[twrrHttg 0f PtttHburgl arlington Memorial Lihrar'^ IBfi 3s/9 ^)^- X-T-^ 18^7 ^ n PRICE TWENTY-FIVE CENTS. THE AND CULTIVATOR ALMANAC, FOR ^ XOSI?^. >VJ la '*'^ll~KHitH:ilmnrtHm ',, "H N v^ MBELUSHED WITH ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY ENGRAVINGS. -♦♦- aSTTJIwaiBEI^ THI^EE, -♦♦- ALBANY: LUTHER TUCKER & SON, 397 BROADWAY. NKW YORK : C. M*"%AXTON it CO., 140 FULTON ST. i857. \ Vc] ?osTAGB— Prepaid, 2 Cents — if not Prepaid, 4 C«n(5. liA'V SJ15I W' ^ -'■'■'^^ RURAL PUBLICATIONS, BY LUTHER TUCKER & SON, ALBANY, N. Y. ♦♦———— The Couotry Gentleman— A Weekly Jour- nal, for the Farm, the Garden, and the Fireside, embracing every subject of practical interest to the Farmer and Country Resident, and very generally conceded to be " tha BEST Agricultural Weekly in the country." ^y New volumes commence the 1st of January and July, ai each year. Price, $2 a year. The Clltivator— Published Monthly, and is too well known in every part of the Union, as a Standard Agricultural Periodical, to need commendation. It is now made up from The Country Gentleman, and iat- nished at the very low price of 50 cents per annum. All subscriptions begin with January. DC?" A New Series was commenced in 1853, and every new subscriber should procure the volumes for 1853-4-5-6, so as to have the set complete. Bound volumes sent by mail, prepaid, at ^1 each. Stitched, in printed covers, 75 cents. Specimen copies will be cheerfully sent to all applicants. Relations of Chemistry to Agriculture, and the Agricultural Experiments of Mb. J. B. Lawes— Translated by S. W. John- son, being a Review, by the Distinguished Chemist, Justus von Liebig, of Recent Investigations and Researches in England and elsewhere, into the Relations of Che- mistry to Agriculture, and the Correct Prn.Cii les to be followed in the Application of Maimres. Price, 25 cents. The Illustrated Annual Register of Rural Affairs— Three numbers of tl)is work are now before the public, for 1S35-G-7, and it is to be continued aiumally. Price 25 cents ; bound, 50 cents ; sent by mail, prepaid. ttIT" The Annual Register may be procured by remittance, in Bank Notes or P. O. Stamps, direct to the Publishers ; or, at wholesale or retail, from any of the following houses : New York CM. SAXTON & CO., 140 Fulton Street. FOWLER !c WELLS, .SO- Broadway. Boston JOHN P. JEWETT & CO., Booksellers. JOS. BRECK -'-■'> V- ri.j'ot' ■>'• •' '.: i)t;<.-r" Pr"!)?''"'-;u>yjt; "!■ •' c — ^'•-* '^^■hp United @c^=- '■ -^=«5 TliE ILLUSTRATED ANNUAL REGISTER OF EURAL AFFAIRS AND CULTIVATOR ALMANAC, FOR THE ^^EJLR 1857, CONTAINING PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS FOR THE FARMER AXD HORTICULTURIST,;;;,' EMBELLISHED WITH ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY ENGRAVINGS, INCLUDING HOUSES, FARM BUILDINGS, IMPLEMENTS, DOMESTIC ANIMALS, FRUIT, FLOWERS, &c. I » 1 > > -♦•- J » > > ] 1 1 • t » > BY J. J. THOMAS, > > • AUTHOR OF THE *' AMERICAN FRUIT CULTURIST," AND '* FARM IMPLEMENT?," ASSOCIATE EDITOR OF " THE COUNTRY GENTLEMAN" AND " CULTIVATOR." ' ^ . ♦♦ » 1 ALBANY, N. Y.: LUTHER TUCKER & SOX, 397 BROADWAY. NEW YORK : C. M. SAXTON & CO., 140 FULTON ST. 1857. > > J > J 1 ^c:^- ^ '»■ i^ \ u 2.907 X'v'. PREFACE. -S- \ ^ <^A Tlie publishers of the Annual Register of Rukai, Affairs, in presenliiig the number {or lSo7, are led to express the belief tliat its contents will be found not less useful and entertaining than those of its predecessors. The subjects discussed are either new or treated in continuation of cliapters given heretofore. The illustrations are, many of them, ■ oiiiro costly, and especiallj' prepared for the Registhe.. Every effort has been made to secure neatness and taste in typographical execution. I'or the benefit of those who have not seen our former issues, we adjoin, on the follow- ii\Q pages, a brief abstract of the Contents of Numbers for 1855 and 1856, and will briefly repeat the purpose in view, in the publication of the series. It is intended to ofler in a plain, ' SiSni^e, and intelligible form, (rendered more so by ample illustrations,) the best informa- tjop in relation to all the prmcipal details of JNIodern Improved Farming, according to the . ni9st approved and established practice of the day, and to afford such hints on Rural ■ Eeo«omy generally, as may enable every farmer, in some particulars at least, to effect •i/.portant improvements. The construction of farm buildings generally, the breeding and management of domestic animals, the manufacture of manure, the cultivation of crops; »ieously represented as compilations, and, as a consequence, the contents, and espe- '' cV^ly the .shorter articles, have been profusely copied into hundreds of papers all through ^ the country, without credit. Editors who may hi future desire to transfer any of llie cSiut^nts to their pages, they will please give credit to " Tucker's Rural Register." ^c^- ia PUBLISHERS' ADVERTISEMENT. Tlie foUowmg summary of the contents of the numbers of the Register so far issued, will justify us we think in saying that they aftbrd more valuable information on the several subjects treated, accompanied by a greater number and variety of engravings than have ever before been compressed wilhm so small a compass and offered at so trifling a cost. "It contains," says The Horticulturist, "avast amount of matter, prepared with good judgment and arranged and illustrated with excellent taste." " The neatest and by far the most useful almanac we have seen." — Spirit of the Times. " A perfect Miniature Encyclopedia of Rural affairs." — Bailouts Pictorial. CONTENTS OF NO. 1, FOR 1855. I. COUNTRY DWELLINGS. (ELEVEN' ENGRAVINGS.) 1. Design for a Symmetrical Farm House. 2. Design for an Italian Country House. 3. Design for a Cheap Farm House. 4. Design for Working Men's Cottages. 5. On improving Old Houses. XL IMPROVING AND PLANTING GROUNDS. (T^VENTY-ONE ENGRAVINGS.) 1. Laying Out and Plantuig Gromids around Houses. 2. Arrangement of Flower Gardens. 3. Geometric and Natural Planting. 4. On Forms of Trees. 5. Supports for Climbing Plants. III. FRUIT CULTURE. (forty ENGRAVINGS.) 1. On the Culture of Fruit. 2. Preparationof the Soil. 3. Distances, and Laying Out the Grounds. 4. On Transplanthig. 5. Tlie Proper Season for Transplantnig. 6. After Management. 7. Cultivation of the Soil. S. Pruning the Apple. 9. Pruning the Dwarf Pear. 10. Grafting and Budding. 11. Diseases and Enemies of Fruit. 12. Lists of Best Fruits. IV. FARM BUILDINGS. (eleven ENGRAVINGS.) 1. Plan of Barn and Stables. 2- Plan for a Piggery. 3. Plan of a Poultry House. 4. Ashery and Smoke House. 5. Construction of Cisterns for Farm Build- V. FARM IMPLEMENTS. &c. (sixteen engravings.) 1. IMowing and Reaping Machines. 2. Machines for Pulverising the Soil. 3. Stump iNIachincs. 4. Construction of AVind Mills. 5. On Painting Farm Implements. VI. DOMESTIC ANIMALS. (twenty engravings.) 1. On Improvement in Animals. 2 Short-Horn, Devon, Ayrshire, Hereford and Alderney Cattle. 3. The Black Hawk and English Draught Horses. 4. Long Wooled, South Dovra and Merino Sheep. 5. Berkshire, Essex, and Suffolk Pigs. 0. Feeding Troughs for Sheep and Pigs. 7. Terms Denoting External ParU of Ani- mals. Heaves in Horses. VII. RURAL ECONOMY. (four engravings.) Improved Farm Management. Rotation of Crops. On Laying Out Farms. How Young Farmers may Practice Economy. Plants to be Laid in winter. Construction of Lightning Rods. Apparatus for Drying Fruit. VHI. MISCELLANEOUS MATTERS Embracing a great variety of Valuable Hints and Suggestions for the Farmer, Gardener, and Housekeeper. Tiftal lllustrntions, 122. 8. 1. 2. 3! 4. 5. G. 7. •^©c^- ILLUSTRATED ANNUAL REGISTER. CONTENTS OF NO. 2, FOR 1856. I. COUNTRY DWELLLNGS. (mneteex engravings.) 1. Design for a Gothic Country House. 2. Design for a Cottage Gothic Farm House. 3. Design for an Italian Country House. 4. Design for an Italian Farm Cottage. 5. Design for a Square Farm Cottage. 6. Design for a Substantial Farm Resi- dence. 7 General Rules for building. [C?~ Tiiese twenty-one Rules will be found to contain, in a compressed form, the suggestions of long experience, and wiil be well worth many times more tiian tiie whole price of the work to any one about to build, II. FARM BUILDINGS. (nineteen engravings.) 1. Plans and Descriptions of Lewis F. Allen's Barn. 2. Plans, Sec. of a Side-Hill or Cellar Barn. 3. Plans, &c. of a Side-Hill Barn in the Usual Form. 4. Design for a Large Basement Dairy Barn. 5. Design for a Smaller Basement. 6. Design for a Carriage House and Stab'". 7. Design for a Small Carriage House and Stable. 8. Design for a Poultry House. III. PUBLIC EDIFICES (eight engravings.) 1. School Houses. 2. Internal Structure of the School House. 3. Design for a School House in the Italian Siyle. 4. Design for a Simple Gothic School House. 5. Design for a School House of Brick or Slone. 6. Design for a Tasteful School Hou.se of Wood. IV. AVHAT FRUITS TO CULTIVATE. (seventy-four engravings.) 1. Short Descriptions of the Best Fruits. 2. Summer Apples, in the Order of Ripen'g 3 Aummn Apples, do do 4. Winter Apples, do do 5. Summer Pears, do do 6. Autumn Pears, nearly in the Order of Ripcnhig. General Rules for Planting and Mana- 7. Winter Pears. 8. Peaclies, Free-Stones and Cliiig-Stones, in the Order of Ripening. 9. Nectarines. 10. Apricots. 11. Plums, nearly in the Order of Ripening. 12. Cherries, in the Order of Ripening. 13. Th-. Strawberry. 14. Grapes, Native and Foreign. V. THE CULTURE OF FRUITS. (twelve engravings.) 1. The Grape ; Propagation, Soil, Pruning and Training. 2. Grape Houses. 3. ^ ging Fruit trees. VI. ORNAINIENTAL PLANTING. (EIGHT ENGRAVINGS.) 1. Modes of Planting. 2. Select Lists of Trees and Plants, Hardy. 3. Herbaceous FloAvering Plants. VII. BUTTER AND CHEESE MAKING. (THIRTEEN ENGRAVINGS.) 1. The Chemistry of the Dairy. 2 The Process nf Manufacturing Cheese. 3. Design for a Dairy House. 4. Processes and Instruments for Butter i\Iaking. 5. Plans, &c of Harvey Wing's Dairy Room. VIII. IMPLEMENTS AND INVEN- TIONS. (six ENGRAVINGS ) 1. Winegar's Automaton Gate. 2. Pratis Ditch Digger. 3. Allen's Mowing Alachine. 4. Halliday's Wind Mill. 5 Scott's Corn and Cob Mill. IX. IMPROVED ANIMALS. (FIVE ENGRAVINGS ) 1. Short-Horns and Devons 2. South Downs. 3. SulTolks and Berkshires. X DOMESTIC AND FARM ECONOMY. 1. Thirty-three Receipts and Suggestion."* for the Housewife. 2. Interesting Facts for Farmers. Total Illustrations, 1C4. @c^— -=^=>^ INDEX OF NO. 3, FOR 1857. Page. Agricullural Experiments 325 Animals, to Keep in Health. 396 Apparatus for Sliearing Sheep 410 Apple Orchards, Loss and Profits of. . .. 300 Apple Tree, a Productive One 360 Apples for Cold Regions 358 How to Keep 300 Artificial Rock Work 370 Art of Planmng Farm Houses 314 BlacKberry," Culture of. 363 High Bush 365 New Rochelle 365 To Raise from Seed 3b3 Bushel, Dimensions of. 365 Calendar Pages 297-308 Capital Necessary for a Farm of 100 Acres 323 Canary Bird Flower 373 Cattle, Remedies for Diseases of 398 To Keep in Health 896 Cemeni, Recipe for 391 Cedar of Lebanon 367 Chronological View of the Year 299 Chili Pine 367 Cider MUl 014 Krauser's 344 Emerys 344 Hickok's 345 Cisterns, Contents of 386 How to Determine their Size. . . . 387 Rule lor Determining Contents. . 3^6 Climbing Annuals 373 Corn Planter, Billings' 33:3 Emery's 334 Randall & Jones' 334 Corn Shellers 341 Clinton 341 Smith's 341 Corn, to Measure in Crib 3)1 Coinage of Various Countries 307 Crops, Rotation ot". 311 Customary Notes 2fi7 Cultivator or Scarifier 332 Cubic Foot of Various Substances, Weights of 386 Cuttings. Raising Plants from 401 Day and Night, to Ascertain Length of. 298 Drilling Machines, Seymour's 335 Bickford ?<, Hutlman's 3:i5 Door Latches, Hint About 338 Deutzia Scabra 3(i9 Double Crimson Currant 370 Draining, Importance of 3":^ By Messrs. Johnston & Swan . . 404 Doctorinsj Sick Animals 39G Drying Wood 404 Page. Equinoxes and Solstices 303 Eclipses for 1857 296 Every Thing in its Place 341 FarmofD. D. T. More 311 Farm Management and Capital .323 Farm Machines, Improvement in 34o Farm Implements 326 Farming. Satisfactory 403 Farms, Rules for Laying Out 309 Feed Mixer, AVelion's 3-40 Flowering Shrubs 307 Fhie Early 370 Food Consumed by Different Animals the same for Equal Weights 392 Forsythia Viridissima 309 Fruit Culture 346 Fruit Garden, Laying Out and Plantuig 346 Plan of 347 Fruit Trees for One Acre 347 Directions for Planting 352 Good Culture for 360 Manures for 359 Preparation of Soil for 348 To Prevent Splittuig 360 Fruit vs. Disease 359 Fruits for Tennessee 358 Early Bearing Varieties 359 Gas Tar for Insects 359 Gardens, Preparing Soil for 3:8 Grain, Weight of per Bushel 3S7 Grain Binder's Wheel Rake 337 Grapes, P>Tamidal Training 3-56 Isabella in Vermont 356 Great Tree of California 405 Hay, Cubic Yards in Ton of 391 Hay Rake, Revolving .... 337 Hay Press. Dederick's 342 Halesia or Silver Bell 371 Herbaceoas Perennials 372 Herbs, to Preserve 395 Harrows and Cultivators 321 Harrow, Geddes" 331 Hanford's 331 Scotch a32 Horse Pitchtoi k 338 Horses, Remedies for Diseases of 397 Houses, How to Plan 314 Design for a One Story 316 Design for a Plain 318 Design for a Square 319 Design for a Bracketted Symmet- rical 320 Design for a Village or Suburban 322 Design for a Log 383 Ihisects, Gas Tar for 369 Inconsistencies in Cultivation 355 ©c:^=- VI INDEX. Page. Laying Out and Dividing Farms 309 Laying Oul Orchards 350 Leaves, Use of 357 Lightning Rods, Supports for 408 Loasa Pentlandica 373 Log House, Design for 3S3 Measures of Leny^th - 3S4 Of Surface 354 Of Capacity 3S4 Measures and Weights 384 Mowhig Machines 33;5 Ketchum's 3:30 Wood's Improved 336 Mulching and Deep Planting 355 Notes on Fruit Culture 355 Orchards, Directions for Planting. . . . 350 Ornamental Planting and Plants 3(50 Ox Yoke. Vose's 343 Packinor Trees and Plants 893 Paints for Out Buildings, &c 411 Passion Flower 374 Paulownia Imperialis , . . 3G6 Pears, Dwarf 354 On Apple Stocks 356 Hardy for the North 358 For General Cultivation 358 Pear Trees, Great Profits of 857 Peach, Grafting the 357 Pensioners and Militia 305 Perennials for Lawns 375 Pesencc of Mind, Importance of 349 Phlox Van Houtii 372 Planters and Sowers 333 Plants or Trees per Acre 384 Plows, Baden 326 Chase's Amsterdam 328 Michigan Sod and Subsoil 32,9 Miner Sc Horton's 327 Moorish 326 Prouty & Mears' 327 Rich's Side Hill 328 Subsoil 329 Public Lands of the United States 307 Rotation of Crops 311 Raspberry, Culture of 361 Colonel Wilder 363 Brinckle's Orange 363 Fastolff 363 Franconia 363 Knevett's Giant 303 Large Fruited Monthly 363 Red Antwerp 362 Pruning and Trahiing 861 Yellow Antwerp 361 To Raise from Seed 383 Rustic Seats and Structures 378 Scarifier, Scotch . . , 332 Sequoia Gigantea 405 Sheep, Remedies for Diseases of 399 Signs of the Zodiac, &c 304 Solar System, Principal Bodies in 296 Spirea Prunifnlia 368 Sowing Machine, Broadcast 334 Specific Gravity of Metals 385 Of Stones and Earths 385 Of Miscellaneous Articles 386 Page. Specific Gravity of Woods 385 Steam Enghies for Farm Purposes .... 342 Subsoil Plowing 330 Swhie, Remedy for Diseases of 399 Sting of Insects, Remedy for 304 The MilkT \^ ay 308 Tliistle Digger, Boughton's 333 Tide Table". 296 Trees Gnawed by Mice, Remedy lor. . 409 Tropeolum Lobbianum 374 Toads in Gardens 377 Ton, Bulk of Different Substances 376 True Time, Directions for Finding 297 Valuable Facts 391 Wheat, to Prevent Sprouting 407 Washing Machines 339 Weights and Measures 384 Weights of Diflerent Grains 387 Wind, Velocity of 387 Wlutewash for Out-Buildings, &c 412 Zodiacal Light 306 Zauschneria Calilbrnica 372 No. Fig'ures Artificial Rock Work 2 Bracketted Symmetrical Farm House 3 Blackberries, Figures of. 2 Corn Shellers 2 Cider Mills 2 Drilling Machines 2 Dwarf Pear Tree 1 Feed Mixer 1 Fruit Culture 10 Grain Bmder's Wheel Rake .... 1 Harrows 4 Horse Pitchfork 1 Hay Press 1 Laying Out Farms 7 liOg House 1 Mowing Machines 2 Mice Gnawed Trees 3 One Storv Farm House 4 Ox Yoke' 1 Ornamental Plants 12 Plain Farm House 2 Plows 13 Planters and Sowers 4 Portable Steam Engine 1 Packing Trees 2 Revolving Hay Rake 1 Raspberries, Figures of 4 Rustic Seats and Arbors 20 Raising Plants from Cuttings 11 Square Farm House 3 Scarifiers and Cultivators 2 Shocking Wheat 1 Sheep Shearhig Apparatus 3 Thisde Digger 1 Training Raspberries 6 Trees 5 Willagc or Suburban House 2 Washing Machines 2 Page. 376 320 365 341 344 345 354 340 340 337 331 338 342 309 383 335 409 316 343 368 318 326 333 342 394 337 363 378 401 319 322 407 410 a33 361 366 322 339 THE CULTIVATOR ALMANAC, 185 7. ASTROXOiriCALi CALCULATIONS IN EQUAL OR CLOCK TIME. CUSTOMARY NOTES. Yenus will be evening star until Maj' 10th, then morning star the rest of the year. Mars will be evening star until June 7th, then morning star the balance of the year. JuriTER will be evening star until April 11th, then morning star until Nov. 3cl. Saturn will be evening star until July 10th, then morning star the rest of the year. The Son will be north of the equator this tropical year, dating from the solstice of December, 1856, 186 days, 10 hours, 48 minutes; and south of it 178 days, 18 hours, 50 minutes; showing a difference of 7 days 15 hours, 58 minutes, which is caused by the slower motion of the Earth in the summer season, when it is in that part of its orbit furthest from the Sun. Distance of the Earth from the Sun January 1st and December 31st, 93,505, 6Q1 miles; July 1st, 96,695,200 miles; and April 2d and October 2d, 95.10iB,000 miles, the latter being the mean distance. Mercury will be in a position favorable for visibilitj'- about January 12th, Maj'- 5th, September 1st, and December 26th; at which time the planet will be in the western sky soon after sunset; also about February 28th, June 29th, and October 19th, when it will be in the east just before sunrise. Venus will be brightest on the 4th of April and the 15th of June, being in the west in the former case at sunset, and in the east in the latter at sunrise. Saturn's rings will be visible the whole of 1857, with a glass of moderate power. Goon Friday occurs April 10. Easter Sunday, April 12. Penti- cosT, May 31. Venus will retrograde from April 19 to May 30. Mars moves direct all of the year. Jupiter retrogrades from September 5 to January 1, 1858. Saturn will retrograde until Marclj 8, and from November 8 to the end of the year. Tlie Moon v/ill run highest this year September 11th, to a declination of 28^ 44' 1.3'' north; and its right ascension at the same time is 5 hours 67 min. It will run lowest September 25th, to declination 28' 44' 11.5''' south, with a right ascension of 17 hours 58 min 33.22 sec. This is as large a declination as the Moon can attain, the Moon's nodes this year M (July 23) being at the equinoxes. Apparent obliquity of the ecliptic July '7y2d, at 23^ 27' '37.14." ®c^--- -=^=^ -^^'^ ILLUSTRATED ANNUAL REGISTER. ECLIPSES FOR 1857. There will be two Eclipses this year, both being upon the Sun. I. A Total Eclipse of the Sun, March 2oth, at the time of New Moon. It will be invisible east of "Washington, and partial and visible west of that city, or its meridian. The Eclipse begins at or just before sunset, from Washington west to the Mississippi River, and the Sun will set with its disc partly eclipsed in all the United States, where it is visible, except in California. II. An Annular Eclipse of the Sun, Sept. 17th. Invisible in America, the time being about midnight. TIDE TABLE. The Calendar pages of this Almanac exhibit the time of high-water at New-York and Boston. To find the time of high-water at any of the fol- lowing places, add to, or subtract from, the time of high-water at New-. York, as below. (There is a great deal of uncertainty about the tides, in consequence of the direction and strength of the winds ) H. M. Albany, add 6 31 Annapolis, Md.,.. , add 8 25 Annapolis, N. S., . add 1 49 Ambov sub.O 39 Baltimore, add lO 20 Bridg^eport, add 3 58 Cape Split, add 2 0 Eastport, add 2 9 Halifax, N. S , . . . sub. 2 15 Holmes's Hole, ... add 3 30 H. M 41 49 54 54 Hellgate, add 1 MarClehead, add 1 Machias, . ". add 1 Mobile Point, . . . add 1 New-Bedtbrd,.. . sub. 0 IG New-Haven, .... add 3 3 New-London, . . . add 115 Newport, sub. 0 28 Norfolk sub. 0 41 Plymouth, add 2 19 Portland, Portsmouth, Providence, Quebec, Canada, . Richmond, Salem, Sandy Hook. N. J. St. John's, N. B.,. Sunbury, Windsor, add add sub. M 12 10 0 41 add 8 49 add 8 15 3 00 add sub add add 0 19 add 2 49 0 44 2 49 TABLE OF THE PRINCIPAL BODIES IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM. NAMES. The Sitjv, Mercury, . Venus, . . . The Kartli The Moon, Mars, . . . . Jupiter, , . Saturn, . . Uranus, . . Neptune, . Mean Diame- ter. Miles. 8S3, 246 3,224 7,087 7,912 2, ISO 4,189 89,170 79,042 ;«,112], 41,500 2, Mean distance from the Siui Miles. 36Jsi4J000 6S,787,00,000 491, 7!>7, 000 907,102,000 824,290,000 851,000,000 Revolu- tion aro'd the Sun. yrs. days • • • • ... SS ... 224 321 1 1 1 11 215 29 1G7 84 6 164 226 Revolu- tion on axis. d. 25 1 h m. 9 59 0 5 23 21 23 56 7 43 0 37 9 56 10 29 13 33 Veloci- ty per min. in orbit. Miles. 1,827 1,33S 1,138 38 921 496 368 259 203 Size — the Earth bemarl 1,412,921.100 0.053 0.909 1.000 0.020 0.12-3 1,456.000 771.000 SO. 000 Den.s.: Light: Earth Earth behif one being one. 0.252'infin 1.120 0.923 1.000 0.615 0.948 0.238 0.138 6.680 1.911 1.000 1.000 0.431 0.037 0.011 0.212< 0.003 143.000 0.140] o.mi Note. — There are novt thirty-five small planets, called Asteroids, between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter, the names of which are as follow : Flora, Clio, Vesta, Iris, Metis, Eunomia, Hebe, Psyche, Thetis, Melpomene, Mas- silia, Fortuna, Lutetia, Calliope, Thalia, Parthenope, Irene, Egeria, As- tr.Tca, .luno, Ceres, Pallas, Phoccea, Proserpine, Euterpe, Bellona, Amphi- trite, Urania, Euphrosyne, Pomona, Polymnia, Leucothea, Hygeia, Themis, and one not named yet. Eight of these were discovered in 1852. i^ 1857. JANUARY. MOON'S PHASES. First Quarter, Full Moon, Last Quarter, (*18th.) New Moon, D 3 10 17 25 Boston. ' N. York. Baltimore. I Pittsburgli. H 7 4 *0 6 li \ 30 m 24 m 6 m 42 e H V 7 18 m 12 m 54 e 30 e 4 11 6 H M 7 8m 4 2m 11 44 e 6 20 e H M 6 55 m 48 m 31 e 7e 3 11 6 Cinciimati. H 6 36 m 3 30 m 11 12 e 5 48 e 1 • 1 . 1 ' CALEXDAR CALENDAR CALENDAR \A 1 » i Shadow For Boston, N. England For N. York City, Pliila- For "Washington, 'A & 1 at tho New- York State, Mi- delphia, Conn , New- Ma^r d. Virg'a, » > noou chigan, Wiscou., Iowa. Jersey, Penn'ia, Ohio. Ken'v .Missouri, O O < P mark and Oregon. Indiana, and Illinois. and California. < SUN SUN moon] H. W SUN SUN MOON H. W. SI UN SUN MOON fi Afternoor rises. sets. H M sets. Bost. rises sets sets 1 N. Y. rises. H M sets sets. H M s H M H M H M H M H M H M ! H M H M H M 1 T 12 4 4 7 30 4 38 10 45 2 16, 7 25 4 43 10 45 morn 7 19 4 49 10 46 2 Fil2 4 32 !7 30; 4 39 11 56 2 59' 7 2514 44 11 55 0 39 7 19 4 50 11 55 3 S 12 5 0 [7 30 4 40 morn 3 45 7 25l4 45 morn; 1 25 7 19 4 51 morn 4;s 12 5 27'I7 30| 4 41 1 10 4 35* 7 25 4 46 1 8 2 15 7 19 4 52 1 5 5M 12 5 54 i7 30 4 41 2 28 5 31 17 25' 4 46 2 24l 3 11 7 19 4 52 2 20 6T 12 6 20 7 30 4 42 3 45 6 38 7 25 4 47 3 40 4 18 7 19 4 53 3 35 7W 12 6 46 7 30 4 43 5 2 7 47! 7 25 4 48 4 56 5 27 7 19 4 54 4 49 8T 12 7 11 7 30 4 44 6 15 9 2j 7 25 4 49 6 8; 6 42 7 19 4 55 6 0 9F 12 7 36; 7 30 4 45 7 18 10 8 7 26 4 50 7 ll' 7 48 7 19 4 56 7 3 io,s 12 8 0 7 29 4 46 rises 11 6 7 24 4 51 rises ' 8 46 7 19 4 57 rises lis 12 8 24 7 29 4 47 6 15 11 55 7 24 4 52 6 19 9 35 7 18 4 58 6 24 12Mil2 8 47 7 29 4 48 7 24 ev. 39 7 24 4 53 7 28 10 l9 7 18 4 59 r 31 13T 12 9 9 7 28 4 49 8 31 1 21 7 23 4 54 8 33 11 1 7 18 5 0 8 35 141 W 12 9 31 7 28 4 50 9 35 2 0 7 23 4 55 9 .36 11 40 7 17 5 1 9 37 15T 12 9 52 7 27 4 52 10 37 2 87 7 22 4 57 10 36 ev.l7 7 17 5 2 10 37 16 F 12 10 13 7 27 4 53 11 38 3 13 7 22 4 58 11 36 0 53 7 16 5 3 11 35 17S 12 10 32 ;7 26 4 54 morn 3 48 7 21 4 59 morn 1 28 7 16 5 4 morn ISjS 12 10 51;:7 25 4 56 0 40 4 24 7 20 5 1 0 38, 2 4 7 16 5 6 0 35 19 M 12 11 10 i7 25 4 57 1 41 5 7 7 20 5 2 1 38 2 47 7 15 5 7 1 33 20 T 12 11 27 7 24 4 58 2 46 6 3 7 19 5 3 2 411 3 43 7 14 5 8 2 36 2i:w 12 11 44 7 23 4 59 3 52 7 15 7 18 5 4 3 46 4 55 7 14 5 9 3 40 22!T 12 12 0 7 22 5 1 4 66 8 30 7 18 5 5 4 48 6 10! 7 13 5 10 4 42 23;f 12 12 16'i7 22 5 2 5 56 9 41 7 17 5 6 5 49 7 21 7 12 5 11 5 41 24 S 12 12 30!'7 21 5 3 6 47 10 34 7 16 5 7 6 41 8 14 7 12 5 12 6 33 25 S 12 12 44' 7 20 5 4' sets. 11 22 7 16 5 8 sets 9 2|l7 11 5 13 sets 26 M 12 12 57i7 19 5 5 6 1 morn 7 15 5 9 6 5 9 44 7 10 5 14 6 9 27 T 12 13 9i7 19 5 7 7 18 0 4 7 14 5 11 7 20 10 22li7 95 15 7 23 28 W 12 13 20'7 18 5 8' 8 33 0 44 7 13 5 12 8 34 11 3 7 95 16 8 35 29 T 12 13 31 7 17 5 9' 9 47 1 23 7 13 5 13 9 47 U 42 7 85 17 9 47 30 F 12 13 40 17 16 5 11 11 1 2 2 7 12 5 15 10 59 morni 7 7 5 19 10 58 31 S 12 13 40 i7 15 5 12 morn 2 42 7 11 ,5 16 morn 0 22''7 75 20 morn Directions for finding the Tagp Time. — The Sun is on the meridian at 12 o'clock on four days only in the year. It is sometimes as much as 16 J minutes before or after 12 when its shadow strikes the noon -mark on the sun-dial. On each calendar pa^je of this Almanac is shown the exact time when the Sun reaches the meridian, or the shadow the noon mark: and in order to set a clock or watch correctly, it must, when it is noon by the sun- dial or noon -mark, be set at the time indicated in the Almanac. Thus, on ,,.^ the 25th of Jantiary, when the Sun is on the noon -mark, the watch must be ) set 12 minutes and 44 seconds past twelve, which will be the true time. •298 FEBRUARY. M00x\'S PHASES. First Quarter...... Full Moon, Last Quarter, New Moon, D 1 8 16 24 Boston. M 36 e 9e 36 e 14 m N. York. H M 3 24e 6 57e 9 24e 7 2m Baltimore. M 14 e 47 e 14 e 52 m Pittsburgh iCiiiciiiiiati. H 3 6 9 6 M le 34 e le 39 m M 42 e 15 e 42 e 20 m • CALENDAR CALENUAR. CALENDAR H Shadow For Boston, N. England. For N. York City, Phila- For "Washington. ^ (^ B at the New-York State, Mi- delphia, Conn., New- Marj'l'd.Virg'aj s fS noon chigan. AViscon., Iowa Jersev, Penn'a. Ohio. Ken'y. Missouri O it o mark. and Oregon. Indiana, and Illinois. and California. < sux SUN MOON H.W SUN StiN MOON H. AY. SUN SUN MCON c Afternoon rises 1 H M sets. H M sets. Bost. rises H M sets sets N Y nses H M sets H W sets n M S H M H M H M H M H M E M 1 S 12 13 67 7 14 5 14 0 16 3 23 7 10 5 18 0 13 1 3 7 6 6 22 0 9 2 M 12 14 4 17 12 5 15 1 24 4 7 7 9 5 19 1 19 1 47 7 5 5 23 1 14 3 T 12 14 10 7 11 6 17 2 60 4 54 7 8 5 20 2 44 2 34 7 4 5 24 2 38 4 W 12 14 16 7 10 5 18 4 3 5 56 7 7 6 21 3 57 3 36 7 3 6 26 3 49 5 T 12 14 20 7 9 5 19 5 7 7 17 7 6 5 22 5 0 4 67 7 2 5 26 4 52 6 F 12 14 24 7 8 5 21 6 1 8 61 7 5 5 24 5 54 6 31 7 1 5 27 5 47 7 S 12 14 27 7 7 5 22 6 43 10 7 7 4 6 25 6 37 7 47 7 0 5 28 6 31 8 s 12 14 29 7 6 5 24 rises 11 5 7 3 5 26 rises 8 45 6 59 5 29 rises 9 M 12 14 31 7 5 5 25 6 14 11 50 7 2 5 28 6 17 9 30 6 58 5 30 6 20 10 T 12 14 31 7 3 5 26 7 19 eT.30 7 0 5 29 7 21 10 10 6 67 5 31 7 22 n W 12 14 31 7 2 5 27 8 23 1 5 6 69 5 30 8 23 10 45 6 56 5 32 8 23 12 T 12 14 30 7 1 5 29 9 24 1 36 6 68 5 32 9 23 U 16 6 66 5 34 9 22 ]3 F 12 14 28 7 0 5 30 10 25 2 7 6 56 5 33 10 23 11 47 6 54 5 35 10 21 14 S 12 14 26 6 58 5 31 11 29 2 37 6 65 5 34 11 25 ev.l7 6 63 5 36 11 22 15 s 12 14 2,3 6 57 5 32 morn 3 8 6 54 5 35 morn 0 48 6 61 5 37 mom 16 M 12 14 19 i6 55 5 33 0 32 3 37 6 53 5 36 0 28 1 17 6 60 6 38 0 23 17 T 12 14 14 6 54 5 34 1 36 4 14 6 51 5 37 1 31 1 54 6 49 5 39 1 25 18 W 12 14 9 16 52 5 36 2 40 4 67 6 50 5 38 2 33 2 37 6 48 5 40 2 26 19 T 12 14 3 |6 51 5 37 3 42 6 8 6 49 6 39 3 36 3 48 6 47 5 41 3 27 20 F 12 13 57 6 49 5 39 4 37 7 37 6 47 5 41 4 30 5 17 6 45 6 42 4 22 21 s 12 13 50 6 48 5 40 5 23 9 7 6 46 5 42 6 17 6 47 6 44 5 43 5 10 22 s 12 13 42 16 47 5 41 6 2 10 15 6 44 6 43 5 67 7 65 6 43 5 44 6 61 23 M 12 13 33 6 46 5 43 6 33 11 2 6 43 6 45 6 29 8 42 6 42 5 46 6 25 24 T 12 13 24 6 43 5 44 sets 11 45 6 41 5 4fi sets 9 25 6 40 5 47 sets 25 W 12 13 15 6 42 6 45 7 30 morn 6 39 6 47 7 30 10 5 6 39 6 48 7 30 26 T 12 13 4 6 41 5 46 8 45 0 25 6 38 6 48 8 43 10 41 6 38 5 49 8 42 27 F 12 12 54 6 39 5 47 10 4 1 1 6 37 5 49 10 1 11 20 6 .36 5 50 9 58 28 S 12 12 42 6 37 5 48 11 22 1 40 6 36 5 49 11 18 11 5916 34 6 51 11 13 The practice of setting time-pieces by the rising or setting of the Sun or Moon is not strictly correct; as the unevenncss of the Earth's surface and intervening objects, such as hills and forests, near the points of rising and sitting, occasion a deviation, in every p^c, from the time expressed in the Almanac, which time is adapted to a" smooth, level horizon. The only means of keeping correct time is by the use of a noon-mark, or a meridian- line. To ASCERTAIN THE LENGTH OF THE Day anb Night. — At any time of the year, add 12 hours to the time of the Sun's setting, and from the sum sub- tract the time of rising, for the lens^th of the day. Subtract the time of setting from 12 hours, and to the remainder add the time of rising next morning, for the length of the night. These rules are equally true for apparent time. -=^=>© 4)/ ''''- MARCH. 299 ^i ■^ r y vy^-^T^r^ -r^vr X r*-i-i,.-< Boston. N. York. B .Itimorc. Pittsburg h Cincumati. iviuui\'o irxiAoiio. D H K H M H M n M H M Ti^TnCT OlTA'RT'RT?-...*.. 2 11 46 e 11 34 e 11 24 e 11 11 ft 1 IP .'i'^ fi Full Moon 10 11 33 m 11 21m 11 11m 10 58 m 10 39 m 18 4 19 e 4 7 e 3 57 e 3 44 e 3 25 e New 1 25 5 44e 5 32 e .S 90 A 5 7 B 4 50 8 TiUL?IHj •••••••••• * • 1 • CALENDAR CALENDAR CALEXDAH Shadow For Boston, N. Eiiirlaiid. For .N. York City, Phila.. F or Washington, H ^ at the New-^ V^ork State, JMi- Coun't, New Jersey, Maryrd,Vhg"a, 110011 chigai i, Wiscon., Iowa, Penn'ia, Ohio, Indianaj Keu'y, Miss'ri, O mark. and Oregon. and Illinois and California. SUN SUN MOON H. W SUN SUN 1 MOON H.W. s UNl SUN MOON Afteniooi) rises sets sets Bost rises sets sets N. Y. rises sets sets. H M S H M H M H U H M H M H M H M H M H ir H M H M 1 S 12 12 30 6 35 5 50 morn 2 19 6 35 5 50 morn morn 6 33 5 52 mora 2 M 12 12 18 3 33 5 51 0 41 2 58 6 33 5 51 0 36 0 38 6 31 5 53 0 :^0 3 T 12 12 5 5 32 5 53 1 55 3 39 6 32 5 53 1 48 1 19 6 30 5 54 1 41 4 W 12 11 52 0 30 5 54 3 0 4 27 6 30 5 54 2 53 2 7 6 29 5 55 2 45 5 T 12 11 38 i} 29 5 55 3 57 5 3(i 6 29 5 55 3 50 3 10 6 27 5 56 3 42 6 F 12 11 24 6 27 5 56 4 44 7 15 6 27 5 56 4 38 4 45 6 26 5 57 4 31 7 S 12 11 9 6 26 5 58 5 18 8 47 6 26 5 58 5 13 6 27 6 25 5 58 5 8 8 s 12 10 54 6 24 5 59 5 47 !0 4 6 24 5 59 5 44 7 44 6 24 5 59 5 39 9 M 12 10 3S 6 23 6 0 6 8 10 53 6 23 6 0 6 6 8 33 6 22 6 0 6 3 10 T 12 10 33 6 216 1 rises 11 36 6 21 6 1 rises 9 16 6 20 6 1 rises 11 W 12 10 7 8 19 6 2 7 13 ev. 9 6 19 6 2 7 12 9 49 6 18 6 2 7 12 12 T 12 9 50 6 17 6 3 8 15 0 40 6 17 6 3 8 13 10 20 6 17 6 3 8 12 13 F 12 9 34 6 15 6 5 9 17 1 7 6 15 6 4 9 14 10 47 6 15 6 4 9 11 14 S 12 9 17 6 14 6 6 10 21 1 36 6 14 6 5 10 17 11 16 6 14 6 5 10 12 15 s 12 9 0 6 12 6 7 11 24 2 3 6 12 6 6 11 19 11 43 6 13 6 6 11 13 16 M 12 8 42 6 10 6 8 morn 2 31 6 10 6 7 mom ev. 11 6 11 6 7 mora 17 T 12 8 25 6 96 9 0 28 3 0 6 9 6 8 0 21 0 40 6 10 6 8 0 15 18 W 12 8 7 6 76 10 1 30 3 37 6 7 6 9 1 23 1 17 6 8 6 9 1 15 19 T 12 7 49 6 56 11 2 23 4 19 6 5 6 10 2 16 1 59 6 6 6 10 2 8 20 F 12 7 31 6 36 13 3 15 5 22 6 3 6 12 3 9 3 2 6 5 6 11 3 1 21 S 12 7 13 6 26 14 3 57 7 0 6 2 6 13 3 51 4 40 6 3 6 12 3 45 22 s 12 6 54 6 06 15 4 30 8 33 6 0 6 14 4 25 6 13 6 2 6 13 4 20 23 M 12 6 36 5 59 6 17 4 59 9 48 5 59 6 15 4 56 7 28 6 1 6 14 4 53 24 T 12 6 18 5 57 6 18 sets 10 36 5 58 6 16 sets 8 16 5 69 6 15 sets 25 W 12 5 59 5 55 6 J9 6 20 11 16 5 56 6 17 6 19 8 56 5 57 6 161 6 18 26 T 12 5 41 5 53 6 20 7 37 U 56 5 55 6 18 7 35 9 36 5 56 6 17 7 33 27 F 12 6 23 5 52 6 21 8 59 morn 5 54 6 19 8 55 10 12 5 54 6 18 8 51 28 S 12 5 4 5 516 22 10 20 0 32 5 52 6 20 K) 15 10 52 5 53 6 19 10 10 29 S 12 4 46 5 49 6 23 11 44i 1 12 5 51 6 71 11 37 11 33 5 52 6 20 11 30 30 M 12 4 27 5 47 6 24 morn 1 53 5 49 6 22 morn morn 5 50 6 21 mom 31 T 12 4 9 5 45 6 25 0 65 2 35 5 47i6 23 0 48 0 15 5 48 6 22 0 40 1 Chronological view op the year 1857.— The year of the Vulgar or Christian era, 1857, corresponds with the 1861st from the Birth of Christ ; with the latter part of the 81st and beginning of the 82d of the Independence of the United States of America, which was declared Thursday, July 4, 1776; with the close of the 1226th of the Persian Era, which began Tuesday, Juno 19, N. S., 632 A. D., (the years of this era begin now on the 20th of Au- gust;) with the latter part of the 1273d of the Hegira, or Mohammedan Era; with the 1305th of the Armenian Ecclesiastical year; with the 1573d of the Era of Diocletian, or Era of Martyrs; with the 1895th of the Era of the !^2c:^=- 300 APRIL. 1857. Boston. I N. York. Biiliimore.iPittsburffh. Cincinnati. MOON'S PHASES. First Qparter, FtJLL Moo5, Last Quarter, New Moon, (*23d) First Quabter, c 1 9 17 24 30 H U H M 8 50 m 8 38 m 4 44 m 4 32 m 7 16 m 7 4m 2 30 m 2 18 m 7 34e 7 22e H 8 4 6 2 7 M 28 ra 22 m 54 m 8 m 12 e M 15 m 9m 41m 54 m 59 e H 7 3 6 1 6 M 56 m 50 m 22 m 36 m 40 e ts i '1 H I i*! Shadow ©is! 3^ 'I'e S i ^ I noon mark. O I. Afternoon 2T 3lF 5S H M W 12 3 12 3 12 3 12 12 6|M 7!T 8W 9T lOF lis 12 iS 13M 14T i5;w 16|T 17!F 18:S 19S 2o:m 2liT 22 W 23 T 24 F 25 S 26S 27 M 28 T 29 AY 30T 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 s 51 33 15 57| 391 22 4 57 30 14 56 CALENDAR For Boston, N. Eng:lancl NeM'-Vork State, Mi- chigan, Wiscon-, Iowa antt Oreg-on. SUN rises 0 42 0 26 H M 5 43 41 40 38 36 34 32 30 29 0 11 UN sets 11 11 11 11 11 5 5 5 5 5 13i;5 15 13 morning 11 59 41 59 27 59 59 0ll5 58 47i|5 58 34|!5 11 58 22j,5 11 58 11,5 57 59i 57 27 25 24 22 21 19 17 16 12 10 8 MOON .sets. 11 11 n 11 11 11 11 'I 6 49 57 41 1 5 57 29115 57 20 4 57 11'4 57I6 57 3 4 566 5916 X 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 4:^ 44 46 47 48 49 5^ 52 53 54 56 57 58 1 2 3 3 4 H M 55 43 22 51 16 4 36 4 54 rises 7 6 8 10 9 14 10 18 11 20 morn 0 17 1 10 1 2 2 3 3 4 4 H.W. Bo.st. H M 3 20 4 11 5 21 6 59 8 35 9 42 10 30 11 5 11 35 er. 6 0 36 1 3 CALENDAR For N, York City, Phila.. Connect. iVew-Jersey. Penn'ia, Ohio, Intliasia, and Illinois. SUN rises. SUN sel.'» 32 3 35 58 29 58 24 46 9 35 gets 9 14 1ft .33 11 43 morn 0 39 1 21 1 2 2 3 3 59 5 1 6 33 8 0 9 10 9 58 10 41 11 21 morn 0 3 0 49 1 32 2 19 3 « 1215 l5 15 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 M H 45 6 42 6 41 6 39 6 37 6 35 6 33 6 31 6 30 6 28 6 26 6 25 6 24 6 22 6 21 6 20 6 18 6 16 6 156 13 6 116 10 6 96 76 66 56 36 26 1 6 06 M 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 MOON sets. H M 1 48 2 37 3 17 3 47 4 13 4 34 4 53 rises 7 4 8 7 9 9 10 12 11 14 morn 0 10 1 3 1 51 2 23 2 54 3 22 3 45 4 9 4 35 sets 9 8 10 27 U 36 mom 0 33 1 15 H.W N._ Y. H M 0 51 1 39 CALENDAR For AVashinglon, Maryl'd.Virg-'a, Ken'y. Missouri and California. SUN 1 ises. STJN sets. M 46 44 43 6 6 15 5 7 22 8 10 8 45 5 9 15il5 9 46'l5 10 16:5 10 43 12 11 11 43; ey.l5 0 52 39, 41 MOON sets. 13 5 40t|5 5015 38 8 211 9 1 9 43; 10 29; 11 12 11 59, morn I 0 48 41 39 38 37 35 33 31 29 28 27 25 24 23 21 20 19 17 15 14 13 11 10 9 7 6 4 3 M 22 23 24 25 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 H 1 2 3 3 4 4 4 M 40 30 11 42 10 32 52 rises 7 1 8 3 9 3 10 6 11 6 morn 0 2 0 55 1 2 2 3 3 4 4 45 18 50 19 44 10 37 sets 9 2 10 19 11 28 morn 0 25 1 9 Cfesars, or Spanish Era; with the 1902<1 of the Julian Era, or since the reformation of the calendar of Numa PompHius, hy Julius Caesar; with the 2169th of the Grecian Era of the Seleucidre ; with the 2606th of the Babylon- ish Era of Nabonassar, used by Hipparchus and Ptolemy, (this Era dates from Wednesday, February 18th, N. S., 747 B. C, according to Chronolo- gers, or 746 B. C, according to Astronomers.) The years contained 365 days only, and have, consequently, now advanced upon the Gregorian year 629 days. The 2606th year begins May 30, 1857; with the 2610th (according to Varro) of the old Roman Era A. U. C. ; with the 2633d of the Olympiads, ^ ., MAY. 301 H.Tr»rkAT5S! TJU \ a-cs! Boston. N. Yoik. Baliiino re. Piltsburg-1 1. Cincinnati. D H M H 11 ! H M H M H M Full Moon, 8 9 27e 9 15 e ' 9 5 e 8 52 e a ?