1879.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST, 
3 
tural journal may be worth hundreds of dollars 
every year to any farmer, if he will only study it 
carefully. Few journals are prepared with more 
thoughtful cave than the American Agriculturist. Its 
editors and writers are chiefly practical cultivators, 
and know what other cultivators need, and share 
their troubles and their successes. At the begin¬ 
ning of a new year it will be worth considering if 
the advice and information received during twelve 
months is not worth many times the price paid for 
it. Some of us, who mix much with other farmers, 
are glad to know that our work is appreciated and 
useful, and we wish to enlarge the sphere of our 
usefulness, by inducing every reader of the Amer¬ 
ican Agriculturist to subscribe first himself, and ask 
his neighbors to benefit themselves in the same way. 
Notes for the Orchard and Garden. 
As the first month in the year is one in which the 
majority of bur readers are prevented from work¬ 
ing in their orchards and gardens, our Notes at the 
beginning of the year have, for several seasons, 
discussed general matters relating to their pursuits. 
Believing that one can make no better investment 
of his money and time than in procuring and study¬ 
ing the experience of others, as recorded in books, 
we last January devoted these Notes to a rather 
full review of the literature of the orchard and gar¬ 
den, and we would refer the reader who would 
know of the best sources of information to an ac¬ 
count of the leading works there given. 
“ Farming does not Pay ,” is a very common asser¬ 
tion in the older States, and the remedy most fre¬ 
quently suggested is for the farmer to “go West.” 
—“Times have changed,” is mournfully said by 
many a farmer, “the western corn, wheat, and 
other grains are brought here and sold for less than 
I can raise them.”—It is very true that“times have 
changed,” and the trouble with those who thus 
complain is, that they do not change with them. 
We would not discourage—but on the contrary 
would aid in all proper ways those who would make 
a new home in a new country. But all can not go 
West or South. Some, many, must, for one reason 
or another, stay in the older States where circum¬ 
stances have placed them, and for the encourage¬ 
ment of such we would say that, in our opinion, the 
opportunities to the intelligent and industrious cul¬ 
tivator of the soil are quite as favorable there as 
they are anywhere. But success will not attend 
the farmer with 30 or 50 acres who undertakes to 
compete with the western farmer with hundreds 
of acres in raising corn, wheat, and other grains. 
Farming in the older States, at least in the more 
thickly settled portions of them, is rapidly becom¬ 
ing what, for the want of a better name, we call 
Market Farming, which is intermediate between 
market-gardening proper, and the old style of 
farming, and in many cases it may be wise to con¬ 
vert the farm into a market and fruit garden, pro¬ 
vided that the farmer can so convert himself, and 
leqm new ways, as to make the change desirable. 
To exp 1 in what we mean by Market Farming: One 
living within moderate distance of a town where 
there are large stables belonging to the horse-rail- 
roads or stage lines, may find a demand for all the 
carrots he can raise, at a paying price ; if there are 
factories, especially with European laborers, cab¬ 
bages and “ sprouts ” will sell well. In such a town 
sweet-corn will be in demand, and the field that 
only gives him 25 or 30 bushels to the acre, if put 
into sweet-corn will bring much more money when 
green, and leave a valuable crop of fodder. If one 
has children old enough to pick them, green peas 
may pay. A crop of fall sown spinach will be sure 
to bring money early in the spring long before other 
crops are ready, at a time when money is needed, 
and be off in time to use the land fora second crop. 
Onions pulled, bunched and marketed when half 
or two-thirds grown, usually bring more to the 
acre than ripe onions. These are a few of many 
things that require no more care or skill than 
ordinary farm crops; but farmers neglect them 
merely because they have never raised them. 
Small Fruits should not be overlooked, as these 
often bring better prices in small towns than in 
large cities, and their culture presents no difficul¬ 
ties that ordinary intelligence can not overcome.... 
Among,the crops that farmers rarely cultivate for 
their own use or for sale is Asparagus, a plantation 
of which, once properly made, lasts for years and 
will pay a good dividend every spring. 
Small Farming, with its Small Economies , will pay 
in the thickly'settled portions of the older States, 
if the demands of the near market are properly con¬ 
sulted. If one is near a summer resort, where there 
are large hotels, his choice of crops will be different 
from the one whose market is a factory village. Of 
course our idea of market farming includes the 
keeping of domestic animals, cows, poultry, pigs, 
bees, or whatever under the circumstances will pay. 
This kind of farming can ouly be successful by 
A Close Attention to Details. —Many will say it is 
“puttering business,” and that they can not “bother 
with small matters.” But a boy who goes into a 
store does not think half yards, ounces, and pints 
are details that he cannot “ bother ” with. If one 
can, from a bed a few feet square, sell tomato or 
cabbage plants for more than he can get for a whole 
acre of corn—and this is no improbable case—de¬ 
tails at once assume an importance. We do not 
expect any one to throw aside a system that he is 
familiar with, and take up one about which he 
knows almost nothing. But it seems to us that, 
At the Beginning of the Tear, when plans are being 
made, and each one naturally looks about to see 
where he may improve upon his methods and in¬ 
crease his income, it will be well, in the light of 
such hints as are here given, to see if some change 
for the better may not be made in the crops, with a 
more satisfactory return for the labor. The great 
point is to make a beginning ; a start being once 
made in the direction of improvement, the change 
from old methods to new need go on only so 
rapidly as the new seem to be desirable and safe. 
©rclaard anti Nursery. 
