The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1885-06-17
Questions, Replies, Etc.


of I" a quick, sure and easy way to dis
tinguish the slippery elm from other
elms."
REPLY.-There are various differ
ences, evident to the experienced eye,
between the different species of elm.
When not in leaf the yellow or " slip
perry" elm, Ulmus .fnlvd, is known by
its bark being much smoother than that
of any other of the four native species.
Its buds are also hairy and darker i'll
color; this is particularly noticeable
when they are just expanding. The
small branchlets are downy, while
those of the white elm are smooth. The
bark of the branches is not corky, as in
the corky elm, Ulnaus rdcemosa. When
the trees are in leaf an instantly recog-
nized difference is to be seen in the
veins of the leaves, which are straight
and simple in the white elm, but more
or less branched in the yellow elm
that is, the veins of the white elm run
straight from the mid-rib of the leaf to
the margin, but in the slippery elm
many of them in each leaf divide, like
the tines of a pitchfork, at some dis
lance from the margin of the leaf. This
difference we have never seen men,
toned in any botanical work, but as we
have both the white and yellow elms
among our lawn trees this popularity
has attracted our notice, and has been
confirmed by observations elsewhere.
The serrations of the white elm leaf are
usually much deeper and more sharply
pointed than those of the yellow elm,
but the peculiar branching of the veins
is more certain means of recognition,
as it does not require a comparison of
the two.
&C. j. b." Stowe, Vt, says he has
several times been deceived by seed
corn advertised as early 7" and " nine
ty-day" corn, which proved to be far
too late for his locality, and thinks the
fraud ought to be denounced"
REMARKs.-A variety that is truly a
ninety-day corn" in New York or
New Jersey, will hardly get into roast
ing ears in Northern Vermont, and a
Northern Vermont genuine "ninety-
day " corn will not get into roasting
ears in a whole season in England. 1t
is all question of heat We have
grown a corn in Kentucky that could
be planted in June and harvested in
ninety days that in New England would
hardly tassel out before frost 1t is not
safe to buy seed-corn from any locality
much south of that in which it is to be
planted. See an article in another
column ON this subject
"W. E. c." Gilmore, VT, writes:
Last year / raised few carrots at
the rate of one thousand bushels per
acre. l ordered seed of the White
Belgian. They grew yellow, some
eighteen inches in length, some six
in length and the same in diameter,
some pronged, but all of mammoth
size. was pleased with the crop, but
do not know the name, and if did l
should not dare order for fear / should
get satisfy this year. / want to grow
three-fourths of an acre, but do not
know how much seed 1 need, nor the
best time to SOW. l sowed last year
about the Goth of May. If 1 had waited
ten days 1 could have saved some la
Dor in wedding; if the crop would have
been as good should prefer to do so.
read your writings on finance with
much interest"
REMARKs.-The White Belgian car
rot grows out of the ground from four
to six inches, and above ground is
purplish-below, a yellowish white. 1t
is the largest variety, and is extensively
grown for feeding in Europe, but has
never been very popular in this coun-
try, where the long Orange carrot has
been generally preferred. The latter,
while not quite so large as the Belgian,
is said to be more nutritious for the
same bulk, and therefore equally valu-
able. More recently some of the half
long varieties have been grown good
deal, as they are much easier to dig
and the tip of the long sorts, while il
takes strong hold of the ground, is SC
small that it does not add much to the
crop. From two to three pounds OF
carrot seed is sown to the acre. If il
is well-grown, and fresh, less guam
tity is sufficient. If it is well-rubbed
SO as not to adhere together, it is easily
sown with a seed-sower. If little
turnip seed is mixed with it the rows
are indicated much sooner, and the
ground can be cultivated earlier. The
large carrots should have the Who'll,
season for full crop, but the half-lons
will grow to full size, on good and well
prepared ground, if not sown until thu
first of June. AS soon as they ge
well into leaf the crop should be care
fully thinned, and the turnips, if sow
tn yoarly tho rnWa nan ha rapnnua1 q