LIBRARY OF THE o^iJs-^ ^ ■ //i«; MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE 5er5 5m-12-'29. No. 7461 lg,^\ V. •'5 ■3PCC1AI ARCHIVES f This book may be kept cut TWO WEEKS only, and is subject to a fine of TWO CENTS a day thereafter It will be due on the day indicated below. THE NEW ENGLAND FARMER; ' A MONTHLY JOURNAL, DEVOTED TO AGRICULTURE, HORTICULTURE, AND THEIR KINDRED ARTS AND SCIENCES; AND ILLUSTRATED WITH NUMEROUS BEAUTIFUL ENGRAVINGS. " Wiiat may not enlightened citizens accomplish, who have discarded the false, bustling pleasures of towns, and, carrying into the country the knowledge they may have acquired, apply to Agriculture the rich and varied assistance of thepliysical sciences "? " — Fourckot. SIMON BROWN, EDITOR. FREDERICK HOLBROOK AND HENRY F. FRENCH, ASSOCIATE EDITORS. VOLUME XIII. BOSTON: PUBLISHED BY NOURSE, EATON & TOLMAN, 3 4 MERCHANTS' R O W . 1861. Ar4-4A INDEX TO THE THIRTEENTH VOLUME. Afford it, I cannot, 452 Agricultural mass meetings, 60 ; literature, 573 Agriculture, State Board of, 61, 99; at New riaven, 83 ; and mechanics, 291 ; is king, 319 ; New Hampshire Journal of, 385 ; Virgil on, 133, 492 ; in Slaino, 542 Air, in a crowded room, 107 ; fresh for children, 400 Alps, wedding on tlic, 152 Ammonia, charcoal, gypsum, - - . 27 Animals, becoming parents too early, 52G ; and bees, 567 Ants, ten mile army of, - - - - 395 A])]iles, for milch cows, 13 ; packing in leaves, 32; comjjosition of, 38, 67; roasting, 152; sweet, 174; a new seedling, 198; what kind to set, 247 ; red Astrachan, 257 ; choice, 266 ; Eoxbury russctt, 268 ; v/hat kind to plant, 298 ; barrel, ventilation of, 455 ; grinder, 465 ; sweet, use of, ----- - 545 Arch, how to build, 276 Ash, soda, ------- 47 Ashes, for corn, 93; not a stimulant, 160; leached, and stable manure, 268 ; relative value of leached and unleached, 326 ; and lime for corn and wheat, 326 ; leached, - - - 495 Aster, the, 248 Audience, a new, ------ los B Balm, 321 Bamboo, the, 354 Bark, tan, 47 Barley, winter, - . - - 433,456,511 Barn, and stable, in winter, 49 ; and manure, 445 ; the corn, 525 Barometer, rules for observing the, 16, 395, 51S Beans and oats, 254 ; meal, for pigs, - - 534 Beaver, a, in London, 443 Beautiful, the, 559 Beds, importance of wholesome, - - - 357 Bee, wintering the, 84, 136; do frogs eat the, 87; annoyance by the, 99; about the, 121 ; how to handle the, 190; Italian queen, 243; hives, straw, 252 ; hives and culture of the, 254; effect of chloroform on, 307, 413 ; har- vests, 442 ; wild, hunting in Australia, - 446 Beef and ham, how to salt and preserve, 35 ; preparing it for driving, - . - - 83 Beer, mortality from drinking, 409 ; California, seed, 430 Beetles, muscular powers of some, - - 333 Bird, power of wing in a, 14 ; of New England, 22, 60, 76, 110, 170, 290, 331, 377, 478, 539, 569; pica for the, 285, 310; patri- otic, 330; the thrushes, 412, 427, 454, 466 ; a rare, ....... 553 Blackberries and raspberries, Blacksmith, a word for the. Bone, converted into superphosphate, 73 how to manage, 121, 145 ; for hens, 239 solving, 251, 401 ; nsc of, as a fertilizer, dust, for beans, - . . . Books, new, on principles of breeding, Boots, how to save, - . . . Borer, a prolific, 88 ; glue for the. Boy, about a, 377; a good, 392; exchan 417 ; for the, 487, 488; who is a polite, the iiocket of a. Breeding, principles of, 317 ; blood in. Brine, i^oisonous qualities of. Brown, Simon, letter from, - - - Brusli, how to clear land of, Buckwlieat, Buckthorn, for hedges, ... Bugs, about, 199 ; anew, . . - Building, designs for, - - • - Bull, Durham, ----- Bushes, ...... Business, mind your, - - - - Butter, how to work, 79 ; worker, Smith's, errors and requisites in making, Page 59 15 ,77; ; dis- 256; 516 266: 342 159 433 247 536 341 437 365 487 90 113 538 86 55 326 358 361 Cabbage, Marblehead, drumhead, 192 ; clubbing, to prevent, 225 ; salt for, 308 ; ashes for, 313 ; for fodder, 384, 421, 496 ; lice on, remedy for, 498 Calendar, for Januarv, 9 ; February, 57 ; March, 105 ; April, 153 ; JNIay, 201 ; June, 249 ; July, 297 ; August, 345 ; September, 393 ; October, 441 ; November, 489 ; December, - - 537 Calico, in love with, ----- 440 Calves, raising, 98 ; hay tea for, 213 ; a large, 213; wintering, '--.-- 437 Camel, in California, 47J2 ; as beasts of burden, 490 Canada, climate of, 33 Capital, use of, 382 Carbon, source of, to the plant, - - - 353 Carcass, dead, wliat to do Avith a, - - 94 Carrots, value of, 44 ; how they affect horses, 132,246; culture of the, - - - - 262 Cart, horse, 88, 151 ; body, a new, - - 548 Catarrh, cure for the, 462 Caterpillars, 335 ; in the garden, - - - 554 Cattle, remedy for choked, 17, 29, 68, 188, 199, 223 ; foul foot in, 68, 188 ; commissioners, 75 ; to kill vermin on, 88 ; disease in, 88, 92, 103 ; soiling, 103 ; running at large, 109 ; market re- ports of, 134; digestion of food in, 162 ; best for Massachusetts, 187 ; bedding of, &c., 331 ; chewing bones, 383, 556 ; show, in Concord, 502; a fine pair of, ----- 548 Charcoal, 27 ; burning of, - - - - 122 Cherry blossoms, blighted, - - - - 318 Cheese, a large, 21; pineapple, 44; Berkshire, 286 IV INDEX. Page. Cheshire County, N. H., crops in, - - 549 Chickens, hatching of, 235 Children, what grateful for, 152; finding fault with, 191 ; how the English bring thcra up, 200 Chimney, how to right a leaning, - - - HI China, facts about, 91 Cholera, hog, 161 Churn, the air pressure, - - - 72, 165, 187 Cider, how to prevent acidity in, - - - 23 City and country, 78 Cisterns and filterers, 59 ; how to build a, 446, 467 Climate, facts in relation to, 50, 138, 355, 363, 370, 403, 419 Clothes, machine for wringing, - . - 227 Clover, crimson, 25, 79, 172; sweet, - - 212 Club, farmers', Framingham, 10 ; Concord,18; Caledonia County, Vt., .... 491 Colt, vermin on, - 246 Compost, .--..-. 484 Confidence, in war times, - - - - 308 Copperas, as a deodorizer, - - - - 243 Correspondents, to, 208 Corn, hardening unripe, 14 ; King Philip, 24, 66, 88 ; Egyptian, 30, 67 ; and cob meal, 31, 214, 226,425'; curing, 55, 81, 109 ; 12 and 8-rowed, 193, 247, 256; eastern, prolific, 215; large or small, 232,269 ; a good story about, 255 ; crops, 265, 268, 294, 307, 316, 337, 381 ; and specific manures, 411 ; in the ear, 424; on old and new land, 438; dried sweet, 442 ; save your seed, 468, 495 ; topping, 496 ; and cotton, which is king, 517 ; husking and sorting, 532 ; broom, 554 Cow, holding up her milk, 30 ; poor milkers dry up, 37 ; cutting of teats of the, 40 ; winter feeding of milch, 205 ; soiling the, 254, 568 ; fowl for, after calving, 279 ; bells for, 281; choice of dairy, 309; bunch on the teat of a, 327, 341 ; stopped teat of a, 363 ; hard milking, 372; to bring milk from a closed teat on a, 405; cramp in a, 412, 457 ; product of, 487 ; and her food, - - - 554 Cranberry, culture of, in New Jersey, 63 ; up- land, 150, 507; culture, 172, 232, 258,266; meadow, snow on, and transplanting, 251, 405, 495 Cream, how to raise in hot weather, - - 384 Crop, to help out winter fodder, 94 ; in New Hampshire, 362, 372, 412, 554 ; in Illinois and New England, 384; and season, 398; precise statements of wanted, about, 407 ; when to gather, 457 ; in the west, 465 ; in Pennsylva- nia, 535 ; in Carroll County, N. H., - '- 554 Crow, the, 312 ; killing the, - - - - 437 Cucumbers, to preserve ripe, - - . 477 Curculio, wash for, 275 ; and borer, 276 ; and black knot, 524 Currant, black, 377 ; bushes, ... 421 D Dew, effects of, on rot and mildew in the grape, 216,424 Discoveries, modern, ..... 492 Diptlieria, how to treat, .... 82 Disappointment is discipline, ... 485 Ditching with a plow, - - . . . 333 Dogs and poverty, 185, 298 ; at large, 212, 213 ; and sheep, 250, 303,314,322,360,443,447, 453, 460, 553 ; prairie, 437 ; beware of, 488 ; a nuisance, 496; jealousy of a, . - - 512 Draining, under, 156, 183, 231, 395, 540 ; ad- vantages of, 261 ; land before and after, 342 ; docs it improve land by leaching, - - 409 Drought, the riches of a, .... 417 Dwelling and clotliing, .... 51G Dyspepsia, one cause of, - - - - 213 Page. Earth, central heat of the, 58; the - - 344 Eating and sleeping, 71 ; frequency and times of, 494 Economy, rural, • 347 Eggs, and sheep, 295 ; why do hens eat their, 366; sex in, 422 Electricity and crops, .... - 94 Elephant, memory of an, - - - - 508 Experiment, a curious, .... 344 F Failure, as well as success, .... 477 Fair, agricultural, 17 ; address at the Sagahadoc, 73 ; other places, 427, 428 ; at Plingham, 510 ; at Worcester, 511 ; unfair, ... 565 Fanny Fern, on sons-in-law, ... 391 Farm, new survey of a, 55 ; sheltered, 59, 189; employments on the, influences of the, 186; advertising a, 223 ; in Connecticut River Val- ley, 225 ; products of a small, 234 ; journal and field book of the, 236 ; a run out, 268 ; life, opportunities, and drawbacks of, 300 ; work, 327 ; large fruit on a, 385 ; a premium, 422 ; enrich and beautify the, - - - 570 Farmer, New York, 32 ; the, 56 ; enemies of the, 70; talks with the, 217; and the war, 280; importance of little things to the, 310 ; me- chanic and the, 315,328; education of the, 334; hints to the, ... - 371,373 Farming, profits of, 32, 205, 239, 282, 311, 329 ; how to make money by, 38 ; uncertainties in, 65 ; for the masses, 158 ; inquiries concerning, 190; scientific and moral view of, 310; re- quires thought and system, 315 ; thefoundation of all other employments, 323 ; skill in, 350; success in, 351 ; progress in, as an art, 357 ; as a profession, 360 ; dairj', ... 433 Fence, materials for, 156 ; and pastures, - 274 Fertilizers, 40, 138; atmospheric, 132, 223, 234 Fever, typhoid, disinfectant for, ... 551 Fish, as an article of diet, .... 368 Flax, culture of, 13 ; cotton vs. King Cotton, 98, 163, 508; in Canada, 426; cotton, - - 529 Flour, barley, 124 Flowers, culture of, 248 ; wild, 262 ; how the Japanese restore faded, 391 ; flies on, 392 ; perfume of, 535 ; growth of, - - - 564 Flowing lands without consent, - 20, 63, 91, 162 Fly, how the, holds on, 52 ; how to destroy the, 422 Food, a sensible way to get more, 325 ; cheap, 472 Forest, leaves of the, . - - . - 544 Force of fiilling bodies, 193 Fowls. Sec Poultry. Frogs, 31 ; and snails, trade in, - - - 328 Fruit, English, 25 ; culture of, 54 ; on farms, 258 ; house, a cold, 559 Fungi, rapid growth in, .... 512 Furs, on beautiful women, .... 56 G Garden, for health, 340, 458 ; fruit, shelter for, 473 Gardener, monthly, 83 Garget, 113,114,480 Garret, the old, 371 Gas, carbonic acid, ..... 426 Geese, Bremen, 199 Glanders, cure for, 430 Glass, turning and boring, 271 ; how to cut with a piece of iron, - 425 Gloves and mittens, buckskin, ... 545 Gossypium, arboreum, ..... 538 Grandmothers, our, 43, 72 Grain, cereal, 12 ; crops, 320 ; cultivation of, 506 ; material for covering stacks of, - - 553 INDEX. 35 191 372 438 526 558 278 Page. Grape, rule for pruning the, 63 ; the Delaware, €5, 209, 213; the Concord, 88; a new, 148; vine, transplanting a, 199 ; iiow to keep fresh, 430 ; an early, 496 ; seedling, 505 ; the Adi- rondac, ------- 514 Grass, Hungarian, 29, 75, 187 ; land, reclaim- ing, 87; blue, of Kentucky, 157; seed, sowing ■without a grain crop, 251 ; culture of, 326 ^ and hay making, 338; lands, top-dressing, 418; sowing redtop in the fall, 438 ; seed, - 496 Grindstone, care of a, ----- 328 Guano and composts for gardening, 246 ; age of deposits of, ----- - 528 Guns, red hot, --.-.- 84 Gunpowder, ------- 423 Gypsum, 27, 491 H Hacienda, a Mexican, ----- 356 Hair, preservation of the human, 56; the human, 538 Hams and beef, how to salt and preserve, Harrow, Hobart and Spalding's, - - - Harvester, Kirby's American, - - - Hay and root crops, 74 ; and grain, compai-ative value of, 75; and potatoes, 194; caps, 326, 341 ; making, 383 ; pressing for market, 438 ; crops of, ------ - Health and strength, - - - - - Hedges, English, 132; ornamental, 148 ; buck- thorn, ------- Hens, is it profitable to keep, . - - Hives, straw, 286 ; about, - . . 335, 348 Hoe, a new wheel, 296 ; hoeing, ... 324 Hogs. See Swin-e. Home, a poof man's, in the country, 373 ; a pleasant, ------ 444^ 541 Homestead, letter from the, - - 450,474,571 Hominy, how to cook, ----- 200 Hops, crop of, ------ 166 Horse, feeding of the, 11; points of merit in a farm, 56 ; corns in tlie feet of the, 65 ; cocked knees in, 68 ; sweney in the, 73 ; iiay for a, 75 ; ringbone on, 79, 414, 562 ; and his dis- eases, 89, 200; heaves in, 115; feed for the, 116; carrots for the, 132; biting, 150; lame- •ness in stifle joint of the, 151 ; taming the, 154, 210 ; the foot of a, 175 ; worms in, 138, 213 ; with a broken leg, 199; scratches on, 199, 295, 298 ; lampas in, 225, 498 ; ail, 246 ; how to cure a spavined, 253 ; what is legal sound- ness in, 260 ; overloading and overworking, 263 ; an old, abused, 264; to prevent interfer- ing in, 269 ; the original Black Hawk, 272 ; a noble, 278 ; to cure colic in a, 278 ; power, for tlu'eshing, 285 ; how to shoe a vicious, 298 ; sore eye in, 327 ; tax on a British, 336 ; light and air for, 354 ; shoeing a, 367 ; bought and a lawyer sold, 406; warts on, 411, 457, 486 ; to prevent flies from teasing a, 417 ; hoof of, a cracks in, 454 ; administering medi- cine to a, 461; colic in, 463; staggers in, remedy for, 477 ; cure for swellings on, 498 ; abuse of old, 499 ; nicking and docking, 525 ; to hold a iiard headed, 535 ; disease of a, in the throat, 553 ; old, 555; foot of a, Hour, a leisure, ------ Housekee])er, labor saving for, - - - Husbandry, Irisii, lesson taught by. Hyacinth in glasses, 568 443 212 270 151, 210 22 Illinois, crops in, - Implements, agricultural, 21 ; caution in pur- ciiasinsr, 407 Inappropriate, ------ Insects, 20 ; a new, 47 ; on fruit trees, 127; Ce tonian, Indian, ------ Island, Prince Edward's, - - - - Jars, corks for closing, - Japan trade, prospects in, Kale, sea, and asparagus, Kitchen, the, Kohl rabi, culture of the. Page. 42 495 551 474 530 243 498 112 Labor, is it degrading, 116 ; make farm fashiona- ble, - - 503 Ladies, unmarried, ----- 488 Lake, Great Salt, 529 Lambs, new disease among, - - 316, 333, 337 Lamplighters, 368 Lands, Long Island, 45, 307 ; meadow, to be improved, 75; in Aroostook, 169; in western New York, 438 ; pasture, reclaiming, - 567 Lark, intelligence of the, . . - . 501 Lavender, water of, 391 Leaves as a manure, ----- 462 Legislative agricultural meeting, 90, 101, 118, f29, 139, 145, 166, 178, 195, 218, 228, 237, 278, 299 Lettuce, early, and onions - - - - 429 Lime, superphosphate of, for apple trees, 30 ; slaked, 47 ; sliell, 81, 93, 173 ; business in, 126; as a manure, 187 ; superphosphate of, 203, 245, 362 Line, to walk or drive on a straight, - - 31 Living, and manners in 1760, - - - 476 Literature, agricultural, - - . - 573 Lockjaw, novel cure for, . - - - 492 London, acres in, - - - - - - 523 Love, the power of, - - - - - 488 Louse, the bark, - - 356, 381, 435, 451, 514 Lucerne, ------- 566 Lyme, town of, outdone, . - - - 127 Lyman, Gen. Theodore, memoir of, - - 234 M Machine, mowing, 21, 94, 98, 198, 224,313,340, 352, 359, 364, 372, 375, 389, 411,430, 431, 486 ; threshing, 30, 68 ; for wringing clothes, 227 ; for smoothing seeded land, 247 ; chafiSng, 363 ; for grinding apples, - - - - 465 Malt coml)S, 80 Maine, geology of, 330 ; notes from, 484 ; agri- culture of, 542 Man, body of, a living stove, 15 ; a cautious, 554 Mangold wurtzel, 245 Manufactures in Piiiladelphia, - - . 555 Manures, iiow to manage, 30 ; in the hill, 93, 94 ; application of, 143 ; for grass land, 160; pul- verization of, 173,226 ; top-dressing, 213, 234 ; evaporation of, 215, 235; concentrated, 252 ; poudrette, 273 ; wasted, 274 ; a special, 389 ; from green crops, 494 Marl, fertilizing value of, - - - - 314 Marriage, the day after, - . - - 200 May, temperature of, for 1861, - - - 334 Meadow, a low brook, 188; muck or peat, - 273 Meal, cob, 122; corn and cob, 275, 301 ; bean, for pigs, ------- 554 Meals, how to take our, - - - - 366 Measures, table of cubic, - . - - 123 Meat, to preserve in warm weather, 255 ; masher, 272; action of salt and saltpetre on, - - 477 Meteors, 455 VI INDEX. Page. Miasm, 473 Mice, spinning, ------ 347 Microscopic research, 211 Mill, grist, portable, 47, 114; owners, and land- owners, 204 ; iron grist, - . - - 431 Millers, kill tiie, 3CC Milk, before calving, 16; skimming, 32, 394; pans of, 34 ; or cream, churning alone, 44 ; how to make it cheaper, 208 ; setting, 265 ; business, ------- 435 Mind, importance of presence of, - - - 500 Mittens and gloves, - - - - ■ - 545 Money, pin, - - 488 Mosses, beauty of, ----- 394 Motlicr, my, 392 Muck, swamp, 117 ; experience with, 336, 430 ; and compost, 479 ; and ashes, 496 ; value of, 555 Mulch, how to, 389 Mulching, winter, ----- 49 N New York City, 527 ; apple, - - - 533 Nitrogen, - - - - - - - 471 Notes, bank, how made, 473 ; by rail in Massa- chusetts and New Hampshire, - - - 559 Nursery, J. W. Manning's, ... - 302 O Oats, Australian, 80, 88, 117 ; injurious to sheep, 251, 254, 295, 305, 318 ; and beans, - - 254 Ocean, aninuil life in, ----- 486 Occupation, choice of, 117 Onions and peas, 247 ; how to plant, 247; sol- phur, to kill worms in, 277 ; early, and lettuce, 429; sowing in the fall, - - 464,466,495 Ostrich, hatching the young, ... 524 Ox, how to throw, 82 ; a large, 139; and beef, 169 Paint, cheap, 44 ; mixing and applying. Palace, exhibition of 1862, - - - - Pamphlets, old, ------ Parents, our, ---.-. Pasture lands, reclaiming of, - - - 75^ Pea, sweet, 151 ; and onions, . . . Pear, Seckcl, 47 ; Muskingum, 128 ; Moore's, 136 ; Mount Vernon, 162 ; wash for blight in, 275 ; trees of 0. Morse, 312 ; blight in, 463 ; a fine, 506 ; the Pocahontas, - . - Peanuts, ------- Peasantry, the Conamara, - - - - I'ebble, curious, ------ Perspiration, danger of checking, - Pickles and pickling, 499; how to make, 504; tomato, ------- Pigs in clover, Pinnco, Mr., death of, Pine leaves and sea weed, 246 ; seed of the, 254 ; cultivation of the native, 346; collecting and sowing tiic seed of the, - - - . Pink, a new beauty, Plants for food, 44 ; houses, 80; climbing, 248; house, out of doors, 327 ; action of water on. Planting on greensward, . - . - Plaster on mowing lands, - . - - Plow for sandy loams, 92 ; how deep to, 92, 405 ; when shall we, - - - - - Plowing by steam, 34 ; subsoil, 93 ; deep, - Post fence, how to set, 18, 188 ; how to preserve, 51, 87, 106; salted, - - - 173, Potato rot caused by insects, 12, 24, 53, 64, 69, 341 ; planting the, in the fall, 88 ; experiment with, 221 ; new mode of planting on grcen- 47 292 553 536 567 247 550 245 375 216 386 535 485 213 416 39 472 383 363 557 117 213 Page. 499 273 sward, 341 ; cure for disease in, 445 ; harvest- ing, 463 ; culture of the, - - - - Poudrette, - - - Poultry, Leghorn, 68, 158, 402 ; Brahma Pootra, 170, 325, 558; prolific, 173; how to raise, 143; profitable, 212, 264; raised by a little boy, 235 ; to keep vermin from, 363, 507 ; why do hens eat their eggs, 366 ; about keeping cocks, 396; rearing, 400, 411, 415; to make it lay, 476; pullets, smart, 486 ; plucking each other, 496; management of, - - . Power, a new, wanted, 172 ; a one horse, 194, 285 ; a dog, Premiums at agricultural fairs, - - 36, 511, 524 Proverbs, false, 439 Pruning grapes, rule for, 63, 244 ; time for, 276 ; in winter, ------- 437 Pumpkin, king, 55 ; and squash, - - - 534 519 334 E Raccoons, ------ 485, 511 Rainvcnt, double use of, - - - - 529 Ram, hydraulic, drive pipe for, - 276, 295, 334 Rain, fall, amount of, 203 Rake, a good drag, 373, 388 ; a fine horse, Stod- dard's, 404, 497 Rape cake, 80 Raspberries, everbearing, - - - 152, 174 Rats, poisoning, ----.. 415 Recipes, domestic, - - 104, 344, 390, 440 Register, annual, of rural affairs, - - - 552 Rein, the check, 482 Reports, agricultural, from Patent OEBce, 39, 41 ; society, 89 ; of Secretary State Board of Ag- riculture, ------- Rheumatism, remedy for, - - - . Rhubarb, drying, -.-.-. Ringbone curable, . - . - - Roads, macadamized, - - - - - Roofs, flat, Roses, climbing, 151; how to prune, 203; to strike cuttings of, - - - - - Root, tuberous, 29, 61 ; and hay crops, 74 ; cut- ters, economy in the use of, 222 ; culture of the, 252 ; harvesting, 433 ; family of, 456 ; cutter, ---.-.. 554 Rothschilds, rise of the, - - - - 510 Russet, Roxbury, 268 Ruta baga, 557, 572 Rye, a great crop of, - - - - - 412 S 277 294 303 562 109 43- 512 Salt for animals, 58 ; experiment with, 74; why do animals need, ..... Saws, circular, speed of, - - - - Scene, a touching, - - . - . School, State reform, Science is king, - - - - - Sea, Dead, ------ Seal hunting, Season, the growing, 42; reviewing of the, 71, 276, 550; and crops, 398, 423, 426, 434; hints for the, -..-.. Seed, grass, getting in, 93, 143, 246; of white birch and wliite pine, 116 ; time, 230; caution in purchasing, 279 ; number of, in a bushel, 339 ; wiiy not vegetate, 380 ; and implements, caution in purchasing, 408 ; save your, 423 ; selecting, Seeding without a grain crop. Sheep, apparatus for salting, 27 ; about, 112, 185, 213; profits of, 116 ;' culture, 124,572; farms in Illinois, 163 ; and hay, 169; killed by an owl, 173 ; Colswold buck", 216 ; should 96 376 439 115 11, 24 431 461 399 482 235 INDEX. VII 71 199 334 520 194 250 117 534 299 477 80 Page, we wash, 221 ; jrrain for, 223, 281, 295, 305, 318; and dop:s, 250, 343 ; and oats, 251, 254; with colds, 254 ; prolific, 269 ; shelter for, 302 ; buck cliampion, 373 ; wool and mutton, 387 ; what breed best, 405 ; great destruction of, by a bear, 510 ; a discussion about, - 530 Shinglinj^, about, 21 Shoo uppers, seamless, 481 Skipping and skimming, ... - 343 Skippers, to exterminate, . - - - 345 Slab, use of, in seeding land, - - 173, 2C2 Slave auction, 342 Sleeping and eating, Snow, deep and early, Soap, new, for washing clothes, 268 ; how to make good, Society, Middlesex Agricultural, 91 ; Massachu- setts Horticultural, 98, 160 ; Worcester North, 107, 516 ; Essex County, 114, 527 ; American Pomological, 142 ; Worcester Countv, 153, 511 ; New York State, 163 ; Norfolk County, 212, 512; Rutland County, Vt., 374 ; Plym- outh County, officers of, 514, 520 ; South Mid- dlesex, 523 ; Bristol County, 534 ; North Middlesex, - - - * - - - 535 Soil, a good, in New England, 26 ; on stirring the, 136 ; it breathes, 406 ; causes of fertility in, - - - Somerset County, Maine, . - . - Sows, fat, for breeders, - . - . Spider, the red, 28 ; ingenuity of the, 70 ; cul- ture of, 96 ; not dangerous, - . . Squashes, 30 ; male and female, 34 ; and pump- kins, Stables and whitewash, .... Staggers, blind, remedy for, ... Steam, plowing b}', 34 ; apparatus for cooking by, Steers, large, 209, 373 Stock in JNIaine, 24 ; soiling, 262; overfeeding of, 303, 372; improvement in, - - - 431 Stones, use of, on the farm, 302 ; burying, in clearing fields, --.--. 335 Storms, observations on, . - - . 350 Stoves, cement for, 25 Strawberry, culture of the, 99, 431,447; the Bunco, 30,432,486,518 Straw, works of, 35 ; cutters, - - - 126 Stumps, extracting, - - . - - - 412 Sugar and sugar-making, 21, 45; evaporator, new, 160, 275, 560, 561, 562; cane, Chinese, 246 Sunburn, to remove, ----- 534 Superphosphate, Coe's, 278 ; and wire worms, 372 Surveys, County, 80 Swamp, draining a, - - - - - 511 Swine, feeding, 10, 113 ; keep clean, 11 ; fatting, 69, 402 ; a fine, 223, 253 ; how to manage, 348 ; how to make pork, 355 ; salt for, 464, 490 ; preparation of food for, 470 ; instinct of, 551 ; West Chester, 558 T Table of comparative bulk, - - - . 193 Taste, rural, 77 ; English, . - - - 380 Technolog}', institute of, - . - - 343 Terms, our new, and volume, - - 544, 576 Territory, Washington, - - - - 175 Thinking and farming, - - . . 375 Throat, salt for, 401 Tiger, trapping a, 376 Tile, Rowe's patent drain, 181, 182; for an aqueduct, 212 Timber, time for cutting, 51, 75, 87, 116, 127, 157, 268; and the moon, - 299,382,384,418 Tints, autumnal, 549 Tit for Tat, 343 Toads, trade in, ----- - 424 Page. Toast, cucumber, 536 Tobacco, extract of, - - - - - 175 Tomato seed, 175 ; its uses and cultivation, 181 ; perfected, 233 ; how to ripen late, - - 477 Top-dressing, 80, 110, 135 ; grass lands, 418 ; in autumn, ------- 562 Trees, moving, 10; an old apple, 38; shade, in pastures, 43 ; succession of forest, 8S ; plant- ing, 157; covering for wounded branches of, 276; fruit, insects on, 301; apple, injured, 333; the beech, 378 ; fruit, injured, 388; ap- ple, 398 ; fruit, low headed, 553; ornamental, 575 Turnips, 246 ; sweet German, 262 ; how to get, 304'; English, 370 ; seed, - - - - 533 Turkey, how to rear, 314 ; disease in the, 463, 486 Tyrant, the domestic, - - - . - 524 Vegetable cutter, 254, 545 ; and animal kingdom, relations of the, 531 ; ascent of sap in, - 573 Ventilation of barns and stables in winter, - 49 Vermin on cattle, how to kill, - - - 88 Vermont, crops in, 491 ; State show, 504 ; model town in, ------ - 565 Veterinary surgeon, ----- go Vinegar, how to make, - - - - 77 Vine, grape, transplanting a, - - - 199 Vinery, and grafting the grape, - - . 514 Vineyard in Cincinnati, - - - . 14 Virgil on agriculture, - - - - 133, 492 Voyages, long canoe, ----- 543 Volume, a new, and new plans, - - - 515 W Wall, stone, vs. wooden fence, - - - 156 Walrus, hunting the, 501 Wash, an incombustible, ... 305, 354 Washing fluid, a good, - . - - 235 Washington, the Capitol at, - - - - 396 Water, nature from the, 52 ; on stock farms, 132 Weevil, the plum, - - - - - 155 Wells, putridity of water in, 35 ; oil, - - 306 Wheat in New Hampshire, 11,37; bushels of, per acre, 15 ; and oats in Reading, Vt., 47 ; a good crop of. 88 ; surplus of, 96 ; in Massa- chusetts, 124; in New England, 142, 214; ought New England farmers to raise, 226 ; culture of, 259, 277, 458, 523 ; premium crops of, 389 ; aphis on, 414; winter, 416; spring, 423 ; caution about, 463 ; harvest and worm, 471 ; spring and winter, 486; midge, 505; tadpole, 527 ; and ashes, 553 ; crop in Vt., 554 Whitewash for stables or outdoor work, 299, 305, 354, 376 Whiting, fertilizing properties of, - - 558 Windmill, anew, - - - - - 316,386 Window, grass near the, ... - 10 Wine, rhubarb, 20 ; press, - . - - 421 Willow, machine for peeling, - - - 007 Winter, review of the, 266 Wisdom for winter, - - - - - 180 Wood, kindling, business, - - - - 107 Woodland scenes, - - - 468, 508, 546 Woodpecker, Iiabits of the, - - - - 38 Wool, great fleece of, 412 Woman, hopes of, 56 ; in an agricultural meet- ing, 309 ; and home, - - - - 390 Words, dctinition of, and terras, - - - 84 Work and play, 476 Worm, tape, remedy for, 287 ; wire and super- phosphate, 372 ; the army, 421 , 429, 449 ; the apple, 455 ; maple, 471 ; the earth, habits of, 483 Zinc, precaution in using, - - - - 159 VIII I N DEX. ILLUSTEATIONS. Page. Initial Letter, J, 9 ; Moving Trees, - - 16 The Crimson Clover, 25 The Dearborn Seedling Pear, - - - 33 Initial Letter, A, ----- - 41 Dcsifjn for a Suburban Residence, - - 48, 49 Initial Letter, F, 57 The Spruce Fir, Abies Excelsa, - - - 64 Tiie Apple Plum, 81 Initial Letter, E, 89 A Suburban Eesiclencc, .... 97 Bucktiiorii for Hedges, - .... 113 The Muskingum Pear, .... 128 Initial Letter, L, 137 Rural Architecture — A Suburban Residence, 144 A Cylindrical Meat Masher, - - - 161 A Cottage Home and Grounds, - - 176, 177 Rowc's Patent Drain Tile, - - - 181,182 Hogle's Rotary Star Harrow, - - - 185 The Marblehead Drumhead Cabbage, - - 192 The Delaware Grape, 209 Pure Cots wold Buck — Dr. Kane, - - 216 Wood's Improved Mowing Machine, The Red Astrachan Apple, - An Abused, Old, Sick Horse, The Original Black Hawk, - A District Schocl House, The Buckeye Mowing Machine, - Initial Letter, N, - The Universal Clothes Wringer, - Duncan's New Horse Rake, - The Clydesdale Horse, The Mammoth Peach, - - - Poultry House, and Gronnd Plan, The Bunco Strawberry, Design for a Village Residence, - A New Ventilator, . . . Stoddard's Self-Operating Horse Cocker, ---... The Bloodgood Pear, . - . . The East India or Shakebag Fowl, A New Sugar Evaporator, . - . Whittemore's Patent Vegetable Cutter, Rake Page'. 224 257 264 272 288 304 313 321 336 369 385 400 432 448, 449 481 and 497 513 528 560 545 POETRY. The Wreath I've Got, 17 Golden Davs of November, ... - 28 The Cottag-e Under the Hill, ... 37 I Shall Know Her Again, - . - - 51 Autumn is Dead, --.--- 74 If we Knew, 83 Telling the Bees, 86 Labor is King, .-.-.. 95 Virgil on Agriculture, .... 133, 492 Hope Memories, - .. ... 175 Railroad Song, 230 Sugar Making, 274 How I Live, - - 308 The Farmer's Best Friends, - - - - 311 As you train it, so 'twill grow, ... 339 Rain, Country, City, - - - - - 351 The Old Wooden Plow, - - - - 362 Clover Blossoms, ..... 376 On the Cross Road by the Mill, - - - 381 Summer, ....--. 339 Our Farmers, .--... 399 The Song of the Flail, .... 421 The Song of the Rain, .... 427 Give as you would Take, - - - - 439 The Weeder, 446 The Independent Farmer, .... 454 Farewell Summer, ----- 476 The Light of the Hearth, .... 430 A Harvest Hymn, . - - - - 512 Indian Summer, ...... 523 Maize and Tol)acco, - . . - . 549 Ditty of the Meadow Owners, ... 563 DEVOTED TO AGRICULTURE AND ITS KINDRED ARTS AND SCIENCES. VOL. XIII. BOSTON, JANUARY, 1861. NO. 1. yoURSE, KATOV & TOLMAV, Proprietors. ^^j^cfn tirowm -PDTTnR Office.... 34 Meucuants' Row. SIMON BROWN, EDITOR. FRED'K HOLRROOK, ) Associate HE.VKY F. FRENCH, \ Editors. CALENDAR FOR JANUARY. "Time speeds away — away— away — Another hour — another day — Another Month — another Year — Drop from us like the leaflets sere. "Time speeds away — away — away — No eagle through the sliies of day, No wind along the hill can flee, So swiftly or so smooth as he." ANUABY First, An- no Domini, Eigh- teen Hundred and Sixty - One. An- other year, anoth- er decade of years, has slipped away from us almost as unconsciously as the date has slip- ped from our pen. The year of our Lord 1861, — a mere point in the cycles which have rolled on since the first man first felt the mysterious influence called life, and yet how all important, how all-embracing it seems to us. We are apt to look upon the generations that have been as only so many links in the chain which reaches from the creation down to us. "Why, Adam, Methusaleh, Noah, and all who have j since existed, only prepared the way for the glori- 1 ous era of the nineteenth century. ' We forget I that every man and every race has regarded him- self and his times in precisely the same light as the one point toward which everything else has j tended. Little did Adam think of the use thej Westminster divines were going to put him to, as a hen-pecked husband and the author of evil to his race. He thought no more of us, than we do of the people that are going to live six thousand years hence, but supposed, as we do now, that the world was made for him and his, and that he had nothing to do but cultivate his farm quietly, and bring up his children in the fear of God. Lit- tle he thought of the Assembly's Catechism or Milton's Paradise Lost. Methusaleh — Noah — it seems strange that they never considered them- selves in the light of antediluvians, while ice nev- er think of them in any other light. Strange that Methusaleh could not have answered a question familiar to the smallest school-boy now. — "Who was the oldest man ?'' Tt is hard to realize that our past was the "liv- ing present" of someb ody else. We look at the Egyptian mummies, who have risen from-' their tombs and made their first voyage across the wa- ters three thousand years after their death, and have a complacent feeling that the great end of their existence was to be embalmed, and" serve as objects of curiosity to us, forgetting that they, with blooming cheeks and beating hearts, chased the same shadows that we are chasing'i|ow ! Even the mastodon and the trilobite, those fossil re- mains which the wise ones puzzle their heads over, were once fresh creations, and rejoiced in their new gift of life like a last summer's bee or butterfly. But, surely, we think, Time has set his foot down and is going to stop awhile. Not so.- Still "Time speeds away — awaj- — away," v and in "the light of other days" we may be Noahs and Methusalehs — perchance fossil remains of extinct races ! But they wont carry our bodies about for a show — we are too sharp for them thei-e. No — the dust shall return id the earth a^ it teas, and the spirit unto God who gave if. But how it humbles our pride to think that 'we must share the oblivion which has fallen upon so large a portion of our race. Imagine some future wise man wandering over the ruins of Boston^. 10 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. Jan. New York, or London, as Ledyard and others have gone over Nineveh and Babylon. Stand- ing before the remains of the State House, he says : — "The people of that age must have been partially civilized ; they understood the uses of stone and mortar." Coming across the bronze statue of Franklin, he pulls out his note-book and writes, "Metn. — The Americans of the nineteenth century were copper-colored, and wore cocked hats !" Flying across the country in his balloon, he lights on the ancient city of Gotham. The first thing he sees is Barnum's collection of Indian cu- riosities. "Note. — Manhattan — a small island for- merly inhabited by savages." As we before re- marked, this view of the case is rather humbling to man's pride, but let no one mistake our moral, which is, not that we should sit down and do nothing because "the world passeth away," but that we should be very careful to do the right thing, so that though we may not figure largely hereafter in the chronicles of earth, we may yet find our names in the history which the record- ing angel keeps above ! The year 1860 has had its incidents, some of them of a startling character, and as they occur, one after another, in the years that are wafting us along, they admonish us that there are dan- gers and temptations within, as well as around, our beloved country, and they all ought to teach us this important lesson, that tvhat we do shall •well please the recording angel to enter upon his book. And now to our friends, readers and patrons, "A Happy New Year." May the sixties crown those hopes and fulfil those plans which have been marked out in the fifty-nines. May the same loving eyes continue to beam upon you, and the same kind voices fall on your ear which have so joyfully wished you a happy new year this morning. And yet, for some, we know this cannot be. We know it by the past, for who is there that can look about his family circle of a New Year's day, with no sad memory of an ab- sent face to mar his happiness ! Rejoice, we must and should, over the day and the year that dawn upon us now, but in every heart is a niche where none may enter, sacred to the memory cf the "loved and lost." We must and should ring out our joy-bells over the new year, with its hopes and plans, but for most, there is a deeper tone heard by no other ear — a solemn toll for one, who, on the first of January, 1860, or on some other 1800 which we well remember, looked up in our face and said, "I wish you a Happy New Year !" Do you see the shade gathering on any brow in your household to-day ? Which one shall it be ? Which can you best spare ? None — none, you say, as you gather them closer to your side ; but God knows who, and when, and how. Love them, then, and cherish them as you will wish you had when one of the number shall lie down by those already gone, or shall fill that vacant lot in the cemetery, which you have so carefully enclosed and planted with flowers ! Once more, a Happy New Year to all. Let us do with new ardor and new energy what our hands find to do, — for "Time speeds away — away — away." GRASS TO THE WINDOW, There is all the difference in the world between the shadiest and greenest public garden or park, even within a hundred yards of your door, and the green shady little spot that comes up to your very window. The former is no very great temptation to the busy scholar of rural tastes ; the latter is almost irresistible. A hundred yards are a long way to go with purpose prepense of enjoying something so simple as the green earth. After having walked even a hundred yards, you feel that you need a more definite aim. And the grass and trees seem very far away, if you see them at the end of a vista of washing your hands, and putting on another coat and other boots, and still more of putting on gloves and a hat. Give me the little patch of grass, the three or four shady trees, the quiet corner of the shrubbery, that comes up to the study window, and which you can reach without even the formality of passing through the hall and out by the front door. If you wish to enjoy nature in the summer time, you must attend to all these little things. What stout old gentleman but knows that when he is seated snugly in his easy chair by the winter evening fireside, he would take up and read many pages in a volume which lay within reach of his arm, while he would do without the volume, if, in order to get it, he had to take the slightest trouble of rising from his chair, and walking to a table half a dozen yards off'? Even so must nature be brought within easy reach of even the true lover of nature ; otherwise, on a hundred occasions, all sorts of little fanciful hindrances will stand be- tween him and her habitual appreciation. — Fra- ser^s Magazine. Feeding Hogs. — It is suggested in the Rural Americanih&i the usual process of feeding pump- kins, potatoes, and other bulky substances for several weeks before they are fed on heavier food, is unphilosophical ; as the more bulky food tends to enlarge the stomach and digestive or- gans, so that from mere habit they eat a larger amount of the more nutritious food than the sys- tem requires — more than can be digested, and more than they otherwise would do. Framingham Farmers' Club. — This old and energetic club has commenced a new series of meetings for the season. Its officers are — F. C. Whiston, President ; WiLMAM Hastings, Vice President; O. O. Johnson, Secretary; Benja- min K. Haven, Treasurer. 1861. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 11 FACTS ABOUT FEEDING HOESES. In a recent number of the Rural, an inquirer asks if fermented grain will fatten hogs, and also states that a conversation with some sava?it in a railroad car has led to the inquiry. Having had occasion to use from two to four road horses for my own driving for the last twenty-one years, and having fed my hogs in the fall from the same grain as the horses for the last ten years, per- haps this limited experience may be of benefit to some of the numerous readers of your valuable journal. My first impressions were that good, clean, bright timothy hay, and good oats, were alone fit for roadsters. For two or three years I used noth- ing else, when necessity compelled me to fill my barn with the red-top grass, and my mind with the beautiful prospect of heaves, crow fod- der, and all that sort of thing. Contrary to all my high Avrought anticipations, however, I found my horses went out of the stable, not as full and plump in the morning, but returned much more so at night, than when fed on timothy. This took the first scale from my eyes. Soon after this having raised a few hundred bushels of corn of my own, the query arose as to what disposition was to be made of it. Scours, founders, belly ache and all that kind of nonsense, attached itself to the idea of feeding it to horses, when a friend suggested that I should break it up short, and soak it in the ear. On this I found my horses could do as much work as on good oats. The bulk of the cob made it too much labor, and I soon after commenced with shelled corn, and for the last fifteen years have fed no other grain, when at home than this. About the same time I learned the important fact that hay was not necessary, and that the same money laid out in good bright straw and corn, would last much longer than the same in hay and oats. My plan was to take a barrel and fill, say two-thircfs full of corn, and then full of water, and when I commenced feeding this, would have another bari-el filled and soaking while using the first. The odor which it gives in summer is not sometimes as pleasant as otto of roses, and I have found that with some horses there was an objection to feeding it, if compelled to feed them away from home, for they would utterly refuse any other kind of grain. It was seldom that I found a horse that would eat more than four quarts of this three times a day, which is equiva- lent to less than three of dry corn for any length of time. Strange as it may seem to many an old fogy, after harvesting my crop of carrots, I have substituted one and two feeds a day of four quarts of carrots for their feed of corn, and had them do equally as well ; but have never given them to my hogs instead of corn. If said learned savant will consult Liebig's Ani- mal Chemistry, he will find the true rationale to the above facts. There are many advantages in feeding fermented grain to horses subject to fast driving, only two of which I shall mention now. First — it is easier of digestion, so that if any one it obliged to start the horse as soon as his meal is finished, he is not so apt to scour. Second — you can feed him, however warm he may be, without the least fear of injury. Give him his regular feed and then turn him to the barrel and let him eat his fill, and your humble writer will guarantee all damage from it. And if he has just learned that he has been killing lean hogs for the last ten years, surely he must need some lessons. — Rural New-Yorker. SCIENCE IS KING. Some of our readers are anxious under the present condition of our national affairs, and make numerous inquiries about results. We can- not tell. These only are known to Him who guid- ed our forefathers here, and Avho has sustained us in the trials through which we have passed. There is certainly cause for anxiety, but as yet, none for alarm. No mortal power can starve out or hunt down a population like that of New Eng- land, made up of men and women who can work all day, live upon saw-dust pudding, if necessary, and then defend themselves all night. They can neither be subjugated, nor will they violate the rights of others, so long as the Homes and Hearthstones of New England are their own. Our anxiety is, that the pride of wealth, the insa- tiable desire to accumulate riches, will induce some of our merchant people to do violence to their consciences, to liberty and God. It shows the weakness and folly of any men when they threaten to starve a free people by withholding from them one or two agricultural products ; it shows, also, their ignorance of the laws of trade, vi\i\c\i axe as utterly beyond their conti-ol as are the motions of the waves which lave our beautiful shores. We have given in another column an article upon the subject, ^'■Science is King," and invite the attention of the reader to it. In the excited state of the public mind, we commend to all the use of mild language, but a defence of principle as firm as the granite hills which tower above us. Let us examine our position, and see if we are right before God and man, and if we find our- selves to be so, death is better than concession. Wheat in New Hampshire. — Mr. E. M. Dun- bar, writing to the Rural American, says that in New Hampshire there has been more excitement about the crop of wheat this year than about the election of President, and adds : I think the yield of wheat will average thirty bushels to the acre throughout the State. I have raised thirty-two and a half bushels from one hun- dred and fifty rods of ground, which makes as nice flour as anybody need to have. Others have done better, harvesting upwards of forty bushels to the acre. Keep Hogs Clean. — Hogs kept all the time wallowing in their own filth, can neither be healthy nor make good nutritious pork. The stench of the pen permeates the tissues of the an- imal through the medium of tha lungs. So says the Ohio Farmer. 12 NEW ENGLAND FARMEIl. Jan. For the New Unsland Farmer. THE POTATO ROT NOT CAUSED BY INSECTS. Mr. Editor : — In your paper of the 3d of No- vember, we have another communication from Mr. Lvman Reed, of Baltimore, on the subject of the potato rot, which seems to require some brief no- tice by me, not on account of any new fact or ar- gument adduced, but for the persistency with which he asserts and re-asserts the old one. We arc told by the wise man, that "He that is first in his own cause, seemeth just: but his neighbor cometh and searcheth him." I have no doubt but Mr. Reed thinks his cause is just, that he really believes he has discovered the true cause of the potato rot, and that all who do not believe his assertions on this subject, and draw the same inference that he does, are not only opposing the truth, but opposing his interests and his rightful claims upon the public. Now, as I profess to be a neighbor to Mr. Reed, notwithstanding the dif- ference in our localities, and as I wish to act a neighborly part towards him and his interests, he will not think it strange that I should put him to the proof and give him an opportunity to prove his claims upon the public, or, on the other hand, that I should come forward, with the full convic- tion that the truth is mighty and will prevail, and endeavor to search out his boasted facts and in- ferences, and ocular demonstrations. Let us, then, attend to the facts in the case, if there be any, and see what bearing they have upon the subject now under consideration. The only fact, so far as I know, which has been adduced to prove that insects are the cause of the potato rot, is the fact, so often repeated, that, by the use of the microscope, Mr. Reed has discovered in- sects on the diseased potatoes which he examined and exhibited to others. This isolated fact has been testified to by seventeen members of Con- gress, by Charles L. Flint, Esq., Secretary of Mass. Board of Agriculture, and by one of the Profes- sors in the Smithsonian Institute. And what in- ference is attempted to be drawn from this one solitary fact, and by these nineteen certificates ? Why, what every knowing farmer and skillful till- er of the soil, from his own observation and ex- perience, knows to be false, that insects are the cause of the potato rot. The fact of the presence of insects is cheerfully admitted ; but the infer- ence attempted to be drawn is denied ; because the insects are regarded as the consequent or concomitant of the rot, and not the cause of it. There are other facts in the case, and a large number of them, too, to which I have had my at- tention directed for several years past, and some of which I pointed out in my seven reasons, which are wholly inconsistent with the idea that insects are the cause of the potato rot. A few examples must suffice : First Fact. — Take any of the most delicate and early kinds of potatoes, such as are most liable to rot, and having put them a sprouting early in March, and planted them as early in April as the season will admit, and in a favorable soil, they will entirely escape the rot, because they will be dead ripe before the season of the rot com- mences. Second Fact. — Take from the same bin some of the same kinds of potatoes, and plant in the same field, at the usual time of planting, and they will blast and rot, if it be a season in which the rot prevails generally. Third Fact. — The potato rot does not take place every year, and hence cannot be caused by in- sects, who would necessarily work every year in order to propagate their species, otherwise they would become extinct. Fourth Fact. — The potato rot does not mani- fest itself in all places equally, but is confined to certain localities in the same field, which would not be the case, if caused by insects. Fifth Fact. — Soils highly enriched by active, concentrated and stimulating toanures, are more affected by the rot than other soils. Sixth Fact. — It frequently happens the blast turns out to be nothing but a mere blast which kills the tops and checks the growth of the tubers, but leaves them all smooth and bright, and, to all appearance, entirely unaff'ected by disease, which would not be the case, if the blast were caused by insects on the tubers. Seventh Fact. — All kinds of potatoes are not alike affected by the disease ; but, on the con- trary, some kinds are entirely exempted from it. Such is the fact with regard to the black potato, and some others. Fighth Fact. — The potato rot always manifests itself, if at all, at a particular time or season of the year, within the limits of a very few days, which time is always preceded by the most re- markable thermal changes in the state of the at- mosphere— by a few days of extremely hot and dry weather, succeeded by copious, warm rains, and accompanied by an oppressive, sultry and muggy atmosphere. These eight facts are respectfully commended to the careful examination of Mr. Reed, and of those other nineteen gentlemen of distinction, whom ho has led to adopt his insect theory, and whose certificates he has printed in the papers and trumpeted forth to the world. It will not do to deny these facts, or to ignor# them, for they are known to exist. They are facts, and not in- ferences, or reasonings, or logical deductions ; and they must be met, and fairly met ; and they must be answered, and fairly and fully answered, each fact by itself, before any credit can be given to the insect theory. There must be no sophistry in the case, no dodging, no quibbling, no arguing in a circle, no resorting to the old assertion of "oc- ular demonstration ;" no, but it must be shown, that all these facts are perfectly consistent with the insect theory. John Goldsburt. Wanoick, Nov., 1860. Cereal Grains. — The Manchester American says that Mr. Killam, an enterprising farmer of Temple, N. H., has for some years been collecting all the varieties of grain in this country, and such as he could obtain from Europe. This season he sowed a small parcel of each, seventy in number, of which over forty were wheat — the rest rye, oats and barley. The most of these species have a very slight difference in their general appearance. The Egyptian wheat is the most marked, having a cluster of heads, instead of a single one, on each stalk. Mr. K. will keep a sample of the kernels and heads of each in his cabinet, as an agricultu- ral curiosity. 1861. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 13 FIBRE-CKOPS— FLAX. Some inquiries have recently been made of us in regard to the flax crop, and attention is again called to the subject by the discovery of a mode of "rotting it," and separating the external cov- ering, the fibre, from the inner stem, or stalk part. Formerly the cultivation of flax was considered one of the most important branches of New Eng- land industry. A good crop of flax, to be manu- factured by the female members of the family in- to articles of domestic use, was an object of laud- able ambition with many farmers. As a field pro- duct, its cultivation was regarded as somewhat difficult — on any soil of moderate fertility, — though, like other products, it always succeeds best when supplied liberally with its appropriate food. In preparing lands for flax, experience had early demonstrated the fact, that a fine, deep soil is much better adapted to the growth of flax, than one of an opposite texture. It was early as- certained to be a very exhausting crop, and in the rotary system adopted on the continent, and in Belgium, at this day, where the culture of flax is extensively pursued, it is not allowed to enter oftener than once in seven years. Calcareous lands, or lime in its caustic state, it has been as- certained, are detrimental to the growth of this plant. Several soils which had produced excel- lent crops of flax were submitted to analytical examination, and were found to contain : No. 1. Ao. 2. No. 3. Silica and silicious sand 73.72 69.41 64.93 Oxideoflron 5.51 6.29 5.64 Alumina 6.65 5.70 8.79 Phosphate of iron 06 .25 .31 Carbonate of iime 1.09 .53 1.67 Magnesia and alkalies, with traces of sulphuric and muriatic acids 32 .25 .54 Organic matters 4.86 6.67 9.41 Water 7.57 11 4S 8.73 Total 99.78 99.58 98.22 In all these specimens the organic matter was highly nitrogenized, a fact which renders their fertility in the production of the flax crop, easily understood. The ligneous substance of the flax plant, which, by subsequent manipulation is con- verted into linen, is found to be composed of pre- cisely the same elementary matter as starch and sugar, and in very nearly the same relative pro- portions. In one hundred parts — omitting the matter contained in the cellular cavities, it gives Carbon 50.00 Hydrogen 5.55 Oxygen 44.45 One remarkable fact in relation to this plant is, that the fibre, which alone constitutes the real money value of flax, is elaborated solely from atmospheric pabulum, or the food derived during its life from the air. All the elements it derives from the soil are employed by the system, in or- ganizing substances which are of no practical value to the farmer, but, on the contrary, rather a disadvantage. Probably the best soil for the cultivation of flax is a light, fine loam, with a slight admixture of clay, but not sufficient to render it wet in moist seasons, or subject it to the liability of parching or becoming "baked" when dry. A chemical analysis of the plant may partially indicate what manure would be adapted to its full development. We have already given the results of several anal- yses of ihojibre ; we will now give analyses of the flax plant as it grows, and of the ash after burn- ing: Yhkx Plant. Carbon 38.72 Hydrogen 7.33 Nitrogen 56 Oxygen 48.39 Ash 5.00 ICO.OO Ashes op Flax Plant. Potash .... 9.78 Soda, (sea air) 9.82 Lime 12.33 Magnesia 7.79 Oxide of iron and alumina 6.08 Silica, (sand) 21.35 Sulphuric acid 2.65 Chlorine, (sea air) 2.41 Carbonic acid, (air charcoal) 16.95 Phosphoric acid 10.84 ICO.OO i^or the Neio England Farmer. APPLES FOR MILCH COWS. Mr. Editor: — Being a constant reader of the Farmer, and somewhat interested in agriculture, although it is not my business, and knowing how much people are opposed to feeding out apples, pai'ticularly to milcn cows, and of the misappre- hension of the amount of nutritious matter con- tained in them, I thought I would give ray expe- rience in the trial of them. I have a cow four years old last spring, that calved in February, and will calve again in March, which I have fed every day since apples were large enough, with from half a peck to a peck. She gives six and a half quarts of milk per day. Now, if the apples would have dried her up, as some people saj-, she would not certainly be giving that amount now, as my neigh- bors have cows equally as good as mine, that do not give more than one-half the quantity. I am aware that many object to feeding out ap- ples, on the ground that the cows will get choked by swallowing the apples whole. I have never known of an instance happening where the cow was tied up and the apples put before her in a box. If fed in the yard or field, they are liable to be started quickly by another creature, and the apple thrown into the gullet, where, being too large to pass into the stomach, it sticks. I heard quite a good farmer remark that cattle are hurt by eating too many apples at a time — they break into an orchard and eat beyond the capacity of the stomach to digest. Would it not be so if they ate green corn, or any other kind of food, to ex- cess ? In fact, every excess in partaking of food produces injury, and is followed by symptoms of indigestion. I am satisfied that one-half a peck of apples given to a cow morning and evening, will increase the quantity and quality of the milk, 14 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. Jan. and are equal, if not better, to a peck of carrots. There are in 100 pounds of carrots, 10 pounds of nutritious matter and 90 pounds of water ; in 100 pounds of apples, 16 pounds of nutritious matter and 84 pounds of water ; in the sweet apple there would be double the quantity. Now as apples are plenty this season, and it is impossible for many farmers to get barrels to put them into, let them give them to their stock, especially cows, and they will find it is better to use them so, than make them into cider, or sell them at the present low prices. When we consider the little trouble in raising the apple compared to the carrot, and the preference the cattle give to the apple, its soft, pulpy nature compared to the hard carrot, being easier of digestion, and a more healthy article of food in proper quantities, I think we shall decide in favor of the apple, and use them more than we have done for the feeding of stock. w. Dover, N. H., Nov. 5, 1860. For the Neio England Farmer. HARDENING UJSTHIPB CORN". Mr. Editor : — I find, from some experiments made this fall, that corn that fails to ripen in the field, by reason of early frosts, may be hardened so as to be ground into good meal (even if it is not seared at all when gathered,) by being im- mersed in water at boiling heat, kept under four or five minutes, and afterwards dried in the sun- shine, or elsewhere. Corn treated in this way becomes as yellow as that ripened in the field, and there need be, I think, but little fear of its moulding while dry- ing. The above may not be new to the readers of the Farmer although it is to me ; neither might it be a paying process, for all corn-raisers ; but there may be times and places when and where it will pay to try it ; and for those I make it pub- lic. JoHX Calvin Gitchell. Boscmcen, N. H., Nov., 1860. Power of a Bird's Song. — When we hear the song of a soaring lark Ave may be sure that the entire atmosphere between us and the bird is filled with pulses, or undulations, or waves, as they are often called, produced by the little song- ster's organ of voice. This organ is a vibrating in- strument, resembling, in principle, the reed of a clarionet. Let us suppose we hear the song of a lark, elevated to a height of 500 feet in the air. Before this is possible the bird must have agitat- ed a sphere of air 1000 feet in diameter ; that is to say, it must have communicated to 17,888 tons of air a motion sufficiently intense to be appreciated by our organs of hearing. — TyndaU's Glaciers of the Alps. Cincinnati Vineyards. — Dr. S. Mosher states in the Ohio Valley Farmer, that he has visited some dozen or more vineyards in the vicinity of Cincinnati, on both sides of the river, and found all that he visited more or less affected with that most fatal malady of the Catawba grape, the rot —having destroyed by its ravages, varying from one-fourth to three-fourths of the crop. SIXTY-FOUR BUSHELS OF "WHEAT TO THE ACRE. The Baltimore American Farmer publishes the statement of Mr. M. T. Goldsborough, of Ellen- boro', near Easton, Md., of a crop of wheat raised the past season, on the farm of his late father, Col. N. Goldsborough, by which it appears that 27^ acres produced at the rate of a mere fraction less than o5 bushels per acre, allowing GO pounds to the bushel ; the best 9 acres of which produced at the rate of 64.} bushels per acre. We copy a few paragraphs from the statement : The field upon which this crop grew had, like the other proportions of the farm, been subject to the three field rotations of corn, wheat and clover, for a great number of years. It had been the practice for years on this, as on many other well- cultivated farms in this country, to dress the en- tire corn cultivation with some improving materi- al. My father used unrotted farm-yard manure, marsh mud, woods mould, Lidian oyster-shell de- posit, marl, or lime variously applied. He never used the marl or lime extensively, but obtained almost all of the calcareous manure which he ap- plied from the Indian oyster-shell banks, and this he at one time applied very heavily upon land not shelled by the aborigines. It was, in its due course, manured and planted in corn in 1856, and in the fall the ground was harrowed, rolled, drilled in wheat without guano, and set in clover in the following spring. The crop reaped from it in 1857, (a bad wheat year,) was about twenty bushels, per acre. I mention this to show the capability of the soil under such circumstances. In the spring of 1858, the clover was filled with that terrible pest, "Pigeon weed," or "Red root," which now fatally chokes out wheat on many fine farms in this country, and I attempted to prevent it from seeding by stocking the field heavily, about the last of April, with horses, cattle, sheep and hogs, but the season being very genial for grass, the weed was left untouched, and therefore, to prevent its seed from ripening, I put in a large force of plows in the latter part of May, and broke the field about six inches deep. Stock continued to trample over the plowed surface until after harvest, and as the plowing was at so early a period, it was of course necessa- ry to harrow and roll it a great many times, (I do not know how often, as I do not reside on the farm, and no journal was kept,) to keep the grass and weeds under. It was 7ioi ijlowed a second time, and when it was drilled, there was nothing like a clod to be seen on the surface, and there was only loose earth enough, and in the condition of powder, to allow the drill to cover the wheat eS"ectually, the earth beneath the wheat having become very fii-mly packed by the action of rain, the trampling of stock, and the effect of imple- ments, in the four months that intervened be- tween the plowing and drilling. It was drilled with an old Pierson drill nine inches wide between the tubes, on the 4th, 6th and 7th of October, the wheat being deposited about one inch below the surface of the soil in the bottoms of the drill furrows. The seed wheat drilled was thirty bushels — the 1861. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 15 variety being the beautiful smooth headed white wheat, obtained in this country a few years ago, from Mr. Johnson, of North Carolina. Two bushels wei'e drilled on one acre, and the remaining twenty-eight bushels were drilled at the rate of one bushel and sixty-one hundredths of a bushel per acre, at which rates the thirty bushels extended over eighteen acres and four- tenths of an acre. The growth was enormous, being so dense that two persons, eight or ten feet apart in it, were in- visible to each other, and the tallest specimens were six feet four inches in height, but it was generally about five feet six inches in height. A few days ago, I carefully measured the whole of the ground drilled with the said thirty bushels. [The land and produce were divided with the in- tention of applying for a premium.] Tij.e following is a statement of the yield : The 18 4-10 Acres Yielded, Bushels. Bushels of 60 lbs. 30fl prime wheat weighing 63 lbs 315.00 493 prime prepared for seed, weighing 63j Iba 523.67 795 prime wheat weighine; 838.87 24 ralied wheat weighing 62 lbs 24.8') 64 screenings and headings weighing 56 lbs 59.73 883 923.40 883 divided by 18 4-10 gives 48 bushels (meas- ured) per acre. 923.40 divided by 18 4-10 gives 50 18-100 bushels of 60 lbs. per acre. The 9 1-10 Acres Yielded, 495 prepared, used for seed, weighing 63| lbs 528.87 7 prime, weighing 63 lbs 7.35 502 prime, weighing 631 22 12 raked wheat, weighing 62 lbs 12.40 46 i screenings and headings, weighing 56 lbs 43.4 J 5601 587.02 560^ divided by 9 1-10 gives 61 6-10 bushels (measure) per acre. 587.02 divided by 9 1-10 gives 64^ bushels of 60 lbs. per acre. A MAWS BODY A LIVING STOVE. The Eclectic Review, treating of the caloric or heat in a human body, compares our body to a "living stove — walking fire-places — furnaces in the flesh," if those terms can be applied to any apparatus for the express production of human caloric. After stating the fact of the latent heat of the human frame, the writer says : Suppose it to bo the month of January, when winter is pre- sumed to be reigning in full vigor, and every in- animate object appears to have been drained of its caloric ; still the human structure Avill exhibit a surplus of sixty degrees above the freezing point. Why is this ? How does it happen that while a bronze statue fluctuates in its temperature with every passing breeze, the living organism maintains its standard heat unimpaired, and pre- serves its tropical climate within, although the air should be full of frost and the ground enveloped in snow ? It is manifest that we must have some power of "brewing" caloric for ourselves. As- suming that our bodies are veritable stoves, the reviewer proceeds to explain where we procure our fuel. Fortunately our coal and fire-wood, he adds, are stored up in a very interesting form. They are laid before us in the shape of bread and butter, pudding and pies, rashers of bacon for the laborer, and haunches of venison or turtle soup for the epicures. Instead of being brought up in scuttles, they are presented in tureens, dishes, or tumblers, or all of them in pleasing succession. Speaking seriously, and looking at the question from a mere human point of view, could any pro- ject appear more hopeless than one for burning fuel in a soft, delicate fabric like the human body — a fabric composed, for the most part of mere fluids — a fabric that might be easily scorched by excess of heat, or damaged by excess of cold ? Does it not appear like a touch of quixotism in nature to design a stove with flesh for its walls, veins for its flues, skin for its covering ? Yet here, we have seen, is an apparatus which, as if by magic, produces a steady stream of heat — not trickling penuriously from the fountains, but flowj ing on day and night, winter and summer, with- out a moment's cessation, from January to De- cember. Carry this splendid machine to the coldest re- gions of the globe — set it up in a scene where the frosts are so crushing that nature seems to be trampled dead — it still pours on its mysterious supplies with unabated profusion. It is an appa- ratus, too, which does its work unwatched, and, in a great measure, unaided. The very fuel which is thrown into it in random heaps is internally sifted and sorted, so that the true combustible elements are conveyed to their place, and applied to their duty with unerring precision. No hand is needed to trim its fires, to temper its glow, to remove its ashes. Smoke there is none, spark there is none, flame there is none. The pulmona- ry chimney is never clogged with human grime. All is so delicately managed, that the fairest skin is neither shrivelled nor blackened by the burn- ings within. Is this apparatus placed in circum- stances which rob it too fast of its caloric ? Then the appetite becomes clamorous for food, and in satisfying its demands the fleshy stove is silently replenished. Or, are we placed in peril from su- perabundant warmth ? Then the tiny flood-gates of perspiration are flung open, and the surface is laid under water until the fires within are reduced to their wonted level. Assailed on one hand by heat, the body resists the attempt, if resistance be possible, until the store of moisture is dissipated ; assailed on the other by cold, it keeps the enemy at bay until the hoarded stock of fuel is expend- ed. Thus protected, thus provisioned, let us ask whether these human hearths are entitled to rank among the standing marvels of creation ? for is it not startling to find that, let the climate be mild or rigorous, let the wind blow from the sultry desert or come loaded with polar sleet, let the fluctuations of temperature be as violent as they may without us, there shall be still a calm, un- changing, undying summer within us ? A Word for Blacksmiths. — Dr. Dadd, in closing an article in the American Stock Journal, on Shoeing Horses, says : "It is my firm belief that blacksmiths are often, very often, blamed without any rational excuse for censure." And even in regard to bad shoeing he remarks : "It is my opinion that many smiths do not obtain a fair compensation for their services in the prose- cution of their laborious and dangerous vocation." IG NEW ENGLAND FARMER. Jan. MOVING TKEES. There are few places which are ornamented with shrubbery, fruit, and shade trees, where it does not become necessary to change the place of some of them, in order to prevent their standing too thick, destroying a prospect, or injuring some building or plant more valuable than itself. The tree to be removed, however, has been tended with cost and care, and is needed for some other unoccupied place. It has gained considerable size, and the question arises — "How cajj'it be re- moved with certainty of success ?" The common ipode of digging about them, and removing by hand, is a slow, difficult and uncertain one, as the earth in most cases falls away from the roots, leaving them exposed to sun and wind, and injury in conveying it to its place of destination. Where a trench is dug about a tree, and the ball of earth is left to be frozen, there is less dan- ger of injury to the roots, or of losing the tree it- self. After we have carefully dug about a tree, we need something to aid us in lifting it from its bed and in transplanting it gently to the hole that is to receive it. It cannot be placed upon a cart, or upon a drag, and keep the earth attached to the roots and fibres by which it is to be sus- tained— the motion to get it upon either will usually shake it all off. The little, inexpensive machine figured above, it seems to us, would greatly facilitate the labor of moving trees, and at the same time enable us to do the work so as to secure the life of the tree. The editor of the Iloriicidtin-ist, from whom we have procured this cut, says "it illustrates a very convenient contrivance for moving large trees. The cut almost explains itself. The truck is backed against the tree, the tongue thrown up against the body, and secured by stout cords. The earth is then removed from around the roots, the tongue pulled down by means of the rope attached to the end of the tongue, a team hitched fast, and the tree removed to its new quarters. The truck is placed over the hole in which the tree is to be planted, the tongue thrown up, and the tree is then in just the right position for filling in the earth." Most farmers could rig up one of these ma- chines with trifling cost, if, indeed, there were any, because there is usually an old pair of wheels and a cart nib that can be spared as well as not. One machine would answer the purposes of a whole neighborhood, and would undoubtedly save in time, annually, more than its entire cost. The wheels and axletree of a common ox cart would answer a pretty good purpose for trees of considerable size, by lengthening the nib, and the forward wheels and shafts of a common light wagon might be made to answer for small trees. Rules for Observing the Barometer. — The following rules for observing the barometer, taken from Prof. Silliman's lectures, may aid in making the use of this instrument more clear to many of our readers : 1. The sudden fall of the mercury is usually followed by high winds and storms. 2. The rising of the mercury indicates general- ly the approach of fair weather ; the falling shows the approach of foul. 3. In sultry weather the falling of the mercury indicates coming thunder. In winter a rise indi- cates frost. In frosty weather a fall indicates thaw ; a rise, snow. 4. Whatever change of weather follows a sud- den change in the barometer, may be expected to last but a short time. 0. When the barometer alters slowly, a long continuation of foul weather will succeed if the column falls, or of fair weather if the column rises. 6. A fluctuating and uncertain state of the ba- rometer indicates changeable weather. Milk before Calving. — Mr. J. E. Hazelton, of West Newton, has a heifer two years old last spring, which began to give milk about two months ago, and has continued to yield from three to four quarts per day, to the present time, Nov. 10th, when she dropped her first calf, which is in fair condition, and likely to thrive. The heifer is half-blood Jersey, and was raised by Judge French. A similar instance occurred in the stock of the editor of this paper, in which case the calf was dropped about four months after the heifer commenced giving milk. 1861. XEW ENGLAND FARMER. 17 For the New EnrrUmJ Farmer. •'KEMEDY FOR CHOKED CATTLE." Mr. Editor : — Under this heading you gave, by request, a republished article, in the Fanner, Nov. od, upon the removal of foreign or lodged bodies in the gullet of animals, viz. : cattle. Your instrument has for its recommendation that of being cheap, easily made, its mode of use readily understood, and of sufficient strength, if the power is applied, to overcome almost any ob- struction, or even make an artificial passage in the most vulnerable point. But a thought — the thought — that "a common broom-handle" is rather a formidable instrument to use in cases of this kind unless used with much precaution ; and though the illustrations and di- rections for making and using are remarkably plain, yet with only this caution, "then gently press the stick, or probang, down the throat," as not being quite positively cautious enough in these dangerous accidents when "all hands" are so liable to be excited unduly. As an illustration of this unnecessary excite- ment a case in point will suffice. Not long ago I saw a noble ox that attempted to eat a potato while at work, but was choked. The owner called a doctor of medicine to counsel, and living in a village, there were enough assist- ants. They put him into the shoeing slings, and with a common ox-goad pushed it down, or at least pushed the goad down, but in so doing lac- erated the gullet, as it afterwards proved. From the choking, the means used, and the very violent muscular exertions of the agonized ox, he died in a few minutes after, while they were pre- paring "to tap." I did not see him till the ox- goad had done its work of mischief. Ought it not then to bo emphatically enjoined on the operator to gently push the stick, as this accident of rupture is liable to occur ? Would it not be advisable to use a flexible stick, if the emergency demands a resort to this mode of relief, v/hem. bona fide probang is not at hand, as, with its use, the liability of a fatal accident •would be somewhat less, while at the same time it would be abundantly efficient to apply as much force as would be admissible ? Is not the bulb end rather large, (2^ inches in diameter,) unless it is for large cattle ? The dan- ger of cattle getting choked with things of this size is quite small, if any, but rather with pota- toes, or the like, much smaller. Would it not be better, before resorting to the probang, to pour down the creature a half pint of oil to lubricate the passage, and by manipulations for its ejection, or injection, quite perseveringly, try a much safer mode of procedure ? In good old "tater" times, it was not a very un- common occurrence, hereabouts, for cattle to get choked, and we ruralists could almost always get the offender up or down — up, was preferred, — ■with but little difficulty, when it was lodged in the upper part of the passage, or where it could be felt externally, by tying the creature to a post or stanchion, by the horns, and having one fore foot held up by a rope or strap over the back, and manipulations. Perhaps this may be called rather a primitive mode by some, but it has been all efficient in so many instances where probangs and veterinary surgeons had not even been heard of, in bygone days, that, with the oil modification, I have quite a good opinion of its efficiency. This is an important subject, and any light or knowledge upon it that you or your many intelli- gent correspondents can emit through the col- umns of the Farmer, will be useful to others in emergencies of this kind. The more simple and efficient ways known the the better, yet it is not intended to be intimated that the probang will not be required in some ob- stinate cases, and then that some will prove fatal if even cesophagotomy is resorted to with the aid of experienced counsel, which is unfortunately not often to be obtained in rural districts in a reasonable time. But as the veterinary art is justly rect'ving more attention, it is to be hoped that ere long tne services of those who are qualified can readily be obtained when serious accidents hapi)en to any of our domesticated animals. O. W. True. THE "WEALTH I'VE GOT. BY HENRY MORFORD. Not houses ani lots in a principal street, Not rich fields flowing with golden wheat, Not darksome mines deep stored with gold, Not piles of ingots in coffers old ; Not these, though they fill so many a lot — These form no part of the wealth I've got. I'm poorer to-day than a year ago, I was poorer then than I cared to know, The future has nothing but struggle and care, For the bread to eat and raiment to wear^ Yet I still look onward and murmur not, For I'm very rich in the wealth I've got. I've kind ones to love me, rich or poor ; I've friends whom I hold with a friendship sure ; I've pleasures and duties, day by day. And work for each hour that passes away ; I've a home with its treasures — earth's dearest spot- Where I hoard, like a miser, the wealth I've got. I've a heart, thank God ! that loves mankind ; I've a spirit, thank God ! that can be resigned : I've a hope to finish some trifle of good Before I lie down for the grave -worm's food ; I've a hop? that neither stain nor blot, Will cling, when I'm gone, to the wealth I've got. I've a trust in the Master whose tender care Giveth bread to eat and raiment to wear ; I've a firm, stout heart, that he giveth ma, To bear whatever my fortune may be ; So earth can be never a sorrowful spot, While kind Heaven leaves me the wealth I've got. Fairs. — The editor of the Michigan Farmer gives a table of entries at the Annual State Fairs of 1860 and 1859, from which it appears that there was a falling off this year equal to 25 per cent, in every department. He also says : — "We have looked carefully through all our country exchanges of this State to see what was said of the several county fairs that have been held this fall, and find them almost without exception filled with com- plaints of apathy and want of interest, desolate halls, empty tables and dissatisfied lookers-on." 18 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. Jan. For the New England Farmer. FENCE POSTS — HO"W TO SET THEM. A late number of the Farmer contains an in- quiry by R. H. Davis, in regard to setting fence posts in land that heaves with the frost. Being desirous, some years ago, to erect a permanent dooryard fence on similar land, I addressed the same inquiry to the Farmer, to which several re- plies were published, containing directions, most of which had been previously tried, and found unsatisfactory. These plans were to set the posts so deep they would reach below the frost, or dig large post holes, and fill with small stones, chip manure, sand, &c., or securing the post by a ten- on and pin to a horizontal timber laid below the frost. Now all of these, and similar methods, will fail of securing the object desired, because it is the presence of water in the earth that causes the post to rise with the frost. As the earth freezes, and adheres firmly to the outer surface of the post, it must of necessity heave with the frost, however far it may extend below the frost, and of course it would, with the same facility, be drawn from a mortice. In the case of setting the posts with small stones, &c., the spaces between the stones will soon fill from the surface and sur- rounding earth with water, which, freezing to the post, will cause it to heave, and leave its proper position. In soils that retain but little water, posts may be set quite securely for a time by fill- ing a proper space around the post, and as far in depth as the frost extends, with gravel stones, or refuse tan bark. But there is a better way. The practical adoption of the plan I now pro- pose may look, formidable and expensive, but it will prove satisfactory, permanent, and last a life- time. The first step, as has already been sug- gested, is to draw off the water. To do this, dig a ditch on the line where it is proposed to make a fence, two feet wide and three feet deep, or be- low the frost. Set the posts in this ditch, say eight or ten feet apart, as may be desired, and fill around the posts and the whole ditch with small stones. It is best to make the ditch wider, say three feet, where the posts are set, and jam the stones tight around. To this ditch now dig a drain, without which all previous labor will be vain, laying tile, or stones at the bottom, and fill- ing above with earth, and the work is done. Having followed this plan several years ago, with entire success, 1 confidently recommend it, as the best way to set posts in frosty land. It is proper to remark, that where the land is so sit- uated as to preclude draining as low as the bot- tom of the posts, so there shall he no standing water around the posts, this plan will be imprac- ticable, s. G. B. Essex, VL, Nov., 1860. ripened ; as there were but a few stalks, we paid no attention to it. The seeds fell, and new sprouts came up and ripened also, sufficiently to have been lopped before the frost came ; two crops could be easily raised, I think." Southern Illinois. — Mrs. Frances D. Gage says in a communication to the Ohio Farmer, that "the seasons are so long in Southern Illinois that I am sure sweet potatoes planted here in April, might be eaten by the first of August in good seasons ; and planted the first of July, they would ripen in October, for winter use. Some broom corn came up in our garden in the middle of May, and CONCORD FARMERS' CLUB. The second meeting of the series for the sea- son of this association took place on Friday even- ing last, the subject for discussion being "Fruits, and their Culture." It being the turn of John B. Moore, Esq., one of the largest and best far- mers of the town, to prepare an Essay, he read the following on FRUITS AND THEIR CULTURE. Mr. President : — The subject assigned for discussion this evening is a very interesting one to me, but has so wide a range that I do not pro- pose to examine it in detail, but to confine my- self to the Pear and Grape, only. The Pear is a fruit worthy of more general cul- tivation than it now receives. I am aware of the extensive attempts to cultivate it, and also of the fact that there has been a large quantity of pear trees planted within fifteen years, and that of these nine-tenths have failed from bad planting and want of care. I think there is but one way in which pears can be grown successfully, so as to equal the fruit raised by Cambridge and Brighton cultivators — and that is by high cultivation. The pear wants a deep, rich soil, not too wet and never dry. The trees should be partially sheltered, so as not to suffer by high winds, which injure the young and ten- der shoots early in the season, and blow off the fruit at a later period. The pear wants in the soil a plenty of manure, and also bone in some form. One successful cultivator has plov.'ed in heavy dressingss of sheep's feet with decided ad- vantage, it being a manure that will last for years. The common dressing applied by the best culti- vators is about eight cords to the acre of horse manure in a green state, spread on in the fall and foi-ked in the next spring, with an occasional dressing of ashes and bone. By this high man- uring, with clean cultivation, and without raising any crop among the trees, those persons have succeeded in i-aising very fine fruit. The Cambridgeport cultivators have their trees mostly on the quince bottom, planted about eight feet apart, and trimmed in pyramid shape. After the trees become established, they are summer- trimmed nearly as follows: in July, shorten the new wood one-half in length, and pinch back the new growth the rest of the season ; this is con- sidered the best way of pruning the pear on the quince, by many intelligent cultivators ; on the pear root they are allowed to extend more and to grow into large trees. As to varieties, probably no two persons would agree, precisely ; some va- rieties do well in any location, for instance, the Bartlett — others only in certain soils, as the Beurre Bosc. For market purposes, not only qual- ity but outward ap]K'arau(^e becomes necessary to make them sell well. A pear with a handsome 1 yellow color, or yellow with a blush on one side, 1861. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 19 or a pear covered with a yellow russet, sells the best ; while a green-skinned pear is not so at- tractive in appearance, and does not sell nearly as well. As an instance of the effect the differ- ence in appeax'ance of this fruit has on the price, I find that the Belle Lucrative, one of the finest pears of its season, sells badly, owing to its green color, while the Duchess d'Angouleme, a third- rate fruit in quality, sells reacily at high prices, owing to its size and beauty. Most persons entering upon the cultivation of this fruit set too many varieties ; they will suc- ceed much better by planting only a few of the best kinds of well established reputation in the market, varieties that will grow vigorously, bear well, and the fruit of large size and handsome ; if fall pears, kinds that will keep a few days with- out rotting at the core. NOW AS TO THE GRAPE. A variety of the grape to be worthy of general cultivation in Massachusetts should possess the following qualities, all of which are necessary to make it come up to what should be our standard of excellence : First, it should be as hardy as an oak, — one the wood of which will winter without any kind of protection ; a free grower, an abundant bearer, the branches large and with good-sized berries adhering strongly to the stem, so that they will not easily drop from the bunch, ripening early in the season, and not subject to mildew or blight. Added to the before-named requisites, the fruit should be of fine quality, as good as the varieties raised under glass, if possible. We have varie- ties combining all these requisites, except quality. That is to say, we have no hardy gi'ape equal in quality to the varieties raised under glass, but still we have varieties of fine quality that are worthy of extensive cultivation, and I think no one of them more so than the Concord. Some of our horticulturists are raising seedling grapes, hoping to succeed in getting a better variety than we now have, and we shall undoubtedly get from them a superior variety within a few years. For a long time many of our eminent horticul- turists have attempted to improve our wild grape by hybridization with foreign varieties which are tender in our climate, hoping to get a variety combining the hardiness of the wild with the fine quality or the foreign grapes. These trials have all proved failures. They either ])rove to be not hardy, or are late, or subject to mildew or blight. Recently, cultivators began to raise seedlings from some of the best native varieties, and have succeeded better, having raised some pretty good grapes — among them the Concord, Northern Muscadine, Hartford Prolific, Diana and a num- ber of other kinds which are better than the orig- inal sorts. From these repeated attempts I think we may look for new and better varieties. I have seen two new seedlings raised in this way which I think are better than any of the above varieties, particularly as table grapes ; they were raised from seeds of the Concord. One of them is very prom- ising, in color resembling the White Nice, with a heavy whitish blcJom, berries and bunch large, and without any foxy taste whatever ; flesh rath- er firm, quality equal or nearly so to the foreign varieties. I have examined the original vine, which is now growing in an unfavorable location, shaded and crowded by other vines, never having had any protection, and not an inch of the wood has winter-killed, nor is there any mildew or blight, while near by this were other vines cov- ered with mildew. The question that has often presented itself to my mind is this : Is it an object to enter into the cultivation of the grape for the purpose of sup- plying the demands of the market ? Good judges estimate that an acre of Concord grape vines, set eight feet apart, or four to the square rod, being 640 to the acre, will produce, the fourth year af- ter planting, twenty lbs. of fruit to each vine, which would be 12,800 lbs. to the acre, which v.'ould probably be worth 10 cts. a lb., amounting to $1,280 per acre; deduct one-half, and still it M'Ould leave $040, which would pay largely for the cultivation and capital invested. And for the purpose of wine-making, persons are willing to contract for large quantities of the Concord, at five cts. a lb. Of the manner of plant- ing and general cultivation, I do not intend to say much, and will only add, that the grape is not very particular as to soil, if not too wet. Any soil sufficiently rich to bear fifty bushels of corn to the acre will be rich enough for the grape. The location I regard as of much more impor- tance than soil ; and I mean, by location, a situa- tion where the vines will escape the late spring frosts, which are much more destructive than the frosts in the fall of the year. There has always been a large demand for good table grapes ; that demand has increased very much within a few years, and is not one-quarter supplied now. The drawback to raising them has been the want of a good variety, that will ripen early in the season ; but with some of the newly introduced kinds this is somewhat obviated. The prices at which hot-house grapes now sell, put them beyond the reach of persons of moderate means, except as a luxury. What we want is a hardy grape, equal in quality, if possible, to the foreign, to supply the wants of the whole com- munity, at a low price, and so abundantly as to be within the reach of all. When we find such a variety, whoever in old Middlesex entei's into its cultivation will reap an abundant rcM'ard for his labor. The new seedling that I have described comes nearer to this want than any grape that I know. Of the manner of pruning, I will merely say that I have tried the various methods described in the books, and much prefer what is called spur pruning. There are many farmers, and other cultivators, who think that a wild vine, taken from the woods, or some location where it has been uncultivated, and put into a garden under good cultivation, will immediately come up to the Concord, Isabella or Catawba, in size and quality, which is erroneous. The size and productiveness will be soraevvhat increased, but not the quality ; or if the quality is affected, only in a very slight degree. A gen- tleman living within ten miles of Concord, called my attention to a variety of grape exhibited by him, and grown on his farm, as something supe- rior to any other grape, and remarked to me that there was "no grape equal to his, which grew away down in the corner of the wall." In the judg- ment of the committee on grapes, it was remark- able only in one way, and that was for its ex- 20 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. Jan. tremely bad qualities. I had the pleasure of pre- senting him a few Concords and Dianas, and he became satisfied that his was really no great thing after all ! For the Neic Eni;land Farmer. ENTOMOLOGICAL. Mr. Editor : — Some time since I sent you specimens of an insect new to me, or at least rare heretofore in this region. As no description of them has appeared in the Farmer, I venture to send you this, hoping that from it some profes- sional entomologist will be able to tell what they are. Length to tip of abdomen 0.25, to tip of wings 0.40 long. Antennir, black, hairy, erect, four jointed, 0.50 long. Head, small, brownish-black ; eyes, small, brown; thorax, brownish-black, slight- ly hairy, 0.10 long; wings four, hairless; fore wings brownish-black, purplish in sun, transparent ; veins at base, whitish, black at tip ; conforming to abdomen, to tip of same, concealing hind wings; then erect, the under sides touching, 0.30 long ; hind wings white, veins black, 0.15 long ; legs, six, three jointed, hairy, brown ; tip, with a single stout claw, 0.25 long ; abdomen, conical, black, somewhat hairy, encircled by eight pale yellow bands from thorax to tip of abdomen. Found mainly upon the trunk and large limbs of many kinds of trees ; only seen this year between Aug. 8th and 2Gth ; then very numerous, coming and disappearing almost at the times named. Are they a new enemy added to the already frightful list, or are they useful ? s. A. N. Georgetown, Mass. Remarks. — We received the insects sent by "S. A. N.," and some of the same from one or two other sources. They were quite numerous upon our a])ple trees, clustering close together, and upon approaching, or touching them, would rapidly diverge in every direction like the rays of a star, and in a few moments return and cover a spot not larger over than half a dollar. We wish to inform our obliging correspondent that we have made repeated application to such entomologists as we have access to, in order to learn the name and habits of the insects he sent us, but as yet without success. Rhubarb Wine. — A correspondent of the Prairie Farmer who attended the State Fair of Wisconsin, says, the several specimens of pie-plant wine which we tasted were really delicious, whole- some, and much better than any "boughten" wine we get — even surpassing the best currant wine. Agricultural Reports of California. — The Editor of the California Farmer complains round- ly of this State publication. "The presswork is miserable, and when we come to examine the matter, we find it worse. The work abounds in errors, which are a disgrace to any printer, proof- reader, or editor," &c., &c. For the New England Farmer. FLOWING -WITHOUT CONSEINT. Mr. Editor : — One of the most important pe- titions for legislative action before the last Gen- eral Court, it seems to me, was that in relation to the flowing of the Concord and Sudbury river meadows. The whole course of action upon this matter, and the final disposition of it, was looked upon with deepest interest by many persons not immediately connected with the petitioners, who are subject, like them, to similar or even greater evils, from a like cause, and equally anxious for some enactment by which property so exposed may bo preserved from ruin. Now, as no final action upon the matter was had before the adjournment of the Court, would it not be well to call a public meeting, at some con- venient place, of all persons throughout the State, whose lands are affected by flowing, as are those on the Concord and Sudbury rivers, for the pur- pose of consultation and concert of action with reference to some measures for general protection and benefit ? The existing law, giving to mill owners the right to flow any lands, under certain conditions, is, I believe, a part of the old Colonial law of Massachusetts, enacted for the encouragement of saw and grist mills in the neighborhood of settle- ments, at a time when such conveniences were of the greatest importance. It could never have been intended to empower the immense manufacturing corporations of the present day to avail them- selves of a privilege which is manifestly ruinous to the property of so many farmers and land own- ers in the Commonwealth. Nor could it have been anticipated that the grant of such a privilege would become so detrimental, as it is now known and acknowledged to be, to the public health, where large bodies of meadow land are annually flowed in this way. We have the testimony of medical men to facts in relation to this matter, which are of serious importanse to the public. And we have been told by counsellors of the highest authority, that the existing law in this Commonwealth, in relation to the flowing of lands by mill owners, is essentially diff"erent from that in almost every other State, and much less favorable to land owners. \n common with many others, I should be glad, Mr. Editor, if you and others interested in tho subject, would consider my suggestions, and if it is thought advisable, that a public meeting be called as early as possible, before the approaching session of the General Court. Norfolk. Nov. 12, 1860. Remarks. — We are glad to receive and publish this communication, and to learn that the Norfolk county people are looking to their true interests in this important matter. "Middlesex," we do not doubt, will respond to a call by "Norfolk," to hold a public discussion of this matter. Now is the time, while the weather is favorable, to bring out a large collection — and the time to prepare matters for the coming Legislature. The inhabi- tants of Concord river valley, and those of Nor- folk county, have already spoken, and those of other localities, we know, are preparing to do the 1861. NEW ENGLAND FAE:MER. 21 same. The curse of flowing a man's land without his consent, rests heavily upon many of the citi- zens of Massachusetts. That curse must be re- moved, and we earnestly hope that every farmer in the State, at least, will help on the good work. Let us hear from Norfolk soon, and give notice of a public meeting. For the New England Farmer. EXPLAlJJ-ATIOJSrS ABOUT SHINGLING. Mr. Editor : — Your correspondent wishes me to be more explicit as to mv mode of shingling. I will try. After laying the first course, I line with red chalk. Then I whitewash down to the line, or a little lower. I do not intend to put a nail more than one inch from the centre of the shingle. If the shingle is more than four inches wide, I put two nails in it and I do not intend to drive the nails down so as to sink the heads. I do not care how the nails are placed if more than one is used, whether one above the other, or side by side; but if side by side, not more than two inches apart. If the roof is boarded up and down, be sure that both nails — if you put in two — are driven into the same board. I have never been troubled with the snow blowing in through the roof, although I lay the roof as open as I can, and have good nailing for the shingles. After I have shingled I whitewash the whole roof. My object in putting the nails near the middle of the shingle is, if the shingle is dry to keep it from huffing, and if the shingle is wet or green, to keep it from splitting. I am speaking of wide shingles. My object in not driving the nail quite down is, to hold up the butt of the next shingle so that there will be a free circulation of air. If we were to sow a coat of slaked lime or fine salt, or both, over the roofs of our buildings once in two or three years, it would add greatly to the time the shingles would last. I like to have my whitewash made with brine, or salt put into it. Your correspondent proposes to run a straight edge. I have tried that, but you do not see as readily whether you are breaking joints well with it, as you do with a line. ASHES ABOUT YOUNG APPLE TREES. Now is the time to put ashes around j'oung ap- ple trees exposed to mice in the winter. About a half a shovel full piled up around the body of a tree has always been a sure preventive to mice girdling them even when set by the side of a wall. Ed. Emerson. Jlollis, N. H., Nov. 12, 1860. Agricultural Implements. — The Country Oentleman notices the fact that the official tables of our exports published at Washington, throw no light upon the value of agricultural implements sold to other countries ; for, strange as it may seem, while they descend to such items as 'print- ing presses," "candles," and "combs," — plows, horse-powers and hoes are left in the heterogene- ous mass of "manufactures of iron," or "manu- factures of wood." For the New England Fariner. SUGAB AND SUGAR-MAKING. I have a camp on a side hill, 30 by 40 feet, with a wall on one side about 12 feet high. A cement cistern is situated in the bank above the camp by which the read passes. I have two haul- ers, or tubs, holding twenty-five IC quart pails full each, with an India-rubber hose, one and three-fourths inches in diameter, connected with each hauler by a cast iron tube, made for the pur- pose. While gathering, I hook the other end on top of the hauler. I drive by the side of the cis- tern and let down the hose and the haulers are soon emptied through a strainer into the cistern. A one-inch lead pipe leads from the bottom of the cistern, through the wall, over the top of a caul- dron kettle, with a faucet to draw sap out when needed, and also for filling. There is also a self- acting faucet of my own contrivance, which keeps the kettle just so full. There are three arches, with four pans, all passing around the cauldron to one chimney. The cauldron sets so as to have the sap 12 inches higher than the sap in the pans. I use a syphon made of half-inch pipe, running from the cauldron to each pan, with the same self-acting faucet attached to each, that keeps tho pans at the desired height all the time while boil- ing. After heating in the cauldron, I use the gal- vanized pans to syrup down and sugar ofi" in. I have a crane to which is attached an apparatus for raising the pans on a level, so that I can easi- ly take off" the syrup without putting out the fire. But the greatest advantage is in sugaring off". I usually sugar about sixty pounds at a time. When I first put in my syrup I build a good fire which will not need replenishing. As the sugar advances from one stage to another, I commence raising the pans from the arch, say four inches, then twelve inches or twenty-four inches, accord- ing to the fire, so there is no danger of burning, for a cool breeze of air will pass freely under the pan. I can then swing it off" and let it down on to the floor, where I use a tray 2 feet by 6 feet, and a new hoe for stirring. My sugar land is mostly level, and I tap 1100 trees. I should pre- fer galvanized pans, 2 feet 2 inches by 5 feet 10 inches, in one sheet. If any one wishes for more information I will freely give it. MOWING MACHINES, ETC. I bought one of Ketchum's mowers, the past season, and am well satisfied with it. I shall fix it so as to cut my grain next year. I use a one- horse power for threshing, also a circular saw, and I attached last June, what is called the lazy man's saw, on a new plan. It runs on a level and works well. It also runs a grater for making cider. I grate from ten barrels to fifteen barrels per hour. Also, I lead my horse in and wash every week. I can do a common washing for five or six persons in from twenty to forty minutes ; I do not mean boiling and rinsing. It does not wear the clothes, though wristbands and collars need some rubbing. I am one for improvements. Sutton, Vt., Nov., 1860. Erastus Wat. Large Cheese. — A cheese weighing 1,620 lbs. was exhibited at the Wisconsin State fair. 22 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. Jan. For the Neic England Farmer. THE BIRDS OP NEW ENGLAND — No. 7. OWLS. American Barn Owl— Cinereous Owl— Barred Owl— Long-Eared Owl— Short-Eared Owl. The American Barn Owl, (Strix Americana, And.,) is found throughout the United States, and is seen as far north as the 44th degree of latitude, but, according to DeKay, is more par- ticularly a southern species, and is observed to be quite common in the Southern States, where it is resident. It so closely resembles the Barn Owl of Euro])e, (Sfrix Jlammea,) that it was former- ly described as identical with it, and accordingly the history of both species was blended together. Its favorite food is meadow mice, and other small quadrupeds, swallowing them nearly whole, and afterwards expelling by the mouth, in small, dry balls, the hair, bones, and the other indigestible portions ; this practice prevailing throughout the Owl tribe. The favorite places of resort of this Owl are hollow trees, in which it doubtless breeds ; and it is sometimes found reposing in old barns ; hence, probably, the origin of its name. Its European congener is famed for making old ru- ined castles, towers and churches its favorite haunts, from whence its savage cries at night give, to many minds, a cast of supernatural horror to those venerable, decaying piles of antiquity. The length of this species is fifteen inches ; breadth of wings, three feet, eight inches ; the disk of radiating feathers around the eyes is re- markably concave and extended, rendering the physiognomy of this bird more remarkable than that of any other night-bird ; whole upper parts bright tawny yellow, variegated with oblong spots of white, and finely sprinkled with whitish and pale purple ; lower parts white, interspersed with blackish spots. The Great Grey Owl, or Cinereous Owl, {Si/rnium cinereum, Aud.,) though one of the largest and most formidable of the Owls, is but little known in this part of the country, it chiefly residing in Labrador, and around Hudson's Bay, occasionally retiring southward in the severe weather of winter, visiting us at rare intervals, but is probably more common in the northern parts of New England. Only one or two instan- ces are recorded of its having been taken in this State. It is described as common in the deso- late northern regions of the eastern continent. It constructs its nest in the tallest trees, usual- ly selecting evergreens. This Owl is thirty inch- es in length, and four feet in alar extent ; color, grayish-brown, variegated with grayish-white on the upper parts, and with yellowish-white below. Like all the species of Owls yet described, it is destitute of eai--tufts, or "horns." The Barred Owl, {Si/rnmm ncbtdosum, Aud.,) the American representative of the Tawny Owl of Europe, (>S7rtxsJO PKESEKV3 BE3F AND HAM. Will you, or some of your correspondents, give a receipt for curing beef so that it will be as sweet next summer as that put up by the Philadelphia packers ? N. s. c. West Tishury, Nov., 1860. Another. — I would like to know if you, or any of your subscribers, can give me directions for salting beef, to have it keep through the summer. By so doing you would much oblige H, G. Goodrich. St. Albans, Vt., Nov., 1860. Remarks. — We have selected the following and submitted them to a notable housewife, who pronounces them good. SALTING BEEF FOR SUMMER USE. 16 qts. of salt, and 4 oz. of saltpetre, for each 100 lbs beef. Rub the pieces all over with salt, and pack it in edgewise, and after a layer is completed, take an axe or maul and pound down solid. Then sprin- kle on a little saltpetre and fill up all interstices with salt, and so on until the cask is full. Those who do not like saltpetre may onait it without in- jury to the meat. Mr. A. Wanzer, who communicated this recipe to the Albany Cultivator, says he has salted his beef in this way for fifteen years, that it needs no soaking before boiling, and will be tender and sweet the year round. By this way of salting it makes its own brine, and never wants repacking, nor the brine scalding. If the brine should not cover it in the spring, sufficient may be added for that purpose. Take a barrel and turn it up over an old pan or kettle, and burn cobs or hard wood for seven or eight days, keeping water on the head of the bar- rel to prevent its drying. Make a pickle as follows : — 6 oz. of saltpetre, 2 qts. of molasses, 3 gallons of v>^ater, for each 100 lbs. of ham. Boil and skim the pickle thus prepared. Pack the ham in the barrels, and when the pickle is cold, pour it on to the meat, and in four weeks it will be excellent, very tender and well smoked. Another. — Make a pickle as follows : — 5 pts. of molasses, 5 oz. of saltpetre, and 3 gallons of water, for each 100 lbs. of beef or ham. Boil these over a gentle fire, and skim off the scum as it rises. Pack hams with the shank end downward, and when the pickle is cool pour it over them or the beef. They will require to lay in the pickle from two to six weeks, according to the size of the pieces and the state of the weath- er— as they require to lay in the pickle longer if the weather is cold. THE PUTRIDITY OP ■WELLS. An article the Homestead of a week or two since, in regard to the restoration of ^Ir. Snow's well, which had become putrid, recalls to mind an experience of our own in curing a similar trouble. We had a well of beautiful water, soft and cool, which all at once began to taste and smoll as if the dead body of some animal were undergoing the decaying process in it. We gave it a thorough examination by the aid of the looking-glass, but could discover nothing. We descended to the v/ater, but found no animal or vegetable matter in a putrid condition, and we were forced to the conclusion that the water was of itself putrid. Having reached this conclusion, we set our wits at work to devise a remedy ; we remembered that only still water became thus aff"ected, and that run- ning water never became so. We thought the rea- son of the continued purity of the latter must be because of its continued agitation bringing all its particles continually in contact with the atmo- spheric air when it absorbed the oxygen to the necessary degree for reinvigoration of any proper- ty lost in sustaining its teeming, infinitesimal life. Upon this thought we based our action and rem- edy. We hired a man to work thoroughly the chain pump in the well, working with all his might for two hours, during which time he scarce- ly diminished the de])th of the water. It was not longer than twenty-four hours before the water was as sweet and good as ever. We believe that it was the thorough agitation of the water by pumping, extending to the very bottom of the well, that effected the cure. Again, we now have a cistern filled with rain- water from the roof, which passes through a filter in reaching the cistern. A week ago the water in the cistern became putrid, tasting and smelling, we can't tell how bad. We remembered the ex- periment with the well, and the supposed reason of its cure ; so we procured a long pole, and thor- oughly stirred it up, agitating the water as much as possible, perhaps working at the job fifteen m.inutes. In twenty-four hours the water was sweet and wholesome again. These facts in our experience lead us to the conclusion that Mr. Snow's well, an account of the restoration of which has led us to pen this ar- ticle, was purified more by the agitation of the water by the bag of charcoal being pulled up and down in it, than by any influences of the coal it- self.— Homestead. Straw Work. — The California Farmer con- gratulates the women of that State on the recent introduction of the Nonpareil wheat, from the straw of v/hich the famous Italian straw bonnets are made, known as Tuscan straw, and predicts that "tens of thousands of dollars now sent out of the State for straw bonnets will be given to our own women for labor." 36 NEW ENGLAND I^AUAIEK. Jan. For the New England Fanner. PBEMIUMS AT AGKICULTUKAIi FAIRS. WHAT THEY SAID UPOX THIS SUBJECT AT THE CONCOED farmers' CLUB. James P. Brown said the man who presents some new and useful plant or implement, or who takes pains to raise and train a fine animal, should receive the premium, and be encouraged, rather than one v.ho obtains something accidentally. The man who has, with great care and pains, raised a pair of oxen, and got them well broken, should be rewarded, rather than one who has been to Brighton and found a good pair ready for work. There has been good reason for complaint in this particular. In too many instances, the man who can tell the largest story gets the prize. Full statements in writing should be required. It might be well that they should be made under oath. The whole process by which any article or animal has been produced should be stated, so that others may be benefited. He has known in- stances in which a good deal of deception has been practiced. Sometimes, men have bought ar- ticles and exhibited them for premiums. This is wrong. The man that would do this should be debarred from ever taking a premium afterward. When a premium is offered for the best managed farm, full statements should be required of the various crops raised, with the methods of cultiva- tion, and an exact account of family expenses. Mr. A. H. Wheeler said premiums are now withheld from many objects to which they were formerly given, as orchards and farms. There are not premiums enough given to encourage the in- vention and perfection of agricultural implements, as plows, mowing machines, &c. Premiums might be profitably given for crops raised in different ways. A premium for the greatest number of pounds of grass on an acre, at one or two crops, would stimulate effort. Premiums should be given for the best dairy, rather than for the best cow. Statements should shov/ the income of the dairy, and the process of making the butter and feeding the cows. He has an idea that premiums ai-e sometimes given to the man, rathsr than to the article exhibited. He does not think the object of the State, in giving $600, to bo awarded in pre- miums, was to favor individuals. He thinks that, at plowing matches, premiums have been awarded for the work done by a certain plow, rather than for the best plowing. E. Wood, Jr., said it was impossible for com- mittees to satisfy all competitors. The Trustees appointed the best men they could get, on com- mittees. They must take men from different towns. He was present at the last meeting of the Trustees of our County Society, and he knew that pains were taken to put the best men on the com- mittees. INIany think that injustice is done them, because they do not get the premiums. The Trus- tees would be glad to give more premiums, if they had funds. He thinks premiums should be given on farms. This would give opportunity to make valuable statements, and would afford a basis on which to make a report. The Secretary could not make an interesting report without statements. If $25 or $50 were offered as pre- miums on farms, it would bring out statements on farm management, on draining, manures, &c., that would be worth more than anything else. Such statements would be the first things the far- mers would read. He had been looking over the Essex county rcpoi't, and found valuable state- ments on farms, sheep and root crops. Our Soci- ety is losing ground by not paying attention to these subjects. The society above referred to, re- ports more than thirty bushels of wheat to the acre. He believes these reports to be honest. He is sorry the premiums for spadiug have been discontinued. This was an interesting part of the show, and it is an important farm operation, especially among trees. One-horse mowing machines will come in- to use, and premiums should be offered to en- courage them. Why should not the man M'ho makes the largest quantity of good manure from the least stock have a premium ? We do not make as much manure as we might. He carts in- to his cellar a great deal of material to absorb the liquid m.anure. But to-day, he easily found two hogsheads full of urine. A premium should be offered for the best management of manure. The President, Minot Pratt, said he had some- times thought the statement should be the sub- ject of the premiums rather than the article. He inquired if making the show popular should be the object aimed at ? If so, horses would draw better than anything else. E. Wood said if we had a large track, the trotting and racing of horses would attract more attention than all other things exhibited. He thought the track of the Middlesex Society was just right. The Secretary, Dr. Reynolds, said premiums should be given to encourage those things that need encouragement. At the present time, the raising of wheat, the renovating of exhausted pas- ture lands, the best methods of feeding milch cows, upland draining, the best modes of apply- ing manures, and the kinds of manure for partic- ular crops, are among the subjects demanding at- tention. Objects that no longer required encour- agement might be dropped, and the premiums offered for those that do need it. The offer of pre- miums would awaken attention to the subjects for which they were offered. He thought this principle should always be kept in view, in offer- ing premiums. He had observed that some men wanted premiums offered for such things as they raised in high perfection, as they would then have a good chance to get them. He understood that the State offered premiums to improve agricul- ture in those particulars in which it is deficient, and not to encourage those branches that do not need it, that are now nearly or quite perfect. Pre- miums were offered for foreign stock to impove the breed of stock, because it needed it, and it was believed that it might be improved. They offered premiums for ])lowing, to improve the plows and the modes of tillage. They offered premiums for fruit, to improve the kinds and increase the quantity, and this had been the eflect of them. There had been a great improvement in all these respects. If we had arrived at a good degree of perfec- tion in these and other branches of husbandry for which premiums had been given, we should now attend to other things in which improvement was more needed. We should not continue to give pre- miums merely because they have been given, but should vary them from time to time, so as to call the attention of the farmers to those things that are falling behind, or to which it is believed they 1861. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 37 might profitably give more attention. He had ob- served in the report of many of the county socie- ties that premiums were given for objects that were entirely neglected in this county, such as farms, sheep, field crops, soiling, manures, and many others. These subjects enabled committees to make reports that embodied their experience and observation, and were of great value. He thought a committee to visit farms, if they were the right men, would do more to add members to the society, and to awaken an interest in agricul- ture, than the amount of money required to pay their expenses would do in any other way. In- deed, he believed money expended for this object was the best investment the society could make. The Trustees of our societies should inquire every year, what particular department of agricul- ture needed special attention. When the recep- tion of premiums became amere matter of money- making, the object for which they were designed was no longer secured. THE COTTAGE TJNDBR THE HILL. No lordly elm trees are swaying there ; But the rustic oak and the cedt r fair, That grow by the winding rill, Their tall heads wave on the summer air, O'er the cottage under the hill. The robin loves at the twilight hour. Ere he flitteth away to his resting bower. His evening song to trill ; And the wild bee sings from the violet flower, By the cottage under the hill. The wild vine hangs from the moss roof low ; And always with a motion sweet and slow, As over the grass so still The western zephyrs softly blow, By the cottage under the hill. When the shades of night creep o'er the lea. Three prattlers group round a strong man's knee, And their eyes with weepini; fill, As he telle' h of her who sleeps under the tree, By the cottage under the hill. No gold or silver are stored within. But a crowned monarch would sigh to win The peace so holy, still, That bodeth far from the court of sin. In the cottage under the hill. Wheat in New Hampshire. — From the Journal of Agriculture we publish the following paragi'aph in relation to the growth of wheat in the vicinity of old Dartmouth. "Col. Culver, of Lyme, has grown on six acres of fall sown wheat, 180 bushels, and on three spring sown, 120 bushels. The Town Farm, in Hanover, on a field of six acres, produced 226 bushels. John D. Bridgeman raised, on a little less than two acres, 96 bushels ; and Elijah Ten- ney. East Hanover, from three bushels seed, on 2% acres of soil, grew 125 bushels of nice spring wheat." Cost of Marketing. — Gov. Kirkwood, of Iowa, in an address at the Muscatine County Fair, stated that it cost him about 20 per cent, to mar- ket his beeves ; 40 per cent, on wheat, 60 on corn and 4 per cent, on wool. POOR MILKERS DRY UP COWS. The great importance of having cows properly milked is very forcibly illustrated by the facts stated in the following article, copied from the Boston Cultivator : When I first commenced farming, I milked all my cows with my own hands ; and the result was, that no one in the town could boast of having made more butter, according to the number of cows, than we. I well remember of having a very noble cow for milk, which would fill a twelve-quart pail twice a day ; and that a friend while visiting us was anxious to milk her. As I was well aware of the bad results of permitting a poor milker to milk cows that are accustomed to be milked by one faithful, regular hand, I unwillinghj consent- ed that he might milk her. The result was that he obtained about one-quarter less milk, than she was accustomed to give ; and although I tried, faithfully to draw more milk, after he had finished milking, my efforts were in vain ; and it was sev- eral days before I could obtain from her the amount which she had been accustomed to give. My manner of milking was to milk as fast as possible, until a cow was milked entirely clean. I was obliged, at one time, to stop milking for only a few minutes, and I found that the cow had drawn up her milk, and I could not get it that evening. His manner of milking was very slow and easy ; and after he had been milking about as long as I was accustomed to be in milking her, she withheld the remainder, and nothing that I have ever heard of, would induce her to let it down again. This taught me the importance of employing one steady regular hand at milking. In the seasons of 1858 and 1859, my wife com- plained very much, when I did not superintend the milking, that we did not get near as much milk as when I was there to attend to it. Of course I could not always be there, at milking times. — Then the milking would devolve on a young man in my employ, who conld milk as well and as quickly as myself, when he had a mind to do it. But as he had inherited almost every characteris- tic of the human race, but the faculty of j^leasing, or of trying to please, or of making himself agree- able, even in the society of cows, when I was not there, for the slightest offence he would fall out with the cows and beat thein, and have them all in commotion. Then, of course, they would not give down their milk ; for a cow has complete control of it, and she will not give it to a being that she hates. All that could be said to him about being gentle with them, and milking fast while he did milk, and keeping his finger nails cut short, &c., had no more good influence than this communication will have on hundreds of other boys in their boyhood, who think they will make cows and everything else obey their commands. In the spring of 1859, my wife insisted that I should do the milking. I attended to it as long as was expedient, and then told this young man that he must attend to the milking and try to do it right, and to have no difficulty with the cows. Well, in less than two days, my wife said, "What is the matter with the cows, that we get only about half as much milk as usual ?" The truth on the subject is, cows know much 38 NEW ENGLAND EAEMER. Jan. more than some persons think they do ; and they ■will not love a milker v.ho has nothing lovely about him, and who will not treat them kindly ; and they will give him as little of their milk as possible. S. Edwards Todd. Lake Ridge, Tomp. Co., N. Y. For the New England Farmer. HO"W TO SAVE MONEY. IMr. Editor: — I thought I would solve the mystery of money-getting on a ft\rm for a woman, and enlighten the mind of Miss Sallie. She says, by her own exertions she has partly managed to get an education for herself, and now inquires how she can earn money. I am somewhat sur- prised at such an inquiry from her, but neverthe- less will try to elucidate the point. In the fivst place she must have prudence and industry, witliout which she cannot get money off or on a farm, as money in the hands of a spend- thrift is of no account. My own experience in living on a farm is to the point. When a mere child I had money to loan that I had earned. My father had a large family that I helped to bring up. I had not only money enough for my own but other's comforts, all out of my earnings. Sallio says she has part- ly educated herself; that is very well ; the ex- penses of a school education were mere trifles to me. For twenty years last past I have lived in a city ; but now I am on a farm laid up with a frac- tured limb by being thrown from a carriage. It is more than a year since the accident, and I cannot now take a step ; but since I have been able to sit up, I have earned plenty of money by merely braiding palm leaf hats at four cents apiece. I have bought all I want, and scarcely know what to with the surplus. Industi-y and prudence well carried out will work wonders. I often see, as 1 sit by my win- dow, a woman riding in her own carriage, which was bought by palm-leaf hats made by herself at four cents apiece ! What does Sallie think of that ? Prudence and industry startle young America. She must have instead the skating- park and the race-course, where the young woman prepares herself for a wife and mother Avith sprained ankles and perverted tastes. A Farmer's Daughter. N. H., Nov., 1860. An Old Apple Tree. — At the late exhibition of the Hartford County Horticultural Society, a basket of apples from Mr. D. F. Robinson bore the following label : "Enr/lish Peamain from Charter Oak Place. — The tree from which these apples were gathered is said to have been planted by George Willys, the original proprietor of the estate, about 224 years ago. Though tottering, it has yet strength — trembling at once with energy and age. New, but vigorous branches, amid a few withered hands that still stretch out, continue to shoot from its dilapidated trunk, as if it hated to yield its life, and clung, monument and memorializer of the sturdy hands that planted it.'' For the New England Farmer. HABITS OF THE "WOODPECKER. Much has been published recently in the agri- cultural, and other papers, in relation to the mer- its and demerits of the woodpecker. None of them come quite up to my impressions on the subject. Did the woodpecker confine its opera- tions to the seat of the borer, near the roots of the apple tree, there could bo no doubt of the merits of its labor. It may be that, sometimes, in search for the worm, sad havoc is made on the bark and wood, but generally their billing and boring cannot but be beneficial. But the bird does not confine its labor to the seat or retreat of the worm. It per- forates the smooth bark of the tree in a succes- sion of rings from the ground up, into and among the branches. The closest scrutiny cannot dis- cover any traces of worms in or about the holes in these rings. It used to be said, and may be so still, that these birds are sap-suckers, and that these perforations are made to extract sap from the tree. It has been said that these woodpeckers or sap- suckers select the bodies of the sweet apple tree as affording the most acceptable juice. The facts, as I have investigated them, do not warrant such conclusion. It is true, the bird makes selection of the tree it operates upon, but I could never discover that it had any connection with the char- acter of the fruit it bears. Watch the labors of the bird, and you cannot discover any appearance of its tasting the sap if any ooze from the wounds. It drills the holes an inch, more or less, apart, with diligent haste, without stopping to suck sap or search for worms. Sometimes it appears to be a mere amusement of the bird, and with no ob- ject in view. Probably, however, it is obeying an instinct of the species to make holes for the use of the insects for the deposit of their eggs, and for the future feasting on the grubs by the provi- dent depredator. Such was the opinion impressed upon me in ray boyhood ; and in my youthful sports many woodpeckers found their death in obedience to instruction to save the orchard. The instinct of birds is a curious speculation, and many of their doings are difficult to account for. The oi'dinary acts of woodpeckers, in ex- ploring old trees for their daily food, are mere business transactions ; but when they perch on the top of some dead, dry and sound tree, and hammer and drum upon it for a long period, lean hardly determine its object, whether for its own amusement or that of its mate's, or any other ob- ject, I know not. It may be instinctively a trial of its power and skill, both in its drumming on the dead tree and the perforations of the body of the green apple tree. It does not, however, con- fine its operations on the apple tree, but attacks in the same manner many trees of the forest. The bird is becoming scarce, and does but little mis- chief to what it did sixty years ago. RuFus McIntire. Parsonsfield, Maine, Nov., 1860. Composition of Apples. — Every one will un- derstand that the various sorts of apples differ much in composition, yet, in an average condi- tion, 100 lbs. of fresh apples contain about 3.2 lbs. of fiber, 0.2 lbs. of gluten, fat and wax, 0.16 1861. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 39 of caseine, 1.4 of albumen, 3.1 of dextrine, 8.3 of sugar, 0.3 of malic acid, 82.6G of water. Beside the above mentioned bodies, the apple contains a small quantity of tannic and gallic acid, most in the russets. To these acids apples owe their astringency of taste, and the blackening iron or steel instruments used to cut them. The percent- age of ash in apple is small, yet it is rich in phosphoric and sulphuric acids, potash and soda. The ury matter of melons contains quite a large percentage of albumen, caseine, sugar and dex- trine, with a small quantity of acid. PATEISTT OFFICB EEPOB.TS — 1859. AGRICULTURE. In his introductory note to this volume, Com- missioner Bishop compliments the national gov- ernment on the results of its patronage of agri- culture, and offers his recommendation for its fu- ture action in the following terms : It is nov/ about twelve years since Congress adopted the system of malung annual appropria- tions for agricultural purposes. Previous to this time, there seemed to be but little progress made by the people in this branch of our national in- dustry- Agricultural newspapers were then in their infancy, while agricultural societies were scarcely known or heard of. The attention paid by Congress to this subject seems to have awak- ened the people to its importance. It has stimu- lated inquiry, encouraged nev/ experiments, and to such an extent has the public mind been excit- ed, that agricultural societies have been formed and are now in successful operation in nearly every county and State throughout the Union. Newspapers entirely devoted to agriculture are published in nearly every State, and at prices which place them v.'ithin the reach of all. Enter- prising men in all the principal cities have estab- lished agricultural warehouses, where varieties of seeds, plants and cuttings, from foreign lands, as well as from different sections of our ov/n coun- try, can be purchased upon reasonaljle terms. More recently, a national agricultural society has been established, which will undoubtedly prove valuable as a medium of communication between the various county and State societies. Indeed, so thoroughly have the public become im- pressed with the importance and necessity of pay- ing more strict attention to improvements in ag- riculture, that it may well be doubted Avhether anythmg Congress may do can give an additional impetus to the movement. If, therefore, It is the desire of Congress to continue the appropriation for agricultural pur- poses, I would recommend that it be limited sole- ly to the collection of valuable information for the agricultural report and the collection and dis- tribution of such varieties of foreign seeds, plants and cuttings, as have not heretofore been intro- duced into this country. We believe, with the Commissioner, that the people are pretty well awakened to the impor- tance of agriculture ; but we do not agree with him In the opinion that such awakening is, in any considerable degree, the result of Congressional "appropriations" or "attentions." In our opinion it is doing full justice to Con- gress to say that our government has followed, not led, in this movement. While we admit that agricultural newspapers and agricultural societies have greatly increased, we should not be willing to affirm that the first was in its infancy, or the last "scarcely known or heard of" only twelve years ago ! But we do net intend at this time to discuss the subject. We are disposed to give Congress credit for all it has done, and for its good intentions for the future, which we hope will prove to be more liberal than the recommenda- tions of the Commissioner seem to indicate. That the government which claims to have given such an "impetus" to this great leading branch of our national industry, should now limit its efforts '^solely to the collection of valuable information for the Agricultural Report, and the collection and distribution of such varieties of foreign seeds, plants and cuttings, as have not heretofore been introduced into this country," appears to us not to be in character with the progressive spirit of the age and country in which we live. Especial- ly would It seem that something more ought to be done, when It Is remembered that our govern- ment Is even now obliged to communicate with the agricultural world through a "Patent Of- fice Report." The agricultural interests of this nation tucked into a corner of the Patent Office ! But we are sadly digressing. We commenced with the purpose of writing a simple "book no- tice" of the volume whose title heads this article. About one-fourth of the Report for 1859 is oc- cnpled by an account of the Government Experi- mental and Propagating Garden at Washington ; a Historical Sketch of the U. S. Agricultural So- ciety ; several articles on American Grapes and their wine-producing qualities ; and a minute ac- count of the productions of the Ionian Islands and Italy. In the latter paper, some rather curious mat- ters are mentioned. Sumac is cultivated near Pa- lermo. The same soil will not bear this plant a second time, unless cropped by something else for twenty years, nor is it then so good as land on which it has never been grown. Workmen employed in a mill for grinding sumac, and who breathe an air filled with particles of Its dust, are remarkably healthy, and were particularly ex- empt from cholera. In Sicily, good cows give only from four to six quarts of milk per day. The native sheep are small and scraggy. The ewes, which are milked regularly, give about half a pint per day. A one year old hog weighs, if fed on acorns, one hundred and tw'enty pounds ; a two- year old, one hundred and eighty pounds. The usual rent of land for corn, Szc, averages about one dollar and seventy-five cents per acre. The 40 NEW ENGLAND FAKMER. Jan. orange and lemon orchards rent higher. The la- borer receives about twenty cents per day. Two- thirds of the island belong to the church, and such is the policy of government that tenants take no interest in improving the land, and con- tent themselves Avith a bare subsistence. FERTILIZERS. The Hon. Thos. G. Clemson next fills some for- ty pages with a dissertation on "Fertilizers." The picture which he draws of the future of our agri- culture is rather gloomy. "Farm as you may, upon the majority of soils, without the use of extraneous fertilizers, your crops will certainly diminish until total impover- ishment shall leave no other alternative than starvation or emigration. . . . Exhaustion is but an affair of time ; knowing the amount of nu- triment in the soil, we may make an approximate calculation, and decide when, under different modes of treatment, it will work sterility." — pp. 172-3. Of the elements of fertility he regards phospho- rus the most important, the most liable to loss, and the most difficult to be procured. "There can be no civilization without popula- tion, no population without food, and no food without phosphoric acid. Indeed it might be ea- sily shown that the march of civilization has fol- lowed the direction of supply of that article." — p. 172. For all the other substances essential to fertili- ty he thinks farmers need feel comparatively lit- tle anxiety, as they abound in earth, rocks, air and water. So indeed does phosphoric acid, but not in the same profusion as the other substances, and the amount returned from the barn-yard is in- finitely less than that carried away from the soil in grain, hay, milk, bone and flesh, "even on the most economically regulated farms." The loss that is constantly taking place in this most essen- tial element of fertility and life is greatly deploi-ed by the writer of this paper. He mentions several ways in which this loss occurs, — among others, "the burial of the dead." "By this practice," he says, "much is entirely withdrawn from circula- tion ; for the depth at which the bodies are de- posited in the ground, is below the reach of veg- etation." Allowing four pounds of phosphorus to each individual, he makes some calculations of the amount of loss which occurs in this way. By the importation of bones, the principal fer- tilizing element of which is phosphoric acid, and other foreign fertilizers, he thinks England has attained her present prosperous condition. This importation has increased "to an enormous ex- tent during the last few years," yet as long ago as in 18;n, no less than $1,273,000 worth of bones were imported into the United Kingdom — while the home supply was estimated at $2,500,000. Directions are given for the preparation of bones, and farmers are earnestly cautioned against fraud in prepared manures, and advised to manufacture their own composts. But this essay is by no means confined to a single subject. Considerable space is given to irrigation. In this connection he makes the fol- lowing extract from Liebig : There is not to be found in chemistry a more wonderful phenomenon, and which more con- founds human wisdom, than is presented by the soil of a garden or field. By the simplest experiment, any one may sat- isfy himself that rain-water, filtered through field or garden soil, does not dissolve out a trace of potash, ammonia, silicic or phosphoric acid. The soil does not give up to the water one particle of the food of plants which it contains. The most continuous rain cannot remove from the field, ex- cept mechanically, any of the constituent ele- ments of its fertility. The soil not only retains firmly all the food of plants which is actually in it, but its power to preserve all that may be use- ful to them extends much further. If rain, or rather water, holding in solution ammonia, pot- ash, phosphoric or silicic acids, be brought in contact with the soil, these substances disappear almost immediately from the solution. The soil withdraws them from the water. Only such sub- stances are completely withdrawn by the soil as are indispensable articles of food for plants. All others remain AvhoUy or in part in solution." The action and importance of lime, marl, plas- ter, sulphate of barytes, magnesia, S:c., &c., as well as phosphorus, are fully explained and illus- trated. Drainage is left to works specially devot- ed to that important subject. In relation to the state or form in which plant food is absorbed by vegetation. Dr. Clomson says : "Plants assimilate food in a state of atomic di- vision." lie thinks the received opinion that plant food must necessarily be in a soluble state for assimilation, is contradicted by facts. "It is well known that plant vitality has the power, as it were, of corroding insoluble sub- stances, and absorbing them by the roots. Vari- eties of plants growing upon rocks contain large quantities of the substance of which the rock is composed. Such is known to be the case with lichens growing on calcareous rocks. Again, the roots of the grape-vine have been found sur- rounding, and its rootlets insinuated in every manner through, around, and enveloping a piece of bone, which finally disappears. Cutting Off Cows' Teats.