>?, e Last Ouakter 16 6 26 e 6 14 e ; 6 4e 9 42 m 8 6m 5 51 e 6 32 e 9 29 m 9 10m 7 53 m 7 34 m New Moov 23 30 10 4 m 8 28 m 9 52 m' 8 16 m First Quarter, • .1 CALEXL'AR CALENDAR calendar Shadow For Boston. N. England. For N. York City, Phila- For Washington, K Q at the New- York 8late, Mi- delphia, Coini , New- Ma\rd. Virjra, a noon chipfan. Wiscon., Iowa. Jersev, Penii'ia. Ohio Kenv.. Missouri O fa: mark. ai;d Oiegon. Indiana, and Illinois. and Caiilornia. < SUN SUN MOOX H. \V. SUN SUN MOON H. W sun SUN 'MOON Moruhig. rises set5 sets i Best. rises. .?ets. H M sets. N. Y. rises sets sets. H H S H H H M KM H H 1 H M H M H M H M H M n M 1 F 11 56 55 4 546 59 1 54 4 5 !4 59 6 55 1 49 1 45 5 2 6 52 1 44 2 S U 56 48 4 6317 0 2 20 5 14' 4 58 6 56 2 17 2 54 5 1 6 53 2 13 3 S 11 56 4214 51 7 1 2 42 6 39:4 57 6 57 2 39 4 19 5 0 6 54 2 37 4 M 11 56 35 j4 50 7 2 3 0 7 56:4 56 6 58 2 59 5 36 4 59 6 55 2 58 5T 11 56 30 4 49 7 3 3 18 9 2 14 55 6 59 3 18 6 42 4 58 6 56 3 18 6 W 11 56 25 4 48 7 4 3 36 9 51114 54 7 0 3 38 7 31 4 57 6 56 3 39 7 T 11 56 21 4 47 7 5 3 53 10 27!;4 53 7 1 3 56 8 7 4 56 6 57 3 59 8 F U 56 17|4 46|7 6 rises 11 2 4 52 7 2 rises 8 42 4 55 6 58 rises 9 s 11 56 13 j4 45!7 7 8 10 11 33 4 51 7 3 8 4 9 13 4 54 6 59 7 69 10 s 11 56 11 4 44 7 8 9 14 ev. 7 4 50 7 4 9 7 9 47 4 53 7 0 9 0 11 M 11 56 9 4 43 7 9 10 13 0 37j4 49 7 5 10 6 10 17 4 52 7 1 9 58 12 T 11 56 7 4 42 7 10 11 6: 1 914 4817 6 10 59 10 49 4 51 7 2 10 51 13 W jU 56 6 4 41 7 11 11 53 1 43 4 47 7 7 11 46 11 23 4 50 7 3 11 39 14 T ;il 56 6 4 40 7 12 morn ' 2 18 4 45 7 8 morn 11 58 4 49 7 4 morn 15 F 11 56 6 4 39 7 13 0 28 2 58 4 44 7 9 0 23 ev.38j4 48 7 6 0 17 16 S 11 56 7 4 38 7 14 0 58 3 50 4 43 7 10 0 53 1 30 4 47 7 6 0 49 17 s 11 56 8 4 37 7 15 1 24 4 48,4 42 7 H 1 21 2 28 4 46 7 7 1 18 18 M 11 56 10 4 36 7 16 1 49 6 614 41 7 12 1 47 3 46 4 45 7 7 1 45 19 T U 56 13 4 35 7 17 2 97 1714 40 7 13 2 9 4 67 4 44 7 8 2 9 20 W 11 56 16 4 35 7 18 2 32 8 24 ;4 39 7 U 2 34 6 4 4 44 7 0 2 35 21 T ,11 56 20 4 34 7 19 2 56; 9 15;;4 38 7 15 3 26 10 5 '4 37 7 16 2 59 6 55 4 43 7 10 3 2 22 F 11 56 24 4 33 7 20 3 30 7 45! 4 42 7 10 3 35 23 S M 56 29 4 32i7 21 sets 10 54i;4 36 7 17 sets 8 34; 4 42 7 11 sets 24 s ill 56 34 4 31 7 22 9 22 11 44 4 35 7 18 9 15 9 24 4 41 7 12 9 7 25 M In 56 40 4 30 7 23 10 26 morn "4 35 7 19 10 19 10 11 4 40 7 13 10 11 26 T n 56 46 4 29 7 24 11 17, 0 31 4 34 7 20 11 10 U 1 4 40 7 14 11 4 27 W U 56 53 4 2817 25 11 54; 1 21 4 33 7 21 11 49 11 50' 4 39 7 14 11 44 28 T 11 57 0 4 28 7 26 mornj 2 10 4 33 7 22 mom mornjJ4 38 7 15 morn 29 F 11 57 7 4 27 7 27 0 23 3 0 4 32 7 23 0 19 0 40 4 38 7 16 0 16 30 s III 57 15 4 26!7 28 0 45' 3 54 4 31 7 24 0 43 1 34:14 37 7 16 0 40 31 »i! 'U 57 24 U 26 i7 28 1 5| 4 51 4 317 25 1 3 2 3l''4 37 7 17 1 2 or the latter part of the 4th of the 658th year, and beginning of the 1st of the 659th Olympiad of 4 years; with the 3872d of the Era of Abraham, used by Ensebius; with the 4205th from the Deluge, according to Usher and the Engli.sh Bible; with the 4959th of the Cali Yuga, or Hindoo and Indian Era, which dates from the Deluge; with the 4254th of the Chinese, or the 54th of their 71st cycle; with the 5617th from the Creation of the World, accord- ing to the Minor Era of the Jews; or the 6216th, according to the greater Rabinieal Era of the Jews; with the 6085th, according to Eusebius; with the 5801st, according to Scaliger; with the 5861st, according to Usher and A &<=^=- JUNE. 1857. MOON'S PHASES. Full Moon, Last Quarter, (*14th). New Moon, First Quarter, Boston. H 0 2 5 11 M 39 e 26 m 19 e 36 e N. York. I Baltimore, H M 0 27e 2 14 m 5 7e 11 24 e H 0 2 4 11 M 17 e 4 m 57 e 14 e Pittsburgh iCinciimati. H M 0 4e 1 51m 4 44 e 11 le H M n 45 m 1 32 m 4 25e 10 42 e • , CALENDAR calendar calendar 1^ Shadow For Boston, ]\. England. For N. York City, Phila- For AVashington, iz; o S at the New-York State, Mi- delpliia, Conn., New- Mai7l'd,Virg"aj ^ noon chigan. Wiscon., Iowa Jersev, Penn'a, Ohio, Ken' V, Missouri o o >< mark. and Oregon. Indiana, and Illinois. and California. (H SUN SUN MOOX H.W SUN SVN MOON IH. W. SVN SUN MOON C A Morning. rises sets. sets. Bost rises sets sets N. Y rises H M sets sets H M S H M H M H M H M ^ 1 H M H M H M H M H M H M 1 M 11 57 33 14 25 7 29 1 23 5 55 '4 31 7 24 1 23 3 35 4 36 7 18 1 23 2 T : 11 57 42 '4 24 7 30 1 41 7 3 14 3017 25 1 42 4 43 4 36 7 19 1 43 3 Will 57 52 4 24 7 30 2 0 8 1 ;4 30 7 25 2 2 5 41 4 35 7 19 2 6 4 T 11 58 2 4 23 7 31 2 19 8 56 14 29 7 26 2 23 6 36 4 35 7 20 2 27 5 F 11 58 12 4 23 7 32 2 44 9 44 4 29 7 27 2 49 7 24 4 35 7 20 2 54 6 S 11 68 22 4 23 7 33 rises 10 26 '4 28 7 27 nses 8 6 4 34 7 21 rises 7 s 11 58 33 14 22 7 33 8 6 11 5|4 28 7 28 7 59 8 45 4 34 7 21 7 51 8 M 11 58 44 i4 22 7 34 9 2 11 41i;4 28 7 28 8 55 9 21 4 34 7 22 8 47 9 T 11 58 56 :4 22 7 35 9 50 ev.l8;|4 2817 29 9 43 9 58 4 34 7 22 9 36 10 W 11 59 8 i4 22 7 35 10 28 0 5414 28;7 29 10 22 10 34 4 34 7 23 10 17 11 T 11 59 20 ^4 22 7 36 11 1 1 31 14 287 30 10 57 11 11 4 34 7 24 10 52 12 i^' 11 59 32 !4 22 7 37 11 28 2 9 4 28 7 30 11 24 11 49 4 34 7 25 11 21 13 S 11 59 44 i4 22 7 37 U 51 2 53:4 28;7 31 11 49 ev.33 4 34 7 25 11 47 14 1, aftern'n 4 22 7 38 morn 3 37 '4 28 7 31 morn 1 17 4 34 7 26'morn 15 M 12 0 9 4 22 7 38 0 12 4 29 '4 28 7 32 0 12 2 9 4 33 7 27 0 11 16 T 12 0 22 4 22 7 38 0 34 5 30 14 28 !7 32 0 35 3 10 4 33 7 27 0 36 17 W 12 0 35 4 22 7 39 0 58 6 38 :4 28|7 33 1 0 4 18 4 33 7 28 1 3 18 T 12 0 48 4 22 7 39 1 23 7 36 '4 28 7 33 1 27 6 16 4 33 7 28 1 31 19 k' 12 1 1 4 23 7 39 1 54 8 40 '4 29 7 34 2 0 6 20 4 33 7 28 2 5 20 S 12 1 14 14 23 7 39 2 35 9 41 4 29'7 34 2 42 7 21 4 34 7 2S 2 48 21 N 12 1 27 4 23 7 39 sets 10 39 4 29i7 34 set.^- B 10 4 34 7 28 sets 22 M 12 1 40 4 23 7 40 9 4 11 31 4 29 7 34 8 67 9 11 4 34 7 29 S 50 23 T 12 1 53 4 23 7 40 9 48 morn 4 29 7 35 9 43 10 5 4 34 7 29 9 37 24 W 12 2 6 4 24 7 40 10 22 0 25 4 30 7 35 10 17 10 55 4 35 7 29 10 13 25 T 12 2 19 4 24 7 40 10 47 1 15 4 30 7 35 10 44 11 41 4 35 7 29 10 41 26 i' 12 2 32 4 24 7 40 11 9 2 1 4 30 7 35 11 7 morn 4 35 7 29 11 5 27 S 12 2 44 4 25 7 40 11 28 2 46 4 30 7 35 11 28 0 26 4 35 7 29jll 27 28 s 12 2 67 4 25 7 40 11 47 3 31 4 31 7 35 n 48 1 11 4 36 7 29 11 48 29 M 12 3 9 4 25 7 40 mom 4 18 4 31 7 35 morn 1 58 4 36 7 29lmorn 30 T 12 3 20 4 251 7 40l 0 2 5 5 4 31 7 36 0 4 2 45 J 4 36 7 29,1 0 6 the English Bible; with the 7349th, according to the Antioehian and Abys- sinian Eras; with the 7359th, according to the Alexandrian Era; with the 7365th, according to the Era of Constantinople, used by the Byzantine his- torians- The age of the world is involved in great obscurity. There are about one hundred and forty different eras respecting it, some claiming the world to be more than three millionfs of years old. Julius Africanus, follow- ing the Septuagint version of the Bible, which is the most rcUahlc authority for chronology that is known, makes the Creation to have taken place on the 1st of the .Jewish month Tisri, 5508 years B. C, or 7365 years ago. The 66 1 8th year of the Jews begins on the 1 9th of September. The 1274th voar of the Mahommedan era begins August 22d. -=^='® 1857. JULY. 303 ■AT r\r\-\ TIC* Tkr r A CT-lL T Boston. N. York. Baltimore Pittsburgh Cincinnati. ni»_/v^x> o I'larvoiZiO. D H M H M H Jt H M H M Full Moon, (*6th) 7 2 Om 1 48 m 1 38 m 1 25 m 1 6m Last Quarter, U 8 12 m 8 Om 7 50 m 7 37 m 7 18m Is'ew Moon, (*20th) 21 1 2Sm 1 J6m 1 6m 0 63 m 0 aim First Quarter, 28 4 30 e 4 18 e 4 8 e 3 55 e 3 36 e • .1 CAXEXDAR CALENDAR CALENIJAR Hi Shadow For Boston. N. England. For fi. York City, Phila.. I'or Wasliiiigton. i<5 B{ at the New- York State, Mi- Conirt, New Jersey, Marvrd,Virg'a ^ fS 110011 chigan, Wiscon., Iowa. Peim'ia. Ohio, Indiana. Keu'y, Miss'ri, P3 o o mark. and Oregon. and Ilhnois. and California SUN SUN MOON 11. W su>- STJX MOON II. W. SUN ' SUN MOON A •<1 p Afternooii nses sets se ts Bost H M nses sets sets N. Y. nses sets sets. H M S H M H M H H M H M H M H M H M H M H M 1 W 12 3 32 4 26 7 40 0 23 5 58 4 31 7 35 0 26 3 38 4 37 7 29 0 30 2 T 12 3 44 4 26 7 40 0 4*? 6 56 4 32 7 35 0 51 4 36 4 37 7 29 0 65 3 F 12 3 55 4 27 7 40 1 14 7 54 4 32 7 35 1 19 5 34 4 38 7 29 1 25 4 S 112 4 6 4 27 7 39 1 47 8 57 4 n 7 34 1 63 6 37 4 38 7 28 2 0 6 s |]2 4 16 '4 28 7 39 2 30 9 53 4 33 7 34 2 37 7 33 4 39 7 28 2 45 6 M|!l2 4 26 4 29 7 39 rises 10 41 4 34 7 34 nses 8 21 4 40 7 28 rises 7 T 12 4 35 4 29 7 39 8 29 11 24 4 34 7 34 8 23 9 4 4 40 7 28 8 17 8 W 12 4 45 4 30 7 38 9 3 ev. 5 4 35 7 33 8 58 9 46 4 417 27 8 63 9 T 12 4 54 4 31 7 38 9 28 0 42i 4 36 7 33 9 26 10 22! 4 42 7 27 9 18 10 F 12 6 2 5 10 4 31 7 38 9 56 1 20i 4 37 7 33 9 53 11 0 i4 42 7 27 9 61 11 fi 12 4 32 7 37 10 17 1 59 4 38 7 32 10 16 11 39 4 43 7 26 10 15 12 !* 12 5 18 4 33 7 37 10 30 2 37 4 S9 7 32 10 30 er.l7 4 44 7 26 10 30 13 M!12 5 25 4 34 7 36 11 0 3 21 4 39 7 31 11 2 1 1 4 45 7 25 11 3 14 Ti!12 5 32 4 35 7 36 11 24 4 8 4 40 7 31 11 27 1 48 4 457 25 11 31 15 W,il2 5 38 4 36 7 35 11 53 4 57 4 41 7 30 11 68 2 37 4 46 7 24 morn 16 T; 12 5 44 4 37 7 34 morn 5 54 4 42 7 29 morn 3 34 4 47 7 24 0 3 17 F 12 5 49 4 38 7 34 0 30 7 1 4 43 7 29 0 36 4 41 4 48 7 23 0 42 18S 12 5 54 4 39 7 33 1 17 8 14 4 43 7 28 1 23 5 54 4 49 7 23 1 31 19 S 12 5 58 4 39 7 32 2 17 9 31 4 44 7 27 2 24 7 11 4 60 7 22 2 32 20 M 12 6 2 4 40 7 32 3 28 10 35 4 45 7 27 3 36 8 15 4 50 7 22 3 42 21 T 12 6 5 4 41 7 31 sets 11 32; 4 46 7 26 sets 9 12 4 61 7 21 sets 22 W 12 6 8 4 42 7 30 8 53 mom 4 47 7 25 8 49 10 1 4 62 7 20 8 45 23 T 6 10 4 43 7 29 9 9 0 21 4 48 7 24 9 7 10 45 4 53 7 19 9 5 24 F 12 6 12 4 44 7 28 9 29 1 6 4 49 7 23 9 28 11 23 4 63 7 18 9 28 25 S 12 6 12 4 45 7 27 9 49 1 43 4 49 7 22 9 49 12 0 4 54 7 17 9 49. 26 s 12 6 13 4 46 7 26 10 47 2 20 4 50 7 22 10 9 morn 4 557 16 10 10 27 M 12 6 12 4 47 7 25 10 26 2 69 |4 51 7 21 10 29 0 39'4 56 7 15 10 32 28 T 12 6 11 4 48 7 24 10 48 3 35I4 52 7 20 10 52 1 15 4 56 7 14 10 66 29 Wil2 6 10 4 49 7 23 11 13 4 12 ,4 53 7 19 11 19, 1 52,4 67 7 14 11 24 30 T 12 6 7 4 50 7 22 11 45 4 51 4 54 7 18 11 51; 2 31 j4 68 7 14 11 57 31 F 12 6 6 4 51 7 21 morn 5 43! 14 55 7 17 morn' 3 23 k 69 7 13 mom EQUINOXES AND SOLSTICES. IMnrch BOSTON. CINCINNATI S. FRANCISCO. Vfrnal Eauinox. D H M 20 11 1 m. 21 7 42 m. 22 9 49 ev. 21 3 33 ev. D H M 20 10 8 m. 21 G 49 m. 22 S 5() ev 21 2 40 ev. I) JI M 20 7 .3.5 m. SumiTier Solstice June, ' 21 4 ]() m. Autumnal Equinox, . Winter Solstice, September,. ... 22 (5 23 cv. December, . 21 0 7 ev. .'0 304 f AUGUST. 1857. MOON'S PHASES. Full Moo:f, •••- Last Quarter,.. New Moon, First Quarter,. D 5 12 19 27 Boston. N. York. Baiiimore. Pittsburgh. Cincinnati. H sr H U H Jr H M H M 1 44e 1 32e 1 22e 1 9e 0 50 e 0 57e 0 45e 0 ,35 e 0 22e 0 3 0 11 42 m 11 3i) m 11 20 m 11 7 m 10 48 m 10 21 m 10 9 m 9 59 m 9 46 m 9 27 m H O < Shadow at tlie • noon mark. 1;S 2S 3|M 4T 5 W 6T 7F 8S Arte moon CALENDAR For Boston, N. Engladl. New- York State, Mi- chigan. Wiscon., Iowa, and :tO rcijon. SCN j SUX MOON H.W. ri.ses Uets sets, j Bost. CALEXDAR For N. Y^ork City, Phila.. Connec't. New-Jersey. Penn'ia, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois. H 51 12 6 9 10 11 T 12W iSiT l4jF 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 S s M T W T F S s M T W T F S s 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 4 4 4 4 4 3 3 3 3 12 3 12 2 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 0 12 0 12 0 12 0 s 1 57 52 47 41 35 28 20 12 3 54 44 34 23 11 59 47 34 20 6 52 37 22 P 50 33 16 59 41 23 4 M H 52 7 53 7 54 55 56 57 58 59 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 87 96 106 116 126 14 6 15 6 16 6 176 18j6 1916 20 6 21 6 22 6 23 6 M H 20 19 18 16 M K 53 9 H 0 25 6 1 13 8 2 13 9 24 3 17 10 21 15 i-ises 11 7 14 8 0 11 47 8 23 ev.28 SUN > SVS rises. I sets 13 11 10 9 8 8 42 9 5 9 28 9 56 7 10 29 5 11 12 4 morn 2 0 6 1 11 2 23 3 39 10 37 sets 11 27 7 32 mom 52 0 8 7 8 Hi 8 29; 1 0 58 56 55 54 52 51 49 48 46 9 43 44 10 17 42 11 3 41 11 57 39 morn 37 1 0 3 39 16 54 36 22 19 6 38 8 10 9 34 0 45 8 9 50 12 18 50 21 52 24 0 44 56 26 M 56 57 58 59 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 6 116 12 6 13 6 14 6 15 6 16 6 17 6 18 6 19 6 20 6 21 6 22 6 23 6 24 6 25 6 266 M 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 6 5 3 2 0 59 58 57 55i 54 53 51 60 49 47 45 43 41 40 38 36 34 MOON H. W. sets. iN. Y. H M 0 31i 1 20J 2 19 3 23: rises 7 57 8 22 10 8 42 10 43 9 6 11 19 9 31 11 56 10 0 ev.34 H M 4 33 5 49 7 4 8 1 8 47 9 27 8 10 34 11 19 morn | 0 13 1 18' 2 29; 3 44 sets I 7 CALENDAR For AVashington, MaryI"d,Virg'a. Ken'y, Mis.-iourJ' and California. SUN : SUN rises, [sets. MOON sets. 16 2 59 18 50 14J 8 17 9 7 31' 9 48 7 52 10 25 8 12 10 68 8 3111 30 8 54 mom 9 17 0 9 49 10 24 11 10 I morn 0 4 1 6 1 32 4 40 24 36 6 M 0 1 2 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 136 U\6 15'6 166 17,6 18,6 196 20 6 216 21 6 22 6 236 24 6 25'6 26,6 276 286 12 11 10 9 H M 0 39 1 28 2 27 3 29 8' rises 7; 7 54 6, 8 20 4 8 42 3: 9 7 ll 9 34 0 10 5 59 10 40 5811 26 57 morn 55 0 21 54! 1 26 53 2 35 52, 3 49 50; sets 7 29 7 52 8 13 8 34 8 57 9 22 9 55 48; 46' 45 43 42 4l! 39 10 31 3811 18 36 morn 34 0 12 33 1 13 SIGNS OF THE ZODIAC, WITH THE TIME OP THE SUN'S ENTERING EACH. Spring Signs.— ^ Pi T)tr * CJTT'C' Boston. N. ^ "ork. Baltimore. Pittsbm-g h. Cincinnati. iixw w :x o I ri^-v OJtJkJ. D H M n M H M H M H M Full Moox, .... . • . 3 10 25 m 10 13 m 10 2 m 9 49 m 9 31m Last Quarter,. . . . 10 19m 0 57 m 0 47 m 0 34 m 0 15 m Nea7 Moon, .... . . . 17 4 54e 4 42o 4 32e 4 19e 4 0 e First Quarter, 25 9 21 e 9 9e 8 59e 8 46e 8 27e • ■ • .1 CALENDAR CALENDAR CALENDAR id . Hi Shadow For Bo ston. N. England, For N. York Citj-, Phila- For "Washington, H *> at the New- York State, Mi- delphia. Coim.,' New- JNIajl'd. Virg'a, 13 ? noon chigan, Wiscon., Iowa. Jersey. Penn'ia, Oliio. Ken'y,Mi.ssouri u o o mark. and'O regon. Indiana, and Illinois. and California. SUN SUN MOON H. W. SUN 1 SUN MOON H. AV. SUN SUN ' MOON C fi Morning. rises s ets sets Bost. rises. H M sets. sets. N. Y. ri.«es. sets sets . H M S H Jf H M It M H M H Jl H M n M H Jf H M n Jt 1 T 11 49 34 5 56 5 43 3 25 9 29 5 66 5 43 3 27 7 9 5 66 5 44 3 29 2 r 11 49 15 5 57 5 42 rises 10 15 5 57 5 42 rises 7 56 5 57 5 42 rises 3 s 11 48 56 5 58 5 40 5 34 10 64 5 58 5 41 5 36 8 34 5 58 5 41 5 37 4 s 11 48 28 5 59 5 39 5 59 11 29 5 59 5 39 6 2 9 9 5 59 5 39 6 5 5 M 11 48 20 6 1 5 38 6 27 ev. 6 !6 0 5 37 6 32 9 46 6 0 5 38 6 37 6 T 11 48 3 6 2 5 36 7 7 0 46 [6 1 5 36 7 13il0 26| 6 1 5 37 7 19 7 w 11 47 46 6 3 5 34 7 54 1 25 :6 2 5 34 8 1 11 6 6 2 5 35 8 9 8 T U 47 29 6 4 5 33 8 55 2 8 |8 3 5 33 9 2 11 48 6 3 5 34 9 10 9 F 111 47 13 6 5 5 31 10 2 2 54 6 4 5 31 10 9 ev.34 6 4 5 32 10 16 10 s jll 46 57 6 6 5 29 U 16 3 46 6 5 5 29 11 21 1 26 6 6 6 31 11 27 11 K ill 46 42 6 8 5 28 morn 4 66 6 6 5 28 morn 2 36 6 6 5 30 morn 12 M ill 46 27 6 9 5 26 0 29 6 31 6 7 6 26 0 33 4 11 6 7 5 29 0 38 1.3 T |11 46 13 6 10 5 24 1 39 8 8 6 8 5 25 1 42 5 48 6 8 6 27 1 45 14 w '11 45 69 6 11 5 22 2 48 9 16 6 9 5 23 2 60 6 66 6 9 6 25 2 61 15 T 11 45 46 6 12 5 20 3 51 10 3 6 10 5 22 3 52; 7 43 i 6 10 6 24 3 62 16 F 11 45 34 6 13 5 19 4 65 10 42 6 11 5 20 4 54 8 22 6 11 5 22 4 64 17 S 11 45 22 6 14 5 17 sets 11 15 6 12 5 19 sets 8 66 6 12 6 20 sets 18 .5} 11 45 11 6 15 5 16 5 19 11 47 6 13 5 17 6 22 9 27 6 13 6 19 6 27 19 M 11 45 0 6 17 5 14 5 44 morn 6 14 5 16 6 49 9 56 6 14 5 17 5 54 20 T 11 44 50 6 18 5 13 6 16 0 16 6 15 5 15 6 22 10 25 6 15 5 16 6 28 21 \N 11 44 40 6 19 5 11 6 52 0 45 G 16 5 13 6 68 10 56 G 16'5 15 7 6 22 T 11 44 31 l'5 21 5 10 7 38 1 16 6 18 5 12 7 45111 2n 6 17 5 14 7 53 23 F 11 44 24 :6 22 5 8 8 31 1 46|;6 19 5 10 8 38 11 59 G 18 5 13 8 46 24 S 11 44 J6 6 23 5 7 9 31 2 19i!6 20 5 8 9 38 morn G 19 5 12 9 'U- 25 11 44 9 6 24 5 5 10 40 2 57ii6 21 3 42 6 22 5 7 10 45 0 37 G 20i6 10 10 51 26 M' 11 44 3 6 25 5 4 n 50 5 5 11 54 1 22 6 215 9 11 68 27 T| 11 43 58 6 27 5 2 morn 4 44 '6 24 5 4 mom 2 24 6 22 i: 7 morn 28 W 11 43 54 6 28 5 1 1 1 6 13 6 25 5 3 1 4 3 53 6 23 5 5 1 7 29 T 11 43 50 6 29 5 0 2 13 7 37:6 "^6 5 2 2 14 6 17 G 24 5 4 2 16 30 F ] I 43 47i 6 31 4 58 3 27 S 46:6 27 5 0 3 27 6 26 6 25 5 3 3 26 3l'S "II 43 44"6 32' 4 571 4 43 9 36 '6 23 4 59 4 411 7 16 6 26 5 2 4 40 Zodiacal Light. — It is said that one of the incidental results of the Japan expedition is the discovery that the Zodiacal light is .i belt extending entirely round the earth, after the manner of Saturn s ring. The matter has excited a good deal of interest among astronomers, some of the ablest of whom seem to consider the fact established by the observations taken. The Astkroios. — M. Leverrier states, in a letter to the French Minister of Public Instruction, that he is firmly persuaded that a great number of small planets are situated between Mars and Jupiter, and that before 1860 nearly 100 will probably be discovered. i 1857. NOVEMBER. 307 Boston. [ N. York. Baltimore. Pittsburg h. Cincinnati. iVHJU-N S rHAStiS. ,-. D H M H M H M H M H M Full Last Moov 1 8 8 13 e 11 30 m 8 le 11 18 m 7 61e 11 8m 7 37e 7 19e Quarter, . . 10 54 m 10 36 m New First MnoTj. . . . . . 16 24 11 10 m 10 58 m 0 49 e 0 37 e 10 48 m 0 27e 10 34 m 10 16 m Quarter,. 0 13e 11 65 m • CALENDAR CALENDAR CALENDAR H 1 S Sliadow For Boston, N. Enjrland. For N. York Citv, Phila.. For "Washington, §im at the New- York State, JVIi- Comiec't, New-Jersey. Mary-rd.Virg'a, §i^ noon cbigan, Wiscoii.. Iowa. Penn'ia, Ohio, Indiana. Ken" v. Missouri ■ 1 o mark. and Oregon. and Illinois. and California. >< SCN 1 SUN MOON H.W. SUN SUN MOON H. W. SUN SUN MOON .Morning. rises sets- ' rises, j Bost. rises. H M sets H M rises. N. Y. rises. H M sets. H II rises. H M S H M H M H Ml H M H M H M H M IS 11 43 43 |8 33 4 55 rises i 10 17 6 29 4 59 rises 7 57 6 27 5 1 rises 2M 11 43 42 6 34 4 54 4 58 10 57 6 30 4 58 5 4 8 37 6 28 5 0 5 10 3T 11 43 42 6 35 4 53 5 41 11 39 6 31 4 57 5 48 9 19 6 29i4 59 5 55 4W 11 43 43i6 36 4 52 6 40 ev.23 8 32 4 56 6 47 10 3 6 30:4 58 6 55 5T 11 43 45;j6 37 4 50 7 48 1 7 6 33 4 55 7 56 10 47 6 3l|4 57 8 3 6F 11 43 48 i6 39 4 49 9 4 1 53 6 35 4 53 9 10 11 33 6 324 56 9 16 7S 11 43 51 6 40 4 48 10 18 2 45 6 36 4 52 10 23 ev.25 6 33 ;4 55 10 28 8S 11 43 56 6 41 4 47 11 31 3 40 6 38 4 50 11 35 1 20 6 354 54 11 38 9M a 44 1 6 43 4 45 morn 4 47 6 39 4 49 morn 2 27 8 36 4 53 morn ■ 10 T 11 44 7 6 44 4 44 0 39 6 11 6 40 4 48 0 41 3 51 6 37 4 52 0 43 11 W ill 44 14 6 45 4 43 1 45 7 31 6 41 4 47 1 46 5 11 6 39 4 51 1 47 12 T 111 44 22 6 47 4 42 2 48 8 37 6 43 4 46 2 47 6 17 6 40 4 50 2 47 13 F U 44 30 6 48 4 41 3 50 9 27 6 44 4 45 3 48 7 7 6 41 i4 49 3 47 14 S 11 44 40 6 49 4 40 4 52 10 9i!6 45 4 44 4 49 7 49 6 42 4 48 4 46 15 S 11 44 50 6 51 4 39 5 55 10 46 j6 47 4 43 5 51 8 26 6 43 4 47 5 47 16 M 11 45 1 6 52 4 38 sets 11 20|6 48 4 42 sets. 9 0 6 44 4 46 sets 17lT 11 45 14 6 53 4 37 4 51 11 53 6 49 4 41 4 57 9 33 6 45 4 46 5 4 18, W U 45 27 6 54 4 36 5 35 morn 6 50 4 40 5 42 10 3 6 464 45 5 50 19T 11 45 40 6 55 4 36 6 26 0 23 6 51 4 40 6 33 10 35 6 47 14 44 6 41 20!f 11 45 55 6 56 4 35 7 25 0 55 6 52 4 39 7 31 11 10 6 48 4 44 7 38 21S 11 46 10 6 584 34 8 30 1 30 6 54 4 38 8 35 11 43 16 49,4 43 8 41 22 S 11 46 26 6 59 4 33 9 37 2 3 6 55 4 38 9 42 morn ';6 50,4 42 9 46 23 M 11 46 43 '7 0 4 33 10 46 2 42 6 56 4 37 10 49 0 22 6 51 ;4 42 10 52 24T 111 47 1 7 1 4 32 11 55 3 27 6 57 4 36 11 57 1 7 6 624 41 11 59 25'W 11 47 19 7 3 4 31 morn 4 23 6 5814 36 morn 2 3 6 53|4 41 morn 26, T 11 47 38 7 4 4 31 1 4 5 28 6 59 4 35 1 4 3 8 6 54'4 41 1 5 27 F 11 47 58 7 5 4 30 2 17 6 43 7 04 34 2 16 4 23 6 55 ;4 41 2 15 28 S 11 48 18 7 6 4 29 3 33 7 49 7 1 4 34 3 31 5 29 6 56 4 40 3 28 29!S 11 48 40ii7 ill 49 l|i7 7 4 29 4 63 8 48 7 2 4 33 4 49 6 28 6 57:4 40 4 45 30 iM 9 4 29 6 17 9 40 7 4 4 33 6 12 7 20 6 58 4 40 6 6 Public Lands. — In the year ending Juno 30, 1855, there vrcre sold of tho public lands, 15,729,524 acres; located under military warrants, 1,345,580; reported as swamp lands, and ceded to the various states, 7,470,746; ceded for railroads and other internal improvements, 11,558; making a total dis- posed of, of 24,557,409 acres. Within the year, 15,315,283 acres have been surveyed. The amount sold for cash was 9,777,284 acres more than the pre- ceding year- Coinage op various Countries. — The total coinage of Great Britain, France, the United States, Russia, Austria, Prussia, Holland andJ3elgium, for the seven years from 1848 to 1854, inclusive, amounted to $1,097,584,330. -=^0^ 308 DECEMBER. 1857. MOO.X'S PHASES. Full Moon, Last Quarter, New Moon, First Quarter, Full Moon, 1 8 16 24 30 Boston. H 6 1 6 1 4 M 13m 54 m 17m 52 m 49 e N. York. H 6 1 6 1 4 M 1 m 42 m 5m 40 m 37 e Baltimore. Pittsburgh Cincinnati. M 51 m 32 m 55 m 30 m 27 e M 37 m 18 m 41 m 16 m 13 e M • 19 m Om 23 m 68 m 3 55 e • • CALENDAR CALENDAR CALENDAR Shadow For Boston, N. England. For N. York City. Phila.. For Wa.shington, 125 o a at the New-York State, Mi- Conn't. New Jersey. Maryl'd Virg'a Ken'y, Miss'ri, S Is noon chigan, Wiscon., Iowa. Penn'ia, Ohio, Indiana. o O mark. and Oregon. and Tlhnois. and California SUN SUN MOON H.W SUN SUN MOON H.W. SUN SUN MOON ft P Morning. rises H sr sets rises. Bost. rises H M sets rises . N. Y. rises sets rises. H M S H M H M H M H M H M H M H M H M H M 1 r 11 49 24 7 10 4 29 rises 10 31 7 5 4 34 rises 8 11 6 59 4 40 rises 2 w 11 49 37 7 11 4 29 5 25 11 19 7 6 4 34 6 32 8 59 7 0 4 39 5 40 3 T 11 50 11 7 12 4 28 6 40 ev. 9 7 7 4 34 6 46 9 49 7 14 39 6 53 4 F 11 50 35 7 13 4 28 7 57 0 57 7 8 4 33 8 2 10 37 7 2 4 39 8 8 5 S 11 51 0 7 14 4 28 9 14 1 50 7 9 4 33 9 18 11 30 7 3 4 38 9 22 6 s 11 51 25 7 15 4 28 10 27 2 40 7 10 4 33 10 29 ev.20 7 44 38 10 32 7 M 11 51 51 7 16 4 28 11 35 3 31 7 11 4 33 11 57 1 11 7 5 4 38 11 38 8 T 11 52 18 7 17 4 28 morn 4 26 7 12 4 33 mom 2 6 7 64 38 morn 9 w 11 52 45 7 18 4 28 0 40 5 24 7 13 4 33 0 40 3 4 7 7 4 38 0 40 10 T U 53 12 7 19 4 28 1 43 6 32 7 14 4 33 1 41 4 12 7 84 38 1 40 11 F 11 53 40 7 20 4 28 2 45 7 34 7 15 4 33 2 42 5 14 7 9 4 38 2 40 12 S 11 54 8 7 21 4 28 3 49 8 34 7 15 4 33 3 45 6 14 7 10 4 39 3 41 13 s 11 54 37 7 22 4 28 4 52 9 31 7 16 4 33 4 47 7 11 7 10 4 39 4 42 14 M U 55 6 7 22 4 28 5 45 10 13 7 17 4 34 5 40 7 53 7 11 4 39 6 35 15 T 11 55 35 7 23 4 28 6 58 10 55 7 17 4 34 6 51 8 35 7 11 4 39 6 44 16 W 11 56 8 7 24 4 28 sets 11 31 7 18 4 34 sets 9 11 7 124 39 sets 17 T 11 56 34 7 24 4 29 5 29 morn 7 18 4 34 5 26 9 49 7 12 4 40 6 33 18 F 11 67 4 7 25 4 29 6 23 0 9 7 19 4 35 6 29 10 25 7 13,4 40 6 35 19 s U 67 34 7 25 4 29 7 29 0 45 7 19 4 36 7 34 10 59 7 13 4 40 7 39 20 s 11 58 4 7 26 4 30 8 37 1 19 7 20 4 36 8 41 11 35 7 14 4 41 8 45 21 M 11 68 34 7 26 4 30 9 44 1 55 7 20 4 36 9 46 morn 7 14 4 41 9 49 22 T 11 59 4 7 27 4 31 10 62 2 33 7 21 4 37 10 63 0 13 7 15 4 42 10 54 23 W 11 59 34 7 27 4 31 morn 3 14 7 21 4 37 morn 0 64 7 15 4 42 morn 24 T aftern'n 7 28 4 32 0 2 4 0 7 22 4 38 0 2 1 40 7 16:4 43 0 1 25 F 12 0 34 7 28 4 32 I 13 4 49 7 22 4 38 1 11 2 29 7 16 4 43 1 10 26 S 12 1 3 7 29 4 33 2 27 6 47 7 23 4 39 2 24 3 27 7 17 4 44 2 21 27 s 12 1 33 7 29 4 34 3 47 6 53 7 23 4 39 3 42 4 33 7 17i4 45 3 37 28 M 12 2 2 7 29 4 34 6 7 8 4 7 24 4 40 5 1 5 44 7 18 4 45 4 65 29 T 12 2 31 7 29 4 35 6 27 9 11 7 24 4 40 6 20 6 51 7 1814 46 6 13 30 W 12 3 0 7 30 4 36 rises 10 12 7 25 4 41 rises 7 62 7 19 4 47 rises 31 T 12 3 29 7 30 4 371 6 29 11 7 7 25 4 42 5 35 8 47 7 19 4 48 5 41 The Milky- way. — The number of telescopic stars in the milky -way is estimated at eighteen millions. In order, I will not say to realize the greatness of this number, but, at any rate, to compare it with something analogous, I will call attention to the fact, that there are not in the whole heavens more than about eight thousand stars visible to the naked eye. — Humboldt. How TO BE Poor. — Do nothing. Just let estate, soul, and body all alone, and your poverty will come as an armed man. THE ILLUSTRATED ANNUAL REGISTER OP RURAL AFFAIRS LAYING OUT AND DIVIDING FARMS. NE of the most important parts of farm manage- ment, consists in the convenient and economical subdivision of farms into fields. It is the very foundation of systematic culture. A good rota- tion, and a profitable application of labor, cannot exist in badly arranged and inaccessible lots. The following may be given as some of the most pro- minent points to be observed in planning subdi- visions : 1. Fields to be of nearly equal size, so as to admit a rotation of crops. 2. A suitable number of fields, to allow the various crops to occupy each its own field. 3. The form to be nearly square, to save fencing material, unless the land varies in character. 4. "Where the land varies much, a variation in boundaries so as to bring the same kind of soil into the same field, more especially if swamp and . upland. Ik 5. Placing the lane or farm road, so as to enter all the fields by as ^ short a way as practicable. ©• ,\;^- ILLUSTRATED ANNUAL REGISTER 6. On a hilly or uneven surface, varying the farm road so as to keep it as nearly level as may be. 7. Placing the barn and other out-buildings as near the center of the farm as other circum- stances will admit. As a guide in the sub- division of a new farm, or in re -arranging an old one, we give a single ex- ample of a plan furnish- ed a Avestern corx'espond- ent at his request. The farm, before laying out, is shown in fig. 2, the land being all cleared, ( the woodland a mile distant,) and all a sandy or clayey loam, except those portions marked as muck and marsh. The dotted line is a ditch, B is the garden, and C the Fig. 2— Farm as it now is. house, and it is intended to build a barn north of the house, in order to secure a side-hill locality. The south side of the house would be a' more central place for the barn, but the ground is unsuitable. The whole farm is rolling land, but has a general and gradual descent from the south-west to the north-east — and no part is too steep to plow. The whole contains about 120 acres. In fig. 8, we have given the plan which we propose for this farm. A more ac- curate knowledge of the sur- face might enable us to im- prove this plan, as we may possibly have run the lane which leads to the several fields over hills, which might be avoided by slight flex- ures, or by altering its posi- tion. There are ten fields be- sides the orchard, contain- ing about eleven acres each. Fig. 3— Farm with proposed subdivisions. If this is more than can be fenced at once, Nos. 1 and 2, may be thrown into one field, and the __ c^p{ ^^,~^^ @c=^=- ■ ^ =^=^ OP RURAL AFFAIRS. same may be done with 5 and 6, and with 7 and 8, leaving only seven fields. No. 10, being intersected by the marsh, ( which now affords heavy crops of wild hay,) and in front of the house, we have concluded to throw several acres into pasture, to plant a few trees to give it some- thing of a park appearance, and to give a curve to the entrance road, to avoid the stiffness of straight lines. If thought best, less breadth may be given to this field, leaving it still wide enough to embrace the curved entrance. The grass is to be kept short by pasturing animals. The soil west of the house being more sandy, we propose to occupy as an orchard. No. 7 may also be used for this purpose, if desired. The barn is easily accessible, and fronting the east, the yard is pro- tected from west winds. Fields number 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7, if we understand the description of the land, will be dry land, and capable of entering any proposed rota- tion. No. 8 is largely marsh, and No. 9 low black muck. The former may therefore be mostly kept as meadow or pasture, and the latter for corn and turnips, or pasture and meadow. These low portions will need a large portion of timothy for seeding. Fields Nos. 7 and 8, are entered from the barn-yard ; 9, from the pub- lic road, or from the lane back of the orchard, or both j and No. 6, from the road. All the others are accessible from the lane. The following rotations may be adopted, or varied from according to circumstances : Three-course system — 1st year, corn, potatoes, carrots, ruta bagas, with all the manure — 2d, wheat — 3d, clover, one or more years. Four-course system — 1st corn and roots — 2d, barley and peas — 3d, wheat — 4th, clover, one or more years. The several arable fields will admit four years of grass in this course. If more wheat is desired in this course, a crop of wheat may commence the rotation, and precede the corn. The engraving at the head of this article, represents a birds-eye view of a neat and well laid out farm, the dwelling being in front, and at the center, the garden and fruit garden, surrounded by an Osage orange hedge, being on the j j right, the orchard on : i the left, and the barn ~-i-J. y . — ^ and other out-buildings j 1 I in the form of a hollow j I ! square, at the back of I I j the house. The fields, '' — MlMilUui >' with plowman, sheep • W^^m ^ ^^^ cattle, are in the \ W, M • distance. A plan of '" "---- ""Isa: \ \^( ^'?S2S?'^S^ this place is shown in OOfc}^^g^g>^; . Qg^r^llgg ffiVf^ i The accompanymg ^'Q^'Se'O'Q.&B'-^ &^// ii-a-ov^voo-ci engravings are a plan •3=?^(5>@ o a o a o o .. O D i> 0 "> .,. ft e 0 1 1 R 0 0 I ! o o £ > c D ' O > 0 o !7 c r. > 0 J o B Sot' I I in D AO 1 I t»0 « ° RODS. nao 0 00*00 0 « t> Q O ^ o 0 ■» 6 e o o c ,„ 0 0 0°" e 9 e o o o OP RURAL AFFAIRS. 314 ILLUSTRATED ANNUAL REGISTER serves to explain the buildings represented in the plan. The whole is given as an example of a well laid out establishment, and to show the good management of the owner. He purchased an old worn out farm of 185 acres, that had been so long subjected to the skinning system, that one hundred dollars was thought too high a rent for it — it having been let to tenants for fifty years, and for many years previously occupied by a tenant at will. The buildings and fences had nearly all rotted down. After paying all the purchase money on the farm that could be raised, more was left to pay annually as interest than had before been paid as rent. This was certain- ly a dull prospect for a beginning. By skillful management, the owner was enabled so greatly to improve its quality, that in five years from taking possession, the receipts of the farm in one year, amounted to $4,852; the expenditures, including fam- ily expenses, were $2,174; leaving $2,678 as net profits. The land was light — a sandy loam — and was at first so poor, that the two first years little else could be raised than white beans. The chief means of renovation were deep plowing, turning in crops of clover as manure, the application of plaster and lime, and of large quantities of purchased yard manure, and the adoption of a rotation of crops as soon as practicable. At the expiration of the five years, a substantial dwel- ling house, farm buildings, and fences, had been built, and all the inter- est and a part of the principal had been paid, besides the fifth year's profits. The reader is referred to Transactions of the N. T. State Agricultural Society, for 1850, for a full statement of the means adopted in the reno- vation of this farm, and of all the items of profit and expense. FARM HOUSES. THE ART OF PLANNING THEM. The art of planning Farm Houses, like that of subdividing farms, should be reduced to a regular system. It is most commonly a mere chance process — a sort of hap-hazard arrangement of rooms, doors and entries, without the observance of any general rules. "When a farmer is about to erect a house, he should in the first place make two leading inquiries. 1, "What are the accommodations I want? 2, "What is the amount of means for providing them? In order to assist in answering these questions properly, it may be well to classify houses, from the most simple and cheap, to the most expensive and complex. But it is necessarj' in the first place, to examine which of the apartments of a dwelling are most indispensible, and which are of various degrees of secondary importance. Every house must have a kitchen or place for cooking food, a living room for day occupancy, and a lodging room for night — and a pantry and store-room. In the simplest log-hut or board shanty, one room is made to serve all these purposes, the pantry being merely a cupboard, or tier of shelves against the wall. One step above this, is the separation of kitchen and living room, from the bed-room j and still better, is the ap- n OF RURAL AFFAIRS. propriation of three distinct rooms for these purposes. As we continue to ascend in the scale, we find at last, that the largest and most complete houses, have most of the following apartments, although all may not he found in any single house : 1. Kitchen, with appended n'on closet, store-room, dairy, wood-room and laundry. 2. Bed-rooms, including nursery, and other sleeping apartments. 3. Dining-room. 4. Library, or office. 6. Bath-room. 6. Breakfast-room, parlor, sitting-room, or living-room. 7. Drawing-room and conservatory. 8. Entrance hall and veranda. 9. Cellar. Now, going back to the two leading inquiries already mentioned, let every one about to build, ask himself: How many of these different rooms will be indispensible for mo; and 2, what can I expend in procu- ring them? We suppose that no man, even with quite moderate means, will be satisfied without, 1. Kitchen and small pantry; 2. Parlor; 3. iSursery or bed-room on the ground floor; 4. Small entry; 5. Bed-rooms with closets above stairs; 6. Cellar. The cost of a house containing all these, will of course depend much upon the nature of the materials, their cost, the size of the rooms, and the cheapness of the finish; but with a plain frame or wooden house, they could be had from six to twelve hundred dollars. A larger and more complete farm-house, costing two thousand or more, would contain, 1. Kitchen, pantry, store-room, and iron closet; 2. Dining-room, and china closet; 3. Parlor or drawing-room; 4. Nursery or bed-room below stairs, with ample closets; and with bath-room attached ; 5. Bed-rooms above stairs, with closets to all; 6. Office or library — which may be sim])ly a small business room, for* keeping account books, settling with workmen, making bargains, See; or a more complete library, with book-cases and newspaper closets, and even cases for minerals, dried plants, shells, stuffed birds, &c., accord- ing to circumstances. 7. Verandas ; 8. Cellar. After the greater or less number of these rooms has been fixed upon, according to wants and circumstances, the next step is to arrange them in the most convenient and economical manner. This is a difficult task to a person of inexperience, but it may be greatly a.'^sisted by observing the following rules, and by an examination of published plans, such for instance as we are about to give in the present number of the Register, or which have been furnished in the former numbers. 1. Let the kitchen (the most important apartment) always be on a ^^ 1 ©c:^=- ! ;/ 316 ILLUSTRATED ANNUAL REGISTER level with the principal floor — and for strong light and free ventilation, it should liave. if possible, windows on opposite or nearly ojjposite sides. 2. file pantry or dish-closet should be between the kitchen and dining- room, and easily accessible from both. 3. There should be a set of easy stairs from the kitchen to the cellar, and also an outer set into the cellar for admitting barrels, Sec. 4. More attention should be given to the arrangement and convenient disposition of such rooms as are in constant use, tiian those but occasion- all}' occupied. Hence the kitchen and living room should receive more attention on the ground of convenience, than the parlor. 6. Every entrance, except to the kitchen, should be through some entry or hall, to prevent the abrupt ingress of cold air, and for proper seclusion. 6. Let the entry or hall be near the center o the house, so that ready and convenient access may be had from it to the different rooms; and to prevent the too common evil of passing through one room to enter an- other. 7. Place the stairs so that the landing shall be as near the center as may be practicable, for the reason given for the preceding rule, 8. Let the partitions of the second floor stand over those of the lower, as nearly as may be, to secure firmness and solidity. ONE STORY FARM HOUSE. A correspondent has sent us a plan of a farm cottage, with the re- quest that we would suggest improvements, and which is here given to our readers in order to show how such improvements may be made. His chief object is internal convenience, with cheapness — outside appearance is a secondary consideration. Fig. 1 is a reduced plan of the sketch sent us, S, being tlie sitting-room or parlor; D, dining-room; K, kitchen; F, B, family bed- room; B, B, B, bed-rooms; P, pantry; W , woodhouse; p, porch; b, hath-room; c, c, c, closets. Our correspondent adds, " a useless hall is dispensed with, the doors opening out- w^ard, are protected by porch and veranda, the kitchen and dining-room are not separated by a long entry. If built one story high, it will not cost over $1,000." The defects of this plan, are, — 1, the kitch- en is not sufficiently lighted, — clean work re- quires a strong light; 2, the dishes must he carried through the whole length of the kitch- en to the dining-room three times a day; 3, the bath is too far from the warm water of the kitchen ; 4, the triangular closet in the nursery will not fit a square carpet ; there are no stairs to descend to the cellar; 5, the house being 82 feet wide, the chamber would be at least 8 feet Fig high in the middle, and no stairs or other provision is made for using this -i:^- '^=^ ®c:^=- OP RURAL AFFAIRS. 