A Day with JOHN JOHNSTON, 272 Foreign Correspondence, by L... Letter from Central Indiana, by H., Top Dressing Old Meadows, by *, Preparing for Fall Crops-Skimming, by J. F. C.,. A Ride over Long Island, by H. P. B., A Flax Patch and the Result thereof, by JoHN S. GOE, Farming in New-Hampshire, by LEVI BARTLETT, The eleventh number of THE ANNUAL REGISTER OF RURAL 266 AFFAIRS, for 1865, is now in press. The usual amount of labor 268 and expense have been laid out upon its contents and illustra 269 tions, and we think it will rank as one of the most interesting and useful numbers in the series. 275 280 283 263 284 286 Experiments with Muck, Muck Composts, &c., by A. R. A., 286 288 The purpose of this notice is to apprise ADVERTISERS that a 276 few pages will be devoted to their wants, as heretofore. Tux 278 ANNUAL REGISTER remains as a work of constant reference 278 throughout the year; it reaches thousands who are not subscribers for either of our other publications, besides its purchase by a very large majority of the subscribers to the COUNTRY GENTLEMAN and CULTIVATOR. The back numbers remain in demand year after year, so that the advertisements are constantly brought into new hands. And, as the sales of the ANNUAL REGISTER continue large, not only throughout the Autumn and Winter, but also late into the coming Spring, we may suggest that advertisers should bear in mind this fact in preparation of their favors: manufacturers of Mowing and Reaping Machines, Plows and other Implements, as well as Nursery and Seeds265 men, Breeders, etc., will be first in the field" for 1865, by taks 268 ing this medium of reaching the Agricultural Public. 275 278 TERMS OF ADVERTISING IN THE ANNUAL REGISTER. 282 One Page,......... $25.00 | One Third Page,.... $10.00 292 One Half Page,..... 15.00 One Fourth Page,.. 291 286 267 7.50 Business Cards, (Live Stock, &c.,) $5. Our friends will oblige us by sending their advertisements as soon as possible; the space desired should be specified, in order that the matter may be set as conspicuously as the prescribed 271 limits will permit. 271 Many have been disappointed in securing advertising space in the ANNUAL REGISTER, each year, from failing to make their wishes known in season. Some of our largest and most constant advertisers were thus excluded from the last number. Those who are not prepared to send "copy" at once, can bo accommodated by bespeaking the space desired, and we will inform them, in due season, when the advertisement itself must be put into the printer's hands. Albany, August, 1864. Hardiness of Native Grapes, Planting Peas Deep, by FLEMING,. Grapes for a Cold Vinery. Working out Strawberries, by N. C. M., 274 275 Cultivating Orchards, 276 Poultry-Yard. 280 i Compound Peach-Bark Cordial, by Dr. PATTEE,. 281 LUTHER TUCKER & SON. CHESTER COUNTY WHITE PIGS FOR SALE. Four pair, twelve weeks old. Apply to Aug. 25-wit. R. L. PELL, Esopus, Ulster Co., N. Y. Grapevines!! THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND GRAPEVINES. (Native and Foreign) comprising all the new and leading- also all the 285 old and well proved varieties worthy of cultivation, grown in open air, healthy and vigorous, and well adapted to either garden or vineyard culture. 250 Sheep Barn,. 282 285 289 I have 500,000 STRAWBERRY PLANTS for sale cheap for cash (greenbacks.) Hovey's Seedling, Jenny Lind, Wilson's Albany, and others, for 50 cents per 100, or $4 per 1,000. Plants of the Triomphe de Gaud, #1 per 100, or 48 per 1.40. Nea'ly labeled, packed and sen to any part of the country as directed. Please address Aug. 25-w&mi'. A. W. DAY, Deer Park, Long Island, HALE'S EARLY PEAC is the earliest known, ripen ing at least two weeks before the earliest market variety. ISAAC PULLEN, Hightstown, N. J. FIRST CLASS SHOell known GROVE HERD, bred by the late Col. F. M. ROTCH, to my own, I am enabled to offer A Very Superior Lot RAPE CULTURE AND WINE MAKINGA Practical Treatise on the Garden and Vineyard Culture of the Vine, with directions for the manufacture of Domestic Wine, to which is added also a selection of Examples of American Vineyard Practice, and a carefully prepared description of the celebrated Thomery system of Grape Culture. The book is profusely illustrated John Phin. Price $1.25. For sale by LUTHER TUCKER & SON, of SHORT-HORNS, including Bulls, Cows and Heifers. Catalogues THE HORSE AND HIS DISEASES-Embrac may be had upon application. May 26-6m. SAMUEL THORNE, ing his history and varieties, breeding and management and vices; with the diseases to which he is subject, and the remedies best adapted to their cure. By Robert Jennings V. S.-price, $1.60. For sale at this office. PUBLISHED BY LUTHER TUCKER & SON, EDITORS AND PROPRIETORS, 395 BROADWAY, ALBANY, N.Y. TERMS-SIXTY CENTS PER YEAR.