THE WISCONSIN FARMER.



          Winter leontin 2havots.
  In - Rainy Day Thoughts," in the Septem-
ber No. of the FAIntU, Agricola shows how a
farmer gets rich. I intend to show how a farm-
er gets disappointed, and is, more than any
mechanic, dependent on circumstances not un-
der his control.
  A mechanic, when he gets his day's work or
job done, is sure of his pay, but a farmer has
to lay out his work years in advance, and when
he would reap the fruits of his labor. they
will be snatched from his grasp.
  Six years ago I planted five apple trees;
they were all killed the first winter, except one;
this one stood the cold of five winters well,
but last winter it was killed nearly to the
ground. At the same time I planted 2 lbs. of
apple seed. The first winter the young plants
stood well; the next winter killed all of 1,000
or more, except about 50.
  Three years ago I set out a variety of small
fruit; the second year they bore some, and
this year I expected a full crop. The crowns
of Houghton's gooseberries were killed last
winter, but they sprouted out again from the
root. Of some Lawton blackberries which I
had predcted through the winter, a frost in
June killed all the blossoms. My grape vines
were killed down in Mlay, and in June again.
I never saw anything more promising than my
Victoria currants and raspberries this spring;
they were loaded with blossoms, but the frost
destroyed them all. Also the blossoms of the
plum trees fell off. I had set out 100 head of
cabbage for seed; they were worth $4 00 last
fall and about $8 00 this spring. I never had
better luck to get them through winter; they
were in full blossom, when, on the 19th day of
June, the frost reduced the harvest from about
10 tbs. to 1-4 lb. The same frost destroyed all
tender flowers, vegetables and corn.
  Wheat is only half a crop; potatoes nearly
all rotten; still I am planning for another year.
What will be the result no one knows.
                                ADOLPHUS.
  MT. PIsoan, Dec. 1IU.



Introiduti of tew Ftat. iatothollaitedStats.
  MaSSaS. EDITORB:-To answer the inquiry
of " A Co. Gent." of New Britain, Ct., as it is
put, would be to say that the potato was intro-
duced into America by the Creator "in the
beginning " or since, as it is one of the indig-
enous productions of South America. But the
question probably is, when it was introduced
into the United States? Answering that ques-
tion in full will also explain why it is called
the Irish potato, as was perhaps the case years
ago more than it is now with us, and still is at
the Seuth in distinction from the sweet potato.
  The only authority I know of in relation to
the matter is Belknap's History of New Hamp-
shire, and as the book is not common, I will
give, as briefly as possible, the substance of
that historian, and if there is further or other
information upon the matter, we shall be glad
to receive it.
  In 1719 a large number of emigrants came
to this country from the north of Ireland, and
settled a township which they called London-
derry. They were called Irish, and there was
no little antipathy felt towards them, which
would have been very foolish even if they had
been natives of Ireland, but they were from a
colony of Scotch Presbyterians that had set-
tled in the province of Ulster, Ireland, in the
reign of King James I. They had a thirst for
civil and religious liberty which their situation
in Ulster did not satisfy, and nearly the whole
colony removed to America. About one hun-
dred and twenty families came. One hundred
families came to Boston, and the rest landed
on the coast of Maine. Of the former, about
sixteen families were those who made the set-
tlement of the town of Londonderry.  The
historian referred to says: " These people
brought with them the necessary material for
the manufacture of linen; aud their spinniag
wheels, turned by the foot, were a novelty in
the country. They acso introduced the culture
of potatoes, which were first planted in the
garden of Nathaniel Walker, of Andover. They
were an industrious, frugal, and consequently
thriving people."  Hence, these people being
called Irish, the potatoes which they introduc-
ed were called Irish potatoes.-A. B. B. in
Country/ Gent.
  CoaN As FUEL.-The editor of the Nebraska
Advertiser, published at Brownsville, N. T.,
discusses the comparative cheapness of corn
as an article of fuel.  He says that corn is
worth ten cents, and coal twenty cents, per
bushel, and wood two dollars per cord. At
these'prices he concludes that the choice is al-
together dependent upon which is obtainable
with the least trouble-in other words, that 20
bushels of corn are of the same vaine for fuel
as a cord of wood rady to put into the stove.
Wood bears a higher comparative price here at
present. It would be singular if we should
get to burning corn as a cheaper substitute.



- - -



53