Newspaper Page Text
[Written for the Southern Field and Fireside.]
AGRICULTURAL LETTERS FROM HANCOCK.
BY AN OLD MEMBER OF THE PLANTERS' CLUB.
NO. 11.
T/te Guano dynasty—lnteresting experiment —
Guano as a fertilizer, as an exhauster.
Mr. Editor: As we of Hancock are living
under what might be termed the guano dynasty,
agriculturally speaking, it might be well for us
to advert to some facts, and experiments in re
ference to this powerful fertiliser for the benefit
of those who know but little of it particularly in
its application to cotton. There have been as
yet but few exact, reliable experiments, made by
our planters, as to comparative results bptwCen
manured and unmanured acres. Mr David
Dickson who is the head and front of this sys
tem, first introduced guano into this county
and applied it successfully to the cultivation of
cotton. He satisfied himself years ago that it
would pay on cotton when prices were remu
nerative. He does not however think that it
will pay on wheat. Mr. Dickson’s annual out
lay for guano is now from seven to ten thousand
dollars, upon which, - (and he is a calculating
man) he says he realises one hundred per cent.
Other planters of distinction, as J udge Thomas,
Hon. T. I. Smith, Col. T. M. Turner, Thomas
Dickson, n. C. CulemL and W. E. Bird, Esq’s,
after having tried it foWevcral years, are equally
satisfied with Mr. Dickson as to its results,
and show their faith by their .works in the pur
chase of largo quantities The pre
sent year the amount will run up to a high fig
ure, for this article alone, besides salt, ammoni
ated phosphate of lime, Ac. Indeed for several
months during the spring, there was a war of
wagons waged between merchants and planters,
the one fighting to get their goods at hand for
the spring, trade, and the other to get their
manures in time for cotton planting.
We have seen in several cotton fields rows
left without any guano, side by side with others
containing this manure, and the difference has
been truly remarkable. The most satisfactory
experiment however as to its fertilizing quali
ties was made the past season by Mr. Augustus
Dunn of this county. He planted two acres in
cotton, on which he put two hundred and thirty
five lbs. of guano. Every other row he manured
•in the drill with guano, and the intermediate?
rows were left without manure of any kind.—
. The soil was of a mixed character, • partly si
licious, and partly aluminous. The aggregate
amount of fine pickings gathered from these
acres, stands thus:
Manured acre. unmanured acre.
Ist picking....l7B lbs Ist picking....‘24 lbs.
2nd do 295 “ 2nd “ ....40 “
3rd “ M7 “ 3rd “ ...194 “
4th “ 253 “ 4th “ ...200 “
sth “ 224 “ sth “ ...188 “
1597 Ml
We have introduced the separate pickings tor
the purpose of showing how rapidly the guano
acts as a maturer of the cotton plant. Tako the
three first pickings, and we have 1128 lbs.
against 258—a remarkable difference truly.
According to the old rule of one fourth lint
for one of seed, and allowing ten cents nett ave
rage for the crop, the manured acre made thirty
nine dollars and sixty seven cents, while from
the other only sixteen dollars and two cents,
was realized. The guano laid down cost about
ten dollars and sixty seven cents which leaves
twenty nine dollars and expenses paid Al
lowing that the overplus of cotton seed pays
for the extra trouble of picking out the cotton on
the manured acre, preparing and putting in the
guano, &c. Here then we have a profit of sl3
on a investment of ten dollars and sixty seven
• cents, being considerable over one hundred per.
cent. At eight cents per. lb. the profit would be
about fifty per. cent.
We like exact, and reliable "experiments such
as the above. There is something tangible
about it —something that is'above and beyond
mere theory, and we do not wonder that some
of our leading planters, should assert that they
can wear out a plantation, and give it away, and
make more money by this process than upon
the old tedious composting plan of hauling in
litter and hauling out manure. But one experi
ment should not decide so important a question.
All the circumstances may have been favorable
to the application of the guano and such a result
might not happen again in ten years. We hope
Mr. Dunn, and others will follow up the experi
ments, that a series of years put together may
establish beyond doubt the value of guano as a
fertilizer to the cotton plant.