317 i large space. Bed-rooms opening directly into the parlor will not oe so retired as opening into a hall, "but will be more easily warmed from the parlor fire. The outer doors opening under the veranda and porch, are more exposed to the weather, than if a hall or entry intervene, but room and cost are saved — double doors, one opening inward and the other outward, will be an improvement. Every farmer must have boys or hired men — no provision is made for lodging them. In fig. 2, we propose alterations, avoiding most of these difficulties. One of the bed- rooms opening into the parlor, has also a door to the nursery or family bed-room, so as to be used as a children's bed -room, the parlor door being kept locked; or vice versa. The bath is placed near the kitchen, and between them is a slide, in an opening two feet square, through which hot water is handed. The dish-closet (marked -'D. cl.") is accessible to both kitcheft and dining-room. The kitchen wing being 2 ft. longer, the wood-room opens directly to the kitcl'.en. The stairs ascend to the chamber, which contains two useful bed-rooms, and three large closets, fig. 3. If the eaves are raised two or three feet higher than the second floor, four chamber rooms might be made for a larger fam- ily. An opening maj'^ be made from the head of the stairs to the kitchen garret. Beneath the stairs, is the descent from the kitchen to the cellar. As suggested, we furnish at the head of this page, a view of the house as seen outside, con- j\ structed iu the simplest and cheapest manner, far as neatness will admit. A few additional ■on- \ ILLUSTRATED ANNUAL REGISTER dollars would give it the simple Gothic finish shown in the lower figure on page 195 of our Illustrated Annual Register for 1856; and a larger sum would give the more perfect Gothic expression shown on page 31, of the Register for 1855. A PLAIN FARM HOUSE. This design is intended for a farm-house, where the entire outlay is devoted to convenience and comfort, and not a dollar to mere ornament. It has a special regard to furnishing the greatest amount of room at the least practicable cost for a substantial erection, the whole being afforded for fifteen to seventeen hundred dollars. It will be observed the rooms are compactly disposed, so that those required in connection, are very easily accessible to each other, and no space is lost. The dining room is long and narrow, the most economical form for such an apartment ; the kitch- en projects in part from the main build- ing, so as to secure a current of air through the opposite doors. The pan- try being placed between them, is readily accessible to both, and also i affords a passage froni one to the oth- er. As personal cleanliness is indispen- sable to a fjirmer, a bath is placed between the bed-room (which nuiy be used as unursery ,) and the kitchen, — ■ for fresh or warm water on one hand, and for dressing oti the other. Those who do not need a sej)arate bath-room, may convert this to a bed-room, or to / OF RURAL AFFAIRS. 319 a milk-room, as circumstances may require. The cellar is reached by a descent placed under the kitchen stairs. The arrangement of the second story is an exact copy of the lower, aflfording four bed-rooms opening into the upper hall; and two more for hired persons, over the pantry and kitchen, and entered by the kitchen stairs. Closets for the rooms may be taken ofi'from them, on the outer sides, where the roof is lowest. It will be observed that this house, although but little more than a story and a half, and twenty-eight by forty feet outside, furnishes no less than twelve rooms besides the hall, closets and cellar — a large amount for the cost, and therefore well adapted to the farmer who wishes the greatest amount of accommodation for a given expenditure. Those to whom the exterior appears too plain and destitute of ornament, will sup- ply the deficiency by handsomely planted and neatly kept grounds, a mode, beyond all comparison, the cheapest and most satisfactory, for ornamenting country dwellings. i,>^5 SQUARE FARM HOUSE. The most economical form for enclosing a given amount of room with- in the smallest practicable extent of outer wall, is that of a square. An octagon, it is true, exceeds the square in the area enclosed, but the im- possibility of adapting it to the ordinary forms of rooms, renders it awkward, troublesome, and in fact extremely wasteful in expenditure. The design here given is that of a house thirty feet square outside, fur- A nishing four convenient rooms below, and the same number above stairs t 320 ILLrSTRATED ANNUAL REGISTER WOOCHCUSE The bed-room, opening into the kitchen, is occnpied by the heads of the family, and enables the mistress to give a ready siiperintendence of her work. As the kitchen opens directly into the entrance hall and to "^ the stairs, f but one flight is required to the second story. Un- der the.se stairs is the descent to the cellar. The dining- room is tiie ordinary fa- mily or liv- 5R0UNI, PLAN. ing room . CHAMBERS. The four bed-rooms above stairs are all of ample size, and each is lurnished with a separate closet. A passage leads directly from the head of the stairs through the glazed door to the balcony, which atfords a pleasant retreat for summer evenings. This house may be built for thirteen to fifteen hundred dollars, if exe- cuted in a plain and substantial manner of wood. BRACKETED SYMMETRICAL FARM HOUSE. This design (see next page) which represents a house in a nearly square form, gives ten rooms within story and a half walls, the whole measuring only thirty by thirty-five feet inside. The rooms are ])roba- bly as compactly arranged as can be i)f)ssibly effected, not a single inch of the enclosed space being lost. The entry, 5 by 7 feet, conducts to the parlor on one side and to the dining-room on the other, the latter being also intended as the family or living-room. The stairs being flanked with plastered walls, are made at one-fourth the expense required where open on one side with railing or balustrade. The e7itrance to the cellar from the kitchen is under these stairs. The mi>tre.ss of such a house as this^ (whicli is intended for a ftirm of moderate size.) will super- intend her own kitchen, and therefore lier lodging room will need to be near at hand, being the bed-room which oj)ens into tlie kitchen through the small entry at the head of the cellar stairs. The room adjoining this is a " spare room" for a visitor, opening into the parlor. The five rooms above may be all reached iVom the single flight of stairs; or if desired, one or two rooms for hired persons may be entered from a small narrow flight placed adjoining the pantry. Ample closet room is obtained np stairs by occupying for this purpose A the lower i)ortions of the chamber, nearest the eaves, thus leaving for the Ij^ bed-rooms the higher or more central portions. ^\ ®c^= OF RURAL AFFAIRS. 321 ■^ "w^r^^cf^^?^ The chimneys are so placed that every room below stairs, and all but one above, may be warmed by an open fire-place, or by stoves; and the stacks may be carried up almost perpendicularly from bottom to top, which is better.for safety, cheapness and durability. PRIXCU'Al- FLOOR. SECOND STORY. The dairy is in the cellar, and a woodhouse may adjoin the rear, or be built detached at a convenient distance. In the latter case, a double row of evergreen trees, with an avenue or path between, will be found convenient and pleasant in winter. The exterior conveys an expression of cheerfulness and neatness; and has so small an amount of ornamental appendages, that the cost is scarcely increased by them. The window under the small front gable, inserted fur lighting the upper hall and stairs, imparts a certain sheltered aspect, which is carried out by the addition of the window hoods over the lower windows. This house, built in a plain and cheap manner, and including painting and window blinds, would not cost more than fifteen hundred dollars; substantially built and with a little more finisli, it would approach nearer two thousand. *14 ^D@ 322 ILLUSTRATED ANNUAL REGISTER VILLAGE OR SUBURBAN HOUSE. A residence with the Italian characteristics, but more symmetrical and regular in form than is adapted to the broad landscape of the country, is shown in this design for a suburban or village residence? The interior is readily understood from the plan. The stairs being placed between the pantry and dining-room, give the hall an airy and open appearance. The parlor opens on the veranda through double doors. The bath-room is readily accessible from the nursery ; and also from the kitchen through the pantry, for the supply of heated water j and slops are carried from it through the back door. The office — a room which every country and city resident should have, M'ho wishes to avoid doing business and settling accounts in the parlor, or among the kitchen dishes — may be enter- ed from the kitchen or dining- room, and an outer door may be added if desired. The kitchen is spacious to avoid the necessity of a separate laundry, and the back door being on an opposite side from the windows, summer venti- lation is easily given. A door may be placed on each side. The interior entrance to the cellar, from the kitchen, is under the stairs from the hall. If desired, the pantry may open directly to the dining-room, across the platform at the head of the stairs. The second floor, being quite similar to the first .story, a separate plan is not given. Access to the upper hall is obtained by means of a passage the stairs, and separated from them by a railing. This hall along side ^c:^=— y.^^ 0 OF RURAL AFFAIRS. 323 0 opens by means of a glazed door to the balcony. The cost of this dwel- ling, built in a plain, substantial manner, of wood filled in with brick, would be about three thousand dollars, varying however with prices of materials in different localities. FARM MANAGliMENT AND CAPITAL. The great leading error of most of the young farmers of our conntry is in not " counting the cost." The first thing they do is to expend not only all their capital in baying as large a farm as possible, but most usually they run largely into debt. Their desire for large possessions leaves them nothing to stock and improve the farm, and hence for many years, while loaded with a discouraging debt, their farms remain poorly provided wiih animals, with good implements and with a good supply of manure. They are therefore compelled to perform all their operations to a great disadvantage; their small croj)s afford no net profits, and they become discouraged and lose the energy and enterprise essential to success. These causes ure the most fruitful source of poor and slip-shod farming in America. It is not very difficult, in traversing the country, to point out among the various occupants of the land, from the appear- ance of the premises, such as are burthened with heavy debt, from those who have a good supply of spare capital. It has been remarked that in England, where taxes are levied on everything that a man wears and everything that he eats, and where the cultivator must farm well or not at all, the amount of capital to begin with, must be about as great in renting a farm, as in buying one in the best farming districts of our own country. The result is, everything is done in the befet manner; and if farmers are compdied to farm well there or else become bankrupt and starve, why may we not adopt from choice the same advantageous course in this country, — to lay up handsome pro- fits against a rainy day, — and be enabled to enjoy the rare gratification of feeling able to give liberally to charitable or useful objects, without deranging one's financial concerns? One great reason why young (and often old) farmers are so poorly supplied with surplus capital after buying land, is, that they have never estimated how much tl)ey will want. An estimate of this sort would prevent many heavy purchases of farms and the entire consump- tion of means, — it would induce smaller outlays in land, and larger expenditures in the means for making heavy net profits. We therefore purpose, by way of affording some assistance on this subject, to point out what a moderate farmer actually and indispensably requires besides a farm and good buildings. The average of farms in this country, will not perhaps exceed one hundred improved acres. The following will be required for commen- cing operations to advantage. Live Stock. — This will vary much with the character and quality of the land, its connection with market, &c., but the ft>llowing is a fair average, for fertile land, and the prices an average for different years, although lower than they have recently been : 324 ILLUSTRATED ANNUAL REGISTEU 3 horse?, at SIOO $300 1 yoke of oxen JOU 8 inieli cows, $25 5;00 JO ¥leers, heifers and calves 100 20 pigs, S5 100 lOOslieep, m 200 Poultry, iScc, 10 $1010 Implements. — To farm economically, these must be of the best sort, especially those tliat are daily used. A j)lo\v, for instance, that saves onl}'' one'eighth of a team's strength, will save an hour a day, or more than twelve days (v^^orth $24,) in a hundred — an amount; annually, that would be well worth paying freely for in the best plow. A simple hand- hoe, — so well made that it shall enable the laborer to do one hour's more work daily, will save twelve days in a hundred, — enough to pay for many of the best made implements of tliw kind. These examples are sufficient to show the importance of securing the best. 2 plows fitted for work, and 1 sii>all do ^25 00 1 cultivator 7 00 1 liarrow 10 00 1 roller 10 00 t seed planter 15 00 1 fanning mill, Isiiaw culler 40 00 1 root sheer 2t< 00 1 farm wagon. 1 ox-cart, one-horse cart, with hay rack*, &c 180 00 Harness for three horses 60 00 1 shovel, 1 spade, 2 manure-forks. 3 hay-foiks, 1 poinied shovel. 1 grain-shovel, 1 pick, 1 hainmer, I wood saw, 1 timiip-hook, 2 lad- ders, 2 sheep-shears, 2 steelyards (large and small,) 1 half- bushel measure, each $1, 20 00 1 horse-rake 8 (K) 2 grain-cradles, 2 scythes 12 00 1 wheel-bairow 5 00 1 maul and wedges, 2 axes 0 50 1 hay-knife, 1 ox-chain 6 liO 1 tape line, for measuring fields and cro]>s 2 00 1 grindstone 3 00 1 crowbar 2 00 1 sled and fixtures 30 00 Hand-hoes, hand-rakes, baskets, stable lantern, currycomb and brush, grain-bags, &c., say 15 00 $474.60 The addition of a subsoil plow, sowing machine, mower and reaper, thrashing machine, horse-power for sawing wood, cutting straw, &,c., would more than double the amount, but young farmers may hire most of these during the earlier periods of their practice. A set of the sim- pler carpenter's tools, for repairing implements in rainy weather, would soon repay their cost. Besides the preceding, the seeds for the various farm crops, would cost not less than $75; hired labor for one year, to do the work well, would probably be as much as $350; and food for maintaining all the domestic animals from the opening of spring until grass, and grain for liorses till harvest, would not be less in value than $100; $525 in all. For domestic animals $1010 00 " implements 474 50 " seeds, food and labor 525 00 %'2U0y 50 OF RURAL AFFAIRS. That is, tivo ihovsand dollars are needed the first year, for stocking and conducting satisfactorily the operations of a good hundred acres of improved land ,- several items will doubtless be supplied or added to the list by the recollection of every farmer. This sum will no doubt seem frightfully large to some who have never made a similar estimate; we would therelbre request such to sit down and see how much they can reduce the amount, for vigorons and ener- getic farming. They will probably be surprised to find how few of the items they can spare without inconvenience or loss; and the question will arise, how can we command so large an amount? AVe answer, Buy smaller farms — expend less in land, and more in means to till it icell. Much as we dislike running into debt, it is better to borrow money for the latter, than the far more common practice of borrowing to ])ay for land. For, by running in debt for land, followed by bad tillage, the young farmer will be long in extricating himself from a depressing load; while on the contrary, movable capital will enable him to pertbrm every thing at the right moment of time, and in the very best manner. He will not be '' too poor to be economical," but will often save much by a little timely outlay. A single example will show the economy of a prompt nse of means. Two farmers had each sown a crop of ruta bagas. The first, who was always enabled to take time by tlie fore-lock, hoed the young weeds when only an inch high, with very little labor, and the young plants grew vigorously. The other, being crowded in his work from deficient calculation, and consequently deficient help, was compelled to defer his hoeing ten days, when the weeds had grown six inches high, and had lialf smothered the crop. The labor was more than triple the tormer, and the crop greatly inferior. "We could mnlti[)ly instances of all kinds bearing in the same direction, and showing that the farmer who in his eagerness to possess many acres, weakens his means for present action, not only adopts the worst kind of economy, but compels himself to con- tinue in this losing system for years to come. Agricultural Experiments. — A great many valnable hints and sug- gestions for practice may be learned from agricultural papers. It is not uncommon to hear farmers remark that they have derived more pecuni- ary advantage from a single article, than the price of the y)aper tor many years. But to prevent disappointment, farmers must always use their judgment; circumstances vary so greatly, that what is highly beneficial in one case, may be ruinous in another. Great mischief is done by loose- ness, carelessness, or partiality in reporting experiments; a single trial of a crop, sown by guess-work, cultivated at random, and measured by a hasty glance of the eye, is often considered decisive by the inaccurate farmer. He sees a little, presumes a great deal, and jumps to a conclu- sion, when perhaps if he had taken the twenty other operating causes into the account, there would have been no conclusion at all. Opinions are sometimes formed and facts afterwards sought to support them ; the report of such facts is not worth the ink that records them. It is no wonder that some are disheartened by these, from all trials ^,^ ^:~^ Q'> 'IQ ILLUSTRATED ANNUAL REGISTER In the previous chapter, the importance of good farm implements lias been pohited out, and a simple list of those in most common use, furnish- ed the reader. A more particular notice, with ligurcs, of those which modern improvement has pointed out as among the best, will doubtless be acceptable to young farmers. P J^ o w s . Nothing shows the improvement of modern agriculture more conspi- cuously, than the difFerence between the old and new plows. The " old plow" is still used in many countries, where farmers do not enjoy the benefit of agricultural periodicals. Fig. 1, represents the plow at pre- sent used in Mo- rocco. It would hardly receive the premium of the State Agricultural Society, and ha.s probably never been patented. It may however be made very cheap- In the less civilized regions of Fig. 1. — Moorish Plow ly, the point only being shod with iron. Morocco, the plow consists only of a crooked limb of a tree, with a pro jecting branch sharpened to a point for scratching up the ground. The Moors do not take the Agricultural papers. One of the best plows used in Baden, in Germany, is exhibited by Fig. 2. It is quite similar to the best plows of ancient Greece and Rome, (except some of them had a wheel under the beam,) and is not unlike the "bull plow" used fifty years ago in this country. Thro' the genius and untiring labors of Jethro Wood Fig. 2.— Baden Plow. and of those who have succeeded him, tl)e cast-i)low has been introduced on every farm in the Union, and lias been the means of effecting a pecuniary gain, in the aggregate, first and last, of several hundred million dollars. A few engravings, representing some of the best modern plows, will prove interesting to such of our young readers as are looking for tlie best forms of this indispensable implement. Fig. 3 exhibits Prouty & ©c:^=- OF RURAL AFFAIRS. 327 Fig. 3— Frouty & Mears' Center Dhatt, for Sandy Soils. ^;m^><^^- Fio. 4— Frouty — Seymour's Grain Drill. farmers in mOSt of the finest grain -growing districts of the country. MOWING MACHINES. It is one object of the Register, to give the latest and most reliable in- formation on improved labor-saving machines. Nothing has tended more to relieve the farmer of a heavy burden at a time when labor is scarce and only secured at high prices, than mowing and reaping machines. Many large land-owners would now find it nearly impossible to secure /' their hay and harvests, if they were compelled to return to hand labor — Jj to mowing, reaping and cradling. ^ I 336 ILLUSTRATED ANNUAL REGISTER Wood's Improved Mowing Machine In the Register for 1856, a figure and description were given of Allen's Mower, the value of which had been tested by observation and trial of the writer. This year, a similar trial has been made of "Wood's Im- provement" on Manny's Mower, and the result has been in the highest degree favorable. About twelve acres of grass were cut, on land belonging to the wri- ter, which had been re- cently occupied, and was in a bad condition for the successful Avorking of any mower. A part of the former crop had been suffered to decay upon the ground ; and the knives had to shear their way through a mixture of dead and living- " June grass," mice nests and clover, the whole of several acres more or less lodged, and much of it badly so. With all those difficulties, the mower was clogged but few times. On another and smoother meadow, mostlj'- erect timothy grass, it was not clogged during several hours' cutting. The whole was m.owed much better than by hand. The horses moved slowly, and averaged an acre per hour — which would be the amount, if four feet were cut at each pas.sing, and the speed were two miles per hour. In common, every-day work, it should not exceed this. The total expense paid for the mowing was seventy-five cents per acre; ra- king with a revolver, less than tv/enty^five cents; product about two tons per acre; cost of making hay, from standing grass, to wmvoy,s, fifty cents per ton. Ketchum's Mowing Machine, originally the best, but now eqnalled by several competitors, has with others been much im- proved of late years, and is worthy of high recommend- ation. Those who purchase mowing and reaping ma- chines, should remember that such should be select- ed as not only evince the best contrivance or inven- tion, but which are also Fig. 2-Ketchum's Mowikg Machine. manufactured in the best manner and of the best materials. We have known .some celebrated machines of different patents, to fail because they were not well made. An important advantage of mowing machines, is that they leave tiie hay already spread for drying, and obviate the use of the hay-spreading ma- chine. The mowing machine, if owned by the farmer who uses it, will enable him to cut his hay at less than one-third the cost required for hand raow- ing; and if all the iMrms in the Utiion were supplied, ihey would save annually over $'J,000,000, in cutting the sixteen million tons grown in the Slates.' OF RURAL AFFAIRS. THE REVOLVING HAY-RAKE. We like the old revolver the best of the several hay-rakes for all pur- poses combined. The spring-tooth rake is excellent for grain stubble, but too weak for heavy meadow. Each of the other sorts have some objections. The revolver supplies all purposes best, so far as the wri- observaiion well made (costing a- 7 or 8 dol- lars) will sweep a space averaging ten feet wide; and as the horse only stops at the ends of the field, a gait of two and a half miles an hour will rake over two acres an hour, allowing one-fourth of the time for turning at the ends, stopping for ob.structions, &c. This has been often and easily accomplished. "VV^here meadows yield one and a half to two tons per acre, the cost of raking together into winrows, need not be ten cents per ton. Revolving Horse-Rake. GRAIN BINDER'S WHEEL-RAKE. This is a labor-saving implement, used extensively in several States, is light, weighing about fifteen pounds. The binder takes the handles and pushes it before him, with the points of the teeth or fingers close upon the ground, and when he has gathered a sufficiert quantity for binding into a sheaf, he i)laces his foot upon the foot- piece, (a) and by a slight pressure and letting go the handles, the fingers and grain are raised above the stub- ble, when it is readi- ly bound, the binder being required to stoop much less than in the old way of reaching to the ground. "When the sheaf is bound and thrown foot is aside, the z=— ^>^1 removed from the foot -piece, the teeth drop down, and the handles ri.se ready for the next operation. ■i-^ ILLUSTRATED ANNUAL REGISTER HORSE PITCH-FORK This simple and eflficient implement is now extensively used in many of the States. It was described in the Cultivator in 1848, from which a late correspondent (P. P. Peckham, Bi-adford Co., Pa.) made the first used in that region; he says there are now at least 200 in use, and some say they would not part with theirs for $100 if no other could be had. The following is the account formerly published in the Cultivator. A. is the head, 28 inches long, and 2^ inches square, of white oak, or some other strong wood. ^ -^ B, is the handle, h\ feet long, mortised into the head, with an iron clasp of band or hoop iron to fit tight over the head, A^v^ / \ and to extend six inch- es up the handle, secur- ed by two good rivets through the handle, to strength — increase its Horse Pitch-fork. c, c, c, c, the prongs of the fork, made of good steel, and of the right temper, \ an inch wide at the head, and drawn out tapering to the point. They are to be 20 inch- es long, 8 inches apart in the head, with a burr to screw them up tight, and a rivet on each side of the middle prongs, to keep the head from splitting. E, E, staples, riveted over the end prongs, to which the rope, F, F, is to be attached — the rope to be drawn together 3 feet from the head in the form of an A, and then the single rope to extend from that over a tackle-block, Avhich is hung to a rafter at the peak of the roof of the barn, and two feet over the side of the mow, and thence to the bottom of the door-post, where another tackle-block is attached, under which the rope passes. G, is a small rope, attached to the end of the handle, by which the fork is kept level as it ascends over the mow. As it approaches the place where the hay is to be left, the rope should be slackened in the hand, when the hay will tilt the fork so that it will dis- charge its load immediately. The fork when loaded, is raised by a horse, Avhich is attached to a swingle-tree to which the rope is fastened, near the lower pulley or tackle-block above mentioned. When the hay is discharged ft-om the fork, back up the horse and be ready for another fork-full. The fork is drawn back by the small rope. In this way forks- full can be picked up nearly as quick as they can be by hand. A farmer that has a large quantity of hay to pitch, will more than get pay for the trouble and expense of a fork of this kind in a single year. "With the assistance of a boy to lead the horse to the fork, a man can with ease pitch off 6 tons of hay per hour, and pitch it from 15 to 20 feet high. On a trial of speed, I have pitched a ton 15 feet high in 4 minutes. The fork does not cost over $5 without the blocks and ropes, and I think they can be had all together, ready for putting in operation, of Garret Brown, Newtown, Bucks Co., Pa., for $7. Door latches. — A great deal of noise aboitt house may be prevented m^ by keeping latches and locks proi)erly oiled. /\ ^c^> OF RURAL AFFAIRS. 339 WASHINa MACHINES. The best washing machine we know of, is one the writer has used for ten years and is exhibited in the accompanying figure. It is worked by an alternating motion of the handle or lever A, which turns on the central hinge or joint B, '^^ pressing the perforated "'" board which swings like a pendulum within the trough by means of the connecting bar C, against the grooved side of the trough beyond. Fig. 1, is the whole ma- chine; Fig. 2, the han- dle and bar C, detach- ed, showing the notched end of the bar, for regu- lating the space for the clothes. The handle and bar are cast iron. The perforated board and its suspending frame, are easily lifted out whenever neces- sary. The box or trough must be made very Fig. 2. « Fig. 1. strong, for the pressure exerted against the side by means of the lever, is enormous. At the first motion of the handle, tlie pressure is only five or six times as great as the strength of the person working it, but as it approaches a horizon- tal position, it becomes greater and greater, precisely like that of the lever printing press. A little care is required in regulating the quanti- ty of clothes, so as to admit the lever being brought down to a level po- sition as the finishing stroke is given. So great is the force of pressure exerted upon the clothes, by the last or finishing motion of the lever, that a boy ten years old can work the machine with ease, and it does not require more than one-third the labor needed in washing with the old-fashioned wash-board, and does not wear or chafe the clothes in the least degree. A great advantage found in working it, is that one's weight is throivn upon the lever, and it ac- cordingly possesses that particular superiority of the application of strength found in rowing a boat, the only difference being in pushing in- stead of pulling. Machines on this principle arc made and sold in various parts of the country. Some are made too complex, being encumbered by a wheel and needless appendages. The simpler the better. The writer used one about ten years, without fifty cents of repairs. The cost need not exceed five or six dollars. A simpler, and an excellent washing machine is made by fastening a common wash-tub to a stand made of a common plank-bottom chair, with Sc:^=- 340 ILLUSTRATED ANNUAL REGISTER the backoff; listening radiating ribs to the bottom of the tub (that is, ribs pointing in every direction outwards from the center) ; and then making a circular board just to fit loosely within the Avash-tub, also with ribs on the lower side radiating from the center. The tub has a perpendicular axle in the middle of the bottom, on which the circular board is placed by means of a hole in its center, and a cross horizontal handle is fixed to the move- able circular board, resembling the handle of a common augur. To use the machine, clothes and water are placed in the tub, the circular board is placed upon them, and then, by means of the augur-like handle, this board is turned backwards and forwards, rubbing the clothes between the two ribbed or grooved faces. The operator's weight being naturally thrown upon the handles, gives the machine more efficiency. It is harder to work than the one last described, but it will work fiister and wear out clothes rather more rapidly, the first named machine ''rubbing^' them none what- ever. Two persons, one at each end of the handle, will work it quite easily. FKKD MIXER. Economical farmers cut their straw, stalks and other coarse fodder and mix it moistened with meal, for feeding cattle and horses. Cut and moistened food is of great importance to hor- ses affected with the heaves. A difficulty oc- curs in mixing the meal; the water employed to make it adliere, settles to the bottom, and feed- ing-troughs often be- come thus gradually filled with ice in winter. To prevent this diffi- culty, H. V. Welton has constructed and de- scribed in the Country Gentleman, a simple and efficient mixer by which several bushels of cut fodder may be coated with moistened meal in half a minute, and leave no water at the bottom. It operates something like a cylinder churn; mixed by re- one will not have power enough. The trough is made of sheet-iron, the edges of which are fitted into semi-circular grooves made in the side- board.s, which are kept to their places by cross-rods, the heads of /^ which are seen in the cut. The arms are placed near the ends and at l\ the feed is volving arras Welton's Fekd-Mixer. placed in a semi-circular trough, and long crank — a short of sheet- m a turned with a Q OF RURAL AFFAIRS. 341 the middle of the axle, and only on one side, so that they may be turned up and not prevent the lid shutting down. A sheet-iron trough is found to be more easily cleared of ice — it should be painted — and a wooden shovel used, so as not to scrape it. CORN SHELLERS. The ''Clinton Corn-Shfller" has been in use many years. "With two men, two hundred bushels of ears may be shelled in a day, or with a double hop- per, so as to shell two ears at a time, double that amount may be done by three men — quite an improvement over the old mode, yet in use in many places, of thumping out the cobs by the tedious process of hand flails. The price of this slieller is from ten to thir- teen dollars. How much will be saved by it, every farmer can easily estimate after he has tried it. There are several other corn-shellers, of good construction, which possess similar ad- vantages to the above. Smith's Patent Corn-Sheller, for shel- ling corn on a large scale, is probably the best machine in use. It is a horizontal Clinton Corn-Sheller. toothed cylinder, six feet long, and fourteen inches in diameter. It can be operated by water, steam, or horse-pow- er, and hence would be very valuable in the western states, where Indian corn is grown in very great quantities. " The ears of corn are confined in the operation to a part of the upper or rising side of this cylinder, by means of a cast- iron concave or case extending the whole length of the ma- chine; and the corn being shovelled in at one end is driven through, and the cobs discharged at the other, while the Smith's Patent Corn-Sheller. corn falls below, be- ing admitted by the small space on either side of the cylinder. The operation is governed by elevating or deprcsi^ang the discharging end, which causes the machine to discharge the cobs fast or slow, and of course operating more or less upon them, thus securing to the operator the means of finishing his work. It is capable of shelling two hundred bushels of ears per hour with a two-horse power. Price $45 and $50." Everything in its place. — The man who loses half an hour daily going for or hunting displaced tools, loses 150 hours per year, or about half a month working time. '^=>i -=^=>^ ILLUSTRATED ANNUAL REGISTER DEDERICK'S KLAY-PKESS. Since the increased facilities, of late ^sf/ocewottsi? years, for conveyance of fiu-m. products, the close packing of hay for market, has become a greater object. One of the best presses, perhaps the most so, for this pur- pose, is Dederick's, shown in the accompany- ing cut. It is worked by single-horse power. The hay is trodden in through the doors at the top (re- presented open in the cut) when they are buttoned down by cross-bars, the side-door secured, and an enormous force exerted upon the enclosed hay by a horse working on the knee or toggle-joints. Two hundred and tifty pounds of hay are reduced to a space of about half a cubic HOFFMAN UU Deperick's Hay-Press. yard. To press each bale, the horse goes around the capstan eight times ; aud, without stopping, twice more to withdraw the follower for another. Two men and a horse will bale six to eight tons of hay in a day. The weight of the bale varies from 250 to 500 lbs. according to the size of the machine — the price also varying from $130 to $175. It is made by TTm. Deering & Co. of Albany. WOOD'S PORTABLE STEAM-ENOINE. In England where iron-work and coal are cheap, and horse-labor dear, the steam en- gine has long since be- come an essential ma- chine on nearly every large farm. Its in- creased perfection and economy of fuel, are facilitating its gradu- al introduction among the larger farmers of this country. A. N. Wood & Co. Wool's Patent Steam-Engine. of Eaton, Madison Co. OP RURAL AFFAIRS. 