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MASSACHUSETTS 

AGRICULTURAL 

COLLEGE 

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THE 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER; 


A  MONTHLY  JOURNAL, 


DEVOTED     TO 


AGRICULTJJRE,    HORTICULTURE, 


AND     THEIR    KINDRED 


ARTS    AND    SCIENCES; 


AND  ILLUSTRATED  WITH  NUMEROUS  BEAUTIFUL  ENGRAVINGS. 


"  What  may  not  enlightened  citizens  accomplish,  who  hare  discarded  the  false,  bustling  pleasures  of 
towns,  and,  carrying  into  the  country  the  knowledge  they  may  hare  acquired,  apply  to  Agriculture  the  rich 
and  varied  assistance  of  the  physical  sciences  ?  "  —  Fodeckot. 


SIMON   BROWN,  EDITOR. 


FREDERICK  HOLBROOK  AND  HENRY  F.  FRENCH,  ASSOCIATE  EDITORS. 


VOLUME    X. 


BOSTON: 

PUBLISHED    BY    JOEL    NOURSE, 

NO.    13,    COMMERCIAL    ST. 

i'85  8. 


P2t 


INDEX  TO  THE  TENTH  VOLUME. 


Absorption,  power  of,    . 

Acre,  fraction  of,  for  an  experiment, 

Address,  Mr.  Everett's,  24  ;  agricultural, 

Agent,  new  and  valuable  disinfecting,    . 

Agriculture,  a  study  for  common  schools,  34, 
313,  324  ;  of  Massachusetts,  hindrances  to,  92  ; 
of  New  England,  93  ;  boards  of,  107  ;  Maine 
Board  of,  132,  137  ;  Massachusetts  Board  of, 
184,  241,  248,  270,391,  550;  promotion  of, 
328 ;  Massachusetts  school  of,  354 ;  progres- 
sive, 356  ;  in  New  Hampshii'e,  460  ;  festivals 
of,  504  ;  Chinese, 

Air,  necessity  for  pure,  ..... 

Almond,  earth,  or  chufas,       .         .         .         .69, 

Alps,  and  glaciers,         ..... 

America,  interior  of  North,    .... 

Animals,  and  plants,  sudden  appearance  of,  125  ; 
mercy  towards  is  economy,  218  ;  and  reason, 
286;  tracks  of,  on  Connecticut  valley,  310; 
drugging,  346  ;  ages  of,      . 

Ant,  hills,  to  destroy,     ..... 

Apple,  a  tine,  39 ;  Northern  Spy,  43 ;  Graven- 
stein,  69;  orchards,  charcoal  dust  in,  169; 
Russet  sweet,  223,  471  ;  as  food, 

April,  calendar  for,  153  ;  farm  work  for. 

Apoplexy,      ....... 

Arbor  vitte,  from  seed,  ..... 

Artichoke,  relative  value  of,  . 

Ashes,  107,  117;  and  potash,  200  ;  on  potatoes 
and  corn,  293,  339  ;  wood,  367  ;  and  muck 
compost,  405  ;  leached,  421,  521 ;  ways  to  use 
them,  558  ;  and  muck  compost, . 

Asparagus,  beds,  12,  207,  301  ;  saltinfj,  377  ; 
fall  transplanting  of,  . 

August,  calendar  for,     ..... 

Aquarium,  fresh  water,  ..... 


Barley,  135;  first  in  the  countrj-,  . 

Barn,  room,  arrangement  of,  103,  269  ;  about  a, 
132;  management  of  the,  228;  yards,  con- 
struction of,  378  ;  yards,  trees  around, 

Bathing,  philosophy  of, . 

Beans,  169  ;  how  to  raise  early,  224 ;  Lima,  356  ; 
culture  and  harvesting  of,  . 

Bee,  culture,  economy  in,  15  ;  wintering,  50 ; 
chloroforming,  59  ;  'hive,  cheap,  71,  306,  408, 
503  ;  culture  of  the,  274  ;  errors  about  the,  313  ; 
culture  of  the  by  Dr.  Eddy, 

Beef,  versus  corn,  ...... 

Beer,  sap,  how  to  made,         .... 

Birds,  do  they  understand  what  they  learn,  15; 
stories  of,  38  ;  and  the  spring,  239  ;  spare  the, 
306,  565  ;  about  the, 

Blackberry,  New  Rochelle,    .... 

Blinkers,  Rarey  on  horse,       .... 

iii 


61, 


Blood,  the,     . 

Page!  Blueberry,  under  cultivation, 

4501  Books,  new, 11 

70, Bone,  use  of,  118;  dust,  on  corn,  207  ;  to  con- 
62]     vert  into  manure,  283  ;  ring,  on  horses, 

554  j  Borer,  122  ;  oil  soap  for,  169,  256  ;  how  to  keep 
off  the,  351  ;  to  destrov  the. 

Boy,  school,  138  ;  farmer's,  138  ;  labor  of,  191 ;  a 
bright,  273  ;  a  word  for  tlie,  343  ;  and  men, 

Brandy,  origin  of, . 

Bread,  excellent  brown, 

Brighton,  a  day  at, 

IBrocoli,  Grange's  new  early, . 
561  'Bronchitis,  simple  remedy  for, 
448 'Brown,   Simon,  letter  from,   109,  123,  141,  424, 
471 1  437,444, 

277; Brush,  how  to  destroy,  ..... 
254;Buckthorn,  seed,  sowing  the, 

JBuckwheat,  about,   183;   bran  and  straw,  279; 

!     value  of,  294  ;  cakes,  ..... 

iBugs,  on  vines,  122,  289  ;  striped  238;  to  destroj- 
527  on  vines,  355  ;  about,  364 ;  how  to  prevent, 
290      from  destroying  vines,  380  ;  a  big. 

Building,  farm,  374  ;  on  the  hills, . 

Bulbs,  tubers,  &c.,  planting  of, 
508  Bullock,  heaviest  ever  butchered,  . 
154  Burns,  best  thing  for,     . 
191  Bushes,  cutting  in  pastures,   . 
289  Business,  revulsion  in,  . 
268  Butter,  winter,   74,   169,   183;  winter, 
Alcott,    143;    milk   for,   282;    stock 
keep  hard  and  cool,  499  ;  making, 

565 

555  Cabbage,  Winnigstadt,  69  ;  drumhead  Savoy, 
345  85,  284  ;  green  globe  Savoy,  86  ;  saving,  112  ; 
376      plants,  maggets  in,  289  ;  club  footed. 

Cake,  how  to  make  excellent,  133  ;  buckwheat. 

Calendar,  for  Januarv,  9  ;  February,  57  ;  March, 
105  ;  April,  153 ;  May,  201  ;  June,  249  ;  July, 
370      297  ;  August,  345  ;   September,  395  ;  October, 
441  ;  November,  489  ;  December, 

Calf,  a  fine  heifer,  107  ;  a  big,  290;  scours  in  a, 

552      430;  a  fine, 432, 

239  California,  vegetation  in.  111  ;  fruits  in  northern. 

Camels,  the,  ....... 

414  Canada  West, 

Candles,  how  to  made  lard,   ....  27, 

Candy  and  poison,         ..... 

Cane,  sugar  and  syrup  of,  119;  Chinese  sugar, 
391  148,  285, 

541  Caponizing  and  spaying, 
247  Canker  worm, 

Car  travelling,        ..... 

Carpets,  manufacture  of,  329 ;  moths  in, 
350  Carrots,  39  ;  culture  of,  70  ;  great  crop  of,    .    71 
458  Caterpillars,  how  to  destroy,  411  ;  vegetable, 
454  Cattle  show,  notes  of,  43;  lice  on,  168;  old  red 


Pago 
412 
233 
,  39 

512 

352 

448 
431 
572 
203 
69 
216 

545 

280 
509 

387 


421 

491 

.533 

450 

108 

260 

165, 

333 

and 

Dr. 

334 

;  to 

506 


374 

378 


537 

509 
318 
531 
454 
529 
139 

400 
457 
315 
368 
349 
,  89 
415 


INDEX 


Page 
stock  of  New  England,  222  ;  flesh  of  extra  fat, 
287  ;  warm  water  for,  294  ;  color  of,  300,  379  ; 
disease  in,  335  ;  for  the  dairy,  3G7  ;  white,  450 

Cauliflower,  late  Dutch,  ....  86 

Celery,  Seymour's,  superb,  85  ;  Cole's  dwarf,  85, 

183,  194 
Cement,    iron,  CI  ;  shaker  grafting,  25G ;  hard, 

307,  352 
Charcoal,  is  it  liable  to  spontaneous  combustion,  507 
Chickens,  gapes  in,  .....  264 
Chilblains,  cure  for,        ....         208,  256 

Chimney,  a  good, 196 

Cholera,  hog, 244,  293 

Clay,  on  sandy  land, 513 

Clover,  white,  200  ;  hay,  value  of,  218;  cutting 

and  curing,         .         .         .         .         ,         .         371 
Clubs,  farmer's,  108,  162  ;  Bethel,  farmer's,  .         138 

Coal, 330 

Cobs,  corn,  analysis  of,  ....        314 

Cold,  how  people  take 37 

Colt,  management  of  a  young,  44,  136;  keeping 
a,  in  winter,  66  ;  height  of,  71  ;  a  pair  of,  103 ; 
injured  by  running,  431 ;  a  sick,  433  ;  acci- 
dents to, 457 

Composts,  muck  and  ashes,  ....         565 

Cooking,   298 ;    thoughts   on,   300 ;    legitimate, 

320,  373 
Commerce,  curiosities  of,       ...         .         404 

Constipation,  ......         522 

Committees,  duties  of  at  Cattle  Shows,  .         138 

Cotton,  sec^l  racal, 198 

Couple,  an  aged,    ......         459 

Cranberry,  meadows,  77,  168,  206,  207,  268,  528,  566 

Crane,  sand  hill, 99 

Crops,  root, 544 

Corn,  among  potatoes,  40 ;  Indian,  58 ;  fodder, 
dried,  60, '208  ;  King  Philip,  122;  culture  of, 
131,  168;  how  to  raise  pop,  134;  fodder,  and 
on  muck  land,  169  ;  measurement  of,  183,  226, 
255;  manure  for,  263,  265  ;  cobs,  analysis  of, 
314 ;  pop,  343  ;  stooking,  416  ;  suckers  among, 
421,  458  ;  green,  as  fodder,  457,  460  ;  vs.  beef, 
429,   541  ;  200  bushels  per  acre  of,  555  ;  how 

preserved  iu  Russia 562 

Cows,  management  of  milch,  29  ;  garget  in,  40  ; 
pumpkins  for  milch,  60,  91  ;  wintering  milch; 
62  ;  a  fine  herd  of,  66 ;  and  butter,  72  ;  progeny 
of  one  since  1852,  78  ;  diff'erence  in,  96  ;  a 
lusiis  naturai  in  a,  107  ;  spaying,  131,  223  ; 
when  to  feed,  milch,  134  ;  income  from  a,  166  ; 
a  good,  166,  334;  a  fat,  194;  a  flne,  244; 
milch,  256  :  a  butter,  267  ;  a  leaky,  283  ;  Mas- 
sachusetts dairy,  314  ;  Guainon's,  escutcheon 
on,  351,  381  ;  how  to  treat  a,  that  holds  up  her 
milk,  352,  371,  432;  a  diseased,  366  ;  for  the 
dairy,  367  ;  the  Oakcs,  455  ;  abortion  in,  464  ; 
difference  in,  464 ;  to  prevent  a,  losing  her 
milk,  497  ;  milk  from  spayed,  .  .  .  549 
Cream,  increasing  the  quantity  of,  .         .         332 

Crops,  green,  for  manure,  59  ;  culture  of  spring, 
226 ;  in  Marblehead,  276  ;  rotation  in,  308, 
452  ;  accounts  of  the,  403  ;  in  Berkshire  county, 
411  ;  in  Maine,  471  ;  in  Windham  county, Vt. 
517;  in  Wisconsin,  518  ;  root,  .  .  544,559 
Crow,  die,  39, 63  ;  and  robins,  114;  and  chickens, 
194,  268;  359;  and  swallows,    ...         458 

Cucumber,  green, 456 

Curculio,  73,  274,  455  ;  remedy  for,        .         464,  471 
Currants,   how  to   set,  430 ;  cherry,  458,  464  ; 
wine  from, 466,  467 

D 

Dairy,  premiums  on, 101 

Devastator,  a  new, 366 

Drains,  draining,  77  ;  with  tiles,  91 ;  and  irriga- 
tion, 134,  140,  172;  stone  and  tile,  194  ;  com- 


Pags 
parativc  cost  of  tile  and  stone,  197, 217  ;  under, 
will  it  pay,  267,  311,  315,  419;  thorough,  556, 

undei-, 569 

Dress,  extravagance  in,  ....         495 

Dog,  mad,  cure  for  bite  of  a,  213,382;  taxing 

to  preserve  sheep, 282 

Drought,  how  it  benefits  the  soil,  .  .  .  260 
Dust,  where  does  it  come  froM,      .        .        .        281 

E 

Earth,  feeding  on, 575 

Eating  and  sleeping,  .334 ;  over,     .         .         .        446 

Economy,  rural, 34 

Education,  fallacy  of  premature,  .  .  .  395 
Egg,  a  large,  77,  134  ;  Dorking,  267,  381 ;  sex 

of  the, 382 

Elements,  indecomposable,    .         .         •         .         522 

Electricity, 434,  512 

Elms,  transplanting, 233 

Entomology, 285,  390 

Ermine,  the, 223,  244 

Estate,  real,  in  Rutland  county,  Vt.,      .         .         181 

Evaporation, 449 

Evergreens,  and  hedges,  204  ;  transplanting,         528 

E 

Fairs,  county, 35* 

Farm,  and 'j'oung  ,mcn,  19,  110,  187;  viewing 
entire,  40  ;  size  of,  in  America,  84  ;  model,  in 
Essex  county,   146,  179,  243;   home  on  the, 
164  ;  in  debt  for,  167  ;  hilly,  208  ;  in  Rutland 
county,  Vt.,  212;  life  in  winter,  319;  produc- 
tions of,  on  Cape  Cod,  319  ;  productive,  399  ; 
life  in  New  England,  ....         498 

Farmer,  position  of,  72  ;  what  he  should  live  for, 
75;  the,  160;  practical,  as  a  writer,  313;  his 
motto,  316  ;  largest  in  U.  S.,  386  ;  advantages 
of  education  to  the,  553  ;  who  is  a,    .         .         517 
Farming  in  New  Jersey,  46 ;  miseries  of,    78  ; 
scientific,  85  ;  in  Orange  county,  N.  Y.,  101  ; 
book,  errors  in,  119;  requires  study,  158;  in 
Lebanon  county.  Conn.,  294  ;  is  it  profitable, 
316;  art  of,  327;  in  New  England,  332,  540, 
546;  progressive,  381;  neatness  in,  405;    10 
per  cent,  income  in,  410 ;  book,  470 ;    on  a 
grand  scale,         ......         554 

Fat,  use  of,  in  animal  economy,  .  .  .  461 
February,  Calendar  for,         .         .         .         .  57 

Feed,  grinding, 10,  68 

Felon,  how  to  cure,  on  fingers,  .  .  .  354 
Fence,  a  living,  243  ;  wire,  427,  432 ;  stone, .  496 
Fertilizer,  a  good,  207  ;  comparative  value  of,  335 
Field,  the  best  way  to  make  a  large,  .  .  375 
Fish,  cow,  of  South  America,        .         .         .         408 

Fire,  and  fire  systems, 431 

Flag,  sweet,  how  to  destroy,  .        .        .        411 

Fleeces,  fine, 421 

Flowers,  the,  235  ;  and  their  influence,  .  .  422 
Fodder,  pickled,  295;  corn,  411,  .  .  .  457 
Food,  Baxter  on  excess  of,  397 ;  and  drink,  .         429 

Forests,  for  wood, 223 

Foul,  in  the  foot,  how  to  cure,  .  .  .  40,  182 
Foul,  meadow  grass,  true,  336,  430  ;  creeper,  464 
French,  B.  B.,  letter  from,  20,  163,  422,  439,  500 
French,  Henry  F.,  letter  from,  13,  44,  87,   170, 

188,  237,  277,  341,  348,  387,  447,  502,  523 

Frog,  showers  of, 46G 

Fruit,  and  fruit  juices,  81  ;  its  benefits,  .         .        323 

G 

Gapes,  in  chickens, 264 

Garden,  a  walk  in,   138,  207  ;  how  to  lay  out, 

566 ;  market,  361  ;  syringe,  or  window  washer,  384 
Garget,  cure  for, 291 


INDEX 


Geese,  profit  of  raising,  78  ;  raising  and  picking, 

Girls,  can  take  care  of  themselves,  40  ;  education 
of,       ...        .  .         . 

Goats,  are  they  profitable,  134 ;  Cashmere,  in 
Ohio, 

Good,  how  to  do, 

Gopher, 

Gooseberry,  mountain  seedling, 

Grafting  cherries,  plums,  and  peaches,  247 ; 
stocks  for,  ....... 

Grain,  rousing  crop  of,  16  ;  stocking,    . 

Grapes,  hot  houses  for,  107;  culture  of  the,  144  ; 
Concord,  162 ;  how  to  preserve,  388 ;  signs  of 
ripeness  in,  463 ;  native,  464  ;  wine  from  wild, 
466 ;  a  barren, 

Grass,  witch,  160  ;  a  method  of  raising,  245  ;  the 
true  fowl  meadow,  336,  430,  453,  513  ;  an  old 
use  for,  365  ;  seed,  394 ;  land,  manuring,  459, 
526  ;  specimen  of,       .        '.     '    . 

Grog,  stop  that. 


Page 
403 

458 

497 

542 

207 

16 

490 
416 


527 


52 
140 


Guano,  application  of, 


127,  218 


H 


Ham,  to  preserve  through  the  summer, 

Hands,  beautiful,  ...... 

Harness,  how  to  oil  a, 

Hay,  caps  for,  54,  92,  471,  384,  409;  making, 
277  ;  haying  and  hoeing,  378  ;  salting  and 
marsh,  437  ;  crop  of  1858,  440  ;  clover,  value 
of, 

Hazlc  nuts,  growing  on  grape  vine. 

Headache,  ]\Icxican  cure  for, 

Hedges,  and  evergreens,  204  ;  hemlock. 

Heifers,  heifer  calves, 

Hemlock,  trees,      ...... 

Hens,  setting,  18;  to  prevent  setting,  219;  pro- 
lific, 223 ;  Dorking,  and  Shanghai,  224 ;  shoe- 
ing, 229 ;  treatment  of,       ...         . 

Highway,  autocrats  of  the,     .... 

Hive,  bee,  408  ;  bee,      ..... 

Holdfast,  or  bone  wen,  ..... 

Hoc  and  i)low,        ...... 

Hoeing,  and  haying,       ..... 

Hogs,  large,  180;  Chester  county,  193;  vs  dogs, 
203;  Green  Mountain,  224;  yard,  compost, 
307  ;  and  Jews,  357  ;  a  594lb.  one 

Holbrook,  F.,  letters  from,     .         .         .  435, 

Hops,  culture  of,    . 

Horn  ail,  or  hollow  horn,       .... 

Horses,  stables  for,  42 ;  in  extremely  cold 
weather,  61  ;  to  manage  a  rearing,  118;  tor- 
turing a,  167  ;  shoeing,  267  ;  taming,  2G9,  302, 
431  ;  feeding,  271  ;  tail  of  the,  284,  290  ;  bar- 
barity to  tlie,  in  pricking  and  docking,  323  ; 
worth  owning,  347,  353  ;  Arabian,  importation 
of  the,  3G0  ;  with  a  cough,  365,  411  ;  galls  on 
a,  367  ;  properties  of  a  good,  368  ;  exhibition 
at  Springfield,  371  ;  teething  in,  423  ;  poisoned 
by  fumes  of  lead,  426  ;  memory  of  the,  433  ; 
young,  hoofs  of,  455  ;  fast, 

Horticulturist,  the,  ..... 

Housekeepers,  burdens  of,      . 

Houseleek,     . 


3.53 
258 
309 


504 
101 
243 
224 
63 
254 


359 
358 
571 
89 
555 
378 


467 
282 
143 


535 
416 
190 
352 


Illinois,  crops  in,  .....         .  23 

Insects,  destructive, 219 

Irrigation  and  drainage,  134,  172,           .         ,  217 

Iowa,  crops  in,  197  ;  matters  in,    .         .         .  438 

Islands,  Sandwich,  letter  from,  221,  236,  262,  506 


January,  calendar  for,    .         ,         ■         .         .  9 

July,  calendar  for,  .         ,.        ,         ,         .         297 


Page 
Ladies,  young,  is  health  proper  for,       .        .        391 

Ladder,  a  new  fire, 532 

Lamas  from  South  America,          .         .         .         554 
Lambs,  wintering,  189;  weakness  in,  207;  rear- 
ing, 310;  black, 421 

Land,  laying  down  inundated,  158;  reclaiming 
light,  228,  241  ;  bill,  Mr.  Morrill's,  258  ;  pas- 
ture, 328 ;  table  of  meaures>  of,  331 ;  rent 
for,  in  England,  426  ;  mossy,  fertilizer  for, 
430 ;    reclaiming  and   draining,   467 ;    plain, 

and  muck, 557 

Leaves,  value  of  fallen,  69  ;  from  a  lady's  note 

book, 198 

Leather  chips, 77 

Legislative  agricultural  meeting,  126,  147,  149, 

1.56,  173,  185,  195,  210,       ....         220 
Letter,  the  captain's,  69  ;  fi-om  Concord,  Mass., 
84,  515  ;  from  an  English  fai-mer,  293 ;  from  a 

traveller,  422, 439 

Library,  agricultural,  365  ;  a  farmer's,  .         .        672 
Lightning,   injuries   by,   432;    how  to  prevent 

buildings  being  struck  by,  ....         560 
Lime  and  muck  compost,  107 ;  superphosphate 
for   squash    bugs,    243 ;    superphosphate    of, 
290 ;  air-slaked  for  plants,           .         .         .        334 
Locust,  yellow, 167 

M 

Machine,  sewing,  77,  208  ;  pocket-printing,  and 
meat  cutter,  164  ;  mowing,  255,  380,  414,  425 ; 
by  oxen,  510  ;  stump,  356  ;  Willis's,  stump, 
418;  for  lifting  I'ocks,  355,  424;  ode  horse 
power,  430  ;  fanning  and  grain  assorting,  493  ; 
api>le  paring,       ......         513 

Maine,  fencing  in, 210 

Mangel  Wort'zel,  culture  of  the,  214;  salt  for,      315 
Manliness,  true,  55  ;    wiiat   an  industrious,  can 

do, 255 

Manure,  manuring,  on  tlie  surface,  17  ;  make  the, 
53  ;  on  purchasing,  61  ;  waste  of  farm-yard  and 
sewage,  71  ;  from  abroad,  79  ;  ashes,  107,  117  ; 
lime  and  muck  compost,  107,  110,  169,  203; 
concentrated,  204  ;  blood,  an  experiment  with, 
213;  making  and  preserving,  227;  for  corn, 
263  ;  covering,  268  ;  farm-yard,  application  of, 
299 ;  vegetable  and  .animal,  305 ;  hogyard, 
307  ;  surface  application  of,  350  ;  for  compost- 
ing, 351  ;  about, 570 

Marcs,  t's.  geldings,        .....  59 

March,  calendar  for,       .....         105 
Marshes,   Albanian,   27;    salt,    185;  mud  from 

the, 206 

Maps,  subsoil,        ......  50 

Matter,  indestructibility  of,    .         .         .         .        490 

May,  calendar  for, 202 

]\Iaryland,  state  fair, 558 

Meadow,  land,  manure  for,  110  ;  peat,  crops  on, 
176  ;  a  large  barren,  282  ;  grass,  true  fowl,        336 

Measure  of  land, 331 

Meat,  and  cooks,  168  ;  of  neat  cattle,  how  driving 

atfects  the, 395 

Mechanics,  evening  hours  for,        .         .         .         287 
Mechi,  Mr.,  farming  by,         .         .         .         406r,  447 
Medicine,   reality  of    science    of,   47 ;    popular 
errors  in,    ......         .         525 

Melon,  early, 194 

Michigan,  agriculture  in,  ...  .  210 
Mill,  portable  grain,  134  ;  for  grinding  feed,  176 
Milk,  about  the  use  of,  75  ;  for  butter,  282  ;  trade 
of,  in  Boston,  292, 318 ;  swill,  351  ;  trade,  357  ; 
morning  and  evening,  383 ;  business,  386 ; 
wells  for  keeping,  400 ;  bloody,  457 ;  from 
spayed  cows,  549  ;  of  native  cows,  566 ;  cow 

shedding  her, 566 

Millet,  Egyptian,  184;  Hungarian,         .         .         314 
Milton,  daily  life  of, 385 


INDEX. 


Page 

Mineralogy, 12 

Minnesota,  crops  and  weather  in,  .         .         .         128 
Month,  to  tell  the  days  in  by  counting  on  the 

knuckles, 335 

Morning,  on  the, 532 

Moi-tar, 88 

Mowing  lands,   181 ;   machines,  255,  425,  380, 

414,  510 
Muck  and  ashes  compost,  405 ;    salt  and  lime 
compost,  432 ;  digging  and  piling,  451 ;  and 
plain  lands,  557 ;  and  ashes,       .         .         .         565 

N 

Nature,  the  wonders  of  inanimate,  367  ;  man's 
teacher,      ......         .        377 

Newell,  Moses,  death  of,         .         .         .         .         215 

New  York,  Orange  county,  products  of,        .        Ill 

Nicotine, 67 

Nose  bleed,  to  stop, 268 


O 


Oaks,  famous  English,  . 

Oats,  feeding  to  sheep,  . 

Observation, ..... 

October,  calendar  for,    . 

Oil,  Masson's  for  wounds,  202  ;  lamp, 

Onion,  blight  in,  74  ;  wild, 


124 
334 
152 
441 
256 
354 


Orchard,  right  way  to  make,  492  ;  a  good,  is  the 

beauty  of  the  farm,  524  ;  lime  on  the,         .         574 
Ornithology,.  .         .  156,  284,  402,  462,  563 

Ox  yokes,  279  ;  heaviest  ever  butchered,        .        450 


Paper,  tarred,  for  roofs,  247  ;  a  new  way  to  pay 

for  a  news, 510 

Parsnips,  how  to  keep  for  winter  and  spring,  18  ; 

as  a  field  crop, 92 

Pasture,  brush  in,  169  ;  lands,  328  ;  butter,  410  ; 

in  the  highways,  508  ;  plowing  old,  .  .  509 
Patent  Office  report,  for  1856,  .  .  .35,251 
Pea,  bugs  in,  221  ;  experiments  with  the,  232; 

planting  in  the  fall,  .....  464 
Peaches,  early,  194  ;  culture  of,  .  .  .  330 
Pear,  stocks  for  dwarf,  39  ;  the  Belle  Lucrative, 
65  ;  the  Lawrence,  97  ;  on  quince  stock,  182, 
246,  266,  276,  309,  420;  Flemish  Beauty, 
240  ;  tree,  blight  in,  333  ;  culture  of  the,  340  ; 
treatise  on  the,  372;  Glout  Morceau,  417; 
blight  in,   455  ;    fine   Seckle,   527  ;    culture, 

profits  of  dwarf, 565 

Pepper, 324 

Phosphorus,  facts  about,         ....        287 

Pickles, 61 

Pig  breeding, 373 

Pigeon  catching,    ......  78 

Pipe,  water,  89,  283  ;  gutta  percha,  255,  325,         352 
Pine,  Avhite,  254 ;  seed  of  the  white,       .         .         352 
Plants,  and  animals,  sudden  appearance  of,  125; 
disturbing  the  roots  of,  432  ;  agitation  of,  .         455 

Planetaiy  system,  the, 302 

Plow — plowing,  steam,  120,  237  ;  and  plowing, 
128,    177;  how  deep  to,   258,  327,  385;  and 
the  spade,  430;  and  the  hoe,   555;  fall,  568; 
— steam,  success  of  tlie,  568  ;  American,    .         574 
Plum,  467  ;  tree,  472,  527  ;  tree,  salting  the,  552 

Poison,  remedy  for,        ....  457,  463 

Pop  corn,  harvesting,  36  ;  how  to  raise,  .  89 

Posts,  directions  for  setting,  168  ;  for  fences,  410, 

456  ;  inverted, 446 

Potato,  sweet,  23 ;  Davis's  seedling,  148  ;  State 
of  Maine,  148  ;  Jackson  White,  148  ;  St. 
Helena,  148;  Jenny  Lind,  179;  Pogies,  179; 
rot,  208,  232,  289;  plaster  for,  315;  a  fine 
field  of,  451  ;  rot,  and  remedy  for,  465 ;  rot, 
cause  of,  511;    liocky  Mountain,   512;    cut. 


Pago 
513,  528,  543  ;  cause  and  cure  for  rot  in  the, 
551  ;  sweet,  keeping  for  seed,      .         .         .         552 
Pork,  shall  we  eat,  265  ;  how  to  raise,  .         .         280 
Poultry,  77  ;  white  Dorking,  80  ;  profits  of,  130; 
feeding,  206  ;  large  breed,  314  ;  Guilderland, 
315;  breeding  in-and-in,  322;  black  Poland, 

41 1  ;  creeper, 464 

Poudrette, 266 

Pox,  small,  and  vaccination,  .         .         .        376 

Professions,  proportion  of  the  learned,  .        .  4l 

Prospects, 576 

Pruning,  over, 74 

Pumice,  apple, 453 

Pump,  patent  ball  valve,       ....        566 

Q 

Quarrel,  how  settled, 382 

Quince,  on  pasture  lands,  233 ;  stocks  for  pears,    383 

R 

Rabbit,  to  prevent  barking  young  trees,         .        151 

Radishes, 471 

Rako,  horse,  which  is  the  best,  .  .  290,  351 
Rambles  among  rocks,  .         .         .         520,  534 

Rat  trap,  a  novel,  355 ;  to  prevent  undermining 

cellar  walls, 357 

Raven,  cunning  of  the, 33 

Reading,  pleasure  of,     ....         .  24 

Reaper,  and  mower,  the  Eagle,  .  .  .  323 
Recipes,  domestic,  56,  104,  152,  200,  392       .         636 

Reports,  agricultural, 28 

Rhubarb,   Myatt's  Victoria,  85 ;    Linnasus,  85, 

334 ;  wine,  344  ;  how  to  cook,  .  .  .  344 
Robin,  and  crows,  114  ;  plea  for  the,  205  ;  killing 

the,  259,  542 ;    food  for  the,  261  ;  food   and 

habits  of  the,  360 ;  another  plea  for  the,  .  567 
Rock  digging,  and  laying  wall  made  easy,  64 ; 

lifter, 512,  559 

Roller,  field, 182 

Roofs,  covering  for,  208 ;  remedy  for  leaks  in, 

268 ;  how  to  make  a  good  shingle,  281  ;  and 

roofing,  295  ;  reshingling  old,  429  ;  materials 

for, 530 

Rooms,  heated,  31 ;  cooling,  .         .         .         273 

Roots  for  stock,  and  machine  to  cut  them,  89, 

463  ;    culture  of,  221  ;    will   they  pay,   230 ; 

pulping,  400  ;  crops,  544,  ....  559 
Rose,  buds,  how  to  plant,       ....        289 


Saddle,  spring, 167 

Safety,  out-doors, 525 

Salt,       . 210 

Sausages,  seasoning  for,         ....  61 

Science,  answering  simple  questions,     .         .         501 
Scions,  seeds  and  soils,  ....         216 

School,  moral  tone  of  a,         ...         .  56 

Scythe  philosophy, 418 

Season  and  crops,  22  ;  the  past,  74,  242,  426,        466 
Seed,  planter,  Willard's,  48 ;  age  of,  223  ;  adven 

tures  of  a, 

September,  calendar  for,        .... 

Sex,  influences  of,  ....  365,  421 

Sheep  husbandry,  40  ;  Shropshire  Down  wethers, 

106;  a  new  breed,  193  ;  feeding  oats  to,  220, 

334  ;  and  dogs,  241  ;  feeding,  310;  to  protect 

from  dogs,  347  ;  value  of,  to  the  farmei-,  399 ; 

fine  fleeces  of,  421  ;  hints  on  keeping,         .        499 

Shingles,  sawed,  180;  whitewash  for,  183;  and 

nails, 359 

Sick,  how  to  get,    . 
Skin,  the  seat  of  pain,   . 
Snake,  rattle. 
Snow  storms, 


412 
393 


543 

242 

99 

61 


INDEX. 


390 


523 


284 

223,  301 

457 

555 


Soap,   how  to   make,   253 ;    suds    for    currant 
bushes,  254,        ...... 

Society,  United  States,  agricultural,  73,  159, 
672  ;  U.  S.  delegates  to,  79 ;  Berkshire  agri- 
cultural, 82 ;  Norfolk,  Worcester  West,  Ply- 
mouth, Middlesex,  Worcester,  North,  175, 
505 ;  contributions  of  state  to  county,  230  ; 
American  pomological,  233,  389  ;  Franklin 
county,  235 ;  officers  of  North  Middlesex, 
244  ;  Warwick,  Mass.,  251  ;  Middlesex,  South, 
505,  514,  535;  Bristol  county,  505;  Leomin- 
ster, Farmer  and  Mechanics,  505 ;  Essex  In- 
stitute, 505  ;  Newton  Horticultural,  505  ;  Gro- 
ton  Farmer's  Club,  505  ;  Rockingham  county, 
505  ;  Connecticut  River  Valley,  506,  516,  521  ; 
Maine  State,  506;  Norfolk,  518,  531;  Ply- 
mouth, 519  ;  Essex,  443,  519 ;  Salisbury,  519  ; 

Cheshire,  520, 

Soil,    warmth  of,  24 ;    owner  of  the,  58  ;  and 
mind,  cultivate  the,  97  ;  subsoiling  wet,  133  ; 
analysis  of,  166  ;  culture,  a  book  on,  202  ;  re- 
storing the,  202  ;  restoring  exhausted,        .         445 
Soot,  291  ;  to  destroy  vermin  with,        .         .         307 
Sow,  and  71  pigs,  244  ;  a  prolific, 
Spavin,  bone,         .... 
Spa5'ing  and  caponizing, 
Spiders,  and  their  spinners,    . 
Squashes,  28 ;  Hubbard,  seed  of,  30,  55 ;  and 
pumpkins,   103 ;    summer,  early,   194,   239  ; 

borer, 291 

Stables  horses', 42 

Stammering,  cure  for, 19 

Steers,  training  to  the  yoke,  382  ;  fat,   .         .         566 
Stock,  feeding,  54 ;  and  crops  in  Mass.  261 ;  but- 
ter,  334  ;  care  of,  372  ;  dairy,  379  ;  sulphur 

for, 575 

Strawberry,  beds,  16;  white,  268,  314;  time  for 
transplanting,  334 ;  soil  for,  365,  368;  varieties, 
384 ;  easy  way  to  raise,  398 ;  wood,  .         .         430 
Straw,  wheat,  256  ;  buckwheat,  for  sheep,      .         288 
Stump,   blasting,  279 ;  puller,  Hall's,  313,  440 ; 
machine,  WiUis's,       ....         418,  573 

Strychnine, 130,  176 

Sugar,  cane,  16,  21,  96;  maple,  28 ;  substitute 
for  dear,  116;  making,  199,  212,  229;  boiler, 

a  new, 224 

Sumac,  how  used, 184 

Sunflower,  experiment  with,  ....         453 
Superphosphate,  does  it  pay, ....         290 

Swamp,  a  morning  in, 252 

Swallow,  and  crows,      .....  58 

Swine,  a  fine,  40,  89  ;  sows  with  pigs,  103  ;  cheap 

feed  for, 404 

Switzerland,  letters  from,       .         .         .13,  44,  87 


Tanks,  tight,  under  cattle, 

Tar,  gas,  or  coal,  133  ;  coal,  for  crows,  155 

of  coal,      -   ,v    • 
Tea,  cultivation  of. 
Teeth,  keeping  the,  clean. 
Then,  and  now. 
Thinking  and  working, . 
Thistles,  Canada,  how  to  destroy. 
Tile,  draining  with. 
Timber,         .... 
Times,  hard,  165 ;  how  to  prevent. 
Toads,  . 
Tobacco, 
Tools,  lard  and  rosin  for. 


Tomato,  pear-shaped,  70 ;  supporting  and  short- 
ening in, 279,  396 

Town  and  country, 324 

Transmission,  hereditary,  ....  494 
Transactions,  Essex  county,  91,  118,  in  Maine,  137 
Transplaating,  fall, 456 


285 
use 

334,  421 

396 

469 

138 

304 

565 

91 

289 

267 

S50 

86 

29 


Page 

Trap,  a  novel  rat, 365 

Traveller,  tales  of, 254 

Tree,  apple,  curious,  39  ;  getting,  by  cuttings,  39  ; 
whitewashing,  51 ;  apple  by  side  of  fences, 
100;  walnut,  colossal,  118;  Porter  apple, 
133  ;  wash  for  fruit,  133  ;  and  their  uses,  135  ; 
position  of  apple,  136;  preaching  of  the,  140; 
peach,  184  ;  to  protect  peach  from  borers,  184  ; 
protector  for,  191  ;  apple,  194;  from  cuttings, 
200  ;  wounds  in  apple,  207  ;  hemlock  and  white 
pines,  222  ;  cracks  in,  223 ;  locust,  224  ;  beside 
the  wall,  253;  live  braces  for  fruit,  261 ;  time 
to  set  apple,  315  ;  time  to  prune  apple, 
315;  rule  in  pruning,  333;  blight  in  pear, 
333 ;  to  measure  the  height  of,  354 ;  culture 
of  forest,  360 ;  growth  of,  442 ;  age  of,  451  j 
plum,  warts  on,  455 ;  how  to  manure  in  grass 
land,  510;  grafted  fruit,  529;  pruning  fruit, 
539 ;  apple,  a  nice  way  to  make,       .         .         562 

Tripe,  preparation  of, 64 

Trout,  the, 274 

Turkies,  large,  28  ;  how  to  raise,  256  ;  death  of 

young, 384 

Turnip,  crop,  experiment  with,  67  ;  and  witch 
grass,  121  ;  crops  to  follow,         .         .         .        420 


U 


Urine,  value  of. 


26 


Vegetation  in  California,  111;  gro^vth  in  Nor- 
way, 303 ;  effect  of  sun's  light  on,      .         .         428 
Vegetables,  and  frost,  1 84 ;  thinning  out,       .         253 
Vermin,  on  calves  and  sheep,  40 ;  to  destroy, 
352 ;  destroyed  by  soot,      ....         367 

Vermont,  letter  from, 564 

Vine,  grape,  207  ;  bugs  on,  289  ;  protector,  332 ; 
to  destroy  bugs  on,  355 ;  to  prevent  bugs  from 
destroying,  380  ;  melon,  blast  in,        .        .        565 

W 

Walnut,  grove,  planting  a,     .         .         .         .         868 
Warts,  chalk  for,  276,  371 ;  on  plum  trees,  455  ; 

remedy  for, 464 

139 
365 
123,  141,  163 
210 
520 
536 
extirpa- 

394 
375 


109, 


Waste  not,  want  not. 

Water,  cool,  .... 

Washington  city,  letters  from. 

Wax,  grafting,       .... 

Weather,  extreme  cold,  61  ;  all,  good, 

Webster,  Daniel,   .... 

Weed,  tumble,  a  vegetable  curiosity,  19 
tion  of,  125  ;  white,   . 

Weeder,  a  good,    .... 

Wells,  artesian,  in  Illinois,  303;  for  keeping 
milk,  400;  how  to  examine,  521;  reflecting 
light  into, 549 

West,  and  New  England,      .        .        .        259,  398 

Whalebone,  artificial, 268 

Wheat,  time  to  cut,  372  ;  sour  winter,  415  ;  white 
winter  flint,  443 ;  winter,  cultivation  of,  452, 
456  ;  harvesting,  491 ;  winter  and  spring,  511 ; 
and  what  it  costs, 532 

Whitewash,  a  first  rate,  385;  brilliant  stucco, 

409,  526 

Willow,  basket, S66 

Wine,  elderberry,  55  ;  rhubarb,  344 ;  currant,       413 

Winter,  the  past,^226 ;  and  fall,  review  of,  264 ; 


farm  life  in,         ...         . 

319 

Wisconsin,  crops  in,       . 

196 

Wives  and  daughters,    .... 

234 

Working  and  thinking, .... 

304 

Wood,  fire  proof,  196  ;  growth  of,  for  fuel. 

283 

Woodland, 

231 

Woodpecker, 

471 

Wool,  in  Vermont,        .... 

352 

INDEX 


Page 
Woman,  a  slave  in  her  own  house,  30  ;  young, 
her  part  in  life,  86 ;  fair  play  for,  296 ;  and 
the  household,  308  ;  on  the  farm,        .         ..        312 
Worm,  a  destructive  forest,  74  ;  canker,  315 ;  the 

drop, 375 

Wurtzel,  mangold, 534 


Page 


Yam,  or  dioscorea  batatis      ....  23 
Yards,  slaughter,  ashes,  bones,  224 ;  bam,  con- 
struction of, 378 

Year,  close  of  the, 575 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 


Initid  Letter,  9,  57,  105,  153,  201,  249,  297, 345, 

393,  441,  489, 
Mountain  Seedling  Gooseberff ,     .        .- 
Improved  Supply  Pipe  for  Hot  Air  Furnaces, 
Willard's  Patent  Seed  Planter, 
Pondante  d'Automne,  or  Belle  Lucrative  Pear, 
A  Pair  of  White  Dorking  Fowls,  . 

The  Lawrence  Pear, 

Vermont  Mower  and  Reaper,        . 

Culture  of  the  Grape,    .        .        .        .        144, 

A  Stable  for  City  or  Village  Use, . 

Plows  and  Plowing,       .        .        .        .        128, 

Caps  for  covering  Hay  and  Grain,         .        192, 

Johnson's  Patent  Hog  Trough, 

Hall's  Hand  Power  Stump  Machine,     . 

The  Flemish  Beauty  Pear,    .        ^ 

Improved  Hinge  Harrow, 

A  Fine  Morgan, — Tom  Howard,  . 

Well's  Grass  Seed  Sower,     .  ,      I 

Fowl  Meadow,  or.  False  Red  Top,        .        272, 

A  New  Hoe, : 


537 

16 

32 

49 

65 

80 

97 

113 

145 

161 

177 

193 

209 

225 

240 

247 

257 

264 

273 

289 


Buckeye  Rotation  Harrow,  ....  304 
Lion's  Patent  Copper  Lightning  Conductor, .  312 
Hereford  Heifer,  Cora,  ....  321,  322 
Weeder,  Trowel,  and  Dibble,  combined,  .  329 
The  True  Fowl  Meadow  Grass,  .  .  .  337 
The  Life  of  Sir  John  Barleycorn, .  .  •  343 
BoUe's  Patent  Stone-Digger  and  Wall  L*yer,  353 
The  Eagle  Mower  and  Reaper,  .  .  369,  370 
Black  Spanish  Fowls,    .....        401 


The  Glout  Morceau  Pear, 
An  Experiment  in  Draining, 
Perkins'  Corn  Husker,  .        .        .        . 
The  Potatoe  Rot — Its  Cause  and  Cure, 
Drain  tile  and  Stone  drain  pipe,    . 
Allen's  Potato  Digger, .        .        .        . 
Bleecker's  Gage  Plum,  .        .        .        . 
Apple  Paring  Machines,        .        . 
Spanish  Merino  Bucks, .        .        .        . 
Imported  Dutch  Cow,   .        .        .        . 
Portrait  of  an  Imported  I)utch  Bull,     . 
Illustrations  of  Draining, 


417 
433 
449 
465 
476,  477 
480 
496 
513 
529 
544 
560 
569 


POETRY. 


Exhibition  of  Mowers  afid  Reapers  at  Syracuse,^ 

Going  to  the  Fair,         ; 

Points  of  an  Ayrshire  Cow, 

The  Snow,     . 

A  Thought,  . 

Lines  for  the  New  Year, 

Persevere — Persevere,    . 

The  Preaching  of  the  Trees, 

The  Height  of  my  Ambition; 

God  save  the  Plow, 

Be  Gentle  with  thy  Wife, 

Wliat  the  World  Might  be. 

The  Preaching  of  the  Trees,. 

Se^d  Time  and  Harvestf 


37 iHome  is  where  there's  one  to  love  ns,    .        .  288 

68  A  Spring  Carol,    .......  310 

76  We  Knew  it  Would  Rain,     ....  340 

90  Lights  and  Shadows, 347 

102  Little  Things, 364 

115  Smiles, ■"  .  385 

124  Com  Fields, 416 

140  Times  Go  by  Turns,     .....  451 

175  Be  Content, 495 

196  Autumn, 526 

213TheFlay, 550 

220  Two  Hundred  Years  Ago,    ....  555 

266  A  Pomological  Po«m, 562 

277 


DEVOTED  TO  AGRICLTIiTURE  AND   ITS    KIHDBED  ARTS  AND   SCIEIfCES. 


VOL.  X. 


BOSTON,  JANUARY,  1858. 


NO.  1, 


JOEL  NOCRSE,  Proprietok. 
Office.. .13  Commercial  St. 


SIMON  BROWN,  EDITOR. 


FRED'K  HOI.BROOK,  |  Associate 
HENRY  F.  FRENCH,  (  Editors. 


JANUABT. 

Hear  the  sledges  with  the  bells — 

Silver  beUs ! 
What  a  world  of  merriment  their  melody  foretells ! 
How  they  tinkle,  tinkle,  tinkle, 

In  the  icy  air  of  night ! 
While  the  stars  that  orersprinkle 
AU  the  heavens  seem  to  twinkle 

With  a  crystalline  delight } 
Keeping  time,  time,  time, 
In  a  sort  of  Runic  rhyme, 
To  the  tlntinabulation  that  so  musically  'weUa 
From  the  bells,  bells,  bells, 

Bells,  beUs,  bells— 
Fi'om  the  jingling  and  ffife  tinkling  of  the  bells." 

Edoas  a.  Poe. 

UDGE  by  this  what 
a  wonderful  talent 
had  poor  PoE,  of 
so  mingling  sound 
with  sentiment  as 
to  awaken  a  com- 
mon chord  in  the 
bosom  of    almost 
any  reader.    Who 
could  read  the  above  lines 
with  a  July   sun   pouring 
down    upon  him,    without 
thinking   of  January,  and 
the  "world  of  merriment" 
that  accompanies  its  advent 
—and  here  we  are  listening 
to  those  same  "silver  bells," 
with   their   "tinkle,   tinkle,    tin- 
kle,"   as    the  joyous  riders  go 
skimming  over  the  frosty  road, 
to  dance,  perhaps,  "the  old  year 
out  and  the  new  year  in  !" 

That  good  old  custom  of  "merrie  England," 
by  which  the  meeting  of  the  extremities  of  the 
two  years  seemed  to  complete  a  magnetic  circle, 
and  to  cause,  like  the  approach  to  each  other  of 
the  poles  of  the  natural  magnet,  a  wonderful 
sparl-Jing,  so  that,  from  Christmas  to  well  into 
the  New  Year,  "all  went  merry  as  a  marriage  bell," 


has  come  legitimately  down  to  us,  and  is,  in  our 
opinion,  far  less  "honored  in  the  breach  than  in 
the  observance."  Let  any  one  read  with  dry 
eyes  or  without  many  a  merry  laugh,  our  own  Ir- 
ving's  sketch  of  Christmas,  and  we  will  uncere- 
moniously pronounce  him  an  unfeeling  churl — 
but  we  do  not  believe  there  is  a  single  reader  of 
the  New  England  Faiiner  who  comes  within  our 
category,  and  every  one  of  them,  we  doubt  not, 
will  agree  with  that  elegant  writer,  when  he  says : 
"Amidst  the  general  call  to  happiness,  the  bustle 
of  the  spirits  and  stir  of  the  affections,  which 
prevail  at  this  period,  what  bosom  can  remain  in- 
sensible ?  It  is,  indeed,  th^  season  of  regenera- 
ted feeling — the  season  for  kindling,  not  merely 
the  fii-e  of  hospitaHty  in  the  hall,  but  the  genial 
flame  of  charity  in  the  heart. 

"The  scene  of  early  love  again  rises  green  to 
memory  beyond  the  sterile  waste  of  years ;  and 
the  idea  of  home,  fraught  with  the  fragrance  of 
home-dwelling  joys,  reanimates  the  drooping  spix^ 
it,  as  the  Arabian  breeze  wMl  sometimes  waft  the 
freshness  of  the  distant  fields  to  the  w'eary  pil- 
grim of  the  desert." 

Dear  reader,  does  not  that  iouch  a  tender  spot 
in  your  own  bosom  ?  You  cannot  have  travelled 
the  highway  of  human  existence  many  years 
without  having  passed  scenes  that  you  Ibye  to 
have,  at  least  as  often  as  once  every  year,  rise 
"green  to  memory,"  and  in  which  you  can  again 
revel  with  a  reality  almost  sufficient  to  forget  that 
they  are  not  of  the  present. 

Then  keep  up  the  good  old  custom  of  building 
a  bridge,  of  the  rainbow  hues  of  pleasure,  which 
shall  span  the  imaginary  ravine  which  divides  the 
merry  Christmas  of  the  days  of  old,  from  the 
merry  New  Year  of  these  times  in  which  we  live. 

Who  shall  paint  the  joys  inside  the  thrifty 
farmer's  house  on  the  first  day  of  the  new  year? 
No  one  forgets  that  day  ;  ere  the  sun  is  up,  the 
prattler  from  his  tiny  crib  lisps  out  :  "^Vith  you 
a  happy  new  year,  father" — "With  you  a  happy. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Jan. 


new  year,  mother."  Bless  thoise  innocent  lips, 
both  father  and  mother,  for  they  at  least  are  sin- 
cere in  their  wish  ;  but  not  the  prattler  alone — ■ 
from  the  bosoms  of  the  hale  and  hearty  boys  and 
the  beautiful,  rosy-cheeked  girls,  as  they  first 
meet  their  loved  parents  on  that  new  morn,  the 
words  rise  up  almost  spontaneously,  as  if  they 
were  the  bursting  of  the  deep-sown  seeds  of  af- 
fection, and  find  utterance  at  the  lips — "Father, 
mother,  I  wish  you  a  happy  new  year ;"  and  in 
that  family  you  may  be  sure  there  is  a  love  that 
shall  never  know  decay — a  love  so  pure  and  holy, 
that  when  the  last  account  shall  be  rendered  up, 
it  shall  be  found  on  the  credit  side,  and  of  not 
less  weight  in  the  scale  of  eternal  justice  than 
piety  itself. 

The  farmer  enjoys  that  day.  He  blesses  all 
his  household  ;  he  looks  about  his  premises  and 
sees  whether  every  thing  is  snug  and  right ;  he 
looks  into  his  books,  squares  up  his  accounts,  and 
prepares  to  start  anew  into  the  year  that  has  just 
opened.     God  prosper  him  ! 

But  we  have  to  do  not  only  with  the  first  day 
of  the  year,  but  with  the  first  month  of  the  year 
cold,  blustering,  persevering,  happy,  welcome  Jan 
uary  !  The  healthiest  month,  probably,  of  all  the 
year.  It  is,  more  emphatically  than  any  other,  the 
farmer's  jubilee.  Up  to  late  in  December  he  has 
been  busily  engaged  in  the  "fall  work  ;"  now  it 
is  all  done.  The  harvest  has  been  gathered  in,— 
the  garners  and  the  cellars  are  full,— seed-time 
and  harvest  have  not  failed,  and  man  and  beast 
are  amply  provided  for.  It  is  the  time  for  study, 
for  reflection,  for  consultation  with  friends,  for 
joyous  evening  assemblages,  for  singing  in  full 
chorus  to  the  good  old  tune,  "Winter" — 

"His  hoary  frost,  his  fleecy  snow, 
Descend  and  clothe  the  ground  ; 
The  liquid  streams  forbear  to  flow, 
In  icy  fetters  bound." 

It  is  the  time  "to  clothe  the  naked,  to   feed  the 
hungry,  and  to  bind  up  the  wounds  of  the   bro 
ken-hearted."     It  is  the  time  to  be  happy  your- 
self and  make  all  happy  about  you  ! 

But  while  the  thrifty  farmer  and  his  happy 
family  are  enjoying  the  warm  fireside  and  the 
luxuries  of  the  cellar  inside  the  house,  are  those 
dumb  helpers  outside,  without  whose  aid  the  far- 
mer could  do  but  little,  cared  for?  That  they 
are  !  A  good  farmer  would  sooner  sufi"er  himself, 
than  have  his  cattle  suff'er. 

AVe  will  just  step  into  the  barn,  Avith  our 
friend,  the  farmer,  and  see  for  ourselves  how 
matters  are.  Well,  there  stands  "Jim,"  a  large, 
well-proportioned  bay,  sixteen  hands  high,  weigh- 
ing well  on  to  1300  pounds,  eyes  as  bright  as  a 
new  dollar,  legs  clean  and  smooth,  body  well 
blanketed,  in  his  clean  wide  stall,  and  as  his  mas 
t^r  approaches,  if  ever  a  horse  laughed  he  does  i 


He  knows  who  his  master  is  as  well  as  we  do. 
Our  friend  walks  into  the  stall,  pats  "Jim"  on 
his  proudly  arched  and  glossy  neck,  and  see  how 
afi"ectionately  that  neck  comes  round,  and  the 
head  of  the  horse  rubs  against  the  shoulder  of 
the  owner,  as  much  as  to  say,— -"thank  you,  mas- 
ter, for  taking  such  good  care  of  me.  I  know 
what  gratitude  is."  We  pass  on,  pronouncing 
'Jim"  a  trump  and  nothing  else, 

A  large  row  of  heads  present  themselves  loose- 
ly fastened  between  the  stanchions,  or  more  free- 
ly still,  by  chains  or  straps,  and  as  we  approach 
they  rise,  and  two  clear  round  eyes  from  each 
look  wistfully  at  us,  and  sure  enough,  there  we 
think  we  see  old  "Swan,"  the  upper  ox  of  the 
entire  ranks,  give  a  squint  down  the  line  of 
heads,  as  much  as  to  say,  "right,  dress!"  and*wink 
one  eye,  indicating  to  the  others,  "there's  our 
master,  receive  him  with  proper  respect,  for  no 
cattle  in  this  world  have  a  better." 

We  always  did  believe  most  faithfully  in  Scrip- 
ture, but  do  not  think  we  ever  had  a  passage  so 
tellingly  brought  to  our  recollection,  as  old 
"Swan's"  look  brought  this  :  "The  ox  knoweth  his 
owner  and  the  ass  his  master's  crib." 

How  slick  and  smooth  and  nice  they  all  kok, 
and  so  happy  and  contented.  And  even  that  old 
fellow  over  there,  separate  and  apart  from  all  the 
rest,  with  a  ring  in  his  nose,  does  not  appear 
half  so  much  like  those  "bulls  of  Bashan,"  that 
compasseth  the  unhappy  Psalmist,  "as  a  raving 
and  a  roaring  lion,"  as  we  have  seen  bulls.  In- 
deed, he  seemed  to  be  in  quite  an  affectionate 
and  agreeable  mood. 

Our  farmer's  cattle  are  indeed  well  cared  for, 
and  as  happy,  apparently,  as  cattle  ought  to  be. 

January  is  the  great  starting  point  of  the  year ; 
like  the  diurnal  meridian  to  the  mariner,  it  is  the 
annual  meridian  to  the  farmer,  when  he  works 
up  his  reckoning,  and  whence  he  takes  a  new  de- 
parture. 

May  this  present  January  be  such  a  starting 
point  to  every  reader  of  the  Farmer,  that  he  may 
look  back  upon  it  with  the  same  pleasure  that 
one  looks  to  the  commencement  of  a  prosperous 
voyage,  when  the  destined  port  has  been  reach- 
ed. 

May  sunny  skies  and  fertile  showers  and  gen- 
tle gales  surround  him,  and  clustering  affections 
and  all  the  sweet  sympathies  of  life  crown  his 
circles  with  domestic  bliss. 


GRINDING  FEED. 


Experimental  farmers  have  long  urged  the  im- 
portance, and  even  necessity,  of  chopping  or 
grinding  hay,  as  well  as  other  feed,  for  cattle 
and  horses.  The  lazy  drones  have  had  a  hearty 
laugh  over  the  idea,  and  called  it  "Book  Farm- 
ing." 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Now  the  theory  of  chopping,  and  grinding  food, 
is  based  on  a  principle  which' lies  at  the  founda- 
tion of  animal  physiology.  Rest  is  essential  to 
the  accumulation  of  muscle,  as  well  as  fat.  If  we 
wish  to  increase  an  animal  in  flesh,  or  fat,  we  do 
not  work  him. 

Now  a  cow  wants  one-thirtieth  of  her  own 
weight  in  hay  a  day,  to  keep  her  in  good  order ; 
and  we  may  thus  calculate  the  amount  of  labor 
required  to  masticate  the  food,  and  fit  it  for  the 
stomach.  The  labor  of  chopping,  or  grinding 
twenty-five  pounds  of  dry  hay  a  day,  is  no  small 
item.  This  excessive  labor  is  performed  by  one 
set  of  muscles — the  jaws ;  but,  by  sympathy,  af- 
fects all  the  other  muscles  ;  causes  the  blood  to 
circulate  quicker  ;  the  breath  faster,  the  consump- 
tion of  food  greater ;  and  still  the  growth  of  the 
animal  is  retarded. 

If  a  machine  was  invented  to  grind  hay,  the 
ground  article  would  approximate,  in  value,  to 
unground  oats,  in  producing  fat  and  muscle. 
Chopping  hay  and  stalks  is  valuable  just  in  pro- 
portion as  it  approximates  to  grinding,  and  re- 
lieves the  animal  of  the  labor  of  grinding  it.  An 
animal  fed  on  ground,  or  minced  food,  may  per- 
form an  amount  of  labor  equal  to  grinding  it  fit 
for  digestion,  and  fat  as  fast  as  another  which 
does  not  labor,  but  grinds  its  own  food. 

Prematurely  grey  whiskers  and  beard,  while 
the  hair  is  still  black,  show  the  relative  amount 
of  labor  performed  by  the  jaws  and  the  head. — 
OMo  Farmer. 


NEW  BOOKS. 


Villas  and  Cottaoe?.  A  Series  of  Designs  prepared  for  execu- 
tion in  the  United  States.  By  Calvert  Vadx,  Architect.  Ill- 
ustrated by  300  Engravings.  Harper  &  Brothers,  New  York, 
318  pp. 

Mr.  Vaux  was  a  partner  in  business  of  the  late 
lamented  Mr.  Downing,  and  probably  furnished 
to  Mr.  D.'s  works  the  greater  part  of  whatever 
related  to  architecture ;  between  them  there  was 
a  happy  combination  of  that  varied  talent  and 
skill  necessary  in  such  works  to  give  them  value 
and  currency,  and  they  have,  therefore,  met  the 
wants  of  our  people  in  a  considerable  degree,  and 
have  done  much  towards  forming  a  more  correct 
taste  in  the  designs  and  finish  of  oui"  dwellings. 

The  designs  struck  out  in  the  work  before  us 
are  not  the  mere  results  of  the  imagination,  but 
have  a  "local  habitation  and  a  name,"  and  shelter 
and  afford  convenience  and  comfort  to  men  and 
women  of  taste  and  refinement.  They  possess 
the  merit  of  having  been  tested,  and  by  use  are 
found  to  answer  the  purposes  expected  of  them 
when  constructed.  No  encomium,  therefore,  up- 
on the  designs  is  necessary  ;  they  have  been  tried 
and  are  not  found  wanting  in  any  essential  points. 
The  book  itself  does  credit  to  artist,  printer  and 
publisher  ;  the  paper  is  thick,  fine  and  white,  the 
tj^e  large  and  new,  and  the  engravings  finely  cut 
and  clear. 

There  are  designs  given  for  nearly  all  classes 
of  dwellings  from  the  cheap  log-house  to  the 
mansion  costing  from  $10,000  to  $15,000,  and  as 


they  are  within  a  reasonable  day's  ride  from  Bos- 
ton, by  rail,  any  person  may  make  personal  ex- 
amination of  such  a  house  as  he  may  particularly 
fancy.  Few  persons  can  afford  to  build  without 
first  consulting  some  such  work  as  this.  We 
therefore  commend  the  work  on  "Villas  and  Cot- 
tages" to  all  who  can  aff'ord  it, 'whether  they  con- 
template building  or  not.  We  take  pleasure  in 
making  the  following  extract : 

"Architecture  is  entirely  the  invention  of  man, 
and,  as  it  expresses  his  needs  and  his  nature,  it 
must  necessarily  be  regulated  by  the  laws  to 
which  he  is  subject.  At  the  same  time,  it  is  equal- 
ly clear,  that  it  can  have  no  independent  laws  of 
its  own,  simply  because  it  has  no  independent  ex- 
istence. As  it  seeks  to  please  the  eye,  its  form 
and  colors  should  be  carefully  designed  in  accor- 
dance with  the  laws  of  the  eye,  or  it  will  be  a  fail- 
ure, as  far  as  this  organ  is  concerned.  As  it  ad- 
xlresses  itself  to  the  intellect,  it  ought  to  be  or- 
derly and  without  any  appearance  of  accident  in 
its  conception,  or  it  will  appear  unintellectual. 

As  it  appeals  to  the  heart,  it  requires  to  be  for- 
cibly and  artistically  ti*ue  in  its  expression,  or  it 
will  remain  a  lifeless  collection  of  building  mate- 
rials ;  and  as  it  ministers  to  the  soul,  it  must  be 
beautiful  and  pure  in  its  intention,  or  it  will  be 
ugly  and  baneful  in  its  influence.  It  is  always 
the  mirror  of  its  age,  accurately  reflecting  the  cus- 
toms, morals  and  science  that  prevail  in  every  na- 
tion at  a  given  period  ;  and  as  these  have  been 
dissimilar  at  different  times  and  places,  architec- 
ture has  naturally  crystalized  in  various  parts  of 
the  world  iiito  what  we  call  separate  styles." 


For  the  New  England  Fanrw.r. 
COMMITTEES. 

Too  little  care  is  taken  in  selecting  persons  for 
the  examination  of  objects  and  the  awarding  of 
premiums  at  our  Shows.  They  should  be  men  of 
sound  judgment,  and  practical  experience,  in  the 
matters  on  which  they  are  to  judge.  The  neglect 
of  this  indispensable  qualification  often  renders 
their  awards  the  merest  farce  imaginable.  The 
duty  is  one  of  high  responsibility,  and  no  honest 
man,  void  of  the  requisite  qualifications  will  un- 
dertake to  discharge  it. 

It  is  a  rule,  in  some  places,  to  name  as  chair- 
man one  who  knows  how  to  use  the  pen,  who 
can  put  in  readable  and  creditable  form  the  de- 
icsions  of  his  associates.  To  this  there  can  be 
no  valid  objection.  There  are  many  who  wear 
fine  cloth,  who  can  do  a  good  service  in  this  way, 
who  can  do  but  little  in  any  other.  When  ap- 
pointed, they  should  prepare  themselves  for  the 
work  assigned ;  when  prepared,  should  be  on 
hand  to  attend  to  it.  It  not  unfrequently  hap- 
pens, on  the  morning  of  the  Show,  when  a  com- 
mittee is  called,  no  one  appears,  and  the  papers 
have  to  be  passed  into  the  hands  of  those  hastily 
named,  and  superficially  qualified.  These  remarks 
are  made  for  the  instruction  of  ^those  who  ap- 
point, and  those  who  are  appointed  ;  and  if  they 
shall  chance  to  create  any  improvement  in  the 
discharge  of  the  duties  of  either,  the  object  of  the 
writer  will  be  fully  attained.  *«* 

Nov.  19,  1857. 


12 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMJIR. 


Jan. 


For  the  New  England  Fanner. 
MINEKALOGY. 

Mineralogy  is  intimately  connected  with  geolo- 
gy, as  it  teaches  the  properties,  composition  and 
relations  of  mineral  bodies,  and  the  art  of  distin- 
guishing and  describing  them.  These  two  scien- 
ces, geology  and  mineralogy,  are  frequently  taught 
and  learned  in  the  same  connection,  as  in  many 
particulars  they  tend  mutually  to  illustrate  and 
explain  each  other.  In  fact,  it  is  believed  by  some 
authors,  that  the  earth,  or  the  solid  part  of  it, 
was  originally  made  one  mass  of  solid  rocks  or 
minerals  ;  that  a  bed  for  vegetation  was  produced 
by  the  decomposition  of  rocks  ;  that  this  decom- 
position was  effected  by  the  expansion  of  water 
in  the  pores  or  fissures  of  rocks,  by  heat  or  con- 
gelation, by  the  solvent  power  of  moisture,  and  by 
electricity,' which  is  known  to  be  a  powerful  agent 
of  decomposition.  Be  this  as  it  may,  and  it  is 
not  my  puipose  to  entertain  the  subject  at  the 
present  time,  still  it  is  a  well  known  fact,  that  the 
decomposition  of  rocks  tends  to  the  renovation  of 
soil's,  as  well  as  their  cultivation.  But,  that  the 
solid  or  mineral  parts  of  the  earth  were  not  all 
formed  at  one  time,  is  evident  from  the  fact,  that 
no  animal  or  vegetable  remains  are  found  in  rocks 
of  primitive  formation. 

Of  all  the  memorials  of  the  past  history  of  clir 
globe,  the  most  interesting  are  those  mjTiads  of 
remains  of  organized  bodies  which  are  found  in 
secondary  rocks,  and  in  alluvial  formations. — 
These  consist  of  numberless  aquatic  plants,  zoo- 
phites,  fishes,  crocodiles,  tortoises,  sei'pents,  birds, 
and  cetaceous  animals,  all  of  a  different  species 
from  any  which  now  exist.  More  than  thirty  dif- 
ferent species  of  animals  have  been  found  imbed- 
ded in  the  secondary  strata  ;  no  living  examples 
of  which  are  now  to  be  found  in  any  quarter  of 
the  globe.  Among  the  most  remarkable  of  these, 
are  the  Mammoth,  the  Alegatherius,  the  Masto- 
don, the  Tapir,  &c.  These  were  all  larger  than 
any  living  animals.  Besides  these,  there  have 
been  found  the  remains  of  the  elephant,  the  rhi- 
noceros, the  hippopotamus,  the  elk,  6cc.,  of  different 
species  from  those  which  now  exist,  but  belonging 
to  the  same  genera.  These  fossil  remains,  wheth- 
er they  be  regarded  as  belonging  to  the  science 
of  geology  or  mineralogy,  are  certainly  among  the 
most  remarkable  curiosities  and  wonders  to  be 
found  in  the  cabinets  and  museums  either  of  the 
old  or  new  world. 

Minerals  have  been  variously  classed  by  differ- 
ent authors.  They  are,  perhaps,  more  commonly 
comprehended  under  the  five  following  classes : 
earths,  salts,  inflammables,  metals  and  petrifac- 
tions. Earths  are  generally  applied  to  such  sub- 
stances as  have  neither  taste  nor  smell,  and  are 
not  inflammable.  Salts  are  acids  and  alkalies, 
and  the  compounds  formed  by  acids  in  union 
with  alkalies,  earths,  and  metallic  oxides.  Inflam- 
mables are  mineral  substances  which  may  be  easi- 
ly ignited  or  set  on  fii'e.  Metals  are  heavy,  hard, 
opaque  bodies,  possessed  of  a  remarkable  lustre, 
insoluble  in  water,  fusible  by  heat,  and  maleable 
in  different  degrees.  Petrifactions  are  substan- 
ces which  have  been  turned  to  stone,  and  are  in- 
crusted  within  the  cavities  of  organized  bodies, 

There  are  nine  classes  of  stony  minerals,  of 
which  iJi  other  rocks  are  composed,  and  which 
af  e  therefore  termed  the  ebements  of  rocks.  These 


are  quartz,  felspar,  mica,  talc,  hornblende,  argil- 
lite,  limestone,  gypsum  and  chlorite.  These  are 
sometimes  found  naturally  crystalized  with  more 
or  less  regularity.  They  are  also  variously  com- 
pounded, and  usually  classed  according  to  the  for- 
mation to  which  they  respectively  belong.  Thus, 
from  these  elements  we  have  granite  and  gneiss, 
both  composed  of  quartz,  felspar  and  mica,  in  dif- 
ferent proportions,  and  according  to  their  differ- 
ent peculiarities.  So  it  is  with  regai'd  to  all  oth- 
er compound  rocks. 

Though  no  common  farmer  can  be  expected  to 
arrive  at  a  very  perfect  knovvdedge  of  all  the  min- 
erals, simple  and  compound,  included  under  the 
head  of  these  nine  different  classes,  yet  by  mak- 
ing a  beginning  with  some  one  kind  of  mineral, 
granite,  for  instance,  and  improving  all  his  leisure 
moments  in  collecting  different  specimens  of  gran- 
ite, and  of  its  constituent  principles,  quartz,  fel- 
spar and  mica,  and  comparing  them  with  the  de- 
scription given  in  some  good  text-book,  he  will 
soon  arrive  at  a  respectable  knowledge  of  his  sub- 
ject. More  especially  will  this  be  the  case,  if  he 
has  some  one,  already  acquainted  with  the  sub- 
ject, to  accompany  him,  because  the  living  de- 
scription of  the  tongue  will  be  better  understood, 
than  any  description  given  in  a  book.  Having 
thus  obtained  a  competent  knowledge  of  granite, 
and  its  component  elements,  quartz,  felspar  and 
mica,  he  is  now  prepared  to  take  up  and  examine, 
in  like  manner,  some  other  mineral ;  and  thus,  by 
improving  the  odds  and  ends  of  his  time,  "here 
a  little  and  there  a  little,"  he  w^ill  be  able  to  ar- 
rive at  important  results. 

But,  in  order  to  prosecute  this  study  to  advan- 
tage, the  student  should  not  only  have  a  good 
text-book,  but  furnish  himself  Avith  suitable  ap- 
paratus for  making  his  investigations.  Thus 
equipped,  he  should  direct  his  way  into  the  fields 
of  nature  ;  and  whatever  mineral  meets  his  eye, 
whether  it  be  the  pebble  on  the  shore,  the  rock 
of  the  mountain,  or  the  diamond  in  the  valley,  he 
should  carefully  examine  it  and  investigate  its 
properties  ;  and,  if  it  be  thought  worthy  of  pre- 
servation, he  should  carefully  deposit  it  in  his 
cabinet,  in  its  proper  place.  Should  he  meet  with 
more  than  his  immediate  wants  require,  he  should 
preserve  tiiem  for  the  purpose  of  exchanging 
them  for  those  of  remote  places.  But,  above  all, 
while  he  is  studying  into  the  properties,  the  uses, 
and  the  relations  of  minerals,  let  him  remember, 
that  they  are  the  handiwork  of  the  all-wise  Crea- 
tor, to  whom  he  owes  unbounded  love  and  vene- 
ration. John  Goldsbury. 


ASPARAGUS  BEDS. 


Very  many  persons  who  possess  gardens  and 
have  an  abundance  of  room,  deprive  themselves 
of  this  delicacy  because  they  think  there  is  a 
great  deal  of  trouble  and  mystery  in  raising 
it.  There  is  scarcely  a  simpler  crop  produced  in 
the  garden.  We  have  given  over  and  over  again 
the  mode  of  setting  out  beds,  and  may  refer  to 
it  again  in  our  next  issue,  as  it  can  be  done  any 
time  before  the  closing  up  of  the  season  by  frost. 
Our  purpose  now  is  to  give  a  hint  as  to  the  way 
of  treating  beds  in  autumn.  It  is  this  :  When 
the  stalks  have  turned  yellow,  mow  them  off  close 
with  a  scythe,  and  burn  on  each  bed  its  own 
crop,  scattering  the  ashes  evenly  over  it.     Then 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


13 


take  a  broad-pronged  foi'k,  which  should  be  used 
in  every  garden,  and  fork  over  the  bed,  being 
careful  not  to  injure  the  crown  of  the  plants, 
and  apply  a  top-dresSing  of  rich,  short  stable 
manure.  Let  this  remain  until  the  frost  is  out 
of  the  ground  in  the  spring,  when  the  loose  top 
should  be  raked  off,  and  the  remainder  forked  in< 
About  the  first  of  April  sprinkle  over  each  bed 
a  dressing  of  cheap  salt  to  the  extent  that  no 
portion  of  the  ground  can  be  seen.  This  is  all 
that  Mill  be  required  until  the  ensuing  fall.  A 
bed  of  asparagus,  properly  made  in  the  fia-st  in- 
stance, and  cared  for  in  this  way  afterward,  will 
last  for  twenty-five  years. —  Germantown  Tele- 
graph. 

For  the  New  England  Fanner. 
SWITZERLAND. 
LETTER  FROM  MR.   FRENCH. 

From  Heidelberg,  which  is  in  the  Duchy  of 
Baden,  we  took  train  for  Baden-Baden,  the  place 
famous  over  all  the  world  for  its  mineral  springs 
and  fashionable  society,  and  infamous  for  its 
gambling  saloons  and  dissipation.  Beautiful  and 
elegantly  di'essed  ladies,  in  the  evening,  stood 
or  sat  in  the  magnificent  public  rooms  of  the 
"conversation-house,"  around  the  gaming  tables, 
losing  and  winning  hundreds  of  dollars  at  a  single 
turn  of  the  roulette.  It  was  a  sight  to  make  one 
shudder  to  see  the  coolness  with  which  they  risk- 
ed body  and  soul  with  their  gold,  to  gratify  this 
insane  passion  for  games  of  chance.  We  drove 
to  what  is  called  the  New  Castle,  which  was  for- 
merly the  seat  of  one  of  the  secret  tribunals,  where 
all  the  terrors  and  tortures  of  the  Inquisition  were 
suffered  by  the  poor  victims  of  political  or  relig- 
ious persecution.  We  descended  into  dungeons, 
closed  by  heavy  stone  doors,  and  into  which  the 
victims  were  let  down  by  ropes  from  above, 
through  trap  doors,  and  saw  the  rings  and  racks 
and  other  instruments  of  toi'ture,  and  the  subter- 
ranean halls  of  judgment,  where  the  prisoners 
were  tried  and  sentenced.  Then  we  visited  what 
is  called  the  Old  Castle,  some  miles  distant,  a  fine 
ruin  of  what  was  formerly  a  stronghold  in  war. 
It  is  in  the  midst  of  a  heavy  growth  of  wood,  a 
part  of  the  Black  Forest,  which  extends,  I  think, 
from  Heidelberg  across,  some  forty  miles.  The 
hills  around  Baden  are,  in  the  grim  poetic  lan- 
guage of  German  taste,  called  the  Children  of  the 
Black  Forest.  This  forest  is  different  from  any- 
thing I  have  seen  since  I  left  New  England.  It  is 
composed  principally  of  oak,  maple  and  hemlock, 
of  very  large  size,  and  in  the  neighborhood  of 
Baden  the  white  pine  is  found,  in  its  natural 
growth.  No  white  pine  gi-ows  in  Great  Britain, 
so  far  as  I  have  observed,  excopt  small  sr;ecim"nr 
planted  in  ornamental  grounds,  and  those  were 
so  unlike  our  native  growth  that  I  could  distin- 
guish them  only  by  careful  examination  of  their 
leaves.     For  the  information  of  our  readers  who 


may  not  have  observed  or  studied  such  trifles,  it 
may  be  suggested  that  our  three  most  common 
species  of  pine  may  be  always  distinguished, 
however  distorted  by  unnatural  culture,  by  the 
number  of  leaves  in  a  tassel  or  bunch,  the  white 
pine  always  growing  in  fives,  the  yellow  or  pitch 
pine  in  threes,  and  the  Norway  pine  in  twos. 
And,  by  the  way,  let  me  say  that  of  all  the  ever- 
greens I  have  yet  seen,  and  I  must  now  have  seen 
them  all,  for  beautiful  effect  in  grouping,  or  in 
masses  for  grounds  of  wide  extent,  our  common 
white  pine,  so  common  as  to  be  almost  despised, 
is  in  my  opinion  the  most  beautiful,  and  our  hem- 
lock, whether  grown  single  or  in  clumps,  is  a  far 
filler  tree  than  any  of  the  far-fetched  furs  or 
spruces.  When  I  have  leisure  to  write  on  this 
subject,  I  have  some  foreign  trees  to  re- 
commend which  are  uncommon  if  not  unknown 
to  New  England.  In  the  Black  Forest  of  Baden 
the  old  hemlocks  seemed  to  nod  to  me  as  an  old 
friend,  and  the  white  pines,  with  their  peculiar 
rustle  in  the  wind  and  their  balsamic  fragrance, 
almost  carried  me  back  to  old  Exeter. 

From  Baden  we  went  to  Basle,  and  thence  to 
Lucerne,  all  the  way,  about  two  hundred  miles,  by 
rail,  except  about  one  hour  in  a  diligence,  over 
a  mountain,  where  the  railway  was  not  completed. 
All  along  this  route  we  observed  fine  crops  of  to- 
bacco and  oats,  with  some  poor  dried  up  crops  of 
Indian  corn.  Here  again  we  saw  large  hills, 
smooth  and  free  from  stones,  covel-ed,  thousands 
of  acres,  with  the  grape.  Here,  too,  we  saw  the 
storks,  wading  sometimes  in  the  rivers,  sometimes 
walking  about  among  the  laborers  in  the  fields, 
as  tame  as  hens  and  chickens,  sometimes  resting, 
apparantly  asleep,  on  one  leg,  on  little  islands  in 
the  stream.  They  are  seen  flying  over  the  villa- 
ges, resting  on  the  house-tops,  and  they  some- 
times build  on  the  top  of  an  old  chimney,  being 
regarded  by  the  people  as  almost  a  sacred  bird. 
The  labor  along  this  route  is  performed  by  single 
oxen  or  cows  in  carts,  harnessed  sometimes  in 
collars  like  horses,  sometimes  by  the  hams,  and 
most  frequently  driven  by  women.  The  sugar 
beet  is  extensively  grown  here,  also,  as  through 
most  of  the  continent.  Between  Basle  and  Lu- 
cerne apple  and  pear  trees  loaded  with  fruit  are 
abundant,  and  apricot  and  cherry  trees  are  almost 
always  in  sight.  The  horse  beans,  such  as  are 
so  extensively  cultivated  for  animals  in  England, 
are  growing  here  to  some  extent.  Of  the  archi- 
tecture of  Switzerland,  with  its  picturesque  curv- 
ed roof,  sweeping  so  gracefully  almost  to  the 
ground,  and  its  other  peculiar  features,  I  will  not 
attempt  yet  to  speak  fully,  leaving  the  topic  for 
separate  consideration  in  the  future. 

For  the  first  time  since  I  kl't  America,  I  found 
on  the  route  to  Lucerne,  railway  cars  like  those  in 
use  in  the  United  States.      Throughout  England 


14 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Jan 


and  the  continent,  until  now,  the  ears,  which,  by 
the  way,  are  in  England  always  called  carriages, 
are  constructed  in  sections,  each  with  two  scats 
facing  each  other,  so  that  half  the  passengers 
ride  backwards,  and  each  carriage  accommodating 
about  ten  persons.  There  are  usually  first, 
second  and  third  class  carriages,  the  first  class 
stuffed  and  cushioned  and  comfortable,  the  second 
in  England  with  bare  boards  for  seats  and  backs, 
and  stiff  and  hard  enough  they  are,  the  third  not 
divided  off  so  carefully,  and  much  like  the 
second  in  point  of  comfort.  The  cost  of  travel- 
ling in  the  second  class  in  England  is  somewhat 
greater  than  by  our  first  class.  Most  decent  peo- 
ple take  the  second  class,  very  few  occupying  the 
first  class,  which  I  tried  sometimes,  but  soon 
abandoned,  finding  very  little  society  there,  some- 
times riding  fifty  ihiles  entirely  alone,  which  did 
not  at  all  answer  my  design  in  going  abroad.  The 
second  class  cars  in  France,  and  generally  on  the 
continent,  are  cushioned  and  quite  comfortable. 
On  all  these  railways  you  show  your  ticket  be- 
fore the  train  leaves,  and  are  then  locked  in,  and 
cannot  get  out  till  the  guard  unlocks  your  door 
at  the  station.  Probably  accidents  are  prevented 
by  this  precaution,  and  fewer  mistakes  made  than 
where  each  man  looks  out  for  himself,  and  takes 
the  risk  of  jumping  on  and  off  at  pleasure.  I 
was  glad  to  find  our  social,  free  and  easy  style  of 
cars  here  in  Switzerland,  for  away  from  home  our 
own  customs«and  habits  have  a  wonderful  charm 
for  us  wanderers. 

We  reached  Lucerne  at  about  eight  P.  M.,  and 
it  being  a  brilliant  moonlight  night,  immediately 
took  a  boat,  and  were  rowed  across  the  lake  to  a 
bath-house  on  its  shore,  and  enjoyed  the  luxury 
of  a  bathing  in  the  clear  waters,  a  familiarity  we 
had  also  indulged  in  with  the  waters  of  the  Rhine 
at  Coblentz.  The  morning  brought  us  a  realiz- 
ing proof  that  we  were  indeed  in  Switzerland, 
and  among  her  mountains,  for  the  first  glance  of 
sunrise  brought  us  a  clear  view  of  the  snow-cap- 
ped mountains  in  the  distance,  overtopping  the 
hills  which  surround  the  beautiful  lake  Lucerne. 
Embarking  on  the  little  steamer,  close  by  our  ho- 
tel, we  made  the  tour  of  the  lake.  This  is  the 
land  of  William  Tell,  and  on  the  lake  shore  we 
saw  his  chapel,  erected  at  the  spot  where  it  is  said 
he  leaped  ashore  in  a  storm,  from  the  boat  where 
he  was  carried  as  a  prisoner.  A  storm  had  arisen, 
and  fear  of  shipwreck  had  induced  his  keepers  to 
unbind  him  to  assist  in  managing  the  boat.  Tak- 
ing the  helm,  he  run  the  bark  close  to  the  point  of 
rock  which  here  projects  into  the  lake,  and  as  they 
shot  by  in  the  tempest,  he  leaped  upon  the  rock, 
leaving  his  captors  to  their  fate. 

The  scenery  on  lake  Lucerne  is  said  to  be  the 
most  beautiful  in  all  Switzerland.  The  abrupt 
mountains  stand  up,  like  walls  along  the  shores. 


hemming  in  the  water  to  the  form  of  a  river,  and 
then  suddenly  falling  away,  through  a  green  val- 
ley, the  eye  wanders  over  fields  of  grain  and  ver- 
dure, till  it  catches  over  the  nearer  hills,  glimpses 
of  the  glaciers,  shining  in  the  sunlight,  and  again 
the  tall  peak  of  the  Jungfrau  away  in  the  dis- 
tance, white  with  his  eternal  snows. 

At  a  small  village  on  the  shore  of  the  lake,  in 
the  afternoon,  we  left  the  boat,  to  ascend  Mount 
Rhigi.  Taking  horses  and  guides,  we  mounted 
and  followed  a  narrow  precipitous  path  about  nine 
miles,  slowly  winding  our  devious  way  up — up, 
till  behind  us  the  mountain  peaks  on  the  opposite 
side  of  the  lake  rose  up  in  scores,  white  as  the 
unsullied  snows  could  paint  them,  and  brilliant 
with  the  rainbow  tints  of  the  setting  sun.  We 
found  at  the  top  a  large  hotel,  with  accommoda- 
tions for  two  hundi-ed  persons,  and  crowded  be- 
fore night  with  visitors,  who  had  come  like  our- 
selves, to  behold  the  setting  and  the  rising  of  the 
sun. 

A  storm  of  rain,  with  thunder  and  lightning, 
burst  upon  us,  just  as  we  arrived,  which  to  those 
unaccustomed  to  thunder  showers  seemed  very 
grand  and  awful,  but  to  those  of  us  who  had  spent 
summers  in  New  England,  it  brought  nothing  new 
of  fear  or  grandeur.  At  the  dawTiing  of  the  next 
day,  the  sound  of  a  horn  brought  out  the  two  hun- 
dred pilgrims,  in  a  chilly,  bleak  morning,  to  wit- 
ness the  sunrise.  A  more  disconsolate  looking 
set  of  beings  never  met  to  worship  the  god  of 
day.  Few  had  brought  up  from  the  valley  where 
summer  heat  was  raging,  either  overcoat  or  shawl, 
and  now  the  morning  was  like  chill  November. 
Some  had  borrowed  a  blanket  from  their  beds, 
others  were  apparelled  in  straw  hats  and  thick 
overcoats  ;  all  wei-e  walking  to  and  fro,  wishing 
the  job  were  over,  so  that  they  could  retreat  to 
the  house.  Finally,  the  sun  deigned  to  show  his 
head,  and  as  his  beams  were  caught  by  the  distant 
peaks  for  a  few  moments,  we  began  to  grow  en- 
thusiastic, and  to  forget  the  wintry  chill,  when  an 
envious  cloud  dropped  like  a  curtain  across  the 
east,  and  with  one  accord,  we  turned  our  faces 
towards  the  hotel,  forgetting  our  disappointment 
in  the  anticipation  of  a  wai-m  room  and  hot  coffee. 

After  breakfast,  we  undertook  the  descent,  our 
party  on  foot.  The  day  was  tolerably  clear,  so  that 
we  had  fine  views  of  the  level  country  of  nearly 
all  Switzerland,  spread  out  in  one  broad  expanse 
below  us.  We  could  see  herds  of  cows  grazing 
so  far  below  that  they  seemed  no  larger  than  grass- 
hoppers, yet  the  tinkle  of  the  bells  which  each 
wore  on  her  neck,  came  up  distinctly  through  the 
clear  air.  We  met  droves  of  cows  feeding  on  the 
mountains,  a  fine,  large  breed,  resembling  in  shape 
and  oolor  those  which  Mr.  Webster  and  others 
imported  as  Hungarian  cattle.  I  do  not  know,  by 
the  way,  that  I  have  mentioned  the  goats  kept 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


15 


for  milk  in  this  country.  At  various  points  we 
have  met  them,  driven  up  at  night  like  cows  to 
be  milked,  and  giving  indications  that  they  car- 
ried with  them  a  good  supply  of  milk.  Our  de- 
scent from  the  mountain  furnished  much  amuse- 
ment, partly  at  my  own  expense,  for  when  I  had 
walked  some  five  miles  down  the  alm.ost  perpen- 
dicular side,  I  had  such  warnings  of  the  frailty 
of  human  means  of  locomotion,  that  I  was  glad 
to  avail  myself  of  one  of  the  peculiar  institutions 
of  the  country  and  take  a  chair  for  the  remainder 
of  the  journey.  A  chair  is  a  vehicle  in  the  form 
of  a  large  arm-chair,  with  two  handles  before  and 
behind,  by  which  it  is  carried  by  two  or  more  men, 
precisely  as  farmers  pole  out  hay  from  a  swamp. 

A  large  French  gentleman  and  his  lady  were 
carried  all  the  way  down  in  this  manner,  the  man 
having  five  bearers,  who  changed  hands,  and  the 
lady,  who  was  of  smaller  dimensions,  two.  The 
bearers  prefer  to  have  you  sit  with  your  face  up- 
hill, and  ride  backwards.  Thus  in  solemn  pro- 
cession we  proceeded  down  the  hill,  at  a  pace  to 
outstrip  the  mules,  and  on  the  whole,  as  it  costs 
no  more  to  be  carried  thus  than  to  ride  a  mule, 
I  would  recommend  to  all  who  try  the  mountains 
to  make  one  experiment  of  this  mode  of  pi'ogres- 
sion.  My  companions,  to  my  surprise,  made  very 
little  fun  of  my  ride,  which  I  had  supposed  would 
amuse  tliAn  for  a  week,  but  next  morning  I  was 
uncharitable  enough  to  suggest,  when  I  found  one 
of  them  confined  to  his  bed  by  sore  limbs,  and 
another  with  thq,  skin  so  worn  from  his  toes  that 
he  could  not  walk,  that  they  were  as  badly  used 
■up  as  I  was,  and  did  not  dare  to  laugh  at  me. 

This  was  our  first  attempt  at  much  of  a  walk, 
and- on  the  whole,  was  not  a  very  prudent  begin- 
ning. 

But  this  is  as  much  of  Switzerland  as  you  can 
find  rcom  for  in  the  paper,  so  farewell. 

Yours,  &c.,        H.  F.  French. 


DO  BIKDS   UNDERSTAND    WHAT    THEY 
LEARN P 

And  now  comes  the  question  whether  birds  do 
not,  in  some  degree  at  least,  understand  what  they 
learn.  It  cannot  be  denied  that,  in  a  state  of  na- 
ture, their  notes  and  intonations  are  significant 
to  each  other,  and  convey  intelligence  on  which 
tJhey  act ;  nor  does  it  require  much  observation 
oi*  credulity  to  lead  one  to  the  conclusion  that 
they  are  not  altogether  ignorant  of  the  meaning 
of  the  words  which  they  are  taught.  They  appl, 
them,  at  least,  very  often,  very  opportunely.  We 
know  of  a  parrot  that  was  very  fond  of  a  bone — 
not  a  good  thing  to  give  a  parrot  by  the  way — 
and  when  the  bird  had  picked  it,  he  would  whis- 
tle to  and  call  by  name,  the  spaniel  that  was  suf- 
fered to  run  about  the  house.  When  the  dog 
came,  as  he  always  did  when  within  hearing,  the 
parrot  would  drop  the  bone  out  of  his  cage  ;  and 
the  dog  very  complacently  picked  it  up  and  pro- 


ceeded then  and  there  to  feed  upon  it,  the  parrot 
looking  down  on  him  and  calling  him  "Pretty 
Beau,"  ever  and  anon  during  the  operation. 
When  dinner  was  brought,  the  parrot  would 
climb  up  the  bar  of  its  cage,  and  there  remain, 
crying,  "Bring  Polly's  sop,"  till  something  was 
given  to  it.  If  a  bottle  of  ale  or  wine  were 
brought  in,  it  would  say,  "Waiter  !  Waiter  !  a 
bottle  of  wine  and  a  cigar."  This  parrot,  wliich 
was  an  excellent  talker,  had  not  been  taught  to 
call  the  dog,  but  he  had  been  in  the  habit  of  hear- 
ing him  called  to  receive  bones  and  bits,  ajid  did 
likewise. — Frazer's  Magazine. 


For  tite  Hew  England  Farmer. 
ECONOMY  IN  BEE   CULTURE. 

I  was  pleased  to  notice  an  article  in  the  New 
England  Farmer,  monthly,  for  June,  entitled 
"Cheap  Bee  Hives,"  coming  from  the  pen  of  one 
so  justly  celebrated  as  a  successful  apiarian.  It 
will,  I  am  confident,  have  a  salutary  influence 
upon  many.  The  munerous  attempts  that  have 
been  made,  and  the  large  amount  of  money  that 
has  been  spent  to  improve  the  dwelling  of  the 
honey  bee,  and  which  have  proved  futile,  have 
caused  many  to  think  that  bee  culture,  is  a  branch 
of  rural  economy  that  "wont  pay."  Others  have 
gone  back  to  Ac  old  box  hive  and  brimstone,  as 
the  only  sure  way  of  getting  a  portion  of  the 
honey  gathered  by  their  bees.  I  want  a  cheap 
bee-hive — one  that  will  give  the  bees  ample  room, 
and  every  facility  for  storing  their  food  for  the 
many  months  they  are  unable  to  gather  from  the 
fields,  and  to  rear  their  young  ;  one  in  which  they 
M'ill  deposit  for  my  own  use  the  surplus  they  may 
gather,  and  in  a  style  that  will  look  the  neatest 
when  placed  upon  the  table,  or  that  will  find  a 
ready  sale  when  off'ered  in  market. 

The  honey  harvest  with  us  is  usually  of  but 
short  duration,  and  whatever  the  bees  do  they 
must  do  quickly.  If  a  swarm  of  bees  are  put 
into  a  hive  that  is  lined  upon  the  sides  and  top 
with  loose  particles  of  wood  or  dirt,  that  might 
prevent  the  bees  from  fastening  their  comb  firm- 
ly, they  are,  from  necessity,  detained  from  their 
proper  vocation  of  honey-gathering  and  comb- 
building,  until  they  can  remove  it  from  the  hive. 

When  the  honey  is  plenty  in  the  field,  a  large 
colony  of  bees  will  store  it  very  I'apidly,  For 
instance,  in  June,  1856,  a  swarm  of  bees  was  put 
into  an  empty  hive  containing  1965  cubic  inches, 
which  within  thirteen  days  from  the  time  they 
were  hived,  was  filled  with  brood  and  store  comb  ; 
also  two  boxes,  each  containing  12  pounds  of 
honey.  The  hive  was  of  a  very  simple  model, 
planed  smooth  and  clean  inside.  Planing  the 
inside  of  a  hive  is  but  the  work  of  a  few  mo- 
ments for  a  mechanic,  and  much  less  time  than  it 
would  take  a  large  swarm  of  bees  to  clear  from 
the  hive  the  loose  particles  of  wood  that  always 
adhere  to  sawed  lumber,  besides  the  dirt  and  dust 
that  usually  finds  a  resting-place  upon  lumber 
while  it  is  seasoning.  I  think  the  swarm  of 
which  I  have  made  mention  stored  more  honey 
than  they  would  have  done  in  an  unplaned  hive. 
In  that  particular  I  must  difi'er  from  Mr.  Quim- 
by,  thinking  it  true  economy  to  plane  the  inside 
of  a  bee-hive,  and  charge  the  necessary  expense 
to  the  bees.  Amicus. 


IC, 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Jan. 


MOUNTAIN  SEEDLING  GOOSBBEKKY. 


This  is  a  new  variety,  which  originated  in  New 
Lebanon,  N.  Y.  Fruit  of  medium  size,  roundish- 
oval,  red  ;  flesh  fine,  tender,  and  when  fully  ripe, 
sweet,  and  fully  equal  to  the  best.  Skin  not  as 
thick  as  many  of  the  English  sorts.  Great  grower 
and  bearer ;  fruit  on  long  stems,  on  drooping 
branches  ;  few  thorns ;  fruit  very  easily  gathered. 
Perfectly  hardy  in  bush  and  fruit,  as  it  n-ever  mil- 
dews. One  of  the  very  best,  if  not  the  best,  for 
general  cultivation,  as  it  is  free  from  all  the 
objections  brought  against  the  English  sorts  in 
regard  to  mildew,  while  it  is  much  larger  than 
the  Houghton's  seedling,  a  well  known  and  fine 
American  sort. 


STKA-WBERBY   BEDS. 

It  is  a  common  objection  with  amateur  cultiva- 
tors of  the  strawberry,  that  their  beds  constant- 
ly require  replanting.  Also  that  they  are  great- 
ly troubled  with  the  weeds  during  the  bearing 
period.  To  such,  and  to  all  others  not  acquainted 
with  the  cultivation  of  this  most  desirable  fruit, 
we  would  say,  that  if  they  will  as  soon  this  month 
as  convenient  give  their  beds  a  good  dressing  of 
short,  well-rotted  stable-manure,  broken  up  fine- 
ly— as  solid  lumps  may  press  too  heavily  upon 
the  plants — previously  applying  a  tolerable  sprink- 
ling of  wood  ashes,  if  at  hand — the  plants  will 
be  preserved  in  fine,  vigorous  health,  and  will 
take  a  very  early  start  when  the  season  opens 
again.  In  the  spring,  very  little  of  the  manure, 
if  any,  need  be  removed — the  plants  will  strike 
through  the  covering  energetically,  and  the  top- 
dressing  will  act  as  a  mulching,  j^reserve  the 
ground  in  a  properly  humid  state,  and  prevent 


the  growth  of  weeds.   ^We  follow  this  plan  with 
entire  success.  • 

It  is  folly  to  complain  of  a  want  of  succesc  in 
the  production  of  any  fruits,  if  the  necessary  and. 
obvious  means  are  not  adopted  to  entitle  us  to 
success.  Those  who  are  unwilling  to  give  a  little 
time,  labor  and  expense  to  their  proper  cultiva- 
tion, had  better  abandon  it  altogether. — Oerman- 
toivn  Telegraph. 


The  Sugar  Cane. — It  is  probable  that  rmo 
plants  will  be  gradually  brought  to  the  notice  of 
the  cultivator  of  the  soil  as  long  as  he  finds  it 
necessary  to  resort  to  it  for  a  subsistence,  an3. 
others,  not  considered  so  good,  will  gradually 
give  place  to  them.  The  Chinese  sugar  cane  may 
take  high  rank,  and  long  be  considered  one  among 
the  good  ones ;  at  any  rate,  we  do  not  yet  know 
enough  about  it.  We  are,  therefore,  happy  to 
notice  that  Mr.  J.  F.  C.  Hyde,  of  Newton  Cen- 
tre, proposes  to  lecture  upon  it  during  the  com- 
ing winter,  for  a  moderate  compensation,  before 
such  associations  as  may  favor  him  with  a  call 
Mr.  H.  has  incurred  considerable  expense  in  cuj,- 
tivating  the  cane,  expressing  its  juice  and  manu- 
facturing it  into  syrup,  and  in  making  paper  from 
the  waste  stem. 

A  Rousing  Crop. — It  is  estimated  that  Illi- 
nois this  season  will  produce  two  hundred  ana 
eighty  millions  bushels  of  grain — more  than  ten 
bushels  for  every  man,  woman  and  child  in  the 
United  States.  This  will  knock  the  speculators 
into  the  middle  of  next  year. — Ohio  Valley  Far 
mer. 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


17 


MANUKING   OMT  THE    SURFACE. 

Surface  manuring  is  no  new  idea ;  yet  if  our 
memory  serves  us,  the  practice  is  almost  univer- 
sally ignored  by  agricultural  writers  of  the  pres- 
ent day,  as  a  method  of  manuring.  It  is  acknowl- 
edged as  a  very  good  thing  to  preserve  favorite 
plants  or  newly  set  out  trees  from  the  effect  of 
drought,  but  very  little  beyond  this.  "Those  who 
imagine,"  says  tile  editor  of  the  Working  Farmer, 
"they  find  good  results  from  spreading  of  manure 
on  the  surface,  and  leaving  it  for  days,  weeks  or 
months  before  it  is  plowed  under,  mistake  the  ac- 
tion of  the  litter  or  longer  portions  of  the  manure 
as  a  mulch,  for  the  action  of  the  manure  on  the 
soil."  We  so  far  differ  from  this  and  kindred 
opinions  on  the  subject,  that  we  think  manuring 
on  the  surface,  for  ninety-nine  farmers  in  a  hun- 
dred the  best  general  method  of  application. — 
We  except  all  cases  where  the  drill  application 
of  compost  is  found  desirable,  and  garden  and 
lot  culture.  Nor  do  we  maintain  that  there  is 
not  a  more  perfect  method  of  preserving  and  pre- 
paring all  the  elements  of  the  manure  heap,  by 
its  ca^-eful  husbandry  under  sheds,  an  occasional 
treatment  with  diluted  sulphuric  acid,  or  some 
other  "fixer,"  a  cistei-n  to  catch  the  drainings,  and 
a  pump  to  pump  them  back  upon  the  heap,  and 
patience  and  perseverance  and  constant  watchful- 
ness. A  more  perfect  method  still  is  that  of  Mr. 
Mechi,  who  applies  his  manure  only  in  a  liquid 
state,  and  for  this  purpose  has  his  farm  traversed 
■with  iron  pipes,  to  convey  the  fluid  to  the  differ- 
ent fields.  He  says  it  pays  in  England,  and  it 
may  be  so,  though  his  neighbors  doubt  it  very 
much.  But  on  a  Virginia  farm,  Ave  think  sensible 
men  would  account  the  Sheriff  of  London  stark 
mad.  We  maintain  that  this  mode  of  manuring 
(viz. :  on  the  surface)  is  in  itself  so  little  inferior 
to  the  most  perfect  methods,  that  taking  into  con- 
sideration the  circumstances  of  our  farming  pop- 
'ulation,  the  extent  of  surface  and  high  price  of 
labor,  the  attention,  and  time  and  management 
that  the  mass  of  farmers  can  give  to  this  branch 
of  their  operations,  it  is  for  them  the  most  econ- 
omical and  the  best.     It  icillpay  better. 

We  ask  now  the  reader's  attention  to  the  am- 
monia theory.  That  ammonia  is  the  element  of 
gi'eatest  value  in  stable  manures,  we  do  not  ques- 
tion. That  it  is  very  volatile,  flies  off  and  escapes 
by  exposure  to  the  atmosphere,  everybody  knows. 
Upon  these  principles  is  based  th°  recommenda- 
tion to  plow  under  immediately,  manures  which 
yield  ammonia,  that  the  earth  may  absorb  and 
preserve  it.  Now  let  it  be  distinctly  borne  in 
mind,  that  fresh  manure  of  any  sort  does  not 
contain  this  volatile  ammonia,  but  only  nitrogen, 
which  is  not  volatile,  out  of  which  the  ammonia 
is  formed  ;  and  that  ammonia  is  generated  only 
as  the  nitrogen  putrefies  in  the  rotting  manures. 
If  the  manure  accumulates  in  the  stable,  the 
warmth  and  moisture  of  the  daily  additions  soon 
bring  on  active  fermentation,  and  the  pungent 
ammonia  which  assails  us,  is  the  result  of  the  pu- 
trefaction thus  caused.  Until  this  process  of  rot- 
ting commences,  ammonia  is  not  formed,  and  the 
manure  not  liable  to  waste,  and  it  ceases  to  be 
generated  when  the  rotting  is  checked.  Now  when 
we  are  ready  to  remove  our  manure  heaps  in  the 
spring,  we  find  them  usually  rotting  to  some  ex- 
tent. Let  us  follow,  and  observe  the  whole  pro- 
cess     It  is  taken  up  first,  forkful  by  forkful,  and 


pitched  into  the  cart,  the  ammonia,  of  course  all 
the  time  seeking  its  freedom  ;  it  is  hauled,  reek 
ing  and  .smoking,  a  long  distance  pei-haps,  to  the 
field  ;  now  it  is  dropped  into  small  heaps,  where 
it  remains  a  week  or  so,  until  you  are  ready  to 
plow  the  land.  If  you  are  ready,  or  when  you 
are  ready,  these  heaps  are  carefully  spread  out  on 
the  ground,  the  more  perfectly  the  better,  and 
then  plowed  under,  not  immediately,  even  under 
the  most  careful  management,  but  as  soon  as  it 
can  be  done — with  a  delay,  ordinarily,  of  an  av- 
erage of  some  hours.  Now,  with  all  this  neces- 
sary opening  and  forking,  and  tossing  and  spread- 
ing, our  impression  is,  that  the  free  ammonia  is 
very  much  like  the  Frenchman's  flea,  which,  when 
he  put  his  finger  upon  it,  Avasn't  there  ;  the  point 
of  time  when  we  are  ready  to  lay  hold  of  it,  is 
just  when  we  may  as  well  save  ourselves  the  trou- 
ble :  it  is  not  there.  But  let  it  be  borne  in  mind, 
that  the  ammonia  we  have  been  dealing  with,  is 
that  only  which  was  generated  in  the  rotting  heap, 
before  its  removah  When  the  heap  was  opened 
to  the  air,  the  process  of  rotting  ceased,  and  am- 
monia was  no  longer  formed.  Supposing,  then, 
this  free  ammonia  is  pretty  well  gone,  at  any  rate, 
Ave  have  the  remainder  of  the  manure,  with  its 
unchanged  nitrogen,  (not  ammonia)  to  deal  with. 
PloAv  this  under  to  the  depth  of  eight  inches,  and 
for  want  of  the  proper-  temperature  to  cause  its 
putrefaction,  it  may  remain  unchanged  and  una- 
vailable, until  another  ploAving  shall  bring  it  up 
again  to  the  influence  of  heat  and  moisture,  which 
Avill  disengage  the  ammonia.  It  is  a  frequent  ex- 
perience, that  Ave  plow  under  deeply  for  a  spring 
crop,  fresh  stable  manure,  and  receive  no  benefit 
from  it  whatever,  until  it  is  brought  up  again  ot 
the  surface,  and  the  Avheat  crop  folloAving  reaps 
the  advantage. 

But  suppose,  instead  of  making  a  week  or  tAvo 
weeks'  heavy  labor  of  hauling  out  manure  in  the 
spring,  when  the  teams  are  at  best  not  strong,  and 
there  is  a  press  of  hard  work  on  hand,  you  get 
rid  of  this  necessity  of  hauling  out  and  plowing 
under  simultaneously  ;  and  hauling  at  your  con- 
venience, you  throw  the  manure  upon  the  surface 
of  the  grass  field,  what  is  the  result  ?  At  the 
Avorst,  as  we  have  shown  above,  there  is  equal  loss 
of  the  free  ammonia,  when  the  manure  is  plowed 
under.  In  both  cases,  that  is  about  all  gone,  be- 
fore it  can  be  Avith  certainty  taken  possession  of, 
by  any  process.  The  mass  remaining  on  the  sur- 
face, however,  the  work  of  putrefaction,  which 
made  the  free  ammonia,  and  Avhich  Avas  stopped 
by  the  opening  and  exposure  of  the  heaps,  is  now 
recommenced  and  very  slowly  carried  on  by  the 
wannth  and  moisture  at  the  surface.  The  ammo- 
nia thus  formed  is  absorbed  by  the  litter  above 
it,  and  washed  down  by  every  shoAver  into  contact, 
and  combines  chemically  Avith  the  humus  at  the 
sui-face,  or  with  the  soil  itself.  But  bear  in  mind, 
that  Avhen  these  frequent  removals  are  made,  we 
never  find  the  heaps  in  such  a  state  of  putrefac- 
tion as  Avhen  Ave  postpone  to  some  one  allotted 
time,  and  therefore  never  have  so  much  free  am- 
monia to  deal  with.  A  very  large  proportion  of 
the  manure  never  begins  to  rot  before  it  is  re- 
moved. By  this  plan,  moreover,  we  take  favora- 
ble opportunities  for  hauling,  and  may  carry  out 
much  of  the  manure  in  damp  or  moderately  rainy 
weather,  when  the  shoAvers  will  Avash  the  ready 
formed  ammonia  immediately  into  the  soil. 


18 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Jan. 


We  have  thus  undertaken  to  show,  that  the 
practice  of  manuring  on  the  surface  is  not  incon- 
sistent with  admitted  chemical  principk^s,  when 
properly  applied  ;  and  we  submit  the  explanation 
to  the  judgment  of  practical  men,  familiar  with 
the  processes  of  fai-m  management. — American 
Farmer. 

For  the  New  England  Fanner. 

HOW  TO  KEEP  PARSNIPS  FOB  WINTER 
AND  SPRING  USE. 

Let  them  remain  in  the  ground  as  long  as  they 
can,  without  danger  of  being  frozen  in  for  the 
winter.  Then  dig  them,  cut  off  the  tops,  and 
pack  them  in  boxes,  barrels,  or  casks  of  any  kind, 
cover  them  with  moist  earth,  shaking  it  down  so 
as  to  fill  pretty  solid ;  cover  over  the  tops  so  as  to 
keep  out  too  much  wet,  and  let  them  stand  out  of 
doors  until  they  are  well  frozen,  then  move  the 
vessels  into  the  cellar,  being  careful  not  to  disturb 
^he  roots,  and  let  the  frost  work  out  graduaHy. 
The  best  parsnips  that  I  have  ever  eaten  were 
treated  in  this  manner,  and  they  were  in  fine  eat- 
ing order,  from  the  middle  of  January  to  the  mid- 
dle of  June.  Those  that  follow  the  old  method  of 
letting  their  parsnips  remain  in  the  ground  until 
spring,  cannot  know  how  much  they  lose  in  good 
eating,  and  economy.  I  think  that  parsnips  would 
be  a  profitable  crop  to  cultivate  for  feeding  stock, 
particularly  swine,  since  the  failure  of  the  potato. 
To  insure  a  good  crop,  and  good  roots,  be  very 
particular  in  the  choice  of  seed ;  always  choose 
the  largest,  smoothest,  and  best  shaped  roots  to 
raise  seed  from,  and  see  that  no  wild  parsnips  are 
suffered  to  grow  in  their  neighborhood. 

Mks.  N.  Darling. 

New  Haven,  Conn.,  Nov.  6th,  1857. 


HOW  CAN  SETTING  HENS  BE  TAUGHT 
TO  FORSAKE  THE  LAZY  HABIT  ? 

Make  a  small  open  pen,  of  laths,  or  some  simi- 
lar material,  in  one  corner  of  your  hen-house, 
about  eight  inches  wide,  and  of  any  convenient 
length  and  height.  Let  one  of  the  laths  or  slats 
be  so  secui'ed  that  it  may  be  easily  taken  out,  or 
moved  one  side,  so  that  a  hen  may  be  convenient- 
ly passed  into  or  taken  out  of  the  pen.  On  the 
bottom  of  this  pen,  and  running  lengthwise 
through  it,  set  up  a  couple  of  laths  on  edge,  and 
fasten  them  about  the  same  distance  from  each 
other,  and  from  the  sides  of  the  pen.  Run  a  small 
perch  across  the  pen  and  the  work  is  done.  When 
a  hen  wishes  to  set,  put  her  in  there.  She  will 
soon  find  that  she  can  walk  leisurely  upon  the 
floor,  or  roost  comfortably  u^Don  the  perch,  but 
she  can't  set  without  "riding  on  a  rail,"  and  that, 
they  seem  to  think,  isn't  decorous.  The  length 
of  time  for  which  they  will  have  to  be  confined 
will  vary  somewhat,  and  in  obstinate  cases  it  may 
be  necessary  to  put  a  few  pegs  or  tacks  into  the 
edges  of  the  laths. — Genesee  Farmer. 


Hens. — If  the  legs  of  hens  become  broken, 
the^'  will  lay  their  eggs  without  shells  until  the 
fracture  is  repaired,  all  the  lime  in  the  circulation 
being  employed  for  the  purpose-  of  reuniting  the 
bones. — Ohio  Valley  Farmer. 


HYBRIDIZATION. 

Mr.  Brown  : — In  reading  the  address  deliver- 
ed by  A.  R.  Pope,  before  the  Middlesex  A;p-ictd- 
tiiral  Society,  I  noticed  a  few  remarks  upon  the 
hybridized  ion  of  idants.  Will  you  please  inform 
me  through  the  columns  of  the  Farmer,  concern- 
ing the  manner  in  which  it  is  performed. 

A.  DeWolf. 

Deerfield,  Mass.,  Oct.  12th,  1857. 

Remarks. — Shake  the  pollen  or  dust  of  the 
blossoms  of  one  species  into  the  blossom  of  anoth- 
er, and  that  makes  a  cross,  and  is  called  hybridi- 
zation. The  subject  is  one  of  interest,  and  ought 
to  be  better  understood  than  it  is.  We  have  ex- 
amined some  authorities,  and  give  the  following 
as  a  brief  illustration  of  the  principles  involved 
in  the  process. 

Observing  that  farmers  who  rear  cattle  improve 
the  progenj^  by  means  of  crossing  the  breed,  Mr. 
Knight  argued  from  analogy,  that  the  same  im- 
provement might  be  introduced  into  vegetables. 
His  principal  object  was  that  of  procuring  new 
and  improved  varieties  of  the  apple  and  pear,  to 
supply  the  place  of  such  as  had  become  diseased 
and  unproductive.  But  as  the  necessary  slowness 
of  all  experiments  of  the  kind,  with  regard  to  the 
fruit  in  question,  did  not  keep  pace  with  the  ar- 
dor of  his  desire  to  obtain  information  on  the 
subject,  he  was  induced  to  institute  some  experi- 
ments upon  the  common  pea  ;  a  plant  well  suited 
to  his  purjiose,  both  from  its  quickness  of  growth, 
and  from  the  many  varieties  in  form,  size  and 
color  which  it  afforded.  In  1787,  a  degenerate 
sort  of  pea  was  growing  in  his  garden,  which  had 
not  recovered  its  former  vigor  even  when  removed 
to  a  better  soil.  Being  thus  a  good  subject  of  ex- 
periment, the  male  organs  of  a  dozen  of  its  im- 
mature blossoms  were  destroyed,  and  the  female 
organs  left  entire.  When  the  blossoms  had  at- 
tained their  mature  state,  the  pollen  of  a  very 
large  and  luxuriant  grey  pea  was  introduced  into 
the  one-half  of  them,  but  not  into  the  other.  The 
pods  of  both  grew  equally  ;  but  the  seeds  of  the 
half  that  were  unimpregnated,  withered  away 
without  having  augmented  beyond  the  size  to 
which  they  had  attained  before  the  blossoms  ex- 
panded. The  seeds  of  the  other  half  were  aug- 
mented and  matured,  as  in  the  ordinary  process 
of  impregnation  ;  and  exhibited  no  perceptible 
difference  from  those  of  other  plants  of  the  same 
variety  ;  perhaps  because  the  external  covering 
of  the  seed  was  furnished  by  the  female.  But 
when  they  were  made  to  vegetate  in  the  succeed- 
ing spring,  the  effect  of  the  experiment  was  obvi- 
ous. The  plants  rose  with  great  luxuriance,  in- 
dicating in  their  stem,  leaves,  and  fruit,  the  in- 
flence  of  this  artificial  impregnation  ;  the  seeds 
produced  were  of  a  dark  grey.  By  impregnating 
the  flowers  of  this  variety  with  the  pollen  of  oth- 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARRIER. 


19 


ers,  the  color  was  again  changed,  and  new  varie- 
ties obtained,  superior  in  every  respect  to  the 
original  on  which  the  experiment  was  fii-st  made, 
and  attaining,  in  some  cases,  to  a  height  of  more 
than  twelve  feet. 

The  practicability  of  improving  the  species  is 
rendered  strikingly  obvious  by  these  experiments ; 
and  the  ameliorating  effect  is  the  same,  whether  by 
the  male  or  female ;  as  was  ascertained  by  imj)reg- 
nating  the  largest  and  most  luxuriant  plants  with 
the  pollen  of  the  most  diminutive  and  dwarfish, 
or  the  contrary.  By  such  means,  any  number  of 
species  may  be  obtained,  according  to  the  will  of 
the  experimenter,  amongst  which  some  will  no 
doubt  be  suited  to  all  soils  and  situations. — 
Knight's  experiments  of  this  kind  were  extend- 
ed also  to  wheat ;  but  not  with  equal  success  ;  for 
though  some  very  good  varieties  were  obtained, 
yet  they  were  found  not  to  be  permanent.  But 
the  success  of  his  experiments  on  the  apple  tree 
•were  equal  to  his  hopes.  This  was,  indeed,  his 
principal  object,  and  no  means  of  obtaining  a  suc- 
cessful issue  were  left  untried.  The  plants  which 
were  obtained  in  this  case  were  found  to  possess 
the  good  qualities  of  both  of  the  varieties  employ- 
ed, uniting  the  greatest  health  and  luxuriance 
with  the  finest  and  best-flavored  fruit. 

Sir.  Pope's  process  in  hybridizing  was  proba- 
bly a  similar  one.  When  corn  mixes,  as  we  term 
it,  it  is  a  process  of  hybridization.  On  referring  to 
LiNDSEY,  Knight,  or  Loubon,  our  correspon- 
dent will  find  the  matter  treated  so  as  to  give 
Jum  a  pretty  clear  idea  of  it.  It  is  also  briefly 
touched  on  in  Downing's  late  edition  of  the  Fruits 
and  Fruit  Trees  of  America. 


A  VEGETABLE  CUEIOSITY— THE 
TUMBLE  ■WEE.D. 

Among  all  the  examples  chosen  from  the  innu- 
merable productions  of  nature  to  illustrate  natu- 
ral theology,  I  do  not  recollect  to  have  seen  the 
tumble  weed,  at  it  is  commonly  called,  (I  have 
not  looked  out  the  botanical  name,)  and  yet  if  it 
is  not  a  speaking  witness,  it  is  a  living,  moving 
witness  that  there  is  an  intelligent  creature.  These 
may  be  seen  moving  across  almost  any  of  the 
large  western  fields  in  the  fall  of  the  year,  and  re- 
main all  winter  in  the  corners  of  the  fences,  as  if 
stationed  to  remind  the  passer-by  that  there  is  a 
God.  I  have  just  brought  one  of  these  weeds  in- 
to my  study.  It  is  of  the  common  form,  and  a 
little  above  the  common  size.  It  resembles  a 
gooseberry  bush,  or  it  is  of  the  general  form  and 
size  of  a  farmer's  corn-basket,  and  so  nearly  round 
or  globular  that  a  light  wind  Avill  roll  or  tumble 
it  along  upon  the  ground,  dropping  its  countless 
seeds  all  the  way.  And  nature  has  not  only  given 
it  this  self-threshing  and  self-sowing  power,  but 
has  connected  with  it  a  provision  for  getting  loose. 
The  strong  thick  root  becomes  so  weak  about  an 
inch  below  ground,  just  as  the  weed  gets  ripe  that 
a  light  wind  will  hurl  it  about  in  every  direction. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
"YOUNG  MEN  AND  THE  FARM." 

Mr,  Editor  : — The  article  in  your  journal  of 
October  30,  vol.  12,  No.  44,  under  the  above  ti- 
tle, attracted  my  attention,  and,  being  one  of 
those  to  whom  it  was  addressed,  and  whom  the 
advice  therein  contained  was  intended  to  benefit, 
I  thought,  before  acting  upon  said  advice — -and 
the  time  di'aws  near  when  I  shall  choose  my  vo- 
cation— that  I  should  like  to  propound  a  few 
ques'tions  to  the  author  of  the  article  above  re- 
ferred to.  If  he  is  advising  "young  men"  for 
their  good,  he  can  easily  answer  them. 

1st.  Would  you  advise  one  to  remain  on  the 
"old  farm,"  and  with  the  "old  man"  to  "cultivate 
the  productive  vineyard  which  God  gave  for  an 
inheritance,"  when  said  vineyard,  in  retuni  for 
unremitting  labor  from  sunrise  till  sunset,  year 
after  year,  will  hardly  yield  sufficient  to  board 
and  clothe  the  family  in  the  most  common  man- 
ner, and  render  it  possible  to  keep  one  room  in 
the  house  comfortable,  during  our  long,  cold  win- 
ters ? 

2nd.  Would  you  advise  one  to  remain  on  the 
"old  farm,"  where  it  is  absolutely  necessary  that 
the  females  should  struggle  with  their  household 
duties  from  early  morn,  even  before  the  sun  glad- 
dens the  earth  with  its  golden  rays,  until  nine  or 
even  ten — as  is  too  often  the  case — in  the  even- 
ing, destroying  their  health,  cramping  and  weak- 
ening that  intellect,  which,  when  properly  devel- 
oped, transforms  the  woman  into  an  angel  who 
will  minister  to  the  wants  of  man,  and  strew  his 
rugged  path  with  flowers  ? 

Would  you  advise  me,  then,  to  remain  upon  a 
farm,  the  household  duties  of  which  tax  the  fe- 
male strength  even  beyond  its  power  of  endur- 
ance ?  If  so,  suppose  another  female  should  be 
added  to  the  group  which  now  struggles  so  hard 
for  a  living  ? 

Lastly : — Would  you  advise  one  to  remain  on 
a  farm  which  afi'ords  but  few  moments,  occasion- 
ally, for  study, and  still  ievtex  means,  &vl6.  less  time 
to  the  women — who  ought  to  have  the  most — 
than  to  the  men  ? 

K  you  do  advise  me,  and  other  "young  men,"  to 
remain  upon  such  farms,  please  inform  us  in 
what  manner  fai'mers  may  afford  to  give  their 
"women  folks"  a  reasonable  length  of  time,  daily, 
and  the  means  for  study ;  for,  as  our  farms  are 
now  conducted,  females  must  be  as  slaves.  Also, 
be  kind  enough  to  inform  me,  how  I  may  gain 
time  and  the  means  for  study,  being  penniless, 
and  rest  assured  that  your  advice,  "to  remain  up- 
on the  old  farm,  and  with  the  old  man,"  will  be 
strictly  followed,  by  A  Farmer's  Son. 

North  Bridgewater,  Nov.,  1857. 

Remarks. — It  is  probable  that  only  some  gen- 
eral advice  can  be  given  "A  Farmer's  Son,"  in 
the  midst  of  such  an  accumulation  of  difficulties ; 
but  his  queries  may  draw  out,  from  some  source, 
valuable  suggestions  to  all  young  men. 


Cure  for  Staimmering. — At  every  syllable 
pronounced,  tap  at  the  same  time  with  the  finger. 
By  so  doing  the  most  inveterate  stammerer  will 
be   sui-prised  to   fiLiid  he   can  pronounce   quite 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Jan'. 


fluently,  and  by  long  and  constant  jiractice,  he 
will  pronounce  perfectly  well.  This  may  be  ex- 
plained in  two  ways,  either  by  a  sjinpathctie  con- 
sentaneous action  of  the  nerves  of  voluntary  mo- 
tion in  the  finger,  and  in  those  of  the  tongue, 
which  is  the  most  probable  ;  or  it  may  be  that 
the  movement  of  the  finger  distracts  the  atten- 
tion of  the  individual  from  his  speech,  and  allows 
a  free  action  of  the  nerves  concerned  in  articula- 
tion.— Scientific  American. 


For  tlie  New  England  Farmer, 
LETTER  FROM  MAJOR  FRENCH. 
Thb  Mobthly  Farmer  for   November — Maiterb  at  Wash- 

INQTON. 

My  Dear  Captain  : — What  do  I  know  to  in- 
terest a  farmer  ?  Well,  that's  a  tough  question 
for  me  to  answer.  It  is  not  to  be  supposed  that 
I  know  much — I,  "a  limb  of  the  law,"  reduced  by 
redticiion,  ascending,  I'd  have  you  to  know,  from  a 
politician,  an  office-holder,  an  Alderman  !  (I  have 
thus  far  escaped  being  Mayor,  although  I  saw 
last  summer  that  some  of  the  papers  honored  me 
with  that  title,)  to  a  plain,  practising  lawyer,  it  is 
not  to  be  expected  that  I  know  much  about  far- 
ming. Still  I  read  the  Monthly  Neio  England 
Farmer  as  regularly  as  I  ever  did  the  New  Hamj)- 
shire  Spectator  when  it  was  my  own  darling  bant- 
ling! 

I  intended  to  have  enlightened  you,  and  your 
readers,  futher  about  the  United  States  Agricultu- 
ral Exhibition  at  Louisville,  and  believe  I  prom- 
ised to  do  so,  but  I  broke  that  promise  about  as 
short  ofi*  as  ever  an  L'ishman  did  the  stem  of  his 
dulideen,  and  the  why  it  was  done  was,  that  I  left 
Louisville  very  unexpectedly  the  day  prior  to  the 
closing  of  the  exhibition,  and  my  time  and  atten- 
tion was  so  entirely  engrossed  by  other  matters, 
that  I  could  find  no  time  to  post  you  up  even  for 
the  short  time  that  elapsed  between  the  closing 
of  the  letter  which  I  sent,  and  the  hour  of  my 
leaving  the  grounds,  10  A.  M.  on  Friday  ;  and  if 
the  whole  concern  had  been  sunk  by  an  earth- 
quake in  five  minutes  after  I  left  it,  I  could  not 
have  heard,  or  known  less  about  its  closing  hours, 
or  its  results,  than  I  now  do. 

Would  you  like  to  know  the  reason  why,  at 
this  particular  time,  I  have  undertaken  to  Avrite 
you  a  letter  ?  Well,  you  shall  have  it.  I  took 
up  the  November  number  of  the  Farmer  this 
morning,  and  read  it  pretty  thoroughly  through. 
It  interested  me  much  more  than  usual ;  the  ar- 
ticles struck  a  corresponding  chord  in  my  Agri- 
culto  musiccil  gamut,  and  my  feelings  responded 
as  you  have  doubtless  heard  the  chords  of  a  piano 
respond  to  the  notes  of  another  musical  instru- 
ment played  in  the  same  room,  and  the  feeling 
came  irresistibly  over  me,  that  I  must  write  to 
you,  and  so  I  am  writing !  • 

"John  DuvJnp,"  "hal  ha!  ha!"  so  I  exclaimed, 
and  so  I  laughed,  when  I  saw  that  old  familiar 
name.  Why,  Governor,  I  am  on  the  shady  side 
of  a  half  century,  considerably  so,  and  yet  among 
the  very  earliest  recollections  of  my  boyhood, 
"Johidun,"  for  that's  what  we  used  to  call  him, 
and  for  many  years  I  supposed  his  name  actually 
was  "Johndun  Lap,"  figures  in  the  foreground. 
He  was  #/;t' ingenious  fellow  of  the  neighborhood. 
He  could  tinker  a  clock,  mend  a  watch,  solder  a 


hole  in  a  tin  pan,  doctor  men,  women,  horses  and 
cattle,  write  poetry,  compound  root  beer,  manu- 
facture fulminating  powder,  cast  small  cannons, 
&c.  &:c.  For  ycairs  I  have  not  heard  of  him,  till 
il  saw  his  familiar  name,  and  back  came  his  famil- 
iar face,  and  such  a  host  of  familiar  scenes  of  my 
boyhood,  that  I  revelled  for  a  good  hour  in  the 
past,  and  blessed  my  old  friend — he  must  be  pret- 
ty old  now — for  writing  that  note  so  cliaracteristic 
of  himself.  I  hope  some  person  more  scientific 
on  the  subject  of  waspS  than  I  am,  will  answer 
his  question. 

I  was  not  a  little  amused  at  the  difference  of 
opinion  expressed  by  difi'erent  writers  about  the 
sorghnm.  There  is  your  correspondent  "I."  of 
Princeton,  Mass.,  who  is  down  on  the  "wonderful 
cane"  worse  than  "a  thousand  of  brick,"  fully 
equal  to  an  entire  brick  wall  thirty  feet  high,  and 
a  hundred  feet  long  !  he  does  not  believe  in  it, 
not  by  any  means ;  and  "J.  D.  Canning,"  he  thinks 
common  corn  stalks  will  make  as  good  molasses 
as  the  sugar  cane.  "J.  H.  X.'s"  experience  is  some- 
what more  encouraging,  though  not  by  any  means 
up  to  the  Avonderful  theoretical  experience  ex- 
pressed a  year  or  more  ago,  by  the  sanguine.  "J, 
H.  N's"  pig  did  not  show  any  remarkable  fond- 
ness for  it  as  fodder,  and  his  cow  exhibited  her 
want  of  good  taste  in  the  same  way.  My  cow  is 
a.  female  who  knows  what's  good,  and  she  made 
way  most  ravenously  with  a  small  patch  which  I 
raised  in  my  garden  merely  for  fodder.  "L.  W. 
M."  tried  his  hand  at  syrup,  making  it  with  the 
sugar  cane  and  Avith  corn  stall's,  and  the  corn 
stalks  beat  all  hollow,  both  in  the  production  of 
quantity  and  quality  !  which  very  properly  led 
your  friend  "L.  W.  M."  to  the  conclusion  that  the 
loondcrful  sorghum  was  pretty  much  another  xcon- 
derfid  Moras  Multicctulis  humbug !  And  then 
we  come  to  your  own,  "one  houfs  experience  on 
the  first  sugar  estate  of  Massachusetts."  You 
ought  to  have  staid  longer,  Governor.  "An  hour" 
wont  do  to  find  out  all  the  mysteries  of  Chinese 
sugar  cane  !  However,  your  advice  is  excellent, 
and  is  not  backed  up  by  the  undue  expression  of 
either  hopes  or  fears.  You  are  calm,  "calm  as  a 
summer's  morning,"  and  the  motto  in  Oil  Bias, 
"patience,  and  shuffle  the  cards,"  hits  your  ideas 
exactly  ;  patience,  and  try  the  experiment  fairly 
and  carefully  before  condemning,  is  what  you  de- 
sire, and  you  are  right ;  but  I  rather  guess  when 
it  is  thoroughly  ti'ied  to  the  end,  the  end  will  be 
found  somewhat  more  hitter  than  sweet!  The 
cane  I  raised  here,  grew  well,  and  to  the  height 
of  from  ten  to  fifteen  feet.  I  had  not  sufficient  to 
try  any  saccharine  experiments,  and  so  used  i'  for 
fodder  in  September,  and  for  that  purpose  I  have 
no  doubt  it  will  be  valuable,  "J.  H.  N.'s"  cow  to 
the  contrary  notwithstanding.  But  for  sugar,  I 
think  I  should  prefer  one  good  rock  maple  tree, 
to  considerable  of  a  lot  of  sorghum. 

Judge  French's  letters  from  Europe  are  a  shin- 
ing light  to  your  pages.  He  certainly  observed 
well  and  thoroughly  during  his  travels,  and  he 
possesses,  beyond  almost  any  writer  within  my 
knowledge,  the  faculty  of  enlivening  his  descrip- 
tions with  queer  and  witty  suggestions,  Avhich 
provoke  a  laugh,  while  reading  of  the  most  seri- 
ous matters.  Who  can  read  his  description  of  the 
relics  exhibited  in  the  Church  of  St.  Ursula  at 
Cologne,  Avith  a  sober  countenance  ?  And  the 
conclusion  which  folloAvs  his  description  of  oxen 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


21 


drawing  by  their  heads,  and  Avomen  carrying  bur- 
dens on  theirs,  "that  cattle  and  women  are  stiff- 
necked  enough  for  most  j)ractical  purposes,"  and 
his  consoling  idea,  when  he  lost  his  umbrella  at 
Waterloo,  that  the  guide  would  probably  "dig  it 
up  next  year  and  sell  it  as  Napoleon's,"  are  fair 
specimens  of  his  manner  of  adding  a  lively  thought 
to  a  sober  subject.  You  and  I  have  a  right  to 
think  well  of  the  Judge's  writings,  and  speak 
well  of  them  too,  for  did  he  not  come  to  man's 
estate  und^-  our  eyes,  and  our  bright  examples  ! 