Another question of much magnitude is here/
to be decided. How does guano tell on succeed
ings crops ? Will the same amount, put on the
same acre, produce like results the second year?
Will it the third, the fourth, and every succeed
ing year? If so, then certainly we have found
the philosopher’s stone, which turns everything
it touches into gold. If not, then guano is sim
ply a fertiliser, and not an ameliorator of the
soil, as wo have always contended; and unless
other salts are applied to keep up the deficien
cies, as is done in England, the landed estates
of the South will, we doubt not, depreciate more
rapidly than under the old skinning process of
our fathers, and more hopelessly too.
Our position in reference to the guano ques
tion has been misunderstood. We have never,
as some think, contended that it will not pay,
looking to immediate results. Nor have we op
posed its purchase, and application, under a
proper judicious system, particularly to cer
tain classes of land. But we have doubted, and
so expressed it again and again, whether the
purchase and application of guano, or any other
partial manure, will pay taking a series of years
together. By which, we mean to say that the
deterioration of soil, by a long continued course
of these partial stimulating manures, will eat up
all the profits by depreciating the landed estates
of the country. But this is a question that time
only can determine.
Few men are devoted to agriculture only as
they see money in it. And that kind «f farm
SOTXTHJKRN VXS&S AJSJO FX&SSXDE.
ing which brings into hand at the end of the
year the largest number of bank bills, is the one
pursued by the great majority. They do not
look to ultimate results. They care not for fine
stock, a proper rotation in crops, a careful pro
tection of the soil from waste, so they can by a
hurried and driving system count the greatest
number of cotton hales as the result of the year’s
labor. We admit that profit is the prime object
of agriculture, as of every other occupation.
Without this, it has no stimulus to cheer the toil
worn laborer, even though he be a hireling or a
slave, much less the planter himself. But there
is away of reaping profits in farming without
injuring posterity, and leaving to our children
waste of old fields, and gidlied hills
as their patrimony.
Just here comes in a question of morals, not
: to say of patriotism. Is it light to pursue a
; .reckless, wasteful system of agricalture, because
we can, under this method, cultivate a few more
acres, and make a little more ready money ? We
have heard it asserted by respectable planters,
good men and true, that, if they could extract
all the cotton from their land in one year, they
would do it, and leave it a barren waste. And
they contend for the principle of cutting down
and wearing out the land as fast as they can,
and then apply partial manures to extract the
last mite of substance from it, regardless of the
claims of posterity, and the prospective glory of
their country.
What! is not that a good system of agricul
ture which takes more from the soil than is re
turned to it ? We have feared that this will be
the result of the guano system, and hence we
have looked with a suspicious eye on the im
mense amount of guano now being purchased
by our planters. It is a dubious, disheartening
system, view it as you may. Is it possible that
young, fertile, virgin America should, at this
Sarly date of her history, have to seek for fertil
isers thousands of miles away, at high prices,
with which to carry on her agricultural opera
tions? Must she come in competition with old
Europe in the purchase of this costly article,
when, on every farm in the country, the same
element— ammonia —may be husbanded at a
cheaper rate? Prospectively this system pre
sents a gloomy aspect. Should cotton fall, it
will have to be abandoned, and then it will be
seen how pitiable the crops will appear on lands
that have been drawn upon so freely. Should
guano rise, as it must do ere long, the same re
sult will take place. Is it not perceivable that
an agricultural system, &' dependent on fortuit
ous circumstances for its very existence, is a
false system, and one that must utterly fail be
fore the rising light of science ?
Sparta, Ga. v P.
[Written Tor the Southern Field and Fireside.]
BEE KEEPING.
Mr. Editor ; I do not desire to obtrude my
opinions upon your readers, but feeling a deep
interest in all matters pertaining to a well regu
lated farm, I shall ask your indulgence, f r om
timo to time, to show that bee-keeping is worthy
of the attention of the proprietor of such a farm.
The hive bee (apis melifica) has engaged the
attention of the curious from the earliest ages,
though Huber, known as the prince of aparians,
has done more for developing correct informa
tion than any other naturalist of his day; and
as it may be interesting to the general reader to
know something of this remarkable man, I will
transcribe a few lines to gratify that curiosity.