343 N. Y., have been remarkably successful in their manufacture of small and portable engines, suited to farm purposes. A Kentucky correspond- ent of the Country Gentleman, (J. A. Humphreys,) who has one of Wood's eight-horse powers, has found it of great value, consuming four barrels of water and only a fourth of a cord of wood in a day. One person runs the engine, keeping up the fire, oiling the parts, and doing all else necessary, with great ease. It never gets out of order, and " works with the regularity and precision of a patent-lever watch." One-third of its power will cut up a four-horse load of straw in 22 min- utes— it crushes and grinds for cattle food, thirty bushels of corn in the ear, per hour. It thrashes grain with great success. It is also to be used on a portable saw-mill. An engine of 2^ horse power weighs 1500 lbs. and costs $225; a 4 horse power weighs 2000 lbs., costing $340 ; and an 8 horse engine weighs 4500 lbs. and costs $G80. These engines are easily drawn (on trucks fitted to them) from one place to another, but are always stationary when in use. It will probably be a long time before any locomotive steam-power can be used for plowing, on account of the power lost in moving so heavy a body over a soft surface; and plowing with a station- ary machine would be difficult from the great weight required for its firm and steady action. Some new mode of pulverizing the earth may be however devised, which shall be well adapted to the application of steam-power. One great advantage of steam for fiirra purposes, is that no food is consumed when it is not working. Limited farmers will usually have enough spare horse-power at certain seasons to do their stationary work ; but those who occupy hundreds of acres will doubtless find a great ad- vantage in being able at any time to turn on an eight or ten horse force, for threshing, grinding, cutting straw, sawing wood, &c. &c. VOSE'S OX YOKE, In this yoke, the neck-blocks are separate from the beam, and are at' tached to it by strong bolts in iron sockets. The block thus turns with Vose's Ox-Yokb the animal's neck, and does not chafe. Both oxen always draw the same, if one fi\lls behind the other, unless the bolt is varied from the cen- ter purposely in diftetent holes, to favor a weak am'mal. The length of ILLrSTRATED ANNUAL REGISTER the voke mav be also thus varied, for different purposes. The bo\ys are said'to last much longer by the diminished side stress upon them. It is manufactured by Wm. Deering Sc Co., Albany, for $6. CIDER MILLS FOR VINEOAR FACTORIES. The manufacture of cider for conversion to vinegar and for culinary purposes, (for we cannot recommend it fermented to an mtoxicating KrATJSER's ClDER-MlLL AND PrESS. drink) is a desirable ob- ject, and as these purpo- ses usually require but moderate quantities — from the less valuable apples of the orchard — small or portable ma- chines have been recent- ly contrived for this pur- pose. One of these mills is Krauser's, shoAvn in the accompanying cut. The apples after being grated fine, fall into the vat be- neath, and are then im- mediately transferred to the press shown at the end of the frame. It is said that two men with this machine will make Emery's Cider-Mill and Press. 8 or 10 barrels of cider --=^3© t OF RURAL AFFAIRS. in a day. It is much used and approved in eastern Pennsylvania, and is sold by R. H. Pease of Albany, for $40. Hickok's, also a Pennsylvania mill, is a strong and compact machine, and said to be one of the best in use. Emery's mill is a remarkably well made, neat and efficient one, and is especially valuable for the power of its press. It will grate with ra- pidity^and fine or coarse as desired. It may be worked by one or two men.. Its weight is about three hundred pounds, and it is made for $45. The great value of apples for feeding stock through winter, besides those intended for market as well as for baking, stewing, pies, &c., have very properly superseded the supposed necessity of converting them in- to hurtful drinks; and hand-mills, such as those now described, are suf- ficient for all ordinary purposes. The improvement of farm machines and tools within the last fifty years has probably enabled the farmer to effect twice as much work with the same force of horses and men. Plows turn up the soil deeper, more evenly and perfectly, and with greater ease of draught; hoes and spades have become lighter and more efficient ; grain, instead of being beaten out by the slow and laborious work of the flail, is now showered in tor- rents from the threshing machine; horse-rakes accomplish singly the work of many men using the old hand-rake; twelve to twenty acres of ripe grain are neatly cut in one day with a two-horse reaper ; wheat drills, avoiding the tiresome drudgery of sowing by hand, are materially in- creasing the amount of the wheat crop; while a few farmers are making a large yearly saving by the application of horse-power to sawing wood, churning, driving washing-machines, and even to ditching. A celebra- ted English farmer has lately accomplished even more; for, by means of a steam-engine of six-horse power, he drives a pair of mill-stones for grinding feed, thrashes and cleans grain, elevates and bags it, pumps water for cattle, cuts straAV, turns the grindstone, and drives liquid ma- nure through pipes for irrigating his fields; and the waste steam cooks the food for his cattle and swine — all this work being performed in a first- rate manner. Now these improvements were mainly effected through the knowledge of mechanical principles, and many of them would doubtless have been sooner achieved and better perfected if these principles had been well understood by farmers; for, constantly using the machines themselves, they could have perceived just what defects existed, and, by under- standing the reasons of those defects, have been able to suggest the remedies in a better jaianner than the mere manufacturer. More- over, as the introduction of what is new and valuable depends greatly upon the call for them, farmers would have been prepared to decide with more confidence and certainty upon, their real merits, and thus to increase and cheapen the supply of the best, and to reject the worthless. One great reason that farm implements are still so imperfect, is, that the farmers themselves do not fully understand what is needed, and how much may be yet accomplished. They have not enough knowledge of the principles of mech.onics to qualify them for judging of the merits of A new machines; and, being afraid of imposition, often reject what is M^ really valuable, or else, being pleased with a fine appearance, are easily / ) deceived with empty pretensions. ^, ^=^ ILLUSTRATED ANNUAL REGISTER FKUIT CULTUBE. LAYING OUT AND PLANTING A FRUIT GARDEN. s^GM^:.. he frequent failure in attcmjjts to raise good fruit, is iiyifc*u4ii- i-jiainly owing to a want of systematic and labor-saving culture. The owner of a piece of ground procures a few trees, and sticks them into the earth wherever he can find a vacant space, and without any previous pre- paration of the soil. The work is generally perform- ed in quite a superficial manner. He is unwilling to incur the expense of digging very large holes and of filling them with enriching composted materials. The trees are mostly placed wliere they cannot be efliciently and economically cultivated, and, as an inevitable result, grass and weeds choke them, so that if they sur- vive removal, they make but little growth for years, and when they bear, the fruit is small, imperfect, and deficient in flavor. The owner con- cludes that the flattering stories he has heard and read about delicious fruit, and the ease and rapidity with which it may be brought forward on young trees, are all chimera, and only invented to efi'ect the sale of the trees by the nursery m.an. This treatment, and this result, in some modification or other, are far more frequent than the more favorable exceptions. No wonder, that in spite of the myriads of trees that are sold from the nurseries, there is still but little good fruit, and so few who are successful cultivators. We can hardly expect our landowners generally to resort to the toil and cost of keei)ing all their trees in perfect order, by means of spading, hoeing, trenching, and other hand labor. And even when performed, it often but partially accomplishes its object, for small spaded circles, six or eight feet in diameter, do not extend their benefits sufficiently to the roots of trees which often spread over an area ten times the size — the roots being usually about as long as the stem and branches, and extend- ing in every direction — so that a tree sixteen feet high probably throws the network of its roots over a circle two rods in diameter. The only true way, therefore, for all who would have the very best of fruit, and obtain it economically, is to devote a lot of ground exclu- sively to fruit trees, and do all the work of preparing the ground and of its subsequent tillage, by horse labor. In selecting and setting apart such a lot, the first question that arises is. "how much ground need I devote to this purpose?" To enable every one to answer this question understandingly, we fur- nish the accompanying plan of an acre-fruit-garden, showing the num- ber and disposition of the trees of each kind. It is represented as a square, but may be varied in form to an oblong shape, only planting about the same number of trees in fewer or more rows, as the case may be. It is so arranged that although the trees are of different sizes and at different distances, the rows run both M'ays, and admit readily of j\ horse-cultivation. The plums are placed in a row at one side, in order JA that pigs and poultry may be confined exclusively among them during A ' ,:~^ _ =^3@ ---^^^ OF RURAL AFFAIRS. the season of the curculio, which proves one of the most efficient means for its destruction; and in connection with knocking on sheets, will af- ford good crops under any circumstances, if fully and efficiently applied. A movable or hurdle fence, separating the plums from the rest of the trees, renders the remedy many times more efficient than if these ani- mals were allowed the whole range of the fruit garden. In some places, where the curculio is particularly destructive, cherries and early apples are also attacked; in which case, as these fruits are next to the plum row, all may be included in the pig-yard if desired. Autumn and winter apples are not required in an enclosure of this kind, and the early sorts are placed here only to protect them from be- ing stolen, besides the reason last named. Pears may be planted with standards and dwarfs together in the same row, the dwarfs bearing and flourishing while the others are coming for- ward; or they may be placed in sepai-ate rows. The peaches, if in rows twenty feet apart, and twelve and a half feet in the row, will have quite enough room at any age, provided the long limbs are thinned-in from the outside every two or three years. With this care, apples may be planted much nearer than usual. None of the trees stand on exact squares; the importance of preserving straight rows for cultivation being greater than the form of the space occupied by each tree. When rows are wide apart, less room is needed in the rows om is needed in the rows. @ li f -? ^ Si ^^ # &> 1^1 SI CJl Ifr ^^ @ K^ 9»»* ''•"S i'^^ .r"^ .J'?. -i*^ #^ ^^ % \^} ^ |# |t| & w II S © Q I ^. mm -^.- y ^ II S * <, b *^ v2 © « t;i ^ O <5 O '-> •=! ^ €i i li) ft f^i^ S a ^ P i' .^ fc^ )^ if' i -0-«ff> •«'T>— Ty'TT^-'O Plums. Cherries. Early apples. Standard and dwarf pears. Peaches. ffasphrrrles, 1 OoosebiTi ies» CurranU, j Griip«8. Plan of Fruit Garde.v. By the arrangement we have here planned, the following trees may be planted on an acre, namely: 15 plum trees 1 row, occupying 20 feet — 13 feet in the row. IG cherry trees 2 8 early apples 1 16 standard pears, > „ 29 dwarf do S (C (< (I 40 25 40 a 2fi 2G ( 20 ^3 IC (C (t -«#::^ 348 ILLUSTRATED ANNUAL REGISTER 48 peach trees 3 rows, occupying (50 feet — 13 feet in the row. 45 raspberry 1 " '' 4 " 4 " " 45 gooseberry 1 '' " 4 " 4 " " 45currant 1 " » 4 *' 4 10 native grapes....! " " 12 '' 20 In all 132 trees, besides the raspberries, currants, gooseberries and grapes. As every cultivator -would make a different selection, and as we have elsewhere given carefully made lists, it is hardly necessary to occupy space at present on this subject, except to remark that varieties ripen.' ing in succession should be sought, when a family supply is the object. It may occur to some as an objection, that too much space is given to cherry trees. There will be, however, a decided advantage from the abundance of light and air for the trees, in diminishing the tendency to rot in the fruit, one of the most serious drawbacks in cherry culture. More room is given for the dwarf pear than usual, on account of prox- imity to the standards. All kinds of trees may be made to conform in some degree to the room allotted to them by thinning in the exterior occasionally. AVe should have stated before that each side of a square acre, is about 209 feet, and that the preceding measurements of distances will all come out in accordance with the plan. There are many who would like a larger fruit garden. "We according- ly give the following numbers and distances, the mode of arrangement being the same as in the preceding plan — and each side of the two-acre lot being 295 feet. 40 plums, nectarines > o rows, occupying 40 feet, 15 feet in row. and apricots, S ; r-j o ; 40 cherries 2 " '' 50 •' 15 10 early apples 1 " " 30 '' 30 « 40 standard pears 2 '' " 40 " 15 " 80 dwarf. 2 '' « 20 " 7i " 80 peaches 4 " " 80 '' 15 " 72 raspberries, ) 72 currants, [ 3 " " 12 " 4 " 72 gooseberries, ) 10 native grapes 1 '' " 10 " 20 « Strawberry bed, 13 feet wide, 295 feet long. The grapes are near the wall or fence, and having the strawberry bed and small bushes in front, are not shaded. A full garden of this size, furnishes 290 trees, 10 grape vines on a trellis, and 216 raspberry, currant, and gooseberry bushes — with ample space for a strawberry bed, a portion of which should be prepared each year for planting new, say four feet wide, which will leave 8 feet for bear- ing beds, an, I give new plantations every third year. Having now stated the size and contents of the fruit garden, which may be freely varied at pleasure, the next thing is to prepare the ground. In the first place, there are but very few pieces of land that are not benefitted by underdraining; and as an almost universal rule, wherev- er the water will stand in a post-hole, dug in the wettest season of the year, underdraining should- be thoroughly performed before planting trees. Ditches, at least two and a half feet deep, should run down the ©c^ ^ OF RURAL AFFAIRS. 349 slope in the steepest direction, and unless the soil is very porous, be not more than two rods apart each. If fltted with tile, which is best, or stone, which is next best, or with brush from cedar, pitch-pine, white- oak, locust, &c., which will answer a good purpose wlien but little wa- ter is to drain off, the roots of the trees will have an excellent chance to extend themselves without being drowned in stagnant water at wet times, and which is a Irightful source of stunted and diseased trees, and bad and scabb}^ fruit. Next, the soil should be subsoiled and trench-plowed several times, accompanied with repeated applicatians of manure, (except on the richest natural soils.) until all is thoroughly worked together to a good depth. If this could be done six months or a year before the trees are planted, so that all may become well diflused together, it Avould be best, but it is by no means essential, provided the harrow is thoroughly and repeatedly used in breaking and mixing the manure wirh the earth. The trees are then planted as already designated ; and then comes the most important operation of all, namely, keeping the whole surface clear and mellow among the trees, as long as they are expected to bear good fruit. "When the trees are quite young, two or three rows of carrots, potatoes, beans, or turnips, may be raised between the more remote rows, but never ivithin six feet of any tree ; for the roots of even very young trees extend three or four feet, and the fine roots of the crops al- ready named, several feet besides, and they soon interfere with each other, and retard the trees. After the trees become a few years of age, it is best to keep the whole surface perfectly clean and mellow, by the plow, harrow and cultivator, using the two latter nearest the roots. As the rows may be worked both ways, it will be much easier to keep such a garden as this clean, than an equal area of corn or potatoes, because the trees are less frequent than the hills of corn and potatoes. A very few dollars annually will be the entire cost of cultivation. The rapid growth made by such a cultivation, on so well prepared and well cultivated a piece of ground, as compared with that made in ordinary cases, will be absolutely astonishing. Not less so will be the quickness with which many trees will begin to supply crops of fruit, as well as the high quality, great size, beautiful appearance, and heavy crops of that fruit. There are some instances where the high cultivation given to the soil must not be continued after mid-summer. This is more especially the case with the pear, which, if continuing to grow late in the season, is subject to the malady known as the frozen-sap blight. If therefore, cultivation is suspended early, the thrifty shoots will ripen their wood in time, and the hardiness and vigor of the tree will exceed such as have had no thrifty growth at all. The same treatment to some extent, should be given to the peach tree. The cost of preparing and cultivating an acre of land, as we have pro- posed, will be almost incomparably less than where all is done by hand. The following will approach a correct estimate: Underdraining an acre of land, at intervals two rods apart. .$25 00 Subsoiling twice, trench plowing four times, and harrowing 25 times 22 00 100 loads manure, and drawing, say 50 00 $97 00 @c:^= 350 ILLUSTRATED ANNUAL REGISTER This expenditure will probably be returned, as an average, at least every year, in the increased value of the crop, after the first five years of growth. The annual expense of cultivating such a fruit garden, would be about as follows: Plowing once in spring to break up the settled earth $2 00 Cultivating with horse, or harrpAving six times 3 00 V\"hole annual cost $5 00 LAYINO OUT ORCHARDS. We have often observed a good deal of inconvenience and perplexity in measuring off and laying out orchards, from a want of accuracy at the commencement. If the rows are begun crooked, stake after stake may be altered, v/ithout being able to form straight lines, and with only an in- crease of the confusion. If the first tree, in a row of fifty, be placed onlj' six inches out of the way, and be followed as a guide for the rest, the last one will deviate fifty times six inches, or twenty-five feet from a right line, even if the first error is not repeated. We have seen large apple orchards with rows nearly as crooked as this. To say nothing of the deformed appearance to the eye, they prove exceedingly inconvenient every time the crooked space between the rows was plowed, and every time the ground was planted and cultivated with crops in rows. abcdej'ghi *##*«**## ««««###«« abcdeX^h'^ Fig. 1 — Common or Square Arrangement. The most simple and convenient arrangement for orchards in all ordi- nary cases, is in squares, as shown in fig. 1. But planters are often puz- zled to know how to lay out such orchards with trees at equal distances throughout, and in perfectly straight rows. The easiest and most suc- cessful mode is first to measure off" one side along the boundary, with a chain or tape-line (a chain is best,) and drive in a stake perpendicularly at equal distances, (say two rods or 33 feet,) in a straight line, and at a proper distance from the fence for the first row of trees. Then mea- sure olf each end in the same way ; and between the two last stakes in these end rows, form another line of stakes like the first, which will be parallel and opposite to it. The more accurately the measuring is done, the less labor will be required in rectifying small errors — no stake should stand half an inch oitt of a straight line. These rows are represented by the letters a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i. Then measure oft' the distance be- tween a and a, driving in a small stake or peg at each distance of two ^ OF RURAL AFFAIRS. 351 rods; and then in the same way between b b, c Cj &c. If accurately done, these will all form perfectly straight rows. The holes may then be dug without the least difficulty or embarrassment, and the trees set out. But a difficulty arises, — as the stakes must be removed in digging the holes; this is at once obviated by the plan here proposed, by placing the tree in a line with the row of stakes on one side, and with the newly set trees on the other, as the holes are successively dug, and the trees set. These directions may seem quite simple, but for want of being gen- erally understood, a great many crooked lines of trees are seen through the country. The second mode of arranging trees is in the old quincunx form (6g. 2) which is nothing more than a series of squares laid off diagonally, and has no special advantage to recommend it except novelty. * « « # * ■ # Fig. 2— Old Quincunx Order. The hexagonal or modern quincunx, (fig. 3) possesses two important advantages. One is its more picturesque appearance, and its consequent fi.tness for proximity to ornamental plantations; and the other is its Fig 3 — Hexagonal or Modern Quincunx. greater economy of space, as the trees are more evenly distributed over the ground. This is shown in fig. 4, where each tree stands in the cen- ter of a circle surrounded at equal distances by six other trees, and each single circle leaves but little vacant space beyond it. If cultivated with horses, the furrows may be drawn in three different directions, instead of only two as in the square arrangement. One principal reason Avhy the hexagonal mode is so little adopted, is the supposed difficulty in laying out the ground. But like many other apparent difficulties, it becomes very simple and easy when once under- stood. To lay off a piece of ground for this purpose, measure off one side of the field at equal distances, as already described for squares, as at a, b, c, d, e, fig. 4. These distances must be the distance apart at which the trees are to stand, because they form the sides of the equilateral trian- gles into which the whole ground becomes divided. The next thing is -=^3( 352 ILLUSTRATED ANNUAL REGISTER to find the distances, a, f, g, for the line of trees at right angles to the first mentioned row. An arithmetician will easily determine this, for the triangle b a f , being a right one, the square of b a (which is 83 feet^) g f ^y^c' "^ / I "«C or. x,,- ) I ■ y V// ^^t- :m ?A .>'"/ ^\,- '^\\ &' .x'\ o: ;;&' "i -y^ . d "0:^ 1 _.'- .,' \. Q ^^••-0' Fig. 4. subtracted from the square of b f (which is 66 feet) will leave the square of a f, the root of which extracted will give the distances of f, f, g, &c., which is 57 feet and half an inch. Divide this and the opposite side of the field, therefore, into distances of 57 feet and half an inch, and the side opposite the first, at 33 feet distances, and proceed to stake off all intermediate intersections, as described for squares. If the distances are less than 33 feet, as they would be for any other kind of fruit trees, a corresponding proportion is of course to be taken, and which is easily determined as above. MULCHINO AND DEEP PLANTING. A common rule, in directions for transplanting trees, is to place them at the same depth as they stood before removal. But the reasons are not always well understood. The chief difficulty that occurs from deep planting, (fig. 1) is from placing the roots so far down that they must enter the hard cold subsoil, and become subjected to a degree of wetness to which the upper soil is not incident. The opposite extreme, or shallow planting, is much better, provided the roots are well covered, even if a considerable mound is raised, (fig. 2.) for in this instance, the roots have an opportunity of extending through the richer, drier and warmer top soil, made deeper by this ad- or RURAL AFFAIRS. 353 dition to the surface. The advantages of mulchivg are thus obtained, which owes much of its efficacy to the facility it offers for roots to draw nourishment from the upper soil. But as roots quickly extend over ranch breadth of surface, the mound must be wide, and not as is too often the case, a mere hillock at the foot of the stem, as is seen in fig. 3. SOIL- CUBSOIL — -^:^/^Z Fig. 1. Fig. 2. A mistaken notion and consequent error in practice commonly pre- vails, in relation to the length of the roots of young trees. The writer has found that manure placed at a distance of eight feet from young peach trees, which were scarcely eight feet high, very sensibly affected them, more than doubling the growth of the shoots. TTe may hence in- FiG. 3. fer that roots extend, on an average, to a distance equal to the height of the tree; that is, a tree ten feet high, has a circle of roots about twenty feet in diameter. Hence, manuring or mulching such a tree as is shown in fig. 3, with the circumscribed heap at the foot of the trunk, while the roots actually extend from a to h, is a total failure. Banking up such a tree to exclude mice (a perfectly effectual remedy) is, on the contrary, attended with no injurious effect whatever, other than what maj' be ex- erted on the bark of the stem, as the great mass of the roots remain pre- cisely at the same depth as before. A neighbor who intended to apply his ashes to his large bearing apple orchard, innocently inquired "how large a heap he should place at the foot of each tree," and was quite sur- prised when informed that if he expected the roots to receive the benefit, the ashes should be sown broadcast or nearly so; and common than similar misapprehensions of practice nothing is more 354 ILLUSTRATED ANNUAL REGISTEB ©c:^--- DV^^ARF PEAR TREES. A controversy has arisen on the val ue of dwarf pears, or pears budded on the French quince stock, and kept in the form of small trees. Some persons re- gard them as short lived and unprofit- able, and unwor- thy of general cul- tivation; while oth- ers prefer them to pears on Pear ^^®km^' -' roots. ii/M'.-W There are seve- y f^^^Vy ral reasons for this difference of opin- ion, but the chief one is the too com- mon practice of classing the two kinds of trees and their management together, without discrimination. Dwarfs are garden ^ ^, . trees, needing high mS culture, generous ^ \ manuring, and ju- dicious pruning; there are but few sorts of the pear that fully succeed on quince stocks; and the indiscrim- inate working of so manv sorts as dwarfs, and an en- tire neglect of their proper cultivation, has resulted in fre- quent failure and disbelief in their success. Propei'ly selected and man- aged, pears grown as dwarfs come soon into bearing, the fruit is easily gathered, they re- quire little room OF RURAL AFFAIRS. 355 and will continue to flourish for many years. The following varieties have been proved by long trial to succeed well on the quince: — Duchess of Jlngouleme, Louise Bonne of Jersey, Vicar of Winkfield, Beurre Diet, Easter Beurre, Glout Morceau, White Doyenne, Beurre d^Amalis, and Bujfurn. There are several otlier sorts that promise well so far, among which are Osband's Summer, Tyson, Stevens' Genesee, Rostiezer. Brandywine, Dearborn^s Seedling, Sec. The accompanying engraving is an exact portrait of a dwarf tree of the Angouleme pear, standing on the grounds of J. J. Smith, of Phila- delphia, (editor of the Horticulturist,) as it appeared last autumn when loaded with fruit. It was set out four years before with several others now bearing equally well, and of the same age, and was then one year from the bud. NOTKS ON FRUIT CULTURE. Inconsistencies in Cultivation. — The disposition, habit, fashion, or other cause of neglecting the culture of fruit trees, is so common, that we fear it will be a long time before the evil is thoroughly reformed. There seems to be a very common determination to give them the last chance, of all cultivated crops. A row of currants, for example, is planted in a garden; it will indeed bear well with neglect; but an annual manuring and thinning out of old wood, would at least triple the size of the fruit, and improve its quality. The row of currants will furnish a daily supply of refreshing fruit to the table for months together ; why should its culture then be totally neglected, when a row of corn by its side of equal length, that will supply only a single feeding to a pen of swine, is most carefully manured, watched, plowed and hoed? We have not unfrequently seen farmers, who after expending a quarter of a dol- lar each on a young orchard of trees and in carefully setting them out, would destroy one half by choking them with a crop of oats or clover, because they could not afford to lose the use of the small strip of land a few feet wide in the row, which ought to have been kept clean and culti- vated. The same men would regard it as insanity to plant corn among the grass of a meadow, or in a field of oats, although the planting would not cost a hundredth part of the value of the young trees. In other cases, farmers may be seen driving their teams and plows directly over a young fifty-cent tree, tearing its bark and risking its life, in order to avoid running over an adjacent potato-hill, not worth three mills cur- rency. There seems to be two or three causes for this strange behavior. One is, habit, or doing so because others do. Another, is a sort of indefinite notion that trees will take care of themselves. A third is an almost total want of appreciation of the real value of trees. A volume might be written on the subject; but we can only add here in a few words, that no growing plant feels more the life-giving influence of good cultivation than young trees — the difference between good treatment and neglect often being as great as twenty to one, as shown by the actual measurement of the growth. A single acre of M-ell chosen trees htis produced fruit for a regular family supply for months together, that has saved in provisions, to say nothing of increased health, at least ten times as much as some ILLUSTRATED ANNUAL REGISTER would raise from the same acre in ordinary farm crops j and we could cite several cases where a five or six acre orchard has brought a larger return of money than all other sales from a hundred acre farm. Isabella Grapes in Vermont. — The following facts are condensed from Proceedings of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society: E. C. Tracy, of Windsor, Yt., (a cold region, about 60 miles further north than Albany,) presented Isabella grapes, the bunches of which were of "extra size,'' and the berries " of so remarkable a size" as to receive the Society's silver medal. According to the statement furnished rela- tive to their management, it appears that the vine stands in a very expos- ed situation, and runs on a trellis — is kept well cut back, well manured, and well watered with soap suds, while the grapes are swelling. When tlie buds are breaking in spring, they are thinned to one at a joint ; and when the fruit buds appear, all are rubbed off but one or two to a shoot. AVhen the fruit is the size of a large pea, the shoots are girdled just be- low the clusters by removing half an inch in length of bark, — taking care not to injure the bud at the base of the shoot for next year. It has been found impossible to ripen a crop of exposed Isabellas there, without this girdling. Pyramidal Training of Grapes. — C. A. Brackett, of Winchester, who has uniformly exhibited the finest specimens of the Diana grape, trains them each to a stake, and gives them the pyramidal form. The soil is first trenched two feet deep, and stakes eight feet high are set seven feet apart, a vine planted at each and immediately cut down to two eyes. The first year two shoots are allowed to grow, and are carried up spiral- ly, both in the same direction, about five inches apart, around the stake, till they reach the top. The laterals grow at random. They are pruned back in the fall to eighteen inches, and the laterals to one eye. The se- cond year, two shoots are carried up asbefoi-e, from the two upper eyes, the laterals requiring summer pruning. In the fall, the vines are cut back to within eighteen inches of last year's wood. This course is con- tinued till the vine permanently covers the whole of the stake or post — whatever surmounts it is cut back. The fruit is borne on the side shoots, the pruning is done on the short-spur system, and a handsome pyrami- dal form is given to the whole. By this system the vine is kept at home, light and air have easy access, the buds break easily, the flow of sap is equal and natural, and when once established the vine requires comparatively little care. Little or no manure is used — a few feet of short-jointed wood being preferred to a longer growth from a heavy use of animal matters — doubt- less different soils require different treatment in this respect. The Diana, thus treated, has proved " a great grower and free-bearer — the bunches of good size, and the berries large, some of them measuring seven-eighths of an inch in diameter.'