8 
AMKKICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
fJotes on Field and Garden Seeds to 
be Distributed to our Subscribers. 
The list of seeds and manner of distribution 
are given on a subsequent page. 
FIELD SEEDS. 
1. White Sugar Beet. —This variety of beet 
is the one cultivated in France, for sugar-making. 
It is specially valuable for feeding stock; is a 
large yielder. Though not a novelty, we think 
many of our readers will like to try a small plot. 
As there are over 1,000 seeds to the ounce, a 3- 
cent stamp will cover about 500 seeds. 
2. King Philip Corn. —We distributed a large 
number of parcels last year, and nearly all reports 
received are favorable. Several persons have 
raised nearly a bushel from the seed sent under 
two 3-cent stamps. It has, in some of the re¬ 
ported cases, ripened in eighty-five days from 
planting; frequently in ninety days. As stated 
last year, it will doubtless prove valuable for late 
planting, in all cases, and especially when a quick 
growth is required. Having full faith in its value 
under such circumstances, we place it among our 
seeds for distribution. Owing to the heavyweight 
of the kernels, only about twenty-five of them 
can go under a single stamp. We will send 
what will go under one, two, or three 3-cent 
stamps, as may be desired. 
3 Stowell’s Sweet Corn. —As described at 
page 80, vol. XVI, this is a slow-growing, but ex¬ 
cellent large sweet corn, often called “ evergreen,” 
on account of its slow and continuous ripening. 
Notwithstanding the past unfavorable season, 
our reports from the seed sent out last year are 
mostly in its favor, though not always so. We 
shall offer it again to any of our subscribers who 
may wish to test it or raise a supply of seed for 
next year. Fifty to sixty kernels in the half 
ounce. 
Darling’s Extra Early Sweet Corn has not 
been well reported on the whole, though a few 
have been decidedly pleased with it. It is an 
early variety, and very sweet Stalk and ear 
small. We do not place it in this year’s distribu¬ 
tion, but will furnish a few packages when ex¬ 
pressly desired. 
4. White Poland Oats. —The reports fromlast 
year’s distribution are usually good—not in every 
case. This variety meets with so much approval 
that we shall offer it again this year. We have, 
as yet seen no sample of these oats which 
weighed less than 401bs. to the bushel. 
5. Chinese Sugar Cane. —We shall have a full 
supply of this seed for distribution, whenever de¬ 
sired. Many persons will wish to plant a small plot 
this year for experiment. We do not consider the 
question settled, as to how far it may be expedient 
to enter into the general culture, on a large scale. 
We refer the reader to the remarks on page 276 of 
the December number, and particularly to the note 
12. EF 1 We have hundreds of letters from sub¬ 
scribers, detailing their experiments during the 
past season. It would take half a month, with 
nothing else to do, to read, digest, and present a 
fair epitome of all those letters. Begging pardon 
for any apparent discourtesy in not referring to 
them, individually, we must hold them under con¬ 
sideration another month In our next number we 
shall take occasion to present a further carefully 
prepared statement, as to the prospects of the 
profitable culture of this plan , in the Northern 
States. The result of our own experiments will 
also be give i. The amount of seed offered to our 
subscribers is referred to on another page 
6. 7. Turnips. —Ashcroft’s Swede, and River’s 
Swedish Stubble Both of these varieties are de¬ 
scribed at length on page 292 of our last number, 
and we refer the reader to the article there given. 
A package of 800 to 1,000 seeds, or more, will 
be supplied to each applicant. 
GARDEN SEEDS. 
8. Daniel O’Rourke’s Pea. —The earliest pea 
we know. We have picked it for cooking in forty- 
three days from planting. Though not of quite 
as good a quality as the next three, its very early 
maturity makes it especially desirable. The vines 
are of dwarfish habits, and the peas of but me¬ 
dium size. 
9. Champion of England Pea.— One of the best 
peas for a general crop, and may well be in every 
garden. The vine grows tall, to 6 feet, and 
bears well. Peas large, shriveled, and fine fla¬ 
vor. 
10. British Queen Pea. —Somewhat like the 
Champion of England in growth, form, quality, 
&c. Is new here, and promises very favorably. 
11. Hair’s Dwarf Blue Mammoth. —This 
pea we described on page 268 of vol. XV, as 
the best we had ever grown, for a late pea. 
It was ready for the table with us in 74 days 
from planting. This forms a most excellent suc¬ 
cession with the three varieties above named. 
12. Green Kohl Rabi, or Turnip Cabbage.— 
See description and illustration on page 209 of 
last volume (Sept, number.) 
13. Enfield Market Cabbage —Sugar loaf, or 
cone shaped, smaller than Drum head, very har¬ 
dy and greatly esteemed in England for garden 
culture. 
14. Alma Cauliflower. —A new variety said 
to be superior even to the Walcheren. Heads 
large and firm. A most delicate vegetable for ta¬ 
ble use. 
