Hmuprattg of PtttHburg "Darlmgton Memorial Librar ISaak- /866 jS"unabei' Xwelve — Price, 3(> CVixts, " The Best of all the American Newspapers Devoted to Matters of Eural Economy."— Scottish Farmer, Edinburgh. -•-♦-•- THE CULTIVATOR & COUNTRY GENTLEMAN. • • • Cultivator — 4th Series | nTrw -vevi^i^Tk -mir^^wz-w v J Country Gentleman Thikty-thibd Year. )" *'tJK*^*»"*'*' lVliliK.l.Y. -^ y^j^ 27_14th year. • o • A Ne%v Volnme of this Journal commences with January 1st, 1866. " Standing AT THE HEAD ol the Agricultural Press of the country," as the Maine Farmer Bays,— it contains Departments, in every Volume, and in nearly every Number, for The Practical Parmer, Stock Breeder and "Wool Grower, Dairyman, Poultry Keeper and Apiarist, Prnit Grower and G-ardener, Eural Architecture, Entomology, The House-Keeper and Fireside, The Naturalist, &c., &c., &c. The Cultivator & Country Gentleman supplies 832 large Quarto Pages m the course of the year. Its Corps of contributors is very large— embracing correspondents in every State of the Union ; and, in the language of the Gardener's Monthly, it is "con- ducted with a degree of talent EQUAL TO ANY EUROPEAN JOURNAL, and euperior to most of them." Illustrations are freely employed wherever they can be made to elucidate the sub- jects treated. For Practical Value to every man interested in Rural Affairs, it is believed to . be unsurpassed by any contemporary, while the comprehensive nature of its design is such as to suit it equally to all latitudes and localities in which Improved Farming is appreciated and sought for. Subscription Rates.-The subscription price of the "Cultivator «fc Country Gentleman," for 1866, we give below, presenting liberal inducements to Clubs : TERMS PER year. WITH ANNUAL REGISTER. One Copt $2.50 One Copy, $2.80 Pour Copies, 9.00 Four Copijss, 1 0,00 Eight Copies, 16.00 Eight Copies 17.60 Fifteen Copies, and one free to the Fifteen Copies, and one of each sender of the List 30.00 free to the sender of tlie List, 33.00 Subscribers not Paying Strictbj in Advance will in all cases be charged Three Dollars per year. Subscriptions for less than one year will be taken at 25 cents per month. Canada Subscribers will add to the above terms 25 cents per copy per year for Ame- rican postage, when the subscription is paid in American currency. So long, however, as the present rates of exchange continue, we shall make no extra charge for postage to Canadian subscribers who remit to us in bills of their own specie paying banks. Sample Copies sent without charge to any address, and single numbers may gen- erally be procured of Newsdealers. Subscriptions should be enclosed by mail to LUTHER TUCKER & SON, Editors & Publisbers, Albany, N. Y. THE ILLUSTRATED AlSrNUAIl. PiEGISTEPi OF RURAL AFFAIRS CULTIVATOR ALMANAC, FOR THE YE^R 1866, CONTAININft PRACTICAIi SUGGESTION'S FOR THE FARMER AND HORTICULTURIST \.* EMBELLISHED WITH ABOUT 1 > > One Hundred and Thirty Beautiful EngraTiogs. *♦« Br J. J. THOMAS, AUTHOR OF THE "AMERICAN FRUIT CULTURISTj" AND "FARM IMPLEMENTS,'^ \ ABSOOIATK KDITQB OF THE "COUNTRY GKNTLESIAN" AND " CDLTIVATOR." -MM- ALBANY, N. Y. : LUTHER TUCKER & SON. NEW- YORK CITY : ORANGE JUDD & CO. 1866. i 1 ■^ iPublishers' -A.civertisem.ent. 2^^/^ io • • •■ In presenting the Twelfth Number of the Illustrated Annual Eegister of Rural Affairs, the Publishers may appropriatelj' acknowledge their indebtednees to the Author, bj^Avhose experienced pen and tasteful sketches the interest and value of the series have been so well sustained. In the following pages, a Monthly Calendar is given for the Kitchen Garden, Flower Garden and Green-House, in continuation of those for the labors of the Farm and Orchard in the Numbers for " 1864 and 1865. Other leading articles are devoted to the preservation and culture of our Woodlands, to the Breeding and Fattening of Mutton Sheep, and to a large ' variety of Horticultural subjects. The shorter papers embrace many concise and , ^iseful suggestions in matters of Farming and Rural Economy at large— the v/hole accompanied by the usual number of original and attractive Engravings. The Register of Rural Affairs is designed to supi>]y, in connection with the Calendar Pages of an Almanac, an Annual of Agriculture and Horticulture, in- '.vCklentally illustrating the progress we are making from year to year in these im- 'iJortant arts, as well as condensing within a small compass the largest possible *i^^ount of information for the fiirmer and fruit grower, and indeed on all points "i^Connected with the out-door or in-door labors ot those whose homes are in the Country. While the previous Numbers will consequently be found to contain more V f^i less on every branch of practical cultivation, they are also especially rich in De- > «oigns for Farm and Country Houses and Working Mens' Cottages,— on Ornamental ■'' Planting and the care of Gardens and Grounds,— and on related topics, such as fences and gates, architecture generally, vegetable physiology, entomology, farm and horticultiiral implements, the care of domestic animals, hints for house-kecp- ' ers, under-draining, butter and cheese making, poultry and bee keeping, &c., &c. — thus constituting in fact a Library in themselves. An edition on larger and finer paper, omitting Calendar and Advertising Pages, is issued in Triennial Volumes, handsomely bound for preservation and reference. Four of these Volumes are now readj% embracing, under the simple and compre- 'hfcnsive title of Rural Affairs, the whole series of the Annual Register com- J)i-cte— sold separately or together at $1 .50 each. These four volumes comprise about thirteen hundred pages and no less than One Thovsand seven hundred Illustrations. \ li\ the two following pages we present a brief outline of their respective contents, to which the reader is referred. . The Publishers have also the Numbers in paper covers, as they originally ap- peared (with the exception of those for 1855 and 185T,) either of which may at any time be obtained by remitting Thirty Cents, or any four of them for One Dollar, -pnciosed by mail to Luther Tucker & Son, Albany, iV. J"., who will also send the bound volumes postpaid at the price above named. 0 r>.\ <^^\v (1 EUEAL AFFAIES— Contents of the Four Volumes. • •• Vol. One— — i40 Illuistratioiijs}. ^-^ i 1 O Country D^vellings.— Fifteen De- siGNS,accompaiiied with Plaus.in many instances of several floors — also esti- mates of Cost— together with General Rules for Building, and Remarks ou the Art of Planning a House. liayiiig Out Grounds —Four Ar- ticles ou Laying Out Farms — two ou Grounds around Houses and Flower- Gardeus— eight on Modes of Plant- ing and various Trees and Shrubs. Tl'Iiat Fruits to Clioose.— Sixty- o.ne Varieties of Apples ; Fifty-four of Pears ; Twenty-eight of Peaches; Ten of .Nectarines and Apricots ; Tuir- ty-four of Plums ; Twenty-eight of Cherries; Thiutee.v of Strawberries, and a Dozen of Native and Foreign Grapes are described— Avith Approved Lists and Seiect Aesortments. JDouie.stic Auiiuals. — Improved Brkeds illustrated by portraits. A valu- able article on Doctoring Sick Animals, with Simple Rules and Remedies, era- bracing the most common Diseases of Horses, Cattle, Sheep and Swine. Fruit Culture,— Twenty-two Ar- ticles— Treatment of Orchards, Large and Small Fruits, with a large number of brief Notes, presenting many valu- able Hints and Suggestions. Farui Buildings.— Barns, Carriage Houses, Stables, the Piggery, Smoke- House, Poultry House— Cisterns, Erect- ing Lightning Rods, ^Fifty-six Engravings — including Ice- Ilonses and storinujice — makinir Stone Wall, and many otherincidental points often omitted— a very valuable article. Orcliard and Nursery "Work.- Calendar for the Year, with many use- ful hints and Twenty-two Engravings. Kitclicn and Flower Garden and Green-H»»use.— The Labors of each successive month reviewed, with notes on varieties of different Ve' A IJ^DEX OF" Na. 12 P^OR 1866. Page. Apples, Best for Market, 323, 324 Apples for Stock 333 April Work for Flower Garden, 24(5 April Work for Ki;clien Garden, 245 Asparagus Bed 237, 243. 245, 2.il August Work for Flower Gardfii, 252 August Work for Kitchen Garden... 251 Barns, Plan of Basement, 336 Barn, Plan of Sheep, 2S(j Barometers, Leech xix Barometers, Chemical xvii Bedding Plants 249 Bees, Contrivance for Hiving, 332 Beets, Be^t Varieties 23S Birds, to Prevent Pulling Corn, 334 Box Edtrin^, How to Set 244 Butter, Philadelphia 320 Cabbai^es, Best Varieties of, 242 Calen(far Pages, ix-xx Calves, Substitute for Milk iu Eais- iug 298 Cauliflowers, To Make Head, 253 Cellar Drains, 335 Chemical Barometer, xvii Circular Flower Bed, 294 Climbing Plants, Supports for, 237 Clover ill Rotation, 330 Clover noots, Utility of, 333 Clover, Thick Seeding, 331 Cofiee a Disinfectant, xv Compost Heaps 237 Corn Fodder in Drills 331 Corn Fodder, Curing, 334 Corn Marker, 29fi Cows, Food for Milch, 298 Cows, Dairy, 297, 298 Cows, Rules for Winter Feeding, . . . 297 Cucumbers. Best 240 i Cumberland Clod Crusher 293 ' Curves lor Roads and Walks 2!K) | Cuttings of Shrubs, 255 Cycles, &c., viii . Dairy Matters 297 I Dairy Cows, Winter Feeding, 297 i Dairy Cows, Product of. 297 ! Dairy Cows. Home Raised, 2f)7 i December Work for Flower Garden, 255 ; December Work for Kitchen Garden, 255 ! Dianthus Heddewegii, 312 Domestic Economy, 337 Drill CultHvation, 332 Eclipses for IbOG, vii Eggs, Keeping, 338 Page. Engine, Garden, , ... 284 Equinoxes and Solstices, viii Evergreens for Protection, 288 Farmers' Boys, Winter Evenings for, 315 Farmers, What shall they Do, 317 Farming and Rural Economy 3:30 February Work for l^lower Garden,- 243 February Work for Kitchen Garden, 238 Fence. Haynes' Portable, 319 Flower Bed, Circular, 294 Flower Beds and Edgin<:s, 247, 249 Flower Garden, Monthly Hints for, 2:^5 237, 243, 244, 245, 246, 249, 251, 252, 253 254, 255 Flower Seeds, How to Sow, 246 Flowers, Culture of. 325 Flowers, New and Desirable, 310 Foot iSIufl", How to Make, 338 Forest Trees, Planting 262 Fruits and Fruit Culture, 321 Fruit Trees for Shade 324 Fruit Trees, Plowing Among, 323 Garden Tools 282 Gas Tar, Uses of, 333 Grain Scoop. . 331 Grapes, Best Hardj', 323 Grapes, Keeping in Winter 337 Grapevines, Training as Pyramids, . 314 Gravel Walks 247 Green-House, Management of, 2:55 Green-House, Montlilv Hints for, 2:35, 2:37 243, 245, 251, 252, 25:3, 255, 25 EVE]S"IISrGr ST.A.R,S. Venus. — Venus will be morning star until February 25th, then evening star until Deceml>er 11th, at which time it pa.sses the inferior conjunction with the Sun, and becomes invisible. Just before this time it exhibits a long slender crescent, always convex towards the Sun, its horns being turned back, aud towards the east; but when seen again, it appears in the east be- fore sunrise, with its long crescent bowing back towards the west. On the 5th of Xoveinber it will be brightest, being then about 40° etist of the Sun. Mars. — Mars will be morning star until October 8th, when it is 90" west of the Sun; then evening star the rest of the year. On the 2d of Decem- ber it begins to retrograde, or move westward past the stars. It will be in the southern signs until May 7th, when it passes the equator noithward. On the 28th of March it will be about 10" south of the central stars in the Urn ; on the 20th of July it will be 5** south of the "Seven Stars;" on the 6th of August it will be 5" noith of Aldebaran; on the 29th of August it will be 2" north of ^Tauri; September 14th it will be between audi'' north of ILLUSTRATED ANNUAL REGISTER rj and /z Geniinorum; October 18th it will be 9^° south of Castor, and on the 25lli, 5° 3*7* south of Pollux. When a planet is north or south of a star, a straight line drawn from the North Star runs through })Oth^ whether they be in tlie meridian or not. Jupiter. — Jupiter will be morning star until April 21st, when it is 90* west of the Sun ; then evening star the rest of the year. It is in the southern signs yet, but is moving northward. Saturn. — Saturn will be morning star until January 31st, being then ^0° west of the Sun; evening star until November 7th, when it is in conjuction Avith the Sun, and invisible ; then morning star the rest of the year. It will be in Libra this year. Mercury. — Mercury will be visible in the west soon after sunset, about March 23d, July 20th, and November 15; also in the east just before sun- rise, about January 16th, May 14th, September 9th, and December 30th, being at those times at its greatest brilliancy. EQXJIN-OXEIS J^NID SOLSTIC35:S. D. H. M. D. H. M. Vernal E(iuinox, March 20 2 46 eve. Summer Solstice, June 21 11 26 mo. Autumnal Equinox, Sept. 23 1 43 mo. Winter Solstice, Dec. 21 7 42 eve. THE CYCLES, ETC The year 1866 is the second after leap-year, and the latter part of the 90th, and beginning of the 91st year of American Independence : the 6,579 of the Julian Period; the 5,626-7th of the Jewish era; the 2,619th of Rome; the 2,642d of the Olympiads; the 2,178th of the Seleucid»: the 1,283d of Mohanuned, which begins May 16th. The Jewish year 5,627 begins Sep- tember 10. Dominical Letter, G; Epact, 14; Golden Number, 5; Solar Cycle, 27; Roman ludiction, 9; Dionysian Period, 195. SXIOOTING- STARS. Of shooting stars, there is an average of from five to seven visible every hour on a clear night. They are stray visitants in contradistinction to the prodigious swarms of November and August, which observation duiiug 25 years has decided to be ;iccurately returning phenomena. They arc much more numerous during the latter half of the year, when the earth is passing from summer to winter, from aphelion to periiielion. The same increase of number in the last six months of the year is observable in the appearance of fiie-balls and aerolites. Now by what theory can we account fortius uniform return of meteors in each year 1 The theory generally accepted is, that theie is a ring or annulus of small bodies revolving with planetary velocity about the sun ; that the bodies in question are distributed very unevenly in the ring, there being a small section of the ring where the bodies are numerous, with a few stragglers scattered along the rest of its circuit ; that the earth passes through the ring every year, and each year in a new place; and that it passes through that part of the ring in which the planets are most numerous once in al)oiit 33 years. We have rea.son to expect a shower in 1866, since the cycle of 32.25 years is probably to be reckoned from some date between November in 1832 and in 1833. 1st MONTH. JANUARY, 186 6. MOON'S PHASES. Full, Moon, Thikd Qltakter,' New Moon, First Quarter,- ■ Full Moon, D. 1 8 16 23 30 Boston. H. M. 2 4 mo. 4 18 ev. 3 52 ev. 4 10 ev. 3 44 ev. New- York. H. 1 4 3 3 3 M. 54 mo. 6 ev. 41 ev. 58 ev. 33 ev. WasliiiiKtoii 31 DAYS. A,/^ iSiui on Mcrifl. W or noon mark. V H. 1 3 3 3 3 M. 40 mo. 54 ev. 29 ev. 46 ev. 20 ev. D. 1 9 17 25 H. M. S. 12 3 58 12 7 31 12 10 29 12 12 42 K k.^ c« CALENDAR CALENDAR CALENDAR ;5 » For Boston, New-Eng- For N. York City, Phi- For Washington, o is land, N. York State, ladelphia, Conn., N. Maryrd,\ irg'a. 't^ o O Michigan, Wisconsin, Jersey, Penn., Ohio, Keut'y.Miss'ri, o Iowa and Oregon. Indiana and Illinois. and California. >* SUN SUN MOON H. W. SUN 1 SUN MOON H. W- SUN SUN MOON ft rises H M se*s. sets. Bost. rises H M sets. H M sets. N. Y. rises H M sets. H M sets. "~ O ) n H M H M H M H M H M 1 M 22 .59 11 7 30 4 38 rises. 11 32 7 25 4 43 rises. 8 18 7 19 4 49 rises. 9, T 22 53 51 7 30 4 39 6 41 ev.23 7 25 4 44 6 44 9 9 7 19 4 50 6 47 3 \y 22 48 3 7 30 4 40 7 44 1 10 7 25 4 45 7 46 9 56 7 19 4 51 7 49 4 T 22 41 49 7 30 4 41 8 46 1 52 7 25 4 46 8 47 10 38 7 19 4 52 8 49 5 F 22 35 6 7 30 4 42 9 44 2 32 7 25 4 47 9 45 11 18 7 19 4 52 9 46 6 s 22 27 58 7 29 4 43 10 43 3 16 7 25 4 48 10 43 ev. 2 7 19 4 53 10 43 7 Cr 22 20 22 7 29 4 44 11 40 4 1 7 25 :4 49 11 39 0 47 7 19 4 54 11 38 8 M 22 12 !^0 7 29 4 45 morn 4 48 7 24 4 .50 morn 1 34 7 19 4 65 morn 9 T 22 3 52 7 29 4 46 0 38 5 38 7 24 4 51 0 36 2 24 7 19 4 56 0 34 10 W 21 54 59 7 29 4 47 1 34 6 30 7 24 !4 52 1 31 3 16 7 19 4 57 1 29 11 T 21 45 39 7 29 4 48 2 30 7 24 7 24 i4 .53 2 27 4 10 7 19 4 58 2 24 r?, F 21 35 54 7 28 4 50 3 26 8 18 7 23 4 54 3 22 5 4 7 18 4 59 3 J8 13 s 21 25 44 7 28 4 51 4 20 9 11 7 23 4 55 4 16 5 57 7 18 5 0 4 12 14 G 21 15 9 7 28 4 52 5 14 10 3 7 23 ;4 56 5 10 6 49 7 18 5 1 5 6 15 M 21 4 10 7 27 4 53 6 3 10 ,51 7 22 4 57 5 59 7 39 7 18 5 2 5 55 lir T 20 52 47 7 27 4 54 sets. 11 33 7 22 '4 .59 sets. 8 19 7 17 5 3 sets. 17 W 20 41 0 7 26 4 55 6 16 morn 7 21,5 0 6 18 9 6 7 17 5 5 6 21 18 T 20 28 49 7 26 4 56 7 22 0 20 7 2l|5 1 7 24 9 51 7 16 5 6 7 26 19 F 20 16 15 7 25 4 58 8 29 1 5 7 21io 2 8 30 10 34 7 16 5 7 8 31 20 s 20 3 18 7 24 4 59 9 3(5 1 48 7 20;5 3 9 36 11 18 7 15 5 8 9 37 21 n T 19 22 15 7 22 5 3 morn 4 16 7 17 5 7 morn 1 2 7 14 5 11 morn 24 W 19 7 51 7 22 5 4 1 0 5 14 7 17j5 8 0 57 2 0 7 13 5 12 0 55 25 T 18 53 6 7 21 5 5 2 8 ' 6 21 7 16 0 9 2 5 3 7 7 12 5 13 2 1 26 ! F 18 38 0 7 20 5 6 3 12 1 7 28 7 16 15 10 3 9 4 14 7 12 5 15 3 4 27 ! S 18 22 34 7 19 5 8 4 13 8 34 7 15 5 11 4 9 5 2i.) 7 11 5 16 4 5 28 Ci} 18 6 48 7 18 5 9 5 8 9 35 7 14 5 13 5 4 6 21 7 10 5 17 5 0 29 M 17 .50 43 7 17 5 10 5 59 10 29 7 13 5 14 5 55 7 15 7 9 5 18 5 51 30 T 17 34 18 7 16 5 12 rises. 11 14 7 12 5 15 rises. 8 0 7 8 5 19; rises. 31 W 17 17 35" 7 15 513 6 29 11 59 7 12 '5 16 6 30 1 8 4.5 7 8' 5 20' 6 33 Directions for taking Leaf Impressions. — Hold oiled paper in the smoko of a lamp, or of pitch, until it becomes coated with the smoke ; to this paper apply the leaf of which you wish an impression, having previously warmed it between your hands, that it may be pliable. Place the lower surface of the leaf upon the blackened surface of tiic oil paper, that the numerous veins that are sa prominent on this side may receive from the paper a portion of the smoke. Lay a paper over the leaf, and then press it gently upon the smoked paper, with the fingers, or with a small roller (covered with woolen cloth, or some like sof; material,) so that every part of the leaf may come in ©c^— 2d MONTH. FEBRUARY, 186 6. 28 DAYS. MOON'S PHASES. TniRD Quarter, ■ New Moon, ■ First Quarter, • ■ D. 7 15 21 Boston. H. M. 2 55 ev. 5 29 mo. * 4 mo. New-York. H. M. 2 43 5 17 11 52 ev. mo. ev. Sua on Merid. Vashitigton or noon mark. H. M. D. E. M. S. 2 31 ev. 1 12 13 55 5 5 mo. 9 12 14 30 11 40 ev. 17 12 14 16 25 12 13 16 » CZ2 CALENDAR CALENDAR CALENDAR^ ;z; w TO f5 For Boston, New Ens- For N. York City, Phi- For Washington, o ? « land, N. York State, ladelphia, Conn., N. Maryrd,\ irg'a, f^ o Michigan, Wisconsin, Jersey. Penn., Ohio, Kent'y,Mis6'ri, o o ft la Iowa and Oregon. Indiana and Illinois. and Calitornia. ^ SUN SUN MOON H. w. SUN 1 SUN MOON H. w. SUN SUN MOON rises H M sets. H M sets. Bost. rises H M sets. H M Bets. N. Y. rises H M sets. H M sets. o / " H M H M H M H M H M 1 T 17 0 34 7 14 O 14 7 29 ev.42 7 11 5 18 7 30 8 28 7 7 5 21 7 32 2 F 16 43 15 7 13 5 15 8 29 1 22 7 10 5 19 8 29 10 .8 7 6 5 23 8 30 3 S 16 25 38 7 12 5 16 9 28 1 57 7 9 5 20 9 27 10 43 7 5 5 24 9 27 4 €i 16 7 44 7 11 5 18 10 24 2 37 7 7 5 21 10 23 11 23 7 4 5 25 10 21 5 M 15 49 31 7 10 5 19 11 21 3 20 7 6 5 22 11 19 ev. 6 7 3 5 26 11 17 6 T 15 31 6 7 9 5 21 morn 4 5 7 5 5 23 morn 0 51 7 2 5 27 morn 7 W 15 12 24 7 8 5 22 0 18 4 48 7 4 5 25 0 15 1 34 7 1 5 28 0 12 8 T 14 53 26 7 6 5 23 1 14 5 47 7 3 5 26 1 11 2 33 7 0 5 29 1 7 9 F 14 34 12 7 5 1 24 2 8 6 43 7 2 5 27 2 4 3 29 6 59 5 30 2 0 10 S 14 14 44 7 4 5 25 3 1 7 41 7 1 5 28 2 56 4 27 6 58 5 32 2 52 n i^ 13 55 2 7 2 5 26 3 53 8 40 7 0 5 30 3 48 5 26 657 5 33 3 44 12 M 13 35 6 7 1 5 28 4 40 9 36 6 58 5 31 4 37 6 22 655 5 34 4 32 18 T 13 14 57 7 0 5 29 5 25 10 26 6 57 5 32 5 22 7 12 6 54 5 35 5 18 14 W 12 54 35 6 59 5 30 sets. 11 11 6 56 5 34 sets. 7 57 6 53 5 36 sets. 15 T 12 34 0 6 57 o 32 6 12 morn 6 55 5 35 6 14 8 53 6 52 5 38 6 15 16 F 12 13 14 (5 56 5 33 7 22 0 7 6 53 5 36 7 22 9 29 6 51 5 39 7 23 17 S 11 52 15 6 54 5 35 8 31 0 43 6 52 5 37 8 31 10 13 6 49 5 40 8 30 18 o 11 31 0 6 53 5 36 9 42 1 27 6 51 5 39 9 40 10 58 6 48 5 41 9 39 19 M 11 946 6 52 5 38 10 51 2 12 6 49 5 40 10 49 11 49 6 47 5 42 10 46 20 T 10 48 15 6 50 5 39 11 55 3 3 6 48 ;5 41 11 52 morn 6 46 5 44 11 49 21 W 10 26 35 6 48 5 40 morn 3 58 6 46^5 4:3 morn 0 44 6 44 5 45 morn 22 T 10 4 45 6 47 5 42 1 5 5 0 6 45 5 44 1 2 1 46 6 43 5 46 0 58 28 F 9 42 46 6 45 5 43 2 6 6 6 6 44:5 45 2 2 2 52 6 42 5 47 1 58 ?4 S 9 20 oN 6 44 5 45 3 2 7 14 6 42 5 46 2 58 4 0 6 40 5 48 2 54 25 ii 8 58 22 6 42 5 46 3 55 8 17 6 41 5 48 S 51 5 3 6 38 5 49 3 47 26 M 8 35 58 6 41 5 47 4 39 9 17 6 39 5 49 4 36 6 3 6 37 5 51 4 33 27 T 8 13 27 6 39 5 49 5 19 10 8 6 38 5 50 5 17 6 54 6 36 5 52 5 14 28 W 7 50 48 6 38 5 50 rises. 10 54 6 37 5 51 rises. 7 40 6 34 5 53 rises. contact with the sooted oil-paper. A coating of thti smoke will adhere to the leaf. Then remove the leaf carefully, and place the blackened surface on a sheet of white paper, not ruled, or in a book prepared for the purpose, cov- ering the leaf with r. clean slip of paper, and pressing upon it with the fin- gcr.s, or roller, as before. Thus may be obtained th.e impression of a leaf, showing the perfect outlines, together with an accurate exhibition of the veins which extend in every direction through it, more correctly than the finest drawing. And this process is so simple, and the materials so easily o\)- tiiined, that any person, Avith a little practice to enable him to apply the n right quantity of smoke to the oil-paper, and give the leaf a proper pressure, ^\ e:tn prepare beautiful leaf impressions, such as a naturalist would be proud "^ to possess. There is another, and wo think a better method of taking laof A €^c^=- -=^=>@ 3d MONTH. MARCH, 1866. -=^=^^ 31 DAYS. MOON'S PHASES. FuLTv Moon, Third Quarter,' New Moon, First Quarter,- • Full Moon, D. 1 9 10 23 30 Boston. H. 7 11 4 8 11 M. 8 mo. 8 mo. 53 ev. 18 mo. 47 ev. New-York. H. M. 6 56 mo. 10 56 mo. 4 41 ev. 8 6 mo. 11 35 e%^ Washinjirton H. 6 10 4 7 11 M. 44 mo. 44 mo. 29 ev. 54 mo. 23 ev. Sun on ^lerid. or noon mark. D. 1 9 17 25 H. M. S. 13 12 33 13 10 41 12 8 28 12 6 3 K o o < o ft T F S M T 7| W 8 T 9 F 10 S lliO 12 M 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24: 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 T W T F S €} M T W T F S G M T W T F S as C a) 28 5 43 19 56 32 9 46 22 59 CALENDAR For Boston, New-Eng- land, N. York State, Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa and Oregon. SUN SUN rises sets. H 3 6 6 oo 3 13 2 48 2 24 2 1 1 37 1 13 0 50 0 2<) 0 3 N 21 0 44 8 31 55 19 43 5 29 52 15 n 13 10 1 48 29 7 41 12 39 4 27 48 7 26 44 1 19| 37 4 44 23 591 58 20 0( M 36 35 33 31 30 28 20 35 23 21 MOON jH. W. gets. Bost 30 6 50'i5 18 16 14 13 11 9 7 616 4 6 2|6 0;6 59 6 57 6 55; 6 53 6 52|6 50j6 48:6 46' 6 45I 6 M 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 5S 59 0 2 o O 4 5 6 7 9 lO ll 12 13 14 15 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 H M H M 6 17 11 32 7 15 e v. 12 8 13 9 11 10 7 11 3 11 58 morn 0 52, 1 42 2 31! 3 16: 3 58 4 37 0 51 27 3 43 28 16 8 6 7 7 5 58 5 15 10 47 sets, ill 33 7 23 niorii 8 33' 0 31 9 45; 10 55| 11 59 morn: 0 58 1 8 1 54 2 47 3 44 4 47 CALENDAR For N. York City, Phi- ladelphia, Conn., N. Jersey, Penn., Ohio, Indiana and Illinois. SUN I SUN rises sets. 1 531 5 51 2 40' 6 55 7 56 8 52 9 43 H M 6 35 6 34 6 32 6 30 6 39 6 27 6 25 624 6 33 6 20 6 19 i 6 171 6 161 6 141 6 12 1 6 11! 6 9' MOON sets. 3 20 3 571 4 30i 5 lIlO 26 rises. 11 4 7 211 39 7 6 4 2 1 59 58 5 56 5 54 5 52 5 51 5 49 5 47 5 46 H M 5 53 5 53 5 54 5 55 5 56 5 57 5 58 5 59 6 0 6 1 6 2 6 3 6 4 6 5 6 6' 6 8i 6 9: 6 101 6ir 6 12 6 13 6 14 6 15 6 16 6 17 6 18 6 19 6 20 6 21 6 33 6 33 H M 6 17 7 15 8 12 9 9 10 4 11 0 11 54 morn 0 48 1 38 2 27 3 12 3 55 4 35 5 13 sets. H. vr. N. Y H M 8 18 8 58 9 37 10 13 10 49 11 29 ev.l4 54 52 53 53 51 CALENDAR For Washington, Maryrd,Virg'a, Kent'y.Miss'ri, and California. SUN SUN rises sets. 6 44 7 33 8 19 9 7 7 21 8 31 9 43 10 51 11 33 11 55 9 54 10 40 morn 0 54 1 49 3 36 3 17 morn 0 301 3 54 4 29 5 0 rises. 7 1 33 37! 41 42 ".I 6 28 1'^ 50 8 25: M 33 32 30 29 27 26 24 23 21 20 18 17 15 13 MOON setsi M 54 55 56 571 9 57110 H M 6 18 7 15 8 12 7 2 58ii0 57 11 50 morn 0 44 59 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1 33 2 2;; o'> 12 6 10! 6 9|6 716 6i6 4 6 3|6 116 5916 58' 6 56|6 54,6 ISJ 53! 6 19| 51 6 19 50 6 20 48! 6 21 47; 6 22 3 8 3 53 4 33 5 13 sets. 7 30 8 29 9 39 10 48 13! 11 50 141 morn 151 0 50 16i 1 44 1 7; O O.) 3 14 3 53 4 37 5 0 rises. 0 59 The only difference in the process con- impyessio7i», than the preceding one sists in the use of printing ink, instead of smoked oil-paper. Leaf Printing. — After warming the leaf between the hands, apply print- ing ink, by means of a small leather ball containing cotton, or some soft sub- stance, or with the end of the finger. The leather ball (and the finger when used for that purpose,) after the ink is applied to it, should be prc^sod several times on a piece of leather, or some smooth surface, before eiich application /A to the leaf, that the ink may be smoothly and evenly applied. After the un- 1']^ der surface of the leaf has been sufficiently inked, apply it to the pajicr^ ^c^—- 4tU MONTH. APRIL, 186 6. 30 DATS. MOON'S PHASES. Third Quarter,' New Moon, Fjkst Quarter, • ■ Full Moon, D. 8 15 21 29 Boston. H. 3 2 5 4 M. 58 mo. 19 mo. 47 ev. 39 ev. New-York. H. M. 1 3 46 mo. 2 7 mo. 5 35 ev. 4 27 ev. Washington! H. 3 1 5 4 M. 34 mo. 55 mo. 23 ev. 15 ev. Sun on Merid. or noon m^irk. D. 1 9 17 25 H. M. S. 13 3 54 12 1 33 11 59 30 11 57 51 ^ CALENDAR CALENDAR % w For Boston, New Enkton.s. — The leaves are to be put into an earthen or glass ves- sel, and a large quantity of rainwater to be poured over them; after this they are to bj left to the open air and to the heat of the sun, without cover- ino- the vessel. When tlie water evaporates so as to leave the leaves dry, more n.ust be added in its place; the leaves will by this means putrefy, but they will require a different lime for this : some will be finishea in a month, others will require two months or longer according to the toughness of their parenchyma. AVhen they have been in a state of putrefaction for some time. ©c^—- © 5tli MONTH. MAY, 1866. 31 DAYS. llSun on Merid- MOON'S PHASES. Boston. New- York . Washingtonjj or noon mark- M. s. D. H. M. H. AT. H. SI. D. H. Thikd Quarter,- •• • 7 4 58 ev. 4 46 ev. 4 34 ev. 1 11 56 56 New Moon, 14 10 14 mo 10 2 mo 9 50 mo 9 11 56 14 First Quarter, • 21 5 14 mo 5 2 mo . 4 50 mo . 17 11 56 9 Full Moon, 29 8 34 mo 8 22 mo . 8 10 mo . 25 11 56 39 ^ CALENDAR CALENDAR |! CALENDAR H CD For Boston. New-Enjr- For N. York City, Phi- For Washington, o it w laiid. N. York State, ladelpliia. Conn.. N. Mar3'rd,Virg'a, s ^ Michigan. Wisconsin. Jersey, Penn.. Ohio, Kent'y.AJiss'ri, o o >< to a Iowa and Oregon. Indiana and Illinois. and Calilornia. fH SUN SUN MOON u. w. SUN ' SUN iMOON 1 H. W- SUN ] SUN MOON -< a rises H M sets. H M rises. Bost. rises H M sets. ] H M rises. N. Y. rises j sets. rises. O J 1' H M H M H M H M 1 H Ml H M H M 1 T 15 9 U^ 4 56 7 0 8 38 ev.29 4 59 6 56 8 35 9 15 5 2 6 52 8 51 2 W 15 27 U 4 54 7 1 9 30 1 9 4 58 6 57 9 26 9 55 5 1 6 53 9 22 3 T 15 44 5^- 4 53 7 2 10 21 1 48 4 56 6 58 10 17 10 34 5 0 6 54 10 13 4 F 10 2 25 4 52 7 3 11 5 2 31 4 55 6 59; 11 2 11 17 4 59 6 55 10 58 5 s 16 19 35 4 51 7 4 11 48 3 17 4 54 7 0|11 44 ev. 3 4 58 6 56 11 41 «) €i m 36 29 4 49 7 5 morn 4 7 4 53 7 l:morn 0 53 4 57 6 57 morn 7 M 16 53 7 4 48 7 6 0 27 5 1 4 52 7 2 0 24 1 47 4 55, 6 58 0 21 8 T 17 9 28 4 47 7 7 1 5 5 58 4 51 7 3 1 3 2 44 4 54 6 59 1 1 9 W 17 25 3ri 4 46 7 8 1 40 7 0 4 49 7 4 1 39 8 46 4 53 7 0 1 38 10 T 17 41 19 4 44 7 9 2 15 7 59 4 48 7 5' 2 15 4 45 4.52 7 1 2 14 11 F 17 56 47 4 43 7 10 2 52 8 59 4 47 7 6 2 52 5 45 4 51| 7 2 2 53 13 8 18 11 58 4 42 7 11 3 29 9 56 4 46 7 71 3 31 6 42 4 50 7 2 3 32 18 Ci} 18 26 51 4 41 7 12 4 31 10 50 4 45 7 8i 4 33 7 36 4 49 7 3 4 36 14 M 18 41 25 4 40 7 13 sets. 11 39 444 7 91 sets. 8 25 4 49 7 4 sets. 15 T 18 55 40 4 39 7 14 8 28 morn 4 43 7 10 8 24 9 22 4 48 7 5 8-20 W W 19 9 36 4 38 7 15 9 31 0 36 4 42 7 11 9 27 10 14 4 47 7 6 9 22 17 T 19 23 13 4 37 7 16 10 27 1 28 4 41 7 12 10 23 11 o 4 46 7 7 10 19 18 F 19 36 30 4.36 7 17 11 15 2 17 4 40 7 13 11 11 11 56 4 45 7 8 11 8 19 S 19 49 27 4 35 7 18 11 57 3 10 4 39 7 14 11 56 morn 444 7 9 11 52 20 fi 20 2 4 4 34 7 19 morn 4 5 4 39 7 15 morn 0 51 4 43 7 10 morn 21 M : 20 14 20 4 33 7 20 0 33 4 59 4 38 7 16 0 31 1 45 4 4:^ 7 10 0 29 22 T 120 21)15 4 32 7 21 1 6 5 53 4 37 7 171 1 5 2 39 4 42 7 11 1 4 23 W !' 20 37 50 4 31 7 22 1 37 6 48 4 36 7l8l 1 37 8 34 4 41 7 12 1 36 24 ' T 1 20 49 3 4 31 7 23 2 6 7 40 4 36 7l9i 2 7 4 26 4 41 7 13 2 7 25 ' F 1 20 59 55 4 30 7 24 2 35 8 30 4 35 7 20 2 36 5 16 4 40 7 14 2 38 26 S i 21 10 25 4 29 7 25 3 6 9 17 434 7 20 3 8 6 3 4 39 7 14 3 10 27 G !| 21 20 33 4 29 7 26 3 38 10 1 4 34 7 21 3 41 6 47 4 39 7 15 3 44 28 M 21 30 19 4 28 7 27 rises. 10 43 4 33 7 22; i-ises. 7 29 4 38 7 16 rises. 29 i '^ 21 39 43 -4 27 7 28 7 26 11 21 4.32 7 23 7 22 8 7 4 38 7 17 7 18 30 VV 21 48 44 4 27 7 28 8 18 ev. 3 4 32 7 23 8 14 8 49 4 37 7 17 8 10 31 T ;.21 57 23' 4:i»5 7 29 9 5 0 46"4 31 7 241 9 li 9 32' 4 .37 7 18' 8 57 A the two membranes will begin to separate, and the green part of the leaf to become fluid; then the operation of clearing is to be performed The leaf is to be put upon a flat Avhite earthen plate and covered with clear water; and being gently squeezed with the linger, the membranes wijl begin to open, and the green substance will come out at the edges; the membranes must be carefully taken otf with the flngcr, and great caution must be used in separating them near the middle rib. When onoe there is an opening to- wards this separation, the whole membrane always follows easily; when both membranes are taken off, the skeleton is finished, and it has to be washed =^^ t=>^, 6tU MO^TH. JUNE, 186 6. 30 DAYS, v./y MOON'S PHASES. Third Quarter,' New Moon, First Quarter, • Full Moon, D. a 12 19 27 Boston. H. M. 2 29 mo, 5 23 ev. 7 1 ev. 10 51 ev. Ne\v-Y ork. H. M. 2 17 mo. 5 11 ev. 6 49 ev. 10 39 ev. i|Siiii on Meri. . Wai^hingflou! or noon mark. II. M. 2 5 mo, 4 59 ev. 6 37 ev. 10 27 ev. D. 1 9 17 H. M. S. 11 57 31 58 55 0 34 2 17 11 12 12 1 2 O 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 F S M T W T F S €2 M T 13 W 14 15 16 17 T F S P 38 31 0 6 49 7 3 40 CALENDAR For Boston, New Eng- land, N. York State, Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa and Oregon. SUN rises 18 M 19 T 2o: W 211 T 22 23 24 F S 25 M 20 T 27 W 28 T 29 F 30 S 22 5 22 13 22 21 22 28 22 34 22 41 22 47 22 52 22 57 23 2 23 0 42 23 10 3o 22 22 22 22 22 2.2 23 23 23 23 23 24 24 24 SUN sets. M 30 30 31 32 OO MOON H. W. rises. Bost H M CALENDAR For N. York City, Phi- ladelphia, Conn., N. Jersey. Penn.. Ohio, Indiana and Illinois. SUN rises 25 7 25 7 24-; 1 7 34 35 36 36 37 37 38 38 38 30 3i: 39 40 40 40 40 40 41 41 41 40 40 40 H M 9 49 10 29 11 6 11 42 morn 0 15 0 49 1 25 2 3 2 45 3 00 OO sets. 8 11 ! morn 9 6; 0 19 1 29, 2 7i 2 53 3 47 4 33 5 27 6 29 7 8 9 10 33 11 25 32 35 SO 9 52] 10 31 11 7 11 39 morn 0 10 0 39 1 9 1 39 2 14 2 49 3 32,10 16 rises. 110 58 7 48 11 30 8 30;ev.25 9 9! 1 6 11! 57; 24 13 5 58 48 :39! 9 29i M 31 30 30 30 29 29 29 29 28 28 28 28 28 28 SUN MOON sets, rises. M H M 24 9 45 25; 10 26 26 11 3 26|11 40 27lmorn 28 0 14 H. W. N. Y. 28 29 30 30 31 31 32 32 0 49 1 26 2 5 H M I 10 15i 10 53' 11 39 ev.33| 19 CALENDAR For Washington, Maryrd.VTrg'a, Kent'y.Miss'ri, and Calilornia. SUN I SUN rises I sets. 28 7 28 7 28 28 28 29 29 29 29 29 SO 30 3X) 29 29 29 2 48 o 6t sets. 8 7 9 2 32 9 49 33 10 29; 33 11 6; 33 11 39 34 morn 13! 15 18i 211 22! 19 5i 34 34 J>4i 34 351 0 10 0 40 1 11 1 42 2 17 35 2 53 6 15 35 3 36 7 2 35 rises. 7 44 35; 7 44 8 25 35: 8 271 9 11 35. 9 6' 9 52 9 57 10 43i 11 31 morn 0 20 1 10] 1 59 2 51 3 44 4 34 5 26 H MIH 4 36 7 4 36 7 4 36, 7 4 35i 7 4 3517 4 35i 7 4 34; 7 4 34 7 4 :34 7 4 34 7 4 34 7 4 34: 7 4:34 7 4 34 7 !4 34 7 MOON rises. M 19 19 20 21 21 22 23 23 24 24 25 25 26 26 26 H M 9 41 10 23 11 1 11 38 morn 0 13 0 49 1 26 2 7 2 51 3 40 sets. 8 3 8 58 9 46 34 7 27 10 27 34 7 27 11 4 34 7 28 11 38 34 7 28 morn ;34 7 28 0 10 :34 7 28 0 40 35 7 28 1 12 ;35. 7 29 1 44 35 7 29 2 20 35 7 29 2 57 36 7 29 3 40 36 7 29 rises. 37 7 29 7 40 37 7 29 8 23 37 7 29 9 3 clean with water, and then dried between the leaves of a book. Fruits are divested of their pulp and made into skeletons in a different manner. Take, for an instance, a fine large pear which is soft, and not tongh; l?t it be neat- ly pared without squeezing it. and without injuring either the crown or the stalk ; put it into a pot of rain-water, covered, set it over the fire, and let it boil gently till i)crfectly .soft, then take it out aT\d lay it in a dish filled with cold water; then holding it by the ^t.•l!i^ with one hand, nib off as much of the pulp as you can with the finger and thumb, beginning at the stalk, and rubbing it regularly towa-^ds the crown. The fibres arc most tender towards the extreniitio.-; and arc tlierefore to be treated with great care tlierc. When ©c^ Tth MONTH. JULY, 186 6. MOON'S PHASES. Third Quarter, New Moon, First Q carter,- • Full Moon. D. 5 13 19 Boston, H. M. 9 20 mo. 0 51 mo. 10 59 mo, 27 I 11 29 mo. New- York, H. M. 9 8 mo. 0 39 mo. 10 47 mo. 11 17 mo. Washington H. M. 8 56 mo. 0 27 mo. 10 35 mo. 11 5 mo. Sun on Merid. or noon mark. D. 1 9 17 25 H. M. S. 12 3 30 12 4 53 5 50 12 12 6 13 H 'A ^' CALENDAR CALENDAR CALENDAR "A K a For Boston. New-Eng- For N. York City, Phi- For Washington, O ^ V land, N. York State,| ladelphia, Conn., N. Maryrd,Viit.''