— Mr. S. E. Todd, of Lake Ridge, N. Y., has removed troublesome supernumerary teats from his cows by twisting very small wire so tightly around them as to stop all circulation. In three or four weeks the teats dropped off without producing soreness in the udder, which healed in a few days. In describing his process in the Boston Cultivator, he says he fastened his cows so that they could not kick, and twisted the wire with pliers. 1861. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 41 PATENT OFFICE EEPORT FOB 1859. ^^ FEW weeks since i^£$ 'W6 gave atten- tion to some of fZs= the leading arti- ^ cles making up Ms"/ ^ this report for s^ 5lk^ the year 1859, vS^^^a^iS^J^SfJ^^s/^ tinue notices of ^_o;jy5^«3j^y some others, mj3^e3_j^^ which will be '^"-fi^^^^vi f^'vy^ found interest- ing and profita- ble. We are /m>^:t:^.>^ m'% glad to find at- tention turned ^ ^^^^^^ to the subject of Veterinary Sci- ence and Art, a science too imperfectly understood by our people, considering the progress that has been made in other departments of our agricultural pursuits, and hope for new light that may enable us to treat the diseases of our animals in a more ra- tional way. VETERINARY SCIENCE AND ART. There are three articles on the various branch- es of this subject, and one on the Acclimation and Domestication of Animals, which is said to be a proper object of veterinary science. Dr. B. F. Craig, of Washington, the writer of two of the above articles, makes quite a different statement of the results of medicine on the hu- man race, from that lately expressed by his broth- er Holmes, of this city. He quotes the Genevan statistics, extending from 1549 to 1833. "If we take from the Geneva tables the per- centage of the whole number born, who survive to different periods of adult or useful life, we will find it to have varied in different centuries, near- ly as follows : Of 100 Persons, there In the IQth In the In the In the lived century. \"th. ISth. 19th. To the age of 20 39 45 56 66 To the age of 30 30 37 49 59 To the age of 40 20 30 43 52 To the age of 50 14 22 35 44 To the age of 60 9 15 26 32 By this table we see that where, in the six- teenth century, nine persons lived to their sixti- eth year, thirty-two persons do so now ; and if we take the average number of survivors for all periods of adult life, it will be found to be at the present time considerably more than double what it was three hundred years ago." Having shown that medical science has done so much for the human race, the writer urges the importance of extending its benefits more gener- ally to our domestic animals. ENGLISH PLOWS AND PLOWING. Our Associate, Judge French, who visited Eng- land a few years since, gives in this article his observations and impressions on this subject, in- cluding a notice of English and American steam plows. His observations were critical, and those who are curious in this matter will do well to read the whole article with care. FARM JOURNALS. We notice this brief article by Mr. J. L. Gow, of Washington, Pa., for the purpose of repeating one of the many advantages which he enumer- ates of keeping Farm Journals : "Young men, and even children, participating in them, become more and more interested iu the matters of the farm, not only learning to Avrite, (which of itself is important,) but at the same time to express any particular subject or event in proper ideas and words, thus acquiring that hap- py faculty which, with many, is the labor of years — to write clearly and forcibly." GREEN SOILING STOCK. D. S. Curtis, Esq., of Madison, Wisconsin, furnishes an article on soiling. He says that "it can be clearly shown that the system will pay,., several times over, even in the new States, where- lands are cheap and plenty." That soiling or keeping cattle all summer in barns or yards, and feeding them on green food raised and cut for the purpose, might be adopted by some of the dairy- men near the large cities of the olden States, we have little doubt, but we think Mr. Curtis will make slow progress in convincing the stock- growers of the South and West that the system will answer with them just yet. SOME HINTS UPON FARM HOUSES. An essay, with sixteen illustrations and many more capital hits, by Samuel D. Backus, New York. Our own style of building and that of our ancestors is thus contrasted : "Indeed, it is doubtful whether, in view of the available means and opportunities of the people, the earliest houses on this continent were not better than the most recent ones. * * * xhe very abundance of our resources, and the freedom of our choice, instead of inciting to a wise dis- crimination, seem only to have developed an in- considerate lawlessness." He defines architecture to be "the construction of our buildings so as best to suit us, with the very best use of the means at hand," and not, as many suppose, "an inflexible set of rules, made by infallible authority." METEOROLOGY. Prof. Henry, of the Smithsonian Institute fur- nishes an article of some 64 pages on "Atmos- pheric Electricity." We hardly know why this paper should be headed as it is in the Patent Of- 42 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. Jan. fice Report, "Meteorology in its Connection with Agriculture," unless it is because it is published in an agricultural volume. On the efficiency of lightning-rods. Prof. Hen- ry says : "In a house properly provided with lightning- rods, however many discharges may fall upon it, we are well assured from full experience and es- tablished principles, no damage can ensue to the occupants within." The long articles on "The Construction and Arrangement of Horse Stables," and on "The Principal Plants used as Food by Man," are translations from foreign publications, which we have not space to notice. Papers on "Vegetable Fibre," and "Fish Breeding," some fifteen letters from as many United States consuls about "To- bacco," a variety of short miscellaneous articles, with a "List of Patents for Agricultural Inven- tions for 1859," must also be passed without no- tice. For the Neiv England Farmer. KEVIEW OP THE GKOWIWG SEASON. As the close of another year is approaching, it may not be unprofitable to review the progress of agricultural affairs during the season. Spring opened early and very favorably, and farmers commenced work with an apparent deter- mination to put in all the seed they could. The ground had been well frozen during the winter, and it was generally remarked that the land is seldom in so good condition for plowing. Even stiff clay soils turned up as fine as rich loams, and could be cultivated early. The 4th month was dry, and an unusally large breadth of land was sown and planted. Mean temperature of the month, 42°; depth of rain 4-5 of an inch. The 5th month was warm, and wet enough to bring vegetation forward as fast as desirable. The first week was hot, the mercury rising to 78° in the shade the 6th. Plum trees were in full bloom the 11th, pear ti'ees the 13th, and apple trees the 22d. Mean temperature, 60.18°; depth of rain 2 9-10 inches. The summer and autumn were wet, and the temp(>rature was not far from an average for a term of years. We had no drought during the season ; thunder shov.'ers were frequent, and con- siderable damage was done. The nights in the 7th month were uncommonly cool, and it was feared that corn would be injured, yet it grew well, though it is quite probable that warmer weather would have made more full-grown ears. Some sudden changes of temperature occurred. The 12th day of the Gth month the mercury fell to 44°, and the 13th it rose to 85®, a difference of 41° in about 36 hours. The mean temperature of the month was 67.09°; depth of rain 1.88 inches. The mean for the 7th month was 67.36°; depth of rain, 4.31 inches — nearly an inch above the average depth at the Toronto Observatory for the last 19 years. The 8lh month was warm, a portion of it hot, and generally favorable for harvesting. Grain ripened remarkably well, and proved to be but very little injured by the weevil. No appearance of rust in this section. Potatoes began to show signs of disease about the middle of the month. Mean temperature, 67.93°; depth of rain, 3.17 inches. Light frost appeared the 2d and 3d of the 9th month, but no damage was done. The first gen- eral frost occurred the 29th, the mercury falling to 26°, and in the morning of the 30th, it fell to 27°. A fine aurora borealis was seen on the night of the 6th. We had an unusual amount of lightning and thunder for that month. Cloudy weather and frequent rains somewhat retarded harvesting. Corn was ripe before the frost, and the crop is good. It is the universal practice here, to cut up corn as soon as there is an appearance of hard frost, and I am rather in favor of the practice, though in my boyhood I was accustomed to "top the stalks." The fodder seemed to be more pala- table to stock, than the butts from which the tops have been taken, and I believe the corn ripens equally as well. The 10th month was a very unpleasant one ; part of the time was cloudy ; indeed, we had but two clear days, and rain fell in thirteen. A great deal of buckwheat was lying in the swath at the close of the month. The 29th I saw forty acres in one field, and water was standing on a part of it. Pease were not all cut, and many fields of pota- toes were not dug. The mean temperature of the month was 48.78°; depth of rain, 3.90 inches, which is 3.39° in temperature, and 1.15 inches of rain, above the mean for the last 19 years at the Toronto Observatory. The first week in the 11th month was very warm. The mercury rose to 70° the 1st, and to 69° the 2d, in the shade. Mean for the first six days, 53|°. At this time, the 16th, the weather is fine. The temperature has not yet fallen below 26°, and though the mornings are sometimes frosty, the ground has not been frozen to any ex- tent. Harvesting is nearly completed, though some corn and buckwheat are still out. The season has been one of the most produc- tive on record. Crops of all kinds are bountiful ; nothing has failed, though hay was light. Fears were entertained with regard to potatoes, but the crop is not seriously damaged in this region. Prices for all kinds of produce are good, and farmers are in high spirits. The weather is fine, this week, and plowing is the principal business. The extremes of temperature at this place have not been as great as in some years, the minimum being 14° below zero the 5th of 1st month, and 86° the 7th of 8th month, showing a range of 100.° L. Vaexey. Bloonifield, C. W., 11 Mo., 1860. iNArrRomiATE. — A correspondent of the Ohio Cultivator, criticising the taste of a very rich man whose grounds were laid out in the most expen- sive manner, says : "A very small jjond, trimmed with bright green grass to the water's edge, had more than a lumber wagon load of great conch shells scattered around its edge. The pond was pretty, and the shells, too ; but the idea of those great shells washing out of that tiny pond on the green grass, made us all laugh." 1861. (NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 43 For the Netr England Farmer. PLAT EOOFS. Sloping roofs cannot, methinks, be much, if any, more economical than horizontal ones. We adopt in building, now, very much, the French style of roof. It must cost nearly, if not quite, as much as it would to build the walls equally high around and put on a flat roof. The upper rooms of a properly constructed flat-roofed house will be more valuable and agreeable than the attics of the best French roof. The horizontal roof affords a convenient and agreeable out-of-door place for a morning promenade and airing and view. Also for an agreeable evening sitting when it is suita- able weather, above the dust and annoyance of insects, and the gaze of the street. It is a sunny spot for the cultivation of plants and flowers. It is far more suitable in summer than the green- house for them. We are not endangered by snow slides from such roofs ; they can, without danger, be cleared of snow. But a coating of snow upon the roof saves somewhat of the fuel used in the house. The wind will remove a light or dry snow and the sun will melt away snow from this roof more speedily than from the steep roof — or the double or four-sided ones. The water from this will flow gently off" in every direction and will wear it less than steep roofs. Such style of hous- es would be pleasing to the eye with a handsome railing around its roof; supported by small iron pillars or suitable frame-work in the ceilings be- neath, it will remain firm and level. With a suit- able coating it will remain impervious to mois- ture, and can be arranged to prevent the descent of the summer's heat into the house. G. o. B. Remarks. — Thank you, sir. Roofs are expen- sive, wear away rapidly, and the best material for tnem, as well as the best mode of constructing them, are very imperfectly understood. As it would be a little inconvenient to dispense with roofs in our climate, and as most of us do not hold the key of the exchequer to reconstruct them when we please, we shall be glad if "G. O. B." will let his light illumine our pages again. The subject of farm buildings especially needs discus- sion. Shade Trees in Pastures. — Upon the first subject you mention, viz. : "Should shade trees be allowed in pasture fields ?" there may be, per- haps, two opinions, but the one most generally held is against shade, unless it is in the immedi- ate vicinity of water. The most important object to be attained in grazing, next to good and plentiful grass, is that the cattle shall be free from any disturbance what- ever, and that they shall take as little exercise as possible. In the first place, then, if the shade trees are at any distance from the water, the cat- tle will collect under them, and in hot weather will often stand there until their drinking time arrives, and then run in a body to the water, where they will push and fight for the first drink, and then run back again to the shade. I have seen them do this often. Then again, one of the greatest enemies to fat cattle is the biting-flv, which loves the shade as well as the cattle, and when the latter are huddled together under the shade, they suffer a great deal more annoy- ance and worrying than they do out in the open field. I have seen bullocks smart enough to leave the shade, and stand out in the sun all day, and they seemed to thrive better by it. If, however, a man has a stream running through his field, where the cattle can stand over their knees ip. wa- ter, let him by all means have abundant shade on the banks. His cattle can then stand, their legs protected, and whisk the water over their backs with their tails, and bid defiance to the flies. — K. W. DowNMAN, ill American Farmer. For the New England Farmer. OUR QRAWDMOTHEKS. Is it possible that "Polly" can believe what she asserts in her last article, viz : "that not one- fourth of our grandmothers could read or write ? That they were merely educated for work, to bake and brew, make and mend," while their men- tal powers were left slumbering ? Why, one would judge from "Old Spinster's" and "Polly's" statements that the ladies of a half century ago were scarcely civilized. It is true that they had not the advantages for education that we have. Ten or twelve weeks of the year at school was thought sufficient. But those few weeks were so well improved that pupils often made more pro- gress in one session, than scholars at the present time make in four. I venture to say that most ladies, fifty years ago, had a more thorough knowledge of the standard English works than young ladies of the present day, although igno- rant of many of the lighter accomplishments. Pianos they could not possess, as there were none, [few — Ed.] but the voice was not left unculti- vated ; singing schools and "Harmonic meetings" were in fashion then as now. I am satisfied, too, that they could appreciate poetry as well as good butter and fine linen. I well remember sitting by the side of our grandmother, whose head was white with the frost of age, but whose heart was all summer, — while she repeated page after page from Young's Night Thoughts. And there is a little treasure-box up stairs, containing time-yel- lowed papers, copies of poems, and letters which compare favorably with those now written. Al- though "Old Spinster" states that our grandmoth- ers were "not educated to paint," &c., I think the old-fashioned paintings upon velvet which we see in so many homes, bear witness that the love of the beautiful was not entirely dormant, and that this God-given talent was not "hid in a nap- kin." And not one girl in a hundred can embroider on cambric or silk as neatly and handsomely as did our grandmothers. We know that with all their "rude ignorance," they were the best of moth- ers. Had they been educated as mere household drudges. New England could never boast of such children as Daniel Webster, Charles Sumner, Henry Wilson, and the host of others whose names will never perish. I cannot think that "Old Spinster" really be- lieves that a woman who can barely read and write is fitted to faithfully perform life's duties. God would never bestow such intellectual gifts, if 44 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. Jan. they were always to be employed in baking, brew- ing, making and mending. Books upon the table, pictures, flowers and music all about, and we have better wives, moth- ers and sisters, and consequently, better hus- bands, fathers and brothers. Anna. W , Mass., Dec, 1860. Remarks. — Excellent. We believe in progress, but just as strongly believe that the present gen- eration has no claim to all the virtues of the pres- ent century. There is a little frost-work, or time- work, about our temples, slightly indicative of a "long time ago," in which we remember women who were as much ornaments of society as any in our acquaintance now. CARROTS. We have frequently had occasion to define the value of carrots as food for cattle, horses, etc., and, we think, have established the fact, that one acre of carrots will more than represent, in value of product, ten acres of oats, and still the amount of progressed inorganic pabulum taken from the soil by twenty tons of roots and four tons of the leaves of carrots, is as follows : Pounds. Phosphoric acid 39 Sulphuric acid 57 Lime 197 Magnesia 29 Potash 134 Soda 103 And the elements of salt 85 Total 6-14 When carrots are fed upon the farm, a large proportion of these inorganic constituents find their way back to the soil, and in so progressed a condition, that the amount parted with in the form of milk, animal flesh, etc., can readily be spared, for they are fully compensated for by the progressed condition of that portion returned to the soil, added to the consequent progression of the inorganic matters contained in the soil itself. It should not be forgotten that the carrot while growing, throws ofl" matter, which although infe- rior to the portion assimilated by the carrot, is superior in status to the condition at which it was received into the organism, and thus it is pre- pared to furnish higher results for the future. — Ud. Working Farmer. Cheap Paint. — Noticing an inquiry for a cheap paint to put on old buildings, in answer I would say I have had some experience in that line, and will give the desired information. In the first place, take some fine oil meal, mix it with cold water ; then put it on the stove, and keep stirring till it boils. Then reduce it to the desired thickness with warm water. If you wish it white, stir in whiting, or any color you like. Apply with a brush, the same as paint. It fills the pores in the wood, so that after two coats, it •will cost no more to paint an old building, than it would a new one. It penetrates the wood, and does not peel off like whitewash. It is never safe to paint over whitewash. It will last a number of 3^ears, as the oily nature of the meal keeps it from washing. — A. D., in Country Gentleman. \ CHURISriNG- MILK OR CREAM ALONE. The following report of an experiment by Mr. ZoUor, a dairyman of St. Lawrence county, is from the Transactions of our State Agricultural Society for 1^E^V EMGLAXD FARMER. 49 feet. The front door is recessed three feet, and opens into a vestibule, No. 2, six feet wide. On the left is the parlor, No. 3, 14 feet by 20, con- necting by moans of glazed folding- doors with the library. No. 4, 10 by 14 feet. On the right of the vestibule is the dining-room. No. 5, 14 feet by 16, and back of the dining-room is the kitchen. No. 6, 13 feet by 16. Between these two rooms is a passage containing cupboards for china. The kitchen is furnished with a large store-closet, and a sink, and pump. In order to economise room, we have provided but one stair- case, and have placed it in a convenient but re- tired position in the rear hall. No. 7, separated from the vestibule by a glazed door. For sleep- ing accommodation we have provided four cham- bers, with closets, and a bathing-room on the sec- . ond floor, and three chambers, and a clothing- room in the attics, making in all seven chambers; a large number for a house of this size. Construction and Cost. — Built of wood, and covered with clapboards or sheathing, (either method being more appropriate for a dwelling of this style than the vertical boarding,) the roof covered with slate, and the interior plainly fin- ished, this house would cost fi'om 3800 dollars to 4000. The first story is ten feet high, and the second nine and a half. WlifTKR Mulching. — Our New England win- ters are trying to many of our plants, shrubs, and even trees, and some of them that are highly val- ued are annually lost, either by the intensity of the cold, or by the alternation of cold and heat. Bulbs, flowering shrubs, and even young trees, such as apple, pear, peach and apricot, are killed, after being tended with care for several j'ears. This may be prevented, in many instances, by throwing around the base of the tree, and extend- ing some two or three feet from it, any coarse lit- ter, such as leaves, straw, fine chips from the door- yard, or even fine brush, such as birch, alder, or what is better, pine, hemlock or spruce branches. Nothing, however, is so good as the cleanings of the horse stable where the animals are bedded with straw. This becomes saturated with their droppings, its fibre being crushed with their feet so as to fit it for a good absorbent. When this is applied, the double purpose is served of protecting the plants and of fertilizing them by the matter which is washed out during the winter and spring rains. After the frost leaves the gi'ound, the coarse remainder may be spaded in with the most decided advantage. VENTILATIOK OF BABKS AIJD STABLES ijsr ^^7■INTES,. At this season the ventilation of stables should be well attended to, for on the approach of winter we naturally shut the doors and windows of sta- bles, and should at the same time make provision for a fair amount of ventilation. Those who can- not be induced from kindness to the animal, to make the necessary arrangements for ventilation, should at least do so as a matter of self-interest. Every animal breathes atmosphere for the purpose of abstracting oxygen from it, and when instead of this, large amounts of sulphuretted hydrogen are present, arising from decomposition of feces, gaseous exudations from the surfaces of other bodies, etc., the ox cannot maintain his existence, except by the use of a greater amount of food. He will not increase in size while breathing an impure atmosphere, while the digestion of larger amounts of food by unnatural and forced process- es, vitiates the quality of the atmosphere to be breathed, to a still greater extent. With milch cows the milk is lessened in quantity, and mate- rially deteriorated in quality. With horses the want of ventilation produces lassitude and inferi- or muscular development ; this is particularly true of young horses ; indeed, the general efi"ects on animals are such as are sufi"ered by the in- mates of badly ventilated alms-houses, prisons, etc. In making the necessary arrangements for ventilation, great attention should be paid not to create strong drafts of air, so as to reduce the tem- perature. A tube brought down from above the ceiling, communicating with the outside atmos- phere, will permit pure air to pass into the build- ing, while an opening at the level of the ceiling, and another slightly lower than the heads of the animals, will permit the heated gases to rise, as well as the gases exuded from the animals, etc., to pass out, being replaced from the first named source. Such openings, if of proper size, will not materially cool the stable. It must be remembered that when stables are at too low a temperature, a larger amount of food is required to furnish the necessary animal heat. Stables should be sup- plied with disinfecting agents underlaying the bedding, for the purpose of absorbing such gases as will come in contact with them. Charcoal dust, and many other substances which we have before enumerated, will answer this purpose. Slight dustings of Plaster of Paris are also useful, and these should find their way to the compost heap in time, and in the very best condition as food for plants. — Working Farmer. 50 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. Jan. For the New England Farmer. SOME REMAKKABLE FACTS IN RELA- TION TO CLIMATE. Compiled from Meyen for the N. E. Farmer. Alexander Humboldt connected those places which possess an equal degree of heat, by lines which ho called I.fothcrmal, from the Greek words, isos, (equal,) and theriae, (heat) — that is, lines of equal heat. As the mean temperature of dif- ferent places are exceedingly various, there must also be various isothermal lines, which are always designated by the mean temperature of the place. Observations have shown that these isothermal lines by no means run parallel to the parallels of latitude, but incline towards them, particularly in the higher latitudes, but less near the equa- tor, where they pretty nearly coincide with the parallels of latitude. In the northern hemisphere of the globe, all the eastern coasts of continents and isolated masses of land are colder than the westeim coasts of the same latitude. Thousands of observations have confirmed this phenomenon, although its ex- planation is not yet quite found out, and, there- fore, the isothermal lines frequently rise and fall. For example, Ireland, England and Belgium are countries which have the same isothermal line ; but on the eastern coast of Asia, it passes just above Pekin, which is in the same latitude as Na- ples. Canada is further south than Paris, and it nas the temperature of Drontheim. The trees ■which grow in New York — the latitude of Naples — flower at the same time as they do at Upsal. The isothermal lines do not run in straight lines, but in carves. The isothermal lines rise in their course, from the eastern coast of America towards Western Europe, but they sink again towards the south in the interior of the continent, and that so quickly, that Scotland lies in the same isothermal line as Poland, and England as Hun- gary. We find, however, that it is only near the coast that they sink so rapidly, and that it is in consequence of the great difference which was previously shown to exist between coast and con- tinental climates of the same latitudes, it is prob- able that it does not take place in the interior of large continents, but that there the isothermal lines run in a straight direction. In the interior of the New, as well as of the Old World, the isothermal lines incline towards the south. Thus if we go towards the pole in the in- terior of the two great continents, we find that the temperature decreases much more rapidly than in the interjacent seas. It is well known that for many years, attempts have been made to penetrate the frozen Arctic seas. By Behring's straits, where the voyager is constantly near the great continent, he has penetrated only a little further than 70^ north latitude ; by sailing along the American coast through Baffin's Bay, he has reached the 77th degree north latitude ; while in the open sea, in the meridians of Norway and Sweden, it is easy to sail to Spitzbergen, which lies above 81° north latitude. We thus learn that the pole is 7iot the coldest point of the earth, but that there are two poles of cold, one in the interior of each continent. But we have all seen that the mean temperature of the whole year has not so great an influence on the vegetation as the mean temperature of the diff'erent seasons, and therefore, it is still more important to know the places which, though in diflerent latitudes, possess the same summer or winter temperature. Baron Humboldt was the first also who paid attention to this principle. He named the lines which connect places of the same mean winter temperature, isochimenal lines, (from ochiemon, cold,) and those which connect places of the same mean summer temperature, isolheral lines, (from theros, summer.) The isochimenal lines in the interior of conti- nents bend considerably towards the south, which is principally obvious near the Atlantic, where the curves, when they come near the coast, make a sudden turn towards the north. This shows the greater coldness of the winter in the interior, com- pared with the coast of the same degree of lati- tude. The course of the isotheral lines that bend * towards the north is directly opposite that of the isochimenal, for the summers on the coast ai'e colder than the summers in the interior of the same degree of latitude, and in a great many cases, they are colder near the coast than in the interior, in a much higher latitude. The summers of Paris and Moscow are nearly equal, though the winters of Paris are mild, and those of Moscow almost insupportable. Differences in the mean temperature of the eastern and western coasts have already been al- luded to. There are also equal differences in the summers and winters. While the inhabitants of Quebec in winter complain of the piercing cold, the natives of the same latitude en the western coast of America go with scarcely any clothing. The importance of the difference between the climates of the east and west coasts of North America to the distribution of vegetation was early observed. Burton has remarked that the plants of North America grow on the west coasts in higher latitudes than on the east, and the east- ern coasts of Hudson's Bay are desert and herb- less, while on the western coasts there is a toler- ably rich vegetation. The difference between the climates of the east and west coasts of continents and islands has al- so been observed in the southern hemisphere — but here the principle is reversed — for the west coasts are colder than the east, while in the north- ern hemisphere the east coasts are the colder. South America shows very decidedly this arrange- ment of a warm eastern coast, and a cold western coast. Various attempts have been made to ex- plain the proportionably very cold climate of the western coasts of South America, and many caus- es have been assigned which would indeed dimin- ish the heat there. The chief cause is evidently the same which operates in the opposite manner in the northern hemisphere. The successful cultivation of certain plants does not depend so much on the mean annual temper- ature as on the temperature of summer. Thus, Indian corn cannot be raised in Great Britain, though it possesses a higher mean temperature than New England, but the hotter summers of New England are more favorable to it than the longer and colder summers of England. The same remark is true of annuals as a general rule, they are governed by isotheral lines, flourishing equal- ly well in different latitudes, if they have equally hot summers. Thus the Californian annuals euc- 1861. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 51 ceed M'eU in New England, but not in Great Bri- tain. The distribution of perennials, on the con- trary, is regulated by isothermal lines — that is, by the mean temperature of the year. Lapland and St. Bernard have the same mean annual temper- ature, but the monks of St. Bernard envy the Lap- landers their fine climate, because their summer is warmer. There are perennials at St. Bernard, which the winters of Lapland would kill, but the products of the gardens in Lapland are superior to those of St. Bernard. "I SHALL KNOW HER AGAIN." BT B. F. TAILOR. O, have you not seen, on some morning in June, When the flowers were in tears, and the forests in tune, When the billows of dawn broke bright on the air, On ihe breast of the brightest some star clinging there ? Some sentinel star, not yet ready to set — Forgetting to wane, and watching there yet? How you gazed on that vision of beauty awhile ; How it wavered till won by the light of God's smile ; How it passed through the portals of pearl like a bride How it paled as it passed, and the morning star died ' The sky was all blushes, the earth was all bliss. And the prayer of your heart, ''be my ending like thi So my beautiful May passed away from life's even j So the blush of her being was blended with heaven ; So the bird of my bosom fluttered up to the dawn — A window was open — my darling was gone ! A truant from tears, from sorrow and sin— For the angel on watch took the wanderer in ! But when I shall hear the new song that she sings, I shall know her again, notwithstanding her wings, By those eyes full of heaven, by the light on her hair, And the smile she wore here she will surely wear there ! POSTS— TIME F03 CUTTIUa TIMBER. Mr. Brown : — You gave a method for preserv- ing posts, some time ago, which I unfortunately have lost. May I ask a repetition of it ? Is it expensive ? Which will last the longer in the ground, oak, or chestnut? Does it make any difference which end is set in the ground ? What is the best time for cutting ? J. South Hadley, Nov., 1860, Remarks. — "One pound of blue vitriol (sul- phuric acid and copper) to twenty quarts of wa- ter. Dissolve the vitriol Avith boiling water, and then add the remainder. The end of the stick is then dipped into the solution, and left to stand four or five days ; for shingles three or four days will answer, and for posts si.K inches square, ten days. Care is to be taken that the saturation takes place in a metal vessel or keyed box, for the reason that any barrel will be shrunk by the oper- ation so as to leak. Instead of expanding an old cask, as other liquids do, this shrinks them." This preparation is not an expensive one. We do not know whether chestnut or oak would be the most durable. Some one who has had experience will be kind enough to reply. It is a pretty generally received theory that in- verted posts will last longer than those not in- verted— but this theory is controverted with some force. September is thought by many to be a good time to cut posts, or any wood to be used as tim- ber. Mr. E. J, Young sent a communication to the Oliio Farmer in 1853, in which he says June or July is the proper time. He adds, that "the time settled by tradition appears to be the month of February. Perhaps the reason is, the winter is the most convenient season for doing such work, there being more leisure time then than in sum- mer ; and because it has generally been done at that time, it is supposed to be the right one. But if any one will be at the trouble of cutting a tree in the winter or spring, and one in June or July, and making them into rails, and then see which will last longest, he will not need any other argu- ment to convince him that tradition is at fault in this case at least." We believe in Mr. Young's views on this mat- ter ; they are consistent with the nature of trees. The rule should be to cut a tree as little as possi- ble for any purpose when it is full of sap in ac- tivity. By the latter part of June, the principal portion of the sap has left the trunk of the tree, and gone to its extremities, where it has been elaborated by the leaves into suitable food for bud, twig, and a new layer of wood to increase the diameter of the trunk. The heart of the tree contains'then little or no sap, and the circles that surround it, called sap wood, have but a small quantity compared with what they held in April or May. At this period, like some other operations in nature, the bark yields to the downward pres- sure of the elaborated sap, and makes room for its deposition. In some cases, where the soil is rich, and the growth of the tree luxuriant, the bark will split through the entire length of a young ap- ple tree, and with a width of a fourth of an inch ; and, although the season then has passed, in which trees are usually peeled, there will be no difficulty in removing the bark from large trees, when the timber will be found seasoning rapidly, and becomes exceedingly compact and hard. Timber prepared in this manner, we are in- clined to believe, will last much longer than that cut at any other season of the year. An excellent article on this subject was pre- pared by the editor of the Country Gentleman in 1854. In answer to the question, "What time shall timber be cut ?" it replies, "Never in winter, but always in summer. It should be cut during the most rapid season of growth, and while that season is drawing to a close." "Experienced tree-propagators have found that much earlier than this, the juices of the tree are in too thin or liquid a state to form a good adhe- sion between the bud and the peeled surface. From the moment that the bark separates freely 52 NEW ENGLAKD FARMER. Jan. from the wood, these juices continue to thicken, until growth ceases altogether, and the new wood is completely formed ; and when this new wood is in the state of a thick paste or cement, then is the time that the bud will adhere most perfectly. This is the period when the bark may be peeled from a tree without destroying its vitality. And this is the time for cutting timber. Early in spring, the tree is full of sap, which is little else than pure water, and which has been gradually accumulating through winter by the absorption of the roots, with no outlet for its escape, as there is in summer through mj'riads of leaves. While the tree is thus replete with water, it is in the worst condition to be cut. But towards mid-summer, when a portion of this water has passed off through the leaves, and the rest has been much thickened by conversion into material for wood, the case is very different ; for while the watery sap promotes only decay, the thickened juices soon dry and harden, and assist in the preserva- tion of the wood." The editor states that his opinions are corrob- orated by those of Mr. Isaac Hathaway, of Far- mington, Ontario countj-, N. Y., a man of great experience in the preparation and use of timber. His opinion is, that timber cut at the proper time in summer will last ihree times as long as M'hen felled in winter ! Hickory contains a sweet sap, sweeter, per- haps, than that of the maple ; insects instinctive- ly turn to it as a suitable place to deposit their eggs and for hatching their young, and we have Been axe helves and large quantities of the finest- looking ox-bows rejected, in consequence of be- ing perforated by worms. The term applied to such timber \& j)owder-post. When in this con- dition, it becomes utterly valueless for any pur- poses Avhere strength is required. Persons who deal in such timber are obliged to keep it in cel- lars or damp rooms, and darkened, so as to pre- vent the entrance of the insect that deposits the egg pregnant with so much mischief. If this timber were cut in June, peeled at once and properly housed, it would probably become so hard before the appearance of the insect in the following spring, as to resist all their efforts to deposit their eggs in it. The question of our cor- respondent— "What is the best time to cut tim- ber ?" is an important one ; the true time ought to be ascertained, beyond all doubt, and then made public. Nature from the Water. — A person should go out upon the water on a fine day to a short dis- tance from a beautiful coast, if he would see na- ture really smile. Never does she look so joy- ous as when the waves are rippling gently, and the scene receives life and animation here and there from the glancing transit of a row-boat, and the quieter motion of a few small vessels. But the land must be well in sight ; not only for its sake, but because the vastness and awfulness of a mere sea-view would ill sort with the other parts of the gay and glittering prospect. — Guesses at Trulh. HOW A FLY HOLDS Olf. I have here inclosed a small window fly in the live box of a microscope, that you may examine the structure of its feet as it presses them against the glass cover ; and thus not only get a glimpse of an exquisitely formed structure, but acquire some correct ideas on the question of how a fly is able to defy all the laws of physics, and to walk jauntily about on the under surface of polished bodies, such as glass, without falling, or appar- ently the fear of falling. And a personal exami- nation is the more desirable because of the hasty and erroneous notions that have been promulgat- ed on the matter, and that are constantly dissem- inated by a herd of popular compilers, who pro- fess to teach science by gathering up and retail- ing the opinions of others, often without the slightest knowledge whether what they are re- porting is true or false. The customary explanation has been that given by Derham in his "Physico-theologj'," that divers flies, and other insects, besides their sharp, hooked nails, have also skinny palms to their feet, to en- able them to stick to glass, and other smooth bodies by means of the pressure of the atmos- phere, after the manner as I have seen boys carry heavy stones with only a wet piece of leather slapped on top of a stone." Bingley, citing this opinion, adds that they are able easily to over- come the pressure of air "in M-arm weather, Avhen they are brisk and alert ; but toward the end of the year this resistance becomes too mighty for their diminished strength ; and we see flies labor- ing along, and lugging their feet on windows as if they stuck fast to the glass ; and it is with the utmost difficulty they can draw one foot after another, and disengage their hollow cups from the slippery surface." But long ago another solution was proposed, for Hooke, one of the earliest microscopic observ- ers, described the two palms, pattens, or soles, (as he calls the pidviUa,) as "beset underneath with small bristles or tenters, like the wire teeth of a card for working mooI, which, having a con- trary direction to the claws, and both pulling dif- ferent ways, if there be any irregularity or yield- ing in the surface of a body, enable the fly to sus- pend itself very firmly." He supposed that the most perfectly polished glass presented such ir- regularities, and that it was moreover always covered with a "smoky tarnish," into which the hairs of the foot penetrated. The "smoky tarnish" is altogether gratuitous ; and Mr. Blackwell has exploded the idea of at- mospheric pressui-e ; for he found that flies could walk up the interior of an exhausted air-pump. He had explained their ability to climb up verti- cal polished bodies by the mechanical action of the minute hairs of tlie interior surface of the palms ; but further exj^eriments having showed him that flies cannot walk up glass which is made moist by breathing on it, or which is thinly coat- ed with oil or flour, he was led to the conclusion 1861. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 53 that these hairs are, in fact, tubular, and excrete a viscid fluid, by means of which they adhere to dry polished surfaces ; and on close inspection -with an adequate magnifying pov/er, he was al- ways able to discover traces of this adhesive ma- terial on the track on glass both of flies, and va- rious other insects furnished with pnlvilla, and of those spiders which possess a similar faculty. — Gosse's Evenings at the Microscope. For the New England Fanner. POTATO BLIGHT ATTD EOT IS CAUSED BY INSECTS. Mr. Editor : — In your paper of Nov. 24th appears from Mr. Goldsbury, of Warwick, anoth- er attempt to make your readers believe his "sev- en reasons" settle the question that insects can- not cause the potato blight and rot. He also wishes them to believe that his ''logical reasons" of March 3d have become, (Nov. 24th,) real "facts" — "reasons logical, "alias "facts." He says my last communication furnishes "no new facts." But that I "persist in asserting and reasserting the old ones." I shall hold fast to my facts, my ocular demonstration. They ai'C more reliable than "logical reasons." And furthermore, I am taunted with being "first in my own cause," that is, for having dis- closed to the public the result of my microscopic researches. And, because new to him,, they amount to nothing — they are a "deception." Who shall divulge and make known the result of re- search and the development of new discoveries, but the explorer or discoverer himself ? Did Co- lumbus keep silent ? Were Arkwright, Fulton and Whitney dumb ? Did these men make no explanations ? Was Franklin's tongue and pen bottled and sealed ? Have not Reaumur, Kirby and Spence and Dr. Harris written out their en- tomological researches ? Must I keep silent af- ter making new discoveries, entomological and embryological, undescrihed by them'i And must I be told by Mr. Goldsbury, ignorant (admitted by his own confession,) of the use of "microscop- ic glasses," that he as "A neighbor cometh to search me ?" His perfect ignorance of microscopy and what it clearly reveals of God's mysterious works, dis- qualifies him, (now, at least,) to unfold and des- cribe the secrets of His power, embryologically viewed, and pass judgment upon my new dis- coveries. Must scientific research be measured and considered ended, when the tomb closed over the remains of Reaumur, Harris and others ? Can no one else make entomological researches and developments, and describe what the micro- scope reveals ? Let Mr. Goldsbury take the beam from his own eye before he attempts to "search" and judge others. Mr. Goldsbury's memory appears very poor. He forgets that March 3 he said that "Insects do not cause the rot for the following reasons." Seven reasons are written out, and he follows by saying these are my "reasons for disbelief." No- vember 24th he denies what he then said, and de- clares they "are not reasons or logic" but "facts." And he changes the name of "reasons" by an cdi- as to the name of "facts." In another instance his memory fails him, or he "argues in a circle." See what he says in your paper, March 3d : "It is believed the cause of the rot is unknown." Again in the same communication he says : "I repeat therefore that the cause still remains unknown." See what he says in a letter to me, March 16ih : "It was not my object to assert in the N. E. Far- mer that the cause of rot was unknown." He did "assert" it, and what was his "object" of "repeat- ing" it, and then denying it, and that it was not his "object to assert" it, and "repeat" it ? In his of November 24th he is particular to say that he wants "no sophistry, no dodging, no quib- bling, no arguing in a circle." I believe my state- ments are expressed with directness and frank- ness, and supported by secondary testimony, named to him, and of high, unquestionable au- thorit}'. I have searched out and proved by oc- ular demonstrations, that insects do cause the rot. Mr. Goldsbury must refute my facts, and disprove the testimony which supports these facts before he can make many converts. I Avill leave all for the judgmemt of your readers. They can decide whether I have been frank or not, and who has "quibbled and dodged." I have asked him to refute my facts — not my "reasons and logic," but he fails to give one word in reply, or produce one witness, or cite one authority, or describe one research of his own, to disprove the fact of the presence of insects, or their depredation upon and infection of the potato plant and tuber. He again repeats his old assertion that "decayed po- tatoes were exhibited." Your readers must re- member what I said in my last, that his assertion on this subject was "positively imtriie." I then explained the condition of the vines and tubers which the witnesses examined. If Mr. Goldsbury does not believe the truth, he may disbeleve. I am satisfied that truth will prevail, and that the public will decide who is right and Avho wrong. Mr. Goldsbury says the "knowing farmers, by observation, decide against insects as the cause of the rot." I have asked him to furnish the re- sult of the investigations and experiments of his "knowing farmers ;" but this he fails to do. I have asked him where the insects came from on the "undecayed potato in Mr. Flint's corked bot- tle ?" But he fails to answer this question. Now let me ask him one more, upon this same subject. Were the insects on the growing vines and sprouts and undecayed tubers, the "consequence of de- cay," or did these insects appear upon the sprouts and vines, being warmed into life from the inhe- rent, hibernated embryological condition of the tuber, as it was, exactly, when placed in Mr. Flint's possession ? I will thank Mr. Goldsbury to answer these questions, that the public m.ay have a true defini- tion of his meaning of his word "consequence." He will doubtless repeat his old fallacy, that "insects are the consequence of decay." But this I unhesitatingly deny. Undisputed authority re- futes every assertion which he has made in this particular. Dr. Harris, on Insects, second Ed., page 3, declares that "Insects never spontaneous- ly germinate from putrid animal or vegetable matter." Prof. Agassiz and others admit this as a fact, and support this authority. Is not this authority sufficient to convince Mr. Goldsburj', or your readers at least, that he has all the while been arguing against/t/c^s — stubborn facts, and ocidar demonstration ivhich he cannot refute. 54 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. Jan. If he now thinks he is correct in his assertion about "consequence and concomitant," let him bring forward his facts, ocular developments, or authority, to disprove the result of investigation as declared by Mr. Flint, Smithsonian Institute, Congressional Committee, U. S. Patent Office, Dr. Harris and Prof. Agassiz. Baltimore, Dec. 1, 1860. Ltman Reed. Remarks. — The subject of the cause and the cure of the potato rot has been carefully discussed in our columns, — its importance inducing us to give it an extended space. Under the present circumstances, we can see nothing to be gained by continuing it, but whenever any new and plausible theory is introduced, we shall be glad to hear from our correspondents again. For the New England Farmer. ••FKUITS AKD THEIR CULTTJilE." The Farmer of Nov. 24 contains some remarks of John B. Moore, Esq., before the Concord Farmers' Club. These remarks are in the main to the point ; but the assertion that "nine-tenths" of the pear trees planted within the last fifteen years "have failed," I look upon as one of those extravagances in which farmers are too apt to in- dulge, when, from some local cause, they them- selves happen to have failed in some fovorite en- terprise. In the course of the last fifteen years, I have planted about two hundred pear "trees. They have been purchased indiscriminately, al- most, at auction and in nurseries, whenever I could find trees cheap. Some of them were of foreign growth, and some native. Many of them had been a long time out of the ground, and were in bad order. They embrace from sixty to seventy difi'erent varieties. And yet, out of the whole lot, I have not lost half a dozen trees. I beg you will not understand me as recom- mending the purchase of clicap trees. I believe they are the dearest in the end. My course had been guided by a desire to experiment upon dif- ferent varieties — to test their adaptation to the soil of my garden, and to the varying climate of our seasons. And here permit m'e to confess, I am but very little wiser now than I was ten or fifteen years ago. I have learned something, to be sure, of the nature and liabits of the pear tree, in its different varieties. I can tell one kind from another, in most cases, by the bark, the leaves, or the form of growth. But I cannot tell to-day which of fifty different kinds I would recommend for cultivation, (leaving out of the account some three or four standard varieties, such as the Bart- lett, Bloodgood, and Duchesis de Angoulemc.) I had, a few years ago, a high opinion of that noble old pear, Beurre Diel. I procured some eight or ten handsome trees of that variety on pear .stocks. _ Their growth was all I could desire, both in thriftiness and beauty of shape. And yet, although most of them have fruited for several years, the quality has usually been insipid and tasteless, while two or three scraggy little trees of the same variety, on quince stocks, have borne fruit of excellent quality. I had about made up my mind, notwithstanding the beauty of these pear stock Beurre Diels, to engraft them all with some other variety ; but fortunately, as I think, I last Spring decided on giving them one year more of grace. One of these trees, which has appar- ently attained nearly its growth, as it threw out no new shoots, gave me the past season a very excellent quality of fruit, while those, which kept on growing bore fruit of the old insipid kind, not worth the gathering. From this I infer that some varieties of pears must have time to mature the tree before they can mature the fruit, and that it will not do to condemn a tree on account of the quality of the first, second, or even third year's product. Last year, several trees (on quince,) of the Beurre de Araalis vai'iety produced fruit of a fine quality — almost, if not quite first rate. This year the same variety produced a very large quantity of large and handsome fruit, but if not exactly like "apples of Sodom," which "please the eye, but turn to ashes on the lip," it was so insipid and tasteless as hardly to be worth the gathering. And by the way, I think the extreme moisture of the past season, while it served to develop very beau- tiful pears, had an unfavorable effect upon their quality generally. For instance, I had Duchess pears weighing three quarters of a pound, and beautiful to look at as the aforesaid "apples of Sodom" in the most exalted state of poetic li- cense ; and yet, the eating of them hardly paid for the paring. The only exceptions that I know, are the varieties known as L'Angelier and Sover- ain d'Ete, the fruit of which proved better this season than I ever knew it before. In the Farmer of December 8, you speak of Dearborn's Seedling as a pear of "fir.st quality." I have a tree of that variety which bears full crops every year, and yet I could never pronounce it- a pear of first, or even second rate quality. Last year, the fruit came pretty well up to the standard of a second rate fruit — perhaps nearly up to the Bloodgood. But the present season the fruit has not been good enough to give away. Still, from its great productiveness, and the beautiful color and form of the fruit, I would recommend all amateurs to have one tree of this variety. For a market fruit, I have no doubt it is one of the most profitable. The general conclusion to which I have arrived, from my comparatively brief experience in the pear culture, as before indicated, is, that very lit- tle dependence can be ])laced on a large portion of the different varieties, until the trees, particu- larly on pear stocks, have attained a somewhat mature growth ; and that, even then, the fruit be- comes so modified by the circumstances of sea- son, soil and position, it is not safe to judge ex- cept by the experience of a succession of seasons. The ])ear culture, I have no doubt, may be made immensely profitable ; but to succeed in it re- quires time, patience, close observation, and a soil adapted to its many and somewhat diverse peculiarities. At any rate, the culture of fruit, properly appreciated, is a soul-ennobling school, in which, though there may be hard lessons in a pecuniary sense, there are others of wisdom, and goodness and happiness. E. C. P. Somerville, Mass. Remauks. — We are always pleased and in- structed by the communications of "E. C. P.," 1861. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 55 and hope he will write oftener. He tinges the practical and profitable with a genuine sentiment that reaches above the pocket, and gives rural employments the dignity and grace to which they certainly are entitled. A NEW FARM SURVEY. We have recently seen a plan of an estate on the sea-shore in Essex County, which represents the ground in a manner very interesting to all cultivators of the soil. The farm has a very un- even surface, with a long shore line, a small por- tion of which is beach, and the remainder formed of precipitous and ragged rocks. The inequalities of the surface are represented on the plan by fig- ures, showing the height above mean low water. The beach is represented by very fine stippling with a pen, and the rocky shore is beautifully shown by elaborate pen work. Trigonometrical measurements are made to known points estab- lished by the U. S. Coast Survey, by means of which the distance in feet from the State House m Boston is obtained — and also the true North and South, which is shown upon the plan by fine lines running across it at intervals of 200 feet, and crossed by other fine lines at equal intervals, running East and West. From one of the first named lines, a short line diverging the right num- ber of degrees, points to the magnetic North, The drives, walks, buildings, (large and small,) yards, hedges, &c., are accurately shown. But the subject of most interest to farmers, and to which we wish, by this article, to call their attention, is a survey of the ground beneath the surface, exposed to the eye, of that farm under the farm we usually cultivate, for the purpose of finding its character, and the influence it may exert on the crops. A general mineral analysis is given of Hill-top, Mid- dle-ground and Valley, by which may be seen what mechanical agencies and what kinds of ma- nure or top-dressings may probably be used on the land to profit. This survey is shown on the plan by light tints or washes of diff'erent colors, which add very much to the beauty of the whole. The practical value of such surveys is destined, we believe, to be very great, and we rejoice to see this first eff'ort at a kind of surveying which will no doubt be, in time, much employed by intelli- gent farmers. This is the first instance of the kind that has come to our knowledge, and we find pleasure in stating that the work was done by our skilful and industrious young friends, Messrs. Shedd & Ed- son, of Boston. We should be glad to give the name of the enterprising and progressive gentle- man who is the proprietor of the estate, and who has caused this work to be done, if we were at liberty to do so. For the Neic England Farmer. CURING CORN— DURHAM BULL. Mr. Editor : — Allow me to recommend the fol- lowing for the benefit of those who, like myself, till the soil for a living. It is well known to all farmers that we quite frequently have very unfa- vorable seasons for curing corn after it is harvest- ed. This autumn has been one of that character, and the general complaint is, that corn is very much damaged by the prevalence of damp weather. To avoid corn being thus damaged, allow me to state my experience, or rather the way in which I have for several years past saved my corn in a perfectly sound state. All persons will acknowledge the importance of having their corn cured before freezing weath- er comes on. I have corn raised this year and husked the last of September, fore part of Octo- ber, that rattles like old corn, and though much of my corn was more or less mouldy in the stalk, it is all now bright and doing well, not a mouldy ear to be seen, though much of it lies eighteen inches thick on the floor. I have a building sixteen feet square attached to my barn, which I occupy as a shed with a loft above, having a floor made of narrow slats from two to four inches wide, and one inch apart, so that air can circulate freely up through the corn ; also slats on two sides of the building, an inch apart, so that there is plenty of air under and over the corn. I should not be afraid to spread my corn two or three feet thick as I husk it. You will see that a very important point is gained by having corn have plenty of air underneath. I have a very fine Durham bull calf, now 10^ months old ; his girth is five feet eight inches. At nine months old he weighed 700 pounds, and by weighing from time to time, I find he has gained from three to four pounds per day. I sup- pose he will now weigh 850 pounds, and I expect to make him weigh, at one year old, 1000 pounds. If I do, I will let you know. As I have my pen in hand, allow me to recom- mend a plan which I have in my mind for the ar- rangement of a barn with a cellar, and with a cis- tern for watering cattle, a sketch of which I send you. Spencer Byington. Stockbridge, Dec, 1860. Remarks. — We are obliged to our correspon- dent for the sketch of a barn accompanying the above note. It has some original points which we wish to examine, and if we find they can be made available with other general accommodations of the barn, we may have the plan engraved. We are glad to find attention turned to this important subject, as we believe great improvemeat may yet be made in the internal arrangement of barns. King Pumpkin. — The King of the Pumpkins for the year of grace 1860 was inaugurated at the Halle in Paris, on the 24th ult. It measures ten feet four inches in circumference, and weighs 319 pounds. It was carried about the market with this inscription : "The King of the Pumpkins of 1860, born in Touraine on the 6th of April, gath- ered September 20th, 1860." 56 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. Jan. agbicultd'RAIj mass meetings Now is the time for mental action and investi- gation. Let not this be a "winter of discontent," but one of earnest, profitable progress. Let us come together in council and discuss our personal interests. The merchants have their "Chamber of Commerce" and "Corn Exchange," — the Banks their "Associations," and the brokers their "Board," the mechanics their "Institute," and the lawyers, doctors, clergymen and politicians their "Conventions" and "Resolutions." Let us profit by their examples, meet in council in various parts of the State and do something to promote the noble Art of Agriculture, and at the same time increase the products of the soil and elevate the homes of our land. Who will take the initiatory steps in Old Con- cord ? Will Dr. Bartlett, with his well known ability and zeal, sound the tocsin in Chelmsford, and Gov. Boutwell and Mr. Bancroft in Gro- ton ? Will Mr. Peters and Dr. Burnett see that old Worcester is aroused ? Gov. Cushman and Mr. Grennell, of Greenfield, kindle a flame in Franklin ? Mr. Davis, of Plymouth, in his coun- ty, and so on throughout the State ? What say you, brother farmers ? Let us have a response, and see what can be done. Points of Merit in a Farm-Horse. — Mr. Strawn, the well known stock-farmer of Illinois, states the points of a horse to be — a large eye, bay color, with heavy black mane and tail, round body, large ham-string, short back, long belly, fifteen or sixteen hands in height, and weighing about 1200 pounds. LADIES' DEPARTMENT. PEESERVATIOH" OF THE HAIK. It is a melancholy fact, that not one lady in a hundred, in the United States, has fine or luxuri- ant hair. Everybody is complaining of the loss of "woman's chief glory," and wondering why on earth pomatums and hair-washes, oils and restor- atives, fail to bring it back, "as per advertise- ment." We suspect there would be a general ex- clamation of incredulity among the gentlemen, did they but know what an immense proportion of the tastefully arranged tresses they behold on fair heads, grew on somebody else's pate. Almost every one wears a "roll" or "braid," which comes from the hair-dresser's, and costs from five to twenty dollars. It is disposed with consummate skill — you cannot distinguish the sly hair-pins that fasten on the false decoration, yet there it is, a tacit confession that nature gives Avay to art. "My hairM.'(7Z keep coming out, although I take the greatest pains with it," sighs the fashionable belle. "I don't see what the trouble is." There are several "troubles ;" first and fore- most among which is the expensive "roll" itself. Any hair-dresser will tell you that the weight and pressure of this heavy mass of false hair with the heat it induces around the head, is highly preju- dicial to the growth and welfare of the real hair. Ifjou must wear a roll, let it be as seldom as possible. Whenever you can dispense with it, do so. Let its place be supplied as often as prac- ticable with a lifjht head-dress, secured with as few hair-pins as will support it. These last are fearfully destructive to the hair, cutting and wear- ing it to an incredible degree. Gutta-])crclia hair pins are the best, and even these should be limited in numlier. All sorts of pomatums, oils and preparations had better be let alone. There is no use in soak- ing the skin of the head in grease, as is often done. If the hair is harsh and dry, castor oil per- fumed is the best application, but the scalp itself should not be saturated. Washing the head thor- oughly in fair water, once a week, will be found very beneficial. Bodily health is almost essential to the natural growth of the hair. Nothing indicates the pro- gress of sickness so plainly as the dry, dead look of the hair, and if our American ladies want love- ly, luxuriant tresses, they must avoid heated rooms, late hours and fashionable dissipation. There is no help for it — nature will avenge any infringement on her laws, and the sooner we be- come thoroughly convinced of this fact, the better for us. There is no ornament half so becoming to a fe- male face, as thick, beautiful hair. It needs no decoration beyond a natural flower or two. Nets, diamond sprays, tiaras of pearl, are useless — it is like "painting the lily" to v/ear them. Remember this, girls, and take every precaution to preserve this exquisite ornament of nature's manufacture. Once gone, it is hard to coax back again. — Life Illustrated. Furs on Beautiful Women. — There is noth- ing that looks so rich, easy and comfortal:)le as a beautiful piece of fur wrapped around a beautiful piece of womanhood. Furs, like gold and silver, have alv;ays been highly estimated by the human family and "the rest of mankind." Rich furs were for many ages used as gifts from one prince to another — nobody less than a prince being al- lowed to wear them. The sumptuary laws which once existed with regard to the wearing of fars, were at once numerous and stringent. In the days of Henry VII. it was two years' imprison- ment for any person below a baronet to wear a piece of ermine "as large as your hand." Those absurd laws, however, have all been repealed, so that a person at the present time can go his length on furs — the only limit to his taste being his pocket-book and creditors. Woman's Hopes. — In early youth, perhaps they said to themselves, "I shall be hajipy when I have a husband to love me best of all ;" then when the husband is too careless, "My child will comfort me ;" then through the mother's watch- ing and toil, "My child will repay me when it grows up." And at last, after the long journey of years has been wearily travelled thi-ough, the mother's heart is weighed down by a heavier bur- den, and no hope remains but the grave. f0shM^-.l^^f5 DEVOTED TO AGRICULTURE AND ITS KINDRED ARTS AND SCIENCES. VOL. XIII. BOSTON, FEBRUARY, 18G1. NO. 2. NOURSE, EATOy & TOLMAN, Proprietors. Office.... 34 Merchants' Row. SIMON BROWN, EDITOR. FRED'K HOLBROOK, HENRY F. FRENCH, : Associate Editors. CALENDAR FOR FEBRUARY. The "common people" liave become uncommon ; A few remain, just here and there, the rest Are polished and refined ; child, man and woman, All imitate the manners of the beat ; Picking up, sometimes, good things from their betters, As they have done from them. Then they have books ; As 'twas designed they should, it hen taught their letters. And nature's self befriends their very looks ; And all this must, and all this ought to be — The only use of eyes, I know of, is — to see. EBRUARY is not tne month of roses, but roses would be rare in June were it not for the healthful influen- ces of February. Though the winds howl, and snow and sleet pelt the traveller and wea- ry the beast, or keep us at home, this month can no better be spared than balmy June or fervid July. — Covered with its wrapper of snow. warm the earth is reposing like the sleeping giant, gathering vigor for future harvests. The trees are leafless and thin, allowing the winds to pass through their branches unimpeded in their progress, while their roots lie inactive in the soil, or stimulated by an early thaw and the life-giving sun, as by an electric touch, pass into temporary activity to become dormant again when Borean winds sweep over the fields and clouded skies shut out the invigorating solar rays. Sometimes Februai-y is the severest of the win- ter months, and it usually has a period of the most intense cold of the season. We may not feel its power so keenly as when winter first as- serts its sway, because we have become more in- ured to it, and our winter arrangements are more, complete. When this period has been properly- provided for, it may be as comfortable as that of' any other season, and crowded with contentment and substantial progress. No profession in life, it seems to us, aff'ords better opportunities for social intercourse, for friendly visits and observation of each others'' modes of agricultural labor, than that of the far- mer— no one is more favorable to study and to an investigation of the laws Avhich afl'ect or con- trol the materials with which he has to deal. In the learned professions, as they are called, where it is necessary that the mind be active dur- ing the day, the evening hours must be devoted to rest or recreation, or the mind soon loses its balance and falls into decay. In the mechanical arts, men are accustomed to labor a part or all the evening, and thus little time is left to them at any season of the year for uninterrupted studj'. It is not so with the farmer. Ifhe plans his af- fairs judiciously, and exercises sound wisdom with regard to his personal labor — neither being slothful in business nor exacting too much from his physical powers — he will find himself suffi- ciently fresh to devote the long evenings in Feb- ruary with a keen relish for literary pursuits. Steadily occupying those evenings through a single winter, with well-directed eff'ort and a sub- ject before him that shall arouse and call forth all the energies of his mind, the young farmer will be surprised at the progress he has made, untrammelled by the arbitrary rules of others. Let us, for a moment, look at the farmer as one of a class. He has a farm, and holds its title deeds, and there is no earthly power to wrest it from him without his consent. He knows that the earth will generously return to him an ample reward for his labor, and that with common in- 58 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. Feb. dustry and prudence, himself and those depend- ent upon him will be fed from the bountiful soil, and therefore no gaunt spectres of want ever dis- turb his dreams. He has a house, which is his castle ; it looks out upon sunny slopes, or aged elms, or purling water-brooks, or broad fields of grass, or waving grain or corn, or, perchance, upon forest, hill or mountain, or a wide winter- scene of frost-work and snow. It has a tight roof, and under it nestle those whom his heart holds as most dear. Thrice each day his table is spread and covered with the garnered bounties of his fruitful soil, the reward of well-directed labor. It is the product of all whose years were not too tender for toil, and is enjoyed as the direct gift of heaven, and assured in the promise of old, — "Ask and ye shall receive." Around this social board all are animated by one purpose — the happiness of each other. One heart, one mind, one voice, one effort of hand and will, carry forward the pursuits of the family, and secure the desii-ed results of all. His domain is skirted by the church and the school-house, where the intellect is expanded and stored with useful knowledge and the affections ripened for heaven. In the village, enough of the arts and sciences flourish to satisfy the wants of his occupation, and it forms the centre of the little republic whose members meet there in the farm- er's club, lyceum, and on town-meeting days. His wants are few, compared with many others, and he creates the means of supplying most of them within himself. He is both producer and consumer, keeping his own stall and filling the hooks and shelves of others. If a ride to town or a journey is contemplated, he has the means to indulge the desire, as a horse and carriage are -common to every farmer. What other profession can boast as much ? Such are a few outlines of the home of the far imer. Sheltered, clothed, fed, with a sufficient as- surance of all these being continued to hira, so ihat no gloomy anticipations of privation and want shall assail him and make him anxious •for the future, the revolutions of nations or .'States rarely affect his prosperity, or, if at all, • only to create a demand for his surplus products and increase their value. We wish to call the attention of the reader to the idea contained in the quotation in the first .line of our article, — "The common people have become uncommon." Those who have been observing persons will find in this remark a great truth. The publica- tion of agricultural newspapers and books, the introduction of new and improved implements, and the discussions that have taken place in the home of the farmer and in his neighborhood. have, in reality made the common people uncom- mon. That is, they are not now the common people they were forty years ago. They have progressed with other things, in all the arts, in general intel- ligence. ♦ * * "They have books ; As 'twas designed they should when taught their letters." They are more polished and refined, converse bet- ter, think better. Their dwellings, shops, farms, almost everything, show a higher culture and civilization, and what is especially gratifying, there is, in all classes, a more just appreciation of the occupation of the farmer, and of his posi- tion in society. Let us, then, be industrious, frugal and happy in February, and Avhen March comes, we will endeavor to extract as many pleasures as we can out of that, first of the Spring months. SALT. Some modern agricultural writers have doubted the necessity of giving animals salt. The follow- ing remarks as to the effect of salt upon health, by Prof. James F. Johnston, of Scotland, may be rel- ished by those who still put salt in their own pud- dings, and allow their cattle a little now and then : "The wild buffalo fiequents the salt-licks of North-western America; the wild animals in the central parts of Southern Africa are a sure prey to the hunter, who conceals himself behind a salt spring ; and our domestic cattle run peacefully to the hand that offers them a taste of this delicious luxury. From time immemorial it has been known that without salt man would miserably perish ; and among horrible punishments, entailing certain death, that of feeding culprits on saltless food is said to have prevailed in barbarous times. Mag- gots and corruption are spoken of by ancient wri- ters as the distressing symptoms which saltless food engenders ; but no ancient, or unchemical modern, could explain how such sufferings arose. Now we know why the animal craves salt ; why it suffers discomfort, and why it ultimately falls into disease if salt is for a time withheld. Up- wards of half the saline matter of the blood (57 per cent,)consists of common salt ; and as this is partly discharged every day through the skin and the kidneys, the necessity of continued supplies of it to the healthy body becomes sufficiently ob- vious. The bile also contains soda as a special and indispensable constituent, and so do all the cartilages of the body. Stint the supply of salt, therefore, and neither w^ill the bile be able prop- erly to assist the digestion, nor the cartilages to be built up again as fast as they naturally waste." Central Heat of the Earth. — The rate of increase of heat is equal to one degree of Fah- renheit for every forty-five feet of descent. Look- ing to the result of such a rate of increase, it is seen that at seven thousand two hundred and ninety feet from the surface the heat will reach two hun- dred and twelve degrees, the boiling point of wa- ter. At twenty-five thousand five hundred feet 1861. NEW ENGLAND FARMER 59 it will melt lead ; at twenty-one miles melt gold ; at seventy-four miles cast iron ; at ninety-seven miles soft iron ; and at one hundred miles from the surface all will be fluid as water, a mass of seething and boiling rock in a perpetually molten state, doomed possibly never to be cooled or crys- tallized. The heat will exceed any with which man is acquainted ; it will exceed the heat of the electric spark, or the effect of a continued voltaic current. The heat which melts platina as if it were wax, is as ice to it. Could we visually ob- serve its effects, our intellect would afford no means of measuring its intensitj'. Here is the region of perpetual fire, the source of earthquake and volcanic power. — Recreative Science. CHEAP CISTEKNS AND CHEAP PILTEBS. Instead of incurring the great expense of exca- vating wells, stoning them and supplying expen- sive pumps for obtaining water for the ordinary purposes of a farm-house or barn, a much cheap- er and more satisfactory arrangement will be found in the use of my cheap mode of construct- ing cisterns and filtering the water. A cistern of the dimensions that I shall describe will hold one thousand gallons, will cost but eight dollars, and its capacity may be doubled for less than fifty per cent, additional cost. One of the size above named will be found sufficient for farmers' families generally, and will insure soft water, which is rare in wells. Directions for Excavating Cisterns. — Stake and line out a plat near the building 8x18 feet ; excavate this one foot in depth ; then set ihe lines in 18 inches on all sides ; then excavate all within the lines, or 5 x 15 feet, to the depth of 4 feet in the middle, making the middle level some 9 inches in width, sloping the banks on all the sides and ends to the lines last placed, which will make a section of the pit either way V shaped, except that 9 inches of the bottom will be level, In digging the banks use care not to disturb the soil not thrown out. When the digging is completed, plaster the bottom, the level part with a good coat of cement mortar, and place a board on it to stand on to do the balance of the work, cutting the board in two equal parts before lay- ing it on the mortar. This done, plaster the entire surface on the ground to the lines last named, then remove one-half of the board and stand on the balance and build a 4 inch brick wall across the pit, about in the middle, laying the bricks, which should be soft, (common salmon brick,) in cement, but plastering neither side. Lay the wall to the line, then remove the bal- ance of the board and put a coat of mortar where it lay. The cistern is now complete, save the covering ; this may be done by laying plank over the whole bedding, then on the surface of the first excavation in mortar, or splitting logs from the woods and laying them flat side down, and closing the joints with mortar. The pump pipe should be laid into one end and the leader pipe from the house gutter laid into the other before it is covered. This done, return earth enough to cover the surface at least one foot deeper in the middle than the surrounding ground ; level it off neatly and sward it, and you have a complete filtering cistern for eight to twelve years. — Amer- ican Farmer. V7ISDOM FOR WINTER. Never go to bed with cold or damp feet. In going into colder air, keep the mouth reso- lutely closed, that by compelling the air to pass circuitously through the nose and head, it may become wai-med before it reaches the lungs, and thus prevent those shocks and sudden chills which frequently end in pleurisy, pneumonia, and other serious forms of disease. Never stand still a moment out of doors, espe- cially at street corners after having walked even a short distance. Never ride near the open window of a vehicle for a single half minute, especially if it has been preceded by a walk ; valuable lives have thus been lost, or good health permanently destroyed. Never wear India-rubber boots in cold, dry weather. Those who are easily chilled on going out of doors should have some cotton-batting attached to the vest or outer garment, so as to protect the space between the shoulder-blades behind, the lungs being attached to the body at that point ; a little there is worth five times the amount over the chest in front. Never begin a journey until breakfast is eaten. After speaking, singing, or preaching, in a warm room in winter, do not leave it for at least ten minutes, and even then close the mouth, put on the gloves, wrap up the neck, and put on a cloak or overcoat before passing out of the door ; the neglect of these has laid many a good and useful man in a premature grave. Never speak under a hoarseness, especially if it requires an effort, or gives a hurting or painful feeling, for it often results in a permanent loss of voice, or a long life of invalidism. — Hall's Jour- nal of Health. Sheltered Farms. — On former occasions we have discussed at some length the importance of growing timber as protection to farm crops, and its effects upon climate. A case in point is given by a correspondent in one of our exchange papers. He speaks of a piece of five acres of wheat in Delaware which grew alongside of a grove of tim- ber ; it made a good crop ; there were seventy acres exposed to the full blast of the winter's wind, and the consequence was it was hardly worth cutting. He also speaks of the effects of the protection of woods to orchards in Michigan. He says : "Our orchards here did well when the country was new and the clearings were small. But as our forests recede from the orchards, the bark on the west side of many a fine tree is killed by the piercing west wind. Some of our neighbors have very considerately preserved belts of timber, and clusters of shell-bark, black walnut and butter- nut ; while others, like Time, have cut down all, and are now reaping the fruits of their folly in- stead of their orchards." — Valley Farmer. Blackberries and Raspberries. — During the last five years, the editor of the Connecticut Homestead has tried the Lawton, Dorchester and Newman's thornless blackberries, and the Hud- son River red raspberry, and now says, "anybody is welcome to our plants who will be at the trou- ble to take them up." 60 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. Feb. THE BIRDS OF NEW ENGLAND— No. 8. O W L S . Great Horned Owl — Arctic Horned Owl — The Little Screech Owl, or Mottled Owl. The Great Horned Owi, {Bubo Virginiamis, Cuv.,) has been aptly styled an "Eagle of the night, the king of the nocturnal tribes of Ameri- can birds," and its aspect and dismal tones are said to have struck terror into the breasts of our early colonists. "Tiiis noted and formidable Owl," according to Wilson, "is found in almost every quarter of the United States. Ilis favorite residence, however, is in the dark solitudes of deep swamps covered with a growth of gigantic timber ; and here, as soon as evening draws on, and mankind retire to rest, he sends forth such sounds as seem scarcely to belong to this world, startling the solitary pilgrim as he slumbers by his forest fire, 'Making night hideous.' Along the mountainous shores of the Ohio, and amidst the deep forests of Indiana, alone, and re- posing in the woods, this ghostly watchman has frequently warned me of the approach of morn- ing, and amused me with his singular exclama- tions, sometimes sweeping down and around my fire, uttering a loud and sudden Wauyh 0! Wangh 0! sufficient to have alarmed a whole garrison. He has other nocturnal solos, no less melodious, one of which very strikingly resem- bles the half-suppressed screams of a person suf- focating, or throttled, and cannot fail of being exceedingly entertaining to a lonely, benighted traveller, in the midst of an Indian wilderness !" In general, there is something in the character of the Owl so solitary and mysterious, something so discordant in his voice, heard only amid the silence and gloom of the night, and in the most lonely and sequestered situations, that peculiarly affects the mind of man, and with the ignorant, often gives rise to superstitious fears, an instance of which is recorded by Dr. Richardson. "A party of Scottish Highlanders in the ser- vice of the Hudson's Bay Company, happened, in a winter's journey, to encamp after nightfall in a dense clump of trees, whose dark and lofty stems, the growth of more than one century, gave a so- lemnity to the scene that strongly tended to ex- cite the superstitious feelings of the Highlanders. The effect was heightened by the discovery of a tomb, which, with a natural taste displayed by the Indians, had been placed in this secluded spot. Our travellers having finished their sup- per, were trimming their fire preparatory to retiring to rest, when the slow and dismal notes of the Horned Owl fell on the ear with a startling nearness. None of them being acquainted with the sound, they at once concluded that so un- earthly a voice must be the moaning of the spirit of the departed, whose repose they supposed they had disturbed, by inadvertently making a fire of some of the wood of which the tomb had been constructed. They passed a tedious night of fear, and with the first dawn of day, hastily quitted the ill-omened spot." Audu1)on observes that the Great-Horned Owl pairs early in February, and that during its court- ships the evolutions of the male in the air, and his bowings and snappings of his bill when near Khe female, are extremely ludicrous to a human observer. The nest is a bulky structure, some three feet in diameter, placed on a large horizon- tal branch not far from the stem of the tree, and is composed of large crooked sticks, and lined with coarse grass. The eggs, three to six in num- ber, are nearly round, and of a dull white color. "This species," observes this distinguished or- nithologist, "is very powerful and equally spirit- ed. He attacks wild Turkeys when half grown, and often masters them. Mallards, Guinea-Fowls, and common barn-fowls i)rove an easy prey, and on seizing them it carries them off in its talons from the farm-yards to the interior of the woods. When wounded it exhibits revengeful tenacity of spirit, scarcely surpassed by any of the noblest of the Eagle tribe, disdaining to scramble away like the Barred Owl, but facing its enemy with un- daunted courage, protruding its powerful talons, and snapping his bill as long as he continues in its presence. On these occasions its large goggle eyes are seen to close and open in quick succes- sion, and the feathers of its body being raised, swell out its apparent bulk to nearly double the natural size." The Crows delight in teasing this Owl whenev- er they discover it in the daytime, and it is quite amusing to observe these sable orators congregat- ed from the neighboring woods around a thick, dark evergreen, which the Owl has selected as his retreat for the day, and perched as near the object of their insults as their regard for personal safety will permit, uttering low, varied, sarcastic gutturals, accompanied with derisive gestures, protruding their clamorous throats into the face of the Owl, one after another, or several at a time joining in the derision, and angry rehearsal of grievances ; or the whole pack at once seem determined to distract the poor Owl with their deafening, discordant cries, belched into the very ears of their victim. At times one might suppose they were twitting this nightly marauder of his foul misdeeds, or deriding him for his gravity and purblindness in the daytime. When in a more exposed situation, the Crows will repeated- ly sweep down upon him from above, one after another, barely missing the Owl in their swift descent, the Owl, meantime, lowering his promi- nent horns as they pass over him, and in ludi- crous ways attempting to dodge the blows so boldly threatened by the Crows, but which they dare not inflict. But at these times I have found this Owl difficult to approach, especially if the day be cloudy, although the Crows, appearing to divine my intentions, would allow me to pass under the trees on which they were sitting, though at other times it is almost impossible to approach within a hundred yards of them. A bird of this species, slightly wounded, I once kept in confinement to observe its manners. He never at any time exhibited the least fear, but al- ways courageously resisted all attempts to handle him, and when merely approached in his room, would hiss, snap his bill powerfully, and erecting his feathers, truly presented a formidable apjjear- ance, and manifested his readiness for a combat. Though carried several miles on a bright sunny day, it seemed to suffer none from the light ; a hen, a dog, or a cat, even at considerable dis- tance, at once attracted his attention, and he manifested an uneasiness to attack it, following it with his eves until it was out of sight. When 1861. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 61 surrounded by a crowd of interested spectators, it was the same fearless bird, ready for a grapple with anything that ventured to tease it, but other- wise appeared at ease. The food of this bird is quite various, consisting chiefly, doubtless, of the smaller quadrujieds and large birds, and it is known to be quite destructive to ])artridges in win- ter. An esteemed ornithological friend informs me that he once shot one so perfumed with the odor of a Sbnik, that he was obliged to leave it where it fell, it doubtless having killed one of these an- imals the preceding night. I once knew one to attack, in midday, the sun shining clearly at the time, a brood of young Red-tailed Hawks, that I had brought down from their nest and left an hour, having eaten one entirely, and killed, plucked clean, and eaten off the head of the sec- ond, when I started him from his repast on my return ; which shows that the sight of this Owl is less defective in the light of the sun than that of many others. The dismal hootings of this spe- cies are well known, his deep bass hoo-hoo, hoo-no being sometimes heard in the daytime on the ap- proach of a storm. Its proper time of activity, however, is in the night, when it seeks its prey by silently gliding along near the earth, but with great velocity, and pounces upon its prey beneath with extreme suddenness. At other times it sails in broad circles like the Eagle, with the greatest degree of rapidity, ease and gracefulness. The Great-Horned Owl is also known as the Virginian Eagle Old, but its more common ap- pellation is that of Cat Owl. The length of the female is full two feet, breadth of wing four feet six inches ; the male is somewhat less, but other- wise than in size, the sexes differ but little in ex- ternal characters. Upper parts finely pencilled with dusky, on a tawny and whitish ground ; low- er parts, tawny and dusky, elegantly barred trans- versely with dusky bars, and touches of white ; horns, three inches long, consisting of twelve or fourteen broad feathers, black edged with bright tawny. The Arctic Horned Owl {Buho Arctica, Rich, and Swain..) is a northern species, first accurate- ly described by Richardson and Swainson in their Northern Zoology, but as yet little seems to be known concerning it. It is believed to have been seen as far south as Massachusetts, a large white owl with horns having been observed here in the depth of winter. It is described as resembling the Great Horned Owl in size, but is said to be much handsomer, and to specifically differ from this bird otherwise than in color, though some ornithologists have hinted it may prove merely a semi-albino variety of Biibo Virginiana. Up- per parts finely barred with umber brown and white; lower plumage white with bars of dusky. The Mottled Owl, or the Little Screech Owl, {Scopsasio, Bonap.,) is a well known spe- cies in New England, is found over most parts of the United States, and extends its migrations considerably to the northward. Its notes are ex- ceedingly melancholy, being a peculiar quavering kind of wailing, often heard during the evenings and moonlight nights of the autumn months, as well as occasionally at other seasons. It is a harmless and interesting species, feeding chiefly upon mice and small birds, and in winter some- times enters barns in search of its prey, or to seek refuge from the weather. Its favorite places of repose are hollow trees, in which it breeds, and dark evergreens. In the daytime it is considera- bly blinded by the light of the sun, and when dis- covered by small birds, particularly the Blue Jay, is sorely teased, and furnishes rare sport for the marauding Jay, who may frequently be seen peep- ing carefully into the hollow trees of the orchard in search of them, at the same time screaming with great vehemence. In its proper season of activi- ty it is a spirited little Owl, and in confinement is found quite amusing, often putting on grotesque airs and snapping its bill when approached, and in the evening exhibits considerable sprightliness, moving about the room with the stillness of thought. The length of the Mottled Owl is about ten inches ; alar extent, twenty-two inches ; upper plumage, dark brown, streaked with black, pale brown and ash ; lower plumage white, and finely marked with irregular streaks of black and touch- es of brown ; egrets, or horns, pi'ominent, of ten feathers. The young birds are quite different in color from the adult, being of a tawny red above, and bright reddish brown below, marked with touches of black and white, and are commonly known as the Bed Owl. Wilson describes the Red and Mottled Owl as two distinct species, and now that they are known to be one, there is a di- versity of opinion as to which are the adult birds. J. A. A, For the Neic England Farmer. TUBEROUS ROOTS. ox THE MOST IMPORTANT TUBEROUS ROOTS USED BT DIFFERENT PEOPLE FOR FOOD. BY WILSON FLAGG. [continued.] The Yam (Dioscorea alata) has lately been in- troduced into this country, and cultivated with considerable success. It is a very nutritious root, and often attains an enormous size. The kind which we cultivate is the Chinese yam, (D. suti- va), which does not require so hot a climate as the other species. In its native countries, it is made into sago, though the true sago is the product of a species of Palm. This nutritious root is grown in Java, Manila, Sumatra, China, and in all parts of the torrid zone. In a hot and damp cli- mate, it often weighs as much as 30 or 40 pounds. Indeed, in Cochin China, they have been known to attain the extraordinary size of 9^ feet in cir- cumference, and to weigh over 400 pounds. This large kind, however, has a fibrous root, and is used chiefly for the manufacture of starch and sa- go. The yam is not valued so highly by the in- habitants of its native regions, as The Arum or Arox, which belongs to a differ- ent botanical family, and is considered in the countries in which it is grown as superior in fla- vor and delicacy to any other known root. The roots of several species of Arum are cultivated with extraordinary care in the hottest parts of the torrid zone, and they are even a still more gener- al article of food than potatoes or bread with us. The Arum is grown in the most distant countries of both continents ; Europe does not possess a climate sufficiently warm to produce these escu- lent roots, which require excessive heat combined with moisture. All the roots of the Arum have an acid, some- 62 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. Feb. what poisonous principle, like those of our native plants of this family, as the x\rum triphyllum or Dragon Flower, which it is well known is ex- cessively acid. This poisonous principle is so slightly connected with the nutritive ingredients, that it is lost in the drying, or by roasting and baking, and the root is then perfectly harmless. The culture of the Arum takes place in the same climates as those in which the banana, the sugar cane and the cocoa nut is grown. In the Sandwich Islands, the Arum is called Taro, and the fields in which it is planted, Taro fields. These are generally quadrangular pieces of ground, about forty-five or fifty feet square. They are dug out, tw^o or three feet deep, and so situated that a running stream can be turned into them. These hollows generally lie like terraces, one above another, so that the water can be car- ried from the higher to the lower ones. These hollows are so deep that the leaves of the plants project but little above their level ; the plants are set rather wider than the potato with us, about the distance of cabbages, as we plant them. The tuber of the Taro plants attains the size of a child's head, and when boiled or baked, it has great resemblance to the sweet potato, but more delicate in flavor, and more nutritious. It is com- monly eaten like bread, with or without salt, after being cooked. The tubers are sometimes cut in slices and fried in lard. The most common mode of preparing it is to mash it, after boiling, into a frumerity which, after a little water is added, is al- lowed to ferment. This is the practice of the Sandwich Islanders, who feed themselves, there- fore, as we feed our hogs with a fermented mix- ture. This mash is called Poe, and the inhabi- tants are said to eat incredible quantities of it. The Manioc. — This is another of the important roots which is indigenous in the New Continent. The root of the Manioc is one of the principal ar- ticles of food in the tropical parts of America. It grows in the same climate that produces the ba- nana, but seems to require more heat. Two va- rieties of the Manioc plant are cultivated, one of which is called the sweet, the other the bitter manioc. The root of the former is perfectly harm- less, while that of the other variety is a violent poison, until the poisonous juice is entirely pressed out of the substance. From the plant of the Manioc is made the Cas- sava bread, of which we have heard so much. It is generally prepared in the shape of discs — 18 or 20 inches in diameter, and somewhat thin in substance. One pound of this bread is said to be sufficient for the daily food of a native — but it would probably swell, when moistened, to two or three pounds. The substance in common use among us, called Tapioca, is prepared from the Manioc, and forms a very extensive article of commerce. The plant is propagated by shoots, and is slow of growth according to the heat of the climate. In Brazil, it ripens in six or eight months, in Mexi- co, nine months usually elapse before the crop can be gathered ; there are also varieties which require a year or more for their perfection. Too much cannot be said in praise of this excellent root, but it requires so much time for its ma- turity, that a people must be civilized and agri- cultural in their habits, to be able to depend on it as one of their principal reaoui'ces. We have thus named and described all the principal tuberous roots which form a predomi- nant article of food with different nations. Such roots as the turnip, the beet, the parsnip and car- rot, though highly important agricultural pro- ducts, form but a small part of the food of any portion of the human race. Cambridge, Mass., 1860. STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. The Massachusetts State Board of Agricidture held its annual meeting at its rooms in the State House, on Tuesday last, December 11, I860. Nearly all the members of the Board were pres- ent, and an earnest spirit was manifested by all in the subjects that came under consideration. It being desirable that the several committees should have an opportunity of closing their reports when their whole number was together, the presenta- tion of them was postponed until the following morning. Dr. J. Bartlett, from the Middlesex North Society, stated that the law relating to setting fires in woods ought to be so modified as to pro- tect farmers from the gj-eat destruction occa- sioned by them, and moved that a committee be appointed to inquire into the statistics of losses, and instructed to lay the matter before the Legis- lature at its next session, and ask such legal pro- visions as shall either protect or indemnify losers in the matter. The committee was raised, con- sisting of Messrs. Baktlett, of Chelmsford, Da- vis, of Plymouth, LoRiNG, of Salem, Smith, of Middlefield, and Laturop, of South Hadley. Mr. Busunell, of Sheffield, called attention to the law requiring competitors for the premiums on grain crops, &c., to weigh and measure all the crop. He thought it a great hardship, and it certainly bore heavily upon the societies in Berk- shire county. He inquired whether the law was drawn with the sanction of the Board ? Mr. Da- vis, of Plymouth, explained the circumstances under which the law was passed, and its impor- tance in securing reliable results. Mr. Grennell, of Greenfield, thought the law a good one, and that it ought not to be repealed. Dr. LoRiNG, of Salem, expressed an opposite opin- ion and said that the law could not be complied with, without subjecting the competitor to unnec- essary labor and inconvenience. The subject was finally referred to Messrs. Loring, Bushnell and Davis, to consider it and report at a future day. On the second day, the Board received and discussed the reports of the delegates to the sev- eral county shows which were held in the Com- monwealth during the last autumn. Mr. Sewat,l, of Medfield, from the Committee appointed to co-operate with the Commissioners 1861. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 63 in relation to the cattle disease, reported, that "the Committee, having had large opportunity to observe the course pursued by the Commissioners, take pleasure in expressing the conviction, that, to the late action of the Legislature, enlarging the powers of the Commissioners and the means at their disposal, followed by their own wise and energetic prosecution of a work attended with much diiBculty and pain, is to be ascribed the probable extermination of an evil of the most threatening aspect to the interests of agriculture, and the common welfare of the country. The committee who had the subject in charge, reported, — That, after due consideration of the subject, they unanimously decided that the projected pub- lication of an Agricultural Manual by a Commit- tee of the Board is inexpedient at the present time. Mr. Sewall, of Medfield, introduced the sub- ject of the flowage of low lands, and suggested that the Board should take some action to arouse public sentiment, and try a remedy for the great evil. Mr. Brown, of Concord, debated the matter at considerable length, showing the nature and the great extent of the damage done, and, generally, without the slightest compensation. He cited particular cases of hardship, the wide-spread de- struction of property, and the influences which half-submerged meadows have upon the health of those residing in the neighborhood. He thought it was eminently the province of the Board to in- vestigate the matter, and publish a decided opin- ion upon it, urging that the manufacturer has le- gal privileges that the farmer has never enjoyed ; that no man's land should be taken without his consent to be used for private purposes, or that some tribunal should be created to adjust all cases before the land can be flowed. After pre- senting several other points, he ofi'ered the fol- lowing resolutions : Resolved, That in the opinion of this Board, the ag- ricultural interests of the Commonwealth are greatly injured l)y the inundation of large tracts of its best lands, and the rights of a portion of our citizens, for whose prosperity we have a special regard, are invaded and their property constantly depreciated. Resolved, That in the opinion of this Board, the law — General Statutes, Chapter 149— "that any person may erect and maintain a dam on a stream not navi- gable, if not to the injury of a prior mill," without con- sent of the otvner of the land, operates greatly to retard the progress of agriculture in the State, and destroys the property of a class of our upright and industrious citizens, and ought to be modified and repealed. Resolved, That a committee of three persons be ap pointed bj' the chair to present these opinions of the I3oard to the next Legislature, and ask that the law Ije so modified as to prevent any person or persons from flowing the land of another, without first obtaining the written consent of the owner. Mr. Freeman Walker, of North Brookfield, thought the Board should be careful in its action on this important subject. Dr. LoRiNG, of Salem, said the resolutions had his entire sympathy, and he had no doubt they had of the whole Board. The resolutions were referred to a select commit- tee consisting of Messrs. Davis, Grennell and Sewall, Mr. Brown declining to act upon it, but would cheerfully labor with them in the cause. In the afternoon, Mr. Grennell read a report upon Sheep Husbandry, which, with the discus- sions upon it, occupied most of the session. The report was minute, able, and of a practical charac- ter. Mr. Smith, of Middlefield, stated that there should be some legislation by which the societies could protect themselves against peddlers, &c., outside of their grounds, and a committee con- sisting of Messrs. Smith, Davis and Peters was appointed to consider and report on the matter. Dr. Bartlett submitted a continuation of his report of last year, on the Diseases of Vegetation. It was listened to with interest and elicited con- siderable discussion. Mr. Atwater, of Springfield, presented an elaborate report upon Eoot Crops, which was fol- lowed by a long and animated discussion, and after some changes was accepted. Upon the whole, we think this meeting was the most spirited and profitable one the Board has ever had. Cranberry Culture in New Jersey.— Much attention is given to the cultivation of cranberries in Burlingtnn county. About 150 acres have been planted this season ; of this, one farmer named Chetwood set out 25 acres ; another, named G. Gowdy, 17 ; and Mr. Allen is planting 10 acres. This patch yields 150 bushel per acre. Mr. Allen is selling his for $4 per bushel, delivered at the house. The whole expense per acre, for building a dam, clearing the ground of roots, and setting out the plants, is only about $100. Allen's patch has cost $25 per acre for merely setting out the plants, but this is unusual. It costs fifty or sixty cents per bushel to gather them, a process which is accomplished simply by scooping up the berries with the hands. The work is mostly done by wo- men and children. — Camden {N. J.) Democrat. Rules for Pruning Grapes. — The last num- ber of Hovefs Magazine gives substantially the following general rules for grape pruning, after recommending grape growers to be free in the use of the knife, followed by the remark that where one vine is pruned too severely, nine are not pruned enough. No shoots should be nearer than one foot of each other. Prune back to within one eye of the old wood, every fall and spring, about one half of the annual shoots — the remaining eyes producing canes to be retained for bearing next year — when the old bearing wood is in turn to be cut out to make room for new shoots. Disbud or rub off", as soon as they appear, all shoots not wanted as bearing wood. 61 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. Feb. For the J\ew England Farmer THE POTATO ROT ONCE MOKE Mr. Editor : — At the close of the article in your last paper on the cause of the potato rot, you sugf^ested the propriety of discontinuing the dis- cussion of the question for the presmt, until some new light slumld break forth ujjon it. With the propriety of this suggrstion I fully accord, as I have no desire to protract the discussion, with- out the prospect of obtaining furth'r light. Yet it is due to myself and to the iiei/a/ive of the question, that 1 should have the privilege of clos- ing the present discussion with a brief statement of facts, so as to leave the question on the ground of its true merits. I am willing to forego any re- ply to Mr. Reed's last article, in order to have an opportunity to present the merits of the question, and the discussion that has been had upon it, in its true light, to the public. Mr. Lyman Reed, of Baltimore, Maryland, has undertaken to prove that the potato rot is caused by insects. The position he has taken throws the whole burden of proof upon his shoulders. He must prove it to be a fact, that insects cause the potato rot, or fail to do what he has under- taken. By the rules of all just controversy, I am not bound to prove the negative of the question; I may do it, if I ])lease ; but I am not bound to do it. All that can be expected of me, is candidly to admit his facts as far as they are true, boldly to rebut and disprove his assertions and inferen- ces when they are untrue ; in other words, to show that they are untrue in point of fact, or that they do not apply to the question at issue. As yet, Mr. Reed has produced but one solita- ry fact to show that insects are the cause of the potato rot. He says that he and others, by the aid of the microscope, have seen insects on pota- toes, performing the work of destruction. For the sake of argument, it has been admitted that ]\Ir. Reed and others have seen, what they say they saw, insects on certain diseased potatoes. But the inference which he attempts to draw from this admitted fact, viz., that insects are the cause of the potato rot, has been denied ; because it is believed, that they are not the cause, but the ef- fect or consequent of it ; in other Avords, that the potatoes were thoroughly diseased before the in- sects were seen upon them. For it seems to be a general and universal law, in the economy of Di- vine Providence, that all vegetable and animal matter, going to decay, whatever be the cause of the decay, should waste away, be consumed, and used up, in giving existence to myriads of insects. This law applies as well to vegetables as to ani- mals; so that the mere fact of finding insects on rotten or diseased potatoes, is no proof of their being the cause and origin of the rot, any more than the finding of insects in the bodies of dead animals, is a proof that insects have killed those animals. I have, therefore, solicited Mr. Reed's particu- lar attention to the point at issue. I have asked him to prove, if he can, not only that insects are an adequate and sufficient cause of the rot, but that they are the only and original cause of the disease. This he has failed to do, at least to my satisfac- tion. In my last communication, lest this dis- cussion should vent itself in a windy war of words, I invited Mr. Reed's attention to eight well-known, stubborn and opposing facts — facts which are the result of careful observation and experience, well known to all good farmers, aiul utterly inconsistent with the insect theory. And yet Mr. Reed has not seen fit either to admit, or to deny those facts. John Goldsbury. Wanvick, Dec. 17, 1860. THE SPBUCE FIR, [Abies Excelsa.] Many of our common farmers have begun to embellish the grounds about their dwellings with shrubs and shade trees. They find advantages in so doing, independently of the pleasure derived from merely looking at them. They shelter the house from high winds, break the force of storms of hail, rain and snow, and temper the fierce suns of summer. Thus they save paint and fuel, and, when it is needed, aff"ord a grateful and refresh- ing shade. These are, certainly, considerations. And so is the beauty which they give to the land- scape, and that air of home, snugness and shelter- ing warmth or shade which they afford to the house in which those farmers live. But when they look farther, and find that these trees have a direct influence upon the climate — 1861. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 65 that they keep it warmer and more moist, and that at some future day, when the present forests may have been manufactured into bulwarks of defence, or articles of domestic industry, or used as fuel, these may have an important value for practical uses. Among the most beautiful of the evergreens is the Spruce Fir or Norway Spruce, an accurate figure of which we give above. It is one of the loftiest trees of Europe, growing from one hun- dred and fifty to one hundred and eighty feet in height, with a straight trunk. It is also one of the most beautiful pyramidal trees, and one that has succeeded admirably iu this country. The branches and twigs are often beautifully pendu- lous, when the tree has attained some size. This species is very characteristic, and therefore pecu- liarly valuable in adorning the landscape ; it bears trimming, and makes a good shelter and barrier hedge, and withstands the severest winters. In Warder's "Hedges and Evergreens," a more particular account of the various species of ever- greens may be found. For the New England Farmer. UJSrCHRTAINTIES IN FARMING. Who knows for a certainty the comparative value of the various root crops for making milk or flesh ? No experience of my own, or informa- tion from other sources, has satisfied me on these points. Facts, or apparent facts, in reference to these questions are so often met with conflicting with each other, that it really seems as if no systemat- ic, well conducted experiments had ever been fully followed out to their true results. Then, again, as to their effect upon the soil on which they grow. I have known many complain of in- ability to produce as good crops of corn follow- ing turnips, as they did following other crops. It has also been my experience. Yet we find many contending that it is not owing to the tur- nips. Who knows, and will tell us where the truth lies ? I know, in my own case, that I ap- plied three times the quantity of manure for the turnip crop that I did for the potatoes along side, and treated both alike the following season, for corn, and did not get as much from the turnip piece as from the potato by ten bushels per acre, and the oats that followed the corn were very much less ; in fact, when laid down to grass, a stranger would have noted the difference in favor of the piece planted with potatoes. How is this, and who will tell us ? The soil seemed packed, and plowed much harder where the turnips grew. Truth, in all matters of this kind, should be brought to light. Farmers in this country have too long been in the dark respecting these, to them, important questions. The compensation for their products is small, compared with what it is in England. True, their taxes and rents are less, but their la- bor is far more expensive. I fail to recall the time when New England farmers could go to Brighton market and purchase neat cattle and feed them up fur beef, without losing money, un- less it was done with grass and unsalable pro- ducts of the farm. Even when fed in this way, the question arises whether it would not be more for their interest to have given the same proven- der to their cows, and increased their dairy pro- ducts, as well as fitted them for better withstand- ing the severitv of our winters. K. O. Rochester, Dec. ISth, ISGO. WHAT CAUSES COKNS IN THE TEET OF HORSES. The question has often been asked : "What are the causes of corns in the feet of horses ?" It is not unfrequently that the exciting cause can be traced directly to the influence of improper shoeing ; in fact, I may say a very large majority of cases are so caused. The first and by far the most frequent cause is contraction of the heels, which, in almost every case, is caused by our pres- ent erroneous mode of shoeing. In the first place, the smith bevels the shoe from without inwards, so that when secured to the foot it prevents the natural expansion of the hoof, as it is impossible for it to expand up these inclined planes. When the weight of the animal is thrown upon it, it will be observed that the foot rests in a concavity, which, resisting the natural expansion of the hoof, gradually forces the heels inwards ; and, to save a little trouble, the smith frequently hastens the process of contraction by cutting away the bars of the foot, thus weakening the quarters very considerably. These things are altogether wrong. If the bars were preserved sound, and the shoe made with a level bearing, we should seldom find a horse troubled with corns. Another cause is making the shoe too narrow at the heels, causing unnatural pressure and bruise on that part of the sole between the bar and crust of the foot. When thus caused they are readily removed by cutting well out, and applying some of the caustic applications, and the widening of the shoe. If caused by contraction, the cutting process and caustic applications are proper, with the additional trouble of restoring the natural elas- ticity of the hoof, which can best be done by poul- tices, and a proper hoof ointment, and applying a shoe beveled slightly outwards from the last nail hole. The shoe should be hammered, but not twisted, as is sometimes done by the smith to save a little labor ; the smith generally not re- garding his extra labor as paid for. Better for you to pay him two prices, and have the work done properly. Corns are the cause, in most cases, of sprung knees. The horse, in order to relieve the heels from pressure, throws his weight mainly on the toe, thus relaxing the tendons and suspensory lig- ament of the leg, conti'action of which naturally follows. As a proof of this assertion, examine for yourselves the feet of sprung kneed horses, and you will find a majority, if not four-fifths of them, with corns. When the feet are not contracted, take pains to keep them so by level shoeing, and preserving the elasticity of the hoofs. By a little attention to these matters much suffering will be prevent- ed, as well as time and money saved. — Ohio Farmer. 66 NEW ENGLAND FAKMER. Feb. For the New England Farmer. , THE BROWir, OR KING PHILIP CORN. In the A^^ew England Farmer of the 15th De- cember, Mr. Stearns suggests some experience and inquiries in regard to the Brown or King Philip corn, which has been a sulyect of much praise in the Patent Office Reports and other jjub- iications. This wide spread praise of the merits of this corn is not in accordance with my experi- ence and observation. Many years ago, Mr. Hill, in his Mnntlthj Vifiitor, was much interested in this corn, and set forth its valuable properties in his paper prominently. One of my neighbors, de- sirous of obtaining it, employed me, through the mail carriers, to get half a bushel of the seed from Mr. Brown, of Moultonboro', N. H., for him, for which I paid a high price. The kernels of corn were very large and fair, as fine as I have ever seen. My neighbor gave me a quart or two of the corn, which I planted, and he the rest. It was planted on good warm corn land, in good, but not high cultivation. We were both much disap- pointed that the corn did not come up well. From ten to twenty, and perhaps twenty- five per cent, of it, did not vegetate. The stalks grew tall, but not stout, and the corn was not large or sound. We found it late, compared with common seed, and not well eared. A few years before, a Mr. Chadbourne, of Cornish, gave me some corn to plant, recommending it as productive and early. I tried it, and it failed in both particulars. Mr, Chadbourne subsequently informed me that his, that year, did the same. I was not then acquaint- ed with the Brown corn, now frequently called the King Philip corn. After seeing and trying the corn we got from Mr. Brown, I was satisfied it was the same I had received of Mr. Chadbourne. Some four or five years since, at our York county agricultural and cattle show at Saco, some tresses of corn raised, it was said, on light land in Saco, were exhibited. Some of the King Philip corn and some of the Dutton corn. There was a wide difference against the King Philip kind, though both were raised in the same field, and with the same cultivation in every respect. These facts, and others of a similar character, have produced a strong impression on my mind, that the King Philip or Brown corn, which I be- lieve to be the same, is neither early or produc- tive. I cannot account for its failure to vegetate, when it looked so full and fair ; but I afterwards made the acquaintance of a Mr. Davis, I think his name was, in Bangor, who had migrated from New Hampshire, at the loMcr end of Winnipiseo- gee Lake, who told me that, at his father's, whose farm, I think, was on an island in the lake, they got their seed corn one year from Mr. Brown, and came near losing their crop in consequence of its not vegetating. He spoke of the corn with much disparagement, and I think he was correct. Corn, in a very few years, will change material- ly and become acclimated, not only in time of ripening, but in other particulars. I have noticed this in many instances. The Canada corn, in a short time, will lose its earliness, unless care is taken to prevent it. The corn I now plant was originally the Canada eight-rowed seed, planted in Maine on the Passadumkeag, and thence on the Aroostook, whence I obtained it nearly twen- ty years ago. It has much improved in produc- tiveness, very little eight rows, but ten, mostly twelve, some f(;urteen and some sixteen rows. I have preserved, in a great measure, its earliness by cutting up my seed from the best and earliest stocks in August. This practice seems to have the effect of short seasons in hastening the plant to early maturity. A Mr. Friend, in Alfred, many years ago, pursued this practice with our old- fashioned eight-rowed yellow corn, till his became about two weeks earlier than his neighbors, and was known and sought for as the Friend corn. Mr. Stearns speaks of his corn changing color. This I believe is common, and one of the changes of climate. Some kinds seem to amalgamate or hybridize with other varieties, and others mix on the cob with different kernels of different colorand composition. Probably corn is susceptible of great improvements in a course of experiments in hybridizing, carefully made with various varieties. I make these suggestions to put farmers on their guard against high pretensions of specula- tors in seeds of really no value. RuFUs McIntire. Parsonsjield, Me., Dec, 1860. For the New England Farmer. HARD TIMES— THE FARMER. Hard times ! hard times ! I don't know what we are going to do, or what will become of us ! These expressions I hear a dozen times a day, or something of the same import. And truly the times are hard, for our mechanics and most labor- ing men feel the pressure to a greater or less ex- tent. There ever will be dull and hard times to those who depend upon the employment of others for their daily bread. Still, wealth would not be wealth, unless there were those willing to sell their labor for the sake of obtaining some of it. But I do not propose to discuss a question of po- litical economy, but to remind the farmers who take the New England Farmer of their happy lot. Every man likes to feel independent, to feel that he is not dependent upon A, B, or C, for his daily bread, and the comforts of a home, and that the nod of a nabob conveys no fears to him wiiether he shall have them or not ; and if there is such a thing as a free and independent man, it is he who owns and tills his own broad acres. What cares he for the excitement and turmoil of the political world ? Not that he feels no in- terest in these things ; not that he does not love his country and this glorious Union, founded as it was by the tears, cares, wealth and blood of his fathers, the best of all governments. No, not these, for he feels and knows that he is one of that great army which make up the "bone and sinew" of all this greatness, which demagogues of the present day would rashly tear in pieces ; but ere it is done, this ••bone and sinew" must be consulted, or they "boast in vain." Happy will it be, if the present "excitement" and pressure of the time, shall cause the thousands of young men, who contem|)late, or have left their quiet farm- home, to rush to our cities and larger towns for the purpose of "making haste to be rich," to pause and count the cost before the disappoint- ments of life compel them to do so ; and when they would fain do so, the good old homestead has passed iuto other hands, and those who had 1861. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 67 loved them in childhood and sighed for their re- turn, have gone to that heavenly homestead, and cannot return to welcome them. . Not a day passes but I hear some of our me- chanics express the wish that they had a farm, but the obstacles to overcome, for them to accom- plish their wish, are so great, that many of them •will live and die in the positions they now occu- py. Young man, take the advice of one who has seen a good deal of human life, of its ups and downs, and stick to the old farm, and cheer the old folks by the health and strength of your manhood. Stick to its quiet, virtuous and independent hard work, dirty work, as fops and snobs may call it, but which brings you good, honest, clean gold, and a conscience void of offence towards God and man. Stick by the old folks and the old farm, let what will come, and my word for it, when you are fifty years old, you will not need, but will give the same advice to any young man who should ask you. N, Q. T. King Oak Hill, 1860. For the New England Farmer. THOUGHTS SUGGESTED BY THE N. E. PAKMBB, DEC, 1860. Page 540. — Egyptian Corn — (Deceptive and Offensive Advertisements.) — The thanks of the readers of this journal, and of the farming fra- ternity at large, are certainly due to those who have given reports of their e.\perience with this highly puffed humbug, as their natural repugnance to make a disclosure of their "greenness,'' or too great credulity, must have been overcome mainly by a benevolent wish to save others from being similarly imposed upon. The thanks of farmers are also due to the editor for giving insertion to a sufficient number of these disclosures and ex- posures to serve the purpose of assuring even the most credulous, that there can be no doubt but that this highly puffed corn is nothing more nor less than an iniquitous imposition — a veritable humbug, extensively advertised to obtain the hard earned money of farmers on false pretences. Both parties, the reporters and the editor, have cer- tainly conferred a benefit upon the agricultural community by giving to the public these expo- sures—a benefit which is not confined to the pre- vention of further evil and imposition in this particular case alone, but which, with the more discriminating, at least, includes the prevention of other similar impositions. Those who fail to obtain from these exposures the portion of benefit last referred to, or who are caught in the very next trap baited for farmers, must belong to the class of the simple ones whose fate, it seems, is to "pass on," unbenefited by any warnings, and be punished. All others will learn from such a case as this, to be more cautious than heretofore in re- gard to all advertisements of a similar nature ; while publishers and conductors of the press may take from it a hint of the need of the greatest carefulness, if they would avoid misleading their readers. We may take the present occasion of saying that the rogues who practice upon, and profit by the unsuspecting credulity of farmers, and others, would not succeed so wonderfully as they seem to do, were it not that thei-e appears to be an ut- ter disregard of principle on the part of the ma- jority of paper publishers in regard to the inser- tion of advertisements. Too many seem to ad- mit into their advertising columns everything that is offered to them, however objectionable on the score of decency, or however plainly marked with tokens of being intended to defraud and deceive the unwary. The number of papers is but small, we fear, from which all such advertisements are strictly and invariably excluded. We long for the arrival of the day when papers polluted by indecent advertisements, as also those which ad- mit advertisements which have any appearance of being deceptive or fraudulent, will not be ad- mitted into respectable families. The dawn of that day is already come, for we know of a few families who have discontinued papers, whose publishers, after being admonished, or made aware of the cause of oftence, persisted in polluting their pages with such advertisements as we have just named. Those editors and publishers who keep their publications pure of all abominable and rascally advertisements deserve especial hon- or, and will, we trust, secure an ever increasing appreciation and patronage. Such honor this journal deserves, for we are truly very much grat- ified in being able to say that we have never seen in the columns of the Farmer any advertisement calculated to offend the purest taste, or to mislead the unwary. And be it remembered that this is written several hundred miles from the office of said paper, and by one to whom both editor and publishers are, personally, entirely unknown, and that, of course, our testimony is wholly unbi- assed and unsought. Besides, its truthfulness can be put to the test by any one so disposed, though attentive and observant readers will be ready at once to endorse and confirm it. Page 542. — Autumnal Shows. — The perversion of our agricultural fairs grows worse and worse every year, and threatens to put an end to their usefulness. This would be a great evil, for the usefulness of unperverted agricultural fairs in stimulating to progress and improvement is so evident as to be generally acknowledged. Can- not the threatened evil be prevented ? Cannot some ingenious Yankee devise an effectual mode of prevention or of cure ? Until some such dis- covery is made, the best thing, perhaps, that can be done is to utter earnest protests, like this of Mr. Pettee, or to lay on the lash of ridicule, as has been pretty well done in the article quoted from the Homestead, on page 575 of this num- ber. Page 542. — Apples. — If the readers of this ar- ticle, and of another on Baked Apples, on page 553, should give them the consideration which they deserve, and should regulate the dietary ar- rangements of their families in accordance with the salutary truths therein contained, the benefits resulting therefrom would be more, and greater far than the mere diminution of doctors' bills, al- luded to in the former of these articles, though this of itself would amount, in some families, to moi-e than the subscription price of this journal for ten or a dozen years, or even a score of them. Page 546. — A Profitable Orass Farm. — We presume that not a few of the readers of this ar- ticle, as well as the present writer, would have liked very much that the article had furnished them with more information than it does as to 68 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. Feb. the mode of cultu/e, and the kinds of top-dress- ing used by Mr. Morgan, for who that reads of such extraordinary crops, as four tons of hay per acre at the first cutting, and two or three tons more at the second cutting, can fail to have his curiosity aroused, and a desire awakened to learn the process or processes by which such wond( rful crn])s have been secured. Perhaps the editor could do no more acceptable or useful service to his readers than to recur to this subject, and fur- nish them with the fullest information within his reach, in regard to the modes of culture or man- agement by which such marvellous crops have been obtained. Many would like such large crops, and may reasonably think that what has been done by one man, may be done again by others, if only they knew how. Fage oo"). — Economy in Feeding Stock. — It must be truly gratifying to every human heart to witness the efforts made to improve the sheltering of stock, and to learn that an improvement in this respect is constantly being made. Moke Anon. EXTRACTS AND BEPLIES. LEGHORN FOWLS. Can you or any of your readers give me light upon the Leghorn fowl ? I have heard them spoken of very highly. Why are they not more common ? Are they of recent introduction into this country, and from where ? Are they hardy enough to make good winter layers in our cli- mate ? If of pure blood, are they always white, and do they have a large falling comb, like the Black Spanish ? What is the average size, and do they never ■want to set ? Are they better layers than com- mon hens ? Are their eggs of good size? As I have been told, — do the pullets commence to lay at an early age ? Are any for sale in this vicini- ty, and at what- price ? If not, can eggs proba- bly be had in the spring for setting, and at what price ? H. Dartmouth, Dec, LS60. Remarks. — Mr. R. G. Anthony, of New Bed- ford, this State, in the Monthly Farmer for March, ISfiO, says he has kept the Leghorn fowls pure, and finds them "all he could wish." Their eggs are large, they are constant layers and rarely wish toset. Mr. L. R. Hewins, of Foxboro', in the same vol., page 166, says "the Leghorns have done the best with him of any fowls he has ever kept." He also states in the July number, page 304, that in size and habit the Leghorns are very much like the Black Spanish fowls ; they lay younger than the Spanish ; their legs and skin are yellow, with white feathers. They hatch well, and are very hardy. now TO RELIEVE CHOKED CATTLE. Put one arm over the neck, so as to have one hand on each side, find the substance that the an- imal is choked with, then ])lace your thumb be- low it on each side, and shove it gently up into the mouth. I have relieved a great many choked cattle for myself and neighbors, and never found a case but 1 succeeded in. One case I had where the animal would not take it in to the mouth when it was shoved up ; in that case we put a ring in to the mouth, and another person easily took out the offunding substance, while I held it up to the swallow. Levi Davenport. Coleraine, Dec. 4, 1860. FOUL OF THE FOOT IN CATTLE — COCKED KNEES IN HORSES. Can you or any of your subscribers tell me the cause and cure of foul of the foot in cattle ? What is the best time for cutting timber for fence posts ? What will cure cocked knees in horses ? E.'isex, Vt., Dec, 1860. Remarks. — Foul in the foot is generally occa- sioned, we think, by exposing animals to wet and cold mud or manure, in cold weather, and then tying them up at night without cleaning and dry- ing their feet. Persons sometimes use a pair of oxen for several days in succession, in getting out manure, and keep them standing for most of the time in its strong juices, while they may be nearly at the freezing point, and then put them up with this matter congealed to their feet. The ox, as well as the horse, ought to be cleaned and "dried off," when taken from work, before he is put up for the night. To secure perfect cleanliness is the first step in the remedial process, and for this purpose a weak solution of blue vitriol forms an excellent wash. Mr. Charles Robinson, of Lexington, communicated to us a remedy, sev- eral years ago, as follows : "Oil of spike, oleum nardenien, about a tea- spoonful once a day to each foot, will effect a cure in one week. The claw should be opened, cleaned a little, and the oil turned in." "A simple cure for the Foul in the Foot. After cleaning the foot, pour in a few drops of spirits of turpentine, and unless in very aggravated cas- es, two or three applications will be sufficient. I have always used it, and when applied in season have never known its failing." We know of no cure for sprung knees in horses. ONE HORSE threshing MACHINE. An "Old Subscriber," from Ellsworth, Me., in- quires in regard to one-horse threshing machines. Please allow me to state that w-e, (my father and myself,) have used the past season, for threshing wheat, one of A. W. Gray's single horse power, thresher and separator, and that its performance, in every respect, was satisfactory to us. We think this machine has peculiar merits, such as lightness, portability, small amount of friction, thereby greater power, &c., which will not bo overlooked by any one about to purchase machinery of this kind. A horse weighing 9J0 pounds, with moderate elevation of the power, will thresh grain or saw cord-wood with expedition, and in the most per- fect manner. From the experience of one season, I should advise "Subscriber" to purchase one of these machines, and do his own threshing, sawing 1861. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 69 wood, (fee, in preference to hiring it done by hand or otherwise. They are manufactured at Middletown, Vt., by A. W. Gray & Son, who will deliver them, to any address, at their depot. Single power, thresh- er and separator, .$1125 ; circular saw, 24 inches, filed and set, frame and balance wheel, $37. M. A. Thompson. Swanzetj, N. H., Dec. 1, 1860. FATTENING OF SWINE. I have looked with some anxiety for the expe- rience of our farmers in fattening swine, since the statement that dry meal would make more pork than it would fed any other way. If that can be proved to be a fact, it will save pork rais- ers some labor. I have practiced scalding all my nieal and then putting in milk or slops to make it so thin that it can be poured from the pail readily. I hope some one who has conveniences for weighing live hogs will give the matter a fair trial and report in the Farmer. Eoxbury, Vt, Dec, 18G0. W. A. Simonds. For the New England Farmer. MESSBS. SMEE AND REED ON THE POTATO DISEASE. In 1846 Mr. Smee, surgeon to the Bank of Eng- land, and F. R. S., published a small book upon the potato disease. I hwve not had an opportunity to read this work thoroughly, but have secured from his "Resume" the following conclusions : *'(4.) The plant is subject to death at various parts, or a sort of vegetable gangrene. '■(5.) This death, in the form presented by the present disease, is influenced, but not caused, by light, heat, electricity, moisture, soils and ma- nure. "(6.) It is, however, caused by the Aphis vas- tator, which punctures the leaf, sucks the sap, and destroys the relation between the leaf and the root, thus causing the leaf or some other part of the plant to become gangrened, or in other words, to die." Mr. Smee also observes, that this insect at- tacks many other garden vegetables, and that, if not destroyed, it may cause famine in some dis tricts, though he thinks the evil fleeting, as the ^•astator will probably be destroyed by other in- sects. Every remedy, however," should be era- ployed, not only against the insect itself, but also to mitigate the injluences. That the Aphis vastator attacks other vegeta- bles, I think in this country farmers have made no complaint. They decay, so far as they do de- cay, from the usual causes; and the wonder is, why the potato cannot rot, without cause from an insect, us ivell as other vegetables. It will be seen by Mr. Smee's theory, that there are six powerful influences affecting the disease, which are usually regarded as the causes; and they are so numerous that it would seem they might overpower, if not entirely destroy, his in- sect. Besides, Mr. Wilson Flagg observes in the last Massachusetts Agricultural Report, (though I did not myself see the statement in Mr. Sraee's book,) that Mr. S. found that when he placed the insects that infested the unsound tubers upon one that was sound, they would not remain upon it, but left it. Hence the reasonable conclusion that they feed only upon those which are already decayed. It will also be observed, that Mr. Smee's work was published about two years after the disease appeared ; and that further investigation and more extended observation may not, in his own opinion, have sustained the theory. But I ])ass to the Hon. Lyman Reed, of Balti- more, who seems to have adopted Mr. Smee's theory — bating, perhaps, the influences — Mr. R. being, as I should judge, a pure, unadulterated; insectorian. I mean no disrespect to him ; for if he has spent time and money in the investigation of the potato disease, he should be honored, though the public may be disappointed in his de- velopments. To sustain his theory — or to "estab- lish these facts," as he says, namely, the facts which constitute the essence of his theory — he has certificates of seventeen members of Congress. Now, Mr. Reed thinks that there is no appeal from the opinion of these seventeen gentlemen ! They have seen the insects, and they believe they destroy the potato. But Mr. Pourtales and Mr. Flint, who saw these same insects through the microscope, do not come to the same conclusion. They probably and very sensibly believe, that in abstruse, scientific investigation, it takes more than seventeen men, (M. C.'s though they may be,) to establish a fact, particularly against the gener- al belief. And perhaps there has been no theory advanced relating to this disease, Avhich may not easily procure seventeen intelligent gentlemen to certify that that is the true cause. Of course, that of the atmospheric theory could procure a legion, and probably Mr. Pourtales and Mr. Flint would be among the number, notwithstand- ing Mr. Reed's readiness to place them in defence of his "facts !" Yet all the theories cannot be true. These members of Congress say in their cer- tificate, "We feel convinced that a new and im- portant discovery has been made." Of what ? That insects are on the tubers. No one can dis- pute the test. By whom ? Not certainly by Mr. Reed, for Mr. Smee claims priority. But they say, "50 far as we can judge," &c., where these insects have operated, the tuber "prematurely de- cays." Here the public, till more fully convinced, will join issue. Daring the past season, some of my potatoes grown on new land, were found to be greatly eat- en by the common white black-headed grub of the gardens. But they were not diseased, and have not since rotted on that account, though some of my potatoes have exhibited dry rot in the cellar. It would seem by this fact, that simply gnawing or puncturing a tuber does not predispose to disease any more than cutting with the hoe ; and hence, that if the Aphis destroys it, it must be from the efl"usion of poison, as Mr. Reed claims. Yet I think the economy of this law a little re- markable, as I observed in a communication two years ago, and to which Mr. Goldsbury has al- luded. By the way, is it demonstrated that no tubers rot except those which have been gan- grened by the Aphis ? If so, then he is a very ancient enemy, and only suddenly re-inforced himself in 1843. Do the variable states of the atmosphere, moisture, warmth, manure, or soil, generate or assist in generating this insect ? 70 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. Feb. The microscope is a wonderful instrument ; but while it reveals many important facts, it also pre- sents those whieh are unimportant and trifling. It creates mountains out of verj- small mole-hills, makes monsters of mites, (myriads of which could not dust the surface of a diamond.) and frightens the epicure with thousands of sea-serpents in his oyster-water ! Human beings may have well been denied by nature this infinitesimal vision. "Say, why's not man a microscopic eye .' For this plain reason, man is not a fly." But waiving all this, the practical question is, have we a remedy for the potato disease ? Mr. Reed says he has, and it is patented, and rights to use it are for sale. Yet the committee of Con- gress were not convinced of this, for they cau- tiously say, "and if, as Mr. Reed asserts, he has found an infallible remedy," &c. But they were only judging of the presence and effects of in- sects, for which no patent could be expected. The patent was granted for the remedy, and Mv. Reed says it is successful with him. But why is it that cultivators know so little about this preventive ? Why is it that nobody but the patentee can with certainty raise sound potatoes ? Have not far- mers faith enough to purchase the remedy, or do they have the remedy and disease both ? If I were Mr. Reed, I would not discuss the cause, even with an angel ; but I would show skeptical human beings that I could give them sound potatoes, and would prove that my patent right was really what I claimed for it, even if I supplied a hundred farmers gratuitously. In New England we know nothing of it, and how many years longer will Mr. Reed reiterate that he holds the one thing needful for successful potato culture ? Even the gentleman's "immediate neighbors of Waltham, Mass.," to whom he appealed nine years ago for proof of the efficacy of his remedy, are not, as I nave heard, eminently conspicuous above others for their sound potatoes ! Further proof of the remedy is what is due to the patentee and to the public ; and when he (or any one else with his remedy,) can grow a field of sound Chenango po- tatoes, and give evidence of it, year after year, letting them remain in the hill from May till the first of October, he will have gone far to show to the world that his theory is based upon facts. West Medford, Dec, 1860. D. w. L. INGENUITY OF THE SPIDER. Let me put a spider in a lady's hand. She is aghast. She shrieks. The nasty, ugly thing. Madam, the spider is perhaps shocked at your Brussels lace, and although you may be the most exquisite painter living, the spider has a right to laugh at your coarse daubs as she runs over them. Just show me your crochet-work when you shriek at her. "Have you spent half your days," the spider, if she be spiteful, may remark : "Have you spent half your days upon this clumsy anti- massar and ottoman cover .•* If I were big enough I might with reason drop you, and cry out at you. Let me spend a day with you and bring ray work. I have four little bags of thread — such little bags ! In every bag there are about 4,000 holes — such little holes ! Out of each hole a thread runs, and all the threads I spin together as they run ; and then they make but one thread of the web I weave. I have a member of my family who is no bigger than a grain of sand." Imagine what a slender web she makes, and of that, too, each thread is made of 4,000 or 5,000 threads that have pass; d out of her four bags through 4.000 or 5,000 little holes. Would you drop her, too, crying out about your delicacy ? A pretty thing for you to plume yourselves on your delicacy, and scream at us. For tlie New England Farmer. ENEMIES OP FARMERS. In the town from which I write, the people are mostly farmers. My first impression, upon my first visit to the town, was one of surprise that so valuable land should be estimated of so little value, and that there should be so many poor among the people. I began to inquire, What are the causes of this lack of prosperity ? What are the great enemies of the farmer ? My first inquiry was relative to the healthful- ness of the locality. This resulted in a full con- viction that the locality was decidedly favorable to health and longevity. Is there any absence of market-privileges ? There are few towns in New England very much more accommodated in this respect. It is near cities and targe villages, and only a few miles from the railroad running from Portland to Bos- ton. That is sufficient market accommodation. What have the habits of the community to an- swer for in the account ? The better portion of the people are industrious, economical and order- ly. There are many men who habitually and practically despise the legal restrictions on the sale of intoxicating liquors. Here is, perhaps, one of the outlets which drain away wealth, and make men poor, and the manure-heaps scarce. Drunkenness is a deadly enemy to farmers and to farms. The cost and loss consequent upon the habit of drinking is not less than some dollars each for every man, woman and child in the community. And where is the community com- pensated for all this ? Echo answers, where ? Neither bloated faces nor sunken eyes are indi- cations of agricultural efficiency. Then, again, another great enemy to New England farms and farmers is tobacco. Bite it, or burn it, or blow it, it will never pay the cost. Many a man eats enough of the nasty stuff, yearly, to pay the cost of bringing up a boy, or well towards it. Isn't that economy at a great rate ? Farmers may as well afford to hunt and eat bed-bugs, as they can tobacco plugs. Dollars, again, for each man, woman, and child, is spent yearly in the commu- nity for plugs and polluted mastication-mills. "Farming won't pay !" See what rivers of rum have drowned those poor fellows who fell into the current ; and what Senecas of spittle have is- sued from mouths that a whole month's winter- airing could not make sweet of smelling ! To- bacco is a great enemy of the farmer, especially where a hired man goes on to the hay-mow with a lighted pipe ! or when the match that lighted a cigar is thrown all a-blaze into the straw. It is a wonderful age of improvement ! "There's many a mill" to grind up farmers, as well as to grind their grain, but none of the men have any need to hop into the hopper. It seems 1861. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 71 to me that God made farmers to be the ruling class in sobriety. Extravagance in dressing or dashing is enough out of place anywhere. But the lords of the soil must he a sober nobility ; living at the tip-top of all moral, religious or so- cial interests, and exempt from all habits of dis- sipation and fashionable extravagance, if they would realize their greatness. A fashionable fop, compared with a true young farmer, is about like a pauper compared to a king. With a little attention, and proper dressing on the land, I have raised some ruta bagas the past season, weighing 14 lbs. apiece, on soil which has been scoffed at as worthless for an age. They were not sowed until about the twentieth of June. Pardon the pinches on profligate practices. Lee, N. E., 18G0. Comings. J<'or the New England Farmer. THE HEVIEW OF THE SEASON. Mr. Editor : — From the records of the past, we may gather much that is instructive and in- teresting, regarding the period of time on which the farmer depends for his success in the produc- tions of the farm. By comparing this season with former seasons, Ave may see the cause of success or failure in many of our crops. The great drought of 1859 continued till August, 1860, affecting the crops of the past season in a very serious man- ner in this region, but much more so near the shores of Lake Champlain, while at no great dis- tance on either side we have accounts of plentiful crops. April had a mean temperature of 41.18 deg., which is not far from the mean temperature of past years. The amount of rain was 0.87 inches — the smallest amount for many years. It fell during seven days, and the greatest amount in any one day was 0.36. Grass commenced grow- ing about the 6th, and made but little progress during the season. The amount of cloudiness was 48 per cent. May had a mean temperature of 58.70 deg., and was the warmest May for the past eight years, with the exception of 1859. The amount of rain was 1.23 inches, being the smallest amount for many years. Such extreme dry weather injured the crops materially. The amount of cloudiness was about 54 per cent. The first thunder storm took place on the 7th day — the same day on which the first thunder storm occurred last year. The mercury stood at 90 deg., at 2, P. M., and was the same last year at the same hour. The last frost of spring took place on the morning of the 21st day. June had a mean temperature of 65.10 deg., which is about the mean temperature for several years past. The amount of rain was 2.54 inches — much below the usual quantity. The amount of cloudiness was about 51 per cent. Rain fell on 12 days, and the largest amount on any one day was 0.71 inches. July had a mean temperature of 66.26 deg., which is about three deg. colder than the mean, and is the coldest July of the past eight years. The amount of rain was 4.27 inches — enough for all practical purposes were it not for the extreme dry weather previous. But the ground was not saturated, and was still rather too dry for vege- tation. Rain fell on 15 days, and the greatest amount in any one day was 1.01 inches. The amount of cloudiness was about 53 per cent. August had a mean temperature of 67.66 deg., which is 1.66 above the mean, and was the warm- est August with the exception of 1859 for the past eight years. The amount of rain was 7.30 inch- es— the largest amount since 1856. Rain fell on 13 days, and the largest amount on any one day was 2.07 inches. The amount of cloudiness was about 51 per cent. September had a mean temperature of 56.59 deg., which is 1.62 below the mean, and is the coldest September in the past eight years with the exception of 1859. The amount of rain was 3.52 inches, being about the usual quantity. Rain fell on 13 days, and the largest amount on any one day was 1.37 inches. The amount of cloud- iness was about 50 per cent. The first light frost was seen on the morning of the 2d day, and the first hard frost sufficient to destroy vegetation was on the morning of the 27th. The whole amount of rain during the year up to Sept. 30th, was 23.32 inches, and the whole amount from April 1st to Sept. 30th, was 19.23 inches. 4.64 inches fell in the first three months, or an average of 1.54 inches per month, and 14.59 in the last three months, or an average of 6.41 per month. This shows a great drought in the first part of the season, when crops needed rain, and rain enough during the ripening of crops. Summer period free from frost 103 days. Time free from frost sufficient to destroy vegetation 128 days. There has been a large proportion of south-east wind during the summer, but no heavy gales, and no severe storms of any kind. Since September, the weather has been more favorable. Rain has fallen in abundance. The earth is saturated with water, and the prospect for crops next season is good. The temperature of October was 46.65 deg., being about the mean. The amount of rain was 1.92 inches, and of snow one inch, being somewhat less than usual. November had a temperature of 38.92 deg., which is 3.31 above the mean, and is the warmest November for many years. The amount of rain was 4.62 inches, and of snow 2.75 inches. There was but little foddering done in November. December up to the present date has been rather cold, but not very unpleasant. The mer- cury passed below zero for the first time on the morning of the 14th, eight deg., and on the morn- ing of the 15th it stood 10 below, which is very unusual so early in the season. At this time the sleighing is tolerable, with a small amount of snow — some four inches, D. Buckland. Brandon, VL, Dec. 17, 1860, Sleeping and Eating. — Hall's Journal of Health says : "For persons who eat three times a day, it is ample and sufficient to make the last meal of cold bi-ead and butter, and a cup of warm drink. No one can starve on it, while a perse- verance in the habit soon begets a vigorous appe- tite for breakfast, so promising of a day of com- fort." All innovation upon established customs is invariably and sturdily resisted, and men are known to fight for their prejudices who would never fight for their country. 72 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. Feb. For the New England Farmer. OUR GRANDMOTHERS vs. LADIES. MODERN Mr. Editor: — I thought my article in the Farmer of the Gth of October was made sufficient- ly plain to he understood by any one, even that intelligent "Old Bach,^' who opened the first bat- tery upon the weak fortress of an "Old Spinster." I find, however, that not only the "Old Bach," but "Polly" and "Anna" have been pleased to misconstrue a portion of said article. I can not see why the articles of "Polly" and "Anna" do not conflict more with each other than with mine. It seems that the most offensive part of my arti- cle was the sentence in which I mentioned the fact, that our grandmothers were educated as far- mers' wives should be educated, not to play on a piano, or make pictures, (I might have said ex- clusive of everything else,) but to spin and weave, &c. I did not wish to insinuate, by any means, that our grandmothers were an uncivilized set of human beings, mere slaves, and nothing else, but I did mean to say that they were not afraid of work, and were not in the habit of leaving the management of their household affairs with "Bid- dy" in the kitchen, while they were squandering away their own time over a piano, or some frivo- lous picture. They were willing to take their share of the bur- dens of each day, and bear them cheerfully, with- out a murmur, and when their husbands came in at night, after the toils of the day were ended, they were met by wives whose countenances wore a pleasant aspect, and who were ever ready to speak a pleasant and an encouraging word ; they were capable, too, of giving their children good instruction, because they read the Scriptures more than novels. Our grandmothers could and did read their Bibles, and write a very good hand, too ; and boys who were reared and trained by them, seldom contracted vicious habits. How is it with boys raised by some of our modern ladies ? Too often the reverse, and for the reason that they too often leave the training of their children with some foreign "Bridget," while they are do- ing something else. I do not wish you to understand me to say that all farmers' wives indulge in such a course. Such is not the case. But I believe that nine-tenths of those who are ever finding fault with their liege lords, and those who say the most about hard- ships borne by our farmer's wives, are those who are indulged as above, and knoAv as much about hard work in the kitchen, as Biddy does about the piano in the parlor. The ideas that I wish to convey in my former article, as well as the pres- ent, are as follows : First, that our grandmothers did not enjoy the advantages of modern inventions, consequently their tasks were much more arduous to perform ; secondly, that they performed those tasks much more cheerfully than many of the farmers' wives do theirs at the present day, notwithstanding they enjoy all the advantages of modern improve- ments ; thirdly, they were of sound minds, as a general thing, and although their chance for an education was very limited, they made greater improvements than many modern ladies do with all their modern chances for an education ; fourth- ly, they were better wives, and better mothers, and better prepared to train up a family of chil- dren than many of the whimsical things of the present day ; and last, but not least, they were not in the habit of publishing their domestic grievances in the newspapers, for the purpose of making a display of talents. I know this to be a fact, because one of them is the mother of the "Old Spinster." Claremont, N. II., Dec, 1860. THE AIR PRESSURE CHURN. Among the improvements which an advanced civilization brings to light every day, and which go to bless mankind by exalting still higher that civilization, the farmer may enjoy his full share. He has not yet seen fit to avail himself of many of them, but is gradually bringing them to his aid, as custom or prejudice yields before the pal- pable evidences which they afford of increasing his profits. Much more has been done to aid the farmer in the field, than to aid his wife in the dairy room, or kitchen, though she fully appreciates the wash- ing machine, cooking stove, and other culinary and domestic improvements. Here is one, figured above, having a more immediate connection with the business of the farm, and one which we re- gard as substantial and valuable. We have now had it in use some time, making with it about seventy-five pounds of butter per month. The first thing which we found in this churn to recommend it, was the neat and substantial man- ner in which it is made. The second, the ease with which it is wrought. The third was the appearance of the butter up- on opening the churn ; it was lying in one entire mass, and having the right temperature to secure its being worked over with ease and facility. This is an essential advantage, as in other churns it often comes so hard that it is difficult to work it at all. In the Air Pressure Churn it has inva- riably come in a perfect condition to be easily and effectually worked and made into balls, or packed down in tubs. 1861. NE^V ENGLAND FARMER. 73 The fourth was the blue and thin appearance of the butter-milk, thereby indicating that nearly all the buttei-y matter had been extracted from the cream. We have, therefore, no doubt but this churn will bring more butter from a given quantity of cream than any other we have used. The fifth recommendation, is the perfect ease with which the churn can be cleaned. It is formed like a keg, with one head out, having no holes, crevices, cranks or dashers in the way. The in- side of the keg, or churn, is nearly as smooth as glass, so that with anything like a careful wash- ing, it is scarcely possible for cream or butter- milk to remain attached to it. These two points — the fourth and fifth — we suppose, are gained by the compression of air into the churn, but whether by an increase of temperature, by the introduc- tion of oxygen, or by more effectually breaking the globules which contain the particles of cream, we are not able to say. The inventor of this churn, is Dr. R. P. Wil- son, of New York. He called our attention to it, more than a year ago, and churned with it while we were present at three or four different times — but we saw nothing in those exhibitions that seemed to entitle it to merits not possessed by some other churns. Under this impression, we declined to receive, and test it at that time, — but after seeing the testimony of others in relation to it, and recalling an old maxim, to "prove all things, and hold fast to that which is good," we put it in operation, and have given the results above. Since having made trial of it, we have con- versed with Allen Putnam, Esq., who, tAventy years ago, was Editor of the N. E. Farmer, and who states that he became so thoroughly convinced of its superior merits, that he has been willing to risk his means and reputation in placing it before the public, and in calling their attention to its su- perior advantages. We do not recommend an immediate and in- discriminate abandonment of all other churns for this — and this is our rule with regard to all labor- saving machines not fully tested — but that those needing a churn may try this, or that those large- ly engaged in buttei'-making shall ascertain its merits, even though they have other good churns in use. Address at the Sagadahoc (Maine) Fair. — This address, published in the Brunswick Teh- graph, was delivered before the association, at Topsham, Oct. 10, 1860, by N. T. True, M. D., and is one of the best that we have read for a long time. To most of our readers, the initials, "N. T. T.," are probably more familiar than the Dr.'s name in full. We have marked for future publication one or two of the common sense sug- gestions which make up this address. The doc- tor, who is also editor of the Bethel, Me., Cou- rier, is evidently a man of no small observation. "I have yet to see," he says, "the man in Maine who has enjoyed fair health, who has had a fair chance to make a farm, and who has exhibit- ed a tolerable share of prudence in his affairs, that has not acquired a competency, with which to pass the mellow autumn of life in comparative comfort, surrounded by all the endearments of a quiet home." CONV2!RTIISrQ BONES INTO SUPEE- PHOSPHATES. If you have not a bone-mill, you must break the bones with sledge hammers, and after with smaller ones, to reduce the bones to as small a size as possible ; provide tubs or a brick tank of sufEcient capacity, put in the bones, saturate them with hot water — pour in as much as they will ab- sorb, but no more. Pour in sulphuric acid in the proportion of 56 lbs. of the acid to 112 lbs. of dry bones, stir the mass frequently, and in about a week it will be fit for use ; first absorbing the mass to a sufficiently dry state for distribution, by mixing with it rich dry earth, bog mould, ash- es or peat charcoal in sufficient quantity. As the dissolved bones lose by evaporation, it would be- better to put off the process of dissolving until' February, or March next ; it will then be per- fectly disintegrated or decomposed in time for- use. If tanks or tubs are not convenient, the- process may be effected by saturating the bones- on a dry floor under cover, and mixing them up with the acid, as mortar is tempered, and imme- diately covering up the heap with the drying ma- terials, and leaving to digest for a week or ten days, when it is turned over and thoroughly mixed with the drying materials. — Irish Farmer's Gazette. SWEENEY IN HORSES. Will you tell what you believe to be the best remedy for curing the sweeney in horses, as it is very troublesome to cure when it once gets fairly seated, and is very painful to the horses ? A. Answer. — The sweeney is a shrinking of the muscles of the shoulder, usually caused by a sud- den strain in drawing, or by alighting hard upon the fore feet after a jump. We have had consid- erable personal experience with this difficulty in horses. If taken fresh, it is best to bleed the horse in the leg from the vein on the inside of the arm, called the plate vein, which will allay the in- flammation ; but for an old case, this is nearly use- less. Also physic the horse, and apply fomenta- tions upon the shoulder blade, and the inside of the arm. In all cases, take off the shoes, and give the animal rest in a pasture, or on a dirt bot- tom in a large stall. If the case is not of too long standing, it is well to rub the shoulders with pen- etrating oils, like oil of spike. Our practice was to rub with a corn-cob, and hemp crash cloth. When once seated, be careful of over-driving and cooling off, as you would for a case of founder. A long rest in the pasture is the best remedy we ever tried. — Ohio Cultivator. 74 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. Feb. For the Neip England Farmer. HAY AND ROOT CROPS— THEIR COM- PARATIVE VALUE. Hay is the chief article of food for stock during the winter season ; and, generally speaking, if a sufficiency of good hay is properly fed to stock, they will thrive upon it, and increase in weight and value. But it is not always, nor even usually the case, that farmers have a sufficiency of the best quality of hay to feed to their stock, Mith no exceptions in the way of coarse fodder, damaged hay, straw, etc. ; and in case tlie latter is fed, or when the usual yield of hay has been reduced by reason of the drought, or other causes, root crops afford a valuable auxiliary, whether used in con- nection with the former, or as a substitute for the latter. Hence it often becomes necessary to know the comparative value of potatoes, carrots and ruta bagas, that farmers may be able to substitute, in part, these roots for hay. It is becoming more and more the practice of our best farmers to feed out, not only their car- rots, turnips, etc., but their potatoes, instead of selling them from the farm to be worked into starch, in the belief that the good of their ftxrms demands it, and that their purses in the end will not be the losers thereby ; and the more it is practiced, the more convinced are they of the economy and profit of such a course of feeding. Not only is the profit derived from the roots, as such, but the relative value of the hay, as well as that of the roots, is increased when fed together. And it becomes an object, the present season es- pecially, for such farmers as have been deprived of their usual amount of fodder by the drought, to make the best of all such means to keep and im- prove their stock until the return of grass. The following table, gathered from reliable sources, shows the value of potatoes, carrots and ruta bagas, the roots usually grown for stock, compared with that of good hay. 200 fbs. of potatoes are equal to 100 lbs. of hay. 275 " " caiTots " " " 300 " "rutabagas " " " Again : by allowing 60 pounds to the bushel, of the above roots, we have the following : 67 bushels of potatoes are equal to a ton of hay. 92 " " carrots " " " 100 " " ruta bagas " " " By this estimate, with the usual yield per acre, it will be seen that root culture pays ; a fact of which many a farmer and stock-grower has been convinced by practical demonstration. Lyndon, VL, Dec, 1860. I. W. Sanborn. Experiment with S.\lt. — E. Roberts com- municates to the Philadelphia Farmer and Gar- dener the results of an experiment tried a year ago. When a field of an acre of turnips were putting out the third leaf something like one bushel of salt was applied to about one-fourth of the field. A very severe drought succeeded, parching up everything. The turnips did not appear to ad- vance a bit in their growth, except on the portion to which the salt had been applied. Here they did not show the drooping condition so manifest in every other portion of the field. When the leaves of the unsalted portion were dry in the morning, the saltest part appeared moist, as though they had imbibed moisture from the at- mosphere. The result was, a much better yield of turnips on the eighth of an acre than on the other portion. The fly did not attack this portion at all, though some of the other parts of the field suffered severely. AUTUMN" IS DEAD. BY MRS. n. J. LEWIS. The lilies beneath the wave are sleeping, The vine no more o'er the wall is creeping. The withered berries the turf are strewing, The leaves are heaped by the wild wind's blowing. Autumn is dead. Where the reapers trod not a sheaf is gleaming, Where the asters bloomed not a flower is beaming. The grass is gone that in summer even Was sprinkled with liquid gems from heaven. Autumn is dead. Grey is the sea with its moan and dashing, Grey are the clouds with no sunlij^lit flashing. Wildly the sea-bird shrieks o'er the billow, Making its foam a toy and a pillow, Since Autumn is dead. Now come the winds from the North, low telling. Where the dread winter bides in his dwelling, Ready to hush the soft silver ringing Of streams that sadly murmur in singing. Autumn is dead. Softly as hush of the pale moon stealeth A chorus of voices that life revealeth. An insect's chirp, or a wild bird calling, — A break in a silence else appalling, For Aut'imn is dead. Quick ! strew his grave with the leaves and flowers That gladdened his path through the darkening hours ! Quick with the chant and requiem holy ! See you not that he lieth lowly, Dec. 1, 1860. Because he is dead .' Transcript. DOINGS OF THE CATTLE COMMIS- SIONERS. On Thursday week, parts of the two boards of the Cattle Commissioners of the Commonwealth met at Mr. Chenery's farm in Belmont, to kill the remaining portion of the 27 head purchased some time since by the Cattle Commissioners of Mr. Chenery. On the 2Jlh of September they killed 4, on the 11th of October they killed 7, on the 16th, 6, and on the 13th of December, 4, including one in charge of the Medical Board, and returned 3 to Mr. Chenery for the same price they had agreed to pay him. Three animals still remain in charge of the Medical Board, and Mr. Chenery has now 13 head, including "Beemster," one of the cows obtained by the last importation, which has never been sick. The injunction of isolation still remains in force in regard to the remnant of this herd that numbered near 70 head a year and a half ago. Of these 27 died of the disease, and 23 have been killed by order of the Commission. One of the Commissioners said that the remain- ing 10 head should all be killed. Of the animals killed on Tlmrsday week, 3 were pronounced diseased with pleuro-pneumonia by 1861. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. the Commissioners, and one perfectly well. The cyst or encysted matter in the lung of one of these animals was about the size of of a common shell-bark walnut, the matter being of a caseous appearance, and devoid of scent. In the other, the cysts were larger. The third case showed dark specks, whether cysts the writer did not have opportunity to observe, as the animal was killed before his arrival. The fourth had as clean a pair of lungs as a Jew would wish to see, in case he desired the flesh of the animal for meat. In view of a statement made at the late meet- ing of the Ipswich Farmers' Club in England, and published in a late number of the Cultivator, that "In the case of the cows which died previous to calving, (of 'lung disease,' or pleuro-pneumonia) the lungs of the fietus v/ere found diseased ; where the cows died after calving, the calves died in a few days from the disease." This has been re- garded by some as going to establish the heredi- tary character of the disease, called pleuro-pneu- monia.— Boston Cultivator. EXTRACTS AND BEPLIES. HUNGARIAN GRASS. I wish to inquire in regard to the Hungarian grass ? What soil is it best adapted to — how much seed does it require to the acre — where can it be obtained, and at what price ? How would it do to turn over a piece of green- sward in the spring, a light soil, which is filled with witch grass, and sow it with this grass for fodder ? Subscriber. Bath, N. H., Dec, 1860. Remarks. — A good Indian corn soil is suita- ble for the Hungarian grass. Six quarts of seed are sufficient for an acre. It can usually be ob- tained at the seed stores for from $3,50 to $5 a bushel. Try the experiment with the greensward by plowing deep, harrowing until it is fine and man- uring with fine compost — it will probably do well. CUTTING TIMBER, With regard to the time of cutting timber we have the following testimony from one of our old- est subscribers : — Obed Baker, West Dedham, has cut timber for seventy years, got out frames for houses, &c. ; cut pine timber at almost any time of the year — cut in the old of the moon. Has also cut oak for ship timber and brought in some for the Constitution — "Old Ironsides." Says, peel bark last of May, or first of June, in the new moon, when it will strip freely, — the wood of such trees would turn black and become sap rotten, but the same trees if cut in the old moon would be perfectly sound. Bush- es cut in the old of the moon, December, die, and will not sprout. He has red cedar posts that have stood for one hundred years, and are still sound in the ground. His experience shows that the old of the moon is the time for cutting timber to preserve it. Posts set small end down outlast those set the other way. A little salt put in helps to preserve them. It is a good plan, also, to char the ends. HAY FOR a horse — COMPARATIVE VALUE OF HAY AND GRAIN. You know it is taken for granted that editors can answer all sorts of questions, at least, I take it so in this case, for you have told me once or more just the very things I want to know now, but like other dull scholars, I have forgotten, and I can't find the papers now. I wish to know how many pounds of good hay, cut up and mixed with four quarts of oats ground, (or their equiva- lent in some other grain,) is necessary per day, to keep a horse well, with but little work ; weight of horse, 1100 lbs. Also, as the price of hay with us is high, and some kinds of grain are not very high, I think a table showing the comparative value of the different kinds of grain, hay, &c., if re-published in the weekly Farmer, would be thankfully read by many, as well as by Your humble servant, j. Mclndoes Falls, Vt., Dec, 1860. Remarks. — It is impossible to say with exact- ness how many pounds of hay are required for each of ten horses, mixed with four quarts of oats. We have two horses standing side by side, and of nearly the same weight, one of which is not satis- fied with much less than fifty per cent, more feed than the other, both doing the same amount of work. You will find a difference something like this in many stables. Is it not so with men and women. Some horses, doing but little work, will thrive well on ten pounds of hay and four quarts of oats, daily, while others would require fifteen pounds, or more of hay, beside the oats. Strict regularity in feeding, accurately weigh- ing the hay, with a close observation of the horse in regard to flesh, spirits, and the appearance of the hair, will soon enable you to judge with suf- ficient correctness as to how much hay he needs. See table by I. W. Sanborn, in another col- umn, on the comparative values of hay and grain. HOW CAN MEADOW LAND BE IMPROVED ? I wish to get some information through the Farmer that may be of service in treating meadow land. A tract of low meadow land recently came into my possession, which, it is said, used to be productive, but now moss having overrun it and choked out the grass, it yields but moderately. I suppose it will not do to plow it, as it is over- flown most all winter, if not quite all that season, and the soil would probably be washed away. Can some one who is acquainted with such land sug- gest some plan by which the moss may be de- stroyed and the meadow brought up to its orig- inal productiveness ? A Subscriber. Remarks. — OverfloMdng the land will not in- jure it, provided there is not a strong current of water over it. The ditch, plow and manure, judi- ciously applied, will reclaim any soil, however obstinate. 76 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. Feb. For the New England Farmer. THE BIRDS OF NEW ENGLAND— No. 9. SHRIKES. General Remarks on the order Inbessores — The Great Xorth- ern Shrike, or Butcher Bird — American Gray Shrike. In our brief notice of the birds of New Eng- land, we now arrive at the second order of the class Aves or Birds, the Insehsorks, or Perchini/ Birds, at once the most numerous and interest- ing, the birds belonging to it nearly equalling the numbers of all the other orders collectively ; and among such a multitude we may well look for a considerable diversity of forms and modiKcations of structure, with a corresponding difference in habits and dispositions, suited to the exigencies of the different tribes ; yet a few general charac- teristics prevail throughout the order ; and though species may be found in it differing widely in structure and habits, the connection between them is so finely graduated by the intervening forms that no break is observed in the great nat- ural chain, but on the other hand, it is often dif- ficult for systematists to define the limits of their different groups. The most prominent character- istic of the order is the power of grasping with the feet, or perching, as the name of the order indicates, which is possessed by all its members ; the power of flight is also possessed by all in a perfect degree, and in many groups is highly de- veloped ; and from its possessing in general the greatest united perfections of the properties of a bird, it has been taken as the typical order of the class. Although the great part of the birds of this order are of small size, yet they are the most ef- ficient in ministering to the pleasures of man, by their lively presence, animating our fields and forests with enlivening song, gaiety of colors and sprightliness of action, holding in check the myr- iads of devastating insects that would otherwise desolate our fields and render futile our labors. It is true that a few species are considered nox- ious at certain seasons, from their preying some- what upon our fruits, and sprouting or immature grain, but these annoyances can generally be avoided, by proper precautions, the same birds making ample remuneration at other seasons for the little injury they may do. All the true song birds are embraced in this order. In characterizing the Insessores, Cuvier ob- serves : "They have neither the violence of the Birds of Prey, nor the fixed regimen of the Poul- try and Water-fowl ; insects, fruit and grain con- stitute their chief food, which consists more ex- clusively of grain, as the beak is stouter and stronger, and of insects, as it is more slender. Those in which it is strong even pursue other Birds." For greater convenience naturalists have divided this extensive order into five tribes, or sub-orders, basing their division upon natural characteristics, generally upon the form of the bill. The first sub-order is that of the Dentiuos- TRES or tonth-billed birds, in which the bill is more or less notched towards the point, embracing the Shrikes, Flycatchers, Tlirnshes, Tanagr.rs, Warblers, &c.; in short, a large part of the in- sectivorous birds, though many also feed consid- erably upon soft fruits. The other divisions are, the Canirostres, or cane-billed birds, embracing the Crows, Starlings, Finches, &c.; the ScAN- 80RES, or climbing birds, including the Parrots, Woodpeckers, Wrens, Creepers, Nuthatches, Cuck- oos, Szc. ; the Tenuirostres, or slender-billed birds, embracing the Huniming-Birds, Sun Birds, Honey Suckers, the gorgeous Birds of Paradise, &c.; and the FissiROSTRES, or cleft-billed birds, this name from their wide mouth, containing the Kingjisher, Night Jars, Swallows, &c. Systematists differ considerably in their views in regard to the importance, magnitude and rela- tions of the different groups; the ingenious ar- rangement of Mr. William Swainsox, a well- known and erudite naturalist, seeming as well based in nature as any, will be chiefly followed in these sketches, particularly in this order ; but space does not allow, nor necessity require, at this time, an extended discussion of its principles. The Dentirostres are divided by this gentleman into five families ; the Shrikes (Laniadce) the Thrushes {MerididcB,) the Warblers {Sylriadce,) the Chat- terers, or (more properly) the Fruit-eaters {Am- pelidce,) and the true Fiycatcher (iMuscicapidce.) Each of these families are also divided into five les- ser groups or sub-fannlies, a large portion of which are unrepresented in our fauna. Of the first family, Laniadce, we find representatives of two of its groups ; the Lania7iai, true shrikes, and the Tyrannince, embracing our Flycatchers ; the true Flycatcher (Muscicapa) as restricted by Cuvier, Swainson and others, being confined to the east- ern continent, though ia the system of Linnajus, the American Flycatchers range in the genus Muscicapa of that renowned naturalist. It is everywhere observable in nature, that the transition fi-om one class of animals to another is by minute and beautiful gradations ; thus in the Laniadie we meet with birds possessing the in- trepid spirit and predacious habits, inasmuch as they subsist upon living prey, of the rapacious birds ; and in the true Shrikes the bill is strongly toothed, as in many of the birds of prey, and they feed more or less upon living birds. The Shrikes are found generally in limited numbers, in all parts of the world, but they more particularly abound in Africa and the warmer parts of Asia ; North America possesses but five species, and only two are found in New England, but one of which can be mentioned as a regular visitant. Nearly all the species are noted for their cruelty and tyrannical disposition, some foreign species, as the Lanius collaris of South Africa, which has become proverbial for its cruelty, pouncing at every opportunity upon small birds, locusts and other large insects, immediately impaling its vic- tim on a thorn, leaving it to dry in the warm and arid atmosphere ; tluis pursuing its murderous career throughout the day, apparently from a love of mischief rather than a desire for food. From their cruelty, the Shrikes have, by some natural- ists, been classed with the rapacious Falcons. The species most common to New England is the noted BuTCUER Bird, or Great Northern Shrike, {Lanius boreal is, Vieill.,) which regular- ly descends to us from Canada and more northern regions in the latter part of autumn, migrating as far southward as Virginia on the sea-coast, and Natchez on the Mississippi, in the interior, a few remaining with us throughout the winter. On the return of spring they retire to the north to breed, or to the mountainous parts of the Middle and Eastern States, frequenting, at this season the deepest forests, where they construct a large, firm 1861. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 77 nest, of dry grass lined with feathers, generally in the fork of a small tree, not far from the ground. The eggs, four to six, arc of a pale cin- ereous tint, thinly marked with rufous spots and streaks at the greater end. They are bold and energetic birds, preying upon small birds and va- rious kinds of insects, particularly grasshoppers, which it has the curious habit of impaling upon thorns, without apparent design, unless for mere diversion. It is always active and persevering, often seen pursuing birds of quite large size, holding frequent contests with the Blue Jays, which seem to rather fear it, as well as detest it. It has been known to pursue and finally strike to the ground by a singlfe blow, the common Mourn- ing Uove, {Ectopistes Carolinensis,) and other birds larger than itself; and I have seen one re- peatedly pui'sue the common domestic Pigeons, evidently with the same intentions. Its manners somewhat remind one of a small Hawk, and its audacity is rarely equalled by any of the Falcon tribe, it having been known to attack birds in cages, under the immediate protection of man. Its flight being strong and well sustained, it darts upon and kills small birds with ease, and drives all larger ones from its precincts, yet its chief food is believed to be insects, especially in sum- mer. It possesses a variety of low, pleasing notes, and has the power of imitating tlie alarm notes of many small birds, and thus sometimes attracts an anxious company around it, soon dart- ing upon one of the number, and filling the air with the cries of a real victim. Its sagacity is often observable in other ways. These birds are at no time very common, and consequently are not generally known. The length of this bird is ten inches, extent thirteen ; plumage above, pale cinereous ; wings black, barred with white, and possessing a spot of white on the primaries ; beneath, nearly white, sometimes a little dusky, with fine, transverse, curving linos of brown ; a patch of black ex- tends from the nostrils backwards to the middle of the neck ; the young for several months, and sometimes the female, are quite ferruginous on the upper parts. The other New England species is the Ameri- can Gray Shrike, (Lanius excribitroides, Swain.,) is very rarely met with in the Northern parts of New England, but was once seen by Nut- tall near Boston. It inhabits the more northern parts of the continent, being still more boreal than the preceding species, to which it is closely allied in size and markings, and the habits of the two are said to be precisely similar. The other North American species are, the Loggerhead Shrike of the Southern States, (L. Ga- rolinensis, Wils.,) which feeds much upon mice, darting upon them like a Hawk ; the White Crowned Shrike, {L. clegans, Swain.,) inhabiting the country around Hudson's Bay ; and the Noo't- ka Shrike, (L. Natha, Penn.,) found in the north- western parts of the continent. S. A. A. cakes. If in summer, place the casks in the sun ; if in winter, near the chimney, where it may wai-m. in ten or fifteen days add to this liquid a sheet of brown paper, torn in strips, dipped in molasses, and good vinegar will be produced. The paper will, in this way, form what is called the "moth- er,"or life of vinegar. MLaking Vinegar. — Vinegar, according to a writer in the Genesee Farmer, is cheaply made. We republish his recipe : — To eight gallons of clear rain water, add three quarts of molasses ; put into a good cask ; shake well a few times, then add two or thi-ee spoonfuls of good yeast PKSPABATIOW OP BONES FOR USB. The best and cheapest method of preparing bones for manure is, first, to boil them in strong ley, a few hours, to extract from them the an- imal matter, or what would be more convenient, ])erhaps, break them as fine as convenient, and put them into a tub of ley to remain there during pleasure, until the animal matter is all extracted and incorporated with the ley. The mineral part of the bones will now be found very friable and easily pulverized. They should be rinsed clean, pulverized, and put into another tub or trough. Apply to them some diluted sulphuric acid, in the proportion of one of acid to five of water. Stir them frequently, and in a short time, they will be entirely decomposed and fitted for use. These two masses, being equally rich in the elements of fertility, the one of ammonia and the other of phosphorus, are equally valuable as fertilizers, and adapted to any and every variety of soil that may he deficient in these elements, and equally neces- sary for the healthful maturity of every growing plant, whether of grain, grasses, fruits, or roots. I now advise a mixture of these two masses with the general compost, to secure a general diii'usion of them upon the different fields to be manured. My reason for the general diffusion of these mass- es, upon the diflPerent fields is, first, every plant needs them. Secondly, the farmer's resources, in this line, will be mainly within himself. This will be true of those that live at a distance from vil- lages and cities. Their resources must be small. 1 hirdly, the elements of the bone, both animal and mineral, were taken fi'om the diff'erent fields, and should, therefore, be returned to the same fields. To keep up the fertility of each field, it is necessary to return to it annually the same ele- ments that are taken away. The farmer may se- cure a larger crop of any kind, on any field, by robbing other fields of the same elements of fer- tility to enrich that one. But such a policy would not only be bad, but ruinous if pursued. — Coun- try Gentleman. RURAL TASTE. To owners of very small places, who still wish them to look well, the safest council is, do not plant large trees, — not one even ; keep your grass continually shorn, your hedge evenly trimmed, your little flower-bed in perpetual order. Set out such flowering shrubs as will from spring to au- tumn give you a constant renewal of blossoms. So continually are new varieties now introduced from all parts of the world by scientific botanists, that it is quite unnecessary to name a choice ; and, when diflferences of climate and soil are to be considered, much better advice can be given on the spot by a practical seedsman, than by a review destined for all latitudes. Still of hardy ornamental shrubs we may safely suggest the AlthaiaSj the Deutzlas, the Persian Lilac, the Py- NEW ENGLAND FAHMER. Feb. rus Japonica, and especially the Moutan Peonies and the Weigelias, the last two introduced lately from China, by Mr. Robert Fortune. Evergreen shrubs, on the contrary, we cannot recommend ; unless the cultivator has ample space and shade for them, they will not, in spito of all that has been said in their favor, stand our New England autumn and winter suns, but turn brown and din- gy when we most want them bright. The Howcr- garden in its perfection is of course unattainable without great care and expense ; but five dollars a year, judiciously laid out in seeds and bulbs, will, from one tiny plat, yield, from the first cro- cus to the last crysanthemum, a perpetual joy. — Christian Examiner. For the Neu> England Farmer. CITY AND COUNTRY. BY JUDGE FRENCH. It is rare that we "talk politics" in the Farmer, but just now, when a new administration is com- ing into power, and when those who have so long been Outs, are about to be Ins, there may be oc- casion for a short sermon to young farmers, as to their duties to their countiy and themselves. With a new administration, comes the idea of change, and our young men look about them for some new road to fortune. It would be difficult to estimate how many of our readers are just now meditating some change in their affairs, how many are hoping to get away from their farms and workshops into easier and more lucrative posi- tions. How many of you have not already been asked to use your influence to get some friend an office under President Lincoln, and how many are spending watchful nights in the anxious hope that some clerkship or Custom-House place may fall to his share in the grand division of offices .' A mania for getting out of the country into the city has always possessed the young, while busi- ness men in the city are carefully investing their money, hoping by-and-by to purchase a home in the country, and spend yet many peaceful years on a farm. Of the disappointments which await the latter in their ignorance of the management of the affairs of the farm, we will not now speak; but content ourselves with some words of warning to the former. Don't leave home for an office in the city ! There is no place which you are fit for that is worth your taking ! It is true a salary of fifteen, ten or even five hundred dollars a year, just for four or five hours daily work in a comfortable of- fice in Washington or Boston, seems very com- fortable to a man who lives on a milk-farm, and rises at three or four o'clock in winter mornings, to milk a dozen cows, and works all day long, and barely supports his small family at that. We all know men who have left their wives and little children, or younger men who have broken ties only less near, and gone to distant cities, to hold some government office, really be- lieving they were doing better for themselves and those most dear to them, than by pursuing their regular avocations at home. Possibly this may be so, but usually it is not. If you take an office, of course you expect to wear a collar with your master's name upon it ! You are somebody's subordinate, unless you chance to be President, and then you are every- body's servant ! Tou are to talk, and think, and vote, as the head of your .office does, and pay a per centage of your salary to carry out his politi- cal schemes. You live, like the king of old, with a sword over your head suspended by a single hair ; and must soon lose your manhood or your office, and probably both. The longer you remain in place, the less are you fit for any position which requires energy, and self-reliance. And especially, young man, if you have a wife, make no arrangement which shall separate you from her. You have vowed to share your fortune with her, for better or for Avorse, and though she may, with breaking heart, submit silently to what you decide to be best, no money nor earthly pros- perity, can compensate for a long separation. If your new position will not maintain you together, it is a temptation of the adversary, and not a good Providence, that calls you away. Again, the comparative expenses of country and city life are little understood by farmers. They are not apt to appreciate how much the farm con- tributes to their support. We often hear persons in the country talk in this wise : "It cannot cost much more to live in Boston than here in the country. Flour and groceries are cheaper in the city, and so is clothing of all kinds, and meats of all descriptions bear about the same price as here. Fuel cannot be much more expensive, be- cause coal is far cheaper in the city, and coal is about as cheap as wood, already, fifty miles in- land. To be sure, rent is a little higher, but not much," — and so the temptation to desert the soil for any little salary in the city is very great. Now this sort of estimate is far aside from the truth, not so much in the details given above, as in the deductions from them. Let us look at a small farmer, as we know them in great nnmbers in New England. He has a fifty or one hundred acre farm, with a dozen or twenty head of cattle, a horse or two, a small but eomfoi-table house, schools for his children the greater part of the year, the meeting-house and lecture-room not far off, and good voads and good neighbors. He works hard, lives prudently, and adds but little to his substance. He is a man, self-reliant, independent, as good as his neighbors or anybody else, commands his own time, and is no man's servant. He thinks, talks and acts according to 1861. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 79 his own convictions of right. He is connected with the parish, perhaps the church, takes an in- terest in the schools, in town affairs, in county affairs, in State affairs. He is a part of the ma- chinery of society, identifies himself with its in- terests, and feels himself, as he is acknowledged hy others,to be of some importance. His opin- ion, his silent example, even, exerts an influ- ence on all around. He is, in the best sense, a Freeman. Now this man has more to lose than he is aware of, by a surrender of his position, and be- coming a resident of a city. As to the expenses of his family — he will find that two or three hundred dollars a year will not give him the rent of a house so comfortable as his own ; that although flour and sugar may cost him no more per pound, it will require a large amount to pay for the milk and eggs and butter and lard, and vegetables and meats, that used to come so easily from the farm. He will find, that in every direction there is an increase of ex- pense. The incidentals, of which little account was made before, assume importance. Every- thing costs in the city. You cannot be born, or be married, or be buried, without frightful bills to pay for it. A free lot in the old graveyard, or a lot for a small sum in the rural cemetery, gives the country resident and his loved ones a resting- place with his kindred and friends, while a spot in Mount Auburn, with respectaljle adornments, can be provided only at the cost of hundreds of dollars. It is enough for any man to dress and live as well as his neighbors, and he cannot easi- ly do less. The general style of the city is more expensive than that of the country. The last year's coat, or bonnet, or dress, might appear well enough in the village church, while in the city it would be quite shabby. But money is not the chief end of man. Chil- dren of the middle classes are better bred in the country than the city. They have better air, bet- ter exercise, better health, better morals, and better intellects. Children of the rich, who live in Beacon Street, and who have gymnasiums and riding-schools, and money to buy in the city the blessings which the country gives to all alike, may perhaps lose nothing by a city life. These luxuries are not, however, for the common people. We are progressive, and in favor of change when it is for the better, as it often may be. We designed merely to give a word of caution to those who may be looking to politics for a chance to escape from the country to the city. To such, in good time, we would repeat the old-fashioned saying — "Let well enough alone." better done by taking the butter in the hand in lumps of three or four pounds each, and slapping it against a hard surface, than by using a ladle, as is generally practiced in New England dairies. WOKKING Butter. — A correspondent of the Homestead says a thorough working of butter is EXTBACTS AND REPLIES. CRIMSON CLOVER. I wish to inquire if the crimson clover can be sown with grain as other grasses, or does it have to be sown every year ? Where can I get s-ovae seed ? C. F. Lincoln. Woodstock, Vt., Dec, 1860. Reaiarks. — A few weeks since we illustrated the "Scarlet or Italian Clover," accompanied by a brief notice. On an examination of some of our English books we find a pleasant account of it. In a work on "Farm Crops," by Professor Wil- son, of Edinburgh, it is stated that the Scarlet Clover is an annual plant, having a habit of growth and an appearance which readily distin- guish it from any of the ordinary clovers. The stem is upright and branched ; the leaflets broad, nearly round, and with the stem covered with hairs ; the flower-stalk rises to some height above the last leaves, and is surmounted by an oblong cylindrical spike, tapering towards the top, and consisting of bright scarlet or crimsoned colored flowers, which give the crop a very beautiful ap- pearance. It is extensively cultivated in the sheep-farming counties of Scotland. The prac- tice there is to sow it on stubble land as soon as the grain crop is off, broadcast, and harrowed in, at the rate of 12 to 20 pounds per acre. Owing to its rapid and vigorous growth ; it gets firmly rooted in the soil before the winter sets in, and in the spring furnishes an abundant supply of green food for cattle ; or if allowed to stand for a hay crop, it comes into flower early in June, when it may be cut. The product is liberal, and the hay as well as the grass is generally relished by cattle. Since the publication of our drawing, many in- quiries have been made in relation to this clover, and a disposition is manifested to employ it as a fodder crop. We suggest that it will be well to experiment on a moderate scale with it, until it is better understood. We do not know where the seed can be ob- tained, now — but if there is a demand for it, seeds- men will soon obtain a supply. RINGBONE ON HORSES. I have a yearling colt which I think has a ring- bone growing on his fore foot ; can you inform me what will cure it ? Thomas Hobson. New London, Dec, 1860. Remarks. — Ringbone is a difficult matter to deal with. We lost an old, but very fine horse, last year by ringbone. Mr. W. H. Chaffee has communicated to the Rural New-Yorker ihQ {o\- 80 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. Feb. lowing : "Make a bag of strong linen cloth, about two inches broad, and eight inches long ; fill it •with copperas, and tie it on the foot just above the ringbone, and wet it twice each day. Keep it on about four weeks." Mr. A. Briggs, of Deerfield, Mass., states that he can cure ringbone in seven cases out of ten. A STEAM APPARATUS — RAPE CAKE — MALT COMBS — TOP-DRESSING GRASS LAND. Your good-nature in answering questions en- courages me in Iramiiig a few interrogatories. What is a steam apparatus ; and how is it contrived ; and where can one be seen or pur- chased ? Such an one as Mr. Horsfall, the Scotch- man, (as described by Flint,) probal)ly used. Can rape-cake be procured, and where ? Malt combs also ; how are they obtained ? What is the most approved way of breaking up green sward to cultivate and lay down again to grass ? One of my neighbors says, turn the sod the thickness of two inches, in the autumn ; ma- nure the next spring, and harrow it in. Another says, plow two inches, but after spread- ing manure, (also in the autumn.) Top dress in the spring and harrow it in. Another yet says, it will pay to top dress, then plow eight inches. In the spring cross plow ten inches, then top dress, harrow in. It is to be un- derstood that a respectable quantity of manure is used. When is the best time to top dress mowing, i. e. when will the manure benefit the land most, just before snow in the fall, or just after snow in the spring ? Very short answers will do. Yours, C. T. s. Harvard, Dec, 1860. Remarks. — Steam Apparatus. — A steam ap- paratus for steaming food for stock consists of a small boiler and force-pump, with some leading pipe and a large feed-box in which to steam the fodder. Mr. William Biuney, of Springfield, and Mr. H. H. Peters, of Southboro', each have one in operation. Bape Cake and Malt Combs. — It is hardly prob- able that the first of these articles can be obtained, as the rape is not cultivated here. Malt combs may be obtained at breweries in the cities. Laying Sward Land to Grass. — Soils vary so much that no one practice will suit them all. If you do not wish to cultivate the land, plow 8 or 10 inches deep, the last of August, manure liber- ally wiihjine manure, and you will not fail of sat- isfactory Buccess. Top dressing and plowing in the autumn and then plowing, top dressing and harrowing in the spring, would be a thorough pro- cess, but rather an expensive one — although the oats or other crop sowed with the grass seed would partly pay the cost, but at the same time exhaust the land. Top Dressing Grass Land. — No one can say •with absolute certainty what the best time is to top dress grass land. If we could do just as we please, we should top dress grass land as soon as the hay is carted off" in July. It is essential that the manure should be very fine. It is better to apply manure to grass land in the fall, because it injures the surface to go over it in the spring. COUNTY surveys. I have noticed your commendation of Mr. Ged- des' survey of Onondaga county, N. Y., as pub- lished in the N. Y. Transactions for 1859. If our Board of Agriculture could bring about a like survey of each of the counties in our own State, it would be doing a service worthy of everlasting remembrance. As their meeting is adjourned to the 8th of January, a day somewhat memorable in our history, I trust you will pardon this sugges- tion. Note. — One of our most intelligent citizens is now engaged in prepai'ing a geological survey of this county, which, I trust, will be forthcoming the present year. Essex. December 24, 18G0. AUSTRALL\N OATS. I wish to inquire if the Australian oats, so called, have proved more profitable than our common oats ? A Mr. Lincoln, of Woodstock, advertised them two years since for one dollar per bushel, put up in bags and delivered at the sta- tion. A man in an adjoining town is now ask- ing .$1,50 or $2 a bushel, and I for one don't like to pay that, if my Woodstock friends are feeding them out for what they are worth to their cattle. If this inquiry induces any one to adver- tise, I hope he will be prepared to furnish them unmixed with other oats, and free from foul seed. W. I. SiMONDS. HOUSE PLANTS. I want to get some information in regard to destroying lice on house plants. E. P. Centre Brook, Conn., 1860. Remarks. — Dissolve half an ounce of bitter aloes in a gallon of water ,and syringe the plants both above and under the leaves. "THE son of a FARMER." It is impossible for us to give our young friend the advice he asks without a more minute knowl- edge of his circumstances, tastes and habits of life. He must consult some judicious friends who know him, as to the pursuit he should choose. Veterinary Surgeon. — We learn that Dr. George H. Dadu, so long a distinguished Vet- erinary Surgeon in this city, has removed to Cin- cinnati, for the purpose of establishing a Veteri- nary School, and of practicing the science of Vet- erinary Medicine and Surgery in that city. Dr. Dadd is skillful and devoted to his profession, prompt in attendance and courteous in manner. We wish for him a wide sphere of usefulness. 1861. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 81 ^»^ THE APPIiE PLUM. The beautiful engraving which we give above is an illustration of the Apple Plum, which we suppose is a comparatively new fruit. During the last summer, our Mr. Tolman, of the Farm- er, visited the grounds of his friend Vandixe, at Cambridgeport, to look at his fruits, and to select some for illustration. Among others — some of which we have already given — he was attracted to the apple plum in consequence of its abun- dance upon the tree, and the fairness and beauty of the fruit and foliage. From the specimen which he brought away, the above engraving was di'awn. Several modern fruit books were examined be- fore we could find any account of this fruit ; but in the new edition of Downing we find the fol- lowing : That the apple plum is "from the garden of D. U. Pratt, Chelsea, Mass. Fruit medium, round- ish, flattened, a little swollen on one side, suture medium. Skin reddish purple, with a blue bloom and light dots. Stalk short and stout, inserted in a broad, deep variety. Flesh greenish-yellow, a little coarse, sweet, sprightly, with a considera- ble austerity of the skin. Adheres partially to the stone. Ripens first of September." Mr. Vandine, who has a large variety of plums, and meets with better success in their cultivation than any other person with whom we are acquaint- ed, classes this as among the good fruits, though not first class ; its leading merits are its abun- dant bearing, and the vigor of the tree. CoEN. — We have heard some complaints that corn does not dry well this year, in consequence probably of the eff"ects of early frosts. The New Hampshire Journal of Agriculture says : "Some of our farmers have placed a stove in their corn houses, and by keeping up a good fire they have very much hastened the process, and prevented further injury." Shell Lime. — Shell lime is very superior to stone lime for agricultural purposes, as it con- tains considerable phosphorus. Wherever it can be obtained, it should always be preferred by far- mers. 82 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. Feb. HOME TBEATMENT OP DIPTHERIA. An article appears in a leadingNew York jour- nal upon the origin and cure of the Uiptheria, which we have not room to copy at length, but which seems to us to present so easy and reason- able means for lessening the sufferings and pro- moting the cure of children or adults when at- tacked by this terrible disease, that we give be- low a summary of its more prominent statements. The line of distinction between Croup and Dip- theria is drawn as follows : This disease, though in many respects resem- bling croup — and in certain others, quinsy, is dis- tinguishal)le from both by certain well-marked characteristics. Like croup, it is accompanied by the formation of a false membrane m the windpipe, which, if left to itself, accumulates till the air-passage is closed and death ensues. But the false membrane of croup is an exudation of natural lymph from the vessels of the mucous membrane stimulated to excess by high febrile condition of the tissue. While on the other hand, Diptheria is scarcely ever febrile in its pa- thology, and its pseudo-membrane is the result of a sloufiUing q^' rather than an exudation o? the mucous coating. Croup belongs to the inflamma- tory type of diseases — Diptheria, save in excep- tional cases, does not. In croup the breath of the patient is usually untainted. In Diptheria the breath is characterised by a peculiar and some- times almost intolerable foetor. The lymphatic discharges of croup are seldom acrid. The dis- charges from the nose and mouth of a Diptheritic patient ichorous and excoriating to the highest degree. Croup is not particularly prostrating to the general strength of the person attacked by it. Diptheria is invariably accompanied by extreme debility, and a loss of muscular as well as nervous tone, which often continues for months after the immediately dangerous symptoms have been over- come. Finally — Diptheria is contagious — Croup is not. As to the treatment of Diptheria there are therefore two ends to be kept in view — 1st. To evoke and sustain all the natural vital forces of the patient. 2d. To rid the air-passages of the false mem- brane. For the first object strong beef tea is recom- mended, and the sesquioxide of iron has been most advantageously employed. But as to the second end, the method lately discovered by Dr. L. A. Sayre of New York, is what seems to us particularly worthy of note for the home treat- ment of the sufferer. Finding that the discharge from Diptheria, as expectorated, would remain in a liquid state in a condition of sufficient mois- ture and warmth, it occurred to him that if from the first stages of the formation of the false mem- brane a hot and humid atmosphere could be kept in contact with it, it would remain soluble and be easily ejected through the nose and mouth like common mucus. After trying several ways of accomplishing this object — there being objections to the vapor bath on account of its relaxing ef- fect upon the system, — Dr. S. finally adopted the following method, which is certainly well worth noting down in every family : — Having put the patient in a tightly shut room — he had a flat iron heated to as near the white heat as possible. He suspended it over a pail in the sick-room, and kept the attendants pouring wa- ter on it till it ceased to evaporate every drop that came in contact with it. As soon as the iron was cooled down to such a degree that any surplus of water remained unevaporized, he replaced it with one freshly heated. He thus kept the room as full of steam as was consistent with comfortable breathing — and at a tem)>erature of 80° F. This process was continued for several hours — during which not only the freshly sloughed membrane was constantly being expelled in liquid forir. through the nose and mouth, but membrane pre- viously indurated in the trachea became soluble and was ejected in like manner. Meanwhile he kept up the strength of the patient by the above referred to means of beef and brandy. The result of this treatment was an entire ex- pulsion of the slough — and eventually, the com- plete cure of a case which had previously been abandoned as too desperate for even the dernier operation of tracheotomy. The utmost care of the patient for weeks after the immediately dangerous symptoms have disap- peared, is necessary to prevent a subsidence into the diptheritic state. Even where there is no re- turn of the sloughing tendency, the general pros- tration of the system is usually so extreme, that the most nourishing tonics, and stimulant treat- ment, is called for to ward off a naturally super- vening attack of typhoid or lovv nervous fever — rapid decline — or chronic debility. There is, perhaps no form of disease known to the children's practitioner, in which skillful hygeine and home- treatment is more imperatively demanded to fol- low up and perpetuate the results of medical ef- fort. If possible, the greatest care must also be taken during the period of foetid discharges to separate the remaining children of a family from the diseased one, for, as we have above observed, this stage of the disease is quite infectious. We notice that Diptheria is again beginning to manifest itself as an epidemic in some of the ru- ral districts of New York and the neighboring States. The words we haxe said may be of still more use in a city like ours, where life is so closely packed — infection and death so easy. But of these latter evils there is no need. Cure is now measurably simplified — prevention simpler still. — Country Gentleman. How TO Throw an Ox. — Mr. L. Hendrick, in the Oenesee Farmer, thus descril)es a sim- ple method practiced by him on one occasion when he wished to extract hedgehog quills from the animal's hind foot : The ox was first placed on smooth ground, and the left, or near side, fore foot tied fast to the leg above the knee. Then a rope was tied around the ankle of both the off side feet, and two men standing on the near side, pulled gently on these ropes, at the same time crowding against his side. A man was stationed 1861. NEW ENGLAND FAR^VIER. 83 at the off side of the animal's neck, to attend to his head while coming down. The ox seeming to fear a fall, readily dropped on his knees and down upon his aide. The ropes were then held securely, and the quills easily extracted with a bullet-mold for nippers. IF WE KNEW. If we knew the cares and crosses Crowding round our neighbor's way, If we knew the little losses, Sorely grievous day by day, Would we then so often chide For his lack of thrift and gain — Leaving on his heart a shadow. Leaving on our lives a stain ? If we knew the clouds above us, Held by gentle blessings there. Would we turn away all trembling In our blind and weak despair ? Would we shrink from little shadows Lying on the dewy grass, While 'tis only birds of Eden, Just In mercy flying past ? If we knew the silent story Quivering through the heart of pain. Would our womanhood dare doom them Back to haunts of guilt again ? Life hath many a tangled crossing, Joy hath many a break of woe, And the cheeks tear-washed are whitest ; This the blessed angels know. Let us reach into our bosoms For the key to other lives. And with love toward erring nature. Cherish good that still survives ; So that, when our disrobing spirits Soar to realms of light again, We may say, "Dear Father, judge us As we judge our fellow-men." AGRICULTURE AT NEW HAVEN. Arrangements have been made to continue the Tale Agricultural Lectures at New Haven this winter, and they are to commence in February next. Among the gentlemen who are to take part in them, are — On Pomology and kindred subjects, Messrs. Wilder, Grant, Barry and Parsons. On Farm Crops, Manures, &c., Messrs. Quin- CY, Bartlett, French and Tucker. On Science, Messrs. Silliman, Johnson, Eaton and Dadd. On Domestic Animals, Messrs. Morris, How- ard and Dickinson. During the last week of the course, four lec- tures will be given on the subjugation and educa- tion of the Horse, accompanied with demonstra- tions upon the living animal. The course will commence February 5, and continue through the month. Three lectures will be given each day, and the intervals of time oc- cupied with discussions. Persons desiring more information than the above gives, may obtain it by addressing Professor John A. Porter, of New Haven, Conn. PREPARING BEEP FOR DRYING. Will you inform me the "modus operandi" of preparing beef, for drying. Jonesville, Mich. YouNG HOUSEKEEPER. We are not aware that there is any specific mode for accomplishing the object concerning which "Young Housekeeper'" desires information, as each individual usually consults his or her own taste in the premises. We have had dried beef, which was pronounced excellent, prepared as fol- lows : — Dissolve sufficient salt in water to barely float a potato or egg, heat to boiling point, and skim off all the scum which comes to the surface, add two ounces of saltpetre and two quarts of su- gar-house syrup, then set away to cool. When cold, pour over the beef (see that you have plenty of brine to cover,) and let it remain until thor- oughly cured, — two to three weeks (according to the size of the pieces,) will be necessary. Take out the meat, let it drain, then hang up in any dry place. If a smoky flavor is desired, smoke in same manner as you would hams or shoulders. The quantities given above are calculated for 100 pounds of beef. In addition to the foregoing we give the follow- ing extracts from previous volumes of the Rural and from other sources : In the Rural of Dec. 19th, 1857, "N." gives the following method of curing beef, hams and veni- son, and says, that after an experience of years, in which he has cured many tons, he knows of nothing better. To eyery 20 pounds of hams or beef, take 2 ounces of saltpetre, i pint molasses, and h pint salt. Dissolve and thoroughly mix the ingredients with a quantity of water only suf- ficient to cover the hams when packed rather loosely. After making the brine, let it stand a little time to settle ; pour it on the hams, but keep them from floating in the brine. About once a week take out the hams and re-pack, that every point of the hams may come in contact with brine. In about four weeks they will be cured for smoking, and may be smoked at pleasure. No fear need be entertained that they will become too salt. After smoking they may be replaced in the brine and kept any desired time without in- jury. If saltpetre is objectionable to any one, leave it out and add more salt and molasses. Beef and venison may be cured in the same waj'. R. G. B., in the Rural for Dec. 11th, 1858, says : "To corn beef, my method is to cut it up, and pack it in the barrel, and make a brine out of good rock salt, strong enough to bear up an egg, and pour on scalding hot." The Ohio Farmer says : — "To eight gallons of water add two pounds of brown sugar, one quart of molasses, four ounces of saltpetre, and fine salt until it will float an e°'3." — Rural New- Yorker. Gardener's Monthly. — We thank you, Mr. "Gardener" for your good opinion of us. But why do you not receive the "Farmer," which is regularly mailed to you ? These thievings must be checked. It is a small sin to "rob the Ex- chequer," compared to stealing our children from the mails. We hailed your advent with pleasure, so stated to the world, and have often regaled ourselves upon your savory dishes since. 84 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. Feb. For the New England Farmer. WINTEKING BEES. Messrs. Editors : — Having made some obser- vations on the habits of bees, and tried various hives, experiments, &c., I propose to give some of my experience. I notice that after a steady, extreme cold winter, people complain tliat their "bees froze to death, had honey enough, don't understand it." I wish to draw attention to the cause. I wish those who have bees out doors to examine the hives where they are not well venti- lated at, or near the top, and see if there is not vapor in them ; if there is glass, you will detect it on that. Long, continued cold, congeals this vapor, first on the walls of the hive, next on the outside comb, gradually working towards the bees, as the cold continues, till the bees are surrounded with ice, so that their honey is inaccessible, and the bees starve, unless a thaw relieves them ; and then a sudden freeze is still more disastrous, the bees being wet from the water running down on them, and are frozen together in masses. The picture I have drawn only occurs after long continued cold spoils, which occur some- times in three, five or eight years. The remedy I have found for this, is, sufficient upward venti- lation, to let off" the vapor, but close the bottom so as not to have a strong current of cold air through the hive. This is laid down by Mr. Quinby, in his "Mysteries of Bee Keeping," and also by L. L. Langstroth on the "Honey Bee," works to which I am much indebted, and proba- bly the two best works in the country on bees. Bees have usually been wintered out doors with little or no protection, but Quinby and Langs- troth both think they can be wintered on much less honey, kept in a dark, dry place, a little be- low the freezing point. They state that they have wintered swarms on four, five and six pounds of honey. From my experience, I am satisfied it can as well bo done as to have them eat from 20 to 30 pounds. Quinby winters in a house built for the purpose, the studding, floor, joists and raf- ters being boarded on both sides, and filled with tan bark, charcoal dust, or sawdust, and the hives turned bottom-up, with the bottom board raised up, or removed, to give ample ventilation. Lang- stroth has tried covering with earth on top of the ground with success. I have succeeded well by placing the hives in a dark, dry cellar, bottom up, board off. The bees did not endure the cold after being put out in the spring, as well, I thought, as those that had stood out. There is but little danger of smothering, when there is good upward ventilation ; but look well to those that have not, and see that they do not get stopped at the entrance by lice, or dead bees. I found a valuable swurm of an acquaintance nearly gone, from the bees falling against the entrance inside, so as to stop it entirely. Save your bees from "snow blind" on pleasant days, by spreading saw dust, hay, chaff or something, about on the snow where they fly. Where top boxes are used, take them off to keep from mould. C. New Britaiii, Ct., 18G0. Red Hot Guns. — There is no doubt whatever that cast iron long submerged in the sea, will on being exposed to atmospheric air, become hot even unto redness, and sometimes fall to pieces. Such was the case with some iron guns which formed part of the armament of one of the vessels of the Armada, sunk off the Island of Mull, and the cast iron balls M'ith which some of the guns of the "Mary Rose," sunk off Spithead temp. Henry VIH., were loaded. Mr. Wilkinson, in his "En- gines of War," remarks, page 242 : "It is also an extremely curious fact, that the cast iron gratings which have l)een long immersed in the porter backs or vats of large London breweries, possess the same property of becoming hot on exposure to the atmosphere when the porter is drawn off for the purpose of cleaning them." — Scientific Amer- For the New England Farmer. DEPINITION OP TVOBDS AND TEKMS. Mr. Editor : — It seems to me that half of our controversies would be ended, and much misun- derstanding be prevented, if we should firr,t clear- ly define the words and technical terms v.-hich we use in our papers and periodicals. Half of the prejudice against book-farming, as it is called, is owing to the fact, that the common class of far- mers do not fully understand what they read, and have no patience to look out the meaning of the words in a dictionary. It should be borne in mind, that the great ma- jority of farmers have enjoyed but slender means of education, and some have had little, or none at all, except what they have picked up for them- selves, "here a little and there a little." When, therefore, in reading an article on the different kinds of soil, written perhaps by one of our best writers, they happen to meet with such words as arcjillaceous, calcareous, silicious, &c., without one word of explanation, they are puzzled, embar- rassed and vexed. So, too, in reading a descrip- tion of the different kinds of plants, when they meet with an article unnecessarily encumbered with botanical terms and foreign idioms ; or, in reading an article on any other subject, abound- ing in words and phrases derived from other lan- guages, they are greatly offended and disgusted. The object of agricultural books and papers is, in a plain way, and in the simplest language pos- sible, to lay before practical farmers practical re- sults, to inform them of what has been done by others. It is to describe the methods of cultiva- tion which have been successfully practiced by others, and to encourage improvements in all. It is to make all farmers understand their busi- ness thoroughly, and to lead them to cultivate the earth more successfully and profitably. But when books and periodicals, intended to convey instruction to the common class of read- ers, abound in obscure words, technical terms and foreign idioms, they not only defeat the object for which they were written, but they create a strong and inveterate prejudice against all book knowledge. "Why," say they, "does not a man write, as he talks, in plain common sense lan- guage, so that we can understand his meaning, and not make such a fool of himself? If he has any thing to say, why does he not say it, and have done with it, and not attempt to show off his learn- ing with such a rigmarole of words ? If he knows more than we do, or if he thinks he does ; if he has had better advantages and more experience 1861. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 85 than we ; if he feels himself able to enlighten and instruct us, he must come down to us, and adapt his remarks to our capacities, so that we can un- derstand him." I hope I have not been misunderstood in the foregoing remarks. They are not intended to be hypercritical or censorious ; nor are they aimed at any particular writer in your interesting and useful paper ; but they are intended to convey a gentle hint to all the writers in the New England Farwer, not only to aim at simplicity and per- spicuity in the use of language, but to avoid, as much as possible, the use of technical terms and foreign idioms, since the words in our own lan- guage are so simple, so significant, and so expres- sive. If any writer is compelled to use technical terras and foreign idioms, let him define them as he proceeds, because it is very inconvenient to hold a newspaper in one hand, and a dictionary in the other. John Goldsbury. Wancich, December, 1860. For the New England Farmer. THE DEIiA^^STABE GRAPE. Mr. Editor: — A week or two since I sat down to my writing-table, to give j^ou, as is usual with me at this time of the year, a little sketch of our agricultural products in this county. But on second thought I resolved to defer my communi- cation until I should arrive in Ohio, and I am very glad now that I did so, as I find myself most favorably situated to gain some facts on a topic which has interested your readers in New Eng- land. You will perceive by the postmark, that T am in the place where the Dclav/are grape origi- nated, and as many of my neighbors at home are procuring the grape, and others doubtful whether to do so or not, waiting till it shall have been more fully tested, I take great pleasure in impart- ing all the facts which I can glean upon the sub- ject. Mr. G. W. Campbell and Mr. Thompson, of this place, have been among the most active in circulating and growing this grape. I have been spending a few days in the family of the for- mer, and he has, with great patience and kindness, answered all the numerous questions which an inquisitive Yankee, who does not like humbug- ging, might wish to make. Mr. C. obtained his grapes from the original vines, which are still growing about three miles from this place, on the Sciota river, where they were first planted when brought from New Jersey, about twenty years ago. The vines were brought by a ?vlr. Harford, not a Gorman, and one vine planted in his garden, and another in that of his neighbor, Mr. Heath. There they may still be seen. These parties believed the Delaware to be of foreign origin, but they knew nothing certainly of the matter. Mr. Campbell says : "I have investigated the matter carefully, and believe it to be either an ac- cidental seedling from a native American grape, or a hybrid from an American crossed by a foreign variety. The latter supposition seems to me most probable, and I have boon for some years engaged in a carefully conducted series of hybridizing ex- periments, with a view to test its agency in pro- ducing new varieties, and in ameliorating the quality of older ones." A very stong argument in favor of its native origin is the fact that seed- lings from it have borne fruit with a hard pulp and a decidedly foxy aroma and odor. When Mr. Longworth first received this vine, he thought it was the Bed Traininer a foreign grape, and many orders for "Delaware," in vari- ous parts of the country, were filled, and honestly so no doubt, by nurserymen with vines of the Traininer. This has, no doubt, caused much of the con- fusion and deception (so called) with this grape. Mr. Longworth altered his mind after further in- vestigation. And now, Mr. Editor, I knoi.v what some hundreds of your readers in Vermont are asking, about this grape. "Is it a good table grape ?" and next, "Is it hardy, and suited to our climate ?" What we wish is a grape that we will not be under the necessity of protecting. As to the eatable qualities of the Delaware, I believe there is not a dissenting voice among those who have fruited the genuine vine. It is pronounced superior even to our foreign grapes in richness of flavor, and as a table grape is far ahead of any American variety. As to its hardiness, there is now near the window where I write, a vine, now seven years old, that withstood the winter of 185o-6, without protection, when the thermometer went 28° below zero, coming out fresh and bright in the spring. This and the Logan were the only vines among a great variety in the same garden that were not in- jured by that severe wintsr. As near as I can ascertain, there is no grape so well adapted to New England and so worthy of universal cultivation. It has one other recom- mendation, that of being a very superior wine grape. On this subject I may not personally be a competent judge, but I cannot be mistaken as to its "boquet," which is most exquisite, and far surpassing all our ordinary wines. That which I drank was the pure juice of the grape, without the addition of any sugar, and was much superior to any of the other native wines, a number of which were tested at the same time. Since I commenced this article, I find that this grape has received the commendation of the Cin- cinnati Committee on Grapes. They say "it ripens three weeks earlier than the Catawba, stands spring frosts better, the grapes never rot, and it is healthier and hardier." Now, Mr. Editor, I have no Delaware grapes to sell, (I wish I had.) My one vine, originally from this place, stood last winter well, and made a good growth last summer. Since coming here and seeing for myself the good qualities of the grape, I would not part v;ith it for five times its marketable value, and I wish it could be univer- sally cultivated in New England ; but I would ad- vise those who wish to procure one, to be careful to obtain the genuine, as there have been spuri- ous vines sold under that name. The "Logan," to which I have referred as being very hardy, is another, attracting some attention. I have obtained the following facts which may be of use. The fruit of the Logan was first exhibit- ed before the Mass. Horticultural Society by Mr. Campbell, of Delaware, O., in the fall of 1837, when it received favorable notice. The following 86 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. Feb. year it was placed on the list of "promising well," by the American Pomological Society, at New York city. It is a purple or black grape, not un- like the Isabella in appearance, but quite distinct from that variety in foliage and the quality of its fruit. It is more sprightly and vinous than the Isabella, and, having a rich, dark colored juice, would probably make good red wine. It is vig- orous and hardy, requiring no protection, during the severest winters. It ripens three weeks earlier than the Isabella, and on this account would be valuable for the northern section of New England, where the Isabella will not ripen. I could write you much more upon the grape culture, and of some interesting experiments in hybridizing, but my article is already long enough. I have something, too, to say to the "Farmer's Daughter," who has propounded me two ques- tions. I mean to answer them, hoping in the meanwhile she will have a little patience with me. Delaware, Ohio, Jan., 18G1. A. E. Porter. li'or the New England Farmer. DESIGNS FOR BUILDINGS. Mr. Editor : — I am not an architect myself, neither do I wish to be a critic, but when I see the plan of a building laid down, I always like to follow it out in my mind, to see how it would look when finished. In the plan before me, given in the N. E. Farmer, 22d inst., I find a difficulty in reconciling "its whole with all its parts." Per- haps a little explanation would set me all right. Now the parlor, No 3, 14 feet, the vestibule, No. 2, 6 feet, and the dining-room. No. 5, 14 feet, constituting the front part of the house, would be 34 feet. If this is to be the length of the house, and let the width go back so as to cover No. 4, and part of No. 6, leaving the balance, togeth- er with the piazza. No. 8, as outside attachments, then we have it 30 by 34, instead of 30 by 36 feet, as first proposed. But if the rooms are intended to be so many feet in the clear, then the thickness of the four walls might make up the other two feet in the length ; but on that supposition, the width having three walls, would require to be 31^ feet. Then if the length is reckoned the other way, including No. 8, and the whole of No. 6, and allowing 4 feet for the length of the passage between No. 6 and No. 5, we have 34 by 36. It seems to me there must be .an inconsistency in it somewhere ; that a man undertaking to build af- ter this pattern, would find himself involved in difficulty. It is not so important that the drawing be per- fect, though in any diagram it is pleasing to see each part represented in its true proportion ; but it is particularly desirable that the calculation be scrupulously correct. H, Fairhaven, Vt., Dec. 29, 1860. Remarks. — If the designs we give cannot be carried out into actual dwellings for us to live in, they are but meretricious ornaments, scarcely pay- ing for the room they occupy. We have no doubt but Mr. Harney, the designer, can give working plans of his designs that will prove to be correct to the "ninth part of a hair." But he is not immaculate — may have made a mistake, and will be glad to show "H.," just where it is. "H." will please accept our thanks for his kind criti- cism. TELLING THE BEES.* BY J. O. WniTTIER. Here is the place ; right over the hill Runs the path I took ; You can see the gap in the old wall still, And the stepping-stones in the shallow brook. There is the house, with the gate red-barred, And the poplars tall ; And the barn's brown length, and the cattle-yard, And the white horns tossing above the wall There are the bee hives ranged in the sun ; And down by the brink Of the brook are her poor flowers, weed o'errun, Pansy and daffodil, rose and pink. A year has gone, as the tortoise goes, Heavy and slow ; And the same rose blows, and the same sun glows. And the same brook sings of a year ago. There's the same sweet clover-smell in the breeze ; And the June sun warm Tangles his wings of fire in the trees. Setting, as then, over Fernside farm. I mind me how with a lover's care From my Sunday coat I brushed off the burs, and smoothed my hair. And cooled at the brook-side my brow and throat. Since we parted, a month had passed — To love, a year ; Down through the beeches I looked at last On the little red gate and the well-sweep near. I can see it all now — the flantwise rain Of light through the leaves, The sundown's blaze on her window-pane ; The bloom of her roses under the eaves. Just the same a month before — The house and the trees. The barn's brown gable, the vine by the door— >fothing changed but the hives of bees. Before them, under the garden wall. Forward and back, Went drearily singing the chore-girl small, Draping each hive with a shred of black. Trembling, I listened: the summer sun Had the chill of snow ; For I knew she was telling the bees of one Gone on the journey we all must go ! Then I said, "My Mary weeps For the dead to-day : Haply her blind old grandsire sleeps The fret and the pain of his age away." But her dog whined low ; on the doorway sill. With his cane to his chin, The old man sat ; and the chore-girl still Sung to the bees stealing out and in. And the song she was singing ever since In my ear sounds on : "Stay at home, pretty bees, fly not hence ! Mistress Mary is dead and gone !" * A remarkable custom, brought from the old century, for- merly prevailed in the rural districts of New England. On the death of a member of the family, the bees wore at once informed of the event, and their hives dressed in mourning. The cere- monial was supposed to be necessary to jjrcvent the swarms from leaving their hives and seeking a new home. 1861. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 87 EXTRACTS AND BEPLIES. DO FROGS EAT BEES ? In the hot weather, last summer, I raised a hive containing bees about three-fourths of an inch from the bottom board, so as to give them more air. One evening early in autumn, when passing the hive, I accidentally espied a common green frog on the board near the hive. The que- ry arose at once, can he be after bees ? Ui)on looking around I found several others near ; and here I will say I do not recollect ever to have seen the frogs so plenty at a distance from the water, as they were in this vicinity last summer, owing, probably, to the wet season. But to my story. The next evening I went to the hive after dark, and found the frogs there again. One was close to the edge of the hive, and when a bee which acted as sentinel came near, the frog made a slight stretching motion, and then remained quiet until another came along, when the motion was repeated. I then drove the rep- tile away, and lowered the hive to the bottom board. In a few minutes I saw two frogs creep- ing towards the hive in a very cautious manner, but as the bees were secure, I left them. The following evening the frog placed himself at the entrance of the hive, as if determined to devour every unlucky worker that was out in the twilight. I have never been in the habit of destroying the life of beast, bird or reptile, without being well satisfied that the injury done was in excess of the benefits bestowed. I am fully convinced that toads are very beneficial in a garden, and I have always considered frogs entirely harmless, therefore I never killed one intentionally. But my faith in their innocence is somewhat shaken. It may be that those frogs were in search of moths and other insects instead of bees. I think, however, if the operation is repeated next sum- mer, I shall make a post viortem examination of at least one frog's carcass. In the meantime, I hope others will give their opinions, founded upon facts. If frogs are really guilty, let them be condemned ; if not, let their innocence be proclaimed. L. Varney. Bloomjidd, C. W., 1860. FENCE POSTS IN HEAVING SOILS. In the monthly Farmer for December I no- ticed several articles from correspondents about setting fence posts in heaving soils ; one of which recommended having them sufficiently long to reach below the frost ; another recommended fill- ing a considerable space around them with small stones, and a third to fill around them with grav- el. These clayey soils in which it is found so difficult to make fence posts stand are among the very best in the country ; and the difficulty of making any fences but the zig-zag stand upon them is one of the greatest drawbacks to their cultivation. One of the best farms in my own county has a large extent of this kind of land, and a few years since the owner getting tired of "wavy lines" for fences determined to try straight ones ; and to prevent the posts from rising, set them full four feet in the ground. In about two years his fence was high enough to admit his calves to pass un- der it, about the third year his yearlings, and at the present time I am informed his cows can do the same Avith little inconvenience. In my own opinion the whole system of setting posts in the ground is generally a bad one. Fenc- es can be built v/ithout the zigzag, so that the posts will not only remain v/here they are put, but will outlast the board. What would be thought of the farmer who should set the post of his house or his barn in the sand or in the mud, or in clay, even if he filled around them small stones or gravel ? The durability of our fences is certainly not of less importance than of our barns and houses. And no farmer should be satisfied with a post and board fence that will not keep its position on the worst heaving soil, and last at least thirty years. Charles R. Smith. East Haverhill, N. H., 1860. reclaiming grass lands. "A Subscriber" wishes to know how meadow land may be reclaimed ? And you, Mr. Editor, have truly answered, that the ditch, plow and manure will reclaim it. But what if the manure is not to be had ? My experience is to go ahead without the manure, and is justified by an exper- iment on a piece of wet meadow, the muck being from two to five inches deep, with a stiff clay sub- soil. This piece was plowed in August, 1859, and made as smooth as the plow and hoe would make it. Next a light harrow was used until the soil was well pulverized. I then sowed on herds- grass seed at the rate of three pecks per acre. The land was then harrowed, the sods turned down, and roller passed over it, making it quite smooth. The result was a heavy crop of grass, certainly at the rate of two tons per acre. I think that fowlmeadow or some other meadow grasses might be more profitable, in the end. The exper- iment has led me to plow several acres more of land in the same condition, and I hope with like results. Solon R. Berry. Theiford, Vt., Dec, 1860. Remarks. — This is certainly encouraging. There are many instances where it is advisable to plow seed without manuring. Some grass lands are not poor, but, for some cause are "bound out," the grasses have lost their roots. Upon plowing and reseeding such lands, fine crops are sometimes realized at once. TIME FOR CUTTING TIMBER. I noticed in your paper of last week quite a long article on the subject of cutting timber, the best time to do it, &c. I have had more or less experience for many years in cutting wood and timber, and making fence, so that what I have to say on the subject will spring from experience. About twenty-five years ago, I set a man to chopping wood some time in the month of June, and it so happened that he only cut one tree, a chestnut, about a foot in diameter, and split and piled the same. I drew it in the winter after, and it dried the best and brightest of any wood I ever cut. I have cut some thousands of cords since. There is one objection to cutting wood between the time of the sap having passed up into the branches and back again into the roots. One year 88 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. Feb. I cut several cords early in September, which has not sprouted until this day, while wood cut on the same slope in winter sent up sprouts five and six feet the first year after being cut. My meth- od of managing woodland is to thin out all the small trees after they get to be of considerable size, [What size is considerable ? What diameter ? Ed. ?] and leave the main ones to grow ; by this process I find the timber makes very fast, and when I cut clean, if there are any thrifty trees I leave them until the wood is ready to cut again. By this mode of procedure I get large and tall timber. For instance, twenty or twenty-five years ago, I left on an acre thirty or forty chestnut trees from six to eight inches through ; and they are now from fifty to seventy feet high, and from twenty to thirty inches in diameter. Twenty-one years ago I set about twenty-five rods of board and post fence. I cut the posts and peeled them the year before. I set the fence as soon as they were perfectly dry, the butt ends all in the ground. The posts wei-e from six to eight inches in diameter and are nearly all standing now. The soil where the fence was built is gravel. Spencer Byington. Stockhridge, Jan., 1861. now TO KILL VERMIN ON CATTLE. Having noticed articles in the leading agricul- tural journals in relation to killing lice on cattle, many of which I have tried with little effect, I propose to add another to the list for the benefit of those not already acquainted with it, and which I have tried with entire satisfactory results, in every instance where I have used it. Take poke root, sometimes called blue dragon or hellebore, and boil enough to get a very strong tea or wash, and apply it as a wash thoroughly, and it will surely kill every one of the vermin, and without the least detriment to cattle. One good applica- tion is sufl[icient, Silas Mason. Hartwellville, Vi. THE concord GRAPE. Can the Concord grape be relied upon in this latitude (44^°) without winter protection ? I am anxious to raise grapes, and I want the best, if I can find them ? L. Varney. Bloomfield, C. IF., 12ih Mo., 6th, 1860. Remarks. — We do not think you would be able to cultivate the Concord grape vine in your locality without winter pi-otection, and unless vegetation is very rapid during the summer months, the fruit would not ripen even if the vines came through the winter in perfection. Still, if you raise Indian corn in your climate, you may get the Concord grape. KING PHILIP corn. Have you the King Philip corn, and the im- proved King Philip corn ? What is the price of each, per bushel, and for smaller quantities ? What is the difference in the time of ripening, and in the yield ? Benjamin Doe. New Market, N. H., Dec, 1860. Remarks. — The corn inquired for is usually for sale at the seed stores for about $2 per bushel -perhaps at the rate of $2,50 or $3 in small quantities. We cannot answer the second ques- tion. cattle disease. How is the cattle disease ? I have been led to believe that you have not had any fresh cases since July last, as you are silent on the subject in your monthly. But other indications induce me to suppose that new cases occurred last fall and this winter. Please give us the facts as you know them. T. H. Collins. Locust Lavm, New Albany, Ind., Jan., 1860. Remarks, — There were several new cases of the "cattle disease," last fall, and as soon as they were discovered the sick animals were either iso- lated or immediately killed. The decided action of the Commissioners undoubtedly checked the disease and prevented its spreading over the country. There are now, happily, no recent cases of the disease in our knowledge. PLANTING potatoes IN THE FALL. I would inquire through the Farmer if any one has planted potatoes in the fall, and covered them with straw or sea drift, with success ? I think I saw something to that effect in some pa- per. N. Y. Hall. Deering, N. E., Dec, 1860. horse cart. Can you give a good drawing or description for a horse cart ? Chester Baker. Amherst, Mass., 1860. Remarks. — When we can obtain a good illus- tration of a good horse cart, we will give it in the Farmer. A fine crop of oats and ■wheat. Mr. William Hanson, of Barre, Vt., raised the past season, 1450 bushels of oats on 23 acres, twenty acres of which was green sward. He also raised 60 bushels of wheat on 1^ acres. Barre, Vt., Dec, 1860. For the Netp England Farmer. A PEOLIPIC BOBEB. The 18th of the 6th month, while walking near an elder-bush in one corner of my garden, I dis- covered signs of a borer near a thrifty sprout of this year's growth. On examination, I found one had entered about fifteen inches from the ground, and had devoured the pith upwards about thirteen inches, where I found him. The insect was an inch and a quarter long, of a greenish color, spotted with black. It had 16 legs — 6 black, pointed ones near the head, and 10 posterior ones of the color of the body, which appeared to be concave on the under side. It could crawl back- wards or forwards equally well. I placed a piece of the bush with the worm in it, under a glass, and in about two weeks found it dead, but it had left in the piece of wood thirty-six eggs. Was this the apple tree borer ? Bloomjield, C. W., 1860, L. Varnet. 1861. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 89 HOUSES, AND THEIK DISEASES. Crib Bitinp: — Farcy — HiJe BounJ — Roarinj; — Ring Bone. VERY farmer is inter- ested in the horse, — and not only himself, for when a good, faithful horse has long been upon the farm, he comes to be regarded almost as one of the familj', at least, as indispensable to its comfort in many ways. When attacked by disease, and the poor animal is suffering, the sympathy of the whole household is excited, and all are anxious to do eomething to alleviate his pain as well as to re- store him to service. We propose, therefore, in the course of this year to mention some of the diseases to which the horse is liable, and some rational remedies for them. It will not be in our power to say that all the diseases will be ac- curately described, or that the remedies are the best that may be prescribed, — but we shall select from the best sources, and would invite those familiar with the diseases which so often disable the noble animal, to aid us in the effort to throw light upon the subject. We introduce below, a brief description of sev- eral diseases, with the treatment for each, all in plain, common sense English, from a new work by Edward Mayhew, called "The Illustrated Horse Doctor" and recently published in London. The reader will see in these extracts how briefly and intelligibly he presents the symptoms and treatment of some of the diseases which destroy the usefulness of the horse. CRIB BITING. Cause. — Sameness of food, and unhealthy sta- bles or indigestion. Symptoms. — Placing their upper incisors against some support, and, with some effort, emit- ting a small portion of gas. Treatment. — Place a lump of rock-salt in the manger ; if that is not successful, add a lump of chalk. Then damp the food and sprinkle magne- sia upon it ; and mingle a handful of ground oak bark, with each feed of corn. Purify the ventila- tion of the stables before these remedies are ap- plied. FARCY. Cause. — Excessive labor, poor food and bad lodging, operating upon old age. Symptoms. — It is, at first, inflammation of the superficial absorbents. Lumps appear on various parts. If these lumps are opened, healthy matter is released ; but the place soon becomes a foul ul- cer, from which bunches of fungoid granulations sprout. From the lumps may be traced little cords leading to other swellings. The appetite fails ; or else it is voracious. Matter may be squeezed through the skin. Thirst is torturing. At length glanders break forth and the animal dies. There is a smaller kind of farcy, called but- ton farcy — the smaller sort is the more virulent of the two. Cure. — There is no known cure for the disease. HIDE BOUND. Cause. — Neglect, or turning into a straw or stable yard for the winter. Treatment. — Liberal food, clean lodgings, soft bed, healthy exercise and good grooming. Ad- minister, daily, two drinks, composed of — liquor arsenicalis, half an ounce ; tincture of muriate of iron, one ounce ; water one pint. Mix, and give as one dose. ROARING. Cause. — The bearing rein ; the folly of fashion. Symptoms. — A noise made at each inspiration. Treatment. — No remedy. The cabman's pad is the only alleviation ; that conceals and does not cure the disease. RING BONE. Cause. — Dragging heavy loads up steep hills. Symptoms. — A roughness of hair on the pas- tern, and a bulging forth of the hoof. A want of power to flex the pastern. An inability to bring the sole to the ground, only upon an even surface. Loss of power and injury to utility. Treatment. — In the first stages apply poultices, with one drachm of camphor and of opium. Af- terwards rub with iodide of lead, one ounce, sim-- ple ointment, eight ounces. Continue treatment- for a fortnight, and after all active symptoms have subsided, allow liberal food and rest ; work gently when labor is resumed. For the New England Farmer. SOCIETY BEPORTS— SUCCESSION OF FOREST TREES. The Transactions of the Middlesex Agricultu- ral Society for the year 1860 is a well prepared document, and contains valuable information to the farmer. I notice, however, one important omission, which, in common with many of the re- ports of county societies, detracts much from its inte'-est and value. It is shortly this : In not giving full statements with regard to crops en- tered for premiums. What we want to know is, the most successful methods of culture, with the cost attending it, the nature of the soil, its previ- ous use, the kind of seed, the amount sowed, and the manure applied. Without such statement, the reader only knows that A. B. raised twenty- five bushels of wheat to the acre, and nothing, more. The address of Mr. Thoreau is a very interest- ing one, particularly that portion which explains the process of nature, by which when a decayed pine wood is cut down, oaks and other hard woods may at once take its place. In other words, how it is that, without the aid of man, a rotation of crops in the shape of trees takes place. This is done, as he truly says, by the winds, in some cases, by the birds and by animals in others. The squirrel is a great tree-planter, the oak, the wal- nut and the beech are mostly planted by him. They are brought from long distances and are 90 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. Feb. buried in the ground for winter use ; some are forgotten or are not wanted and they vegetate the following spring. He is, however, mistaken in supposing the planting to be carried on annually of necessity, or that "the oldest seedlings annu- ally die." The plants come up and throw out from two to six leaves, and continue to do so from year to year, until the pines decay or arc removed, and the light and air come to them, when they at once commence a vigorous growth. I have marked within fifteen years, hundreds of oaks in their dormant state, and have never lost sight of them. There they are, just as when I first discovered them. Others I have opened to the light and air, by clearing away the pines which shadowed them, and they are vigorously taking their places. Providence has wisely made this provision for the future. These plantations are existing all around us, with no oaks within a large circuit — they have been all sacrificed years ago, yet the clearing up of a pine grove will reveal the careful providence of nature. If no oak has ever grown in a district, none will grow, for want of seed, but once plant- ed and germinated, it is never lost. The squirrel is equally efficient in planting the pine seed as the acorn. The cone of a pine con- tains from thirty to sixty sound germinating seed. The squirrel, with his sharp teeth, cuts off the lit- tle flaps which hold them and pouches them, car- rying them to his retreat, where they are lightly buried. A common chipmunk will take in his pouches or cheeks more than a hundred seeds at a time. It is not only the pine that acts as a sentry over the oak, preparing for its future growth by the annual decay of its spikelets. The birch, to some extent, performs the same office. If you care- fully look through what appears to be an entire birch cover, you will frequently find the young oaks beneath abiding the period of its more rapid decay. R. J. F. BUCKWHEAT. This grain, which possesses a high value for a variety of purposes, should be sown between the fifteenth of June and the first of July. The soils best adapted to buckwheat, are those of a sili- cious or sandy texture. The frequent failures which have attended the cultivation of this grain, are attributable, in a majority of cases, to lack of attention in managing it. The soil should not only be rich in soluble extractive matters capa- ble of yielding aliment to the plants, but of such a texture as to admit of its being reclaimed by the action of the harrow and the plow to a very fine tilth. Purity of seed, also, is another im- portant consideration. It should be of good qual- ity as to fullness and roundness, and not above three pecks allowed to the acre. The application of the roller to the surface after sowing the seed, will be beneficial, as it tends not only to compress the soil around the seeds, but to facilitate the la- bor of harvesting by producing a level surface. This is important, as it enables the mower to carry his scythe near the roots of the stalks, and to obviate the loss of seed which a more elevated stroke would shatter out. Clayey soils, unless thoroughly drained and pulverized, are un suited to this crop. The soil congenial to this crop is upland green sward, inclining to sand, plowed in June. LEGISLATIVE AGRICULTIEEIAL SOCIETY. The first meeting of the Legislative Agricultu- ral Society was held in the Representatives' Hall at the State House, on Monday evening, Jan. 7, which was wtll attended. The assemblage was called to order by Col. Stone, of Dcdham, and Simon Brown, editor of the New EiKjland Farmer, was unanimously elected President of the evening. On taking the chair, Mr. Brown spoke briefly of the importance of these meetings, and of the desire of the people of the Commonwealth to learn, through the papers, what is said at them. He spoke, also, of the necessity that every farm- er should avail himself of the real improvements in agricultural implements and machinery, so that he may keep progress with other industrial pursuits in obtaining his products cheaply. He said that he believed farming to be the most prof- itable pursuit ever engaged in by man, when the true meaning of the word profitable is considered, and that it is as honorable as any other. He made several interesting illustrations, and closed by appealing to the members of the Legislature to sustain these meetings by their presence and teachings. On motion of Col. Stone, Mr. Mason, of Dart- mouth, was chosen Secretary. A committee of seven, consisting of Messrs. Freeman Walker, of North Brookfield, Lan- sing J. Cole, of Cheshire, Elipiialet Stone, of Dedham, Josiaii White, of Petersham, I). Or- lando FisKE, of Shelburne, David H. Merriam, of Fitchburg, and Silas T. Soule, of AVareham, were appointed to furnish subjects for discussion for future meetings. Mr. White, of Petersham, being called on, said, that of the utility and importance of these meetings there could be no doubt, and he trusted this was the first of a series to be held by the Legislature that would benefit every one who at- tended them. He always felt bound to give all the aid he could to advance the interests of the agriculturist, and he thought in the short time left, the time would be well devoted to the sub- ject of Improvements in Agricultural Implements, expressing the opinion that these had been brought about by the farmer's success. Col. Stone complimented the previous speaker, and said that in his opinion these meetings were better conducted without restraint, and he hoped to hear all take part in the discussions. 1861. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 91 Mr. Merriam, of Fitchburg, said that a year ago last summer he raised an excellent crop of corn from the virgin soil, and this was by work alone. He plowed the land four feet deep, using a Michigan plow, and drained it, putting on gua- no, partly in the hill and the other part sowed in. He spoke in high terms of praise of Bates' ma- chine to pull out stones, that he had used, and said he was desirous of seeing it come into more general use. Mr. FiSKE, of Shelburne, said he thought the whole community should be interested in the subject of agriculture, and he hoped these meet- ings would have a good influence on the sons and daughters of Massachusetts. The idea pre- vailed that farming did not pay, but it was high time this fallacy was exposed, as every man who has devoted his attention to farming could testi- fy that no pursuit was more likely to pay well for the time and labor bestowed upon it. He also spoke of the rock-lifting machines, and was de- sirous that they should prepare the land for mow- ing machines, and he hoped neighbors would club together, so as to bring them within the reach of all. Mr. Ward, of Fairhaven, said he had not done anything in farming for a number of years, but his mind had nevertheless been drawn to the sub- ject of agriculture. He thought every State should be circumscribed in its products. Eng- land, said he, is a manufacturing country, and in this line were their own producers ; we ought to be an agricultural country, and to be so the greatest encouragement should be given to the farmer. He spoke of his mode of raising onions, saying that he hoed seven times, taking every other row, and hoeing nearly up to tho adjoining row, thus giving the ground nearly as good as fourteen hoeings. Mr. Sears, of Yarmouth, said he did not be- long to an agricultural district, but he detested the idea of young men and women going away from the farm on the ground that it was not gen- teel. He considered the idea of "skinning" the soil false, and hoped to see the process stopped. Mr. Bennett, of Hubbardston, said he was not engaged in farming, but he had taken interest in the statistics of the State in relation to it. From these he quoted at some length, showing that the returns from Worcester county showed a larger per centage than any other county in the Com- monwealth. From close observation he had come to the conclusion that the larger amount of culti- vation should be devoted to the best soiL He also said longevity was largely in favor of farmers. On motion of Col. White, the subject for dis- cussion at the next meeting was decided to be, "T^e winter management of farm stock." Gov- ernor Andrew is expected to preside. FACTS ABOUT CHINA, The Emperor of China, Hienfung, is the sev- enth of the reigning dynasty of the Tsings, which succeeded in 1644 to that of the Mings. The present Emperor is the 244th, dating back 4702 years. His reign commenced on the 26th Febru- ary, 1850. Hienfung is not his actual name, but a sort of official name adopted by hitn as reigning sovereign, and signifies Perfect Felicity. The name of his father, Tankwang, signified Splendor of Reason. The population of China was esti- mated in 1849 at about 415 millions of souls. The public functionaries (Mandarins) are divided into nine classes, of which each is again subdivid- ed into two, and the civil authorities take prece- dence of the military. Authentic information re- specting the finances and the army is wanting. The military organization differs essentially from that of European nations. Each governor of provinces has his own regiment of Chinese, but they rarely engage in action. There are Man- choux who serve only as garrison troops. In case of war, a militia force is raised, composed princi- pally of volunteers, who hope to derive certain advantages, or obtain the rank of Mandarin. There is a war department, but no officers that are superior to the governors of provinces. When there is question of war, as of late to com- bat the rebels at Nanking, the Minister of War names a commander-in-chief, to whom all the troops are subject. There is no imperial navy ; the admirals are functionaries of the provinces. The Chinese army, including the reserve, may be estimated at 1.500,000 men, of whom 700,000 are Chinese, 300,000 Mongols, and 500,000 Man- cLoux. The fleet consists of 826 vessels and 58,- 637 men, commanded by two admirals. Middlesex Agricultural Society. — We have before us the report of the last year's doings of the Society. The Address of Mr. Thoreau, "On the Succession of Forest Trees," is given in full. We have spoken of this before, and given extracts from it. It contains, also, reports on Sheep, Poultry, Grapes, Vegetables, Bread, and Plowing loith Single Teams, extracts from which we hope to find room for hereafter. There are several other short reports of no general interest. The officers of the Society for the ensuing year are, — George O. Brastow, President. Andrew Wellington, } j^. „ -j^j 17 \XT Drr.r ' > V icB Prestdents. E. VV. Bull, ^ John B. Moore, Secretary. Richard Barrett, Treasurer. Flowages. — We are informed, by letter and otherwise, that the proprietors of the dam across the Concord River at North Billerica, have been busily engaged in obtaining petitions to get the act, passed at the last session ot the Legislature, for the removal of this nuisance repealed. They have given public notice of such intention. This pertinacity shows how desperately men cling to power when it is once in their hands. This dam. 92 NEW ENGLAND FARRIER. Feb. in the opinion of the last Legislature, operates as a public calamity, destroying a vast amount of property and spreading desolation and death through one of tho most lovely and fertile re- gions of the State. The people living in the towns bordering on the meadows that are flowed, have battled with this power for forty years, and have not yet been able to receive a single dollar for damages, although their grass crop has been annually cut off, and sometimes whole families have been prostrated with sickness occasioned by the malaria arising from the rotting masses of vegetable matter lying upon the meadows. We also learn that the citizens of Wayland held a town meeting on Monday of last week, in view of the action in this matter. The meeting was a large one, and it unanimously voted to remonstrate against the repeal ; the se- lectmen were authorized to act as agents for the town, with power to employ counsel and do any- thing else which in their judgment they may deem necessary to secure action under the law of last year. The citizens of Sudbury, we learn, are to hold a public town meeting in relation to the matter, and the people of all the towns in the Sudbury and Concord E,iver Valley are still determined that this wicked monopoly shall be abated. CATTLE DISEASE IN SOUTH APBICA. Below we give an extract from a letter written from South Africa by the Rev. Levs^IS Grout, to a brother in West Brattleboro', Vt. We hope, however, there will be no necessity for any one to avail himself of the information contained in it. Umsunduzi, South Africa, Sept. 16, I860. Dear Brother : — I see by the papers the same disease which we have had here for six years is now in Massachusetts, making a good deal of commotion, as well it may. Among cat- tle or cows it is very contagious and fatal. Only about one in twenty-five recovers or escapes, af- ter being once exposed with diseased cattle. The few which recover are not liable to the second attack. The only remedy in this co-mtry is inoc- ulation, by which three- fourths, or at least, one- half, are usually saved, about one-quarter dying of inoculation unless the thing is very successfu' In this country those who are obliged to gu about with oxen must first inoculate, so also must those who are surrounded by disease, so as not to be obliged to keep the cows from contact with those that have the disi'ase. The mode of inocu- lating is to make a small puncture or incision in the end of the cow's tail and insert a little of the liquid, or a small bit of flesh, from the lung of an animal which had the disease and died of it, or rather was killed and found to be diseased. Sometimes a thread is drawn through a diseased lung, and then inserted under the skin just so as to be in contact with the blood. Li a few days the tail begins to swell ; the swelling sometimes goes up the body so as to cause death. The dis- ease does not show itself under five weeks after exposure. The first sign of the disease is hard breathing, with a turning up and contraction of the nose at each inspiration. I should not inoc- ulate until compelled to do so, either by finding that my cattle had been actually exposed, or were sure to be so, though no time should be lost after an actual exposure ; otherwise inoculation will do little or no good. If the people will set about stopping the disease in right earnest, they can do so, otherwise it will go through the coun- try. The best season to inoculate is in the spring, when cattle are relaxed, as that helps keep the body open and check inflammation. Lewis Grout. AGRICULTURAL QUESTIONS. By John Dimon, Wakefield, R. I. Mr. Editor : — Having decided to spend the remainder of my days on the farm and in the ca- pacity of a farmer — and as it is less expensive to buy the best stock and tools, and to do work in the best manner, and as there are hundreds of young farmers in New England who are in want of a certain kind of agricultural information, I have concluded to send you a string of practical agricultural questions, which I wish you to pub- lish in the monthly Farmer, vi'ith such answers and remarks as the merits of the case require. And by so doing you will confer a great favor — not only on me, but on others in similar circum- stances. \. What kind of plow do you consider best for a smooth, sandy-loam farm ? Remarks. — Plow for a sandy-loam. land. — We should say Holbrook's Universal plow, stubble mould-board No. 152, and green-sicard mould- board No. 122. This stubble plow has a wonder- ful power of lifting up and disintegrating the soil. We have seen it in use where, if a common- sized man should lie down in the furrow, the next one turned would well nigh cover him over. The sward mould-board is equally effective in breaking up. In skillful hands it may be made to lay the furrow entirely flat, or to give it the slightest lap, if the operator prefers this mode of leaving it. 2. Where land is rather light and cold, and has not been highly manured, how deep should it be plowed to obtain the best crops ? Hoio deep to plow. — Land that has received only shallow plowings for many years should not have the surface turned under deeply at once, un- less a large amount of manure is added. The black soil being low down, atfords no support to plants early in the season, and as they do not find nour- ishment in the new soil, they are not matured and the crop is lost. To answer your question direct- ly, we should say that a depth of six inches would be likely to return the best crops on such a soil, where the manuring is to be light. Will you experiment by plowing at diflterent depths, mak- 1861. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 93 ing all other things equal, and give us the re- sults ? 3. Is it really advantageous, and will it pay, to subsoil land for general crops ? SiihsoiUng Jor general crops. — There is no doubt on our mind but that subsoiling on clayey and granitic lands, where crops of wheat, barley, oats and Indian corn are cultivated, would be a profitable practice. It would be one of the pro- cesses making up a thorough cultivation, and we believe it is generally admitted now, that to cul- tivate a less extent of land, and cultivate it well, always secures the most favorable results. In- stead of cultivating two acres of heavy land in corn, expending forty-five days' labor and thirty ox-loads of manure upon them, put all the labor and all the manure upon one acre, making sub- soiling one of the items of culture on the one acre. Give the same time to the one acre that would be given to the two, in hoeing, and exter- minating weeds — and we believe an exact account will, in nine cases in ten, show a balance in favor of the one acre. The use of Mapes' subsoil plow in passing be- tween the rows of corn, potatoes, beans, or any of the hoed crops where it can be admitted, is highly advantageous. It moves the ground be- low, without much disturbance to the surface, and when run between the rows both ways, leaves the field mellow and light, as a root bed for the plants, and the soil in a suitable condition to be greatly benefited by all atmospheric influences. 4. Being confident that much grass seed is an- nually wasted by not being properly covered in the soil, I wish to inquire the best method of "getting in" the diff"erent kinds of seed ; both clover and the finer grasses ? Getting in grass seed. — There is much waste in sowing grass seed by hand, as the person having both skill and long practice will be scarcely able to sow a bushel of timothy seed without over- seeding in some spots and leaving others without a due portion. If there is wind at the time of sowing it makes the operation still more difficult ; a little loss, therefore, at each annual sowing, would soon amount to an aggregate sufficient to purchase the best machine, which would last for generations. In the monthly Farmer for June, 18o8, we gave an illustration of Wells^ Seed Sower, and ex- pressed an opinion of its merits. It costs but $4,00, and its use will save that sum on any well conducted farm in two years, in time and seed. If the proprietor of CahomVs Seed Sower will send us a good illustration of that machine, we shall be glad to publish it in these columns. After grass seed is sown, it is not a commend- able practice to leave it so near the surface as is usually done. It should be harrowed in at least, so that it may get root hold in the soil before the blade appears above ground. A slight brush- harrowing is not sufficient. After harrowing, the brushing should be done by confining white birches, or other saplings, to a piece of joist three by four inches and pass over the field in both ways ; and if the team is sufficiently strong, add a little weight to the joist, so as to compress the earth a little ; this practice will answer pretty well without the use of the roller. But the roller should be used where it can be conveniently. The observing farmer has noticed that seed comes best, and is the strongest, in the tracks made by the team in harrowing. 