At the early age of seventeen, Huber lost his
sight by gutta sertna, the same disease that
brought a similar affliction on Milton. “But,
though cut off from the sight of nature's works,
he dedicated himself to their study. He saw r
them through the eyes of the admirable woman
whom he married; his philosophical reasoning
pointed out to her all he wanted to ascertain;
and as she reported to him, from time to time,
the results of his ingenious experiments, he was #
enabled to complete, by diligent investigation
one of the most accurate and satisfactory ac
counts of the habits of bees which has ever been
produced.” What a severe commentary we have
here upon those men who are blessed with
sight, and yet ignorant of the simplest princi
ples connected with this wonderful insect I
Here wc have a blind man making discoveries
the most astounding, without the gratification
of seeing the results of his interesting investi
gations ; and again we sec men, bee-keepers too,
who cannot tell whether tho drone is a male or
female, or whether it is invested with a sting or
not. "Some have even gone -so far as to iriform
us that bees do not gather honey from flowers,
but are wholly dependent on the substance
known as honey dew. These, with other errors
in bee-keeping, can be easily removed by a lit
tle study and attention. I will cheerfully lend
my feeble aid towards accomplisliing this end;
and will only ask in return that the owner of
the bees will give them his personal supervision,
and not turn them over to the_ negroes.
It was known long before the time of Huber,
that bees consist of three sorts, which Reau
mur distinguishes into neuters, drones, or males,
and a queen. It was 'Schirach who discovered
the extraordinary fact that, when a hive is ac
cidentally deprived of a queen, the grub of a
worker can be, and is fed in a particular man
ner, so as to become a queen. Upon this,
Heirslf and others have suggested that these
grubs may originally be misplaced queens; but
Madlle. Jurine (an example worthy of imitation
by young ladies of the present day) has proved
by dissection the workers to be imperfect females;
therefore, the theory of feeding on a peculiar
food must lie correct.
It is the function of a worker bee to do all
the labor of the hive, gathering tho honey and
bee-bread, making the comb, 4c. The queen
lays all the eggs, and tho drone is the father of
the family. It is not my purpose to enlarge
on these, for the reason that I have not the
ability, and if I had I could not command the
the time; I must, therefore, refer those who
may desire to study the subject to some stand
ard work treating thereon. The articles I shall
furnish, I intend to bo brief, and of a practical
character. Respectfully,
V. La Taste.
GRASS SEED FOR DISTRIBUTION.
The paragraph relating to the gratuitous distri
bution of grass seed from the office of the Field
and Fireside was written for the first number
while the editor was at Athens, but was crowded
out by an excess of matter in type. The Or
chard grass, (treated of the second number) pro
duces the seed referred to; and the non-appear
ance of the paragraph in the first number of the
paper has led to a little delay in getting seed
put up for distribution. The work is now in
progress at the residence of the editor near
Athens, and all will be supplied according to
promise in a few days.
IMPORTANCE OF SCIENTIFIC PRINCIPLES.
In a paper “ On Meteorology in its Connection
with Agriculture,” characterised by the original
ity of thought and clearness of expression,
which distinguish the writings of the author,
Prof. Henry of the Smithsonian, Institution,
thus graphically points out the line of research
best calcidated to place the arts of tillage and
husbandry on sound, scientific principles, and an
enduring basis:
“ About fifty years ago Sir Humphrey Davy
moistened a small quantity of ordinary potash,
and, submitting it to the current of a powerful
galvanic batteiy, observed a number of brilliant
particles burning and exploding on the surface.