Another  chapter  of  contradictory  opinions  con- 
tained in  the  number  of  the  Farmer  before  me, 
exists  in  the  articles  relative  to  that  rascally  de- 
stroyer of  fruit,  the  curculio.  Mr.  Underwood 
thinks  the  keeping  of  fowls  among  the  fruit  trees 
is  a  certain  remedy,  while,  ^^e?-  contra,  Mr.  "J.  B. 
G."  thinks  quite  the  reverse.  There  is  something 
Very  curious  in  regard  to  the  ravages  of  this  in- 
sect. i.Iy  garden  formerly  contained  quite  a  num- 
ber of  plum-trees,  and  year  after  year,  almost 
every  plum  was  destroyed  by  the  curculio.  One 
year,  three  or  four  years  ago,  not  a  curculio  was 
to  be  seen  ;  the  plums  grew  unmolested,  and  ri- 
pened beautifully,  and  1  flattered  myself  that  in 
some  miraculous  manner,  that  pest  of  the  orchard- 
ist  and  plum-grower  had  got  his  quietus  ;  and  the 
foUoAving  spring  I  entered  with  a  hopeful  spirit, 
on  the  preparation  of  my  trees  for  the  production 
of  a  harvest  of  fruit;  but, alas,  alas,  I  had  crowed 
too  soon ;  the  bloom  was  superb,  the  young  fruit 
came  in  abundance,  and  so  did  the  curculios ! 
and  not  a  perfect  plum  was  left. 

From  that  time  I  gave  up.  I  believe  I  have  but 
one  plum  tree  left,  "the  Washington  plum,'' 
that  blooms  and  produces  young  fruit  in  abund- 
ance annually,  which  is  annually  destroyed  by 
that  "ugly  bug,"  and  it  is  now  some  three  or  four 
years  since  I  have  had  the  pleasure  of  eating  a 
fair  ripe  plum  from  my  OAvn  garden.  I  undertook 
to  console  myself  by  raising  pears,  and  had  a  half 
a  dozen  trees  planted,  which  grew  and  began  to 
produce  as  fine  fruit  as  I  ever  saw.  A  handsomer 
bloom  than  that  of  last  spring  could  not  be  de- 
sired, and  the  fruit  set  in  abundance  ;  in  June  or 
July,  the  ends  of  some  of  the  limbs  began  to  turn 
black.  I  carefully  cut  them- off,  the  disease  did 
not  stop,  and  I  cut  and  cut,  till  I  was  tii'ed,  and 
of  six  as  thrifty  trees  as  you  ever  saw,  there  are 
five  as  black  and  dead  as  if  they  had  been  cut  off 
at  the  ground  in  July.  A  single  one  remains, 
which  gave  me  a  good  crop  of  the  Seckel  pear, 
and  I  expect  that  will  "depart  this  life"  next  year. 
I  do  not  see  why  the  others  did,  or  why  this 
should  not !  In  September,  I  was  at  the  house 
of  a  friend  in  Ohio,  and  in  passing  around  his 
grounds,  I  saw  pear  tree  after  pear  tree  as  black 
as  if  its  leaves  had  been  made  of  ebony.  I  re- 
marked, "you  have  the  fire  blight  among  your 
■pear  trees,  I  perceive."  "Yes,"  said  he,  "and  fear 
I  shall  lose  them  all."  "Is  there  no  remedy  ?"  I 
asked,  upon  which  he  told  me  this  anecdote.  A 
gentleman  well  known  to  him,  who  had  a  fine 
pear  orchard  which  was  in  the  process  of  destruc- 
tion, was  asked  what  he  thought  of  spiritualism. 
He  replied  that  he  had  heard  much  about  it,  and 
of  many  wonderful  revelations  from  the  spirit- 
world,  but  never  any  thing  practical  or  useful. 
"Now,"  said  he,  "if  you  will  find  a  medium  who 
will  ascertain,  and  inform  me  #hat  will  prevent 
the  fii-e  blight  among  pear  trees,  and  if  it  proves 


successful,  I  will  give  five  hundred  dollars."  My 
friend'added,  "the  medium  has  not  yet  made  the 
discovery,  and  therefore  I  know  no  remedy !" 

I  have  in  my  garden  three  crops  that  never  fail, 
grapes,  figs  and  weeds!  The  Isabella  and  Cataw- 
ba grapes  ripen  in  perfection,  and  we  have  as 
many  as  we  desire  to  eat  from  August  to  Novem- 
ber. We  have  two  crops  of  figs  every  year ;  one 
in  July,  and  another  in  October.  They  grow 
large,  ripen  finely,  and  are  delicious,  and  as  yet 
nothing  has  appeared  to  mar  either  my  grapes  or 
figs. 

I  believe  I  have  commented  on  the  Farmer  suf- 
ficiently for  once,  but  my  better  half  is  anxious  to 
be  informed,  whether,  when  you  give  hens  cay- 
enne pepper  to  make  them  lay,  the  eggs  will  want 
peppering  when  coohed! 

Notwithstanding  the  smashing  and  cracking 
among  banks  and  individuals.  Uncle  Sam  goes  on 
in  the  even  tenor  of  his  way  here.  The  extension 
of  the  Capitol,  the  Post  Office  building,  the  Treas- 
ury building,  the  Patent  Office,  the  building  of 
the  Aqueduct,  and  other  public  works,  go  on  rap- 
idly, and  thousands  of  men,  who  would,  were  it 
not  for  these  works,  be  out  of  employ,  are  blessed 
with  "leave  to  toil,"  and  are  happy  in  the  enjoy- 
ment of  that  blessing. 

The  new  Hall  of  the  House  is  progressing  fast 
to  completion,  and,  it  is  said,  will  be  ready  for 
the  reception  of  the  next  House  of  Representa- 
tives on  the  fu'st  Monday  in  December.  The  new 
Senate  Chamber  is  not  so  forward,  but  is  pro- 
gressing, and  both  are  perfectly  magnificent 
rooms. 

The  first  row  of  columns  upon  the  dome  is  in 
process  of  erection,  about  half  of  them  are  up.  I 
asked  a  workman  the  other  day,  while  standing 
on  the  foundation  of  the  dome,  how  long  it  would 
take  to  complete  it ;  his  reply  was,  "seven  years." 
I  do  not  think  he  fixed  the  time  any  too  long, 
and  my  belief  is  that  in  ten  years  the  extensions 
and  dome  will  not  more  than  be  completed.  All 
the  streets  around  the  Capitol  are  filled  with  mar- 
ble, and  I  cannot  turn  my  horse  and  carriage  at 
my  own  door,  so  completely  is  East  Capitol  Street 
encumbered  with  marble.  From  the  eastern  gate 
to  Third  Street,  this  street,  one  hundred  and  six- 
ty feet  in  width,  is,  with  the  exception  of  a  nar- 
row carriage  way,  completely  blocked  up,  and  so 
are  First  Stree^  A  Street,  North  and  South,  N.  J- 
Avenue,  the  space  in  front  of  the  Capitol,  and 
the  circular  street  north  of  it.  I  mention  tliis  by 
no  means  in  a  complaining  mood,  but  as  evidence 
of  what  is  yet  to  be  done. 

The  times  prognosticate  a  good  deal  of  distress 
among  the  poor  here  and  elsewhere.  I  hope,  for 
their  sake,  we  may  have  a  mild  winter.  The 
weather  now  is  summer-like,  thermometer  indi- 
cating seventy-four  degrees,  in  the  open  air. 

Ever  thine,  B.  B.  Fkench. 

Washington,  Nov.  9,  1857. 


CELESTIAL  SUGAK  CANE. 

The  Nasta  Beporter  having  published  an  ac- 
count of  a  fall  of  sugar  in  that  locality,  from  the 
heavens,  which  called  forth  the  doubts  of  a  por- 
tion of  the  press,  thereupon  that  paper  comments 
on  the  phenomena  as  follows  : 

"We  repeat  that  our  statements  were  correct. 
Not  only  so,  but  on  Friday  night,  11th  inst.,  the 


22 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


celestial  sugar  makers,  having  a  special  regard 
for  our  repvitation  for  veracity,  sent  another  show- 
er of  the  same  sort  in  the  same  neighborhood, 
which  covered  the  ground  for  miles  with  sugar. 
We  call  it  sugar,  because  it  looks,  feels  and  tastes 
like  sugar,  and  nothing  else,  and  we  know  no  bet- 
ter name  for  it. 

Whether  it  is  solidified  honey-dew,  the  saccha- 
rine juice  of  the  sugar  pine,  taken  up,  brought 
from  afar  and  dropped  in  crystals  by  some  atmo- 
spheric hocus  jJocus,  or  the  leakings  from  celestial 
refinery,  we  do  not  pretend  to  say.  We  saw  three 
small  boxes  of  the  article,  and  have  one  of  them 
now  before  us.  Some  of  the  specimens  before  us 
are  three-fourths  of  an  inch  long,  and  of  the  di- 
ameter of  a  small  goose-quill.  One  person  at 
Clear  Lake  made  half  a  gallon  of  fine  syrup  by 
dissolving  these  crystals." 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
THE  SEASON  AND  THE  CHOPS. 

Mr.  Editor  : — After  the  growing  season  is 
completed,  and  the  crops  all  gathered  in,  it  may 
be  well  to  look  back  and  recount  those  meteor- 
ological phenomena  of  the  past,  which  have 
brought  about  those  results  on  which  the  farmer 
depends  for  his  prosperity.  The  five  months  of 
the  growing  season,  from  May  to  September  in- 
dusive,  have  been  one  degree  and  eighty-three 
hundredth  (1.83)  colder  than  the  average  of  the 
same  months  in  the  four  preceding  years,  and 
one  degree  colder  than  last  year,  the  coldest  of 
the  four  ;  while  rain  has  been  quite  abundant — 
twenty-two  inches  having  fallen  in  the  five  months. 
In  May  there  fell  five  inches  and  sixty-four  hun- 
dredths, (5.64)  ;  June,  5.50  ;  July,  3.93  ;  August, 
5.19 ;  September,  1.75.  While  last  year.  May, 
June  and  July  were  rather  dry,  and  August  ex- 
cessively wet.  The  first  thunder  was  heard  on 
the  28th  of  IMay.  Thunder  was  frequent  through 
June  and  July,  and  but  little  in  August  and  Sep- 
tember. The  first  light  frost  occurred  on  the 
morning  of  September  7th,  and  the  first  frost 
hard  enough  to  kill  vegetables,  on  the  30th, 
which  was  not  veiy  severe. 

There  has  been  five  months  this  year  already 
colder  than  the  same  months  in  any  of  the  four 
preceding  years,  namely,  January,  April,  June, 
July  and  September,  while  February  has  been  the 
only  month  warmer  than  any  of  the  four  prece- 
ding years. 

The  first  twenty  days  of  June  were  character- 
ized by  a  loAv  temperature  and  wet  weathei".  We 
had  no  frost  in  June;  but  a  temperature  fi-equent- 
ly  bordering  on  frost,  which  kept  corn  in  a  back- 
ward state.  We  had  no  east  Avind  to  blast  the 
fruit  blossoms,  except  a  light  aspiration  on  the 
evening  of  the  last  day  of  May.  June  had  a 
mean  temperature  of  60.43  degrees,  being  4.49 
degrees  colder  than  the  mean  of  the  four  preced- 
ing years,  and  2.20  degrees  colder  than  1856,  the 
coldest  of  the  four,     llain  fell  on  sixteen  days. 

July  had  a  mean  temperature  of  69.42  deg., 
being  0.88  colder  than  the  mean  of  the  four  pre- 
ceding years,  and  2.62  deg.  warmer  than  1853. 
Its  maximum  heat  of  88  degrees,  occurred  on  the 
15th,  and  was  three  degrees  colder  than  the  ex- 
treme of  1856.  Rain  fell  on  sixteen  days.  The 
temperatvu'e  afi'ected  the  corn  crop  imfavorably. 


by  keeping  it  in  a  backward  state,  while  it  pre- 
served its  vital  energies  for  the  succeeding 
months. 

August  had  a  mean  temperature  of  65.35  deg., 
which  was  more  favorable,  though  a  little  colder 
than  the  mean  of  the  four  preceding  years,  and 
nearly  two  degrees  warmer  than  last  year.  Rain 
fell  on  sixteen  days,  b^t  much  less  in  quantity 
than  last  year.  The  favorable  weather  of  this 
month  redeemed  the  corn  ci-op  from  destruction, 
or  there  would  have  been  a  total  failure,  as  in 
1816.  It  is  a  singular  coincidence  that  rain 
sholild  fall  on  an  equal  number  of  days  in  three 
successive  months. 

September  had  a  mean  temperature  of  57.13 
degrees,  and  Avas  1.50  degrees  colder  than  the 
four  preceding  years,  with  a  little  less  than  the 
average  amount  of  rain.  Rain  fell  on  ten  days. 
The  lowest  temperature  was  33  degrees,  on  the 
morning  of  the  30th,  when  the  first  hard  frost 
occurred  ;  previous  to  this  time  there  was  not 
frost  enough  to  kill  tender  vegetables,  and  con- 
sequently corn  had  a  good  opportunity  to  ripen. 
Corn  is  much  less  than  an  average  crop  ;  although 
well  ripened,  the  ears  are  short  and  poorly  filled. 
There  lias  probably  not  been  a  more  unfavorable 
season  in  this  vicinity  since  1816.  Wheat  has 
been  a  partial  failure.  The  weevil  and  the  rust 
have  done  their  Avork  of  destruction  to  a  great 
extent,  but  there  is  a  new  enemy  in  the  field — a 
small  striped  Avorm  about  one-tenth  of  an  inch 
long,  perforates  the  kernel  at  the  germ,  after  the 
kernel  is  groAvn,  and  Avhile  in  a  milky  state,  and 
destroys  the  flour,  Avhile  the  kernel  retains  its 
original  shape.  Although  tliis  insect  has  done 
but  little  damage,  and  has  been  noticed  by  Icaa', 
yet  it  may  be  Avell  to  record  the  fact,  as  it  may 
prove  a  formidable  enemy  in  coming  years.  Its 
name,  history  and  habits  are  all  involved  in  ob- 
scurity. The  perfect  insect  is  unknoAviT.  I  have 
seen  but  a  single  larva,  out  I  examined  the  crop 
at  harvest,  and  witnessed  their  depredations,  but 
they  Avere  gone.  Can  you  or  any  of  the  readers 
of  the  Farmer  give  more  light  on  the  subject  ? 

No  crop  this  year  has  yielded  more  bountifully 
than  oats.  No  enemy  destroys  the  crop,  and 
the  low  temperature  and  wet  Aveather  were  con- 
genial to  their  groAvth. 

Potatoes  are  beloAV  a  medium  crop.  Although 
the  season  has  been  a  wet  one,  potatoes  have  not 
attained  their  usual  groAvth.  The  rot  in  many  in- 
stances has  done  considerable  damage,  but  not 
much  more  than  usual,  and  at  present'  there  ap- 
pears to  be  no  scarcity. 

The  grass  crop  Avas  excellent  in  groAvth,  but 
owing  to  the  Avet  Aveather  it  sustained  mucli  dam- 
age in  curing,  besides  losing  a  portion  of  its  gum 
in  the  groAving  season,  so  that  in  nutritious  qual- 
ities it  may  not  much  exceed  a  medium  crop. 

There  is  a  moderate  crop  of  fruit,  and  of  the 
various  kinds;  apples  are  the  most  abundant, be- 
ing sufficient  in  quantity  to  supply  the  demand. 
Plums  are  nearly  a  total  failure,  for  nearly  the 
whole  crop  was  destroyed  by  the  curculio.  Grapes 
are  a  fair  crop.  AValnuts,  butternuts  and  some 
Avild  fruits  are  remarkably  abundant. 

Among  the  periodical  phenomena,  we  notice 
the  appearance  of  various  kinds  of  migratory 
birds.  Blue-birds  qippeared  March  17th;  Robins, 
March  26th ;  Whip-poor-Avills,  May  5th  ;  and 
•Barn  Swallows,  May  9th.  Grass,  first  appearance 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


of  growth,  April  6th  ;  general  leafing  of  forest 
trees,  May  23cl ;  barn  swallows  finally  disappear- 
etl,  Aug.  29th,  although  most  of  their  number 
were  gone  a  week  or  two  previous.  General  fall 
of  forest  leaves  took  place  Oct.  22d. 

Such  are  the  results  of  a  meteorological  record 
of  1857,  with  three  observations  daily — at  7  A. 
M.,  2  P.  M.,  and  9  P.  M.,  besides  observations  of 
other  casual  and  periodical  phenomena,  and  a  com- 
parison of  them  with  the  four  preceding  years. 

D.  BUCKLAND. 

Brandon,  Vt,  Nov.  10th,  1857. 

Remakes. — We  are  obliged  to  our  attentive 
correspondent  for  this  review  of  the  past  season, 
and  the  state  of  the  crops.  Among  the  best 
works  on  entomology  are  Harris's  "Insects  Injuri- 
.ious  to  Vegetation,"  Fitch's  Treatise,  KoUar,  a 
German  writer,  and  Kirby  and  Spense.  There 
are  others  of  distinguished  ability,  but  these 
ai-e  the  popular  works  in  use,  Harris's  work 
may  be  found  at  the  bookstores  in  Boston,  but 
we  do  not  know  at  what  price. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
THE  THINGS  I  KAISE. 
SWEET   POTATO. 

This  crop  is  one  of  inicertainty,  though,  if  start- 
ed early  in  hot-beds,  and  set  out  on  dry,  sandy 
land,  you  are  pretty  sure  of  getting  a  fair  crop  of 
potatoes  of  good  quality.  Two  years  ago  my 
sweet  potatoes  were  better  in  quality  than  any  I 
could  buy.  They  are  not  profitable,  however,  as 
I  raise  them,  purchasing  mj'  slips  in  Boston  at  a 
dollar  a  hundred,  and  have  from  twenty-five  to 
fifty  ]}ev  cent,  of  them  die,  and  then  the  risk  of 
the  season  for  the  remainder.  I  think  on  a  light, 
early  soil,  with  my  OAvn  plants  started  early,  I 
could  make  it  profitable  growing  this  crop.  Those 
persons  who  raise  the  slips  make  a  large  profit, 
as  each  potato  yields  so  many  slips  ;  for  as  soon 
as  one  set  is  removed  others  ajDpear,  and  so  on. 

DIOSCOREA  BATATAS,   OR   CHINESE  YAM. 

There  has  been  a  great  noise  made  about  this 
new  tuber,  some  claiming  that  it  will  entirely  dis- 
place the  potato,  which,  of  late  years,  is  so  liable 
to  rot,  while  this  yam  is  not  at  all  subject  to  that 
evil,  I  believed  it  a  humbug,  but  purchased  two 
roots  of  Messrs.  Hovey  &  Co.,  last  spring,  for 
which  I  paid  fifty  cents  each ;  these  were  planted 
whole,  being  about  fifteen  or  eighteen  inches 
long,  and  one  or  one  and  a  half  in  diameter,  in 
the  largest  part.  These  yams  do  not  grow  as 
some  other  sorts  <)f  yams,  horizontally  in  the 
ground,  but  they  run  down  like  a  parsnip,  being, 
as  the  boy  said  of  the  flip  iron,  "biggest  at  the 
little  end,"  that  is,  they  are  quite  small  at  the 
surface  of  the  ground,  and  continue  small  for 
eiglit  or  ten  inches,  when  thoy  begin  to  grow 
larger  for  the  next  eight  or  ten,  and  then  taper 
ofi' very  fast  in  the  next  three  or  four  inches  to 
quite  a  short  point  in  some  instances,  while  in 
others  they  are  largest  at  the  extreme  lower  end. 
The  color  is  white  outside  aaid  in  ;  when  boiled, 
of  a  bluish  white,  like  boiled  rice,  and  having 
much  the  same  taste  ;  sticky  and  starch-like,  not 


mealy  like  a  ripe  potato,  though  I  presume  they 
would  be  where  the  season  Avas  long  enough  to 
allow  them  to  ripen.  The  top^  or  vines  trail  on 
the  ground  like  the  sweet  potatu,  running  often 
twelve  or  fifteen  feet,  and  are  readily  eaten  by 
cattle.  They  may  be  staked  up  like  pole  beans, 
or  left  to  run  over  the  ground. 

The  root  that  is  planted  decays,  and  other  tu- 
bers appear,  from  one  to  three  in  a  hill,  often  not 
more  than  one,  but  that  of  a  large  size  ;  one  of 
my  roots  yielded  two  yams  that  Aveighed  together 
four  pounds,  the  other  one  iveighed  two  and  a 
half  pounds.  On  the  tops  or  vines  were  pro- 
duced scores  of  little  seed  yams  that  will  'answer 
for  next  year's  setting.  The  yams  may  be  grown 
from  slips  like  the  SAveet  potato,  or  cut  in  pieces 
and  planted  like  the  common  potato,  or  from  the 
little  seed  yams.  It  requires  three  years  for 
these  small  ones  to  become  large.  It  is  said  that 
they  Avill  remain  in  the  ground  through  the  win- 
ter without  injury,  but  I  have  not  tried  it. 
It  seems  to  delight  in  a  deep,  rich,  sandy  loam, 
though  I  should  not  advise  putting  strong  ma- 
nure in  contact  with  the  tubers.  I  have  changed 
my  mind  somewhat,  in  regard  to  it,  and  Avould 
recommend  it  for  further  trial,  though  I  think  it 
is  much  easier  and  cheaper  to  groAv  potatoes,  if 
they  do  not  rot.  I  intend  to  plant  a  few  next 
season  to  test  them  more  thoroughly.  I  Avould 
here  caution  all  those  Avho  groAV  them  for  the 
first  time  to  be  careful  in  digging  them,  for  they 
are  very  brittle,  and  snap  like  pipe  stems  ;  they 
cannot  be  pulled  on  account  of  the  form,  but 
must  be  dug  out,  Avhich  Avork  is  very  much  like 
digging  a  Avell,  for  they  often  extend  down  tAven- 
ty-five  to  thirty  inchei.  An  immense  quantity 
could  be  grown  on  an  acre,  for  they  take  up  but 
little  surface,  the  roots  invariably  tending  down- 
Avards.  James  F.  C,  Hyde, 

Newton  Centre,  Nov.  10th,  1857, 


For  tlie  New  England  Farmer. 

ILLINOIS. 

Times  in— Prices  of  Wheat  and  other  Grains— Frost  "^nd  Snow 
— Prairies  on  Fire — Rapid  Growth  of  Villages — Nature  and 
Productiveness  of  the  Soil — Error  in  regard  to  Potatoes. 

Although  some  time  has  elapsed  since  I  last 
wrote,  I  have  not  forgotten  my  promise.  Diu'ing 
this  lapse  of  time,  what  great  changes  have  passe'^ 
over  the  people  of  the  United  States.  Three 
months  ago,  how  many  Avere  sailing  gracefully 
upon  the  tide  of  prosperity  Avho  are  now  in  pover- 
ty, and  hoAV  many  are  noAv  in  large  cities  of  the 
East,  Avho  knoAV  not  where  to  get  their  bread,  and 
a  cold  Avinter  staring  them  in  the  face  ! 

The  financial  panic  of  the  East  has  cast  its  dark 
shadow  over  Illinois.  There  is  little  money  in 
circulation,  compared  Avith  three  months  ago. 
Every  thing  down  to  the  loAvest  figure.  We  are 
overfloAving  with  grain  of  all  kinds,  and  it  is 
worth  little  or  nothing.  Wheat  down  to  50  cts., 
oats  17  cts.,  and  still  going  doAvn,  doAvn,  doAvn  j 
coAvs  that  could  not  be  bought  for '$30,  tlu-ee 
months  ago,  are  now  doAvn  to  818.  Every  thing 
is  coming  doAA'n  but  land — that  is  still  up. 

We  are  having  the  finest  weather  imaginable. 
The  ground  has  frozen  tAvice  this  fall,  but  not  a 
snoAV  flake  has  yet  graced  our  prairies.  The  fall 
has  been  very  dry.  Now  is  the  time  for  fires. 
To  those  who  never  saw  a  prairie  on  fire,  it  is  dif- 


24 


ENGLAND  FAHMER. 


Jan> 


ficult  to  describe  the  magnificence  of  the  scene. 
What  can  be  more  beautiful  than  to  look  out  in  a 
dark  night  and  see  the  heavens  illuminated  in 
every  direction  by  them. 

I  believe  in  my  letter  to  you,  of  August  18th, 
I  did  not  say  much  in  regard  to  this  place,  and 
the  farming  country  in  general.  I  Avill  describe 
this  village,  of  only  two  years'  existence.  The  in- 
habitancc  number  about  one  thousand  ;  we  have 
one  church,  one  school-house,  three  hotels,  and 
ten  stores  ;  a  steam  grist  mill  will  soon  be  com- 
pleted. So  much  grew  up  on  "a  wild  praii'ie  in 
two  years.  The  prairies  about  here  are  rolling, 
but  not  Enough  to  hinder  cultivating  them  all. 
The  soil  is  from  two  to  three  feet  deep,  and  is 
very  black,  rich  and  productive.  The  wheat  crop 
usually  averages  from  20  to  30  bushels  per  acre ; 
oats  60  to  80  ;  corn  sometimes  exceeds  100  bush- 
els ;  potatoes,  from  200  to  300  bushels  are  not 
an  uncommon  yield,  and  of  the  first  quality.  I 
was  very  much  disappointed  in  this  respect,  for 
well  do  I  remember  of  my  friends  telling  me  be- 
fore coming  West,  that  I  could  never  even  raise 
good  potatoes  in  Illinois.  But  I  never  saw  in 
Vermont,  or  any  other  State,  better  or  larger  po- 
tatoes than  have  been  raised  here.  When  East- 
ei'n  people  come  West,  they  generally  remark, 
"You  cannot  raise  good  potatoes  here,  I  suppose." 
This  idea  seems  to  prevail  in  the  minds  of  Eastern 
people,  to  a  great  extent ;  but  they  are  in  error 
in  regard  to  it.  D.  J.  Benton. 

Manee,  III.,  Nov.  5th,  1857. 


earths  never  attain  the  same  temperature,  the 
lighter  colored  always  remaining  considerably 
cooler.  The  conclusion  seems  inevitable  that  in 
some  countries  the  surface  soil  must  occasionally 
approach  200  degs.  Fahrenheit.  Under  such  a 
I  degree  of  heat  the  decomposition  of  the  organic 
I  matter  of  the  soil  must  go  on  rapidly,  with  the 
I  evolution  of  much  ammonia  and  carbonic  acid, 
agents  which  play  an  important  part  in  the  mod- 
ification of  the  mineral  matter  of  the  soil,  as  well 
as  stimulate  vegetation. — Anon. 


PLEASTJHH   OB  KEADINGU 

Of  all  the  amusements  that  can  possibly  be 
imagined  for  a  working  man,  after  daily  toil,  or 
in  the  Intervals,  there  is  nothing  like  reading  a 
newspa}>er  or  a  book.  It  calls  for  no  bodily  ex- 
ertion, of  which  already  he  has  had  enough,  per- 
haps too  much.  It  relieves  his  home  of  dulness 
and  sameness.  Nay,  it  accompanies  him  to  his 
next  day's  work,  and  gives  him  something  to  think 
of  besides  the  mechanical  drudgery  of  his  every- 
day occupation ;  something  he  can  enjoy  while 
absent,  and  look  forward  to  with  pleasure.  If  I 
were  to  pray  for  a  taste  which  would  stand  by  me 
under  every  variety  of  circumstances,  and  be  a 
source  of  happiness  and  cheerfulness  to  me  through 
life,  and  a  shield  against  all  its  ills,  however  things 
might  go  amiss,  and  the  world  frown  upon  me,  it 
would  be  a  taste  for  reading. — Sir  John  Herschell. 


WARMTH  OF  THE  SOIIiv 

The  warmth  of  the  soil,  under  a  clear  sun,  is 
surprisingly  above  that  of  the  air,  the  difference 
being,  even  in  temperate  climates,  as  high  as  six- 
ty-five degrees.  Thus  Schubler  finds  in  July,  when 
the  air  is  81  degs.,  the  soil  will  be  146  degs. ;  and 
during  one  of  his  observations  at  Tublngin,  in 
Germany,  the  air  stood  at  78  degs.  and  the  soil 
at  152  degs.,  a  diflFerence  of  74  degs.  !  With  sur- 
faces of  the  same  color,  the  materials  composing 
the  soil  make  little  difference  in  its  capacity  to 
become  heated  provided  they  are  in  similar  states 
as  to  dryness.  Sand,  clay,  loam,  garden-mould,  &c., 
show  very  little  difference  with  the  thermometer. 
Color,  however,  has  a  povrerful  effect.  Although 
exposed  to  the  sun  for  hours,  differently  colored 


MR.  EVERETT'S  ADDRESS, 

Dfij:.IV£EED     BEFOEE     THE    NEW    VOBK    STATE     AGSICULTOEAti 

Society  at  Bcfpalo,  Octobee  9,  1857. 

We  have  j>erused  this  address  with  more  gratifi- 
cation than  we  ever  did  one  on  similar  subjects, 
and  for  several  reasons.  Mr.  Everett  is  a  ripe 
scholar,  and  has,  as  the  address  indicates,  explored 
books  so  thoroughly  aS  to  gather  from  them  what 
it  is  that  confers  upon  the  physical  condition  of 
man  the  largest  amount  of  permanent  happiness. 
He  is  also  acquainted  with  various  phases  of  hu- 
man life, — for  to  his  scholarship  may  be  added 
his  experience  as  a  statesman,  both  at  home  and 
abi-oad,  and  that  gained  while  presiding  over  the 
interests  of  perhaps  the  highest  institution  of 
learning  in  our  land.  And  while  this  adckess 
gives  evidence  of  close  study,  and  even  deep 
research,  it  shows  that  Mr.  Everett's  observation 
of  the  different  occupations  of.  men  and  their  ia- 
fluences  upon  their  lives,  has  been  active  and  in- 
telligent. The  editor  of  the  Buffalo  AdveHiser, 
who  listened  to  the  eloquent  words  of  which  we 
are  speaking,  says : — "It  is  not  too  much  to  say 
that  this  last  effort  of  the  accomplished  orator  is 
equal  to  anything  that  he  has  yet  given  to  the 
world.  Nothing  could  have  been  more  appropri- 
ate to  the  occasion,  more  complete  in  every  part, 
and  more  richly  freighted  with  noble  ideas  and 
brilliant  passages.  In  Its  practical  common  sense 
as  Avell  as  in  its  masterly  eloquence,  the  address 
will  stand  unequalled  amongst  similar  pi-oduc- 
tions,  casting  the  past  into  the  shade  and  furnlsh- 
img  a  model  for  the  future.  There  are  cqjrtain 
portions  wliich  must  remain  impressed  upon  the 
memory  of  all  Avho  listened.  Amongst  these  are 
the  magnificent  denunciation  of  the  doctrine  wliich 
holds  that  a  miracle  cannot  be  worked  upon  this 
earth  ;  the  allusion  to  the  herucs  of  former,  and 
the  great  statesmen  of  our  own  days,  who  have 
devoted  such  of  their  time  as  was  not  given  to 
their  country,  to  agricultural  pursuits  ;  the  with- 
ering denunciation  of  the  stock  gamblers  of  Wall 
Street ;  the  comparison  of  the  fever  of  city  life 
with  the  calm  repose  enjoyed  by  the  dweller  in 
the  country ;  and  the  picture,  unrivalled  by  the 
pencil  of  Goldsmith,  with  which  the  splendid  ad- 
dress was  brought  to  a  close,  and  which  Impressed 
us  with  the  idea,  as  the  voice  of  the  orator  ceased, 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


25 


that  we  had  just  turned  from  the  contemplation 
of  a  beautiful  painting." 

We  abbreviate  this  noble  production  with  great 
reluctance,  but  are  entirely  unable  to  give  it  all. 
It  should  be  published  in  cheap  pamphlet  form, 
and  a  copy  preserved  not  only  in  every  farm- 
house in  the  land,  but  in  the  counting-room  of 
every  merchant  in  the  land, — for  after  all,  it  is  he 
who  needs  it  most.  We  suggest,  also,  that  the 
Massachusetts  Society  for  the  Promotion  of  Ag- 
riculture should  place  it  in  the  compilation  which 
we  understand  they  contemplate  issuing.  We 
gladly  yield  our  usual  editorial  space,  and  will 
give  all  we  can  find  room  for. 

AGEICULTUBE  EEQUIRES  THE  RESOURCES  OF  SCI- 
ENCE  AND   ART. 

But  although  Agriculture  is  clothed  with  an 
importance  which  rests  upon  the  primitive  consti- 
tution of  our  nature,  it  is  very  far  from  being  the 
simple  concern  we  are  apt  to  think  it.  On  the 
contrary,  there  is  no  pursuit  in  life,  which  not 
only  admits,  but  requires  for  its  full  develop- 
ment, more  of  the  resources  of  science  and  art, 
— none  which  would  better  repay  the  pains  be- 
stowed upon  .an  appropriate  education.  There 
is,  I  believe,  no  exaggeration  in  stating  that  as 
great  an  amount  and  variety  of  scientific,  physi- 
cal, and  mechanical  knowledge  is  requii-ed  for  the 
most  successful  conduct  of  the  various  operations 
of  husbandry,  as  for  any  of  the  arts,  trades,  or 
professions.  I  conceive,  therefore,  that  the  Leg- 
islature and  the  citizens  of  the  great  State  over 
which  you,  sir,  (Governor  King,)  so  worthily  pre- 
side, have  acted  most  wisely  in  making  j^rovision 
for  the  establishment  of  an  institution  expressly 
for  agricultural  education.  There  is  a  demand 
for  systematic  scientific  instruction,  from  the  very 
fii'st  step  we  take,  not  in  the  play-farming  of  gen- 
tlemen of  leisure,  but  in  the  pursuit  of  husband- 
ry as  the  serious  business  of  life. 

A  NEW  WORLD   OF   AGRICULTURAL   RESEARCH. 

But  when  science  and  art  have  done  their  best 
for  the  preparation  of  the  soil,  they  have  but  com- 
menced their  operations  in  the  lowest  department 
of  agriculture.  They  have  dealt  thus  far  only 
with  what  we  call  lifeless  nature,  though  I  apply 
that  word  with  reluctance  to  the  generous  bosom 
of  our  mother  Earth,  from  which  everything  that 
germinates  draws  its  life  and  appropriate  nourish- 
ment. Still,  however,  we  take  a  great  step  up- 
ward, when,  in  pursuing  the  operations  of  hus- 
bandry, we  ascend  from  mineral  and  inorganic 
substances  to  vegetable  organization.  We  now 
enter  a  new  world  of  agricultural  research  ;  the 
mysteries  of  assimilation,  growth  and  decay  ;  of 
seed-time  and  harvest ;  the  life,  the  death,  and 
the  production  of  the  vegetable  world.  Here  we 
still  need  the  light  of  science,  but  rather  to  ex- 
plore and  reveal  than  to  imitate  the  operations 
of  nature.  The  skilful  agricultural  chemist  can 
mingle  soils  and  compound  fertilizing  phosphates; 
but,  with  all  his  apparatus  and  all  his  re-agents, 
it  is  beyond  his  power  to  fabricate  the  humblest 
leaf.  He  can  give  you,  to  the  thousandth  part 
of  a  grain,  the  component  elements  of  wheat, — 
he  can  mingle  those  elements  in  due  proportion 


in  his  laboratory, — but  to  manufacture  a  single 
kernel,  endowed  with  living,  reproductive  power, 
is  as  much  beyond  his  skill  as  to  create  a  world. 
Vegetable  life,  therefore,  requires  a  new  course 
of  study  and  instruction.  The  adaptation  of  par- 
ticular plants  to  particular  soils  and  ihcir  treat- 
ment, on  the  one  hand,  and,  on  the  other,  their 
nutritive  powers  as  food  for  man  and  the  lower 
animals,  the  laws  of  germination  and  growth,  the 
influences  of  climate,  the  possible  range  of  im- 
provability  in  cereal  grains  and  fruits,  are  topics 
of  vast  importance.  The  knoAvledge — for  the 
most  part  empirical — already  possessed,  upon 
these  points,  is  the  accumulation  of  the  ages 
which  have  elapsed  since  the  foundation  of  the 
world,  each  of  which  has  added  to  the  list  its 
generous  fruit,  its  nutritive  grain,  its  esculent 
root,  its  textile  fibre,  its  brilliant  tincture,  its  spi- 
cy bark,  its  exhilarating  juice,  its  aromatic  es- 
sence, its  fragrant  gum,  its  inflammable  oil — 
some  so  long  ago  that  the  simple  gratitude  of  in- 
fant humanity  ascribed  them  to  the  gift  of  the 
gods,  while  others  have  been  brought  to  the 
knowledge  of  the  civilized  world  in  the  histori- 
cal period,  and  others  have  been  presented  to 
mankind  by  our  own  continent.  No  one  can  tell 
when  wheat,  barley,  rye,  oats,  millet,  apples,  pears, 
and  plums,  were  first  cultivated  in  Europe  ;  but 
cherries  and  peaches  were  brought  from  the  Black 
Sea  and  Persia  in  the  time  of  the  Roman  repub- 
lic ;  the  culture  of  silk  was  introduced  from  the 
East  in  the  reign  of  Justinia ;  cotton  and  sugar 
became  extensively  used  in  Europe  in  the  middle 
ages  ;  maize,  the  potato,  tobacco,  cocoa,  and  the 
Peruvian  bark,  are  the  indigenous  growth  of  this 
country.  Tea  and  cofi'ee,  though  productions  of 
the  Old  World,  were  first  known  in  Western  Eu- 
rope about  two  centuries  ago  ;  and  India  rubber 
and  gutta  percha,  as  useful  as  any  but  the  cereals, 
in  our  own  day. 

THE   DOMESTIC  ANIMALS  ATTACHED  TO  THE   SER- 
VICE  OF   MAN. 

But  there  is  still  another  department  of  Agri- 
culture, which  opens  the  door  to  research  of  a 
higher  order,  and  deals  with  finer  elements, — I 
mean  that  which  regards  the  domestic  animals 
attached  to  the  service  of  man,  and  which  are  of 
such  inestimable  importance  as  the  direct  part- 
ners of  his  labors,  as  furnishing  one  of  the  great 
articles  of  his  food,  and  as  a  principal  resource 
for  restoring  the  exhausted  fertility  of  the  soil. 
In  the  remotest  ages  of  antiquity,  into  which  the 
torch  of  history  throws  not  the  faintest  gleam  of 
light,  a  small  number,  selected  from  the  all  but 
numberless  races  of  the  lower  animals,  were 
adopted  by  domestication  into  the  family  of  man. 
So  skilful  and  exhaustive  was  this  selection,  that 
three  thousand  years  of  experience — during  which 
Europe  and  America  have  been  settled  by  civil- 
ized races  of  men — have  not  added  to  the  num- 
ber. It  is  somewhat  humbling  to  the  pride  of 
our  rational  nature  to  consider  how  much  of  oitr 
civilization  rests  on  this  partnership  ;  how  help- 
less we  should  be,  deprived  of  the  horse,  the  ox, 
the  cow,  the  sheep,  the  swine,  the  goat,  the  ass, 
the  reindeer,  the  dog,  the  cat,  and  the  various 
kinds  of  poultry.  In  the  warmer  regions,  this 
list  is  enlarged  by  the  llamas,  the  elephant,  and 
the  camel,  the  latter  of  which,  it  is  not  unlikely, 
will  be  extensively  introduced  in  our  own  south-. 


26 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER, 


JAUf. 


era  region.  It  may  be  said  of  this  subject,  as  of 
that  to  which  I  have  ah-cady  alluded,  that  it  Is  a 
science  of  itself.  No  branch  of  husbandry  has, 
within  the  last  century,  engaged  more  of  the  at- 
tention of  farmers,  theoretical  and  practical,  than 
the  improvement  of  the  breeds  of  domestic  ani- 
mals, and  in  none,  perhaps,  has  the  attention  thus 
bestowed  been  better  repaid.  By  judicious  selec- 
tion and  mixtures  of  the  parent  stock,  and  by  in- 
telligence and  care  in  the  training  and  nourishing 
of  the  young  animals,  the  improved  breeds  of  the 
present  day  differ  probably  almost  as  much  from 
their  predecessors  a  hundred  years  ago,  as  we 
may  suppose  the  entire  races  of  domesticated  an- 
imals do  from  the  wild  stocks  from  which  they 
are  descended.  There  is  no  reason  to  suppose 
that  the  utmost  limit  of  improvement  has  been 
reached  in  this  direction.  Deriving  our  improved 
animals  as  we  generally  do  from  Europe,-— that 
is,  from  a  climate  differing  materially  from  our 
own, — it  is  not  unlikely  that,  in  the  lapse  of  time, 
experience  will  lead  to  the  production  of  a  class 
of  animals,  better  adapted  to  the  peculiarities  of 
our  seasons  than  any  of  the  transaltantic  varieties 
as  they  now  exist.  The  bare  repetition  of  the 
words  draft,  speed,  endurance,  meat,  milk,  butter, 
cheese  and  wool,  will  suggest  the  vast  importance 
of  continued  experiments  on  this  subject,  guided 
by  all  the  lights  of  physiological  science. 


AGRICULTURE  MORE  FAVORABLE  THAN  CITY  LIFE. 

I  do  not  claim  for  agricultural  life  in  modem 
times  the  Arcadian  simplicity  of  the  heroic  ages ; 
but  it  is  capable,  Avith  the  aid  of  popular  educa- 
tion and  the  facilities  of  intercommunication,  of 
being  made  a  pursuit  more  favorable  than  city 
life  to  that  average  degree  of  virtue  and  happi- 
ness to  which  we  may  reasonably  aspire  in  the 
present  imperfect  stage  of  being.  For  the  same 
reason  that  our  intellectual  and  moral  faculties 
are  urged  to  the  highest  point  of  culture  by  the 
intense  competition  of  the  large  town,  the  conta- 
gion of  vice  and  crime  produces  in  a  crowded 
population  a  depravity  of  character  from  which 
the  more  thinly  inhal)ited  country,  though  far 
enough  from  being  immaculate,  is  comparatively 
free.  Accordingly,  we  iind  that  the  tenure  on 
which  the  land  is  owned  and  tilled — that  is,  the 
average  condition  of  the  agricultural  masses — 
decides  the  character  of  a  people.  It  is  true  that 
the  compact  organization,  the  control  of  capital, 
the  concentrated  popular  talent,  the  vigorous 
press,  the  agitable  temperament  of  the  large 
towns,  give  them  an  influence  out  of  proportion 
to  numbers  ;  but  this  is  far  less  the  case  in  the 
United  States  than  in  most  foreign  countries 
where  the  land  is  held  in  large  masses  by  a  few 
powerful  land-holders.  Divided  as  it  is  in  tliis 
country  into  small  or  moderate-sized  farms,  owned, 
for  the  most  part,  and  tilled  by  a  class  of  fairly 
educated,  independent,  and  intelligent  proprie- 
tors, the  direct  influence  of  large  towns  on  the 
entire  population  is  far  less  considerable  than  in 
Europe.  Paris  can  at  all  times  make  a  revolution 
in  France  :  but  not  even  your  imperial  metropo- 
lis could  make  a  revolution  in  the  United  States. 
What  the  public  character  loses  in  concentration 
and  energy  by  this  want  of  metropolitan  centrali- 
zation, is  more  than  gained  by  the  country,  in 
the  virtuous  mediocrity,  the  decent  frugality,  the 
healthfulncssjthe  social  tranquillity  of  private  life. 


EVIDENCES   OF  GOD's   INTERPOSING   CARE   ON 
THE  FARM. 

Speaking  of  the  historian  Hume,  Mr.  Everett 

says  : 

Did  this  philosopher  ever  contemplate  the  land- 
scape at  the  close  of  the  year,  when  seeds,  and 
gi'ains,  and  fruits  have  ripened,  and  stalks  have 
withered  and  leaves  have  fallen,  and  winter  has 

of 


forced  her  icy  curb  even  into  Jhe  roaring  jaws  of 
Niagara,  and  sheeted  half  a  continent  in  her  glit- 
tering shroud,  and  all  this  teeming  vegetation 
and  organized  life  are  locked  in  cold  and  marble 
obstruction ;  and,  after  week  upon  Aveek  and 
month  upon  month  have  swept  with  sleet,  and 
chilly  rain,  and  howling  storm,  over  the  earth, 
and  riveted  their  bolts  upon  the  door  of  nature's 
sepulchre  ; — when  the  sun  at  length  begins  to 
wheel  in  higher  circles  through  the  sky,  and  soft- 
er winds  to  breathe  over  melting  snows, — did  he 
ever  behold  the  long  hidden  earth  at  length  ap- 
pear, and  soon  the  timid  gi-ass  peep  forth,  and 
anon  the  autumnal  wheat  begin  to  paint  the  field, 
and  velvet  leaflets  to  burst  from  purple  buds, 
throughout  the  reviving  forest ;  and  the  mellow 
soil  to  open  its  fruitful  bosom  to  every  grain  and 
seed  dropped  from  the  planter's  hand,  buried  but 
to  spring  up  again,  clothed  with  a  new  mysterious 
being  ;  and  then,  as  more  fervid  suns  inflame  the 
air,  and  softer  showers  distil  from  the  clouds,  and 
gentler  dews  string  their  pearls  on  twig  and  ten- 
dril, did  he  ever  watch  the  ripening  grain  and 
fruit,  pendent  from  stalk  and  vine,  and  tree  ;  the 
meadow,  the  field,  the  pasture,  the  grove,  each 
after  its  kind,  arrayed  in  myriad-tinted  garments, 
instinct  with  circulating  life  ;  seven  millions  of 
counted  leaves  on  a  single  tree,  each  of  which 
Is  a  system  whose  exquisite  complication  puts  to 
shame  the  shrewdest  cunning  of  the  human  hand ; 
every  planted  seed  and  gi'ain,  which  had  been 
loaned  to  the  earth  compounding  its  pious  usury 
thirty,  sixty,  a  hundred  fold, — all  harmoniously 
adapted  to  the  sustenance  of  living  nature, — the 
bread  of  a  hungry  world  ;  here  a  tilled  cornfield, 
whose  yellow  blades  are  nodding  with  the  food 
of  man ;  there  an  unplanted  wilderness, — the 
great  Father's  farm, — wiiere  he  "who  hears  the 
raven's  cry"  has  cultivated  with  his  own  hand, 
his  merciful  crop  of  berries,  and  nuts,  and  acorns, 
and  seeds,  for  the  humbler  families  of  animated 
nature — the  solemn  elephant,  the  browsing  deer, 
the  wild  pigeon,  whose  fluttering  caravan  darkens 
the  sky  ;  the  merry  squirrel,  who  bounds  from 
branch  to  branch,  in  the  joy  of  liis  little  life ; — 
has  he  seen  all  this, — does  he  see  it  every  year 
and  month  and  day, — does  he  live,  and  move,  and 
breathe,  and  think,  in  this  atmosphere  of  wonder, 
— himself  the  greatest  wonder  of  all,  whose  small- 
est fi-bre  and  faintest  pulsation  Is  as  much  a  mys- 
tery as  the  blazing  glories  of  Orion's  belt, — and 
does  he  still  maintain  that  a  miracle  is  contrary 
to  experience  ?  If  he  has,  and  if  he  does,  then 
let  him  go,  in  the  name  of  Heaven,  and  say  that 
it  is  contrary  to  experience,  that  the  August  Pow- 
er Avhich  turns  the  clods  of  the  earth  Into  the  dai- 
ly bread  of  a  thousand  million  souls  could  feed 
five  thousand  in  the  wilderness  ! 


Urine. — Sir  John  Sinclair,  speaking  of  the  val- 
ue of  this  fertilizing  agent,  says,  "Every  sort  of 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


urine  contains  the  essential  elements  of  vegeta- 
bles in  a  state  of  solution.  The  urine  of  a  horse 
being  so  much  lighter,  would  be  more  valuable 
than  its  dung,  if  both  must  be  conveyed  any  con 
siderable  distance.  The  urine  of  six  cows,  or 
horses,  will  enrich  a  quantity  of  earth  sufficient  to 
top-dress  one  English  acre  of  grass  land ;  and  as 
it  would  require  about  twenty  dollars  worth  of 
dung  to  perform  the  same  operation,  the  urine 
of  a  cow  or  horse  is  worth  about  tlu-ee  dollars 
per  annum,  allowing  two  dollars  per  acre  as  the 
expense  of  preparing  the  compost.  The  advan- 
tages of  irrigating  grass  lands  with  cow  urine  al- 
most exceeds  belief,  Mr.  Hardy,  of  Glasgow, 
who  keeps  a  large  dairy  in  that  town,  by  using 
cow  urine,  cuts  some  small  fields  of  grass  six 
times ;  and  the  average  of  each  cutting  is  fifteen 
inches  in  length."  If  this  is  all  true,  farmers 
should  exert  their  utmost  efforts  to  economize 
this  substance,  and  apply  i^  to  their  crops  with 
great  care.  It  is,  vmdoubtedly,  a  most  energetic 
and  efficient  fertilizer,  and  one  which,  we  are  in 
clined  to  think,  has  been  allowed  to  run  greatly 
to  waste. 

THE  ALBANIAN  MARSHES. 

These  marshes  are  a  paradise  for  ornithologists. 
Wild  fowl  of  every  description  rise  in  clouds  on 
all  sides  out  of  shot ;  while  the  coots  and  small 
cormorants,  conscious  of  safety,  scarcely  trouble 
themselves  to  move  at  the  sound  of  a  gun.  Plo- 
vers of  all  kinds  whistle  around,  and  down  at  the 
sea  are  flocks  of  huge  grotesque-looking  pelicans, 
with  a  sprinkling  of  snow-white  egrets.  Slowly 
flapping  over  the  reeds  are  innumerable  marsh 
harriers  ;  merlins,  peregrines,  and  bright  blue  hen 
harriers  dash  along  above,  and  high  up  in  the  air 
the  great  Egyjjtian  vultures  (seeming  pure  white 
as  you  look  up  at  them  from  below)  soar  slowly 
round,  or  rise  sluggishly  from  their  feast  on  some 
carcass  at  your  feet.  Eagles  are  as  numerous  as 
hawks  in  a  deer  forest  in  Scotland ;  five  different 
kinds  (I  am  told — I  am  no  ornithologist  myself) 
are  frequently  seen.  In  the  Avoods  the  great  ea- 
gle owl  (stn/x  bubo)  is  not  uncommon  ;  and  there 
is  no  laclc  of  four-footed  animals — wild  boar,  i-oe 
deer,  jackals,  foxes  and  martin  cats  abound  ;  oc- 
casionally a  wolf  is  seen,  though  they  more  com- 
monly keep  to  the  hill-sides  ;  and  among  the  high 
mountains  in  the  interior  are  bears,  red  deer  and 
chamois. — Fraser's  Magazin  e. 


HOW  TO  MAKE  LARD  CANDLES. 

Messrs.  Editors  :— Having  been  the  recipient 
of  many  favors  through  the  columns  of  your  in- 
valuable publications,  I  propose,  as  far  as  in  me 
lies,  to  cancel  the  obligations  already  incurred, 
and  as  the  first  installment  I  shall  offer  a  receipt 
for  maki'ig  hard,  durable  and  clear-burning  can- 
dles of  lard.  The  manufacture  of  lard  candles  is 
carried  on  to  a  considerable  extent  in  some  of  the 
western  States,  particularly  Wisconsin,  and  being 
monopolized  by  the  few,  has  proved  very  lucra- 
tive.    The  following  is  the  receipt  in  toto.     To 


every  8  lbs.  of  lard,  add  one  ounce  nitric  acid  ; 
and  the  manner  of  making  is  as  follows  :  Hav- 
ing carefully  M'eighed  your  lard,  place  it  over  a 
slow  fire,  or  at  least  merely  melt  it ;  then  add 
the  acid,  and  mould  the  same  as  tallow,  and  j^ou 
have  a  clear,  beautiful  candle. 

In  order  to  make  them  resemble  bona-fide  tal- 
low candles,  you  have  only  to  add  a  small  pro- 
portion of  pure  beeswax.'      J.  A.  RoBlNSON. 

Belcher,  N.  Y.      '  Country  Oentleman. 


EXTRACTS  AND  REPLIES. 
HOW   SHALL   WE   SPELL  ? 

The  firm  of  Nourse,  jMason  &  Co.,  of  Boston, 
have  a  world-wide  reputation  for  their  implements 
made  for  turning  over  and  pulverizing  the  soil. 
But  they  have  not  yet  succeeded  in  instructing 
the  people,  all  of  tJicm,  hoAv  to  sixiU  the  name  by 
which  these  implements  are  to  be  designated.  I 
find  even  learned  editors  vary  in  this — and  dic- 
tionary-makers have  no  standard  authority.  The 
witty  Dr.  Holmes  says,  there  would  be  the  same 
propriety  in  spelling  the  name  of  the  animal  that 
supplies  nourishment  for  our  babies,  when  their 
mothers  fail  to  afford  it,  c-o-u-cj-h,  as  in  spelling 
the  name  of  this  implement  p-l-o-ii-g-li.  But 
every  one  pronounces  the  two  with  the  same  ter- 
minating sound,  cow,  plow.  Then  why  not  so 
spell  them  ?  No  good  reason  can  be  assigned  but 
being  led  captive  by  early  jirejudices  and  anti- 
quated errors. 

November  IG,  1857.  Reformer. 

MUCK   AS  A   TOr-DRESSING — MUCK    IN   BARN- 
YARDS— MANURES. 

Do  you  think  it  will  pay  to  spread  muck  on  as 
a  top-dressing  for  mowing  ?  If  so,  Avhen  is  the 
best  time  for  putting  it  on,  fall  or  spring  ?  (a.) 

Do  you  think  it  advisable  to  buy  manures  to 
raise  crops  to  pay  for  a  farm,  when  one  has  con- 
siderable interest  money  to  pay  ?  Or  is  it  best  to 
let  the  farm  pay  for  itself  without  any  stimu- 
lus ?  (b.) 

Is  cider  pomace  beneficial  to  apj^le  trees  ?  (c.) 

Is  it  not  better  to  use  muck  in  barn-yards,  iSrc, 
instead  of  loam  ?  As  I  have  a  great  quantity  of 
that  article,  I  wish  to  know  the  most  profitable 
way  to  use  it.  (d.)  K.  A.  c. 

Uxbridge,  Nov.,  1857. 

Remarks. — (a.)  On  sandy  loams  especially,  but 
on  any  lands  that  have  been  heavily  cropped, 
mnck  that  has  been  thrown  out  one  or  more  years, 
and  occasionally  worked  over  to  get  it  fine,  af- 
fords an  excellent  top-dressing,  even  when  not 
mingled  with  any  other  substance.  We  should 
advise  to  apply  it,  if  it  can  be  made  convenient, 
as  soon  as  possible,  after  the  grass  is  cut  in  July 
or  August ;  but  at  any  rate,  in  the  fall,  in  pref- 
erence to  the  spring,  so  that  it  may  have  the  ben- 
efit of  the  fall  and  winter  rains  and  frosts  in  pul- 
verizing and  settling  it  down  about  the  roots. 

(b.)  Purchasing  manure  is  much  like  any  other 
merchandising ;  if  you  are  satisfied  that  you  can 
increase  your  profits  enough  to  pay  the  cost  of 
the  manure,  then  purchase.     It  will  be  prudent, 


28 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Jan. 


however,  to  begin  in  a  small  way,  and  where  you 
do  experiment,  use  the  manure  freely,  keeping 
an  exact  account  of  costs,  and  then  you  will  be 
able  to  settle  the  question  for  yourself.     Try  it. 

(c.)  When  pomace  is  decomposed  and  mixed 
with  loam  or  muck,  it  is  said  to  be  a  good  dress- 
ing for  apple  trees. 

(d.)  Muck  is  better  than  loam  for  the  barn- 
yard, because  it  is  a  much  greater  absorbent. 
Fifty  loads  of  good  muck,  spread  in  the  yard  where 
cattle  lie  as  they  usually  do  in  our  barn-yards, 
and  where  the  droppings  of  the  cattle  cannot  be 
carried  off  by  rains,  will  be  nearly  as  valuable  as 
fifty  loads  of  the  heap  from  under  the  barn  win- 
dow,— provided  the  muck  and  droppings  be  once 
or  twice  plowed  up  or  otherwise  mixed. 


HOW  SHALL   I  EECLAIM  SINKS  OR  BASINS  IN   OLD 
FIELDS  ? 

Can  you  or  any  of  your  correspondents  infonn 
me  how  to  reclaim  sinks  or  basins  in  old  fields  ? 
The  alluvial  soil  deposited  is  a  compost  of  clay 
with  every  variety  of  vegetation,  and  on  which 
grow  noxious  weeds  most  luxuriantly,  but  corn 
will  not  come  up ;  a  chance  stalk  that  comes  up 
grows  off  rank  for  a  few  weeks,  and  then  dies.  I 
have  raised  and  ridged,  manured  and  limed,  but 
have  failed.  Should  not  trouble  you,  but  have  a 
good  many  acres  of  land  in  that  condition. 

Sparta,  1857.  A  Farmer. 

Remarks. — We  have  had  no  experience  with 
such  lands,  and  must  refer  the  subject  to  wiser 
heads.  

large  turkeys. 

I  thought  I  would  let  you  know  what  sort  of 
turkeys  we  have  in  Woi'cester.  We  have  one 
turkey,  eighteen  months  old,  which  weighs  thirty- 
two  pounds,  and  is  still  growing.  We  have  seven, 
five  months  old,  whose  weight  is  one  hundred  and 
five  pounds.  If  any  of  your  readers  have  larger 
ones,  I  should  like  to  see  them. 

David  R.  Gates. 

New  Worcester,  Nov.,  1857. 


creeper  HENS — CRANBERRIES. 

Will  some  of  your  readers  tell  me  whei-e  I  can 
get  the  old-fashioned  creeper  hens  ?  Also,  where 
a  man  can  be  had  competent  to  prepare  the 
ground  and  plant  one-quarter  of  an  acre  of  cran- 
berries ?  A  Subscriber. 

West  Newton,  1857.    _ 

MAPLE   SUGAR. 

Londonderry,  Vt.,  has  about  1300  inhabitants, 
and  made,  last  spring,  thirty  tons  of  maple  sugar. 
November  16,  1857.  S.  PlERCE. 

Remarks. — We  are  glad  of  it,  Mr.  Pierce ; 
you  are  a  sensible  and  industrious  joeople  up 
there,  and  enjoying  most  of  the  sweets  of  life ; — 
but  this  latter  one  we  should  be  glad  to  enjoy 
with  you. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
AGKICULTUBAIi  BEPORTS. 

The  season  for  exhibitions  having  passed  by, 
we  may  now  begin  to  witness  on  "paper  what  has 
sprung  from  these  exhibitions.  How  few  there 
are,  who  duly  weigh  the  importance  of  these  doc- 
uments, when  prepared.  It  is  not  enough  to  say 
that  such  and  such  a  premium  was  awarded  to  A. 
B.  or  C.  D.  for  his  or  her  best,  or  second  best  ani- 
mal on  the  field  ;  but  the  report  shovild  so  de- 
scribe the  characteristics  of  the  animal  or  object 
as  to  distinguish  it  from  all  others,  and  teach 
those  who  are  willing  to  learn,  how  to  grow  or 
produce  others  of  like  character.  If  not,  what  is 
gained  by  the  exhibition  ?  The  same  may  be 
said  of  crops  of  every  variety.  Those  who  ap- 
point persons  to  prepare  reports,  should  have  re- 
gard to  the  ability  of  those  selected,  and  those 
who  are  selected  should  never  engage  in  the  du- 
ty, without  a  determination  to  produce  something 
creditable  to  themselves,  and  useful  for  the  com- 
munity. 

These  observations  have  been  brought  to  mind 
by  the  "introductory  remarks,"  in  the  annual 
transactions  of  one  of  our  County  Societies,  lately 
given  to  the  public.  While  such  vigilance  is  dis- 
played and  regarded  as  is  therein  contained,  there 
will  be  little  danger  of  wearing  out  by  repetition. 
Whoever  valued  less  the  products  of  their  orch- 
ards, because  year  after  year  they  had  brought 
forth  fruit  of  the  same  character  and  quality  ? — 
On  the  contrary,  a  certain  degree  of  sameness, 
gives  an  increased  value  to  these  products.      * 

November  12,  1857. 

Remarks. — These  suggestions  are  important 
at  this  juncture,  when  so  many  of  our  reports  are 
in  the  course  of  preparation.  Much  devolves  up- 
on the  Secretaries  of  societies  in  this  particular, 
and  they  should  insist  upon  such  a  report  as  will 
elucidate  the  subject  upon  which  it  treats — oth- 
erwise the  report  is  not  of  so  much  value  as  the 
paper  upon  which  it  is  printed. 


For  the  Sew  England  Farmer. 
SQUASHES. 

I  have  never  known  the  season  when  this  veg- 
etable was  so  luxuriant  and  abundant.  I  pre- 
sume the  extreme  wet  of  the  summer  was  favor- 
able to  their  growth.  If  memory  is  right,  insects, 
that  is,  the  striped  beetle  and  stinking,  black  squash 
bug — (I  speak  of  them  as  they  are  usually  called, 
not  having  a  distinct  recollection  of  Dr.  Harris's 
scientific  appellations) — were  less  numerous  than 
usual.  Probably,  at  the  same  time  the  moisture 
promoted  the  growth  of  the  vines,  it  retarded  the 
multiplication  of  the  insects.  I  have  been  in- 
duced to  speak  of  this  vegetable,  by  the  accounts 
of  extraordinary  products  given  us  by  a  friend 
lately  returned  from  California,  who  saw  four 
squashes,  the  present  season,  in  San  Francisco, 
the  united  weight  of  which  was  sixteen  hundred 
pounds.  I  have  seen  in  the  field  of  Mr.  Merritt, 
S.  Salem,  on  ten  hills,  twenty  squashes  weighing 
tiventy  hundred  powids.  On  the  same  I'arms,  I 
was  assured  that  there  has  been  raised  more  than 


858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


29 


one  hundred  tons  of  the  marrow  squash  the  pres- 
ent season,  on  about  two  acres  of  ground. 

An  inquiry  has  often  been  made,  how  is  the 
purity  of  the  squash  preserved?  I  have  never 
met  more  sensible  remarks  on  this  point,  than 
the  following,  which  I  quote  from  a  Report  on 
Vegetable  Products,  al/out  to  appear,  viz.  :  The 
Tramadions  of  the  Essex  County  ^iocidyfor  1857. 

"It  is  a  mistake  to  infer  that  the  seed  of  the 
squash  is  pure,  because  the  squash  itself  has  all 
the  outward  characteristics  of  purity.  The  cross- 
ing of  varieties,  as  in  the  apple,  pear  and  all  our 
fiuits,  is  not  in  the  pulp,  but  in  the  seed  ;  and 
were  the  squash  vine  like  our  trees,  perennial,  no 
matter  how  near  other  varieties  might  grow,  the 
fruit  would  always  be  constant ;  but  when  we 
plant  the  seed,  be  it  of  squash,  apple  or  pear, 
then  the  result  of  growing  it  in  the  vicinity  of 
other  varieties,  at  once  shows  itself  in  point  of 
all  degrees  of  purity,  though  the  seed  planted 
may  all  have  come  from  one  squash." 

This  doctrine  may  in  some  manner  explain  the 
vexed  question,  which  I  have  often  heard  answered 
■with  great  confidence  on  both  sides.  Will  seeds 
taken  from  squashes  peld  pximpkins  ?  or  vice  ver- 
sa ;  will  seeds  taken  from  pumpkins  yield  squash- 
es? I  had  supposed  these  vegetables  to  be  as 
different  in  their  nature,  as  are  the  African  and 
the  European,  in  the  human  family.  Neverthe- 
less, I  have  seen  of  these,  individuals  that  awak- 
ened a  strong  suspicion  ot  juxtaposition  of  pa- 
rents before  birth.  If  such  erratic  adventures 
happen  in  the  human  family,  under  the  obliga- 
tions of  all  conventional  and  moral  propriety, 
much  more  may  they  be  expected  in  the  vegetable 
family,  that  recognizes  no  such  obligations. 

Stranger  things  than  these  have  turned  up  ev- 
en in  Marblehead — the  overflowing  fountain  of 
squash  intelligence.  EsSEX. 

Nov.  14,  1857. 


NEW  BOOKS. 


"Sorgho  and  Imphee,  the  Chinese  and  Afri- 
can Sugar.  A  treatise  upon  their  origin,  varie- 
ties and  culture  ;  their  value  as  a  forage  crop  ; 
and  the  manufacture  of  sugar,  syrup,  alcohol, 
wines,  beer,  cider,  vinegar,  starch  and  dye-stuffs ; 
with  a  paper  by  Leonard  May,  Esq.,  of  Caffraria, 
and  a  description  of  his  patented  process  for  crys- 
talizing  the  Imphee.  By  Henry  S.  Olcott.  A. 
O.  Moore,  Agricultural  Book  Publisher,  (late  C. 
M.  Saxton  &  Co.,)  N.  Y." 

Such  is  a  title  of  this  new  work  on  the  Chinese 
Sugar  Cane,  and  the  African  Sugar  Cane,  which 
is  also  called  "Imphee."  Mr.  Olcott  seems  to 
have  explored  every  department  of  the  subject, 
and  perhaps  has  given  all  the  information  in  rela- 
tion to  them  which  it  is  necessary  to  know  in  ma- 
king further  experiments.  The  book  commen- 
ces with  an  account  of  the  cane  in  China,  and 
then  goes  on  with  some  minuteness  through  all 
the  stages  of  planting,  culture,  liarvcsli;;g,  c;c;>rcs- 
sing  its  juices  and  obtaining  the  syrup  or  sugar. 
The  AViiter  has  also  introduced  the  opinions  and 
experiments  of  many  practical  men  in  relation  to 


it.  Numerous  diagrams  and  figures  illustrate  the 
subject,  so  that  the  whole  is  presented  in  a  clear 
and  comprehensive  manner. 

The  book  is  printed  on  large  type  and  good  pa- 
per, and  is  a  credit  to  the  old  agricultural  pub- 
lishing house  from  whence  it  is  issued.  All  per- 
sons intending  to  cultivate  either  of  these  canes, 
or  who  desire  to  know  more  about  them,  may  be 
benefited  by  a  perusal  of  this  work. 

"Illustrated  Annual  Register,  for  1858. 
With  130  Engravings.  By  J.  J.  Thomas.  Lu- 
ther Tucker  &  Son,  Albany,  N.  Y." 

This  is  Number  Four  of  the  Register  and  is 
equal  to  any  of  its  predecessors.  It  tells  you  how 
to  build  a  cheap  farm-house,  or  a  complete  coun- 
try residence,  how  to  protect  and  feed  animals 
and  bees,  to  build  cellar  walls  and  cisterns,  about 
gardens,  grapes,  orchards,  poultry,  plowing,  and 
indeed,  almost  every  thing  that  the  farmer  ought 
to  know.  It  costs  but  25  cts.,  and  the  single  ar- 
ticle on  Ventilation  is  worth  more  than  that  to 
any  farmer  who  will  read  this.  You  never  will  re- 
gret it  if  you  purchase  it. 


MANAGEMENT  OF  MILCH  COWS. 

As  soon  as  the  grass  begins  to  fail  in  the  fall, 
milch  cows  should  be  fed  on  vt^arm  slops,  that  they 
may  not  get  a  back  set,  and  kept  at  night  in  a  warm 
and  comfortable  stable.  If  the  farmer  prefers 
using  hay,  they  should  have  all  of  it  they  will  eat 
up  clean,  and  each  night  and  morning  a  feed  of 
from  four  to  six  quarts  of  shorts,  wet  with  about 
the  same  quantity  of  warm  water.  Or  a  more 
economical  way  is  to  feed  them  twice  a  day  with 
about  half  a  bushel  of  nice,  clean,  cut  straw, 
mixed  with  about  three  gallons  of  warm  water. 
They  will  then  need  no  hay,  and  give  an  abun- 
dance of  good  rich  milk.  Corn  is  too  heating  for 
milch  cows,  and  has  too  much  of  a  tendency  to 
fatten. 

The  stable  should  be  thoroughly  cleaned  every 
morning  after  the  cows  are  turned  out,  and  littered 
with  clean  straw.  When  it  is  stormy,  they  should 
remain  in  the  stable  until  the  middle  of  the  after- 
noon, when  they  should  be  turned  out  to  get  wa- 
ter.— Genesee  Farmer. 


LARD   AND   KESIN  FOR  TOOLS. 
"A  penny  saved  is  two-pence  earned." 

Take  about  three  pounds  of  lard  and  one 
pound  of  resin.  Melt  them  together  in  a  basin 
or  kettle,  and  rub  over  all  iron  or  steel  surfaces 
in  danger  of  being  rusted.  It  can  be  put  on  with 
a  brush  or  piece  of  cloth,  and  wherever  it  is  ap- 
plied it  most  effectually  keeps  air  and  moisture 
away,  and  of  course  prevents  rust.  When  knives 
and  forks,  or  other  household  articles,  liable  to 
become  rusted  or  spotted,  are  to  be  laid  away, 
rub  them  over  with  this  mixture,  and  they  will 
come  out  bright  and  clean  even  years  afterwards. 
The  coating  may  be  bo  thin  as  not  to  be  perceiv- 
ed, and  it  will  still  be  effectual.  Let  every  one 
keep  a  dish  of  this  preparation  on  hand.      As  it 


30 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Jan. 


does  not  spoil  of  itself,  it  may  be  kept  ready 
mixed  for  months  or  years.  Mem. — Fresh  lard, 
containing  no  salt,  should  be  used.  Resin  is  a 
cheap  article,  and  may  l>e  obtained  almost  any- 
where for  four  to  six  cents  per  pound. — American 
Agriculturist. 

For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
SEED    OP  THE  HUBBARD  SQUASH. 

Will  the  Stkdp  of  the  Chinese  Scgak  Cane  Ferment  ?— BtmN- 

INQ  THE  STRCP — SCGAR  FROM  IT. 

Mr.  Editor  : — About  two  years  since,  I  intro- 
duced the  Hubbard  squash  to  public  notice 
through  the  columns  of  your  paper.  Thereupon 
letters  i-each€d  me  from  many  quarters,  asking 
for  seed  ;  I  satisfied  the  demand  in  part  with  seed 
that  was  quite  impure,  as  the  parties  were  in- 
formed at  the  time,  but  soon  found  my  spare  stock 
exhausted,  while  still  the  letters  came  from  the 
community  of  live  farmers.  I  was  therefore  again 
compelled  to  resort  to  your  cokmins,  and  beg  of 
them  to  §pare  me,  as  on  my  life  I  had  squeezed 
out  the  very  last  whole  seed  that  could  possibly 
be  spared  from  a  stock  that  had  never  anticipated 
such  a  "run,"  and  was  therefore  very  naturally 
obliged  to  "suspend."  Last  spring,  after  conning 
over  that  famous  axiom  in  political  economy,  that 
in  a  healthy  relation  between  the  producer  and 
consumer,  the  supply  will  always  equal  the  de- 
mand, I  resolved  that  as  circumstances  had  fairly 
cornered  me,  and  many  looked  to  me  as  producer 
of  the  seed  in  question,  that  I  would  meet  the  re- 
lation fairly,  and  lay  in  store  a  good  stock  of  as 
pure  seed  as  could  be  produced.  In  this  effort,  I 
have  beer,  successful,  and  I  would,  therefoi-e,  take 
the  liberty  to  call  the  attention  of  parties  whom 
I  was  unable  to  supply,  to  an  advertisement  on 
another  page  of  this  paper. 

A  writer  in  an  agricultural  paper  inquii*es  wheth- 
er the  syrup  obtained  from  the  Chinese  sugar 
cane  will  remain  without  fermentation.  A  year 
since,  I  made  a  small  quantity  of  syrup,  and  have 
kept  the  same  loosely  corked  in  a  glass  bottle  un- 
der circumstances  favorable  for  fermentation,  the 
warmth  of  a  close  room  ;  immediately  upon  read- 
ing the  question  of  the  writer,  I  arose,  tested  the 
syrup  remaining,  and  found  in  it  not  the  slightest 
indication  of  fermentation.  This  syrup  was  pre- 
pared from  the  pith  of  the  cane,  having  been  re- 
duced about  eight-ninths,  hardly  to  the  consisten- 
cy of  common  molasses. 

Writers  vary  much  in  their  opinions  of  the 
quality  of  the  new  molasses,  rating  it  all  the  way 
from  poor  West  India,  to  the  best  syrup  in  the 
market.  That  there  is  good  ground  for  this  dif- 
ference of  opinion,  any  one  will  be  satisfied  by 
testing  the  various  samples  exhibited  at  our  agri- 
cultural fairs.  At  the  Essex  County  Fair,  four 
samples  were  exhibited,  three  of  which  were  thick- 
er than  common  molasses,  of  a  darker  color,  and 
bitter  taste  ;  they  had  evidently  been  burnt  in  the 
process  of  manufacture,  and  no  man  on  his  con- 
science could  rank  them  much  higher  than  the 
poorest  of  sweet  Cuba  molasses.  The  fourth  sam- 

f)le  was  of  about  the  color  of  sugar-house  mo- 
asses,  and  rather  thinner,  having  been  reduced 
about  seven  parts  in  eight  ;  its  quality  was  equal, 
or  nearly  equal  to  that  of  the  best  syrup  of  com- 
merce, with  a  flavor  reminding  one  of  buckwheat 
'•akes.    We  would  advise,  therefore,  such  of  our 


farmer  friends  as  have  not  as  yet  finished  their 
experiments,  to  avoid  reducing  their  sap  below 
the  consistency  of  quite  thin  molasses,  for  while 
this  may  safely  be  done  by  almost  any  one,  to  re- 
duce it  still  more  is  attended  with  risk,  and  calls 
for  the  oversight  of  the  experienced  sugar-maker. 
We  are  told  that  this  variety  of  the  cane  can  be 
made  to  yield  but  a  small  proportion  of  crysta- 
lized  sugar,  as  the  sugar  which  it  contains  is  most- 
ly grape  sugar,  a  variety  which  will  not  crystalize. 

About  three  weeks  since,  two  hills  of  cane,  one 
a  little  more  advanced  towards  ripening  than  the 
other,  but  neither  of  them  having  their  seed  ad- 
vanced beyond  the  milk,  were  given  to  a  friend 
to  experiment  with.  In  a  few  days,  he  brought 
me  the  result  of  his  experiment,  saying  that  he 
thought  he  must  have  made  some  mistake,  as  the 
product  did  not  seem  like  molasses.  On  exami- 
nation, I  found  a  thick  mass,  of  about  the  color 
of  honey,  too  thick  to  run  on  the  vessel  being 
turned.  I  found  on  tasting,  that  it  was  nearly 
pure  sugar,  as  nearly  so  as  the  molasses  sugar 
which  is  sometimes  found  as  a  residuum  in  molas- 
ses casks.  The  peculiarity  of  the  experiment  was, 
that  the  party  knew  nothing  of  sugar-making 
either  in  theory  or  practice.  As  soon  as  the  sap 
was  expressed,  without  being  strained,  it  was  im- 
mediately boiled,  and  most  of  the  scum  removed. 
No  alkali  whatever  was  added,  and  consequently 
the  sugar  has  quite  an  acid  taste.  From  this  for- 
tunate accident,  I  think  we  may  draw  two  infer- 
ences ;  that  to  obtain  sugar  from  the  Chinese  su- 
gar cane,  an  alkali  is  not  necessary,  and  that  the 
proportion  of  sugar  in  a  given  quantity  of  syrup 
is  larger  than  opinions  from  learned  sources  have 
led  us  to  expect.  James  J.  H.  Gregory. 

Marblehead,  Mass. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
WOMAN  A  SLAVE  IN  HER  OWN  HOUSE. 

The  late  Gov.  Hill,  of  New  Hampshire,  in  his 
Family  Visitor,  while  remarking  on  the  import- 
ance of  improving,  to  the  utmost,  the  character 
of  our  butter,  gave  as  a  reason  for  having  it  nice- 
ly prepared,  that  it  had  already  been  a  component 
part  of  almost  all  our  dishes.  But  the  admix- 
ture of  butter  with  farinaceous  and  other  prepara- 
tions is  not  the  only  violation  of  nature's  simplic- 
ity. Sugar,  molasses,  lard,  saleratus,  eggs,  and 
many  more  things  which  might  be  named,  are 
used  in  large  quantities.  The  French  are  said  to 
have  no  less  than  685  dishes  of  which  eggs  form 
a  part ;  and  if  we  have,  as  yet,  not  quite  so  many, 
it  can  hardly  be  said  of  us  that  we  are  not  fast 
coming  up  with  them.  But  it  seldom  happens 
that  our  food  is  so  simple  as  to  contain  but  one 
foreign  ingredient — whether  eggs,  butter  or  any- 
thing else.  What  were  once  the  plainest,  simplest 
dishes,  are  often  quite  compounded. 

Time  was — and  that,  too,  within  our  own  re- 
membrance— when,  in  very  large  portions  of  our 
country,  no  housekeeper,  in  preparing  raised 
bread,  (and  very  little  was  used  of  any  other 
kind,)  made  use  of  anything  but  the  needful 
yeast  or  leven ;  not  even  common  salt.  Occa- 
sionally, it  is  true,  through  carelessness  or  neg- 
lect, the  fermentation  was  allowed  to  iroceed  too 
far  before  the  baking  process  commenced  ;  and 
the  result  was  a  greater  or  less  degree  of  acidity ; 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


31 


though  this  seldom  happened  once  in  a  quarter  of 
d  year,  and  in  some  families  almost  never.  But  I 
"times  are  altered."  Bread,  unsalted,  would,  in 
most  places,  be  intolerable ;  nor  would  it,  in 
many  families,  be  regarded  as  fit  to  eat  without 
saleratus.  Besides  these,  our  farmers'  wives, 
who  have  plenty  of  milk,  frequently  wet  their 
meal  with  it ;  and  in  making  several  kinds  of 
bread,  they  add  to  all  these  molasses.  I  have 
even,  in  some  places  at  the  South  and  South-west, 
seen  bread  to  which  a  small  quantity  of  flesh 
meat,  finely  chopped,  had  been  added.  It  was 
called  crackley  bread. 

Just  think  of  this,  Mr.  Editor,  for  a  moment.  Here, 
m  the  more  common  forms  of  what  is  justly  called 
the  staff  of  life,  are  flour,  salt,  saleratus,  molasses 
and  milk,  to  say  nothing  of  the  substance  which 
is  usually  added  as  a  ferment,  or  of  the  acetic 
acid,  which,  in  order  to  prepare  the  way  for  the 
saleratus,  as  well  as  to  have  a  large  loaf,  is  often 
developed  before  the  bread  is  set  in  the  oven  ! 
Including  the  last  two,  and  we  have  an  admixture 
of  no  less  than  seven  ingredients,  in  order  to  the 
formation  of  what  was  once,  and  ever  ought  to 
have  remained,  a  simple  loaf  of  bread.  And  thus 
it  seems  to  be,  all  the  way  from  our  most  simple 
articles  up  to  Mrs.  Leslie's  mince  pies,  composed 
of  no  less  than  eighteen  ingredients  !  And  then, 
let  me  say  a  word  as  to  the  quantity  of  these  for- 
eign ingredients.  I  can  remember — perhaps  you 
can — when  from  a  quarter  of  a  pound  to  a  poun'd 
of  saleratus  or  of  pearl  ash  used  to  suffice  for 
alkali  a  whole  year,  in  any  ordinary  New  England 
family.  Or,  if  to  this  any  additions  were  ever 
made,  it  consisted  of  a  little  ashes,  neatly  pre- 
pared by  burning  a  few  cobs  of  Indian  corn.  But 
now  how  stands  the  case  ?  The  mother  and 
housekeeper  of  a  well  known  familj'  of  Fitchburg 
told  me  a  few  years  ago,  in  the  presence  of  her  hus- 
band, and  after  careful  consultation  with  him, 
tliat  she  made  use,  in  cooking,  of  no  less  than  twen- 
ty-five pounds  of  saleratus  in  a  year.  And  yet 
tlie  family  consisted  only  of  ten  persons — about 
one-half  of  whom  were  children.  This,  I  admit, 
is  an  extreme  case  ;  at  least  I  would  fain  hope  so. 
Yet  there  are  thousands  of  families  of  five,  six  or 
seven  persons,  that  come  nearly  half  way  up  to  it 
— that  is,  they  use  at  least  ten  or  twelve  pounds. 
Indeed,  from  much  observation  on  this  subject  in 
different  portions  of  the  United  States,  I  am  of 
opinion  that  the  average  amount  of  this  alkali 
which  is  used  in  cookery,  can  hardly  be  less  than 
eight  pounds.  For  should  it  be  said  that  there 
are  many  indigent  families  who  cannot  afford  it, 
my  reply  is  that  the  poor  are  usually  among  the 
last  to  dispense  with  such  a  luxury  as  this.  I 
sjjeak  of  the  past  and  present,  however  ;  for  what 
will  be  done  the  coming  Avinter,  I  do  not  attempt 
to  predict. 

Now,  setting  aside  the  fact  of  its  bearmg  on 
health — for  Dr.  Dunglison  says,  in  his  Physiolo- 
gy, that  "all  made  dishes  are  more  or  less  rebel- 
lious" in  the  stomach — is  it  reasonable  that  wo- 
man should  be  condemned,  for  life,  to  a  slavery 
to  custom  which  demands  of  her  that  she  should 
expend  so  much  of  her  "sacred  fire"  in  mixing 
natural,  healthful  and — to  every  unperverted  pal- 
ate—agreeable  food  with  a  multitude  of  foreign 
substances  ?  For  who  does  not  know  that  it  con- 
sumes a  vast  deal  of  time  over  and  beyond  what 
is  needed  in  the  preparation  of  the  plainer  viands  ? 


It  is  not  easy  to  estimate  the  amount  of  female 
time  which  is  consumed  in  the  United  States 
every  year,  in  the  manner  aforesaid  ;  but  it  must 
be  enormous.  Perhaps  we  may  form  an  idea  of 
it,  by  considering  for  a  moment  how  much  time  it 
requires  to  form  cheese — a  far  less  complicated 
mixture  than  many  others.  From  the  best  data  I 
have  been  able  to  obtain,  it  would  take  a  woman 
a  month  to  make  a  thousand  pounds  of  cheese — . 
I  mean  on  the  supposition  that  she  could  employ 
in  this  way  her  whole  time.  Yet  who  does  not 
see,  at  once,  that  not  only  is  nothing  gained  in 
this  way,  even  of  gustatory  enjoyment,  to  the 
unperverted  jmlate,  but  that  the  process  is  accom- 
panied by  some  waste  of  nutritious  matter  and  a 
good  deal  of  vexation  and  fatigue  ?  Those  who 
have  not  reflected  much  on  the  subject,  will,  I 
know,  interpose  a  question  here  :  what  should  we 
farmers  do  with  our  milk  at  earlier  seasons,  if  we 
did  not  make  it  into  cheese  ? — a  question,  how- 
ever, which,  without  pointing  them  to  the  king- 
dom of  Brazil,  and  to  some  other  countries, 
where  butter  and  cheese  have  never  yet  been 
made,  might  easily  be  answered. 

Wm.  a.  Alcott. 

Aubumdale,  Nov.  12th,  1857. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
HEATED  BOOMS. 

Physiologists,  one  and  all,  agree  that  for  health's 
sake,  the  breathing  of  pure  air  is  of  the  utmost 
importance  ;  say  they,  "Whatever  makes  the  air 
impure,  makes  the  blood  impure,  and  from  impu- 
rities of  the  blood  originate  nearly  every  disease, 
hence  the  sick  person  taking  medicines,  and  at 
the  same  time  breathing  impure  air,  labors  under 
the  same  disadvantage  as  the  man,  who,  being  af- 
flicted with  the  gout,  adopts  a  medical  course  of 
treatment,  and  at  the  same  time  indulges  in  lux- 
urious living,  which  was  the  first  and  only  cause 
of  his  disease ;  in  either  case,  the  former  course 
maj^  act  as  a  curative,  while  the  latter  is  sure  to 
excite  disease." 

Now  in  regard  to  our  dwellings,  we  pursue  very 
much  the  same  course  ;  in  winter,  we  shut  up  our- 
selves in  small  heated  rooms  in  order  to  keep 
warm,  forgetting  that  an  ordinary  man  consumes 
a  hogshead  of  air  every  hour,  and  that  the  stove 
takes  up  oxygen,  the  vital  principle  of  air,  twice 
as  fast  as  a  man  does  ;  think  of  it,  reader !  a  hogs- 
head an  hour  for  one  person,  and  judge  yourself 
of  how  many  hogsheads  capacity  is  your  room, 
and  how  many  persons  there  are  to  breathe  there- 
in. Still  you  pursue  this  course,  and  cough  and 
croup  the  M'inter  through,  and  are  ready  to  be- 
lieve that  the  human  race  is  fast  degenerating, 
or  that  the  climate  has  undergone  some  sad 
change.  F. 

"Died  Poor  !" — As  if  anybody  could  die  rich, 
and  in  that  act  of  dying,  did  not  loose  the  grasp 
upon  title  deed  and  bond,  and  go  away  a  pauper 
out  of  time  !  No  gold,  no  jewels,  no  lands  or  tene- 
ments. And  yet,  men  have  been  buried  by  chari- 
ty's hand,  who  did  die  rich  ;  died  worth  a  thous- 
and thoughts  of  beauty,  a  thousand  pleasant 
memories,  a  thousand  hopes  restored. 


32 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


IMPROVED  SUPPLY  PIPE  POH   HOT  AIR  FURNACES. 


Hon.  Simon  Brown  : — Dear  Sir — I  send  here- 
with cuts  representing  an  invention  by  Mr.  Sam- 
uel L.  Hay  and  myself,  by  means  of  -w'tiich  a  near- 
ly uniform  amount  of  fresh  air  is  admitted 
through  the  supply  pipes  of  fui'naces,  notwith- 
standing the  tendency  to  increase  of  current  from 
external  cold,  or  winds.  From  the  following  ta- 
ble may  be  seen  the  great  difference  in  speed  be- 
tween light  and  strong  winds  ;  and  how  irregular 
would  be  the  supply,  if  the  openings  were  always 
the  same. 


Velocity  of  the       Perpendicular  ftjrce 
wind.  on  1  square  foot,  in 

Miles  in  an  hour.  avoirdupois  lbs. 


005 

079) 

123 

492 

1.107  i 

4.429 

85 6.027  j 

50 12.300 

80 31.490  i 

100 49.200 


Common  appellations 

of  the  force  of 

such  winds. 

Hardly  perceptible. 

Gentle,  pleasant  wind. 

Brisk  gale. 

High  wind. 
A  storm. 
A  hurricane. 


Persons  living  in  furnace-heated  houses  have 
experienced  the  discomfort  from  currents  of  air 


in  cold  weather,  when  the  wind  v.'as  blowing  into 
the  mouth  of  the  supply  pipe  ;  and  also  an  ab- 
sence of  heat  from  the  furnace  because  of  the 
wind  blowing  on  an  opposite  side  of  the  house 
from  the  supply  pipes,  producing  a  partial  vaci»- 
um  about  the  mouth  of  the  pipe,  causing  a  cur- 
rent of  warm  air  to  pass  out  of  the  house,  and  be 
lost. 

The  usual  way  of  preventing  the  air  from  com- 
ing in  too  freely  is  to  put  a  sliding  valve  into  the 
pipe,  by  which  the  opening  may  be  diminished ; 
but  the  wind  is  fitful,  gusts  and  lulls  alternating, 
and  the  most  careful  watchfulness  and  persona] 
attention  cannot  govern  the  supply.  Some  close 
these  valves,  and  damp,  unwholesome  air  is  taken 
fi'om  the  cellar.  Others,  after  experiencing  th« 
inconvenience  of  regulating  the  current  of  fresk 
air  through  the  supply  pipc>  have  had  them  clos- 
ed entirely  and  taken  their  supply  from  an  open- 
ing through  the  hall  floor  ;  but  this  practice  of 
making  bad  air  by  using  it  over  and  over  again 
is  depressing  to  the  spirits  and  destructive  to 
health.  How  often  do  we  hear  a  person  (wishing 
to  be  refreshed  and  "get  an  appetite,")   remark, 


"I  must  go  out  and  breathe  the  fresh  air;"  yet  1  in  the  open  fields.  It  sometimes  happens  from 
how  few  realize  that  they  can  have  air  almost  as  the  valve  being  closed  to  prevent  the  warm  air 
fitesh  and  invigorating  in  their  own  dwellings,  as  |  from  passing  out,  that  heat  has  accumulated  to 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


33 


such  a  degree  about  the  furnace,  as  to  set  on  fire 
the  wood-work.  The  self-acting  regulator  I  think, 
■will  be  understood  by  referring  to  the  accompa- 
nying diagrams. 

Fig.  1  is  a  vertical  section  through  the  regula- 
tor and  supply  pipe,  showing  the  valve  in  its  po- 
sition when  not  afifected  by  currents  ;  the  dotted 
lines  representing  its  position  when  the  inner 
wing,  b,  is  closed  by  a  refluent  current,  the  weight, 
€,  still  hanging  plumb.  When  the  tendency  to 
vacuum  about  the  mouth  of  the  pipe  ceases,  the 
current  turns  inward  and  the  inner  wing  instant- 
ly opens. 

Fig.  2  is  a  similar  section,  showing  the  posi- 
tion when  the  outer  or  perforated  wing,  a,  is  clos- 


ed by  the  force  of  the  inward  current,  the  weight, 
e,  preventing  it  from  closing  too  freely,  and 
tending  to  throw  it  up  when  the  pressure  dimin- 
ishes. 

Fig.  3  is  a  plan  with  the  cover  of  the  supply 
pipe  removed. 

The  equipoise,  c,  can  be  adjusted  by  the  joint, 
d,  so  that  either  wing  can  be  made  to  propon- 
derate ;  or  so  that  if  the  weight,  e,  is  removed 
and  all  currents,  the  regulator  will  be  balanced, 
and  remain  in  any  position  it  may  be  placed  in 
its  bearings. 

Mine  has  been  operating  a  few  weeks  only,  but 
sufficient  to  show  that  it  is  a  very  efficient  and 
useful  sentinel.    There  being  a  good  fire  in  the 


furnace,  and  the  thermometer  indicating  about 
32  degrees  outside,  the  tendency  to  equilibrium 
produced  a  cui-rent  through  the  supply  pipe  of 
about  five  miles  per  hour,  (about  seven  feet  per 
second,)  and  sufficient  to  close  the  outer  wing  of 
the  regulator,  as  I  had  the  weight,  e,  adjusted. 
In  colder  weather  it  would  be  much  more,  as  the 
contrast  between  the  external  and  internal  air 
would  be  greater.  In  a  mild  day,  when  the  tem- 
perature inside  and  out  is  nearly  equal,  there  is 
hardly  any  perceptible  current. 

The  regulator  may  be  applied  to  chimneys,  es- 
pecially where  coal  is  used,  to  prevent  smoke  and 
gas  from  blowing  down,  and  to  produce  a  uni- 
form draught. 

Very  respectfully  yours, 

Henry  B.  Osgood. 

Whitinsville,  Worcester  Co.,  Nov.  23,  1857. 


i^°  A  gentleman  in  Rockingham  county,  Va., 
has  lost  five  head  of  young  cattle,  and  two  fine 
milch  cows,  within  five  days,  by  permitting  them 
to  run  in  the  same  field  where  he  was  feeding  his 
hogs.  The  hogs  ate  the  stalks  of  corn,  and  left 
them  on  the  ground  after  chewing.  These  were 
taken  up  by  the  cattle,  eaten,  swallowed,  and  not 
being  digestible,  produced  an  itching  all  over. 


They  at  once  commenced  rubbing  their  heads, 
when  their  throats  swelled,  and  in  a  short  time, 
death  ensued.     So  says  a  Virginia  paper. 


THE  CUNIflNG  OF  THE  BAVEN. 

In  the  narrative  of  the  Arctic  Voyage  of  Capt. 
McClure,  of  the  British  Navv,  is  the  following 
story  of  the  two  ravens,  which  became  domici- 
lated  on  board  the  Investigator.  The  raven,  it 
appears,  is  the  only  bird  that  willingly  braves  a 
Polar  winter,  and  in  the  depth  of  the  season  he 
is  seen  to  flit  through  the  cold  and  sunless  atmo- 
sphere like  an  evil  spirit,  his  sullen  croak  alone 
breaking  the  silence  of  the  death-like  scene.  No 
one  of  the  crew  attempted  to  shoot  the  ravens, 
and  they  consequently  became  very  bold,  as  will 
be  seen  from  the  following  story  : 

"Two  ravens  now  established  themselves  as 
friends  of  the  family  in  Mercer  Bay,  living  main- 
ly by  what  little  scraps  the  men  might  have 
thrown  away  after  meal  times.  The  ship's  dog, 
however,  looked  upon  these  as  his  especial  per- 
quisites, and  exhibited  considerable  energy  in 
maintaining  his  rights  against  the  ravens,  who 
nevertheless  outwitted  him  in  a  way  which  amus- 
ed every  one.  Observing  that  he  appeared  quite 
willing  to  make  a  mouthful  of  their   own   sable 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER, 


Jan. 


persons,  they  used  to  throw  themselves  intention- 
ally in  his  way,  just  as  the  mess-tins  were  being 
cleaned  out  on  the  dirt-heap  outside  the  ship. 
The  dog  would  immediately  run  at  them,  and 
they  would  just  fly  a  few  yards ;  the  dog  then 
made  another  run,  and  again  they  would  appear 
to  escape  him  but  by  an  inch,  and  so  on,  until 
they  had  tempted  and  provoked  him  to  the  shore, 
a  considerable  distance  off".  Then  the  ravens 
would  make  a  direct  flight  for  the  ship,  and  had 
generally  done  good  execution  before  the  morti- 
fied-Iooking  dog  detected  the  imposition  that 
had  been  practised  upon  him,  and  rushed  back 
again." 

AGKICULTUIIE  A  STUDY  FOR  OUB  COM- 
MON SCHOOLS. 

That  a  knowledge  of  Agricultural  Chemistry  is 
important  to  the  tiller  of  the  soil,  that  he  may  pros- 
ecute his  calling  understandingly  and  with  the 
highest  success,  is  too  plain  to  admit  of  argument, 
but  whether  it  may  be  profitably  and  successfully 
taught  in  our  common  schools,  and  whether  it 
should  be  a  branch  of  study  in  them,  is  an  inquiry 
that  may  startle  some  of  the  friends  of  these 
good  old  institutions,  who  would  look  upon  such 
a  proposal  as  an  innovation  upon  those  time-hon- 
ored studies  of  Reading,  Spelling,  Writing,  Arith- 
metic, Grammar  and  Geography.  As  a  general 
rule,  we  do  not  approve  of  the  introduction  of  the 
higher  branches  into  our  district  schools,  believ- 
ing that  it  would  have  a  tendency  to  divert  atten- 
tion from  those  primary  studies  which  appropri- 
ately belong  to  them.  But  when  we  consider  that 
so  large  a  population  gain  all  their  education  in 
these  schools,  and  that  so  many  of  the  pupils  be- 
come tillers  of  the  soil,  shall  not  a  brief  space  be 
allotted  for  this  instruction  in  the  principles  of 
their  future  calling  ?  The  disinclination  which 
is  felt  among  the  farmers  to  reading  articles  in 
our  journals  which  relate  to  agricultural  chemis- 
tiy  arises  from  their  ignorance  of  its  fli-st  princi- 

files.  If  they  do  not  understand  the  terms  and 
aws  of  the  science,  reasoning  founded  upon  them 
will  always  appear  loose  and  confused,  and  it  is 
only  by  implanting  them  early  in  the  mind  with 
the  other  rudiments  of  knowledge,  that  they  may 
become  familiar  as  tha  alphabet,  and  may  be  ready 
for  use  when  needed. 

It  is  true  that  our  teachers  as  a  class  are  now 
preparing  to  instruct  in  this  department,  and  un- 
acquainted as  they  are  with  it,  they  cannot  bring 
forward  those  ready  and  common  illustrations 
which  not  only  assist  the  pupil,  but  secure  his  at- 
tention, and  interest  him  in  the  study.  Though 
teachers  may  not  be  required  to  pass  an  examin- 
ation in  this  branch,  yet  let  it  be  known  that  in 
winter  schools,  in  our  rural  districts  at  least,  it 
may  be  desired  as  a  branch  of  study,  and  the  sup- 
ply will  answer  to  the  demand ;  teachers  well 
qualified  in  other  respects,  will  not  hesitate  to  de- 
vote sufficient  time  to  acquire  a  knowledge  of 
this  study.  The  greater  ease  of  managing  a 
school  kept  busy  by  some  interesting  study  will 
fully  compensate  for  all  the  extra  trouble. 

Happily  we  have  not  to  wait  for  the  prepara- 
tion of  a  book  adapted  to  the  capacity  of  this 
class  of  scholars,  and  at  the  same  time  strictly 
correct  ani  complete  in  its  scientific  detail.  The 
"Catechism  of  Agricultural  Chemistry  and  Geolo- 


gy" by  the  late  Prof.  Johnston,  of  Edinburgh, 
was  dedicated  to  "the  school-masters  and  teachers 
of  Great  Lritaiu  and  Ireland,"  and  luis  been  ex- 
tensively introduced  into  the  schools  of  tlio  Unit- 
ed Kingdom.  To  the  late  Prof.  Norton,  of  Yale 
College,  wc  are  indebted  for  an  American  edition, 
with  an  introduction  prepared  by  him.  The  Su- 
perintendent of  common  schools  in  the  State  of 
New  York  recommends  it  highly  for  the  use  in  all 
their  schools.  From  long  acquaintance  with  the 
work  and  from  the  interest  we  know  is  excited  by 
its  study,  we  most  cordially  advise  all  to  form 
classes  in  it  and  and  give  it  a  trial,  being  well  as- 
sured of  the  result.  As  it  is  a  small  book,  the  cost 
is  trifling,  and  the  time  required  of  little  moment, 
but  as  the  author  here  exhibits  the  happy  faculty 
both  of  condensing  and  symplifying  without  weak- 
ening or  detracting  from  the  subject,  the  treatise 
is  very  complete.  The  fii'st  three  questions  and 
answers  will  give  an  idea  of  the  whole. 

Q. — What  is  Agriculture. 

A. — Agricultui'e  is  the  art  of  culiivating  the 
soil. 

Q. — What  is  the  object  of  the  farmer  in  cultiva- 
ting the  soil. 

A. — The  object  of  the  farmer  in  cultivating  the 
soil  is  to  raise  the  largest  crops,  at  the  smallest 
cost,  and  with  the  least  injury  to  the  land. 

Q. — What  ought  the  farmer  esiJeciaUy  to  hiow, 
in  order  that  he  may  attain  this  object? 

A. — The  farmer  ought  especially  to  know  the 
nature  of  the  crops  he  raises,  of  the  land  on  which 
they  grow,  and  of  the  manures  which  he  applies 
to  the  land. 

Crops,  soils,  manures,  the  rearing  and  feeding 
of  animals,  and  the  management  of  the  dairy, 
make  up  the  volume.  Teachers  who  would  pre- 
pare themselves  for  instruction  in  it,  would  find 
the  more  extended  treatises  by  the  same  author, 
viz.,  "Johnston's  Elements"  and  "Johnston's  Lec- 
tures," most  valuable  aids,  as  also  "Norton's  Ele- 
ments of  Scientific  Agriculture,"  a  prize  essay  of 
the  New  York  State  Agricultural  Society. — Home- 
stead. 

For  tJie  Neip  England  Farmer. 
KURAIi  ECONOMY. 

Mr.  Editor  : — The  day  is  rainy,  and  I  have 
searched,  as  I  always  do  on  rainy  days,  for  some 
essay  or  dissertation  upon  subjects  connected  with 
agriculture — some  article  giving  the  fundamental 
principles  of  action  or  of  operation.  I  have 
looked  through  one  volume  of  Skinner's  Old 
American  Faimer,  and  have  found  some  interest- 
ing things — but  I  fail  among  them  all,  and  among 
all  other  books  and  publications  which  I  have 
looked  through  again  and  again,  with  the  same 
object  in  vieAV,  to  find  any  essay  or  dissertation 
treating  agriculture  as  Foster  treats  decision  of 
character,  analyzing  it,  and  enunciating  its  com- 
ponent parts,  end  presenting  facts  which  one  may 
study  without  weariness,  and  still  learn  some- 
thing new  ;  study  which  will  teach  him  how  one 
operation  depends  upon  another  in  the  great  sys- 
tem of  husbandry  and  of  Rural  Economy.  There 
is,  sir,  a  Rural  Economy  as  well  as  a  political 
Economy. 

How  is  it  to  be  analyzed  ? 

How  is  it  to  be  elucidated  ? 


18m. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


35 


Would  it  be  better  practised  if  divided  into  dis- 
tinct systems  ? 

Its  practice  now  presents  a  confused  and  jum- 
bled mass  of  operations,  without  definite  aims  and 
endeavors.  Is  it  the  want  of  capital  which  makes 
farming  so  mixed  and  indefinite  in  its  aims  and 
ends? 

Is  it  the  possession  of  this  which  makes  Eng- 
lish farmers  so  successful? 

Can  you  not  then  point  to  some  carefully  stud- 
ied and  written  essay  upon  this  important  sub- 
ject? or  induce  some  man^  like  Josiah  Quincy, 
senior,  or  the  late  S.  W.  Pomeroy,  or  the  late  Timo- 
thy Pickering,  or  the  present  Hon.  J.  W.  Proc- 
tor, or  others,  to  make  the  principles  of  Rural 
Economy  more  plain,  and  to  tell  us  what  is  neces- 
sary in  order  that  agriculture  may  be  prosecuted 
as  naturally  and  regularly,  and  with  as  much  suc- 
cess as  the  operations  of  the  mechanical  world — 
some  one  who  will  show  upon  what  great  princi- 
ples the  Flemish  husbandry  is  so  successful,  and 
the  English  tenant  farmer  pays  his  immense  rents 
from  year  to  year  without  even  the  idea  of  fail 
ure  once  entering  his  brain  ? 

Will  you  not  give  attention  to  this  matter,  and 
gratify  your  anxious  readers  P 

A  Constant  Reader  and  Subscriber, 

Aw>  Reader,  and  Subscbibeb  to  kvert  otecee  Jocenal. 
November,  1857. 

Remarks. — We  hope  some  person  of  abil- 
ity and  leisure  will  gratify  our  friend,  and  en 
lighten  the  waiting  thousands  who  need  the  in- 
formation asked  for. 


I^or  the  New  England  Farmer. 

PATENT  OFFICE  HEPOBT  FOB  1856. 

Mr.  Editor  : — At  no  time  in  the  history  of 
this  country  has  there  been  so  much  scientific  in- 
quiry and  interest  manifested  in  agriculture  and 
its  kindrec  operations,  as  at  the  present  time.  I 
need  not  produce  arguments  to  prove  this — the 
most  obtuse  observer  cannot  but  be  convinced 
of  it,  from  what  he  may  witness  constantly  trans- 
piring about  him,  whether  he  is  actually  engaged 
m  carrying  on  a  farm  or  engaged  in  other  pur- 
suits. The  improvements  in  farm  implements, 
the  application  of  manures,  rotation  of  crops,  &c., 
&c.,  from  year  to  year,  all  bear  witness  to  this 
great  fact.  No  less,  also,  is  the  fact  manifested 
in  the  various  publications,  treatises,  &c.,  which 
team  from  the  press,  relating  to  agriculture  in  its 
different  departments ;  and  while  there  is  none 
the  less  science  or  talent  displayed,  they  are  more 
practical,  more  within  the  comprehension  of  the 
ordinary  farming  mind ;  and,  therefore,  these 
publications  are  more  sought  after  and  read. 
Compare  the  state  of  things  in  this  respect,  at 
the  present  day,  with  that  of  only  ten,  or  even 
five  years  ago,  and  how  striking  the  contrast ! 
While  at  the  former  period,  book-farming,  so 
called,  was  looked  upon  with  suspicion  by  most 
farmers,  now  nearly  all,  except  the  "Simon  pure 
old  fogy,"  is  willing  to  acknowledge  himself  more 
or  less  a  book  farmer  ;  and  the  man  with  only  his 
single  half  acre,  or  acre  farm,  up  to  the  thous- 
and acre  farmer,  takes  his  agricultural  paper, 
and  considers  his  fireside  incomplete  without  j 
a  few  books  relating  to  this  most  interesting! 


branch  of  human  industry,  to  refresh  his  mind 
and  enlarge  his  ideas,  as  well  as  to  instruct  his 
household  generally.  At  the  same  time,  many  of 
the  latter  have  their  tables  loaded  down  with  do- 
mestic and  foreign  weekly  and  monthly  publica- 
tions, and  a  library  of  books  relating  to  agricul- 
ture in  all  its  various  departments,  which  would 
put  to  shame  many  a  man  in  the  learned  profes- 
sions. And  all  this  brought  about  in  compara- 
tively a  very  few  years,  by  the  march  of  progress. 

I  have  been  led  to  these  thoughts  by  looking 
over  the  last  report  of  the  Agricultural  Depart- 
ment of  the  Patent  Office,  lately  issued,  a  book 
of  536  pages  and  fifty  plates.  The  plates,  typo- 
graphy, &.C.,  are  among  the  best  ever  issued  from 
the  office.  That  of  1855  was  far  ahead  of  any- 
thing of  the  kind  before  ;  and  this  of  1856  is  su- 
perior to  that.  It  would  take  up  too  much  of 
your  valuable  paper  to  name  the  different  subjects 
treated  of  in  this  volume  ;  they  are  those,  how- 
ever, most  interesting  to  the  great  body  of  farm- 
ers, and  the  chief  merit  of  all  is,  they  are  short, 
practical  and  to  the  point,  upon  a  great  variety  of 
topics.  I  would  go  ten  miles  to  see  a  bed  of 
Peabody's  New  Hautbois  Strawberry,  as  repre- 
sented at  Plate  lU.  My  desire  is,  in  calling  the 
attention  of  the  readers  of  the  New  England 
Farmer  to  this  volume,  that  they  may  secure  a 
copy,  feeling  assured  they  will  find  much  in  it  of 
great  interest ;  and  its  suggestions,  if  followed, 
may  be  the  basis  of  increasing  the  profits  of  the 
farm,  and  of  rendering  some  of  its  operations 
more  intelligent  than  heretofore. 

From  long  and  careful  observation,  I  am  well 
satisfied,  all  things  being  equal,  the  more  mind 
that  enters  into  the  operations  of  the  farm,  the 
greater  the  profit.  It  is  not  every  book  or  report 
written  for  the  especial  benefit  of  the  farmer, 
that  accomplishes  its  purpose.  Either  from  the 
obscure  manner  in  which  it  is  wi'itten,  its  techni- 
calities or  some  other  equally  great  defects,  such 
labors  bear  no  fi'uit.  None  of  these  faults  will 
be  found  in  this  book.  As  a  model  ai-ticle,  take 
for  instance  thafwritten  by  the  senior  editor  of 
the  Farmer,  under  the  head  of  Fertilizers,  "0« 
the  Value  and  Uses  of  Swamp  Muck."  Everything 
relating  to  the  subject  is  plainly  stated  in  simple, 
beautiful  language,  and  directly  to  the  point.  "A 
fool  need  not  err  therein."  That  by  Prof.  Henry, 
'^Meteorologij  in  its  Connection  with  Agricidture" 
presents  this  science  to  the  ordinary  farming 
mind  in  language  so  simple,  clear  and  interesting, 
as  to  command  attention  ;  and  if  carefully  studied 
by  the  farmer,  he  will  be  enabled  to  see  new 
beauties  in  the  operations  of  nature,  such  as  he 
never  thought  of  before.  So  in  regard  to  the 
other  subjects  treated  of  in  this  report. 

Write  to  some  member  of  Congress  and  get  a 
copy  while  you  may,  and  see  if  these  things  be 
so.  Norfolk. 

King  Oak  Hill,  1857. 

Remarks. — We  would  express  our  thanks  to 
"Norfolk"  for  the  expression  of  his  favorable 
opinion  on  the  article  "On  the  Value  and  Uses  of 
Swamp  Muck."  That  article  was  prepared  by  us 
expressly  for  the  pages  of  the  Patent  Office  Re- 
port. It  was  written  in  a  plain,  popular  style, 
and  every  word  and  scientific  term  not  in  common 
use  among  our  farmers,  was  studiously  avoided 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Jak. 


"wherever  it  could  be  done  without  impairing  the 
sense.  The  article  was  also  divided  into  proper 
paragraphs,  and  each  subject  placed  under  its  ap- 
propriate head,  so  that  any  definite  part  of  it 
might  be  turned  to  and  perused  without  going 
through  the  whole.  These  headings  were  as  fol- 
lows: 

1.  Where  muck  is  mostly  found. 

2.  Of  what  muck  is  composed,  and  how  depos- 
ited. 

3.  Of  the  different  qualities  of  muck. 

4.  How  muck  may  be  best  obtained. 

6.  Some  of  the  modes  by  which  muck  may  be 
prepared  for  use. 

6.  Muck  composted  with  barn  manures. 

7.  Of  muck  composted  with  prepared  bones. 

8.  Of  muck  composted  with  ashes. 

9.  Of  muck  composted  with  lime. 

10.  A  compost  of  salt,  lime  and  muck. 

11.  On  what  land  muck  is  beneficial. 

12.  Quantity  of  muck  per  acre. 

13.  How  and  where  muck  should  be  applied. 

14.  Effects  of  muck  on  the  soil. 

15.  Muck  as  an  absorbent  and  deodorizer. 
These,  together  with  some  collateral  points, 

were  discussed  in  the  briefest  and  clearest  man- 
ner consistent  with  the  short  time  in  which  we 
were  to  present  it.  As  it  is  presented  now,  how- 
ever, it  is  a  very  different  thing.  Remarks  which 
we  thought  due  to  the  subject,  if  it  were  treated 
at  all,  have  been  omitted  ;  all  the  headings,  which 
were  as  so  many  marginal  notes,  have  been  sup- 
pressed, and  with  them  two  or  three  tables,  show- 
ing the  comparative  value  of  the  substance  usual- 
ly composted  with  muck.  The  whole  article,  al- 
so, has  been  crowded  into  a  dense,  uninviting 
mass,  while  others  in  the  volume  are  unnecessa- 
rily expanded.  We  make  no  profession  in  writing 
to  anything  more  than  a  plain,  simple  expression 
of  our  thoughts ;  but  in  the  arrangement  of 
matter  when  written,  and  in  an  appreciation  of 
the  popular  wants,  we  will  yield  to  few  only,  be 
cause  a  thorough  training  in  a  printing  house, 
followed  by  a  life  of  editorial  duties  and  a  watch- 
fulness that  has  never  tired,  has  given  us  means 
of  judging  which  comparatively  few  possess. 


_  "Benefit  to  you  ?"  replied  the  Colonel.  "Why, 
sir,  it  will  benefit  you  more  than  anybody  else. 
This  statue  can  be  seen  from  every  window  of 
your  house  ;  it  will  be  an  ornament,  and  add  dig- 
nity to  the  whole  neighborhood,  and  it  will  per- 
petually remind  you  of  the  Father  of  his  country 
— the  immortal  Washington  !" 

"Ah,  Colonel,"  answered  old  Lucre,  "I  do  not 
require  a  statue  to  remind  me  of  him,  for  I  al- 
ways carry  Washington  here ;"  and  he  placed  his 
hand  on  his  heart. 

"Then  let  me  tell  you,"  replied  Col.  Lee,  "if 
that  is  so,  all  I  have  to  say  is,  that  you  have  got 
Washington  in  a  very  tight  place !" 


A  TIGHT  PLACE. 


When  Col.  Lee,  of  New  York,  was  collecting 
subscriptions  for  the  equestrian  bronze  statue  of 
Washington,  now  standing  a  monument  of  patri- 
otism and  art  at  the  corner  of  Union  Park,  he 
had  occasion  to  visit  an  old  curmudgeon  in  the 
neighborhood,  and  pulling  out  his  subscription 
paper,  requested  him  to  add  his  name  to  the  list. 
But  old  Lucre  declined  respectfully. 

"I  do  not  see,"  he  said,  "what  benefit  this  stat- 
ue will  be  to  me  ;  and  five  hundred  dollars  is  a 
great  deal  of  money  to  pay  for  the  gratification  of 
)ther  people." 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
HAKVESTING  POP  CORN. 

Mr.  Editor  : — Some  months  ago  I  penned  a 
few  remarks  for  the  Farmer,  in  regard  to  the  cul- 
tivation and  uses  of  the  common  "pop-corn."  I 
stated  that  it  might  be  harvested  as  soon  as  it 
was  out  of  the  milk,  and  before  the  husks  and 
leaves  became  dry,  thereby  adding  much  to  the 
value  of  the  stover,  as  food  for  cattle.  A  gentle- 
man of  Lexington,  I  think  it  was,  wrote  a  reply, 
taking  the  ground  th„t  this,  as  well  as  all  other 
kinds  of  corn,  could  not  be  perfect  as  cereal 
grain,  unless  it  be  allowed  to  ripen  thoroughly 
on  the  stalk.  My  experience  had  been  different ; 
but  I  determined  to  try  an  experiment  the  pres- 
ent season  that  would  leave  no  possible  doubt  in 
my  own  mind,  on  the  subject.  Accordingly,  I 
harvested  a  portion  of  my  crop  the  present  sea- 
son, (and,  by  the  way,  I  only  cultivate  a  small 
garden,)  while  the  stalks  and  leaves  were  yet 
green,  and  the  kernels  only  in  the  sere.  Another 
portion  I  harvested  when  the  ears  had  become 
thoroughly  ripe,  and  the  husks  dry.  Both  kinds 
are  now  in  fine  popping  order,  and  I  must  say 
that  I  find  no  perceptible  difference  in  them.  Tt^ 
early  harvested  portion  is  certainly  not  inferior 
to  the  other;  while  the  value  of  its  stover  is  at 
least  double  that  ef  the  later  harvested  portion. 
I  apprehend  that  our  New  England  farmers  do 
not,  as  a  general  thing,  appreciate  the  value  of 
the  corn  crop  as  a  cattle  feeder,  nor  take  proper 
pains  to  harvest  it  so  as  to  obtain  the  highest 
value  from  the  stover.  A  fair  crop  of  corn,,  if 
harvested  while  the  stalks  are  yet  green,  is  fully 
equal  to  a  ton  of  hay  per  acre,  besides  the  value 
of  the  grain  itself. 

The  pop-corn,  besides  its  value  as  food  ft)r 
children,  and  its  peculiar  adaptation  to  the  fat- 
tening of  fowls,  (on  account  of  its  larger  propor- 
tion of  oleaginous  matter,)  is  an  excellent  cattle- 
feeder.  The  stalks  have  as  large  a  portion,  ap- 
parently, of  saccharine  matter  as  any  other  varie- 
ety ;  and  being  small,  cattle  will  eat  them  up  near- 
ly clean.  What  they  lack  in  size  may  be  compen- 
sated by  the  number  of  stalks  in  the  hill,  or  by 
the  nearness  of  the  hill. 

It  may  be  worth  a  few  moments'  time  to  calcu- 
late the  value  of  an  acre  of  pop-corn,  at  the 
prices  which  our  city  residents  pay  for  the  article 
when  fitted  for  their  palates — that  is,  when 
parched  and  on  sale  by  the  grocers  and  candy 
men.  Call  it  four  cents  a  quart,  and  call  a  quart 
the  product  of  a  middle-sized  ear.  The  cora 
may  be  planted,  say  three  feet  apart  one  way,  by 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


37 


eighteen  inches  the  other.  Allow,  if  you  please, 
eight  ears  to  the  hill ;  which  is  not  equal  to  the 
average  of  mine.  Fifty  hills  to  the  square  rod 
vould  be  about  eight  thousand  hills,  or  sixty-four 
thousand  ears  to  the  acre.  This  is  only  two  thoit- 
sandjive  hundred  and  sixty  dollars  per  acre,  for 
those  to  pay  who  eat  the  corn !  Allowing  that  I 
have  made  the  crop  too  large,  and  the  price  too 
high,  take  away  half  the  amount,  if  you  please, 
for  every  contingency  which  may  be  thought  of, 
and  we  still  have  twelve  hundred  and  eighty  dol- 
lars, which  the  consumers  pay  for  the  product  of 
an  acre  of  ground ;  and  who  among  them  pre- 
tends to  call  pop-corn  dear  eating  ? 

I  do  not  make  these  remarks  in  the  hope  or 
expectation  that  farmers  will  go  into  the  cultiva- 
tion of  pop-corn  to  the  neglect  of  other  crops ; 
but  I  do  think  that,  as  a  highly  palatable,  simple, 
and  nutritious  article  of  diet,  especially  for  chil- 
dren, this  corn  is  not  sufficiently  appreciated ;  and 
I  take  this  mode  of  urging  greater  attention  to 
the  subject.  E.  C.  P. 

Somerville. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 

EXHIBITION    OP    MOWEKS   AND  BEAP- 
EES, 

Br  THE  U.  S.  Aqeicultural  Societt,  at  Syracuse,  N.  Y., 
July,  185T. 

BY  A  YANKEE  DOODLE,  WHO  SAW  IT. 

We  have  come  to  Syracuse, 

Mid  this  heated  weather, 

For  to  see  the  mowers  mow, 

And  Reapers  reap,  together  ; 
And  if  old  Sol's  burning  glass 
Don't  in  our  own  fat  fry  us, 
We'll  give  our  judgment  on  the  work 
Without  a  hair's  breadth  bias. 

So  bring  your  reapers  on  the  ground, 

And  bring  your  mowers,  too,  Sir, 
And  let  us  Yankees  show  the  world 
A  Yankee  doodle  do,  Sir  ! 

Here  they  come — creation  !  how 

They  sweep  about  the  field,  Sir — 
Time  may  as  well  hang  up  his  scythe, 

And  to  their  prowess  yield,  Sir  ; 
Though  he  "cuts  all,  both  great  and  small," 

And  once  his  scythe  went  through,  Sir, 
A  harvest  worthy  of  his  arm — 
The  field  of  Waterloo,  Sir. 

But  no  Yankee  mower  swept 

Among  that  famous  fight,  Sir  ; 
For  if  it  had,  I  raytlter  guess, 
You'd  have  seen  a  different  sight.  Sir ! 

Now,  they've  processed  around  the  track — 

The  cannon  roared  its  duty  ; 
There  you  see  the  bright  array, 

The  chivalry  and  beauty ; 
Farmer  Wilder,  from  the  stand— 

A  Gov'ner  at  each  shoulder — 
Speaks  a  speech  that  takes  by  storm 
The  heart  of  each  beholder. 

"And,"  says  he,  "bring  right  along 

Your  reapers  and  your  mowers, 
And  we'll  show  how  mighty  quick 
We  can  do  up  the  chores." 

Gov'ner  King,  he  up  and  made 

A  short,  but  pithy  talk.  Sir — 
And  Gov'nor  Morehead  toed  the  mark 

Made  by  the  union  chalk,  Sir. 
And  then  the  people  ail  hurrahed, 

And  clapped  with  hearty  smackers, 


Until  you'd  thought  a  fire  had  caught 
Ten  thousand  India  Crackers. 

Which  went  to  show,  whatever  else 

In  mowing  might  be  done.  Sir, 
They  couldn't  cut  the  chain  that  binds 
Our  thirty  States  and  one.  Sir  ! 

Marshal  Taylor,  on  his  horse, 

With  flowing  yellow  sash  on, 
Said  "Forward,  march  '."  and  on  they  went 

In  military  fashion : 
And,  as  along  the  country  road 
The  big  machines  did  rattle. 
One  would  have  thought  an  army  grand 
Wag  going  out  to  battle. 

And  so  they  were — but  not  to  fight 
And  mash  each  other's  face,  Sir, 
But,  as  the  lawyers  say,  "submit 
An  amicable  case,"  Sir. 

And  when  they  got  upon  the  field. 

As  well  you  may  suppose,  sir. 
The  way  those  cutters  clipped  the  grass 

A  caution  was  to  Mose,  Sir  ! 
And  as  they  streaked  it  o'er  the  land, 

And  set  the  odder  free.  Sir, 
Old  Time  stood  by  with  gloomy  brow, 
And  sighed,  "You've  conquered  me.  Sir  !" 
So  bring  your  mowers  on  the  ground, 

And  bring  your  reaper?,  too.  Sir, 
And  show  the  universal  world. 
What  Yankee  pluck  can  do,  Sir  ! 

Time  hung  his  scythe  upon  a  tree — 

"Good-bye  to  you — you're  done,  Sir, 
The  poorest  mower  on  the  ground 

The  wreath  from  you  hath  won,  Sir  ! 
Henceforth  I'll  mow — as  mow  I  must. 

Among  the  grasses  green,  Sir, 
And  cut  down  all,  both  great  and  small, 
With  tho  best  prize  machine,  Sir  !" 

Then,  Yankee  doodle  keep  it  up. 

The  best  invention  going 
Is  that  which  beats  the  Reaper  old 
In  reaping  and  in  mowing. 


HO"W   PEOPLE    TAKE    COLD. 

The  time  for  taking  cold  is  after  your  exercise  ; 
the  place  is  in  your  own  house,  or  office,  or  count- 
ing-room. 

It  is  not  the  act  of  exercise  which  gives  the 
cold,  but  it  is  the  getting  cool  too  quick  after  ex- 
ercising. For  example  :  you  walk  very  fast  to  go 
to  the  railroad  station,  or  to  the  ferry,  or  to  catch 
an  omnibus,  or  to  make  time  for  an  appointment ; 
your  mind  being  ahead  of  you,  the  body  makes 
an  over  effort  to  keep  up  with  it ;  and  when  you 
get  to  the  desired  spot  you  raise  your  hat  and 
find  yourself  in  a  perspiration.  You  take  a  seat, 
and  feeling  quite  comfortable  as  to  temperature, 
you  begin  to  talk  with  a  friend,  or  to  read  a 
paper ;  and,  before  you  are  aware  of  it,  you  ex- 
perience a  sensation  of  dullness,  and  the  thing  is 
done. 

You  look  around  to  see  where  the  cold  comes 
from,  and  find  a  window  open  near  you,  or  a  door, 
or  that  you  have  taken  a  seat  at  the  forward  part 
of  the  car,  and,  as  it  is  moving  against  the  wind, 
a  strong  draft  is  made  through  the  crevices.  Or, 
it  may  be,  you  meet  a  friend  at  the  street  corner, 
who  wanted  a  loan,  and  was  quite  complimenta- 
ry, almost  loving  ;  you  did  not  like  to  be  rude  in 
the  delivery  of  a  two-lettered  monosyllable,  and 
while  you  were  trying  to  be  truthful,  polite  and 


38 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Jan. 


safe,  all  at  the  same  time,  on  comes  the  chilly 
feeling  from  a  raw  wind  at  the  street  corner,  or 
the  slush  of  mud  and  water  in  which,  for  the  fii'st 
time,  you  notice  yourself  standing. 

After  any  kind  of  exercise,  do  not  stand  a  mo- 
ment at  a  street  corner  for  anybody  or  anything  ; 
nor  at  an  open  door  or  window.  When  you  have 
been  exercising  in  any  way  whatever,  winter  or 
summer,  go  home  at  once,  or  to  some  sheltered 
place  ;  and,  however  warm  the  room  may  seem 
to  be,  do  not  at  once  pull  off  your  hat  and  cloak, 
but  wait  some  five  minutes  or  more,  and  lay  aside 
one  at  a  time  ;  thus  acting,  a  cold  is  impossible. 
Notice  a  moment :  when  you  return  from  a  brisk 
walk  and  enter  a  warm  room,  raise  your  hat,  and 
the  forehead  will  be  moist ;  let  the  hat  remain  a 
few  moments  and  feel  the  forehead  again,  and  it 
will  be  dry,  showing  that  the  room  is  actually 
cooler  than  your  body,  and  that,  with  your  out- 
door clothing  on,  you  have  cooled  off  full  soon. 

Among  the  severest  colds  that  I  have  known 
men  to  take,  were  those  resulting  from  sitting 
down  to  a  meal  in  a  cool  room  after  a  walk  ;  or 
being  engaged  in  writing,  and  having  let  the  fu'e 
go  out,  their  first  admonition  of  it  was  that  creep- 
ing chillness,  which  is  the  forerunner  of  a  severe 
cold.  Persons  have  often  lost  their  lives  by 
writing  or  remaining  in  a  room  where  there  was 
no  fire,  although  the  weather  outside  was  rather 
uncomfortable.  Sleeping  in  rooms  long  unused, 
has  destroyed  the  life  of  many  a  visitor  and 
friend  ;  our  splendid  parlors  and  our  nice  "spare 
rooms,"  help  to  enrich  many  a  doctor.  The  cold 
sepulchral  parlors  of  New  York,  from  May  till 
November,  bring  diseases,  not  only  to  visitors, 
but  to  the  visited  ;  for,  coming  from  domestic 
occupations,  or  from  the  hurry  of  dressing,  the 
heat  of  the  body  is  higher  than  usual,  and  having 
no  cloak  or  hat  on  in  going  to  meet  a  visitor, 
and  having  in  addition  but  little  vitality,  in  con- 
sequence of  the  very  sedentary  nature  of  town 
life,  there  is  very  little  capability  of  resistance, 
and  a  chill  and  cold  is  the  result. — Sail's  Journal 
of  Health. 

STORIES  OF  BIRDS. 

To  begin  with  the  kingfisher.  This  bird  has 
been  well  styled  the  only  one  which,  in  our  islands, 
decks  itself  with  a  plumage  of  tropical  richness 
and  lustre.  How  rarely  is  it  seen  ! — how  shy  of 
observation  ! — and  how  dazzlingly  splendid  when 
its  green  and  crimson  metallic  scales,  as  one  may 
call  them,  reflect  the  rays  of  the  sun !  I  have 
seen  this  bird  in  an  almost  domesticated  state — { 
that  is,  I  have  seen  it  in  a  certain  pleasure-ground  j 
remain  on  some  old  timber  hanging  over  water,  \ 
until  we  had  come  so  near  as  to  have  a  perfect 
view.  It — or  rather  they,  for  there  were  several 
of  them — ran  about  briskly  while  we  approached, 
and  then  only  seemed  to  retire  a  short  way  among 
the  water-weeds.  I  am  reminded  here  of  an  anec- , 
dote  for  which  I  can  vouch,  and  Avhich  shows  that 
the  kingfisher  has  a  remarkable  tenacity  of  life. 

One  of  these  birds  flew,  one  day,  in  some  un- 
accountable way,  into  the  open  windows  of  a  coun- 
try-seat in  Berkshire.  It  entered  a  drawing-room 
by  one  window,  and  dashed  at  another  which  hap- 
pened to  l)e  shut.  Of  course  it  fell  struggling  to 
Uie  gi'ound,  stunned,  if  not  killed,  by  the  shock. 
The  ladies,  who  alone  were  present,  summoned 


the  butler  to  put  the  poor  creature  out  of  pain. 
This  he  did  effectually,  by  "wringing  its  neck"  in 
the  ordinary  Avay,  and  depositing  it  on  a  table,  in 
order  that  its  beauty  might  be  admired  by  the 
whole  family.  Here  it  lay  for  some  time,  to  all 
appearance  quite  dead  ;  but  at  length  some  slight 
motion  was  perceived  about  its  head — the  head 
evidently  was  moving  a  little  ;  and  by  and  by  this 
said  head  began  slowly  to  turn  round  and  round, 
which  gyration  was  performed  some  five  or  six 
times,  answering  no  doubt  to  the  "wrings"  inflict- 
ed by  the  ruthless  hand  of  the  butler  aforesaid, 
until  at  last  it  seemed  to  have  recovered  its  natu- 
ral position.  Thus  it  lay  with  open  and  glitter- 
ing eyes  for  a  short  space  ;  and  then,  as  if  instinct 
with  new  life,  it  made  a  sudden  efi'ort,  flapped  its 
wings,  flew  to  the  open  window,  and  disappeared  I 

This  recalls  a  somewhat  similar  instance  of  a 
partridge.  This  bird — an  old  cock  I  warrant  him 
— was  knocked  over  in  the  usual  way  in  "stubbles 
and  turnips."  He  was  picked  up  while  yet  strug- 
gling, and  his  head  severely  knocked  on  the  stock 
of  a  gun  by  one  of  the  party.  He  was  then  "hung 
by  the  neck"  with  some  others  in  a  net  by  a  leath- 
er strap  contrived  for  the  purpose.  In  this  dur- 
ance the  poor  animal  remained  during  the  rest  of 
the  day  and  the  following  night,  being  hung  up 
with  the  bag  in  the  gun-room.  On  the  following 
day,  when  the  keeper  proceeded  to  hand  over  his 
prey  to  the  cook,  this  bird  was  shaken  out  of  his 
collar  upon  the  table  ;  whereupon  he  ifnmediately 
got  on  his  legs,  looked  about  him,  flew  straight 
at  the  window,  through  a  pane  of  which  he  broke 
his  way,  and  escaped ! 

I  will  here  mention  an  anecdote  of  another 
kind  connected  with  birds,  which  has  always  struck 
me  as  most  extraordinary. 

I  had  obtained  from  the  nest  three  young  bull- 
finches, and  had  had  them  several  days  in  perfect 
apparent  health :  they  could  feed  alone,  and 
seemed  quite  strong.  One  morning  they  seemed, 
in  the  very  act  of  awaking,  to  be  seized  together 
with  some  sudden  fit.  They  fell  from  the  perch- 
es into  the  sand  at  the  bottom  cf  the  cage,  beat- 
ing it  about  most  violently  witii  their  wings;  roUr 
ing  over  and  over,  and  exhibiting  the  same  ap- 
pearance as  wounded  birds  generally  do.  After 
perhaps  two  minutes  of  these  extraordinary  gam- 
bols, they  all  alike  seemed  to  get  rid  of  the  excit- 
ing cause,  whatever  it  was ;  they  ceased  to  strug- 
gle ;  sat  up  languidly  on  their  tails,  steadying 
their  panting  bodies  with  their  wings ;  and  at 
length  quite  recovered  their  usual  health.  About 
ten  days  after,  the  same  simultaneous  seizvire  was 
repeated ;  they  all  fell  down  again,  and  struggled 
in  the  same  way ;  but  this  time  they  died — togeth- 
er, of  course. 

I  have  often  asked  myself  the  question,  what 
could  have  been  the  mysterious  tic  of  ..ympathy 
between  those  singular  l;irds  ?  Had  tlioy  each  in 
turn  died  of  some  fit,  it  would  have  beer,  a  com- 
mon death  of  the  bullfinch  tribe  ;  but  that  the  fit 
should  have  seized  them  all  at  the  same  inoment, 
in  the  first  instance  harmless,  a:u!  i;i  the  next 
with  fatal  results,  remains  a  mystery  t.j  me  to 
this  day. 

