 or compounded soils. The method of planting, in 

 such locations, is to dig holes in the turf, from one 

 to two, or two and a half feet deep, and two feet 

 over. Into these holes are placed the sods or com- 

 pact turfs containing the roots which are then care- 

 fully covered with the soil and a sprinkling of 

 beach-sand thrown over the hill. The hills should 

 be four feet apart each way, which gives ample 

 scope for the vines to trail or branch out. Plants, 

 cultivated in this manner, come rapidly into bear- 

 ing, after which nothing more is requisite for sev- 

 eral years, than merely to give them a slight dres- 

 sing, occasionally, and to supply new plants where 

 the old ones have decayed, or died out. 



A plantation, managed in this way, is amost val- 

 uable appendage to any farm ; and in this section 

 of the country, where the fruit brings one dollar 

 and fifty cents, and often two dollars per bushel, it 

 would be peculiarly so. The labor of harvesting 

 the cranberry is very simple, and very expeditious- 

 ly performed by means of a rake, constructed ex- 

 clusively for the purpose, and with which, in fa- 

 vorable seasons, a skilful band will gather, with 

 caie from fifty to a hundred bushels a day. W. 



Titles.~A Rule. 



Wc particularly rctjucst that all our correspondents 

 vvoiild att;icli their names, places of abode, and dato, to 

 their comuiunicitions. If they desiiclhcir names con- 

 cealed it Bhall be so done. 



Wc must ask indulgence if wc withhold in all cases 

 all titles, such as Excellency, Honorable, Kevercnd, or 

 even Esquire, which in trtith is now generic Instead of 

 s|KTiri<' ; .Tiid WC should be pir//led to say whoHiitdooB 

 not designate, unloss it be a woman. As things go, 

 hovvcver,it may not be long withheld from them. Jotu- 

 slui Salmagundi, Esij., for example — how finely that 

 appears — certainly the women cannot long resist the 

 temptation. 



In all our oflicial reports for the last fovir years, we 

 have made an absolute rule to give no title ; and It has 

 saved us much trouble. ] f, however, any of our cor- 

 respondents desire their titles to lie annexed or prelix- 

 ed to their names, wc promise to give all they will hon- 

 estly send, whether it be F. R. S., which a fellow in 

 England lately assumed, because he said lie was Fa- 

 mous for eating Rich Soup, or A. S. S. which may 

 mean Sccius Societatis Agricultuifo, shall be duly dis- 

 played. In the last Case however, we cannot promise 

 that every one who does not understand Latin shall hit 

 upon the right interpretation ; any more than in the 

 case of the Tobacconist, who on setting up his coach 

 and six, desired his carriage-maker to place a coat^of- 

 arms and a motto on the door, which should reprove 

 any who presumed to ridicule his elevation. The 

 coach-maker accordingly put on the door the two Latin 

 words, Quid ritlcs; or why do you laugh? but wliicl'., 

 unfortunately, by the illiterate, was read without regard 

 to prosody, and as if it were plain English, Cluid 

 rides. 



Gypsum. 



JosiahBordweU, of South Hadley, Mass. has -1 acres 

 of pasture ground, and applies to it annually one thou- 

 sand pounds of gypsum. The same application and 

 at thesAme rate, has been made 35 years in succession. 

 On this lot he pastures annually one large yoke of 

 oxen, one horse, two cows and some years three cow."!. 

 Prior lo the use of plaster, Mr. B. says it required at 

 least six acres of this land to afford as much fcetl as 

 he has obtained from one acre, by using plaster. 



He has also a piece of mowing ground which con- 

 tains four acres. Two crops of hay are taken from it 

 regularly. On this ground he uses plaster of Paris 

 freely, and applies a top dressing of manure. His an- 

 nual product of hay is fully sixteen tons. P. L. 



A Protector for the Defenceless. 



The subjoined statement is new to us. It is made 

 on good authority in the Maine Cvllivator, nnd we 

 hope may be well founded. 



Many object to rearing hens on account of iheir lia- 

 bility lo be cnrried off and destroyed by ha\^'ka and 

 owls. Ill sonic situations this is a serious objection, 

 as the hen, if suffered to run ai large with her chicks, 

 is almost certain to be lost. 



But the evil may be avoided. A Guinea hen, if 

 suffered to associate with the flock, will at all times 

 prove efiicieni in protecting ihc latter from the hawk, 

 who no sooner hears her voice than he takes wings 

 and carries the war into some other quarter, w here hia 

 murderous propensities for slaughter may be more ea- 

 sily gratified, and without the fear inspired by eo val- 

 orous and powerful a foe. 



The eggs of these fowls are also highly prized by 

 some, and meet with a ready sale in our markets, being 

 much larger than those of the common hen. W. 



A meeting of the friends of Home Industry wna 

 held in Rochester on the IGih ult. The subject of 

 governmental eticouragement nnd protection to do- 

 mestic Inbor, was discussed in their benrings upon 

 labor in nil its forms, ngricultural ns well ns mnmifnc- 

 turing, nnd likewise upon the commercial interests of 

 the country. We may on some future occasion have 

 oppoi tunny to ticat this aubjcct moie at laige. 



