i, UMASS/AMHERST 312066 0308 1407 6 ive college 'eposito fl#f'!i'"ii!»'-;'';!;: Illlllllllllli iifc^ 'Til psS lllil': lijlij:. w II l;i ,, . iijiiili I LIBRARY OF THE CD. MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE No..ik5^P_ _____ DATE_.t_LeS5: souRCE_-Coll£.^_e.._.fu:n.d^.... Per J\\444- '^^'^ SPECIAL COLLECTIONS a ARCHIVES / THE NEW ENGLAND FARMER; A MONTHLY JOURNAL, DEVOTED TO AGRICULTJJRE, HORTICULTURE, AND THEIR KINDRED ARTS AND SCIENCES; AND ILLUSTRATED WITH NUMEROUS BEAUTIFUL ENGRAVINGS. " What may not enlightened citizens accomplish, who hare discarded the false, bustling pleasures of towns, and, carrying into the country the knowledge they may hare acquired, apply to Agriculture the rich and varied assistance of the physical sciences ? " — Fodeckot. SIMON BROWN, EDITOR. FREDERICK HOLBROOK AND HENRY F. FRENCH, ASSOCIATE EDITORS. VOLUME X. BOSTON: PUBLISHED BY JOEL NOURSE, NO. 13, COMMERCIAL ST. i'85 8. P2t INDEX TO THE TENTH VOLUME. Absorption, power of, . Acre, fraction of, for an experiment, Address, Mr. Everett's, 24 ; agricultural, Agent, new and valuable disinfecting, . Agriculture, a study for common schools, 34, 313, 324 ; of Massachusetts, hindrances to, 92 ; of New England, 93 ; boards of, 107 ; Maine Board of, 132, 137 ; Massachusetts Board of, 184, 241, 248, 270,391, 550; promotion of, 328 ; Massachusetts school of, 354 ; progres- sive, 356 ; in New Hampshii'e, 460 ; festivals of, 504 ; Chinese, Air, necessity for pure, ..... Almond, earth, or chufas, . . . .69, Alps, and glaciers, ..... America, interior of North, .... Animals, and plants, sudden appearance of, 125 ; mercy towards is economy, 218 ; and reason, 286; tracks of, on Connecticut valley, 310; drugging, 346 ; ages of, . Ant, hills, to destroy, ..... Apple, a tine, 39 ; Northern Spy, 43 ; Graven- stein, 69; orchards, charcoal dust in, 169; Russet sweet, 223, 471 ; as food, April, calendar for, 153 ; farm work for. Apoplexy, ....... Arbor vitte, from seed, ..... Artichoke, relative value of, . Ashes, 107, 117; and potash, 200 ; on potatoes and corn, 293, 339 ; wood, 367 ; and muck compost, 405 ; leached, 421, 521 ; ways to use them, 558 ; and muck compost, . Asparagus, beds, 12, 207, 301 ; saltinfj, 377 ; fall transplanting of, . August, calendar for, ..... Aquarium, fresh water, ..... Barley, 135; first in the countrj-, . Barn, room, arrangement of, 103, 269 ; about a, 132; management of the, 228; yards, con- struction of, 378 ; yards, trees around, Bathing, philosophy of, . Beans, 169 ; how to raise early, 224 ; Lima, 356 ; culture and harvesting of, . Bee, culture, economy in, 15 ; wintering, 50 ; chloroforming, 59 ; 'hive, cheap, 71, 306, 408, 503 ; culture of the, 274 ; errors about the, 313 ; culture of the by Dr. Eddy, Beef, versus corn, ...... Beer, sap, how to made, .... Birds, do they understand what they learn, 15; stories of, 38 ; and the spring, 239 ; spare the, 306, 565 ; about the, Blackberry, New Rochelle, .... Blinkers, Rarey on horse, .... iii 61, Blood, the, . Page! Blueberry, under cultivation, 4501 Books, new, 11 70, Bone, use of, 118; dust, on corn, 207 ; to con- 62] vert into manure, 283 ; ring, on horses, 554 j Borer, 122 ; oil soap for, 169, 256 ; how to keep off the, 351 ; to destrov the. Boy, school, 138 ; farmer's, 138 ; labor of, 191 ; a bright, 273 ; a word for tlie, 343 ; and men, Brandy, origin of, . Bread, excellent brown, Brighton, a day at, IBrocoli, Grange's new early, . 561 'Bronchitis, simple remedy for, 448 'Brown, Simon, letter from, 109, 123, 141, 424, 471 1 437,444, 277; Brush, how to destroy, ..... 254;Buckthorn, seed, sowing the, JBuckwheat, about, 183; bran and straw, 279; ! value of, 294 ; cakes, ..... iBugs, on vines, 122, 289 ; striped 238; to destroj- 527 on vines, 355 ; about, 364 ; how to prevent, 290 from destroying vines, 380 ; a big. Building, farm, 374 ; on the hills, . Bulbs, tubers, &c., planting of, 508 Bullock, heaviest ever butchered, . 154 Burns, best thing for, . 191 Bushes, cutting in pastures, . 289 Business, revulsion in, . 268 Butter, winter, 74, 169, 183; winter, Alcott, 143; milk for, 282; stock keep hard and cool, 499 ; making, 565 555 Cabbage, Winnigstadt, 69 ; drumhead Savoy, 345 85, 284 ; green globe Savoy, 86 ; saving, 112 ; 376 plants, maggets in, 289 ; club footed. Cake, how to make excellent, 133 ; buckwheat. Calendar, for Januarv, 9 ; February, 57 ; March, 105 ; April, 153 ; May, 201 ; June, 249 ; July, 370 297 ; August, 345 ; September, 395 ; October, 441 ; November, 489 ; December, Calf, a fine heifer, 107 ; a big, 290; scours in a, 552 430; a fine, 432, 239 California, vegetation in. 111 ; fruits in northern. Camels, the, ....... 414 Canada West, Candles, how to made lard, .... 27, Candy and poison, ..... Cane, sugar and syrup of, 119; Chinese sugar, 391 148, 285, 541 Caponizing and spaying, 247 Canker worm, Car travelling, ..... Carpets, manufacture of, 329 ; moths in, 350 Carrots, 39 ; culture of, 70 ; great crop of, . 71 458 Caterpillars, how to destroy, 411 ; vegetable, 454 Cattle show, notes of, 43; lice on, 168; old red Pago 412 233 , 39 512 352 448 431 572 203 69 216 545 280 509 387 421 491 .533 450 108 260 165, 333 and Dr. 334 ; to 506 374 378 537 509 318 531 454 529 139 400 457 315 368 349 , 89 415 INDEX Page stock of New England, 222 ; flesh of extra fat, 287 ; warm water for, 294 ; color of, 300, 379 ; disease in, 335 ; for the dairy, 3G7 ; white, 450 Cauliflower, late Dutch, .... 86 Celery, Seymour's, superb, 85 ; Cole's dwarf, 85, 183, 194 Cement, iron, CI ; shaker grafting, 25G ; hard, 307, 352 Charcoal, is it liable to spontaneous combustion, 507 Chickens, gapes in, ..... 264 Chilblains, cure for, .... 208, 256 Chimney, a good, 196 Cholera, hog, 244, 293 Clay, on sandy land, 513 Clover, white, 200 ; hay, value of, 218; cutting and curing, . . . . , . 371 Clubs, farmer's, 108, 162 ; Bethel, farmer's, . 138 Coal, 330 Cobs, corn, analysis of, .... 314 Cold, how people take 37 Colt, management of a young, 44, 136; keeping a, in winter, 66 ; height of, 71 ; a pair of, 103 ; injured by running, 431 ; a sick, 433 ; acci- dents to, 457 Composts, muck and ashes, .... 565 Cooking, 298 ; thoughts on, 300 ; legitimate, 320, 373 Commerce, curiosities of, ... . 404 Constipation, ...... 522 Committees, duties of at Cattle Shows, . 138 Cotton, sec^l racal, 198 Couple, an aged, ...... 459 Cranberry, meadows, 77, 168, 206, 207, 268, 528, 566 Crane, sand hill, 99 Crops, root, 544 Corn, among potatoes, 40 ; Indian, 58 ; fodder, dried, 60, '208 ; King Philip, 122; culture of, 131, 168; how to raise pop, 134; fodder, and on muck land, 169 ; measurement of, 183, 226, 255; manure for, 263, 265 ; cobs, analysis of, 314 ; pop, 343 ; stooking, 416 ; suckers among, 421, 458 ; green, as fodder, 457, 460 ; vs. beef, 429, 541 ; 200 bushels per acre of, 555 ; how preserved iu Russia 562 Cows, management of milch, 29 ; garget in, 40 ; pumpkins for milch, 60, 91 ; wintering milch; 62 ; a fine herd of, 66 ; and butter, 72 ; progeny of one since 1852, 78 ; diff'erence in, 96 ; a lusiis naturai in a, 107 ; spaying, 131, 223 ; when to feed, milch, 134 ; income from a, 166 ; a good, 166, 334; a fat, 194; a flne, 244; milch, 256 : a butter, 267 ; a leaky, 283 ; Mas- sachusetts dairy, 314 ; Guainon's, escutcheon on, 351, 381 ; how to treat a, that holds up her milk, 352, 371, 432; a diseased, 366 ; for the dairy, 367 ; the Oakcs, 455 ; abortion in, 464 ; difference in, 464 ; to prevent a, losing her milk, 497 ; milk from spayed, . . . 549 Cream, increasing the quantity of, . . 332 Crops, green, for manure, 59 ; culture of spring, 226 ; in Marblehead, 276 ; rotation in, 308, 452 ; accounts of the, 403 ; in Berkshire county, 411 ; in Maine, 471 ; in Windham county, Vt. 517; in Wisconsin, 518 ; root, . . 544,559 Crow, die, 39, 63 ; and robins, 114; and chickens, 194, 268; 359; and swallows, ... 458 Cucumber, green, 456 Curculio, 73, 274, 455 ; remedy for, . 464, 471 Currants, how to set, 430 ; cherry, 458, 464 ; wine from, 466, 467 D Dairy, premiums on, 101 Devastator, a new, 366 Drains, draining, 77 ; with tiles, 91 ; and irriga- tion, 134, 140, 172; stone and tile, 194 ; com- Pags parativc cost of tile and stone, 197, 217 ; under, will it pay, 267, 311, 315, 419; thorough, 556, undei-, 569 Dress, extravagance in, .... 495 Dog, mad, cure for bite of a, 213,382; taxing to preserve sheep, 282 Drought, how it benefits the soil, . . . 260 Dust, where does it come froM, . . . 281 E Earth, feeding on, 575 Eating and sleeping, .334 ; over, . . . 446 Economy, rural, 34 Education, fallacy of premature, . . . 395 Egg, a large, 77, 134 ; Dorking, 267, 381 ; sex of the, 382 Elements, indecomposable, . . • . 522 Electricity, 434, 512 Elms, transplanting, 233 Entomology, 285, 390 Ermine, the, 223, 244 Estate, real, in Rutland county, Vt., . . 181 Evaporation, 449 Evergreens, and hedges, 204 ; transplanting, 528 E Fairs, county, 35* Farm, and 'j'oung ,mcn, 19, 110, 187; viewing entire, 40 ; size of, in America, 84 ; model, in Essex county, 146, 179, 243; home on the, 164 ; in debt for, 167 ; hilly, 208 ; in Rutland county, Vt., 212; life in winter, 319; produc- tions of, on Cape Cod, 319 ; productive, 399 ; life in New England, .... 498 Farmer, position of, 72 ; what he should live for, 75; the, 160; practical, as a writer, 313; his motto, 316 ; largest in U. S., 386 ; advantages of education to the, 553 ; who is a, . . 517 Farming in New Jersey, 46 ; miseries of, 78 ; scientific, 85 ; in Orange county, N. Y., 101 ; book, errors in, 119; requires study, 158; in Lebanon county. Conn., 294 ; is it profitable, 316; art of, 327; in New England, 332, 540, 546; progressive, 381; neatness in, 405; 10 per cent, income in, 410 ; book, 470 ; on a grand scale, ...... 554 Fat, use of, in animal economy, . . . 461 February, Calendar for, . . . . 57 Feed, grinding, 10, 68 Felon, how to cure, on fingers, . . . 354 Fence, a living, 243 ; wire, 427, 432 ; stone, . 496 Fertilizer, a good, 207 ; comparative value of, 335 Field, the best way to make a large, . . 375 Fish, cow, of South America, . . . 408 Fire, and fire systems, 431 Flag, sweet, how to destroy, . . . 411 Fleeces, fine, 421 Flowers, the, 235 ; and their influence, . . 422 Fodder, pickled, 295; corn, 411, . . . 457 Food, Baxter on excess of, 397 ; and drink, . 429 Forests, for wood, 223 Foul, in the foot, how to cure, . . . 40, 182 Foul, meadow grass, true, 336, 430 ; creeper, 464 French, B. B., letter from, 20, 163, 422, 439, 500 French, Henry F., letter from, 13, 44, 87, 170, 188, 237, 277, 341, 348, 387, 447, 502, 523 Frog, showers of, 46G Fruit, and fruit juices, 81 ; its benefits, . . 323 G Gapes, in chickens, 264 Garden, a walk in, 138, 207 ; how to lay out, 566 ; market, 361 ; syringe, or window washer, 384 Garget, cure for, 291 INDEX Geese, profit of raising, 78 ; raising and picking, Girls, can take care of themselves, 40 ; education of, ... . . . Goats, are they profitable, 134 ; Cashmere, in Ohio, Good, how to do, Gopher, Gooseberry, mountain seedling, Grafting cherries, plums, and peaches, 247 ; stocks for, ....... Grain, rousing crop of, 16 ; stocking, . Grapes, hot houses for, 107; culture of the, 144 ; Concord, 162 ; how to preserve, 388 ; signs of ripeness in, 463 ; native, 464 ; wine from wild, 466 ; a barren, Grass, witch, 160 ; a method of raising, 245 ; the true fowl meadow, 336, 430, 453, 513 ; an old use for, 365 ; seed, 394 ; land, manuring, 459, 526 ; specimen of, . '. ' . Grog, stop that. Page 403 458 497 542 207 16 490 416 527 52 140 Guano, application of, 127, 218 H Ham, to preserve through the summer, Hands, beautiful, ...... Harness, how to oil a, Hay, caps for, 54, 92, 471, 384, 409; making, 277 ; haying and hoeing, 378 ; salting and marsh, 437 ; crop of 1858, 440 ; clover, value of, Hazlc nuts, growing on grape vine. Headache, ]\Icxican cure for, Hedges, and evergreens, 204 ; hemlock. Heifers, heifer calves, Hemlock, trees, ...... Hens, setting, 18; to prevent setting, 219; pro- lific, 223 ; Dorking, and Shanghai, 224 ; shoe- ing, 229 ; treatment of, ... . Highway, autocrats of the, .... Hive, bee, 408 ; bee, ..... Holdfast, or bone wen, ..... Hoc and i)low, ...... Hoeing, and haying, ..... Hogs, large, 180; Chester county, 193; vs dogs, 203; Green Mountain, 224; yard, compost, 307 ; and Jews, 357 ; a 594lb. one Holbrook, F., letters from, . . . 435, Hops, culture of, . Horn ail, or hollow horn, .... Horses, stables for, 42 ; in extremely cold weather, 61 ; to manage a rearing, 118; tor- turing a, 167 ; shoeing, 267 ; taming, 2G9, 302, 431 ; feeding, 271 ; tail of the, 284, 290 ; bar- barity to tlie, in pricking and docking, 323 ; worth owning, 347, 353 ; Arabian, importation of the, 3G0 ; with a cough, 365, 411 ; galls on a, 367 ; properties of a good, 368 ; exhibition at Springfield, 371 ; teething in, 423 ; poisoned by fumes of lead, 426 ; memory of the, 433 ; young, hoofs of, 455 ; fast, Horticulturist, the, ..... Housekeepers, burdens of, . Houseleek, . 3.53 258 309 504 101 243 224 63 254 359 358 571 89 555 378 467 282 143 535 416 190 352 Illinois, crops in, ..... . 23 Insects, destructive, 219 Irrigation and drainage, 134, 172, . , 217 Iowa, crops in, 197 ; matters in, . . . 438 Islands, Sandwich, letter from, 221, 236, 262, 506 January, calendar for, . , ■ . . 9 July, calendar for, . ,. , , . 297 Page Ladies, young, is health proper for, . . 391 Ladder, a new fire, 532 Lamas from South America, . . . 554 Lambs, wintering, 189; weakness in, 207; rear- ing, 310; black, 421 Land, laying down inundated, 158; reclaiming light, 228, 241 ; bill, Mr. Morrill's, 258 ; pas- ture, 328 ; table of meaures> of, 331 ; rent for, in England, 426 ; mossy, fertilizer for, 430 ; reclaiming and draining, 467 ; plain, and muck, 557 Leaves, value of fallen, 69 ; from a lady's note book, 198 Leather chips, 77 Legislative agricultural meeting, 126, 147, 149, 1.56, 173, 185, 195, 210, .... 220 Letter, the captain's, 69 ; fi-om Concord, Mass., 84, 515 ; from an English fai-mer, 293 ; from a traveller, 422, 439 Library, agricultural, 365 ; a farmer's, . . 672 Lightning, injuries by, 432; how to prevent buildings being struck by, .... 560 Lime and muck compost, 107 ; superphosphate for squash bugs, 243 ; superphosphate of, 290 ; air-slaked for plants, . . . 334 Locust, yellow, 167 M Machine, sewing, 77, 208 ; pocket-printing, and meat cutter, 164 ; mowing, 255, 380, 414, 425 ; by oxen, 510 ; stump, 356 ; Willis's, stump, 418; for lifting I'ocks, 355, 424; ode horse power, 430 ; fanning and grain assorting, 493 ; api>le paring, ...... 513 Maine, fencing in, 210 Mangel Wort'zel, culture of the, 214; salt for, 315 Manliness, true, 55 ; wiiat an industrious, can do, 255 Manure, manuring, on tlie surface, 17 ; make the, 53 ; on purchasing, 61 ; waste of farm-yard and sewage, 71 ; from abroad, 79 ; ashes, 107, 117 ; lime and muck compost, 107, 110, 169, 203; concentrated, 204 ; blood, an experiment with, 213; making and preserving, 227; for corn, 263 ; covering, 268 ; farm-yard, application of, 299 ; vegetable and .animal, 305 ; hogyard, 307 ; surface application of, 350 ; for compost- ing, 351 ; about, 570 Marcs, t's. geldings, ..... 59 March, calendar for, ..... 105 Marshes, Albanian, 27; salt, 185; mud from the, 206 Maps, subsoil, ...... 50 Matter, indestructibility of, . . . . 490 May, calendar for, 202 ]\Iaryland, state fair, 558 Meadow, land, manure for, 110 ; peat, crops on, 176 ; a large barren, 282 ; grass, true fowl, 336 Measure of land, 331 Meat, and cooks, 168 ; of neat cattle, how driving atfects the, 395 Mechanics, evening hours for, . . . 287 Mechi, Mr., farming by, . . . 406r, 447 Medicine, reality of science of, 47 ; popular errors in, ...... . 525 Melon, early, 194 Michigan, agriculture in, ... . 210 Mill, portable grain, 134 ; for grinding feed, 176 Milk, about the use of, 75 ; for butter, 282 ; trade of, in Boston, 292, 318 ; swill, 351 ; trade, 357 ; morning and evening, 383 ; business, 386 ; wells for keeping, 400 ; bloody, 457 ; from spayed cows, 549 ; of native cows, 566 ; cow shedding her, 566 Millet, Egyptian, 184; Hungarian, . . 314 Milton, daily life of, 385 INDEX. Page Mineralogy, 12 Minnesota, crops and weather in, . . . 128 Month, to tell the days in by counting on the knuckles, 335 Morning, on the, 532 Moi-tar, 88 Mowing lands, 181 ; machines, 255, 425, 380, 414, 510 Muck and ashes compost, 405 ; salt and lime compost, 432 ; digging and piling, 451 ; and plain lands, 557 ; and ashes, . . . 565 N Nature, the wonders of inanimate, 367 ; man's teacher, ...... . 377 Newell, Moses, death of, . . . . 215 New York, Orange county, products of, . Ill Nicotine, 67 Nose bleed, to stop, 268 O Oaks, famous English, . Oats, feeding to sheep, . Observation, ..... October, calendar for, . Oil, Masson's for wounds, 202 ; lamp, Onion, blight in, 74 ; wild, 124 334 152 441 256 354 Orchard, right way to make, 492 ; a good, is the beauty of the farm, 524 ; lime on the, . 574 Ornithology,. . . 156, 284, 402, 462, 563 Ox yokes, 279 ; heaviest ever butchered, . 450 Paper, tarred, for roofs, 247 ; a new way to pay for a news, 510 Parsnips, how to keep for winter and spring, 18 ; as a field crop, 92 Pasture, brush in, 169 ; lands, 328 ; butter, 410 ; in the highways, 508 ; plowing old, . . 509 Patent Office report, for 1856, . . .35,251 Pea, bugs in, 221 ; experiments with the, 232; planting in the fall, ..... 464 Peaches, early, 194 ; culture of, . . . 330 Pear, stocks for dwarf, 39 ; the Belle Lucrative, 65 ; the Lawrence, 97 ; on quince stock, 182, 246, 266, 276, 309, 420; Flemish Beauty, 240 ; tree, blight in, 333 ; culture of the, 340 ; treatise on the, 372; Glout Morceau, 417; blight in, 455 ; fine Seckle, 527 ; culture, profits of dwarf, 565 Pepper, 324 Phosphorus, facts about, .... 287 Pickles, 61 Pig breeding, 373 Pigeon catching, ...... 78 Pipe, water, 89, 283 ; gutta percha, 255, 325, 352 Pine, Avhite, 254 ; seed of the white, . . 352 Plants, and animals, sudden appearance of, 125; disturbing the roots of, 432 ; agitation of, . 455 Planetaiy system, the, 302 Plow — plowing, steam, 120, 237 ; and plowing, 128, 177; how deep to, 258, 327, 385; and the spade, 430; and the hoe, 555; fall, 568; — steam, success of tlie, 568 ; American, . 574 Plum, 467 ; tree, 472, 527 ; tree, salting the, 552 Poison, remedy for, .... 457, 463 Pop corn, harvesting, 36 ; how to raise, . 89 Posts, directions for setting, 168 ; for fences, 410, 456 ; inverted, 446 Potato, sweet, 23 ; Davis's seedling, 148 ; State of Maine, 148 ; Jackson White, 148 ; St. Helena, 148; Jenny Lind, 179; Pogies, 179; rot, 208, 232, 289; plaster for, 315; a fine field of, 451 ; rot, and remedy for, 465 ; rot, cause of, 511; liocky Mountain, 512; cut. Pago 513, 528, 543 ; cause and cure for rot in the, 551 ; sweet, keeping for seed, . . . 552 Pork, shall we eat, 265 ; how to raise, . . 280 Poultry, 77 ; white Dorking, 80 ; profits of, 130; feeding, 206 ; large breed, 314 ; Guilderland, 315; breeding in-and-in, 322; black Poland, 41 1 ; creeper, 464 Poudrette, 266 Pox, small, and vaccination, . . . 376 Professions, proportion of the learned, . . 4l Prospects, 576 Pruning, over, 74 Pumice, apple, 453 Pump, patent ball valve, .... 566 Q Quarrel, how settled, 382 Quince, on pasture lands, 233 ; stocks for pears, 383 R Rabbit, to prevent barking young trees, . 151 Radishes, 471 Rako, horse, which is the best, . . 290, 351 Rambles among rocks, . . . 520, 534 Rat trap, a novel, 355 ; to prevent undermining cellar walls, 357 Raven, cunning of the, 33 Reading, pleasure of, .... . 24 Reaper, and mower, the Eagle, . . . 323 Recipes, domestic, 56, 104, 152, 200, 392 . 636 Reports, agricultural, 28 Rhubarb, Myatt's Victoria, 85 ; Linnasus, 85, 334 ; wine, 344 ; how to cook, . . . 344 Robin, and crows, 114 ; plea for the, 205 ; killing the, 259, 542 ; food for the, 261 ; food and habits of the, 360 ; another plea for the, . 567 Rock digging, and laying wall made easy, 64 ; lifter, 512, 559 Roller, field, 182 Roofs, covering for, 208 ; remedy for leaks in, 268 ; how to make a good shingle, 281 ; and roofing, 295 ; reshingling old, 429 ; materials for, 530 Rooms, heated, 31 ; cooling, . . . 273 Roots for stock, and machine to cut them, 89, 463 ; culture of, 221 ; will they pay, 230 ; pulping, 400 ; crops, 544, .... 559 Rose, buds, how to plant, .... 289 Saddle, spring, 167 Safety, out-doors, 525 Salt, . 210 Sausages, seasoning for, .... 61 Science, answering simple questions, . . 501 Scions, seeds and soils, .... 216 School, moral tone of a, ... . 56 Scythe philosophy, 418 Season and crops, 22 ; the past, 74, 242, 426, 466 Seed, planter, Willard's, 48 ; age of, 223 ; adven tures of a, September, calendar for, .... Sex, influences of, .... 365, 421 Sheep husbandry, 40 ; Shropshire Down wethers, 106; a new breed, 193 ; feeding oats to, 220, 334 ; and dogs, 241 ; feeding, 310; to protect from dogs, 347 ; value of, to the farmei-, 399 ; fine fleeces of, 421 ; hints on keeping, . 499 Shingles, sawed, 180; whitewash for, 183; and nails, 359 Sick, how to get, . Skin, the seat of pain, . Snake, rattle. Snow storms, 412 393 543 242 99 61 INDEX. 390 523 284 223, 301 457 555 Soap, how to make, 253 ; suds for currant bushes, 254, ...... Society, United States, agricultural, 73, 159, 672 ; U. S. delegates to, 79 ; Berkshire agri- cultural, 82 ; Norfolk, Worcester West, Ply- mouth, Middlesex, Worcester, North, 175, 505 ; contributions of state to county, 230 ; American pomological, 233, 389 ; Franklin county, 235 ; officers of North Middlesex, 244 ; Warwick, Mass., 251 ; Middlesex, South, 505, 514, 535; Bristol county, 505; Leomin- ster, Farmer and Mechanics, 505 ; Essex In- stitute, 505 ; Newton Horticultural, 505 ; Gro- ton Farmer's Club, 505 ; Rockingham county, 505 ; Connecticut River Valley, 506, 516, 521 ; Maine State, 506; Norfolk, 518, 531; Ply- mouth, 519 ; Essex, 443, 519 ; Salisbury, 519 ; Cheshire, 520, Soil, warmth of, 24 ; owner of the, 58 ; and mind, cultivate the, 97 ; subsoiling wet, 133 ; analysis of, 166 ; culture, a book on, 202 ; re- storing the, 202 ; restoring exhausted, . 445 Soot, 291 ; to destroy vermin with, . . 307 Sow, and 71 pigs, 244 ; a prolific, Spavin, bone, .... Spa5'ing and caponizing, Spiders, and their spinners, . Squashes, 28 ; Hubbard, seed of, 30, 55 ; and pumpkins, 103 ; summer, early, 194, 239 ; borer, 291 Stables horses', 42 Stammering, cure for, 19 Steers, training to the yoke, 382 ; fat, . . 566 Stock, feeding, 54 ; and crops in Mass. 261 ; but- ter, 334 ; care of, 372 ; dairy, 379 ; sulphur for, 575 Strawberry, beds, 16; white, 268, 314; time for transplanting, 334 ; soil for, 365, 368; varieties, 384 ; easy way to raise, 398 ; wood, . . 430 Straw, wheat, 256 ; buckwheat, for sheep, . 288 Stump, blasting, 279 ; puller, Hall's, 313, 440 ; machine, WiUis's, .... 418, 573 Strychnine, 130, 176 Sugar, cane, 16, 21, 96; maple, 28 ; substitute for dear, 116; making, 199, 212, 229; boiler, a new, 224 Sumac, how used, 184 Sunflower, experiment with, .... 453 Superphosphate, does it pay, .... 290 Swamp, a morning in, 252 Swallow, and crows, ..... 58 Swine, a fine, 40, 89 ; sows with pigs, 103 ; cheap feed for, 404 Switzerland, letters from, . . .13, 44, 87 Tanks, tight, under cattle, Tar, gas, or coal, 133 ; coal, for crows, 155 of coal, - ,v • Tea, cultivation of. Teeth, keeping the, clean. Then, and now. Thinking and working, . Thistles, Canada, how to destroy. Tile, draining with. Timber, .... Times, hard, 165 ; how to prevent. Toads, . Tobacco, Tools, lard and rosin for. Tomato, pear-shaped, 70 ; supporting and short- ening in, 279, 396 Town and country, 324 Transmission, hereditary, .... 494 Transactions, Essex county, 91, 118, in Maine, 137 Transplaating, fall, 456 285 use 334, 421 396 469 138 304 565 91 289 267 S50 86 29 Page Trap, a novel rat, 365 Traveller, tales of, 254 Tree, apple, curious, 39 ; getting, by cuttings, 39 ; whitewashing, 51 ; apple by side of fences, 100; walnut, colossal, 118; Porter apple, 133 ; wash for fruit, 133 ; and their uses, 135 ; position of apple, 136; preaching of the, 140; peach, 184 ; to protect peach from borers, 184 ; protector for, 191 ; apple, 194; from cuttings, 200 ; wounds in apple, 207 ; hemlock and white pines, 222 ; cracks in, 223 ; locust, 224 ; beside the wall, 253; live braces for fruit, 261 ; time to set apple, 315 ; time to prune apple, 315; rule in pruning, 333; blight in pear, 333 ; to measure the height of, 354 ; culture of forest, 360 ; growth of, 442 ; age of, 451 j plum, warts on, 455 ; how to manure in grass land, 510; grafted fruit, 529; pruning fruit, 539 ; apple, a nice way to make, . . 562 Tripe, preparation of, 64 Trout, the, 274 Turkies, large, 28 ; how to raise, 256 ; death of young, 384 Turnip, crop, experiment with, 67 ; and witch grass, 121 ; crops to follow, . . . 420 U Urine, value of. 26 Vegetation in California, 111; gro^vth in Nor- way, 303 ; effect of sun's light on, . . 428 Vegetables, and frost, 1 84 ; thinning out, . 253 Vermin, on calves and sheep, 40 ; to destroy, 352 ; destroyed by soot, .... 367 Vermont, letter from, 564 Vine, grape, 207 ; bugs on, 289 ; protector, 332 ; to destroy bugs on, 355 ; to prevent bugs from destroying, 380 ; melon, blast in, . . 565 W Walnut, grove, planting a, . . . . 868 Warts, chalk for, 276, 371 ; on plum trees, 455 ; remedy for, 464 139 365 123, 141, 163 210 520 536 extirpa- 394 375 109, Waste not, want not. Water, cool, .... Washington city, letters from. Wax, grafting, .... Weather, extreme cold, 61 ; all, good, Webster, Daniel, .... Weed, tumble, a vegetable curiosity, 19 tion of, 125 ; white, . Weeder, a good, .... Wells, artesian, in Illinois, 303; for keeping milk, 400; how to examine, 521; reflecting light into, 549 West, and New England, . . . 259, 398 Whalebone, artificial, 268 Wheat, time to cut, 372 ; sour winter, 415 ; white winter flint, 443 ; winter, cultivation of, 452, 456 ; harvesting, 491 ; winter and spring, 511 ; and what it costs, 532 Whitewash, a first rate, 385; brilliant stucco, 409, 526 Willow, basket, S66 Wine, elderberry, 55 ; rhubarb, 344 ; currant, 413 Winter, the past,^226 ; and fall, review of, 264 ; farm life in, ... . 319 Wisconsin, crops in, . 196 Wives and daughters, .... 234 Working and thinking, .... 304 Wood, fire proof, 196 ; growth of, for fuel. 283 Woodland, 231 Woodpecker, 471 Wool, in Vermont, .... 352 INDEX Page Woman, a slave in her own house, 30 ; young, her part in life, 86 ; fair play for, 296 ; and the household, 308 ; on the farm, . .. 312 Worm, a destructive forest, 74 ; canker, 315 ; the drop, 375 Wurtzel, mangold, 534 Page Yam, or dioscorea batatis .... 23 Yards, slaughter, ashes, bones, 224 ; bam, con- struction of, 378 Year, close of the, 575 ILLUSTRATIONS. Initid Letter, 9, 57, 105, 153, 201, 249, 297, 345, 393, 441, 489, Mountain Seedling Gooseberff , . .- Improved Supply Pipe for Hot Air Furnaces, Willard's Patent Seed Planter, Pondante d'Automne, or Belle Lucrative Pear, A Pair of White Dorking Fowls, . The Lawrence Pear, Vermont Mower and Reaper, . Culture of the Grape, . . . . 144, A Stable for City or Village Use, . Plows and Plowing, . . . . 128, Caps for covering Hay and Grain, . 192, Johnson's Patent Hog Trough, Hall's Hand Power Stump Machine, . The Flemish Beauty Pear, . ^ Improved Hinge Harrow, A Fine Morgan, — Tom Howard, . Well's Grass Seed Sower, . , I Fowl Meadow, or. False Red Top, . 272, A New Hoe, : 537 16 32 49 65 80 97 113 145 161 177 193 209 225 240 247 257 264 273 289 Buckeye Rotation Harrow, .... 304 Lion's Patent Copper Lightning Conductor, . 312 Hereford Heifer, Cora, .... 321, 322 Weeder, Trowel, and Dibble, combined, . 329 The True Fowl Meadow Grass, . . . 337 The Life of Sir John Barleycorn, . . • 343 BoUe's Patent Stone-Digger and Wall L*yer, 353 The Eagle Mower and Reaper, . . 369, 370 Black Spanish Fowls, ..... 401 The Glout Morceau Pear, An Experiment in Draining, Perkins' Corn Husker, . . . . The Potatoe Rot — Its Cause and Cure, Drain tile and Stone drain pipe, . Allen's Potato Digger, . . . . Bleecker's Gage Plum, . . . . Apple Paring Machines, . . Spanish Merino Bucks, . . . . Imported Dutch Cow, . . . . Portrait of an Imported I)utch Bull, . Illustrations of Draining, 417 433 449 465 476, 477 480 496 513 529 544 560 569 POETRY. Exhibition of Mowers afid Reapers at Syracuse,^ Going to the Fair, ; Points of an Ayrshire Cow, The Snow, . A Thought, . Lines for the New Year, Persevere — Persevere, . The Preaching of the Trees, The Height of my Ambition; God save the Plow, Be Gentle with thy Wife, Wliat the World Might be. The Preaching of the Trees,. Se^d Time and Harvestf 37 iHome is where there's one to love ns, . . 288 68 A Spring Carol, ....... 310 76 We Knew it Would Rain, .... 340 90 Lights and Shadows, 347 102 Little Things, 364 115 Smiles, ■" . 385 124 Com Fields, 416 140 Times Go by Turns, ..... 451 175 Be Content, 495 196 Autumn, 526 213TheFlay, 550 220 Two Hundred Years Ago, .... 555 266 A Pomological Po«m, 562 277 DEVOTED TO AGRICLTIiTURE AND ITS KIHDBED ARTS AND SCIEIfCES. VOL. X. BOSTON, JANUARY, 1858. NO. 1, JOEL NOCRSE, Proprietok. Office.. .13 Commercial St. SIMON BROWN, EDITOR. FRED'K HOI.BROOK, | Associate HENRY F. FRENCH, ( Editors. JANUABT. Hear the sledges with the bells — Silver beUs ! What a world of merriment their melody foretells ! How they tinkle, tinkle, tinkle, In the icy air of night ! While the stars that orersprinkle AU the heavens seem to twinkle With a crystalline delight } Keeping time, time, time, In a sort of Runic rhyme, To the tlntinabulation that so musically 'weUa From the bells, bells, bells, Bells, beUs, bells— Fi'om the jingling and ffife tinkling of the bells." Edoas a. Poe. UDGE by this what a wonderful talent had poor PoE, of so mingling sound with sentiment as to awaken a com- mon chord in the bosom of almost any reader. Who could read the above lines with a July sun pouring down upon him, without thinking of January, and the "world of merriment" that accompanies its advent —and here we are listening to those same "silver bells," with their "tinkle, tinkle, tin- kle," as the joyous riders go skimming over the frosty road, to dance, perhaps, "the old year out and the new year in !" That good old custom of "merrie England," by which the meeting of the extremities of the two years seemed to complete a magnetic circle, and to cause, like the approach to each other of the poles of the natural magnet, a wonderful sparl-Jing, so that, from Christmas to well into the New Year, "all went merry as a marriage bell," has come legitimately down to us, and is, in our opinion, far less "honored in the breach than in the observance." Let any one read with dry eyes or without many a merry laugh, our own Ir- ving's sketch of Christmas, and we will uncere- moniously pronounce him an unfeeling churl — but we do not believe there is a single reader of the New England Faiiner who comes within our category, and every one of them, we doubt not, will agree with that elegant writer, when he says : "Amidst the general call to happiness, the bustle of the spirits and stir of the affections, which prevail at this period, what bosom can remain in- sensible ? It is, indeed, th^ season of regenera- ted feeling — the season for kindling, not merely the fii-e of hospitaHty in the hall, but the genial flame of charity in the heart. "The scene of early love again rises green to memory beyond the sterile waste of years ; and the idea of home, fraught with the fragrance of home-dwelling joys, reanimates the drooping spix^ it, as the Arabian breeze wMl sometimes waft the freshness of the distant fields to the w'eary pil- grim of the desert." Dear reader, does not that iouch a tender spot in your own bosom ? You cannot have travelled the highway of human existence many years without having passed scenes that you Ibye to have, at least as often as once every year, rise "green to memory," and in which you can again revel with a reality almost sufficient to forget that they are not of the present. Then keep up the good old custom of building a bridge, of the rainbow hues of pleasure, which shall span the imaginary ravine which divides the merry Christmas of the days of old, from the merry New Year of these times in which we live. Who shall paint the joys inside the thrifty farmer's house on the first day of the new year? No one forgets that day ; ere the sun is up, the prattler from his tiny crib lisps out : "^Vith you a happy new year, father" — "With you a happy. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. Jan. new year, mother." Bless thoise innocent lips, both father and mother, for they at least are sin- cere in their wish ; but not the prattler alone — ■ from the bosoms of the hale and hearty boys and the beautiful, rosy-cheeked girls, as they first meet their loved parents on that new morn, the words rise up almost spontaneously, as if they were the bursting of the deep-sown seeds of af- fection, and find utterance at the lips — "Father, mother, I wish you a happy new year ;" and in that family you may be sure there is a love that shall never know decay — a love so pure and holy, that when the last account shall be rendered up, it shall be found on the credit side, and of not less weight in the scale of eternal justice than piety itself. The farmer enjoys that day. He blesses all his household ; he looks about his premises and sees whether every thing is snug and right ; he looks into his books, squares up his accounts, and prepares to start anew into the year that has just opened. God prosper him ! But we have to do not only with the first day of the year, but with the first month of the year cold, blustering, persevering, happy, welcome Jan uary ! The healthiest month, probably, of all the year. It is, more emphatically than any other, the farmer's jubilee. Up to late in December he has been busily engaged in the "fall work ;" now it is all done. The harvest has been gathered in,— the garners and the cellars are full,— seed-time and harvest have not failed, and man and beast are amply provided for. It is the time for study, for reflection, for consultation with friends, for joyous evening assemblages, for singing in full chorus to the good old tune, "Winter" — "His hoary frost, his fleecy snow, Descend and clothe the ground ; The liquid streams forbear to flow, In icy fetters bound." It is the time "to clothe the naked, to feed the hungry, and to bind up the wounds of the bro ken-hearted." It is the time to be happy your- self and make all happy about you ! But while the thrifty farmer and his happy family are enjoying the warm fireside and the luxuries of the cellar inside the house, are those dumb helpers outside, without whose aid the far- mer could do but little, cared for? That they are ! A good farmer would sooner sufi"er himself, than have his cattle suff'er. AVe will just step into the barn, Avith our friend, the farmer, and see for ourselves how matters are. Well, there stands "Jim," a large, well-proportioned bay, sixteen hands high, weigh- ing well on to 1300 pounds, eyes as bright as a new dollar, legs clean and smooth, body well blanketed, in his clean wide stall, and as his mas t^r approaches, if ever a horse laughed he does i He knows who his master is as well as we do. Our friend walks into the stall, pats "Jim" on his proudly arched and glossy neck, and see how afi"ectionately that neck comes round, and the head of the horse rubs against the shoulder of the owner, as much as to say,— -"thank you, mas- ter, for taking such good care of me. I know what gratitude is." We pass on, pronouncing 'Jim" a trump and nothing else, A large row of heads present themselves loose- ly fastened between the stanchions, or more free- ly still, by chains or straps, and as we approach they rise, and two clear round eyes from each look wistfully at us, and sure enough, there we think we see old "Swan," the upper ox of the entire ranks, give a squint down the line of heads, as much as to say, "right, dress!" and*wink one eye, indicating to the others, "there's our master, receive him with proper respect, for no cattle in this world have a better." We always did believe most faithfully in Scrip- ture, but do not think we ever had a passage so tellingly brought to our recollection, as old "Swan's" look brought this : "The ox knoweth his owner and the ass his master's crib." How slick and smooth and nice they all kok, and so happy and contented. And even that old fellow over there, separate and apart from all the rest, with a ring in his nose, does not appear half so much like those "bulls of Bashan," that compasseth the unhappy Psalmist, "as a raving and a roaring lion," as we have seen bulls. In- deed, he seemed to be in quite an affectionate and agreeable mood. Our farmer's cattle are indeed well cared for, and as happy, apparently, as cattle ought to be. January is the great starting point of the year ; like the diurnal meridian to the mariner, it is the annual meridian to the farmer, when he works up his reckoning, and whence he takes a new de- parture. May this present January be such a starting point to every reader of the Farmer, that he may look back upon it with the same pleasure that one looks to the commencement of a prosperous voyage, when the destined port has been reach- ed. May sunny skies and fertile showers and gen- tle gales surround him, and clustering affections and all the sweet sympathies of life crown his circles with domestic bliss. GRINDING FEED. Experimental farmers have long urged the im- portance, and even necessity, of chopping or grinding hay, as well as other feed, for cattle and horses. The lazy drones have had a hearty laugh over the idea, and called it "Book Farm- ing." 1858. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. Now the theory of chopping, and grinding food, is based on a principle which' lies at the founda- tion of animal physiology. Rest is essential to the accumulation of muscle, as well as fat. If we wish to increase an animal in flesh, or fat, we do not work him. Now a cow wants one-thirtieth of her own weight in hay a day, to keep her in good order ; and we may thus calculate the amount of labor required to masticate the food, and fit it for the stomach. The labor of chopping, or grinding twenty-five pounds of dry hay a day, is no small item. This excessive labor is performed by one set of muscles — the jaws ; but, by sympathy, af- fects all the other muscles ; causes the blood to circulate quicker ; the breath faster, the consump- tion of food greater ; and still the growth of the animal is retarded. If a machine was invented to grind hay, the ground article would approximate, in value, to unground oats, in producing fat and muscle. Chopping hay and stalks is valuable just in pro- portion as it approximates to grinding, and re- lieves the animal of the labor of grinding it. An animal fed on ground, or minced food, may per- form an amount of labor equal to grinding it fit for digestion, and fat as fast as another which does not labor, but grinds its own food. Prematurely grey whiskers and beard, while the hair is still black, show the relative amount of labor performed by the jaws and the head. — OMo Farmer. NEW BOOKS. Villas and Cottaoe?. A Series of Designs prepared for execu- tion in the United States. By Calvert Vadx, Architect. Ill- ustrated by 300 Engravings. Harper & Brothers, New York, 318 pp. Mr. Vaux was a partner in business of the late lamented Mr. Downing, and probably furnished to Mr. D.'s works the greater part of whatever related to architecture ; between them there was a happy combination of that varied talent and skill necessary in such works to give them value and currency, and they have, therefore, met the wants of our people in a considerable degree, and have done much towards forming a more correct taste in the designs and finish of oui" dwellings. The designs struck out in the work before us are not the mere results of the imagination, but have a "local habitation and a name," and shelter and afford convenience and comfort to men and women of taste and refinement. They possess the merit of having been tested, and by use are found to answer the purposes expected of them when constructed. No encomium, therefore, up- on the designs is necessary ; they have been tried and are not found wanting in any essential points. The book itself does credit to artist, printer and publisher ; the paper is thick, fine and white, the tj^e large and new, and the engravings finely cut and clear. There are designs given for nearly all classes of dwellings from the cheap log-house to the mansion costing from $10,000 to $15,000, and as they are within a reasonable day's ride from Bos- ton, by rail, any person may make personal ex- amination of such a house as he may particularly fancy. Few persons can afford to build without first consulting some such work as this. We therefore commend the work on "Villas and Cot- tages" to all who can aff'ord it, 'whether they con- template building or not. We take pleasure in making the following extract : "Architecture is entirely the invention of man, and, as it expresses his needs and his nature, it must necessarily be regulated by the laws to which he is subject. At the same time, it is equal- ly clear, that it can have no independent laws of its own, simply because it has no independent ex- istence. As it seeks to please the eye, its form and colors should be carefully designed in accor- dance with the laws of the eye, or it will be a fail- ure, as far as this organ is concerned. As it ad- xlresses itself to the intellect, it ought to be or- derly and without any appearance of accident in its conception, or it will appear unintellectual. As it appeals to the heart, it requires to be for- cibly and artistically ti*ue in its expression, or it will remain a lifeless collection of building mate- rials ; and as it ministers to the soul, it must be beautiful and pure in its intention, or it will be ugly and baneful in its influence. It is always the mirror of its age, accurately reflecting the cus- toms, morals and science that prevail in every na- tion at a given period ; and as these have been dissimilar at different times and places, architec- ture has naturally crystalized in various parts of the world iiito what we call separate styles." For the New England Fanrw.r. COMMITTEES. Too little care is taken in selecting persons for the examination of objects and the awarding of premiums at our Shows. They should be men of sound judgment, and practical experience, in the matters on which they are to judge. The neglect of this indispensable qualification often renders their awards the merest farce imaginable. The duty is one of high responsibility, and no honest man, void of the requisite qualifications will un- dertake to discharge it. It is a rule, in some places, to name as chair- man one who knows how to use the pen, who can put in readable and creditable form the de- icsions of his associates. To this there can be no valid objection. There are many who wear fine cloth, who can do a good service in this way, who can do but little in any other. When ap- pointed, they should prepare themselves for the work assigned ; when prepared, should be on hand to attend to it. It not unfrequently hap- pens, on the morning of the Show, when a com- mittee is called, no one appears, and the papers have to be passed into the hands of those hastily named, and superficially qualified. These remarks are made for the instruction of ^those who ap- point, and those who are appointed ; and if they shall chance to create any improvement in the discharge of the duties of either, the object of the writer will be fully attained. *«* Nov. 19, 1857. 12 NEW ENGLAND FARMJIR. Jan. For the New England Fanner. MINEKALOGY. Mineralogy is intimately connected with geolo- gy, as it teaches the properties, composition and relations of mineral bodies, and the art of distin- guishing and describing them. These two scien- ces, geology and mineralogy, are frequently taught and learned in the same connection, as in many particulars they tend mutually to illustrate and explain each other. In fact, it is believed by some authors, that the earth, or the solid part of it, was originally made one mass of solid rocks or minerals ; that a bed for vegetation was produced by the decomposition of rocks ; that this decom- position was effected by the expansion of water in the pores or fissures of rocks, by heat or con- gelation, by the solvent power of moisture, and by electricity,' which is known to be a powerful agent of decomposition. Be this as it may, and it is not my puipose to entertain the subject at the present time, still it is a well known fact, that the decomposition of rocks tends to the renovation of soil's, as well as their cultivation. But, that the solid or mineral parts of the earth were not all formed at one time, is evident from the fact, that no animal or vegetable remains are found in rocks of primitive formation. Of all the memorials of the past history of clir globe, the most interesting are those mjTiads of remains of organized bodies which are found in secondary rocks, and in alluvial formations. — These consist of numberless aquatic plants, zoo- phites, fishes, crocodiles, tortoises, sei'pents, birds, and cetaceous animals, all of a different species from any which now exist. More than thirty dif- ferent species of animals have been found imbed- ded in the secondary strata ; no living examples of which are now to be found in any quarter of the globe. Among the most remarkable of these, are the Mammoth, the Alegatherius, the Masto- don, the Tapir, &c. These were all larger than any living animals. Besides these, there have been found the remains of the elephant, the rhi- noceros, the hippopotamus, the elk, 6cc., of different species from those which now exist, but belonging to the same genera. These fossil remains, wheth- er they be regarded as belonging to the science of geology or mineralogy, are certainly among the most remarkable curiosities and wonders to be found in the cabinets and museums either of the old or new world. Minerals have been variously classed by differ- ent authors. They are, perhaps, more commonly comprehended under the five following classes : earths, salts, inflammables, metals and petrifac- tions. Earths are generally applied to such sub- stances as have neither taste nor smell, and are not inflammable. Salts are acids and alkalies, and the compounds formed by acids in union with alkalies, earths, and metallic oxides. Inflam- mables are mineral substances which may be easi- ly ignited or set on fii'e. Metals are heavy, hard, opaque bodies, possessed of a remarkable lustre, insoluble in water, fusible by heat, and maleable in different degrees. Petrifactions are substan- ces which have been turned to stone, and are in- crusted within the cavities of organized bodies, There are nine classes of stony minerals, of which iJi other rocks are composed, and which af e therefore termed the ebements of rocks. These are quartz, felspar, mica, talc, hornblende, argil- lite, limestone, gypsum and chlorite. These are sometimes found naturally crystalized with more or less regularity. They are also variously com- pounded, and usually classed according to the for- mation to which they respectively belong. Thus, from these elements we have granite and gneiss, both composed of quartz, felspar and mica, in dif- ferent proportions, and according to their differ- ent peculiarities. So it is with regai'd to all oth- er compound rocks. Though no common farmer can be expected to arrive at a very perfect knovvdedge of all the min- erals, simple and compound, included under the head of these nine different classes, yet by mak- ing a beginning with some one kind of mineral, granite, for instance, and improving all his leisure moments in collecting different specimens of gran- ite, and of its constituent principles, quartz, fel- spar and mica, and comparing them with the de- scription given in some good text-book, he will soon arrive at a respectable knowledge of his sub- ject. More especially will this be the case, if he has some one, already acquainted with the sub- ject, to accompany him, because the living de- scription of the tongue will be better understood, than any description given in a book. Having thus obtained a competent knowledge of granite, and its component elements, quartz, felspar and mica, he is now prepared to take up and examine, in like manner, some other mineral ; and thus, by improving the odds and ends of his time, "here a little and there a little," he w^ill be able to ar- rive at important results. But, in order to prosecute this study to advan- tage, the student should not only have a good text-book, but furnish himself Avith suitable ap- paratus for making his investigations. Thus equipped, he should direct his way into the fields of nature ; and whatever mineral meets his eye, whether it be the pebble on the shore, the rock of the mountain, or the diamond in the valley, he should carefully examine it and investigate its properties ; and, if it be thought worthy of pre- servation, he should carefully deposit it in his cabinet, in its proper place. Should he meet with more than his immediate wants require, he should preserve tiiem for the purpose of exchanging them for those of remote places. But, above all, while he is studying into the properties, the uses, and the relations of minerals, let him remember, that they are the handiwork of the all-wise Crea- tor, to whom he owes unbounded love and vene- ration. John Goldsbury. ASPARAGUS BEDS. Very many persons who possess gardens and have an abundance of room, deprive themselves of this delicacy because they think there is a great deal of trouble and mystery in raising it. There is scarcely a simpler crop produced in the garden. We have given over and over again the mode of setting out beds, and may refer to it again in our next issue, as it can be done any time before the closing up of the season by frost. Our purpose now is to give a hint as to the way of treating beds in autumn. It is this : When the stalks have turned yellow, mow them off close with a scythe, and burn on each bed its own crop, scattering the ashes evenly over it. Then 1858. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 13 take a broad-pronged foi'k, which should be used in every garden, and fork over the bed, being careful not to injure the crown of the plants, and apply a top-dresSing of rich, short stable manure. Let this remain until the frost is out of the ground in the spring, when the loose top should be raked off, and the remainder forked in< About the first of April sprinkle over each bed a dressing of cheap salt to the extent that no portion of the ground can be seen. This is all that Mill be required until the ensuing fall. A bed of asparagus, properly made in the fia-st in- stance, and cared for in this way afterward, will last for twenty-five years. — Germantown Tele- graph. For the New England Fanner. SWITZERLAND. LETTER FROM MR. FRENCH. From Heidelberg, which is in the Duchy of Baden, we took train for Baden-Baden, the place famous over all the world for its mineral springs and fashionable society, and infamous for its gambling saloons and dissipation. Beautiful and elegantly di'essed ladies, in the evening, stood or sat in the magnificent public rooms of the "conversation-house," around the gaming tables, losing and winning hundreds of dollars at a single turn of the roulette. It was a sight to make one shudder to see the coolness with which they risk- ed body and soul with their gold, to gratify this insane passion for games of chance. We drove to what is called the New Castle, which was for- merly the seat of one of the secret tribunals, where all the terrors and tortures of the Inquisition were suffered by the poor victims of political or relig- ious persecution. We descended into dungeons, closed by heavy stone doors, and into which the victims were let down by ropes from above, through trap doors, and saw the rings and racks and other instruments of toi'ture, and the subter- ranean halls of judgment, where the prisoners were tried and sentenced. Then we visited what is called the Old Castle, some miles distant, a fine ruin of what was formerly a stronghold in war. It is in the midst of a heavy growth of wood, a part of the Black Forest, which extends, I think, from Heidelberg across, some forty miles. The hills around Baden are, in the grim poetic lan- guage of German taste, called the Children of the Black Forest. This forest is different from any- thing I have seen since I left New England. It is composed principally of oak, maple and hemlock, of very large size, and in the neighborhood of Baden the white pine is found, in its natural growth. No white pine gi-ows in Great Britain, so far as I have observed, excopt small sr;ecim"nr planted in ornamental grounds, and those were so unlike our native growth that I could distin- guish them only by careful examination of their leaves. For the information of our readers who may not have observed or studied such trifles, it may be suggested that our three most common species of pine may be always distinguished, however distorted by unnatural culture, by the number of leaves in a tassel or bunch, the white pine always growing in fives, the yellow or pitch pine in threes, and the Norway pine in twos. And, by the way, let me say that of all the ever- greens I have yet seen, and I must now have seen them all, for beautiful effect in grouping, or in masses for grounds of wide extent, our common white pine, so common as to be almost despised, is in my opinion the most beautiful, and our hem- lock, whether grown single or in clumps, is a far filler tree than any of the far-fetched furs or spruces. When I have leisure to write on this subject, I have some foreign trees to re- commend which are uncommon if not unknown to New England. In the Black Forest of Baden the old hemlocks seemed to nod to me as an old friend, and the white pines, with their peculiar rustle in the wind and their balsamic fragrance, almost carried me back to old Exeter. From Baden we went to Basle, and thence to Lucerne, all the way, about two hundred miles, by rail, except about one hour in a diligence, over a mountain, where the railway was not completed. All along this route we observed fine crops of to- bacco and oats, with some poor dried up crops of Indian corn. Here again we saw large hills, smooth and free from stones, covel-ed, thousands of acres, with the grape. Here, too, we saw the storks, wading sometimes in the rivers, sometimes walking about among the laborers in the fields, as tame as hens and chickens, sometimes resting, apparantly asleep, on one leg, on little islands in the stream. They are seen flying over the villa- ges, resting on the house-tops, and they some- times build on the top of an old chimney, being regarded by the people as almost a sacred bird. The labor along this route is performed by single oxen or cows in carts, harnessed sometimes in collars like horses, sometimes by the hams, and most frequently driven by women. The sugar beet is extensively grown here, also, as through most of the continent. Between Basle and Lu- cerne apple and pear trees loaded with fruit are abundant, and apricot and cherry trees are almost always in sight. The horse beans, such as are so extensively cultivated for animals in England, are growing here to some extent. Of the archi- tecture of Switzerland, with its picturesque curv- ed roof, sweeping so gracefully almost to the ground, and its other peculiar features, I will not attempt yet to speak fully, leaving the topic for separate consideration in the future. For the first time since I kl't America, I found on the route to Lucerne, railway cars like those in use in the United States. Throughout England 14 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. Jan and the continent, until now, the ears, which, by the way, are in England always called carriages, are constructed in sections, each with two scats facing each other, so that half the passengers ride backwards, and each carriage accommodating about ten persons. There are usually first, second and third class carriages, the first class stuffed and cushioned and comfortable, the second in England with bare boards for seats and backs, and stiff and hard enough they are, the third not divided off so carefully, and much like the second in point of comfort. The cost of travel- ling in the second class in England is somewhat greater than by our first class. Most decent peo- ple take the second class, very few occupying the first class, which I tried sometimes, but soon abandoned, finding very little society there, some- times riding fifty ihiles entirely alone, which did not at all answer my design in going abroad. The second class cars in France, and generally on the continent, are cushioned and quite comfortable. On all these railways you show your ticket be- fore the train leaves, and are then locked in, and cannot get out till the guard unlocks your door at the station. Probably accidents are prevented by this precaution, and fewer mistakes made than where each man looks out for himself, and takes the risk of jumping on and off at pleasure. I was glad to find our social, free and easy style of cars here in Switzerland, for away from home our own customs«and habits have a wonderful charm for us wanderers. We reached Lucerne at about eight P. M., and it being a brilliant moonlight night, immediately took a boat, and were rowed across the lake to a bath-house on its shore, and enjoyed the luxury of a bathing in the clear waters, a familiarity we had also indulged in with the waters of the Rhine at Coblentz. The morning brought us a realiz- ing proof that we were indeed in Switzerland, and among her mountains, for the first glance of sunrise brought us a clear view of the snow-cap- ped mountains in the distance, overtopping the hills which surround the beautiful lake Lucerne. Embarking on the little steamer, close by our ho- tel, we made the tour of the lake. This is the land of William Tell, and on the lake shore we saw his chapel, erected at the spot where it is said he leaped ashore in a storm, from the boat where he was carried as a prisoner. A storm had arisen, and fear of shipwreck had induced his keepers to unbind him to assist in managing the boat. Tak- ing the helm, he run the bark close to the point of rock which here projects into the lake, and as they shot by in the tempest, he leaped upon the rock, leaving his captors to their fate. The scenery on lake Lucerne is said to be the most beautiful in all Switzerland. The abrupt mountains stand up, like walls along the shores. hemming in the water to the form of a river, and then suddenly falling away, through a green val- ley, the eye wanders over fields of grain and ver- dure, till it catches over the nearer hills, glimpses of the glaciers, shining in the sunlight, and again the tall peak of the Jungfrau away in the dis- tance, white with his eternal snows. At a small village on the shore of the lake, in the afternoon, we left the boat, to ascend Mount Rhigi. Taking horses and guides, we mounted and followed a narrow precipitous path about nine miles, slowly winding our devious way up — up, till behind us the mountain peaks on the opposite side of the lake rose up in scores, white as the unsullied snows could paint them, and brilliant with the rainbow tints of the setting sun. We found at the top a large hotel, with accommoda- tions for two hundi-ed persons, and crowded be- fore night with visitors, who had come like our- selves, to behold the setting and the rising of the sun. A storm of rain, with thunder and lightning, burst upon us, just as we arrived, which to those unaccustomed to thunder showers seemed very grand and awful, but to those of us who had spent summers in New England, it brought nothing new of fear or grandeur. At the dawTiing of the next day, the sound of a horn brought out the two hun- dred pilgrims, in a chilly, bleak morning, to wit- ness the sunrise. A more disconsolate looking set of beings never met to worship the god of day. Few had brought up from the valley where summer heat was raging, either overcoat or shawl, and now the morning was like chill November. Some had borrowed a blanket from their beds, others were apparelled in straw hats and thick overcoats ; all wei-e walking to and fro, wishing the job were over, so that they could retreat to the house. Finally, the sun deigned to show his head, and as his beams were caught by the distant peaks for a few moments, we began to grow en- thusiastic, and to forget the wintry chill, when an envious cloud dropped like a curtain across the east, and with one accord, we turned our faces towards the hotel, forgetting our disappointment in the anticipation of a wai-m room and hot coffee. After breakfast, we undertook the descent, our party on foot. The day was tolerably clear, so that we had fine views of the level country of nearly all Switzerland, spread out in one broad expanse below us. We could see herds of cows grazing so far below that they seemed no larger than grass- hoppers, yet the tinkle of the bells which each wore on her neck, came up distinctly through the clear air. We met droves of cows feeding on the mountains, a fine, large breed, resembling in shape and oolor those which Mr. Webster and others imported as Hungarian cattle. I do not know, by the way, that I have mentioned the goats kept 1858. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 15 for milk in this country. At various points we have met them, driven up at night like cows to be milked, and giving indications that they car- ried with them a good supply of milk. Our de- scent from the mountain furnished much amuse- ment, partly at my own expense, for when I had walked some five miles down the alm.ost perpen- dicular side, I had such warnings of the frailty of human means of locomotion, that I was glad to avail myself of one of the peculiar institutions of the country and take a chair for the remainder of the journey. A chair is a vehicle in the form of a large arm-chair, with two handles before and behind, by which it is carried by two or more men, precisely as farmers pole out hay from a swamp. A large French gentleman and his lady were carried all the way down in this manner, the man having five bearers, who changed hands, and the lady, who was of smaller dimensions, two. The bearers prefer to have you sit with your face up- hill, and ride backwards. Thus in solemn pro- cession we proceeded down the hill, at a pace to outstrip the mules, and on the whole, as it costs no more to be carried thus than to ride a mule, I would recommend to all who try the mountains to make one experiment of this mode of pi'ogres- sion. My companions, to my surprise, made very little fun of my ride, which I had supposed would amuse tliAn for a week, but next morning I was uncharitable enough to suggest, when I found one of them confined to his bed by sore limbs, and another with thq, skin so worn from his toes that he could not walk, that they were as badly used ■up as I was, and did not dare to laugh at me. This was our first attempt at much of a walk, and- on the whole, was not a very prudent begin- ning. But this is as much of Switzerland as you can find rcom for in the paper, so farewell. Yours, &c., H. F. French. DO BIKDS UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY LEARN P And now comes the question whether birds do not, in some degree at least, understand what they learn. It cannot be denied that, in a state of na- ture, their notes and intonations are significant to each other, and convey intelligence on which tJhey act ; nor does it require much observation oi* credulity to lead one to the conclusion that they are not altogether ignorant of the meaning of the words which they are taught. They appl, them, at least, very often, very opportunely. We know of a parrot that was very fond of a bone — not a good thing to give a parrot by the way — and when the bird had picked it, he would whis- tle to and call by name, the spaniel that was suf- fered to run about the house. When the dog came, as he always did when within hearing, the parrot would drop the bone out of his cage ; and the dog very complacently picked it up and pro- ceeded then and there to feed upon it, the parrot looking down on him and calling him "Pretty Beau," ever and anon during the operation. When dinner was brought, the parrot would climb up the bar of its cage, and there remain, crying, "Bring Polly's sop," till something was given to it. If a bottle of ale or wine were brought in, it would say, "Waiter ! Waiter ! a bottle of wine and a cigar." This parrot, wliich was an excellent talker, had not been taught to call the dog, but he had been in the habit of hear- ing him called to receive bones and bits, ajid did likewise. — Frazer's Magazine. For tite Hew England Farmer. ECONOMY IN BEE CULTURE. I was pleased to notice an article in the New England Farmer, monthly, for June, entitled "Cheap Bee Hives," coming from the pen of one so justly celebrated as a successful apiarian. It will, I am confident, have a salutary influence upon many. The munerous attempts that have been made, and the large amount of money that has been spent to improve the dwelling of the honey bee, and which have proved futile, have caused many to think that bee culture, is a branch of rural economy that "wont pay." Others have gone back to Ac old box hive and brimstone, as the only sure way of getting a portion of the honey gathered by their bees. I want a cheap bee-hive — one that will give the bees ample room, and every facility for storing their food for the many months they are unable to gather from the fields, and to rear their young ; one in which they M'ill deposit for my own use the surplus they may gather, and in a style that will look the neatest when placed upon the table, or that will find a ready sale when off'ered in market. The honey harvest with us is usually of but short duration, and whatever the bees do they must do quickly. If a swarm of bees are put into a hive that is lined upon the sides and top with loose particles of wood or dirt, that might prevent the bees from fastening their comb firm- ly, they are, from necessity, detained from their proper vocation of honey-gathering and comb- building, until they can remove it from the hive. When the honey is plenty in the field, a large colony of bees will store it very I'apidly, For instance, in June, 1856, a swarm of bees was put into an empty hive containing 1965 cubic inches, which within thirteen days from the time they were hived, was filled with brood and store comb ; also two boxes, each containing 12 pounds of honey. The hive was of a very simple model, planed smooth and clean inside. Planing the inside of a hive is but the work of a few mo- ments for a mechanic, and much less time than it would take a large swarm of bees to clear from the hive the loose particles of wood that always adhere to sawed lumber, besides the dirt and dust that usually finds a resting-place upon lumber while it is seasoning. I think the swarm of which I have made mention stored more honey than they would have done in an unplaned hive. In that particular I must difi'er from Mr. Quim- by, thinking it true economy to plane the inside of a bee-hive, and charge the necessary expense to the bees. Amicus. IC, NEW ENGLAND FARMER. Jan. MOUNTAIN SEEDLING GOOSBBEKKY. This is a new variety, which originated in New Lebanon, N. Y. Fruit of medium size, roundish- oval, red ; flesh fine, tender, and when fully ripe, sweet, and fully equal to the best. Skin not as thick as many of the English sorts. Great grower and bearer ; fruit on long stems, on drooping branches ; few thorns ; fruit very easily gathered. Perfectly hardy in bush and fruit, as it n-ever mil- dews. One of the very best, if not the best, for general cultivation, as it is free from all the objections brought against the English sorts in regard to mildew, while it is much larger than the Houghton's seedling, a well known and fine American sort. STKA-WBERBY BEDS. It is a common objection with amateur cultiva- tors of the strawberry, that their beds constant- ly require replanting. Also that they are great- ly troubled with the weeds during the bearing period. To such, and to all others not acquainted with the cultivation of this most desirable fruit, we would say, that if they will as soon this month as convenient give their beds a good dressing of short, well-rotted stable-manure, broken up fine- ly— as solid lumps may press too heavily upon the plants — previously applying a tolerable sprink- ling of wood ashes, if at hand — the plants will be preserved in fine, vigorous health, and will take a very early start when the season opens again. In the spring, very little of the manure, if any, need be removed — the plants will strike through the covering energetically, and the top- dressing will act as a mulching, j^reserve the ground in a properly humid state, and prevent the growth of weeds. ^We follow this plan with entire success. • It is folly to complain of a want of succesc in the production of any fruits, if the necessary and. obvious means are not adopted to entitle us to success. Those who are unwilling to give a little time, labor and expense to their proper cultiva- tion, had better abandon it altogether. — Oerman- toivn Telegraph. The Sugar Cane. — It is probable that rmo plants will be gradually brought to the notice of the cultivator of the soil as long as he finds it necessary to resort to it for a subsistence, an3. others, not considered so good, will gradually give place to them. The Chinese sugar cane may take high rank, and long be considered one among the good ones ; at any rate, we do not yet know enough about it. We are, therefore, happy to notice that Mr. J. F. C. Hyde, of Newton Cen- tre, proposes to lecture upon it during the com- ing winter, for a moderate compensation, before such associations as may favor him with a call Mr. H. has incurred considerable expense in cuj,- tivating the cane, expressing its juice and manu- facturing it into syrup, and in making paper from the waste stem. A Rousing Crop. — It is estimated that Illi- nois this season will produce two hundred ana eighty millions bushels of grain — more than ten bushels for every man, woman and child in the United States. This will knock the speculators into the middle of next year. — Ohio Valley Far mer. 1858. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 17 MANUKING OMT THE SURFACE. Surface manuring is no new idea ; yet if our memory serves us, the practice is almost univer- sally ignored by agricultural writers of the pres- ent day, as a method of manuring. It is acknowl- edged as a very good thing to preserve favorite plants or newly set out trees from the effect of drought, but very little beyond this. "Those who imagine," says tile editor of the Working Farmer, "they find good results from spreading of manure on the surface, and leaving it for days, weeks or months before it is plowed under, mistake the ac- tion of the litter or longer portions of the manure as a mulch, for the action of the manure on the soil." We so far differ from this and kindred opinions on the subject, that we think manuring on the surface, for ninety-nine farmers in a hun- dred the best general method of application. — We except all cases where the drill application of compost is found desirable, and garden and lot culture. Nor do we maintain that there is not a more perfect method of preserving and pre- paring all the elements of the manure heap, by its ca^-eful husbandry under sheds, an occasional treatment with diluted sulphuric acid, or some other "fixer," a cistei-n to catch the drainings, and a pump to pump them back upon the heap, and patience and perseverance and constant watchful- ness. A more perfect method still is that of Mr. Mechi, who applies his manure only in a liquid state, and for this purpose has his farm traversed ■with iron pipes, to convey the fluid to the differ- ent fields. He says it pays in England, and it may be so, though his neighbors doubt it very much. But on a Virginia farm, Ave think sensible men would account the Sheriff of London stark mad. We maintain that this mode of manuring (viz. : on the surface) is in itself so little inferior to the most perfect methods, that taking into con- sideration the circumstances of our farming pop- 'ulation, the extent of surface and high price of labor, the attention, and time and management that the mass of farmers can give to this branch of their operations, it is for them the most econ- omical and the best. It icillpay better. We ask now the reader's attention to the am- monia theory. That ammonia is the element of gi'eatest value in stable manures, we do not ques- tion. That it is very volatile, flies off and escapes by exposure to the atmosphere, everybody knows. Upon these principles is based th° recommenda- tion to plow under immediately, manures which yield ammonia, that the earth may absorb and preserve it. Now let it be distinctly borne in mind, that fresh manure of any sort does not contain this volatile ammonia, but only nitrogen, which is not volatile, out of which the ammonia is formed ; and that ammonia is generated only as the nitrogen putrefies in the rotting manures. If the manure accumulates in the stable, the warmth and moisture of the daily additions soon bring on active fermentation, and the pungent ammonia which assails us, is the result of the pu- trefaction thus caused. Until this process of rot- ting commences, ammonia is not formed, and the manure not liable to waste, and it ceases to be generated when the rotting is checked. Now when we are ready to remove our manure heaps in the spring, we find them usually rotting to some ex- tent. Let us follow, and observe the whole pro- cess It is taken up first, forkful by forkful, and pitched into the cart, the ammonia, of course all the time seeking its freedom ; it is hauled, reek ing and .smoking, a long distance pei-haps, to the field ; now it is dropped into small heaps, where it remains a week or so, until you are ready to plow the land. If you are ready, or when you are ready, these heaps are carefully spread out on the ground, the more perfectly the better, and then plowed under, not immediately, even under the most careful management, but as soon as it can be done — with a delay, ordinarily, of an av- erage of some hours. Now, with all this neces- sary opening and forking, and tossing and spread- ing, our impression is, that the free ammonia is very much like the Frenchman's flea, which, when he put his finger upon it, Avasn't there ; the point of time when we are ready to lay hold of it, is just when we may as well save ourselves the trou- ble : it is not there. But let it be borne in mind, that the ammonia we have been dealing with, is that only which was generated in the rotting heap, before its removah When the heap was opened to the air, the process of rotting ceased, and am- monia was no longer formed. Supposing, then, this free ammonia is pretty well gone, at any rate, Ave have the remainder of the manure, with its unchanged nitrogen, (not ammonia) to deal with. PloAv this under to the depth of eight inches, and for want of the proper- temperature to cause its putrefaction, it may remain unchanged and una- vailable, until another ploAving shall bring it up again to the influence of heat and moisture, which Avill disengage the ammonia. It is a frequent ex- perience, that Ave plow under deeply for a spring crop, fresh stable manure, and receive no benefit from it whatever, until it is brought up again ot the surface, and the Avheat crop folloAving reaps the advantage. But suppose, instead of making a week or tAvo weeks' heavy labor of hauling out manure in the spring, when the teams are at best not strong, and there is a press of hard work on hand, you get rid of this necessity of hauling out and plowing under simultaneously ; and hauling at your con- venience, you throw the manure upon the surface of the grass field, what is the result ? At the Avorst, as we have shown above, there is equal loss of the free ammonia, when the manure is plowed under. In both cases, that is about all gone, be- fore it can be Avith certainty taken possession of, by any process. The mass remaining on the sur- face, however, the work of putrefaction, which made the free ammonia, and Avhich Avas stopped by the opening and exposure of the heaps, is now recommenced and very slowly carried on by the wannth and moisture at the surface. The ammo- nia thus formed is absorbed by the litter above it, and washed down by every shoAver into contact, and combines chemically Avith the humus at the sui-face, or with the soil itself. But bear in mind, that Avhen these frequent removals are made, we never find the heaps in such a state of putrefac- tion as Avhen Ave postpone to some one allotted time, and therefore never have so much free am- monia to deal with. A very large proportion of the manure never begins to rot before it is re- moved. By this plan, moreover, we take favora- ble opportunities for hauling, and may carry out much of the manure in damp or moderately rainy weather, when the shoAvers will Avash the ready formed ammonia immediately into the soil. 18 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. Jan. We have thus undertaken to show, that the practice of manuring on the surface is not incon- sistent with admitted chemical principk^s, when properly applied ; and we submit the explanation to the judgment of practical men, familiar with the processes of fai-m management. — American Farmer. For the New England Fanner. HOW TO KEEP PARSNIPS FOB WINTER AND SPRING USE. Let them remain in the ground as long as they can, without danger of being frozen in for the winter. Then dig them, cut off the tops, and pack them in boxes, barrels, or casks of any kind, cover them with moist earth, shaking it down so as to fill pretty solid ; cover over the tops so as to keep out too much wet, and let them stand out of doors until they are well frozen, then move the vessels into the cellar, being careful not to disturb ^he roots, and let the frost work out graduaHy. The best parsnips that I have ever eaten were treated in this manner, and they were in fine eat- ing order, from the middle of January to the mid- dle of June. Those that follow the old method of letting their parsnips remain in the ground until spring, cannot know how much they lose in good eating, and economy. I think that parsnips would be a profitable crop to cultivate for feeding stock, particularly swine, since the failure of the potato. To insure a good crop, and good roots, be very particular in the choice of seed ; always choose the largest, smoothest, and best shaped roots to raise seed from, and see that no wild parsnips are suffered to grow in their neighborhood. Mks. N. Darling. New Haven, Conn., Nov. 6th, 1857. HOW CAN SETTING HENS BE TAUGHT TO FORSAKE THE LAZY HABIT ? Make a small open pen, of laths, or some simi- lar material, in one corner of your hen-house, about eight inches wide, and of any convenient length and height. Let one of the laths or slats be so secui'ed that it may be easily taken out, or moved one side, so that a hen may be convenient- ly passed into or taken out of the pen. On the bottom of this pen, and running lengthwise through it, set up a couple of laths on edge, and fasten them about the same distance from each other, and from the sides of the pen. Run a small perch across the pen and the work is done. When a hen wishes to set, put her in there. She will soon find that she can walk leisurely upon the floor, or roost comfortably u^Don the perch, but she can't set without "riding on a rail," and that, they seem to think, isn't decorous. The length of time for which they will have to be confined will vary somewhat, and in obstinate cases it may be necessary to put a few pegs or tacks into the edges of the laths. — Genesee Farmer. Hens. — If the legs of hens become broken, the^' will lay their eggs without shells until the fracture is repaired, all the lime in the circulation being employed for the purpose- of reuniting the bones. — Ohio Valley Farmer. HYBRIDIZATION. Mr. Brown : — In reading the address deliver- ed by A. R. Pope, before the Middlesex A;p-ictd- tiiral Society, I noticed a few remarks upon the hybridized ion of idants. Will you please inform me through the columns of the Farmer, concern- ing the manner in which it is performed. A. DeWolf. Deerfield, Mass., Oct. 12th, 1857. Remarks. — Shake the pollen or dust of the blossoms of one species into the blossom of anoth- er, and that makes a cross, and is called hybridi- zation. The subject is one of interest, and ought to be better understood than it is. We have ex- amined some authorities, and give the following as a brief illustration of the principles involved in the process. Observing that farmers who rear cattle improve the progenj^ by means of crossing the breed, Mr. Knight argued from analogy, that the same im- provement might be introduced into vegetables. His principal object was that of procuring new and improved varieties of the apple and pear, to supply the place of such as had become diseased and unproductive. But as the necessary slowness of all experiments of the kind, with regard to the fruit in question, did not keep pace with the ar- dor of his desire to obtain information on the subject, he was induced to institute some experi- ments upon the common pea ; a plant well suited to his purjiose, both from its quickness of growth, and from the many varieties in form, size and color which it afforded. In 1787, a degenerate sort of pea was growing in his garden, which had not recovered its former vigor even when removed to a better soil. Being thus a good subject of ex- periment, the male organs of a dozen of its im- mature blossoms were destroyed, and the female organs left entire. When the blossoms had at- tained their mature state, the pollen of a very large and luxuriant grey pea was introduced into the one-half of them, but not into the other. The pods of both grew equally ; but the seeds of the half that were unimpregnated, withered away without having augmented beyond the size to which they had attained before the blossoms ex- panded. The seeds of the other half were aug- mented and matured, as in the ordinary process of impregnation ; and exhibited no perceptible difference from those of other plants of the same variety ; perhaps because the external covering of the seed was furnished by the female. But when they were made to vegetate in the succeed- ing spring, the effect of the experiment was obvi- ous. The plants rose with great luxuriance, in- dicating in their stem, leaves, and fruit, the in- flence of this artificial impregnation ; the seeds produced were of a dark grey. By impregnating the flowers of this variety with the pollen of oth- 1858. NEW ENGLAND FARRIER. 19 ers, the color was again changed, and new varie- ties obtained, superior in every respect to the original on which the experiment was fii-st made, and attaining, in some cases, to a height of more than twelve feet. The practicability of improving the species is rendered strikingly obvious by these experiments ; and the ameliorating effect is the same, whether by the male or female ; as was ascertained by imj)reg- nating the largest and most luxuriant plants with the pollen of the most diminutive and dwarfish, or the contrary. By such means, any number of species may be obtained, according to the will of the experimenter, amongst which some will no doubt be suited to all soils and situations. — Knight's experiments of this kind were extend- ed also to wheat ; but not with equal success ; for though some very good varieties were obtained, yet they were found not to be permanent. But the success of his experiments on the apple tree •were equal to his hopes. This was, indeed, his principal object, and no means of obtaining a suc- cessful issue were left untried. The plants which were obtained in this case were found to possess the good qualities of both of the varieties employ- ed, uniting the greatest health and luxuriance with the finest and best-flavored fruit. Sir. Pope's process in hybridizing was proba- bly a similar one. When corn mixes, as we term it, it is a process of hybridization. On referring to LiNDSEY, Knight, or Loubon, our correspon- dent will find the matter treated so as to give Jum a pretty clear idea of it. It is also briefly touched on in Downing's late edition of the Fruits and Fruit Trees of America. A VEGETABLE CUEIOSITY— THE TUMBLE ■WEE.D. Among all the examples chosen from the innu- merable productions of nature to illustrate natu- ral theology, I do not recollect to have seen the tumble weed, at it is commonly called, (I have not looked out the botanical name,) and yet if it is not a speaking witness, it is a living, moving witness that there is an intelligent creature. These may be seen moving across almost any of the large western fields in the fall of the year, and re- main all winter in the corners of the fences, as if stationed to remind the passer-by that there is a God. I have just brought one of these weeds in- to my study. It is of the common form, and a little above the common size. It resembles a gooseberry bush, or it is of the general form and size of a farmer's corn-basket, and so nearly round or globular that a light wind Avill roll or tumble it along upon the ground, dropping its countless seeds all the way. And nature has not only given it this self-threshing and self-sowing power, but has connected with it a provision for getting loose. The strong thick root becomes so weak about an inch below ground, just as the weed gets ripe that a light wind will hurl it about in every direction. For the New England Farmer. "YOUNG MEN AND THE FARM." Mr, Editor : — The article in your journal of October 30, vol. 12, No. 44, under the above ti- tle, attracted my attention, and, being one of those to whom it was addressed, and whom the advice therein contained was intended to benefit, I thought, before acting upon said advice — -and the time di'aws near when I shall choose my vo- cation— that I should like to propound a few ques'tions to the author of the article above re- ferred to. If he is advising "young men" for their good, he can easily answer them. 1st. Would you advise one to remain on the "old farm," and with the "old man" to "cultivate the productive vineyard which God gave for an inheritance," when said vineyard, in retuni for unremitting labor from sunrise till sunset, year after year, will hardly yield sufficient to board and clothe the family in the most common man- ner, and render it possible to keep one room in the house comfortable, during our long, cold win- ters ? 2nd. Would you advise one to remain on the "old farm," where it is absolutely necessary that the females should struggle with their household duties from early morn, even before the sun glad- dens the earth with its golden rays, until nine or even ten — as is too often the case — in the even- ing, destroying their health, cramping and weak- ening that intellect, which, when properly devel- oped, transforms the woman into an angel who will minister to the wants of man, and strew his rugged path with flowers ? Would you advise me, then, to remain upon a farm, the household duties of which tax the fe- male strength even beyond its power of endur- ance ? If so, suppose another female should be added to the group which now struggles so hard for a living ? Lastly : — Would you advise one to remain on a farm which afi'ords but few moments, occasion- ally, for study, and still ievtex means, &vl6. less time to the women — who ought to have the most — than to the men ? K you do advise me, and other "young men," to remain upon such farms, please inform us in what manner fai'mers may afford to give their "women folks" a reasonable length of time, daily, and the means for study ; for, as our farms are now conducted, females must be as slaves. Also, be kind enough to inform me, how I may gain time and the means for study, being penniless, and rest assured that your advice, "to remain up- on the old farm, and with the old man," will be strictly followed, by A Farmer's Son. North Bridgewater, Nov., 1857. Remarks. — It is probable that only some gen- eral advice can be given "A Farmer's Son," in the midst of such an accumulation of difficulties ; but his queries may draw out, from some source, valuable suggestions to all young men. Cure for Staimmering. — At every syllable pronounced, tap at the same time with the finger. By so doing the most inveterate stammerer will be sui-prised to fiLiid he can pronounce quite NEW ENGLAND FARMER. Jan'. fluently, and by long and constant jiractice, he will pronounce perfectly well. This may be ex- plained in two ways, either by a sjinpathctie con- sentaneous action of the nerves of voluntary mo- tion in the finger, and in those of the tongue, which is the most probable ; or it may be that the movement of the finger distracts the atten- tion of the individual from his speech, and allows a free action of the nerves concerned in articula- tion.— Scientific American. For tlie New England Farmer, LETTER FROM MAJOR FRENCH. Thb Mobthly Farmer for November — Maiterb at Wash- INQTON. My Dear Captain : — What do I know to in- terest a farmer ? Well, that's a tough question for me to answer. It is not to be supposed that I know much — I, "a limb of the law," reduced by redticiion, ascending, I'd have you to know, from a politician, an office-holder, an Alderman ! (I have thus far escaped being Mayor, although I saw last summer that some of the papers honored me with that title,) to a plain, practising lawyer, it is not to be expected that I know much about far- ming. Still I read the Monthly Neio England Farmer as regularly as I ever did the New Hamj)- shire Spectator when it was my own darling bant- ling! I intended to have enlightened you, and your readers, futher about the United States Agricultu- ral Exhibition at Louisville, and believe I prom- ised to do so, but I broke that promise about as short ofi* as ever an L'ishman did the stem of his dulideen, and the why it was done was, that I left Louisville very unexpectedly the day prior to the closing of the exhibition, and my time and atten- tion was so entirely engrossed by other matters, that I could find no time to post you up even for the short time that elapsed between the closing of the letter which I sent, and the hour of my leaving the grounds, 10 A. M. on Friday ; and if the whole concern had been sunk by an earth- quake in five minutes after I left it, I could not have heard, or known less about its closing hours, or its results, than I now do. Would you like to know the reason why, at this particular time, I have undertaken to Avrite you a letter ? Well, you shall have it. I took up the November number of the Farmer this morning, and read it pretty thoroughly through. It interested me much more than usual ; the ar- ticles struck a corresponding chord in my Agri- culto musiccil gamut, and my feelings responded as you have doubtless heard the chords of a piano respond to the notes of another musical instru- ment played in the same room, and the feeling came irresistibly over me, that I must write to you, and so I am writing ! • "John DuvJnp," "hal ha! ha!" so I exclaimed, and so I laughed, when I saw that old familiar name. Why, Governor, I am on the shady side of a half century, considerably so, and yet among the very earliest recollections of my boyhood, "Johidun," for that's what we used to call him, and for many years I supposed his name actually was "Johndun Lap," figures in the foreground. He was #/;t' ingenious fellow of the neighborhood. He could tinker a clock, mend a watch, solder a hole in a tin pan, doctor men, women, horses and cattle, write poetry, compound root beer, manu- facture fulminating powder, cast small cannons, &c. &:c. For ycairs I have not heard of him, till il saw his familiar name, and back came his famil- iar face, and such a host of familiar scenes of my boyhood, that I revelled for a good hour in the past, and blessed my old friend — he must be pret- ty old now — for writing that note so cliaracteristic of himself. I hope some person more scientific on the subject of waspS than I am, will answer his question. I was not a little amused at the difference of opinion expressed by difi'erent writers about the sorghnm. There is your correspondent "I." of Princeton, Mass., who is down on the "wonderful cane" worse than "a thousand of brick," fully equal to an entire brick wall thirty feet high, and a hundred feet long ! he does not believe in it, not by any means ; and "J. D. Canning," he thinks common corn stalks will make as good molasses as the sugar cane. "J. H. X.'s" experience is some- what more encouraging, though not by any means up to the Avonderful theoretical experience ex- pressed a year or more ago, by the sanguine. "J, H. N's" pig did not show any remarkable fond- ness for it as fodder, and his cow exhibited her want of good taste in the same way. My cow is a. female who knows what's good, and she made way most ravenously with a small patch which I raised in my garden merely for fodder. "L. W. M." tried his hand at syrup, making it with the sugar cane and Avith corn stall's, and the corn stalks beat all hollow, both in the production of quantity and quality ! which very properly led your friend "L. W. M." to the conclusion that the loondcrful sorghum was pretty much another xcon- derfid Moras Multicctulis humbug ! And then we come to your own, "one houfs experience on the first sugar estate of Massachusetts." You ought to have staid longer, Governor. "An hour" wont do to find out all the mysteries of Chinese sugar cane ! However, your advice is excellent, and is not backed up by the undue expression of either hopes or fears. You are calm, "calm as a summer's morning," and the motto in Oil Bias, "patience, and shuffle the cards," hits your ideas exactly ; patience, and try the experiment fairly and carefully before condemning, is what you de- sire, and you are right ; but I rather guess when it is thoroughly ti'ied to the end, the end will be found somewhat more hitter than sweet! The cane I raised here, grew well, and to the height of from ten to fifteen feet. I had not sufficient to try any saccharine experiments, and so used i' for fodder in September, and for that purpose I have no doubt it will be valuable, "J. H. N.'s" cow to the contrary notwithstanding. But for sugar, I think I should prefer one good rock maple tree, to considerable of a lot of sorghum. Judge French's letters from Europe are a shin- ing light to your pages. He certainly observed well and thoroughly during his travels, and he possesses, beyond almost any writer within my knowledge, the faculty of enlivening his descrip- tions with queer and witty suggestions, Avhich provoke a laugh, while reading of the most seri- ous matters. Who can read his description of the relics exhibited in the Church of St. Ursula at Cologne, Avith a sober countenance ? And the conclusion which folloAvs his description of oxen 1858. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 21 drawing by their heads, and Avomen carrying bur- dens on theirs, "that cattle and women are stiff- necked enough for most j)ractical purposes," and his consoling idea, when he lost his umbrella at Waterloo, that the guide would probably "dig it up next year and sell it as Napoleon's," are fair specimens of his manner of adding a lively thought to a sober subject. You and I have a right to think well of the Judge's writings, and speak well of them too, for did he not come to man's estate und^- our eyes, and our bright examples ! Another chapter of contradictory opinions con- tained in the number of the Farmer before me, exists in the articles relative to that rascally de- stroyer of fruit, the curculio. Mr. Underwood thinks the keeping of fowls among the fruit trees is a certain remedy, while, ^^e?- contra, Mr. "J. B. G." thinks quite the reverse. There is something Very curious in regard to the ravages of this in- sect. i.Iy garden formerly contained quite a num- ber of plum-trees, and year after year, almost every plum was destroyed by the curculio. One year, three or four years ago, not a curculio was to be seen ; the plums grew unmolested, and ri- pened beautifully, and 1 flattered myself that in some miraculous manner, that pest of the orchard- ist and plum-grower had got his quietus ; and the foUoAving spring I entered with a hopeful spirit, on the preparation of my trees for the production of a harvest of fruit; but, alas, alas, I had crowed too soon ; the bloom was superb, the young fruit came in abundance, and so did the curculios ! and not a perfect plum was left. From that time I gave up. I believe I have but one plum tree left, "the Washington plum,'' that blooms and produces young fruit in abund- ance annually, which is annually destroyed by that "ugly bug," and it is now some three or four years since I have had the pleasure of eating a fair ripe plum from my OAvn garden. I undertook to console myself by raising pears, and had a half a dozen trees planted, which grew and began to produce as fine fruit as I ever saw. A handsomer bloom than that of last spring could not be de- sired, and the fruit set in abundance ; in June or July, the ends of some of the limbs began to turn black. I carefully cut them- off, the disease did not stop, and I cut and cut, till I was tii'ed, and of six as thrifty trees as you ever saw, there are five as black and dead as if they had been cut off at the ground in July. A single one remains, which gave me a good crop of the Seckel pear, and I expect that will "depart this life" next year. I do not see why the others did, or why this should not ! In September, I was at the house of a friend in Ohio, and in passing around his grounds, I saw pear tree after pear tree as black as if its leaves had been made of ebony. I re- marked, "you have the fire blight among your ■pear trees, I perceive." "Yes," said he, "and fear I shall lose them all." "Is there no remedy ?" I asked, upon which he told me this anecdote. A gentleman well known to him, who had a fine pear orchard which was in the process of destruc- tion, was asked what he thought of spiritualism. He replied that he had heard much about it, and of many wonderful revelations from the spirit- world, but never any thing practical or useful. "Now," said he, "if you will find a medium who will ascertain, and inform me #hat will prevent the fii-e blight among pear trees, and if it proves successful, I will give five hundred dollars." My friend'added, "the medium has not yet made the discovery, and therefore I know no remedy !" I have in my garden three crops that never fail, grapes, figs and weeds! The Isabella and Cataw- ba grapes ripen in perfection, and we have as many as we desire to eat from August to Novem- ber. We have two crops of figs every year ; one in July, and another in October. They grow large, ripen finely, and are delicious, and as yet nothing has appeared to mar either my grapes or figs. I believe I have commented on the Farmer suf- ficiently for once, but my better half is anxious to be informed, whether, when you give hens cay- enne pepper to make them lay, the eggs will want peppering when coohed! Notwithstanding the smashing and cracking among banks and individuals. Uncle Sam goes on in the even tenor of his way here. The extension of the Capitol, the Post Office building, the Treas- ury building, the Patent Office, the building of the Aqueduct, and other public works, go on rap- idly, and thousands of men, who would, were it not for these works, be out of employ, are blessed with "leave to toil," and are happy in the enjoy- ment of that blessing. The new Hall of the House is progressing fast to completion, and, it is said, will be ready for the reception of the next House of Representa- tives on the fu'st Monday in December. The new Senate Chamber is not so forward, but is pro- gressing, and both are perfectly magnificent rooms. The first row of columns upon the dome is in process of erection, about half of them are up. I asked a workman the other day, while standing on the foundation of the dome, how long it would take to complete it ; his reply was, "seven years." I do not think he fixed the time any too long, and my belief is that in ten years the extensions and dome will not more than be completed. All the streets around the Capitol are filled with mar- ble, and I cannot turn my horse and carriage at my own door, so completely is East Capitol Street encumbered with marble. From the eastern gate to Third Street, this street, one hundred and six- ty feet in width, is, with the exception of a nar- row carriage way, completely blocked up, and so are First Stree^ A Street, North and South, N. J- Avenue, the space in front of the Capitol, and the circular street north of it. I mention tliis by no means in a complaining mood, but as evidence of what is yet to be done. The times prognosticate a good deal of distress among the poor here and elsewhere. I hope, for their sake, we may have a mild winter. The weather now is summer-like, thermometer indi- cating seventy-four degrees, in the open air. Ever thine, B. B. Fkench. Washington, Nov. 9, 1857. CELESTIAL SUGAK CANE. The Nasta Beporter having published an ac- count of a fall of sugar in that locality, from the heavens, which called forth the doubts of a por- tion of the press, thereupon that paper comments on the phenomena as follows : "We repeat that our statements were correct. Not only so, but on Friday night, 11th inst., the 22 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. celestial sugar makers, having a special regard for our repvitation for veracity, sent another show- er of the same sort in the same neighborhood, which covered the ground for miles with sugar. We call it sugar, because it looks, feels and tastes like sugar, and nothing else, and we know no bet- ter name for it. Whether it is solidified honey-dew, the saccha- rine juice of the sugar pine, taken up, brought from afar and dropped in crystals by some atmo- spheric hocus jJocus, or the leakings from celestial refinery, we do not pretend to say. We saw three small boxes of the article, and have one of them now before us. Some of the specimens before us are three-fourths of an inch long, and of the di- ameter of a small goose-quill. One person at Clear Lake made half a gallon of fine syrup by dissolving these crystals." For the New England Farmer. THE SEASON AND THE CHOPS. Mr. Editor : — After the growing season is completed, and the crops all gathered in, it may be well to look back and recount those meteor- ological phenomena of the past, which have brought about those results on which the farmer depends for his prosperity. The five months of the growing season, from May to September in- dusive, have been one degree and eighty-three hundredth (1.83) colder than the average of the same months in the four preceding years, and one degree colder than last year, the coldest of the four ; while rain has been quite abundant — twenty-two inches having fallen in the five months. In May there fell five inches and sixty-four hun- dredths, (5.64) ; June, 5.50 ; July, 3.93 ; August, 5.19 ; September, 1.75. While last year. May, June and July were rather dry, and August ex- cessively wet. The first thunder was heard on the 28th of IMay. Thunder was frequent through June and July, and but little in August and Sep- tember. The first light frost occurred on the morning of September 7th, and the first frost hard enough to kill vegetables, on the 30th, which was not veiy severe. There has been five months this year already colder than the same months in any of the four preceding years, namely, January, April, June, July and September, while February has been the only month warmer than any of the four prece- ding years. The first twenty days of June were character- ized by a loAv temperature and wet weathei". We had no frost in June; but a temperature fi-equent- ly bordering on frost, which kept corn in a back- ward state. We had no east Avind to blast the fruit blossoms, except a light aspiration on the evening of the last day of May. June had a mean temperature of 60.43 degrees, being 4.49 degrees colder than the mean of the four preced- ing years, and 2.20 degrees colder than 1856, the coldest of the four, llain fell on sixteen days. July had a mean temperature of 69.42 deg., being 0.88 colder than the mean of the four pre- ceding years, and 2.62 deg. warmer than 1853. Its maximum heat of 88 degrees, occurred on the 15th, and was three degrees colder than the ex- treme of 1856. Rain fell on sixteen days. The temperatvu'e afi'ected the corn crop imfavorably. by keeping it in a backward state, while it pre- served its vital energies for the succeeding months. August had a mean temperature of 65.35 deg., which was more favorable, though a little colder than the mean of the four preceding years, and nearly two degrees warmer than last year. Rain fell on sixteen days, b^t much less in quantity than last year. The favorable weather of this month redeemed the corn ci-op from destruction, or there would have been a total failure, as in 1816. It is a singular coincidence that rain sholild fall on an equal number of days in three successive months. September had a mean temperature of 57.13 degrees, and Avas 1.50 degrees colder than the four preceding years, with a little less than the average amount of rain. Rain fell on ten days. The lowest temperature was 33 degrees, on the morning of the 30th, when the first hard frost occurred ; previous to this time there was not frost enough to kill tender vegetables, and con- sequently corn had a good opportunity to ripen. Corn is much less than an average crop ; although well ripened, the ears are short and poorly filled. There lias probably not been a more unfavorable season in this vicinity since 1816. Wheat has been a partial failure. The weevil and the rust have done their Avork of destruction to a great extent, but there is a new enemy in the field — a small striped Avorm about one-tenth of an inch long, perforates the kernel at the germ, after the kernel is groAvn, and Avhile in a milky state, and destroys the flour, Avhile the kernel retains its original shape. Although tliis insect has done but little damage, and has been noticed by Icaa', yet it may be Avell to record the fact, as it may prove a formidable enemy in coming years. Its name, history and habits are all involved in ob- scurity. The perfect insect is unknoAviT. I have seen but a single larva, out I examined the crop at harvest, and witnessed their depredations, but they Avere gone. Can you or any of the readers of the Farmer give more light on the subject ? No crop this year has yielded more bountifully than oats. No enemy destroys the crop, and the low temperature and wet Aveather were con- genial to their groAvth. Potatoes are beloAV a medium crop. Although the season has been a wet one, potatoes have not attained their usual groAvth. The rot in many in- stances has done considerable damage, but not much more than usual, and at present' there ap- pears to be no scarcity. The grass crop Avas excellent in groAvth, but owing to the Avet Aveather it sustained mucli dam- age in curing, besides losing a portion of its gum in the groAving season, so that in nutritious qual- ities it may not much exceed a medium crop. There is a moderate crop of fruit, and of the various kinds; apples are the most abundant, be- ing sufficient in quantity to supply the demand. Plums are nearly a total failure, for nearly the whole crop was destroyed by the curculio. Grapes are a fair crop. AValnuts, butternuts and some Avild fruits are remarkably abundant. Among the periodical phenomena, we notice the appearance of various kinds of migratory birds. Blue-birds qippeared March 17th; Robins, March 26th ; Whip-poor-Avills, May 5th ; and •Barn Swallows, May 9th. Grass, first appearance 1858. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. of growth, April 6th ; general leafing of forest trees, May 23cl ; barn swallows finally disappear- etl, Aug. 29th, although most of their number were gone a week or two previous. General fall of forest leaves took place Oct. 22d. Such are the results of a meteorological record of 1857, with three observations daily — at 7 A. M., 2 P. M., and 9 P. M., besides observations of other casual and periodical phenomena, and a com- parison of them with the four preceding years. D. BUCKLAND. Brandon, Vt, Nov. 10th, 1857. Remakes. — We are obliged to our attentive correspondent for this review of the past season, and the state of the crops. Among the best works on entomology are Harris's "Insects Injuri- .ious to Vegetation," Fitch's Treatise, KoUar, a German writer, and Kirby and Spense. There are others of distinguished ability, but these ai-e the popular works in use, Harris's work may be found at the bookstores in Boston, but we do not know at what price. For the New England Farmer. THE THINGS I KAISE. SWEET POTATO. This crop is one of inicertainty, though, if start- ed early in hot-beds, and set out on dry, sandy land, you are pretty sure of getting a fair crop of potatoes of good quality. Two years ago my sweet potatoes were better in quality than any I could buy. They are not profitable, however, as I raise them, purchasing mj' slips in Boston at a dollar a hundred, and have from twenty-five to fifty ]}ev cent, of them die, and then the risk of the season for the remainder. I think on a light, early soil, with my OAvn plants started early, I could make it profitable growing this crop. Those persons who raise the slips make a large profit, as each potato yields so many slips ; for as soon as one set is removed others ajDpear, and so on. DIOSCOREA BATATAS, OR CHINESE YAM. There has been a great noise made about this new tuber, some claiming that it will entirely dis- place the potato, which, of late years, is so liable to rot, while this yam is not at all subject to that evil, I believed it a humbug, but purchased two roots of Messrs. Hovey & Co., last spring, for which I paid fifty cents each ; these were planted whole, being about fifteen or eighteen inches long, and one or one and a half in diameter, in the largest part. These yams do not grow as some other sorts <)f yams, horizontally in the ground, but they run down like a parsnip, being, as the boy said of the flip iron, "biggest at the little end," that is, they are quite small at the surface of the ground, and continue small for eiglit or ten inches, when thoy begin to grow larger for the next eight or ten, and then taper ofi' very fast in the next three or four inches to quite a short point in some instances, while in others they are largest at the extreme lower end. The color is white outside aaid in ; when boiled, of a bluish white, like boiled rice, and having much the same taste ; sticky and starch-like, not mealy like a ripe potato, though I presume they would be where the season Avas long enough to allow them to ripen. The top^ or vines trail on the ground like the sweet potatu, running often twelve or fifteen feet, and are readily eaten by cattle. They may be staked up like pole beans, or left to run over the ground. The root that is planted decays, and other tu- bers appear, from one to three in a hill, often not more than one, but that of a large size ; one of my roots yielded two yams that Aveighed together four pounds, the other one iveighed two and a half pounds. On the tops or vines were pro- duced scores of little seed yams that will 'answer for next year's setting. The yams may be grown from slips like the SAveet potato, or cut in pieces and planted like the common potato, or from the little seed yams. It requires three years for these small ones to become large. It is said that they Avill remain in the ground through the win- ter without injury, but I have not tried it. It seems to delight in a deep, rich, sandy loam, though I should not advise putting strong ma- nure in contact with the tubers. I have changed my mind somewhat, in regard to it, and Avould recommend it for further trial, though I think it is much easier and cheaper to groAv potatoes, if they do not rot. I intend to plant a few next season to test them more thoroughly. I Avould here caution all those Avho groAV them for the first time to be careful in digging them, for they are very brittle, and snap like pipe stems ; they cannot be pulled on account of the form, but must be dug out, Avhich Avork is very much like digging a Avell, for they often extend down tAven- ty-five to thirty inchei. An immense quantity could be grown on an acre, for they take up but little surface, the roots invariably tending down- Avards. James F. C, Hyde, Newton Centre, Nov. 10th, 1857, For tlie New England Farmer. ILLINOIS. Times in— Prices of Wheat and other Grains— Frost "^nd Snow — Prairies on Fire — Rapid Growth of Villages — Nature and Productiveness of the Soil — Error in regard to Potatoes. Although some time has elapsed since I last wrote, I have not forgotten my promise. Diu'ing this lapse of time, what great changes have passe'^ over the people of the United States. Three months ago, how many Avere sailing gracefully upon the tide of prosperity Avho are now in pover- ty, and hoAV many are noAv in large cities of the East, Avho knoAV not where to get their bread, and a cold Avinter staring them in the face ! The financial panic of the East has cast its dark shadow over Illinois. There is little money in circulation, compared Avith three months ago. Every thing down to the loAvest figure. We are overfloAving with grain of all kinds, and it is worth little or nothing. Wheat down to 50 cts., oats 17 cts., and still going doAvn, doAvn, doAvn j coAvs that could not be bought for '$30, tlu-ee months ago, are now doAvn to 818. Every thing is coming doAA'n but land — that is still up. We are having the finest weather imaginable. The ground has frozen tAvice this fall, but not a snoAV flake has yet graced our prairies. The fall has been very dry. Now is the time for fires. To those who never saw a prairie on fire, it is dif- 24 ENGLAND FAHMER. Jan> ficult to describe the magnificence of the scene. What can be more beautiful than to look out in a dark night and see the heavens illuminated in every direction by them. I believe in my letter to you, of August 18th, I did not say much in regard to this place, and the farming country in general. I Avill describe this village, of only two years' existence. The in- habitancc number about one thousand ; we have one church, one school-house, three hotels, and ten stores ; a steam grist mill will soon be com- pleted. So much grew up on "a wild praii'ie in two years. The prairies about here are rolling, but not Enough to hinder cultivating them all. The soil is from two to three feet deep, and is very black, rich and productive. The wheat crop usually averages from 20 to 30 bushels per acre ; oats 60 to 80 ; corn sometimes exceeds 100 bush- els ; potatoes, from 200 to 300 bushels are not an uncommon yield, and of the first quality. I was very much disappointed in this respect, for well do I remember of my friends telling me be- fore coming West, that I could never even raise good potatoes in Illinois. But I never saw in Vermont, or any other State, better or larger po- tatoes than have been raised here. When East- ei'n people come West, they generally remark, "You cannot raise good potatoes here, I suppose." This idea seems to prevail in the minds of Eastern people, to a great extent ; but they are in error in regard to it. D. J. Benton. Manee, III., Nov. 5th, 1857. earths never attain the same temperature, the lighter colored always remaining considerably cooler. The conclusion seems inevitable that in some countries the surface soil must occasionally approach 200 degs. Fahrenheit. Under such a I degree of heat the decomposition of the organic I matter of the soil must go on rapidly, with the I evolution of much ammonia and carbonic acid, agents which play an important part in the mod- ification of the mineral matter of the soil, as well as stimulate vegetation. — Anon. PLEASTJHH OB KEADINGU Of all the amusements that can possibly be imagined for a working man, after daily toil, or in the Intervals, there is nothing like reading a newspa}>er or a book. It calls for no bodily ex- ertion, of which already he has had enough, per- haps too much. It relieves his home of dulness and sameness. Nay, it accompanies him to his next day's work, and gives him something to think of besides the mechanical drudgery of his every- day occupation ; something he can enjoy while absent, and look forward to with pleasure. If I were to pray for a taste which would stand by me under every variety of circumstances, and be a source of happiness and cheerfulness to me through life, and a shield against all its ills, however things might go amiss, and the world frown upon me, it would be a taste for reading. — Sir John Herschell. WARMTH OF THE SOIIiv The warmth of the soil, under a clear sun, is surprisingly above that of the air, the difference being, even in temperate climates, as high as six- ty-five degrees. Thus Schubler finds in July, when the air is 81 degs., the soil will be 146 degs. ; and during one of his observations at Tublngin, in Germany, the air stood at 78 degs. and the soil at 152 degs., a diflFerence of 74 degs. ! With sur- faces of the same color, the materials composing the soil make little difference in its capacity to become heated provided they are in similar states as to dryness. Sand, clay, loam, garden-mould, &c., show very little difference with the thermometer. Color, however, has a povrerful effect. Although exposed to the sun for hours, differently colored MR. EVERETT'S ADDRESS, Dfij:.IV£EED BEFOEE THE NEW VOBK STATE AGSICULTOEAti Society at Bcfpalo, Octobee 9, 1857. We have j>erused this address with more gratifi- cation than we ever did one on similar subjects, and for several reasons. Mr. Everett is a ripe scholar, and has, as the address indicates, explored books so thoroughly aS to gather from them what it is that confers upon the physical condition of man the largest amount of permanent happiness. He is also acquainted with various phases of hu- man life, — for to his scholarship may be added his experience as a statesman, both at home and abi-oad, and that gained while presiding over the interests of perhaps the highest institution of learning in our land. And while this adckess gives evidence of close study, and even deep research, it shows that Mr. Everett's observation of the different occupations of. men and their ia- fluences upon their lives, has been active and in- telligent. The editor of the Buffalo AdveHiser, who listened to the eloquent words of which we are speaking, says : — "It is not too much to say that this last effort of the accomplished orator is equal to anything that he has yet given to the world. Nothing could have been more appropri- ate to the occasion, more complete in every part, and more richly freighted with noble ideas and brilliant passages. In Its practical common sense as Avell as in its masterly eloquence, the address will stand unequalled amongst similar pi-oduc- tions, casting the past into the shade and furnlsh- img a model for the future. There are cqjrtain portions wliich must remain impressed upon the memory of all Avho listened. Amongst these are the magnificent denunciation of the doctrine wliich holds that a miracle cannot be worked upon this earth ; the allusion to the herucs of former, and the great statesmen of our own days, who have devoted such of their time as was not given to their country, to agricultural pursuits ; the with- ering denunciation of the stock gamblers of Wall Street ; the comparison of the fever of city life with the calm repose enjoyed by the dweller in the country ; and the picture, unrivalled by the pencil of Goldsmith, with which the splendid ad- dress was brought to a close, and which Impressed us with the idea, as the voice of the orator ceased, 1858. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 25 that we had just turned from the contemplation of a beautiful painting." We abbreviate this noble production with great reluctance, but are entirely unable to give it all. It should be published in cheap pamphlet form, and a copy preserved not only in every farm- house in the land, but in the counting-room of every merchant in the land, — for after all, it is he who needs it most. We suggest, also, that the Massachusetts Society for the Promotion of Ag- riculture should place it in the compilation which we understand they contemplate issuing. We gladly yield our usual editorial space, and will give all we can find room for. AGEICULTUBE EEQUIRES THE RESOURCES OF SCI- ENCE AND ART. But although Agriculture is clothed with an importance which rests upon the primitive consti- tution of our nature, it is very far from being the simple concern we are apt to think it. On the contrary, there is no pursuit in life, which not only admits, but requires for its full develop- ment, more of the resources of science and art, — none which would better repay the pains be- stowed upon .an appropriate education. There is, I believe, no exaggeration in stating that as great an amount and variety of scientific, physi- cal, and mechanical knowledge is requii-ed for the most successful conduct of the various operations of husbandry, as for any of the arts, trades, or professions. I conceive, therefore, that the Leg- islature and the citizens of the great State over which you, sir, (Governor King,) so worthily pre- side, have acted most wisely in making j^rovision for the establishment of an institution expressly for agricultural education. There is a demand for systematic scientific instruction, from the very fii'st step we take, not in the play-farming of gen- tlemen of leisure, but in the pursuit of husband- ry as the serious business of life. A NEW WORLD OF AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH. But when science and art have done their best for the preparation of the soil, they have but com- menced their operations in the lowest department of agriculture. They have dealt thus far only with what we call lifeless nature, though I apply that word with reluctance to the generous bosom of our mother Earth, from which everything that germinates draws its life and appropriate nourish- ment. Still, however, we take a great step up- ward, when, in pursuing the operations of hus- bandry, we ascend from mineral and inorganic substances to vegetable organization. We now enter a new world of agricultural research ; the mysteries of assimilation, growth and decay ; of seed-time and harvest ; the life, the death, and the production of the vegetable world. Here we still need the light of science, but rather to ex- plore and reveal than to imitate the operations of nature. The skilful agricultural chemist can mingle soils and compound fertilizing phosphates; but, with all his apparatus and all his re-agents, it is beyond his power to fabricate the humblest leaf. He can give you, to the thousandth part of a grain, the component elements of wheat, — he can mingle those elements in due proportion in his laboratory, — but to manufacture a single kernel, endowed with living, reproductive power, is as much beyond his skill as to create a world. Vegetable life, therefore, requires a new course of study and instruction. The adaptation of par- ticular plants to particular soils and ihcir treat- ment, on the one hand, and, on the other, their nutritive powers as food for man and the lower animals, the laws of germination and growth, the influences of climate, the possible range of im- provability in cereal grains and fruits, are topics of vast importance. The knoAvledge — for the most part empirical — already possessed, upon these points, is the accumulation of the ages which have elapsed since the foundation of the world, each of which has added to the list its generous fruit, its nutritive grain, its esculent root, its textile fibre, its brilliant tincture, its spi- cy bark, its exhilarating juice, its aromatic es- sence, its fragrant gum, its inflammable oil — some so long ago that the simple gratitude of in- fant humanity ascribed them to the gift of the gods, while others have been brought to the knowledge of the civilized world in the histori- cal period, and others have been presented to mankind by our own continent. No one can tell when wheat, barley, rye, oats, millet, apples, pears, and plums, were first cultivated in Europe ; but cherries and peaches were brought from the Black Sea and Persia in the time of the Roman repub- lic ; the culture of silk was introduced from the East in the reign of Justinia ; cotton and sugar became extensively used in Europe in the middle ages ; maize, the potato, tobacco, cocoa, and the Peruvian bark, are the indigenous growth of this country. Tea and cofi'ee, though productions of the Old World, were first known in Western Eu- rope about two centuries ago ; and India rubber and gutta percha, as useful as any but the cereals, in our own day. THE DOMESTIC ANIMALS ATTACHED TO THE SER- VICE OF MAN. But there is still another department of Agri- culture, which opens the door to research of a higher order, and deals with finer elements, — I mean that which regards the domestic animals attached to the service of man, and which are of such inestimable importance as the direct part- ners of his labors, as furnishing one of the great articles of his food, and as a principal resource for restoring the exhausted fertility of the soil. In the remotest ages of antiquity, into which the torch of history throws not the faintest gleam of light, a small number, selected from the all but numberless races of the lower animals, were adopted by domestication into the family of man. So skilful and exhaustive was this selection, that three thousand years of experience — during which Europe and America have been settled by civil- ized races of men — have not added to the num- ber. It is somewhat humbling to the pride of our rational nature to consider how much of oitr civilization rests on this partnership ; how help- less we should be, deprived of the horse, the ox, the cow, the sheep, the swine, the goat, the ass, the reindeer, the dog, the cat, and the various kinds of poultry. In the warmer regions, this list is enlarged by the llamas, the elephant, and the camel, the latter of which, it is not unlikely, will be extensively introduced in our own south-. 26 NEW ENGLAND FARMER, JAUf. era region. It may be said of this subject, as of that to which I have ah-cady alluded, that it Is a science of itself. No branch of husbandry has, within the last century, engaged more of the at- tention of farmers, theoretical and practical, than the improvement of the breeds of domestic ani- mals, and in none, perhaps, has the attention thus bestowed been better repaid. By judicious selec- tion and mixtures of the parent stock, and by in- telligence and care in the training and nourishing of the young animals, the improved breeds of the present day differ probably almost as much from their predecessors a hundred years ago, as we may suppose the entire races of domesticated an- imals do from the wild stocks from which they are descended. There is no reason to suppose that the utmost limit of improvement has been reached in this direction. Deriving our improved animals as we generally do from Europe,-— that is, from a climate differing materially from our own, — it is not unlikely that, in the lapse of time, experience will lead to the production of a class of animals, better adapted to the peculiarities of our seasons than any of the transaltantic varieties as they now exist. The bare repetition of the words draft, speed, endurance, meat, milk, butter, cheese and wool, will suggest the vast importance of continued experiments on this subject, guided by all the lights of physiological science. AGRICULTURE MORE FAVORABLE THAN CITY LIFE. I do not claim for agricultural life in modem times the Arcadian simplicity of the heroic ages ; but it is capable, Avith the aid of popular educa- tion and the facilities of intercommunication, of being made a pursuit more favorable than city life to that average degree of virtue and happi- ness to which we may reasonably aspire in the present imperfect stage of being. For the same reason that our intellectual and moral faculties are urged to the highest point of culture by the intense competition of the large town, the conta- gion of vice and crime produces in a crowded population a depravity of character from which the more thinly inhal)ited country, though far enough from being immaculate, is comparatively free. Accordingly, we iind that the tenure on which the land is owned and tilled — that is, the average condition of the agricultural masses — decides the character of a people. It is true that the compact organization, the control of capital, the concentrated popular talent, the vigorous press, the agitable temperament of the large towns, give them an influence out of proportion to numbers ; but this is far less the case in the United States than in most foreign countries where the land is held in large masses by a few powerful land-holders. Divided as it is in tliis country into small or moderate-sized farms, owned, for the most part, and tilled by a class of fairly educated, independent, and intelligent proprie- tors, the direct influence of large towns on the entire population is far less considerable than in Europe. Paris can at all times make a revolution in France : but not even your imperial metropo- lis could make a revolution in the United States. What the public character loses in concentration and energy by this want of metropolitan centrali- zation, is more than gained by the country, in the virtuous mediocrity, the decent frugality, the healthfulncssjthe social tranquillity of private life. EVIDENCES OF GOD's INTERPOSING CARE ON THE FARM. Speaking of the historian Hume, Mr. Everett says : Did this philosopher ever contemplate the land- scape at the close of the year, when seeds, and gi'ains, and fruits have ripened, and stalks have withered and leaves have fallen, and winter has of forced her icy curb even into Jhe roaring jaws of Niagara, and sheeted half a continent in her glit- tering shroud, and all this teeming vegetation and organized life are locked in cold and marble obstruction ; and, after week upon Aveek and month upon month have swept with sleet, and chilly rain, and howling storm, over the earth, and riveted their bolts upon the door of nature's sepulchre ; — when the sun at length begins to wheel in higher circles through the sky, and soft- er winds to breathe over melting snows, — did he ever behold the long hidden earth at length ap- pear, and soon the timid gi-ass peep forth, and anon the autumnal wheat begin to paint the field, and velvet leaflets to burst from purple buds, throughout the reviving forest ; and the mellow soil to open its fruitful bosom to every grain and seed dropped from the planter's hand, buried but to spring up again, clothed with a new mysterious being ; and then, as more fervid suns inflame the air, and softer showers distil from the clouds, and gentler dews string their pearls on twig and ten- dril, did he ever watch the ripening grain and fruit, pendent from stalk and vine, and tree ; the meadow, the field, the pasture, the grove, each after its kind, arrayed in myriad-tinted garments, instinct with circulating life ; seven millions of counted leaves on a single tree, each of which Is a system whose exquisite complication puts to shame the shrewdest cunning of the human hand ; every planted seed and gi'ain, which had been loaned to the earth compounding its pious usury thirty, sixty, a hundred fold, — all harmoniously adapted to the sustenance of living nature, — the bread of a hungry world ; here a tilled cornfield, whose yellow blades are nodding with the food of man ; there an unplanted wilderness, — the great Father's farm, — wiiere he "who hears the raven's cry" has cultivated with his own hand, his merciful crop of berries, and nuts, and acorns, and seeds, for the humbler families of animated nature — the solemn elephant, the browsing deer, the wild pigeon, whose fluttering caravan darkens the sky ; the merry squirrel, who bounds from branch to branch, in the joy of liis little life ; — has he seen all this, — does he see it every year and month and day, — does he live, and move, and breathe, and think, in this atmosphere of wonder, — himself the greatest wonder of all, whose small- est fi-bre and faintest pulsation Is as much a mys- tery as the blazing glories of Orion's belt, — and does he still maintain that a miracle is contrary to experience ? If he has, and if he does, then let him go, in the name of Heaven, and say that it is contrary to experience, that the August Pow- er Avhich turns the clods of the earth Into the dai- ly bread of a thousand million souls could feed five thousand in the wilderness ! Urine. — Sir John Sinclair, speaking of the val- ue of this fertilizing agent, says, "Every sort of NEW ENGLAND FARMER. urine contains the essential elements of vegeta- bles in a state of solution. The urine of a horse being so much lighter, would be more valuable than its dung, if both must be conveyed any con siderable distance. The urine of six cows, or horses, will enrich a quantity of earth sufficient to top-dress one English acre of grass land ; and as it would require about twenty dollars worth of dung to perform the same operation, the urine of a cow or horse is worth about tlu-ee dollars per annum, allowing two dollars per acre as the expense of preparing the compost. The advan- tages of irrigating grass lands with cow urine al- most exceeds belief, Mr. Hardy, of Glasgow, who keeps a large dairy in that town, by using cow urine, cuts some small fields of grass six times ; and the average of each cutting is fifteen inches in length." If this is all true, farmers should exert their utmost efforts to economize this substance, and apply i^ to their crops with great care. It is, vmdoubtedly, a most energetic and efficient fertilizer, and one which, we are in clined to think, has been allowed to run greatly to waste. THE ALBANIAN MARSHES. These marshes are a paradise for ornithologists. Wild fowl of every description rise in clouds on all sides out of shot ; while the coots and small cormorants, conscious of safety, scarcely trouble themselves to move at the sound of a gun. Plo- vers of all kinds whistle around, and down at the sea are flocks of huge grotesque-looking pelicans, with a sprinkling of snow-white egrets. Slowly flapping over the reeds are innumerable marsh harriers ; merlins, peregrines, and bright blue hen harriers dash along above, and high up in the air the great Egyjjtian vultures (seeming pure white as you look up at them from below) soar slowly round, or rise sluggishly from their feast on some carcass at your feet. Eagles are as numerous as hawks in a deer forest in Scotland ; five different kinds (I am told — I am no ornithologist myself) are frequently seen. In the Avoods the great ea- gle owl (stn/x bubo) is not uncommon ; and there is no laclc of four-footed animals — wild boar, i-oe deer, jackals, foxes and martin cats abound ; oc- casionally a wolf is seen, though they more com- monly keep to the hill-sides ; and among the high mountains in the interior are bears, red deer and chamois. — Fraser's Magazin e. HOW TO MAKE LARD CANDLES. Messrs. Editors :— Having been the recipient of many favors through the columns of your in- valuable publications, I propose, as far as in me lies, to cancel the obligations already incurred, and as the first installment I shall offer a receipt for maki'ig hard, durable and clear-burning can- dles of lard. The manufacture of lard candles is carried on to a considerable extent in some of the western States, particularly Wisconsin, and being monopolized by the few, has proved very lucra- tive. The following is the receipt in toto. To every 8 lbs. of lard, add one ounce nitric acid ; and the manner of making is as follows : Hav- ing carefully M'eighed your lard, place it over a slow fire, or at least merely melt it ; then add the acid, and mould the same as tallow, and j^ou have a clear, beautiful candle. In order to make them resemble bona-fide tal- low candles, you have only to add a small pro- portion of pure beeswax.' J. A. RoBlNSON. Belcher, N. Y. ' Country Oentleman. EXTRACTS AND REPLIES. HOW SHALL WE SPELL ? The firm of Nourse, jMason & Co., of Boston, have a world-wide reputation for their implements made for turning over and pulverizing the soil. But they have not yet succeeded in instructing the people, all of tJicm, hoAv to sixiU the name by which these implements are to be designated. I find even learned editors vary in this — and dic- tionary-makers have no standard authority. The witty Dr. Holmes says, there would be the same propriety in spelling the name of the animal that supplies nourishment for our babies, when their mothers fail to afford it, c-o-u-cj-h, as in spelling the name of this implement p-l-o-ii-g-li. But every one pronounces the two with the same ter- minating sound, cow, plow. Then why not so spell them ? No good reason can be assigned but being led captive by early jirejudices and anti- quated errors. November IG, 1857. Reformer. MUCK AS A TOr-DRESSING — MUCK IN BARN- YARDS— MANURES. Do you think it will pay to spread muck on as a top-dressing for mowing ? If so, Avhen is the best time for putting it on, fall or spring ? (a.) Do you think it advisable to buy manures to raise crops to pay for a farm, when one has con- siderable interest money to pay ? Or is it best to let the farm pay for itself without any stimu- lus ? (b.) Is cider pomace beneficial to apj^le trees ? (c.) Is it not better to use muck in barn-yards, iSrc, instead of loam ? As I have a great quantity of that article, I wish to know the most profitable way to use it. (d.) K. A. c. Uxbridge, Nov., 1857. Remarks. — (a.) On sandy loams especially, but on any lands that have been heavily cropped, mnck that has been thrown out one or more years, and occasionally worked over to get it fine, af- fords an excellent top-dressing, even when not mingled with any other substance. We should advise to apply it, if it can be made convenient, as soon as possible, after the grass is cut in July or August ; but at any rate, in the fall, in pref- erence to the spring, so that it may have the ben- efit of the fall and winter rains and frosts in pul- verizing and settling it down about the roots. (b.) Purchasing manure is much like any other merchandising ; if you are satisfied that you can increase your profits enough to pay the cost of the manure, then purchase. It will be prudent, 28 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. Jan. however, to begin in a small way, and where you do experiment, use the manure freely, keeping an exact account of costs, and then you will be able to settle the question for yourself. Try it. (c.) When pomace is decomposed and mixed with loam or muck, it is said to be a good dress- ing for apple trees. (d.) Muck is better than loam for the barn- yard, because it is a much greater absorbent. Fifty loads of good muck, spread in the yard where cattle lie as they usually do in our barn-yards, and where the droppings of the cattle cannot be carried off by rains, will be nearly as valuable as fifty loads of the heap from under the barn win- dow,— provided the muck and droppings be once or twice plowed up or otherwise mixed. HOW SHALL I EECLAIM SINKS OR BASINS IN OLD FIELDS ? Can you or any of your correspondents infonn me how to reclaim sinks or basins in old fields ? The alluvial soil deposited is a compost of clay with every variety of vegetation, and on which grow noxious weeds most luxuriantly, but corn will not come up ; a chance stalk that comes up grows off rank for a few weeks, and then dies. I have raised and ridged, manured and limed, but have failed. Should not trouble you, but have a good many acres of land in that condition. Sparta, 1857. A Farmer. Remarks. — We have had no experience with such lands, and must refer the subject to wiser heads. large turkeys. I thought I would let you know what sort of turkeys we have in Woi'cester. We have one turkey, eighteen months old, which weighs thirty- two pounds, and is still growing. We have seven, five months old, whose weight is one hundred and five pounds. If any of your readers have larger ones, I should like to see them. David R. Gates. New Worcester, Nov., 1857. creeper HENS — CRANBERRIES. Will some of your readers tell me whei-e I can get the old-fashioned creeper hens ? Also, where a man can be had competent to prepare the ground and plant one-quarter of an acre of cran- berries ? A Subscriber. West Newton, 1857. _ MAPLE SUGAR. Londonderry, Vt., has about 1300 inhabitants, and made, last spring, thirty tons of maple sugar. November 16, 1857. S. PlERCE. Remarks. — We are glad of it, Mr. Pierce ; you are a sensible and industrious joeople up there, and enjoying most of the sweets of life ; — but this latter one we should be glad to enjoy with you. For the New England Farmer. AGKICULTUBAIi BEPORTS. The season for exhibitions having passed by, we may now begin to witness on "paper what has sprung from these exhibitions. How few there are, who duly weigh the importance of these doc- uments, when prepared. It is not enough to say that such and such a premium was awarded to A. B. or C. D. for his or her best, or second best ani- mal on the field ; but the report shovild so de- scribe the characteristics of the animal or object as to distinguish it from all others, and teach those who are willing to learn, how to grow or produce others of like character. If not, what is gained by the exhibition ? The same may be said of crops of every variety. Those who ap- point persons to prepare reports, should have re- gard to the ability of those selected, and those who are selected should never engage in the du- ty, without a determination to produce something creditable to themselves, and useful for the com- munity. These observations have been brought to mind by the "introductory remarks," in the annual transactions of one of our County Societies, lately given to the public. While such vigilance is dis- played and regarded as is therein contained, there will be little danger of wearing out by repetition. Whoever valued less the products of their orch- ards, because year after year they had brought forth fruit of the same character and quality ? — On the contrary, a certain degree of sameness, gives an increased value to these products. * November 12, 1857. Remarks. — These suggestions are important at this juncture, when so many of our reports are in the course of preparation. Much devolves up- on the Secretaries of societies in this particular, and they should insist upon such a report as will elucidate the subject upon which it treats — oth- erwise the report is not of so much value as the paper upon which it is printed. For the Sew England Farmer. SQUASHES. I have never known the season when this veg- etable was so luxuriant and abundant. I pre- sume the extreme wet of the summer was favor- able to their growth. If memory is right, insects, that is, the striped beetle and stinking, black squash bug — (I speak of them as they are usually called, not having a distinct recollection of Dr. Harris's scientific appellations) — were less numerous than usual. Probably, at the same time the moisture promoted the growth of the vines, it retarded the multiplication of the insects. I have been in- duced to speak of this vegetable, by the accounts of extraordinary products given us by a friend lately returned from California, who saw four squashes, the present season, in San Francisco, the united weight of which was sixteen hundred pounds. I have seen in the field of Mr. Merritt, S. Salem, on ten hills, twenty squashes weighing tiventy hundred powids. On the same I'arms, I was assured that there has been raised more than 858. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 29 one hundred tons of the marrow squash the pres- ent season, on about two acres of ground. An inquiry has often been made, how is the purity of the squash preserved? I have never met more sensible remarks on this point, than the following, which I quote from a Report on Vegetable Products, al/out to appear, viz. : The Tramadions of the Essex County ^iocidyfor 1857. "It is a mistake to infer that the seed of the squash is pure, because the squash itself has all the outward characteristics of purity. The cross- ing of varieties, as in the apple, pear and all our fiuits, is not in the pulp, but in the seed ; and were the squash vine like our trees, perennial, no matter how near other varieties might grow, the fruit would always be constant ; but when we plant the seed, be it of squash, apple or pear, then the result of growing it in the vicinity of other varieties, at once shows itself in point of all degrees of purity, though the seed planted may all have come from one squash." This doctrine may in some manner explain the vexed question, which I have often heard answered ■with great confidence on both sides. Will seeds taken from squashes peld pximpkins ? or vice ver- sa ; will seeds taken from pumpkins yield squash- es? I had supposed these vegetables to be as different in their nature, as are the African and the European, in the human family. Neverthe- less, I have seen of these, individuals that awak- ened a strong suspicion ot juxtaposition of pa- rents before birth. If such erratic adventures happen in the human family, under the obliga- tions of all conventional and moral propriety, much more may they be expected in the vegetable family, that recognizes no such obligations. Stranger things than these have turned up ev- en in Marblehead — the overflowing fountain of squash intelligence. EsSEX. Nov. 14, 1857. NEW BOOKS. "Sorgho and Imphee, the Chinese and Afri- can Sugar. A treatise upon their origin, varie- ties and culture ; their value as a forage crop ; and the manufacture of sugar, syrup, alcohol, wines, beer, cider, vinegar, starch and dye-stuffs ; with a paper by Leonard May, Esq., of Caffraria, and a description of his patented process for crys- talizing the Imphee. By Henry S. Olcott. A. O. Moore, Agricultural Book Publisher, (late C. M. Saxton & Co.,) N. Y." Such is a title of this new work on the Chinese Sugar Cane, and the African Sugar Cane, which is also called "Imphee." Mr. Olcott seems to have explored every department of the subject, and perhaps has given all the information in rela- tion to them which it is necessary to know in ma- king further experiments. The book commen- ces with an account of the cane in China, and then goes on with some minuteness through all the stages of planting, culture, liarvcsli;;g, c;c;>rcs- sing its juices and obtaining the syrup or sugar. The AViiter has also introduced the opinions and experiments of many practical men in relation to it. Numerous diagrams and figures illustrate the subject, so that the whole is presented in a clear and comprehensive manner. The book is printed on large type and good pa- per, and is a credit to the old agricultural pub- lishing house from whence it is issued. All per- sons intending to cultivate either of these canes, or who desire to know more about them, may be benefited by a perusal of this work. "Illustrated Annual Register, for 1858. With 130 Engravings. By J. J. Thomas. Lu- ther Tucker & Son, Albany, N. Y." This is Number Four of the Register and is equal to any of its predecessors. It tells you how to build a cheap farm-house, or a complete coun- try residence, how to protect and feed animals and bees, to build cellar walls and cisterns, about gardens, grapes, orchards, poultry, plowing, and indeed, almost every thing that the farmer ought to know. It costs but 25 cts., and the single ar- ticle on Ventilation is worth more than that to any farmer who will read this. You never will re- gret it if you purchase it. MANAGEMENT OF MILCH COWS. As soon as the grass begins to fail in the fall, milch cows should be fed on vt^arm slops, that they may not get a back set, and kept at night in a warm and comfortable stable. If the farmer prefers using hay, they should have all of it they will eat up clean, and each night and morning a feed of from four to six quarts of shorts, wet with about the same quantity of warm water. Or a more economical way is to feed them twice a day with about half a bushel of nice, clean, cut straw, mixed with about three gallons of warm water. They will then need no hay, and give an abun- dance of good rich milk. Corn is too heating for milch cows, and has too much of a tendency to fatten. The stable should be thoroughly cleaned every morning after the cows are turned out, and littered with clean straw. When it is stormy, they should remain in the stable until the middle of the after- noon, when they should be turned out to get wa- ter.— Genesee Farmer. LARD AND KESIN FOR TOOLS. "A penny saved is two-pence earned." Take about three pounds of lard and one pound of resin. Melt them together in a basin or kettle, and rub over all iron or steel surfaces in danger of being rusted. It can be put on with a brush or piece of cloth, and wherever it is ap- plied it most effectually keeps air and moisture away, and of course prevents rust. When knives and forks, or other household articles, liable to become rusted or spotted, are to be laid away, rub them over with this mixture, and they will come out bright and clean even years afterwards. The coating may be bo thin as not to be perceiv- ed, and it will still be effectual. Let every one keep a dish of this preparation on hand. As it 30 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. Jan. does not spoil of itself, it may be kept ready mixed for months or years. Mem. — Fresh lard, containing no salt, should be used. Resin is a cheap article, and may l>e obtained almost any- where for four to six cents per pound. — American Agriculturist. For the New England Farmer. SEED OP THE HUBBARD SQUASH. Will the Stkdp of the Chinese Scgak Cane Ferment ?— BtmN- INQ THE STRCP — SCGAR FROM IT. Mr. Editor : — About two years since, I intro- duced the Hubbard squash to public notice through the columns of your paper. Thereupon letters i-each€d me from many quarters, asking for seed ; I satisfied the demand in part with seed that was quite impure, as the parties were in- formed at the time, but soon found my spare stock exhausted, while still the letters came from the community of live farmers. I was therefore again compelled to resort to your cokmins, and beg of them to §pare me, as on my life I had squeezed out the very last whole seed that could possibly be spared from a stock that had never anticipated such a "run," and was therefore very naturally obliged to "suspend." Last spring, after conning over that famous axiom in political economy, that in a healthy relation between the producer and consumer, the supply will always equal the de- mand, I resolved that as circumstances had fairly cornered me, and many looked to me as producer of the seed in question, that I would meet the re- lation fairly, and lay in store a good stock of as pure seed as could be produced. In this effort, I have beer, successful, and I would, therefoi-e, take the liberty to call the attention of parties whom I was unable to supply, to an advertisement on another page of this paper. A writer in an agricultural paper inquii*es wheth- er the syrup obtained from the Chinese sugar cane will remain without fermentation. A year since, I made a small quantity of syrup, and have kept the same loosely corked in a glass bottle un- der circumstances favorable for fermentation, the warmth of a close room ; immediately upon read- ing the question of the writer, I arose, tested the syrup remaining, and found in it not the slightest indication of fermentation. This syrup was pre- pared from the pith of the cane, having been re- duced about eight-ninths, hardly to the consisten- cy of common molasses. Writers vary much in their opinions of the quality of the new molasses, rating it all the way from poor West India, to the best syrup in the market. That there is good ground for this dif- ference of opinion, any one will be satisfied by testing the various samples exhibited at our agri- cultural fairs. At the Essex County Fair, four samples were exhibited, three of which were thick- er than common molasses, of a darker color, and bitter taste ; they had evidently been burnt in the process of manufacture, and no man on his con- science could rank them much higher than the poorest of sweet Cuba molasses. The fourth sam- f)le was of about the color of sugar-house mo- asses, and rather thinner, having been reduced about seven parts in eight ; its quality was equal, or nearly equal to that of the best syrup of com- merce, with a flavor reminding one of buckwheat '•akes. We would advise, therefore, such of our farmer friends as have not as yet finished their experiments, to avoid reducing their sap below the consistency of quite thin molasses, for while this may safely be done by almost any one, to re- duce it still more is attended with risk, and calls for the oversight of the experienced sugar-maker. We are told that this variety of the cane can be made to yield but a small proportion of crysta- lized sugar, as the sugar which it contains is most- ly grape sugar, a variety which will not crystalize. About three weeks since, two hills of cane, one a little more advanced towards ripening than the other, but neither of them having their seed ad- vanced beyond the milk, were given to a friend to experiment with. In a few days, he brought me the result of his experiment, saying that he thought he must have made some mistake, as the product did not seem like molasses. On exami- nation, I found a thick mass, of about the color of honey, too thick to run on the vessel being turned. I found on tasting, that it was nearly pure sugar, as nearly so as the molasses sugar which is sometimes found as a residuum in molas- ses casks. The peculiarity of the experiment was, that the party knew nothing of sugar-making either in theory or practice. As soon as the sap was expressed, without being strained, it was im- mediately boiled, and most of the scum removed. No alkali whatever was added, and consequently the sugar has quite an acid taste. From this for- tunate accident, I think we may draw two infer- ences ; that to obtain sugar from the Chinese su- gar cane, an alkali is not necessary, and that the proportion of sugar in a given quantity of syrup is larger than opinions from learned sources have led us to expect. James J. H. Gregory. Marblehead, Mass. For the New England Farmer. WOMAN A SLAVE IN HER OWN HOUSE. The late Gov. Hill, of New Hampshire, in his Family Visitor, while remarking on the import- ance of improving, to the utmost, the character of our butter, gave as a reason for having it nice- ly prepared, that it had already been a component part of almost all our dishes. But the admix- ture of butter with farinaceous and other prepara- tions is not the only violation of nature's simplic- ity. Sugar, molasses, lard, saleratus, eggs, and many more things which might be named, are used in large quantities. The French are said to have no less than 685 dishes of which eggs form a part ; and if we have, as yet, not quite so many, it can hardly be said of us that we are not fast coming up with them. But it seldom happens that our food is so simple as to contain but one foreign ingredient — whether eggs, butter or any- thing else. What were once the plainest, simplest dishes, are often quite compounded. Time was — and that, too, within our own re- membrance— when, in very large portions of our country, no housekeeper, in preparing raised bread, (and very little was used of any other kind,) made use of anything but the needful yeast or leven ; not even common salt. Occa- sionally, it is true, through carelessness or neg- lect, the fermentation was allowed to iroceed too far before the baking process commenced ; and the result was a greater or less degree of acidity ; 1858. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 31 though this seldom happened once in a quarter of d year, and in some families almost never. But I "times are altered." Bread, unsalted, would, in most places, be intolerable ; nor would it, in many families, be regarded as fit to eat without saleratus. Besides these, our farmers' wives, who have plenty of milk, frequently wet their meal with it ; and in making several kinds of bread, they add to all these molasses. I have even, in some places at the South and South-west, seen bread to which a small quantity of flesh meat, finely chopped, had been added. It was called crackley bread. Just think of this, Mr. Editor, for a moment. Here, m the more common forms of what is justly called the staff of life, are flour, salt, saleratus, molasses and milk, to say nothing of the substance which is usually added as a ferment, or of the acetic acid, which, in order to prepare the way for the saleratus, as well as to have a large loaf, is often developed before the bread is set in the oven ! Including the last two, and we have an admixture of no less than seven ingredients, in order to the formation of what was once, and ever ought to have remained, a simple loaf of bread. And thus it seems to be, all the way from our most simple articles up to Mrs. Leslie's mince pies, composed of no less than eighteen ingredients ! And then, let me say a word as to the quantity of these for- eign ingredients. I can remember — perhaps you can — when from a quarter of a pound to a poun'd of saleratus or of pearl ash used to suffice for alkali a whole year, in any ordinary New England family. Or, if to this any additions were ever made, it consisted of a little ashes, neatly pre- pared by burning a few cobs of Indian corn. But now how stands the case ? The mother and housekeeper of a well known familj' of Fitchburg told me a few years ago, in the presence of her hus- band, and after careful consultation with him, tliat she made use, in cooking, of no less than twen- ty-five pounds of saleratus in a year. And yet tlie family consisted only of ten persons — about one-half of whom were children. This, I admit, is an extreme case ; at least I would fain hope so. Yet there are thousands of families of five, six or seven persons, that come nearly half way up to it — that is, they use at least ten or twelve pounds. Indeed, from much observation on this subject in different portions of the United States, I am of opinion that the average amount of this alkali which is used in cookery, can hardly be less than eight pounds. For should it be said that there are many indigent families who cannot afford it, my reply is that the poor are usually among the last to dispense with such a luxury as this. I sjjeak of the past and present, however ; for what will be done the coming Avinter, I do not attempt to predict. Now, setting aside the fact of its bearmg on health — for Dr. Dunglison says, in his Physiolo- gy, that "all made dishes are more or less rebel- lious" in the stomach — is it reasonable that wo- man should be condemned, for life, to a slavery to custom which demands of her that she should expend so much of her "sacred fire" in mixing natural, healthful and — to every unperverted pal- ate—agreeable food with a multitude of foreign substances ? For who does not know that it con- sumes a vast deal of time over and beyond what is needed in the preparation of the plainer viands ? It is not easy to estimate the amount of female time which is consumed in the United States every year, in the manner aforesaid ; but it must be enormous. Perhaps we may form an idea of it, by considering for a moment how much time it requires to form cheese — a far less complicated mixture than many others. From the best data I have been able to obtain, it would take a woman a month to make a thousand pounds of cheese — . I mean on the supposition that she could employ in this way her whole time. Yet who does not see, at once, that not only is nothing gained in this way, even of gustatory enjoyment, to the unperverted jmlate, but that the process is accom- panied by some waste of nutritious matter and a good deal of vexation and fatigue ? Those who have not reflected much on the subject, will, I know, interpose a question here : what should we farmers do with our milk at earlier seasons, if we did not make it into cheese ? — a question, how- ever, which, without pointing them to the king- dom of Brazil, and to some other countries, where butter and cheese have never yet been made, might easily be answered. Wm. a. Alcott. Aubumdale, Nov. 12th, 1857. For the New England Farmer. HEATED BOOMS. Physiologists, one and all, agree that for health's sake, the breathing of pure air is of the utmost importance ; say they, "Whatever makes the air impure, makes the blood impure, and from impu- rities of the blood originate nearly every disease, hence the sick person taking medicines, and at the same time breathing impure air, labors under the same disadvantage as the man, who, being af- flicted with the gout, adopts a medical course of treatment, and at the same time indulges in lux- urious living, which was the first and only cause of his disease ; in either case, the former course maj^ act as a curative, while the latter is sure to excite disease." Now in regard to our dwellings, we pursue very much the same course ; in winter, we shut up our- selves in small heated rooms in order to keep warm, forgetting that an ordinary man consumes a hogshead of air every hour, and that the stove takes up oxygen, the vital principle of air, twice as fast as a man does ; think of it, reader ! a hogs- head an hour for one person, and judge yourself of how many hogsheads capacity is your room, and how many persons there are to breathe there- in. Still you pursue this course, and cough and croup the M'inter through, and are ready to be- lieve that the human race is fast degenerating, or that the climate has undergone some sad change. F. "Died Poor !" — As if anybody could die rich, and in that act of dying, did not loose the grasp upon title deed and bond, and go away a pauper out of time ! No gold, no jewels, no lands or tene- ments. And yet, men have been buried by chari- ty's hand, who did die rich ; died worth a thous- and thoughts of beauty, a thousand pleasant memories, a thousand hopes restored. 32 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. IMPROVED SUPPLY PIPE POH HOT AIR FURNACES. Hon. Simon Brown : — Dear Sir — I send here- with cuts representing an invention by Mr. Sam- uel L. Hay and myself, by means of -w'tiich a near- ly uniform amount of fresh air is admitted through the supply pipes of fui'naces, notwith- standing the tendency to increase of current from external cold, or winds. From the following ta- ble may be seen the great difference in speed be- tween light and strong winds ; and how irregular would be the supply, if the openings were always the same. Velocity of the Perpendicular ftjrce wind. on 1 square foot, in Miles in an hour. avoirdupois lbs. 005 079) 123 492 1.107 i 4.429 85 6.027 j 50 12.300 80 31.490 i 100 49.200 Common appellations of the force of such winds. Hardly perceptible. Gentle, pleasant wind. Brisk gale. High wind. A storm. A hurricane. Persons living in furnace-heated houses have experienced the discomfort from currents of air in cold weather, when the wind v.'as blowing into the mouth of the supply pipe ; and also an ab- sence of heat from the furnace because of the wind blowing on an opposite side of the house from the supply pipes, producing a partial vaci»- um about the mouth of the pipe, causing a cur- rent of warm air to pass out of the house, and be lost. The usual way of preventing the air from com- ing in too freely is to put a sliding valve into the pipe, by which the opening may be diminished ; but the wind is fitful, gusts and lulls alternating, and the most careful watchfulness and persona] attention cannot govern the supply. Some close these valves, and damp, unwholesome air is taken fi'om the cellar. Others, after experiencing th« inconvenience of regulating the current of fresk air through the supply pipc> have had them clos- ed entirely and taken their supply from an open- ing through the hall floor ; but this practice of making bad air by using it over and over again is depressing to the spirits and destructive to health. How often do we hear a person (wishing to be refreshed and "get an appetite,") remark, "I must go out and breathe the fresh air;" yet 1 in the open fields. It sometimes happens from how few realize that they can have air almost as the valve being closed to prevent the warm air fitesh and invigorating in their own dwellings, as | from passing out, that heat has accumulated to 1858. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 33 such a degree about the furnace, as to set on fire the wood-work. The self-acting regulator I think, ■will be understood by referring to the accompa- nying diagrams. Fig. 1 is a vertical section through the regula- tor and supply pipe, showing the valve in its po- sition when not afifected by currents ; the dotted lines representing its position when the inner wing, b, is closed by a refluent current, the weight, €, still hanging plumb. When the tendency to vacuum about the mouth of the pipe ceases, the current turns inward and the inner wing instant- ly opens. Fig. 2 is a similar section, showing the posi- tion when the outer or perforated wing, a, is clos- ed by the force of the inward current, the weight, e, preventing it from closing too freely, and tending to throw it up when the pressure dimin- ishes. Fig. 3 is a plan with the cover of the supply pipe removed. The equipoise, c, can be adjusted by the joint, d, so that either wing can be made to propon- derate ; or so that if the weight, e, is removed and all currents, the regulator will be balanced, and remain in any position it may be placed in its bearings. Mine has been operating a few weeks only, but sufficient to show that it is a very efficient and useful sentinel. There being a good fire in the furnace, and the thermometer indicating about 32 degrees outside, the tendency to equilibrium produced a cui-rent through the supply pipe of about five miles per hour, (about seven feet per second,) and sufficient to close the outer wing of the regulator, as I had the weight, e, adjusted. In colder weather it would be much more, as the contrast between the external and internal air would be greater. In a mild day, when the tem- perature inside and out is nearly equal, there is hardly any perceptible current. The regulator may be applied to chimneys, es- pecially where coal is used, to prevent smoke and gas from blowing down, and to produce a uni- form draught. Very respectfully yours, Henry B. Osgood. Whitinsville, Worcester Co., Nov. 23, 1857. i^° A gentleman in Rockingham county, Va., has lost five head of young cattle, and two fine milch cows, within five days, by permitting them to run in the same field where he was feeding his hogs. The hogs ate the stalks of corn, and left them on the ground after chewing. These were taken up by the cattle, eaten, swallowed, and not being digestible, produced an itching all over. They at once commenced rubbing their heads, when their throats swelled, and in a short time, death ensued. So says a Virginia paper. THE CUNIflNG OF THE BAVEN. In the narrative of the Arctic Voyage of Capt. McClure, of the British Navv, is the following story of the two ravens, which became domici- lated on board the Investigator. The raven, it appears, is the only bird that willingly braves a Polar winter, and in the depth of the season he is seen to flit through the cold and sunless atmo- sphere like an evil spirit, his sullen croak alone breaking the silence of the death-like scene. No one of the crew attempted to shoot the ravens, and they consequently became very bold, as will be seen from the following story : "Two ravens now established themselves as friends of the family in Mercer Bay, living main- ly by what little scraps the men might have thrown away after meal times. The ship's dog, however, looked upon these as his especial per- quisites, and exhibited considerable energy in maintaining his rights against the ravens, who nevertheless outwitted him in a way which amus- ed every one. Observing that he appeared quite willing to make a mouthful of their own sable NEW ENGLAND FARMER, Jan. persons, they used to throw themselves intention- ally in his way, just as the mess-tins were being cleaned out on the dirt-heap outside the ship. The dog would immediately run at them, and they would just fly a few yards ; the dog then made another run, and again they would appear to escape him but by an inch, and so on, until they had tempted and provoked him to the shore, a considerable distance off". Then the ravens would make a direct flight for the ship, and had generally done good execution before the morti- fied-Iooking dog detected the imposition that had been practised upon him, and rushed back again." AGKICULTUIIE A STUDY FOR OUB COM- MON SCHOOLS. That a knowledge of Agricultural Chemistry is important to the tiller of the soil, that he may pros- ecute his calling understandingly and with the highest success, is too plain to admit of argument, but whether it may be profitably and successfully taught in our common schools, and whether it should be a branch of study in them, is an inquiry that may startle some of the friends of these good old institutions, who would look upon such a proposal as an innovation upon those time-hon- ored studies of Reading, Spelling, Writing, Arith- metic, Grammar and Geography. As a general rule, we do not approve of the introduction of the higher branches into our district schools, believ- ing that it would have a tendency to divert atten- tion from those primary studies which appropri- ately belong to them. But when we consider that so large a population gain all their education in these schools, and that so many of the pupils be- come tillers of the soil, shall not a brief space be allotted for this instruction in the principles of their future calling ? The disinclination which is felt among the farmers to reading articles in our journals which relate to agricultural chemis- tiy arises from their ignorance of its fli-st princi- files. If they do not understand the terms and aws of the science, reasoning founded upon them will always appear loose and confused, and it is only by implanting them early in the mind with the other rudiments of knowledge, that they may become familiar as tha alphabet, and may be ready for use when needed. It is true that our teachers as a class are now preparing to instruct in this department, and un- acquainted as they are with it, they cannot bring forward those ready and common illustrations which not only assist the pupil, but secure his at- tention, and interest him in the study. Though teachers may not be required to pass an examin- ation in this branch, yet let it be known that in winter schools, in our rural districts at least, it may be desired as a branch of study, and the sup- ply will answer to the demand ; teachers well qualified in other respects, will not hesitate to de- vote sufficient time to acquire a knowledge of this study. The greater ease of managing a school kept busy by some interesting study will fully compensate for all the extra trouble. Happily we have not to wait for the prepara- tion of a book adapted to the capacity of this class of scholars, and at the same time strictly correct ani complete in its scientific detail. The "Catechism of Agricultural Chemistry and Geolo- gy" by the late Prof. Johnston, of Edinburgh, was dedicated to "the school-masters and teachers of Great Lritaiu and Ireland," and luis been ex- tensively introduced into the schools of tlio Unit- ed Kingdom. To the late Prof. Norton, of Yale College, wc are indebted for an American edition, with an introduction prepared by him. The Su- perintendent of common schools in the State of New York recommends it highly for the use in all their schools. From long acquaintance with the work and from the interest we know is excited by its study, we most cordially advise all to form classes in it and and give it a trial, being well as- sured of the result. As it is a small book, the cost is trifling, and the time required of little moment, but as the author here exhibits the happy faculty both of condensing and symplifying without weak- ening or detracting from the subject, the treatise is very complete. The fii'st three questions and answers will give an idea of the whole. Q. — What is Agriculture. A. — Agricultui'e is the art of culiivating the soil. Q. — What is the object of the farmer in cultiva- ting the soil. A. — The object of the farmer in cultivating the soil is to raise the largest crops, at the smallest cost, and with the least injury to the land. Q. — What ought the farmer esiJeciaUy to hiow, in order that he may attain this object? A. — The farmer ought especially to know the nature of the crops he raises, of the land on which they grow, and of the manures which he applies to the land. Crops, soils, manures, the rearing and feeding of animals, and the management of the dairy, make up the volume. Teachers who would pre- pare themselves for instruction in it, would find the more extended treatises by the same author, viz., "Johnston's Elements" and "Johnston's Lec- tures," most valuable aids, as also "Norton's Ele- ments of Scientific Agriculture," a prize essay of the New York State Agricultural Society. — Home- stead. For tJie Neip England Farmer. KURAIi ECONOMY. Mr. Editor : — The day is rainy, and I have searched, as I always do on rainy days, for some essay or dissertation upon subjects connected with agriculture — some article giving the fundamental principles of action or of operation. I have looked through one volume of Skinner's Old American Faimer, and have found some interest- ing things — but I fail among them all, and among all other books and publications which I have looked through again and again, with the same object in vieAV, to find any essay or dissertation treating agriculture as Foster treats decision of character, analyzing it, and enunciating its com- ponent parts, end presenting facts which one may study without weariness, and still learn some- thing new ; study which will teach him how one operation depends upon another in the great sys- tem of husbandry and of Rural Economy. There is, sir, a Rural Economy as well as a political Economy. How is it to be analyzed ? How is it to be elucidated ? 18m. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 35 Would it be better practised if divided into dis- tinct systems ? Its practice now presents a confused and jum- bled mass of operations, without definite aims and endeavors. Is it the want of capital which makes farming so mixed and indefinite in its aims and ends? Is it the possession of this which makes Eng- lish farmers so successful? Can you not then point to some carefully stud- ied and written essay upon this important sub- ject? or induce some man^ like Josiah Quincy, senior, or the late S. W. Pomeroy, or the late Timo- thy Pickering, or the present Hon. J. W. Proc- tor, or others, to make the principles of Rural Economy more plain, and to tell us what is neces- sary in order that agriculture may be prosecuted as naturally and regularly, and with as much suc- cess as the operations of the mechanical world — some one who will show upon what great princi- ples the Flemish husbandry is so successful, and the English tenant farmer pays his immense rents from year to year without even the idea of fail ure once entering his brain ? Will you not give attention to this matter, and gratify your anxious readers P A Constant Reader and Subscriber, Aw> Reader, and Subscbibeb to kvert otecee Jocenal. November, 1857. Remarks. — We hope some person of abil- ity and leisure will gratify our friend, and en lighten the waiting thousands who need the in- formation asked for. I^or the New England Farmer. PATENT OFFICE HEPOBT FOB 1856. Mr. Editor : — At no time in the history of this country has there been so much scientific in- quiry and interest manifested in agriculture and its kindrec operations, as at the present time. I need not produce arguments to prove this — the most obtuse observer cannot but be convinced of it, from what he may witness constantly trans- piring about him, whether he is actually engaged m carrying on a farm or engaged in other pur- suits. The improvements in farm implements, the application of manures, rotation of crops, &c., &c., from year to year, all bear witness to this great fact. No less, also, is the fact manifested in the various publications, treatises, &c., which team from the press, relating to agriculture in its different departments ; and while there is none the less science or talent displayed, they are more practical, more within the comprehension of the ordinary farming mind ; and, therefore, these publications are more sought after and read. Compare the state of things in this respect, at the present day, with that of only ten, or even five years ago, and how striking the contrast ! While at the former period, book-farming, so called, was looked upon with suspicion by most farmers, now nearly all, except the "Simon pure old fogy," is willing to acknowledge himself more or less a book farmer ; and the man with only his single half acre, or acre farm, up to the thous- and acre farmer, takes his agricultural paper, and considers his fireside incomplete without j a few books relating to this most interesting! branch of human industry, to refresh his mind and enlarge his ideas, as well as to instruct his household generally. At the same time, many of the latter have their tables loaded down with do- mestic and foreign weekly and monthly publica- tions, and a library of books relating to agricul- ture in all its various departments, which would put to shame many a man in the learned profes- sions. And all this brought about in compara- tively a very few years, by the march of progress. I have been led to these thoughts by looking over the last report of the Agricultural Depart- ment of the Patent Office, lately issued, a book of 536 pages and fifty plates. The plates, typo- graphy, &.C., are among the best ever issued from the office. That of 1855 was far ahead of any- thing of the kind before ; and this of 1856 is su- perior to that. It would take up too much of your valuable paper to name the different subjects treated of in this volume ; they are those, how- ever, most interesting to the great body of farm- ers, and the chief merit of all is, they are short, practical and to the point, upon a great variety of topics. I would go ten miles to see a bed of Peabody's New Hautbois Strawberry, as repre- sented at Plate lU. My desire is, in calling the attention of the readers of the New England Farmer to this volume, that they may secure a copy, feeling assured they will find much in it of great interest ; and its suggestions, if followed, may be the basis of increasing the profits of the farm, and of rendering some of its operations more intelligent than heretofore. From long and careful observation, I am well satisfied, all things being equal, the more mind that enters into the operations of the farm, the greater the profit. It is not every book or report written for the especial benefit of the farmer, that accomplishes its purpose. Either from the obscure manner in which it is wi'itten, its techni- calities or some other equally great defects, such labors bear no fi'uit. None of these faults will be found in this book. As a model ai-ticle, take for instance thafwritten by the senior editor of the Farmer, under the head of Fertilizers, "0« the Value and Uses of Swamp Muck." Everything relating to the subject is plainly stated in simple, beautiful language, and directly to the point. "A fool need not err therein." That by Prof. Henry, '^Meteorologij in its Connection with Agricidture" presents this science to the ordinary farming mind in language so simple, clear and interesting, as to command attention ; and if carefully studied by the farmer, he will be enabled to see new beauties in the operations of nature, such as he never thought of before. So in regard to the other subjects treated of in this report. Write to some member of Congress and get a copy while you may, and see if these things be so. Norfolk. King Oak Hill, 1857. Remarks. — We would express our thanks to "Norfolk" for the expression of his favorable opinion on the article "On the Value and Uses of Swamp Muck." That article was prepared by us expressly for the pages of the Patent Office Re- port. It was written in a plain, popular style, and every word and scientific term not in common use among our farmers, was studiously avoided NEW ENGLAND FARMER. Jak. "wherever it could be done without impairing the sense. The article was also divided into proper paragraphs, and each subject placed under its ap- propriate head, so that any definite part of it might be turned to and perused without going through the whole. These headings were as fol- lows: 1. Where muck is mostly found. 2. Of what muck is composed, and how depos- ited. 3. Of the different qualities of muck. 4. How muck may be best obtained. 6. Some of the modes by which muck may be prepared for use. 6. Muck composted with barn manures. 7. Of muck composted with prepared bones. 8. Of muck composted with ashes. 9. Of muck composted with lime. 10. A compost of salt, lime and muck. 11. On what land muck is beneficial. 12. Quantity of muck per acre. 13. How and where muck should be applied. 14. Effects of muck on the soil. 15. Muck as an absorbent and deodorizer. These, together with some collateral points, were discussed in the briefest and clearest man- ner consistent with the short time in which we were to present it. As it is presented now, how- ever, it is a very different thing. Remarks which we thought due to the subject, if it were treated at all, have been omitted ; all the headings, which were as so many marginal notes, have been sup- pressed, and with them two or three tables, show- ing the comparative value of the substance usual- ly composted with muck. The whole article, al- so, has been crowded into a dense, uninviting mass, while others in the volume are unnecessa- rily expanded. We make no profession in writing to anything more than a plain, simple expression of our thoughts ; but in the arrangement of matter when written, and in an appreciation of the popular wants, we will yield to few only, be cause a thorough training in a printing house, followed by a life of editorial duties and a watch- fulness that has never tired, has given us means of judging which comparatively few possess. _ "Benefit to you ?" replied the Colonel. "Why, sir, it will benefit you more than anybody else. This statue can be seen from every window of your house ; it will be an ornament, and add dig- nity to the whole neighborhood, and it will per- petually remind you of the Father of his country — the immortal Washington !" "Ah, Colonel," answered old Lucre, "I do not require a statue to remind me of him, for I al- ways carry Washington here ;" and he placed his hand on his heart. "Then let me tell you," replied Col. Lee, "if that is so, all I have to say is, that you have got Washington in a very tight place !" A TIGHT PLACE. When Col. Lee, of New York, was collecting subscriptions for the equestrian bronze statue of Washington, now standing a monument of patri- otism and art at the corner of Union Park, he had occasion to visit an old curmudgeon in the neighborhood, and pulling out his subscription paper, requested him to add his name to the list. But old Lucre declined respectfully. "I do not see," he said, "what benefit this stat- ue will be to me ; and five hundred dollars is a great deal of money to pay for the gratification of )ther people." For the New England Farmer. HAKVESTING POP CORN. Mr. Editor : — Some months ago I penned a few remarks for the Farmer, in regard to the cul- tivation and uses of the common "pop-corn." I stated that it might be harvested as soon as it was out of the milk, and before the husks and leaves became dry, thereby adding much to the value of the stover, as food for cattle. A gentle- man of Lexington, I think it was, wrote a reply, taking the ground th„t this, as well as all other kinds of corn, could not be perfect as cereal grain, unless it be allowed to ripen thoroughly on the stalk. My experience had been different ; but I determined to try an experiment the pres- ent season that would leave no possible doubt in my own mind, on the subject. Accordingly, I harvested a portion of my crop the present sea- son, (and, by the way, I only cultivate a small garden,) while the stalks and leaves were yet green, and the kernels only in the sere. Another portion I harvested when the ears had become thoroughly ripe, and the husks dry. Both kinds are now in fine popping order, and I must say that I find no perceptible difference in them. Tt^ early harvested portion is certainly not inferior to the other; while the value of its stover is at least double that ef the later harvested portion. I apprehend that our New England farmers do not, as a general thing, appreciate the value of the corn crop as a cattle feeder, nor take proper pains to harvest it so as to obtain the highest value from the stover. A fair crop of corn,, if harvested while the stalks are yet green, is fully equal to a ton of hay per acre, besides the value of the grain itself. The pop-corn, besides its value as food ft)r children, and its peculiar adaptation to the fat- tening of fowls, (on account of its larger propor- tion of oleaginous matter,) is an excellent cattle- feeder. The stalks have as large a portion, ap- parently, of saccharine matter as any other varie- ety ; and being small, cattle will eat them up near- ly clean. What they lack in size may be compen- sated by the number of stalks in the hill, or by the nearness of the hill. It may be worth a few moments' time to calcu- late the value of an acre of pop-corn, at the prices which our city residents pay for the article when fitted for their palates — that is, when parched and on sale by the grocers and candy men. Call it four cents a quart, and call a quart the product of a middle-sized ear. The cora may be planted, say three feet apart one way, by 1858. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 37 eighteen inches the other. Allow, if you please, eight ears to the hill ; which is not equal to the average of mine. Fifty hills to the square rod vould be about eight thousand hills, or sixty-four thousand ears to the acre. This is only two thoit- sandjive hundred and sixty dollars per acre, for those to pay who eat the corn ! Allowing that I have made the crop too large, and the price too high, take away half the amount, if you please, for every contingency which may be thought of, and we still have twelve hundred and eighty dol- lars, which the consumers pay for the product of an acre of ground ; and who among them pre- tends to call pop-corn dear eating ? I do not make these remarks in the hope or expectation that farmers will go into the cultiva- tion of pop-corn to the neglect of other crops ; but I do think that, as a highly palatable, simple, and nutritious article of diet, especially for chil- dren, this corn is not sufficiently appreciated ; and I take this mode of urging greater attention to the subject. E. C. P. Somerville. For the New England Farmer. EXHIBITION OP MOWEKS AND BEAP- EES, Br THE U. S. Aqeicultural Societt, at Syracuse, N. Y., July, 185T. BY A YANKEE DOODLE, WHO SAW IT. We have come to Syracuse, Mid this heated weather, For to see the mowers mow, And Reapers reap, together ; And if old Sol's burning glass Don't in our own fat fry us, We'll give our judgment on the work Without a hair's breadth bias. So bring your reapers on the ground, And bring your mowers, too, Sir, And let us Yankees show the world A Yankee doodle do, Sir ! Here they come — creation ! how They sweep about the field, Sir — Time may as well hang up his scythe, And to their prowess yield, Sir ; Though he "cuts all, both great and small," And once his scythe went through, Sir, A harvest worthy of his arm — The field of Waterloo, Sir. But no Yankee mower swept Among that famous fight, Sir ; For if it had, I raytlter guess, You'd have seen a different sight. Sir ! Now, they've processed around the track — The cannon roared its duty ; There you see the bright array, The chivalry and beauty ; Farmer Wilder, from the stand— A Gov'ner at each shoulder — Speaks a speech that takes by storm The heart of each beholder. "And," says he, "bring right along Your reapers and your mowers, And we'll show how mighty quick We can do up the chores." Gov'ner King, he up and made A short, but pithy talk. Sir — And Gov'nor Morehead toed the mark Made by the union chalk, Sir. And then the people ail hurrahed, And clapped with hearty smackers, Until you'd thought a fire had caught Ten thousand India Crackers. Which went to show, whatever else In mowing might be done. Sir, They couldn't cut the chain that binds Our thirty States and one. Sir ! Marshal Taylor, on his horse, With flowing yellow sash on, Said "Forward, march '." and on they went In military fashion : And, as along the country road The big machines did rattle. One would have thought an army grand Wag going out to battle. And so they were — but not to fight And mash each other's face, Sir, But, as the lawyers say, "submit An amicable case," Sir. And when they got upon the field. As well you may suppose, sir. The way those cutters clipped the grass A caution was to Mose, Sir ! And as they streaked it o'er the land, And set the odder free. Sir, Old Time stood by with gloomy brow, And sighed, "You've conquered me. Sir !" So bring your mowers on the ground, And bring your reaper?, too. Sir, And show the universal world. What Yankee pluck can do, Sir ! Time hung his scythe upon a tree — "Good-bye to you — you're done, Sir, The poorest mower on the ground The wreath from you hath won, Sir ! Henceforth I'll mow — as mow I must. Among the grasses green, Sir, And cut down all, both great and small, With tho best prize machine, Sir !" Then, Yankee doodle keep it up. The best invention going Is that which beats the Reaper old In reaping and in mowing. HO"W PEOPLE TAKE COLD. The time for taking cold is after your exercise ; the place is in your own house, or office, or count- ing-room. It is not the act of exercise which gives the cold, but it is the getting cool too quick after ex- ercising. For example : you walk very fast to go to the railroad station, or to the ferry, or to catch an omnibus, or to make time for an appointment ; your mind being ahead of you, the body makes an over effort to keep up with it ; and when you get to the desired spot you raise your hat and find yourself in a perspiration. You take a seat, and feeling quite comfortable as to temperature, you begin to talk with a friend, or to read a paper ; and, before you are aware of it, you ex- perience a sensation of dullness, and the thing is done. You look around to see where the cold comes from, and find a window open near you, or a door, or that you have taken a seat at the forward part of the car, and, as it is moving against the wind, a strong draft is made through the crevices. Or, it may be, you meet a friend at the street corner, who wanted a loan, and was quite complimenta- ry, almost loving ; you did not like to be rude in the delivery of a two-lettered monosyllable, and while you were trying to be truthful, polite and 38 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. Jan. safe, all at the same time, on comes the chilly feeling from a raw wind at the street corner, or the slush of mud and water in which, for the fii'st time, you notice yourself standing. After any kind of exercise, do not stand a mo- ment at a street corner for anybody or anything ; nor at an open door or window. When you have been exercising in any way whatever, winter or summer, go home at once, or to some sheltered place ; and, however warm the room may seem to be, do not at once pull off your hat and cloak, but wait some five minutes or more, and lay aside one at a time ; thus acting, a cold is impossible. Notice a moment : when you return from a brisk walk and enter a warm room, raise your hat, and the forehead will be moist ; let the hat remain a few moments and feel the forehead again, and it will be dry, showing that the room is actually cooler than your body, and that, with your out- door clothing on, you have cooled off full soon. Among the severest colds that I have known men to take, were those resulting from sitting down to a meal in a cool room after a walk ; or being engaged in writing, and having let the fu'e go out, their first admonition of it was that creep- ing chillness, which is the forerunner of a severe cold. Persons have often lost their lives by writing or remaining in a room where there was no fire, although the weather outside was rather uncomfortable. Sleeping in rooms long unused, has destroyed the life of many a visitor and friend ; our splendid parlors and our nice "spare rooms," help to enrich many a doctor. The cold sepulchral parlors of New York, from May till November, bring diseases, not only to visitors, but to the visited ; for, coming from domestic occupations, or from the hurry of dressing, the heat of the body is higher than usual, and having no cloak or hat on in going to meet a visitor, and having in addition but little vitality, in con- sequence of the very sedentary nature of town life, there is very little capability of resistance, and a chill and cold is the result. — Sail's Journal of Health. STORIES OF BIRDS. To begin with the kingfisher. This bird has been well styled the only one which, in our islands, decks itself with a plumage of tropical richness and lustre. How rarely is it seen ! — how shy of observation ! — and how dazzlingly splendid when its green and crimson metallic scales, as one may call them, reflect the rays of the sun ! I have seen this bird in an almost domesticated state — { that is, I have seen it in a certain pleasure-ground j remain on some old timber hanging over water, \ until we had come so near as to have a perfect view. It — or rather they, for there were several of them — ran about briskly while we approached, and then only seemed to retire a short way among the water-weeds. I am reminded here of an anec- , dote for which I can vouch, and Avhich shows that the kingfisher has a remarkable tenacity of life. One of these birds flew, one day, in some un- accountable way, into the open windows of a coun- try-seat in Berkshire. It entered a drawing-room by one window, and dashed at another which hap- pened to l)e shut. Of course it fell struggling to Uie gi'ound, stunned, if not killed, by the shock. The ladies, who alone were present, summoned the butler to put the poor creature out of pain. This he did effectually, by "wringing its neck" in the ordinary Avay, and depositing it on a table, in order that its beauty might be admired by the whole family. Here it lay for some time, to all appearance quite dead ; but at length some slight motion was perceived about its head — the head evidently was moving a little ; and by and by this said head began slowly to turn round and round, which gyration was performed some five or six times, answering no doubt to the "wrings" inflict- ed by the ruthless hand of the butler aforesaid, until at last it seemed to have recovered its natu- ral position. Thus it lay with open and glitter- ing eyes for a short space ; and then, as if instinct with new life, it made a sudden efi'ort, flapped its wings, flew to the open window, and disappeared I This recalls a somewhat similar instance of a partridge. This bird — an old cock I warrant him — was knocked over in the usual way in "stubbles and turnips." He was picked up while yet strug- gling, and his head severely knocked on the stock of a gun by one of the party. He was then "hung by the neck" with some others in a net by a leath- er strap contrived for the purpose. In this dur- ance the poor animal remained during the rest of the day and the following night, being hung up with the bag in the gun-room. On the following day, when the keeper proceeded to hand over his prey to the cook, this bird was shaken out of his collar upon the table ; whereupon he ifnmediately got on his legs, looked about him, flew straight at the window, through a pane of which he broke his way, and escaped ! I will here mention an anecdote of another kind connected with birds, which has always struck me as most extraordinary. I had obtained from the nest three young bull- finches, and had had them several days in perfect apparent health : they could feed alone, and seemed quite strong. One morning they seemed, in the very act of awaking, to be seized together with some sudden fit. They fell from the perch- es into the sand at the bottom cf the cage, beat- ing it about most violently witii their wings; roUr ing over and over, and exhibiting the same ap- pearance as wounded birds generally do. After perhaps two minutes of these extraordinary gam- bols, they all alike seemed to get rid of the excit- ing cause, whatever it was ; they ceased to strug- gle ; sat up languidly on their tails, steadying their panting bodies with their wings ; and at length quite recovered their usual health. About ten days after, the same simultaneous seizvire was repeated ; they all fell down again, and struggled in the same way ; but this time they died — togeth- er, of course. I have often asked myself the question, what could have been the mysterious tic of ..ympathy between those singular l;irds ? Had tlioy each in turn died of some fit, it would have beer, a com- mon death of the bullfinch tribe ; but that the fit should have seized them all at the same inoment, in the first instance harmless, a:u! i;i the next with fatal results, remains a mystery t.j me to this day. Talking of bullfinches and their fit's I may ob- serve that apoplexy, their great enemy, may be averted for a long time, if not entirely, by avoid- ing the alderman's snare, — I mean, oleaginous feeding. Let them have canary-seed as a staple, 1858. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 39 and an ample supply of green food — chickweed, gi'oundscl, Ralids of all sorts, and fruit in the sea- son ; and plethnra may be kept in cheek effectual- ly. I would allow a grain or two of hemp-seed now and then from the master's or mistress's own fingers, but only seldom, and as rewards for good behavior. EXTBACT3 AND KEPLIES. A CURIOUS APPLE TKEE. In the garden of J. C. Stebbins, of Charles- town, N. H., stands an apple tree that was graft ed some fifteen years since, near the ground. It has now a straight, handsome body, some six or eight inches in diameter. It bears abundantly, but what is singular, a part of the ajiples are yel low Bellflowcrs, and a part English russetts. All over the tree may be seen bellflowers and russetts gi'OM'ing upon the same limbs, often with in a few inches of each other. I can account for the phenomenon in no other way, than by sup- posing the tree to have been cleft-grafted with two scions, one a bellflower and the other a rus- sett. The tree being small, the scions came in contact and grew together. From this union the top is formed, and, as I stated above, bears two kinds of fruit upon the same branches. Should any doubt the story, the tree stands there, "a liv- s witness !" j. R. w. Sprin^eld, Vt, Nov. 19, 1857. GETTING TREES BY CUTTINGS. I noticed in the Farmer of October 31, an "Inquiry about Fruit Trees," by an "Honest Far- mer Boy," the substance of which was, "does it make any difference whether apple and pear cut- tings, be planted in October or November, to pro- cure fruit in five or six years ?" In my opinion, it makes no difference in which month they are planted, or whether they are planted at all. I have been more or less engaged in propagating fruit and fruit-trees for several years past, and have tried many experiments with cuttings, with- out success. If pear and apple trees could be propagated by cuttings, nursery-men would have found it out ere this, and adopted the plan. Yet they raise their trees from seeds or by root-graft- ing. J. R. W. THE CROW. Most farmers hate the crow, and give as a rea- son that he pulls up the young corn, and that is the only substantial reason that can be given. For twenty years of my life, as a farmer, I think I never had a peck of corn destroyed by the crow. AVe may let our fields remain unprotected from our cattle and they will destroy our crops, — place a good fence about them and they are safe. I have always found it as easy to protect my fields of corn from the crow as from my cattle, by put-' ting twine around the field. It is but a few days that he does us any damage at all, but lie is al- ways devouring that which will prevent disease. I think there is a generation wiser than this to come, that will impose a fine on any person that destroys the crow. My boys obtained a young crow last June which we completely tamed, and found that he would eat almost anything rather than corn in ita dry state ; and wto ever saw a crow destroying our corn in the fall ? My corn was where they could get Avhat they pleased, but seldom if ever did they disturb it. There is a singular circumstance respecting our crow ; he seldom, if ever, left home unless some of the family went with him ; but .ibout the first of November, he suddenly disappeared ; we supposed he was dead, killed by some evil-dis- posed person ; but on Thursday, May 7, the first that met my eye in the morning on going to my barn was our crow, sitting on one of my maple trees. He appeared as glad to see me as I was to see him, rather shy at first, but in less than twen- ty-four hours the boys had their hands on him ; on Saturday he went with us to the field and saw us plant corn, and soon became as tame as he was before he left. He was gone over six months, and then returned. Does the crow go South in cold weather? A Subscriber. Ware, Mass. Remarks. — This communication was mislaid with some other papers, or it would have been published before. The crow is not, like the swal- low, a migrating bird, but has its own locality where it probably passes its life. The crow, howev- er has great power of wing, and often travels con- siderable distances in search of food, probably fifty miles at once in order to reach the seashore, or the margin of large rivers. CARROTS. The best crops of this vegetable I have seen the present season were grown by Daniel Buxton, Jr., of South Danvers, 16 tons, on a lot of 75 rods of land ; and 15^ tons on one-half an acre, by E. Brown, of Marblehead. Most of the crops in Essex county have fallen short of expectation nearly one-third. P. November 19, 1857. STOCKS FOR DWABF PEARS, Is it generally kno-n-n that the Ameloncliier Canadensis is a good stock for dwarfing the pear? I know that it is so, and was induced to try it by reading Emerson's report on Woody Plants of Massachusetts, page 443. It is the shad bush or planting bush of the aborigines. s. T., JR. Swampscott , Mass. A FINE APPLE. The large and very beautiful apple sent by Mr. Charles Newcomb, of Quincy, is new to us ; it does not come uj) to the term of best, in flavor, but is far better than a great many varieties cul- tivated. LAWTON blackberry. J. A. F., of North Clarendon, Vt., will proba- bly obtain the information he wants by consult- ing our advertising columns next March or April. PROFITS OF SHEEP. Will "P. J.," Randolph, Vermont, please send his whole address to A. Littlefield, Boston, who desires some commumcation with him on the subject? 40 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. Jan, CORN AMONG POTATOES. The writer last season planted a plot of pota- toes about the first of April, which grew fine- ly, and received their final hoeing about the arst of June. At this date my little son, un- known to me, went and planted a few hills of corn between the hills of potatoes. The pota- toes were in drills some eighteen inches apart. At the time of digging, 25th of July, the corn was up some three feet high, and if there had been a sufficient amount of it, I should have left it to ripen. But wishing to use the land for a late crop of turnips, I cut the corn for foddei*. But the random planting of the lad went far to con- vince me of a fact which I hope to profit by, and now communicate for the benefit of your subscrib- ers, i. e., that a crop of some quick growing corn — say the King Philip — may be grown after an early crop of potatoes, if planted immediately af- ter the last hoeing of the potatoes, or about the first of June ; care being taken at the digging not to molest the roots of the corn. Wm. J. Pettee. Lakemlle, Conn., Dec. 3, 1857. VERMIN ON CALVES AND SHEEP. Can you or any of your correspondents inform me what is the best way to kill lice on calves and ticks on sheep, and oblige a farmer? Tyson Furnace, 1857. A. H. Hoslet. Remarks. — A careful application of some soft grease or oil, twice a week, continued two or three weeks, will generally destroy these vermin. It should be rubbed in with the hand, so as to oil the hair or wool. A little yellow snuff may be sprinkled in after the oil is applied. Clean wood ashes is also often used, but all such applications must be used with care. Preparations of mercu- ry, such as unguentum, are used in des2)erate cas- es, but they are dangerous remedies, and their nature ought to be well understood by those who resort to them. "J. B. N." communicates to us the following mode, and it is one we think quite well of, provid ed the animal is kept warm after the washing is done : "Take one-third soap and two-thirds water, and wash the animal all over at three different times, and it will kill all the lice." viewing farms entire. After much attention to the subject, I am con firmed in the belief that as much, or more, bene fit may accrue to the farmer from such views, discreetly conducted by competent agents or com- mittees, as in any other manner. I am not un- mindful that different notions are entertained by some. I find in the report of the learned Secre- tary, upon the Agriculture of Massachusetts, in 1856, page 441, the following sentence : "from motives of delicacy gentlemen were frequently reluctant to communicate fully, when informed that facts so collected were intended for publica- tion." I think the gentleman who penned this sentence was misled in his inferences, from the facts before him ; for I have good reason to be- lieve that many, very many of those who com municate to him facts, were as anxious that such facts should be made known to the public as he was to have them ; and that what he construed as "motives of delicacy," were neither more nor less than a false pride or morbid sensitiyeness. If there be any such, let them pass by, and call on those who have no such delicate misgivings. Aratoe. HOW TO cure foul IN THE FOOT. Mr. Charles Robinson, of Lexington, in- forms us that the application of a little oil of spike, oleum nardenien, about a tea-spoonful once a day to each foot, will effect a cure in one week. The claw should be opened, cleaned a little, and the oil turned in. SHEEP husbandry. I was recently made acquainted with a gentle- man from Germany, who was desirious of renting a farm to introduce the keeping of sheep. I di- rected his attention to the county of Franklin, or the region thereabouts, as the best locality for this purpose in Massachusetts. There may be some farms in the hill towns of Worcester where sheep can be kept advantageously — but as a gen- eral thing, sheep flourish best where there are high hills, covered with a good coating of grass, and where lands can be had at a price not exceed- ing tioenty-five dollars the acre. I have no doubt that a few sheep would be serviceable, on every considerable farm, even in the eastern counties of the State, but they will be kept to better advan- tage to the proprietor, where lands are cheaper, and dogs are not so plenty as they are in Dec, 1857. Middlesex and Essex. BLACK POLAND FOWLS. Will some of your readers tell me where I can get pure breed Black Poland Fowls, the most useful as well as the most ornamental of all birds, and oblige An Old Subscriber. Northjield, Mass., Nov., 1857. GARGET IN COWS. Can you inform me of a cure for gargety cows ? Remarks. — A few drops of the tinture of Aco- nite, given upon a little wet corn meal, has prov- ed effectual in many cases. A fine HOG. Mr. John G. Solger, of Plymouth, Vt., has just slaughtered a pig, eight months and four days old, which weighed 356 lbs., dressed. A. For the New England Farmer. GIRLS CAN TAKE CAKE OF THEM- SELVES. Mr. Editor : — I suspect "A Farmer's Son," in your paper of this date, (Vol. 12, No. 47,) is more theoretical than j^ractical, in his sympathy for the girls of the household. The truth is, girls cap take care of themselves, quite as well as boys, if they are only made to feel, when young, that they have got to do so. There are many honor- able ways in which they can provide the means of living ; — and if rightly directed by their moth- 1858. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 41 ers, they will eai-ly have the energy and ability | are expressed by the articles recently written by to take care of themselves. And if they manifest ["E. H. fe." and "A Farmer's Son." this, they will soon meet with help-mates, who Dissatisfaction belongs to human nature. Beasts will cheerfully lend all necessary aid. This bring- [and birds maybe contented, but man never is. ing up girls to remain a fixture upon the home- 1 Whether on the farm, in the shop, the store or stead, is not the thing. It is neither agreeable the office, troubles and miseries, or something to them, nor useful to the community ; it is per- just as good, abound ; and it will probably be no verting the order of nature ; and a misuse of the hard task to find troubles enough in any occupa- better part of creation. I tion to make a respectable contrast with the Your voung friend seems to think that the ["Miseries of Farming." farm at home must be managed as it has been, | Before attempting, however, to classify or con- in years gone by, yielding just enough to make'trast the "miseries" of the various professions, both ends meet, with careful industry and econo-|We will recur to the article of "E. H. S." His my. Let me tell him to have regard to the story first position is, that "farming has been unduly of the man who left his treasure to his sons, bur- extolled," and his second, that "it is one of the ied within twelve inches of the surface, without | most laborious occupations." We are willing to specifying particularly the place where, and as ; allow that he has good ground for both of these soon as he was decently laid away under the sod, 'positions. Advocates of agriculture, as well as they started on a hunt to find the hidden treas-{of law, no doubt, sometimes use a little "gloss or ure; and by the time they had been thoroughly ! poetry" in their efforts to do their duty to their over the entire surface, they began to learn the clients. All have heard of the man who ac- mystery of the deposit, and found no obstacle to 'knowledgcd that he had no idea how shamefully the removal of it. The truth is, "where there is i he had been abused, until his lawyer made his will, there is a way ;" and girls Avill get along i plea. And some farmers may have been nearly well enough, if they will but avoid being misled and bewildered by foolish extravagancies. Nov. 21. 1857. For the New Ensland Farmer. as much surprised, on reading an agricultural oration or essay, to find what an easy, independ- ent, profitable and glorious business they had been, engaged in all their lives. But when "E. H. S." represents the "curses" of labor as resting exclusively on the broad PHOFOBTIOM" OF THE LEAKNED PKO- 'shoulders of farmers ; when he presents intellec- FESSIONS. 'tual pursuits in their most attractive forms as the ..,,,. . , , alternative to agricultural drudgery, that breaks Agricultural editors frequently treat tlie com- Lj^^.j, th^ ^.o^gti^ution and shortens life ; when he plaints and murmm-ings of the sons and daugh-L,!,^^ i,^ so . ,,.o^.js^ u^7]^^ ^,ould not rather tersof farmers with mdifference, sometimes with ' .^^g,. ^;^g enjoyment of an educated mind, than contempt. Not long since the conductors of "one ^/^g,,^^,.^,^ ^ ^^ j,,;^-^;^ ^^^^ .'^,,^g,, -^ „g^„; of our citv papers acknowledged the receipt of j^ confined,'' v,-e think he is guilty of using a a communication of this character, and, without u i^^^. ^f the thickest kind, and "poetry" of the publishing it, scornfully advised the writer to thinnest sort. Such sentiments are fuel for a leave the business, if he did not know enough to fj^p^ smouldering in the breast of Young America, make money by farming. I have been pleased to ^.ore dangerous than that which heaves and rocks see that such articles are treated as respectfully , ^i^l Vesuvius. To get into a profession! To by the editor of the ^es,t friend. Colts want exercise, and should have a warm yard to run in all the pleasant days, but not in the mud, or with horned cattle. A blanket is sel- dom necessary. Mr. Gray inquires : "when should he be broke ?" I say never, never ! Teach him as much as you can, but don't break him ! that is all out of fash- ion. Teach him to do as you tell him, to come and go at your will ; make a particular friend of him, and you may use him at any age you please, but be careful not to use him hard or badly. Cat- tle may be used at the age of two years, as well as boys at seven or eight ; and when he is two, three or four years old, a few days before you wish to use him, put on the hamcs, put him in the thills, and let him stand several hours ; stay by him, fondle him all over, lead him about and call him some name. Do this for a few days, and the first time you hitch him to a buggy, he will go as you tell him. When he will go well before a carriage, then put on the martingales, and a check, if he does not carry his head to please ; by degress draw his head as you wish to have him carry it, and in a short time it will become a habit that can easily be retained. The time was, and is now, in some places, when every one thought a colt must be bitted ; that is, put a great strong bit in his mouth, and draw his head into the breast, and have him throw himself down, while a cart whip was lace- rating his sides, all of which is just the thing to spoil a colt. I say never bit or break a colt, nor burn the hampers. G. V. Plainfield, Mass., 1857. For the New England Farmer. SWITZERLAND. LETTER FROM MR. FRENCH. My Dear Brown: — From Lucerne, where you last had accounts of me, we went by rail and diligence to Berne, about one hundred miles. Berne is said to mean bear, in some language or other, and a bear forms the armorial hearings, (excuse the pun, unperceived until the word was written,) of the city; and to keep up the idea, sis live bears are kept at the city's expense in a stone den, built at considerable cost outside the gates, and figures of bears, carved in wood, formed in plaster and cast in iron, abound in all the shops. At one of the numerous fountains which embel- lish the city, a huge iron bear reposes at each corner, and as I passed in the morning, some lit- tle girls were amusing themselves by washing the bears' feet. The town clock is reckoned a great curiosity. We went to see it strike, and saw the figures of bears which decorate it, wag their heads. There is also a figure of a King, who opens his mouth, and a cock that crows when the clock strikes twelve. The city is built in a manner quite peculiar, the sidewalks being under arches, the houses project- ing overhead, so that you may go over the whole city in any weather unexposed to rain or sun, ex- cept in crossing the streets. Seeing a notice of an "Exposition of Industry," we embraced the opportunity to see something of the mechanical skill of the Swiss. We found the exhibition ar- ranged with much taste, and of a character to do credit to any country. There were iron castings 1858. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 45 equal to the best I have ever seen, wood carving superior to any that can be shown in any other country, I presume, a loom in operation weaving beautiful figured ribbons, silks in all stages, from the cocoon to the finished fabric of most beauti- ful quality, linen and woolen cloths of all descrip- tions, and a thousand miscellaneous articles such as we find in our own exhibitions. I remember especially fire-arms of various patterns and elabo- rate finish; the Swiss, by the way, claiming to be the best rifle shots in the world. A contrivance for a self-opening and self-clos- ing door we thought worthy of the cutest Yan- kee invention. You walk towards the door, and before you can touch the handle, the door parts in the middle, and moves noiselessly back "into the wall, and when you have passed through, closes as quietly behind you. It is arranged so that your weight on a platform overcomes a counter- poise which keeps the door closed. The agricul- tural implements are of a heavy and clumsy make, but not more so than those in use in England. From Berne we went by diligence to Thun, about three hours' ride through a country thor- oughly Swiss. The houses have the widely pro- jecting roof, sometimes extending tAvelve feet be- yond the eaves, and many good two-story houses have the barn under the same roof, and in some instances I notice two good houses and a large barn, all under one large roof. The barn is usual- ly finished with lattice-work, so that you can see the hay, and the roofs are covered with tiles or thatch. The sides of the houses are covered often with shingles cut in semi-circles at the ex- posed end, which gives a very tasteful finish. Great attention seems to be given by the Swiss to their manure heaps. Close by every farm house is a large square heap of manure, compos- ed of whatever can be collected about the prem- ises, and carefully laid up with straw like a cider- mill cheese. Whether these people have the or- dinary sense of smell I do not know. At least I am sure they have not a very strong sense of pro- priety, whatever may be their appreciation of convenience; for this mixture of men, women and cattle under the same roof, with fortifications, strong ones, too, of manure heaps at the door, does not indicate great refinement. In the summer many of the cows are taken on to the mountains to graze, and you may see, perched up almost to the clouds, small houses occupied by the butter and cheese makers in their season. The grass seems to grow to the very tops of the mountains here, and fields of grain are seen on hill-sides so steep, that it looks from below as if a man could not stand a moment on the declivity. Some ofthe highways are planted with trees and unfenced, while others are fenced with living hedges. We next stopped, after a steam- boat sail of an hour, at Interlachen, a sort of nest between the snow-capped hills, where many English and American families spend their sum- mers. We took a carriage here next morning and visited Lauterbrunnen and the Staubbach Falls, or Cascade of Dust, a very small stream which falls some nine hundred feet over a preci- pice, a sort of perpendicular mountain side. The effect is very fine, the water being divided by the fall into fine white spray, although the stream is very small, not larger apparently than might run through a nine inch ring. However, Americans must bear in mind in their travels, that water power is not so abundant abroad as at home, and if Niagaras do not roar, and Ontarios and Supe- riors do not roll in these little countries, we must be satisfied if they make the best use of their means. The common houses in this part o. Switzerland are built in a very singular style. They are constructed of squared timber, say six inches by ten, laid up like a log house, the walls being solid and the timber halved where it cross- es at the corners. The timber is worked smooth and even, presenting a good surface, and the ends are left long towards the eaves and cut into large brackets in very pretty style, to support the roof. Over the principal door, across the whole front, are usually carved, in wood. Inscriptions in large letters, occupying two or more lines. Our guide interpreted some of them, and we found they usually expressed the name of the owner and of the builder, with the date of Erection, and an invocation of God's blessing on the house. Sometimes a short text of Scripture is added. Similar inscriptions I observed on some pieces of valuable furniture, in the form of a proverb, or the like. From Interlachen we took post horses and a guide to Kandersteg, seven hours, nobody here having any idea of miles. We passed round Lake Thun on a very picturesque road, between mountain and lake, and stopped at an inn to rest our horses. The driver went into the house and brought out a large loaf of wheat bread, nearly as large as a water-pail, and cutting it open, gave each of his horses half. I cut a slice off' of one horse's share, and ate it, and found it the same that was furnished us. At Frutigen we stopped an hour. In front of the inn are a foun- tain and several troughs, in a public square. Here the women M'ere at work ; some washing clothes, others preparing vegetables for cooking. One sensible girl brought out a basket of potatoes, and set them under a spout and washed them with a broom. On our way we saw women car- rying liquid manure strapped on to their backs, and applying it to cabbages, and others moving solid manure in the same way. Our guide says that a man's wages here is only about ten cents a day at farm labor, but I am not willing to endorse NEW ENGLAND FAHMER. Jan. the statement. There is, however, every indica- I am now writing from the village of Irvmgton,. tion of poverty. Beggars beset us at every step. "} Essex county, New Jersey. The soil of this Boys and girls, and even women, follow the car- riage at every hill, holding out their hands and begging piteously, seeming to be thankful for any small coin, I know not whether I have before spoken of the goitre, a horrible swelling of the glands of the neck, which seems to affect a large proportion of the people. It is a dreadful deformity, and I am told sometimes produces death by pressure on the organs of respiration. After a glorious ride till nine in the evening, we arrived at Kendcrsteg, through magnificent mountain passes, and are now in the wildest place, I think, in all wild Switzerland ; and here for the Sabbath day we propose to rest, preparalary to crossing the mountain pass. And with best wishes for you and yours, farewell. Yours, &c., Henry F. Frencu. For the New England Farmer. FARMING IN NEW JERSEY. Mr. Editor : — Having a little space for writ- ing, I thought to put a few ideas on paper and send them to you. I left my home in the south part of Alassachu setts on the 23d inst., via Fall Kivcr and New^.lso less substantial, and sell at a lowev figur York, and arrived in New Jersey on the evening vicinity is very peculiar. The subsoil has the redness of madder. Its adhesiveness in a rainy time shows the presence of alumina. There are similar lands in some parts of Bristol county, in Massachusetts, South of the village of Assonet, there are lots which receive the name of ''red ground" and which present similar natural characteristics to much of the soil in this country. Yet one acre here is made to produce more than twenty or even fifty acres there. At the same time, these improved lands give a profit to the owners and cultivators, and a large ]:irofit, while they sell their products at a much lower figure than they will at any time command in the eastern market^. Much land in this vicinity, now used for farming purposes, is under so high a state of culture as to claim two or perhaps three hundred dollars per acre. "While writing the last two sentences, two gentlemen have been dis- cussing the value of a small tract of land, only used for farming, in this neighborhood, for which the price of not less than $400 per acre is named. A very difi'erent system of cultivation, and o. soil improvement, has been pursued here, than ever obtained much favor in New England. Mechanic arts have unquestionably received greater attention with the many, in the New England States, than here. The agricultural implements, in the New York warehouses, are, as a whole, more coarse and clumsy than those made in Boston. They are of the 24th. The sail from Fall River was inter- rupted by a thunder-storm, and a "right smart gale of wind," as an Ohio Dutchman would call it. The "Bay State" had to tie up at a Rhode Island wharf, until the roughest of the weather's sneezing was over. Then the sea had no little swelling and roaring, like Jordan and the lions. However, the Bay State is a pretty safe State, and our morning arrival at New York happened at 12 M. Visiting some of the agricultural warehouses .n Gotham, one cannot fail to observe the differ- ence between them and agricultui-al warehouses in Boston. In New York, the sales of fertilizers far out- strip the Boston trade. This suggests a thought. If, as is generally admitted, the soils of New York and New Jersey are so far superior to those of the New England States, without the aid of extra fertilizers, why should not the Boston trade show a greater record of sales, if the farmers of New England seek to supply the deficiencies of New England soils ? The farmers and garden- ers of New York and New Jersey find it to their profit to procure vast quantities of plaster, phos- phate of lime, poudrcttc, &:c., c&c, for their soils, and then send their fruits and vegetables to sup- ply our New England cities, at so cheap a rate as to press upon our New England producers. Are not the New England soils worth improving ? Certainly, we must say, they are. And much of the soil of New England, now condemned as hopelessly sterile, is as good, naturally, as soils here, from Avhich farmers and gardeners are mak- ing great profits by the sale of fruits, vegetables, and products of the dairy. I would trace out these peculiarities some far- ther, but think I have "spun this yarn" long enough. So perhaps I will write you again from these regions, "in a few days." Yours, very truly, c. Depreciation of Property. — We hear of the case of a gentleman of this city who was appoint- ed trustee of the estate of a deceased person, and guardian of some minors, and who thinking sqfe- ty should be mainly consulted in the investment of the funds thus committed to him, sold off" the stocks of various corporations belonging to the estate, and invested the proceeds in State and city securities where he M'as sure of six per cent, interest. The appraised value of this property was about $150,000 two years ago. The diff'erence to-day between the market value of the stocks sold and the securities now held by the party, is no less t\\m\ forty thousand dollars. It is reported in financial circles that the per- sonal estate of an opulent merchant who died in Boston less than four years ago, valued in 1854 at $1,800,000, and consisting mainly of railway shares and bonds, has shrunk so much during the two past years, that the depreciation is more than a million of dollars. It is reported that the manufacturing stocks owned by a single family have depreciated more than a million dollars in value within two yoars. The personal property of many individuals has faded away during the present year "like dissolv- ing views," and the surprise attending the change is similar in many respects to that which usually attends those novel exhibitions. — Transcript. 1858. KEW ENGLAND FARMER. 47 F(jr the Netr Em^land Farmer. ON TKEi EEALITY OP THE SCIENCE OP MEDICINE. BY WILSON FLAGG. Moliere wrote a comedy for the purpose of ex- posing the blunders of physicians, and the ab- surdity of some of their pretensions \ but his comedy is no less severe upon the follies of pa- tients than upon pedantry of practitioners. Some of his pleasantries are extremely amusing. "What do you intend, (says a female neighbor to a fath- er,) sir, by having four doctors to your daughter ? Is not one manslayer enough for one person ?" Dr. Sanarelle answers, "Be silent, miss, four opinions are better than one, any day." Lisette — Then you will not let the poor child die in peace, but must needs let the doctors worry her to death ? Doctor — Do you think these gentlemen will really put her to death ? Liaette—l^o doubt at all of that. The other day a friend of mine, by the best reasoning in the world, proved to me how a person of her ac- quaintance, Avho was thought to have died of a fever, died, on the contrary, of four doctors and two apothecaries. Dr. Sanarelle — Hush ! you will oflFend the gen- tiLemen in attendance. Lisette — Well, listen to me, sir. Our cat has just recovered from a fall she had from the top of the house into the street below. For three days she ate nothing, and all that time she could not stir a paw ; but luckily for her, there are no cat-doctors here. If there had been, they would have Ijled and medicined her life out to a cer- tainty." The tables seemed to have been turned, since the time of Moliere ; for at the present day those persons swallow the most medicine who doctor themselves without consulting a physician. This is proved by the well known fact that the quan- tity of medicine which is sold from the apotheca- ries' shops to supply the demands occgisioned by the recipes of physicians, is not one-tenth part so great as that which is sold in the form of patent nostrums. A careful study of the history of medicine, notwithstanding all the pleasantries which have been uttered at its expense, would convince any intelligent person that the theory and practice of medicine is a true science, having its foundation in nature. It would likewise con- vince them that there is no more uncertainty in its results, than in the results of any other branch of human knowledge, if we except the mathematics and what are called the exact sciences. The theory and practice of medicine very close- ly resembles the science of agriculture, in the practice of which, an experiment that has suc- ceeded nineteen times consecutively, will perhaps fail on the twentieth trial. We may apply lime or any other specifxcd material, successfully to nine- teen different soils, with manifest advantage. When applied in the twentieth case, the soil is injured by it, and rendered unproductive, because its hidden ingredients were such as to require a fertilizer of a different character. The science of chemistry enables us to analyze a soil, and to determine by this analysis what kind of substan- ces it requires to render it productive. Still, with all the light afforded us by chemistry, there is always some degree of uncertainty in the re- sults of chemical applications to the soil. In the application of guano to the soil there is some danger of injuring the crop, because a great deal of experience and judgment is necessary to de- termine the precise quantity and the precise man- ner in which it should be applied. A still greater amount of judgment, learning and experience is required for prescribing med- icines successfully for different constitutions. Everything that is necessary to be done cannot be laid down in books, but must be left to the judgment of the physician. Consider then the importance of selecting one who has had the ad- vantages of a complete education, to make amends for any natural deficiency of judgment which every man is ' liable to possess. It is evident from these circumstances, that a more compre- hensive intellect is required for the successful practice of medicine, than for the attainment of distinction in the exact sciences. In chemistry it has been ascertained v.ith perfect precision, how much of a certain kind of acid v/ould be re- quired to neutralize a given quantity of a certain alkali ; but no rule of medicine could decide^ how much opium would be required to alleviate a spasm. This must in all cases be determin- ed by the judgment of the physician. The chemist can proceed in all his operations by rule ; the physician, though guided by certain laws, must prescribe, not by rule, but by judgment. It is this circumstance that caus- es so many people to doubt the reality of the whole medical science. We might for the same reasons deny the reality of the science of navi- gation. The best navigator in the Morkl might by some accident, or by some error of calculation, run his vessel ashore and dash her to pieces upon the rocks, while at the same time and place an inferior navigator had carried his vessel into har- bor. Should we on this account ever afterwards employ ignorant navigators to pilot our vessels ? If we did so, we should follow the example of those who, having witnessed certain mistakes in the practice of educated physicians, resolve ever afterwards when thej' are sick, to place themselves in the hands of a quack. Chemistry, to return to our parallel, can meas- ure the exact amount of oxygen that must com- bine with a certain amount of hydrogen, to pro- duce water. Indeed, nearly all its operations are certain and exact. A person, therefore, with a good memory, though possessed of an inferior share of judgment and comparison, might be a good chemist. If fever was the effect of an acid, and this acid could be measured, the physician might cure his patient, on chemical principles, by prescribing a definite portion of alkali. 13 ut the diseases of the human system cannot be managed by a simple rule ; and on account of the different aspects they assume, under different circum- stances, every remedy is uncertain. The phy- sician must watch its effects, and modify his prescriptions according to certain changes in the aspect of the disease. Hence we may account for the remark of Dr. Gregory, a celebrated English physician, that "nine-tenths of the practice of medicine consists of guess-work." Another celebrated man left the practice of physic, giving as a reason for his 48 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. Jam. conduct, that he "was tired of guessing. But it is this very circumstance that elevates the science of medicine above the exact sciences, because it requires the highest exercise of the human intel- lect, while the exact sciences can be attained by a dunce who has a good technical memory. There is such a thing as enlightened "guess work," ■which maybe defined, Ihe exercise of the judgment in applying certain rules to tmce^iain cases. The navigator is obliged to use a great deal of this guess-work ; yet there can be no doubt that an intelligent and well educated navigator, with the aid of science, the compass and the barome- ter, would in the majority of cases guess more accurately than one who was ill educated and without these aids. The effects of a stimulant or narcotic, o^ any other medicine, vary according to the suscepti- bility of the patient to its influence. A frequent and constant use of opium, of ardent spirits or cayenne pepper, may so harden one to their ef- fects, as to enable one who is accustomed to the use of them to bear a dose without any appar- ent effect, which would destroy the life of anoth- er person. "This principle, (says Dr. Paris,) may be illustrated in a clear and forcible manner, by the different sensations which the same tempera- ture will produce under different circumstances. In the road over the Andes, at about half way between the foot and the summit of the moun- tain, there is a cottage, at which the ascending and descending travellers meet. The former, who have just quitted the sultry valleys at the base, are so relaxed, that the sudden diminution of temperature produces in them the feeling of intense cold ; while those who have just left the frozen summits of the mountain, are overcome with the sensation of extreme heat. "But we need not climb the Andes for an il- lustration. If we plunge one hand into a basin of hot water and the other into one of cold water, and then mix the contents of each vessel, and replace both hands into the mixture, we should experience the sensation of heat and cold, at the same time by the same fluid." The hand Avliich had been in the hot water will feel cold, and that which had been in the cold water will feel warm. The physician is ob- liged to take all such circumstances into his cal- culation before he prescribes for his patient ; a little false information given him by the attend- ants may lead to consequences which^ would be attributed to an error of judgment on the part of the physician. The puldic is not generally aware how frequently the reputation of a physician suf- fers, on account of the ignorance, carelessness or stupidity of the attendants of the patient. Our common aliments may in certain states of the constitution act upon one as powerful stimu- lants. In an old volume of Medical Reports is recorded the case of a minor, who after remain- ing eight days without food, was killed by being placed on a warm bed and fed on chicken broth. There is no end to the influences to which we are constantly exposed, that serve to increase or di- minish our susceptibility to the operation of med- icines. All these circumstances involve the prac- tice of physic in so much uncertainty, that the best inteHect must be entirely devoted to the study and practice of it, to insure success. Vol- taii-e, who excelled almost all men in the sagacity of his observations, remarked that "those men who are occupied in the restoration of health to other men, are, when honest, above all the great of the earth. They even partake of divinity. No man is more estimable than a physician, who having studied nature from his youth, knows the properties of the human system, the diseases that assail it, the remedies that will benefit or heal it, who exercises his art loith caution, and pays equal attention to the rich and the poor." WILLAKD'S PATENT SEED PIjAI«"TEB. This machine, the invention of Hosea Willard, Esq., of Vergennes, Vt., and for which letters patent were granted Oct. 6, 18o7, is for planting all Idnds of grain in di'ills or hills, covering and compressing at the same time. The gi-ain is placed in the two cylinder holders, D D. These holders are made to revolve by means of the wheel E. In the inside of each holder is a reel, as seen in fig. 2, which is made to revolve in the opposite direction from the motion of the hold- ers. Each holder is divided into two apartments, one to contain the grain, and the other to contain plaster or any other kind of fertilizer. The ma- chine can be regulated to drop any given number of seeds, or amount of the fertilizer, into each hill, and to make the drills any distance apart that may be desired. The grain is covered by the shoe, as seen in fig. 3, and the drills com- pressed by the rollers, H H. It will be perceived that the coverer is so constructed as to render it impossible for large lumps or stones to get upon the grain. The position of the coverer can be regulated so as to make the drills as much below the surface, and to cover as deep or shallow, as may be desired. The dropping of the seed into each hill bSing directly in sight of the driver, it is impossible for any hill to escape being seeded without being observed by him, which is an ad- vantage over all other machines. The chain, I, is to mark out a track to guide the driver, thus ena- bling him to make the drills all of the same dis- tance apart. As will be seen the machine plants two rows at a time, and as much during a given time as a horse can walk over, from 15 to 25 acres per day. The machine is now on exhibition at the Crys- tal Palace, and commands the attention of agri- culturists in all sections of the country. It is examined by thousands every day. The above Planter is manufactured by the Pa- tentee, at Vergennes, Vt. Price of Planter, $30. Weight of machine, 230 pounds. County and State rights for sale at prices which will enable purchasers to realize very large profits. Apply to IIosEA Willard, Patentee, Vergennes, Vt. l^^In Rockville, Ct., 1300 frogs have been found in a spring only four feet in diameter. 1858, NEW ENGLAND FABMER. 00 U > te NEW ENGLAND FARMER. JAir. For the Aew England Farmer. ■WINTERING BEES. For the benefit of those readers of the Farmer •who may not be acquainted with my method of wintering bees, I Avill give a few directions. First, be sure that you start with none but first-rate stock. With most bee-keepers, success in winter depends alone on this point, as they often neg- lect their bees from fall till spring, and therefore they derive no benefit from any care that they might bestow. The requisites of a good stock are, first, a f:frorig family ; second, sufficient stores ; third, freedom from disease of the brood. Ex- amine the hives on the first really cool mornings. The best stocks Avill show bees in nearly all the spaces between the combs ; very weak ones, only between two or three. The best families cannot be readily frozen to death, but weak ones may, and often are. Strong stocks are often smother- ed by an injudicious endeavor to protect them from the cold. In fact, such can hardly be lost in any other way. To winter bees in the open air, choose a place where the sun can strike the hive, at least part of the day. Ventilate, by raising the hive just enough to let the bees pass, but not the mice. There should also be a hole in the side of the hive, to guard any chance of its getting closed around the bottom. There should also be sever- al holes through the top of the hive, and an emp- ty cap set over it ; much of the moisture arising from the bees will pass up into the cap, and pre- vent mouldy combs. Should the weather be pleasant immediately after a new light snow has fallen, the bees may generally be kept in the hive by shading M'itli a board set before it. If the air is sufficiently warm to melt snow that is old and crusted, or even soften it, there is no risk in let- ting them fly, they will rise as readily from the snow as the ground. There will be some few that are unable to fly, and will get down in either case ; the difference is only in appearance ; when on the snow, every one can be seen readily ; when on the ground, it requires close observation. At aaiy rate, it would be safer to lose half of them on the snow or ground, than to close the hive longer than a few hours at once during winter. WINTERING IN THE HOUSE. If a large number of stocks are to be wintered, second and third rate ones can often be can-ied safely through, that in the open air would be a perfect failure. There can be fifty or more packed m a room ten feet square, the combined warmth probably keeping the temperature above the freez- ing point at all times. The room should be per- fectly dark, and if close, a passage for admitting air at the bottom, and another at the top for its exit, should be made, say two inches square, and so constructed as to exclude the light. A dark, warm, dry cellar, will answer equally well, without the passage for air, unless the bottom is clay or cement. To get rid of the moisture that is constantly generated, the hives should be turned bottom up- ward upon shelves with blocks vmder to raise them an inch from the shelf, the holes in the top being left open to allow free circulation of air. By having several tiers of shelves one above another, a great many may be packed in one room. I have frequently put in two hundred stocks, on three tiers of shelves, in, a room twelve by eighteen feet. A large number in a room is much better than a small one, on account of tho additional warmth generated ; and, if a room can- not be kept uniformly warm by tho number of stocks, or by other means, leaving them out doors is preferable. To avoid keeping them in the house longer than necessary, it is well to let them have the advantage of all the pleasant weather likely to occur before housing. Put them in on the first really severe weather ; tho first snow storm, or, when stire that winter Aas commenced. Let them be disturbed as little as possible. Occa- sionally looking to them, to see that all is right, will not materially injure them. They may be put out the last of March, or first of April ; choose the middle of a fair day, ivhoi the air is ivarm, no matter about the snow being gone, if it has only lain long enough to have a crust. A dozen or fifteen put out at a time, and in two heurs as many more, is better than all at once. This method of wintering bees is not merely theoretical, but the result of many year's experi- ence. With the exception of tMo, over five hun- dred stocks were carried safely through the past winter, under this management. I find there is generally much reluctance to turning the hive over, and nothing to confine the bees. I hav© had letters of inquiry for additional assurance that I meant what I said. When this method is fully tested, I am persuaded it will be preferred to any other. ]M. Quinby, Author of Mysteries of Bee-keepin£ Explained. St. Johnsville, Montgomery Co., N. Y. SUB-SOIL MAPS. From the following, which we clip from th« Country Oentleman, it will be seen that the French Government has employed a Mr. Duman, of Paris, to construct maps exhibiting the character of the sub-soil of the whole of France, to be ac- companied with others of the geographical and geological features of the country. It is due to a citizen of Maryland, who for many years, and entirely at his own cost, has most industriously pursued the investigation of the qualities of the soil and sub-soil, to claim for him the credit of a method to which the French government attach- es so much importance. Professor Baer, of Car- roll Co., some fifteen years ago lectured before the Legislature of Maryland, with maps variously colored, to show the variations in the sub-soil, and has since been pursuing and perfecting his plans, and has now on hand a considerable col- lection of such maps, handsomely executed, and showing to the eye at a glance the character and variation of sub-soils, which have been the sub- jects of his investigations, as well as the remark- able eff'ect upon the growth of plants of a sub- soil containing noxious elements underlying a ge- nial surface soil. Professor Baer pursues the same method in teaching Chemistry, having large maps on which are displayed for instance the whole number of bases and acids, and the pro- portion in which they combine and their degrees of aflfinity indicated in such a way that the learn- er gets the lesson Avith remarkable facility. Sub-soil Maps. — We see it stated that Mr. 1858. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 51 Duman, of Paris, has recently constructed, by or- der of government, a map exhibiting the nature and character of the sub-soil for the whole of France. It is designed to be used with, and to accompany another map descriptive of the geo- graphical and geological features of the surface. The one exhibits with the greatest accuracy, all information pertaining to the surface, while the other reveals what lies immediately below the sui-face, thus affording indications of great value to the agriculturist, and to those searching for minerals or building materials. Similar maps for this country would be of the greatest importance to all who are in any way connected with .the soD^ — Ammcan Farmer. For the New England Fanner, WHITEWASHING TREES. A communication with the aforesaid heading, from Peekskill, N. Y,,was published in the N.E. Farmer of September, w'ith the signature, "C. A. L.," taking exceptions to the editor's views on that subject. "Remarks" were added to the com- munication, stating that "our views are not ma- terially changed by the statements of our corres- pondent." The same number contains an article with the heading, "Never Whitewash Trees." To this "C. A. L.," of "Berkshire," replies in the JV. E. Farmer, (weekly,) of the 24th of October, with no slight exhibition of arrogance and con- ceit, the usual style of defence of such as feel conscious of having a bad cause to defend, seem- ing to forget, that stale witticisms, and personal- ities are poor substitutes for science, or anatomi- cal and physiological facts. Before proceeding to notice his misrepresenta- tions of yourself, Mr. Editor, — for we both alike come under his censure and condemnation, — I desire to call attention to some of his' statements made in the communications referred to : "C. A. L.," September. "You [alluding to the edi- tor] compare the bark of a tree to the skin of an animal, and say that 'their functions are analo- gous.' I acknowledge the an- alogy in one respect, they are both on the outside of t1ie indi- vidual (?) and that is the only resemblance between them. There is no oflSce performed by the bark of a plant or tree which eorresponds with that perform- ed by the skin of animals ; at least no such function has ever been dt'iiionntrated to exist, and it would be very easy to ascer- tain if it absorbed carbonic acid, or gave oflf oxygen. * * * You speak of 'filling the pores of the bark and thus effectually preventing the action of the at- mosphere, and arresting the in- ternal action also.' Now, as the only function of the bark is protection, and to some as a ieposit of fibrin, no such injury 3B11 possibly result from cover- ing Uie outside even with im- penetrable varnish." "C. A. L.," October 24. "Both vegetable and animal bodies are subject to disease, as well as to the attacks of para- sitic animals, and remedies and preventives o r propliylactic measures are just as proper in the former, as in the latter case. Conceding the bark of trees to be endotced tcith as important vital functions as the skin of man, analogy would lead us to the conclusion, that as local ap- plications are efficient remedies in the one, so also they would probably prove to be j'n tlie other. Sulphur, and lime and mercury, which are ^p destruc- tive to human parasites, are no less so than to vegetables ; [i. e. mercury is as sure to destroy ^Ituman parasites' as it is to kill vegetables] and the process of whitewashing is no more un- natural or irrational than ap- plying sulphur or meixurial ointments to the epidermic coat of animals." [Not one whit more so ; and that is enough to condemn whitewashing to eter- nal refutation.^ He says, "Your correspondent seems ignorant of the fact, that the 'stomata' or 'pores' of which he speaks, 0)'e/bM?w:Z chiefly in the epidermic coat of the under surface of the leaves, and rarely found elsewhere." Does he ? The communica- tion referred to has the following language : Drs, CandoUe and Hedwig, celebrated naturalists, de- monstrated, that "the moisture: required by the plant for its nourishment is received through the pores of the bark, of the stem, the branches, the fruit and the roots — no less than tlirongli the sto- mata of the leaves, and the open mouths of the spongioles." So much for the charge of "igno- rance," concerning "stomata" or "pores." He next charges your corresjx'iident with "garbling the language of Schleiden," with refer- ence to the function of the epidermis. This learned German botanist, describing the opuder mis, says, "The cells of this layer are so tirmly imited that it may generally be stripped off the plant as a continuous membrane. It becomes clothed sooner or later with a layer of varying thickness, of a homogeneous substance, which receives beside, a thin coating of Avax or resin ; thus the enveloping membrane becomes impene- trable by fluids, and even repels them, since water runs ofi' it as from a greasy substance. In cer^ tain places, however, [let the reader take partic- ular notice,] little orifices are left between the cells leading into the interior of the plant. "In these orifices usually lie two crescerit-shaped cells, having their concave sides applied together, so as to leave a slit open between them, hut other- wise closing %ip the orifice. Tliese slits, through which the plant communicates with the atmosphere^ and expires gases and watery vapor, are opened wider, or contracted, as inaybe required. The or- ifices with crescentic cells are called siomates, aiid the ichole layer in ichich they occur is the epider- mis of the plant." (PL 1, Fig. 12.) See Poetry of the Vegetable World, Edited by Alphonso Wood, author of the "Class-Book of Botany ;" — from the London edition, translated by A. Henfrey, F. L. S.— pp. 60-1. As will be seen by comparison, "C. A. L." quotes from a paragraph marked by four periods. He copies the first, omits the second, copies the third, and omits the fourth. The paragraph is given entire above, in order that the reader may have the words of Schleiden on this suljject, en- tire, as given by the translator, and settle the question as to the "guilt of garbling." "This writer," says"C. A. L.," meaning Schleiden, "rep- resents the function of the stomata to be, to evaporate the su])erfluous water absorbed by the spongioles." Indeed ! How does it thus appear ? The word spongiole is not mentioned by S. iu connection with the function of the epidermis. And moreover, he admits here, what, in another part of his communication as quoted, he says, "Your correspondent seems ignorant that the 'stomata' )r 'pores,' of which he speaks, are found chiefly in the epidermic coat of the under surface of the leaves, and are rarely found else- where." Notwithstanding the charge of this "seeming ignorance," before finishing the para- graph, he quotes S. to prove that the functions of the epidermis is performed through stomata. "Stomata," says a French botanist, "exist in a more or less distinct manner in all the foliaceous surfaces of vascular plants — viz. : in the leaves, properly so called, in the stipules, in the green bark, in the calyx and pericarps which are not fleshy." In summing up on this subject, the aforesaid writer says, — "Ist, that the customary use of the stomata is for perspiring water, which must be distinguished from simple evaporation ; 52 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. Jan. 2nd, that it is not impossible that they'may also serve, in some cases, for absorption ; 3d, that it is equally possible that they absorb water during the night." Prof. Gray says, "Stomata or breathing-pores are orifices connected with a peculiar structure in the epidermis of leaves, and otlier green parts," "Through these," he remarks, "the vapor of wa- ter and air can freely escape, or enter, as the case may be. The apple tree leaf, where they are un- der the average as to number, contains about 24,- 000 stomata to the square inch of its lower sur- face." "The experiment alluded to, of placing a dried, shrunk and shrivelled plant in water, and its imbibing moisture, proves nothing in regard to the vital iunction of the epidermis of the bark of trees," says C. A. L. ; "it is a phenomenon of jnire- ly physical endosmose." Strange that so learned a 2:)hysiologist should have adduced this as a case in point. That absorption, as well as exhalation, is performed by the leaves [if by the stomata of the leaves, then why not of the bark ?] of plants, is known to every farmer who has observed (lie ef- fects of a heavy dew in reviving his wilted corn, but few are so stiq^id as to imagine that this ef- fect has been produced by absorption from the stalks!" (??) The incongruities of this question are its best refutation. Endosmose, as defined by Webster, signifies "The transmission of gaseous matter or vapors through membranes or porous substances inward." "Purely jyhysical [not metaphysical !] endosmose is a phenomenon" that fully demonstrates and confirms the porosity of plants, according to C. A. L.'s own showing. So he confirms Drs. Oan- doUe and Hedwig's experiment by endeavoring to overthrow it. Hales, in his "Vegetable Staticks," gives among his numerous experiments the following : "I took a cylinder of birch, ['impenetrable to the air,' says C. A. L.] with the bark on, 16 inches long and | inch diameter, covered both ends Avith cement ; also the old eyes where shoots had been cut off ; and by the aid of the air-pump demon- strated that the air passed through the bark. The same was proved true of other kinds of wood." Dr. Grew, a botanist, observes that "the pores are so large in the trunks of plants, as in the better sort of thick walking canes, ihey are visi- ble to a good e5"e without a glass ; but with a glass the cane seems as if it were stuck top-full of holes, with great pins, being so large as very well to resemble the pores of the skin in the end of the fingers and ball of the hand. In the leaves of pine they are likewise, through a glass, a very elegant show, standing almost exactly in rank and file through the length of the leaves." (Grew's Anatomy of Plants, p. 127.) More authority bearing on the point under consideration, of the highest order, from Ger- many, France, and England, might be furnished, but what has been cited is deemed sufficient to establish the porous texture of the epidermis, or to show that it has stomata. This, moreover, is admitted by "C. A. L.," who, nevertheless, says in another place, "L. W." must not expect me nor yotir readers to receive his ipse dixit as to the functions of the epidermis, uiiless supported by some acknowledged authority ; nor must he ex- pect to escape by locating stomata or pores in t?ie hark, instead of the leaves, and then applpng to the former what is designed for the latter." This was no assertion of L. W., as the reader may set- by referring to his article on page 438 of the Sep- tember number of N. E. Farmer. It was there shown to be the doctrine of Drs. Candolle, Hed- wig and Schleiden. So it was not "a tyro's" ip- se dixit, and may give further occasion to show that a "tyro" cannot overthrow it, though he tug never so hard ; and, when by study he comes to know really, as much as he would receive credit for now, he will not attempt it, for such folly could only be equalled by offering his head for a battering-ram ; for facts serve as a more impene- trable wall of defence than any which encircled the besieged cities of olden time. "L. W. would admit 'a little soap.' What! close the 'pores' with this viscid substance, which it is far more likely to do, than whitewash ; and then how unnatural to wash trees with soap and water, as if they were dirty babies or coal-heav- ers !" Is it the tendency of the application of soap to "babies and coal-heavers" to stop the pores of the skin ? If so, then it may have a similar eff'ect upon the epidermis of trees when applied. L. W., by the way, did not recommend the use of soap. Having further demonstrated the function of the bark, it goes further to confirm your position, ]\Ir. Editor, together with that of your corres- pondent, that orchardists should never whitewash their fruit trees. Your correspondent "L. W.," on page 430 of N. E. Farmer, Vol. 9., remarked in the first paragraph, that, "The orchardist should avoid all sorts of washes that leave a coating upon the bark, no matter what they are, nor what is claimed for them by charlatans or empirics." In the last, he says, "Dr. Harris and Mr. J. Buel may, in former times, have recommended whitewashing, but it was with reference to destroying insects, without reflecting upon the injury done the trees, or, perhaps, if so, in view of two evils, choose the less." In reply to these remarks, "C. A. L." says, "I hold that it is not empiricism to advocate the utility of whitewashing trees ; L. W. may call the late Mr, Downing, Judge Buel, Dr. Harris, Dr. Fitch, &:c., 'charlatans' for favoring this prac- tice, but the reader will be at no great loss in de- termining who best deserves this title." As the question from L. W. fully exonerates him from the charge of his accuser, he entirely concurs in the concluding remark, that the reader will be at no great loss in deciding who deserves, nor in discovermg who really wears "the title ;" for "by their fruits shall ye know them." To check the increase of bark -lice, Dr. Harris enumerates the following remedies : birds, inter- nal parasites, minute ichneumon flies, wliitewash, potash, or a pickle of salt and water. A. J. Downing says, "The best wash for the stems and branches of fruit trees, is made by dis- solving two jrounds of potash in two gallons of water. This is applied with a brush — one, and at most, two applications, will rid the stem of trees of the bark-louse, and render it smooth and glossy. It is far more efficacious than white- washing, as a preservative against the attacks of insects, while it promotes the growth of the tree, and adds to the natural, lively color of the bark.** 1858. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. So much for the condemnation of whitewashing, which gives the trees a repulsive appearance, very unlike that described by Downing. Dr. Fitch remarking on the remedies for bark- lice, says, "infusion of quassia, tobacco or soap- suds will destroy newly-hatched lice. These and strong lye, potash-water, whitewash, dry ashes, sulphur, and I know not how many more articles, have been recommended by different writers. The Michigan Farmer gives a favorable account of the effects of tar and linseed oil beat together and applied warm with a brush, before the buds begin to expand in the spring. The remedy of Esq. Kimball, of Kenosha, is probably one of the most efficacious, and convenient of any ; he boils leaf tobacco in strong lye, till it is reduced to an impalpable pulp — and then mixes it with soap, and applies it with a brush." Dr. Fitch does not seem to recommend whitewashing. These are some of the remedies for the de- struction of bark-lice, both natural, as birds and insects, and artificial as the various washes. Only one of these writers directly recommends white- washing. With all due deference to the opinion of the late Dr. Harris, the whitewashing of fruit trees is becoming unpopular, and will soon be reckoned among the things that were. This is a cheering indication — one, among others, tending to show that improvement is going forth in what pertains to both agriculture and horticulture. Before planting fruit trees, prepare the soil well by deep -and thorough tillage — manure well, select good, healthful trees for transplanting — put lime into the soil, — but do not on the trees, — and with due care and attention, with the ap- plication of some simple, harmless wash, like Eure water, your trees will grow, flourish and ear fruit in due time. L. W. MAKE THE MANURE. Now is the favorable time. The stock has done roaming in the pastures, is sheltered at night, and perhaps during the day, or is allowed, at most, only a part of the pleasant weather in the open yard. At any rate, it is so compact as to bring its droppings into a comparatively small space, where they can be easily collected and in- corporated with other matter. How it shall best be kept from waste is a question of importance. We cannot all have barn cellars just as we wish, nor all the materials we may like, to mingle with the fresh droppings. But much may be done to prevent waste when we have become ful- ly convinced that there is a depreciation in manure when it is neglected, and consequently a money loss to its owner. To those who do not believe in loss by evaporation or drenching, our words are but idle utterings — but to those who enter- tain that belief, a few suggestions may be profita- ble. There is no substance within our knowledge wliich is cheap and abundant, that will absorb and save the liquid portions of manure, and pre- vent the escape of ammonia, like the muck which is found all over New England, in swamps, mead- ows, and even in many valleys and uplands. When it has undergone fermentation, it greatly resembles pure cow dung, and the best of it is nearly as valuable as the cow dung itself. Most of our farmers have access to this, and we will therefore speak of it first. Where there are trenches behind the cattle when tied up, it is g, good plan to scatter dry muck two or three inches deep, so that it may receive the droppings while they are warm : in this way the muck takes up nearly all the fluid parts, and retains them until the whole is passed thi'ough the opening into the cellar, when the process of "cleaning out" mingles the mass more intimately. This, however, is not enough, — for when a considerable heap has been accumulated below, if nothing more is done, drainage and evaporation both take place ; the gaseous parts speeding their way upwards, and the fluid soak- ing into the sand or gravel, which compose the bottom of the cellar, or flowing down some channel which they make, perhaps, by their own specific gravity. Near by the dung-heap there should be a pile of dry and finely pulverized muck, and as often as every other day the droppings should be level- ed a little, and then covered to the depth of an inch with muck. When this is carefully done, there will be little or no flavor from the stalls where the cattle are tied, or from the heaps them- selves,— a pretty convincing evidence that there is no fermentation going on and no waste by evaporation. The eye must detect whether there is any loss by leaking or drainage. If there should be, a more liberal quantity of the muck must be supplied. Under this treatment the manure heap will be kept compact and neat, nearly all its valuable properties i-etained, and when removed, will pre- sent a black, exceedingly rich and unctuous paste, that may be cut through with the shovel with ease. In this condition, if one-half of the mass is muck, we have no doubt the whole will be worth more per cord than an equal amount of the clear droppings under the ordinary neglect which it suff"ers. If muck is not convenient, or cannot be ob- tained, use loam, or even pure sand. Good muck, then, demands our first attention, but as all cannot well obtain it, they may avail themselves of other things worthy of especial at- tention. Dried Leaves are excellent, as they are not only valuable as an ingredient for manure, but serve an important purpose as litter or bed- ding for stock. They may be gathered on many farms at little expense, and will amply repay the cost of collecting and using them. Sawdust is another article extensively used, and where horses are kept that are not at work, 64 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. Jak. a coat of this applied once or twice a day, and allowed to remain for weeks or months without disturbing the heap, will prove highly valuable. Much labor of cleaning out will be s?ived, and the horse will thrive better and his feet keep in a healthier condition than if standing on the dry, hard floor. Spent tan is another article, and, if fine and old, will answer a better purpose than nothing. But there are some farms where none of these can be cheaply obtained in quantity, and in such cases they have but one material to which they can resort, and that is the common loam of their fields. Where this is the case, we would recom- mend the same use of it as we have suggested for the meadow mud. On nearly every farm loam may be collected from the side of walls where it has been turned by frequent plo-nangs and left in excess, becoming rather an injury to the farm than a benefit, by encouraging the growth of bushes or rank weeds ; or it may be taken from balks or badly managed headlands, or in rich places in pastures or by the roadside. Men who are atten- tive to the acquisition of manure, this vital inter- est of the farm, will find a deposit somewhere, which will enable them to increase their winter heaps, and consequently their annual crops. We cannot suggest anything to the farmer ■which will be of so much real service to him, as to induce him, if we can, to give more attention to the saving and increasing his stock of manures. EXTRACTS AND REPLIES. HAY CAPS. Wishing to procure some hay-caps for another summer, I would like to inquire whether those made without any paint answer as good purpose ? Will those who have given them a fair trial, state the result, with any other suggestions from their own experience, which may occur, as likely to benefit a tyro ? Wm. F. Bassett. AshJieM, Bee, 1857. Re:maeks. — We have used hapcaps for several years, and have no more doubt about the econo- my of such use than we have about the economy of cutting the grass after it is grown, or of cock ing it after it is cut. The abuse which has been heaped upon tlie use of hay-caps is like that be- stowed upon keeping manure under cover, or of gradual deep plowing, and springs from those miserable prejudices which some cling to as to life itself. Some of these persons stoutly aver that a piece of cotton cloth is no sort of protec- tion to hay, that it will become wet through in a few moments, and yet they may be seen plodding about Avith an old cotton umbrella over them for hours together, with their heads as innocent of rain as they are of fairness and observation. There are few men but have had an opportunity of seeing the effects of hay-caps with their ovm eyes, if they would but open them and look. A set of thirty hay-caps will more than pay for themselves in a single summer such as the last was, on a farm where twenty tons of hay is cut- An excellent hay-cap may be made oi fow yards of twilled cotton cloth, a yard wide, by sewing two breadths together, which will give a cap six feet square, and that is sufficiently large to be handled comfortably. They should be well hemmed, and each corner turned over about one inch and sewed down ; into these twine should be tied to form loops for the pegs. The pegs may be made of Avhite pine, and should be at least fifteen inches long, and whittled out smooth and sharp at one end. Such caps need no paint, and when placed on a cock of hay that is made up tall and peaked at the top, and the side well raked down, will al- most entirely protect it from a rain-storm of three or four days ; and we have known hay and grain kept quite dry with such a cap, when the storm had continued for sev^n days ! We have little sympathy with those who rail against the introduction of everything brought upon the farm, that was not there fifty years ago ; but we have considerable for the animals under their care who are to subsist upon their fodder. "I object !" seems to be as natural to some per- sons as the breath of their nostrils ; they do not stop to investigate, but as iheyfeel like objecting, out it comes, "I object !" Well, every weed, however useless it may seem to us, undoubtedly has its use, and serves some good purpose, though it may be hidden from our view — and these objectors may stand in the same category — so we will try to believe that some valuable lesson may be drawn from their objections, and exert ourselves to find out vvhat it is. We hope the arguments against the use of hay- caps will be urged upon our correspondent, as well as those in favor of them. FEEDING STOCK. Will you inform me of the best method of keeping stock during the winter? I find that people diff'er in the number of times it should be fed daily ; some feeding only three times, while others feed five and six times. J. L. B. Royalston, Nov., 1857. Remarks. — In order to use hay of inferior quality, we use a little grain of some kind, cob- meal, oat-meal, cotton-seed meal or shorts, mix- ed with the cut hay, and then wc feed only three times each day. AVhen long hay is fed out, the cattle receive it early in the morning, small fod- derings at a time, and as much as they will eat readily for the space of an hour and a half, and 1858. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 55 go again at noon and at night. In this way the cattle are kept grinding some five hours. We have no doubt that it is an economical plan to cut the hay, and that twenty dollars' worth of hay and five dollars' worth of meal of some kind, are worth considerable more than twenty-five dollars' worth of hay alone. Perhaps some gentleman with more accurate information than we possess, will give facts in re- lation to the matter. BAKE THE UNDER CRUST. Pies are rendered unhealthy and indigestible, frequently, because the under pastry is not baked enough. The under crust may be fii-st baked. The pastry for the bottom of the pie may be put into the pie or baking plate, and after it is baked, the contents of a pie can be put in and baked ; or after the pie is baked, in the usual mode, if the under paste is unbaked, the pie can be re- moved from its platter and placed upon a pa- per within the oven again. Iron baking platters, with handles to them, would be economical and convenient for putting into and removing pies from the oven. • P. COVERING FOR FLAT-ROOFED HOUSES. A subscriber wishes to knoAV what is the best and cheapest material for covering flat-roofed houses. Will somebody tell him through our columns ? ELDERBERRY WINE. Friend Brown : — Will you accept a sample of Elderberry Wine, which was furnished me particularly for you ? It was made by Enoch Ban- croft, of Granville, three years since. Francis Brewer. Sprincifield, Mass., 1857. Rejiarks. — Yes, sir, and drink your health in it too. It is excellent wine, and must be a fine cordial for the sick. OUR NEW YEAR'S DRESS. We suppose most of our readers will notice and admire the handsome new dress which the Farmer has put on ; but 'f they no not, it is not etrange, for our old suit was scarcely half worn out. We at first feared we might be thought a lit- tle extravagant, considering the hard times, and the respectable condition of t*he old suit ; but it is a pity that any of our subscribers should be left in doubt and perplexity as to the cause of the clear, sharp and beautiful impression of our type, and the generally improved appearance of our journal, and we have therefore concluded to confess the truth, and thi'ow ourselves upon oar readers' indulgence, if they think we pay too much regard to appearances. We are aware that every body despises the empty-headed fop, but then we believe all sensible people admit that a neat, simple and elegant style of dress always be- comes a man of solid sense. (This, of course, by way of extenuation, and not of "brag.") Our outfit is from the Boston Type Foundi-y, John K. Rogers & Co., Proprietors, and we think it does great credit to that establishment. The Hubbard Squash. — We have received from Mr. Gregory, of Marblehead, two of these squashes of his raising ; but as we had raised sev- eral from seed he sent us, we passed these two in- to other hands. One gentleman reports that "he never knew what the best squash was before." Others, who tried them, say they excel in flavor and in the fineness of the flesh, any squash they had ever tasted. This is our own opinion. Mr. Gregory has advertised some of the seed as for sale. See another column. He raised them at the rate of Jive and a half tons of marketable squashes per acre. BOYS' DEPARTMENT. TRUE MANLINESS. Children are very apt to suppose, that what is manly or womanly can be cut out of cloth or leather; in other woi'ds, that clothes, made in the fashion of those worn by men and women, will give some additional consequence to the young Avho wear them. I know a very little boy, who took great satisfaction in having loops sewed to his socks, so that he might draw them on as boots are drawn ; and the eargerness so commonly dis- played by children still young, to assume the coat, the cravat, boots, etc., is hardly less childish. — Thus they show their childishness in their attempts to be manly. This, however, would be a matter of very little consequence, if they were not apt to lose sight, in this way, of the essential attributes of manli- ness. To be manly is to "dare to do," not to ivear, "all that may become a man." I will give you my idea of what it is for a boy to be manly, by two or three illustrations. A boy of six years old was required by his fa- ther to bring the cows home every night. One dark, rainy evening, in the autumn, just as the family had settled themselves to their accustomed occupations, about a bright, cheerful fire, the fa- ther asked : "Did you bring the cows home, my son ?" "Yes, father," he replied ; adding, after a mo- ment's hesitation, "but I did not put up the bars." "Then go directly back again and put them up." It was manly in this boy to confess his omis- sion, at the expense, which he foresaw, of a dis- mal trudge through the rain and darkness to re- pair it. I know another boy, of nine years , old, who inountod one day in his father's yard a very spir- iied horse, and was thrown almost immediately. His father stood by looking through a window, but did not interfere, when he saw his son pre- paring to amount a second time, lie was thrown a second time. "Thrown again, my boy ?" he exclaimed. 56 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. Jan. "Yes, sir ; but I'll conquer him yet." A third time the boy mounted, and then made good his word, the horse yielding to him com- pletely. This was a manly boy. Of another, twelve years old, it was told me, that being at a large school in one of our cities, he was visited in his room by two young men, half-a-dozen years older than himself, who used very profane language. After hearing for some time what was highly offensive to him, he said, "Gentlemen must be so good as to abstain from this language, or leave the room." They sub- mitted to the rebuke and remained. This was a still higher kind of manliness. It was true of another boy, not so old as this, ■who had long been afflicted with a diseased and helpless leg, that being told, one Sabbath morn- ing, of the surgeon's decision to amputate it, he said, "Then I will have it done immediately, be- fore mother comes home from church, that she need not know anything about it ;" and it was done immediately. If you consider these as fair illustrations of my subject, you will admit that the manliness ex- hibited by these boys could in no case have been enhanced by any fashion of garments. I beg you to observe, that the terms, man and woman, manly and womanly, in their proper and full import, convey far more than those of gen- tleman and lady, gentlemanly and ladylike. A true man and a true woman will be gentlemanly and ladylike, and a great deal more besides. — There are men, and there are so-called gentlemen, who have little or nothing that is manly about them. MOBAL TONE OP A SCHOOL. The Rev. J. P. Norris, Queen Victoria's Inspec- tor of Schools, on the moral tone of a school, says : — "The value of a school, after all, does not depend on the branches of learning that are stu- died in it — no, nor upon the life that is lived in it. Unhappily for many of those who write and speak about education, this is a truth of which the full force can be comprehended by none but those who are spending days and years of their lives witliin the four walls of a school. Once in a report ad- dressed to your lordships I endeavored to explain to teachers what I meant when I spoke to them of the moral tone of their schools. Six years have passed since that Report was written, and I can- not say that I find it easier now than I did then to define exactly wherein this most subtle quality of the school resides. But this I know, that the longer one lives in a school, or rather, the more one's life is spent in passing through a great va- riety of schools, the more sensitive one becomes to this their most important characteristic. Spend an hour or two in one school, and you feel all the while as a man fells who is confronted for some time with a bad countenance. Go into another, and all is right and liealthy again, and even be- fore you inquire what branches of education are taught you are convinced that it cannot but be well for children to spend their days in so bright and wholesome an atmosphere. Whatever be the value or direction of the intellectual teaching, there is heart and love and healthy moral influ- ence at work, and therein lies the real education Qu which the after-man and after-woman depends. It is surely this that Milton had in view when he said that the end of education was "to repair the ruins of our first parents, by regaining to know God aright, and out of that knowledge to love him, to imitate him, to be like him." LADIES' DEPARTMENT. DOMESTIC RECEIPTS. AViscoNSiN Fruit-Cake. — Three-quarters of a pound of raw salt fat pork, chopped very fine ; then pour on a pint of boiling water, one cup of sugar, two of molasses, two teaspoonfuls of cloves, one of cinnamon, one nutmeg, two tea- spoons of saleratus, one pound and a half of raisins, also a citron and currants if liked, and flour as stiff as can be stirred ; bake very slowly an hour, or longer if necessary, as it will burn without great care. This will make three loaves, and will keep well. Ginger Snaps. — Two cups of molasses, one of lai'd, a tablespoon of ginger, a tablespoon of saleratus, dissolved in as little hot water as pos- sible ; flour ; roll very thin. Soda* Jelly-Cake (delicious.) — One teacup of sweet cream, two of sugar, two eggs, half a tea- spoon of soda, one of cream of tartar stirred in the flour ; flour to the consistence of butter cakes ; bake immediately. Tea-Cakes. — One cup of butter, two of sugar; beat together ; one cup of sour milk or water, a teaspoonful of saleratus ; spice with nutmeg or caraway ; flour to roll out ; mix as soft as pos- sible. Sago Pudding. — Wash a teacupful of sago ; put it in your pudding dish, and pour on a quart of boiling water, stirring all the time ; put in a little salt and a tablespoon of sugar. The longer it stands thus before baking, the bettei*. Bake slowly an hour. Eaten with sugar and butter stirred together. For a Burn. — Raw cotton, flour and sweet oil, applied immediately, is the best remedy I ever saw tried. Rub on the flour first, then the oil, and lastly bind a quantity of cotton. — Qodey's Lady's Book. Onions. — I perceive that Senator Hale objects to onions on account of the unpleasant odor which they communicate to the breath. If he will swallow a little vinegar after eating, it will remove the cause of his objection. What is much better in this case, is a few kernels of burnt coffee, taken immediately after eating. It will effectually rerhedy the evil spoken of. — Gran- ate State Farmer. To Keep Part of a Bottle of Porter or Ale Brisk. — Put in the cork firmly, and set the cork end downwards, in a tumbler, or other ves- sel, nearly full of water. Delicate Cake. — Stir to a cream a pound of powdered white sugar, seven ounces of butter ; then add the whites of sixteen eggs, beaten to a stiff froth, half a nutmeg, or a teaspoonful of rose-water, or lemon ; stir in gradually a pound of sifted flour ; bake the cake immediately ; the yolks can be used for custards. DEVOTED TO AGRICULTURE AND ITS KIISTDRED ARTS AND SCIENCES. VOL. X. BOSTON, FEBRUARY, 1858. NO. 2. JOEL NOURSE, Froprietor. 0FricE...13 Commercial St. SIMON BROWN, EDITOR. FRED'K HOLBROOK, ) Associate HENRY F. FRENCH, \ Editors. FEBRUARY. "When the days begin to lengthen, Then the cold becins to strengthen." jEBRUARlus was giv- en as a name to the second month in the Roman Calen- dar, from Februa, a festival ■which oc- curred in this month, in which sacrifices were offered to the manes of the departed. Those who participated in this fes- tival were called Februati, or purified, and were .supposed to be purified from the sins which they had committed during the previous year. The Sun has now made considerable progress in his return from the tropic of Capricorn, the limit of his southern declination, and consequently the days have be- come proportionably longer. Yet we often have the coldest days of winter in February. The snow and ice have accumulated in the northern regions. The waters of the ocean have become cooled down to the lowest point. The currents of the atmosphere, in passing over these regions, are deprived of the caloric which they bore from the regions of the south, and reach the eastern shores of our continent loaded with sharp parti- cles of frozen vapor, which penetrate the warm- est clothing, and pierce to the very bones. This region is "The armory of Winter, where his troops, The gloomy clouds, find weapons, arrowy sleet, Skin-piercing volley, blossom-bruising hail, And snow,, tha t often blinds the traveller's course. And wraps him in an unexpected tomb." February is the month of winds and drifting snows. The snow is borne bv the winds from the hills and level plains, and heaped in deep masses in the valleys and highways, by the fences and walls, and in the deep cuttings of the rail- ways. "From the bellowing east, In this dire season of the whirlwind's wing, Sweeps up the burden of whole wintry plains At one wide waft, and o'er the hapless flocks, Hid in the hollow of two neighboring hills. The billowy tempest whelms ; till upward urged, The valley to a shiny mountain swells, Tipped n-ith a wreath high curling to the sky." This description sheds light rather upon Eng-- lish modes of farming than ours, for the "whirl- wind's wing" would rarely "sv.'eep up the burden of whole wintry plains," on our "hapless flocks," for they are not trusted in "the hollow of two neighboring hills," at this inclement seasoix. We find warm barns economical, and cannot afford to do without them. And now comes the labor of breaking out the roads and removing the obstructions iji, the way of the traveller. This is often vervsevere work, and has to be repeated sometimes every day in certain places. But the snow plow, the shovel and the patient ox do their work. They never give over till it is accomplished., "We have often been surprised to see how soon the highways in New England, when filled to a.level with the walls, are rendered passable, and.haw soon the rail cars are again M'hizzing on the track that was buried many feet under hard driven snows. The snow shoes which bore the aborigines and our fore- fathers over the patliless fields and through the forests, are now rarely seen. Now the gaily painted sleigh is out, and the merry bells are heard in every direction. The people at this season have become accustomed to the cold, and wrapped in woollens and furs, they defy its pow- er, and fearlessly face the cutting winds and driv- ing snows. Now that the days arc longer, the farmers are- hauling home their year's stock of firewood, and the timber for rails and posts, and the boiu'd logs 68 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. Feb. to the mill. The prudent farmer has cut the wood and piled it in the woods in December and the early part of January, before the snow became so deep as to impede his labor. Get up a good pile, brothers, an ample supply, so that you may have dry wood all the year, and cut and split and pile it up neatly, as soon as the sledding fails in March. This is one of the hardest tasks which our climate demands of us. But it must be done. See that it is done in season, for there is no - on- omy in burning green wood. How much more happy and comfortable the good wife feels, than when she has to burn green, snowy wood, and spend half her time tucking under chips and scrawls, and puffing away with the bellows in the Tain attempt to coax it into a flame. If you -'ssvould have a sweet-tempered wife, and one who -will aid you with a hearty good will, never com- ^pel her to use green wood, and be careful, too, that it is well split. Many farmers contend that ■wood will go farther in large clefts. But this arises generally, we apprehend, from an indispo- sition to make it smaller. Large wood, in these days- of cooking stoves, is an abomination to the ■women. It will do to burn a part of it large in cold weather or in the open fire-place. But in warm weather it should be split fine, that it may kindle quick and make a quick fire. This will not only make the wife pleasant, but will save wood enough to pay for the extra labor of pre- paring it. The teeming cows and ewes now want a little extra attention. A few nubbins of corn, or a mess of roots daily, will keep them in good health and spirits. Take special care that they are kept •warm and well protected from the driving winds. Never permit them to strain themselves by wal- lowing through the snow drifts. In short, a proper attention to them now will be amply re- paid by the better condition of both themselves and their offspring. Candlemas day occurs on the 22d of this month, and we trust you remember the destich, "Candlemas day, Half your meat and half your hay." These old rhymes and saws often contain a wholesome truth packed into a small compass, like a meat in a nut-shell. This, we think, is one of that sort. How is it, brother farmers ? Is half your winter's store yet unexpended ? If so, we trust that both your families and your stock will come out in the spring hale and heariy, pre- pared to resume with renewed energy the labors of the year. The Farmers of Wisconsin in a Tight Place. — One of the plans for building railroads in Wisconsin, has been to induce the farmers along the route of a road to be built, to mortgage their farms to the railroad company, and then the com- pany sells the mortgages to raise the money, guar- anteeing to pay the interest and the amount of the mortgage when due. It is said that from 2000 to 3000 farms arc thus mortgaged to railroads in Wisconsin ; that the railroads cannot pay, and to release their farms will strip nine-tenths of them of the hard earnings of many years. THE OWNER OF THE SOIL. The man who stands upon his ovv^n soil, who feels that by the laws of the land in which he lives — by the law of civilized nations — he is the rightful and exclusive owner of the land he tills, is by the constitution of our nature under a wholesome influence not easily imbibed by any other source. He feels, other things being equal, more strongly than another, the character of a man as the lord of the inanimate world. Of this great and wonderful sphere which, fashioned by the hand of God, and upheld by His power, is rolling through the heavens, a part is his — ^liis from the centre to the sky. It is the space on which the generations before moved in its round of duties, and he feels himself connected by a link with those who follow him, and to Avhom he is to transmit a home. Perhaps a farm has come down to him from his fathers. They have gone to their last home ! but he can trace their foot- steps over the scenes of his daily labors. The roof which shelters him was reared by those to whom he owes his being. Some interesting do- mestic tradition is connected with every enclo- sure. The favorite fruit tree was planted by his father's hand. He sported in boyhood beside the brook which still winds through the mead- ow. Through the field lies the path to the vil- lage school of earlier days. He still hears from the window the voice of the Sabbath bell which called his father to the house of God ; and near at hand is the spot where his parents laid down to rest, and v.here, when his time has come, he shall be laid by his children. These are the feel- ings of the owner of the soil. ^J'^ords cannot paint them ; they flow out of the deepest foun- tains of the heart ; they are the life-spring of a fresh, healthy and generous national character. — Edward Everett. For tlie New England Farmer. INDIAN" CORN. When Father Allen, of P., reported more than one hundred bushels of Indian corn grown to the acre in Plymouth county, I thought there must be some humbuggery about the statement, be- cause our best lands never yield this amount, ac- tual measure. On inquiry, I learned that 15 pounds of green ears were reckoned to make one bushel. Now, instead of 7o pounds. So jiounds is assumed to make a bushel. Adopting this es- timate, the Supervisor of the County reports many acres as exceeding one hundred bushels each, and one acre as high as 123^ bushels. Can it be that such crops are grown on the shallow soil of the Cape ? If so, they understand better how to manage their lands, than do the farmers of the interior. I should like to see some of their crops in the field. P. Dec. 5th, 18,57. 1858. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 59 GBEEN" CROPS FOR MANURE. I am much gratified to notice the iuci-cascd at- tention which is being accorded by farmers gen- erall}' to this subject. Every one, in fact, who examines this subject attentively, must be speed- ily convinced of its utility, especially when turned in as an enrichment of exhausted soils. There is obviously no method of Avhich the agriculturist can economize more, or more rapidly increase the fertility of the soil, than by turning in, as a dress- ing, such crops as derive a portion of their ali- ment from the air. No matter how impoverished or sterile the soil, he may, by a judicious and per- sistent pursuit of this means of amelioration, ea- sily make it rich. There are many plants well adapted to this purpose, among which are millet, buckwheat, peas and clover, all of which are high- ly valuable, operating both mechanically and chemically, by their decomposition upon the soil, especially when containing much acid. But it may not be improper here to remark that in making choice of crops to be turned in, we shonld invariablj' give preference to such as derive at least a portion of their pabulum from the air. The vegetables enumerated above, are all of this class, and consequently take much less from the staple of the soil, than those which are of course less adapted to this use. Of these buckwheat and clover are perhaps the most valu- able— the haulm being more vigorous, and at the same time much more succulent, and yielding much more readily to the laws of chemical affin- ity when inhumed beneath the soil. There is al so another cause of preference, particularly in the case of buckwheat, the crisp nature of its stalk contributing greatly to the facility of turning it down, especially where the roller is used to pre- cede the plow. On very poor land, buckwheat may be grown with better success, perhaps, than any other grain crop, and will produce a more abundant yield, both of haulm and grain. NVhcn sowed to be turned in — unless the soil is calcare- ous to a degree rendering it ininecessary, the application of quick lime before turning in the wheat will be of great benefit. From two to three casks will ordinarily suffice for an acre ; but if the ameliorating process is designed to prepare the land for the production of crops be- longing to the order of lime plants, and which require a large amount of this mineral for their successful development, treble and even quadru- ple the above quantity may be economically ap- plied. It is not of essential consequence whether the application precedes the turning down of the crop, as is accorded subsequently, the principal object being to supply an important constitution- al deficiency to the interests of the operator by limiting the acreable product of the crop. Clover is preferred by many to all other crops for this purpose, and, taking all things in consid- eration, it is, perhaps, not easy to say where pref- erence should rest. The quantity of soluble mat- ter contained in the clover plant, when arrived at the period of inflorescence, is unquestionably large, — larger, probably than in most other plants. Its roots, also, when mature, are large and suc- culent, and contribute very materially to the fer- tilizing effects of the crop when turned down at maturity ; but it will be seen that where a speedy amelioration is required, the plants do not com- monly have time to attain thvir maximum devel- opment, and every one is aware that in its youth- ful state, the clover plant contains a far largei quantity of fluid tlian of solid matter. Millet, if sowed broadcast, will probably produce a great- er quantity of readily soluble matters, than either clover or buckVheat. But whether its fertilizing action upon the soil is so great* is a question that remains to be decided. One thing, however, may be relied on as certain. Any plant produced by the soil, will if turned in by the plow contribute more or less to its enrichment. The families of the puccus, and even the comparatively worthless cryptogamous vegetation, which is produced par- asitically on rocks and in boggy swamps, have been ascertained to possess principles favorable to vegetable development, and when reduced by putrefaction, of aiding, very essentially, the phe- nomena of vegetable life. Nothing, in short, is worthless in the great laboratory of nature, and it is there over the crucible and the alembic, that we receive these important lessons which so ma- terially assist us in the numerous and multiform duties of prt^tical life. Here Ave discover the adaptation of means to ends, and become famil- iarized to the operative principles and laws with which we were before perfectly unacquainted, and scarcely deemed to exist. — Oermaniown Tele- graph. CHLOROFORMING BEES. A Mr. Smith, in a letter to the Edinburgh Courant, claims the discovery of the art of chlo- roforming bees. In describing the ])rocess, he says that the quantity of chloroform required for an ordinaay hive, is the sixth part of an ounce ; a very large hive may take nearly a quarter of an ounce. His mode of operation is as follows : set down a table opposite to and about four feet dis- tant from the hive ; on the table spread a thick linen cloth ; in the centre of the table, place a shallow breakfast plate, which, cover with a piece of Avire gauze, to prevent the bees from coming in immediate contact with the chloroform. Then quietly and cautiously lift the hive from the board on which it is standing, set it down on the top of the table, keeping the plate in the centre. Cover the hive closely up with a cloth, and in twenty minutes or so, the bees are not only sound asleep, but contrary to what Ave see, Avhen they are suffocated Avith sulphur, not one is left among the combs ; the Avhole of them are lying helpless on the table. Then remove Avhat honey you think fit, replace the hive in its old stand, and the bees, as they recover, Avill return to their domicil. A bright, calm, sunny day is the best, and you should commence your operations in the morning before many of them are abroad. This discovery may be valuable to some people Avho are not pro- vided Avith bee hives ; but Ave think that Ameri- can ingenuity has devised a far better method. Before long, Ave hope to be able to lay before our readers a system of bee culture Avhich, thus far, has been croA\med Avith complete success. County Transactions. — We acknowledge our indebtedness to the Hon. Jolin W. Frodor, for a copy of the Essex County Agricultural Tran- sactions, and shall be glad to receive a copy from each society. 60 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. Feb. MARE3 VSBSU3 GELDINGS. Farmers generally do not seem to be fully aware of the benefits which they might derive from the use of mares, instead of geldings. Farm work for horses is coriiparatively light. It is slow work. They are not necessarily exposed to labor which produces heaves, fminder, spavin, broken wind, etc., etc. These are all caused by unnecessary exposure, indulgence in eating and drinking, un- der unfixvorable circumstances, or over-driving ; or, by two or more of these causes combined. It is true it is necessary for horses to perform some work upon a farm, Avhich draws severely upon their nature ; but, for the most part, farm work is steady, evei-y day work, where horses can be well fed and cared for. Consequently mares are just as good farm workers as geldings. If such is the fact, we propose to show farmers that they should, for their own benefit, keep mares for farm work instead of geldings. With proper treatment, a good breeding mare will bring a colt every year, without interfering materially with the operations of the farm. If the necessary pains has been taken to secure the services of the best stallion, the colt will be woi-th, when a year old, one hundred dollars ; and, by the time he is old enough to use, he should be worth two hundred dollars. AVell, if the colt is worth one hundred dollars at a year old, and the service of the horse costs twenty dollars, it leaves eighty dollers for the use of the money in- vested in the mare, as her labor A\ill certainly pay for her keeping. Now, if the mare is worth two lumdred dollars, the eighty dollars would pay forty per cent, interest annually upon the invest- ment, which is far better than loaning money at three per cent, a month, as there is, in this case, no usury law for debtors to avail themselves of; and then there is no more risk in the mare than there would be in a gelding, not so much, even, This is only the profit of one year. The same can be done for a succession of years. And you can just as well keep a span of mares on your farm, and, after two or three years, have a span of fine horses to sell every year, as to keep a lot of stock which will neither increase in num- ber or value. Now, if you keep geldings, they are not so hardy naturally,we think, and do not live so long, and when once done with work, are of no manner of account to any one, and mercy requires you to knock them on the head. On the contrary, when your mares are advanced somewhat in years, or if they become lame from any cause, you can still, under ordinary circumstances, make them of great service to you by raising colts. But there are certain kinds of labor to which the gelding is better adapted. They are generally, we think, more fleet, and consequently better fit- ted for roadsters. They are also possessed of more muscular power, and, consequently, better fitted for heavy draughts. We could find many purposes to which geld- ings are better adapted than mares. We would, tlierefore, advise not only farmers, but all who do not severely task their horses with labor, to keep mares by all means. We would also advise them to obtain the best mares, and the services of the best stallions, as the colts will sell for enough more to doidily pay the trouble and expense. And, besides the profit to the raiser of horses, the community would be benefited by an increase in number, and a decrease in the price of horses, in a few years, A fanner who keeps only two horses, and botli geldings, will be compelled to purchase a team of some one else when his is done with Avork ; where- as, if his team is composed of mares, he is pre- paring a team to take their places, when they are turned out to take their rest, either on account of old age, or for any other cause. Farmers should keep as little non-producing stock around them as possible. Evei7thing should be made to pay the best possible per centage, with fair usage. Then, we say to farmers, sell your geldings and purchase mai-es, and see if our ad- vice is not good in the end. — Northivesteim Far. For the New England Farmer. LITTLE THINGS BY THE WAYSIDE. Ho. 4. PUMPKINS FOR MILCn COWS. It has long been an unsettled question with farmers, whether pumpkins fed to milch cows were actually beneficial. One of the best farm- ers I know, says they will improve the qualUt/ but will not increase the qiianiiti/. After feeding them to his cows for thirty years, he believes them of no essential value in this case, as the cows require even better feed after having been fed with them. That ripe pumpkins are good for fattening stock there is but little doubt, but a small quantity (at least) of corn rneal should be used with them for this purpose. The best arti- cle I have seen these many years upon the "Man- agement of ]Milch Cows," is in your weekly of the 28th inst., from the Oaiesee Farmer. Every milkman or farmer should place it upon his mem- orandum : it is a volume in hcenfy lines. DRIED CORN FODDER will give milch cows a back set, and should not be fed them when quantity of milk is desira- ble. Well cured corn fodder Avill improve the (piality, but not in a corresponding ratio to the loss of quantity. This is also true of the "old fogg," or frost bitten grass of this season of the year. Allow them to feed upon it now, and you lose milk. HILLING CORN is a matter of Mhich theorists have had much to say, and led many a farmer to disbelieve the well- grounded opinions of his own actual experiments. Our corn crops in New England are grown in about ten Aveeks, (from the middle of June to the first of September,) and this growth depends al- most entirely upon artificial means ; that is, ma- nuring, plowing, hoeing. The system of cultiva- tion that advances its growth with the greatest rapidity would seem to be most in accordance with the laws of Natural Philosophy. The appli- cation to the roots of vegetable stimulant, light and heat, is the means by Avhich the growth is secured. At every hilling not only the Aveeds are cut up, Avhich suck up the dcAVS and shoAvers that fall upon the ground, and Avhich are drank in by the thousands of little fibres of roots Avhich the corn stock throAvs out near the surface to sup- ply it Avith food and nourishment, but every suc- ceeding hilling induces a ncAV set of roots to 1858. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 61 shoot out to strengthen it against the winds, and furnish a new and increased supply of food for the plant. But few persons are aware of the large per centage of nourishment our grain crops receive from the atmosphere around them. Ac- tual experiments have removed every doubt from ray mind that a field conducted upon the plan of three or four times plowing and hilling, will stand the drought much better than by flat cultivation, and produce a sufficient increase of corn to pay good wages for the labor done. EXTREME COLD WEATHER — HORSES. Persons owning valuable animals are often in- ilifferent to their health and comfort, and on an extreme cold day, in good sleighing, will drive a noble steed ten or twelve miles an hour, thinking because it is cold he may be pressed forward to the extent of his speed, unconscious of the deadly effects of the frost upon the animal. When the Iiorse is at full speed, his lungs are inflated to their fullest capacity, and at every vital breath the paralyzing effects of the frost are carried to every part of the lungs. By the countless num- ber of cells which form the internal structure of these organs is exposed a surface greatly exceed- ing the whole external surface of the body. The Hving membrane of these cells has a wonderful absorbent action, by which they suck in the ait destined to vivify the blood. When the ther- mometer is 10^ or 20° below zero, the air is so powerfully impregnated with the properties of dissolving acids as to form tubercles in the lobes of the lungs, which result in consumption, or in spasmodic afi"ections attended with fever and in- flammation. If the owner is an unobserving man, the animal dies of "Botts ;" if his owner is a man of observation, he soon finds his horse is laboring under a violent attack of lung fever, or gradually wearing away in consumption. Philos- ophize as you will upon thin shoes and wet feet. I believe a large majority of cases of contracted consvimption in this climate are attributable to an unguarded exposure of the lungs to the extreme cold weather. Barren and unfertile soils are cold- er than rich and fertile ones in the same latitude, and no doubt the improvement of the soil of New England would not only improve the condition, but the health of our people. A wet and rainy climate, with wet feet attendant, nas more of a ten- dency to produce a bilious stomach, Avhich results in fever or ague, than to produce consumption. PICKLES. Having a desire to keep up with the spirit of the age, and having a good supply of cucumbers the past summer, I tried to make (with the aid of my better half) some good pickles, by the nu- merous receipts from books and papers, by mak- ing a weak brine and pouring it on to the cucum- bers hot, two or three times, and then putting them in vinegar. At every trial we have lost three messes of brine, two of vinegar and all the pickles. Those we have put into the vinegar direct from the vines are good. In my last communication, published in the weekly of Sept. 26th, I gave you a very valuable receipt for "Iron Cement," which your paper says was for filling "cracks and holes in old bottles, &c." Whether the mistake was yours or mine I eannot now say. Please give it correct : IRON CEMENT. h teacup of iron filings, h teaspoonful of sal amonia, 1 teaspoonful of sulphur. Mix in cham- ber lye. This will fill cracks in iron kettles or pots, as large as your finger, and in a few days become sound and hard. Many a valuable pot or kettle may be saved in this way. It must be used as soon as made, as it soon becomes hard. SEASONING FOR SAUSAGES. 1 teaspoonful of pepper, {% black and \ cay- enne) 1^ of salt, 3 of sage pounded fine, to each pound of meat. EXCELLENT BROWN BREAD. 1 quart new milk, 3 teacups of Indian meal, 2 of rye, h teacup of molasses, 1 teaspoonful of salt, 1 of saleratus. Bake 2 hours. SNOW STORMS. It may be interesting to many to know the number of snows which fall in this vicinity every winter. The record has been kept in my father's family for upwards of half a century, and in no winter has the number been less than 28 or more than 33. "Squalls" are not counted. Snow enough to "track a cat on a board" is a storm. Lewis L. Pierce. East Jaffretj, N. IL, Nov., 1857. For the New England Farmer. ON PUKCHASING MANUBES. Dear Editor : — A correspondent of your pa- per of the 21st of November inquires concerning the economy of purchasing manures. Your re- ply, that the utility of the thing depends on cir- cumstances, is a very proper one. For if mai-ket gardening can be made an object, and the prod- uce of the land comes in quick returns of cash, at the prices that garden produce brings in cities and large villages, we do not doubt that it will pay to purchase manures, at present prices. But where it is to be applied to lands occupied in the ordinary purposes of agriculture, where the mar- ket is in the future, and the prices liable to fluc- tuation, we much question whether such pur- chases are profitable investments. The manure that is thrown into market, is gen- erally found at livery stables, or at places where many horses are kept, and their owner has not grounds on which to bestow it, and where, too, much grain or meal is fed to the animals. We know that the latter circumstance is considered commendatory of the article. Under certain cir- cumstances it probably would be. For instance, if the farmer purchaser could have the control of the heap through the accumulating process, and give occasional mixtures of gypsum, or even muck or common soil, to arrest the gases that pass off in the rapid fermentation to which such manure is subject, the first quality of the manure might be retained, and the quantity increased. But the system of management pursued by the stable-men is very different from this. Their first object is to get it out of the way, it may be, by throwing it under the eaves of the building, where it is subject to enormous drenchings, or, on a hill-side from which its richest qualities are washed away ; either course rapidly dissipating its value. At any rate, it is thrown into piles, NEW ENGLAND FARMER. and the piles heat and sweat excessively, from the very nature of the raaterial of which they are composed. Much of its goodness is actually burned, and dissipated by the smoke so often seen rising from such heaps, and when they are opened to remove, the eflccts of the recent heat are unmistakably visible, so that, at the time of removal, it is a mistaken calculation that suppo- ses, all particulars included, it is worth as much, load for load, as the simpler formed manure of the farmer's yard and stables. The eifect may, like that of all heating and rapidly decomposing ma- nures, be more marked ; it is certainly soonest over. The usual pi'ice, in this region, for such ma- nures, is $1 a load, to which the cost of hauling is to be added. This will bring it to from $1,25, to $1,50 a load, delivered Now the most moder- ate quantity to be put on an acre, would be ten loads, which in first cost is ten dollars, and to add the lowest price of hauling, would be $12,50. Then the question comes, does it increase the val- ue of the crop to that amount? Tliis, as before stated, depends upon circumstances. In our ob- servation, the effect of these quick working ma- nures is mostly shovrn the first year. Now let us take the muck hole. To every far- mer who is blessed with one on his premises, the first cost is the mere cost of the land, which ta- ken by the load, is a mere nothing. Cartage of this, as well as of other things, depends on the price of labor, and will vary in different localities, so we let those interested fix it to suit them- selves. But in this muck, the farmer has a vast amount of vegetable matter, the accumulation of years, and in every stage of decomposi- tion. It is just the thing he needs ; one of the principal ingredients of soil which frequent crop- ])ings have taken from his land. The only objec- tion to its present use, is, that in accumulating in a cold, wet swamp hole, it has become itself so cold and sour, that its power of successful action is diminished. It needs bringing on to the dryer lands where the action of tlie atmosphere, frost, and sunshine will in due time dissipate this un- wholesome quality, and prepare it to become the healthy food of plants. If lime or even ashes are applied, a moderate quantity to each load, they will hasten the neutralization of the acid, and in- crease the value of the raw material. If occasion- ally turned so as to expose new surfaces to the atmosphere, its preparation may be hastened, but when business will not admit of this, it will, in due time, prepare itself; for instance, if a bed of it is formed in spring, it will do for top dressing in autumn, or if hauled out in early autumn, it may be made fit for spring use. Muck may be prepared for use by throwing it into hog or barn yards, where, by its absorbent powers, it will take up the juices which would otherwise evaporate, and retain them for the soil. When mixed half and half with barn-yard ma- nure, the qualities of each for most purposes are much improved, so that a farmer who has fifty loads of barn manure, may make a hundred of it by mixing muck in a like quantity. If a bushel of gypsum to each ten of manure, or even a less quantity, is mixed, so much the better. For top dressing grass lands, these composts are better than clear manure, for the combina- tion with the muck prevents evaporation, and the slow decomposing qualities of the muck ena- ble it to give out the strength, as the plant re- cpiires it for food. For grain crops, wc have found it excellent. If the first effect is not so great, it lasts much longer than animal manure, and makes the land clear of all weeds. For fruit li'ces and gardens, it is just the thing. For po- tatoes, it is far preferable to more heating ma- nures, which greatly facilitate the progress of the rot. Since writing the foregoing, I have learned from an intelligent farmer, who makes much use of muck, that his estimated cost of manufactur- ing it into a valuable compost is not to exceed fifty cents a load. Farmers can decide which is cheapest then, this or stable manure, always to be hauled some distance, for a dollar a load. But in order to come at the whole truth in the mai- ler, let them apply a load of each side by side, and mark the result by taking first cost and last profit into the account. w. B. liichmond, Mass., Xov. 26, 1857. V/INTEBINQ MILCH COWa. A word on feeding cows for milk and butter. I have experimented for the last five years upon different kinds of dry feed — corn, barley, oat and buckwheat meal, fine and coarse middlings, shorts and bran, wet — with cut straw, hay and sialks. My cows give more milk and make more butter, from com meal, wet, with cut straw, than any other food, by from one-third to one-half. It will not do to feed hay or stalks at the same time — it fattens the cows too much. Try four quarts of meal and one bushel of straw per day — ^that is, two quarts morning and night — the straw at noon; they will gain in flesh at tliat. It is true, as you have remarked, that "corn meal is bad for milk," if it is fed with hay or stalks. Two quarts fed with hay or stalks is first-rate for other cattle, or the same amount on straw is cheaper and better than hay and stalks without the meal. Stabling is indispensable in the above feeding. — S. B. Banvakd, Liconia, N. Y., in Jtural Neic-Torl-er. Remarks. — AVe give the above, not to endorse it entirely, but for the suggestions it contains in regard to some points. Four quarts of pure meal per day would be very high feed, and more than would probably be returned, at present prices of milk. Will Mr. Barnard's views about the straw be sustained by others? If they can be, they are very important. For ilie New England Fanner. AGRICULTUBAL ADDRESSES, I have noticed some cavils of late, at the ap- pointment of persons to make these, who were not what is c^WeA practical far )iicrs, but who are employed much of the time in some other pur- suit. I am one of that number, who think it no valid objection to an orator, because he knows something else besides the particular subject on which he is called to speak — on the contrary, it would be a serious objection if he did not under- stand other subjects. Who will say that Picker- ing, Abbott and Eaton, who nearly forty years 1858. NEW ENGLAND FAllMEll. 