Talking  of  bullfinches  and  their  fit's  I  may  ob- 
serve that  apoplexy,  their  great  enemy,  may  be 
averted  for  a  long  time,  if  not  entirely,  by  avoid- 
ing the  alderman's  snare, — I  mean,  oleaginous 
feeding.     Let  them  have  canary-seed  as  a  staple, 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


39 


and  an  ample  supply  of  green  food — chickweed, 
gi'oundscl,  Ralids  of  all  sorts,  and  fruit  in  the  sea- 
son ;  and  plethnra  may  be  kept  in  cheek  effectual- 
ly. I  would  allow  a  grain  or  two  of  hemp-seed 
now  and  then  from  the  master's  or  mistress's  own 
fingers,  but  only  seldom,  and  as  rewards  for  good 
behavior. 

EXTBACT3  AND  KEPLIES. 

A   CURIOUS   APPLE   TKEE. 

In  the  garden  of  J.  C.  Stebbins,  of  Charles- 
town,  N.  H.,  stands  an  apple  tree  that  was  graft 
ed  some  fifteen  years  since,  near  the  ground.  It 
has  now  a  straight,  handsome  body,  some  six  or 
eight  inches  in  diameter.  It  bears  abundantly, 
but  what  is  singular,  a  part  of  the  ajiples  are  yel 
low  Bellflowcrs,  and  a  part  English  russetts. 

All  over  the  tree  may  be  seen  bellflowers  and 
russetts  gi'OM'ing  upon  the  same  limbs,  often  with 
in  a  few  inches  of  each  other.  I  can  account  for 
the  phenomenon  in  no  other  way,  than  by  sup- 
posing the  tree  to  have  been  cleft-grafted  with 
two  scions,  one  a  bellflower  and  the  other  a  rus- 
sett.  The  tree  being  small,  the  scions  came  in 
contact  and  grew  together.  From  this  union  the 
top  is  formed,  and,  as  I  stated  above,  bears  two 
kinds  of  fruit  upon  the  same  branches.  Should 
any  doubt  the  story,  the  tree  stands  there,  "a  liv- 

s  witness !"  j.  R.  w. 

Sprin^eld,  Vt,  Nov.  19,  1857. 

GETTING  TREES  BY  CUTTINGS. 

I  noticed  in  the  Farmer  of  October  31,  an 
"Inquiry  about  Fruit  Trees,"  by  an  "Honest  Far- 
mer Boy,"  the  substance  of  which  was,  "does  it 
make  any  difference  whether  apple  and  pear  cut- 
tings, be  planted  in  October  or  November,  to  pro- 
cure fruit  in  five  or  six  years  ?"  In  my  opinion, 
it  makes  no  difference  in  which  month  they  are 
planted,  or  whether  they  are  planted  at  all.  I 
have  been  more  or  less  engaged  in  propagating 
fruit  and  fruit-trees  for  several  years  past,  and 
have  tried  many  experiments  with  cuttings,  with- 
out success.  If  pear  and  apple  trees  could  be 
propagated  by  cuttings,  nursery-men  would  have 
found  it  out  ere  this,  and  adopted  the  plan.  Yet 
they  raise  their  trees  from  seeds  or  by  root-graft- 
ing.    J.  R.  W. 

THE   CROW. 

Most  farmers  hate  the  crow,  and  give  as  a  rea- 
son that  he  pulls  up  the  young  corn,  and  that  is 
the  only  substantial  reason  that  can  be  given. 
For  twenty  years  of  my  life,  as  a  farmer,  I  think 
I  never  had  a  peck  of  corn  destroyed  by  the  crow. 
AVe  may  let  our  fields  remain  unprotected  from 
our  cattle  and  they  will  destroy  our  crops, — place 
a  good  fence  about  them  and  they  are  safe.  I 
have  always  found  it  as  easy  to  protect  my  fields 
of  corn  from  the  crow  as  from  my  cattle,  by  put-' 
ting  twine  around  the  field.  It  is  but  a  few  days 
that  he  does  us  any  damage  at  all,  but  lie  is  al- 
ways devouring  that  which  will  prevent  disease. 
I  think  there  is  a  generation  wiser  than  this  to 
come,  that  will  impose  a  fine  on  any  person  that 
destroys  the  crow.  My  boys  obtained  a  young 
crow  last  June  which  we  completely  tamed,  and 
found  that  he  would  eat  almost  anything  rather 
than  corn  in  ita  dry  state  ;  and  wto  ever  saw  a 


crow  destroying  our  corn  in  the  fall  ?  My  corn 
was  where  they  could  get  Avhat  they  pleased,  but 
seldom  if  ever  did  they  disturb  it. 

There  is  a  singular  circumstance  respecting 
our  crow ;  he  seldom,  if  ever,  left  home  unless 
some  of  the  family  went  with  him  ;  but  .ibout  the 
first  of  November,  he  suddenly  disappeared  ;  we 
supposed  he  was  dead,  killed  by  some  evil-dis- 
posed person  ;  but  on  Thursday,  May  7,  the  first 
that  met  my  eye  in  the  morning  on  going  to  my 
barn  was  our  crow,  sitting  on  one  of  my  maple 
trees.  He  appeared  as  glad  to  see  me  as  I  was  to 
see  him,  rather  shy  at  first,  but  in  less  than  twen- 
ty-four hours  the  boys  had  their  hands  on  him ; 
on  Saturday  he  went  with  us  to  the  field  and  saw 
us  plant  corn,  and  soon  became  as  tame  as  he  was 
before  he  left.  He  was  gone  over  six  months,  and 
then  returned.  Does  the  crow  go  South  in  cold 
weather?  A  Subscriber. 

Ware,  Mass. 

Remarks. — This  communication  was  mislaid 
with  some  other  papers,  or  it  would  have  been 
published  before.  The  crow  is  not,  like  the  swal- 
low, a  migrating  bird,  but  has  its  own  locality 
where  it  probably  passes  its  life.  The  crow,  howev- 
er has  great  power  of  wing,  and  often  travels  con- 
siderable distances  in  search  of  food,  probably 
fifty  miles  at  once  in  order  to  reach  the  seashore, 
or  the  margin  of  large  rivers. 

CARROTS. 

The  best  crops  of  this  vegetable  I  have  seen  the 
present  season  were  grown  by  Daniel  Buxton,  Jr., 
of  South  Danvers,  16  tons,  on  a  lot  of  75  rods  of 
land  ;  and  15^  tons  on  one-half  an  acre,  by  E. 
Brown,  of  Marblehead.  Most  of  the  crops  in 
Essex  county  have  fallen  short  of  expectation 
nearly  one-third.  P. 

November  19,  1857.    

STOCKS   FOR  DWABF  PEARS, 

Is  it  generally  kno-n-n  that  the  Ameloncliier 
Canadensis  is  a  good  stock  for  dwarfing  the  pear? 
I  know  that  it  is  so,  and  was  induced  to  try  it  by 
reading  Emerson's  report  on  Woody  Plants  of 
Massachusetts,  page  443.  It  is  the  shad  bush  or 
planting  bush  of  the  aborigines.  s.  T.,  JR. 

Swampscott ,  Mass.    

A   FINE   APPLE. 

The  large  and  very  beautiful  apple  sent  by  Mr. 
Charles  Newcomb,  of  Quincy,  is  new  to  us  ;  it 
does  not  come  uj)  to  the  term  of  best,  in  flavor, 
but  is  far  better  than  a  great  many  varieties  cul- 
tivated.   

LAWTON   blackberry. 

J.  A.  F.,  of  North  Clarendon,  Vt.,  will  proba- 
bly obtain  the  information  he  wants  by  consult- 
ing our  advertising  columns  next  March  or  April. 

PROFITS   OF   SHEEP. 

Will  "P.  J.,"  Randolph,  Vermont,  please  send 
his  whole  address  to  A.  Littlefield,  Boston,  who 
desires  some  commumcation  with  him  on  the 
subject? 


40 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Jan, 


CORN  AMONG   POTATOES. 

The  writer  last  season  planted  a  plot  of  pota- 
toes about  the  first  of  April,  which  grew  fine- 
ly, and  received  their  final  hoeing  about  the 
arst  of  June.  At  this  date  my  little  son,  un- 
known to  me,  went  and  planted  a  few  hills  of 
corn  between  the  hills  of  potatoes.  The  pota- 
toes were  in  drills  some  eighteen  inches  apart. 
At  the  time  of  digging,  25th  of  July,  the  corn 
was  up  some  three  feet  high, and  if  there  had  been  a 
sufficient  amount  of  it,  I  should  have  left  it  to 
ripen.  But  wishing  to  use  the  land  for  a  late 
crop  of  turnips,  I  cut  the  corn  for  foddei*.  But 
the  random  planting  of  the  lad  went  far  to  con- 
vince me  of  a  fact  which  I  hope  to  profit  by,  and 
now  communicate  for  the  benefit  of  your  subscrib- 
ers, i.  e.,  that  a  crop  of  some  quick  growing  corn 
— say  the  King  Philip — may  be  grown  after  an 
early  crop  of  potatoes,  if  planted  immediately  af- 
ter the  last  hoeing  of  the  potatoes,  or  about  the 
first  of  June ;  care  being  taken  at  the  digging  not 
to  molest  the  roots  of  the  corn. 

Wm.  J.  Pettee. 

Lakemlle,  Conn.,  Dec.  3,  1857. 

VERMIN   ON   CALVES  AND   SHEEP. 

Can  you  or  any  of  your  correspondents  inform 
me  what  is  the  best  way  to  kill  lice  on  calves  and 
ticks  on  sheep,  and  oblige  a  farmer? 

Tyson  Furnace,  1857.  A.  H.  Hoslet. 

Remarks. — A  careful  application  of  some  soft 
grease  or  oil,  twice  a  week,  continued  two  or  three 
weeks,  will  generally  destroy  these  vermin.  It 
should  be  rubbed  in  with  the  hand,  so  as  to  oil 
the  hair  or  wool.  A  little  yellow  snuff  may  be 
sprinkled  in  after  the  oil  is  applied.  Clean  wood 
ashes  is  also  often  used,  but  all  such  applications 
must  be  used  with  care.  Preparations  of  mercu- 
ry, such  as  unguentum,  are  used  in  des2)erate  cas- 
es, but  they  are  dangerous  remedies,  and  their 
nature  ought  to  be  well  understood  by  those  who 
resort  to  them. 

"J.  B.  N."  communicates  to  us  the  following 
mode,  and  it  is  one  we  think  quite  well  of,  provid 
ed  the  animal  is  kept  warm  after  the  washing  is 
done :  "Take  one-third  soap  and  two-thirds  water, 
and  wash  the  animal  all  over  at  three  different 
times,  and  it  will  kill  all  the  lice." 

viewing  farms  entire. 
After  much  attention  to  the  subject,  I  am  con 
firmed  in  the  belief  that  as  much,  or  more,  bene 
fit  may  accrue  to  the  farmer  from  such  views, 
discreetly  conducted  by  competent  agents  or  com- 
mittees, as  in  any  other  manner.  I  am  not  un- 
mindful that  different  notions  are  entertained  by 
some.  I  find  in  the  report  of  the  learned  Secre- 
tary, upon  the  Agriculture  of  Massachusetts,  in 
1856,  page  441,  the  following  sentence  :  "from 
motives  of  delicacy  gentlemen  were  frequently 
reluctant  to  communicate  fully,  when  informed 
that  facts  so  collected  were  intended  for  publica- 
tion." I  think  the  gentleman  who  penned  this 
sentence  was  misled  in  his  inferences,  from  the 
facts  before  him  ;  for  I  have  good  reason  to  be- 
lieve that  many,  very  many  of  those  who  com 


municate  to  him  facts,  were  as  anxious  that  such 
facts  should  be  made  known  to  the  public  as  he 
was  to  have  them ;  and  that  what  he  construed  as 
"motives  of  delicacy,"  were  neither  more  nor 
less  than  a  false  pride  or  morbid  sensitiyeness. 
If  there  be  any  such,  let  them  pass  by,  and  call 
on  those  who  have  no  such  delicate  misgivings. 
Aratoe. 

HOW  TO  cure  foul  IN  THE  FOOT. 

Mr.  Charles  Robinson,  of  Lexington,  in- 
forms us  that  the  application  of  a  little  oil  of 
spike,  oleum  nardenien,  about  a  tea-spoonful  once 
a  day  to  each  foot,  will  effect  a  cure  in  one  week. 
The  claw  should  be  opened,  cleaned  a  little,  and 
the  oil  turned  in.  

SHEEP  husbandry. 

I  was  recently  made  acquainted  with  a  gentle- 
man from  Germany,  who  was  desirious  of  renting 
a  farm  to  introduce  the  keeping  of  sheep.  I  di- 
rected his  attention  to  the  county  of  Franklin,  or 
the  region  thereabouts,  as  the  best  locality  for 
this  purpose  in  Massachusetts.  There  may  be 
some  farms  in  the  hill  towns  of  Worcester  where 
sheep  can  be  kept  advantageously — but  as  a  gen- 
eral thing,  sheep  flourish  best  where  there  are 
high  hills,  covered  with  a  good  coating  of  grass, 
and  where  lands  can  be  had  at  a  price  not  exceed- 
ing tioenty-five  dollars  the  acre.  I  have  no  doubt 
that  a  few  sheep  would  be  serviceable,  on  every 
considerable  farm,  even  in  the  eastern  counties  of 
the  State,  but  they  will  be  kept  to  better  advan- 
tage to  the  proprietor,  where  lands  are  cheaper, 
and  dogs  are  not  so  plenty  as  they  are  in 

Dec,  1857.  Middlesex  and  Essex. 

BLACK  POLAND   FOWLS. 

Will  some  of  your  readers  tell  me  where  I  can 
get  pure  breed  Black  Poland  Fowls,  the  most 
useful  as  well  as  the  most  ornamental  of  all  birds, 
and  oblige  An  Old  Subscriber. 

Northjield,  Mass.,  Nov.,  1857. 

GARGET  IN   COWS. 

Can  you  inform  me  of  a  cure  for  gargety  cows  ? 

Remarks. — A  few  drops  of  the  tinture  of  Aco- 
nite, given  upon  a  little  wet  corn  meal,  has  prov- 
ed effectual  in  many  cases. 

A  fine  HOG. 

Mr.  John  G.  Solger,  of  Plymouth,  Vt.,  has  just 
slaughtered  a  pig,  eight  months  and  four  days 
old,  which  weighed  356  lbs.,  dressed.  A. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 

GIRLS  CAN  TAKE  CAKE  OF  THEM- 
SELVES. 

Mr.  Editor  : — I  suspect  "A  Farmer's  Son,"  in 
your  paper  of  this  date,  (Vol.  12,  No.  47,)  is  more 
theoretical  than  j^ractical,  in  his  sympathy  for  the 
girls  of  the  household.  The  truth  is,  girls  cap 
take  care  of  themselves,  quite  as  well  as  boys,  if 
they  are  only  made  to  feel,  when  young,  that 
they  have  got  to  do  so.  There  are  many  honor- 
able ways  in  which  they  can  provide  the  means 
of  living  ; — and  if  rightly  directed  by  their  moth- 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


41 


ers,  they  will  eai-ly  have  the  energy  and  ability  |  are  expressed  by  the  articles  recently  written  by 
to  take  care  of  themselves.  And  if  they  manifest  ["E.  H.  fe."  and  "A  Farmer's  Son." 
this,  they  will  soon  meet  with  help-mates,  who  Dissatisfaction  belongs  to  human  nature.  Beasts 
will  cheerfully  lend  all  necessary  aid.  This  bring- [and  birds  maybe  contented,  but  man  never  is. 
ing  up  girls  to  remain  a  fixture  upon  the  home- 1  Whether  on  the  farm,  in  the  shop,  the  store  or 
stead,  is  not  the  thing.  It  is  neither  agreeable  the  office,  troubles  and  miseries,  or  something 
to  them,  nor  useful  to  the  community  ;  it  is  per-  just  as  good,  abound  ;  and  it  will  probably  be  no 
verting  the  order  of  nature  ;  and  a  misuse  of  the  hard  task  to  find  troubles  enough  in  any  occupa- 
better  part  of  creation.  I  tion   to    make   a   respectable   contrast   with  the 

Your  voung  friend  seems  to  think  that  the  ["Miseries  of  Farming." 
farm  at  home  must  be  managed  as  it  has  been,  |  Before  attempting,  however,  to  classify  or  con- 
in  years  gone  by,  yielding  just  enough  to  make'trast  the  "miseries"  of  the  various  professions, 
both  ends  meet,  with  careful  industry  and  econo-|We  will  recur  to  the  article  of  "E.  H.  S."  His 
my.  Let  me  tell  him  to  have  regard  to  the  story  first  position  is,  that  "farming  has  been  unduly 
of  the  man  who  left  his  treasure  to  his  sons,  bur-  extolled,"  and  his  second,  that  "it  is  one  of  the 
ied  within  twelve  inches  of  the  surface,  without  |  most  laborious  occupations."  We  are  willing  to 
specifying  particularly  the  place  where,  and  as ;  allow  that  he  has  good  ground  for  both  of  these 
soon  as  he  was  decently  laid  away  under  the  sod, 'positions.  Advocates  of  agriculture,  as  well  as 
they  started  on  a  hunt  to  find  the  hidden  treas-{of  law,  no  doubt,  sometimes  use  a  little  "gloss  or 
ure;  and  by  the  time  they  had  been  thoroughly !  poetry"  in  their  efforts  to  do  their  duty  to  their 
over  the  entire  surface,  they  began  to  learn  the  clients.  All  have  heard  of  the  man  who  ac- 
mystery  of  the  deposit,  and  found  no  obstacle  to 'knowledgcd  that  he  had  no  idea  how  shamefully 
the  removal  of  it.     The  truth  is,  "where  there  is  i  he  had  been  abused,  until  his  lawyer  made  his 

will,  there  is  a  way  ;"  and  girls  Avill  get   along  i  plea.     And  some  farmers  may  have  been  nearly 


well  enough,  if  they  will  but  avoid  being  misled 
and  bewildered  by  foolish  extravagancies. 
Nov.  21.  1857. 


For  the  New  Ensland  Farmer. 


as  much  surprised,  on  reading  an  agricultural 
oration  or  essay,  to  find  what  an  easy,  independ- 
ent, profitable  and  glorious  business  they  had 
been,  engaged  in  all  their  lives. 

But  when  "E.  H.  S."  represents  the  "curses" 
of  labor   as   resting    exclusively   on    the   broad 
PHOFOBTIOM"  OF   THE   LEAKNED   PKO- 'shoulders  of  farmers  ;  when  he  presents  intellec- 
FESSIONS.  'tual  pursuits  in  their  most  attractive  forms  as  the 

..,,,.  .  ,  ,  alternative  to  agricultural  drudgery,  that  breaks 

Agricultural  editors  frequently  treat  tlie  com-  Lj^^.j,  th^  ^.o^gti^ution  and  shortens  life  ;  when  he 
plaints  and  murmm-ings   of  the  sons   and  daugh-L,!,^^  i,^  so  .  ,,.o^.js^  u^7]^^  ^,ould  not  rather 

tersof  farmers  with  mdifference,  sometimes  with '  .^^g,.  ^;^g  enjoyment  of  an  educated  mind,  than 
contempt.  Not  long  since  the  conductors  of  "one  ^/^g,,^^,.^,^  ^  ^^  j,,;^-^;^  ^^^^  .'^,,^g,,    -^      „g^„; 

of  our  citv  papers  acknowledged  the  receipt  of  j^  confined,'' v,-e  think  he  is  guilty  of  using  a 
a  communication  of  this  character,  and,  without  u  i^^^.  ^f  the  thickest  kind,  and  "poetry"  of  the 
publishing  it,  scornfully  advised  the  writer  to  thinnest  sort.  Such  sentiments  are  fuel  for  a 
leave  the  business,  if  he  did  not  know  enough  to  fj^p^  smouldering  in  the  breast  of  Young  America, 
make  money  by  farming.  I  have  been  pleased  to  ^.ore  dangerous  than  that  which  heaves  and  rocks 
see  that  such  articles  are  treated  as  respectfully , ^i^l  Vesuvius.  To  get  into  a  profession!  To 
by  the  editor  of  the  ^<no  h^n gland  Farmer  as  are ;  ^^^  ^^^^  business  !     To  live  without  work  ! 

those  winch  paint  lu  more  hvely  colors  the  charms  ^  ^^l^ij^j,  of  ^he  multitudes  of  our  young  men  who 
oi  lUiul  me.  ^  ,„  ,  1  ^  I  are  indulging  such  aspirations,  and  then  of  the 

Leing  a  farmers  son  myself,  I  know  there  are:^^!^  f^.t,^  fo^.  i,istance,  of  a  census  report. 
t^'o  sides  to  the  picture.  Boys  and  girls  who;  ^  ^^^  compendium  of  the  Census  Returns  for 
have_  been  brought  up  to  the  stern  reahties  of  .^ggy^  jj  v^m^e^m  that  less  than  one  in  a  hundred 
farming,  and  who  are  acquainted  Avith  other  lands  i^f  the  whole  population  of  the  United  States,  is 
of  business  mainly  uy  their  outside  appearance,  !i.gtu,.j,(,j  a,  b^l^jj,  to  the  "learned  professions." 
and  that  often  seen  from  a  chstance,  which  everiy^j,^  ^  f^.^.^  ^u  quarters  comes  the  warning  cry, 
lends  more  or  less  of  enchantment  to  the  .view,^!,^^  ^hg  u  ,ofessions"  are  crowded  to  overflow- 
are  apt  to  regard  other  occupations  as  more  intel- '  •  j^  jt  safe,  then-is  it  honest-to  talk  to  the 
lectual,  genteel  and  profitable,  and  less  irksome  .^tciUng  milHons  who  till  the  earth,"  of  choosing 


and  laborious,  than  firming.  Such  feehngs,  I  be 
lieve,  are  very  common,  and  are  honestly  enter- 
tained. With  a  strong  conviction  of  their  cor- 
rectness, I  left  the  farm  in  early  boyhood,  and 
have  been  engaged  in  another  business  for  more 
than  one-third  of  a  century.  My  occupation,  jil4 
habits  and  circumstances  have  afforded  opportu- 
nities of  contrasting  the  lives  and  fortunes  of  men 
of  various  professions,  that  few  have  enjoyed. 
Brought  up  in  a  strictly  agricultural  section,  and 
familiar  Avith  almost  every  phase  of  the  farmer's 
life,  I  have  worked  in  various  cities  and  villages 
of  six  different  States.  Possibly  a  few  hints  and 
suggestions  from  my  experience  and  observation 
may  prove  acceptable  to  some  of  the  younger 
readers  of  the  Fanner,  Mdiose  ideas  and  feelings 


between  literary  pursuits  and  physical  labor  ? 

By  the  Abstract  of  the  Census  of  Boston  for 
1845,  it  appears  that  the  employment  of 

250  females  and  224  males  contribute  to  Education  ; 

"    566      "  "  "    Health  ; 

"    584      "  "  "    Justice  ; 

206      "         "    920      "  "  "    Literature  and  fine  arte. 

—       "  "    104      "  "  "    ReliKion. 


These  are  the  only  divisions  in  the  table  of  oc- 
cupations that  have  anything  like  a  literary  look. 
And  if  we  examine  a  little  more  carefully  into 
the  details,  we  shall  see  much  even  here  that  ap- 
pears much  like  work. 

With  the  educated  physicians,  are  counted  not 
only  "quacks,"  but  nurses,  sextons,  truss-makerS/ 


42 


NEW  ENG],AND  FARMER. 


jAPf. 


teeth-makers,  druggists  and  apothecaries^  &c.,  as 
contributing  to  health. 

City  and  State  officers  of  all  ranks,  and  even 
"19  balance-makers,"  rank  with  lawyers  and 
judges,  as  contributing  to  justice. 

While  in  the  "literature  and  fine  art"  line  there 
are  SO  female  and  258  male  printers  ;  116  female 
and  142  male  book-binders,  with  any  quantity  of 
newsmen,  instrument  makers,  stamp-cutters,  type- 
makers,  engravers,  sculptors,  &c.  t^'C. 

Hereafter,  who  will  charge  Boston  "literature" 
with  cxclusiveness,  or  Boston  "justice"  with  illib- 
erality  !  Yet  such  Avere  the  means  necessary,  in 
1845,  to  swell  the  list  of  the  "literary  class"  in 
the  Athens  of  America  to  the  sum  total  of  2388, 
in  a  population  of  114,366 — a  fraction  over  two 
of  such  literaii  for  each  one  hundred  of  the  whole 
population  ! 


to  severe  storms,  and  many  times  in  winter  sur- 
rounded with  snow  and  ice. 

Having  seen  these  things  so  many  times,  we 
were  recently  much  pleased  to  have  an  oppor- 
tunity of  going  over  the  stable  of  Messrs.  Page, 
NoYES  &  Co.,  of  Boston,  for  truck  horses,  and 
as  we  consider  it  as  near  perfect  in  its  ar- 
rangements as  it  could  well  be,  we  will  en- 
deavor to  give  the  reader  a  description  of  it. — 
It  is  in  South  Street,  near  the  Old  Colony  de- 
pot, on  a  lot  of  land  which  affords  them  room 
for  a  large  yard  on  each  side  of  it.  It  is  three 
stories  high,  and  is  seventy-two  feet  long  by  for- 
ty-one wide  ;  the  entrance  from  the  street  is  by 
two    large  doors    which  slide  up    by  means  of 


With  proper  deductions,  then,  for  those  in  the  weights  and  chains.  The  lower  floor  is  devoted  to 


above  classes,  whose  labor  is  physical  rather  than 
intellectual,  the  result  in  Boston  is  very  similar 
to  that  in  the  Avhole  country — only  one  in  a 
hundred  can  hope  for  "the  enjoyment  of  a  culti- 
vated mind,"  unless  such  cultivation  is  possible 
with  daily  physical  toil. 

In  another  article  we  may  have  something  to 
say  of  the  opportunities  for  intellectual  develop- 
ment which  "E.  H.  S."  and  the  women  folks  of 
"A  Farmer's  Son"  will  be  likely  to  find'in  leaving 
the  farm  for  some  other  vocation. 

A  City  Mechanic. 

Boston,  December,  1857. 


STABLES—HOBSES. 


In  the  early  autumn,  when  the  soft  sunlight 
was  on  the  hills,  and  the  valleys  were  teeming 
with  the  rich  products  of  the  harvest  season,  we 
indulged  oursclf  somewhat  in  country  rambles, 
in  looking  in  upon  the  homes  of  the  farmers,  in 
storing  up  valuable  opinions  as  they  fell  from 


the  trucks  and  wagons  which  are  all  kept  under 
cover,  and,  in  order  to  occupy  the  space  to  the 
best  advantage,  lines  of  timber  are  laid  down, 
which  are  plated  with  iron  on  the  inside,  and 
which  are  just  wide  enough  to  allow  the  wagons 
to  stand  between  them,  thus  obliging  the  team- 
sters to  arrange  their  teams  in  regular  lines,  and 
using  every  inch  of  space.  On  one  side  of  the 
lower  floor,  is  the  scuttle  through  which  the  ma- 
nure is  put  down,  and  which  is  boxed  in  perfect- 
ly tight,  and  ends  at  the  roof  in  a  large  ventilator 
to  carry  off  the  steam  from  it.  Over  head  we 
noticed  long  gutters  to  carry  off  the  liquid  ma- 
nure, which  is  all  conducted  by  these  into  the 
common  sewer.  The  second  floor,  which  is  occu- 
pied by  the  horsps,  is  worthy  of  attention.  We 
ascended  to  it  by  means  of  a  large  inclined  plane 
with  an  ascent  quite  easy  for  the  horses.  The 
floor  is  a  curiosity  in  itself ;  it  is  made,  first  of  a 
layer  of  boards,  then  two  thicknesses  of  tarred 
felt,  such  as  is  used  for  ships'  bottoms,  then  a 


their  lips,  and  which  they  had  formed  by  experi 

ment  or  observation,  during  the  active  period  of  j  thickness  of  a  composition  made  for  roofing,  and 
farm  operations.  But  after  the  leaves  had  fallen,  next  plank  put  on  Avhile  the  composition  was  hot, 
and  wintry  frost  had  laid  its  icy  hand  upon  the  and  then  an  upper  covering  of  board.  The  stalls 
flowers   and  herbage,  we  turned  our  rambles  in  are  arranged  on  each  side  of  the  building,  fifteen 


another  direction,  and  looked  about  Boston  and 
vicinity  to  find  matters  Avhich  might  be  interest- 
ing and  instructive  to  our  readers. 

Among  other  observations,  we  have  often  been 
struck  Avith  the  abuse  and  want  of  proper  treat- 
ment of  that  noble  animal,  the  horse ;  Ave  have  vis- 
ited stal)lcs  in  all  sorts  of  out  of  the  Avay  corners, 
some  built  on  made  land,  Avhere,  under  the  floor, 
was  soft  black  mud,  filled  Avith  all  kinds  of  noxious 
exhalations,  and  abounding  Avith  vermin.  Again 
we  have  seen  forty  or  fifty  horses  croAvded  into  a 
space  that  one  of  our  farmers  Avould  think  not 
large  enough  for  ten ;  with  no  means  of  ventila- 
tion, and  with  the  hot  steam  from  the  manure, 
&c„  making  the  atmosphere  entirely  unfit  for  any 
animal  to  breathe ;  in  other  places,  Ave  have  seen 
valuable  horses  kept  in  little  sheds  or  out-build- 
ings which  aff'orded  little  warmth,  and  exposed 


on  one  side,  each  of  AA'hich  is  four  feet  six  inches 
wide  by  nine  feet  deep,  and  thirteen  stalls  on  the 
other  side,  four  feet  wide  by  nine  feet  deep,  Avith 
one  stall  for  sick  or  lame  horses ,  six  feet  wide ; 
all  of  them  are  floored  with  thick  plank  above  the 
other  flooring.  Behind  the  stalls  is  a  groove  cut 
in  the  floor,  Avhich  receives  all  ths  liquids,  and 
conveys  them  through  holes  to  the  gutters  beloAv. 
The  open  space  or  floor  betAveen  the  backs  of  the 
stalls  is  tAventy-thrce  feet  wide,  by  seventy-one 
feet  long,  Avith  Avindows  at  each  end ;  in  the  mid- 
dle of  the  floor  overhead,  is  a  scuttle  about  tAvelve 
feet  wide,  through  which  the  light  descends  from 
a  windoAV  in  the  roof  of  the  same  size.  Along  the 
whole  centre  of  this  story  is  a  large  beam  Avhich 
has  hooks  on  it  close  to  the  ceiling,  Avhere  each 
harness  is  hung  directly  behind  the  horse  to 
which  it  belongs,  and  is  high  up  as  to  be  out 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


43 


of  the  reach  of  the  horses  ;  so  that  if  they  should 
get  loose,  they  could  not  pull  them  down  and  get 
entangled  in  them.  Back  of  each  hoi-se  are  the 
curry-comb  and  brushes,  and  a  rope  wMch  is 
passed  across  the  back  of  the  stall  in  the  day,  but 
not  in  the  night  time.  At  the  end  of  the  hall  or 
space  between  the  stalls,  are  the  watering  trough 
and  bathing-tub  for  the  horses,  which  are  supplied 
with  a  Cochituate  pipe. 

The  stalls  themselves  are  made  of  inch  and  a 
half  plank,  and  each  feed  trough  is  lined  with 
zinc,  and  the  edge  plated  with  iron ;  the  bars  for 
the  hay-rack  are  also  of  iron,  and  every  part 
where  the  horse  might  gnaw  or  bite,  is  covered 
with  zinc.  The'  hay  and  meal  are  all  kept  in  the 
stoiy  above,  and  -the  food  is  cut  and  mixed  there, 
and  then  sent  down  to  each  stall  thi'ough  two 
shoots,  one  for  the  hay,  and  the  other  for  the  cut 
feed.  The  mixing  trough  is  so  arranged  that  the 
hay  is  cut  and  falls  into  it,  and  by  raising  a  trap- 
door, as  much  or  as  little  meal  as  is  wanted  runs 
into  it,  and  a  stream  of  water  is  let  in  from  the 
other  side. 

On  the  same  floor  with  the  horses,  is  the  extra 
harness  room  and  place  for  the  lanterns  and  oth- 
er stable  furniture.  In  front  of  each  horse  is  a 
small  hole  or  ventilator  through  the  wall  to  allow 
bad  air  to  escape,  and  in  addition  to  these  there 
are  large  ventilators  on  the  roof,  which  allow  all 
infected  airs  to  pass  off,  so  that  the  whoje  stable 
is  as  free  from  smell  as  a  neat  dwelling-house. 
The  firm  of  truckmen  to  whom  tliis  stable  be- 
longs, does  business  in  Milk,  Pearl,  and  adjoin- 
ing streets,  and  have  from  twenty-five  to  thirty 
as  fine  horses  as  are  to  be  found  in  Boston, 
which  are  worthy  of  every  care  they  bestow  upon 
them.  We  have  rarely  been  more  forcibly  struck 
with  the  truth  of  that  sentence  which  declares 
that  "a  merciful  man  is  merciful  to  his  beast," 
than  in  looking  over  this  finely  arranged  stable. 
We  heartily  commend  this  excellent  example  of 
Messrs.  Page,  Noyes  &  Co.,  to  all  who  have  the 
charge  of  horses. 


FuT  the  New  England  Farmer. 
THE  NORTHEN  SPIT  APPLE. 

For  the  last  ten  or  twelve  years,  no  apple  has 
excited  so  much  interest  among  cultivators  in 
New  England,  and  been  laid  under  so  heavi- 
ly for  contributions  of  scions,  as  the  Northern 
Spy.  We  ought  now  to  have  a  liberal  share  of 
good  fruit  from  these  inoculations,  but  we  see 
but  little,  and  farmers  seem  as  "shy"  about  speak- 
ing of  it  as  is  the  reputation  of  the  tree  as  a  bear- 
er. 

At  an  Agricultural  meeting  at  the  State  House, 
last  Avinter,  this  apple  was  alluded  to,  when  Mr. 
Hyde,  of  Newton,  pronounced  against  it,  and  no 
one  said  anything  in  favor  of  it.  The  general  ob- 
jection is,  that  it  is  a  poor  bearer,  and  produced 
but  little  fair  fr.uit,  though  the  Messrs.  Lake,  of 


Topsfield,  have  thought  differently.  Mr.  Hovey, 
in  his  Magazine,  last  spring,  stated  a  new  objec- 
tion to  it,  which  from  various  sources  had  come 
to  his  cars,  viz  :  dry  rot. 

However,  as  it  is  far  more  agreeable  to  speak 
well  of  anything  than  otherwise,  I  wish  to  depose 
(per  contra)  that  ]\Ir.  L.  G.  Horton,  of  Quincy, 
of  this  State,  has  presented  me  with  four  very 
fine  specimens  of  this  apple,  and  states  that  the 
largest  and  handsomest  of  this  year's  lot  have  been 
consumed,  and  that  last  year  he  raised  some 
which  his  neighbors  thought  would  not  suffer 
from  a  comparison  with  those  of  New  York.  The 
scions  were  set  in  a  healthy  and  vigorous  bearing 
tree  in  1850,  and  began  to  bear  four  years  after- 
wards. There  were  only  a  few  scions  put  in,  and 
the  product  this  season  was  about  half  a  bushel. 
The  specimens  jiresented  me  weigh  six  ounces 
apiece,  and  are  ten  inches  in  circumference. 

Mr.  Horton  states  that  his  tree  stands  on  an 
elevated  dry  soil,  with  a  western  aspect,  and  that 
the  dry  rot  has  effected  the  fruit  to  some  extent, 
which  corroborates  the  statement  of  Mr.  Hovey, 
that  a  dry  soil  gives  no  exemption. 

It  seems  to  be  quite  certain  that  we  can  raise 
good  Spies  in  our  climate  and  soil ;  but  if  this 
new  defect,  the  rot,  continues,  added  to  its  sparse 
bearing  habits,  the  Northern  Spy  must  become  a 
respectable  outcast.  D.  "W.  L. 

W.  Medford,  Nov.,  1857. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer 
CATTLE  SHOW  NOTES. 

On  the  29th  of  October  last,  the  Western 
Hampden  Agricultural  Society  held  their  Show 
at  AVestfield.  It  was  a  cold,  damp,  drizzly  day, 
but  the  thorough-bred  farmers,  and  the  famous 
fat  and  working  cattle,  of  that  section,  were  well 
represented.  Few  are  the  places  that  make  as 
good  a  display  under  such  Aveeping  skies.  Little 
rough  Montgomery  sent  from  her  steep  hills 
over  thirty  yokes  of  Herefords,  most  of  them  ex- 
cellent in  shape  and  drill.  (Are  not  hilly  tOAvns 
better  places  to  break  cattle  and  horses  than  lev- 
el ones  ?)  An  interesting,  and  I  believe  peculiar 
feature  of  this  exhibition,  is  the  weighing  of  cat- 
tle. I  noticed  many  people  gathered  about  the 
toAvn  scales,  as  j'oke  after  yoke  marched  on.  The 
owners  appeared  pleased  ;  the  judgment  of  the 
by-standers  was  improved.  I  do  not  know  a  more 
profitable  attachment  of  Agricultural  Shows,  than 
this.  Platform  scales  are  the  levelers  of  cattle 
society,  as  common  sense  is  of  human.  There  is 
no  disputing  their  justice.  There  is  no  appeal 
from  their  decision.  The  extravagant  Ijoasting 
of  the  owners  of  mammoth  stock  is  checked  ;  the 
feeble  hopes  of  the  timid  are  raised.  A  few  spec- 
imens of  cows,  colts,  pigs  and  poultry  completed 
the  stock  list.  One  venerable  porker  had  four- 
teen of  her  children  (out  of  a  litter  of  nineteen) 
present,  all  fat,  fair  and  forty  pounds  in  weight. 

The  Hall  next  attracted  my  attention.  Here 
was  a  good  collection  of  vegetables,  fruit,  butter, 
bed-quilts,  household  goods,  fancy  work  and  pic- 
tures. Among  the  household  manufactures  wer® 
two  pairs  men's  stockings,  knit  by  an  old  lady 
over  ninety-five  years  old.  They  looked  very  ser- 
vicable  and  comfortable.  Is  it  not  strange  that 
these  homely  but  useful  articles  should  receive 


44 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Jan. 


so  little  attention,  from  the  present  generation  of 
feminines  ?  There  are  probably  twenty  embroid- 
ered skirts  and  collars  exhibited  to  one  pair  of 
stockings.  We  need  to  refoi'm,  as  well  as  retrench. 
Ornament  can  never  take  the  place  of  use,  much 
less  with  safety  precede  it. 

At  2  P.  M.  I  listened  to  an  address  from  M. 
B.  Whitney,  Esq.,  in  the  old  Congregational 
church.  His  subject  was,  "The  progress  and  de- 
mands of  Agriculture."  He  traced  the  progress 
of  this  art,  from  Eden  to  Massachusetts,  and 
from  the  days  of  Adam,  down  to  that  of  the  Fow- 
lers and  Taylors,  oi  fat  cattle  notoriety  in  West- 
field.  He  affirmed  agriculture  to  be  the  pioneer 
of  civilization,  and  the  farmer  to  be  the  equal  of 
any  class  in  the  Avorld.  He  ridiculed  the  idea 
that  there  was  any  "dignity  in  labor."  Mind  dig- 
nifies labor.  Physical  strength,  said  he,  is  not 
the  only  requisite  of  a  farmer.  Agriculture  can 
make  no  progress  without  science.  Agricultural 
schools  are  as  neccessary  for  girls  as  boys.  Be- 
cause there  are  no  fixed  rules  in  farming,  rigid, 
systematic  experiment  should  be  the  basis  of  all 
advice.  Few  farmers  can  tell  the  cost  of  raising 
stock,  grain,  &c.  Such  ignorance  Avould  bankrupt 
any  other  profession  in  the  world,  and  yet  far- 
mers are  little  harmed  by  the  present  financial 
storm. 

In  concluding,  he  exhorted  the  farmers  to  rise 
to  higher  efforts,  and  to  awake  to  their  rights  and 
duties.  The  whole  address  was  replete  with  pas- 
sages of  beauty  and  sound  common  sense.  It  was 
well  delivered,  and  listened  to,  and  the  youthful 
orator  must  have  won  golden  opinions  from  most 
of  his  audience.  We  came  away,  with  a  higher 
regard  for  the  farmer's  vocation,  and  an  inward 
resolve  to  do  something  for  the  great  cause  of 
agriculture.  J,  N.  Bagg. 

West  Springfield,  Nov.  14,  1857. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
MANAGEMENT  OF  YOUNG  COLTS. 

Mr.  Editor  : — I  have  not  raised  a  great  many 
colts,  but  think  I  know  how  they  should  be  man- 
aged, while  young  and  growing.  I  will  say  to 
Mr.  Gray,  of  Brattleboro',  Vt.,  that  if  I  had  a 
colt  one  year  old  that  bid  fair  to  make  a  horse 
■worth  one,  two  or  five  hundred  dollars,  I  would 
give  him  a  stable  at  night  ten  feet  square,  by 
himself,  keep  it  well  littered  with  sawdust,  fine 
shavings  or  straw.  I  would  not  have  him  stand 
on  anything  wet,  and  would  feed  him  all  the  hay, 
(good  clean_  hay.)  that  he  would  cat,  and  feed 
him  something  besides  every  day ;  say  carrots 
cut  up  fine,  with  a  little  Indian  meal  mixed  with 
them,  or  a  quart  or  two  of  oats,  well  soaked.  If 
carrots  are  not  at  hand,  potatoes  will  do.  If  I 
intended  to  keep  him  for  my  own  use,  I  would 
teach  him  to  eat  almost  everything,  such  as  som- 
milk,  good  hog  swill  aud  pumpkins.  I  would 
not  break  him  to  do  all  these ;  but  I  would  teach 
him,  caress  him,  make  him  think,  if  possible, 
that  I  was  his  \>es,t  friend. 

Colts  want  exercise,  and  should  have  a  warm 
yard  to  run  in  all  the  pleasant  days,  but  not  in 
the  mud,  or  with  horned  cattle.  A  blanket  is  sel- 
dom necessary. 

Mr.  Gray  inquires :  "when  should  he  be  broke  ?" 
I  say  never,  never !    Teach  him  as  much  as  you 


can,  but  don't  break  him  !  that  is  all  out  of  fash- 
ion. Teach  him  to  do  as  you  tell  him,  to  come 
and  go  at  your  will ;  make  a  particular  friend  of 
him,  and  you  may  use  him  at  any  age  you  please, 
but  be  careful  not  to  use  him  hard  or  badly.  Cat- 
tle may  be  used  at  the  age  of  two  years,  as  well  as 
boys  at  seven  or  eight ;  and  when  he  is  two,  three  or 
four  years  old,  a  few  days  before  you  wish  to  use  him, 
put  on  the  hamcs,  put  him  in  the  thills,  and  let  him 
stand  several  hours ;  stay  by  him,  fondle  him  all 
over,  lead  him  about  and  call  him  some  name. 
Do  this  for  a  few  days,  and  the  first  time  you 
hitch  him  to  a  buggy,  he  will  go  as  you  tell  him. 
When  he  will  go  well  before  a  carriage,  then  put 
on  the  martingales,  and  a  check,  if  he  does  not 
carry  his  head  to  please  ;  by  degress  draw  his 
head  as  you  wish  to  have  him  carry  it,  and  in  a 
short  time  it  will  become  a  habit  that  can  easily 
be  retained.  The  time  was,  and  is  now,  in  some 
places,  when  every  one  thought  a  colt  must  be 
bitted  ;  that  is,  put  a  great  strong  bit  in  his  mouth, 
and  draw  his  head  into  the  breast,  and  have  him 
throw  himself  down,  while  a  cart  whip  was  lace- 
rating his  sides,  all  of  which  is  just  the  thing  to 
spoil  a  colt.  I  say  never  bit  or  break  a  colt,  nor 
burn  the  hampers.  G.  V. 

Plainfield,  Mass.,  1857. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 

SWITZERLAND. 
LETTER   FROM   MR.   FRENCH. 

My  Dear  Brown: — From  Lucerne,  where 
you  last  had  accounts  of  me,  we  went  by  rail 
and  diligence  to  Berne,  about  one  hundred  miles. 
Berne  is  said  to  mean  bear,  in  some  language  or 
other,  and  a  bear  forms  the  armorial  hearings, 
(excuse  the  pun,  unperceived  until  the  word  was 
written,)  of  the  city;  and  to  keep  up  the  idea,  sis 
live  bears  are  kept  at  the  city's  expense  in  a  stone 
den,  built  at  considerable  cost  outside  the  gates, 
and  figures  of  bears,  carved  in  wood,  formed  in 
plaster  and  cast  in  iron,  abound  in  all  the  shops. 
At  one  of  the  numerous  fountains  which  embel- 
lish the  city,  a  huge  iron  bear  reposes  at  each 
corner,  and  as  I  passed  in  the  morning,  some  lit- 
tle girls  were  amusing  themselves  by  washing  the 
bears'  feet.  The  town  clock  is  reckoned  a  great 
curiosity.  We  went  to  see  it  strike,  and  saw  the 
figures  of  bears  which  decorate  it,  wag  their 
heads.  There  is  also  a  figure  of  a  King,  who 
opens  his  mouth,  and  a  cock  that  crows  when  the 
clock  strikes  twelve. 

The  city  is  built  in  a  manner  quite  peculiar,  the 
sidewalks  being  under  arches,  the  houses  project- 
ing overhead,  so  that  you  may  go  over  the  whole 
city  in  any  weather  unexposed  to  rain  or  sun,  ex- 
cept in  crossing  the  streets.  Seeing  a  notice  of 
an  "Exposition  of  Industry,"  we  embraced  the 
opportunity  to  see  something  of  the  mechanical 
skill  of  the  Swiss.  We  found  the  exhibition  ar- 
ranged with  much  taste,  and  of  a  character  to  do 
credit  to  any  country.    There  were  iron  castings 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


45 


equal  to  the  best  I  have  ever  seen,  wood  carving 
superior  to  any  that  can  be  shown  in  any  other 
country,  I  presume,  a  loom  in  operation  weaving 
beautiful  figured  ribbons,  silks  in  all  stages,  from 
the  cocoon  to  the  finished  fabric  of  most  beauti- 
ful quality,  linen  and  woolen  cloths  of  all  descrip- 
tions, and  a  thousand  miscellaneous  articles  such 
as  we  find  in  our  own  exhibitions.  I  remember 
especially  fire-arms  of  various  patterns  and  elabo- 
rate finish;  the  Swiss, by  the  way,  claiming  to  be 
the  best  rifle  shots  in  the  world. 

A  contrivance  for  a  self-opening  and  self-clos- 
ing door  we  thought  worthy  of  the  cutest  Yan- 
kee invention.  You  walk  towards  the  door,  and 
before  you  can  touch  the  handle,  the  door  parts 
in  the  middle,  and  moves  noiselessly  back  "into 
the  wall,  and  when  you  have  passed  through,  closes 
as  quietly  behind  you.  It  is  arranged  so  that 
your  weight  on  a  platform  overcomes  a  counter- 
poise which  keeps  the  door  closed.  The  agricul- 
tural implements  are  of  a  heavy  and  clumsy  make, 
but  not  more  so  than  those  in  use  in  England. 

From  Berne  we  went  by  diligence  to  Thun, 
about  three  hours'  ride  through  a  country  thor- 
oughly Swiss.  The  houses  have  the  widely  pro- 
jecting roof,  sometimes  extending  tAvelve  feet  be- 
yond the  eaves,  and  many  good  two-story  houses 
have  the  barn  under  the  same  roof,  and  in  some 
instances  I  notice  two  good  houses  and  a  large 
barn,  all  under  one  large  roof.  The  barn  is  usual- 
ly finished  with  lattice-work,  so  that  you  can  see 
the  hay,  and  the  roofs  are  covered  with  tiles  or 
thatch.  The  sides  of  the  houses  are  covered 
often  with  shingles  cut  in  semi-circles  at  the  ex- 
posed end,  which  gives  a  very  tasteful  finish. 

Great  attention  seems  to  be  given  by  the  Swiss 
to  their  manure  heaps.  Close  by  every  farm 
house  is  a  large  square  heap  of  manure,  compos- 
ed of  whatever  can  be  collected  about  the  prem- 
ises, and  carefully  laid  up  with  straw  like  a  cider- 
mill  cheese.  Whether  these  people  have  the  or- 
dinary sense  of  smell  I  do  not  know.  At  least  I 
am  sure  they  have  not  a  very  strong  sense  of  pro- 
priety, whatever  may  be  their  appreciation  of 
convenience;  for  this  mixture  of  men,  women  and 
cattle  under  the  same  roof,  with  fortifications, 
strong  ones,  too,  of  manure  heaps  at  the  door, 
does  not  indicate  great  refinement. 

In  the  summer  many  of  the  cows  are  taken  on 
to  the  mountains  to  graze,  and  you  may  see, 
perched  up  almost  to  the  clouds,  small  houses 
occupied  by  the  butter  and  cheese  makers  in  their 
season.  The  grass  seems  to  grow  to  the  very 
tops  of  the  mountains  here,  and  fields  of  grain 
are  seen  on  hill-sides  so  steep,  that  it  looks  from 
below  as  if  a  man  could  not  stand  a  moment  on  the 
declivity.  Some  ofthe  highways  are  planted  with 
trees  and  unfenced,  while  others  are  fenced  with 
living  hedges.     We  next  stopped,  after  a  steam- 


boat sail  of  an  hour,  at  Interlachen,  a  sort  of 
nest  between  the  snow-capped  hills,  where  many 
English  and  American  families  spend  their  sum- 
mers. We  took  a  carriage  here  next  morning 
and  visited  Lauterbrunnen  and  the  Staubbach 
Falls,  or  Cascade  of  Dust,  a  very  small  stream 
which  falls  some  nine  hundred  feet  over  a  preci- 
pice, a  sort  of  perpendicular  mountain  side.  The 
effect  is  very  fine,  the  water  being  divided  by  the 
fall  into  fine  white  spray,  although  the  stream  is 
very  small,  not  larger  apparently  than  might  run 
through  a  nine  inch  ring.  However,  Americans 
must  bear  in  mind  in  their  travels,  that  water 
power  is  not  so  abundant  abroad  as  at  home,  and 
if  Niagaras  do  not  roar,  and  Ontarios  and  Supe- 
riors do  not  roll  in  these  little  countries,  we  must 
be  satisfied  if  they  make  the  best  use  of  their 
means.  The  common  houses  in  this  part  o. 
Switzerland  are  built  in  a  very  singular  style. 
They  are  constructed  of  squared  timber,  say  six 
inches  by  ten,  laid  up  like  a  log  house,  the  walls 
being  solid  and  the  timber  halved  where  it  cross- 
es at  the  corners.  The  timber  is  worked  smooth 
and  even,  presenting  a  good  surface,  and  the 
ends  are  left  long  towards  the  eaves  and  cut  into 
large  brackets  in  very  pretty  style,  to  support  the 
roof.  Over  the  principal  door,  across  the  whole 
front,  are  usually  carved,  in  wood.  Inscriptions  in 
large  letters,  occupying  two  or  more  lines.  Our 
guide  interpreted  some  of  them,  and  we  found 
they  usually  expressed  the  name  of  the  owner 
and  of  the  builder,  with  the  date  of  Erection,  and 
an  invocation  of  God's  blessing  on  the  house. 
Sometimes  a  short  text  of  Scripture  is  added. 
Similar  inscriptions  I  observed  on  some  pieces  of 
valuable  furniture,  in  the  form  of  a  proverb,  or 
the  like.  From  Interlachen  we  took  post  horses 
and  a  guide  to  Kandersteg,  seven  hours,  nobody 
here  having  any  idea  of  miles.  We  passed  round 
Lake  Thun  on  a  very  picturesque  road,  between 
mountain  and  lake,  and  stopped  at  an  inn  to  rest 
our  horses.  The  driver  went  into  the  house  and 
brought  out  a  large  loaf  of  wheat  bread,  nearly 
as  large  as  a  water-pail,  and  cutting  it  open,  gave 
each  of  his  horses  half.  I  cut  a  slice  off'  of  one 
horse's  share,  and  ate  it,  and  found  it  the 
same  that  was  furnished  us.  At  Frutigen  we 
stopped  an  hour.  In  front  of  the  inn  are  a  foun- 
tain and  several  troughs,  in  a  public  square.  Here 
the  women  M'ere  at  work  ;  some  washing  clothes, 
others  preparing  vegetables  for  cooking.  One 
sensible  girl  brought  out  a  basket  of  potatoes, 
and  set  them  under  a  spout  and  washed  them 
with  a  broom.  On  our  way  we  saw  women  car- 
rying liquid  manure  strapped  on  to  their  backs, 
and  applying  it  to  cabbages,  and  others  moving 
solid  manure  in  the  same  way.  Our  guide  says 
that  a  man's  wages  here  is  only  about  ten  cents  a 
day  at  farm  labor,  but  I  am  not  willing  to  endorse 


NEW  ENGLAND  FAHMER. 


Jan. 


the  statement.     There  is,  however,  every  indica-      I  am  now  writing  from  the  village  of  Irvmgton,. 
tion  of  poverty.     Beggars  beset  us  at  every  step.  "}  Essex  county,  New  Jersey.     The  soil  of  this 


Boys  and  girls,  and  even  women,  follow  the  car- 
riage at  every  hill,  holding  out  their  hands  and 
begging  piteously,  seeming  to  be  thankful  for  any 
small  coin, 

I  know  not  whether  I  have  before  spoken  of 
the  goitre,  a  horrible  swelling  of  the  glands  of 
the  neck,  which  seems  to  affect  a  large  proportion 
of  the  people.  It  is  a  dreadful  deformity,  and  I 
am  told  sometimes  produces  death  by  pressure  on 
the  organs  of  respiration. 

After  a  glorious  ride  till  nine  in  the  evening, 
we  arrived  at  Kendcrsteg,  through  magnificent 
mountain  passes,  and  are  now  in  the  wildest  place, 
I  think,  in  all  wild  Switzerland  ;  and  here  for  the 
Sabbath  day  we  propose  to  rest,  preparalary  to 
crossing  the  mountain  pass.  And  with  best 
wishes  for  you  and  yours,  farewell. 

Yours,  &c.,        Henry  F.  Frencu. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
FARMING  IN  NEW  JERSEY. 
Mr.  Editor  : — Having  a  little  space  for  writ- 


ing, I  thought  to  put  a  few  ideas  on  paper  and 
send  them  to  you. 

I  left  my  home  in  the  south  part  of  Alassachu 
setts  on  the  23d  inst.,  via  Fall  Kivcr   and  New^.lso  less  substantial,  and  sell  at  a  lowev  figur 
York,  and  arrived  in  New  Jersey  on  the  evening 


vicinity  is  very  peculiar.  The  subsoil  has  the 
redness  of  madder.  Its  adhesiveness  in  a  rainy 
time  shows  the  presence  of  alumina.  There  are 
similar  lands  in  some  parts  of  Bristol  county,  in 
Massachusetts,  South  of  the  village  of  Assonet, 
there  are  lots  which  receive  the  name  of  ''red 
ground"  and  which  present  similar  natural 
characteristics  to  much  of  the  soil  in  this 
country.  Yet  one  acre  here  is  made  to  produce 
more  than  twenty  or  even  fifty  acres  there.  At 
the  same  time,  these  improved  lands  give  a  profit 
to  the  owners  and  cultivators,  and  a  large  ]:irofit, 
while  they  sell  their  products  at  a  much  lower 
figure  than  they  will  at  any  time  command  in 
the  eastern  market^.  Much  land  in  this  vicinity, 
now  used  for  farming  purposes,  is  under  so  high 
a  state  of  culture  as  to  claim  two  or  perhaps  three 
hundred  dollars  per  acre.  "While  writing  the 
last  two  sentences,  two  gentlemen  have  been  dis- 
cussing the  value  of  a  small  tract  of  land,  only 
used  for  farming,  in  this  neighborhood,  for  which 
the  price  of  not  less  than  $400  per  acre  is  named. 

A  very  difi'erent  system  of  cultivation,  and  o. 
soil  improvement,  has  been  pursued  here,  than 
ever  obtained  much  favor  in  New  England. 

Mechanic  arts  have  unquestionably  received 
greater  attention  with  the  many,  in  the  New 
England  States,  than  here. 

The  agricultural  implements,  in  the  New  York 
warehouses,  are,  as  a  whole,  more  coarse  and 
clumsy   than  those  made  in  Boston.     They  are 


of  the  24th.  The  sail  from  Fall  River  was  inter- 
rupted by  a  thunder-storm,  and  a  "right  smart 
gale  of  wind,"  as  an  Ohio  Dutchman  would  call 
it.  The  "Bay  State"  had  to  tie  up  at  a  Rhode 
Island  wharf,  until  the  roughest  of  the  weather's 
sneezing  was  over.  Then  the  sea  had  no  little 
swelling  and  roaring,  like  Jordan  and  the  lions. 
However,  the  Bay  State  is  a  pretty  safe  State, 
and  our  morning  arrival  at  New  York  happened 
at  12  M. 

Visiting  some  of  the  agricultural  warehouses 
.n  Gotham,  one  cannot  fail  to  observe  the  differ- 
ence between  them  and  agricultui-al  warehouses 
in  Boston. 

In  New  York,  the  sales  of  fertilizers  far  out- 
strip the  Boston  trade.  This  suggests  a  thought. 
If,  as  is  generally  admitted,  the  soils  of  New 
York  and  New  Jersey  are  so  far  superior  to  those 
of  the  New  England  States,  without  the  aid  of 
extra  fertilizers,  why  should  not  the  Boston  trade 
show  a  greater  record  of  sales,  if  the  farmers  of 
New  England  seek  to  supply  the  deficiencies  of 
New  England  soils  ?  The  farmers  and  garden- 
ers of  New  York  and  New  Jersey  find  it  to  their 
profit  to  procure  vast  quantities  of  plaster,  phos- 
phate of  lime,  poudrcttc,  &:c.,  c&c,  for  their  soils, 
and  then  send  their  fruits  and  vegetables  to  sup- 
ply our  New  England  cities,  at  so  cheap  a  rate  as 
to  press  upon  our  New  England  producers.  Are 
not  the  New  England  soils  worth  improving  ? 
Certainly,  we  must  say,  they  are.  And  much  of 
the  soil  of  New  England,  now  condemned  as 
hopelessly  sterile,  is  as  good,  naturally,  as  soils 
here,  from  Avhich  farmers  and  gardeners  are  mak- 
ing great  profits  by  the  sale  of  fruits,  vegetables, 
and  products  of  the  dairy. 


I  would  trace  out  these  peculiarities  some  far- 
ther, but  think  I  have  "spun  this  yarn"  long 
enough.  So  perhaps  I  will  write  you  again  from 
these  regions,  "in  a  few  days." 

Yours,  very  truly,  c. 


Depreciation  of  Property. — We  hear  of  the 
case  of  a  gentleman  of  this  city  who  was  appoint- 
ed trustee  of  the  estate  of  a  deceased  person,  and 
guardian  of  some  minors,  and  who  thinking  sqfe- 
ty  should  be  mainly  consulted  in  the  investment 
of  the  funds  thus  committed  to  him,  sold  off"  the 
stocks  of  various  corporations  belonging  to  the 
estate,  and  invested  the  proceeds  in  State  and 
city  securities  where  he  M'as  sure  of  six  per  cent, 
interest.  The  appraised  value  of  this  property 
was  about  $150,000  two  years  ago.  The  diff'erence 
to-day  between  the  market  value  of  the  stocks 
sold  and  the  securities  now  held  by  the  party,  is 
no  less  t\\m\  forty  thousand  dollars. 

It  is  reported  in  financial  circles  that  the  per- 
sonal estate  of  an  opulent  merchant  who  died  in 
Boston  less  than  four  years  ago,  valued  in  1854 
at  $1,800,000,  and  consisting  mainly  of  railway 
shares  and  bonds,  has  shrunk  so  much  during 
the  two  past  years,  that  the  depreciation  is  more 
than  a  million  of  dollars. 

It  is  reported  that  the  manufacturing  stocks 
owned  by  a  single  family  have  depreciated  more 
than  a  million  dollars  in  value  within  two  yoars. 
The  personal  property  of  many  individuals  has 
faded  away  during  the  present  year  "like  dissolv- 
ing views,"  and  the  surprise  attending  the  change 
is  similar  in  many  respects  to  that  which  usually 
attends  those  novel  exhibitions. — Transcript. 


1858. 


KEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


47 


F(jr  the  Netr  Em^land  Farmer. 
ON  TKEi   EEALITY  OP  THE   SCIENCE  OP 
MEDICINE. 
BY   WILSON  FLAGG. 

Moliere  wrote  a  comedy  for  the  purpose  of  ex- 
posing the  blunders  of  physicians,  and  the  ab- 
surdity of  some  of  their  pretensions  \  but  his 
comedy  is  no  less  severe  upon  the  follies  of  pa- 
tients than  upon  pedantry  of  practitioners.  Some 
of  his  pleasantries  are  extremely  amusing.  "What 
do  you  intend,  (says  a  female  neighbor  to  a  fath- 
er,) sir,  by  having  four  doctors  to  your  daughter  ? 
Is  not  one  manslayer  enough  for  one  person  ?" 
Dr.  Sanarelle  answers,  "Be  silent,  miss,  four 
opinions  are  better  than  one,  any  day." 

Lisette — Then  you  will  not  let  the  poor  child 
die  in  peace,  but  must  needs  let  the  doctors 
worry  her  to  death  ? 

Doctor — Do  you  think  these  gentlemen  will 
really  put  her  to  death  ? 

Liaette—l^o  doubt  at  all  of  that.  The  other 
day  a  friend  of  mine,  by  the  best  reasoning  in 
the  world,  proved  to  me  how  a  person  of  her  ac- 
quaintance, Avho  was  thought  to  have  died  of  a 
fever,  died,  on  the  contrary,  of  four  doctors  and 
two  apothecaries. 

Dr.  Sanarelle — Hush !  you  will  oflFend  the  gen- 
tiLemen  in  attendance. 

Lisette — Well,  listen  to  me,  sir.  Our  cat  has 
just  recovered  from  a  fall  she  had  from  the  top 
of  the  house  into  the  street  below.  For  three 
days  she  ate  nothing,  and  all  that  time  she  could 
not  stir  a  paw  ;  but  luckily  for  her,  there  are  no 
cat-doctors  here.  If  there  had  been,  they  would 
have  Ijled  and  medicined  her  life  out  to  a  cer- 
tainty." 

The  tables  seemed  to  have  been  turned,  since 
the  time  of  Moliere  ;  for  at  the  present  day  those 
persons  swallow  the  most  medicine  who  doctor 
themselves  without  consulting  a  physician.  This 
is  proved  by  the  well  known  fact  that  the  quan- 
tity of  medicine  which  is  sold  from  the  apotheca- 
ries' shops  to  supply  the  demands  occgisioned  by 
the  recipes  of  physicians,  is  not  one-tenth  part  so 
great  as  that  which  is  sold  in  the  form  of  patent 
nostrums.  A  careful  study  of  the  history  of 
medicine,  notwithstanding  all  the  pleasantries 
which  have  been  uttered  at  its  expense,  would 
convince  any  intelligent  person  that  the  theory 
and  practice  of  medicine  is  a  true  science,  having 
its  foundation  in  nature.  It  would  likewise  con- 
vince them  that  there  is  no  more  uncertainty  in 
its  results,  than  in  the  results  of  any  other 
branch  of  human  knowledge,  if  we  except  the 
mathematics  and  what  are  called  the  exact 
sciences. 

The  theory  and  practice  of  medicine  very  close- 
ly resembles  the  science  of  agriculture,  in  the 
practice  of  which,  an  experiment  that  has  suc- 
ceeded nineteen  times  consecutively,  will  perhaps 
fail  on  the  twentieth  trial.  We  may  apply  lime  or 
any  other  specifxcd  material,  successfully  to  nine- 
teen different  soils,  with  manifest  advantage. 
When  applied  in  the  twentieth  case,  the  soil  is 
injured  by  it,  and  rendered  unproductive,  because 
its  hidden  ingredients  were  such  as  to  require  a 
fertilizer  of  a  different  character.  The  science 
of  chemistry  enables  us  to  analyze  a  soil,  and  to 
determine  by  this  analysis  what  kind  of  substan- 
ces it  requires  to  render  it  productive.     Still, 


with  all  the  light  afforded  us  by  chemistry,  there 
is  always  some  degree  of  uncertainty  in  the  re- 
sults of  chemical  applications  to  the  soil.  In  the 
application  of  guano  to  the  soil  there  is  some 
danger  of  injuring  the  crop,  because  a  great  deal 
of  experience  and  judgment  is  necessary  to  de- 
termine the  precise  quantity  and  the  precise  man- 
ner in  which  it  should  be  applied. 

A  still  greater  amount  of  judgment,  learning 
and  experience  is  required  for  prescribing  med- 
icines successfully  for  different  constitutions. 
Everything  that  is  necessary  to  be  done  cannot 
be  laid  down  in  books,  but  must  be  left  to  the 
judgment  of  the  physician.  Consider  then  the 
importance  of  selecting  one  who  has  had  the  ad- 
vantages of  a  complete  education,  to  make  amends 
for  any  natural  deficiency  of  judgment  which 
every  man  is '  liable  to  possess.  It  is  evident 
from  these  circumstances,  that  a  more  compre- 
hensive intellect  is  required  for  the  successful 
practice  of  medicine,  than  for  the  attainment  of 
distinction  in  the  exact  sciences.  In  chemistry 
it  has  been  ascertained  v.ith  perfect  precision, 
how  much  of  a  certain  kind  of  acid  v/ould  be  re- 
quired to  neutralize  a  given  quantity  of  a  certain 
alkali ;  but  no  rule  of  medicine  could  decide^ 
how  much  opium  would  be  required  to  alleviate 
a  spasm.  This  must  in  all  cases  be  determin- 
ed by  the  judgment  of  the  physician.  The 
chemist  can  proceed  in  all  his  operations  by 
rule  ;  the  physician,  though  guided  by  certain 
laws,  must  prescribe,  not  by  rule,  but  by 
judgment.  It  is  this  circumstance  that  caus- 
es so  many  people  to  doubt  the  reality  of  the 
whole  medical  science.  We  might  for  the  same 
reasons  deny  the  reality  of  the  science  of  navi- 
gation. The  best  navigator  in  the  Morkl  might 
by  some  accident,  or  by  some  error  of  calculation, 
run  his  vessel  ashore  and  dash  her  to  pieces  upon 
the  rocks,  while  at  the  same  time  and  place  an 
inferior  navigator  had  carried  his  vessel  into  har- 
bor. Should  we  on  this  account  ever  afterwards 
employ  ignorant  navigators  to  pilot  our  vessels  ? 
If  we  did  so,  we  should  follow  the  example  of 
those  who,  having  witnessed  certain  mistakes  in 
the  practice  of  educated  physicians,  resolve  ever 
afterwards  when  thej'  are  sick,  to  place  themselves 
in  the  hands  of  a  quack. 

Chemistry,  to  return  to  our  parallel,  can  meas- 
ure the  exact  amount  of  oxygen  that  must  com- 
bine with  a  certain  amount  of  hydrogen,  to  pro- 
duce water.  Indeed,  nearly  all  its  operations  are 
certain  and  exact.  A  person,  therefore,  with  a 
good  memory,  though  possessed  of  an  inferior 
share  of  judgment  and  comparison,  might  be  a 
good  chemist.  If  fever  was  the  effect  of  an  acid, 
and  this  acid  could  be  measured,  the  physician 
might  cure  his  patient,  on  chemical  principles,  by 
prescribing  a  definite  portion  of  alkali.  13 ut  the 
diseases  of  the  human  system  cannot  be  managed 
by  a  simple  rule  ;  and  on  account  of  the  different 
aspects  they  assume,  under  different  circum- 
stances, every  remedy  is  uncertain.  The  phy- 
sician must  watch  its  effects,  and  modify  his 
prescriptions  according  to  certain  changes  in  the 
aspect  of  the  disease. 

Hence  we  may  account  for  the  remark  of  Dr. 
Gregory,  a  celebrated  English  physician,  that 
"nine-tenths  of  the  practice  of  medicine  consists 
of  guess-work."  Another  celebrated  man  left 
the  practice  of  physic,  giving  as  a  reason  for  his 


48 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Jam. 


conduct,  that  he  "was  tired  of  guessing.  But  it 
is  this  very  circumstance  that  elevates  the  science 
of  medicine  above  the  exact  sciences,  because  it 
requires  the  highest  exercise  of  the  human  intel- 
lect, while  the  exact  sciences  can  be  attained  by  a 
dunce  who  has  a  good  technical  memory.  There 
is  such  a  thing  as  enlightened  "guess  work," 
■which  maybe  defined,  Ihe  exercise  of  the  judgment 
in  applying  certain  rules  to  tmce^iain  cases.  The 
navigator  is  obliged  to  use  a  great  deal  of  this 
guess-work  ;  yet  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  an 
intelligent  and  well  educated  navigator,  with  the 
aid  of  science,  the  compass  and  the  barome- 
ter, would  in  the  majority  of  cases  guess  more 
accurately  than  one  who  was  ill  educated  and 
without  these  aids. 

The  effects  of  a  stimulant  or  narcotic,  o^  any 
other  medicine,  vary  according  to  the  suscepti- 
bility of  the  patient  to  its  influence.  A  frequent 
and  constant  use  of  opium,  of  ardent  spirits  or 
cayenne  pepper,  may  so  harden  one  to  their  ef- 
fects, as  to  enable  one  who  is  accustomed  to  the 
use  of  them  to  bear  a  dose  without  any  appar- 
ent effect,  which  would  destroy  the  life  of  anoth- 
er person.  "This  principle,  (says  Dr.  Paris,)  may 
be  illustrated  in  a  clear  and  forcible  manner,  by 
the  different  sensations  which  the  same  tempera- 
ture will  produce  under  different  circumstances. 
In  the  road  over  the  Andes,  at  about  half  way 
between  the  foot  and  the  summit  of  the  moun- 
tain, there  is  a  cottage,  at  which  the  ascending 
and  descending  travellers  meet.  The  former, 
who  have  just  quitted  the  sultry  valleys  at  the 
base,  are  so  relaxed,  that  the  sudden  diminution 
of  temperature  produces  in  them  the  feeling  of 
intense  cold ;  while  those  who  have  just  left  the 
frozen  summits  of  the  mountain,  are  overcome 
with  the  sensation  of  extreme  heat. 

"But  we  need  not  climb  the  Andes  for  an  il- 
lustration. If  we  plunge  one  hand  into  a  basin 
of  hot  water  and  the  other  into  one  of  cold 
water,  and  then  mix  the  contents  of  each  vessel, 
and  replace  both  hands  into  the  mixture,  we 
should  experience  the  sensation  of  heat  and  cold, 
at  the  same  time  by  the  same  fluid." 

The  hand  Avliich  had  been  in  the  hot  water 
will  feel  cold,  and  that  which  had  been  in  the 
cold  water  will  feel  warm.  The  physician  is  ob- 
liged to  take  all  such  circumstances  into  his  cal- 
culation before  he  prescribes  for  his  patient ;  a 
little  false  information  given  him  by  the  attend- 
ants may  lead  to  consequences  which^  would  be 
attributed  to  an  error  of  judgment  on  the  part  of 
the  physician.  The  puldic  is  not  generally  aware 
how  frequently  the  reputation  of  a  physician  suf- 
fers, on  account  of  the  ignorance,  carelessness 
or  stupidity  of  the  attendants  of  the  patient. 

Our  common  aliments  may  in  certain  states  of 
the  constitution  act  upon  one  as  powerful  stimu- 
lants. In  an  old  volume  of  Medical  Reports  is 
recorded  the  case  of  a  minor,  who  after  remain- 
ing eight  days  without  food,  was  killed  by  being 
placed  on  a  warm  bed  and  fed  on  chicken  broth. 
There  is  no  end  to  the  influences  to  which  we  are 
constantly  exposed,  that  serve  to  increase  or  di- 
minish our  susceptibility  to  the  operation  of  med- 
icines. All  these  circumstances  involve  the  prac- 
tice of  physic  in  so  much  uncertainty,  that  the 
best  inteHect  must  be  entirely  devoted  to  the 
study  and  practice  of  it,  to  insure  success.  Vol- 
taii-e,  who  excelled  almost  all  men  in  the  sagacity 


of  his  observations,  remarked  that  "those  men 
who  are  occupied  in  the  restoration  of  health  to 
other  men,  are,  when  honest,  above  all  the  great 
of  the  earth.  They  even  partake  of  divinity.  No 
man  is  more  estimable  than  a  physician,  who 
having  studied  nature  from  his  youth,  knows  the 
properties  of  the  human  system,  the  diseases  that 
assail  it,  the  remedies  that  will  benefit  or  heal  it, 
who  exercises  his  art  loith  caution,  and  pays  equal 
attention  to  the  rich  and  the  poor." 


WILLAKD'S  PATENT   SEED  PIjAI«"TEB. 

This  machine,  the  invention  of  Hosea  Willard, 
Esq.,  of  Vergennes,  Vt.,  and  for  which  letters 
patent  were  granted  Oct.  6,  18o7,  is  for  planting 
all  Idnds  of  grain  in  di'ills  or  hills,  covering  and 
compressing  at  the  same  time.  The  gi-ain  is 
placed  in  the  two  cylinder  holders,  D  D.  These 
holders  are  made  to  revolve  by  means  of  the 
wheel  E.  In  the  inside  of  each  holder  is  a  reel, 
as  seen  in  fig.  2,  which  is  made  to  revolve  in  the 
opposite  direction  from  the  motion  of  the  hold- 
ers. Each  holder  is  divided  into  two  apartments, 
one  to  contain  the  grain,  and  the  other  to  contain 
plaster  or  any  other  kind  of  fertilizer.  The  ma- 
chine can  be  regulated  to  drop  any  given  number 
of  seeds,  or  amount  of  the  fertilizer,  into  each 
hill,  and  to  make  the  drills  any  distance  apart 
that  may  be  desired.  The  grain  is  covered  by 
the  shoe,  as  seen  in  fig.  3,  and  the  drills  com- 
pressed by  the  rollers,  H  H.  It  will  be  perceived 
that  the  coverer  is  so  constructed  as  to  render  it 
impossible  for  large  lumps  or  stones  to  get  upon 
the  grain.  The  position  of  the  coverer  can  be 
regulated  so  as  to  make  the  drills  as  much  below 
the  surface,  and  to  cover  as  deep  or  shallow,  as 
may  be  desired.  The  dropping  of  the  seed  into 
each  hill  bSing  directly  in  sight  of  the  driver,  it 
is  impossible  for  any  hill  to  escape  being  seeded 
without  being  observed  by  him,  which  is  an  ad- 
vantage over  all  other  machines.  The  chain,  I,  is 
to  mark  out  a  track  to  guide  the  driver,  thus  ena- 
bling him  to  make  the  drills  all  of  the  same  dis- 
tance apart.  As  will  be  seen  the  machine  plants 
two  rows  at  a  time,  and  as  much  during  a  given 
time  as  a  horse  can  walk  over,  from  15  to  25 
acres  per  day. 

The  machine  is  now  on  exhibition  at  the  Crys- 
tal Palace,  and  commands  the  attention  of  agri- 
culturists in  all  sections  of  the  country.  It  is 
examined  by  thousands  every  day. 

The  above  Planter  is  manufactured  by  the  Pa- 
tentee, at  Vergennes,  Vt.  Price  of  Planter,  $30. 
Weight  of  machine,  230  pounds.  County  and 
State  rights  for  sale  at  prices  which  will  enable 
purchasers  to  realize  very  large  profits.  Apply 
to  IIosEA  Willard,  Patentee,  Vergennes,  Vt. 


l^^In  Rockville,  Ct.,   1300  frogs  have   been 
found  in  a  spring  only  four  feet  in  diameter. 


1858, 


NEW  ENGLAND  FABMER. 


00 

U 

> 
te 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


JAir. 


For  the  Aew  England  Farmer. 
■WINTERING  BEES. 

For  the  benefit  of  those  readers  of  the  Farmer 
•who  may  not  be  acquainted  with  my  method  of 
wintering  bees,  I  Avill  give  a  few  directions.  First, 
be  sure  that  you  start  with  none  but  first-rate 
stock.  With  most  bee-keepers,  success  in  winter 
depends  alone  on  this  point,  as  they  often  neg- 
lect their  bees  from  fall  till  spring,  and  therefore 
they  derive  no  benefit  from  any  care  that  they 
might  bestow.  The  requisites  of  a  good  stock 
are,  first,  a  f:frorig  family  ;  second,  sufficient  stores ; 
third,  freedom  from  disease  of  the  brood.  Ex- 
amine the  hives  on  the  first  really  cool  mornings. 
The  best  stocks  Avill  show  bees  in  nearly  all  the 
spaces  between  the  combs  ;  very  weak  ones,  only 
between  two  or  three.  The  best  families  cannot 
be  readily  frozen  to  death,  but  weak  ones  may, 
and  often  are.  Strong  stocks  are  often  smother- 
ed by  an  injudicious  endeavor  to  protect  them 
from  the  cold.  In  fact,  such  can  hardly  be  lost  in 
any  other  way. 

To  winter  bees  in  the  open  air,  choose  a  place 
where  the  sun  can  strike  the  hive,  at  least  part 
of  the  day.  Ventilate,  by  raising  the  hive  just 
enough  to  let  the  bees  pass,  but  not  the  mice. 
There  should  also  be  a  hole  in  the  side  of  the 
hive,  to  guard  any  chance  of  its  getting  closed 
around  the  bottom.  There  should  also  be  sever- 
al holes  through  the  top  of  the  hive,  and  an  emp- 
ty cap  set  over  it ;  much  of  the  moisture  arising 
from  the  bees  will  pass  up  into  the  cap,  and  pre- 
vent mouldy  combs.  Should  the  weather  be 
pleasant  immediately  after  a  new  light  snow  has 
fallen,  the  bees  may  generally  be  kept  in  the  hive 
by  shading  M'itli  a  board  set  before  it.  If  the  air 
is  sufficiently  warm  to  melt  snow  that  is  old  and 
crusted,  or  even  soften  it,  there  is  no  risk  in  let- 
ting them  fly,  they  will  rise  as  readily  from  the 
snow  as  the  ground.  There  will  be  some  few  that 
are  unable  to  fly,  and  will  get  down  in  either 
case  ;  the  difference  is  only  in  appearance  ;  when 
on  the  snow,  every  one  can  be  seen  readily  ;  when 
on  the  ground,  it  requires  close  observation.  At 
aaiy  rate,  it  would  be  safer  to  lose  half  of  them 
on  the  snow  or  ground,  than  to  close  the  hive 
longer  than  a  few  hours  at  once  during  winter. 

WINTERING   IN   THE   HOUSE. 

If  a  large  number  of  stocks  are  to  be  wintered, 
second  and  third  rate  ones  can  often  be  can-ied 
safely  through,  that  in  the  open  air  would  be  a 
perfect  failure.  There  can  be  fifty  or  more  packed 
m  a  room  ten  feet  square,  the  combined  warmth 
probably  keeping  the  temperature  above  the  freez- 
ing point  at  all  times.  The  room  should  be  per- 
fectly dark,  and  if  close,  a  passage  for  admitting 
air  at  the  bottom,  and  another  at  the  top  for 
its  exit,  should  be  made,  say  two  inches  square, 
and  so  constructed  as  to  exclude  the  light.  A 
dark,  warm,  dry  cellar,  will  answer  equally  well, 
without  the  passage  for  air,  unless  the  bottom  is 
clay  or  cement. 

To  get  rid  of  the  moisture  that  is  constantly 
generated,  the  hives  should  be  turned  bottom  up- 
ward upon  shelves  with  blocks  vmder  to  raise 
them  an  inch  from  the  shelf,  the  holes  in  the  top 
being  left  open  to  allow  free  circulation  of  air. 
By  having  several  tiers  of  shelves  one  above 
another,  a  great  many  may  be  packed  in  one 


room.  I  have  frequently  put  in  two  hundred 
stocks,  on  three  tiers  of  shelves,  in,  a  room  twelve 
by  eighteen  feet.  A  large  number  in  a  room  is 
much  better  than  a  small  one,  on  account  of  tho 
additional  warmth  generated  ;  and,  if  a  room  can- 
not be  kept  uniformly  warm  by  tho  number  of 
stocks,  or  by  other  means,  leaving  them  out  doors 
is  preferable.  To  avoid  keeping  them  in  the 
house  longer  than  necessary,  it  is  well  to  let  them 
have  the  advantage  of  all  the  pleasant  weather 
likely  to  occur  before  housing.  Put  them  in  on 
the  first  really  severe  weather  ;  tho  first  snow 
storm,  or,  when  stire  that  winter  Aas  commenced. 
Let  them  be  disturbed  as  little  as  possible.  Occa- 
sionally looking  to  them,  to  see  that  all  is  right, 
will  not  materially  injure  them.  They  may  be 
put  out  the  last  of  March,  or  first  of  April ; 
choose  the  middle  of  a  fair  day,  ivhoi  the  air  is 
ivarm,  no  matter  about  the  snow  being  gone,  if 
it  has  only  lain  long  enough  to  have  a  crust.  A 
dozen  or  fifteen  put  out  at  a  time,  and  in  two 
heurs  as  many  more,  is  better  than  all  at  once. 

This  method  of  wintering  bees  is  not  merely 
theoretical,  but  the  result  of  many  year's  experi- 
ence. With  the  exception  of  tMo,  over  five  hun- 
dred stocks  were  carried  safely  through  the  past 
winter,  under  this  management.  I  find  there  is 
generally  much  reluctance  to  turning  the  hive 
over,  and  nothing  to  confine  the  bees.  I  hav© 
had  letters  of  inquiry  for  additional  assurance 
that  I  meant  what  I  said.  When  this  method  is 
fully  tested,  I  am  persuaded  it  will  be  preferred 
to  any  other.  ]M.  Quinby, 

Author  of  Mysteries  of  Bee-keepin£  Explained. 

St.  Johnsville,  Montgomery  Co.,  N.  Y. 


SUB-SOIL  MAPS. 


From  the  following,  which  we  clip  from  th« 
Country  Oentleman,  it  will  be  seen  that  the  French 
Government  has  employed  a  Mr.  Duman,  of 
Paris,  to  construct  maps  exhibiting  the  character 
of  the  sub-soil  of  the  whole  of  France,  to  be  ac- 
companied with  others  of  the  geographical  and 
geological  features  of  the  country.  It  is  due  to 
a  citizen  of  Maryland,  who  for  many  years,  and 
entirely  at  his  own  cost,  has  most  industriously 
pursued  the  investigation  of  the  qualities  of  the 
soil  and  sub-soil,  to  claim  for  him  the  credit  of  a 
method  to  which  the  French  government  attach- 
es so  much  importance.  Professor  Baer,  of  Car- 
roll Co.,  some  fifteen  years  ago  lectured  before  the 
Legislature  of  Maryland,  with  maps  variously 
colored,  to  show  the  variations  in  the  sub-soil, 
and  has  since  been  pursuing  and  perfecting  his 
plans,  and  has  now  on  hand  a  considerable  col- 
lection of  such  maps,  handsomely  executed,  and 
showing  to  the  eye  at  a  glance  the  character  and 
variation  of  sub-soils,  which  have  been  the  sub- 
jects of  his  investigations,  as  well  as  the  remark- 
able eff'ect  upon  the  growth  of  plants  of  a  sub- 
soil containing  noxious  elements  underlying  a  ge- 
nial surface  soil.  Professor  Baer  pursues  the 
same  method  in  teaching  Chemistry,  having  large 
maps  on  which  are  displayed  for  instance  the 
whole  number  of  bases  and  acids,  and  the  pro- 
portion in  which  they  combine  and  their  degrees 
of  aflfinity  indicated  in  such  a  way  that  the  learn- 
er gets  the  lesson  Avith  remarkable  facility. 

Sub-soil  Maps. — We  see  it  stated  that  Mr. 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


51 


Duman,  of  Paris,  has  recently  constructed,  by  or- 
der of  government,  a  map  exhibiting  the  nature 
and  character  of  the  sub-soil  for  the  whole  of 
France.  It  is  designed  to  be  used  with,  and  to 
accompany  another  map  descriptive  of  the  geo- 
graphical and  geological  features  of  the  surface. 
The  one  exhibits  with  the  greatest  accuracy,  all 
information  pertaining  to  the  surface,  while  the 
other  reveals  what  lies  immediately  below  the 
sui-face,  thus  affording  indications  of  great  value 
to  the  agriculturist,  and  to  those  searching  for 
minerals  or  building  materials.  Similar  maps  for 
this  country  would  be  of  the  greatest  importance 
to  all  who  are  in  any  way  connected  with  .the 
soD^ — Ammcan  Farmer. 


For  the  New  England  Fanner, 
WHITEWASHING  TREES. 

A  communication  with  the  aforesaid  heading, 
from  Peekskill,  N.  Y,,was  published  in  the  N.E. 
Farmer  of  September,  w'ith  the  signature,  "C.  A. 
L.,"  taking  exceptions  to  the  editor's  views  on 
that  subject.  "Remarks"  were  added  to  the  com- 
munication, stating  that  "our  views  are  not  ma- 
terially changed  by  the  statements  of  our  corres- 
pondent." The  same  number  contains  an  article 
with  the  heading,  "Never  Whitewash  Trees." 
To  this  "C.  A.  L.,"  of  "Berkshire,"  replies  in  the 
JV.  E.  Farmer,  (weekly,)  of  the  24th  of  October, 
with  no  slight  exhibition  of  arrogance  and  con- 
ceit, the  usual  style  of  defence  of  such  as  feel 
conscious  of  having  a  bad  cause  to  defend,  seem- 
ing to  forget,  that  stale  witticisms,  and  personal- 
ities are  poor  substitutes  for  science,  or  anatomi- 
cal and  physiological  facts. 

Before  proceeding  to  notice  his  misrepresenta- 
tions of  yourself,  Mr.  Editor, — for  we  both  alike 
come  under  his  censure  and  condemnation, — I 
desire  to  call  attention  to  some  of  his' statements 
made  in  the  communications  referred  to  : 


"C.  A.  L.,"  September. 
"You  [alluding  to  the  edi- 
tor] compare  the  bark  of  a  tree 
to  the  skin  of  an  animal,  and  say 
that  'their  functions  are  analo- 
gous.' I  acknowledge  the  an- 
alogy in  one  respect,  they  are 
both  on  the  outside  of  t1ie  indi- 
vidual (?)  and  that  is  the  only 
resemblance  between  them. 
There  is  no  oflSce  performed  by 
the  bark  of  a  plant  or  tree  which 
eorresponds  with  that  perform- 
ed by  the  skin  of  animals ;  at 
least  no  such  function  has  ever 
been  dt'iiionntrated  to  exist,  and 
it  would  be  very  easy  to  ascer- 
tain if  it  absorbed  carbonic  acid, 
or  gave  oflf  oxygen.  *  *  * 
You  speak  of  'filling  the  pores 
of  the  bark  and  thus  effectually 
preventing  the  action  of  the  at- 
mosphere, and  arresting  the  in- 
ternal action  also.'  Now,  as 
the  only  function  of  the  bark 
is  protection,  and  to  some  as  a 
ieposit  of  fibrin,  no  such  injury 
3B11  possibly  result  from  cover- 
ing Uie  outside  even  with  im- 
penetrable varnish." 


"C.  A.  L.,"  October  24. 
"Both  vegetable  and  animal 
bodies  are  subject  to  disease,  as 
well  as  to  the  attacks  of  para- 
sitic animals,  and  remedies  and 
preventives  o  r  propliylactic 
measures  are  just  as  proper  in 
the  former,  as  in  the  latter  case. 
Conceding  the  bark  of  trees  to 
be  endotced  tcith  as  important 
vital  functions  as  the  skin  of 
man,  analogy  would  lead  us  to 
the  conclusion,  that  as  local  ap- 
plications are  efficient  remedies 
in  the  one,  so  also  they  would 
probably  prove  to  be  j'n  tlie 
other.  Sulphur,  and  lime  and 
mercury,  which  are  ^p  destruc- 
tive to  human  parasites,  are  no 
less  so  than  to  vegetables  ;  [i.  e. 
mercury  is  as  sure  to  destroy 
^Ituman  parasites'  as  it  is  to 
kill  vegetables]  and  the  process 
of  whitewashing  is  no  more  un- 
natural or  irrational  than  ap- 
plying sulphur  or  meixurial 
ointments  to  the  epidermic  coat 
of  animals."  [Not  one  whit 
more  so  ;  and  that  is  enough  to 
condemn  whitewashing  to  eter- 
nal refutation.^ 

He  says,  "Your  correspondent  seems  ignorant 
of  the  fact,  that  the  'stomata'  or  'pores'  of  which 
he  speaks,  0)'e/bM?w:Z  chiefly  in  the  epidermic  coat 
of  the  under  surface  of  the  leaves,  and  rarely 
found  elsewhere."  Does  he  ?  The  communica- 
tion referred  to  has  the  following  language :  Drs, 


CandoUe  and  Hedwig,  celebrated  naturalists,  de- 
monstrated, that  "the  moisture:  required  by  the 
plant  for  its  nourishment  is  received  through  the 
pores  of  the  bark,  of  the  stem,  the  branches,  the 
fruit  and  the  roots — no  less  than  tlirongli  the  sto- 
mata of  the  leaves,  and  the  open  mouths  of  the 
spongioles."  So  much  for  the  charge  of  "igno- 
rance," concerning  "stomata"  or  "pores." 

He  next  charges  your  corresjx'iident  with 
"garbling  the  language  of  Schleiden,"  with  refer- 
ence to  the  function  of  the  epidermis.  This 
learned  German  botanist,  describing  the  opuder 
mis,  says,  "The  cells  of  this  layer  are  so  tirmly 
imited  that  it  may  generally  be  stripped  off  the 
plant  as  a  continuous  membrane.  It  becomes 
clothed  sooner  or  later  with  a  layer  of  varying 
thickness,  of  a  homogeneous  substance,  which 
receives  beside,  a  thin  coating  of  Avax  or  resin ; 
thus  the  enveloping  membrane  becomes  impene- 
trable by  fluids,  and  even  repels  them,  since  water 
runs  ofi'  it  as  from  a  greasy  substance.  In  cer^ 
tain  places,  however,  [let  the  reader  take  partic- 
ular notice,]  little  orifices  are  left  between  the  cells 
leading  into  the  interior  of  the  plant. 

"In  these  orifices  usually  lie  two  crescerit-shaped 
cells,  having  their  concave  sides  applied  together, 
so  as  to  leave  a  slit  open  between  them,  hut  other- 
wise  closing  %ip  the  orifice.  Tliese  slits,  through 
which  the  plant  communicates  with  the  atmosphere^ 
and  expires  gases  and  watery  vapor,  are  opened 
wider,  or  contracted, as  inaybe  required.  The  or- 
ifices with  crescentic  cells  are  called  siomates,  aiid 
the  ichole  layer  in  ichich  they  occur  is  the  epider- 
mis of  the  plant."  (PL  1,  Fig.  12.)  See  Poetry 
of  the  Vegetable  World,  Edited  by  Alphonso 
Wood,  author  of  the  "Class-Book  of  Botany ;" 
— from  the  London  edition,  translated  by  A. 
Henfrey,  F.  L.  S.— pp.  60-1. 

As  will  be  seen  by  comparison,  "C.  A.  L." 
quotes  from  a  paragraph  marked  by  four  periods. 
He  copies  the  first,  omits  the  second,  copies  the 
third,  and  omits  the  fourth.  The  paragraph  is 
given  entire  above,  in  order  that  the  reader  may 
have  the  words  of  Schleiden  on  this  suljject,  en- 
tire, as  given  by  the  translator,  and  settle  the 
question  as  to  the  "guilt  of  garbling."  "This 
writer,"  says"C.  A.  L.,"  meaning  Schleiden,  "rep- 
resents the  function  of  the  stomata  to  be,  to 
evaporate  the  su])erfluous  water  absorbed  by  the 
spongioles."  Indeed  !  How  does  it  thus  appear  ? 
The  word  spongiole  is  not  mentioned  by  S.  iu 
connection  with  the  function  of  the  epidermis. 
And  moreover,  he  admits  here,  what,  in  another 
part  of  his  communication  as  quoted,  he  says, 
"Your  correspondent  seems  ignorant  that  the 
'stomata'  )r  'pores,'  of  which  he  speaks,  are 
found  chiefly  in  the  epidermic  coat  of  the  under 
surface  of  the  leaves,  and  are  rarely  found  else- 
where." Notwithstanding  the  charge  of  this 
"seeming  ignorance,"  before  finishing  the  para- 
graph, he  quotes  S.  to  prove  that  the  functions 
of  the  epidermis  is  performed  through  stomata. 

"Stomata,"  says  a  French  botanist,  "exist  in  a 
more  or  less  distinct  manner  in  all  the  foliaceous 
surfaces  of  vascular  plants — viz.  :  in  the  leaves, 
properly  so  called,  in  the  stipules,  in  the  green 
bark,  in  the  calyx  and  pericarps  which  are  not 
fleshy."  In  summing  up  on  this  subject,  the 
aforesaid  writer  says, — "Ist,  that  the  customary 
use  of  the  stomata  is  for  perspiring  water,  which 
must  be  distinguished  from  simple  evaporation ; 


52 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Jan. 


2nd,  that  it  is  not  impossible  that  they'may  also 
serve,  in  some  cases,  for  absorption ;  3d,  that  it 
is  equally  possible  that  they  absorb  water  during 
the  night." 

Prof.  Gray  says,  "Stomata  or  breathing-pores 
are  orifices  connected  with  a  peculiar  structure 
in  the  epidermis  of  leaves,  and  otlier  green  parts," 
"Through  these,"  he  remarks,  "the  vapor  of  wa- 
ter and  air  can  freely  escape,  or  enter,  as  the  case 
may  be.  The  apple  tree  leaf,  where  they  are  un- 
der the  average  as  to  number,  contains  about  24,- 
000  stomata  to  the  square  inch  of  its  lower  sur- 
face." 

"The  experiment  alluded  to,  of  placing  a  dried, 
shrunk  and  shrivelled  plant  in  water,  and  its 
imbibing  moisture,  proves  nothing  in  regard  to 
the  vital  iunction  of  the  epidermis  of  the  bark  of 
trees,"  says  C.  A.  L. ;  "it  is  a  phenomenon  of  jnire- 
ly  physical  endosmose."  Strange  that  so  learned 
a  2:)hysiologist  should  have  adduced  this  as  a  case 
in  point.  That  absorption,  as  well  as  exhalation,  is 
performed  by  the  leaves  [if  by  the  stomata  of  the 
leaves,  then  why  not  of  the  bark  ?]  of  plants,  is 
known  to  every  farmer  who  has  observed  (lie  ef- 
fects of  a  heavy  dew  in  reviving  his  wilted  corn, 
but  few  are  so  stiq^id  as  to  imagine  that  this  ef- 
fect has  been  produced  by  absorption  from  the 
stalks!"  (??)  The  incongruities  of  this  question 
are  its  best  refutation. 

Endosmose,  as  defined  by  Webster,  signifies 
"The  transmission  of  gaseous  matter  or  vapors 
through  membranes  or  porous  substances  inward." 
"Purely  jyhysical  [not  metaphysical !]  endosmose 
is  a  phenomenon"  that  fully  demonstrates  and 
confirms  the  porosity  of  plants,  according  to  C. 
A.  L.'s  own  showing.  So  he  confirms  Drs.  Oan- 
doUe  and  Hedwig's  experiment  by  endeavoring 
to  overthrow  it. 

Hales,  in  his  "Vegetable  Staticks,"  gives  among 
his  numerous  experiments  the  following : 

"I  took  a  cylinder  of  birch,  ['impenetrable  to 
the  air,'  says  C.  A.  L.]  with  the  bark  on,  16  inches 
long  and  |  inch  diameter,  covered  both  ends  Avith 
cement ;  also  the  old  eyes  where  shoots  had  been 
cut  off ;  and  by  the  aid  of  the  air-pump  demon- 
strated that  the  air  passed  through  the  bark. 
The  same  was  proved  true  of  other  kinds  of 
wood." 

Dr.  Grew,  a  botanist,  observes  that  "the  pores 
are  so  large  in  the  trunks  of  plants,  as  in  the 
better  sort  of  thick  walking  canes,  ihey  are  visi- 
ble to  a  good  e5"e  without  a  glass ;  but  with  a 
glass  the  cane  seems  as  if  it  were  stuck  top-full 
of  holes,  with  great  pins,  being  so  large  as  very 
well  to  resemble  the  pores  of  the  skin  in  the  end 
of  the  fingers  and  ball  of  the  hand.  In  the  leaves 
of  pine  they  are  likewise,  through  a  glass,  a  very 
elegant  show,  standing  almost  exactly  in  rank 
and  file  through  the  length  of  the  leaves."  (Grew's 
Anatomy  of  Plants,  p.  127.) 

More  authority  bearing  on  the  point  under 
consideration,  of  the  highest  order,  from  Ger- 
many, France,  and  England,  might  be  furnished, 
but  what  has  been  cited  is  deemed  sufficient  to 
establish  the  porous  texture  of  the  epidermis,  or 
to  show  that  it  has  stomata.  This,  moreover,  is 
admitted  by  "C.  A.  L.,"  who,  nevertheless,  says  in 
another  place,  "L.  W."  must  not  expect  me  nor 
yotir  readers  to  receive  his  ipse  dixit  as  to  the 
functions  of  the  epidermis,  uiiless  supported  by 
some  acknowledged  authority  ;  nor  must  he  ex- 


pect to  escape  by  locating  stomata  or  pores  in  t?ie 
hark,  instead  of  the  leaves,  and  then  applpng  to 
the  former  what  is  designed  for  the  latter."  This 
was  no  assertion  of  L.  W.,  as  the  reader  may  set- 
by  referring  to  his  article  on  page  438  of  the  Sep- 
tember number  of  N.  E.  Farmer.  It  was  there 
shown  to  be  the  doctrine  of  Drs.  Candolle,  Hed- 
wig  and  Schleiden.  So  it  was  not  "a  tyro's"  ip- 
se dixit,  and  may  give  further  occasion  to  show 
that  a  "tyro"  cannot  overthrow  it,  though  he  tug 
never  so  hard  ;  and,  when  by  study  he  comes  to 
know  really,  as  much  as  he  would  receive  credit 
for  now,  he  will  not  attempt  it,  for  such  folly 
could  only  be  equalled  by  offering  his  head  for  a 
battering-ram  ;  for  facts  serve  as  a  more  impene- 
trable wall  of  defence  than  any  which  encircled 
the  besieged  cities  of  olden  time. 

"L.  W.  would  admit  'a  little  soap.'  What! 
close  the  'pores'  with  this  viscid  substance,  which 
it  is  far  more  likely  to  do,  than  whitewash ;  and 
then  how  unnatural  to  wash  trees  with  soap  and 
water,  as  if  they  were  dirty  babies  or  coal-heav- 
ers !"  Is  it  the  tendency  of  the  application  of 
soap  to  "babies  and  coal-heavers"  to  stop  the 
pores  of  the  skin  ?  If  so,  then  it  may  have  a 
similar  eff'ect  upon  the  epidermis  of  trees  when 
applied.  L.  W.,  by  the  way,  did  not  recommend 
the  use  of  soap. 

Having  further  demonstrated  the  function  of 
the  bark,  it  goes  further  to  confirm  your  position, 
]\Ir.  Editor,  together  with  that  of  your  corres- 
pondent, that  orchardists  should  never  whitewash 
their  fruit  trees. 

Your  correspondent  "L.  W.,"  on  page  430  of 
N.  E.  Farmer,  Vol.  9.,  remarked  in  the  first 
paragraph,  that,  "The  orchardist  should  avoid  all 
sorts  of  washes  that  leave  a  coating  upon  the 
bark,  no  matter  what  they  are,  nor  what  is  claimed 
for  them  by  charlatans  or  empirics."  In  the 
last,  he  says,  "Dr.  Harris  and  Mr.  J.  Buel  may,  in 
former  times,  have  recommended  whitewashing, 
but  it  was  with  reference  to  destroying  insects, 
without  reflecting  upon  the  injury  done  the  trees, 
or,  perhaps,  if  so,  in  view  of  two  evils,  choose  the 
less."  In  reply  to  these  remarks,  "C.  A.  L."  says, 
"I  hold  that  it  is  not  empiricism  to  advocate  the 
utility  of  whitewashing  trees  ;  L.  W.  may  call 
the  late  Mr,  Downing,  Judge  Buel,  Dr.  Harris, 
Dr.  Fitch,  &:c.,  'charlatans' for  favoring  this  prac- 
tice, but  the  reader  will  be  at  no  great  loss  in  de- 
termining who  best  deserves  this  title."  As  the 
question  from  L.  W.  fully  exonerates  him  from 
the  charge  of  his  accuser,  he  entirely  concurs  in 
the  concluding  remark,  that  the  reader  will  be  at 
no  great  loss  in  deciding  who  deserves,  nor  in 
discovermg  who  really  wears  "the  title  ;"  for  "by 
their  fruits  shall  ye  know  them." 

To  check  the  increase  of  bark -lice,  Dr.  Harris 
enumerates  the  following  remedies :  birds,  inter- 
nal parasites,  minute  ichneumon  flies,  wliitewash, 
potash,  or  a  pickle  of  salt  and  water. 

A.  J.  Downing  says,  "The  best  wash  for  the 
stems  and  branches  of  fruit  trees,  is  made  by  dis- 
solving two  jrounds  of  potash  in  two  gallons  of 
water.  This  is  applied  with  a  brush — one,  and 
at  most,  two  applications,  will  rid  the  stem  of 
trees  of  the  bark-louse,  and  render  it  smooth  and 
glossy.  It  is  far  more  efficacious  than  white- 
washing, as  a  preservative  against  the  attacks  of 
insects,  while  it  promotes  the  growth  of  the  tree, 
and  adds  to  the  natural,  lively  color  of  the  bark.** 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


So  much  for  the  condemnation  of  whitewashing, 
which  gives  the  trees  a  repulsive  appearance,  very 
unlike  that  described  by  Downing. 

Dr.  Fitch  remarking  on  the  remedies  for  bark- 
lice,  says,  "infusion  of  quassia,  tobacco  or  soap- 
suds will  destroy  newly-hatched  lice.  These  and 
strong  lye,  potash-water,  whitewash,  dry  ashes, 
sulphur,  and  I  know  not  how  many  more  articles, 
have  been  recommended  by  different  writers.  The 
Michigan  Farmer  gives  a  favorable  account  of 
the  effects  of  tar  and  linseed  oil  beat  together 
and  applied  warm  with  a  brush,  before  the  buds 
begin  to  expand  in  the  spring.  The  remedy  of 
Esq.  Kimball,  of  Kenosha,  is  probably  one  of  the 
most  efficacious,  and  convenient  of  any ;  he  boils 
leaf  tobacco  in  strong  lye,  till  it  is  reduced  to  an 
impalpable  pulp — and  then  mixes  it  with  soap, 
and  applies  it  with  a  brush."  Dr.  Fitch  does  not 
seem  to  recommend  whitewashing. 

These  are  some  of  the  remedies  for  the  de- 
struction of  bark-lice,  both  natural,  as  birds  and 
insects,  and  artificial  as  the  various  washes.  Only 
one  of  these  writers  directly  recommends  white- 
washing. With  all  due  deference  to  the  opinion 
of  the  late  Dr.  Harris,  the  whitewashing  of  fruit 
trees  is  becoming  unpopular,  and  will  soon  be 
reckoned  among  the  things  that  were.  This  is  a 
cheering  indication — one,  among  others,  tending 
to  show  that  improvement  is  going  forth  in  what 
pertains  to  both  agriculture  and  horticulture. 

Before  planting  fruit  trees,  prepare  the  soil 
well  by  deep  -and  thorough  tillage — manure  well, 
select  good,  healthful  trees  for  transplanting — 
put  lime  into  the  soil, — but  do  not  on  the  trees, 
— and  with  due  care  and  attention,  with  the  ap- 
plication of  some  simple,  harmless  wash,  like 
Eure  water,  your  trees  will  grow,  flourish  and 
ear  fruit  in  due  time.  L.  W. 


MAKE  THE  MANURE. 

Now  is  the  favorable  time.  The  stock  has 
done  roaming  in  the  pastures,  is  sheltered  at 
night,  and  perhaps  during  the  day,  or  is  allowed, 
at  most,  only  a  part  of  the  pleasant  weather  in 
the  open  yard.  At  any  rate,  it  is  so  compact  as 
to  bring  its  droppings  into  a  comparatively  small 
space,  where  they  can  be  easily  collected  and  in- 
corporated with  other  matter.  How  it  shall  best 
be  kept  from  waste  is  a  question  of  importance. 

We  cannot  all  have  barn  cellars  just  as  we 
wish,  nor  all  the  materials  we  may  like,  to  mingle 
with  the  fresh  droppings.  But  much  may  be 
done  to  prevent  waste  when  we  have  become  ful- 
ly convinced  that  there  is  a  depreciation  in  manure 
when  it  is  neglected,  and  consequently  a  money 
loss  to  its  owner.  To  those  who  do  not  believe 
in  loss  by  evaporation  or  drenching,  our  words 
are  but  idle  utterings — but  to  those  who  enter- 
tain that  belief,  a  few  suggestions  may  be  profita- 
ble. 

There  is  no  substance  within  our  knowledge 
wliich  is  cheap  and  abundant,  that  will  absorb 
and  save  the  liquid  portions  of  manure,  and  pre- 
vent the  escape  of  ammonia,  like  the  muck  which 
is  found  all  over  New  England,  in  swamps,  mead- 


ows, and  even  in  many  valleys  and  uplands. 
When  it  has  undergone  fermentation,  it  greatly 
resembles  pure  cow  dung,  and  the  best  of  it  is 
nearly  as  valuable  as  the  cow  dung  itself.  Most 
of  our  farmers  have  access  to  this,  and  we  will 
therefore  speak  of  it  first. 

Where  there  are  trenches  behind  the  cattle 
when  tied  up,  it  is  g,  good  plan  to  scatter  dry 
muck  two  or  three  inches  deep,  so  that  it  may 
receive  the  droppings  while  they  are  warm :  in 
this  way  the  muck  takes  up  nearly  all  the  fluid 
parts,  and  retains  them  until  the  whole  is  passed 
thi'ough  the  opening  into  the  cellar,  when  the 
process  of  "cleaning  out"  mingles  the  mass  more 
intimately.  This,  however,  is  not  enough, — for 
when  a  considerable  heap  has  been  accumulated 
below,  if  nothing  more  is  done,  drainage  and 
evaporation  both  take  place  ;  the  gaseous  parts 
speeding  their  way  upwards,  and  the  fluid  soak- 
ing into  the  sand  or  gravel,  which  compose  the 
bottom  of  the  cellar,  or  flowing  down  some  channel 
which  they  make,  perhaps,  by  their  own  specific 
gravity. 

Near  by  the  dung-heap  there  should  be  a  pile 
of  dry  and  finely  pulverized  muck,  and  as  often 
as  every  other  day  the  droppings  should  be  level- 
ed a  little,  and  then  covered  to  the  depth  of  an 
inch  with  muck.  When  this  is  carefully  done, 
there  will  be  little  or  no  flavor  from  the  stalls 
where  the  cattle  are  tied,  or  from  the  heaps  them- 
selves,— a  pretty  convincing  evidence  that  there 
is  no  fermentation  going  on  and  no  waste  by 
evaporation.  The  eye  must  detect  whether  there 
is  any  loss  by  leaking  or  drainage.  If  there 
should  be,  a  more  liberal  quantity  of  the  muck 
must  be  supplied. 

Under  this  treatment  the  manure  heap  will  be 
kept  compact  and  neat,  nearly  all  its  valuable 
properties  i-etained,  and  when  removed,  will  pre- 
sent a  black,  exceedingly  rich  and  unctuous  paste, 
that  may  be  cut  through  with  the  shovel  with 
ease.  In  this  condition,  if  one-half  of  the  mass 
is  muck,  we  have  no  doubt  the  whole  will  be  worth 
more  per  cord  than  an  equal  amount  of  the  clear 
droppings  under  the  ordinary  neglect  which  it 
suff"ers. 

If  muck  is  not  convenient,  or  cannot  be  ob- 
tained, use  loam,  or  even  pure  sand. 

Good  muck,  then,  demands  our  first  attention, 
but  as  all  cannot  well  obtain  it,  they  may  avail 
themselves  of  other  things  worthy  of  especial  at- 
tention. Dried  Leaves  are  excellent,  as  they  are 
not  only  valuable  as  an  ingredient  for  manure, 
but  serve  an  important  purpose  as  litter  or  bed- 
ding for  stock.  They  may  be  gathered  on  many 
farms  at  little  expense,  and  will  amply  repay  the 
cost  of  collecting  and  using  them. 

Sawdust  is  another  article  extensively  used, 
and  where  horses  are  kept  that  are  not  at  work, 


64 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Jak. 


a  coat  of  this  applied  once  or  twice  a  day,  and 
allowed  to  remain  for  weeks  or  months  without 
disturbing  the  heap,  will  prove  highly  valuable. 
Much  labor  of  cleaning  out  will  be  s?ived,  and 
the  horse  will  thrive  better  and  his  feet  keep  in 
a  healthier  condition  than  if  standing  on  the  dry, 
hard  floor. 

Spent  tan  is  another  article,  and,  if  fine  and  old, 
will  answer  a  better  purpose  than  nothing. 

But  there  are  some  farms  where  none  of  these 
can  be  cheaply  obtained  in  quantity,  and  in  such 
cases  they  have  but  one  material  to  which  they 
can  resort,  and  that  is  the  common  loam  of  their 
fields.  Where  this  is  the  case,  we  would  recom- 
mend the  same  use  of  it  as  we  have  suggested 
for  the  meadow  mud.  On  nearly  every  farm  loam 
may  be  collected  from  the  side  of  walls  where  it 
has  been  turned  by  frequent  plo-nangs  and  left  in 
excess,  becoming  rather  an  injury  to  the  farm  than 
a  benefit,  by  encouraging  the  growth  of  bushes 
or  rank  weeds ;  or  it  may  be  taken  from  balks  or 
badly  managed  headlands,  or  in  rich  places  in 
pastures  or  by  the  roadside.  Men  who  are  atten- 
tive to  the  acquisition  of  manure,  this  vital  inter- 
est of  the  farm,  will  find  a  deposit  somewhere, 
which  will  enable  them  to  increase  their  winter 
heaps,  and  consequently  their  annual  crops. 

We  cannot  suggest  anything  to  the  farmer 
■which  will  be  of  so  much  real  service  to  him,  as 
to  induce  him,  if  we  can,  to  give  more  attention 
to  the  saving  and  increasing  his  stock  of  manures. 


EXTRACTS  AND  REPLIES. 

HAY  CAPS. 

Wishing  to  procure  some  hay-caps  for  another 
summer,  I  would  like  to  inquire  whether  those 
made  without  any  paint  answer  as  good  purpose  ? 
Will  those  who  have  given  them  a  fair  trial,  state 
the  result,  with  any  other  suggestions  from  their 
own  experience,  which  may  occur,  as  likely  to 
benefit  a  tyro  ?  Wm.  F.  Bassett. 

AshJieM,  Bee,  1857. 

Re:maeks. — We  have  used  hapcaps  for  several 
years,  and  have  no  more  doubt  about  the  econo- 
my of  such  use  than  we  have  about  the  economy 
of  cutting  the  grass  after  it  is  grown,  or  of  cock 
ing  it  after  it  is  cut.  The  abuse  which  has  been 
heaped  upon  tlie  use  of  hay-caps  is  like  that  be- 
stowed upon  keeping  manure  under  cover,  or  of 
gradual  deep  plowing,  and  springs  from  those 
miserable  prejudices  which  some  cling  to  as  to 
life  itself.  Some  of  these  persons  stoutly  aver 
that  a  piece  of  cotton  cloth  is  no  sort  of  protec- 
tion to  hay,  that  it  will  become  wet  through  in  a 
few  moments,  and  yet  they  may  be  seen  plodding 
about  Avith  an  old  cotton  umbrella  over  them  for 
hours  together,  with  their  heads  as  innocent  of 
rain  as  they  are  of  fairness  and  observation. 
There  are  few  men  but  have  had  an  opportunity 


of  seeing  the  effects  of  hay-caps  with  their  ovm 
eyes,  if  they  would  but  open  them  and  look.  A 
set  of  thirty  hay-caps  will  more  than  pay  for 
themselves  in  a  single  summer  such  as  the  last 
was,  on  a  farm  where  twenty  tons  of  hay  is  cut- 

An  excellent  hay-cap  may  be  made  oi  fow 
yards  of  twilled  cotton  cloth,  a  yard  wide,  by 
sewing  two  breadths  together,  which  will  give 
a  cap  six  feet  square,  and  that  is  sufficiently  large 
to  be  handled  comfortably.  They  should  be  well 
hemmed,  and  each  corner  turned  over  about  one 
inch  and  sewed  down ;  into  these  twine  should 
be  tied  to  form  loops  for  the  pegs.  The  pegs 
may  be  made  of  Avhite  pine,  and  should  be  at 
least  fifteen  inches  long,  and  whittled  out  smooth 
and  sharp  at  one  end. 

Such  caps  need  no  paint,  and  when  placed  on 
a  cock  of  hay  that  is  made  up  tall  and  peaked  at 
the  top,  and  the  side  well  raked  down,  will  al- 
most entirely  protect  it  from  a  rain-storm  of  three 
or  four  days ;  and  we  have  known  hay  and  grain 
kept  quite  dry  with  such  a  cap,  when  the  storm 
had  continued  for  sev^n  days  ! 

We  have  little  sympathy  with  those  who  rail 
against  the  introduction  of  everything  brought 
upon  the  farm,  that  was  not  there  fifty  years  ago  ; 
but  we  have  considerable  for  the  animals  under 
their  care  who  are  to  subsist  upon  their  fodder. 
"I  object !"  seems  to  be  as  natural  to  some  per- 
sons as  the  breath  of  their  nostrils  ;  they  do  not 
stop  to  investigate,  but  as  iheyfeel  like  objecting, 
out  it  comes,  "I  object !" 

Well,  every  weed,  however  useless  it  may  seem 
to  us,  undoubtedly  has  its  use,  and  serves  some 
good  purpose,  though  it  may  be  hidden  from  our 
view — and  these  objectors  may  stand  in  the 
same  category — so  we  will  try  to  believe  that 
some  valuable  lesson  may  be  drawn  from  their 
objections,  and  exert  ourselves  to  find  out  vvhat  it 
is. 

We  hope  the  arguments  against  the  use  of  hay- 
caps  will  be  urged  upon  our  correspondent,  as 
well  as  those  in  favor  of  them. 


FEEDING   STOCK. 

Will  you  inform  me  of  the  best  method  of 
keeping  stock  during  the  winter?  I  find  that 
people  diff'er  in  the  number  of  times  it  should  be 
fed  daily  ;  some  feeding  only  three  times,  while 
others  feed  five  and  six  times.  J.  L.  B. 

Royalston,  Nov.,  1857. 

Remarks. — In  order  to  use  hay  of  inferior 
quality,  we  use  a  little  grain  of  some  kind,  cob- 
meal,  oat-meal,  cotton-seed  meal  or  shorts,  mix- 
ed with  the  cut  hay,  and  then  wc  feed  only  three 
times  each  day.  AVhen  long  hay  is  fed  out,  the 
cattle  receive  it  early  in  the  morning,  small  fod- 
derings  at  a  time,  and  as  much  as  they  will  eat 
readily  for  the  space  of  an  hour  and  a  half,  and 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


55 


go  again  at  noon  and  at  night.  In  this  way  the 
cattle  are  kept  grinding  some  five  hours.  We 
have  no  doubt  that  it  is  an  economical  plan  to  cut 
the  hay,  and  that  twenty  dollars'  worth  of  hay 
and  five  dollars'  worth  of  meal  of  some  kind,  are 
worth  considerable  more  than  twenty-five  dollars' 
worth  of  hay  alone. 

Perhaps  some  gentleman  with  more  accurate 
information  than  we  possess,  will  give  facts  in  re- 
lation to  the  matter.      

BAKE   THE   UNDER   CRUST. 

Pies  are  rendered  unhealthy  and  indigestible, 
frequently,  because  the  under  pastry  is  not  baked 
enough.  The  under  crust  may  be  fii-st  baked. 
The  pastry  for  the  bottom  of  the  pie  may  be  put 
into  the  pie  or  baking  plate,  and  after  it  is  baked, 
the  contents  of  a  pie  can  be  put  in  and  baked  ; 
or  after  the  pie  is  baked,  in  the  usual  mode,  if 
the  under  paste  is  unbaked,  the  pie  can  be  re- 
moved from  its  platter  and  placed  upon  a  pa- 
per within  the  oven  again. 

Iron  baking  platters,  with  handles  to  them, 
would  be  economical  and  convenient  for  putting 
into  and  removing  pies  from  the  oven.  •       P. 

COVERING   FOR   FLAT-ROOFED   HOUSES. 
A  subscriber  wishes   to  knoAV  what  is  the  best 
and   cheapest   material  for   covering  flat-roofed 
houses.     Will  somebody  tell  him  through   our 
columns  ?  

ELDERBERRY   WINE. 

Friend  Brown  : — Will  you  accept  a  sample 
of  Elderberry  Wine,  which  was  furnished  me 
particularly  for  you  ?  It  was  made  by  Enoch  Ban- 
croft, of  Granville,  three  years  since. 

Francis  Brewer. 

Sprincifield,  Mass.,  1857. 

Rejiarks. — Yes,  sir,  and  drink  your  health  in 
it  too.  It  is  excellent  wine,  and  must  be  a  fine 
cordial  for  the  sick. 


OUR  NEW  YEAR'S  DRESS. 
We  suppose  most  of  our  readers  will  notice 
and  admire  the  handsome  new  dress  which  the 
Farmer  has  put  on  ;  but  'f  they  no  not,  it  is  not 
etrange,  for  our  old  suit  was  scarcely  half  worn 
out.  We  at  first  feared  we  might  be  thought  a  lit- 
tle extravagant,  considering  the  hard  times,  and 
the  respectable  condition  of  t*he  old  suit ;  but  it 
is  a  pity  that  any  of  our  subscribers  should  be 
left  in  doubt  and  perplexity  as  to  the  cause  of 
the  clear,  sharp  and  beautiful  impression  of  our 
type,  and  the  generally  improved  appearance  of 
our  journal,  and  we  have  therefore  concluded  to 
confess  the  truth,  and  thi'ow  ourselves  upon  oar 
readers'  indulgence,  if  they  think  we  pay  too 
much  regard  to  appearances.  We  are  aware  that 
every  body  despises  the  empty-headed  fop,  but 
then  we  believe  all  sensible  people  admit  that  a 
neat,  simple  and  elegant  style  of  dress  always  be- 


comes a  man  of  solid  sense.    (This,  of  course,  by 
way  of  extenuation,  and  not  of  "brag.") 

Our  outfit  is  from  the  Boston  Type  Foundi-y, 
John  K.  Rogers  &  Co.,  Proprietors,  and  we 
think  it  does  great  credit  to  that  establishment. 


The  Hubbard  Squash. — We  have  received 
from  Mr.  Gregory,  of  Marblehead,  two  of  these 
squashes  of  his  raising  ;  but  as  we  had  raised  sev- 
eral from  seed  he  sent  us,  we  passed  these  two  in- 
to other  hands.  One  gentleman  reports  that  "he 
never  knew  what  the  best  squash  was  before." 
Others,  who  tried  them,  say  they  excel  in  flavor 
and  in  the  fineness  of  the  flesh,  any  squash  they 
had  ever  tasted.  This  is  our  own  opinion.  Mr. 
Gregory  has  advertised  some  of  the  seed  as  for 
sale.  See  another  column.  He  raised  them  at 
the  rate  of  Jive  and  a  half  tons  of  marketable 
squashes  per  acre. 


BOYS'  DEPARTMENT. 


TRUE  MANLINESS. 

Children  are  very  apt  to  suppose,  that  what  is 
manly  or  womanly  can  be  cut  out  of  cloth  or 
leather;  in  other  woi'ds,  that  clothes,  made  in  the 
fashion  of  those  worn  by  men  and  women,  will 
give  some  additional  consequence  to  the  young 
Avho  wear  them.  I  know  a  very  little  boy,  who 
took  great  satisfaction  in  having  loops  sewed  to 
his  socks,  so  that  he  might  draw  them  on  as  boots 
are  drawn  ;  and  the  eargerness  so  commonly  dis- 
played by  children  still  young,  to  assume  the  coat, 
the  cravat,  boots,  etc.,  is  hardly  less  childish. — 
Thus  they  show  their  childishness  in  their  attempts 
to  be  manly. 

This,  however,  would  be  a  matter  of  very  little 
consequence,  if  they  were  not  apt  to  lose  sight, 
in  this  way,  of  the  essential  attributes  of  manli- 
ness. To  be  manly  is  to  "dare  to  do,"  not  to  ivear, 
"all  that  may  become  a  man."  I  will  give  you 
my  idea  of  what  it  is  for  a  boy  to  be  manly,  by 
two  or  three  illustrations. 

A  boy  of  six  years  old  was  required  by  his  fa- 
ther to  bring  the  cows  home  every  night.  One 
dark,  rainy  evening,  in  the  autumn,  just  as  the 
family  had  settled  themselves  to  their  accustomed 
occupations,  about  a  bright,  cheerful  fire,  the  fa- 
ther asked : 

"Did  you  bring  the  cows  home,  my  son  ?" 

"Yes,  father,"  he  replied  ;  adding,  after  a  mo- 
ment's hesitation,  "but  I  did  not  put  up  the  bars." 

"Then  go  directly  back  again  and  put  them  up." 

It  was  manly  in  this  boy  to  confess  his  omis- 
sion, at  the  expense,  which  he  foresaw,  of  a  dis- 
mal trudge  through  the  rain  and  darkness  to  re- 
pair it. 

I  know  another  boy,  of  nine  years  ,  old,  who 
inountod  one  day  in  his  father's  yard  a  very  spir- 
iied  horse,  and  was  thrown  almost  immediately. 
His  father  stood  by  looking  through  a  window, 
but  did  not  interfere,  when  he  saw  his  son  pre- 
paring to  amount  a  second  time,  lie  was  thrown 
a  second  time. 

"Thrown  again,  my  boy  ?"  he  exclaimed. 


56 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Jan. 


"Yes,  sir  ;  but  I'll  conquer  him  yet." 

A  third  time  the  boy  mounted,  and  then  made 
good  his  word,  the  horse  yielding  to  him  com- 
pletely. 

This  was  a  manly  boy. 

Of  another,  twelve  years  old,  it  was  told  me, 
that  being  at  a  large  school  in  one  of  our  cities, 
he  was  visited  in  his  room  by  two  young  men, 
half-a-dozen  years  older  than  himself,  who  used 
very  profane  language.  After  hearing  for  some 
time  what  was  highly  offensive  to  him,  he  said, 
"Gentlemen  must  be  so  good  as  to  abstain  from 
this  language,  or  leave  the  room."  They  sub- 
mitted to  the  rebuke  and  remained.  This  was  a 
still  higher  kind  of  manliness. 

It  was  true  of  another  boy,  not  so  old  as  this, 
■who  had  long  been  afflicted  with  a  diseased  and 
helpless  leg,  that  being  told,  one  Sabbath  morn- 
ing, of  the  surgeon's  decision  to  amputate  it,  he 
said,  "Then  I  will  have  it  done  immediately,  be- 
fore mother  comes  home  from  church,  that  she 
need  not  know  anything  about  it ;"  and  it  was 
done  immediately. 

If  you  consider  these  as  fair  illustrations  of 
my  subject,  you  will  admit  that  the  manliness  ex- 
hibited by  these  boys  could  in  no  case  have  been 
enhanced  by  any  fashion  of  garments. 

I  beg  you  to  observe,  that  the  terms,  man  and 
woman,  manly  and  womanly,  in  their  proper  and 
full  import,  convey  far  more  than  those  of  gen- 
tleman and  lady,  gentlemanly  and  ladylike.  A 
true  man  and  a  true  woman  will  be  gentlemanly 
and  ladylike,  and  a  great  deal  more  besides. — 
There  are  men,  and  there  are  so-called  gentlemen, 
who  have  little  or  nothing  that  is  manly  about 
them. 

MOBAL  TONE  OP  A  SCHOOL. 

The  Rev.  J.  P.  Norris,  Queen  Victoria's  Inspec- 
tor of  Schools,  on  the  moral  tone  of  a  school, 
says  : — "The  value  of  a  school,  after  all,  does  not 
depend  on  the  branches  of  learning  that  are  stu- 
died in  it — no,  nor  upon  the  life  that  is  lived  in  it. 
Unhappily  for  many  of  those  who  write  and  speak 
about  education,  this  is  a  truth  of  which  the  full 
force  can  be  comprehended  by  none  but  those  who 
are  spending  days  and  years  of  their  lives  witliin 
the  four  walls  of  a  school.  Once  in  a  report  ad- 
dressed to  your  lordships  I  endeavored  to  explain 
to  teachers  what  I  meant  when  I  spoke  to  them  of 
the  moral  tone  of  their  schools.  Six  years  have 
passed  since  that  Report  was  written,  and  I  can- 
not say  that  I  find  it  easier  now  than  I  did  then 
to  define  exactly  wherein  this  most  subtle  quality 
of  the  school  resides.  But  this  I  know,  that  the 
longer  one  lives  in  a  school,  or  rather,  the  more 
one's  life  is  spent  in  passing  through  a  great  va- 
riety of  schools,  the  more  sensitive  one  becomes 
to  this  their  most  important  characteristic.  Spend 
an  hour  or  two  in  one  school,  and  you  feel  all  the 
while  as  a  man  fells  who  is  confronted  for  some 
time  with  a  bad  countenance.  Go  into  another, 
and  all  is  right  and  liealthy  again,  and  even  be- 
fore you  inquire  what  branches  of  education  are 
taught  you  are  convinced  that  it  cannot  but  be 
well  for  children  to  spend  their  days  in  so  bright 
and  wholesome  an  atmosphere.  Whatever  be  the 
value  or  direction  of  the  intellectual  teaching, 
there  is  heart  and  love  and  healthy  moral  influ- 
ence at  work,  and  therein  lies  the  real  education 
Qu  which  the  after-man  and  after-woman  depends. 


It  is  surely  this  that  Milton  had  in  view  when  he 
said  that  the  end  of  education  was  "to  repair  the 
ruins  of  our  first  parents,  by  regaining  to  know 
God  aright,  and  out  of  that  knowledge  to  love 
him,  to  imitate  him,  to  be  like  him." 


LADIES'  DEPARTMENT. 


DOMESTIC  RECEIPTS. 

AViscoNSiN  Fruit-Cake. — Three-quarters  of 
a  pound  of  raw  salt  fat  pork,  chopped  very  fine ; 
then  pour  on  a  pint  of  boiling  water,  one  cup  of 
sugar,  two  of  molasses,  two  teaspoonfuls  of 
cloves,  one  of  cinnamon,  one  nutmeg,  two  tea- 
spoons of  saleratus,  one  pound  and  a  half  of 
raisins,  also  a  citron  and  currants  if  liked,  and 
flour  as  stiff  as  can  be  stirred ;  bake  very  slowly 
an  hour,  or  longer  if  necessary,  as  it  will  burn 
without  great  care.  This  will  make  three  loaves, 
and  will  keep  well. 

Ginger  Snaps. — Two  cups  of  molasses,  one 
of  lai'd,  a  tablespoon  of  ginger,  a  tablespoon  of 
saleratus,  dissolved  in  as  little  hot  water  as  pos- 
sible ;  flour  ;  roll  very  thin. 

Soda*  Jelly-Cake  (delicious.) — One  teacup  of 
sweet  cream,  two  of  sugar,  two  eggs,  half  a  tea- 
spoon of  soda,  one  of  cream  of  tartar  stirred  in 
the  flour  ;  flour  to  the  consistence  of  butter  cakes ; 
bake  immediately. 

Tea-Cakes. — One  cup  of  butter,  two  of  sugar; 
beat  together  ;  one  cup  of  sour  milk  or  water,  a 
teaspoonful  of  saleratus  ;  spice  with  nutmeg  or 
caraway  ;  flour  to  roll  out ;  mix  as  soft  as  pos- 
sible. 

Sago  Pudding. — Wash  a  teacupful  of  sago ; 
put  it  in  your  pudding  dish,  and  pour  on  a  quart 
of  boiling  water,  stirring  all  the  time  ;  put  in  a 
little  salt  and  a  tablespoon  of  sugar.  The  longer 
it  stands  thus  before  baking,  the  bettei*.  Bake 
slowly  an  hour.  Eaten  with  sugar  and  butter 
stirred  together. 

For  a  Burn. — Raw  cotton,  flour  and  sweet 
oil,  applied  immediately,  is  the  best  remedy  I 
ever  saw  tried.  Rub  on  the  flour  first,  then  the 
oil,  and  lastly  bind  a  quantity  of  cotton. — Qodey's 
Lady's  Book. 

Onions. — I  perceive  that  Senator  Hale  objects 
to  onions  on  account  of  the  unpleasant  odor 
which  they  communicate  to  the  breath.  If  he 
will  swallow  a  little  vinegar  after  eating,  it  will 
remove  the  cause  of  his  objection.  What  is 
much  better  in  this  case,  is  a  few  kernels  of 
burnt  coffee,  taken  immediately  after  eating.  It 
will  effectually  rerhedy  the  evil  spoken  of. — Gran- 
ate  State  Farmer. 

To  Keep  Part  of  a  Bottle  of  Porter  or 
Ale  Brisk. — Put  in  the  cork  firmly,  and  set  the 
cork  end  downwards,  in  a  tumbler,  or  other  ves- 
sel, nearly  full  of  water. 

Delicate  Cake. — Stir  to  a  cream  a  pound  of 
powdered  white  sugar,  seven  ounces  of  butter ; 
then  add  the  whites  of  sixteen  eggs,  beaten  to  a 
stiff  froth,  half  a  nutmeg,  or  a  teaspoonful  of 
rose-water,  or  lemon ;  stir  in  gradually  a  pound 
of  sifted  flour ;  bake  the  cake  immediately  ;  the 
yolks  can  be  used  for  custards. 


DEVOTED  TO   AGRICULTURE    AND    ITS   KIISTDRED   ARTS   AND    SCIENCES. 


VOL.  X. 


BOSTON,  FEBRUARY,  1858. 


NO.  2. 


JOEL  NOURSE,  Froprietor. 
0FricE...13  Commercial  St. 


SIMON  BROWN,  EDITOR. 


FRED'K  HOLBROOK,  )  Associate 
HENRY  F.  FRENCH,  \  Editors. 


FEBRUARY. 