-Ten copies of THE CULTIVATOR and Ten of the ANNUAL REGISTER OF RURAL AFFAIRS, with one of each free to the Agent, Six Dollars. THE CULTIVATOR has been published thirty years. A NEW SERIES was commenced in 1853, and the eleven volumes for 1853, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 60, 61, 62 and 63, can be furnished, bound and postpaid, at $1.00 each-the set of 11 vols. sent per Express for $8.25. "THE COUNTRY GENTLEMAN," a weekly Agricultural Journal of 16 quarto pages, making two volumes yearly of 416 pages, at $2.50 per year, is issued by the same publishers. [SERIES. No. 10. and fresh fruit may be obtained from them, from the season of the earliest strawberries in June, until the late frosts of autumn-and afterwards that a copious supply may be obtained from the fruit-room until the first of the succeeding summer. 7. Let all the operations of farming be carried on without hurry or excessively hard labor, by means of the best systemmatic management; let agriculture be made attractive by its neatness and success. CURING CORN FODDER. The season will soon be in hand when farmers will The Cultivator & Country Gentleman. have to cut and secure the crops of corn cut for fod TO MAKE FARMING LIFE ATTRACTIVE. Young men often leave their homes in the country for city employment because they dislike the hard and dirty work, and because the adornment of the homes of their childhood has not been attended to. Girls dislike to marry young farmers because they see a life of drudgery in the prospect, such as cooking large meals for hired men, and because the throng of laborers which must fill up their houses preclude the idea of comfort and seclusion. By attending to the following points much of these evils could be avoided. 1. Build cheap, but good and comfortably laborers' cottages, and hire steady married men to occupy them and who may thus board at home. 2. Let the owner attend to strict cleanliness so far as may be practicable; that is, never enter the house with a heavy or dirty pair of boots, but take them off in an outhouse whenever entering for meals or for the night, and replace them with slippers. The same care should be given to outer garments. 3. Attend to frequent washing and bathing, and a frequent change of clothes-it is nearly as easy to wash several garments slightly soiled as one loaded with dirt. 4. Let all rooms, and especially bed-rooms, be well ventilated, and every cause of foul and offensive air be removed. 5. Let the living-rooms be handsomely furnished inside-with books, pictures, minerals and specimens of natural history, philosophical apparatus, (all in proper cases,) materiais for drawing, and everything else to make in-doors attractive to young people. 6. Let the surroundings of the house be appropriated to ornamental planting-trees, shrubbery, flower beds cut in smooth turf, &c., and have ample orchards and fruit gardens, so that a constant supply of delicious der. Formerly, when labor was abundant, we found it most convient to employ hand labor, using the common corn cutter. These remarks, of course, apply to corn sown in thick drills, as no good manager ever sows broadcast. Sometimes we have found a hand who by a skillful use of a stiff scythe, would mow rap idly, and lay the crop as regularly as if cut with a cradle. After cutting, it was allowed to dry on the ground two or three days if the weather admitted, and then bound in bundles and placed in shocks. We are satisfied it is quite as well to bind it up at once. For even several weeks drying has proved insufficient in any case to repel water sufficiently from the stalks to prevent heating in the stack. This heating has always proved the great difficulty, and is obviated in va rious ways, such as making large, upright, and firm shocks, to remain in the field till winter; by spreading the undried fodder on poles under sheds, and throughout barns; or by making small stacks with three rails placed vertically in the middle to form a ventilating chimney We recommend the present season of scarce labor, that farmers cut their fodder with a mowing machine, placed so as to run sufficiently high for this purpose, and then gather it with a horse-rake, like common hay. If the corn has been sown at the rate of three bushels per acre, (as it should have been,) the stalks will be fine enough to admit of being thus raked. It may then be pitched and drawn like hay, and built into small stacks with ventilating openings in the centre. This ventilation may be effected by placing the three rails as already mentioned, or by the common practice of building around a barrel placed in the centre, which is drawn up as the building of the stack progresses, by means of the handle or rope across its top. There will be one advantage in stacking the