!i, U Michifran, Wisconsin, Jersey, Penn., Ohio, Keiit'v.Miss'ri, O o < ft Iowa and Oregon. Indiana and Illinois. and CaliCurnia. < SUN SUN MOON H. AV. SUN SUN MOON H. W. SUN SUN MOON OQ rises H M sets. H M rises. B06t. rises H M sets. H M rises. N. Y. rises H M sets. H M rises. Q » n H M H M H M H M H M 1 a 23 6 34 4 26 7 40 9 45 1 47 4 32 7 35 9 43 10 33 4 38 7 29 9 41 2 M 23 2 15 4 26 7 40 10 19 2 29 4 32 7 35 10 18 11 15 4 38 7 29 10 17 3 T 22 57 32 4 27 7 40 10 .52 3 17 4 33 7 34 10 52 ev. 3 4 39 7 29 10 51 4 W 22 52 25 4 28 7 40 11 26 4 7 4 33 7 34 11 26 0 53 4 39 7 28 11 27 6 T 22 46 54 4 29' 7 39 morn 5 2 4 34 7 34 morn 1 48 4 40 7 28 morn () F 22 41 0 4 29; 7 39 0 2 6 4 4 35 7 34 0 3 2 50 4 41 7 28 0 5 7 S 22 34 42 4 30' 7 39 0 41 7 7 4 35 7 33 0 43 3 53 4 41 7 28 0 46 8 €i 22 28 0 4 30 7 38 1 24 8 14 4 36 7 33 1 27 5 0 4 42 7 27 1 31 9 M 22 20 55 4 31 7 38 2 14 9 20 4 37 7 33 2 17 6 6 4 42 7 27 2 21 10 T 22 13 26 4 32 7 38 3 9 10 20 4 37 7 32 3 13 7 6 4 43 7 27 3 17 11 W 22 5 35 4 33 7 37 sets. 11 11 4 38 7 32 sets. 7 57 444 7 26 sets. 12 T 21 57 21 4 33 7 37 7 42 morn 4 39 7 31 7 39 8 48 4 44 7 26 7 26 7 35 13 F 21 48 45 4 34 7 ,36 8 25! 0 2 4 39 7 31 8 23 9 37 4 45 8 20 14 S 21 39 46 4 35 7 36 6 4| 0 .51 4 40 7 30 9 2 10 21 4 46 7 25 9 0 15 G 21 30 25 4 36 7 35 9 38 1 35 4 41 7 30 9 37 n 2 4 46 7 24 9 36 16 M 21 20 42 4 37 7 34 10 9[ 2 16 4 42 7 29 10 9 11 45 4 47 7 24 10 9 17 T 21 10 37 4 37 7 34 10 40' 2 59 4 43 7 29 10 40 morn 4 48 7 23 10 4 18 W 21 0 11 4 38 7 33 11 9 3 44 4 44 7 28 11 11 0 30 4 49 7 23 11 12 19 T 20 49 2;', 4 39 7 'V 11 41 4 31 14 44 7 27 11 43 1 17 4 50 7 22 11 45 20 F 20 38 15 4 40 7 31 morn 5 28}!4 45 7 26 morn 2 14 4 51 7 21 moi-n 21 S 20 26 45 4 41 7 30 0 13 6 13 4 46 7 26 0 16 2 59 4 52 7 21 0 19 22 o 20 14 55 4 42 7 30 0 50 7 8 4 47 7 25 0 55 3 54 4 52 7 20 0 57 23 M 20 2 45 4 43 7 29 1 29 8 1 1 48 7 24 1 33 4 47 4 53 7 19 1 37 24 T 19 .50 15 4 44 7 28 2 13 8 57: 4 48 7 23 2 18 5 43 4 54 7 18 2 22 25 VV 19 37 25 4 45 7 27 3 2 9 48i 4 49; 7 2^3 3 7 6 34 4 55 7 18 3 11 26 T 19 24 15 4 4(5 7 26 3 56 10 35; |4 50 7 22 4 0 7 21 ^56 7 17 4 4 27 F 19 10 46 4 47 7 25 rises. 11 18 4 51 7 21 rises. 8 4 4 57 7 16 rises. 28 S 18 56 58 4 48 7 24 7 47 ev. 1 4 52 7 20 7 45 8 47 4 5S 7 15 7 42 29 a 18 42 51 4 49 7 23 8 21 0 45 4 53 7 19 8 19 9 31 4 58 7 14 8 18 30 M 18 28 26 4 50 7 22 8 56 1 26 4 54 7 18 8 55 10 12 4 59 7 13 8 55 31 r 18 13 43 4 51 7 21 9 30 2 S 4 55 7 17 9 30 10 .54i 4 59 7 12 9 31 the pulp has thus been cleared pretty well off, the point of a fine pen-knife may be of use to pick away the pulp sticking to the core. In order to see how the operation advances, the soiled water must be thrown away from time to time, and clean poured on in its place. When the pulp is in this manner perfectly separated, the clean skeleton is to be preserved in spirits of wine. This method may be pursued Avith the bark of trees, which afford interesting views of their constituent fibres. CoFFKK A DisiNFiccTANT — Xumcious experiments with roasted coffee prove that it is the ino.st powerful mean.*?, not only of rendering animal and vegeta- -=^^ 8 til MONTH. AUGUST, 1866. 31 ©AYS. MOON'S PHASES. Thikd Quarter, • New Moon, First Quarter, •• FuLi> Moon, D. 3 10 18 25 Boston. H. M. 2 23 ev. 9 52 mo. 4 32 mo. 10 49 ev. New-York. H. M. 2 21 ev. 9 40 mo. 4 20 mo. 11 37 ev. 1 Sun on Merid. Washington or noon mark. H. 2 9 4 10 M. 9 ev. 28 mo. 8 mo. 25 ev. D. 1 9 17 H. M. 12 6 12 5 12 3 12 1 s. 2 14 50 53 as C o r3 C/i CALENDAR For Boston. New-Eng- land, N. York State, Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa and Oregron. 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 W T F S M T W T F S M T W T F S o M T VV T F S SUN rises 20 « 27 28 29 30 31 M T W T F 17 58 41 17 43 22 17 27 45 17 11 52 16 55 41 16 39 14 16 22 31 16 5 32 15 48 18 15 30 48 15 13 3 14 55 8 14 36 51 14 18 23 13 59 42 13 40 48 13 21 40 13 2 20 12 42 48 12 23 4 12 3 1143 0 11 22 41 11 2 12 10 41 32 10 20 42 9 .59 41 9 38 32 9 17 13 8 55 45 8 81 9 H M 4.52 4 53 4.54 4.55 4.56 4.57 4 58 SUN sets. H M 7 20 7 18 7 17 7 16 7 15 7 14 7 12 4.597 11 0 7 10 MOON rises. H M 10 5 10 41 11 22 morn 0 9 1 0 1 56 H. AV. Bost. n M 2 54 3 45 4 42 5 45 6 53 8 2 9 6 CALENDAR For N. York City, Phi- ladelphia. Conn., N. Jersey, Penn., Ohio, Indiana and Illinois. SUN rises 5 10 5 11 5 12 6.58 6.57 6 55 6 54 2 58 10 5 4 1;10 57 sets. 1 11 40 7 36 inorn 8 9i 0 27 8 39 5 13 6 .52 5 14 6 51 5 15 5 16 5 17 5 18 6 49 6 48 6 46 6 44 5 19 6 43 5 20 6 41 5 21 6 39 2 22 6 38 5 23' 6 36 9 10 9 41 10 14 10 48 11 25 morn 0 7 0 55 1 46 2 42 3 41 SUN sets. MOON |H. rises. N. H M H M H M 4 56 7 16 10 6 4 57 7 14 10 44 4 58 7 13 11 25 4 59i 7 12!morn 0 7 111 0 12 7 10 7 9 1 7 1 45 2 24 3 6 3 51 4 40 5 32 6 27 7 25 8 23 9 18 10 8 1 2 3 4 sets 7 35 8 9 H M 11 40 ev.; 1 28 2 31 3 39 4 48 5 52 6 51 7 43 8 26 9 IS 9 53 CALENDAR ForWashinjrton, Maryrd.Virg'a, Kent'y.Miss'ri, and California. SUN SUN MOON rises sets, rises. 5 9 7 0 5 10 6 58 5 11 6 57 5 12 6 55 5 13; 6 54 8 39 10 31 9 lljll 10 9 43 11 52 10 16 morn 10 51 11 29 5 14 6 .53 morn rises. 10 55 6 .56111 35 7 30'ev.22 8 6 8 43 9 25 10 6 I 5 1 49 2 34 3 28 5 15 5 16 5 17 5 17 5 18 5 19 6 51 6 50 6 48 6 47 6 45 644 5 20| 6 42 5 21 6 41 5 22 6 39 5 23 6 37 0 10 0 59 1 49 2 46 3 44 rises. 6 55 7 30 8 7 0 37 1 26 2 18 3 13 4 11 5 9 6 4 6 54 7 41 8 21 9 8 9 51 H 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 M H 5 24 6 36 8 44 10 35 9 27 11 20 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 6 7 8] 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 17 18 19 20 21 22 11 10 H M 10 7 10 46 911 28 8 morn 0 16 1 9 7 6 5 4 2 1 0 59 6 58 6 56 6 54 6 53 6 52 6.51 6 .50 morn 8 5 3 6 4 8 sets. 7 33 8 8 8 40 9 12 9 44 10 19 10 .54 11 33 5 25 6 34' 10 10 ev 141 648 6 47 6 45 6 44 6 43 6 41 2316 40 24 6 38 5 5 22 6 41 rises. 5 2316 40 6 .55 5 24 6 38 7 30 5 25 6 37 8 8 5 26 6 35 8 48 5 26 6 34 9 30 5 27' 6 3210 13 0 14 3 54 49 47 ble effluvia innocuous, but of absolutely destroying them. A room in which meat in an advanced degree of decomposition had been kept for some time, was instantly deprived of all smell on an open coffee-roaster being carried through it, containing a pound of cotfcc newly roasted. In another room, exposed to the effluvium occasioned by the clearing out of the dung-pit, so that sulphuretted hydrogen and ammonia in great quantities could be chemi- cally detected, the stench was completely removed in half a minute on the employment of three ounces of fresh roasted coffoe, whilst the other parts of ' the house were permanently cleared of the same smell, by being simply tra- 9th MONTH. SEPTEMBER, 1866. 30 days. ilSun ou Merid. MOON'S PHASES. Boston. New-York. Washington or noon mark. D. H. M. H. M. H. M. D. H. M. S. Third Quarter, • • • • 1 7 25 ev. 7 13 ev. 7 lev. 1 11 59 49 ^iTw \T/^f"^'\r •.•••*«> S 9 30 ev. 10 44 ev. 9 18 ev. 10 32 ev. 9 6ev. 10 20 ev. 9 17 11 57 10 11 54 23 First Quarter, 0 • 16 Full VI r^r^ V ....... • 24 9 21 mo 9 9 mo. S ^^7 nin OK 11 51 35 VHJLTh^ .•...•• O O < lllO. n land. N. York State, ladelphia. Conn., N. Maryrd,Vu-g'a, b '0 0 Michigan, Wisconsin, Jersey. Penn.. Ohio, Kent'y.Miss'ri, 0 0 03 Iowa and Oregon. Indiana and Illinois. and California. JH SUN SUN MOON u. w. SUN SUN [MOON 1 H. W- SUN SUN MOON P fl rises sets. H M rises. Bost. rises n M sets. 1 H M rises. N. Y. rises H M sets. H M rises. 0 / /' H M H M H M H M H M H M 1 S 8 12 24 5 24 6 35 10 56 4 27 5 26 6 33 11 0 1 13 5 28 6 31 11 4 2 H 7 50 31 5 26 6 33 11 51 5 31 5 27 6 31 11 55 2 17 5 29 6 29 11 39 3 M 7 28 30 5 27 6 31 morn 6 39 5 28 6 29 morn 3 25 5 30; 6 28 morn 4 T 7 (3 22 5 28 6 29 0 48 7 47 5 29 6 28 0 52 4 33 5 3li 6 26 0 56 5 \V 6 44 7 5 29 6 28 1 51 8 51 5 30 6 26 1 55 5 37 5S2 6 25 1 58 « T 6 21 46 5 30 6 26 2 54 9 47 5 31 6 25 2 57 6 33 5 331 6 23 3 0 7 F 5 59 18 5 31 6 24 3 56 10 34 5 32 6 23 3 58 7 20 5 34 6 22 4 1 8 S 5 36 44 5 32 6 22 sets. 11 15 5 33 6 21 s^ts. 8 1 5 35 6 21 sets. 9 « 5 14 4 5 33 6 21 6 39 11 56 5 34 6 20 6 39 8 42 5 35! 6 20 6 39 10 M 4 51 19 5 34 6 19 7 9 morn 5 35 6 18 7 10 9 23 5 36' 6 18 7 11 11 T 4 28 29 5 35 6 17 7 41 0 37 5 36 6 16 7 42 10 1 5 37, 6 17 7 44 12 W 4 5 35 5 36 6 15 8 13 1 15 5 37 6 15 8 15 10 39 5 38 6 15 8 17 13 T 3 42 36 5 37 6 14 8 46 1 53 5 38 6 13 8 49 11 17 5 39 6 14 8 52 14 F 3 19 33 5 38 6 12 9 23 2 31 5 39 6 11 9 26 morn 5 40 6 12 9 30 15 S 2 56 27 5 39 6 10 10 2 3 15 5 40 6 9 10 6 0 1 5 41 6 10 10 10 10 0 2 33 17 5 40 6 8 10 47 4 2 15 41 6 8 10 51 0 48 5 42 6 9 10 55 17 M 2 10 4 5 41 6 7 11 35 4 55 5 42 6 6 11 39 1 41 5 43 6 7 11 43 18 T 146 49 5 43 6 5 morn 5 50 |5 43 6 4 morn 2 36 544 6 6 morn 19 W 1 23 32 5 44 6 3 0 29 6 50 io 44 6 3 0 32 3 36 544 6 4 0 36 20 T 1 0 12 5 45 6 1 1 26 7 47 5 45 6 1 1 29 4 33 I545 6 2 1 32 21 F 0 36 51 5 46 6 0 2 26 8 45 5 46 5 59 2 29 5 31 "5 46 6 1 2 32 22 S 0 13 29 5 47 5 58 3 30 9 38 5 47 5 58 3 31 6 24 5 47 559 3 33 23 0 S. 9 55 5 48 5 56 4 37 10 27 |5 48 5 56 4 38 7 13 5 48 5 58 4 38 2-t u 0 33 19 5 49 5 51 rises. 111 11 5 49 5 54 rises. 7 57 5 49 5 56 rises. 25 T 0 56 43 5 50 5 53 6 42 11 57 5 50 5 53 6 43 8 43 5 50 5 54 6 44 26 W 1 20 7 ;5 51 5 51 7 21 ev.45 5 51 5 52 , 7 23 9 31 5 51 5 53 7 26 27 T 1 43 31 i 5 52 5 49 8 5 ; 1 32 5 52 5 50 8 8 10 18 5 52 5 51 8 11 28 F 2 6 54 5 53 5 47 8 53 , 2 20 5 53 5 48 ■ 8 57 11 6 5 53 5 50 9 1 29 ! s 2 30 17 5 54 5 46 9 46 3 16 '5 54 5 46 i 9 50 iev. 2 5 54 5 48 9 54 30 G 2 53 37 5 56 5 44 10 43 4 16 5 54 5 44 10 47 i 1 2ii5 55 5 46 10 51 ver-^ed with the coffee -roaster, although the cleansing of the dung-pit continu- ed for several iiours after. The best mode of using the coffee as a disinfectant is to dry the raw bean, pound it in a inortar, and then roast the powder on a moderately heated iron plate, until it assumes a dark brown tint^ when it is fit for UoC. Then sprinkle it in sinks or ce?s-pools, or lay it on a plate in the room which you wish to have purified. Coffee acid or coffee oil acts more readily in minute quantities. The Chemical Barometior. — Take along narrow bottle, such as an old fashioned Eau-de-Cologne bottle, and put into it two and a half drachms of camphor, and eleven drachms of spirits of wine; when the camphor is dis- 0. lotu MONTH. OCTOBER, 1866. 31 DAYS. MOOX'S PHASES. Third Quarter.- New Moon, First Qcakter, • • Full Moon, Third Quarter,- D. 1 8 16 23 80 Boston. H. 1 0 4 7 10 M. 25 mo. 14 ev. 39 ev. 29 ev. 1 mo. Sun on Merid. New-York. Washington I or noon mark. H. 1 0 4 7 9 M. 13 mo. 2 ev. 27 ev. 17 ev. 49 TOO. H. 1 11 4 7 9 M. 1 mo. 50 mo. 15 ev. 5 ev. 37 mo D. 1 9 17 25 H. M. S. 11 49 36 11 47 16 U 45 24 11 44 9 *-* 1—1 H >5 cc CALENDAR CALErJDAR CALENDAR a a: For Boston. New-Eng- For N. York City, Phi- For Washington, O ^ O land. N. York State, ladelphia, Conn.. N. Maryrd,A ir^i'a, fSt P^ o Michiiran, Wisconsin. Jersey, Penn., Ohio, Kent"}'.Miss"ri, o o Iowa and Oreiron. Indiana and Illinois. and California. *H SUN' I SUN MOON H. w. SUN 1 SUN MOON 1 H. w. SUN 1 SUN MOON -< ft I— 1 t» rises H M sets. H M rises. Bost. risesi 1 H M sets. H M rises. N. Y. rises sets. H M H M rises. O ? »' H M H M H M H M H M 1 M 3 16 53 5 571 5 42 11 44 5 I'w' 5 56 5 43 11 48 2 5 5 55 5 43 11 52 ?, T 3 40 14 5 58 5 40 morn 6 2: 5 57 5 41 morn 3 13 5 56; 5 42 morn 3 W 4 3 28 5 59 5 39 0 47 7 29 5 58 5 39 0 50 4 15 5 57 5 40 0 53 4 T 4 26 40 6 0 5 37 1 48 8 28 5 59 5 38 1 51 5 14 5 58 5 39 1 53 5 F 4 49 49 6 1 5 35 2 50 9 21 6 0 5 36 2 52 6 7 5 59; 5 37 2 54 r> S 5 12 54 6 2 5 33 3 51 10 7 6 1 5 35 3 52 6 53 6 0 5 35 S 53 7 G 5 35 55 6 3 5 32 4 52 10 49 6 2 5 33 4 52 7 35 6 1:5 34 4 52 8 \r 5 58 52 6 41,5 30 sets. 11 25 6 3 5 31 sets. 8 11 6 215 32 sets. 9! T 6 21 45 6 615 23 6 13 morn 6 4 5 30 6 15 8 52 6 315 31 6 17 io' w 6 44 32 6 715 27 6 46; 0 6 6 5 5 28 6 48 9 31 6 4 5 29 6 51 111 T 7 7 14 6 8;5 25 7 21 0 45 6 7 5 27 7 24 10 8 6 5 5 28 7 27 12 F 7 29 50 6 9l5 23 7 59 1 22 6 8 5 25 8 3 10 40 6 612 26 8 7 13 S 7 52 20 6 10 5 22 8 42 2 0 6 9 5 23 8 45 11 29 6 7 5 25 8 50 14 G 8 14 43 6 11 5 20 9 28 2 43 6 10 5 22 9 32 morn 6 8i5 23 9 36 15, M 8 37 0 6 13 5 19 10 19 3 30 6 11 520I1O 22 0 16 6 9 5 22 10 27 16 T 8 59 8 6 14j5 17 11 12 4 20 6 12 5 1911 16 1 6 6 10 5 21 11 19 17| W 9 21 9 6 1515 15 morn 5 13 6 13 5 17 morn 1 59 6 111519 morn 18| T 9 43 2 6 16]5 14 0 10 6 10 6 14 5 16: 0 13 2 56 6 121 5 18 0 16 19, F 10 4 47 6 1715 12 1 11! 7 9 6 15 5 14! 1 13 3 55 6 13l 5 16 1 15 20 S ! 10 26 23 6 18 5 11 2 16' 8 8 6 16 5 13 2 17 4 54 6 14 5 15 2 18 21 G 10 47 48 6 20 5 9 3 21 9 4 6 IS 5 12 3 22 5 50 6 15 5 14 3 23 22 M 11 9 4 6 21 5 8 4 30' 9 57 6 19 5 10 4 30 6 43 6 16 5 13 4 29 23 T 11 30 11 6 22 ;5 6 rises. 10 4S 6 20 5 9 rises. 7 34 6 18 5 n rises. 24l W 1151 7 6 23i5 5 5 55 11 3:; 6 21 5 7 5 58 8 19 6195 10 6 1 25; T 12 11 52 6 24 5 3 6 43ev.26 6 22 5 6 6 47 9 1216 20 5 9 6 50 26 F 12 32 26 6 26 5 2 7 38 1 IS 6 23 5 4 7 41 10 4 6 21 5 8 7 46 27' S j 12 52 4S 6 27 5 1 8 36 2 8 6 24 5 3 8 40 10 54 6 22; 5 6 8 44 28 O !13 12 58 6 2S 4.59 9 36 3 4 6 26 5 2 9 40 11 50 6 23; 5 5 9 44 29, M j 13 32 56 6 2:> 4.57 10 39 4 2 6 27 5 1 10 43 ev.48 6 24 5 4 10 46 301 T 1 13 42 41 6 31 4 57 11 43 5 2 6 28 4 59 11 45 1 48 6 25; 5 2 11 48 31 w •14 12 13 6 32 4 55 morn 6 4 6 29 4 58 morn 2 50 6 26 5 1 morn Bolved, which it will readily do by slight agitation, add the fulloning mix- ture : — Take water, nine drachms; nitrate of potash (saltpetre,) thirty-eight grains; and muriate of ammonia (sal ammoniac, ) thirty -eight grains Dis- solve these salts in the water prior to mixing with the camphorated spirit; then shake the whole well together. Cork the buttle well, and wax the top, but afterwards make a very small aperture in the cork with a red-hot needle. The bottle then may be hung u[), or placed in any .'^tatiunary position. By observing the different appearances which the mnterials assume, as the weather changes, it becomes an excellent prognosticator of a storm or of a sunny ky. nth MONTH. NOVEMBER, 1866. 30 days. ^un on Merid. MOON'S PHASES. Boston. New-York. Washington or noon mark. D. H. M. H. M. H. M. D. H. M. S. New A ' r^r^v • . . . . ... • 7 5 40 mo . 5 28 mo. 5 16 mo. 1 11 43 42 FlKST QUAJITEK, • 15 9 23 mo . 9 11 mo. 8 59 mo.: 9 11 43 59 Full VI OA V . 22 5 31 mo 6 19 mo. 5 7 nio. 17 11 45 10 Thiud Qlauter, • •• • 28 10 21 ev. 10 9ev. 9 57 ev. I 25 11 47 13 w aj CALENDAR CALENDAR CALENDAR Z » t. For Boston, New Eng- For N. York City, Phi- For Washington, 'S F- « land, N. York State, ladelphia, Conn., N. Maryrd,Virg'a, 0 b 0 Michigan, Wisconsin, Jersey, Penn.. Ohio, Kent'y.Miss'ri, 0 Iowa and Oieoron. Indiana and Illinois. and California. Q SUN SUN MOON H. W. SUN SUN MOON H. W SU N 1 SUN -MOON fi 02 rises H M ^ets. rises. Bost. rises H M sets. H M rises. N. Y. rises 'sets. 1 H M H M rises. 0 / " H M H M H M H M H M 1 T 14 31 3:2 6 33 4 54 0 44 7 2 6 30 4 57 0 46 3 48 6 27,5 0 0 48 2 J;' 14 50 o(j 6 34 4 53 1 46 7 58 6 31 4 56 1 47 4 44 6 28 4 59 1 48 ?, S 15 9 2(3 6 36 4 51 2 45; 8 49 6 32 4 54 2 45 5 35 6 29 4 58 2 46 4 u 15 28 1 () 37 4 50 3 44 9 36 6 34 4 53 3 43 6 22 6 31^ 4 57 3 43 5 M 15 46 21 6 38 4 49 4 42 10 19 6 35 4 52 4 41 7 5 6 32 4 56 4 39 H T 16 4 25 -6 39 4 48 5 38 10 57 6 36 4 51 5 36 7 43 i 6 33 4 55 5 34 7 W 16 22 lo!:6 4?\ 4 47 sets, i 11 34 6 37 4 50 sets. 8 20 ! 6 34 4 54 sets. 8 T 16 39 44 ;6 42 4 45 5 57 morn 6 38 4 49 6 1 9 216 35 4 53 6 4 9 F 16 56 5i) |6 43 4 44 6 38 0 16 6 40 4 48 6 41 9 43 !6 36 4 52 6 46 10 S 17 13 5(i 6 44 4 43 7 24 0 57 6 41 4 47 7 28 10 22 1 6 37 4 51 7 32 11 O 17 30 36 6 46 4 42 8 11 1 36 6 42 4 46 8 15 11 2ii6 38' 4 50 8 19 12 M 17 46 57 6 47 4 41 9 4 2 16 6 43 4 45 9 8 11 47 6 39 4 49 9 12 13 T 18 3 0 6 48 4 40 10 0 3 1 6 44 4 44 10 3 morn 6 40 4 48 10 6 14 W 18 18 44 '6 49 4 39 10 59 3 48 6 46 4 43 11 1 0 34 6 41 4 47 11 4 15 T 18 34 8 |6 51 4 39 11 58 4 40 6 4714 42 12 0 1 26;i 6 43 4 47 morn 16 F 18 49 13 6 52 4 38 morn 5 33 6 48 4 41 morn 2 19 i 6 44' 4 46 0 1 17 S 19 35 716 53 1 4 37 1 1 6 32 6 49 4 40 1 2 3 18;' 6 45 4 45 1 2 18 G 19 18 21 6 54 4 36 2 8 7 31 6 50 4 39 2 8 4 17 6 46 4 44 2 8 19 M 19 32 24 6 56 4 35 3 15 8 30 !6 51 4 39 3 14 5 161 6 47 444 3 13 20 T 19 46 6i:6 57! 4 34 4 25 9 29 ;6 53 4 38 4 23 6 15[ 6 48 7 10:! 6 4» 4 43 4 22 21 VV 19 59 26 6 58 4 34| 5 37 10 24 ;6 54 4 38 5 35 4 43 5 32 22 T 20 12 24 (i 59 4 33 rises. 11 16 '6 55 4 37 rises. 8 2\' 6 50 4 42 rises. 23 F 20 2.5 0 7 0 4 32 6 21 ev.lO 6 56 4 36 6 25 8 5&\ 6 51! 4 42 6 29 24^ S 20 37 14 7 2 4 32 7 22 1 4 6 57 4 36 7 26 9 50:! 6 52 4 41 7 30 25 4i 20 49 4 7 3 4 31 8 25 1 53:6 58 4 35 8 29 10 39i' 6 53 4 40 8 33 26! M 21 0 31 ;7 4 4 31 9 31 I 2 47 6 59 4 35 9 34 11 331 6 55 4 40 9 37 27 T 21 11 34 |7 5 4 30 10 35 3 42 17 0 4 35 10 37 ev.28; 6 56 4 40 10 39 28 W 21 22 13 i7 6 4 30 11 39 4 37 .7 2 4 34 11 40 1 23 6 57 4 40 11 41 29 T 21 32 28 17 7 4 30 morn 5 32 •7 3 4 34 morn 2 18;: 6 58 4 39; morn 30 F 21 42 1907 8!4 29 0 39 6 27 7 4 4 34 . 0 40 3 13li 6 59 4 39i 0 40 Leech Bahometer. — Take an eight ounce phial, and put in it three gills of water, and place in it a healthy leech, changing the water in summer once a week, and in winter once in a fortnight, and it will most accurately prognos- ticate the weather. If the weather is to be fine, the leech lies motionless at tlic bottom of the glass and coiled together in a spiral form; if rain may be expei'ted, it will creep up to the top of its lodgings and remain there till the weather is settled; if we are to have wind, it will move through its habita- tion with amazing swiftncis, and seldom goes to rest till it begins to blow ) :S; hard; if a remarkable storm of thunder and rain is to succeed, it will lodge y, for some days before almost continually out of the water, and discover great i '6 ©c^— i2tii MONTH. DECEMBER, 1866. 31 DAYS. MOON'S PHASES. New Moon, FiKST Quarter, • • FuLi. Moon, Third Quarter,- D. 7 14 21 28 Boston. H. 0 11 o O 2 M. 41 mo. 59 ev. 50 ev. 39 ev. New-Y ork. ' n. M. 0 29 mo. 11 47 ev. 3 38 ev. 2 27 ev. iiSnn on Merid. Washington I or noon mark. H. M. 0 17 mo. 11 35 ev. 3 26 ev. 2 15 ev. D. 1 9 17 25 H. M. S. 11 49 17 11 52 39 n. 56 27 12 0 25 s ai CALENDAR CALENDAR CALENDAR K » OQ For Boston. New-Eng- For N. Y^ork City, Phi- For Washington, ? a> land, N. York State, ladelphia, Conn., N. Maryrd,Virg'a, ^ Michigan, Wisconsin. Jersey, Penn., Ohio, Kent'y.Miss'ri, fe o OQ Iowa and Oregon. Indiana and Illinois. and California. r-i SUN SUN MOON H. W. SUN 1 SUN MOON H. W. SUN SUN MOON -< fi CO rises H Ik] sets. H M rises. Bost. rises H M sets. H M rises. N. Y. rises sets. H M rises. »} > 11 H M H M H M H M H M H M 1 S 21 51 44 7 10 4 29 1 38 7 20 7 5! 4 34 1 37 4 6 7 0 4 39 1 37 2 fS 22 0 45 7 11 4 29 2 36 8 11 7 6' 4 33 2 35 4 57 7 1 4 39 2 34 3 M 22 9 20 7 12 4 28 3 33 9 1 7 7 4 33' 3 31 5 47 7 2 4 38 3 30 4 T 22 17 29 7 13 4 28 4 29 6 47 7 8 4 33 4 27 6 33 7 2 4 38 4 24 5 W 22 25 12 7 14 4 28 5 25 10 29 7 9 4 32 5 22 7 15 7 3 4 38 5 19 6 T 22 32 30 7 15 4 28 sets. 11 9 7 10 4 32 sets. 7 55 7 4 4 38 sets. 7 F 22 39 20 7 16 4 28 5 21 11 50 7 11 4 32 5 25 •8 36 7 5 4 38 5 29 8 s 22 45 44 7 17 4 28 6 8 mori) 7 12 4 32 6 12 9 19 7 6 4 38 6 16 9 (W 22 51 41 7 17 4 28 6 58 0 33 7 13 4 32 7 2 9 59 7 7 4 38 7 6 10 \r 22 57 12 7 18 4 28 7 54 1 13 7 14 4 32 7 57 10 38 7 8 4 38 8 1 11 T 23 2 14 7 19 4 28 8 50 1 52 7 15 4 32 8 54 11 19 7 9 4 38 8 57 12 w 23 () 50 7 20 4 28 9 49 2 33 7 15 4 32 9 52 morn 7 9 4 39 9 54 13 T 23 10 5S 7 21 4 28 10 50 8 20 7 16 4 33 10 51 0 6 7 10 4 39:10 53 14 F 23 14 38 7 22 4 28 11 53 4 8 7 16 4 33 11 53 0 54 7 11 4 3941 54 15 s 23 17 50 7 2214 29 morn 5 0 7 17 4 33 morn 1 46 7 12 4 39'morn 16 a 23 20 31 7 23i4 29 0 56 5 55 7 18 4 33 0 56 2 41 7 12 4 40 0 55 17 M 23 22 50 7 24 4 29 2 4 6 58 7 18 4 33 2 3 3 44 7 13 4 40 2 2 18 'V 23 24 38 7 24 4 29 3 12 8 0 7 19 4 34 3 10 4 46 7 14 4 40 3 8 19 W 23 25 58 7 25 4 30 4 22 9 3 7 20 4 34 4 19 549 7 14 4 41 4 16 20 T 23 26 50 7 26|4 30 5 31 10 4 7 20 4 35 5 27 6 50 7 15 4 41 5 23 21 F 23 27 13 7 26,4 31 rises. 10 52 7 21 4 35 rises. 7 38 7 15 4 42 rises. 22 s 23 27 8 7 26' 4 31 6 3 11 53 7 21 4 36 6 6 8 39 7 16 4 42 6 11 23 c^ 23 26 34 7 27; 4 32 7 9 ev.48 7 22 4 3'}' 7 12 9 34 7 16 4 43 7 16 24 M 23 25 32 7 27 4 32 8 19 1 36 7 22 4 37 8 21 10 22 7 17 4 43 8 24 25 1^ 23 24 2 7 28 4 33 9 23 2 25 7 23 4 38 9 25 11 11 7 17 444 9 26 26 VV 23 22 4 7 28 4 33 10 28 3 14 7 23 4 39 10 29 12 0 7 17 4 44 10 20 27 T 23 19 38 7 28 4 34 11 28 4 3 7 23 4 39 11 28 ev.49 7 18 4 45 11 29 28 F 23 16 43 7 29 4 35 morn 4 55 7 23 4 40 moni 1 41 7 18 4 46 morn 29 S 23 13 21 7 294 36 0 28 5 47 7 24 4 40 0 27 2 33 7 18 4 47 0 27 30 m 23 9 30 7 29 4 37 1 2() 6 39 7 24 4 41 1 25 3 25 7 19 4 47 1 23 31 M 23 5 1 1 7 30 4 37 2 22 7 32 7 24 4 42 2 20 4 18 7 19 4 48 2 18 uneasiness in violent throes and convulsive-liko motion?; in frost as in clear summer-like wcatlicr it lies constantly at the bottom; and in snow as in rainy weather pitches its dwelling in the very mouth of the phial. The top should be covered over with a piece of muslin. A vKUY Goon Microscope may be made by dropping a little Balsam of Fir, or Canada Bahrain, on the under side of a thin piece of glass. It may be used both before and after it is dry. A Microscope will be of material as- sistance in detecting the admi.xture of impure substances with articles of food. Even a common phial lilled with water possesses a high magnifying power. ) r -=#3^ THE ILLUSTRATED ANNUAL REGISTER OF RURAL AFFAIRS. l?S^ORK Iisr ITS SEASON- FOR THE KITCHEN-GARDEN, FLOWER-GARDEN AND GREEN-HOUSE. ^HE following liiiits are not intended as full directions, but as timely suggestions to assist in the performance of tlie various operations of the garden in their proper season, as delay or neglect from forgetfulness frequently leads to poor success or entire failure. "^Vorlc for .Tsiiinary. Kitchen Garden.— Little can be done out of doors in the northern and middle states. Various preparations may, however, })e made, whieh will I essentially lessen labor and care, when active out-door operations commence. ^cz:^= : 1866. ==^— ^ ^=^ ILLUSTRATED ANNUAL REGISTER , Fig. 2.— Corners of Jwt-bed frames. Fig. 3. — Mode of connecting comers of hot-bed frames. Hot-bed frames (figs. 2 and 3) may be constructed or repair- ed. Nothing is better for the inside of tlie boards which come in contact with the earth than two or three good coatings of gas-tar, applied hot, when the boards are perfectly dry. It will preserve them from decay many times longer than if unprotected. Tlie outside may be painted with common yellow ochre paint. If any glasses in the sasli have been broken, replace them and secure any that are loose. Of the various substitutes for glass, such as varnished muslin, oiled paper, &c., none will compare to glass itself Hand-glasses oF various forms. may be now made ready for spring use. Fig. 4, is a hand-glass, made by Fig. 4. Fig. 5. Fig. 6. sliding a pane of glass on each side of a double-sloped box, in tin grooves nailed on each edge, with a wire loop for handling and hanging up. Fig. 5, is a box hand-glass. Fig. 6, is a long hand-glass, for drills. Procure or prepare bean-poles and various stakes, brush for peas, &c.; as '^^^ the latter is most easily inserted by means of a good sharp dibbler, \Jm procure one or two of these tools. A blacksmith may manuliicture one with a steel point, in a hollow, conical form, into which an old spade handle may be inserted, as shown in fig. Y. Bean-poles are best inseited in holes made witii a crow-bar. Manure. — As nothing is more important than a plenty of manure for successful kitchen-gardening, every means should be resorted to for an abundant supply. Thoroughly prepared compost is always Fig. 7. best, and the beds may be commenced in winter. As long or DiObkr. fiVjrous manure can never be intermixed well with garden soil, it should be used only in such compost-heaps (figs. 8 and 9) as are to remain over summer. If spread in thin, alternate layers, with loam, peat, turf or leaf-mould, and the heap worked over and made fine, after laying several OF RURAL AFFAIRS. 237 Fig. 8. — Well made compost heap, with thin layers. Fig. 9.— Badly made compost heap, or with thick layers. months, it will then constitute an excellent enriching material. A sprinkling of fresh or leached ashes on each layer, as the heap is made up, will add to its value. Manure in a fresher state will answer well for many crops, pro- vided no straw or long litter is used, and the manure is thoroughly and finely incorporated with the soil when applied. In this case it will be neces- sary to avoid the use of straw for litter (unless chopped short,) and use saw- dust or leaves. A pile of strong, fresh manure should be reserved for early hot-beds. If Asparagus Beds were not mulched or coated late in autumn, the work may still be performed. Its chief objects are to protect the plants and to furnisli. liquid manure for the roots, both of which accelerate the early growth of the shoots. Seeds. — These should be procur^^d as early as opportunity presents. Get the very best, from the most reliable sources. Xever purchase seeds merely because they are cheap. Dishonest, tenth-rate dealers mix old and new seeds together, and it is difficult to detect the fraud. It is not economy to prepare ground in fine condition at much expense, and then gi'ow poor vege- tables, or lone a crop by the failure of seeds. Flower Garden. — Cuttings may be prepared of hardy deciduous shrubs, and packed away in cellars, in boxes of damp moss. Hardy shrubs, set out in autumn may be mulched with manure ; it will tend to protect the roots from cold, assist in enrich- ing the soil, and prevent the ground from becoming hard and crusted in spring. In the middle states, where the ground is not frozen, beds for the spring planting of flowers may be cut in turf, and the excavation filled Avith enriching materials; and trenching, where necessary, may be performed. Marking sticks, rods for tying up flower stalks, and struc- . tures (figs. 10 and 11) for support- ing climbers may be made. Green-Housk. — As plants in the fI"-. 11.— A!>V/;)?)or^ \l 238 -==^=^© ILLUSTRATED ANNUAL REGISTER the year, are mostly in a nearly dormant state, they need but very little watering. The soil may be examined, and if moderately or slightly moist, that is suflficient. The temperature should be about 45'-'' or 50'' in the day time, and 35'' to 40'' at night — never lower than 35^*. Watch the ther- mometer sufficiently to prevent all danger of' freezing. In very severe weather exterior matting must be resorted to. llVoi*l£ for reln'iiary. Kitchex-Garden. — Read the directions for last month, most of which will be applicable throughout the present month. Hot-beds for the early forcing of cabbage, tomato, egg-plants, &c., may be made in the middle states. Procure a supply of fresh manure for these, and old or decayed manure or compost for spring application to open ground. Composts, worked over and made fine, greatly exceed in value coarse and imperfect mixtures. Hardy grapevines, currants and gooseberries may be pruned. Examine tools and see they are all in repair. Procure the very best, now that labor is so high priced — for a tool costing two dollars, and enabling a workman to do fifty cents more of labor per day, will pay for itself many times over during the season. Seed drills, and all implements for saving labor, should be procured. ^" Seeds. — Observe the remarks under last month, and obtain the best selected seeds, from the most reliable sources. Plant but few varieties, and these the best — but a share of the new sorts may be placed on trial, on a small scale. Among the leading kinds the following varieties may be mentioned as worthy of planting for general crops. Figures and descriptions are given of several of these, to assist in identifying the varieties, and for preventing mis- takes.* Radish. — The Olive-shaped is the best early; the long scarlet (fig. 12) is the best for general crops. The Black Spanish is sown late, for winter use. Beet.—IXxQ Bassano (fig. 13) is the best early variety; it is flat, somewhat like a flat turnip, but more ribbed, and varies fiom four to six inches in diame- ter. It is not suitable for long keeping, becoming coarse and fibrous. It is suc- ceeded in a few days by the Early Turnip Fig. 12. Fig. 13. * For most of those figures, copied from Blru's " Vegetables of America," we are indebted to J. E. Tilton & Co., publithcrtj, Bosston. ©c:^-- OF RURAL AFFAIRS. <^^® i%* Bet't, (tig. 14,) which is better for long keeping, and is achipted to extensive cultivation. Tiic Long Blood Beet is also an excellent beet for cultivation, and for late planting for winter use. Its long continued culture has led to much variation, and hence the impor- tance of selecting seed and securing the best varieties. The improved Long Blood (fig. 15) is larger and longer than the common variety, sometimes extending to near two feet long. It is very dark in color, being nearly black- ish-purple. lurnip. — The Pi;rple-top Strap- leaved, (Hg. IS,) is one of the most valuable varieties. It is productive and excellent in quality, the flesh being clear, white, firm, rich and well flavor- ed. The White 'J op Flat (fig. 19) is a medium size and uniformly white iu color. The leaves are lew and small, the flesh white, firm and well flavored, The AVhite-top Strap-leaved is similar to the ruri»le-top Strap-leaved, but differ- ing in color — both excellent in qualit}'. The Yellow ^lalta is a handsome, small bullied early variety, and is one of the best yellow turnips for summer use. The Yellow Stone is also an excellent variety. Ordoufi.~'Y\\Q Large Ri d Wethei-sfield (fig. 20) is of very large size, and, yielding heavy crops, is ex- tensively cultivated. It is one of the best for keep- ing. It is often five inches i:i diameter, and three in depth ; the skin is deep purplish red ; the flesh pur- plish white. The Silver Skin Onion (fig. 21) is of medium size, with a skin silvery white ; the flesh is white, fine grained and mild FiL'. 17. Fi.j. 1« Badly Well foimed forme'l lor.q BIcod beet, or Beel. pjor sort. Fig. 15. Fi.'. IS. ILLUSTRATED ANNUAL REGISTER -*■ -**-!• '•V^* Fh'. 21. Fig. 22. flavored. It is a poor keoper, whieli is its chief olvjectiou. It is, however, well adiiptod for sowing- at the close of summer, for early use, or marketing ill spring. Tiie Yellow Onion (tig. 22) is an excellent variety, widely known and extensively cuUivated. It is rather above mediuiu in size, has a yellow- ish-brown skin and a nearly white, line-grained and well-tiavored flesh. The Danvers Onion is a sub-variet_y, greater in productiveness but not so good a keeper. Cucumhers. — Tlie early cluster, (fig. 23,) is small and very early. It is quite productive and a popular early garden sort, but is not adapted for pickling. The Early Frame is a ^{iw days later, and is a well known and a good sort. The Long Green is one of the best for general use. Melons. — The Green Citron, (fig. 24,) is nearly round and regularly ribbed ; in size medium or rather small, skin green and thickly netted; flesh green, vei-y juicy, with a rich and sugary flavor. It is uniformly excel- lent, quite productive and is one of the most valuable varieties. The Large Netted Muskmelon, (fig. 25,) is large, oval, strongly ribbed, thickly netted, yellow; flesh yclluw, thick and sweet, but not so juicy and melting as the last ; hardy, and well adapted to com- mon cultivation. Wdter melons. — Th e Black Spanish is laige in size, round- ish or oblong, somewhat ribbed, skin very daik green, flesh deep red, fine grained, sweet and ex- cellent; seeds nearly black. The Cai'olina Watermelon is large, oblong, deep green, vari- ^ egated with pale green; flesh granular, crisp, sweet, and of a good quality; seeds black. The Fig. 23. ©c:^=— OP RURAL AFFAIRS. 241 Fig. 25.— Large Nelted Muskmelon. Mountain Sweet watermelon is similar in form, but of a daiker green ; seeds bjown. Squashes. — Among the numerous varieties, tlie following i-ank as some of the best : Summer Crook- neck, (fig. 26,) is bushy in habit; fruit medium in size, measuring about eight inches in length ; bright yellow, warty. It is soft,vand easily penetrated by the nail, when young and at a proper age for use. It afterwaids becomes harder, and the flesh coarse and unfit for cooking. The Scalloped, (fig. 27,) is early, erect in gi-owth, fruit somewhat hemis- pherical in foiin, deeply and regularly scalloped. It should Fis,'. 27. Fig. 28. be used when not more than half grown. It is not quite so dry and sweet as the summer crookneck. "i'lie right time for using these two varieties is easily deteiiuined by piercing them with the finger nail. The Hubbard Sfpiash, (fig. 28,) is an excellent variety, M'hich has of late years become widely known for its excellent quality and long keeping. The form is an irrefrulai- oval, or somewhat like a double cone: surface knottv, dull ffreen : flesh rich, yellow, fine grained, sweet, dry and excellent; keeps well through the winter, but is rather best Avhen nearly fresh. Sweet Potato Squash, (fig. 29,) is somewhat similar to the Hubbard, but is larger and smoother, 242 ILLUSTRATED ANNUAL REGISTER Fisr. 2!). Fig. 30. Fit,'. 