1864] 
AMKRICAN AG-RICUJ/n.MMST. 
:;o!) 
than one trench Is dug, the Bartfl from one trench serves 
to cover (he Otbbages III the next Dank etirth up around 
Lbe heads and tread close. The trench Is left thus until 
the earth upon the e froxen nearly through to 
them, then I or 5 inches of litter or 3 inches of sea- weed 
It put over Hie earth. A drain should be dug around the 
trenches to cai i j ofl the water. 
Is* 10 Acres Enonglt?- "Ptama," of 
Trumbull Co. O., with Wife an 1 two children, has loca- 
ted himself on 10 acres ol land, it la a stiff ciny ioam. 
half of it so wet as never to have been plowed. He keeps 
cow, earns at bis trade $1,76 to $9,25 pei day, and 
asks ifit will pay for him to devote ins whole lime to the 
sotl? We believe it will, i( he makes his work tell. 
To do this he must tove it . be must make close calcula- 
. and carry out his plans, and be able to .-bow some- 
thing for every hour's work. At first it will not pay, but 
.' it will, bettor and better. Make all the manure 
le In W ii.' i « Ith one or two cows and pigs. Plow 
v deep this fall and put In some manure, or lime. 
Use this for green fodder crops and roots next year. 
Plow in the spring for corn, both for grain and for fodder 
and soiling, Either keep the manure under cover, or in 
well made compost heaps. Very likely much work 
: be done by a man hired at less than $'-',25 per day. 
"Is Farming- a Profession?"'— "G. A. 
K.", Wliitebaai Lake, Wis. The employments of men 
which requite a considerable degree of intelligence, are 
classified as aits, trades, and professions. Arts are po- 
fifeor libtral (Including letters, poetry, music, painting, 
sculpture, etc.) ; mechanical, (including all the common 
trades, housebuilding, stonecutling, shoemaking, print- 
ing, weaving, etc.); and useful, (including agriculture, 
fishing, trapping, lumbering, mining, etc., as well as the 
occupations of the seaman and the soldier.) — A profes- 
sion is a business, essentially not mechanical* but requir- 
ing studious preparation, in distinction from service as an 
apprentice, (suoh as chemistry, engineering, navigation, 
arms, finance, government, politics, etc.). The "three 
learned professions,"' so-called, are Law, Medicine, and 
Theology. The distinction of learned is not merited nor 
real. Agriculture may be, and is properly a profession, 
if study enough has been given to it ; otherwise it is a 
useful art. The difference is the same as exists between 
the business of the navigator and of the ordinary sea- 
man, or that of the officer and the common soldier. 
J.sul.v Exhibitors at Fairs. — At tlic 
recent New York State Fair two very fine collections of 
(lowers were exhibited by ladies who weie present, and 
able to "talk flowers" with any one interested in such 
matters. Mrs. J. T. Van Namee, of Pittston, Pa., a most 
enthusiastic amateur, who cares for her plants with her 
own hands, brought her flowers and her neighbor New- 
comb's over three hundred miles ; the two had over 1000 
varieties. Mrs. Lamb, of Fulton, N. Y., made also a very 
fine exhibition. We hope to see their example followed. 
Peat.— The high price of coal has led people 
to look about for some substitute. One of the most 
available is peat, of which there are large deposits in 
many parts of the country. Specimens merely cut into 
blocks and dried, were exhibited at the State Fair, and 
we saw piles of it in several places in Rochester, indica- 
ting a disposition to make a trial of it. Of course peat 
for fuel must be dried before freezing weather, or it will 
crumble. Whoever contrives a plan for compressing it 
cheaply will do a very good.thing for the entire country. 
Cirnpe Wotes ami Queries. — So nu- 
merous have been the specimens of fruit submitted to 
us. that although we have quite a long article on page 
3)5, several recent specimens must be noticed in the 
•• Hisket." ... Union Village. — Very few people have 
seen this x thoroughly ripened, and consequently have no 
idea of how good a grape it can be. Docl. J. B. Chapin, 
has sent us specimens from his place near Providence, 
R, I., showing that with him it is much better than is gen- 
erally supposed. Its large size", great beauty, and fair 
quality, make it valuable as one of a small collection... 
Flora.— This little known grape is sent by A. M. Spang- 
ler, Esq., of Philadelphia, who states that the specimens 
were the last on the vines, and inferior in bunch and ber- 
ry. It is a medium sized purple grape, and its freedom 
from pulp, its small seeds, and great sweetness, make 
it a variety of great promise. We hope to see a better 
sample. The season has been so favorable that some 
foreign varieties have ripened out of doors. We have 
upon our Exhibition Tables, some bunches of Golden 
Hamburgh, ripened in the open air by Mr. John Eggert, 
of Brooklyn, L.I... Mr. G. H. Hite, of Morrisania, N. 
