The spring opens so early in this district as to be a matter of astonishment to visitors from the remote northeast. In 1858, on the 26th of January, gardening commenced in Cumberland county, and the last week of February the labors in the field may begin with the planting of peas. This is often succeeded by a series of cold days, which prevent further operations on the soil. From the middle to the last of March early potatoes are generally planted, oats is sometimes sowed, and by the 5th of April asparagus is sometimes brought to the table. Snow disappears early in March-seldom lies many days; thunder with lightning and warm weather follow, and the spring opens; an occasional frost may appear until about the end of April. Many readers, who are not familiar with the terms and the measures of mean temperature, range of thermometer, &c., may desire a more definite idea and comprehension of climate, from the_enumeration of the above data of gardening and farming operations, which they can compare with those known in their own districts. The dates of leafing of early spring plants indicate the early stirring influences of the sun's rays in this section, betokening the advent of spring in an unmistakable manner. The shad bush (Amelancheir canadensis) put forth its leaves in Burlington county, New Jersey, in 1852, on the 20th of Apri., five days before it opened in the upper Shenandoah valley, and two weeks before the same appearance at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.

The Virginian locality is two degrees further south, but more elevated; the Pennsylvanian one-third of a degree lower than the New Jersey station. The leafing noted was also three and a half weeks prior to that of the same plant at Richmond, Massachusetts, and at Manchester, New Hampshire.

The blooming of the strawberry took place at Burlington city, New Jersey, in 1852, on April 26, and at Gettysburg and upper Darby, near Philadelphia, on May 6, or ten days later. At West Point, New York, it occurred on the 18th of May, three weeks later, and one week before blooming at Flatbush, Long Island, one of the most favored northern localities. In 1852 the strawberry ripened in Burlington, New Jersey, June 2; at West Point, New York, June 10; North Attleborough, Massachusetts, June 12; Londonderry, New Hamp shire, June 15; Steuben, Maine, June 20; and at Manchester, New Hampshire, June 25-a difference of three weeks in favor of the New Jersey locality. In 1859 at Haddonfield, New Jersey, the strawberry ripened on May 23, and in 1860 on May 29, the earliest dates noted for many years past.

and

In 1855 the lilac (Syringa vulgaris) bloomed at Moorestown, Burlington county, New Jersey, on the 1st of May; at Lima, Delaware county, Pennsylvania, in the same latitude, on the 12th; at Flatbush, Long Island, on the 17th; at Rochester, New York, on the 18th; Spencertown, New York, on the 20th; at Steuben, Maine, on the 13th of June. This excellent index of opening bloom, blossoms in west New Jersey ten days before it appears in Pennsylvania in the same latitude; three weeks before the most favored parts of Long Island; more than three weeks before its appearance at Boston, Massachusetts, and five weeks earlier than at Steuben and on the coast of Maine generally.

At points further south in the peninsula of southern New Jersey, the activity of vegetation in the spring commences from two days to a week earlier than is indicated by the above dates. In Cape May county, at the southern extremity of the State, early vegetables are ready for the market as soon as if grown in the favored districts of Virginia.

The following table is the result of careful observations made during the year 1864 at Haddonfield, New Jersey, and is the most reliable and complete detail of extremes and mean temperatures and atmospheric humidity to which we have Very few extended series of observations have been made in this district, but the following is worthy of credence, and may be consulted with advantage by those who comprehend its teachings.

access.

An examination of the above table will show to those who are familiar with the indications of the thermometer, the relative temperature shown by monthly means, as well as by those which exhibit the highest and lowest degrees, that the average or mean temperature for the year 1864, in Camden county, New Jersey, was about 532° of Fahrenheit-that there fell, during that year, sufficient rain and melted snow to have covered the ground (if it had not evaporated, sunken into or ran off from the surface) to the depth of 433 inches, or about 3 feet 8 inches; that there fell 26 inches of snow, which was divided over three months; and that at no time, in any month, more than 12 inches fell; and of this 12 inches, but 6 inches fell on any one day.