31. The Red Cabbage is desirable for pickling and tlie skin niueli litrliter in color. The flesh is Yellow, fine grained and sweet, nearly equal to the Hubbard. AVinter Croockneck, (fig. 30,) is an old, widely- known sort, reniarkal)le for its productive- ness and ease of cultivation. It is quite vaiiable is size, form and quality. All these, as well ns other varieties of the Squash, should be planted far away from each other. Two varieties in the same gar- den, even when planted at opposite sides, will become intermixed and deteriorate. Cabbage. — The Early Sugai'-loaf is the earliest variety, but nmst be used iis soon as the heads become solid, as it will not keep long. It is inmiedi.itely (bliowed by the Early York, one of the oldest, most popular and best early sorts. The Winter Drumhead.s, of which there arc several sub- Viuieties, are the best for winter use. Tlie S'lvoi/s are distinct varieties; remarkable for their tender and delicate textm-e, but they do not head so compactly as the com- mon sorts. The Green Globe Savoy, (fig. 31,) Is one of the best and most commonly known. As it^requires a long time to per- fect its head.s, it should be planted early, have lich soil and receive good cultivation. OF RURAL AFFAIRS. Peas. — One of tlic best early varieties is Landietli's Extra Early; whicli, however, quickly ripens its seed. The Eugenia is one of the finest of tlie new early sorts. The Champion of England and the Marrowfats are the best of the later varieties. Flowkr Gardkx. — See directions for last month. Stick?, rods and struc- tures for supporting flowers and cliinliei-s, being constantly exposed to moisture, should be protected from decay by paint. Avoid rendering them conspicuous by painting white ; small rods may be green ; larger structures , appear iriuch best if painted brown. To pi-event decaying at joints, apply a thick coating of gas tar at those places when they are put together. Stakes, poles, &c., should be well coated with the same material, where they enter the ground. Hardy shrubs may be pruned for the purpose of bringing them into sym- metrical shape ; if they grow too freely, cut off the longer leaders ; if too feeble, thin out the flower spurs. GuKEN-HousE. — Follow the directions of last month in relation to temperature and watering. Plants beginning to grow will need more water, as they throw off a portion from their fresh leaves; but be careful not to overdo the matter. Keep both shrubs and plants, as soon as they commence grow- ing, pinched into compact symmetrical shape, and avoid one-sided and long-stemmed growth. Remove decayed leaves and everything ad- verse to neatness ; destroy insects by fumigation with tobacco and a solution of whale oil or soft soap, ^e- Fig. ^— Badly train- Pot or top-dress the soil ed green-house plant, where necessary. Fig:. S:i.— Well trained green-house plant. liVorlc for Mnrcli. Kitchen Garden. — Open ground work can be performed only in the middle states, and towards the end of the month; and it is better to wait till danger from cold and freezing storms has passed. Asparagus beds should be forked up the moment the frost leaves the ground, turning under the manure applied in autumn, and avoiding injnrv to the crowns or forming shoots. Pie-plant may be obtained early by cover- ing each plant with a barrel open at top and bottom, and filling it loosely 244 ILLUSTRATED ANNUAL REGISTER I with manure; the stalks will grow up through the manure and become large, blanched, tender and excellent. Early potatoes may be accelerated by placing the cut roots closely together in a hot-bed, and covering with a few inches of earth. Set these op.t when the sprouts have about reached the surface, and a week or two will be gained by the operation. If allowed more room in a hot-bed, they may be set out when two or three inches high; but in either case the transplanting should not be done so*early as to caii^e danger from frost. Lettuce, sown in autumn, transplanted into the hot-bed, will come forward earlier J,han if sown there. The earliest peas may be planted as soon as the ground admits working. Hot-beds in the northern states, for ordinary purposes, should not be made before the 20th. If made earlier, for prolonged forcing, they will need en- casing in fresh manui'C before the old heap becomes spent. Manure, if not spread in autumn, should be applied as early as practica- ble to open ground; and if the soil admits, worked in towards the close of the present month. Remember that manure thoroughly and finely inter- mixed with the soil is worth more than double such as is left in lumps or masses, or deeply spaded under in a single stratum. Flower Gardkn. — New beds for planting annuals, herbaceous perennials and shrubs, if not made last autumn, should be made as early as the ground opens, that the enriching materials may become thoroughly diffused through the soil. Hardy perennials and bulbs should be divided and set out as soon as the soil will admit, as they commence growing early. Hardy shrubs may be transplanted at the same time, or afterwards. Be careful to spread out all the fine roots, and fill among them well with fine soil ; cut the shoots back well, to give them a good form, and to" cause a fine start. Sow animals in hot- bed for early flowering. Tender shrubs and plants, and half-hardy bulbs, which were covered with leaves or evergreens in winter, should have this cover- ing gradually removed as warm weather approaches. Clear away all unnecessarr litter, and keep the ground neat and clean. Hardy roses .should be pruned before the buds open, and enriching ma- terials applied to the soil. The fresh start thus given them will furnish a finer and nioie copious bloom. Box edging may he re-set towards the close of the month. If, as some- times happens, the jjlants have grown tall and large, set them deeply in a Fig. M.— Careless ly planted shrub. Fig. 35.— Well planted shrub. * OF RURAL AFFAIRS. 245. MiiMj,^^ narrow trcucli, fipvoad out the bv.MicliOS "^/'■yrffl^r ^ like a fati, (fig. 36,) and press the earth, %M4'^r^£^^^m^^-- 'A^ the . tienehes lill, compactly ogahist ^" them; thcji yliear oft' the whole row near- ly to the ground. The.se will all grow and leave no gaps. ,,, .^ New lawns should 1>e sown lieavily with ^' /V^\'>i snitahle gra.'SS seed, (at the rate of two Fig. ^K—Settitig out fwt-edging. Im<\\c\s or more per acre,) as early as the the gmuiid can be prepared and properly- nielUnved. The seed will start early, a«d grow l>eyoud the reach of summer drought, and being mown every week, will form a beautiful turf the same year. Lawns formed by made very early, be* and the turf laid =,^.^.._ closely and compactly so that there may be uo cre- vices between the cut Fig. 38.— Well laid turf. portions or beneath them. Fig. m— Badly laid turf. Greex-House. — Air very freely in fine weather. Head back oranges or give them a proper shape. Give water njore freely to plauLs in full growth. Remove all dead leaves, trimmings aisd rubbish, iis well as dust, from the leaves, and moss or mould from the outside of the pots, and give the whole apai-tmeut a neat auJ Iresh appearance. Carnations may be la3'ered and fuch.si;i.s projvigatcHi by cuttiug.s. Kej>ot and prune ph\iits. These djjectioius l>eing for green-house plants only, (and not for those from tropical regions requiring a high heat,) the temperature should Ije continued moderate, or from 45"^ (iu*. ^Vorlc for April* KiTCTtKS Garden'. — Cumplete the lalxjrs directed in last month and pre- pare the gjoond /or early crops as soon as suflicieiitly dry. With heavy soils at Iciist a week or two u\u\ be gained by uni^erdraining: and sometimes the same excellent effect may be attained by the addition of sand from any source whc-re it can be ol)tiiined. It will be observed that the application of sand hasjhis givat adratJt^ige over njanuring, — it remains peii)etually in the soil. Ill the j»(ak's all the early garden crops nsay bo planted soon after the oiHiiiifig of this montii, if a good soil has been prepared. Hardy plants, such as paisuips, cjtrro(s, beets and onions, ntay be sown as early as the ground is lit for tiieut. Those more sensitive to cold, such as beans, cu- cundxTS and squashes, cannot l)e huri-ied by early jdanting; but only by for- warding in hot-beds, or starting under haml-glasses. Asparagus sluuild be traiis[)ianted verv earlv or Jk'Tovc (he shoots appear. ■ — ■ ^^© ILLUSTRATED ANNUAL REGISTER ^'' It will continue longer and fiouvish better if two distinct beds ore pro- vided and shoots cut IVom tliem alternate seasons; a continued cutting fiom the same bed has a tendency to check the roots. The old practice of dig- ging a pit three or four feet deep fur asparagus, and filling it with a rich cotu- pust of manure and soil, is unnecessary — and induces planters to place the roots too closely together, in order to obtain all they can from the bed. The shoots will be larger and better if the plants are allowed plenty of room on a soil less than half as deep, with constant cultivation to keep the sur- face mellow. Asparagus beds covered with manure litter in autimin or winter, should have this forked in as soon as the soil thaws, avoiding injury to the crowns. Hot-beds may be made in tlie northern states by the first of the month, and will prove usefiU in forwarding young cabbage, tomatoes, lettuce, radishes and cucumbers, as well as many other vegetables. Cucumbers and other plants which do not bear removal well, should be phuited in pieces of inverted turf or in small pots. In planting seeds it is important to observe a proper depth corresponding with the size of the seed. More injury is done by deep than by shallow planting; unless the work be postponed late in the season, when the soil is quite dry. We have known unskillful gardeners, for example, to cover beets two or three inches deep, very few of which come up, and tlie seeds- men denounced as a consequence. Seed from the same ])arcel covered scarcely an inch in depth came up copiously. Avoid superficial waterings of planted seed in dry weather, as it only serves to moisten and crust the surface. As soon as young crops appear, keep the soil constaully mellowed to accele- rate growth and destroy weeds. In all instances never work a strong soil Avhen wet or adliesive, whether for planting seeds or lor cultivating it. iLOWEU Gakden. — The first work is to clear away all rubbish and stalks of plants, straw, leaf or manure coverings, &c. The sooner that the beds for annual flowers can be prepared the better, in order that the compost mixed with the soil may become thoroughly incorporated. Seeds of very hardy plants which start readily or spring freely from self-sown seeds in autumn, may be sown early in spring. Others which germinate with nu)re difficulty, should not be put in until later, or when the soil has become warm. Many seeds are lost and disappointment caused by planting ihem too soon. If the soil is too dry to start them readily, it may be kept moist for a lew days by a covering of matti\ig or sacking, and the young plants may be ])r()tecled l)y placing over them a box or broad hoop stretched with thin muslin, or inverted flower pots, (fig. Jii>,) slightly |)roppeil up on the north side. Care must be observed in the depth of burying ©e^- OF RURAL AFFAIRS. the seed. Yerv small ones, suoli iis tlie Portulacca, should not Ijc half an ineh deep, the moi^iture of the t;uiface being [)reserved as al)0ve deseriljed. Remember that the great secret of sviceess in raising beautiful annual flowerrf is, 1. A good selection of sorts; 2dly. A good, well prepared soil ; Sdly. Tiiinning out, so as to give plenty of r(jom for each plant; and 4thly. Pinching in during frrowth, so as to form neat, svmnielrical, densely bloom- ing plants. Ainiual flowos which have been started in hot-beds, should not be set out before the end of the month or later. Biennials and perennials sown a year ago should be reset, giving each plant stifficient room. Stools of perennials which have become huge, and which it is desired to multiply, should be taken up and carefully pulled asunder, and replanted — doing the woik very early, before growth has commenced. The growth of dahlias may be started in pots within doors. llyacniihs shaded from the sun at the commencement of blooming, will be finer and continue longer. Towards the end of the month care should be given to mellowing the soil in flower beds, especially in those occupied with perennials, were it is liable to become crusted. Lawns should be sown as early in the spring as the ground can be pre- pared ; and the seed very thickly sown, brushed, raked or rolled in. It will start more evenly and densely than if the sowing is done later, being careful to mow it at least once a month durin;; the season. Gravel-walks should i)e constantly kept in neat coiulition — nothing can make a flower garden appear well where the walks are neglected or left un- even or with ragged edges, or with irregular or angidar border-lines. Let them form graceful curves and [)ossess a neat, smooth, finished surface, and they will give character to almost any grounds they traveise. Floiccr Beds and Edgings. — The niodern i)ractice, which is undoubtedly the best in every respect, — for economy, beauty and landscape ^J!^^^^^^/. ellect, — of cutting circular, el- Iiptical and arabesque beds in -ri- in m T> 7 i • 4 j> • 41. j-t smootli turf, nearly obviates the Fig. 40.— Floicer Bed. cut m iurf^ with tih . ) j ^ vo w ^ edging. necessity of forming edgings to these beds; hence the lessened demand for box edging and plants of a simi- lar character. In some cases, however, such may be desirable, and if olaced on lawns nothing perhaps is better than ornamental tile of a soft „ brown color made for ■h. ^s^ttriSiB..^rri:rII1r-l'-'..l.i'— — — — "iv this purpose, project- ing but slightly above Edging growing the surfiice made of plants is only appli Fig. A\.— Section of Floicer Bed, cut in tinf. cable to beds which do not border on grass, liox, if well planted or started 2* ILLUSTHATED ANNUAL REGISTER (■^YSVrv^ P' N-j and kept properly shorn down, forms a neat J edging for a few years; but as it becomes older Fig. 42. Tile edging. loses its fresh appearance and is liable to be killed in spots. The smaller species of iris form stout, vigorous edgings, easily kept witliin bounds. A ncut and good edging is also formed of the Blue-eyed grass or Sisyrinchium, a native plant, growing frequently in wet meadows throughout the country. Insects, as warm weather approaches, will begin to make their appearance. Use the usual appliances of tobacco-water, tobacco smoke, white hellebore, soap-suds, &c. Green:Hou8e. — Accustom the plants to fresh air whenever the atmosphere outside becomes warm, lessening lire as the season advances, or keeping it up only at night. Place the hardiest plants nearest tlie draughts of fresh air. Water sufficiently such as are growing rapidly, and sparingly those more nearly in a dormant state. Syringe frequently. Apply liquid manure to feeble plants, and cutback old or stunted ones tostart new shoots. Pinch back such as are freely growing, to give them symmetrical form. Give fresh soil where necessary, and keep the earth well loosened. Make cuttings of Verbenas, Petunias and Fuchsias. ^"orlc for May, Kitchen Garden. — Complete the woik prescribed last month. Finish sowing hardy vegetables; and as soon as the soil becomes warm, plant beans, cucumbers, melons and sq\iashos. Set out plants from hot-beds, and re-sow failures. Thin out plants whore too thick, and constantly destroy all weeds on their first appearance. Insects will begin to multiply — one of the best remedies for them is a brood of young chickens which may be placed in any desired part of the garden, by confining the hen to a coop. The striped bug so destructive to cucumbers and squashes, may be destroyed by passing around twice a day and killing with thumb and finger ; or tliey may be kept off by means of boxes co- vered with tine netting, (fig. 43.) Small cheese boxes, or even circulai' strawberry boxes answer a good purpose, being i)rej)ared similar to the circular shade for flower- Fig. 4.3. seeds represente«l in the directions tor last month. Keeping the surface of the soil constantly fine and mellow, will serve to retain a sufficient degree of moisture better than any watering. Water-melons usually succeed best on light warm soils; but heavy soil may be made to produce them in gi-eat abundance by intermixing thoroughly a copious supply of fresh manure to a dci)th of twenty inches or more and several feet in breadth, raising the surface to a height of about one foot. Among the best varieties of Sweet Com, is Darling's Early, (fig. 44,)ma- turing (juite early, producing little fodder and proving excellent in quality OF RURAL AFFAIRS. 249. m. The Hill Corn, (fig 45,) well known in some parts of Massachusetts, is a very productiv e 8-ro\ved yellow sort A few special directions, familiar to expe- rienced gardeners, but perhaps useful to othere, may be briefly given : — Plant peas for succes- sion— different varieties of squashes and mel- lons which intermix, should be placed re- mote from eacii other — tomatoes transplanted from hot-beds, giving about four feet square for each plant, and if they grow luxuriantly, so as more than to cover this space, the soil has been too highly manured and they should be placed ou land of less fertility — seeds of doubtful quality should be tested before sow- ing largely — insert poles for running beans be- fore they are planted ; the Lima will ripen best on the south side of a building or wall — long- beets for the main crop may be sown towards the close of the month. The hand glasses muiitioned in the directions for a former month, may Ijc used for covering tender plants when frosty nights arc feared. IS m YiiS. 41. iSriri- Flowku Garden. — Follow the directions given last, month for preparing the giound and planting seed. Re-plant an- nuals from hot-beds and thin out where too thick — a com- mon reason why they do not grow and bloom well, is over crowding the surface. .Shades or awnings placed on tulips Fi<'-. 45. will much prolong the blooming season. Early bulbs when the leaves are dead, sliould be lakcn up and packed away, marking each sort accurately. Tall-flower stalks likely to be broken down with wind, should be tied to neat stakes. Branching ornamentals tending to grow tall and meagre, should be pinched back while growing, to give them a more compact form. Keep gi-avel walks neatly dressed — mellow the surface of flower-beds — mow lawns once a week or oftener, and preserve a neat appearance in the whole grounds. Bedding plants from grecn-liou.ses may be set out during the latter part of the month, such a.s verbenas, salvias, pelargoniums, &e. Care should be taken, in forming flower-beds, whether of annuals, liardy perennials or bedding plants, not to mix together those of dissimilar charac- ter, and especially those quite unlike in habit and height. Where flower- beds are cut in lawn, each entire bed sliould be occupied with the .same plant so a'^ to form masses of flowers, or with more than one if they are of the s:ime heiglit and bloom together. A succession of difterent sorts may be in' <^o^ ILLUSTRATED ANNUAL REGISTER some instances obtained from tlie same bed, — for example, annuals trans- planted after early bulbs, or between herbaceous perennials that grow up- right and do not spread much laterally. Green-IIouse. — Most of the plants in pots may be removed to open ground before the close of the month. .Skill may be exercised in arranging them so as to group well together, and the pots shotild be kept clean, and the plants in a neat condition. Many growing plants will need changing to larger pots. Those remaining in the green-house should be supplied with plenty of fresh air, wliich in warm weather may be given copiously. Kitchen Garden. — The chief points of attention dnring this month are constant tillage, and the destruction of weeds. There is no necessity that a single weed should grow in a w ell -n:>an aged garden— most gardeners being satisfied with destroying nineteen- twentieths and leaving the twen- tieth to grow and ripen seed. It would be well to destroy the lat- ter as well as the others. Con- stant tillage teiuls to preserve moisture in hot weather, and to accelerate the giow ih of llie plants, ir liilior issearoe provide the very b(_'St. tools — wiiieh at a very slight inei'eased cost, may doiible the effective work of the gardener. W'c have given, in Ibnnernum- bers of the Jiegister, the mode of training tomatoes on a trellis. A convenieiit, simple and economi- cal piipjiort may be made of nar- row hoops, varyiiigfrom a foot to eighteen inches in diameter, and secured to three .stakes abos should be pruned and pinched in to give tliem a proper shape. Clear away all rubbish and keep everything in finished order. Secure a good supply of earth, compost and sand for potting. ^Vorlc ior Aiigitst. Jy iCiTCHEK Garden. — Continue to carry on the work of previous months in /j A cultivating the ground, and keeping it clear of weeds. Collect, put up/ ILTiUSTRATED ANNUAT. REGISTKll carefully, and mark seeds as they ripen. .Sow winter radish and late crops of turnips. Earth up celery. Thin the fruit on melons, and remove those particularly nhich will not probably ripen. Do the same with tomatoes. Potato tops, as the crop is dug, should be buried beneath the soil, and all ground rendered vacant by the removal of any crop, cleared of rubbish and kept perfectly clean, if not replanted. Floaver Garden. — See the directions for l;vst month. Sow bulbous- rooted plants to obtain new sorts; set out bidbs during this on next month, or even later. Stake dalilias as they need it, and pinch into form and thin out imperfect flowers. Herbaceous perennials, which have ceased flowering, aud which often make a second growth in autumn, may be divided for in- creasing during the present dormant state. Green-House. — Propag.-ite succulent plants by slips, suckers, &c. Mellow the surface in pots and give fresh earth where needed. Bud oranges and lemons if the bark separates freely. Propagate pelargoniums by cuttings. Plants standing in pots dry more quickly than in beds, and if growing, should be therefore kept well watered. Procure peat, leaf-mould, sand, &c., for future use. ^^^ork lor Sept€s»l>er. Kitchen Garden. — Continue cultivation to all growing crops. , Sow let- tuce and soinach for wiu'eiinir over, inotecting in frames or with lavers of evergreen boughs. Draining or trenching if uiiliMished, should be completed. Continue earthing up celery. Save seeds of all crop.s as Ihey ripen, select- ing from the largest when magnitude is an o!)ject, and those first ripened, whei-e early maturity is sought. Mark them distinctly to prevent mistakes. In preparing new gardens for next season's planting, or for em-iching the soil of present ones, the sooner that manure is a|)plie(l and mixed with the earth, the more time it will have to become thoroughly infused in every part. The present month is, therefore, a suitable time to apply fresh or old manure or comi)Ost, whether left on the surface or turned under. Flower Garden. — Set out bulbs — divide perennials — continue to keep the. ground mellow and clean, and to gather seeds. Dress and keep all parts of the ground in neat order. Lawns will require less frequent mowing than early in the season, but they should by no means be neglected, as a few straggling plants outstripping the rest, destroy the neatness of their ap- pearance. Green-Housk. — Give fresli earth and plenty of fresh air to plants which are returned under glass. See that all paits of the structure are in good re- pair, and that flues are ready for use. Transplant seedlings, cuttings, kc. Give less water as the weather becomes cooler and i)lants arc retarded in growth. Before returning to the green-house, clean them of decayed leaves, [ and give them fresh eaith. OF RURAL AFFAIRS. "IVork lor Octol>er. Kitchen Garden. — Collecting and storing crops for winter will form an important part of the work ibr this month. All kinds of roots, sucli as po- tatoes, beets, carrot-^, &c., should be taken up without bruising, rendered perfectly clean, and the outside dried before carrying to the cellar. Those that wilt in drying may be kept in a fine fresh condition, easily accessible, by packing them in neat boxes, imbedded in fine damp moss. This is much better than sand, both in being cleaner and easier to reach. Cabbages in the head may be packed away and kept fresh in the same way. Cauliflowers which have not headed, should be planted closely together in a box of earth, and they will usually form good heads before spring. Clear away the dead stems fiom asparagus beds, and dress them with manure for winter. Ma- nure ground which is not rich enough, by leaving it spread upon the surface till next spring, by which time the soluble parts will become finely diffused through the soil. Procure, and secure from freezing, a sufficient quantity of fine mould and sand for hot-beds next spring. Sow lettuce and spinach for spring use, as directed last month. The season of fresh tojnatoes may be prolonged by covering them when night frosts are feared, if it be only with a sheet of muslin or a broad newspaper. Flower Garoen. — Clear away dead plants, stems and leaves, and keep the entire grounds in order. Finish setting out bulbs, hardy perennials and hardy shrubs. Peonies may be divided and set (n«t. Rake up and save all scattered leaves and nae them in compost heaps. In setting out hyacinth bulbs, place a handful of sand around eacli bidl), if the soil is clayey — which will tend to prevent rotting. Late in the month, cover them with a layer of leaves, or long manure, — to be removed in spring. Greex-Holsk. — Give air and fire-heat, as both are respectively needed, and follow the directions of last month. Annual flower-seeds sown now will furnish a fine bloom in winter. '^Vorlc fbi* I^"ov<'ml>er. Kitchen Garden. — As the season is rapidly drawing to a close, finish the ga- thering of crops early in the month, as directed for October. Koots may be ra- pidly cleaned by means of a revolving octagonal box, as shown in fig. 47. Slits or openings an inch wide, are left be- tween the eight boards which form the eight sides. One of these sides runs in by sliding— by opening it, a half bushel or more of roots are thrown in, when a ff- few revolutions of a crank, knock off all h Boot Cleaner. the loose eartli, which falls down throu^di T^ ■^ ©c^— 254 ILLUSTRATED ANNUAL REGISTER the openings. By using this cleaner, with the lower part running in water, roots are lapidl)' and perfectly washed. AVinter dress asparagus beds if not already done. Gather the heads of winter drumhead cabbage, and pack them in damp moss in boxes, as di- rected last month. Those which have not headed, may be kept and headed during winter for spring use, by the mode described on page 331 of the Illustrated Annual Register for 1863. (RrjRAL Affairs, vol, iii.) Flower Garden. — Shelter, with a suitable covering of dry leaves, tender plants, such as auriculas and white day-lilies; also cover tender shrubs with evergreens. To prevent the settling of the leaves and smothering, first put on a layer of small evergreen boughs. Take up and secure dahli;xs. Finish planting hardy bulbs, if not completed, and set out hardy shrubs. The following mode of obtaining a beautiful bloom of hyacinths for the parlor during winter, is given by a skillful cultivator of this flower — prepara- tions for which should be made early the present month : — First procure a handsome table made for the purpose, of black walnut with turned legs, so as to be an ornament to the parlor, about four and a half feet long by two feet wide in the clear, so as to hold three rows of eight pots each, the pot being eight inches in diameter. The top of the table is to be like a box or trough, eight or ten inches deep, made tight, and well coated with white lead paint inside, particularly at the joints. Into this table fit a zinc pan of the same depth, with Avire handles turning down into the pan on each end. The table is then ready for the reception of the pots. The pots are usually prepared towards the latter part of November, by taking eight inch soft baked pots and placing in the bottom abouC an inch of broken earthenware, charcoal or small pebbles, as may be most conve- nient. Then fill them to the top with a compost of equal parts of clean or washed sand, well rotted cow-manure and loam. An admixture of bone or horn shavings, although not essential, gives increased size and brilliancy to the flower. A bulb is placed in the centre of each pot, just so deep that its top may be seen, pressing the soil around it and watering it thoroughly. The pots are then set in a warm, dark cellar, and watered to prevent drying up. In about a month the pots will be full of roots, but the plants will not have grown more than an inch. They are then (about the middle or latter part of November,) placed in the pan, and the interstices filled with com- mon wood moss — cover the tops of the pots smoothly with the handsomest green moss that can be found, through which the tips of the shoots will just be visible. Water copiously every morning through the fine rose of a wa- tering pot on the moss. The water will collect in the bottom of the pan, and the roots finding their way out through the holes in the pots, will ab- sorb it and grow rapidly. In a few weeks a beautiful dense bloom will be produced, the effect of which will be heightened by a tasteful intermixtuie of colors. A few narcissus, especially the polyanthus varieties, add much to the effect. The table should be placed in the strongest light. As soon t. OF RURAL AFFAIRS. as a flower fades, it may be carefully lifted from the moss, the pot removed and a new one su])plied from the cellar. ' The table may be of any size desired. 