AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
impair t0 im$rMre % ^farmer, % planter, attbr % (garfrem. 
AGRICULTURE IS TEE MOST HEALTHY, THE MOST USEFUL, AND THE HOST NOBLE EMPLOYMENT OF HAN. — WabhIhgtoh. 
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PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY ALLEM & CO., 189 WATER ST. 
VOL. XII.—NO. 21 .] NEW-YORK, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 2, 1854. [NEW SERIES.—NO. 47. 
m*FOR PROSPECTUS, TERMS, Ifc., 
SEE LAST PAGE, 
EDITOR’S FARM NOTES; 
OE GLEANINGS AMONG PRACTICAL MEN. 
New-Rochelle Blackberry—A Mechanic’s 
Garden. 
Norwalk, Ct. — Friday of last week, we 
spent at Norwalk, Ct., in visiting the grounds 
of two or three gentlemen. We first examined 
more particularly the New-Rochelle Blackberry, 
(called also the Lawton Blackberry,) of which 
Messrs. Geo. Seymour & Co. have a considera¬ 
ble number of plants now loaded with fruit. 
They have fruited this variety for seven years, 
and we think its value may now be considered 
so far settled, as to allow an expression of 
opinion upon its merits. 
It is evidently quite different from the com¬ 
mon wild varieties, and also different from any 
that have been cultivated. It is much larger, 
more uniform in size, and more prolific than 
other varieties; it has less seeds, a good flavor, 
and is a good keeper. It is also thought to be 
better adapted to poor soils. On this point we 
cannot speak as positively from our own obser¬ 
vation. One thing seems certain that it has not 
depreciated by cultivation during eight or ten 
years. 
As to its size, it will surprise most persons 
who see it for the first time. At Norwalk we 
saw several stalks bearing five to eight quarts 
each. We tried some that had been gathered 
over 40 hours, and found the flavor quite good. 
A quart of them numbered 111 berries. We 
picked a quart from vines which had received 
no manure for two years past, and from which 
the largest had just been selected for the New- 
Haven Horticultural Society, and found that 72 
of them filled a quart measure. 
The vines grow quite large—many of them 
over an inch in diameter, and the fruit hangs in 
thick clusters—in size more like very large 
Green Gage plums, than like the ordinary black¬ 
berry. The flavor is not apparently diminished 
by its large size, and the few seeds is not its 
least recommendation. We think this berry a 
valuable acquisition to our domestic fruits, and 
worthy of a place in every garden. We have 
watched this blackberry in several localities for 
some time past, and are thus particular in des¬ 
cribing it, in order to answer the numerous in¬ 
quiries we are continually receiving in regard to 
it. 
In transplanting it, Messrs. Seymour & Co., 
recommend selecting plants from two to three 
feet high, and to set them about the first of 
November or middle of April, in this latitude. 
They may be put out on almost any ordinary 
soil at a distance of four to six feet. When set¬ 
ting out, it is desirable to cut off the vine at four 
to six inches from the ground. For field cul¬ 
ture, they recommend preparing the ground by 
plowing in an ordinary coating of barn-yard ma¬ 
nure. Two or three experiments with guano, 
dug in around the hill, have been quite success¬ 
ful. 
A Mechanic’s Garden. —We have frequent 
inquiries for some plan of cultivating small plots 
of ground, such as are owned by multitudes of 
mechanics, traders, and merchants residing in 
the suburbs of our cities and villages. We can 
not well put down on one, or even on a hundred 
pages, all the minute directions these men re¬ 
quire ; we will however do what we can to meet 
their wants. We here give them a list of what 
is on one plot of ground, of half an acre ; and 
lest the statements may seem rather large, we 
may as well say in advance, that we describe 
just what we saw on the grounds of Mr. J. H. 
Smith, at Norwalk, Ct.; and further that al¬ 
though there is such a great number and va¬ 
riety of trees, fruits, vegetables, &c., there is no 
confused crowding or jumbling, but every thing 
seems to be arranged in perfect order. Mr. 