^ Pears on Apple-Stocks. — It is very rare that pears succeed well on apple stocks. Sometimes they will give much promise for a year or two, and then fiiil. The AVinkfield and Summer Bonchretien, will often grow freely for a few years. We have raised about one peck of fine Seckel pears on a small "tree on apple root, five years old, but the union being imperfect, it broke off at the surface of the ground. AYe cannot recom- mend the practice, except to those who are fond of unsuccessful ex- -^3( OF RURAL AFFAIRS. periments, often not one in a hundred succeeding after the first year or two. Great Profits of Pkar Trees. — The following instances of the large profits of raising pears are from the Proceedings of the Fruit Growers' Society of Western New-York, and are not to be regarded as unusual or extraordinary instances or not easily attained, for in most of the instan- ces little or no cultivation was given: Mrs. George, of Victor, sold $24 worth of "White Doyenne Pears from one tree eighteen years old, on the tree; the buyer picked them. Marshall Phinley, of Canandaigua, has three White Doyennne Pear trees, one quite small ; sells the pears on the tree for from $50 to $60 yearly; has been oflfered $100 per tree for the trees; they are constant bearers. There is a tree of this variety on Judge Howell's homestead, about seventy years old, which has not failed of a good crop for forty years, and has averaged about twenty bushels a year for the last twenty years, which have been sold on the tree at the average of $3 per bushel, or $60 a year. This tree has been worth, or produced about $3,750 worth of pears, in the New-York market. Judge Taylor has three large trees of this splendid pear, of about the same age; yield in 1854, eleven barrels; sold for $137. T. Chapin has a young orchard o^ this variety, of about 400 trees, some eight years from planting; he sold thirty barrels in New-York in the fall of 1853, for $15 a barrel — $450. In 1854, his crop amounted to fifty barrels, which he sold in New-York for from $18 to $22 a barrel; average, $20, equal to $1000. This year he lost a portion of his crop by the pears dropping, caused by planting corn in his orchard close to his trees, and which was a very heavy crop. All the AVhite Doyenne trees about Canandaigua produce in about the same proportion. Soil, deep, dark clay vegetable mould, sub-.soil clay; trees sound and healthy. Grafting the Peach. — This, in the northern states, requires great skill for its successful performance, but at the south where growth is so much more rapid, and other influences more favorable, it is comparative- ly easy. In a late letter from Robert Harwell, of Mobile, long known for his skill in fruit culture at that place, he gives the following results of his practice: '' I propagate all my peaches by grafting, beginning in November or December, and if the stocks and grafts are good and the grafting well done, I do not lose over five in a hundred. I have my grafting done at the house, and plant the grafts like cabbage plants. I formerly budded, but found it very troublesome, and have entirely abandoned it." The Use of Leaves. — The office and utility of leaves are becoming better understood by cultivators than formerly; yet we find a good many still adhering to the old belief that the sun's rays directly shining on forming fruit, are what perfect it, independently of other influences. On this subject, theory and practice have been invariably found in per- fect accordance with each other. The principles of physiology teach us that the sap of a tree, when it passes in at the roots, remains nearly un- changed in its upward progress through stem and branches, until it reach- ©c^^ ■ @c:^= ^=^^^^ ^ 358 ILLUSTRATED ANNUAL REGISTER es the LEATES, where being spread out in those thin organs, to light and air, it undergoes a complete change, and thus becomes suited to the for- mation of new wood and new fruit. Strip a rapidly growing tree of its leaves at midsummer, and from that moment the supply of new wood ceases, and it will grow no more till new leaves are formed j and if it have young fruit, the growth and maturity of the latter will cease in the same way. A few years since, a Tellow Gage plum tree lost all its foli- age from leaf blight, when the plums were not fully grown, and while yet destitute of flavor. The fruit remained stationary and unaltered, until, in a few weeks, a second crop of leaves came out. They then swelled to full size, received their crimson dots, and assumed their hon- ied sweetness of flavor. The object of pruning should be, therefore, to allow the leaves to grow to full size without being injured from crowding. "We find the following corroborative fact stated in a late number of the New-England Farmer: We once knew an intelligent lady, and one who understood much about horticulture, strip her grape vines of a portion of their leaves, in order to let in the s?m and ripen the fruit; but to her surprise, where the leaves remained as Nature had disposed them, the grapes were the earli- est, and every way the best. This led her to investigate the matter, when she was delighted to learn that the leaves were not only the pro- tectors, but the caterers of the fruit, constantly elaborating and supply- ing it with the pabulum it required to bring it to perfection. Hakdy Pears for the North. — Seckel, Flemish Beauty, Giffard, Virgalieu, Sheldon, Lawrence, Winter Nelis; on pear stocks. Louise Bonne Jersey, Tyson, Angouleme, Winkfield, Osband's Summer. Glout Morceau, on quince. Apples for cold regions. — Red Astrachan, Sops of Wine, Early Joe, Gravenstein, Oldenburgh, Porter, St. Lawrence, Fameuse, Ribston Pip- pin, Baldwin, Jonathan, Peck's Pleasant, Pomme Grise. Apples for Michigax. — At the recent meeting of the Michigan Fruit Grower's Association, the following apples were recommended for gene- ral cultivation in that state, viz: Swaar, Rambo, Yellow Bellflower, Eso- pus Spitzenburgh, Rhode Island Greening and Belmont or Waxen. The Baldwin, although found to be variable, and often badly affected with dry rot, was on account of its many excellent qualities, also similarly recommended. Pears. — At the same convention, the following pears Avere recommend- ed for general cultivation: Glout Morceau, Flemish Beauty (for light soils,) Stevens' Genesee, Dearborn's Seedling, Swan's Orange (Ononda- ga.) and English Jargonelle. The latter must be picked and house ripen- ed, or it rots at the core and becomes worthless. Select Fruits for Tennessee ane other South- Western States. — The best native grapes (for open culture.) in Tennessee, are Catawba and Isabella. Of the exotics, (needing a glass covering,) Early Black July is the earliest; and Black Hamburgh, Royal Muscadine, and Mus- cat of Alexandria, the best. There are several other foreign grapes, nearly as good as these, and having peculiar excellencies — for an account of which see works on pomology. OF RURAL AFFAIRS. 359 Peaches — Early York, Crawford's Early, Oldmixoa Freestone. Plums — Lawrence Gage, Jtfferson, Coe's Golden Drop. Pears — Bartlett, Seckel, White Doyenne. Cherries — Early Purple Guigne, Governor "Wood, Downer's Late. nipples — Early Harvest and Sweet Bough for summer; Gravenstein and Fall Pippin for autumn j and Newtown Pippin, Pryor's Red, and Rawle's Janet, for winter. Strawberries — for ordinary culture, and the most reliable for crops,-^ Cincinnati, Hudson. Sometimes very fine — Hovey's Seedling and Burr's New Pine. New sorts, promising well, Jenney's Seedling and McAvoy's Superior. Early Bearers. — The following varieties of apples and pears come eai'ly into bearing, and are therefore well adapted to planting a new place. apples — Red Astrachan, Sops of Wine, Late Strawberry, Lowell, Oldenburgh, Dyer, Porter, Baldwin, Jonathan. Pears — Julienne (takes the lead for early bearing, of all others.) Bart- lett, Washington, Dearborn's Seedling, Madeleine, Buffum, Onondaga, Howell, Summer Doyenne, Oswego Beurre, Passe Colmar, Easter Beurre. Manures for Fruit Trees. — The best manures for fruit trees, under usual circumstances, are composts made of stable manure, turf, muck, or loam, with a small quantity of ashes, and still less lime. The addi- tion of guano, bone manure, &c., increase its value. The proportions may be one-third yard manure, over one-third turf, loam, or peat, and a tenth ashes, a twentieth guano or bone manure. The special manures applied separately, sometimes produce decided results, but not usually. Fruit versus Disease. — In a recent conversation with an intelligent person who has made long-continued and extensive observations on cli- mate and disease, we were assured that nothing had a more beneficial in- fluence in preventing intermittents and the other effects of malaria, than a moderate and regular use of wholesome, well ripened fruit. Our own limited observations abundantly confirm this opinion. This being the case, what millions in losses, to say nothing of the untold discomforts and suffering experienced by the settlers of the great West, might thus be prevented or mitigated. Our western emigrants could carry no bet- ter medicine chest with them than a box well packed ■with a well select- ed assortment of early bearing fruit trees. Dwarf pears for instance, often bear even the first year, and sometimes produce abundantly in the course of the first two or three seasons ; we have known a peach tree to yield three pecks the third summer. The smaller kinds, such as straw- berries, raspberries, gooseberries and currants, afford a quick return of very wholesome fruit. A little attention and care of this kind in connec- tion with a moderate share of information and intelligence, would doubt- less prevent many serious losses, and avert a vast amount of positive suf- fering during the first few years of frontier life, when a sufficient degree of privation and inconvenience is often experienced, even with the bless- ing of uninterrupted health. Gas Tar for Insects. — Humphrey Howland, of Aurora, N. Y. has found gas tar the most efficient agent for destroying the common orchard caterpiller. It is applied by means of a swab on a pole, and so powerful are its effects, that the slightest touch the insects receive from the pun- gent and corrosive liquid, kills them instantly. A 360 ILLUSTRATED ANNUAL REGISTER A Productive Tree.— A. Loomis, of Bj'ron, Genesee county, N. Y. says that the past season, a tree of the Baldwin apple, standing on the ground of his brother, produced last year twelve barrels (besides four or tive bushels of windfalls,) that sold for $2.25 per barrel. The year's pro- duct of this tree was consequently twenty-seven dollars — quite equal to an acre of wheat in net profit. To Prevent Fruit Trees from Splitting. — For preventing forked trees from splitting under their weight of fruit, Isaac Lewis of Hopkins- ville, Ky., has given the Prairie Farmer his plan. '' My plan," he writes, •''which I have followed for thirty years, is this: when I find a forked tree that is likely to split, I look fur a small limb on each fork, and clean them of leaves and lateral branches for most of their length. I then carefully bring them together and wind them round each other, from one main branch to the other. In twelve months they will have united, and in two years the ends can be cut ofl'. The brace will grow as fast as any other part of the tree, and is a perfect security from splitting. I have them now of all sizes, and I scarcely ever knew one to fail to grow." Keeping Apples. — S. S. Boyd of Jacksonburgh, Indiana, states that he has found apples to decay in keeping, more from being kept too close and warm, than from all other causes put together. He has succeeded remarkably with a cellar where the air circulates freely, and is so cool that potatoes cannot be kept there. Close or confined air we have long since found to be detrimental, and we have therefore adopted the plan of suspending the apple shelves in the middle of the cellar, so that one can pass round on every side, which is the most convenient; and so as to ad- mit a free circulation of air, which cannot take place when the shelves are in contact with the damp walls. Iron rods are b^st for supporting them, and if sufficient space is allowed, rats and mice cannot reach them. Cost and Profits or an Apple Orchard. — A. Preble, of Lincoln Co., Maine, makes the following estimate, which will be nearly correct in all good apple regions, allowing for some variation in prices: One hun- dred trees planted on an acre of land will cost, on an average, $25. The land should be kept in a state of cultivation whilst the trees are coming into bearing. -About $25 expended in care and labor, besides the crops taken from the land, will bring them into a bearing state. "When an acre of trees is in its prime, it will average 400 bushels per annum, provided the land is kept rich and loose, and the trees well managed. Average price, 66 cents per bushel. Our surplus apples are valuable for all kinds of stock, particularly to winter store-hogs. Sweet apples are worth about as much as potatoes. Good Culture. — Henry Little of Bangor, Maine, justly observes: I see no reason why we should manure our lands for crops of wheat, corn and potatoes, and utterly neglect to enrich the soil for our crops of fruit. One of our farmers was asked why his apples were so much superior to those of the same variety raised by his neighbor? " Because," he re- plied, " I fat my apples — by enriching the soil around the roots of my trees." There may be a few instances at the west where the soil is al- ready rich enough for grain and root as well as for fruit crops, but the reverse is ofcen strikingly the case in other places. OF RURAL AFFAIRS. CULTURE OF THK RASPBERRY. The Raspberry has much to recommend its culture. Immediately succeeding the Sirawberry, and coming in before the larger fruits, it; oc- cupies a time when there is little else to be had; it is more conveniently gathered than the strawberry; and the plants not being large enough to shade other crops in the kitchen garden, they may be set on the line of any subdivision of tlie grounds. It is eminently a wholesome fruit, and sometimes proves a valuable medicine from its expectorant qualities, which the writer proved to advantage in his own case, for whom it was recommended by high medical authority, and it was found not at all re- pulsive to take, even in quite large doses. Propagation. — Most varieties increase rapidly by suckers — a few, as the American Black and White, root readily from layers, the tips of the recurved shoots being buried; and nearly all sorts may be propagated rapidly by cutting the roots into small pieces, and starting them with bottom heat. New varieties, raised from seed by crossing, often bear the second year. Soil. — The soil should be rich, and inclining to moist. A strong, deep loam, is the only soil from which a full crop may be expected every sea- son. But the most important requisite is depth, attained by deep trench- ing, which will go far towards affording a remedy for the natural defects of a stiff clay on one hand, and a dry gravelly or sandy soil on the other. Irrigation has doubled the size of the berries in a ftiw days, and more than doubled the grow-th of the stems in a season, — showing the great im- portance of securing moisture for the roots, by a deep, mellow soil, and by mulching. The latter has been found of great ini{)ortance and has greatly increased the crop. The tender sorts will ripen wood more per- fectly, and endure cold with less injury if planted on the drier and firm- er spots of ground. Pruning. — This consists simply in cutting away, early in .spring, all the last year's bearing canes, now two years old, and leaving only the one year's shoots, which will bear the coming summer. Half a dozen of the strongest in each bunch will be enough, and the rest may be cut away at the surface by the use of a sharp trowel. The tops are then cut off three or four feet from the ground. Training. — The most common and simple mode is to tie the canes to- FiG. 1. Fig. 2. gether, loosely, so that they may spread at the top in the form of a wine- glass, and employing a stake to stiffen them, fig. 1. An improvement on the same principle, is made by stretching a wire along the row. spread- ing out the canes in contact with the wire, and securing them by cord loops, as shown in fig. 2. Another mode is shown in fig. 3. the two-year bearing-canes, being bent over in the form of an arch and tied to stakes, 16 362 -=^='© ILLUSTRATED ANNUAL REGISTER while the present year's shoots grow upright, to be bent down in the same way the following spring, alter the old bearing canes are cut away. • fig. 4 shows the ap- '^ ' 1^ pearance in spring after sprung up. By this mode the bearing canes are separated from the others, and have more light and air. Instead of a row of stakes, as in this mode, (the end i^ iG. 3. of each row being to- wards us.) a wire may be stretched as indicated by fig. 2, the arched shoots meeting both wavs at this wire. But this arrangement re- quires that the canes ^^ should be spread thin- =--B-» ly out, or the light will not reach the fruit growing beneath. A Fig. 4. decided improvement, with the same principle, is shown in fig. 5, where two poles or wires are placed one each side of the row of plants, the bearing and the growing shoots being separated from each oth- er, and tied to opposite sides Fig. 6 shows the mode by which these shoots are attached by a cord. A tarred rope is better than wire, by enabling the ope- rator to secure the shoots more firmly without danger of sub- sequent sliding. Tender varieties may be pro- tected by prostrating them and covering thinly with earth. Even when not so tender as to be kill- ed, this protection assists their productiveness. A small earth mound should be placed against each stem to bend upon and prevent breaking. For extensive marketing, plantations of raspberries prove quite profitable on the best soils, producing about five hun- dred dollars per acre in each year, when accessible to good city markets. The best varieties of the Raspberry are the Red jSnticerp, a large, dark red, Fig. 6. ' rich and juicv berrv, admirably fitted for 1— ^ ^ @c^=- OF RURAL AFFAIRS. ^ f marketing; the jFasfoZ^, \ . resembling the Red Antwerp, but richer and softer in texture j the Franconia, quite similar ,but later, of firm flesh, and is rather har- dier than either of the others ; Knevett's Giant, very large, and of fine quality; Yellow Ant- werp, large, conical, excellent, but tender, and a moderate bearer j Col. Wilder, resem- bling the latter, but with smaller berries, and much hardier stems; Large Fruited Month- ly, large, red, bears late and valuable; and Brinckle's Orange, re- regarded by many as the best of all Raspberries, vigorous, hardy, pro- ductive, handsome and excellent. The Blackberry re- quires nearly the same treatment as the Rasp- berry, but as it is a more rampant grower, it needs particular care in keeping it clear of suckers, and in shortening in the stems to promote \ \ Vi^-' fruitfuluess. It should not be 'A\^ '^y / allowed tc grow more than three /, or four feet high for bearing. The best varieties are the High Bush and New Rochelle. The former are oblong, and oft- en measure an inch and a half long. The latter is becoming a general favorite, being very large, more nearly round, and exceedingly productive. The New Rochelle Blackberry, of which, according to Charles Downing. '• a dozen or so in full bearing, will give fruit sufficient for an ordinary family for some six weeks," requires good culti- FxsroLvw. vation and management. The ^c^^- — ILLUSTRATED ANNUAL REGISTER Col. Wilder. Kneevkt's Giant. following directions, founded on experience, are copied from the Horticulturist, from Geo. Sey- mour &Co.: ' ' "We prepare the ground by plowing and manuring as for any ordinary crop. We then take young plants, cut them back to within six inches of the roots, and plant in rows eight feet by four apart. The first season we use the plow and cultivator both ways between the rows, keeping the ground in good tilth. Next, or the second season, we train the plants into the four feet Spa- ces, leaving the eight feet spaces for the plow and cultivator to work in. "When the plants are tive or six feet high, pinch out the leading shoot to induce the growth of vigoi'ous side branch- es. In training, we prefer the bending mode to the upright. " "We regard this Blackberry as a very valuable addition to ibe list of small fruits, because OF RURAL AFFAIRS. 365 High Bush Blackberry. :t is so simple in its cultivation, bears regular and abundant crops, and when perfectly ripe is of a highly agreeable flavor.'" " "We have only to add," says P. Barry, the editor, '' that from what we have seen and heard of this fruit, it cannot fail to be an object of very profitable culture within any rea- sonable distance of large cities. It ripens after Strawbenies and Kaspberries, and before Peaches, and therefore comes most oppor- tunely as to season. And then its cultivation must be of the 111 easiest possible kind — only give it rich soil, and keep it clean and well cultivated, and an abundance of large fruit is certain. No one need expect such wondrous large fruit, however, as people have witnessed at New Rochelle and Norwalk. in ordinary soil and with ordinary culture. I\[anure must be applied unsparingly, and the ground must be kept clean and friable as work can make New Rochelle Blackeehrt. jt. Rich soil and clean culture Uj are indispensable to the growth of large fruits of any kind." 366 ILLUSTRATED ANNUAL REGISTER ORNAMENTAL PLANTINO AND PLANTS. ONTIiVUING the subject of ornamental planting, from former numbers of the Register, we shall here point out more particuhirl}- some of the new- er or rarer trees and flowering jjlants which may be employed for decorating the grounds and win- dows of dwellings, with hints for their treatment. The eminent utility of increasing the attractions of home by the use of these beautiful natural ob- the great economy of this mode of decoration, compared with expenditure for costly architecture, have been already pointed out. Half-Hardt Trees. — Some of the most interesting orna- mental trees, being natives of warmer regions than the North- ern States, require more management than a maple or an ap- With proper treatment they may be made to grow in the open air, when under other circumstances they would perish. The Paulownia is one of the finest of the newly introduced trees, but is often much cut down pie tree. Ay^^^^4. by winter frost at the north. If growing on rich, moist soils, its shoots become large and succulent, and are easily injured. On a deep, dry soil, and a dry sub-soil, possessing but moderate fertility, or rather sterile, its growth is slower, and the wood becomes hard- ()^ er and better ripened, and fitted to withstand tlie cold of severe win- ters. By transplant- ing into a deep artifi- cial bed of stones, gra- vel and soil, that shall always be dry, it might be successfully raised in nearly every part of the north. Even the Catalpa, which is a hardier tree thart the Paulownia, is much in- fluenced by these caus- es. In one instance, in a clayey region of coun- try, a tree planted in the deep loose bed of sterile earth foVmed by ex- cavating " Paulownia Imfkrialis. a cellar, grew and flourished for thirty vears, its ©c:^=- OP RURAL AFFAIRS. 367 age ; wliile another similar tree set in the ordinary soil, did not survive three years. Tender Evergreens require different management. Tlie great cause of injury to these is. exposure to the sun's rays after severe freezing. Hence protection must be mainly looked for by shelter from the sun. either under the north side of buildings, or under the shade of hardier and larger evergreen trees. The Deodar , the Cedar of Leb- Cedar of Lebanon, growing on the grounds of T. Ash, Throg's Neck, N. Y. Chili PiMi anon, and even the Araucaria, may be inured to open exposure by these pre- cautions. The Cedar of Lebanon usually grows without injury, except in the extreme northern portions of the Union, if thus shaded while young. Where the shade of buildings or of other trees cannot be had, a temporary screen made of ever- green boughs, to remain through winter and the early part of spring, will an- swer a good purpose. The Chili Pine, or Araucaria imhri- cata, is a tender tree, and needs not only the protection of shade, but of the dry sub-soil al- ready mentioned. The accompanying figure is a portrait of a young tree, 12 feet high. On its na- tive mountains, (the Cor- dilleras.) it attains a height of 150 feet. Flowering Shrubs. — In the second number of the Rural Register, a list only was given of some of the finer and more desirable shrubs. — The following newer sorts, mostly in addition to that list, are much admired. Double-flowering Spi- rcBU prunifolia,ov Double Japan Spirasa. The ge- nus Spir-«:a furnishes a large number of beauti- ful and showy herbace- ous perennials and shrubs. l>'one exceeds the Double — ^=>gs ILLUSTRATED ANNUAL REGISTER J SPIR^BA PRUNIFOLIA. white Japan, represented in the above figure, except that it shows nothing of the snowy whiteness of the flowers. This shrub is quite har- dy, and it may be rapidly increased by layering the yoiing and fresh stems early in summer, and they will mostly root the same season if the soil is kept moist. OF RURAL AFFAIRS. 369 The Deutzia scabra, or Rough-leaved Deut- zia, when in bloom, is covered with a prolu- sion of white flowers, and is one of our tinest ornamental shrubs. It is a native of Japnn, and is perfectly hardy. It grows about six feet high, and is easily pro- pagated by layers and by dividing the plant. The Forsythia (For- sythia viridissima) is one of the new shrubs found by R. Fortune in the north of China. He discovered it in the gardens of the rich mandarins, and after- wards wild among the mountains where it ap- Dedtzia scabra. * peared even still more ornamental. The shoots and leaves are of a dark green color (whence the specific name viridissima, or dark green,) and the flowers of a bright yellow. Like the Mezereon and Flowering Almond, they open early in spring before the expansion of the leaves. It appears to be hardy. Forsythia viridissima. ^"c:^=- 'm 370 ILLUSTRATED ANNUAL REGISTER Currant. The Double Crim- son Currant (Ribcs sanguincum.) The single crimson vari- ety is well known 5 the double is more showy, and its pea- dent racemes when in flower, render it a striking object. Like the single crimson, it is not entirely liar- dy, unless shaded from the winter and spring sun ; with this precaution we have never known it to be injured at 43° north latitude. On a dry soil with dry bottom, it has usually passed the vvinter without iujury, even if un- protected in this way. The blossoms are larger than the single variety, the racemes from three to six inches in length ; and the ef- fect of the shrub, when laden in spring, with their fine pen- dent blossoms, is ve- ry rich and striking. The Halesia or Silver Bell. The Ha- lesia diptera, shown in the accompanying engraving, is a hand- somer and much ra- rer species than the common Silver Bell « DoubLb Crimson or Halesia tetraptera. The former blooms later, has larger and whiter flowers, and two angles or wings to its seeds — the latter has four wings. The form and drooping position of the flowers give the name Silver Bell to the plant. Both species are hardy, and are propagated by seeds. Fine Early Spring Flowering Shrubs. — Among shrubs that make an early display on the lawn, we must call special attention of young , planters to the following, while their impressions are fresh on our minds, j 1. The well known Japan Quince (Pj/rMs Jojyonica), with its brilliant '' OF RURAL AFFAIRS. 371 Halesia or Silver Bell. blood-red flowers. 2. The Deep Green Forsythia, with its clear yellow flowers. 3. The Crimson Cm'vsint (Ribes sanguinea) . 4. The Gordon's Currant (Ribes Gordoni), crimson and yellow. 5. The Ashberry (3/a- honia aquifolia. evergreen), with its bright yellow blossoms. 6. The Rose-colored Wiegela {W. rosea), with delicate rose-colored blossoms. We may add to these the Double-flowering Spiraea (S. prujiifoliajl. pL), as it follows them closely, has small double flowers. These form a beau- tiful collection for the early spring, all perfectly hardy and flourishing without any particular care or treatment. The Mahonia we must single out because it is not yet much planted, and is very desirable. It is ev- ergreen, bearing the winter well, the best substitute we have for Rhodo- dendrons ; then it blooms so early and so profusely ; it is low and spread- ing, and makes a rich mass of foliage on the lawn. — P. Barky in Hor- ticulturist. ILLUSTRATED ANNUAL REGISTER soms every year from permanently gin or Phlox van IIoutii. HERBACEOUS PERENNIALS. Herbaceous Perennials, or plants that send up new stems and blos- remaining roots, furnish the easiest means of beau- tifying a flower gar- den ^ as very little attention is needed for most of them if I>ardy, except in keep- ing the ground clean and cultivated, and some are so vigor- ous as to fiourish even in a neglected grass sod. In season, they be- to flower early, immediately after such bulbous plants as the Snowdrop, Cro- cus, Squill, he., and b}'^ a good selection will give a profuse and brilliant supply of flowers till mid- summer, and a few on till autamn. Phlox Van Houtii, is one of the finest and most distinct of all the extensive list of Phlox- es. Its beautiful stri- ped flowers, and its long continned bloom- ing, renders it a great desideratum. It re- quires care, however, being easily destroyed by drought. ZaxLschneria Cali- fornica, is one of the new Californian acqui- sitions, and possesses considerable beauty. — Its flowers are numer- ous, and of a bright scarlet. It is believed to be hardy if planted „ ^ on a dry soil. Zaxtschneria. Cahfornica. @c:^=- OF RURAL AFFAIRS, CLIMBING ANNUALS. Annuals, although requiring some skill and labor in sowing each year, constitute a very important part of an ornamental garden, and general- ly succeeding next to herbaceous perennials, furnish a tine display through the latter part of summer and in autumn. Canary bird flower {Trop Fig. Fig. 8. Avell to add here, that the perfection of all rustic work renders very close and perfect joints absolutely necessary. The back of the seat shown by fig. ""'^ — 7 is let into or fastened to — ^-=-^-^5^*--- the middle of the tree. ^^^ The table, lig. 8, is ^^, formed of the trunk of a tree with well selected branches, inverted; to the top of which is nail- ed circular boards, bat- tened crosswise togeth- er, and covered with '•wood mosaic" already described. Fig. 11 is a flower stand, supported by a leg form- ed of the branching trunk of a tree, with braces nail- ed on below. The top is wicker-work, and will receive a round tin pan, fill- ed with clear wet sand, and covered with a lid of basket or seive-work, through the openings in which the stems of flowers may be thrust into the sand, which will keep them fresh for several days. Fig. 12 is a similar stand, made stronger, to hold a box or pot of rooted plants. Fig. 13 is a pedestal for flower-pots, Fi^ ^'^^ and may be a neat and handsome ornament for any ])art of the grounds. It is easily made of a wooden box, covered with the mosaic of wood. Fig. 14 is a ru.stic foot-bridge. It should be strong and durable, and the joints secured by iron bolts, al- though withes are afterwards applied to give it a more picturesque appearance. The ends may be support- ed on stone abutments, which may be made to con- FiG. 13. Fig. 14. stitute a very appropriate rock-work, much more natural and suita- ble than where an unmeaning pile of stones is placed on level ground a.s is sometimes seen. 15 is a rustic arbor, Fig. re- Fig. 16. quiring but little explanation. If the straw forming the thatch- ed roof, is kyanized, it will last The cornice is or- a long time -^=^0-:^ f OF RURAL AFFAIRS. 381 namented with cones of the white pine, nailed to the hori- zontal board sup- porting the roof. — Cones of different size are very suit- able for interior cor- nices of rustic build- ings, a specimen of which is shown in fig. 16. They may be used for the interior overhead. Moss is also used for the last named purpose, the surface overhead be- ing first covered with rods placed an inch apart, and the moss with the ends even, rammed =^« ILLUSTRATED ANNUAL REGISTER .=^- Fig. 18. in between with a wooden wedge, so as to cover the rods from view. It is only the larger mosses that will answer for this purpose ; and by selecting those of dififerent colors, or by dyeing a part of them with log-wood, a sur- face resembling a Brussels carpet is presented. This is however attended with more labor than most of the contrivances we have described. Figs. 17 and 18 are rustic arbors,, with va- riations in design. Fig. 19*is a prospect tower, to be placed on any wooded hill where an extensive view is afforded. Six strong upright poles are first set into the ground, and secured by cross-pieces at the top and middle. The upper roof may be of straw or boards, and the lower of boards, the latter covering the -•-•i?a«*»cfe5^f^j3^;;^.--— ^ whole interior and forming a separate apart- FiG. 19 ment below. The tower is ascended by stairs placed within. The shorter posts below serve to stiffen the structure, and furnish a verandah round the whole, where seats may be placed. All the structures we have described, taken together, if built in the best manner, wculd not cost so much as single statues or vases of mar- ble; and as a Diuof of their durability when made of the right materials, Q ■ ____ =^3^ A Sc:^=- OP RURAL AFFAIRS. 383 Fig. 20. we may state that there are specimens in England, which have been ex- posed to all weathers, noAv more than forty years old. Before closing this article, we give the view of a log honse, rendered an ornamental object, by a few rustic additions, fig. 20, and by means of climbing roses, &c., made more pleasing than a bleak, costly edifice. Every ingenious owner of a log-house in the west, may thus, by a little labor and contrivance, make an attractive home without a long purse to pay masons, carpenters, joiners and painters. Raising Blackberries and RAsrBERRiES from Seed. — Raspberry and blackberry seed require very much the same treatment as mountain ash seeds — that is, preservation of the natural moisture by immersion from the fruit in moist sand, earth, or peat, and exposure to the freezing of winter. Small seeds, as the raspberry and mountain ash, must be buried very shallow, in order to germinate — not over one half an inch at most, and the moisture of the fine earth with which they are covered must be preserved by proper shading. As this is an important and interesting subject, we applied to Dr. Brinckle of Philadelphia, who has had so much experience as well as success in raising new varieties, and have been favored with the following answer: — " I have no experience in the germination of seed of our indi- genous black raspberry. In regard to the blackberry, I planted seed sev- eral seasons without obtaining from them a single plant. In the summer of 1854, as soon as the berries were ripe, I planted a few blackberry seeds in pots, which were left in the open air all winter. Many of the seed germinated in the spring of 1855, and continued to do well. As a gen- eral and almost invariable rule, blackberry seed, even when planted im- mediately after the maturity of the berry, will not germinate until the ensuing spring. But, in one or two instances, I have known germination to take place the same season the berry ripened." 384 ILLUSTRATED ANNUAL REGISTER -^=«^ WEIGHTS AND MKASURES. MEASURES OF LExXGTH. Gunter^s Chain — 7.92 inches = 1 link. 100 links = 4 rods, 22 yards, or 1 chain. Shoemakers. — No. 1, is 4g inches in length, and every succeeding num- ber is 5 of an inch. There are 28 divisions, in 2 series of numbers, viz: from 1 to 13, and 1 to 15. A French ynetre is = 3.28174 feet, A hand is 4 inches. Number of Plants or Trees that can be planted on an acre of ground, at the following distances apart, in feet. Di>tances apart. No. of Plants. 1 by 1 43,560 li 19,360 1 21,780 2 10.890 6,969 U 2 2 2i 8 3 3 3i 4 4 4 4 5' 5 5 5 5 H 6 61 II II II ie (( ie u iC (I .'( 25 3.125 \ 30 4.500 > 6.125 ( 35 40 8.000 } 10.125$ 45 50 12.500 60 18.000 80 32.000 100 50.000 PRKPARINO SOIL FOR OARDENS. There are several reasons why the soils of gardens should be made bet- ter than for ordinarj' farm crops. 1. Most of the products of gardens are of a succulent nature, or will otherwise bear high feeding, such as garden roots in general, plants whose leaves furnish food, as lettuce, cab- bages, &c., or those which produce large and succulent fruits, as cucum- bers, melons, squashes, &c. 2. As nearly all garden crops are the im- mediate food of man, while many farm crops are only the coarser food of animals, greater care and skill may properly be applied in bringing the former forward to a high degree of perfection. 3. The great amount of family supj)lies which may be obtained from a half-acre garden, provided the best soil is prepared for their growth, renders it a matter of equal importance and economy, to give tlie soil the very best prcj)aration. It rarely happens that there is much selection to be made in soils as we find them in nature, for gardening purposes, unless particular attention is given to the subject in choosing a site for a new dwelling. Generally, we have to take the land as we find it. Unless, therefore, we happen to OP RURAL AFFAIRS. find it just right, we should endeavor to improve it in the best manner. The principal means lor making a perfect garden soil, are draining, trenching and manuring. Kow lest any one should be startled at the outset, with the fear of cost, in thus preparing the soil, we may remark that the entire expense of preparing half an acre, (which would constitute a large kitchen gar- den.) w(>uld not in general, amount to more than the amount saved in a single year in the purchase of food for fiimily supplies, by the fine and abundant vegetables afforded. If the owner canuot possibly prepare his half or quarter acre of land properly, then we would earnestly request him to occupy the ground with something else than garden crops, and to take only a single square rod, (if he cannot attend to more,) and give this the most perfect preparation. A square rod of rich, luxuriant veg- etables, will be found more valuable than eighty rods or half an acre of scant, dwarfed, and stringy growth, which no one will wish to eat; while the extra cost and labor spent on the eighty rods in seeds, digging and hoeing, would have been more than sufficient to prepare the smaller plot in the most complete manner. Let the determination be made, therefore, at the commencement, to take no more land than can be properly prepared, and in the most tho- rough manner. 1. Draining. A few soils do not require draining, but with most it will be indispensable. Where the subsoil is gravelly or porous, so that any amount of extra surface water will be immediately discharged be- low, the operation is not needed; but in all cases where, in digging a hole two feet deep, the water is found to stand in its bottom during the weiest times, we may be sure that draining will be of great importance, in pre- venting a cold, sour subsoil, and stagnant water beneath its surface. Such a condition of the soil could not fail to prove exceedingly detrimen- tal to good growth, and drains not more than thirty feet apart should be made as the first indispensable requisite. No one who has never given draining a full and fair trial, can appreciate its importance. It often happens that the soil may be worked and planted from two to four Avceks earlier in spring — a most important advantage for early vegetables, where a few days of accelerated maturity are so highly valued. Scarce- ly less, is the benefit during the rest of the season, in preventing a hard and baked soil in times of drouth. 