'Cnttinr/s . of Shrubs should be cut with a small crown, as in fisj. 48. They may be imbedded in sand, in dry trenches or pits, (fig. 49,) covered witli earth and then with a coat of manure. Winter mulching of shrubs, for protection. /a Fig. 49. — Keeping Cuttings in Winter. (w should be applied towards the close of the month. (Fig. 50.) It FieceKil>er. Kitchen Garden. — The labors of open ground management liave closed for the northern states, but in the middle states the directions for last month may still be followed. All stakes, sticks and tools should be carefully housed and new ones made when required, on leisure days. Flower Garden. — The only remaining out-door work is protecting ten- der plants and shrubs, if not alnjady done, according to the directions given last month. The preparation of manure, its application to the soil, procur- ing labels, tools, seeds, &c., as directed for January, may be commenced during the present month. Hyacinths in water for blooming during winter, are prepared by first se- lecting good, hard bulbs, without side-bulbs, placing them in glasses filled M with rain-water, and then setting them in a warm, dark closet, taking care /\ ILLUSTRATED ANNUAL llEGISTER. that the wati r does not bcconie foul oi- evaporate. Roots will be thrown out and pjirtly fill the glass. Bring them out to strong light, as needed, and they will bloom in less than a luontli. A few drops of liquid ammonia will give higher color to the fiowers. The water should be changedonee in ten days, taking care that it has the same temperature. Grekx-Hocse. — See directions for hist month. Give air as required. Keep the earth mellow in pots. Clear away dead leaves as they appear. A temperature of 358 to 458 Fah., is sullieient, but especial care should be takej! that it does not run down to freezing point. The hardiest plants sliould he placed in the coolest parts of the house. If an}" should accidentally he louchcd with frost, water the whole plant from a fine rose with cold water. In severe weather apply mats, or close shutters. a^oodl^:n^d ai^d the tim:ber crop. At the present time, the preservation and growth of timber is more neg- lected than that of any other product of the land. We have treatises on the management of wheat, corn and other grain crops — on the best system of rotation — books are written on potatoes, turnips and carrots — every intelli- gent farmer supplies his shelves with works on cattle, sheep and horses — and every farmer, whether he reads or not, is familiar with the management of all these departments of husbandry. But not one land owner in a thousand is giving proper attention to the growth of young timber, to supply the de- ficiency which is now becoming strongly lelt. Twenty-five years ago, wood could be bought standing, in well settled portions of western New-York, and elsewhere, for one York shilling per cord — where now it would sell readily for at least twenty times as much. An estimate was made some years ago, that at the present rate of clearing, all the valual)le timber trees east of the Mississippi, would be swept away within the next thirty yeais. It has been recently ascertained that the rail- roads of Ohio, consume annually twelve thousand acres of good wood-land, and in other states a similar amount is required. But all this is not equal t<^) individual home consumption. A land owner who occupied a large house, pointed to a portion of his farm where one hundred acres had been cut in the last forty yeai-s for his own fuel. If there are three million farmers in the iioithern stales, that commonly bum, wood, at the rate of twenty cords a year, they would clear off more than a million acres annually. Where will all this present devastation land us? When our forests have JA gone, what shall we do for fencing — tor timber lor agricultural machines — fj OP RURAL AFFAIRS. IPS, ' for railroad and other bridges — for the construction of canal boats, ships, and rail cars — and by no means leaijt, for iiirm buildings and dwellings V Most obviousl}' our oidy resource is to commence immediately the growth of young timber plantations*. , We do not regret, as some do, to see the old forests melting away before the hand of civilization, — although the want of economy in the waste of wood is much to be regretted. We do not ask land ownei-s to keep their old woods untouched. It does not pay. The owner of a forty acre wood lot re- fused, many years ago, an offer of forty dollai"S per acre; he sold it after- wards for one hundred dollars per acre — but this increase in price did not pay the interest and taxes in the interim. It is not advisable, therefore, to keep a large amount of dead capital in the shape of the original forests. A brief estimate will show that this is far less profitable, than to raise new timber and cut it away at a suitable age. By counting the annual rings in our forest trees, we find them to average mostly from one to two hundred years old, and to yield about fifty cords per acre. Calling the average pe- riod one hundred and fifty years, three years are required to grow a cord of wood. On similar land, occupied with well managed young timber, and cut once in about twenty years, an average amount of not less than two cords annually may be obtained — a product six times as great as to allow the trees a century and a half in growing. To cut only the old decaying trees out of the forest would yield a still less return. The best way, therefore, unques- tionably is not the assiduous preservation of our old wood-lands, but a general and extensive planting of new timber. There are other reasons why more attention should be given to the raising of forest trees. The face of the country is becoming denuded, and wintry winds and summer storms sweep our farms with more fury than formerly. Young plants of grass and winter grain, after heaving by frost, are beaten about and sometimes torn out by the action of the winds upon them. Grain crops and meadows are prostrated by tempests. Land owners who have planted belts of evergreens, have found that the protection they aiford in this respect, has amounted on an average, to an increase in the crops raised within the range of their shelter, of about fifty per cent, more than where fully exposed. Belts of timber, therefore, traversing farms fully ex- posed to the winds, are profitable in two ways. First, by the increased amount of crops ; and secondly, by the timber perpetually furnished by these belts. They should be placed at intervals of 60 to 80 rods. Where rising land faces prevailing winds, they should be nearer; but when the land falls, they may be more remote. The breadth of the belts, if evergreen, may be one or two rods wide; if dcciduoius, four or five rods. When cut one half in breadth may be taken at a time. (Fig. 1.) On small farms, one single l»clt, of such a width as may afford the necessary wood for use, judiciously located to piotect the farm, may be sufficient; on large ones, they should be at regular intervals. In many cases, the borders of a gully or stream may M ■■A f''' ILLUSTRATED ANNUAL REGISTER ^=® be selected as the place for the woods, where the wet or broken land would be of compaiatively little value. L HILL I f} I fj'^Q— A rrmvs sJiow the directions of tico pi'erailing winds— the narrow ecreeiis are erergrtens. The breadth of land tlm.s protccti.'d will of couise dt-pcnd on the height of the trees. By leaving strips of I lie original forest, 70 or 80 feet high, tlie intervals may be double or triple the width icquired for yoiing belts which have not attained a height of more than 20 or 30 feet. For thft rea- son it may be best to plant them neaier togethei', and afterwards to remove alternate ones for timber. By selecting thrifty growers, such as (he Xorway Spruce, (evergreen,) and the Scotch Larch, (deciduous,) a growth 25 to 30 feet high will be reached in about ten years, if they are properly cultivated ; and fifty feet in twenty-five years. If planted closely, they spread less, and shoot up higher than if thin and spreading. There arc two distinct modes for the commencement and growth of timber plantations. One is the employment of the natural or spontaneous growth, springing up where old woods are cut off — either in the form of suckers, or yoiuig seedlings. The value of the future plantation depends much on the character and denseness of this young growth. To secure a good start the old trees should be entirely cleared away, and imt as is often the case, merely thinned out, leaving the middle growth standing. For a few scattered trees will shade and greatly retard every thing below them. Every farmer is aware that no farm crop can thrive or become jiroductive, if uiuler the shade of thin wood.s. Young trees require the same advantages of air and sun- shine as Indian corn; shaded trees are, therefore, found to grow only one- fourth or one-liltli as fast as those under a lull exposure. The yotmg plantation having been started a lew years, (cattle of course carefully excluded from it,) the first care needed is ihbihing. This is found to be as essential as the thinning of turni])S, beets and carrots to the gar OP RURAL AFFAIRS. dener. If not attended to, the trees will crowd and enfeeble each other many will be overshadowed and stunted — othei-s will decay and die and those which grow, will be irregular in form, (tig. 3.) and less valuable than ;;o... -•>•.. .-:Fo..i-. .- .. the same number of trees i^v:/-i^: --•-'-r'\ where regular thinning has been practiced, and where the consequent growth is straight, thrifty and uniform. (F'ig. 4.) „. . „ „ , r ,, ^ r The first thinning may be done Fig. 2.— 7%<' extenor of woodlands should not be , , trimmed to prevent winds siveeping through. when the trees are about large enough for hoop poles. The more feeble and crooked trees should be cut out, leaving the best and straightest as nearly at uniform distances as may be practicable. (Fig. 5.) The thinnings will usually much more Fig. Z.— Unthinned plantations. Fig. 4. — Thinned plantations. than pay the labor; and if the young plantation happens to be a tine one, the hoop poles will more thati pay the interest on the land. The first thin- ning may be at distances of about four and five feet ; but should never be so severe that the shade and covering of fallen leaves will not entirely pre- vent the growth of giass — the leaves forming a mulch that protects the roots i>tr.,no ,.,Ar>. . if>^ <^p ^ ^^ <^ Various rules have been given for the distances in thinning; some have claimed that the distance asun- le height ^ a^^.t> &^ ^^Si CQ- i^ ?3 ^^« 7V^ Fiir. 5,— Mode of thinning out natural plan- i \ tatioits in rows. der should be one-half tl 0 260 ¥• ILHISTllATED ANNUAL REGISTER of deciduous trees, and ouc-tliird for evergreens. This is evidently allow- ing loo much space, unless it be when the trees -.we very young, and are soon expected to double or triple their height. If too much sunlight is let in, it Vt'ili cover the trunks witli side branches, and render the timber knotty. (Figs. 6 and 7.) If tlic trees stand thickly togctlier, they will run up tall and slender, and the trunks be ^ nearly clear of knots; but if too ^^^^vwp-e^-'^-?.. numerous, they will retard each W TTVf^la'oi' other, and yield a smaller product per acre. L. Bartlett, of New Hamnshire, informed the writer of this article, some years ago, that he thiimed out part of a pic ^ ^ © r^ <2? plenty of seed, but none of it has come up." This failure ^ ^' -^ © 3 ^ ^ arises from tlie shell or outer coating of the seed becoming ^ ^ e> ^ © "(b e? dry and hard before it is plan ted. ^ ^T. -a > f^ <=:>. '^^'^ moisture cannot penetrate ^ ',0 €>^ t^- - TuE breeds of sheep existing in Great Britain from a remote period, and developed with the advancement of its agriculture by the skill of later flock- masters, are familiarly known among us as " Mutton Sheep," in contra- distinction from the various families of the Merino, which is primarily a Wool-producing animal. Thus, throughout the civilized world, there are few regions at the present day, to which either English sheep or Spanish sheep have not been carried, according as circumstances rendered the production of meat on the one hand, or of woul on the other, a leading consideration ; and both by the perpetuation of these two great families unmixed, and by the intermingling of their blood with that of the sheep common in their new homos, the flocks of both hemis- pheres have been moditiL-d, and the demands of the great familv of man, for articles of daily use in food and i*aiment, have from these sources de- rived a fuller and better sup- ply than ever before. Mutton Sheep as Compared with Fine Wooled Sheep. The Spanish sheep, as they serve the purpose better where the fleece alone possesses a marketable value, have been the more widely disseminated of the two. Where population is sparse and land unlimited, as in Texas, California, South America and Australia, their claims are unrivaled. And in coun- tries more densely populated, where meat is less common as an article of ' 266 ILLUSTRATED ANNUAL REGISTER diet, and y.here the finest fabrics are largely manufactured to meet tlie wants of a luxurious aristocratic class, as well as for exportation to other countries, they also receive the lion's share of attention. The English sheep, native to, and improved to their present degree of excellence in, a densely populated country, have found favor where an in- creased demand for mutton for popular use, and the higher farming of modern times, have rendered them both more directly profitable to the pro- ducer, and a more convenient adjunct in the culture and enrichment of his land. But it is not to be forgotten, that while the primary excellence in each of these two great divisions of the race, lies in the direction above noted, the Merino is also a producer of mutton as well as of fleece, and the English sheep of wool as well as of meat. The flesh of the Merino, when bred for succes- sive generations in a climate and on pasturage suitable for its development in size, and where the breeder luis had in view this point of merit as well as that of wool, is such as to give it a claim upon the feeder on which some are disposed to place considerable stress at the present day. And at the same time, for many fi\brics of the manufacturer, the wool of the English sheep takes a place which that of the Merino cannot supply ; during the recent war we have seen the prices of long wools quite on a par at times with tliose of the finest grades, and fashion, with her powerful control over the customs and tastes of men, is daily extending the popularity for common wear of cloths of loose texture and often quite shaggy appearance, in the production of which the Merino has no part nor lot.* The diversities of American agriculture are so great, arising both from ex- tent of territory and natuial differences, as well as those springing from a varying relative proportion between the population and the surface under culture, — that both of these great families of sheep are advantageously kept, — in some localities the one wholly superseding the other, while in some the claims of both seem so nearly balanced, that the farmer is at loss on which side the scale of profit is more likely to turn. From what has been already said, it will seem natural enough that the Merino should have first entered in to possess the ground. We had far more land than population. Beef and pork had been so cheap, and the latter so much the stock urtiele in the meat diet of a large part of our people, that the carcase of the sheep was little regarded as compared with its wool. At tne same time we were importing largely of foreign manufactures, and the wise desire of strength- *The introduction of the alpaca or llama wool from Peru into Great Britain, for the manufacture of those tine, light jjos^amer stufl'f in eo much demand for ladies' Tise. and tlie t-ubsequent discovery that imitations of the llama fabrics can be euc- cessfully made from the Ions Cot^'W()ld, Kent and Lincoln woolti,— have also done much to increase the selling value of the latter as compared with short and fine wools. The market for fabrics of the description referred to seems unlimited, and the quantity of this style of wool produced, may undoubtedly be largely increased without danger of diminishing its price. OF RURAL AFFAIRS. 267 ening this branch of industry at home, led to public encouragement in various ways of fine wooled flocks. But as our population has increased, as greater care is given to the domestic animals of the farm, and as the taste for more and better mutton has grown, a new order of things has been gradually establishing itself, and the farmers of the country are by degrees coming to understand and meet this changed condition of affairs, by in- creased attention to the English sheep, although more slowly we have some- times thought, than might have been reasonably anticipated from the amount of information diffused during the last score or two of years on the subject, and the amount of attention it has seemed to attract. *' It has been proved," sajs Mr. Sanford Howard, in a recent article on the subject, "that a given quantity of meat can be produced from the sheep at as little, and in some cases less expense than from any other animal, and so far as can be ascertained, the meat is fully equal in nutritive proper- ties. Here, then, we have from the sheep at least an equal amount of meat, as compared with any other animal, for the food consumed, while we obtain the fleece as clear gain." In the same article one point is alluded to, which we desire particularly to note in these preliminary remarks, namely, that " wherever the object in keeping sheep is the profit which mutton and wool cotnMned will afford, — the-essential requisites of food and shelter being provided, — some of the English bi-eeds will be preferred to the Merino." This statement is supported by the results of experience in Great Britain. It is an error to suppose that there is anything in the climate of that country which is unfavorable to the Merino, or that the prejudices of the English farmer are so strong as to preclude its introduction, if in the matter of profit it could enter the lists against the native breeds. On the contrary " some years ago, great efforts were made to establish the breed in that country; but although these efforts were supported by all the influence of royalty, — George III, * the farmer king,' taking the lead in the enterprise, the breed did not obtain a permanent standing, and a few specimens only, kept merely as curiosities, are now to be found." One great obstacle to its success, even if its flesh was considered equal by most consumers to that of the English breeds, is the longer period it requires in reaching matui'ity, and its entire lack of adaptedness for the production of early lambs. The Long and Short Wooled English Breeds. Having thus endeavored, in as few words as possible, to show by a rough outline, the position of the English or mutton-producing sheep as compared with the Spanish branch of the race, it is our purpose to allude briefly to the characteristics of the different breeds of Mutton Sheep, and to some points in their practical management. The English breeds may be classified with sufficient accuracy for our present object, in two divisions, commonly known as the Middle [or Short] Wooled k and the Long Wooled breeds. The type of the former is the South Down — I \0 268 ILLUSTRATED ANNUAL REGISTER of the latter the Leicester. The prize list of the Royal Agricultural Society of England, at the Warwick Show, at which the writer was present in 1859, included indeed but four divisions, viz.; 1. Leicesters; 2. South Downs; 3. Long wooled Sheep not Leicesters ; 4. Short wooled Sheep not South Downs. The third division in this enumeration was composed almost wholly of Cotswolds, with one or two entries of Lincolnshires, &c. The fourth in- cluded Oxford, Shropshire, Hampshire and "West Country" Downs. In this list we have the chief breeds accessible to the American farmer. Taking, then, the South Downs and Leicesters as the representatives of the two divisions, we find that the improvement due to human skill — in the one to the labors of EUman, Webb and their compeers, and in the other to those of such men as Bakewell, in former times, and Sanday in our own, — has reached a perfection of form, an earliness of maturity and a capacity for fattening, unexampled in the previous history of the race. While the South Down bears the palm as regards quality of meat, either for early lambs, or when fully matured as mutton, the Leicester requires a shorter time to secure the latter, and both have had ardent advocates according to varying local conditions. Both have been extensively used in bringing other breeds, respectively similar in general character, into better shape for the farmer's purposes. Thus just as the Downs of Oxfordshire and Hamp- shire have been modified and improved by South Down blood, so the Lin- colns and Cheviots have been benefitted by an infusion of the Leicester. The greater fineness, the superior symmetry, the increased precociousness secured by artificial care, have been imparted to the coarser, larger and less compact natives of other districts, and they in turn have given more size, and in some cases more constitution, prolificness and general utility to the new cross. And through what they have thus indirectly accomplished, as well as in themselves alone, the South Downs and Leicesters have been the great improvers of English sheep. How THE English Farmer avails himself of the Pure Breeds. To secure the highest development of a breed, whether of sheep or cattle or any other class of our domestic animals, there must be a sort of division of labor between those whose efforts are devoted exclusively to their im- provement, and whose returns are derived from the sale or letting of the perfected animal, instead of the marketing of its merchantable products, on the one hand, — and, on the other, the practical farmer whose main business is with the latter, and for whose interest it is to avail himself in the most direct and least expensive manner of the improvements within his reach. As this article is intended for farmers rather than breeders, we need not pause to consider the principles on which the processes of the latter are based, but, taking the existence of improved flocks as they stand, show in what way they are made of immediate V>enefit to the agriculturist. Of course it is quite pos- sible that a select breeding flock should be maintained by the same individual, S.6 OF RURAL AFFAIRS. 269 who also raises or feeds more or less animals for the butcher, but even then the two are quite distinct hianclies of farming. Now in England, this luis coUiC to l)e so tlioroiighly understood, and the advantages of improved blood so universally recognized, that the best farmers almost invariably secure a well-bred male to put with the common ewes in raising cither laujbii or wethers for the market. " That sheep is the cheapest," .says Mr, Henry Woods, in a recent lecture before the Wayland, Norfolk, Agricultural Association, " which will produce you the lamb that will pay the most money, whether you sell it or whether you graze it." After pointing out that the ewes to raise cross-breds from, should them- selves be selected with greater care — a poiiit on which there is more room for the exercise of judgment in England than here, owing to the better supply frouj which to make selections, he adds; "lam one of those who fancy that it is not ill-s{>eut money to give an extra £5 lor a ratn," "Without attfcraptitig to decide bctueen tiie sevend breeds from which the ram may be selected, he gives his opinion as to the prominent points to be regarded in one to be used with short wooled ewes for raising cross-bred lambs, in the following language, which we venture slightly to condense: **I have an idea that he ought to possess merits peculiar to himself; that as to say, he ought to have a good u^asculine countenance ; he ought to have his neck neither too long nor too short, and placed upon his body as though it formed f^art and parcel of him. His breast ought to be well thrown out in front, and wide and expansive between his fore legs. There is one thing which is too often lost sight of in many pure breeds of sheep, — that is, the imi^ortant point of the shoulders, so constructed as to have the right power of locomotion — not placed upon the body as though they were pieces of waxwork stuck on after the bodj' had got cold. If we get the shoulders right, I like to have wide and expanded loins. I like the tail placed well upon the rump, and well surrounded with mutton; the backbone should be straight^ but better a little arched than the other way. I like to see what I- call Megs of njutton,' deep, full and weighty. I do not want to see a ram too long upon the legs. A great and important point is that the wool is of the right character, and plenty of it ; and that you get a skin not blue, but of that nice cherry hue, that every farmer acqnainted with breeding, knows must propagate good stock and stock which will graze." Making a Bkginning. One object with which we introduce the foregoing quot^ition, is to illus- trate the fact that the best farmer is he whose judgment and experience ena- ble him to decide in his own mind upon an ideal of the animal which will best suit the requirements of his farm, and the pvnposes for which it is to be bred ; and then to select, with regard to quality, rather than price, from some established breed, the individual which, apart from the name or repu- tation of the breed, most nearly meets his own design. Comparatively very I 270 ILLUSTRATED ANNUAL REGISTER few farmers, however, in this couutry, have had a sufficient opportunity of practice or observation with sheep, to do this entirely for themselves; and for these the only coui-se is to form an opinion from the published descrip- tions of the various breeds, and then by prudent trials work their own way to a satisfactory result. For the purpose of enabling the farmer to proceed less expensively, and perhaps more cautiously in this direction, the introduction here of the Eng- lish practice of Jiiring the use of purebred rams by the season, is much to be desired. But the prices at Avhich they can be purcliased are not yet high, and it ought to be considered that even $50 expended for a well bred sire is reasonably sure to be returned in his first crop of lambs. There are three of the more important objects, either of which may be held especially in view by those engaged with Mutton Sheep: I. The Raising of Market Lambs. II. The Pkoductiox of Wethers, kc. for Feeding. III. The Feeding of Mutton Sheep for the BricHER, I. Bctchers' Lambs. — In the vicinity of good markets, there is perhaps no department of farming which offers, when judiciously managed, greater inducements than this. The general system employed is to purchase, from drovers or otherwise, common ewes, with care to obtain those not already in lamb. In ordinary seasons they may be had at a cost not to exceed $3 each, in early autumn. As already stated, a South Down ram is perhaps preferable to cross upon them. A vignette representing the head of a fine specimen of this breed, will be found at the commencement of this article, (p. 265,) from a sketch taken by Page, for the purpose, from the flock of Mr. Thorne of Duchess county. In visiting Monmouth county, New Jersey, two or three years since, where some of the best South Down blood in the country has been introduced by Mr. Taylor of Hohndel, we found the production of butchers' lambs an im- portant branch of farming. Mr. T. was led to his present position as a breeder, solely from his desire as a farmer to derive the most profit from this source, and in 1848 began experimenting with South Downs for the sake of obtaining tiie greater size and earlier maturity of their progeny. Not only are these points secured to the advantage of the breeder, but the purchaser finds a larger profit after paying a higher price, arising partly from the repu- tation of South Down lamb with his best customers, but also from the ac- tually reduced proportion of offal, upon a given live weight, in comparison with other breeds of an equal or greater size. The experience of Mr. T. and his neighbors had shown, as prices ran before the war, that Irom six to seven dollars advance upon each ewe purchased in accordance with the above system, may be expected — say, perhaps, S-l-SO for the lamb, $1 for advance on the ewe, and SI for its wool. The best farmers feed the ewes for about three months, say with a half-pint daily of corn meal, together with their hay or cornstalks, but there are manv who think good clover hay is quite ^ =#3© OF RURAL AFFAIRS. 271 w is quite sufficient without the meal. Some allow the lambs also to get at the meal, but the quantity they taUe when so young is not very great. They go out to grass, as soon as it furnishes a good bite, and are sold when the lambs are from 10 to 15 weeks old. The earliest lambs from a South Down cross will dress perhaps 50 to 55 lbs., but those sold at full three months old or over, ought to reach about TO lbs. Lambs and ewes are sold together dur- ing the early summer, and before pasturage begins to be short ; after which something of an interval may elapse before ewes are again purchased for the succeeding year. As to the figures above given, it may be added that the prices current during the last two or three seasons would probably add a con- siderable per centage to the return obtained, but we prefer to give the more moderate calculation based upon the values of preceding years. This branch of farming is extensively followed in several counties border- ing on the Hudson river, either alone or in connection with the raising of sheep and fattening of wethers. II. The Production of Wethers. — Under this head we refer particu- larly to the raising and treatment of sheep destined to supply the market with mutton, leaving the consideration of fattening those raised by others, and purchased by the feeder, for the third point. As to the breeds to be selected w^e may give the following facts : The writer of a prize essay published in the Countrt Gentleman of 1865, states that extra fed sheep of the several breeds have been recorded as pro- ducing the subjoined weights of dressed meat and washed w^ool : — "Lincolns, carcass 350 lbs., fleece 28 lbs.; Cotswolds, 320 and 26; Leicesters, 250 and 22; Dorsets, 240 and 20; Oxford Downs, 240 and 18; Shropshire Downs, 220 and 16; Hampshire Downs, 200 and 12; South Downs 160 and 10. There have been individual cases of heavier weights, but not many." The first four of these breeds it will be seen belong to the "Long Wooled" division of Mutton Sheep, and the last four to the short or " Middle Wooled" division. We condense from the same writer the following f^icts derived from the management of those who maintain flocks of their own, only buying or hiring rams from time to time, selling annually their wether sheep and cull ewes, and taking all the yearling ewes that are good into the flock in regular course. The system here described although applying generally to the Long wooled sheep, is mainly the result of experience with the Cotswolds. " Cotswold ewes," says Mr. Gardner, " are put to the ram about the lat- ter end of September, and being good breeders will nearly all be in yean within one month; in fact it is customary to allow but a month, which brings them all to have theii- lambs conveniently together; it also weeds out bad breeders, for go on raising from females difficuit to get with young, and when their progeny comes round the mischief will increase; whereas I have over and over proved that not one per cent, will miss the ram, and not one per cent, will die, if none but good breeders, and none but healthy ewes are m^ bred from. Lambs are weaned about the latter end of June, and put to tur- A _ 272 ILLUSTRATED ANNUAL REGISTER nips by the last of August, where they remain eating them on the land where grown, by having just as much ground given them daily as they will clear of turnips, consuming them at first, while young and tender, by eating oif the tops and upper part of the bottoms in the morning, and by having the re- mainder of the bottoms pecked up with a small pecker for the purpose in the afternoon ; but as the season advances, and the turnips get tougher, they are pulled, thrown in heaps, cut with a machine, and given in troughs three times per day ; and should the tops, as is often the case, cause too much re- laxation of the bowels, they are carted away and given to other kinds of stock. These turnips are used in this way till Swedes take their place, it being contrived for the former to last till about Christmas, when the latter, being much more fattenmg and forcing in severe weather they are, as stated, substituted— having been previously put m heaps and covered with earth, and then used by opening as wanted, and cuttmg with the machine. By having a small quantity of hay given twice per day, these tegs, as they are now termed, will thrive very fast, and by good common attention and a little grain or other stimulant once per day in addition, I have known Cotswold tegs to weigh at one year old, 35 pounds per quarter of dressed mutton— not one or two only, but forty together. The ewe tegs are called theaves after they are shorn, holding that name till they have borne their first lamb and have lost their second fleece, when they are two- shear ewes, and are considered in their prime; they have one more lamb, and are sold either soon after the weaning of the second lamb for others to breed from another year, or are kept and made very heavy mutton at turnips the next winter. Thus the sales from a flock are annually half ewes and half wether tegs, and the wool from the whole. Though in all cases sheep should have only as much good food given them as they will clear up before they lie down, on no account should they stand waiting and pwmj^ for meals, as that is a check to growth and prosperity." The accompanying vignette represents the head of a Cotswold ram, weigh- ing over 400 lbs., shown at the Provincial Agricultural Society's Fair, at Hamilton, C. W., in the autumn of 1864, by F. W. Stone, Esq., of Guelph, from a sketch kindly furnished us by Page. The author of another of the Country Gentleman prize essays on Mutton Sheep, was Mr. Jurian Winne of Albany county, whose experience has been mainly w ith the Lcicesters, and whose directions are so full and explicit — ^=^ OF RURAL AFFAIRS. tiiat we shall quote them at considerable lenf!;th. Mr. Winne, we may add, has beea very successful both as a breeder and feeder, and we know of no one who can speak more directly from practical knowledge of the subject: Selection, of the Breeding Flock. — In selecting a flock of Long Wooled sheep, choose only nice straight even ewes, with a broad chest, a round barrel, broad across the hips, standing straight on their legs, &c. Let your ram also be perfect in all his parts — a small head, straight, and rather long ears, a lively, bright eye, broad across the shoulders and breast, straight and even across the back, round in the barrel, full in the haras, holding as near as possible the same width from shoulder to rump, and well wooled over and under, though not too close for mutton sheep. If the flock is to be bred for mutton and wool only, it matters not much (for one cross, and one cross only) what the ewes are, provided they are not little Merinos; as I have had lambs that were dropped by small inferior ewes by a thorough-bred Leicester ram, able to compete, as far as weight and Avool were concerned, with those from thorough-bred mothers. As illustrat- ing this point, I recollect an instance in which I Ciune into possession of a lamb got by my thorough-bred ram out of a small ewe, which, in good con- dition, would not weigh over 120 lbs., live weight; and this lamb, at one year old, sheared twelve pounds of clean, Avashed wool, and, at three years old, weighed 337 lbs., live weight, and dressed over 2U0 lbs. of mutton. Manafjeraent in Breeding. — The ewes should be in good feed for two or three weeks before putting the ram with them. Have the ram also in good thrifty order, feeding hiiu for two or three weeks previously from one pint to one quart of oats, or oats and corn, or peas, per day. Tag the ewes, and do not leave the ram with them more than twelve hours out of the twenty- four. Keep both ram and ewes, well through the winter by feeding not only hay, but also a fiw roots and a little giuin if necessary every day. Ticks. — Examine them and see if they have ticks, and if they have, get rid of them, for they will injure the sheep very much before spring, both in their wool and condition. If you have no better remedy, use a little Scotch snuff, or tol»acco dust (which is much cheaper and just as effectual,) sprinkled in their wool — it will not injure them in any weather. If they have many it will be necessary to repeat the sprinkling in two or three weeks, as then the progeny will have come out, and this will finish the insects for that winter. Shelter, dec. — Treatment of Colds. — Have good sheds, with small yards attached for good weather, but do not allow them to get wet in cold weather under any circumstances, as one wetting to the skin, when it is cold, will re- duce them more than you can replace by good feeding in two weeks. Give them plenty of clean bedding at least once a week, and oftener if necessary. Let them have access to pure water at all times, and have it, by all means, right in their yards. There should also be a box, with salt in one end of it, and salt and wood ashes in the other, in the yards, and never suffered to get empty. Feed occasionally a little browse, pine or hemlock; or, if thj^ can- not easily be obtained, add a little rosin or nitre to their salt about once a fortnight. Smear their noses with tar at least three times in winter, and three times in summer — in summer immediately after shearing, as that will help to prevent tht;ir taking cold ; about the first of August, as at that time, flies rre very ti-oublesome, and the tar will keep them away; and then again about the middle of October, which is about the time thev should be tagged 274 ILLUSTRATED ANNUAL REGISTER and the ram put with them. In winter — when you bring them into the yards; aiiain about the middle of January, and t!ie third time, in March. And it" any of them have foul noses at any time, put on tlie tar; and, if they have a cough, put some into tlieir moutlis also every few days, as this courge of treatment, with me, soon lesults in cure. Lamhing Time. — Three or four weeks before lambing time, increase your grain and decrease your roots, as the latter in too large quantity, are apt to cause too large a flow of milk and injure the udder; while, with too little grain, the ewes ai-e not strong enough at lambing. During the season of lambing, they should be watched very closely, and assisted a little — very carefully, however — if necessary. Be sure that the lamb nurses a little after an hour or two; and if the ewe, as is frequently the case with young mothers, is not disposed to let her lamb suckle, hold her a few times while the lamb is nursing, and this will generally remove all difficulty in the future. If lambs come in winter, the ewes should be in a dry, warm place, with plenty of clean litter. Spring and Summer Treatment. — When the Iambs are about four weeks old they are to be docked, and castrated if the latter is to be done at all, as at this age I never knew them to suffer in the least from the effects of it. Poor pasture and cold storms are ruinous to both sheep and lambs — there- fore do not turn them out too earlv. and continue a little grain for ten or fifteen days after turning out, or until they have plenty of good pasturage. In summer they should have a field with plenty of running water, and a few shade trees if possible, and if it is a little hilly, so much the better. If the grass at any time scours either the sheep or lambs, tag them as soon as they are better of it, as such ones will sometimes get niaggotty and die if ne- glected. About the middle of August wean the lambs, removing them as far as possible from their motliers, as both will quiet down much sooner if they cannot hear each other. 