At the beginning of the year it may be well to 
say to new readers that the above heading does not 
imply that these Notes are for commercial nursery¬ 
men. They know too well that their success large¬ 
ly depends upon doing the right thing at the right 
time, and do not need to be reminded of it. Our 
Notes on the nursery relate to such nursery mat¬ 
ters as the farmer and orehardist is likely to need in¬ 
struction and help. We have before suggested that 
A Farm Nursery might in some localities prove 
profitable, especially in places far distant from any 
nursery. One can buy root grafts (i. e., roots with 
grafts already set and waxed) or trees in bud (stocks 
budded last summer, the buds of which are dor¬ 
mant, but will grow next season) of some western 
nurseries that make a specialty of them, at very low 
rates; these set in nursery rows and well cultivated 
for three or four years, will make excellent trees 
for sale or for setting out—vastly better than are 
likely to be furnished by any travelling “agent.” 
Raising young nursery stock is interesting work for 
boys, who should learn to bud and graft. A most 
excellent instructor in these, and also for all 
Nursery Operations, from raising the stocks to 
planting the trees, is Barry’s “Fruit Garden,” and 
though the title does not suggest it, there is no 
better guide for orchard management.. 
In Planting an Orchard, begin now to select and 
order the trees. Run no risks. Nothing is more 
discouraging than to cultivate trees 5 or 8 years, 
and when they begin to bear find they are not true 
to name. It is a disaster for which there is no 
remedy, and while to get trees direct from a nur¬ 
sery of reputation may cost a few dollars more in 
freight than to buy them from a peddler, the dif¬ 
ference is as nothing compared with the risk of 
ordering from unknown and irresponsible parties. 
We do not recommend one nursery in preference 
to another. We advise those about to plant to send 
for catalogues to those who advertise with us, 
make selections, and order as early as possible. 
Varieties to Plant. —In making selections for an 
orchard, the question should not be, what are the 
best varieties, but what are tbs bast -hat can be 
grown in your locality. If there are any fruit* 
growers in the neighborhood, get their experience } 
if one is in a new country, where information of 
this kind can not be obtained, the next best is 
the opinion of a nurseryman of good reputation. 
For Family Use , the orchard should contain vari¬ 
eties from the earliest to the latest, the greater num¬ 
ber of trees beiug of good keeping kinds. 
For Market F-uit the selection will depend upon 
whether the market is near at hand, or the fruit is 
to be shipped to a distance. One near a town will 
find showy early apples, which do not keep long or 
transport well, more profitable than later kinds. 
Young and Old Orchards need such attention as- 
suggested last month. Briefly, protect young trees- 
from large animals by care of fences and gates... - 
Trap or shoot rabbits ; smearing the trunks with 
blood or raw meat of any kind will keep them off. 
.... Tramp light snow around young trees so firm 
that mice cannot work beneath it... .If cions have 
not been cut, do it now in a mild spell, label and 
store in saw-dust, moss, or sand, and keep in a cool 
place... .Make channels to carry off surface water, 
wherever needed. ..Cart out manure to the orchard. 
ffVasit C3rsr«lei». 
Under this head is placed whatever relates to the 
cultivation of what are generally known as the 
small fruits. In many cases these are cultivated 
in the kitchen garden, and in many more, we regret 
to say, they are not cultivated at all. There are so 
many advantages in having a compartment devoted 
especially to these fruits, that we advise it to be 
done where practicable—yet, the absence of a 
“ fruit garden ” need deter no one from growing 
the fruits. When we consider the small outlay re¬ 
quired to begin with, the ease of cultivation, and 
how acceptable they are, we wonder that they 
should be regarded as a luxury anywhere. 
If there is any one respect in which farmers— 
take the country through—do not live up to their 
privileges, it is in the matter of small fruits. The 
table of the city mechanic is better supplied with 
these fruits than that of many a wealthy farmer. 
We hope to see the time when every farmer’s fam¬ 
ily shall have their fill of fruits, from the begin¬ 
ning of strawberries to the end of grapes. 
The Chief Reason why small fruits are scarce on 
large farms, is, that the preparatory work comes in 
spring, when the farmer is overwhelmed with other 
matters. The farmer’s wife, the boys, or even the 
girls might look after these. There is no lack of 
A Plenty of Good Guides. —Barry’s “Fruit Gar¬ 
den,” Fuller’s “ Small Fruit Culturist,” or Roe’s 
“ Manual of Small Fruits” are each excellent on 
planting and cultivation, while the catalogues of 
dealers set forth the claims of the varieties. 
But Small Fruits-Pay, and this aspect of the ques¬ 
tion should be considered by those who live near a 
market. Growers within 50 miles of New York 
think that their fruit must go to the city, and they 
send it past smaller places, where it would bring a 
better price, to the crowded city market, where it 
brings a poor one. Probably the same occurs in 
the neighborhood of other large cities. Cultivate 
the home market. Many extravagent statements 
. have been made as to the great profits of small fruit 
culture, and such works as “Ten Acres Enough,” 
have led people into disastrous speculations. It is 
easy to cypher from the yield of a bed, a few feet 
square, what would be the yield of an acre, of five, 
or ten acres in strawberries, and such statements 
have done much to discourage small fruit culture. 
But from our own experience and observation we 
have no doubt that in almost any locality near a 
flourishing village or town they will, take one year 
with another, return a very satisfactory profit. 
The Succession in small fruits is: Strawberries, 
raspberries, currants, gooseberries (usually sold 
green), blackberries, and grapes. Of course, there 
is some lapping, the late varieties of one kind com¬ 
ing in with the early sorts of the next. Those 
who have had no experience in these are at loss 
Sow to Begin. —If one has the money to invest, 
plantations may be made this spring, but many, 
whose means are restricted, would like to make a 