2. Trenching. A surface soil of a few inches only, will not answer for a good garden. The roots of succulent vegetables must extend into a deeper bed of fertility ; and a greater depth of pulverization is required to absorb surplus rains, and to give off the accumulated moisture in dry weather. A shallow soil will become deluged by a single shower, be- cause the hard subsoil will not allow it to pass downward; and again, in the heat and drouth of midsummer, a thin stratum is made dry and parched in a week, while one of greater depth becomes scarcely affected. We might cite numerous instances, where trenched gardens remained in the finest state of luxuriance during the most severe drouths, when oth- ers under ordinary management were nearly burnt up with the heat, growth having quite ceased, and leaves curled and withering for want of moisture. The mode of trenching must vary with circum.stancos. In small cir- cumscribed pieces of ground, necessity requires it to be done by hand, . =^3@ 390 ILLUSTRATED ANNUAL REGISTER according to the well known process of throwing the earth to one side, from a ditch cut between the trenched and untrenched portions of the ground. It is not unusual to trench three feet deep for trees, but for the kitchen-garden two feet or even twentj' inches, will answer an excel- lent purpose, and prove incomparablj^ bL-tter than its entire omission. Disappointment sometimes results from the practice of throwing the poorer subsoil to the tup; this should be avoided, or at least but a por- tion of the lower soil mixed with the upper, and the same time a copi- ous amount of manure mixed through and more abundantly applied near the bottom. Compost or old manure is best; but fresh manure will answer nearly or quite as well, provided it is thoroughly broken up with an iron rake and mixed in, as the work advances. The cost of trenching by hand may appear great, but when its future results are taken into the account, it will be found to be a remarkably paying expenditure, the gain amounting perhaps, to five hundred or a thousand per cent, for subsequent years. It may be greatly cheapened on all grounds where a team can be used, by the subsoil plow, to loosen up to a depth of one and a half to two feet. A double Michigan plow may be afterwards employed with great ease in this loosened bed of soil, to bring any desired portion to the surface, but more especially for work- ing in through all parts a plentiful supply of manure. The cost of pre- paring thus a half acre of garden ground, will be about as follows: One coat of manure or compost, 10 loads drawn $10.00 Two thorough harrowings of this manure to break and in- termix it 25 •Plowing with a common plow, followed with a subsoiler and double team 3.00 Another coat of manure, 20 loads 20.00 Two thorough harrowings 25 The whole thrown under to a depth of 15 inches, by large Michigan plow and tripple team 3 . 00 A third coat of manure, 20 loads 20.00 Two harrowings 25 Plowing under with a common plow, about 8 inches 1 .00 Total cost for preparing garden ground $57.75 Of this expense, $50 are paid for fifty loads of manure, (for half an acre, or 100 loads per acre.) and only $7.75 for all else, after the manure is applied, the drawing of the manure being reckoned with the cost, $1 per load. The manure Avould cost the same, if applied in the common way, and would be much less efficient, hence the subsoiling, plowing and harrowing, are operations of great economy, if only the saving in the manure is considered. The mode and depth of some of the plowings must be made to vary with circumstances. If the subsoil is sterile, the plowing after the sub- soiling must not be so deep; and a fourth coat of manure, well harrow- ed, and turned under with a gang-plow, will be advisable. The precau- tion must be observed, however, in any modification of the preceding process, to throw down e;ich snccessive coat of manure to a depth dif- ferent from the others, l^ fresh manure is applied, a greater number of ij harrowings will be necessary to break and intermix it, an operation of OF RURAL AFFAIRS. f the greatest importance, and increasing several times the efficiency of the manure, according to careful experiments. The present time of j'ear will be found suitable for preparing for some of these operations. Sometimes hand-trenching may be done to great advantage towards the close of winter, when the subsoil is softened with moisture and digs easily; and manure may be collected and sometimes composted. If the composts are prepared a year, or at least several mouths ahead, all the better. VALUABLE FACTS. Powdered chalk added to common glue, strengthens it. Boil 1 lb. of glue with 2 quarts of skimmed milk, and it will resist the action of water. Kew wood-work requires about 1 lb. of paint to the square yard, for three coats. Copper and gold will conduct electricity six times better than iron or tin, and twelve times better than lead. Zinc will conduct nearly twice as well as iron; silver more than four times better. T^'ood is 7 to 20 times stronger lengthwise than transversely. Melted snow produces about one-eighth of its bulk of water. W At a depth of 45 feet, the temperature of the earth is uniform through- out the year. Cast iron expands 1-162.000 of its length by 1 degree of heat, and wrought iron 1-143,000. It requires 46 tons per square inch to crush cast iron. Hay. — 11 to 12 cubic yards of clover hay weigh a ton; 10 cubic yards of meadow hay, and 8 or 9 from old, settled stacks. Cement. — 2 parts ashes, 3 parts clay, and 1 part sand, mixed with oil, will resist the weather equal to marble. It requires about 13 cubic feet of air for the combustion of 1 lb. of tallow, wax or oil ; and about the same for the combustion of a pound of coal or pine wood. One pound of good seasoned wood will raise 27 lbs. of water from the freezing to the boiling point, if no heat is wasted. The farmer who burns 25 cords of green wood in a winter, loses heat in evaporating the sap, enough to boil more than 15,000 gallons of water. A hemp rope one inch in diameter will support a weight or force of 5.000 pounds, but in practice, should not be subjected to more than one- Tialf this strain. A rod of good iron is about ten times as strong as the best hemp rope of the same size. A maniila rope is about half as strong as the best hemp. To find the area of a circle, multiply the diameter by the decimal .785-1. To find the contents of a sphere, multiplv the cube of the diameter by .6236. \ To measure corn in the crib, multiply the length, breadth and height \ To measure corn in the crit), multiply the length, breadth and height A /^together, in feet, multiply this product by 4, strike off the right figure, /A / ». and the result will be shelled bushels. A J 892 ILLUSTRATED ANNUAL REGISTER FOOD CONSUMED BY DIFFERENT ANIMALS THE SAME FOR EQUAL AVEIGHTS. In BorssiNGAULT's experiments, the daily average consumption of 17 horses and mares, aged from 5 to 12 years and weighing on an average 1070 lbs., was 33 lbs. of hay each, per day, equal to 3.08 lbs. of hay per day to each 100 lbs. of live weight. His milch cows, weighing on an av- erage 1466 lbs., are also allowed 33 lbs. of hay per head, per day. This gives to each 100 lbs. of live weight 2.25 lbs. of hay per day. As might be expected Boussingault found that 14 growing animals, from 5 to 20 months old, required more food, or 100 lbs. live weight re- quired 3.08 lbs. of hay per day. Boussingault estimates from his experiments, that pigs consume an equivalent of hay per day equal to 3 per cent of their live weight. Sheep, too, require about the same amount. In some experiments made in consequence of premiums offered by the "Worcester County (Muss.) Agricultural Society on the economy of cut- ting food for stock, a pair of working oxen belonging to A. H. Hawes, and kept at moderate work weighing 3134 lbs. consumed 75.2 lbs. of ha}'- per day; or 100 lbs. live weight consumed 2.4 lbs. of hay per day. A pair of steers, belonging to Harvey Dodge, weighing 2220 lbs., consum- ed 51.2 lbs. of hay per day, equal to 2.84 per cent live weight. Two dry cows belonging to C. B. Demond, and weighing 1784 lbs. consumed 43.5 lbs. of hay per day or 2.42 per cent of their live weight. Two milch cows, belonging to W. S. Lincoln, weighing 1800 lbs. consumed 43.2 lbs. of hay per day, equal to 2.4 per cent of live weight. Mr. Barnum's elephant, weighing 4700 lbs. consumes 100 lbs. of hay and a bushel of oats per day; 100 lbs. live weight, therefore, consume 2.12 lbs. of hay and 0.68 lbs. of oats per day, or, estimating, as Bous- singault does, that 68 lbs. of oats are equal to 100 lbs. of hay, the ele- phant consumes 3 12 lbs. of hay per day for each 100 lbs. live weight. To recapitulate therefore, 100 lbs. live weight of animal requires of bay per day, in Working horses 3.08 Working oxen 2.40 Milch cows, (Boussingault's) 2.25 do do (Lincoln's) 2.40 Young growing cattle 3.08 Steers 2.84 Dry cows 2.42 Pigs (estimated) 3.00 Sheep 3 .00 Elephant 3 12 There is considerable difference in these figures, but certainly not as much as might be expected from such various animals. The elephant consumes the most, the working horses and young cattle the next high- est amount, then the sheep and pigs, and what is surprising the large milch cows of Boussingault consume least of all. "Working oxen would appear to consume less than horses. On the whole, these figures give little indication that large animals consume less in proportion to their weight than smaller ones. — Counirxj Gentleman. OF RURAL AFFAIRS. 398 PACKINQ TRKES AND PLANTS. It is estimated that there are over four thousand acres of land un- der nursery culture in western New-York, nearly all of which is for raising fruit trees. At a moderate computation, at least two million dollars worth of trees (at retail prices) are sent out from these nurse- ries annually — or not less, probably, than ten million trees. What be- comes of these ten millions? Do they all reach a thrifty, bearing condi- tion? Very far from it — we question if one-fourth ever doj and some have estimated that not a tenth, or even a twentieth, ever advance be- yond a stunted growth at best. The casualties are — mutilation in remo- val; lo.ss from bad packing or no packing at all, for transporting them from one place to another; careless setting out; but especially a neglect of cultivation after they have been fairly transplanted, by which a large portion of those that pass successfully through the previous stages, are parched up by drouth, and choked down by weeds and grass, and all those which are not thus killed, linger in a doubtful existence for many subsequent years. At present we shall confine our remarks to good and bad packing. Drying and exposure to the air always injures roots. The longer the exposure, and the greater the drying process, the greater of course is the injury. Digging up trees when destitute of leaves, and leaving them an hour or two in the shade, produces but little or no harm; but to re- main in the sun, or to expose them for a whole day to the air. should not be allowed. If they cannot be set out or packed immediately, they should have the roots plunged in a bed of mud, to give the surface a thin coating; or the roots should be immediately buried in mellow soil or sand, until further operations are commenced upon them. Nothing is more common than serious injury to trees by deficient pack- ing. Nearly all those from nurseries are carried to some distance. Some are taken by wagons; and the })ractice has not been an unusual one, to leave the roots exposed for days together. If the trees af- terwards lived, it was because they had an inherent power to recover from their nearlv dead condition to which thev were thus reduced. ]\[anv * V » trees are now sent by steamboat and railroad, and are sometimes weeks on the way. In such cases, the complete protection and preservation of the roots is a matter of the greatest consequence. The packing in which the roots are imbedded, should as nearly as possible resemble in effect, the bed of moist soil from which they are removed. This is most efl'ectu- ally accomplished by first dipping the roots into mud, and then surrounding them with damp moss. At the same time, to prevent external injury, the roots and branches must be well surrounded with straw, if in bun- dles, or with a strong box if the latter is used. Packing well, requires considerable practice and skill, and many nur- serymen do not understand it as they should do. It also involves some expense, which purchasers often begrudge, and hence to save five per cent in this way, often lose fifty per cent of their trees by exposure. The great number of trees packed annually, and the large amount on which the work is imperfectly performed, induces us to otter a few prac- tical hints to beginners. In the first place, the materials must be provided. For packing bun- dles, these must be, 1, a prepared bed of mud, which is best made by ^Bc:^ ~ -^=^ 394 ILLUSTRATED ANNUAL REGISTER setting half a hogshead (made by sawing in two) in the ground, in which to stir thoroughly the soil and water; 2, moss; 3, straw, of which rye is much the best; 4, straps of stout leather, two and a half inches wide, with very strong buckles at one end; 5, cord, about one-fourth or one- third of an inch in diameter; 6, strong sowing twine; 7, a strong packing needle, six inches long; 8, bass mats, sacking or gunny cloth; 9, di- recting labels, which may be planed pine board, half an inch thick, or very thick shingles, about a foot long, and three inches wide; 10, a small quantity of white lead paint, and a soft, black lead pencil, to give the direction or address. To pack a bundle, first lay down on the ground, two of the leathern straps already spoken of, about three or four feet apart and parallel with each other; on these deposit a layer of long, straight, rye straw, about two or three inches in thickness. If the trees are long, lay down anoth- er strap, and another length of straw lapping on the last. Then place a layer of moss on one end of the straw, and the roots of the trees, pre- viously dipped in the mud, on the moss. Proceed to lay on the trees successively, sprinkling moss among the roots, and straw among the stems and branches, taking care at the same time that the roots lie as compact- ly as possible with each other, and the stems perfectly parallel and not When a sufficient number of trees are made into a pile for a crossmg bundle, a layer of moss is laid over the roots, and straw on the stems and branches, as below. The straps are then brought up, and two or three men draw them strongly through the buckles, until the whole is compressed into a round and compact bundle. Kext, in order to secure the strav/ firmly to its place, (having previously, while drawing the bun- dle together, adjusted it evenly over the whole surface,) a cord must be passed around from bottom to top at in- tervals of six inches to a foot, first tying it to a strong root, and then proceeding up- Avards by successive loops, as in fig. 1. To keep the straw to its place, these loops must be tightened with great force, which is best accomplished by two men working togeth- er, one of whom forms the loop and keeps it to its place, and the other passing the cord around a short strong stick, draws upon it by this means with his whole strength, the first one holding it to its place while another loop is made. The The end of the bundle being slightly raised on a bench from the ground, the work is rapidly accomplished — the leathern straps being successively taken off as the cording proceeds. Lastly, a mat or piece of sacking is spread under the roots, after they have been well covered on every side with moss and a coating of straw, and its corners are drawn together, and the whole well secured by sewing with twine. The directing label is then sewed or corded on, and the bundle is ready for shipment, fig. 2. ^^^- ^ This is the simplest mode of packing a bundle, and answers well for all of moderate size. Usuallj'-, however, there are some modifications or additions needed. If, for instance, there are several sorts of trees and several of a varie. FlG. 1. () OF RURAL AFFAIRS. 395 f -'-^ ^ ty, in the bundle, as usually happens in filling retail orders, it is best to tie up each variety by itself, with a small straw band, and with an ad- mixture of straw among the stems. These are then all placed together on the straps, moss mingled well with the roots, and brought compact- ly into a bundle, and kept together by a few twisted straw bands. The external coating of straw and cording is applied afterwards. Very large bundles, are likewise more securely packed by first binding them together, as above mentioned, and strawiug them externally after- wards. Ropes, doubled, so as to form a loop, are sometimes used instead of a strap to draw the bundles together, but they are more apt to cut or bruise the trees, than the flat surface of the leather, or need a thick bed of straw under them. Others employ a windlass for tightening j but this should be used with caution, and with a full supply of straw interspersed among the stems. In the spring of the year, when the buds stait and the bark consequently is free, great care should be used to prevent bruis- ing, by a copious use of straw — and all easily broken trees, such as plums, dwarf pears, &c., need special care of this kind. Fifty trees of common size, seven or eight feet high, will be enough for an ordinary bundle, covered with a mat or sack three by five feet — and two active men will pack in the best manner, about six or eight in a day. Boxing Trees, should be adopted where they are sent long distances. Although they are heavier, yet as the charge for freight is less upon them for a given weight, they are really of cheaper conveyance. They are also requisite in all instances for seedlings, herbaceous roots, &c. For trees in large quantities, it is most economical to employ lai'ge boxes, such as will hold two or three hundred seven feet trees. The size may be about nine or ten feet in length, and over two feet square in- side. These, when filled, will weigh about 700 lbs. They should be of boards not more than three-fourths of an inch thick, with battens or cleats across the ends and middle, secured by icr ought nails, and when the box is filled, they should be banded with hoop iron at the ends. In filling, the trees should be secured to their places occasionally by cross pieces placed within, and nailed at the ends from the outside. These prevent the boxes spreading, keep the tops and bottoms from being crowded off, and hold the trees firmly to their places. The same care as for bundles is needed in mudding the roots, packing in moss, and secu- ring the stems from bruising by an intermixttTre of straw. A lever, like that for filling flour barrels, may be carefully used for compressing the contents. For marking boxes, a mixture of lamp-black and turpentine is most convenient, as it immediately sinks into the wood and becomes dry at once. To Preserve Herbs. — All kinds of herbs shotild be gathered on a dry day, just before, or while in blossom. Tie them in bundles, and suspend them in a dry airy place, with the blossoms downwards. When perfectly dry, wrap the medicinal ones in paper and keep them from the air. Pick off the leaves of those which are to be used in cooking, pound and sift them fine, and keep the powder in bottles, corked up tight. f 396 ILLUSTRATED ANNUAL REGISTER DOCTORINO SICK ANIMALS. One of the best systems of medical practice ever known, and which will probably stand at the head of the list for all coming time, is Nurs- ing. Good care will do more than all the medicine in the world without it. Medicine ia sometimes very good, bnt the most skilful physicians have found they could do but little with serious cases without that intel- ligent and careful watching at all times required for the removal or pre- vention of irritating causes, and known as good nursing. The writer once owned a horse suffering from an excessive cough. Nu- merous remedies were prescribed by kind neighbors, enough, doubtless to have killed him at once. It was concluded to discard all, to give the best attention to his wants, and avoid everything which causes or prolongs a cold. This was during the changeable v.-eather of autumn — ^and he was blanketed whenever a chilly air was apprehended ; he was worked very moderatel}'', always avoiding perspiration, and he was fed on succulent food which was supposed to favor expectoration, and especially young clover. In a few Aveeks nature had performed a perfect cure,- and if any one of the nostrums had accidentally been employed, and had not prov- ed verj' prejudicial, it would unquestionably have received high praise for its efficacy. It is of the utmost importance to discriminate between a recovery by virtue of a medicine, and in spite of it. To keep animals in health, is more important than to cure sick ones, and for this purpose a few leading rules should be always observed, and which cannot be out of place here. 1. Always feed regularly, as to time and quantity. Many animals are made sick by starving at one time, and stuffing at another. Especially, never overfeed. 2. The same rule must be observed with watering — and let the water be pure. 3. Never overwork an animal — regular and moderate exercise will en- able a working animal to do more the year through, by all odds, than any hurried driving at one time and resting and overfeeding at another; and be infinitely less liable to disease. 4. Allo^y a regular supply of salt — it is useful, but an observance of the preceding rules without salt, will be incomparably better than their infraction with it. 5. Never feed musty or bad food. If musty fodder must be used, pass it through a rapid cutter, and moisten, salt and meal it. 6. Avoid unwholesome or poisonous plants in pastures and in hay. 7. Guard all animals against cold rain and snow falling on them, and against lying on cold wet ground. 8. All changes of food must be gradual. If from hay to grass, let the grazing be but an hour the first day, two hours the next, three the next, &c. The same caution must be carefully observed, in beginning to feed with roots, grain, &:c. 9. Be careful that animols always have enough of exercise — and plen- ty of pure, fresh air. Stables must be well ventilated — animals often become sick from breathing foul air. 10. Lastly, and by no means least, let strict cleanliness be observed. ijRl All animals, even pigs, kept clean and curried, are found to maintain OF RURAL AFFAIRS. 397 their flesh better, or fatten faster, than when dirty and neglected — and cleanliness is more important to health than for flesh. Wq do not propose to go into a long discourse on diseases and their remedies, but there are a few of the more common diseases and some simple remedies for them, a knowledge of which may be useful for the inexperienced. HORSES. Colic and inflamation of the Bowels, are two very common diseases, often confounded together. With colic the pulse is natural, not fifty a minute, the animal often rolls, the disease intermits, and there is usually not much fever. With inflamation, there is much fever, the pulse some- times rising to nearly a hundred a minute, the attack is gradual, and the disease does not intermit. The remedies proposed are of the simplest character, and not those often used by professional men. For Colic — If from badly digested food, give a pint or more of a solu- tion of saleratusj or a mixture of half a pound or upwards of fresh powdered charcoal with thrice its bulk of water, is still safer. Spasmo- dic colic may be treated with the charcoal internally, and brisk friction externally, and a quart of peppermint tea with a spoonful of powdered cinnamon may be given. Ginger tea is also useful. For Inflamation of the Bowels — This is a diliicult disease to cure, and horses generally are killed by the amount of irritating medicines admin- istered, which only add to the disease, such as whiskey, gin and molas- ses, salts, castor oil. gunpowder, &c. &c. Give a drink of slippery elm every hour, to ally irritation — keep the animal quiet — let him have but little food, and let that be weak gruel. Avoid bleeding. Scours or Diarrhcea — Sometimes this arises from irritating matter, in which case it must not be checked too soon. When it proceeds from ex- posure after over-exertion, let all the drink the animal takes be slippery- elm water, with occasional doses of a spoonful of charcoal. The food should be dry. Raspberry leaf tea is a good drink, after the symptoms begin to subside. In severe cases, twenty or thirty grains of kino may be given in a quart of thin flour gruel, twice a day. Cold or Catarrh — This is a common and well known disease. Medi- cines generally are of little use except to allay attending symptoms. Good nursing and careful management are best, avoiding any exciting causecalculated to increase the disease, or retard the gradual cure that nature commonly effects. If followed or accompanied by a hard cough, green food should be given — if in winter, turnips or ruta bagas with warm wet meal are useful. A moderate feeding of fresh apples two or three times a day operates as an expectorant, and relieves the cough. Heaves — When a horse is fed on musty hay, and his cough begins to assume symptoms of heaves, immediately procure good hay if possible, or else cut the hay fine and always feed it wet, to which add a spoonful of ginger daily until the symptoms disappear. A horse which has the heaves once established, cannot be cured, but the disease may be kept so latent as to be of no inconvenience, by always feeding wet chopped food. Scratches — (A cutaneous and troublesome disease just above the hoof.) Keep the aflV-cted parts clean, by washing with soap and water, and then apply a solution of chloride of lime. Q 398 ILLUSTRATED ANNUAL REGISTER Y- Distemper or Horse Ail — (attended with thickened discharges from the nose, and sore throat, often a tumor under the jaws, and weakness.) Kub and curry otten to promote w;vmth and'circulation, keep warm and comfortable, and if the animal refuses to eat, withhold all drink, but place before liim warm mashes which he will swallow, when he finds his water is nol given. He will often eat wet hay, slightly salted, if given him morsel after morsel by the hand. Scraped carrots are excellent. The principal object is to keep up his strength and flesh, until the disease runs its course. A seton is often advisable, diverting the disease. CATTLE. If 'the ten rules already given are carefully observed, cattle will scarcely ever become diseased j and if they do, immediately examine to see if some of these rules are not broken. The following remedies may be applied, in case of a few of the more common diseases. Horn Ail — The symptoms are dullness, failure of appetite, giddiness, failure of flesh, the horn generally feels cold. The head and not the horn merely is diseased. Boring is generally of no use, and can only give temporary relief where there is a pressure of matter in the horns. Hornless cows have it sometimes. It generally occurs to animals in low condition, with deranged digestive organs. The best remedies are to keep them in a warm shelter, and to give warm, nourishing, and stimu- lating food. If the animal should happen to be in high condition, feed lightly. Most of the remedies have their reputation because they did not prevent natural recovery. Garget or Caking of the Bag — Let the calf suck, after having drawn oflf a part of the milk ; and if there is danger of matter forming, rub the udder with a liniment of equal parts of goose oil and hoi drops. If painful, wash with weak lye. It is very important always afterwards to milk very clean. Avoid high or stimulating food. Hoven — occasioned by eating too much fresh clover or other green food. The preventive is caution in turning into fresh pastures, allowing but a short time at first. In mild cases, a cure may be efiected by a quart of saleratus water j in severe and threatening ones, a penknife must be thrust into the paunch through the skin, two or three inches forward of the hip bone. Foul in the Foot — caused by standing long in filth — may be cured by removing to a dry clean place, washing with soap, then with chloride of liuie, and applying curriers' oil. Washing with salt and water is useful. Lice — "Wash the skin, night and morning, with a decoction of 2 ounces of lobelia seeds in 1 quart of boiling water j after standing 2 hours, ap- ply with a sponge. Sore Teats — Always wash with water before milking, or after calf-suck- ing— this is often sufficient. If much sore, apply equal parts of lime- Avater and linseed oil. Choked Cattle — may be relieved, when the obstruction is high, by thrusting the arm at full length down and seizing it with the fingers. To prevent the animal biting dangerously, pass the arm through a v.-heel- box or clevi.s, held firmly in the mouth ; or still better, through a wood- en box made on purpose, with projecting ends to hold by. If fixr down the obstruction may be pushed down with a flexible stick with a round soft knob. OP RURAL AFFAIRS. 399 Q To Prevent a Cow sucking herself — thrust a hickory stick, 8 inches long, and half an inch in diameter, through a slit made in the nose, so that tlje stick may project each way horizontally. If ihe stick is a lit- tle smaller at the center, it will not come out. Colic, injlammaiion of the bowels and diarrhcea, require nearly the same treatment as with horses. SHEEP Scours — Give 4 ounces raw linseed oil mixed with two ounces of lime-waier, when the disease first appears, and give half a gill of gin- ger tea every four hours, ana mix ginger with the food. Feed on gruel or mashes of meal. A drink of slijtjtery elm is valuable. ,AVheu ap- proaching dysentery, give a teaspoonfiil of charcoal additionally. Stretches or Constipation — Give fresh air and exercise, and scalded shorts. Chopped roots are excellent. For loss of appetite, give camomile tea. To destroy Ticks, drop on a tincture of lobelia seeds, a few drops only. Foot Rot — Mix about one part of sulphur with twenty parts of salt, or thereabouts, and feed the sheep regularly with it the season througn. In flocks of 2000 sheep, badly infected, it reduced the disease to one thirti- eth in a single year, and afterwards entirely eradicated it. Flour sul- phur may be bought very cheaply at wholesale in oS^ew-York. ■Rot — Give 2 ounces powdered charcoal and 1 ounce of ginger, mixed in a pound of oatmeal. Staggers — if too poorly fed, feed higher j if too high, reduce. Dr. Dadd's remedy is to give half a teaspoonful daily, mixed in food, of slippery elm powder 4 parts, powdered snake-root 2 parts, and 1 jmrt of fennel seed. As a general medicine, for all diseases aflfecting the digestive func- tion, a mixture of charcoal and salt is recommended. SWINE. Fits — Give a clean, airy pen — feed carefully and moderately, v^ith a. little horse-radish in the food, and give plentifully of valerian tea. Meazles — usually known by its eruptions, with dullness or droMsiness. Remove to a warm and separate place, keep on thin gruel, give a tea- spoonful of sulphur daily, and a drink of bittersweet tea. Vermin — 3Iix sulphur and ])owdered charcoal with the food, and wash the skin in wood-ash lye. and then in a decoction of tobacco. Diarrhcea — apply the same remedy as for sheep. I PRESENCE OF MIND. There is no branch of practical education of greater importance than teaching presence of mind. Disasters which occur are greatly increased by the fright and perturbation which are generally manifested on such occasions. Self-possession and practical knowledge combined, often give an immense superiority to the person who can command them. The world-felt loss of the steamship Arctic could have been prevented, if a A single individual on board had possessed these two qualities: — by imme- pL dia'tely driving the water from one boiler, and filling the other, the rent A (^c^= =^0^ ILLUSTRATED ANNUAL REGISTER in the ship's side would have risen above the water's edge, and the hun- dreds who perished been saved. Friglit and confusion often result directlj^ from conscious ignorance, and a feeling of inability to help one's self. Hence it is of the utmost importance to fix clearly and indelibly in the mind at all times what course should be pursued when accidents occur. The remedy may be then instantly applied. A volume should be written to teacli this know- ledge, which should be taught in schools and colleges, as equally impor- tant with arithmetic, chemistry, and book-keeping. As an illustration of our meaning, and also as a small contribution to this object, we fur- nish a few rules to be observed in certain cases of emergency or of ac- cident. If a house takes fire, instantly endeavor to keep all the doors shut. Currents of air and of flame cannot pass through, and it will burn much more slowly, and furniture may be saved, and perhaps the conflagration so retarded until it may be extinguished. We have known houses in a mass of flames in a few minutes, merely in consequence of doors left wide open in the fright and terror of the occasion. If the lower story is in flames, and inmates are above, the first thing is to direct the attention to loosening a bed cord or tying bed clothes to- gether, which, fastened to the bedstead, will admit a safe descent. A prompt attention to this particular would often save broken limbs, from leaping. If horses become frightened and run, in all cases keep your seats, un- less they stop so that you may jump out safely. A passenger striking the ground or any obstacle, alone and unprotected, is far more likely to be injured, than when encased in the protecting walls of a carriage. Al- ways avoid the extreme folly of seizing the reins from the driver. If harness breaks while ascending a hill in a wagon, instantly turn the horses' heads from the bank or precipice if there be any. This will cause the wheels, in backing, to turn to the same side, and prevent falling or running off". The same precaution is to be observed, if a balky horse should commence backing. Horses which run away and cannot be stopped, may be checked (and sometimes cured,) if a long ascent is at hand, by turning them up the hill. They soon get tired of this kind of hard work, and if then urged still upward, will be reluctant to run away again. To save horses from a rapidly burning barn, they must be instantly blindfolded. They cannot otherwise be led out. In assisting persons who have broke through ice. — procure, if possible, a pole or stick — laid horizontally on the ice, it will sustain a considera- ble weight, even if the ice is thin, and also a.ssist in laying hold for extri- cation. Many persons lose their lives in water, by slipping off* the ice edge while attempting to raise themselves on their arras. It is better to ap- proach the edge sidewise, and attempt to roll out. In case of a severe wound, and danger of bleeding to death, before medical assistance arrives, immediately tic a knot in the middle of a pocket handkerchief — (or if one is not to be had, use a suspender) — then tie the handkerchief loosely around the part cut, betweem the cut and the body placing the knot about a couple of inches from the wound; put in a short stick through the bandage and twist until the blood stops run- ning. Bleeding to death may almost always be prevented in this way. -^=^ OF RURAL AFFAIRS. 