'J'he lambs should l)e put on the best feed at- tainable, and the ewes on the poore^^t; and, after a few days, examine the latter, and if their udders are hard or caked, milk them out and rub with a little sturgeon oil or arnica, either of which will not only soften the udder, but also diy up the milk. As soon as the ewes are all i-ight in this respect put them on good feed again to recruit for winter. Wintering the Lambs — Yearling ]Vethe)'s. — Two or three wethers or dry ewes should be put with the lambs when they are weaned, to keep them tame; and, if the feed is not of first quality, give them daily a few oats, and the old ones will soon teach the lambs to eat the grain. About October 1st, separate the ram and ewe lambs, and keep them separate from that time until the next shearing, unless it is desired that the ewe lamivs should breed, which I consider very bad policy, and never under any circun)stances allow." Continue feeding a little grain to the lambs all through tlie first winter, and until about shearing time, when it should be omitted altogether. After harvest such yearlings as are to ))e fattened the first winter may begin to re- ceive a little grain; and 1 have found by experience that this is the most profitable time to prepare them for market, all things considered. When winter sets in, slowly increase the (nuvntitv until it reaches one quart per day for each sheep; and, with a good breed and good nianagement, yearling wethers can be made, as I have repeatedly done, to weigh from 190 to 240 lbs. live weight, and dress from 100 to 140 lbs. of mutton before they reach two years old. OF RURAL AFFAIRS. 276 III, Feeding Mutton Sheep. — When the sheep to be fed are purchased, instead of being raised by the feeder, their proper selection becomes a mat- ter of prime importance. The eye of the experienced feeder will go far in judging of the animal, but even this is sometimes at fault, and especially for those who have not had the advantage of long practice, other tests should not be overlooked. The sheep under examination should be handled as well as thoroughly scrutinized. And Avhen they are purchased from droves, or at the live stock markets, with no knowledge of their previous treatment, there is danger lest the bad handling and harsh treatment they may have undergone, will require a long expenditure of food and care to bring them into good order for fattening kindly. The heavy sheep accustomed to shel- ter and little exercise, will not oear the hard driving, exposure, and crowding on the cars, to which they are often subjected, without great injury, even if they ever fully recover. And, as Mr. Winne's experience has shown, there is no mode of obtaining sheep to feed, as satisfactory and little open to risk of loss, as for the feeder himself to visit the breeders of whom he purchases, make his own selections at first hand, attend personally to their shipment home, and never lose sight of them until safely landed at their destination. If this task is entrusted to a third party, it should only be one upon whom the most entire dependance can be placed. It is true that opportunities may often be had — indeed they must be the principal dependance, where personal selection as above recommended, is impracticable — of obtaining good sheep for feeding at the markets of our leading cities. There will sometimes be an overplus, and good animals which will well repay a month or two of careful treatment and liberal feeding, can be picked up by one near by, at really less than their actual value. Contiguity to such a market is an advantage of which those posses- sing it, seldom avail themselves as fully as they might. By establishing an understanding with the dealer.-", they may often be induced to notify a friend of the arrival of a good lot for purchase, and will then revert to the pur- chaser to replenish the supply when it happens to turn out short, — knowing, if his reputation as a feeder is good, that they may depend upon his yards 0^ for first-class mutton, and willing to give him the first chance when prices are taking an upward turn. A 276 ILLUSTRATED ANNUAL llEUISTKll "When tlie sheep reach the feeder's yards, Mr. Winne's recorameiidation, after resting them over night, is to smear their noses well with tar that they may throw off all cold or dust conti-acted dining the journey. The purchase should then be properly sized, in lots according to size — say out of five hun- dred, one hundred of the largest and best to go upon the best of the fall pasture, and the hundred smallest and poorest for the lowest pasturage, when the remainder, which with proper care in purchasing, ought not to be very uneven, can be suited in lots to the otiier fields accessible. " Give them plenty of salt twice a week, and keep them on good pasture if possi- ble, but if the pasturage gets short, as it frequently does by the first or mid- dle of November, a little grain should be fed, beginning at the rate of one gill to each sheep per day of oats, or oats and corn, or peas, and increasing after the first week gradually up to one pint per day." Having thus given them a start out of doors, the next thir.g is to get the yards and buildings in complete order for winter occupancy, histead of wait- ing till the snow has fallen, with the sheep standing and lying in it, and ex- posed to the storm for twenty-four hours or more, until the shelter is pre- pared. "If there is a saw mill near at hand," says Mr. W., "by hauling into the yards and stables four or five inches of sawdust, the stable lioors will not only be saved, but the liquid manure from the sheep is also pre- served, making a very valuable addition to the compost heap, especially for heavy land. As soon as the trees shed their foliage, rake and haul in on top of the sawdust, leaves to a depth of five or six inches more, and the two Avill together make plenty of bedding for at least four weeks, by stirring up the leaves a few times." A month's bedding may often thus be saved, which is a consideration when straw or other litter is scarce and high. It is also well to take the feeding boxes out at leisure, and cleanse them by sprinkling the inside with slacked lime — thus removing all that greasy smell which there would otherwise be about them. Put them where needed, upside down, and when the snow conus, there will be nothing to do but turn them over, straighten them up, put in the feed, and let the sheep come. At least one tub or trough lor water sliould be provided for each yard or shed, to be accessible to them at all houis of the day, and salt boxes, which Mr. W. thinks should contain salt at one end, and salt and wood ashes at the other, in the proportion of one part of ashes to two of salt. Properly Begulating the Feed. — The following hints on this point are of considerable importance : By feeding liberally with roots and not too much grain, during the first week at least, the change from green feed to dry will be less apt to affect the sheep. In feeding, unless a person can do it himself, which is very seldom the case, the feeder should be iustiucted with great care, how much grain is to go to each yard or stable according to the animals it contains. An over- feed at the commencement is almost sure to bring on the scours, and after they are over it will take at least two weeks' good feeding to put the sheep OF RURAL AFFAIRS. 277 back where they started from. My mode, to avoid mistakes, is to number my yards and stables, and count the sheep in each yard and stable — allowing to each shet'p one-half pint of grain per day to start with, unless they have been fed grain previously, when I allow a little more. I then make out a schedule, tlius: No. 1 — 60 sheep at one-half pint per day is 15 quarts, which divided in two feeds is 7^V quarts to a feed ; so I write on the schedule "No. 1 — 60 sheep must have 7i quarts at a feed morning and night" — No. 2 at the same rate according to number, and so on until I get them all. This paper is tacked up in the place wiiere the feed is kept, and by going with the feeder a few times to sliow him and see that he makes no mistakes, if he is a good man he can do it as well as the farmer himself. As sopn as the feed is to be increased, a new schedule is made out accordingly, and so on, until the sheep are fed one quart each per day, Avhen I consider them on full feed, especially if the feed is corn, beans or oil meal, or a mixture of either. If oats or buckwheat compose part of their feed, they should have a little more. Regularity in Feeding. — Regularity of hours is very important. Sheep should not be fed one morning at five o'clock, the next at six, and the third at seven. The day I write, owing to the illness of one of the boys, I have had an example in point; on going out at five, a board was found off at the stable, and an end out of one of the feeding boxes. To replace these was a job of some time, and the grain only had been fed when the breakfast bell rang, leaving the sheep without their hay. I remarked to my man that this mishap would cost us " all the day's feed," which I verily believe to be the case. Our rule is this : Grain and oil meal are fed at half-past five a. m. As soon as the grain is finished, hay is given — no more than the sheep will eat clean. The different yards and stables are carefully fed each day in the same ordei\ which is im- portant to avoid confusion and mistakes — beginning with No. 1, and so on through the list. After breakfast water is given, going around twice to see that all are well supplied. The roots are next cut (ruta bagas, which I con- sider best,) and of these to n)y present stock of about 350 sheep I am now feeding 10 bushels a day. At eleven o'clock straw is fed. Twelve is the dinner hour, and immediately after dinner the roots are fed. The troughs and tubs are now all examined, and replenished with water if necessary — also salt, salt and ashes, browse, litter, and anything else that may be needed, is supplied. The evening and next morning's feeds of grain and oil meal are next prepared, and hay got ready for both night and morning. At 4 p. M. feeding the gi-ain is again conmienced, followed as before by hay, after which the water tubs and troughs are emptied and turned over, aud the work is finished for the night. Avoid Didni'Ling the Sheep. — Never allow a stranger into the yards un- less accompanied by the feeder, or some one familiar with the sheep. I have frequently known the a|)|)roach of a stranger drive them pell-mell into and over their boxes, and the effects could plainly be seen with them for two or three days afterward. The Stretches. — Shoidd any of the sheep get the stretches, which they are apt to do when high fed, give a quid of tobacco half the size of a hen's egg, aud if not relieved in twenty minutes, I give them a second dose, but nine times in ten the first dose cures. For stoppage in their water, I give one teaspoonful spirits nitre, with the same quantity spirits turpentine, in half a gill of luke-warm water. 278 ILLUSTRATED ANNUAL REGISTER Feeding Boxes. — The box for feediucr used by Mr. Winne, is one that can be safely I'ecommended for the purpose, although there are other kinds quite as likely to suit those who keep breeding flocks, or those of smaller sheep. It is simple, cheap, and easily filled and cleaned. Any boy who can saw a board and drive a nail or screw^, can make one ; all it requires is one scantling two by 3 inches, 15 feet long, and eight boards; it only has to be turned upside down and back again to clean it out, and as the feeder with his basket of grain or roots walks from one end to the other, scat- tering them along evenly in the box, twenty or twenty-five sheep according to size will follow in his rear and begin eating. — •~-r -^ \ I f ° ^ Moreover, there is a saving of Descriptionof the Feeding Box.— FQQA\n2,'Bo's.^^y, as they stand with their 12 or 14 ft. Ions, and 22 inches wide— the bot- ^eads together working it mto torn slanting from both sides and resting on a ° n , ? j board in the middle, forming a complete trough rather than out ol the box, and for grain or root^. The bottom side boards jj ^y ^i^j^j-g ^^^^ j,^ feeding should be 11 or 12 inches wide— then a space o left of 8 or 10 inches according to size of sheep 800 sheep last winter, 400 lbs. -then the top boards, 8 inches wicle-thc ends ^ . j^ ^ and sides to match. Corner pieces of scant- •' ling in the inside, of hemlock or oak, as pine the entire quantity wasted and will not hold a nail or screw, the latter of which , , is preferable in putting them together. ^"^^• Size of Sheds. — A shed 21 by 36 feet, with a narrow yard about eight feet wide on the southern side, will contain '75 good sized sheep. The open side should be provided with sliding boards to keep the sheep in when ne- cessary. A board on the north side near the bottom may be hung on hinges to secui-e ventilation, and kept open except during very severe weather; for this is a most important point, and if properly attended to, the yard may be entirely dispensed with. We have seen at Mr. Winne's, '70 Leicesters thriv- ing well in a lean-to 20 by 46 feet, with this provision of a ventilating board, and two trap doors of considerable size in the roof, opening and shutting at will. As to the space required by these sheep, ten superficial feet of shed- ding per head, may be regarded as about the proper room where a yard is at hand, or 12^ sq. ft. where there is no yard. To economize space, it is prac- ticable to occupy a second story, if a bridge or inclined passage way can be conveniently provided — the sheep below having a yard, and those above, placed on a tight floor, securing sufficient air by the means here suggested. The average live weight of the sheep referred to in this calculation as to space, was about 150 lbs. per head. OP RURAL AFFAIRS. Mr. Page has provided us with an illustration of the Leicester, "which ap- pears on page 275, from a ram in possession of Samuel Campbell, of Oneida count}'. Our limits will not admit of as full a description of the several breeds which have been referred to in the course of this article, as some readers might perhaps desire. Of the merits of either there is no doubt, and quite as much depends upon judicious selection, proper treatment, regular and well arranged feeding as to time, quantity, condition of the animal, &c., as upon the intrinsic characteristics of the breed- chosen, provided only it be not glaringly out of place — bred or fed, for instance, where pasturage is so poor, other crops so light, and purchased food so expensive, that the cost of proper keeping outweighs all the profit obtained. No class of animals, when well kept, the maimre husbanded and the soil enriched, will do so much to fertilize the farm.* Either of the Middle Wooled breeds, the South Down, or the Downs of Shropshire, Oxfordshire or Hampshire, — whichever is most readily accessible, of such excellence as to meet the ideal of the farmer proposing to buy, may be safely tested, if the preference is for the best mutton, not so great weight, delicious lamb, and the capacity possibly of greater exercise over the hills or upon shorter feed ; — while on the other hand, if the Long Wools are preferred, with perhaps a still more rapid pro- duction of fat mutton, richer pastures and somewhat better protection, either Leicesters, Cotswolds or Lincolns, will not fail to give a good account of themselves in the end. Mutton Sheep Crossed -with the Merino. There is one point to which in conclusion we must allude, namely the fact that a cross may be successfully made between the English and Spanish breeds. The result is a larger frame and more meat with earlier maturity, on the latter, and a longer wool, — while the former receive something of the ■ hardiness of the unforced Merino, will better withstand less careful treat- ment, and are made to yield a finer fleece, the price of which for Delaines and similar fabrics is often higher than that of any other wool in market. It is * Mr. WiNNE says: "As to the value of sheep manure, and the effects resulting from its liberal application, I have never kept much other stock, and I may be per- mitted to add, that twenty-seven years ai^o, when I came on to this farm, lout from about GO acres of kind the first year 25 tons of hay. Year before las^t 1 cut from precisely the same number of acres, 100 tons, and last year (a sea^^on of severe drouth) ^0 tons. When I begun oti the farm I had one barn 32 by 40 feet, which held all the crops it produced. I now have one barn 44 by 52 feet, 20 feet posts; one shed 21 by SG, 18 feet posts ; one 21 by 24, 16 feet posts ; one 30 by 72, 18 feet posts, and one barrack that will hold 17 tons of hay. Summer before last they wcro. all f I'll. Two rules I laid down, never to lose sight of, when I commenced farming for myself: 1. To deal honorably Avith mother Earth— that is, to plow well, harrow well, give her all the manure I could, and never sell my straw, but keep it all for the land,— and 1 assure you I could soon see an improvement. 2. Never to buy anvthing (except manure) I could possibly do without, until I had the money to pay for it— for manure, when it could be had, I was never afraid to run in debt. /A These two rules I have strictly adhered to, and must attribute much of my success jfk to iheir benign influence." 7^ ILLUSTRATED ANNUAL REGISTER not a cross tluit we slioukl commend unless in exceptional cases, and yet we have Itnown instances in which much satisfaction lias been expressed in trying it for a series of years. It is certainly not a cross that should be perpetuated by continued breeding on both sides from inter-bred parents; it is some- times found to be the case, between different breeds, that a first cross re- tains in a remarkable degree the merits of both, and yields a really valua- ble product, while to cany it farther results only in disappointment and degeneracy. Mutton Sheep as Wool Producers. The fleece of the English sheep differs from that of the Merino in the ab- sence from it, to a great degree, of the yolk and oil \vhich make up so large a proportion of the weight of the latter. As to the amount of clean wool actually produced, there can be little room to doubt that the English sheep will compare favorably with the Merinos. But as sheep are supposed to con- sume food in proportion to their weight, and as the smaller the sheep the greater the pro- portionate surface, — where the mutton is of little or no value, of course the Merino has the preference. There is a lack of comparative trials between the two, however, going to estab- lish the relative amounts of flesh and of wool, which a cer- tain quantity of food expended on each, will return to the far- mer. Mr. Page provides us with a vignette, that we may have the head of the Merino side by side with those of the other breeds already represented, — from a ram in the flock of C. S. Swket of Vermont. At the show of a State organization of Wool growers, held in Canandaigua, in the spring of 1865, a prize of $50 was offered for the fleece shorn on the grounds, which, after cleansing, should give the greatest weight of wool in proportion to time of growth and the live weight of the animal. Fourteen Merinos of different ages, and one yearling Cots wold ewe competed for this prize; and the committee having the trial in charge ful- filled their duties with the utmost caution, presenting in the end an elaborate report upon the result. According to the table accompanying this report, the Cotswold stood midway ujion the list — seven Merinos somewhat exceed- ing it and seven others falling behind. The first seven Merinos averaged a production of 8 lbs. 3 oz. (within a small fraction,) for each 100 lbs. live -=^3© OF RURAL AFFAIRS. 281 Q weight, per year ; the Cotswold ewe, 7 lbs. 1^ oz., and the seven poorer Me- nnos, 6 lbs., 6f oz. But it may be fairly claimed that even this view of the case, although by no means an unfavorable one for the Cotswold, is in point of fact unjust — being at fault in comparing the product of wool with the ani- mal's weight at the time of shearing^ and not with its mean or average weight during the year while the fleece was growing. It was impracticable of course to ascertain the precise weights of the competing sheep at the com- mencement of the year, from which data the mean weight of the whole time could be calculated. And among the Merinos by themselves, which may possibly be assumed to have increased in Aveight in about the same ratio, perhaps the result would not have been materially changed if this had been done. But in comparison with the Cotswold, which so much more rapidly takes on flesh, it becomes unfiiir to assume that the weights of the animals were respectively the same during the whole year as they were at its con- clusion. The two year old Merino ewe which took the prize, weighed 49 lbs., and as she can hardly have weighed less than 25 lbs. at the beginning of the year, her mean weight would have been 37 lbs., and on this basis her production of wool was at the rate of not quite 12f lbs. to 100 of live weight. The Cotswold on the other hand, probably weighed no more than 5^ lbs. one year before shearing, at which latter time its weight was 99^ — giving a mean weight for the year of 52 lbs. and a production of wool of W lbs. to the hundred ; an amount exceeding even that of the prize Spanish sheep.* We should not enter into this question at such length, were it not so de- sirable to call the attention of our farmers to the importance of experiments testing with minute exactness the question, whether, comparing English sheep with Spanish sheep, the former do, or do not, yield in reality the better re- turn of the two for the food consumed, both in mutton and wool. One thin"' is certain, that the latter produce many pounds of a substance possessing no money value whatever, which is separated from their w'ool in the process of cleansing — the average loss of weight in scouring the 14 Merino fleeces shorn at Canandaigua, having been a small fraction over 8 lbs. per head. This loss, on the Cotswold, was only 1 lb. 9| oz. — making a difference of 6 lbs. 6f oz. loss greater on the Merinos than on the Cotswold, and that of a material, which, like the fat within the body, is probably produced at a much larger expenditure for food, than an equal weight of any other part of the animal structure.! [l. h. t.] * This calculation was first made by Mr. Jos. Hareis of the Genesee Farmer, whose figures we copy. t The relative cost of equal weights of fat, of muscular tissue and bony struc- ture, ill the animal, is something which we know of no experiments to determine, and theoretically the above statement may or may not be strictly accurate. But Dr. Voelcker has shown that although aniilials have the power of forminir fat from the starch, sugar and gum they eat, still they obtain it most readily and abundantly from the oily matters in their food. Now food rich in oily matters, like grain and oil cake, beingmuch more expensive than hay and otheruiaterials deficient in this respect, it is practically true that fat costs more than muscle. To whieli we may add the query, whether a Merino was ever known to shear a "brair fleece," to A\ wit, one composed of tJS to To per cent, of "yulk," which had not been fed to its /fk utmost capacity with rich food ? / j 282 ILLUSTRATED ANNUAL REGISTER -^3( IMIFLEJMEISTTS OF HOR-TICXJXiTTJRE. Floral Rake, (fig. 1.) — This convenient little tool consists of a email six-tooth rake on one side and a lioe blade on the other. The handle is about fifteen iuclies in length, and it may be used with one hand while sitting on a stool at the flower bed. It is a very convejiient tool for the use of ladies. Garden Fork, (fig. 2.) — This is made of steel, and is used for" loosen- ing the eartli in flower beds, and about the i-oots of plants. When Fig. ^.— Garden Fork. the soil is suflSeiently moist or adhesive, it answers a good purpose for trans- planting annuals and small plants. Transplanting Troayels, (figs. 3 and 4.) — These are made of various forms and sizes, for transplanting, weeding, loosening soil on a small scale, &c. The concave ones are most commonly used for transplant- ing, cutting out blocks of soil in a circular form, but the flat ones are best for working the soil. Vine Scissors, (fig. 5.) — A neat and convenient instrument for thin- ninjr out the berries from bunches of grapes which have grown too thick, for removing unnecessary shoots, leaves, &c., and for gathering the fruit Flower Gatherer, (fig. 6.) — This combines scissors with small pincers, and are not only useful in clipping the stalks of herbaceous flowers, but Fig. (t.—Floiver Gatherer. more especially so for roses and other plants furnished with spines ana prickles. The scissors cut the stalk, and the pincers hold it till secured. Shears for EufiiNG, (fig. 7.) — These are particularly applicable to trim- ming the sides of box and other edging to w'alks and flower-beds, — the ope- rator standing upright while using them, and resting the shears on the wheel, while he thrusts thein onward in shearing. Figs. 3 andi 4..— Transplanting Tr<^^^i. Fig. ^.r-Vine Scissors. »=^=" 'f OF RURAL AFFAIRS. Grafting Chisel, (fig. 8.) — This is one of the best forms of the grafting chisel, combining the knife and wedge. The wide cutting part is used for making the cleft in the stock — the pointed ends for opening the cleft to receive the scions. Pruning and Budding Knives. — Fisr. 9, is a very convenient knife for light pruning, sloping grafts, &c. Fig. 10, is the best form of the bud- ding knife; the siiarp edge of the blade being convex, allows the ope- rator to make the upright slit in the bark, in places where it would be Fig. 9. Fig. 1.— Shears for Edging. Fig. %— Grafting Chisel. Fig.lO. Fig.ll. Fig. 12. Pruning and Budding Knives. hard to reach it with a common pointed knife, and without scraping or in- juring the young wood. Figs. 11 and 12 are strong knives for pruning, the former for ordinary work, and the latter for removing small limbs, stubbing down stocks,. &c. Tree Scraper, (fig. 13.) — This is used for removing the rough and shaggy bark, moss, &c., from old fruit trees. It consists of a triangular plate of steel, attached to a handle at the center. The sides of the triangle are about four inches, and the handle may be from one to several feet in length. ILLUSTRATED ANNUAL REGISTER Gardkn Syringe, (lig. 14.) — This is made of vaii- ous sizes, of different ma- terials, and with different caps or orifices. The Fig.lS.— TreeScr'aper. cheapest is made of thick sheet tin, and the best and most durable of brass. For throwing a single stream, the jet repre- sented in the figure is attach- ed; for wash- Fig. li.~ Garden Syringe. ing dusty foliage whh a soft shower, a rose with many fine holes is screwed on. The syringe is used for washing, watering, destroying insects, &c. ■ GjiRDEN Engine, (fig. 15.) — This may be used for all the purposes of a syringe, in washing and watering plants, and also for wash- ing windows, carriages, and protecting buildings against fire. It will hold about a barrel of water, and is easily moved by its handles on the cast-iron wheels. It will throw water 40 feet high. Wheel Barrows are of two kinds; fig. 16, is the simpler or canal barrow, used for wheeling earth, stones, and ma- nure, and is emptied by tipping it on its side; and fig. IV, is the larger or box barrow, the side boards of which may be removed Fig. 16. for unloading, or for receiv- ing larger articles tlian would enter the box. Garden Reel. — Fig. 18 represents the reel for the ^^^ garden line, and stake for stretching the same, all made of iron. The stakes should Fig. 15.— Garden Engine. -=^=>6§ OF RURAL AFFAIRS. Fig. IS.— Garden Feel. which rests another board, (represented as lying flat, ia the cut,) forming about one- half of the bottom of the seat. The rest of the bot- be at least a foot long. The line should be a strong well twisted hemp cord, about one-fifth of an inch in diameter, which, when not in use, ia quickly wound up on the reel. Seed Sower, (fig. 19.) — This is designed for Bowing the seeds of various garden crops, open- ing the soil, dropping the seed, covering, and rolling, all at one operation. It lessons the labor of planting the early crops of vegetables. Garden Seat. — Fig. 20 represents the end view of a garden seat so constructed that it may be instantly reversed when not in use, and pro- tected from rain, dew, leaves, bird-slime, &c., and whenever needed is always clean and dry. The shaded part is the board legs or support, on »^ Fig. 20. torn, and the back h is shown as turn- ed up or in- verted, form- ing a roof to 7 / V 77T Fig. 19.— Seed Smcer. the flat part; but when wanted for use, it is turned back by means of a hinge at a, and becomes a perfect seat with a back. Rake for Seed Drills. — J. Harris of the Genesee Farmer, uses a convenient rake for forming rapidly and with perfect straight- ^ ness, the drills for onions and other small / garden seeds. The head of the rake is about seven feet long, aiid the teeth about one foot apart, (fig. 21.) A length of four or five feet would be less cumbersome, but operate more slowly. The first set of drills are made per- fectly straight by running to a stretched line; .and by running the first tooth in the last mark afterwards, the whole aie kept equally so. — To drop the seed expeditiously into these drills, we have found the followinfr mode a Fio-. ^\.—IiaTce for Seed ^^^^^^^^'^^ one: — Provide a small tin cup like Drills. an inverted tin canister, with the bottom re- Fig. 22. 286 ILLUSTRATED ANNUAL REGISTER moved as shown in fig. 22. Several cups should be provided, fitting tightly on the lower end or funnel, with perforations of different sizes to suit differ- ent kinds of seed. Nail this cup to the lower end of a stick, about as long as a common walking cane, place the seed within the cup, and pass along the drills, shaking it over them. It will prevent stooping, and will enable the operator to walk rapidly. FL.AJSr OF A. SHEEP BAPllSr. The following excellent plan and good management is from the pen of J. B. of Zanesvllle, Ohio, and is copied fi'om a Country Gentleman : I enclose with this, a plan of a barn I am about building on a farm of 122 acres — it is arranged especially for sheep. I have used one like it, (only it was 60 by 80 feet, and the rack partitions ran clear through,) for the past 16 years, wintering on an ave- rage 600 head of sheep in it, often times losing none, and but seldom a dozen, and they generally broken mouthed. The plan enclosed is for a barn 50 by 60. It might be lengthened out the same way to a hundred or hundred and Tig. i.