With the intuitive perception of a higldy philo
sophical mind, he saw at once, in this experi
ment, a fact of the deepest significance—the
verification of a previous a priori hypothesis,
namely, that pqtash and the other alkalies and
alkaline earths were not simple substances, as
they had previously been considered, but metals
-compounded with oxygen. Tliis discovery,
which had an important bearing on the whole
science of chemistry, but which had no interest
for the popular mind, has, in the course of time,
revolutionized many of the processes of art, and
will furnish the means, in various ways, of ad
ding to the comforts and conveniences-of life.—
Within the last two years a French chemist has
discovered a process of decomposing one of these
alkaline earths, namely, the clay which forms the
basis of the soil of the farmer, and which, har
dened by fire, constitutes the brick to build his
tenement, and of obtaining from it a metal as
light as glass, as malleable and ductile as cop
per, and as little liable to rust as silver. These
discoveries were made by men whose lives were
devoted to the abstract study of Nature; they
are not the results of accident, but logical de
ductions from previous conceptions of the mind,
verified and further developed by the ingenious
processes of the laboratory. It may be safely
said, that for every one individual who is capa
ble of making discoveries of tliis kind, there are
at least a thousand who ean apply them to use
ful purposes in the arts, and who will be stimu
lated to undertake enterprises founded upon them
by the more general and powerful incentive of
pecuniary reward. When the process of pro
curing aluminum, or, in other words, the metal
from clay, has been perfected, and some enter
prising citizens shall have established ‘ a great
manufactory for tho production of the article
for general use, he will have conferred a benefit
on his country, be entitled to credit, and will
probably receive the desired remuneration. But
should the names of the chemists who originally
made the discovery of the principles on which
this public benefit depends be forgotten ? Ought
not their labors to enlarge the bounds of knowl
edge to be properly valued, and their names held
in grateful remembrance ? If living, should they
not be afforded the means of extending their in
vestigations, without the distraction of mind at
tendant on the efforts to obtain a precarious live
lihood for themselves and families ?
In truth, we must say, not in the way of com
plaint, but for the purpose of drawing attention
to the fact and with the hope of somewhat
changing the condition of things in this respect,
that in no civilized country of the world is less
encouragement given for the pursuit of abstract 1
science than in the United States. The general
government has no power in the Constitution j
directly to foster pursuits of this kind; and it is j
only by an enlightened public opinion, and the
liberality of wealthy individuals, that a better '
condition of things can be hoped for.
The great facts of the future of agriculture '
are to be derived from the use of the microscope,
, the crucible, the balance, the galvanic battery, 1
the polariscope, and the prism, and from the ]
scientific generalizations which are deduced ‘
from these by the profound reflections of men 1
who think, in contradistinction to thoso who act. *
The intelligent farmer should be able, as we 1
have already said, properly to appreciate the
value of scientific discoveries; and for this pur- •
fose his studies should not be confined merely
to rules or empirical receipts, but also to the *
general principles on which they are or should ■
be founded.” :
1
REPORT ON ORCHARDS AND VINEYARDS. t
The committee appointed by the Aiken Vine 1
Growing and Horticultural Association to visit f
and examine orchards and in the >
neighborhood, submit the following report:
Shortly after their appointment the committee t
met on three several days, and visited and ex
amined fourteen different places on which there
are orchards and vineyards. From tho owners
of other places which they were unable person
ally to visit at the time, they procured authentic
infonnation of tho number of their trees and \
their condition. Their examination embraces f
the following result, which will give some idea j
of the amount of fruit culture in the vicinity of i
Aiken: 130 acres in grape, 40,000 peach trees, *
4,500 pears, apples, plums, Ac. It must be un- e
derstood that the number of peach and other t
trees only refers to those large orchards which f
have been planted expressly for market, and
does not include the smaller orchards, which are
planted for private use, of which there are some
on every farm and about every lot in Aiken.
Peaches. —Of this number (40,000 peach trees)
a large proportion are still quite young, and
have furnished, as yet, nothing-for market, some
20,000 of them or more having been set out dur
ing the last t\?o years.
We have ascertained that, during the summer
of 1858, there were sent to market from Aiken
and the vicinity, about 7,500 bushels of peach
es. We may thus form some estimate of the
value of this crop when all our trees come into
bearing.