5. Will it pay to buy oyster shells at two cents per bushel, three miles from home, to burn for manure ? Oyster shell lime. — We have known oyster shells drawn eight miles by team — when return- ing from market, — converted into lime and used on exhausted farms with profitable results. The shells were pitched into a corner whei-e two heavy stone walls came together and placed with alter- nate layers of brush and other cheap wood of the farm and burnt. The proprietor thought he was greatly indebted to this lime in bringing back the farm to a state of fertility. If we should advise, it would be to make trial of the shells, keeping an accurate account of cost, and strictly watching the results. 6. What is the best method of applying ashes to a corn crop ? Ashes for corn. — Forty years ago it was the practice to apply ashes to the hills of corn at the first hoeing, throwing it in among or directly upon the young plants. We cannot see that any one mode of application has decided advantages over another. Ashes are of great value to the crop, and if applied broadcast upon the field be- fore harrowing, or before the first hoeing, the plants will be quite sure to feel their influences before they come to perfection. 7. I want, next spring, some light manure, similar to poudrette, to use in the hill for corn. Something that is strong and easily applied, and something I can manufacture at a less expense than to purchase poudrette from the Lodi Manu- facturing Company at about $1,75 per barrel here. How shall I manufacture a home-made pou- drette ? Something to manure with in the hill. Our correspondent has taken a proper view of the matter in devising some method of fertilizing corn plants in the hill. In our short seasons, the corn crop often fails to come to maturity for the want of an early and vigorous start in the spring. The tender plant needs something immediately about its roots to push it along and bring out its 94 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. Feb. broad leaves for atmospheric influences to act upon and perfect it before September frosts oc- cur. A liberal broadcast manuring is not suffi- cient for this, and so we want something that is cheap and portable, that every farmer may have it to drop into the hill before covering the corn, to impart warmth to the seed, and quicken it into vigorous action. One way to accomplish this end is this. Col- lect all the night-soil that can be procured through the summer from time to time, and mix it with fine, old meadow muck and sprinklings of plaster ; occasionally pour sink water over it, making it so moist as to become of a pasty con- sistency, and then work it thoroughly with the back of the hoe, as mortar is worked, so that the night-soil and the muck shall be completely in- corporated. Do this three or four times in the course of the summer and autumn, always leaving the heap well covered with loam. If muck cannot be had, use alluvial soil, or the finest loam and sprinklings of plaster. Before freezing weather gather the heap into barrels and place it away from the frost. A handful of this compost in the hill will make you laugh, if it does not the corn. Another way. — Place the roosts for the fowls in such a position that all their droppings can be conveniently reached, and each morning, or three times a week, cover them with fine muck, loam, sand, or plaster. Keep the whole dry, and use half a pint to a hill. If you have this, you need not sigh for guano. Still another. — Take an old cask, such as a molasses hogshead, mix a bushel of plaster with old muck enough to fill it, and saturate the whole with urine from the barn cellar or from any other source. Continue to pour on the urine freely from day to day, until the escape of ammonia is detected, and then discontinue it. The contents of the hogshead may then be taken out and the operation repeated to any extent desired. In this operation the sulphuric acid in the plaster will combine with and fix the ammonia escaping from the urine, and the mass will be a portable, active and highly fertilizing agent — one that every farmer may have. 8. As all farmers are liable to sometimes lose an animal either by age or accident, how can they make a dead carcass most available and profita- ble for manure ? Wliat to do with a "dead carcass." — A dead horse may be made more valuable than most far- mers are aware of. A man has about one pound of ammonia, it is stated, for every fifty pounds of his weight. If the same rate holds good with the horse, one weighing ten hundred would yield twenty pounds of ammonia. We have been taught that this substance is one of the most val- uable fertilizers that the farmer has, so that if this particular part were all, the dead horse or ox would be valuable. If the dead animal were cut into pieces, sprinkled freely with plaster or char- coal dust, and the whole mass covered plentifully with meadow mud, at the expiration of a year it might be in condition to be overhauled and in- corporated with the muck. The bones should be collected and placed with other bones to be con- verted into phosphate of lime when enough of them are obtained to make the job a profitable one. 9. What crop is best to help out winter fod- der— corn, millet, or roots .'* 10. Will it pay for farmers to cultivate roots for stock in winter, and if so, what kind of roots will pay best ? Crop to help out winter fodder. — There is noth- ing more sure, or scarcely anything better, than oats, cut just as the seed is forming, and cured mainly in the cock, under caps. Millet is a good crop, and it may be sown later than oats. We commend the culture of roots, to some extent, on every farm. Most of the work may be done by horse povver, and the crop may then be obtained at a cheap and profitable rate. Stock greatly needs some succulent food to go with the dry fod- der which comprises the principal part of their winter food. By a little inquiry every farmer may ascertain how to raise Swedes, caiTots and man- golds as a profitable winter feeding. This para- graph replies to your 9th and 10th questions. 11. Will it pay for a small farmer to own a mowing machine ; say on a farm of twenty-five acres to be mowed ? Mowing Machines. — Yes. A good machine will pay for itself in a few years. 12. What kind of mowing machine is best for a light, smooth farm ? What mowing machine is best ? There is no mowing machine out of the dozen we have tried that stands out so pre-eminently above all others as to justify us in saying that it is the best. The Ketchum, Wood, Manny, New England, and we do not doubt, some others, may be used with decided economy on smooth farms. Now, brother DiMON, having answered your questions candidly, and as fully as space will per- mit, will you, if the answers do not commend themselves to your views, express them yourself, and send them to us for publication. Electricity. — A writer for the Rural Ameri- can says that some of.his scientific neighbors have suggested that there may be some connection be- tween the abundant crops of this year, and the abundant electricity manifested in our frequent thunder storms. 1861. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 95 For the New England Farmer. "LABOR IS KING." Me. Fariter : — This is a very busy world. The earth upon its axis twirled Rolls constaut round without cessation, And never stops for recreation ; E'en steady Sol is in the practice Of trundling round upon /as axis, And winter-solstice-shortened days, And lengthened nights, and his slant rays, Scirce bring brief rest and lessened labor And time for talk with chatty neighbor. Ere high in heavt n he holds his reign. And sets all things awork again ; While maiiamliUna, she who whilom, As one in lunatic asylum Displays his antics and grimaces. Hade up an endless change of faces, Gives twice diurnal agitation To all the watery crt ation ; So Ocean ceaseless ebbs and flows, And never rests in calm repose ; The insect of a summer's day. That lives its hour and dies away, Spends that brief hour upon the wing, A busy, buzzing, bustling thing; And so in earth, in sea an.'h all the household border Be seen the rei^n of law and order. May she be blest with sense and skill To rule and jfuide her household well, Preserve her pll;ihted bmiajide. And keep her husband neat and tidy. ThT farmer's boy,— that sturdy fellow, No pale-top, prowinji in the cellar, No fop, unwishing hijiher bliss Than measuring tape for simperinfj miss, — The summer sun his face embrowned. But ruddy left his cheek and round. His youtliful arm, — toil -nerved with strength. Stalwart shall swir? (he scythe at length. And so wht n old King Labor f.iils. Here is your Nature's Prince of Wales. Ere the bright sun at rosy dawn Had kissed the dew drops from the lawn, Fresh as a lark he left his bed, "W. nt furlh the fragrant swath to spread, Then found at nii;ht that sweet repose Which useful industry best knows. Through all New England's rock bound coast. Such youth her rugged hills can boast, Trained to intelligence and toil ; 'Tis these that freedor 's foes shall foil, And cause her as of yore, to be The dwelling of the brave and free ; Still to like hands, through every age. Transmit the f lorious heritage, And, blest of heaven, see that she stands. Through time the glory of all lands. The farmer's daughter — last not least, As the best wine concludes the feast, — In vain my pen its task essays In fitting words to speak her praise. If Nature e'er herself surpasses, And " 'prentice han' made not the lasses," If Eve came, after man's formation. The ne plus ultra of creation. Of Eve's fair daughters since the fall. Behold the cap sheaf of them all ! No Miss MacFlimsey, caught by glare, With forty robes, yet none to wear, Be-ringed, bedecked in gay attire, While wise men weep and fools admire. Living in pleasure — truly dead, Trusting some moustached ape to wed, — (Perhaps my simile a breach is Of justice to the baboon species,) — Not such our maid ; — to nature true, Fresh as the morn, than early dew More sweet, more pure, her fair cheek glows With tints which quite outvie the rose, She, graceful as the springing fawn. Half flying trips across the lawn. Yet beauty is but half her praise, Not useless pass her gladsome days ; With ready hand her part she bears. Helpful, in all the household cares, Well fills her mind with useful store Of gems of thought, and craves yet more. Heaven's choicest blessings on her rest — With visions bright her dreams be blest; — Should the blind god with soft thoughts fill her. The robe she dons, be a mantilla, [man-tiller,] And then she finds in due progression. The union that knows no secession. But I must stay my errant pen, — The longest sermon has Amen, — And so your servant here presents His most devoted compliments : Please find enclosed herewith two dollars, (The quid precedes, the quo it follows, And still for aye with double zest The thing that's paid for is possessed,) And, that we have llirough all the year Your teachings wise our path to cheer — Your sun, by which to light our taper. Please send Tht Unabridged the paper. Springfield, January 8. Why do Animals need Salt? — Prof. Jas. E. Johnston, of Scotland, says : Upwards of half the saline matter of the blood {51 per cent.) consists of common salt ; and as this is partly di-scharged every day through the skin and the kidneys, the neces.sity of continued supplies of it to the healthy body l)ecomo.s sufficiently obvious. The bile also contains .soda (one of the ingredi- ents of salt.) as a special and indispensable con- stituent, and so do all the cartilages of the body Stint the supply of salt, therefore, and neither v.il'l the bile be able properly to assist digestion, nor the cartilages to be built up again as fast as they naturally waste." It is ];ettcr to place salt where stock can have free access to it, than to ^ive it occasionally in large quantities. They will help themselves to what they need if allowed to do so at pleasure ; other- wise, when they become "salt hungry," they may take more than is wholesome. Fur the New England Farmer. SQUASHES. The 7th of 5th month, (May,) I planted in my garden ten hills of Autumnal Marrow squash seeds on two square rods of ground, which allowed fifty-four square feet to each hill. I manured with a compost of night-soil and fine chip dung, about a peck to a hilL About the time they began to run, I thinned to three or four in each hill, and through the season whenever a vine overran the fixed bounds, I cut it off. I harvested the pro- duce the 26th of 9th month, (Sept.,) a day or two before frost killed the leaves. I found sixty-five in number, weighing loO pounds, at the rate of twenty-nine tons per acre. A pretty good yield, I thought, and one which would pay well if a per- son lived near a market, but here they are worth nothing except to use in one's familj', and to feed to cows. Several of them weighed 20 pounds, and two weighed 21^ pounds each. A week or two later I planted a few hills of seeds given to me by a friend, and said to have been taken from a Hubbard squash. I planted them in my field, at a considerable distance from any other vines ; manure similar to that used for the Marrow. There was a pretty good growth of vines, but the squashes were smaller than the others, only two or three weighing as many as fourteen pounds. Was this as large as usual ? The color was various, generally of an ashy or pale green, a few were quite dark, and one or two had yellow stripes. Shell very hard, quaHty ex- cellent, very dry and rich. Are they probably, the real Hubbard squash ? L. Varney. Bloomfield, G. W., 11 Mo., 1860. Remarks. — The true Hubbard is not a large squash — not weighing more than six to ten pounds. Oblong, color dark green, with a rough or knobby surface. Surplus of Wheat in one State. — A com- mittee appointed by the Wisconsin State Agricul- tural Society to canvass the grain districts have estimated the wheat crop of Wisconsin at twenty- two millions of bushels, and the home consump- tion at six millions, leaving a surplus for export of sixteen millions of bushels. 1861. XEW EXGLAXD FARMER. 97 KTJSAL AECKITECTURE. DESIGN FOR A SUBUUBAX IlESIDENCE, BY GEO. E. IIARXEY, LYNX, :\LiSS. DESIGNER AND liNGRAVKI) EXPr.KSSLV KOK THE XEV,' ENGLAND FARMKK. We give this month another design for a sub- urban or village residence. It is a fair specimen of the Italian style, so modified as to meet the wants of our country and climate. The style is characterized by the low pitch of the roof, the broad, open character of the trimmings, and the introduction of the round arch for the heads of the windows, piazzas, doors, &c. The plan is arranged as follows : From the portico, No. 1, by means of double glazed doors, we enter the vestibule. No. 2. This opens on the left, into the dining-room. No. 4, and on the right, into the parlor, No. 3. Directly in front, a slid- ing glass door opens into the hall containing stairs to the chaiubers and cellar. The living, or din- ing-room has a good sized china closet, and con- nects, by means of a small passage on the left of the chimney-breast, with the kitchen, No. 6. This room is fourteen feet square, is conveniently placed, and well lighted, and opens directly into the staircase hall. No. 5. No. 7 is a pantry, fur- nished with a pump, sink, and shelves, and No. 8 is a good sized store closet, with shelves. The vestibule measures 6 feet by 7^ feet ; parlor, 15 feet by 17 feet ; living-room, 14 feet by 15 feet. The second floor furnishes three large cham- bers, a bathing-room, and several closets. For the interior finish of the several rooms, we would recommend something like the following : The wood-work of the vestibule and dining-room to be a wainscoting two and a half feet high, with standing finish to coi-respond ; this, together with the wood -work of the kitchen, to be oiled and varnished, showing the natural color and grain of the wood. The walls may be papered with some neat, modest pattern of panel paper, and the floor covered with painted oil carpeting of colors to correspond. 98 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. Feb. The parlor should have a lighter, more cheerful tone than the other apartments. The wood-work painted some pleasing tint or tints ; the paper a small, lively figure on a light ground ; and the carpet a small mosaic figure on a darker ground ; all, with the window and table drapery, to har- moniz3 in color, and as far as possible in the style of the figures. A table or two in convenient places, that one may not be afraid to lean upon ; a few wholesome chairs that one may sit in, aye, and tip back in, Yankee fashion, if he choose, without fear of finding himself all of a sudden in closer proxim- ity to the floor than he might wish ; a bookcase filled with good books in substantial bindings — books for use, and not for show ; and finally, a few good pictures hung against the walls. This is the treatment we would suggest for the parlor. The kitchen may be perfectly plain ; the wood- work as before specified, oiled and varnished, and the walls tinted, or papered with a cheap paper, and varnished. Each chamber may have its own peculiar style. Whole sets of chamber furniture may be procured in every variety of tint and finish, and by select- ing the carpets, paper and drapery to correspond, we may have the blue chamber, the pink cham- ber, the drab chamber, the lilac chamber, and so on ; or by selecting them with reference to some prominent figures on the paper, carpet and fur- niture, we may have the landscape chamber, the rose chamber, or if clusters of flowers, the bou- quet, or the floral chamber, and so on through an almost infinite variety of changes, paying espe- cial attention all the while to the harmony of the colors throughout, keeping that entire, at the ex- pense of everything else, if need be. Construction and Cost. — Built of wood, and covered with clapboards or sheathing, the cost of this cottage in the neighborhood of Boston would be about $1100. Raising Calves. — Mr. J. A. Edwards, of Skaneateles, N.Y., gives in the Rural New-Yorker his process, as follows : "Remove the calf from the cow at the age of two or three days, give it new milk for two or three weeks — four or five quarts at each meal — twice a day. At the end of that period com- mence giving milk skimmed after twelve hours, once a day, — in one week, omit the new milk and give only skimmed milk. As they advance in age, the milk may be allowed to stand a longer time before skimming, instead of giving meal and turning out to pasture, as is usually practiced, I prefer keeping them in a large stable, allowing them to run, and feeding all the fine rowen or nice clover hay they will eat, with skimmed milk, or whey, for drink, until they are five months old. If the stock is good, my word for it, you will have calves worth showing:." FLAX COTTON AGAINST KJNG COTTON. A private letter from Boston thus speaks of the recent invention for "flaxing out" king cotton : "There are now in operation in this city expe- rimental works for the manufacture of flax fibre into a material called fibrilia, or flax cotton. This can be produced it amj quantity at between seven and eight cents per pound, and the cloth made from it is belter in every respect and will take and preserve colors better than cloth made from cotton. The raw material, flax wild or cul- tivated, can be produced and is produced in Can- ada and all the Northern States in vast quantities. Colonel Lander, in one of his recent reports speaks of coming to plains covered with immense quan- tities of this plant growing wild. Now here is an article which even now can be had in quantities, so that its material can be produced at from two to three cents per pound less than cotton, which makes a better cloth, and which is destined to supersede cotton. Slowly but surely the })arties owning the patents for the process for manufac- turing this article are working it into the atten- tion of our people. The first mill started to manufacture cloth from this material will be the most dangerous anti-sla- very society in the world. With this I send you some of the article and some of the cloth made from it ; also a pamphlet describing it. Some people are looking to this matter as offering a solution of the slavery ques- tion. Napoleon L offered one million francs to any one who would invent machinery to manu- facture flax by spinning it into cloth." — N. Y. Post. Massachusetts Horticultural Society. — The Society held a meeting on Saturday, at which the President, Joseph Breck, Esq., made a brief address, which is to be printed in the reg- ular transactions. The report of the Committee on Finance was then made and accepted, show- ing a balance in the treasury of $940 83, and that the property of the Society amounts to $89,- 540 83. An appropriation of $500 was then voted for the library during the coming year, and a further appropriation of $75 was voted to be applied by special committee to the purchase of a suitable testimonial to be presented to Mr. R. M. Copeland, as an acknowledgment of his long and faithful services as Librarian, After considerable discussion, a vote was passed to petition the Legislature for a grant of one sec- tion of the public lands at the foot of the Com- mon, whereon to erect an edifice for the purposes of the Society. Mowing Machines. — Mrs. Elizabeth M. Smith, of Burlington, N. J., has invented a con- trivance for making the mowing machine more safe than heretofore. It consists in a method of throwing the knives ont of gear the moment the driver's weight is removed from his seat. When he resumes his seat, the machine is thrown into gear again. 1861. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 99 For the New England Farmer. CULTURE OF STRAWBEKKIES. Gentlemen : — The time has come that I must renew my subscription to the New England Far- mer, monthly. I like the work very much ; it is a cheap work, considering its value. Farming^ is my business, although I have quite a small farm. Of late I have paid some attention to the rais- ing of strawberries. I have now one-third of an acre on the ground, which I set last spring, in rows of four feet apart, and about one foot in the rows. They are Hovey's and Boston Pine. I am confident that they would have covered the ground all over, hud I set them out 5.^ feet instead of four, and two feet in the rows. The land is a light soil, such as corn and rye do well on, when highly manured. For some thirty years or more, it has been used for corn and rye, alternately. One year ago last fall I carted on mud and clay so as to cover it \\ inches, and during the thaws in the winter, I knocked it to pieces, and spread it evenly over the ground. The succeeding spring I plowed it and harrowed in 30 bushels of un- leached ashes. The last part of April, as soon a? the ground was suitable to work, I set out my plants ; nearly all lived, but it was a long time before they made much headway, for the reason that the cut worms kept eating off the plants as fast as they grew. They finally came on and grew finely. I sowed flat turnip seed between the rows, and had 40 bushels of turnips. They did not in- terfere with the strawberry vines, as I wanted a vacancy between the rows. There were a very few strawberries. In the fall, at the last hoeing, I sowed on two casks of air slacked lime and four bushels of coarse salt, and lastly covered them up with salt hay. They are now free from weeds. It is my intention to thin and hoe them next spring. Will it pay to do so ? I understand that many do not hoe them at all in the spring. I now send you a dollar for the next year's monthly. It paid well last year, and I believe it will this ; I wish all the farmers in the good old town of Pembroke would take the New England Farmer. I know it would be a dollar well spent. Pembroke, Bee, 1860. Otis P. Josselyn. Remarks. — If you cultivate the strawberry, there can be no doubt but it will be profitable to cultivate it well. We do not believe in permit- ting a struggle for the mastery between weeds and the plants that we have set. Whether you will find your strawberry crop profitable or not will depend considerably upon the skill you pos- sess as a market man. The Bee Annoyance. — Since the extensive importation and production of bees in California, they have become, in many respects, a source of great annoyance. The housekeeper, in cooking, the grocer and fruit-dealer, all have them swarm- ing by hundreds, and perhaps thousands, around their premises, rivaling the house fly in trouble- some propensities. A Sacramento coal dealer re- cently obtained a quantity of coal which had a cask of molasses broken over it. When the coal was brought into the yard, the bees collected in such quantities that he spent half a day with a hose in washing off" the coal in order to remove the temp- tation. They have partially destroyed the pro- duce of several vineyards near Sacramento ; when the grapes were gathered, it was found that the little thieves had extracted the juice. As a mat- ter of course a large number of bees are necessa- rily destroyed while poaching on the forbidden ground. Is there no remedy for these difficul- ties ? asks the Sacramento Neios. Can bees be kept from annoying everybody but their owners, and at the same time preserve their own lives, or must the evil complained of continue to increase in magnitude ? STATE BOAHD OF AGBICULTUKE. A meeting of the State Board of Agriculture was held at its Rooms in the State House, Tues- day, 8th inst. There was a full attendance of the members. His Excellency, Gov. Andrew, pre- sided, and on taking the chair made a few appro- priate remarks, manifesting a lively interest in the cause of agriculture, and pledging himself to do whatever was in his power to make this branch of the Government efficient. He expressed a lively interest in the objects of the Board, and said that he inherited a love of the occupation, as one presenting the leading importance in our in- dustrial pursuits. The Lieut. Gov., J. Z. Good- rich, was also present, and, on being called upon by the Governor to preside while he was absent for a few moments, expressed his interest in the noble art, and his desire to co-operate with the Board in promoting the interests of our agricultu- ral industry. After some general discussion in relation to the records of the last meeting pertaining to the Hampden Society, a report was made by Mr. Da- vis, of Plymouth, in relation to this society, which was laid upon the table. The discussions were in regard to the change of time made by the Hampden Society, such change being contrary to law. In the afternoon. Dr. J. Bartlett, of Chelms- ford, reported upon the Exhibition of the Middle- sex North Society, stating that the exhibition was a successful one, and that this Society will soon be one of the strongest in the State. Mr. BusHNELL, of Sheffield, reported upon the Exhibition of the Plymouth County Society. No cattle were exhibited. Mr. B. also read a report upon the Exhibition of the Housatonic Society. Mr. Stockbridge, of Hadley, made a report upon the Exhibition of the Middlesex Society. Mr. Davis, of Plymouth, made a report in re- lation to the laws enabling Societies to protect themselves on the days of the Exhibition. The committee advised the Board to recommend to the Legislature to pass a law in substance like the following : "Whoever, during the time of holding any ex- 100 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. Feb. hibition of an agricultural societ)', or Farmers' Club, or of any public Market Fair held at stated intervals upon regular Market Days, and within one-half mile of the place of holding the same, ^vithout the permission of the authorities having charge of the same, who shall designate the place of sale or exhibition, hawks or peddles goods, wares, or merchandize, or establishes any tent or booth for vending provisions or refreshments, or practic3s or engages in gaming or horse-racing, or exhibits, or offers to exhibit shows or plays, shall forfeit for each offence a sum not exceeding twenty dollars, provided that a person having his regular and usual place of business within such limits, is not hereby require;! to suspend his busi- ness." A committee w;)s appointed to obtain the passage of a law securing these points. Mr. Grenxell, of Greenfield, made a report upon the Exhibition at Martha's Vineyard, which gave a somewhat detailed account of the geo- graphical and geological character of the island, with a statement of the increase or decrease of the products of the soil since 183 J. On motion, it was voted that the Secretary of the Board be invited to make motions and dis- cuss subjects as he may choose from time to time. WEDNESDAY, SECOND DAY. Board met at 10 o'clock. Col. Wilder in the Chair. Mr. Fay offered the following resolutions : Voted, That the Secretary of the Board be directed to call the attention of the Mayor and Aldermen of the cities, and Selectmen of the towns of this Commonwealth, on or before the 20th of xVpril, annually, to the law for the protec- tion of sheep against dogs, and urge its enforce- ments. That the Secretary be also directed to ascer- tain, on the first of October, annually, from the cities and towns of the Commonwealth, the num- ber of dogs licensed, and the amount received therefor. Professor Clark, of Amherst, read a long and highly interesting report upon Horses, which, up- on some points, elicited long and earnest discus- sion. THURSDAY, THIRD DAY. Dr. Bartlktt, of Chelmsford, reported upon the destruction of woodlands and other property by fires, suggesting that the Board recommend to the legislature to provide certain regulations that shall be observed by every person before set- ting fire to brush or wood lands. Mr. R. S. Fay, of Lynn, from the committee on Agricnlturdl Education, reported what the committee had done in relation to an Af/riculttiral Manual for the use of common schools. An in- teresting discussion followed, in the midst of which, Mr. Stockbridge, of Hadley, introduced the following resolution. "Resolved, That in the opinion of this Board, the time has arrived for the inauguration of meas- ures tending to the establishment of an Agricul- tural School of high grade, under the patronage of the Commonwealth." This resolution led to a long discussion, calling out decided opinions both in favor and against such a measure, and the following was adopted in its stead: Voted, That a committee of three be appointed to propose some plan by which an agricultural school may be establislied in this Commonwealth. Mr. Davis, of Plymouth, reported upon the resolutions offered by Mr. Brown, of Concord, at the last meeting of the Bo^rd in relation to the flowage of lands. Mr. Fay observed that this was a very able re- port on a most important subject — a subject which for years he had considered. He said that cir- cumstances had much changed since the passage of the various laws authorizing and protecting mill privileges, because land had all the time been growing more valuable, and water power less im- portant, from the improvements in the use of steam. He also expressed the belief that many of the most flourishing and improved water priv- ileges were not worth as much as the land they desti-oyed by flowage. That in many instances it would be desirable to have the water privilege appraised, purchased, and the dam removed by the land owners above it, making thereby an opera- tion profitable to themselves, the owners of the water-power and the community, but that while there was a law for taking land for water privi- leges, there was none for relieving the land in any way from the injury created. We have already occupied so much space that we cannot give this report at present, but will do so soon. It is a subject which interests the farm- er in every portion of New England. The report was referred back to the same committee to re- commend to the Legislature a change in the laws of the Commonwealth in regard to the flowage of lands. Dr. Loring, of Salem, reported upon the Wor- cester North Society. Mr. Fay called up the subject of the manual for common schools, which had been laid upon the table for the purpose of introducing another matter, when an animated discussion followed, which resulted in the adoption of the following vote : Voted, To refer the whole subject of the Man- ual of Agriculture back to the original commit- tee, they to present the manuscript to the Board for approval, whenever it is completed. Messrs. Busiinell, Sewall and Felton were appointed a committee to procure a change in the laws in relation to the weighing of crops. 1881. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 101 The Board then adjourned to meet on the 22d inst., then to examine the manuscripts, and take into consideration the expediency of publishing an Agricultural Manual for Schools. LSGISLATIVE AQHICULTUKAL SOCIETY. The second meeting of the Legislative Agricul- tural Society was held at the State House on Monday evening, and was particularly well at- tended, all present seeming to take much interest in the discussion. Col. Faulkneu, of Acton, was appointed Chair- man of the evening, and Dr. F. W. Mason, of Dartmouth, was chosen Secretary for the series of meetings. On taking the chair. Col. Faulkner announced the subject for discussion to be, "The winter man- agement of Farm Stock," and said that beyond returning thanks for the honor conferred on him, he would not occupy the time which he hoped ■would be devoted to a discussion of the question by practical men. Mr. S. Howard, of Boston, said that the usual food of cattle in the country in winter was hay, with more or less roots, but in cities, or near them, where milk in quantity was the prime ob- ject to be gained, the food was more varied. In alluding to the nutriment derived from the differ- ent kinds of food for cattle, Mr. Howard read a table of Boussingault in reference to the muscle- forming substances. Taking common hay at 10, as the standard, clover hay would stand 8, rowcn 8, green clover in flower 3, straw of different grains 52 to 55, potatoes 28, carrots 35, turnips 61, Indian corn 6, oats 5, oil cake, peas and vetches 2. Thus the equivalent of a pound of common hay would be about 3 lbs. of potatoes, 3i lbs. of carrots, 6 lbs. of turnips and 5 or 6 lbs. of straw. The equivalent of a pound of Indian corn 41 lbs. of potatoes, nearly 6 lbs. of carrots, and about 10 lbs. of turnips. There was much difference of opinion as to the value of root crops as feed, but he thought de- cidedly that every farmer should have them al- ways within his reach in good quantities. It is objected by some, said he, that root crops con- tain too much water, but he could not see where this held good, as grass, and other feed would be liable to the same objection. He had heard some farmers with whom the quantity and not the qual- ity of milk was the prime object, advocate feed- ing cows on slops, but this he could not speak on, as he had not had experience in it. The sul^ject of cooking food for cattle had nev- er been fully settled, many condemning the prac- tice as too expensive, even if there was any ad- vantage in the quantity of milk or the growth. In general it has been found in the case of cattle kept for growth or fatting that it does not pay. In England and Scotland, where numerous ex- periments have been tried, and where the expense of cooking is much less than here, coal being bought for about 70 cents per ton, none of them paid, and, of course, if it would not pay there it would not here. In the matter of cooking food for milch cows in winter, there is a difference of opinion nov/ in Scotland, but it is generally thought there that it pays, as they produce more milk. He said he scarcely knew of one farmer in Massachusetts who put up steaming apparatus ten years ago that continued it now. There have been very many and valuable improvements made, and these, he thought, might be used to advantage in some lo- calities. Mr, Howard said that Mr. Birney, near Springfield, has carried on the process of steaming the food for his cows for two winters, and says he is satisfied that it pays, and Mr. Peters, of South- boro', also speaks well of it. The Scotch dairy- men mix up all the food for their cattle, but many p?ople there entertain extravagant ideas in rela- tion to the value of straw for food, and Mr. Me- chi, at a meeting of the Central Club, had stated that he could get 16 or 18 lbs. of fat from every 100 lbs. of straw, but when the Club had a chem- ical analysis made it was found that only 1 to liJ lbs. could be obtained. In regard to the relative value of vegetables, Mr. Howard said that it was admitted that pota- toes contained the most nutriment, and next came the carrot. This, he said, had medical properties which were not fully known, but there was no doubt that they assisted the digestive organs, as also in forming the mucous coat of the stomach and bowels. Livery stable keepers had told him that they found it profitable to pay as high as $14 per ton for them, and that half a peck per day, given to a horse, would pay better than the same quantity of any other food ; but if horses had been driven hard, the quantity of carrots should be lessened. Many farmers, said he, object to raise carrots, thinking them a small crop, but he re- ferred to a statement of one of the members of the West Springfield Farmers' Club, who had raised carrots for 6 cents per bushel, mangel wurt- zel or sugar beet for 5 cents, and turnips for 4 cents. Mr. Howard said that cotton seed cake had re- cently been introduced in a new form with much success ; formerly it was found that the outer cov- ering of the seed destroyed cattle, but a process has been discovered by which this covering has been removed, and now it is thought as good as linseed oil cake. [Mr. Howard presented a sam- ple of this cake for inspection.] Dr. Cole, of Cheshire, thought that horses with 102 XEW ENGLAND FARMER. Feb. hay always before them did not do so well as those to which the quantity was limited. He fed his horses with straw and dry oats, and found them better in every way for it. The trade of a farmer he considered harder to learn than any other, but he thought that, without the aid of sci- ence, a man might make an excellent farmer from observation alone. He spoke of farms in the Hoosac Valley, some of which were formed on lime rock, while others were entirely without it, and where this lime did not exist, it was found that the cattle would eat all the bones they could find, and in lieu of this, the farmers on these lands were in the habit of putting lime in their food. Dr. Cole considered the shelter of cattle in the winter as a very impor- tant matter, as also their water. Farmers who had pure springs running through their cattle yards, and who had not to drive their animals a mile or two in the frost and cold daily to water them, other things being equal, would always find them come out better in the spring ; cattle sub- jected to cold winds always requiring more food than those better sheltered. The speaker referred also to the ventilation of barns as a matter of great importance. He said that a neighbor of his owned a large quantity of land on which grew what was termed fresh meadow hay, and this he mixed with a portion of upland hay, and found an excellent feed for young cattle. Mr. Flint, Secretary of the Board of Agricul- ture, was the next speaker. He agreed with Dr. Cole, that one of the most important points in keeping stock in the winter is in sheltering it. Around Boston the barns were too well built, if that could be said, but they have not such good ventilation as they should have, while, throughout other parts of the State, this was the reverse. In North Brookfield, said the speaker, on those farms where the ravages of the pleuro-pneumonia were the greatest, the barns were so wretchedly built that you could poke your fist through al- most any part. There was no question in his mind that milk was lost by driving cows out to water on a cold day, and where it was practicable he should prefer to give it them in the barn, with the chill taken off. Although exercise was of de- cided benefit to cattle he should only let them have it during the warm days of winter. The fresh meadow hay spoken of by Dr. Cole was of the same character as much in Essex and Middlesex counties, and he thought that swale grasses mixed with hay was sometimes good feed, but he considered oat straw more valuable. For feeding to cows in milk, and sheep, he thought clover well made was the best food. The farmers in Scotland, said he, cut their oat straw before it is dead ripe, and one fault we commit is in let- ting our grains grow too ripe, and thus lose the nutriment in the straw. Oats should be cut when the straw begins to be yellow just below the grain, and then the grain is better and the feed is excellent. For feeding milch cows, grasses should be cut just before coming into blossom, and for store cattle when in full flower ; the ob- ject in curing grasses being to preserve the most of the juicy and nutritious qualities. Mr. Washburn, of Worcester, said he was present as a mechanic, but he wished to call the attention of the Society to a fact in relation to a horse belonging to a baker in Worcester, which was noted for its endurance, appearance and speed, and which was fed entirely on brown bread, and said that during his travels in Switzer- land he found they there fed their horses on the same substance. His baker told him that the expense of feeding was much less than on ordina- ry feed, and he wished at some future meeting to hear the subject of the cooking of food for horses discussed. Mr. WlTHERELL, of Boston, spoke of an ex- periment made by a farmer in Sunderland, in feeding hogs on cooked and uncooked food, and he found the advantage, if any, to be in favor of the uncooked. He gave lengthy statistics of the relative nutritive and flesh- forming qualities of the different kinds of feed from experiments made by Mr. Fletcher, an English chemist. Mr. Andrews, of Roxbury, said he was in the habit of feeding many cattle for milk, and last year he fed not over two quarts of cotton seed meal to each cow per day, with the best effects, and thought it was the best feed he had found yet, as he got better milk and more of it. In feeding horses he thought too much hay was giv- en. His experience in cooking food had been confined to hogs, and the food so cooked was meal, but he found that his pork cost him 12^ cts. per pound, when he could have bought for 8 or 9 cts. He had been feeding half a bushel of mangolds per cow since the middle of December, and had found no ill effects from it. He gave the cotton seed meal in cut feed, with poor hay, corn stalks, &c. Mr. Ward, of Fairhaven, said it had been stated that cooking food had not been found pro- fitable, but he questioned whether the manner of cooking it did not make some difference. He spoke of the brown bread experiment, and tliought somctlung Viiigiit be leatneu fiOiu that. Mr. FiSKE, of Shelburne, thought the experi- ments in England and Scotland would not apply here, where labor could not be had for twenty cents per day ; it was as much as farmers could do to cook for themselves, and we were glad to find English hay, carrots, turnips, &c., in the ground for our cattle. We have little knowledge, said he, of chemistry, but Ave know that there is water 1861. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 103 in potatoes, aud that there is little fat in straw. "We find the cultivation of carrots hard work for the back, and we would rather dig up a little patch after the spring work is done, and sow a few oats, cutting them just as they were headed, and thus procure some good feed at a little ex- pense. The speaker thought carrots were good as a medicine, and for nothing else. He spoke of the importance of keeping calves well the first year, and as a proof of the advantage of doing so, said that one neighbor of his had a pair of steers weighing from 900 to 1100 lbs. each, while an- other killed a heifer calf which weighed when dressed, 619 lbs. He also called attention to a five or six years old steer owned by Mr. Sander- son, of Bernardston, which now weighs 3500 lbs. He thought we were far ahead of England in con- sequence of our excellent pastures. In his sec- tion of the State, sheep raising was paying well, and there were 2000 sheep in his town that re- turned $6 per head, in lambs alone, while the manure was of great value, but of this he pro- posed to speak at a future meeting. Col. Faulkner spoke of an experiment being made by a neighbor of his who had been feeding his cows on English hay, and who is now feeding on meadow hay, steaming it, and warming his barn from the apparatus ; and he said he was sav- ing $8 per ton on hay. The speaker said in ref- erence to the effect of cold weather on cattle, that during the cold days we had about the last of Oc- tober he kept some cows out three days and nights, and they shrunk one quarter in milk, and it took them four days of warm weather to come back to the original quantity. He objected to a barn heated artificially, and thought the steam from manure was also injurious to cattle. It having been announced that the subject for discussion, next Monday evening, would be — "What kind of farming is the most projitahle in the different sections of the State")" and that Hon. John Brooks, of Princeton, would preside, the meeting adjourned. For the New England Farmer. SOILINQ CATTLE. Mr. Editor : — In a late editorial, you kindly invited young farmers to contribute to the col- umns of your valuable paper. We, youthful far- mers, are not expected to give the results of much exp^ripnce, but we may advance some irleas for the older farmers to pronounce judgment upon. It is said, by some,, that every generation grows wiser. If that is really the case, farming ought to improve much faster than it has in years past. But whether it is so or not, every one will admit that the mode of farming has been improved some, and that there is room for still greater improve- ments. Now the question is, how can our farms be improved the most, with the least expense, and in the shortest possible time ? I think the only way to do this, is by soiling our cattle. There is hardly a farmer in this part of the State who could not, by proper management, keep more than double the stock which he now keeps. Too much land is wasted every year for pasturing. Even on this little farm of but 50 acres, where two years ago 20 acres of that were used for pas- turing, and then but six cows were kept, more than twice that number are now kept. And we have a fair prospect of making it much larger within the next two years. By keeping cattle in the barn during the summer, not only will half the number of acres keep the same number of cattle, but the farm is constantly growing richer, as much more manure can be made in the sum- mer than in winter. Ai>d the farmer can apply it to much better advantage than the cattle can. j see no reason for farmers to be discouraged. Let Mr. Pinkham say what he pleases, for I believe that farmers are yet to become the richest portion of (he community instead of the poorest. Westhoro'', Jan. 1, 1861. Job. REPORT ON THE CATTLE DISEASE. As all our readers feel greatly interested in this matter, we have copied an abstract of the report of the Commissioners on the Cattle Disease, which was submitted to the Legislature on Thursday, Jan. 10. The people of our Commonwealth, especially, have reason for thankfulness that under the vigorous and prompt action of the au- thorities, a disease that threatened to spread throughout the country and destroy millions of dollars worth of the most important portion of our farm stock, has been, so far as we can now see, subdued and exterminated, and that at an ex- pense comparatively trifling, when we consider the importance of the interest at stake. The contagious character of the disease is satis- factorily established, and the connection of every case with the original infection clearly traced. The recommendation of the Commissioners that Con- gress be requested to consider the propriety of a quarantine law in relation to the admission of foreign cattle is, therefore, highly pertinent and important. We hope the report may be published in full and generally distributed among our citi- zens, as it is one of great interest to the commun- nity. The following is as full an abstract as we can find room for : — The Commissioners give a lengthy and detailed history of the progress of the disease and the Ifgislntion in relation to it, and then proceed to ta say that they do not deem it within their prov- ince to speak at length of the pathology of the disease, with which they have been called to con- tend. The appointment of a medical Board of Examiners render such a service quite unneces- sary. •'Certain clear and practical conclusions," say the Commissioners, "to which we have arrived in view of the facts under our observation, we feel it incumbent upon us explicitly to state : 104 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. Feb. 1. That the disease is strictly contagious, no case having occurred where it was not directly and indisputably traceable to contact with some animal known to be diseased. 2. That the severity or virulence of the disease is in proportion to the closeness of contact ; that where the animals are confined in barns they take the disease from each other in the most aggra- vated form. 3. That cleanliness, ventilation and the use of disinfectants are important as means of preventing the spread of the disease among a herd in which it exists, and of modifying its character. 4. As the disease always in the end produces ulceration of the lungs, it is hopelessly incurable." In proof of the contagious character of the dis- ease, the Commissioners present a diagram, which is intended to prove tiie connection of every case with the original infection. The Commissioners, after defending the policy of destruction, as being, under the circumstances, absolutely necessary, proceed to give some sta- tistics of their operations. From these it appears, that of the animals pro- nounced sound, and killed, under the act of April 4, there were 197 cows, 103 heifers, 89 oxen, 78 steers, 1G4 yearliiTgs and calves, and 42 animals not described : total (373. Animals, pronounced diseased and killed under the act of April 5, 188. Animals killed, paid for under act of .June 12, cows, 10 ; heifers, 7 ; oxen, 2 ; steers, 2 ; year- lings and calves, 5 ; animals not described, o ; to- tal 31. Total of animals to be paid for, 704. To- tal of animals killed by the Commissioners 892; in addition to which 5 have been killed by the medical examiners. The Commissioners are satisfied that the law of April 4, 18G0, under Avhich by far the greater part of the operations of this Board were conducted, was just and liberal in its provisions; but they observe Mith regret that some cases of great hard- ship have resulted from its execution. Such cases they commend to the consideration of the Legis- lature. The Commissioners then speak at some length of false reports of the existence of pleuro-pneu- monia elsewhere, and of the attention which its existence in Massachusetts has excited in other States. Li this connection they quote liberally from reports and other documents, printed in va- rious States. They aver that their opinion of the contagious character of the disease is sustained by practical and scientific men everywhere. They advise, uj)on the a])pearance of the disease, imme- diate separation of the sick animals from the re- mainder of the herd, and an isolation of all that may have been exposed to the infection. The vast- ness of the interest at stake may make it the part of wisdom to secure most certainly, in all cases, the rigid observance of this practice by legislative enactment, as is done in other States. In conclusion, the Commissioners say : "In view of the well established contagiousness of Pleuro- pneumonia, the Commissioners strongly recom- mend that measures be taken to call the attention of Congress to the propriety of enacting such quarantine regulations, in relation to the admis- sion of foreign cattle, as shall eff'ectually guard the counti-y against the danger of another impor- tation of this contagious and fatal disease. That there is no safety in bringing neat stock from any part of Europe, is very obvious ; and since it is not unlikely that the importation of such stock will continue, the regulations proposed seem in the highest degree important. The Commission- ers trust the Legislature will take such action in the premises as the exigency demands." They then quote, in support of their opinions, from an essay on the subject from Prof. Simonds, the dis- tinguished President of the London Veterinary College, who is regarded by them as the highest European authority. The report is signed by Paoli Lathrop, Amasa Walker, Cyrus Knox, George B. Loring and El- bridge G. Morton. LADIES' DEPARTMENT. DOMESTIC BECEIPTS. Beef. — A very economical, and most savory and delicious dish can be made with two or three pounds of chuck steak, (a cheap part of beef.) which infinitely surpasses the tasteless, insipid, common eating-house stuff called "beef alamode." Cut the steak into pieces about two inches square, put them into a saucepan with a large V>reakfast cup of cold water ; put it on the fire ; as soon as it boils up, stand it on the hob to sim- mer for two hours until perfectly tender. While simmering, tie up, with a bit of thread or cotton, a bunch of herbs, composed of knotted marjoram, winter savory, and a little thyme ; take it out just before the dish is served. Of course the stew must be occasionally shaken, as all others arc; remember, however, the fat must not be skimmed off"; the more fat there is, the better is the stew. This dish is of Italian origin, and in that country is eaten with plain boiled maccaroni and Parme- san cheese, or with salad ; and with either it is a "dainty dish to set before a king." Any girl from a charity school could cook it, while an al- derman of Portsoken Ward, and a three stone man, or a cripple from the workhouse, would equally enjoy it, and wish he could eat more. Oyster Loaves. — Take some small French rolls, make a round hole in the top, and scrape out all the crumbs. Then put your oysters into a pan, with their liquor, and the crumbs that come out of the rolls ; add a lump of butter, and stew them together five or six minutes; then put in a spoonful of good cream. Fill your rolls with the oysters, &c., lay the piece of crust carefully on again, and set the rolls in the oven to crisp. These loaves may be used at an entertainment. Scalloped Oysters. — Wash your oysters well in their own liquor, then put some of them into scallop shells or a deep dish, strew over them a few bread crumbs, with some seasoning, such as you prefer, and spread some butter over them ; then add another layer of oysters ; then of liread crumbs, &c., and when the dish or shells are full enough, spread some butter over the top, and put them into an oven to brown. Pickled Oysters. — Boil the oysters in their own liquor until they look plump, then take them out and strain the liquor ; add to it wine, vinegar and pepper to your taste, and pour it over tlie oysters. DEVOTED TO AGKICULTUHB AND ITS KINDilED ARTS AND SCIENCES. YOL. XIII. BOSTON, MARCH, 18G1. NO. 3. NOURSE, EATON & TOLSIAN, Proprietors. cttv/toivt -D-DmiT-nT -c-nTrp^D FRED'K HOLTiROOK, ) Associate Office. ...34 Merchants' Ro\y. felMUJN iJKOWH, EDirOK. HEXRY F. FRENCH, ] Editors. SUGGESTED BY "MAHCH." "If now in beaded rows, drops deck the spray, While Phcebus grants a momentary r?y, Let but a cloud's broad shadow intervene, And stiffened into gems the drops are seen, And down the furrowed oak's broad southern side Streams of dissolving rime no longer glide. Though night approaching, bids for rest prepare, Still the Sail echoes throu;;h the frosty air, Nor stops till shades of deepest darkness comes Sending at length the weary laborer home." Bloomfield's Fanner's Boy. E\v of our agricultural friends, per- haps, can say that their in- itiation into the myste- ries of farm- work was al- together at- ij^' tractive, or ,/ their experi- ,,-te^ence of rural '^ life, and the routine of domestic du- ties, such as to inspire them with any very viv- id ideas of farming as a pursuit ; and this may as safely be said of most of the other avocations of life. Most boys have a constitutional horror of soiled hands, and the employment of heaping up stones in the stubble fields, weeding corn and dropping potatoes, is of a nature to aggravate, rather than to flatter this superfine taste. But where is the man — no matter what may be his position or influence in society — who does not look back upon the days spent upon the old homestead, with feelings of mingled pleasure and regret ? Has after-life, with all its brilliant re- alizations, furnished him with that calm and quiet fullness of delight, which, without the lassitude consequent upon satiety of the world's pleasures, he tasted in the rural shades of his rural home ? x\nd it is to that point of the heart and its affec- tions that he turns in after years with feelings of' the most fervent delight. The physical and moral training which he re- ceived in that old homestead, prepared him for the field of active labor in which he has since been so profitably employed. While he has gone on strengthening his resources by the acquisition of new ideas, he has perpetually been reminded of the advantages he enjoyed while under the dis- cipline of teachers whose lessons were the les- sons of experience, and whose schoolroom was the field. We think it was M. I'Abbe Raynal who re- marked that America had not produced a single man of genius. From this imputation it was, at the time, difficult to escape. But the case is now diflPerent in its aspects. Our literature is rapidly expanding and purifying itself, and has already become a vital force, if not a principal motor in our national mechanism. Men of tal- ent and men of genius have graced its annals — not the mere hot-house plants of "Those institutions in whose halls are hung Armor of the invincible knights of old," but the noble, sun-matured, toil-hardened produc- tions of the field — men whose childhood was fa- miliar with the plow, the scythe and the wood- man's axe, and who could leap the rainbow of the brook, and "swim and reswira streams" in com- panion with which the "broad Hellespont" of Leander is but as a pool produced by a summer shower. We are not, perhaps, so sensible of the advantages we possess, as we should be. With a literature ready-made to our hands, we have not to contend with obstacles such as for a long time 106 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. March discouraged the aspiring genius, and impeded the progress of the masses in other lands. France, if we except the ballads of the Trou- badours and Trouveres, was entirely destitute of a stock either of literature or legends, to com- mence with ; and the literature of England — the literature which we now enjoy — was fated to strug- gle up through the chaos of Anglo-Saxon, Norman, French and Monkish Latin. The young farmers of New England possess, at this day, advantages of the most inviting kind. Our literature is am- ple, and while its cheapness brings it within the reach of every one, the long evenings of winter afford abundant opportunity for study and im- provement. The science of agriculture may properly be re- garded as a group of sciences, the theories and applications of which the farmer must understand, if he would be master of his profession. He should possess some knowledge of chemistry, that he may understand the constituency and treat- ment of soils, and the composting and use of ma- nurial agents. He must also be something of a botanist, physiologist and physician, that he may be able to manage his animals properly, and treat them well, in health and in sickness. He should also be something of a mechanic, and be versed in the principles of motive power, as well as pos- sess some knowledge of hydrostatics and hy- draulics. AVhile agriculture is free from many of those corroding and sickening perplexities which ob- struct the path of the lawyer, the doctor and the merchant, and does not necessarily demand more severe physical effort than the mechanic is called to exert, it does emphatically require that he who would successfully engage in it should possess as much intelligence, patience, persever- ance, good sense and sound judgment, as those engaged in any other profession or pursuit. These qualities of mind are no less essential to him, than the virtues of industry, perseverance and sobriety. He must be a tliinker, as well as a doer. As his labor is no more irksome than those which are imposed upon men in other pursuits, he has pleasures, bestowed upon him by the nature of his duties, which are not to be found in other avocations. He enjoys greater freedom, and more relaxation of body and mind, than the denizen of the crowded and dusty mart, who, confined to sultry streets, during a great portion of his ex- istence, and excluded from a communion with nature and her sweet influences, is dependent upon the masses for support — sighing often for that repose which is denied him. and for thel)land and blessed influences of the "balmy air" which he is destined seldom to inhale. Perhaps no man ever wrote more feelingly, and at the same time, more truly, of rural life, and its enjoyments, than the poet Burns. Bred himseL to the pursuit of agriculture, and familiar witl all its details — the most minute as well as tht most complex — he touched the lyre of song witV a master's hand, and a soul inspired by the pur est love. Let those who would beget and cherisl in their breasts a passion for rural pursuits, study the pages of Robert Burns ; they will there find pictures valuable for their truthfulness, as well as for the exquisite taste and beauty exhibited ia their finish. For the New England Farmer. HO-W CAW WE BEST SECURE THE DTJ- KABILITY OF FENCE POSTS? Purposing to set some posts for fence, bars or gates, my thoughts naturally revert to past expe- rience, and the views of others I have met with at various times, as to the most proper method of preparing posts in order to secure the greatest durability of material used. When in my teens, I got out for my father five sets of bar posts from green yellow oak logs. Each log was sufficiently large to split into two posts, and long enough to change ends when the end first in the ground rotted off. These posts were made during the winter, and, (save one,) set the following spring, consequently not much seasoned. I took especial care to keep each set together, by marking them, as all were from the buts of trees, and I wished to test them in vari- ous ways. The first set, I put but end in the ground, charring one, the other not. The second set, but end in the ground ; in one, I bored an inch and a half hole just above the surface of the ground, and filled with salt, plugging up the hole. The third set, one post but end in the ground, the other, the small end. The fourth set, small ends in the ground, one salted, the other not. The fifth, I used but one of the oak posts, putting in a pine slab for the other, to test their comparative durability. The oak Avas salted, and but put in the ground. Result. — The first two posts both rotted off, the third year after they were set. The small ends were then set in t^e ground, and lasted seven years. The second, the salted post, gave out the second year, the other the fourth ; the ends were then reversed, and lasted about eight years each, after being reset. The third set, the but rotted off the third season, the other the fourth ; the ends were then reversed, and the but end of the last one gave out previous to the small end of the other, although the other had been in the ground a year the longest. The fourth, both rotted off the fourth season, and the buts lasted the same length of time. The fifth stood five years, and were removed, and I lost the run of them. Inferences. — It did no good to char the post ; it lasted no longer than his mate. It is an injury to salt green ])osts ; the one not salted lasted two seasons the longest. The small end of a post will last longer than the bi!t. When seasoned, posts last longer than when set green. In the fourth experiment, we see the 1861. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 107 small end was set green, and lasted but four sea- sons, while some of the others that had been sea- soned, lasted seven and eight years. Although the buts of the fourth set had been seasoned, yet we see they lasted but four years, or about one-half as long' as the small ends of some of the others. These results, I am aware, are contrary to the opinion of many writers, and the practice of many farmers. But there they are, and if of any value to the readers of the Farmer, they are welcome to them. Mr. Todd, the author of the "Young Farmer's Manual," contends there is no ground for the opinion that a post will last longer when placed in a reversed position from that in which it grew. (See his article in Country Gentleman for 1S58, page 323.) He recommends a mixture of equal parts_ of coal, tar and pitch, applied hot, to posts, as being far more effectual in rendering them durable than any kyanizing that has yet come to light. How- ever this may be, it will not be amiss for those who set posts to give his recommendation a fair trial. I am in want of information on this sub- ject. Will some of the readers of the Farmer let us have facts bearing on this point. Rochester, Jan. 16, 1861. R. o. Remarks. — These are such facts as farmers need. Brethren, let your light shine. THS KINDLING "WOOD BUSINESS. It may, to some, seem like a small matter to hunt up the statistics of the amount of kindling wood required by the community, but the busi- ness of supplying the kindlings for a city like New York or Boston is of no small importance. We have not at hand the means of ascertaining its extent in this city, but from observation know it to be large. The New York Commercial Ad- vertiser, which, for some time past, has been pub- lishing highly interesting statistics of the various trades and kinds of business in that city, gives the following account of the traffic in kindling v.'ood : It is about five years since this ti'ade became a distinct business, and the peripatetic vender of fat pine found himself and basket laid upon the shelf by the energetic wood-cartraan. The trade has now assumed an importance commensurate with the growth of the city ; employing the ener- gies of fifteen large establishments, and an ex- tensi^'e moneyed and real estate capital. The Nestor of the trade is Daniel Nash, whose firm, the Accomac Wood and Kindling Company, em- ploy a capital of nearly a hundred thousand dol- lars. Their building occupies the block on Elev- enth Avenue, Twenty-seventh and Twenty-eighth Streets, where their wood is stored and prepared for use. They draw their supplies entirely from their estate of ten thousand acres of timbered lands in Accomac County, Va., employing their own vessels, and a force of about two hundred men in cutting, transporting, and distributing the wood to their customers. The other firms get their supplies from wood dealers. Two hundred thousand cords of wood are annually brought to the New York market, of which fifty thousand cords are used by kindling wood companies. In the transportation of this material about a hun- dred schooners are employed. The number has fallen off somewhat lately through a contraction of the business. Of the immense supply of pine wood. New Jersey furnishes one-eighth, and Vir- ginia the remainder. The supplies from the lat- ter State are drawn principally from the timber lands along the James, York and Rappahannock rivers, and from Accomac County, on the penin- sula which lies between the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic. Mr. James Allen, who is one of the largest real estate owners on the James Riv- er, has a railroad fifteen miles long on his own land, for the transportation of timber. From his docks the kindling wood dealers obtain a large part of their Virginia pine. The supply of kin- dling material is rapidly falling off at the accus- tomed sources, and new tracts will soon have to be opened, probably on the rivers of North and South Carolina and Georgia. New Jersey fur- nishes a far less amount each succeeding year, and the supply from Virginia is not in keeping with the demand ; although the Virginia pine has a very rapid growth, shooting up from the brush to a size large enough for firewood in ten years. The pine for kindling is brought to the estab- lishments in this city in the form of cord wood, being afterward divided into proper lengths by circular saws, and split by a cross-formed ax, act- ing by machinery. It is then bundled by hand, boys being generally employed in this work, usu- ally at wages that yield them a fair compensation for their labor. Finally, the great life of our city is put in motion every morning by these little bundles of pine wood that the kindling-man brings to our doors ; and New York without her wood would be in almost as bad a condition as New York without her water. In this city, a very common way of selling the pitch pine kindlings is by the barrel, the retail price of which quantity is about 62 cents. Air in a Crowded Room. — The condensed air of a crowded room gives a deposit, which, if allowed to remain a few days, forms a solid, thick, glutinous mass, having a strong odor of animal matter. If examined by a microscope, it is seen to undergo a remarkable change. First of all, it is converted into a vegetable growth, and this is followed by the production of multitudes of ani- malculaj ; a decisive proof that it must contain organic matter, otherwise it could not nourish or- ganic beings. — Scientific American. Worcester North Transactions. — Address by Dr. George B. Loring, upon the actual husi- 7iess of farming — crops, cattle, manures, drain- age, soils. Sec, and a good one it is. Among the reports there is one on fruits and flowers, and one on gardens. Thanks. — Thanks to our young lady corres- pondent, "L. H. J.," from the Granite State. Do not be discouraged if you do not see all your ar- ticles in print. Good writing comes by practice, as well as good dancing, or any thing else. 108 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. March A NEW AUDIEWCE. Lunatic Asylum, Worcester, Jan., 18G1. Gentlp:men : — I came here last evening, at the request of Dr. M. Bemis, Superintendent of this Institution, to speak, as he requested, "upon some of the more pleasing topics of agriculture," to the inmates of the establishment. In company with the doctor, in the early part of the evening, I went through most of the Wards, and saw the inmates in all their different degrees of hallucina- tion ; and out of some three Jiundred and seventy, there were only half-a-dozen who showed a decid- ed aberration of mind. These, like some of us who think we are sane, were a little inclined to that infirmity called cacoethes loquendi, or rage for speaking, and were very gracefully gesticulat- ing and addressing imaginary audiences, and ev- idently with great satisfaction to themselves. They were all clad in plain, neat clothing, while the long halls up and down which they were lei- surely walking, were scrupulously neat, so that the floor and walls actually glistened in the gas light. The bed-rooms were equally sweet and clean. Each of these halls has a recess large enough to afford room for one or two windows, a sofa on each side, a piano near the front, and a table covered with books and papers in the cen- time. In each Ward I found patients exercising by walking, while others were reclining upon a lounge, or here and there a group of three or four engaged in social chat, or occupied with some interesting game. At the end of one hall, a young man was discoursing "Fisher's Hornpipe" on a violin, and did no discredit to the Art. In the women's wards, groups were sewing, knitting, conversing, or indulging some one of the number who had a fancy to be dressed in all the finery the department could afford. Indeed, there were no signs of discontent, and few of restraint. — Most of the patients appeared cheerful and healthy, and every where met the doctor with a pleas- ant smile, which seemed to say, — "You are our tried and considerate friend." There was a won- derful influence every where, unseen, but not un- felt. All things were done in a firm, but moder- ate and quiet manner, and I soon found that I was surrounded by a system that pervaded every thing, but never chafed, unless violated. In- stinctively the voice of the visitor falls to that of his attendant, and he soon yields to the quiet in- fluences of the place. When there, a few years ago, I saw cells with grated windows and iron doors, and within their walls denuded and desperate men in terrible de- lirium. "Where are those cells now, doctor ?" I in- quired. "They occupied the place of the billiard room which we have just left," was the reply. "Probably replaced in some more retired part of the buildings," I suggested. "No," said the doctor, "never replaced — there is no need of them," "But what do you do with those persons brought hero in a paroxysm of frenzy ?" "My Supervisor takes the key to the patient's irons, dismisses the officers who brought him, and removes his bonds ; moves quietly about him ; speaks in low, gentle and loving terms ; walks with him, looks from the windows, sits down, and wins him over to himself in spite of his malady ! There is rarely a case so obstinate, that our system does not overcome it in twenty- four hours, so that violence and danger are not anticipated." Wonderful power ! There is nothing in na- ture, thought I, so noble and so mighty as a lov- ing heart. When I last looked into one of those cells, a man sprang at the door, and with the strength of a giant and the ferocity of a tiger, shook the iron frame-work until it seemed about to yield to his power, and with awful impreca- tions smote the stone walls or empty air with his already excoriated fists. Another was prone upon the floor, having divested himself of every particle of clothing in a recent paroxysm. The cold was intense, yet neither seemed to heed it. I was nearly horror-stricken when I learned last evening that the person who was so ferocious was from my native town, and for many years my acquain- tance, an excellent gentleman and scholar. How wise is the Providence that hides the dark future which lies before many of us ! Who v/ould with- draw the veil and look into that future, if he could ? No one thing more distinctly marks the pro- gress of the age than the treatment of this unfortu- nate class of our population. These improve- ments have been wrought out by men of learning and benevolence ; not by one person, in a day or a year, but by an aggregation of study and observa- tion, mingled with large experience in many in- stitutions like this. And what a noble monu- ment to the State of Massachusetts does such a spectacle as this present, contrasted with a cus- tom which some of us can remember, of chaining such persons in the kitchen, or enclosing them in a cage like a wild beast ! But ray new audience is ready — let us join it. On entering, I found some three hundred persons seated in a chapel whose ceiling was the roof, and the cross-timbers and other parts were hung with festoons and wreaths of evergreens. The inside finish, I think, was chestnut, varnished, and com- bined with the just and beautiful architectural style, gave the whole the appearance of fairy land. My audience was as respectful and attentive as those of our best towns, and during the hour and a quarter in which I addressed them, v:>re iride 186L NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 109 aioake, and apparently interested in the topics presented. I had no written lecture, but spoke to them, 1. Upon some of the modes by which men seek happiness. 2. The advantages and healthful influences of out-door avocations, briefly contrasting mechani- cal and agricultural employments. And, 3. The soothing and delightful impressions re- alized in the care and cultivation of a garden : the contemplation of gi-owing flowers and plants : the observation of animated life which usually surrounds them, and the contrast between young persons brought up in attractive rural homes, surrounded by trees, shrubbery, flowers, and pleasant landscapes, and those deprived of these sweet influences. I endeavored to show the ef- fect of these upon the Manners, Taste and Mcjnory, helping out my own deficiencies here and there by a quotation from Milton, Pope, Burns, or any one else whom I could summon, who had loved a garden. In an easy chair, and before a bright wood fire in the family parlor, after the lecture, I discovered why the Doctor's thoughts should turn to myself to speak to his patients — he is not only a disciple of Ceres and Pomona, but has a critic's eye for the good points of a cow, or an ox, and kindles with emotion when speaking of the horse. So I had found a kindred spirit, and the evening waned into night before "half th^tale was o'er." This morning, I have taken a brief run through the barns, and have satisfied myself that the ad- ministration of the affairs of the farm is as judi- cious as is that of the family. Twenty finer cows, nearly all pure Short-horns, I have never seen together in Massachusetts. The oxen, horses and swine all bore evidence of skill in selection, or rearing. The farm contains about one hun- dred and ten acres, and its products harvested last year amounted to six thousand dollars, at fair market prices ! My visit has been one of great interest, and in- creases my desire to see the stock, farm and buildings more minutely during a growing season. Very truly yours, SiMON Browx. Messrs. Nodess, Eaton & Tolman. Cattle Running at L.\iige. — The President of the Ohio State Board of Agriculture, in reply to the argument that the "road is the poor man's pasture," says : My attention and that of others has been di- rected to ascertaining the actual ownership of the cattle found running in the highways, and the result has been the conviction that less than five per cent, of the cattle found at large are owned by poor and landless persons. In almost every instance, in the rural districts over which my ac- quaintance extends, the cattle found on the road are the property of neighboring landholders, and in country villages, merchants, lawyers, doctors, tavern-keepers, master-mechanics, and other per- sons in comfortable circumstances, are pasturing the roads, and commons ; while the really needy families, for whom our sympathies ought to be enlisted, are buying milk by the pint. For the New England Farmer. ■WHICH TO PLANT, LARGE OB, SMALL CORN? Mr. Editor : — As the season will soon be at hand when farmers will begin to look up their seeds, and looking upon the corn crop as being one of the main crops for the farmer, I thought I would give you an experiment tried by me some time since. In October, 18,58, I harvested a fine field of corn, consisting of 8, 10 and 12 rowed, mixed indiscriminately. All of the long eared variety measured from 10 to 12 inches, each. I put it into one large bin, where it remained until May, 1859 ; it was then dry and good. I then threw into piles a lot of each kind, 8, 10 and 12 rowed, and, without any selection, I took 10 ears from each pile, and weighed the same, with the following result : 10 ears, 8 rowed, 3 lbs., 10 oz., cobs, 10 oz. 10 '■ 10 " 4 '■ 1 " " 1.3 " Gain of corn 4 oz. 10 " 12 " 4 " 7 " " 13 " " " 10 " The 8 rowed was the largest and best looking kernels. Now, supposing there are 5 good ears, on a hill, and 4840 hills, 3 feet apart, on an acre, at 50 lb. shelled corn to the bushel, there is a gain of 12 and 5-50th bushels on the 10 rowed, and 30 and 12^-50th bushels on the 12 rowed, over the 8 rowed variety. As a general thing, we have a good corn season, but I find that many of the farmers, for fear they will not get good corn, plant a short eared 8 rowed Canada variety. I plant the longest and largest I can get, and for 10 years have never failed of get- ting a crop, and I believe others can do the sam.e. provided they are up and doing, as they should be. I am of the opinion that those who do plant, this short eared variety do not get two-thirds the corn I do, when I use the larger variety. I throw out these suggestions, and trust other? will make a trial the coming season, and if it is a fact that we can get 30 bushels more corn to the acre by using the 12 instead of the 8 rowed variety, although perhaps a little longer in ma- turing, yet it will pay. Massapoag. iSiorth Brookfidd, Jan. 8, 18G1. Macadamized Roads, better than any to be found in Europe, says the Mouiteur de VArmee, are universal in China, and arc stated to have ex- isted in that country for centuries. The Chinese roads are so constructed that water runs off them immediately, so that they are perfectly dry half an hour after the heaviest rain. Macadam, who has had the credit of inventing the system of road- making introduced by him into England, is de- clared by the Mouiteur de V Armee to have ob- tained the idea from a friend of his who had passed several years in China. 110 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. March For the Nezo UngtanU Fanner. THE BIRDS OF NEW ENGLAND— No. 10. FLYCATCIIKRS. King Bird, or Tyrant Flycatcher — Crested Flycatcher — Olive- sideil Flycatcher — Phtebe, or Pewee Flycatcher — Wood Pe- wee — Small Pewee. Passing over several of the sub-families of Laniadcc unrepresented in our fauna, we arrive at the last and aberrant form of the ^roup, the Tijraimincv, or Tyrant Flycatchers, embracing our New England Flycatchers ; indeed, this section being much allied to Muscicapklce, or the true Flycatchers of the Eastern continent. We pos- sess six species of T//rannina', all of which are migratory, spending the winter in warmer lati- tudes far to the south, a few even in tropical America, coming to us in spring to pass the sum- mer, and rear their young in our borders. They may be considered strictly insectivorous, rarely partaking of other food than living insects, and are consequently highly beneficial to the interests of the agriculturists, and are eminently worthy of protection. They are rather tyrannical in their dispositions towards other birds, and are gener- ally quite destitute of song, yet their peculiar notes are often in perfect harmony with their sur- roundings, and give additional interest to our sol- itary woods, fields and orchards. The King Bird, or Tyrant Flycatcher, [Tj/- ranmis intrepidus, Vieill. ; Mnscicapa tyramms of Wilson ; Lanius tyrannus of Linnrcus,) is a common and well known species in New Eng- land, and throughout the greater part of the Unit- ed States, in the Southern States bearing the name of Field Martin. They come to us in May, from the remote tropical regions of the continent, and are said to proceed as far northward as the inte- rior of Canada. The illustrious Wilson thus fine- ly describes the arrival of this bird in spring, in his poetical epitome of the King Bird's history: "Far in the south where vast JIaraprnon flows, And boundless forests unknown wilds enclose ; Vine-tangled shores, and suffocating woods, Parched up with heat or drowned with pouring floods ; Where each extreme alternately prevails. And Nature sad their ravages bewails ; Lo ! high in air, above those trackless wastes With spring's return the King I^.ird hither hastes ; Coasts the famed Gulf*, anl, from his height, explores Its thousand streams, iis long indented shores, Its plains immense, wide opening on the day, Its lakes and isles, where feathered millions play. All tempt not him ; till, gazing from on high, CoLnilBlA'S regions wide before him lie; There end his wanderings and his wish to roam, Here lie his native woods, his (ields, his home; Down, circling, he descends, from azure heights. And on a full-blown isassafras alights. Fatigued and silent, for a while he views His old (requentcd haunts, ami shades recluse ; Sees brothers, comrades, every hour arrive — Hears, hummin;^ round, the tenants of the hive : Love fires his breast ; he wooes, and soon is blest ; And in the blooming orchard builds his nest." * Of Mexico. Audubon remarks the arrival of the King Bird in Louisiana about the middle of March ; Wil- | son speaks of his arrival in Pennsylvania about the 2Uth of April ; while in New England he is seldom seen before the middle of May, generally appearing at the time the orchards are opening their fragrant blossoms. For a few days he ap- pears fatigued, silent and melancholy, but soon his harsh, tremulous notes are heard, as he pur- sues on quickening wing the passing insects, or hovers over his natal haunts. In a few days he selects his mate, and the happy pair at once com- mence constructing a nest in an apple tree of the orchard, or in some isolated tree of the field or pasture, rarely in hedges or along the borders of woods. The peculiar habits and remarkable traits of character exhibited by this noble bird are well known to all dwellers in the country ; and the observing farmer well knov/s that he can secure no better protection against the Crows for his young corn, than to have a pair of these birds take up their residence in the vicinity of his corn- field. Full of affection for his mate and young, as soon as the period of incubation commences, he gallantly drives off every feathered intruder, evincing the greatest bravery in his attacks upon the Eagle, and all the large birds of prey ; the Crow seeks to shun his attack, and the plunder- ing Blue Jay he drives disgraced and screaming from the orchard. By this bird, the poultry are in no small measure protected from the attacks of Hawks ; but the chief benefits derived from this bird, are from its ceaseless havoc among the destroying insect tribes, which constitute its al- most sole diet till towards autumn, when it is va- ried occasionally with a few wild fruits. But the noble King Bird is sometimes guilty of snatch- ing up a hapless bee, with which to vary his fare, and barbarous, inconsiderate humanity at once dooms him to bo shot ! his good deeds are noth- ing. Every American naturalist worthy the name has eloquently plead in his behalf, yet for his triv- ial trespass many avaricious bee-keepers, over- looking the general good, persist in his destruc- tion. The King Bird often rears two broods of young in a season, but generally retires southward early in September. His hifcits are so Avell known, and his residence so general in New England that fur- ther remarks are perhaps unnecessary. The King Bird is eight inches in length, and fourteen inches in alar extent. Color above, dusky ash, the head and tail quite black, and the latter tipped with white ; beneath white, approach- ing ash on the breast. On the crown of the head is a spot of deep scarlet, which is seldom ob- served, unless the exterior, dusky feathers are parted with the hand. The Great-Crested Flycatcher, ( Tyrannn& crinitii.9, Swain.,) is so rare a bird in New Eng- land that but few, if any, other than the practical ornithologists, are aware of its existence. Nut- tall described it as extremely rare in all parts of New England, but speaks of once meeting with a pair of these birds in Acton, in this State, in the month of July, that had reared a brood of young in that vicinity. A single individual of this species was observed by the writer, in Sep- tember of the ])resent year, in this vicinity. Far- ther south it is more commonly observed. Its habits are described as similar to those of the bird above described, though rather more con- fined to the woods, yet making frequent excur- sions to the orchard, and it is exceedingly dexter- ous at its profession, seizing insects on the wing. It builds its nest in the deserted hole of a Blue Bird or Woodpecker, according to Wilson, of loose hay, feathers, hair, and the east skins of snakes ; the eggs are four in number, dull cream- colored, thickly pencilled with purple lines. This species is eight and one-half inches in length, and thirteen in alar extent. Upper pai-ts. 1861. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. Ill dull greenish-olive, the feathers of the head point- ed, and centred with black, erectable, forming a loose, spreading crest ; throat and breast, fine ash, abdomen, yellow ; wings and tail, ferruginous. The Olive-Sided Flycatcher, (Tyrmmus bo- realis, Swain. ; Muscicapa Cooperi, Nutt.,) is likewise exceedingly rare in New England. It seems to have been first described by Dr. Richardson and Mr. Swainson, in their Northern Zoology, from a specimen obtained far to the north, on the banks of the Saskatchewan river. Nuttall subsequently met with several individuals of this species, in this State, and supposing it undescribed, dedicated it to his friend, William Cooper, Esq., and has added something to our knowledge of its habits. He speaks of them as quarrelsome and tyi-annical, even among them- selves, apparently disputing about the rights of their respective hunting-grounds. The length of this species is six and a half to seven inches. Upper parts dusky brown, darkest on the head, which has an erectile, blowsy crest ; sides, olive-gray ; centre of abdomen, yellowish- white. The Phcebe, or Pewit Flycatcher, (Tyran- nula fusca, Jard.,) is one of our earliest and most welcome spring visitants, and from its familiar habits and valuable services, is well entitled to our protection and regard ; yet a few, far more avaricious than humane, persist in shooting it for its habit of occasionally varying its insect fare with a few bees. He often builds in the immedi- ate vicinity of the farm-house, in an old barn or open shed, sometimes taking possession of thg^ deserted Swallow's nests ; and his agreeable, plain- tive call of phcebe, or pee-ioe, pewittitee ple-ioe, heard throughout the long mornings of early spring, from his perch in the garden, or immedi- ate vicinity of the farm-yard, are familiar to all, and ever listened to with pleasure. He also some- times selects some sheltered, projecting part of a bridge, the walls of a well, or a cave, for the site of his nest, which is large and firm, composed of mud and moss, and nicely lined v.-ith horse hair, and soft substances. The eggs are five, and near- ly pure white. Wilson speaks of a forest cave, romantically situated beside a small stream, over which, and "Throush every chink the woodbines creep And smooth-barked beeches spread their arms around," in the solitude and repose of which a pair of Phoebes quietly reared their young for several successive years, until a party of boys, waging indiscriminate slaughter upon the feathered tribes, "within my hearing," says Wilson, "destroyed both parents of this old and peaceful settlement ;" and no Pewees, he obsirves, were seen at that place for several years after. The Pewees, or Phoebes, remain with us until October, when the rigors of the season, and the scarcity of their insect food, compel them to seek a more southern latitude, for a more congenial climate. This species is six and a half inches in length ; extent of wings, nine and a half, upper plumage, dark, dusky olive, darker on the head, wings and tail ; beneath, pale yellowish. This species, and the two following, have been separated from the larger Tyrants, chiefly from their smaller size, forming the sub-genus Tyran- nula of Swainson. This, and several of the small- er Tyrannulce, Jardine observes, are much allied to the spotted Flycatcher of Britain, {Muscicapa luctaosa, Tenn.,) diff"ering in no point but slightly. The Wood Pewee, {Tyrannnla virens, Jard.,) is a common sylvan species, occasionally seen in the orchard, but generally wholly confined to the woods, and more commonly observed in high-tim- bered, solitary woodlands, whei'e there is but lit- tle undergrowth. Perched on the slender, dry twigs of the lower branches, it incessantly watch- es for passing insects, darting upon them with unerring aim, in the intervals calVmg out jiee-icay, pee-a-wee, peto way, in a feeble, melancholy tone, well harmonizing with the solemnity of the shady woods, outside of which it is so seldom seen, though in August it sometimes approaches the thick-set orchards. It is wholly inoffensive, sub- sisting like its congeners on winged insects. It constructs a neat, and very curious nest, so inter- woven with moss on its exterior surface as hardly to be distinguishable from the decayed, moss-cov- ered branch upon which it rests, and is delicately lined with fine root fibres, and other soft materi- als. The eggs are three or four, yellowish-white, sparingly blotched with lilac and dark brown. The Wood Pewee winters far to the south, seldom arriving in New England before the middle of May, and retiring early in September. The Wood Pewee measures six inches in length, and ten in alar extent. Above, pale brownish- olive, beneath, pale yellowish ; head, sub-crested, brownish-black. The Small Pewee, (Tyrannula Acadica, Swain.,) is a common, and v/ell known species, inhabiting alike the orchard and the forest. It comes to us from the far south, about the tenth or fifteenth of May, with the throng of summer birds that then arrive ; and their sharp, rather unpleasant call of queah, isheah, is at once re- cognized, so frequently uttered while watching for insects in the vicinity of the garden or or- chard, or while engaged in petty combats with one another, which are common at this period. Far- ther south it seems to be quite rare, from Wil- son's account of it, and chiefly confined to moist woods and solitary forests, but it is common, even quite numerous in this latitude, and extends its migrations far to the northward, and is, perhaps, more frequently seen in the orchard than else- where. It constructs a neat and curious nest, generally in the forked branch of an apple tree, compactly woven of the strong fibres of dead grass, thread, if it can possibly obtain it, and horse hair, nicely lined with soft, downy substan- ces. The eggs are M'hite, and four or five in num- ber. This is one of the smallest of our Flycatch- ers, but gallantly defends its nest from all intrud- ers, equaling its larger congeners in intrepidity, and in the skill it displays in seizing its favorite food. The Little Pewee is five and a half inches in length, and nine in alar extent ; upper parts, green olive color ; beneath, greenish-yellow, dark- est on the breast ; wings dull brown, with two bars of dull white. J. A. A. Springfield, Mass., Dec. 30, 1860. How TO Right a Leaning Chimney. — A cor- respondent who had built the foundation of his 112 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. March chimney with the wall of his cellar, and continued it 20 feet high, found that after a few months it began to settle on one side, causing the chimney to lean out from the house at the top, (it Ixnng an outside chimney,) until it was eight or nine inches out of line. He righted it by taking out the grate and sawing through the jams (mortar joints,) on three sides (including the most eleva- ted) at three diflercnt places between the arch and the hearth, which process straightened the chim- ney without rebuilding. Those having large lean- ing chimneys should make a note of this. For the Neip Eni^hmd Farmer. CUIiTUSE AND VALUE OF KOHL-KABI. The 20th volume of the Journal of the Royal AgriadUiral Society of England contains a pa- per on the Kohl-Rabi, by Peter Lawson & Son, Edinburgh, a general summary of which brings under one view the special features of the Kohl- Rabi. and the various points to be noticed in the cultivation, general management, properties and uses of the plant. 1. There are eleven varieties in cultivation, four of which are supposed to be modifications of the others. 2. All soils are suited to its cultivation, but it prefers heavy lands, even those approaching to stiff clays, and it can be grown where turnips cannot. 3. Soil should be in fine tilth, well worked, and farm-vard manure plowed in, in the autumn. In the spring it should be grubbed and thoroughly pulverized. 4. It requires heavy manuring ; phosphatic manures, with common salt added, are most suit- able for it. Peruvian guano and other nitro- genous manures should be avoided. 5. Seed should be sown in beds at the end of February or early in March, in drills, 12 inches apart. A bed 6 yards square will afford sufficient pl'ints for one acre of land, and 8 ounces of seed will be necessary for the seed-bed. G. For successional crops, three sovv-ings may be made ; the first early in March ; the second, during the second week of April ; and the third, the first of June. 7. Transplanting to the drills should be com- menced the first week of May ; but, as a general rule, the plants should not be removed until they are from G to 8 inches high. 8. Plants for the main crop should be dibbled in at 18 inches distance. If successional cro])s are transplanted, the first (in May) should be 18 inches; the second (in June) IG inches ; and the third (end of July, or the first week in August) 14 inches apart. 9. If sowed at once in the field in the drills, the operation should bo performed about the mid- dle of April, but not later than the end. Of seed, 4 lbs. are necessary for an acre. 10. Drills should be 27 inches in width, and plants should be singled to 18 inches. 11. While growing, the horse-hoc must be kept in continual requisition, until the spreading of the leaves prevents the operation being per- formed. 12. The average weight per acre is in England from 2G to 'M tons ; in Scotland, from 20 to 25 tons ; and in Ireland from 30 to 35 tons. 13. Every description of stock will eat the Kohl-rabi with avidity. In consuming the crop, sheep may be folded on the ground ; but, if given in the yards to cattle, the bulbs should be sliced or pulped. For pigs they should be steamed or boiled. 14. For cattle and horses it afibrds true nour- ishment when boiled with grain. 15. For milch cows it is invaluable, giving to milk or butter none ef that disagreable flavor which results when they are fed on turnips. 16. For ewes and lam])s it is as fine food as they can have in March and April ; and when ewes are lambing, it is found greatly to increase the supply of milk. 17. Kohl-Ral)i is, so far as present known; subject to no disease except "clubbing and an- bury." 18. If hares and rabbits exist in the neighbor- hood of the crop, they are sure to prove very destructive, unless means of precaution are taken. 19. The leaves are of equal value with the bulbs in nutritive properties. 20. The plant for feeding purposes is twice as valuable as ordinary turnips. 21. It bears transplanting better than any other crop, and is invalualile, therefore, for filling up blanks in turnips, or potatoes. 22. The Kohl-rabi can withstand any amount of drought, if the transplanting has been success- ful. 23. The most intense frost does not affect it ; it stands the winter well, and affords good feed ftven to the end of spring. 24. Its advantages over the swedes are, that cattle, and especially horses, are fonder of it ; the leaves are better food ; it bears transplanting better than any other root; insects do not injure it ; drought does not prevent its growth ; it stores quite as well or better ; it stands the winter bet- ter ; and it affords food later in the season, even in June. Joseph Coe. llochester, Jan., 1861. A Bad Beginning. — A farmer who wintered eighty sheep last winter with the loss of only two, which he says were old enough to die any how ; who raised without trouble 44 lambs from 47 ewes, and whose fleeces averaged over three and a half pounds, gives in the Ohio CuUivaior the following lively description of his experience in keeping sheep the previous season, without the comfortable shelter which his flock now enjoys. In the fall of 1858, I started into the winter with about 80 fine sheep without any shelter. But O ! how I came out ! Against spring opened up, I had G6. But that was not all. I had gone to the expense and trouble of getting two very nice bucks ; and from about 50 ewes I raised about half as many lamb?, by raising four or five by hand. Was this all ? No ! When I sheared tliem, I put what wool I had got off my dead sheep in among my other wool, and then my 66 fleeces did not average three pounds. Hops. — From one thousand hills of hops plant- ed last February, in California, one thousand pounds of hops were gathered this fall. 1861. NEW ENGLAXD FARMER. 113 BUCKTHOEW" FOB, HEDGES. The inquiry is occasionally made, "What is the best plant for hedges, taking into account hardiness, rapidity of growth and beauty ?" Sev- eral plants, such as hemlock, arbor vita?, three thorned acacia, osage orange, native crab apple, and others are employed. If the hedge is designed to fence against cattle, some of the hedges with sharp stiff thorns are best, but if to ba used as boundaries or objects of beauty, we know of nothing that will "set off" the premises and answer the purpose desired so readily as buckthorn. The cut, which we give above, shows how the plant will spread, and form a low tree when standing alone. When properly a sufficient physician for this disease, which he says is caused by accident. When he discovers that the milk is bloody he draws it carefully, but does not save it from the section of the udder af- fected until the milk again presents a healthy ap- pearance, which generally has been but a few milkings. cultivated and pruned, it serves an excellent pur- pose as a shelter for the garden, breaking the high winds, somewhat modifying the fierce solar heat in summer, and at the same time tending to keep the grounds moist in dry seasons. "The Buckthorn is indigenous to our country, is a bushy plant, growing from ten to fifteen feet high, not very thorny, but having sharp, stiff spurs, or side branches, and is considerably used as a hedge plant in this State. It bears clipping remarkably well, does not suffer from extreme cold, puts on its greenness early in the spring, and is possessed of great vitality, so that it sel- dom suffers from transplanting." A quite full account of the different plants used for hedges may be found in Warders' Hedges and Ever- greens, published in 1858. Garget. — A correspondent of the Bural New- TorJcer, who "was brought up from childhood on a farm, has kept a dairy for a living, and is getting somewhat along in years," thinks that Nature is For the New England Farmer. RETHOSPEOTIVE NOTES. Thoughts Suggested by N. E. Farmer, Jax., 1861. Feeding Hogs — A Common Mismanagement, and a better Way. — In the brief article on this subject on page 10 of N. E. Farmer, (Monthly,) and in the weekly of Dec. 15, there is an opinion advanced which we think to some extent errone- ous, and likely, also, to mislead or perplex those who cannot separate the truth it contains from the error with which it is mixed up. The statement is this, — that the usual pro- cess of feeding pumpkins, potatoes and other bulky substances to hogs for several weeks before feeding them on corn is inju- rious, because this bulky kind of food tends to enlarge the stomach and digestive or- gans, and thus the hogs are led by the mere force of habit to eat a larger amount of the more nutritious food than the system re- quires, more than can be digested, and more than they would otherwise do. Now there is here a mixture of truth and error, and it is of much practical importance to discrim- inate between them. Those who fail to se- parate the former from the latter will be either perplexed or misled by the foregoing statement ; while those who make the pro- per discrimination may have an important fact or truth more deeply fixed in their minds, and more likely to be remembered and ready for application in their hog-feed- ing processes. This much, then, is true about the fore- going statement, viz., that bulky, or I should I rather term it highly diluted, food is quite apt to produce the morbid enlargement of the stomach and digestive organs which is therein alleged. But it is not absolutely necessary and unavoidable that boiled pumpkins and potatoes must be so bulky as to be liable to this objection. It is the addi- tion of too much water or slop or thin milk which makes even this kind of food injurious. In order to get enough of real nutriment to satisfy the craving of hunger, hogs fed on highly-diluted food — whether the food so over-diluted be boiled pumpkins and potatoes, or boiled meal, or raw meal, or bran, or anything else — are obliged to swallow a much larger quantity than they would need to do, or would do, if the quality were rich- er, more nutritious, or less diluted. This over- thinning of swill or food for hogs is not confined to the single case of potatoes and pumpkins, but may be met with, by the help of an observing pair of eyes, in the swill and the swill-barrels of a great many who do not understand very well the business of hog-fatting and pork-making, simple and easy as that business may seem. But, notwithstanding that we believe there are a good many who do not understand this ap- parently simple and easy task, and notwithstand- 114 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. March ing that there are a great many blunders commit- ted in the feedin"; and management of hogs, we are pretty sure that the writer of the article un- der notice is laboring under a mistake if he sup- poses, as he seems to do by his use of the phrase "usual process," that the majority or generality of farmers feed boiled potatoes and pumpkins alone, without any admixture of meal, bran or some other more nutritious ingredient, even at this season of the year, when potatoes and pump- kins do most abound. We should say, from , our own ol)scrvations, that these articles are not very frequently — far from "usually" — fed alone, and that an addition of bran or meal was the more usual process. But even if these watery vegetables were fed alone, without any addition of meal or other less watery and more n-itritious elem.cnts, there Avould not be much danger of enlarged stomachs and pot-bellies, if the water in which they were boiled were pretty thoroughly drained off and the potatoes and pumpkins served to the hogs nearly dry or undiluted. Our readers will have discovered by this time what we consider the error of the article under notice. It is attributing to a certain convenient and common kind of food — specially convenient at potato and pumpkin harvest — injurious effects, which are produced much more commonly from mere bulkiness or over-dilution of all kinds of food, than from any special quality of any particu- lar kind. The over-dilution of hog-feed, to which Ave have been endeavoring to direct the attention and the thoughts of our readers, is, we are persuaded, a frequent and a pernicious mode of mismanage- ment. The evil consequences already referred to in the commencement cf these remarks are not the only ones which flow from this not uncom- mon blunder. There can be no doubt, with those at least who have been witnesses of the thin slops which some of their neighbors, perhaps, carry out to their hogs, that one reason wdiy some hogs do not thrive, is, that they get too little nutriment, that whole pailsful of thin slop have to be swal- lowed in order to get as much nourishment as might be put into a quart or pint bowl. The con- sequence, in a few cases which have come under our observation, is, that these feeders of slops never have any "luck" with their hogs until they husk their corn and feed their hogs almost exclu- sively on that, and even then it takes them long- er than some of their neighbors, who feed less liquids and more solids in the earlier part of the season, to get their hogs decently fixt by Christ- mas or New Year's day. The very decided success with which Mr. L. Long, of Ilolyoke, practices feeding meal in the dry state to his hogs, and giving them their slops or other drink separately, may be taken into con- sideration along with our remarks. Mr. Long's report may bo found in last year's volume of this paper, on page 4G2 of the monthly edition. Those, we are confident, who duly consider Mr. Long's report and these remarks, and who frame their hog-feeding accordingly, will feed less liquids and more solids, and these, perhaps, separately, and will be very unlikely to have their hogs either pot-belliod or poor. Porlable Grist Mill. — In the Farmer of Dec. 15, S. W. SouTliwoRTlI, of INIiddletown, Ct., writes that he wants to get some reliuble informa- tion in regard to some portable grist mill which he had seen advertised in the columns of this pa- per. He states that he has from three to five hundred bushels of grain to grind every year, and as he has to haul it two miles to get it ground, and frequently has to go the second time after it, which is no small job when the roads are muddy, he, naturally enough, would like to do his own grinding, but, like a sensible man, would like to know hov/ fast these advertised mills can grind, how durable they are, what they cost, &c., before purchasing one. As no information has as yet been given in re- ply to Mr. S.'s inquiries, and as there are, doubt- less, several others of your readers to w'hom in- formation as to the points named would be of considerable value, I will here, for the benefit and satisfaction of Mr. S. and others similarly situa- ted, give an outline of a communication by S. Ed- wards Todd, in a recent issue of the Country Gentleman. ■, Mr. Todd states that as he lives five miles from a good grist mill, he has been trying for eighteen years to get a good farm mill with which he would be able to grind coarse grain for feed. He says he has expended a great deal of time and money in getting such mills, and in experiment- ing with them, and that he has thrown them all aside as non-paying, profitless machinery, prefer- ring to haul his grain five miles to have it well ground rather than to attempt to grind it in such worthless pepper-mills, as he calls them. The details of Mr. Todd's experiments with several of the advertised and highly-puffed grist- mills are very interesting. Those who wish to acquaint themselves therewith, will find them in full in the Country Gentleman of Nov. 15, 18G0. They may save some of your readers from much waste of time and money. Moke Anon. Essex County Transactions. — The transac- tions for 1860 are befr>re us. The first paper they contain is the address of John L. Russell. Then follows a report on Floioers, by C. M. Tra- cy, occupying fourteen pages — both are excellent papers. Reports upon Fruits, Vegetables, Stock, Farms, &c., follow, and are more valua'ole than are usually found in similar Transactions. The officers of the Society for the year 18G1 are, — President, Allen W. Dodge, Hamilton ; Vice Presidents, Lewis Allen, South Danvers ; Jer- emiah Colburn, Newburyport ; David Ciioate, Essex ; Jeremiah Spofford, Groveland ; Treas- urer, William Sutton, South Danvers ; Sec- retary, Charles R. Preston. Remedy for Garget in Coavs. — I had, a few days since, a new milch cow whose bag was very badly caked — so much so that the usual remedies of cold water, soap-suds, spirits camphor, Szc, had no effect ui)on it. I asked our family physi- cian for a prescription, who gave me this : 1 part aqua ammonia, 2 parts sweet oil, well rubbed in, twice daily. In two days a cure was effected. — W. J. Pettee, Salisburv, Ct. 1861. KE.\Y ENGLAND FARMER. 115 STATE BEI^OBM SCHOOL. This Institution and its interests have been brought to the public mind in an unusual degree, during the l!>st year. This has been occasioned by two causes. First, the fire which destroyed a considerable portion of the buildings, and second- ly, the bitter and uncompromising hostility of Gov. Banks, from the moment of his induction into office. That hostility was determined, and un- yielding, and became so apparent to all, except the council whom he controlled, that it was the common expression of the public voice. He knew little or nothing of the affairs of the institution, because he never went there after his election, until the fire occurred. It was determined to "crush out" the Institution, and because the Trus- tees carried out the designs of its noble founder with singular fidelity, and strictly regarded the laws of the State in its management, they were removed from office ; and now, as if to complete the wretched work which originated in weakness and imbecility, as well as hostility, one of the best men that ever lived has been removed from his place as Superintendent, because he, too, obeyed the laws of the State, through the direction of the Trustees. The whole assault upon the officers of the institution was as wicked as it was unpro- voked. It is due to the credit of the State, and to the officers removed, that a thorough and searching investigation be instituted by the pres- ent legislature. Below we give a brief account of the closing scene of the drama, which shows clearly icho stands highest in the hearts of boys and the few remaining officers, — the late Governor and Coun- cil, or their old, long-tried and faithful teachers and friends. The retiring Superintendent of the State Re- form School at Westboro', as we learn from the Marlboro' Journal, was made the recipient, the other day, of an elegant family Bible, presented by the 280 boys confined there, and the officers 'pre- sented him with an easy chair, and to Mrs. Starr was given a set of silver spoons. In addition to these testimonials of esteem and affection were added four large photographs of antique bas- reliefs in handsome gilt frames, the offering of the Sabbath school teachers. The presentations were a total surprise to Mr. and Mrs. Starr, but the former made a few remarks, saying that he had been taken quite by surprise, and no words of his could express the emotion which he then felt. Four years ago he had torn himself away from a connection too pleasant to last, to come here. He could confidently appeal to his conscience, and to all who knew him, to say if he had not labored with all the powers his Maker had vouchsafed to him, for the welfare of the inmates of that insti- tution. Notwithstanding the assaults that had been made upon his character, he felt assured that he should come out of it unscathed. The 1130 boys who were, and had been, inmates of the In- stitution since he came there, were his friends ; and he felt his reputation was safer in their hands than with Governors and Councils, because the former were not ambitious of political promotion. To the boys he said : The associations between us have been pleasant ; but we part now ; no more shall we meet together here, but I shall re- member you as long as life lasts. He bore will- ing testimony to the faithfulness of the officers and teachers of the Institution, and acknowledged many acts of kindness on their pait. Mr. and Mrs. Starr leave Westboro' with t'ne respect and esteem of all who have enjoyed their acquaintance, and the loss will be none the less to the Institution over which he has so long pre- sided, and which has had his best efforts for the past four years ; and his friends in this city, who have so long known him, will not be prepared to believe all the charges contained in the report made by a committee of the Council, but rather refer to his whole life for their refutation. EXTRACTS AND KEPLISS. HEAVES IN HORSES. I would inquire what is the best mode of man- aging and feeding a horse slightly affected with the heaves, so that they shall injure him the least ? Also, how many bushels of oats, coi'n, rye, bar- ley, wheat, potatoes, carrots, ruta bagas, white flat, turnips and beets are equal to one ton of hay for cattle and horses ? What is a fair crop of each to an acre of land ? Y. B. Pepperwell. East Washington, N. II., Jan. 8, 1861. Remarks. — Feed the horse affected with the heaves on cut fodder moistened with water — give him no dry fodder of any kind, and feed at regu- lar times. Drive him moderately, and protect him from sudden changes of temperature. With regard to the comparative value of roots and grains with English hay, we refer our correspon- dent to the monthly Farmer, for February, 1859, page 91. We also give the following from an ar- ticle, published in the Farmer : The following table, gathered from reliable sources, shows the value of potatoes, carrots and ruta bagas, the roots usually grown for stock, compared with good hay : 200 lbs. of potatoes are equal to 100 lbs. of hay. 250 " carrots " " " " 300 " ruta baga3 " " " Again, by allowing 60 pounds to the bushel of the above roots, we have the following : 67 bushels of potatoes are equal to a ton of hay. 92 " carrots " " " " 100 " ruta bagas " " " By this estimate, with the usual yield per acre, it will be seen that root culture pays ; a fact of which many a farmer and stock-grower has been convinced by practical demonstration. On good land, and under good cultivation, a fair crop of oats is 40 to 50 bushels ; corn, 40; rye, 25 ; barley, 30 ; wheat, 20 ; potatoes, 100 to 300 ; carrots, 400 to 800 ; ruta bagas, 300 to 600 ; flat turnips, 300 to 700. These crops vary greatly 116 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. March in consequence of the favorableness or iinfavor- ' ableness of the season, the kind of soil they are upon, and the skill with which they are managed, j FEED FOR nCRSES. 1. How many pounds of hay are required for a horse of 1000 pounds, the hay cut and mixed with two quarts of meal ? 2. Can you tell me what those who send horses into the country, to get them kej)! through the winter, have to pay per week ? What is it worth per week on good hay and two quarts of meal a day ? J. Remarks. — 1. No definite answer can be giv- en to the question ; it depends partly upon the work that a horse is doing, and partly upon the animal himself, as some horses of the same weight and performing the same amount of labor as others, require much more food. It is so with men. You can satisfy yourself with the experi- ment of two or three weeks by weighing the hay you feed out each day. We kept a horse well that weighed 1100 pounds upon sixteen pounds of hay per day, cut and mixed with two quarts of corn meal — half in the morning and the other half at night, and at noon four quarts of carrots. Upon this feed he worked every day, and kept in good condition. 2. There are persons in the country who make it a business to winter horses for city people, and traverse the entire city in the autumn to obtain them. The general rule in fixing a price is, when hay is worth $10 per ton to charge $1 per week ; ■when $15, charge $1,50, and when $20, charge $2 per week. TIME OF CUTTING TIMBER. The seventy years' experience of Mr. Baker, of Dedhani, in cutting timber, is worthy of great re- gard, as is everything coming from a source so venerable. But when he undertakes to trace the endurance of the timber to the position or age of the moon, at the time of its being cut, he goes beyond the record. There is no good reason whatever to believe that the moon has any influ- ence on vegetable growth or vegetable endurance. I have often heard these things charged ; but af- ter more than fifty years' observation, I have nev- er witnessed any connection between the two. I think it is one of those traditions that should be laid aside. I remember to have heard a man of as much wisdom as I ever knew, and eighty years' experience, say, in relation to the cutting of bushes, that the moon had no more to do with it than the '-Man in the Moon." With this opin- ion I fully concur. Essex. December 31, 18G0. WniTE BIRCH AND WHITE PINE SEED. Please inform me through your paper where I can ]n-ocurc tlie white birch and white pine seed, and how much it takes to sow an acre. A Constant Subscriber. Derry, N. II., Jan., 1861. TOP-DRESSING. 1. Is guano adapted to a deep clay soil, once meadow, but upon which English grass has come in and choked out the meadow — a soil that is too heavy to plow and not easily drained ? 2. Would ashes be better than guano ? 3. How would lime and plaster do for such a soil ? 4. Would the ef- fects of guano be seen the coming summer if put on as soon as the snow is oft'? 5. What is guano per pound ? j. Frances-town, N. B., 1861. Remarks. — Guano is well adapted to just such soil as you describe. Apply it during a gentle rain in April. 2. AVe should prefer the same money's worth of ashes. 3. Guano or ashes would be preferable to lime or plaster on such land. 4. The effects of the guano would undoubt- edly be seen the first summer after its application, if it were applied immediately before, or in the midst of a rain. 5. Peruvian guano sells at about three cents per pound, — the American at a little more than two cents. IS LABOR DEGRADING ? Among certain people the idea seems to prevail that labor is degrading ; that is, such labor as a farmer is obliged to perform. Digging the pota- toes he eats, would, in the estimation of some, degrade a man more than the forging of a note. I have at present in my mind one case of a young man of good ability and Avho was also once of moral excellence, who left Dartmouth with this idea, expressed in his own words — "I cannot beg, and to dig I am ashamed." Not long after he left, his funds were gone, and to replenish his purse he resorted to forgery, and the result was, that his home for two or three years was in the Massachusetts State Prison. Nor is this a solita- ry case, but one of many. The question that has often presented itself to my mind is this : Would not the public good be much better promoted by dispelling the idea that labor degrades, than by adding agricultural departments to the colleges now in existence, or the founding of new colleges ? Will some one give their ideas on the subject ? A Young Farmer. Hanover, N. II., Jan. 3, 1861. PROFIT OF sheep. There has been considerable said in your paper concerning sheep, and the great profits which are derived from them. As I am about going in for a good flock of them, there is one thing which has bid me stop and consider. How can I keep my farm up in a good state of cultivation ? Are sheep as good for the farm as other stock ? This should be looked at as much, and more, than the profit of a day or a year. Will you or some one answer ? N. MATTHEWS. Ilenniker, N. II, Jan. 1, 1861. Remarks. — By reference to the columns of the Monthly Farmer for the year ISGO, you will find this very point treated at considerable length. There is no doubt on our mind but the fertili- ty of the farm can be better kept up with sheep 1S61. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. li: than with any other stock. In order to do this, they must be well housed and fed, and provided with yards suited to hold and preserve their drop- pings. One of the best things you can do is to visit good, practical farmers, who are keeping sheep, and learn their modes of practice. It will be cheaper to spend five dollars in this way, than to lose twenty-five by experimenting on a subject with which you are not acquainted. DEEP PLOWING. Mr. Merriam, of Fitchburg, is reported to have said at the late meeting of farmers at the State House, that "he plowed his lands four feet deep for Indian corn, using a Michigan plow." This may be true — but I have no conception of it. Ho may have said four inches deep — but this would have been as wild the other way. I admire to read those sayings and doings of practical men, but I admire them most, when they give unmis- takeable indications of common sense — and not the contrary. P. January 12, 1861. RemapjvS. — We heard Mr. Merkiam's re- marks, and suppose he &3.\A. fourteen iuches deep, and not four feet. AUSTRALIAN OATS. I noticed in one of the last numbers of the Farmer an inquiry for Australian oats. Allow me to say that I have raised them for two years past with good success, yielding about one-third more to a bushel sowing than the old kind. The straw is large and not liable to lodge. They are worth here, pure and clean, 75 cents per bushel. Cabot, Vt., 1861. C. M. FisUER. Spiders. — A learned entomologist, who has made a special study of the structure and habits of spiders, states that there is not a single authen- tic case on record of a person being killed, or se- riously injured, by the bite of a spider; all the stories about the fatal bite of the famous taren- tula being simply fables. These insects are, how- ever, exceedingly ferocious in their fights with each other ; their duels invariably ending in the death of one of the combatants. In some species, the first step of the young as soon as they are hatched is to eat up their mother. — Scientific American. Muck Swamp — Uoxhunj, Vt. — We have exam- ined, with some care, the specimens of muck handed us from Roxbury, Vt. They are com- posed of mixed substances, some of which would be of great value both as absorbents and fertili- zers. If the parcels handed us are now in the form in which they were originally deposited, an ex- amination of them will show that the strata com- posing the mass are made up of substances quite unlike each other. The hlach stratum is a mass of highly decomposed vegetable matter, while that of a slate color is very fine^ with little vege- table fibre, and is a sort of mingling of calcareous and argillaceous, or clayey and chalky earth. Up- on the application of vinegar to the muck there was a slight efFervescence. This clayey substance is less valuable than the former, and especially so as an absorbent, as it has little absorbing power compared with the black mass. Taken together, however, the vegetable matter so greatly prevail- ing, we should think the muck highly valuable on a farm made up of sandy, or sandy loam, lands. For the New England Farmer. THOUGHTS AND QUERIES. Mr. Editor : — In the last issue of the weekly Farmer, for the year just closed, you expressed a hope that young men would more generally con- tribute articles for the columns of the Farmer — your desire being to obtain their ideas, whether or not they be couched in language plain or more obscure ; it is this frankness which wins my con- fidence, and impels me to attempt the untried task. The means which farmers' sons have for obtaining information of current events are us- ually confined to the contents of the family alma- nac or the local newspaper. The contributions of such would perhaps con- tain original ideas, but might bo absurd or useless ones. The limited access which I have had to the sayings and writings of the public men of the country, has made me observant of the expres- sions of their high regard for the independent and patriotic tillers of the soil, patronisingly terming them the "incorruptible people," "the lords of the soil," "the sovereigns in whom is vested the gov- erning power," and so on ; displaying the beau- ties of their vocation with such a prodigal use of the poor Saxon as to create an unbelief in its sin- cerity. If, indeed, it is such an ennobling occupation as they describe it, why do they not engage their powers in its labors ? Or are they even self-sac- rificing and philanthropic ; such disinterestedness must certainly be endurable if not commendable. Why does one of the leading journalists of the country advise all young men who are anxious to gain wealth, or honor and fame, to remain in the country, upon the farms, rather than to seek their fortunes in the city ? Had he received and obeyed such instructions, possibly we might never have been blessed with the teachings of the im- mutably philosophic Greeley. No one will question the right, even if he does the propriety, of farmers' sons cherishing aspira- tions as high and noble as the sons of professional men. Does not the farmer receive proportionately less pecuniary reward for labor than the mechanic or the professional man ? If this is so, wliy won- der that the farmers' sons seek less laborious, and better paying employment. Farming, no doubt, is very agreeable employment to those who can command a generous capital, requiring of them very little or no physical labor ; also pleasant to those who enlarge upon its beauties, its prosper- ity and independence — but at the same time are ignorant of the practical difi"erence between speak- ing of, and performing its various appointments. Ambition is an element of our natures, few of us being exempt from it. Some are desfrous of ob- 118 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. March taining wealth and power, as a means of securing ha[)pincss, while others are satisfied with distinc- tion at the sacrifice of time and money. There is undoubtedly a proper sphere for every mind, in which it should be employed, but how shall the appropritite one be designated ? Happiness is that possession which of all others is the most desirous. Contentment is happiness : and if we are not satisfied with what we are, shall we not strive to reach that goal which promises higher enjoyments ? G. F. T. Dover, N. II., Jan. 14, 1861. Remarks. — There are exceptions to all gen- eral rules. Some boys, while quite young, show a most decided inclination for one particular pur- suit, in preference to all others. Such an incli- nation should never be disregarded, as, in nine cases in ten, he will distinguish himself in the profession he has chosen. LEGISLATIVE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETT. [Reported for the X. E. Farmer by Tdomas Bradley.] This third meeting was very well attended by those who have the prosperity of the farmer at heart. The meeting was called to order by Mr. Walk- er, of I?rookfield, who introduced Hon. JoHN Brooks, of Princeton, as the presiding officer of the evening. Mr. Brooks, on taking the chair, thanked the meeting, and announced that the subject for discussion was, "What kinds of Farm- ing are most Piojitahle in the different parts of the State," saying that, as the question embraced the whole State, he would not detain the meeting by an address, but should be happy to hear from the farmers from the different counties as to their experiences. He said there were two kinds of farming to be considered, high and low, intensive and extensive, the latter where labor was dear and land cheap, and the former where labor was cheap and land dear ; there was also special farming, as garden, fruit or flower farming, in some parts. In other parts of the State a system of less intensive farming was carried on, such as dairy farming, where milk, manure, and hogs were the chief ob- jects ; but these, of course, were more numerous, and paid best where there was a contiguous market for milk and pork. There is then, said he, a wider range still in stock farming, which is, perhaps, the most profitable, while there is still another part where sheep farming undoubtedly pays the best, and ho was satisfied that, with the proper attention, this last might be made even more profitable than it now is. lie closed by hop- ing the members would not wait to be called on, but give their views on the question. Mr. WiiiTE, of Petersham, said that in Wor- cester County the farmers had various opinions on the question, and that in the vicinity of his town the mixed system of farming prevailed ; but more attention was paid to the dairy than to any- other branch. They also raised good stock which they would not hear spoken of disparagingly. In the summer they had excellent pastures, and their crops were second to none in the State, of those Kinds required for dairy stock. There are few branches of farming, said he, that require more attention than successful dairy farming, and if the statements he had received from some of the far- mers in his county were reliable, and he thought they were, he would say that this was among the most profitable branches of farming. He spoke of a farmer in Barre who kept 16 cows, and said that last year these had produced 440 pounds of new milch cheese, at 10 cents per pound, per cow, and he was satisfied this would be considered as profitable as could well be de- sired. Mr. Proctor, of Danvers, said he had seen something of the culture in Essex county, and in his neighborhood the men who cultivated from 5 to 30 acres, made as high as $40 per acre on it by plowing thoroughly and manuring freely. All kinds of vegetables are raised there, and, until the destroyer, in the shape of disease came, the most promising crop was that of onions. Within a small circuit of his residence the speaker said he had known of 100,000 bushels being raised in one season, and had known many men who had made more than $100 per acre, clear of expenses, in raising this crop. This, said he, is a crop which does not exhaust the soil, as with successive crops, for 20 years the land will produce as high as 500 bushels to the acre. Hay is also grown of good quality, and from one to two tons to the acre, while beets and carrots were also a good paying crop. Few realize so much by general crops, as by the special crops for marketing, corn rarely producing more than 20 or 30 bushels to the acre ; still, within the past year, 30 bushels of wheat per acre had been harvested in many instances, and he hoped to see this grain more cultivated than it had been heretofore. Mr. BusiiNELL, of Sheffield, said he would speak for Southern Berkshire, where more atten- tion had been paid to grain crops than had been usual until recently, and he believed it was prof- itable. For some years sheep had been the chief subject of interest, and, even now, Berkshire county has 40,000 of the 130,000 in the State; but in a great measure owing to the ravages of dogs, this branch of farming, which had hereto- fore been very profitable, had been given up. He hoped to see some action taken to strictly enforce the dog law,* when he had no doubt it would again prosper. The sheep in Berkshire county were the fine wooled sheep, and they had been kept for their wool, while in the vicinity of a mar- 1861. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 119 ket the mutton would of course be an object. Their sheep were the Spanish or Vermont Meri- no, not perhaps a pure Spanish Merino, but near enough to produce an excellent wool. From these they obtained from Sh to G lbs. of washed wool per head, and in ordinary times this sold for 50 cts. per lb. It is sometimes lower in price, but by keeping it over a year it will gain more in weight than enough to pay the interest. Some farmers make money by raising lambs for market, a cross between the Merino and South Down, and a large number of these are so disposed of. The farmers in the county raised corn, oats, rye and wheat, the latter of very good quality and yield, but few raise more than enough for home con- sumption. He had no doubt if sheep husbandry was generally introduced, it would be found the most pro6table branch of farming in the State. Mr. Browx, editor of the N. E. Farmer, asked the gentleman whether sheep husbandry had, or had not, a tendency to exhaust farms more than the raising of any other stock ? Mr. BusHNELL said he had been engaged for 30 years in sheep husbandry, and he knew that he had raised the value of his farm 50 per cent., by stocking with sheep. Where land can be plowed, sheep will improve it very much ; you can make them lie on any part of the field you want them to, by erecting a cheap structure for shelter for them, on wheels so as to move it to different parts of the farm, and by placing a little salt under this shelter, the sheep will always stay there, except when they are feeding ; and by this means, you will in time have the whole fertilized, and this course would be of advantage on land that cannot be plowed. He plowed his land once in three years, and reseeded, and got good crops of corn, spring wheat, &c., when he again sowed, and was sure of a good return. In answer to another question, the speaker said that they had fences generally in his county, but he was satisfied that sheep could be educated, and even if they jumped walls, a rail placed on the top would check this disposition ; the fine wooled sheep rarely jumped, although they would creep through holes in a fence wherever they found them. He closed, by saying he thought they were the pleasantest stock a man could have on his farm. Hon. Joseph White, of Williamstown, being called on for Northei-n Berkshire, said he had only lived a year in the county, but he agreed to the views advanced by the last speaker, and spoke in high terms of sheep husbandry. He spoke also of the fine short horned cattle raised in Berkshire, but said that since the grant to Williams College, and the railroad had been opened from Adams to Troy, sheep husbandry had taken a fresh start, j Mr. White spoke of Mr. Harrison's farm at North 1 Adams, consisting of 200 acres of intervale, whose barns, sheds, cattle, crops and income are the best of any in that section. Mr. Paoli Lathrop, of South Hadley, said that in Hampden county, all along the Connecti- cut River Valley, the farmer raised a variety of crops, and their grain crops had been excellent. Spring wheat, where it can be got in in the fore part of April, was a sure crop. Winter wheat, broom corn and onions are extensively grown. It had been asked him whether a pound of mut- ton could be raised as cheap as a pound of beef, and he was sure that, apart from the wool, it could. He spoke of the cost of grinding corn for cattle, and said that for sheep this was saved, as the sheep digested all its food. He would recom- mend the South DoAvn for mutton, as it was more easily fattened, and brought a higher price in the market than beef. He had seen a two years old sheep weighing 380 lbs., and two ewes weighing 660 lbs., bred by Mr. Stone, of Canada, who was noted for having the best flock of sheep in the country. Mr. Buffum, of Walpole, N. H., had 32 ewes in his flock, which cost him $100 each, and he yearly put down 40 acres of his farm to root crops for his sheep, making a handsome in- come from them. Mr. Sears, of Yarmouth, spoke of farming in Barnstable county, and said their best paying crop was cranberries, and told, as an exception, not as a rule, that as much as $1750 had been re- alized in a single season from one acre of land, and of a cranberry meadow that had been sold in the spring for $1500, from which the purchaser had cleared $1100 the same year from the crop. The average yield of cranberries, he thought, was $500 per acre. Hon. JosiAH QuiNCY, Jr., of Quincy, being called on to speak for Norfolk county, said the best crop he had found was manure. He raised 350 tons of hay, kept 80 cows, and followed Dana's method of mixing his manure with swamp muck, and by this means made 100 cords per month. The cotton seed and other meals which he feeds to his cows, make the manure exceed- ingly rich. He considered manure the most ad- vantageous crop a farmer could raise, and it should be his first care. He believed in top-dress- ing, and spoke of McDougal's disinfectant which he was trying, and which he had found to nearly destroy the smell in his stables. If this proved successful in what was claimed for it, it would be of immense advantage in top-dressing, by holding the ammonia in the manure for the rain to dis- perse. Hon. Charles G. Davis, of Plymouth, said there wis no regular farming in his county, but there was a strong disposition there to get a liv- ing from their land. It was impossible to say, as 120 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. March a general rule, what crop was most profitable, as adjoining farms differed so much. He had visited a majority of the towns in the county last sum- mer, and was surprised to see so many good farms. He spoke of the fine fattening land in Hingham, and so far down as Marshfield and East Bridgevvater. He complained that the farmers in his county did not make as much as they could from the marine manures, and hoped there would be more advantage taken of this cheap fertilizer. He said that they derived an advantage of absence from frost of G weeks over Berkshire and Wor- cester counties. He thought it would be well to find out how much manure could be judiciously expended to produce the best grass crop, and in this connection he spoke of a lot of meadow land owned by Mr. Boynton, of Sandwich, consisting of 4i acres, located behind his livery stable in which he kept 15 horses. The whole manure from his stable was put on this land, which was top-dressed in November, and he had cut from 26 to 34 tons of hay a year, last year cutting 26 tons the first crop, and from 7 to 10 tons the second. He said that on land which was fit for grass they could raise grass, or its equivalent in fodder, and do better than with anything else ; but where this could not be done, nothing paid better than keeping sheep. Mr. SniON Brown, of Concord, being called up for Middlesex county, said the county was singularly situated, as she has a market at her doors, having large cities and towns close at hand. In consequence of this, large quantities of vege- tables were raised, principally asparagus, celery, turnips, beets and potatoes. They commenced taking potatoes to market by team about the mid- dle of August, and continued this until October, when the crop came in from the North and East. The farmers keep their horses and boys on the road to market, and by this means there are from $8,000 to $10,000 worth of potatoes sold at good prices from some of the small towns where they are raised. Asparagus was also extensively cul- tivated, and a good deal of money was made by it, by sending to Boston, Lowell, Worcester, Law- rence and other large places in Essex county. Milk was another large source of revenue to the farmers of the county, and from Concord alone from 50 to 100 barrels were sent to Boston per day through the year. To supply this, they had to raise a good many roots, and this gives em- ployment to a great many people. The stock of cows has been so essentially improved, as to nearly double in value, within the past ten or fifteen years, and at the same time the farmers have in- creased in wealth and their farms in fertility. Mr. Brown then spoke of the raising of fruits in Essex, Norfolk and other counties, and said that some of the finest orchards in the State were to be found in Middlesex county, and before "the yellows" destroyed the peach crop, the town of Lin- coln alone realized from $8,000 to $9,000 from this crop. Li other high lands in the county good crops of peaches are now grown, and a dealer had told him last year more came to market from the town of Westford than from all the other towns in the State combined. He spoke of the excellence of the apples raised in this county, particularly those grown on granite bottoms, and said that the dealers preferred these as they were more crisp, and kept better, and to obtain these they were in the habit of going to New Hampshire for them. Middlesex county, said he, as a whole, is improv- ing in her agriculture, and this was evident in the better appearance of her farms, the buildings were better, the barns were improved, the fences were good, and on entering the houses you find better furniture, more books, and more of the comforts of domestic life than Avere to be found ten years ago. He closed by urging on the members of the Legislature and the farmers of the State the im- portance of attending and taking part in the dis- cussions at these meetings, as in his journeyings through the State he had found an intense desire to know what was done at them by those for whose benefit they were held. Mr. Tyler, of Somerville, said that from his experience he was satisfied the saving in cutting hay would more than pay the expense incurred for fattening cattle, and Mr. QuiNCY entirely co- incided with him. Prof. Clark, of Amherst, being called on, said he had no idea that a man known not to be a far- mer would be allowed to speak at these meetings, but he would say that the discussion he had heard showed that there was a great amount of practi- cal information which, if it could be put in form, would be of incalculable service to the rising gen- eration. We have heard, said he, of stock raising, about manures, the dairy and the raising of cran- berries, and he would earnestly recommend that more attention be paid to the raising of farmers. Mr. AxwATER, of Springfield, said that the farmers in his county had latterly paid great at- tention to rotation crops, and in doing this were using all their available manures, turning their fields to grass until the yield falls below 1^ tons per acre. They are also draining the low lands successfully. On the sandy lands they are doing well by sowing two crops of buckwheat and red top afterwards. In the hilly parts of the county, hay, gathered at an expense of $3 per ton, is a leading crop, and then follows corn. Attention is particularly turned also to ascertaining the actual cost and profit of each crop, and he hoped this would be more generally followed throughout the State. Dr. LoRiNG, of Salem, said that to a certain ex- 1861. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 121 tent the most profitable crop was manure, but this depended somewhat on the manner in which it was applied after you have got it. He made his com- post as Mr. Cluincy did, and top-dressed his land, which was a heavy clayey soil. He thought that, if a farmer stocked his farm to its utmost capaci- ty, while he thought that he was working for his cattle, his cattle were, in fact, working for him. The speaker said he principally devoted his farm to stock-raising and fatting stock. He also kept hogs, but he kept them on the starvation princi- ple, using them for their work, which was valua- ble. He endeavored to carry on his farm at as little expense as possible ; he did not cut his hay for feed, because his cattle had the machinery for cutting it themselves, and he further said that he thought that in the cut and wet state it furnished no additional nutriment. He raised 6000 bush- els of roots last j'ear, and he considered them as profitable as any other crop, as his land was not suited for corn, neither was the climate. He spoke of the productiveness of market gardens in the country, and said he did not think there was an acre of ground in the State that, with the proper labor, cannot be made to pay. Dr. MAvSOX, of Dartmouth, said the crop in Bristol county was principally hay, and their mar- ket was New Bedford ; the system of farming was mixed, and but few sheep were kept. Mr. Davis, of Plymouth, spoke of an order which was before the present Legislature in rela- tion to dogs. He thought that if the law, as it now stands, was enforced, it would answer the purpose designed, but he blamed the Selectmen of towns for not enforcing it. He suggested the appointment of a commissioner in each town by the executive, to enforce the law, who would be independent of the vote of the citizens, and thus act as a check on selectmen and police officers. Mr. BusiiNELL, of Sheffield, suggested that towns be made liable for the value of sheep des- troyed by dogs. Mr. Sanderson, of Bernardston, said that far- mers living on the Connecticut River excel in raising and fattening stock, and in dairy products. They loolvcd like a very respectable body of men, and appeared to be in good circumstances, but he did not know whether this was from the profits of the farm or not. It having been announced that the subject for discussion at the next meeting would be "Ma- nures and their Application," and that Professor Clark, of Amherst, would preside, the meeting adjourned to Monday evening next, at 7 o'clock precisely. How TO Manage Bones. — A correspondent of the Journal of Agriculture gives the following as his experience, every other year, for the past ten years; that being as often as he could collect bones enough to fill a tub. With a sledge hammer break the bones into pieces of one, two or three inches ; take a hogs- head tub, put in two or three inches of hard wood ashes, the same depth of bones ; then ashes and bones until full ; pound or press solid as conven- ient ; fill with water or urine, all that it will ab- sorb. If done in the spi'ing or summer, by the next spring it will shovel out fully decomposed, the bones being as soft as chalk. Then, add all your hen manure, shovel and rake it over once a week, for three or four weeks be- fore planting time ; by that time it will be finely powdered. Put about equal to a handful of the compost into a hill, for corn, potatoes, squashes, melons, &c., when it will be found to forward the crops to a wonderful degree. For the New England Farmer. MORE ABOUT BEES. Messrs. Editors : — The breeding and man- agement of bees is far behind most other pursuits. I doubt whether there are as many bees kept in the country now as there were twenty-five years ago. Bee-culture has been "running down." People neglect their bees, seem not to study their nature and habits, yet attend to their poultry, swine,, sheep, horses, neat stock, farms, &c. Breeds must- be crossed, number of males i*egulatod, suitable' food and shelter prepared, &c., &c., but who thinks . of applying the same principles of inexorable na- ture to bees ? Who has dreamed that bees would! be more profitable for "crossing," or that con- trolling the number of males, and the number of swarms, might be a pecuniary advantage ? I find mother nature just as true in bee-culture as in stock or poultry-culture. Bees need a suitable habitation as well as swine, and though it is not quite so much expense to prepare food and shel- ter for bees as for swine, yet the bees pay me the best. In the poorest seasons I expect an average of $5 apiece net profit, on good swarms ; in good seasons some yield $15. The cost of keeping bees is comparatively nothing after the stocks are procured, and hives should not overrun $1,50 each ; nearly all the care necessary can be given at odd times, mornings, noons or evenings, by al- most any adept, Avhether farmer, mechanic, trades- man, doctor, lawyer or clergyman, and will be very pleasant as well as profitable. What is more beautiful than a virgin-wliite honeycomb, or more delicious to the palate, or more wholesome ? Who can look upon it but to admire the mathematical skill in its construction, the ingenuity displayed, and not inwardly ask, is here not intelligence, and an example of industry worth preserving ? I find from years of experience, that bees will "run out" Avhere bred in and in without opportu- nity for "crossing," and that they can be im- proved by bringing vigorous swarms from a dis- tance and keeping with others. In some loca- tions bees are kept sufficiently near for all prac- tical purposes of crossing, while in others, they are miles distant. I have usually found wild swarms more vigorous and smart than tame, and profitable to place with them. Bees sometimes swarm too much — then, again, not at all, though apparently they might just as well as not; but 122 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. March with perfect ease and safety, those that won't can be made to, and those that swarm too much or too small — two small ones should be hived to- gether. I have sometimes put three together, all right. A poor swarm is not worth keeping, and should be either strengthened or ])ut with another small one ; this can be done early in spring, or late in the fall, in the same apiary, but in summer it is more difHcult, as bees are so attached to their p-irticular locations : yet it can be easily accom- plished by moving one or the other a mile or more distant. Perhaps the reader may think such freedom with insects armed with daggers, somewhat diffi- cult, if not dangerous ; but let me assure him that these, and far more difficult operations, can be performed with ])erfect safety and ease ; and that others as well as the writer of this, open their hives any time they choose — cut out combs or honey, divide and double swarms, take out all the contents of hives, the queens, see the brood, larva, eggs, &c., and show to visitors at all times through warm weather. C. New Britain, Ct., 1861. For the New England Farmer. CHABCOAL-BURNING, AND A REMARK ON COB MEAL. Messrs. Editors : — Recollections of years long passed by frequently flit through my mind, and among others, that of charcoal burning. At a period extending from 1785 into the present century, coal burning was much more practiced among farmers than at the present day. Till within a few years, wood-land was considered hardly worth taxing. Farmers that owned large wood-lots in this vicinity had no opportunity to dispose of their wood, short of teaming it from fifteen to twenty or thirty miles ; that being the case, those wood-sellers who lived nighest to the cities and large villages could supply them to much better advantage than those from more re- mote towns ; this circumstance was an induce- ment to the more distant farmers to char their wood, for the greater convenience of carrying it to market, it being much lighter for transporta- tion after being made into coal. Three or four cords of charred wood might be carried at a load, probably, which would reduce the expense of teaming, beside the profit of charring the wood. The operation of carbonizing wood, economically, is a very nice chemical operation ; experienced coal-burners, though ignorant of chemical phrases, gain their knowledge, almost to perfection, by practice. They know that too much ventilation causes a rapid combustion, which decomposes the wood, and reduces it to ashes, and that just air enough admitted to continue a slow combustion will insure a good yield of coal. Ignorant and careless coal-burners have burned their wood to ashes, and made a losing business, while others, more careful and scientific, have made coal-burn- ing profitable. Coal-burning, in this region, has been on the decline, till we seldom see a coal-pit. Since the •construction of manufacturing establishments, railroads and new villages, the demand for wood has been bo great, and the markets so handy, that charring wood is nearly done away. Charcoal- burning was considered a healthy business, not- withstanding the annoyance of smoke. The smoke of a coal-pit has a peculiar smell, which will pen- etrate the air for miles around, and is a sufficient messenger to give intelligence, to distant neigh- bors, that coal-pits are afire. The time of firing these huge piles of wood, covered with turf, was anticipated with eager expectation, as a day of great glee, by the boys and girls of the neighbor- hood, who enjoyed the sport of a circuitous run through the smoke. Charcoal is useful for sev- eral purposes, beside fuel ; it has strong antisep- tic properties, and is useful in staying putrefac- tion ; swine are fond of it at times, to correct a morbid tendency in the maw, which is indicated by the avidity they show in craunching it down ; they will leave their food to eat coal, when the de- sire for coal predominates. COBS AND COB MEAL. Farmers express different opinions about the value of cobs as food for domestic snimals ; some regard them as no better than saw-dust, while others think they contain nutriment. I agree with the latter, in opinion, from practical obser- vation. Soon after the last corn harvest, I had occasion to shell a quantity of corn before the cobs were fully dry. I sat by our oxen and cows, broke up the cobs, and fed them to the cattle, who devoured them with apparent good relish. I have often fed cattle with cobs before, and ob- served them to feed at a heap of thrashed cobs for a definite time, but as cobs grow dry they be- come tough, and hard to masticate, and there- fore cattle are not so fond of them. Cattle and swine, like human beings, have an instinctive preference for those substances which aff'ord nour- ishment to the body, which is evidence in my mind to prove that cobs are nutritious to cattle. Ruminating animals are furnished with digestive organs capable of extracting nutriment from sub- stances which for swine would be entirely inert. Swine being destitute of the ruminating appar- atus, derive no nutriment from cobs, ground or unground, after the corn is ripe. I have repeat- edly given my hogs ears of corn partially ripe, and they were very careful to avoid as much of the cob as possible. I have occasionally fed my swine, of late, with cob meal, and the poor brutes resented the treatment like a dainty board- er, and would grunt for unadulterated meal. On the whole, I have made up my mind that cob meal is very good for cattle, but worth less for hogs. Cobs, by the pound, are probably of equal value to huts and stalks, and when ground with the corn, are a substitute for chopped fodder for cat- tle and horses. Silas Brown. North Wilmington, December, 18G0. Yale Agricultural Lectures. — Apprehend- ing the efi"ect of the present state of the country in diminishing the interest and usefulness of an agricultural convention, it has been decided to postpone a repetition of the "Yale Agricultural Lectures" to another year. The regular lectures of the Institution on Agricultural Chemistry and the general principles of Agriculture will be given as usual, commencing Feb. 1st. 1861. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 123 For Vie New England Farmer. TABLE OF CUBIC MEASURES. Measurements of cubic contents are usually made in feet or in inches, and if the volume is wanted in any other measure, such as yards, perches, bushels or gallons, the necessary reduc- tion is made from the result of the first measure- ment. For the purpose of lessening the labor of such reductions, I have constructed the following ta- bles, which many readers of the Farmer will, without doubt, find very useful, as they give in a convenient form the relations which several of our units of measure bear to others. Its use is as follows : Suppose you wish to find the number of yards in a cord, — the word "Cord" is found at the top of the table ; under that, and opposite the word "Yard," will be found the number of yards in a cord, M'hich is about four and three-quarters. If the number of feet con- tained in a bushel is wanted, then the word "Bushel" will be found at the top, and "Foot" at the side ; under one, and opposite the other, will be found the number required, which is about one foot and a quarter. Opposite "Bushel" and un- der "Foot," you find that a foot is about eight- tenths of a bushel ; now suppose a bin for hold- ing grain to measure 12 feet long, 8 feet wide and 5 feet deep, then 12X8X5=480 feet, multiply by .8 and the result 384.0 is the number of bushels, very nearly. The work can be more accurately done by using the full decimal given in the table. It will also be seen by the table that there are 216 feet in a square. 128 " " cord. 27 " " yard. 243 " " perch. 2150.42 inches in a bushel. 1728 inches in a foot. 537.6 " " peck. 268.8 " " gallon. 67.2 " " quart. &c. &c. TABLE No. 1 Square. Cord. Yard. Perch. Bushel. Foot. Peck. Gallon. Quart. Inch. Square, 1 .5926 .125 .11458 .005761 .004630 .001440 .000720 .000180 .000003 Cord, 1.6875 1 .21093 .19335 .009722 .007813 .002430 .001215 .000304 ,000005 Yard, 8. 4.7408 1 .91664 .046089 .037037 .011522 .005761 .001440 .000021 Perch, 8.7273 5.1718 1.0909 1 .050280 .040404 .012570 .006285 .001571 .000023 Bushel, 173.576 102.862 21.6971 19.8885 1 .803568 .25 .125 .03125 ,000465 Foot, 216. 128. 27. 24.75 1.24445 1 .311112 .155556 .038889 ,000579 Peck, 694.306 411.448 86.7882 79.5540 4. 3.21427 1 .5 .125 ,001860 Gallon, 1388.61 822.896 173.577 159.108 8. 6.42854 2. 1 .25 .003720 Quart, 5o5i.45 3291.58 694.306 636.432 32. 25.7142 8. 4. 1 ,014881 Inch, 373248. 221187. 46656.0 42766.8 2150.42 1728. 537.605 268.803 67.2006 1 The square is used by contractors for moving earth, and is a cube measuring 6 feet each way, and containing 8 cubic yards. The superficial square is used in measuring the area of the vari- ous kinds of roofing ; it is a square surface meas- uring 10 feet each way, containing 100 square feet. It is said that one thousand shingles will lay a square, but as they are usually put on, they will lay a few feet more than a square. The yard used in areas is a suface measuring three feet each way, containing nine square feet. measure, and contains 268.8 cubic inches. The standard gallon of liquid measure contains 231 cubic inches. The old Ale gallon contains 282 cubic inches. The Imperial (English) gallon con- tains 277.274 cubic inches, A gallon (231 inches) of distilled water weighs 8.3389 pounds, Avoirdupois. The standard Avoirdupois pound is equal in weight to 27,7015 cubic inches of dis- tilled water, A cubic foot of water weighs about 62.38 pounds. The following table shows the relations of the cubic contents of each kind of gallon to the oth- The perch is used by masons in laying stone- work— supposing the wall to be a foot and a | ers, and also to a cubic foot and a cubic inch half thick, then a rod in length of the wall one foot high will contain one perch, or 245 cubic feet. The superficial perch is a square surface measuring sixteen and a half feet each way, containing two hundred and seventy-two and one- quarter feet. An acre con- tains one hundred and sixty perches. The bushel is the old Winchester bushel of Eng- land, which is used in the United States as a standard for dry measure ; the Imperial Bushel, which is the present English standard, contains 2218.182 cubic inches TABLI . No. 2 Foot, Ale Gal, Imp. Gal, Dry Gal, Liq. Gal. Inch, Foot, 1 .163194 ,160460 ,155557 .133681 ,000579 Ale Gallon, 6,12706 1 ,983241 .953202 .819149 ,003546 Imperial Gallon, 6,23210 1.01704 1 .969450 .833111 .003607 Dry Gallon, 6,42850 1.04910 1.03151 1 .859365 .003720 Liquid Gallon, 7.48052 1.22078 1.20032 1.16365 1 .004329 Inch, 1728. 282. 277.274 268.803 231, I The gallo7i here given is the standard for dry The complaint is often made against such ta- bles as these for common use, that the decimal notation is not well understood. There is a con- stant use of this notation in dollars and cents, as $374.63, in which ,03 is a decimal, called sixty- 124 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. March three hundredths, and it seems to me that any one who can compute annual interest, which is simply multiplying by the decimal .06, can have no difficulty in using these tables. J. Herbert Siiedd, Agricultural Engineer, Boston, Jan. 19, 1861. J<'or the New England Farmer. ■WHJEAT IN MASSACHUSETTS. How are we to account for the fact, or the opin- ion, that a few years ago it was of no use to try to raise wheat ? Now, it is a common practice for farmers to sow a patch, one, two or three or more acres, fall or spring, and with as good success as with any other grain. More bushels, per acre, of wheat than rye are raised, and more value than oats, or even corn, taking the labor into account. Have the seasons changed, or was the opinion which prevailed for a period not well founded ? The two last seasons have proved unusually fa- vorable for wheat; and, as they have been cool and more than ordinarily even in temperature, while the grain was maturing, some observing persons have attributed the result largely to these facts. The corn crop, during these two years, has not come up to the average, especially in 1859. On 91 rods of land I sowed the 27th of Sept., 1859, one bushel of wheat, rolled in tar, plaster and ashes, from which I had 25 bushels of choice wheat, being at the rate of 44 bushels per acre. On one-half the patch I sowed a bag of 160 pounds of guano, but could perceive no differ- ence in the lot. Practically, that experiment may stand as a representative one, reaching over a term of eight or ten years. It had been under cultivation five years — the first in corn, three car- rots, and again corn. I have seen accounts of much larger yields of wheat, and forward this, in order to add the tes- timony of a moderate farmer, that wheat can be raised to advantage in our own State. While on the subject, I should like your opin- ion whether wheat improves by age ? I had sup- posed the contrary was the fact. But happening to keep over a barrel or two of spring wheat un- til three years old, I found it made superior flour, equal to the best St. Louis, while the first year, we regarded it only as ordinary. s. s. Amherst, Mass., Jan. 14, 186L Remarks. — If wheat is improved by age, it is a fact new to us. ' Barley Elour. — Our old friend, A. Pease, Esq., of Newport, N. II., formerly well known by the newspaper fraternity, handed us a sample of harle]) flour to-day, which is very fine. It is nearly as light colored as wheat flour, is perfectly sweet, and has a slight taste of that peculiar barley fla- vor so much esteemed by many persons. It was made from a crop of barley yielding nearly flfti/ bushels per acre. This is a good example, which we trust many will profit by. SHEEP AND SHEEP CULTURE. BY DR. JOSEPU REYNOLDS, OF CONCORD. The following extracts are from an excellent Re- port to the Middlesex Agricultural Society, upon the subject of Sheep and Sheep Culture, by Dr, Joseph Reynolds, of Concord, a gentleman famil- iar with the care of sheep in his youth, and who has given them more or less attention all through life. Previous to 1812, most farmers in the county kept a few sheep, and many who did not claim to be farmers kept one or more cossets to supply wool for domestic use. The wool was spun and woven or knit in the family. Large quantities of cloths, flannel and blankets were manufactured of excellent fabric and enduring quality. Until after the period above referred to, little woolen cloth was made in manufactories established for the fabrication of woolen cloths. The commer- cial difficulties of that period interfered with the importation of wool and woolen goods, and led to the establishment of manufactories, and to an in- creased demand for domestic wool. About the years 1808 and 1810, Chancellor Livingston and Mr. Grove, of New York, Col. Humphreys, of Connecticut, Mr. Jarvis, of Vermont, and other public spirited citizens, imported large numbers of merino sheep from Spain and France, which were rapidly distributed, and greatly improved the character of the native breeds already in the country. Elkanah Watson, Esq., the father of the Berkshire Agricultural Society, deserves hon- orable mention also in this connection, for his ef- forts to introduce merino sheep into this State. About 1786 the French government devoted great attention to the culture of sheep. It imported from Spain the finest merino sheep that could be obtained, and in the space of ten years, by care and skill, raised the average product of wool from 6i| pounds to 9 pounds per head. The King of Prussia and the Elector of Saxony at the same time devoted earnest attention to sheep culture. From the European flocks thus improved, the finest samples were selected for importation into this country. The climate and soil, especially of New England, were found well adapted to their constitutions and habits. These importations, with those which have been subsequently added to them, constitute the basis of the wool-bearing sheep now in the coun- try, and it is believed that no finer sheep can now be found in the world for the production of wool. They belong to the smaller varieties of sheep, are prolific and hardy, and their thick heavy fleeces enable them to bear the variable and ex- treme weather of our climate. They are now spread over the Western and Southern portions of the country. In 1850 there were nearly twenty-two millions of sheep in the country, yielding fifty-two and a half millions of pounds of wool. The number has greatly increased since 1850, and yet more than twenty millions of pounds of wool are annually imported. Within a few years the long wooled varieties have been introduced, among which the Leicester and the Cotswold are the most prominent. Their wool is particularly suited to the fabrication of 1861. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 125 worsted goods, and the demand for it is rapidly increasing. They are much larger than the fine wooled va- rieties, are hardy and prolific, and make excellent mutton, not unfrequently weighing from 40 to 50 pounds per quarter. The South Downs, a middle wooled breed, have also been introduced within a few j-ears, and "for hardiness of constitution, beauty of form, and combined value of wool and mutton, rank with the best in Europe or America. Their mutton indeed has a reputation that commands for it a higher price than that of any other breed." In England their meat usually averages about twenty pounds per quarter. They are remarkably pro- lific, and easily reared. They prosper upon light pastures, and winter well with ordinary keeping. In their habits they are domestic, docile and quiet. They yield an average fleece of six to seven pounds. Probably this breed is better adapted to our rugged climate and hard soil than any oth- er. But the particular breed which any one should select, must obviously depend upon cir- cumstances, and the particular object he has in view in keeping them. The value of mutton, the price of wool, the convenience of the market and the value of the land must be taken into the ac- count. The merinos and small breeds will thrive well on a broken rocky soil where scarcely any other stock will obtain a living. The Leicesters and Cotswold require rich and fertile pastures. Lands in the immediate vicinity of a market are usually considered too valuable for the production of wool, at least it may be raised with more profit on cheaper lands, and more remote from market, while the production of mutton is more successfully carried on upon good soils with ready access to market. The facilities of transportation are now so great, that wool may be brought to market, even from distant parts of the country, at the cost of a tri- fling addition to the value of the pound. Hence it is obvious that wool-growing maybe carried on more profitably where lands are cheaper than they are in most parts of this county. The keeping of sheep then merely for the wool, will not prob- ably be resorted to by the farmers of Middlesex. But it is believed that by combining the advan- tages of wool-growing and mutton-raising, the keeping of sheep may be again rendered profita- ble, and that the keeping of the large breeds chiefly for their mutton will be found good hus- bandry. The Hon. James S. Grennell, of Greenfield, in his report upon the stock exhibition in that place in 1859, remarks that "the larger breeds will pro- duce more lambs, and by good keeping, both their quantity of wool is increased, and their tendency to breed, and their capacity to bring up their lambs. Such sheep will bring up an average of 15 lambs to 10 sheep. Large early lambs, well started, and allowed a pint of meal daily for the last two months, will readily find a market here in May and June at $5 per head. The care and trouble of such a flock bears no proportion to that attendant on a flock of fine wooled sheep. The larger breeds are not only more prolific, but hardier, and on account of their size, less liable to be worried by dogs, less liable to disease, not so apt to ramble, and bringing quicker returns, are more profitable to small farmers. The mid- dle wools, when six years old are capable of be- ing made into superb mutton from their aptitude to take on fat, and carcasses averaging 110 to 120 pounds, at 10 cents per pound, and a dollar for the pelt, making $12 or $13, show a hand- some profit on the cost of raising and fattening. Of the various breeds, probably the South Downs are at present the greatest favorites," The committee of the Plymouth County Agri- cultural Society, on sheep, say, "We would re- commend for every farmer, however limited his number of acres, to keep a few sheep." A writer in the Country Gentleman, the last year, says, "I bought three ewes, two years ago this spring. Two of them had four ewe lambs, and last year, six of them had eight ewe lambs, making in all 15 ewes. I paid $14 for the first purchase, and the wool has about paid the keep, and I have just received $75 for the flock." The above remarks are as applicable to the far- mers in Middlesex as to those in any other coun- ty in the State. But the keeping of sheep is profitable not only from the product of wool and mutton, but from the tendency which their keeping has to improve and enrich the land for all Agricultural purposes. There is no manure dropped by animals upon the land so fertilizing as that of sheep, and uone so evenly distributed, or which suffers so little from waste. A distinguished German writer has cal- culated that the droppings of a thousand sheep during a single night, would manure an acre suf- ficiently for any crop. By using a portable fence and moving it from time to time, a farmer might manure a distant field with sheep, at less expense than that of carting and spreading manure. By a little pains, a large quantity of excellent manure may be made in the winter, from a flock of sheep. Another and a stronger reason remains why the farmers of Middlesex should return to sheep hus- bandry. Many of our pasture lands exhibit a broken and rocky surface but little amenable to the plow. Other portions are sandy plains, and lie at a dis- tance from the homes of their owners. Since the discontinuance of sheep culture, these pastures have been severely cropped by neat stock, and have now become nearly worthless. Many of them are covered with bushes and briars, or with mosses and worthless grasses. Experience shows that sheep walks instead of becoming exhausted, uniformly grow better and more productive, and that one of the most effectual means of destroy- ing the bushes and mosses, and bringing back the white clover and sweet grasses to an exhaust- ed pasture, is to turn upon it a flock of sheep. A gentleman writing from Plymouth county in 1859 remarks, "Some of the finest examples are afforded here of the effects of feeding sheep upon pastures that have become exhausted of nutritious grasses, and grown to bushes, briars, brakes and moss. I have seen pastures to-day that had be- come almost worthless, but now green and smil- ing as a lawn, with every inch among the rocks covered with the richest pasture grasses, and not a blackberry vine, wild rose bush, mullein or oth- er useless plant in sight. The sward does not seem bound and compact, but loose and porous, and filled with the most healthy and vigorous roots. The sheep grazing upon these pastures aflford ample evidence of the richness and luxuri- 126 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. March ance of the grasses upon which they feed. These examples, with similar ones which I have observed in other places widely remote, would seem to shed light on the perplexing question so often asked, how shall I reclaim my old pasture ? All over New England there are thousands of acres pro- ducing little or nothing, that might be renovated by the introduction of sheep upon them, while the profits of the sheep themselves I believe would be larger than from the same amount of money in- vested in cows. I have been told of an instance where a hundred acre pasture fed scantily only twelve sheep and six cows the first year, but on the second summer fed well twenty sheep and twelve cows, and continued to increase in fertili- ty until more than double this number was fed upon it." R. S. Fay, Esq., the highly intelligent Secretary of the Massachusetts Agricultural So- ciety, remarked in 1855, "The great diminution of sheep husbandry in this State, is much to be deplored. Sheep are the most active and profita- ble agents in the work of amelioration and farm improvement." There is abundant testimony from intelligent and observing agriculturists to the same eff'ect. The principal objections to sheep culture are the destruction occasioned by dogs and the ex- ,pense of fencing. The former objection we trust is obviated by the wise provisions of the existing law. If they are not sufficient, the matter is in the hands of the farmers themselves. They can have such legislation as will meet the necessities of the case. The second objection would have more weight, if we had only the long legged agile breed of sheep that roamed ever our hills sixty years ago. But breeds are now to be found, that are quiet and orderly, and may be easily restrained by a common fence, or at most by the addition of an extra rail, or a pole on the wall, and these are the breeds which both interest and convenience will induce our farmers to keep. Our conclusions then are that the farmers of Middlesex should return to the keeping of small flocks of long wooled or middle wooled sheep, that they will find their products of wool and mut- ton a source of profit, and especially that it would be the means of ameliorating the condition of the exhausted pasture lands, and restoring them to their former fertility. Straw Cutters. — A correspondent of the Bu- ral New-Yorker says : I am so great a believer in the economy and utility of cutting all our coarse fodder, not only for feeding, but for bed- ding in the yard and in the stable, that I have urged some of our geniuses to attach to the tail of a threshing machine a contrivance to cut every particle of straw into half, three-fourths, or inch pieces, as fast as it passes from the machine. The Lime Business. — The Rockland, Me., Ga- zeite, gives the following statement of the condi- tion of the lime business at that place : We learn from Alden Ulmer, Esq., General In- spector, that the whole quantity of lime manufac- tured in this city, during the year just closed, was 899,400 casks, being an increase of about 50,000 casks over the manufacture of the previous year. Messrs. F. Cobb & Co. have manufactured about one-fourth of the whole quantity. Of the thirty-five patent kilns in the city, only five are now in operation, business having been closed for the season at all the others, A few of the old kilns are in operation, but there will be little or no demand for lime until the opening of spring business. Wood and casks command but very small prices. J'hr the New England Farmer. MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OP TECH- NOLOGY. A MOVE IX THE RIGHT DIRECTIOX. We have, already, in Massachusetts, a great many institutes of learning, and any one who has the means and time can perfect himself in almost any branch of science or art. Yet there is a great want, at present totally un supplied. We need some kind of an Institute which shall be a central point of art and science, to which any one may bring his store, large or small, and from which all may be free to cull that which may be most useful to themselves ; a grand exchange of knowledge and store house of art, to which the humblest and greatest shall contribute, and from which all may receive ; a university and muse- um in which the student shall spend an hour, or a life time as his means and inclination shall de- termine. At present there is a division between men of science and men of art ; for the benefit of each, this should cease to exist. The theorist needs facts that his theories may approach the truth and be useful ; these facts he cannot obtain for him- self, but must receive from the artisan, the dealer in facts. In his turn the artisan must have rules to guide him to intelligent labor, and these can only be obtained from the generalization of facts, which is the work of the philosopher. In short, the minds of the theorist and artisan must be in communion. Within a short time a scheme has been devised which, if matured, will supply all of these wants in the most ample and generous manner. I refer to the project of establishing an institute to be called the "Massachusetts Institute of Teclinolo- gy.'" The committee having this enterprise in charge, have already issued circulars setting forth the object, and means which they hope to employ to bring it to a successful end. Pursuant to a call from this committee, a meeting was held in Boston on the 11th inst., at which Prof. W. B. RoDGERS, Chairman, briefly stated the object of the meeting to be the inauguration of some for- mal and direct action by which an association may be formed, and a charter obtained. On motion of Mr. E. IB. BiGELOW, a committe-e was appoint- ed to procure an act of incorporation and endea- vor to obtain a grant of land upon the Back Bay for the use of this institution. The committee consists of Prof. Rogers, James M. Beebe, E. S. Tobey, S. H. Gookin, E. B. Bigelow, M. D. Ross, J. I). Philbrick, T. I). Storer, J. D. Runkle, C. II. Dalton, J. B. fVancis, J. C. Iloadley, M. P. Wilder, C. L. Flint, Thos. Rice, John Chase, J. P. Robinson, F. VV. Lincoln, Jr., Thomas Aspin- wall, J. A. Dupee, E. C. Cabot. The meeting was eloquently addressed by sev- eral gentlemen. Prof. Pierce likened knowledge 1861. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 127 to a pyramid ; its apex cannot be raised without tne enlargement of the base ; the facts and expe- rience of the artisan form the foundation ; in pro- portion as that is enlarged and improved, the structure may be heightened. Dr. Gannett saw in this project a means of strengthening the bonds of union, and of raising man up to the contemplation of higher duties. "In contemplation of created things, By steps we may ascend to God." Jan. 12. William Edson. EXTRACTS AND BEPLIEJS. TIME FOR CUTTING TIMBER. There has been considerable discussion of late, in the Farmer, about the time to cut timber. I have a fact to the point, which I will state. On the 12th of July, 1798, my father's barn was struck with lightning and consumed. The neigh- bors assisted, went to the woods and cut all the timber except the braces, hewed it and had an- other frarne erected, 50 by 30 feet, in just two weeks. That timber is as bright now as new timber, with but very little powder-post. The large timber is pine, and the small hemlock. I want to sow some wheat, the coming season ; will you tell me, through the Farmer, which you think to be the best kind for this locality, and where it can be obtained ? My interest in farm- ing increases with my age, and inability to do the labor. Thomas Haskell. New Oloucester, Jan., 1861. Remarks. — The opinion is gaining ground, that summer is the best time to cut trees for tim- ber, as well as for pruning. Java or Coffee wheat is raised in considerable quantities in this State. It is a spring wheat, and ought to be got in early, say by the 15th of April, and covered two or three inches deep, if the soil is dry ; if a little wet and sticky, one inch is enough. It is plenty, and can be obtained at the agricultural stores. manures and THEIR APPLICATION. I was glad to hear this topic announced for discussion at the Agricultural Meeting of last •week. It seemed like meeting an old acquaint- ance, whom I had not seen for a long time. I remembered to have suggested the topic, years ago, when a member of the voluntary Board of Agriculture. Manures are to the farmer what emphasis is to the orator. You all remember the teachings of our school-books as to oratory — the first essen- tial is said to be emphasis, and the second is em- phasis— and the third is a due regard to empha- sis. So says the distinguished farmer of Quincy. Manure is the best crop that can be grown on the farm — because, without this, no other crop can be grown — certainly not, after several years' crop- ping and exhausting the soil. It is with manure, as with everything else on the farm, it should be kept within due limits. It is not good farming to expend five dollars for maR- ures, when your crop grown will not be worth more than three. There are too many instances of this kind of farming. There is a due propor- tion to be observed in all these things. No larg- er quantity of manure should be applied to land, than can be profitably applied. Whatever is done more than this is waste. You will not find the man who digs his own mud from the swamp, and carts home his own night soil from the city, thus lavishly squandering it. But he will care- fully compost the two, and so distribute the com- post upon the land, as that the harvest of au- tumn will rightly balance the account. P. Jan. 28, 1861. P. S. Such would have been my ideas, if I could have been present at the discussion. I was misrepresented in your columns of Saturday last, by being made to say that our farmers grew 20 or 30 bushels of corn to the acre, when I said they realized a profit from the culture of corn of twenty or thirty dollars to the acre. TO destroy insects on fruit trees. Much has been said about destroying insects on fruit trees. I have tried many ways, but have found none so good as the following : For a common-sized plum tree, fill six or eight vials about two-thirds full of water, well sweet- ened with loaf sugar, and hang them on different parts of the tree, about the time it is blossoming, and the insects will take that before the fruit. I have filled vials twice in one season, and found among them hundreds of insects such as I never saw or heard of before. Another for Hose Bugs. — I have never seen a better way to rid trees of these pests than to smoke them. Take an iron vessel, put in coals, and set it under the tree on the head of a barrel, and then put in old scraps of leather ; as this smoke is every way offensive to them, they will soon leave the tree ; by giving it a good smoking they will not return. These fellows, as soon as they have shed their yellow wings, attack horses, being the small horsefly which is so troublesome through the summer, H. White. South Eadley, Mass., Jan. 28, 1861. the town of LYME OUTDONE. Much has been said and written of late, relative to the remarkable productiveness of Lyme, N. H., in potatoes, as having raised in one school dis- trict on five farms, the enormous amount of 9,890 bushels the past season ! Well done, old Lyme ! She has done nobly, and so far, of course, has borne off the palm. The following statement, I think, will leave Lyme a little in the shade. The town of Lisbon, same State and county, produced the past season, according to careful estimate, in round numbers 200,000 bushels of potatoes ; one school district in said town produced in round numbers, 24,000 bushels ; five farms in said dis- trict j)roduced, in round numbers, also, 16,000 bushels ! Now, Mr. Editor, I think by this time you will see that old Lisbon comes out a little ahead. Neio Hampshire Journal of Agriculture will please notice. P. YouNG. Lisbon, N. II., Jan., 1861. "M. W. H." must keep trying, as practice makes perfect. But select practical subjects, that vou are acquainted with — then relate them as you would in a conversation with a friend. 128 NEW ENGLAND FARIMER. M.\IICH MUSKINGUM PEAR. This pear was introduced about twelve years ago from Ohio, where it originated. It is not among the best varieties, and considering the multitude of other kinds which are all desirable, this is a fruit which has not enough good quali- ties to give it a place in a small collection. The late S. W. Cole thought highly of the fruit on its first introduction here, and his opinion is still held in high estimation. He says of it, that he found it perfectly hardy, and a great grower, and considers it as well adapted to a more northern climate. The fruit is rather large ; roundish to obovate ; greenish-yellow, with many dark specks, and much russet, seldom a brownish blush; stem long, medial, in a narrow cavity; calyx slight, open, in a slight, or with no depression ; flesh yellowish-white, very fine, tender, melting, juicy, of a sweet, high, aromatic flavor. It ripens from the middle of August to the middle of September. Remedy for the Peach Borer. — J. Van Bu- ren, of Clarksville, Ga., gives the following as his remedy for the Peach Borer : "Take about a half pint of common salt, sew it up in a small bag of strong cotton cloth ; tie this in the fork of the tree, where let it remain until the salt is dissolved by the rains that fall, which will be in the course of two years, and the work is done. "The brine that runs down the trunk of the trees will kill both worms and eggs as they are deposited ; besides, it proves a benefit to the tree. Should there have accumulated a hardening of gum at the surface of the ground, as is sometimes the case, it should be removed so that the solu- tion may reach the M'orms. It is equally as ap- plicable for the apple tree borer and aphis at the roots." Remarks. — This is so easily done, that we have no disposition to discourage any from trying it. Unless the bag encircles the whole tree, so as to cause the brine to flow down over every part of it, there would be spaces left exposed. 1861. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 129 LEGISLATIVE AGKICULTUKAL SOCIETY. [Reported for the N. E. Fabmer, by Thomas Bradley.] The fourth meeting of the Legislative Agricul- tural Society was held in the Representatives' Hall, on Monday evening, and was fully attend- ed. In the absence of Prof. Clark, of Amherst, Dr. Geo. B. LoRlNG.'of Salem, was called on to preside. On taking the chair, Dr. LoKiNG stated that the subject for discussion was, "3Iamires, and their application to iJie various crops and soils." He then addressed the meeting as follows : At the last meeting, I expressed an opinion that the application of manures was fully as im- portant as their manufacture. I think it is more so, inasmuch as it bears more immediately upon o'lr crops. And yet the two processes are so closely connected that it is difficult to deal with one, without dealing with the other. I stated here last winter that I thought well composted and properly disintegrated or decayed manures should be applied to all crops, so far as possible. I have seen no reason to change my ground. I have been compelled from necessity to use green manures in some cases, since that time — but I have done it, fully av/are of the ex- travagance of the operation, and of the difficul- ties to which I was subjecting my plants in their search for food among the fertilizing materials with which I had supplied them. In speaking of manures, I mean farm-yard ma- nure, the only universal manure, the only man- ure which contains all the constituents which our cultivated crops require, and for which every ar- tificial fertilizer is merely a substitute — the only manure which comes within the reach of all our farmers. Now in comparing what is called green manure with that which is well rotted, it will be found that the latter contains, in much higher degree, those constituents which all plants require in their growth. In nitrogen it is far richer — containing 2.47 per cent to 1.90 per cent, in the former. The insoluble mineral matters are large- ly increased in well-rotted manures, such as sili- ca, lime and potash. The soluble organic mat- ter, containing nitrogen, is more than double that in green manure. It is proved to be richer in all soluble fertilizing constituents. It has been distinctly shown that the acids which are required to combine with potash, soda and ammonia in the formation of soluble com- pounds are generated by the fermentation of manure — that ammonia is produced and fixed by the same process — that the whole mass becomes more easily available to plants — and that the constituents lost by fermentation, being carbona- ceous and non-nitrogenized, are of but little in- trinsic value in agriculture. It seems, therefore, that green manure must go through certain chemical changes before it can become of service to the plants ; and these changes must be brought about before the man- ure is applied to the crops, in order to hasten its operation. It is a well composted, well ferment- ed, thoroughly disintegrated manure heap which contains the proper food for plants — a manure heap in which the various soluble salts are fully developed, in which ammonia is held fixed as far as possible, and in Avhich, by the use of muck or some form of decayed vegetable mold, the con- stituents of manure and uiine are properly dif- fused. For this purpose there can be no doubt that a sufficient supply of muck, or loam if muck cannot be obtained, mixed with the manure, in such a manner as to avoid the heat of the sun and the washings of rain, will produce the most valuable fertilizer for the farmer. The most convenient place for this process is a barn-cellar, which can easily be constructed so as to avoid exposing the hay and animals, in the barn above, to any injury from the escape of noxious gases. In applying manure, reference should be had to the soil with which it is to be mixed, and to the crop which is to be raised. On retentive, clayey lands, manure should undoubtedly be ap- plied to the surface and harrowed in lightly — or used as a top-dressing to grass, for Avhich such lands are peculiarly adapted. On such soils the manure may properly be applied for some time before planting. On sandy soils, however, man- ure should be applied shortly before the seed is planted, and covered more deeply. I suppose it is useless to expect such soils to be continued profitably in grass for a long time, simply by top-dressing. The use of marine manures is necessarily con- fined to so small a portion of our commonwealth that it hardly demands discussing. In some portions of our commonwealth, soil may be "progressed," or made available to grow- ing crops, by means of artificial fertilizers, such as guano and the phosphates. This may be done profitably on fai'ms used for supplying the mar- kets with vegetables, in which case the stock of cattle kept is small. It may also be done as an aid to a short supply of farmyard manure, on farms which are incapable of furnishing sufficient materials to bring them up from a low condition. It is very doubtful, however, whether they can be advantageously employed, in most of the farming to which our State is adapted. I think all manure should be applied in such a manner as not to deprive it of atmospheric influ- ence. A mass of manure buried in the earth, or hermetically sealed up, would remain in an in- soluble condition for an indefinite period of time. 130 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. March Fermentation would be impossible. And every practical man must have noticed that in a large compost heap, there are many deeply buried por- tions, which are never exposed in forking, and which retain their original greenness, unchanged, while all the remainder of the heap is undergoing the fermenting processes, and developing all its fertilizing properties. Does not this furnish us some hint for the proper application of man- ures ? And does it not teach us that in light lands it may be buried deeper, and must be in order to protect it, than it is in closer, heavier, clayey lands ? For experiments upon the application of man- ures to specific crops, I shall be happy to call upon those who have made them in careful farm- ing. And having, as I think, suggested the gen- eral principles of preparation, I will call on gen- tlemen present to state their mode of application. JosiAH QuiNCY, Jr., of Quincy, being called on, said that he presumed ho prepared more ma- nure than any other man in the State. He kept about 80 cows, and in the preparation of the ma- nure followed the directions of Dr. Dana in his Muck Manual. Dr. Dana, in his thorough inves- tigation of the subject in Lowell, had found that every cow produced 3^ cords of solid manure per annum, and the same amount of liquid, the latter being the most valuable. The speaker said that mixed with double the quantity of muck, cow manure made the best fertilizer known. He pre- pared on this plan 100 cords per month. He had a good muck bed on his farm, but from his mode of preparing this, it became as dry and fine as snuff, and in consequence, he had to make a dou- ble trench behind his cows so that the liquid from them would run freely into his barn cellar. His manure, he calculated, would pay the entire ex- pense of carrying on his farm, and he reckoned it well worth $5 per cord. He top-drossed 60 or 70 acres, and as his ma- nure was removed from the celliir he made com- post heaps of it ; first a layer of muck, then one of manure, and so on until the heap was large enough, when it was covered with muck, and when the frost is out of it he has it turned over. He soiled all his cattle, feeding on rye, the grasses, and Indian corn, and roots. He said it was thought that you can never get more out of a cow than you put in, but he thought differently, and spoke at length of the gain in feeding cows well, as by that means every product is increased in value. Speaking of guano, Mr. Quincy said that the rea- son of its great value was because the bird fed on fish, the richest food, and all it eat goes to soil. In his opinion, there was a trouble with us in the want of a proper proportion between the value of our farms and the quantity of active capital on them ; as, if a farm was worth $500, a man should have $4500 active capital to keep on it. He said the old Roman maxim, "Admire large farms, but cultivate small ones," was worthy of more attention. He considered his few acres of muck land worth three times as much as any oth- er of his farm. He closed by saying that a prin- cipal difficulty about foreign manures was their impurity and their expense, and he alluded to the method of turning in green crops as fertilizers, as practiced in New York. In answer to a question, he slated that his barn cellar was water-tight, and that in summer he pumped out the liquid, and manured from the cart, and in winter he threw in muck to the cel- lar, and absorbed the liquid. Mr. White, of Petersham, thought the farm- ers in his section could not afford to go to the expense the last speaker did, as they had not muck or soil to draw to the barn, and he wanted to know why the manure might not be mixed with the soil in the field. He stated that Dr. Fisher, of Fitchburg, saved all the manure on the farm ; but he says he cannot afford to cart muck to in- crease the manure. He said he had been trying an experiment on corn, as desired by the Board of Agriculture. He had used 12 cords of manure to 4-5 of an acre of land, and the result had been perfectly satisfactory, but he found that the portion plowed in the deepest returned the poorest crop. He said they applied top-dressing on their mow- ing fields, and they considered soiling their cows was not so profitable as grazing them, although they did not get more than half the manure. Mr. Tyler, of Oxbridge, said he had a tight barn cellai-, and he covered the floor 6 inches deep with loam, using half this to compost with. He kept from 6 to 8 cows and a horse in the barn, and made from 10 to 16 cords of manure a year. He applied this on 2 to 3 acres of land in corn, harrowing in 0 inches, and his average crop was 60 bushels of shelled corn (in January) to the acre, and from observation of his neighbors' crops he was satisfied his plan of manuring was the best. He fed his cattle on cob and corn meal and shorts ; he had tried cotton fieed meal, but he found corn meal equally as good. His ground was a deep, sandy loam. In relation to wheat, he said that by preparing the ground late in the fall, by plowing and harrowing level, he had found he could gain two weeks in the spring''. Amasa Walkeu, of North Brookfield, com- plimented Mr. Quincy for his efforts in bringing the system to such perfection, but said that, as the circumstances of farmers varied so much, but few could follow oat the plan he adopts. He said he should speak of artificial fertilizers, and he hoped that before the Legislature adjourned a law would be passed for the inspection of foreign manures, 18G1. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 131 similar to that in force in Maryland. He said immense quantities of guano were imported into Baltimore, and it was used in very large quanti- ties on the plantations, with the best results. Here there was no confidence as to the genuine- ness of the article. He had experimented with guano successfully for several years, and he had also found phosphate of lime very good, and in his opinion the farmers in our State had mistaken their true interests in not using more of these fertilizers. He said that the land farmed by Mr. Quincy was comparatively level, while the farms in Worcester county ware so hilly that it cost from 40 to 50 cents per load of half a cord to get the manure on to the ground, and thus the artificial manures were advantageous. He considered 200 lbs. of guano equal to six loads of our common manure, the latter costing $15 when applied to the land, while the former would only cost $8, thus effecting a saving of nearly 50 per cent, in producing the same crops. Last year, he had raised on a very poor pasture, that had never been manured to any extent, 50 bushels of very heavy oats to the acre, by the application of 200 lbs. of guano, and other ex- periments, had resulted in like manner. Of course the first object should be to get all the common manure on the farm, but as this would not be enough for ordinary purposes, he would recom- mend guano, and he proposed to increase the ap- plication of it on his farm, next year, threefold. Simon Brown, of Concord, said he believed in the use of guano, but he thought farmers should make it themselves. It is excellent as an auxili- ary, but should not be depended upon as a prin- cipal. If he could have his way, he would keep his cattle as compact as possible for their com- fort, and have a barn cellar with a bottom of clay, four or five inches deep, well pounded down ; then he would put meadow mud, sand or sawdust in one corner, and every morning would cover the droppings from the barn with this mud or sand, letting it all remain through the winter until it was wanted for use in the spring, when he would have a pasty compound of the richest fertilizer. If he used it on sward land, he would plow with a double plow, and cart out in the green state in the spring, and plow it in. By applying to the surface in September, and turning it in by plow- ing, you have in the spring a soil rich enough for anything. On stubble, he said he had covered the ground with manure in the fall, and in the spring plowed again, and with this treatment he had planted parsnips one year, and got over 1000 bushels to the acre, never having seen the bottom of a single one, the man who dug them remark- ing that it was "like digging post-holes." He had also raised excellent crops of carrots, man- go-ds, &c. He thought Mr. Walker was mistaken about guano, and if we believe in our hearts what he advocates, it will be a most unfortunate thing for our State. In his opinion, the speaker said, Massachusetts is from half a million to a mil- lion dollars worse off to-day from the use of guano. He was recently in company with several old practical farmers, who bad used guano, more or less, for from 5 to 10 years, and they con- demned its use as a principal agent. Guano, said he, where ammonia predominates, is a stimulant and not a fertilizer but a fertilizer when abound- ing in phosphates. He had used American guano with fine results, as it starts corn in the hill Avon- derfully quick ; as an auxiliary, guano may be good, as a main manure it is not so. The speaker said that if a portion of night soil was collected and mixed with meadow mud and then sprinkled with plaster of Paris, and in spring or summer turned over, an excellent com- post would be made, and if it was prepared too late for application in the fall, barrel it up. If the manure is scattered broadcast on the land in spring and plowed in, and the compost applied to the hills of corn, it will force it as well as gu- ano. The droppings from hen roosts, mixed with mud or sand, had also been used in the same way by many farmers in his county. He also recommended taking a leaky molasses hogs- head and sprinkling in it a bushel of plaster of Paris with meadow muck, and then thoroughly saturating this with urine until the smell of am- monia was gone, when an excellent substitute for guano was ready. The contents of the hogshead might then be barreled up for use, and thus a farmer be all the time making this compost. By applying this in the hill, corn will come up quicker, and you can gain two or three weeks. He did not wonder that $65 per ton for Peruvi- an guano was discouraging to farmers, and he thought the use of it had been a curse to Massa- chusetts. Mr. Wetherell, of Boston, said he thought it mattered not whether the vegetable matter is decomposed in the cow or in the ground, and to show that, he cited the opinion of Liebig, who stated that a crop of clover plowed into the ground would contain more fertilizing pi-operties than if fed to cattle and applied in the form of manure. He spoke of an experiment on a field of turnips, feeding one-third to sheep in the field, one-third to them on the ground on which they grew, and plowing the remaining third in, and the result had been that the farmer had raised the next year 46 bushels of oats on the first third, 70 bush- els on the second and 80 bushels on the last. He spoke of another farmer who had used 300 lbs. of Peruvian guano to an acre of sandy plain where nothing would grow, and he had harvested 50 bushels of corn to the acre from it. He asserted 132 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. March that guano is a fertilizer, and a highly concen- trated manure. He did not know as to the econ- omy of using it, but he knew that many farmers consider it a profitable manure. Mr. Brown thought the last speaker had shown the opinion he expressed, that guano was not a fertilizer, was correct. No man who had used guano solely for ten years would say it had im- proved his land. He admitted that it stimulated the fertilizing qualities of the soil, and in refer- ence to the use of it in Maryland, said he had a letter in his possession from persons there who Baid, if the practice of manuring with guano was continued, the time would come when they could not raise five bushels of wheat to the acre. Mr. FisK, of Shelburn, said he had listened to what had been said on the subject with much in- terest, but he thought those who had spoken were princely farmers, and their practice would not an- swer for the farmers in his part of the State, as they were, he regretted to say, poor ; and, further, that there were few farms that were not mort- gaged, and thus had the life-blood taken from them. Our people, said he, are not cow men ex- clusively, and much of our land cannot be plowed and they cannot soil their cattle, as they cannot get their sheep, young cattle and colts into the barns for the purpose, although some of the far- mers are now soiling their cows. He condemned the use of guano and the phosphates, stating that the Franklin county farmers relied on their cat- tle for good strong manures which would increase their crops years in succession, and not exhaust their fertilizing qualities in a single crop. V/e have all, said he, barn cellars, and in these we keep hogs on the starvation principle, and make them work. We don't know about the chemical properties of our manure, but we judge by the appearance and smell. He agreed with Mr. Brown in relation to the application of manures, but he did not be- lieve that the corn crop was before the hay crop in Western Massachusetts. He spoke of Prof. Mapes having induced his neighbors to invest money in superphosphate of lime, and said they had all thrown away their money. They had come to the conclusion to put their money into good hard corn, and that the manure, from a good fat ox is worth all the foreign manures that come here. He spoke of sheep manure and said that they put it in the cold, wet earth, and although it did not yield a first-rate crop in one year, yet the second year they got great crops. Speaking of wheat, he said that the farmers in his county got the best and largest crops in the country, and 40 bushels per acre was a common yield. He closed by suggesting that speakers at future meetings be limited to ten minutes. In accordance with this suggestion it was voted to so limit speakers, except the Chairman of the evening. It was announced that the subject for discussion at the next meeting would be, "Flax — to be cultivated at the North as a substitute for Cotton," and that Mr. S. M. Allen would preside. On this occasion, specimens of the flax cotton, and articles made from it will be exhibited. Atmosphkric Fertilizers. — M. Barral, of Paris, has lately made the discovery that rain- water contains minute quantities of phosphorus. He believes that it exists in the atmosphere in the form of phosphorated hydrogen, which escapes from decaying animal substances. As phospho- rus is necessary to the fertility of soils, we have in this discovery a key which unlocks the secret of "summer fallowed" lands becoming fertile. The ancient Hebrews were accustomed to allow the land to rest without cultivation every few years. This M'as, no doubt, for the purpose of re- storing it from comparative barrenness by crop- ping, to renewed fertility. It is nov/ Avell known that ammonia also exists in rain-water, and this is held to be the chief of fertilizing agents. Any worn out lands may be restored to fertility by al- lowing them seasons for repose, in the same man- ner that Moses provided for the perpetual fertil- ity of the land of Israel. — Scientijic Americari. How Carrots Affect Horses. — The carrot is the most esteemed of all roots for its feeding qualities. When analyzed, it gives but little more solid matter than any other root, 85 per cent, be- ing water ; but its influence in the stomach upon the other articles of food is most favorable, con- ducing to the most perfect digestion and assimila- tion. This result, long known to practical men, is explained by chemists as resulting from the presence of a substance called pectine, which op- erates to coagulate or gelatinize vegetable solu- tions, and favors the digestion in all cattle. Horses are especially benefited by the use of carrots. They should be fed with them frequently with their other food. — Mark-Lane Express. Water on Stock Farms. — Mr. Strawn, the great Illinois farmer, gives the following method in the Farmer^s Advocate for keeping water on a stock farm. Dig a basin five or ten rods square and ten feet deep, upon a high knoll. Feed corn in the basin to your hogs and cattle until it is well puddled by the trampling of their feet, which will make it almost water-tight. He says the rains of a single winter sufficed to accommodate several hundred head of cattle, and that it had been dry but once in twelve years. English Hedges. — Nothing can exceed the beauty and strength of a well trained hedge, but the most of them are in bad order, and a nuisance to the country. Sheep will eat through the best of them. Iron fences are fast coming into use and are much better. — Cor. of Ohio Cultivator. Side Shows. — After a full discussion, the Ohio State Boai'd of Agriculture adopted the following resolution : "That we recommend to our County Societies to exclude from their grounds all ob- scene and immoral side shows." Sage advice. 1861. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 133 For the New England Farmer. VIKQIL ON AGBICUIiTlTRE. NUMBER ONE. Among the readers of the Farmer there are, probably, but few who have not heard of Virgil — the prince of Latin poets. He lived and flour- ished nearly two thousand years before us, or just previous to the Christian era. His writings are, therefore, interesting and valuable, as show- ing something of the state of the world, and the public mind, in those ancient times. His inimitable Georgics, or that portion of his writings which relate to farming matters, were composed at the earnest request of Augustus Cae- sar— Emperor of the Romans. They were writ- ten to inspire a love for the farmer's life in the hearts of his countrymen. Long continued civil •wars had depopulated and laid waste the lands usually appropriated to agriculture ; the peasants had become soldiers, and their once beautiful farms and vineyards were changed to scenes of desolation ; famine and insurrection were the in- evitable consequences of this dismal state of af- fairs. Augustus resolved to awaken an interest in the all-important, but now neglected art, of the hus- bandman ; and began by prevailing upon Virgil to employ his genius in recommending it to the people by all the insinuating charms of poetry. Seven of the most vigorous years of his life were spent in the composition of his four Georgics — or agricultural poems — and the result of his labors fully answered the expectations of Augustus. None, but a person of transcendent genius, ma- tured judgment and imagination, could have writ- ten so charmingly upon the most common, and too often despised subjects. Virgil himself was the owner of a farm in Mantua, a city of Lombardy. According to his writings, he believed in all the gods of the an- cient Romans — for they were many — and was somewhat tainted with the vague and foolish su- perstitions which, in his day, shrouded the minds of all, both high and low. But the intelligent reader can easily distinguish between reasonable- ness and absurdity. He certainly possessed a remarkable mind and a benevolent heart, or he could not have arisen so far above the surrounding ignorance and moral gloom as to become, in some respects, a beacon- light, not only to his own generation, but to suc- ceeding ages far down in the vista of time. The Georgics are but a small part of his writ- ings, but more useful, perhaps, than those which are more elaborate, and prolix. A few extracts only can be given — and these, perha])s, not the best that could have been selected. Every read- er of the Farmer would be charmed, amused, and, I think, instiTActed, by perusing the whole of his works, and especially the portion now under con- sideration. His first Georgic commences by giving the gen- eral design of each of the four poems. What makes a plenteous harvest, when to turn The fruitful soil, and when to sow the corn ; The care of sheep, of oxen, and of kine ; And how to raise on elms the teeming vine ; The birth and genius of the frugal bee, I sing, Msecenas, and I sing to thee. * » » « » While yet the spring is young, while earth unbinds Her frozen bosom to the western winds j While mountain snows dissolve against the sun. And stre ims, yet new, from precipices run ; Even in this early dawning of the year, Produce tlie plow, and yoke the sturdy steer, And goad him till he groans beneath his toil. Till the bright share is buried in the soil. But ere we stir the yet unbroken ground, The various course of seasons must be found ; The weather, and the setting of the winds, The culture suiting to the sev'ral kinds Of seeds and plants, and what will thrive and rise, And what the genius of the soil denies. ***** Nor is the profit small the peasant makes Who smooths with harrows or who pounds with rakes The crumbling clods : nor Ceres from on high Regards his labors with a grudging eye ; Nor his, who plows across the furrowed grounds, And on the back of earth inflicts new wounds ; For he with frequent exercise, commands Th' unwilling soil, and tames the stubborn lands. ***** The sire of gods and men, with hard decrees Forbids our plenty to be bought with ease, And wills that mortal men, inured to toil, Should -exercise, with pains, the grudging soil ; Himself invented first the shining share. And whetted human industry liy care ; Himself did handicrafts and arts ordain. Nor suffer'd sloth to rust his active reign. ***** First Ceres taught, tlie ground with grain to sow, And armed with iron shares the crooked plow. When now Dodonian oaks no more supplied. Their mast, and trees their forest-fruit denied. Soon was his labor doubled to the swain, And blasting mildews blackened all his grain : Though thistles choked the fields, and killed the com, And an unthrifty crop of weeds was born : Then burs and brambles, an unbidden crew Of graceless guests, th' unhappy field subdue. And oats unblest, and darnel domineers. And shoots its head above the shining ears ; So that, unless the land with daily care Is exercised, and, with an iron war Of rakes and harrows, the proud foes expelled. And birds with clamors frighted from the field — Unless the boughs are lopped that shade the plain. And heaven invoked with vows for fruitful rain — On others' crops you may with envy look, And shake for food the long-abandon'd oak. ***** Yet is not the success for years assured. Though chosen is the seed, and fully cured, Unless the peasant, with his annual pain. Renews his choice, and culls the largest grain. ***** But sweet vicissitudes of rest and toil Make easy labor, and renew the soil. Yet sprinkle sordid ashes all around, And load with fatt'ning dung thy fallow ground. Thus change of seeds for meagre soils is best ; And earth manur'd, not idle, though at rest. ***** But. when cold weather and continued rain The lab'ring Iiusband in his house restrain, Let him forecast his work with timely care, Which else is huddled, when the skies are fair : Then let him mark the sheep, or whet the shining share. Or hollow trees for boats, or number o'er His sacks, or measure his increasing store. Or sharpen stakes, or head the forks, or twine The sallow twigs to tie the straggling vine ; Or wicker baskets weave, or air the corn, Or grin-Jed grain betwixt two marbles turn. ***** In genial winter, swains enjoy their store ; Forget their hardships, and recruit for more. The farmer to full bowls invites his friends. And, what he got with pains, with pleasure spends. The second Georgic describes the different methods of propagating and raising all kinds of trees and vines, and points out the soils best adapted to each variety. Thus far of tillage, and of heav'nly signs ; Now sing, my Muse, the growth of gen'rous vines, The shady groves, the woodland progeny. And the slow product of Minerva's tree. ***** 'Tis usual now an inmate graft to see With insolence invade a foreign tree : Thus pears and quinces from the crab-tree come ; And thus the ruddy cornel bears the plum. 134 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. March Then let the learned gard'ner mark with care The kinds of stocks, and what those kinds will bear; Explore the nature of each sev'ral tree, And, known, improve with artful industry : And let no spot of idle earth be found ; But cultivate the penius of the ground : For open Ismarus will Bacchus please ; Ta1)urnu3 loves the shade of olive trees. * * * » * Much labor is required in trees, to tame Their wild disorder, and in ranks reclaim. Well must the Rround be digged and better dressed. Now soil to make, and meliorate the rest. ***** But various are the ways to change the state Of plants, to bud, to graft, t' inoculate. For, where the tender rinds of trees disclose Their shooting germs, a swelling knot there grows : Just in that space a narrow slit we make. Then other buds from bearing trees we take ; Inserted thus, the wounded rind we close. In whose moist womb th' admitted infant grows. But, when the .smoother bole trom knots is free, We make a deep incision in the tree. And in the solid wood the slip inclose ; The batt'ning bastard shoots again and grows ; And in short space the laden boughs arise, With happy fruit advancing to the skies. The mother plant admires the leaves unknown Of alien trees, and apples not her own. ***** I teach the next the diffring soils to know. The li-'ht for vines, the heavier for the plow. Choo?e first a place for such a purpose fit ; Then dig the solid earth, and sink a pit ; Next fill the hole with its own earth again. Anil trample with thy feet, and tread it in: Then, if it rise not to the former height Of superflce, conclude that soil is light, A proper ground for pasturage and vines. But it the sullen earth, so press'd repines Witliin its n-'tive mansion to retire, And stays without, a heap of heavy mire, 'Tis good for arable, a glebe that asks Tough teams of oxen, and laborious tasks. ***** The fatter earth by handling we may find, With ease distinguished from the meagre kind; Poor soil will crumble into dust ; the rich Will to the fingers cleave like clammy pitch. ***** Fat, crumbling earth is fitter for the plow, Putrid and loose above, and black below ; For plowing is an imitative toil Resembling nature in an easy soil. No land for seed like this ; no fields afford So large an income to the village lonl ; No toiling teams from harvest-labor come So late at night, so heavy-laden home. ***** Happy the man, who, studying Nature's laws, Through known effects can trace the secret cause — His mind possessing in a quiet state. Fearless of Fortune, and resign'd to Fate ! And happy, too, is he who decks the bow'rs Of Silvans, and adores the rural pow'rs — Whose mind, unmov'd, the bribes of courts can see, Their glitt'ring baits and purple slavery, — Nor hopes the people's praise, nor fears their frown, Nor when contending kindred tear the crown, Will set up one, or pull another down. Without concern he hears, but hears from far, Of tumults, and descents, and distant war ; Nor with a superstitious fear is awed, For what befalls at home, or what abroad. Nor envies he the rich their happy store. Nor bis own peace disturbs witli pity for the poor. He feeds on fruits, which, of their own accord, The willing ground and laden trees afford. ***** The peasant, innocent of all these ills. With crooked plows the fertile fallows tills, And the round year with daily labor fills ; And hence the country markets arc supplied: Enough remains for household charge beside, His wife anil tender chfldren to sustain. And gratefully to feed his dumb, deserving train. Nor cease his labors till the yellow field A full return of bearded harvest yield— A crop so plenteous, as the land to load, O'ercome the crowded barns, and lodge or ricks abroad. But this article, for one of the kind, is already too lon{^, and yet, only a few fragments of the first two Georgics have been given. A review of the two remaining poems, upon domestic animals and honey bees, must be postponed until another time — providing the editor thinks it advisable to con- tinue the subject. Enough has already been quoted to show that the ancients — or one of them at least — and a poet too, understood the farmer's art to a degree of perfection almost equal to the boasted knowledge and wisdom of the present century. And yet the world progresses — in some things slowly, in oth- ers rapidly. What the ancients most needed in husbandry was suitable farming implements ; in this matter we are greatly their superiors. S. L. White. So. Qroton, January, 1861. For the New England Farmer, CATTLE MARKET BEPOKTS. Mr. Editor : — ^You "invite criticism on your cattle reports" for last week, at the Cambridge and Brighton markets. By inviting criticism, I understand you to ask the farmers to express their opinions for or against a more extended and accurate report of the weekly markets than has heretofore been given in the Boston agricultural papers. You will remember publishing an article more than a year since, that I wrote for the Farmer, complaining of the meagre and comparatively worthless reports contained in any New England agricultural paper, when contrasted with the ac- curate and luminous reports of the New York cat- tle markets, prepared by the prince of reporters, Solon Robinson, of the A^ew York Tribune. That article was published in the Tribune as an en- dorsement of the sentiments it contained. I then referred to the too limited reports hitherto made of our markets, giving no accurate description of the different grades of cattle, and their value, leaving the farmer in ignorance of their value in the stall ; so that the drover and butcher might easily take the advantage of him in purchasing. Your report of the market, last week, is a good beginning in a very important and much needed reform. Your reporter holds a ready and pretty skilful pen, and only needs more practice to enable him to give us accurate reports. The Tribune report makes some two or three columns of fine type in that paper, minutely describing 5000 head of cat- tle, from what State they came, by whom fat- tened, and by whom taken to market, the ex- pense of freight, to whom sold, with the price per pound, and the per cent, of shrinkage of dead from live weight, &c., enabling any fatter a thous- and miles off" to estimate the exact value of his bullocks in the stall, and worth to every cattle fatter in the country more than five times the year- ly price of the Tribune. Yes, go on as you have began, and give us such weekly information of the exact state of the market, as the great inter- ests of our New England stock demands ; and de- pend upon it the publishers and readers of the N. E. Farmer will receive a mutual benefit. Brighton market controls to a great extent the price of stock all over New England. The farmers of Princeton fatten, principally in the summer, from 400 to GOO or 700 head of cattle, and though but a small part of thera go to Brighton, most of them 1861. NEAV ENGLAND FARMER. 135 being slaughtered at home or sent to Worcester and the adjacent towns, still, the Brighton market controls the price, and we look to the weekly sales there, anxiously, to enable us to fix the honest value of our cattle at home. Yes, we bid you good speed in giving us more extended and val- uable accounts of the markets hereafter. I am glad the Farmer takes the lead in this reform. Princeton, Jan. 25, 1861. J. T. Everett. Remarks. — It is our desire to give the best report of the cattle market in our power, and we shall spare no proper efforts to do so. Friend Everett will please accept our thanks for his appreciation of them. AFRICAN" EXPLORATION— COTTON. Mr. Petherick, British Consul in the Soudan, ■who is about to proceed to Africa to explore the source of the Nile, recently delivered an address to the merchants of Liverpool. Consul Petherick has been fifteen years a resident of the interior of Africa ; and, under the auspices of the Royal Ge- ographical Society, he is about to commence an expedition from his residence at Khartum in the hope of meeting and assisting Captain Speke, who is starting from Lake Nayanza to explore the yet unknown district lying between there and Kon- dokoro, and where he hopes to be able to trace the source of the Nile. Mr. Petherick believes that the equatorial region of Africa is drained by a large tributary of the Congo, or some one or oth- er of the large streams that discharge themselves into the South Atlantic Ocean, and the result of establishing the existence of such a stream, he thus comments upon : "It is to this large and navigable river, in the most central point of Africa, that I look forward to establishing the first fruits of geographical dis- covery in connection with British commerce. If a channel, such as described, should be proved to lead from the seaboard into the very heart of Central Africa, the whole produce of the country, in addition to ivory, such as oils, seeds, hides, indigo, cotton, gums, India rubber, may be ob- tained in exchange for our manufacturers. In addition to India rubber, I have also discovered cochineal ; and with regard to cotton, they would observe that Dr. Livingstone stated that in his quarter of Africa, he found indigenous cotton growing in the country, without cultivation on the part of the people ; they found that the mis- sionaries in Abeokuta, going up the valley of the Niger, observed the same thing, and Mr. Pether- ick, going up the White Nile from the northward, found the people there growing and manufactur- ing cotton ; and on the gold coast, very large communities of people were engaged in tlae pro- duction of this article. In the quarter which he had visited, he ventured to say that cotton was not only abundant in quantity, but excellent in quality. He found in the country immediately in the interior of Sherboro, that cotton was the great staple article of production ; the people there ■were in the habit of producing and manufacturing it, and the clothes which they manufactured were of precisely the same quality as those which we found, from the accounts of missionaries, up the Niger, and highly valued by the people." For the New England Farmer. EXPERIMENTS IN TOP-DRESSING. Messrs. Editors : — There is no subject in ag- riculture deserving of more inquiry, and of greater importance to the farming interests, than the knowledge of the best kind of fertilizers to be used for top-dressing grass lands. As yet but lit- tle is actually known by which to arrive at any practical results, for obtaining the largest crop of grass. I have read carefully the remarks and dis- cussions had at the several meetings in the State House on the subject, and as yet am far from the information desired — theories and crude specula- tions will not enlighten me in the case, and it is only actual experiments and comparison of the several kinds of fertilizers in general use, that can aff'ord the valuable information so much wanted by every farmer. When these experiments are made and clearly explained, they will open to us a knowledge of vast importance. For what crop is there of greater value than the hay crop ? — With the present implements now used in hus- bandry, none can be more easily produced, for the means are within the reach of every one, either by owning or hiring the best mowers, tedders, and other machines necessary for the purpose. The desire of knowing something more definite and practical on this interesting subject, induced me the last season to institute, in a small way, a series of experiments, in the hope that I might derive some benefit myself and be useful to oth- ers. Accordingly, in April last I selected a field best adapted to the purpose, very uniform in the sward, free from shade and other objections — and staked out five several lots each, measuring 250 feet long by 45 feet wide, and top-dressed them with the various fertilizers, as follows : No. 1. — 2 cords of manure welt rotted and mixed with 1^ horse carts of soil. No. 2. — 12^ bushels leached wood ashes. No. 3. — 2 cords green cow manure, the droppings of only a few days before. No. 4. — 80 bushels unleached or dry wood ashes. No. 5. — 255 lbs. Peruvian Guano, mixed with 1^ horse-carts of brook-mud. The cost or value of the top-dressing, for each lot, was as near ten dollars as possible. The grass was very cai'efully cut, and made the first crop in July, the second in September, and ac- curately weighed, yielding as follows : First Crop. Second Crop. Aggregate. No. 1, 790 lbs 380 lbs 1170 fts... Compost. No. 2, 680 '• 440 " 1120 " ...Leached ashes. No. 3, 960 " 640 " 1600 " . ..Green cow manure. No. 4, 900 " b^.O " 1450 " ...Dry ashes. No. 5, 1300 " 370 " 1670 " ...Peruvian guano. 4630 lbs. 2330 lbs. 7010 lbs. You are aware the early spring was very dry, and quite a drought prevailed during the months of April and May. This, no doubt, retarded veg- etation, and checked, particularly, the fertilizing qualities of the ashes, as they laid in the sward for a length of time, as dry as when first spread. The copious rains, afterwards, produced a won- derful change in thickening up of the grass. The guano dressing, you will observe, produced much the largest quantity on the first crop, although very little more than the green cow manure with the aggregate of both crops. The second mowing of the guano lot disap- pointed me, and its short comings on the second crop, almost conclusively proved that it had lost 136 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. March much of its fertilizing properties in the pro- duction of the first crop of grass. It would not surprise me on the return of the next season, to find the green cov,' manure lot superior and more reliable than either of the other fertilizers, as a general dressing. Should the return of the next year's mowing result as I anticipate, I may possibly trespass upon your valuable paper at a future day. Richakd S. Rogers. Oak Hill, South Danvers, Jan. 25, 18G1. Remarks. — "We hope Mr. Rogers will con- tinue his valuable experiments and favor us with the results. They are just what is needed. By continuing them two or three years on the same field, they will go far to settle the question of comparative value between the different fertilizers he has used. We shall be glad to hear from Mr. R. on other topics. For the New England Farmer. JETHRO TULIi OJNT STIKKING THE SOIL. It is now more than a century since Jethro TuU undertook to show to the agricultural world, that manure was unnecessary in practical hus- bandry, and that the great desideratum was the frequent stirring of the soil. But while he failed in this, he proved that good tillage was very im- portant, though it could not supply the place of manure. Ml". Tull was an Englishman, and was educated for the law ; but his health being poor, he trav- elled on the continent. After returning, he set- tled on a small, but poor farm, and while here, his industry and mental activity made him more famous than he probably would have been in his original profession. He experimented and wrote books upon agriculture. Having seen some peasants on the continent frequently scarifying the soil around their grape vines, while using lit- tle or no manure, he assumed the hypothesis that good tillage was the only thing needful. A very unreasonable conclusion, indeed, but not more so than many other professional men have had the weakness to adopt at their sudden initiation into agriculture. He not only spoke and wrote against the economy of the use of manure, but he ruthlessly assailed as nauseous all garden vege- tables raised in it. This whim, however, has had its counterpart in more modern times ; for I well recollect that a member of an erratic Physiologi- cal Society in Boston, some dozen years since, placed a basket of potatoes, covered with a wire gauze, on the sidewalk opposite his place of busi- ness, labelled, ^'I'hi/siological Potatoes, raised without manure!" So it is that men "play their part in fortune's pageant," and in their persistent pride of opinion, frequently cultivate a moon-lit philosophy, which suddenly disappears in the stronger rays of day. Mr. Tull used to say that "Plants are earth, and they can't have too much of it." To well comminuted soil everything else was secondary. The truism, that "All forms that perish other forms supply," was so disregarded that he did not see that plants and animal substances, in their decomposition, furnish the only materials for new organizations. With a certain degree of success, however, he pursued his starving system of tillage for a few years, till at last all the available elements of his soil being exhausted by repeated pulverizations, he was obliged to resort to manure ! But so stub- bonly wedded was he to his theory, and so un- willing to admit the nutritive effect of manure, that he then affirmed that the only benefit from the fertilizers was the mechanical assistance which they rendered to the soil in its development of vegetable pabulum ! In other words, that the manure simply assisted in the further divisions of the earth, without adding anything of value. Mr. Tull died in 1740. Whether the pulverizing system, if true, would be economical, would depend upon the amount of tillage it demanded. But as it is of only second- ary importance, it is not worth while to calculate it. Undoubtedly, the frequent stirring of the soil makes it a more ready receptacle of the gases, rains and dev.s, and these afford positive nutri- ment. Besides this, the more a soil is pulver- ized, the more readily it parts with the important elements it may contain — whether organic or in- organic— the more it will nourish plants, but the sooner, of course, it will become exhausted of what it possesses. And to prevent this barren- ness, manure is the obvious remedy. West Medford, Jan., 1861. D. w. L. For the New England Farmer. ■WIN-TEEljXrO- BEES. In the Farmer of Jan. 12th, is an article on wintering bees, that indicates that the writer has had considerable experience and observation. — The bee-keeper who winters his bees in the open air, would do well to heed his advice. There is one point, however, in which he is mistaken, that I would correct. He says that "Quinby and Langstroth state that they have wintered swarms on four, five and six pounds of honey." In this he must be mistaken, as far as I am concerned. I really would not dare to advance any such idea. In fact I do not believe that an ordinary sized colony could be wintered on that amount. I have weighed a great many hives, and the least honey that a colony has consumed in six months, from Oct. to April was fourteen pounds. I have had others, at the sametime, that consumed 17,18 and one even 21 pounds. They will average about 18. If the spring is unfavorable, a good, large colony will consume, from the first of April till they get a full supply from clover, as much more, provided it is on hand — probably used in rearing brood ; with but little honey, less brood is reared. I am satisfied that bees consume less honey when wintered in the house, than in the open air. But in no case would I recommend risking a stock with much less than 25 lbs. of stores, unless they could receive attention in the spring, and be fed if necessary. M. Quinby. St. Johnsville, N. Y. New Frtjits. — Among the new fruits we find noticed in several of our exchanges are Moore's Pear, which Ilorefs Magazine notices as one of the most valuable of all varieties — larger than the Doyenne Boussock. 1861. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 137 A WINTER AQRICUIiTUBAL VISIT. A Good Company — Deep Snows — A Siitn Out — Apple Crop — Large Stock of Ca,ttle— Fine Ayrshire Cows anfi Hoif-rs — Cut p'orider — Steaming Food — MilU Dusiness — Chat at the Dinner-Table, and a new pow- er in agricultural pursuits. AST WEEK we had the pleasure of making a winter agricultural visit to the farm of H. H. Pe- TEKS, Esq., in Southboro'. Mr. P. had a thorough training on the farm in his youth, and a love for the calling, which no blandishments of the counting-house or com- mercial enterprise could ever eradicate. Influenced, however, by a desire to see a little more of the world, and to indulge the feelings of romance so common to our young men, he Avent to California, and amid the varied turnings of fortune's wheel, came out at the "top of the heap," with his "pockets full of rocks;" and then, like a sensible man, came back to his native New England, and to the cultivation of the soil. His farm consists of about three hun- dred acres, of moist, granitic soil, made up of hill and vale, giving him such a variety in texture and position, as to enable him to cultivate suc- cessfully most of the crops common in Massachu- setts. We were accompanied by Mr. George M. Barrett, who usually winters from fifty to sev- enty-five head of cattle, and who is well known by cattle dealers as a breeder of fine AjTshire stock ; by Elijah Wood, Jr., a gentleman who is managing, with a decided profit, some six hundred acres of land, and who had at one time last winter ninety-nine head of cattle in the lean- tos. Our third companion was Dr. Joseph Rey- nolds, a physician and chemist, a gentleman im- bued with a deep love for farming, and who tills his few acres skillfully and profitably. The writer finished out the quartette, and it may not be vani- ty to say, that, with this aggregation of a practi- cal knowledge of farming, scientific attainment and long and scrutinizing observation, it was a company abundantly capable of examining and criticising what our host had to present. Snow drifts impeded our progress somewhat, as we were obliged to travel occasionally on a level with the tops of the stone walls. Approach- ing within a mile of the pleasant village of South- boro', we saw a sign of the farm we were looking for ; not a sign which indicated that a tavern was near, as in the halcyon days of stages and six miles an hour, but a sign set in the ground, a sign of thrift and progress, in the shape of six acres set to dwarf and standard pears. The crop for the last season we did not think to inquire for. We observed two or three fine young or- chards, and many old trees that had been worked over. His crop of apples last fall was but a little less than a thousand barrels. In his stalls we found about seventy-five head of cattle and three or four horses. Twenty-five head of the cattle * low flowering plants, which appear to very pretty advantage in contrast with the deep green back- ground of the Arbor Vita). Dwarf-growing roses — especially of shades of red — are very beautiful in such a contrast. Many other flowering plants will suggest themselves to every one. After preparing the ground — which is always the first thing to be attended to in projecting a plantation of any kind — a very important point is choosing the proper kind of plants. If taken from the woods and planted without further edu- cation into the hedge row, probably not more than every other one would live, and of these one-half more would so far fall behind the rest in health and vigor as to make the entire plant- ing a failure. If, then, you are to rely upon the woods and fields for a stock of plants, choose those as uniform in size as possible, not more than one foot in height, and well furnished with branches. Set them out in rows in well prepared ground, so that they may be cultivated and kept clean. In two years, the majority of them will have become handsome, stocky plants ; and, when taken up, Avill be found to have a mass of fine fibrous roots, rendering them sure to live, and well adapted to thrive in their future resting-places. However, these two years of time and labor may be saved ; for plants like those described may generally be obtained at the nurseries very cheaply. And as a row of such plants becomes an object of beauty from the very commence- ment, we may consider that it is money well expended. In short, nothing, in all the opera- tions of horticulture, yields so sure and quick returns as this. Evergreens should always be set in the spring. When the plants are received and unpacked, carefully separate and spread open the roots : cut ofi" all broken por- tions, lay them in the ground until ready to plant out, and by all means avoid contact with wind and sun. Puddle the roots in a mixture of water and clay, with a little decayed manure ; then plant immediately by a line, tak- ing care not to crowd the roots, but spread them out evenly ; cover them with fine earth, and press the ground firmly about the plant. It is well to mulch the ground with coarse manure, but it is not necessary — always supposing the border to be kept well cultivated. The proper distance for planting is about one foot apart. Nothing is gained by having more than a single row of plants. The after culture is exceedingly simple and easily remembered. During the first year the plants need nothing but to be kept clean — occa- sionally, perhaps, cutting off a straggling shoot. The second spring from setting, stretch a line firmly and evenly across the top of the plants, and cut off all shoots appearing above the line. Stretch the line again on either side, at the base of the plants, and trim up to it. Thus we have the bottom or base, and the apex of the hedge 150 KEW ENGLAND FARMER. March fixed, and if these are true, the rest becomes easy. Shear all off evenly between these points, and * we have the form of a triangular prism, which, in the opinion of the writer, is the best, both as regards beauty and well-being of the hedge. Practically, it should not be sheared quite to a point on top, but nearly so. The shape of the one represented in the drawing is varied a little from that described, by being rounded a little ; but in practice it is difficult to make this perfect- ly true, which mars the beauty of the whole. However, every one may consult his own taste ; and skill in manipulating the shears is only gained by experience. After the third year, the hedge needs only to be trimmed evenly at midsummer, and it will soon become dense and smooth. — Ru- ral Annual. EXTB.ACTS AND BEPLIES. BITING HORSES — UPLAND CRANBERRIES — ESSAY ON MANURES. You tell us, and tell truly, that to whip a con- trary horse is not the way. How is it in regard to a disposition to bite ? Can this be corrected by the whip ? Does it pay, as a general thing, to attempt to cultivate the upland cranberry ? If so, where can plants be obtained, with directions as to soil, cultivation, &c.? Where can Reynolds' "Essay on Manures" be obtained ? E. Framingham, Jan. 19, 1861. Remarks. — Kindness, if anything, will cure a horse of any bad habit. The law of love will do more for any creature, man or beast, than all the parchment laws that were ever framed. Make the horse understand by all the means in your power that you are his friend — that you will not hurt him, and you will soon find a wonderful sympathy growing up between you. This is the whole secret of Mr. Rarey's wonderful power over horses. Cranberries can be raised on moist upland. Get the plants from some meadow in your neigh- borhood that produces good fruit. A few copies of Reynolds' "Essay on Manures," might, perhaps, be obtained from him at Concord, or of the Massachusetts Society for the Promo- tion of Agriculture. A GOOD HORSE CART. If the following is regarded by you an answer to the inquiry for a description of a good horse cart, you can use it. In the spring of 1856, I concluded to do my work with a horse, and wanted a wagon and cart both, which lead me to conceive of the plan. I had a stout wagon built. The fore-axles were \% inches, hind 15 inch, tire 2 inches wide ; oth- erwise light as could be to correspond. Had the rocker and hind axle connected l)y three pieces, the same as a light wagon, the body connected to those by bolts, which may at pleasure be taken out and the body placed back on the hind wheels and attached by hooks so that it will tip as a cart. The only disadvantages are, it requires more room to turn than with two wheels, and the fore wheels are somewhat in the way about unloading. The advantages are, a horse works much easier than on two wheels, and I think will draw more over plowed ground and rough land. The short body is easily laid aside, and a long rack put on for hay by bolting this extra rocker up to the rack body. The economy is, the one carriage answers every purpose of farm work, saving also extra harness. After so long trial, I would not exchange for cart and wagon. Londonderry, N. II., 1861. J. A. Holmes. REMEDY FOR CHOKED CATTLE. I noticed the inquiry in the Farmer for some remedy to relieve choked cattle, and have read the several answers. Permit me, Mr. Editor, from actual observation, to give my experience. A few months ago, while on a visit to a friend, a valuable ox was choked with a large potato while driving through the potato field ; the ox appeared in great distress, and began to bloat very badly. It was evident he could not live long unless re- lieved. The usual remedies were talked over, when an old lady came to the rescue. She said that in her younger days they used to turn down warm lard in such a case. Accordingly the ox's head was fastened and about a pint of Avarm lard turned down his throat through a tin horn, and in less than two minutes the potato was thrown to the ground. WASHING FLUID. Can you, or some of your subscribera, give a good recipe for washing fluid, and thus help an old lady to keep good natured on washing day ? Bridgeport, Vt., Jan., 1861. Experience. Hot Beds. — You who love the garden, and in- tend that your tables shall be graced with the del- icacies of the season, will not forget to prepare the hot bed in good time. Do not look upon it as a scientific operation, one requiring a carpen- ter or any other artizan to construct it, but take the square, saw and hammer, and make it your- self in double-quick-time. Purchase the sash, if you have no old ones. In some sheltered and sunny spot, throw out the earth to the depth of a foot, fill in with horse manure, and on that six inches of fine loam or leaf mould, and put on the glass. Water properly, and when the whole is sufficiently warm, put in the seeds. A Hot Bed in the Kitchen. — A peck mea- sure, an old box or earthen pot may be filled with proper soil, and tomatoes, lettuce, radishes, cab- bages and other edibles started successfully with- out the cost of anything but a little pleasant care — and the pleasure of seeing them burst into life, and grow, will repay all this, to say nothing of the fun of eating them. Will the women see that this is done ? 1861. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 151 Worcester Agricultural Society. — Through the attention of the President, we have read the Transactions of the Worcester County Agricultural Society for the year 1 860, being the forty-second annual report ! It contains no ad- dress, as has been usual. The first report is upon Sheep — A. G, Hill, Chairman, and says — "It has been asserted — and we have no reason to doubt the fact — that to a pasture that will keep a given number of cows, as many sheep may be added without impairing its fertility. And as six sheep require about the same amount of food as a cow, per day, — or 2^ or 3 per cent, of their •weight, — it will be seen that a farmer can pasture a few sheep with his neat stock, with little or no added expense, and at the same time increase the fertility of the land. By stabling our dairy cows at night as is the general custom, our pastures are becoming rapidly exhausted." It has a long and excellent report upon Fndt, by Samuel A. Cushing. Is Mr. Gushing ac- quainted with the "Hunt Russet" apple ? The officers for 1861 are. President, William S. Lincoln, Worcester. Vice-Presidents, George HoBBs, Worcester; Augustus G. Hill, Har- vard. Recording and Corresponding Secretary, John D. Washburn, Worcester. Treasurer, Charles M. Miles, Worcester. Stifle Joint Lameness is apt to affect young colts, and is produced by the wearing away of the toe. It is in fact the dislocation of the pa- tella or knee pan. It is most prevalent when the animal is kept on hard, hilly ground. The best remedy is to have him shod, and remove him to level ground. HORTICULTURAL HINTS. The Sweet Pea. — One of the most beautiful and fragrant of our annual flowers, is the sweet pea. It is a little singular that it is so little cul- tivated, when we consider how easy its cultiva- tion is, how graceful, varied and beautiful its flow- ers, and how delightful their perfume. The col- ors of the flowers are white, scarlet, rose, purple, variegated and black. A hybrid sweet pea has been raised by an English florist, Capt. Clarke, being a cross between the "painted lady" and "purple sweet pea." This beautiful variety has upper petals of a delicate rose color, and the low- er ones white, with a deep blue edge. The sweet pea, in good ground, will grow six feet high, and will make a handsome screen or covering for a fence. They will require a trellis or frame of some sort for support, or they will cling to strings. If brush should be used, as for garden peas, care should be taken to select the best, so that until it is covered with the vines it may be as unobjectionable as possible. At best, however, brush is unsightly, and should never be used if a frame or trellis of any sort can be pro- cured. The sweet pea, like the common garden peas, may be planted as early in the season as the ground is in fit condition. It will be necessary to plant for succession in June, although if the flowers are cut when they begin to Mither, and not allowed to mature their seeds, they will con- tinue in bloom a great length of time, particular- ly if the season be moist. The flowers are valuable for bouquets, being both beautiful in appearance and delicious in per- fume, qualities not often combined in the same flower. — Country Gentleman. Growing Hyacinths in Glasses. — The fol- lowing directions are given in the Irish Farmer's Gazette, in answer to an inquiry : If your hyacinths are grown in glasses with water, dark colored glasses are best, and the wa- ter should not be allowed to rise more than to touch the bottom of the bulb ; otherwise they will rot. When first put in the glasses, they should be stored away in a dark, cool place, till the roots are about an inch long. If the roots do not grow vigorously, give two or three drops of hartshorn in each fresh supply of water, and put in the glass a small lump of charcoal. The water should be changed every fortnight, or three weeks at far- thest; but to do this the plant must not be taken out, but the glass held horizontally, and the wa- ter poured off. Soft or rain water should always be used. By this mode of treatment, and not keeping them in too warm or close a place, they will bloom beautifully. If you grow them in pots, they should have plenty of light and air, that they be not too much drawn. The bottom of the pot should have plenty of broken tiles in it, to allow of perfect drainage ; and be frequently, but mod- erately supplied with water. It is very destruc- tive to them to be placed in saucers filled with water. The saucers should be kept dry. Any drainage pouring into it from the pot should be removed ; so that the drainage may always be perfect. Whether in pots or glasses, the flowers should be well supported with sticks, or they will get top-heavy, fall down, and get destroyed, and shift the plants round a little every day, to pre- vent them growing to one side. Hyacinths. — A correspondent asks us, "Why do hyacinth bulbs, if grown in water, exhaust themselves in a single season, Avhile, if grown in soil, they will last three or four years ?" Answer. — The amount of inorganic matter fur- nished by the water is sufficient to give such a result as will last during the season. An organ- ism to be perfect, must be supplied with as much inorganic matter as it is capable of appropriating, to complete itself; in other words, the same amount, and in the same state of progression as that which would be exhibited in the ashes of a healthy plant of the same kind if burnt. — Work- ing Farmer. Hardy Climbing Roses. — A good assortment of these are : Prairie Queen, bright rose, very double ; Baltimore Belle, white, clusters. A good, hardy yellow can only be had among the briar sorts, of which the Harrisonii is a fine brilliant variety. For purple, take the Boursault Purpu- rea. Anne Maria, a rosy pink, and Mrs. Hovey, a pure white, are also good sorts. — American Ag- rivullnrist. 152 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. March Everbearing Raspberries. — There is no rea Bon why we may not one day have perpetual rasp- berries as well as perpetual roses ; there is noth ing unreasonable or im])ossible in it, but yet we have not seen anything of the kind. People will differ in their tastes, and some wish to have rasp berries, or some other distinctive variety of fruit ever before them, while others of us think that the gradual succession in the natural order of ri pening of different kinds of fruits, from early summer to the end of winter, is more in accord ance with the intent of the wise Giver of all these good gifts. — Dr. Warder, in Cincinnatus. Parisian Mode of Roasting Apples. — Select the largest apples ; scoop out the core without cutting quite through ; fill the hollow with butter and fine, soft sugar ; let them roast in a slow oven, and serve up with the syrup. — Maine Far- mer. LADIES' DEPARTMENT. FOR WHAT CHILDREN ARE MOST GRATEFUL. Parents spend a life of toil in order to leave their children wealth, to secure them social posi- tion or other worldly advantages. I do not un- derrate the worth of these things. Had they not been valuable, there would not have been so many providential arrangements impelling men to seek them. I would not only show that there is something of infinitely greater value, not only to the parent, but to be transmitted to the child. What does the child most love to remember ? I never heard a child express any gratification or pride that a parent had been too fond of accumu- lating money, though the child at that moment, ■was enjoying that accumulation. But I have heard children, though their inheritance had been crippled and cut down by it, say, with a glow of satisfaction on their features, that a parent had been too kind-hearted, too hosnitable, too liberal and public-spirited, to be a very prosperous man. A parent who leaves nothing but wealth, or simi- lar social advantages, to his children, is apt to be speedily forgotten. However it ought to be, parents are not partic- ularly held in honor by children because of the ■worldly advantages they leave them. These are received as a matter of course. There is compar- atively little gratitude for this. The heir of an empire hardly thanks him who bequeathed it. He more often endeavors before his time to thrust him from his throne. But let a child be able ta say, My father was a just man, he was affection- ate in his home, he was tender-hearted, he was useful in the community and loved to do good in society, he was a helper of the young, the poor, the unfortunate, he was a man of principle, liber- al, upright, devout — and the child's memory cleaves to that parent. He honors him, reveres him, treasures his name and his memory, thinks himself blest in having had such a jjarent, and the older he grows, instead of forgetting, only re- veres and honors and remembers him the more. Here is experience and affection sitting in judg- ment on human attainments. It shows what is most worth the seeking. — Ephraim Peabody. LITTLE CHILDREN'S DRESSES — NAKED ARMS AND NECKS. A distinguished physician, who died some years since in Paris, declared : "I believe that during the twenty-six years I have practiced my profession in this city, 20,000 children have been carried to the cemeteries, a sacrifice to the ab- surd custom of exposing their arms naked." I have often thought, if a mother were anxious to show the soft, white skin of her baby, and would cut a round hole in the little thing's dress, just over the heart, and then carry it about for observation by the company, it would do very little harm. But to expose the baby's arms, mem- bers so far removed from the heart, and with such feeble circulation at best, is a most pernicious practice. Put the bulb of a thermometer in a baby's mouth ; the mercury rises to 99 degrees. Now carry the same bulb to its little hand ; if the arms be bare and the evening cool, the mercury will sink 40 degrees. Of course, all the blood which flows through these arms and hands must fall from 20 to 40 degrees below the temperature of the heart. Need I say that when these cold cur- rents of blood flow back into the chest, the child's general vitality must be more or less compro- mised ? And need I add that we ought not to be surprised at its frequently occasioning affections of the lungs, throat and stomach ? I have seen more than one child with habitual cough and hoarseness, or choking with mucus, entirely and permanently relieved by simply keeping its arms and hands warm. Every ob- serving and progressive physician has daily op- portunities to witness the same simple cure. — Lewis's New Gymnastics. Wedding Ceremonies on the Alps. — There are still many of the old customs remaining, of which one of the most peculiar is the wedding, which has some of the featui-es of those in the northern part of Germany. An orator is the bearer of invitations, who is often the village school-master. He makes a formal speech before every house, which all the people run to near. On the morning of the wedding, he accompanies the bridegroom and groomsmen to the house of the bride, where they breakfast together ; after which he makes a speech to the father and moth- er, recounting to them all the noble qualities of the bridegroom, and beseeching them to give their daughter willingly away, as he is sure a long life of happiness is in store for her. A rival orator then "takes the word," and presents the dark side of the picture, all the difficulties of the new posi- tion and the virtues of the bride. After this par- liamentary discussion, the bride departs with her betrothed for church, amidst prayers and tears, and good wishes : and to keep up her spirits, musicians cheer her way with song. — The Cotta- ges of the Alps, by a Lady. Delicacy. — Shame is a feeling of profanation. Friendship, love and piety ought to be handled with a sort of mysterious secrecy ; they ought to be spoken of only in the rare moments of perfect confiJence — to be mutually understood in silence. Many things are too delicate to be thought ; many more, to be spoken. — Novalis. ^^^h^ DEVOTED TO AGRICtrLTTJKE AND ITS KINDRED ABTS AND SCIENCES, VOL. XIII. BOSTON, APRIL, 1861. NO. 4. NOURSE, EATON & TOLMAN, Proprietors. cTTv/r,->ivT B-D^TinvT ti-mt^^-o FREP'K HOLBROOK, ) Ai OFFICK....34 JIEECUAMS' Row. MMOH BKOWW, EDITOR. HENRY F. FRENCH, j E associat Editors FAKM WOKK FOR APRIL. "The lark sits high in the walnut tree, And it rains, it rains, it rains ; A jolly philosopher sure is he, Wliile it rains, it rains, it rains ; Blithely he looks at the meadows below. Where his nest will be when the grass blades grow. And pours out his song in a liquid flow, While it rains, it rains, it rains." c . . HE active season for the farmer opens with April, when the va- ried labors that are '^T^T' " \ \ 'to come before him ~flim\\ S through the months which are to supply his crops, demand es- pecial attention. If a man of forecast and system, like a pru- dent general who per- fects his plans before he enters the field of his campaign, he has mapped out his plans, and has them all at his command, so that men nor teams ever wait for him to decide what is to be done with this field or that. April brings a revivification of nature, and this inspires us all with new life, hope and ambi- tion. The opening flower, springing grass, the lowing herds, and other cheerful voices of ani- mated nature, all serve to kindle in us a new class of emotions of the most agreeable kind. The la- bor of the farmer leads him into the midst of these kindly influences, where he may meditate upon their connection with his labors, and, with his springing plants, rise rapidly towards heaven himself. In this pleasant field of labor, then, let us see what is to be done. Clean Surroundings. — Nothing is more im- portant than to make Home pleasant and attrac- tive, and the first step towards this, is to make its approaches clean. As soon as the snow is off". the frost out, and the surface settled, put the hoe and rake in use to gather up whatever rubbish may have accumulated about the buildings during the winter. In this work you will need a sliort tooth rake. When this is done, sweep the lawn, and issue a decree, that whosoever defiles it with sticks, chips, bits of paper, old rags, bones or egg shells, shall not only remove them instantly,, but be fined a dime for each ofi"ence, or be posted on the walls of the house, as a — .sloven ! Who ever approached a farm-house and found around the buildings a neat little lawn, with its velvet carpet of richest green, and not a blemisJi upon it, without thinking, if not saying, "This is the abode of neatness and tranquillity — the graces are here, let us enter and enjoy them ?" The Wood Pile. — Do not allow this to remain unhoused till midsummer. It is money at inter- est, under cover, where it can receive a daily air- ing. Out of doors, it is a blotch in the surround- ings, unless neatly piled and covered with boards. Droppings in Mowing Fields. — Where cat- tle fed on mowing grounds, last autumn, little heaps will be found, and unless scattered and broken to pieces will be uncomfortable in haying time. Broken, and dissolved by rains, they be- come valuable fertilizers. Close fall feeding, by the way, is a wretched policy — scarcely anything is more fatal to the grass ; it is much like con- tinually stripping a plant of its foliage, and ex- pecting it to flourish. After grass is cut to be made into hay, the roots have sufficient strength left to throw out new leaves, and these, in turn, are wanted to invigorate the roots, and when the leaves are cropt ofl" day after day, the roots are so weakened that they cannot withstand the drought of autumn or the cold of winter, and the gi-ass "runs out," as it is called. Close fall feed- ing of mowing lands, is more costly than feeding the stock on hay and grain. Overhaul Manures. — If manure is to be spread upon the sward and plowed under, no mat- ■ 154 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. April ter how green and crude it is, and all overhaul- ing will only impair its value for such a purpose. But if it is to be spread on sward land after it is plowed, it should be overhauled once or twice, and made as fine as possible, and then plowed under only two or three inches. If fine, it can be more evenly distributed over the field, and more con- veniently and certainly got under the surface. The rains penetrate it more readily, and wash out its fertilizing properties and convey them to the roots of the plants. If fine, it comes in contact with a lajger portion of the surrounding minerals, bringing them to act together, and thus furnish sustenance for the growing crops. On the other hand, if it is coarse, it requires nearly double the labor to get it under the soil, and a considerable portion will be left on the sur- face, in the way of the hoe, and drying up so as to supply little to the plants that need it. The action alluded to in the preceding paragraph is also lost, which is an essential loss. If, however, manure can be applied to stubble land in the fall, and plowed under six or eight inches, it may be put on in a crude state, and we think there is no other way in lohich it can be ap- plied with so much advantage. There is a little loss in overhauling manure heaps, in the escape of its ammonia, undoubtedly, but that loss is unimportant, compared with that of using it in a coarse condition, so that it cannot be intimately mingled with the soil. Fences. — So soon as the absence of frost will permit, make new, or repair old, fences, and do the work so thoroughly that no animal will be tempted to "commit a "breach of the peace." Animals may be educated to become unruly as well as humans, but with good fences and a rea- sonable pasturage, few will become "unruly." Such as are found to inherit the "original sin" should go to steaks and sii-loins as soon as pos- sible. PoAcniNG. — It used to be the practice — per- haps it is now with some farmers — to allow cat- tle to run over the mowing fields and through the orchards as soon as the snow left the ground. Was it a good practice ? Why not ? Will some one tell us ? The Oat Crop. — On lands that are sufficiently dry, it is advisable to get in oats as early as pos- sible, so that the work of seeding may be out of the way, and that the crop may be taken off the ground, and give the young grass opportunity to get thoroughly established before freezing weather. Draining. — August and September are pre- eminently the months for this work, but if time can be found to drain that disagreeable and un- profitable piece of land that lies so near the house, it would be a great comfort to the women to have it done. Besides, that is the best acre of grass land on the farm, and drained and top-dressed a little annually, it would yield two tons per acre, for twenty years in succession. Of course, there are many other things to be done on the farm in April, which will suggest themselves to him who has the responsibility of attending to them. He must remember that a good start generally accomplishes about one-half the thing to be done, and that it is the laggard who is forever grumbling and puffing and blow- ing and trying to catch up with the world, but never does it. It is an exceedingly disagreeable state of mind, always to feel in a hurry. Let us, then, be up with the season in our work, be contented and cheerful, and full of well-founded hope of progress and profit through the growing months. "The crocuses put up their lit'le heads, While it rains, it rains, it rains; And the pink spires spring from their chilly beds, While it rains, it rains, it rains ; The peach blossoms whisper within their cells, ' We will open our eyes and peep from our bells, While it rains, it rains, it rains.' " HORSE TAMING. Want of space prevented our enumerating the different animals experimented on by Mr. Rarey at his first exhibition. The third one introduced was a wild horse from South America, whose nu- merous antics on entering, made very evident the statement of Mr. Rarey that "he had never been broke except to the halter." But before the nim- ble mustang left he was thoroughly "broke" in every sense of the word, and had effectually learned the lesson which the tamer impresses up- on every horse which comes under his influence, that "man is the master." In less than fifteen minutes time, this rampant little nag had become the very pattern of gentleness and humility. So there was no further use for him, and he was led away bestowing, as he disappeared, a remarkably meek look upon the audience, as much as to say, "I'm a used up horse." After the exhibition of two diminutive Shetland ponies, a magnificent stallion was led in by the attendants, who were careful to keep at a good distance from him, us- ing all the latitude the ropes allowed of. He was indeed a magnificent specimen of horse flesh, with an eye betokening almost human intelligence, and which excited a murmur of approbation from the whole audience. A most vicious beast, for four years he had been entirely unmanageable, having killed two keepers, and injured several others. He kicked, struck with his fore feet, and repeat- edly endeavored to bite the tamer, through his heavy muzzle. But it v/as all labor lost ; he fared no better than his predecessors, and in a short time was so thoroughly subjugated as to allow Mr. Rarey to sit upon his back, handle his fore and hind feet, even lay them on his face, pull him about the stage while stretched on his back, and most surprising of all, to remove the muzzle and thrust his hand, and then his arm, into the ani- mal's mouth. 1861. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 155 In this subduing process, the first end to be at- tained by the subduer is a thorough understand- ing between himself and the horse. The animal must be convinced by a certain course of humane treatment — he never can be by ill usage — that man is his master, and by quiet submission no harm or suffering will come to him ; make this im- pression upon him, and he yields himself complete- ly to your power. To accomplish this, Mr. Rarey, with a skilful manoeuvre, manages to take away the use of one leg by attaching a strap to the fet- lock, -which is then drawn up through the girth or belly-band, and fastened short enough to re- move the foot from the floor. After the lapse of a few moments the other fore leg is treated in the same manner, and the horse is thrown upon his knee-joints. In this condition he is powerless, yet does not give up. But seeing that his exer- tions to rise or to injure the tamer are futile, in a few moments he rolls over upon his side thor- oughly conquered. The principal object is ac- complished, and now that he is in his power, the tamer caresses him, strokes his mane, lies by his side with his arm encircling his neck, and thus convinces the animal that he would not harm him on any account. He perceives no ill disposition in the master, and he will manifest none himself. A feeling of sympathy has been established be- tween man and beast. This constitutes the whole secret of Mr, Rarey's wonderful power over horses. A single lesson will not suffice, as is generally supposed, but four or five days are required to accomplish the complete subjugation of an ani- mal. Besides proving so clearly this general principle, which should be followed by horse man- agers, Mr. Rarey has presented some most valu- able suggestions as to the best method of lifting a horse's foot from the ground, mounting the sad- dle, and stopping the animal when attempting to run away. I have often, said he, been angry with farriers for the bungling and careless way in which they took hold of a hoof, when about to shoe it. There is a right and wrong way. Don't grab at it, as if it was a roasted apple in a furnace, but begin thus — pat the horse's neck, pat his shoulder, lean yourself familiarly against the upper part of his leg, run your hand gently and soothingly down to his foot, and then easily, steadily (not steady by jerks) take it up — all motive for resistance be- ing absent, the foot will lie peacefully in the hand, the nerves are relaxed, and you can throw it up, and up, and there will be no trouble. In mounting a horse, many people go to work with the wrong end first, as indeed they do about everything. It's as simple as possible. You don't want to have all of your weight come on one side of the horse ; if you do, the saddle is drawn on one side, and it is not easy for the horse to sustain it, but you should now place your hand on his neck, bearing thereon so that the hand shall balance the foot, then spring lightly in. You can do this as well when the saddle is ungirded as when tightly fastened. In the head the horse has immense power. No man can ever hope to hold in a running horse by pulling evenly upon the bit ; he might as well try to lift himself over the fence by pull- ing at his boot-straps ; it can't be done. When a horse's head is turned to one side he is com- pelled to so arrange his legs that they will prop- erly balance him — he cannot run forward — there- fore my advice would be, if a horse is riwining away, or if he refuses to go, to pull tightly as I now do upon the right rein, and force the horse to describe a circle for an indefinite period of time, after which, you may depend upon it, he will not attempt the same trick. For the New England Farmer. THE PLUM WEEVIIj. Mr. Editor : — I read with great pleasure the various contributions on the subject of Insects in your valued paper, but regret the ignorance which seems to prevail with regard to the natural laws which govern them, and control their habits and transformations. My attention was called par- ticularly to a communication in the paper of Feb. 9, from your correspondent, Mr. White, of So. Hadley, which I will proceed to discuss, if he will excuse the liberty, for the sake of the motive. For the destruction of insects on the plum tree, he re- commends vials of sv/eetened water hung from the limbs ; stating that he has found in them hundreds of insects that he had never before seen. I feel no hesitation in saying that in the whole number of species in those vials he never found more than one, if any, specimen of the plum weevil, or curculio, the only insect which may be considered the enemy of the plum, and which has caused the abandonment of that branch of fruit-growing throughout the country. Many species of moths, flics, wasps, and occasionally a beetle or two, most of which are injurious to veg- etation, though not to the plum ti-ees, are the re- sult of these vials ; therefore they can be hung on any tree with equal, and even greater propriety than on the plum. They are of considerable ser- vice on the apple tree in capturing the parent of the core-worm, and on the cherry they Avill kill many moths whose larvte are injurious to leaves. No certain remedy has yet been discovered for the devastations of the curculio, except constant watchfulness and labor in jarring the trees dur- ing the season of their attacks, which extends from the time the j'oung fruit reaches the size of a small pea, to the fourth or fifth week after. Mr. W.'s receipt for killing rose-bugs is excel- lent, and is equally useful for the small green lice which overrun the tender shoots of various shrubs and plants. In the last of the paragraph, howev- er, he says : "These fellows, as soon as they have shed their yellow wings, attack horses, being the small horse-fly which is so troublesome through the summer." Some slight similarity in color or size between the rose-bug and some of our sum- mer flies, must have led him into this strange er- ror, for the rose-bug, as it is called, is a beetle, which, being gifted with hard and horny jaws for eating leaves, and double wings, the upper pair of which are also hard and shell-like, while the lower are folded beneath them, never changes in form, habits or appetite, after it emerges from the earth. The various species of horse-flies, on the contrary, have a long sharp sucker, or trunk, through which they suck the blood of animals ; without jaws or biting apparatus of any kind. They have only two wings, which are never fold- ed, but always ready for flight, and their bodies are of much softer consistency than the beetles Andovcr, March, 1861. F. G. Sanborn. 156 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. April For the New England Farmer, STONE W^ALL vs. 'WOODEN PENCE. Use ok Small liocKs — Good Kuads — Um>i;iu>is. The Secretary says : The ravages of frost have been very ex- tensive, and the destruction of the grass crop, in many portions of the State, has very materially diminished the dairy products in quantity, and has very considerably affected the quality of the butter, in some portions of the season. The one acre. 17^7 _i- ii 113 57 4^ 4J 1 (( The force with which a solid body, falling upon a solid surface, will strike, is equal to the ■weight of the body multiplied by the square root of sixty-four and one-third times the hight in feet of the fall. A body faUing through one foot, strikes with eight times its own weight. 