stalks in this way, namely, the irregular and promiscuous way in which they cross each other will prevent that close settling and solidity which takes place when sown fodder is tied in bundles and lying parallel. COST OF A CROP OF WEEDS. In riding past the premises of a farmer recently, we observed a rich lot of land planted with potatoes; but labor being scarce, he had allowed the weeds to grow except such as the plow and cultivator had destroyed between the rows. The weeds in the rows, as nearly as we could estimate, amounted to two-fifths of the potatoes in weight. They, of course, required as much of the strength of the soil weight for weight. The lot was three acres consequently the weeds in the whole lot were equal to the potatoes on two acres. Good crops of potatoes in this neighborhood on such soil as this have yielded 150 bushels of potatoes to the acre; consequently the products of this lot had it been kept clean would have been 450 bushels. As the matter now stands the weeds have taken two-fifths or 180 bushels, and left three-fifths or 270 bushels. Calling the potatoes a dollar per bushel, the owner has lost $180 by neglect to clear out the weeds, which certainly would not have cost more than sixteen days' labor, which at a dollar and a half per day would have been twenty-four dollars. The account stands as follows, to wit.: CROP OF WEEDS, DR. CR. $180 24 Nett loss on weeds.. $156 We leave our readers to draw their own conclusions as to the mode of avoiding such disasters. Some will say they cannot help it; but others who have no can't in their vocabulary, will devise means for clean cultivation. CAUSE OF LEAF BLIGHT. Our own careful and repeated examinations with a powerful compound achromatic microscope have satisfied us that the leaf blight in the pear is caused by a fungus, growing at first inside of the pulp and among the cells, and afterwards extending itself to the surrust in wheat. The blight fungus, however, is far less face, similar in this respect to the fungus which causes distinct and less easily perceived than that which causes wheat rust. We have, however, distinctly de tected it, and made magnified drawings of the plant. THE CAPRICE OF THE CURCULIO. The singular variations in the attacks of this insect upon fruit often lead cultivators to believe that the remedies which they have happened to employ have proved efficient, when in fact the result was only accidental. We intended the present year to have made some experiments with certain remedies, not with a hope of discovering their value, but merely to show their worthlessness. Circumstances, however, beyond control, prevented their application. In the orchard intended for these experiments some of the trees are now bending under the weight of the crop; while most of them are entirely destitute of any fruit. Now had we happened to have applied the remedies to these successful trees, they would have furnished triumphant and conclusive proof of the value of the remedies to all those who are easily convinced by an experiment. A similar result has been observed in other years, but not always with the same varieties. It may be however interesting and valuable to know those sorts which so far have most commonly escaped. The German Prune appears to be less stung than any other sort, which fact is ascribed to its thick, rough skin. The present season the Schenectady Catharine, Lombard, Prince's Yellow Gage and Blue Gage, have borne heavy crops. Last year Smith's Orleans and Red Gage D. C. SCOFIELD of Illinois, quotes in the Genesee bore well under similar circumstances. In other places Farmer the assertion of Prof. TURNER, that the leaf and under other causes, other sorts might give more blight in the pear is caused by a very small insect, favorable results. The above are given merely for the invisible to the naked eye, so small that a million of purpose of comparison. The curculio is proving very them may walk abreast on the edge of a razor." We destructive to early apples, and its fancies seem very suspect that this assertion of Prof. Turner was made strange in this department. For several years the rather at random. The edges of razors, of course, crop of the Red Astrachan has been entirely destroydiffer in thickness, but any one familiar with fine mic-ed. All the fruit this year on the different trees has roscopic examinations is aware of the fact that the fallen before it is half-grown, yet the Astrachan is not edge of a well honed razor is at least a hundred times a delicate fruit that the curculio should select it on thinner than common paper, and common paper being this account. Growing adjacent to one of these trees one two-hundredths of an inch in thickness, it follows is a Lady apple (remarkable for its delicacy) with very that