"When  the  days  begin  to  lengthen, 
Then  the  cold  becins  to  strengthen." 


jEBRUARlus  was  giv- 
en as  a  name  to  the 
second   month    in 
the  Roman  Calen- 
dar, from  Februa, 
a    festival  ■which    oc- 
curred in  this  month, 
in  which  sacrifices  were 
offered  to  the  manes  of 
the   departed.      Those 
who  participated  in  this  fes- 
tival were  called  Februati,  or 
purified,  and  were  .supposed 
to  be  purified  from  the  sins 
which    they   had   committed 
during  the  previous  year. 

The  Sun  has  now  made 
considerable  progress  in  his 
return  from  the  tropic  of  Capricorn, 
the  limit  of  his  southern  declination, 
and  consequently  the  days  have  be- 
come proportionably  longer.  Yet  we  often  have 
the  coldest  days  of  winter  in  February.  The 
snow  and  ice  have  accumulated  in  the  northern 
regions.  The  waters  of  the  ocean  have  become 
cooled  down  to  the  lowest  point.  The  currents 
of  the  atmosphere,  in  passing  over  these  regions, 
are  deprived  of  the  caloric  which  they  bore  from 
the  regions  of  the  south,  and  reach  the  eastern 
shores  of  our  continent  loaded  with  sharp  parti- 
cles of  frozen  vapor,  which  penetrate  the  warm- 
est clothing,  and  pierce  to  the  very  bones.  This 
region  is 

"The  armory  of  Winter,  where  his  troops, 
The  gloomy  clouds,  find  weapons,  arrowy  sleet, 
Skin-piercing  volley,  blossom-bruising  hail, 
And  snow,,  tha  t  often  blinds  the  traveller's  course. 
And  wraps  him  in  an  unexpected  tomb." 

February  is  the  month  of  winds  and  drifting 
snows.     The  snow  is  borne  bv  the  winds  from 


the  hills  and  level  plains,  and  heaped  in  deep 
masses  in  the  valleys  and  highways,  by  the  fences 
and  walls,  and  in  the  deep  cuttings  of  the  rail- 
ways. 

"From  the  bellowing  east, 

In  this  dire  season  of  the  whirlwind's  wing, 
Sweeps  up  the  burden  of  whole  wintry  plains 
At  one  wide  waft,  and  o'er  the  hapless  flocks, 
Hid  in  the  hollow  of  two  neighboring  hills. 
The  billowy  tempest  whelms ;  till  upward  urged, 
The  valley  to  a  shiny  mountain  swells, 
Tipped  n-ith  a  wreath  high  curling  to  the  sky." 

This  description  sheds  light  rather  upon  Eng-- 
lish  modes  of  farming  than  ours,  for  the  "whirl- 
wind's wing"  would  rarely  "sv.'eep  up  the  burden 
of  whole  wintry  plains,"  on  our  "hapless  flocks," 
for  they  are  not  trusted  in  "the  hollow  of  two 
neighboring  hills,"  at  this  inclement  seasoix.  We 
find  warm  barns  economical,  and  cannot  afford  to 
do  without  them. 

And  now  comes  the  labor  of  breaking  out  the 
roads  and  removing  the  obstructions  iji,  the  way 
of  the  traveller.  This  is  often  vervsevere  work, 
and  has  to  be  repeated  sometimes  every  day  in 
certain  places.  But  the  snow  plow,  the  shovel 
and  the  patient  ox  do  their  work.  They  never 
give  over  till  it  is  accomplished.,  "We  have  often 
been  surprised  to  see  how  soon  the  highways  in 
New  England,  when  filled  to  a.level  with  the  walls, 
are  rendered  passable,  and.haw  soon  the  rail  cars 
are  again  M'hizzing  on  the  track  that  was  buried 
many  feet  under  hard  driven  snows.  The  snow 
shoes  which  bore  the  aborigines  and  our  fore- 
fathers over  the  patliless  fields  and  through  the 
forests,  are  now  rarely  seen.  Now  the  gaily 
painted  sleigh  is  out,  and  the  merry  bells  are 
heard  in  every  direction.  The  people  at  this 
season  have  become  accustomed  to  the  cold,  and 
wrapped  in  woollens  and  furs,  they  defy  its  pow- 
er, and  fearlessly  face  the  cutting  winds  and  driv- 
ing snows. 

Now  that  the  days  arc  longer,  the  farmers  are- 
hauling  home  their  year's  stock  of  firewood,  and 
the  timber  for  rails  and  posts,  and  the  boiu'd  logs 


68 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Feb. 


to  the  mill.  The  prudent  farmer  has  cut  the  wood 
and  piled  it  in  the  woods  in  December  and  the 
early  part  of  January,  before  the  snow  became 
so  deep  as  to  impede  his  labor.  Get  up  a  good 
pile,  brothers,  an  ample  supply,  so  that  you  may 
have  dry  wood  all  the  year,  and  cut  and  split  and 
pile  it  up  neatly,  as  soon  as  the  sledding  fails  in 
March.  This  is  one  of  the  hardest  tasks  which 
our  climate  demands  of  us.  But  it  must  be  done. 
See  that  it  is  done  in  season,  for  there  is  no  -  on- 
omy  in  burning  green  wood.  How  much  more 
happy  and  comfortable  the  good  wife  feels,  than 
when  she  has  to  burn  green,  snowy  wood,  and 
spend  half  her  time  tucking  under  chips  and 
scrawls,  and  puffing  away  with  the  bellows  in  the 
Tain  attempt  to  coax  it  into  a  flame.  If  you 
-'ssvould  have  a  sweet-tempered  wife,  and  one  who 
-will  aid  you  with  a  hearty  good  will,  never  com- 
^pel  her  to  use  green  wood,  and  be  careful,  too, 
that  it  is  well  split.  Many  farmers  contend  that 
■wood  will  go  farther  in  large  clefts.  But  this 
arises  generally,  we  apprehend,  from  an  indispo- 
sition to  make  it  smaller.  Large  wood,  in  these 
days-  of  cooking  stoves,  is  an  abomination  to  the 
■women.  It  will  do  to  burn  a  part  of  it  large  in 
cold  weather  or  in  the  open  fire-place.  But  in 
warm  weather  it  should  be  split  fine,  that  it  may 
kindle  quick  and  make  a  quick  fire.  This  will 
not  only  make  the  wife  pleasant,  but  will  save 
wood  enough  to  pay  for  the  extra  labor  of  pre- 
paring it. 

The  teeming  cows  and  ewes  now  want  a  little 
extra  attention.  A  few  nubbins  of  corn,  or  a 
mess  of  roots  daily,  will  keep  them  in  good  health 
and  spirits.  Take  special  care  that  they  are  kept 
•warm  and  well  protected  from  the  driving  winds. 
Never  permit  them  to  strain  themselves  by  wal- 
lowing through  the  snow  drifts.  In  short,  a 
proper  attention  to  them  now  will  be  amply  re- 
paid by  the  better  condition  of  both  themselves 
and  their  offspring. 

Candlemas  day  occurs  on  the  22d  of  this  month, 
and  we  trust  you  remember  the  destich, 

"Candlemas  day, 
Half  your  meat  and  half  your  hay." 

These  old  rhymes  and  saws  often  contain  a 
wholesome  truth  packed  into  a  small  compass, 
like  a  meat  in  a  nut-shell.  This,  we  think,  is  one 
of  that  sort.  How  is  it,  brother  farmers  ?  Is 
half  your  winter's  store  yet  unexpended  ?  If  so, 
we  trust  that  both  your  families  and  your  stock 
will  come  out  in  the  spring  hale  and  heariy,  pre- 
pared to  resume  with  renewed  energy  the  labors 
of  the  year. 

The  Farmers  of  Wisconsin  in  a  Tight 
Place. — One  of  the  plans  for  building  railroads 
in  Wisconsin,  has  been  to  induce  the  farmers  along 
the  route  of  a  road  to  be  built,  to  mortgage  their 


farms  to  the  railroad  company,  and  then  the  com- 
pany sells  the  mortgages  to  raise  the  money,  guar- 
anteeing to  pay  the  interest  and  the  amount  of  the 
mortgage  when  due. 

It  is  said  that  from  2000  to  3000  farms  arc  thus 
mortgaged  to  railroads  in  Wisconsin ;  that  the 
railroads  cannot  pay,  and  to  release  their  farms 
will  strip  nine-tenths  of  them  of  the  hard  earnings 
of  many  years. 


THE  OWNER  OF  THE  SOIL. 
The  man  who  stands  upon  his  ovv^n  soil,  who 
feels  that  by  the  laws  of  the  land  in  which  he 
lives — by  the  law  of  civilized  nations — he  is  the 
rightful  and  exclusive  owner  of  the  land  he  tills, 
is  by  the  constitution  of  our  nature  under  a 
wholesome  influence  not  easily  imbibed  by  any 
other  source.  He  feels,  other  things  being  equal, 
more  strongly  than  another,  the  character  of  a 
man  as  the  lord  of  the  inanimate  world.  Of  this 
great  and  wonderful  sphere  which,  fashioned  by 
the  hand  of  God,  and  upheld  by  His  power,  is 
rolling  through  the  heavens,  a  part  is  his — ^liis 
from  the  centre  to  the  sky.  It  is  the  space  on 
which  the  generations  before  moved  in  its  round 
of  duties,  and  he  feels  himself  connected  by  a 
link  with  those  who  follow  him,  and  to  Avhom  he 
is  to  transmit  a  home.  Perhaps  a  farm  has  come 
down  to  him  from  his  fathers.  They  have  gone 
to  their  last  home  !  but  he  can  trace  their  foot- 
steps over  the  scenes  of  his  daily  labors.  The 
roof  which  shelters  him  was  reared  by  those  to 
whom  he  owes  his  being.  Some  interesting  do- 
mestic tradition  is  connected  with  every  enclo- 
sure. The  favorite  fruit  tree  was  planted  by  his 
father's  hand.  He  sported  in  boyhood  beside 
the  brook  which  still  winds  through  the  mead- 
ow. Through  the  field  lies  the  path  to  the  vil- 
lage school  of  earlier  days.  He  still  hears  from 
the  window  the  voice  of  the  Sabbath  bell  which 
called  his  father  to  the  house  of  God ;  and  near 
at  hand  is  the  spot  where  his  parents  laid  down 
to  rest,  and  v.here,  when  his  time  has  come,  he 
shall  be  laid  by  his  children.  These  are  the  feel- 
ings of  the  owner  of  the  soil.  ^J'^ords  cannot 
paint  them  ;  they  flow  out  of  the  deepest  foun- 
tains of  the  heart ;  they  are  the  life-spring  of  a 
fresh,  healthy  and  generous  national  character. — 
Edward  Everett. 


For  tlie  New  England  Farmer. 
INDIAN"  CORN. 

When  Father  Allen,  of  P.,  reported  more  than 
one  hundred  bushels  of  Indian  corn  grown  to  the 
acre  in  Plymouth  county,  I  thought  there  must 
be  some  humbuggery  about  the  statement,  be- 
cause our  best  lands  never  yield  this  amount,  ac- 
tual measure.  On  inquiry,  I  learned  that  15 
pounds  of  green  ears  were  reckoned  to  make  one 
bushel.  Now,  instead  of  7o  pounds.  So  jiounds 
is  assumed  to  make  a  bushel.  Adopting  this  es- 
timate, the  Supervisor  of  the  County  reports 
many  acres  as  exceeding  one  hundred  bushels 
each,  and  one  acre  as  high  as  123^  bushels. 

Can  it  be  that  such  crops  are  grown  on  the 
shallow  soil  of  the  Cape  ?  If  so,  they  understand 
better  how  to  manage  their  lands,  than  do  the 
farmers  of  the  interior.  I  should  like  to  see  some 
of  their  crops  in  the  field.  P. 

Dec.  5th,  18,57. 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


59 


GBEEN"  CROPS  FOR  MANURE. 

I  am  much  gratified  to  notice  the  iuci-cascd  at- 
tention which  is  being  accorded  by  farmers  gen- 
erall}'  to  this  subject.  Every  one,  in  fact,  who 
examines  this  subject  attentively,  must  be  speed- 
ily convinced  of  its  utility,  especially  when  turned 
in  as  an  enrichment  of  exhausted  soils.  There 
is  obviously  no  method  of  Avhich  the  agriculturist 
can  economize  more,  or  more  rapidly  increase  the 
fertility  of  the  soil,  than  by  turning  in,  as  a  dress- 
ing, such  crops  as  derive  a  portion  of  their  ali- 
ment from  the  air.  No  matter  how  impoverished 
or  sterile  the  soil,  he  may,  by  a  judicious  and  per- 
sistent pursuit  of  this  means  of  amelioration,  ea- 
sily make  it  rich.  There  are  many  plants  well 
adapted  to  this  purpose,  among  which  are  millet, 
buckwheat,  peas  and  clover,  all  of  which  are  high- 
ly valuable,  operating  both  mechanically  and 
chemically,  by  their  decomposition  upon  the  soil, 
especially  when  containing  much  acid. 

But  it  may  not  be  improper  here  to  remark 
that  in  making  choice  of  crops  to  be  turned  in, 
we  shonld  invariablj'  give  preference  to  such  as 
derive  at  least  a  portion  of  their  pabulum  from 
the  air.  The  vegetables  enumerated  above,  are 
all  of  this  class,  and  consequently  take  much  less 
from  the  staple  of  the  soil,  than  those  which  are 
of  course  less  adapted  to  this  use.  Of  these 
buckwheat  and  clover  are  perhaps  the  most  valu- 
able— the  haulm  being  more  vigorous,  and  at  the 
same  time  much  more  succulent,  and  yielding 
much  more  readily  to  the  laws  of  chemical  affin- 
ity when  inhumed  beneath  the  soil.  There  is  al 
so  another  cause  of  preference,  particularly  in 
the  case  of  buckwheat,  the  crisp  nature  of  its  stalk 
contributing  greatly  to  the  facility  of  turning  it 
down,  especially  where  the  roller  is  used  to  pre- 
cede the  plow.  On  very  poor  land,  buckwheat 
may  be  grown  with  better  success,  perhaps,  than 
any  other  grain  crop,  and  will  produce  a  more 
abundant  yield,  both  of  haulm  and  grain.  NVhcn 
sowed  to  be  turned  in — unless  the  soil  is  calcare- 
ous to  a  degree  rendering  it  ininecessary,  the 
application  of  quick  lime  before  turning  in  the 
wheat  will  be  of  great  benefit.  From  two  to 
three  casks  will  ordinarily  suffice  for  an  acre ; 
but  if  the  ameliorating  process  is  designed  to 
prepare  the  land  for  the  production  of  crops  be- 
longing to  the  order  of  lime  plants,  and  which 
require  a  large  amount  of  this  mineral  for  their 
successful  development,  treble  and  even  quadru- 
ple the  above  quantity  may  be  economically  ap- 
plied. It  is  not  of  essential  consequence  whether 
the  application  precedes  the  turning  down  of  the 
crop,  as  is  accorded  subsequently,  the  principal 
object  being  to  supply  an  important  constitution- 
al deficiency  to  the  interests  of  the  operator  by 
limiting  the  acreable  product  of  the  crop. 

Clover  is  preferred  by  many  to  all  other  crops 
for  this  purpose,  and,  taking  all  things  in  consid- 
eration, it  is,  perhaps,  not  easy  to  say  where  pref- 
erence should  rest.  The  quantity  of  soluble  mat- 
ter contained  in  the  clover  plant,  when  arrived 
at  the  period  of  inflorescence,  is  unquestionably 
large, — larger,  probably  than  in  most  other  plants. 
Its  roots,  also,  when  mature,  are  large  and  suc- 
culent, and  contribute  very  materially  to  the  fer- 
tilizing effects  of  the  crop  when  turned  down  at 
maturity  ;  but  it  will  be  seen  that  where  a  speedy 
amelioration  is  required,  the  plants  do  not  com- 
monly have  time  to  attain  thvir  maximum  devel- 


opment, and  every  one  is  aware  that  in  its  youth- 
ful state,  the  clover  plant  contains  a  far  largei 
quantity  of  fluid  tlian  of  solid  matter.  Millet, 
if  sowed  broadcast,  will  probably  produce  a  great- 
er quantity  of  readily  soluble  matters,  than  either 
clover  or  buckVheat.  But  whether  its  fertilizing 
action  upon  the  soil  is  so  great*  is  a  question  that 
remains  to  be  decided.  One  thing,  however,  may 
be  relied  on  as  certain.  Any  plant  produced  by 
the  soil,  will  if  turned  in  by  the  plow  contribute 
more  or  less  to  its  enrichment.  The  families  of 
the  puccus,  and  even  the  comparatively  worthless 
cryptogamous  vegetation,  which  is  produced  par- 
asitically  on  rocks  and  in  boggy  swamps,  have 
been  ascertained  to  possess  principles  favorable 
to  vegetable  development,  and  when  reduced  by 
putrefaction,  of  aiding,  very  essentially,  the  phe- 
nomena of  vegetable  life.  Nothing,  in  short,  is 
worthless  in  the  great  laboratory  of  nature,  and 
it  is  there  over  the  crucible  and  the  alembic,  that 
we  receive  these  important  lessons  which  so  ma- 
terially assist  us  in  the  numerous  and  multiform 
duties  of  prt^tical  life.  Here  Ave  discover  the 
adaptation  of  means  to  ends,  and  become  famil- 
iarized to  the  operative  principles  and  laws  with 
which  we  were  before  perfectly  unacquainted,  and 
scarcely  deemed  to  exist. —  Oermaniown  Tele- 
graph. 

CHLOROFORMING  BEES. 

A  Mr.  Smith,  in  a  letter  to  the  Edinburgh 
Courant,  claims  the  discovery  of  the  art  of  chlo- 
roforming bees.  In  describing  the  ])rocess,  he 
says  that  the  quantity  of  chloroform  required  for 
an  ordinaay  hive,  is  the  sixth  part  of  an  ounce  ; 
a  very  large  hive  may  take  nearly  a  quarter  of  an 
ounce.  His  mode  of  operation  is  as  follows  :  set 
down  a  table  opposite  to  and  about  four  feet  dis- 
tant from  the  hive  ;  on  the  table  spread  a  thick 
linen  cloth ;  in  the  centre  of  the  table,  place  a 
shallow  breakfast  plate,  which,  cover  with  a  piece 
of  Avire  gauze,  to  prevent  the  bees  from  coming 
in  immediate  contact  with  the  chloroform.  Then 
quietly  and  cautiously  lift  the  hive  from  the 
board  on  which  it  is  standing,  set  it  down  on  the 
top  of  the  table,  keeping  the  plate  in  the  centre. 
Cover  the  hive  closely  up  with  a  cloth,  and  in 
twenty  minutes  or  so,  the  bees  are  not  only  sound 
asleep,  but  contrary  to  what  Ave  see,  Avhen  they 
are  suffocated  Avith  sulphur,  not  one  is  left  among 
the  combs ;  the  Avhole  of  them  are  lying  helpless 
on  the  table.  Then  remove  Avhat  honey  you  think 
fit,  replace  the  hive  in  its  old  stand,  and  the  bees, 
as  they  recover,  Avill  return  to  their  domicil.  A 
bright,  calm,  sunny  day  is  the  best,  and  you 
should  commence  your  operations  in  the  morning 
before  many  of  them  are  abroad.  This  discovery 
may  be  valuable  to  some  people  Avho  are  not  pro- 
vided Avith  bee  hives  ;  but  Ave  think  that  Ameri- 
can ingenuity  has  devised  a  far  better  method. 
Before  long,  Ave  hope  to  be  able  to  lay  before  our 
readers  a  system  of  bee  culture  Avhich,  thus  far, 
has  been  croA\med  Avith  complete  success. 


County  Transactions. —  We  acknowledge 
our  indebtedness  to  the  Hon.  Jolin  W.  Frodor, 
for  a  copy  of  the  Essex  County  Agricultural  Tran- 
sactions, and  shall  be  glad  to  receive  a  copy  from 
each  society. 


60 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Feb. 


MARE3  VSBSU3  GELDINGS. 

Farmers  generally  do  not  seem  to  be  fully  aware 
of  the  benefits  which  they  might  derive  from  the 
use  of  mares,  instead  of  geldings.  Farm  work 
for  horses  is  coriiparatively  light.  It  is  slow  work. 
They  are  not  necessarily  exposed  to  labor  which 
produces  heaves,  fminder,  spavin,  broken  wind, 
etc.,  etc.  These  are  all  caused  by  unnecessary 
exposure,  indulgence  in  eating  and  drinking,  un- 
der unfixvorable  circumstances,  or  over-driving  ; 
or,  by  two  or  more  of  these  causes  combined.  It 
is  true  it  is  necessary  for  horses  to  perform  some 
work  upon  a  farm,  Avhich  draws  severely  upon 
their  nature  ;  but,  for  the  most  part,  farm  work 
is  steady,  evei-y  day  work,  where  horses  can  be 
well  fed  and  cared  for.  Consequently  mares  are 
just  as  good  farm  workers  as  geldings. 

If  such  is  the  fact,  we  propose  to  show  farmers 
that  they  should,  for  their  own  benefit,  keep  mares 
for  farm  work  instead  of  geldings.  With  proper 
treatment,  a  good  breeding  mare  will  bring  a  colt 
every  year,  without  interfering  materially  with  the 
operations  of  the  farm. 

If  the  necessary  pains  has  been  taken  to  secure 
the  services  of  the  best  stallion,  the  colt  will  be 
woi-th,  when  a  year  old,  one  hundred  dollars  ; 
and,  by  the  time  he  is  old  enough  to  use,  he  should 
be  worth  two  hundred  dollars.  AVell,  if  the  colt 
is  worth  one  hundred  dollars  at  a  year  old,  and 
the  service  of  the  horse  costs  twenty  dollars,  it 
leaves  eighty  dollers  for  the  use  of  the  money  in- 
vested in  the  mare,  as  her  labor  A\ill  certainly  pay 
for  her  keeping.  Now,  if  the  mare  is  worth  two 
lumdred  dollars,  the  eighty  dollars  would  pay 
forty  per  cent,  interest  annually  upon  the  invest- 
ment, which  is  far  better  than  loaning  money  at 
three  per  cent,  a  month,  as  there  is,  in  this  case, 
no  usury  law  for  debtors  to  avail  themselves  of; 
and  then  there  is  no  more  risk  in  the  mare  than 
there  would  be  in  a  gelding,  not  so  much,  even, 
This  is  only  the  profit  of  one  year. 

The  same  can  be  done  for  a  succession  of  years. 
And  you  can  just  as  well  keep  a  span  of  mares  on 
your  farm,  and,  after  two  or  three  years,  have  a 
span  of  fine  horses  to  sell  every  year,  as  to  keep 
a  lot  of  stock  which  will  neither  increase  in  num- 
ber or  value. 

Now,  if  you  keep  geldings,  they  are  not  so 
hardy  naturally,we  think,  and  do  not  live  so  long, 
and  when  once  done  with  work,  are  of  no  manner 
of  account  to  any  one,  and  mercy  requires  you  to 
knock  them  on  the  head.  On  the  contrary,  when 
your  mares  are  advanced  somewhat  in  years,  or  if 
they  become  lame  from  any  cause,  you  can  still, 
under  ordinary  circumstances,  make  them  of  great 
service  to  you  by  raising  colts. 

But  there  are  certain  kinds  of  labor  to  which  the 
gelding  is  better  adapted.  They  are  generally, 
we  think,  more  fleet,  and  consequently  better  fit- 
ted for  roadsters.  They  are  also  possessed  of 
more  muscular  power,  and,  consequently,  better 
fitted  for  heavy  draughts. 

We  could  find  many  purposes  to  which  geld- 
ings are  better  adapted  than  mares.  We  would, 
tlierefore,  advise  not  only  farmers,  but  all  who  do 
not  severely  task  their  horses  with  labor,  to  keep 
mares  by  all  means.  We  would  also  advise  them 
to  obtain  the  best  mares,  and  the  services  of  the 
best  stallions,  as  the  colts  will  sell  for  enough 
more  to  doidily  pay  the  trouble  and  expense. 
And,  besides  the  profit  to  the  raiser  of  horses,  the 


community  would  be  benefited  by  an  increase  in 
number,  and  a  decrease  in  the  price  of  horses,  in  a 
few  years, 

A  fanner  who  keeps  only  two  horses,  and  botli 
geldings,  will  be  compelled  to  purchase  a  team  of 
some  one  else  when  his  is  done  with  Avork  ;  where- 
as, if  his  team  is  composed  of  mares,  he  is  pre- 
paring a  team  to  take  their  places,  when  they  are 
turned  out  to  take  their  rest,  either  on  account 
of  old  age,  or  for  any  other  cause. 

Farmers  should  keep  as  little  non-producing 
stock  around  them  as  possible.  Evei7thing  should 
be  made  to  pay  the  best  possible  per  centage,  with 
fair  usage.  Then,  we  say  to  farmers,  sell  your 
geldings  and  purchase  mai-es,  and  see  if  our  ad- 
vice is  not  good  in  the  end. — Northivesteim  Far. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 

LITTLE   THINGS  BY  THE  WAYSIDE. 
Ho.   4. 

PUMPKINS   FOR   MILCn   COWS. 

It  has  long  been  an  unsettled  question  with 
farmers,  whether  pumpkins  fed  to  milch  cows 
were  actually  beneficial.  One  of  the  best  farm- 
ers I  know,  says  they  will  improve  the  qualUt/ 
but  will  not  increase  the  qiianiiti/.  After  feeding 
them  to  his  cows  for  thirty  years,  he  believes 
them  of  no  essential  value  in  this  case,  as  the 
cows  require  even  better  feed  after  having  been 
fed  with  them.  That  ripe  pumpkins  are  good  for 
fattening  stock  there  is  but  little  doubt,  but  a 
small  quantity  (at  least)  of  corn  rneal  should  be 
used  with  them  for  this  purpose.  The  best  arti- 
cle I  have  seen  these  many  years  upon  the  "Man- 
agement of  ]Milch  Cows,"  is  in  your  weekly  of  the 
28th  inst.,  from  the  Oaiesee  Farmer.  Every 
milkman  or  farmer  should  place  it  upon  his  mem- 
orandum :  it  is  a  volume  in  hcenfy  lines. 

DRIED   CORN   FODDER 

will  give  milch  cows  a  back  set,  and  should  not 
be  fed  them  when  quantity  of  milk  is  desira- 
ble. Well  cured  corn  fodder  Avill  improve  the 
(piality,  but  not  in  a  corresponding  ratio  to  the 
loss  of  quantity.  This  is  also  true  of  the  "old 
fogg,"  or  frost  bitten  grass  of  this  season  of  the 
year.  Allow  them  to  feed  upon  it  now,  and  you 
lose  milk. 

HILLING     CORN 

is  a  matter  of  Mhich  theorists  have  had  much  to 
say,  and  led  many  a  farmer  to  disbelieve  the  well- 
grounded  opinions  of  his  own  actual  experiments. 
Our  corn  crops  in  New  England  are  grown  in 
about  ten  Aveeks,  (from  the  middle  of  June  to  the 
first  of  September,)  and  this  growth  depends  al- 
most entirely  upon  artificial  means  ;  that  is,  ma- 
nuring, plowing,  hoeing.  The  system  of  cultiva- 
tion that  advances  its  growth  with  the  greatest 
rapidity  would  seem  to  be  most  in  accordance 
with  the  laws  of  Natural  Philosophy.  The  appli- 
cation to  the  roots  of  vegetable  stimulant,  light 
and  heat,  is  the  means  by  Avhich  the  growth  is 
secured.  At  every  hilling  not  only  the  Aveeds 
are  cut  up,  Avhich  suck  up  the  dcAVS  and  shoAvers 
that  fall  upon  the  ground,  and  Avhich  are  drank 
in  by  the  thousands  of  little  fibres  of  roots  Avhich 
the  corn  stock  throAvs  out  near  the  surface  to  sup- 
ply it  Avith  food  and  nourishment,  but  every  suc- 
ceeding  hilling   induces  a  ncAV  set   of  roots  to 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


61 


shoot  out  to  strengthen  it  against  the  winds,  and 
furnish  a  new  and  increased  supply  of  food  for 
the  plant.  But  few  persons  are  aware  of  the 
large  per  centage  of  nourishment  our  grain  crops 
receive  from  the  atmosphere  around  them.  Ac- 
tual experiments  have  removed  every  doubt  from 
ray  mind  that  a  field  conducted  upon  the  plan  of 
three  or  four  times  plowing  and  hilling,  will  stand 
the  drought  much  better  than  by  flat  cultivation, 
and  produce  a  sufficient  increase  of  corn  to  pay 
good  wages  for  the  labor  done. 

EXTREME  COLD  WEATHER — HORSES. 

Persons  owning  valuable  animals  are  often  in- 
ilifferent  to  their  health  and  comfort,  and  on  an 
extreme  cold  day,  in  good  sleighing,  will  drive  a 
noble  steed  ten  or  twelve  miles  an  hour,  thinking 
because  it  is  cold  he  may  be  pressed  forward  to 
the  extent  of  his  speed,  unconscious  of  the  deadly 
effects  of  the  frost  upon  the  animal.  When  the 
Iiorse  is  at  full  speed,  his  lungs  are  inflated  to 
their  fullest  capacity,  and  at  every  vital  breath 
the  paralyzing  effects  of  the  frost  are  carried  to 
every  part  of  the  lungs.  By  the  countless  num- 
ber of  cells  which  form  the  internal  structure  of 
these  organs  is  exposed  a  surface  greatly  exceed- 
ing the  whole  external  surface  of  the  body.  The 
Hving  membrane  of  these  cells  has  a  wonderful 
absorbent  action,  by  which  they  suck  in  the  ait 
destined  to  vivify  the  blood.  When  the  ther- 
mometer is  10^  or  20°  below  zero,  the  air  is  so 
powerfully  impregnated  with  the  properties  of 
dissolving  acids  as  to  form  tubercles  in  the  lobes 
of  the  lungs,  which  result  in  consumption,  or  in 
spasmodic  afi"ections  attended  with  fever  and  in- 
flammation. If  the  owner  is  an  unobserving 
man,  the  animal  dies  of  "Botts ;"  if  his  owner  is 
a  man  of  observation,  he  soon  finds  his  horse  is 
laboring  under  a  violent  attack  of  lung  fever,  or 
gradually  wearing  away  in  consumption.  Philos- 
ophize as  you  will  upon  thin  shoes  and  wet  feet. 
I  believe  a  large  majority  of  cases  of  contracted 
consvimption  in  this  climate  are  attributable  to  an 
unguarded  exposure  of  the  lungs  to  the  extreme 
cold  weather.  Barren  and  unfertile  soils  are  cold- 
er than  rich  and  fertile  ones  in  the  same  latitude, 
and  no  doubt  the  improvement  of  the  soil  of  New 
England  would  not  only  improve  the  condition, 
but  the  health  of  our  people.  A  wet  and  rainy 
climate,  with  wet  feet  attendant,  nas  more  of  a  ten- 
dency to  produce  a  bilious  stomach,  Avhich  results 
in  fever  or  ague,  than  to  produce  consumption. 

PICKLES. 

Having  a  desire  to  keep  up  with  the  spirit  of 
the  age,  and  having  a  good  supply  of  cucumbers 
the  past  summer,  I  tried  to  make  (with  the  aid 
of  my  better  half)  some  good  pickles,  by  the  nu- 
merous receipts  from  books  and  papers,  by  mak- 
ing a  weak  brine  and  pouring  it  on  to  the  cucum- 
bers hot,  two  or  three  times,  and  then  putting 
them  in  vinegar.  At  every  trial  we  have  lost  three 
messes  of  brine,  two  of  vinegar  and  all  the  pickles. 
Those  we  have  put  into  the  vinegar  direct  from 
the  vines  are  good. 

In  my  last  communication,  published  in  the 
weekly  of  Sept.  26th,  I  gave  you  a  very  valuable 
receipt  for  "Iron  Cement,"  which  your  paper  says 
was  for  filling  "cracks  and  holes  in  old  bottles, 
&c."  Whether  the  mistake  was  yours  or  mine  I 
eannot  now  say.     Please  give  it  correct  : 


IRON   CEMENT. 

h  teacup  of  iron  filings,  h  teaspoonful  of  sal 
amonia,  1  teaspoonful  of  sulphur.  Mix  in  cham- 
ber lye.  This  will  fill  cracks  in  iron  kettles  or  pots, 
as  large  as  your  finger,  and  in  a  few  days  become 
sound  and  hard.  Many  a  valuable  pot  or  kettle 
may  be  saved  in  this  way.  It  must  be  used  as 
soon  as  made,  as  it  soon  becomes  hard. 

SEASONING    FOR     SAUSAGES. 

1  teaspoonful  of  pepper,  {%  black  and  \  cay- 
enne) 1^  of  salt,  3  of  sage  pounded  fine,  to  each 
pound  of  meat. 

EXCELLENT    BROWN   BREAD. 

1  quart  new  milk,  3  teacups  of  Indian  meal,  2 
of  rye,  h  teacup  of  molasses,  1  teaspoonful  of 
salt,  1  of  saleratus.     Bake  2  hours. 

SNOW    STORMS. 

It  may  be  interesting  to  many  to  know  the 
number  of  snows  which  fall  in  this  vicinity  every 
winter.  The  record  has  been  kept  in  my  father's 
family  for  upwards  of  half  a  century,  and  in  no 
winter  has  the  number  been  less  than  28  or  more 
than  33.  "Squalls"  are  not  counted.  Snow 
enough  to  "track  a  cat  on  a  board"  is  a  storm. 
Lewis  L.  Pierce. 

East  Jaffretj,  N.  IL,  Nov.,  1857. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
ON  PUKCHASING  MANUBES. 

Dear  Editor  : — A  correspondent  of  your  pa- 
per of  the  21st  of  November  inquires  concerning 
the  economy  of  purchasing  manures.  Your  re- 
ply, that  the  utility  of  the  thing  depends  on  cir- 
cumstances, is  a  very  proper  one.  For  if  mai-ket 
gardening  can  be  made  an  object,  and  the  prod- 
uce of  the  land  comes  in  quick  returns  of  cash, 
at  the  prices  that  garden  produce  brings  in  cities 
and  large  villages,  we  do  not  doubt  that  it  will 
pay  to  purchase  manures,  at  present  prices.  But 
where  it  is  to  be  applied  to  lands  occupied  in  the 
ordinary  purposes  of  agriculture,  where  the  mar- 
ket is  in  the  future,  and  the  prices  liable  to  fluc- 
tuation, we  much  question  whether  such  pur- 
chases are  profitable  investments. 

The  manure  that  is  thrown  into  market,  is  gen- 
erally found  at  livery  stables,  or  at  places  where 
many  horses  are  kept,  and  their  owner  has  not 
grounds  on  which  to  bestow  it,  and  where,  too, 
much  grain  or  meal  is  fed  to  the  animals.  We 
know  that  the  latter  circumstance  is  considered 
commendatory  of  the  article.  Under  certain  cir- 
cumstances it  probably  would  be.  For  instance, 
if  the  farmer  purchaser  could  have  the  control  of 
the  heap  through  the  accumulating  process,  and 
give  occasional  mixtures  of  gypsum,  or  even 
muck  or  common  soil,  to  arrest  the  gases  that 
pass  off  in  the  rapid  fermentation  to  which  such 
manure  is  subject,  the  first  quality  of  the  manure 
might  be  retained,  and  the  quantity  increased. 
But  the  system  of  management  pursued  by  the 
stable-men  is  very  different  from  this.  Their  first 
object  is  to  get  it  out  of  the  way,  it  may  be,  by 
throwing  it  under  the  eaves  of  the  building, 
where  it  is  subject  to  enormous  drenchings,  or, 
on  a  hill-side  from  which  its  richest  qualities  are 
washed  away  ;  either  course  rapidly  dissipating 
its  value.     At  any  rate,  it  is  thrown  into  piles, 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


and  the  piles  heat  and  sweat  excessively,  from 
the  very  nature  of  the  raaterial  of  which  they  are 
composed.  Much  of  its  goodness  is  actually 
burned,  and  dissipated  by  the  smoke  so  often 
seen  rising  from  such  heaps,  and  when  they  are 
opened  to  remove,  the  eflccts  of  the  recent  heat 
are  unmistakably  visible,  so  that,  at  the  time  of 
removal,  it  is  a  mistaken  calculation  that  suppo- 
ses, all  particulars  included,  it  is  worth  as  much, 
load  for  load,  as  the  simpler  formed  manure  of  the 
farmer's  yard  and  stables.  The  eifect  may,  like 
that  of  all  heating  and  rapidly  decomposing  ma- 
nures, be  more  marked ;  it  is  certainly  soonest 
over. 

The  usual  pi'ice,  in  this  region,  for  such  ma- 
nures, is  $1  a  load,  to  which  the  cost  of  hauling 
is  to  be  added.  This  will  bring  it  to  from  $1,25, 
to  $1,50  a  load,  delivered  Now  the  most  moder- 
ate quantity  to  be  put  on  an  acre,  would  be  ten 
loads,  which  in  first  cost  is  ten  dollars,  and  to 
add  the  lowest  price  of  hauling,  would  be  $12,50. 
Then  the  question  comes,  does  it  increase  the  val- 
ue of  the  crop  to  that  amount?  Tliis,  as  before 
stated,  depends  upon  circumstances.  In  our  ob- 
servation, the  effect  of  these  quick  working  ma- 
nures is  mostly  shovrn  the  first  year. 

Now  let  us  take  the  muck  hole.  To  every  far- 
mer who  is  blessed  with  one  on  his  premises,  the 
first  cost  is  the  mere  cost  of  the  land,  which  ta- 
ken by  the  load,  is  a  mere  nothing.  Cartage  of 
this,  as  well  as  of  other  things,  depends  on  the 
price  of  labor,  and  will  vary  in  different  localities, 
so  we  let  those  interested  fix  it  to  suit  them- 
selves. But  in  this  muck,  the  farmer  has  a  vast 
amount  of  vegetable  matter,  the  accumulation 
of  years,  and  in  every  stage  of  decomposi- 
tion. It  is  just  the  thing  he  needs  ;  one  of  the 
principal  ingredients  of  soil  which  frequent  crop- 
])ings  have  taken  from  his  land.  The  only  objec- 
tion to  its  present  use,  is,  that  in  accumulating 
in  a  cold,  wet  swamp  hole,  it  has  become  itself  so 
cold  and  sour,  that  its  power  of  successful  action 
is  diminished.  It  needs  bringing  on  to  the  dryer 
lands  where  the  action  of  tlie  atmosphere,  frost, 
and  sunshine  will  in  due  time  dissipate  this  un- 
wholesome quality,  and  prepare  it  to  become  the 
healthy  food  of  plants.  If  lime  or  even  ashes  are 
applied,  a  moderate  quantity  to  each  load,  they 
will  hasten  the  neutralization  of  the  acid,  and  in- 
crease the  value  of  the  raw  material.  If  occasion- 
ally turned  so  as  to  expose  new  surfaces  to  the 
atmosphere,  its  preparation  may  be  hastened,  but 
when  business  will  not  admit  of  this,  it  will,  in 
due  time,  prepare  itself;  for  instance,  if  a  bed  of 
it  is  formed  in  spring,  it  will  do  for  top  dressing 
in  autumn,  or  if  hauled  out  in  early  autumn,  it 
may  be  made  fit  for  spring  use. 

Muck  may  be  prepared  for  use  by  throwing  it 
into  hog  or  barn  yards,  where,  by  its  absorbent 
powers,  it  will  take  up  the  juices  which  would 
otherwise  evaporate,  and  retain  them  for  the  soil. 
When  mixed  half  and  half  with  barn-yard  ma- 
nure, the  qualities  of  each  for  most  purposes  are 
much  improved,  so  that  a  farmer  who  has  fifty 
loads  of  barn  manure,  may  make  a  hundred  of  it 
by  mixing  muck  in  a  like  quantity.  If  a  bushel 
of  gypsum  to  each  ten  of  manure,  or  even  a  less 
quantity,  is  mixed,  so  much  the  better. 

For  top  dressing  grass  lands,  these  composts 
are  better  than  clear  manure,  for  the  combina- 
tion with  the  muck  prevents   evaporation,  and 


the  slow  decomposing  qualities  of  the  muck  ena- 
ble it  to  give  out  the  strength,  as  the  plant  re- 
cpiires  it  for  food.  For  grain  crops,  wc  have 
found  it  excellent.  If  the  first  effect  is  not  so 
great,  it  lasts  much  longer  than  animal  manure, 
and  makes  the  land  clear  of  all  weeds.  For  fruit 
li'ces  and  gardens,  it  is  just  the  thing.  For  po- 
tatoes, it  is  far  preferable  to  more  heating  ma- 
nures, which  greatly  facilitate  the  progress  of  the 
rot. 

Since  writing  the  foregoing,  I  have  learned 
from  an  intelligent  farmer,  who  makes  much  use 
of  muck,  that  his  estimated  cost  of  manufactur- 
ing it  into  a  valuable  compost  is  not  to  exceed 
fifty  cents  a  load.  Farmers  can  decide  which  is 
cheapest  then,  this  or  stable  manure,  always  to 
be  hauled  some  distance,  for  a  dollar  a  load.  But 
in  order  to  come  at  the  whole  truth  in  the  mai- 
ler, let  them  apply  a  load  of  each  side  by  side, 
and  mark  the  result  by  taking  first  cost  and  last 
profit  into  the  account.  w.  B. 

liichmond,  Mass.,  Xov.  26,  1857. 


V/INTEBINQ  MILCH  COWa. 

A  word  on  feeding  cows  for  milk  and  butter. 
I  have  experimented  for  the  last  five  years  upon 
different  kinds  of  dry  feed — corn,  barley,  oat  and 
buckwheat  meal,  fine  and  coarse  middlings, 
shorts  and  bran,  wet — with  cut  straw,  hay  and 
sialks.  My  cows  give  more  milk  and  make  more 
butter,  from  com  meal,  wet,  with  cut  straw,  than 
any  other  food,  by  from  one-third  to  one-half.  It 
will  not  do  to  feed  hay  or  stalks  at  the  same  time 
— it  fattens  the  cows  too  much.  Try  four  quarts 
of  meal  and  one  bushel  of  straw  per  day — ^that  is, 
two  quarts  morning  and  night — the  straw  at  noon; 
they  will  gain  in  flesh  at  tliat.  It  is  true,  as  you 
have  remarked,  that  "corn  meal  is  bad  for  milk," 
if  it  is  fed  with  hay  or  stalks.  Two  quarts  fed 
with  hay  or  stalks  is  first-rate  for  other  cattle,  or 
the  same  amount  on  straw  is  cheaper  and  better 
than  hay  and  stalks  without  the  meal.  Stabling 
is  indispensable  in  the  above  feeding. — S.  B. 
Banvakd,  Liconia,  N.  Y.,  in  Jtural  Neic-Torl-er. 

Remarks. — AVe  give  the  above,  not  to  endorse 
it  entirely,  but  for  the  suggestions  it  contains  in 
regard  to  some  points.  Four  quarts  of  pure  meal 
per  day  would  be  very  high  feed,  and  more  than 
would  probably  be  returned,  at  present  prices  of 
milk.  Will  Mr.  Barnard's  views  about  the  straw 
be  sustained  by  others?  If  they  can  be,  they 
are  very  important. 


For  ilie  New  England  Fanner. 

AGRICULTUBAL   ADDRESSES, 

I  have  noticed  some  cavils  of  late,  at  the  ap- 
pointment of  persons  to  make  these,  who  were 
not  what  is  c^WeA  practical  far )iicrs,  but  who  are 
employed  much  of  the  time  in  some  other  pur- 
suit. I  am  one  of  that  number,  who  think  it  no 
valid  objection  to  an  orator,  because  he  knows 
something  else  besides  the  particular  subject  on 
which  he  is  called  to  speak — on  the  contrary,  it 
would  be  a  serious  objection  if  he  did  not  under- 
stand other  subjects.  Who  will  say  that  Picker- 
ing, Abbott  and  Eaton,  who  nearly  forty  years 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FAllMEll. 


63 


ago  led  off  in  their  addresses  to  the  farmers  of 
Essex  county,  were  not  competent  to  teach  the 
farmers  what  was  best  to  be  done  on  tlieir  farms? 
Who  will  presume  to  say  that  Henry  Colman 
was  not  fit  to  make  an  address  to  farmers  ? — 
Those  M'ho  cavil  in  this  manner  are  wise  without 
knowledge,  not  understanding  what  they  say. 
Farmers  should  rejoice  that  other  professions  are 
ready  and  able  to  lend  a  helping  hand.  Some  of 
the  best  agricultural  teachings  we  have  ever  known 
have  come  from  those  who  gave  attention  to  oth- 
er things  besides  farming.  The  truth  is,  no  man 
is  fit  to  teach  others,  Avho  has  limited  his  inquiries 
to  one  subject  alone.  Such  direction  of  the  at- 
tention has  a  tendency  to  contract  and  narrow 
the  faculties — and  as  was  said  of  Burke,  to  in- 
duce "the  giving  up  to  party,  what  was  meant  for 
mankind."  EsSEX. 

November  30,  1857. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
THE   CHOW. 

Mr.  Editor  : — Noticing  a  piece  in  the  N',  E. 
i^o?'mer  with  the  above  caption,  I  thought  I  would 
give  you  my  experience  with  the  crow  the  present 
year.  I  broke  a  small  piece  of  land  of  just  100 
rods,  manured  in  the  hill  and  planted  with  corn. 
As  soon  as  it  was  planted  I  put  a  line  all  around 
it.  About  the  time  the  corn  made  its  appearance, 
I  put  up  two  images  on  either  end  of  the  field 
The  corn  came  up  arid  stood  finely.  The  crows 
came  on  and  pulled  up  about  700  hills,  as  I  esti- 
mated, and  I  planted  it  over  again  with  corn 
The  newly  planted  corn  soon  came  up,  and  with 
it  came  the  crows.  I  then  put  up  one  or  two 
young  crows  attached  with  a  string  to  a  pole,  al 
so  shingles  and  a  bell  attached  to  a  shingle  so  as 
to  ring  with  the  least  wind,  and  still  they  came 
on.  I  then  took  sulphur  and  ashes,  mixed,  and 
put  on  each  hill ;  this  they  did  not  like  for  a  day 
or  two,  but  then  came  again.  I  sowed  dry  corn 
about  the  field,  but  to  no  purpose.  I  put  on  a 
steel  trap  and  fish  hooks,  baited  with  chaff  and 
corn,  but  it  did  no  good.  I  then  built  a  small 
house  of  boards,  large  enough  for  a  man  to  get 
into  with  a  gun,  and  placed  it  close  by  the  field ; 
then  with  a  man  in  it,  they  would  come  within  a 
few  rods  of  it,  and  if  fired  at,  they  M'ould  fly  a 
short  distance,  but  would  return  in  one  hour. 

After  all  the  above  had  been  done,  they  took 
about  two-thirds  of  the  field  clean.  I  then  thought 
I  would  hoe  the  remainder ;  I  did  so,  (as  they 
worked  on  the  end  opposite  the  bell  first,)  and  in 
less  than  one  week  they  took  tJiat,  every  hill 
there  was  not  a  whole  hill  upon  the  field ;  leav- 
ing only  some  ten  or  twelve  scattering  stalks. 
It  was  then  loo  late  for  corn  or  beans,  and  I  sowed 
it  with  buckwheat.  I  had  another  piece  of  about 
three-fourths  of  an  acre,  which  was  lined  when 
it  was  first  planted,  and  had  six  or  ten  crows  hung 
about  upon  it,  and  flags,  windmills,  &c.  t\:c.,  and 
they  would  come  and  pull  up  corn  within  one 
foot  of  them  all,  and  they  destroyed  about  two- 
thirds  of  this  piece. 

If  my  friend,  "A  Subscriber,"  doubts  the  above 
statement,  I  can  prove  it  to  be  true,  and  I  think 
when  he  gets  "crowed"  as  badly  as  I  did,  he  will 
cry  let  the  crow  die.  YbuxG  Farmer, 

North  Charlestoicn,  N.  ff.,  Dec.  7,  1857. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
HEIFERS  AND  HEIFER  CALVES. 

Mr.  Editor  : — I  was  gratified  to  see  so  many 
fine  heifers  and  heifer  calves  on  exhibition,  at  the 
annual  cattle  show  at  Concord  on  the  29th  of 
September,  and  learn  with  much  satisfaction  that 
the  number  exhibited  at  many  other  cattle  shoMS 
in  the  State  was  unusually  large.  This  fact  shows 
that  the  farmers  of  our  State  have  taken  hold  in 
earnest  of  the  work  of  raising  their  own  milch 
cows,  and  affords  greater  promise  of  improve- 
ment in  our  stock  than  any  other  fact  that  has 
come  to  my  knowledge.  Our  farmers,  especially 
in  the  eastern  part  of  the  State,  aim  to  produce 
good  milkers,  rather  than  stock  for  the  butcher. 
Hence  it  is  desirable  to  be  able  to  determine,  at 
as  early  a  period  as  possible,  the  properties  that 
denote  good  milkers,  that  such  animals  only  as 
possess  these  properties  may  be  raised.  Those 
whose  points  indicate  only  a  large  growth  and 
early  fattening,  may  be  more  profitably  raised  at 
a  greater  distance  from  the  milk  market. 

There  are  three  things  which  appear  to  me  es- 
sential to  success  in  raising  good  milking  stock. 
These  I  will  briefly  point  out. 

First; — raise  only  those  calves  whose  mothers 
are  good  milkers,  and  belong  to  good  milking 
families.  Be  very  careful,  also,  that  the  sires  be- 
long to  good  milking  families.  In  order  that  the 
properties  of  an  animal  may  be  inherited  by  its 
offspring  with  anj-  degree  of  certainty,  it  is  not 
sufficient  that  they  should  be  possessed  by  the  in- 
dividual parent.  This  may  be  accidental.  They 
must  be  established  as  the  permanent  properties 
of  the  family  or  breed  to  which  it  belongs.  So 
long  as  farmers  purchase  from  drovers  those  heif- 
ers and  young  cows  on  which  they  depend  for 
milkers,  they  cannot  be  sure  that  the  progeny  of 
those  even  that  prove  good  milkers,  will  inherit 
the  same  character.  But  a  calf  that  has  sprung 
from  several  successive  generations  of  gcod  milk- 
ers, may  be  relied  upon  M^ith  a  good  degree  of 
certainty. 

In  the  second  place,  good  milch  cows  possess 
certain  physical  marks  or  characteristics,  which, 
although  not  absolutely  certain  indications,  should 
never  be  neglected.  These  marks  are  well  known 
to  all  observing  men,  and  may  be  seen  in  the  calf, 
at  least  the  most  prominent  of  them,  at  an  early 
period.  I  think  no  farmer  wishing  to  obtain  a 
good  milker,  would  raise  a  calf  wdth  a  large  head 
and  short  muzzle,  large,  thick  neck,  full,  high 
shoulders,  large  legs,  thick  tail  and  coarse  hair. 
He  would  rather  select  one  with  a  small  head  and 
long  muzzle,  bright  eyes,  thin,  tapering  neck, 
small  legs,  large  hind  quarters,  long,  slim  tail, 
soft  skin  and  fine  hair.  Guenon  and  Haxton  af- 
firm that  the  form  and  size  of  the  escutcheon,  up- 
on which  they  greatly  rely,  in  determining  the 
character  of  the  cow,  may  be  ascertained  in  the 
calf — that  it  is  not  fully  developed,  only  because 
the  parts  on  which  it  is  placed  are  not  fully  de- 
veloped at  this  period  of  life — but  that  a  careful 
examination  will  reveal  its  true  character.  Now, 
although  there  are  apparent  exceptions  to  Guen- 
on's  rules,  yet  I  believe  that  most  good  milker'^ 
possess  the  marks  which  he  points  out.  If  these 
marks  can  be  ascertained  in  the  calf,  they  will  af- 
ford a  guide  of  no  small  value,  in  determining 
what  heifer  calves  to  raise,  and  what  to  send  to 


64 


NEVv^  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Feb. 


the  butcher.  This  whole  subject  deserves  more 
attention  than  it  has  received. 

•Tlie  third  thing  to  he  attended  to,  is  the  treat- 
ment Avhicli  calves  and  heifers  should  receive  be- 
fore they  come  to  mills..  When  taken  from  the 
cow,  they  should  be  provided  Avith  food  suited  to 
their  condition  and  health  ;  they  should  be  taught 
to  eat  a  vai'iety  of  food,  and  should  have  a  good 
supply  of  pure  water.  Calves  need  a  large  quan- 
tity of  drink,  and  it  is  desirable  that  they  should 
get  the  habit  of  drinking  freely,  as  this  is  essen- 
tial to  free  milkers. 

They  should  be  treated  with  the  utmost  kind- 
ness and  gentleness,  and  never  teased,  or  beaten, 
or  frightened,  but  should  be  frequently  handled 
and  accustomed  to. the  utmost  iamlliarity.  As 
they  grow  older  this  habit  of  confidence  in  their 
keepers  should  be  encouraged  and  cherished. 
They  should  be  protected  from  the  cold  and  from 
storms.  Their  skins  should  be  kept  clean  and 
free  from  vermin.  In  short,  such  a  course  of 
feeding  and  training  should  be  pursued,  as  will 
steadily  develop  their  growth  and  strength,  and 
j>reserve  them  in  vigorous  health  and  in  a  com- 
fortable, contented  condition. 

A  half-starved,  stunted,  lousy  calf,  shivering  in 
a  cold  storm,  is  one  of  the  most  pitiable  objects 
that  can  be  seen,  and  is  a  disgrace  to  any  farm  ; 
and  the  owner  of  such  a  calf  does  not  deserve 
to  have  a  good  com',  and  is  in  a  fair  way  to  real- 
ize his  deserts.  The  subject  of  raising  our  own 
milch  cows  is  one  of  great  importance,  and  many 
more  suggestions  might  be  made  with  regard  to 
it.  But  I  think  that  in  those  above  made  may 
be  found  several  hints  that  will  contribute  essen- 
tially to  the  success  of  those  about  to  engage  in 
this  business.  j.  e. 

Concord,  Dec.  10,  1857. 


PREPAKATION  OP  TBIPE. 

I  am  aware  that  tripe  is  a  subject  which  few 
persons  have  much  sympathy  with,  or  relish  for ; 
and  as  to  the  idea  of  using  it  as  an  article  of  food, 
that  it  is  utterly  repugnant  to  *heir  tastes  ;  yet 
the  idea  of  its  being  unfit  for  food,  I  think,  is 
wholly  imaginary,  for  the  individuals  who  discard 
it  have  no  compunctions  about  eating  a  piece  of 
broiled  liver — the  heart  when  boiled,  and  served 
up  cold,  or  made  into  mince  pies,  is  excellent — 
and  a  cold  tongue  is  considered  a  choice  morsel. 
The  reason  why  tripe  is  generally  rejected,  is  be- 
cause it  is  one  of  the  inner  parts  of  the  beef;  and 
the  filthy  manner  in  which  it  is  often  treated,  is 
enough  to  make  it  repulsive  to  any  one.  Yet 
most  person.s,  when  a  dish  of  tripe  that  has  been 
carefully  cured  and  well  cooked,  is  set  before 
them,  eat  it  and  call  it  excellent.  The  same  ob- 
jection might  be  made  against  the  other  parts 
mentioned,  and  with  equal  propriety.  I  contend 
that  if  proper  care  is  used  in  preparing  and  cook- 
ing tripe,  it  is  just  as  clean,  healthy  and  nourish- 
ing, as  any  other  part  of  the  beef.  It  is  presumed 
that  most  farmers  who  fat  and  kill  their  own 
beef,  throw  away  the  tripe  because  of  their  igno- 
rance of  how  to  clean  and  prepare  it. 

The  following  method  of  cleaning  and  prepar- 
ing tripe,  I  have  tried  successfully,  and  prefer  to 
any  other  way  that  I  know  of.  When  the  paunch 
is  taken  from  the  beef,  care  is  used  to  keep  it 


clean,  and  as  soon  as  it  is  emptied,  it  is  washed 
in  clean  water  till  it  is  clean ;  if  it  is  cold  weath- 
er, it  is  put  into  warm  water,  and  soaked  a  short 
time,  when  it  is  cleansf^d  in  this  way  :  Have  a 
kettle  of  boiling  water  ready  ;  take  the  tripe  and 
cut  it  into  pieces  small  enough  to  handle  conve- 
niently ;  then  take  a  piece  and  hold  it  in  the 
water  till  it  is  scalded,  so  that  the  skin  will  start, 
when  it  should  be  laid  on  a  table,  and  scraped 
with  a  knife  till  it  is  thoroughly  clean  ;  proceed 
in  this  way  till  it  is  all  cleaned.  It  should  then 
be  put  into  cold  water,  and  remain  a  week,  the 
water  being  changed  every  day. 

It  should  then  be  boiled  till  it  is  so  tender  that 
a  straw  can  be  run  through  it  easily.  While  it 
is  boiling,  a  small  quantity  of  saleratus  should 
be  put  into  the  water,  for  the  purpose  of  sweeten- 
ing it,  and  to  make  it  tender.  After  it  is  cooked, 
it  can  be  pickled  to  suit  the  taste  of  those  who 
use  it. 

In  this  way,  it  may  be  prepared  in  a  way 
which,  if  suitably  cooked,  will  make  a  dish  of 
food  equal  in  every  respect  to  any  part  of  the 
beef. — Country  Gentleman. 


Fur  the  New  England  Farmer. 

DIGGIISTG  KOCKS  AND  LAYING  WAKL 
MADE   EASY. 

Mr.  Editor: — Being  in  Rochester,  (Plymouth 
Co.,)  a  few  days  since,  I  had  occasion  to  call  on 
Thomas  Ellis,  Esq.,  of  that  town,  who  gave  me 
a  polite  invitation  to  ride  v.ith  him  over  to  his 
brother's,  to  witness  the  operation  of  a  machine 
for  digging  and  laying  large  rocks  into  a  wall.  The 
field  of  operations  was  on  the  farm  of  Jarvis  El- 
lis, in  the  west  part  of  Rochester,  near  Fairha- 
ven.  The  machine  will  take  out  a  rock  weighing 
full  six  tons,  that  lies  level  with  the  surface  of  the 
earth,  only  removing  a  fcAV  shovels  full  around  it 
so  as  to  m.ake  a  slight  indentation  on  the  sides 
with  a  hand-drill,  sufficient  to  receive  the  ends  of 
the  camhooks,  when  the  rock  is  easily  raised  by 
oxen  or  horse  as  the  case  may  be,  and  can  be 
hauled  if  desired,  and  dropped  on  the  foundation 
or  line  of  the  Avail.  After  getting  two  or  more  of 
these  on  to  the  line,  they  hitch  on  to  one  Aveigh- 
ing  about  three  tons,  which  is  easily  dropped  on 
to  the  other,  so  as  to  break  joints.  It  may  be 
asked,  Avhy  lay  so  heavy  a  Avail  ?  The  answer  is, 
that  Mr.  J.  Ellis's  land  abounds  Avith  such  stones, 
and  being  a  believer  in  horse-rakes  and  moAving- 
machines,  he  Avishes  to  remove  all  incumbrances, 
so  that  they  "can  have  full  course  and  run." 

From  one  hundred  to  one  hundred  and  fifty 
large  rocks  can  be  dug  and  dropped  on  to  tlie 
ground  near  by,  in  a  day.  The  machine  Avas  in- 
vented by  Mr.  Seth  Belles,  of  the  same  toAvn, 
Avho  has  sold  a  part  of  his  interest  to  Mr.  T.  El- 
lis. The  patentee's  price  is  two  hundred  and  sev- 
enty-five dollars.  One  or  tAvo  Avill  be  sufficient 
for  any  toAvn.  It  is  designed  to  have  a  good  cut 
of  the  same,  published  in  the  Farmer,  if  the  nec- 
cessary  arrangements  can  be  made.  The  j^ropri- 
etors  Avould  be  happy  to  answer  any  letters  of  in- 
quiry that  may  be  sent  them.  F. 

Framingham,  Dec.  1,  1857. 

Remarks. — Let  us  see  the  "cut"  and  descrip- 
tion. 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


65 


PONDANTE  D'AUTOMNE,  OK  BELLE  LUCEATIVE, 


We  present  the  reader,  in  this  number  of  our 
journal,  with  one  of  the  most  beautiful,  as  ■well 
as  one  of  the  best,  pears  that  grows.  The  late 
Mr.  Downing,  in  his  work  on  fruits,  says :  "If 
we  were  asked  which  are  the  two  liigliest  flavored 
pears  known  in  this  country,  we  should  not  hesi- 
tate to  name  the  Seckel,  and  the  Fondante  d'Au- 
tomne  (Autumn  melting.)  It  is  a  new  Flemish 
pear,  and  no  garden  should  be  destitute  of  it. 
The  tree  is  of  moderate  growth,  the  young  shoots 
long,  yellowish-gray." 

The  fruit  is  of  medium  size,  obovate,  narrow, 
but  blunt  at  the  stalk.  Skin,  pale  yellowish- 
green,  slightly  russeted.  Stalk  little  more  than 
an  inch  long,  stout,  often  fleshy,  obliquely  insert- 


ed in  a  slight,  irregular  cavity.  Calyx  very  short, 
spare,  with  few  divisions,  set  in  a  basin  of  mod- 
erate depth.  Flesh  exceedingly  juicy,  melting, 
sugary,  rich  and  delicious.     Ripe  last  of  Sept. 

Thomas  says  it  is  "very  variable — when  well- 
grown  and  fully  ripened,  it  has  no  superior,  and . 
few  equals,  in  its  exceedingly  rich,  delicate,  per- 
fumed flavor — but  often  of  poor  quality." 

Cole  says,  that,  "in  a  warm  soil  and  favorable 
seJison,  it  has  no  superior,  but  it  varies.  Hardy, 
and  good  bearer.  Does  not  crack.  Poorer  in 
moist  soil." 

Those  extending  their  number  to  twenty-five 
trees,  or  more,  should  include  the  Belle  Lucra- 
tive. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Feb. 


A  FINE  HERD  OP  COWS. 

It  was  our  good  fortune  the  other  day  to  step 
into  the  barn  of  the  Hon.  Elmer  Bkigham,  of 
Westboro',  Mass.  We  call  him  "Hon.,"  not  be- 
cause -we  are  particularly  fond  of  giving  or  re- 
ceiving titles,  but  partly  because  it  is  the  fashion, 
and  because  Mr.  B.  has  fairly  earned  the  distinc- 
tion in  two  ways.  First,  by  a  Icfng  life  of  integ- 
rity and  honorable  conduct  every  where  and  in 
every  thing ;  securing  for  himself  an  enviable  rep- 
utation, and  proving  how  much  pm-ity  and  dig- 
nity there  may  be  found  in  man.  And  secondly, 
because  his  fellow-men  have  frequently  elevated 
him  to  those  positions  which  give  him  the  legal 
distinction  which  we  have  used. 

Mr.  Brigham  understands  just  as  well  how  to 
raise  good  cows,  and  feed  and  tend  and  milk 
them,  and  obtain  great  products,  as  though  that 
little  prefix  had  never  been  appended  to  his  name ; 
and  he  understands  these  matters  no  better,  prob- 
ably, for  that  distinction. 

Mr.  B.  "makes  mUk  for  the  market,"  and  so 
there  was  a  fellow-feeling  between  us.  His  cows 
were  of  mixed  blood,  peculiar  to  his  own  man- 
agement, and  had  been  bred  in  that  mixture  for 
nearly  tliirty  years.  They  were  coiv-Uke,  every 
where,  head,  back,  barrel,  bag  and  haunches ; 
they  were  gentle  .as  "sucking  doves,"  with  large, 
bright  eyes,  legs  just  right  for  large  and  rotund 
bodies ;  hair  soft  and  sleek,  tails  slender,  and 
ought  to  have  had  a  long  tuft  of  hair  on  their 
ends— the  only  thing,  by  the  way,  in  which  they 
lacked  the  true  proportions.  They  stand  in  wann, 
clean  stalls,  and  are  fed,  if  we  rightly  understand 
him,  but  twice  each  day,  but  are  then  allowed  to 
eat  as  much  as  they  will  with  a  sharp  appetite, 
and  they  usually  do  not  stop  until  they  are  pret- 
ty thoroughly  filled.  Their  food  consists  of  sev- 
eral kinds  of  hay,  oat-straw  and  corn  stalks  and 
corn  butts,  all  cut  and  mixed  ;  this  is  placed  in 
the  feed  trough,  and  two  quarts  of  cob  meal  or  its 
equivalent  in  shorts  or  some  other  grain  added ; 
a  pailful  of  salted  water  is  then  added  for  each 
cow  to  be  fed,  turned  upon  the  cut  hay  and  care- 
fully stirred  together.  The  cows  are  kept  eating 
upon  this  until  about  nine  o'clock  in  the  morning, 
when  they  are  turned  out,  drink  heartily,  and,  in 
the  course  of  an  hour,  tied  up  again,  when  they 
soon  lie  down  and  alternately  sleep  and  chew 
their  cud  during  the  rest  of  the  day.  Mr.  B. 
takes  care  of  the  cows  himself,  and  when  he  en- 
ters the  barn  at  any  time  between  9  and  3  in  the 
afternoon,  they  do  not  rise,  but  merely  turn  an  eye 
and  an  ear  towards  him,  as  much  as  to  say,  'We 
understand  you.  Sir,  there  is  nothing  for  us  now," 
and  then  they  doze  or  chew  again  just  as  they 
elect.  But  at  3  o'clock  he  commences  preparing 
feed  again,  just  as  he  did  in  the  morning,  and 
places  it  before  them  until  they  are  satisfied,  turns 


them  out  to  drink  and  stretch,  and  ties  them  up 
for  the  night.  This  is  the  every-day  process, — 
and  Ml'.  Brigham  states  that  it  is  easier  and  quick- 
er than  it  is  to  feed  out  long  fodder  and  repeat 
it  several  times,  as  was  his  former  custom,  and 
which  is  i)robably  the  present  one  in  a  majority 
of  cases. 

This  plan  of  feeding,  tried  at  first  as  an  exper- 
iment, has  so  strongly  commended  itself,  in  re- 
gard to  the  ease  with  which  it  may  be  done,  the 
saving  that  is  apparent  in  the  feed  used,  and  the 
fine  effect  it  has  upon  the  cattle,  that  it  has  been 
adopted  as  the  time  mode  of  feeding  milch  cows. 

It  will  be  observed  that  the  grain  given  these 
cows  each  day  is  equal  to  two  quarts  of  corn  meal; 
and  this,  with  a  few  roots  occasionally,  and  the 
mixed  fodder  before  mentioned,  comprises  their 
entire  food.  With  this  treatment,  these  cows, 
seven  in  number,  gave  Mr.  Brigham  for  the  year 
ending  in  October  last,  eigJity-one  dollars  and  ten 
cents  each !  The  mQk  was  sold  to  the  Westboro' 
milk  company  at  the  prices  which  they  usually 

pay- 

The  prices  of  meal  and  hay  will  vary  a  little  in 
difi'ereut  places,  so  that  no  exact  statements  can 
be  made  as  to  cost  every  where  ;  but  two  quarts 
of  meal  per  day  at  $1  a  bushel,  and  twelve  pounds 
of  hay  per  day,  at  $15  a  ton,  would  feed  each 
cow  for  something  less  than  $50,  thus  leaving 
him  over  $30  for  each  cow,  beside  selling  all  his 
fodder  at  $15  a  ton  for  cash  at  his  own  door,  and 
whatever  profit  there  may  be  in  the  growth  of  the 
cowSj — for  he  raises  those  he  milks  himself. 


KEEPING  COLTS  IN  "WINTEH. 

It  is  a  nice  business  to  raise  a  colt  right.  A 
great  many  promising  animals  are  so  handled,  or 
rather  shirked  off,  during  the  first  years  of  their 
lives,  that  they  never  come  to  be  what  they  would 
with  proper  handling.  To  keep  colts  right,  they 
must  be  so  provided  for  that  they  will  grow  right 
straight  along.  If  they  get  a  set-back  in  the 
winter,  it  is  fatal  to  their  proper  development,  and 
if  a  colt  is  obliged  to  lean  against  the  fence,  in 
the  spring,  with  his  lousy  coat  turned  towards 
his  head,  it  is  an  affidavit  of  bad  keeping,  that 
will  out-swear  any  protestations  of  "plenty  to 
eat,  and  well  cared  for,"  that  any  mistaken  farm- 
er can  urge  in  palliation  of  his  neglect. 

In  winter,  colts  want  a  dry,  sheltered  yard,  well 
stocked  with  straw  ricks,  fixed  up  on  rails  like 
an  X,  across  a  firm  bearing  beam.  These  will  af- 
ford both  fodder  and  shelter.  The  yard  should 
be  well  encircled  by  open  sheds,  and  kept  clear 
of  rampant  steers,  and  all  other  hooking  cattle. 
It  is  well  enough  to  handle  the  colts  in  day  time, 
and  keep  the  hair  straight  and  clean,  but  they 
should  sleep  at  will  during  the  nights,  and  not 
be  hitched  up  by  a  halter,  or  shut  in  a  narrow 
stall. 

For  feed,  the  colts  should  have  what  hay  they 
will  eat  up  clean,  and  the  hay  should  be  of  good 
quality — none  of  your  rain-soaked  and  mow-burnt 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


67 


stuif,  not  fit  for  bedding.  We  abominate  bad 
hay,  and  have  wished,  that  just  for  experiment, 
some  of  our  slovenlj'  farmers  were  transmogrified 
like  an  old  fellow  we  read  of,  who  was  made  to 
eat  grass  like  an  ox,  till  he  learned  some  good 
horse  sense.  Besides  the  hay  at  regular  hours, 
and  the  straw  they  pick  up  between  times,  the  colts 
should  have  a  feed  of  chopped  grain,  or  other 
mill  stuff,  or  oats,  every  day,  a  bite  of  carrots 
now  and  then,  a  lick  of  salt,  with  a  dust  of  clean 
wood  ashes  in  it  occasionally,  and  a  regular  ac- 
cess to  pure  water  for  driivk.  All  this  is  provis- 
ion and  care  well  laid  out,  and  that  will  pay,  if 
the  colts  themselves  are  Morth  raising  at  all — 
OMo  Cultivator. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 

EXPEEIMENTS  WITH  THE  TURNIP 
CEOP. 

I  append  a  few  remarks  for  the  Neiv  England 
Farmer,  as  I  consider  an  unsuccessful  experi- 
ment (in  detail)  often  of  as  much  service  to  the 
farming  community,  as  a  very  successful  one. 
About  tv»'o  years  since  my  attention  was  called 
to  a  new  kind  of  turnip  (to  me  at  least)  which  in 
appearance  resembled  the  "lluta  Baga,  or  Yellow 
Swede,"  only  the  bulb  was  Mhite  instead  of  yel- 
low ;  the  leaf  a  darker  green,  and  the  roots  much 
more  forked,  and  firmer  in  the  ground  than  the 
Swedish  ;  but  for  culinary  purposes  far  exceeded 
it.  The  next  spring  I  tried  to  procure  some  seed, 
but  without  success,  but  I  found  one  of  my  Yan- 
kee neighbors  had  procured  some  seed,  and  Avas 
retailing  his  plants  at  seventy-five  cents  per  one 
hundred.  I  was  induced  to  purchase  a  fcAv,  which 
I  transplanted  with  great  success,  and  have  now 
a  supply  of  seed  for  next  year. 

But  in  the  last  spring,  1857,  I  was  at  Nourse, 
Mason,  &  Co.'s  establishment,  and  purchased  a 
small  quantity  of  "yellow  ruta  baga,"  and  also  of 
"white  ruta  baga,"  and  I  believe  the  like  quan- 
tity of  "Cole's  cabbage  turnip  seed,"  and  shortly 
after  my  return  home,  I  found  a  small  quantity 
of  seed  from  my  "new  favorite,"  which  the  per- 
son of  whom  I  had  it  recommended  my  sowing 
early:  accordingly  about  the  15th  of  June,  I  had 
well  prepared  about  one-third  of  an  acre  of 
land.  I  then  drilled  six  rows  of  my  "new  turnip,' 
six  rows  of  Cole's  cabbage  turnip,  six  rows  of 
the  "white  Swedish,"  and  the  balance  of  the  land, 
which  M'as  by  far  the  greatest  portion,  with  the 
common  "yellow  ruta  baga."  The  weather  was 
propitious,  and  the  seed  came  up  well.  I  horse- 
hoed  the  intervals,  and  hand-hoed,  and  thinned 
the  plants  in  the  rows  :  they  thrived  exceeding- 
ly, and  promised  an  abundant  crop.  Some  few 
weeks  after,  a  friend  applied  to  me  for  seed,  and 
I  furnished  him  with  what  I  had  remaining  of 
each  kind.  About  the  middle  of  July,  he  planted 
his  in  drills,  and  never  weeded  or  hoed  them  un- 
til the  September  following.  They  then  appeared 
so  choked  with  grass  and  weeds,  that  I  Avould 
not  have  given  Mm  one  dollar  for  the  whole,  and 
I  advised  him  to  mow  the  crop,  and  cart  it  into 
his  cow-yard.  But  no,  he  hired  a  couple  of  Ger- 
mans, and  hand-weeded  the  whole.  And  now  for 
the  result  of  both  crops. 

Y'ou  will  observe  mine  was  sown  early  in  June, 
his  one  month  later ;  mine  was  well  cared  for,  his 
neglected.     About  the  middle  of  August,  mine, 


particularly  the  yellow  Swede,  appeared  shriveled 
and  stunted  in  the  leaf,  and  on  farther  examina- 
tion, I  found  the  heart  of  the  plant  showed  symp- 
toms of  decay,  and  by  the  middle  of  September 
I  had  scarce  one  yellow  Swede  remaining ;  next 
to  those  was  the  white  Swede,  and  two-thirds  of 
those  shared  the  same  fate,  and  the  Cole's  cab- 
bage, and  my  new  favoi'ite  did  not  appear  much 
better,  only  the  bulb  grew  much  larger  before 
they  commenced  rotting.  But  I  happened  to 
transplant  two  rows  from  my  new  turnip,  which 
grew  much  larger,  and  more  sound  than  any  of  the 
others.  But  my  friend's  crop  was  quite  the  re- 
verse ;  after  he  had  them  weeded,  and  sprinkled 
a  small  dressing  of  guano  on  them,  such  a  fine 
crop  of  fine  sound  turnips  could  scarcely  be 
equalled,  particularly  the  Cole's  cabbage  tur- 
nips, many  of  which  will  weigh  from  seven  to 
nine  pounds  each,  and  for  culinary  purposes,  ex- 
ceed any  that  I  have  ever  seen.  I  should  think 
the  "new  favorite"  which  I  before  alluded  to,  and 
distinguished  by  that  name,  and  the  Cole's  cab- 
bage, are  almost  identical,  only  the  leaf  of  th 
Cole's  are  more  dented,  and  the  stems  a  darker 
purple  than  the  others.  I  find  recently,  several 
other  persons  in  this  neighborhood  sowed  early, 
and  their  crops  shared  the  same  fate,  while  all 
the  late  sown  are  sound  in  quality,  and  in  quan- 
tity abundant.  One  reason  in  calling  your  atten- 
tion to  this,  is,  to  inquire  more  particularly  if  the 
cause  is  not  in  solving  the  seed  too  early.  I 
have  occasionally  cultivated  the  Swedish  turnip 
for  upwards  of  forty  years,  early  and  late  sown, 
and  never  recollect  losing  them  in  this  way  be- 
fore. John  Moody. 

Muuntain  Grore,  Bridgeport,  Ci.,  ) 
Noe.  2, 1857.  | 

Remarks. — Little  can  be  said  of  value  in  re- 
gard to  particular  cases  of  this  kind, — but  as  a 
general  rule,  we  have  no  doubt  that  late  sowing, 
that  is,  after  the  20th  of  July,  results  in  good 
crops  much  more  frequently  than  early  sowing, 
say  before  the^rs^  of  July.  Plants  of  the  turnip 
kind  that  are  sown  late,  escape  the  ravages  of  the 
fly  much  more  than  early  ones,  and  there  seems 
to  be  something  more  natural  and  congenial  to 
the  plant  at  a  later  period,  than  in  an  earlier 
one.  But  experience  is  the  best  schoolmaster, 
after  all,  in  these  cases. 


NICOTINE. 
This  peculiar  principle  is  a  product  of  the 
leaves  and  seeds  of  tobacco,  by  infusing  them  in 
acidulous  water,  adding  lime,  and  distilling,  and 
then  washing  the  product  with  ether,  when  an 
ethereal  solution  of  nicotine  is  obtained.  One 
drop  will  kill  a  dog.  It  causes  the  pupil  of 
the  eye  to  contract,  has  a  bitterish  acrimonious 
taste,  and  a  pungent  smell,  and  on  the  whoie,  is 
one  of  the  nastiest  things  in  creation.  It  is  com- 
posed of  73-26  per  cent  of  carbon,  9-25  per  cent 
of  hydrogen,  and  17-09  per  cent  of  nitrogen.  It 
is  related  to  a  class  of  bodies  called  vegeto-alka- 
lies,  and  is  capable  of  uniting  with  an  acid.  On 
the  human  brain  it  produces  a  soothing  effect, 
which  is  thought  very  pleasant,  but  can  never  be 
considered  otherwise  than  unhealthy. — ScL  Am. 


68 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Feb 


Fur  the  New  England  Farmer. 
GRINDING  FEED. 

Mr.  Editor  : — In  the  last  Farmer  I  notice  a 
quotation  from  the  Ohio  Farmer,  recommending 
the  grinding  of  hay  and  other  feed  for  our  farm 
stock.  There  may  be  an  advantage  in  this — but, 
if  so,  I  very  much  doubt  whether  the  writer  of 
that  article  has  given  the  true  reason  for  it.  I 
can  hardly  believe  that  it  is  to  be  found  in  the 
saving  to  the  anijnal  of  the  labor  of  cliewing  the 
food.  I  have  always  been  taught,  and  am  still 
quite  disposed  to  believe,  that  the  process  of 
chewing  food  assists  in  its  digestion  in  other  ways 
than  by  minutely  dividing  it.  The  saliva,  which 
is  mixed  with  the  food  during  mastication,  is  sup- 
posed to  possess  strong  solvent  properties,  and 
also  to  produce  chemical  changes  in  the  food, 
which  fit  it  to  be  more  readily  acted  on  by  the 
gastricjuiceinthe  stomach.  Physiologists  recom- 
mend slow  eating,  that  thus  the  most  abundant 
supply  of  saliva  may  be  fui-nished  ;  and  dyspep- 
sia, and  a  long  train  of  diseases,  are  supposed  to 
follow  the  disregard  of  this  advice.  Probably  no 
one;-ttt  this  tlay,  would  recommend  the  hurried 
swallowing  even  of  "/i as/?/  pudding,"  without  some 
•  V  considerable  amount  of  chewing.  A  friend  of 
mine,  one  whose  business  was  teaming  from  Bos- 
ton to  a  town  twelve  or  fourteen  miles  in  the 
country,  told  me  that  his  practice  had  been  to 
leave  his  team  at  the  south  side  of  Faneuil  Hall, 
go  to  North  Market  Street,  eat  his  dinner,  and 
be  back  to  his  team  again  after  an  absence  of  on- 
ly _yire  mimdcs.  He  had  done  it  by  his  watch  in 
four  and  a  half  minutes.  He  has  since  suffered, 
t  and  is  still  suffering,  the  consequences  of  such  a 
-.  reckless  habit,  having  been  intensely  afflicted 
■with  dyspepsia  for  a  number  of  years.  With 
this  experience  in  his  own  person,  he  discontin- 
ued cutting  hay  for  his  horses'  feed,  giving  them 
long  hay,  moistened  and  sprinkled  with  meal, 
thus  compelling  them  «o  use  the  means  which 
nature,  perhaps  ii^ischj,  provided  for  the  prepara- 
tion of  their  food  for  digestion.  Is  there  any 
reason  why  thorough  mastication  of  food  is  less 
necessary  for  a  horse  or  a  cow  than  for  a  man  ? 
A  neighbor  of  mine,  an  old  and  experienced  far- 
mer, once  said  to  me,  that  a  calf  Avould  require 
much  less  milk  when  allowed  to  take  it  in  the 
natural  way,  than  when  required  to  drink  it  from 
a  pail.  From  my  own  experience,  I  am  convinced 
this  is  a  fact.  If  it  is  so,  is  it  not  likely  that  the 
reason  is,  that,  in  the  slower  mode  of  taking  it, 
the  saliva  has  a  better  opportunity  to  mix  with 
the  food,  and  thus  render  it  more  digestible,  more 
appropriable  to  the  promotion  of  growth  ? 

I  am  quite  ready  to  believe  there  may  be  an 
advantage  in  grinding  hay  for  cattle,  as  it  would 
thus  go  into  the  stomach  in  a  finely  divided  state, 
■whether  the  animal  chewed  it  much  or  little,  and 
it  would  thus  be  more  readily  acted  on  by  the 
gastric  juice.  A  greater  per  centage  of  the  food 
would  probably  thus  be  digested,  and  pass  into 
the  circulation,  and  form  flesh  or  milk.  Still, 
there  does  not  seem  to  be  the  same  reason  for 
grinding  hay  that  there  is  for  grinding  grain. 
Most  of  the  grains  are  provided  with  a  covering 
that  will  usually  resist  the  action  of  the  gastric 
juice  unless  it  is  broken — and  in  the  haste  of  eat- 
ing, much  grain  would  be  swallowed  whole,  and 
pass  through  the  animal  undigested.  Even  birds, 


with  their  strong  digestive  power,  are  known  in 
this  way  to  be  the  means  of  conveying  seeds  un- 
injured to  distant  places.  Hay,  on  the  contrary, 
has  no  such  resisting  coating,  and  from  its  shape 
is  not  so  likely  to  reach  the  stomach  without  be- 
ing at  least  bruised  and  crushed,  sufficiently  to 
enable  the  juices  of  the  mouth  and  stomach  to 
mix  with  it,  and  put  it  in  such  a  condition  that 
it  will  yield  up  most  of  its  nutriment. 

M.  Pratt. 
Concord,  Mass.,  Dec.  15,  1857. 


GOING  TO  THE  FAIB. 

BY  ims.  FIU5CES  D.  GAGE. 

t 

Ben  Fisher  had  finished  his  harvesting, 

And  he  stood  by  the  orchard  gate, 
One  foot  on  the  rail  and  one  on  the  ground, 

As  he  called  to  his  good  wife — Kate. 
There  were  stains  of  toil  on  his  manly  hand. 

The  dust  of  the  field  on  his  hat, 
But  a  twinkle  of  pleasure  was  in  his  eye 

As  he  looked  on  his  stock  so  fat. 

"Here,  give  me  the  baby,  dear  Kate,  you  are  tired, 

I  fear  you  have  too  much  care, 
"Vou  must  rest  and  pick  up  a  little,  I  think, 

Before  we  go  to  the  fair. 
I'd  hate  to  be  taking  fat  oxen,  you  know, 

Fat  hogs,  and  fat  sheep,  and  fat  cow, 
■With  a  wife  at  my  elbows  as  poor  as  a  crow, 

And  care-wrinkles  shading  her  brow. 

"  'Can't  go,'  did  you  say  ?    'Can't  afford  the  expense  ?' 

I  know,  Kate,  our  crops  ain't  the  best, 
But  we've  labored  together  to  keep  things  along, 

And  together  we'll  now  take  a  rest. 
The  orchard  is  bare,  but  old  brindle  is  prime. 

And  Lily  and  Fan  are  a  show. 
Your  butter  and  cheese  can't  be  beat  in  the  State, 

So  up  to  the  fair  we  will  go. 

"You've  ne'er  seen  a  city,  and  Cleveland  is  fine. 

Ne'er  seen  the  blue,  billowy  Lake, 
Ne'er  rode  in  a  rail  car,  nor  been  in  a  throng, 

So,  Kate,  this  journey  we'll  take, 
And  garner  new  feelings,  new  thoughts  and  new  ways. 

If  we  find  those  that  suit  as  we  roam, 
And  garner  up  sti-ength  with  our  head,  heart  and  hands, 

For  the  love  and  the  duties  of  home. 

"I  sometimes  have  thought,  Kate,  as  I  plodded  along. 

For  months,  o'er  the  same  weary  ground. 
That  a  fellow  who  had  such  a  really  hard  time, 

In  Ohio  no  where  could  be  found. 
But  when  I've  been  called  from  my  home  for  awhile, 

And  seen  how  the  rest  get  along, 
I've  come  back  to  my  toil  with  a  light,  cheerful  heart, 

An(?  'there's  no  place  like  home,'  was  my  song. 

"I  wonder  that  mothers  don't  wholly  despair, 

Who  ne'er  from  their  cares  get  away, 
But  walk  the  same  tread-wheel  of  duty  for  years, 

Scarce  stopping  to  rest  night  or  day. 
I  don't  wonder  they  grow  discontented  sometimes, 

That  their  feelings  grow  rapsy  and  cold, 
For  toil  never-ending,  and  labor  uncheered. 

Makes  women — and  men,  sometimes  scold." 

Kate  looked  up  with  a  smile,  and  said,  "Ben,  we'll  go  5 

There  may  be  better  oxen  than  ours. 
Horses  swifter  on  foot,  and  finer  by  far. 

Better  butter  and  cheese,  fruit  and  flowers, 
But  there's  one  thing  I  claim  I  know  can't  be  beat 

In  the  whole  Yankee  nation  to-day, 
I'd  not  swap  liim,  I  know,  for  a  kingdom  to  boot — 

That's  my  'gude  man  j'  "  and  Kate  ran  away. 

Ohio  Cultivator. 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


69 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 

THE  THINGS  I  BAISE—No.  5. 
CHUFAS,   OK  EAETH  ALMOND. 

This  is  a  sort  of  grass,  that  produces  on  its 
roots  a  small  bulb,  about  the  size  and  somewhat 
the  shape  of  a  peanut.  It  is  sweet,  and  resem- 
bles in  taste  a  chestnut,  though  not  so  agreeable, 
for  the  skin  sticks  in  your  throat  after,  or  while 
you  are  eating.  This  thing  was  sent  out  by  the 
Patent  Office,  and  recommended  for  pigs.  I  have 
no  doubt  the  pigs  would  like  them,  but  if  they 
do,  I  should  say — let  them  dig  them ;  for  it  is  slow 
business  picking  them  up,  they  are  so  small,  not 
averaging  larger  than  good  sized  beans.  It  seems 
to  me  almost  worthless,  except  it  may  be  to  grow 
on  the  sands  of  Cape  Cod,  or  some  such  place 
where  a  man's  farm  moves  from  one  town  to  an- 
other every  time  the  wind  blows  ;  here  it  might 
answer  to  keep  the  sand  covered  M-ith  grass, 
which  I  presume — though  I  did  not  try  it — would 
be  readily  eaten  by  cattle  ;  and  as  it  remains  in 
the  ground  forever  unless  pains  are  taken  to  re- 
move it.  It  yields  quite  abundantly,  so  far  as 
number  goes,  some  three  or  four  hundred  to  a 
hill,  from  half  a  pint  to  a  pint.  If  any  person  is 
disposed  to  try  a  few,  and  will  send  stamps  to 
pay  postage,  &c.,  I  will  forward  some  by  mail.  The 
boys  may  be  disposed  to  raise  them  as  a  substitute 
for  chestnuts,  which  are  not  always  abundant. 

grange's  new  early  broccoli, 

Sent  to  me  by  Patent  Office.  It  is  a  worthless 
sort,  if  mine  were  true,  for  they  did  not  produce 
a  single  head  in  the  whole  lot. 

WINNIGSTADT   CABBAGE. 

This  is  a  comparatively  new  vai'iety,  and  one  I 
believe  of  great  excellence.  I  received  the  seed 
from  the  Patent  Ollice,  and  it  M-as  true.  It  is  of  the 
sugar  loaf  form,  and  of  medium  size,  though 
larger  than  the  Early  York,  and  but  little  later. 
The  head^  is  very  compact,  even  of  the  smallest, 
and  what  is  in  their  favor,  they  all  head,  not  more 
than  one  in  a  hundred  failing  to  do  so.  Should 
be  started  in  hot  beds  same  time  as  Early  York, 
and  they  will  be  quite  early  and  profitable.  I 
consider  it  as  well  worthy  to  enter  the  list  of  veg- 
etables to  be  grown  for  market. 

James  F.  C.  Hyde. 

Newton  Centre  Dec.  10,  1857. 


VALUE  OP  FALLEN  LEAVES. 

No  manure  is  so  well  worth  the  saving  in  Oc- 
tober and  November  as  the  falling  leaves  of  the 
season.  According  to  Payen,  they  contain  near- 
ly three  times  as  much  nitrogen  as  ordinary  barn- 
yard manure ;  and  every  farmer  Avho  has  strewn 
and  covered  them  in  his  trenches  late  in  the  fall, 
or  in  December,  must  have  noticed  the  next  sea- 
son how  black  and  moist  the  soil  is  that  adheres 
to  the  thrifty  young  beets  he  pulls.  No  vegeta- 
ble substance  yields  its  woody  fibre  and  becomes 
soluble,  qnicker  than  leaves,  and  from  this  very 
cause  they  are  soon  dried  up,  scattered  to  the 
winds  and  wasted,  if  not  gathered  and  trenched 
in,  or  composted  before  the  advent  of  severe 
winter. 

As  leaves  are  poor  in  carbon  and  rich  in  alka- 
lias  salts,  as  well  as  nitrogen,  they  are  especially 


valuable  in  compost  with  manhaden  fish  manure 
and  dead  animals,  poor  in  potash,  but  abounding 
in  carbon  and  lime  phosphate.  But  the  great 
value  of  leaves  is  in  the  extra  nitrogen  they  con- 
tain. Prof.  Jackson  truly  says  that  the  com- 
pounds of  nitrogen  not  only  decompose  readily 
themselves,  but  they  also  induce  the  elements  of 
other  organic  matter  with  which  they  are  in  con- 
tact, to  assume  new  forms,  or  to  enter  into  new 
chemical  combinations ;  and  according  to  the 
long  continued  and  varied  llothbamsted  experi- 
ments of  the  indefatigable  Lawes  and  Dr.  Gil- 
bert, nitrogen,  in  its  compound  form,  (ammonia,) 
also  exerts  the  same  potent  influence  on  the  in- 
organic or  mineral  elements  of  the  soil,  render- 
ing even  sand  into  the  soluble  food  of  plants. 
Yet  every  farmer  or  gardener  ought  also  to  know 
that  his  own  mechanical  aid  in  trenching  or 
plowing,  in  order  to  keep  his  soil  permeable 
and  absorptive,  is  indispensable  to  aid  nature  in 
developing  her  chemical  process. — Rural  Neio- 
Yorler. 

THE   GRAVENSTEIU'  APPLE. 

One  of  the  best  fall  apples  in  all  the  world,  is 
the  "Gravenstein  apple,"  so  called.  It  originated 
in  Germany,  but  is  found  to  flourish  Avell  in  all 
the  northern  sections  of  the  United  States,  where 
the  apple  will  flourish,  and  its  introduction  to  this 
country  resulted  in  a  rich  acquisition  to  our  fruits, 
and  the  person  who  did  so  good  a  deed  should 
receive  due  honors  from  all  the  lovers  of  good 
apples.  This  person,  we  learn  from  Hovei/s  Mag- 
azine of  Horticulture  for  October,  was  CajJt.  John 
DeWolfe,  of  Dorchester,  Mass. 

It  is  possible,  and  even  probable,  that  it  was 
brought  over  into  New  York  some  time  before 
by  some  of  the  Dutch  ;  this  is  not  exactly  certain, 
but  it  is  exactly  certain  that  Capt.  DeWolfe  did 
introduce  it  into  New  England,  and  that  from  his 
tree  it  has  spread  into  thousands  of  nurseries  and 
orchards.  In  proof  of  this,  the  editor  of  the 
Maga'zine  above  named  published  the  following 
letter  from  Capt.  DeWolfe,  which  gives  in  detail 
the  history  of  the  transaction,  which  though  a 
quiet  and  humble  deed,  is  nevertheless  more  hon- 
orable and  more  useful,  and  productive  of  more 
real  blessing  and  good  to  our  community,  than 
all  the  "fillibustering"  of  Walker  or  any  other  in 
this  fillibustering  age. — Maine  Farmer. 

the  captain's  letter. 

Dear  Sir  : — As  there  appeared  to  be  some 
discrepancy  in  the  account  of  the  origin,  name 
and  time  of  introduction  of  the  Gravenstein  ap- 
ple in  this  country,  I  beg  leave  respectfully  to  hand 
you  this  statement,  not  that  I  think  there  is  any 
especial  merit  in  the  introduction,  as  I  think  we 
are  all  bound  to  do  what  good  we  can  in  promot- 
ing and  enriching  the  products  of  our  own  soil ; 
neither  do  I  make  any  pretensions  to  be  a  con- 
noisseur in  fruits,  or  vegetables,  but  this  I  can 
say  without  the  fear  of  contradiction,  that  in  ear- 
ly youth  I  had  a  kind  of  natural  instinct  or  fac- 
ulty, which  enabled  me  to  find  the  best  apple  tree 
in  the  neighboring  orchards,  the  darkest  night 
that  ever  was,  Avith  as  much  facility  as  in  riper 
years,  I  could  find  my  way  both  day  and  night 
blindfold,  to  maintop  bowline. 

However,  if  it  should  be  considered  that  there 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARML 


Feu. 


IS  merit  in  such  introduction,  I  sec  no  reason  why 
my  dish  should  not  be  the  right  side  up,  in  order 
to  receive  what  may  legitimately  fall  therein ;  if 
nothing  prior  to  the  foUoAving  can  be  shown,  then 
perhaps  it  may  be  well  to  record  the  fact,  viz. : 

Being  at  Copenhagen  in  the  fall  of  1825,  I  no- 
ticed at  the  wharves  a  number  of  small  craft  from 
Holstein,  with  fruit,  principally  apples  ;  I  bought 
some  which  were  recommended  as  the  Graven- 
stein,  a  very  superior  apple,  high  flavored  as  to 
the  taste  and  smell.  I  was  so  much  delighted 
with  this  fniit,  having  never  heard  of  it  before, 
and  being  desirous  of  cultivating  it  in  my  little 
garden  in  Boston,  that  I  requested  my  friends 
Messrs.  llaynolds  &  Co.  to  purchase  for  me  at 
the  nursery  two  trees  of  that  kind  of  fruit,  and 
to  be  sure  that  they  were  genuine  Gravenstein, 
which  they  did. 

On  my  arrival  in  Boston  in  May  following,  the 
trees  being  seven  months  out  of  the  ground,  I 
had  some  doubts  as  to  my  being  able  to  make 
them  live.  Knowing  General  Dearborn  to  be  an 
amateur  in  trees,  I  presented  him  with  what  I 
thought  to  be  the  best  one,  and  planted  the  other 
mj^self ;  they  both  lived  and  grew  vigorously. — 
About  a  year  afterwards  I  moved  to  Bristol,  11. 
I.,  and  took  my  tree  with  me,  and  planted  it  there, 
and  when  I  left  that  place  several  years  subse- 
quently, it  was  in  a  bearing  state. 

I  was  desirous  to  know  the  origin  of  its  name 
and  place,  and  was  informed  that  it  originated  in 
a  nobleman's  garden  in  Holstein,  near  to  a  family 
gravestone, — hence  the  name  Gravenstein. 


Fur  the  New  England  Farmer. 
CULTURE  OF  THE  CARROT. 

It  is  said  this  crop  the  present  season  has  fal- 
len short  of  expectations  nearly  one-third!  How 
is  the  fact?  1.  What  is  a  proper  expectation 
of  crops  ?  2.  What  has  been  the  product  ?  Past 
experience  has  shown,  on  strong  land  well  and 
carefully  cultivated,  a  product  of  from  twenty-five 
to  thirty.five  tons  to  the  acre — estimating  forty 
bushels  to  the  ton. 

Mv.  Rogers,  of  South  Danvers,  informed  me 
that  he  had  twelve  hundred  bushels  of  the  orange 
carrot  on  about  one  and  a  half  acres — or  twenty- 
four  tons  to  the  acre.  Before  they  were  dug  the 
product  was  estimated  much  more  than  this.  The 
land  was  strong,  the  appearance  of  the  field  very 
fine,  but  the  crop  turned  out  less  than  was  ex- 
pected. JNIr.  BuxToy  had  a  field  of  about  half 
an  acre,  which  yielded  at  the  rate  of  thirty-four 
tons  to  the  acre.  Only  two  cords  of  stable  ma- 
nure v;cre  applied  upon  this  field.  In  all  other 
respects  it  had  the  most  careful  culture.  Mr.  B.'s 
land  is  strong,  rocky  and  fertile.  The  short 
home  carrot  was  the  variety  grown,  thirty-five 
bushels  of  which  weigh  a  ton,  or  fifty-seven  lbs. 
to  the  bushel.  Mr.  Waters'  field  of  carrots 
promised  well  early  in  the  season,  but  when  I  last 
saw  it,  there  was  more  yeUovncHS  above  than  be- 
low the  surface,  and  I  expect  the  product  did  not 
exceed  twenty  tons  to  the  acre.  ]Mr.  Brown's 
field  yielded  at  the  rate  of  thirty  tons  to  the 
acre.  His  land  is  first-rate,  and  his  supply  of 
of  manure  not  limited — not  less  than  ten  cords 
to  the  acre.  I  saw,  in  the  course  of  the  sea- 
son, many  other  fields,  but  have  no  good  reason  to 


believe  that  any  of  them  yielded  more  than  twen- 
ty tons  to  the  acre,  genei-ally  less,  so  that  twen- 
ty tons  may  be  set  down  as  a  fair  product  of  the 
season.  These  sold,  delivered,  for  $10  a  ton. 
Is  not  this  a  good  use  of  land  ? 

Is  there  any  crop,  with  the  same  labor  applied, 
that  will  pay  better  than  the  carrot  ?  True,  it  re- 
quires at  first  particular  care,  but  when  it  gets  a 
going,  as  the  boy  said,  it  icJiisflcs  itself,  ancl  often 
fills  out  abundantly.  I  remember  a  few  years 
since,  a  gentleman  from  Berkshire  county,  who 
had  acted  as  chairman  of  the  committee  for  view- 
ing crops,  stated  at  one  of  the  farmers'  meet- 
ings in  Boston,  that  he  had  seen  fields  of  carrots 
yielding  forty  tons,  or  two  thousand  bushels  to 
the  acre.  When  asked  how  this  was  made  cer- 
tain, he  said,  the  committee  dug  a  patch  in  Sep- 
tember, and  found  twenty  tons  to  the  acre,  and 
knowing  the  propensity  to  increase  in  weight  un- 
til the  end  of  November,  they  judged  there 
would  be  twice  as  many  at  the  time  of  harvest- 
ing. Essex  cultivators  do  not  come  at  their  re- 
sults in  this  way.  Nothing  short  of  actual  meas- 
ure and  actual  toeiglit  satisfies  them,  such  as  hon- 
est men  would  be  willing  to  buy  or  sell  by. 

December  5,  1857.  Essex. 


PRACTIO^rS  OF  AN  ACRE  FOR  EXPERI- 
MENT. 

It  is  often  very  desirable  to  the  farmer  to 
measure  off  from  a  lot  of  land  fractions  of  one 
acre,  for  the  purpose  of  making  a  series  of  ex- 
periments upon  different  modes  of  planting,  cul- 
tivating or  manuring.  To  facilitate  this  we  give 
below  the  measurement  of  a  side  of  a  square, 
containing  the  following  fractional  parts  of  an 
acre : 

Feet  Square. 

1-16  of  an  acre  contains  about 52J 

1-8  "  "  "      73i 

1-4  "  "  "      1041 

1-3  "  "  "      121i 

1-2  "  "         •  "      147S 

1  acre  "  "      209 

We  cannot  but  suggest  to  our  readers  the  im- 
portance and  advantage  of  combining  with  the 
usual  duties  of  the  farm  such  experiments  as  may 
easily  be  conducted  without  any  interruption  of 
the  work,  and  yet  will  often  lead  to  the  most  de- 
cisive results.  If  one  is  to  plant  an  acre  of  po- 
tatoes, for  instance,  divide  it  into  quarters,  and 
each  quarter  into  eighths  if  needed,  and  plant 
one  part  with  small  seed,  another  witli  large, 
another  cut,  and  another  whole  ;  manure  one 
part  in  the  hill,  another  outside.  On  one  quarter 
try  salt  to  prevent  the  rot,  on  another  lime, 
another  ashes,  &c.  No  man  can  do  this  without 
soon  increasing  his  agricultural  knowledge,  and 
soon  after,  his  wealth. — Granite  State  Farmer. 


Pear-shaped  Tomatoes. — Mr.  Isaac  B.  Rum- 
ford,  of  Oakland,  brought  to  our  office  a  box  of 
fine  pear-shaped  tomatoes,  raised  by  him  from 
seed  imported  last  spring.  They  look  very  nice, 
having  the  regular  pear  shape,  and  a  smooth  skin, 
with  very  few  seeds.  They  can  be  divided  near- 
ly in  the  middle  so  that  one-half  will  show  no 
seeds,  and  appear  to  be  quite  an  improvement  in 
the  ordinary  tomato.  We  thank  Mr.  Rumford 
for  his  attention. — Cal.  Far. 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


WASTE  OF    SEWAGE  AND    FARM-YAKD 

MANURE. 

In  your  journal  of  the  19th  of  January  last,  a 
gentleman,  of  Falmouth,  stated  as  follows  : 

"Seeing  that  Messrs.  Gibbs,  as  British  agents 
of  the  Peruvian  Government,  have  raised  the 
price  of  guano  £2  per  ton,  would  it  not  be  well 
to  know  if  Messrs.  Barrodia  Brothers,  the  United 
States  agents,  have  done  the  same,  the  consump- 
tion there  being  about  one-third  of  that  here  ? 
Brother  Jonathan  is  not  likely  to  stand  it.  Tak- 
ing the  imports  of  both  countries  at  400,000  tons, 
it  would  be  £800,000  out  of  the  farmers'  pockets 
for  this  year.  The  freight  and  cost  of  shipping 
it  are  the  same  as  when  sold  at  £9  per  ton." 

Is  not  this  enough  to  arouse  and  to  open  the  eyes 
and  ears  of  every  farmer  in  England,  and  to  forth- 
with preserve  every  particle  of  manure  that  is,  or 
can  be,  made  upon  a  farm  ?  Nay,  let  each  and 
every  farmer  preserve  the  black  water,  which  is 
the  essence  of  the  manure,  and  convey  it  upon 
the  farm.  The  sewage  of  the  metropolis,  con- 
taining 2,500,000  inhabitants,  is  worth  at  least 
£3,000,000  yearly,  which  goe«  to  manure  the 
sea,  instead  of  going  back  to  the  land  which  pro- 
duced it. 

The  great  .igriculturist,  I  mean  the  far-famed 
Mr.  Coke,  the  late  Earl  of  Leicester,  M'isely  said, 
the  more  meat  a  plowed  poor-land  farmer  sent 
to  Smithfield,  the  more  corn  he  would  be  enabled 
to  sell  per  acre  at  Mark  Lane.  Convert  plenty 
of  corn  and  cake  into  meat ;  as  the  value  of  farm- 
yard manure  is  in  proportion  to  what  it  is  made 
of.  If  cattle  cat  straw  alone,  the  dung  is  straw 
alone,  the  cattle  are  straw,  the  farm  is  straw,  and 
the  farmer  is  straw — and  they  are  all  straw  to- 
gether, said  the  great  cultivator,  ]SIr.  Coke,  who 
lived  before  his  day. 

Wonders  are  yet  to  be  done  in  agriculture  by 
a  combination  of  agricultural  chemistry,  botany, 
geology  and  other  sciences,  &-c. — branches  of  ag- 
riculture. Steam,  gas  and  the  telegraph  are  the 
only  three  steps  towards  a  great  mountain.  And 
let  the  readers  consider  that  the  value  of  bones, 
guano,  and  many  other  artificial  manures,  were 
not  known  a  century  back  to  the  cultivators  of 
the  soil.  The  wheels  of  Nature  and  Time  were 
never  made  to  stand  still  or  roll  backward ;  and 
little  is  known  in  agriculture  to  what  is  yet  to 
know  ;  agriculture  may  truly  be  said  to  be  in  its 
infancy.  The  scientific  implements  in  husbandry 
now  exhibited,  denote  what  I  say — implements 
that  were  not  known  half  a  century  back. — J/«rA; 
liune  Express. 


and  work  well  in  such  hives  ;  that  the  third,  (es- 
pecially if  quite  large,)  would  have  so  much  diffi- 
culty in  holding  fast,  that  they  lost  more  time  in 
swarming  out  and  being  re-hived,  than  all  the  ad- 
vantage of  smooth  hives  for  the  whole.  Anoth- 
er risk :  Every  time  a  swarm  leaves  a  hive,  the 
chance  of  going  to  the  woods  increases.  If  one 
in  six,  or  even  ten,  is  thus  lost  in  consequence, 
true  economy  would  seem  to  dictate  a  rough  hive. 
A  large  swarm  of  bees  contains  several  thous- 
ands, and  their  weight  when  first  hived,  (before 
any  combs  are  made,)  must  be  supported  by  a 
few  hundreds.  If  nothing  but  a  smooth  surface 
is  presented  for  their  claws  to  lay  hold  of,  it  is 
easy  to  imagine  the  difficulty ;  and  their  frequent- 
ly falling  in  a  mass  to  the  floor,  interferes  materi- 
ally with  their  labors,  even  when  they  do  not 
leave.  M.  Quinby. 

>S^.  Johnsville,  N.  Y. 


For  the  Xeic  England  Farmer. 

CHEAP  BEE  HIVES. 

"Amicus,"  in  the  Farmer  of  Nov.  21,  says  :  "I 
must  differ  from  Mr.  Quinby  respecting  the  econ- 
omy of  planing  a  bee-hive  inside."  lie  reasons 
very  consistently  to  all  appearance,  showing  how 
much  labor  of  the  bees  is  saved,  &c.,  and  supposes 
he  can  see  an  actual  difl'erence  in  results  in  favor 
of  a  planed  hive.  I  fear  "Amicus's"  experience  is 
not  to  be  depended  on  ;  he  reports  only  one  case. 
I  did  not  recommend  leaving  a  his-e  rough  inside, 
(as  so  much  labor  for  the  bees,  seemingly,  for 
nothing.)  without,  as  I  thought,  good  reasons.  I 
had  found  that  althoutrh  two  swarms  micrht  stav 


For  the  'Sew  England  Fanner. 
CARROTS,  2000  BUSHELS    PER  ACRE! 

Friend  Broavn: — I  saw  in  your  December 
N.  E.  Farmer  a  piece  relating  to  carrots,  over 
the  signature  of  "Henry  Lee,  in  Waltham."  In 
18.52,  I  purchased  a  farm  near  my  residence  in 
this  town ;  on  one-fourth  of  an  acre,  had  been 
raised  carrots,  for  several  years  before  I  made 
the  pui'chase.  I  have  continued  to  raise  them  on 
the  same  piece  every  year  since.  The  land  is 
rich,  but  rather  stony,  having  a  thick  surface  of 
loam  resting  on  clay  and  gravel  subsoil.  In  fact, 
the  soil  is  very  much  like  Mr.  Lee's,  and  has  been 
cultivated  like  his  in  every  respect.  I  have  plowed 
the  land  the  last  two  years,  three  times  each  year, 
with  a  jNIichigan  plow.  I  gave  four  hand  weed- 
ings,  and  sowed  the  rows  only  12  inches  apart. 
The  first  three  years,  I  raised  about  175  bushels 
each  year.  The  fourth,  I  plowed  with  a  Michi- 
gan plow,  deep,  and  raised  200  bushels.  Last 
spring,  I  plowed  with  the  same  plow,  giving  a 
furrow  13  inches,  and  I  raised,  by  actual  measure- 
ment, 342  bushels,  or  at  the  rate  of  1368  bushels 
to  the  acre.  The  carrots  were  the  largest  ever 
raised  in  this  section,  and  were  many  of  them 
over  two  feet  long,  and  proportionally  large. 
This  fall,  I  have  enlarged  the  piece  to  100  rods, 
and  sunk  all  the  rocks  18  inches  below  the  sur- 
face, at  an  expense  of  840, — and  if  I  am  as  suc- 
cessful next  year  as  I  have  been  this,  I  shall  be 
disappointed  if  I  do  not  raise  at  the  rate  of  2O0O 
bushels  per  acre.  I  am  satisfied  by  my  own  ex- 
perience, that  carrots  can  be  raised  in  larger  crops 
by  planting  the  same  piece  every  year. 

In  the  words  of  Mr.  Lee,  "Why  have  they  not 
been  more  generally  and  more  extensively  culti- 
vated in  a  State  where  feed  for  milch  cows  and 
horses  is  so  extremely  high  ?" 

S.   D.   DATENPOrvT. 

IIo2)ldnton,  Dec.  10,  1857. 


Height  of  Colts. — A  very  reliable  rule  to 
judge  the  height  a  colt  will  attain  to  when  full 
groM-n,  is  the  following:  When  the  colt  gets  to 
be  three  weeks  old,  or  as  soon  as  it  is  perfectly 
straightened  in  its  limbs,  measure  from  the  edge 
of  the  hair  on  the  hoofs  to  the  middle  of  the  first 
joint ;  and  for  every   inch,  it  will   grow  to  the 


72 


N  '  ^  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Feb. 


height  of  a  hand  of  four  inches  when  its  growth 
is  matured.  Thus,  if  this  distance  be  found  six- 
teen inches,  it  will  naake  a  horse  sixteen  hands 
high.  By  this  means  a  man  may  know  some- 
thing of  what  sort  of  a  horse,  with  proper  care, 
he  is  to  expect  from  his  colt. — Tennessee  Farmer 
and  Meclianic. 


COWS  AISTD   BUTT.uk. 

Mr.  Editor  : — In  a  late  number  of  the  Tele- 
graph your  correspondent  B.  asks  for  a  detailed 
statement,  as  to  the  feeding  of  cows  and  making 
butter  in  autumn  and  winter.  Now  if  B.  can 
gather  anything  of  value  to  himself,  from  my 
statement  of  the  mode  we  have  been  practising 
for  some  sixteen  years,  I  shall  be  repaid  for  my 
trouble  in  offering  it. 

I  will  begin  with  the  care  of  cows  about  calving 
lime.  For  several  days  before  this  period,  I  feed 
ruta  bagas  or  turnips,  if  I  have  them ;  if  not,  a 
little  cake  meal  will  answer,  to  keep  the  cow  in 
about  the  same  condition  she  would  be  on  grass. 
After  calving,  I  give  warm  slop  for  drink  for  the 
first  three  days  ;  this  is  made  by  scalding  a  little 
wheat  bran  ;  after  that  I  let  her  have  cold  water 
to  drink  ;  I  don't  give  much  strong  food  for  a 
week  or  two,  for  fear  the  udder  will  swell ;  in 
that  case  I  milk  all  I  can  get  first,  and  let  the  calf 
suck  afterward.  In  cold  weather  I  stable  the 
cows  at  night  and  most  of  the  day  ;  I  let  them 
out  to  water  at  noon,  and  they  have  free  access  to 
salt,  and  are  curiied  every  morning. 

As  to  feed,  I  consider  there  is  nothing  better 
than  sweet  corn  meal  and  good  hay  ;  but  I  would 
here  say  that  I  am  a  firm  believer  in  raising  roots 
for  cows  ;  if  fed  judiciously,  cows  will  milk  quite 
as  well,  and  the  cost  will  be  much  less,  and  the 
(juality  of  the  butter  not  be  injured.  In  feeding 
roots  to  milch  cows,  a  little  corn  meal  should  be 
fed  with  them,  and  they  should  be  fed  directly  af- 
ter milking,  as  the  smell  of  the  roots  is  then  de- 
stroyed. 

Milking. — Perhaps  more  depends  on  this  than 
15.  is  aware  of ;  the  time  should  be  equally  divided ; 
the  udder  and  teats,  if  dirty,  should  be  washed 
with  warm  water  and  wiped  dry.  I  never  allow 
any  one  to  go  to  milk  without  first  washing  the 
hands.  We  milk  fast,  and  permit  no  talking  while 
at  it ;  I  don't  allow  the  fingers  to  be  put  into  the 
milk  to  moisten  the  teats ;  it  is  an  unclean  prac- 
tice. AYe  strain  through  a  fine  wire  strainer,  and 
])ut  about  five  quarts  in  a  pan ;  these  pans  are 
tin,  and  they  are  kept  bright  and  scalded  fre- 
quently. The  temperature  of  the  room  where 
the  milk  is  kept  sliould  be  from  55  to  65  Fahren- 
heit ;  there  should  be  no  cooking  done  where 
milk  is  kept ;  there  should  not  be  left  more  than 
three  milkings  stand  at  one  time,  as  the  cream 
gets  bitter.  Should  the  cream  not  rise  fast 
enough,  about  a  gill  of  sour  milk  to  each  pan, 
when  strained,  will  help  it.  The  cream  should 
he  stirred  every  day,  and  the  oldest  should  not 
he  over  a  week. 

Churning. — When  churned,  the  cream  should 
1)6  of  the  temperature  of  62  degrees. 

The  Butter. — Should  the  butter  need  a  high- 
er color,  or  more  grass-like  flavor,  a  few  yellow 
carrots,  pared,  grated  and  boiled  in  new  milk, 
strained,  and  the  liquor  put  in  the  churn  with  the 
cream,   will   do   it.     The  churn,   butter-worker. 


scale,  &c.,  should  be  kept  bright  and  clean,  and 
scalded  before  and  after  using,  and  should  be 
thoroughly  dried  before  being  put  away  for  future 
use.  Every  particle  of  buttermilk  should  be  taken 
{rora  the  butter  before  the  salt  is  added  ;  the  best 
(piality  of  salt  should  be  used,  and  this  should 
l)e  thoroughly  worked  in,  or  the  butter  Avill  be 
streaked.  After  the  butter  is  put  into  pounds 
and  printed,  the  cloths  should  be  put  on ;  they 
should  be  of  fine  white  muslin,  and  kept  Avhite, 
and  should  be  put  in  salt  and  water  and  wrung 
dry  before  using ;  the  butter  may  then  be  put  in 
the  tub,  which  should  be  clean  and  sweet. 

Now  if  B.  is  regular  in  attending  market,  and 
will  follow  the  above  directions,  he  will  soon 
find  customers  for  his  butter  at  tip-top  market 
])riee.  I  would  here  add,  that  B.  should  see  to 
the  milking  of  the  cows  himself,  and  his  wife 
shovUd  take  charge  of  it  after  it  is  strained  ;  for 
herein  lies  the  secret  of  success — and  not  trust 
to  careless  hired  help,  as  this  branch  of  farming 
will  pay  if  rightly  attended  to.  I  find  by  refer- 
ence to  my  accounts,  that  my  cows  have  averaged 
a  little  over  sixty  dollars  eaeh,  thus  far  the  pres- 
ent season,  and  the  season  has  yet  four  mouths 
to  run. — Qermantown  Telegraph. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer-. 
POSITIOIT  OF  THE   FABMEB. 

Mr.  Editor  : — It  being  near  the  close  of  the 
year,  I  offer  some  reflections  and  suggestions  that 
should  be  pondered  upon  by  all  who  have  a  home 
among  the  hills  and  valleys,  where  want  and  gaunt 
misery  seldom  come. 

The  year  that  is  about  closing  upon  us  has 
been  to  the  farmer  about  an  average  one  in  the 
products  of  the  earth  ;  some  good,  others  fair,  and 
a  few  of  the  less  necessary,  poor  ;  prices  have 
been  somewhat  affected,  but  not  so  much  as  in 
other  branches  of  business.  We  live  first  our- 
selves, let  the  price  be  what  it  may,  and  then  if 
we  have  more  than  we  want,  we  sell  to  those 
who  will  purchase.  Our  rents  are  small  com- 
pared Avith  those  in  cities,  as  a  farm  Avorth  $5000 
is  no  more  per  year  than  a  small  merchant  or 
clerk  pays  for  an  ordinary  house  in  Boston  or 
vicinity  ;  and  while  we  get  our  rent,  we  also  ob- 
tain free  our  fuel,  grain,  pork,  butter,  milk,  eggs, 
fruit  and  vegetables  in  abundance,  together  with 
a  horse  and  carriage  to  ride  when  and  Avhere  we 
please,  without  extra  expense,  and  with  ordinary 
management  sell  from  $500  to  $1000  worth  be- 
sides ;  and  this  ought  to  be  observed ;  we  do  not 
sell,  or  have  in  trade,  our  farm  or  stock;  but  the 
producis  only.  What  we  lose,  is  quite  likely  to 
be  by  investing  in  stocks,  &c.,  off  the  farm,  which 
investment  seems  to  have  the  fatality  of  growing 
beautifully  less  every  year ;  better  invest  at 
home  upon  the  farm,  by  reclaiming  swamp  lands, 
setting  out  forest  trees  upon  sandy  plains  and 
steep  declivities,  di-aining,  &c. 

To  a  lazy  man  or  boy  the  farm  is  a  hateful 
place,  and  my  advice  to  such  is  to  leave  it,  for 
God's  sunshine  is  better  than  the  shadow  of  such 
persons.  Loafing  has  become  a  science,  one  of 
the  fine  arts  ;  labor  is  considered  ungenteel  by 
too  many.  Some  prefer  to  steal,  gamble  or  rob, 
while  others  prefer  to  beg  or  go  hungry — any- 
thinij  but    work;    but    there    are  as     many  to 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


73 


feed  to-day,  as  yesterday,  or  a  year  ago  ;  popula- 
tion and  immigration  continue  to  fill  the  country 
at  a  rapid  rate  ;  consumption  increases,  and  the 
ability  to  supply  scarcely  keeps  pace  with  the  de- 
mand. The  rush  to  cities  to  trade  and  live  gen- 
teelly has  been  a  curse  to  the  country,  draining 
the  farm  to  fill  the  cities,  and  if  the  general  crash 
shall  change  the  tide  and  establish  more  content- 
ment on  the  farm,  then  we  shall  have  gained  by 
the  sad  lesson. 

Now  is  the  time  to  review  the  past,  and,  if  any 
of  us  have  been  bitten  by  the  various  delusions 
of  the  daj ,  to  draw  from  them  lessons  of  wisdom, 
and  learn,  henceforth,  to  shun  the  rock  upon  which 
so  many  have  dashed  their  hard  earnings,  as  well 
as  fond  hopes.  It  is  but  a  poor  consolation,  that 
others  are  in  the  same  difficulty  with  ourselves. 
Let  us  strive  to  lend  aid,  not  require  it. 

Farmers  cannot  afford  to  "look  at  the  ele- 
phant'' often,  and  when  they  have  once  seen  the 
curiosity,  it  should  suffice,  remembering  that  it  is 
the  same,  whether  it's  Cochin  China  fowls  at 
.$50  a  pair,  Chinese  yams  or  sugar  cane,  or  hunt- 
ing up  a  nice,  eaay  and  genteel  business,  where  a 
person  w'ith  $25  capital  can  obtain  $100  per 
month,  &c.  This  is  a  fast  age,  and  if  we  appro- 
priate the  good  things  of  this  world  for  our  com- 
fort and  convenience,  and  use  them  wisely,  as  God 
intended  we  should,  a  long  and  happy  life  awaits 
the  honest  sons  of  the  farm,  such  as  few  others 
can  equal.  That  they  may  blend  more  of  the  po- 
etry of  life  with  the  labor  of  the  hands,  thank 
God  and  take  courage,  is  the  wish  of  a 

Concord,  Dec,  1857.        Brother  Farmer, 


For  the  New  England  Farmer, 

CUBCULIO. 

This  subject  has  seemingly  been  exhausted, 
and  the  recent  communications  upon  it  but  repe- 
titions  of  what  has  been  said  before,  or  the  fail- 
ure of  remedies  recommended.  Well,  "Hope  on, 
hope  ever."  Try  experiments  ;  reccommend  them 
to  others,  and  give  the  results  to  the  world. — 
The  question  is  often  asked,  where  do  curculios 
live  over  winter  ?  I  frankly  confess  that  I  do  not 
know,  but  think  that  they  live  in  the  earth,  and 
will  give  my  reason,  that  others  may  judge  what 
grounds  I  have  for  my  belief.  It  is  a  well  known 
fact,  that  curculios  come  from  the  earth  perfect 
insects  in  from  two  to  three  weeks  after  they 
have  finished  their  work  of  destruction  upon  the 
young  fruits  in  the  spring.  They  prepare  for 
another  generation,  and  according  to  the  general 
rules  of  insect  life,  (ants  and  bees  excepted,)  must 
soon  die,  whether  they  can  find  conveniences  for 
depositing  their  eggs  or  not.  Now  the  question 
is,  how  do  the  larva?  of  this  late  brood  find 
nourishment  to  mature  a  sufficient  number,  to  do 
the  immense  amount  of  mischief  that  we  annu- 
ally witness?  The  black  knots  on  plum  and 
cherry  trees  is  one  resource,  and  I  have  often 
found  them  or  their  work  in  a  ripe  apple ;  the 
crescent  mark  had  healed  up  and  resembled  a 
mole  on  the  human  skin,  and  the  little  worm  had 
not  length  of  life  sufficient  to  reach  the  core  or 
do  but  little  mischief,  yet  the  unmistakable  signs 
were  there.  Peaches  and  plums  often  have  a 
worm  in  them,  and  the  egg  must  have  been  de- 
posited after  the  stone  became  hard,  or  the  fruit 


would  have  made  but  little  progress  towards  ma- 
turity. Late  in  July,  and  early  in  August,  I  have 
seen  curculios  upon  ripe  currants  and  raspberries 
who  seemed  to  be  seeking  for  a  place  to  deposit 
their  eggs.  Late  In  the  season,  blackberries,  rasp- 
berries and  whortleberries  frequently  have  worms 
in  them,  and  they  are  rejected  as  being  maggoty 
but  may  it  not  be  curculios  ?  Who  m-111  decide 
or  throw  any  light  upon  the  subject?  Let  the 
ball  be  kept  "in  motion.  Mrs.  N.  Darling. 
New  Haven,  Conn.,  Nov.  9,  1857. 


UNITED    STATES   AGBICUIiTURAL 
SOCIETY. 

SIXTH    ANXUAL   MEETING. 

The  United  States  Agricultural  Society  will 
hold  its  sixth  annual  meeting  in  the  lecture  room 
of  the  Smithsonian  Institution,  at  Washington 
city,  on  Wednesday,  the  thirteenth  day  of  Janu- 
ary, 1858,  when  the  election  of  officers  Avill  then 
be  held,  and  the  business  required  by  the  consti- 
tution of  the  Society  will  be  transacted. 

Officers  and  members  of  the  Society  are  re- 
spectfully notified  to  attend,  and  a  cordial  invita- 
tion is  extended  to  State  and  other  Agricultural 
Associations  to  send  delegates,  that  there  may 
be  a  general  repi-esentatlon  of  agriculturists  "in 
Congress  assembled,"  to  protect  and  sustain  their 
interests,  acting  as  a  national  organization  on 
such  matters  pertaining  to  agriculture  as  may  be 
deemed  appropriate.  Gentlemen  from  other  lands 
who  may  be  interested  in  the  acquisition  and  dif- 
fusion of  agricultural  knoAvledgc,  are  also  invited 
to  attend,  and  to  participate  in  the  proceedings. . 

The  published  volume  of  Transactions  for  1857"; . 
containing  reports  of  the  Trial  of  Reapers  av,d 
Mowers  at  Syracuse,  and  of  the  Grand  Annnq,l 
Exhibition  at  Louisville,  will  be  delivered  to  mam- 
bers  of  the  Society  at  the  annual  meeting. 

Important  agricultural  topics  will  be  publicly 
discussed,  after  introductory  remarks  by  eminent 
scientific  agriculturists.  Among  them  will  be : 
"Ilie  Chinese  Sugar  Cane,"  ^^  The  necessity  of  hav- 
ing a  more  perfect  laioivledge  of  the  mineral  ne- 
cessities of  our  oion  crops  developed,"  "Meteorolo- 
gical observations  for  the  benefit  of  agriculture," 
'^Manures  and  Fertilisers,"  "The  disease  hioivn  as 
'Hog-c7iolera,'"  "The  Improved  Kentuclty  Sheep," 
"Agricidturcd  Colleges  and  Farm  Scliools,"  and 
"Ihe  Agricultural  Politics  of  our  Country." 

Public  notice  will  be  given  of  the  time  when 
the  discussion  of  each  of  the  above-named  topics 
will  be  commenced.  Gentlemen  having  other 
topics  pertinent  to  the  advancement  of  agricul- 
ture, which  they  may  wish  to  introduce  or  to  have 
discussed,  will  please  refer  them  to  the  Executive 
Committee,  through  the  Secretary,  that  a  place 
may  be  assigned  them  on  the  prpgramme. 

Propositions  from  cities  at  which  the  next  An- 
nual Exhibition  of  the  Society  is  desired,  wIH  be 
received  and  considered. 

The  business  office  of  the  Society  is  in  Todd's 
Marble  Building,  one  door  Avest  of  Brown's  Ho- 
tel, Pennsylvania  Avenue,  where  all  interested  in 
the  cause  of  agricultural  improvement  are  invited 
to  call  when  in  Washington  city.  Agricultural 
newspapers  directed  to  the  Secretary  will  be  there 
placed  on  file  for  public  inspection,  and  contribu- 
tions of   agricultural  works  for  the  library   arc 


74 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Feb. 


solicited.  Models  or  drawings  of  agricultural  im- 
plements or  machinerj',  if  sent  free  of  expense, 
will  be  placed  on  exhibition. 

Gentlemen  -who  may  wish  to  become  life  mem- 
bers of  the  Society,  can  do  so  by  paying  or  re- 
mitting ton  dollrrs  to  the  Treasurer,  Hon.  B.  B. 
French,  Washington  city.  This  will  entitle  them, 
without  any  further  payments,  to  the  full  privi- 
leges of  membership — among  these  are  :  free  ad- 
mission to  all  exhibitions  of  the  Society,  the  an- 
nual volumes  of  published  transactions,  and  the 
large  and  elegant  diploma, 

RIarshall  p.  Wilber,  President. 

Ben:  Perley  Poore,  Secretary. 


For  the  Nex  England  Farmer. 
THS  PAST  SEASON— OVBB.PK.UKING, 
ONION  BLIGHT — A  DESTRUCTIVE  FOREST  WORM. 

Messrs.  Editors  : — May  and  June  were  cold 
.axrd  wet ;  much  corn  required  replanting,  but  an 
av.arage  crop  was  raised,  yet  with  a  larger  por- 
tion of  unripe  ears  than  usual.  Oats,  rye  and 
buckwheat  have  been  good  crops.  Potatoes  have 
jn-ovtd  more  nearly  a  failure  than  has  ever  been 
know  3jere,  for  though  their  vines  were  large  and 
long,  the  tubers  were  proportionately  reverse, 
few  and  small ;  one  large  farmer  offering  for  the 
digging,  ^only  the  quantity  which  he  had  planted. 
Apples  have  been  few  and  very  defective.  The 
blossoms  Y/ere  abundant,  but  cold,  rain  and 
clouds  held  them  stationary  till  they  lost  their  vi- 
tality, and  tliey  were  generally  blighted.  The 
apples  that  set  were  destroyed,  for  the  most  part, 
by  the  curoulio.  Peaciies  have  been  nearly  all 
killed  by  the  tv.'o  last  winters,  and  plums  have 
shared  the  same  fate  on  my  ground,  and  on  that 
of  others.  Cherry  trees,  even  in  most  favored 
localities,  have  been  in  a  dying  process,  and  tlieir 
lives  may  well  be  despaired  of. 

A  thrifty  apple  tree  of  mine,  in  good  soil,  that 
had  born  six  bushels  of  Greenings  two  years  be- 
fore, immediately  after  the  decay  and  fall  of  its 
blossom,  showed  signs  of  decay,  in  its  lower 
branches.  The  loose  bark  had  been  scraped  off 
with  a  hoe  and  soap  suds  applied  with  a  broom, 
wliiie  the  tree  was  in  blossom,  and  I  surmised 
this  might  have  done  mischief;  but  as  my  other 
trees,  served  in  the  same  way,  showed  no  such 
symptoms,  I  adverted  to  another  fact.  I  had 
pruned  the  ti'ee  of  several  of  its  large,  low  branch- 
es, growing  horizontally  too  near  the  ground,  in 
November,  1855,  thinking  the  higher  branches 
would  grow  the  faster  and  compensate  for  those 
removed.  But  the  tree  had  reached  the  age  for 
its  mature  shape,  and  I  largely  reduced  its  for- 
mer spread.  Hence  I  am  inclined  to  think  the 
tree  has  suffered  from  too  large  pruning,  and  may 
not  recover  from  it.  Though  healthy,  new  bark 
had  grown  around  the  wood,  where  the  branches 
had  been  removed,  yet  the  large  diminution  of 
branches  too  greatly  diminished  the  natural  flow 
of  sap  from  the  roots,  by  cutting  off  their  chan- 
nels, and  producing  in  them  disease  and  decay. 
Whether  this  theory  is  correct  or  not,  I  would 
like  to  have  the  opinion  of  vegetable  physiolo- 
gists, regarding  it.  In  a  young  and  growing 
state,  a  tree  may  be  safely  altered  in  form  and 
expansion  ;  for  new  wood  will  naturally  grow  to 
give  full  development  to   its  sap  and  the  vitaj 


energies  of  the  roots,  but  if  the  fruit  tree  has  come 
to  full  bearing,  in  all  the  branches  shooting  from 
the  parent  stock,  is  not  the  pnming  off  of  sever- 
al of  these,  at  once,  dangerous  and  injurious  ? 

Onions,  in  my  own,  and  in  some  other  gardens, 
often  growing  and  promising  Avell,  till  their  tu- 
bers were  of  one-fourth  or  one-half  size,  showed 
Vjliite  tips  and  spots  upon  their  tops,  and  their 
growth  was  arrested  early  in  August,  and  the 
blight  progi-essed  till  their  growth  prematurely 
closed.  The  cause  I  cannot  discover,  any  more 
than  that  of  the  potato  rot,  which  has  prevailed 
greatly  among  us,  the  past  season.  Sugar  beets 
have  been  arrested  also,  in  mid  gi'owth. 