Y.. shows some Chasselas, which are said to be from a 
seedling, and which has ripened for 12 years in open cul- 
ture. Wc saw the vine on Mr. Htte's grounds, and It 
seemed perfectly healthy and very fruitful. ..We have 
seen the Zlnflndel ripening flnply thin season on the 
grounds of Mr. Buohanan, at Istorln — idirondac. Ex- 
cellent specimens of this gi ape have been received from 
Mr. Bnlley, and we have -•< i h gli cornmi n latloru ol II 
from persona who have fruited il Ih! . ye u In othei placet, 
win thosa who have fnuted it Mini ui their experience, 
ns we shall be glad to put this grape on the II i foi 
general cultivation, a ■ ■■■ wc havs sufficient evi- 
dence to warrant us in doing so ..Grapei sent for n 
by W. C. Masters, Somerset Co., bid., had all drop i 
from the bunches and hardly to be recognized. There 
was no Concord among them, but one may be a I' u 
I, ! ,. i ■ h.- . ..... i. :| '. l,i..., .... 
specimens from Conrad Scheckler, (no State*] No, 1, 
Concord. No. 2, York Madeira, and the others were 
Crevelln . Some who have sent fruit have been an- 
swered by mail ; many other specimens were not of suffi- 
ciently good quality to be noticed in our limited >■ . . 
Insects *<> l»e KamcdL— E. Downs, New 
Haven Co., Conn. The very remarkable Insect Is close- 
ly related to the Limacodrs, figured on page 286 (Oct.] 
It has a beautiful i n 
coat,— like a pea-green 
military saddle-cloth, with 
a while edging,— and a 
reddish, brown oi al patch 
bordered with white, in 
the centre. It has horns 
al both ends, clothed with 
stinging hairs. The 
is fnunl on a great ira ety 
of plants, and is called 
Empretia stimuli i by IV 
II. Clemens, of Ea 
Pa. It unfortunate y e 
caped, or wc shoul 1 have 
figured it. The L\ n 
,i. s, above alluded to, wc 
are kindly infoi med by 
Mr. F. G. Sanborn, of the 
Agricultural Department 
of Massachusetts, is the 
L. pithecium We could 
not make it out satisfactorily from the figure given in Har- 
ris' Insects. Some one, whose name has been mislaid, has 
sent the nest of the Sack-bearer, also called Basket- 
worm and Drop-worm. The species cannot be told 
without the perfect insect, or moth. It probably belongs 
to the genus Oiketicus, or may be Psyche. The caterpil- 
lars build a nest or bag, which they cover with bits of 
sticks, and sometimes with thorns. This they carry 
about with them as they travel in search of food. When 
about to undergo transformation the insect fastens its 
sack to a twig, stops up the holes, and in case of the male 
in due time comes out as a moth, but the female docs not 
leave the case ; she lays her eggs and dies there. They 
are found upon the larch, arborvitae, maple, etc , and we 
have seen them in abundance on the tamarisk and other 
shrubs. They are destructive, but are easily disposed of 
by picking off the nests after the leaves fall. The engrav- 
ing shows a nest of natural size fastened to a twig. 
Canker Worms.— J. W. Manning writes 
that the wingless moths can be effectually prevented as- 
cending, by placing finely sifted coal ashes about the base 
of the trees, say six to twelve inches high, as steep as 
they can be made to lie. The insects lose foothold in the 
loose ashes and roll back to the bottom. When in large 
numbers they cling together and cannot extricate them- 
selves. This was first practiced in Reading, Mass., by 
W. F. Hartshorn, about four years ago, and was a perfect 
success, no canker-worm having been seen on his 
orchard since. The surface must be brushed over fre- 
quently to prevent its becoming compact, and if soaked 
with rain, renewed with dry ashes. Commence to apply 
ashes in November, and attend to it when the insects run, 
as they do in moderate weather until well into the spring. 
Fall Plowing 1 to Destroy Grabs.— 
"L. E. T." The effect of late plowing ifit be very soon 
followed by severe freezing is to destroy many grubs and 
other insects. If they have time they will again make 
ihtinselves comfortable and safe for the winter. Still 
the disturbance destroys many, and water settling and 
freezing in the furrows, no doubt kills many more. 
To Destroy Barn Weevils.— Burn the barn ! 