a very sharp razor has an edge one twenty-thou. few of its specimens punctured at all. The Carolina sandth part of an inch in thickness. Now for a million Red June and the Summer Rose, both fine and delilittle fellows to walk abreast on the edge of such a cate fruits, are much less stung thad the coarser Asrazor, (lengthwise with it, as we understand,) they would have to be the twenty-thousand millionth part the worst-many of the specimens having been so disAmong the pears, the Tyson seems to have fared of an inch in diameter, a degree of minuteness far be-torted by punctures that they considerably resembled yond the reach of any microscope ever yet made. But in form the outline of Racket lake, as represented on perhaps Prof. Turner uses razors with very thick the maps of this State. It is proper to add that in all edges; but even in this case, to meet the requirements these experiments the trees could not be brought into of the statement they would have to be somewhat an enclosure containing pigs and poultry, and the jarthicker than the backs of most razors we have seen, ring remedy was not adopted. We presume, however, that a mistake was made by supposing these animalcules to be all in a row, instead of covering an area such as the point of a pin or needle, in which case the million in number would be reduced to its square root, or one thousand each way.. 66 trachan. Vermont Butter.-The St. Albans Messenger of Aug. 26, says that on one day that week 2,109 tubs of of which was 125,574 lbs., and for which the farmers of butter were shipped from that place, the gross weight that county must have received about $60,000. WANT OF CALCULATION. economy, but will save him from much uneasiness and anxiety occasioned by the fear of starving his animals. Re-Seeding Old Grass Ground. A cotemporary states that a large farmer at the West, sold last fall, twenty tons of hay at six dollars per ton; and again, in January, twenty tons more at ten dollars per ton, and thought that he was making Many times a farmer has a field that he desires to his fortune. In the spring, however, he was compell keep in grass as much as possible. When such a field ed to go long distances to buy hay at twenty dollars a does not afford a good crop of grass, let it be plowed ton, giving his note, to save his stock from starvation. thoroughly-about as deep as it has been plowed in Such occurences as this show the common want of former years and levelled off smoothly; and then calculation among farmers in providing winter food spread a thin coat of fine manure over it, and harrow for their stock. Every man who has kept cattle and it in well, and sow about two quarts of timothy seed, horses as long as three years, ought to know the (Phleum pratense,) two quarts of orchard grass, (Dacaverage amount they will consume per head each tylis glomerata,) and two quarts of Kentucky blue winter. The amount will, of course, vary with the grass, (Poa pratense,) per acre-providing these kinds seasons—a long and cold winter requiring more than of grass will flourish well in that locality; and if stock a mild one. If the animals are exposed to the wea-be kept off it, and the soil in a good state of fertility, ther and wintery winds, the difference will be very considerable, say twenty-five or thirty per cent; if they are well sheltered it will be quite small, say not more than ten per cent. The farmer must make his calculations accordingly, and be sure to have enough for any contingency, for it will not be profitable for him to keep them well through three-fourths of the winter, and then starve them to death at last. The amount required per head will also vary with the latitude, as well as with the size of the animals, and the general economy in management. Perhaps it may be taken as an average in the Northern States, that a horse will consume three tons of good hay, and a cow two tons, where good care is given, and a moderate amount of roots, meal and other food. It is important that farmers should inform themselves well on this point, in doing which, approximate results may be easily obtained, by occasionally weighing the food given them during a week. Every farmer should know the amount of hay he has secured during the summer. A weighing scale for this purpose (which may be also used for weighing fattening animals,) would soon pay for itself, by enabling the owner to determine his whereabouts accurately; but, in the absence of such a scale, the occasional weighing of a load will soon enable him to guess the amount not very far from the mark. Every load drawn into the barn or stack, should be entered in his memorandum book, and he will thus be enabled to know, with tolerable accuracy, how much he has on hand, and how many animals it will safely carry through