401 In resuscitating persons who have been drowned — place them upon a table or bed with the head a little elevated ; procure a pair of bellows if possible — place the nose in the mouth" of the patient, close the rest of the mouth with a cloth, and forcibly fill the lungs. Then remove the bellows, press upon the lungs, and drive out the air. Repeat the opera- tion as rapidly and thoroughly as possible for several hours — meanwhile keep the body and extremities warm by hot flannels and rubbing. If no bellows can be had, let the strongest person present inflate hislnngsto their full capacity, immediately place his mouth on that of the patient, force the air into his lungs — imitate natural breathing as far as possible. The reason why a person dies from drowning is that the supply of air is cut off from en- tering the lungs — no water by any possibility ever enters them, so by giv- ing the lungs a copious supply of fresh air and inducing circulation by fric- tion and warmth, we are doing all that can be done to restore the patient. In cases of poisoning, if discovered immediately, take a thorough emetic at once. Many things will answer if no better can be found — a des- sert spoonful of mustard in a gill or less of warm water, or 3 or 4 grains of tobacco, (a small quid) will operate as a ready emetic. PROPAGATINa BY CUTTINOS. Nothing is more easy and simple than to raise plants of the willow or gooseberry by cuttings, a practice which has been long known, when ap- plied to such easy-rooting sorts as these, which, however, comprise a very small part of the vegetable kingdom. It is only of late years that the art has become so thorough- 1// 13 K/i'l jiII ly perfected that nearly every- thing of vegetable growth may be increased by cuttings. '^\'hen ap- plied to the more difficult species, as, for example, the resinous trees, it becomes one of the most e<^^^r delicate and .skilfuU of all gar- dening operations. It is however merely intended here to speak of the simpler and easier processes, and such as may be performed without the assistance of a 'pro- pagating house. When an easy-rooting cutting is placed in earth, the descent of its sap in the bark, being arrest- ed at the cut, forms a callus or ring round the face of the cut (Fig. 1.) which soon swells and shoots down into the soil in the Fig. 1. Fig. 2. form of roots, (Fig. 2,) forming, as growth proceeds, the new plant or tree, as in fig. 3, which represents the rooted cutting of a currant ; no care f'-^- 3- being required in its management but simply removing the shoot at its base sometime during autumn or winter, preserving it in mould, and ©c^— ILLUSTRATED ANNUAL REGISTER planting to two-thirds its length earh' in spring. Perhaps the easiest and simplest of all is the peg-cutting, (Fig. 4.) used for multiplying oziers &c., and which consists merely of a branch .-,^f>= ' cut to a certain length, sharpened, and driv- en into a hole previously made with a bar or stake. These cuttings may be made of t iimu||j|| jf portions of the trunk ot^ considerable size, ^H|'i,[i|L^ (Fig. 5,) and are often seen growing into Nilil "llHlK trees, where willow stakes have been driv- en into moist soils for other purposes. Quinces, grapes, &c., often root freely from cuttings planted in the open ground, provided the soil is deep, rich and mellow, — deep to retain moisture; rich to impart vigor; and mellow, to fit closely the sur- face of the shoot, and prevent drying. The character of the soil is of the greatest consequence, for if it be too heavy, cold, or compact, the cuttings will decay; and if too loose, they will dry up. As a general rule, a soil just light enough never to crack by drying, and warm and mellow, will be best for currants, gooseber- ries, grapes, quinces, climbing roses, bush honeysuckles, Fig. 4. Fig. 5. &c. Those inclining in the least degree to be tender, should be cut in au- tumn, as their vigor is often seriously injured by exposure to intense cold, even when they are not killed. Out-door cuttings, like the above, should be buried, with the earth pressed closely about them, so as to leave but one or two buds above ground, and only one for the grape. If long, they should be set sloping, approaching hor- izontal, to receive surface heat. If the season should be very dry, the soil may be kept moist by a mulching of saw- dust, tan, or forest leaves, or b}' systematic irrigation, — if on a ismall scale, by the wa- tering-pot, or if on a large scale, by the wa- ter-cart, or channels, which, to prevent ba- king the surface, must be on a mulch. For the dwarf or tree -box, or any other easily rooting evergreen, a shading for the whole plant .is indispensable, and may be effected by a low awning covered with mats or straw, or by lines of inclined boards, each line shading a row of cuttings. Cuttings which will not strike root with the preceding management, may in ma- ny instances be made to succeed by sim- ply covering tliem with a bell-glass, to prevent the escape of moisture, and pre- serve a humid and still atmosphere for them, or by placing them in a partly spent hot-bed, or in a coal-pit under a glass sash. This is a very common me- FiG. 6. or any other Fig. 7. OF RURAL AFFAIRS. 403 thod of treating the cuttings of roses, pelargoniums, and other plants, which are taken from the plants while growing, and on which a part of the leaves are left to keep up active growth till the roots are formed. It is a well known but curious circumstance, that many sorts of trees, if inserted merely in a mass of earth, will not root at all, or but very rarely, while if placed in contact with the sides of the pots they seldom fail to become rooted plants. An Eng- lish cultivator, some years ago, had long tried to strike cuttings of orange trees without success, when hearing of this practice, he was enabled, on the first trial to raise eleven out of thirteen. Fig. 6 repre- sents a propagating pot for this pur- pose, the hole at the bottom being covered by an inverted smaller pot, against the sides of which the cut- tings are placed, the hot air passing up through the hole, and imparting heat to the smaller pot and plants. The central pot also serves to keep ^^^- ^^■ the new plants apart, so that they are easily se- parated afterwards. Large bell-glasses, (Fig. 7,) are sometimes conve- niently used to cover a great many small pots at one operation, where great nicety of process is not required as in China roses; where much skill is required, single glasses, nearly fitting the dimensions of the cut- tings, are found to succeed best (Figs. 8 and 9.) Several small cuttings, as of heaths, for example, may be placed under abroad low glass, (Fig. 10.) Fig. 8. Fig. 9. SATISFACTORY FARMINO. The Country Gentleman gives the following interesting account of the great success which has attended a thorough system of farming in con- nection with regular underdraining, as conducted by John Johnston and R. S. Swan, near Geneva, N. Y. '' If an J' are dubious as to the profitableness of expending S30 per acre in underdrains, let them visit the farms of John Johnston and Robert S. Swan near Geneva, N. Y. After gazing at corn, yellow and stunted, as are most of the fields we pass on the N. Y. Central Railroad, it is de- lightful to walk through an eighteen acre field of Dutton corn gaily wa- ving its tassels a vard above one's head. Such a field has Mr. John- STON. Standing on the side of the hills we could not reach the top of the tassels within eighteen inches. "VVe have never seen such a piece of corn before in this state; the whole field is the same, except a few rods where an underdrain is stopped, and here the corn is not one quarter as good. AYe may say, par parenthese, that Mr. J. has laid 210,000 tiles on his farm, and this is only the second drain that has been stopped. "When Mr. Johnston bought what was then called the " poorest farm in all creation," one of his neighbors said that he " would starve" on it ; but by underdraining, by growing clover, and consuming it on the farm by sheep and cattle, and by using a large quantity of oilcake as food for stock, by a judicious rotation, deep plowing and thorough cultivation, 404 ILLUSTRATED ANNUAL REGISTER he has made it one of the most productive farms in the state. Agricul- ture is a complex art. "VYe must not attribute this great improvement to underdrainiiig alone, but it lies at the foundation; the deep plowing, thorough cultivation and high manuring would have had comparatively little effect without it. The prominent points of Mr. Johnston's system areas follows: 1. Feed- ing a large number of cattle or sheep in winter. For instance, late last fall he purchased 331 Spanish Merino sheep for $600, and fed them du- ring the winter on wheat and oat straw, ana half a pound of oilcake and three-fifths of a pound of corn per sheep per day. He sold them in the spring at $6 per head. The cost of oilcake and corn was $1.63 per sheep. 2. The rich manure made from the oilcake and corn-fed animals is applied to the land in the fall ; generally it is spread on a grass field that is to be plowed the following spring and planted with corn. 3. Clo- ver is not plowed under as a manure. The wheat is seeded down in the spring with 8^ lbs. of clover ana 5 quarts of Timothy. It is allowed to lie in grass four years, being generally mown for hay. 4. Eight tons of plaster are used on the farm each year. It is sown broadcast, a bushel per acre, on the corn at or immediately after planting, and the clover and grass lots are supplied freely. It is, too, sown on the wheat in the fall for the benefit of the young clover next year. 5. Salt is frequently sown, a barrel per acre on the wheat. It gives a bright, stiff straw, and causes the wheat to ripen earlier. Salt too is often sown on the corn and hastens its maturit}^ 6, For wheat the land is usually summer fal- lowed, but now since the soil is so rich that the wheat is sometimes too rank, an occasional oat or barley crop precedes it. There are many other interesting points in Mr. Johnston's management to which our space forbids allusion this week. The farm of Mr. Swan deserves more extended examination than we were able to give it, Mr. S, studied agriculture with Mr. Johnston, and brought intelligence, skill, great energy, practical knowledge and abundant capital to the work of improving a beautifully located farm of 340 acres, but which had been •' run out" by mismanagement and neg- lect. Four years since, when he came in possession, the wheat on the farm produced only five bushels per acre, and some of it was plowed un- der in the spring. He commenced a systematic course of drainage, and has prosecuted the work with such energy, that he has not a field on this large farm which is not thoroughly underdrained. We have never seen a farm in Great Britain where the drainage was more complete. a7id none where there were so few ditches. He has laid forty-six miles of under- drains. The result is most satisfactory and astonishing. On one field, where four years since the wheat yielded less than five bushels per acre, there was growing at the time of our visit a crop that we should estimate at 30 bushels per acre. The corn and oats too are most excellent. Drying "Wood. — It has been found that the most thoroughly seasoned wood, at common temperatures, still contains about one-tenth water. Stings of Insects are accompanied hy an acid poison. One of the best remedies, as we have fully proved, is a paste marie of saleratMS and water. A paste of fresh ashes would be good. It neutralizes the poison. OP RURAL AFFAIRS. 405 THE OREAT TREE. _ A late number of the Horticulturist contains some interesting informa- tion in relation to the Sequoia gigautea, which the English botanists are determined to call the IVellingtonia, and which some of the Americans are as pertinaciously resolved shall be known as Washingtonia. The information we allude to, is contained in an article originally from tlie California Fanner, a communication from Dr. F. Winslow, an American traveller. ^\Q have already furnished our readers a brief ac- count of this magnificent giant, and the testimony is ample in proof of its vast dimensions; but the following extract from Dr. TVinslow's com- munication, at the same time that it is graphic and precise, gives the height rather greater than other accounts that we have met with : — ''The Great Tree, (thus he distinguishes the Sequoia gigantea,) is peculiar to the Sierra Nevada, and grows no where else on the globe. I may even add, as far as my information ex- tends, that it is entirely confined to a narrow ba- sin of 200 acres at most, of which the soil is sile- cious and strewn Avith blocks of Lignite. This basin is very damp, and retains here and there ])ools of water; some of the largest of the trees extend their roots di- rectly into the stagnant water, or into the brooks. There are more than a hundred which may be considered as having reached the extreme limits of growth which the species can attain. One of our countrymen, Mr. Blake, measured one, of which the trunk, im- mediately above the root, was 94 feet in circumference. Another, which had fallen from old age, or had been uprooted by a tempest, was lying near it. of which the length from the roots to the top of the branches was 450 feet. A great portion of this monster still exists, and according to Mr. Lapham, the pro})rietor of the locality, (and who has undoubted- ly appropriated to himself all trees by right of occupation,) at 350 feet @c:^=- Q 406 ILLUSTRATED ANNUAL REGISTER f I from the roots the trunk measured 10 feet in diameter. By its fall, this tree has overthrown another not less colossal, since at the origin of the roots it is 40 feet in diameter. This one, which appeared to me one of the greatest wonders of the forest, and compared with which man is but an imperceptible pigmy, has been hollowed, by means of lire, through- out a considerable portion of its length, so as to form an immense wood- en tube of a single piece. Its size may be imagined when it it is known that one of my companions, two years ago, rode on horseback in the in- terior of this tree for a distance of 200 feet, without any inconvenience. My companions and myself have frequently entered this tunnel and pro- gressed some sixty paces, but have been arrested before reaching the end by masses of wood which had fallen from the ceiling. Kear these over- thrown giants others still are standing, not inferior to them in size, and of which the height astonishes the beholder. I can mention three par- ticularly, which, entirely isolated, grow near each other so systematical- ly as to appear to have been planted purposely to produce the effect. A fourth is remarkable in having, between fifty and one hundred feet from the ground, its trunk divided into three enormous branches of the same size and nearly parallel, extending to a distance of more than 300 feet. Others are distinguished by tlie straightness of their trunk, compara- tively as delicate and erect as that of a Pine-tree, and which are not less than 350 feet in height. At some distance may be seen a species of knoll rising from the surface of the ground, and which is merely a half developed knot, the last remains of one of these monsters, which have fallen centuries ago, and are now buried under the soil. " I am informed by Mr. La'phara, that the wood of one of these trees is remarkable for its very slow decomposition, "When freshly cut the fibre is white j but it soon becomes reddish, and by long exposure to the air acquires a color nearly as dark as Mahogany. Its consistence is rath- er feeble, and nearly resembling the Pine or Cedar, but the bark cover- ing it differs materially from the latter. It is excessively thick near the foot of the tree, sensibly clastic on pressure, and is readily divided into a small mass of fibres closely resembling those censtitiiting the husk of the cocoa-nut, but much finer. About this portion of the trunk it is split in every direction by deep cracks, but at the elevation of 100 or 180 feet, it is almost smooth and not more than two inches in thickness. At this point the bark is removed from the living tree for exportation. (How can such a sacrilege be tolerated!) A hotel has been built along side of the '-' Great Tree," the bark of which was exhibited last year at San Francisco, and, on its overturned trunk a sort of ladies' pavilion has been erected, which serves as an elegant promenade. In order to fell it the trunk was bored, by means of a very long and powerful augur, with many holes very near to each other and arranged circularly ; but even when almost detached from its bases its immense mass resisted all efforts to overthroAV it. Four days subsequently it was blown down by the wind. It shook the earth when it fell, and made for itself a deep furrow in the ground in which it lies, at this moment, half buried." Now to read simply of a tree four hundred and fifty feet high, we are struck with large figures, but we can hardly appreciate the height with- out some comparison. Such a one as that through which the horse- back journey was performed, would stretch across a field twenty-seven rods wide; if standing in the Niagara chasm at Suspension Bridge, it OF RURAL AFFAIRS. 407 would tower two hundred feet above the top of the bridge ; if placed in Broadway, New-York at the head of Wall street, it would overtop Trin- ity steeple by one hundred and sixty feet, and would be two hundred and thirty feet higher than Bunker-Hill monument, Boston j or two hundred and seventy above "Washington monument, Baltimore. If cut up for fuel, it would make at least three thousand cords, or as much as would be yielded by sixty acres of good woodland. If saAved into inch boards, it would yield about three million feet, and furnish enough three inch plank for thirty miles of plank road. This will do for the product of one little seed, less in size than a grain of wheat. By counting the annual rings it appears that some of the oldest speci- mens have attained an age of three thousand years. If this computa- tion is correct, and we see no reason to doubt it, they must have been as large as our best forest trees in New-York, in the times of Homer and the prophet Elijah; and venerable and towering giants during the Car- thagenian wars. In other words, " The Roman Empire has begun and ended " since they commenced growing. We hope the small plantation which comprises their whole number, will not share the fate of the world-renowned cedars of Lebanon on their native mountains, now re- duced to a dozen in number, but that they will be protected and pre- served, and only those that fall by old age be removed for exhibition. It would of course be idle to talk of transporting such a monster to this part of the country, weighing as it does some five thousand tons, and a portion of its shell only may be secured as a fragment of such a speci- men in natural history. The figures at the head of this article represent the relative size of the gigantic Sequoia, and of the largest forest trees in the more fertile dis- tricts of New-York, where elms and maples attain a height of 90 feet, and pines 130 feet. TO PREVENT WHEAT FROM SPROUTING. To give a remedy after the damage is done, may remind our readers of the old proverb, "after the steed is stolen, shut the stable door." But as a shrewd old friend sometimes re- marks, " the best way is as good as any," — a practice which will insure the grain crop from injury in wet seasons, and be wholly unobjectionable at other times, is worthy of adoption. We have taken some pains to ascer- tain by experiment the precise time of cutting when the wheat crop affords the largest yield; and this we find to be when the chaff has become about one- ^. half or two-thirds yellow, green streaks ' running through it— a few days earlier is better than too late. We have re- commended this practice to our read- ers, and also to our neighbors, and many have adopted it. A good far- mer and careful observer informs us that he cut a part of his wheat this 408 ILLUSTRATED ANNUAL REGISTER year while in this condition, and put it up in capped shocks, well known to many farmers, and represented in the annexed figure. It remained during the long period of heavy rains which followed, dried thoroughly during this time, and came out as bright and as fresh as in any year ; while all the rest, cut at the usual time, was badly sprouted. The contrast, was remarkable. T\^e saw large fields the present year that were quite ripe enough to cut, before the rains commenced, and regretted, at the time the risk from delay that the owners were incurring, but did not dream of so dis- astrous a result. Now if the practice of cutting early and shocking securely, is as good in any season, and better in wet ones, why not adopt it generally? Let our readers make a memorandum of this matter in their minds, for an- other year. i SUPPORTS FOR LIGHTNING RODS. Nearly all the directions that occasionally appear for the erection of lightning rods, require that a glass insulating ring be placed around the rod at each point of support, to prevent the electric tiuid from passing to the building. Most of the rods we have seen have this contrivance carefully attached to them, and in most instances the ring was placed in- side a hole through an iron rod or bolt, the other end of which entered the timbers of the building. Now, there are but two objections to this contrivance, namely, that first, it is of no use; and secondly, it misleads to security by causing neglect of other precautions — all for the following reasons: — 1. The distance insulated is too small to be of any practical utility, for very small charges of the fluid, such for instance as may be obtained every successive second from any good electric machine, will leap through the air a greater distance than that from the rod to the iron support; consequently in the heavy explosions from the clouds, it would be perfectly inctficacions. 2. The glass, by becoming wet, as it certainly would in any thunder storm, would immediately become a conductor, and if useful at any other time, would now lose all its valuable property. 3. The nearness of the rod to the iron sui)port, would tend to turn the fluid into the building, if the communication to the earth below should happen to be imperfect, or if the explosion were too large to be easily canicd down by the rod. A much better plan is to make supports of wood, which may be of plank or small scantling, with a hole bored through one end for the pas- sage of the rod, the other to be screwed, nailed, or mortised into the building, so as to hold the rod off at least one foot distance from the out- er side wall. If the rod is sharp at the upper end, high enough above the roof, continuous throughout, and enters the earth several feet (at least 6 or 7.) so as to reach permanently moist earth, no danger can ever arise — because the electric fluid always takes the best conductor , and as iron conducts almost infinitely better than seasoned wood, and the rod is lIL held by it at some distance from the building, the discharge would pass ( } instantly into the moist subsoil and be as instantaneouslj' dissipated C/O. ©c:^-- OF RURAL AFFAIRS. 409 through the earth. Baked wood is nearly as perfect a non-conductor as glass J and when a foot in length and compared Avith glass of only half an inch, would insulate incomparably the best. Every electrician is aware that the heaviest discharge from a Ley den jor may pass safely through a metal rod held in the bare hand, provided the communication is complete at each end of the rod,— which being so much a better con- ductor than the hand, none of the fluid passes into the latter. In the same way, a good lightning rod, high above the building, and entering the earth deeply, will carry down a heavy discharge through even tho- roughly moistened supports, without any tendency to pass into the build- ing. An interesting proof of this fact occurred some years ago, at a house formerly occupied by the writer. The rod, an inch in diameter, was a single silvered point at the top, and entered the earth six feet, into a bed of'charcoal deposited there. During a severe thunderstorm, an explosion occurred to which the discharge of a cannon seemed as a mere pop-gun, and the building trembled to its foundations. It was however found to be uninjured ; but the next day the point of the rod with its cap of silver, was found melted into a ball*, nearly sis large as a rifle bullet ! This rod was held about one foot from the' clapboarding by means of wooden supporters, painted like the rest of the house; and but for its protection, in carrying down, as it evidently did, a tremendous discharge of lightning, the dwelling would probably have been shivered to frag- ments. MICE-ONAWED TREES. The remedy of connecting the upper and lower portions of the bark of fruit trees separated by the gnawing of mice, has been known, published and practiced for many years, although recently described in some of the papers as new. Vi^e have, however, recently witnessed a mode of apply- ing this remedy adopted by S. M. T^^oodruff, of Canandaigua. N. Y., winch is so simple, easy and efficient, that we think it Morthy of being placed before our readers for future use. About seventy of his fine young bearing trees had l)cen completely giidled, some of them for the length of nearly a foot, and this remedy has saved nearly all of them, A number of young shoots or portions of the branches of apple trees are first provided, and as they are wanted, are sharpened in the form of a wedge at each end, being long enough to connect the upper and lower ] tortious of the bark, separated by gnawing. A chisel, the breadth of which is about equal to the diameter of the shoots, is then driven into tl)e bark, (say half an inch from the gnawed edge,) both above and below, and the prepared or sharpen- ^^^ - ^ ,^ ed shoot is thou firmly pressed at each ■'^^^^'■•Jf^l end into the cut made by the chisel, this is easily done _ by first bending the shoot outwards at the middle, so as _ ^^^- ^^ to allow each end to enter, and then crowding it in again. The place must be then well waxed. The edge of the chisel must be placed so as to make a horizontal line in the bark, and then be driven nearly verti- 18 -=^=® ILLUSTRATED ANNUAL REGISTEB cally upwards or downwards for the upper or lower parts of the bark. When the shoot is placed in the cut thus made, some portions of the line between the bark and the wood in both tree and shoot, must necessarily coincide, and as a consequence, the two parts almost invariably adhere and grow togeth- er— there is scarcely ever a failure. Fig. 1, represents a girdled tree; Fig. 2, the same with the shoots inserted; and Fig. 3, is an enlarged section, showing the posi- tion of the sharpened end of the shoot when in its place. The great advantage of this mode consists in the rapidity with which the work may be done, and the difficulty of displacing or knocking out these shoots when once in. There should always be a few stout stakes driven around each tree, to keep off plows, harrows or cultivators, which might otherwise strike the tree and loosen these shoots. The shoots used were about one-fourth to one-half an inch in diameter when applied, and they had already tripled their ori- ginal size. Probably larger ones would be better, and the more nume- rous they are the greater will be the security, and the sooner they will grow and unite in one solid trunk. Fig. 3. APPARATUS FOR SHEARING SHEEP. An Ohio correspondent of the Country Gentleman, furnishes that pa- per with the following: — Not having seen any notice of any improve- ment on the old-fashioned mode of shearing sheep, — no doubt as un- comfortable for the sheep as the shearer — I thought I would send you a sketch of one I have been using for the last three years, which I find Fig. I. to be just the thing. It was first made and used by a neighbor who has followed shearing many years. It has these advantages, — the shearer stands up to his work, having both hands free; the sheep cannot injure OF RURAL AFFAIRS. itself by struggling, even if heavy with lamb, and you can shear faster and easier. Description. — A. Small rope, with iron ring in the end, passes through two holes in the table, and over the sheep's head. B. Hickory stick, 7 feet long, 2 inches wide at the notched end, notch- es 1^ or 2 inches apart, for adapting it to the size of the sheep. C. Shackles, made of two leathern straps, one inch wide, fastened to each end of a small iron ring, li or 2 inches diameter, and passing and fastened to another ring 2 inches in diameter. D. Forward end of stick B. E. "Wooden wedge, to fasten rings on the notched stick. Mode of operation. — The sheep is caught, turned on its haunches, and the under part of neck and between the fore legs are sheared ; then lift- ed on the table or bench, the head placed under the rope, the leather shackles put on the feet, and stick inserted — as shown in the cut; one side is sheared and then the sheep is turned over, and finished. Hoping this may benefit some of my brother farmers, I submit it to your con- sideration. [It .strikes us that any assistance in performing the laborious and dis- agreeable work of shearing sheep will be especially acceptable to the far- FiG. 2. mer, and we gladly give place to the above. A friend suggests an im- provement, shown in Fig. 2, representing two leathern loops at each end of a stick, through which the feet are inserted ; and as the legs are extend- ed these loops draw tight and hold the sheep fast. A sliding ring, with a pin and holes, accommodates it to the size of the sheep. Two leather straps (not shown,) nailed to the table, and connected by a buckle in the middle, then receive the neck of the sheep, as in the mode described by our correspondent.] PAINTS AND ^VHITEWASH: FOR BARNS, &c. The following mixtures are given in TTheeler's new and useful work, entitled " Homes for the People," from which some valuable hints may be derived in forming desirable tints: — ■ A cool grey, similar to what would be the tint of unpainted timber af- ter a few years, may be obtained as follows: Indian Red, half a pound; Lamp Black, three ounces; Raw Umber, half a pound, mixed with one hundred pounds of White Lead. This color will be changed by the addition of sand, which in all cases is recommended, in a proportion of about one quart to every one hun- , 1 dred pounds of mixed color. The finest and whitest sand that the neigh- jjk borhood affords should be used, and as its hue differs so will the tint of A the paint be changed. 412 ILLUSTRATED ANNUAL REGISTER This color with one-third less white, is very suitable foT roofs, and is a cool, unreflecting grey tint of great softness and beauty. Cream color, No. 1. — A soft pleasant tint like that of coffee greatly diluted with milk, is oftentimes well adapted to a building, particularly in regions where red sand stone or other similar objects, with such local coloring, give a brown hue to portions of the landscape. It may be mixed as follows: Yellow Ochre, five pounds; Burnt Umber, half a pound ; Indian Red, quarter of a pound; Chrome Yellow, No. 1, half a pound, with one hundred pounds of White Lead. The key notes in this color are the Indian Red and the Chrome Yel- low, and the tone may be brightened or lowered by more or less of either, as individual taste may prefer. JS^o. 2. — A still more delicate tint, resembling the pure color of the Caen stone, and well adapted for a large building with many beaks of outlines, may be mixed thus: Yellow Ochre, two pounds; Vandyke Brown, quarter of a pound; Indian Red, quarter of a pound; Chrome Yellow, No. 1, half a pound to every one hundred pounds of Lead. Downing in his " Country Houses," says: — As this is the season of the year when considerable whitewashing is performed, and as we have been inquired of for a good whitewashing re- ceipt by numbers of new subscribers who have not read our receipt in a former volume, we present it again, knowing that a good story is never the worse to be twice told: — Take a clean barrel that will hold water. Put into it half a bushel of quicklime, and slack it by pouring over it boiling water suflScient to cov- er it four or five inches deep, and stirring it until slacked. When quite slacked dissolve it in water, and add two pounds of sulphate of zinc, and one of common salt, which may be had at any of the druggists, and which in a few days will cause the Avhitewash to harden on the wood- work. Add sufficient water to bring it to the consistency of thick whitewash. To make the above wash of a pleasant cream color, add 3 lbs, yellow ochre. For fawn color, add 4 lbs. umber, 1 lb. Indian red, and 1 lb. lamp- black. For grey or stone color, add 4 lbs. raw umber, and 2 lbs. lampblack. The color may be put on with a common whitcAvash brush, and will be found much more durable than common whitewash. The Locust Tree has grown, in forty years, sixty feet high, and six feet in circumference at a height of 3 feet from the ground. The wood toughens as the tree grows older. OF RURAL AFFAIRS. 397 BROADWAY, ALBANY, N. Y. ♦♦^ THE COUNTRY &ENTLEMAI, WEEKLY, AT TWO DOLLARS A YEAR. The ninth volume of this popular weekly Agkicultural and Horticxtlttjkal Journal will commence with the year 1S57. It is printed in quarto form, and makes two handsome volumes yearly, of 416 pages each, illustrated by superior engravinjrs of Houses, Farm Buildings, Domestic Animals, Implements, Fruits, Flowers, &c. It embraces, hi addition to its numerous and caretully edited Departments relating especially to Rural Aflairs, several pages for The Fireside, filled with a choice collection of articles, peculiarly adapted to interest the Family Circle, as well as a careful Digest of the News of the AVeek, and full Reports of the Produce and Cattle Markets. The Country Gentleman has been universally pronounced to be " Decidedly the Best Agricultural and Horticultural Journal in the Country.''^ DCT^ Specimen copies sent to all applicants. THE CULTIYATOR, MONTHLY, AT FIFTY CENTS A YEAR. The Cultivator having now been published for twenty-three years, is too well known to the Farmers and Planters of the United States, as a sound, practical, common sense work, to need commendation at this time. A new series was commenced in 1853, which coiuains the condensed experience of Farmers throughout the whole country, on every subject connected with their pursuit. Four volumes are completed with the year 1856, and will be sent to new subscribers at 75 cents per volume, stitched in paper covers— or for !»1 per volume, handsomely bound, and post paid. Specimen copies sent to all appli- cants. [CP^ Clubs of Twenty are furnished with both The Cultivator and the Illus- trated Annual Register, for 310. There is scarcely a town through the whole coun- try in which a Club might not be made up, with a little public spirited elTort, and greatly, as we believe, to the benefit of its inhabitants. RELATIONS OF CHEMISTRY TO AGRICULTURE AND THE AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENTS OF MR. J. B. LAWES. PRICE TWENTY-FIVE CENTS. Translated by S. W. Johnson. Being a Review, by the Distinguished Chemist, Justus vox LiEBiG, of Recent Investigations and Researches in England and elsewhere, into the Relations of Chemistry to Agriculture, and the Correct Principles to be ibllowed in the Application of Manures. THE ILLUSTRATED Am\JXL REGISTER OF RURAL AFFAIRS, IN PAPER COVERS, 25 CENTS— BOUND, 50 CENTS. Three numbers of this work are now issued, continuous in contents, though each covers an entirely dUTerent ground, and is complete in itself. Their Cheapness, Usefulness and Beauty, have met with uuilorm commendation, and nearly Fifty Thousand copies have been sold of the numbers for 1S55 and 1856. It is to appear in September, every year, and will in time tbrm a Rural Library of the greatest value. [^7=* Agents are wanted for the above works in all parts of the country. Address, LUTHER TUCKER & SON, Albany, N. Y. 414 ILLUSTRATED ANNUAL REGISTER. NEW YORK STATE AGRICULTURAL WORKS, Corner Hamilton, liberty and Pruyn Streets, near Steamboat Landing, ALBANY, N. Y. ♦• WHEELER, MELICK & CO., Proprietors, MANUFACTURE WHEELER'S PATENT RAILWAY CHAm HORSE POWERS, FOR ONE OR TWO HORSES, WHEELER'S PATENT COMBINED THRESHER AND WINNOWER, WHEELER'S OVERSHOT THRESHER AND SEPARATOR, PENNSYLVANIA FEED CUTTER, for Cutting Stalks, Straw or Hay, by Horse Power, CLOVER HULLERS, OR FOR SAWING WOOD FOR RAILROADS, LOCOMOTIVES, &C. -♦♦- Tlie subscribers give their attention to the manufacture of the above named Machines, and having had a large experience in this business, they feel warranted in saying that their Machines are unequalled. QCT^ Liberal discounts will be made to Dealers. Circulars containing Lists of Prices, and full Descriptions and Cuts of each Machine, with statements of their capacity for work will, on application, be sent by mail, postage paid. Address, WHEELER, MELICK & CO., Albany, N. Y. 0, OF RURAL AFFAIRS. 