15. Mammoth Cabbage Lettuce —An excel¬ 
lent variety, somewhat known, but not yet widely 
diffused. Noted for its firmness and great size. 
16. Long Op*nge Carrot. —The best variety 
for general culture. Well known. Weofferseed 
in order to induce our readers to try a plot of this 
excellent and profitable crop, 
17. Red Strap Leaf Turnip. —An American 
variety, one of the earliest or quickest growing we 
have. May be sown at all seasons, particularly 
after other early crops. It is the first, or one of 
the first varities of turnips brought to this market 
in Summer. 
18. Patience Dock. —A good substitute for 
spinach, lasting for months. One of the earliest 
“ greens” of Spring. See description in the 
December number, (vol. XVI page 292.) 
19. Round or Savoy Leaved Spinach —Es¬ 
teemed the best variety for Spring and Summer 
use as “greens” 
20. Salsafy or Vegetable Oyster. —Fre¬ 
quently referred to in these columns. Rightly 
cooked, it is one of the best roots grown for table 
use. It is in part left in the ground over Winter, 
to be taken up for cooking in Spring. 
21. Winter Cherry —(See page 21.) 
22. Mammoth Squash. —One of the best and 
largest varieties of squashes grown. 
Turnips for Pigs. 
This crop is more generally fed to cattle and 
sheep than to swine. For store pigs it makes a 
cheap and excellent feed. Our practice is to boil 
a large kettleful of them, and while boiling hot 
to mix in enough cob meal with them to make a 
thick mush. They thrive remarkably well on this 
article, and seem to do quite as well as if fed on 
cob meal alone. A root diet is much better fui 
growing pigs than pure corn meal. 
-- i i - 
A Cheap Ice Room 
To the Editor of the American Agriculturist: 
Having observed several articles in your paper 
respecting ice houses. I send you my experience. 
I partitioned off the northeast corner of my wood- 
house, which opens to the west and is 25 feet wide. 
The ice room is about 9 feet square ; is clap-board¬ 
ed on the studs on the north and east, and lined on 
the inside, leaving the 4 inch space between, 
empty. On the south is an inch board partition 
just tight enough to hold saw dust. On the west, 
I slip in boards, like bars, to any hight I wish to 
pile my ice, and leave the upper part open just as 
is convenient. This is my house. 
Into it, on the ground, I put from 6 to 10 inches 
of sawdust, then put in my ice , one foot from 
the partition on every side, packing it as closely 
as I can, and in as large blocks as I can conve¬ 
niently handle. I then fill the spaces next the par¬ 
titions with sawdust, and a good depth, (say one 
foot), over the top, and it is done for the year. 
I have practiced in this way two years past, 
and had all I wanted for dairy and other uses, and 
to give to my neighbors, and I had plenty of good 
ice left last week. 
The whole cost of making is about 300 feet 
hemlock boards, a few nails, and half-a-day’s 
work. Neighbor farmers try it. Almost any 
other location is as good as this. 
A. P. Belcher. 
Tioga County, N. Y., Dec. 18, 1857. 
From a Southern Correspondent 
Imfe'—Sorgum. 
Masser ’Merican Ag'cultis'. 
Sar: Dis boy ’casionally read your big paper, 
printed ’way off down in York—dat is to say 
young Masser John read it to him, which you 
knows is all de same. Bery well, sar, ’tis all 
right and mighty sure on Imfe, for dat is de way 
to spell him. Don’t dis child know all about it 
caze his gran’fur come from Afriky, where Imft 
fust growed. Wal, sar, dis boy hearn many writ¬ 
ers is makin’ powerful fuss ’bout dis, but I rekons 
dey knows nufin’ at all on him. Did dey eber 
grow him, as my gran’fur has for ages 1 Den let 
dem hold der tongues till dey has. What we 
want in dis country is de prakital; we doesn’t 
want no the’ries—dese doesn’t do in hard times. 
Wal, sar, to come to pints. Dis child says, 
fustly, we ha’int no such long summers here as 
dey has in Afriky, to ripen him well; we ha’int 
no such hot days nudder; derefore, by reason, 
Imfe is no good as Sorgum, which comes from 
colder climate, and am grown from Canada to 
Texas, Georgia, where dis child libs ’eluded. 
Now, I says, hereforth per ’rash’nale, cul’vate 
a mighty tall heap o’ Sorgum—let Imfe ’lone 
’specially when ’taint nufin but Durra; and always 
b’lieve in what Masser ’Merican Ag’cultis tell de 
public, and what is more, like dis here boy who 
writes, b’lieve in nufin else. 
Sar, yours, specfully to sarve, 
Young Guinea 
-| - 
Articles on Cattle and Buildings. 
A very valuable series of articles on Cattle 
now in course of preparation, will be commenced 
in the February number. A full series on Farm 
Buildings of all kinds will be commenced as soor 
as the drawings and engravings can be executed, 
probably by the March No.—perhaps : n February 