A  new  and  formidable  forest  worm  has  ap- 
peared among  us  towards  the  close  of  the  season. 
Their  ravages  in  the  town  east  of  us  had  been  re- 
ported as  seen  in  a  maple  forest,  a  year  since, 
and  this  year  also,  resulting  in  the  entire  destruc- 
tion of  the  trees.  Late  in  August  or  early  in 
September,  the  leaves  of  my  door-yard  mapleg 
were  seen  to  be  falling,  evidently  eaten  off  by 
some  insect,  and  the  attack  became  general,  and 
soon  the  oak  forest  near  us,  on  the  west,  was  vis- 
ited by  armies  of  the  spoilers,  who  continued 
their  work  till  the  natural  fall  of  the  leaves.  The 
worm  Avas  seen  crawling  here  and  there,  in  the 
highway  to  the  west  in  great  numbers,  and  their 
continual  droppings  of  shot-sized,  round  balls 
from  the  trees,  upon  the  di-y  leaves,  seemed  like 
the  noise  of  a  constant  rain.  The  worm  is  about 
the  length  of  the  bag  caterpillar  on  apple  trees 
in  the  spring,  but  is  smooth,  with  longitudinal 
stripes  of  white  and  blue,  with  seven  feet  on  each 
side  of  the  body,  one  near  the  head,  four  in  the 
middle  and  two  near  the  tail.  The  head  is  an 
oval,  bronze  shape  and  color,  and  a  protuber- 
ance of  like  appearance  is  at  the  opposite  extrem- 
ity. I  have  tried  to  keep  them  in  a  jar  with 
leaves,  Avhen  they  are  changed  into  a  crysalis 
form.  Among  the  leaves  of  the  forest  I  find 
them  burrowed  for  the  winter.  "WTiat  they  will 
do  another  season  Providence  will  decide. 

SaXisbury,  Gt.,  Dec.  12th,  1857.  J.  Lee. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 

WINTER    BUTTEE. 

Messrs.  Editors  : — After  experimenting  near- 
ly half  a  century  on  butter-making  in  the  winter, 
we  have  come  to  the  following  conclusion  as  the 
best  way  we  have  tried  yet:  viz.:  As  soon  as 
the  milk  is  strained  we  set  the  pans  on  the  stove 
or  some  other  hot  place,  till  it  is  nearly  or  quite 
scalding  hot ;  then  we  remove  the  pans  into  a 
closet  near  tlie  cooking-stove  where  the  thermom- 
eter ranges  from  40  to  60  degrees  night  and  day ; 
then,  after  the  cream  is  well  risen  and  taken  off, 
it  is  kept  in  the  same  closet  till  churned ;  an  op- 
eration which  takes  us  from  10  to  30  minutes,  and 
gives  us  equally  as  good  and  yellow  butter  as  we 
churn  in  the  summer,  provided  we  keep  the  cream 
no  longer  than  in  the  summer.  We  have  tried 
keeping  our  cream  in  the  summer  dairy-room,  and 
sometimes  it  Avould  freeze,  and  O,  the  dreaded 
day  of  churning  Avould  come,  which  would  prove 
'*a  man's  Avork,"  if  not  more,  of  from  3  to  8,  10 
or  20  hours,  and  sometimes  prove  a  failure,  and 
the  refractory  cream  Avould  be  reserved  to  short- 
en doughnuts.     Il'  we  should  have  the  good  luck 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


75 


to  produce  butter  after  adding  hot  water  to  the 
cream  or  immersing  the  red  hot  tongs  to  kill  the 
•witches,  it  would  come  as  white  as  hog's  lard,  and 
in  little  detached  fragments  which  would  require 
expert  manipulations  to  form  it  into  lumps. 

At  present  we  milk  four  cows,  and  treating  our 
cream  in  the  above  named  manner,  our  churnings 
have  caused  us  but  little  labor  or  trouble.  In 
the  Boston  Cultivator,  dated  Nov.  20th,  1841, 
may  be  found  the  same  in  substance  as  the  above : 

I  make  no  pretension  to  new  discoveries  but 
previous  to  that  time  I  had  seen  no  directions  or 
recommendations  for  making  winter  butter  by  the 
above  process.  Every  year  introduces  young  and 
inexpei'ienced  farmers  into  action,  and  it  is  possi- 
ble to  such  the  above  hints  may  prove  of  service. 

Silas  Brown. 

North  Wilmington,  December,  1857. 

Remarks. — We  have  seen  butter,  and  eaten 
it  too,  made  by  this  process  in  the  winter,  and 
found  it  very  sweet  and  hard,  and  of  excellent 
color.  We  thank  Mr.  Brown  for  his  statement. 
It  comes  in  good  time. 


WHAT  FARMERS  SHOULD  LIVE  FOR, 

There  is  something  worth  living  for  besides 
money.  That  is  very  good,  but  it  is  not  all.  With 
the  rest,  let  us  raise  a  crop  of  good  ideas.  While 
you  are  fai-mers,  remember  also  that  you  are  men, 
with  duties  and  responsibilities.  Live  down  the 
old  brutal  notion  that  a  farmer  must  be  uncotith, 
uneducated  and  unthinking — a  mere  ploddrapps. 

You  are  brought  into  immediate  contact  with 
the  great  heart  of  civilization.  You  cannot  gel 
out  of  the  reach  of  the  buzz  of  the  toiling  world. 
The  thrill  of  the  wonder-working  wires,  and  the 
rumble  of  the  locomotive,  (the  thunder-tread  of 
nations,)  come  to  your  once  secluded  hill-side. 

Move  toward  a  better  life.  Do  not  keep  your 
boys  corn-shelling  ail  the  long  winter  evenings. 
Make  your  farms  a  place  that  your  sons  and 
daughters  cannot  help  loving.  Cultivate  the  trees 
— they  are  God's  messengers. 

Care  much  for  books  and  pictures.  Don't  keep 
a  solemn  parlor  into  which  you  go  but  once  a 
month  with  the  parson,  or  the  gossips  of  the 
sewing  society.  Hang  around  your  walls  pictures 
which  shall  tell  stories  of  mercy,  hope,  courage, 
faith  and  charitj'.  Make  your  living  room  the 
largest  and  most  cheerful  in  the  house.  Let  the 
place  be  such  that  when  your  boy  has  gone  to 
distant  lands,  or  even  when,  perhaps,  he  clings 
to  a  single  plank  in  the  lonely  waters  of  the  wide 
ocean,  the  thought  of  the  old  homestead  shall 
come  across  the  waters  of  desolation,  bringing  al- 
ways light,  hope  and  love. 

Have  no  dungeons  about  your  house — no 
rooms  you  never  open — no  blinds  that  are  always 
shut.  Don't  teach  your  daughters  French  before 
they  can  weed  a  flower-bed,  or  cling  to  a  side- 
saddle ;  and  daughters,  do  not  be  ashamed  of  the 
trowel  or  the  pruning  knife  ;  bring  to  your  doors 
the  richest  flowers  from  the  woods  ;  cultivate  the 
friendship  of  birds — study  botany,  learn  to  lov^ 
nature,  and  seek  a  higher  cultivation  than  the 
fashionable  world  can  give  you. — Address  of  D. 
Q.  Mitchell  before  the  Connedicnt  State  Affricul- 
fural  Society, 


*    for  the  New  Englan-l  Farmer 
A  WORD  ABOUT  THE  USE  OF   MILK. 

My  remarks,  by  way  of  illustration,  toward 
the  close  of  my  last  article,  may  have  excited  a 
little  curiosity,  and  as  I  then  intimated,  may  have 
led  to  a  desire  to  make  the  inquiry,  "what  would 
farmers  do  with  their  milk  if  it  were  not  m:ide  in- 
to butter  and  cheese  ?"  This  question,  which  was 
only  answered  in  part  at  that  time,  I  now  propose 
to  consider  more  fully.  Not  that  woman's  time 
is  wasted  no  where  but  in  connection  with  the 
dairy  ;  for  this  is  but  a  single  item  among  many. 
With  this  however,  we  will  begin. 

I  am  no  advocate  for  the  use  of  milk  by  adults, 
as  will  perhaps  be  seen  hereafter.  Mr.  Thacher, 
of  Barnstable  county,  it  is  said,  tried  a  long  time, 
in  vain,  to  keep  his  horse  on  milk ;  but  I  know 
not  why  adult  horses  should  not  be  as  well  sus- 
tained on  milk,  except  from  habit,  as  adult  hu- 
man beings.  "Milk  for  babes,  stronger  meat  for 
adults."  And  yet  there  is  a  way  of  using  milk 
in  families,  which,  in  comparison  with  the  use  of 
our  modern  abominable  mixtures,  would  be  a  very 
great  improvement.  So  that  if  I  could  bring  so- 
ciety to  the  more  general  use  of  milk  to-morrow, 
I  should  think  myself,  temporarily  at  least,  quite 
a  philanthropist  and  reformer. 

But  what  is  that  legitimate  use  of  milk  to  which 
the  foregoing  remarks  refer  ?  What  is  that  sim- 
ple method  of  consuming,  much  more  generally 
and  largely  than  we  now  do,  an  article  which, 
though  to  everybody  except  very  young  child- 
ren and  a  few  invalids,  is,  after  all,  abstractly 
considered,  but  a  second  rate  article  of  food,  or 
even  but  a  choice  of  evils  ? 

1.  Bread  and  milk  eaten  in  the  old  fashioned 
way,  with  a  spoon,  is,  with  some  drawback  upon 
its  excellence,  so  vastly  superior  to  those  multi- 
tudinous hotch-potch  mixtures  which  grace  our 
modern  tables,  that  I  should  be  glad  to  see  three 
times  as  much  of  it  eaten  as  now  is.  True  it  is 
that  bread  broken  into  milk  and  made  soft  by  the 
process,  excludes  pratically  much  of  that  masti- 
cation and  insalivation  which  are  indispensable 
to  the  very  best  and  healthiest  digestion ;  but 
then  the  bread  is  bread  still — the  staff  of  life  or 
nature's  best — despite  of  the  soaking.  Besides, 
the  use  of  bread  and  milk  practically  shuts  the 
door  against  many  of  those  mixtures  which  not 
only  consume  so  much  of  woman's  time,  but  re- 
bel in  the  stomach.  For  who  does  not  know 
that  the  bread  and  milk  eater  not  only  feels  less 
powerfully  impelled  towards  delicate  and  iiijurious 
mixtures,  4)ut  actually  has  less  room  for  them  ? 
jNIost  certainly  he  who  has  eaten  a  pint  of  milk 
and  half  a  pound  of  bread,  has  a  stomach  less 
empty  than  before  he  began  his  meal. 

Here  a  question  always  comes  up  from  the  ig- 
norant and  unobserving,  "But  can  men  and  wo- 
men who  labor  hard  live  on  bread  and  milk  ?" 
Most  certainly  they  can  live  on  the  bread,  and 
the  milk  will  be  no  great  hindrance  to  the  full  ef- 
ficacy of  what  would  doubtless  be  preferable  with- 
out it.  We  know  this  from  the  nature  of  the 
case,  since  bread,  as  a  general  rule,  is  the  most 
nutritious  food  in  the  world  ;  but  we  know  it  al- 
so from  fact.  One  of  our  most  gigantic  medical 
professors  in  this  county  lives  largely  on  bread 
and  milk  ;  and  more  than  one  hard  laborer  with 
the  hands,  whom  I  know,  lives  in  the  same  way.  Aa  k 


76 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Feb. 


aged  teamster,  now  living  as  I  believe  in  North 
bridge,  Mass.,  says  he  can  do  his  work  better  on 
Iwead  and  milk  than  on  anything  else.  And  one 
large  family — a  farmer's  family — in  Connecticut, 
were  trained  to  almost  giant  size  of  body,  on 
chiefly  bread  and  milk  and  its  products.  Indeed 
except  butter,  they  used  very  little  of  those  pro- 
ducts. Some  of  them  I  have  watched  about  fifty 
years,  and  they  still  hold  out  comparatively  vig- 
orous. 

Mankind  generally,  I  again  say,  at  least  in 
this  country,  would  be  healthier  and  happier,  if 
they  used  two  or  three  times  as  much  milk  as  they 
now  do,  even  if  it  were  in  a  someM'hat  objection- 
able way.  They  might  breakfast  on  it  evei-y  day 
with  advantage.  They  might  dine  on  it  without 
loss.  I  will  not  say  that  the  third  meal  may  as 
well  be  of  bread  and  milk,  after  a  bread  and  milk 
breakfast  and  dinner,  for  I  do  not  think  so.  In 
general,  whatever  may  have  been  the  preceding 
meals,  I  would  not  use  much  milk  at  evening. 
Dry  bread  is  far  better,  or  at  least  food  which  is 
quite  solid. 

Think  now,  for  once,  what  a  saving  of  time 
tliis  jilan  would  secure  to  poor  enslaved  women  ! 
It  would  save  much  to  her  to  have  a  family  break- 
fast on  it ;  but  much  more  still  to  have  them  live 
on  it  two-thirds  of  the  time. 

2.  It  is  indeed  much  better  for  health,  and  quite 
as  productive  of  gustatory  enjoyment,  to  pour  a 
little  milk — new  if  you  please — over  thin  slices 
of  bread,  either  toasted  a  little  or  otherwise,  laid 
on  a  plate ;  and  thus  eat  your  bread  and  milk,  as 
some  jocosely  say,  with  a  knife  and  forlc.  Or  the 
breakfast  might  consist  of  bread  and  milk,  ac- 
cording to  the  old  method,  and  the  dinner  of 
bread  and  milk  might  be  eaten  on  a  plate,  ac- 
cording to  the  new  or  improved  method. 

3.  If  these  uses  of  milk,  (new,  that  is,  di- 
rectly from  the  cow,  as  often  as  possible,)  should 
not  consume  the  whole  of  the  contents  of  the 
dairy,  and  if  there  is  no  occasion  to  feed  out  the 
remainder  to  the  domestic  animals — the  dogs,  the 
cats  or  the  SM'inc — let  the  number  of  the  herd  be 
somewhat  diminished,  and  other  animals  be  sub- 
stituted ;  such  as  working  cattle,  steers,  horses, 
mules,  &c.  I  am  not  enough  experienced  in  fann- 
ing, though  I  had  a  farmer's  education,  to  say 
whether  it  is  most  profitable  to  keep  cows  than 
most  other  domestic  animals,  in  itself  considered  ; 
but  if  woman's  labor  in  rearing  young  immortals 
and  advancing  older  ones  is  worth  anything,  I  am 
quite  certain  that  the  saving  of  her  precious  time 
and  strength  by  the  change  I  have  indicated 
would  much  more  than  compensate  for  any  appa- 
rent or  temporary  loss  from  diminishing  the  ag- 
gregate of  milk. 

If  my  communications  are  too  long,  Mr.  Edi- 
tor, please  give  me  a  friendly  hint,  and  they  shall 
be  made  shorter.  W.  A.  A. 

Auhurndale,  Nov.  20,  1857. 


The  Maiden  and  the  Mariner. — A  young 
damsel  was  preaching  at  Nantucket,  and  among 
other  profound  and  original  truths,  exclaimed  to 
lier  congregation  that  "Every  tub  must  stand  on 
its  own  bottom."  A  sailor,  thinking  to  nonplus 
the  fair  parson,  rose  up  and  asked,  "But  suppose 
it  has  no  bottom  ?"  "Then  it's  no  tub,"  she 
quickly  rejoined,  and  went  on  with  her  sermon. 


POINTS  OP  AlSr  AYKSHIRE  COW. 

Would  you  know  how  to  judge  a  good  Ayrshire  cow, 

Attend  to  the  lesson  you'll  hear  from  me  now : — 

Her  head  should  be  short,  and  her  muzzle  good  size  j 

Her  nose  should  lie  fine  between  muzzle  and  eyes  ; 

Her  eyes  full  and  lively  ;  forehead  ample  and  wide  ; 

Horns  wide,  looking  up,  and  curved  inward  beside ; 

Her  neck  should  be  a  fine,  tapering  wedge, 

And  free  from  loose  skin  on  the  undermort  edge : 

Should  be  fine  where  'tis  joined  with  the  seat  of  the  brain ; 

Long  and  straight  over-head,  without  hollow  or  mano  ; 

Shoulder-blades  should  be  thin,  where  they  meet  at  the  top ; 

Let  her  brisket  be  light,  nor  resemble  a  crop ; 

Her  fore-part  recede  like  the  lash  of  a  whip. 

And  strongly  resemble  the  bow  of  a  ship  ; 

Her  back  short  and  straight,  with  the  spine  well  defined. 

Especially  where  the  back,  neck,  and  shoulders  are  joined  j 

Her  ribs  short  and  arched,  like  the  ribs  of  a  barge  ; 

Body  deep  at  the  flanks  ;  and  milk  veins  full  and  large  ; 

Pelvis  long,  broad,  and  straight,  and  in  some  measure,  flat ; 

Hook -bones  wide  apart,  and  not  bearing  much  fat ; 

Her  thighs  deep  and  broad,  neither  rounded  nor  flat ; 

Her  tail  long  and  fine,  and  joined  with  her  back  ; 

Milk-vessels  capacious,  and  forward  extending ; 

The  liinder  part  broad,  and  to  body  fast  pending  ; 

The  sole  of  her  udder  should  form  a  plane. 

And  all  the  four  teats  equal  thickness  attain, 

Their  length  not  exceeding  two  inches  or  three  ; 

They  should  hang  to  the  earth  perpendicularly ; 

Their  distance  apart,  when  they're  viewed  from  behind. 

Will  include  about  half  of  the  udder  you'll  find  ; 

And,  when  viewed  from  the  side,  they  will  have  at  each  eixl 

As  much  of  the  udder  as  'tween  them  is  penned  ; 

Her  legs  slwuld  b«  short,  and  the  bones  fime  and  clean. 

The  points  of  the  latter  being  firm  and  keen  5 

Skin  soft  and  clastic  as  a  cushion  of  air. 

And  covered  all  o'er  with  short,  close,  wooliy  hair  j 

The  colors  preferred  arc  confined  to  a  few — 

Either  brown  and  white  chequered,  or  all  brown,  will  do  y 

The  weight  of  the  animal,  leaving  the  stall. 

Should  be  about  5  cwt.  sinking  offal. 

Celt,  in  Irish  Farmer's  Gazette. 


For  the  Neto  Englaiul  Farmer. 

CONGRATULATIONS  AND  SUGGES- 
TIONS. 

Mr.  Editor: — I  congratulate  you  on  the  heal- 
thy and  vigorous  aspect  of  your  paper.  It  shows, 
notwithstanding  the  times  are  hard,  and  business 
dull,  "where  there  is  a  will  there  is  a  way,"  and 
when  men  set  about  a  tiling  in  good  earnest, 
M'ith  good  intent,  it  can  be  accomplished. 

I  know  of  no  department  of  labor,  on  which  a 
man  can  look  back  with  better  satisfaction,  than 
that  Avhich  advances  and  improves  the  condition 
of  the  farmer.  That  which  teaches  him  to  grow 
two  spears  of  grass,  or  two  bushels  of  corn,  where 
but  one  grew  before.  That  such  instruction  can 
be  given,  is  demonsti'ated  in  every  neighborhood, 
where  it  has  been  attempted,  and  so  in  relation 
to  every  A'ariety  of  product  the  earth  affords. 
Will  anyone  say  that  there  is  any  part  of  our 
State  which  is  as  thoroughly  and  successful- 
ly cultivated  as  it  will  admit  of  being  ?  I  think 
not.  I  know  of  no  town — ay,  no  farm,  in  any  part 
of  the  Commonwealth,  in  which  is  grown  one- 
half  of  what  it  is  capable  of  producing.  Then 
why  not  force  the  culture  ?  Where  is  the  harm  in 
so  doing?  Are  not  people  as  healthy  and  as 
comfortable  where  full  crops  are  grown,  as  where 
meagre  ones  are  gathered  ?  I  think  they  are  much 
more  so.    No  one  need  fear  producing  too  much, 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


(7 


and  so  far  as  appearances  are  concerned,  full 
crops  appear  mucli  better  than  scanty  ones. 

But  we  have  diverged  from  our  starting  point, 
the  2^ciper,  to  the  soil  itself.  We  rejoice  in  the 
name  Neio  England,  and  in  the  prosperity  of 
whatever  is  connected  therewith.  We  admire 
New  England  products — New  England  manners, 
and  New  England  energy.  Some  of  the  most 
vigorous  plants  of  the  West  were  transplanted 
there,  from  the  hardy  shores  and  hills  of  New 
England.  Whoever  is  so  ungrateful  as  not  to 
rejoice  in  his  own  native  element,  is  unworthy  of 
position  anywhere. 

True,  our  soil  is  hard,  and  our  climate  at  times 
forbidding,  but  where  do  you  find  a  better  class 
of  men,  than  on  the  genuine  farms  of  New  Eng- 
land? I,  therefore,  rejoice  in  the  opportunity  to 
speak  well  of  the  Neio  England  Farmer,  in  what- 
ever position  found,  whether  on  the  sands  of  the 
Cape,  on  the  granite  hills  of  New  Hampshire,  or 
the  more  fertile  meads  of  the  Connecticut.     *^* 

December  21,  1857. 


EXTRACTS  AND  REPLIES. 
CRANBERRY   MEADOWS — POULTRY. 

I  have  a  meadow  of  about  two  acres,  oval  in 
shape.  The  soil  is  a  black  muck,  ten  or  twelve 
feet  deep  in  the  middle  ;  it  has  been  mowed  every 
year,  and  flowed  every  winter.  I  have  been  trying 
to  get  it  into  a  cranberry  meadow^  for  some  years 
past,  by  flowing.  There  are  several  beds  of  vines 
now  scattered  over  it,  but  only  one  of  these  beds 
has  ever  borne  any,  and  that  is  the  one  nearest 
the  edge. 

In  the  centre  of  the  meadow  water  stands  six 
or  eight  inches  deep  during  the  summer.  I  can- 
not see  as  floAving  has  done  any  good  towards 
spreading  the  vines.  T  had  concluded  to  gravel 
it  over  this  winter,  as  I  thought  it  was  too  wet ; 
but  some  advise  me  to  keep  it  flowed  a  year  or 
two  and  then  drain  it.  It  can  easily  be  drained, 
as  gravel  is  close  by.  What  shall  I  do  to  get  it 
into  a  cranberry  meadow  ? 

Is  it  a  good  plan  to  keep  dough  or  grain  before 
hens  all  the  time,  or  is  it  best  to  feed  them  regu- 
larly ?  H.  A.  C. 

Uxbridge,  1857. 

Remarks. — The  question  about  the  meadow 
we  will  leave  to  those  having  more  experience 
than  we  have  had  on  that  subject. 

We  think  it  best  to  feed  poultry  once  a  day, 
giving  them  in  the  morning  about  as  much  as 
they  will  eat  before  night. 

leather  chips. 
How  can  leather  chips  be  manufactured  into 
manure  ?  Thos.  O.  Jackson. 

Plymouth,  1857. 

'  Remarks. — Leather  contains  valuable  fertiliz- 
ing qualities,  such  as  gelatine,  albumen,  and 
from  tlie  fatty  matter  in  it,  ammonia.  Brown's 
"American  Muck  Book"  states  that  the  most 
economical  mode  of  using  leather  shavings  is  to 
"chop  them  up  into  small  pieces,  and  scatter 
them  uniformly  over  the  surface  of  the  ground,  at 
the  rate  of  twenty  to  thirty  bushels  to  an  acre. 


and  plow  them  in.  If  kept  constantly  covered 
with  moist  earth,  they  will  impart  their  fertiliz- 
ing influence  to  most  of  our  cultivated  crops  for 
six  or  seven  years.  If  desirable  to  expend,  they 
may  be  dissolved  in  strong  solutions  of  potash  or 
sulphuric  acid,  and  administered  in  the  form  of  a 
liquid  manure.  They  are  applicable  to  nearly 
every  variety  of  soil,  but  appear  to  be  best  adapt- 
ed to  those  that  are  sandy,  gravelly  or  light." 

an  expression,  and  an  invitation. 

More  than  five  years  have  elapsed,  since  I  sub- 
scribed for  the  weekly  Farmer,  though  at  the 
lime  I  thought  I  would  take  it  only  for  six 
months.  But  I  have  not  seen  the  moment  since 
when  I  thought  I  could  spare  it.  The  column 
you  devote  to  "Extracts  and  Replies"  is  very  in- 
teresting and  profitable  to  me.  We,  as  small 
farmers,  among  the  green  hills  of  Vermont,  may 
learn  much  from  each  other.  Freeman. 

Northjield,  Vf.,  1857. 

Remarks. — We  are  obliged  to  "Freeman"  for 
his  good  opinion,  and  especially  for  an  invitation 
contained  in  another  portion  of  his  letter  to  "vis- 
t  him  and  become  acquainted  with  his  family." 
This  is  precisely  what  we  enjoy,  and  what  we 
profit  by  largely,  and  whenever  we  are  in  that 
neighborhood,  shall  avail  ourselves  of  the  oppor- 
tunity to  look  at  the  "farm  he  has  cleared,  and 
taste  of  the  products  he  has  raised  with  his  own 
hands."  

DRAINS  AND  SEWING  MACHINES. 

I  wish  to  inquire  if  there  is  any  better  way  of 
digging  drains  than  by  the  use  of  spade  and 
pick?  I  understand  that  Pratt's  Ditch  Digger 
has  been  successfully  used  in  New  York,  and  not 
long  since  I  read  of  a  gentleman  who  uses  it  to 
dig  a  trench  to  set  his  fence  posts  in,  as  he  thinks 
it  is  an  easier  Avay  than  to  dig  holes  for  them. 
Has  it  ever  been  tried  here  in  New  England,  and 
if  so,  with  what  success  ? 

What  is  the  comparative  value  and  cost  of 
stone  and  tile  drains?  Will  not  Mr.  French 
please  to  enlighten  the  readers  of  the  Farmer  a 
little  upon  these  points,  as  we  suppose  that  he 
knows  everything  about  draining. 

I  also  wish  to  make  a  few  inquiries  about  the 
cheap  sewing  machines.  There  has  been  quite 
a  number  of  kinds  advertised,  varying  in  price 
from  $10  to  $45 ;  are  any  of  them  really  good 
and  valuable  machines,  and  if  so,  which  is  the 
best  ?  It  seems  to  me  that  if  a  good  sewing  ma- 
chine could  be  obtained  at  a  moderate  price,  it 
would  soon  pay  for  itself  in  almost  any  family. 

Lancaster,  Dec.  22,  1857.  E.  G. 

Remarks, — We  think  Mr.  French  will  cheer- 
fully reply  to  "E.  G." 

A   large   egg. 

Mrs.  J.  ?.L  Hix,  of  Manchester,  Vt.,  has  a  me- 
dium sized  hen  that  lays  very  large  eggs,  and  all 
double  yolk,  but  one  in  particular  that  1  saw  and 
measured  reached  the  size  of  seven  inches  in 
circumference,  the  smallest  way,  and  nine  the 


78 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


largest.  This  may  be  thought  a  large  story  by 
some,  and,  indeed,  I  think  so  myself;  but  the 
egg  is  preserved  for  future  reference,  and  can  be 
seen  by  any  one  who  wishes  to  have  ocular  proofs 
of  the  fact.  HiRAM  Buttekfield. 

Bendville,  Vt.,  1857. 

PROFITS   IN   RAISING   GEESE. 

I  have  not  seen  anything  in  the  Farmer  con- 
cerning the  profit  of  raising  Oeesc,  and  I  will 
make  a  statement  of  mine.  In  the  first  place, 
my  stock  consists  of  one  pair  only — the  gander 
is  the  White  Mountain,  its  mate  is  a  Bremen. 
She  commenced  laying  about  the  first  of  March, 
and  laid  twelve  eggs.  The  4th  of  May  she  came 
off  with  ten  goslins,  who  ran  with  her  ten  days, 
when  I  separated  them,  so  that  she  might  lay  her 
second  litter,  which  she  never  fails  to  do.  The 
young  require  a  little  care  for  a  few  days,  and 
then  they  Avill  take  care  of  themselves.  I  fed 
them  with  corn  meal  and  scraps  til!  the  7th  of 
July,  when  I  dressed  them,  and  the  next  day  car- 
ried them  into  Boston,  and  sold  them  to  Mr. 
Coggins,  at  Quincy  Market,  for  $15  ;  their  aver- 
age Aveight  was  11|  lbs.  I  did  not  make  the 
statement  thinking  of  boasting,  but  simply  to 
show  that  thei-e  is  a  profit  in  raising  these  fowls. 
I  did  not  keep  an  account  of  the  food  which  they 
consumed,  but  it  cannot  amount  to  a  gi'eat  deal 
in  that  length  of  time.  The  feathers  Avill  amply 
pay  for  dressing  them,  and  as  for  marketing,  I 
think  it  will  pay  to  visit  the  city  once  a  year. 

South  Hanson,  Dec,  1857.  8.  D. 

PROGENY   OF   ONE   COW   SINCE   1852. 

In  October,  1852,  I  pui-chased  a  fine  five  year 
old  native  cow,  and  in  February  following  she 
produced  twin  calves.  The  two  next  years  she 
produced  one  at  each  birth ;  the  fourth  year  she 
produced  twins,  and  on  the  27th  af  November 
last,  which  is  the  fifth  year,  she  produced  triplcls, 
which  is  an  increase  of  nine  calves  in  five  years, 
at  five  births.  Hollis  Ciiaffin. 

Dexter  Asylum,,  Providence,  B.  L,  Dec,  1857. 

PATENT   office   REPORTS. 

Will  you  please  to  inform  me  through  the  col- 
umns of  the  Farmer  where  I  can  obtain  a  copy  of 
the  Patent  Office  Report  on  Agriculture,  and  how 
much  it  will  cost  Avhcn  delivered  ? 

S.  Framinr/ham,  1857.        E.  H.  Coolidge. 

PtEMARKs. — Write  to  the  member  of  Congress 
from  your  district  to  send  you  a  copy,  and  he  will 
undoubtedly  do  so. 

POP   CORN. 

Will  some  one  inform  me  what  kind  of  ma- 
nure is  best  to  plant  common  pop  corn  with  ?  I 
have  tried  to  raise  it  two  seasons,  and  failed.  Is 
it  best  to  soak  the  corn  or  not  ?  How  would  it 
do  to  plant  this  corn  with  potatoes,  both  in  one 
hill  ?  A  Subscriber. 

Dec  16,  1857. 


Consolation. — A  miserly  old  farmer,  who  had 
lost  one  of  his  best  hands  in  the  midst  of  hay- 
making, remarked  to  the  sexton,  as  he  was  filling 


up  the  poor  fellow's  grave,  "It  is  a  sad  thing  to 
lose  a  good  mower  at  a  time  like  this ;  but,  after 
all,  poor  Tom  was  a  dreadful  great  eater." 


I''uT  the  New  England  Farmer. 
MISERIES  OF  FABMIWG. 

While  reading  the  piece  thus  headed,  I  have 
been  trying  to  picture  to  myself  what  kind  of  a 
man  the  one  that  wrote  this  must  be,  but  I  have 
not  been  able  to  come  to  any  conclusion  what 
kind  of  a  picture  to  draw  of  him. 

I  acknowledge  with  him  that  the  earth  sponta- 
neously brings  forth  thorns  and  thistles ;  but  God 
has  given  man  power  to  cultivate  the  soil ;  has 
given  him  the  horse  and  ox,  and  with  his  skill 
he  applies  the  strength  of  these,  to  useful  and 
profitable  purposes.  Man  cultivates  the  soil,  not 
as  a  beast  of  burden,  not  as  E.  H.  S.  would  indi- 
cate, harnessed  with  his  horse  or  yoked  with  hio 
ox,  but  with  an  intelligent  mind,  a  cheerful  heart 
and  willing  hand,  and  receives  a  rich  reward  for 
his  labor. 

As  to  farming  being  the  most  laborious  busi- 
ness there  is,  I  feel  free  to  say  it  is  not  so,  as 
having  tried  mechanical,  mercantile  and  farming 
pursuits,  I  think  I  am  prepared  to  judge  correct- 
ly. I  never  yet  found  the  place  where  there  was 
not  hard  work  to  be  done,  but  I  have  found  a 
gi-eat  many  that  did  not  like  to  do  it,  and  I  sus- 
pect E.  H.  S.  is  one  of  them.  As  for  pleasura- 
ble excitement,  there  is  more  in  one  day  on  the 
farm  than  in  one  month  in  the  store  or  shop,  and 
it  is  just  such  excitement  as  the  mind  requires 
for  health  and  activity.  What  is  more  pleasing 
than  a  stock  of  fine  cattle  to  look  upon  in  the 
every  day  rounds  ?  there  is  the  sprightly  colt,  with 
his  gi'aceful  manoeuvres  around  the  field;  there  are 
the  sheep  and  playful  lambs.  And  what  is  more  ex- 
citing and  pleasing,  than  following  tloat  good  ea- 
gle plow  drawn  l)y  a  pair  of  well  trained  oxen  or 
horses,  rolling  the  sod  over  so  smooth  and  even  ? 

What  class  of  men  has  more  time  and  better 
facilities  for  cultivating  and  improving  the  mind^ 
than  the  farmer  ?  I  have  yet  to  learn  of  that 
class.  There  is  plenty  of  work  for  a  cultivated 
mind,  even  on  a. small  farm.  In  regard  to  the 
comfort  and  ease  of  the  manufacturer,  the  me- 
chanic and  merchant,  I  Avould  refer  E.  H.  S.  to 
the  present  pinching  times ;  ask  him  to  contrast 
their  situation  with  that  of  the  farmer. 

Oxford,  Nov.  10,  1857.  ^y.  L.  D. 


PIGEON  CATCHIHG-. 

Few  jjersons,  jicrhaps,  are  aware  how  many 
wild  pigeons  are  taken  at  the  AVest,  and  bi'ought 
to  the  eastern  markets,  or  how  much  they  con- 
tribute to  supply  the  demand  for  flesh.  Mr.  T. 
N.  Taylor,  of  Plymouth  county,  and  one  of  a 
company  engaged  in  the  business,  informs  us 
that  one  of  his  associates  "caught  the  past  fall,  in 
two  months,  or  less,  one  thousand  seven  hundred 
and  twenty-six  dozen,  or  two  hundred  and  seven 
thousand  and  tivelve  jyiyeons."  Enough,  certain- 
ly, to  make  a  good  many  pigeon  pies,  in  the 
hands  of  a  skilful  cook. 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


79 


MANURES  FROM  ABROAD. 

In  a  private  letter  from  one  of  our  most  ob- 
serving and  intelligent  correspondents,  is  the  fol- 
lowing paragi'aph :  "/»  the  matter  of  rnanures 
we  need  a  reform.  This  State,  in  its  lime  and 
MUCK,  MARL,  &c..  Contains,  I  have  no  doubt,  in 
herself  ample  means  of  restoring  all  the  lost  fer- 
tility of  her  lands.  These  are  among  the  most 
durable  of  all  manures.  Why  then  purchasefrom 
abroad  those  expensive  ones,  whose  effects,  at  best, 
are  often  doubtful?"  "We  give  the  paragraph 
prominence,  because  its  truths  are  of  more  im- 
portance to  the  mass  of  our  farmers,  than  any 
thing  we  can  utter  beside.  There  7nust  be  a  re- 
form in  the  matter  of  manures,  for  they  are  the 
keystone  upon  which  rests  all  the  farmer's  suc- 
cess. 

AV"e  have  no  desire  to  discourage  the  use  of 
specific  manures  by  those  xcho  can  afford  to  fail 
in  an  experiment ;  they  are  undoubtedly  useful  in 
degree,  and  it  is  well  for  us  all  to  know  their  in- 
trinsic value.  But  the  common  farmer  cannot 
afford  to  test  them,  only  in  a  small,  uncertain  and 
unsatisfactory  way,  and,  we  fear,  that  when  his 
hopes  of  good  results  from  his  crops  rest  on  them, 
liis  mind  will  be  diverted  from  the  only  true  and 
natural  way  of  fertilizing  his  land — namely — from 
the  sources  which  the  land  itself  affords.  Some  of 
these  sources  we  hope  in  the  course  of  the  year 
to  be  able  briefly  to  point  out. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
MIXING  OF  PLANTS. 

Mr.  Editor  : — In  a  late  Farmer,  I  notice  that 
your  correspondent,  Essex,  in  some  remarks  up- 
on squashes,  says  : — "An  inquiry  has  often  been 
made,  how  is  the  purity  of  the  squash  preserved  ?" 
and  then  goes  on  to  say,  "I  have  never  met  more 
sensible  remarks  on  this  point,  than  the  follow- 
ing, which  I  quote  from  a  report  on  vegetable 
products  about  to  appear,  in  the  Transactions  of 
the  Essex  Agricultural  Society  for  185",  as  fol- 
Iows."_ 

"It  is  a  mistake  to  suppose  that  the  seed  of  the 
squash  is  pure,  because  the  squash  itself  has  all 
tlie  outward  characteristics  of  purity.  The  cross- 
ing of  varieties,  as  in  the  apple  and  pear,  and  all 
our  fruits,  is  not  in  the  pulp,  but  in  the  seed  ; 
and  were  tlie  squash  vine  like  our  trees,  perenni- 
al, no  matter  how  near  other  varieties  might 
grow,  the  fruit  would  always  be  constant ;  but 
when  we  plant  the  seed,  be  it  of  squash,  apple, 
or  pear,  then  the  result  of  growing  in  the  vicini- 
ty of  other  varieties,  at  once  shows  itself  in  point 
of  all  degrees  of  purity,  though  the  seed  planted 
may  have  all  come  from  one  squash." 

Your  correspondent  says  this  doctrine  may,  in 
some  manner,  explain  the  vexed  question,  "will 
seed  taken  from  squashes  yield  pumpkins  ?  and 
vice  versa."  Now,  nothing  is  more  certain  than 
the  crossing  of  different  varieties  of  the  same 
species  if  one  is  fertilized  with  the  polJen  of 
another.     But  it  is  a  well  known  fact  thai   the 


(TOSS  has  no  effect  upon  the  fruit  of  the  present 
year,  but  appears  in  the  next  generation  raised 
from  the  fertilized  seed.  This  is  a  law  in  the  veg- 
etable economy,  which  should  be  familiar  to  all 
farmers  and  horticulturists.  What  thousands  of 
dollars  are  annually  lost  by  planting  seed  not 
true  to  their  kind.  Dealers  in  seeds  should  nev- 
er purchase  any  for  sale,  unless  they  know  they 
are  raised  by  persons  understanding  this  subject. 

Your  correspondent  remarks,  "I  had  supposed 
(hese  vegetables,  (pumpkins  and  squashes)  to  be 
as  different  in  their  nature,  as  are  the  African 
and  European  in  the  human  family."  Undoubt- 
edly they  are  so,  but  they  are  of  the  same  species, 
and  susceptible  of  being  crossed,  and  a  new  vari- 
(;ty  produced.  And  so  of  the  human  race,  they 
are  of  the  same  family,  and  tlierefore  varieties 
exist. 

Plants  of  one  genus  cannot  be  crossed  with 
those  of  another,  but  remain  distinct.  There  is 
no  changing  of  the  nature  of  any  plant,  or  ani- 
mal; yet  there  are  those  who  insist  that  wheat 
turns  to  chess,  and  becomes  worthless  as  a  grain. 
Hut  the  doctrine  that  wheat  turns  to  chess,  and 
Indian  corn  to  mullen,  rests  on  untenable  ground. 
A  man  has  not  the  power  to  change  the  nature 
of  any  created  thing,  but  science  gives  him  a 
most  interesting  power  to  originate  new  varieties 
of  animals  or  vegetables,  by  crossing  the  breeds 
of  the  same  species.  But  the  integrity  of  the 
Creator  remains  the  same,  and  the  awful  impress 
of  the  Creator's  hand  which  was  stamped  upon 
every  order  of  organized  life,  in  the  beginning, 
will  go  down,  unimpaired,  to  the  end  of  life. 

Dec.  3,  1857.  Lynnfield. 

Remarks. — "Lynnfield"  will  observe  that  we 
liave  omitted  one  or  two  illustrations  in  his 
article,  but  we  can  assure  him  that  it  was  not  be- 
cause we  disagree  with  him  in  opinion,  but  be- 
cause it  might  lead  to  a  discussion  not  congenial 
with  the  purposes  of  this  journal. 


DELEGATES   TO  U.  S.  AQRICIILTUIIAL 
SOCIETY. 

At  a  recent  meeting  of  the  Massachusetts  State 
Board  of  Agriculture,  held  in  this  city,  the  fol- 
lowing gentlemen  were  elected  delegates  to  at- 
tend the  annual  meeting  of  the  U.  S.  Agricultural 
Society,  which  is  to  be  held  in  Washington  on 
the  loth  of  January  next,  viz. :  Hon.  Marshall 
P.  Wilder,  Charles  L.  Flint,  Esq.,  John  Brooks, 
B.  V.  French,  Moses  Newell  and  Samuel  Chand- 
ler. As  important  matters,  affecting  the  interests 
of  the  Society  as  well  as  the  cause  of  agriculture 
throughout  the  country,  are  to  be  discussed,  it  is 
expected  that  there  will  be  a  large  attendance  at 
the  meeting. 

We  hear  that  Major  Poore,  the  efficient  Secre- 
tary of  the  Society,  has  received  the  fmal  report 
of  the  Committee  on  "Agricultural  Macliincrr 
and  Farm  Implements"  at  the  recent  exhibition 
at  Louisville,  Ky.,  and  can  reply  to  the  numerous 
"anxious  inquiries"  made  by  exhibitors. 

Applications  have  been  made  to  have  the  nex' 
exhibition  of  the  Society  in  Baltimore,  l\lCi.,  ar.I 
Chicago,  Ilk  Those  and  such  other  applications 
as  may  be  received  will  be  acted  upon  at  the  an- 
nual meeting. — Journal. 


80 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Feb. 


WB-ITE  DORKING  FOWLS. 


None  of  the  live  stock  of  our  country  is  so  gen- 
erally cultivated  and  appreciated  as  our  domes- 
tic poultry — and  no  other  affords  so  handsome  a 
profit  on  the  capital  invested.  Without  the  pres- 
ence of  cocks  and  hens  and  chickens,  the  farm 
would  be  incomplete.  Whoever  knew  a  sturdy 
man,  a  loving  woman  or  an  affectionate  child,  that 
did  not  find  pleasure  in  visiting  the  poultry-yard, 
and  in  feeding,  tending  and  cherishing  its  occu- 
pants ?  It  is  sometimes  said  that  fowls  are  stupid, 
but  that  expression  is  not  from  those  who  observe 
them  closely.  Were  thin"  ever  found  off'  guard 
when  searching  for  food  in  the  fields?  What 
means  that  warning  note  from  the  cock,  and  that 
rush  to  the  protecting  cover  of  some  friendly 
tree,  or  hedge,  or  fence?  Their  motions  were  so 
sudden  that  they  seemed  more  like  a  flash  than 
;mything  else.  But  what  was  it  for?  No  dog  or 
prowling  cat  is  near — all  is  as  still  as  the  cham- 
ber of  death, — and  yet  some  impending  danger 
has  struck  terror  into  all  !  Not  a  chick  is  seen 
vhere  numbers  quietly  chirped  to  the  mother's 


cluck  a  moment  before !  What  means  the  invert- 
ed heads  of  those  standing  under  the  tree — there 
must  be  danger  in  the  skies  !  Ah !  I  see  it. 
Away  in  the  clear  empyrean,  floating  like  gossa- 
mer on  the  air;  or  gracefully  sweeping  across  the 
heavens,  may  be  seen  the  cause  of  all  this  alarm ! 

Do  fowls  ever  fail  to  find  your  choicest  spot  of 
ground  where  your  crocuses  and  pinks  and  pan- 
sies  bloom  and  shed  their  fragrance  ?  If  they 
care  not  for  what  blooms  above,  they  well  under- 
stand what  crawls  beneath,  and  how  they  can 
procure  it !  But  we  must  not  go  farther.  Are 
they  stupid  now  ? 

After  a  trial  of  various  breeds  of  domestic 
foM-ls,  we  have  come  to  the  conclusion  that  the 
Dorkings,  beautifully  represented  in  the  cut  above, 
are  as  good  as  any,  if  not  the  best  fowls  among 
us.  They  are  of  good  size,  good  layers,  good 
mothers,  of  remarkably  good  habits  and  manners 
while  living,  and  when  dressed  for  the  table  will 
suit  master  and  mistress  too.  Their  "meat  is  fine, 
their  bodies  are  large,  and  better  proportioned 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER 


81 


than  any  others,  being  long,  full  and  well  fleshed! cup,"  or  it  may  be  eaten  in  the  pulp  wTief e Na'tiire 
in  the   breast ;    have    short   legs    and  beautiful  formed  it.     I  prefer  the   latter.     It  may  be  eaten 

alone,  or  with  bread — and  it  may  be  uncooR^dpr 


plumage,  and  with  five  instead  of  four  toes." 
The  feathers  on  many  of  them  extend  down  the 
legs  to  the  crown  of  the  toes. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
FRUITS  AND  FBI7IT  JUICES. 
Fruit  juices,  it  has  been  said,  are  the  milk  of 
age ;  thus  contradicting,   as    some  may  at    first 
think,  the  views  in  my  late  article  in  this  paper, 
on  the  use  of  the  milk  of  animals.    .. 

But   is   there,  after  all,  any    contradiction?  I 
think  otherwise.     My  main  olycct,  in  that  article. 


cooked.  Bread  and  fruit  form  one  of  the  best 
meals  for  laboring  men  and  Avomen  which  can  be 
found.  If  bread  is  the  staff  of  life  at  cvery-age, 
fruit-juices  are  its  wine,  especially  in  its  middle 
and  at  the  end. 

Many  say  they  cannot  eat  fruit,  fhe  teacher 
of  one  of  our  most  popular  female  seminaries,  one 
day  not  long  since,  told  me  this  story.  "My 
father,"  said  he,  "could  eat  fruit  all  daylong,  as  it 
were ;  but  I  can  hardly  eat  so  much  as  an  apple, 
without  suff'ering  from  it."  "Perhaps,"  said  I, 
"your  father  ate  too  much  fruit,  and  thereby-  so 
deranged  his   system  that  he  has  transmitted  to 


was  to  show  the  folly — aye,  and  the  wickedness,  you  a"  greatly   enfeebled  vitality.     But  tell  me 
too,  if  you  please — of  requiring  woman  to  spend '5f/<eji  you  eat  your  fruit."     "Why,  usually  after 
so   much  of  her   vital  energy  in  changing  milk, 
which,  when  new  from  the  cow,  is  comparatively 
good  food,  into  butter,  which  is  worse,  and  cheese, 


which  is  7mich  worse  ;  and  all  without  any  com- 
pensation. When  you  boil  a  farinaceous  article, 
as  the  potato,  or  chestnut,  or  the  wheat  kernel, 
there  is  at  least  an  apparent  gain  ;  and  so  there 
is  in  cooking  several  of  the  other  roots  besides 
the  potato  ;  as  well  as  the  Avinter  pear,  the  quince, 
and  some  of  the  other  fruits.  But  in  cooking 
milk,  so  to  call  it,  there  is  no  compensation  ;  but 
at  every  step,  a  loss.  Even  in  boiling  it,  I  sup- 
pose its  usefulness,  unless  a«  a  medicinal  agent, 
is  somewhat  impaired. 

It  will  hence,  as  I  trust,  be  clearly  seen  that  it 
was  no  part  of  my  object,  in  the  article  alluded 
to,  by  commending  milk,  to  throw  anything  else 
into  the  shade  ;  above  all,  such  an  important  item 
of  human  aliment,  as  I  conceive  fruits  to  be ;  but 
simply  to  persuade  people  to  substitute  milk  for 
its  products,  and  thus  at  once  save  themselves 
and  their  housekeepers,  and  practice  good  sound 
roundabout  economy. 

But  all  this  does  not  militate  at  all  against  the 
ancient  adage,  "Milk  for  babes,  stronger  food  for 
adults,"  or  the  more  modern  one  above  alluded  to, 
that  fruits  contain  the  milk  of  adult  life.  On  the 
contrary  I  have  taught  the  latter  doctrine,  both 
by  precept  and  example,  now  about  a  quarter  of 
a  century. 

Some  have  supposed  not  only  that  fruits  and 
fruit-juices  were  preferable,  for  all  but  children, 
to  milk  ;  but  that  there  was  an  incompatibility 
betMcen  them.  Thus  Dr.  Dewecs,  of  Philadel- 
phia, in  his  great  work  for  mothers,  says  that 
children  under  two  years  of  age  should  never  use 
any  fruit.  It  is  true  he  does  not  tell  us  why  ;  but 
it  is  quite  natural  to  suppose  it  is  because  milk 
and  fruit  are  not  apt  to  go  well  together. 

My  purpose,  at  the  present  time — in  addition 
to  making  the  above  explanation, — is  to  com- 
mend to  all  my  countrymen  who  have  passed  be- 
yond the  merest  threshold  of  infancy,  the  use  of 
fruits,  as  a  part  of  their  daily  food.  Fruits  are 
said  to  be  "gold  in  the  morning,  silver  at  noon, 
and  lead  at  night  ;"  and  I  always  prefer  to  have 
them  used  in  the  early  part  of  the  day.  Never- 
theless, when  the  supper  is  taken  early,  and  is 
not  a  bad  one  in  quality  or  quantity,  a  small  pro- 
portion of  fruit  is  occasionally  allowable,  such  as 
a  baked  apple  or  two,  or  a  few  strawberries  or 
huckleberries. 
The  fruit  juice  may  be  expressed  into  "Pharaoh's 


dinner,  or  sometimes  before  a  meal."  "Did-you 
never  eat  a  good  mellow  apple  along  with  your 
dinner,  just  as  you  would  a  potato  P"     "Xo,  nev- 

!"     "Try  one  then,  tomorrow."     "I  will." 

I  have  heard  no  more  from  the  Professor;  but 
have  no  doubt  that  by  making  fruit  a  part  of  his 
meal,  instead  of  eating  it  when  he  had  already 
eaten  enough  of  something  else,  he  has-  been 
able  to  use  it  not  only  without  unfavorabh  re- 
ports, but  even  with  great  advantage. 

Is  it  needful  that  I  should  say  it  ought  to  be 
well  masticated  ?  The  stomach  has  no  grinding 
apparatus  or  gizzard  ;  and  it  's  no  wonder  if-they 
who  swallow  large  pieces  of  crude  and  even  hard 
apple,  without  chewing  it,  have  trouble.  Every 
particle  needs  to  come  in  contact  with  the  saliva, 
as  much  as  every  particle  of  a  crust  of  bread. 

A  lady  in  West  Dedham — a  pillar  in  one  of  the 
churches  there — is  so  much  attached  to  a  bread 
and  fruit  diet,  that  she  seldom  if  ever  goes  abroad 
to  a  meeting  or  a  concert  for  females  -VN'h'ere  re- 
freshments are  taken,  without  carrying  with-'-'her 
some  apples  and  a  piece  of  bread.  She  is  now 
about  threescore  and  ten,  and  has  pursued  this 
course  for  twenty  years  or  more  ;  and  is  likely  to 
do  so  for  many  years  to  come. 

Here,  as  your  readers  will  see,  is  another  indi- 
cation of  good  to  come,  on  behalf  of  our  house- 
keepers. They  who  can  make  a  meal  of  bread 
and  apples  once  or  twice  a  d^y,  require  no  boil- 
ing water  to  cleanse  their  dishes ;  nor  any  long 
array  of  culinary  apparatus  in  cooking.  They  have 
a  sort  of  independence  of  which  the  world  that 
has  not  yet  attained  to  it  has  no  conception.  Be- 
sides, they  acquire  a  renovated  appetite,-  and  their 
gustatory  enjoyment  is  increased  from  tweuty  to 
fifty  per  cent.  W.  At  A. 

Auhurndale,  Jan.,  1858. 


Diary  for  1858, — Those  persons  who  mean 
to  keep  up  with  their  aff'airs,  and  be  prompt  at 
their  appointments,  cannot  Avith  safety  trust  to 
memory  for  all  the  demands  upon  them.  They 
must  "make  a  note"  to  refer  to.  And  what  can 
they  find  for  this,  equal  to  a  neat,  compact  and 
convenient  Diary,  for  1858,  sold  by  T.  GrooM  & 
Co.,  82  State  St.,  Boston. 


"D.  S.  G n,"  Derry,  N.  II.,   will  please 

accept  our  thanks  for  his  kind  invitation.   We 
shall  improve  the  first  opportunity  to  accept  it. 


12 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Feb 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 

THE  BERKSHIRE    AGHICULTURAL 
SOCIETY. 

My  attention  has  just  been  called  to  an  article 
in  the  December  number  of  the  Farmer,  in  refer- 
esice  to  the  history  of  this  Society,  the  conclu- 
sions of  which  I  cannot  suffer  to  pass  without 
comment.  These  conclusions,  although  justified 
by  the  unexplained  circumstances  which  appear 
on  paper,  are  unwarranted,  I  consider,  in  fact,  and 
unjust  in  their  spirit.  I  confess,  that  I  have  per- 
ceived with  regret  and  surprise,  on  more  than 
one  occasion,  the  exhibition  of  an  apparent  pur- 
pose in  the  Farmer  of  impugning  the  claims  of 
the  Berkshire  Society,  and  of  detracting  from  the 
fame  of  its  projectors. 

No  controversy  has  ever  existed  as  to  the  nom- 
inal priority  of  an  association  in  Middlesex  Coun- 
ty called  an  "Agricultural  Society."  The  old 
"Massachusetts  Agricultural  Society"  had,  I  be- 
lieve, a  still  greater  antiquity.  Mr.  Watson,  in 
his  History,  adverts  to  one,  if  not  both  of  these 
organizations,  as  having  an  existence  antece- 
dent to  the  Berkshire  Society.  Had  they,  how- 
ever, for  practical  purposes,  any  other  than  a 
mere  paper  existence  ?  In  reference  to  the  Mas- 
sachusetts Society,  Mr.  Watson  remarks  in  a 
public  address  :  "It  will  be  peculiarly  grateful 
to  every  member  of  this  society  to  know  that  the 
7n»ther  society  in  this  State  is  at  length  aroused 
from  her  lethargy,  cautiously  treading  in  your 
footsteps.  The  week  ensuing  they  will  exhibit 
their  first  cattle  shoio  at  Brighton.  They  are 
blessed  with  respectable  funds  for  years  accumu- 
lating, ftw^  q/"  no  practical  use  to  the  community 
thus  far,"  (Memoirs  Elkanah  Watson,  p.  454, 
2d  edition.)  Will  the  courteous  and  intelligent 
editor  of  the  Farmer  assert  that  these  remarks 
did  not  apply  with  equal  or  greater  force  to  the 
character  of  the  Middlesex  Society  ?  That  soci- 
ety had  doubtless  a  chartered  name,  but  did  it 
exhibit  any  vitality  ?  Had  it  impressed  any 
stamp  upon  the  husbandry  of  the  county,  had  it 
accomplished  any  act  that  communicated  progress 
or  improvement  to  the  cause  of  agriculture  or 
domestic  manufactures  ?  Had  it  infused  any  en- 
thusiasm, any  zeal,  any  increased  effort,  any  sal- 
utary emulation  in  the  agricultural  community  ? 
Had  it  in  truth  any  other  than  a  mere  paper  ex- 
istence, such  as  distinguishes  some  of  the  benev- 
olent institutions  of  the  present  day,  who  adopt 
vigorous  resolutions  without  exhibiting  any  cor- 
respondent ac'jKon  ?  Was  the  Middlesex  Society 
known  or  heard  of  beyond  its  own  circle  ?  Did  it 
present  any  programme  of  premiums,  or  had  it 
any  public  exhibition  ?  Agricultural  societies 
under  that  designation  Avere  no  novelty  even  be- 
fore the  charter  of  the  Middlesex  Society  existed. 

The  friends  of  the  Berkshire  Society  pretend 
to  no  priority  of  date,  but  rest  their  claim  for  its 
pre-eminence  upon  its  originality,  its  novel  and 
peculiar  plan,  upon  the  efficiency  and  vigor  of  its 
operations,  which  imparted  to  its  action  the  high- 
est practical  usefulness.  The  measures  of  the 
Berkshire  Society  were  original,  peculiar  and  po- 
tent, by  which  the  interest  and  pride  of  individu- 
als were  excited,  and  competition  and  emulation 
aroused.  It  engaged  the  public  attention,  enlist- 
ed the  popular  sympathy,  gave  to  the  farmer  a 
joyous  festival,  and  elevated  and  dignified  by  its 


tendencies  the  profession  of  Agriculture.  It  stim- 
ulated science  in  agriculture  and  promoted  the 
introduction  of  improved  breeds  of  animals. — 
These  features  formed  the  distinguishing  charac- 
teristics of  the  Berkshire  Society,  and  made  it  the 
model  and  exemplar  of  all  succeeding  societies 
in  the  Union.  These  facts  constitute  its  indis- 
putable claims  to  regard  and  veneration.  In  this 
aspect  it  asserts  novelty  and  originality.  It  was 
the  first  agricultural  society  not  only  of  Massa- 
chusetts, but  of  the  Union,  in  its  special  form 
and  in  its  peculiar  mode  of  operations. 

I  was  present  at  the  first  and  many  succeeding 
fairs  of  the  Berkshire  Society,  and  occupied  a  po- 
sition which  rendered  me  familiar  with  its  meas- 
ures and  history.  I  recall  the  presence  of  numer- 
ous conspicuous  and  intelligent  men,  on  these 
occasions,  from  the  eastern  sections  of  the  State, 
and  can  distinctly  recollect  the  high  encomiums 
they  were  wont  to  express  on  the  measures  of  the 
Berkshire  Society,  and  on  its  novel  and  attrac- 
tive "system,  but  never  heard  an  allusion  to  the 
existence  of  the  Middlesex  Society.  John  Adams, 
who  was  himself  at  one  time  President  of  the 
Massachusetts  Society,  in  a  letter  addressed  to 
Mr.  Watson,  ascribes  to  him  the  character  of 
"father  of  American  agricultural  societies."  (lb. 
p.  238.)  Had  the  advocates  of  the  Berkshire  Soci- 
ety asserted  its  claims  to  priority  and  originality 
as  the j'lra^  agricultural  society  formed  on  the 
modern  and  improved  system,  there  would  have 
been  no  confusion,  and  no  controversy  could  have 
occurred,  for  their  position  would  then  have  been 
impregnable.  This  high  and  enviable  attitude 
they  may  fearlessly  assume,  and  they  may  point 
with  just  pride  to  innumerable  societies  scattered 
over  the  whole  breadth  of  our  broad  country, 
whose  system  and  operations  retain  the  model 
and  reveal  the  lineaments  of  their  common  moth- 
er, and  who  unhesitatingly  trace  their  origin  to 
the  humble  society  of  Berkshire.  Can  the  Mid- 
dlesex Society  present  a  record  so  glowing  and 
honorable  ? 

The  article  I  have  referred  to,  justly  ascribes 
to  Elkanah  Watson  prominence  in  the  projection 
and  formation  of  the  Berkshire  Society,  hut  he 
had  efficient  and  patriotic  coadjutors,  some  of 
whom  y  ^t  survive.  Is  it  evincive  of  gratitude  or 
justice,  to  deprive  any  of  these  patriots  of  even  a 
single  leaf  from  the  chaplet  of  their  well-earned 
fame,  in  an  attempt  to  assert  the  prior  claim  of 
a  society  which  seems  to  have  had  a  mere  nomi- 
nal existence,  without  vitality  or  usefulness  ? 

An  efi'ort,  on  ground  like  this,  to  invalidate  the 
claims  of  the  Berkshire  Society,  appaurs  to  me 
very  like,  (comparing  small  things  wi?h  great,) 
an  attempt  to  disj)arage  the  merits  of  Columbus, 
because  the  Northmen  may  possibly  have  made 
earlier  voyages  than  the  great  Genoese  to  this 
continent.  Justice. 


Remarks. — In  the  above  article,  the  writer 
seems  to  us  to  manifest  feelings  which  are  whol- 
ly uncalled  for  by  the  subject  or  the  occasion.  He 
makes  an  allegation  against  the  Farmer,  the  truth 
of  which  we  not  only  do  not  admit,  but  which  we 
deny  in  the  most  unqualified  terms.  So  far  from 
its  having  been  "our  purpose  to  impugn  the 
claims  of  the  Berkshire  Society,  and  detract  from 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


83 


the  fame  of  its  projectors,"  we  have  always  en- 
deavored to  give  full  credit  to  this  Society,  for  its 
efficient  and  well-directed  exertions  to  advance 
the  cause  of  agriculture,  and  we  have  always 
looked  upon  its  distinguished  founder,  not  only 
with  esteem  and  respect,  but  even  with  admira- 
tion and  affection.  Having  travelled  extensively 
in  his  own  and  in  foreign  countries,  and  having 
carefully  observed  their  condition,  he  removed 
into  Berkshire  in  1807.  He  immediately  per- 
ceived the  wants  of  the  agricultural  community 
around  him,  and  set  himself  to  work  to  arouse 
the  farmers  to  a  sense  of  those  wants,  and  to  de- 
vise the  best  methods  of  supplying  them.  In  his 
patriotic  labor,  he  spared  neither  pains  nor  ex- 
pense. In  1807  he  obtained  the  first  pair  of  me- 
rinos ever  introduced  into  Berkshire.  In  the 
winter  of  1807  -8,  he  addressed  the  farmers  of 
Berkshire  on  the  subject  of  the  spread  of  merino 
sheep.  In  these  first  essays,  he  says  in  his  "His- 
tory of  Agricultural  Societies  on  the  Berkshire 
System,"  "the  following  extracts  were  an  introduc- 
tion to  the  subject  of  establishing  an  Agricidtural 
Society."  One  sentence  from  these  "Extracts"  is 
the  following :  "The  most  certain  and  direct  road 
to  eifect  this  great  object,  it  appears  to  me,  will 
be  the  organization  of  An  Agricultural  Society." 

In  1808,  he  introduced  an  improved  breed 
of  swine  into  Berkshire.  In  the  same  year, 
he  purchased  a  young  bull  of  a  celebrated 
English  stock,  with  a  view,  as  he  says,  "of  ame- 
liorating the  breed  of  cattle."  In  August,  1810, 
he  wrote  an  appeal  to  the  public,  which  he  pro- 
cured twenty-six  farmers  to  sign,  and  appointed 
a  cattle  show  to  be  held  on  the  first  of  the  follow- 
ing October,  at  Pittsfield.  This  show  was  subse- 
quently held,  and  [on  the  following  winter,  1810- 
11,]  he  says,  "we  were  incorporated  into  an  agri- 
cultui'al  society."  He  was  appointed  or  elected 
President.  On  the  24th  of  September  following, 
a  cattle  show  was  held,  which  he  opened  by  an 
address.  Of  this  he  says, — "Having  spoke  in 
public,  and  feeling  the  awkwardness  of  my  situa- 
tion, standing  before  the  multitude  I  had  been 
principally  instrumental  in  assembling,  as  a  vis- 
ionary projector, — it  was  with  infinite  difficulty  I 
could  command  my  nerves,  to  commence  and  pro- 
ceed in  my  address."  It  began  thus,  "On  ih.h  first 
occasion  of  our  meeting  as  an  Agricultural  Soci- 
ety under  the  sanction  of  law,"  &c. 

Here  we  have,  in  the  words  of  its  projector  and 
founder,  an  account  of  the  origin  and  first  meet- 
ings of  the  Berkshire  Agricultural  Society. 

Now,  then,  let  us  look  at  the  origin  of  the  Mid- 
dlesex Society,  and  it  seems  to  us  to  be  merely  a 
question  of  dates,  to  be  decided  by  the  records, 
and  one  upon  which  there  is  no  more  occasion  for 
the  exercise  of  feelings  of  jealousy,  than  there  is 
upon  any  other  question  of  dates  and  figures. 


The  Massachusetts  Society  for  Promoting  Ag- 
riculture was  incorporated  in  1792.  In  Decem- 
ber, 1793,  a  circular  was  issued  by  some  members 
of  the  Massachusetts  Society,  residing  in  Middle- 
sex county,  inviting  other  members  to  meet  at 
Chelmsford,  on  the  6th  of  January,  1794,  "to  lend 
tlieir  aid  in  forming  such  measures  as  shall  ap- 
pear calculated  to  promote,  and  in  general  to  im- 
prove the  'Hu-bandry  of  the  county.'  "  The  meet- 
ing took  place  on  the  day  appointed,  and  an  as- 
sociation was  formed,  and  the  following  preamble 
to  their  rules  and  regulations  adopted.  After  re- 
ferring to  the  recommendation  of  the  State  Soci- 
ty,  which  had  led  to  their  meeting,  they  say, 
"We,  the  subscribers,  members  of  said  society, 
dwelling  in  the  western  part  of  the  county  of 
Middlesex,  being  desirous  of  furthering  the  laud- 
able designs  of  the  said  society,  and  promoting 
to  the  utmost  of  our  power  the  Husbandry  of  our 
county,  do  hereby  associate  together  and  form 
ourselves  into  a  society,  for  the  purposes  above 
expressed,  by  the  name  and  style  of  the  Middle- 
sex Husbandmen,  and  do  adopt  and  agree  to  the 
following  rules  and  regulations." 

On  the  3d  of  February,  1794,  the  newly-formed 
society  issued  another  circular  to  many  gentle- 
men in  the  county,  inviting  them  to  become  mem- 
bers. On  the  27th  of  October,  1794,  the  society 
again  met,  and  passed  resolutions  completing 
their  organizations,  appointing  committees,  re- 
ceiving communications  upon  agrictdturcd  subjects, 
&c.  &c.  TJiese  meetings  ivere  continued  two  or 
three  times  a  year.  In  1799,  Rev.  E.  Foster,  of 
Littleton,  delivered  an  "Oration  on  Agricvilture." 
In  the  winter  of  1803-4,  the  society  was  incorpo- 
rated, and  in.  October  of  that  year,  the  first  Board 
of  Trustees  was  appointed  under  the  act  of  incor- 
poration, consisting  of  Oliver  Prescott,  Timothy 
Bigelow,  Ebenezer  Bancroft  and  Abel  Fletcher. 

Now  it  seems  to  us  that  not  another  word  is 
necessary  to  settle  this  long  mooted  question. 
The  case,  as  the  lawyers  would  say,  is  fairly  made 
out.  The  only  question  that  has  ever  been  rais- 
ed by  us,  is  clearly  settled  by  the  dates  them- 
selves, and  we  would  not  say  another  word,  only 
that  the  writer  of  the  above  has  raised  an  entire- 
ly different  question,  and  thrown  out  various  in- 
sinuations, entirely  foreign  to  the  true  question. 
The  question  which  he  discusses  relates  to  the 
comparative  merits  and  measures  and  usefulness 
of  the  two  societies.  Even  the  elder  Watson 
looked  with  feelings  of  paternity  upon  the  society 
which  he  had  organized,  and  was  disposed  to 
speak  somewhat  slightingly  of  societies  previous- 
ly existing.  He  said,  in  the  autumn  of  1816,  in 
an  address  referring  to  the  State  society,  "they 
are  blessed  with  respectable  funds  for  years  ac- 
cumulating, but  of  no  practical  use  to  the  com- 
munity thus  far."    Whether  this  was  generous 


84 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Feb. 


or  just  we  -will  not  attempt  to  decide.  Perhaps 
it  was  pardonable  In  one  who  had  spent  much 
time  and  thought  In  devising  and  carrying  into 
operation  a  plan  of  his  own,  which  was  well  adapt- 
ed to  the  wants  of  the  community  in  which  he 
dwelt,  and  Avhich  has  proved  eminently  success- 
ful. But  because  his  plan  was  a  good  one,  it  by 
no  means  follows  that  no  other  plan  could  be 
good.  We  will  not  attempt  a  defence  of  the  State 
society, — it  is  able  to  take  care  of  itself.  The  re- 
sults of  their  labors  constitute  their  best  defence. 
A  part  of  these  results  may  be  found  in  their  doz- 
en volumes,  filled  with  the  most  useful  scientific 
as  well  as  practical  matter,  a  considerable  portion 
of  which  we  understand  is  about  to  be  re-pub- 
lished in  a  new  and  attractive  form.  Nor  are  we 
called  upon  to  answer,  fully,  the  insinuations  that 
the  labors  of  the  early  members  of  the  Middlesex 
Society  were  of  little  value  to  the  county  or  the 
country.  The  highly  cultivated  fields,  the  beauti- 
ful gardens,  the  orchards  loaded  with  fruits,  and 
the  superior  stock  that  grazes  upon  *  le  hills  of 
this  county,  furnish,  perhaps,  all  the  answer  that 
is  needed. 

If  "Justice"  had  investigated  and  ascertained 
the  early  character  of  the  Middlesex  Society,  he 
would  have  found  its  affairs  conducted  by  men  of 
learning  and  intelligence,  aided  by  the  practical, 
hard-working  farmers  of  the  county ;  he  would 
have  found  them  meeting  often  for  discussion, 
comparison  of  notes  and  the  reception  of  tcritten 
reports ;  found  committees  appointed  and  charged 
with  duties  as  important  as  those  entrusted  to 
them  at  the  present  day.  Besides  all  this,  they 
made  annu  J  reports  in  writing  to  the  State  soci- 
ety, which  sjjeak  for  themselves  now,  and  which 
are  models  of  excellence.  We  also  have  reason 
to  believe  that  exhibitions  were  held  by  this  soci- 
ety previous  to  the  year  1810.  Does  this  look  as 
though  the  Middlesex  Society  had  no  other  than 
"a  mere  paper  existence  ?" 

But  we  confess  that  we  are  unable  to  see  what 
connection  these  things  have  with  the  question 
under  discussion.  If  it  is  proved,  as  it  has  been 
most  abundantly,  that  the  Northmen  visited  this 
continent  before  Columbus  was  born,  we  do  not 
see  how  this  disparages  the  merits  of  the  Genoese 
navigator.  AVhether  his  discoveries  or  theirs 
were  followed  by  the  most  important  and  perma- 
nent results,  is  another  and  entirely  distinct  ques- 
tion, and  we  can  see  no  logical  connection  be- 
tween them.  Whether  the  Middlesex  or  the  Berk- 
shire society  was  first  organized  is  one  question. 
Which  was  constructed  upon  the  best  plan,  which 
has  been  conducted  with  the  most  efficiency,  or 
followed  by  the  best  results,  are  entirely  distinct 
questions,  and  we  have  not  acuteness  enough  to 
discover  any  necessary  connection  between  them. 

For  the  writer  of  the  article  which  has  called 


forth  these  remarks,  we  have  no  other  feelings 
than  those  of  the  highest  respect  and  the  warmest 
regard,  and  with  this  expression  of  our  feelings 
we  must  dismiss  the  subject. 


JA)r  the  New  England  Farmer. 
LETTER  PROM  CONCORD,  MASS. 

It  is  refreshing  in  these  times  of  panic  and 
poverty,  to  know  of  one  factory  where  there  is  no 
discharging  of  help  just  as  winter  Is  coming  on, 
nor  any  "half-time"  or  "half-pay."  The  mill  in 
our  village  has  kept  straight  along,  and  will  con- 
tinue to  do  so.  A  few  weeks  ago,  a  fire  broke 
out  on  the  roof,  near  the  belfry,  which  threatened 
for  a  time  to  stop  the  mill  forever.  The  fu'e-en- 
glne  was  speedily  brought  to  bear  upon  the 
flames,  which  were  soon  subdued,  much  to  the  joy 
of  the  whole  village. 

Each  family  connected  with  the  mill  was  pre- 
sented with  a  fine  turkey  for  their  Thanksgiving 
dinner  by  the  owners.  The  pay-day  is  once  a 
month.  I  saw  a  poor  fainting  girl  brought  out 
of  the  weaving-room  this  afternoon  into  the  fresh 
air.  She  was  struck  on  the  head  by  a  shuttle  that 
leaped  from  the  loom.  A  few  days  ago,  a  "card 
boy,"  a  little  "off  his  guard,"  lost  the  tips  of  some 
of  his  fingers  in  his  machine. 

Wood-cutting  has  commenced  again  in  the 
neighborhood.  One  Samuel  Haynes  had  an  an- 
cle badly  crushed  this  week  by  a  tree  that  struck 
another,  and  jumped  from  the  stump. 

I  have  not  seen  the  first  ice-car  go  down-  the 
Fitchburg  railroad  this  fall.  I  suppose  the  India 
war,  and  the  dulness  of  trade  in  Boston,  will 
check  the  demand  for  ice  this  winter. 

I  have  banked  my  house  on  the  north  side 
with  saw-dust  again.  It  is  quicker  done  than  with 
dirt,  and  more  effectual.  Besides,  the  clapboards, 
are  not  stained  as  with  soil.  It  Is  good  economy 
to  put  up  extra  sashes  upon  windows  in  exposed 
places.     Wasting  fuel  is  wasting  money. 

Between  this  time,  and  the  first  of  April,  I  in- 
tend to  enjoy  my  comfortable  workshop  In  stor- 
my weather.  I  have  a  long  tin  pan  in  which  I 
oil  my  harness.  I  have  a  box  of  awls  and  thread, 
and  often  illustrate  how  "a  stitch  in  time  saves 
nine."  About  a  house  and  farm  there  are  a  great 
many  repairs  and  little  improvements  needed.  If 
one  is  remote  from  mechanics,  this  work  can  on- 
ly be  done  by  having  a  shop  and  tools.   AV.  D.  B. 


SIZE  OF  FARMS  IN  AMERICA. 

In  the  wheat  region,  south  of  Lake  Ontario, 
tlie  farms  are  usually  from  150  to  200  acres  in 
extent,  though  many  are  much  larger.  The  farm- 
houses are  roomy  and  comfortable,  impress'Ing 
one  favorably  with  the  condition  of  the  occupants. 
The  female  members  of  the  family  have  ample 
employment  in  the  cleaning  and  cooking  depart- 
ments, and  the  table  at  the  dlflferent  meals  is 
loaded  with  a  profusion  of  dishes.  House-ser- 
vants are  dispensed  with  as  far  as  possible. 
Butcher-meat  appears  at  breakfast,  dinner,  and 
supper.  The  Americans  no  doubt  eat  a  vast  deal 
loo  much  of  such  stimulating  food.  Indeed,  I  do 
not  think  that  any  class  in  England  consumes  so 
much  butcher-meat  as  all  classes  do  here.     It  is 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


85 


a  remarkable  circumstance  that  farms  have  a  ten- 
dtmcy  to  decrease  in  size  more  rapidly  Avhere  the 
land  is  poor  than  where  it  is  rich. — North  Amer- 
ica ;  its  Agriculture  and  Climate,  hy  Eohert 
liussell. 


SCIENTIFIC  FAKMINQ. 

AVe  take  the  following  extract  from  a  pamphlet 
by  Mr.  T.  Dyke  Acland,  recently  published  in 
England : 

"If  we  consider  on  what  powers  of  nature  hu- 
man food  depends,  it  is  surprising  how  many  de- 
partments of  knowledge  may  contribute  some- 
thing to  the  result.  How  plants  grow — and  how 
animals  feed — why  some  thrive  and  others  are 
stunted — are  questions  as  yet  imperfectly  an- 
swered ;  but  they  are  the  subject  matter  of  the 
science  of  Physiology  ;  a  science,  the  comprehen- 
sion of  which  implies  an  accurate  knowledge  of 
Chemistry  and  of  the  general  principles  of  Nat- 
ural Philosophy.  The  constitution  of  the  soil, 
the  varieties  of  strata,  are  taught  by  Mineralogy 
and  Geology.  Draining,  in  its  present  advanced 
state,  depends  on  the  laws  of  Hydrostatics.  The 
economy  of  farm  labor  requires  the  skilful  ap- 
plication of  the  laws  of  Mechanics.  These  are 
all  matters  of  fact,  plain,  broad  and  palpable, 
entering  into  the  simplest  arrangements  of  a  well- 
conducted  farm.  But  if  we  go  on  to  more  deli- 
cate subjects,  how  much  is  the  produce  of  the 
farm  affected  by  the  principles  of  Heat  and  Light, 
perhaps  of  Electricity,  by  the  complicated  agen- 
cies of  climate  included  in  the  province  of  Me- 
teorology !  To  the  subject  already  named  must 
be  added  the  diseases  of  vegetables  and  animals, 
and  the  intricate  questions  involved  in  the  art  of 
high-breeding.  In  addition  to  Avhat  belongs  to 
agriculture  as  a  food-producing  art,  the  farmer 
requires  knowledge  of  the  principles  M'hich  affect 
the  rates  of  wages,  profits,  rents  —  principles 
taught  by  Political  Economy,  but  having  a  most 
important  bearing  on  the  question,  'Will  it  pay  ?'  " 

Although  we  would  not  argue  that  every  farm- 
er should  endeavor  to  become  a  Meteorologist, 
Electrician,  etc.,  or,  as  Professor  Mapes  says, 
study  medicine  with  the  view  of  being  his  own 
doctor,  or  law  to  obviate  the  necessity  of  employ- 
ing a  legal  practitioner  a  few  times  during  his 
life,  or  theology  with  the  sola  view  of  rendering 
the  clergyman  a  supernumerary,  still  we  cannot 
help  thinking  that  all  general  information,  and 
the  more  exact  the  better,  has  a  very  material 
tendency,  if  properly  applied,  to  prove  conducive 
to  the  farmer's  best  interests.  Every  cultivator 
desires  to  obtain  from  the  soil,  at  the  slightest 
expense  and  injury  to  the  source  of  production, 
the  largest  amount  of  crops.  In  order  to  accom- 
plish this  result,  unless  his  means  are  very  limit- 
ed, there  are  few  intelligent  men  who  will  "dispute 
the  necessity  of  being  familiar  with  general  prin- 
ciples in  the  various  departments  of  his  profes- 
sion. The  man  who  grows  crops  should  under- 
stand the  nature  of  soils,  which  certainly  includes 
more  research  than  would  enable  him  to  arrive 
at  the  sage  conclusion  that  one  is  sandy,  and 
another  clayey,  etc.  Then  what  should  be  the 
extent  of  the  farmer's  education  ?  Who  will  an- 
swer the  question  ?  One  person  is  found  fault 
with  for  being  too  scientific,  another  for  being 
too  practical.     Now  suppose  these  two  classes  of 


gentlemen  would  shake  hands  with  each  other, 
having  as  their  motto  Practice  and  Science,  and 
casting  away  the  baneful  influence  of  prejudice, 
seek  to  gather  and  apply  knowledge  for  its  own 
dear  sake,  we  might  hope  for  rapid  progress  in 
mental  acquisition,  national  wealth  and  prosperi- 
ty. If  the  farmer  were  not  placed  in  such  close 
proximity  with  almost  every  department  of  sci- 
ence, in  a  word,  with  Nature's  endlessly  beautiful 
and  diversified  works,  it  would  not  be  difficult  to 
define  what  should  be  the  extent  of  his  education. 
Let  us  apply  truths  as  fast  as  discovered,  and  not 
find  fault  with  the  man  of  science  because  he 
cannot  supplant  the  Divine  Architect.  Although 
it  would  be  impossible  for  any  agriculturist  dur- 
ing his  natural  life  to  study  any  one  department 
bearing  on  his  calling  to  its  fullest  extent,  still 
we  do  not  ourselves,  and  are  afraid  never  will, 
possess  the  necessary  information  to  advise  when 
he  should  cease  to  explore,  and  grieve  over  the 
exhaustion  of  the  realms  of  knowledge. — Worlc- 
ing  Farmer. 

For  tJie  New  England  Farmer. 
THE  THINGS  I  BAISE— NO.  6. 

myatt's  victoria  bhubakb. 
This  is  a  large,  and  perhaps  on  the  whole,  the 
best  variety,  though  it  is  not  as  high  flavored  as 
some,  and  is  more  acid.  Large  crops  can  be  raised 
with  proper  attention.  It  is  necessary  to  trans- 
plant often,  or  thin  out  in  some  way,  as  the  stools 
become  large  and  the  stalks  will  consequently  be 
small.  It  will  bear  manuring  very  heavily.  It 
should  be  put,  if  possible,  on  rather  moist,  though 
not  wet  land.  I  consider  this  crop  a  profitable 
one  for  the  market  gardener. 

LINN.EUS    rhubarb. 
This  is  a  newer   and  smaller  variety  than  the 
preceding,  and  better  in  quality,  though  less  prof- 
itable for  market.     It  is  some  days  earlier  than 
the  Victoria.  Should  recommend  it  for  home  use. 

SEYMOUR'S  SUPERB  CELERY. 
A  very  fine  variety  growing  large  and  solid.  I 
have  raised  it  three  feet  long,  and  blanched  twen- 
ty-two inches  high,  white  as  snow.  This  plant 
requires  a  rich,  moist,  well-pulverized  soil,  and 
should  be  kept  well  hoed  and  free  of  weeds,  but 
not  earthed  or  hilled  up  until  three  or  four  weeks 
before  it  is  dug.  I  am  aware  that  this  is  contrary 
to  usual  practice,  but  nevertheless  a  very  good 
way,  the  best  in  my  judgment.  Let  it  be  tried, 
and  each  one  judge  for  himself.  I  am  confident 
they  never  will  return  to  the  old  method  of  hill- 
ing up  during  the  season,  and  thus  causing  the 
celery  to  rust  and  become  worm  eaten. 

cole's   dwarf   CELERY 

Is  a  dwarf  variety  of  very  good  quality,  grows 
short  and  quite  stout.  I  treat  it  in  the  same  way 
as  the  above  named  sort. 

drumhead   savoy   CABBAGE. 

This  is  a  hybrid,  a  cross  between  the  Drumhead 
and  Savoy,  having  the  size  and  shape  of  the  for- 
mer, and  the  curly  appearance  and  good  quality 
of  the  latter.  I  regard  it  as  one  of  the  most,  if 
not  the  most  profitable  cabbages  grown.  They 
head  remarkably  well,  not  surpassed  in  this  re- 
spect by  any  except  the  Winnigstadt.  I  have 
grown  it  three  or  four  years  with  uniformly  good 


86 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Feb. 


success.  It  did  better  than  any  of  twelve  sorts 
I  raised  this  season,  and  I  do  not  hesitate  to  say 
that  it  is  not  surpassed  as  a  market  cabbage  by 
any  variety  I  am  acquainted  with.  I  think  it  is 
difficult  to  procure  true  seed,  though  it  may  be 
had  at  some  of  the  seed  stores.  I  raise  my  own 
seed. 

GREEN  GLOBE  SAVOY. 
A  very  nice  variety  of  cabbage,  being  very  cur 
ly  and  of  fine  flavor.  It  does  not  head  very  well. 
It  is  exceedingly  difficult  to  get  good  seed,  judg- 
ing f^oni  my  success  for  a  tew  years  past.  It  does 
not  usually  grow  large,  and  in  shape  is  somewhat 
conical.  For  home  use  it  is  one  of  the  best,  if 
pure  seed  can  be  had. 

LATE   DUTCH   CAULIFLOWER. 

I  have  given  this  sort  a  fair  trial,  and  am  satis 
fied  it  is  a  good  one.  The  seed  was  obtained  of 
Nourse  &  Co.,  Eagle  Warehouse,  and  was  good  ; 
almost  every  plant  produced  a  head,  which  is  rare, 
unless  the  seed  is  good.  The  cauliflower  is  one 
of  the  most  delicious  vegetables  known,  and  is 
not  properly  esteemed.  It  is  far  superior  to  the 
best  cabbage  ever  raised.      James  F.  C.  Hyde. 

Neicton  Centre,  Dec.  22,  1857. 


YOUNG  "WOMEN'S  PAKT  IN  LIFE. 

There  is  something  in  a  pleasant  faced  damsel 
which  takes  a  young  man's  eye — whether  he  will 
or  no.  It  may  be  magnetism.  It  may  be  the 
sympathy  of  that  which  is  beautiful  in  men's  na 
lures  for  that  which  is  lovely  in  women's.  The 
women  have  great  power  over  the  sex  called  stern- 
er. Particularly  so,  if  they  be  young,  pretty,  and 
marriageable.  Young  women  !  do  you  know  that 
it  is  you  who  are  to  mold  some  man's  life  ?  Have 
you  ever  thought  of  the  responsibility  that  at- 
taches to  you  long  before  you  are  married?  A 
word  you  may  say  to  a  young  man  whom  you  may 
never  marry  nor  even  see  a  second  time,  will  pos- 
sibly exert  an  influence  over  his  life  that  you 
don't  dream  of !  A  smile  does  Avonders  in  light- 
ing up  the  dark  corners  of  a  man's  soul — a  word 
in  the  right  place  may  electrify  his  whole  being. 
A  wrong  influence  will  do  more  damage  in  a  sin- 
gle instant  than  a  life  time  may  correct,  llie 
fasMonable  extravagance  of  a  large  majority  of 
the  young  women,  in  town  and  country,  frightens 
young  men  away  from  all  intention  of  matrimony, 
leads  them  to  look  upon  the  whole  sex  with  dis- 
trust, and  drives  them  to  scenes  where  they  are 
not  bound  hand  and  foot  by  the  unreasonable  de- 
mands of  wives  who  would  spend  faster  than  they 
could  make.  And  the  fact  that  this  tendency 
shows  signs  of  increase  makes  the  case  worse. 
The  fever  of  fashionable  dress,  the  ignorance  ot 
housewifery  accomplishments,  the  lack  of  the  pe- 
culiar home-virtues  that  are  calculated  to  make  a 
home  lovely — infect  the  villages  now-a-days  as 
they  do  in  the  city. 

When  an  earnest,  energetic,  hard-working,  sen- 
sible young  fellow,  who  is  in  search  of  a  wife, 
sees  this,  he  fears  and  hesitates,  refuses  to  marry 
at  all  perhaps,  and  so  does  only  half  the  good  he 
could  in  the  world — simply  because  he  has  no  no- 
tion of  fulfilling  the  homely  but  very  truthful 
adage  which  tells  of  placing  a  man's  nose  contin- 
ually upon  the  grindstone.  We  commend  the 
subject  to  the  regards  of  our  young  women  read- 


ers. Let  them  cultivate  the  domestic  virtues — 
make  themselves  true  Avomen — knoAv  a  woman's 
duties — cherish  their  hands  less  and  their  intellect 
more — and  their  lot  Avill  be  happier  and  better. 
More  than  this,  they  Avill  find  that  there  are  mates 
in  the  Avorld  for  them,  and  those  Avorth  having. 
Will  not  mothers  bring  the  true  mode  of  life  be- 
fore their  daughters  in  the  light  in  Avhich  it  ought 
to  be  shoAvn — Avhich  is  nothing  more  than  that  of 
common-sense.  That  is  the  rarest  of  virtues  ;  more 
valuable  because  there  is  comparatively  little  of 
it  to  be  found. — Germantoum  Telegraph. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
TOBACCO. 

It  may  be  knoAA'n  to  some  of  your  readers  that 
one  of  the  staples  of  the  Connecticut  valley  is 
tobacco,  and  yet  feAv  know  any  thing  of  its  cul- 
ture. I  jjropose  very  briefly  to  give  my  experi- 
ence. 

Tobacco  seed  is  the  smallest  that  I  know  of.  It 
is  said  that  a  thimblefull  will  produce  plants 
enough  to  set  an  acre.  About  3500  plants  will 
grow  upon  an  acre.  Fresh  seed  is  best,  but  seed 
five  years  old  will  groAV,  though  it  Avill  take  long- 
er to  germinate.  As  soon  as  the  frost  leaves  the 
ground,  select  a  rich,  Avarm,  sunny  place,  for  a 
seed-bed.  Some  sow  in  the  fall  of  the  year  Avith 
good  success.  The  plants  are  thinned,  Aveeded, 
and  watered  freely  till  about  the  middle  of  June. 
Then  begin  to  set  in  squares  about  three  feet 
apart.  Finish  setting  previous  to  the  4th  of  July, 
hoe,  Avorm  and  sucker  the  crop  all  you  can  aff'ord 
time,  till  the  1st  of  September.  From  then,  till 
the  frost  comes,  cut  the  plants  up  by  the  roots  and 
hang  them  bottom  upwards  in  barns  and  sheds. 
No  other  care  is  requisite  till  the  damp,  rainy 
weather  of  early  Avintcr,  Avhen,  if  sufficiently  dried 
it  is  taken  doAvn,  stripped,  sorted  and  packed.  It 
is  then  ready  for  market.  The  product  of  an 
acre  under  good  cultivation  is  often  2000  lbs. 
Tobacco  likes  a  rich,  heavy  loam,  though  it  will 
do  Avell  on  lighter  soils  if  thoroughly  manured. 

At  the  present  time,  the  tobacco  groAvers  are 
generally  stripping  the  stalks. 

From  curiosity,  I  Aveighed  one  of  my  largest 
plants  Avhen  first  cut,  Avhen  ready  to  strip  and.  af- 
ter stripping,  Avith  the  folloAving  result : 

The  whole  plant,  green 1%  'bs. 

The  whole  plant,  dried 2i    " 

The  leaves,  without  the  stalks J    " 

Some  people  have  conscientious  scruples  about 
raising  tobacco,  and  class  the  business  Avith  gam- 
bling and  rum-selling.  There  is  room  for  argu- 
ment on  both  sides  of  the  question.  One  thing 
is  sure — it  pays  Avell,  and  that  is  the  chief  end  of 
all  labor.  More  anon.     James  Neavton  Bagg. 

West  Springfield,  Nov.  17,  1857. 


Fine  Hogs. — Mr.  Galutia  Heath,  of  Con- 
cord, Mass.,  recently  slaughtered  a  hog  14  months 
old,  AA'hich  Aveighed,  Avhen  dressed,  575  pounds. 

ISIr.  C.  P.  Blake,  of  Epping,  N.  H.,  slaugh- 
tered six,  all  of  one  litter,  whose  average  age 
was  16  months,  and  which  weighed  as  follows: 
427,  497,  625,  525,  530  and  340  pounds  !  making 
in  aggregate  of  2,944  pounds. 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


87 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
SWITZERLAND. 
LETTER   FROM   MR.   FRENCn. 

My  Dear  Brown  :— If  I  had  the  least  idea 
here  I  am,  my  letter  should  commence  with  the 
usual  date,  but  probably  no  map  contains  the 
name  of  the  "Hotel  de  Tours,"  up  by  the  north 
side  of  the  Gemmi  Pass  in  Switzerland.  The 
place  that  has  a  name,  through  which  we  last 
passed  in  coming  here  from  Interlaker,  is  Kander- 
steg,  a  mile  or  so  from  this  Hotel  of  the  Bear. 
We  have  all  heard  of  the  corners  of  the  earth, 
and  people  sometimes  speak  of  the  end  of  the 
road,  but  I  never  fully  realized  the  force  of  the 
terms  until  now.  We  drove  horses  until  we  found 
no  passage  farther.  We  got  into  the  gorge  of 
the  mountains'  till  a  carriage  could  proceed  no 
longer,  till  the  road  ended  at  this  same  house, 
and  now  when  it  stops  raining,  we  are  to  mount 
those  gallant  animals  called  mules,  and  cross  the 
mountain  pass,  where  there  is  room  enough  to 
ride,  and  where  there  is  but  a  step  of  three  feet 
width  on  the  face  of  the  precipice,  we  are  advised 
to  walk.  AVhen  it  stops  raining,  "Ay,  there's 
the  rub !"  Here  it  is  the  9th  day  of  August,  and 
the  weather  just  now  is  such  that  I  am  sitting 
with  my  hat  and  a  large  shawl  on,  shivering  with 
cold,  in  a  house  where  there  are  no  stoves  or  fire- 
places, except  one  in  the  kitchen.  I  can  look 
out  at  the  window  and  see  the  mountain  tops 
white  with  snow,  and  I  can  imagine  you  and  the 
rest  of  New  England  sweltering  in  an  August 
sun;  but  Shakespeare  or  somebody  intimates  that 
a  man  cannot  wallow  comfortably  in  December's 
snows  "by  thinking  on  the  genial  summer's  heat." 

For  comfort,  a  man's  home  is  the  best  place, 
but  if  his  object  is  to  see  Switzerland,  propably 
my  present  position  is  preferable  to  old  Exeter. 
Yes,  here  is  Switzerland,  with  her  mountains 
piled  Alps  upon  Alps  till  the  snow  lies  basking 
in  the  sun  all  the  summer  long,  and  finds  in  her 
cold  bosom  no  answering  thrill  of  warmth  to  all 
his  ardent  wooing.  And  close  past  the  door  rush- 
es a  foaming  mountain  torrent,  cold  from  the  gla- 
ciers this  very  morning,  roaring,  and  leaping  from 
precipice  to  precipice,  in  haste  to  find  the  fair, 
warm  valley  below.  Strawberries  are  just  in  sea- 
son here,  grown  on  the  wild  hillsides.  Abundance 
of  trout  find  their  way  from  their  native  element 
to  our  table,  taken  from  the  stream  which  never 
dries,  but  increases  more  and  more  by  summer's 
sun. 

Yes,  Switzerland  is  here,  out  at  my  window, 
where  the  mountains  rise  almost  to  the  clouds ; 
almost  did  I  say  ? — at  this  moment  while  I  write, 
as  I  turn  my  glance  towards  them,  their  heads 
are  veiled  by  the  white  clouds  that  have  been  just 
thrown  over  them  by  their  servants,  the  winged 
winds.  Last  night  I  sought,  as  I  always  do,  when 


far  from  home,  for  the  constellations  which  from 
youth  to  manhood  I  have  watched  at  evening,  for 
the  stars,  which  of  all  things  created  change  not, 
which  look  kindly  and  peacefully  down  upon  our 
upturned  faces  in  age  as  in  youth,  which  when  a 
thousand  leagues  are  between  u«  and  our  loved 
ones,  are  to  us  and  them  alike,  when  we  Avatch 
them  from  the  steamer's  deck  in  the  midst  of  the 
pathless  sea,  or  from  the  mountain  peaks  of  the 
Alps,  the  same  now  as  when  they  sang  together  for 
joy  at  the  first  creation.  Last  night  I  sought  to 
bid  them  good-night  from  this  valley,  but  the  walls 
of  rock  which  guard  the  mountain  stream  rose  up 
almost  to  the  zenith  on  the  East,  and  the  West 
was  hidden  by  the  mountain  peaks.  The  Great 
Bear  and  the  North  Star,  however,  were  in  their 
places  in  view,  and  the  Cross  was  overhead,  and 
so  satisfied  that  the  great  landmarks  of  the  Uni- 
verse had  not  been  removed,  and  feeling  that  the 
same  Heaven  was  above  me  and  my  friends  in  my 
native  land,  I  sought  and  found  repose. 

There  is  much  of  poetry  still  about  Switzer- 
land, with  more  of  sober  prose.  A  glance  at  her 
mountain  fastnesses,  and  at  her  cottages  scattered 
upon  her  green  hills  rising  almost  to  the  eternal 
snows,  explains  why  she  can  never  be  subdued. 
As  well  might  a  disciplined  army  wage  war  against 
the  chamois  on  her  rocks,  as  against  the  Swiss 
hunter,  more  fleet  even  than  the  mountain  deer. 

I  saw,  this  morning,  a  mountaineer  who  had 
brought  the  baggage  of  a  traveller  a  six  hours' 
journey  across  the  Pass  of  the  Gemmi,  keeping 
pace  with  the  fastest  walker  of  an  English  par- 
ty, and  far  outstripping  the  horses  and  mules  of 
those  who  rode.  I  tried  the  burden  which  h® 
bore  so  lightly  partly  on  his  head  and  partly  on 
his  back,  and  found  it  almost  beyond  my  strength 
to  lift,  and  was  told  that  the  same  man  could  ea- 
sily carry  two  hundred  pounds,  and  keep  pace 
with  any  traveller  along  those  frightful  paths,  for 
the  whole  six  hours. 

There  is  patriotism  left  yet  in  Switzerland. — 
Tell  and  his  brave  exploits  are  pictured  not  only 
on  his  chapel,  which  I  saw  by  Lake  Lucerne, 
where  he  leaped  from  the  boat,  leaving  his  captors 
to  buffet  the  storm  as  they  might,  but  on  the  walls 
of  hotels  and  of  cottages  ;  and  the  spirit  of  Tell 
was  found  not  to  be  sleeping  when  Switzerland 
was  recently  threatened  with  invasion. 

But  freedom  and  poverty  ever  go  hand  in  hand ; 
freedom  and  a  hard,  ungenerous  soil,  seem  to  b« 
the  compensations  set  against  each  other  by  na- 
ture's equal  law.  Although  Switzerland  is  the 
land  of  the  vine,  and  although  her  hills  and  val- 
leys are  adapted  to  the  culture  of  as  great  a  vari- 
ety of  fruits  and  other  products  as  any  other 
country  in  the  world,  yet  she  is  and  must  ev- 
er remain  a  poor  country.  Her  institutions  are 
fi-ee,  her  children  are  well  educated,  but  her  so^ 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Feb. 


is  sterile  and  hard,  and  her  population  is  already 
too  great  to  subsist  well  upon  the  small  propor- 
tion of  arable  land  within  her  borders. 

In  the  midst  of  the  last  paragraph,  the  sound 
of  many  voices  singing  the  wild  notes  so  peculiar 
to  the  Swiss,  called  me  down  to  the  common  room 
of  the  hotel.  About  fifteen  young  men  and  maid- 
ens from  the  neighboring  village  of  Frutigen  had 
come  down  for  a  visit,  and  were  sitting  round  a 
long  table,  which  was  covered  with  bottles  of 
wine  and  glasses,  singing  in  their  own  language, 
which  is,  I  believe,  a  sort  of  German,  the  songs 
of  their  native  hills.  Some  of  their  music  was 
very  striking.  The  peculiar  falsetto  which  we 
have  often  heard  in  the  streets  in  America,  from 
the  Swiss  singers,  is  the  characteristic  of  their 
songs.  A  wild,  loud  chorus,  like  the  warbling  of 
a  lark  as  he  mounts  heavenward,  closes  almost 
every  stanza.  The  strangers,  guests  in  the  house, 
thronged  around  and  contributed  to  the  payment 
of  the  bill  for  refreshments  by  laying  a  few  shil- 
lings in  silver  on  the  table,  to  which  no  objection 
was  made.  At  the  close  of  one  of  the  songs,  one 
of  the  men,  who  appeared  to  be  the  leader  of  the 
band  of  singers,  turned  to  us  and  inquired  in 
pretty  good  English,  if  there  was  any  Amer- 
ican in  our  number.  I  replied  that  I  was  an 
American,  and  the  only  one  in  the  house.  He 
said,  "I  am  an  American  too,  and  I  am  glad  to 
see  you,  sir."  He  took  me  by  the  hand,  and  held 
me  a  long  time,  seeming  really  affected  at  the 
meeting.  The  music  was  hushed  while  he  inform- 
ed me  that  he  was  born  in  Switzerland,  but  was  ta- 
ken to  America,  to  the  State  of  Ohio,  by  his 
father,  who  bought  a  thousand  acres  of  land  there, 
that  he  had  lived  in  America  fifteen  years,  and 
had  returned  nine  years  ago  to  Switzerland  to 
live  with  a  wealthy  uncle ;  that  his  father  had  died, 
but  his  mother  and  brothers  and  sisters  still  re- 
mained prosperous,  where  he  hoped  soon  to  join 
them.  He  said  he  had  seen  but  tl^ii-ee  persons 
who  spoke  English  in  all  the  nine  years,  and  he 
repeated  many  times,  "I  am  glad  to  see  you,  sir, 
I  am  glad  to  see  an  American."  He  said  he  had 
been  naturalized,  and  asked,  "How  does  our  new 
President  get  along  with  the  government  ?"  He 
asked  me  to  drink  wine  with  him,  and  standing 
in  the  midst  of  the  Swiss  singers  and  several 
English  gentlemen  and  ladies,  we  touched  our 
glasses,  according  to  the  custom  of  the  country, 
and  drank  to  the  sentiment  which  I  proposed,  and 
he  repeated  to  his  friends,  "The  free  countries, 
America  and  Switzerland."  I  afterwards  had  a 
few  minutes'  conversation  with  him  alone,  and 
asked  as  to  the  condition  of  Switzerland.  He 
says  the  government  is  good  and  the  people  in- 
telligent, but  that  they  are  poor.  The  land  is 
generally  owned  by  those  who  till  it,  but  they 
have  usually  but  three  or  four  acres  ;  that  many 


of  the  farms  are  mortgaged  to  gentlemen  in 
Berne,  and  the  owners  have  great  difficulty  in 
paying  their  interest,  and  so  they  struggle  on  in 
poverty.  He  says  many  have  been  injured  by 
strong  drink,  and  that  the  number  of  paupers  is 
very  great,  and  is  a  h^avy  tax  on  the  people. 

It  is  manifest  at  once  to  the  traveller  that  there 
is  great  poverty  in  thi'  land.  At  almost  every 
step  old  men,  women  and  children  are  begging 
for  alms.  A  great  many  persons  of  both  sexes 
are  seen  with  large  swellings  on  the  neck,  some 
of  them  almost  frightful  in  size.  It  is  not  un- 
common to  see  two  or  three  women  thus  afflicted 
in  a  company  of  half  a  dozen  of  the  decent,  re- 
spectable population.  It  is  attributed  by  many 
to  the  use  of  the  snow  water  which  comes  down 
from  the  mountains.  Whatever  it  juay  be,  it  is  a 
sore  dispensation  upon  the  people  of  Switzer- 
land. 

I  have  referred  to  the  use  of  Avine  in  these 
wine-growing  countries.  Two  kinds  are  in  com- 
mon use,  the  red  and  white.  They  are  kept  for 
common  use  in  casks  like  cider,  which  they  very 
much  resemble  in  taste  and  in  strength,  though  I 
think  the  common  white  wine  here  has  not  so  much 
intoxicating  eff'ect  as  common  cider  of  New  Eng- 
land. It  is  at  some  hotels  put  on  the  table  with- 
out extra  charge,  a  pint  bottle  to  each  guest. 
The  common  price  of  the  cheap  wine  is  about 
twenty  cents  a  quart  bottle.  The  same  wine  is 
kept  a  year  or  two,  and  sold  under  different  names, 
at  three  or  four  times  as  much. 

I  called  for  different  kinds  at  one  small  hotel 
on  the  road,  and  the  charge  was  twice  as  much 
for  one  as  the  other  kind,  and  thf  landlady  con- 
fessed, upon  my  telling  her  that  they  were  the 
same,  that  all  the  difference  was  that  the  best 
was  a  year  the  older.  The  hotel  cards  offer  wines 
at  all  prices,  from  twenty  cents  to  two  dollars. 
The  cheap  wines  are  in  very  common  use,  and  in 
my  judgment  are  infinitely  better  than  the  stupify- 
ing  beer  of  the  English  and  Germans. 

Wine-making  is  becoming  a  considerable  bus- 
iness in  America,  and  the  question  whether  the 
use  of  light  wines  tends  to  promote  temperance 
or  intemperance  is  open  for  discussion.  With  a 
view  to  this  question,  I  have  made  it  a  point  to 
test  the  wines  in  common  use  where  I  have  trav- 
elled. Leaving  myself  at  liberty  to  refer  to  the 
subject  again,  I  will  close  abruptly  at  the  end  of 
my  paper.  Your  friend, 

II.  F.  French. 


MOKTAB. 

The  ancients  made  a  kind  of  mortar  so  very 
hard  and  binding,  that  it  is  now  found  to  be  al- 
most impossible  to  separate  the  parts  of  some  of 
their  buildings.  The  lime  used  in  these  harder 
mortars  is  said  to  have  been  prepared  from  the 
very    hardest    stones,  sometimes    from  marble. 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


89 


Fine  sand  makes  weak,  and  coarse  sand  strong 
mortars,  and  the  sand  should  be  washed  before^ 
mixing,  to  obtain  the  large  grains.  The  lime 
should  be  thoroughly  burned^  and  perfectly  white. 
'I'iie  principle  on  which  it  hardens  is,  that  the 
lime  absorbs  carbonic  acid  from  the  air,  and  har-l 
(lens,  forming  a  concrete  round  the  grains  ofj 
sand.  It  was  customary  to  mix  with  the  lime  and 
sand,  chopped  straw,  but  cow's  hair  has  been 
substituted  ;  this  is  only  introduced  to  cause  it 
lo  bind  together,  and  prevent  cracking  in  the 
drying.  It  is  only  used  for  the  prime  coat. — Sci- 
eniific  Amcncan. 


BXTKACTS  AND  BEPLIES. 
WATER  PIPES. 

I  have  laid  about  two  miles  of  log  pipe,  to 
furnish  the  city  of  Portland  with  water.  The 
fountain  head  is  not  sufficient,  and  another  pipe 
will  be  laid  down.  I  wish  to  know  whether  clay 
pipe  will  do,  and  what  pressure  it  will  bear.  The 
pipe  can  be  made  here.         John  S.  Hawkins. 

Portland,  Oregon  Tar.,  Nov.,  1857. 

Remarks. — We  have  no  doubt  but  clay  pipe 
will  answer  for  aqueduct  purposes ;  that  is,  to 
convey  water  from  a  fountain  down  hill,  by  its 
own  gravity.  But  common,  soft  burned  clay  pipe 
would  not  bear  much  piessure ;  we  have  no  data 
at  hand  to  show  how  much  ;  nor  can  that  be  done 
with  any  certainty,  as  there  would  be  so  much 
difference  in  the  pipe  itself.  We  have  no  doubt, 
however,  but  you  can  use  good  clay  pipe  for  com- 
mon aqueduct  purposes,  and  find  them  durable 
and  economical. 

ROOTS  FOR  STOCK,  AND  MACHINES  TO  CUT  THEM. 

You  will  very  much  oblige  one,  and  perhaps 
many  of  the  readers  of  your  paper,  by  giving 
your  opinion  as  to  the  best  method  of  preparing 
turnips,  carrots,  ruta-bagas,  &c.,  for  food  for  stock. 
Also,  by  giving  a  description  of  some  of  the  best 
machines  for  cutting  such  roots,  with  cost  of  ma- 
chines, and  any  other  information  relating  to  the 
subject.  s. 

West  Salisbw-y,  Vt.,Dec.,  1857. 

Remarks. — At  present,  with  the  high  prices  of 
fuel  to  cook  roots  in  common  boilers,  and  the 
want  of  some  simple,  cheap,  yet  effective  mode  of 
steaming  them,  we  think  roots  may  be  most  use- 
fully fed  to  cattle  in  a  raw  state.  But  they  should 
be  cut  into  such  pieces  as  to  become  easy  to  get 
at  for  the  animal,  whether  it  be  horse,  ox,  cow, 
tsheep  or  lambs.  To  accoijiplish  this  we  use  now, 
daily,  Willard's  Patent  Boot  Cutter.  A  figure  of 
this  machine,  together  with  a  description  of  it, 
may  be  found  In  the  Monthly  Farmer  for  De- 
cember, 1857,  and  we  believe  no  man  who  feeds 
OTit  many  roots  can  afford  to  be  without  it. 

now  TO  raise  pop  corn. 

I  will  inform  your  "Subscriber"  how  to  raise 
p  p  corn.  Plow  the  ground  well ;  put  one 
shovel  full  of  manure  in  each  hill,  or  spread  four 


shovels  full  to  each  hill,  and  harrow  the  ground  ; 
soak  the  corn  in  copperas  water,  allowing  one 
table  spoonful  to  one  peck  of  corn  ;  hoe  three 
times,  and  you  will  have  a  good  crop  of  corn,  if 
the  weeds  are  kept  down  and  the  season  is  only 
tolerably  faithful. 

My  father  raised  marrowfat  squashes  and 
good  white  beans,  planted  the  fourth  day  of  July, 
and  both  got  ripe.  SoPIIIA. 

Mcthuen,  Dec.  28. 

large   CROPS   OF   CARROTS. 

In  the  Farmer  of  this  date  is  a  speculation  by 
Mr.  I).,  of  Hopkinton,  wherein  he  thinks  it  will 
be  in  his  power  to  raise  2000  bushels,  or  50  tons 
of  carrots,  to  an  acre,  in  the  course  of  another 
year.  Having  had  some  experience  in  the  cul- 
ture of  the  carrot,  and  never  having  witnessed 
the  growth  of  more  than  35  tons,  or  1400  bushels, 
to  an  acre,  in  one  season,  he  will  excuse  me  for 
saying  that  what  he  states  is  "much  easier  said 
than  done."  From  the  success  with  which  he  has 
cultivated  small  parcels,  year  after  year,  I  can- 
not doubt,  with  proper  care  in  fertilizing  and 
clearing  his  grounds,  he  will  raise  as  many  as  arty 
other  man  ;  but  I  will  venture  to  pay  double 
price,  on  delivery  in  Boston,  for  all  that  will  grow, 
fit  for  market,  under  any  circumstances,  more, 
than  40  tons,  or  1600  bushels  to  the  acre.     Even, 

Mr.  B.,  of  M ,  with  his  first-rate  land  and  in-- 

exhaitstible  supply  of  manure,  has  never  come 
up  to  this.  Arator. 

South  Banvers,  Dec.  26,  1857. 

A   PRETTY   GOOD   PIG. 

Capt.  AVillard  AVorcester,  of  this  place,  slaugh-. 
tered  a  pig  Dec.  21,  which  weighed,  May  30,  17 
lbs. ;  when  dressed  it  weighed  280  lbs.,  making  a 
gain  of  263  lbs.  in  205  days^  or  a  trifle  more  than 
1.1  lbs.  per  day. 

The  pig  was  kept  on  sour  milk  entirely  until 
Sept.  1.  During  September  a  small  quantity  of 
meal  was  added.  The  remainder  of  the  time,  up 
to  slaughtering,  it  had  what  meal  it  would  eat. 

Shirley  Village,  1857.  w.  B.  B. 

Remarks. — Please  send  the  "sketch  of  farm- 
ing operations,"  to  which  you  allude. 

HOLDFAST,   OR  BONE   WEN. 

The  enlargement  of  the  bone  on  the  jaw  of  the 
ox  is  something  that, I  want  information  upon.  I 
have  been  obliged  to  kill  several  cattle  Avith  this 
trouble.  I  want  to  know  the  name  of  those 
bunches,  the  probable  cause,  and  remedy,  if 
any.  I  will  state  what  I  have  heard  and  what  I 
think  about  them.  Holdfast  and  bone  wen  are 
the  names  I  have  heard  given.  Cures  are  spirits 
turpentine,  or  spirits  turpentine  and  sulphur  mix- 
ed, applied  externally  ;  cutting  them  out  and 
knocking  the  tooth  out  immediately  opposite  the 
bunch.  I  never  have  practised  any  of  the  above 
cures  much,  and  never  knew  a  cure  to  come  un- 
der my  observation.  I  think  they  are  frequently 
caused  by  a  bad  tooth,  and  if  that  be  the  case^ 
the  removal  of  the  same  might  be  a  cure.  The 
bunch  always  is  near  the  roots  of  the  teeth.  I 
should  like  to  hear  all  the  facts  any  one  can  give 
in  regard  to  the  above.  A  SUBSCRIBER. 

Ea-it  Jaffrey,  N.  JI.,  1858. 


90 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


fhn, 


THE  SNOW. 

The  following  beautiful  Poem  will  coramend 
itself,  if  not  to  all  lovers  of  poetry,  at  least  to 
all  such  as  have  passed  their  early  days  in  a 
country  home.  Who  of  ua  does  not  remember 
the  excitement  among  the  "younger  folk,"  on 
waking  of  a  Winter  morning  and  finding  roof, 
and  tree,  and  windoAV,  covered  with  snow — the 
Jirst  snow !  And  here  we  have  the  picture  all 
spread  out  before  us.  Why,  Ave  half  fancy  the 
poet  must  be  describing  the  very  gate,  and  post, 
and  wood-pile  that  we  knew  in  "old  lang  syne !" 
Even  the  "bristling  cock"  greets  the  dawn  with 
a  voice  quite  familiar  to  our  ears. 

But  the  Well — ah,  the  well  should  have  a  sweep 
instead  of  a  "crank,"  to  make  the  picture  perfect. 

Ralph  Hoyt,  the  writer  of  the  poem,  has  done 
enough  in  this  single  production,  to  entitle  him- 
self to  high  rank  in  the  scroll  of  poetic  fame. 
He  is  a  clergyman,  we  understand,  and  a  resident 
at  one  time  of  New  Yoi'k  city,  where  we  believe 
he  published  a  volume  of  poems,  of  which  this 
was  one.  The  volume  we  have  never  seen.  We 
find  the  poem  in  the  beautiful  volume  entitled 
"The  Poets  of  the  Nineteenth  Century,"  recently 
published  by  the  Harpers,  and  also  in  their 
.Monthly  Magazine. 


THE     SNOW. 

BY   RALPH    HOYT. 

The  blessed  morn  has  come  again  : 

The  early  gray 
Taps  at  the  slumbei  's  window  pane,, 

And  seems  to  say, 
"Break,  break  from  the  enchanter's  Cbaie, 

Away, — awaj' !" 

'Tis  winter,  yet  there  is  no  sound 

Along  the  air, 
■  Of  winds  upon  their  battle-ground. 
But  gently,  there, 
The  snow  is  falling  all  around, 
How  fair — how  fair  '. 

The  j  jcund  fields  would  masquerade  ; 

Fantastic  scene  ! 
Trees,  shrub  and  lawn  and  lonely  gla<ie 

Have  cast  their  green, 
And  joined  the  revel,  all  arrayed 

So  white  and  clean. 

E'en  the  old  post  that  holds  the  bars, 

And  the  old  gate, 
Forgetful  of  their  wintry  wars 

And  age  sedate, 
High-capped  and  plumed,  like  white  hussars 

Stand  there  in  state. 

The  drifts  are  hanging  by  the  siU, 

The  eves,  the  door  ; 
The  hay-stack  has  become  a  hill ; 

All  covered  o'er, 
-The  wagon,  loaded  for  ttie  mil] 

The  eve  before. 

Maria  brings  the  water-pail, 

But  Where's  the  well ! 
Like  magic  of  a  fairy  tale, 

Most  strange  to  tell, 
All  vanished, — curb,  and  crack,  and  rat). 
How  deep  it  fell ! 


The  wood-pile,  too,  is  playing  hide  ; 

The  axe — thf  log — 
Tiic  kennel  of  that  friend  so  tried — 

(The  old  watch-dog,) 
The  grindstone  standing  by  its  side, 

All  now  incog. 

Tiie  bustling  cock  looks  out  aghast 

From  his  high  shed  ; 
No  spot  to  scratch  him  a  repast, 

Up  curves  his  head. 
Starts  the  dull  hamlet  with  a  blast, 

Then  back  to  bed. 

The  barn-yard  gentry  musing,  cliime 

Their  morning  moan ; 
Like  Memnon's  music  of  old  time — 

That  voice  of  stone  ! 
So  warbled  they — and  so  sublime 

Their  solemn  tone. 

Good  Ruth  has  called  the  younger  folk 

To  dress  below  ; 
Full  welcome  was  the  word  she  spoke ; 

Down,  down  they  go, — 
The  cottage  quietude  is  broke, — 

The  snow ! — the  snow  I        ^ 

Kow  rises  from  around  the  fire 

A  pleasant  strain  ; 
Ye  giddy  sons  of  mirth,  retire  ! 

And  ye  profane  ! — 
A  hymn  to  the  Eternal  Sire 

Goes  up  again. 

The  patriarchal  Book  divine 

Upon  the  knee, 
Opes  where  the  gems  of  Judah  shine, — 

(Sweet  minstrelsie !) 
How  soars  each  heart  with  each  fair  line, 

O,  God !  to  Thee  ! 

Around  the  altar  low  they  bend. 

Devout  in  prayer  '. 
As  snows  upon  the  roof  descend, 

So  angels  there 
Guard  o'er  that  household,  to  defend 

With  gentle  care. 

Now  sings  the  kettle  o'er  the  blaze ; 

The  buckwheat  heaps ; 
Kare  Mocha,  worth  an  Arab's  praise, 

Sweet  Susan  steeps ; 
The  old  round  stand  her  nod  obeys. 

And  out  it  leaps. 

Unerring  presages  declare 

The  banquet  near ; 
Soon  busy  appetites  are  there  ; 

And  disapi'iear 
Tlie  glories  of  the  ample  fare. 

With  thanks  sincere. 

Now  let  the  busy  day  begin  ; — 

Out  rolls  the  churn. 
Forth  hastens  the  farm-boy,  and  brings  in 

The  brush  to  burn  ; 
Sweep,  shovel,  scour,  sew,  knit  and  spin, 

Till  night's  return. 

To  delve  his  threshing  Jolm  must  hie  ; 

His  sturdy  shoe 
Can  all  the  subtle  damp  defy ; 

How  wades  he  through  ! 
Wliile  dainty  milk-maids,  slow  and  shy. 

His  track  pursue. 

E^ch  to  the  hour's  allotted  care ; 

To  shell  the  com  ; 
The  broken  harness  to  repair  ; 

The  sleigh  t'  adorn  ; 
So  cheprfiil,  tranquil,  pnowy   fii'. 

The  WIMTKU  MOE.N. 


ISoS. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMF.Il. 


91 


ESSEX  COUNTY  TRANSACTIONS. 

This  annual  is  again  before  the  public,  filling 
nearly  200  pages,  with  much  readable  and  useful 
matter.  Through  the  watchful  care  of  the  in- 
telligent- and  industrious  Secretary,  Allen  W. 
Dodge,  the  members  find  an  ample  reward  for 
their  investment  in  this  annual  publication. 

First  comes  the  Address  of  Dr.  Kelly,  of 
Newburyport,  of  more  than  thirty  pages — a  pa- 
per of  no  ordinary  merit — combining  the  pleas- 
ant and  the  useful  in  agreeable  proportions.  This 
address  shows  much  research,  and  a  good  share 
of  practical  experience  and  observation. 

Then  follow  the  reports  on  the  various  sub- 
jects entrusted  to  committees ;  some  of  them  full 
of  useful  hints  and  valuable  instruction ;  others 
bare  skeletons  giving  a  mere  outline  of  awards, 
without  a  single  fact  or  suggestion  of  any  sort  in 
them.  Among  those  which  will  hereafter  be  re- 
ferred to,  as  containing  valuable  instruction,  are 
those  on  farms,  by  Mr.  Loring,  of  Salem,  and 
on  farm  implements,  by  Mr.  Proctor,  of  South 
]")anvers.  Both  these  papers  show  a  degree  of 
attention  in  their  authors,  worthy  of  commenda- 
tion. Then  follows  an  Essay  by  Mr.  Flagg,  of 
Andover,  which,  like  all  other  emanations  from 
his  pen,  will  be  found  to  contain  valuable  instruc- 
tion, chastely  and  beautifully  expressed.  The  re- 
port on  Vegetables,  by  J.  J.  H.  Gregory,  of  Glou- 
cester, is  an  excellent  paper.  The  reports  on 
"Milch  Cows  of  Native  or  Mixed  Breed,"  by  Jo- 
seph Howe,  and  on  "Heifers"  by  Wm.  R.  Put- 
nam, are  also  papers  worthy  of  preservation,  and 
afford  instruction. 

We  shall  have  occasion  to  refer  to  this  report 
again,  and  to  extract  from  it  some  of  its  valua- 
ble pages.  The  Essex  County  Society  is  doing 
great  good,  and  is  Avorthy  of  its  honored  founder, 
the  late  Timotuy  Pickering. 


most  kinds  of  feed  for  stock,  somewhere  in  this 
direction  ? 

If  you  give  a  cow  pumpkins,  carrots,  turnips, 
or  shorts,  when  they  have  a  plenty  of  nutritious 
feed,  and  thereby  diminish  their  capacity  or  dis- 
position to  partake  of  their  feed  to  the  usual 
extent,  you  cannot  reasonablj  expect  to  receive 
the  benefit  of  the  extra  feed  over  and  above  the 
product  of  the  usual  feed.  A  cow  cannot  eat  all 
you  can  lay  before  her  ;  ana  if  she  did,  she  might 
be  unable  to  digest  it  properly. 

Give  a  cow  that  is  kept  on  straw,  a  plenty  of 
good  hay,  and  it  is  reasonable  to  expect  more 
milk.  But  if  you  give  her  a  very  little  hay  each 
day,  and  that  hay  begets  such  a  disrelish  for  the 
straw  that  she  will  not  eat  it,  she  will  do  the  best 
on  a  plenty  of  straw.  So  I  believe  that  feeding 
pumpkins,  potatoes  or  shorts,  will  not  be  produc- 
tive of  an  additional  quantity  of  milk,  when  it 
withdraws  the  appetite  from  the  usual  food,  or 
when  the  cow  thereby  eats  the  value  of  the  extra 
feed  less  in  hay. 

One  cow  may  have  digestive  power  and  appe- 
tite for  the  extra  feed  in  addition  to  the  usual 
feed,  and  will  probably  give  more  milk,  unless 
the  extra  feed  tends  to  fat  or  flesh.  We  cannot 
make  every  good  cow  a  machine  to  transfer  any 
kind  of  feed  into  milk  or  fat,  as  we  please.  The 
best  Ave  can  do,  is  to  observe  their  tendencies  to 
milk  or  fat,  and  feed  accordingly.  There  is  a  dif- 
ference in  animals  that  will  not  be  overlooked 
by  the  careful  farmer.  J.  Q.  A.  w. 

Addison,  Vt.,  Dec.  21,  1857. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
PUMPKINS  FOR  MILCH  COWS. 

Mr.  Editor  : — I  observed  the  following  state- 
ment in  the  Farmer  q{  the  19th  inst.  "It  has 
long  been  an  unsettled  question  with  farmers, 
whether  pumpkins  fed  to  milch  cows,  were  ac- 
tually beneficial."  Last  September,  I  had  a 
young  cow  that  I  kept  in  a  lot  where  there  was 
a  large  supply  of  the  best  of  feed.  I  com- 
menced feeding  her  daily  with  shorts ;  increasing 
the  quantity  until  I  gave  her  some  four  quarts 
per  day.  I  noticed  that  she  did  not  appear  so 
anxious  for  grass  as  formerly.  I  do  not  know 
as  the  quantity  of  milk  was  materially  increased. 
After  feeding  in  this  way  some  ten  days,  I  stopped 
giving  the  shorts,  and  the  quantity  of  milk  re- 
mained about  the  same.  The  cow  appeared  to  eat 
more  grass.  I  have  often  fed  shorts  in  the  win- 
ter, and  am  noAV  doing  it,  receiving  a  decided  in- 
crease in  the  quantity  of  milk  in  every  case. 

Now  is  not  the  ti'uth  of  the  case,  in  relation  to 


UNDEHDRAINING  WITH  TILE. 

I  am  glad  to  see  so  many  inquiries  in  regard  to 
tile  drains.  It  looks  as  though  farmers  were 
waking  up  to  the  benefit  of  underdraining. 

I  Avill  make  a  few  inquiries.  If  the  bottom^  of 
the  drain  is  very  hard,  and  the  descent  not  too 
great,  will  not  the  horse-shoe  tile  do,  witkout 
soles  ? 

Should  the  dirt  be  thrown  in  immediately  on 
the  tile,  or  should  a  course  of  small  stone  be 
placed  above  it?  —  J.  W.  Lequeaii,  French- 
totcn,  N.  J. 

In  reply  to  the  above  inquiries,  we  copy  the 
following  from  a  late  English  work : 

"Draining  tiles  and  pipe  have  been  made  in  a 
great  variety  of  forms  ;  of  these,  the  earliest 
since  the  introduction  of  thorough  draining  was 
the  horse-shoe  tile ;  so  called  from  its  shape. 
The  horse-shoe  tile  has  sometimes  been  used  with- 
out the  addition  of  any  sole  or  flat  to  form  the 
bottom  of  the  drain ;  but  there  cannot  be  any 
question  of  the  impropriety  of  such  false  econo- 
my. Even  the  most  obdurate  subsoils  become 
soft  when  exposed  to  the  action  of  air  and  water ; 
after  which  the  edges  of  the  tile  are  apt  to  sink, 
and  thus  destroy  the  drain.  Various  devices  have 
been  fallen  upon  to  prevent  such  an  accident,  and 
yet  to  save  the  expense  of  laying  the  drain 
throughout  Avith  soles  ;  such  as  providing  the 
edges  of  the  tile  with  flanges,  or  using  only  pieces: 
of  soles  on  Avhich  to  rest  the  ends  of  the  tiles  j 
but  all  these  plans  are  open  to  the  most  serious 
objections.  They  all  leave  the  bottom  of  the  drain 
unprotected  against  the  Avearing  action  of  the 
Avater.  and  they  all  leave  the  conduit  exposed  to 
the  entrance  of  the  burrowin>i;  animals  Avhich  ia* 


92 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Feb. 


fest  our  fields.  In  every  case,  therefore,  in  which  |  A  cap  four  feet  square  will  cover  a  hundred  weight 
the  horse-shoe  tile  is  used,  no  consideration  of  of  hay,  16  sheaves  of  oats,  10  of  wheat  or  8  of 
economy  ouglit  to  prevent  the  protecting  of  ewry  .stalks,  and  keep  them  perfectly  dry  on  the  top  as 
portion  of  the  hottom  of  the  drain  with  soles  or  long  as  you  please  to  keep  it  on.  Hay  standing 
some  other  substitute.  jon  moist  land,  Avill   gather   moisture  from  the 

In  laying  horse-shoe  tiles,  they  should  be  made  ground  if  left  to  stand  long,  either  with  a  cap  or 
to  rest  ])artly  upon  two  adjoining  soles,   or  to  \  without  one. 

break  bond,_  as  it  is  called.  The  object  of  this  j  If  my  friend  Buckminster  will  come  up  to 
proceeding  is  to  prevent,  as  far  as  possible,  the  Hollis  some  morning  after  a  hard  rain  in  hay 
chance  of  any  sinking  taking  place.  |  time,  and  examine  our  hay  that  has  been  capped 

In  forming  this  kind  of  drain,  the  bottom  of  and  that  which  has  not,  if  he  does  not  agree  that 
the  trench  must  be  of  the  same  Avidth  as  the  sole,  caps  are  worth  having,  I  will  pay  his  fare,  divide 
which  is  generally  an  inch  Avider  than  the  tile. !  my  dinner  with  him,  introduce  him  to  some  of 
The  bottom  of  the  drain  must  be  carefully  smooth-^  our  best  farmers,  show  him  some  of  our  best 
ed,  so  that  the  soles  may  lie  flat,  and  close  to  the  farms,  and  make  his  visit  as  pleasant  as  I  can. 


Hollis,  N.  H.,  Dec.  26,  1857. 


bottom  at  all  points.     It  is  advisable  that  a  little  "       E.  Emerson. 

straAV,  or  some  other  fibrous  material,  be  placed 

upon  the  tiles  before  the  earth  is  returned  into 

the  drain,  in  order  to  prevent  the  loose  soil  from 

entering  by  any  of  the  crevices."  PARSWIPS  AS  A  FIELD  CROP. 

We  copied  into  the  Bural  last  spring,  an  arti- 
cle recommending  the  field  culture  of  parsnips 
for  stock,  and  thought  we  would  try  the  experi- 
ment in  order  to  satisfy  ourself  on  the  subject. 
We  accordingly  sowed  side  by  side  of  our  man- 
gel wortzels  and  carrots  a  few  rows  of  parsnip 
seed,  and  tended  them  as  we  did  the  other  roots. 
The  soil  was  the  same  in  all  respects.  ITie  pars- 
nips were  more  easily  wed  out  and  tended  than 
the  carrots,  because  they  came  up  with  a  broader 
leaf  and  were  more  easily  distinguished  from  the 
weeds.  They  grew  luxuriantly — many  of  them 
as  large,  at  the  crown,  as  a  man's  arm,  and  run- 
ning down  so  deep,  that  if  the  Chinese  on  the 
oiher  side  of  the  earth  had  suspected  their  op- 
portunity, they  might  have  drawn  them  through 
or  their  own  benefit.  The  result  was  that  the 
same  quantity  of  ground  gave  us  tAventy  per  cent, 
more  of  parsnips  than  Ave  harvested  of  carrots, 
and  about  an  equal  weight  with  the  mangel  Avort- 
,-  ,        Ti  1-,       ,  '  "^^Izuls.  We  have  dug  one-half  of  them — onlytAven- 

them  one  season  that  did  not  like  them  or  that  ,    bushels— for  winter's  use,  and  the  other  half 

laid  them  aside.     Ihey  are  in  common  use  here. 

I  have  about  200  of  them,  and  they   are  fre- 


For  the  Neiu  England  Farmer. 
HAY    CAPS. 

My  old  friend  of  the  Ploughman  is  out  again 
in  a  long  article  against  hay  caps..  He  cannot 
bear  to  let  them  lay  in  quiet  through  the  Avinter 
in  the  garret.  His  reasoning  on  the  subject  is 
almost  as  strong  as  it  would  be  to  say  that  be- 
cause a  man  could  not  live  sealed  up  tight  in  a 
glass  case,  that  Avould  just  fit  to  him,  it  is  dan- 
gerous to  Avear  a  hat. 

As  I  have  probably  used  hay  caps  longer  than 
any  other  farmer  in  this  part  of  the  country,  and 
as  they  have  saved  me  a  good  deal  of  labor  and 
money,  I  feel  at  all  times  like  defending  them !  {■ 
against  the  objections  raised  by  men  Avho  have 
never  used  them. 

The  best  argument  I  can  use  in  favor  of  hay 
caps,  is,  that  I  have  never  knoAvn  a  man  to  use 


quently  all,  or  nearly  all,  in  use.  AVhen  I  do  not 
"want  them  all,  my  neighbors  Avho  have  not  enough, 
are  glad  to  use  them.  I  use  them  for  hay,  grain 
and  stalks,  and  find  them  very  useful  for  all. 

The  kind  I  like  best  are  made  of  four  foot  cloth 
torn  into  squares,  with  a  loop  in  each  corner,  and 
four  small  sticks  about  tAventy  inches  long  each, 
one  to  hold  each  corner.  I  do  not  want  them  oiled 
or  hemmed  or  painted,  or  anything  else  done  to 
th-em.  If  it  is  asked  Avhy  I  would  not  have  them 
piled  or  painted,  I  Avould"  say  that  it  is  a  needless 
expense,  as  there  has  not  been  a  storm  hard 
enough  to  Avet  a  cock  of  hay  through  a  good  plain 
cap  Avell  put  on,  as  much  as  a  heavy  dcAV  would, 
since  I  have  used  them.  As  to  the  work  of  put- 
ting them  on,  I  will  go  into  the  field  Avith  any 
man  of  my  ability  to  work,  and  put  up  hay  and 
cap  it,  as  fast  as  he  can  turn  it  u]?,  so  that  it 
will  do  Avithout  a  cap,  as  it  takes  twice  the  Avork 
to  trim  a  cock  without  a  cap  that  it  does  with  a 
cap.  I  have  tried  the  weights  at  the  corners,  but 
I  prefer  the  sticks  to  the  weights  on  two  accounts. 
First,  weights  heavy  enough  not  to  blow  off,  (half 
a  pound  to  the  corner,)  are  heavy  to  carry  about, 
and  then  the  sticks  bind  the  hay  together  and 
keep  the  cocks  from  bloAving  over,  or  the  tops 
from  blowing  off". 


we  have  left  in  the  ground  to  be  taken  out  in  ear- 
ly spring  as  a  fresh  and  delicious  repast  for  the 
ncAV  milch  cows  then.  They  are  improved  by 
being  kept  in  the  earth  through  Avinter.  This  is 
an  additional  recommendation  in  their  behalf. — 
Ihiral  Intelligencer. 