63 ago led off in their addresses to the farmers of Essex county, were not competent to teach the farmers what was best to be done on tlieir farms? Who will presume to say that Henry Colman was not fit to make an address to farmers ? — Those M'ho cavil in this manner are wise without knowledge, not understanding what they say. Farmers should rejoice that other professions are ready and able to lend a helping hand. Some of the best agricultural teachings we have ever known have come from those who gave attention to oth- er things besides farming. The truth is, no man is fit to teach others, Avho has limited his inquiries to one subject alone. Such direction of the at- tention has a tendency to contract and narrow the faculties — and as was said of Burke, to in- duce "the giving up to party, what was meant for mankind." EsSEX. November 30, 1857. For the New England Farmer. THE CHOW. Mr. Editor : — Noticing a piece in the N', E. i^o?'mer with the above caption, I thought I would give you my experience with the crow the present year. I broke a small piece of land of just 100 rods, manured in the hill and planted with corn. As soon as it was planted I put a line all around it. About the time the corn made its appearance, I put up two images on either end of the field The corn came up arid stood finely. The crows came on and pulled up about 700 hills, as I esti- mated, and I planted it over again with corn The newly planted corn soon came up, and with it came the crows. I then put up one or two young crows attached with a string to a pole, al so shingles and a bell attached to a shingle so as to ring with the least wind, and still they came on. I then took sulphur and ashes, mixed, and put on each hill ; this they did not like for a day or two, but then came again. I sowed dry corn about the field, but to no purpose. I put on a steel trap and fish hooks, baited with chaff and corn, but it did no good. I then built a small house of boards, large enough for a man to get into with a gun, and placed it close by the field ; then with a man in it, they would come within a few rods of it, and if fired at, they M'ould fly a short distance, but would return in one hour. After all the above had been done, they took about two-thirds of the field clean. I then thought I would hoe the remainder ; I did so, (as they worked on the end opposite the bell first,) and in less than one week they took tJiat, every hill there was not a whole hill upon the field ; leav- ing only some ten or twelve scattering stalks. It was then loo late for corn or beans, and I sowed it with buckwheat. I had another piece of about three-fourths of an acre, which was lined when it was first planted, and had six or ten crows hung about upon it, and flags, windmills, &c. t\:c., and they would come and pull up corn within one foot of them all, and they destroyed about two- thirds of this piece. If my friend, "A Subscriber," doubts the above statement, I can prove it to be true, and I think when he gets "crowed" as badly as I did, he will cry let the crow die. YbuxG Farmer, North Charlestoicn, N. ff., Dec. 7, 1857. For the New England Farmer. HEIFERS AND HEIFER CALVES. Mr. Editor : — I was gratified to see so many fine heifers and heifer calves on exhibition, at the annual cattle show at Concord on the 29th of September, and learn with much satisfaction that the number exhibited at many other cattle shoMS in the State was unusually large. This fact shows that the farmers of our State have taken hold in earnest of the work of raising their own milch cows, and affords greater promise of improve- ment in our stock than any other fact that has come to my knowledge. Our farmers, especially in the eastern part of the State, aim to produce good milkers, rather than stock for the butcher. Hence it is desirable to be able to determine, at as early a period as possible, the properties that denote good milkers, that such animals only as possess these properties may be raised. Those whose points indicate only a large growth and early fattening, may be more profitably raised at a greater distance from the milk market. There are three things which appear to me es- sential to success in raising good milking stock. These I will briefly point out. First; — raise only those calves whose mothers are good milkers, and belong to good milking families. Be very careful, also, that the sires be- long to good milking families. In order that the properties of an animal may be inherited by its offspring with anj- degree of certainty, it is not sufficient that they should be possessed by the in- dividual parent. This may be accidental. They must be established as the permanent properties of the family or breed to which it belongs. So long as farmers purchase from drovers those heif- ers and young cows on which they depend for milkers, they cannot be sure that the progeny of those even that prove good milkers, will inherit the same character. But a calf that has sprung from several successive generations of gcod milk- ers, may be relied upon M^ith a good degree of certainty. In the second place, good milch cows possess certain physical marks or characteristics, which, although not absolutely certain indications, should never be neglected. These marks are well known to all observing men, and may be seen in the calf, at least the most prominent of them, at an early period. I think no farmer wishing to obtain a good milker, would raise a calf wdth a large head and short muzzle, large, thick neck, full, high shoulders, large legs, thick tail and coarse hair. He would rather select one with a small head and long muzzle, bright eyes, thin, tapering neck, small legs, large hind quarters, long, slim tail, soft skin and fine hair. Guenon and Haxton af- firm that the form and size of the escutcheon, up- on which they greatly rely, in determining the character of the cow, may be ascertained in the calf — that it is not fully developed, only because the parts on which it is placed are not fully de- veloped at this period of life — but that a careful examination will reveal its true character. Now, although there are apparent exceptions to Guen- on's rules, yet I believe that most good milker'^ possess the marks which he points out. If these marks can be ascertained in the calf, they will af- ford a guide of no small value, in determining what heifer calves to raise, and what to send to 64 NEVv^ ENGLAND FARMER. Feb. the butcher. This whole subject deserves more attention than it has received. •Tlie third thing to he attended to, is the treat- ment Avhicli calves and heifers should receive be- fore they come to mills.. When taken from the cow, they should be provided Avith food suited to their condition and health ; they should be taught to eat a vai'iety of food, and should have a good supply of pure water. Calves need a large quan- tity of drink, and it is desirable that they should get the habit of drinking freely, as this is essen- tial to free milkers. They should be treated with the utmost kind- ness and gentleness, and never teased, or beaten, or frightened, but should be frequently handled and accustomed to. the utmost iamlliarity. As they grow older this habit of confidence in their keepers should be encouraged and cherished. They should be protected from the cold and from storms. Their skins should be kept clean and free from vermin. In short, such a course of feeding and training should be pursued, as will steadily develop their growth and strength, and j>reserve them in vigorous health and in a com- fortable, contented condition. A half-starved, stunted, lousy calf, shivering in a cold storm, is one of the most pitiable objects that can be seen, and is a disgrace to any farm ; and the owner of such a calf does not deserve to have a good com', and is in a fair way to real- ize his deserts. The subject of raising our own milch cows is one of great importance, and many more suggestions might be made with regard to it. But I think that in those above made may be found several hints that will contribute essen- tially to the success of those about to engage in this business. j. e. Concord, Dec. 10, 1857. PREPAKATION OP TBIPE. I am aware that tripe is a subject which few persons have much sympathy with, or relish for ; and as to the idea of using it as an article of food, that it is utterly repugnant to *heir tastes ; yet the idea of its being unfit for food, I think, is wholly imaginary, for the individuals who discard it have no compunctions about eating a piece of broiled liver — the heart when boiled, and served up cold, or made into mince pies, is excellent — and a cold tongue is considered a choice morsel. The reason why tripe is generally rejected, is be- cause it is one of the inner parts of the beef; and the filthy manner in which it is often treated, is enough to make it repulsive to any one. Yet most person.s, when a dish of tripe that has been carefully cured and well cooked, is set before them, eat it and call it excellent. The same ob- jection might be made against the other parts mentioned, and with equal propriety. I contend that if proper care is used in preparing and cook- ing tripe, it is just as clean, healthy and nourish- ing, as any other part of the beef. It is presumed that most farmers who fat and kill their own beef, throw away the tripe because of their igno- rance of how to clean and prepare it. The following method of cleaning and prepar- ing tripe, I have tried successfully, and prefer to any other way that I know of. When the paunch is taken from the beef, care is used to keep it clean, and as soon as it is emptied, it is washed in clean water till it is clean ; if it is cold weath- er, it is put into warm water, and soaked a short time, when it is cleansf^d in this way : Have a kettle of boiling water ready ; take the tripe and cut it into pieces small enough to handle conve- niently ; then take a piece and hold it in the water till it is scalded, so that the skin will start, when it should be laid on a table, and scraped with a knife till it is thoroughly clean ; proceed in this way till it is all cleaned. It should then be put into cold water, and remain a week, the water being changed every day. It should then be boiled till it is so tender that a straw can be run through it easily. While it is boiling, a small quantity of saleratus should be put into the water, for the purpose of sweeten- ing it, and to make it tender. After it is cooked, it can be pickled to suit the taste of those who use it. In this way, it may be prepared in a way which, if suitably cooked, will make a dish of food equal in every respect to any part of the beef. — Country Gentleman. Fur the New England Farmer. DIGGIISTG KOCKS AND LAYING WAKL MADE EASY. Mr. Editor: — Being in Rochester, (Plymouth Co.,) a few days since, I had occasion to call on Thomas Ellis, Esq., of that town, who gave me a polite invitation to ride v.ith him over to his brother's, to witness the operation of a machine for digging and laying large rocks into a wall. The field of operations was on the farm of Jarvis El- lis, in the west part of Rochester, near Fairha- ven. The machine will take out a rock weighing full six tons, that lies level with the surface of the earth, only removing a fcAV shovels full around it so as to m.ake a slight indentation on the sides with a hand-drill, sufficient to receive the ends of the camhooks, when the rock is easily raised by oxen or horse as the case may be, and can be hauled if desired, and dropped on the foundation or line of the Avail. After getting two or more of these on to the line, they hitch on to one Aveigh- ing about three tons, which is easily dropped on to the other, so as to break joints. It may be asked, Avhy lay so heavy a Avail ? The answer is, that Mr. J. Ellis's land abounds Avith such stones, and being a believer in horse-rakes and moAving- machines, he Avishes to remove all incumbrances, so that they "can have full course and run." From one hundred to one hundred and fifty large rocks can be dug and dropped on to tlie ground near by, in a day. The machine Avas in- vented by Mr. Seth Belles, of the same toAvn, Avho has sold a part of his interest to Mr. T. El- lis. The patentee's price is two hundred and sev- enty-five dollars. One or tAvo Avill be sufficient for any toAvn. It is designed to have a good cut of the same, published in the Farmer, if the nec- cessary arrangements can be made. The j^ropri- etors Avould be happy to answer any letters of in- quiry that may be sent them. F. Framingham, Dec. 1, 1857. Remarks. — Let us see the "cut" and descrip- tion. 1858. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 65 PONDANTE D'AUTOMNE, OK BELLE LUCEATIVE, We present the reader, in this number of our journal, with one of the most beautiful, as ■well as one of the best, pears that grows. The late Mr. Downing, in his work on fruits, says : "If we were asked which are the two liigliest flavored pears known in this country, we should not hesi- tate to name the Seckel, and the Fondante d'Au- tomne (Autumn melting.) It is a new Flemish pear, and no garden should be destitute of it. The tree is of moderate growth, the young shoots long, yellowish-gray." The fruit is of medium size, obovate, narrow, but blunt at the stalk. Skin, pale yellowish- green, slightly russeted. Stalk little more than an inch long, stout, often fleshy, obliquely insert- ed in a slight, irregular cavity. Calyx very short, spare, with few divisions, set in a basin of mod- erate depth. Flesh exceedingly juicy, melting, sugary, rich and delicious. Ripe last of Sept. Thomas says it is "very variable — when well- grown and fully ripened, it has no superior, and . few equals, in its exceedingly rich, delicate, per- fumed flavor — but often of poor quality." Cole says, that, "in a warm soil and favorable seJison, it has no superior, but it varies. Hardy, and good bearer. Does not crack. Poorer in moist soil." Those extending their number to twenty-five trees, or more, should include the Belle Lucra- tive. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. Feb. A FINE HERD OP COWS. It was our good fortune the other day to step into the barn of the Hon. Elmer Bkigham, of Westboro', Mass. We call him "Hon.," not be- cause -we are particularly fond of giving or re- ceiving titles, but partly because it is the fashion, and because Mr. B. has fairly earned the distinc- tion in two ways. First, by a Icfng life of integ- rity and honorable conduct every where and in every thing ; securing for himself an enviable rep- utation, and proving how much pm-ity and dig- nity there may be found in man. And secondly, because his fellow-men have frequently elevated him to those positions which give him the legal distinction which we have used. Mr. Brigham understands just as well how to raise good cows, and feed and tend and milk them, and obtain great products, as though that little prefix had never been appended to his name ; and he understands these matters no better, prob- ably, for that distinction. Mr. B. "makes mUk for the market," and so there was a fellow-feeling between us. His cows were of mixed blood, peculiar to his own man- agement, and had been bred in that mixture for nearly tliirty years. They were coiv-Uke, every where, head, back, barrel, bag and haunches ; they were gentle .as "sucking doves," with large, bright eyes, legs just right for large and rotund bodies ; hair soft and sleek, tails slender, and ought to have had a long tuft of hair on their ends— the only thing, by the way, in which they lacked the true proportions. They stand in wann, clean stalls, and are fed, if we rightly understand him, but twice each day, but are then allowed to eat as much as they will with a sharp appetite, and they usually do not stop until they are pret- ty thoroughly filled. Their food consists of sev- eral kinds of hay, oat-straw and corn stalks and corn butts, all cut and mixed ; this is placed in the feed trough, and two quarts of cob meal or its equivalent in shorts or some other grain added ; a pailful of salted water is then added for each cow to be fed, turned upon the cut hay and care- fully stirred together. The cows are kept eating upon this until about nine o'clock in the morning, when they are turned out, drink heartily, and, in the course of an hour, tied up again, when they soon lie down and alternately sleep and chew their cud during the rest of the day. Mr. B. takes care of the cows himself, and when he en- ters the barn at any time between 9 and 3 in the afternoon, they do not rise, but merely turn an eye and an ear towards him, as much as to say, 'We understand you. Sir, there is nothing for us now," and then they doze or chew again just as they elect. But at 3 o'clock he commences preparing feed again, just as he did in the morning, and places it before them until they are satisfied, turns them out to drink and stretch, and ties them up for the night. This is the every-day process, — and Ml'. Brigham states that it is easier and quick- er than it is to feed out long fodder and repeat it several times, as was his former custom, and which is i)robably the present one in a majority of cases. This plan of feeding, tried at first as an exper- iment, has so strongly commended itself, in re- gard to the ease with which it may be done, the saving that is apparent in the feed used, and the fine effect it has upon the cattle, that it has been adopted as the time mode of feeding milch cows. It will be observed that the grain given these cows each day is equal to two quarts of corn meal; and this, with a few roots occasionally, and the mixed fodder before mentioned, comprises their entire food. With this treatment, these cows, seven in number, gave Mr. Brigham for the year ending in October last, eigJity-one dollars and ten cents each ! The mQk was sold to the Westboro' milk company at the prices which they usually pay- The prices of meal and hay will vary a little in difi'ereut places, so that no exact statements can be made as to cost every where ; but two quarts of meal per day at $1 a bushel, and twelve pounds of hay per day, at $15 a ton, would feed each cow for something less than $50, thus leaving him over $30 for each cow, beside selling all his fodder at $15 a ton for cash at his own door, and whatever profit there may be in the growth of the cowSj — for he raises those he milks himself. KEEPING COLTS IN "WINTEH. It is a nice business to raise a colt right. A great many promising animals are so handled, or rather shirked off, during the first years of their lives, that they never come to be what they would with proper handling. To keep colts right, they must be so provided for that they will grow right straight along. If they get a set-back in the winter, it is fatal to their proper development, and if a colt is obliged to lean against the fence, in the spring, with his lousy coat turned towards his head, it is an affidavit of bad keeping, that will out-swear any protestations of "plenty to eat, and well cared for," that any mistaken farm- er can urge in palliation of his neglect. In winter, colts want a dry, sheltered yard, well stocked with straw ricks, fixed up on rails like an X, across a firm bearing beam. These will af- ford both fodder and shelter. The yard should be well encircled by open sheds, and kept clear of rampant steers, and all other hooking cattle. It is well enough to handle the colts in day time, and keep the hair straight and clean, but they should sleep at will during the nights, and not be hitched up by a halter, or shut in a narrow stall. For feed, the colts should have what hay they will eat up clean, and the hay should be of good quality — none of your rain-soaked and mow-burnt 1858. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 67 stuif, not fit for bedding. We abominate bad hay, and have wished, that just for experiment, some of our slovenlj' farmers were transmogrified like an old fellow we read of, who was made to eat grass like an ox, till he learned some good horse sense. Besides the hay at regular hours, and the straw they pick up between times, the colts should have a feed of chopped grain, or other mill stuff, or oats, every day, a bite of carrots now and then, a lick of salt, with a dust of clean wood ashes in it occasionally, and a regular ac- cess to pure water for driivk. All this is provis- ion and care well laid out, and that will pay, if the colts themselves are Morth raising at all — OMo Cultivator. For the New England Farmer. EXPEEIMENTS WITH THE TURNIP CEOP. I append a few remarks for the Neiv England Farmer, as I consider an unsuccessful experi- ment (in detail) often of as much service to the farming community, as a very successful one. About tv»'o years since my attention was called to a new kind of turnip (to me at least) which in appearance resembled the "lluta Baga, or Yellow Swede," only the bulb was Mhite instead of yel- low ; the leaf a darker green, and the roots much more forked, and firmer in the ground than the Swedish ; but for culinary purposes far exceeded it. The next spring I tried to procure some seed, but without success, but I found one of my Yan- kee neighbors had procured some seed, and Avas retailing his plants at seventy-five cents per one hundred. I was induced to purchase a fcAv, which I transplanted with great success, and have now a supply of seed for next year. But in the last spring, 1857, I was at Nourse, Mason, & Co.'s establishment, and purchased a small quantity of "yellow ruta baga," and also of "white ruta baga," and I believe the like quan- tity of "Cole's cabbage turnip seed," and shortly after my return home, I found a small quantity of seed from my "new favorite," which the per- son of whom I had it recommended my sowing early: accordingly about the 15th of June, I had well prepared about one-third of an acre of land. I then drilled six rows of my "new turnip,' six rows of Cole's cabbage turnip, six rows of the "white Swedish," and the balance of the land, which M'as by far the greatest portion, with the common "yellow ruta baga." The weather was propitious, and the seed came up well. I horse- hoed the intervals, and hand-hoed, and thinned the plants in the rows : they thrived exceeding- ly, and promised an abundant crop. Some few weeks after, a friend applied to me for seed, and I furnished him with what I had remaining of each kind. About the middle of July, he planted his in drills, and never weeded or hoed them un- til the September following. They then appeared so choked with grass and weeds, that I Avould not have given Mm one dollar for the whole, and I advised him to mow the crop, and cart it into his cow-yard. But no, he hired a couple of Ger- mans, and hand-weeded the whole. And now for the result of both crops. Y'ou will observe mine was sown early in June, his one month later ; mine was well cared for, his neglected. About the middle of August, mine, particularly the yellow Swede, appeared shriveled and stunted in the leaf, and on farther examina- tion, I found the heart of the plant showed symp- toms of decay, and by the middle of September I had scarce one yellow Swede remaining ; next to those was the white Swede, and two-thirds of those shared the same fate, and the Cole's cab- bage, and my new favoi'ite did not appear much better, only the bulb grew much larger before they commenced rotting. But I happened to transplant two rows from my new turnip, which grew much larger, and more sound than any of the others. But my friend's crop was quite the re- verse ; after he had them weeded, and sprinkled a small dressing of guano on them, such a fine crop of fine sound turnips could scarcely be equalled, particularly the Cole's cabbage tur- nips, many of which will weigh from seven to nine pounds each, and for culinary purposes, ex- ceed any that I have ever seen. I should think the "new favorite" which I before alluded to, and distinguished by that name, and the Cole's cab- bage, are almost identical, only the leaf of th Cole's are more dented, and the stems a darker purple than the others. I find recently, several other persons in this neighborhood sowed early, and their crops shared the same fate, while all the late sown are sound in quality, and in quan- tity abundant. One reason in calling your atten- tion to this, is, to inquire more particularly if the cause is not in solving the seed too early. I have occasionally cultivated the Swedish turnip for upwards of forty years, early and late sown, and never recollect losing them in this way be- fore. John Moody. Muuntain Grore, Bridgeport, Ci., ) Noe. 2, 1857. | Remarks. — Little can be said of value in re- gard to particular cases of this kind, — but as a general rule, we have no doubt that late sowing, that is, after the 20th of July, results in good crops much more frequently than early sowing, say before the^rs^ of July. Plants of the turnip kind that are sown late, escape the ravages of the fly much more than early ones, and there seems to be something more natural and congenial to the plant at a later period, than in an earlier one. But experience is the best schoolmaster, after all, in these cases. NICOTINE. This peculiar principle is a product of the leaves and seeds of tobacco, by infusing them in acidulous water, adding lime, and distilling, and then washing the product with ether, when an ethereal solution of nicotine is obtained. One drop will kill a dog. It causes the pupil of the eye to contract, has a bitterish acrimonious taste, and a pungent smell, and on the whoie, is one of the nastiest things in creation. It is com- posed of 73-26 per cent of carbon, 9-25 per cent of hydrogen, and 17-09 per cent of nitrogen. It is related to a class of bodies called vegeto-alka- lies, and is capable of uniting with an acid. On the human brain it produces a soothing effect, which is thought very pleasant, but can never be considered otherwise than unhealthy. — ScL Am. 68 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. Feb Fur the New England Farmer. GRINDING FEED. Mr. Editor : — In the last Farmer I notice a quotation from the Ohio Farmer, recommending the grinding of hay and other feed for our farm stock. There may be an advantage in this — but, if so, I very much doubt whether the writer of that article has given the true reason for it. I can hardly believe that it is to be found in the saving to the anijnal of the labor of cliewing the food. I have always been taught, and am still quite disposed to believe, that the process of chewing food assists in its digestion in other ways than by minutely dividing it. The saliva, which is mixed with the food during mastication, is sup- posed to possess strong solvent properties, and also to produce chemical changes in the food, which fit it to be more readily acted on by the gastricjuiceinthe stomach. Physiologists recom- mend slow eating, that thus the most abundant supply of saliva may be fui-nished ; and dyspep- sia, and a long train of diseases, are supposed to follow the disregard of this advice. Probably no one;-ttt this tlay, would recommend the hurried swallowing even of "/i as/?/ pudding," without some • V considerable amount of chewing. A friend of mine, one whose business was teaming from Bos- ton to a town twelve or fourteen miles in the country, told me that his practice had been to leave his team at the south side of Faneuil Hall, go to North Market Street, eat his dinner, and be back to his team again after an absence of on- ly _yire mimdcs. He had done it by his watch in four and a half minutes. He has since suffered, t and is still suffering, the consequences of such a -. reckless habit, having been intensely afflicted ■with dyspepsia for a number of years. With this experience in his own person, he discontin- ued cutting hay for his horses' feed, giving them long hay, moistened and sprinkled with meal, thus compelling them «o use the means which nature, perhaps ii^ischj, provided for the prepara- tion of their food for digestion. Is there any reason why thorough mastication of food is less necessary for a horse or a cow than for a man ? A neighbor of mine, an old and experienced far- mer, once said to me, that a calf Avould require much less milk when allowed to take it in the natural way, than when required to drink it from a pail. From my own experience, I am convinced this is a fact. If it is so, is it not likely that the reason is, that, in the slower mode of taking it, the saliva has a better opportunity to mix with the food, and thus render it more digestible, more appropriable to the promotion of growth ? I am quite ready to believe there may be an advantage in grinding hay for cattle, as it would thus go into the stomach in a finely divided state, ■whether the animal chewed it much or little, and it would thus be more readily acted on by the gastric juice. A greater per centage of the food would probably thus be digested, and pass into the circulation, and form flesh or milk. Still, there does not seem to be the same reason for grinding hay that there is for grinding grain. Most of the grains are provided with a covering that will usually resist the action of the gastric juice unless it is broken — and in the haste of eat- ing, much grain would be swallowed whole, and pass through the animal undigested. Even birds, with their strong digestive power, are known in this way to be the means of conveying seeds un- injured to distant places. Hay, on the contrary, has no such resisting coating, and from its shape is not so likely to reach the stomach without be- ing at least bruised and crushed, sufficiently to enable the juices of the mouth and stomach to mix with it, and put it in such a condition that it will yield up most of its nutriment. M. Pratt. Concord, Mass., Dec. 15, 1857. GOING TO THE FAIB. BY ims. FIU5CES D. GAGE. t Ben Fisher had finished his harvesting, And he stood by the orchard gate, One foot on the rail and one on the ground, As he called to his good wife — Kate. There were stains of toil on his manly hand. The dust of the field on his hat, But a twinkle of pleasure was in his eye As he looked on his stock so fat. "Here, give me the baby, dear Kate, you are tired, I fear you have too much care, "Vou must rest and pick up a little, I think, Before we go to the fair. I'd hate to be taking fat oxen, you know, Fat hogs, and fat sheep, and fat cow, ■With a wife at my elbows as poor as a crow, And care-wrinkles shading her brow. " 'Can't go,' did you say ? 'Can't afford the expense ?' I know, Kate, our crops ain't the best, But we've labored together to keep things along, And together we'll now take a rest. The orchard is bare, but old brindle is prime. And Lily and Fan are a show. Your butter and cheese can't be beat in the State, So up to the fair we will go. "You've ne'er seen a city, and Cleveland is fine. Ne'er seen the blue, billowy Lake, Ne'er rode in a rail car, nor been in a throng, So, Kate, this journey we'll take, And garner new feelings, new thoughts and new ways. If we find those that suit as we roam, And garner up sti-ength with our head, heart and hands, For the love and the duties of home. "I sometimes have thought, Kate, as I plodded along. For months, o'er the same weary ground. That a fellow who had such a really hard time, In Ohio no where could be found. But when I've been called from my home for awhile, And seen how the rest get along, I've come back to my toil with a light, cheerful heart, An(? 'there's no place like home,' was my song. "I wonder that mothers don't wholly despair, Who ne'er from their cares get away, But walk the same tread-wheel of duty for years, Scarce stopping to rest night or day. I don't wonder they grow discontented sometimes, That their feelings grow rapsy and cold, For toil never-ending, and labor uncheered. Makes women — and men, sometimes scold." Kate looked up with a smile, and said, "Ben, we'll go 5 There may be better oxen than ours. Horses swifter on foot, and finer by far. Better butter and cheese, fruit and flowers, But there's one thing I claim I know can't be beat In the whole Yankee nation to-day, I'd not swap liim, I know, for a kingdom to boot — That's my 'gude man j' " and Kate ran away. Ohio Cultivator. 1858. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 69 For the New England Farmer. THE THINGS I BAISE—No. 5. CHUFAS, OK EAETH ALMOND. This is a sort of grass, that produces on its roots a small bulb, about the size and somewhat the shape of a peanut. It is sweet, and resem- bles in taste a chestnut, though not so agreeable, for the skin sticks in your throat after, or while you are eating. This thing was sent out by the Patent Office, and recommended for pigs. I have no doubt the pigs would like them, but if they do, I should say — let them dig them ; for it is slow business picking them up, they are so small, not averaging larger than good sized beans. It seems to me almost worthless, except it may be to grow on the sands of Cape Cod, or some such place where a man's farm moves from one town to an- other every time the wind blows ; here it might answer to keep the sand covered M-ith grass, which I presume — though I did not try it — would be readily eaten by cattle ; and as it remains in the ground forever unless pains are taken to re- move it. It yields quite abundantly, so far as number goes, some three or four hundred to a hill, from half a pint to a pint. If any person is disposed to try a few, and will send stamps to pay postage, &c., I will forward some by mail. The boys may be disposed to raise them as a substitute for chestnuts, which are not always abundant. grange's new early broccoli, Sent to me by Patent Office. It is a worthless sort, if mine were true, for they did not produce a single head in the whole lot. WINNIGSTADT CABBAGE. This is a comparatively new vai'iety, and one I believe of great excellence. I received the seed from the Patent Ollice, and it M-as true. It is of the sugar loaf form, and of medium size, though larger than the Early York, and but little later. The head^ is very compact, even of the smallest, and what is in their favor, they all head, not more than one in a hundred failing to do so. Should be started in hot beds same time as Early York, and they will be quite early and profitable. I consider it as well worthy to enter the list of veg- etables to be grown for market. James F. C. Hyde. Newton Centre Dec. 10, 1857. VALUE OP FALLEN LEAVES. No manure is so well worth the saving in Oc- tober and November as the falling leaves of the season. According to Payen, they contain near- ly three times as much nitrogen as ordinary barn- yard manure ; and every farmer Avho has strewn and covered them in his trenches late in the fall, or in December, must have noticed the next sea- son how black and moist the soil is that adheres to the thrifty young beets he pulls. No vegeta- ble substance yields its woody fibre and becomes soluble, qnicker than leaves, and from this very cause they are soon dried up, scattered to the winds and wasted, if not gathered and trenched in, or composted before the advent of severe winter. As leaves are poor in carbon and rich in alka- lias salts, as well as nitrogen, they are especially valuable in compost with manhaden fish manure and dead animals, poor in potash, but abounding in carbon and lime phosphate. But the great value of leaves is in the extra nitrogen they con- tain. Prof. Jackson truly says that the com- pounds of nitrogen not only decompose readily themselves, but they also induce the elements of other organic matter with which they are in con- tact, to assume new forms, or to enter into new chemical combinations ; and according to the long continued and varied llothbamsted experi- ments of the indefatigable Lawes and Dr. Gil- bert, nitrogen, in its compound form, (ammonia,) also exerts the same potent influence on the in- organic or mineral elements of the soil, render- ing even sand into the soluble food of plants. Yet every farmer or gardener ought also to know that his own mechanical aid in trenching or plowing, in order to keep his soil permeable and absorptive, is indispensable to aid nature in developing her chemical process. — Rural Neio- Yorler. THE GRAVENSTEIU' APPLE. One of the best fall apples in all the world, is the "Gravenstein apple," so called. It originated in Germany, but is found to flourish Avell in all the northern sections of the United States, where the apple will flourish, and its introduction to this country resulted in a rich acquisition to our fruits, and the person who did so good a deed should receive due honors from all the lovers of good apples. This person, we learn from Hovei/s Mag- azine of Horticulture for October, was CajJt. John DeWolfe, of Dorchester, Mass. It is possible, and even probable, that it was brought over into New York some time before by some of the Dutch ; this is not exactly certain, but it is exactly certain that Capt. DeWolfe did introduce it into New England, and that from his tree it has spread into thousands of nurseries and orchards. In proof of this, the editor of the Maga'zine above named published the following letter from Capt. DeWolfe, which gives in detail the history of the transaction, which though a quiet and humble deed, is nevertheless more hon- orable and more useful, and productive of more real blessing and good to our community, than all the "fillibustering" of Walker or any other in this fillibustering age. — Maine Farmer. the captain's letter. Dear Sir : — As there appeared to be some discrepancy in the account of the origin, name and time of introduction of the Gravenstein ap- ple in this country, I beg leave respectfully to hand you this statement, not that I think there is any especial merit in the introduction, as I think we are all bound to do what good we can in promot- ing and enriching the products of our own soil ; neither do I make any pretensions to be a con- noisseur in fruits, or vegetables, but this I can say without the fear of contradiction, that in ear- ly youth I had a kind of natural instinct or fac- ulty, which enabled me to find the best apple tree in the neighboring orchards, the darkest night that ever was, Avith as much facility as in riper years, I could find my way both day and night blindfold, to maintop bowline. However, if it should be considered that there NEW ENGLAND FARML Feu. IS merit in such introduction, I sec no reason why my dish should not be the right side up, in order to receive what may legitimately fall therein ; if nothing prior to the foUoAving can be shown, then perhaps it may be well to record the fact, viz. : Being at Copenhagen in the fall of 1825, I no- ticed at the wharves a number of small craft from Holstein, with fruit, principally apples ; I bought some which were recommended as the Graven- stein, a very superior apple, high flavored as to the taste and smell. I was so much delighted with this fniit, having never heard of it before, and being desirous of cultivating it in my little garden in Boston, that I requested my friends Messrs. llaynolds & Co. to purchase for me at the nursery two trees of that kind of fruit, and to be sure that they were genuine Gravenstein, which they did. On my arrival in Boston in May following, the trees being seven months out of the ground, I had some doubts as to my being able to make them live. Knowing General Dearborn to be an amateur in trees, I presented him with what I thought to be the best one, and planted the other mj^self ; they both lived and grew vigorously. — About a year afterwards I moved to Bristol, 11. I., and took my tree with me, and planted it there, and when I left that place several years subse- quently, it was in a bearing state. I was desirous to know the origin of its name and place, and was informed that it originated in a nobleman's garden in Holstein, near to a family gravestone, — hence the name Gravenstein. Fur the New England Farmer. CULTURE OF THE CARROT. It is said this crop the present season has fal- len short of expectations nearly one-third! How is the fact? 1. What is a proper expectation of crops ? 2. What has been the product ? Past experience has shown, on strong land well and carefully cultivated, a product of from twenty-five to thirty.five tons to the acre — estimating forty bushels to the ton. Mv. Rogers, of South Danvers, informed me that he had twelve hundred bushels of the orange carrot on about one and a half acres — or twenty- four tons to the acre. Before they were dug the product was estimated much more than this. The land was strong, the appearance of the field very fine, but the crop turned out less than was ex- pected. JNIr. BuxToy had a field of about half an acre, which yielded at the rate of thirty-four tons to the acre. Only two cords of stable ma- nure v;cre applied upon this field. In all other respects it had the most careful culture. Mr. B.'s land is strong, rocky and fertile. The short home carrot was the variety grown, thirty-five bushels of which weigh a ton, or fifty-seven lbs. to the bushel. Mr. Waters' field of carrots promised well early in the season, but when I last saw it, there was more yeUovncHS above than be- low the surface, and I expect the product did not exceed twenty tons to the acre. ]Mr. Brown's field yielded at the rate of thirty tons to the acre. His land is first-rate, and his supply of of manure not limited — not less than ten cords to the acre. I saw, in the course of the sea- son, many other fields, but have no good reason to believe that any of them yielded more than twen- ty tons to the acre, genei-ally less, so that twen- ty tons may be set down as a fair product of the season. These sold, delivered, for $10 a ton. Is not this a good use of land ? Is there any crop, with the same labor applied, that will pay better than the carrot ? True, it re- quires at first particular care, but when it gets a going, as the boy said, it icJiisflcs itself, ancl often fills out abundantly. I remember a few years since, a gentleman from Berkshire county, who had acted as chairman of the committee for view- ing crops, stated at one of the farmers' meet- ings in Boston, that he had seen fields of carrots yielding forty tons, or two thousand bushels to the acre. When asked how this was made cer- tain, he said, the committee dug a patch in Sep- tember, and found twenty tons to the acre, and knowing the propensity to increase in weight un- til the end of November, they judged there would be twice as many at the time of harvest- ing. Essex cultivators do not come at their re- sults in this way. Nothing short of actual meas- ure and actual toeiglit satisfies them, such as hon- est men would be willing to buy or sell by. December 5, 1857. Essex. PRACTIO^rS OF AN ACRE FOR EXPERI- MENT. It is often very desirable to the farmer to measure off from a lot of land fractions of one acre, for the purpose of making a series of ex- periments upon different modes of planting, cul- tivating or manuring. To facilitate this we give below the measurement of a side of a square, containing the following fractional parts of an acre : Feet Square. 1-16 of an acre contains about 52J 1-8 " " " 73i 1-4 " " " 1041 1-3 " " " 121i 1-2 " " • " 147S 1 acre " " 209 We cannot but suggest to our readers the im- portance and advantage of combining with the usual duties of the farm such experiments as may easily be conducted without any interruption of the work, and yet will often lead to the most de- cisive results. If one is to plant an acre of po- tatoes, for instance, divide it into quarters, and each quarter into eighths if needed, and plant one part with small seed, another witli large, another cut, and another whole ; manure one part in the hill, another outside. On one quarter try salt to prevent the rot, on another lime, another ashes, &c. No man can do this without soon increasing his agricultural knowledge, and soon after, his wealth. — Granite State Farmer. Pear-shaped Tomatoes. — Mr. Isaac B. Rum- ford, of Oakland, brought to our office a box of fine pear-shaped tomatoes, raised by him from seed imported last spring. They look very nice, having the regular pear shape, and a smooth skin, with very few seeds. They can be divided near- ly in the middle so that one-half will show no seeds, and appear to be quite an improvement in the ordinary tomato. We thank Mr. Rumford for his attention. — Cal. Far. 1858. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. WASTE OF SEWAGE AND FARM-YAKD MANURE. In your journal of the 19th of January last, a gentleman, of Falmouth, stated as follows : "Seeing that Messrs. Gibbs, as British agents of the Peruvian Government, have raised the price of guano £2 per ton, would it not be well to know if Messrs. Barrodia Brothers, the United States agents, have done the same, the consump- tion there being about one-third of that here ? Brother Jonathan is not likely to stand it. Tak- ing the imports of both countries at 400,000 tons, it would be £800,000 out of the farmers' pockets for this year. The freight and cost of shipping it are the same as when sold at £9 per ton." Is not this enough to arouse and to open the eyes and ears of every farmer in England, and to forth- with preserve every particle of manure that is, or can be, made upon a farm ? Nay, let each and every farmer preserve the black water, which is the essence of the manure, and convey it upon the farm. The sewage of the metropolis, con- taining 2,500,000 inhabitants, is worth at least £3,000,000 yearly, which goe« to manure the sea, instead of going back to the land which pro- duced it. The great .igriculturist, I mean the far-famed Mr. Coke, the late Earl of Leicester, M'isely said, the more meat a plowed poor-land farmer sent to Smithfield, the more corn he would be enabled to sell per acre at Mark Lane. Convert plenty of corn and cake into meat ; as the value of farm- yard manure is in proportion to what it is made of. If cattle cat straw alone, the dung is straw alone, the cattle are straw, the farm is straw, and the farmer is straw — and they are all straw to- gether, said the great cultivator, ]SIr. Coke, who lived before his day. Wonders are yet to be done in agriculture by a combination of agricultural chemistry, botany, geology and other sciences, &-c. — branches of ag- riculture. Steam, gas and the telegraph are the only three steps towards a great mountain. And let the readers consider that the value of bones, guano, and many other artificial manures, were not known a century back to the cultivators of the soil. The wheels of Nature and Time were never made to stand still or roll backward ; and little is known in agriculture to what is yet to know ; agriculture may truly be said to be in its infancy. The scientific implements in husbandry now exhibited, denote what I say — implements that were not known half a century back. — J/«rA; liune Express. and work well in such hives ; that the third, (es- pecially if quite large,) would have so much diffi- culty in holding fast, that they lost more time in swarming out and being re-hived, than all the ad- vantage of smooth hives for the whole. Anoth- er risk : Every time a swarm leaves a hive, the chance of going to the woods increases. If one in six, or even ten, is thus lost in consequence, true economy would seem to dictate a rough hive. A large swarm of bees contains several thous- ands, and their weight when first hived, (before any combs are made,) must be supported by a few hundreds. If nothing but a smooth surface is presented for their claws to lay hold of, it is easy to imagine the difficulty ; and their frequent- ly falling in a mass to the floor, interferes materi- ally with their labors, even when they do not leave. M. Quinby. >S^. Johnsville, N. Y. For the Xeic England Farmer. CHEAP BEE HIVES. "Amicus," in the Farmer of Nov. 21, says : "I must differ from Mr. Quinby respecting the econ- omy of planing a bee-hive inside." lie reasons very consistently to all appearance, showing how much labor of the bees is saved, &c., and supposes he can see an actual difl'erence in results in favor of a planed hive. I fear "Amicus's" experience is not to be depended on ; he reports only one case. I did not recommend leaving a his-e rough inside, (as so much labor for the bees, seemingly, for nothing.) without, as I thought, good reasons. I had found that althoutrh two swarms micrht stav For the 'Sew England Fanner. CARROTS, 2000 BUSHELS PER ACRE! Friend Broavn: — I saw in your December N. E. Farmer a piece relating to carrots, over the signature of "Henry Lee, in Waltham." In 18.52, I purchased a farm near my residence in this town ; on one-fourth of an acre, had been raised carrots, for several years before I made the pui'chase. I have continued to raise them on the same piece every year since. The land is rich, but rather stony, having a thick surface of loam resting on clay and gravel subsoil. In fact, the soil is very much like Mr. Lee's, and has been cultivated like his in every respect. I have plowed the land the last two years, three times each year, with a jNIichigan plow. I gave four hand weed- ings, and sowed the rows only 12 inches apart. The first three years, I raised about 175 bushels each year. The fourth, I plowed with a Michi- gan plow, deep, and raised 200 bushels. Last spring, I plowed with the same plow, giving a furrow 13 inches, and I raised, by actual measure- ment, 342 bushels, or at the rate of 1368 bushels to the acre. The carrots were the largest ever raised in this section, and were many of them over two feet long, and proportionally large. This fall, I have enlarged the piece to 100 rods, and sunk all the rocks 18 inches below the sur- face, at an expense of 840, — and if I am as suc- cessful next year as I have been this, I shall be disappointed if I do not raise at the rate of 2O0O bushels per acre. I am satisfied by my own ex- perience, that carrots can be raised in larger crops by planting the same piece every year. In the words of Mr. Lee, "Why have they not been more generally and more extensively culti- vated in a State where feed for milch cows and horses is so extremely high ?" S. D. DATENPOrvT. IIo2)ldnton, Dec. 10, 1857. Height of Colts. — A very reliable rule to judge the height a colt will attain to when full groM-n, is the following: When the colt gets to be three weeks old, or as soon as it is perfectly straightened in its limbs, measure from the edge of the hair on the hoofs to the middle of the first joint ; and for every inch, it will grow to the 72 N ' ^ ENGLAND FARMER. Feb. height of a hand of four inches when its growth is matured. Thus, if this distance be found six- teen inches, it will naake a horse sixteen hands high. By this means a man may know some- thing of what sort of a horse, with proper care, he is to expect from his colt. — Tennessee Farmer and Meclianic. COWS AISTD BUTT.uk. Mr. Editor : — In a late number of the Tele- graph your correspondent B. asks for a detailed statement, as to the feeding of cows and making butter in autumn and winter. Now if B. can gather anything of value to himself, from my statement of the mode we have been practising for some sixteen years, I shall be repaid for my trouble in offering it. I will begin with the care of cows about calving lime. For several days before this period, I feed ruta bagas or turnips, if I have them ; if not, a little cake meal will answer, to keep the cow in about the same condition she would be on grass. After calving, I give warm slop for drink for the first three days ; this is made by scalding a little wheat bran ; after that I let her have cold water to drink ; I don't give much strong food for a week or two, for fear the udder will swell ; in that case I milk all I can get first, and let the calf suck afterward. In cold weather I stable the cows at night and most of the day ; I let them out to water at noon, and they have free access to salt, and are curiied every morning. As to feed, I consider there is nothing better than sweet corn meal and good hay ; but I would here say that I am a firm believer in raising roots for cows ; if fed judiciously, cows will milk quite as well, and the cost will be much less, and the (juality of the butter not be injured. In feeding roots to milch cows, a little corn meal should be fed with them, and they should be fed directly af- ter milking, as the smell of the roots is then de- stroyed. Milking. — Perhaps more depends on this than 15. is aware of ; the time should be equally divided ; the udder and teats, if dirty, should be washed with warm water and wiped dry. I never allow any one to go to milk without first washing the hands. We milk fast, and permit no talking while at it ; I don't allow the fingers to be put into the milk to moisten the teats ; it is an unclean prac- tice. AYe strain through a fine wire strainer, and ])ut about five quarts in a pan ; these pans are tin, and they are kept bright and scalded fre- quently. The temperature of the room where the milk is kept sliould be from 55 to 65 Fahren- heit ; there should be no cooking done where milk is kept ; there should not be left more than three milkings stand at one time, as the cream gets bitter. Should the cream not rise fast enough, about a gill of sour milk to each pan, when strained, will help it. The cream should he stirred every day, and the oldest should not he over a week. Churning. — When churned, the cream should 1)6 of the temperature of 62 degrees. The Butter. — Should the butter need a high- er color, or more grass-like flavor, a few yellow carrots, pared, grated and boiled in new milk, strained, and the liquor put in the churn with the cream, will do it. The churn, butter-worker. scale, &c., should be kept bright and clean, and scalded before and after using, and should be thoroughly dried before being put away for future use. Every particle of buttermilk should be taken {rora the butter before the salt is added ; the best (piality of salt should be used, and this should l)e thoroughly worked in, or the butter Avill be streaked. After the butter is put into pounds and printed, the cloths should be put on ; they should be of fine white muslin, and kept Avhite, and should be put in salt and water and wrung dry before using ; the butter may then be put in the tub, which should be clean and sweet. Now if B. is regular in attending market, and will follow the above directions, he will soon find customers for his butter at tip-top market ])riee. I would here add, that B. should see to the milking of the cows himself, and his wife shovUd take charge of it after it is strained ; for herein lies the secret of success — and not trust to careless hired help, as this branch of farming will pay if rightly attended to. I find by refer- ence to my accounts, that my cows have averaged a little over sixty dollars eaeh, thus far the pres- ent season, and the season has yet four mouths to run. — Qermantown Telegraph. For the New England Farmer-. POSITIOIT OF THE FABMEB. Mr. Editor : — It being near the close of the year, I offer some reflections and suggestions that should be pondered upon by all who have a home among the hills and valleys, where want and gaunt misery seldom come. The year that is about closing upon us has been to the farmer about an average one in the products of the earth ; some good, others fair, and a few of the less necessary, poor ; prices have been somewhat affected, but not so much as in other branches of business. We live first our- selves, let the price be what it may, and then if we have more than we want, we sell to those who will purchase. Our rents are small com- pared Avith those in cities, as a farm Avorth $5000 is no more per year than a small merchant or clerk pays for an ordinary house in Boston or vicinity ; and while we get our rent, we also ob- tain free our fuel, grain, pork, butter, milk, eggs, fruit and vegetables in abundance, together with a horse and carriage to ride when and Avhere we please, without extra expense, and with ordinary management sell from $500 to $1000 worth be- sides ; and this ought to be observed ; we do not sell, or have in trade, our farm or stock; but the producis only. What we lose, is quite likely to be by investing in stocks, &c., off the farm, which investment seems to have the fatality of growing beautifully less every year ; better invest at home upon the farm, by reclaiming swamp lands, setting out forest trees upon sandy plains and steep declivities, di-aining, &c. To a lazy man or boy the farm is a hateful place, and my advice to such is to leave it, for God's sunshine is better than the shadow of such persons. Loafing has become a science, one of the fine arts ; labor is considered ungenteel by too many. Some prefer to steal, gamble or rob, while others prefer to beg or go hungry — any- thinij but work; but there are as many to 1858. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 73 feed to-day, as yesterday, or a year ago ; popula- tion and immigration continue to fill the country at a rapid rate ; consumption increases, and the ability to supply scarcely keeps pace with the de- mand. The rush to cities to trade and live gen- teelly has been a curse to the country, draining the farm to fill the cities, and if the general crash shall change the tide and establish more content- ment on the farm, then we shall have gained by the sad lesson. Now is the time to review the past, and, if any of us have been bitten by the various delusions of the daj , to draw from them lessons of wisdom, and learn, henceforth, to shun the rock upon which so many have dashed their hard earnings, as well as fond hopes. It is but a poor consolation, that others are in the same difficulty with ourselves. Let us strive to lend aid, not require it. Farmers cannot afford to "look at the ele- phant'' often, and when they have once seen the curiosity, it should suffice, remembering that it is the same, whether it's Cochin China fowls at .$50 a pair, Chinese yams or sugar cane, or hunt- ing up a nice, eaay and genteel business, where a person w'ith $25 capital can obtain $100 per month, &c. This is a fast age, and if we appro- priate the good things of this world for our com- fort and convenience, and use them wisely, as God intended we should, a long and happy life awaits the honest sons of the farm, such as few others can equal. That they may blend more of the po- etry of life with the labor of the hands, thank God and take courage, is the wish of a Concord, Dec, 1857. Brother Farmer, For the New England Farmer, CUBCULIO. This subject has seemingly been exhausted, and the recent communications upon it but repe- titions of what has been said before, or the fail- ure of remedies recommended. Well, "Hope on, hope ever." Try experiments ; reccommend them to others, and give the results to the world. — The question is often asked, where do curculios live over winter ? I frankly confess that I do not know, but think that they live in the earth, and will give my reason, that others may judge what grounds I have for my belief. It is a well known fact, that curculios come from the earth perfect insects in from two to three weeks after they have finished their work of destruction upon the young fruits in the spring. They prepare for another generation, and according to the general rules of insect life, (ants and bees excepted,) must soon die, whether they can find conveniences for depositing their eggs or not. Now the question is, how do the larva? of this late brood find nourishment to mature a sufficient number, to do the immense amount of mischief that we annu- ally witness? The black knots on plum and cherry trees is one resource, and I have often found them or their work in a ripe apple ; the crescent mark had healed up and resembled a mole on the human skin, and the little worm had not length of life sufficient to reach the core or do but little mischief, yet the unmistakable signs were there. Peaches and plums often have a worm in them, and the egg must have been de- posited after the stone became hard, or the fruit would have made but little progress towards ma- turity. Late in July, and early in August, I have seen curculios upon ripe currants and raspberries who seemed to be seeking for a place to deposit their eggs. Late In the season, blackberries, rasp- berries and whortleberries frequently have worms in them, and they are rejected as being maggoty but may it not be curculios ? Who m-111 decide or throw any light upon the subject? Let the ball be kept "in motion. Mrs. N. Darling. New Haven, Conn., Nov. 9, 1857. UNITED STATES AGBICUIiTURAL SOCIETY. SIXTH ANXUAL MEETING. The United States Agricultural Society will hold its sixth annual meeting in the lecture room of the Smithsonian Institution, at Washington city, on Wednesday, the thirteenth day of Janu- ary, 1858, when the election of officers Avill then be held, and the business required by the consti- tution of the Society will be transacted. Officers and members of the Society are re- spectfully notified to attend, and a cordial invita- tion is extended to State and other Agricultural Associations to send delegates, that there may be a general repi-esentatlon of agriculturists "in Congress assembled," to protect and sustain their interests, acting as a national organization on such matters pertaining to agriculture as may be deemed appropriate. Gentlemen from other lands who may be interested in the acquisition and dif- fusion of agricultural knoAvledgc, are also invited to attend, and to participate in the proceedings. . The published volume of Transactions for 1857"; . containing reports of the Trial of Reapers av,d Mowers at Syracuse, and of the Grand Annnq,l Exhibition at Louisville, will be delivered to mam- bers of the Society at the annual meeting. Important agricultural topics will be publicly discussed, after introductory remarks by eminent scientific agriculturists. Among them will be : "Ilie Chinese Sugar Cane," ^^ The necessity of hav- ing a more perfect laioivledge of the mineral ne- cessities of our oion crops developed," "Meteorolo- gical observations for the benefit of agriculture," '^Manures and Fertilisers," "The disease hioivn as 'Hog-c7iolera,'" "The Improved Kentuclty Sheep," "Agricidturcd Colleges and Farm Scliools," and "Ihe Agricultural Politics of our Country." Public notice will be given of the time when the discussion of each of the above-named topics will be commenced. Gentlemen having other topics pertinent to the advancement of agricul- ture, which they may wish to introduce or to have discussed, will please refer them to the Executive Committee, through the Secretary, that a place may be assigned them on the prpgramme. Propositions from cities at which the next An- nual Exhibition of the Society is desired, wIH be received and considered. The business office of the Society is in Todd's Marble Building, one door Avest of Brown's Ho- tel, Pennsylvania Avenue, where all interested in the cause of agricultural improvement are invited to call when in Washington city. Agricultural newspapers directed to the Secretary will be there placed on file for public inspection, and contribu- tions of agricultural works for the library arc 74 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. Feb. solicited. Models or drawings of agricultural im- plements or machinerj', if sent free of expense, will be placed on exhibition. Gentlemen -who may wish to become life mem- bers of the Society, can do so by paying or re- mitting ton dollrrs to the Treasurer, Hon. B. B. French, Washington city. This will entitle them, without any further payments, to the full privi- leges of membership — among these are : free ad- mission to all exhibitions of the Society, the an- nual volumes of published transactions, and the large and elegant diploma, RIarshall p. Wilber, President. Ben: Perley Poore, Secretary. For the Nex England Farmer. THS PAST SEASON— OVBB.PK.UKING, ONION BLIGHT — A DESTRUCTIVE FOREST WORM. Messrs. Editors : — May and June were cold .axrd wet ; much corn required replanting, but an av.arage crop was raised, yet with a larger por- tion of unripe ears than usual. Oats, rye and buckwheat have been good crops. Potatoes have jn-ovtd more nearly a failure than has ever been know 3jere, for though their vines were large and long, the tubers were proportionately reverse, few and small ; one large farmer offering for the digging, ^only the quantity which he had planted. Apples have been few and very defective. The blossoms Y/ere abundant, but cold, rain and clouds held them stationary till they lost their vi- tality, and tliey were generally blighted. The apples that set were destroyed, for the most part, by the curoulio. Peaciies have been nearly all killed by the tv.'o last winters, and plums have shared the same fate on my ground, and on that of others. Cherry trees, even in most favored localities, have been in a dying process, and tlieir lives may well be despaired of. A thrifty apple tree of mine, in good soil, that had born six bushels of Greenings two years be- fore, immediately after the decay and fall of its blossom, showed signs of decay, in its lower branches. The loose bark had been scraped off with a hoe and soap suds applied with a broom, wliiie the tree was in blossom, and I surmised this might have done mischief; but as my other trees, served in the same way, showed no such symptoms, I adverted to another fact. I had pruned the ti'ee of several of its large, low branch- es, growing horizontally too near the ground, in November, 1855, thinking the higher branches would grow the faster and compensate for those removed. But the tree had reached the age for its mature shape, and I largely reduced its for- mer spread. Hence I am inclined to think the tree has suffered from too large pruning, and may not recover from it. Though healthy, new bark had grown around the wood, where the branches had been removed, yet the large diminution of branches too greatly diminished the natural flow of sap from the roots, by cutting off their chan- nels, and producing in them disease and decay. Whether this theory is correct or not, I would like to have the opinion of vegetable physiolo- gists, regarding it. In a young and growing state, a tree may be safely altered in form and expansion ; for new wood will naturally grow to give full development to its sap and the vitaj energies of the roots, but if the fruit tree has come to full bearing, in all the branches shooting from the parent stock, is not the pnming off of sever- al of these, at once, dangerous and injurious ? Onions, in my own, and in some other gardens, often growing and promising Avell, till their tu- bers were of one-fourth or one-half size, showed Vjliite tips and spots upon their tops, and their growth was arrested early in August, and the blight progi-essed till their growth prematurely closed. The cause I cannot discover, any more than that of the potato rot, which has prevailed greatly among us, the past season. Sugar beets have been arrested also, in mid gi'owth. A new and formidable forest worm has ap- peared among us towards the close of the season. Their ravages in the town east of us had been re- ported as seen in a maple forest, a year since, and this year also, resulting in the entire destruc- tion of the trees. Late in August or early in September, the leaves of my door-yard mapleg were seen to be falling, evidently eaten off by some insect, and the attack became general, and soon the oak forest near us, on the west, was vis- ited by armies of the spoilers, who continued their work till the natural fall of the leaves. The worm Avas seen crawling here and there, in the highway to the west in great numbers, and their continual droppings of shot-sized, round balls from the trees, upon the di-y leaves, seemed like the noise of a constant rain. The worm is about the length of the bag caterpillar on apple trees in the spring, but is smooth, with longitudinal stripes of white and blue, with seven feet on each side of the body, one near the head, four in the middle and two near the tail. The head is an oval, bronze shape and color, and a protuber- ance of like appearance is at the opposite extrem- ity. I have tried to keep them in a jar with leaves, Avhen they are changed into a crysalis form. Among the leaves of the forest I find them burrowed for the winter. "WTiat they will do another season Providence will decide. SaXisbury, Gt., Dec. 12th, 1857. J. Lee. For the New England Farmer. WINTER BUTTEE. Messrs. Editors : — After experimenting near- ly half a century on butter-making in the winter, we have come to the following conclusion as the best way we have tried yet: viz.: As soon as the milk is strained we set the pans on the stove or some other hot place, till it is nearly or quite scalding hot ; then we remove the pans into a closet near tlie cooking-stove where the thermom- eter ranges from 40 to 60 degrees night and day ; then, after the cream is well risen and taken off, it is kept in the same closet till churned ; an op- eration which takes us from 10 to 30 minutes, and gives us equally as good and yellow butter as we churn in the summer, provided we keep the cream no longer than in the summer. We have tried keeping our cream in the summer dairy-room, and sometimes it Avould freeze, and O, the dreaded day of churning Avould come, which would prove '*a man's Avork," if not more, of from 3 to 8, 10 or 20 hours, and sometimes prove a failure, and the refractory cream Avould be reserved to short- en doughnuts. Il' we should have the good luck 1858. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 75 to produce butter after adding hot water to the cream or immersing the red hot tongs to kill the •witches, it would come as white as hog's lard, and in little detached fragments which would require expert manipulations to form it into lumps. At present we milk four cows, and treating our cream in the above named manner, our churnings have caused us but little labor or trouble. In the Boston Cultivator, dated Nov. 20th, 1841, may be found the same in substance as the above : I make no pretension to new discoveries but previous to that time I had seen no directions or recommendations for making winter butter by the above process. Every year introduces young and inexpei'ienced farmers into action, and it is possi- ble to such the above hints may prove of service. Silas Brown. North Wilmington, December, 1857. Remarks. — We have seen butter, and eaten it too, made by this process in the winter, and found it very sweet and hard, and of excellent color. We thank Mr. Brown for his statement. It comes in good time. WHAT FARMERS SHOULD LIVE FOR, There is something worth living for besides money. That is very good, but it is not all. With the rest, let us raise a crop of good ideas. While you are fai-mers, remember also that you are men, with duties and responsibilities. Live down the old brutal notion that a farmer must be uncotith, uneducated and unthinking — a mere ploddrapps. You are brought into immediate contact with the great heart of civilization. You cannot gel out of the reach of the buzz of the toiling world. The thrill of the wonder-working wires, and the rumble of the locomotive, (the thunder-tread of nations,) come to your once secluded hill-side. Move toward a better life. Do not keep your boys corn-shelling ail the long winter evenings. Make your farms a place that your sons and daughters cannot help loving. Cultivate the trees — they are God's messengers. Care much for books and pictures. Don't keep a solemn parlor into which you go but once a month with the parson, or the gossips of the sewing society. Hang around your walls pictures which shall tell stories of mercy, hope, courage, faith and charitj'. Make your living room the largest and most cheerful in the house. Let the place be such that when your boy has gone to distant lands, or even when, perhaps, he clings to a single plank in the lonely waters of the wide ocean, the thought of the old homestead shall come across the waters of desolation, bringing al- ways light, hope and love. Have no dungeons about your house — no rooms you never open — no blinds that are always shut. Don't teach your daughters French before they can weed a flower-bed, or cling to a side- saddle ; and daughters, do not be ashamed of the trowel or the pruning knife ; bring to your doors the richest flowers from the woods ; cultivate the friendship of birds — study botany, learn to lov^ nature, and seek a higher cultivation than the fashionable world can give you. — Address of D. Q. Mitchell before the Connedicnt State Affricul- fural Society, * for the New Englan-l Farmer A WORD ABOUT THE USE OF MILK. My remarks, by way of illustration, toward the close of my last article, may have excited a little curiosity, and as I then intimated, may have led to a desire to make the inquiry, "what would farmers do with their milk if it were not m:ide in- to butter and cheese ?" This question, which was only answered in part at that time, I now propose to consider more fully. Not that woman's time is wasted no where but in connection with the dairy ; for this is but a single item among many. With this however, we will begin. I am no advocate for the use of milk by adults, as will perhaps be seen hereafter. Mr. Thacher, of Barnstable county, it is said, tried a long time, in vain, to keep his horse on milk ; but I know not why adult horses should not be as well sus- tained on milk, except from habit, as adult hu- man beings. "Milk for babes, stronger meat for adults." And yet there is a way of using milk in families, which, in comparison with the use of our modern abominable mixtures, would be a very great improvement. So that if I could bring so- ciety to the more general use of milk to-morrow, I should think myself, temporarily at least, quite a philanthropist and reformer. But what is that legitimate use of milk to which the foregoing remarks refer ? What is that sim- ple method of consuming, much more generally and largely than we now do, an article which, though to everybody except very young child- ren and a few invalids, is, after all, abstractly considered, but a second rate article of food, or even but a choice of evils ? 1. Bread and milk eaten in the old fashioned way, with a spoon, is, with some drawback upon its excellence, so vastly superior to those multi- tudinous hotch-potch mixtures which grace our modern tables, that I should be glad to see three times as much of it eaten as now is. True it is that bread broken into milk and made soft by the process, excludes pratically much of that masti- cation and insalivation which are indispensable to the very best and healthiest digestion ; but then the bread is bread still — the staff of life or nature's best — despite of the soaking. Besides, the use of bread and milk practically shuts the door against many of those mixtures which not only consume so much of woman's time, but re- bel in the stomach. For who does not know that the bread and milk eater not only feels less powerfully impelled towards delicate and iiijurious mixtures, 4)ut actually has less room for them ? jNIost certainly he who has eaten a pint of milk and half a pound of bread, has a stomach less empty than before he began his meal. Here a question always comes up from the ig- norant and unobserving, "But can men and wo- men who labor hard live on bread and milk ?" Most certainly they can live on the bread, and the milk will be no great hindrance to the full ef- ficacy of what would doubtless be preferable with- out it. We know this from the nature of the case, since bread, as a general rule, is the most nutritious food in the world ; but we know it al- so from fact. One of our most gigantic medical professors in this county lives largely on bread and milk ; and more than one hard laborer with the hands, whom I know, lives in the same way. Aa k 76 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. Feb. aged teamster, now living as I believe in North bridge, Mass., says he can do his work better on Iwead and milk than on anything else. And one large family — a farmer's family — in Connecticut, were trained to almost giant size of body, on chiefly bread and milk and its products. Indeed except butter, they used very little of those pro- ducts. Some of them I have watched about fifty years, and they still hold out comparatively vig- orous. Mankind generally, I again say, at least in this country, would be healthier and happier, if they used two or three times as much milk as they now do, even if it were in a someM'hat objection- able way. They might breakfast on it evei-y day with advantage. They might dine on it without loss. I will not say that the third meal may as well be of bread and milk, after a bread and milk breakfast and dinner, for I do not think so. In general, whatever may have been the preceding meals, I would not use much milk at evening. Dry bread is far better, or at least food which is quite solid. Think now, for once, what a saving of time tliis jilan would secure to poor enslaved women ! It would save much to her to have a family break- fast on it ; but much more still to have them live on it two-thirds of the time. 2. It is indeed much better for health, and quite as productive of gustatory enjoyment, to pour a little milk — new if you please — over thin slices of bread, either toasted a little or otherwise, laid on a plate ; and thus eat your bread and milk, as some jocosely say, with a knife and forlc. Or the breakfast might consist of bread and milk, ac- cording to the old method, and the dinner of bread and milk might be eaten on a plate, ac- cording to the new or improved method. 3. If these uses of milk, (new, that is, di- rectly from the cow, as often as possible,) should not consume the whole of the contents of the dairy, and if there is no occasion to feed out the remainder to the domestic animals — the dogs, the cats or the SM'inc — let the number of the herd be somewhat diminished, and other animals be sub- stituted ; such as working cattle, steers, horses, mules, &c. I am not enough experienced in fann- ing, though I had a farmer's education, to say whether it is most profitable to keep cows than most other domestic animals, in itself considered ; but if woman's labor in rearing young immortals and advancing older ones is worth anything, I am quite certain that the saving of her precious time and strength by the change I have indicated would much more than compensate for any appa- rent or temporary loss from diminishing the ag- gregate of milk. If my communications are too long, Mr. Edi- tor, please give me a friendly hint, and they shall be made shorter. W. A. A. Auhurndale, Nov. 20, 1857. The Maiden and the Mariner. — A young damsel was preaching at Nantucket, and among other profound and original truths, exclaimed to lier congregation that "Every tub must stand on its own bottom." A sailor, thinking to nonplus the fair parson, rose up and asked, "But suppose it has no bottom ?" "Then it's no tub," she quickly rejoined, and went on with her sermon. POINTS OP AlSr AYKSHIRE COW. Would you know how to judge a good Ayrshire cow, Attend to the lesson you'll hear from me now : — Her head should be short, and her muzzle good size j Her nose should lie fine between muzzle and eyes ; Her eyes full and lively ; forehead ample and wide ; Horns wide, looking up, and curved inward beside ; Her neck should be a fine, tapering wedge, And free from loose skin on the undermort edge : Should be fine where 'tis joined with the seat of the brain ; Long and straight over-head, without hollow or mano ; Shoulder-blades should be thin, where they meet at the top ; Let her brisket be light, nor resemble a crop ; Her fore-part recede like the lash of a whip. And strongly resemble the bow of a ship ; Her back short and straight, with the spine well defined. Especially where the back, neck, and shoulders are joined j Her ribs short and arched, like the ribs of a barge ; Body deep at the flanks ; and milk veins full and large ; Pelvis long, broad, and straight, and in some measure, flat ; Hook -bones wide apart, and not bearing much fat ; Her thighs deep and broad, neither rounded nor flat ; Her tail long and fine, and joined with her back ; Milk-vessels capacious, and forward extending ; The liinder part broad, and to body fast pending ; The sole of her udder should form a plane. And all the four teats equal thickness attain, Their length not exceeding two inches or three ; They should hang to the earth perpendicularly ; Their distance apart, when they're viewed from behind. Will include about half of the udder you'll find ; And, when viewed from the side, they will have at each eixl As much of the udder as 'tween them is penned ; Her legs slwuld b« short, and the bones fime and clean. The points of the latter being firm and keen 5 Skin soft and clastic as a cushion of air. And covered all o'er with short, close, wooliy hair j The colors preferred arc confined to a few — Either brown and white chequered, or all brown, will do y The weight of the animal, leaving the stall. Should be about 5 cwt. sinking offal. Celt, in Irish Farmer's Gazette. For the Neto Englaiul Farmer. CONGRATULATIONS AND SUGGES- TIONS. Mr. Editor: — I congratulate you on the heal- thy and vigorous aspect of your paper. It shows, notwithstanding the times are hard, and business dull, "where there is a will there is a way," and when men set about a tiling in good earnest, M'ith good intent, it can be accomplished. I know of no department of labor, on which a man can look back with better satisfaction, than that Avhich advances and improves the condition of the farmer. That which teaches him to grow two spears of grass, or two bushels of corn, where but one grew before. That such instruction can be given, is demonsti'ated in every neighborhood, where it has been attempted, and so in relation to every A'ariety of product the earth affords. Will anyone say that there is any part of our State which is as thoroughly and successful- ly cultivated as it will admit of being ? I think not. I know of no town — ay, no farm, in any part of the Commonwealth, in which is grown one- half of what it is capable of producing. Then why not force the culture ? Where is the harm in so doing? Are not people as healthy and as comfortable where full crops are grown, as where meagre ones are gathered ? I think they are much more so. No one need fear producing too much, 1858. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. (7 and so far as appearances are concerned, full crops appear mucli better than scanty ones. But we have diverged from our starting point, the 2^ciper, to the soil itself. We rejoice in the name Neio England, and in the prosperity of whatever is connected therewith. We admire New England products — New England manners, and New England energy. Some of the most vigorous plants of the West were transplanted there, from the hardy shores and hills of New England. Whoever is so ungrateful as not to rejoice in his own native element, is unworthy of position anywhere. True, our soil is hard, and our climate at times forbidding, but where do you find a better class of men, than on the genuine farms of New Eng- land? I, therefore, rejoice in the opportunity to speak well of the Neio England Farmer, in what- ever position found, whether on the sands of the Cape, on the granite hills of New Hampshire, or the more fertile meads of the Connecticut. *^* December 21, 1857. EXTRACTS AND REPLIES. CRANBERRY MEADOWS — POULTRY. I have a meadow of about two acres, oval in shape. The soil is a black muck, ten or twelve feet deep in the middle ; it has been mowed every year, and flowed every winter. I have been trying to get it into a cranberry meadow^ for some years past, by flowing. There are several beds of vines now scattered over it, but only one of these beds has ever borne any, and that is the one nearest the edge. In the centre of the meadow water stands six or eight inches deep during the summer. I can- not see as floAving has done any good towards spreading the vines. T had concluded to gravel it over this winter, as I thought it was too wet ; but some advise me to keep it flowed a year or two and then drain it. It can easily be drained, as gravel is close by. What shall I do to get it into a cranberry meadow ? Is it a good plan to keep dough or grain before hens all the time, or is it best to feed them regu- larly ? H. A. C. Uxbridge, 1857. Remarks. — The question about the meadow we will leave to those having more experience than we have had on that subject. We think it best to feed poultry once a day, giving them in the morning about as much as they will eat before night. leather chips. How can leather chips be manufactured into manure ? Thos. O. Jackson. Plymouth, 1857. ' Remarks. — Leather contains valuable fertiliz- ing qualities, such as gelatine, albumen, and from tlie fatty matter in it, ammonia. Brown's "American Muck Book" states that the most economical mode of using leather shavings is to "chop them up into small pieces, and scatter them uniformly over the surface of the ground, at the rate of twenty to thirty bushels to an acre. and plow them in. If kept constantly covered with moist earth, they will impart their fertiliz- ing influence to most of our cultivated crops for six or seven years. If desirable to expend, they may be dissolved in strong solutions of potash or sulphuric acid, and administered in the form of a liquid manure. They are applicable to nearly every variety of soil, but appear to be best adapt- ed to those that are sandy, gravelly or light." an expression, and an invitation. More than five years have elapsed, since I sub- scribed for the weekly Farmer, though at the lime I thought I would take it only for six months. But I have not seen the moment since when I thought I could spare it. The column you devote to "Extracts and Replies" is very in- teresting and profitable to me. We, as small farmers, among the green hills of Vermont, may learn much from each other. Freeman. Northjield, Vf., 1857. Remarks. — We are obliged to "Freeman" for his good opinion, and especially for an invitation contained in another portion of his letter to "vis- t him and become acquainted with his family." This is precisely what we enjoy, and what we profit by largely, and whenever we are in that neighborhood, shall avail ourselves of the oppor- tunity to look at the "farm he has cleared, and taste of the products he has raised with his own hands." DRAINS AND SEWING MACHINES. I wish to inquire if there is any better way of digging drains than by the use of spade and pick? I understand that Pratt's Ditch Digger has been successfully used in New York, and not long since I read of a gentleman who uses it to dig a trench to set his fence posts in, as he thinks it is an easier Avay than to dig holes for them. Has it ever been tried here in New England, and if so, with what success ? What is the comparative value and cost of stone and tile drains? Will not Mr. French please to enlighten the readers of the Farmer a little upon these points, as we suppose that he knows everything about draining. I also wish to make a few inquiries about the cheap sewing machines. There has been quite a number of kinds advertised, varying in price from $10 to $45 ; are any of them really good and valuable machines, and if so, which is the best ? It seems to me that if a good sewing ma- chine could be obtained at a moderate price, it would soon pay for itself in almost any family. Lancaster, Dec. 22, 1857. E. G. Remarks, — We think Mr. French will cheer- fully reply to "E. G." A large egg. Mrs. J. ?.L Hix, of Manchester, Vt., has a me- dium sized hen that lays very large eggs, and all double yolk, but one in particular that 1 saw and measured reached the size of seven inches in circumference, the smallest way, and nine the 78 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. largest. This may be thought a large story by some, and, indeed, I think so myself; but the egg is preserved for future reference, and can be seen by any one who wishes to have ocular proofs of the fact. HiRAM Buttekfield. Bendville, Vt., 1857. PROFITS IN RAISING GEESE. I have not seen anything in the Farmer con- cerning the profit of raising Oeesc, and I will make a statement of mine. In the first place, my stock consists of one pair only — the gander is the White Mountain, its mate is a Bremen. She commenced laying about the first of March, and laid twelve eggs. The 4th of May she came off with ten goslins, who ran with her ten days, when I separated them, so that she might lay her second litter, which she never fails to do. The young require a little care for a few days, and then they Avill take care of themselves. I fed them with corn meal and scraps til! the 7th of July, when I dressed them, and the next day car- ried them into Boston, and sold them to Mr. Coggins, at Quincy Market, for $15 ; their aver- age Aveight was 11| lbs. I did not make the statement thinking of boasting, but simply to show that thei-e is a profit in raising these fowls. I did not keep an account of the food which they consumed, but it cannot amount to a gi'eat deal in that length of time. The feathers Avill amply pay for dressing them, and as for marketing, I think it will pay to visit the city once a year. South Hanson, Dec, 1857. 8. D. PROGENY OF ONE COW SINCE 1852. In October, 1852, I pui-chased a fine five year old native cow, and in February following she produced twin calves. The two next years she produced one at each birth ; the fourth year she produced twins, and on the 27th af November last, which is the fifth year, she produced triplcls, which is an increase of nine calves in five years, at five births. Hollis Ciiaffin. Dexter Asylum,, Providence, B. L, Dec, 1857. PATENT office REPORTS. Will you please to inform me through the col- umns of the Farmer where I can obtain a copy of the Patent Office Report on Agriculture, and how much it will cost Avhcn delivered ? S. Framinr/ham, 1857. E. H. Coolidge. PtEMARKs. — Write to the member of Congress from your district to send you a copy, and he will undoubtedly do so. POP CORN. Will some one inform me what kind of ma- nure is best to plant common pop corn with ? I have tried to raise it two seasons, and failed. Is it best to soak the corn or not ? How would it do to plant this corn with potatoes, both in one hill ? A Subscriber. Dec 16, 1857. Consolation. — A miserly old farmer, who had lost one of his best hands in the midst of hay- making, remarked to the sexton, as he was filling up the poor fellow's grave, "It is a sad thing to lose a good mower at a time like this ; but, after all, poor Tom was a dreadful great eater." I''uT the New England Farmer. MISERIES OF FABMIWG. While reading the piece thus headed, I have been trying to picture to myself what kind of a man the one that wrote this must be, but I have not been able to come to any conclusion what kind of a picture to draw of him. I acknowledge with him that the earth sponta- neously brings forth thorns and thistles ; but God has given man power to cultivate the soil ; has given him the horse and ox, and with his skill he applies the strength of these, to useful and profitable purposes. Man cultivates the soil, not as a beast of burden, not as E. H. S. would indi- cate, harnessed with his horse or yoked with hio ox, but with an intelligent mind, a cheerful heart and willing hand, and receives a rich reward for his labor. As to farming being the most laborious busi- ness there is, I feel free to say it is not so, as having tried mechanical, mercantile and farming pursuits, I think I am prepared to judge correct- ly. I never yet found the place where there was not hard work to be done, but I have found a gi-eat many that did not like to do it, and I sus- pect E. H. S. is one of them. As for pleasura- ble excitement, there is more in one day on the farm than in one month in the store or shop, and it is just such excitement as the mind requires for health and activity. What is more pleasing than a stock of fine cattle to look upon in the every day rounds ? there is the sprightly colt, with his gi'aceful manoeuvres around the field; there are the sheep and playful lambs. And what is more ex- citing and pleasing, than following tloat good ea- gle plow drawn l)y a pair of well trained oxen or horses, rolling the sod over so smooth and even ? What class of men has more time and better facilities for cultivating and improving the mind^ than the farmer ? I have yet to learn of that class. There is plenty of work for a cultivated mind, even on a. small farm. In regard to the comfort and ease of the manufacturer, the me- chanic and merchant, I Avould refer E. H. S. to the present pinching times ; ask him to contrast their situation with that of the farmer. Oxford, Nov. 10, 1857. ^y. L. D. PIGEON CATCHIHG-. Few jjersons, jicrhaps, are aware how many wild pigeons are taken at the AVest, and bi'ought to the eastern markets, or how much they con- tribute to supply the demand for flesh. Mr. T. N. Taylor, of Plymouth county, and one of a company engaged in the business, informs us that one of his associates "caught the past fall, in two months, or less, one thousand seven hundred and twenty-six dozen, or two hundred and seven thousand and tivelve jyiyeons." Enough, certain- ly, to make a good many pigeon pies, in the hands of a skilful cook. 1858. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 79 MANURES FROM ABROAD. In a private letter from one of our most ob- serving and intelligent correspondents, is the fol- lowing paragi'aph : "/» the matter of rnanures we need a reform. This State, in its lime and MUCK, MARL, &c.. Contains, I have no doubt, in herself ample means of restoring all the lost fer- tility of her lands. These are among the most durable of all manures. Why then purchasefrom abroad those expensive ones, whose effects, at best, are often doubtful?" "We give the paragraph prominence, because its truths are of more im- portance to the mass of our farmers, than any thing we can utter beside. There 7nust be a re- form in the matter of manures, for they are the keystone upon which rests all the farmer's suc- cess. AV"e have no desire to discourage the use of specific manures by those xcho can afford to fail in an experiment ; they are undoubtedly useful in degree, and it is well for us all to know their in- trinsic value. But the common farmer cannot afford to test them, only in a small, uncertain and unsatisfactory way, and, we fear, that when his hopes of good results from his crops rest on them, liis mind will be diverted from the only true and natural way of fertilizing his land — namely — from the sources which the land itself affords. Some of these sources we hope in the course of the year to be able briefly to point out. For the New England Farmer. MIXING OF PLANTS. Mr. Editor : — In a late Farmer, I notice that your correspondent, Essex, in some remarks up- on squashes, says : — "An inquiry has often been made, how is the purity of the squash preserved ?" and then goes on to say, "I have never met more sensible remarks on this point, than the follow- ing, which I quote from a report on vegetable products about to appear, in the Transactions of the Essex Agricultural Society for 185", as fol- Iows."_ "It is a mistake to suppose that the seed of the squash is pure, because the squash itself has all tlie outward characteristics of purity. The cross- ing of varieties, as in the apple and pear, and all our fruits, is not in the pulp, but in the seed ; and were tlie squash vine like our trees, perenni- al, no matter how near other varieties might grow, the fruit would always be constant ; but when we plant the seed, be it of squash, apple, or pear, then the result of growing in the vicini- ty of other varieties, at once shows itself in point of all degrees of purity, though the seed planted may have all come from one squash." Your correspondent says this doctrine may, in some manner, explain the vexed question, "will seed taken from squashes yield pumpkins ? and vice versa." Now, nothing is more certain than the crossing of different varieties of the same species if one is fertilized with the polJen of another. But it is a well known fact thai the (TOSS has no effect upon the fruit of the present year, but appears in the next generation raised from the fertilized seed. This is a law in the veg- etable economy, which should be familiar to all farmers and horticulturists. What thousands of dollars are annually lost by planting seed not true to their kind. Dealers in seeds should nev- er purchase any for sale, unless they know they are raised by persons understanding this subject. Your correspondent remarks, "I had supposed (hese vegetables, (pumpkins and squashes) to be as different in their nature, as are the African and European in the human family." Undoubt- edly they are so, but they are of the same species, and susceptible of being crossed, and a new vari- (;ty produced. And so of the human race, they are of the same family, and tlierefore varieties exist. Plants of one genus cannot be crossed with those of another, but remain distinct. There is no changing of the nature of any plant, or ani- mal; yet there are those who insist that wheat turns to chess, and becomes worthless as a grain. Hut the doctrine that wheat turns to chess, and Indian corn to mullen, rests on untenable ground. A man has not the power to change the nature of any created thing, but science gives him a most interesting power to originate new varieties of animals or vegetables, by crossing the breeds of the same species. But the integrity of the Creator remains the same, and the awful impress of the Creator's hand which was stamped upon every order of organized life, in the beginning, will go down, unimpaired, to the end of life. Dec. 3, 1857. Lynnfield. Remarks. — "Lynnfield" will observe that we liave omitted one or two illustrations in his article, but we can assure him that it was not be- cause we disagree with him in opinion, but be- cause it might lead to a discussion not congenial with the purposes of this journal. DELEGATES TO U. S. AQRICIILTUIIAL SOCIETY. At a recent meeting of the Massachusetts State Board of Agriculture, held in this city, the fol- lowing gentlemen were elected delegates to at- tend the annual meeting of the U. S. Agricultural Society, which is to be held in Washington on the loth of January next, viz. : Hon. Marshall P. Wilder, Charles L. Flint, Esq., John Brooks, B. V. French, Moses Newell and Samuel Chand- ler. As important matters, affecting the interests of the Society as well as the cause of agriculture throughout the country, are to be discussed, it is expected that there will be a large attendance at the meeting. We hear that Major Poore, the efficient Secre- tary of the Society, has received the fmal report of the Committee on "Agricultural Macliincrr and Farm Implements" at the recent exhibition at Louisville, Ky., and can reply to the numerous "anxious inquiries" made by exhibitors. Applications have been made to have the nex' exhibition of the Society in Baltimore, l\lCi., ar.I Chicago, Ilk Those and such other applications as may be received will be acted upon at the an- nual meeting. — Journal. 80 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. Feb. WB-ITE DORKING FOWLS. None of the live stock of our country is so gen- erally cultivated and appreciated as our domes- tic poultry — and no other affords so handsome a profit on the capital invested. Without the pres- ence of cocks and hens and chickens, the farm would be incomplete. Whoever knew a sturdy man, a loving woman or an affectionate child, that did not find pleasure in visiting the poultry-yard, and in feeding, tending and cherishing its occu- pants ? It is sometimes said that fowls are stupid, but that expression is not from those who observe them closely. Were thin" ever found off' guard when searching for food in the fields? What means that warning note from the cock, and that rush to the protecting cover of some friendly tree, or hedge, or fence? Their motions were so sudden that they seemed more like a flash than ;mything else. But what was it for? No dog or prowling cat is near — all is as still as the cham- ber of death, — and yet some impending danger has struck terror into all ! Not a chick is seen vhere numbers quietly chirped to the mother's cluck a moment before ! What means the invert- ed heads of those standing under the tree — there must be danger in the skies ! Ah ! I see it. Away in the clear empyrean, floating like gossa- mer on the air; or gracefully sweeping across the heavens, may be seen the cause of all this alarm ! Do fowls ever fail to find your choicest spot of ground where your crocuses and pinks and pan- sies bloom and shed their fragrance ? If they care not for what blooms above, they well under- stand what crawls beneath, and how they can procure it ! But we must not go farther. Are they stupid now ? After a trial of various breeds of domestic foM-ls, we have come to the conclusion that the Dorkings, beautifully represented in the cut above, are as good as any, if not the best fowls among us. They are of good size, good layers, good mothers, of remarkably good habits and manners while living, and when dressed for the table will suit master and mistress too. Their "meat is fine, their bodies are large, and better proportioned 1858. NEW ENGLAND FARMER 81 than any others, being long, full and well fleshed! cup," or it may be eaten in the pulp wTief e Na'tiire in the breast ; have short legs and beautiful formed it. I prefer the latter. It may be eaten alone, or with bread — and it may be uncooR^dpr plumage, and with five instead of four toes." The feathers on many of them extend down the legs to the crown of the toes. For the New England Farmer. FRUITS AND FBI7IT JUICES. Fruit juices, it has been said, are the milk of age ; thus contradicting, as some may at first think, the views in my late article in this paper, on the use of the milk of animals. .. But is there, after all, any contradiction? I think otherwise. My main olycct, in that article. cooked. Bread and fruit form one of the best meals for laboring men and Avomen which can be found. If bread is the staff of life at cvery-age, fruit-juices are its wine, especially in its middle and at the end. Many say they cannot eat fruit, fhe teacher of one of our most popular female seminaries, one day not long since, told me this story. "My father," said he, "could eat fruit all daylong, as it were ; but I can hardly eat so much as an apple, without suff'ering from it." "Perhaps," said I, "your father ate too much fruit, and thereby- so deranged his system that he has transmitted to was to show the folly — aye, and the wickedness, you a" greatly enfeebled vitality. But tell me too, if you please — of requiring woman to spend '5f/