—Mevation. fifty feet. If the ventilation is good, I know that a thousand sheep can be kept under the same roof, as well as fifty. It will be seen that the end of this barn is to the hill, and not the side. As it will have to be filled in some, to drive into, it is arranged for a cistern at each of those corners, with a root-cellar between, and it will have a trap- door above with door into the base- ment. There will be a lead pipe to convey the water from the cistern to the troughs ; there will be small boxes about six inches square and six feet long, running down to where the pipe leaves the cistern, where the cock will be to let the water out when wanted. The wall at the end that you enter Fig. 'i.—Main Floor. above, is sloped off at both sides, and the dirt filled up against it, so tnat a KAY 18X4:0 DRIVE WAY GS WOOL ROOM 12X18 ®c:^=- OF RURAL AFFAIRS. 287 the pipes are under ground till they reach the first trough, or rather above it for there will be a long trough on each side of the barn over the tops of the yard fences, (which are only three feet high,) ajid over eacli yard tron^-h there will be a small hole in the long trough, and gutta percha pipes to take the water down to the drinking troughs. ROOTCELUR i«..i.iiiin.i.iii.i,.iii..TT w 3: I i C-i 1 -» ■- "S~"-~J- -B- a. — B jBaaeiaiMt.v^'iii'ti.jimuA.ui .i'^bji' h. Fi > > > 1 > > 1 II 288 ILT.USTRATED ANNUAL REGISTER yards and pens well littered with straw, aud give tliem the range of the pens and yards at all times except, during storms or while feeding, when the gate from the pen to the yard is closed, as the case may be. At daylight they are shut up in their pens, and feed placed in their troughs in the yards, of one-third cob meal, one-third oats, and one-third bran, at the rate of tico btfsJiels of this mixture to the hundred. While they are eating this, their racks inside are filled with wheat or oat straw, the gates opened, water put into their troughs, and tliey can go in or out till four p. M., when they are fastened into their yards and their racks filled with hay; sometimes clover, and sometimes timothy, when the gates are opened and they can go in or out till morning, unless it is very cold or stormy, when they are fastened in. If any practical shepherd can improve on this plan I would like to liear from him. EVERGREENS EOR I^ROXECTIOT^T. Many land-owners, who have a more distinct appreciation of dollars and cents, than of the beauties of nature, cannot see the propriety of occupy- ing ground and labor in setting out ornamental trees. To such, as well as to all others, we wish to urge the importance of planting evergreen trees as a shelter against the cold winds of winter. We once knew a country resi- dent who flanked his house on the sides of prevailing winds with groups and masses of evergreens, (fig 1,) from the neighboring forests and borders of swamps — and drew upon himself pretty freely the jeers of his neighbors, for set- ting out trees that "bore nothing to eat," and were "only good to look at." In the course of years however, when these trees had attained a height of some twen- ty feet, and had afforded ample shelter from the winds that swept across the bleak hill occupied ))y his dwelling, the neigh- bors discovered that the place had be- come decidedly more comfortable in cold Fig. \.— Dwelling sheltered by treen— weather— also that manv dollars in fire- arrows direction of two most pre- ,, *T , , , . vailing Winds— a and 0, ojyen Views wood were annually saved l)y the beauti- tmoards the tmt distant points. ful and efficient protection afforded. They began to see new charms in or- namental trees, and were disposed to adopt Avhat they had once ridiculed. Those who have cattle and sheep yards, exposed to the sweep of keen prevailing blasts, could they see the comfort which a screen of evergreens would impart, would be ready to plant them on the first opportunity. They (^ w^^f-A a ■(^ OF RURAL AFFAIRS. are the cheapest as well as one of the most permanent and durable kinds of shelter that can be provided. Screens placed along straight boundaries, may be in right lines like hedges. But shelter in immediate proximity of dwellings, appears better if in scat- tered trees, group.s, and irregular belts. (Fig. 2.) The straight screens g) may be made by setting the trees three or four feet apart, or at .■yjr '^; "ia a greater distance— say eight or ten feet. In the former case, • te i^S- ^0 ^■^^c screen will soonest become a dense barrier against ^f^i^ the winds, but will not be so tall and stout ultimately. One of '/>* -fS^" the best trees for this purpose is the Xor- '■y i(^\ "'**-^' ■'^pruce — which, if planted three feet ^ .-{^ H /^>V5, npai't, will form a good and close shelter /^ "^ h ■^V^' in five or six years, if well cultivated, Q 0^ § T'*^ eight or ten feet high, while the tops of ?| ^i^ ^ fy(,'^ v tiie trees will extend some feet higher. If ® -'^^f ?| •f^%P not cultivated, but allowed to grow up ^ ^i ■& ^ with grass or in hard ground, ten or twelve ^^ v^2P f^ Fig. 2.— /r- years will be required to attain the same '^ ^'/^f/^J^"^' dimensions. If the trees are placed six Fig. 3. Fig. 4. Fig. 5. feet apart, (fig. 4.) they will in time make an excellent screen, and cost less at the start. They are untimately sheared or cut flat, so as to occupy less room — fig. 5. Many erroneously suppose that if they set out large trees they will obtain a given height the soonest — a very mistaken opinion — for large trees receive the greatest check by removal, and they induce the planter to believe that, he need not give good cultivation to his plantation. Smaller trees, well cul- tivated, will soon outstrip them, and present at the same time a handsome and more thrifty appearance. A height of two or three feet will, in mo.'t instances, prove most profitable. In the depth of winter — evergreens niav often be removed from the borders of woods and swamps, if the earth is but slightly frozen. The protection which the trees as well ns the coating < f fallen leaves afford, often nearly prevent the mould which covers the soil from freezing, especially if snow has fallen before intensely cold weather set in. In such localities, select small trees, only a few feet high ; cut a circle with the spade about the roots, so as to lift up a cake or ball of soil ; place the trees in their natural position on a sled, and draw them to the place where they are to be planted. As a general rule, the cake of soil should be so large as to hold the trees upright without upsetting wherever they are placed. No evergreen, however difficult the kind may be to transplant successfully, will fail if this amount of earth is carried with its roots. Trees from the nursery row cannot be removed in winter without great labor, at the same time that the work may be more readily done in sprin"-, as they require the removal of less earth on the roots — they scarcely ever fail •* » > J > 1 i " > , , , , 0^290 ILLUSTRATED ANNUAL REGISTER" if the roots are immediately imraeised in mud as soon as they are taken up, and before the moisture on the surface of the roots has become dry. Tlie best wild growing trees for screens, are those which grow most ra- pidly— provided they answer well in otlier respects. The white (or Wey- mouth) pine is a fast grower, and is well suited for small groups and irregu- lar screens, wlien several kinds are intermixed. Nothing makes a moi'e beautiful straight screen than the Hemlock — either with or without cutting or shearing ; it grows well in the shade, and, as a consequence, the interior of the hedge or tree is full of dense foliage instead of being hollow and bare within, as occurs with the Arbor vita; and some others. The white cedar of Western Xew-York (American arbor vilrc,) grows with considerable rapidity, and makes a fine screen; but its surface should not be closely and evenly sheared, as this tends to make the interior hollow, but should be merely cut back irregularly with the knife. But, first and last, it must not be forgot- ten, that mellow cultivation not only doubles, at least, the speed of growth, but makes finer and more luxuriant looking trees. Ojie of the finest specimens of evergreen screens which we have ever seen is growing on the grounds of EUwanger & Barry of Rochester. On a I'ecent visit to their place, one of these screens presented so tine an appearance as to deserve special notic'(;. It has now been planted about eight years, is eleven feet high, four feet thick at the bottom, and running up in the form of a wedge, and is as straiglit and even as a solid wall of masoiu'y. Such a screen, extending around a garden, v>ould protect it from cold blasts, and probably be equal to two or three degrees of latitude in softening the se- verity of the climate. The Norway Si)ruce like the Hemlock, grows well in the shade, and this screen seemed nearly a solid mass of verdure throu"h- out its interior. The Hemlock screens presented the same appearance when examined inside. But the Arbor vita?, Buehtliorn, &c., which do not grow well in the shade, always exhibit nothing but bare stems and branches inside, however dense the foliage may be without. Ijaying out Curves for Roads and. "Walks. There are two prominent reasons why roads and walks should be laid in in curves; the first is utility, and the second is beauty. Unless the surface of the counti*y is peifectly level, a public road should vary from the straight line, in order to avoid the ascent of hills. Unfortunately, in many places, this has not been properly attended to. We could point out a number of instances where a slight deviation from the right line in a public highway, would have prevented the necessity for every carriage and loaded wagon as- cending a steep hill. In one case, familiar to us, the ascent is ninety feet from the level; a deviation of twenty rods, with a lengthening of the road A • ' ,« ' ; I I . . . . • < ^ 111'' OF RURAL AFFAIRS. if of not more tljan five rods, would have entirely avoided the hill. Ffty teams on an average pass this hill daily, making 15,000 laborious ascents annually, simply because the man who laid out the road did not exercise a few minutes' thought. Several years ago a tmnpike road was made from Worcester to Boston, three miles shorter than the old road, but passing over instead of avoiding the hills. But very fen- travelled it — they preferred the longer and leveller route, and tlio enterprise proved a failure. A humbler illustration occurred on the farm of an acquaintance who made a smooth farm and cattle road over an ascent, but leaving a portion of the enclosed space more nearly a level. His cattle soon found out by practice that more exertion is required to overcome gravitation in walking up and down the hill than by passing on the rougher surface around it; they therefore selected a path for themselves very nearly on a level, and where a skillful engineer would have placed it, and after a while wore it smooth by frequent pa^^sing. In a hillv or undulatinjr countrv nothimr of the kind can be more affreea- ble than the constant deviation to the right or left, in graceful curves, on a nearly level, well-laid out and well-constructed road. On the other hand, traveller? have often remarked on the tiresome sameness of a long, straight road over level country. In laying out ornamental grounds this remark applies with greater force. Straight walks have a stillness entirely discordant with the beautiful and curved forms of nature, and the old geometric school has consequently given place to the modern, more natural, and more gracefid style, A well-laid out and smoothly kept walk will impart character and finish to any grounds, even if the rest is in rotigh condition. But a badly curved, broken-jointed, ill-dressed walk will spoil the appearance of the finest land- scape garden in other respects. Novices are often puzzled for definite rules for niaking curves. In the simpler cases it may not be necessary to draw plans on paper; but where this 18 done the work may nearly always be accomplish til in a better manner. A well-drawn design is transferred to the grounds by measuring the several parts. But still it is de-sirable, in finishing the details, to adopt some rule for making true and easy curves. The best mode is to provide a large num- ber of short wooden pegs and stick them in the ground, at regular distances, deviating from the straight line a greater or-lesfv degree according to the length or shortne.^s of the curve. Fig. 1 exhibits this process where the suc- cessive and regular deviations form the curved line desired. At c these de- viations are slight and the curve is longer; at h they are greater and produce a shorter and more abrupt curve. A perfect circle may be laid out in this way without the usual resort to a line and centre-pin, fig. 2. A land sur- veyor may thus run a circle miles in diameter by successive and uniform de- viations at each observation taken at regular distances. We have found the following contrivance a simple one, und to answer a good purpose. Take a light wooden rod, (fig. 3,) say two yards long, with a 292 ILLUSTllATED ANNUAL REGISTER -=^^.^ small wire hook at one end, a sliejlit notch on each aide at the middle, and a graduated cross-bar at the other end. Small holes are bored into this cross-bar at regu- lar distances, for the insertion of a pin. Suppose we wish to lay out a walk, as shown in fig. 1, com- mencing with the- di- rection a. e. Place the rod just describ- ed a. d. in this di- rection, and stick in a pin at a. and at e. The deviation of the third pin at d. can be accurately deter- mined by making a few trials. When thus determined, set the pin in one of the holes of the cross-bar at the determined distance from the centre, and in- sert a corresponding pin into the ground. Then slide the rod a yard for- ward, placing it against the two last pins and repeat the process. So long as this process is continued it will form a uniform and perfect curve. If, however, it is desired to pass gradually from a long to a short curve, remove the pin in the cross- bar further liom the centre at each successive station, and the result will be shown at c. and h. in figs. 1 and 4. After some experience, the ease and facility with which curves may be thus extended over grounds in all directions, will be surprising to any one who has not previously tried it. Curves in roads are sometimes angular and unpleasing, because laid out merely by guess. By adopting the rule just given, on a more extended scale, a perfect form may be attained, even if the successive stations are merely measured by pacing. OF RURAL AFFAIRS. 293 CXJM:BER,3L.A.TCD CLOr>-CR,USIiER. Clod-Crttshej-s are useful oiily on ht'avy or clayey soils — and if these are well uuderdraiued, tliej' will not be needed in (irdiiiary seasons. But some- times lie;ivy t-nitta, Jtud the iiupossihility of doing all the plowing at the very iisomeiit the soil is in right cotiditiofi, render the surfaeo cloddy, and an i>i- strumeiit like the lollowiug, desershed iu the Countkt Gentlkman" by L. Bartlt'tt, will Ije of aiitoh vahu'. lis utility iu mixing manure with the soil, by grinding the particles together, is one of its most important uses. Another useful anest size is six feet square. For this size, two, three, or four horses are used, according to the state and diaraeter of the soil, and the weight applied." This crusher, it was stated, was more effective iu clod crushing than the A'astlj' more expensive Cross- kill V crusher. From the descri[itioii and pkte, I made one of tliese crushers last year, and find it a very efficient implement, and will attempt to describe it, I used two iuch, se;ii5oned, second growth red oak plank, eight inches wide. I took for the sides two pieces of the plank about live feet long each, on one edge of which, every se^'eii inches, I sawed down two inches, scarped from the saw-cut back seven inches, so that the edge of the plank presented an appearance similar to the teeth of a ?a«v-mill saw. The bottom of the drag was made of plank, eight inches wide, and four and a half feet long, spiked on to the side pieces, so that when completee- lieve, it took two men nearly two weeks with mallets, to break up the lumps, and the lumps were so hard, that it took four to five hard blows to break them," and the crop pi-oved a failure. Now I think if 0. H. could have gone over his lumpy soil two or three times with this Cumberland crusher, his lumpy land Avould have been reduced to a fine tilth with less than one quarter of the labor he expended, and that he might have grown a fair crop of turnips. As there is no patent right about this crusher, each and every farmer that wishes, can make and use it, without ' let or hindrance.' T CIRCXULiAIi FLOWIUR BEr). A A correspondent of the Coitntry Gentleman furnishes the annexed plan of a circular fiower garden, and gives the following description of the plants to be employed in filling it, and the mode of arrangement — his object being to dispose of the plants so as to produce the fine effect of massing together, instead of the promiscuous confusion so often prevalent : — " We shall sup- pose a circular bed with siiffici(?1it space for two distinct lines of plants and one centnil prominent object, in this case a golden arbor vitre. The first, or outside row, must be dwaif. At regular intervals six nice plants of daphne cneoi-mn would be set out, either in the fall or spring, eighteen inches from the edge. This charming evergreen requires to be pegged down twice a OF RURAL AFFAIRS. 295 Explanation. a. Daphne Cneo- rum. b. Salvia patens. c. Geraniums and Gladiolus. d. Lobelia specio- sa Paxtonii. e. Golden Arbor- vitte. Two bulbs of Lil- lium lancifolum al- bum, behind the cen- ter of the Lobelia, fronting the Salvia, has a fine effect. If exposed to the sun, with no shade what- ever, the Lobelia will require to be watered (not super- ficially,) twice a week in parching weather. "^^C^C ■«>.'^'. ■' S.^ .-:=>•• (X. ,- XL a year, when, instead of an unsightly straggling usurper of space, it beconaes a dense mass of refreshing green, in May covered with deliciously scented l)ink blossoms, which are S[)aringly renewed in the fall. Between each plant of daphne, young plants of lobelia speciosa paxtonii are to be set out in May, covering the whole blank space — say about one root to every five inches. Presently these will close up, and flower throughout the season — color, vivid blue and white. (The lobelia is easily raised by sowing the seed in pots, end of March — placing a square of glass above the soil to retain hu- midity, and administering water in very minute doses. When the seed leaves appear, remove the glass.) If it is desired, a different plant may be used between each of the daphnes, and so have a variety of colour. But these must all be of the same height. For instance, lobelia; verbena, pur- ple ; variegated balm; verbena, white; PhloX Drummondii, (annual); verbena, crimson ; or each of the six spaces may be occupied by the best of all annuals. Phlox Drummondii — a separate color in each. The second, or inner line, is to be struck half way between the first line of plants and the centre specimen — in this instance a golden arbor vitae of some size, or a well shaped tree box. On this line are to be set out four plants of salvia patens, (the mo.^-m:art^er. This corn-marker is attached to Alzerin Brown's Wheeled Horse-Rake. The rake-head and levers are easily detached, the marker attached, and vice versa. The wheels of this rake stand apart 8 feet 3 inches, which, divided bv 3, gives 2 feet 9 inches as distance between rows, which is right for us. The scantling «, a, are 3 by 3 inches, with a mortice in one end for an old cultivator tooth, &, b — a sny-bill at the other, to attach it to the under side of front cross- bar on the thills — c has a mortice, e, in middle for insertion of link d — c has also two long gudgeons in--erted in large staples in sticks a, to give independent motion up or down. Link d is also attached to lever/, on cross bar g. By putting the foot on lever /, the teeth are raised clear of obstructions, and for turning at the ends of rows ; the boards h are screwed outside the lags to hold them longi- tudinally. By tracing one mark with each alternate wheel, the machine 7 OF RURAIi AFFAIRS. marks three rows at once oil the roughest o-f ground. It has the advantage of a seat for the drivei-, (not shown,) marking three rows at once^, or four if you fasten a long pole just forward of the wheels, with a light chain at each end to trail iu the last mark. The wheels make a very distinguishable mark, and last, but not least, you come very uear having two handy tools iu one. idj^x:r-^z- 3vc-A.asr-A.G-EiviE3sr"r- RTJLES ITOR WINTER JFEEIDING- COTVS. 1. Provide comfortable shelter from winds, or stables. 2. Avoid all currents of air through cracks or openings. 3. Attend to ventilation and remove all foul or steamy air. 4. Provide sufficient litter and attend to perfect cleanliness. 6. Feed regularly, or by the watch, as the animals will fret away flesh if the time is delayed. 6. Xever give more than the animal will eat, — small quantities, regularly and frequently given, are better than large doses. Y. Xever change food suddenly, as from hay to grain or roots, but begin in small quantities and increase gradually. 8. Never feed heavilv with grain or meal — animals will thrive better with two quarts at a feeding than with six. 9. A portion of some kinds of roots, as carrots, beets or turnips, contri- butes to the health and thrift of the animal — a mixture of dry fodder, meal and roots is better than either alor.e. 10. Clover hay well dried without wetting, is the best fodder — and corn- stalks, dried without becoming mouldy and cut finely, the next. 11. Corn meal fed in small quantities is good, but in larger quantity, al- though increasing milk at first, subsequently augments fat at the expense of milk. Valuable cows have been seriously injured by too large doses of In- dian meal. 12. Carrots are the best winter food for milch cows, where the production of good rich butter, like that from grass, is a main object; while field beets will yield more milk in quantity. 13. Provide a frequent and constant supply of good pure water. Product of Dairy Govts. — At the discussions on the evenings of the State Fair at Rochester, Geo. A. Moore of Bultalo, said that a cow that will not yield 400 lbs. of cheese a year is not worth keeping, yet that in Eiie county, 300 lbs. might be considered as the average. A cheese maker at ORome, said that he had a cow that would make 700 lbs. of cheese in a year. Loomis of Herkimer, stated that some of his neighbors regarded it as a 298 ILLUSTRATED ANNUAL REGISTER failure if tliev did not average 600 lbs. of cheese to a cow, in a dairy of 100 cows. In small dairies 825 lbs. on an average had been reached. Obtaining thk Best Cows. — At the same meeting it appeared to be the unanimous opinion, that the best dairy cows could be obtained only by rais- in"- them. The cost of raising was estimated at from $30 to $35 each ; while their real value, at present piices, Avould nearly double this amount. As the most productive cow costs no more to keep than an unproductive one, and yields several times the amount of clear profit, it becomes very important to select calves from the best milkers only, and not purchase indiscriminately in market. Good Feeding. — The productiveness of cows depends greatly on the food they receive. The large products from the Herkimer dairies are obtained by giving the best feed the year round. As soon as autumn feed begins to tiail, shorts, ground oats, &c., are regularly given. A small and regular supply of roots would be valuable. They are sheltered from the cold or stabled, and strict cleanliness and pure air attended to. Home-raised Cows. — It has been stated as an additional advantage in raisin"- cows at home, that the attachment to their native spot is so strong that the milk is often much diminished when removed from it. G. A. Moore of Buffalo, remarked that a cow brought from his farm-house to his home in Buffalo, although attended to in the best manner, diminished one-half in her milk. This is the reason that purchasers are often disappointed in the cows thcv obtain, and charge faise statements on former owners. Food for Milch Cows. — Cornstalks sown thickly for fodder, harvested, well-cured, and kept from fermenting, are probably (he cheapest kind of fodder that can be raised for cattle — unless sorghum raised for this purpose should prove by experience to be better. In addition to this, give each animal daily, a peck to a half bushel of carrots, or an equal amount of su- gar beets, the winter through. It does not pay to cook them. A small quantity of corn or bean meal, or l)oth, in addition to this, will have a good effect, but not more than two quarts should be given daily, at the utmost. Milking Stool. — The stool repre- sented in the annexed figure is dcs- cjibed at length by a correspondent of the Country Gentleman, which he says has given decided satisfaction to all concerned, viz: tlie milker, H'hj,.^.— Milking Stool. cow, milk, stool, clothing or pants' legs, manure, milk-maid, butter-maker, &e. It is made of a half inch board two feet and a half long, and ten int-hcs Avide. An inch board f(.ur inches wide is nailed or screwed across one end on the lower side, and another acro.ss the other end on the upper side. These cross pieces serve to stiff.n the stool, and brace the legs. The milker when using it, sits over the single leg with his face towards the other end and his feet on each side of it. The milking pail is placed on this other OF RURAL AFFAIRS. 299 1 end, and is thus kept entirely out of tlie diit, beyond the dang-er of being stepped into by the cow. This stool may be easily turned aside Avithout the milker rising, bv his throwing the weight entirely on the single leg. The writer says that the pail being so near the cow, the milk never spatters on his clothes, and he can do his work with his "meetin pants" on without injury. He adds that he has in consequence "saved considerable milk, and had it clean, saved scolding, brooming, grumbling, clothing, cramp in his legs, and for aught he knows, a duo-rce, he and his wife still living together." ScBSTiTUTE FOR MiLK IN REARING Calvks. — The Itish Farmers' Gazette gives the following: — The best suljstitute for milk for such a purpose is a compound of 3 quarts of linseed meal, and 4 quarts of bean meal, mixed with 30 quarts of boiling water, and left to digest for 24 hours, when it is poured into a boiler on the lire having 31 quarts of boiling water. Let it boll for half an hour, keeping it constantly stirred with a perforated paddle to prevent lumps and to produce perfect incorporation. It is then put to cool for use, and given blood warm. When first used it must be given mixed with tlie milk in small quantity, and increased gradually ; decreasing the milk in the same proportion till they get the above mucilage only. In- dian meal feeds calves adnjirably, used in the same way; and from some ex- periments we have made, we think that a mixture of linseed meal, and bean meal, in the same proportion.s, with a quantity of Indian meal equal to both — that is, 3 quarts linseed, 4 quarts bean, and 7 quarts Indian — equal to any thing we have tried. JFIKLT) CTJLTXJRE OW THE O^S^TOl^-. The following practical directions are given by Henry Pearcy: Tlie kind of Soil. — The soil I prefer is a good sandy loam. Preparation. — If you liave some very rotten m.anure fiee from weed se'ed, apply forty or fifty two-horse wagon loads to the acre. If you are not sure your manure is free, or nearly free from weed seeds, you bad better not ap- ply it, for there will always l)e an abundance of weeds at best. In place of manure use two hundred bushels of leaclied ashes to the acre, and plow six inches deep, and tlieh drag and pulverize the ground well ; then roll with a light roller to mash lumps, and drag again or rake to make light and fine on the surface. The past year I used a line-toothed drag, that cut once in two and a half inches, behind the roller, so the ground was finished at one ope- ration. llie Kind of Seed and Quaidity. — The kinds that I have raised most are the Yellow Danveis and Large Red, principally the latter. The amomit of seed per acre will depend on the knowledge one has of its age. I prefer to sow as near thiee lbs. to the acre as possible, if I know the seed was @c:»— =^=> 300 ILLUSTKATEl) AN NIT AT, KF.('. ISTER raised the jear previous ; if not sure apply more. Last year the writer saw an acre of onions on which there was only tiu-ee-fourths of a pound of seed put, but the onions were not a third as thick as I generally leave them. Soidng. — The time I recommend sowing onion seed is just as early a^s the ground can be properly fitted in the spring. In sowing it is best to drop a seed as often as one an inch, so as to have plenty come up. If the seed are sown by hand, they had better be mixed with sand or plaster, so that they can be sown without danger of getting too thick. I prefer a drill to sow with, because it sows evener than any person can possibly by hand. In regulating a drill to sow, it is best to try it on a floor, with a slide in the drill that you think about right; if it sows too thick — which you can readily see by counting the seed dropped — substitute the slide in the drill by placing one with a smaller hole, and so experiment till the right quantity is dropped. Cover the seed one-half inch in heavy loam soil, and three-fourths an inch or more in light soil, and roll it smooth. Sow the rows sixteen to eighteen inches apart, as that is near enough if they grow rank, and it is handier to weed when that distance, after the onions get large. After Oultwe. — By all means start a hoe or some weed-cutter as soon as the onions are large enough to see the rows. Some recommend sowing radishes with the onions so to follow the rows more readily. When the onions are up to four or six inches, thin to one inch if the ground is very rich; if medium, to two inches ; if poor, to three or four inches. One inch may seem to make near neighbors, but the writer has practiced that plan on first-class soil, and found the onions to get plenty large enough. I have had them yield five bushels to the rod, for a number of rods iu succession, but from two to three bushels is a good average. Any time after sowing seed, give as a top dressing (before a rain if possible,) equal parts of plaster and hen manure, at the rate of four quarts to the square rod ; and through the season another dressing, the same, or unleach- ed ashes, at the rate of a peck to the square rod. Charcoal is also an excellent dressing for onions, or if a pei'son has plenty, it w^ould be a good plan to powder it as fine as possible, and apply before plowing. Ever bear in mind to keep the weeds down. I am aware that some onion-raisers recommend breaking down the tops when the bulb is nearly grown, thinking that it will bottom better. I have always considered that a "granny" notion, and let the tops fall naturally. Harvesting. — When a majority of the tops are withered down, I take a potatoe hook and caiefully pull the onions, let them lay on the ground till cured, then cut the tops off and market, if the market suits ; if not, it is better to place them or. a barn floor or some dry place. Raising Seed. — In raising seed always pick out the largest or medium sized onions, a.s near the same shape as possible. When the time arrives for setting out, mark lows as wide as for corn, take a hoe and dig a trench three inches deep, and place the onions eight inches or more apart, and ( l A VV9 OF RURAL AFFAIRS. cover and press the ground well. A row of seed caii be sown well enough bettveen these wide rows, and will yield well. The object in placing the onions for seed so far apart, is that there may be plenty of room to keep out the weeds. I once planted some onions for seed with the rows not more than sixteen inches apart: the consequence was I could notget among them to weed: when large, up came the weeds and blasted the onion seed. When the seeds are black and begin to get hard, cut off the stalk six inches below the heads, and spread wliere they can dry; thresh out the seed, and clean as clean as possible with a fanning-mill; then place the seed in a pail of water and stir: the poor seed will arise, which skim off; then spread the seed that settled, in the sun or near a stove to dry, and I will warrant tliat you will have better seed than can be bought of nine out of every ten seedsmen. JRAISIN& "^eg^ex^ble; seeds. The following excellent remarks from J. S. Ives, Salem, Mass., a writer of experience, are copied from the Country Gentleman, and furnish in- formation in relation to which there has been much i^quir3^ Having for the past few years devoted much time and attention to the careful raising of the most prominent and im[)ortaMt varieties of vegetable Seeds, and finding no work or newspaper article treating upon this impor- tant subject of farming, a few hints may not go amiss through tlie minds of your interested readers. In the first place I have always been careful to grow but one variety of a certain species, that is, one variety of cabbage, one of onions, &c., nnless grown on sopaiate farms, or so far from each other as to render it impossible for them to liybiidize or mix. It is an appaient mistake that vegetables set for seed need but little ma- nure; they should be well manured with old decomposed compost, with par- ticular care that the manure is kept from immediate contact with the roots or small fibres of the vegetables. I i)refcr broadcast manuring, spread and plowed in in the fall. Seeds grown on rich soil will be large, well matured, and ripen earlier than when raised upon poor starved lands. In selecting vegetables intended for seed, as much care should be taken as in the selec- tion of stock animals for breeding purposes. I have known many farmers to dispose of their best vegetables, leserving for seed those of inferior quality, unfit for the market, the result of which would be infeiior seeds, producing inferior vegetables the following season, and eventually degenera- Ation, or, as the farmers term it, running old, to a worthless, unpalatable ar- ; tide. The vegetable should be sound, and in a healthy condition when set /(\ / ) out in the spring. A 302 ILLUSTRATED ANNUAL REGISTER I will give briefly my mode of raising a few varieties of the most impor- tant vegetable seeds. My cabbages, " the Mason or Marblehead variety, which originated from seeds imported by us," are selected with great care ; those only that are solid and well proportioned, are chosen in the fall; they are set out in drills, and late in the fall covered four inches deep with soil, and afterwards one foot of litter is placed upon them. In the spring they are removed and set out in drills four feet apart each way, and the top of the cabbages are cut crosswise about two inches deep, to enable the centre shoot to break through. When the stock is about one foot high, the side lateral, or any that may not sprout from the immediate centre of the cab- bage, is removed, and nothing left but the main or centre branch. Seeds grown in this manner will be sure to produce heading cabbages the following season. Beets, carrots, parsnips, and other vegetables are served in the same way, with the exception of cutting, which is unnecessary, and often dangerous with most vegetables. To ensure large and well developed carrot and beet seeds, it is very important that the scissors be freely used, remov- ing the side or imperfect laterals two or three times during the season. Turnip seed is easily raised in time to sow the same season. The Purple Top Strap-leafed variety is preferred in our vicinity ; the White Strap-leaf is also much esteemed as a table variety. The responsibility of the seed grower is very great, and therefore seed grown properly should conmiand much higher prices than worthless seeds often sold to the innocent purchaser, to the great injury, and perhaps entire loss of his year's work. Never plant varieties of the same species near each other. But different species will not hybridize, that is, the Crookneck squash and the so called Marrow or Hubbard squash can be planted together without fear of mixture, one being of the type of squash, the other of the pumpkin ; the same with cucumbers, melons, &c. As much of the farmer's success depends upon the seed he sows, the greatest care should be taken to procure responsible and well grown varie- ties ; but this is not all that is necessary to ensure good crops. See that the proper manure is used, and plenty of it; that the soil and situation is suited for the variety chosen for it, and also attend to the proper cultivation through- out the season, for the neglect of any one of these precautions often pro- duces a ruined or worthless crop. Rabbits Gnawing Trkes. — Let mo repeat it, for my neighbor says se- veral of his fine young apple trees have been ruined lately by the rabbits gnawing them : — Take thick lime uhiteicaiJi and thin it with strong tobacco juice. A bucket full will serve 200 trees, and a man can make it and put it . on in half a day. It is effectual, for I have tried it. Suel Foster. Mas- /A caline, Iowa. I ©c:^- OF RURAL AFFAIRS. 