1021 5 Suppose you have a piece of meadow land, measuring for instance, five acres, and wish to know how many loads of sand will be required to cover the entire surface two inches thick. As one acre 12 inches deep contains 1021 loads, 5 acres will contain 5 times as much, or and as 12 inches is 6 times as much as 2 inches, divide by 6, 6'\5105 loads, and we have 851 loads, as the quantity required. Suppose you apply 72 bushels of ashes to an acre, how does it compare in bulk to the soil ? 1 bushel equals -5-5^^0-3, then 72 bushels -will equal T^^iTS' which can be reduced to a smaller fraction of neai-ly the same value by dividing the numer 194 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. April ator and denominator by 72, the result is about •;j-|-g-. Or, again, as 72 is 12 times G, the fraction opposite 6 should be multiplied by 12; we shall then see that 72 bushels will equal -j|fT' or about ■y-W of the bulk of the soil. If you apply 30 loads of manure, the bulk will be 10 times as much as for 3 loads, and will be represented by -^f^ = ^^. If you apply 20 cords of manure, the bulk will equal the fraction opposite 2, multiplied by 10, or Jy^yiinz^V, or the fraction opposite 4, multiplied K ; Jy, or the fraction opposite 5, mul- tiplied by 4, or ^"^^z^z-^j, &c. A similar table is given below, in which the quantities are represented by decimal, instead of vulgar fractions, by which those accustomed to the use of decimals can make up readily and ac- curately, the comparative bulk of any number of bushels, tons, loads or cords. DECIMAL TABLE. Tons in tlie Tons in the Bushels. Only State. Dry State. Loads. Cords. Acre = 3o003 2757 2060 1021 340 1. = .0000286 .0003627 .0004854 .0009794 .0029383 2. = .0000.371 .0007253 .0009709 .0019589 .0058766 3. = .00008.57 .0010880 .0014.563 .0029383 .0088146 4. ;= .0001143 .0014.507 .0019418 .0039177 .0117531 f). =: .0001428 .0018133 .0024272 .0048972 .0140914 6. =: .0001714 .0021760 .0029127 .0058766 .0176298 7. = .0002000 .002.5387 .0033981 .0068563 .02a5672 8. — .0002286 .0029013 .0038835 .0078355 .023.5062 9. = .0002.571 .0032640 .0043690 .0088144 .0264445 The weight of an acre of soil one foot deep, in its ordinary state, is 5,514,G96 pounds ; in a thoroughly dried state, 4,119,905 pounds. J. Herbert Shedd, Ageicultural Esginbek. Boston, Feb. 12, 1861. AQBICTTLTUKAL SURVEY OF SOMERSET COUNTY, MAINE. Although the "Massachusetts Society for the Promotion of Agriculture" is less demonstrative than some younger institutions, yet its record shows that it has initiated some of the most im- portant agricultural movements which have been made in New England within the last half cen- tury, and that its influence is still felt for good. The ^^Agricultural Survey of Middlesex County" by Dr. Joseph Reynolds, of Concord, published in the Transactions of the Society last year, is destined to prove like good seed on good ground, and bear an abundant crop of information re- specting the agricultural condition and capacities of other sections of our own State, and of other States, especially in New England, We are wait- ing with interest to see the forthcoming number of the Transactions of the Society, as we antici- pate something further in the same direction. We have before us "An Agricultural Survey of Somerset County, Maine," by S.\muel L. BoARDMAN, of South Norridgewock. Mr. Board- man seems to have followed somewhat the plan of the Middlesex Survey, and has quoted quite freely from that able paper, as well as from Dr. Jackson's Geological Reports on Maine. The Survey is well written, and contains many sugges- tions that cannot fail to be useful to the farmers of Somerset, as well as to farmers similarly situ- ated in other parts of Maine. We are especial- ly gratified with the judicious remarks upon Sheep Culture, and trust they will be heeded. Somerset county is nearly one-third as large as the State of Massachusetts. It lies on the Kennebec, and its affluents, Moose and Dead riv- ers. Moosehead Lake divides it from Piscataquis county. The northern part of the county is most- ly unsettled, and is the centre of the lumbering operations on the Kennebec. The southern part is well settled, and we hope this timely paper of Mr. Boardman, will awaken the farmers to a more careful attention to the condition of the soil and the demands of progressive agriculture, and that some equally competent man in each county will imitate his example, and thus give us an agricul- tural picture of the whole State. For the New England Farmer. HAY AND POTATOES— A ONE-HORSE POWER. Mr. Editor : — A number of years ago I read in the N. E. Farmer ih&i in good hay, 1000 parts, there are from 90 to 100 parts nutriment, and in 1000 parts potatoes, from 200 to 260 parts nutri- ment. About two years since I read in the same paper that it requires 201 pounds of potatoes to be equal to 100 pounds of good hay. I also read in the Farmer that it was stated at an agricultu- ral meeting in the State House in Boston, in Jan- uary last, that three pounds of potatoes are equal to one of hay. Now these statements differ very much, and which of them shall we believe ? It will not do to dispute chemistry, if experience proves to the contrary. I am inclined to think the first statement nearest right. Three years ago last August I had a mare that had done all the light work on the farm and brought up a colt, and at that time was quite thin in flesh, as she had lived on grass alone. I took the colt from her some time the last of August, and from that time until the last of winter she worked almost every day. She was fed with one peck of boiled potatoes mixed with a little cut hay per day, and came out fat. After a few days she ate but little hay. I concluded, then, that I should ex- periment a little with boiled potatoes, if I had a chance. Since then I have worked this mare on hay alone, and on weighing it, find that she con- sumes 25 pounds of hay per day and she loses flesh at that. Last August I commenced feeding her on hay and one peck of boiled potatoes per day, and worked her almost every day until win- ter. I found on weighing the hay, that she ate 10 pounds per day, or a fraction less. At that time she was in much better flesh than in August, and since then she has had only six quarts of potatoes per day, and she is round enough to ride on the back a short distance without a saddle, with pleas- ure. Now, if there is not more nutriment in a pound of hay than in a pound of potatoes, why 1861. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 195 does my mare gain on 10 pounds of good hay and 15 pounds of potatoes, and lose on 25 pounds of hay per day, performing the same labor ? These are facts. I see an inquiry in the N. E. Farmer in regard to a one-horse power. About seven years ago I bought a one-horse thrashing machine, and I find that it is a good deal cheaper than a two-horse power, for thrashing. I place the machine in the centre of the barn, before I get in any grain, then I can drive a load at each end of the barn, at night, for instance, and the next morning if it rains I put the horse into the machine, and thrash it off the cart, and thus save the labor of pitching ofiF and on the scaffold once. Perhaps by noon it is fair again, our two loads are thrashed when we could attend to it as well as not, and we are ready to go to the field again. We are not under the necessity of leaving other work to attend to thrashers whenever they happen to come along. My horse does not weigh over nine hundred, and she will thrash 20 bushels of oats in an hour, and other grain in proportion. This machine, with a pair of good horses, one working at a time, has thrashed in my barn 536 bushels of oats in a day and a half. We use the horse power to saw our fire-wood, and save a great deal of hard work. We manage in this way : We find it very hard to s\>\\l tough logs that are cut four feet long ; we cut it about ten feet long — what we call sled length — and draw it to the house in that condition, and saw the logs before they are split. Perhaps some one may wish to know how I attached the saw to the horse power. Well, I bolted on a piece of plank across two of the arms of the drive wheel, just as far from the centre of the wheel as I wanted the crank in length ; then I put a pin through the end of the sweep and the centre of the plank. This con- stituted a crank. This sweep moves back nearly to the hind end of the horse power, and here we must have a joint in the sweep in order to run the saw and not rock it up and down. The oth- er half of the sweep is attached to the first by bolting on a short piece of board on each side of one of these half sweeps, and the other half sweep slid in between these two boards, with a pin through in order to make a joint. This joint is supported by a stud with a pin through the lower end and in the sill of the horse power, and the upper end comes up between the strips of board with a pin through that, the ends of the sweeps being far enough apart to admit it and have it play back and forth. The saw is called a cutting off saw, such as is used in shingle mills for cut- ting off logs. It cost four dollars, and I put it in a frame, just like a hand wood-saw. One end of this frame is attached to the end of the sweep by bolting on two short pieces of board one foot wide. Now there wants two little studs set up, one each side of the sweep near the saw, the cheapest way you can, in order to guide the sweep, about thi-ee of these, and the sweep should be about eight inches wide. Now fix the cheapest way you can to hold the log, and your saw is all right. A man that can handle tools will make the necessary fixings in three days, and the whole apparatus costs about seven dollars — much less than a circular saw. We set the horse power in the wood-house, and let the end of the sweep run just out of the door if we choose, so that the horse is under cover and the saw out, then draw the logs up to the saw as they are wanted, saw them short enough for the stove, and the work of splitting is a mere nothing compared to splitting four foot wood. We finished sawing our next year's stock of 15 cords in January, when the wood was frozen as hard as could be, and we averaged a cord of these hard wood logs sawed from fourteen to sixteen inches long, in less than three hours and a half. We saw a hard wood log one foot through in a minute, and the horse does not draw a single pound. This machine has more than paid for itself already, and it is nearly as good as when first bought. I think it one of the best invest- ments I ever made, and that any good farmer, af- ter he has used one a year, would not think he could be without it. Will it injure manure to get so hot that the in- side of the heap will become mouldy, and if so, what is to be done with it, now the snow is so deep I cannot get it out ? B. W. Gay. New London, N. H., Feb., 1861. Remakks. — Manure is greatly injured by be- coming as hot as you state. Throw it over at once, and mingle with it meadow hay or straw cut fine, good muck, loam, plaster, charcoal dust, or, if you cannot get these, sprinkle it well with copperas water, of any strength you please. OUR NEVP- CATTLE MABKET REPORT. The reader who is at all interested in stock, cannot have failed to notice the report we have now given for several successive weeks in relation to the Cattle Market at Cambridge and BrigMon. It has been published long enough to command the attention of producers and stock-dealers, and to bring to us from them the warmest commen- dations of our plan. We have been seeking to gain this point for several years, but until recent- ly have been unable to find the person having the proper practical knowledge required to make a truthful, and at the same time, a clear report. The ability to do this requires both a particular taste or genius for the work, coupled with an in- timate acquaintance with the business in all its departments. Several persons have, at different times, engaged in this matter for us, but have failed to produce such reports as would commend themselves to those immediately engaged in rear- ing stock, or in purchasing and preparing it for the market. These persons now see, and state to us, that a head is engaged in it which comprehends this im- portant industrial interest in all its particulars, and that nothing short of an intimate knowledge of its details could give him the power of present- ing a report which so admirably meets the wants of all parties. The report will be continued, and its value en- hanced by such additions or improvements as 196 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. April may be suggested by longer experience, or by the kindness of any of our readers who desire it made as perfect as possible. In presenting it, the publishers incur a new and considerable expense, but the prosperity of the paper fully justifies them in this, or any other reasonable cost, if in so doing a majority of its readers will be benefited. The work is a mutu- al one. We certainly cannot long find a demand for the Farmer, unless the wants of the reader are generally met. Let us, therefore, sustain a mutual confidence, by suggesting to each other what may seem to us to promote the interests and best meet the wants of all. LEGISLATIVE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. [Reported fob the N. E. Farmer, by Thomas Bradley.] There was a very good attendance at the ninth meeting of the Legislative Agricultural Society, held in the Representatives' Hall on Monday evening. The meeting was called to order by Col. Stone, who introduced Judge French, of Cambridge, as the Chairman of the evening. On taking the chair, Judge French announced as the subject for discussion, ^^Under-Draining." He said he had not proposed to deliver a lecture on the subject, but to make a few introductory general remarks. It was not the object of the meeting to go into a systematic discussion of the question of draining, as he understood, as this would occupy not only days but weeks, as the best tools, the nature of the land, and other im- portant matters contingent on a thorough under- standing of the subject, would necessarily have to be each and all considered. He would speak of draining wet lands, which embraced a great proportion of our uplands, as well as lowlands. He said he was not one who believed that all lands would be improved by draining, but he thought that none would be in- jured, and the question to be considered by every farmer, in the first place, was, Will it pay ? and is it a better investment than others I can make ? In four feet of soil, the speaker said, w^as re- tained two feet of water, and anything more than this would have to be carried off" by drainage. The speaker then alluded to the swamps and meadows in Massachusetts, and took occasion to say that he believed the Yankee meaning of the word meadow was correct, and that the English meaning of mowing lands was incorrect. He did not know the quantity we had here, as he had never seen it stated, but in Indiana, he learned from Gov. Wright, there were 3,000,000 acres, and in the United States, prior to 1857, 60,000,000 had been taken by the several States under the law of Congress. He had seen in a Massachu- setts Legislative document of 1860 that there were 156,000 or more acres of meadow land, and 40,000 acres of salt marsh, on all of which the average crop was not more than three-fourths of a ton to the acre, and in this of course were not included the swamps covered with wood, which would be reckoned as woodland, nor those cov- ered with water. All reports, said he, agree in stating that these lands, when properly treated, are the best and most productive in the State, as the collecting of leaves on them, the washings from the higher lands, and other causes, make them particularly fertile. He had supposed that every one knew the val- ue of such lands as these, until that day he had heard a man question the utility of being at any expense to reclaim them, but he now thought the man was ignorant, and he wanted what a great many of our farmers lacked — knowledge. The only question, said Mr. French, is whether it will pay to reclaim the land, and in by far the greater portion of lands he felt sure it would. We want, said the speaker, to employ more capital and more knowledge, and the nations which excel us in agriculture do this, and it is the secret of their success. He spoke to farmers without flattering them, and he thought it was due to every man to speak in this way. It is not true, said he, that the farmers of our country have no capital to invest, — the banks, railroad and other corporations show that they have ; but as soon as a farmer gets a little money, he is too much in the habit of going to invest it in this manner, than to put it on his farm, where he would always have it. Judge French said that he learned from a re- port of Mr. Goodale, Secretary to the Maine Board of Agriculture, (and this he instanced to show that there the farmers are not poor,) that the fences in Maine have cost the farmers $25,000,000, while the fences to the highways alone have cost the State $3,000,000. There is not knowledge enough in Massachu- setts, said he, to make farming profitable, but by this he did not wish it to be understood that we had not an excellent school system and means of acquiring learning, but that our farmers were lacking in the practical knowledge of their busi- ness, so as to enable them to make the most from their lands. Twenty-eight and a half bushels of wheat is the average product in England, while here the highest average of any State, except Cal- ifornia, is only 16, and that in Massachusetts The reason of this is that England has more cap- ital and more labor, and knows how to use it. He spoke of the system of farming in England, say- ing that the farmer there directed only, and was thoroughly acquainted with his business, while here the farmer furnished head and hands both. He supposed the Southern planters did their 1861. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 197 ■work better than we do, as it was done on the English plan. We have capital enough, said the speaker, but the great object was to show that it can be made to pay to invest it in agriculture, and to show how this is done in Europe, he spoke of the pumping out of Haarlem lake in 1852, and in 1855 there were families living on the bottom of the lake, by which 40,000 acres of land, worth more than double the land around it, and capa- ble of supporting 70,000 people, was obtained at a cost of only $80 per acre. He also gave a very interesting account of the draining of the Lincolnshire fens in England, and closed bv in- viting the members to take part in the discussion. Dr. Geo. B. Loring, of Salem, being called on, said that the question of drainage was not gener- ally understood by the farmers of this country. Two or three weeks ago he had been invited to address the Milford Farmers' Club, and had taken for his subject "How to manage a Farm." He there told them that no farmer should undertake to cultivate a piece of land without first getting the water out of it. In swamp lands where rivers flowed near them, and in bogs and lands where there were large springs, he advised them to use tile drains, as they were better than stone. — After the address, he was told that another mem- ber of the Board of Agriculture had been there a short time before, and he had told them that if they wanted to ruin their land, and themselves with it, they would use tiles in their soil. Thus, said the speaker, we must now consider which is the most economical methodof draining our land. He said that, 30 or 40 years ago, a man in his sec- tion, who had all the advantages that a knowledge of the English and Scotch system then gave him, drained 20 or 30 acres of wet meadow with stone drain, and he also had the advantage of surface drainage besides, yet with all this, after he had drained the land awhile, the drain choked up, and water grass covered every foot of the land. I advised him, said Dr. Loring, to take up the stone drain and put in tiles, because I knew these would never be liable to choke up, and the re- sult is, the land is now in fine order. Peat bog, said he, must of course be drained by open drains, but moist, clayey land will only do with tile drain. If it is drained by stone drain, the soil and clay will work through, and finally, without there is a great fall, the drain will fill up. Tiles, said the speaker, are in the end the cheapest. He advised every farmer to commence with stone draining if he could not afford tiles, and when he got a re- turn for his crops, to invest it in tiles instead of stocks. It was impossible, he said, to fill up a tile drain, as the hydraulic pressure would draw the water through the pores of the tile, and thus no sand or clay could get inside the pipe. Judge French said that the English Parliament had loaned $40,000,000 to land drainage compa- nies, and Mr. Denton, an eminent agricultural en- gineer in England, said that, in 1855, 1,250,000 acres had been drained. There is no such thing as stone drains there, all being done with tiles. The land, said the speaker, is owned by the mem- bers of Parliament, and they consider this the best investment they can make. Mr. NoURSE, of Orrington, Maine, was next called up. He said there was no question to any one who had had experience of the advantage of tile drains. He had two miles of stone drain, and five of tile, and when tiles can be had for $15 per 1000, he said he would rather have them than the stone if it was given to him. It is safe, said he, with a very great fall, to use stone drains, as then there is no fear of their filling up, but tiles were good anywhere. He said some farmers stated that they could not afford to get tiles, but his experience told him that they could not afford to do without them. If a man had a piece of land that would be fertile if drained, and said he could not afford to drain it, he would advise him im- mediately to sell half of it, and drain the other half with the proceeds. In the matter of manure, the speaker said that if land on which it was put was properly drained, all the rains that fell would carry the manure into the ground, while if the land was not drained, it would be washed off, and the land would lose more than half the good of it. Mr. FiSK, of Shelburne, said that his experi- ence was altogether in favor of stone draining, and he thought that in the consideration of this subject, the lay of the land was of the utmost im- portance. He should rather refuse tiles if offered him than stone for drains. In the western part of the State there were lands that were hilly, and they had come to the conclusion that water would run down hill, and so were in favor of stone drains, from the fact that they had the stone on their lands, and did not know what to do with them. England, said he, has no stone to speak of, and thus they use tiles which are cheaper, while we use stones to get them out of the way. Thirty years ago he stated that he laid a stone drain, and to-day it works to perfection, and even better than tile drains belonging to his neighbors near it. In his part of the State it was the practice to use pebbles for their drains. They were under the necessity of draining more every year, and he was confident it would pay well, and the lands improved thereby were the best we have in the State. The Chairman said his preference for tiles was because of the little trouble necessary to excavate to lay them, but if they could not be got he recom- mended the use of other materials which were most eligible. He spoke of the trouble from 198 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. April mice and moles to stone drains. He said he would not drain a piece of land not having more than 3 inches fall in 100 feet with stone, unless he had the dimension stone, and laid it at least 4 feet deep ; but he would rather pay $12 to $14 per 1000 for tiles, and he could show by figures, that excavating for stone draining would cost as mucli as $10 per 1000 for tiles. He spoke of Mr. Wm. Connors, of Exeter, as being the first to drain with tiles in New Hampshire, the first tiles costing him $25 per 1000, on his farm. He uses them now, and considers even his pasture land pays for draining ; indeed so general had the use of tiles become in that section, that a manufactory had been established in Exeter. The speaker said he had a piece of land that he drained with tile, and although he land was worthless before, from wet springs, he now raised the largest crops he had ever seen from it, and these were six weeks earlier than on undrained land. He had found that on thorough drained land, after the frost is out of the ground, ypu can always go to work and plow. Richard S. Fay, of Lynn, said he thought that even the system of drainage in Europe was in danger of being carried too far, and that par- ties were losing money by draining lands which never needed it, as it had become to be thought a panacea for everything. One-half of his farm was so dry he could not get water enough on it, and the other half was so wet he could not get the water off of it. He spoke of the advantage of air in the ground for the growth of plants and herbs, saying that too much moisture tended to check the growth and destroy vegetation. Mr. Hall, of Medford, had always been a far- mer, and thought under-draining was at the bot- tom of all good farming. He had drained twenty acres of low, wet clay land within six or seven years, he finding the tiles and his tenant putting them in, and the effect on two and a half acres of this was that he considered it paid the expense the first year. He had taken up stone drains on land where a canoe would float, and put in tile drain, and now he had a very good growth of dwarf pears on the land, while the water he got from the land he pumped up by a hydraulic ram for use in his house, barn and out-buildings, and this, he thought, amply compensated for the cost of draining. The Chairman explained the difficulty the peo- ple of Massachusetts and New Hampshire la- bored under, in comparison with England, in the laws relating to flowage. Mr. SilEDD, of Boston, being called on, said that as an agricultural engineer he had drained a lot of land in Milton where there were only two inches of fall to the quarter mile and the drain worked well. If there is a fall of three inches to the hundred feet in land, a tile drain of two inches, with drains forty feet apart, four feet deep, would take off all the water, and he would guai-antee it would work satisfactorily. All soils resting on a tenacious subsoil could be advan- tageously drained. He spoke of several instances of draining which had been particularly success- ful, and said that one great advantage of drain- ing was the forwarding of the ground for agricul- tural purposes. The subject for discussion at the next meeting having been announced as "Fruit and Fruit Cul- ture,'" when Hon. Marshall P. Wilder is ex- pected to preside, the meeting adjourned. EXTRACTS AND BEPLIES. A MOWING MACHINE. I think of purchasing a mowing machine, and if it be not in violation of your rules, please give me a word of advice as to the kind What do you think of Ketchum's improved, made at Mid- dletown, Ct., and also of Wood's ? My meadows are not perfectly smooth. Which is the best for all kinds of meadow — the wheel or the hand horse-rakes ? Winchester Centre, 1861. H. FoRD. Remarks. — When mowing time comes, go where mowing machines, of various kinds, are at work and see and test them for yourself. Ten dollars expended in this way will be an economi- cal outlay. If your lands are quite rough, a hand horse- rake will last longest on them, but it will kill you a great deal sooner, than a wheel horse rake will. So, as you value your own comfort and longevity, choose between them ! A NEW seedling APPLE. I herewith enclose a sample of apples raised by myself the past season, which, being seedhngs, 1 thought I would send a few to you, and would like your opinion of them. I planted the seed in 1850, on light gravelly soil ; one tree, looking very thrifty and growing faster than the rest, I thought I would not graft it, but let it grow and bear naturally ; it continued to grow very thrifty, without any extra manuring, and bore two apples in 1858. In 1859 it bore about a peck, and the past season one and a half bushels ; the tree now stands over fifteen feet high and has gone far ahead of all my others on the same soil. The ap- ples keep pretty well till February. One advan- tage in them is being a great bearer and of good size, the sample I send you being an average size. I think by cultivation they would be wor- thy of notice. Seedling. Bradford, N. E., 1861. Remarks. — Our opinion with regard to fruit must be well known to our old readers. We are decidedly of the opinion that none but the best fruits should be cultivated. It costs no more to raise and continue a good tree than to sustain a 1861. NEW EXGLAXD FARMER. 199 poor one. If, on account of climate, or for any good reason, the Baldwin and other fine fruits will not flourish in a particular locality, then in- troduce something else. In the region of Bos- ton, the fruit sent by our correspondent is not equal, in appearance or flavor, to many varieties that are quite common in the eastern part of Massachusetts ; so that, if these fruits will flour- ish in the section from whence our correspondent writes, we think he had better use them than his seedling. He may succeed, by-and-bye, in getting something preferable to any apple now known to us. The finest apple we have, among forty vari- eties, is a New Hampshire seedling. HORSE WITH A BROKEN LEG. Having been a constant reader of your valua- ble paper for a number of vears, and observing many things relative to sick horses and cattle, I wish to say a few words through the Farmer about broken-legged horses, which I had gen- erally supposed were worth as much as one with a broken neck and no more ; but personal expe- rience has shown the reverse, viz : In August, 1857, as my neighbor, H. Burton, was training a young horse of three or four years, he threw himself, and the second time he got up it was with one hind leg broken about two inches above the ankle. Mr. B. came over to my house and wished me to go and see it. I did so, and on examination I found it so badly broken, that when we moved the foot the bones would rattle like a parcel of broken crockery. Mr. B. bound it up rather ordinarily, turned him into the meadow and there let him run without bath- ing it at all. It swelled, corrupted and discharged, and pieces of bone came out from time to time, and in about one year he became able to work. The past winter he has been able to go into the woods harnessed with another to the short sled, and draw the biggest logs without fear or favor. John Pettenglll. Andover, March 2, 1861. remedy for scratches — TRANSPLANTING A GRAPE VINE. I see in your paper the statement that a beech tree is a non-conductor, but I can show you a beech that was struck by lightning and stove into a thousand pieces, as the saying is. The tree was about eighteen inches through the butt. I also read an article on "Scratches, and their cure." My method of curing them is to rub on West India molasses a few times, and I have never known it to fail. It is a cheap, simple rem- edy, and that is what we want. Will it do to take a grape vine out of a brook and set it in ground that is not half so wet ? If 80, when will be the time to do it ? Framingham, 1861. J. C. Stewart. Remarks. — Yes. Transplant the vine as early as you can after the frost is out, and with as many roots as you can get. Do not mutilate the roots. Make the soil where you plant it mellow and deep — and sprinkle in some wood ashes with it. early AND DEEP SNOWS. The snow here, Jan. 21, is in many places three feet in depth ; and the roofs of weak buildings are being crushed beneath its weight. There fell October 15 2 inches. November 7 " December 34.^ " January, to the 21at 2% " 5 feet 4 inches. Can any authentic record, or the "oldest in- habitant," tell when so much snow has fallen so early in the season ? The heaviest fall was 18 inches on the 22d of December. The tempera- ture of the winter has been rather mild, though on Sunday morning, 13th inst., the mercury fell to 32° below zero. Record. Charlestoicn, N. H.,Jan. 21, 1861. ABOUT BUGS. The word "bug," in its proper signification, is applied to an insect having a hard pointed suck- er, without jaws ; four wings, the upper pair of which are hard and horny for that half of their length nearest the body, thin and flexible through the other half, while the lower pair are folded be- tween the upper pair and the body, like those of a beetle. The larva? and pupte of this order of in- sects are active, and bear a close resemblance to the imago or perfect insect. This word, in England, is narrowed down to contain only one species of bug, i. e., the bed- bug, Acanihia lectularia, and in this country, with equal impropriety, extended to cover every- thing with six legs to sixteen ; from a large and beautiful moth or butterfly, down to the wheat or Hessian fly. F. G. Sanborn. Aiidover, March, 1861. remedy for choked cattle. Reading a "Remedy for Choked Cattle" on p. 552, vol. 12, of the Farmer, reminded me of a very simple and eflScacious remedy which I have often seen tried, and have never known it to fail. Take a few spoonfuls of cold hog's lard, and with a knife work in all the gunpowder that will well mix with it. Make the mixture into balls the size of a small hen's egg, and put one down the animal's throat. If the obstruction is not re- moved in two or three minutes, give another ball. One will generally be sufficient, if not the second seldom fails. Without any effort more than is performed in ejecting wind from the stomach, the potato, apple, or other obstruction, will be thrown out, and I have seen the animal take a potato thus ejected, and eat it as soon as it rolled upon the ground. Perhaps the lard alone would answer equally as well. I hope the above will be tried when necessary, and the result reported. It is a safer remedy than removing the obstruction with a "probang." L. Varney. BREMEN geese. I am desirous, Mr. Editor, to learn from any of your kind correspondents the habits of the Bremen goose as to mating, raising, &c. It has been said that in the spring they pair, and do not mingle as other domestic fowls. Is this so, and at whr»t time ? How early in the spring do they commence laying, and do they raise more than 200 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. April one brood in a season ? Indeed, any informa- tion as to the culture of the bird will greatly oblige A Subscriber. DISEASES IN HORSES. Case of Champ, or Spasm. — I was request- ed, a short time ago, to visit a horse, said to be the subject of "stifle lameness." The patient, a grey gelding, aged eight years, Avas put up at the stable, on the evening preceding my visit, appar- ently in ])erfect health ; early in the morning, ere I was called, the "feeder" observed that the horse was incapable of moving the near hind limb, and it appeared to be, as I was informed, "as stiff as a crowbar." On making an examination of the body of the animal, he appeared to be in perfect health ; yet he was unable to raise the limb, in the slightest ^gree, from the stable floor. The case was ac- cordingly diagnosed as cramp of the flexors. Treatment. — The body and lower parts of the limbs were clothed with blankets and flannel band- ages, and the aff'ected limb was diligently rubbed for half an hour with a portion of the following liniment : — Oil of Cedar, 1 ounce ; Sulphuric ^ther, 2 ounces ; Proof Spirit, 1 pint. In the course of a few hours after the first ap- plication, the difiiculty had entirely disappeared. The owner informed me that the horse had, on the day prior to the attack, been exposed to a cold and continuous rain storm, and probably this op- erated as the exciting cause of the spasm. — American Stock Journal. LADIES' DEPARTMENT. THE DAY AFTER MARRIAGE. The departure of a son from beneath the pater- nal roof does not present any spectacle of desola- tion. Masculine life has, from infancy, an indi- viduality and independence, an exotism, so to say, which is essentially wanting in female exis- tence. When as on abandons his parents to cre- ate for himself a separate interest, this separation causes but little interruption in their mutual re- lations. A man marries, and still retains his friendships, his habits, and his filial affections. Nothing is changed in his life ; it is only an ad- ditional tie. His departure is consequently a mere separation ; while the departure of a young girl, to become a wife in a few hours, is a real de- sertion— a desertion with all its duties and feel- ings still fresh about it. In one word, the son is a sapling which has always grown apart from the trunk, while the daughter has, on the contrary, formed an essential portion of it, and to detach her from her place is to mutilate the tree itself. You have surrounded her youth with unspeakable tenderness — the exhaustless tenderness of your paternal and maternal hearts, and she, in return, has appeared to pour forth upon you both an equally inexhaustible gratitude ; you loved her beyond all the world, and she seemed to cling to you with a proportionable aff'ection. But one day, one ill-omened day, a man arrives invited and welcomed by yourselves, and this man of your own choice carries oft' to his domestic eyrie your gentle dove, far from the soft nest which your love had made for her, and to which hers had clung. On the morrow you look around you, you wait, you seek for something which you can- not find. The cage is empty ; the tuneful linnet has flown ; silence has succeeded to its melodi- ous warblings ; it does not come as it did only on the previous morning, fluttering its perfumed wings about your pillow, and awakening you by its soft caresses. Nothing remains but a painful calm, a painful silence, a painful void. THE WAY THE ENGLISH BRING UP CHILDREN. The English bring up their children very dif- ferently from the manner in which we bring up ours. They have an abundance of out-door air every day, whenever it is possible. The nursery maids are expected to take all the children out airing every day, even to infants. This custom is becoming more prevalent in this country, and should be pursued wherever it is practicable. Infants should be early accustomed to the open air. We confine them too much, and heat them too much for a vigorous growth. One of the finest features of the London parks is said to be the crowds of nursery maids with their groups of healthy children. It is so with the prome- nades of our large cities to a great extent, but is less common in our country towns than what it should be. In consequence of their training, Eng- lish girls acquire a habit of walking that accom- panies them through life, and gives them a much healthier middle life than our women enjoy. They are not fatigued with a walk of five miles, and are not ashamed to wear, when walking, thick- soled shoes, fitted for the dampness they must encounter. Half of the consumptive feebleness of our girls results from the thin shoes they wear, and the cold feet they must necessarily have. English children, especially girls, are kept in the nursery, and excluded from fashionable society and all the frivolities of dress, at the age when our girls are in the very heat of flirtation, and are thinking of nothing but fashionable life. COOKING HOMINY. After the hominy is well washed, instead of putting it into an open pot or kettle to boil, as is the usual practice, get a tin kettle of the size wanted, put the same into a common iron pot that will hold about one-third more, which will leave a space around the tin to be filled with wa- ter. Then put the hominy into the tin kettle with a suitable quantity of water, fill the pot pretty full of water, put the lids on the kettle and the pot, and let the hominy boil upon the stove, stirring it two or three times while boiling. By so doing, it will be found that the quality of the article will be much improved ; more than half the usual work of stirring and tending will be saved, together with a large part of the work in cleaning the kettle after using, which has hereto- fore been the chief objection to cooking this dish. The tin kettle should be kept from touching the bottom of the pot, by means of a large wire crooked for the purpose, and laid in the bottom so as not to have the tin and iron come in contact while boiling. By this means, none burns to the kettle, and the burnt flavor, which is so noticea- ble in that cooked in the old fashioned way, is entirely avoided. — Boston Cultivator. VOL. XIII. BOSTON, MAY, 1861. NO. 5. NOURSE, EATOX & TOL^^AX, Proprietors cnvrnw PSRnwTJ pniTOR Office.... 34 Merciiaxts' Row. SIMON BROWN, EDITOR. FRED'K HOLBROOK, > Associatb HEXRY F. FREN'Cn, j Editors. CALENDAR FOB MAY. "Born in yon blaze of orient sky, Sweet May ! Thy radiant form unfold ; Unclose thy blue, voluptuous eye. And wave thy shadowy locks of gold. "For thee the fragrant zephyrs blow, For thee descends the sunny shower ; The rills in softer murmurs flow, And brighter blossoms gem the flowers." Dr. Darwin. AY opens with a full chorus of sing- ing birds, whose voices may now be heard in all di- rections, inviting us abroad to en- gage in the early duties of Spring, and to cheer us in our labors. All men are delighted with their songs, ^^ — not excepting , those who are indif- -^ ferent to the strains of artificial music. The notes of birds have a chnrm for us exceeding everything else in nature. All men acknowledge the birds as their friends and benefactors ; and yet they seem bent upon their destruction. It cannot be that our people fully realize the value of the services of the feathered tribes, or they would certainly use more endeavors to foster and protect them. We feel, therefore, that we cannot perform a more important service with our pen at the pres- ent time, than to present a few reasons, not only for protecting the birds, but for taking pains to cause the multiplication of som.e of the most val- uable species. The grand service performed by the feathered race is the devouring of insects, whereby they prevent their excessive increase, and the conse- quent destruction of our fields. Let us for one moment consider what an enormous quantity of insects would come into existence, were it not for the agency of another race in destroying them.. It is highly probable, notwithstanding the infinite- hosts that infest our gardens, our orchards, and our forests, that by far the greater part of all that burst into life are destroyed in the early stages of their existence. They are devoured in their grub' state, and are thus prevented, not only from be- coming themselves perfect insects, but also from continuing their species. Many are also de- stroyed in the eggs by the smaller kinds of birds. Were all those which are thus prematurely de- voured, permitted to live out the full period of their existence, such would be the vastness of their numbers, that almost any species would swarm like the locusts of Africa, All kinds of vegetation would be destroyed by them ; and the consequent loss of their means of subsistence would be the only cause of their destruction. Without the agency of the small birds, there- fore, it is safe to say, that man could not exist on this terrestrial globe. It would be impossible to devise any other means by which the over-multi- plication of insects could be prevented. Our grain and grass crops would be destroyed in the herb by the grasshopper and locust tribes ; in the grain by weevils and other seed eaters ; our trees would be perforated and killed by increased mul- titudes of borers ; their foliage consumed by cat- erpillars, and their fruit by the larva and butter- iiies. In their different stages of existence, each separate species would successively attack the roots, the herb, the -wood, the bark, the leaf, the flower and the fruit, until nothing would be left of vegetation either to man or to nature. Lastly, the atmosphere would swarm with such darkening legions of small flies, gnats and musquitoes, that 202 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. May it would he rendered uninhabitable, and man ■would perish from the face of the earth. This is no exaggerated supposition, and it is only necessary to watch a few single birds of the insectivorous tribes, to be convinced that the service they perform in the economy of nature is infinite > and that it is impossible to overrate it. Last winter we took occasion frequently to watch the movements of the little chickadees, the most persevering and industrious of all our birds whose services are continued throughout the year. At a distance we could only observe their diligence in examining every part of the trunk and branch- es of the trees, every few seconds pausing to peck at something, and swallowing the living morsel which they had drawn out of its security. One of these birds came nearer to our window, where we saw him diligently searching under the roof of a fence, and in less than half a minute he de- stroyed three chrysalids, eating out the interior of each as readily as a weasel would suck a bird's egg. We have seen the same birds in June, de- stroying quantities of the cocoons of the common caterpillar. If one of these birds destroys three chrysalids in every half minute, how many chrys- alids would a million of the same birds destroy, working ten hours in the day, in the course of three months ? If this be not a fair way of put- ting the question — substitute insects or embryos •for chrysalids, and then the answer to the ques- tion would afford us an idea of the immense ser- vice performed by this single species. When we consider that almost every other species is employed during the whole or a part of the year in the same work, how is it possible to make an exaggerated estimate of the number of insects which are consumed by them ? Some idea may be formed of this amount, by the quan- tities which are almost always found in the crops of birds, when they are dissected. In a night- hawk, which was shot by Mr. Gosse, as aftei'- wards examined, the stomach was stuffed with an amazing quantity of insects, consisting chiefly of small beetles. Of the latter alone there were about two hundred. According to an estimate made by Buffon, a pair of sparrows will destroy about 4000 caterpillars weekly while feeding their young. Alexander Wilson ascertained by frequent dissections of the common rod-winged black-bird, that each bird, on an average, devoured about :fifty giub-worms in a day. A single pair, in four months, the usual time they live upon such food, would consume upwards of 12,000, according to this calculation, which is moderate. It is be- lieved that not less than a million pair of these birds are distributed over the United States in summer, whose food being nearly the same, would swell the amount of vermin destroyed by them to twelve thousand millions. In addition to these may be reckoned another vast quantity, with which they supply their young, who consume more than the old ones. Audubon bears continual testimony to the in- estimable services of birds, in preventing the in- jurious increase of insects. In his description of the cat-bird, he remarks : "The vulgar name, which this species bears, has probably rendered it more conspicuous than it would otherwise be, and has served to bring it into some degree of contempt with persons not the best judges of the benefit it confers on the husbandman in early spring, when, with industrious care, it cleanses his fruit trees of thousands of larvae and insects, which in a single day would destroy, while yet in the bud, far more of his fruit than a cat-bird would eat in a whole season. But, alas ! selfish- ness, the usual attendant of ignorance, not only heaps maledictions on the harmless bird, but dooms it to destruction. The boys pelt it with stones, and destroy its nest whenever an oppor- tunity presents ; the farmer shoots it to save a pear, and the gardener to save a raspberry ; some hate it without knowing why ; in a word, except the poor, nearly extirpated crow, I know no bird so generally despised and tormented as this charming songster." The purple Grackle, or crow blackbird, is an- other species against which our farmers enter- tain an inveterate prejudice, because he is a pil- lager of corn. Audubon pleads the cause of this bird in the following language : "No sooner has the cotton or corn-planter begun to turn his land into brown furrows, than crow blackbirds are seen sailing down from the skirts of the woods, alighting in the fields, and following his track, along the ridges of newly-turned earth, picking up the grubs and worms that are turned up with the furrows. He follows the husbandman, as he turns one furrow after another, and destroys a far worse enemy than himself, to the corn ; for every grub which he devours would cut the tender blade, and thus destroy the plant when it would be too late to renew it by fresh seed. Every re- flecting farmer knows this well, and refrains from disturbing the Grackle at this season. Were he as merciful at other times, it would prove his grateful recollection of the services thus rendered him." In harvest time, according to Audubon, the Crackles consume a great deal of corn, be- cause the grubs and worms have retired to their winter quarters, and the beech-nuts have not yet fallen from the trees. IIow ungrateful it seems in man, after receiving incalculable service from certain birds in spring and summer, to shoot them in the autumn for taking a little corn, which is necessary for their subsistence during a few weeks of that season. What should we think of the humanity of a man, who, after receiving 1861. NEW ENGLAND FAHMER. 203 the services of a set of hired men for a few months, should, just before their pay-day arrived, enter a suit of damages against them, and send them all to prison, to escape paying them their wages ? The corn and fruits which are devoured by the birds are the wages of their labor, and probably the amount is far less than we should be willing to pay for the services they perform, if the service was conditional. Audubon remarks, in another part of his work, that whole forests are sometimes destroyed by grubs and caterpillars which had multiplied on account of the sudden scarcity of certain species of biids that feed upon them. Birds are often killed, from the ignorant belief that they are guilty of mischief which could nev- er truly be laid to them. In western Virginia, some years since, when the forests were much in- jured by a species of borers, the farmers employed themselves in exterminating the woodpeckers, supposing these harmless and useful birds were the cause of the mischief, by perforating the trees with their hard beak. An intelligent trav- eller convinced them that the woodpeckers de- voured these borers when they were hammering upon the trees, and that their security from these pests must depend on the multiplication of this race of birds. A year or two since, a correspon- dent of one of our agricultural papers stated that a neighbor of his expressed a wish to destroy the yellow birds, which he in common with other farmers, supposed were in the habit of destroj'- ing wheat. By the correspondent's suggestion the farmer opened one of these birds which he had killed, and on examining its crop, he found that the bird, instead of eating the wheat, con- sumed the weevil, the great destroyer of wheat ! He found as many as two hundred weevils in the bird's crop, and but four grains of wheat, each containing a weevil ! The nam.e of this species of bird was not given ; but it was described as a fine singer, and bearing resemblance to a canary. How often does ignorance thus defeat its own ends, by mistaking the cause of certain evils which it seeks to prevent ! We might pursue this subject, until we had written a volume ; but our present object is merely to make a few suggestions, that may lead our people to pause and reflect upon the conse- quences of their actions, when they are wantonly destroying the birds, either for game, or to punish them for stealing fruit. The inhabitants of old countries understand the value of birds, and ap- preciate their services better than we do, because the experience of former generations has proved their utility. In Japan it is said that birds are regarded as sacred, and no person is allowed to kill them under any pretence ; and when the late treatY between the Unircd States and that coun- try was concluded, a condition was inserted to protect their birds from the guns of our sports- men. We have not the least doubt that the in- creased ravages of borers, curculios and other pests of our orchards, during the last ten years, may be attributed to the greater disproportion between the numbers of the birds and the num- bers of our orchards, the increase of birds not having kept pace with the multiplication of fruit trees. It is important, therefore, that every citi- zen, who is convinced of these facts, should use energetic methods to prevent others from destroy- ing the birds, and to cause their multiplication. It is a sacred duty which he owes to his country. SUPEE-PHOSPHATE OF LIME. As the subject of agriculture is of the greatest importance to the country, we hold ourselves in readiness at all times to publish whatever may tend to its advancement. The following commu- nication, coming from a distinguished gentleman and agriculturist, is of high value as testimony in favor of Coe's Super-Phosphate of Lime : I have used Coe's Super-Phosphate of Lime for three years past, principally upon corn, applying it to the crop in various ways. It is my usual practice to spread compost manure broadcast, and put the Super-Phosphate in the hills, about a table-spoonful to each. Its effect thus applied is very apparent and striking, causing the corn to shoot ahead with great luxuriance. The deep green color of the stalks is at once noticeable, at as great a distance as the eye can distinguish col- ors at all. The rapid, healthy growth of stalk in- duced by it, helps to insure a large growth of ears, and well matured grain upon them. I have also used this Super-Phosphate broad- cast upon land sowed to oats and other grain, with grass-seed, putting on about 250 pounds per acre. The crop of grain and of straw was consid- erably increased thereby, and a superb catch of grass obtained. Finally, I have never known the instance where Coe's Super-Phosphate has not, on trial, proved to be an excellent article. Very respectfully yours, F. HOLBROOK. Brattlehoro\ Vt., March 14, 1861. Pruning Roses. — The Gardener's Monthly says : — "The fall-blooming kinds, which flower on the new growth, may be pruned as severely as we wish — in fact, the 'harder' they are cut in the better. In this class are the Noisette, Bourbon, Tea, China, and Hybrid Perpetual, and Perpetual Moss. Without considerable experience it is dif- ficult for the amateur to distinguish these classes; the best way to get over the difficulty is to obtain the catalogues of the principal rose-growers, in which each kind is usually classified." Rain-Fall. — With an average annual rainfall of thirty-one inches, the quantity of water thrown down upon each acre of ground is nearly three thonsnnd tons. 204 NFVV ENGLAND FARMER. Mat MILL.OWNER3 AND LAND-0"WNER3. BY JUDGE FUENCU. The right of a land-owner is one of the rights most sacredly protected by the common law of England, which is the basis of the laws of all our States, with the exception of Louisiana. The land-owner is l&nd-lord — lord of the soil — and as such, as a freeholder, has, even in our republi- can times, when most distinctions of estate have been abolished, some privileges above other citi- zens in most of the States, The conflict of the rights of mill-owners with those of land-owners, is beginning to attract the attention in this country which it has long re- ceived in England. The most valuable lands in the country are gen- erally those which lie upon the streams and rivers, whether known as intervales, bottom lands, swamps or meadows, and these are the lands which are at once injured, if not entirely ruined, by any obstruction of the streams upon which they are situated. In New England, and many other northern, and some southern States, as in England, manu- factures constitute an important element of pros- perity, and deserve and receive all encouragement consistent with the public good. Water power is the natural and principal, as it is still the cheap- est, agent for turning the wheels of factories and work-shops. Water power can be raised only by dams across the streams, and dams obstruct the natural flow of the current, and throw back the water upon the land above, either submerging it entirely, percolating water through it below the surface, or merely taking away the fall so as to prevent drainage, according to the situation of the land along the banks. Now, a conflict of interests is inevitable be- tween the mill-owner and the land-owner, and probably no experienced farmer will read this ar- ticle without being reminded of some instance within his own knowledge where the fiirmer has been seriously injured by the obstruction of some stream, large or small, passing through or along his farm. Controversies and lawsuits, expensive and almost interminable, occupy the attention of the courts of law, arising from the obstruction, whether rightful or wrongful, of the flow of the water. The mill-owners, usually capitalists, and organized into powerful corporations, know and appreciate not only their rights, but their power, while the land-owners, scattered and often poor, are peculiarly liable to suS"er imposition. Mill- owners, like other men, are selfish, and as their business is at the dam, and not on the land above, they attend more to increasing their water pow- er than to its efl"ects upon the farmer. And thus it happens, that wherever there are mills and mill-dams the interests of agriculture suffer, and there is constant danger that they will nufTer wrongfully. An agricultural paper is not the proper place for a nice discussion of legal rights, and no such discussion is here intended. A few plain state- ments, however, of the legal rights of land-own- ers, as against those who own mill-dams, may call the attention of farmers to their own interests, and prevent bad legislation, for water power compa- nies are by no means satisfied to leave the matter to the common law, but are constantly asking aid from the State in the form of statutes. In sever- al States, as Massachusetts and Maine, there are special statutes, called Mill Acts or Flowage Acts, which authorize the flowage of land, tviihoid the consent of the oumer, making him such compensa- tion as a board of commissioners or jury may think proper to pay him. A recent occurrence in Boston, before a com- mittee of the General Court, well illustrates the operation of these flowage acts. A water compa- ny had applied for authority to raise a pond in a neighboring town, and Hon. Edward Everett ap- peared to object. He is reported to have stated to the committee, that he had purchas€'d the land in question for a home for his declining years, and that it was a source of great consolation to him, that, as shown by the surveys, it was pro- posed to put the water upon his land but two feet deep, while all around him was to be covered much deeper. This strange provision, this sacrifice of the rights of the land-owner to the convenience of the manufacturer, originated at an early day in Mas- sachusetts, when it was important to encourage "corn-mills," which were essential to the very existence of the colonists, and has been enlarged and continued for the encouragement of manufac- tures. The right to take private property for the pub- lic use, as for highways and the like, is every where admitted, and is essential to every govern- ment ; but the power to take a man's land against his will, for the private interest of another man or company of men, is a violation of the first prin- ciple of property. As a new question such a proposition would find no favor with any court of law in all Christendom, but the principle has crept so thoroughly into operation in a few States, that to declare it unconstitutional at this late day, would produce infinite confusion. In the States, as in New York, where no special statutes exist, the right of the land-owner re- mains sacred. He has the most absolute domin- ion over his land, consistent with the equal rights of other land-oivners. No man below him can le- gally check the water or put one drop upon his land to his injury. The fundamental principle as to all streams and rivers, as applicable to the land-owners on the banks, translanted from the old law-Latin is — The xcater rvns and ougld to run. This means simply, and such is the law, that all the rights of riparian owners are limited to their use of the water as it rw.v?. They make reasonable use of the flowing water for their families, their cattle, and agricultural purposes, but they cannot stop it or divert it from its natural course. The right to raise water by dams does not belong to any man as a mere land-owner. Of course he may raise a pond on his own land if he injures no- body, but his pond is a nuisance to any one whose land is injured by it, and his dam may be torn down without legal process, Tho mill-owner, then, has no natural right, no common law right, and if he have no right by special statute, he has no right except what he buys of the land-owners. His right, when pur- chased, is an incumbrance, a servitude on the land of others, exactly like a right of way which a man may grant to another to pass over his land. If he has purchased a right to flow ninetv-nme 1851. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 205 of a hundred tracts of land, the mill-owner has no right to flow the other, without consent of the owner of the other. It has been said that the mill-owner has only such rights as he has purchased. This may, per- haps, require modification. The right to proper- ty, even land, may be acquired by adverse use, or possession as it is commonly termed, for a certain time. So a right to flow land may be ac- quired by adverse use, or prescription. The term in most of the States is 20 years, so that if a mill-owner keeps up the water, claiming the right to do so, 20 years, he gains the right. The foundation of this principle is this : that if a man allows another to flow his land 20 years, it is fair to presume that he has granted him the right, and been paid for it. The principle is Avell enough, but it probably operates more harshly in these cases of flowage than any other, because the rising of water is very insidious, and its efi"ect8 hardly observable at first. The object of these suggestions is, First — To define clearly the rights of the land- owner. Second — To show what rights the mill-owner has, with or without a flowage act. Third — To warn the land-owners where no flow- age act exists, to resist such legislation. Finally — To guard farmers against losing their land by suS"ering it to be flowed so long as to have lost their remedy. — Country Gentleman and Cultivator. For the New Ensland Farmer. ■WINTEB FEEDING- OF MILCH COWS. It is doubtful if the majority of our dairy farm- ers have yet fully satisfied themselves as to what description of winter feeding is productive of the best results. They have, however, probably learned one important fact ; that it is not always, if ever, profitable to make use of such articles of food as will ensure the greatest return of milk. An important consideration should be the condi- tion of the herd in the spring ; and if the farmer finds by the use of turnips, and other roots, in- stead of some less economical food, he has se- cured a greater yield of milk, on the whole, his success cannot be regarded as complete, inas- much as the condition of the herd in spring time may be anything but satisfactory to him. I may not be sustained by a majority of farm- ers in the assertion that roots for milch cows are not the most economical of food. In this coun try the cost of labor is too great, to say nothing of the present unproductiveness of most soils, to warrant experiments and large outlays in root growing, and it has always seemed to me that most farmers have committed mistakes in their estimate of the cost of feeding either hay or grain, and should a careful account of the weight and cost of hay and other food be kept, it will be found to be considerably greater than is frequent- ly assumed. A cow of five years' growth will consume 20 to 25 lbs. of hay daily, and will require besides, in order to afi'ord a good supply of milk, one to two quarts of Indian meal. From an experiment with a single cow, during the present winter, I have ascertained that 20 lbs. of cut hay, 12 quarts of shorts (or wheat bran) and one pint of Indian meal, is a moderate daily consumption, and no more than will keep a young ^ and thrifty cow in good condition. Assuming then 20 lbs. of cut hay, and 12 quarts of shorts, as a minimum, for the daily allowance of a sin- gle cow, it will be found that the cost of such quantities, at present prices, in our section of the country, cannot be less than 40 cents. This is much greater than is usually conceded by most farmers ; and it must be a good cow, indeed, that can repay the owner even the cost of the food. But my main object in alluding to the subject is simply to say that it is a matter of regret that among the many experiments now being made, some definite and certain plan of winter feeding, more profitable than all others, has not been set- tled on. F. E. F. For the New Ensland Farmer. FARMING OPERATIONS MADE PROFI- TABLE. F. HoLBUOOK, Esq. — Dear Sir : — If you will not consider it too much of an intrusion upon your time and patience, I would esteem it a par- ticular favor if you would advise me as to the best mode of proceeding with some of my farm- ing operations. The matters about which I need information are not new ; indeed, I fear you have already given the advice which I require, so many times as to be quite "a-weary" of the applicants. Still, if there are many who have profited by the experience of others, or been lucky enough to hit upon a course themselves with which they are satisfied, there are surely thousands now in the field, and yet to be, who desire to be piloted by those who, like yourself, are well versed in all that requires mind and experience for successful agriculture. Will you therefore allow me, as an indication of the kind of information I desire, to propound the following interrogatories, a reply to which at your convenience would gratify me much. 1. I have a field of several acres of green sward that needs to be plowed up, and I design it for a corn field the coming season. Last August I had a large quantity of muck dug from the swamps, and dumped in large heaps on the nearest dry land. The muck could be drawn directly to this field with much less cartage than if it was first taken to the barn-yards. How will it do to haul the muck directly to the field, and draw manure there from the stables and yards, and mix them in compost heaps ? What proportions of each should be used, and will the heaps have sufficient fermentation before planting time ? How shall the compost be applied, and in what quantity ? 2. My muck bed embraces several acres ; the deposit varying in depth from one to four or five feet, I judge it might be made a valuable source of fertility for the farm. In what ways can I manage this muck to advantage for the improve- ment of the farm .'* 3. I always had a fondness for farming, but circumstances in early life turned me into other pursuits. At length I have resumed my favorite occupation, and desire to make a pleasant rural home. I have means to farm it as I please, but still, as a business man, and on principle too, I wish to so manage as to farm for a profit, and set 206 ]st:w exglaxd farmer. Mat a useful example to others. I am •\vi]Iinj» to make any judicious investments in the improvement of the soil itself, that will, as a practical business operation, pay a fair return. With this brief pre- face, I would say that the tillage land of my farm has been rather superficially cultivated, and the surface soil is a good deal worn. I have not much practical experience in regard to soils, but it has seemed to me that the subsoil should be taken into account in judging of the character and capacity of land. I have examined the sub- soil in various places, and find it to be mostly a stiff and close brown or yellowish loam, and usu- ally packed down hard. How shall I proceed with this land, what kinds of plowing do I want, how deep shall I plow, how cultivate afterwards, and in short, what plan of improving husbandry shall I pursue to make it productive ? 4. I have thirty or forty acres of land near the buildings, which I desire to convert into produc- tive pasture, principally for milch cows. The land is somewhat uneven, but sufficiently level for plowing. It has been impoverished by occa- sional grain crops, and in the intervals between them by overfeeding with stock. The soil has apparently never been stirred more than four or five inches deep, but the subsoil appears to be pretty good, and tolerably free from stone. How shall I manage to make a good pasture of this tract of land ? u. Can I make profitable use of Peruvian gu- ano, either as a sole fertilizer of land, or as an assistant to fertility on land otherwise well ma- nured, and if so, to what crop or crops can it best be applied, and in what quantity ? 6. I have a lowland meadov/ of fifteen to twen- ty acres, subject to overflow by freshets setting back from the river. Though the flowing usually occurs in spring, yet it sometimes happens in summer or fall, and therefore grass is the only safe crop to raise. The surface of the meadow is nearly level, but in places there arc certain slight depressions, and on these portions the water re- mains so long after the subsi:lenco of the flood that it stagnates upon and chills and poisons the land. Coarse water grasses are therefore the only product. The soil is a deep, stiff loam. It ap- pears to me that the flooding of the meadow, to- gether with the sediment brought on thereby, would be beneficial, provided the surface water could be disposed of quickly, or made to pass ofl" ■with the falling of the stream. Now, if I have succeeded in conveying an intelligent impression of the lay and condition of this tract of lowland, will you please advise mo how to proceed to make it good sweet mowing land ? 7. I have in another place a few acres of what is called bog meadow, which I wish to improve for mowing lands, it being desirable to make all the hay crops I can for winter use. This piece of meadow was imperfectly drained years ago, but the muck being in some places quite deep, and the cultivation difficult, the productions have now become mostly the coarse wild grasses. I have al- ready drained the meadow thoroughly, cutting off the springs that flowed in from the higher land. I now wish to introduce upon it a better quality of grass. How shall I manage to convert this land into good mowing by the quickest jirocess ? As I before remarked, I am sure that the in- formation I am now seeking to obtain from you, would bo interesting and useful to many others, who, like me, need advice. Therefore, if it would be agreeable to you, I should be pleased to re- ceive your reply through ihe New England Farm- er, as I am a constant reader of that paper, but in that case I should prefer to be ^'■incog." as to name and residence, feeling too inexperienced in farming pursuits to appear by name in print. Very respectfully and truly yours, , Feb. 11, 1801. — . — . To- il/^ Dear Sir: — I have your favor of the 11th inst., and employ my earliest leisure to respond to it in the way you request. Your interrogato- ries embrace a wide field of farming, and certain- ly evince a good deal of interest and enthusiasm on your part in farming matters. I am led to conclude that you will probably find success and satisfaction in agricultural pursuits, for you evi- dently have a decided taste for them. I have had occasion several times, either by private or public communications, or by both, to answer inquiries similar to some you propose; but nevertheless, your questions shall now bo ansAvered as well as I am able to do it in the limited space of one or two communications. Some of them might, singly, well demand a whole article for an answer. I have numbered them, for convenience of reply. 1. It will work well to make the compost of muck and manure on your intended corn field, as you propose. Place the heaps at convenient dis- tances on the field for the final distribution of their contents upon the land, and put in all, say thirty to fifty loads in each heap. The heaps should be piled in alternate thin layers of each material, say of four to six inches thickness — thus more perfectly mixing muck and manure than would be done by putting on larger quanti- ties of each at a time. The piles should be laid up as lightly as possible, and the height should not be more than about five feet, lest the bottom courses should be too much compressed to heat and ferment well. The heaps may be of conve- nient width, and of suitable length to contain the desired quantity. The composting should be done with system and nicety, so as to secure a fermentation of the heaps that will cut down the coarser portions of the manure as well as sweeten and decompose the muck, and make it the fit food of plants. A bungling workman could rapidly tumble the muck and manure together at hap- hazard, perhaps driving his team up on to the heap, tipping up a load in a place, and treading the layers down solid, but the result would be that the desirable fermentation and decomposition would not be secured, and the compost would not be prepared for use between this and planting time. But if properly laid up, the piles will soon begin to heat, and in a few weeks may be shov- elled over, and in a week or two after that, the compost will be fit for spreading. The labor of shovelling over will hs well repaid in the superi- or fineness and effectiveness thereby imparted to the manure. I have made up heaps of this kind as late as the 10th or loth of April, overhauled them in two or three weeks after, and had them: fit for use by the 10th of May. With horse or sheep manure, or other strong stable manure where grain or roots have been fed to the stock, you may put at least two parts of 1861. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 207 muck to one of manure ; but yard manure, being coarser and not so strong and active, will not bear more than equal parts of muck with it. In either case, however, somewhat larger quantities of muck in proportion to manure may be used, provided the muck has previously lain a year or more in pile on dry land, to drain, disintegrate, and in a measure part with its acidity. At the suitable time in spring, p'ow your green sward nine or ten inches deep, say with a sod and subsoil plow, if the land is free enough of obstructions to permit the use of that kind of plow; if not, then use a large enough plow of the common green sward form to accomplish that depth of furrow. The plowing should be accu- rately and nicely executed, making the furrows meet and match well, and shutting the sod down beneath securely out of reach of subsequent til- lage. Then spread the compost broadcast on the surface of the plowed land, putting it on as liber- ally as your heaps will allow. Seventy-five loads per acre is a good dressing, but thirty-five or for- ty loads is still better. After evenly spreading the manure, plow it in about four inches deep, with a light, sharp plow, guaged to tiie right depth by a wheel on the beam. This incloses the manure perfectly with mellow earth, which by its mellowness, absorbs and holds the goodness of the manure, and yet the compost is in a situation to be immediately, as well as at all other times, available to the growing crop, and to receive suit- able atmospheric influences to promote a perfect decomposition, and to enliven and improve the upturned soil. Green manure, as such, is not much more the food of plants than a raw potato would be for man. The valuable properties of manure are brought out by decomposition. That develops the fertilizing salts which the roots of the crop take up, and which at once give the plant that healthy, deep green color, and thrifty growth which delight the eye and ensure the crop. The green raw manure imparts no such hue to the plants, but gives instead a yellow tinge and a less healthy, vigorous growth. Then, too, green manure, by the heat it generates in pile, is very serviceable in converting muck and other crude vegetable and earthy matters with which it may be composted, into a decomposed and suitable state to become themselves the food of plants, and for this reason, if for no other, it is better economy to compost green manure than to use it to any great extent alone. 2. Doubtless you rightly judge that your bed of muck is a valuable deposit for increasing the fertility of the farm. To manage the muck to ad- vantage, the first thing to be done, is to suitably drain the swamp. Open a substantial and capa- cious main ditch from the swamp to ground low enough to carry off the water, digging the ditch as low as, or a little lower than the deepest portion of the muck in the swamp. Then ditch around a given square or piece of muck, so as to separate it on all sides from the main swamp, thus cutting off the water, and leaving this piece of muck high and dry, that it may be convenient- ly dug and carted out to dry land at pleasure. Endeavor to get beforehand with the muck, so as to have a suitable quantity of it always on hand in heaps on dry land, and that has thus lain for a year before it must needs be used for composting. The muck thus becomes dry and pulverized, and considerably freed of acidity, and is a more per- fect absorbent of the goses, liquids and salts of manure, and may be used in larger proportions with manure, than if it were taken soggy and raw from the swamp. After thus lying in heap a suitable time, the muck may be drawn directly to the field where it is to be used, and there composted with manure, as you have proposed. Or it may be drawn to the barn-yards and sheds in the fall, and a coat- ing of it spread over the bottom of those places, say four to six inches thick, to catch the manure droppings and leachings. Then at two or three different times during the winter, muck may be drawn to these places, and a thin coat, say three or four inches thick, spread over them, thus from time to time mingling the muck with the litter and manure which there accumulate. In the spring, two, three or four weeks previous to plant- ing time, it would pay well to draw out these ac- cumulations, if they are needed for use, to the fields where they are wanted, and pile them in heaps of twenty-five or more loads, at convenient places for further distribution on the land, that they may undergo a heating and pulverizing pro- cess before being committed to the soil. This is not absolutely necessary, but it would pay well for the labor, as the compost could then be more evenly spread and more perfectly mingled with the soil. If convenient, make a water-tight trench be- hind the cattle in the stables, say twenty to twen- ty-four inches wide and four inches deep, and fill it daily through the foddering season with dry muck. You can use at least a bushel of muck daily to each grown animal. If you have litter for bedding, put that under the cattle too. The contents of the trench, togelher with wet portions of the litter, may be daily thrown into a cellar, or under a deep shed open on the south side. The north side of buildings is not a good place for compost to be exposed. By this trench mode of composting, you catch and hold every thing, li- quid as well as solid, and the droppings falling warm upon the muck, have an immediate action upon it ; the compost being made day by day in small quantities, becomes intimately mingled, and makes superb manure for almost any j)urpose. A warm and convenient place should be provided to receive the muck for this mode of composting, and it should be filled with dry muck. Some persons, instead of using a trench, spread muck under the cattle, and then cover it with litter, re- peating the process daily, and they say they like it well. Others, who have barn cellars, throw the manure of the stables there, and at short in- tervals spread muck over it. But if you practice that way, see that your cellar is not too close, damp and dark, for the compost needs suitable atmosphei'ic influence to promote in it a whole- some fermentation and decomposition. Deposit your horse manure in a cellar or covered pen, fre- quently throwing muck upon it, and let a few swine work it over. You can thus preserve this very active, volatile manure from injury by over- heating or loss by evaporation, and make a very effective compost. You can compost dry muck with unleached ashes, using two to four bushels of ashes to a common cart buck load of muck, mixing the pile in thin layers at a time of each, and shovelling 208 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. May over once before using. Or compost the muck •with lime, dissolving, if you please, a bushel of salt in water enough to dry slake about five bush- els of lime, and then using one to two bushels of lime to a cart load of muck. These are excellent composts for top dressing grass land, for fruit trees and shrubs. You can find the process of making these two composts, and indeed all the others above named, more fully detailed in back volumes of the Farmer, In another communication I will endeavor to answer your other inquiries. F, HoLBROOK. Brattleburo\ Vt., Feh.'li, 1861. Fur the New England Farmer. HOW TO MAKE MILK CHEAPER. Mr. Editor : — The only way to gain a prac- tical knowledge of a science or profession is by personal experiment and application, or by avail- ing ourselves of the experience of others. To no profession does this apply with more force than to that of farming ; and the only way to perfect the science is to avail ourselves of the experience of others, carry forward the experiments began by them, and communicate the results to the public, that they may be benefited by our labors, and "learn the evil to be shunned, the good to be pursued." He who acts on this principle adds to the sum total of knowledge relating to the subject acted upon. Hence the value and importance of book farming. Farmers, as a class, are very loth to deviate from the beaten track of their fath- ers, and adopt any new method or notion. They require "line upon line" to awaken their ambition and to stir up their dormant energies. Acting according to the principles stated above, I wish to add my mite to the sum of agri- cultural knowledge on a subject of great impor- tance to a large class of your readers, viz : — 3JUk Raising and CuUivaiion of Roots, I have been trying for several years to obviate the neces- sity of expending so much money for feed for cows during the winter, as our profits are greatly diminished by such outlays, and think I have found a substitute which can be raised very cheaply, and will create a large flow of milk of good qual- ity. I refer to to the Mangold Wurtzel. I be- lieve them to be the best and most profitable crop that can be raised on a milk farm. My method of raising them is as follows : 1 select a piece of good, strong land, rather moist than dry, and free from stones, that had been planted the previous year ; and as early as i)ossible in the spring, cart on 30 ox loads of good manure per acre ; spread and plow it in immediately and let it lay till the last of May ; then plow, harrow and brush it to break the lumps ; mark off into rows and hills, 18 inches by 12 inches ; let a boy drop one seed in a hill ; follow with a hoe and cover up, and with a one horse roller roll all smooth. It is of great importance to have them planted in hills at regular intervals to facilitate the operation of weeding and as it is impossible to sow the seed with regularity with any machine I have ever seen, we must resort to planting by hand, which in the end is the most economical. A man and boy will plant one-half acre per day. My mark- ing machine is as follows : Make two wheels 20 inches in diameter, of plank ; to the rims affix cones, 12 inches apart, 2 inches long, and 2 inches in diameter at the base ; attach the wheels to an axle 18 inches long, add a spear or handle, audit is complete. As soon as the beets are out of the ground, run a wheel hoe with a sharp knife 15 inches long between the rows, then let them stand a week or ten days, then repeat the operation, and with a hand hoe cut between the hills, and the work is done. This must be repeated as the weeds show themselves, and be careful and not let the weeds get the start, as it will require ex- tra labor and patience to subdue them. As from 2 to 4 plants will come from one burr, I prefer to let them all grow, as I am satisfied from observa- tion that I get more bushels than when I thin out to one plant. Harvest before the hard frosts. From 15 to 25 tons per acre is the usual yield. Brother milk-raisers, try them. You will not re- gret it. M. H. Bolton, March, 1861. Remarks. — We believe our correspondent is correct in his views of making milk much cheaper than we have done it, by producing and feeding roots. Many persons complain that beet and mangold seeds do not come up well. We think it is because they are sown too deep. They are large, and soon become moist, and in that con- dition if they do not feel the solar heat, they soon rot. If the "cones" or pegs of his "marking wheel" make holes two inches deep, we should think the seed would get too low. Drink Pure Fresh Water. — Set a pitcher of water in a room, and in a few hours it will have absorbed nearly all the respired and per- spired gases in the room, the air of which will have become purer, but the water utterly filthy. The colder the water is, the greater its capacity to contain these gases. At ordinary tempera- ture, a pint of water will contain a pint of car- bonic acid gas, and several pints of ammonia. This capacity is nearly doubled by reducing the water to the temperature of ice. Hence water, kept in the room awhile, is always unfit for use. For the same reason, the water in a pump stock should all be pumped out in the morning before any is used. Impure water is more injurious to the health than impure air. To Correspondents. — We have before us several articles containing many excellent ideas which we should be glad to publish, if they were not woven in with so many subjects that are not of a kindred nature. The articles are also very long. We cannot publish one long article with- out excluding those of two or three other corres- pondents, who become disappointed and dissat- isfied by not having a timely hearing. While we feel indebted to correspondents for their favors, we beg to remind them that when they discuss a matter, it should be upon one single topic, and not mingle two or three or more together — and that no article should exceed a column and a half. 1861. NEAV EXGLAXD FARMER. 209 THE DELATVAKE QBAPE. This delicious grape was introduced to the public by Mr. Thomson, of Delaware, Ohio. Its great excellence at once attracted attention. In- deed, so highly was it esteemed, that many sup- posed it to be a foreign vine, identical with the Rose Chasselas, and thousands of vines of that variety were sold for the Delaware. It is difficult to understand how any one, famil- iar with the Frost and Clinton grape should have failed for one moment to recognize its origin. Some of our western horticulturists, if not in theory, at least in practice, appear to have under- stood its relation to the Clinton, for I have grow- ing upon my grounds four vines obtained from Cincinnati, bought as Delawares, and for which I had the pleasure of paying twenty-one dollars. They turned out to be Clintons, and could have been obtained of Hovey & Co., for about one dol- lar each. Mr. Cabot, Mr. Walker, and several others, were treated to the same happy result. Our Cincinnati friends have at last found out their mistake, and are planting their vineyards entirely with Delawares. Mr. John E. Motier is planting them by the thousands, "and is deter- mined to plant no other vine." 'Sir. Frederick Schnicke, thinks it not only the best American grape, but the best in the world. From these and very many other testimonials, it would appear that the Delaware is likely to have full justice done to it. The Delaware is at first a slow grower, but when 210 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. May once established is all that could be desired. It is perfectly hardy, and ripening its fruit full three weeks before the Isabella. The limbs and ber- ries are medium size, and of a rich \ine color. It is difficult to describe the flavor of this grape. To say that it is juicy, winey, sugary, spicey, with a fine delicate aroma, is to use words that convey very little meaning except to those who are fa- miliar with the fruit. The above description is furnished us by Mr. E. A. Brackett, of Winchester, a gentleman of large experience in grape culture, and who is per- haps as well qualified to judge of grapes as any person among us. LECTUBES ON" HORSE TAMING. During the month of March the citizens of Boston were favored with a series of lectures on horse-taming, by the celebrated John S. Rarey. The audiences were large, and the greatest inter- est was manifested in the subject. The lectures were given at Music Hall, and an enclosure about twenty feet square, surrounded by posts firmly fastened and strengthened by ropes and iron rods, was erected upon the stage, for the safe display and subjugation of the vicious animals that were to be submitted to Mr. Rarey's treatment. The number of lectures, originally fixed at three, was afterwards inci'eased to five, and a free lecture was also given to the truck- men, drivers, and others employed in the care of horses. Mr. Rarey opened his lectures with a descrip- tion of his subjugation of Cruiser, who accompa- nies him. This renowned horse is a thorough- bred English race horse, and at the age of two years he had reached the greatest speed known. His viciousness now began to manifest itself, and up to the time of Mr. Rarey's visit to England his owner had been unable to do anything with him, and it v/as absolutely dangerous to approach him. He was kept in a brick stable, and wore a heavy halter and iron muzzle which had been put upon him by stratagem. His spirit was well tested in his struggle against Rarey, after the straps had been applied. Most of the horses which are brought forward for treatment will yield in a few minutes — Cruiser resisted for three hours. lie is now in a state of complete subjec- tion, and as tractable as could bo desired. After the exhibition of Cruiser, Mr. Rarey in- troduces one of the subjects for the evening's il- lustrations, generally tractable, but brought for- ward on account of some particular vice which it is wished to correct. As a fair example, and a correct description of his manner of proceeding, we copy from the Advertiser's report of the first lecture : The first horse introduced after Cruiser was one owiK'd by .1 Mr. Savage, ur' this city. His principal fault was great fright at an umbrella, and this was amply demonstrated by trying the experiment of opening and shutting an umbrella bef(n"e him. Mr. Rarey then began his process of bringing the animal into .subjection, giving tlie needed explanations fnjm time to time. He said he had studied tlie horse's na- ture fully, and that he used no magic power, but taught the horse as lie would a child. It is not the proper way to run licfore a horse and try to eateh him (juickly. Toiieh the horse lightly, said he. A lady can tame a wild horse in less time than a man can, simply because slic is more gentle. The horse has a delicate and sensitive nature, and you should approach his head as tlic seat of this sensitiveness as gently f«s lK)ssiblo. The system of "rough breaking," — appro- priately named, — is as bad in its application to the horse as it would be to children ; and move so, be- cause the latter can understand you. He said that lie had never seen a naturally vicious colt; viciousness resulted from their training. The horse is nowhere so well understood as in Arabia. There he is brought up in the tent as a child and with the family, has re- ceived no rough usage, and knows nothing else but duty. The first difficulty in this country is the use of thehalter. A heavy rope is generally used, wlicreas the proper one would be as easy and light as possible. The intelligence of the horse should be appealed to, and the very look and gesture should be easy and pleasant, as the animal has a great discrimination in these matters. He then exhibited two small straps which he said were the only contrivances he had ever used. He approached the horse slowly, patting him gently, and taking his left fore foot in hi:^ hand, and placing one end of a strap aliout the ankle and the other above the knee, bent the leg and strapped it firmly in that i^osition. He then led the horse about on three legs, remarking that any horse, however vi- cious, in this situation could not kiek or run away. With the same gentleness that marked all his move- ments, he placed a surcingle about his body, and fas- tening the other strap about the ankle of the right forefoot, drew it quickly as the horse started, and he, thus being deprived of the use of his fore legs, came down upon his knees, subject to the will of his mas- ter. Mr. Rarey then pressed gently upon his side and drawing his head towards him, finally succeeded in compelling him to lie down. Some time was occu- pied in caressing him, showing him the umlirclla, riiljluiig him with it, opening and shutting it befoi'e his face, until he became perfectly familiar with it. The straps were then loosened one by one, and when the horse regained his feet, Mr. Rarey mounted him, opened and closed the umbrella over his head, and lieat a drum resting upon his neck, after having ac- quainted him with it in the same gradual manner. He then retired amid the applause of the audience. By this simple method the hor.-c is taught that he can be In-oughtto subjection, and in the process, kind- ness and gentleness avail more than the force which is customarily used on vicious horses. The wildest horses, said Mr. Rarey, can, simply by rendering them helpless and unable to do any mischief, be made ac- customed to sights and sounds hitherto terrifying, and thus be made perfectly tractable. But the process is one of time and the work necessarily gradual, for "haste makes waste." He teaches the horse to \vait his movements and not be self-willed. Moreover, he is to be tamed all over ; his entire l)ody must liccome accustomed to objects. But tlie head is the scat of knowletlge, and the horse is to lie taught through tliat, and what we wish to teach him is not to be beaten through his back. The Hyacinth. — Like the Rose, the Hyacinth is a universal favorite, and although great diver- sity of taste exists in floral matters, the merits of the Hyacinth are never questioned. It is loved by every one for its beauty and its fragrance. It will thrive in almost any soil ; and will flower almost as finely when grown in water as when planted in the richest compost. 1861. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 211 For the Ncto EngUxnd Farmer. MICROSCOPIC RESEARCH. ExTEiCTS PROM Dr. Harris on "Insects afpectinq Fruit Treks." SWOLLEN BRANCnES OF THE APPLE TREE. "On the 31st of May, the Hon. M. P. Wilder sent me some pieces of the limbs of the apple tree, which were singularly enlarged in diameter to the extent of several inches. Tlie specimens were carefully examined by Prof. Asa Gray and myself, without insects, their punctures, or their tracks being found therein." WARTS OR EXCRESCENCES ON PLUM TREES. "These have been attributed by many persons to the puncture, or to the presence of insects therein. I have not been able to find one or the other in the incipient warts, or in their immediate vicinity." PLUM TREE INSECTS. " The Plum Weevil Curculio continues to baffle all attempts to exterminate it. The succulent warts of the plum tree provide for it abundant resources in default of plums, its more appropri- ate food. We may save our crop of plums by covering the tree with fine netting." We find in these extracts the frank "opinion" of Dr. Thaddeus William Harris, v/ho has given to the world the best and ablest "Treatise" on En- tomology ever written by an American author. These extracts were from his pen subsequent to May, 1854, two years after his "Treatise" was pub- lished, and shortly before his decease. We have reason, therefore, to believe they contain the full extent of his knowledge of the contents of these "warts." His "opinion" is clearly expressed that he "could not find punctures or insects in them, or in their immediate vicinity," and he believes they "constitute food for the curculio." Now that the tomb has closed over his remains, must the twin sciences of Entomology, Embryology, Botany and Microscopy cease in their progress ? Although he labored assiduously, and is justly commended for doing his work well, he did not exhaust the wide fields of yet unexplored scientific research and development. I do not intend by these remarks to detract from the just fame he has acquired, nor as doubting his "opinions" expressed and quali- fied, so far as he has made researches and devel- opments. But I beg others, who quote him as "authority," to remember that all such reference must, in all coming time be considered as the "authority" of "his day and generation." Oth- ers who come after him may continue to tread in his path, and yet find beyond the limits of his journey, unexhausted fields for their researches. Near the end of his journey of "research" he as- sures us that he "cannot find perforations or in- sects in these incipient warts." ^^Microscopic research'^ does develop insects in these "warts." They are there. And the ques- tion is, what species are they ? and when does their existence commence ? Fi'om the investiga- tions which I have thus far briefly made, it ap- pears conclusive in my judgment, that the eggs are deposited in the summer, and they, or their em- bryo, or the larva, remain in the "warts" until the following spring or summer. My first microscop- ic examination, by the dissection of these "warts," was made in August last. Early in the summer my trees were full of fruit, but at this time, near- ly all had dropped from the trees, or had become mouldy and withered on the trees. Not one quart of sound plums were gathered, where there should have been many bushels. The "warts" vary in size from a small to a large sized pin's head. Nothing can be seen in the interior of these "warts" with the natural vision. The mi- croscope only can reveal the interior objects. Curiosity induced me to attempt to count the huddled living mass thus visible. According to the size of each "wart" examined with the micro- scope, I found^the number of insects to vary from 100 to 300 in each "wart." This unlooked for, and wonderful development, induced me to exam- ine various works at command, to obtain some published description of these "warts" or their contents. I was unable to find any particular statement on the subject except what I have here quoted. From August to the middle of Novem- ber, I continued weekly to watch, expecting fur- ther development, but up to the latter period they continued in their secluded position, and if any change was visible, it was only a very slight in- crease in size. Since the middle of November, they have only exhibited the torpid appearance of all insects during their winter or hibernating con- dition. To test the fact of their retaining vitali- ty during the several cold spells this winter, I have repeated my examinations. January 2, '61, while the ground was covered with snow, and the thermometer IG'* below freezing point, I made a minute microscopic examination, and at the time made the following record : — [I see no change in these larva insects during the two months since our cold weather first com- menced. At first view as now seen, they are torpid and motionless in the cavity or centre of the "wart," and appear like a cluster of minute eggs. At this time I renewed previous experi- ments, such as applying warmth to incite anima- tion. They were exposed in a warm room, and from its heat and the sun's influence combined, they became animated in half an hour. This re- veals conclusive evidence, that, in this larva state, they are thus hibernated. The genial warmth of spring will, judging from the above experimental tests, bring them from their hibernation ; and their future development or chrysalis changes will open a new door for further entomological or other scientific investigations by which their genus may be determined and described.] This development I have made by my own as- siduous "microscopic research." I have good reason to believe, from what Dr. Harris says of those "warts," that it is a new embryological dis- covery, yet undescribed by any entomologist or microscopist in America. Certainly Dr. Harris, from his extensive knowl- edge, would doubtless have given extracts, if oth- ers had described these insects, and no one would hardly think of searching beyond his writings for the priority of such an embryological record. I have, however, perused several works of foreign and American publication, none of which have given particular records of these "warts." These "warts" are clustered round the base of that part of the limb forming each year's new wood, and vary from 10 to 15, making 1500 to 2000 insects, subsisting suctorially upon this portion of the 212 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. Mat limbs. Can you, Mr. Editor, or any of your cor- respondents, furnish extracts or name any publi- cation, and the page which gives any description of these "warts" and insects found in them ? I shall watch their further development. Baltimore, Jan. 25, 1861. Lyman Reed. EXTRACTS AND BEPLIES. SWEET CLOVEU. Noticing your remarks about the Italian or crimson clover, I send you some seed of what I have called sweet clover, on account of the sweet smell it has ; I would like to know if it is the same you speak of? I have a few pounds of the seed. In the time of blossoms I notice it is very attractive to honey bees; it blossoms the second year. In growing it resembles what you speak of. Amos DoANE. Eoyalston, Jan. 21, 186L Remarks. — Thanks for the seed sent. As we have no other seed but yours by us, we cannot tell whether they are the same or not. NORFOLK TRANSACTIONS. By the kindness of the corresponding secreta- ry, I have been favored with this handsomely printed pamphlet of 140 pages. The first twenty pages contain an address by an eminent scholar, who cultivates a farm of one square rod in the city of Boston, which affords illustrations of draining the pockets of those who visit it. The next paper is a report by the President and Sec- retary, brief and pithy — valuable only for its ap- pendages. The next is twenty pages of report by a supervisory committee containing very sensible remarks by an experienced man, and affording much instruction. Then follow several reports and statements, not unlike what we have hereto- fore seen in publications annual for forty years. Then eight pages on the hog, from which much fat can be extracted. Then several other com- monplace reports and a song, which shows that even ministers sometimes have music in their souls. Then twenty pages of names of officers and other great men of the society, and a list of premiums offered for another year. On the whole, the pamphlet is a creditable specimen of the manner in which the State's bounty is expended for the instruction of farmers. March 9, 1861. _ P. DOGS AT LARGE. I agree with your Orfordville correspondent in all his suggestions except one, viz., "his incapac- ty for writing a newspaper article." I think he is capable of writing, and his article shows it. His remarks are clear, to the point, and short ; such should writers for an agricultural paper ever be. He speaks of dogs and their owners in the country as a nuisance ; they are such in the city, and instead of a tax of $2, their owners should be taxed at least $50 — unless the dog could be re- stricted to the owner's own enclosure. I know of no reason why a man should be al- lowed to keep a dog, or a family of children, to the injury or annoyance of his neighbor, yet how often is this the case. His children are kept from the village or city schools, and suffered to run at large with his dog or dog.s, to the disturbance of industrious and useful citizens. Delta. Boston, March, 1861. L\BOR-SAVING FI.XING FOR HOUSEKEEPERS. Knowing that you go in for all really substan- tial improvements in house-fixing, I send you the following. Looking into a lady's pantry, the other day, I saw what I supposed to be a common writing- desk on the floor, in one corner, quite out of the way. On opening it, I found it had a wire bot- tom ; that the floor under it was taken up, and that it stood over the cellar. It was used in cold weather for keeping all such small things as are wanted at every meal, and that you wish to keep from freezing. In the summer it was used for holding such things as it is wished to keep cool. It was, in fact, a little cellar up stairs, and saved the good woman having to run up and down stairs a thousand times a year. This little convenience may be common, but as I had never seen one before, I thought it would do no hurt to let folks as ignorant as I was have the benefit. x. Remarks. — Certainly not — no one person yet knows what conveniences all the rest of the world has. We shall be glad to hear from you on any topic you think will be valuable to the readers of the Farmer. tile FOR AN AQUEDUCT. In the Farmer of Feb. 16 is a description of Rowe's Patent Drain Tile, which I think might be substituted for pump logs if they were laid in ce- ment. Will you give me your opinion on the sul)ject? I want to lay logs, or something, to my barn, but the water would have to come up hill. Will you tell me what you think about it, wheth- er I can get it or not ? William S. Thorp. Underhill, Vt., 1861. Remarks. — We have no doubt but the tile, well laid in hydraulic cement, would answer well, and be the cheapest article known to us, in the long run. If the water is desired at the barn, and that stands considerably lower than the source of supply, there will be no difficulty in passing it over higher ground between the source and the outlet. Care must be taken to get the tile below the frost, so that neither ce- ment or the outside of the tile should freeze. profitable hens. Your correspondent of Feb. 15, in the Farmer of March 2, says he has 37 hens of the Chittagong and Dorking breed that have laid him, from the I5th of November, 1860, to the 15th of February, 1861, 1542 eggs. I have 10 hens of the Spanish and common breed that laid me from December 1, 1860, to January 1, 1861, 216 eggs, and from January 1 to March 1, 295 eggs, making in all, from December 1 to March 1,511 eggs from 10 hens, which I consider rather better than your correspondent's statement of February 15. North Raynham, 1861. Otis Homes. 1861. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 213 REARING CALVES ON HAY TEA. I wish to inquire if you or your subscribers can give information respecting the renring of calves on hay tea ? If so, any information will be thankfully received. A Subscriber. Shaker Village, N. H.,\SQ>\. R,emarks. — We have reared calves for several years upon hay tea. Take the calf away at one day old. Milk into a pail, put the hand into the milk and one finger up into the calf's mouth, and he will soon suck up a quart or two. After doing this two or three times, add a little hay tea, in- creasing the quantity of tea and lessening that of milk. If you skim milk that is sweet, add that to the tea. Make the tea by steeping a little per- fectly sweet English hay as often as you wish to feed the calf, and give it to him as warm as milk is when taken from the cow. SHEEP, DOGS AND POVERTY. I noticed in your last week's paper a few lines concerning "Sheep, Dogs and Poverty." 1 can- not say a great deal about sheep, because I do not keep them and they are not raised to any great extent in Massachusetts. But I can say something in regard to dogs, because I have got one that 1 would not part with any more than I would with my left eye. The writer alluded to states that "when a man is poor he gets him a dog, and when very poor, two !" I don't think that is the case in Massachusetts. The dog law is a good thing, because there were once a great many curs that were a nuisance. He says that dogs and their owners are nuisances. Then I suppose I am one, because I am a dog-holder. According to his theory there are a great many nuisances in this world ; I don't think we shall kill our dogs because he thinks so. H. p. K. Lunenburg, Mass., 1861. FENCE POSTS. About the first of June, in 1840, I made two pairs of hemlock bar-posts. The sticks of which they were made were about ten or twelve inches in diameter at the largest end, sided down to four or five inches, to the top of the ground, being round below, cut at the time, and of course the bark stript off. One pair was set in quite moist ground, and is now standing, though I think, nearly used up ; the other pair was set in dry, loamy ground, and broke off in the fall, from a high wind, the fifteenth year after they were both set. The same sticks cut in the winter would not have lasted more than half as long. c. w. Johnson, Vi., 1861. EXPERIMENTS IN TOP-DRESSING. I have read with much interest the communi- cation of Mr. Rogers in your paper of Feb. 9, on the above subject. I know that any experiment which he undertakes will be carefully performed, and that the results may be relied upon. I am not surprised at those results for the past year ; they are what, from my own observation and ex perience, I should have expected. The results for the next two or three years will, however, test the comparative value of these manures as a top- dressing for grass lands ; and I shall be much sur- prised if they do not show the green cow ma- nure to be much the greatest, so as to put it far beyond question. R. I. I. DEATH OF MR. PINNEO. I regret to say to you that Mr. Joseph Pinned, of Hanover, died last Tuesday. The funeral was attended on Thursday. He was, for the last twenty or twenty-five years, extensively engaged in the nursery business, and it was through his energy and zeal that nearly all the improvements in fruit and orcharding in this section have been made. He was the pioneer, and the fruit of his labor extends over a large extent of country, and is a blessing to the world. It is hard to part with such men as Downing, Cole, French and Pinneo. I am in hopes some one will send you a tribute to his memory worthy a place in the Farmer. Hanover, N.H., IS61. WORMS IN horses. I see inquiries in the Farmer as to what will kill worms in horses. You remarked that wood ashes is good. When ashes does not effect a cure, take bass wood bark and boil it in water down to a strong liquid, then take whatever grain is given to the horse and soak it in it over night. Give it to him in the morning on an empty stomach ; follow giving it three or four mornings, then give something physicking and in a short time a cure will be effected. Conway, N. H., 1861. E. Walker. A BIG CALF. I sometime since gave you a short description of my Durham bull calf, and promised to let you hear from me in relation to him. I did not weigh him at one year old, as I had intended, be- ing unwell at the time, and long after it was very icy in our street. At 13i months old he weighed 925 lbs., measured 6 ft. in girth, and 11^ feet from tip of nose to tip of tail. Stockbridge, 1861. S. Byington. THE DELAWARE GRAPE. Would the Delaware Grape, spoken of by Mrb. Porter in the Farmer for February, page 85, be hardy in this latitude, 43° ? And if so, where can it be obtained ? S. Guild. Milford, N. H., 1861. Remarks. — With special care, perhaps you might succeed with it — but we think it would be quite uncertain. Any of the seedsmen at the ag- ricultural stores would furnish it. A distinguished physician lately announced that one reason why so many people have the dyspepsia is because they have no sympathy at table. They eat alone at restaurants, and devour their food like wild beasts, instead of sitting at the table with their families, where their sympa- thies would be called into healthful activity, and where they would eat like civilized beings. There may be something in this idea. At auy rate, it would do no barm to test it. 214 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. Mat For Vie New Ennland Farmer. THE WHEAT CHOP. Mr. Editor : — I would like to see more wheat grown in New England, knowing it can be done with profit, it being much better to seed down ■with than oats, even if it grows only straw. The land I have worked is a gravelly and sandy loam, the soil from six to twelve inches deep, with grav- elly bottom. Crops had been taken off until the moss had so covered the green sward that all it would yield was about half a ton of wire grass to the acre. I begin by turning the sod under nine inches, in the fall ; in the spring I haiTow in five cords of manure, made up of muck, oak leaves, hog and stable manure, and plant potatoes, with a hand full of ashes and plaster in the hill. The next spring I plow the same as before, the average depth of the soil, and plant corn, manur- ing in the hill, and no more. The next spring I spread broadcast two to three cords of coarse sta- ble manure, plow under the same, and sow spring ■wheat, two bushels to the acre. My average crop has been twenty-seven bushels to the acre. 1 do not speak of this as a large crop, but what may be done on almost any farm in New England, considering the quality of land and quantity of manure applied. Spring wheat should be sown as early in the spring as the ground will admit, but not so early as to need more than one good harrowing each way, as too much tramping packs much of it, causing it to start uneven. If ashes, unleached, are handy, they will be valuable spread on and harrowed in with the wheat, giving the plant a more vigorous start, and with a healthier, deeper color. This crop can be doubled by a liberal sup- ply of ashes in this way. Plaistow, N. II. , March, 1861. Remarks. — A sample of our correspondent's wheat came with his letter. It is very clear and handsome. We rejoice that the cultivation of wheat is finding favor all over New England. For the New England Farmer, KETEOSPECTIVE NOTES. Cobs and Cob Meal. — In the N. E. Farmer of Feb. 2d, asd again in the monthly edition of the same for March, Mr. Silas Brown gives us some facts and opinions intended to throw light upon one of the several questions which have been agitated for some years past, in regard to the use of cob meal, along with corn meal, as a feeding stuff for stock. Of the several questions to which the practice of grinding corn and cobs together has given rise, Mr. B. confines himself to the one which inquires whether or no cobs have any nutritive value, and, if any, how much either absolutely or comparatively with oth'^r feeding stufls. The two more important ques- tions which have been raised and discussed in reference to this prastice of grinding and feeding corn and cobs together, namely, that which re- lates to the safety of feeding an article which con- tains so many sharp, flinty scales or shells, and that which inquires whether it is economical, or more probably wasteful, to pay millers for grind- ing a substance of so little nutritive value. As to these two more important questions, Mr. B. is, at least on the present occasion, entirely silent. As however, all the three questions, which we have above named, are more or less connected, and as the current volume of this journal could scarcely confer upon its readers a more useful service than that of helping them to ascertain what is true, and what is not true in regard to either or all of these questions, I propose to continue the dis- cussion commenced by Mr. Brown, hoping that some other of the members of the great New Eng- land Farmers' Club, which is composed of the several thousands of readers of this journal, wherever scattered abroad, will continue and keep up the discussion, until the questions named shall be settled as nearly as can be. First, then, as to whether there is any nutri- ment in cobs, there is quite a diversity of opinion among feeders and farmers generally; some re- garding them, as Mr. Brown says, as no better than sawdust, and others thinking that they con- tain considerable nutriment, enough even to make it a paying business to get them ground at the mills. That there should be such a diversity of opinion among practical men, while unassisted by the analyses of scientific men, or agricultural chemists, is not at all to be wondered at, for none of the attempts that ever we have read or heard of to determine whether cobs contained any nu- triment, or how much, were made with exactness or accuracy enough to decide this question, and some of the observations which have been taken as proofs that cobs contain more or less nutri- ment, (such as the fact that cows and horses will eat them greedily, while soft, especially such as have been thrown out of a pig-pen,) are by no means proofs of sufficient validity or conclusive- ness. This uncertainty, and consequent room for di- versity of opinion among practical men, has been removed ta some extent by the scientific investi- gations of such chemists as Drs. Salisbury, Chas. T. Jackson, Sec. By the help of the analyses they have made, the opinion seems now quite preva- lent with competent judges, that cobs are capa- ble of affording to some animals, ruminating ones especially, about as much nutritive matter as the same amount of good wheat straw. Mr. Brown has expressed this prevalent opinion quite cor- rectly and pithily when he says, "On the whole, I have made up my mind that cob meal is very good for cattle, but worthless for hogs. Cobs, by the pound, are probably of equal value to butts and stalks, and when ground with the corn, are a substitute for chopped fodder for cattle and horses. The second question about grinding cobs re- lates to the economy, or the wastefulness of pay- ing millers for reducing to a coarse meal a sub- stance containing no more nourishment than good straw or the butts and stalks of corn. — Here, again, ojjinions differ. Some, we have found, had never counted the cost, or had ever supposed that it cost any more to grind the cob along with the corn, than it did to grind the corn alone ; and these men, of course, had never had a thought of the possibility of grinding cobs being a wasteful, uneconomical operation, or one which could not pay, save in a few rare cases when all kinds of cattle food were scarce and deai-. There seem"* to ho littlo rlifRpultv in convincing those 1861. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 215 concerned of the wastefulness of grinding cobs, when thej' are informed that at mills where one- tenth is usually charged for grinding corn, or about five cents per bushel, when corn is about a cent per pound, it is customary to charge eight cents for grinding two bushels of ears, equal to one bushel of shelled corn and the cobs belonging thereto ; and that, as there are generally about twenty pounds of cobs in two bushels of ears, the usual charge of millers makes the grinding of these twenty pounds cost three cents, or at the rate of three dollars per ton. The conclusion to which one neighbor arrived, after taking these details as to the cost of grinding cobs into consid- eration, is quite likely to be that of a good many others : "Why," said he, "it is quite plain that it is wasteful to grind cobs, for it would cost much less to cut up straw or stalks very fine in a cut- ting box, and mix the corn meal with that, or to feed the corn meal in any other way, and leave the stock to pick up as many of the cobs as may suit their taste or instinctive cravings." But the third question about this practice of grinding and feeding cob meal still remains, and is by far the most important of any of them, as it relates to the safety of feeding cob meal. A great many facts have occurred, some of which only have been put upon record in our agricultural journals, which prove very conclusively that the feeding of cob and corn meal have in a great many instances produced disease, and even death. On the other side of the question, nothing has been alleged, and indeed, nothing can be, except merely that this one and that one who have been in the habit of feeding corn and cob meal more or less extensively, has never seen any bad results from it in his sphere of observation. But as the endeavor to do what we have undertaken, namely, to enable those concerned to arrive at the truth in regard to this question, would involve us in details of some considerable length, we will leave these to some future time. Meanwhile, we would like to hear from some of our brother members of the club. More Anon. For the New England Farmer. DO MANURES "WASTE BY EVAP- OKATION ? Mr. Editor: — We frequently hear it enjoined upon the farmer to plow in manures as soon as spread, just as though the elements were com- bined to rob him. Now if we look at the opera- tions of nature in her endeavors to repair her drooping energies, we shall find, that she is no such spendthrift. Notice, if you please, the fertile prairies of the West, and tell, if you can, if their fertility is due to any other source than the rank growth of veg- etation that year after year falls and rots upon the surface ? The rich intervals of our own New England are all instances of surface manuring. How is forest land enriched, except by surface manuring ? I would not be supposed to argue the placing of all manures on the surface — far from it. Manures on plowed land should be thor- oughly mingled with the soil from the surface to the depth of four to six inches. But it is the general opinion in this vicinity that all manures should be covered with earth, consequently we see but little top-dressing of mowing land, a thing which should be practiced on every farm. All gardeners recommend the use of well-rotted manure. If well rotted manure is good in the garden, it is good in the field, and in order to have rotten manure, we must have that which has been exposed to the atmosphere, and conse- quently to evaporation. The question is, does it lose any of its value in rotting ? If we mix a pound of salt with a gallon of water, and evapor- ate the water, we have the pound of salt still. The process of making maple sugar is an instance of evaporation without loss. Wells, Me., 1861. M. Littlefield. Remarks. — When you go into a room where there is a full blown rose, you smell its perfume, and the rose has lost just so much as you smell, and as much more as there is in the room. If the stem and leaves of the rose rest upon water, it will remain quite fresh several days, but its fra- grance will all be gone. We understand that a similar operation takes place in exposed manures. The process of the decay of vegetable matter on prairies is hardly a parallel case, as the decay is in small quantities, at any one time, and the process very slow. For the New England Farmer. THE EASTEBN PROLIFIC CORN-. The seed of the "Eastern Prolific Corn," a name which I gave it, originated, I believe, in Maine, and was first known to me about two years since, although some farmers in this vicinity claim to have raised the same kind a number of years, and obtained much larger crops than I have been able to do, thus far. Last season I raised on Elm Farm, Berkley, Mass., a little more than eighty bushels of good sound corn per acre. My corn land is what would be termed plain, level, and of a light, sandy loam. I plowed thoroughly ten or twelve inches deep with "Birch's Patent Iron Beam Plow," used five loads of rich compost, and twelve bushels of ashes per acre — the ashes being used at weeding time. Planted in hills about three and a half feet apart each way, in May, 16th and 18th, putting two cords of manure in the hill. I allowed five stalks to each hill, perhaps four would have done better, cultivated both ways, and hoed about the middle and last of June, and sub- sequently a third time, without plowing. Cut and stacked the corn the first part of Septrmber, and allowed it to remain in the field some five weeks. The value of the crop per acre was : Corn $82,58 Corn fodder and improvement of land 30,C0 — $112,58 The expense of cultivation was for 5 cords of manure on land $40,00 12 bushels ashes 2,00 Plowing, planting and hoeing 14,00 Harvesting 7,00 Interest on land , taxes and seed, about 7 ,00 — $70,C0 Net profit per acre $42,58 Taunton, 1861. D. S. Dickerman. 216 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. May PURS COTSWOLD BUCK — "DH. KANE. Last December, when the above portrait was taken, "Dr. Kane" was one year and nine months old, and weighed two hundred and fifteen pounds ; his fleece, sheared the twelfth of May, weighed eleven pounds ; he is pure white, with small, del- icately formed, head and legs, yet strong and active. Fine looking, docile, and spirited, he attracted much attention at the Essex agricul- tural society's show, held in South Danvers, last September — the only time he has ever been pub- licly exhibited — and won the premium offered by the society for the best buck. Among the com- petitors for the premium, was a very fine one, re- cently imported, that received a prize in England, where he had to contend with the best bucks in the Kingdom. "Dr. Kane" was bred by George C. Hitchcock, of Ash Grove, New Preston, Ct., and is the property of Charles Corliss, Poplar Lawn, Haverhill, Mass. fectly round one is found, of an amber color, and clear as glass. After a heavy gale they may be gathered by the bushel. They are only to be found along a stretch of coast about twenty miles in length. In a glass dish filled with water, and placed where the sun can strike obliquely upon them, they reflect a variety of beautiful rays, and create a miniature rainbow, or a combination of light resembling one, in their effects. Curious Pebbi.k.s. — The San Francisco JIfa California states that on the ocean beach of Ore- gon, between Port Orford and Goose Bay, the Burf is continually casting up little rows of' vari- egated stones, prettily rounded by the action of the sand and water, and exliihiting all the hues of gems. They average the size of common beans, and are generally transparent, Bcintillaling in the sunlight with the colors of the ruby, the sapphire, the amethyst and the emerald. Sometimes a per- Effects of Dew ox Rot and Mildew ix THE Grape. — Mr. W. Elder dissents from our views as attached to Mr. Mullet's article. As we have not space for a full discussion of the sub- ject, we give an abstract of Mr. Elder's remarks : He believes dry air to be the essence of suc- cess in grape-growing. Eight by eight feet apart, he thinks best for grapes, so that they may get the benefit of dry air and sunshine. As mildew follows heavy rains after droughts, it shows, he thinks, that it is the damp weather that breeds it. He thinks furthci', that an over dry atmo- sphere only injures when some such process as the action of fire occurs about them. He does not believe that the well-known health and ex- emption from disease of grape vines in trees, arises from partial shade, but, "from there being Btldom dews and fogs up there." In short, Mr. Elder has invariably noticed that "mildew and rot always follows a few days of wetness and cloudiness." We agree with Mr. Elder in regard to the ac- curacy of the facts he presents ; but need not re- peat that we draw diflerent conclusions from them. 1861. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 217 TALKS WITH THE FABMBRS. N Wednesday evening, March 13th, we had the pleasure of meeting the farmers and others of the town of Harvard in council, \-F^ to consider and discuss the best means of promoting their general interests. — Some years since they had an active association which was continued for a con- siderable period, during which they had several town exhibitions which were highly creditable to their energy and skill. It is supposed that the influences of this association did much towards introducing some new modes of husbandry, im- proved implements, better barns and stock, and led many to give more attention to the cultiva tion of fruit. This item of farm products is of especial consequence to the people of this town, as they have a soil admirably fitted to the apple, pear, peach, grape, blackberry, raspberry, thim- bleberry and currant, all of which may be pre- pared just at night and delivered in Boston mar- ket before ten o'clock the next morning ; or, by an afternoon train, delivered at night, so that they may be offered for sale as early as sunrise the following morning. The surface of a considerable portion of the town is hilly, and the soil of granite formation, strong and retentive of manures. These hills are not readily affected by drought, as they store up a vast amount of solar heat in bright days, keeping the soil warm while it is moist, and mak- ing them very productive of most New England crops when they are well tended. Thus they are admirably adapted to fruit culture, and furnish some of the best lands in the Commonwealth for the cultivation of the peach. Recently the crop of this delicious fruit has failed all about this re- gion, and in a great measure, also, in the State of New Jersey, and even farther South. We have been informed that one or two persons in this town have each sold from a small portion of land, three to five hundred dollars worth of peach- es in a single year ! Within two years, however, "the Yellows" has made sad work with the trees, and the crop has been greatly diminished. The discussion, during most of the evening, was upon the advantages, to the farmer and his family, to be derived from a systematic associa- tion, for the purpose of considering, investigating and discussing the varied departments of the busi- ness in tchich they are engaged. A strong inter- est was manifested to associate, gather strength, and explore the wide field of labor before them. We trust that the nucleus for this is formed, and that the lessened labor, inci-eased profits and do- mestic comforts, which cannot fail to spring from such action, will be equal to the social advance- ment growing out of such an interchange of prac- tices and opinions. The hill lands in this town, and of which we have already spoken, are, most of them, stony, being covered with boulders varying in weight from fifty pounds to many tons, so that it is a matter of consequence to the farmer to know what disposition it is best to make of them. It was quite natural, therefore, that, in the course of the discussion, the following question was asked, viz. : "7* it best to remove stones away from the land vpon which they are found, or to bury them so far beloio the surface as to be out of the way of the plow ?" The principal speaker replied, that no doubts upon this matter embar- rassed his mind — it was best to sink them, and for the following reasons : 1. In removing large quantities of stones that are partly imbedded in the soil, the whole surface is sunk in proportion to the quantity removed. 2. This leaves the surface lower, more com- pact and in a sort of inert or lifeless condition, in which cultivated plants will not flourish. 3. That in removing the stones, a considerable amount of fertilizing matter which they contain is removed with them, such as potash, lime, &c., which is gradually dissolved by atmospheric and other agencies, and is indispensable to the healthy growth of plants. 4. That stones placed at a moderate distance below the surf;\ce, become depositories of heat which they give out as the surface is cooled, and they attract the roots of plants by that warmth as well as by the agents of growth which they contain. 5. That they attract moisture. In digging up young trees where stones are found beneath the surface, it is quite common to find these stones surrounded by a net work of fibrous roots, all seeming to embrace them with the certainty of finding food, moisture and warmth. Trees in such localities are usually thrifty and productive.. 6. It is cheaper to sink them on the spot than to remove them away from the field. 