With regard to condition, the Committee
would report highly favorable; but in this cul
ture, as in all others, they observed that care
and attention were duly rewarded—those which
had received most thorough cultivation of the
ground and proper pruning, exhibiting a decid
ed superiority. There is, perhaps, no kind of
product which repays more for good culture, and
selection of first-rate varieties, than that of the
peach, on acoount of the enormous prices paid
for early and superior fruit in the Northern
markets. The principal enemy to the peach
here is the borer worm, -Fjeria exitiosa, which
enters the trqp near the root, and feeds on the
inner bark. Unless kept in check, they destroy
an orchard in a few years. Various plans have
been tried to prevent their entrance into the
tree, but the only effectual mode as known, is
to search over tho trees two or three times dur
ing the year and destroy the worms. Most of
the trees planted here for market, are from the
New Jersey nurseries of Hancock, Deacon,
Perkins and others. They are procured on bet
ter terms than from Southern nurseries, and
seem hardy aud thrifty ; though, for a small se
lect orchard, when the cost would not be a con
sideration. we woidd prefer Southern raised
trees. As yet, the “ Early Tillotson” bears the
palm of being the earliest peach for market that
we know. "We would strongly recommend die
raising of seedlings from diese earlier varieties,
with a view of obtaining a yet earlier peach.
Pears, —This fruit has not been cultivated
hitherto with us to any extent We find a num
ber of persons now trying the Dwarf pear, graft
ed on quince. There are, however, some suc
cessful cultivators of the pear in die neighbor
hood, as our exhibitions of last summer proved,
and as your committee also had an opportunity
of verifying on their sides. Tlie most encourag
ing experiment with pear culture may be seen
at Mr. John D. Legare’s farm. This gentleman
was the first who commenced the cultivation of i
fruit for market on a large scale, in this neigh- j
borhood. About fiften years ago, he set out an j
orchard of peaches, with some nectarines, ap- j
pies, and pears; these last were dwarf pears
imported from France. As pear culture here
had always been considered very uncertain, very
little attention was paid to them. They were
neglected in the pruning and cultivation, as Mr.
Legare himself has informed ns, and yet they
are now bearing fine crops. Last summer the}*
were so loaded with fruit, that a great number
of props were necessary to sustain the limbs,
and prevent their breaking down.
The cultivation of the Dwarf pear is lie coming
very general in other quarters. Tho most suit
able soil is said to be a clayey loam, as the quince
stock, on which it grows, prefers such soil. It
would, therefore, be unsuited to those situations
where our grapes and peaches may grow—but
in the variable soils of this region clay grounds :
may be found on ahnost every form adapted to ■
this culture. We would strongly recommend a |
trial of pear on haw. The common haw tree of
this region, Cratoegies eEstivalis, flourishes well
on light sandy soils, and would probably be w r ell
adapted for grafting upon. We have die assur
ance of one of the most successful pear cultiva
tors in our association that he has found tho
pear grafted on haw to do well; and in further
confirmation, one of your committee will state
that he grafted two pear stocks on seedling haws
one year old, in the winter of’s6, both of which
grew last summer between five and six feet
high. This is, fx-rhaps, more than would have
been done on die quince, and is highly encourag
ing for further trial.
Apples. —But litt’e attention has been paid
hitherto to the 1 letter varieties of this fruit. As
long as we depend upon propagating tho well
known Northern varieties, nothing but failure
may be .expected. Our Southern nurseries are
now well furnished with Southern seedlings of
the best quality, which are spoken of in the
highest terms as even superior to the Northern
fruit. We are giving them a trial, and hope to
report favorably in a year or two more.
Apricots and Plums. —Both these fmits are
too uncertain and precarious for this locality.—
The improved varieties of plum originating in
more Northern localities, are unsdited tc our
climate, and do not generally come to perfection.
They are inferior to our best peaches, and are
more liable to the attacks of the curculio than
other stem fruit.
The apricot flowers so early in die season
that it rarely escapes our late frosts.
Grapes. —Your Committee tako account of
one hundred and thirty acres of grapes, nearly
all of which they visited and examined. The
grape culture has received an impetus within the
last few years at the South, from the increasing
conviction thart our soil and climate, in the high
rolling lands above the falls of the rivers, (and
more especially in the light ridges of the sand
hill region,) are highly congenial to its growth.