303 J^ :B'J£,~W OW the IVEWKR JPEARS. Some of the newer pears which have now been tested with man}' years trial, and proved valuable, are worthy of particular notice in the Kegistee. Among some of the best are the following: Beurre d'An- Jou,(fig. 1.)— This A'ariet_y, althougii not very showy nor very produc- tive, is one of the most faultless of all the newer sorts. It grows well, both as a standard and dwarf, bears mod- erately and evenly without beinir o- verloaded, and the fruit is of uniform- ly fine quality. — The fruit is rather large, distinctly obovate, well- rounded ; stem short and thick, in- serted in a slight, russeted cavity ; calyx small, in a quite small rus- seted basin ; skin greenish, often Fig. 1.— Beurre d'AnJou. slightly russeted, sometimes with a reddish brown shade to the sun; flesh slightly granular, buttery and melting, with an excellent flavor. It ripens about the middle of autumn, and will keep for some time. This variety is of French origin, and is or.e of the several foreigners, such as the Bartlett, Urbaniste, Flemish Beauty, Belle Lucrative, Rostiezer, Giffard, Louise Bonne of Jer- sey, &c., which appear well adapted to the climate and soil of this country. BuFFUM, (fig. 2.) — This is another sort which succeeds well botli on the pear and quince. It is a very strong, handsome, upright grower, with rich, brownish shoots, and is a prodigious bearer. The tree is very hardy, and \»endures the severe winters of the west. It is, on the whole, one of the -=^='© ■=^=>^ ILLUSTRATED ANNUAL REGISTER best pears for orchard phiiUiug; and when tlie fiuit is gatliered a week or two before maturity-, it ripens well in the house and assumes a fine flavor; if left ou the tree till ripe it is often poor in quali- t}'. AVhen the tree attains size it assumes a hand- some, svmnietrieal form, and when loaded with fruit is an ornamental object of no ordinary character. A few years since the writer saw a tree on the- Fig. ^.—Buffum. grounds of Edward Earle, "Worcester, Mass., twent}-- three years after grafting, wliich was bearing 27 bushels of fruit — two years previously it bore twenty-five bushels. The Buf- fum pear is of nearly or about medium size, regular obovate ; skin brownish-o^reen, becoming deep yellow, sometimes slightly russeted, with a large, rich red cheek; stalk an inch long, slight- ly sunk ; basin small ; flesh white, buttery, not melting, of a very sweet and fine flavor. — At tlie meeting of the Ameri- can Pomological Society in 1849, the Buffuni was strongly de- ouneed by several members r its alleged deficient flavor, Fig. Z.— Washington OF RURAL AFFAIRS. but tliis opinion no doubt arose fiom the practice of leaving tlie fruit too long on the tree. It has since been widely cultivated and generally approved and adopted. It is a native of Rhode Island. It ripens during the early part of autumn. Washingtox, (fig. 3.) — This excellent and valuable variety, although known for many yeais, has not been so widely known and di.roken up and evenly spread. The top-dressing should be re- peated as the fertility of the soil may require, once in one to three years. If tlie surface tends to produce the growth of moss, the addition of lime or ashes with the top-dressing, and before the harrowing, will be useful. Thick Seeding Clover. — A correspondent of the Country Gentlemen, in Orleans county, N. Y., says that while he has seen grain sown so thickly as to fail in securing a good plump seed, he has never seen clover so thick as to make any difference in the quality of the seed. He finds that a peck of clover seed and half a peck of timothy are not too much, but succeed better than a smaller amount. The second growth is always less branching and more uniform than the first growth. Fire-proof Shingles. — J. Mears states in the Boston Cultivator, that after an experience of eleven years, and using seven forges in his blacksmith shop, he has never seen a shingle on fire nor has a nail started. White-wash was made in a large trough, of a bushel of lime, lialf a bushel of salt, and five or six pounds of potash. The shingles were set in up to the bands for two hours, and then turned end for end. When laid on the roof they were brushed over at intervals of two or three years after. Quite dry shingles would absorb this wash the best, and with the bunches opened. Grain Scoop. — A correspondent of the Genesee Farmer has successfully used a grain scoop for filling bags made as shown in fig. 1. One hand grasps the bow handle and the other handle at the end. A half bushel is easily scooped up at one Fig. 1.— Grain Scoop. operation, and the bags filled in one-half the time required in using the common scoop shovel. Corn Fodder in Drills. — H. S. Collins of Conn., states that he can grow twice as much corn fodder on an acre of land, by sowing it in thick drills three feet apart, and cultivating twice, as by simple broadcast sowing. Our own experiments give a result in favor of drills nearly as great as this, besides leaving the groxmd clean. Makure from Cows. — S. Williams of Waterloo, keeps this kind of ma- /) nure perfectly loose and easily scattered and spread for garden purposes, by ILLUSTRATED ANNUAL REGISTER using turner's hard wood shavings for V)edding. These prevent the manure from becoming compressed and hardened into a solid mass. Contrivance for Hiving Bkes, (fig. 2.) — Take a board as large as the bottom of the hive, bore a number of holes through it, and insert corn cobs through these holes; then nail securely a handle 8 or 10 feet long, to this board. Xail a narrow board so as to form a sort of hood over the cobs when it is set up. Make a slanting hole with a crow-bar in the ground, and thrust the pole or handle into this hole. If these cobs are dyed of a dark brown color, the bees will be almost sure to light upon them. But should they light on the branch of a tree a few gentle taps against the limb, will induce ^. ^ ,. , „, ,tliem to leave it and adhere to the cobs. Fig. 2. — Bee hiver— made of board ^,, „ , . , . -m i i i with corn-cobs set in. 1 hese, from their rough surface,will enable the bees to hold on firmly. When they haveset,tled, take out the pole, lay the in- strument flat, and place the hive on the board which holds the swarm, and the thing is done. In large apiaries two or three of these may be on hand for use. Drill Cultivation. — The great scarcity of labor in this country should induce farmers to resort to a more rapid and wholesale mode of cultivating their crops. A horse which takes but one row at a time, requiring one man's entire attention, can not perform labor profitabi}', aklsough this ni:iy be the only mode for rough, stony, or imperfectly cultivated land. If stones, roots and other obstructions are all removed, and the soil made uniformly fine and mellow, a better system of management may be adopted. The crops may be planted in perfectly straight and parallel rows by drilling ma- chines, and in cultivation several rows taken at once. In England, Garrett's horse-hoe is successfully used for tliis purpose, dressing out at once many rows of root-crops, and cleaning a strip seven or eight feet wide at a passing. The drills being perfectly parallel, in consequence of having been planted by a machine, all that is necessary in cultivating with Ganet' s horse-hoe is for the operator to watch a single row only, and guide the blades within an inch of this row. The others all do the same. This implement is not only ust'd for roots, beans, &c., but in the cultivation of drilled wheat. It is used first when the plants are only an inch high, and not only cuts up the weeds, but accelerates tlTe growth of the crop by the pulverization of the soil. Its use is discontinued when the roots have extended so as to fill the spaces between the rows — although doubtless even at this time, a surface- dressing would do more good than harm. Piling Cord Wood. — In piling cord wood place the bark side upward, as it will then turn off the water, keeping the wood dryer, and preventing m the bark from dropping off and being lost when it is moved. (^ OF RURAL AFFAIRS. Utility of Clover Roots. — On all compact, heavy and tenacious soils tliere id notliing bettei- tlian a crop of clover to loosen and render it friable. Any one wlio has seen the difference between the state of pulverization in every inverted piece of sward land where only timothy and other similar grasses have grown, and where a dense mass of clover roots have struck down deeply and penetrated every part, will need no further argument on this subject. The fertilizing effect of the. clover crop is also one of its most important advantages. Gas Tar. — The advantages of this material as a preservative of all po- rous woods, where exposed to much moisture, cannot be too fully appreciated. We know an instance where a common pine vat, constantly exposed to mois- ture and air, rotted in two years ; it was replaced by another, coated when very dry and warm, with two applications of hot coal tar ; after the lapse of 15 years it is still sound. Fence posts might doubtless be rendered very durable by first seasoning thoroughly, and then immersing 2 or 3 feet of the lower ends, for a few minutes, in a large kettle or cauldron of coal tar. For the more porous kinds of cedar and other woods, into the pores of which the tar could penetrate freely, it would be most valuable. This material is also excellent for all mortices, joints of gates and of the boards in fences where decay is otherwise apt to commence soonest. The only objection to its use on fully exposed surfaces, is tiiat the black color absorbs the sun's rays too freely, and, by heating, tends to produce warping and cracking. For such purposes lime-wash is valuable. Apples for Stock. — Never throw away windfalls or poor apples, or al- low them to waste, no matter how abundant the crop may be. Moderate and regular quantities fed to milch cows late in the fall and in winter, will improve their condition and appearance, and increase their milk. The health of horses will be improved by a portion of this succulent food, when confined to hay and grain. The richer sorts of apples are excellent for fattening and keeping store-pigs. Fed to sheep in connection with hay and grain, they producj -MX excellent effect. Provide, therefore, ample dry bins in your baru and other cellars for storing these refuse apples, and they will save a vast amount of grain. Materials for Repairs. — Every farmer, and especially those who are some distance from mechanics' shops, should be well provided with all the usual materials for repairing tools, implements, &c., as the delay in their use is often many times greatel" than the cost of putting them in order. Pitovide boxes with apartments, and purchase at hardware ^tores a supply of screws and nails of different sizes, screw-bolts with nuts, and nuts alone, rivets, coarse and line annealed iron wire, copper wire and pieces of copper straps, conmion and tarred cord, twine, scraps of leather, paint with paint brushes, varnish and all the necessary tools. The great flexibility of copper wire and jiA copper straps render them very useful on many occasions (] Rotation. — 1. Corn, with all the coarse winter manur( e. 2. Peas or bar- ILLUSTRATED ANNUAL BEfilSTER ley. 3. Wheat, with a top-dressing of fine manure or coinpost, to be fol- lowed by clover, and tlien corn again. On very strong soils, oats may take the place of barley. We have known this rotation to be varied by allowing the clover to remain one year, and then to turn it over and sow wheat with clover — the second crop of clover to remain two or three years, to be invert- ed for corn as before. Corn Fodeer. — Corn fodder is very liable to heat or become mouldy, un- less packed away where it can receive constant ventilation, the mode of which must be according to circumstances. If in stacks, the stacks should be small, with three or four poles or rails set upright in the centre, to form a chim- ney for the hot air to escape. If packed away in barns, it must not be in lar^e masses. Larse varieties of corn, with coarse stalks, usuallv form ere- vices enough for some air to circulate ; but small corn with fine stalks, and especially corn sown thick for fodder, packs very solidly together ; and there is always enough juice in the stalks themselves, no matter how dry the leaves may be, to produce heating. Rkmedy foe Birds Pulling Corn. — I have almost entirely prevented the birds from taking up corn this season, by sowing soaked corn liberally around the planted field, especially near grass fields, where our red-winged black birds are most plenty. This season has been especially troublesome on account of the frequent showers keeping the ground soft, so that the birds could easily pull up the young corn. But although I planted my corn with- out any tar, and used no gun or poison, by liberal feeding, they did not make me one hour's work in re-planting 18 acres. Value of Leaves. — Tlie time will come when the value of fallen leaves for littering .^tables, mulching the ground, and protecting tender plants, will be better understood than at present. For littering stables, they have one great advnntnge over straw. Their broad surface and the stratified position in which tliey always arrange themselves, not only effectually exclude cold currents of air, but render them more perfect non-conductors, and exclude the cold better than any other similar substance. They make a fine soft bed- ding for horses ; and as a component part of manure are not so coarse as straw, and soon decay, giving a fine texture to the compost they form. They impart similar advantages when u.sed as a mulch, namely, lightness of cover- ing and perfect protection. For covering tender plants they are peculiarly fitted — being always so dry as not to suffocate or rot the plant, and the thin plates of air interposed between them, entirely excluding frost if sufficient depth is given. A late number of the Genesee Farmer mentions the case of a gardener who has had remarkable success with roses, the tender kinds of which he keeps through the winter in open ground by a thorough covering with leaves. When a foot in thickness, with a few branches of evergreens on the top to prevent tliem from blowing away, no frost can penetrate them. Many farmers have a large supply of leaves in their woods in hollows or low places ; the winds will sometimes sweep them into heaps two or three OF RURAL AFFAIRS. 335 feet ia thickness, and they may be scooped up with large baskets, and drawn in double-topped wagon boxes with great facilitj". In any woods they are easil}"^ and rapidly raked into heaps for the same purpose. It often liappeus when there is no snow on the ground in the winter, that farmers can draw leaves better than at any other time. In portions of the country where snow has not fallen, and where forest leaves are abundant, the work should not be omitted. The scarcity of fodder, and the consequent value of straw renders it especially desirable at the present time to save and use to the best advan- tage everything of the kind. CELLAR DRAINS. Fig. 1. To secure sufficient drainage, add to prevent the channels from becoming choked by sediment, much depends on the form of the bottom of the chan- nel. We had recently occasion to take up and repair a cellar drain which had become obstructed, and had ceased to discharge water ; and found the difficulty to result chiefly from a flat bottom, formed by placing horse-shoe tile in the usual manner on n plank bottom, as shown in fig. 1. The w^ater which had passed into the dr;tin, spread itself over the whole bottom ; the current was shallow and week, and was incapable of carrying off the small particles of solid matter which it con- ^^^^^tained, and they were deposited, as a necessary consequence, in / fl ' -o o-^''^ bottom. Successive layers finally choked the whole channel. ly placed. Channels for a similar purpose, either above or below ground, are frequently made of boards or plank alone, with a flat bottom, and with a simi- lar result. Had the corner instead of the flat side, been placed downwards, the water would have been thrown together or concentrated, and instead of depositing sediment, would have swept it off freely, and left the channel clear. The accompanying figures show this result distinctly; the first (fig. 2) repre- senting the water as spread over the flat bot- tom, and the second (fig. 3) the same amount of water collected together in the angle form- ed by placing the boards in a different position. YigZ— Box Chan- j^ constructing a drain for similar purposes nel properly set. _ ,., , , . , ,, , . of Ule, the curved portion should alwavs be Fig. 2. — Box channel torong ly placed. placed below. If horse-shoe tile is used, it should be inverted, (fig. 4,) and covered with a stout sole, flat stone or plank. If tubular or pipe tile (fig. 5) is employed, no difficulty will occur — although the results will be less strik- ing than in an angle — and a small tile will be better than one too large. These precautions are not required in common land drainage, as the water, before entering, becomes buiar tile. thoro\\f^h\y filtered, provided the drains are deep Fig. 4 — Invert ed horse-sfioe. Q 336 ILLUSTRATED ANNUAL REGISTER enough. They slionld be entirely' beyond the reach of frost, Avhich, by dis- turbing tlie soil, always produces some muddy water. In loose or porous soil&, the depth should be greater than in those of a compact or clayey na- ture. In this latitude the depth should never be less than three feet for the former, nor less than two and a half for the latter. -tt ft o- DESIG-nsr Oin js^ BASElMENTr BARIST. BY "W. J. afORRIS, NEAR FAIR-HAVEN, CONN. The arrangements are entirely my own, and I think very convenient, "When you are in at any door you are prepared to go into any part of the building without going from under cover. The barnyard is exactly south of the barn — contains 4,800 square feet — the barn cellar 3,200 square feet. The barn- yard wall is built of stone, 60 by 80 feet, with gate on each southeast and southwest corner — is 4 feet high, 18 inches thick at the top, 30 inches at the bottom, laid in lime mortar and the top cemented. The root bins are built double sided. The cow stalls are on the plan of those Cellar to Barn.— o. hen house— ft, calf pen— <;, root bins— of Isaac Garret, Esq. rf, cistern under carriage lionse-f, underpinning to liorse of Delaware county, stable—/, cow stalls, with stanchions— g- g, piy pens— A, slide _ . • ' lor cattle fodder. Pa., mentioned in the Co. Gknt. of July 10, 1862. The pig pens and troughs are the same as @c^- OF RURAL AFFAIRS. 337 () those mentioned in Co. Gent., vol. 12, page 234. In addition to tlie cistern, I have a supply of water for the entire basement, brought in pipes from a spring about 1,800 feet distant. My manurial resources I consider excellent. On the 15th of Xov., 1861, I commenced a drain from a muck pond — laid a 6 inch ^azed pipe with ce- mented joints a distantance of VOO feet — the greatest depth excavated was 20 feet 6 inches — the least depth 8 feet 6 inches — most of the distance had to be embed. The sur- face of the pond is about 6 acres in ex- tent, and the depth of the muck is from 3 to 12 or 15 feet. The pipe is laid with a fall of 6 inches PRrvcrPAL Floor to Barn.— a, large tools and implements „„„ iaa f„„x „„ i —6, room for cuttiu.G; feed— c, hay-d. small tools— ^, carpeu- ' . ^^ ' '''' ' ter shop—/, thrcshiiifj floor — g, grain bius — h, water cloeet — i, drains the pond 4^ horse stables — k, carriage house. f^f k^i^.^ *i ' ° leet below tiie sur- face of the muck. Owing to the bad weather this was not completed until the next April. When the water was let on to the pipe there was dischaiged in the first twenty-four hours about 2,500 hogsheads, or 100 hogsheads per hour. I am now hauling out the muck, and think it will tell a good tale in returns of grain and grass. ^•-« . DOMESTIC ECONOMIY. Keeping Grapes iu Winter. —The following brief statement of the the discussions which took place at the meeting of the Fruit Growers' Society last winter contains several valuable Buggestions in relation to this subject: Thy discussion was opened with re- marks on the best mode of keeping grapes. Judge Larowe of Steuben Co., had kept grapes till the middle of July as follows : He uses crocks or jars holding about 2 gallons; laid a round hoard iu the bottom, filled with grapes, and then sealed them air tight with a compound of rosin and tallow. They were placed in a cold room and allowed to remain there, unless the thermometer is likely to run I down to zero, when they are carried to the cellar. It is important to have the grapes well ripenf d, in which case they will not freeze nearly so easily as apples. G. Ell- wanger had never succeeded till he had kept his grapes in the barn by first packing them iu 12 and 24 lb. boxes, and as soon as danger from frost occurs, placing them in very large boxes, encased all around with a stratum of dry leaves a foot thick — under, around, and above them. Most agreed on the importance of packing them away in good, well ripened, (but not over ripe) condition, with the re- moval of all the imperfect berries. H. N. Langworthy had found the Rebecca to keep better when not too ripe or dead -^^'g^ ILLUSTRATED ANNUAL BEGISTER ripe. Dr. Sylvester had found three im- portant requisites in keeping grapes, viz., perfect maturitj% coolness of tempera- ture and as dry an air as possible. Judge Larowe was very emphatic in favor of perfect maturity for good keeping. He said the cheaper Avay was first to cure them, or evaporate the moisture, and then pack them away with alternating layers of straw, in boxes or shelves. They would thus keep till April. Mr. ulmsted of Genesee Co., kept them in drawers holding 25 pounds each, in a cool room, one box piled on another. He had found them thus to to keep near- ly as well as apples— they do not freeze so easily as apples. He said a neighbor has a cellar half above ground, where he keeps them in large quantity on racks. He tiude the Isabella, Diana and Rebecca to keep best. Keeping Ej?gs. — The great point in keeping eggs is to have them stand en end — some housekeepers are very sure that it is quite indispensable that the small end should be down ; others are equally sure that they should rest on the large end. Both are very successful. ■ They may be packed in oats, dry saw- dust, or any other material that will hold them in this position. They should be kept in a cool, drj' room. Making Vinegar. — Vinegar is made from cider by exposing it in bar- rels not quite full, with the bung open, in a warm phice, as the south side of a building, to the full action of the sun's rays. 'J'he addition of a quart or two. or ev(#i a gallon of molasses to each barrel, hastens fermentation, and makes better vinegar. The addition of a sheet of brown paper placed upon the surface also hastens fermentation, by giving addi- tional facility to the action of the air. The mother in vinegar consists of the concrete organic matter in the cider, which promotes fermentation, and then settles to tiie bottom in a sort of gelatin- ous mass. We .suppose the old-fashioned way of separating the vinegar fnmi it, described by Dean Swift, is as good as any, namely— " First rack slow, tlien rack quick, Then rack slow till you come to the thick." Purifying by distillation makes the vine- gar nearly colorless, but this mode is only adopted for druggists. Vinegar is some- times manufactured in the course of a day or two with great rapidity, by allowing it to trickle through small holes in the bottom of a pan placed on the top of and fitting a barrel, which is filled with shavings. The vinegar runs down the surface of the shavings, and is thus thin- ly exposed to the air, which causes a rapid fermentation, completing the pro- cess, ifskillfully conducted, in forty eight hours. How to Make a Foot Muff.— Those who take long rides in winter, are often obliged to resort to artificial means to keep their feet warm ; hence hot bricks, heated blocks of wood and jugs filled with hot water are variously used. The foot mufi'is a great improvement on all these. It may be made in dilTerent ways, one of the cheapest and-most sim- ple of which is as follows : Let the tin- man, make a square box, about one foot square, and two inches thick, so as to hold water. A screw, turned by abuiton, is inserted into one of the narrow sides — the screw hole should be large enough to admit a funnel. The box should be perfectly water-tight, the screw hole be- ing the only place for the admission and and egress of the water. If a suitable screw cannot be procured, solder in a short tin tube, about an inch long, to re- ceive a cork, which is to be tightly press- ed in. This box, when filled with hot water, which may be done in a few sec- onds, will retain heat a long time; but its efficiency maybe greatlj' increased by encasing it with the muff. The box it- self may be first covered with a piece of coarse carpeting, and then a sheep skin, tanned with the wool on, sewed on the up- per large flat side of the box, somew hat in the form of a broad shoe, with the wool inwards, and large enough to receive both feet. This essentially completes the foot-muft'. The more expensive ones are covered with furs instead of sheep- skin ; and if the skin extends around the whole box, the heat of the water will be retained a longer time. A well made muff of this kind, filled with hot water and placed in the bottom of a sleigh, will con- tinue warm for half a day. W FOK "Fjp^ti is/i e pi s^ c^j^Ti ID 13 isr E IR s .^^ISriD X2:OXJSE:E^I3S£^EjEtS- ORANGE JUDD & CO., 41 Park Row, New- York, PUBLISH THE FOLLOWING AGRICULTURAL BOOKS, Any of which will be sent postpaid to any Post-Ofiice in the United States on re- ceipt of the price American Agriculturist, Vols. XVI to XXIV, inclusive, bound in cloth, each »2 Amerikanisciier Agriculturist, (German, )Baud xviii bis xxiv in- clusive, in Leiuwaud gebunden jeder 2 Allen's Rural Architecture, 1 Allen's American Farm Book, 1 Allen's Disease of Animals, 1 American Bird Fancier, American Rose Culturist, American Weeds and Useful Plants 1 Bement's Rabbit Fancier, Boussingault's Rural Economy, ... 1 Breck's Book of Flowers, 1 Browne's Field Book of Manures, . 1 Buist's Flower Garden Directory, . 1 Buist's Family Kitchen Gardener, 1 Chorlton's Grape Grower's Guide, Cobbett's American Gardener, Cole's (S. W.) American Fruit Book Cole's Veterinarian, Cottage Bee-Keei)er, Cotton Planter's Manual, \Turner,) 1 Dadd's Modern Horse Doctor, ... 1 Dadd's American Cattle Doctor,.. 1 Dadd's Anatomy, &c.,of the Horse, 3 Dana's Muck Manual, 1 Dog and Gun, (Hooper's,) Dowuing's Landscape Gardening,, 6 Eastwood on Cranberry, Elliott's Western Fruit Grower, . . 1 Flax Culture, French's Farm Drainage 1 A Field's (Thos. W.) Pear Culture, . . 1 M Fuller's Grape Culturist, 1 (j Fuller's Strawberry Culturist, 50 .50 .50 .50 .00 30 30 .75 30 .00 .50 .50 .50 .00 75 75 60 75 75 .50 .50 .50 ,.50 .25 30 .5C 75 .50 50 .50 .25 50 20 Guenon on Milch Cows, ; Hall's (Miss) American Cookery, . . Herbert's Hints to Horse-Keepers, Hop Culture, Jaques' Fruits and Fruit Trees, . . Johnston's Agricultural Chemistry Johnston's Elem'ts of do. do. Langstrotli on the Hcmey Bee, Leuchar's How to Build Hothouses Liebig's Letters on Chemistry, . . . Liusley's Morgan Horses, Miles on the Horse's Foot, Neill's Practical Gardener, Norton's Scientific Ajf^iculture, . .. Olc'ott's Sorgho and Imphe, Onion Culture. . . , Our Farm of Four Acres, Pardee on Strawberry Culture, Pedder's Land Measurer, Quinljy'e Mysteries of Bce-Keeping Randall's Sheep Husbandry, Randall's Fine Wool Sheep do.,.. Richardson on the Dog, Saunder's Domestic Poultrj', Schenck's Gardener's Text Book,. Shepherd's Own Book Skillful Housewife, Smith's Landscape Gardening, Stewart's (John) Stable Book, Thaer's Principles of Agriculture, . Thompson's Food of Animals, Tobacco Culture, Todd's Young Farmer's Manual, . . Warder's Hedges and Evergreens, Youatt and Spooner on the Horse, Youatt and Martin on Cattle, Youatt on the Hog, Youatt on Sheep, 1.25 1.75 40 to 1.75 1.25 2.00 1.50 50 1.50 75 1.5o 75 1.25 20 30 75 GO 1.75 1.50 1.00 30 GO 75 2.25 75 1.50 1.50 2.50 1.00 25 1.50 1.50 1.50 1.50 1.00 1.00 -^o^ ©t tbj© S©st acid ©hi©ap©§t • • ♦ $2 a year; 2 copies, $3; 8 copies, $10. »-•-• — THE CHOICEST "WRITERS OF THE ATLANTIC, HAEPER'S, GODEY'S, PETEESON'S, AETHUE'S, "Yoixiigf Folks', Ladies' Hepositoi*^, and other Leading Magazines, will write for the Home Weekly. The best efforts of the best authors of America will appear in the Philadelphia Home Weekly. J- FOSTEK KIRK, the eminent Historian, Author of " Charles the Bold," will contribute a series of original and popular articles entitled Studies and Rambles. ORIGINAI AND fifitlUANT NOV£it£TT£S By MARION HARLAND, MRS. ANN S. STEPHENS, HARRIET E. PRESCOTT, THE AUTHORESS OF RUTLEDGE, CAROLINE CHESEBORO', MARY J. HOLMES and ELIZABETH F. ELLET, will be published complete in the Philadelphia Home Weekly, during 1S66. MRS. SARAH J. HAIiE'S Department— The Home Circle— embracing a weekly column on the Customs and Etiquette of good society, and Home as the centre of happiness. GRACE GREENWOOD will furnish a characteristic contribution every week, including many good things for Young Folks. JENNIE JUNE will have one of her vivacious and racy articles in every number, in her own happy style, on Fashions and Domestic matters. DOMESTIC ECOHOMY AND HOUSEWIFE'S DEPARTMENT, a carefully prepared weekly selection, by the authoress of the National Cook Book. Our Original and Sprightly Paris Letter will give each week a familiar and pleasing account of the Fashions and Gossip of European Capitals. [Continued on next j)age.'] A mmfl Ml liEmiffl M8iY IF mm " has been secured, embracing our moet eminent and popular Authors. The following have pledged themselves, and will positively write lor the Home Weekly- during IStC J. Foster Kirk, C. Astor Bristed, J. S. C Abbott, " Edmund Kirke," Ricli'd Grant White, Frank L. Benedict T. a Arthur, A. S. Roe, George H. Boker. N. P. Willis, Theodore Tiiton, Dr. J. G. Holland,(Timothy Titcomb,) J. T- Trowbridge, Prof. H. Coppee, P- Hamilton Myers. E. P- Whipple, Bayard Taylor, H. T. Tuckerman, Benson J- Lossina:, A- J- H. Duganne, Epes Sargent, Prof. John S. Hart. L- Gayiord Clark, H. Hastings Wield, Sarah J. Hale, Metta "Victoria Victor, Anna Ckjra Ritchie (Mowatt,) Anne H, M- Brewster, Grace Greenwood, Mary A- Dennison, Octavia Walton Le Vert S- Annie Frost, Jennie June, Ann S. Stephens, Authoress of " Rutledge," Julia Ward Howe, Alice Gary, Virginia F- Townsend, Mary J. Holmes, Mary E. Dodge, Marion Harland, Louise Chandler Mouiton, Harriet E- Prescott, Almira Lincoln Phelps, Caroline Cheseboro', Elizabeth F- Ellet, Mary W. Janvrin, Corinna A. Hopkinson- will be published complete in the Philadelphia Home Weekly. The Stories elicited by these liberal ottVrH; can scarcely fail to possess a rare combination of talent, freshnessi, novelty, and thrilling interest. :^CerIiii;L!: Editoriiilss in every number on current event?. Literature, Morals, Science, Philosophy, and Art. Also, a Summary of Foreign and Domestic News, exliibiting as it were a pliotograjihic view of the world. Tlie Agricultural and Morticulttiral Uepartmcnt has becu as- signed to able and practicable writers. f octrji, Mlit inii^ f]\u\m, ©rigiiral antr Sdrctelr. The Philadi:lphia Home Weekly will be a first class family journal for the times. Nothing but an enormous circulation would justily the publisher in aflbrd- ing so valuable a paper at the low price of $2 A YEAE; TWO COPIES $3; EIGHT COPIES IjJia Postmasters and others who get up clubs can afterwards add single copies at $1.23 per year, Canada sub.