7. Wherever stones are sunk, the soil and sub- soil are thoroughly trenched, in performing the work of sinking, an operation of great value to the land, and one which will add materially to its productive power for many years. Where the boulders are quite large, a good process is to throw the earth out entirely around them to a depth sufficient to receive the whole, then blast, when the pieces will fall over into the hole prepared for them, and are reidy to be cov- ered up. If the substratum is very stony, the 218 KEW ENGLAND FARMER. Mat process is more expensive, and in some cases would prevent the operation of sinking. When stones are removed from the field, one of two things must be done — earth hauled in to fill the holes, or they must be filled by plowing in the surrounding soil. When the latter practice is resorted to, the whole surface is lowered, and the field is apt to be left in an uneven condition. If the former course is adopted, carting in so much earth to fill the holes would probably be alone as expensive as the entire cost of sinking and covering them. A few evening since, we met a large collection of the people at Stirling, when the time, from a little past seven until ten o'clock, was occupied in a review of the topics which had been under dis- cussion by the Farmers' Club during several of their former meetings. An unusual number of young men were present, and a deep interest was manifested to progress in the noble art in which they are engaged. The farmers here sustain a Toion Exhibition, which we have been told by those •who witnessed it last fall, exceeded the county show in nearly all its departments. This spirit will soon give a new face to the country, as well as to the domestic condition and intelligence of the family. liEQISIiATIVB AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. [Reported foe the N. E. Farmer, by Thomas Brablet.] The tenth meeting of the Legislative Agricul- tural Society was held in the Representatives' Hall, on Monday evening. The attendance was good, and there was considerable interest mani- fested in the discussion, the subject being "Fiiiits and Fruit Culttire." Col. Marshall P. Wilder presided, and an- nouncing the subject for discussion, said that he bad so often spoken in the Representatives' Hall and other places on the same subject as was pro- posed, that he had very little of what would be considered new to ofi'er. His health was not so good as usual, and he must, therefore, be excus- ed from saying much. He stated that in the se- lection of fruit trees in our climate particular at- tention should be paid to those vai-ieties that were hardy, and would withstand the changes and extremes to which we were liable in our lati- tude. In the Middle the States climate was not so variable, and there some varieties might be culti- vated to advantage that wc cannot expect to do well with. A great number of foreign varieties have been imported from abroad, but in conse- quence of this variableness in our climate the greater portion of them have failed, and to show how many are unsuited to our climate, Mr. Wild- er said that within thirty years, of over 800 vari- eties he liad tested, it Avould be hard to select 100 that were desirable for us. This, said he, is not alone peculiar to our own region, as with all the wisdom of the National Association, comprised of men from all parts of the country, of the thir- ty-six varieties of apples recommended for gen- er.il cultivation, all but five are native, while of the fourteen varieties of plums, all but four are native, and all the varieties of strawberries are of native origin. The speaker gave it as his firm conviction that for our greatest pomological success we must look to native seedlings raised on our own soil and specially adapted to it. He then spoke of the efforts made to disseminate the knowledge of the various kinds of good fruit, and particularly of those of the National Society and our own State Board of Agriculture, both of which were preparing catalogues containing the best varie- ties, with the soil and location each requires, and these he considered would be of great value to all. He then mentioned several varieties of native apples and pears of superior quality and flavor, gi-eatly excelling the foreign kinds, and spoke of the efforts in cultivating the native va- rieties made by Mr. Dana, of Roxbury, who had raised six or eight varieties of pears, and had raised one variety nearly equal to the Seckel. Mr. Richardson, of Dorchester, had also been particularly active in this direction, as had also Mr. Clapp, of the same town, the latter having raised twenty-five varieties of seedling pears, all very good, some excellent, and one, the Bartlett, which rivalled, and he thought excelled the old pear in beauty and quality. He had spoken so often and said so much of the importance of thorough draining to the suc- cessful pursuit of fruit-raising that he thought he ought not to allude to it now, but as he consid- ered this, and the complete preparation of the soil, the two points on which success almost en- tirely depended, it would be well to dwell a mo- ment on them. The land for the orchard should always be well worked and thoroughly drained before a tree is planted, and as this was an infal- lible rule, no new orchard should be commenced without it was done. He knew the difficulty of convincing an inexperienced farmer that a side hill needed draining, but this was the coldest soil we had. The surface water, said the speak- er, is not what makes the land cold, as this will evaporate or can be easily conducted off", but it is the cold water, from the springs originating on the hills, that permeates the soil and keeps it cold and wet, thus checking the growth of trees and preventing the ripening of fruit, and to this he attributed the spotting of the leaves, the crack- ing of the fruit and bark, and the difficulty in ])ropcrly ripening the fruit. The influence of the soil, he thought, should be particularly considered by all who purpose 186L NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 219 raising fruit, as many varieties will succeed in any good soil, while others require a light, feathery soil, and will thrive in no other. He condemned the practice of buying trees at auction merely be- cause they had favorite names, and he did not wonder that persons who planted such trees were unfortunate with them. Every man wishing to raise good fruit should select with care, and pay- ing attention to his land, he would find that the influence of the soil wowld much affect the flavor and beauty of the fruit. Again, said Col. Wilder, more attention should be paid to the location and aspect of fruit trees, and he thought that on this point many made mistakes in planting the early varieties on the warm and genial soils, whereas the late varieties should have those spots, so as to ripen before the cold nights came on, and the early kinds would ripen just as well from the general heat of the atmosphere, without direct exposure to the sun. Col. Wilder said, in closing, that our greatest success must depend on fruit cultivated from seed suited to our own soil, and he would en- courage this as much as he could, so as to have our fruits, like our people, suited to the position they occupy. There was no higher ambition a man should aspire to, as he thought the man who raised good fruit was a benefactor to his race. Asa G. Sheldon, of Wilmington, said that he had not much experience in fruit raising gener- ally, but had devoted his attention to raising ap- ples. On the first day of April, 1841, he set out his fruit trees, 158 in number, and his neighbors tried to discourage him from doing so, telling him that he could never succeed on such soil, but he had paid little attention to this, and had con- tinued to set more or less out each year until within the past two years ; he had now 1200 trees, and had sold land on which were some 300 more. He said there was so much sand under the soil of his town that it drained the land with- out tiles. He raised Baldwins, principally, as he thought they paid as well as any other variety, yielding well and selling well, even when apples were plentiful. While he would not recommend a person commencing a large orchard to plant all Baldwins, he would have him get a good propor- tion of that excellent apple. He said that 10 of his best trees, which are 20 years old, yielded last year 80 barrels of excellent apples. In the matter of trimming trees he would have a person try a tree each month in the year, and then he would learn from experience the best time to prune. He had found that the best time was from August 15th to September 15th. If, said he, you cut a large limb in July the sap is active, and runs down the tree, and staining the bark, is very apt to kill the tree. If a man had neglected to trim his trees last fall, he would re- commend him to do it to-morrow, but he never cut a tree after the blows were off", as it would in- variably injure it. He had had very little expe- rience in pear culture, but he thought it would pay well. Mr. Sparhawk, of Brighton, said that a com- mon fault among cultivators was in cutting off the tap root in transplanting young fruit trees ; this root, said he, removes the excrementitious mat- ter, and on being cut off, checks the growth of the tree, and this is plainly seen in the grafts on wild trees, which are found to grow much larger than on trees transplanted from the nursery. He spoke of trees in Brighton 30 feet high which yielded 15 or 16 barrels of apples each per year. In relation to pruning trees, he said that when a man raised his own trees he need not use a saw for five years, and then he considered that if properly attended to he could control their growth with the simple use of the jackknife, and this was specially the case with pear trees. Apple trees require some pruning, particularly when from 15 to 18 years old. He said he would never prune a tree in the spring, nor in June or July, as then the sap was too lively ; any time after this he thought was safe, but in no case would he ever cut off a limb over an inch in diameter without protecting it, no matter at what time of the year. He spoke of mice gnawing the bark of fruit trees, and said that he remedied this injury by applying the same composition he would to the cut limbs, namely rosin dissolved in oil ; and to neutralize the oil he stirred in whiting and lamp- black. This, he said, excluded the air, and ena- bled the bark to grow underneath, while from the soft nature of the composition the sap would not be checked in its passage from the roots to the tree. Shellac would not do this, and he thought his composition was excellent. Speaking of the profits of pear raising, Mr. Sparhawk said that his father had two trees on his estate in Brighton, which had been set out 20 years, and he had been in the habit for some years of selling the pears on the trees to a Mr. Gordon, one being a Bartlett and the other a Seckel, and he had received $40 each for their product last year, and about the same amount for previous years, the product of each tree being about the same in quantity. Col. Stone, of Dedham, said that reference had been made to the orchard of Mr. Clapp, in Dorchester, by the Chairman, and he had pro- cured a statement of Mr. Clapp's receipts last year from him, which he would read to the meet- ing. Mr. Clapp's orchard embraces 12 acres, but an acre and a half of this was planted with young trees just coming into bearing. He sold last year 875 bushels of currants for $1763 ; 950 bar- rels of apples for S1575 ; 4S0 bushels of peaches 220 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. May for $1280 ; 6B bushels of pears for $178 ; 50 barrels of cider for $100, and currant plants sold for $120. The whole amounting to $5010. Then there should be added to this the value of fruits used in two large families, which the speaker said should be estimated at $150, and premiums re- ceived by Mr. Clapp during the year for fruits ex- hibited, amounting to $G4 ; making the product of his orchard for last year to be worth $5230. The speaker said that Mr. Clapp considered the Gravenstein the most profitable apple, and the Williams the next. He kept his trees well pruned, and generally pruned in the months of March and April before the swelling of the bud. The soil of his orchard was black and yellow loam, with a gravelly svibsoil well drained, and this draining the speaker thought was the great- est element in his success. Mr. Clapp, said he, plants his currants in rows six feet apart, and ap- plies manure in the fall, preferring well rotted and composted stable and barn manures. He thinks currants do better in the shade if not too dense, as so planted the bush does not shed its leaf so early. He uses the rooted slips. Col. Stone said that Mr. Clapp did not retail his fruit, but had the advantage of being near the market. He raised his currants under his apple trees, and by attending to his currants he favored his ap- ples. The seedling that Mr. Clapp had produced from the Bartlett, Col. Stone considered far supe- rior to the original pear, and he thought it would be of immense benefit, as there was always trou- ble in transplanting the Bartlett trees. He thought there was no more difficulty in raising pears than apples if moderate care was used, and he closed his remarks by warning persons setting out trees not to set them too low, as it was better to hare them two inches too high than one too low. Mr. Frazier, of Watertown, said he had an orchard which for a few years past had not been productive, and although the trees grew, the fruit did not. His neighbors had advised him to cut half the trees down, on the ground that they were too crowded, but he scarcely liked to do this, and he came to the meeting for information. Last fall he cut down a Baldwin tree, and it was per- fectly sound, and it was so fine a tree that he could not cut down any more. He wished to know whether the bark bursting on the trunk and large limbs was caused by a defect at the root. His trees were 18 years old, and his land had been in grass five years. The Chairman said that the land of Mr. Clapp previously referred to was exceedingly fertile, and the trees very large, the limbs interlacing each other. The trees, he thought, were 30 or 35 feet apart. He would recommend Mr. Frazier to plow his orchard with a light plow, and manure the surface, and he would predict a full crop. Mr. Sheldon being called on, said that, when first he commenced planting, he put his trees 35i feet apart, then 30 feet, and latterly 25 feet, and he did not think this too close. He thought from what he had heard that Mr. Frazier'a trees- grew too fast, but he was sure that if he cut down half of them he would not get as many apples as- he now does. His experience showed him that apples ripened earlier when the trees were plant- ed close. He had noticed that apples did not keep so well as usual this year, and he attributed this to the extreme cold nights we had in Septem- ber and October. The Red Astrachan apple, the speaker said, had been more profitable to him than any other variety. Mr. Wetherell, of Boston, had heard of the same trouble in Illinois that Mr. Frazier had, and a friend of his in western Massachusetts had also been troubled. In the latter case slacked lime was was applied, and with effect. He would recom- mend this, or manure and ashes, as a remedy for the difficulty, In the matter of pruning, he said he never cut off" the large limb of a tree, as he should consider it would be the death of it, and he called attention to the continual sawing of the trees on our Common as a proof of the assertion. Pruning too much, he insisted, was worse than not pruning at all. The Chairman said that he agreed with the views now expressed by the previous speaker, and he thought that the pruning of a tree should be conducted on the same principle as the educa- tion of a child, begin early and proceed cautiously. If pruning were done carefully, nothing larger than a jack-knife need ever be used. He would apply composition on every limb cut off" larger than his thumb, as the air should in all cases be excluded. He approved of pruning when the trees were dormant, and his men had pruned more tkan a thousand last month, and would continue pruning until the sap ran. Mr. Sparhawk had seen Mr. Frazier's orchard and he thought it had been neglected, although it had been well laid out. He would preserve every tree in the orchard, as he considered with proper care they would be worth $100 each. He would have an experienced pruner go to work in August or September, and carefully prune the trees so as to let the light and air get to the roots, as he considered this as essential to the develop- ment of them as almost anything else. He said Mr. Frazier's orchard was on a side hill, and he would recommend him to put in tile drain, and then put on a compost with unleached ashes. Mr. Bancroft, of Salem, said he came to the meeting to ascertain what he should do with his land. Col. Stone had said that an orchard should not be seeded down, and he had land planted with fruit trees which he had cultivated two years, 1861. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 221 and new he was compelled to lay the land down, and he wanted to know what it was best to sow. A deceased friend of his from whom he had often derived excellent information, had a thrifty growth of young trees, and he had sowed his land with barley and it had killed the trees, and he wished to know whether this would have the same effect on his trees. He had been told that barley, oats, rye, or any of the cereals, were ruin- ous to an orchard, and he was in a quandary. He did not think the fruit-raisers around Boston needed so much information as the broad acre farmers of the Commonwealth, to give more at- tention to the raising of fruit, and this auxiliary to the cultivation of their land. The Chairman said that if he was obliged to seed land down situated as Mr. Bancroft was, he would take the trees from it, as without extra- ordinary cultivation he could not get a double crop from the same land. The only case he knew where this had been done was that of Mr. Pell, of New York, who grows wheat with his fruit trees, and this he removes in July or August, and man- ures specially for each crop. Mr. Howard, editor of the Cultivator, also spoke of the fact of Mr. Pell growing wheat in his orchard, and said that his apple trees were young, and he manured for both wheat and his trees. Mr. Peil had been eminently successful in the growth of the Newtown Pippin. Col. Stone did not like seeding orchard land down, but if he must do it, he would sow oats and cut them down when a few inches high, and let them remain on the land. It having been announced that the subject for discussion would be "Root Crops, and their cul- tivation in Massachusetts,^' when Charles L. Flint, Esq., Secretary of the Board of Agricul- ture will preside, the meeting adjourned. SHOULD ■WE WASH OUB SHEEP? Humanity, at least, says No ! With the nat- ural fear a sheep has for water, it must be cruel to subject them to such treatment as they some- times get by the process familiarly called "wash- ing ;" yet, in truth, it is not only a detriment to the wool, but to the sheep. We take it for granted, that what is good for the health of man in the way of care, holds good with the sheep ; and who among all our shep- herds would think of following his sheep home from the mill pond, without a change of clothes, when sometimes it is cold enough to make his teeth chatter. How can we then expect it to ben- efit our sheep, especially when we have a week's rainy weather just after washing, and very often, in this climate, it is cold and unhealthy for man and beast. Yet some will say it does the sheep no harm ; but facts prove that this is not the case — both your sheep and lambs suffer materially. But this is only one feature. It costs a great deal of time and motiei/f which could be applied to a better use in cultivating our spring crop. It is no trifle to wash 3,000 sheep every yeai\ But the most potent argument in favor of not washing our sheep is, we can shear from three to four weeks sooner, and thus give the more time after shearing for the growth of wool, to protect them from the fall rains and from the cold in winter, which is no inconsiderable item. How often do we delay washing on account of the wa- ter being too cold, when the weather is abundant- ly warm to shear. The sheep will not suffer with the cold in May, if they are cared for during the three days immediately after shearing. We would gain one-sixth more clothing, to protect our sheep from the cold of winter, besides a stronger con- stitution and a healthier sheep, than if we had frozen our sheep in May, by washing them. Finally, manufacturers would rather Jiave the wool 'unwashed. They have to re-wash it after us ; why not let them do their own washing, and then if it is not well done, they will know who to complain of. One-half of the wool in some sec- tions of country where they have no clear running water, is actually damaged by the attempt to wash it on the back. It is made a bug-bear of in mar- ket, and thus the producer is forced to take less than his wool is really worth. Wool-growers ! we stand in our own light upon this subject. But taking unwashed wool to market cannot be prac- ticed by one here and there. It must be a gen- eral reform. How then shall we best and most diiectly get at it ? It can be done by "Country Organizations." Shall we make the attempt ? By so doing we shall practice humanity, save la- bor, save time and money, improve our sheep, benefit ourselves, and benefit the manufacturer. — Cor. Ohio Farmer, For the New England Farmer. EXPERIMENT WITH POTATOES. Mr. Editor : — There has been much of late in the Fanner respecting the potato disease ; al- so upon the chemical preparation of Mr. Lyman Reed, of Baltimore, the efficacy of which has been tested by actual experiment upon our farm, two years ago this coming season. Mr. Daniel Reed, brother of Mr. Lyman Reed, gave notice that he would prepare seed potatoes for the farmers here for fifty cents per bushel, his brother having sent him some of the preparation. Thinking that it might be the means of saving the crop of potatoes, I had two bushels prepared ; one of Eastports and one of Davis Seedlings. At least, I thought it worth a dollar to know whether or not there was any good to be derived from it. The potatoes were kept in a warm room till they were well sprouted, then put into the liquid, which killed the sprouts, and made the tu- bers look withered as though they were a year old. To give it a fair trial I planted those that had been prepared side by side with those of the same variety that were not prepared, the manure and culture being the same with each. Eighteen per cent, of those that were prepared never came up at all, and the rest not till a fortnight after the unprepared. They continued to be two weeks behind the others all the season, and when we dug them the unprepared ones were much the larger and nicer potatoes. 222 NEW ENGLAKD FARMER. Mat Mr. Reed called two or three times during the season to examine the crops, and noticed the same difference in the tops which I did. He was also present at the digging of them. When we dug them, we were careful to count the number of hills which it took for each bushel, and likewise the number of diseased potatoes in each. The result w.is as follows : EASTPORTS. From 1 bushel of seed prepared I dug 8 bush- els ; the average number of hills to the bushel 39 J, average number of diseased tubers to the bushel 20,^. From 1 bushel unprepared I dug 10 bushels ; average number of hills to the bushel 40 0-10 ; average number of diseased ones to the bushel 10. DAVIS SEEDLING. PREPARED. Seed. Yield. 1 bush. 13 bush. bush. 8 bush. Ap. No. of Hills. Diseased Ones. :i2i 23 UNPREPARED. 15 22 It will be seen by the result that the prepara- tion had not the desired effect of preventing the disease, and consequently was a failure. I have furnished you with the result of this experiment that others may learn wisdom. From this I draw the conclusion that all the patents got up to pre- vent potato rot are humbugs. However, I should like to learn the experience of other farmers in this matter as well as many others, for it is by such experiences that we are to get knowledge in farming as well as in other things. I think it is the duty of all farmers to lay before the public the results of all such experiments for the benefit of their brother farmers. Being a young farmer myself, I like to learn from the experience of others. C. H. Cumings. Harvard, Mass., March 7, 1861. For the New England Farmer. ECONOMY IN" USB OF KOOT CUTTEKS. Messrs. Editors : — I have often noticed in the Farmer communications in regard to the best way to relieve cattle that were choked, and as of- ten wondered at the "folly of sinners," and que- ried why it was that farmers, feeding out from 25 to 500 bushels of potatoes, carrots or turnips annually, and almost yearly losing or having in- jured by choking one or more creatures, besides considerable expense in attending upon them, were so slow to learn that there is a better way. They will cut their coarse fodder, and many of them their hay ; paying for a machine with which to do it from $10 to $25 ; they will have their provender for horses, cattle, hogs and poultry, ground at an expense of about one-tenth part, and many will in addition cook it before feeding out ; and yet they will feed out their potatoes, carrots, turnips, &c., whole, "dirt and all," or perhaps will give them a little hacking with an old axe or shovel ! The vegetal:)le cutters in market cost only about $10 each, and I have never heard of any crea- tures being choked by eating vegetables cut by any kind of cutting machine, though undoubted- ly there is a preference in the machines. It is but a few years since vegetables, except potatoes, have been raised considerably hereabouts for feed- ing to stock ; but yet, there are now five kind* of root cutters here, and any of them better than none, and a sure remedy for choking cattle. It is but a few days since I heard a very enter- prising and thrifty young farmer, (who this past season raised 300 bushels wheat, 700 bushels oats,, with corn, potatoes, turnips and 8cc., to match,) say that he had no doubt that there had been loss enough, by cattle choking in this town within fifty years, to supply the whole town with root cutters for a hundred years. Some two years since, I received a letter from a gentlen^an in western New York, in which he mentioned that he had the day before lost his best cow out of a lot of twelve, by being choked while eating tur- nips cut with a shovel ; and that just about a year previous he lost one in the same way ; and there was scarcely one of his neighbors who had not l()st one or more in a similar manner ; and he add- ed, "Now I am going to have a root cutter, if I can get one this side of Jordan," and wished my advice as to kind. Of the kinds of root cutters in use m this vi- cinity, two of them leave the roots in rectangular shaped pieces, superior only to those cut wi:h a shovel, in that they are generally smaller, and cut with greater facility. One kind cuts them in gouge-shaped bits, about three-fourths an inch wide, and one-fourth in thickness, and quite rap- idly ; I think about a bushel per minute, if forced a little. The other kinds are used chiefly, and preferred because they not only cut, but clean the roots ; they also leave them in thinner and more pliable shape, better to be mixed with meal, grain or "cut feed," cutting also equally fast. It is as- tonishing to see what an amount of dirt may be taken off from apparently clean roots, without water, too. From actual experiment, in hundreds of instances, in this town, it has been ascertained that these vegetables have adhering to them as they are brought from the cellar, from one to two quarts of dirt to every bushel, most of which is necessarily eaten, Avhcn fed in the ordinary way, without cleaning. Now, besides the great injury, both medicinal and mechanical, to teeth, stomach and bowels, caused by so much dirt, there is ncv doubt that dirty vegetables are more likely ta stick in the throat than clean ones. The construction of this machine is very sim- ple and durable, the cleansing part, consisting of a revolving cylinder so arranged that the dirt falls out on one side, and the vegetables are dropped from the other into the hopper, from whence they are cut by semi-eonical shaped knives upon a co- nical shaped, hollow cylinder, through which they fall by a spout into a basket. This last machine has not been in the city mar- kets, I believe, for which reason I thought it might be neighborly to describe it more particu- larly, and the invention,! think, has been secured by a resident of this county. Now, brother farmers, don't be so cruel and foolish as to let your cattle choke, and then run broom handles, forked sticks, et cetera, down their throats, or rack your brains to find some other way to get out the obstruction. Be wise enough not to let it get in there, and if you do not grate your roots before feeding, as is done in European countries, do for mercy's sake cut them up in respectable shape, and this will also en- hance their value and useful effects, as much as 1861. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 223 you do your fodder by cutting, or your grain by grinding. Is it not so, Mr. Editor ? And what think you of making stock eat a couple of quarts or so of dirt with every bushel of roots ? And will not vegetables, cleaned and cut into strips one-eighth inch thick, cook, if desired, with one- fourth the cost for fuel required for whole ones, besides making much better feed for the cleaning? E , VL, 1861. Bulbous. EXTRACTS AND REPLIES. WHAT FERTILIZER TO USE. I wish to inquire in regard to advertised fertil- izers. I have a piece of land that has been culti- vated two or three years, and is in good condi- tion. Although of rather a clayey soil, yet it is good for corn. Thinking I could use some ad- vertised fertilizers to profit, I wish to inquire which is the best for such kinds of land ? Among the best recommended is Coe's superphospate of lime ; do you know anything of its merits ? Northampton, 1861. A Subscriber. Remarks. — ^ye cannot tell you what the best "advertised fertilizer" is. Some that have proved quite successful with us, have given little satis- faction to others, so that we dare not commend any one of them in preference to other kinds. So much depends upon soil, manner and time of using, &c., that the results will be widely varia- ble when precisely the same article is used in different localities. You must experiment in a small way for yourself, and gather the opinions of others as they are incidentally given. GRAIN FOR SHEEP. Will oats hurt sheep to feed to them without being ground ? It is said by our farmers here that they have lost a number by the use of them. What kind of grain is best to give them ? IleHuiker, March, 1861. N. M. Remarks. — Will some cf our farmers give you, or us, the reasons why unground oats will hurt sheep ? It is a new doctrine to us, and we can- not credit it upon a mere assertion. Fed in proper quantities, we believe them admirably adapted to sheep, and have been informed by some of the most successful sheep growers in Vermont that they ai-e in the constant practice of using them for sheep. Corn and beans are ex- cellent— better ground than unground — but all grain must be fed to sheep judiciously. A FINE HOG. A. J. Spalding, 2d, has raised a very fine hog this past season, which I think is worthy of no- tice. It had rather ordinary keeping, and yet, at the age of 21 months, it was killed and weighed 640 lbs. And what is best in regard to it, the pork is of a very fine quality, suitable for family use. It was sold to Mr. Elliot, a noted provision dealer in Salem, and placed by the side of Mr. Rogers' great hog of South Danvers. I think those that raise large hogs should make correct statements in regard to age, &c, and not say that a hog is two years old, when in reality it is near- er four years. P. AV. Danvers, March, 1861. TO RELIEVE CHOKED CATTLE. Quite a variety of ways have already been pointed out in your jiaper for relieving choked cattle, some of which I doubt not are safe and sure. But as cattle continue to get choked under circumstances which do not always admit of the same remedies, it may be well that the communi- ty should be informed of all the different meth- ods by which the evils may be removed. One method I happened to have knowledge of, which I have not yet seen noticed. If you think proper, please insert it. When I was a boy, probably about ten years old, my father had an ox that got choked, I think with a potato ; to save him he must have speedy relief. It was done in this way. He was put in his usual place in the stall ; my father on his left side took him by the horn with his right hand, and with his left grasped his tongue and drew it out by the side of his mouth and held it fast ; an older brother helping on the other side to keep his head steady, I was then told to pull my shirt sleeve up to the shoulder and thrust my hand down his throat, and take out the potato. I said he would bite me. No, my father said, he could not, for his tongue was between his teeth. I then thrust down my arm the whole length — got hold of the potato, and removed it in less than a mo- ment, and all was well. an EARLY SPRING. A letter just received from Tuskegee, Alabama, dated March 7, says, "We are planting here." Another from P^mporia, Kansas, dated March 4, says, "We have now every indication of an early spring. Grass is springing up, and every- thing looks hopeful. On the 2d inst. I brought in to Mrs. M. xhe first flower." w. J. Monadnoc, No. 4. ADVERTISING FARMS FOR SALE. Allow me to call the attention of that class of your patrons who are about to advertise "Farms for Sale," to the fact that it will forward their wishes, as well as be of great assistance to appli- cants, to give a description of the place for sale, and, what is very important, the price desired. Some places are represented as cheap, others, to inquire of some one sixty or a hundred miles away. It is true, we can correspond to ascertain particulars, but in nine cases out of ten, if the description and the price suited those in want, they would take pains to go in person and view the premises. A friend of mine, last spring, travelled some two hundred miles to see a place advertised as cheap, and ascertained that the price was $4000, when his finances would not permit him to invest over $2500. Boston, March, 1861. A Subscriber. "A Subscriber's Wife," is informed that we do not know the person for whom she inquires. His article was copied as one of general interest. We suppose good seeds such as she wants may be procured at the seed stores. 224 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. May WOOD'S IMPROVED MOWING MACHINE, i within two years. Many farmers speak enthusi- We have seen this machine do excellent work, astically of their light draft, and perfect cutting, and have heard it highly spoken of by those who and a large number were put into the market use it upon their farms. Its success during the from a full faith that the true mechanical and harvest of 18<59 was very satisfactory to many practical principles in constructing a Mowing persons. Over thirty-four hundred of them, we Machine had been attained. The manufacturers are told, have been sold and successfully used , claim that a Mowing Machine has been produced of lighter draft, and can be afforded to the farmer ! nished with a machine is two ; the necessity for at a less price than any heretofore in use, and at i keeping the knives sharp requires that there the same time be light, durable, and do perfect should be three ; this will enable the farmer to work — and that it will cut a more perfect swath work through the forenoon without stopping to than any other Mower, and do it with one-quar- sharpen his knives, and after sharpening at noon, ter less power. The usual number of knives fur- , to finish the day's work without interruption. 1861. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 225 The two-horse Machines weigh 514 pounds each, I'un on two driving -lolieels placed 30 inches apart, each wheel 28 inches in diameter. The frame rests upon and is firmly secured to the axle of the wheels, and supports the gearing and a seat for the driver. The finger-bar is attached to the Machine by one bolt, and can be easily re- moved by taking off one nut ; and when placed upon the frame under the seat, the Machine can be driven from field to field as easily as a light cart. The knife is driven by a crank-pin, pro- jecting from a well-adjusted balance-wheel, which gives it a steady, uniform motion ; it has a ra- pid motion with a short stroke, which enables the Machine to do good work when the team moves as slow as horses or oxen can walk. These Machines can be easily and instantly thrown out of gear, thereby giving motion to the driving wheels only when mowing. They cut a swath four feet wide. The one-horse Machine is constructed on the same plan, and in the same manner in all re- spects, as the two-horse Machine, except that it has shafts instead of a pole, weighs 50 pounds less, (4G4 pounds,) and cuts a swath three and a half feet wide. LAMFAS IJSr HORSES. A correspondent of the Mark Lane Express writes how a cure of this disease was effected by homoeopathic treatment, in the case of a valuable carriage horse : The animal had been suffering from the disease for sometime before the servant mentioned that it was ailing. An allopathic veterinary surgeon, who was consulted, declared that it was impossi- ble to remove the diseased part except by cutting and burning. This we refused to permit, and be- gan to treat it with homoeopathic remedies, but, owing to our want of skill, without any success ; the horse became daily worse; the palate and gums were so swollen as to prevent the power of mastication, and were like a white sponge. In this emergency we took the liberty of consulting a clever homoeopathic M. D., who advised us to try Rhus toxicodendron A, five drops in half-a pint of water, twice a day. In sixteen hours from the first dose, there was an improvement in the color of the gums and palate. The following day the swelling began to subside, and in seven days the creature was quite well, and has never since that time (a period of two years and a half) had any recurrence of the ailment. Clubbing of Cabbages. — A handful of super- phosphate and a tablespoonful of McDougall's disinfecting powder, put into each hill of some 1500 cabbages belonging to a correspondent of the Philadelphia Farmer and Gardener, saved all but about twenty, which probably missed their portion of phosphate and powder. for the New England Farmer. FARM IN CONN". RIVER VALLEY. Mr. Editor : — I am a young farmer living in the Connecticut valley, near Mounts Tom and Holyoke ; have long been interested in your val- uable paper, and gleaned therefrom much instruc- tion of great value in my daily occupations: I read from week to week with great interest its ag- ricultural and scientific discussions : together with the reports of the weekly Legislative agri- cultural meeting, and market reports. Since I have been engaged in farming, I have often looked in vain for contributions from "tillers of the soil" in this section of the country. As our farming in the alluvial soil is quite different from that in most parts of the State, a little good advice is what we need, and should appreciate. For the* benefit, perhaps, of some who have never become familiar with this section, I will name some of these differences. The farms are generally small, but often large barns may be seen well filled, showing that a few acres, well tended, are much more profitable than many half cared for. $200 per acre is about the average price for land. We have no pastures, therefore cows are mostly kept in stables, fed on cut feed, and for a change, on green food in Summer. We have no top-dressing to do for our mowing, that is all done on the low lands by the Connecticut river, avoiding thereby all discussions as to which season is the best for these deposits. There is a great advantage derived from having the land scattered in small lots, as each farmer has thus several different kinds of soil to deal with, enabling him to raise different kinds of crops to good advantage ; the principal of which are broom-corn, tobacco, corn, potatoes, wheat, rye, oats, barley ; to these we hope soon to add flax. We "Young America," believe in plowing deep ; "our fathers" tell us to "]et the plow run lightly," but I think they acknowledge the benefit derived from deep plowing in case of drought or a dry season. Many have experimented upon lots, in " plowing under green clover and rye in the spring, and in the fall broom-corn, stalks and buckwheat. I would like to assure you, in closing, that if your attempts to give us, weekly, an accurate ac- count of beef markets are successful, your reward from this vicinity will be in obtaining no't a few subscribers. In this important reform, we all bid you "good speed." I would like your opinion in regard to plowing under clover in June for tobacco ; as it is then tall, rank and green, I imagine it injures the pres- ent crop. Would it not be better to mow it, and let it wilt ? Young Farmer. Northampton, Feb., 1861. Remarks. — We have been told by chemists that if clover is plowed under when green, that as soon as it begins to ferment it throws off its starch and sugar in the form of gas, and these fertilizing properties are lost. Others do not deny the fact that these valuable properties are transformed into gases and pass off, but that the gases are retained in, and absorbed by the soil, and that nothing valuable is lost. You must look into the matter more thoroughly for yourself. 226 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. May For the New England Farmer. OUGHT NEW ENGLAND FARMERS TO RAISE THEIR OWN BREAD P This, Mr. Editor, is an important question, and one calling for a candid consideration from every farmer. Of course, I do not include as farmers those who are engaged in market-gardening, or making milk for city or village use. Every man is presumed to know his own business better than those not familiar with all its details — yet most, if not all, in every occupation, may be at times set to thinking by some suggestion cast in their way by others who would not aspire to be their teachers. For this purpose I ask the question at the head of this article, hoping many will give it sufficient attention to see if it cannot be answered in the affirmative in their case. I am fully as- sured that all cannot profitably raise wheat on their lands, yet still fully satisfied that as a gen- eral thing it is possible, and can be done profitably as compared with other crops. I suppose it is true, that the past two years have been very good for wheat growing, and that it will not answer for us to e.\])ect like crops in coming years : still, there is ample testimony to show that in a series of years, uniform success has been the result. For the encouragement of those who are dis- posed to see what can be done by trial, I will cite a few instances of success that have come to my knowledge. James Le Barron, of Mattapoi- sett, in 'od, raised two acres that threshed out fif- ty bushels. This past season's crop promised equally well when I saw it. 1 have not learned the amount threshed out. A neighbor of his had a field along side, which was much better, and I judged would turn thirty bushels to the acre, and several around this region have been equally suc- cessful. I v.'as in Little Compton, R. L, recent- ly, and learned that several of the prominent far- mers in that garden of New England had raised large crops of wheat, or rather obtained a great yield per acre ; John and Levy Sisson, getting thirty-five bushels, and their brother, Daniel Sis- son, from two acres, obtaining eighty-eight bush- els. The straw was put into the hay-press, and baled and sold in Providence for fourteen dollars a ton, which I should judge must have paid all the incidental expenses of raising the crop. The last named individual purposes sowing eleven acres this s|)ring. The seed used by the above men is called Japanese spring wheat. I doubt if fall sowing, as a general thing, would succeed, when, as with us on the coast, so little snow is to be relied upon to cover it from frost, and save from winter-killing. All clay lands should be avoided for fall sowing, unless well covered with straw, or what is still better, where it can be f)l)tained, sea-weed.* From the published testimony of many,I should judge that wheat should be soaked in strong brine previous to sowing, and cither ashes or plaster sifted over it while wet. In many instances this preparation has increased the product twenty per cent. 1 trust the day is not distant, when we farmers of New P^ngland will find that, after all that has been said about our dependence upon what is termed the grain-growing States, we * Note bv the Editor. — Thorou^li draining will probably accomplish more than any thing else in i)reventinij the win- ter-killing of wheat. cannot only raise our bread, but get more of it from an equal surface, and reap a larger profit than they can possibly do, so far from a market, that consumes it. In many localities the want of suitable mills for farmers to have their wheat made into good family Hour is a serious evil, but one that will soon disappear, when wheat raising has become a fixed fact. The mills will surely be provided. No law is so sure as that supply quickly treads upon the heels of a demand. I ask again, who of our New England farmers will raise their own bread, this very year? Rochester, March 16, 18GL Joseph Coe. For the New England Farmer. PULVERIZATION OF MANURES. This is a subject in which I heartily agree with "M. F.," in saying that its importance demands a more thorough attention. I am aware that the former practice of manuring in the hill is fast be- ing superseded by the application of manure broadcast, and therefore the most strict attention should be given to the pulverization of the ma- nure thus applied. The evenness of spreading on the surface is very essential, that the roots of the plants may partake of the manure equally, and thus promote a more even growth through the field. The beauty of a crop is evenness and equality in its growth. I have often heard the remark, "I wonder what makes that corn so un- even." I think if they should pay more attention to the pulverization of the manure, and evenness of spreading, so that the roots of the plants may readily take up the manure, that they would have no occasion to ask, or wonder why one plant does not grow so rapidly as another. This is a sub- ject which has been greatly neglected by the majority of our farmers. Often do we notice newly-seeded pieces, which are striking evidences of the manner in which the manure was applied. My mode of management is as follows : Three or four days before I want to use a quan- tity of manure, I fork it up into a heap, occasion- ally applying plaster as an absorbent and pulver- izer, at the same time taking care to break to pieces the largest lumps. After two days, fork over again and cover with plaster, and at the end of the fourth day, the manure will be in prime condition to cart out, and apply broadcast, and if sheep manure (as the most of mine is), you will need a shovel to spread it. Great care should be taken not to let it remain too long in the heap, as it will burn, and thus destroy the life of the manure. Uatjleld, March 11, 1861. J. E. w. Corn and Cob Meal. — It is suggested by the Homestead that there is something peculiar, and in some cases injurious, in the action of this food upon animals, being strongly constipating, &c. On the presumption that cobs "in a natural state," are not food, it is suggested by the writer that "Cases are rare where products, which in a natural state cannot be used as food, have any considerable value when artificially made eatable." But is this assumption correct ? Green cobs are 1861. NEW ENGLAND FARMEH. 227 relished by swine and cattle ; even dry, last year's cobs were eaten greedily by a cow of ours ! Who can account for tastes ? For the New England Farmer. MACHINES FOR PEBLING WILLOWS, AND WKINGING CLOTHES. Perseverance ensures success. A few years since, the attention of the agricultural community was called to the fact that large sums of money are annually sent from this to foreign countries, for the purchase of the basket willow, for manu- facturing the various articles of commerce known as "wicker-work." The inquiry naturally suggested itself to the Yankee mind. Why not supply this demand by home production, and thus save the cash paid for it for the use of our own countrymen ? Our marshes and lowlands will produce the article to perfection, and our ingenuity can invent machines by which it can be prepared for market. The objection was raised, that labor is so much higher here than in the old country, that we can- not peel and prepare for the weaver so as to com- pete with the imported article ; and to this objec- tion the efficient reply was made — We can make a machine that will do this, as well as other things for which Yankee ingenuity is proverbial. As is generally the case, help came from among ihe hills in the agricultural districts. On the banks of the Winooski, the inventive genius of a young man began to dream out a plan, by which ^ machine might be made to do the work of a number of men, and produce a better article than those peeled by hand. The first plan, as is usu- ally the case with valuable inventions, needed much ingenuity to perfect it, and many and ex- pensive experiments must be made, in order to render it perfect. Perseverance finally ensured success, and the invention is before the public. Finding his facilities for operating too much restricted, he removed to Waterbury, where, in an outlay far beyond his means, he risked his for- tune, in company with a brother, and embarked in an enterprise which was an entire experiment in the history of "wicker-work." New efforts pre- sented new hindrances, and increasing obstacles in the way of successful operation only roused increasing eff'orts to remove those obstacles, and brought out hitherto latent powers. One after another new facilities for carrying on the busi- ness of raising, peeling and manufacturing all kinds of willow ware in demand for the commer- cial world, Avere brought into requisition. The question. Will it pay ? is now solved, and the idea of the peeling-machine is applied to another use. Those flexible rubber rollers are neatly arranged, and made to press the water from the washerwoman's clothes with ease and rapidity. This little machine, so simple as to be managed by a child, so cheap as to be within the means of every family, costing but three dollars and fifty cents, will ivriiig the clothes much drier and quicker and infinitely easier than the strongest- armed Irish girl, and is to be reckoned among the many useful inventions for rendering kitchen work easier, and the washing-day less to be dreaded. Indeed, with a good washing machine, and "George J. Colby's Wringer," we shall scarcely know when Monday comes. Washing day will be as quiet as Thursday, and Monday morning will not find the good, old dames "up, and a good fire agoing, and the clothes on boiling before one o'clock." Those good old mothers will not have to "keep Saturday nights" in order to put their "clothes asoak" Sunday nights. Then may they rest from their labors from the beginning of the Sabbath till the "red rosy light" of Mon- day morning. Now, Mr. Editor, do not be surprised at my moralizing upon the clothes-wringer, for I con- scientiously believe whatever lessens the task of washing day, in the same proportion will increase the quiet of the "Holy Sabbath Eve" that most sacred of all domestic hours. Lest I weary the patience of your readers, let me add that this last invention has so far proved that perseverance will ensure success, that funds will no more be lacking. Sales of Territory have already been made which place its success be- yond a doubt, and Howden, Colby & Co., are yet to be among the wealthy citizens of the Green Mountain State. The demand already warrants the manufacture of 500 per week, and when it has been before the public one yeai", or until Decem- ber 4, 18G1, ten times that number will not supply the demand. Lest your readers may regard the above as a puff, let me simply add that it is written by one entirely disinterested in the business, without the knowledge or consent of the inventor or any per- son engaged in the business, and purely from a desire to see the untiring eff'orts of perseverance in a good cause, crowned with success. Vermont, Feb., 1861. P. J. Remarks. — The above communication has been on hand several weeks, until we could make trial of the wringing-machine so highly spoken of by our correspondent. It is has been in use in our family for three or four weeks, and our women folks say there is nothing like it. It is adjusted in a moment to any common tub, without the aid of screws or any other contrivance, but is held by the simple pressure of its parts. The clothes, from a shirt to a muslin collar, are "wrung" with equal ease and facility, by passing them between rubber rollers. The flexibility of these rollers is so great that a thin card and a common pocket- knife, which we put between them side by side, were held with equal firmness, and so tight that we could not remove them without revolving the rollers. By this machine, the clothes are not toning, but pressed, so that all twisting of the seams, and of the fabric of the cloth, which is so injurious to thin materials, is entirely avoided, and the work is done in a much better manner, as well as more thoroughly than by hand. Know- ing our correspondent well, we can endorse all he says of his connection with the machine, and now that we have made a fair trial of the machine it- self, we do not regard his praise of it as anything more than it well deserves. 228 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. Mat LEGISLATIVE AGRICTTLTURAL SOCIETY. fREPOETED FOR THE N. E. FaBMEE, BY ThOMAS BEADLEY.] The eleventh meeting of the Legislative Agri- cultural Society took place on Monday evening last, a good company being present. The meet- ing was called to order by Dr. Mason, of Dart- mouth, and Charles L. Flint, Esq., Secretary of the Board of Agriculture, was introduced as Chairman of the evening. On taking the chair, Mr. Flint said that the statements with regard to the economy of root culture in New England have often been too in- discriminate and unqualified. If, as Mr. Webster asserted, the failure of the turnip crop a single year would bankrupt England, it does not then follow that its extensive culture is of the same relative importance to us. If root culture is the basis of successful English farming, it does not follow, as a matter of course, that it would be for us. If the English farmer could raise 75 bushels of Indian corn to the acre as easy as we can, it might possibly modify his present system, to some extent. He did not mean to convey the idea that the extensive culture of roots is not equally profitable for us as for the British farmer, but merely to suggest tlie difference in our situations. The perfect development of most of our culti- vated roots requires a moist and equable climate. This the English farmer has, and we have not. The point of profit for him lies in the fact that root culture forms the most admirable prepara- tion for wheat and other crops, and not in the intrinsic value of roots themselves. He might, if he could, be glad to dispense with the culture of so large an area as he generally devotes to the turnip, but then his wheat would soon fall off. Root crops, in other words, are cultivated chiefly as a means of making manure and to keep up the fertility of the land. Considered by themselves simply as food for cattle, they are not thought even by English farmers to pay the cost of culti- vation. But as a change of food, either for horses, milch cows or sheep, the culture of roots, to a limited extent, and no doubt to a greater ex- tent than is common with us, ought to have a place in every good system of husbandry. Carrots, for horses not overworked, are worth pound for pound, nearly as much as oats. That is, a hundred bushels of carrots and a hundred bushels of oats are worth about as much to feed to horses as two hundred bushels of oats alone. The actual practical value for feeding purposes, does not always corres])ond with the theoretical value based on the comparative amount of nutri- ment in each. Carrots are not so important to feed to cows in milk as to horses, though they improve the quality. The short-horn and the long orange are among the best varieties, though the white Belgian will yield the largest. It has been pro- duced at the rate of two thousand bushels to the acre. To cultivate carrots to any profit the ut- most care is required to keep the land free from weed-seed, and unless the land is clean as well as the manure, the labor of taking care of this crop is enormous, and the expense too great to be borne. For feeding to dairy cows the mangold is one of the best roots now cultivated. Though its nu- tritive qualities are far less than those of the car- rot, and less even than those of the turnip, it is well settled that it excels those roots in produc- ing a large flow of milk. ' The mangold is a variety of beet, and has been extensively cultivated for feeding to stock in Eng- land and France, and to some extent in this coun- try. William Birnie, of Springfield, raised 95 tons of mangolds the last season on two acres and a half, or at the rate of 3S tons to the acre. This is a large yield to be sure, more than could be ex- pected in oi-dinary culture, but it shows what can be done. The Silesian beet, or the sugar beet, is a variety, that is cultivated to some extent, though he thought to less profit with us, than either mangolds or Swedes. The ruta baga, sometimes called Swedish turnip, is a variety of rape. It is one of the most profitable roots to cultivate, es- pecially for feeding to sheep. It is more apt to taint the flavor of milk and butter than mangolds or carrots, but if boiled, or cut and salted, this objection to it may be avoided. The root crop, generally, requires a good sup- ply of phosphates in the soil or in the manure, and bones ti-eated with diluted sulphuric acid, or the vitriol of commerce, or guano, or other con- centrated manures rich in phosphate of lime, are more effective on this crop than on most others. These substances have the advantage of perfect freedom from weed-seed, a consideration of the utmost importance to this crop. The work on root crops should be accomplished so far as pos- sible by machinery. Hand labor on them is ex- tremely laborious and expensive. Carrots, for instance, sown as soon as practicable after the 15th of April, in drills from two to two and a half feet apart, may be cultivated with the horse hoe two or three times, and then a row of turnips or ruta bagas sown in the intermediate spaces. A large amount of expensive hand labor may also be saved in the culture of mangolds by the use of the horse hoe. Mr. Hartwell, of New Marlborough, said he had experimented to a limited extent in rais- ing root crops, but had not met with much success. We have, said he, the corn crop, for a tillage crop, which they had not in England, but this was not a sure crop, from the variableness of our climate, and if farmers could cultivate a crop that would 1861. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 229 be more certain and pay as well, he thought it would be a great advantage. The question with him was, whether the root crop was of sufficient value to grazing farmers, or those who had, per- haps, a couple of hundred acres of good grazing land, to justify them in di\erting a part of their manures to highly cultivate sufficient land for root culture. We know, said he, that on good land, with very high cultivation, enormous yields could be got, but it was doubtful to his mind, whether among the class of farmers he had mentioned, this would pay. Col. White, of Petersham, spoke of the im- portance of root culture to farmers, and said he had regretted to hear, at previous meetings, prac- tical men doubt the advantages of this crop. In his section of the State few had gone into it, but those who had paid attention to it had done well. There was a good deal of good hay about where he resided, and some that was poor, and these ad- vocates of root culture there had found they could do better by giving part roots and part poor hay to their cattle, than if they fed entirely on good hay, and he was satisfied that he could keep ten cows better on roots and poor hay than by the entire use of the best hay alone. He wanted to know what kind of roots were the best to raise. He had done very well with ruta baga and man- golds, but the sugar beet had been spoken of by the Chairman, and he was desirous to ascertain whether that would not be more profitable. He •was also in want of information as to how to fol- low root crops — whether beets after turnips, or in what order they should be grown. His neighbors were going extensively into root culture and there was a very general feeling among them that it would pay. The Chairman said it had been very generally conceded that a tap-rooted plant should follow a flat-rooted one, and vice versa, as the ground is found by this course to be in better condition for a good crop. He spoke of the advantages from this course, the feeding qualities of the soil being thus brought near the surface. He said that In- dian corn should never follow ruta baga, as in very many instances in which he had known of its being tried he had never heard that it succeed- ed. He did not know why this was, but it was an undoubted fact. Dr. George B. Loring, of Salem, was glad to see the change that was taking place in the minds of farmers in relation to the value of root crops. The culture of root crops might be con- sidered high farming, but he would not recom- mend every farmer to raise roots, as where the value of hay was extremely low, and where, of necessity, a farmer is compelled to raise corn for his own consumption, root culture is of doubt- ful expediency. Where one or two tons of hay are raised to the acre, and this is worth only $10 per ton, it is preferable to roots, for the reason that the roots cost so much more than the hay can be sold for ; but where a farmer can buy his corn cheaper than he can raise it, or can sell his hay at city prices, then roots are indispensable. Taking hay as the standard at 100, Swedes or ru- ta bagas would stand in nutritive qualities 300, mangolds 400, carrots 250 and corn 52. Thus 2t tons of carrots were equal to 1 ton of hay, and where, in high farming, a fair crop of carrots is 20 tons to the acre ; this is equal to 8 tons of hay ; while 500 bushels of carrots are equal to 100 of corn, it is easier to raise the carrots than the corn ; thus the question whether it is profita- ble to divert manure for raising root crops, is answered by this. The raising of roots should be regulated by the wants of the farmer. Swedes and other turnips are the most profitable roots on which to fat cattle, as they can be raised so much cheaper than mangolds, as no more mangolds will grow on the same ground than turnips. Man- golds for dairy farming are, perhaps, the best, as, with a little meal, they cause a free flow of milk and keep cows in good condition. One trouble in root culture is that farmers put them too thick and the rows too close together. He planted Swedes and mangolds 2 to 2A feet apart, in rows, so that he could cultivate with a horse hoe well, and this he found the best method ; carrots were more difficult to cultivate, but he pursued a simi- lar course. He agreed with the Chairman as to following root crops, but he felt sure carrots could be grown on the same land two years in succession, and he thought three. A light soil was best for smooth Swedes, a solid substantial clayey one for mangolds, and carrots would do well anywhere, if well manured and cultivated. Mr. Wetherell, of Boston, spoke of reports of experiments made in raising the English tur- nips by men in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island, the result of which appeared in the Patent Office Report, and in which the parties had used 25 cords of manure to the acre, and had only raised 10 or 12 tons of turnips, as also of the analysis made of the English turnip, by Prof. Donellson, of England, showing that hay stood as 5 to 1 of turnips in nutritive qualities. He then called attention to the report of Mr. At- water, of the State Board of Agriculture, on root culture, and said that from this report it would be seen that the Board of Agriculture does not consider the turnip culture advisable. The speak- er thought that when we can raise 75 bushels of corn to the acre, it was far better than raising roots. In relation to the failure of the corn crop, he said that, in 16 years out of 20, the corn crop had been successful in this State, while the tur- nip crop was a decidedly uncertain crop. 230 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. May Dr. LoRiNG said that the last speaker had spoken solely on English turnips and corn, the former having had 25 cords of manure to the acre, but he would say that in this section we cultivated in a much more economical manner, and we raised by this something more than "or- ganized water." As a member of the Board of Agriculture, he wished to say that he did not en- dorse the report in full, although there were some good features in it, but he decidedly object- ed to the sweeping recommendation with which the report closed. Mr. Proctor, of Danvers, considered carrots one of the very best of root crops, although it re- quired care and attention. It was an excellent preparatory crop for onions, and before the de- stroyer came, this latter was the best and most profitable crop raised in the county of Essex. The beet he considered good, as was the potato. Of the latter, said he, we can raise 300 bushels to the acre, and we can raise four times as much roots to the acre as hay. Corn is the staple crop, but it was seldom we hear of a yield of over 80 bushels to the acre. He had never been on a farm in his life where there was not considerable land that was good for carrots. Mr. Sheldon, of Wilmington, spoke particu- larly of potatoes, and said he thought enough care was not bestowed on them. Nothing after grass will make butter better than they will ; pumpkins and carrots give it a better color, but the butter was not so good. A bullock fed on potatoes, ap- pearing the same size as one fed on the ordinary feed, would weigh more by this course. In the country, he thought potatoes were as cheap a root crop as any for cattle, but near the city it was more profitable to send them to market. For 65 years he had not known the corn crop fail more than five times. He had raised ruta bagas, but until last year, he thought they impoverished the land ; last year he planted some in a sand hill where he had to put on birch boughs to keep the sand and seed from blowing away, and he got an excellent crop of smooth, round ones "as hand- some as a picture." He said he had been in the habit of planting 13 kinds of potatoes, and the earliest he had were "balls ;" ho considered the Davis' seedling and the Nova Scotia chenangoes also a good kind. He planted in swampy ground. Col. Stone, of Dedham, said that as corn had been spoken of, he would state that he had pro- cured some seed from Mr. Clapp, of Dorchester, of a kind of corn which he had never seen ex- celled both for yield and early ripening. He had got some of the Vermont 90 days corn, and planted it alongside this, and Mr. Clapp's ripened some days earlier. It had been tried by a number of others, and all agreed in saying it was the earliest and best they had grown. For the benefit of those who wished to try it, (although he had none for sale,) Col. Stone said he would leave a few ears with the Secretary of the Board of Agricul- ture. The subject for discussion at the next meeting will be, "7'Ae Management of the Dairy" when Mr. Allen Putnam, of Roxbury, will preside. For the New England Farmer. EAILROAD SONG. Messrs. Editors: — The following trifle of mine, composed while awaiting an arrival at a railway station, was first printed in the Spring- field Republican. It appears to take so well, however, especially with the juveniles, and I have so often been requested to copy it, that I am in- duced to give it to you for republication. Yours, truly, J. D. C. Odl, March 23, 18G1. RAILROAD SONG. BY THE PEASANT BABS. There's the bell ! listen well! "All aboard !" is the cry ; We are going, going, — gone, — We'll be back, by-and-bye. Now we're jumping with a thumping and a bumping O'er the rails ; But our horse has "taken something," and his Strength never fails. Hear the bell ; listen well ; "Clear the tracli !" is the cry ; We are flying, flying, — flown Like a "ttreak o' lightning" by. What a racket ! how we clack it, as we track it O'er the rails ! But our pony needn't slaek it, for his Strength never fails. Blow it loud to the crowd Who our coming wait to spy ; We are coming, coming, — come ;— Rub tlie cinders from your eye. As we're sliding, and are gliding, and are riding Into town ; Never horse less need of "hiding," or less need of Rubbing down. For the New England Farmer. SEED TIME. Mr. Editor : — When we get past the middle of March we begin to think of "seed time." Al- ready, on this Island, potatoes were planted 10 or 12 days ago, during the warm spell of 5 or 6 days. Our farmers are skiUcd in this department. They cut ofi" the "seed end" or small cluster of eyes, give them to the pigs, and then cut the po- tatoes lengthwise into quarters, and plant twenty inches apart in rows. Tlicy say they get as ma- ny or more pounds, and "all largo potatoes." The large eye, or germ, is on the body of the potato. The small ones on the end will make small potatoes and prevent the growth of the larger ones. Three to five vines in a hill are enough. Try it, if you doubt ; it costs neither time or trouble. I have passed through several potato fields, and not a small vine to bo seen ; so in digging time, I have seen the ground covered, and not a pota- to that was not marketable as to size. 1861. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 231 Again, in watching the potato articles from your various correspondents, it is positive evi- dence to me, and common sense in the aggregate, that it is a fatal mistake to plant small potatoes. On this Island, with a ready market and high price, they avoid seed ends and small potatoes, and select the largest for seed, as every judicious far- mer would select and trace up his best ears of corn for seed. I hope to hear from some of your sub- scribers on this subject at the gathering of the next crop- In corn planting, does not the new dropper place it too closely together ? My impression is, that if the kernels are three or four inches apart, the stock grows freer, ears better, and is less liable to suckers. Has this experiment ever been tried ? Would not heavy winds pass through and allow it to stand up better than if in a solid body ? Weeds and suckers could be more easily extermi- nated. In selecting lands for spring wheat, none should be appropriated to this crop but the warmest and earliest on the farm. It should be the first grain in the ground — the seed prepared in salt pickle for 12 hours, raked in ashes. No time must be lost in forcing it, to escape the blight and mildew of dog days. Your richest sloping lands are best for winter wheat, sward is best, and every farmer has more or less mowing patches that need the plow. With the advantage of both crops, (spring and winter,) no farmer, making pretensions as such, should go into the market for a barrel of flour. Brooklyn, L. I., March 18, 1861. H. Poor. For the New England Farmer. THOROUGH UNDERDRAININO- "WITH TILE. My experience in laying tile drains commenced in August, 1858 ; soil nearly level, formerly ce- dar, pine and black ash swamp ; top soil black muck, from six inches to four feet in depth ; subsoil various. In some places sand, others clay, a mixture of sand and clay, and in some places a real hard pan. Through this swamp runs a small brook which is the outlet of all the tile drains, and in consequence of the slight fall for 80 rods below, and a lime-stone rock laying across the bed of the stream, I was unable to set- tle the stream and outlet as low as was desirable, and many of the tiles, at their discharge into the outlet, had to be below the bed of the brook, in order to lay them three feet deep in the soil. This is as shallow a depth as any of 32,000 that are laid up to this time have been placed. This land is so level that the average fall to the drains is rather less than ^ inch to the rod, say about one inch in ten rods ; the distance of drains apart is generally 40 to 42 feet ; those in sandy subsoil, 70 feet ; others in the lowest places, with clay or hard pan subsoil, 30 feet apart. The main drains that enter the outlet, are one of 4^ inch, of 1000 pieces horse shoe tile, laid on a narrow board. This satisfied me with horse-shoe tile ; I want no more of them ; they warp out of shape in burning and make joints too open. Oth- er main drains are 3-inch tile, single or two abreast, or 4-inch each, according to the distance from the outlet, the number of small 2-inch drains they receive, and the quantity of water to be dis- charged. All of the tile, except the 1000 pieces named, are sole tile, which are the thing. The ditches have all been dug and filled in by hand, tools used, common spades, ground sharp, long and short handled common shovels, picks, iron bars, and sledge. We find stone where the upper ends of the drains enter the uplands to cut off all springs that would enter the swamp land. The bottom of the ditches for the tile should be very true and smooth, M'ithout sags where the water would stand, and the joints of the tile to fit close by using a hammer or trowel if necessary. It is best, generally, to begin at the upper end of the ditches to lay, and lay the branches first, certain- ly, if as convenient, and there is water in the ditches. Pieces of refuse slate are nice where the branches enter main drains, to patch up bad joints, or, when you have to make curves in lay- ing. When digging the ditches we threw the turf on one side, and all the other dirt on the other. All I have drained has been in turf. Be- fore laying, have the ti!e in a line on top of the dirt, then one hand, with a corn-cutter, thin the turf to li or Ih inches in thickness ; another hand stands in the ditch, lays the tile, and packs the turf grass side down on the tile, breaking joints, and as tight as possible ; use up all the turf. The man laying walks backward in the ditch. I throw in about three inches of dirt, carefully, and tread it down snug ; the rest of the dirt is thrown in promiscuously and left to settle. In laying with sods and treading down the dirt at the bottom, the object is to keep the dirt from going to the tile with the water and filling them up ; the wa- ter will readily leak through the soil into the tile, although the soil be tightly packed. Some pieces of tile laid the first season, not thus tightly packed, filled up and were dug up and relayed. Fine sand in a loose state, or a hard pan dissolved, composed mostly of fine sand becomes quick sand, and is more apt to fill up tile than any other soil. Clay or loam soil, when there was much fall to the tile, might never do it, although the joints were somewhat open. In lay- ing the tile where we were unable to get a hard bottom by wetness or looseness of the ground, we lay on a board. Besidt on the soil by drainage. Some 8^ acres of this soil had been plowed in extreme dry times and seeded for mowing, depending upon open ditches for drainage. Those in two years would nearly fill up. The grass would die out by the excessive wetness and coldness, and be succeed- ed by wild grasses of poor quality and small quantity, and in a wet season there was danger of miring oxen in carting, and until it had been drained the crops never paid the expenses laid out. Last spring two acres plowed the previous fall were sowed early to grass seed, and yielded good three tons of handsome clover and herds- grass hay. Four acres were plowed last spring and planted with potatoes, hoed once, a large yield, the best I have had in fifteen years on any soil. Two acres were sowed with oats and yield- ed largely. One-half acre to ruta bagas and cab- bages and turnips, as satisfactory a crop as one could ask for; the turnips at the rate of 1200 bushels to the acre. The remainder of the land drained is not yet finished. The stumpy portion 232 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. May is in pasture, where the bunches of wild grass have died out and June grass and white clover is taking its place, so that the past season it has been the best piece of the farm. Formerly it was only in a dry time that we could go on with oxen to pile stumps. The latter part of the season was quite wet here, yet we had no difficulty in harvesthig the potatoes and turnips, in drawing forty bushels on a cart with a small pair of oxen, and now, and in the future, I consider that the soil will be sufficiently dry for roots, English grain or grass. The tile cost when delivered on the premises $15 per 1000, for 2-inch; larger sizes in propor- tion, being one-third part rail-road transporta- tion and cartage. The cost of drainage will not vary much from $35 per acre, for which I think the first two crops will pay, and the land now is worth, at least, §1.>0 to the acre. The tile discharge water all winter and all sum- mer when not extremely dry, and discharge with a velocity in jjroportion to the height of water above the tile, and where the discharge is under the water in the outlet, bubbles up like a large boiling spring. Here, then, is one of the most difficult pieces to drain, thoroughly done, and it is the first in these parts. Many others who have be- gun and done a little, are satisfied with what they have done ; many more are about beginning. Tile are to be made here next season, when one- third of the expense will be saved. Our richest land will be brought into cultivation, and the place of the bullfrog, water snakes, bulrushes, cat-tails and wild grass, hillocks, miasmas and pestilence, will excel the western prairies in pro- ductiveness, and our young men will not be so apt to catch the Western fever. H. W. Lester. Rutland, VL, Feb. 14, 1861. For the New England Farmer, liA-KQE Oil SMALL CORET. Mr. Editor: — I noticed in reading the Far- mer, an article headed, "Which to plant, large or small corn ?" The writer goes on to show that the 12 rowed is the most profitable, and yields 30 bushels to the acre ; he takes nothing into con- sideration but the corn shelled. I am a farmer, and a miller also. I have had a chance to see 8 and 12 rowed corn brought to mill in the car, and I can say that not more than one grist in ten comes to mill of the 12 rowed but what gets mouldy before the cob is seasoned. — Another consideration is the fodder. The 12 rowed stalks grow so large, the cattle will not eat more than two-thirds of them, while on the other hand they will eat every one of the 8 rowed stalks ; and there is no trouble to cure the corn or stalks, which is quite an item. The 8 rowed will bear planting nearer together, with more stalks in a hill, and requires from 2 to 3 weeks less time to bring it to maturity than the 12 rowed, on the same kind of soil. I venture to say that I can raise as many bushels on an acre of perfectly sound corn, that is, shelled corn, as Mr. "Massa- poag" can of the 12 rowed variety, and the fodder worth one-third more. It is not half the trouble to cover it, and it is better corn when shelled, for market. P. V. P. Shelbume, Vt., Jan., 1861. CULTURE OP THE CRANBERRY— No. 1. There are several things which distinguish this age in a remarkable degree, — such as the power of locomotion in transporting heavy bodies, or in celerity of motion, or the blessings conferred upon the world by the aid of chemical investiga- tion, and what more immediately interests us as farmers, the desire to inquire and ascertain how far we may take the plants as they are pre- sented to us from the hand of the Creator, and transform or mould them into articles of food, clothing, or shelter for man, or for the animals which he rears. The potato presents an illustration. Once a wild, small, almost worthless tuber, but now large, fair, palatable, nutritious, and almost indispensa- ble. The brittle, aromatic, and juicy celery, now ranked among the luxuries of the table, was once a small, tough, bitter plant, rejected alike by man and beast. The carrot, which enriches and gives color to cream and butter, still grows wild and worthless in some of our fields, and along the highways. It is now valued upon the table, and greatly so as a winter feed for stock, and espe- cially for horses. The apple and pear afford an- other illustration, familiar to all, and so of many other plants common to our cultivation. It is this application of mind to material things — this inquiry into the recesses of nature and the development of her secret resources, that distin- guishes an age or a people, and gives it a marked significance on the pages of history. Among the plants that have for some time been receiving attention, is the Cranberry. It is not a new plant, any more than the potato or the cele- ry, for it is probable that it was the accompani- ment of many a savory haunch of venison among the Indians. It is susceptible of great improve- ment, both in size and flavor, as we have seen one variety affording numerous specimens a full inch in length, by actual measurement, the flavor and color of which far surpassed those growing with- out culture. The cranberry cannot, like the apple, be em- ployed in many different forms. In an uncooked state it is tasted, but never eaten as food. As a sauce for meats, it is unrivalled, not only in fla- vor, but in its beautiful color, which ornaments the table as much as the fruit pleases the taste. In jellies, jams, marmalade, puddings and pies, no fruit known has a more delicate flavor ; yet, though delicate, its flavor is lively, almost spark- ling, and highly agreeable. This delicacy allows the sick to use it when most fruits could not be taken. Wc do not think its acid is that of the apple, malic, nor of the grape, tartaric, but is something more delicate than either, which, when better understood, will become a valuable restor- ative in many cases of loss of physical power. 1861 NEW ENGLAND FARRIER. 233 Its more general use would tend to promote the health and good-nature of the family. In hotels, where the table is well supplied, it is now con- sidered as indispensable, and at sea, is found to give a cheerful vigor to both body and mind, •while it fortifies the system against that fell scourge of seamen, the scurvy. Its value as a condiment, and as a nutritive ar- ticle of food, is generally acknowledged ; it is natural to our soil and climate; its culture is pretty well understood, and when skilfully con- ducted, the results are quite certain ; it is easily harvested, stored and preserved ; it is supposed to possess medicinal qualities of the highest or- der in some of the most painful maladies with which man is afflicted ; these qualities cannot fail to give this fruit a pecuniary importance worthy of the consideration of every farmer who has lands and market facilities adapted to its cultivation. There are three kinds, at least, of this fruit found in New England meadows, each of which has been brought under cultivation. They are, 1. The Bell Craxberuy, 2. The Bugle Cranberry, and 3. The Cherry Cranberry. They derive their names from their resem- blance to a bell, to a bead, called a bugle bead, and to the cherry, which it resembles in form, size, and color. All these varieties may be found in this vicinity. The bugle, — the variety to which we have already alluded, where twelve ber- ries measured a full foot in length, — is found growing in some of the low places in this vicinity, in beautiful perfection. We are not able to say which of the three va- rieties is the BEST, if there is really any differ- ence in their quality. They are all good. The Soils best adapted to the Cranberry are our low grounds, what we usually call muck mea- dows, or swamps. It seems to need a soil that is constantly moist, but not holding standing water, during the growing season of the plant, and it is thought by some that it requires nothing for its perfect development but air and water, and a foothold in the soil. Where we have found the cranberry in its greatest perfection, we have ob- served a considerable portion of sand, either un- derlying the muck, or intimately mingled with the black humus, or soil. Indeed, sand seems to be necessary to a luxuriant growth of plant and fruit. What the special agency of the sand is, we do not know ; whether it affords strength to the plant by its silicic acid, imparts potash, or acts underneath as a strainer, and thus keeps the plant moist, but not submerged, we are not able to say. Were it not that the humus, or black, decomposed vegetable and sometimes ani- mal matter, is such an absorber of heat, we should be inclined to think the sand might act by storing up the solar heat during the middle of the day and imparting it back to the plants and the surrounding atmosphere during the night, and thus greatly equalizing the temperature through the growing season of the plant. This equalization would be important, because greater changes take place in these low grounds than on the high lands. Even in midsummer, in passing from a hill through a low piece of ground of some extent, we sensibly feel a change of several degrees, so that an overcoat would be agreeable when it would have been oppressive on the high land. In an analysis of the cranberry by Prof. Hors- ford, of Cambridge, he found it mainly composed of water. In its ashes he found almost 45 parts were potash and soda. It seems evident, there- fore, that although the amount of potash in the fruit may be small, it must be considerable where the aggregate of a productive acre of berries is so large. This may be one reason why the cran- berry flourishes so well on the sea-shore, where alkalies abound. We know, also, that the pota- to requires a good deal of potash, and that it does best on new lands that have not been exhausted of that mineral by cultivated crops, and in meadows, composed chiefly of vegetable matter. The ample supply of potash to the plant seems to be another reason why muck lands are best suit- ed to the cranberry. In another article we will speak of the Prepara- tion of Soils for the Cultivation of the Cranberry. For the New England Farmer. POMO D'OKO LESTBRIANO, OR THa \EW PERFECTED TOMATO. Having noticed in the Farmer of the 2d a val- uable communication from the pen of Mr. C. E. Lester, upon the cultivation of the tomato, refer- ring to his new valuable variety, and having ex- perimented with it the past summer, I herewith give you my experience in the cultivation of this tomato, compared with other kinds. I obtained, and planted the seeds of Lester's Perfected Tomato in pots, the 20th of March, and placed them in the green-house, transplanting six plants into the open ground the 20th of June, at the same time placing six plants of the large early Red Premium Tomato, at the other extreme end of my garden. I manured, and served them alike through the summer. The Premium Toma- toes were much larger than the Perfected, when set out, but the latter soon outgrew the former, and ripened their fruit 16 days earlier.^ The qual- ity of the fruit was superior, as described by Mr. Lester. Thin skin, very solid, large, and verr prolific in bearing. I sent a dish of the tomatoes to the Essex County Agricultural Society, and obtained a premium for them ; the committee pronounced them superior to any variety on ex- hibition. John S. Ives. Salem, March, 1861. 234 KEW ENGLAND FARMER. May For the New England Farmer. PKODUCTS OP A SMALL FABM. In New Enj^land, and particularly in Massachu- setts, where there are so many manufacturing vil- lages, and therefore good markets, there is a great inducement to cultivate a little land well, raise fruit and vegetables for market, and make better returns than those who cultivate more land under the old stereotype way of farming. In fact, most of our farmers have too much land, and too much of it poor. It should be divided among their sons, more capital expended upon it, and more money made. More refinement exhibited, less drudgery, family better educated in all respects ; more time for social and intellectual improvement, and final- ly more happiness, which is only found in the en- joyment of labor under an enlightened and refined social system. The profit of farming is often dis- cussed. I am decidedly in favor of rural life up- on the farm, and think it the safest business I can follow ; it brings the surest returns, and in it are all the elements of health, happiness and true independence. I have but a small farm, which I intend to take good care of. I propose to give you the products of ten acres in one lot. In this lot there are 80 young apple trees, from three to ten years old ; a part of them were in bearing this season : EXPENSES. Paid for manure $15 Prawiii'^ manure 4 Plowirp seven acres 10 Harrowinpt and cultivating 3 Other team work 20 Work on the farm 120 10 acres, worth $1000, interest 60 $232 PRODUCTS. Z\ acres grass, 6 tons hay, $10 $60,00 Rowen.2 ions, $10 2\00 2 acres oats, 80 bushels, 60c 40,00 2.j tons straw, $5 12,50 1 acre potatoes, 150 bushels, 40c 60,00 1 acre Swedish turnips, 700 bushels, 25c 175,00 2 acres corn, 114 bushels, 75c S5,50 4 tons stalks, $8 24,00 Apples 20,C0 1 bushel beans 2,00 Pumpkins 3,00 60) heads cabbage 20,00 I acre sowed corn 6,00 $523,00 Expenses $232,00 $296,00 I used the manure I made, besides the $20 worth I bought. The oats were threshed and measured, the corn weighed, the hay estimated, the turnips all measured, 400 bushels sold at 2«3 cents per bushel, and the balance on hand, at a higher market. All the crops were carefully estimated, and many articles raised, consumed by the family, not counted. Justus Tower. Laneaboro' , Mardt, 1861. from Barnard's American Journal of Education, for March, 1861, and affords us several incidents of Mr. Lyman's life heretofore unknown to us. Memoir of Gen. Lyman. — We have before us a brief Memoir of the late Gen. Theodore Ly- man, a great and good man — a great man, be- cause he constantly exerted his good qualities to bless his kind. His heart was as expansive as the wants of his race, and his wealth cont'nually llowed in gentle and un()l)trusive streams ^o sat- isfy those wants. This Memoir is repubi'ihed For the New England Farmer. TOP-DRESSING— FERTILIZERS. Mr. Brown : — I notice a recent article in your paper from Richard S. Rogers, upon the sub- ject of top-dressing meadow lands. I agree with him in the importance of a better understanding of the subject. There is a great want of care in spreading manure, both on plain land and mead- ow. Two years ago I passed a farm as good as any in the county of Berkshire, and saw two or three acres covered thickly with manure ready for plowing ; how long it had been spread I do not know, but as the weather was very drying, should judge that at least one-half of the value of the manure must have evaporated before it was cov- ered with the plow. I have never gone into the experiment of Mr. Rogers, but I have tried spread- ing on both fall and spring, and have uniformly had the best success in spreading in the fall. Much depends upon the season, whether wet or dry. In Aug., 1853, 1 spread over about two acres with yard manure, the weather being too wet to make hay for a week, so that the manure was thoroughly soaked ; the grass came on so that it gave me great after growth. At other times the weather has been dry, when I received no benefit at all from the manure. A different plan occurred to me a year ago last fall, that, instead of spread- ing clear manure it would be better to mix it with loam, making a compost, believing that the loam would prevent the manure from evaporating. I accordingly made a heap of about equal parts of some 60 loads, spread it on early in the spring to about three acres. The season being very dry, from April to July, it did not increase the grass very much, perhaps half a ton per acre, except on about one acre of very moist land, which gave me about three tons per acre ! I also made a small harrow with nine or ten teeth ; side five feet long, four feet wide, with knife teeth set straight for- ward to cut the turf. It was harrowed, perhaps five times over. We had very refreshing showers the latter part of August, so that the after growth was very thick and fine. Another summer I ex- pect to see a great crop. Another article from "R. M.," of Westboro', I think is to the point. Much is said about fer- tilizers ; I should consider them, more strictly speaking, stimulants. Some twenty years ago, before guano was discovered, I took from under my barn, where the geese and hens had run free- ly for twenty-five years, three loads and spi-ead on a meadow, in the spring ; the growth was just about double for the first year ; the next year there was no perceptible difference where the three loads were spread, and where nothing had been applied. I look upon it as operating like the gu- ano, stimulating the soil to produce a great growth for one year, at the expense of the soil ; so that if such a course was taken from year to year, the land would become impoverished, unless more or less yard manure was applied. A man, for in- stance, under the influence of brandy, would, doubtless, for a given time, do more work ; but were he to follow uu dose after dose with little or 1861. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 235 no nourishment, he would soon be as much below par as he was above, after the first drink. There- fore, I say, brother farmers, make your own ma- nure, and apply it in the way and time when you will receive the most benefit. Stockbridge, 1861. S. Byington. EXTRACTS AW^D KEPLIES. HATCHING CHICKENS. To what degree of temperature is it necessary the atmosphere should be raised to correspond with the heat of a hen's body while she sets ? or in other words, to what temperature, (Fahrenheit,) is it generally thought necessary to raise the air by artificial means to hatch an egg P Secondly, is there, at present, any establishment carrying on the business of hatching chickens artificially ? And if so, with what success is it done, and if not, what difhculties or objections are there to discourage such an undertaking. Walpole, March, 1861. J. R. Sanborn. Remarks. — We cannot tell, precisely. Take a small thermometer and place it under a sitting hen, and you may easily learn. We know of no establishment carrying on the hatching business. A gentleman somewhere West recently attempted it, and after sinking two hundred dollars, states that he abandoned the enterprise. MANURES — AND A DIFFICULTY. I am going to farming for myself, this year, and as the hay was mostly sold off from my place last year, I have got to buy manure. The Baker and Jarvis Island guano is adver- tised in your paper, I would like to know if it is as profitable to buy as any? The "Muck Man- ual" speaks of muck and potash as a valuable ma- nure. Pearlash is cheaper here than potash — will it do as well ? A part of my land has a dark, moist, heavy loam, and some of it a light and somewhat sandy loam. I intend to make a few experiments, and will give you an account of them hereafer, if you would like. Abner L. Butterfield. West Dummerston, Vt., 1861. Remarks. — No questions are more difficult for us to answer than those which i-elate to manures. They are used under so many different circum- stances, and in many instances with so little skill, that what gives a satisfactory result in one case is equally unsatisfactory in another. There is one infallible rule, however, which is of uni- versal application, viz. : Plant corn on good land, and apply not less than six cords of manure to the acre — which would be eighteen ox-loads, of about thirty-Jive bushels each. To this should be added to the hill, while planting, a small hand- ful of guano made from the hen-droppings, or some other domestic fertilizer, recipes for mak- ing which we have already given, and which every farmer may have. We have no doubt but that American guano, superphosphate, potash, pearl- ash, plaster, &c., may be profitable when moder- ately and judiciously used. After liberal manur- ing, howevei-, there is nothing we should more earnestly recommend, than a handful of wood ashes, either leached or unleached, applied to the hill at the first hoeing. If a farmer v/ishes to plant an acre and a half with corn, and has but eighteen loads of manure, he will be very likely to get more corn by apply- ing all the manure to one acre, than by applying it to the whole. Sow the half acre with oats, and turn them under as manure. A GOOD washing FLUID. I noticed in a recent Farmer an inquiry for a washing fluid; I will give one which my wife has thoroughly tested, and finds that it will save much of the labor of washing — to say nothing of the saving in other matters, such as "strained backs," "cross words," "short dinners," &c, com- mon to washing days. Take one pint spirits of turpentine, one pint of aloohol, two ounces of hartshorn, one ounce of gum camphor ; shake well together ; then to one quart soft soap add three table spoonfuls of this mixture. Wet the clothes first, then soap them with the mixture, lay them in a tub, and pour warm water on them ; let them remain half an hour or more, then wring them out of that water, soap them again and put on to boil ; then finish by rinsing, &c. c. M. F. Cabot, Vt., March, 1861. Remarks. — Mrs. "Experience" will please ob- serve the above, and be comforted. seeding without a grain crop. I would like to inquire whether it would be profitable to seed down land with herdsgrass, clover and red-top without grain, and if I should get a crop of hay the first year ; and if so, should the seed be sown early or late in spring? Andover, N. IL, March, 1861. A Farmer. Remarks. — By sowing early, a light crop might be obtained, if the season proved a moist one. poultry raising by a little boy. I read the account of poultry raising by Mr. "J. B.," in the Farmer of last week. I send you the account I kept with my Black Spanish fowls from Jan. 1, 1860 to Jan. 1, 1861, I had 8 hens and 1 rooster. During the year I bought 7^ bushels of corn at $1,00; meal and meat 7o cts.; father gives me the refuse from the kitchen. In the course of the year my hens have laid 70§ dozen eggs, that I sold to father, charging him the price each week that you put down in the Farmer. My eggs come to $13,79. I raised 8 fowls that 1 sold for $4,00, and 7 more which I keep. The account will be something like this : Cost of keeping 9 fowls one year $8,00 E^jgs they have laid " 13,79 Chickens sold 4,00 Chickens kept 3,50 this leaves $13,29 in favor of the fowls. Maiden, Feb., 1861. C. 0. Gwynneth, 10 years old. 236 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. May t'oT the New Englatid Farmer. PABM JOUEl^AIi AND FIELD BOOK. I had occasion, not long ago, to refer to the American Almanac, a very valuable publication, by the way, of 1833, and I there found an article of considerable length, giving extracts from the writings of Washington upon agricultural mat- ters, embracing his thoughts upon various farm topics, plans for a rotation of crops, suggestions for the management of an estate, treatment of manures, &c., and concluding with brief extracts from his Farm Journal, showing how methodical and systematic he was in every part of his farm- ing operations. These extracts were generally brief, just showing where, and what work was performed for the day, with a reference to the state of the weather, &c. I mention this to show that Washington, as the most noble American farmer, thought it of great importance to record the daily transactions of his estate, and as a sort of introduction to a few remarks upon Farm Jour- nals. Of farm accounts, the debtor and creditor, I do not intend to write, but of regular journals or records, and also of a "Field Book," I propose to say a word. Every intelligent farmer who is aiming for the advancement of his occupation, should have a plan of his farm, drawn to a scale, and so marked out, that each field, brook, meadow, hill, and for- rest growth can be designated and observed at a glance. This plan need not cost a great sum ; it is not necessary that it be nicely executed, as a piece of artistic skill ; but if the farmer can use a rule, compass and pencil, he can draw a plan himself, and one which will answer every pur- pose. This plan should be so complete, that the fields may be numbered thereon, and room left for certain figures or letters to be made upon it, which letters refer to notes, remarks or other ex- planations in the Field Book. The Field Book is a small volume which the farmer carries with him, and which he should never be without. Passing over some part of his farm, he notices something which must be done immediately. A brief note of it is made on the spot in the Field Book, and it is attended to at the first opportu- nity, but for which, it would have been forgotten, and therefore remained unaccomplished. The map of the farm shows the owner its situ- ation, the lay of the different fields, the courses of brooks, the direction of fences, and the posi- tion of the whole estate. The Field Book is the key of explanation. It tells the character of the soil in a given locality ; it shows what particular crop is now growing in a certain field ; it points to where there is good fence or poor fence, en- closing pasture or meadow ; and contains the sug- gestive notes for improvements to be made upon the farm, both present and prospective. To give a more perfect idea of the use and im- portance of a Farm Map and Field Book, let us take a glance at both. Upon the map, at a given place, we notice, d, 3 ; and by reference to the Field Book the same letter and figure is found with this note of explanation. "At d, there are about ten rods of poor fence wliich must be re-built the present summer. Cut poplars at 3 — the figure 3 having reference to a thick growth of poplars as shown on the map — in June, and as soon as harvest is over, have the fence built of poplar-rails, using the stakes andf* hunks which Robert made this spring, and which are now in the open shed. May 7, 1859." It is often the case that farmers wish to make changes in their fields, turning out certain ones into pasture, making divisions in others, and also making other improvements, such as clearing, them of rocks, or putting in drains. Work of this description can be all planned within doors, provided the farmer has a map upon which he can look, and when his plans are matured, the notes can be made in the Field Book, and put into op- eration at the first seasonable moment. So, too, if the farmer is necessarily absent for a number of days or weeks, he can arrange his work in ad- vance, make notes for the foreman to carry out, and the whole labor of the farm would go on in his absence, as if he were present to manage every job himself. The Field Book is the farmer's daily, which notes down events as they occur, and makes sug- gestions for future improvement ; the Farm Jour- nal answers to the stately weekly, where opinions are advanced, theories discussed, reflections writ- ten out at length, and all matters of importance recorded for future reference. A suitable book for a farm record, is one made of foolscap paper, or better still, such blank books as are for sale at most stationers, comprising some 200 or 250 pages, and which can be bought for less than a dollar. These books will last a year or two, perhaps even longer. The heading of each page should be something like the form here given. 1861. FAKM JOURNAL. 23. The number at the right refers to the page, and on the page opposite, corresponding with the year, should be written the month. The records suitable for this farm journal are all those which come within the province of the estate, accounts of the work upon the farm, with records of the success or failure of certain experiments, state of the weather, fall of rain and snow, appearance and disappearance of birds, insects, &:c., time of leafing out of common shrulis and trees, &c., &c. Most farmers can easily find time for the keep- ing of such a journal, if they are satisfied of its importance, and only give attention to it. At times, more can be written than at others, but a record should at least be made once a week, em- bracing the more important topics of the Field Book. The author of this sketch writes from actual knowledge of the subject, and is therefore preach- ing what he practices. Besides a rough map of his small farm, and various Field Books, now not of so much value, that their chief contents are copied into the journals — he has six volumes of a private farm journal, each volume of large foolscap size, and embracing from two to three hundred pages. The motto of these volumes I suggest for others : "Count that day lost, whose low descending sun Views from thy hand no worthy action done." Brookdale Farm, 1861. s. L. B. Remarks. — Everything that tends to bring farmers to the opinion that their business is wor- thy of systematic management, is a benefit to 1861. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 237 them, because such management will increase their profits. We cannot claim such a nice sys- tem as our ■correspondent recommends, but can inform him that we have a map of our farm, and a daily record ofihirteen years'' continuance. LEO-ISI.ATIVE AQillCUIiTUEAIi SOCIETY. fREPORTED FOR THE N. E. FARMER, BY THOMAS BRADLEY.] The twelfth meeting of the series of this so- ciety was held at the Representatives' Hall on Monday evening, but in consequence of the un- favorable weather the attendance was not so good as usual. The meeting was called to order by Charles L. Flint, Esq., who introduced Allen Putnam, Esq., of Roxbury, as Chairman of the evening. Mr. Putnam, on taking the chair, announced the subject for discussion, "The management of the Dairy," and said that he was somewhat sur- prised at being selected to preside, as it had been some years since he was actively engaged in farm- ing pursuits, and that being the case, he scarcely considered himself fit to preside, although pos- sibly he could hint some justification for the ab- normal selection of the committee, in the fact that the consumer of butter, who goes into the market for his annual supply, may have a better oppor- tnnity to determine whether the quality of butter, as a whole, which is offered for sale from year to year, is improving, or stationary, or deteriorating, than he who supplies his table from his own dairy room. It is not incredible, said the speaker, that buyers and consumers are a little more expert and successful in exposing faults and blemishes in products of any kind than are the producers and sellers. Butter makers may find consumers better posted and more out-spoken as to the faults of their work than they are themselves, and per- haps, said he, this was the object in selecting the chairman of the evening. After alluding to the difficulty he found in get- ting butter at the present day to his taste, the speaker said it might be attributed to its being difficult to suit him, but while he admitted the charge might be true, he meant to express a firm conviction that the general quality of butter of- fered for sale in the Boston market has been de- teriorating. This position, said he, may seem bold and unwarrantable, and I presume there is more thought and more supposed science brought to bear upon butter making now than fifteen years ago, still I charge that the butter of New England is not as good as it was then. Different cows of the same breed, difierent breeds of cows, different pasturage, diS'erent kinds and qualities of dry feed, different cellars or dairy-rooms, different atmospheres and the like, each, said he, marks, in some degree, its own peculiarities upon the butter produced in connex- ion with it ; but these, and perhaps some other points, are presumed to be now as favorable in New England as at any former time ; at any rate, it is presumed that our breeds of cattle have not deteriorated, our pasturage and our climate have not altered much, dairy-rooms, as a whole, must be as airy and as good in every way as they were ten years ago, therefore these cannot account for any marked change. Where, therefore, asked the speaker, can we find the causes of the change ? Is it in the lessened labor and skill of the dairy women, who work over and pack down the butter after it is taken from the churn ? Is it possible that the present generation have failed to come up to their mothers in butter pains-taking and skill ? While many of them leave a great deal of butter-milk where it variegates the color and injures the flavor of the butter, the speaker said he would hold the women innocent until they were proved guilty. He then alluded to the churn, and spoke par- ticularly of the thermometer churn — the popular churn of the day — 12,000 of which he said had been annually sold by a single house in Boston for the past few years, and he said it might fairly be presumed that from 30,000 to 40,000 were now in use in dairy-rooms which forward their products to Boston market. Mr. Putnam said he would state a few facts that had turned his attention to the action of the different varieties of churns, and the quantity and quality of butter they will severally produce from the same quantity and quality of cream. Some eighteen months since, said he, a Mr. Wilson, then of New York, called on me, and in- troduced to my notice a patent churn of his own invention. His account of its working excited my curiosity, and I proposed to test its merits. We went to the warehouse where his churn was, and then procured two cans of cream from a milk- man, which was not, of course, of the richest qual- ity, and the whole was poured into a new dasher churn and then well stirred. Alternate quarts were then poured into a thermometer churn, and the air-pressure churn of Mr. Wilson, the tem- perature in the thermometer churn was made right, and the two were started simultaneously. The butter came quick enough in each churn, but upon taking it out of the two a difference in col- or was very noticeable. The air-pressure gave the deeper and better yellow, but the quantity was not much different, so far as we could notice with the rough scales used. The speaker then alluded to another trial of the two churns where the advantage of the air- pressure churn was still more marked, both in quantity and quality, and after submitting the 238 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. Mat butter produced by each churn to several parties, they had all conceded that made in the Wilson churn to be the best. He felt sure the difference in the quality of the butter was in consequence of the difference in the churns, the deeper color of that produced in the Wilson churn coming obvi- ously from the increased amount of oxygen which the compressed air brought in immediate contact M'ith the cream. Milk, said he, is white, but the upper side of cream is yellow. It has taken its color or coloring influence, from the atmosphere in contact with it. The air-pressure churn brought more than the natural atmosphere in contact with the coming butter, and increased its yellowness. He accounted for the increased quantity pro- duced by this churn over the thermometer churn, from the same quantity of milk, by the proba- bility that the pressure of atmosphere upon every particle of cream caused each butter par- ticle to separate from the milk, or burst its en- closing sack, and thus obtained all the butter from the milk. He said that the grain of the butter was better when produced by the Wilson churn. The thermometer churn, said the speak- er, made of zinc, brings the cream and butter in contact with that metal, and it is worthy of in- quiry whether the metal has or has not a deleteri- ous action upon the butter. The facilities for raising the temperature by putting hot water around the body of the churn, it is necessary to use with caution, for unless the operator is very particular, and a patient waiter, he will pour in 80 much hot water that by the time he has been churning five minutes, his hot water and dasher combined will have put the temperature in the churn ten degrees higher than he intended it should be, and Mr. Putnam said he thought that one of the principal causes of poor butter is churning it in contact with metal, and under an undesigned and unsuspected height of tempera- ture. From another experiment that had been tried, he had been led to consider whether it would not be possible by putting cream in an air-tight ves- sel, and pumping in repeated supplies of com- pressed air, to produce in butter the color to be desired. The speaker said he strongly inclined to the belief that much could be done in that di- rection. When the feed, the weather and the dairy-room are all right, the atmosphere, without condensation, may give a perfect color to butter, but there are times when nearly all butter-makers would like a richer hue. Mr. Frekman Walker, of North Brookfield, spoke of the great interest he felt in the subject of discussion, as, within a few days, butter deal- ers had told him there was scarcely a good tub of butter to be had in the Boston market. The material, said the speaker, Is the same, yet the price for good butter was now from 20 to 25 cts.» while the greater portion in the market was dear at half that price, and he could not name a more objectionable article of diet than bad butter. Some time since he had used both the old dash churn and the barrel churn, and he considered the first named the best, and although it required more labor to produce the butter, yjet this was compensated for in the increased quantity of but- ter obtained. The farmers in his neighborhood! were mostly engaged in cheese-making, and at a future part of the discussion he proposed to speak more particularly of this part of dairy farming. Mr. Wilson, the inventor of the air-pressure churn, then gave an interesting description of his churn together with the circumstances which led him to experiment in the matter. He said the air-pressure churn was valuable as a churner of milk as well as cream, as a great deal of time was saved in the operation, as by the present process it requires an hour, while by the new churn it could be done in eight or ten minutes. He would advise farmers to churn their sweet milk, which coming from the cow about 98°, is ready to churn when it falls in temperature to GQ°. In New England, he said, there were 50,000,000 lbs. of butter produced from 180,000 cows, and he was satisfied that more $5,000,000 were lost every year to farmers in the depreciation of their butter. Mr. Fisk, of Shelburne, had had some experi- ence with cows, and he was astonished to see the difference in butter. He had no interest in any churn, and he cared little by what kind of churn butter was produced, yet he thought that the cows had more to do with the quality and the color of butter than the churn. He had ten cows, one of which was a Native, never having been guilty of having been crossed, and with precisely the same feed as the others, she always gave ex- cellent yellow butter and milk, while another be had gave butter as white as lard, and thin poor milk. He insisted that the greatest cleanliness should be observed in the dairy so as to keep the milk sweet as long as possible. The great object should be to get out the buttermilk entirely and work it well, and there was no trouble in getting good sweet butter, which with the dairy women in his section was worth from 25 to 28 cents per pound. He objected to artificial coloring, but preferred the carrot coloring to the practice of giving the cow cotton seed meal. He said the farmers in his neighborhood found that they could make 2^ to 3 lbs. of cheese to one pound of butter, and if they could sell this from 10 to 12 cts. per pound, it would seem as though cheese- making would be more profitable, yet it must be allowed that in this case a most excellent feed for pigs, the sour milk, would be lost. Mr. Howard, editor of the Cultivator, said 1861. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 239 that he could not agree with the statement in regard to the poor quality of the butter brought to the Boston market, as his observation both in the market and at the exhibitions of the various agricultural societies had led him to think that the butter was improving. He could not believe the great principles of butter-making were in any patent churn, as his opinion was that they lay behind this. He thought a great deal de- pended on the temperature, but he was satisfied there was a great amount of ignorance in making butter, and among those so ignorant, salt was con- sidered a remedy for most bad butter, but this was not so, and in many parts of England butter that had been salted was not allowed to be sold, and there, butter was made so well, that it would keep well for months without a particle of salt. Mr. Wilson described the method of making cheese on the Western Reserve in Ohio. In the large dairies he said they invariably churn their whey and sell it in the New York market, where it is used for pastry. In some places farmers make butter from their fresh milk, and then from the refuse make cheese, which of course is of an inferior quality, but brings a fair price in the market. Mr. BucKMiNSTER, editor of the Ploughman, said that cows in New England averaged 5 lbs. of butter per week, while some produced as much as 10, 15, 17, 19 and 21 pounds. He thought much depended, in the quality of the butter, on the breed of cows, and the food given them. He thought the reason that there was so little good butter in the market was that the more wealthy classes contracted for their butter before it went irito the market. He did not know how the air-pres- sure would operate, but he was satisfied that a churn would yet be introduced, together with other improvements, that would render unneces- sary the working of butter by hand. Mr. Walker, of North Brook field, said that •whatever might be said of butter, cheese had not deteriorated in quality. He had been, for many years, on the committee on cheese at their county agricultural show, and when he first held the of- fice he was astonished to find so many flavors and different smells, but now there was a greater similarity in the quality and smell ; yet there was still much to learn. There was one trouble in the want of uniformity in the quality of cheese and that was that a man who made cheese worth fourteen cents per pound, cannot get more than twelve and a half cents for it, because it is in bad company. He thought that either the quantity or quality of the rennet caused the trouble in cheese. Feed Bones to the Hens. — If you take fresh bones from the kitchen, and with a sledge, on a rock, or any natural or artificial anvil, pound them up into small pieces, hens will eat them raven- ously and not only will they digest the bones and make a better manure of them than can be made in any other way, but they will be themselves greatly benefited by them ; they will lay through- out the season with much greater regularity than otherwise, and will fatten on the marrow within, and the fat and muscle will adhere to the bones. — The Homestead. For the New England Farmer. FARMING OPERATIONS MADE PROFI- TABLE—No. II. To . Dear Sir : — Having in a former communica- tion answered your first and second interrogato- ries, I now proceed to those in your third section, which, with the prefatory statements, are as fol- lows : "I always had a fondness for farming, but circum- stances in early life turned me into other pursuits. At Icnfftli I have resumed my favorite occupation, and desire to malvc a pleasant rural home. I have means to farm it as I please, liut still, as a business man, and on principle too, I wish to so manage as to farm for a profit and set a useful example to otliers. I am willing to make any judicious investment in the im- provement of the soil Itself that will as a practical luisiness operation pay a fair return. With this hrief preface, I would say that the tillage land of my farm has been rather superficially cultivated, and the sur- face soil is a good deal worn. I have not mucli prac- tical experience in regard to soils, hut it has seemed to me that the subsoil should be taken into account in judging of the character and capacity of land. I have "examined the subsoil in various places, and find it to be mostly a stiff and close brown or yellowish loam, and usually packed down hard. How shall I proceed with this land, what kinds of plowing do I want, how deep shall I plow, how cultivate af^terwards, and in short, what plan of improving husbandry shall I pur- sue to make it productive ?" I am pleased to learn that "at length you have resumed your favorite occupation ; and I certain- ly wish yo any hay until since the middle of March, 'i'heir feed has been oats unthrashed, once a day, oat straw once and corn fodder once, and they have done well. My last spring lambs I have fed on hay. H. Newbury, Vt., 1861. _ SHEEP, "WITH COLDS OR INFLUENZA. Will you or some of your correspondents in- form me of a cure for sheep that are troubled with a severe cold or influenza ? The snow in January and February accumulated in my yard, higher than the floor to my shed, and having a heavy rain and thaw about the middle of Februa- ry, the water ran into the shed, making it very wet, and nearly all of my sheep took a cold or in- fluenza. Some have nearly recovered — two have died — several others discharge freely from the nose, and lose flesh. The symptoms are a thin, mucous discharge from the nose and eyes. As the disease advances they become dull, eat but little, stagger in walking, grate their teeth and droop their ears. N. B. Haddam, Vt., March 21, 1861. Remarks. — Much cannot be done for the poor animals by administering medicine. A warm drink made of ginger, or something of that kind, may be given, or if the bowels need motion, something to accomplish this may be used. Most that can be done is to furnish them with a warm, dry place, where they can be quiet, and to feed them on warm food, such as a bran mash, oats or cracked corn soaked in hot water, or a little sweet hay soaked in the same manner. We have had considerable experience with sheep, and find that these opinions are sustained by the best books on the subject. We have referred to them, hoping to find something definite to off'er, but cannot. WHITE PINE SEED. Will you inform me the best way to seed land with white pine ; how much seed per acre, where can it be obtained, &c. Any information in re- gard to this will be thankfully received. Auburn, N. H., 1861. CiiAS. C. Grant. Remarks. — Will some correspondent having the knowledge impart it to brother Grant through the Farmer "^ oats and beans. Oats and beans, two or three parts of the for- mer to one of the latter, ground, make good feed for cows. A neighbor says that beans are a pre- ventive and a remedy for the garget. Farmers, try the above mixture. I will warrant it beneficial. soiling cows. Will you inform me through your paper how to manage in feeding cows in the barn, in sum- mer ? shall I mow grass for them, or raise some other green crop ? If a crop, what kind ? Enjield, Conn., 1861. A Subscriber. Remarks. — Tliere is nothing, in our opinion, equal to good pasture for cows — but as that can- not always be had, we must resort to some other mode of feeding to "help out." This may be done by keeping the cow's in the barn ever)' other day, or by feeding them plentifully for two or three hours each morning, and turn them out for air and exercise during the rest of the day. For this purpose, a crop of early clover or oats is good ; then follow with millet, and corn sown thickly for the purpose. bee hives. Will you, or some of your subscribers, favor me through your columns with the information where the bee hive invented by Rev. L. L, Lang- stroth can be found, and if it is a good one, — if not, whose is the best ? A Subscriber. Worcester County, April 3, 1861. Remarks. — George T. Angell, 46 Washing- ton Street, Boston, will supply you with Lang- stroth's hive. Mr. R, S. Torrey, of Bangor, Me., has a hive which we also think highly of. vegetable CUTTER. I saw in the Farmer for March an article on root or vegetable cutters ; the writer speaks of one which has not been in the market yet, which he thinks is preferable to others on account of its cleansing the roots by a revolving cylinder and separating the dirt from the roots. Now, can the editor or the writer of this article inform me where this machine can be obtained, and at what price. George Putnam. Andover, April, 1861. For the Ketc England Farmer. BEE CULTURE. Mr. Editor : — There is one branch of farming which is very much neglected, and which is not only the most interesting and instructive but the most profitable. I refer to the keeping of bees. There is no farmer, however much his time may be occupied, but could attend to an apiary with from two to ten hives of bees, and for his labor, (I will not say labor, for it is only recreation,) he will get from 20 to 40 lbs. of honey from each hive. The great objection to keeping bees has been, the want of a proper hive to enable one to feed his bees if the season should prove unfavorable, and to so ventilate the hive, that the bees may be kept in a healthy state and the comb free from frost and ice. These difficulties are completely obviated by a very simple hive invented by R. S. Toruey, of Bangor, Me. His hive is so constructed that a perfect ventilation is kept up, and the apiariaa 1861. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 255 can know just when his bees require food and can feed them, without at all disturbing them, and have the pleasure of seeing the little industrious creatures load themselves with food a^d convey it to their cells ; it is also so arranged that the moths cannot trouble the hive, and the combs can be removed singly if desired. In fact, it is just such a hive as has long been needed. I write this for the good of my brother farmers, not having any pecuniary interest in the hive. There are one or two other subjects which I may drop you a line upon at some future time, if your columns are not too full. Your journal is doing us good. We are living upon old worn- out farms, and it is only by reading agricultural works and periodicals, thinking for ourselves and using the new labor-saving machines, that we can, at the end of the year, make "both ends meet." Cumberland County, Me. B. Remarks. — We have great confidence in Tor- rey's Hive. During the past winter we have had several swarms, in different hives, all standing upon the same shelf, every one of which excepting Torrey's has suffered more or less from want of proper ventilation, and in two instances all the bees were dead. For the New England Fartnet . ONE "WAY TO PRESERVE MEAT IN" ■WARM WEATHER. Messrs. Editors : — What is a greater luxury to an old-fashioned business man, occasionally, than a platter of well prepared bacon and eggs ? In the premises, I wouid state, that meat smoked in cold weather, is better than in warm, and that different persons have different ways of pickling and preparing their meat for the smoke-house. When the pickling is accomplished upon any plan, the next thing wanted, is a suitable smoke- house adapted to the quantity of meat to be smoked. As my operations have been upon a small scale, seldom amounting to the curing of the legs and shoulders of more than two hogs, I have used a hogshead of a large size, with one head taken out, then an auger hole bored nigh the crossing of the removed head through the staves in the centre, to admit a stick large enough to sustain the meat which is fastened to the stick with strings, then the removed head returned to its place, for a cover to keep the smoke in ; then an iron pan with smoking corn cobs is inserted through a hole previously made at the lower end of the cask for a door ; the pan is to rest on the unremoved head covered with sand to prevent its burning, then a tight door fitted to the opening, is applied to hinder a blaze of the cobs and retain the smoke in the cask. A supply of cobs may be introduced two or more times a day, for a week, when probably the meat will be sufficiently smoked for food. Now for the most important part of the opera- tion. Every person of experience knows how dif- ficult it is to keep bacon sweet through the sum- mer months ; flies and other nauseous insects are attracted to it, and deposit their filthy eggs and slimy larva in every available crevice, till the meat is worthless, and more than all that, all an- imal matter has a tendency to taint and decom- pose, and bacon is very liable to suffer in that way, unless indurated with salt to such a degree as to render it unpalatable. As smoke is a dis- infectant, and a strong antiseptic, all the bacon that is to be kept for summer use I let remain in the smoke-house, and occasionally fumigate it with a paa of smoking cobs, the best preventive of taint as well as repellent of flies, bugs, and other nauseous insects. I have kept bacon, through the summer months, by this process, free from taint and contamination of all insects, "as good as new." I make no pretension to the invention of preserving meat in this way, further than the after smokings, which I have had no knowledge of having been done by any of my acquaintance. North Wilmington, 1861. Silas Brown. Far the New England Farmer, A GOOD CORN STORY. Mr. Editor: — One of your agents called on me last summer, and I showed him a piece of corn where. I had used phosphate of lime and plaster paris in the hill, and he wished me to give the result through your paper. My land is a gravelly loam, pitching considerably to the south and east ; rather late in the season I carted ma- nure on to the grass, and as soon as I got enough for a day's plowing, I turned it under with a side- hill plow, plowing from eight to twelve inches deep. I put on about twenty-five loads of ma- nure to the acre. After it was all plowed, I took a heavy roller and rolled it all down as smooth as I could, then I harrowed, furrowed, and planted on the top of the sods, using one large spoonful of plaster and phosphate of lime to the hill ; hoed three times, and had over 200 bushels good sound corn on about three acres. My corn is of the twelve rowed kind, and very early. I left two rows where I put nothing in the hill ; they yielded only two-thirds as much as those right beside that had plaster and lime ; the corn was not near as sound and good, worth but very little, if any, more than half as much as that where the plaster and lime wer« put. And now about different kinds of corn. I saw in the Farmer of March 16, Wm. F. Bassett, of Ashfield, thinks the King Philip corn the best. I have had thirty years' experience in raising corn for myself, and am satisfied that the twelve rowed corn that I have raised during that time, will yield from five to ten bushels of corn more per acre than any eight rowed kind in this vicin- ity, and is two or three weeks earlier at least, and the meal is worth several cents the bushel more than the King Philip, or Brown corn. I planted some of the King Philip the past season, spread manure and plowed in, and manured in the hill with summer manure. It was planted three or four weeks earlier than the twelve rowed, and was not ripe so soon by eight or ten days, and did not yield more than three-quarters as much. I shelled some of the twelve rowed and some of the King Philip, and gave to my fowls together, and they would take all the twelve rowed first. Within the last thirty years I have tried several kinds of eight rowed corn, that were very highly recommended, but never have found any that would yield as much, or was as early as the twelve rowed kind. L. C. French, 2d. Bedford, N. E., April, 1861. 256 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. June USE OF BONES AS A FERTILIZER. We recently published an inquiry in relation to the use of bones ; since which we have found the following reply to a similar inquiry, in the last number of the Mark-Lane Express, which we copy in the belief that it will be perused with in- terest by all our reflecting readers : A correspondent asks for some information re- specting bone manure. This is universally con- sidered one of the best kinds of manure that can be applied to the land, whether for corn, grass or root crops, and its extensive and increasing use is a proof of the estimation in which it is held. Not only are the bones of those animals slaugh- tered in this country employed as manure, but nearly 80,000 tons per annum are imported from foreign countries, chiefly for the same purpose, and yet the supply is by no means equal to the demand. Had not the importation of guano com- menced about the year 1840, it is probable that bones would have risen to £10 or £12 per ton. "That bones must be beneficial as manure," says Mr. Nesbit in his pamphlet on Agricultural Chemistry, "will appear from a very simple con- sideration. Animals are fed upon vegetables, and the whole of their bodily structure grows out of the food, or is eliminated and formed from it. If the food did not contain phosphate of lime, the bony structure of the body could not be built up. If the soil in which vegetables grow did not contain phosphate of lime, the seeds of vegeta- bles could not be matured. Supposing the ara- ble land of this country to have been robbed for a thousand years of phosphate of lime, and never to have received any back again ; assuming this ingredient to have been continually exported in the shape of milk, cheese, sheep and oxen, it is clear that unless the land had an unlimited amount of phosphate, which we know is not the case, there must have been a proportionate diminution in the quantity of such materials. Hence it is that when certain substances which had been tak- en out for a long period, have been again sud- denly applied, land worth hardly 5s. per acre has sprung up to the value of 15s., and there has been an enormous increase of crops." One of the most valuable qualities of bones is the slowness with which they decompose, and the length of time during which they continue to give out the phosphates. It is found upon anal- ysis that one pound of bones contains as much phosphoric acid as 28 pounds of wheat, or 250 pounds of potatoes. Now, a crop of wheat of four quarters per acre, and reckoning it at 60 lbs. per bushel, weighs, in round numbers, 2000 lbs., which contains only as much phosphate as is found in 71 lbs. of bones. It is clear, therefore, that if the bones are put on at the rate of 3^ cwt. per acre, supposing them to decompose rapidly and give out the phosphates in proportion, a large proportion would be wasted. But that this is not the case, the following circumstances prove : A gentleman, who occupied a large farm in Norfolk, finding towards the close of his wheat-sowing, that he was likely to have a considerable quantity of bone-dust left, if he continued distributing it at the ordinary rate, directed his foreman to in- crease the quantity. On going to the field the following day, he found that the man had doubled the allowance, and that instead of having any to spare, he would not, at that rate, have enough to finish manuring the remaining seeding land. He therefore told him to go back to the usual quan- tity of abrfut 4 cwt. per acre, at which rate the field was finished. The crop of wheat proved a very heavy one, as well as the succeeding crop of turnips, on that part of the land which was thus double dosed with bone dust. Now mark what follows. Eleven years after, the farmer on rid- ing with a friend over his land, came to this field, which was again, for the third time after the above occurrence, under wheat. On entering it, he re- quested his friend, if he should, in riding down the furrow, find any diff'erence in the growth of the wheat, to point it out. After riding a few yards into the wheat he suddenly stopped. "What in all the world have you been after here,?"* he exclaimed. "This wheat is six inches higher, and as stout again as the rest ; how came this to pass ?" The farmer then explained to him the occurrence we have related, and which proves not only the value of bones as a manure for a single crop, but that by the deliberate manner in which they give out the phosphates in decomposition, the) pos- sess a more permanent value than any other kind of manure. — Country Gentleman. For the New England Farmer. TWELVE-ROWED vs. EIGHT-ROWED CORN. Mr. Editor : — In a late number of your paper I find some remark of "A Farmer and Millei-" in relation to eight-rowed corn being preferable to twelve-rowed, on account of'drying better, and its greater value as fodder. I beg leave to say that I defy the world to produce a better variety of corn than I raise, heavier, finer fodder, or that produces better on common upland, or, in fact, earlier than this twelve-rowed corn. Hence it follows that the number of rows in a variety of corn has nothing to do with the real merit of that variety. There are many things highly recommended in the public prints that will not answer for every latitude and locality. A neighbor of mine raises the far-famed King Philip corn with no success at all. Though recommended for being early, it is altogether too late for this county. This, and an eight-rowed sort, is bound to mould at all events. The Lawton blackberry will not stand our winters, and notwithstanding the high encomiums lavished upon it, it is worthless in this climate. In reply to a suggestion made some weeks since through your paper, about distributing corn in the hill, I will say that I use one of Dana's hand planters, which chucks it in about two inches deep at one stroke. This machine leaves the corn in a line four inches long in each hill. As the corn grows it, diverges sufficiently to give it plen- ty of room. In this way it is much less work to hoe it, and in my humble opinion the corn is evener and produces a better crop than when it is distributed in a square of eight or ten inches about the hill. Thomas S. Fletcher. Beading, Windsor Co., Vt., April 8, 1861. A punctual man can always find leisure, a neg- ligent one never. 1861. XEW EXGLAND FARMER. 257 THE RED ASTRACHAN APPLE. We have not cultivated this delicious apple, and therefore prefer to give the reader an account of it given by Downing, in his Fruits and Fruit Trees of America. A fruit of extraordinary beauty, first imported into England with the White Astrachan, from Sweden, in 1816. It bears abundantly with us, and its singular richness of color is heightened by an exquisite bloom on the surface of the fruit, like that of a plum. It is one of the handsomest dessert fruits, and its quality is good, but if not taken from the tree as soon as ripe, it is liable to become mealy. Ripens from the last of July to the middle of August. Fruit pretty large, rather above the middle size, and very smooth and fair, roundish, a little nar- rowed towards the eye. Skin almost entirely covered with deep crimson, with sometimes a lit- tle greenish yellow in the shade, and occasionally a little russet near the stalk, and covered with a pale white bloom. Stalk rather short and deeply inserted. Calyx set in a slight basin, which is sometimes a little irregular. Flesh quite white, crisp, moderately juicy, with an agreeable, rich, acid flavor. A "Scare Crow." — The following is said to be a remedy against the depredations of the crow and blackbird, in the cornfield : — Take fine plump seed corn — a quantity of it — string each kernel on a horse hair — white is best — tying a knot in it to prevent its slipping off. Scatter it over the field in spots where the birds will see it and alight. They will eat but one kernel of it, and will not trouble that field (or any other) again. The two ends of a horse hair sticking out of their mouths well anchored in their craws by a fine kernel of corn, is by no means a pleasure to them. A Bad Custom. — In no pursuit or profession, is there required so great an exercise of judgment, experience, observation, and of science also, as in the proper treatment of the great variety of soils with which the cultivator has to deal. The rule is ; make professional men of your smart boys — leave the dolts to till the soil. It should be ; de- vote the best talent to the cultivation of the soil where the highest degree of judgment and skill is required ; and let the lower grades of intellect be sent into the routine of professional life. — Amer. Agriculturist. What a glorious world this would be if all its inhabitants could say, with Shakspcare's shep- herd : "Sir, I am a true laborer ; I earn that I wear ; owe no man hate ; envy no man's happi- ness ; glad of other men's good ; content with my farm." 258 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. June CRANBERBT CTJLTTJRE— No. 2. Freparaiion of Soils for tlie Plants. — In this operation, there is little unanimity of opinion, or practice. If it is desired to reclaim a swamp, se- lect one upon which water may be thrown at will, and a good method is to flow it for an entire year, as the brush at the end of that time will usually be dead. Then draw off the water, cut the bushes and hassocks, and in a dry time burn the whole over. If thorough work is to be made of it — and that is by far the most profitable pro- cess— pull up the roots, take out stumps, fill holes, and level, so as to make the surface easy to work upon. While this has been going on, a dam should be constructed of sufficient capacity to flush water over the whole surface in a short time, and then the field is ready for the plants. These should be selected — 1. From hearing vines, as some of them, like the grape and strawberry, are barren. 2. From prolific plants — plants that you have seen with your own eyes, full of fruit from year to year. 3. From healthy vines — those that are young, of a dark green color in the autumn, before they are entirely ripened or touched by frost, and that show no signs of blight or mildew, and have not been infested by worms. 