HINDRANCES  TO  AGRICULTURE  IN 
MASSACHUSETTS. 

Messrs.  Editors  :  —  Your  Ncav  Hampshire 
correspondent  omits  one  item  that,  in  this  vicini- 
ty, does  much  to  retard  the  spirit  of  progress  and 
improvement  in  agriculture.  That  is,  a  proper 
use  of  capital  that  should  be  invested  in  the  bus- 
iness. It  is  quite  the  custom  in  these  three  "riv- 
er counties,"  as  Ave  call  them,  for  the  "old  folks" 
to  accumulate  all  the  money  they  can,  by  the  sale 
of  their  sheep,  cattle,  Avood  .and  timber,  and 
eventually  the  farm  itself,  and  invest  the  pro- 
ceeds in  some  stocks  of  banks,  insurance  compa- 
nies, or  Avestern  lands,  for  two  reasons — 1st,  to 
dodge  the  tax  collectors  and  assessors  ;  and  2d, 
to  get  an  extra  per  cent,  for  the  use  of  their  money. 

The  consequence  is,  not  that  their  business 
lacks  the  eclat  of  respectability,  but  that  their 
sons  must  follow  the  dollars,  and  you  may  fimd 
them  scattered  all  the  AA-ay  from  the  nearest  rail- 
road station  to  the  farthest  verge  of  Kansas  and 


185«. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


93 


Nebraska,  Within  the  last  seven  or  eight  years 
hunditxls  and  thousands  of  dollars  have  been  in- 
vested in  this  way.  The  legal  interest  of  Massa- 
chusetts is  only  six  per  cent.,  while  that  of  New 
York  is  seven,  and  some  of  the  western  States 
ten  and  twelve  per  cent.  The  temptation  to  send 
away  is  strong,  and  growing  stronger  every  year. 
Time  was  when  a  young,  active  and  prudent  man 
could  borrow  any  amount  of  money  on  good  real 
estate  security,  from  our  moneyed  men.  Now  the 
thing  is  almost  an  impossibility ;  and  there  is 
but  little  encouragement  for  young  men  to  re- 
main in  this  section  on  that  account  alone.  Still 
fanning  is  a  paying  business  in  our  hill  towns, 
where  farms  have  depreciated  in  price  nearly  one- 
half  in  ten  years,  I  have  in  mind  now  a  man 
who  purchased  a  farm  of  170  acres  on  ci-edit, 
some  six  years  ago.  By  labor  and  good  man- 
agement he  is  now  pretty  much  out  of  debt,  and 
has  25  or  30  head  of  cattle,  70  sheep,  colts, 
;;alves,  poulti-y,  &c.,  belonging  to  such  a  place, 
and  in  a  fair  way  to  have  money  at  interest. — 
Cotmtry  Ge^iUcman, 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 

AGRICUIiTURE  IN  KEW  ENGLA.ND. 

Mr.  Editor  : — It  has  been  a  long  time  since  1 
have  written  an  article  for  the  Farmer,  and  now, 
as  formerly,  I  write  more  for  information,  than 
to  impart  instruction.  And  I  not  only  wish  you 
to  pai-don  me  for  the  many  questions  I  shall  ask, 
but  wish  you  to  answer  them. 

1.  As  I  have  headed  my  article,  "Agriculture  in 
New  Engiaud,"  I  first  wish  to  know  your  opinion, 
Mr.  Editor,  as  regards  the  profitableness  of  agri- 
culture in  New  England.  Can  it  generalhj  be 
made  profitable  on  our  old,  worn-out  soils  ?  Say 
on  farms  so  far  back  from  the  sea-coast  that  sea 
manure  is  altogether  impracticable? 

2.  If  such  farms  can  be  made  profitable  to  their 
owners,  plea.se  to  state  how,  in  your  opinion,  is 
the  best  way  to  manage  them.  Manure  seems  to 
me  to  be  the  essential  item  to  successful  agricul- 
ture on  such  farms.  And  now  comes  the  im- 
portant question — Where  the  land  is  worn-out 
we  cannot,  as  I  see,  keep  stock  enough  on  it  to 
bring  it  up.  Consequently  we  must  purchase 
manure  of  some  kind,  in  order  to  bring  said  land 
to  a  state  of  fertility  that  will  pay  remunerating 
prices  for  labor  bestowed  on  the  same ;  must  we 
not  ? 

3.  Now  the  question  with  farmers  in  this  vi- 
cinity is  this  :  Will  it  pay  for  us  to  buy  manure  ? 
If  so,  what  kind  or  kinds  will  pay  the  best  ? 

4.  Which  will  pay  the  best  on  a  farm,  say  two 
miles  from  a  village  ;  to  sell  milk  delivered  at 
village,  for  four  cents  per  quart,  or  make  but- 
ter that  will  sell  for  twenty-three  to  twenty- five 
cents  per  pound  ? 

5.  On  a  farm  that  will  summer,  say  five  cows 
tcdl  on  grass  alone,  will  it  pay  to  keep  six,  and 
give  them  all  a  little  meal,  daily  ? 

6.  Does  it  pay  well  to  raise  vegetables  for 
marketing  ? 

7.  Can  our  New  England  farmers  make  depen- 
dence on  the  Chinese  sugar  cane  for  sweetening  ? 

8.  Does  it,  as  a  general  thing,  pay  for  farmers 
to  keep  dogs? 

9.  Does  it  generally  pay  for  farmers  to  raise 
pigs  to  sell,  at  eight  weeks  or  so  old  ? 


10.  What  breed  of  hogs  is  best  for  us  to  keep? 

11.  Can  we  find  a  better  breed  of  cows  than 
can  be  selected  from  our  old  native  stock  ? 

12.  Can  the  Guenon  treatise  be  fully  relied 
upon  in  selecting  dairy  cows  ? 

13.  What  kind  of  harrow  is  best  for  very  rough 
land  ? 

14.  Will  it  pay  for  a  small  farmer  to  purchase 
a  roller  ?  Please  to  state  what  you  think  of  roll- 
ers, anyhow. 

Perhaps  I  have  wearied  your  patience  with  the 
above  inquiries,  but  I  do  certainly  hope  you  will 
answer  them  all.  We  want  your  opinion  on  them 
all.  John  Dimox. 

Carolina  Mills,  R.  I.,  Nov.  10,  1857. 


TO   MR.   JOHN   DIMON. 

Your  communication  upon  "Agriculture  in  New 
England,"  was  sent  to  me  a  month  ago  by  my 
friend  Brown,  with  a  request  from  him  that  I 
should  reply  to  your  inquiries,  and  I  now  em- 
brace my  earliest  leisure  to  answer  them. 

i.  It  maj-,  without  hesitation,  be  said,  that 
farming  can,  generally,  be  made  profitable  in  New 
England.  True,  some  mistakes  have  been,  and 
are  still  committed,  but  in  spite  of  them  all,  we 
have  certain  evidence  that  the  business  is  profi- 
table. We  may  look  with  pride  and  satisfaction 
at  the  comfortable  and  happy  families  which  are 
reared  on  our  New  England  farms :  they  are 
generally  well  educated,  certainly  in  the  common, 
and  often  in  the  higher  branches  of  learning, 
trained  to  moral  and  industrious  habits,  and  fit- 
ted for  various  pursuits ;  and  perhaps,  in  addi- 
tion, received  considerable  legacies  from  the  es- 
tate of  the  father,  or  are  comfortably  set  out  in 
the  world  by  him  in  his  lifetime — all  more  or  less 
directly  resulting  from  the  earnings  of  the  farm. 
Their  early  years  are  passed  in  a  healthy  climate, 
somewhat  rigorous  to  be  sure,  but  adapted  to  give 
tone  to  the  constitution  and  energy  to  the  char- 
acter. They  scatter  abroad  over  our  country, 
planting  New  England  institutions,  and  general- 
ly proving  the  bulwarks  and  ornaments  of  socie- 
ty where  they  go.  We  may  look  again  at  the 
comfortable  farm  houses,  "amid  the  old  ances- 
tral trees,"  the  farm-buildings,  fences,  and  other 
fixtures,  the  highways  of  trade  and  of  travel,  the 
school-houses,  academies,  churches,  and  various 
other  advantages  and  adornments  of  established 
and  cultivated  society,  which  these  farmers  have 
contributed  to  procure,  which  make  New  Eng- 
land what  it  is,  and  which  are  in  fact  a  part  and 
parcel  of  what  I  buy  of  you  in  purchasing  your 
farm,  or  sell  to  you  when  you  buy  mine.  We 
can  buy  land,  in  a  new  country,  for  a  small  sum ; 
but  the  various  things  above  enumerated  are  not 
a  part  of  tlie  purchase ;  and  when  we  have  con- 
trilnitcd  our  share  towards  procuring  them,  our 
new  establishment  has  become  a  large  invest- 
ment. Among  the  profits  of  farming  in  New 
England,  we  may  with  propriety  reckon  the  heal- 
tliy  climate,  the  various  conveniences  of  living, 
and  of  rearing  a  family,  amid  the  desirable  infiu- 
ences  of  well-established  and  cultivated  society. 

2.  You  speak  of  the  worn-out  farms.  True, 
many  of  them  have  been  closely  cropped,  and  re- 
quire a  considerable  outlay  to  restore  the  origi- 
nal fertility.  But  this  can  be  done  by  degrees, 
and  so  as  to  come  wiUiiii  one's  means.  Then, 
too,  our  markets  are  larger,  and  in  the  main  bet- 


9-1 


NEW    ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Feb- 


ter,  and  more  easily  accessible  than  formerly  ;  the 
obstructipns  to  tillage  are,  to  a  considerable  ex- 
tent, removed  from  the  soil,  and  many  improved 
methods  and  implements  of  tillage  have,  within 
a  few  years  been  invented,  by  which  we  are  en- 
abled to  cultivate  the  land  more  thoroughly,  and 
to  rapidly  restore,  and  not  unfrequently  exceed, 
its  original  fertility.  The  mistake  has  been  in 
selling  off  the  products  of  the  land  too  freely,  and 
investing  the  surplus  at  interest,  or  in  stocks,  &c., 
thus  neglecting  to  give  back  enough  to  the  soil 
to  supply  the  waste  it  has  undergone  in  bearing 
those  products,  so  that  the  farm  has  been  gradu- 
ally losing  its  fertility,  and  has  not,  on  the  whole, 
jeen  as  profitable  to  the  owner  as  it  would  have 
been  under  a  more  generous  usage.  You  are, 
therefore,  quite  right  in  attaching  the  importance 
you  do  to  manure,  for  the  profitable  cultivation 
of  such  a  farm — though,  perhaps,  you  do  not  re- 
alize how  much  of  the  article  can  be  made  on  the 
farm.  Almost  every  farm  can  supply,  Avithin  it- 
self, the  necessary  materials  for  manuring  it  well, 
if  the  owner  knows  how,  and  is  willing  to  man- 
age them  to  advantage.  Let  me  now,  as  you  re- 
quest, briefly  indicate  to  you  some  of  the  ways  in 
which  you  can  manufacture  compost  manure,  and 
bring  your  farm  up  to  the  desired  state  of  pro- 
ductiveness. 

Collect  the  Avaste  vegetable  substances,  where- 
ever  found  on  the  farm  or  by  the  roadside,  and 
place  them  in  the  yards  and  sheds,  to  become 
mingled  Avith  the  manure  and  to  hold  its  liquid 
and  volatile  parts.  These  substances  may  con- 
sist of  leaves,  turf,  the  Avash  or  rich  soil  collected 
in  holloAvs  and  ditches,  brakes,  bushes  of  one 
year's  groAvth,  SAvamp  muck,  refuse  straw  and 
stalks,  6jc.,  &:c.  They  can  be  gathered  at  vari- 
ous times  during  the  season ;  and  where  the 
practice  of  collecting  them  is  systematic,  the  ac- 
cumulation becomes,  in  the  course  of  the  year, 
large  and  valuable,  Avithout  being  expensive. 

Make  a  tight  plank  trench  in  the  stable,  be- 
hind the  cattle,  say  tAventy  inches  Avide  and  four 
deep,  and  during  the  foddering  season  fill  the 
trench  daily  Avith  sAvamp  muck,  or  mould  and 
leaves  from  the  large  rich  hoUoAvs  in  the  Avood- 
lands,  or  fine  rich  soil  collected  in  Ioav  places, 
anyAvhere,  A  dry  Avarm  place  should  be  provid- 
ed, near  the  stables,  that  Avill  hold  a  number  of 
loads  of  material  for  the  trench,  and  filled  in  the 
fall  or  early  Avinter.  If  muck  is  used,  it  should 
be  that  Avhich  Avas  throAvn  out  of  the  SAvamp  at 
least  a  year  previous,  and  if  it  has  lain  on  dry 
ground  and  been  exposed  to  the  air  for  two  years, 
it  Avill  be  still  better.  Thus  the  muck  becomes 
very  dry  and  fine,  is  light  to  cart  and  to  handle, 
is  a  more  perfect  absorbent  of  the  liquid  and 
gaseous  contents  of  the  trench,  has  to  a  large 
extent  parted  Avilh  its  acids,  and  can  therefore  be 
used  in  much  larger  quantities  in  proportion  to 
the  njanure  mixed  Avith  it,  and  Avill  still  make 
better  compost  than  when  used  in  a  green  and 
Avet  state.  The  compost  being  thus  made  a  lit- 
tle at  a  time,  daily,  is  perfectly  intermingled,  and 
ready  for  use  Avithout  overhauling,  the  action  of 
the  manure  being  immediate  and  poAverful.  The 
labor  expended  in  making  the  compost,  is  very 
much  less  than  Avould  be  supposed  by  one  who 
had  not  tried  it,  and  the  pile  in  the  spring  Avill 
be  large. 

You  may  probably  find  your  account  in  keep- 


ing four  or  five  shoats  annually — say  take  March 
pigs  and  feed  them  till  nine  or  ten  months  old. 
Make  them  a  covered  pen,  in  a  convenient  place 
to  receive  the  litter  from  the  horse  stable.  Muck, 
turf,  leaves,  etc.,  should  be  throAvn  into  the  pen, 
a  load  or  two  at  a  time  and  frequently,  which  the 
pigs  Avill  mingle  Avith  the  manure.  It  is  aacII  to 
put  in  a  variety  of  materials,  muck  alone  often 
becoming  too  Avet  and  miry  for  the  thrift  of  the 
pigs.  There  should  be  a  feeding  apartment  con- 
nected Avith  the  compost  pen,  and  it  should  be 
kept  perfectly  clean.  For  say  five  pigs,  the  com- 
post pen  may  be  about  ten  or  tAvelve  feet  wide 
and  fifteen  feet  long,  as  the  manure  will  be  more 
valuable  if  kept  thus  compactly,  than  if  spread 
over  a  large  surface.  Four  or  five  March  pigs 
can  be  kept  quite  cheaply  through  the  summer, 
on  the  wash  of  the  dairy  and  kitchen,  together 
Avith  the  garden  trash,  and  cheap  vegetables,  and 
a  small  daily  alloAvance  of  meal.  Through  Sep- 
tember and  October,  they  may  be  fed  more  free- 
ly on  peas  and  oats  or  other  gi'ain,  ground  and 
mixed  Avith  cooked  vegetables  ;  and  through  No- 
vember and  December,  the  feed  may  be  cooked 
corn  and  cob  meal,  with  a  few  ears  of  corn  once 
a  day.  The  pigs,  if  of  a  good  breed,  fed  thBs, 
Avill  by  the  first  of  January  dress  from  275  to  300 
lbs.  each,  and  cost  from  six  to  seven  cents  per 
pound,  and  Avill  have  made  at  least  thirty  loads 
of  compost. 

It  Avould  be  well  to  inquire  hoAV  yon  can  ex- 
pend a  good  share  of  the  products  of  the  land  on 
the  farm,  and  yet  get  market  prices  for  them. 
That  is,  if  after  looking  the  matter  over  carefully, 
you  can  see  hoAv  you  can  feed  out,  say  for  instance 
an  hundred  bushels  of  corn,  or  otiier  grain,  and 
get  about  as  much  for  it  in  milk,  pork,  beef,  mut- 
ton, or  in  the  growth  and  increased  value  of 
stock,  as  the  grain  Avould  bring  if  sold  off  direct- 
ly for  cash,  then  I  should  think  it  better  to  feed 
the  grain,  and  give  back  the  manure  to  the  farm, 
than  to  sell  it.  Where  the  grain  crops  are  to  a 
considerable  extent  fed  out  with  the  hay  and  oth- 
er forage,  the  manure  is  more  active  and  valua- 
ble ;  and  a  feAv  years'  feeding  in  this  way  tells 
very  decidedly  in  the  increased  products  of  the 
farm.  There  may  be  cases,  to  be  sure,  where  it 
Avould  be  better  to  sell  off  the  products  pretty 
freely,  and  buy  manin^e  in  return.  If  the  land 
gets  an  equivalent  for  its  efforts  at  producing 
crops,  that  will  do  ;  but  it  will  not,  in  the  long 
run,  do  to  starve  the  soil  and  expect  it  to  con- 
tinue productive.  Mr.  Coke,  the  late  Earl  of  Lei- 
cester, once  said  :  "the  more  meat  a  poor-land 
farmer  sent  to  Smithfield,  the  more  corn  he  Avould 
be  enabled  to  sell  per  acre  at  Mark  Lane.  Con- 
vert plenty  of  corn  and  cake  into  meat ;  for  the 
value  of  farm-yard  manure  is  in  proportion  to 
AA'hat  it  is  made  of.  If  cattle  eat  straAv  alone,  the 
dung  is  straAV  alone,  the  cattle  are  straAV,  the  farm 
is  straAV,  and  the  fixrmer  is  straAV — and  they  are 
all  straAV  together." 

When  the  land  Avas  ncAV,  and  filled  Avith  vege- 
table matter,  it  AA'as  naturally  lighter  and  melloAv- 
er  than  noAV,  and  produced  Avell  Avithout  much 
particularity  in  the  tillage.  But  by  long,  and 
generally  quite  shalloAV  cultivation,  together  Avith 
a  system  of  cropping  Avhich  has  considerably  ta- 
ken out  the  vegetable  substance  of  the  soil,  the 
land  has  become  more  compact  and  hard,  and 
needs  a  deeper  plowing  and  more  thorough  pul- 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


95 


verization.  Then,  too,  on  some  farms,  with  a  nat- 
urally deep  and  strong  soil,  the  surface  of  which 
has  been  hard  run  by  shallow  plowing  and  close 
cropping,  and  where  an  artificial  hard  pan  has 
been  created  by  the  oft-repeated  pressure  of  the 
feet  of  the  cattle  and  the  sole  of  the  plow,  in  in- 
variably shallow  furrows,  there  is  really  a  better 
farm  underneath  than  that  which  is  worked  on 
top ;  and  by  breaking  through  the  crust  and 
bringing  up  a  portion  of  the  under  soil,  and  mix- 
ing it  with  the  exhausted  surface,  the  productive- 
ness of  the  land  will  be  increased.  You  will  find 
it  advantageous  to  gradually  deepen  your  plow- 
ing. If  the  land  is  quite  light,  then  bring  up  an 
inch  or  so  at  each  rotation  of  crops,  until  you 
have  made  an  active  soil  of  seven  or  eight  inch- 
es. If  the  land  is  a  close  and  naturally  heavy 
strong  soil,  then  you  can  deepen  the  plowing 
more  I'apidly,  until  you  can  take  a  furrow  from 
eight  to  ten  or  twelve  inches  deep,  according  to 
the  quality  of  the  subsoil,  and  the  liberality  of 
the  manuring.  No  baulks  should  be  allowed  in 
plowing,  and  the  furrows  should  be  cut  and 
turned  uniformly  of  the  prescribed  depth  and 
width.  This  alone  will  add  perceptibly  to  the 
products  of  the  land,  over  what  could  be  raised 
if  the  plowing  w^ere  hasty  and  shallow,  soil,  ma- 
nure and  cultivation  otherwise  being  equal.  If 
we  do  our  part  well,  mother  earth  will  be  sure  to 
match  us  by  doing  hers. 

As  fast  as  one's  means  will  permit,  it  is  gener- 
ally better  to  invest  a  portion  at  least  of  the  earn- 
ings of  the  farm  in  the  improvement  of  the  land, 
raither  than  in  buying  more  land,  or  putting  them 
into  stocks  and  other  property,  outside  of  farm- 
ing. The  stones,  stumps,  and  other  obstructions 
to  cultivation  may  be  advantageously  removed 
from  the  land.  They  take  up  room,  and  hinder 
good  tillage  e\ery  way.  Perhaps  you  have  land 
that  would  be  greatly  improved  by  underdraining. 
If  so,  it  would  be  well  to  investigate  the  methods 
of  draining.  Such  improvements  in  eflect  add  to 
the  territorial  extent  of  the  farm,  by  increasing 
its  productiveness,  and  they  can  generally  be 
made  at  a  much  less  outlay  than  by  buying 
enough  land  to  produce  the  additional  crops  that 
may  be  derived  from  the  improved  land. 

3.  If  the  various  sources  above  mentioned  do 
not  furnish  manure  enough,  you  may  perhaps 
find  it  profitable  to  purchase  stable  manure  in 
town,  and  compost  it  with  muck  and  other  sub- 
stances on  the  farm.  But  this  depends  on  cir- 
cumstances unknown  to  me,  and  of  which  you 
must  be  the  judge.  Perhaps  you  can  buy  un- 
leached  ashes  at  areasonable  price.  If  so,  they  may 
be  mixed  with  muck  in  the  proportion  of  about  five 
bushels  to  a  cord  of  dry  muck,  which  will  make 
a  valuable  compost  for  all  dry  lands.  Poor  dry 
land,  which  has  been  well  manured,  and  planted 
a  year  or  two,  and  is  to  be  stocked  down,  may  be 
sown  with  fifteen  to  twenty  bushels  of  ashes  to 
the  acre,  at  the  time  of  sowing  tlie  grain  and 
grass  seed,  harrowing  the  ashes  in  with  the  seeds. 
The  ashes  will  be  likely  to  ensure  a  good  catch 
of  grass.  It  is  a  desirable  object  gained,  when 
we  can  succeed  in  covering  such  land  with  a 
thick  firm  sward.  The  quality  of  the  hay  is  bet- 
ter, the  quantity  greater,  and  when  the  land  is  to 
be  again  broken  up  for  tillage,  there  is  a  rich  sod 
to  turn  under  to  decay  and  help  feed  the  succeed- 
ing crops. 


4.  It  may  perhaps  be  better  to  make  butter 
than  to  sell  the  milk ;  for  the  skim  milk  and  oth- 
er wash  of  the  dairy  is  worth  a  considerable  per 
cent,  of  what  the  new  milk  would  sell  for,  and 
will  help  materially  towards  summering  the  four  or 
five  iSIarch  pigs  heretofore  mentioned.  The  farm 
must  somehow  be  paid  for  what  it  furnishes  you. 

Several  of  your  questions  depend  so  much  on 
local  circumstances,  that  it  is  difficult  to  answer 
them  specially  without  a  knowledge  of  those  cir- 
cumstances. 

5.  Milch  cows  tax  a  pasture  pretty  severely. 
They  are  generally  taken  out  of  pasture  at  night, 
and  then,  too,  the  feed  they  consume  not  only  goes 
to  supply  the  waste  of  the  animal  system,  but  al- 
so to  produce  the  milk ;  so  that  the  manure  is 
not  so  rich  as  that  of  dry  stock,  and  the  pasture, 
especially  if  overstocked,  ultimately  shows  a 
marked  deficiency  of  phosphates.  If  your  pasture 
now  keeps  five  cows  well,  I  should  hesitate  about 
overstocking  it  with  six.  Perhaps  you  are  sit- 
uated favorably  for  plowing  up  portions  of  the 
pasture  that  lie  pretty  level,  and  manuring  and  till- 
ing them  occasionally  and  then  laying  them  down 
to  grass  again, — meanwhile  pasturing  enough  til- 
lage land  to  compensate  for  the  pasture  land  ta- 
ken up.  This  is  good  farming  where  all  things 
are  right  for  it,  and  if  your  case  is  such,  you  may 
thus  be  enabled  perhaps  to  keep  six  or  eight 
cows  as  well  as  five  now.  The  improvement  of 
old  pastures,  within  a  reasonable  expense,  is  in 
many  sections  of  New  England  almost  the  leading 
question  in  farming.  It  is  comparatively  easy  to 
devise  methods  for  profitably  improving  our  til- 
lage lands  ;  but  not  so  for  the  more  or  less  rough 
and  hilly  pastures.  Stocking  them  lightly  is  one 
of  the  most  obvious  ways  of  improvement. 

6.  It  is  generally  profitable  to  raise  vegetables, 
if  the  market  is  large  enough  to  consume  them — 
that  is,  to  take,  at  a  fair  price,  the  various  assort- 
ed qualities,  first  and  second  rate,  as  fast  as  they 
are  fit  for  sale.  It  will  not  do  to  go  to  town  on 
uncertainties  ;  whatever  goes  in  the  wagon  must 
find  a  fair  mai'ket,  according  to  the  quality  of  the 
article  to  be  sold. 

7.  It  is  too  early  yet  to  speak  confidently  of 
the  merits  of  the  Chinese  Sugar  Cane  for  sweet- 
ening. 

8.  Cannot  answer  as  to  the  profit  of  a  dog. 

9.  If  pigs  are  Avorth  from  three  to  four  dollars 
each,  when  eight  weeks  old,  it  is  profitable  to 
raise  them. 

10.  A  cross  of  the  Suff'olk  and  Mackay  breeds 
makes  the  best  pig  I  have  ever  fed.  Pigs  that 
are  half  and  half  of  these  breeds  mature  early 
are  deep  in  the  carcase,  and  have  bone  enough  to 
stand  up  on  their  legs  till  fattened  fit  for  slaugh- 
tei'ing.  There  is  a  constant  tendency  in  our  fine 
bred  swine  to  run  too  small.  You  must  have  size, 
coupled  Avith  thrift  and  early  maturity,  to  make 
March  pigs  weigh,  on  an  average,  300  lbs.  each, 
dressed,  by  the  first  of  January  following.  Eith- 
er of  these  breeds  cross  well  with  the  best  large 
breeds  of  the  country. 

11.  The  best  cows  of  our  old  "native"  stocks' 
are  excellent  for  the  dairy.  But  the  best  dairy 
cows,  on  the  whole,  that  I  have  known,  are  those 
half  and  three-quarters  blood  cows  derived  from 
our  best  mountain  cows  of  the  "native"  stock, 
bred  to  a  full  blood  Durham  bull,  of  a  good  milk- 
ing family,  and  the  heifers  of  this  cross  bred  in 


96 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Feb. 


again  with  the  Durhams,  These  half  and  three- 
fourths  blood  cows  have  generally  good  size,  ex- 
cellent constitution,  great  milking  capacity,  and 
for  practical  ])urposcs  are  generally  superior  to 
either  the  full  blood  Durham  or  original  "native" 
Btock. 

12.  I  should  certainly  always  look  for  the 
marks  laid  down  by  Guenon,  when  buying  a 
dairy  cow.  I  have  never  known  a  cow  with  all 
the  "escutcheons,"  as  he  terms  them,  fully  devel- 
oped, that  did  not  prove  an  A  No.  1  milker.  I 
have,  however,  known  cows  showing  these,  marks 
only  in  part,  that  proved  better  than  one  would 
expect  who  went  by  Guenon's  theory. 

13.  The  Improved  Hinge  Harrow,  made  by 
Noursc,  Mason  &  Co.,  is  the  best  kind  I  have 
used.  It  is  a  square  harrow,  made  heavy  for 
rough  land,  or  light  for  mellow  land,  and  for  cov- 
ering grain  and  grass  seeds.  It  is  composed  of 
two  pieces  of  frame-work,  connected  to  each  oth- 
er by  iron  hinges,  and  carries  a  breadth  of  five 
feet.  The  independent  and  easy  play  of  the  parts, 
on  the  hinges,  enaliles  the  harrow  to  shape  itself 
to  the  ground  continually,  so  that  whether  going 
over  knolls  and  ridges,  or  through  hollows,  it  al- 
ways hugs  the  ground,  and  every  tooth  has  an 
operation  on  the  soil.  It  has  thirty  teeth,  which 
stand  a  foot  apart  every  way,  so  that  they  are  not 
liable  to  clog,  and  yet  their  number  and  arrange- 
ment is  such  as  to  work  the  ground  very  fine. 

14.  The  Roller  is  very  useful  on  any  farm, 
large  or  small.  It  smooths  the  plowed  land  on 
seeding  it  down  to  grass,  forcing  the  small  stones 
into  tlie  soft  ground,  pulverizing  the  lumps  of 
earth,  securing  a  sure  and  quick  germination  of 
the  grain  and  grass  seeds,  and  preparing  an  even 
surface  for  mowing  and  raking.  It  is  particular 
ly  useful  on  loose  and  porous  sandy  and  gravelly 
lands,  which  incline  to  part  too  freely  with  mois 
ture  and  manure,  in  a  dry  season.  It  makes  them 
more  compact  at  the  surface,  so  that  they  are  less 
exposed  to  injury  by  evaporation,  and  presses  the 
loose  earth  around  the  seeds,  giving  the  plants  a 
good  foothold  in  the  soil,  so  that  they  the  better 
resist  the  effects  of  dry  weather. 

Brattleboro' ,  Dec.  30,  1857.     F.  Holbrook. 


DIFFERENCE  IN  COWS. 

Cows,  under  certain  constitutional  ciscumstan- 
ces,  are  naturally  disposed  to  convert  their  food 
into  fat,  so  much  so  that  there  is  great  difficulty 
in  keeping  some  classes  in  a  breeding  state,  more 
especially  improved  Short  Horns,  Devons  and 
Herefords.  Turn  a  cow  of  this  description  into 
rich  grass,  and  she  is  soon  useless  for  anything 
but  the  shambles.  The  quality  of  the  milk  she 
gives  may  be  fine,  but  the  quantity  almost  noth- 
ing. We  had  a  Devon,  the  property  of  a  noble 
Duke,  which  carried  off  t!ie  first  prize  of  her  class 
at  one  of  the  Royal  Agricultural  Society's  meet- 
ings, not  giving  m<n-e  than  one  quart  at  a  milking. 

On  the  other  hand,  there  is  a  class  of  cows 
naturally  inclined  to  turn  all  their  food  into  the 
pail.  Turn  a  cow  of  this  kind  along  with  the  one 
a')Ove,  and  she  will  rather  get  poorer  every  day, 
if  the  milk  is  taken  from  her,  while  her  plump 
and  sleek  rival  is  gaining  weight.  The  former 
Mill  consume  greatly  more  grass  and  water  than 
tae  latter,  returning  for  it  in  proportion  a  still 
jrreater  quantity  of  milk,  but  inferior  in  quality. 


In  town  dairies,  when  fed  on  sour  grains,  distil- 
lers' wash,  &c.,  the  quantity  sometimes  yielded  is 
almost  incredible.  When  such  is  the  case,  how- 
ever, life  is  generally  short,  especially  if  cow3 
are  in  a  low  state  at  calving.  Hence  the  reason 
why  dairymen  purchase  near-calves  of  this  class 
in  good  condition. 

The  above  two  classes  may  be  called  extremes, 
between  which  there  is  a  mean,  and  this  latter 
class  of  cows,  if  turned  into  a  rich  pasture  along 
with  the  others,  Mould  keep  themselves  in  good 
condition,  and  give  a  medium  quantity  of  milk, 
the  quality  depending  upon  the  richness  of  tlie 
food. — Mark  Lane  Express. 


FvT  the  New  England  Fanner. 
CHINESE  SUGAR  CANE— RESULTS. 

Friend  Brown  : — Although  you  have  many 
friends  who  have  communicated  their  experience 
in  the  culture  of  the  Sorgho  siicre,  the  last  season, 
still  I  have  thought  a  few  facts,  elicited  in  the 
natural  M'ay,  from  sources  reliable,  would  be  ac- 
ceptable. Being  disappointed  in  not  receiving 
in  season  for  our  pamphlet,  which  is  now  fully 
printed,  an  account  of  the  culture  of  this  plant, 
on  about  one-eighth  of  an  acre,  by  a  friend, 
which  I  M'itnessed  when  on  a  visit  to  his  place  in 
August  last — I  extract  the  substance  of  what  he 
says — because  I  know  that  Mhat  he   says  is  tnie. 

"The  patch  of  cane  (some  20  square  rods) 
proved  very  uneven  in  its  growth,  some  hills  be- 
ing not  more  than  one  foot  in  height,  early  in 
October  ;  vhile  others,  in  the  immediate  vicinity, 
M-ere  ten  feet  high — -and  the  sto^'ks  from  one  to 
one  and  a  half  inches  in  diameter.  I  cannot  un- 
derstand this  difference  in  the  growth,  as  all  the 
hills  Mere  treated  in  the  same  manner.  I  made 
no  use  of  mine  except  to  let  my  calves  feed  it, 
they  being  very  fond  of  it — always  selecting  the 
largest  and  most  mature  stalks. 

"Many  of  my  neighbors  grew  small  patches, 
from  9  to  12  feet  in  height,  as  even  as  Indian 
corn.  Some  fed  it  to  their  cattle  green,  others 
cured  it  for  winter  feed  ;  and  some  expressed 
the  juice,  from  M'hich  very  fair  syrup  was  made. 
But  for  lack  of  suitable  mills  for  crushing  the 
canes,  and  kettles  for  boiling,  none  here  have 
made  any  large  quantity  of  syrup.  Some  parcels 
M'ere  very  good — others  not  so  good,  the  syrup 
having  a  rank,  harsh  taste." 

The  foregoing  account,  given  by  one  of  the 
most  intelligent  cultivators  in  the  State  of  New 
Hampshire,  is  a  fair  statement  of  the  success  at- 
tending the  culture  of  the  Chinese  Sugar  Cane  in 
New  England.  Nobody  here,  that  I  can  learn, 
has  made  sugar  from  it — nobody  made  any  mo- 
lasses that  is  equal  to  M'hat  Me  have  been  accus- 
tomed to  use. 

That  this  plant  will  grow — that  it  will  afford  a 
syrup  in  fair  quantity,  is  proved  beyond  question 
— but  that  it  is  worth  groM'ing  for  the  stigar  that 
can  be  made  from  it,  M-ill  require  all  the  energy, 
perseverance  and  skill  of  a  Hyde,  a  Lake  or  a 
Choate,  for  more  than  one  season's  experiments, 
to  satisfy  a  doubting  public.  Do  not  inierstand 
me  as  denouncing  this  culture — all  I  say  is,  tha 
it  has  not  yet  been  shoM'n  to  be  M'orth  pursuing. 
J.   W.    FiiOCTOR. 

South  Dauvers,  Dec,  1857. 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


97 


THE  liAWKENCE  PEAR. 


Since  Downing  wrote  of  this  pear,  in  his  edi- 
tion of  the  "Fruits  and  Fruit  Trees  of  America," 
of  1848,  it  has  been  fruited  and  tested  by  many 
persons,  who  generally  agree  that  it  is  among  our 
best  quality  of  pears.  It  has  not  often  been  pic- 
tured, and  we  therefore,  find  a  new  pleasure  in 
presenting  it,  together  with  the  description  at 
first  referred  to. 

The  Lawrence  pear  is  a  new  variety,  which  will, 
undoubtedly,  take  its  place  among  those  of  the 
first  quality.  It  is  a  seedling,  which  sprung  up 
in  Flushing,  L.  I.,  in  the  neighborhood  of  two 
other  pear  trees  only,  the  St.  Germain  and  the 
White  Doyenne,  and  bears  some  proofs,  in  its 
qualities,  of  being  a  natural  cross  between  the 
two.  Messrs.  Wilcomb  and  King,  nursery-men, 
of  that  place,  first  introduced  this  pear  to  notice; 
we  learn  from  them  that  it  produces  regular  and 
abundant  crops,  and  the  fruit  is  not  inclined  to 
rot  or  shrivel,  commencing  to  ripen  in  October, 
and  will  keep  till  March.  The  tree  is  moderate- 
ly vigorous,  and  has  thorny,  rather  slender,  light 
yellowish-brown  shoots. 

Fruit  rather  large,  obovote,  narrowing  to  an 
obtuse  end,  and  a  little  irregular;  pale,  yellow- 
ish-green, m  irked  with  small  patches  of  greenish- 


brown.  Calyx  set  in  a  rather  deep  basin.  Flesh 
yellowish-white,  melting,  juicy,  with  a  very  rich 
and  sugary  flavor. 


For  the  Netr  England  Farmer. 
CUliTIVATE  THE  MIND  AND  THE   SOIL. 

In  a  previous  article  I  attempted  to  gather 
from  the  published  returns  of  the  census  of  the 
United  States  and  of  Boston,  some  idea  of  the 
proportion  which  the  learned  classes  bear  to  the 
whole  population,  for  the  purpose  of  ascertaining 
the  inducements  which  the  law  of  demand  and 
supply  off'ers  to  the  great  mass  of  our  young  men 
for  an  exchange  of  physical  for  intellectual  em- 
ployment. 

The  result  of  that  investigation  was  the  con- 
clusion that  about  one  in  a  hundred  may  be  class- 
ed with  the  "learned  professions."  Yet,  small  as 
is  this  proportion,  it  is  well  known  that  these 
professions  are  uncomfortaV)ly  crowded.  For  years 
the  religious  press  has  literally  groaned  with  ap- 
peals for  a  half-paid,  starving  clergy ;  every  vil- 
lage has  nearly  as  many  doctors  as  patients  ;  and 
lawyers  have  so  multiplied  of  late,  that  one  of 
the  Boston  daily  papers  devoted  its  leading  col- 
umn, a  few  weeks  since,  to  an  enumeration  of  the 


98 


NEW  EJN  GLAND  FARMER. 


Feb. 


"miseries"  of  lawyers,  and  closed  with  an  earnest 
appeal  to  young  men  to  choose  some  other  pro- 
fession or  business,  if  they  would  secure  the 
means  of  an  honest  livelihood. 

Fifty  or  one  hundred  years  ago,  most  of  the 
learning  and  cultivation  of  the  country  was  con- 
fined to  the  professions.  To  be  a  minister,  a 
lawyer  or  a  doctor  then,  was  to  be  a  great  man — 
to  be  raised  above  the  other  divisions  of  society, 
and  entitled  to  much  deference,  respect  and  hom- 
age for  the  mere  title  which  the  profession  con- 
ferred. This  is  not  the  case  now.  "Men  are  noAV 
respected,"  says  a  member  of  Congress,  "as  they 
are  men,  and  not  for  their  calling  and  profession. 
We  add  not  an  inch  to  any  man's  stature  that  he 
is  a  physician,  a  counsellor  or  a  parson.  It  con- 
tributes but  little  to  a  man's  social  position  that 
he  is  of  any  of  these  professions,  and  it  will  con- 
tribute less  by-and-bye.  The  strong  man  at  the 
bench  and  the  weak  one  on  it,  are  alike  finding 
their  own  place.  Now,  learning,  talent,  great  in- 
tellectual power,  do  not  rush  to  these  professions 
as  formerly.  Of  the  liberally  educated  a  large 
proportion  become  merchants, mechanics  and  farm- 
ers. The  unexampled  progress  made  in  our  day 
in  the  useful  arts,  in  material  expedients,  has 
opened  new  fields  for  talent  and  genius,  and  done 
much  towards  making  all  useful  trades,  callings 
and  professions  alike  and  equally  respectable  in 
the  opinion  of  men,  as  they  are  in  point  of  fact." 
If,  then,  the  liberally  educated  are  becoming  farm- 
ers, if  lawyers  and  doctors  are  giving  up  their 
practice  and  turning  agriculturists,  is  it  not  a  lit- 
tle singular  that  anybody  should  insist  that  it  is 
one  of  the  necessary  "miseries  of  farming"  to 
have  "a  mind  vacant  and  idle,"  which  "turns  in- 
ward, preys  upon  itself,  and  wastes  its  energies 
and  those  of  the  body  which  holds  it,"  simply  be- 
cause there  is  nothing  in  agriculture  for  the  mind 
to  do  ? 

That  farming  has  been  regarded  as  an  occupa- 
tion which  depended  for  success  mainly  upon 
physical  power — mere  brute  force, — that  farmers 
themselves  have  believed  it  was  their  business  to 
work  with  their  hands,  and  to  leave  head-work  to 
the  professions,  is  undoubtedly  true.  So  long  as 
our  fathers  had  the  forest  before  them  ;  so  long 
as  it  was  easier  and  cheaper  to  clear  an  acre  of 
fresh  land  than  it  was  to  devise  the  means  for  the 
impx'ovement  of  an  acre  already  exhausted,  such 
a  theory  of  farming  may  have  been  practicable, 
and  so  long  the  powers  of  the  mind  may  have 
been  dormant.  But  when  the  new  land  was  all 
cleared  up,  and  men  were  driven  back  to  their 
worn-out  fields,  they  were  obliged  to  think  as  well 
as  work.  It  became  evident  that  something  must 
be  done  ;  something  different  from  what  they  had 
been  accustomed  to  do.  The  barren,  unfruitful 
fields  would  no  longer  produce  spontaneously. 
Men  were  in  doubt — the  first  stage  on  the  high- 
way to  knowledge ;  they  began  to  inquire  ;  the 
mind  was  roused;  a  mental  stimulus  was  fur- 
nished ;  the  enthusiasm  of  "the  absorption  of 
the  mind  in  a  great  truth"  was  experienced  ;  ex 
periments  were  tried  ;  improvements  were  eff"ect 
ed,  and  disappointments  experienced. 

That  there  has  been  a  waking  up  of  mind 
among  farmers  is  evident,  too,  from  the  wonder- 
ful increase,  within  a  few  yearr,  of  agricultural 
books  and  papers  and  warehouses.  Fifty  years 
ago  there  was  not  I  suppose,  a  single  periodical 


devoted  to  agriculture  published  in  the  United 
States,  scarcely  a  book  on  any  branch  of  farm- 
ing to  be  found  in  any  bookstore,  and  nothing 
like  the  agricultural  warehouses,  which  now  exist 
in  all  large  business  towns. 

At  the  present  time  there  are  more  agricultu- 
ral papers  than  States  in  the  Union.  Books  al- 
most without  number  offer  to  teach  the  "art  and 
science"  of  the  profession.  Botany,  Chemistry, 
Geology,  Mineralogy,  Meteorology,  Natural  His- 
tory and  other  branches  of  the  great  knowledge 
family,  tired  of  their  old  "silk  stocking"  extlu- 
siveness,  and  of  the  livery  they  have  served  great 
men  in,  are  now  "scraping  the  acquaintance"  of 
farmers,  and,  in  the  plainest  dress  they  can  put 
on,  and  in  the  most  familiar  manner  they  can  as- 
sume, are  off"ering  to  assist  in  their  most  arduous 
and  disagreeable  labors.  And  it  would  almost 
seem,  as  one  passes  through  such  a  museum  of 
farming  implements  as  is  the  establishment  of 
Nourse  &  Co.,  in  Boston, — whether  admiring  an 
apple-paring  machine,  a  dog-churn  or  a  two-horse 
mower — that  mechanical  ingenuity  had  actually 
gone  crazy  in  its  eff"orts  to  save  the  hard  work — 
to  promote  the  comfort,  and  to  alleviate  the 
"miseries"  of  all  concerned  in  farming.  Mr.  Cow- 
per  certainly  never  visited  such  an  establishment, 
or  he  would  not  have  said : 

"Ingenious  fancy  never  better  pleased, 

Than  when  at  work  t'  accommodate  the  fair ;" 

when  it  is  so  evident  that  not  only  ingenious  fan- 
cy, but  high  talent  and  deep  learning  are  now-a- 
days  never  bel  ter  pleased  than  when  at  work  to 
accommodate  the  "toiling  millions  that  till  the 
earth." 

But  I  see  that  I  have  run  into  poetry,  although 
I  commenced  with  the  intention  of  being  very 
prosy. 

In  my  next  article  I  will  try  to  show  that  "men- 
tal stimulus"  and  time  for  the  improvement  of 
the  mind,  may  be  and  are  found  upon  the  farm  ; 
and  this  I  hope  to  do  by  arguments  "as  dull  as 
a  fact,"  and  as  unpoetical  as  the  multiplication 
table.  A  City  Mechanic. 

Boston,  Jan.,  1858. 


ANNUAL  MEETING. 
The  annual  meeting  of  the  Trustees  of  the  Mid- 
dlesex County  Agricultural  Society  took  place  at 
Concord,  on  the  7th  inst.  The  day  was  pleasant, 
and  a  larger  number  were  present  than  usual. 
Wednesday,  Seiyt.  29t7i,  1858,  is  the  day  fixed  up- 
on for  the  next  exhibition.  Under  the  energetic 
administration  of  its  aff'airs  by  Mr.  President 
Keyes,  the  old  Society  seems  to  have  renewed 
its  youth;  there  was  much  enthusiasm  among  the 
Trustees,  who  made  important  changes  in  the 
premium  list,  and  in  several  other  particulars, 
that  will  have  a  tendency  to  give  the  oi)erations 
of  the  Society  a  new  interest  and  power. 


Preventive  of  Potato  Rot. — A  su!)scriber 
informs  us  that  one  bushel  of  air-slacked  lime  to 
one  hundred  bushels  of  potatoes,  well  spread 
through  the  heap,  will  prevent  the  potatoes  from 
rotting  in  the  bin. —  Oermantown  Telegraph. 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


99 


For  the  ±Cew  England  Farmer. 
LIFE    IN   THE    WEST---SAND    HILL 
CEANES—RATTLESNAKES. 

Eds.  N.  E.  Farmer  : — I  think  it  A\'ould  be 
interesting  to  your  eastern  readers  to  hear  some- 
ting  in  relation  to  the  wild  fowls,  snakes,  &c.,  of 
the  western  prairies.  Among  them  is  the  Sand 
Hill  Crane,  {Grus  Canadensis.)  Many  of  these 
noble  birds  still  nest  in  this  vicinity,  but  their 
number  is  small  comjiared  with  the  numerous 
flocks  that  a  few  years  since  might  be  seen  hold- 
ing their  strange  dances  on  some  favorite  knoll, 
or  feeding,  while  their  sentinels,  judiciously  post- 
ed, stood  ready  to  give  warning  of  any  intruder. 

Some  are  credulous  as  to  their  dancing.  It  is 
true  their  movements  are  not  so  graceful  as  a 
Frenchman's,  but  dance  they  certainly  do.  As 
for  their  music,  though  lacking  the  harmony,  it 
is  about  as  loud  and  melodious  as  a  fashionable 
opera  air. 

The  Sand  Hill  Crane  is  omniverous,  devouring 
pretty  much  anything  eaten  by  birds.  The  nest 
is  a  simple  pile  of  rushes  or  grass,  flat  on  the 
top,  built  in  some  deep  slough  or  pond.  The 
eggs,  two  in  number,  are  shaped  much  like  those 
of  the  common  turkey,  of  a  light  umber  color, 
splashed  Avith  brown.  The  nest  is  usually  sur- 
rounded by  deep  water,  but  the  young  birds  swim 
readily,  and  leave  it  as  soon  as  hatched.  It  is 
believed  by  many  that  they  separate  immediately 
upon  leaving  the  nest,  each  of  the  old  birds  taking 
care  of  one ;  the  supposition  being  that  they 
would  fight  if  allowed  to  remain  together.  In 
corroboration  of  this  somewhat  singular  idea,  I 
can  only  say,  I  never  found  two  of  the  young 
birds  in  company.  This  bird  is  easily  domestica- 
ted. I  once  knew  one  kept  for  several  years,  who 
showed  all  the  attachment  and  intelligence  of  a 
dog.  He  never  forgot  a  friend  or  forgave  an  in- 
jury. If  any  o..e  had  abused  him,  it  was  of  no 
avail  to  attempt  disguise ;  he  recognized  his  en- 
emy in  any  dress,  and  by  an  angry  croak  showed 
his  disjjleasure,  and  warned  them  to  keep  out  of 
his  reach.  He  was  a  great  gormandizer,  and  was 
very  fond  of  field  mice,  many  of  which  he  de- 
stroyed, being  quite  expert  at  finding  their  nests, 
and  searching  out  the  inmates  with  his  long  bill. 
He  would  have  been  of  service  in  the  garden 
were  it  not  for  his  inquisitive  propensities,  which 
led  him  to  pull  up  for  examination  everything  he 
saw  them  plant.  Though  a  desire  for  knowledge 
might  be  very  laudable,  this  mode  of  obtaining 
it  met  their  disapprobation,  and  eventually  caused 
his  banishment. 

Though  a  migratory  bird,  he  did  not  seem  to 
suff'er  from  cold  in  winter,  and  being  fond  of 
wading,  kept  a  place  in  a  neighboring  slough  free 
from  ice  till  late  in  the  season,  by  tramping  about 
in  it.  He  was  provided  with  a  warm  house,  but 
he  preferred  to  sleep  with  the  cows,  always  sleep- 
ing beside  one  of  them,  lying  flat  on  his  breast, 
with  his  legs  folded  under  him,  and  his  head  and 
long  neck  turned  back  between  his  wings.  He 
was  on  good  terms  with  all  the  cattle,  and  might 
frequently  be  seen  playing  with  them,  his  part  of 
the  performance  consisting  in  springing  up,  flap- 
ping his  wings  and  whooping  tremendously.  This 
was  precisely  the  same  as  the  dancing  of  his  wild 
brethren.  He  would  also  dance  to  the  waving 
of  a  handkerchief;  and  on  windy  washing  days 


sometimes  dance  for  hours  at  a  time,  to  the  mo- 
tion of  the  clothes  on  the  line.  When  much  en- 
raged, he  Avould  stand  with  his  head  and  bill 
pointed  directly  upwards,  and  utter  a  harsh, 
croaking  sound,  quite  unlike  his  usual  whoop. 

A  young  crane  makes  no  despicable  article  of 
food.  The  old  ones,  I  should  suppose,  would  be 
rather  tough  and  snaky  ;  but  an  old  hunter  of 
my  acquaintance  says  "a  turkey  is  not  half  as  good 
eating." 

AuDUBOX  supposed  this  to  be  only  the  young 
of  the  white  crane,  but  he  was  wrong.  The  white 
crane  is  more  of  a  southern  bird,  and  is  exceed- 
ingly rare  here.  I  saw  a  flock  flying  over  last 
fall  for  the  second  time.  These  two  species  are 
among  the  largest  of  our  North  American  birds. 

Geese  abound  in  countless  numbers,  to  the 
great  disadvantage  of  farmers  generally. 

In  regard  to  snakes,  we  have  a  great  variety. 
The  ones  most  prominent  with  us  are  the  bull  snake, 
blow  snake  and  rattlesnake.  The  fii'st  named  is  the 
largest  of  our  prairie  snakes,  being  about  five 
feet  long,  and  the  size  of  a  small  stake.  He  is 
not  very  venomous ;  -when  disturbed  he  utters  a 
low  sound  resembling  the  bellowing  of  a  bull ; 
therefore  he  is  called  "bull  snake." 

The  second,  although  not  differing  much  in 
size  or  appearance,  is  more  to  be  feared.  His 
mode  of  defence  is  by  blowing  a  poisonous  breath, 
which,  if  inhaled,  will  cause  sickness  at  the  stom- 
ach. They  are  often  found  around  buildings. 
They  are  great  climbers,  and  sometimes  will  as- 
cend a  perpendicular  wall  twice  their  length.  I 
once  saw  one  seated  in  front  of  a  dove's  cote.  He 
probably  did  not  receive  so  warm  a  reception  as 
would  have  been  desirable,  for  when  discovered 
he  was  gazing  anxiously  at  some  eggs,  that  the 
old  dove  stood  guarding  with  true  heroism. 

The  rattlesnake's  distinguishing  feature  con- 
sists of  a  number  of  horny  segments,  ])laced  at  the 
end  of  the  tail,  and  so  united  that  upon  their  vi- 
bration the  buzzing  sound  called  "rattling"  is  pro- 
duced. The  number  of  segments  composing  the 
rattle  is  generally  supposed  to  be  an  index  to  the 
age  of  the  snake.     But  this  is  not  always  so. 

The  poison  apparatus  consists  of  two  fangs  for 
the  injection  of  the  virus,  and  the  glands  which 
secrete  it  from  the  blood.  The  fangs  are  situated 
upon  the  upper  jaw  bone.  They  are  curved  and 
retractile  like  a  cat's  claw,  (being  only  erected 
when  the  snake  strikes,)  and  are  hollow  for  the 
passage  of  the  virus.  The  secreting  glands  are 
situated  one  under  each  eye,  and  connected  with 
the  hollow  fangs  by  two  large  ducts.  When  the 
snake  strikes,  the  gland  is  C(>jtnpressed  by  strong 
muscles,  the  virus  forced  through  the  duct  to  the 
fang,  and  thence  with  great  power  into  the  wound. 
The  fangs  are  not  permanent,  and  when  shed  are 
replaced  by  new  ones  from  behind. 

The  prairie  massasanga,  (ratilesnaJce,)  so  nu- 
merous in  this  State,  is  found  eastward  to  New 
York,  and  throughout  the  western  States  as  far 
as  the  Rocky  Mountains.  In  the  South  it  is  re- 
placed by  another  well  known  ground  rattlesnake. 
Ours  is  the  one  which  sometimes  lives  in  the 
holes  of  the  squirrel,  though  it  is  not  the  only 
species  which  forces  itself  upon  the  hospitality 
of  that  little  animal.  The  prairie  massasanga  is 
not  often  found  over  two,  though  I  have  seen 
specimens  full  three  feet  in  length.  I  have  never 
heard  of  a   single   well   authenticated    instance 


100 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Feb 


where  the  bite  proved  fatal  to  man.  But  the 
banded  rattlesnake  is  much  longer  and  more  dan- 
gerous, while  tlie  terrible  diamond  rattlesnake  of 
the  Soi:th  sometimes  attains  the  length  of  eight 
feet,  and  a  blow  from  which  is  almost  certain 
death. 

The  rattlesnake  was  for  a  time  our  national 
emblem,  and  it  is  to  be  regretted  that  it  was  so 
soon  thrown  aside  for  the  bald  eagle.  For  des- 
pite the  horror  in  which  he  is  held,  the  reptile  is 
by  far  the  nobler  animal  of  the  two.  He  is  no 
impotent  and  cowardly  robber,  like  our  emblem- 
atic bird,  makes  no  unprovoked  attacks,  and  al- 
ways sounds  his  warning  rattle,  a  sure  precursor 
of  the  deadly  blow  that  follows. 

It  is  doul>tful  whether  any  of  the  popular  rem- 
edies for  serpent  bite  are  of  positive  avail,  ex- 
cept, perhaps,  the  internal  use  of  stimulants. 
Probal)ly  the  best  way  of  treating  a  bite  would 
be  immediate  excision,  if  practicable,  as  deep  as 
the  fang  entered,  or  the  application  of  cupping 
glasses,  or  sucking  with  the  mouth.  A  pressure 
over  the  wound  would  also  be  beneficial,  by  re- 
tarding absorption.  To  be  of  any  use,  however, 
these  measures  must  be  taken  instantly.  It  may 
be  well  to  mention  here  that  the  only  poisonous 
snakes  m  the  United  States  are  those  composing 
the  family  of  rattlesnakes,  moccasins  and  copper- 
heads. T  he  moccasins  are  confined  to  the  South- 
ern States-  The  copperheads  have  a  wider  range, 
but  are  now,  fortunately,  nowhere  abundant. 

D.  J.  Benton. 

Manee,  Ills.,  Dec.  23,  1857. 


APPLE  TREES  BY  THE  SIDE  OP  FENCES 
Many  years  ago  it  used  to  be  the  custom  to 
set  young  apple  trees  alongside  the  wall  or  fence, 
not  only  against  the  fences  bordering  the  high- 
way, but  quite  often  along  the  division  lines  of 
the  fields.  This  practice  has  been  latterly  neg- 
lected, and  Ave  believe  condemned  by  most  per- 
sons who  have  planted  trees.  The  question  has 
often  arisen  in  our  mind  whether  that  old  custom 
was  entirely  without  merit.  Were  there  no  good 
reasons  for  placing  fruit  trees  in  those  positions  ? 
Giving  the  subject  some  thought,  and  looking  at 
the  farms  Avhere  the  trees  were  thus  scattered,  we 
confess,  has  given  us  several  reasons  for  believ- 
ing that  the  old  way,  after  all,  had  its  claims,  as 
well  as  the  modern  innovation. 

The  work  of  cultivating  the  soil,  for  any  crop,  is 
just  about  doubled  on  land  that  is  covered  with 
fruit  trees  at  the  ordinary  distances,  say  from  25 
to  40  feet  apart.  The  trees  ofi"er  an  obstruction  to 
every  operation,  in  removing  the  stones  if  there 
are  any,  in  plowing,  carting  on  manure,  in  har- 
rowing, furrowing,  and,  perhaps,  more  than  all,  in 
cultivating  the  corn  preparatory  to  hoeing.  They 
are  also  formidable  obstacles  to  the  use  of  mow- 
ing machines  w'  en  the  land  comes  to  be  in  grass, 
as  well  as  obstructions  in  carting  off  the  hay. 
They  are  so  many  hindrances,  and  consequently 
are  as  much  a  tax  to  the  farmer  as  though  the 
amount  of  hindniucc  was  paid  in  cash. 


These  reasons  are  not  presented  to  dissuade 
any  one  from  planting  an  orchard  in  the  compact 
form,  but  merely  to  show  that  olijections  may  be 
urged  to  this  mode  of  planting  as  well  as  to  any 
other. 

Some  of  these  objections  advanced  against 
planting  by  the  side  of  fences,  are, 

1.  That  the  trees  prevent  plowing  near  the 
wall  or  fence. 

2.  That  weeds  and  bushes  grow  and  at  length 
occupy  the  ground  between  the  tree  and  the 
fence,  until  the  former  scatter  their  seeds  over 
the  contiguous  fields,  and  the  latter  send  out 
their  roots  to  sap  the  soil  of  the  nutriment  which 
the  trees  themselves  require. 

3.  That  cattle  reach  after  the  limbs,  either  te 
browse  them  or  feed  upon  the  fruit,  and  thus 
break  the  trees  and  destroy  their  symmetry,  and 
also  destroy  the  fences. 

4.  If  apple  trees  are  set  along  side  of  mowing 
fields,  we  must  either  suflter  the  loss  of  the  "fall 
feed,"  or  run  the  risk  of  having  the  trees  browsed. 

5.  That  where  trees  are  on  the  roadside  the 
fruit  becomes  a  temptation  to  boys,  who  some- 
times steal  it,  knock  the  fences  down,  and  stone 
and  club  the  trees,  greatly  to  their  detriment. 

Now  let  us  see  if  these  objections  have  any 
better  foundation  than  those  urged  against  com- 
pact orchard  culture. 

1.  In  order  to  make  trees  grow  so  rapidly  as  to 
prevent  their  being  stunted,  covered  with  moss 
and  show  premature  old  age,  they  must  stand  in 
a  loose  and  porous  soil,  beside  being  manured ; 
and  this  must  be  their  position  with  occasional 
exceptions,  for  a  year  or  two  at  a  time,  of  leaving 
them  in  grass,  for  at  least  twenty  years.  A  strip 
of  land  near  the  fence  may  be  plowed  and  thor- 
oughly pulverized,  to  set  them  in  when  planted, 
and  this  may  be  spaded  up  once  or  twice  a  year 
with  as  much  economy,  perhaps,  as  it  could  be 
plowed ;  for  even  in  close  orchard  culture,  the 
use  of  the  spade  is  necessary  after  the  best  plow- 
ing has  been  performed,  and  spading  the  trees 
near  fences  may  be  done  in  spring  and  fall,  at 
odd  hours  when  other  work  is  not  pressing. — 
When  this  is  faithfully  done,  it  takes  away  the 
force  of  the  second  objection  in  regard  to  weeds 
and  bushes. 

3.  The  third  objection,  in  relation  to  the  de- 
struction of  trees  and  fences  by  cattle,  is  the 
most  formidable  one.  But  in  order  to  prevent 
this  mischief,  the  limbs  of  the  tree  may  be  start- 
ed high,  the  fences  made  strong,  and  such  other 
precautionary  measures  adopted  as  might  be  from 
time  to  time  devised. 

4.  In  regard  to  the  fourth  objection,  if  planting 
fruit  trees  by  the  side  of  mowing  lots  would  keep 
cattle  out  of  them,  it  would  prove  of  essential 
service  to  many  farmers  who  greatly  injure  their 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


101 


mowing  lands  by  feeding  them  too  closely  in  the 
fall. 

5.  The  fifth  objection  would  have  but  little  force 
in  the  country,  where  fruit  is  plenty. 

Upon  the  whole,  we  are  inclined  to  believe  that 
the  old  practice  of  setting  fruit  by  the  side  of 
fences,  and  especially  where  they  border  the  high- 
way, was  an  economical  and  proper  one.  They 
certainly  must  find  a  considerable  portion  of  their 
support  from  the  washings  of  the  highways,  and 
they  afford  shade  in  summer,  break  the  rough 
winds  of  winter  and  render  the  way  attractive 
and  pleasant  to  the  traveller. 


For  the  JS'ew  England  Farmer. 
DAIRY  PREMIUMS. 

At  the  recent  meeting  of  the  Trustees  of  the 
Middlesex  Agricultural  Society,  two  dairy  pre- 
miums were  off'ered  for  the  next  exhibition  ;  and 
as  the  competitors  are  allowed  to  select  any  three 
consecutive  months  in  the  year  for  the  trial,  it 
is  desirable  that  the  information  should  be  com- 
municated to  the  dairy  men  of  the  county  as 
soon  as  possible.  The  premiums  offered  are  as 
follows  : 

Fof  the  largest  amount  of  Milk  from  three 
cows,  during  any  three  successive  months,  $10. 
The  weight  and  wine  measure  v>f  the  milk  to  be 
ascertained  during  the  whole  of  ihe  first  week  of 
each  month.  A  full  and  accurate  statement  of 
the  feed  and  manner  of  keeping  the  cows  must 
be  pr(>sented  in  writing,  at  the  time  of  making 
application  for  the  premium,  and  all  the  cows 
must  be  presented  for  the  examination  of  the 
dairy  committee. 

For  the  best  jjroduct  in  Butter  from  three  cows, 
during  any  three  consecutive  months  in  the  year, 
$10.  The  manner  of  setting  the  milk,  time  of 
keeping  it,  and  the  manner  of  churning  and  salt- 
ing and  putting  down  the  butter,  to  be  fully  sta- 
ted in  writing,  together  with  the  kind  and  quan- 
tity of  food  the  cows  have  had.  Samples  of  the 
butter  and  all  the  cows  must  be  presented  for  ex- 
amination at  the  exhibition. 

Joseph  Reynolds,  Secretary. 

Concord,  Jan.  7,  1858. 


which  this  is  one)  produce  an  abundance  of  the 
native  frost  grape ;  the  hazelnut  bushes,  over 
which  some  of  the  vines  grow,  have  the  usual 
crop  of  hazelnuts.  It  would  seem  that  the  bush- 
es so  fed  the  vines  which  ran  over  them,  as  to 
produce  the  curious  cross  between  the  fruit  of 
each.  Mr.  D.  has  left  this  specimen  in  our  office; 
he  says  there  are  more  of  them  where  this  came 
from. 


HAZELNUTS  GROWING  UPON  A  GRAPE- 
VINE. 

The  following,  from  the  Hartford  (Ct.)  Times, 
will  be  found  to  be  "nuts"  enough  for  the  incred- 
ulous even : 

A  Curiosity. — Mr.  James  Danforth,  of  South 
Windsor,  has  shown  us  a  natural  curiosity,  in  the 
shape  of  a  grape  vine  which  has  clusters  of  hazel- 
nuts growing  on  it.  The  vine  was  one  of  a  large 
number  grooving  among  and  over  a  lot  of  hazel- 
But  bushes,  and  singular  to  say,  some  of  the 
grape  vines  have  produced  bunches  of  hazelnuts, 
or  rather  a  union  of  grapes  and  hazelnuts  in  one 
husk.  The  hybrid  fruit  is  a  curiosity.  It  grows 
in  clusters,  and  presents  externally  the  appear- 
ance of  hazelnuts,  and  the  taste,  too,  is  that  of 
a  hazelnut.  The  germ,  however,  on  cutting  the 
fruit  open,  is  plainly  a  little  bunch  of  grape  seeds, 
in  eacfi   instance.     The  viaies   near   by  (and   ofj 


For  the  New  England  Fanner 
FARMING  IN  ORANGE  COUNTY,  N.  Y. 

Mr.  Editor  : — You  know  that  the  ideas  of 
''pure  Orange  county  milk,"  and  "  Goshen  butter," 
put  the  mouths  of  New  Yorkers  out  of  taste  for 
the  milk  and  butter  of  the  rest  of  the  world. 

On  Thursday,  Dec.  3d,  I  left  Irvington,  New 
Jersey,  and  went  on  board  an  omnibus  bound  for 
Newark.  The  omnibus  approximated  to  three 
times  the  length  of  those  used  most  in  Boston. 
Its  course  was  over  a  beautiful  plank  road  until 
it  struck  upon  the  pavements  of  the  city  of  New- 
ark, which  city  is  in  the  midst  of  the  fertile  "red 
ground"  of  the  county  of  Essex.  By  railroad  to 
New  York  is  a  short  but  interesting  ride.  The 
extensive  nurseries,  along  the  way,  could  not  fail 
to  arrest  the  attention  of  one  who  loves  "to  look 
upon  the  cultivated  field."  The  extensive  marsh- 
es, too,  where  the  seeds  of  fever-and-ague  germi- 
nate, bear  a  strong  relation  to  the  world  of  life, 
as  it  now  is. 

I  regretted  exceedingly  that  I  could  not  have 
had  a  day-passage  upon  the  New  York  and  Erie 
road,  and  the  Hudson  branch,  to  Blooming  Grove, 
in  Orange  county,  N.  Y.,  where  I  am  at  the  pres- 
ent time.  But  all  the  world  will  not  come  into 
the  idea  that  every  man  is  of  so  much  conse- 
quence that  all  his  wishes  must  be  anticipated 
and  provided  for.  So  as  one  who  counts  only 
one,  in  the  counting  of  millions,  I  have  uq  cause 
of  complaint. 

Leaving  Jersey  City,  the  red  soil  is  to  be  seen 
for  some  time  ;  the  railroad  cutting  slight  eleva- 
tions of  land  and  then  streaking  away  across  ex- 
tensive marshes.  To  the  eye  of  an  eastern  man, 
the  dull  looking  brick  buildings  and  street-mud, 
corresponding  in  color,  gives  an  impression  of 
disorder,  a  want  of  neatness.  Sec. ;  but  to  people 
this  way,  a  very  different  impression.  To  them 
these  dull  colors  are  only  mild,  in  comparison 
with  the  bright  red,  white,  brown  or  black,  which 
are  seen  in  the  buildings  and  their  fixtures,  the 
men  and  their  apparel,  &c,,  in  the  Eastern  States. 
I  perceive,  by  conversation  with  men  this  way, 
that  even  in  the  decided  colors  which  appear  in 
the  external  arrangements  of  New  England  men 
and  their  homes,  many  this  way  see  an  evidence: 
of  "ultraism  in  everything."  To  some,  it  ap- 
pears to  be  a  repulsive  feature,  and  one  which 
for  the  time  must  be  held  at  bay.  There  is  a 
more  extensive  dislike,  of  this  kind,  to  New 
Englanders,  among  the  people  of  New  Jersey, 
than  among  the  New  Yorkers.  Neither  appear 
to  me  to  be  conscious  cf  the  true  cause  of  their 
dislike  and  suspicion  of  the  "Yankees."  The 
difference  between  the  two,  that  is,  the  New  Eng- 
landers generally,  and  the  people  of  New  Jersey 
or  New  York,  is  attributable  mainly  to  the  influ- 
ence of  natural  circumstances  and  scenery  upon 
the  dispositions  and  characters  of  the  masses. 


102 


NEAV  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Feb. 


Neither,  in  my  estimation,  is  worthy  of  particu- 
lar praise  or  dispraise  for  their  different  pecu- 
liarities. 

I  reached  Blooming  Grove  in  the  evening. — 
The  moon  was  just  climbing  up  and  looking  over 
the  tops  of  the  mountains  on  the  east.  I  had 
often,  when  passing  up  and  down  the  Hudson, 
looking  upon  the  majestic  wall  of  rock  which 
rose  up  on  the  west  bank  to  mountain-height, 
wished  to  see  what  there  was  behind  the  wall. 
Now,  I  had  got  in  behind  the  wall.  The  scenery 
was  grand,  by  moonlight. 

Stepping  out  of  the  cars  at  the  "Washington- 
ville  station,  I  was  agreeably  surprised  to  find  a 
gentleman  in  waiting  for  me.  I  soon  found  my- 
self at  the  quiet,  comfortable  home  of  a  gentle- 
man whose  plain  exterior  would  have  suggested 
to  those  fancy-judges  who  measure  men's  minds 
by  the  cloth  or  leather  they  wear,  an  opinion  far 
from  fact,  I  had  fallen  in  with  an  extraordinary 
man — a  thorough  scholar  and  a  man  of  extensive 
knowledge. 

^lorning  light  afforded  a  fine  view  of  the  coun- 
try. In  the  distance,  at  the  north,  away  up  the 
Hudson,  were  seen  the  towering  summits  of  the 
Catskill  mountains.  On  the  east,  the  mountains 
which  skirt  the  Hudson.  On  the  west,  at  a  dis- 
tance of  some  fifteen  or  twenty  miles,  another 
mountain-range.  On  the  south,  towards  Sussex 
county,  N.  Y.,bold  and  broken  elevations  saluted 
the  eye.  Thus  encircled,  lay  a  beautiful  basin,  with 
undulating  surface  cut  by  meandering  streams, 
comprising  the  most  celebrated  dairy  district  in 
the  whole  country.  If  it  is  not  a  chosen  home 
for  the  Israel  of  the  Lord,  it  certainly  has  some 
of  the  characteristics  of  the  grazing-ground  of 
the  ancient  Israel,  for  it  is  near  to  Goshen,  and 
the  trade  of  the  people  is  in  cattle,  so  far  at  least, 
that  milk  and  butter  are  their  celebrated  pro- 
ducts. It  is,  moreover,  like  the  land  which  God 
chose  for  His  ancient  people  when  they  came  up 
out  of  Egypt.  It  is  a  land  of  brooks  and  foun- 
tains of  water.  It  flows  with  milk,  and  since  my 
coming  the  flow  of  honey  has  both  been  sufficient 
and  very  satisfactory. 

The  hills  and  valleys  are  covered  with  eviden- 
ces of  the  luxuriant  growth  of  sweet  grasses. 
The  forests  present  a  grand  growth  of  oak  and 
hickory  interspersed  with  a  few  other  trees.  The 
soil  is  well  supplied  with  clay  and  lime.  The 
subsoil  is  stiff  and  wet.  It  is  neither  very  rocky 
nor  free  from  stones.  Water  is  generally  hard. 
Streams  are  sufficiently  wanting  in  clearness,  at 
this  time  of  year,  to  indicate  the  nature  and  con- 
dition of  the  soil.  The  dairies  are  large,  making 
fine  profits  both  by  the  sale  of  milk  and  the  man- 
ufacture of  butter.  The  butter  is  mostly  put  up 
in  firkins,  tubs  or  pails,  whichever  you  please  to 
call  them,  containing  eighty  (80)  pounds.  It  us- 
ually commands  several  cents  per  pound  more 
than  the  common  price  of  butter  in  New  York. 
It  is  mostly,  I  think,  in  the  hands  of  the  produc- 
ers, yet,  for  this  year. 

Murderer's  Creek  runs  through  the  place.  A 
few  miles  west,  on  the  other  side  of  Goshen,  is 
the  Wallkill  river ;  and  yet  a  few  miles  farther 
is  the  Shawangunk  river,  which  two  unite  in  Ul- 
ster county,  and  then  swallowing  Ilondout  Creek, 
push  forward  to  Ilondout,  on  the  Hudson,  where 
they  hide  their  waters  in  that  river,  opposite  to 
Rhinebeck. 


The  farmers  here  buy  a  great  deal  of  grain  to 
feed  their  cows.  Yet  the  quality  of  their  pastur- 
age and  of  their  hay,  for  such  purposes,  is  as 
good  as  the  world  can  produce.  But  they  reckon 
a  clear  gain  from  the  high-feeding  of  their  cows, 
in  three  ways ;  namely,  in  the  better  condition 
of  their  stock,  the  better  quantity  and  quality  of " 
their  butter,  and  the  increased  quantity  and  qual- 
ity of  the  manure  which  is  made.  Will  the  farm- 
ers of  New  England  "stick  a  pin  there  ?" 

Wherever  I  turn  my  eyes,  the  country  gives 
evidence  of  the  industry,  intelligence,  sobriety 
and  thrift  of  the  people.  Their  farm-houses  and 
their  farms  testify  in  their  favor.  Their  homes 
are  the  homes  of  quiet  and  of  moral  and  social 
happiness.  c. 

Blooming  Grove,  N.  T.,  Dec.  10,  1857. 


A  THOUGHT. 

The  rose  that's  wet  with  summer  rain, 

Or  filled  with  early  dew. 
Sheds  richer  perfume  o'er  again, 

And  glows  with  lovelier  hue  ; 
The  pearly  drops  that  light  within 

Its  leafy  chalice  rest, 
But  fresher  beauties  for  it  win, 

Its  fragrant  charms  attest. 

So  hearts  bowed  down  with  weight  and  care, 

Or  crushed  with  bitter  grief. 
Show  clearly  what  their  virtues  are. 

While  waiting  for  relief; 
Each  tender  pang  is  sweet  that  springs 

From  hearts  by  sorrow  riven  ; 
If  on  its  parting  breath  it  brings 

Some  dearer  hope  of  Heaven. 


A  GOOD  MOWEB. 


The  farmers  will  brag  as  well  as  grumble.  The 
weather  is  never  just  right,  and  their  crops  are 
all  bound  to  be  ruined ;  but  after  they  are  in, 
they  do  love  to  tell  what  famous  ones  they  have 
had,  and  how  much  work  they  did  in  no  time  at 
all  getting  them  under  cover.  "Out  in  Michigan 
last  summer,"  Avrites  a  friend,  "a  number  of  far- 
mers Avere  sitting  in  front  of  a  country  store  at 
the  close  of  a  sultry  day,  and  telling  stories  about 
their  work,  and  so  on,  when  one  of  them  took  the 
rag  off  the  whole  of  them  by  relating  his  experi- 
ence :"  "I  say,  you  have  all  told  whopping  big 
yarns  now;  but  I'll  just  tell  you  what  I  done  once 
ni  York  State,  on  the  Genesee  Flats,  and  on  my 
father's  farm.  He  owned  a  meadow  just  a  mile 
long,  and  one  morning  in  June  I  begun  to  mow 
— sun  about  an  hour  high — and  mowed  right 
along  the  whole  length  of  the  field.  The  grass 
was  so  heavy  that  I  had  to  moAV  down  to  the  low- 
er end  of  the  field  and  walk,  or,  as  we  say,  'carry 
my  swarth.'  Well,  I  worked  on  till  sundown, 
and  then  quit.  I  just  thought,  as  the  meadow 
was  exactly  a  mile  long,  I'd  count  the  swarths, 
and  I  did,  and  there  was  one  Imndred!  That  gen- 
tlemen, is  what  York  State  folks  call  a  big  day's 
work."  "So  you  walked  two  hundred  miles  that 
day,  did  you  ?"  asked  one  farmer.  "And  mowed 
all  the  while  you  was  walking  ?"  said  another. 
"So  it  seems,"  replied  the  great  mower.  "I  tell 
you  the  facts,  and  you  can  make  as  much  of  it  as 
vou  can." 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


103 


EXTRACTS  AND  BEPLIES. 
SOWS  WITH  PIG. 
Having  two  or  three  sows  forward  with  pig, 
which  are  confined  with-  a  boar,  I  wish  to  inquire 
as  to  the  safety  and  propriety  of  letting  them  re- 
main together  ?  I  have  been  informed  by  several 
who  make  a  business  of  raising  pigs  that  it  is  best 
to  let  the  sows  remain  together.  No  matter  how 
many  there  may  be,  there  is  no  danger  of  the 
mother  of  one  brood  interfering  with  the  ofl- 
spring  of  another  ;  it  is  said  to  be  the  pr 
the  West,  Avhere  large  herds  of  sAvine  are  kept, 
to  let  both  male  and  female  remain  together  in 
such  cases  ,  and  that  losses  seldom  occur  from 
pigs  being  killed  by  the  opposite  sex,  or  animals 
of  the  same  sex.  I  know  of  two  or  three  instances, 


you  or  any   of  your    numerous   correspondents 
may  give  will  be  thankfully  received  by 

A  Subscriber. 


BOYS'  DEPARTMENT. 


LITTLE  CARL'S  CHRISTMAS  EVE. 

BY   GRACE   GREENWOOD. 

"Come   in!"  shouted  together  the  host    and 

uctice  al^'^'^^^^^  ^^  ^  little  German  wayside  inn,  near  the 

banks  of  the  Rhine,  and  not  far  below  the  city  of 

Basle,  and  the  borders   of  Switzerland.     It  was 

Christmas  eve  and  a  tempestuous  night.      The 

wind  was  raving  round  the  little  inn,  and  tearing 

away  at  windows  and  doors,  as  though  mad  to 

where  this  practice  has  been  successfully  followed  get  at  the  brave  little  light  within,  and  extin 


in  this  vicinity,  but  still  I  hardly  dare  run  the  g^i^h  it  without  mercy.     The  snow  was  falling 


risk.  It  is  said  to  be  a  bad  practice  to  remove 
sows  from  one  sty  to  another  just  before  they 
drop  their  pigs  ;  thus  you  see  I  am  in  a  sort  of 
dilemma.     Just  give  us  your  advice.  H. 

Remarks. — If  the  swine  have  been  together 
for  several  successive  months,  and  their  sleeping 
apartment  is  large,  we  should  make  no  change  if 
the  animals  were  ours. 

COLTS. 

I  have  read  with  not  a  little  pleasure,  accounts 
of  fine  colts,  and  the  best  way  to  treat  them.  I 
have  a  pair  of  colts  that  were  dropped  one  on  the 
10th  of  May,  and  the  other  on  the  10th  of  June, 
which  have  not  been  kept  any  way  extra,  but  are 
doing  well  on  moderate  feed.  Thay  stand  4  ft. 
4  in.  high,  or  over  13  hands,  and  are  well  trained 
to  the  halter,  bit  and  harness.  I  drove  them  this 
day,  one-fourth  of  a  mile,  each  way  from  home 
harnessed  and  hitched  to  a  sleigh  ;  they  are  per- 
fectly kind  and  work  nicely ;  are  of  a  bay  color 
and  are  of  the  high  blood  of  Rattler  and  Black 
Hawk.  I  rode  after  these  colts  when  the  oldest 
was  but  7  mos.  and  17  days  old. 

Wallinoford,  Jan.,  1858.  L.  Ames, 

SQUASHES   AND   PUMPKINS. 

I  have  read  Mith  interest  the  philosophical 
speculations  on  "vegetable  products"  from  your 
Lynnfield  correspondent — but  still,  am  disposed 
to  agree  to  Marblehead  suggestions,  as  to  grow- 
ing squashes  in  preference  to  all  others  ;  as  I 
know  of  no  place  where  the  squash  is  grown  in 
such  profuse  superabundance,  both  in  quantity 
and  quality,  as  along  these  shores  by  the  aid  of 
the  fertilizers  belonging  there. 

Will  our  friend  answer  the  inquiry  directly  ? 

Can  pumpkins  be  grown  from  squash  seeds  ?  or. 

Can  squashes  be  grown  from  pumpkin  seeds  ? 

I  should  like  to  know  what  can  be  said  on  this 
question — sticking  closely  thereto — without  any 
collateral  diversion.  *. 

Jan.  12,  1858.  _ 

ABOUT  ARRANGING  BARN  ROOM. 
I  am  about  to  build  a  barn  in  addition  to  two 
others  that  I  now  have.  I  want  a  cellar  for  my 
sheep  in  winter,  and  what  I  wish  to  know  is,  can 
I  have  stables  in  an  L,  so  as  to  make  it  handy,  as 
I  do  not  want  the  stables  in  the  cellar,  nor  in  the 


fast,  drifting  and  driving,  obstructing  the  high- 
way, blinding  the  eyes  of  man  and  beast. 

The  "come  in"  of  the  host  and  hostess  was  in 
answer  to  a  loud,  hurried  rap  at  the  door,  by 
which  there  immediately  entered  two  travellers. 
One,  by  his  military  di-ess,  seemed  a  soldier,  and 
the  other  appeared  to  be  his  servant.  This  was 
the  case.  General  Wallenstein  was  on  his  way 
from  Carlsruhe,  to  his  home  at  Basle.  He  had 
been  delayed  several  hours  by  an  accident  to  his 
post-carriage  and  by  the  storm,  and  now  found 
himself  obliged  to  stop  for  the  night,  at  this  lone- 
ly and  comfortless  little  inn. 

When  the  oflRcer  threw  aside  his  plumed  hat, 
and  military  cloak  of  rich  fur,  and  strode  up  to 
the  fire,  with  his  epaulettes  flashing  in  the  light, 
and  his  sword  knocking  against  his  heels,  cling 
clang — the  gruff  host  was  greatly  impressed  with 
his  importance,  and  willingly  went  out  to  assist 
the  postillion  in  the  care  of  the  horses.  As  for 
the  old  hostess,  she  bustled  about  Avith  wonderful 
activity  to  prepare  supper  for  the  great  man. 

"Ho,  Carl !"  she  cried — "thou  young  Rhine 
spirit,  thou  water-imp,  run  to  the  wood  for  anoth- 
er bundle  of  faggots !     Away,  haste  thee,  or  I'll 
give  thee  back  to  thy  elfin  kinsfolk,  who  are  ever 
howling  for  thee !" 

At  these  strange,  sharp  words,  a  wild-looking 
little  boy  started  up  from  a  dusky  corner  of  the 
room,  Avhere  he  had  been  lying  with  his  head 
pillowed  on  a  great  tawny  Swiss  dog,  and  darted 
out  of  the  door.  He  was  coarsely  dressed  and 
barefooted ;  yet  there  Avas  something  uncommon 
about  him — something  grand,  yet  familiar  in  his 
look,  which  struck  the  traveller  strangely. 

"Is  that  your  child  ?"  he  asked. 

"No  indeed,"  said  the  old  dame — "I'm  a  poor 
Avoman,  and  have  seen  trouble  in  my  time,  but, 
blessed  be  the  saints  !  I'm  not  the  mother  of  wa- 
ter-Imps." 

"Why  do  you  call  the  boy  a  Avater-Imp  ?" 

"I  call  him  so,  your  excellency,"  said  the  wo- 
man, sinking  her  shrill  voice  into  an  aAve-struck 
tone — "because  he  came  from  the  Avater,  and  be- 
longs to  the  water.  He  floated  doAvn  the  Rhine 
in  the  great  flood,  four  years  ago  come  spring — 
a  mere  baby,  that  could  barely  tell  his  name, 
perched  on  the  roof  of  a  little  chalet,  in  the  night, 
amid  thunder,  lightning  and  rain  !  Now,  it  is 
plain  that  no  human  child  could  have  lived  through 
that.  My  good  man  spied  him  in  the  morning 
earlv.  and  took  him  oft'  in  his  boat.  I  took  him  in 


barn  over  the  cellar.    Any  plan   or  information 'for  pity — but  I   have  always  been  afraid  of  him. 


104 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Feb. 


and  every  flood-time  I  think  the  Rhine  is  coming 
for  his  own  again." 

The  traveller  seemed  deeply  interested,  and 
well  he  might  be  ;  for  in  the  very  flood  of  which 
the  superstitious  old  dame  spoke,  his  only  child, 
an  infant  boy,  had  been  lost,  with  his  nurse,  whose 
cottage,  on  the  river-bank  below  Basle,  had  been 
swept  away  '  y  night, 

"Was  the  child  quite  alone  on  the  roof  of  the 
chalet  ?"  he  asked  in  an  agitated  tone. 

"Yes ;"  said  the  hostess^ — "all  but  an  old  dog, 
who  seemed  to  belong  to  him." 

"That  dog  must  have  dragged  him  up  on  to 
the  roof,  and  saved  him  !"  exclaimed  the  general 
— "is  he  yet  alive  ?" 

"Yes,  just  alive.  He  must  be  very  old,  for  he 
is  almost  stone  blind  and  deaf.  My  good  man 
would  have  put  him  out  of  the  way  long  ago,  but 
for  Carl ;  and  as  he  shares  his  meals,  and  makes 
his  bed  with  him,  I  suppose  it  is  no  loss  to  keep 
the  brute." 

"Show  me  the  dog  !"  said  the  officer,  w'ith  au- 
thority. 

"Here  he  lies,  your  excellency,"  said  the  dame. 
"Weicall  liim  Eljhi-Jnmd,"  (elf-dog.) 

General  Wallenstein  bent  over  the  dog,  touched 
him  gently,  and  shouted  in  his  ear  his  old  name 
of  "Leon."  The  dog  had  not  forgotten  it — he 
knew  that  voice,  the  touch  of  that  hand.  With  a 
plaintive,  joyful  cry,  he  sprang  up  to  the  breast 
of  his  old  master — nestled  about  nimbly  for  his 
hands,  and  licked  them  unreproved  ;  then  sunk 
down,  as  though  faint  with  joy,  to  his  master's 
feet.  The  brave  soldier  was  overcome  with  emo- 
tion— tears  fell  fast  from  his  eyes — "Faithful  crea- 
ture," he  exclaimed,  "you  have  saved  my  child, 
and  given  him  back  to  me" — and  kneeling  down, 
he  laid  his  hand  on  the  head  of  the  poor  old  dog, 
and  blessed  him. 

Just  at  this  moment  the  door  opened,  and  lit- 
tle Carl  appeared,  toiling  up  the  steps,  with  his 
arms  full  of  faggots — his  cheerful  face  smiling  a 
brave  defiance  to  winter  winds,  and  night,  and 
snow. 

"Come  hither,  Carl,"  said  the  soldier.  The  boy 
flung  down  his  faggots,  and  drew  near. 

"Dost  thou  know  who  I  am  ?" 

"Ah,  no — the  good  Christmas-king,  perhaps," 
said  the  little  lad,  looking  full  of  innocent  won- 
deraient. 

'.'Alas,  poor  child  ;  how  should'st  thou  remember 
me  !"  exclaimed  General  Wallenstein,  sadly — then 
clasping  him  in  his  arms,  he  said — "but  I  remem- 
ber thee — thou  art  my  boy — my  dear,  long-lost 
boy  !  Look  in  mv  face,  embrace  me  ;  I  am  thy 
father!" 

"No,  surely,"  said  the  child,  "that  cannot  be, 
for  they  tell  me  the  Rhine  is  my  father  !" 

The  soldier  smiled  through  his  tears,  and  soon 
was  able  to  convince  his  Hide  son  that  he  had  a 
better  father  than  the  old  river,  who  had  carried 
him  away  from  his  tender  parents.  He  told  him 
of  a  loving  mother,  who  yet  sorrowed  for  him, 
and  of  a  little  l)lue-eyed  sister,  who  would  rejoice 
when  he  came  !  Carl  listened,  and  wondered,  and 
laughed,  and,  when  he  comjjrehended  it  all,  slid 
down  from  his  father's  arms,  and  ran  to  embrace 
old  Leon. 

The  next  morning  early.  General  Wallenstein, 
after  having  generously  rewarded  the  inn-keeper 
and  his  wife  for  having  given  a  home,  though  a 


I)oor  one,  to  his  little  son,  departed  for  Rasle.  In 
his  arms  he  carried  Carl,  carefully  wrap])t(l  in  his 
warm  fur  cloak,  and  if  sometimes  the  little  bare 
feet  of  the  child  were  thrust  out  from  tiieir  cover- 
ing, it  was  only  to  bury  themselves  in  the  shaggy 
coat  of  old  Leon,  who  lay  snugly  curled  in  the 
bottom  of  the  carriage. 

I  will  not  attempt  to  tell  you  of  the  deep  joy  of 
Carl's  mother,  and  the  wild  delight  of  his  little 
sister — for  I  think  they  were  quite  beyond  any 
one's  telling  ;  but  altogether,  it  was  to  the  Wal- 
lensteins  a  Christmas-time  to  thank  God  for— 
and  they  did  thank  Him. — Little  Pilgrim. 


LADIES'  DEPARTMENT. 


DOMESTIC   HINTS. 

Two  Receipts  for  Making  Vinegar. — Fill 
large  glass  bottles  with  weak  tea,  which  may  be 
what  is  left  after  drinking.  Add  a  small  quantity 
of  sugar  or  molasses,  and  set  them  in  a  warm 
place,  say  in  a  window  where  the  sun  shines.  In 
a  fortnight  it  will  he  fit  for  use,  and  is  as  good 
as  cider  vinegar. 

Take  a  pan  of  sour,  thick  milk ;  break  it  so 
that  the  whey  will  rise  to  the  top.  Fill  a  glass 
bottle  with  the  whey,  and  to  every  quart  add  one- 
half  cup  of  sugar.  Set  it  in  a  warm  place,  and 
in  a  few  days  it  will  be  fit  for  use. — Dollar  News- 
pa])er. 

Cream  Cheese. — The  following  receipt  for 
making  cream  cheese  has  been  found  successful : 
Take  a  quart  of  cream,  or  if  not  desired  very  rich, 
add  one  pint  of  new  milk  ;  warm  it  in  hot  water 
until  it  is  about  the  heat  of  milk  from  the  cow. 
Add  a  tablespoonful  of  rennet,  let  it  stand  till 
thick,  then  break  it  slightly  with  a  spoon,  and 
place  it  in  a  frame  eight  inches  square  and  four 
inches  deep,  in  which  previously  put  a  fine  canva.'^ 
cloth  ;  press  it  slightly  with  a  weight,  let  it  stand 
twelve  hours,  then  put  a  finer  cloth  in  the  frame 
— a  little  powdered  salt  should  be  put  over  the 
cloth.     It  will  be  fit  for  use  in  a  day  or  two. 

For  a  Cough. — An  excellent  remedy  for  a 
cough  caused  by  a  common  cold,  is  as  follows : 
Take  h  pint  of  sharp  vinegar,  place  in  it  an  egg 
without  being  broken,  allow  it  to  remain  forty- 
eight  hours,  when  it  will  be  found  that  the  shell 
has  been  completely  dissolved  by  the  acid ;  then 
break  up  the  egg  in  the  vinegar,  add  half  a  pint 
of  honey,  which  being  well  mixed,  will  be  ready 
for  use.  Take  a  spoonful  for  a  dose  several  times 
a  day.  It  is  said  that  it  never  has  failed  to  pro- 
duce relief. 

To  Make  Coffee. — There  are  various  receipts 
for  preparing  and  refining  coff'ee.  The  following 
is  the  best  that  has  ever  come  under  our  view, 
and  is  available  in  all  places.  Procure  your  cof- 
fee fresh  roasted,  and  not  too  brown,  in  the  pro- 
portion of  a  quarter  of  a  pound  for  three  persons. 
Let  it  be  Mocha,  and  grind  it  just  before  using  ; 
put  it  into  a  basin,  and  break  into  it  an  egg,  yolk, 
white,  shell  and  all ;  mix  it  up  with  a  spoon  to  the 
consistence  of  mortar  ;  place  it  with  warm — nQt 
boiling — water  in  the  cofl'ee-pot ;  let  it  boil  up  am! 
break  three  times,  then  stand  a  few  minutes,  and 
it  will  be  as  clear  as  amber,  and  the  egg  will  givt- 
it  a  rich  taste. 


DEVOTED  TO  AGKICULTUilE    AND    ITS  KINDKED     ARTS  AND    SCIENCES. 


VOL.  X. 


BOSTON,  MARCH,  1858. 


NO.  3. 


.TOEI/  NOURSB,  Proprietoe. 
Office. ..13  Commercial  St. 


SIMON  BROWN,  EDITOR. 


FRED'K  HOLBROOK,  )  Associate 
HENRY  F.  FRENCH,  \  Editors. 


CALENDAR  FOR  MARCH. 

"The  seasons  alter:  hoary  headed  frosts 

Fall  in  the  fresh  lap  of  the  crimson  rose  ; 

*        *        *        *        the  Spring,  the  Summer, 

The  chilling  Autumn,  angry  Winter,  change 

Their  wonted  liveries ;  and  the  amazed  world. 

By  their  increase,  now  know  not  ■nhich  is  which." 


ARCH. — Spring  has 
now  come,  at  least 
in  name.    Around 
the  word    Sjmng 
cluster  a  thousand 
pleasant     associa- 
tions.    It  is    sug- 
--^-^ '  ^     gestive  of  soft  airs 
''^  and  gentle  breez- 
es, and  the   sing- 
nids,    and   opening 
iloweis   and  green  leaves. — 
But  in  our  northern  clime  we 
must  wait  patiently    for  its 
actual  advent,  for 

"Winter  often  lingers  in  the  lap  of 
Spring," 

and  chills  all  her  ardors,  and  we 
not  unusually  have  occasion  to  re- 
peat, day  after  day,  the  invocation : 
"Come,  gentle  Spring, ethereal  mildness,  come." 
In  more  southern  latitudes  and  more  genial 
climes,  March  is  a  pleasant,  sunny  month.  In  our 
southern  States  the  gardens  are  often  planted  in 
March.  The  ground  is  prepared  for  corn  and 
cotton,  and  much  of  the  seed  put  in.  But  March 
is  by  no  means  to  be  an  idle  month  with  us  north- 
ern farmers.  The  wood  is  to  be  cut  and  split  and 
piled  up.  The  posts  and  rails  to  be  got  ready  for 
use.  The  walls  thrown  by  frost  or  cattle,  to  be 
repaired  or  new  portions  laid.  If  the  frost  is  out 
of  the  ground,  posts  maybe  set,  and  all  the  fences 
put  in  order.  Farm  implements  should  be  looked 
to,  and  every  one  of  them  put  in  complete  repair. 
If  a  new  point  is  wanting  to  a  plow,  do  not  wait 
till  it  is  time  to  begin  plowing,  but  procure  one 


now,  so  that  when  team  and  men  are  ready  there 
shall  be  no  delay.  Get  all  the  chains  mended, 
and  overhaul  the  harnesses,  and  if  you  find  any 
weak  parts,  either  mend  them  yourself  or  take 
them  to  the  harness-maker.  It  will  be  vexatious 
to  have  a  buckle  draw  out  or  a  strap  break  while 
you  are  plowing  or  hauling  a  heavy  load  of  ma- 
nure, and  have  to  turn  out  the  team  and  lose  half 
a  day  in  getting  it  mended.  See,  also,  that  the 
harnesses  are  well  oiled,  and  that  collars  and 
hames  and  yokes  all  fit  well,  so  that  when  you 
come  to  put  them  in  motion,  the  work  shall  go 
on  rapidly  and  pleasantly  to  both  man  and  beast- 
The  noble  horse  that  exerts  his  strength  in  our 
service,  is  entitled  to  all  the  relief  that  can  be  de- 
rived from  a  well  fitting  harness.  An  easy,  well- 
adjusted  yoke  for  the  oxen  will  contribute  much, 
to  their  comfort.  "We  saw  some  yokes  at  the  Ag- 
ricultural Exhibition  in  Boston,  last  October, that 
might  almost  tempt  the  patient  ox  to  desire  "to 
pass  under  the  yoke."  With  good  harnessesand 
yokes  and  plows  suited  to  the  work  to  be  done, 
and  constructed  ixpon  scientific  principles,  it  is 
surprising  with  how  much  moi-e  ease  to  the  beast, 
and  pleasure  and  satisfaction  to  the  plowman, 
the  work  can  be  done. 

All  kinds  of  stock  should  be  well  cared  for  this 
month.  The  oxen  should  be  so  fed  that  they  may 
be  in  good  heart  for  the  season  of  hard  labor  that 
is  before  them.  The  cows  must  by  no  means  be 
neglected.  If  cows  are  reduced  in  flesh  in  the 
spring,  it  takes  half  the  summer  for  them  to  re- 
cruit, and  of  course  the  profits  fi-om  them  is 
small. 

Sheep  require  special  attention  this  month.  A 
pint  of  oats  a  day,  or  a  few  turnips  cut  fine,  to 
each  of  your  ewes,  will  be  amply  repaid  by  more 
vigorous  lambs  and  the  better  health  of  the  sheep. 
See  that  their  pens  and  yards  are  kept  dry,  lest 
you  find  the  foot-rot  among  them,  before  you 
suspect  it.  March  is  considered  a  trying  month 
for  all  kinds  of  stock.  They  have  been  so  long 
without  green  food,  that  they  begin  to  suffer  for 


106 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


March 


the  want  of  it.  If  you  have  kept  a  portion  of 
carrots  or  ruta-bagas  for  this  season,  they  -will 
supply  the  wants  of  the  animals  better,  probably, 
than  any  other  kind  of  food. 

March  is  the  time  to  fit  up  the  hot-beds. 
Every  farmer  may  have,  at  trifling  cost,  a  few 
square  feet  covered  with  glass,  to  bring  forward 
at  least  some  early  tomatoes,  cabbages  and  cu- 
cumbers. Dig  out  a  space  as  large  as  your  glass 
will  cover,  about  eighteen  incnes  deep.  Add  to 
the  top  of  this  ten  or  twelve  inches  of  horse  ma 
nure,  and  cover  it  with  four  inches  of  good  soil, 
and  sow  the  seeds,  put  on  the  frame  and  cover 
with  the  glass.  Or  a  pile  may  be  raised  without 
digging,  and  the  frame  set  upon  it,  banking  up 
about  the  edges  with  the  warm  loam  and  manure. 
It  must  be  six  or  eight  inches  larger  each  way 
than  the  frame.  When  the  plants  grow  so  as  to 
reach  the  glass,  the  frame  may  be  gradually  rais- 
ed out  of  their  way,  and  in  this  manner  strong 
and  vigorous  plants  may  be  plentifully  supplied. 
The  nearer  the  plants  are  to  the  glass,  the  better 
they  will  grow.  Raise  the  glass  in  the  middle  of 
pleasant  days,  and  occasionally  sprinkle  with  the 
watering-pot.  The  fermenting  manure  will  keep 
the  soil  warm  at  the  bottom,  and  the  sun  will 
^arm  the  top,  and  thus  the  germinating  seeds 
will  find  a  wann  soil  and  warm  air,  which  will 
put  them  forward  some  two  or  three  weeks  earlier 
fclian  they  would  come  in  the  open  air,  and  you 
-will  liave  fine,  thrifty  plants  to  set  out  about  the 
time  seeds  are  usually^own  in  garden  beds. 

When  all  this  has  been  done,  use  some  slight 
cover  to  protect  them  from  the  cold  night  air, 
and,  if  needful,  from  the  black  flies  and  other  in- 
sects, and  you  will  have  nice  tomatoes  and  cu- 
cumbers aud  cabbages,  that  you  will  enjoy  very 
much.  Now  this  may  seem  a  small  matter  to  many 
farmers,  and  not  worth  the  trouble — but  if  tried 
will  be  found  one  of  those  little  things  that  con- 
tribute to  the  pleasures  of  life — that  keep  us  cheer- 
ful and  contented  and  in  a  happy  frame  of  mind. 
You  will  watch  the  growth  of  these  plants,  green 
and  vigorous  ])efore  anything  around  them  shows 
itself  above  the  ground,  with  great  interest.  They 
tell  us  of  what  is  coming.  They  strengthen  our 
faith  in  the  certainty  of  the  results  of  nacure's 
arrangements,  and  encourage  our  hopes  in  the 
future.  There  ie  a  satisfaction  in  getting  our 
early  mess  of  peas,  or  radishes  or  lettuce,  that 
well  repays  all  the  trouble  they  cost. 

On  the  twenty-second  the  sun  will  have  com- 
pleted half  his  annual  journey  towards  the  north, 
and  have  reached  the  equator,  and. the  days  and 
nights  will  then  be  equal.  Thenceforward,  until 
the  sun  shall  have  reached  the  northern  tropic,  or 
turning  point,  the  days  will  be  gaining  upon  the 
nights,  and  the  soil  will  then  receive  more  heat 
from  the  sun  in  the  long  days,  than  it  will  throw 


off"  by  radiation  in  the  short  nights.  Hence  the 
heat  will  accumulate  in  the  soil.  This  Avill  go  on 
till  the  twenty-fifth  of  July,  or  a  little  later,  after 
which  the  days,  having  become  considerably 
shorter,  the  nightly  radiation  about  equals  the 
heat  received  during  the  day. 

Within  the  tropics  there  is  but  little  compara- 
tive diflference  in  the  length  of  the  days  during 
the  year,  and  the  sun's  rays  fall  perpendicularly 
upon  some  portion  of  the  torrid  zone  the  whole 
year.  Hence  the  mean  temperature  of  that  por- 
tion of  the  earth,  for  the  year,  is  much  greater 
than  that  of  those  portions  upon  which  the  sun's 
rays  fall  more  obliquely.  But  Nature,  wlio  is  ever 
wonderfully  fruitful  in  compensations,  has  pro- 
vided an  oflJ'set,  by  lengthening  the  days  of  sum- 
mer, so  that  although  the  sun's  rays  fall  more 
obliquely,  they  fall  for  a  much  longer  part  of  the 
twenty-four  hours.  Hence,  what  is  wanting  in 
intensity  is  made  up  in  time,  and  even  more  than 
made  up,  for  the  amount  of  heat  received  by  the 
soil,  above  that  given  off"  by  radiation,  is  greater 
during  the  three  summer  months,  at  fifty  degrees 
from  the  equator,  than  it  is  at  tAventy-five.  Hence, 
the  wonderful  rajndity  Avith  which  the  processes 
of  vegetation  are  completed  in  nortnern  climates. 

It  is  well  known  that  corn,  in  Canada,  will 
spring  up  and  accomplish  its  growth  and  ripen, 
in  very  much  less  time  than  it  will  in  Florida.  In 
the  extreme  north  the  early  violet  opens  its  deli- 
cate petals,  and  peeps  out  from  under  the  receding 
snow,  and  the  green  springing  grass  marks  the 
edge  of  the  melting  drift. 

How  wonderful,  how  involved  and  interwoven, 
and  yet  how  simple,  are  all  the  works  of  nature  ! 
How  great,  how  benevolent,  how  incomprehensi- 
ble is  He  who  planned  and  executed  all  nature's 
works  !  Let  us,  then,  learn  to  adore^  and  trust, 
and  commence  the  labors  of  another  sj)ring,  en- 
couraged by  His  promise  that  "seed  time  and 
harvest  shall  never  fail." 


SHROPSHIRE  DO"W"JSr  "WETHERS. 

This  variety  of  sheep  is  spoken  of  as  being 
black  or  grey  faced  and  short  Mooled.  In  a  Mark 
Lane  Express  report  of  a  meeting  in  England, 
at  which  a  pen  of  the  Shropshire  Downs  were 
exhibited,  they  were  noticed  thus:  "We  espec- 
ially admired  Mr.  Smith's  prize  wethers,  for  their 
splendid  quality  of  meat,  broad  chines,  and  full 
plaits  and  wonderfully  good  loins  and  rumps." 
The  breed  is  said  to  have  descended  from  a  har- 
dv  mountain  variety,  having  an  excellent  consti- 
tution. Their  favorable  reputation  is  increasing 
rapidly  in  England.  They  come  to  maturity  at 
an  early  age.  The  London  Farmer's  Magazine, 
from  which  we  condense  the  above,  says  :  "The 
Shropshire  sheep  have  excellent  form  and  sym- 
metry, first  class  wool  of  thick  pile,  and  great 
length  of  staple,  Avcll-formed,  good  dark  brown 
heads,  deep  chests,  famous  legs  of  mutton,  with 
a  good  dock  set  high  on  a  straight,  long  spine. 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


107 


EXTRACTS   AND  REPLIES. 

JIANUKK — ASHES. 
What  is  the  best  method  of  applying  manure 
to  the  land,  to  spread  or  apply  it  to  the  hill  ? 
Are  not  ashes  good  for  dryish  lands  ? 

L.  C.  Darling. 
Westminster,  Vt.,  Jan.,  1858. 

Remarks. — As  a  general  rule,  it  is  the  quick- 
est, easiest,  and  most  economical  Avay  to  spread 
manure  and  plow  or  harrow  it  in.  If  some  warm 
and  stimvdating  substance  could  be  applied  to 
the  hill  where  corn  is  planted,  it  gives  it  an  early 
start,  and  is  very  useful.  Ashes  are  excellent  for 
this  purpose,  and  so  are  the  droppings  of  the  hen- 
house, mixed  with  muck,  loam  or  sand. 

Ashes  are  useful  on  most  lands,  but  especially 
on  soils  that  are  rather  dry. 

ABOUT   HOT-HOUSES   FOR   GRAPES. 

I  am  about  building  a  hot-house  for  the  culture 
of  grapes,  principally,  but  being  a  novice  at  the 
business,  need  some  reliable  advice  as  to  the 
structure,  &c.  I  had  contemplated  building  one 
16  by  40  feet,  and  8  feet  high  at  side.  What 
would  be  the  best  mode  of  building  one  of  those 
dimensions?  What  sized  glass,  and  if  the  glass 
should  lajJ  or  be  matched  ?  If  the  north  side  is 
much  exposed,  should  it  be  built  of  stone  ?  Also 
what  is  the  best  mode  of  heating,  and  to  what 
temperature  should  the  enclosed  surface  be  low- 
ered ?  Also,  any  other  advice  that  is  necesssary. 
If  you  have  any  work  on  the  culture  of  grapes, 
please  state  the  price  and  name,  and  I  will  send 
for  one.  B.  S.  A ee. 

Providence,  1858. 

Remarks. — Perhaps  Mr.  Bull,  of  Concord,  will 
give  our  correspondent  some  hints  in  the  matter. 
Chorlton's  "Grape  Grower's  Guide,"  price  60  cts., 
and  Allen's  "Treatise  on  the  Grape,"  price  $1,25, 
are  excellent  works.  Leuchars  on  the  "Construc- 
tion and  Management  of  Hot-houses"  is  more 
elaborate,  but  is  invaluable  to  one  who  desires 
to  construct  a  hot-house  of  any  size. 

LIME   AND   MUCK   COMPOST. 

1.  What  length  of  time  should  a  compost  of 
lime  and  peat  mud  or  salt  mud  be  mixed  to  make 
it  suitable  to  apply  to  the  soil  for  a  crop  ? 

2.  What  proportion  of  lime  should  be  used 
Vith  the  mud  ? 

3.  Which  is  best,  the  shell  lime  or  common 
lime  ? 

4.  Should  it  be  water  slaked  or  air  slaked  ? 

5.  Should  it  be  thoroughly  pulverized  and 
mixed,  or  can  a  laying  of  mud,  five,  six  or  eight 
inches  thick  be  put  down,  and  then  a  sprinkling 
of  lime  be  used  ?  A.  D.  M. 

Hy minis,  Jan.,  1858. 

Remarks. — 1.  A  compost  bed  of  muck  and 
lime  may  be  safely  used  in  one  week  after  it  has 
been  thoroughly  mingled  ;  but  it  would  be  riper 
and  better  if  suffered  to  lay  a  longer  time. 

2.  On  clayey  lands  five  or  six  bushels  of  lime 
to  a  cord  of  muck  would  not  be  too  much,  but  on 


common  loams  one  or  two  bushels  will  answer 
very  well. 

3.  It  is  said  that  shell  lime,  when  well  burned, 
is  stronger  than  stone  lime. 

4.  The  lime  should  be  water  slaked,  because 
in  this  condition  it  is  quite  soluble,  but  is  very 
slowly  so  after  it  has  been  exposed  to  the  atmo- 
sphere and  become  like  chalk. 

5.  Prepare  the  compost  heap  in  layers,  and  af- 
ter it  has  remained  so  for  several  days,  or  weeks, 
according  to  the  time  when  it  is  wanted  for  use, 
overhaul  the  whole  by  cutting  down  perpendicu- 
larly through  it,  and  pulverize  and  mix  it  thor- 
oughly. It  is  then  ready  to  be  applied  to  the  soil. 

BOARDS   OF   AGRICULTURE. 

I  jierceive  by  the  journals  that  come  to  hand, 
that  organizations  of  this  character  are  now  in 
full  tide  of  successful  experiment  in  Maine,  New 
Hampshire,  Massachusetts,  New  York,  &c.  I 
know  of  no  modern  improvement  better  fitted  for 
the  instruction  of  the  people,  than  the  proper  or- 
ganizations and  management  of  farmers'  clubs. 
I  am  pleased  to  see  our  own  Gov.  Banks  taking 
hold  of  the  plow  at  the  first  Legislative  meeting 
of  farmers,  and  promising  his  co-operating  aid. 
What  better  thing  can  he  do  ?  Are  not  three- 
fourths  of  all  his  constituents  directly  dependent 
on  the  culture  of  the  soil  for  their  living  and 
their  happiness  ?  As  the  head  of  the  farmers' 
club,  the  Governor  has  one  of  the  best  fields  for 
honorable  and  useful  labor.  Essex. 

January  28,  1858. 

A   LUSUS   NATURJE. 

Mr.  Brown  : — Mr.  Albert  Claflin,  of  this  town, 
had  a  cow  whose  time  expired  to  calve  on  the  8th 
of  April  last ;  the  calf  did  not  make  its  appear- 
ance. He  milked  her  a  short  time  and  turned 
her  out  to  grass.  In  December,  (eight  months 
after,)  he  butchered  her  and  found  the  calf  in  a 
perfect  state  of  preservation,  enclosed  in  a  hard, 
dark  substance.  It  is  something  new  to  me,  hav- 
ing never  heard  or  seen  anything  of  the  kind  be- 
fore. S.  D.  Davenport. 

Hopkinton,  Jan.  11,  1858. 

A  fine  heifer  calf, 
Daniel    Knowles,  of   Newton,  raised   last 
season  a  heifer  calf  which  at  six  months  and  ten 
days  old  weighed  510  lbs. ;  of  native  breed.     M. 

To  "E.  IL,"  Itutland,  Mass. — It  is  impossible  for 
us  to  give  you  any  suggestion  of  value  in  rela- 
tion to  your  cow,  from  the  symptoms  you  de- 
scribe. The  difl^culty  is  probably  local  and  tem- 
porary, and  will  yield  to  the  ordinary  remedies 
of  mil-d  cathartics  or  injections. 


^°  The  Children's  Mission  Society  of  this  city 
will  send  out  another  delegation  of  children  to  the 
West  about  the  lirst  of  April  next.  An  agent  of 
the  Society  will  attend  them,  and  procure  suitable 
homes. 


108 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


March 


Fur  the  New  England  Farmer. 
SUCCESS—FARMERS'  CLUBS. 

Mr,  Editor  : — In  order  to  succeed  in  any 
thing,  one  must  love  it,  and  give  it  all  the  energy 
of  his  nature.  If  he  does  this,  and  is  blessed  with 
ordinary  health,  he  will  be  successful — he  cannot 
help  it ;  this  is  according  to  the  law  of  cause  and 
effect. 

Now  permit  me  to  say  a  few  words  to  those 
farmers  who  are  continually  complaining  of  the 
want  of  success.  Before  giving  utterance  to  these 
complaints,  would  it  not  be  well  for  such  to  take 
an  account  of  stock,  investigate  the  operations  of 
the  farm  in  all  its  departments,  in  doors  and  out, 
and  see  if  there  has  not  been  a  lack  of  knowl- 
edge, common  sense,  enterprise,  skill ;  some  one 
or  all  these,  which  might  have  been  easily  ac- 
quired or  obtained  from  some  good  _  agricultural 
])aper,  or,  perhaps,  by  a  simple  inquiry  of  neigh- 
bor Thrifty. 

Those  operations  which  go  by  the  name  of  Inch, 
do  not  come  half  so  often  by  "chance,"  as  most 
people  imagine.  Whenever  you  find  a  person  re 
markably  successful  in  any  undertaking,  whether 
it  be  as  the  mechanic,  merchant,  or  farmer,  you 
will  find  upon  close  investigation,  that  luck,  as 
generally  understood,  has  had  very  little  to  do 
with  his  success,  though  I  would  by  no  means 
deny  that  in  some  instances,  favorable  circum 
stances  have  helped  produce  the  grand  result. 
Much  more  frequently,  however,  it  will  be  found, 
that  such  a  person  has  a  thorough  knowledge  of 
his  business  ;  he  knows  how  to  do  what  he  wants 
done,  and  when ;  and  it  is  done  at  the  proper 
time,  and  in  the  right  way.  You  will  find  him 
thoroughly  posted  up  in  his  business,  and  that 


meetings  have  been  in  operation  a  single  year,  I 
will  venture  to  affirm,  you  >vill  find  more  intelli- 
gent farmers,  better  cultivated  farms,  and  more 
successful  operations  connected  therewith,  all 
things  being  square,  than  will  be  found  where 
none  of  these  social  gatherings,  (for  they  should 
be  truly  such,)  have  been  instituted.  In  this, 
there  is  not  a  shadow  of  a  doubt.  The  sum  of 
human  knowledge  is  diversified,  and  no  one  man 
can  know  every  thing,  however  small  ;  but  when 
all  these  "littles"  are  put  together,  the  sum  total 
is  astonishing.  Just  so  in  farming  :  when  all  the 
mites"  are  put  together,  the  aggregate  is  large, 
and  it  should  be  the  object  of  the  farmer  to  gath- 
er up  these,  that  nothing  be  lost.  If  I  were  a  far- 
mer, and  there  was  nothing  of  the  kind  in  opera- 
tion in  my  neighborhood,  I  would  not  rest  a  sin- 
gle day,  without  some  effort  to  establish  a  Far- 
mers' Club,  feeling  assured,  that  I  should  be 
more  amply  paid  than  dollars  and  cents  could  do. 
The  advantages  to  be  derived  from  these  meet- 
ings will  suggest  themselves  to  every  thinking 
man ;  they  are  numerous,  and  directly  to  the  in- 
terest of  those  who  engage  in  them.  I  am  in- 
formed by  a  gentleman  who  knows  whereof  he 
speaks,  that  good,  great  good,  and  nothing  but 
good,  has  been  the  result  in  every  place  where 
these  Clubs  have  been  formed  and  sustained  for 
a  single  winter.  Meetings  for  professional  im- 
provement are  held  by  ministers,  doctors,  &c.  ; 
why  not  by  the  professional  agriculturist,  the 
foundation  and  prosperity  of  all  human  enter- 
prise. The  old-fashioned  system  of  "sleep  in  the 
corner"  must  be  abandoned,  and  that  of  "young 
America"  introduced.  Now,  farmers,  is  the  time ; 
the  long  evenings  are  upon  us,  do  not  let  anoth- 
er week  go  by,  without  an  effort  for  the  forma- 


iie  avails  himself  of  aU  those  opportunities  which  I  tion  of  such  a  Club  in  your  neighborhood.  _  A 
present  themselves  to  accomplish  what  he  wishes,  text,— No  matter  how  dull  the  instrument,  gi-md- 
just  in  time  to  succeed !  No  matter  what  these  ing,  on  a  good  stone,  if  persevered  in,  will  bring 
may  be,  provided  they  are  honest,  he  brings  them  it  to  an  edge  "^  '"'     '^ '  "  ^''"  ' 


King  Oak  Hill. 


to  bear  upon  the  grand  issue.  If  there  is  a  new 
implement,  which  will  do  his  work  better,  faster 
and  cheaper,  than  any  he  has,  he  gets  it.  He  em- 
ploys good  help,  improves  his  stock,  renovates 
his  pastures,  increases  his  manure  heap  from  the 
resources  of  his  own  farm,  plants  the  best  seeds, 
&c.  &c.,  and  success  comes  as  surely  as  water  will 
run  down  hill.  Is  there  any  luck  in  all  this  ? 
Why,  my  dear  man,  open  your  eyes,  and  read  the 
papers,  and  you  will  soon  be  convinced  to  the 
contrary.  What  such  a  successful  farmer  has 
done,  another  mat/  do  ;  one  success  brings  anoth- 
er, and  plenty  of  means  with  it.  Gash,  if  you 
please,  is  the  result  of  such  a  course.  All  the 
elements  of  this  success  are  within  the  reach  of 
nearly  every  farmer  in  New  England.  There  can 
be  no  mistake  in  this,  but  it  never  will  be  ob- 
tained by  those  who  rest  satisfied  by  doing  as  the 
"fathers  have  done,"  or  who  are  not  wakeful  to 
the  spirit  of  the  day,  and  goes  boldly  to  the  work. 
Thus  far,  I  have  written  altogether  diflercntly 
from  what  my  intention  was  when  I  took  my 
pen,  which  was — to  say  a  few  words  in  regard  to 
Fanners'  Clubs.  I  have  noticed  this  subject  men- 
tioned in  quite  a  number  of  the  newspapers  of 
late,  aside  from  those  devoted  to  agriculture, 
proving  the  importance  attached  to  their  meet 


December,  1857. 


BEST  THING  FOR  BURNS. 

It  may  be  put  down  as  a  settled  fact  that  the 
very  best  application  for  all  kinds  of  burns  and 
scalds  is  an  immediate  application  of  dry  ivhcat 
flour.  It  is  without  controversy  better  than  any 
and  all  of  the  "healing  salves,"  turpentines,  oils, 
"pain-killers,"  &c.,  that  can  be  named.  We  sp"ak 
positively  on  this  point,  because  it  is  one  decided 
by  the  best  physicians,  and  we  have  had  abund- 
ant practical  proofs  of  its  efficacy. 

Heat  disorganizes  the  flesh,  deadens  the  cuti- 
cle or  outer  skin  and  admits  air  which  is  irritat- 
ing. A  good  coating  of  flour  shuts  out  the  air, 
soothes  the  irritation,  and  dries  up  the  fluids 
thrown  out.  Do  not  imagine  that  "something 
healing"  must  be  applied.  Not  all  the  salves  in 
the  world  can  mend  broken  flesh._  You  can  stick 
together  broken  glass,  or  wood,  with  wax  or  glue. 
You  can  weld  together  severed  iron,  butno  such 
treatment  is  applicable  to  flesh  disorganized,  cut 
or  burned  away.  Nature,  so  to  speak,  has  a  Avay 
of  her  own,  and  only  one  way  to  repair  a  breach 
in  the  flesh.  The  healing  material  comes  from 
witliin.     If  the  hand  be  cut,  bring  the   severed 


ings  by  those  who  are  supposed  to  be  acquainted  parts  together,  hold  them  there  steadily,  cover 
with  what  the  times  demand,  and  the  best  inter-  up  the  part  from  the  air  and  from  external  injury 
est   of  the   farming  community.     Where   these  and  the  healing  will  go  on  so  long  as  there  is  no 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


109 


disturbance.  If  from  curiosity,  or  anxiety,  or 
other  cause  you  disturb  the  half-formed  new  flesh, 
a  sore  will  be  the  consequence. 

We  repeat,  for  all  kinds  of  burns  or  scalds, 
however  severe,  put  on  only  a  thick  coat  of  flour. 
If  a  hard  crusty  mass  be  formed  so  as  to  produce 
irritation,  after  a  day  or  two  wash  off"  the  surface 
carefully  with  blood-warm  water,  dry  partially, 
and  put  on  more  flour,  but  never  disturb  the  ac- 
tual surface  of  the  sore  until,  when  entirely 
healed,  the  scab  falls  off"  of  its  own  accord.  Our 
word  for  it,  this  treatment  will  best  promote  the 
cure  of  burns.  But  a  shoi't  time  since  a  child 
upset  a  dish  of  boiling  water  into  its  bosom,  pro- 
ducing a  fearful  scald  upon  the  M'hole  front  of 
its  body.  The  mother  chanced  to  be  a  reader 
of  the  Agriculturist,  and  noted  our  remarksxjn 
this  topic  some  two  years  ago.  She  immediately 
applied  flour,  and  flour  only,  binding  it  on  with  a 
cloth  loosely  so  as  not  to  produce  irritation. — 
The  child  was  soon  soothed,  and  in  a  very  few 
•weeks  was  entirely  healed,  with  scarcely  a  scar 
remaining.  This  is  but  one  of  manj'  similar  in- 
stances that  have  come  to  our  knowledge  from 
time  to  time. — Amer.  Agriculturist. 


LETTER   FKOM  MR.  BROWN". 

Washington,  Jan.  15,  1858. 

My  Dear  Sir  : — I  left  Boston  at  3  o'clock  on 
Monday  in  the  midst  of  a  drenching  rain,  and  ar- 
rived in  New  York  at  midnight.  During  much 
of  the  way  the  rain  fell  in  torrents,  so  that  the 
track  in  some  places  was  covered  with  water. 
There  was  no  snow  beyond  New  York.  After 
leaving  Philadelphia,  I  observed  men  engaged  in 
farm  work,  such  as  removing  stones,  ditching, 
&c.  The  weather  is  more  like  that  of  a  day  dur- 
ing the  Indian  Summer,  or  one  of  those  soft, 
balmy  days  that  sometimes  come  like  a  good  an- 
gel in  the  last  of  March.  In  tioenty -eight  hours 
from  the  time  of  leaving  Boston  I  reached  Wash- 
ington, and  during  that  time  enjoyed  five  hours 
of  quiet  sleep  at  New  York.  There  certainly  was 
a  contrast  between  this  and  my  first  visit  to  the 
federal  city,  when  about  eight  days  were  occupied, 
and  they  were  days  of  hard  work  and  fatigue. 
This  difference  is  merely  the  result  of  science,  that 
man-helper,  which  some  persons  affect  so  hearti- 
ly to  condemn.  That  science,  or  head-work,  I 
confess,  has  been  abundantly  aided  bj  hand-work, 
but  the  latter  only  follows  the  former. 

Y'esterday  I  attended  the  first  session  of  the 
annual  meeting  of  the  U.  S.  Agricultural  Society. 
It  took  place  at  the  Smithsonian  Institution,  and 
was  attended  by  gentlemen  representing  twenty- 
one  States  and  two  ten-itories.  President  Wild- 
er pronounced  his  annual  address  to  the  Society, 
congratulating  it  on  its  continued  progress  and 
success,  and  peremptorily  declined  a  re-election. 
It  touched  on  the  important  transactions  of  the 
Society  during  the  last  year,  and  made  a  feeling 
illusion  to  the  removal  by  death  of  two  promi- 


nent and  valued  officers.  Vice  President  Thomas 
J.  Rusk,  of  Texas,  and  G.  W.  Parke  Custls,  of 
Virginia.  He  concluded  with  a  brief  review  of 
the  valuable  influences  on  national  and  social  ad- 
vancement excited  by  the  Association,  and  an  en- 
thusiastic exhortation  to  its  members  to  "carry 
foi'ward  its  objects,  till  from  East  to  West,  from 
North  to  South,  our  country,  our  whole  country, 
shall  rejoice  in  the  triumph  of  perfected  husband- 
ry, in  the  blessings  of  universal  peace  and  pros- 
perity ;" 

"Till  plenty,  rising  from  the  encouraged  plow, 
Shall  fill,  enrich,  adorn  our  happy  land." 

After  the  adoption  of  several  resolutions  in 
furtherance  of  business,  Judge  French,  Vice 
President  of  the  Society  from  N.  H.,was  invited 
to  address  the  meeting  upon  agricultural  affairs 
in  England,  as  he  had  obs  ^rved  them  during  his 
late  visit  to  that  country.  He  promptly  honored 
the  call,  and  spoke  eloquently,  for  nearly  an  hour, 
upon  the  subject  of  steam  ploics ;  he  stated  that 
he  saw  abroad  three  diff'erent  steam  plows  in  op- 
eration, and  was  of  the  opinion  that  in  large  tracts 
of  land  they  will  become  available,  by  doing  a 
great  amount  of  work  in  a  short  time,  and  thus, 
in  effect,  lengthening  the  season  and  giving  crops 
a  better  opportunity  to  mature.  His  remarks 
elicited  many  inquiries,  and  seemed  to  wake  a 
lively  interest  in  the  subject.  In  the  plowing  he 
witnessed,  the  work  was  well  done  at  the  rate  of 
an  acre  an  hour.  Mr.  Johnson,  Secretary  of 
the  New  York  State  Agricultural  Society,  Mr. 
By^ngton,  M.  C.  from  Iowa,  and  others,  engaged 
in  the  discussion. 

Dr.  Antisel,  of  this  city,  then  read  a  paper 
upon  "the  necessity  of  having  a  more  perfect 
knowledge  of  the  mineral  necessities  of  our  crops 
developed."  He  brought  to  the  notice  of  the  so- 
ciety some  observations  regarding  the  proper  ap- 
1  plication  of  chemistry  to  agriculture,  remarking 
j  that  the  last  fifteen  or  eighteen  years  had  opened 
to  us  varying  views  of  the  value  of  chemical 
science.  I  cannot  now  even  give  you  the  leading 
topics  of  his  learned  paper,  but  was  glad  to  find 
a  scientific  man  condemning  the  theory  that 
a  common  five  dollar  analysis  of  the  soil  is  of 
importance  to  the  farmer.  That  delusion  has  had 
its  day,  I  hope  never  to  be  revived.  I  have  been 
informed  by  one  of  the  ablest  chemists  of  the 
country,  that  a  thorough  analysis  of  any  soil 
could  not  be  made  at  a  less  cost  than  twenty  dol- 
lars to  the  chemist  himself!  What,  then,  should 
be  the  judgment  pronounced  upon  those  who 
have  advocated  these  analyses  at  one-fourth  the 
cost  of  a  genuine  investigation,  and  thus  impose 
upon  a  confiding  and  credulous  people  ? 

After  the  reading  of  this  paper.  Dr.  LoRING,  of 
Salem,  Mass.,  addressed  the  meeting  in  feeling 
and  eloquent  terms  in  reference  to  the  loss  of  its 


no 


NEW    ENGLAND  FARMER. 


March 


two  members,  Messrs.  Rusk  and  Custis,  and  of- 
fered two  resolutions,  whicli  were  adopted,  and 
then  the  society  adjourned  until  to-morrow  at 
nine  o'clock. 

SECOND   day's    session. 

The  business  to-day  has  been  the  election  of 
officers,  and  a  long  discussion  upon  the  subject 
of  the  Chinese  Sugar  Cane.  Mr.  Tencii  Tilgh- 
MAN,  of  Baltimore,  was  elected  President ;  B.  B. 
French,  of  Washington,  Treasurer  ;  and  Ben  : 
Perley  Poor,  of  Massachusetts,  Secretary.  The 
Vice  Presidents  of  the  Society  remain  generally 
as  they  were  last  year.  The  discussion  on  the 
sugar  cane  and  its  products  was  harmonious  and 
interesting.  Dr.  Loring,  of  your  State,  took 
an  active  part  in  it,  and  although  I  did  not  en- 
tirely agree  with  his  views,  am  happy  to  say  that 
he  distinguished  himself  as  a  ready  tactician  and 
a  fluent  and  agreeable  debater,  and  left  an  impres- 
sion of  what  he  may  do  at  some  future  time,  per- 
haps, in  another  sphere  in  the  federal  city.  An- 
other session  of  the  society  is  to  be  holden  to- 
morrow. 

The  weather  is  soft  and  delicious  ;  the  fashion 
and  beauty  of  our  broad  country  seems  to  have 
concentrated  here,  in  spite  of  all  disasters,  eith- 
er financial  or  commercial.  The  Court  side  of 
the  Avenue  is  thronged,  and,  what  is  wonderful, 
age  is  elastic  and  fresh  again ;  the  lame  halt  no 
more,  the  blind  see,  the  disconsolate  rejoice  and 
ai"e  glad,  while  each  one  seems  to  outvie  the  oth- 
er in  an  eifort  to  show  that  time  and  care  and  sor- 
roio  have  never  touched  them,  and  that  they  mean 
always  to  bloom  in  perennial  freshness  and  youth ! 
Some  general  topics  I  must  touch  in  another  let- 
ter. Truly  yours,  Simon  Brown. 

Joel  Nourse,  Esq. 


MEADOW  LA.ND.~MAWURB. 

The  best  dressing  for  meadow  land  is  ashes  and 
bone-dust ;  and  if  it  is  dry  and  gravelly,  a  top 
dressing  of  marl  muck  is  first  rate.  The  muck 
should  be  dry,  and  placed  in  heaps  in  the  fall, 
and  left  to  be  decomposed  for  the  frosts  of  win- 
ter. Leached  ashes,  marl  and  mud  are  all  first 
rate  for  gravelly  land.  When  farmers  know  that 
110  lbs.  of  leached  ashes  furnish  as  much  phos- 
phate as  507  lbs.  of  the  richest  manure,  they  will 
stop  selling  their  asiies,  and  apply  them  to  their 
land.  If  old  bones  can  be  procured,  a  mixture 
of  four  bushels  of  ashes  to  one  of  bone  dust  is 
better  than  either  separate.  Land  producing  one 
ton  per  acre,  has,  by  this  application,  been  made 
to  produce  three  tons.  Mud  and  ashes  are  also 
a  good  mixture,  in  tlie  proportion  of  six  or  eight 
bushels  to  the  cord  of  mud.  If  leached  ashes  are 
used,  the  proportion  should  be  about  one  of  ash- 
es to  three  of  mud.  For  this  mixture  the  mud 
should  be  dry,  and  placed  in  heaps  in  the  fall. 

For  clover  meadow,  plaster  or  gypsum  is  jier- 
haps  the  best  top-dressing.  The  ashes  of  an  acre 
of  red  clover  contains  no  less  than  three  bushels 


of  gypsum.  This  shows  that  its  presence  in  the 
earth  is  necessary  to  the  growth  of  clover.  A 
bushel  or  two  to  the  acre  will  often  double  the 
crop,  and  add  more  than  twenty  times  its  own 
weight  to  it.  Four  pounds  of  gypsum  will  pro- 
duce one  pound  of  nitrogen,  and  every  pound  of 
nitrogen  increases  the  crop  a  hundred  pounds  ; 
provided,  always,  tlie  land  is  suited  for  clover 
and  plaster. 