This conviction has in a great measure grown
out of the success which has attended
perimental efforts of two of our members-—to
whom we wish to award all praise. Dr. Mc-
Donald and Mr. Caredeuc, the largest vintners
and only wine-makers of this section, have ex
tensive vineyards—the former seventy-six, the
latter twenty acres—from which they have
annually, for years past, made several thousand
gallons, and sold it at highly remunerative
prices.
Except these two vineyards, all the others arc
young—of one, two, or three years’ growth.
There is a determination to extend this culture
on the part of those who have commenced vine
yards, and there will probably be many more
acres added to the above in the course of the
present year.
The committee, in conclusion, would repeat ;
that they were highly pleased with the result of
their examination, in the healthy and flourishing
state of orchards and vineyards which they vis- ,
ited, and in the kiud hospitality aud good cheer
they received on all sides in their rides through
the country. James Purvis.
* A. M. D. Robertson,
H. W. Ravenel.
—— mm-
To Measure Hay Stacks. —‘More than twenty
years since,’ says an old farmer, ‘I tried the
following method for measuring hay from an old i
publication. I have both bought and sold by
it, and believe it may be useful to many fanners.’
“ Multiply the length, breadth and heightli into
each other, and if the hay is somewhat settled,
ten solid yards make a ton. Clover will take
from ten to twelve solid yards per ton.”
Origin’ of Phrases. —“ He’s caught a Tartar.’’
In some battle between the "Russians and Tar
tars, who are a wild sort of people in the North
of Asia, a private soldier called out: “ Captain,
hold on there, I’ve caught a Tartar!” “ Fetch
liim along them,” said the Captain. “Aye, but
he won’t let me 1" said the man; and the fact
was, the Tartar had caught him. So, when a
man thinks to take another in, and gets bit him
self they say: “He’s caught a Tartar.”
“ Carrying the war into Africa.” In one of
the famous wars between Carthage and Rome,
about two thousand five hundred years ago,
Hannibal, the Carthagenian leader, and one /*
the most wonderful men of antiquity, led al ®
army into Italy, and for several cor amlet *
to threaten the city, and lay waste the ■arround
ing country. Scipio, a Roman Gene*jf saw
necessity of getting rid of Han v,oa * and his
fortes. So he determined to l"* d ® n a ™y into
Africa, and threaten CartbarG and thus make
it necessary for Hannibal ,J roturn home for its
defence. This scheme wd the desired effect;
and in all time this rgaliating upon an enemy,
by adopting his owr optics, is called “ carrying
the war into Africa- ”
HORTICULTURAL.
WJI. NT. WHITE, Editor.
SATURDAY....... JUNE 11, 1859.
GRAPES FROM EYES.
The Gardener's Monthly says the secret of pro- *
pogating grapes from eyes successfully, is not to
keep them too warm at first, after being cut for
propogating, and recommends their being placed
in a heap in a damp cool place in the propogating
house for a week, before putting them in boxes.
After potting, keep them rather cool at first, and
gradually increase the heat No branch of
southern fruit-culture is more promising than
that of grapes.
,
—■ i»>
NEW ROSE.
The rose Dp. Kane promises to rival the sol- ,
fatere, Speeiments of the bloom have been for
warded to us by Mr. Pentland of Baltimore which,
we have not seen rivalled in this climate. It
is to be brought out next season and will we
are confident be an immense favorite.
Horticulturist.
Remarks. —There is not a climate in the
world where finer seedlings of the rose can be
raised than here. Teas, Noisettes, Bourbons
Chinas and Remontants all ripen abundance of
seed, which if planted, as it ripens, in a bed of
mellow earth on the North or East side of a
I fence, will come up next spring like cabbage
plants. Transplant then, before they get
woody, choosing favorable times, into rich fresh
mobed soil, and yon can in a few weeks from ‘
some idea of what they will prove, but they
will bloom finer as the plants grow older. Cut
up during the swonfl summer all but the very
best, We have in this town thus raised three
first class seedlings. Isabella Grey, the finest * i
yellow Noisette, originated in Charleston!—
: Select from the seed of the finert varieties only. j
Ladies you will bo interested in trying the
experiments. ]
HEDGES.