4. Select one of the three varieties mentioned, or, on a portion of the plantation, mix them with each other. The vines being selected and brought to the field in large quantities, one person should make a suitable hole with a hoe, and another follow with his barrow of plants, set them in the ground, with or without roots, scrape the moist soil over them and tread down with his foot. It matters little whether one inch of the plant, or six is left out of the ground, provided two or three, or more inches are underneath. The closer they are set together, the sooner will the ground be covered, the plants take pos- session of the whole surface, and keep out all in- truders, such as meadow grass, bushes and brakes. If we were now to begin a plantation, we would set them within one foot of each other, or if plants were plenty, only six inches apart. In order to acquire all the information possible respecting this fruit, we addressed several ques- tions to persons interested in its culture in vari- ous parts of this and some other States. On this point of planting, a gentleman in New Hamp- shire writes : "I set the plants three, or three and a half feet apart, but if I were to set again, I would set three times as thick — they will cover the ground so much sooner, and stifle the grass and weeds bet- ter. I made holes with a small stick in the soft soil and stuck in a wisp of vines about as large as my finger ; sometimes they had roots, and sometimes none. Out of 16,000 hills, I did not see one that died. But my soil was very moist. They grew finely, and I had a few berries the first year. The third year I picked twenty-five bush- els. The fourth year there were sixty bushels. I sell them for three dollars a bushel at the house. My vines will bear now from one to two hundred bushels a year, according to the season. They were set at the rate of 1000 hills a day for one man." These 16,000 hills were made on four acres, seven years ago, at the rate of 4000 hills per acre. Swamp lands, however, sometimes produce good crops of cranberries without so much ex- penditure of labor in clearing. When the bushes are killed by flowing, or cut off", with the grass, weeds and brakes, the vines are set at once, and, if other things are favorable, a fine plantation is produced. Another mode of obtaining a cranberry planta- tion, or yard, as they call them on the Cape, is to employ our common fresh meadows, that are an- nually covered with grass and mowed. When this is done, Mr. Hunt, whom we have already quoted, says, "I would turn the turf bottom side up, which may be done with hoes for about twen- ty dollars per acre." In regard to employing grass land, a friend who visited some of the best cultivators on the Cape, on purpose to learn their modes of practice, writes us as follows : "Another experiment I regarded as very suc- cessful, viz.: planting among grass more than two feet high. A man with a stout hoe turned up the sod, put in a bunch of vines (not a sod of vines) turned the sod back and stamped it down upon them. This was all that was done in planting. They were set four years ago, six feet apart, and have now nearly exterminated the grass and cov- ered the ground. We estimated the crop this season to produce one and one-half bushels per rod. The application of sand has had no bene- ficial results." Another plat of small extent had the grass sub- dued, and was sown over with vines cut as fine as a hay-cutter would cut them. These had grown but one season, but looked well, and satisfied me that this mode of planting may succeed. They will, however, require a much longer time to come into bearing. Still another piece was com- menced in 1850, on twenty rods, or one-eighth of an acre, by taking off" the grass, and gravelling over previous to planting. There were very few berries the first two years, but the eight succeed- ing years have netted him 5 150 annually, although in one of these years he lost the entire crop by frost. This is at the rate of one thousand and 1861. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 259 two hundred dollars a year, per acre, for eight years in succession on twenty rods of land ! On the same piece, the owner had a single rod of the best he could find, selected and surveyed, and the fruit gathered and measured in the presence of several of his neighbors, and the product was found to be a little over seven bushels of fine fruit — being at the rate of eleven hundred and twenty bushels per acre, which, at the same price that our New Hampshire friend gets at his house, three dollars, would be the handsome sum of $3,360 per acre ! A gentleman who saw this "yard" last fall writes us that he thought the whole piece would yield more than a barrel to the rod. For the New England Farmer. cdtjTure op pkuits on farms. The culture of orchards of good apples is one of the best modes of making farming profitable. Marked instances of this culture have come with- in my observation, in the county of Essex, during my acquaintance with the farming of the county. I recollect a field of seven acres, situate on an el- evated swell of land, facing to the south and east, enclosed with a stone wall substantially made to the height of six feet, mainly for the purpose of getting rid of the stones that were in the way, in converting the pasture to a field. Around this field, about six feet from the wall, and about two rods apart, were set Baldwin apple trees to the number of fifty. A few years since, these trees averaged six barrels of merchantable apples to a tree. These apples yielded a net profit of five dollars a barrel, over and above the expense of conveying them to a market in England. Here then was a net profit of two hundred and fifty dollars from the fruit alone, on this field, leaving the crop of grass in no manner diminished by the growth of the fruit. I said these trees were set near a high wall, and I doubt not their growth was facilitated, and their products increased, by being thus situated. Early in life, I was told by my father, that one tree set in the vicinity of a stone wall, or by a large boulder, was worth double a tree left ex- posed in the open fields. Why it is so, 1 must leave to those who understand the philosophy of vegetable growth to explain. I suspect there may be a disintegration of the rock, that is taken up by the rootlets of the tree, that is favorable to the growth of fruit. I have always noticed that the soil near a wall, or large stones, is richer and more easily cultivated than that which is in the open field. I have spoken only of the culture of apples, the fruit most common on our farms, and when considered in all their relations, they will be found the most valuable branch of fruit cul- ture to farmers. Good fruit will ever find a ready sale in the market, even though there should be no occasion to make cider from it, but the time has not yet arrived when cider, well refined, ■will not find an abundance of customers, and prob- ably never will, so long as the appetite of man hankers after a pleasant and salutary beverage. That too much cider taken into the stomach will stupify the brain, will not be denied, and so too much water will overload the stomach. But shall men forever be precluded the taste of good cider and pure water, because occasionally the use of it has been abused ? By the same process of rea- soning may we deprive ourselves of all the luxu- ries produced from the field or the garden. South Danvers, 1861. j. w. P. For the New England Farmer. THE WHEAT CULTURE. I am glad to notice of late, in the Farmer, and other agricultural journals, an increased attention to the culture of wheat. I have long been im- pressed with the idea that the almost total aban- donment of this crop in New England is a mis- take— if not even "worse than a crime, a hlunder" Up to about the year 1825, wheat was the great article of export from Vermont, western Massa- chusetts, and portions of other N. E. States ; but with the advent of sheep raising, came a gradual abandonment of that which makes the "staff of life." New England does not now raise one- eighth, or perhaps even one-tenth, of the wheat necessary for its own consumption. I think this need not be, and ought not to be. I know that the wheat crop is, to a great extent, an uncertain one. It probably fails three times where the corn crop fails once. This is the case even on the great wheat-growing prairies of the West. But it is an indispensable article of food — more so than any other crop — and should therefore receive special attention and encouragement. I suppose that, if any one fact of chemistry, as applied to agriculture, is settled and established, it is, that the growth of wheat requires a large proportion of the phosphates in the soil. This is particularly true in regard to phosphate of lime. We find, therefore, that even in western New York, and other limestone regions, there has been a gradual falling off in the yield of wheat. The same must occur in all the great wheat-grow- ing regions of the West, as fast as this, peculiar property of the soil becomes exhausted. It fol- lows, therefore, that wheat-growing must finally fail everywhere, unless some means be devised for restoring those properties of the soil which frequent croppings of wheat may have destroyed. And as the great element thus used up is clearly phosphate of lime, the renewal of that element in some form would seem to be indispensable. The best form, undoubtedly, if within the reach of the farmer, is ground or pulverized bone ; but as that is not procurable to an extent sufficient to restore "the lost art" of wheat-growing to the whole of New England, I would recommend that farmers should experiment on a small scale, per- haps, at first, with the phosphates advertised at the agricultural warehouses — say Coe's super- phosphate. It is important to know, first, wheth- er that article will enable our old lands to pro- duce wheat, and secondly, how long one applica- tion of it will last. It is well known that spring wheat will grow and produce well, the season being favorable, on land manured from the stable — say with about half as much manure as is necessary, broad-cast, to produce a good corn crop. But there are ob- jections to spring wheat. It does not yield near- ly so large an amount, per acre, as winter wheat, 260 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. June and it is much poorer in quality. But it is a great deal better than none ; and as it is not sub- ject to winter-killing — one of the worst mischan- ces of winter wheat — it may well be considered the safest crop. Farmers frequently attempt a substitute for wheat by plowing up a poor pasture and sowing it to rye. They obtain perhaps from ten to fif- teen bushels per acre — about half a good wheat crop, and attended with nearly the same amount of labor — and after living on rye bread for a month or two in the fall, are glad to sell the re- mainder of the crop and purchase wheaten flour. In my judgment, the culture of rye, except on some soils specifically adapted to it, is poor econ- omy. I well recollect that, during the fall of 1816, when the corn crop was cut off in all the northern States, my father undertook to fatten his hogs upon rye ; and he got about the same re- sult that a certain unpopular personage is reput- ed to have attained in shearing the pig ; he got "great cry" and very little pork. In whatever form he fed them the rye, the hogs invariably called for more, and refused to grow fat under any dispensation of it. Since that period I have looked upon rye as just about the last crop I would recommend the farmer to attempt the cul- tivation of. I have heard it remarked by old farmers, in wheat-growing times, that wheat would do well on all soils" that would produce herds-grass. Now as I have found by experiment that swamp muck, on dry or gravelly land is one of the best fertil- izers for herds grass, would it not be well to try it for a wheat crop. Unfortunately, perhaps, I do not possess a farm, and therefore cannot experi- ment for the benefit of myself or others ; but if it should prove true that muck is a fertilizer for wheat, no one more important fact in agriculture could be developed. I know it is fashionable for farmers to say they can purchase flour cheaper than they can produce wheat. I believe one of your correspondents has written a book to prove that all kinds of farm products cost more than they come to. This kind of arithmetic is mischievous. The thrifty farmer will strive to produce, as far as possible, all that is necessary for his own living. Least of all should he be dependent upon others for his bread. The cotton-planter at the south, who can raise corn for eight cents a bushel, and still buys it at fifty cents to feed his slaves on, is not more out of love with true economy, than the New England farmer who tries to convince himself that it is easier to purchase his bread than to produce it. Somerville, April, 1861. E. c. P. What is Lawful Soundness of a Horse. — In reply to this question by a correspondent, the American Stock Journal publishes the follow- ing: On consulting "Oliphant," on the law of hors- es, you will see that he defines "soundness" as follows : We may define a horse to be sound when he is free from hereditary disease, is in the Sossession of his natural and constitutional ealth, and has as much bodily perfection as is consistent with his natural formation." Another definition of "soundness." — That horse is sound in which there is no defect nor disease, that shall impair his present or future usefulness. A third definition ofi "soundness." — That horse is sound that is perfect in structure and function. According to the above definitions of "sound- ness," it would be a matter of impossibility to find a sound horse ; therefore I advise you not to warrant the animal which you suppose has a corn. For the New England Farmer. SOME CHOICE APPLES. The apples mentioned below, among others which I have under cultivation, are comparatively new in this region, and deserve general attention. Red Astrachan. — This foreign apple is one of the most prominent of the early varieties ; is large, peculiarly handsome, and in appearance will rival the Williams. It is a little earlier than the last named, though not so fine for the table, though more juicy, yet acid. For mid-August, however, this is no great fault. Its growth is ex- ceedingly vigorous, its leaves very large, and its fruit being showy, it malces the handsomest tree of the garden. It is also an early bearer. Its fault is that, bearing in clusters — its tartness and tenderness assisting — it rots on the tree badly, and is less transient than the Williams. It is, however, very valuable. Garden Royal. — A medium-sized fruit, ripe in September, colored like the Hubbardston Non- such, very tender and juicy, and of a mild, pleas- ant flavor. The fruit has some peculiarities. It is uniformly fair, and specimens direct from the tree that might be regarded in good eating order, will greatly improve by being kept a week or fortnight, as they become more juicy rather than dry, and are little disposed to rot. The tree is a handsome, very upright and compact, though slender grower, and bears young and abundantly. The fruit is eagerly bought by dealers who are acquainted with it. Gravenstein.— This apple, a little later than the Garden Royal — has never been over praised. It is far superior to the Porter, and must neces- sarily supplant that heretofore popular variety, as no one would cultivate the latter, if acquainted with the former. It is larger, handsomer, and of much finer quality. Besides, it is a good grower, making a spreading head, and bears early. There can be no doubt of its being the most valuable of all the early autumn apples. The rind is thick and oily, emitting a fine aroma, and it is a splendid market apple. It will keep over two months, and I have seen specimens of it in Janu- ary. Granite Beauty. — A large winter variety from New Hampshire, of great promise. Inclining to oblong, greenish-yellow ground, with numerous dark, dull stripes ; light texture, pleasant sub-acid, and very juicy. A strong, spreading grower, and grafts which I procured of Mr. Breed, of Weare, N. IL, four years ago, show indications of a good crop this season, on a stock ten years old. This apple, among cultivators, is receiving a good share of attention. Tompkins County King. — An apple lately introduced from New York State. It is a winter fruit, larger than and colored similarly to the Bald- win, and though a little superiot in flavor, will 1861. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 261 not keep so well. An early and good bearer, it is said, though not yet fruited at the East. Red Russet is a New Hampshire apple, and from its firmness and good-keeping qualities, must be very valuable, especially as a market fruit. It is a perfect cross between the Baldwin and Rox- bury Russet, partaking of both in appearance and flavor, and about the size of the former. The late Mr. Cole, who was instrumental in introducing it, stated, from experiments, that it would keep bet- ter than the Roxbury Russet, and was superior in every respect. A very substantial, rich-looking apple, hardy, a good grower and bearer, and prob- ably destined to supply a want much needed. Hunt Russet, though not a new variety, is not so well known as the Roxbury Russet, though well deserving to be. Some suppose it to be the Golden Russet, which I regard as inferior, ap- pears never to grow so large, nor has it so rich a russet hue. Some cultivators have wondered how others could raise such large Golden Russets. Probably they were the Hunt — which, (more ten- der and smaller than the Red Russet) from its white melting pulp, late-keeping qualities, &c., must maintain an important position among the spring apples of New England. D. w. L. West Medford, April, 1861. For the New England Farmer. ADVANTAGES OP DRAINING. Mr. Editor : — It seems to me to be a suitable time to bring up the subject of underdraining our farming lands. It is doing a kindness to labor- ers to find work for them, when there are so many glad of employment. Ditches for tile drains can be made now, at but little more than one-half the cost of making them in the autumn, as the soil is much easier to dig, labor easier to obtain, and the work of the farm not so much interfered with. From considerable experience in draining my own land for several years past, and from the fa- vorable testimony of many farmers in this vicini- ty who have tried the same upon their own farms, I am convinced that there is no investment we can make that will bring more satisfaction to us than this. The advantages vary, of course, in difi'erent soils and situations, but almost every farm has some land that will be benefited by un- derdraining. I know there are some persons who discourage farmers from underdraining their lands ; but I have yet to learn that any of these persons have ever given it a fair trial, on their own lands, or have had any practical experience of the subject. I am acquainted with a young man who left the city of' New York, several years ago, and took a farm in the westerly part of that State, and com- menced a system of underdraining with tile, un- til he has been over a farm of 300 or 400 acres, laying more than sixty miles in length of drains, and increasing his wheat crop from fifteen to twenty-five bushels per acre, and other crops in proportion, and receiving a medal for the best cultivated farm in the county. His land was ele- vated land ; what we should call at first sight, dry land, not needing drainage, but still a clay sub- soil, retentive of moisture, and, without draining, cold and late for vegetation in early spring. Now we have, in the vicinity of Boston, a great proportion of similar land, which, if properly un- derdrained, will make the very best land for cul- tivation of any land that we have. Let but the experiment be tried, and the result will be satis- factory ; vastly more than almost any one, unac- quainted with such experiments, would imagine. I do not wish to have it infei-red that underdrain- ing alone is sufficient to produce great crops, but that with thorough underdraining, manuring and loosening of the soil to a good depth, we may be sure of a great crop, let the season be unusually wet, or unusually dry, very early, or very late; and without underdraining such land as I have referred to, we cannot depend, with any certain- ty, upon even an ordinary crop. I have found a great advantage from under- draining, from its removal of stagnant water, from the low, springy land near my dwelling, thereby removing the great nuisance of mosqui- tos in warm weather, and also, in a great meas- ure, the cold, damp air of the evening. When, in addition to these advantages, I have seen land formerly covered with hassocks, and the coarse water grass, yielding the best and earliest crops of the season, rivalling any that are reported as the best crops of the fertile west, then I feel how much better it would be, if the money now ex- pended by the State upon agricultural societies and boards of agriculture, was judiciously expend- ed in the encouragement of underdraining the wet lands of Massachusetts. I know there are some who still insist upon using stones for underdraining, instead of tile ; and some, even, who advocate plowing wet land, into "beds," with open ditches between, and no underdrains. From more than thirty years' ex- perience in both these methods, I am satisfied that draining with stone involves more expense of labor, under almost any circumstances, and is not so much to be depended upon ; while the "beds" are very good for the plants to sleep in, but not to grow in, in comparison with under- draining. The usual expense to a farmer of underdrain- ing, beside his own labor, is about thirty dollars to the acre, while the advantage to the crop the first year more than averages that amount. I think the reason that light, mellow soils are usually preferred for vegetables, is, that they drain themselves, and are always easily worked, while the tenacious clay soils, if they are thorough- ly underdrained, and well subsoiled, will prove to be more certain of large crops, with an equal quantity of manure. As a proof that this theory holds good in its application to the "nursery" of trees and shrubs, the remarkable success of Mr. Wilson, of Maiden, in growing in an under- drained clay soil the handsomest specimens of pear stocks to be found in any nursery, will abundantly testify. In the fall of 1858, a field of two and a half acres of land in North Chelsea, was underdrained with tile about four feet deep. The field had been in grass, under the "bed" system, with open ditches, with no very satisfactory result. These open ditches happening to be about twenty-five feet apart, they were adopted as the lines for the tile drains. In the summer of 1859, a remarka- bly large crop of cabbages was taken from the field, a separate account of which was not pre- served. In 1860 the field was planted with Jack- 262 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. June son Wliite potatoes, dropt in drills three feet apart, and covered with the plow. They were hoed but once during the season. In July and September, 915 bushels of very handsome pota- toes, were sold from this field, (equal to 36G bush- els to the acre) beside 150 bushels of small pota- toes ; and later in the season, $100 was received for celery, grown on a part of the same field. Most of this land, before underdraining, was too wet to plant ; it was a favorite resort for mus- quash, and they have been unwilling to abandon their old haunts. After going through the tile in the main drain, and attempting ineff"ectually to reconstruct their dams, they have deserted the field, apparently with a great contempt for drain tile. For the New England Farmer. THE SLAB— CABROT OUIiTURE. Mr. Brown : — I noticed in a late number of the Farmer, a recommendation of the "Slab" as an ar- ticle with which to cover the seed, and put the fin- ishing polish on ground recently laid down for meadow; also, that the suggestion pleased you, as well it might. You have in this contrivance a true delineation of the true Yankee character. He never despises a thing because it is simple, cheap or common. Every thing, in his view, is fitted for some good use. You have heard of the good housewife who was furnished with very crooked wood, to try her patience, on a bet that it would make her scold. Instead of scolding, she begged for more of the same sort, because, said she, "it fits so nicely around the dinner-pot." She found that which most would have thrown away, best fitted for her use. But, sir, I took the pen to tell you that the slab has other uses. In a kind of official ramble, last fall, among the crops of members of the Berkshire Agricultural Society, we examined a large field of carrots entered by C. O. Perkins, Esq., of Becket. In speaking of his mode of culture, he said that the ground being on a northern declivi- ty, and a little cold and wet, he put the seed on a moderately raised ridge. But how, we asked, is this ridge preserved, and this true and thorough tillage between the rows secured without an amount of hand labor inconsistent with economy in a region where land is cheap, and labor com- paratively dear ; for we had already discovered that cost and value were two gentlemen with whom Mr. P. was thoroughly acquainted, and who were kept by him in very close relationship to each other. He answered, "I selected a slab of just the right width and convexity, some three feet long, (I write from recollection,) draw from the flat side a few cents' worth of large cut nails, sufficiently long to reach through far enough to scratch thoroughly ; cut the lower edge of one end so that it would not catch ; fastened a rope to that end ; put the rope in the hand of a boy and set him in motion. I found it did the work most admirably." Now, Sir, here was a cultivator, which, per- haps, in work and materials, cost a shilling, and which was just the thing for the work required. The Yankee always saves the pieces. In his hand they "come in play," at some time ; the slab and the crooked sticks as oft as straight ones. Pittsfield, April, 1861. Stephen Reed. For the New England Farmer. SWEET GERMAN TURNIP. Among the many "good, bad and indifferent" varieties of turnips that are cultivated in this sec- tion, we have one that I think is far superior to any I have yet seen. It was sent into this place a few years since from Canada, I think, by the name of "Sweet Turnip." I have since learned that it came originally from Germany ; therefore, I have given it the name of "Sweet Oerman Tur- nip." I have taken some pains to distribute the seed, and as far as I know, they give universal satisfaction. Those who have them, discard all other kinds, especially for the table, as they have not that strong "turnipy" taste peculiar to other varieties, being sweet and tender. I will venture the assertion, that they will keep sound and ten- der the longest of any turnip known ; they will keep perfectly until July, without any protection whatever, more than to lie on the bottom of a cool cellar. By being packed in dirt or sand, they can easily be kept until new turnips come in ; in fact, I have never yet seen a "corky" "Sweet German Turnip." By exposure to the air they will wither, and eventually dry up, but they never become "corky," like other varieties. They yield about the same as the ruta baga, and should be cultivated in about the same manner. My method of cultivating them as a field crop, was as follows i I selected a piece of land that was highly manured the year before with barn- yard manure, and planted with corn ,• soil, a grav- elly loam ; plowed about the 15th of June, and sowed in drills far enough apart for the cultivator to pass between them ; at the second hoeing thinned to 12 or 14 inches. I used no "fertilizer" except a light top-dressing of plaster when they first came up. About the 1st of November I har- vested them. They were the most beautiful lot of turnips I ever saw ; yielded at the rate of 900 bushels per acre. I once sent a quantity of the seed to Mr. F. A. Stow, of Troy, N. Y., who has since written as follows : "From the Sweet Ger- man Turnip seed that you sent me last spring (sown on five acres,) I raised 4,000 bushels of turnips. I consider them a fine article, and wish you to send me four pounds of seed for next year." I enclose you a letter that I received from Hon. Levi Bartlett, of Warner, N. H. Such testimony from such a source speaks more than I can write. I have sent at different times 250 pounds of the seed of this turnip to the Patent Office for free distribution. I have still a large quantity on hand, and will send a package free to any address, on receipt of a few stamps to pay return postage, and trouble and cost of putting up and mailing. I make this off'er from desire to have it more ex- tensively cultivated. Edward L. Coy. West Hebron, Washington, N. Y. Mr. Bartlett's letter, alluded to above, is as fol- lows : Mr. Coy : — Sir : — In the spring of 1857 you forwarded to me a package of Sweet German tur- nip seed. They were sown at the same time, (June 12,) side by side with several varieties of Swedish turnips, viz. : Ashcroft's and Rivers, Swedish Stubble, and Skirving's do. The two first named are very fine varieties, being yellow fleshed, and very good for table use ; but we very 1861. NEW ENGLAND FARMEU. 263 much prefer yours for the table, the flesh of which is as white as the "snow that by the northern blast has been twice bolted o'er." I think this variety might be freely fed to milch cows without impart- ing the "turnipy" taste to the milk and butter that the Swedish and other turnips do. I believe they possess the keeping quality in an eminent degree, for I planted out last spring eight or ten nice bulbs for seed, and they scarcely exhibited any signs of vegetating, and I think they would have cooked well in September. I grew them again the past season, and can cheerfully recommend them to all who wish to procure a "number one" turnip for family use and for the market. Levi Bartlett. Warner, N. H., Jan. 15, 1859. For the New England Farmer. OVBRIiOADIira AND OVEB^WORKINQ HOBSES. The unmerciful use of the whip upon the noble horse in our streets ever pains the ear and the heart of the generality of such persons as may be cognizant of the act. Though the animal may be refractory at the time, still the spectacle, or re- sounding of the lash excites our pity for his suf- ferings. The driver, that regards the public sen- timent and feeling in this respect, will use the whip lightly and sparingly. But, if he inflicts pain upon the public heart, by his unmerciful applica- tions of this instrument of animal torture and punishment, he will reap, as he will merit, ever, the full reward of a general dislike. The act is inhuman and vulgar, and it bespeaks our human- ity and progress in civilization, that we have an enactment upon our statute book for the preven- tion of this barbarity. The whip is an unnecessary instrument for the correction of the most vicious horse. Intracta- bility is unnatural to this animal. God created him with a tractable and a docile disposition. He was made, evidently, for man's domestic use and purpose, and was most wisely and admirably adapted in his creation, to the most perfect ful- filment of that design, by his peculiar trait of obedience. He becomes attached to the kind master, and delights to obey his commands and to do his will. He becomes vicious and unkind from the eff'ect of abuse and mismanagement of him, by his master. Horses are often whipped because they cannot draw loads to which some indiscreet persons have attached them, or cannot haul them as readily and speedily as they could suitable sized ones. And they are whipped to make them travel speed- ily, after they have been travelling so long as to become fatigued. In such casf's, every blow of the whip is an injury to the horse ; in the one case it increases his fatigue the more : in the oth- er, it causes him to strain and stiff'en himself. The strained and overtaxed muscles and joints become stiff'ened and weakened. The value of the horse for use, and for the market, becomes thus more or less diminished. If we want quick mo- tioned teams and free travellers, we must not strain and fatigue them unnecessarily. It is better to go twice with a given quantity of freight, than to in- jure a horse or team, by overloading, more in value, by this excess of loading, than is gained thereby. Whenever there is too much loading for a team to draw easily, another horse should be immediately added, or some of the freight taken off". But if neither is done, the team should be favored, by allowing it to move slowly, and to rest often. It is better to let a fatigued horse move more slowly, or to put him up to rest, rather than whip him to renewed exertions to greater fa- tigue and wear of life. By the abuse of the horse, we injure his pres- ent value, and deteriorate the stock, or species. Some teamsters boast of the instances of great exhibitions of strength, by their teams. But such boastings are not guaranties of their soundness and value. They are not any better for such in- stances of their displays of strength, but are rather more frequently worse. We have no law against the abuse of horses. I would that it could be prevented, somehow. Were public sentiment or feeling as much against it, as against the use of the whip, it would diminish. But this is a still injury ; it does not always re- sound with the lash, that is, every overloaded team or horse is not, as a matter of course, pun- nished with the whip. We pass and repass, fre- quently, horses staggering under an oppressive load. We often pass horses and teams injuri- ously straining themselves in the transporting of great loads, and take no thought, as we should, of their suff'erings and injuries. Such abuse of the noble animal is most unwise, uneconomical and unmerciful, uncivilized and unchristian, and let us cease forthwith and for- ever. G. o. B. For the New England Farmer, THE CUIiTrVATIOlSr OP •WILD FLOWERS. I cultivate many choice shrubs and flowers, but never had any one of them yield me so much pleasure as a bed of the common, blue, white and yellow violet. Two years ago, I was out in the field, when I came across a large patch of violets, I thought I would return, and transplant them. The, next spring I had forgotten about them, when I was surprised to see them coming up so vigorously ; they were in a warm south situation, and bloomed very early, they were three times as large, and long stemmed enough for bouquets. The leaves were very much enlarged. Several of my friends made the inquiry what are they ? I plant them in large patches ; since then I have trans- planted the white snake violet and yellow, favor- ably ; the white prefers a very wet situation, also the common wild lupin and the red lobelia or cardinal flower ; these are in the reach of all, the poor can have them, those that love flowers. Per- haps you might suggest, in some of your articles, the plan of transplanting some of our beautiful wild flowers. I also take the Oardener^s Monthly and my father takes your Weekly. Can the bar- berry be budded with the white rose ? and will it be yellow ? Is there any remedy for the small red aphis ? Can you describe the processes of bud- ding roses ? I would like to experiment on some double blush roses. About the wild flow- ers ; could not you write an article on them the first of April, as I think they would be very ac- ceptable to many of your readers. Abington, 1861. Evelyn S. Doane. 264 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. June AN ABUSED, OLD, SICK HORSE. The above striking illustration of a long-suffer- ing and abused horse has been furnished us by L. Prang & Co., Boston, who have just published a valuable book entitled "jT/te Horse Owner's Guide," a notice of which may be found in an- other column. The following lettering, as references, will show many of the diseases to which the horse is liable. a. Sickly discharge from the nostrils. 6. Ulceration of the membrane lining the whole cavity of the nose, symptoms of glanders. c. Caries of the lower jaw. d. Swelling by pressure of the bridle. e. Poll evil. /. Inflamed jugular vein, comes frequently from bleeding. g. Fungus tumor produced by pressure of the collar. h. Fistula of the withers. i. Tumor of the elbow. j. Mullcndcro. fc. A tread upon the coronet. /. Sand crack. m. Contracted or ring foot of a foundered horse. n. Ventral hernia. Fistula of the tail. Capped hock. Swelled sinews. s. Cow crack — toe crack. t. Quarter crack. Forty-seven distinct diseases, symptoms of which are visible in the outward appearance of the horse, are designated in the original plate in the book. Liquid Glue. — The following recipe, the dis- covery of a French chemist, is selling about the country as a secret at various prices from one to o. five dollars. It is a handy and valuable compo- sition as it does not gelatinize nor undergo pu- trefaction and fermentation and become offen- sive, and can be used cold for all necessary pur- poses of glue in making or mending furniture or broken vessels that are not exposed to water. In a wide-mouthed bottle dissolve eight ounces of best glue in a half-pint of water, by setting it in a vessel of water and heating it till dissolved. Then add slowly, constantly stirring, two and a half ounces of strong aquafortis (nitric acid). Keep it corked and it will be ready for use. This is the "Celebrated Prepared Glue," of which we hear so much. — U. S. Journal. For the New Ungland Farmer. PROFITS OF FOWLS. Mr. Editor : — I have read with much interest a statement in the March number of your excel- lent journal, made by "J. B.," of Salem, giving the result of one year's account kept with his fowls. Could his success be generally realized, I think there would be far more accounts opened with the hennery. A very general opinion pre- vails, that the keeping of fowls affords no profit, but on the oiher hand, that, as a general thing, they do not pay. In fact, this last impression may be true to a great extent, and for the plain reason, that they do not receive that care and at- tention which is necessary to the successful man- agement of any department of the farm or garden. Many people seem to expect that they can rear fowls the same as they do their children, allowing them to run at large and take care of themselves, and the result in either case is very likely to be quite unsatisfactory. I believe there is no invest- ment on which the farmer can make a better per 41861. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 265 centage of comfort, health and money, than a ju- dicious selection and a proper management of a moderate number of fowls. I have kept i few for several years, and besides the gratification af- forded in rearing them, have enjoyed the luxury of a good supply of fresh eggs nearly all the year round ; although obliged to confine them to the hennery, and buy all their eatables, I find that it pays me more than the cost. Still, I would not presume to compare accounts with "J. B.," of Salem, who will confer a favor on many of your readers, if he will give U3 a few additional items in relation to the management of his fowls, which proved with him so eminently successful. Did they run at large, or were they confined to a hennery ? When were the scraps fed to them, and in what quantity ? What was given them to furnish shells for their eggs ? And any other particulars affecting the result. What is the reputation of the Leghorn hens as layers, or for the table, and where can the pure bloods be obtained ? I have found the Black Spanish to be good layers, but not worth cook- ing for the table, their flesh being very dry, tough and stringy at six months. I have also kept the Bolton Greys, and have found them to be less prolific layers, but very excellent for eating. Brookline, AprilZ, 1861. J. R. B. For the Note England Farmer. VABIOUa METHODS OP ECONOMIZING OUR COKN" CHOPS. This subject may seem to be out of season, just now, as most farmers have not probably fully de- cided how much they will plant, neither can they for a certainty know whether they will have any to economize if they do plant. It is here that our faith comes into exercise, and our confidence in the stability of our Heavenly Father's govern- ment is manifested. The past is ever regarded as the surety of the future, and the Christian man regards it as a striking fulfilment of the Divine promise, that while the earth remaineth, seed time and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night, shall not cease. We all expect a harvest if we plant and sow, and however toilsome the occupation of the tiller of the soil, all are cheered on by the hope of a boun- tiful remuneration. How, then, can we secure the greatest return for our labor, is the great question for every man to ponder. The past sea- son gave us a short hay crop ; prices hereabouts were high for that article, and many sold stock at low prices rather than purchase provender for them. I think it can be made to appear that the evils of a short hay crop can be in a great meas- ure obviated by a more judicious management of our corn crop, from beginning to end. I there- fore present the matter previous to the usual planting season, so as to give those who are dis- posed an opportunity to test the suggestions I now make. To many, the suggestions are not new, but to a majority I suppose they are, if we are to judge from their prevailing practice. It has become a fixed fact with me, that the fodder from an acre of corn is worth more than an acre of grass yielding two tons, to feed to stock upon the farm. This result is attained by plant- ing thicker than most do, and cutting the corn by the ground, when sufiiciently hardened, and put- ting it in large shocks to cure. I generally plant forty-two by twenty inches, leaving three stalks in a hill, from which I generally harvest from fif- ty to seventy-five bushels of corn to the acre. On one occasion I harvested from one acre and one hundred and fifty rods, one hundred and seventy- two bushels. This piece was planted 18 X 36. The yield of fodder was very great. I state the yield of corn for the purpose of an- swering a prevailing notion that corn will not yield good crops planted so close together. For more than twenty-five years I have put corn in shocks, containing from one and a half to two bushels of ears without any serious injury at any one time. Once, a long, wet, warm period of weather caused some to mould, but not as bad as much that was standing in adjoining fields. I have often shocked when the dew was on, and even raining. Not one-half the risk as in wilting the fodder previous to shocking, as it will then pack so close as to prevent the free circulation of the air, which is not the case when put up green or wet. As the stalks wilt, they shrink, and thus the shock is open for the air freely to act through them. Another advantage of large shocks is, there is not so much waste by outside exposure as in small ones. Some recommend putting but. a half-dozen hills into a shock, some a little more. Such shocks must of course expose meat of the fodder to the elements, greatly injuring it. When the corn is sufficiently cured, 1 general- ly husk in the field, binding the stalks in bundles of suitable size to handle easily, setting two rows of shocks together, and let them remain until ready to stack, or house them, as you prefer. The important question nov/ is, how to use this fodder to the best advantage ? I will not a^ttempt to show the fallacy of any practice, but simply state what appears to me the best method I know of. I saw a machine for chopping stalks the past winter in Daniel Sisson's barn, in Rhode Island, that was operated by horse power, which would prepare, in two hours, enough feed for forty or fifty head of cattle for twenty-four hours use, a man and horse doing all the work. The Lonsdale manu- facturing company feed forty cattle, and use the same description of machine, requiring the same time and force. Cattle eat this chaff all up when mixed with a very little shorts or meal, and cows will give more and better milk than when fed on hay. By resorting to the methods I have indicat- ed, I see not but we can keep our stock as well as farmers usually do, and much more of it. For a number of years past I have used a stalk cutter which cuts them into two or three inch pieces, and I found the stock would eat up all but the big pieces, which I threw under them for bed- ding. This I think economy, but not so good as chaffing. The chaffing machine I have alluded to, is made at Harrisburg, Pa. K. o. Rochester, April 16, 1861. Setting Milk. — Cream can not rise through a great depth of milk. If, therefore, milk is de- sired to retain its cream for a time, it should be put into a deep narrow dish ; and if desired to free it of cream, pour it into a broad flat dish, one inch in depth. 266 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. June For the New England Farmer. SMITH'S BUTTEH-WORKEB. Mr. Editor : — I have noticed of late that con- siderable has been said in regard to churns, by the aj^ricultural press. Allow me through the columns of your valuable paper to say a few words in regard to Smith's Premium Butter Worker, which, in my opinion, is the ne plus ultra of but- ter-making machines. In preface, let me say that I am wholly unacquainted with the proprietors of this machine, neither have I any interest in it, farther than I have in all good labor-saving ma- chines. The first I saw of this machine was at Milford, N. H., at the county Aiir, and through the polite- ness of the exhibitor I was shown the modus oper- andi. At the first glance I was favorably im- pressed with its neatness, simplicity and apparent durability. It is claimed for it that it will churn as will, and as quick, as any churn in existence, and that it will work and salt butter as well as can be done by any other process, with one-fif- teenth part of the labor. Now, Mr. Editor, if this is so, is it not one of the best machines for butter- making ? Before me is a copy of the Albany, N. Y., Coun- try Gentleman, dated Oct. 18th, 18(50, in which is a communication from Hon. Levi Bartlett, of Warner, N. H., and in speaking of the New Hampshire State Fair, he says : "M. F. Colby, of Londonderry, exhibited a churn and butter- worker, (Smith's) which promises to become a favorite with butter-makers. He exhibited a beautiful sample of butter, a portion of several pounds churned on the morning of the 4th. The butter was churned inside of three minutes, salt- ed, worked and moulded into pound lumps in less than ten minutes from the time the cream was put in the churn. "Human hands or fingers had not touched the butter when exhibited, and it was none of the greasy mottled stuff that too often passes under the name of butter, but yellow, granular in frac- ture, solid and sweet." This, coming from one of the most practical ag- ricultural men in the United States, shows his opinion in regard to it. Perhaps this will elicit inquiries from some of your numerous readers which will tend to the public good. Manchester, N. IL, April, 1861. F. B. J. For the New England Farmer. REVIEW OP THE WINTER. December, 1860, had a mean temperature of 21.40°, being about the usual mean. The amount of rain was 1.41 inches, and of snow 6.50. It fell in seven days. There was but little good sleigh- ing in the month. January, 1861, had a mean temperature of 16.15°, being about 3.32° below the mean, and is the coldest January of the past eight years, with the exception of 1856 and '57. From the 11th to 13th inclusive, the mercury ranged from 1 to 30° below zero ; these being the only extreme cold days in the month. The amount of rain and meltinl show was 1.79 inches, and of snow 18.50 inches, bei ig a larger amount of snow than us- ually falls here in the same month, consequently the sleighing was good through the month. There was but little rain and no thaw. February had a mean temperature of 26.50°, being 6.65 warmer than the mean ; it being the warmest February for eight years past, with the exception of liS57. The eighth day was the coldest day during the winter, having a mean temperature of 22.33° below zero. At 7 A. M., the mercury stood at 33.5° below zero. This was the greatest extreme known within the past ten years. The amount of rain and melted snow was about 2 inches, and of snow 7.75 inches. The sleighing was good during the first 12 days, and but little snow fell after that. March had a mean temperatureof 23.13°, being 1.27° colder than the mean. Three mornings the mercury stood below zero 2 to 4°. The amount of rain was 3.80, and of snow 6.75 inches. Brandon, Vt., April, 1861. D. Bl'CKLAND. CRANBERRY CtJIiTURE— No. 3. In a hilly country like New England, there oc- cur many narrow valleys, winding along at the base of gentle ascents, which we call "swale" land, or meadows. Usually there is a small, crooked stream, running through them, which, in many cases, finds its source in a swamp of con- siderable extent above. These "runs" are often quite narrow, and have only a slight descent, and taking all things into account, are the most fa- vorable localities to be devoted to cranberry cul- ture. We have seen them whei-e half a dozen hills of cranberry plants introduced, would in a few years take possession of the meadow, with- out flowing or culture. One decided advantage in the occupation of such places, is the ease with which a dam may be erected, and the water thrown over the whole from a reservoir above. Where swamps and such meadows occur, as we have described, they are usually skirted by sandy lands from which, through a succession of ages, the vegetable matter has been washed away into the lower grounds. Here, then, is an opportuni- ty of excavating and forming the reservoir, and paying for it by enriching the sandy land with the muck. Make a ditch from reservoir to meadow, with a gate by vihich any desired quantity of wa- ter may be let out. In such an arrangement, the plants may be flooded in the course of a few hours while full of fruit, and thus saved from the frost, and the whole meadow may be kept cov- ered through the winter. If the meadow has so much fall as to require a too great depth of water at the lower end before the upper part is covered, throw a slight dam across half way down, or at any point that will ob- viate the difficully. In this way we may succeed in the cultivation of the cranberry with certainty and profit because we can protect ourselves 1861. NEW ENGLAND PARMER. 267 against its two fatal enemies, the worm and the frost ! After what we have said, there is no necessity of speaking at length of the importance of flow- ing. It is well settled, 1. That there is no other economical way of pro- tecting the crop from the frost. 2. That the fear of frost causes the cultivator to gather the berry before it is sufficiently red and ripe, and thereby greatly injures its fla- vor, and its appearance in the market. 3. That no other method than flowing has been devised, whereby the worm that attacks the blossom and deposits its eggs there can be destroyed. And, 4. By flowing the plants from the first of Novem- ber, or even the early part of October, until quite late in May, or even later, they are kept from being winter-killed, or thrown out' of the ground by its freezing and thawing. In reply to the question — "How do you protect your fruit from frost?" our correspondent from New Hampshire says — "by flowing. I put on the water as soon as I am done picking, and keep it on till the last of May or first of June. To pro- tect from fall frosts, I know of no way, unless the meadow is so situated as to have a reservoir of water above, so as to cover them when a cold night is coming." Another correspondent says, — "The ability to flow is regarded as indispensable to success, even on the Cape, not only to secure them from frost, but to keep the soil properly wet." From the considerations enumei-ated, it is evi- dent that the first care of the cultivator should be to select a suitable piece of land — land of the right quality, and that may readily be flowed. There is plenty of such land in New England, and in the use of any other, there is never cer- tainty of securing a crop — as the cultivator may succeed in growing the plants to see the blos- soms filled with worms, or the nearly perfected fruit cut off' by frost. After Culture. — We have always supposed that where land is cleared of brush weeds and grasses, it would be necessary to keep the plants free from them afterwards, but we are informed Mr. Thacher's success in Yarmouth, has been the most favorable where they were planted in the very midst of tall grass! He is one of the most successful cultivators in New England. Titne of Setting the Plants. — The most favora- ble time to set the plants is in the spring, be- tween the 20th of April and the last of May. If they are set in the fall, they should be covered with water through the entire winter and spring. Underdraining for Cranberry Plants. — Some cultivators assert that meadows for cranberries must not be drained. Whether this opinion is formed from actual experiments in the two modes, we cannot say: but our opinion is, that a drained meadow, so completely under the control of the owner that he could keep the water at any given level under the surface, or above it, would pre- sent a perfect bed for the plants, and that a fruit- ful crop would be certain every season. Upland Culture. — We have attempted the up- land culture of cranberries, and so far as fruiting is concerned, have had satisfactory results on "swale" and even on sandy land. The sandy land was old, and so filled with the seeds of weeds, that in exterminating the weeds the young cran- berry runners were so often disturbed as to pre- vent their covering the ground. On the "swale" or moist land, covered so deeply with sand and gravel as to choke down grass and weeds, the plants have nearly covered the ground in three years, and yield fibout four quarts of fruit to the rod. The plants were set a foot apart each way, which was six inches too far. We think every farmer who has a piece of this "swale" land may easily produce all the cranberries he would like for the use of his family, and at trifling cost. Craiiherries from Seed. — Cranberries may be raised from seed, but the process is a slow one, and we do not recommend it where plants may be as readily obtained as in this State. If they succeed, the growth is slow, and several years must elapse before any return is realized. Though somewhat extended, this notice of the cranberry does not embrace anything like what may be said to present all that a beginner in its cultivation ought to have before him. He may find much in "Eastwood," or in the newspapers of the day, that is valuable. The cranberry is one of the fruits that goes to make up our unrivalled New England list — fruits adapted to our climate and our wants, and com- ing into perfection through nearly the entire year. As a fruit they make home attractive, are a source of gratification to the family, and quite often of considerable pecuniary profit. The demand at fair prices for American cran- berries in foreign ports has never yet been sup- plied. They can be transported with little waste, so that if a tenth part of our suitable lands are devoted to their cultivation, they will become an important article of commercial value to the country. Sensible Advice. — Professor Silliman, of New Haven, recently closed a Smithsonian lec- ture by giving the following sensible advice to young men : — "If, therefore, you wish for a clear mind and strong muscles, and quiet nerves, and long life, and power prolonged in old age, permit me to say. although I am not giving a temperance 268 NEW EXGLAXD FARMER. JUNE lecture, avoid all drinks above water and mild in- fusions of that fluid, shun tobacco, opium, and everything else that disturbs the normal state of the system ; rely upon nutritious food, and mild, diluted drinks, of which Avater is the base, and you will need nothing beyond these things, ex- cept rest, and due moi'al regulations of all your powers, to give you long, happy and useful lives and a serene evening at the close." For the New England Farmer. tHE COHW CHOP. Mr. Editor: — I have frequently noticed in the Farmer and in agricultural reports, statements of the profit made in raising corn. A desire to know how far these statements are justified in fact, in- duced me last year to keep an exact account of what a piece of corn actually did cost, which I thought could be manured at comparatively small expense. The following is the statement, as set down in my "Farm Book :" Dk. March 10, to 1 day'a work hauling muck, (6 or 8 cords) 2 men and 2 yoke of oxen $3,00 March 12, to 16 loads leaves and dirt from woods 5,00 April 12, to lot of manure, (about Gk corUa) 23,50 April 12, to hauling manure .". 12.00 April 12, to pitching over manure 3,00 May 5, to 6 barrels ammonia liquor 2,00 May 14 and 15, to 3 men 2 days, 1 man 1 day, 2 yoke ox- en 1.^ days 10,00 May 16, to planting 1,25 June 16, to hoeing, cultivating, &c 4,03 June 16, to2i5 pounds guano 9,26 June 26, to hoeing, &c 4,00 July 30 and 31, to 2 men 1 J days 2,50 Oct. 2, to harvesting .'. 4,00 Total cost $33,51 Cr. By 53 bushels corn, at $1 $53.00 Byfodder 5,03 By 20 busheU potatoes 6,00 By 200 lbs. squashes 2,00 Total $66,00 Balance against corn $17,61 The lot contained a little more than an acre, and was not hard to cultivate. The crop was considered, by those who saw it, as a very good one — more than the average for such cultivation. It should be stated, however, that a short-eared kind of corn was planted, which, I think, did not yield as much as a larger variety would have done. It will be noticed that everything is estimated so as to favor the corn ; the muck at what it cost to haul it, the leaves ditto, the manure — which I happened to buy at a bargain — at what was paid for it, and interest on the land is not reckoned at all. Good manure is worth here, from seven to eight dollars per cord delivered on the land. The conclusion I arrive at is, that, under ordinary circumstances, an average corn crop in Essex county, which leaves the ground in as good con- dition as before it was prepared, docs not pay the expense laid out upon it. The corn crop is chiefly valuable to us as a means of bringing land into a condition suitable for producing some other crops, and in that view may be profitable. But raising corn in this region, as an end in itself, and without reference to future crops, Avill, I believe, impoverish the farmer in proportion to the extent to which he adopts that mode of man- agement. J. S. Howe. Mcihucn, March, 1861. EXTKACTS AND BEPLIES. RECLAIMING A RUX-OUT FARM — LEACHED ASHES AND STABLE MANURE — ROXBURY RUSSET. 1. Will it be more profitable to buy leached ashes at 7 cts. per bushel, or stable manure at S3 per cord, to haul either 2.^ miles ? 2. What would be the relative value of un- leached ashes to leached ashes at the price above named ? 3. Is it a fact that it takes more than one bush- el of unleached ashes to make a bushel of leached and you therefore get better measure of the lat- ter, as I have heard it stated ? I have a large thrifty Iloxbrn-y russet apple tree, which has blossomed profusely for the last ten or fifteen years, but the fruit drops off before it reaches the size of walnuts, so that it does not ripen generally more than a peck. G. ll. C. East Hampden, Me., April, 1861. Remarks. — 1. Stable manure made from horses fed partly upon grain, and that had not been al- lowed to heat, would be worth more to your land, at $3 per cord, than leached ashes at seven cents per bushel. But it would be economical to give the land a top-dressing with the ashes, even after the manure is applied. 2. We cannot tell with certainty. Perhaps the leached ashes would be worth about half as much as the unleached. 3. It probably does require more. If the non-bearing apple tree were ours, we should thin the blossoms, or as soon as the fruit is set, pick off two-thirds of it, and perhaps take out some limbs that might be spared, or head the tree in by cutting off the ends of the branches. A NEW soap for WASHING CLOTHES. In answer to an inquiry which appeared some weeks since in the Farmer, I wish to state that two years ago directions for the use of borax with soap, for washing, were given in this paper. Since that period the preparation has been in constant use in our family, and all pronounce it to be superior to any patent fluid or soap. Those directions I have somewhat modified into the fol- lowing recipe : Cut one pound of common bar soap into small pieces ; dissolve this in two quarts of hot water. When the soap is thoroughly melted, add one ounce of powdered borax. Heat this to boiling, stimng well. Cool this new soap, and use one pint for four gallons of water, in which soak the clothes one hour before washing. e. e. Newhuryport, March 27. CUTTING TIMBER AND THE MOON. In your monthly for March, "Essex'' says the "experience of Mr. Baker, of Dedham, in cutting timber is worthy of great regard," but treats him in his remarks as an old fogy that is worthy of no regard whatever. If his "observation," little or great, has more reason in it than Mr. Baker's ex- perience, I am not able to see it. I know, from experience and observation both, that timber cut in the old of the moon in February is safe against worms or powderpost, as it is not at any other 1861. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 269 season. I never have seen, in all the remarks published, one reason for disbelieving it. If the comparison of Mr. Baker with "the man in the moon" is sufficient against facts, then the matter is settled. But I have facts to show that timber, saplings, or anything else of wood kind, is great- ly affected for the better when cut at that partic- ular season. Whether "the man in the moon," or the moon itself, or the man who wields the axe, or the axe itself, is the cause, I do not know. When "Essex" has made one fair experiment, and finds there is nothing but moon in it, then he may cry moonshine. Till then 1 consider him "bevon'd the record." Otis Brigham. Wesfboro\ March, 1861. TO PREVENT A HORSE FROM "INTERFERING." I have taken some pains to ascertain the prac- tice of blacksmiths in this region, and find that the almost universal remedy for interference is to pare the outside of the hoof and thicken the in- side of the shoe. The object being to produce a slight outward curvature of the fetlock joint. A remedy sought in this way, if indeed it should ever prove a remedy, would be at the expense of a firm natural step, and all beauty of action. But this is not all ; for the twisting of the fetlock, and coffin joints Avill be very likely to produce a weakness in those parts in consequence of the un- equal strain upon the muscles. Now a much more philosophical cure for inter- ference will be found in the reverse of the above practice. That is, paring the iKside of the hoof and thickening the outside of the shoe ; thereby causing the animal to assume a wider position of the feet, both in standing and travelling. If any one doubts, let him try the experiment for himself. C. A. Whitaker. Hancock, N. E., 1861. PROLIFIC SHEEP. In February, 1843, a sheep (part merino and part native) about six years old, belonging to T. Andrews, Esq., brought two lambs at a birth. In xVugust following the same sheep brought an- other lamb, and suckled it into January, 1844 — and in February, 1844, (about the middle,) she brought two more lambs at a birth — making five lambs within the year ; all the lambs lived or were raised until fit for the butcher, and were fine healthy lambs. There were also two other sheep, mixed breed, rather more merino than the first-mentioned, and who had each a lamb in February, 1843 — in Au- gust following, each a lamb — in early part of March, 1844, one of the same sheep had two more lambs, and the other had one, making twelve lambs from three sheep in a few weeks over a year. The lambs born in February, 1843, ran with the sheep until sold to the butcher in July, 1843. Sheep are now in good ordei', but have had no extra keep except a few turnips in 1843. Ipswich, Sept. 12, 1844. LARGE STEERS. Mr. Danlel Cushman, of Wilmington, Vt., has a pair of steers, coming six years old, which can't be beat in Windham Co., perhaps not in New England. They are the best shaped cattle I ever saw, and as near perfect as any creatures can be. Their weight in October last, was 5400 lbs.; in January, 5800 lbs. They now weigh not far from 6000 lbs., and are growing as fast as at any time. I understand that he intends keeping them over another year. They have had but lit- tle meal yet. They now bid fair to become the largest pair of cattle ever raised in New England. Mr. Cushman has some more very fine stock at his barn, which I have not time to notice. They are of Durham blood. b. d. w. Wilmington, Vt., April, 1861. For tJie New England Farmer. ■WHAT KIND OF CORN SHALL "WE PLANT ? Mr. Editor : — The above important question has been often asked. It was repeated not long since by one of your correspondents, and answered by him with great apparent confidence, that he had found the truth. I am not about to say his opinion is not correct. There are too many con- tingencies of soil, season, culture, etc., to allow a direct answer. But I cannot perceive a relation- ship so near as third cousin, between his prem- ises and his conclusion. He takes 10 ears of eight rowed corn, 10 of ten rows, and 10 of the large twelve rowed kind — fair specimens, I have no doubt. He weighs them, shells them, and weighs the cobs. What is the result ? Why simply this, the ears of the large twelve rowed kind are larger than the ears of the smaller eight rowed kind, and have more cobs in pi'oportion to the corn. There are varieties of the twelve rowed corn both small and early, more so than some of the eight rowed, but these are not the kinds in question, as is evident both from the common use of the terms and the results of the experiment. Suppose, sir, you take ten Durham oxen and ten Devons, or ten South Down wethers and ten Merinos, and find that the Durhams and South Downs are heavier than the others. What have you proved, except that the larger kinds are larger than the smaller. You have proved that your selection was a fair one, as the results are in ac- cordance with the known laws of the species. But your correspondent having proved that ten larger things are larger than ten smaller ones, goes on to suppose that each hill will produce five such ears, &c. Ah ! "there is the rub." Will each hill, or each rod, of the difi^erent varieties produce five, or the same number whatever it may be, of such ears ? The advocates of the small and early varieties of corn admit fully the truth established by the experiment of weighing, &c., and put against this three items deduced from observation and from the known laws of vegetable life. 1. The smaller varieties will bear planting much thicker. No man puts out dwarf pear trees at the same distance he would standards, or the early York cabbage and the Drumhead with equal spa- ces. So an acre of ground will carry to full per- fection, at least one-quarter more hills of the common eight rowed corn than of the large twelve rowed variety. 2. The same number of stalks, other things being equal, will bring a much larger number of ears. There seems to be a regular gradation from 270 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. JuNt: the largest kinds, to the little popper, stuck full of ears from the ground to the tassel. 3. In a succession of years, on account of early and more perfect maturing, the whole crop, hard and soft, will be worth much more by the bushel. Now, sir, if this article does any one any good, I suppose it will be by leading him to think. He will study the laws of growth and maturity of the different varieties. He will not approve or condemn indiscriminately. If he has a dry, rich soil, and can plant early, he may venture the large kinds. If, on the other hand, his land is cold, the season late, and the location one exposed to early frost, prudence will dictate a different course. One fact I cannot say, which variety has re- ceived the most premiums, but I can say, that in the Berkshire societies the first premium has often honored the eight rowed variety, the test question being "the best acre of corii." Plttsjield, April, 1861. S. Reed. For the New England Farmer. THE LESSON" TAUGHT BY lEISH HUSBANDRY. BY JUDGE FRENCH. "In the day of adversity consider," is the admo- nition of the Preacher, and possibly now, when the heart of every patriot sinks within him, with shame at the disgraceful position of a portion of our country whose Union was until recently our pride and boast, possibly now, we may be humble enough to conceive of the possibility that, as a nation, we are, in our agriculture, tending to de- struction. Ireland, "First flower of the earth, first gem of the sea," is an illustration of the ruin which bad husbandry may bring upon a people. Ireland has a better soil and better climate than England. No country in the world equals it for pasturage. "The south-west coast," says a relia- ble writer, "enjoys a perpetual spring, owing to the ocean currents that set in from the tropics. IMyrtles there grov/ in the open air, and the ar- butus or strawberry-tree is one of the commonest of shrubs." Prior to the famine of 1846, the rural popula- tion of Ireland numbered about twenty-five per- sons to each hundred acres of land, while it is but twelve in England, and fifteen in France. The country was cut up into small farms, there being o()0,000 farms of less than five acres each. A system of dividing the leased land among the children prevailed. The owners of the soil lived away from it, in England, or elsewhere, leaving agents to manage it in any way they pleased to get the most rent for the time, and send to the landlord to expend in foreign lands. The whole object was not to improve the soil, but to plun- der it. No improvements of a permanent character were made, no system of rotation was adopted, but every tenant was allowed to get what he could from the land. One expedient adopted was a sort of partnership, termed Rundale, in which a village of a hundred or more rented a tract of land together, using the pasturing in common, and each year dividing anew the arable land, so that it was for the interest of each to get annually what he could, with no interest whatever in the next year's crop. The only cap- ital was human labor, few carts or wagons being employed, and the manure and crops even being conveyed either by men and women, or by don- keys in panniers. Potatoes yielding by far more sustenance per acre than wheat or other grain, were the principal crop. The English government beheld with appre- hension the approaching ruin, and devised vari- ous plans to avert it. It was manifest that a re- dundant and rapidly increasing population upon a soil growing yearly less productive, must bring upon itself starvation and ruin. Then came the potato disease, and with it the famine, whicb carried off by actual starvation and attendant dis eases more than a million of this ill-fated people more than one-eighth of its whole population. And now let us look at home, at A PICTURE or FARMING ON THE PRAIRIES. And this was the natural result of bad hus bandry, of relying on a single crop without rota tion, and of plundering the soil for present gain with no regard to its future condition. The Country Gentleman published a lettei from which the following is taken. "I enclose you a copy of a letter from an Illi- nois farmer, who was brought up to the business from a boy, in a good agricultural region in one of the counties bordering on the Hudson river, and was successful before removing West : " 'Regarding forming here, you already know the first two or three years we met with heavy losses by trying to raise wheat. The first fall I sowed 150 acres at an'expense of ^'3 per acre — the spring following, 40 acres, thinking it best to tiy both winter and spring varieties. It yielded about 20 bushels per acre, and sold for 50 cents per bushel, hardly paying first cost, including harvesting and threshing. " 'Next fill I sowed 80 acres more, which proved a total failure. I then went on and prepared 180 acres during the lall for spring sowing. When spring came the weather was favorable for early sowing, and I had it all in nicely by the last week in April. " 'About tills time it began to rain, and continued until Illinois was most all afloat, up to about the ?Oth of June. Then we had several weeks of dry and hot weartior, which gave the wheat not already rotted a chance among the greatest growth of weeds }-ou ever saw. On the upland the weeds yielded somewhat to the wheat, but took full possession on far the greatest portion. The result was that the wheat harvested and threshed did not pay for the labor of doing it, saying nothing of the cost of sowing. That fall 1 fell in debt ^500 for lal)or and materials used, besides the expense of living. But I went on, and put 120 acres to winter wheat again. !My teams were poor from wallowing in the mud, and from scanty feed, and had to go into quarters in this condition, with a chance only at coarse, flashy hay, and a little poor corn through the winter. You can judge how they must have looked in the spring. 1861. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 271 " 'My 3'oung cattle, with similar food, and exposure to cold, drenching rains, were very thin. But most of them lived through, and having no land prepared for spring crops, I concluded to change my plan, and try corn and cattle. Some of my ox teams were sold to meet most pressing wants — a rigid system of economy adoi^ted, and with all the corn I could reasonably get in, I commenced another year. Wheat grew finely, chinch Img damaged it some, but it matured and yielded more than "enough to pay expense of raising, selling it at 60 cents per bushel. So with my corn and some tat steers I shall make a better season than ever before, paying some of the losses of preceding years.' "This is a correct history of the efforts of an intelligent farmer, whose habits are unexception- able, and who could have had no idea of anything but success when he undertook farming on prairie land." The above is not given as an illustration of the general result of prairie farming, but only to illus- trate the fact that no capital is employed in Western agriculture. The whole cost of putting in 150 acres of wheat is set down at three dollars per acre, and the crop of twenty bushels to the acre hardly paid the first cost ! The land was plun- dered of an exhausting crop, and nobody bene- fited, and millions of acres are treated in substan- tially the same way every year. It is doubtful whether, under the system practiced in any new States, the country is not the poorer by nearly the value of all the wheat produced ! If we cut off from a farm all the wood and timber, and send it to market, we know that, by so much, the actu- al value of the land is lessened. Is it any less certain than when we take out of the land the el- ements of fertility, in the form of corn and wheat, and send them away, never to be returned, we in fact send away the soil, and sell the very capital which produces our annual income ? CAPITAL NECESSARY IN AGRICULTURE. The distinction between good and bad hus- bandry might almost be said to be, that the for- mer increases, while the latter lessens the pro- ductive capacity of the soil. A farmer in Eng- land who hired a farm of 1000 acres, assured us that he eisiployed $50,000 in stock, implements, labor, manure, and the like, to conduct his farm profitably. His crop of wheat, usually 250 acres, averaged nearly thirty bushels to the acre. The wheat crop over all England averages about 28 bushels to the acre, while in the United States, it averaged, by the census of 1850, but 9i bushels, in the States of New York and Indiana, but 12, in Illinois but 11, in Iowa but 14, and in no State above 16 bushels to the acre. Ireland, at the time we speak of, was like an exhausted, worn-out farm. To have furnished that country with the capital which she lacked in sheep alone, as compared with England, would have required one hundred millions of dollars, and double that sum to have stocked the farms equally with England with other kinds of cattle! A French writer, who has carefully observed the agriculture of his own country and that of Great Britain, says that fifteen hundred millions of dol- lars, which, by the way, is not quite fifty dollars to the acre, would not, in 1846, have furnished Ire- land, as an agricultural country, with the capital actually invested in England in the improvement of her soil. The general aspect of the two coun- tries supports this assertion, astounding as it may seem. While the traveller in England beholds on all sides, magnificent estates, with castles and palaces, and spacious parks filled with cattle and sheep and deer, and beyond, and all around, sub- stantial farm-houses, in the midst of extensive fields waving with grain, or verdant with vegeta- ble growth, or clothed all over with cattle and sheep, while on every side springs up to view, evidences not only of present prosperity and plenty, but in the fine old trees — in the cathe- drals— in the permanent bridges and well-built roads, are seen the proofs that affluence has long prevailed, and men have had time to care for pos- terity— in Ireland, nothing like this is seen. There is enough of verdure to indicate the natu- ral fertility of the land, but in passing through its whole extent, except near the large towns, we scarcely beheld an ornamental tree, or a fruit tree, or a hedge. The country looks sad and des- olate. The miserable hovels of the laborers, the small holdings, now being united into larger es- tates, the Avant of substantial farm structures, and of the fat and heavy teams of England, give one the impression of poverty now, and poverty long endured, of a country whose people in their strug- gle for existence, had given no thought to any- thing beyond the bare necessities of life. Within the past few years, under an Act of Parliament for the sale of Incumbered Estates, the lands of Ireland are changing hands, and pass- ing into the possession of a class mostly of Irish- men, but of men who have capital to employ on the estates which they purchase for their homes, but generations of prosperous and energetic la- bor must pass by, before this abused and worn- out country can be restored to fertility. In the history of Irish agriculture and its train of evils, let us learn the lesson taught so plainly, that a system which impoverishes the soil, must at last bring poverty and ruin. Turning and Bopjng Glass. — The London Magazine states that John Chedgey, of that city, has succeeded in turning and boring glass, and has thus rendered it more applicable to a great variety of useful purposes. He makes glass- cylinders perfectly round and smooth ; also very strong glass pipes as substitutes for metal in con- veying acids and alkalies, and his cylinders are eminently adapted for the barrels of pumps. Glass tubes of moderate bore are quite common, but they are never made with a uniform size of bore. 272 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. June THE OEIQINAL BLACK HAWK. Through the kindness of Charles L. Flint, Esq., Secretary of the State Board of Agricul- ture, we are enabled to place before the reader the most beautiful and perfect portrait of the fa- mous horse Black Hawk that has ever been given of that far-famed animal. We have never looked upon any other horse with so much admiration as we have upon Black Hawk. His intelligence was equal to his beauty, and his splendid action corresponded with his other remarkable qualities. We fear that it will be a long time before we shall look upon his like again. Some of his de- scendants are of rare beauty and action, but it would be wonderful if they possess that combi- nation of beauty, grace, courage, speed and en- durance, which the old hero bore so proudly. The description of Black Hawk which follows, we copy from the Report on Horses, by Prof. W. S. Clark, given in the volume of Agriculture for Massachusetts, for 18G0. The famous stallion. Black Hawk, is thought, by some, to have been got by Sherman Morgan out of a half-bred English mare, said to have been raised in New Brunswick, and to have been of a black color, a fast trotter, and a very fine an- imal. This horse was foaled in 1833, in Green- land, New Hampshire, and when four years old, was purchased for $150, and used as a roadster by Benjamin Thurston, of Lowell, until 1844. As he was a beautiful, spirited horse, able to trot his mile in two minutes and forty seconds, and as the few colts he had got proved remarkably promising, he was then bought by Major David Hill, of Bridport, Vermont, who kept him until his death in 1856. Black Hawk was about fif- teen hands high, and weighed nine hundred and fifty pounds. His skeleton is preserved in the Museum of Natural History, at the State House in Boston. He Avas a horse of almost perfect form for a roadster, compact, symmetrical and muscular, and possessed of most beautiful head, neck and limbs. He was active, elegant, spirit- ed, and pleasant, and marked his offspring with his own peculiar excellences and characteristics, even to color, more decidedly, perhaps, than any other American horse. His numerous and justly esteemed descendants constitute the best breed of roadsters ever known, combining the intelli- gence, courage, elegance, life and endurance, of the thorough bred horse, with sufficient bone and substance, and the finest possible trotting action. The Cylindrical Meat Masher. — In the April Monthly we gave an illustration and de- scription of a little machine for mashing beef steaks to make them tender and eatable, but stated that we had not used it. Since that time it has been used whenever Ave have been so for- tunate as to be in possession of a beef steak, and under its operation we find the meat tender and juicy. It mashes the steak without squeezing out the juice, and when over the fire admit the heat 1861. KEW ENGLAND FARMER. 273 to every part, so that it may be broiled in a short time and retain all its juices. It might not, perhaps, suit all boarding-house keepers, but for the family who would like a tender and juicy steak, it is an excellent article. For the New England Farmer. THB CULTIVATION OF MUCK OR PEAT MEADOWS. Although much has been said and written in favor of reclaiming and cultivating these lands, and much labor and capital has been spent in their subjection, yet it remains a question in the minds of many intelligent farmers, whether the time and money thus spent are, on the whole, profitable investments. Some experienced farmers of my acquaintance have made experiments upon these lands, until they are convinced that the business does not pay. The meadows have been properly drained, the thin layer of moss, roots and wild grasses re- moved from the surface ; the land has been plowed or chopped over, a sprinkling of sand, loam, or clay applied, and seeded down. For tv/o or three years, there would be a tolerable crop of English hay, but after that time, the natural grasses would spring up again, and root out the foreign kinds. But a few years would elapse, before the meadow would be less productive than it was while in its natural state. Means were taken to arrest the growth of the wild grasses, but they did not have a permanent effect. To spread a coat of gravel or sand upon the meadow of a thickness sufficient to kill the origi- nal grass roots, would require an amount of cap- ital which but few farmers have to spare ; and in addition to the above expense, the upland soil would have to be robbed of a portion of its fertile matter, to form an artificial soil upon this bed of gravel, or nothing would grow. This mode of operation is also one of extremely doubtful utili- ity. From my own observation and experience, and from that of others well qualified to judge, I have come to the conclusion, that if the same amount of labor and capital which is annually ex- pended in the cultivation of these meadows, was employed in subsoiling, trenching, draining, and manuring uplands of average fertility, the fai-mer would receive double, if not treble the amount of profit. Nature is ever ready to assist man when he does not transgress her laws, but these laws are transgressed when he attempts to rear upon muck or peat meadows, plants or grasses, which natu- rally grow only upon the dry land. The cranberry crop is the only one within my knowledge which can be profitably raised upon these meadows. The present market price of this fruit should be a sufficient inducement, it seems to me, for the owner of such lands to commence its cultivation, if he has a good stock of patience and perseverance to carry it through. But the principal purpose for which these places were formed by the all-wise Creator, is just beginning to be generally understood. It is found that muck, when properly applied to almost every variety of upland soil, will pro- duce highly beneficial results upon all kinds of plants, grasses, and fruit trees. In the renovation of old, worn-out pasture lands, I have not the least doubt, that an application of muck, after it has been thrown out a year or more, and become finely pulverized, and mixed with a small propor- tion of potash, soda ash, or common wood ashes, would have an extremely beneficial efi'ect. Has any one ever given this mode of operation a fair trial ? Do you think, Mr. Editor, that if a farmer has a few acres of muck meadow, he can put such land to a better use, than to keep it in reserve, as a source from whence to draw a yearly supply of fertilizing matter for the benefit of his uplands ? As this is a subject of great importance, it is hoped that all who have had practical experience concerning it, will give to the readers of the Far- mer, the result of their observations. South Oroton, 1861. S. L. White. Remarks. — The plan of our correspondent of mixing old meadow muck with some alkaline substance, as a dressing for pastures or fields of sandy loam, is an excellent one — and a muck bed held in reserve for this purpose, is valuable prop- erty. Whether we shall reclaim our muck meadow, however, depends upon circumstances. Some of the best, and most profitable lands on the farms all about us, were reclaimed muck meadows — no other lands of the farms pay so good an inter- est, taking into account the original value of the land and the cost of reclaiming. But they will not all do this. It must depend mainly upon the cost of reclamation. For the New England Farmer. POUDKETTE. Messes. Editors : — I have for several years experimented with the various fertilizers recom- mended to the farmers for their wonderful effects on vegetation, and have been sadly disappointed. Last season I was induced to purchase four bar- rels of "TheLodi Manufacturing Company's Pou- drette," which I used principally on my corn crop. For many years my practice has been to plow or harrow in the manure, and apply some concen- trated manure in the hill, to give the crop an early start. I have found guano and the superphosphates, however carefully managed when put into the hill, are apt to injure the seed and prevent its germina- tion ; not so with poudrette. Last season I ap- plied it to the corn in the hill with perfect safety, and with the most satisfactory results ; the corn came up well, gi*ew vigorously, and had at least ten days the start of the corn where no poudrette was applied, and notwithstanding the early frosts injured our crops seriously, yet I am satisfied that a much larger portion was fully matured where the poudrette was applied, than on the other part. In fact, I consider it one of the cheapest concentrated fertilizers extant, and shall use it extensively the present season. Horace Collamore. Pembroke, April 26. 1861. 274 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. June For the New England Farmer. FENCES AND PASTURES. Mr. Editor: — In relation to the profits of farming, a question which has been so much dis- cussed recently, it is evident that whatever tends to diminish the expense, without lessening the income, must, in like proportion, increase the net profits. Many of our farmers might accomplish much in this way, in the item of fencing. Farmer A., for instance, finds it rather troublesome keeping his cattle in the barn all the spring, and is, per- haps, a little short of hay withal, and concludes to turn his stock out awhile each day, but frost not being quite out of the ground, or not having his other work out of the way, or, it may be, think- ing his cattle can do no serious damage at this season, if they do chance to get out, he postpones repairing fences to a "more convenient season." Farmer B., not having "finished sugaring," or cutting up his wood-pile, until near the usual time of "turning out to grass," takes a look at his fences, and patches up some of the worst spots, and thinks his cattle will not get over, at least, until he has time to repair more thoroughly ; but other business crowds, and somehow it runs along till perhaps in the midst of haying, the feed becoming short, his animals look out for them- selves ia the corn field, or meadow, and he is obliged to leave his work to drive them out, and of course mends the fence where they broke over, but is too busy securing his hay to look farther. The cattle having once got a "taste," they must be stupid animals that do not try another weak spot. Farmer A. goes through a similar course, only having "begun at the root ;" his discipline is likely to be more effectual, and both farmers, af- ter having spent more time in running after "trespassers" and patching up fences than would have been required to mend the fence so as to have been absolutely safe, find themselves with a set of unruly cattle on their hands, to say noth- ing of the damage done to corn fields, gardens and orchards, or of the effects on the temper of the farmers themselves. Overstocking pastures, too, is a common fault. I believe that, in most cases, more profit would be realized by reducing the stock ordinarily pas- tured in this State to two-thirds the present num- ber, (and this will apply to winter keeping in many cases,) and of course diminishing the labor of taking care of them by nearly one-third. We should then hear less of old worn-out pastures, and less inconvenience would be experienced from drought, both from the fact that such land would be better protected from its effects, and the sur- plus feed which might be made use of in case of necessity. There is room to effect another considerable saving on our cultivated grounds. Nothing is more common than the disposition to measure the area for cultivation by the desired amount of crops as income, rather than by the amount of labor which can be applied in the growing sea- son, which should be the rule. No farmer should attempt to cultivate more land than he has time to keep entirely free from weeds, after making due allowance for hindrances from unfavorable weather, unexpected interrup- tion, &c. I am fully satisfied that no more land should be devoted to the corn crop, than can be made to yield from GO to 80 bushels to the acre, under all ordinary circumstances. Whatever is attempted beyond what the above rules indicate, will generally increase the expense, leave the land in bad condition, and give no increase in the present crop. Wm. F. Bassett. Ashfield, April, 18G1. Pot the New Ensland Farmer. SUGAR MAKING. When in mute prophetic murmurs Blithely sway the bratches bare, Prophecies of coming summer, Wrought in the mysterious air, Ere the bright seedtime is come, High we raise our "Harvest Home." When the blue-bird and the robin By the breath are born of spring, And we pause full oft to listen To the ttrains these songsters sing, Sweeter things our senses thrill, Sweets that flow from "Sugar Hill." Ere the lowly, loved Arbutus Springs amid the parting drifts, Or the early blossoming crocus To the sun its brightness lifts, Sweeter thoughts than those of these Dwell amid the maple trees. Sugar Hill, Jpril, 1861. Rustic. For the New England Farmer. "WASTED MANURE. Mr. Editor : — Perhaps it never occurred to many of the readers of the Farmer, what a vast amount of manure is wasted every year, all of which might be saved, by a little foi*ethought and judicious management. The old proverb has it, "A penny saved, is worth two earned," and no doubt the rule will apply to manures, as well as pennies, and here is my plan for saving it. Here in Vermont — and we presume it is the case in other places — many of the barn-yards are so sit- uated, that while the snow is melting awa}', as well as in rainy times, there is quite a stream of water running through the yard, leaching and washing away the best part of the manure. And with regard to many of the old-fashioned barns, which have no cellars, the manure is thrown out of windows directly under the eaves of the barn, and there it lies, often all through the summer, soaking and washed with every shower. This should not be so ; no farmer can afford to lose so much as is lost in this way every year. Every barn should either have sheds, or a cellar attached, in which to* deposit the manure, and every yard should be highest on the outer edges. But if this is impracticable, let small trenches be dug when the ground first thaws, or furrows may be plowed in the fall, which should have various branches, and in this way the washings of the barn-yard may be carried some distance, and in all direc- tions. The effects of this plan of irrigation will be visible all through the season, and satisfacto- ry results obtained, often increasing the hay crop one-half. Not only water which has been filtered through 1861. NEW ENGLAND FAR]MER. 275 the manure heap, but brook water, turned out of its natural channel, both on low meadow and dry land, will increase the hay crop greatly. The lit- tle streams which course down our hill sides, in spring time, if turned out of their natural courses and allowed to spread over the barren knolls, would be found to be great fertilizers. Old pas- tures are benefited by this mode as well as fields. I have tried both draining and flowing wet grass meadows, and unless they can be drained dry enough to plow, say turn on the water. If possi- ble, let sand be washed on with the running wa- ter. T. P. Bailey. Newbury, VL, April, 18G1. For the New England Farmer. "WASH FOR PEAR BLIGHT AND CURCULIO. Mr. Editor : — In the latter part of July, 1859, I noticed the leaves on a Beurre Diel pear tree, (of some dozen years growth,) wei'e beginning to turn black, and in a few days when I next saw it, I was surprised to find nearly three-fourths of its foliage in the same condition. Thinking it might be the work of some minute insect, which I tried in vain to discover, I syringed it with a lime wash which I was using to protect my plums from the curculio. This I repeated every morning for three or four days, which arrested the further progress of the disease, but left my tree de- nuded of most of its foliage, while a fair crop of fruit remained on the tree, but did not mature, and was quite worthless. In the spring of 1860, the tree blossomed, leaved out, and presented its usual healthy appearance ; but again in July, the same disease reappeared, and I at once com- menced the same treatment as the previous year, saving the foliage and fruit, which matured in its usual perfection. The wood and bark appeared to be perfectly sound both seasons, and although this tree was surrounded by many others of dif- ferent varieties, none of them were similarly af- fected. I have been unable to detect any adequate cause, or to recognize any disease described by Downing in his book on Fruit Trees, in the case I have mentioned, and my only object in bringing these facts to your notice, is to ascertain if I may, from you, or some one of your contributors, learn the probable cause of the malady, while I give you the result of my treatment. I will here remark, that I have found that a wash, made of a piece of quicklime the size of a quart measure, put to a half-barrel of water, stand two days and then well stirred, is a sure protec- tion for the plum, from the attacks of the curcu- lio. It should be applied very soon after the blossoms fall, and repeated as often as once a week or ten days, until the fruit is fully grown. With a common garden syringe, a good sized tree may be completely covered with the wash in a few moments ; I believe the failure of this rem- edy will be owing only to its imperfect applica- tion, or the solution being made too weak to be distasteful to insects. I raised a fine crop of Blue Gages last season, on a tree which has been stripped of its fruit every summer for several years. I believe the frequent use of this wash promotes the health and vigor of the tree. BrookUne, April 16, 1861. j. R. B. EXTRACTS AND REPLIES. CORN AND COB MEAL. There has been much said in the Farmer in re- gard to using corn and cobs ground together for feed. I do not pretend to know how much nu- triment there is in the cob, but I cannot say as Dr. Brown does, that it is worthless for hogs. For the last twelve years I have fatted my hogs (or rather pigs, for I winter no hogs) on cob and corn meal. I buy my pigs early in the spring, say in March, feed milk the first month, then add a little of the corn and cob meal, and increase it as they will bear it until I slaughter them, about the first or second week in December, weighing from 300 to 350 lbs. I feed them no other meal. I am a miller, and grind my own feed. It is the univer- sal practice of my customers to have their corn ground in the ear. Some of our best farmers have ground twenty bushels of clear cobs at one grist for feeding their store hogs, giving them no other meal, clear cob meal answering a good pur- pose. If the corn and cobs are ground as they should be, there will be no sharp, flinty scales or shells, and it can be fed as safely as corn or shorts. A. p. Buckland, April, 1861. AN INTERESTING ACCOUNT OF A LARGE HOG. Not having seen any notice in the N. E. Far- mer of the large hog raised at Oak Hill Farm, owned by Richard S. Rogers, Esq., South Dan- vers, lam induced to hand you annexed, a minute account of his weight, &c., for the columns of the Farmer. 2 years 10 months old. 7 feet '2 inches girt. 3 " 3 " height. 8 " from tip of his nose to root of his tail. 10 " from tip to tip. lies lbs. live weiRht. 1C60 " after being bled. 43 " loss of blood and water. 1060 1051 lbs. after being dressed of his bristles. 6 lbs. loss by bristles. 1054 944 lbs. when dressed. 110 lbs. loss by offaL 944 40 lbs. rough tallow. 984 ; 16 lbs. harslet. ICCO lbs. net weight of hog. IIOS lbs. live weight. 1000 " net weight. 1C8 lbs. shrinkage, or only 9^ per cent. The hog was slaughtered by me, and if the weather had permitted, might have been made to weigh 200 to 300 pounds more, in being kept a few weeks longer. Charles D. Tilton. Souili Darners, March 29, 1861. cook's sugar EVAPORATOR. In reply to your correspondent from Henniker, N. H., I will say that Messrs. Blymgers, Bates & Day, of Mansfield, Ohio, manufacture ^^ Cook's Sugar Evaporator," and they can be obtained of them, or from A. S. Clark, agent, Be]lov,-s Falls, Vt. The kind I use. No. 3, galvanized iron, costs 276 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. June $55 ; copper, same size, $65. As to the evapo- rator, I have to say that I have used it the second year, and am thoroughly convinced of its utility. I have reconstructed my sugar-works, and as now arranged, heat the sap from the fire of the evapo- rator. I have a sheet-iron pan, 5-J feet long, 3A feet wide, that receives the fire from the evapora- tor, which is set with a partition underneath, so that the fire goes twice the length of the pan before it reaches the chimney. "With this arrangement I can boil from 30 to 40 bbls. in 24 hours, and at the same time make the best quality of sugar, I should not be willing to undertake to make sugar without one of "Cook's evaporators." Gko. Campbell. West Westminster, Vt., April 15, 1861. TIME FOR PRUNING — THE BORER AND CURCULIO — A COVERING FOR WOUNDED LIMBS. I wish to inquire the best time for pruning ap- ple trees, and the reasons for the ditferent opin- ions upon the subject ; and for the best varieties of apples, for a limited number for New England cultivation. Also, information upon the habits and ravages of the borer and curculio, as connect- ed with the culture of apples. AVhat is the best composition to apply to the stocks of apple trees from which large limbs have been removed ? Remarks. — Prune apple trees in the middle of June, or immediately after the fall of the leaf in October. For reasons, see weekly Farmer of April 13, or the forthcoming number of the Monthly for May. now TO BUILD an ARCH. I wish to inquire through the Farmer how to build an arch to set two pans, each 5 inches deep, 28 inches wide, 45 inches long, for boiling sap, 1. How should an ox-bow arch be built ? 2. How high should the pans be raised ? 3. How should the front of the arch be built and not have the chimney in the way of the fireman. 4. How high and large should the chimney be ? 5. Should there be a door, if so, how made ; will it need a damper, and how large ? I wish some of your numerous subscribers would give the information needed. An Old Subscriber. Addison Co., Vt., April, 1861. IS IT beneficial to the sugar maple to plug UP THE HOLES AFTER SUGARING ? There seems to be a variety of opinions in this vicinity ; some say that it makes the tree rot worse to plug it up than it does to leave it open. G. W. D. P. S. — We have just had another severe New England snow storm, and it is very good sleigh- ing to-day, the 18th. Windham, Vt., April 18, 1861. DRIVE PIPE FOR HYDRAULIC RAMS. I wish to inquire of you, or of any wTio can tell me, through the Farmer, what pipe is best, inch and one-fourth in size, to drive a No. 4 hydraulic ram. I put one in operation last fall with twen- ty-six feet of inch and one-fourth drive pipe — weighs three pounds to the foot, with nine feet head or fall. The water is raised and discharged sixty-four rods from the ram, at an elevation of fifty-nine feet. I think the ram would work well if I could procure a drive pipe strong enough to drive the ram. E. C. Allis. Whately, April 15, 1861. PROSPECTS OF THE SEASON. Gloomy and forbidding ; all Nature harmon- izes therewith — wars and rumors of wars, treach- ery and rascality abound. No warm and sunny dtiys as yet. No appearance of expansion of buds on the trees. Grass hesitates in starting, begins to yield a little to the drizzling rains now falling. Must live on hope, if we live at all — always re- membering, that "hope deferred maketh the heart sick." Some are starting with their knapsacks on their back, and guns in hand, not knowing where their services will be required, nor why, but always true to the spirit that animated their grandsires, in times gone by, and while this feel- ing survives, the country is safe — and the harvest is sure. Essex. April 22, 1861. For the New England Farmer. SHORT NOTES ON NEW THINGS. I perceive it is quite common for some of your correspondents to make brief notes on sundry ar- ticles in the Farmer — a good custom, by the way, if only pursued disinterestedly. In the Farmer of the 9th inst, you give an ac- count of a cylindrical Meat-Masher, which looks really as though it would operate, and if it will do what the proprietor claims, i. e., "make the toughest meat equal to the most tender," it will prove a decidedly desii'able institution. Next you have a Rotary Harroio. I have seen several of these, of difl'erent patterns, and don't think they will work well, unless upon soil decid- edly free from stones and every other obstruction, and would advise your readers to look well be- fore leaping — here. Again ; you have Hungarian Grass. The wri- ter raised this grass a year or two, and came to the conclusion that it would not pay to plow up grass land, that yielded even a medium crop, for this grain, or grass, which we know is only an annual. Look out for those who have seed to sell. An article on Dogs and Sheep meets with my most hearty approval. We want our laws more stringent upon dogs and dog-raising, and giving the man who has losses by them, some way in which he can recover, or else we must give up sheep husbandry entirely. Only a few days since, a neighbor lost twelve or fifteen fine sheep in this way ; caught the dog in the act, which, as usual, was found to be owned by a man of no pecuniary responsibility, and consequently he will get no remuneration for his loss. Influence of Farm Employments. — The writer says truly, "If anything, farming requires more skill and science than any other pursuit." This is mainly true, but enterprise and indomitable perseverance accomplish much, here. Indeed, I was about to say, a man can succeed in almost any pursuit, if he only has a sufficient quantity of Snap. W. J. P. Salisbury, Ct., April 18, 1861. 1861. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 277 For the New England Farmer. WHEAT CROP. The excellent article and commendable spirit of your correspondent "E. C. P.," on the subject of wheat-growing, cannot fail in part to enlist the cordial approval of the farmer. In regard to the crop of rye, it should be the last crop he should cultivate, or merely enough for family brown bread. The same soil and labor will give more bushels of winter wheat than rye — then why not sow wheat? But your correspondent says — "I know the wheat crop fails three times where corn fails once," that it is "an uncertain crop." In answer to this I beg to say, while the corn crop is almost a sure one, barley and oats often mildew, and the same danger attends the maturing of spring wheat, yet the chances are about equal. Warm land, early sowing and plenty of horse manure plowed in, will almost insure a crop. In regard to winter wheat and the mischances of winter killing, this should be considered as no discouragement ; it can be avoided by getting into the ground early, to the depth of two or three inches — well rooted and a good fall growth will insure a crop five years out of six, without win- ter-kill, in your region. In regard to phosphates and the crops of the West and Western New York, if they would ap- ply barn-yard manure on soils that are capable of being exhausted and are exhausted, the phos- phates would be returned to the soil, lime, of course, being a component part. Yet slaked lime or ashes are excellent fertilizers to harrow in, or sow after the grain is up. The farmer, by practicing with deep plowing and manuring liberally (as above suggested) will have little occasion to employ artificial phos- phates and guano, and deplore the loss of the wheat- growing properties of the soil. This is one of the long-standing popular errors of the day, — now pretty nearly exploded. Wheat v;ill grow, (as I know by six years practical experience in good old Essex) on every farm in New England that will produce rye, barley or oats. At one dollar a bushel it pays equal to either of the ce- real crops. I should not advise the farmer to experiment on a small scale. Evidence of great success all around you, has opened the conviction that by adopting the large scale the New England States •will raise their own flour in five to ten years. This we have a right to infer from the progress of the past two years. I always look over these wheat communications ■with deep interest, as I trust I comprehend this important, much and long-neglected branch of farming in the old States. With few deductions (in my humble judgment, to which I have taken the liberty to refer) the communication of "E. C. P." is profitable reading for the farmer. Mak- ing my best bow, Mr. Editor, I wish you many more such. H. Poor. Brooklyn, L. I., April 23, 1861. Fruit Trees pruned at this season bleed pro- fusely. We recommend the trial of hydraulic ce- ment and "boiled" plaster, mixed dry and rubbed into the pores of the bleeding limbs. We have been applied to for a remedy in a case where shel- lac dissolved in alcohol would not answer, and throw out this hint, having tested it successfully to all appearance, though whether the bleeding was so strong in the case we tried that shellac would not stop it, we cannot tell. The idea is that it will set in the pores and prevent the pas- sage of the sap. The loss of sap does no injury to the tree, but it scalds and kills the bark, mak- ing a bad wound. — The Homestead. For the New Ensland Farmer. EIGHTH ANNUAL KBPORT OF THE SECRETARY. This handsome volume of more than 500 pages has just come to hand. The first 250 are from the pen of the accomplished Secretary, and need no encomium. They have the usual fullness and completeness of his discussions. Everything but the cattle disease, I like ; for this I have no fancy, because I think we know little or nothing about it, and that the honorable commissioners know about the same as the rest of the people. From the beginning I have thought the money expend- ed on this topic was nearly wasted. Next come about 60 pages of reports from the several dele- gates to the County Societies ; there should be twice as many, because this affords the only means we have of judging of the ability of these gentlemen, who should be the representatives of the genuine yeomanry of the State, and who have the very best opportunity of understanding what they do, and what they omit that ought to be done. Then come 50 pages of selections from addresses, some of which are very good. Then come about 100 pages from the farmers them- selves ; in which I am pleased to find, as hereto- fore, the old counties of Essex and Norfolk fully represented. Why is there not more, from the valley of the Connecticut, and the region West ? Are the cultivators there so busily engaged that they cannot stop to tell what they have done ; or are they ashamed to speak of the crops they grow, especially their tobacco ? I wish they were, and to use it also, for next to intoxicating liquor, I believe it stupefies and destroys more than any one cause. "O, that men should be such fools as to put enemies in their mouths to steal away their brains !" p. April 10, 1861. For the New England Farmer. SULPHUR A PREVENTIVE OP WORMS IN ONIONS. Mr. Editor : — Dear Sir,— On the 13th of April, 1860, I sowed my onion patch, and here- with give you the result of my experiment. The soil, a dark loam, was all manured alike with compost manure. On one half of the land, I sowed the seed as usual, using a drill barrow ; on the other half of the ground, with the seed, I mixed flour of sulphur, one-half pound to one pound of seed, and for the reason that sulphur is so much heavier than onion seed not over a half pint of seed and sulphur should be put into the hopper or seed-box at a time. In this way the seed and sulphur will be sown uniformly together. My onions came up and looked equally well in both cases, until the first week in June, when, af- ter a warm rain, those without sulphur began to 278 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. June droop and die, and at harvesting I had only about a quarter of a crop, while those with sul- phur yielded a large and fine crop, with not a sign of the maggot during the season. Cornelius Callaghan, (Janlener to John Wooldridge, Esq. Lynn, April 12, 18G1. Remarks. — Sulphur being a mineral, why should it not operate equally beneficial, if spread broadcast over the field, and perhaps slightly raked in before sowing the seed ? Or, spread over the ground after the seed is sown, and left on the surface ? We learn that our correspond- ent will experiment by sowing sulphur broadcast, as well as by sowing it with the seed, and hope he will give us the result. COB AND CO.'S SUPEKPHOSPHA.TES. Dr. Hatch, of Koene, N. H., has addressed an interesting communication to the selling agents of Messrs. Coe & Co., on the relative merits of their superphosphates and the Peruvian guano. Dr. Hatch is a gentleman v.'hose scientific educa- tion is of the highest and most precise kind, while he is also a careful and experienced practi- cal agriculturist — qualities not often found in the same person in so great a degree. We ask at- tention to his letter : Messrs. Elliot & Ripley : — Oents, — At your request I annex a statement as regards the rela- tive value of Coe's Superphosphate of Lime and Peruvian Guano. Being obliged to purchase manure for a large portion of my crops last yeai-, I made inquiries for the best and cheapest. I was satisfied, theo- retically, that Superphosphate of Lime was what I needed, but was persuaded to try at the same time Peruvian Guano. I plowed two acres of light sandy loam, and used on one-half three bags of Coe's Superphosphate of Lime, on the other, one and a half bags of the best Peruvian Guano, costing ten cents more than the lime. The land was sowed to Hungarian grass, millet and clover. The result was the same in each instance, viz.: that portion of the land upon which the guano was used produced only about two-thirds as much as the other. In my garden, I found that the peas, (contrary to my prediction,) came up earli- er, grew faster and larger, and yielded more than twice the quantity upon the superphosphate than those upon the guano. I also tried the same ex- periment Avith early potatoes, with precisely the same result. I also used the lime for corn, oats, carrots, mangolds and turnips, and in every in- stance to my cntii'e satisfaction. I have no hesi- tation in saying that I consider it the best and cheapest artificial manure that can be bought. Keene, April G, ISGL Tiios. E. Hatcu. We learn from our numerous correspondents that the Phosphate is not only quicker in its ef- fects than Peruvian Guano, but much more dura- ble, lasting from five to six years ; and after all the information we have received, we give it as our opinion that Coe's Superphosphate of Lime is far the best fertilizer the farmer can use. — Boston Journal. For the New England Farmer. IS IT PROFITABLE TO KEEP HENS? Mr. Editor : — The above question has been freely discussed in your paper in times past, and much has been said on both sides, yet I could not decide it for myself without practical demonstra- tion ; accordingly, as I had a stock of 11 hens, I commenced, on the 1st of January, 1860, to keep an exact account of debt and credit for the year ending Jan. 1, 18G1. The result is as follows : Cost of 11 hens, at 33c $3.63 Cost of keep, 14 bush, oats at 45c per bush 6,30 Total amount $9,93 Early in the spring 3 of the 11 died, and the amount of eggs produced was 1133 5 to get the true value of which I credited them at the ruling price at the village store, as fast as a dozen accu- mulated, (the price varied from 20 cents down to 12 cents per dozen.) The value of the egpa was $14,60 Stock of 8 hens, at 3oC 2,64 Makinft a total of $17,14 From which deduct 9,93 And I have a good balance of ,..$ 7,21 I do not keep a crower, as I save the cost of keep, and besides, what is a greater advantage, the hens may set several days longer on their eggs without spoiling them for use. I do not raise chickens, I find eggs the most profitable. My stock is the Bolton Grays crossed with the common barn-yard fowl ; they seldom off'er to set, and can be easily broken up. I do not let them run at large from May to October. I have a yard for them adjoining my barn in which is a hennery made by partitioning off" a portion of the bay ; it has large windows near the ground, and a south- ern aspect. Perhaps the inquiry may be raised if the trouble of feeding and tending should not be charged to them ; if so, I reply no, for the pleasure and sat- isfaction I enjoy from tending them is more than an equivalent for all the trouble. Warfield. North Londonderry, Vt., Jan., 1861. NoELE Horse. — Grant Thorburn says: "I once saw a horse, in the neighborhood of New York, drawing a load of coal, twelve hundred weight, in a cart. The lane was very narrow — the driver, some distance behind, was conversing with a neighbor. The horse, on a slow walk, came up to a little child sitting on his hind quar- ters, in the middle of the road, gathering up dust with his little hands, and making mountains out of mole hills. The horse stopped — he smelled of the child — there was no room to turn off. With his thick lips he gathered the frock between his teeth, lifted the child, laid him gently on the outside of the wheel track, and 'went on his way rejoicing.' And well might he rejoice — he had done a noble deed." A Large Warming ArPAHAxus. — The New York authorities, it is said, have allowed a com- pany to lay pipes through all the streets, to con- vey "hydrogcnated fuel," or other heating agents to every house, just as gas and water are now con- veyed. So we move onward. 1861. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 279 FoT the New England Farmer. CAUTION IN" PURCHASING SEEDS OR IMPLEMENTS NECESSARY. Mr. Editor : — I perceive that some of Mr. Crandall's Egyptian Corn victims are a little dis- posed to find fault with the Neio England Farmer for containing such advertisements. Now, with- out admitting the right of publishers to insert every advertisement offered, I am not disposed to limit them very closely in that class relating to new varieties of seeds, plants, &c., because it is not always possible for them to know whether an article is what the advertisement recommends it to be, and because I think it best to give those who have the disposition and plenty of "tin," an opportunity to try everything, and throw out the chaff, leaving for the rest of us nothing to do, but to take that which proves clean grain. With proper precautions, I think no one need be badly sold, even though surrounded by bogus adver- tisements, and with your leave, I will give your readers a few words of caution drawn from my own experience and that of friends. 1. Eveiy one who is really able to invest much in anything, not fully proved, is able to furnish himself with information to act understandingly by taking two or more agricultural and horticul- tural journals, which he should read carefully, and note particularly every article on any new plant, fruit, or fertilizer, in which he thinks of invest- ing, as well as all advertisements, not forgetting the signature, and in this way, a shrewd observer will soon learn to estimate pretty correctly what amount of credence is due to the advertiser for honesty, or to the correspondent for judgment and disinterestedness. I have found the New England Farmer, Coun- try Gentleman, Horticulturist and American Ag- riculturist all very useful in this respect, as well as others, and while they are all first class peri- odicals, they do not at all encroach upon each other's territory, each one being about as nearly indispensable while taking all the others ; the Agriculturist would have saved our "Egyptian Corn" friends from being sold, if they had read and heeded it, this particular humbug having been exposed in the number for last March. 2. Never send money to transient advertisers whom you never heard of before, unless recom- mended by responsible agricultural editors, or others whom you know to be disinterested, and well informed upon the subject in question. 3. Never order anything, however highly praised by the advertiser, if he cannot point to well-known and respectable parties who have tried and are ready to recommend it. It is rare that anything really valuable is offered at the present day, until it has been submitted to the in- spection of some one or more persons competent to decide on its merits, and recognized by the public to be such. 4. Take all possible precaution in sending or- ders, that you send to dealers who are strictly honest and honorable in their dealings. Better apply the rule to all whose advertisements are not entirely consistent and straightforward. 5. If you arc not fairly dealt by, when you send orders, give an opportunity to correct the mis- take, if it was such, and if this is refused, with- draw your patronage, and report the offender to friends who would otherwise be likely to order from him, and to your Farmers' Club, if you have one. 6. To be sure that the mistake is not with you, and also to have the evidence on your side, it is well, when ordering to any great amount, to write beforehand and ascertain particularly what is to be the quality of your purchase, terms, &c., then, when making out your ordei*, make an exact du- plicate, and preserve it, as well as all correspon- dence on both sides. With some nurserymen when ordering trees or plants, it is necessary to state expressly that you want what you order, or nothing, as otherwise they take the liberty of sub- stituting something else when they cannot fur- nish exactly what is ordered. As an illustration of how I apply some of the above rules, when the Chinese Potato excitement first began to rage thoroughly, I received copies of three different editions of a small pamphlet, praising it up beyond all reason, and urging those who wished to make sure of seed, to send imme- diately, "as first come, first served," and the sup- ply was limited. Now the evident anxiety to sell indicated anything but a scant supply, and of course a want of consistency in the advertiser, and the result proved it a great humbug. The ad- vertisements of that firm I seldom read. Another nurseryman, a few years since, started a new grape, recommending it as very fine, and offering it at a high price ; but neglecting to bring forward any evidence other than his own word, I not only distrusted his "grape story," but dissuad- ed a friend from buying Norway Spruces of him, on the ground that a man who is dishonest in one thing, cannot be trusted in another. Since then the Massachusetts Horticultural Society have pronounced the grape no better than most of our wild grapes. Now let every one adopt such rules, and nur- serymen will become honest from policy, and such men as Crandall will find their "occupation gone." Wm. F. Bassett. AsJifield, April, 1861. Food of Cows after Calying. — It is cus- tomary with many farmers to feed cows immedi- ately after calving, with warm slops — a pail of bran or meal and warm water, well salted — and a better diet is commenced at once in order to get as much milk as possible. A writer in the Home- stead objects to this proceeding as contrary to nature, and very likely to induce caked bag and milk fever. He contends that the cow should have rest and quiet, rather than "a dose of physic and v;arm mashes," as is often given, and adds : "It is an error to suppose that tasking the stomach after the fatigue of parturition can bo otherwise than hurtful. A drink of water and a little dry hay is enough for the first day, and she should have nothing better than the best hay for three or four days — until all infiammatory symptoms are passed." Colic in Horses. — The Farmers' Advocate prescribes for colic in horses, a blanket wrapped around the body and drenched with cold water. It steams like a boiling pot, and cures in fifteen minutes. 280 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. June THE FAKMEK AND THE "WAH. s an agricultural editor, our mission is one of peace. It leads us among the quiet avo- cations of men, into green fields, by the water-brooks, or /^upon hills teeming with feed- ing kine, — and in the arts of peace we have labored cheerful- ly and earnestly, feeling that those labors were productive, and that we were precisely in "the line of duty." But these matters have not engrossed our whole attention. The general politics of the country have been familiar, and its prosperity and glory as dear to us as life itself, — and when it has been defamed by ungrateful and indiscreet men at home, or assailed by its enemies abroad, we have kin- dled as though our personal honor had been in- sulted. AVhen our glorious flag, floating over a free and brave people, but unarmed and defence- less, was fired upon by unprovoked, arrogant and rebellious madmen, we were ready for war, as preferable to the then existing state of things. We believe, (and we possess some private evi- dence of this,) that war has, virtually, been de- clared against the free States by the leading pol- iticians of the South for more than ten years, and that, during that time, the attacks upon our mem- bers of Congress with bludgeons, bowie knives and pistols — the insults heaped upon the New England States, and upon Massachusetts, espe- cially— the hanging, burning and drowning of our citizens while engaged in their legitimate busi- ness at the South, and the scourging and expul- sion of women, who were engaged in teaching their own children, have all been done to gratify a malign hatred, and to precipitate the country into a civil war ! As this paper, however, is sent into all classes of our people who hold dif- ferent political opinions, we have rarely, or nev- er, alluded to the gross outrages committed upon the laws as well as the persons of the free States. Forbearance, in this matter, has now ceased to be a virtue. The Executive wisely practiced it, until the people were ready to rise in their might to repel the assailants, and avenge the in- sults to our flag. One s])irit, only, now animates our people, — — to vindicate the government, and vanquish the traitors. Both objects will be accomplished. Every man is ready to fight, where he can do the most service. No drafting will be necessary. Volun- teers press themselves upon the authorities to four times the number that can be received ! These are not mere fighting men — but farmers, carpen- ters, machinists, blacksmiths, engineers, lawyers, scholars, clergymen, storekeepers, physicians, road and bridge builders, printers, — in short, Freeholders, who will show the bloody front of rebellion that the men of the North have courage, as well as conscience. They will march wherever the national flag is insulted, suppress revolution, and visit terrible retribution upon the rebels. Our resources in men and provisions are am- ple, and would have been so in all the munitions of war, but for the stupendous robberies commit- ted by the arch traitor Floyd, and his chivalric Southern allies. They robbed the Exchequer, the arsenals, the mints, and, aided by one worse than all, because a son of New England, Toucey, then Secretary of the Navy — a name covered with loathing and scorn — sent all our national ships into distant seas. Notwithstanding this, the en- ergy and reproductive power of our people will soon supply deficiencies, and the legions that are panting to punish this wicked design upon the best government the world ever knew, may all be supplied as they are called to the seat of war. The farmer has already shown that it is neither his duty or desire to absolve himself from any of the burdens or perils introduced by a state of war. The thousands of stalwart and intelligent sons who have gone out to fight at their country's call, are sufficient evidence of this. He has another duty, however, scarcely less important, at home, — and that is to occupy as much ground with the ordinary crops as he can manure and tend well. It will be a grave error to do more than this. Some have already recommended that large and unusual breadths of land be sowed to wheat, or other grains, or planted with corn or potatoes. Such advice is as inconsistent as it would be to advise the ship-builder to construct a vessel of such proportions that she could never be floated out of the harbor ! Our advice is this : — Use all the manure you can possibly press into service ; pi-epare it from every source ; purchase it, if possible, even at a high rate ; use it liberally, especially on the corn crop 5 cultivate with care through the season, never allowing a weed to grow among the crops, and the result will be a harvest more valuable in every way, than one obtained from a large breadth of land badly managed. On rich river bottoms, or in the West, where fair crops may be obtained without manure, the expanding policy may an- swer, but it will prove disastrous in New Eng- land. All you can produce will certainly be needed, even if the war should be closed in three months. The demand will be quick, at high prices, and at your own doors. There is no need of alarm on the part of the farmer. No evil becomes so gen- eral and destructive as to leave no compensations behind. The withdrawal of 50,000 men from the 1861, NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 281 labor of the field — men who must still be fed — will require more than the ordinary energy of the husbandman to supply their wants — so that now is the time for the farmer to bring into use every economical means, and by the blessing of Heaven upon his labors, secure an abundant harvest, and find an ample profit in disposing of it as it is ready i'or market. The adoption of this course will prove to the farmer one of the compensations of a great evil — and this compensation must continue for a con- siderable period, for a war of but a single year will so derange affairs as to call a large number from the cultivation of the soil after actual hos- tilities have ceased. With the farmer, there is no real cause for anxiety, much less for despondency. While he deplores the evil brought upon us by infatuated and wicked men, he can pi-osecute his labors with the cheering reflection that he is as eff"ectually sustaining the prosperity and honor of the coun- try, and that his labors are as patriotic and hon- orable as those of the sons who have gone from their hearth-stones to defeat our enemies. He must consider that the measure of a nation's wealth lies in its labor — in its reproductive power — power quickly to supply the waste that war has made ; and he will find that power in a wonder- ful degree in our people. While our brave soldiers can span rivers with new bridges where the enemy have destroyed for- mer ones, set up and repair locomotives, re-build railroad tracks and navigate ships from under the enemies' guns into ports of safety, th.Q farmer will not fail to manifest his energy, skill and pa- triotism in the cultivation of the soil, to sustain the brave men who stand by the guns. The resources of our country are unbounded — the chief one being in the indomitable will of our people, but sustained by a general knowledge in all mechanism, art and handicraft. The genius and aptitude of the people is wonderful. Noth- ing has before occurred to call them out in rela- tion to the arts of war, so that our enemies stand appalled at this new manifestation of our skill and resources. Until our country was imperilled and her sons called to arms and the life of the camp, we, ourselves, had no proper conception of the burning patriotism which underlies our peace- ful pursuits. But we are freemen, the true basis of skill, courage and patriotism, and being free and skillful, we can supply the wastes of war to an unlimited extent, whether they occur in the destruction of crops or through the usual channels of the commissariat. Be up, then, brother farmers, to the occasion ! Stand by your field pieces earnestly and reso- lutely the coming summer. Press every available force into service in tending and securing the crops, and make the earth and the hearts of the people glad with their luxuriance and promise. Let us, then, while others have gone forth to sub- due the common enemy, see that the earth yields her increase to sustain her gallant sons. jFor the New England Farmer. •'GRAIN FOR SHEEP." Messrs. Editors : — Under the above head, your Henniker correspondent, "N. M." inquires, "Will oats hurt sheep to feed to them without being ground ?" In your remarks you say, "Fed in proper quantities, we believe them admirably adapted to sheep ; but all grain must be fed to sheep judiciously." These remarks are sensible, and to the point, and all, indeed, that need be said upon the subject. But as you ask, "Will, some of our farmers give you, or us, the reasons why unground oats will hurt sheep ?" I answer, as a farmer, it is my experience that unground oats will not only not hurt sheep if "fed judi-- ciously," but do them much good. My farm is mostly stocked with sheep. I feed them unground grain through the winter, — oats in December and January, half oats and half corn the rest of the winter, with such roots as I have to spare, and never had a sheep hurt by eat- ing oats or corn. My early lambs have a trough of oats where they can eat what they wish, at all times of the day, and will, at four months old, sometimes take a quart each daily, which causes them to "thrive finely." Several of my neighbors have large and fine flocks of sheep. They feed on unground grain, oats or corn, separate, or mixed, in such proportions as they choose, and any one who will examine these flocks will be well repaid for their trouble, and need no further proof that unground oats are not injurious to sheep. I doubt the economy of grinding grain for sheep, as they masticate their food very thoroughly, and no seed passes them that will germinate. A flock, to be profitable, should be so cared for, that they will retain their flesh and vigor 5 but should they, by neglect, become poor and weak, and while in this condition a large amount of any kind of grain be given them, whether it be unground, or ground, it would hurt them, per- haps kill them, as it would a famished man to eat a hearty meal of wholesome food. But "fed judiciously," beginning with half a gill of un- ground oats per day, and increasing daily for four weeks, at which time they will take a pint, or more, if you have them to spare, they will be all all the better for it. The only danger of losing sheep fed on oats, according to the above directions, is, that the butcher will make you too tempting an oifer to be refused. J. R. Walker. Springfield, Vt., April, 1861. Cow Bells. — It is said that a good cow bell of rolled sheet iron, well made, 10 inches deep, with a mouth 3 by 6 inches, can be distinctly heard at a distance of from three to five miles. It is said that a farmer in England provides all his cows with bells tuned to difl'erent notes in the 282 NEW ENGLAND FARMER. June scale, and the whole running through several oc- taves. A visitor to this farm is charmed by the music, as well as by the sleek sides of the cattle. Sometimes he hears several notes in unison, then a slight discord, and then a sweet harmony, and all varied by distance and by the rising and fall- ing of the breeze. JFor the New England Farmer. FAHMINQ OPERATIONS MADE P'ROFI- TABLE--NO. III. To , Dkau Sir : — In this third conrmunication I shall endeavor to reply to the remaining inquiries of your letter. 4. "I hiivc 30 or 40 acres of land near tLc buildings wliicli I desire to convert into productive pasture, principally for milch cows. The land is somewhat uneven, but sufiicicntly level for plowing. It has been iuipoverishcd by occasional grain crops, and in the intervals l)ctwccn them by overfeeding with stock- The soil has never been stirred more than four or five inches deep, but the subsoil appears to be pretty good, and tolerably free from stone. How shall I manage to make a good pasture of this tract of land ?" As your land admits of the use of the plow, you can improve it in various ways. In the month of August plow up such a portion of it as jou can manage conveniently, turning it about eight inches deep, so as to stir in a portion of the fresh subsoil with the old surface soil. Then sow broadcast -500 lbs. of bone dust per acre, harrow it in, and seed at once to grass alone. By this first- named method the land plowed and seeded anew will not need to be fenced from the remainder not then plowed. Sow only herds grass and red- top in August, but the following spring, as soon as the ground is sufficiently bare of the old snow, and while the surface is filled with little cracks, sow liberally red and white clover seeds. Herds grass, however, is not a very lasting pasture- grass, because when closely fed off" the roots soon kill out. Sow but little of it, therefore, and stock more largely with the other grasses. Orchard grass is an excellent pasture grass, bearing any amount of close clipping, and springing up with remarkable quickness and vigor after it has been bitten down. Of late years I have invariably sown this grass when laying land down to perma- nent pasture. The seed being quite bulky, a bushel and a half is none too much to sow with the other grasses, if you would secure a thick fine sward. It may be sown in August, or at any time of year. Let me remark, by the way, that redtop should not be mixed with the other grass seeds to sow, but should be jjut on separately, and with a much narrower cast, because the seed is so very light and chafi"y that it will not cast off" more than about two feet each side of the sower's track, even in the most favorable time for sow- ing. Kit is mixed with other seeds and sown with the usual breadth of cast, you will afterwards see it growing in strips across the field, with spaces between about as wide as the strips, where there is little or no redtop. After plowing in August, you can, if you please, put on a heavier dressing of bone, say 300 lbs., per acre, and sow winter wheat or rye with the grass seeds — the ex- tra dressing of bone in that case compensating the land for a grain crop taken off". If the sea- son is favorable for winter grain, you can get from twenty to thirty bushels per acre and several dollars' worth of straw, besides decidedly improv- ing the land. Bone dust is a sure and quite last- ing fertilizer of pasture land, supplying precisely the elements most largely abstracted from the soil by the feeding of it with stock, and especially with milch cows. I know this to be so by per- sonal observation of the efi"ects of bone on my own land. I was much interested in a recent ex- tract in the Country Gentleman, on the use of bones as a fertili;ier, and having requested my friend, Mr. Brown, to republish it in another col- umn of the New England Farmer, I would call your attention to the article. Another way to improve your land would be to plow it nine oi* ten inches deep, late in the fall, and in spring manure liberally with compost, broadcast, and then plant it with corn or pota- toes, If you have time after harvest in the fall, plow, harrow and prepare the land all ready for stocking down, and very early in the spring sow on grass seed alone. Or, you can plow in the spring and stock to grass with grain. It would of course be better for the land to omit a grain crop ; but if present profits must be considered, then take the crop of grain, and you have still an improved pasture. Or another way would be to manure the land one or two years in the hill, as it is called, planting it with potatoes. Then lay it down to grass in the spring, without grain, sow- ing 500 lbs. of bone dust per acre and harrowing it in before sowing the grass seeds. Or after planting the land a year, to rot the sod, sow 300 lbs. of guano per acre, with a thick seeding of clover, to be the next year turned under as a green crop, and the land in August or first part of September seeded