>=cribors must send 20 cent.«addi)ional to pay the American postage. The postage on the PiiiLAL)?:Li'inA Home Weekly is hveniy cents a year, or five cents a quarter, payable at the oflice where the paper is delivered. No subscrip- tion i-eceived for a less period than one year. Specimen copies sent free of postage on receipt of a 3 cent postage stamp. Send for * specimen. The new series of the Philadelphia Home Weekly commences December 2Tth, and all .'subscriptions received between this and the 1st of January will begin with that number, as it will coulain the commencement of Marion Haulanu's new and briliiant novelette, entitled "The Beauty of the Family," and the beginning of the SlOOUPiiizE Stout. All C(uumunicati(;ns must be addressed to. «i:OR«ff: ^V. d llBff.WS, i»Bil>lisIier, Nov. 1st. 18C5. 8. W. Corner Third & Cheatnut-Sts., Philadelphia, Pa. The Philadelvhia Home Weekly hr4>oping Trees— 25 distinct and beautiful varieties. Trees witli lleiuarkable & Ornamental Foliage— 5C distinct sorts. Hare and Saeautii'iil LaTi'n Trees. Hardy Everj^reen Trees, ot all kinds and sizes, of beautifiU form, fre- quently transplanted, and sure to move safely. Ne^v and Kare Evergreens from California, &c. Flovi'ering Slarnbs— A great collection of over 300 different sp«des and varieties of the most ornamental — ^large plants. Koses— The largest stock in America, comprising over GOO of the most beautiful sorts of ail classes. P;eonies— Chinese Herbaceous— 40 of the finest sorts. Superb I^oiible Dalilias^lOO select sorts. 5*I»loxes and Clirysaeitliemums— The finest new and old sorts. Green Mouse and Bedding-out Plants in great variety. The entire stock is healthy, vigorous, and Avell grown in all respects. The cor- rectness of everything may be relied upon, and the terms of sale will be liberal. ^" Parties who wish to purchase should communicate -with us by mail, or per- sonally inspect our stock on the ground, G^A-TJ^HjO G-XJES- The following Catalogues Avill be sent to applicants, PRE-rAiD, upon the receipt of postage stamps, as follows : For Nos. 1 and 2, ten cents each. For No. 3, five cents, and for No. 4, three cents. No. 1— A DESCRIPTIVE AND ILLUSTKATED CATALOGUE OF FRUIT TREES. No. 2— A DESCRIPTIVE AND ILLUSTRATED CATALOGUE OF ORNAMEN- TAL TREES. No. 3— A CATALOGUE OF GREEN HOUSE AND BEDDING PLANTS. No. 4-A WHOLESALE (.lATALOGUE OR TRADE LIST. Jan u ART, 1866. POMON^^ Cmnaminson, Burlington Co., N. J. -•-•^♦- f Respectfull3' invites the attention of all who are about to engage in the cultivation of bmall fruits for market, to the weU selected list now oflered, being the result of twentv-five years devoted to raising Fruits for market as well as Plants for sale. Hundreds of varieties obtained at high prices, have, after trial been discarded,_and only tliose which by carehil experiments have proved most Hardy and Profita- ble, retained for general cultivation. Twenty-two acres in Strawberries, Raspberries and Blackberries, yielded us last year in fruit $S,S9G, and allowing one-third for expenses, left a profit of about $2T0 per acre. We now have growing 20 acres of Strawberries, 30 acres of Rasp- berries and 40 acres of Blackberries, at all times subject to the inspection of visitors. The Pliiladelpl&ia Raspberry which is yet very scarce elsewhere, is here rowu largely, and persons wishing to plant the genuine stock of this Superior -"ruit, should either come themselves or send an agent to examine the Plantation in bearing, as the similarity between this variety and the Red Cane native, is such as tomit^Teadthe best judges. One of (mr most extensive nurserymen who pur- chased the Philadelphia of us in 18(ki, informed me that it was not until he saw the crop of fruit in 18iJ5, that he could discover any difierence between thein— the general appearance of the canes and foliage beinir alike, bnt when in fruit it. was plain to be seen by mere inspection, that the Philadelphia was much larger, better taded and yielded double the crop of Fruit, that was produced by the old Red Caue native. Having thoroughly tested over forty varieties, we have found the Philadelphia to be tiie largest, best and rnmt productive hardy Raspberry ever grown here, having yielded 220 bushels of fruit per acre, and averaged last year forty cents per quart. It is the Raspberry for the Million, requiring no extra care or culture, nor any protection whatever from sun or frost, but will flourish under the ex- tremes of our climate, while other kinds are either parched up by heat or injured with cold. Orders received now for plants to be delivered in Fall of 1866, at a re- duced price, until the stock for sale shall be exhausted, when it will again be ad- vanced to the present or higher rates. We have never yet been able to supply halt the applications received foV plants, yet large quantities of Raspberries improperly called Philadelphia, are oflered at low figures, and many persons will doubtless be disappointed in their crops, unless thev visit the Plantations in bearing, or obtain their stock direct from Growers of the Fruit, or their duly authorized Agents, who can show authority to sell for the persons from whom they represent the plants to come. ^Vilson's Early Blackberry.— Having 25 acres in c\iltivation of this su- perior New Yarietj', we find it equal in size and productiveness to the New Ro- chelle, less acid, retaining its black colorbetter after being gathered earlier, and more profitable for market than any other Blackberry. Ripenfug immediately after the Philadelphia Raspberry, and before the New Rochelle Blackberry, when there is no other fruit in market, it must always command the highest price, yielding 100 bushels per acre, and averaged last year eight dollars per bushel. Strawberries.— The New-Jersey Scarlet, Agriculturist, Russell's Prolific, Baltimore, French, Iowa, Cutter. Downer, Albany, Lady Finger, and many others are grown here in larire (luantities. Six acres of which yielded last season sis hundred bushels. 50,000 Peacli Trees for Fall of 1806. Apples, Pears, Peacbes and Plums. Send for Catalogues gratis. CiuiiamiitiBtoii, IW J. 6* A IMPORTANT TO FARMERS AND PLANTERS. • m • Wc have been informed that the usual practice of Merchants, Farmers and Plant- ers, in ordering their supplies of our DR. McLA-lsTE'S has been to simplj- write or order Vermifuge. The consquence is, that instead of the genuine Dr. McLane's Vermifuge, thej^ very frequently get one or other of the many worthless preparations called Vermifuge now before the public. We there- fore beg leave to urge upon the planter the propriety and importance of invariably writing the name in full, and to advise their factors or agents that they will not re- ceive any other than the genuine Dr. McLane's Celebrated Vermifuge, prepared by Fleming Brothers, Pittsburgh, Pa. We v.'ould also advise the same precautions in ordering Dr. McLANE'S CELE- BRATED LIVER PILLS. The great popularity of these Pills as a specific or cure for LIVER COMPLAINT, and all the bilious derangements so prevalent in the South and Sonthwe8^ha8in duced the vendors of many worthless nostrums to claim for their preparations simi- lar medicinal virtues. Be not deceived ! Tl? nn UJCJJJIU liinrniipiii umm n P S are the original and only reliable remedy for Liver Complaints that has yet been discovered, and we urge the Planter and Merchant, as he values his own and the health of those depending upon him, to be careful in ordering. Take neither Ver- mifuge nor Liver Pills nnlesyou are sure you are getting the genuine Dr. McLaue's, FLEMima BMOTHBRS, J^lTTSBUROH, F^., Sole Propriflors of Dr. McLanc's liver Pills, Vermifiiyc and liiiig Svriip. SOLD BY DEALERS EVERYWHERE. The Proprietors will forward by mail to any part of the L^nited States or British Pkovinces, One Box Liver Pills, on receipt of order enclosing twelve .3 cent P. O. Stamps, or One Vial of Vermifuge on receipt of thirteen 3 cent P. O. Stamps. ^ GOOD BOOKS FOR fi amtii^ > ♦ » Sent by Mail Postpaid on Receipt of Price. • • » CUD JO'S CAVE, A War Story, by J. T. Trowbridge, $2.00 HAUNTED HEARTS, by the author of the "Lamplighter," 2.00 NEIGHBOR JACKWOOD, 2.00 MARTIN MERRIVALE, by the author of "Neighbor Jackwood,". 2.00 THE THREE SCOUTS, A Story of the War, by the author of "Cud- •jo"8 Cave," 1.75 TYLNE Y HALL, A Novel by Tom Hood 2.50 DORA DARLING, the Daughter of the R-egiment. Illustrated, 1.50 THE DRUMMER BOY, A War Story, 1.50 THE LIFE BOAT, A Tale of our Coast Heroes. Hlustrated, 1.50 DICK ONSLOW'S ADVENTURES AMONG THE RED SKINS. Illustrated, 1.50 ANDY, THE TAYLOR BOY, The Early Life of our Presi- dent- Illustrated, 1.00 THE LITTLE REBEL, (Plj-mouth Rock Series.) Illustrated, 1.00 WILLARD PRIME, (Plymouth Rock Series.) Illustrated,... 1.00 THE BOBBIN BOY, A Life of General Banks- Illustrated,.. 1.50 THE PRINTER BOY, A Life of Benjamin Franklin- lUus. 1.50 BIOGRAPHY OF SELF-TAUGHT MEN, 1-50 FOWERS FOR THE PARLOR AND GARDEN, by Edward Sprague Raud, Jr., 3.00 THE PARLOR GARDENER, A Treatise on the Culture of Orna- mental House Plants, 1 .00 THE FIELD AND GARDEN VEGETABLES OF AMER- • . ICA, liy Fearing Burr, Jr 5.00 SKELETON LEAVES AND PHANTOM FLOWERS-The Art of Making them, 2.00 WAX FLOWERS, and How to Make them, 2 00 ART RECREATIONS-AU Kinds of Painting, Artistic Work, &c., 3.00 HOME PASTIMES • or. Rules for Producing One Hundred Tableaux. 2.00 J. E. TILTON & CO., Publishers, Boston, Mass. Persons wishing to earn all or a part of these books can learn how by addressing publishers, inclosing stamp for return post. vis\^ Our Illustrated Catalogues sent by mail free, on receipt of stamp to pre-pay ^.^ Q pOBtAgC. Q A ESTABLISHED IN »_»-» 1S31. ^v ]vr. T h: O R 33 TJ R N", WHOLESALE AND KETAIL DEALER IN Catalogues Gratis on Applicatioh. N. B.— Seeds to a distance can be safely transmitted by mail at a cost of 2 cents for each four ounces, to the extent of four pounds in one package. Also Dealer in CHOICE FEUITS, NUTS AND CONFECTIONAKY, ^P" All orders promptly attended to, and packages pnt up with care. HEXUY A. BREER, Seedsmajx & Florist, a. -*-^-*- A FULL ASSORTMENT OF FRESH AND 6ENTJIXE VEGETABLE AND FLOWER SEEDS, JB-alboxis Roots, Flants, t^ Solicitors of American and Foreign Patents and Advocates in Patent Cases. Our Pamphlet, DOW TO GET A PATENT, sent to any address ou receipt of ten cents. ©c^— iss^^ 2^X£c^i2a.^^.s3'i:^^ ABRICAN WO MCOR No diseases to which the human body is liable are better entitled tn the attention of the PDi'finthropist than those cnsnequent on the irritation produced by WORMS in the stomach and bowels. When the sufiferer is an adult, the cause is very frequently overlooked^ and consequently the proper remedy is not applied. But when the p;itient is an infant, if the disease IS not entirely neglected, it is still too frequently ascribed, in whole or part, to some other cause. Jt ought here to be particularly remarked, that although but few worms may exist in a child, and howsoever quiescent thev may have been previously, no sooner is the constitution invaded by any of the numerous train of diseases to which infancy is exposed, than It is fearfully augmented by their irritation. Hence it too frequently happens that a disease otherwise easily managed by proper remedies, when aggravated by fliatcause. bids aeiiance to treatment, judicious in other respects, but which entirely fails in consequence or worms being overl ,oked. And even in cases of greater violence, if a potent and prompt remedy be possessed, so that they could be expelled without loss of time, whicli is so pre- cious in such cases, the disease might be attacked, by proper remedies, even-handed, and with success. Symptoms wJiich onnnot be mistaken,— The countenance is pale and leaden color- ed, with occasional flushes, or a circumscribed spot on one or both cheeks; tlie eyes be- come dull ; the pupils dilate; an azure semi-circle runs along the lower eyelid ; the nose is irritated, swells, and sometimes bleeds; swelling of the upper lip ; occasional headache, with humming or throbbing of the ears; an unusual secretion of saliva; slimy or furred tongue ; breath very foul, particularly in the morning; appetite varial)le, sometimes vora- cious, with a gnawing sensatiou of the stomach, at otiiers entirely gone; fleeting pains in the stomach ; occasional nausea andvomiling; violent pains throughout the alidomen ; bowels irregular, at times costive ; stools slimy, not unfrequrntly tinged with blood ; belly swollen and hard; urine turbid; respiration occasionally difficult, and accompanied by hic- cougli ; cough sometimes dry and convulsive ; uneasy and disturbed sleep, with grinding of the teeth ; temper variable, but generally irritable, &c. Whenever the above symptoms are found to exist. Dr. McLANE'S VERMIFUGE may MAY BE DEPENDED ON TO EFFECT A CUEE. The universal success which has attended the administration of this preparation has been such as to warniiit us in pledging ourselves to the public to RETURN the I\JONb;Y in every instance where it proves ineffectual, " jjroviding the synn'tnus ;ittending the sickness of the child or adult warrant the sui)positi(jn of worms being the cause." In ail cases the medicine to be given in strict accordance with the directions. We pledge ourselves to the public that Dr. McLane's Vkrmifuok does not contain Mer- ciTky IN ANY form; and that it is ;ii) innocent preparation, and not capable of doing the slightest injury to the most tender iofant. DIRECTIOi\8.— Uive a child from two to ten years old, a tea-spoonful in as much sweetened water every morning, fasting: if it jiurges through the day, >vell ; but if not, re. peat it again in the evening. Over ten, give a little more ; under two, give less. To a full grown person, give two teaspoonfuls. Beware of CouiiterreHs niid nil Articles piirportine to be Dr. MeLane's-The great popularity of Dr. McLANE'S OENPINIO l^KKPARATIONS lias induced unprincipled persons to attempt palming upon tlie public counterfeit and inferior articles, in consequence of which the in-oprietors have been forced to adopt every possible guard against fraud. Purchasers will please pay attention to the following marks of genuineness, 1st.- The external wrapper is a fine Steel Engraving, with the signatures of C. McLANE, and FLEMINtJ HKOS. 2d.— The directions are printed on fine paper, with a water mark as follows: "Dr. Mc Lane's Cei.kisratkj) Vehmiku<;k and 1,ivkh I'ili s, Fleming Bros., rKOPRiETORS." This water mark can be seen by holding up the paper to the light. The LivEK Pills have the name stamped on tiie lid of the box, in red wax. PREPARED ONLY BY FLEMING BROTHERS, Sole Proprietors of Dr. McLano's Liver Tills, Vermifuge & Lung Syrup. I SOLD BY DEALERS EVERYWHERE. , Jm^ The Proprietors will forwnrd per mail to any Part of the Unitcil Statesor the Rritish Pro- J^ '/ y vinces. One I'.ox Liver I'ills, on the reoeii't of order enclosing twelve H cent P. O. Stamps, 7y \J or One Vial of Vermifuge on the receipt of thirteen 3 cent P. 0. Stamps. (J OK\. — >^-^ ^^^-^/^ EMPIRE STATE (LEVI STEVENS' PATENT.) FOK SUmVING DWELLINGS, STORES, FACTORIES k PUBLIC BUILDINGS. A The Empire State Gas Machine is the moet simple and effec- tive means known for producing gas without Ixea*:. Its action is automatic, feeding itself with constant supplies of Gasoline, thus securing steady and uniform supplies of gas. The gas produced is equal to the best known Illuminating gas. It is as economical as any other, and is adapted to a wider range of use for lightning, heating, and mechanical purposes. It will maintain its illuminating power under as great a de- gree of cold as any other. It is free from danger with the ordinary care in using gas. Its reniarkai)le pure and steadyjight is pleasant for the eve. It renders it easy for persons living remote from street gas pipes to enjoy the luxury of a pure gas light at a comparatively small cost, aud with little trouble. T/ie Public are invited to wit- ness its operation at our Store. SOLE AGENCY I — f 620 Broadway, New-York, IMANUFAC'I'IJUKUS OF Chandeliers and Gas Fixtures of ev(?ry description. Also Chandeliers, Brackets, Lamps, &c.. for Coiil Oil, adapted to Churches, Public 13nildingi», Dwellings, &c. ■]po:ei s^^XjE- SOUTH -DOWN SHE£P, MM miii BERKSHIRE, ESSEX AND SUFFOLK SWINE. ALSO SOME VERY CHOICE SHORT-HORN BULLS, HEIFERS, &c., SHROPSHLRE SHEEP, Ti-ottiiag' asitl 'Fliorowgli-llretl Hoi-ses. Wednesdaj's and Thursdaj's specially will be devoted to the reception of those who may desire to inspect this stock. A. B. CONGER, Waldberg, near Haverstraw, N. Y, S^^~ Waldberg is 35 miles from the city of New-York, and is accessible by morn- ing and evening boats from New-York city, at the foot of Jay and Harrison-Sts., by fen-y boats from Crugers and Tarry town, on Hudson River railroad, by New- York and Erie Eailroad Branch, and by Northern Eailroad of New-Jersey from Nyack, Blauveltville or Nanuet. mm The railway Horse-Power tliat is unequalled for ease of team, amount of power, and durability. The Combined Thresher and Cleaner, that cleans equal to any Fanning Mill, fit lur mill or market. Both of which have been t awarded First Premiums at ^^* numerous State and County '^ Fairs. _g!7-- THRESHEES, SEPARA- - - rORS, FANNING MILLS. WOOD SAWS, SEED SOW- ERS & PLANTERS COMBINED,&c. All of the best in market. Send in orders early, ae our rule is ''first come, first served. ■" For further information send for Circular. Address B. & M. HARDEK, Cobleskill, Sclioliarie Co., N, Y. SHOULD BE USED BT AT.T. JPARMERS ON ^0 l0« JAMES F. LEVIN, Agent South-Down Co., Agents.— Dudley & Stafford, 09 Beekraan-St., New-York. R. H. Allen & Co., 189 & 191 Water-St., New-York. Haines & Pell, 27 Courtlandt-St., Nev/-York. Griffing Bro. & Co.. 58 & CO Courtlandt-St., New-York. E. W. H.irrigan & Co., Comstbck Landing. N. Y. Elias Foote, Hafavia, N. Y. Wm. Simpson, Jr., New- Hudson, Alleghany Co., N. Y. A. M. Wightman, Bath, N. Y. Stoddard it Burton, Troy, N. Y. Nicholson, Paine & Co.. Albion, N. Y. Lane & Paine, Rochester, N. Y. M. W. McComber, Albany, N. Y. Keiiyon, Potter & Co., Syracuse, N. Y. Dickinson, Comstock & Co., Utica, N. Y. J. C. S. Hardcnburir & Co., Newburgh, N. Y. Graham, Enilen & Passmore, Philadelphia. Johnson. Holloway & Camden, Philadelphia. E. M. Liveumoue, General Western Agent, Cumberland, Ohio. ®c:^=- DEALER IN ill! 111. iiiaiii AlSrr) FLOWER SEEDS, Roses, Flowering Shrubs and Green House Plants, Dutch Bulboiis Eoots,d'C. SIO Main-Street, Spi-iiig:fielIaj^s. The following Catalogues are published during the year, and Avill be mailed to all applicaftits on receipt of prices affixed : No. 1.— B. K. BLISS' SEED CATALOGUE, AND GUIDE TO THE FLOWER AND KITCHEN GARDEN. The Eleventh Edition, enlarged and improved, con- taining upwards of One Hundred Pages of closely printed matter, with many Beautiful Illustrations, and a descrijitive list of upwards of Two Thousand Varieties of Flower and Vegetable Seeds, including many Charming Novel- ties, now oliercd for the first time in this country, with explicit directions for their culture. Also a list of upwards of One Hundred Varieties of French Hy- brid Gladiolus, and other Summer Flov.ering Bulbs. To which is added a list of a few of the choicest varieties of Grapes, Strawberries, Raspberries, and other Small Fruits, Bedding Plants, etc., etc., cultivated at his gardens, with much other useful information upon the subject of Gardening generally, which will be found useful to the experienced amateur as well as those about to com- mence the delightful occupation of Gardening. 25 Cents. No. 2.— GENERAL PLANT CATALOGUE, published March 1st.— Contains a descriptive list of choice Dahlias, Gladiolus, Hollyhocks, English, Carna- tion and Picotee Pinks, Verbenas, Petunias, Geraniums, and many other Bed- ding and Green-House Plants. Scents. No. 3.— BULB CATALOGUE, published September 1st.— Containing a choice collection of Double and Single Hyacinths, arranged in their several colors; Tu- lips, in many varieties, both Double and Single ; Polyanthus Narcissus, Crown Imperials, Jonquils, Snow Drops, Lilies, &c. 10 Cents. PLANTS AND SEEDS carefully paciied for all climates. THE OHAMPIQN. HICKOK'S S* ate ml PovtaMe KEYSTONE MILL- 12,000 in Use and all Approved. This admirable machine is now ready for the fruit harvest of ISWi, is made in the most perfect manner, with either one or two tubs, and is well worthy the attention of all persons wanting such a machine. Ithasuo superior in themarket.and is the only mill that will uroperly grind grapes. For Sale by all Respectable Dealers. 1 also make two sizes of SUPERIOR PRESSES FOR BERRIES, &c. If your merchant does not keep them, tell him to send for one for you, or write for one youself. Address the manufacturer, ©c:^— ^V. O. IIICKOK, llarrislmrgJi, Peiiu. /] -=^^'^ BSTABLISHBn IN 1855. > • • THE PROPRIETOR INVITES THE ATTENTIOK OF m if 101? fi 1 TO HIS LARGE AND WELL ASSORTED STOCK OF EVERG-REENS, ROSES, SHRUIS, FINE GBAPES, SMALL FRUITS, k 'I WeU Grown and Suited to Southern and Western Planting. For CATALOGUES and other iuformation address Colonies in this hive have given 40. 53 and GO pounds surplus the flrs^t season. In after seascMis 90, 95 and 100 pounds. In 18f>4 thirteen old colonies, all known or re- ported, gave 797 lbs. surplus, average CI 5-13 Ihs. The hive has a central apartment of from 1.200 to 2,()()0 cubic in- ches. Four side chambers and a chamber covering the central apartment, and side chambers with glass boxes of 100 lbs. in the aggregate. Glass front and rear for in- spect ion, giving double walls on all sides of the swarm. Mr. Quinl)y estimates the average surplus of swarmers at $1. non-swarmers, $5. Mine, in 18(»-1, averaged over $20. Outlay for 500 lbs. sur- plus in swarmers in 10 years, il cents per lb. Outlay for 600 lbs. in 10 years, accord- ing to our experience inl86-l, 2,'^ cents per lb. Will you place your swarme in hives giving you little more than )4th of tbe honey stored, or ■^.ftPx. EXPLANATION OF THE CUT. A., end shntfer — 7?., front $hntter—C.. bottom board — Z>., central apartment and perpendicular gyide,i — E.. einptij space for rights— F.^ side boxes — 6r., top boxes. [Patented isn2.] in hives giving you little more than %(\^. Send $S in i)nst-office order or green backs, and ve will put a hive, with full sui! of boxes, in cxpre-iii for you. Or for $20 or $25 we will place a hive with a swarm in it that will probably return the whole outlay the first season. Scud soon to sret a ri'turn in season. JASPKR BIAZEN, Albany, N. Y, ^0^= =^3g^ ©c:^=- Promote and Encourage llie Study of Music. u 11 11 li II MANUFACTURED AT WARRANTED TO GIVE SATISFACTION. FERSUiOti. Ai-B. hTCL^. The regular styles of Piano Fortes, 6>^, t and 7M octaves, I continue to make with all the late improvements, at from $375 to $700, according to size and finish. Large discount to cash buyers. ILLU3TSATED PKIOE LISTS AND OIECULAES furnished on application. All the PIANO FORTES have the GREAT IMPROVE- MENT, the PATENT INSUIATEB ifiOM RIM & FRAME, WITH OYER-STRUNQ BASS, WAKING TIfE3I THE BEST AND MOST DIRAULE I\ THE WOULD. These Pianos are being adopted in all the Large Sf.minaruss and Schools in this Country, being found more durable, and keeping in tune lon.,'er than any Piano made in the old way with wooden cases. ADDRESS ]^5;iiiMractiix*er, Al«?any, IV. Y. Warerooms and Factory, corner of Broadway and North Ferry-Street, Albany. / -=^^?^ eryland & Virginia Farms for Sale. FARMS, COUNTRY SEATS, ■ In MaFjlamd & ViFginia. We invite particular attention to our lands on the eastern shore of Virginia, the best localitj^ in the Union for health, richness of soil, and natural advantages, where farming yields the greatest and surest profits, and the land very cheap. Convenient to the New- York. Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington and Norfolk markets. By sending address we will furnish descriptions through mail. In all cases stamps must be enclosed. MS^i:^l^AM MOOME <& Ma.-\«, Real S^state Agents, Federal Block, Comer of 7th d: F. Streets Washbigton City, D. U. Post Office Box 7~9. CATTLE, SHEEP AND SWINE. [i>i 1' ^11 l^r.-, 1- » i g^mk: fowls. SAMUIili APPILETON, Soiithboro, Worcester Co., Mass. WILLIAM HACKER, WHOlESaiE aEHD MHaCHaNT, (^ffilc^, ^38" ^autk Sd Sfileet, PRICE LISTS OF APPLICATION. EMBRACING HIS HISTOEY AND VARIETIES, Breeding and Management, and Vices ; with the Dis^eases to which he is Subject, and the KoniedieB Best Adapted to their Cure. Prof esuor of Pathology and Operative Srirrtei-y in the Veterinary College of Philadel- phia ; Prof'i-xsor of Veterinary Medicine in the late Agriadtural Col- lege of Ohio; Secretui-y of the American Veterinary Association of Pl'iiladelj)hia, etc., etc. To which are added Rarcj's Method of Tinning Horses, and the Law of Warranty ag .Applica- ble to the Purchase and Sale of the Animal. ILLUSTRATED 8Y NEARLY ONE HUNDRED ENGRAVINGS. Price, $1.50, by mail, Po8ti>aid. l^^For sale at the Office of the jfj CouNTRV Gentleman. LUTliEli TUCKER & SON, Albany, N. Y €ELEBEATIB M¥ER PILLS. HEPTATIS OR LITER CGMPLAL\T, DYSPEPSIA A?iD SICK HEADACHE. ♦ ♦ » In offeiine to the public Dr. McLANE'S CELEBRATED LIVER PILL, as a remedy for LiVKR AND BiLiocb CVj.Mi'LAiNTtf, We piesume no apology will beneeiied. The Krent preva- lence of LivfcR Complaint and Uilious Diskasks ok all kinds, throue;hout the I niteISEA.SES OF THE l.IVEES. The Liver is much more frequently the seat of disease than is generally supposed. The function it is desii;ne0'rY, I.ockport, Niagara Co., Hf. Y., Or WALLACE WAJRREN, 85 Liberty-St., New- York City— (P. O. Box 56.39.) This machine also offers every inducement to good manufacturers indif- ferent localities, bringing the mnnvfacturer and. customer nearer together, thus saving cost of transportation and securing a more general and extended supply. Rights will he sold in New-York, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, dc, for which address as above- P. S. — In answer to frequent inquihtes, we would say that THE MACHINE CLEANS ALL KINDS OF CHAIN AND SEEDS FROIM THE CHAFF, AND WITH MOST ASTONISHING RAPIDITY AND PERFECTION, AND ALSO WHEN DESIRED, ASSORTS THEM INTO DIFFERENT GRADES OR ,4 \ QUALITIES gc^ RECENT PUBLICATIONS, Q FOE SALE AT THE OFFICE OF THE OOOTTEY GENTLEMAN. 1 ^wm A COXJ]SrTRY BOOK. Author of " Keveries of a Bachelor." In 1 vol., 12mo., by mail, postpaid, $2. This work, rvhich has already passed through nine editions, has received such hif^h commendation from some of the best agriculturists of the country, that the publishers feel warranted in bringing it again to the attention of the farmiug community. With- out being strictly an agricultural manual, it develops and enforces, under the form of a fiirm history, the views and methods of improvement and embellishment, which have long been promulgated by the Country Gentleman, and other leading agri- cultural papers. We can cordially recommend this work o/5[r. Mitchell's as one of the most in- teresting and insti^uctive of its kind that has ever appeared in the English language. m gi T»| • • • IF BSI @ A 1»RACTICAI^ TKEATISE. OR HOW A SMAll FAEII MAY BE MADE TO SUPPORT A VERY LARGE FAMILY. lu 1 vol., 12mo., sent by mail, postpaid, for S1.50. No one engaged in the cultivation of land near our large cities, or who desires to learn how the greatest pi'oduct can be obtained from a limited surface, can procure a better guide than "Ten Acres Enough." It is ont of the most popular and useful works of the year. • » • MILCH CO"VVS ®^fl^¥ AND LT T\' \ ED©: Secretary of the Massachusetts State Board of Agriculture; author of a "Treatise on Grasses and Forage Plants," etc. In one large volume— price by mail, postpaid, S2. Comprising the Breeds, Breeding and Management, in Health and Disease, of Dairy and ot'-er Stock; the Selection of Milch Cows, with a full ex|)lanation of (xuenon's Method ; the Culture ofForagePlants,and the Pruductlon of Milk, Hutti-rand Cheese, embodying the moft recent improvenients. and adapted to farming in tlie I'nitcd States vid British Provinces, with a Treatise upon the Dairy Ilushaiidry of Holland, to which is added llorsfairs System of Dairy Manatrenu-nt. A new edition, with a full stati-ment of the Svniptoms and Treatment of Pieuro-Pneunionia. C^gr-FOR SALE AT "THE OFFICE OF THE COUNTRY GKNTLEMAN. LUTHER TUCKER A; SON, Albany, N. Y. ^0^= ■ =^=^ ^tatie ^gt^kiilhiM ^&xl W(p* -<»-•♦- WHEELEE, MELIOK & CO., Proprietors, Albany, N. Y. PATENTEES AND MANUFACTURERS OP COMBINED THRESHERS A5sD AVIE'OWERS ) Clover Hallers, Feed Cutters. Saw Mill?, =">«»«»«: Mi^^ Shingle and Heading Ma- ^^^^R^^^:^^> chines. Horse Pi tcti forks, f:Sz'^!S^^;S^S'^>=-"- Horse Rakes, &c., &c. (See Cuts.) KT. :E=»-A.Ij3VI:^33R.'SJ P^TiMT ©LWM TMBiSHiB. Patented 3Iay 16,1865 Ist Premium at N. Y, State Fair, ITtica. Sept.; 1865. For thresh- ing grain without breaking the straw. It brings tlie straw out straight for binding into bundles. For-County & State Rights or Machines, address N. & T. G. r.UMR & CO., Hudson, Columbia Co.,N. Y. EXCELSIOR HORSE FORK. KKS'S' i:\ USE. Patented by N. Palmer, Sept. .30, 18«2 and March 3, 18G3. FOR FORKS ADDRESS WnEELEll, MELICK & CO., Mannfartitrei'S, Albany, iV. I'. This fork took the First Premium at the. Illinois, Iowa, Micliigau, Penn- sylvania, Vermont, Delaware and Maryland State Fairs. 180.3; also at the New York State Fair, 1S(;'2; and at all State Fairs in 18(14 and ISGo where exhibited for competition. Circulars and Price Li.st sent Free on Application. FARMS IN ILLINOIS. -• • •- 900,000 A.CRES OP THE FOR SALE BY THE Ellinois Central Railroad Comp'y, IN TRACTS TO SUIT PURCHASERS, A.T rilOESS -•-•»- IND UCBMENTS TO SETTLERS. le opeuinrj of the road Thp ^^i^ Ji^^'^ apgregate of sales than iu any oneVear since er with lunited capl ^1, oMnTr'eTtrlctB ^Vr''" P^'^^ ""'^ '^"««' ^"i^^d ?o tLe set' ock raiser The soil i.'of ni"nrSse?£ni?^^hL^r '^?" '"^^ "^^ ^^^ capitalist and nmhcs and schools are becoiS «hnnri„, I ^ • t^«c''nlate is healthy; taxes are low • the State; andcommunSrw?than hV™^^^ }vhole length and Sead^li •ads, canals and rivers. °® ^^"^^^ markets is made easy through rail- Jwards per "re, andVhey**, refold mi^Vim-rrTprti?"^ ^'"O'" »9toS15and nt. from the short credit price^s made ntt^Io'^'l' ^i'^o'' /ash. A deduction of tenpn- points, together with maps, Vhow?ng Se^xacrwi't-^ ^^'.^'^i- ^"'^ informatioZn ►plication, in person or by tetter to ^ ^"^^ location oflands, will be furnished on LAND COMMISSIONER, Illinois Central Railroad Co. - CHICAGO, ILLINOIS. [Established in 1843.] A Good, Cheap, and very Valuable Paper for Every Man, Woman and Child, In City, Village and Country, THE American Agriculturist, FOR THE Farm, Garden and Household, Including a Special Department of Interesting and Instructive Reading for CHILDREN and YOUTH. The Agricultuf-ist is a large periodical of Thirty-two pages, quarto, not octavo, beautl- ftdly printed, &nim\eAy^ith plain, practical, reliable, original matter, including bnndreui of beautiful and instructive EngraTings in every annual volume. It contains each month a Calendar of Operations to he performed on the Farm, in th. Orchard and Garden, in and around the Dwelling, etc. The thousands of hints and suggestions given in every volume are prepared by practi cal, intelligent working men, >vho know what they talk and write about. The a> tides are thoroughly edited, and every way reliable. The HouseHold Department is valuable to every Housekeeper, nflording ver many useful hints and directions calculated to lighten and facilitate in-door work. The Department for Children and Youtli, is prepared with special ca. not only to amuse, but also to inculcate knowledge and sound moral principles. Terms.-The circulation of the American AgricultuHst, (more than ino,COO) is i large that it can be furnished at the low price of $1.50 a year ; four copies, one year, f. $5 ; ten copies, one year, tor »12 ; twenty or more copies, one year, $1 each ; single cop.e 15 cents each. An extra copy to the one furnishing a club of ten or twenty. ORANGE JUDD & CO. Publishers & Proprietors, No. 41 Park Row, New-York Citj