New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-11-20
AGRICULTURAL.
IrR1cAN INSTITUTE FARMERS CLUB.

FOREST IREIS.-J DtAdHV Va A"' N'N''N"f 80
made certain inquiries, which were answered as fol-
lows:
Mr. Lvman-This farmer asks how much an acre
NJ yood-land is worth year, about onetOurth pine
and tbree-fourths oak, three miles from market lie
NAV calculate that it will take on an average %
wears TO grow 80 cords of wood on an acre. ana so
base his estimates considering this liberal cacula-
tion for on many surfaces cord year is all that
can be expected But if of the trees are large
and straight they attain value for manufacturing
uses far beyond the figures for cOrdWOOd. am glad
The farmers on poor soils in New-England have be-
gun 70 calculate on wood as crop One-third of the
open land of those States ought TO go back to forest
If there had been any facilities or safety in travel
ing West. or if our fathers had known of the great
superlority of Western soils they would never have
cleared the original hemlOcks and beeches from
those rocky hills II was a mistake made III thel'
Ignorance of the immense agricultural capacities OF
{his continents and that all regions are opeh IL
is well TO let those granite soils yield the vigorous
forest growth of which they so capable ana by
which they will yield better return than from any
cultivated crop
Mr. Lawton-William Penn, a thoughtful and
good man who did little that merited reproach ana
much that deserved high praise designed that SIX
Der cent of all the lands sold by him should be kept
in wood In fact the title made dependent
upon this point and il IS unfortunate that ~ should
moi have been observed to tins day. ana tnere was
Dewitt Clinton the father of the Erie Canal re.
member that he wished fully One-thlrd OF the land
retained always in forest, not only for purposes Oh
fuel but for the effect upon vegetation.
His OLD BONES.-C. L. Brooks of Anna. Ill. wrote
that there is mill nearer than 300 miles, and he
would know the best method to prepare bones Tor
application to asparagus without more machinery
than farmer can make for himself or get cheapy.
Mr. Fuer-Dssolve them as he has occasion to
require. If he has ashes enough, and can wait, he
might mix them with the bones. and they VIII De-
come fit for use IN, say SIX months or so.
Mr. Ely-There is process which remember 70
have heard described, that Is To bend over sinail
sapng attach heavy stone TO the top, and work IL
after the manner of tTip-bammel.
Mr. Bruen-If he has plenty of barn-yard manure
he IN chit get along very well-so far as asparagus
gOes-withOut the use OF bones at ali. q -, -,
REGARDING RANmE--D. b. Ranney of Smithville
n. Y. asked several questions on the subject to
which Mr.. Gregory, gentleman VINO may DE con-
sidered authority IN the matter, made the following
replies l. wet soil IS not necessary neither is lrr
cation essential. 2. The climate Of Middle Georgia
is not favorable to its growth. 3 There Is no good
machine yet IN operation for reducing the cuttings
TO marketable condition. but was recently informed
that Mr. EraStus BigelOw, President of the National
Wool-GrOweTs' Association, has machine whlch
he thinks viii do the work we'll l. shaiI nave
opportunity 10 investigate further, and VIII report
THT CASTOR BEAN-The correspondent last named
also desires information of this tropical plant. How
IL the oil extracted what machinery is required ITS
cost also estimate of the profits reasonably 10 De
expected from an acre I Mr.. Gregory replied In
Illinois the crop which some years ago reached up 10
~ bushels or more per has fallen of TO eight and
ten and still is raised, probably being preferred on
account of recurring less labor than almost any other
crop In Texas, Judge Bellinger informed me he had
raised 100 bushels. and though this is an eXtraOrdn-
Ary case vet presume whent has been well attended
30 bushels per acre has resulted THIS has brought
about g. 75 coin, per bushel of 4G pounds, and OF
shows the great adaptation OF both soil ana
climate of Texas TO its successful growth. 1t COM
meuces Tipening about June ~, and continues until
SEFDIEss APPLEs-Lysander Barrett of French
Creek West Virginia forwarded half bushel of this
remarkable frUlt and wrote follows. trust the
Club people Will no longer doubt my former commu-
nicatiOn on the subject the origin, as learn ii
from the owner is something like this Eighteen
Sears since he sent to frnit-grow In Monongahela
County for CRAFTS of his choicest apples and
among them the kind before spoken Of. lie
further informed ME that the seedless apple trees
have failed to bear frut every season since the
first commencement of their bearing mp TO the present
season while the ordinary kinds of fruit around IL
were all killed by the frost in the Spring was m
formed that they are good apple Tor cooking puT-
poses, and will keep until the month OF February
Those sent you gathered the 10Th OF October
were exposed to all the hard fross since and these
have made them considerably tougher and improved
the flavor. They considered good apple to cul-
1vate for drying, being much heavier than other
apples, and no waste IN coreing &C.
Mr. Greeley-Allow me word Az least % years
ago saw il stated that if limb of an apple tree be
stuck in moist ground bottom end up It would take
root and grow and produce the sort OF fruit which
our friend describes. dont believe the story was
made entirely out of whole clOth-stil gentlemen
may have some cause to sheer. Now say that II
there is a mode of producing apples OF the KIND
described il is a very great ADVANTAGE. 1t is i'm
pOTant circumstance that this bears uniformly when
Others do not. certainly should like TO nave our
ordinary varieties manifest these characteristics.
apprehend that when our friend says no blossoms he
means that the blossoms are, compared with those
of other trees very small and peculiar. Unless gen
tlemen can argue the seal of the bond the fact is es
tabShed III my mind that apples Will grow without
seeds.
Mr. Fuller hope some of these specimens viii be
forwarded 10 Charles Downing, and have no doubt
that next Spring he will take the trouble 70 go aud
ZEE the tree have heard of seedless apples being
produced in the way explained by Mr.. Greeley. i am
satisfied that these apples seedess though tnefe
may have been In the tree freak OF nature winch
we do not understand. don see the necessity, ac
cOrding to vegetable physiology, that fruit should
have flowers but there certainly is necessity OF pro-
Lucing seed TO propagate the species.
Mr. GregOry-The disposition of all plants pre-
tared and continued by roots cuttings eyes graft
Ing and budding seem to have TO tend toward De
DOming seedless or impotent to reproduce by bios
som and seed-bearing, by a course of habit Take
for instance the common potato, dahlia, Ramie,
IBoehmeIia Tennacissima) and Southern sugar cane.
These have mostly reached sterile condition. per
haps chiefly from this habit OF continuing; IKE IN
this does not exactly beget like, but has general II
not an exact resemblance to the parent, whereas;
from seed. the fruits generally widely dliier. ana
except when hybrids, and care Is used small
percentage only is equal 10 the parent.
Mr.. Quinn-H the law of which Mr.. Greeley speaks
produces apples without seeds u does not operate with
other fruits. For instance inverted some current
cuttings and no change noted IN the returns.
Mr. Greeley do not say or think 1t may DO go IN
all cases bur do say and think that II what our
friend writes be true IL is Of great Importance TO find
out how can make the principle generally apply.
My apples are generally. good part OF them at
least destroyed Ia tue blossom hope some inYest-
cations will be made
Mr EIv-I consider the subject of sufficient i'm
portance for a committee 10 whom the subject shall
be referred with instructions 70 report IN regard 20
all the pecularities and collateral facts. For this
work will name Messfs. Fuller, Downing Lyman,
Quinn and Cranden.
NOT WITHOUT MONEY!. II. Lee of American
Ranch Prescott Arizona Territory. wrote follows:
Enclosed the Secretary will please find $40 which he
viii confer great favor 10 me by handing TO some