Gas Lime.— H, H. Dickey, Androscoggin Co., 
Maine. Fresh gas lime contains sundry compounds of 
sulphur, sulphurous and hyposulphurous acids in very 
variable quantities. These are all poisonous to plants, 
and usually gas lime applied fresh will kill any crop. 
Exposed to the air it gradually loses all noxious quali- 
ties, the compounds mentioned being converted into gyp- 
sum. It may be spread upon land to be plowed, so as to 
Ho exposed through M may u 
composted with muck In II fresh itate, the lump* 
well broken up. it li death lo •■ i the par- 
ol killing grubs an.', i | ia freah In 
the 1 1 
Foi manj I uter citing an I . Uole 
. : | 
Protection ami Mulch for Plant* 
In Winter. B, P, T rip on, i I Schuyl I I ... i» n ., 
read of 
lowing hint : •• I v. • ,- orn 
stalks for eoverlng ,-..,,;, . Lei 
any ono try one squan I and ha will never use 
anything else if thli I 
tlon and ventilation. Not a leaf Is hurt by cold or sun " 
Jloss for Hull** and Other Plant*.— 
oranl Mnssa." Thektiuiof mon for growing cro- 
cuses, la the Spkagnwnoi bog-most. It grows in such 
cold bogs and swamps as produce cranberries. It la an 
of commerce, an 1 is to be had of gardeners and 
nurserymen. Any of the green mosses from roads and 
trees may be used on the 6Ui face of the earth In pots, but 
they generally will not live in the dry atmosphere of the 
room. The ''gray moss" is not a moss at all, but a 
Il would not hurt plants if placed around them. 
Thorn Seeds.— T. <;. Hail an.l others. Our 
principal seedsmen have seed of the English White 
'I '!;■ ; .i. or Hawthorn. Send to any of those who adver- 
tise with us. The seeds are imported, usually genuine. 
While Willows. — Several inquirers who 
send specimens of willow twigs, are informed that ih*> 
differences between some of the varieties and species 
are so slight, and the shape and size of the t< . 
of the bark differ so according to the exposure and 
soil, that no one can pronounce with accuracy on the 
specimens seat. The only way to gel any plants true to 
name is to buy of responsible and well known dealers— 
whose reputation for honesty is part of thrir capital. 
Propagation of Honeysuckles.— 
° Progress," York Co., Me. This is done by. cuttings set 
in the open ground in autumn, or by layers made at the 
same time. It is well to give them a covering of litter. 
Value of the Blackberry Crop. — An 
exchange relates that during the blackberry season the 
inhabitants in the neighborhood of Winsted, Conn., 
gathered some eighty bushels of fruit to be preserved, 
dried, and made into wine, syrup, etc., for the soldiers. 
After this was done, Mr. Gail Borden advertised to pay 
eight cents per quart for all which might be brought. 
Within ten days he received 535X bushels! costing 
$1359.90. They were worked up into jelly by Mr. Bor- 
den's process, and are now no doubt most of them in the 
army. This amount was almost clear gain, ns the ber- 
ries were wild. Another season, no doubt, they will he 
found worth the picking in other localities. 
Many Pears on a Stem.— A friend Las 
shown us a photograph of pears exhibited at a Sanitary 
Fair in San Francisco, Cal. There were 50 pears on 
a bunch, 8 inches long, and the whole weighed 19 pounds. 
An Apple-lmtter Stirrer.— L. P. Riley, 
of Ohio, recommends those who are 
troubled by the burning of their ap- 
ple butter to use a stirrer made a- In 
the figure. It is a paddle made of 
plank, with three holes near the bot- 
tom. Corn husks are drawn through 
these holes, beat down over the edge 
of the paddle, tied there, then cut off 
so as to leave a projection about S inch- 
es long. Any convenient handle may 
be attached. He says that the husks 
will keep the bottom of a badly dent- 
ed kettle clean, and prevent burning. 
staking- Good Cider.— Wm. D. Garrison, 
of Union County, N. J., sends to the American Agri- 
culturist his process of making cider, by which he 
he obtains an article that sells for 25 to 30 cents per 
gallon, when that made in the common way brings only 
6 to 12 cents, in the same market. We have only room 
for an epitome of his statements. Good sound apples, 
free from leaves, stems, sticks and dirt, are kept as long 
as possible in bins under cover, in layers not over two 
feet deep. The moment the least decay appears, they 
are ground as fine as possible without crushing the seeds. 
The pulp is put in the press as fast as ground, and the 
screws applied as soon as there is pulp enough. The 
cider GqWS through fine wire cloth, and is poured 