The  value  of  manure  depends  on  the  amount 
of  nitrogen  it  contains  ;  and  plaster  fixes  it  and 
detains  this  gas,  which  would  otherwise  escape 
into  the  atmosphere,  and  give  it  out  for  the  use 
of  the  plants,  when  wanted.  The  plaster  is  not 
the  manure,  but  a  reccptable  to  hold  the  manure 
arising  from  the  decomposition  of  animal  and 
vegetable  matter. — Ohio  Farmer. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
YOUNG  MEN  AND  THE  FARM. 

Mr.  Editor  : — While  looking  over  your  num- 
ber of  Nov.  21st,  my  attention  was  arrested  by  a 
rejoinder  to  an  article  on  the  aforesaid  subject, 
which  was  written  by  me,  and  published  in  your 
paper,  issued  Oct.  30,  vol.  12,  No.  44.  This 
"Farmer's  Son,"  who  wishes  to  "propound  a  few 
questions  to  the  author  of  the  above  article  re- 
ferred to,"  could  not  have  cast  his  lines  in  more  ac- 
ceptable places,  as  it  is  quite  agreeable  to  me  to 
answer  his  propositions. 

I  am  first  asked,  "would  you  advise  one  to  re- 
main on  the  old  'old  farm,'  and  with  the  'old 
man'  to  cultivate  the  productive  vineyard  of  God, 
which  he  gave  to  us  for  an  inheritance  ?"  If  you 
can  remain  with  your  father,  without  any  incon- 
venience to  either  party,  do  so.  If  I  ask  you 
what  the  chief  aim  of  man  is  by  nature,  and  the 
chief  end,  also,  you  will  at  once  say  happiness. 
Then,  where  can  you  better  find  this  appropriate 
stimulus,  than  with  your  father  and  mother,  and 
that  "bonnie  lassie,"  as  it  seems  to  be  a  matter  of 
fact  in  your  case  ?  Where  will  you  take  more 
comfort  than  in  your  old  home,  with  her  Avhom 
you  love  ?  It  is  not  to  be  expected  that  a  large 
family  of  children,  both  boys  and  girls,  are  to 
"get  married"  and  "settle  down"  on  "father's 
farm."  I  did  not  mean  to  convey  any  such  idea, 
I  admit,  that  women  are  obliged  to  toil  "year  in 
and  year  out."  This  ought  not  to  be  so.  It  is 
the  duty  of  every  man  to  alleviate  the  labors  of 
the  opposite  sex.  "There  Is  a  fine  colt  in  the  sta- 
ble, I  must  take  care  of  it  or  I  shall  not  get  my 
$200."  "I  have  a  pair  of  steers  In  the  barn,  also, 
and  I  must  take  extra  care  of  them,  or  I  shall 
surely  lose  the  first  premium  ;"  and  thus  with  all 
that  he  has  of  properfi/.  But,  is  there  occasional- 
ly one  word  said  about  the  wife,  mother,  daughter, 
or  of  the  household  affairs  ?  Men  are  to  blame 
about  these  things.  Do  they,  as  often  as  they 
should,  "fill  the  wood  box,"  bring  the  water,  and 
relieve  them  of  thousands  of  "lifts,"  when  they 
can  as  well  as  not  ?  Perhaps  this  coming  cold 
weather  you  will  sit  "behind  the  stove,"  your 
wife  will  say,  "John,  please  help  to  lift  this  large 
kettle  into  the  sink."  "O,  dear,  I  must  go  and 
card  the  'colt !' "  Why,  how  hard  your  wife  tries 
to  get  that  kettle  up  ;  finally  she  has  a  pain  in  the 
side,  but  you  exclaim,  "she'll  get  over  it  to-mor- 
row."    Is   it  any  wonder  that  your  young  and 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


in 


pretty  wife  languishes,  and  finally  dies,  from  too 
much  care  and  labor  ? 

You  wish  to  know  if  I  would  advise  one  to  re- 
main u])on  a  farm  where  household  duties  tax  the 
female  strength  beyond  its  powers  of  endurance  ? 
No !  unless  you  are  able  yourself  to  alleviate 
them  of  their  taxation,  and  make  your  home  to 
"bud  and  blossom  as  the  rose,"  as  it  will  be  your 
duty  to  do,  wherever  you  do  locate.  If  it  is  im- 
possible to  remain  upon  the  old  farm,  and  with 
the  "old  man,"  j-emaiii  on  some  farm.  Perhaps 
you  have  more  "momoits"  and  better  '^ineans" 
for  study  on  the  farm  than  you  would  have  in 
many  sedentary  occupations.  You  have  a  life- 
time before  you,  and  if  you  are  on  the  farm  you 
have  hows  and  days  that  you  might  occupy,which, 
perhaps,  are  devoted  to  pleasure  or  idleness. 

Young  men  generally  wish  to  be  something 
that  they  cannot.  They  want  to  get  a  "finished 
education,"  in  a  very  short  period ;  they  want  to 

fet  married  before  the  "colt"  is  old  enough  to 
rive,  they  want  to  get  rich,  and  be  elected  to 
Congress,,before  they  leave  the  common  district 
school.  In  fact,  in  the  present  age,  they  are 
born,  live,  and  die,  in  a  hurry.  They  cannot  wait 
for  nature's  developments. 

You  have  difficulties,  no  doubt,  and  so  have  I, 
and  so  has  each  one  of  us.  Perhaps  you  and  I 
have  much  more  serious  obstacles  to  overcome 
than  do  many  others. 

In  conclusion,  I  must  say,  that  the  fai'm  is  the 
place,  in  general,  for  youth ;  and  for  the  "old 
man,"  if  possible.  F.  V.  Powers. 

Waterford,  Vt. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
VEGETATION  IN  CALIFORNIA. 

I  see  many  accounts  of  the  enormous  size  of 
vegetables  grown  in  California,  which  would 
seem  almost  incredible  were  they  not  authentica- 
ted by  many  witnesses  beyond  all  doubt.  A  few 
specimens  may  be  given  for  comparison  with  the 
same  species  raised  in  this  region. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  Farmer's  Club  at  the  rooms 
of  the  American  Institute,  New  York,  several 
years  since,  two  gentlemen  who  had  recently  re- 
turned, made  some  statements  in  regard  to  the 
size  of  vegetables  grown  there;  for  instance, 
an  onion  weighing  twenty-one  pounds ;  a  tur- 
nip one  hundred  pounds;  a  beet  sixty-three; 
carrot,  forty  ;  a  cabbage,  seven  feet  in  circumfer- 
ence, weight  fifty-six  pounds  ;  and  bunches  of 
grapes  weighing  from  seven  to  ten  pounds  each. 
These,  it  is  true,  are  extraordinary  specimens, 
but  the  average  size  of  vegetables  far  exceeds 
any  thing  of  the  kind  with  which  we  are  acquaint- 
ed in  this  section.  Every  one  is  familiar  with 
the  description  of  the  groves  of  gigantic  trees 
found  there,  in  comparison  with  which  our  larg- 
est ones  are  mere  walking  sticks  ;  one  called  the 
"father  pine,"  which  is  dead  and  fallen,  measures 
four  hundred  feet  in  length,  and  one  hundred 
and  ten  in  circumference  ;  two  hundred  and  fifty 
feet  from  the  roots  it  is  twelve  feet  in  diameter ! 

There  appears  to  be  something  peculiar  to  the 
soil  or  climate  of  California  which  favors  this 
enormous  growth  of  vegetation.  An  analysis  of 
the  soil  would,  perhaps,  reveal  the  secret ;  some 
powerful  fertilizer  might  be  discovered  beneath 
the  surface  which  produces  these  astonishing  re- 


sults. We  have  as  rich  soil  in  the  Mississippi 
Valley  as  can  be  found  in  the  known  world ;  the 
climate  is  also  genial,  and  in  some  parts  of  It, 
very  warm,  yet  we  have  here  none  of  these  mon- 
strous vegetables  products  which  will  compare 
with  the  above-mentioned.  We  have  gardens  in 
the  vicinity  of  our  Atlantic  cities  where  all  kinds 
of  fertilizers  are  employed,  and  the  soil  rendered 
as  rich  as  possible,  yet  vegetables  never  attain 
these  enormous  proportions.  It  appears  desira- 
ble to  ascertain  the  cause  of  the  extraordinaiy 
growth  of  plants  on  the  Pacific  slope,  and  it  is 
hoped  some  one  competent  to  investigate  the  sub- 
ject will  enlighten  the  public  in  regard  to  it. 
Leominster,  Mass.,  1858.  O.  V.  Hill. 


For  tlie  Neic  England  Farmer. 

ORANGE  COUNTY,  N.  Y.,  AND  ITS 
PRODUCTS. 

Mr.  Editor  : — Y''et  among  the  Yorkers,  (Dec. 
23d,)  I  will  again  pick  up  the  pen  to  put  a  few 
thoughts  on  paper,  for  your  use  or  disposal.  In 
the  midst  of  so"  many  circumstances,  both  new 
and  novel,  time  has  hurried  along  at  an  alarming 
rate  ;  and  I  look  with  surprise  at  certain  symp- 
toms of  the  very  near  dying-day  of  our  valuable 
friend,  the  year  1857.  With  farmers  and  their 
families,  the  seasons  are  more  closely  observed, 
in  their  changes,  than  with  other  portions  of  our 
common  family.  With  them,  festive  seasons 
come  naturally,  and  each  opening  season  is  a  new 
play  opened  ;  sometimes  somewhat  tragic  ;  never 
greatly  comic  ;  always,  rightly  received,  interest- 
ing and  instructive. 

About  a  mile  to  the  southwest  of  where  I  am 
now  writing,  stands  a  large,  white  farm-house, 
occupied  by  a  Mr.  Strong ;  where  the  grandfa- 
ther of  the  present  occupant,  "Capt.  Strong," 
was  murdered  by  a  band  of  Tories  in  time  of  the 
Revolution.  Capt.  Strong  was  an  active  advo- 
cate of  the  colonial  cause  ;  and  for  this  was  mur- 
dered in  his  own  house.  The  one  who,  among 
the  band  of  Tories,  was  the  positive  slayer  of 
Capt.  Strong,  was  a  man  by  the  name  of  Smith. 
From  all  I  can  learn  I  suppose  he  was  one  of  a 
noted  band  of  infidels  and  outlaws,  who  had 
their  head-quarters  near  the  Hudson,  and  rejoiced 
in  acts  of  blasphemy,  licentiousness  and  crime. 
He,  with  others  of  the  same  sort,  came  to  a  short 
corner  in  their  career,  by  being  legally  elected 
to  "stretch  hemp"  from  a  scaffold ;  Avhich  office 
they  were  obliged  to  fill.  This  was  their  refor- 
mation, if  they  ever  experienced  any.  We  re- 
joice not  at  the  doom  of  the  dead ;  but  it  is  law- 
ful to  rejoice  for  the  safety  and  peace  Avhich  is 
secured  to  the  living. 

The  farmers  in  this  region  are  mostly  what  we 
Yankees  would  be  inclined  to  call  large  fanners. 
It  seems  to  be  no  great  wonder  for  a  man  to  have 
six  or  seven  hundred  acres  of  land.  There  are 
some  small  farms.  The  population  is  by  no 
means  dense,  although  it  is  more  so  along  the 
line  of  railroads. 

The  people  are  mostly  church-goers,  and  even 
their  horses  want  to  "go  to  meeting."  A  circum- 
stance was  told  me  a  day  or  two  since,  of  an  aged 
man  by  the  name  of  Decker, — who  had  long  been 
a  constant  attendant  at  the  Presbyterian  church  of 
Blooming  Grove, — and  his  horse.  Mr.  Decker 
became  old,  and  being  too  unwell  to  attend  church 


112 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


March 


for  several  Sabbaths — the  distance  being  three 
or  four  miles — his  carriage  horse  bejame  dissat- 
isfied, and  o"  Sunday  morning,  when  people  were 
going  in  various  directions  to  their  various  meet- 
ings, he  jumped  out  of  the  pasture  and  sped  away 
to  church,  took  his  place  beside  the  post  where 
he  had  usually  been  tied,  and  waited  until  the 
close  of  service ;  when  he  turned  his  attention 
homeward,  going  directly  like  a  serious-minded 
horse,  well  aware  of  the  importance  of  observing 
the  Sabbath.  It  wouldn't  be  a  bad  idea  to  have 
that  old  horse  commissioned  to  preach  to  some 
people.  .  ,      . 

In  one  of  the  towns  of  this  county,  some  years 
ago,  "as  history  relates,"  the  dogs  of  a  certain 
community  became  so  great  church-goers  that 
the  minister  found  proper  occasion  to  suggest  to 
his  parishioners  that  if  the  people  wovdd  learn 
from  the  example  of  their  dogs  he  should  have 
many  more  attendants  upon  his  ministry.  Men 
of  Avisdom  may  learn  lessons  from  poor  puppies. 

I  have  taken  some  pains,  since  writing  my  last, 
to  ascertain,  as  definitely  as  possible,  about  the 
products  of  milk  and  butter.  At  a  station  on 
the  branch  railroad,  running  from  Chester  to  New- 
burg,  and  connecting  at  the  former  place  with 
the  Erie  railroad,  I  learned  that  about  2000  gal- 
lons of  milk  were  sent  daily  to  New  York.  This 
was  said  to  come  from  the  farms  included  in  about 
six  square  miles  of  territory,  that  is,  along  the 
road  perhaps  three  miles,  and  extending  back 
from  the  road  about  a  mile  on  each  side.  This 
would  give  to  the  farmers,  at  three  cents  per 
quart,  the  sum  of  sixty  dollars  per  diem,  for  milk 
alone.  This  winter  product  bears  no  comparison 
to  the  amount  produced  in  summer.  The  sum- 
mer crop  sells  at  a  lower  figure  than  that  of  win- 
ter, but  not  a  less  jirofitable.  It  is  easy  estimat- 
ing the  income  from  milk,  to  a  town  of  six  miles 
square,  supposing  $60  a  day  to  describe  that  of 
six  square  miles.  The  daily  income  of  the  town 
would  be  $360,  for  milk  alone.  Its  yearly  income 
for  the  same  would  be  no  less  than  $130,400. 

The  milk-sales  do  not  take  away  the  floods  of 
milk,  by  any  manner  of  means.  .Butter-making 
is  generally  considered  more  profitable,  and  those 
who  sell  milk  also  make  immense  qualities  of 
butter.  The  fair  product  of  a  good  butter  mak- 
ing cow  is  about  two  firkins,  say  168  pounds. — 
Some  extra  dairies  make  three  firkins,  or  about 
250  pounds.  But  this  last  is  too  high  to  found 
any  estimate  upon.  At  168  ])ounds,  as  they  have 
sold  their  butter  for  several  years  past  at  25  cents 
per  pound,  a  cow  gives  $42  worth  of  butter. — 
What  is  said  to  be  an  average  product  of  butter, 
per  cow,  is  about  150  pounds  per  year.  The  ad- 
ditional credit  to  the  cow  is  for  the  buttermilk, 
for  feeding  hogs,  the  calf  and  the  manure  for  the 
land.  Some  high  farmers  estimate  the  proceeds 
of  their  cows  at  $65  per  year,  each.  Upon  some 
of  the  large  farms,  from  fifty  to  near  one  hundred 
cows  are  kept. 

In  making  butter,  they  churn  daily,  sometimes 
twice  a  day,  some  by  horse-power,  some  by  dog- 
power,  some  by  sheep-power  and  a  few  by  water- 
j)ower.  It  is  done  with  a  dash  churn ;  the  size 
of  churn  said  to  secure  most  butter  from  cream 
being  of  about  24  gallons.  Larger  churns  are 
not  thought  to  gather  the  butter  so  well. 

When  the  butter  is  gathered,  it  is  taken  from 
the  churn  and    worked    over,   to     get  out   the 


buttermilk.  Then  it  is  washed.  Some  pure  cold 
water  is  applied  to  it,  perhaps  a  quart  to  five 
pounds,  and  immediately  worked  through  it,  to 
remove  what  remains  of  buttermilk.  It  is  then 
salted,  packed  down  solid  in  the  firkin,  which, 
when  full,  is  covered  with  a  prepared  brine,  to 
exclude  the  air  and  keep  it  sweet. 

The  butter  made  in  October  is  here  generally 
preferred.     Some  prefer  that  made  in  May. 

I  would  say  something  further  about  the  habits  of 
farming  here,  but  I  am  admonished  by  the  length 
of  this  letter,  that  I  shall  surely  fail  of  that  vir- 
tue of  good  sermonizers  and  scrap-writers,  hrev- 
ity.  So  I  will  not  attempt  to  tell  how  dogs,  sheep 
and  horses  handle  a  dash-churn.  c. 

Orange  Co.,  N.  Y.,  Dec.  23,  1857. 


A  THOUGHT  FOK  YOUNG  MEW. 

^lore  may  be  learned  by  devoting  a  few  mo- 
ments daily  to  reading,  than  is  commonly  sup- 
posed. Five  pages  may  be  read  in  fifteen  min- 
utes ;  at  which  rate  one  may  peruse  twenty-six 
volumes  of  two  hundi'ed  pages  each  in  a  year. 
You  say  you  have  none  to  guide  you.  The  best 
scholars  and  men  of  science  will  tell  you  that  by 
far  the  most  valuable  part  of  their  education  is 
that  which  they  have  given  themselves.  Vol- 
umes have  been  filled  with  the  auto- biography  of 
self-taught  men.  Think  of  Franklin,  the  printer, 
of  Linne,  the  shoemaker,  of  John  Hunter,  the 
cabinet-maker,  of  Herschel,  the  musician,  of  Dol- 
land  the  weaver,  of  Turner,  the  printer,  of  Bur- 
ritt,  the  l)lacksmith.  Love  learning  and  you  Avill 
be  learned.  When  there  is  a  will  there  will  be  a 
way. 

Begin  at  once,  take  time  by  the  forelock,  and 
remember  that  it  is  only  the  first  step  that  costs, 
and  having  begun,  resolve  to  learn  something 
every  day.  Strike  the  blow,  and  avoid  the  weak- 
ness of  those  who  spend  half  of  life  in  thinking 
what  they  shall  do  next.  Always  have  a  volume 
near  you,  which  you  may  catch  up  at  such  odd 
minutes  as  are  your  own.  It  is  incredible,  until 
trial  has  been  made,  how  much  real  knowledge 
may  be  acquired  in  these  broken  fragments  of 
time,  which  are  like  the  dust  of  gold  and  dia- 
monds.— Dr.  Alexander. 


SAVING  CABBAGES. 


The  best  way  to  preserve  cabbages  green  all 
winter,  so  that  their  good  qualities  shall  in  no 
manner  deteriorate,  is  as  follows :  As  late  this 
month  as  the  weather  will  allow,  dig  out  your 
cabbages  that  you  have  set  apart  for  winter  use 
— dig  trenches  say  eighteen  or  twenty  inches 
apart,  and  from  twelve  to  twenty  feet  in  length, 
as  may  be  most  convenient,  and  in  accordance 
with  the  quantity  to  be  preserved, — transplant 
your  cabbages  firmly  in  these  trenches,  as  closely 
as  they  will  stand  together.  When  your  bed  is 
finished,  raise  a  platform  some  eighteen  or  twen- 
ty inches  high  over  them,  which  can  be  made  of 
any  refuse  posts,  rails  or  boards  about  a  place  ; 
across  this  place  a  few  bean  poles  or  lath,  and 
upon  the  whole  throw  a  quantity  of  bean  haulm, 
cornstalks,  straw  or  any  other  material  of  this 
kind,  as  a  protection  against  wet  and  frost — and 
you  can  eat  green  cabbage  up  to  April,  finer  than 
if  plucked  from  the  garden  in  October. — Ger.  Tel. 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


113 


114 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


March 


VERMONT  MOWER  AND  REAPER. 

[See  Page  113.] 

In  no  one  agricultural  implement  has  more 
progress  been  manifested  than  in  the  harvester ; 
from  being  a  very  rude  combination  of  a  pair  of 
shears  on  a  wheel,  guided  and  moved  by  hand, 
it  has  quickly  risen  to  the  character  of  a  perfect 
machine. 

Among  the  numerous  patents,  is  the  one  to 
which  the  above  named  has  been  given,  and  a 
description  of  which,  with  the  points  of  merit 
of  the  machine,  we  copy  from  the  Scientific 
American.  Our  farmers  will  do  well  to  thorough- 
ly examine  the  different  machines  now  before  the 
public,  before  purchasing,  and  in  their  selection 
be  guided  by  their  own  knowledge  of  their  wants, 
and  the  adaptation  of  the  mower  to  those  wants. 

A  is  the  platform,  on  which  is  raised  the  driv- 
er's seat,  and  to  which  the  horses  are  attached  to 
a  pole.  B  is  a  wheel,  connected  by  ratchet  teeth 
to  the  axle  of  the  wheel,  C,  as  is  also  the  other 
large  wheel,  both  of  them  supporting  the  machine, 
and  giving  motion  when  drawn  forward,  to  C. 
The  ratchet  teeth  are  so  cut  that  when  the  ma- 
chine is  backed,  no  motion  is  communicated  to 
C ;  and  when  it  is  desirable  to  draw  the  harvest- 
er anywhere,  and  the  cutters  are  not  required  to 
be  operated,  the  ratchets  can  be  thrown  out  of 
gear  by  the  lever,  N.  C  gives  motion  to  the 
bevel  gear  under  the  platform,  which  rotates  the 
wheel,  D,  and  consequently  gives  the  necessary 
vibratory  motion  to  the  cutters,  F,  by  means  of 
the  shai't,  E. 

The  cutters  are  mounted  on  a  platform,  G,  on 
the  back  of  which  is  the  raker's  seat,  the  plat- 
form being  well  and  strongly  hinged  to  the  cast- 
ing, H,  which  is  firmly  secured  to  A.  G  has  a 
tongue,  or  piece  of  iron  I,  projecting  from  it,  on 
which  the  screw  in  the  end  of  the  lever,  J,  can 
exert  pressure,  by  means  of  the  cord,y,  passing 
over  the  puUy,  K,  and  worked  by  the  lever,  M, 
so  that  the  platform,  G,  and  cutters,  F,  can  be 
raised  or  depressed  to  overcome  any  obstacle 
which  they  may  encounter.  On  the  end  of  one 
of  the  wheels,  B,  is  a  small  pully,  r,  around  which 
passes  the  endless  band,  q,  that  gives  motion  to 
the  reel,  S,  the  arms  of  which  are  the  peculiar 
and  advantageous  shape  shown  in  the  engraving. 
This  reel  revolves  around  the  axle,  P  hinged  ato, 
to  a  coiTCsponding  stretcher  or  tyer,  O,  to  allow 
of  it  being  elevated  or  depressed  with  the  cutter 
platform. 

The  points  of  excellence  and  the  peculiar  ad- 
vantages which  this  machine  has  over  others  may 
be  enumerated  as  follows : 

1st — In  having  the  cutter-bar  hinged  to  the 
frame  so  as  to  adjust  itself  to  the  unevenness  of 
the  ground. 

2d — Having  two  driving  wheels,  so  that  if  one 
slips  the  other  will  take  the  load. 

3d — When  the  machine  is  moved  to  the  right 
or  left  the  knives  are  kept  in  motion  by  one  or 
the  other  of  the  driving  wheels. 

4th — The  motion  of  the  cutters  is  stopped  by 
the  driver  taking  hold  of  the  lever  N,  (as  repre- 
sented in  the  cut)  which  is  attached  to  the  clutch 


on  the  main  shaft.  During  the  process  the  gear- 
ing remains  unmoved. 

5th — The  whole  Aveight  of  the  machine  is  on 
the  wheels  where  it  is  required  to  give  power  to 
the  stroke  of  the  knives. 

6th — When  the  machine  is  backed  the  knives 
cease  to  vibrate,  consequently  you  back  away 
from  obstructions  without  danger  of  breaking 
the  knives. 

7th — The  whole  weight  of  the  machine,  while 
reaping,  rests  upon  the  wheels,  except  the  raker's 
seat,  for  which  a  separate  wheel  is  provided,  as 
seen  in  cut. 

8th — The  cutter-bar,  being  hinged  to  the  ma- 
chine, can  be  packed  up  without  removing  a  bolt 
or  screw. 

9th — The  cutter-bar  can  be  raised  18  or  20 
inches  so  that  the  farmer  can  gather  his  grass- 
seed  before  he  mows  his  grass  if  he  choses. 

10th — The  cutter-bar  is  easily  raised,  which  is 
very  convenient  when  coming  to  the  corner  of 
the  land.  When  raised,  the  machine  can  be 
turned  as  short  as  you  please,  or  go  over  the 
mown  grass. 

11th — The  machine  is  operated  in  all  its  pai-ts 
without  the  operator  leaving  his  seat.  The  cut- 
ter-bar can  be  raised  and  the  machine  thrown  out 
of  or  in  gear  while  in  motion  if  required. 

12th — The  reel  is  adjusted  to  the  cutter-bar  by 
a  joint. 

13th — Bent  slats  on  the  reel  for  the  purpose  of 
reeling  in  the  grain  at  the  ends  of  the  cutter-bar 
in  advance  of  the  rest. 

There  can  be  little  doubt  that  this  is  one  of  the 
best  among  the  numerous  harvesters.  It  is  the 
invention  of  Hosea  Willard  and  Robert  Ross,  of 
Vergennes,  Vt.,  who  will  furnish  any  further  in- 
formation.    It  was  patented  Nov.  8th,  1857. 


Robins  and  Crows. — AVe  cut  the  following 
from  a  report  of  a  recent  meeting  of  the  Boston 
Society  of  Natural  History,  published  in  the 
Traveller : 

"Dr.  A.  A.  Gould  observed  that  at  a  recent 
meeting  of  the  Horticultural  Society,  a  discus- 
sion arose  upon  a  question  of  petitioning  the 
Legislature  to  repeal  the  law  concerning  the  de- 
struction of  robins  and  other  birds,  the  injury 
to  fruit  being  so  extensive  from  their  abundance 
in  the  neighborhood  of  Boston.  He  hoped  the 
present  law  preventing  the  destruction  of  birds 
would  remain  in  force,  as  the  benefit  derived  from 
them,  in  the  consumption  of  insects  injurious  to 
vegetation,  far  surpasses  the  value  of  the  fruit 
lost. 

"Mr.  T.  T.  Bouve  remarked  that,  in  Ilingham 
and  its  neighborhood,  he  had  noticed  that  the 
robins'  nests  are  invaded  by  crows  and  about 
half  of  the  young  destroyed.  The  crow  exhibits 
considerable  instinct  in  selecting  a  proper  time 
for  the  depredation. 

"Rev^  Theodore  Parker  inquired  if  it  had  been 
noticecTthat  the  crow  mates  in  families  of  three, 
generally  one  male  and  two  females,  an  arrange- 
ment by  which  the  duties  of  obtaining  food  and 
watching  its  young  are  better  performed  than  by 
pairs.  This  he  had  observed,  but  he  could  find 
no  notice  of  it  in  works  on  ornithology." 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


113 


LINES  FOB  THE  NEW  YEAH. 

It  gives  us  much  pleasure  to  publish  the  fol- 
lowing very  pleasant  epistle  from  our  friends,  the 
publishers  of  "Webster's  Unabridged  Dictiona- 
ry." The  beautiful  language  in  which  the  suc- 
cession of  the  seasons  is  described,  the  picture  of 
the  farmer's  winter  fireside,  and  the  peace  and 
plenty  which  he  shares  after  his  season  of  labor, 
will  commend  it  to  our  readers.  We  hope  also, 
that  the  precept  inculcated  in  the  closing  lines 
will  be  pondered  upon,  and  the  example  followed 
by  all  who  read  these  lines. 

Me.  Farmer: — 

He  of  the  foretop  and  the  glass, 
And  swUiging  scythe,  (how  like  the  grass 
Flung  to  the  swath,  though  rank  and  tall, 
Before  his  strokes  we  mortals  fall !) 
Again  has  passed  his  annual  track 
Along  the  changing  zodiac. 
From  where  his  race  he  first  began, 
At  old  Aquarius  with  his  can, 
Still  swift  careering  through  the  sky. 
Past  "Aries,  Taurus,  Gemini," 
Till,  bearded  Capricornus  won, 
The  goal  is  gained,  the  circuit  done. 

First  came  the  bright  and  gladsome  Spring, 
Rejoiced  o'er  hill  and  dale  to  fling 
Her  robe  of  green.    Along  her  path. 
Scarred  by  the  storm-king  in  his  wrath. 
But  now,  as  sprang  the  fragrant  flowers, 
Like  Eden  bloomed  this  world  of  ours. 
Forth  from  his  wintry  hybernation 
Comes  man,  "the  lord  of  the  creation," 
And  "jocund  drives  his  team  afield," — 
The  ripened  sheaves  his  lands  shall  yield 
Assured  shall  meet  the  waititfg  flail ; — 
"Seed-time  and  harvest  shall  not  fail," 
The  pledge,  through  time  for  aye  t'endure, 
The  bow-sealed  covenant  makes  sure, — 
And  on  he  guides  the  shining  share. 
Content,  to  win,  the  toil  to  share. 

Then  Summer,  nymph  of  healthiest  hue, 
Came  next,  and  o'er  the  landscape  threw 
Her  heightening  charm.    From  his  bright  throne 
"With  light  and  heat  refulgent"  shone 
The  glorious  sun  ;  at  his  broad  blaze. 
As  down  he  pours  his  noontide  rays, 
Their  herbage-cropping  labor  stayed. 
The  panting  flocks  seek  the  cool  shade. 
His  scythe  the  stalwart  mower  swings 
With  vigorous  arm  ;  or  out  there  rings 
Kiglit  cheerily  the  music  made 
As  with  swift  stroke  he  whets  his  blade. 
Hard  by,  perched  on  some  swaying  bough, 
The  bobolink  is  singing  now. 
And  fills  the  air  with  varying  note, 
As  joy  distends  his  tuneful  throat. 

Autumn  succeeds, — a  nut-brown  maid  ; — 
The  garland  fair  that  crowns  her  head 
Of  fruits  and  flowers  together  blent. 
Her  comrades,  Peace  and  sweet  Content. 
The  tiller  from  liis  burdened  fields 
Garners  the  full  increase  which  yields 
Still  to  her  sons  the  generous  soil. 
And  well  repays  their  trusting  toil. 
The  forest  dons  its  bright  array, 
Like  Joseph's  coat  in  colors  gay, 
And  soon  the  "sere  and  yellow  leaf," 
Emblem  of  man's  existence  brief. 
Reminds  us,  in  our  pathway  found. 
That  Nature's  course  has  run  its  round. 


The  joyous  birds  of  summer-time 

Have  sped  them  to  some  sunnier  clime. 

And  now  from  out  the  upper  sky. 

While  on  in  serried  files  they  fly. 

Honk  !  honk  !  comes  down  the  wild-goose  strain, 

And  still  in  one  unchanged  refrain. 

As  on  from  farthest  Labrador, 

They  hast  to  seek  the  Antarctic  shore. 

Winter  once  more — an  old  man  bowed, — 
The  winds  without  are  piping  loud, — 
His  locks  are  streaming  in  the  blast ; 
The  sky  with  stormy  clouds  o'ercast ; 
The  streams  congeal  beneath  his  breath ; 
Life  yields  to  torpor  or  to  death  ; 
And  Earth,  by  snowy  mantle  prest, 
Enjoys  again  its  Sabbath  rest. 
And  now,  beside  his  evening  hearth, 
Such  joys  as  only  take  their  birth 
From  man's  primeval  occupation. 
The  farmer  shares,  and  compensation 
For  summer's  toil  in  winter's  rest. 
And  garnered  stores  in  peace  possest. 
The  household  band  are  grouped  around, 
In  varied  occupation  found  ; — 
One  swiftly  plies  the  "threaded  steel" — 
One  caters  for  the  morning  meal, — 
The  manly  boy,  he  who  but  now 
Tedded  the  swath,  or  steered  the  plow. 
To  some  school  problem  bends  his  brain, 
Or,  gallant,  holds  the  tangled  skein 
For  the  fair  hands  that  well,  we  trow. 
Could  weave  a  web  should  catch — a  beau. 
Full  at  his  ease  there,  too,  the  sire. 
"The  kine  are  snug  within  the  byre," 
Broadhorn,  and  Buck,  and  Dapple-Grey, — 
Well-filled  the  crib,  well-stored  the  bay, — 
Before  him  lies  his  weekly  sheet, — 
From  out  his  "loop-hole  of  retreat," 
Through  this,  ("77;e  Farmer,"  'tis,  of  course,) 
He  scans  the  world  ;  its  Babel  hoarse 
Comes,  distance-mellowed,  like  the  roar 
Of  far-oflf  waves  that  strike  the  shore. 
Here  learns  he  of  the  "great  commotion" 
That  moves  men's  minds,  as  tides  the  ocean. 
Of  filibustering  marauders. 
Who  live  by  rapine  and  disorders, — 
Of  stocks,  defaulters,  "bulls"  and  "bears," 
And  aU  the  turmoil  of  affairs, — 
Panics,  expansion  and  contraction, 
Changes  that  drive  men  to  distraction. 
And  thanks  kind  Heaven,  in  language  graphic, 
His  not  the  lot  of  trade  and  traffic. 
Yet  not  from  care  exempt  his  lot, 
(For  whoso  lives  and  suffereth  not  ?) 
And,  nature-taught,  knows  he  full  well. 
The  frost  that  withers,  opes  the  shell. 
The  sturdy  steer  across  the  new-shorn  plain, 
Yoked  with  his  mate,  drags  slow  the  weary  wain. 
Nor  knows  he  draws  behind  the  precious  load, 
Whence  the  same  hand  that  pushes  now  the  goad. 
When  the  storm  beats,  and  wintry  \vinds  are  cliil!. 
With  thoughtful  care  his  daily  crib  shall  fill. 
***** 

Not  blest  as  his  is  our  employ, 
Though  once  were  we  "the  farmer's  boy," 
And  still  each  glad  association 
Turns  to  his  honored  avocation  ; 
And  so,  to  mitigate  our  grief. 
Comes  your  hebdomedal  relief : — 
We  read  of  brooks  and  running  rills. 
Corn-covered  valleys,  herd-crowned  hills, 
Of  broods  and  breeds,  root-crops  and  cereals, 
Of  Marrowfats,  and  Blue  Imperials, — 
Of  reapers,  red-top,  and  rotation, 
Subsoiling,  draining,  irrigation,— 
Of  furrowed  fields,  and  waving  grain, 
And  boyhood's  scenes  are  livsd  again. 


116 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


March 


As  needs  the  axle  lubrication, 
That  wheel,  unfrictioned,  have  rotation ; — 
"As  money  makes  the  mare  to  go," 
And  every  quid  should  have  its  quo  ; — 
As  he  that  grinds  should  take  his  toll, — 
The  ox  that  treads,  ungrudged  hia  dole,^ 
And  debts  of  gratitude  be  paid 
At  least  in  sound  "materiEfl  aid," — 
Please  find  enclosed  in  current  bills 
That  which  your  requisition  fills, 
And,  as  without,  were  incomplete 
Our  joy,  still  send  your  welcome  sheet  ; — 
"Long  may  it  wave," — the  tiller  bless, 
And  still  its  shadow  ne'er  be  less ; 
And  unborn  farmers,  through  the  ages 
Like  us,  be  gladdened  by  its  pages. 
— Let  "Uncle  Sam"  be  prompt  to  carry  'em, — 

Yours  to  command,  G.  &  C.  Merriam. 

Springfield,  January,  1858. 


For  tJie  Neio  England  Farmer. 
SUBSTITUTE  FOR  DEAR  SUGAR. 

The  unprecedented  prices  of  saccharine  pro- 
ducts have  recently  turned  the  attention  of  "Jon- 
athan" to  the  subject,  to  see  if  there  is  no  sub- 
stitute to  gratify  his  "sweet  tooth,"  because  he 
has  been  so  long  accustomed  to  this  daily  luxury, 
that  it  is  out  of  the  question  to  expect  him  to  do 
without  entirely,  should  the  article  again  go  up 
to  even  higher  figures. 

The  maple  of  our  norhern  forests  was  put  in 
requisition  the  past  spring,  and  millions  of  pounds 
of  sugar  from  the  trees,  have  taken  the  place  of 
the  southern  article.  Even  If  a  full  supply  could 
be  obtained  from  this  source,  It  could  never  com- 
pete successfully  with  the  cane.  Land  kept  in 
trees  expressly  for  sugar,  Is  worth  many  dollars 
an  acre,  and  the  annual  taxes  and  Interest  are 
not  always  a  trifle.  The  fuel  used  In  evaporation, 
together  with  the  labor  attending  it,  will  always 
prevent  competition  with  cane,  except  when  sugar 
is  held  at  high  prices.  Another  substitute  for  the 
southern  cane  Is  now  offered  In  the  sorgho,  which, 
from  recent  experiments,  promises  a  supply  much 
below  present  prices.  But  even  if  it  Is  produced 
at  the  lowest  possible  rates,  it  will  yet  be  a  tax 
somewhat  formidable  ;  we  must  furnish  land  to 
raise  the  cane ;  this  must  be  plowed,  planted, 
hoed,  stalks  gathered,  crushed  and  pressed,  and 
fuel  used  to  evaporate  the  water  in  the  juice. 
What  all  this  labor,  etc.,  will  make  it  worth  by 
the  gallon  or  pound,  now,  or  what  it  will  cost 
when  every  arrangement  for  reducing  the  juice  is 
fully  established,  it  Is  Impossible  to  tell. 

These  things  are  mentioned  not  to  condemn 
or  discourage  the  production  of  sugar  by  these 
means,  when  nothing  else  off'ers  better ;  but  as  I 
am  about  to  offer  another  substitute,  I  wish  to 
make  It  appear  as  favorable  in  contrast  as  possi- 
ble. We  are  not  Indebted  to  China  for  Its  origin, 
nor  is  the  labor  of  the  husbandman  specially  re- 
quired in  its  culture.  It  is  produced  by  forest 
and  lawn,  field  and  garden  ;  even  our  very  road- 
sides teem  with  abundance.  I  allude  to  the  arti- 
cle of  honey.  Not  one  person  in  ten  thousand 
has  the  least  conception  of  the  enormous  quanti- 
ty of  this  delicious  nectar  annually  wasted  at  our 
very  doors,  all  for  the  want  of  a  due  considera- 
tion of  its  importance.  We  make  an  estimate 
from  the  following  facts  In  support  of  our  asser- 
tion. 


In  the  summer  of  1856,  there  was  collected 
from  an  estimated  area  of  ten  miles  square,  over 
42,000  lbs.  of  honey.  The  number  of  stocks  In 
spring  was  about  800,  the  Increase  by  swarms, 
400,  after  supplying  deficiencies  In  the  original 
number.  22,000  lbs.  of  this  product  (including 
glass  boxes)  was  surplus  or  box  honey;  12,000 
was  stored  by  the  new  swarms,  (30  lbs.  each,) 
8000  was  taken  from  the  old  and  deficient  hives, 
that  had  to  be  taken  up.  The  amount  in  the  old 
stocks  for  wintering  the  bees  Is  not  estimated. 
Ten  miles  square  being  an  area  of  one  hundred 
square  miles,  would  give  one  square  mile  for 
every  eight  stocks,  thus  producing  420  lbs.  of 
honey  to  the  square  mile.  Taking  these  results 
as  a  basis  for  an  estimate  of  what  is  wasted,  we 
will  see  what  was  produced  by  this  (New  York) 
State  alone,  which  contains  47,000  square  miles. 
Supposing  each  square  mile  to  produce  420  lbs., 
we  have  an  aggregate  of  19,740,000  lbs.  Should 
we  go  further,  and  take  the  millions  of  square 
miles  In  the  United  States  and  Territories  at  the 
same  rate,  or  a  tenth  part  of  it,  it  would  go  a 
great  way  towards  furnishing  us  with  sweet,  at 
least  in  productive  seasons.  The  probability  is, 
that  not  a  tithe  of  the  honey  produced  on  this 
area  of  ten  miles  square  was  collected,  if  we 
should  judge  by  the  number  of  stocks  maintained 
on  a  square  mile  in  some  parts  of  Europe.  Quo- 
tations by  Mr.  Langstroth  state :  "In  the  prov- 
ince of  Attica,  In  Greece,  containing  forty-five 
square  miles,  there  are  kept  20,000  hives."  "East 
Friesland,  a  province  In  Holland,  containing 
1,200  square  miles,  maintains  an  average  of  2000 
colonies  per  square  mile." 

The  summer  of  1857  produced  only  about  one- 
quarter  of  the  fore  mentioned  results.  The  one 
season  being  the  best,  ,and  the  other  the  j)oorest 
we  have  ever  known,  the  two  together  would 
make  an  average  of  about  26,000  lbs.  that  might 
be  expected  annually  from  that  number  of  stocks. 
Taking  this  average  as  a  data,  what  would  be  the 
cost  per  pound  ?  One  man  can  take  charge  of 
one  hundred  stocks,  or  one-eighth  of  the  whole, 
but  it  would  require  only  about  two  months  of 
his  time  in  the  year ;  yet  nearly  another  month 
would  be  required  by  a  mechanic,  or  a  man  suf- 
ficiently skilled  to  use  a  handsaw  and  hammer  to 
make  hives,  boxes,  &Ci;  say  the  labor  would  be 
$75,  cost  of  materials,  $50.  Now  if  no  Interest 
is  reckoned  for  money  invested,  this  honey  costs 
less  than  four  cents  per  pound.  But  if  we  take 
the  price  that  honey  often  commands  in  market, 
about  20  cts.,  the  3250  lbs.  (the  average  amount 
that  100  stocks  would  collect,)  will  amount  to 
$650.  Deduct  the  expenses,  $125,  and  there  will 
be  left  $525  for  the  annual  profits  of  bee  culture, 
which  ought  to  be  enough  in  one  season  to  pay 
all  necessary  costs  in  purchasing  stocks  to  start 
an  apiary  of  that  extent.  Several  instances  are 
known,  where  the  products  sold,  aside  from  the 
increase  of  stocks,  was  more  than  sufficient  to  pay 
all  charges  in  care,  as  well  as  the  original  cost  of 
the  apiary.  This  is  paying  very  well  for  labor 
and  money  invested.  What  pays  better  ?  We 
have  shown,  conclusively,  it  would  seem,  that 
there  Is  sufficient  material  in  the  country  for  ex- 
tensive operations.  We  have  shown  also,  that  its 
collection  is  a  practical,  and  at  the  same  time,  a 
profitable  business.  All  that  now  seems  wanting 
to  render  this  product  available,  is  the  energy  to 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


117 


acquire  the  requisite  skill  for  proper  management. 
By  a  few  this  has  been  acquired  by  patient,  perse- 
vering effort,  sufficient,  at  least,  to  succeed  for 
many  years,  without  any  aid  but  what  was  gained 
by  experience.  It  is  now  quite  different.  The  in- 
experienced can,  if  they  choose,  take  the  shorter 
route,  by  appropriating  to  their  own  use  the  ex- 
perience of  others,  found  in  the  numerous  trea- 
tises on  the  subject.  M.  Quinby, 

Author  of  Mysteries'of  Bee-Keeping  Explained. 

St.  Jolinsville,  N.  Y.,  1858. 


LEACHED  ASHES   FOR  MANURE. 

We  are  fully  aware  how  much  public  opinion 
has  changed  with  regard  to  the  value  of  leached 
ashes  as  a  manure,  but  at  the  same  time  have  rea- 
son to  believe  that  large  quantities  of  it  are  suf- 
fered to  be  wasted,  and  that,  even  within  the  cir- 
cle of  our  intelligent  readers,  there  are  some 
cultivators  who  do  not  properly  appreciate  it  yet. 
We  propose,  therefore,  to  place  before  the  read- 
er the  opinions  and  expei'iments  of  some  others, 
to  give  force  to  what  we  have  often  stated  our- 
selves in  regard  to  the  value  of  this  article. 

Mr.  CoLMAN,  in  his  valuable  "Report  on  the 
Agriculture  of  Massachusetts,"  in  some  observa- 
tions relative  to  the  value  and  efficacy  of  the 
manures  used  by  the  farmers  of  this  State,  says  : 
"ashes,  leached  or  crude,  have  been  applied  by 
difierent  individuals  with  various  success.  A  far- 
mer of  high  authority  in  Newbury  states — 'I 
think  leached  ashes  very  valuable  to  spread  on 
grass  land  ;  likewise  for  onions  and  grain.  I  use 
twenty  or  thirty  cart  loads  a  year,  and  gave  this 
season  $3  per  load  of  fifty  bushels.'  Another  re- 
spectable farmer  says  'he  deems  theij:i  of  no  use 
unless  applied  in  conjunction  with  other  manure, 
and  then  of  great  efficacy.  In  their  application 
upon  a  rich  loam  to  corn,  both  in  the  hill  and 
spread  round  the  hill  at  the  first  hoeing,  I  have 
seen  no  beneficial  result  from  them.' " 

The  question  naturally  arises  here,  whether,  if 
the  corn  had  been  planted  on  a.  poor  loam,  or  on 
a  poor  gravelly  soil,  and  part  of  the  crop  had  been 
treated  with  ashes,  and  a  part  not,  there  would 
not  have  been  a  marked  difference  between  the 
two  ?  But  the  ashes  was  applied  on  a  ricli  loam 
that  would  have  brought  a  good  crop  alone.  That 
is  not  the  best  mode  of  testing  special  manures. 

Judge  BUEL,  of  Albany,  a  man  whose  pen 
cast  light  upon  many  subjects,  and  whom  we  can- 
not accuse  of  having  given  currency  to  a  single 
sophism,  in  the  long  coui'se  of  his  most  ax'duous 
and  philanthropic  efforts  to  ameliorate  the  condi- 
tion of  American  agriculture,  says  : — "leached 
ashes,  or  soap-boiler's  waste,  which  contains 
always  a  quantity  of  lime,  I  have  used  with 
advantage  for  wheat ;"  and  another  distinguished 
writer,  whose  labors  have,  ILke  those  of  the  in 
dij-idual   first  named,  been  the  means   of'arous 


ing  and  directing  inquiry  on  many  important 
topics,  remarks: — "Leached  ashes  I  have  al- 
ways found  to  be  a  most  genial  and  efficient  ma- 
nure. As  a  top-dressing  for  grass  lands — ap- 
plied at  the  rate  of  twenty -five  or  thirty  hiishels 
per  acre,  according  to  circumstances,  they  are  un- 
surpassed. They  correct  acidity,  and  sweeten  the 
soil,  and  have  a  powerful  effect'  in  warming  and 
imbuing  it  with  energy  and  life.  I  consider  them 
an  economical  and  desirable  manure  at  seventeen 
cents  a  bushel,  even  where  I  am  compelled  to 
draw  them  from  three  to  eight  miles." 

We  have  often  witnessed  the  good  effects 
which  Judge  Buel  describes,  and  not  only  on 
grass  lands,  by  which  we  suppose  he  means  mow- 
ing lands, — but  on  pastures  which  had  become 
greatly  impoverished,  and  even  partially  covered 
with  moss. 

In  the  Farmer's  Cabinet  an  intelligent  corres- 
pondent observes  : — "Of  all  things  to  make  grass 
grow,  ashes  beat ;  this  you  may  depend  upon, 
for  I  have  tried  it  often,  and  it  has  never  failed 
yet.  Collect  as  much  of  it  as  you  can,  the  more 
the  better,  and  spread  it  over  your  grounds,  and 
see  if  lam  not  correct  in  my  assertions." 

A  writer  in  the  Farmer's  Journal,  observes : — 
"I  do  not  see  wood  ashes  very  often  spoken  of  as 
a  manure,  in  our  agricultural  papers.  I  am  in- 
clined to  think  that  they  are  not  valued  so  high- 
ly as  they  deserve.  I  have  had  a  pretty  favora- 
ble opportunity  for  observing  their  effects.  In 
my  boyhood,  a  soap-boiling  establishment  was 
§et  up  in  the  neighborhood  in  which  my  father 
lived,  in  which  large  quantities  of  wood  ashes 
were  used.  The  man  who  carried  it  on  had  a 
farm  of  about  a  hundred  acres,  which,  under  a 
faulty  system  of  management,  had  got  very  much 
run  out,  and  the  owner  was  getting  every  year 
more  and  moi*e  in  debt.  After  he  commenced 
soap-boiling,  there  being  little  demand  for  his 
leached  ashes,  he  applied  them  liberally  to  his 
land,  and  soon,  from  being  one  of  the  poorest,  his 
farm  became  decidedly  the  most  productive  in 
the  town.  His  crops  repeatedly  obtained  the  pre- 
miums at  the  county  cattle  shows.  I  think  I 
never  knew  so  great  a  change  produced  on  a 
farm  in  so  short  a  time.  It  was  a  subject  of  gen- 
eral and  admiring  observation.  By  the  increased 
productiveness  of  ^.is  farm,  added  to  the  profits 
of  his  soap-boiling  he  soon  freed  himself  from 
his  pecuniary  embar"assments,  and  at  his  death 
he  left  to  his  children  not  only  a  farm  free  from 
all  incumbrances,  and  in  a  high  state  of  cultiva- 
tion, but  also  considerable  other  property  which 
he  had  accumulated.  The  soil  of  the  farm  was 
light,  inclining  to  sandy." 

With  these  facts  before  us,  and  many  others 
which  are  constantly  occurring,  it  would  seem 
that  sufficient  evidence  has  been  accumulated  to 


118 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


March 


convince  the  most  skeptical  minds  on  this  sub- 
ject. In  our  travels  through  the  State  we  fre- 
quently see  piles  of  brush  and  rubbish  of  vari- 
ous sorts,  carried  away  from  the  fields  to  the 
road-side  or  other  uncultivated  spots,  and  there 
burned, — thus  two  errors  are  committed  ;  first  in 
the  loss  occasioned  by  not  burning  upon  fallow 
land,  or  land  that  is  intended  to  be  plowed, — and 
secondly,  by  fertilizing  in  a  high  degree  the  road- 
side, and  stimulating  it  to  produce  thistles  and 
burdocks,  which  shall  annually  scatter  their 
seeds  broadcast  over  the  contiguous  fields.  There 
is  room  yet  for  considerable  more  liead  work  on 
the  form ! 

For  Vie  New  England  Fanner. 
ESSEX  TRANSACTIONS. 

By  the  kindness  of  a  friend,  I  have  just  been 
favored  with  a  copy  of  the  transactions  of  the 
Essex  Agricultural  Society  for  1S57.  If  I  do  not 
mistake,  this  will  be  found  equal,  if  not  superior, 
to  any  of  the  annuals  put  foi'th  by  this  Society. 
Although  Essex  cannot  boast  ef  the  quality  of 
its  soil,  or  other  natural  advantages,  still  it  has 
ever  had  reason  to  be  proud  of  the  industry 
and  intelligence  of  its  citizens.  In  proof  of  this 
no  better  evidence  is  needed  than  is  found  on 
many  of  the  pages  of  this  pamphlet,  exceeding 
two  hundred  in  all,  neatly  printed  at  the  Herald 
office,  in  Newburyport. 

First  comes  Dr.  Kelly's  address  on  "home  and 
its  embellishing  arts,"  containing  many  sugges- 
tions worthy  of  careful  regard,  expressed  with 
pleasant  humor  and  wise  consideration.  Then 
the  accomplished  Secretary's  report  of  the  show, 
and  practical  advice  for  future  use.  The  report' 
of  that  veteran  in  fruit  culture — known  and  re- 
spected by  every  gardener  in  the  land.  An  ag- 
ricultural show  in  Essex  without  the  name  of  IVES 
appended,  would  be  an  entire  misnomer.  Then 
there  is  a  beautiful  essay  on  the  culture  of  the 
strawberry,  by  one  who  demonstrates  that  he 
knows  of  what  he  writes.  Then  come  the  flow- 
ers of  the  field  and  the  garden,  displayed  with  all 
the  adroitness  of  a  Sanborn,  who  never  fails  to 
excite  your  risibilities.  Then  the  truly  philoso- 
phic views  of  vegetable  culture  by  an  expert  in 
tliese  matters,  from  the  rock-bound  shores  of 
Marblehead.  Then  the  reports  of  the  several 
committees  charged  with  active  duties  on  the  day 
of  the  shoAV,  containing  many  suggestions  of  val- 
ue— although  not  quite  as  full  as  they  should 
have  been — for  what  is  the  use  of  a  show  if  its 
peculiarities  cannot  be  recorded  for  instruction  ? 
Then  we  have  a  report  on  farm  implements, 
drawn  by  a  veteran  in  the  service,  and  condensing 
the  best  intelligence  yet  brought  out,  though 
leaving  much  lee-way  for  more  to  be  learned. 
Then  comes  the  report  of  the  committee  on  farms, 
which  w'll  bear  a  second  perusal.  Then  Mr. 
How's  suggestion  as  to  the  improvement  of  pas- 
ture lands,  the  necessity  of  M-hich  will  be  appar- 
ent to  every  one  who  journeys  through  the  com- 
monwealth. Root  crops  are  also  noticed,  as  no 
agricultural  re])ort  of  Essex  would  be  complete 
without  these.  Then  come  elaborate  experi- 
ments on  the  Chinese  Sugar  Cane,   from  wliich 


syrup  is  extracted,  but  no  sugar  is  matured.  Then 
inquiries  as  to  the  management  of  an  "experi- 
mental farm,"  generously  donated  to  the  Society 
by  the  late  Dr.  Treadwell,  of  Salem.  Such  is  a 
bird's  eye  glance  at  the  contents  of  this  pam- 
phlet. Essex. 
Dec,  1857. 

TO  MANAGE  A  BEARING  HORSE. 

Whenever  you  perceive  a  horse's  inclination 
to  rear,  separate  your  reins  and  prepare  for  him. 
The  instant  he  is  about  to  rise,  slacken  one  hand, 
and  bend  or  twist  his  head  with  the  other,  keep- 
ing your  hands  low.  This  bending  compels  him 
to  move  a  hind  leg,  and  of  necessity  brings  his 
fore-feet  down.  Instantly  twist  him  completely 
round  two  or  three  times,  which  will  confuse  him 
very  much,  and  completely  throw  him  off  his 
guard.  The  moment  you  have  finished  twisting 
him  round,  place  his  head  in  the  direction  you 
wish  to  proceed,  apply  the  spurs,  and  he  will  not 
fail  to  go  forward.  If  the  situation  be  convenient, 
press  him  into  a  gallop,  and  apply  the  spurs  and. 
whip  two  or  three  times  severely.  The  horse  will 
not,  perhaps,  be  quite  satisfied  with  the  first  de- 
feat, but  may  feel  disposed  to  try  again  for  the 
mastery.  Should  this  be  the  case,  you  have  only 
to  twist  him,  &c.,  as  before,  and  you  will  find  that 
in  the  second  struggle  he  will  be  more  easily 
tamed  than  on  the  former  occasion  ;  in  fact,  you 
will  see  him  quail  under  the  operation.  It  rare- 
ly happens  that  a  rearing  horse,  after  having  been 
trained  in  the  way  described,  will  resort  to  this 
trick  a  third  time. — British  Sportsman. 


THE  USE  OF  BONES. 


A.  E.  Schmersahl,  of  England,  has  patented 
an  improvement  in  the  manufacture  of  gelatine, 
glue  and  manure  from  bones.  The  patentee  ob- 
tains bones,  and  separates  from  them  blood  and 
such  other  substances  which  are  soluble  in  water, 
so  as  to  deprive  them  of  putrescent  matters,  which, 
according  to  the  usual  manufacture,  become  min- 
gled, or  partially  so,  with  the  gelantine,  &c.  The 
bones  thus  purified  he  treats  with  an  acid,  in  order 
to  dissolve  the  phosphate,  or  other  salt  of  lime, 
leaving  the  gelatine  in  a  solid  state,  which  after 
being  washed,  may  be  used  as  an  article  of  com- 
merce, or  boiled  into  a  paste  or  jelly,  ready  for 
immediate  use.  The  liquor  in  which  the  bones 
have  been  macerated  he  reserves,  and  extracts 
therefrom  phosphorus  or  sal-ammoniac,  and  su- 
perphosphate of  lime,  applicable  as  a  manure.— 
S.  American. 

Colossal  Walnut  Tree. — On  the  road  from 
Martel  to  Gramant  (Lot)  is  to  be  seen  a  colossal 
walnut  tree,  at  least  .'350  years  old.  The  height 
of  this  tree  is  about  5o  feet ;  its  bi'anches  extend 
to  a  distance  of  125  feet;  the  trunk,  14  feet  in 
diameter,  is  only  20  feet  high,  but  it  sends  out 
seven  immense  branches. 

It  bears  on  an  average  each  year  15  bags  of 
walnuts.  Older  trees  grow  near,  but  they  are  of 
very  moderate  dimensions. — Galignani's  lless. 


^p°  On  Monday,  the  Uth  inst.,  two  large  flock.<t 
of  wild  geese  were  seen  flying  over  East  Hartford, 
Conn.,  on  their  way  northwnrd. 


1858, 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


119 


For  tlte  New  England  Farmer. 
EHKOHS  IN  BOOK  FARMING. 

Mr.  Editor  : — So  contradictory  are  many  of 
the  statements  concerning  agricultural  opera- 
tions, published  in  agricultural  journals,  and  re- 
corded in  "the  books,"  that  it  is  hardly  to  be 
wondered  at  that  so  many  farmers  decry  "book 
farming,"  or  that  the  new  beginner  should  despair 
of  ever  being  able  to  pursue  the  business  of  farm- 
ing upon  any  reliable  basis  or  settled  principles 
of  action.  Now  while  it  is  partly  true  that  ag- 
riculture is  not  one  of  the  exact  sciences,  there  is 
still  a  vast  amount  of  settled  fact  concerning  its 
practical  pursuit,  and  many  of  these  facts  can  be 
reduced  to  rules,  as  certain  in  their  operations  as 
the  rules  of  any  of  the  exact  sciences.  Rules  of 
science  are  established  upon  well  defined  facts, 
and  facts  are  rendered  thus  available  only  by  pa- 
tient investigation  of  the  conditions  under  which 
they  are  developed.  Now  every  fact  that  is  a 
fact  in  agriculture,  is  so  only  upon  certain  condi- 
tions, and  if  in  the  application  of  any  one  of  these 
facts  we  overlook,  neglect  or  ignore  these  con- 
ditions, the  fact  may  prove  a  stumbling-block  in 
our  way  instead  of  aiding  us  in  our  labors.  It  is 
from  the  superficial  manner  in  which  experiments 
in  agriculture  are  often  made,  and  their  results 
given  without  intelligent  observation  of  the  cir- 
cumstances and  conditions  on  which  they  are 
based,  that  so  many  errors  and  contradictions  oc- 
cur in  "book  farming,"  and  which  robs  this  source 
of  knowledge  of  much  of  its  r(!al  value  and  use- 
fulness. I  have  been  led  to  these  reflections  from 
noticing  an  article  in  the  N.  E.  Parmer  of  Dec. 
19th,  entitled  "Little  Things  by  the  Way-side," 
cautioning  farmers  against  feeding  corn  fodder  to 
milch  cows,  because  it  would  decrease  their  milk. 
Now  not  only  myself,  but  hundreds  of  better 
farmers,  know  the  value  of  corn  fodder,  both  dry 
and  green,  for  milch  cows,  too  well  not  to  know 
that  such  advice  is  absurd  and  contrary  to  all  in- 
telligent experience.  That  green  corn  fodder  is 
often  fed  to  milch  cows  without  profit  I  have  no 
doubt ;  when,  for  instance,  it  is  fed  in  such  a 
manner  as,  while  it  is  insufficient  for  the  animal's 
entire  food,  it  begets  a  dependence  upon  this  ex- 
tra feed,  and  renders  the  animal  indisposed  to 
seek  other  and  more  feed  from  the  pastures.  But 
it  is  a  fact  well  established  that  corn  fodder,  both 
dry  and  green,  when  intelligently  fed  out,  is  one 
of  the  best  milk-producing  fodders  amongst  the 
list  of  grasses. 

Again,  if  it  be  true,  as  stated  in  an  editorial  in 
the  last  issue  of  the  N.  E.  Farmer,  (Dec.  26th,) 
that  Hon.  Elmer  Brigham,  of  Westboro',  obtains 
an  extraordinary  amount  of  milk  from  his  cows, 
by  feeding  only  twelve  lbs.  of  hay  and  two  quarts 
of  meal  each  per  day,  surely  Mr.  Brigham  must 
have  discovered  the  means  of  making  milk  (real 
cow's  milk)  cut  of  almost  nothing — a  discovery 
more  valuable  to  a  hungry  world  than  would  have 
been  tlie  discovery  of  the  long  sought  "philoso- 
pher's stone,"  which  was  to  turn  everything  into 
gold.  But  I  apprehend  that  here,  too,  is  another 
"error  in  book  farming  ;"  since  every  intelligent 
farmer  knov.s  that  a  milch  cow  cannot  be  profita- 
bly sustained  upon  any  such  quantity  of  food. 
Not  less  than  twenty  lbs.  of  good  hay  per  day 
will  well  sustain  an  average  size  milch  cow  du- 
ring the  feeding  season  ;  and  this  quantity  will 


not  produce  a  liberal  flow  cf  milk  unless  grain  or 
roots  be  added  thereto. 

By  reference  to  the  Report  of  the  Massachu- 
setts Board  of  Agriculture  for  185.5,  it  will  be 
seen  that,  in  a  series  of  very  carefully  conducted 
experiments  upon  the  feeding  of  stock,  the  av- 
erage quantity  of  dry  fodder  actually  consumed 
by  thirteen  milch  cows  for  twenty  days  in  Feb- 
ruary was  nineteen  lbs.,  together  Avith  twenty  lbs. 
of  carrots  and  five  lbs.  of  cob-meal — each  per 
day — while  seven  dry  cows  consumed  in  the  same 
time  twenty-one  lbs.  of  dry  fodder  each  per  day ; 
and  for  the  next  twenty  days  the  same  milch  cows 
consumed  nearly  twenty-three  lbs.  of  dry  fodder, 
(it  not  being  of  quite  so  good  a  quality,)  togeth- 
er with  twenty-five  lbs.  carrots  and  five  lbs.  cob- 
meal  each  per  day,  while  the  dry  cows  consumed 
each  per  day  nearly  twenty-seven  lbs.  dry  fod- 
der and  twenty  lbs.  carrots.  These  results  per- 
fectly correspond  to  the  general  experience  of  all 
farmers  who  have  taken  the  trouble  to  ascei'tain 
by  weight  the  amount  of  food  required  by  the 
average  of  cows.  Animals  require  quantity  as 
well  as  quality  of  food.  The  philosophy  of 
feeding  our  farm  stock  has  been  but  little  attend- 
ed to  by  farmers  generally  ;  yet  it  is  a  field  of  in- 
quiry which  will  pay  as  richly  for  investigation  as 
any  the  farmer  can  explore. 

If  these  remarks  shall  serve  to  correct  the  "er- 
rors" lluded  to,  something  will  have  been  gained 
towards  advancing  the  usefulness  of  that  valua- 
ble— though  often  much  abused  source  of  knowl- 
edge— '^book /arming."  T.  A.  s. 

Westboro',  Jan.  9,  1858. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 

SUGAR  CANE  SYBUP. 

Mr.  Editor  -. — Last  spring,  hearing  a  good 
deal  about  the  Sorghum  or  Chinese  sugar  cane, 
and  wishing  to  know  more  about  it,  I  procured 
some  seed  and  planted  a  small  patch  containing 
about  one-fourth  of  an  acre,  planting  it  very  thick 
in  drills,  for  fodder,  not  having  any  idea  that  it 
would  make  molasses,  as  it  was  late  when  I  plant- 
ed it,  and  it  did  not  fully  ripen  ;  but  having  read 
in  the  papers  that  molasses  had  been  made  from 
it,  I  concluded  to  try  it  and  know  for  myself.  I 
made  a  wooden  mill  on  the  sn  me  principle  of  a 
cider  mill,  with  which  I  could  press  out,  (using  one 
horse,)  from  one  hundred  and  fifty  to  two  hun- 
dred gallons  of  juice  a  day,  and  procuring  a  sheet 
iron  pan  four  feet  long,  two  feet  and  a  half  wida 
and  one  foot  deep,  I  commenced  proceedings. 
In  the  fu-st  place,  I  set  two  upright  posts  in  the 
ground,  about  six  feet  apart,  and  building  a  fire 
between  the  two  posts,  I  suspended  the  pan  over 
the  fire,  and  having  some  juice  already  expressed 
I  commenced  boiling  down,  adding  more  juice  as 
it  boiled  away,  and  skimming  off  the  skum  a« 
fast  as  it  Avould  rise,  while  at  the  same  time  my 
man  was  expressing  it  as  fast  as  I  had  occasion 
to  use  it.  I  would  generally  boil  all  day,  com- 
mencing in  the  morning  and  adding  more  juice 
as  it  boiled  down,  and  at  night  I  would  have 
from  fifteen  to  twenty  gallons  of  good,  nice  svt- 
up,  as  good  or  better  than  most  West  India  mo- 
lasses. After  I  had  commenced  making  syrup,  1 
bought  all  I  could  of  the  cane  from  my  neigh- 
bors, and  obtained  one  hundred  and  five  gallqiM 


120 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


March 


of  syrup,  which  will  sell  readily  at  one  dollar  a 
gallon  here. 

There  are  a  number  of  people  here  that  are 
goinj:^  to  try  tlie  business  next  summer,  and  I 
think  I  will  continue  it  tayself.  I  have  not  suc- 
ceeded in  making  any  sugar,  and  if  any  of  your 
subscribers  will  inform  me,  through  your  paper, 
the  manner  of  making  it,  I  would  be  much 
obliged.  Can  you  inform  me  of  the  best  mill 
for  crushing  the  cane  and  where  the  iron  rollers 
or  cogs   can  be  obtained,  and  what  Avill  be  the 


price ! 


Thomas  Shackley. 


OrinneU,  Poweshirk  Co.,  Joica. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
STEAM  PLOWS. 
BY    HENRY   F.   FRENCH. 

At  Ipswich,  in  England,  on  the  fourth  of  July, 
1857,  I  saw  in  operation  Fowler's  Steam  Plow. 
Having  previously  seen  at  the  workshop  of  Ran- 
some  and  Simes  the  same  implement,  and  having 
had  its  principles  of  operation  carefully  explained, 
I  spent  several  hours  with  it  while  in  actual  work 
upon  a  large  field,  where  it  had  already  plowed 
many  acres.  It  was,  while  I  observed  it,  turning 
furrows  seven  inches  deep  by  about  ten  in  width, 
carrying  three  at  a  time,  and  performing  its  work 
as  well  as  it  could  be  performed  in  the  usual  way, 
with  horses.  I  carefully  paced  out  the  length  of 
furrows,  and  measured  their  depth  and  width, 
and  with  my  watch  in  my  hand  timed  the  opera- 
tions, and  ascertained  that  the  machine  was  then 
plowing  one  acre  per  hour. 

The  arrangement  was  to  use  four  plows  and 
open  four  furrows  at  each  passage  across  the  field, 
and  in  that  way  the  labor  accomplished  would 
be  one-third  more.  It  is  difficult,  without  draw- 
ings for  illustration,  to  describe  intelligibly  the 
details  of  such  an  implement,  but  its  general  plan 
of  operations  may  be  readily  understood.  The 
plows  are  arranged  in  two  gangs  of  three  or  more, 
one  gang  at  each  end  of  a  heavy  frame-work, 
which  is  balanced  across  an  axle  supported  by 
two  large  wheels  like  those  of  a  heavy  gun  car- 
riage. This  framework,  with  the  plows,  is  drawn 
across  the  field  by  a  stationary  engine.  As  it  is 
drawn  northerly,  for  example,  in  its  work,  the 
frame  which  carries  the  plows  is  borne  down,  so 
as  to  lift  the  gang  of  plows  at  the  northerly  end 
high  into  the  air,  bringing  down  the  southerly 
end  with  its  plows  so  that  they  enter  the  soil  for 
plowing.  The  depth  is  guaged  mainly  by  a  large 
wheel  at  each  end  of  the  frame-work,  opposite 
the  plows,  which  wheel  is  in  turn  lifted  into  the 
air  or  brought  down  to  the  surface  with  the  gang 
of  plows  to  which  it  belongs. 

Two  men  sat  upon  the  machine,  one  to  guide 
its  motion  by  appropriate  machinery,  the  other 
to  make  signals  with  a  flag,  or  do  any  other  use- 
ful work  that  occasion  might  require. 


The  engine  in  use  was  upon  one  side  of  thft 
field,  and  was  called  a  stationary  engine.  It  wa: 
drawn  to  the  field  by  horses,  but  had  powers  of 
locomotion  sufl[icient,  I  think,  to  move  itself  along 
the  head  land.  The  plow  was  drawn  towards  the 
engine  by  a  wire  rope,  which  was  wound  round  a 
cylinder  attached  to  the  engine.  It  was  drawn 
from  the  engine  by  a  wire  rope  which  passed 
across  the  field  round  a  pulley  made  fast  at  the 
opposite  headland.  This  pulley  was  held  by  what 
was  called  an  anchor,  which  anchor  was  in  the 
shape  of  a  four-wheeled  low  cart  or  car,  loaded 
heavily  with  stones.  The  wheels  of  this  car  were 
of  iron,  and  sharp  at  the  edges,  so  that  they  cut 
down  nearly  to  the  axle.  This  anchor  was  drawn 
along  the  headland  by  a  windlass  worked  by  a 
man,  in  a  direction  at  right  angles  with  the  fur- 
row, so  that  the  strain  upon  the  pulley  was  across 
the  track  of  the  wheels.  In  justice  to  the  inven- 
tor, it  should  be  stated,  that  he  had  already,  it 
was  said,  constructed  machinery  to  be  worked 
by  the  engine  to  move  the  anchor,  and  so  dis- 
pense with  the  man  at  the  windlass. 

It  will  be  seen  at  once,  that  this  machine  could 
only  be  of  practical  utility  on  level,  clear  fields, 
of  large  extent.  It  could  be  used  only  upon  lev- 
el fields,  or  rather  fields  of  uniform  surface,  be- 
cause the  plows  are  set  in  an  unyielding  frame, 
and  must  run  at  the  same  level,  thus  running 
deeper  across  a  hillock,  and  more  shoal  in  a  small 
depression.  They  are  arranged,  not  so  as  to  be 
raised  and  depressed  each  separately,  as  the  ma- 
chine is  moving,  but  the  whole  gang  are  acted 
upon  at  once.  Again,  the  machine  would  be  of 
no  use  in  a  small  enclosure,  because  of  the  broad 
headlands  requisite  to  accommodate  the  engine 
on  one  side  and  the  anchor  on  the  other. 

It  could  be  of  little  use  in  a  field  obstructed 
by  stumps  or  roots  or  stones,  because  of  the  ine- 
qualities of  surface  produced  by  them,  and  be- 
cause if  one  of  the  plows  meets  an  obstruction 
too  obstinate  to  yield,  the  power  of  the  engine 
must  generally  be  sufficient  to  break  the  plow, 
or  what  is  more  common,  the  rope.  The  break- 
ing of  a  plow  must  involve,  at  least,  the  necessity 
of  a  delay  sufficient  to  detach  it  and  substitute 
another,  and  such  a  delay,  of  so  large  and  expen- 
sive a  force  as  we  shall  presently  see  is  employed, 
must  be  of  considerable  imj^ortance.  The  break- 
ing of  the  rope,  which  I  was  informed  by  the 
workmen  was  of  frequent  occurrence,  is  soon 
remedied  by  splicing  it,  but  is  probably  a  con- 
stant source  of  annoyance.  As,  however,  it  is  im- 
possible to  foresee  all  obstructions,  and  the  engine 
must  exert  great  power,  it  is  perhaps  best  to  make 
the  rope  the  weakest  part  of  the  machinery,  as 
it  is  the  most  easily  repaired. 

The  force  employed  in  this  operation,  as  I  wit- 
nessed it,  besides  the  engine,  consisted   of  five 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


121 


men  and  a  boy  ;  to  wit,  the  engineer,  who  remain- 
ed by  the  engine,  a  boy  to  carry  coal,  one  man 
upon  the  plow,  to  manage*  it,  another  man  who 
rode  part  of  the  time  on  the  plow,  and  who  ran 
along  before  it  to  remove  pulleys  or  rollers  over 
which  the  rope  traversed  to  keep  it  from  friction 
on  the  ground,  another  man  to  tend  the  windlass 
and  anchor,  and  the  other  to  keep  the  rope  in 
place  with  a  crow-bar,  that  it  might  wind  proper- 
ly round  the  drums  at  the  engine.  In  estimating 
the  value  of  such  an  implement  as  this,  there  are 
certain  elements  always  to  enter  into  our  calcula- 
tion. 1st,  The  amount  of  labor  performed.  A 
span  of  horses  and  a  plowman  would  in  England 
plow,  as  a  regular  day's  work,  one  acre  of  such 
land  as  that  under  experiment.  They  would  work 
six  hours  without  feeding,  and  in  that  time  com- 
plete the  day's  work.  This  is  the  practice,  I  think, 
in  most  of  England,  as  to  working  horses.  Six 
plowmen  and  twelve  horses,  then,  would  for  six 
hours  perform  the  same  work  as  the  five  men  and 
boy  and  the  engine  and  all  the  machinery.  But 
the  engine  would  not  then  be  fatigued,  but  might 
labor  on  while  the  horses  must  rest.  Still,  taking 
into  account  the  liability  of  complicated  machin- 
ery, and  of  so  g^reat  a  length  of  rope  to  accidents, 
which  must  cause  delay,  perhaps  the  steam  plow 
could  hardly  be  expected  to  be  actually  at  work 
more  hours  per  day  than  the  horses.  2d,  The  ex- 
pense and  time  employed  in  moving  the  engineand 
plow  and  anchor  on  to  the  field  of  operation,  and 
placing  them  in  position.  I  did  not  see  the  en- 
gine or  machinery  moved  with  horses,  but  this 
item  is  worth  a  place  in  our  estimate,  both  as  to 
expense  and  time.  3d,.  The  cost  of  working, 
which  has  been  already  partly  considered,  but 
there  is  to  be  added  to  the  cost  of  the  labor  al- 
ready named,  the  expense  of  supplying  the  en- 
gine with  fuel  and  water.  Both  the  coal  and  wa- 
ter are  of  heavy  freight,  and  must  be  conveyed 
to  the  engine  by  horses  and  men.  '  Their  cost,  at 
the  field,  must  depend  so  much  on  locality,  that 
it  is  useless  to  attempt  an  estimate.  Probably  an 
additional  pair  of  horses  and  a  man  would  be 
usually  employed  to  supply  the  meat  and  drink 
of  the  steam  giant.  4th,  The  cost  of  machinery 
and  of  repairs  upon  it.  It  was  said  that  this  en- 
gine and  plow  could  be  furnished  ready  for  use 
for  £500,  or  $2500.  It  would  require  an  engineer 
to  estimate  the  cost  of  repairs.  Unless  the  ma- 
chine could  be  kept  in  constant  use,  the  interest 
on  its  cost  would  be  a  heavy  item,  and  in  all  ca- 
ses must  be  a  constant  element  to  be  regarded. 
The  engine  would  be  adapted  to  other  farm  la- 
bor, such  as  threshing,  grinding  and  the  like. 
Such  engines  are  in  constant  and  extensive  use 
for  threshing,  throughout  England,  on  large 
farms.  The  inventor  of  this  steam  plow  had  ta- 
k&n  a  large  contract  to  plow  for  several  proprie- 


tors, a  practice  which,  perhaps,  should  be  kept  in 
view  in  this  discussioii,  though  the  difficulty  of 
moving  the  engine  from  farm  to  farm  in  this 
country  would  be  far  greater  th'an  in  England, 
because  our  roads  are  not  so  well  made. 

Upon  the  best  estimates  that  I  have  been  able 
to  make,  it  seems  to  me  that  Fowler's  steam  plow 
can  never  be  made  an  implement  of  general 
practical  utility,  either  in  this  or  any  other  coun- 
try. Perhaps  a  more  competent  person,  with 
such  data  as  have  been  furnished,  may  form  an 
estimate  more  favorable.  Simplicity  is  usually 
economy,  in  agriculture  especially,  and  there  does 
not  seem  upon  the  theory  of  this  machine  any 
such  promise  of  performance  as  to  compensate 
for  the  great  expenditure  in  its  structure,  and 
the  numerous  obstacles  to  its  practical  operation. 

A  large  premium  has  been  off'ered  by  the  Roy- 
al Agricultural  Society  for  a  useful  invention  of 
a  steam  plow,  and  under  this  stimulus  three  com- 
petitors entered  the  field  at  their  exhibition  at 
Salisbury,  in  England,  which  I  attended  in  July, 
1S57.  Fowler's  Steam  Plow,  which  lias  already 
been  described,  was  one  of  them.  Another,  call- 
ed Williams'  Patent,  drawn  by  a  st,ationary  en- 
gine with  ropes,  and  guided  partly  by  a  horse  in 
a  pair  of  shafts,  appeared  not  to  satisfy  the  ex- 
hibitor himself  in  its  operations.  It  diff"eredfrom 
Fowler's  in  this,  that  it  had  to  be  turned  at  the 
end  of  the  furrow  instead  of  running  back  and 
forth  with  a  double  set  of  plows.  All  the  objec- 
tions to  Fowler's  plow  seemed  to  apply  to  this 
also.  The  third,  operating  on  an  entirely  differ- 
ent plan,  deserves  a  more  particular  notice  in  a 
future  number. 


•  For  the  New  England  Farmer. 

TUBNIPS  VERSUS  WITCH-GRASS. 

Witch-grass,  or  "Quacks,"  as  it  is  called  here,  is 
very  troublesoViie  in  this  vicinity.  Having  about 
one-fourth  of  an  acre  last  spring  completely  cov- 
ered with  it,  I  was  desirous  to  find  some  means  to 
destroy  it.  The  soil  was  a  sandy  loam,  sand  pre- 
dominating. I  kneAv  that  frequent  plowing  and 
harrowing,  in  dry,  hot  weather,  would  kill  the 
weed,  but  I  wantAl  to  find  some  means  of  exter- 
minating it,  and  at  the  same  time  to  raise  a  crop 
that  would  pay  for  the  labor.  While  reflecting 
upon  the  best  method  to  pursue,  an  article  ap- 
peared in  the  Xeio  Enghnt^l  Farmer,  Vol.  IX.,  p. 
162,  which  induced  "me  to  try  a  crop  of  tm-nips. 
Accordingly,  I  had  a  pretty  liberal  ckessing  of 
manure  from  the  barn-yard  applied  and  plowed 
under,  and  the  ground  Well  harrowed.  After  a 
few  weeks  it  was  plowed  and  harrowed  again,  and 
a  wagon-load  of  grass  roots  was  raked  up  and 
drawn  into  the  middle  of  the  highway.  About 
the  20th  of  the  6th  month,  the  plowing  and  har- 
rowing were  repeated,  and  the  24th  it  was  sown 
with  ruta-buga  seed,  as  I  supposed.  Tiie  seed 
was  sown  by  hand  in  drills  two  feet  apart.  It 
came  up  well,  but  in  a  few  days  it  became  evident 
that  I  had  been  deceived  in  the  seed,  and  th' t  in- 


122 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER, 


March 


stead  of  ruta-baga,  a  poor,  pnrple-topj)ed,  tap- 
rooted  varictn  of  early  turnip  seed  had  been  sold 
to  me.  A  small  quantity  of  seed  purchased  ear- 
lier in  the  season  was  mixed  with  this,  and  proved 
true.  Whether  the  seedsman  or  his  agent  was 
in  fault  I  cannot  say,  but  the  fact  that  farmers 
are  occasionally  imposed  upon  in  this  manner, 
should  induce  them  to  raise  their  own  seed,  es- 
pecially such  varieties  as  are  soAvn  in  considera- 
ble quantities.  t 

In  due  time  the  ground  was  hoed  three  times, 
and  the  plants  thinned,  and  in  the  fall  150  bush- 
els were  harvested.  Had  I  not  been  cheated  in 
the  seed  a  good  crop  would  have  been  raised. 
However,  I  may  as  well  make  the  best  of  it. — 
lily  main  object  was  nearly  accomplished.  The 
^^ Quack"  was  so  well  subdued  that  but  little  ap- 
r.'^ared  in  the  fall,  and  I  think  good  culture  next 
year  will  subdue  it  entirely. 

KING   PHILIP    CORN. 

I  planted  two  ears  of  this  variety  last  spring 
from  which  I  raised  not  less  than  two  bushels  of 
sound,  shelled  corn.  I  took  the  first  premium 
at  our  .County  Agricultural  Fair,  a  merely  nomi- 
nal gratuity,  however,  as  Indian  corn  was  riot 
enumerated  jn  the  list  of  articles  for  specific  pre- 
miums. I  would  advise  all  who  plant  corn  to 
try  the  "King  Philip." 

BUGS    ON   VINES. 

Thoy  attacked  mine  last  spring,  as  usual,  but 
a  mixture  of  about  four  parts  ground  pepper  and 
one  part  flour,  sifted  on  when  the  leaves  were  wet 
proved  too  strong  for  them.  If  rain  washes  it 
off,  repeat  the  dose.  What  will  destroy  the  corn, 
fclug  or  "cut  uiorm  ?"  L.  Varney. 

Pictou,  PrUnce  Edicard  County,  C.  ff'.,  ) 
lit  Mo.,  1S58.  j 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
BOKEKS. 

Do  borers  winter  in  the  ground  and  ascend 
the  tree  again  in  tha  spring  ?  In  the  fall  of  1856 
I  noticed  that  my  young  peach  trees  were  at- 
tacked with  borers ;  I  examined  their  holes  with 
a  sharp  knife  and  a  wire,  but  co^ild  not  find  a 
single  borer. 

In  the  early  part  cf  May,  1857, 1  again  looked  at 
the  trees,  and  was  surprised  to  find,  under  the 
bark  where  they  worked  the  year  before,  so  many 
borers  of  all  sizes,  from  full-grown  ones  to  those 
hut  just  hatched ;  they  all  appeared  to  be  going 
lip  the  tree,  and  I  took  twenty-five  or  thirty  from 
some  of  the  trees. 

This  fall  the  trees  were  not  affected  by  them. 

Barre,  Dec,  1857.  w.  A.  P. 


Remarks. — We  make  the  following  extract 
from  Prof.  Harris's  'Tnsects  Injurious  to  Vege- 
tation," which  explains  the  habits  of  the  Borer. 

"The  pernicious  borer,  which,  during  many 
years  past,  has  proved  very  destructive  to  peach 
trees  throughout  the  United  States,  is  a  species 
ct'  JEgeria,  named  exifosa,  or  the  destructiv€v.by 
Mr.  Say,  who  first  scientifically  described  it  in 
the  third  volume  of  the 'Journal  of  the  Academy 
of  Natural  Sciences  of  Philadelphia,'  and'  subse- 
quently gave  a  representation  and  account  of  it 
h,  iiis  'American  Entomology.'     In  the  fifth  vol- 


ume of  the  'Netv  England  Farmer'  I  have  given 
the  history  of  this  insect,  have  mentioned  the 
principal  authors  Avhb  have  noticed  it,  and  recom- 
mended preventive  measures,  which  have  been 
found  effectual  in  protecting  the  peach  tree  from 
its  most  serious  attacks.  The  eggs,  from  which 
these  borers  are  hatched,  are  deposited,  in  the 
course  of  the  summer,  upon  the  trunk  of  the  tree 
near  the  root ;  the  borers  penetrate  the  bark,  and 
devour  the  inner  bark  and  sap-wood.  The  seat 
of  their  operations  is  known  by  tUe  castings  and 
gum  which  issue  from  the  holes  in  the  tree. 
When  these  borers  are  nearly  one  year  old,  they 
make  their  cocoons  either  under  the  bark  of  the 
trunk  or  of  the  root,  or  in  the  earth  and  gum 
contiguous  to  the  base  of  the  trees ;  soon  after- 
wards they  are  transformed  to  chrysalids,  and 
finally  come  forth  in  the  winged  state,  and  lay 
the  eggs  for  another  generation  of  borers.  The 
last  transformation  takes  place  from  June  to  Oc- 
tober, most  frequently,  however,  during  the  month 
of  July,  in  the  State  of  Massachusetts,  Here,  al- 
though there  are  several  broods  produced  by  a 
succession  of  hatches,  there  is  but  one  rotation 
of  metamorphoses  consummated  witiiin  a  year. 
Hence,  borers,  of  all  sizes,  will  be  found  in  the 
trees  throughout  the  year,  although  it  seems 
necessary  that  all  of  them,  Avhether  more  or  less 
advanced,  should  pass  through  one  winter  before 
they  appear  in  the  winged  state.  Under  its  last 
form,  this  insect  is  a  slender,  dark  blue,  four- 
winged  moth,  having  a  great  resemblance  to  a 
wasp  or  ichneumon  fly,  to  which  it  is  sometimes 
likened.  The  two  sexes  differ  greatly  from  each 
other,  so  much  so,  as  to  have  caused  them  to  be 
mistaken  for  two  distinct  species.  The  male, 
which  is  much  smaller  than  the  female,  has  all 
the  wings  transparent,  but  bordered  and  veined 
with  steel-blue,  which  is  the  general  color  of  the 
body  in  both  sexes ;  the  palpi  or  feelers,  the 
edges  of  the  collar,  of  the  shoulder-covers,  oftha 
rings  of  the  abdomen,' and  of  the  brush  on  the 
tail,  are  pale  yellow,  and  there  are  two  rings  of 
the  same  yellow  color  on  the  shins.  It  expands 
about  one  inch.  The  fore  wings  of  the  female 
are  blue  and  opake,  the  hind  wings  transparent, 
and  bordered  and  veined  like  those  of  the  male, 
and  the  middle  of  the  abdomen  is  encircled  by  a 
broad  orange-colored  belt.  It  expands  an  inch 
and  a  half,  or  more.  This  insect  does  not  con- 
fine its  attacks  to  the  peach  tree,  I  have  repeat- 
edly obtained  both  sexes  from  borers  inhabiting 
the  excrescences  which  are  found  on  the  trunk 
and  limbs  of  the  cherry  tree ;  and  moreover,  I 
have  frequently  taken  them  in  connexion  on  the 
trunks  of  cherry  and  of  peach  trees.  They  some- 
times deposit  their  eggs  in  the  crotches  of  the 
branches  of  the  peach  tree,  where  the  borers  will 
subsequently  be  found  ;  but  the  injury  sustained 
by  their  operations  in  such  parts  bears  no  com- 
parison to  that  resulting  from  their  attacks  at  the 
base  of  the  tree,  which  they  too  often  compbtely 
girdle,  and  thus  cause  its  premature  decay  and 
death.  The  following  plan,  which  was  recom- 
mended by  me  in  the  year  1826,  and  has  been 
tried  with  complete  suctess  by  several  persons  in 
this  vicinity,  will  effectually  protect  the  neck,  or 
most  vital  part  of  the  tree,  from  injury.  Remove 
the  earth  around  the  base  of  the  tree,  crush  and 
destroy  the  cocoons  and  borers  which  may  b« 
found  in  it,  and  under  the  bark,  cover  the  wound- 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


123 


ed  parts  with  the  common  clay  composition,  and 
surround  the  trunk  with  a  strip  of  sheathinp;  pa- 
per eight  or  nine  inches  wide,  which  shoukl  ex- 
tend two  inches  helow  the  surface  of  the  soil,  and 
be  secured  with  strings  of  matting  above.  Fresh 
mortar  should  then  be  placed  around  the  root, 
so  as  to  confine  the  paper,  and  prevent  access  be- 
neath it,  and  the  remaining  cavity  may  be  filled 
with  new  or  unexhausted  loam.  This  operation 
should  be  performed  in  the  spring  or  during  the 
month  of  June.  In  the  winter  the  strings  may 
be  removed,  and  in  the  following  spring  the  trees 
should  again  be  examined  for  any  borers  that 
may  have  escaped  search  before,  and  the  protect- 
ing applications  should  be  renewed." 


LETTER  FROM  MR.  BROWK". 

WasJiington,  Jan.  19,  1858. 

My  Dear  Sir  : — The  United  States  Agricultu- 
ral Society  closed  its  sessions  on  Friday,  the  loth. 
During  that  day  there  was  a  long  and  animated 
discussion  upon  the  feasibility  of  raising  the 
Sorglium  and  the  /mp7tce,  and  their  respective 
merits.  The  Imphee  is  an  African  plant,  and  is 
thought  by  some  persons  to  be  superior  to  the 
Sorghum  for  the  purpose  of  fodder,  syrup  or 
sugar.  Mr.  Leonard  Wray  was  introduced,  and 
stated  that  he  had  been  a  sugar  planter  in  the 
West  and  East  Lidies,  and  also  forty  years  in 
Caffraria,  Africa,  and  that  he  discovered  the  Im- 
phee in  Caffraria,  and  from  that  place  had  intro- 
duced the  plants  into  Australia,  New  Zealand, 
France  and  Algeria,  and  on  the  American  conti- 
nent from  Canada  southward  to  the  Brazils.  Hav- 
ing gone  to  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  he  heard  so 
much  there  of  the  beauty  and  fertility  of  the 
country  about  Port  Natal  that  he  went  thither, 
and  liked  it  so  well  as  to  stay  there  three  years. 
It  was  here  that  he  met  with  the  Imphee.  This 
plant  will  not  yield  much  sugar  when  grown  in 
rich  saline  swamps  where  salts  of  iron  prevail, 
but  is  rich  in  saccharine  matter  when  grown  on 
warm,  sandy  loams.  He  thinks  the  Chinese  su- 
gar cane  was  taken  originally  from  Africa  by  the 
Portuguese.  The  seed  of  the  Chinese  sugar 
cane  is  black — that  of  the  Imphee  is  white,  and 
will  produce  from  50  to  250  bushels  an  acre,  is 
made  into  flour  and  produces  good  bread.  The 
discussion  on  the  topic  of  the  sugar  canes  was 
long,  and  sometimes  exciting  considerable  sensa- 
tion, as  i\Ir.  Wray  thought  the  Patent  Office  had 
interfered  to  prevent  the  sale  of  the  Imphee  seed 
and  the  introduction  of  the  plant.  Dr.  Charles 
T.  Jackson,  of  your  city,  was  present,  was  called 
upon,  and  his  statements  were  listened  to  with 
marked  attention. 

When  this  "vexed  question"  had  been  hushed. 
Dr.  HiGGlNS,  State  Chemist  of  Maryland,  made 
an  interesting  report  upon  the  subject  of  Hog 
Cholera.     He  declared  the  disease,  though  pop- 


ularly called  cholera,  to  be  properly  a  Prie!/mo?iia, 
the  seat  of  lesion  being  in  and  around  the  lungs, 
and  not  the  bowels.  The  remedies  are  there- 
fore like  those  in  a  case  of  epidemic.  The 
cause  of  the  disease  lies  in  an  excess  of  fibrin 
in  the  animal's  blood,  which  makes  it  too  thick, 
and  consequently  unable  to  pass  with  the 
requisite  facility  through  the  arteries  of  the 
lungs.  Hence  the  necessity  of  an  alkaline  car- 
bonate is  indicated,  and  he  had  found  a  mixture 
of  equal  quantities  of  carbonate  of  soda  and  'ba- 
rilla to  be  a  perfect  curative.  His  rule  was  to 
give  two  grains  of  the  mixture  in  swill  three 
times  a  day  to  each  hog,  and  it  had  been  in  all 
cases  successful,  when  the  case  was  not  too  far 
gone.  Di".  HiGGlNS  remarked,  in  answer  to  a 
question  put  by  a  member,  that  the  value  of  the 
hogs  which  died  last  year  amounted  to  several 
millions  of  dollars.  He  had  seen  them  die  in  as 
large  a  number  as  five  hundred  in  a  day  !  This 
disease  was  not  confined  to  the  South  and  West 
alone — a  great  number  Avere  lost  in  New  Eng- 
land, probably  at  the  rate  of  seven  out  of  ten  of 
many  droves  of  hogs  sent  there.  If  this  simple 
remedy  shall  prove  as  eS'ectual  as  has  been  rep- 
resented, this  fatal  scourge  may  be  arrested. 

The  business  of  the  session  now  being  closed, 
the  President,  Gen.  Tilghman,  rose,  and  in  a 
short  and  appropriate  address,  adjourned  the  So- 
ciety to  meet  again  next  year. 

All  the  sessions  of  the  Society  have  been 
marked  by  an  earnest  zeal  which  indicates  an  in- 
terest in  the  cultivation  of  the  earth  that  prom- 
ises much  for  the  future.  Massachusetts  was  well 
represented  in  these  councils.  I  saw  present  from 
that  State,  Messrs.  French,  Brooks,  Newell,  Phil- 
lips, Flint,  Loring  and  Chandler.  If  these  gath- 
erings, and  the  transactions  of  the  Society,  do 
not  strike  out  any  new  and  heretofore  untrodden 
path  to  the  agriculturist,  they  cannot  fail  to  awak- 
en new  efforts  in  many,  and  arouse  an  emulation 
in  the  art  which  will  greatly  increase  the  pro-i 
ducts  and  the  profits  of  culture.  Beside  this,  they 
certainly  have  a  tendency  to  cherish  feelings  of 
friendship  and  regard  between  the  citizens  of  dif- 
ferent sections,  and  to  introduce  to  each  other 
the  various  improvements  and  progress  in  agri- 
cultural art. 

Our  meetings  have  taken  place  in  what  is  called 
the  "East  Room"  of  the  Smithsoniau  Institution ; 
it  is  the  room  in  which  the  philosophical  instru- 
ments are  deposited,  but  contains  maps,  and 
drawings  of  fishes  and  animals,  and  among  the 
rest  what  is  called  '■'A  Marine  Aquarium."  This 
is  a  case  about  five  feet  long  by  eighteen  indies 
high,  and  three  feet  wide.  It  stands  upon  a  frame, 
the  height  of  a  common  table,  upon  which  rests 
a  white  marble  slab  ;  into  this  slab  grooves  aro 
cut  near  the  edges,  into  which  thick  plate  glai-s 


124 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


March 


is  fitted,  so  that  it  is  water  tight,  and  the  whole 
is  covered  "with  wire  gauze.  Sea  sand,  pel)bles 
and  rocks  are  then  placed  in  it,  together  with  a 
variety  of  sea  plants,  and  several  species  of  ani- 
mals, and  then  the  tank  or  case  is  filled  with 
sea  water  ;  this  aff"ords  the  beholder  an  opportu- 
nity of  observing  not  only  the  animated  life,  but 
the  habits  of  the  animals  themselves,  which  have 
heretofore  been  hidden  from  mortal  view. 

In  this  miniature  ocean  there  are  thirty-eight 
kinds  of  animals,  including  the  order  of  Fishes, 
Crustacea,  Worms  and  Polypi.  In  the  order  of 
fishes  are  the  Toad-fish,  Butterfly-fish,  Sea-horse, 
&c.  The  latter  is  a  most  singular  and  interest- 
ing creature  ;  his  head  so  nearly  resembles  that 
of  a  horse  as  to  preclude  all  thought  of  a  com- 
parison with  anything  else, — and  he  carries  it  as 
proudly  as  that  of  any  steed  that  ever  bounded 
ever  the  turf.  But  all  the  rest  of  him  is  tail ! 
He  is  perpendicular!  He  rises  to  the  surface 
with  all  the  dignity  of  a  war-horse,  or  sails  into 
mid-ocean  with  the  majesty  of  an  autocrat,  and 
surveys  the  peopled  world  beneath  his  realm ! 
The  broad  shoulders  immediately  below  the 
head  gradually  dwindle  to  a  long,  flexible  tail, 
which,  when  at  rest,  is  gracefully  coiled.  On 
the  back,  just  below  the  head,  is  a  small  dorsal 
fin,  so  delicate  and  transparent  as  to  escape  ob- 
servation, unless  to  a  critical  eye ; — there  are  also 
fins  of  the  same  kind  on  the  body.  The  last  time 
I  saw  him  he  had  a  sea-serpent  in  the  embrace  of 
his  tail,  where  he  held  him  for  a  full  half  hour, 
his  head  rising  to  mid-ocean  and  his  eye  survey- 
ing the  vast  deep  on  every  side. 

Among  the  Crustacea,  were  the  Crah,  Sea- 
spider,  Shrimp,  Prawn,  Wharf-louse,  Beach,  and 
Sea-fleas,  Sea-goat  and  Barnacles.  In  the  order 
of  Worms,  the  Tuhe-ioorm,  Sand-tape,  &c.,  and 
in  the  Polypi,  were  the  Animal  Moss  and  the 
Sea  Anemone.  The  latter  seems  to  be  the  con- 
necting link  between  animal  and  vegetable  life  ; 
for  although  appearing  like  the  under  side  of  a 
toad-stool,  it  moves  from  place  to  place,  and 
upon  placing  a  piece  of  raw  beef  or  a  fly  near  it, 
will  close  its  delicate  fibres  upon,  and  consume 
it.  Some  of  the  animals  secrete  themselves  dur- 
ing the  day,  and  only  come  forth  to  seek  their 
prey  in  the  night.  Others,  such  as  the  Sea-lion, 
cover  themselves  in  the  sand,  leaving  only  their 
glistening  eyes  in  sight,  and  pounce  upon  their 
unsuspecting  victims.  In  this  deep  ocean-life 
the  observer  can  see  all  the  jealousies,  rivalries, 
and  contentions  so  common  in  the  higher  order 
of  animal  life  upon  the  surface  of  the  earth. 
Here  we  have,  in  miniature,  some  of  the  won- 
derful operations  of  the  great  sea,  and  find 
opened  to  our  eyes  a  new  world  of  animal  and 
vegetable  life,  all  expressing  with  new  force  the 
wisdom  and  power  of  Him  who  made  them  all. 


The  water  with  which  the  tank  is  filled  is 
never  changed  ;  the  sea  plants  and  animals  mu- 
tually supporting  each  other  by  their  exhalations  ; 
as  the  plant  respiration  consists  in  giving  out 
oxygen  and  absorbing  carbon,  and  animal  respi- 
ration is  exactly  the  reverse.  The  sea  weeds 
are  covered  with  numerous  little  bubbles  looking 
like  silver  drops  which  are  filled  with  oxygen 
gas.  These  supply  the  air  in  the  water  with  that 
life-giving  element,  while  the  animals  themselves 
give  out  carbon  for  the  plants. 

I  must  leave  for  another  letter  my  visit  to  the 
Botanical  Gardens,  to  the  Indian  delegations, 
public  buildings,  Sec,  and  am. 

Truly  yours,  SiJiox  Brovvn. 

Joel  Nourse,  Esq.,  Boston. 


PERSEVERE. 

I'd  not  give  up  I — no  !  grim  despair 
Sliould  never  forge  a  chain  for  me, 

Whilst  thus  I  breathed  my  native  air. 
Within  a  land  of  liberty  ! 

No  ;   dastaid  were  that  soul  that  cowers. 

Within  a  free-born  land  like  ours. 

I'd  not  give  up !  though  every  frown 
That  Fortune's  face  is  wont  to  wear, 

Should  rob  me  of  the  small  renown 

That  may  have  been  my  humble  share — 

Should  thwart  my  everj'  wish  and  will — 

Furtune,  through  all,  I'd  woo  thee  still ! 

Shame  on  the  weak  and  craven  heart 
That  bows  beneath  each  transient  sorrow, 

Without  the  nerve  to  pluck  the  dart, 
And  greet  the  sunrise  of  the  morrow  '. 

Without  the  will — for  will  is  jwwer — 

To  pluck  the  thorn,  and  cull  the  flower  I 

For  what,  to  man,  is  manhoed  given  ? 

For  what  his  varied  powers  of  mind  ? 
For  what  his  every  hope  of  Heaven, 

When  earth's  fair  gifts  have  been  resigned, 
If  not  to  brave  misfortune's  thrall. 
And  rise  superior  to  them  all  ? 

Then  raise  that  drooping  brow  of  thine  ; 

Resolve — and  then  endearur! 
Give  sorrow  to  the  laughing  wind, 

With  fear  and  doubt,  forever  ! 
Pass  onward,  and  despond  no  more — 
Thy  motto  be,  ^^ Excelsior !'" 


Famous  English  Oaks. — The  King  Oal; 
Windsor  Forest,  is  more  than  1,000  years  old, 
quite  hollow.  Professor  Burnet,  who  once  lunched 
inside  this  tree,  said  it  was  capable  of  accommo- 
dating ten  or  twelve  persons  comfortably  at  a 
dinner  sitting. 

The  Beggar's  Oal;  in  Bagshot  Park,  is  20  feet 
in  girth,  five  feet  from  the  ground  ;  the  branches 
extend  from  the  tree  48  feet  in  every  direction. 

The  Wallace  Oak,  at  Ellerslie,  near  where  Wal- 
lace was  born,  is  21  feet  in  circumference.  It  is 
67  feet  high,  and  its  branches  extend  45  feet  east, 
36  west,  30  south  and  25  north.  Wallace  and 
300  of  his  men  are  said  to  have  hid  themselves 
from  the  English,  among  the  branches  of  this 
tree,  wliich  was  then  in  full  leaf. — Doivning's 
Landscape  Card. 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


125 


Fvr  the  Xeic  England  Farmer. 
EXTIRPATION  OF  WEEDS. 

Mr.  Ebitor  :— Can  not  you  or  some  of  your 
numerous  correspondents  suggest  some  method 
for  the  extirpation  of  the  numerous  kinds  of 
weeds,  that  are  growing  so  luxuriantly  over  our 
fields,  and  by  the  sides  of  our  fences  and  high- 
ways, and  increasing  every  year  ?  Would  not  it 
be  a  good  plan  for  the  Legislature  of  each  State 
to  interpose  its  authority  for  the  destruction  of 
weeds  ?  At  least,  it  is  to  be  hoped  that  so  use- 
ful a  measure  on  an  extensive  scale,  will  yet  be 
passed  into  a  law.  By  some  it  is  recommended 
that  the  destruction  of  weeds  on  the  sides  of 
roads  should  be  done  at  the  expense  of  the  to-wn ; 
others,  by  the  road-surveyors,  and  the  expense 
to  be  stated  in  their  accounts. 

The  prevention  of  the  growth  of  weeds  requires 
many  precautions  on  the  part  of  the  farmer. 
There  is  great  risk  of  carrying  a  nuisance  to 
his  fields,  if  he  use  unfermented  manure,  and 
great  care  should  be  taken,  when  grain  is  cleaned, 
that  none  of  the  offal,  which  contains  the  seeds 
of  weeds,  find  its  way  to  the  manure  pile.  Grain 
for  seed  should  be  well  cleaned  before  it  is  sown, 
and  attentive  farmers,  will  never  purchase  any 
seed  but  those  of  the  cleanest  and  best  sorts. 
Many  fields,  after  being  completely  cultivated 
and  sown  with  grass  seed,  have  been  found  when 
re-plowed,  after  many  years,  to  be  stored  with 
weeds  of  various  sorts,  most  probably  from  some 
unfortunate  mixture  with  the  seed  sown  or  de- 
posited with  the  manure. 

All  plants  which  grow  naturally  among  a  crop 
that  has  been  sown  or  planted,  may  be  regarded 
as  weeds,  or,  in  other  words,  as  enemies  to  the 
crop  that  is  cultivated.  The  destruction  of  such 
plants,  therefore,  must  be  considered  as  one  of 
the  most  important  branches  of  the  agricultural 
art ;  for  if  that  is  neglected,  or  even  but  slovenly 
performed,  the  crops  may  be  greatly  reduced, 
even  on  the  best  of  soil.  Besides,  it  merits  con- 
sideration, that  if  weeds  are  suffered  to  exist,  the 
full  advantages  of  manuring  land,  and  other  im- 
provements, can  only  partially  be  obtained.  Nor 
is  this  all ;  the  mixture  of  weeds  prevents  the 
crops  from  receiving  the  beneficial  effects  from 
the  atmosphere,  sucks  up  that  moisture  so  essen- 
tial for  the  growth  of  the  crop,  and  the  seeds  of 
these  weeds  injure  the  quality  of  the  grain.  Not- 
withstanding all  these  injuries,  how  many  are 
there  who  ever  attempt  to  remove  weeds  in  an 
effectual  manner  ?  This  negligence  is  the  more 
to  be  blamed,  because,  were  farmers  at  the  trou- 
ble of  collecting  all  sorts  of  weeds,  before  they 
have  formed  their  seeds,  and  mixing  them  with 
muck  or  almost  any  kind  of  earth  and  lime  in  its 
caustic  state,  or  fermenting  them  with  manure, 
they  would  soon  be  reduced  to  a  soft  pulpy  s*-ate, 
and  in  this  way,  a  pernicious  nuisance  might  be 
converted  into  a  valuable  manure. 

Various  experiments  have  been  tried  to  ascer- 
tain the  positive  advantage  derived  from  weed- 
ing crops.  The  following  is  an  example  tried 
with  wheat.  Two  acres  of  good  soil  was  plowed 
and  soAvn  broad-cast.  One  acre  was  carefully 
measured  off,  and  not  a  weed  was  pulled  out  of 
it — the  other  acre  was  weeded  with  care.  The  un- 
weeded  acre  produced  eighteen  bushels  of  wheat, 
the  weeded  acre  tioenty-tico  and  one-half — that  is, 


one-fourth  more  in  favor  of  weeding.  The  im- 
portance of  weeding,  both  to  the  individual  and 
to  the  public,  is  such  that  it  ought  to  be  enforced 
by  law.  At  any  rate,  a  law  for  fining  those  who 
harbor  weeds,  the  seeds  of  which  may  be  blown 
into  their  neighbors'  ground,  can  have  no  injus- 
tice in  principle.  The  justice,  or  some  other 
town  officer,  might  be  authorized  by  law  to  issue 
an  order,  when  complaint  is  made,  for  the  imme- 
diate removal  of  such  nuisances,  and  if  not  com- 
plied with,  the  offender  should  be  fined  a  sum 
not  exceeding  $25,  one-half  to  the  informer, 
and  the  rest  to  the  town  or  why  not  for  ^e  sup- 
port of  an  agricultural  society?  I  think,  on  the 
whole,  keeping  his  land  free  from  weeds  ought 
to  be  a  principal  object  with  every  farmer ;  and 
if  this  is  not  carefully  attended  to,  I  can  assure 
him  that  he  will  pay  dearly  for  his  neglect.  But 
the  loss  which  he  sustains  does  not  remedy  the 
injury  which  the  public  suffers  from  his  slovenly 
conduct.  These  suggestions,  concerning  the  reg- 
ulations with  regard  to  the  extirpation  of  weeds, 
may  be  considered  as  both  expedient  and  neces- 
sary, for  were  they  adopted,  it  is  evident,  that 
many  of  the  evils  alluded  to  would  be  removed, 
and  the  wealth  and  agricultural  resources  of  the 
nation  materially  increased.  J.  j. 

Barnet,  Vt.,  Dec,  1857. 


SUDDE]Sr  APPEARANCE  OPPARTICUIiAR 
SPECIES  OF  ANIMALS  AND  PLANTS. 

The  sudden  appearance  during  some  particular 
season,  of  immense  numbers  of  a  previously 
scarce,  or  even  common  species  of  insect,  or  plant, 
has  arrested  the  attention  of  observers  in  all  ages, 
and  has  been  the  basis  of  much  sage  reasoning  in 
regard  to  the  spontaneous-generation  hypothesis. 
But  at  the  present  day,  such  vagaries  have  been 
entirely  dissipated  by  the  light  of  science. 

When  we  consider  that  all  these  lower  forms 
are  extremely  productive,  and  that  many  of  their 
germs  can  remain  for  a  long  period  inert,  until 
favorable  circumstances  call  their  dormant  poM'- 
ers  into  activity,  there  needs  but  a  slight  amount 
of  reflection,  to  understand  that  as  far  as  plants 
are  concerned,  a  favorable  season  for  the  ripen- 
ing of  seed,  succeeded  by  conditions  equally  fa- 
vorable to  germination,  will,  in  soil  adapted  to  its 
growth,  have  the  effect  of  producing  the  greatest 
number  of  that  particular  plant  exposed  to  such 
influences.  But  the  conditions  which  will  prove 
so  very  favorable  to  one  plant,  will,  in  all  likeli- 
hood, be  only  moderately  beneficial,  or  may  be 
even  positively  injurious  to  other  plants,  even 
when  closely  related  to  the  one  benefited.  Add 
to  a  favorable  season  an  exemption  from  the  at- 
tacks of  insects,  or  other  animals,  and  all  the 
conditions  of  success  are  complete,  and  a  large 
crop  is  the  result.  But  this  favorable  season  is 
generally  followed  by  unfavorable  conditions.  Its 
insect  enemies  increase  in  proportion  to  their  fa- 
cilities for  obtaining  food,  and  the  consc(][ucnce 
is,  that  the  plant  becomes  again  scarce.  Last 
year,  the  white  clover  was  unusually  abundant ; 
every  meadow  and  common  was  white  with  its 
blossoms.  This  season,  the  dandelion,  (Dentls- 
Leonis  Taraxacum,)  is  equally  plenty.  We  have 
observed  that  these  plants  are  most  numerous  in 
the  vicinity  of  places  where  this  species  bloomed 


126 


NEW  ENGLAND  EAliMER. 


March 


last  season,  although  their  winged  seeds  will  float 
m  the  air  grf  at  distances  ;  and  plants  are  to  be 
found  during  one  season  where  none  could  be 
found  the  preceding.  Seeds  will  also  lie  dormant 
in  the  soil  for  many  years — sometimes  at  very 
small  distances  from  the  surface — until  peculiar- 
ly favorable  circumstance  call  their  dormant  vital 
energies  into  activity. 

Insects,  of  species  injurious  to  vegetation,  ap- 
pear to  be  governed  by  analogous  laws.  Occa- 
sionally, for  one  season,  a  moth,  butterfly,  beetle, 
or  other  insect,  is  to  be  seen  in  countless  num- 
bers, and  almost  entirely  disappears  the  next. — 
Sometimes  a  species  becomes  gradually  abund- 
ant, and  then  in  a  few  years  is  equally  scarce. 
The  rose  bug,  (Macrodactylus  suhsyinosa,)  is  a 
good  example  of  this  ;  and  we  hope  that  the  wheat 
fly,  (Cecidomyia  tritici,)  may,  at  no  distant  day, 
follow  the  preceding  species  in  its  decrease.  This 
great  increase  does  not  depend  entirely  upon  the 
presence  of  a  large  amount  of  food,  nor  the  de- 
crease upon  the  absence  of  sufficient  aliment,  for 
the  food  of  the  rose  bug  was  as  plentiful  in  1856 
as  it  was  in  1853  ;  but  a  certain  amoimt  of  heat 
and  moisture,  with  a  greater  or  less  prevalence  of 
insects  that  make  such  species  their  food,  along 
with  the  thinning  out  by  birds  and  other  animals, 
exerts  a  very  great  influence.  Other  causes  ex- 
ist, in  all  probability,  as  yet  unknown  to  us,  that 
exert  a  controling  power  over  the  increase  and 
decrease  of  animals  and  plants,  and  these  present 
a  wide  field  for  investigation  by  the  philosopher 
and  student  of  nature.  All  discoveries  of  tliis 
kind  are  really  beneficial  to  man,  often  putting 
into  his  hands  the  power  of  prevention  or  multi- 
plication of  forms  injurious  or  otherwise  to  his 
interests. — OJiio  Farmer, 


LEGISLATIVE  AGEICULTUBAL 

MEETING. 

The  first  Legislative  Agricultural  meeting  of 
the  present  season  was  held  on  Tuesday  evening 
in  the  hall  of  the  House  of  Representatives,  in 
this  city.  We  are  indebted  to  the  Journal  for  the 
following  report  of  its  proceedings  : 

About  fifty  persons  were  present.  The  meet- 
ing was  called  to  order  by  Hon.  Mr.  Felton, 
Senator  from  Worcester  county,  Avho  called  for  a 
nomination  of  officers  to  act  at  the  future  meet- 
ings. 

W.  J.  BucKMINSTER,  of  the  Plongliman,  and 
Mr.  Bennett,  of  Leominster,  were  appointed  to 
act  as  Secretaries,  and  the  following  gentlemen 
to  serve  as  the  Executive  committee. 

Amasa  Walker,  of  North  Brookfield,  C.  L. 
Flint,  Secretary  of  the  Board  of  Agriculture,  Mr. 
Bushnell,  of  Templeton,  Mr.  Morrill,  of  Fall 
lliver,  and  Mr.  Felton,  of  Brookfield. 

Mr.  Felton  then  stated  that  His  Excellency, 
Governor  Banks,  who  was  present,  had  consent- 
ed to  preside  at  this  meeting,  and  would  now 
take  the  Chair. 

Li  assuming  the  chair,  Gov.  Banks  said  he  did 
so  without  a  perfect  acquaintance  with  the  busi- 
ness of  the  evening.  He  understood  that  this 
was  initiatory  of  a  series  of  meetings  to  be  held 
during  the  session  of  the  Legislature,  to  consider 
the  highly  important  subject  of  agriculture  in  its 
local  and  national  aspects.     The   contingency  of 


actually  standing  in  need  of  the  staff  of  life  by 
av)  considerable  portion  of  our  people,  had  only 
within  a  short  time  been  admitted.  But  the 
experience  of  the  past  year  shoAved  that  there 
had  been  a  more  general  disregard  of  agriculture 
than  was  well  for  our  country  and  people.  It 
showed  that  speculative  pursuits  do  not  afford 
the  surest  means  of  industrial  prosperity ;  that 
every  innovation  was  not  an  improvement,  and 
the  original  calling  of  man  was  the  nearest  allied 
to  the  prosperity  and  happiness  of  the  people. 

In  conclusion,  Gov.  Banks  said  he  doubted  not 
that  the  proposed  series  of  meetings  would  prove 
advantageous  to  those  participating  in  them,  and 
to  the  Commonwealth.  He  pledged  his  personal 
aid  to  this  end. 

Mr.  Flint,  the  Secretary  of  the  Board  of  Ag- 
riculture, being  called  on  to  suggest  some  topic 
to  engage  the  attention  of  the  present  meeting 
suggested :  "The  duty  and  importance  of  the 
General  Government  to  encourage  and  develop 
the  agricultural  and  industrial  resources  of  the 
country."  Mr.  Flint  alluded  to  appropriations 
which  had  been  made  by  this  and  several  Euro- 
pean governments  for  this  purpose. 

Mr.  Brooks,  of  Princeton,  being  invited  to 
give  his  views  with  reference  to  the  subject  sug- 
gested by  Mr.  Flint,  said  he  knew  no  better  way 
of  disposing  of  a  portion  of  the  national  domain, 
than  in  appropriating  it  to  the  encouragement  of 
agriculture  in  the  way  of  premiums,  awards,  &c. 

Mr.  Temple,  of  Framingham,  thought  it  would 
be  wise  for  the  State  to  select  each  year  some 
half  dozen  localities  in  the  State,  and  offer  pre- 
miums for  the  cultivation  of  particular  crops  in 
particular  places. 

Mr.  Tower,  of  Lanesboro',  said  that  farmers 
needed  more  educated  men  to  lead  them  into  the 
field  of  agriculture  as  a  matter  of  science.  The 
barrenness  of  our  State  presented  an  admirable 
field  for  experiment. 

Mr.  Brooks,  of  Princeton,  granted  that  our 
land  was  poor ;  but  we  could  make  more  from 
an  acre  of  it  than  could  be  made  from  the  same 
amount  in  Illinois.  This  was  true  Avith  respect 
to  the  corn  crop,  on  which  we  make  five  dollars 
more  to  the  acre  than  the  Illinoisans.  Our  su- 
perior markets  rendered  Massachusetts  farmers 
able  to  make  more,  also,  in  the  raising  of  pork. 
In  short,  the  speaker  could  make  more  at  farm- 
ing in  Massachusetts  than  in  Illinois. 

Dr.  DuRFEE,  of  Fall  River,  advocated  horti- 
culture as  an  elementary  process  to  awaken  an 
interest  in  the  minds  of  the  young.  There  was 
no  State  in  the  Union  which  had  carried  this 
branch  to  the  same  extent  of  perfection  as  Mas- 
sachusetts. The  speaker  agreed  Avith  Mr.  Brooks 
in  his  estimate  of  the  fertility  of  Massachusetts 
soil.  Even  Nantucket,  if  properly  cultivated, 
was  no  exception.  Some  of  the  very  best  lands 
of  our  State  Avere  yet  untouched,  and  those 
stumpy  and  stony  sections  Avere  the  very  lands 
for  Massachusetts  farmers  to  take  hold  of.  The 
speaker  himself  had  redeemed  an  acre  of  land 
that  was  formerly  supposed  to  be  incapable  of 
supporting  a  goat. 

Hon.  Mr.  Neavell  spoke  of  the  need  of  in- 
creased knoAvledge  on  the  part  of  farmers,  and 
of  the  proper  time  to  cut  the  Chinese  Sugar  Cane 
so  as  to  secure  the  greatest  amount  of  saccharine 
matter. 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


127 


IMr.  Howard,  of  the  Cnltivator,  believed  that 
the  conducting  of  experiments,  in  a  proper  man- 
ner, was  one  of  the  best  means  by  which  agricul- 
ture coukl  be  aided. 

Remarks  Mere  also  made  by  Mr.  Busiinell, 
of  Templeton,  and  Mr.  Buckminster. 

Mr.  Feltox,  from  the  Executive  Committee, 
said  that  the  subject  of  discussion  at  the  next 
meeting  would  be,  "New  Plants,  especially  the 
Chinese  Sugar  Cane,"  and  that  Hon.  M.  P.  WILD- 
ER would  preside. 

At  9  o'clock  the  meeting  adjourned. 


For  tlie  New  England  Farmer. 
APPLICATIOIT  OF  GUANO. 

A  query  has  often  been  made  whether  the  ben- 
eficial effect  of  this  stimulating  fertilizer,  is  per- 
ceptible for  more  than  one,  or  at  most  two  years. 
So  far  as  1  have  witnessed,  I  think  no  benefit  is 
perceptible  after  the  second  year — and  very  little 
after  the  first  year.  The  effect  of  guano  on  the 
soil  is  well  illustrated  by  that  of  strong  drink  or 
intoxicating  liquor  on  the  person — apparent  for 
a  short  time  only.  Not  so  with  well-rotted  ma- 
nure from  the  barn-yard  or  pig-pen.  This  will 
show  itself  for  half  a  dozen  successive  years.  My 
attention  to  this  point  was  called  by  the  perusal 
of  the  well  conducted  experiments  of  Gov.  Cush- 
man,  published  in  the  Massachusetts  Ploiajhman 
of  this  morning.  In  one  part  of  his  statement  he 
says,  no  benefit  from  the  guano  use'd  was  percep- 
tible the  second  year.  In  another  he  leaves  the 
impression  that  benefit  was  perceptible  after  a 
lapse  of  four  years.  Pei'haps  this  modification 
may  arise  from  the  crops  to  which  it  was  applied. 
I  think  Mr.  C.  was  not  quite  so  clear  on  this 
point  as  he  usually  is.  •  I  wish  more  gentlemen 
of  his  stamp  \\*ould  direct  their  attention  to  im- 
proving the  culture  of  the  soil  instead  of  founder- 
ing in  the  quagmires  of  party  politics  ;  by  so 
doing,  the  community  would  be  greatly  benefited. 
It  is  by  no  means  certain  that  guano  is  worth 
purchasing,  to  be  applied  to  our  fields,  when  oth- 
er varieties  of  fertilizers  are  possibly  to  be  ob- 
tained. My  own  impression  is,  that  dressings 
for  our  fields  can  be  made  from  the  droppings 
and  liquids  of  the  stall,  composted  with  mud  from 
the  swamps — at  less  expense  and  of  ;nore  endur- 
ing quality  than  any  guano  or  phospHLte  that  can 
be  procured.  Essex. 

January  16,  1858. 


Inhalation. — Dr.  Eliotson,  a  leading  English 
practitioner,  having  a  full  acquaintance  with  all 
that  had  been  done  by  inhalation,  and  after  mak- 
ing thorough  trial  himself,  expresses  this  view. 
He  says :  "We  sometimes  lessen  the  irritation 
by  making  the  patient  inhale  the  yapor  of  vari- 
ous drugs.  The  agents  which  have  been  chiefly 
tried  are,  first,  a  minute  quantity  of  iodine  mixed 
with  hydriodate  of  potassa  ;  and  secondly,  chlo- 
rine. I  have  seen  mo»e  mitigation  with  the 
chlorine  than  the  iodine,  but  have  never  seen  a 
case  of  phthis's  cured  by  these  means,  and  don't 
believe  a  case  ever  was  cured." 


For  the  Neir  Englajid  Farmer. 
GOLDEN  FIiESH  PUMPKIN. 

Mr.  Editor  : — About  a  year  ago,  I  received 
from  the  Patent  Office,  through  the  kindness  of 
Mr.  Sabin,  our  member  of  Congress,  a  paper  ot 
seeds  of  the  "Golden  Flesh  Pumpkin,"  the  seeds 
coming  thereunto  from  France,  as  alleged  on  the 
paper  in  which  the  four  seeds  were  contained.  I 
planted  them  in  my  garden  alongside  of  my 
squashes,  making  two  hills  ;  all  the  seeds  germi- 
nated and  grew  very  thrifty  for  a  few  days,  then 
the  "large  black  squash  bug"  ate  them  all  down 
to  the  ground  except  one,  on  which  they  left  one 
leaf,  before  I  commenced  putting  on  to  my 
vines  a  decoction  made  of  hen-manure  and  wa- 
ter. This  ap])lication  drove  the  bugs  rapidly 
out  of  the  garden.  This  one  plant  commenced 
a  thrifty  growth,  taking  new  root  at  every  joint, 
by  which  I  mean  that  a  new  root  penetrated  the 
earth  wherever  a  new  leaf  was  formed  on  the 
vine,  to  the  depth  of  from  four  to  six  inches, 
which  root  was  full  of  small  fibrous  branches ;  in 
short,  it  is  a  very  hardy  grower.  It  raised  for  me, 
on  a  little  more  than  one  rod  of  ground,  five 
pumpkins  of  the  following  weight:  1st,  158  lbs., 
on  exhibition  at  the  Chittenden  County  Fair,  Ut 
Burlington,  Oct.  5th,  1857;  2d,  127 'lbs.;  3d, 
123  lbs.;  4th,  112  lbs.;  5th,  90  lbs.;  making  in 
the  aggregate,  610  lbs.  of  pumpkin  from  one  rod 
of  ground  ;  this  I  call  "some  pumpkins."  They 
are  good  to  eat,  made  into  pies  in  the  ordinary 
manner  of  cooking  the  pumpkinfor  that  purpose. 
I  can't  perceive  any  difference  in  the  taste  of 
them  and  the  common  pumpkin..  They  excited 
the  attention  of  very  many  persons  whije  on  ex- 
hibition at  the  fair  in  Burlington,  from  their  ex- 
traordinary size,  weight  and  color.  Theyresem- 
ule  a  squash  in  color,  more  than  a  common 
pumpkin ;  but  their  taste  settles  the  question  ; 
they  are  pumpkins,  and  nothing  else. 

I  have  fed  them  to  my  cows,  enough,  at  least, 
to  know  that  they  love  them  equally  as  well  as 
the  other  sort,  and  I  think  that  if  a  man  can  raise 
from  90,000  to  100,000  lbs.  of  these  from  one  acre 
of  ground  without  more  than  ordinary  care,  and 
at  the  same  time  not  impoverish  a  crop  of  corn 
or  potatoes,  (which  can  be  done,)  it  is  far  better 
than  to  plant  the  common  variety,  and  only  get 
from  500  to  600  lbs.  of  small,  green  pumpkins.  I 
ought  to  add,  that  on  the  same  one  rod  of  ground, 
and  among;  the  pumpkins,  I  had  planted  the 
Webster  potato,  and  that,  though  small  and  early, 
I  got  therefrom  one  bushel  and  a  half  of  pota- 
toes. Herewith  I  send  you  some  of  the  purppkin 
seed,  which  I  wish  you  would  plant  in  some  nook 
or  corner  of  your  garden  next  May.  Do  not  let 
it  climb  on  a  fence  or  bush  ;  pull  it  off  and  lay  it 
on  the  ground,  when  it  will  continue  taking  root 
according  to  its  nature  ;  but  if  allowed  \n  climb, 
the  fruit  will  not  come  to  jierfection ;  it  ripens 
about  the  middle  of  October.  The  seed  of  them 
may  be  had  at  the  agricultural  waivhouse  of 
Nourse,  Mason  &  Co.  next  spring,  and  also  of  Mr. 
Doolittle,  in  Burlington,  Vt.,  as  well  as  Mith  t In- 
agricultural  warehouses  in  St.  Albans  and  Mid- 
dleburv,  Vt.  A.  F.  Stonk. 

Charlotte,  Vt.,  1857. 


Remarks. — Five  seeds  came  to  hand  wn- 
which  we  intend  to  plant  as  requesteil. 


128 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


March 


I^or  the  New  England  Farmer. 
CKOPS  AND  "WEATHER  IN  MINNESOTA. 

Mr.  Editor  : — The  ■winter  so  far  has  been 
very  mild  for  this  latitude  ;  the  weather  has  been 
more  like  autumn  than  like  winter.  We  have 
splendid  sleighing  now,  with  about  six  inches  of 
snow.  We  had  our  first  severe  frost  the  twenty- 
seventh  or  twenty-eighth  of  September.  Nearly 
all  the  cix)ps  were  then  out  oi  the  way  of  frost. 

We  raise  here  the  white  and  yellow  dent  corn 
principally,  the  same  as  is  raised  in  Ohio,  Illinois 
and  Indiana ;  most  of  the  seed  having  been 
brought  from  those  States,  and  we  find  no  diffi- 
.culty  in  its  ripening  here.  I  planted  my  dent 
corn  about  the  twentieth  of  May,  and  I  never 
saw  sounder  corn  than  I  raised  from  it ;  I  also 
planted  some  eight  rowed  yellow  flint  on  the  fif- 
teenth of  June,  which  got  perfectly  ripe,  and 
which  I  cut  up  before  the  frost. 

I  raised  last  season  a  small  piece  of  winter 
wheat  from  three  bushels  of  seed,  which  yielded 
me  something  over  forty  bushels  of  fine  plump 
wheat ;  it  stood  on  an  average  from  five  to  six 
feet  in  height. 

My  farm  is  situated  in  what  is  called  the  big 
\foods,  fifty  miles  south-west  from  St.  Paul, 
on  the  Minnesota  river.  The  soil  is  a  rich,  black 
loam,  and  is  from  one  to  three  feet  deep,  and  is 
said  to  be  equal  to  the  best  soils  of  Illinois,  by 
men  from  that  State. 

I  cannot  close  this  without  expressing  to  you 
the  pleasure  I  feel  in  reading  the  Farmer;  it  has 
been  a  constant  visitor  to  me  for  the  last  seven 
years,  and  I  intend  it  shall  continue  so  as  long  as 
I  live.  C.  A.  Sherwin. 

Belle  Plain,  Minnesota,  Jan.  17,  1858. 


PLOWS,  AND  PLOWING. 

The  attention  of  mechanics,  of  agricultural  and 
of  scientific  men,  has  for  several  years  past  been 
considerably  occupied  in  endeavors  to  learn 
whether  the  operation  of  plowing  cannot  be  per- 
formed in  a  quicker  and  cheaper,  and  at  the  same 
time,  in  a  more  thorough  msinner.  That  atten- 
tion has  been  the  means  of  introducing  a  great 
variety  of  plows,  of  different  construction,  and 
of  varied  capacity  for  performing  the  work  re- 
quired of  them.  Some,  after  exhausting  the 
means  of  their  patentees,  or  manufacturers,  and 
taking  a  large  aggregate  from  farmers  who  were 
desirous  to  avail  themselves  of  every  improve- 
ment which  they  thought  would  prove  of  practi- 
cal benefit  in  their  labors,  have  utterly  failed  to 
accomplish  the  work  claimed  for  them,  and  are 
abandoned.  Others,  possessing  some  good  qual- 
ities, while  they  were  deficient  in  most  others 
which  go  to  make  up  a  perfect  plow,  have  been 
introduced,  and  perform  their  work  indifferently, 
but  just  well  enough  to  prevent  their  being  re- 
jected and  sent  off  the  farm.  There  is  a  third 
class  of  plows,  undoubtedly,  which  may  be  made 
to  execute  good  work,  in  the  hands  of  skilful 
workmen,  but  they  are  neither  so  perfect,  nor  so 
cheap,  as  to  preclude  all  hope  of  devising  and 


constructing  another,  which  shall  be  cheaper, 
meet  all  the  practical  wan's  of  the  farmer  better, 
and  more  permanently  and  satisfactorily  turn  and 
pulverize  his  furrows,  than  any  plow  now  extant. 

But  we  cannot  form  a  correct  judgment  of  a 
plow,  nor  of  a  horse,  entirely  by  their  good 
looks  ;  the  latter  may  have  a  clear  and  unblem- 
ished-looking eye,  but  be  stone  blind,  and  the 
former,  to  an  unmathematical  critic,  may  appear 
to  possess  all  the  lines  of  beauty  and  utility  nec- 
essary to  perfection  in  a  plow,  and  yet  utterly 
fail  to  turn  a  deep,  sufficiently  broad,  and  well- 
broken  furrow. 

A  plow  with  true  proportions,  is  constructed 
upon  strictly  mathematical  principles,  and  this  is 
as  necessary  to  the  ease  and  comfort  of  the  team 
and  prompt  despatch  of  the  business,  as  it  is  to 
the  execution  of  the  work  itself. 

The  plow  being  the  fundamental  implement  of 
agriculture,  it  has  justly  received  the  large  share 
of  attention  of  which  we  have  spoken,  and  lias 
been  the  subject  of  careful  consideration  by  many 
distinguished  minds.  For  several  years,  in  Eng- 
land, experiments  have  been  made  to  work  it  by 
steam,  and  they  have  so  far  succeeded  as  to 
arouse  the  attention  of  many  leading  agricultu- 
rists in  that  f  ountry,  and  to  some  extent  in  our 
own.  To  be  profitable,  however,  if  they  are  found 
to  work  well,  we  suppose  they  must  be  used  on 
extensive  lands,  and  not  on  freeholds  so  small  as 
those  generally  are  in  New  England.. 

