JVotes on the Season. 365 
meadows are concerned, cannot be fairly 'estimated until the pro- 
cess of gathering is more advanced than at present. The hay- 
crop, however, is an improvement on last year. The quantity of 
white daisies, both in mowing land and pastures, is immense. 
This is probably owing in a great extent, to the killing out of 
grass in the spring of '47, from which the fields will not recover 
entirely, until restocked, though in many instances a partial and 
perhaps nearly entire renovation would result from the applica- 
tion of gypsum or manure. 
When so much cold has chilled the atmosphere, and such 
howling winds have been speeding their passage over the land, 
the natural supposition would be that corn must necessarily suffer, 
and yield but a poor return for days of hard labor expended, and 
hours of anxious solicitude in its behalf. But at the present time, 
corn universally looks well; the complaint of worms destroying 
its root has been almost unheard. The crows too, who often call 
for more than miller's toll, more liberal in their views of " the 
protective system," and made less demands than has been usual 
for them. What motives caused this act of clemency in them, we 
cannot decide, but are led to suppose that the almost universal 
practice of stringing twine around the cornfield, as soon as plant- 
ing is finished, had its full share of influence in the matter, for 
why may not they, like other rogues, have such a fear of the 
halter or twine, when placed before their eyes, as to deter them 
from acts which certainly merit punishment. Corn for our moun- 
tain region, may be said to be forward, for in spite of adverse 
circumstances attending its growth, it began to show its tassels 
on the first of the month. 
With regard to fruits, apples and pears promise fairly, while 
peaches and plums are an entire failure. The latter trees, how- 
ever, are making wood \vell, and exhibit an unusually healthy 
appearance. Of the smaller and early fruits such as strawberries, 
raspberries, blackberries, &c., are in rich profusion. The abun- 
dance of the former, is probably attributed to the killing out of 
grass in old fields, where, in some instances, the vines became so 
thick as to be annoying. But one bushel of plaster to the acre 
on such lands will almost entirely eradicate and introduce a fine 
grass in the midst of them. 
A beautiful feature in the labors of the last spring, was the 
increased number of fruit, shade and ornamental trees which 
were put out in various sections of the country, we are happy to 
say that general and unusual success has attended all labors 
in these matters. So far as we have seen or heard, but very few 
of these trees have failed either in leaf or growth. May a re- 
newal of efforts in similar good works, be every year more and 
more manifest, until the work of tree planting shall be complete. 