Qne would suppose from a casual inspection i
of our suburban villas, and even town gardens,
that the. most conspicuous ornaments that could
be introduced are wooden fences of somo sort
It is not uncommon to see, in very circum
scribed grounds, prominent whitewashed palings
enclosing the front yard, the avenue, and tjm
garden separately, like so many pens upona (
cattle fair ground, as if' the number augmented
the beauty of the place! We can call to mind l
many such, and have often wondered, why they
have become such favorite objects, erected as
they can only be at oonsiderable expense. At
the lowest calculation, we should judge, that in
many instances, money enough has been spent
upon these useless and unsightly structures to '
stock the closely fenced up garden, with scarce- <
ly a tree in it, with some of the finest fruits and
shrubs. j
A fence is a necesoary evil at lest, to be avoid
ed as much as possible, and never to be intro
duced except on the boundaiy, for the protection *
and safety of the grounds; all besides this mar
and disfigure the premises just in proportion to
j their conspicuousness and repetition. All divi
sion lines, even where protection from animals (
is necessary, may be accomplished bf appropri
ate hedges. 1
Whether hedges will ever be introduced to the
same,extent, as in Great Britain, is a question.
The abundance of lumber and its cheapness in J
this country render it doubtful; (while the easi
ness and rapidity with which a wooden fence is >
put up adds to this doubt). In the great West,
where timber is very scarce, this is a
some importance, though generally it is of no
groat importance. i
But ns ornaments to our country homes—and "
it is to these that our remarks are directed—the
hedge should be everywhere introduced, that >
the offensive paling which does not harmonise
with any landscape, may be confined, at least to W
its legitimate purpose of protection or privacy
around an estate, and all dividing lines, for what- f
ever purpose needed, be formed of some orna
mental hedge. The effect of such lines of ver- . {
dime upon the appearance of grounds, even of
limited extent, need only to be observed to be
fully and universally appreciated. The entire P
aspect of our richest farms would be changed
and beautified, could well trimmed hedges be v
substituted for the zigzag rail fences and rude
stone walls which now diversify and disfigure
their surface. Even on the score of economy,
it is urged by many that hedges should take the i
place of fences. Once properly set out and ju- '
diciously managed, they are as perfect a barrier
to animals and bipeds as the rail fence, and last ?
a lifetime with the slightest annual expense of
clipping. v
We should scarcely be believed if we were to
state that, notwithstanding all that has been
written about hedges, and the ample directions
for their management, few that deserve the name &
are to bo seen. In all our experience, we never
yet saw a dozen good hedges, though we have
noticed what were called such, hundreds of times. /
They are little more than vegetable screens, tall, j
and thick at the top, while below they admit v
both bipeds and quadrupeds with perfect eg"*-
Such are the majority of hedges, raised ly “n- J
proper treatment while young, and to* large
when the neglect is discovered to be easily re
novated. — Magazine of Horticulture
r J
Raise Fixe Fruit.—A -ontemporary very
truly says : “ Fruits are.i® ununportant part
of the living of a family e w >sh every fann
er would lay his plai v * fl season an d take time 7
by the foretop, for in this branch of
farm industry. * he lives near a market it is A
the most profile; and wherever he may b'-,
there is a influence in fruit cidture,
which sho ,iC * not he overlooked. There is solid , A
comfort a !t - There is an innocent luxury.— .
Wher ‘he children are far away, and have built
the" other homes, they will remember the old - «
jojnestead, but no place in it, except the place 7
oy the old fireside, where a loving mother used
to sit and mend their clothes and dam their A
stockings, and bear patiently with their trouble
some childish pranks, and teach the young idea,
will be remembered with more longings to re- 1
turn, than where their childhood's lips smacked
the fruit of a favorite tree. Apples, early and e
late, for summer, autumn, winter, and spring, %
pears, grapes, peaches, quinces, plums, cherries,
apricots, goosberries, currants, and strawberries
should be the delight of every farm, unless pe- A
culiarity of climate would exclude some of these,
and many others should be introduced if soil
and climate favor.” J
23