415 THE EXCELSIOR RAILROAD HORSE POWER, WITH THRESHERS, SEPARATORS, CLEANERS, CLOVER HULLERS, AND CIRCULAR AND CROSS-CUT SAW MILLS, FOR VARIOUS PURPOSES, AND ALL OTHER IMPLEMENTS ADAPTED TO THE POWER, Is not surpassed by any now in use, and is offered on the most liberal terms, both as to Discount and Warranty. Tlie subscriber is manufacturina^ the above Power, which com- bines all tlie qualities ot' the most celebrated Railroad Horse Powers, and some very valu- able improvements. Capacity, Economy and Warranty. — The Single Power will thresh from 100 to 175 bushels of Oats, Rye. Buckwheat or Barley, easily, in one day, attended by three men, and will saw from 20 to 25 cords of wood in the same time, and with the same number of men. The Double Power will perform double the amount of work in the same time,with one additional man — and all other work of a similar kind with equal facilitj'. The con- struction of the Power is such that it can be changed from a right to a let\ hand machine, and the reverse, at pleasure, as the gears are all outside of tlie Power, and accessible at all times. This Power is admirably adapted for driving Threshing Machines. Circular Saws, Cot- ton Gins, as also Machine Shops, Elevators, Ferry Boats, Discharging and Loading Ves- sels, Pile Driving, Cross-Cut Sawing, Pumping, Grinding Grain, Churning Butter, Cutting Hay and Stalks, Shelling Corn, Grinding Apples, &;c. The angle of elevation necessary to operate this Power is never greater, but often less than any other Power, which is inside of one and a half inches to the foot, with horses weighing 1,000 lbs. each, and without any harness. These Powers have been severely tested, and pronounced "Excelsior," which, of course, means " Excelled by None," and their performance is a sufficient evidence of their superiority over the common Endless Chain Powers. The Warranty is as Follows : — If the Powers do not answer the description, and do any reasonable amount of work required of them, the money will be retunded, ajid th« machine returned at the manufacturer's expense. Fr?,ICES IFOR, 1856-7_ Excelsior Changeable R. R. Horse Power, Thresher and Separator (2 Horse) $160.00 Excelsior Changeable R. R. Horse Power, Thresher and Separator (1 Horse). . , , 128.00 Excelsior Two Horse Power, with Tlireslicr and Cleaner combined 245.00 Excelsior Two Horse Power, including Band Wheel 1 1 C . 00 Excelsior Horse Power, for One Horse 55.00 Threshing Machine, with Separator and Fixtures, 2G inch Cylinder 40.00 Threshing Machine, with Separator and Fixtures, 24 hich Cylinder 37.00 Set of Bands for Machine, with Extras, &;c 5.00 Fannhig Mills, fitted for Power S?26, $28, S30, and S2.00 Portable Circular Saw Mills, 24 inch Circular Saw, for AVood Cutting, fee, 37. i 0 Extra Table and Saw, for Slitting Boards, Fence Slufl", and General Shop Use 7.00 Cross-Cut Saw Arrangements, for Power, for Cutting Logs, greatly improved. ... 25.00 Feed Mills, with Chilled Iron Cylinder 45.00 Power Corn Shellers S40 to 55 . 00 Clover Hullers $30 to 100 . 00 Orders promptly filled. Address, RICH'D H. PEASE, Albany. 416 ILLUSTRATED ANNUAL REGISTER *52n,~ ^^ ^^^m piiiiigiTnir PROPRIETORS OF THE ALBANY AGRICilLTlfRAL WORKS, WAREHOUSE AND SEED STORE, 53 STATE STREET, ALBA]V\', N. Y. -♦♦- SOLE PROPRIETORS AND MANUFACTURERS OF EMERY'S PATENT RAILROAD' HORSE POWERS. Nearly six thousa?id of the above justly celebrated Horse Powers have been made and sold In this city duriufj the past six tears, the sale Iteiug nearly doable tliis season to that of any previous year. They are all warranted to give satisfaction to tlie purchasers. EMERY'S OYEESHOT CYLINDER TIIllESJIIXG MACHmE AND VIBRATING SEPARATOR. Nearly ten thousand of this useful Machine have been made and sold since its introduction, and with a rapidly increasing demand. EMERY'S PATE:XT THEESHER Al^J) CLEANER COMBINED, Is the most simple, compact, and portable machine in use, and combines at the same time the best arrangement as to capacity for work, ease of operation and durability, among the various kinds now olTered for sale in this or any country Its operation is shown in the engraving at the head of this page. Emery's Portable Saw Mills — Of various kinds and for various purposes, are pro- nounced the most complete and perfect now in use. Many thousands are in constant use for Cutting Railroad Wood, &.c. Any or all the above machines will be forwarded to any portion of the world, on receipt of orders, with directions for shipping, &c., &c. The public are earnestly requested to examine our machines, and compare them with the best of others, also the prices of same. (See next page.) For more full particulars, see their lUnstraied Descriptive Price Catalogue, supplied to all post paid applicants gratis — the book itself containing much valuable information to the Agriculturist. EMERY BROTHERS, 52 State St., Albany, N. Y. OF RURAL AFFAIRS. 417 EMEKY BKOTHERS, PROPRIETOHS OF THE ALBANY AGRICULTURAL WORKS, WAREHOUSE AND SEED STORE, 52 STATE STREET, ALBANY, N. Y. TO TKCE FTJBXjIO- It is the painful privilege of excellence to be sub- jected to imitations ; nearly every good thing is counterfeited, and the more it is done the stronger the inference that such thing is not only good but popular, as few \\ill undertake to imitate that which is not intrinsically valuable. Judging by this rule, it is easily accounted for why the Emery's Patent Horse Powers are so closely imitated and offered in the various markets for sale, and not unfrequeiitly as of the genuine manulacture, by a com- peting firm in this city, whose stock in trade, to a large extent, consists in maligning and misrepresenting persons and facts coiicernhig the Proprietors and Business of the Alkany Agricultural Works, as well as themselves and their counterfeit and infringing wares, and not unfrequently has the intended effect to palm off a much inferior article as the genuhie, aud by holding out greater inducements to dealers, hi way of commissions (which the profits of the genuine article cannot afford), induce such agents thereby to purchase the hiferior and infringing machine for sale to tlieir unsuspecting customers, for wliich, suit for damages for said infringements has been commenced in the United States Courts, before whom the case will be tried on its merits so soon as it is possible or practicable. Since the suit in the United States Court has been pending, an application was made for a preliminary injunction to restrain said manufacturers from conthiuing the business, tuitil final trial could be had, when the defendant denied the validity of a portion of the claims of Emery's Patent, as not being original with the patentee, and the court decided that where a question of validity arises, and where, as in all ex parte cases, no opportunity is given for a proper investigation of the testimony upon such facts, it was not the practice to grant an injunction, and therefore it must be first tried at law upon the questions involved, and therefore the injunction was refused. Elated with the apparent success, by the refusal of tfie court, as stated, they have used every exertion to establish and get patented that something (which in the defence to the injunction icas claimed as not ori^naltvith Emery), to offset or mitigate the damages for the infringement. With what success, it may be seen by the following correspondence. As it shows clearly, the Commissioner of Patents, after declaring their application to be an interference with the existing claims of Emery's Patent, did not giant Letters Patent for anything relating to Emery's claim ; and the Patent of July Sth, which was granted them, being for an arrangement or construction entirely different from Emery's, and differ- ent from any Horse Power ever manufactured by said compeluig firm, and which caiuiot be applied to the various uses which give to Emery's its Avorld-wide reputation. The opinion of Charles M. Keller, Esq., of New York, who formerly, for many years, was Chief Examiner of the Patent Office (which, better than all other means, ena- bles him to judge on such matters), should be regarded as establishing the lights of Emery's Patent. Thus far, no trial having been had or decisions on the merits of the case been given, certain publications to the contrary noiwithstandtng, which have been made by said competing firm. New York, Aug. 1, 185G. Horace L. Emery, Esq., Albany, N. Y. — ^I have examined the claim in the Patent granted Philip H. Kells for Horse Power on the Sth of July, 1S5G, and find that it does not conflict with your Patent. Your invention is for reversing from right to left, and left to right, and for changing the velocities by shiftuig the gears and pulleys oi the ends of the two shafts, while KeUs' claim is simply lor reversing by taking out and reversing the counter shaft. The two modes are entirely diflercnt, and the velocities cannot be changed by his. The Patent Commissioner erred in giving Kells a Patent, because the evidence filed by him, if it proves anything, proves that Horse Powers made by him on his plan were sold and used, with his knowledge and consent, more than two years before his a])plicalion for a Patent, and it is a special provision of the law that in such a case the Commissioner has no authority to grant a Patent, and if he does grant such a Patent it cannot be sustained in any court ; and a license from Kells, under this Patent, will not authorise any persons to make and vend Horse Powers on your plan, because Kells' claim does not cover the im- provement patented by you; and if R. H. Pease continues to make and sell your Horse Powers, 1 would advise the suit at law against him, so that the witnesses may be examined orally before the jury. Yours respectfully, CHARLES M. KELLER. _ ILLUSTRATED ANNUAL REGISTER. ]m:a.cedois[ isrxjiiSERY. — ♦♦ — Offer for scile an extensive and select collection of FRUIT TREES, propagated with the greatest care for insuring accuracy, and exclusively from Bearing Trees of the finest sorts in cultivation, embracing selections of the best APPLES, PEACHES, CHERRIES, PEARS XEJ) PLUMS, And HARDY GRAPES, RASPBERRIES, GOOSEBERRIES, CURRANTS, and other of the smaller Fruits, of the most valuable sorts grown in the Northern States. Their Ornamental Department contains the best kinds of HARDY IMPORTED A^sD AMERICA! EVERGREEJs^S, Ornamental Trees, Shrubs, Roses, and Herbaceous Flowering Plants, the latter especially selected for their sho\vy ancl brilliant character, in fitting them for lawns and door-yar& scenery generally. All orders directed " Thomas & Herendeen, Macedon, Wayne County. N. Y.," will meet with careful and prompt attention, and the Trees and Plants will be packed m the most secure manner for safe conveyance to any part of the United States or Canada. FLOTV^ER SEEDS BY ]VLA.IL. TWENTY SELECT AND CHOICE VARIETIES FOB ONE DOLLAR. ♦♦ We have selected out of our large collection of Flower Seeds the most beautiful and showy varieties, each sort distinct m color, and calculated to produce a fine effect when planted out in beds or groups in the flower border. We have had each variety distinctly marked with the Botanical and English name, height, time of flowering, color of the flower, manner of growing, whether erect or trailing, &c., the time it should be sown, and other valuable hints as to its cultivation. In selecting these varieties, we have been care- ful to exclude all which are shy bloomers or have an insignificant appearance, so that the collections will comprise only tljose which are really showy and handsome, and which we believe would prove to the entire satisfaction of any lady or gentleman who might be dis- posed to order them. The Collections will be sent free by post to any part of the country at the following prices : Assortment No. 1 consists of twenty choice varieties of Annuals SI. 00 Assortment No. 2 consists of twenty choice varieties of Biennials and Perennials. . . 1.00 Assortment No. 3 consists of ten extra fine varieties of Aniuals and Perennials, em- bracing many of the new and choicest iii cultivation 1.00 Assortment No. 4 consists of five very choice varieties, selected from Prize Flowers of English Pansies, German Carnation and Picotee Pinks, Verbenas, Traffaut's French Asters and Double Hollyhocks, each of which are sold at 25 cts. singly, 1 . 00 Persons in ordering will please give the number of the A.ssortment. Any person remit- ting Three Dollars will receive me four Assortments, postage free. Remittances can be made hi bank bills or postage stamps. In conclusion we beg to say, that any orders, however small, we may be favored with, will be executed with fidelity and despatch, and we pledge ourselves that every article shall be of the best description and rendered at fair remunerative prices. B. K. BLISS & HAVEN, Springfield, Mass. KINDERHOOK NURSEKIES, •♦ JOHN H. CORNING. Proprietor, has every variety of Fruit Trees, Deciduous and Evergreen Trees and Siirubs, Hedge Plants, fee, &c. Also, Willow Cuttings. Cata- logues sent to all who apply, by letter or otherwise. i i-^ f -^o,^ OP RURAL AFFAIRS. 419 0. MOUIT HOPE lURSERIES, ROCHESTER, N. Y. ESTABLISHED IN m39.) •♦ Tliese Nurseries occupy nearly Four Hundred Acres of Land, auid contain, at the pre- sent lime, an immense stock of TREES, SHRUBS AND PLANTS. STANDARD FRUIT TREES, for Orchards. DWARF FRUIT TREES, for Gardens. HARDY GRAPE VINES, for Vineyards. FOREIGN GRAPES, for Vineries. SMALL FRUITS, CURRANTS, GOOSEBERRIES, &c. RHUBARB, ASPARAGUS, &c. WALNUTS, CHESTNUTS, FILBERTS, and all other Fruits grown in the Northern States. All are of the most healthy and vigorous growth, and Guaranteed as to accuracy. THE ORMMEXTAL DEPARTMENT Is proportionately extensive, and embraces, of new and old, whatever has been found worthy of cultivation. RAPID GROWING TREES, for Avenues. BEAUTIFUL LAWN TREES. EVERGREENS, all that aro worthy o cultivation, in large quantities. FLOWERING SHRUBS. ROSES, of all classes, in several hundred \Tirieties. P.EONIES, Shrubby and Herbaceous. BULBOUS ROOTS, including the finest Hyacinths, Tulips, &c. DAHLIAS, one hundred superb New Varieties, of proved excellence GREEN AND HOT HOUSE PLANTS, the most popular and beautiful species and varieties. HEDGE PLANTS, consisting of Osage Orange, Privet, American Arbor Vitae, iVc. STOCKS, for Nurserymen. All these articles are off^ed at low prices, and on the most accommodating terms. Packing for any part of the United States, Canadas, or Europe, done in the most perfect manner. The following priced Catalogues, furnishing full information, will be sent gratis and pre- paid, to all who apply and inclose one stamp for each : No. 1. A Descriptive Catalogue of Fruits. No. 2. A Descriptive Catalogue of Ornamental Trees, Shrubs, Roses, &c. No. 3. A Catalogue of Dahlias, Verbenas, Petunias, and select Green House and Bed- ding Plants. No. 4. A Wholesile Catalogue, or Trade List. We have no traveling or local Agents, except those who are furnished with proper ccr. tificates, signed by us. Address, ELLWANGER & BARRY, Rochester, N. Y. ^a^^ 420 ILLUSTRATED ANNUAL REGISTER ^VVIiOI^ES.A.IL.E IPIilOE LIST OF THE KIVER BANK NUKSEKIES, ROCHESTER, N. Y. »» .200.000 Apples, oiie year old 820.00 per lOfK) 100.000 Apples, two year old... 35.00 per 1000 100.000 Apples, three' year old 65 .00 per 1000 80;000 Apples, four year old S5. 00 per 1000 20.000 Cherries, one year old 832. 00 per 100 100.00 per 1000 10.000 Cherries, two year old 16,00 per 100 140.00 per 1000 30,000 Dwarf Pears, one year old 18.00 per 100 160, 00 per 1000 lOiOOO Dwarf Pears, two year old 25.00 per 100 250 . 00 per 1000 15.000 Standard Pears, one year old 16 .00 per 100 160 00 per 1000 20,000 Peaches, one year old 10.00 per 100 80,00 per 1000 5,000 Apricots, one year old 12. 00 per 100 100 . 00 per 1000 10,000 Plums, one year old 20.00 per 100 130.00 per 1000 5.000 Grapes, two year old 10.00 per 100 100.00 per 1000 3^000 Grapes', one year old 8.00 per 100 75.00 per 1000 2,000 Quinces, one year old 15.00 per 100 150.00 per 1000 8,000 Currants, one year old 7 . 00 per 100 60 .00 per 1000 4,000 Currants, two year old 9.00 per 100 80.00 per 1000 3,000 Gooseberries, two year old 10.00 per 100 90.00 per 1000 5,000 Raspberries S.OOperlOO 40.00perl000 STOCKIS. 200,000 Apple Seedlings, two year old S4.50 per 1000 100.000 Apple Seedlings, one year old 2.50 per 1000 80,000 Pear Seedlings, one year old 15.00 per 1000 50.000 Plum Seedlings, one year old 14.00 per 1000 60,000 Cherry SeedUngs, one year old 5 .00 per 1000 30,000 Osage Orange . . '. 5 . 00 per 1000 I would say to those about starting in business, that I will offer great inducements when lar<^e quantities of the above are taken, both as to time and price, on their sending me a list'of articles needed. All communications promptly attended to, and Catalogues. De- scriptive and Wholesale, furnished on application. P. S. I will also receive and fill orders for Apple Grafts, packed and delivered at the Railroad Depot, free of charge, for ^7 per thousaud, in quantities from one to two hmi- dred thousand, of the best varieties. "Workmanship done in the best manner, by experi- enced hands. GEO. H. CHERRY, PROPErExoR, Office 106 State Street, Rochester. SUPEKB DOUBLE DAHLIAS. -♦♦- Our stock of this gorgeous flower consists of upwards of Two Hundred of the finest varieties in cultivation, among which are all the leading English and French Prize varie- ties of the last year. Plants in pots .suitable for turning out Into the flower border will be ready for delivery about the first of May. Dry Roots after the 10th of October. Our arrangements for propagating are such, that we are enabled to offer them at the following greatly reduced prices : Per Dozen. New English and Frexch Varieties, of 1S56, now offered for the first time. . .^10. 00 Leading Varieties, of 1*^55 5.00 Best old Varieties, all reliable sorts, fine form and free bloomers 3.00 Good Varieties, of previous years SI. 50 to 2.00 Plants carefully packed, to bear transporlation. A Descriptive Catalogue will be published early in April, and forwarded to all applicants who enclose a post age stamp. B. K. BLISS & HAVEN, Springfield, Mass. OF RURAL AFFAIRS. 421 W. ¥ n ISABELLA AND CATAWBA GRAPE VINES, OF PROPER AGE FOR FORMING VINEYARDS, Cultivated from, and conlaiiiing all the good qualities which the most improved cultivation forever sixteen years, has conferred on the Croton Point "Vineyards, are offered to the public. Those who may purchase will receive such instructions for four years, as will enable them to cultivate the Grape with entire success, provided their locality is not too far north. All communications addressed to R. T. UNDERHILL, M. D., New York ; or Croton Point, Westchester County, N. Y., will receive attention. Tiie additional experience of the four past seasons gives him full assurance that, by im- proved cifWvation, pruning, ^c, a crop of good fruit can be obtained every year, in most of the Northern, and all of the Middle, Western and Southern States. N. B. To those who take sufficient to plant six acres, as he directs, he will, when they commence bearing, furnish the owner with one of his Vinedressers, whom he has histructed in his mode of cultivation, and he will do all the labor of the Vineyard, and insure the most perfect success. The only charge, a reasonable compensation for the labor. Also. APPLE-QUINCE TREES, (which are sometimes called the Orange Quince,) for sale as above. ' R. T. UNDERHILL, M. D. DOUBLE HOI.L,"5rHOCK:S. ♦♦ Few flowers have been so greatly improved by cultivation as the HoUyhocic. They are now of the most brilliant colors, very double, of a dwarfer habit, producing large spikes of neat, beautiful flowers, surpassing the Dalilia in brilliancy of color. Our stock consists of about fifty of the best English Prize Varieties, selected by one of our firm when the plants were in full bloom, from the finest collection in Europe. We can offer fine Plants at S4 and S6 per dozen. Hollyhock Seed saved from the above Plants, in packets of 100 Seeds each. 25 cents per packet. Plants ready for delivery early hi April, and carefully packed to bear transportation to all parts of the country. 13. K. BLISS & HAVEN, Springfield, Mass. EV^ERGREEiSrS, <&C. -♦♦- The undersigned respectfully calls the attention of the trade to the following : 200,000 Norway Spruce, 3 to 4 inches, bedded the past spring, and will move with abun- d.ince of fibrous roots, transport safer, and grow freer, than larger. SIO per 1,000, ^90 per 10,000. 50,000 Norway Spruce, 4 to 6 inches, bedded the past spring, and equally well rooted with the above. S?12per 1.000. 50,000 Chinese Arbor Vitoe (Biota Orientalis) one year Seedlings. $12 per 1,000. These are cheaper than they can be purchased in Europe. Plums, one year, leading varieties, on Plum Stocks. ??20 per 100. 20,000 Currants. Red Dutch, Red Grape, White Dutch, White Grape, Victoria, Black Naples, &c. Strong. S6 to iirlO per 100. 25,000 Gooseberries, the large English varieties. Strong. S3 per 100. Dutch Bulbous Roots, direct from Holland, a splendid collection, at very lo\v rates. Garden and Flower Seeds, of every description, warranted fresh and genuine. Pear Seed, Mahaleb Seed, Plum Stones, &c. JOHN SAUL, Washington City, D. C. ^c^=- I ILLUSTRATED ANNUAL REGISTER Cj. f CHOICE FLOAVER SEEDS. -♦•- We have just received a very select assortment of English, French and German Flower Seeds, direct from several of the most Celebrated Florists in Europe, which, hi addition to many fine varieties of our own growth, renders our assortment one of the most complete h) tlie country. The attention of Florists and Amateurs is particularly invited to our select varieties of DorBLE Gekmax Asters, DorELE Balsams, Carnation axd Picotee Pinks, English Pansies, German Stock, Calceolarias, Cineraria, Chinese Prim- rose, fringed, Double Hollyhock, Sec. Sec, saved from Prize Flowers only, which can- not be too strongly recommended. Our Descriptive Catalogue, of upwards of Six Hundred Varieties of Flower Seeds, will be sent to all applicants on receipt of a postage stamp. B. K. BLISS & HAVEN, Springfield, Mass. H. E. HOOKER & €0., IViirserimeiv, (Late BISSELL & HOOKER,) OFFICE, EAST AYEXUE, CORXEE OF G00DmS1-ST. Fruit Trees, Ornamental Trees, Grape Vines, Stocks for Nurser^inen, &c. .A.T TUB OLD ROCHESTER lURSERIES Tliere are under culture over 100 acres of every description of HARDY TREES, SHRUBS, PLANTS, &c., SUITABLE FOR UTILITY OR ORNAMENT. \!Cr' Rare or New Items are imported from our European Correspondents, when required. SAMUEL MOULSON, Office 36 Front Street, Rochester, N. Y. HIGHLAND NURSERIES, NE WB URGH, N Y., A, WILLIAM THORBURX, Dealer m Field, Garden and Flower Seeds, Cor. of Broadway and Maiden Lane.Albany, SAL'L & CO., Proprietors, have on ' ^: J- 0:7=- Imported Bulbous Roots, Birds, .• hand a large stock, and general as sort me nt of Fruit and Ornamental Trees, Shrubs. Roses, Hedge Plants, Asparagus and Rhubarb Roots. Also, Bedding and Herbaceous Plants, in every variety, &c., &c. General Cata- logue furnished gratis to applicants, on en- closing a Post Office Stamp, to prepay the same. Bird Cages, and Bird Seed. TOHIV piIVGWALL, Florist, has an fj extensive and very superior assortment of VERBENAS and PA.VSIES, embrac- ing tlie best imported varieties, together with many Choice Seedlings of his own raising, with mcst other Bedding Plants usually kept at Green Houses. Prices as reasonable as at any other estab- lishment. Addres.s JOHN DINGWALL. Florist, Albany, N. Y. -=^o^ OP RURAL AFFAIRS. -^ FERTILIZERS, GRASS SEEDS, FRUIT TREES, GRAM VINES, &C. ♦♦ De Burg's No. 1 Superphosphate of Lime ; Best Peruvian and Mexican Guano ; Lodi Manufacturing Company's Ta Feu and Poudretie ;. Ground Bone, Ground Plaster, Muri- ate of Lime, Pulverized Charcoal, Sulpliate of Ammonia, &c. GRASS SEED, OF EELIABLE QUALITY. New Rochelle or Lawton Blackberry, Genuine Plants from Original Stock ; Brinckle's Orange, Knevei's Giant, and Pure Red Antwerp Raspberry Plants. Diana, Concord, and other Grape Vines. GEO. DAVENPORT, No. 14 Commercial, corxer Chatham Street, Boston. TO FARMERS AND AGRICULTURISTS. -♦♦- TKCE IL.OIDI IS/L J^ IsT TJ F .A. a TTJTIX 1ST G- O O- HAVE BEEN BEFORE THE PUBLIC SIXTEEN TEARS, WITH THEIR NEW AND IMPROVED POIJDRETTE, Which, as a Manure for Corn, and General Garden purposes, is still unequalled and unsur- passed by anything which has been in the market. A good crop of corn can be raised on ordinary ground, by the application of one handful to the hill, or two barrels (S|?3 worth) to the acre — and on poor ground by a second application. As we have suffered immensely by rivals, who have injured our business by making a spurious article called Poudrette, and underselling us. we now warn the public to buy no other Poudrette but lliat of The Lodi Manufacturing Company's brand, and from our accredited Agents. We guarantee every barrel of Poudrette to contain two-thirds its weight of night soil, and that the other one-third is entirely decomposed vegetable matter. Price $1.50 per barrel, delivered to any vessel or railroad in the city of New York, for any quantity over seven barrels. A small trial, if nothing more, is requested. N. B. A Pamphlet w^ill be sent gratis to any one applying for the same, post paid, to THE LODI MANUFACTURING CO., 60 Cortlandt Street, New York. DE BURG'S No. 1, AMMONIATED SUPERPHOSPHATE OF LIME. ♦♦ ■ The attention of Farmers and Planters is respectfully called to the above invaluable compound, for their approaching spring Planting. The mamifacturer begs to assure iiis friends and patrons that they may always depend upon being supplied with a genuine and uniform article, as he constantly superintends in person, the entire process of manufacture and putting up for sale. This article has no'w been before the community a period of six years, during which time it has been analyzed by a large immber of t)ie most scientific chemists in different places, has been trfed by farmers upon every kind of soil, in nearly every State in the Union, with almost unvarying success. Please refer for the proof of this, among others, to the Reports of the Massachusetts State Farm for 1855 and IfcSG. Perhaps one of the best proofs of its value is the greatly increased demand, unprecedented in the history of Artificial Fertilizers, and not equalled by Guano itself, but having greatly ijicreased my works, by adding new factories, I hope to be able to supply orders to any extent that may be required. As there are a large number of Superphosphates in market, for the value of which I would not like to be responsible, I earnestly request all purchasers to be careful to get the genuine article, either from myself or my accredited agents, who are always of acknowledged respectability. For the Superphosphate purchased from such liouses, I liold myself responsible for its good character. Cash price. 2i cents per pound. Please address C. B. DE BURG, Sole Proprietor and Manufacturer, ) Williamsburg H, L. I., Factories two Blocks South of Peck Slip Ferry. i 424 ILLUSTRATED ANNUAL REGISTER BREEDER OF SHORT HORNED CATTLE, CLOCKYILLE, MADISON COUSTY, N. Y. ♦♦ — MOUNT PLEASANT FARM, is only six miles from Canastota Statiox, New York Central Railroad. This Herd now contains nearly Forty Thorough Bred Animals, many of which are noted Prize Winners at the Shows of the New York State Agricultural Society. The Proprietor will be pleased to receive visits from all persons interested in fine Ani- mals. He is also Breeding a few CHOICE BERKSHIRE SWINE, and Pure BRAHMA and PHEASANT COLORED CHITTAGONG FOWLS. DEVON CATTLE. -♦♦- The subscriber offers for sale several very superior Bulls, Bui] Calves, and Cows in Calf, of this favorite breed. His Herd, now numbering: about forty head, has been bred entirely from Animals of his own Importation, direct from the best Herds in England, and includes the three Imported Bulls. May Boy (71). Omer Pasha, winner of the First Prize in his Class at the Royal Show of England in 1855. and Hiawutiia. Catalogues containing full Pedigrees, &c., with the Prices attached to such Animals as are for sale will be for- warded on application. Also, ESSEX PiGS, from the best and most recent importations. C. S. WAINWRIGHT, Rhinebeck, Dutchess Co., N. Y. DEVON COWS, HEIFERS, AND BULL CALVES, Pure Blood, for sale by .B. V. FRENCH, Braintree, Mass. SUFFOLK PiaS, OF PUKE BLOOD, For sale, by B. V. FRENCH, Braintree, Mass. PURE BRED STOCK FOR SALE. :—»♦ Thorough Bred T)uRnAM Cattle, Pure Bred Spanish Sheep, French Sheep, Suf- folk Pigs, and Essex Pigs. Ai)ply to J. S. GOE, Tippecanoe, 4i miles East of Browns villej Fayette Co., Pa. -=^=>® C. M. SAXTO^ & CO.'S AGRICULTURAL LIBRARIES, For Villages, Towns, Farmers' Clubs, and Private Individuals, PUBLISHED AT 140 FULTON STREET, NEW YORE, Carefully selected, with reference to the wants of the Fanner, and arranged so as to aflbrd the needed information in each Department, without needless repetition. For the purpose of turnishing to all who are interested in the cultivation of the soil, the readiest access to Works ill every Department of Agriculture, at a trifling cost to each individual, il is proposed to establisli an Agricultural Library in every Town or School District in the Stale, on the following plan : — The best, most reliable, and prominent works on Agricul- ture and kindred subjects, are selected and judiciously arranged in Libraries costing P'rom Five to Oxe Hundred Dollars each. In each Town or District, those persons desiring a Library will unite, under a few simple regulations ; or, if preferred, adopt a more formal Constitution, choose a Librarian, and fix the amount to be contributed by each member, at from SI to S5, and purchase such a Library as their means will afford. Library Xo. 1 — 85 ivill purchase Allen's American Farm Book SI. 00 Di-.eases of Domestic An :mal s 75 Progressive Farmer 60 Land Drainer , 50 Browne's Field Book of Manures. . . . l.'i;") The Stable Book 1.00 the 85.00 above and the Library No. 2— For SIO foUuv.nnc, viz — ■ Fruit, Flower and Vegetable Garden- er's Companion $1.00 Youatt on She ep 75 Buist-s Flower Garden Directory, ... 1.25 Elliott's Araer. Fruit Grower's Guide 1.25 Thompson's Food of Animals 75 SIO.OO Library No. 3— For S20, Nos. 1, 2, and the J'oll. . ♦; y p O 2 5J « fti; > estS c .t; 3 H ^ ^ c8 « O'S ^- ^ (U 3 03 O! o a) ■E a "a -^ o P-2 o 5-2 4, O— -; « « O . S w ^^ o o 'S '/ -^ cs OJ O w y o JJ « a = o S W « 5 ■ .^ 4) — t^- 10 t:_, ^ Sf « 3S AVe include aJi ample Locomotive plan of Boiler with Engine, smoke stack made to strike, spark catcher on smoke pipe, engbie finished complete. Everything made strong , and ^jbstantial. and finished in a thorough, workmanlike manner. Each engine well tried. I Their cost is much less than the ordinary eneine, wlien cost of brick foundation, chimney, ^ :geparale building, setting up, &c , indispensable with other engines, is considered. ) Address HARLAN & IIOLLING.SAA'ORTH, AVilmington, Del. ILLUSTRATED ANNUAL REGISTER The Engraving shows an Improvement in connection with Ketchum's Mower on which we obtained a patent, in February, 1855. The large number sold, and the numerous Testimonials received, warrant us in claiming for it the following acU'ar.tages : Tiie adjustment of the cutter-bar by the driver, when the machine is in motion, throw- ing the weight of the driver frame and cutter-bar upon the roller, to pass over obstructions, or allowing'it to rest upon the ground. It can be used on stony ground, or for reaping by attaching an apron ; it lessens the draft ; is backed and turned with ease ; moved from farm to farm ; and worked at a much less speed than without it. We offer this Improvement to those owning the above Alachines, in shape, to connent in the most substantial manner. For Circulars, with particulars, address MAYDOLE & MORSE, Eaton, Madison Co., N. Y. m MADISON, MORRIS COUNTY, NEW JERSEY, IMPORTER, BREEDER AND DEALER IN THOROITGH-BRED NORTH DEVON AND AYRSHIRE CATTLE. IDIST-A.ITT rPlOlva: ISTE^W" ITOTIJS. CIT""?^, Two Hours, per Morris and Essex Railroad. Union Agricultural Warehouse and Seed Store. ALFRED M. TKEDWELL, ISrO. 23 FXJLTOKT STPIEET, IsTE^W -^OTi.JSL CIX^X', MANUFACTURER, IMPORTER, AND DEALER IN Agricultural and Horticultural Implements and Macliinery, FIELD AND GARDEN SEEDg, FERTILIZERS, &c. •• ■ I A complete assortment of the most desirable articles m this line, for Farmnig and Gar-. A dening purposes, always on baud. Implements and Machinery manufactured to order, at /j short notice. / ^=€ OF RURAL AFFAIRS. 431 COMBINED REAPER AND MOWER. MAMY'S PATENT, WITH WOOD'S IlIPROVEMEXT. ♦» In calling the attention of Farmers to my Machine for the coming harvest, I take great pleasure in speaking of its still increased merits over any previous year-s manufacture, and in recommending it as now improved and perfected, as being a combined Reaper and Mower, adapted in every respect to the wants of farmers having use for such an implement. I have so shortened the rear part of the platform and frame as to make the delivery in grain easy. The left hand reel post is made higher, the wing-board wider and longer, and have put in internal gear. The raising lever is much longer, the seat set further back, and the Machine is so balanced as to rid the horses of any weight upon their necks, and I have the utmost confidence in recommending it as the best Combined Reaper and Mower now in use. Warranted capable of culthig from 10 to 15 acres of Grass or Grain per day, in a workmanlike manner. My terms are the same as heretofore. For the Combined Machine delivered on board the cars at this place, S?125, cash ; Single Mower, 55110, cash. WALTER A. W^OOD, Manufacturer and Proprietor, HoosicK Falls, N. Y. APPIETOFS DEAII TILE WORKS, Comer of Lydius and Snipe Streets, Albany, (near Mr. "Wilson's Nursery.) 1^ The subscriber having enlarged his works, is now prepared to furnish Drain Tile of the various patterns and prices. He warrants his Tile to be perfectly sound, and to fit good at the joints, so as to admit water and keep out the dirt. HORSE SHOE TILE, FOURTEEN INCHES LONG. 4i m. calibre, $18 per 1,000 ; 3^ iiL calibre, $15 per 1,000 ; 2^ inch calibre, $12 per 1,000. SOLE- TILE, FOURTEEN INCHES LONG. 4 inch calibre, 840 per 1,000 ; 3 inch calibre, $18 per 1,000 ; 2 inch calibre, $12 per 1,000. Also, Large Tile for small streams and drains about dwellings, &c., at $4, $6, and $8 per 100 pieces. The Tile have a largei calibre than any other of Aintrican manufacture for the same prices They are, also, more than 14 in. long — 1,000 pieces will lay 72 rods. Tile delivered at the docks and railroads free of cartage. Specimens can be seen at L Sc M. Merchant's, 71 Quay Street, (near the Steamboat Landing,) Albany. Full directions for laying Tile will be sent free to those addressing the subscriber. He would only add, tliat Tile from his establishment obtained the fir?t prizes at the Al- y bany County, and New York State Fairs. Practical Drainers furnished, if required. S^ Orders from all parts will be thankfully received and promptly attended to. ) Address JOHN AFFLETON, 195 Washington Street, Albany, N. Y. ^<=^=- ILLUSTRATED ANNUAL REGISTER ALLEN^S PATENT MOWER. nSTE^WT" -^OTIT^ AGRICl'LTllAl WAREIIOl'SE AND SEED STORE. -♦♦- This is the largest establishment in tlie United States, M'ith the most complete assortment of Agfricullural and Horticultural Implements of all kinds, Field and Garden Seeds, and Fertilizers, PLOWS, HARROWS, ROLLERS, CULTIVATORS, GARDEN AND FIELD SEED SO WE R S AND DRILLS, MOWINQ AND RExVPING MACHINES, AND HARVESTING TOOLS OF EVERT DESCRIPTION. HORSE HAY RAKES, HORSE PITCHFORKS, HAY PRESSES, THRESHERS, CORN SHELLERS, OF VARIOUS SIZES AND PATTERNS, SMUT MACHINES, HAY AND STBAW CTJTTERS, PORTABLE CIDER AND GKAIN MILLS, LITTLE GIANT CORN AND COB CRUSHERS, MEAT CUTTERS AND SAUSAGE STUFFERS. Drainins: Tools. AVagons, Horse and Mule Carts. Canal and Wheel Barrows, Trucks. Brick Machines, Pumps, Water Rams, Field and Garden Seeds; Fertilizers, such as Pe- ruvian Guano, first quality, with Government weight and brand on each bag; Improved Snperphospliaie of Lime. Bone Dust. Poudrette, Ta Feu, &c. Also, MOWING AND REAPING MACHINES, of all kinds.— Allen's Celebrated Im- proved Mower and Reaper, the easiest draft, strongest and most simple in construction, and never clogs; Danford's Mower and Reaper; Hussey's Mower and Reaper; Manny-s Mower and Reaper; Ketchura's Mower; McCormick's Reaper; Atkin's Reaper, with Self-Raker attached. The subscriber has also one of the Largest Manufactories of Agricultural Implements and Machinery, which he manufactures in the best manner, and 'U jrreat variety A A Catalogue of the above Implements, Seeds and Fertilizers, of over 100 pages, hand- : somely illustrated with plates, will be forwarded by maU, when requested, post paid. / R. L. ALLEN, 1S9 and 191 Water Street, New York. d '^=^ tl^ a O ill!