the winter. He can then lessen or increase his stock accordingly in good season, without waiting till he has reached the last extremity. Those who have kept no such account may nearly determine the amount on hand by measuring. Hay, cut early, when the stalks are soft and flexible, will settle closer than such as is cut when nearly ripe, or when the stalks are stiff and dry. But, as an average, good timothy hay in a mow or stack, will yield a ton for every five hundred cubic feet-the top, of course, will be lighter, and the bottom heavier, but this will be the average. Clover hay will be nearly one-half lighter, that is it will require some seven hundred feet to the ton. A little practice in this way, with hay which has been weighed, will enable the farmer to judge nearly the amount of hay he has stored. And this knowledge, applied as already stated, will not only enable him to meet his calculations with accuracy and the proprietor may safely calculate on three tons of excellent hay per acre the next season. If the soil is not wet, or has been well drained, if all kinds of stock should be kept off the field, it would answer to sow two quarts of red clover seed (Trifolium pratense) instead of some one of the kinds above mentioned, providing the work should be performed in the former part of the month. But every hoof must be kept off. By this system of management a burden of grass may be grown the next season that will be worth mowing. But it would be folly to undertake such a task without a good sprinkling of good ma nure. S. E. TOOD. The Weeping Willow of California. serymen to a variety of this species of native willow Fifteen months ago, in a stroll along the banks of Kern river, near the foot of the Sierra Nevada, our at tention was attracted to a tree of the willow species, whose long branches were drooping like unto the weeping willow. Finding no more of the like, we came to the conclusion that its long slender pendant branches, were the result of more favorable soil than its neighbors. At this time it was putting forth new leaves, formed much like other willow leaves, lance olate and slightly serrated, rather more slender, and here, in California, with our mild winters, it is evergreen ten or eleven months. Recently I made the second examination of the tree, and on comparing it with many other varieties of the willow in this vicinity, find it really a variety of the weeping willow. Its long slender twigs hang perpen dicular from 3 to 4 feet in length, and some of them more. The bark is quite smooth upon the limbs, the leaves narrow; the lower branches hang more pendant than those near the top-the lower foliage condensed in a very peculiar manner. This willow may be quite common in this State. I am not informed on the subject. It may not be considered as graceful as the European weeping willow, but it would add to the variety, and be an ornament to cemeteries. Upon extensive lawns it would make a very beautiful and modest appearance. It should be cultivated upon moist land, or near pools of water. Meeting of the American Pomological Society he tried the expedient of winding hay-ropes around at Rochester. The Society assembled at Corinthian Hall on the morning of the 13th. Nearly all the Northern States from Massachusetts to Missouri, were represented by members in attendance. Several large and very fine collections of fruit were exhibited. Among the prominent contributors were Ellwanger & Barry, H. E. Hooker & Co., C. J. Ryan & Co., Hooker, Farley & Co., and Frost & Co., of Rochester; Bronson, Graves & Selover, and T. C. Maxwell & Bro. of Geneva, N. Y.; Wm. Parry of N. J.; Dr. Grant of Iona, N. Y., and others. the trunk, and found that in a few days large numbers were hid under the coils--in one instance 95 specimens were thus observed on a single tree. They are thus readily crushed and destroyed. He recommends three or four coils around each tree, and that the process be continued from early in the season till after midsummer. A day or two of labor, he thought, would be sufficient for a large orchard. Farther experiment is needed to determine whether most or all these insects, which infest an orchard, can be thus got rid of. The Committee on Nominations reported the name The native grapes occupied a conspicuous place of MARSHALL P. WILDER, for re-election as President, in the collections-and among the new sorts, the Adi- and a Vice-President from each State represented by rondack, from J. W. Bailey of Plattsburgh, and the paying members,-with the names of the several Iona and Israella, from Dr. Grant, excited much at-standing committees. The report was adopted, tention as valuable very early sorts. The Secretary read a letter from President WILDER, stating that enfeebled health prevented his attendance, and