The highest temperature was 96°, and the warmest day 84°.67. The coldest extreme was 4° above zero, and the coldest day 129.33. The range of the thermometer was thus 92°. The average temperature of the months during which vegetation is most active was 70°.59. The mean of spring, 51°.88; of summer, 73°; of autumn, 52°.75; of winter, including the temperature of January and February, 1865, was 30°.67. If the winter of 1863-'64 be included, its mean would be found to be 33°.24. February of 1865 has been unusually severe, and lower temperature observed than for eight years previous; and on no day did the mercury descend below zero at the usual 7 a. m. observation; though, during the nights of two days a minimum of a few degrees lower was noted.

Some rain or snow fell on 119 days during 1864; of the clear days, less than 10 cloudy, there were 101; of cloudy days, more than cloudy, there were 265. The latest injurious frost, or fall of temperature to 32° or lower, was on April 29; and the earliest frost in autumn, sufficient to destroy vegetation, occurred on the 10th of October.

The period during which no frost occurred was 163 days, (or nearly five months,) which enjoyed a mean temperature of 67°.88. The average relative humidity of the season free from frost was 67.48 per cent. of saturation, or of the amount of humidity which the atmosphere was capable of sustaining, indicating a comparatively dry air. The amount of humidity or moisture in the air is a very important meteorological element. This with the amount and distribution of heat are those most essential to the agriculturist, since they principally determine the capacity of different districts for the production of vege table food. There is no reason why the indications of humidity, as measured by instruments, should not be as readily understood by the instructed agriculturist as are those of the thermometer, except the impossibility of obtaining access to reliable data for determining the amount of this most important element in our local atmosphere. We have, therefore, given the results of close observation during the past year, by which the varying proportions of vapor in the air may be readily learned. In June and July it will be observed that the relative humidity fell to a very low degree; that for July, at 2 p. m., being but 48.9 per cent., or less than one-half the amount that could have been sustained in the air, and is present immediately before and during a rain.

The summary and means for each month does not fully illustrate the extremes of dryness and humidity by which, as well as the mean amount, the district under consideration is greatly influenced. This branch of our subject is worthy of more extended discussion than our space will here admit.

The district of country of which Vineland forms a part enjoys a climate intermediate between that of Camden and Cumberland counties, whose peculiarities may be learned by inspection of the tables of comparative temperature. The lines of equal summer temperature, instead of ranging in a general eastwardly and westwardly direction, as they commonly do, are here deflected until they extend nearly from north to south. The same summer temperature known at Progress, on the Delaware, above Philadelphia; at Haddonfield, Camden county; and at Greenwich, Cumberland county, is the measure of the summer heat for Vineland and its vicinity.

The equalizing influence of the ocean winds has caused the lines of equal summer temperature to approximate to the head of the coast, almost from Cape May to Sandy Hook. As these lines approach the higher hilly or mountainous regions of upper New Jersey, they are rapidly deflected towards the west and southwest, extending parallel to the Delaware river in its southwest course from Trenton to the head of the bay of the same name. The isotherms of summer heat of 70°, 71°, 72°, and 73°, thus form long close loops, whose summits are in the upper and middle counties of New Jersey, while their lower extensions are in the southern counties of Pennsylvania and New Jersey respectively. This is a curious and very interesting feature of these districts. The interior and more western parts of the lower peninsula are, therefore, warmer, in the same latitude, than on the Atlantic side. This is owing to the influence of the cold currents of water which come down from the arctic regions, between the coast and the Gulf Stream, and deflect towards the south the lines of equal heat which tend to rise higher as they approach the coast from the inland regions. There is no point on the coast at which the temperature of the summer is greater, because of the existence of the Gulf Stream, the influences of the land or of the arctic current predominating. The average summer temperature for Vineland is believed to be about 73°, which is the same as that of Philadelphia and Haddonfield, thirty miles north. Its spring mean temperature is about 51°, or that of Philadelphia; its autumn, nearly 55°, or one to two degrees warmer, and its winter about one degree warmer, than at Philadelphia. The temperature for the year is almost identical with that of the latter place. The above data have been derived from tables of observations made at Greenwich, and correspond closely to the deductions of Lorin Blodget, the able and experienced climatologist, and leading authority on this subject. If the prevailing winds were not from the land towards the sea, the climate of the Atlantic coast would be much softened by the proximity of waters of so high a temperature as those of the Gulf Stream, or of those at a moderate distance from the coast. Off the coast of Norfolk, the winter observations, for a breadth of one degree of longitude, show a mean temperature of the ocean water of 46°. The next degree of longitude was 61° and 65°, 69°, 68°, and 67°, successively. These temperatures greatly modify the heat at their respective localities, but their heats are borne towards Europe, and but slightly affect the winter temperature of our coast.

