THE V SA } . 



631 



high, and for several years these had been robbing this 

 plot until very little would grow within two rods of the 

 trees. In the autumn of '85 I had a trench two and 

 a half feet deep dug along the border, and in the fol- 

 lowing spring the plot was planted to blackberry root 

 cuttings. The cuttings which were planted under the 

 shade of the trees grew even better than the others, 

 and the plants this season exhibit the same improve- 

 ment. Last summer I had a field of sweet potatoes, on 

 one side of which was a row of trees — in part English 

 beech, in a hedge-row, and the rest chestnut. Several 

 rows of potatoes next these trees were nearly ruined, 

 and the past spring I had a trench cut along the line of 

 beeches, and planted sweet potatoes again. The result 

 is, that the plants are growing finely near the beeches, 

 and several rows next the chestnuts are failing, as they 

 did last year. I suppose that eventually there will be a 

 new set of roots from the trees, and the trench will re- 

 quire opening. Perhaps I should have said that, after 

 cutting the roots, the earth was at once thrown back. 

 Possibly a deeper set of roots might ultimately throw 

 up feeders to the surface, but I think in that case they 

 might be severed by a tree digger, or a thorough sub- 

 soiling might tear them up. — Wm. F. Bassett, Hani- 

 monton, N. J. 



Improvement in Hoes. — Noting A. B. Tarryer's 

 forms of weed hoes (May, p. 263), I send you outlines of 

 the blades of four hoes I have made and used in my own 

 work. It will be observed that all of my hoes have an 

 important improvementin the lit- 

 tle double point. All these hoes . _ _ 

 penetrate the soil as easily as sin- 

 gle pointed hoes. The advant- 

 ages of the double points are 

 several; they pick out single 

 weeds, saving bending the back 

 and using the fingers. I call them 

 my finger hoes, for the work they 

 do in this respect is better and 

 more quickly done than with any 

 other form of hoe. They do not 

 glance off and turn aside as single 

 points do, but cut the root or re- 

 sisting object, and penetrate the 

 soil with a steady motion. I keep 

 them sharp with a file. Nos. i 

 and 2 I use for stirring the soil 

 and for the general purposes of a weed hoe, and Nos. 3 

 and 4 for more delicate work among close rows of 

 plants. While at work with these hoes I can perform 

 the labor so much more rapidly and with so much less 

 expenditure of force, that if I were again a boy, I could 

 not feel that old dull tired feeling that every boy ex- 

 periences when set to hoeing " pusly " in the garden. 

 There is an intellectual interest in the work in connec- 

 tion with such tools. Nos. 2 and 4 were made out of 

 common hoes. — D. S. Marvin. 



Improvement of Roads. — This question of roads 

 requires the attention of our ablest men, as it is one of 



greater importance to the farmer than any question 

 now before the public. Transportation is often a ques- 

 tion of profit and loss to the producer, for time is 

 money in bringing most crops to market, and the more 

 quickly and conveniently they can be carried, the 

 greater will be the returns. 



The principle causes of our bad roads are water and 

 narrow tires under heavy loads. And what are the 

 remedies ? To remove the former good stone roads 

 should be built. The money could be obtained by 

 bonding the county, and by collecting toll. Competent 

 persons should be put in charge of the construction, to 

 see that the work is thoroughly done, and that the farm- 

 ers get what they are paying for. 



The roads should be built by first removing the road- 

 bed to a depth sufficient to receive a good quantity of 

 stone. Large stones should be placed at the bottom, and 

 their size should decrease as the top of the bed is ap- 

 proached. When the bed has been filled, the surface 

 should be thoroughly rolled until it is sufficiently com- 

 pact to shed all water that may fall on it. 



A double toll should be charged for every loaded 

 wagon that has a narrow tire. You cannot compel a 

 man to use a wide tire, but if he is so narrow-minded as 

 to use a narrow one, a double tax will widen his views 

 and perhaps his tires. No man complains about pay- 

 ing toll, provided he is using a good road, and those 

 who wear out the road and get the most benefit from it, 

 should also pay for it.- — H., Long Island. 



The Red-flowering Dogwood. - Among our collec- 

 tion of new and rare ornamental trees and shrubs, none 

 have given us more pleasure and satisfaction than the 

 beautiful red-flowered dogwood. It has bloomed be- 

 fore for us, but as the plants were small it did not show 

 to perfection But this year it has a good opportunity 

 to display its charms, and it seemed to surpass itself. 

 Imagine a large, well developed bloom of the white- 

 flowered dogwood, three to four inches across, but in- 

 stead of being white, you see it the most beautiful pink. 

 We had three and four year old plants this year, but 

 five feet high, with over seventy good sized, well devel- 