expressive of his undiminished interest in the Society. In his absence, Dr. WARDER of Ohio, one of the Vice-Presidents, was called to the chair, and the appointment of the usual committees occupied the remainder of the morning session. The remainder of the forenoon was devoted to the consideration of the varieties of the grape--a most interesting subject at the present time. The Adiron dack had been found by several members about as hardy as the Isabella,-needing covering in the more northern portions of the country, but escaping injury from winter farther south. The Crevelling was commended by every one for its hardiness, vigor, freedom Most of the afternoon was occupied with discus- from dropping, and excellence of quality. But its sions on the newer varieties of the Apple. We do thin and meagre bunches were strongly objected to not propose here to give even an outline of these dis- by several cultivators, while a few had not found this cussions; but the remarks that were made upon some a formidable difficulty, although it was believed that particular varieties will interest our readers. The it could never become a good market sort. The ReBen Davis apple was highly commended by Dr. Nel-becca was gaining favor in most localities, more especialson of Ind., who regarded it as the most valuable sort, ly in the more northern portions of the regions where all things considered, for that State. Western mem- it ripens, as it is not injured in its leaf by the hot sun. bers generally spoke of its hardiness and great productiveness, although it rated as only "good" in quality. As the rame New-York Pippin could not be traced to any authentic source, it was discarded, and the name 'Ben Davis" officially adopted. The Northern Spy was found to be gaining favor at the West-the trees as they become older proving more productive, and the fruit less liable to rot. The Wagener is also ob taining much favor at the West, the tree bearing when quite young, and yielding abundant crops. The Tompkins Co. King has not generally been found so productive as some other sorts, but was claimed to be as profitable as any, on account of its high price in market. Several members spoke of its falling prematurely from the tree, a difficulty which may be remedied by early picking. Dr. Eshleman of Penn., ex-ed by sight. It is a seedling of the Diana, is larger hibited two new autumn varieties of the apple, both of beautiful appearance and excellent in quality; one of oblate form, called the Klaproth, and the other of rounder shape, known as the Brenneman. The former is believed to be a truly excellent autumn sort, with the additional recommendations of beauty of form and color, and great productiveness. On the morning of the 14th, Dr. Trimble furnished some interesting facts in relation to the apple-worm or moth, to which he had given much attention. He had formerly supposed this the most difficult insect to conquer, as, unlike the curculio and some other depredators, they often leave the fruit on the tree, and hence cannot always be destroyed by animals which devour the fruit. Observing however that the larvæ hide under the scales of the bark and beneath its surface, Several pronounced the fruit as the finest flavored of all native sorts. It had sold in New-York city for 65 cents per pound, when the Delaware sold for only 40 cents, and others 25 cents. When offered as a foreign variety, it was found to bring double the price obtained when classed as a native. The vine proves a feeble grower. The Maxatawny, which resembles it, although far superior in vigor of growth, does not ripen so early, nor always set good bunches. The Ontario (so called) had been found after many trials by diffferent members, to be perfectly identical with the Union Village, and the former name was discarded. Afternoon. Dr. Grant exhibited specimens of the Iona grape, and which he stated so nearly resembled the Grizzly Frontignan, as to be scarcely distinguish and more acid than that variety, exceedingly agreeable in flavor, and much earlier. Dr. G. stated that it begins to ripen evenly at the same time that the Delaware begins to ripen scatteringly. It has never mildewed-is very hardy-and has succeeded as well in different localities from Vermont to Delaware. Members generally were much pleased with it. C. Downing had fruited it for several years, and thought if it held out it would prove one of the very best of all sorts. The Israella was also exhibited by Dr. Grant-a good sized, compact bunched, dark grape with a handsome bloom-a supposed seedling of the Isabella-perfectly hardy, and ripening nearly two weeks before the Delaware, and long before the Hartford Prolific. Its quality is decidedly good; it is a good keeper, and is exceeded in its keeping qualities |