Smith showed us a large sheet of paper, upon 
which he has marked out the ground occupied 
by each tree, plant, and plot of vegetables or 
berries, with the name and variety written 
down. We should also say,that Mr. S. is a labor¬ 
ing mechanic, and that he does nearly all the 
work required in his garden with his own hands, 
and out of the usual hours of business. 
His lot is about 100 feet wide, and of course 
extends back some 220 feet to make half an 
acre. The front half contains the house with 
front and side plots—the house being upon one 
side of the lot. In this front area, in part cov¬ 
ered with grass, are quite a variety of fruit 
and ornamental trees, including 14 cherry trees 
of different varieties, 4 standard and 10 dwarf 
pear trees, 2 dwarf apple trees, 6 peach trees, 3 
Norway spruce, 1 white pine, 2 balsam firs, 2 
hoi'se-chesnut, 1 mountain ash, 4 common white 
ash (in the street outside the fence,) 4 common 
forest dog-wood, 2 elms, 5 roses of Sharon, 2 
wax plants, 12 varieties of roses, besides flower¬ 
ing currants, sweet-scented shrubs, &c. 
Back of this ground commences the garden, 
which is not, as it should not be, separated from 
it by any fence. In the rear is a cold Grapery, 
14 by 32 feet, with a grape border in front, 18 
feet wide. The rest of the ground is planted 
with various fruit trees, and divided into 
plots containing each of the following: beets, 
two varieties of onions, cabbages, potatoes, 
sweet corn, cucumbers, peas, three varieties of 
beans, gherkins, summer and winter squashes, 
radishes, two varieties of lettuce, nastertions, 
eleven varieties of strawberries, five varieties of 
raspberries, several vigorous hills of New-Ro¬ 
chelle and white blackberries, two varieties of 
gooseberries, and three varieties of currants. 
In addition to these, there are plants of hops, 
sage, parsley, pie-plant (in abundance,) worm¬ 
wood, and a variety of flowers. 
On this ground are three apple trees, three 
plum trees, 20 peach trees, and 75 dwarf pear 
trees of 42 varieties. 
The cold grapery is new and cost near $400. 
A plain one for common use may be built for 
one-half, or one-fourth of this expense. This 
one has a cistern, with a simple and inexpensive 
force-pump, to which is attached hose and pipe 
for throwing water into every part. It contains 
24 grape vines of 13 varieties. 
The various vegetables and fruits are so se¬ 
lected as to furnish a succession for the table 
during the entire season. In addition to a boun¬ 
tiful supply for his own use, Mr. Smith sells 
strawberries, blackberries, plants, &c., enough 
to pay for all extra labor employed, and for 
most of the manure be purchases. 
After reading this enumeration, who will say 
that a single half acre, if rightly managed, is not 
capable of ministering greatly to one’s taste and 
comfort, as well as profit? What Mr. Smith 
enjoys from his plot of ground, could not be pur¬ 
chased for many hundreds of dollars, if it could 
be purchased at all; while, as before stated, the 
cost is comparatively trifling. The time and 
labor devoted to these grounds serve as a recrea¬ 
tion, rather than a tax upon the regular labors 
of the day. 
We shall be happy to visit similar plots of 
ground elsewhere—for there are some such— 
and give more minute descriptions for the ben¬ 
efit of those who have not yet learned how they 
can turn their little areas to the best advantage. 
-* © e- 
LOTS AND FARMS FOR SALE IN AMD 
AROUND NEW-YORK 
A WORD OF CAUTION. 
A Subscriber from Pennsylvania makes sev¬ 
eral inquiries in reference to Long Island lots, 
and farms, &c., and asks as to the character 
of a particular individual who is offering them 
for sale. He states also that many hard-work¬ 
ing people in his section (Cambria County, Pa.) 
have sent on their hard earnings to be invested 
in real estate, and are now beginning to feel 
anxious about the matter. We must be ex¬ 
cused from acting as attorney or counsellor in 
the particular case, but we will make a few gen¬ 
eral statements, which may be of use to our 
Cambria friends, as well as to others. 
We will first say once for all, never invest 
your earnings in any New-York Land Scheme, 