POTATO CULTURE IN LAKE COUNTY, OHIO
SOIL REQUIRED-CHOICE OF SEED-CULTIVATION-CARE.

BY L. S. ABBOTT, PAINESVILLE, OHIO.

THE design of this article is not to present the subject in a scientific manner, but to consider it, as the producer should, in the light of observation and personal experience.

The general reader, at least, is aware that the potato, at the time of the appearance of the potato disease, was the almost sole dependence of the common people of Ireland for food. What this vegetable was, and still is there, it is sure to be in all countries in the temperate zone, when population becomes crowded. We have also seen that in the northern States of this country the potato is the third of the three staple articles of food. As such, it has come to be regarded as nearly indispensable. This fact is sufficient to render a thorough knowledge of the best varieties for use, the soil adapted to their growth in the highest perfection, their cultivation and after care, matters of the highest importance to the farmers of the United States.

The statements which follow in the elucidation of these topics are based upon actual personal observation and experience in the potato-growing locality of almost national reputation-Lake county, Ohio. The county is the smallest in the State, only embracing eight townships, and of these only five, which reach the lake, contain potato lands. These lands are the ridges running parallel with Lake Erie, which, according to geological indications, have each, at different periods, defined its boundaries.

With some degree of care the calculation has been made, that in these five townships only one-eighth of the cultivated ground is potato ground; and while it is true that never, in any one season, is all this potato ground planted with the potato, yet it is the concurrent judgment of men of close observation that one-half million bushels of potatoes are annually grown and transported from this locality to the south, southeast, and east, to market.

The average price one year, with another, never, even in common times, falls below a half dollar per bushel, and hence it will be seen that this is the best, the money-making crop of the locality.

SOIL.

The potato, to be of the highest quality, must have a soil exactly adapted to its growth. It may be said to be, in this regard, like the onion, "notional." In no argillaceous soil can the potato be grown to perfection, as regards quality. It requires, to attain this, a dry, warm, sandy soil of moderate fertility. Quality depends upon a soil which will produce tubers mainly of a medium size. In such case the yield must not be over one hundred to one hundred and fifty bushels per acre. To obtain a greater yield the ground must be richer, so that while the number may be increased, the tubers will also be larger; and just in proportion as the above number of bushels per acre is increased, the quality is deteriorated, and the liability of the crop to rot is augmented. As to size, for quality, the Peach Blow, for instance, should not have an average diameter of more than two and one-half inches. Indeed, I would never have one larger, if it could be avoided. This potato when grown in a strong productive soil will assert its natural tendencies to be large, coarse-fleshed and ill-flavored; but when restrained by right culture it is among the best of the potato family.

The rule for soil and culture applied to the Peach Blow, applies to all the other varieties of general cultivation. The producer should aim to obtain a medium growth only of all varieties, and then, with sandy soil, he will have the highest quality of potatues. The potato lands of Lake county are yellow sand.

MANURING.

It not unfrequently happens that the soil is too poor even for potatoes. In such case manuring in the hill should be avoided if possible, as it is rarely ever attended with satisfactory results. If the season is not very favorable, the manure will go through with the second heating process, burning up its substance, and leaving a dry, unrotted residue in the hill, and if there be any potatoes they will scarcely exceed the size of a quail's egg. If, however, the manure properly decays, the growing potatoes from its proximity to them may receive too great a stimulant, and therefore be predisposed to rot. As a general rule, it is better not to manure those in the hill. Manure the ground broadcast, and, if pos ible, one season before potato-planting, occupying the ground with some other crop.

PLANTING.

The preparation of the ground for the planting of the early varieties commences as soon as the frost is fully out of the ground. Sand becomes dry as soon as the water is allowed to percolate without obstruction through the soil. Two or three days from a very wet condition is sufficient to render such ground fit for the plough.