The  plows  which  are  represented  in  the  accom- 
panying cuts,  possess  some  peculiarities  which 
are  new,  and  some  advantages  over  all  other 
plows, 'fthat  have  not  heretofore  been  realized. 
They  are  the  invention  of  Frederick  Holbrook, 
Esq.,  of  Brattleboro',  Vt.,  and  have  groion  grad- 
ually out  of  Ms  own  practice  in  the  Jield,  the  only 
place  where  a  person  can  consistently  decide  how 
a  plow  should  be  constructed  in  order  to  secure 
certain  desired  results.  He  did  not  go  to  work 
to  make  a  j>low,  without  an  accurate  knowledge 
of  its  importance,  and  of  what  is  commonly  re- 
quired of  such  an  implement, — but  while  ploioing, 
saw  the  deficiencies  of  the  one  in  his  hands,  and 
corrected  them,  and  so  doing  again  and  again, 
through  a  series  of  years,  has  succeeded  in  pro- 
ducing "The  Universal  Ploio,"  which  is  destined, 
we  think,  t»  meet  a  want  of  the  farmer  that  has 
never  before  been  supplied. 

The  implement  embraces  various  forms  and 
sizes  of  mould-boarjl,  each  nicely  fitting  one  com- 
mon standard  and  frame-work — thus  adapting 
the  plow  to  a  wide  variety  of  soils  and  modes  of 
culture.  Each  mould-board  is  constructed  to 
perform  its  respective  work  in  a  thorough  and 
finished  style. 

We  introduce  on  the  opposite  page  two  or 
three  forms  of  the  plow,  contenting  ourselves  with 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


129 


No.  1, — Frame-tvork  of  Plow,  "with  Mould-Board  detached. 


This  is  a  view  of  tlie  standard,  sharfe  and  frame-woi'k  of  the 
Universal  Phiw,  with  one  of  the  mould-boards  lying  in  the  rear. 
The  slots  in  the  standard,  just  back  of  the  share,  receive  the  locks 
on  the  forward  end  of  the  mould-board  ;  the  button  on  the  mould- 
hoard,  a  little  liack  of  and  above  the  locks,  enters  the  socket 
back  of  and  above  the  slots  in  the  standard,  and  a  bolt  passing 

through  the  mould-board  and  standard  at  this  point,  is  made  fasti  easily  and  quickly  made 
by  a  nut  on  the  inner  side  ;  another  bolt  confines  the  mould- 


board  to  the  right  hand  handle  of  the  plow  ;  and  thus  by  means 
of  the  two  locks  and  the  two  bolts  the  mould-board  is  held  firmly 
and  securely  to  its  place.  By  loosening  the  bolts,  any  mould- 
board  is  taken  off  to  give  place  to  any  other  one  of  the  series. 
The  gi-eatest  attainable  simplicity  has  been  closely  studied  in  ad- 
justing the  parts  of  this  plow,  so  that  the   various  changes  are 


No.  2. — Outline  of  Land-side. 

This  is  an  outline  of  the  land-side,  showing  how  the  sole  or  shoe  [all  plows,  the  shoe  of  the  land-side  is  exposed  to  great  friction, 
piece  is  attached.     It  represents  a  long  and  short  shoe — the  for- 1  and  needs  renewing  long  before   the  mould-board  wears  away, 
mer  being  used  with  the  longest  and   largest  of  the  Intervale  The  shoe  is  very  cheaply  renewed  on  this  plow, 
mould-boards,  and  the  latter  with  the  Upland  and  Stubble.     On ) 


No.  3. — Side  View  of  the  Plow  Kigged. 


This  is  a  side  view  of  the  plow  rigged  with  one  of  the  Intervale  mould-boards,  and  wheel  and  cutter,  for  plowing  flat  fuiTOWs  in 
smooth  grass  land. 


130 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


March 


the  single  remark  for  the  present,  that  we  have 
delayed  speaking  of  it  until  we  had  witnessed 
its  operations,  and  could  speak  with  some  assur- 
ance. The  plows  were  tested  in  various  soils,  in 
the  presence  and  in  the  hands  of  several  as  good 
plowmen  as  can  be  found  in  this  country,  who 
all  expressed  great  gratification  in  the  results. 
This  trial  we  propose  to  relate  in  another  article 
with  one  or  two  more  forms  of  the  plow. 

Now,  before  closing  this  article,  let  us  look  for 
a  moment,  at  some  of  the  pecuniary  advantages 
secured  us  in  this  new  plow : — 

Suppose,  for  instance,  that  your  farm  and 
modes  of  culture  require  six  different  plows,  or 
that  you  would  find  advantage  in  the  employ 
ment  of  that  variety.  Say  you  want  the  largest 
and  smallest  intervale,  medium  upland  or  stony 
land,  medium-lap-furrow,  largest  stubble,  and 
the  sod  and  subsoil.  That  would  make  six  plows 
and  be  a  fair  demonstration  of  the  economy  oHhe 
Universal  Plow  in  expense  and  storage,  to  say 
nothing  of  the  quality  of  work  it  would  do  com- 
pared with  other  plows — though  in  this'respect  it 
••anks  second  it  is  believed  to  none.  The  cost, 
then,  for  this  one  beam  and  handles  and  the  six 
mould-boards  would  be  as  follows : 

Intervale,  No.  120,  full  rigged $16,00 

Mould-board  No.  124,  lij:ht  size 1,75 

Mould-board,  uplarfd,  141,  medium 2,50 

Lap-furrow,  meilium $2,00  )  „  .„ 

Narrow  share  for  do 50  j " 

Mould-board,  stubble,  150,  large .3.00 

Skim  plow,  to  be  used  with  or  without  stubble,  150 3,00 


Total  for  six  plows $28,75 

.  hen  for  bog-meadow,  take  the  wide,  steel-edged  share 

extra,  to  go  with  large  120  intervale 1,25 

$30,00 

These  plows,  or  their  equivalent,  wooded  up 
separately  in  the  usual  way,  would  cost  an  aver- 
age of  $10  to  $13  each,  or  in  all,  $60  to  $70  t 
Then,  instead  of  six  plows  to  handle,  and  find 
storage  for,  you  have  but  that  one,  and  the 
mould-boards,  which  are  so  compact  as  to  occu- 
py no  valuable  room. 


STBYCHWINE. 


This  poison  which  has  of  late  become  so  noto- 
rious in  its  abuse,  (we  cannot  say  use,)  is  the 
most  uncertain  in  its  action  on  the  human  frame  ; 
in  some  producing  instant  death  ;  the  same  dose 
in  others  only  bringing  on  tetanic  convulsions, 
and  in  a  lucky  few  no  effect  at  all ;  and  this  does 
not  appear  to  have  any  relation  to  the  physical 
strengtli  of  the  patient.  It  is  a  whitish,  crystal- 
line substance,  and  is  extracted  from  the  nut  of 
a  tree  called  strychnos  mix  vomica.  This  tree 
grows  in  Ceylon,  is  of  moderate  size,  and  has 
thick,  shining  leaves,  with  a  short,  crooked  stem. 
In  the  fruit  season,  it  is  readily  recognized  by  its 
rich,  orange-colored  berries,  about  as  large  as 
golden  pi])pins.  The  rind  is  smooth  and  hard, 
and  contains  a  white  pulp,  of  which  many  varie- 
ties of  birds  are  very  fond  ;  within  this  are  flat, 


round  seeds,  not  an  inch  in  'diameter,  covered 
with  very  beautiful  silky  hairs,  and  of  an  ash 
grey  color.  The  nut  is  the  deadly  poison  which 
was  well  known,  and  its  medicinal  properties  well 
understood  by  Oriental  doctors,  long  before 
Europe  or  America  had  heard  its  name.  "Dog- 
killer"  and  '"fish-scale"  are  translations  of  two  of 
its  Arabic  names.  The  natives  of  Hindostan  of- 
ten eat  it  for  months,  and  it  becomes  a  habit, 
like  opium-eating,  with  the  same  disastrous  re- 
sults. They  commence  with  taking  the  eighth  of 
a  nut  a  day,  and  gradually  increase  their  allow- 
ance to  an  entire  nut,  which  would  be  about  twen- 
ty grains.  If  they  eat  directly  before  or  after 
food,  no  unpleasant  effects  are  produced,  but  if 
they  neglect  this  precaution,  spasms  result.  The 
chemical  tests  for  it  are  numerous,  but  only  one 
or  two  can  be  relied  upon  as  thoroughly  accu- 
rate.— Scientijic  American.  ■ 


I       For  the  New  England  Farmer. 

PROFITS  OF  KEEPING  AND  RAISING 
POULTRY. 

Many  think  that  an  investment  in  a  stock  of 
poultry  is  rather  a  poor  one.  I  Avill,  therefore, 
give  an  account  of  the  expenses  and  income  of 
my  stock,  the  past  year,  (or  during  the  year  1857) 
as  I  have  kept  debt  and  credit. 

I  have  been  accustomed  to  the  keeping  of 
poultry  of  different  species  for  a  number  of  years, 
and  have  never  been  fully  satisfied,  until  now, 
that  there  may  be  a  very  handsome  profit  real- 
ized from  a  stock  of  poultry,  if  rightly  managed. 
The  variety  of  my  stock  comprises  the  Cochin, 
Spanish,  and  Polish  hen,  the  half  wild  turkey 
and  the  Bremen  geese.  I  have  kept  this  kind 
of  geese  for  a  number  of  years,  and  prefer  them 
to  any  other  kinds  that  I  know  of.  Some  of 
their  superior  properties  are  that  their  feathers 
are  purer  white,  and  produce  nearly  double  the 
quantity  of  the  common  kinds  ;  their  flesh  also 
being  far  superior,  both  in  weight  and  quality. 
My  stock  of  fowls,  January  1,  1857,  was  as  fol- 
lows : — 22  hens,  3  roosters,  3  hen-turkeys,  3 
geese,  (2  geese  and  a  gander.)  I  raised  100  chick- 
ens, 66  turkeys  and  25  goslings  from  the  same. 

The  amount  of  capital  invested  in  Fowls $15,00 

"  "  "  for  Grain 50,60 

$65,60 

The  amount  of  poultry  sold $93,33 

The  amount  made  use  of  in  family 6,00 

The  amount  of  eggs  sold 16,33 

The  amount  of  stock  on  hand 22,00 

$137,66 
Balance  in  favor  of  the  credit $72,06 

In  the  account  there  is  no  credit  given  for  the 
eggs  used  by  the  family  in  cooking,  which  would 
amount  to  something.  Nor  the  feathers  produced 
by  the  geese,  which  would  amount  to  about  $6, 
paying  something  towards  dressing  and  market- 

I  will  just  state  that  I  am  still  keeping  debt 
and  credit  with  my  fowls,  and  my  prospects  are 
good.  I  have  now  on  hand  an  extra  pair  of  young 
jjeese  for  sale.  Joseph  Mace. 

Amherst,  N.  H.,  1858. 

Rem.\rks. — Thank  you,  sir,  these  are  the  facts 
we  all  desire  to  know. 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


131 


For  the  Neic  England  Farmer. 
SPAYING  COWS. 
Mr.  Editou  : — To  those  Avho  are  raising  milk, 
in  the  vicinity  of  large  towns,  it  has  become  a 
matter  of  serious  inquiry  how  the  various  sources 
of  loss,  to  which  tliey  are  subject  in  their  business, 
can  be  avoided.  In  very  many  instances  these 
losses  are  sufficient  to  absorb  all  the  profits. 
These  sources  of  loss,  in  addition  to  the  diseases 
to  which  cows  are  subject,  are  chiefly  three.  1st, 
The  periodical  heats  which  are  natural  to  cows 
that  are  not  with  calf.  It  is  well  known  that  du- 
ring these  periods  the  quantity  of  the  milk  is 
diminished  and  its  quality  impaired.  2d,  The 
milk  of  cows  with  calf,  after  the  fourth  month,  is 
deteriorated  in  quality,  and  soon  begins  to  dimin- 
ish in  quantity.  After  the  sixth  month  it  is  rare- 
ly sufficient  to  pay  for  the  keeping.  Many  cows 
become  dry  soon  after  the  sixth  month  ;  and  even 
when  they  would  continue  to  give  milk  a  few 
weeks  longer,  most  cows  are  allowed  to  go  dry 
after  the  seventh  month,  to  enable  them  to  bear 
the  draught  made  upon  their  constitutional  pow- 
ers by  breeding,  and  to  recruit  for  the  subsequent 
milking.  Here,  then,  is  a  loss  of  profit  for  about 
one-fourth  part  of  the  year.  3d,  Many  cows  lose 
their  calves  prematurely.  This  is  a  source  of  loss 
that  seems  involved  in  much  mystery.  It  some 
times  exists,  apparantly,  as  an  epidemic.  A  large 
proportion  of  the  cows  in  a  herd  will  sometimes 
be  subject  to  it.  It  prevails  in  some  seasons  more 
than  in  others,  and  sometimes  seems  to  be  con- 
fined chiefly  to  certain  localities.  Sympathy,  it 
is  believed,  in  many  instances,  has  much  to  do 
with  it.  When  one  cow  from  any  cause  has  lost 
her  calf,  others  associated  with  her  will  become 
similarly  afl'ected.  It  has  been  ascribed  to  various 
causes,  but  the  cause  or  causes  are  by  no  means 
satisfactorily  ascertained.  In  this  vicinity  it  is 
one  of  the  most  serious  evils  that  the  milk  raisers 
have  to  encounter. 

One  gentleman  of  my  acquaintance  has  had 
five  cows  lose  their  calves  during  the  past  season. 
Three  of  them  were  promising  heifers,  all  of 
which  lost  their  calves  in  ihe  pasture.  The  other 
two  were  older,  and  were  kept  at  home.  Another 
has  lost  five,  and  another  eight.  INIany  others 
have  lost  more  or  less.  Now  these  cows  must  be 
kept  another  year  before  coming  into  milk  again. 
And  there  must  be  a  loss  upon  them  of  at  least 
twenty-five  dollars  cash,  unless  they  are  in  a  con 
dition  to  be  turned  to  the  butcher.  If  they  are, 
this  is  probably  the  most  profitable  disposition 
that  can  be  made  of  them,  for  in  addition  to  the 
cost  of  keeping  them  dry  nearly  a  year,  they  will 
be  more  likely  to  be  affected  in  a  similar  way 
again.  But  it  is  a  disappointment  to  the  milk 
raiser,  who  has  made  his  arrangements  to  obtain 
his  supply  of  milk  from  them,  and  it  is  often  dif 
ficult,  if  not  impossible,  to  supply  their  places 
with  cows  coming  in  at  the  time  when  they  are 
wanted.  The  farmer  who  has  lost  five  calves  in 
this  way  has  lost  at  least  $125.  Now  how  can 
these  evils  be  avoided  ?  Is  there  any  system  of 
management  by  which  they  can  be  prevented  ? 

In  some  parts  of  Europe,  and  especially  in  the 
neighborhoods  of  Paris  and  Brussels,  the  milk 
raisers  are  adopting  the  practice  of  spaying  their 
cows,  by  which  they  are  enabled  to  avoid  all  these 
sources  of  loss.     They  avoid  the  periodical  heats, 


and  the  milk  remains  uniform  in  quality  and 
quantity  through  the  year.  The  cows  become 
more  quiet  and  contented,  and  are  more  easily 
kept  in  good  condition.  They  avoid  the  loss  from 
the  cows  going  dry  one-fourth  part  of  the  year, 
and  of  course  all  losses  from  abortion  will  be 
avoided.  The  most  proper  time  for  doing  the 
operation  is  about  six  weeks  after  calving,  or  as 
soon  as  the  cow  gets  well  over  the  effects  of  calv- 
ing, and  has  recovered  her  strength  and  vigor, 
and  got  weaned  from  her  calf.  It  is  confidently 
stated  that  they  will  continue  to  give  as  much 
milk  for  two  or  three  and  sometimes  four  years, 
as  they  did  at  the  time  the  operation  Avas  per- 
formed, and  that  the  milk  will  be  of  better  qual- 
ity, and  that  when  they  begin  to  go  dry  that  they 
will  fatten  much  more  easily,  and  make  better 
beef. 

The  benefit  of  this  operation  will  be  confined 
to  those  who  do  not  raise  their  cows,  but  who 
keep  cows  for  their  milk  only,  as  market  men  and 
families  who  keep  one  or  two  coavs.  If  the  state- 
ments which  come  to  us  from  Europe  are  true, 
eight  good  cows  spayed  at  five  or  six  years  old, 
or  when  they  have  reached  their  full  milking  age, 
are  worth  at  least  as  much  as  twelve  treated  in 
the  common  way.  The  operation  is  easily  per- 
formed, and  we  do  not  learn  that  it  is  attended 
with  any  special  danger.  The  operation  has  re- 
cently been  performed  in  this  town  with  entire 
success  by  a  gentleman  who  is  qualified  to  per- 
form it  in  a  skilful  and  scientific  manner.  The 
subject  is  worthy  the  consideration  of  milk  rais- 
ers and  of  families  who  have  a  good  cow  which 
they  would  be  glad  to  retain  in  milk  all  the  year 
round,  and  for  several  successive  years. 

Concord,  Jan.  12,  1858. 


For  the  New  Englarid  Farmer, 

CULTUKE  OF  INDIAN  COBN. 

Messrs.  Editors  : — Indian  corn  is  manifestly 
the  most  important  grain  crop  raised  in  New  Eng- 
land. Our  soil  and  climate  admit  of  greater  im- 
provements in  the  culture  of  this  crop  than  any 
other  our  fields  produce.  The  corn  plant  will 
draw  nourishment  from  almost  any  kind  of  ma- 
nure that  can  be  applied  to  the  soil,  and  there  is 
very  little  danger  of  an  excessive  application. 
We  can  prepare  a  field  for  an  extraordinary  crop 
of  corn,  and  after  that  is  taken  off,  the  land  will 
be  in  excellent  condition  to  receive  the  seed  of 
some  other  grain  or  grass.  The  cultivation  of 
this  plant  occupies  a  prominent  place  in  good 
husbandry.  It  is  a  subject  of  lamentation  that 
it  does  not  command  more  attention  and  receive 
more  effectual  encouragement.  Much  less  corn 
is  planted,  within  the  circle  of  the  writer's  knowl- 
edge, now,  than  thirty  years  ago.  The  neglect 
is  painfully  felt  in  a  year  like  this,  when  it  is  very 
difficult  to  command  money  to  supply  the  defi- 
ciency. Various  causes  have  been  in  operation 
to  divert  attention  from  the  culture  of  this  very 
useful  plant.  We  think  the  criticisms  on  the 
measurement  of  corn  crops,  often  made  with  very 
little  knowledge  of  the  manner  in  which  it  is 
done,  and  suggestions  of  the  dishonesty  of  ap- 
plicants for  premiums,  have  had  some  influence 
in  the  case.  In  your  paper  of  Dec.  13th,  there 
is  mention  of  a  crop  of  corn  raised  by  the  writer 


132 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


March 


and  reported  many  years  ago.  "P."  says  he 
thought  at  the  time  there  must  have  been  some 
"humbugging"  in  the  case ;  now  I  suppose  this 
means  there  was  collusion  between  the  supervisor 
and  myself. 

Some  larger  crops  have  been  reported  since, 
against  which  reports,  similar  suspicions  are  ex- 
pressed. If  it  be  true  that  the  Plymouth  County 
Agricultural  Society  has  always  selected  unprin- 
cipled scamps  as  their  agents,  then  the  censures 
passed  on  them  may  be  just ;  but  if  the  agents 
have  been  upright  and  fair  men,  their  accusers 
are  without  excuse.  For  the  rules  established 
by  the  Society  for  the  measurement  of  corn  are 
easy  to  understand,  and  sufficiently  precise  and 
rigid  to  secure  justice  among  the  applicants,  and 
present  the  public  with  just  views  of  the  experi- 
ments. 

Some  of  our  reports  have  been  pretty  roughly 
handled  by  men  regarded  as  holding  high  rank, 
as  agriculturists  ;  intimations  from  such  men  that 
statements  are  incredible  will  soon  pass  very  cur 
rently  as  falsehoods  with  some  of  less  calibre. 

Unless  the  art  of  agriculture  is  to  be  swallowed 
up  in  parade  and  Avar,  we  think  the  senior  editor 
of  the  Plot(ghnan  and  the  Secretary  of  the  Board 
of  Agriculture  may  yet  live  to  credit  reports  of 
larger  crops  of  corn  than  they  have  yet  seen. 
The  editor  of  the  Ploughman,  it  is  believed,  has 
already  relinquished  the  first  opinions  expressed 
by  him,  that  sixty  bushels  of  corn  to  the  acre  is 
an  extraordinary  crop.  No  doubt  large  stories 
are  sometimes  told  of  the  amount  of  crops  and 
products  ;  some  years  ago,  it  was  said  one  hun- 
dred and  seventy  bushels  of  corn  had  been  raised 
on  an  acre  in  the  State  of  New  York,  and  the 
man  expressed  belief  (hat  he  could  raise  two 
hundred ;  all  this  seems  to  me  less  incredible 
than  a  statement  that  four  quarts  of  milk  will 
yield  a  pound  of  butter,  or  that  from  eighteen 
to  twenty-one  pounds  of  butter  per  week  are 
made  from  the  milk  of  a  single  cow,  for  a  sue 
cession  of  weeks.  M.  Allen. 

Pembroke,  Mass. 


MAINE  BOARD  OF  AGRICULTUBE. 

We  have  been  favored  by  the  accomplished 
Secretary  of  this  Board,  S.  L.  Goodale,  Esq., 
with  this  neatly  printed  volume,  of  more  than 
two  hundred  pages.  It  gives  evidence  of  having 
been  prepared  with  much  care  and  attention,  and 
is  in  a  form  to  instruct  those  who  carefully  ex 
amine  its  pages.  They  are  not  made  up  of  loose- 
ly drawn  reports  and  extracts,  merely  to  fill  a 
certain  space — but  seem  to  be  well-digested  and 
continuous,  calculated  to  give  a  general  view  of 
the  condition  and  progress  of  fixrm  culture 
throughout  the  State.  This  is  as  the  Secretary's 
report  should  be — and  when  it  is  otherwise,  it 
shows  a  want  of  clear  comprehension  of  duty,  or 
a  want  of  ability  to  perform  it.  This  is  the  sec 
end  report  of  Mr.  Secretary  Goodale,  and  it  fully 
sustains  the  high  chasacter  of  his  first  report. 

In  another  column  a  Maine  correspondent  ^Ives 
a  more  lengthened  notice  and  review  of  the  re 
port. 


I^or  the  New  England  Farmer. 

ABOUT  BARNS. 

Mr.  Editor  : — The  following  appears  In  the 
last  Issue  of  your  paper  : 

"I  am  about  to  build  a  barn  In  addition  to  two 
others  I  now  have.  I  want  a  cellar  for  my  sheep 
in  winter,  and  what  I  wish  to  know  is,  can  I  have 
stables  In  an  L  so  as  to  make  it  handy,  as  I  do 
not  want  the  stables  In  the  cellar  nor  in  the  barn 
over  the  cellar.  Any  plan  or  Information  you  or 
any  of  your  numerous  correspondents  may  give, 
will  be  thankfully  received  by 

A  Subscriber." 

Upon  a  New  England  farm  a  good  barn  with  a 
cellar  under  the  whole  is  as  essential  as  a  good 
house  with  a  cellar  under  the  whole  Of  It.  The 
health  and  comfort  of  the  doipestic  animals  de- 
pend much  upon  their  winter  quarters.  It  Is  true 
economy  to  be  liberal  to  them.  A  barn  should 
be  at  least  thirty-six  feet  wide,  with  twenty  feet 
posts.  Forty-two  feet  wide  Is  a  better  dimension. 
The  length  may  be  eighty  feet,  one  hundred  feet, 
or  longer  if  needed.  Even  two  hundred  feet  In 
length  Is  better  than  three  separate  barns.  It 
should  have  one  or  more  ventilators  at  the  rldgfe- 
pole.  The  cellar  should  be  under  the  whole  of 
it,  the  walls  should  be  made  of  rock  pointed  with 
mortar,  with  brick  underpinning  two  feet  high, 
containing,  at  suitable  distances,  small  doors 
eighteen  by  sixteen  inches,  for  the  purpose  of 
light  and  ventilation.  The  cellar  should  be  at 
least  eight  feet  deep,  with  two  rows  of  brick  piers 
eight  feet  apart — the  whole  length  of  the  barn. 
The  entrance  to  the  cellar  for  teams  should  be  at 
one  end,  secured  by  a  tight  door.  A  barn  cellar 
thus  made  will  keep  vegetables  secure  from  frost 
in  winter,  and  will  be  the  proper  place  to  store 
farming  tools,  carts,  wheels,  plows,  harrows,  &c. 
In  such  a  cellar  any  quantity  of  manure  can  be 
made  by  the  mixture  of  muck,  soil,  scrapings  of 
streets,  leaves  and  straw,  with  the  solid  and  liquid 
manure  made  by  the  oxen,  cows,  sheep  and  hors- 
es housed  above.  Stables  should  never  be  In  the 
cellar,  but  always  above  and  over  It.  Hogs  may 
be  kept  In  the  cellar  to  work  over  the  manure. 
No  farmer  should  forget  that  his  success  depends 
upon  the  amount  of  manure  he  shall  annually 
manufacture.  His  fancy  fertilizers  should  be 
manufactured  by  himself,  in  the  cellar  of  his  barn. 
He  should  have  an  under-ground  drain  from  the 
house  to  the  barn  cellar,  In  which  all  the  soap- 
suds, Avashings  of  the  sink  and  chamber  water 
should  be  conveyed  to  the  manure  heap.  In  this 
way  neatness  about  the  house  and  purity  of  air  Is 
preserved. 

Sheep  should  never  be  wintered  In  the  cellar 
of  a  barn.  The  dampness  Is  Injurious  to  Its 
health.  That  animal  has  a  natural  protection 
against  the  cold,  and  does  best  In  a  dry,  rather 
than  a  warm  place. 

The  Interior  of  a  barn  may  be  arranged  to  suit 
the  fancy,  but  several  things  are  essential.  That 
the  stables  be  over  the  cellar.  That  the  arrange- 
ment be  such  that  the  heads  of  the  cattle  be  to 
wards  the  open  space,  or  barn  floor,  and  that  a 
convenient  trap-door  be  had  in  the  barn  floor, 
through  which  to  tip  a  cart-load  of  muck  at  a 
time.  Pine  Hill. 

January,  1858. 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


133 


EXTBACTS  AND  REPLIES. 

GAS  TAR. 

I  would  like  to  inquire  if  there  is  any  virtue, 

for  agricultural  purposes,  in  the  substance  called 

gas  tar,  obtained. at  the  gas  works,  and  if  so,  how 

it  should  be  applied  ? 

Charles  A.  Theobald. 
Dresden,  Me.,  1858. 

Remarks. — We  find  in  the  "American  Muck 
Book"  the  following  account  of  the  substance: — 
^^Gas  tar  or  coal  tar,  from  the  amount  of  ammo- 
nia it  contains,  like  all  other  matter  in  which  am- 
monia is  present,  must  be  rich  as  a  manure, 
whether  diluted  with  water  and  applied  in  a  liquid 
form,  or  as  composted  with  peat  or  other  ab- 
sorbent matter. 

"As  this  substance  is  produced  in  rather  limited 
quantities,  and  employed  very  commonly  as  a 
paint  for  posts,  fences,  farm  buildings,  &e.,  it  has 
not  been  much  used  as  a  fertilizer  on  account  of 
the  expense  attending  its  purchase ;  but  wherever 
it  can  be  obtained  at  a  small  cost,  it  is  an  article 
well  worthy  of  the  farmer's  notice.  It  is  com- 
posed entirely  of  ingredients  which  enter  into  the 
composition  of  all  plants,  is  gradually  decomposed 
in  the  soil,  and  is  powerful  in  its  effects ;  hence, 
it  is  preferable  to  apply  it  in  a  compost  made  of 
pulverized  peat,  swamp  or  pond  muck,  loam, 
mould,  or  any  of  the  absorbents  treated  of  in  oth- 
er parts  of  this  work.  It  may  be  applied  as  a 
top-dressing  for  most  kinds  of  crops  of  grass, 
turnips  or  grain ;  or  it  may  be  employed  in  the 
hills  or  drills  of  most  of  our  garden  vegetables, 
Indian  corn  and  other  hoed  crops." 

now   TO    MAKE   AN   EXCELLENT   CAKE. 

One  quart  of  Indian  meal,  four  table-spoonfuls 
rye  meal  or  flour,  half  tea  cup  West  India  molas- 
ses, one  tea-spoonful  of  saleratus,  and  some  salt ; 
stir  in  warm  or  cold  water  till  it  is  nearly  as  thin 
as  fritters  or  pancakes.  Sweet  or  sour  milk  or 
buttermilk  may  be  used,  allowing  more  saleratus 
for  the  sour.  Pour  it  into  a  tin  or  iron  baking- 
pan,  M'ell  greased,  and  bake  in  a  quick  oven. 

It  is  good  enough  without  any  spice,  but  if  you 
are  fastidious,  and  can  afford  it,  you  can  add  car- 
away seed,  allspice  or  ginger-.  It  is  best  when 
first  baked,  but  is  good  afterwards,  cold  or 
steamed.  When  crumbled  in  milk,  it  is  particu- 
larly relished  by  children.     Try  it. 

If  you  should  happen  to  get  in  too  much  or  not 
enough  saleratus,  you  can  govern  yourself  ac- 
cordingly next  time. 

P.  D.  &  T.  S.  Edmonds. 

East  Chelmsford,  Mass.,  1858. 

WH^iT  caused  it. 

I  have  noticed  within  a  few  days,  that  a  thrifty 
Porter  apple  tree,  about  a  foot  in  circumference, 
has  a  large  crack  in  its  trunk  beginning  in  the 
crotch  and  extending  through  the  bark  and  wood 
nearly  to  the  ground.  I  find  similar  cracks,  but 
none  so  large,  in  the  trunks  of  two  other  trees  : 


the  cracks  in  appearance  very  are  like  those  pro- 
duced sometimes  in  a  log,  by  boring  a  hole  in  it, 
pouring  in  water  and  letting  it  freeze.  Some 
parts  of  the  crevice  in  the  Porter  tree  were  filled 
with  a  discolored  icicle  the  morning  after  a  freez- 
ing night.  The  trees  stand  on  a  yelloAV  loam  of 
about  a  foot  in  depth  ;  the  subsoil  is  a  coarse,  po- 
rous gravel,  perhaps  with  clay  underneath,  for 
water  is  reached  by  digging  six  to  eight  feet. 
Jan.  20,  1858.  d. 

Remarks. — We  have  noticed  this  in  our  own 
trees,  but  always  found  it  in  young  and  thrifty 
growing  ones.  Many  persons  say  it  is  caused  by 
cold.  Is  it  not  rather  owing  to  an  excessive  sup- 
ply of  sap,  unable  to  find  an  outlet  through  the 
natural  channel  of  stems  and  leaves,  and  thus 
swelling  the  trunk  until  it  is  distended  to  burst- 


SUBSOILING   wet    SOILS. 

Is  subsoil  plowing  beneficial  on  a  naturally  wet 
granitic  soil  ?  j. 

Remarks. — Certainly,  we  think.  If  any  natu- 
rally wet  soil  is  made  porous  and  light  six  or 
eight  inches  lower  than  usual,  it  would  allow  the 
water  to  pass  away  from  the  upper  portion  more 
readily,  and  consequently  let  in  the  air  and  heat, 
and  thus  materially  improve  the  mechanical  con- 
dition of  the  surface  soil.  Roots  of  plants  would 
also  extend  themselves  deeper  than  if  the  sub- 
stratum had  not  been  disturbed. 

But  such  soils  should  first  be  drained,  if  possi- 
ble ;  then  the  process  of  subsoiling  will  afford 
ample  returns  for  all  its  cost. 

WASH   FOR  FRUIT   TREES. 

Make  a  firm  soap  of  one  part  lamp  oil  (no 
matter  how  much  candied)  and  six  or  eight  parts 
of  strong  ley  or  potash  solution  ;  one  part  of  this 
soap  and  eight  of  warm  water — apply  with  a 
brush,  or  cloth  attached  to  a  long  handle. 

I  have  used  this  wash  with  perfect  success  on 
young  trees,  entirely  destroying  the  aphis  when 
the  trees  were  nearly  covered  with  them,  and  giv- 
ing to  the  bark  a  healthy  and  vigorous  appear- 
ance. Apply  the  wash  in  February  or  March. 
J. 

PUMPKINS   AMONG    CORN. 

Will  you,  or  some  of  your  correspondents,  give 
your  views  of  raising  pumpkins  with  corn,  as  this 
is  a  subject  I  have  never  seen  discussed  in  your 
paper  ?  Old  Subscriber. 

Putney,  Vt.,  Jan.,  1858, 

Remarks. — It  is  a  common  custom  in  New 
England  to  raise  pumpkins  among  corn.  It  used 
to  be  our  practice,  but  we  have  nearly  abandoned 
it.  Whether  it  is  best  to  cultivate  mixed  crops 
of  corn  and  pumpkins,  or  not,  we,  certainly,  are 
not  able  to  determine, — but  are  strongly  of  the 
opinion  that  no  gain  is  made  by  the  introduction 
of  the  pumpkin  into  the  cornfield.  What  do 
other  cultivators  think  ? 


134 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Marc 


PORTABLE    GRAIN    MILLS. 

What  kind  of  portable  mill  do  you  consider 
the  best  for  grinding  all  kinds  of  grain  for  far- 
mers' use,  and  what  is  the  price  ? 

Chaplin,  Jan.,  1858.  J.  S.  Ross. 

Remarks. — In  the  December  number  of  the 
monthly  Farmer,  p.  574,  may  be  found  some  re- 
marks on  this  subject.  The  price  of  mills  varies 
from  $35  to  $65.  

ARE   GOATS   PROFITABLE? 
I  wish  to  inquire  about  goats,  whether  they  are 
profitable  to  keep  for  their  milk  ? 
Faxton,  1858.  A  Subscriber. 

R.E1IARKS. — It  depends  entirely  upon  circum- 
stances, whether  it  is  profitable  to  keep  goats  for 
their  milk.  If  the  keeping  a  cow  is  absolutely 
precluded,  and  milk  cannot  readily  be  obtained 
in  any  other  way,  it  would  probably  be  profitable 
to  keep  goats  for  their  milk.  It  is  sweet,  nutri- 
tive and  medicinal,  and  less  apt  to  curdle  on  the 
stomach  than  that  of  the  cow.  When  yielding 
milk  a  good  goat  will  give,  for  several  months,  at 
the  average  of  two  quarts  a  day.  Mr.  Pringle, 
of  Kent,  England,  in  an  article  in  the  Gardener^s 
Magazine,  says  that  two  goats  are  equal  to  one 
small  Shetland  cow.  The  flesh  of  the  goat  is 
strong  and  indigestible,  and  is  rarely  eaten. 

A   BIG   EGG   AND   QUEER   EGG. 

I  send  you  a  description  of  a  hen's  e^^  that 
was  recently  presented  to  me  by  Mrs.  Monroe, 
of  Burlington  ;  it  is  a  great  natural  curiosity ;  it 
measures  in  circumference  within  a  fraction  of 
eight  inches  one  way  and  nine  inches  the  other, 
and  it  has  inside  another  e^^,  with  hard  shell, 
perfect  in  appearance,  and  about  the  size  of  a 
common  hen's  egg.  Peter  Wait. 

Danvers,  1858. 

WHEN   TO   FEED   MILK    COWS. 

I  wish  to  knoAV  through  the  Farmer  at  what 
time  cows  should  be  milked  to  yield  the  greatest 
amount  ?  Whether  before  they  are  fed,  or  dur- 
ing the  time  of  feeding  (in  M'inter,)  or  how  long 
after  they  have  fed  to  the  full  ?  p.  f. 

East  (Jharlemont,  185". 

now   TO   RAISE   POP   CORN. 

In  ansAver  to  your  correspondent  who  inquires 
about  raising  pop  corn,  I  would  say  that  there  is 
no  mystery  about  it ;  the  culture  is  the  same  as 
for  any  other  corn  ;  the  difiiculty  is  in  the  kind  of 
soil  on  which  it  is  raised ;  that  raised  on  light,  warm, 
sandy  soil,  being  very  much  the  best,  while  that 
raised  on  strong,  ridi  land,  is  almost  -worthless  for 
popping.  B.  F.  Cutter. 

Fdham,  N.  IL,  1858. 

pure   black    POLAND    FOWLS. 
"An  Old  Subscriber,"  who  inquired  some  time 
since  M'here  he  could  find  these  fowls,  is  informed 
that  he  can  procure  them  of  Mr.  James  M.  Ciiat- 
TERTOn,  at  Centre  Rutland,  Yt. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer- 
THOBOUGH  DRAINAGE  AND 
IRRIG-ATION. 

In  the  first  volume  of  the  monthly  Netv  Eiuj- 
land  Farmer,  page  74,  may  be  found  the  follow- 
ing history  and  definition  of  the  term  Thorough 
Draining,  credited  to  ROBERT  JaRDINE: 

"Draining,  as  understood  thirty  years  ago  in 
England,  meant  merely  the  making  of  channels 
to  carry  oft'  surface  water,  and  underground  drains 
to  dry  bogs,  or  cut  off  springs.  It  has  noAV  an 
entirehj  different  meaning  in  the  agricultural  world. 
Mr.  Smith,  of  Deanston,  near  Ivlinburgh,  was 
among  the  first  to  practice  and  explain  Thorough 
Draining,  as  it  is  called.  His  system  is,  that  all 
land  requires  to  be  drained;  that  the  depth  of 
luam,  or  soil,  containing  the  food  of  plants,  sel- 
dom exceeds  a  few  inches,  resting  on  a  subsoil,  or 
pan  of  clay,  or  hard  gravel,  saturated  ivdh  water. 
By  making  drains  from  two  and  a  half  to  five 
feet  in  depth,  at  every  twenty  or  thirty  feet,  the 
land  becomes  dry,  air  takes  the  place  of  water," 
c^-c,  (S:c. 

Portions  of  this  extract  to  which  I  direct  the 
attention  of  the  advocates  of  Thorough  Drain- 
ing in  this  country  are  put  in  italics. 

Here  we  have  the  English  idea  of  soil  and 
subsoil.  Add  to  this  the  humidity  of  the  Eng- 
lish climate,  and  the  necessity  of  the  herculean 
task  of  making  drains  "from  two  and  a  half  to 
five  feet  in  depth,  at  every  twenty  or  thirty  feet," 
all  over  the  farm,  and  the  necessity,  too,  of  the 
enormously  thick  and  heavy  hob-nailed  shoes 
which  are  worn  by  English  laborers,  are  natural 
inferences. 

But  must  the  English  practice  of  Thorough 
Draining  and  hob- nail  shoes  be  followed  in  the 
United  States  ?  Is  draining  with  tiles  "the  next 
great  step  to  be  taken  in  the  march  of  improve- 
ment on  all  our  old  farms"  in  New  England  ? 
Will  any  one  who  ever  did  so  much  at  farming 
as  to  dig  a  hole  in  the  ground  in  this  country, 
adopt  the  language  of  Mr.  Smith,  which  I  have 
put  in  italic  letters,  when  he  draws  up  a  descrip  • 
tion  of  the  soil  and  the  subsoil  through  which 
he  penetrated  ?  Or  will  he  infer  from  the  dry  sand 
and  the  loose  gravel  which  here  generally  lies 
from  five  to  fifty  feet  over  any  thing  "saturated 
with  Avater,"  that  the  American  farmer  must  ex- 
pend twice  the  value  of  his  farm  to  rid  himself 
of 'the  "surplus  fluid  ?"  May  he  not  rather  adopt 
the  language  used  by  Prof.  Nash,  in  his  adilress 
before  the  Hampden  Socictj',  in  1854,  and  say: 
"The  Almighty  has  done  this  work  so  well  that 
the  owners  need  expend  nothing  with  the  hope 
of  doing  it  better  ?" 

The  dift'erence  between  the  moisture  of  both 
air  and  soil  in  this  country  and  England  is  ad- 
mitted to  be  great.  An  English  laborer  of  my 
acquaintance,  after  making  his  "pile"  in  this 
country,  returned  home  with  the  intention  of 
spendip.g  his  days  with  the  friends  and  amid  the 
scenes  of  his  boyhood.  In  a  short  time,  howev- 
er, he  was  back  again  and  at  his  old  tasks  in  New 
England.  lie  said  that  he  found  he  could  not 
stand  the  climate  there.  The  ground  was  so 
damp  that  it  seemed  to  strike  through  his  shoes 
as  soon  as  he  stepped  ashore,  and  gave  him  the 
rheumatism,  so  that  he  was  sick  and  lame  all  the 
time  he  was  at  home. 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Prof.  Nash,  in  the  address  from  which  I  have 
ah'eady  quoted,  says :  "Soils  there,  from  the 
most  chiyey,  up  through  the  various  loams,  to 
the  most  sandy,  are  more  compact  than  those 
■which  bear  the  same  name  among  us."  There 
vegetation  flourishes  best  on  raised  beds,  huge 
hills,  or  sharp  ridges,  and  the  farmer  is  compelled 
to  guard  at  every  point  against  the  effects  of  a 
superabundance  of  water,  as  he  is  taught  by  ex- 
perience that  moisture  is  his  great  enemy. 

In  this  country,  as  a  general  rule,  it  is  drought, 
not  moisture,  that  injures  our  crops.  We  know 
more  of  the  evils  of  digging  from  fifty  to  one 
hundred  feet  to  find  water  enough  to  fill  our  tea- 
kettles, than  we  do  of  those  which  attend  a  'sub- 
soil of  clay,  or  hard  gravel,  saturated  with  water,' 
but  a  few  inches  from  the  suiface.  England, 
the'-efore,  may  have  too  much  moisture  ;  we  of- 
ten have  tJO  little.  The  roots  of  her  vegetables 
may  die  of  dropsy ;  ours  perish  by  drought.  In 
her  heavy  soils,  manures  may  waterlog  and  sink 
beyond  the  reach  of  plants  ;  on  our  sandy  plains 
and  under  our  tropical  sun,  they  probably  "van- 
ish into  air."  English  farms  may  perhaps  need 
draining  ;  American  farms  need  irrigation. 

Our  climate  and  our  soil  are  so  materially  dif- 
ferent from  those  of  England,  that  we  must  re- 
gard it  as  a  misfortune  that  our  theoretical  agri- 
culture comes  to  us  directly  from  that  country. 
This  fact  goes  far  to  account  for  the  often  la- 
mented unpopularity  of  book-farming,  among 
us.  A  large  proportion  of  the  volumes  in  our 
rapidly  increasing  agricultural  libraries,  though 
published  in  America,  are  "founded  on"  English 
"facts,"  if  not  mere  re-piints  of  books  written 
for  the  fast-anchored  and  fog-steeped  Isle,  where 
turnips  grow,  and  corn  does  not. 

Whether  we  read  the  history,  or  study  the 
monuments  of  agricultural  industry,  of  those 
European  countries  whose  soil  and  climate  is 
most  like  our  own,  we  learn  that  turning  water 
upon  the  soil,  instead  of  drawing  it  out,  has  ever 
been  regarded  as  the  proper  way  to  increase  the 
fertility  of  the  land. 

In  another  article  I  propose  to  give  some  rea- 
sons for  my  opinion  that,  in  the  United  States, 
there  are  twenty  acres  that  would  be  benefited 
by  irrigation,  where  there  is  one  that  needs 
draining.  s.  F. 

Winchester,  Jan.,  1858. 


BAKLEY. 

It  is  stated  that  the  first  barley  sown  in  this 
country,  M'as  upon  the  island  of  Martha's  Vine- 
yard, in  1602,  by  a  man  named  Gosnold,  who  in- 
troduced this  and  other  varieties  of  grain  from 
England  into  Massachusetts.  In  1811,  barley 
was  sown  as  a  crop  in  Virginia,  and  continued  to 
be  cultivated  there  until  the  settlers  found  tobac- 
co more  remunerative.  In  162G,  barley  was  one 
of  the  crops  groM'n  upon  the  farms  of  Manhattan 
Island— proljably  where  Trinity  Church  now 
Btands.  In  1849,  the  barley  crop  of  the  United 
States  was  5,167,000  bushels  ;  and  according  to 
the  increase  of  the  preceding  decade,  the  crop  of 
1856  would  be  over  seven  millions  of  bushels. 
It  probably  even  exceeded  this.  The  grain  is 
nearly  all  consumed  in  the  States  whfre  it  is 
grown,  principally,  we  presume,  for  malting,  as 
the  price  is  too  high  for  feeding  to  stock. 


TREES  AND  THEIR  USES. 

The  value  of  the  forest  tree  is  beginning  to  be 
appreciated  not  only  in  a  physical  but  economical 
point  of  view,  and  each  new  treatise  serving  to 
show  the  necessity  which  exists  for  preserving 
and  cultivating  trees,  is  to  be  welcomed  as  a  con- 
tribution to  the  public  weal.  An  article  on  this 
subject  in  the  July  number  of  the  North  Ameri- 
can lieview,  is  calculated  to  disseminate  much 
M'holesome  truth  bearing  on  the  subject.  Already 
the  rapid  destruction  of  the  forest  has  been  in  a 
measure  arrested,  partly  in  consideration  of  the 
prospective  wants  of  the  railroad  and  shipbuild- 
er, and  the  process  of  restoration  has  been  com- 
menced by  re-planting  many  acres  with  young 
trees.  After  speaking  of  trees  as  an  ornament, 
and  the  many  classic  memories  which  they  serve 
to  perpetuate,  as  the  "rugged  yew-trees"  where 
Gray  lies  buried,  to  "Milton's  mulberry,"  and  the 
"Avon  willows,"  the  reviewer  speaks  of  trees  as 
productive  property,  as  follows  : 

"It  can  be  demonstrated  that  the  best  use  for 
the  larger  part  of  the  cleared  land  of  New  Eng- 
land would  be  to  plant  forests  upon  it.  There  is, 
except  in  the  rich  gardens  close  around  the  cities, 
no  land  so  profitable,  no  land  Avhich  pays  so  good 
an  interest  on  its  cost,  as  wood  land.  In  some 
parts  of  Massachusetts  a  man  who  owns  a  hun- 
dred acres  of  pasture  is  little  better  than  a  bank- 
rupt, while  he  who  owns  a  hundred  acres  of  for- 
est is  independently  rich.  The  first  must  pay 
taxes  on  what  does  not  pay  for  its  culture,  while 
the  second  can  cut  off  enough  to  meet  the  annual 
interest,  yet  have  more  at  the  end  than  at  the 
beginning.  AVe  once  heard  an  eccentric  genius 
maintain  that  his  woodland,  about  fifty  acres  in 
all,  though  he  had  bought  it  and  paid  for  it  a 
good  round  sum,  some  thirty  years  before,  had  in 
reality  never  cost  him  a  cent ;  'for,'  said  he,  "I  have 
cut  off  wood  enough  to  pay  not  only  the  original 
outlay,  but  to  meet  all  the  worth  of  the  money 
at  compound  interest,  and  to  cover  all  charges, 
and  now  I  have  more  wood  than  I  fountl  there 
at  the  beginning.'     It  was  rational  logic  enough. 

We  are  confident  that,  at  the  present  prices  of 
timber  and  fuel,  the  profits  of  wood-land  to  our 
New  England  farmers  are  at  least  three  times  as 
great  as  the  profits  of  the  land  which  they  culti- 
vate with  so  much  lal)or.  The  experiment  of 
planting  locusts  on  Long  Island  has  proved  that 
lands  before  considered  valueless,  may  become 
the  most  precious  possession  of  their  owners. 
Thousands  of  acres  now  lying  waste  might,  with 
a  very  small  outlay,  be  made  to  yield  very  great 
returns.  The  length  of  time  that  must  pass  be- 
fore the  profit  of  these  artificial  forests  can  be 
tested,  undoubtedly  deters  many  from  planting 
them.  Very  few  men  like  to  make  an  investment 
of  which  the  returns  begin  to  ccmie  only  after 
twenty  or  thirty  years.  But  every  man  knoAvs 
that  whatever  raises  the  value  of  his  land  is  as 
sure  profit  as  that  which  actually  puts  cash  into 
his  pocket.  There  seems  to  be  less  promise  in 
an  acre  of  young  locusts  than  in  an  acre  of  thriv- 
ing turnips ;  but  in  twenty  years  the  value  of  all 
the  annual  turnips  will  not  begin  to  reach  the 
value  of  the  trees.  The  longer  the  planter  is 
willing  to  M'ait,  the  greater  will  be  his  ratio  of 
gain." 

It  is  recommended  that  on  every  farm  of  respect- 
able size  there  should  be  a  season  for  the  annual 


136 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


March 


planting  of  trees.  Unlike  other  crops,  they  en- 
rich rather  than  impoverish  the  soil.  Moreover, 
trees  preserve  tlie  snow,  (the  "poor  man's  ma- 
nure,") and  by  breaking  the -wind,  secure  a  more 
even  covering  of  snow  to  the  ground.  The  sudden 
alternations  of  freshet  and  drought  are  also  pre- 
vented. 

The  French  government,  which  has  done  more 
than  any  other  in  the  culture  of  forests,  rather 
favors  this  theory,  and  encourages  the  separa- 
tion of  kinds,  where  large  returns  are  expected. 
In  the  Department  of  Landes  it  has  chiefly  re- 
planted pines  ;  on  the  slopes  of  the  Pyrennes  the 
box  is  the  favorite  variety  ;  while  in  Brittany 
and  Normandy  the  linden  abounds.  In  Scotland 
the  larch  has  been  most  extensively  cultivated  ; 
and  more  than  ten  thousand  acres,  with  more  than 
fourteen  millions  of  trees,  were  planted  in  less 
than  a  century,  by  the  single  family  of  Athol. 
This  example  has  been  copied  in  other  parts  of 
Europe,  and  one  is  often  surprised  to  find  in  se- 
cluded places,  like  the  region  of  the  Tegernsee, 
in  Southern  Bavaria,  beautiful  artificial  forests  of 
larches.  In  Greece  the  prepossession  seems  to 
have  been  for  plane-trees,  and  on  the  hills  of  La- 
conia  a  recent  traveller,  M.  About,  has  remark- 
ed the  wanton  and  wasteful  destruction  of  these 
noble  monuments  of  the  Turkish  dominion. 

The  writer  says,  "If  the  rate  of  disappearance 
goes  on  for  the  next  half-century  as  it  has  for  the 
last,  the  child  is  now  living  who  will  see  the  soil 
of  New  England  everywhere  as  bare  as  the  soil 
of  Attica,  and  its  noble  rivers  shrunken  in  sum- 
mer, like  Achelous  and  Cephissous,  to  shallow 
brooks." 


For  the  New  Ensland  Farmer. 
POSITION  OP  APPLE  TKEES. 
Mr.  Editor  : — Your  suggestions  on  this  top- 
ic, as  to  setting  trees  by  the  stone  wall,  by  the 
borders  of  the  field  and  by  the  road-sides,  accord 
entirely  with  my  early  lessons.  I  was  born  and 
reared  on  a  farm,  where  several  hundred  barrels 
of  cider  were  made  annually,  and  Avhere  the  prof- 
its of  the  cider-mill  was  esteemed  better  than 
any  four  cows  kept  on  the  farm.  In  those  days, 
no  one  was  ashamed  to  make  or  drink  a  little 
good  cider.  My  father  reared  on  his  farm  four 
boys  and  two  girls ;  the  average  height  of  the 
boys  was  more  than  six  feet — the  average  weight 
of  the  whole  was  more  than  200  lbs.  each ;  so 
that  we  lost  very  little  of  the  growth  that  was 
our  due,  by  the  cider  that  was  made  on  the  farm 
True,  for  several  years  past,  I  have  made  very 
little  use  of  cider ;  but  my  father  continued  to 
use  it,  until  the  day  of  his  death,  and  apparently 
■with  a  good  relish.  For  more  than  eighty  years, 
he  was  favored  with  a  soundr  mind  in  a  sound 
body,  and  this  is  enough  for  any  one. 

He  was  of  the  opinion  that  one  tree,  properly 
placed  by  the  wall  or  by  a  large  rock  in  a  hollow, 
was  worth  half  a  dozen  trees  in  a  row  on  an 
open  plain.  I  remember  we  used  to  gather  the 
major  part  of  our  fruit  from  such  isolated  trees; 
and  the  fruit  they  will  yield  is  the  chief  object 
for  which  trees  are  grown.  *,* 

January  16,  1858. 


an  apple  grown  on  his  farm,  five  miles  north-y  est 
from  this  city.  This  is  the  first  apple  grown  in 
Nemaha  county,  and  for  aught  we  know,  in  the 
Territory.  It  is  a  beautiful  specimen  both  in  ap- 
pearance and  taste ;  a  bright  yelloM',  medium 
size,  and  slightly  SAveet,  rich  and  juicy ;  was 
grown  upon  a  tree  planted  one  year  ago  the  past 
spring.  The  early  production  of  this  tree  is  evi- 
dence of  the  adaptation  of  the  Neliraska  soil  to 
the  growth  of  fruit. — Ohio  Cultivator.- 


The  First  Apple  in  Nebraska. — Judge  J. 
W.  Hall,  of  this  county,  has  presented  us  with 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
MANAGEMENT  OF  COLTS. 

Mr.  Editor  : — There  is  in  the  December  num- 
ber of  your  much  esteemed  journal,  an  inquiry 
upon  the  above  subject,  by  JNIr.  Gray,  followed 
by  your  reference  of  the  question  to  Islv.  Vining. 
His  reply  I  have  waited  for,  and  read  with  inter- 
est. I  consider  it  in  the  main  excellent,  and  the 
right  thing  to  follow.  The  one  exception  that  I 
take  is  in  the  matter  of  grain.  I  have  changed 
my  course  in  this,  within  the  last  ten  years.  Af- 
ter observing  that  colts  grained  during  winter, 
do  not  thrive  so  well  in  the  summer — after  hav- 
ing one  of  the  best  colts  I  ever  owned  nearly 
ruined,  by  contraction  of  the  fore  feet  and  en- 
largement of  the  ankles,  gradually  brought  on, 
as  I  could  not  doubt,  by  constant,  though  small 
allowance  of  grain,  and  increased,  probably,  by 
being  kept  a  part  of  the  time  on  a  fioor — -I  have 
dispensed  with  grain,  and  feed  only  with  good  ■ 
hay,  (early  cut,  well  cured  clover  is  good,)  and 
give  once  or  twice  a  week  a  mess  of  roots,  or 
even  apples,  for  a  change,  and  to  keep  up  the 
appetite.  A  colt  should  not  be  kept  tied,  nor 
should  he  be  blanketed.  His  stable  should  be 
warm  enough  without.  A  yard  for  exercise,  as 
Mr.  V.  says,  is  very  important.  Let  there- be  in 
it  a  good  supply  of  water,  but  no  ice  for  him  to 
slip  on,  and  no  sharp  points  in  the  fence  to  injure 
him,  and  let  him  be  secured  from  all  cold  storms. 
I  have  had  better  results  from  this  than  the  for- 
mer course.  In  this  way  I  raised  the  mare  now 
owned  by  Adna  Storrs,  of  Hanover,  N.  H.,Avhich 
took  the  first  premium  at  the  New  Hampshire 
State  fair,  at  Concord,  last  fall,  as  a  brood  mare, 
and  also  the  first  at  the  Connecticut  River  Valley 
fair,  held  last  October,  at  Bradford,  Vt.,  in  the 
class  of  Giff"ord  Morgans. 

It  seems  to  me  reasonable  that  a  horse  kept 
without  grain  till  the  age  he  is  put  to  service, 
should  have  a  better  constitution  ;  that  the  own- 
er will  then  be  free  to  adapt  the  quality  of  feed 
to  the  severity  of  labor.  Horses,  when  not  at 
work,  should  be  capable  of  keeping  good  flesh, 
and  a  smooth  coat,  without  grain.  So  kept,  they 
will  be  more  healthy,  and  last  longer.  This  can- 
not well  be  done  with  those  that  have  always  de- 
pended upon  having  it.  I  said  a  colt  should  not 
be  tied.  Now  let  me  digress  a  little,  and  say  that 
a  horse  kept  up  to  hay,  during  summer,  should 
not  be  tied  if  it  can  be  avoided.  I  have  found 
with  four  different  ones,  thus  kept  up,  great  ben- 
efit from  giving  the  horse  liberty  to  go  into  the 
yard  or  under  the  sheds  Mhen  he  pleases,  always 
keeping  water  to  which  he  can  help  himself.  It 
amounts  to  this.  The  feed  that  will  keep  a  horse 
fat  and  sleek  with  this  freedom,  will  not  keep 
him  from  growing  poor,  lied  in  a  stall,  and  stand- 
in":  on  a  floor. 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


137 


No  wonder  so  many  stock  horses  have  unsound 
feet,  when  they  are  thus  kept  tied,  and  standing 
the  whole  year.  A  good  bed  of  some  kind  is 
quite  essential  to  the  comfort  of  tlie  horse,  at  any 
age.  I  have  given  this,  not  in  the  presumption 
that  Try  deductions  are  infallible,  and  shall  al- 
ways hear  respectfully  the  opinions  of  those 
whose  experience  has  been  greater  than  mine. 

North  Thetford,  Vt,  1858.         H,  C.  Fitch. 


For  tlte  Netc  England  Furmer, 
AGBICnjIiTUBAIi  TRANSACTIONS  IN 
MAINE. 

Whoever  has  travelled  through  the  sea-board 
counties  of  the  State  of  Maine,  and  noted  the 
generally  hard  features  of  the  soil,  must  have 
thought  that  "farming  in  Maine  is  a  hard  business," 
and  such  has  been  the  common  saying  of  her  own 
people  these  many  years.  Other  people  have 
heard  of  her  large  crop  of  pine  trees  in  former 
days,  and  of  potatoes,  until  the  advent  of  the 
^'■rot"  The  statistics  of  American  commerce  give 
her  credit  for  a  large  annual  yield  of  shipping, 
wherein  she  excels  the  world ;  and  in  other 
branches  of  productive  industry,  Maine  holds  a 
respectable  rank. 

But  who  would  look  to  that  State,  and  her  thin 
soil — cold,  sterile,  reluctant,  and  M-hen  not  gen- 
erously overspread  with  rocky  boulders  and  cob- 
ble stones,  sands  and  gravel  alternate  with  clays 
whose  firm  tenacity  is  a  fair  emblem  of  the  steady 
purpose  and  adhesiveness  of  the  people  there 
dwelling, — who  would  look  to  a  location  and  soil 
like  this,  as  the  soil  of  Maine  is  generally  sup- 
posed to  be  like  this,  for  an  improved  and  im- 
proving agriculture'^  Yet  there  it  is  to  be  found  in 
the  hands  of  many  clear-headed  and  hard-handed 
fai'mers,  who  can  both  try  a  practical  experiment, 
and  write  an  intelligible  description  of  its  method 
and  results  ;  who  are  not  afraid  to  plow  deeper, 
cultivate  more  thoroughly,  drain  wetfields,  double 
and  quadruple  their  manure  by  composting  with 
leaves,  turf,  muck,  &c.,  build  barn  cellars  and 
other  shelter  for  manure,  and  a  few  who  had  the 
nerve  to  venture  on  a  systematic  rotation  of 
crops,  in  defiance  of  all  intimations  of  unknown 
evils  to  befal  those  who  thus  left  the  time-honored 
walks  of  their  forefathers.  And  these  men  are  be- 
ginning to  take  two  or  more  tons  of  hay  per  acre 
from  lands  that  had  not  been  known  to  yield  one 
ton  per  acre  in  the  memory  of  the  present  gene- 
ration of  young  men,  without  any  increased  ex- 
penditure of  money  or  labor,  by  using  them  in 
the  right  direction.  Crops  are  obtained  of  grain 
and  roots  that  would  compare  favorably  with 
those  of  the  most  fertile  lands  in  the  West  or 
South.  This  beginning  of  improvement  is  like  a 
little  leaven  in  a  large  measure  of  meal,  but  it  is 
gaining,  and  will  leaven  the  whole  lump. 

The  Legislature  of  Maine,  after  several  abor- 
tive efibrts  to  aid  agricultural  improvement,  two 
or  three  years  ago  provided  for  the  organization  of 
the  present  Board  of  Agriculture,  which,  though 
limited  and  restricted  in  its  means  and  powers, 
(by  that  cautious  policy  which  would  ascertain  if 
agricultural  improvement  be  a  public  benefit — if 
it  be  wise  to  prove  farming  profitable,  before  en- 
abling it  to  take  efficient  action,)  has  already  ac- 
complished a  large  benefit.  Thus  authorized, 
such  men  as  Dr.  Holmes,  of  Winthrop,  (Editor  of 


the  Maine  Farmer,)  S.  L.  Goodale,  of  Saco,  the 
able  and  thorough  going  Secretary  of  the  Board, 
and  their  associates,  have  made  the  best  use  of 
the  means  at  command  for  direct  and  practical 
effect. 

The  first  report  made  last  year,  and  an  admi- 
rable work  of  its  kind,  descriptive  of  the  present 
state  of  agriculture,  with  a  brief  resume  of  past 
legislative  and  associated  eff'ort  in  its  behalf,  con- 
tained so  much  that  was  useful  and  sensible  that 
even  the  Legislature  were  driven  to  approval, 
with  an  appropriation  (so  small  as  to  be  a  reproach 
to  the  State,)  for  another  year.  "The  Second 
Annual  Report  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Maine 
Board  of  Agriculture"  is  now  in  press,  and  we 
have  seen  some  of  the  advanced  sheets.  They 
are  very  interesting,  and  eminently  practical,  and 
contain  a  collection  of  opinions,  details  of  exper- 
iments, plans  of  improvement,  and  results  ob- 
tained in  diff"erent  localities  and  soils,  and  in  such 
variety  of  circumstances,  as  will  aflbixl  some  use- 
ful hint  to  every  one — all  from  practical  farmers 
in  various  parts  of  the  State.  Blended  with  these, 
Mr.  Goodale  gives  his  own  notes  of  observation 
and  Instruction,  whether  of  science  or  art,  theory 
or  practice,  in  plain,  but  forcible  terms,  and  free 
as  possible  of  mere  technical  phrases.  A  good 
example  of  this  occurs  at  pp.  127 — 130,  in  explain- 
ing the  importance  of  shelter  to  animals,  as  econ- 
omy of  food,  and  the  identity  of  food  and  fuel  in 
processes  of  combustion  and  evolution  of  heat. 
Every  branch  of  the  farmer's  many  Interests  is 
considered,  and  with  relation  to  the  climate  and 
other  local  circumstances,  are  all  the  suggestions 
applied. 

But  the  most  interesting  portion  of  this  work 
to  general  readers  and  young  farmers,  is  its  de- 
scription of  the  Aroostook  Valley  and  vicinity, 
visited  and  examined  by  Mr.  Goodale  last  sum- 
mer. This  extensive  region,  far  in  the  Interior 
and  almost  on  the  frontier  of  Maine — but  little 
more  than  a  wilderness,  with  few  inhabitants,  is 
represented  as  having  a  deep,  rich  soil,  not  ex- 
celled in  fertility  by  any  land  In  the  West,  and  a 
climate  of  great  salubrity,  where  pulmonary  dis- 
ease is  unknown,  and  though  so  far  north,  hav- 
ing seasons  long  enough  to  mature  the  common 
grain  and  root  crops  grown  in  other  parts  of  the 
State. 

I  cannot  ask  space  to  say  much  more  of  this 
part  of  the  report,  but  heartily  commend  it  to  the 
farmers  of  Maine,  every  one  of  whom  should 
have  a  copy  of  the  report  entire.  Let  them  look 
well  at  the  land  In  Aroostook,  obtainable  at  a 
nominal  price,  near  home,  where  there  is  no  fe- 
ver and  ague,  with  a  market  for  all  that  they 
ought  to  sell,  close  at  hand,  and  contrast  it  with 
land  In  the  West,  where  at  the  present  hour,  the 
value  of  wheat  is  not  enough  to  pay  Its  transpor- 
tation to  market  on  the  seaboard.  For  the  ben- 
efit of  invalids,  and  those  who  delight  in  many 
children,  we  quote  the  following  in  favor  of  th'/' 
Aroostook  climate. 

"In  the  report  (Surgeon's)  from  Fort  Kent  are 
mentioned  numerous  facts  going  to  show  both 
the  longevity  of  individuals,  and  the  rapid  natu- 
ral increase  of  population.  For  instance,  six  fam- 
ilies living  within  the  space  of  a  mile  had  (me 
Jmndred  and  six  children  in  all.  Twelve  other 
families  had  ninety-three  children,  in  an  aggre- 
gate  married  life  of  one  hundred  and  sixty-two 


138 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


March 


years,  averaging  a  birth  every  twenty  months  in 
each  family.  One  settler  had  nineteen  children 
ir  eighteen  years  ;  another  at  the  age  of  fifty- 
n.ne,  had  twenty  ;  another  had  twenty-six,  the 
mother  being  fifty-three  years  old.  Many  other 
facts  are  cited,  showing  that  Avhatever  the  cold  of 
winter  or  other  peculiarities  of  climate,  there  is 
nothing  to  preclude  the  highest  conditions  of 
health  and  longevity." 

Let  the  people  and  Legislators  of  Maine  heed 
the  councils  of  such  men  as  their  former  land 
agent,  Hon.  E.  L.  Hamlin,  in  favor  of  opening 
this  region  of  great  natural  wealth  to  communi- 
cation with  the  seaports,  and  let  farmers  every- 
where be  encouraged  by  the  evidence  in  Mr. 
Goodale's  report  that  farming  can  be  made  prof- 
itable in  Maine,  for  they  would  be  inexcusable. 
Mho  would  fail  in  it  any  where  else,  while  boast- 
ing of  greater  natural  advantages. 

Dec.  31.  Folly  Farm. 


For  the  New  Englmul  Farmer. 
LITTLE  THINGS, 

Or,  a  Walk  in  My  Garden.. ..No.  13. 

Perhaps  there  is  no  one  thing  in  which  man- 
kind so  generally  and  so  frequently  make  a  mis- 
take as  in  the  neglect  of  little  things.  Let  us 
JQok  ffrst  at 

THE   SCnoOL  BOY. 

He  makes  his  first  mistake  in  supposing  that 
it  is  of  no  importance  if  he  is  heedless  about 
his  spelling,  his  hand-writing  and  his  reading. 
If  he  plays  truant  it  is  of  little  moment  to  him. 
Hut  if  he  persists  in  neglecting  these  apparently 
liille  things,  he  will  certainly  grow  up  to  be  a 
bungler  in  great  things.  I  have  seen  a  boy  spurn 
with  contempt  a  subject  proposed  for  composi- 
tion, as  for  example,  a  bee,  regarding  it  altogeth- 
«T  beneath  his  attention.  But  Bai'on  Cuvier,  one 
of  the  most  learned  men  the  world  ever  saw,  at- 
tributed his  whole  success  as  a  scientific  man  to 
the  study  of  insect'te.  Sir  Walter  Scott,  who  is 
known  to  every  literary  person,  at  least,  acquired 
his  success  by  his  attention  to  little  things.  Sup- 
pose he  was  visiting  the  ruins  of  some  abbey, 
with  pencil  and  note-book  in  hand,  he  would  note 
down  every  insect,  plant,  rock  or  tree  that  he 
f^aw,  and  then  interweave  them  all  into  his  next 
book,  to  be  read  with  interest  by  those  who  des- 
pise little  things. 

Every  man  in  active  life  must  attend  to  little 
things.  Carry  a  check  for  a  thousand  dollars  in- 
to a  bank  and  the  cashier  would  attend  to  the  lit- 
tle circumstance  of  your  signing  your  name  on 
its  back.  It  is  a  little  thing  of  itself,  but  neg- 
lected it  would  soon  ruin  a  bank.  The  sea  cap- 
tain must  attend  to  little  things  or  his  ship  will 
be  wrecked.     But  it  is 

THE  farmer's   boy 

Who  should  learn  this  habit.  A  little  hole  in 
j\  fence  may  cause  your  whole  garden  to  be  des- 
troyed. A  little  hole  in  a  fence  rarely  ever  grows 
smaller  of  itself;  so  a  little  duty  neglected  rare- 
ly ever  passes  unnoted,  but  results  in  some  trou- 
lile.  A  little  attention  to  that  young  coav  will 
make  her  gentle.  Much  of  a  farmer's  income  is 
made  up  of  little  things,  and  lie  who  does  not 
ftttuch  im;)ortantc    to   thcvse  little   rills  of  profit 


will  never  enjoy  a  large  stream  as  the  result  of 
their  flowing  together.  A  man  may  be  stingy 
and  mean,  but  this  has  nothing  to  do  with  strict 
economy  in  the  use  of  time  and  money. 

Having  penned  these  thoughts  which  passed 
through  my  mind  while  tying  up  some  little  trees 
to  stakes  to  prevent  their  being  broken  down  by 
the  snow,  I  remain  as  little  as  ever, 

Bethel,  Me.,  Jamiary  1,  1858.  n.  t.  t. 

BETHEL  farmer's  CLUB. 
Officer.^.— N.  T.  True,  M.  D.,  President;  D. 
F.  Brown,  Vice  President ;  A.  L.  Burbank,  Sec- 
retary ;  J.  A.  Twitchell,  Treasurer  and  Librarian  ; 
Z.  Thompson,  G.  Chapman,  I).  F.  Brown,  Com. 
on  Subjects. 

For  tlie  l^ew  England  Farmer. 

DUTIES  OP  CATTLE  SHOW  COM- 
MITTEES. 

Mr.  Editor  : — I  have  glanced  my  eye  over 
your  fair  sheet,  (No.  2  of  Vol  XII.,)  just  come 
to  hand,  and  am  pleased  to  find  the  doings  of 
my  own  county  so  handsomely  noticed  by  you. 
While  conscious  that  we  omit  many  things  that 
ought  to  be  done,  we  feel  proud  of  some  things 
that  we  have  done.  As  a  general  thing,  I  think 
our  committees  have  felt  more  fully  the  import- 
ance of  the  duties  entrusted  to  them,  and  the  re- 
sponsibility attached  to  their  reports,  than  is  felt 
in  most  societies.  In  truth  the  committees  are 
the  almoners  of  the  bounty  of  the  commonAvealth, 
when  acting  in  this  capacity,  and  as  much  in  honor 
bound  to  discharge  their  duty  with  good  fidelity, 
as  though  ten  times  as  much  were  entrusted  to  their 
awards.  Suppose  they  should  at  hap-hazard, 
with  no  intelligent  views  of  what  they  were  doing, 
recommend  an  implement  as  Avorthy  the  confi- 
dence of  the  farming  community — which  really 
was  of  no  value — and  in  consequence  of  such 
recommendation  many  of  their  neighbors  should 
purchase  such  implements,  would  they  not  be 
putting  forward  false  pretences  ?  I  think  they 
would.  It  is  not  enough  for  them  to  say  they 
intended  right,  and  did  the  best  they  could. 
They  should  first  be  careful  to  knoAV  what  is 
right,  and  then  vigilant  to  do  it,  and  nothing  dif- 
ferent. *»* 

South  Danvers,  Jan.,  1858. 


Fur  ihu  New  England  Farmer. 
THEN  AND  NOW. 

Mr.  Editor  : — Several  years  since  while  trav- 
elling from  Springfield  to  Boston,  I  made  the  ac- 
quaintance of  a  gentleman  (all  but  his  name)  who 
'  had  for  many  years  been  engaged  in  the  cotton 
manufactories  at  Palmer.  I  asked  him  if  he  had 
I  not,  during  his  connection  Avith  the  business,  Avit- 
jnessed  a  great  improvement  in  the  manufacture 
I  of  cotton.  "Yes,"  he  replied,  "but  no  greater 
jthan  I  have  seen  in  human  nature  in  general."' 
jTo  prove  his  assertion  he  gave  me  tAvo  short 
'chapters  of  his  observations,  Avhich  I  take  the* 
j  liber' y  to  quote. 

"When  I  came  here,  now  more  than  forty  years 
'ago,  we  spun  our  yarns  at  the  factory  and  people 
came  from  the  toAvns  around  and  took  themho.ne 
and  wove  them.  After  I  had  been  here  a  little 
while  I  was  sent  into  some  of  these  toAvns  to  fook 


18oS. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


139 


up  cloth  that  had  not  been  returned.  I  went 
through  a  part  of  Enfield,  Pelham,  Amherst  and 
Belchertown.  Their  farming  and  living  was  of 
the  meanest  sort.  The  mowing  fields  were  full  of 
bushes.  The  fences  were  poor.  The  houses  were 
small,  unpainted  and  open.  Back  of  the  house 
stood  a  haj'-stack,  with  a  few  poor  cattle  eating 
into  it  at  the  risk  of  being  buried  up.  Right  by 
the  door  was  half  a  load  of  green  wood,  the  axe 
standing  in  a  log  that  the  owner  was  too  lazy  to 
split.  Sitting  in  the  chimney  corner  within,  you 
■would  find  a  man  with  his  face  burnt  up  with 
cider  brandy,  and  about  the  house  a  poor,  dis- 
couraged looking  woman,  with  a  few  half-naked 
children.  The  school-houses  are  like  the  dwell- 
ing-houses, hardly  fit  for  the  cattle.  As  to  the 
people  I  Avanted  to  see,  no  one  could  tell  anything 
about  them.  They  had  died,  run  away,  disap- 
peared nobody  knew  where.  1  went  on  a  fool's 
errand. 

"This  was  forty  years  ago.  I  did  not  go  over 
the  ground  again  till  last  year,  when  I  went  to 
buy  timber  for  our  new  mill.  It  was  another 
country.  The  bushes  were  out  of  the  fields,  the 
hay-stacks  were  covered  by  good  barns.  Nice 
painted  houses  stood  where  the  old  hovels  stood 
before.  The  brandy  drinkers,  too,  had  died  off", 
and  the  women  and  children,  with  their  bright 
looks  and  neat,  comfortable  dresses,  had  no  re- 
semblance to  the  poor  creatures  I  saw  there  be- 
fore. I  can  show  you  a  bill  in  which  I  am  charged 
fifty  cents  for  cotton  cloth  not  so  good  as  we 
make  now  for  six,  but  I  tell  you.  Sir,  human  na- 
ture has  gone  ahead  in  the  last  fifty  years  more 
than  cotton  machinery.  It's  mind,  wideawake, 
that  makes  progress.  AVe  have  improved  our 
machines  now,  but  we  shall  improve  them  more. 
For  every  man^s  noddle  noic-a-days  is  on  the 
think." 

To  those  who  mourn  the  lateness  of  their  ad- 
vent, and  sigh  for  the  past,  I  commend  the  above. 
It  will  aid  them  in  forming  another  brilliant  pe- 
riod about  the  dear  old  times.  To  others  it  may 
furnish  the  occasion  of  thankfulness  for  their 
happier  lot,  and  an  encouragement  to  still  fui'ther 
improvement.  x. 

CANDY  AND  POISOM". 

A  paper  on  "Colored  Confectionary"  was  re- 
cently read  before  the  British  Association,  from 
which  we  condense  some  valuable  and  novel  in- 
formaiion.  We  learn  that,  for  economy's  sake, 
confectioners,  in  coloring  candies,  &c.,  have  re- 
course for  their  greens  to  Brunswick  green,  car- 
bonate of  copper,  or  arsenite  of  copper ;  for  the 
yellows,  to  chromate  of  lead  or  gamboge ;  for 
their  reds,  to  red  lead,  vermilion,  or  cinnabar ; 
and  for  their  whites,  to  white  lead.  These  are 
only  a  few  of  the  pernicious  coloring  agents  used, 
and'  they  are  among  the  deadliest  poisons.  The 
way  in  which  these  poisons  are  laid  on  also  de- 
serves a  word  of  passing  remark.  In  some  in- 
stances a  very  thin  coating  of  the  coloring  mat- 
ter is  used,  so  as  to  spread  over  a  very  large  sur- 
face a  small  portion  of  the  material  used  ;  but 
in  other  cases  the  very  reverse  is  the  fact,  and  in 
one  instance  a  quantity  of  arsenite  of  copper 
sufficient  to  destroy  the  life  of  a  healthy  adult 
was  procured  from  a  piece  of  ornamental  table 
confectionary,  not  the  size  of  a  sugar  almond. 
Confectioners  have  no  reason  to  use  these  poi- 


sons, for  there  are  harmless  vegetable  colors 
enough  to  answer  their  purposes.  Among  these 
are — for  jellows,  saffron,  tumeric, French  berries, 
quercitron  bark,  fustic-wood,  and  lakes  of  the 
last  four  colors.  Reds — cochineal,  lake  ditto,  in- 
cluding carmine,  Brazil  wood,  madder,  and  lakes 
of  the  last  two  colors.  Purples — madder  purple, 
logwood  and  indigo,  any  of  the  lakes  with  indigo 
or  litmus.  Blues — litmus  and  indigo.  Greens 
— sap  green  (ramnus  catharticits,)  mixtures  of 
any  of  the  vegetable  yellows  or  lakes  with  indi- 
go, including  Persian  berries  and  indigo.  Nor 
M'ould  the  products  of  their  arts  suffer  in  their 
attractive  appearance  by  the  employment  of  such 
colors.  We  most  strongly  advise  every  one  who 
values  his  health,  and  perhaps  his  life,  as  mat- 
ters are  at  present  constituted,  sedulously  to 
avoid  partaking  of  articles  of  confectionary  ex- 
hibiting either  blue  or  green,  but  especially  of 
such  as  are  green,  these  latter  being  but  too  fre- 
quently of  a  most  deadly  poisonous  nature. — 
A7n.  Druggist's  Circular. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
WASTE  NOT,  WANT  NOT. 

Mr.  H.,  of  B.,  New  Jersey,  with  a  family  of 
four  adult  persons,  and  with  the  intention  of  be- 
ing strictly  economical,  deems  it  necessary  to 
consume  eight  pounds  of  Havana  sugar  and  one 
or  two  pounds  of  grained  sugar  a  week,  beside  a 
good  deal  of  molasses  and  a  little  honey  and 
syrup.  The  aggregate  is  equivalent  to  at  least 
five  hundred  pounds  of  sugar  a  year. 

Mr.  A.,  of  J.,  in. New  Jersey,  in  a  family  often 
persons,  several  of  whom  are  mere  children,  uses 
nine  pounds  of  Havana  sugar  and  one  pound  of 
loaf  sugar,  besides  much  molasses  and  syrup, 
every  week.  This  is  equal  to  the  consumption  of 
something  more  than  five  hundred  pounds  of 
sugar,  yearly. 

Mr.  H.,  of ,  in  the   State  of  New  York, 

consumes,  in  a  family  of  little  more  the  average 
size  and  number,  from  four  hundred  to  seven 
hundred  pounds  of  maple  sugar  yearly,  besides 
some  molasses  and  honey,  and  a  small  quantity 
of  sugar  from  Havana. 

Mrs.  J.  C,  of  E.,  in  Massachusetts,  in  a  com- 
pany of  about  twenty  persons,  partly  boarders 
and  partly  her  own  children,  uses  seventy-four 
pounds  of  sugar  a  month,  besides  several  gallons 
of  syrup  and  molasses ;  equal,  it  is  believed,  to 
about  one  thousand  pounds  of  sugar  yearly. 

Now,  reader,  is  not  here  a  tremendous  waste  ? 
In  the  first  place,  it  is  a  waste  of  vital  energy  ; 
for  sugar  is  almost  Avholly  carbon,  and  the  terri- 
ble confiagration  it  causes  in  the  lungs,  exhausts, 
prematurely,  the  vital  energies  of  the  system  and 
thus  wastes  the  precious  stock  which  God  has  as- 
signed us,  of  health  and  life.  But,  secondly,  it 
is  a  waste  of  property  ;  for  most  of  our  food  is 
sweet  enough,  without  any  addition  of  saccharine 
substance.  Some  of  the  articles  which  come  to 
our  tables  contain  from  four  to  eight  per  cent,  of 
saccharine  matter;  so  that  he  who  consumes  si>; 
or  eight  pounds  of  food  of  various  kinds  a  day 
receives  from  four  to  six  ounces  of  sugar  at  the 
same  time.  And  who  that  is  not  wiser  than  lie 
who  formed  him  and  appointed  him  his  daily 
food  shall  say  that  from  a  quarter  of  a  pound  to 


140 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


MakCH 


a  pound  of  sugar  a  day  is  not  sufficient  for  na- 
ture's best  purposes  ? 

It  is  no  trifling  tax  to  pay  fifty  dollars  a  year 
for  sugar,  in  a  family  of  little  more  than  ordinary 
dimensions.  Yet  many  do  it ;  and  many  more 
expend  in  this  way  from  one-half  to  three-fourths 
that  sum.  Why,  twenty-five  dollars  only,  or  one- 
half  the  maximum  of  this  waste,  would  buy  three 
barrels  of  the  best  wheat  flour,  which  would  make 
about  eight  hundred  pounds  of  good  bread,  or 
more  than  two  pounds  to  a  family  daily  for  the 
whole  year ;  or  it  would  give  twelve  hundred 
pounds  of  Indian  meal ;  or  some  four  or  five 
pounds  of  Indian  bread  daily  for  the  same  time. 
Is  there  then,  in  the  use  of  what  as  Christian 
economists  we  may  justly  call  extra  sugar,  no 
waste  ?  Is  there  no  practical  disregard  of  the  in- 
junction, "Waste  not,  want  not?  "  And  to  people 
who  waste  thus,  is  the  discipline  of  hard  times  un- 


necessary i 


W.  A.  A. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
UJSTDEKDRAINIWG. 

Mr.  Editor  : — Enclosed  is  two  dollars  to  pay 
for  the  Farmer  another  year.  I  am  much  pleased 
and  instructed  with  it,  because  I  get  the  experi- 
ence of  so  many  of  my  brother  farmers  upon  ag- 
ricultural improvements.  I  am  glad  to  see  the 
subject  of  underdraining  is  beginning  to  be  dis- 
cussed in  the  Farmer.  From  the  little  imperfect 
experience  that  I  have  had,  I  feel  satisfied  that  i^ 
will  prove  one  of  the  greatest  improvements  that 
can  be  made  in  New  England.  I  think  it  would 
be  much  better  for  those  who  have  any  spare  in- 
come, to  spend  it  in  underdraining  than  it  is  to 
purchase  more  land.  I  feel  satisfied  that  a  great 
deal  of  land,  that  is  now  cultivated  with  great 
difficulty  because  it  is  so  late  in  the  season  before 
it  can  be  worked  upon,  might  by  proper  under- 
draining  be  made  to  produce  double  the  amount 
that  is  now  obtained  ;  beside  having  the  conven- 
ience of  working  upon  it  early  in  the  season  with- 
out any  fear  of  being  injured  by  drought — for 
land  that  needs  underdraining,  if  properly  plowed, 
will  seldom  be  afl"ected  by  drought.  I  hope  to 
see  more  upon  this  important  subject  from  the 
pens  of  those  who  are  better  acquainted  with  it 
than  the  writer  of  this  article. 

Thomas  Haskell. 

Gloucester,  Januanj  1,  1858. 


STOP  IN  TIME. 


Young  man,  you  who  take  your  glass  of  grog, 
because  it  is  fashionable,  accept  a  friendly  warn 
ing  of  your  danger  and  stop  in  time.  The  custom 
is  fraught  with  danger,  and  so  sure  as  you  persist 
in  it,  so  sure  will  you  become  a  slave  to  the  bottle 
You  may  think  there  is  no  danger  of  this — that 
you  are  so  strong  within  yourself  that  you  can 
stop  at  any  point  upon  the  road  to  ruin  and  re 
trace  your  steps  with  ease.  Deluded  man,  you 
may  see  your  error  when  it  is  too  late ;  for  there 
is  a  point  upon  the  dangerous  road  from  beyond 
which  few  have  ever  returned,  and  these  few  have 
performed  the  feat  with  almost  superhuman  strug- 
gles. You  can  break  the  habit  noio — its  fetters 
are  not  rivetted  as  yet,  and  now  is  the  time  to 
break  loose  from  a  custom  which  will  inevitably 
ruin  you  if  you  persist  in  its  jiractice.     You  are 


strong  enough  now  to  stop,  and  you  peril  your 
life  and  your  soul  by  risking  the  gathering  dan- 
ger any  longer.  Your  helpless  weakness  will 
come  upon  you  in  an  hour  when  you  least  expect 
it.  You  will  be  in  the  midst  of  a  debauching 
revel,  and  then  gaunt  danger  will  suddenly  stand 
out  before  you,  and  you  will  then  feel  your  help- 
lessness and  want  of  power  to  grapple  with  a 
curse  the  most  afflictive  that  ever  scourged  hu- 
manity.    Stop  in  time. — Spirit  of  the  Age. 


THE  PREACHING  OF  THE  TREES. 

At  midnight  hour,  when  silence  reigns, 

Through  all  the  woodland  spaces, 
Begin  the  bushes  and  the  trees 
To  wave  and  whisper  in  the  breeze, 
All  talking  in  their  places. 

The  Rose-bush  flames  with  looks  of  joy. 

And  perfume  breathes  in  glowing ; 
"A  Rose's  life  is  quickly  past ! 
Then  let  me  while  my  time  shall  last, 

Be  richly,  gaily  blowing!" 

The  Aspen  whispers,  "Sunken  day ! 

Not  me  thy  glare  deceiyeth ! 
Thy  sunbeam  is  a  deadly  dart. 
That  quivers  in  the  Rose's  heart — 

My  shuddering  soul  it  grieveth  !" 

The  slender  Poplar  speaks  and  seems 

To  stretch  her  green  hands  higher ; 
"Up  yonder  life's  pure  river  flows. 
So  sweetly  murmurs,  brightly  glows. 

To  that  I  still  aspire  !" 

The  Willow  looks  to  earth  and  speaks : 

"My  arm  to  fold  thee  yeameth ; 
I  let  my  hair  float  down  to  thee  ; 
Entwine  therein  thy  flowers  for  me  ; 

As  mother,  child  adometb  !" 

And  next  the  wealthy  Plum  tree  sighs  : 

"Alas  !  my  treasure  crush  me  ! 
This  load  with  which  my  shoulders  groan 
Take  off— it  is  not  mine  alone. 

By  robbing,  you  refresh  me  !" 

The  Fir  tree  speaks  in  cheerful  mood : 

"A  blossom  bore  I  never ; 
But  steadfastness  is  all  my  store  ; 
In  Summer's  heat,  in  Winter's  roar, 

I  keep  my  green  forever  !" 

The  proud  and  lofty  Oak  tree  sxjeaks : 

"God's  thunderbolt  confounds  me  ! 
And  yet  no  storm  can  bow  me  down. 
Strength  is  ray  stem  and  strength  my  crown ; 

Ye  weak  ones,  gather  round  me  !" 

The  Ivy  vine  kept  close  to  him, 

Her  tendrils  round  him  flinging; 
"He  who  no  strength  has  of  his  own, 
Or  loves  not  well  to  stand  alone, 

May  to  a  fnend  be  clinging." 

Much  else,  not  half  forgot,  they  said ; 

And  still  to  me  came  creeping. 
Low-whispered  words,  upon  the  air, 
While  by  the  grave  alone  stood  there 

The  Cypress  mutely  weeping. 

O  !  might  they  reach  one  human  heart, 

These  tender  accents  creeping ! 
What  wonder  if  they  do  not  teach  ? 
The  trees  by  starlight  only  preach, 

When  we  must  needs  be  sleeping. 

Tennessee  Farmer  and  Mechumc- 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


141 


LETTER  S'ROM  MB.  BROWN. 

Washington,  Jan.  21,  1858. 

My  Dear  Sir  : — In  my  last  letter  I  closed  a 
brief  account  of  the  transactions  of  the  U.  S. 
Agricultural  Society,  spoke  of  the  Aquarium  at 
Smithsonian  Institute,  and  had  a  word  upon  gen- 
eral matters.  Since  then  I  have  visited  most  of 
the  public  buildings  and  grounds  in  the  city, 
looked  in  several  times  upon  both  branches  of 
Congress,  exchanged  civilities  with  many  old  ac- 
quaintances, and  have  found  every  where  some- 
thing to  interest  and  instruct. 

The  general  appearance  of  the  city  has  been 
very  much  improved  since  my  visit  to  it  in  1856. 
A  new  style  of  architecture  has  been  introduced 
in  the  construction  of  dwellings,  which  greatly 
relieves  the  eye  from  the  monotony  of  high,  un- 
ornamental  brick  walls  which  were  every  where 
peering  to  the  clonds.  A  large  number  of  the 
streets  are  also  lined  with  fine  trees  for  shade, 
such  as  the  maple,  elm  and  ailanthus,  which  will 
soon  afford  protection  from  hot  suns,  and  be  high- 
ly ornamental  to  the  wide  and  glaring  sidewalks 
and  streets.  During  the  administration  of  Ma- 
jor B.  B.  French,  as  Commissioner  of  Public 
Buildings  and  Grounds,  he  caused  several  thous- 
and shade  trees  to  be  planted,  which  are  now 
greatly  improving  the  appearance  of  the  city,  as 
well  as  having  a  highly  salutary  effect  in  a  sani- 
tary point  of  view. 

The  Oeneral  Post  Office  building,  which  is  con- 
structed of  white  marble,  has  been  nearly  dou- 
bled in  size  since  the  first  part  of  it  was  erected, 
and  is  a  noble  structure.  The  Patent  Office  has 
also  been  greatly  enlarged,  occupies  a  whole 
square,  and  is  the  most  magnificent  of  all  the 
public  buildings,  with  the  exception  of  the  Capi- 
tol. The  Treasury  Department  has  been  largely 
extended,  and  when  finished  will  present  the 
longest  and  most  imposing  colonnade  to  be  found 
in  the  world.  These  buildings  are  all  in  the  pro- 
cess of  completion,  aff'ording  employment  for  a 
large  number  of  men,  using  vast  quantities  of 
raw  and  manufactured  material,  especially  iron, 
and  making  a  quick  and  excellent  home  market 
for  all  the  products  of  the  farms  in  that  region. 
Judging  from  the  appearance  of  the  workmen  as 
I  passed  them,  I  should  think  a  large  portion  of 
them  were  foreigners ;  those  engaged  on  the 
coarser  work,  such  as  excavating,  removing  stone, 
lumber  or  iron,  being  Irishmen,  while  those  oc- 
cupied as  stone-cutters  or  sculptors,  were  Ger- 
mans, and  the  painters,  or  at  least  those  engaged 
in  the  fresco  painting,  were  Italians. 

But  the  building  which  most  attracts  the  at- 
tention of  all,  is  the  Capitol,  as  its  magnitude 
and  high  position  give  it  a  prominence  over  all 
others — indeed  over  every  thing  else.  It  is  con- 
structed of  white  marble,  a  large  portion  of  which 


is  brought,  I  understand,  from  quarries  in  the 
town  of  Lee,  Mass.  The  new  wings  are  covered 
in,  the  roofs  being  iron  and  cement  with  plates 
of  glass  three-eighths  of  an  inch  thick.  These 
plates  are  of  suflRcient  strength  for  workmen  to 
travel  over  in  any  direction,  but  were  readily 
broken  to  atoms  by  the  terrific  hail-storm  which 
occurred  in  Washington  last  summer,  accompa- 
nied by  thunder  and  lightning,  so  that  "fire  and 
hail  actually  ran  along  upon  the  ground  !"  Thous- 
ands of  panes  of  glass  were  broken  and  the  gar- 
dens and  crops  torn  to  pieces  and  scattered  abroad 
wherever  the  storm  passed.  The  hail  stones  were 
as  large  as  common-sized  hens'  eggs,  and  fell  with 
tremendous  force.  It  was  represented  to  us  as  a 
terrific  scene.  Where  blinds  were  not  closed 
there  were  showers  of  broken  glass  as  well  as 
hail,  and  it  was  found  difficult  to  close  those  that 
were  open,  the  blows  of  the  stones  were  so  rapid 
and  heavy.  All  animals  sought  shelter ;  fowls 
fluttered  in  wild  confusion — horses  broke  from 
their  fastenings,  and  cattle  ran  bellowing  from 
their  pastures  in  paroxysms  of  pain  and  fright. 
In  the  glass  houses  at  the  Botanical  Garden,  and 
the  green  houses  of  the  city  there  were  scarcely 
any  whole  panes  left,  while  the  plants  were  sadly 
broken  and  riddled  and  scattered  about. 

The  grounds  now  enclosed  around  the  Capitol 
have  an  area  of  about  thirty  acres,  and  are  pleas- 
antly laid  out  and  planted  with  a  great  variety 
of  trees  and  shrubs,  while  plats  of  various  shapes 
are  filled  with  a  variety  of  flowers  blooming  in 
succession  from  February  until  November  or  De- 
cember. Some  of  the  fine  maples,  American  or 
English  elms,  and  a  few  sycamore  or  button  wood 
trees,  have  already  attained  such  a  size  as  to  ob- 
struct the  view  of  the  magnificent  building  itseli, 
and  already  need  a  judicious  thinning  and  prun- 
ing. It  is  now  in  contemplation  to  enlarge  these 
grounds  to  more  than  double  their  original  size, 
and  I  understand  that  a  committee  of  both 
branches  have  agreed  to  make  such  a  report. 
Such  an  enlargement  of  the  grounds  becomes 
necessary  since  the  extension  of  the  building,  as 
the  wings  now  extend  north  and  south,  to  the 
very  sidewalks  of  Pennsylvania  Avenue  itself. 
It  is  the  intention  to  increase  the  space  on  all 
sides  of  the  present  grounds,  and  thus  bring 
them  into  proportion  with  the  grandeur  and  mag- 
nificence of  the  structure  to  which  they  must  al- 
ways be  the  beautiful  and  appropriate  surround- 
ings. 

The  Capitol  is  a  miniature  world,  and  a  world 
of  wonder,  too.  Its  length  is  740  feet,  and  its 
width  270,  and  covers,  including  its  terraces, 
which  enclose  a  series  of  rooms,  some  five  or  six 
acres  of  land.  The  new  dome  now  in  process  of 
construction  will  surpass  in  grandeur,  in  beauty 
of    conception,   in   style    and  magnificence,  any 


142 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


March 


thing  of  the  kind  on  this  continent,  and  perhaps 
not  excelled  by  any  similar  structure  in  the  world. 
It  will  rise  300  feet  from  the  base,  and  230  feet 
from  the  top  of  the  building,  and  will  be  sur- 
mounted by  a  colossal  figure  representing  the 
Genius  of  America,  designed  by  Crawford.  The 
pediments  in  the  extensions  are  also  to  be  filled 
with  colossal  statuary,  much  of  which  is  already 
cut  and  ready  to  occupy  its  place. 

Many  of  the  rooms  are  finished  and  painted  in 
fresco  with  exquisite  taste  and  beauty.  The  col- 
ors are  brilliant,  and  are  not  placed  on  the  sur- 
face merely,  but  are  imbedded  through  the  entire 
thickness  of  the  mortar,  so  that  if  a  fourth  of  an 
inch  of  the  plastering  were  scraped  off,  the  paint- 
ing would  still  remain.  The  designs  upon  the 
walls  are  emblematical,  or  illustrative  of  the 
business  of  the  committee  which  occupies  the 
room.  In  the  room  of  the  committee  on  agricul- 
tvre,  for  instance,  Cincinnatus,  and  his  oxen,  men 
and  plow  are  represented  as  at  work  in  the  field, 
and  at  the  opposite  end  of  the  room  Gen.  Put- 
nam with  his  hands  are  figured  as  engaged  in  ru- 
ral labor, — while  all  the  ceiling  glows  with  the 
ripened  harvest,  with  golden  grain  and  luscious 
fruits.  In  the  room  of  naval  affairs,  the  engines 
of  war,  and  in  that  of  commerce,  bales  of  goods, 
views  of  distant  lands,  or  fine  models  of  merchant 
ships,  with  their  spreading  sails  whitening  every 
sea. 

The  floors  in  the  passages  are  constructed  of  a 
material  made  of  ground  flint  and  clay,  baked 
very  hard,  aud  are  inlaid  with  various  colors. 
The  blocks  are  three-quarters  of  an  inch  thick, 
cut  into  various  shnpes,  and  laid  so  as  to  form  a 
mosaic  or  tesselated  pavement,  which  is  very 
bright  and  beautiful.  The  roofs  are  cast  iron,  and 
to  prevent  an  outward  pressure  of  the  walls  by 
the  expansion  of  the  iron  in  hot  Aveather,  the  ends 
of  the  rafters  rest  on  a  series  of  rollers  on  the 
top  of  the  M'alls,  so  that  as  they  expand,  they  roll 
out,  and  return  as  they  cool  and  contract. 

The  new  Hall  of  the  House  of  Representatives 
is  vast  and  magnificent ;  the  ceiling  is  stained 
glass,  35  feet  from  the  floor,  and  above  this,  the 
glass  roof  admits  the  light,  which  streams  down 
and  kindles  the  rich  painting  and  gilding  into  a 
soft  and  delightful  glow.  The  chamber  is  lighted 
from  above,  is  in  the  centre  of  the  new  south 
wing,  and  is  entirely  excluded  from  all  external 
objects  and  sounds.  In  its  walls  around  the  room 
are  18  panels  to  be  painted  in  fresco,  one  of 
which  only  is  now  filled.  Galleries  extend  around 
the  room,  back  of  which  are  many  niches  yet  to 
be  filled  with  statuary.  Between  the  Hall  and 
the  outsides  of  the  building  are  corridors,  rooms 
with  tesselated  pavements,  for  hats  and  coats  of 
the  members,  or  clerks,  or  committees,  or  retir- 
ing rooms. 


Some  writers  have  commented  with  free  pens 
upon  the  design  and  finish  of  this  room,  as  being 
constructed  adversely  to  the  principles  of  acous- 
tics, ornamented  in  a  tawdry  and  whimsical  man- 
ner, and  without  the  exercise  of  a  just  and  refined 
taste.  It  seems  to  me  that  these  objections  are 
somewhat  captious,  and  at  least  not  well-founded 
On  entering  the  Hall  for  the  first  time,  I  felt  a 
gush  of  pleasure  for  which  I  was  not  prepared, 
because  impressions  to  the  contrary  had  been 
previously  received.  There  was  a  soft  and  pleas- 
ant light,  but  no  glare  ;  the  air  was  warm,  but 
pure  and  elastic,  and,  save  what  noise  was  atten- 
dant upon  the  business  of  the  session,  the  bustle 
of  the  busy  world  had  no  admission  there.  There 
is  much  gilding  and  bright  colors  in  painting,  I 
admit,  but  these  seem  necessary  to  give  a  cheer- 
ful aspect  to  a  room  so  secluded  from  the  direct 
solar  light.  The  finish  is  gorgeous,  but  not  taw- 
dry or  whimsical.  In  the  original  design  by 
Walter,  this  room  extended  to  the  outer  walls, 
but  was  revised  by  Capt.  H.  C.  Meigs,  of  the 
corps  of  Engineers,  who  is  in  charge  of  the  ex- 
tension of  the  Capitol,  the  Post-office  building 
and  the  construction  of  the  Washington  Aque- 
duct. One  of  the  charges  urged  against  the  Rep- 
resentatives' Chamber  is,  that  little  can  be  heard 
on  the  floor  or  in  the  galleries  when  a  member  is 
speaking  ;  but  this  cannot  be  the  fault  of  the 
room,  for  on  the  Sabbath,  when  the  passions  are 
hushed,  and  the  services  of  the  place  are  con- 
ducted "decently  and  in  oi'der,"  the  faint  voice  of 
the  preacher  can  be  distinctly  heard  in  every 
part.  When  the  distinguished  Virginian,  An- 
drew Stevenson,  was  Speaker  of  the  House, 
there  was  a  proposition  to  alter  the  Hall,  and 
several  members  called  upon  him  to  inquire,  if  it 
were  possible  to  remedy  the  difficulty  in  hearing? 
He  promptly  replied,  '■^certainly,  let  every  member 
behave  like  a  gentleman  !  and  there  will  be  no  dif- 
ficidtg."  And  this  is  all  that  is  necessary.  If 
there  were  7io  desks  in  the  Hall,  no  franking  of 
documents,  no  letter  ivnting,  no  conversation,  and 
no  reading  of  netvspapers,  there  would  be  no  dif- 
ficulty in  hearing  the  speeches  of  members,  and 
the  business  of  the  session  would  be  done  in 
about  half  the  time  usually  occupied  heretofore. 
Capt.  Meigs  did  not  undertake  to  construct  a 
room  where  a  man's  voice  could  be  heard  despite 
the  scratching  of  hundreds  of  pens,  the  rattling 
and  cracking  of  hot  political  newspapers,  the 
rushing  of  pages  and  the  tumbling  of  huge  tomes 
into  wooden  boxes  !  As  well  might  the  House 
assemble  on  the  sea-shore,  and  ask  that  remorse- 
less element  to  be  still,  as  to  transact  business 
comfortably  under  the  existing  circumstances  in 
that  Babel  of  confusion,  the  House  of  Represen- 
tatives of  the  United  States.  I  am  inclined  to 
the  opinion  that  Capt.  Meigs  has  achieved  a  com- 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


14:5 


plete  success,  and  that  not  only  this  room,  but 
the  skill  with  which  he  has  projected,  and  is  exe- 
cuting his  plans,  redound  to  his  fame  as  an  Engi- 
neer of  no  common  order.  He  is  a  gentleman  of 
commanding  personal  appearance,  of  great  ur- 
banity of  manner,  quick  to  comprehend  and  sug- 
gest, and  an  able  and  faithful  piiblic  officer. 

The  Library  of  Congress  is  on  the  west  front 
of  the  capitol,  from  the  piaaza  of  which  there  is  a 
commanding  view  of  the  cities  of  Georgetown 
and  Alexandria,  and  a  long  reach  of  the  Potomac 
river  and  valley,  and  the  forests  that  skirt  the 
western  shore,  as  far  as  the  eye  can  reach.  Large 
additions  are  annually  made  to  the  Library,  and 
since  its  destruction  by  fire  a  few  years  since,  it 
has  been  rebuilt  with  considerable  splendor,  and 
highly  finished  in  every  part.  Mr.  Meehan,  Li- 
brarian, and  his  Assistant,  Charles  Y/.  Hinman, 
Esq.,  are  entitled  to  my  thanks,  for  kind  personal 
attentions  during  my  perambulations  over  the 
Capitol. 

In  the  process  of  constructing  this  massive 
pile,  I  was  informed  that  every  stone  that  is  laid 
into  the  face  of  the  walls  is  sketched  upon  paper 
before  it  is  cut,  thus  giving  the  workman  an  ac- 
curate idea  of  what  he  is  to  bring  out  of  it. — 
Every  part  of  the  outside  of  the  Avork  is  also  pho- 
tographed as  the  work  progresses,  so  that  the 
appearances  of  the  building  in  its  ditferent  stages 
are  all  preserved,  and,  perhaps,  may  hereafter  be 
published.  INIr. Wood  conducts  the  op- 
erations of  this  beautiful  art,  and  it  will  afford  me 
sincere  pleasure  to  reciprocate  his  kind  attentions 
whenever  he  may  visit  our  city  of  notions. 

Delegations  of  the  Pawnee  and  Sioux  tribes  of 
Lidians  are  here,  and  are  large,  well-formed  and 
fine-looking  men.  They  are  dressed  in  blankets 
■with  broad  red  stripes,  their  faces  painted  in  In- 
dian Chief  style,  and  their  heads  decorated  with 
the  feathers  of  various  birds.  Their  chins  are  as 
innocent  of  beard  as  that  of  a  woman,  but  their 
countenances  betoken  energy  and  a  stern  will. 
They  are  treated  with  marked  attention  by  the 
government,  and  everything  is  done  to  impi-ess 
upon  their  minds  the  power  of  the  pale  faces 
whose  guests  they  are. 

The  government  Botanical  Garden  is  situated 
west  of  the  Capitol  and  immediately  across  the 
Avenue  from  the  Capitol  grounds.  It  is  neither 
large  nor  extraordinary  in  any  respect,  otherwise 
than  as  containing  a  collection  of  the  plants 
brought  by  Commodore  Perry  in  the  Japan  ex- 
pedition. These,  of  course,  are  new  to  our  peo- 
ple, and  are  therefore  interesting.  Among  the 
plants  there  I  saw  the  cinnamon  and  breadfruit 
trees,  the  India  rubber  and  palm  trees,  the  guava 
tree,  from  the  fruit  of  which  the  excellent  jelly  of 
commerce  is  made,  several  species  of  pines  un- 
like any  of  ours,  the  rose  wood  tree  and  the  tea 


plant,  some  of  the  latter  being  in  blossom.  The 
plants,  grounds,  &c.,  are  in  the  care  of  Mr.  Wil- 
liam R.  Smith,  a  gentleman  educated  in  the 
Kew  gardens,  in  England,  and  to  whom  I  am  in- 
debted for  kind  attentions. 

!  I  shall  leave  here  to-morrow  and  after  spend- 
j  ing  a  few  days  in  New  York,  be  at  my  post  again, 
as  usual.  Yery  truly  yours, 

Joel  Nourse,  Esq.,  Boston.      SiMOX  BnowN. 


Fur  the  Netv  England  Furmer. 

"WINTER  BUTTER    AND    DE.  ALCOTT. 

Mr.  Editor  : — I  saw  an  article  in  the  Farmer 
of  Jan.  2d,  from  the  pen  of  Mr.  Silas  Brown,  in 
Vegard  to  making  winter  butter.  AUovv  me  to 
add  a  word  of  my  experience.  He  says,  "we  set 
,  the  pans  on  the  stove  or  some  other  hot  place." 
[Now  I  much  prefer  to  place  them  over  a  kettle 
of  boiling  water,  as  then  there  is  no  danger  of 
[burning  the  millc  or  melting  the  pan,  which  is 
j  frequently  done  when  set  on  the  stove,  unles>i 
j  great  care  is  used.  In  regard  to  churning  as 
often  in  winter  as  in  summer,  I  think  those  M'ho 
■have  but  a  small  dairy,  say  but  one  cow,  would 
[find  it  quite  impracticable,  as  they  would  often 
find  themselves  minus  the  cream.  My  plan  is, 
when  I  gather  cream  but  slowly,  to  set  it  where 
it  will  freeze  and  keep  so,  till  I  get  enough  for  a 
good  churning,  then  thaw  it  gradually  and  bring 
it  to  the  right  temperature ;  to  it  may  be  add- 
ed carrot  juice  if  you  choose.  I  do  not  think 
that  freezing  the  cream  after  it  has  once  been 
scalded,  detracts  one  iota  from  its  goodness  or 
adds  in  the  least  to  the  labor  of  churning. 

After  all,  if  we  would  only  take  Dr.  Alcott's 
advice  in  another  column,  we  might  save  our- 
selves all  this  labor  and  trouble.  I  think  we 
women  ought  to  go  down  on  our  knees  to  thank 
ihim  for  his  efforts  in  striving  to  lighten  our  Inir- 
dens — and  yet,  when  I  eat  bread  and  milk  Avith 
a  knife  and  fork,  I  always  want  either  tlie  cream 
or  a  little  sprinkling  of  sugar  added,  and  a  hasty 
pudding  made  of  corn  or  rye  meal,  and  boiled 
rice,  occasionally,  by  way  of  variety. 
Gardner,  Mass.,  1858.  Mrs.  H.  Barlow. 


HORN  AIIi...HOIiIiO"W  HORN. 

There  is  no  such  thing.  This  is  our  settled  be- 
lief; or  at  most  it  is  merely  an  incorrect  name 
for  some  ailment,  which  has  no  more  to  do  with 
the  horns  than  with  other  parts  of  the  body  not 
particularly  diseased.  The  horns  are  at  the  base 
exceedingly  thin  as  we  all  know,  they  are  very 
good  conductors  of  heat,  and  they  cover  a  bone, 
the  pith,  which  with  its  integuments  is  exceeding- 
ly vascular,  as  is  evinced  when  a  horn  is  broken 
and  the  blood-vessels  ruptured,  the  flow  of  blood 
is  vastly  greater  than  when  any  other  bone  is. 
broken  or  bruised.  Hence  it  is  that  by  feeling- 
of  the  horns  it  is  easy  to  ascertain  the  general 
temperature  of  the  animal — if  it  is  feverish  and 
heated  the  horns  are  hot,  if  debilitated  its  ener- 
gies in  a  measure  prostrated,  the  horns  will  not 
be  so  warm  as  usual.  Standard  writers  on  vet- 
erinary practice  either  deny  the  existence  of  the 
disease  or  say  not  a  word  about  it. 


144 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


March 


CULTURE    OF  THE    GRAPE. 

The  Grape  consijicuous  among  Vegetable  Productions— Quick- 
ness of  Growtli— Great  Agu — Its  exemption  from  Bliglit  and 
other  Diseases — Type  of  Plenty — Position  for  Borders — Prun- 
ing— Manures  for — General  Cultivation — Mode  of  Keeping. 

The  idea  long  prevailed  that  the  grape  could 
only  be  cultivated  by  a  few  persons,  enjoying  the 
most  favored  localities,  and  who  had  given  the 
subject  long  and  careful  attention ;  that  there 
was  some  mystery  about  it  Avhich  could  not  be 
fathomed  by  the  common  farmer  or  gardener. 
Happily,  that  idea  has  nearly,  but  not  quite,  lost 
its  force,  and  large  numbers  of  persons  are  avail- 
ing themselves  of  the  benefits  which  the  vine 
and  its  products  confer  upon  the  people.  This 
good  work  has  been  accomplished,  mainly, 
through  tlie  practical  treatises  of  the  culture  of 
the  vine,  which  have  from  time  to  time  been  laid 
before  the  public.  The  perusal  of  these  treatises 
took  away  that  mysterious  air  which  so  long  en- 
veloped the  subject,  and  led  so  many  to  a  trial, 
that  thousands  are  now  seeking  for  some  plain, 
practical  rules  for  planting  and  tending  the  vine, 
and  for  preserving  the  fruit.  These  treatises  may 
be  purchased  for  50  cents  to  $1,00  each,  and  any 
one  of  them  would  be  of  service  to  a  person  who 
intends  to  cultivate  but  a  single  vine.  Clement 
Hoare,  J.  Fiske  Allen,  Charles  Reemelin  and 
Robert  Buchanan  have  each  prepared  a  work  of 
sufficient  clearness  to  enable  any  one  to  take  up 
the  matter  understandingly,  and  to  prosecute  it 
successfully. 

The  first  mentioned  writer  states  that  "of  all 
the  vegetable  productions  of  the  world  which  the 
skill  and  ingenuity  of  man  have  rendered  condu- 
cive to  his  comfort  and  to  the  enlargement  of 
the  sphere  of  his  enjoyments,  and  of  the  increase 
of  his  pleasurable  gratification,  the  vine  stands 
forward  as  the  most  pre-eminently  conspicuous. 
Its  quickness  of  growth,  the  great  age  to  which 
it  will  live, — so  great,  indeed,  as  to  be  unknown  ; 
its  almost  total  exemption  from  all  those  adverse 
contingencies  which  blight  and  diminish  the  prod- 
uce of  other  fruit-bearing  trees  ;  its  wonderful 
fertility,  and  its  delicious  fruit,  applicable  to  so 
many  purposes,  and  agreeable  to  all  palates,  in 
all  its  varied  shapes, — combine  to  make  it  out  as 
one  of  the  greatest  blessings  bestowed  by  Prov- 
idence to  promote  the  comforts  and  enjoyments 
■of  the  human  race."  It  has  been  mentioned  by 
most  of  the  old  writers,  and  strikes  us  with  equal 
force  now,  as  the  type  of  plenty  and  the  symbol 
of  happiness,  when  we  see  its  beautiful  vines 
creeping  over  lattice-work,  or  its  tempting  clus- 
ters shining  on  the  autumnal  sun. 

Some  fine  grape  may  undoubtedly  be  found 
that  is  sufficiently  hardy  to  ripen  in  our  most 
northerly  States  ;  but  if  this  is  not  so,  their  seeds 
should  be  sown  in  large  numbers  through  a  se- 
ries  of  years,  until  some  one  will  be  produced 


conforming  to  the  climate  in  which  it  grew.  It  is 
believed,  however,  that  the  Concord,  ]_)iana,  Dela- 
ware, Rebecca,  Union,  and  some  others,  will  ripen 
in  any  of  the  northen  States  in  favorable  seasons. 

We  now  propose  to  give  a  few  plain  sugges- 
tions in  regard  to  vine  culture,  which  we  are  en- 
abled to  make  from  some  personal  experience, 
from  observation,  and  a  pretty  extensive  reading 
of  the  practices  of  the  successful  grape  groAvers 
of  New  England  :     And  first. 

Of  Soil  and  Position. — If  a  person  will  allow  his 
mind  to  recur  to  the  jjositioii  and  the  soil  where 
he  has  often  seen  the  grape-vine  growing  in  a  wild 
state,  he  will  find  that  it  is  usually  in  some  shel- 
tered nook,  looking  out  "upon  the  warm  south, 
where  the  vines  can  stretch  away  over  the  tops 
of  alders  or  young  maples,  and  bathe  in  the  sun- 
light and  elaborate  the  juices  which  are  to  perfect 
their  seeds, — and  that  the  soil  is  not  a  compact, 
clayey  one,  but  is  a  rich,  sandy  loam,  kept  light 
and  porous  by  numerous  stones  and  the  roots  of 
the  surrounding  growth.  Here,  then,  is  a  hint 
from  Nature  herself,  teaching  us  in  what  position 
and  in  what  kind  of  soil  to  place  our  young  plant. 
If  the  subsoil  be  stony  or  gravelly,  so  much  the 
better  ;  for  the  roots  will  run  with  eagerness  in- 
to all  the  clefts,  crevices  and  openings  in  which 
such  subsoils  abound.  In  these  dry  and  warm 
situations  the  roots  will  spread  themselves  in  ev- 
ery direction,  and  throw  out  innumerable  fibres  to 
cling  around  the  warm  stones,  and  extract  from 
among  them  their  peculiar  food.  This,  then,  sug- 
gests to  us  what 

A  Border  Ought  to  be. — By  a  border  is  meant 
the  strip  of  earth  into  which  the  root  is  to  be 
planted.  The  position  of  the  border,  as  has  al- 
ready been  suggested,  should  be  a  cozy  nook, 
facing  the  south,  if  possible.  Then  let  it  be  suf- 
ficiently long  to  accommodate  the  number  of 
plants  to  be  set ;  the  distance  they  are  to  stand 
from  each  other  may  be  five  to  ten  feet,  to  suit 
the  fancy  or  to  conform  to  the  mode  in  which  it 
is  intended  to  prune  them — as  sometimes  the  vine 
is  wanted /or  shade  as  well  as  fruit.  If  the  soil 
is  loose  and  gravelly  below,  it  is  not  absolutely 
necessary  to  throw  out  the  subsoil  ;  but  to  secure 
a  rapid  growth  and  prolific  bearers,  it  is  best  to 
dig  down  about  three  feet,  and  to  fill  the  lower 
part  with  broken  stones,  oyster  or  clam  shells,  or 
especially  old  bones,  and  then  fill  in  with  the  top 
soil  that  was  removed,  mingled  with  common 
barn  manure,  leaves,  chip-dirt,  &'c.,  until  the 
border  is  two  or  three  inches  higher  than  the  sur- 
rounding soil.  This  will  form  a  border  and  a 
bed  in  which  the  young  roots  of  the  plant  will 
freely  travel  and  find  food,  and  particularly  when 
they  get  down  among  the  shells  and  the  bones. 
Another  advantage  of  such  a  distinctly  defined 
border  is,  that  you  may  cover  it  with  leaves  or 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


145 


straw  in  the  autumn,  and  thus  keep  the  roots 
warm,  and  perhaps  gaining  strength  for  their 
summer  labor.  The  border  now  being  prepared, 
our  first  cut  will  show  the  usual  appearance  of 
the  plant  as  received  from  the  nursery,  and  the 


^-fi^f- 


Fig.l. — Vine  as  obtained  from  nur-    Fig.  2. — The  same  pruned 
sery,  with  straggling  shoots.  when  set  out. 

manner  in  which  it  ought  to  be  pruned  before  it 
is  set  out.  Now  let  the  single  shoot  grow 
till  about  the  first  of  autumn,  then  pinch  off  the 
end,  so  that  the  wood  that  has  grown  may  become 
mature.  Any  side-shoots  that  appear  during  the 
summer  should  not  be  allowed  to  take  a  rank 
growth,  but  kept  headed  down,  subordinate  to 
the  leading  shoot,  though  perhaps  not  entirely 
eradicated  from  the  stem.  Our  next  cut  will  give 
the 


Fig.  3.— Growth  at  end  of  first    Fig.  4.— Growth  at  end  of  second 
summer  from  setting  out.  summer  from  setting  out. 

Appearance  of  the  Plant  the  Second   Year. — 
The   single   strong   shoot  made   the   first  year, 


(fig.  2,)  should  be  cut  down  to  three  or  four  buds, 
only  two  shoots  from  which  should  be  allowed  to 
grow,  the  others  being  rubbed  off,  and  the  late- 
rals, should  any  appear,  pinched  off  at  the  ends, 
but  not  entirely  removed,  because  it  is  believed 
they  promote  the  general  growth  of  the  main 
stem.  Pinch  off  the  end  of  the  shoot  in  autumn 
as  before,  and  continue  this  process  until  the  vine 
sends  up  a  strong  main  stem  as  high  as  is  desir- 
ed. Any  fruit  which  sets,  with  the  exception  of 
a  single  bunch,  should  be  removed,  as  in  perfect- 
ing fruit  the  vigor  of  the  vine  itself  is  retarded. 
Our  next  cut 


Fig.  5. Growth  at  end  of  third  summer  from  settling  out. 

SJiotcs  the  Vine  in  the  Spring  of  the  Tliird 
Year. — The  two  shoots  made  during  the  second 
year,  (fig.  4,)  are  now  extended  each  way 
horizontally,  and  fastened  to  the  newly-erected 
trellis.  These  horizontal  branches,  termed  armSy 
are  to  be  cut  back  at  the  same  time,  so  as  to  leave 
two  good  buds  on  each,  so  that  four  shoots,  two 
on  each  side,  may  spring  up  from  them  ;  observ- 
ing what  has  heretofore  been  said  as  to  suckers 
or  side  branches.  The  four  shoots,  as  they  ad- 
vance in  growth,  should  be  tied  to  the  trellis,  in 
the  position  that  the  figure  represents.  This 
brings  us  to  the  next  illustration, 


Fig.  6. — A  full-grown  grape  vine,  trained  on  the  alternate  or  renewal  system — 

the  dark  vines,  the  present  year's  bearers — the  dotted  ones, 

growing  this  year,  for  bearing  next. 


Showing  the  Cane  or  Renewal  System.  By  re- 
capitulating a  little  we  can  now  show  the  whole 
matter  distinctly :  The  first  season  one  branch 
is  trained  up  ;  in  the  fall  this  is  cut  back  to  3  or 
4  eyes,  and  the  next  season  another  is  trained  up 
and  the  first  is  extended  ;  both  are  then  laid  down 


and  trained  horizontally,  near  the  surface  ;  and 
from  each  a  cane  is  trained  up,  as  pointed  out  by 
the  letters  a,  a.  The  next  season  these  will  bear 
fruit,  and  two  more  canes,  h,b,  as  shown  by  the 
dotted  lines,  will  be  trained  up  to  bear  fruit  the 
following  season,  when  the   stems,  a,  a,  are  cut 


146 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


March 


out  near  the  horizontal 
branch,  leaving  one  eye,  and 
then  new  shoots  trained, 
and  so  on. 

The  Spu)'  System — Is  the 
training  up  of  the  main 
stem,  and  of  spurs  horizon- 
tally, cutting  back  the  spurs 
annually  to  2,  3,  or  4  eyes 
of  the  new  wood,  according 
to  the  strength  of  the  vine, 
and  number  of  spurs.  When 
the  spurs  have  extended 
too  far,  cut  out  a  part,  year- 
ly, training  up  new  ones, 
thus  changing  all  the  old 
wood  to  new,  and  as  the 
vines  become  old  and  un- 
productive, cut  down  part 
at  a  time,  and  train  up  new 
ones. 
The  Pinching  off  of  the  Ends  of  the  Side 
branches  is  illustrated  at  b,  c.  The  branch  has 
fruit  upon  it,  but  is  still  stretching  away  in  a  new 
growth  ;  by  pinching  it  off  at  the  dotted  line 
above  c,  the  growth  will  be  retarded  and  the 
•wood  and  fruit  more  thoroughly  ripened.  It  must 


Fig.  7.— Siiur  pruning 


barn  manure,  rich  loam,  slops  from  the  sink- 
drain,  and  mould  from  the  forest,  are  all  excel- 
lent when  mixed.  If  this  is  scattered  over  the 
surface  and  worked  under  two  or  three  inches, 
the  roots  Avill  not  fail  to  find  their  virtues. 

How  Ch-apes  may  be  kept. — The  most  simple 
mode  of  doing  this,  is  to  prepare  cheap  boxes  six 
or  eight  inches  high,  and  of  any  convenient 
length  or  breadth,  and  place  them  in  layers  two 
or  three  deep,  with  merely  a  clean  paper  between 
them,  leaving  the  boxes  uncovered  for  a  few  days 
for  evaporation  to  take  place,  and  then  place 
them  in  a  cool,  dry  spot.  They  are  also  kept  in 
barrels,  packed  in  layers  of  cotton. 

We  close  this  already  too  long  article  with  a 
few  practical  general  rules  for  pruning  the  vine  : 

1.  In  pruning,  always  cut  upwards,  and  in  a 
sloping  direction. 

2.  Always  leave  an  inch  of  blank  wood  beyond 
the  terminal  bud,  and  let  the  cut  be  on  the  oppo- 
site side  of  the  bud. 

3.  Prune  so  as  to  leave  as  few  wounds  as  pos- 
sible, and  let  the  surface  of  every  cut  be  perfect- 
ly smooth. 

4.  In  cutting  out  an  old  branch,  prune  it  even 
with  the  parent  limb,  that  the  Avound  may  quick- 
ly heal. 

5.  Prune  so  as  to  obtain  the  quantity  of  finiit 
desired  on  the  smallest  number  of  shoots  possi- 
ble. 

6.  Never  prune  in  the  months  of  March,  April 
or  May. 

7.  Let  the  autumnal  pruning  take  place  as 
soon  after  the  first  of  October  as  the  gathering 
of  the  fruit  will  permit. 

In  the  preparation  of  the  foregoing  article,  we 
have  not  trusted  entirely  to  our  own  experience, 
but  have  examined  the  works  of  the  best  cultiva- 
tors who  have  written  upon  the  subject. 


Pig.  8. — Portion  of  a  prape  vine  in  bearing,  representing  the 
bearing  branches,  from  the  sides  of  a  last  year's  vine. 

be  remembered  that  the  vine  always  bears  the 
fruit  on  the  present  year's  shoots,  which  have 
sprung  from  buds  on  the  previous  year's  growth. 
The  ripening  of  the  fruit  depends  on  healthy, 
well-developed  leaves,  which  supply  food  to  the 
forming  berries,  and  therefore  they  should  not  be 
taken  off,  as  some  say  they  do,  to  ''let  in  the 
sun." 

Manures  for  the  Grape. — Green,  unfermented, 
rank  manure,  is  not  the  best — but  a  compost  of 


Essex  County  Model  Farm, — A  correspond- 
ent of  the  Traveller  writes  : 

"Your  readers  may  not  generally  be  aware  that 
the  late  Dr.  Treadwell  left  by  Avill,  his  valuable 
farm  in  Topsfield,  to  the  Essex  County  Agricul- 
tural Society,  to  come  into  possession  of  the  same 
on  the  death  of  Mrs.  Treadwell.  The  widow  died 
recently,  and  we  understand  the  society  are  about 
to  take  possession  of  the  premises  with  the  view 
of  improving  it  under  the  nian-agement  of  the  of- 
fices of  the  society,  and  to  make  it  a  model  farm. 
The  property  of  the  society  will  be  all  centred 
there,  and  henceforth  the  cattle  shows  will  be 
held  on  the  premises  instead  of  being  changed 
'  from  year  to  year  to  different  parts  of  the  county. 
]  This  will  be  a  decided  improvement  and  on  ac- 
I  count  of  the  central  position  of  Topsfield,  much 
.more  convenient  for  all  parts  of  the  county." 


13^  To  raise  esteem,  we  must  benefit  others  ; 
to  procure  love,  we  must  please  them. 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


147 


LEGISLATIVE  AGRICULTUBAL 

MEETING. 
On  the  occasion  of  the  first  meeting,  we  were 
absent,  in  attendance  upon  the  meetings  of  the 
U.  S.  Agricultural  Society  at  Washington.  Sick- 
ness prevented  us  from  attending  the  meeting 
on  Tuesday  evening,  and  not  having  been  able 
to  secure  the  services  of  a  competent  reporter,  we 
take  the  following  account  of  the  meeting  from 
the  Daily  Journal : 

The  second  Legislative  Agricultural  meeting 
was  held  on  Tuesday  evening,  in  the  hall  of  the 
House  of  Representatives. 

Hon.  Marshall  P.  Wilder  presided.  On  tak- 
ing the  chair,  he  expressed  his  pleasure  In  being 
able  to  take  a  part  in  the  discussions  incident  to 
the  series  of  meetings  in  progress.  He  then  an- 
nounced the  subject  of  the  evening's  discussion, 
and  proceeded  to  speak  of  the  Chinese  Sugar 
Cane.  Too  much  had  been  expected  of  this  plant, 
but  considering  the  backward  condition  of  its 
congener,  Indian  Corn,  the  past  season,  the  ex- 
periment of  Its  culture  might  be  considered  suc- 
cessful. It  had  been  well  ascertained  that  its 
culture  for  syrup  was  extremely  profitable.  That 
it  would  crystalize  had  also  been  well  demon- 
strated by  J.  S.  Lovering,  of  Philadelphia,  from 
a  letter  of  whom  extracts  were  read.  His  exper- 
iments covered  67  days.  The  cane  which  was 
cut  from  the  2d  to  the  6th  of  November  yielded 
a  juice  which  crystallzed  with  the  greatest  facility. 
Specimens  of  fine,  dry  brown  sugar  and  excellent 
loaf  sugar  of  his  raising  were  exhibited.  It  grew 
at  the  rate  of  1221  lbs.  to  the  acre,  beside  74  gal- 
lons of  syrup.  He  found  the  best  time  to  cut 
the  plant  to  be  when  most  if  not  all  the  seeds 
are  ripe,  and  after  several  frosts. 

In  concluding,  Mr.  Wilder  introduced  to  the 
audience  Mr.  Leonard  Wray,  of  London,  a 
gentleman  well  known  in  connection  with  the 
subject  under  discussion.  j\Ir.  Wray  said  that 
the  African  Imphee  was  undoubtedly  identical 
with  the  Chinese  plant.  His  experience  as  a 
sugar  planter  In  East  and  West  Indies  confirmed 
the  statement  of  Mr.  Lovering  in  regard  to  the 
best  time  of  cutting  the  plant.  He  believed  the 
plant  had  a  great  future  In  this  country,  and  the 
result  of  the  crude  experiments  which  had  been 
tried  should  not  be  taken  as  tests.  The  African 
Imphee  would  not  only  produce  bountifully  of 
syrup,  but  wonderfully  so  of  grain,  and  was  one 
of  the  greatest  blessings  God  ever  gave  to  man. 

Mr.  Lake,  of  Topsficld,  said  the  cane  should 
be  planted  upon  warm  soil.  Cane  grown  on  high 
land  had  more  of  the  saccharine  matter.  The 
plant.  If  partially  dried  before  the  juice  was  ex- 
pressed, yielded  more  saccharine  matter.  There 
was  no  doubt  about  the  profit  of  the  crop,  and 
the  speaker  predicted  next  season  an  increase  of 
one-third  over  the  crop  of  last  season. 

The  meeting  was  also  addressed  by  Dr.  Charles 
T.  Jackson,  who  coincided  with  the  previous 
speakers  as  to  the  crystalizing  properties  of  the 
plant,  the  time  at  which  it  should  be  cut,  and  the 
probable  success  of  its  culture. 

]Mr.  BUCKMINSTER,  of  the  Ploughman,  exhib- 
ited a  new  specimen  of  squash,  called  the  "Hub- 
bard," possessing  a  hard  shell,  and  a  fine,  yellow 
grain. 


At  the  next  meeting  the  topic  of  discussion 
will  be  "The  cultivation  of  the  Sugar  Beet." 
Mr.  Wray  is  expected  to  give  the  meeting  some 
of  the  results  of  his  observations  of  this  culture. 

We  hope  to  be  able  to  give  a  fuller  report  next 
week,  and  to  keep  our  readers  as  well  informed 
as  in  former  years,  of  the  doings  at  these  meet- 
ings. 

For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
DR.  LOBING'S  REPORT— SCIENCE  AND 
EXPERIENCE. 
BY  WILSON   FLAGG. 

All  true  science  is  based  upon  facts.  It  may 
receive  numerous  hints  and  suggestions  from 
theory  and  hypothesis,  but  facts  are  the  only  tests 
of  truth.  Though  many  great  philosophers  have 
not  been  "practical  men,"  they  have  always  es- 
tablished their  opinions  upon  facts  which  they 
have  diligently  gathered  from  the  experience  and 
observation  of  others.  If  a  by-stander  be  a  phi- 
losopher, he  gains  a  great  deal  more  knowledge 
from  those  who  are  busy  around  him,  in  their  re- 
spective employments,  than  they  can  learn  who 
are  at  work  ;  for  while  their  attention  is  necessa- 
rily confined  to  their  own  occupation,  he  is  learn- 
ing something  from  every  one  of  them.  Facts 
may  be  learned  in  a  multitude  of  ways  : — from 
the  experience  of  others,  from  our  own  experi- 
ence and  practice,  and  from  experiments  purpose- 
ly made  to  ascertain  the  correctness  of  a  theory 
or  a  doubtful  assertion.  It  is  evident  that  facts 
gathered  entirely  from  one's  own  experience  and 
practice,  must  necessarily  be  very  limited,  be- 
cause they  are  confined  to  the  narrow  sphere  of 
his  own  avocations.  He  only  can  obtain  a  com- 
prehensive knowledge  of  facts  M'ho  devotes  him- 
self to  the  collection  of  them  from  the  multitudes 
among  whom  they  are  scattered. 

The  true  method  of  forming  a  system  of  agri- 
culture, based  on  practical  experience,  is  not 
therefore  to  become  a  practical  farmer,  but  to 
collect  from  the  whole  mass  of  intelligent  farmers 
all  the  facts  which  they  have  learned  from  their 
own  practice.  It  is  thus  the  wisdom  of  the  whole 
is  brought  into  one  view,  and  each  individual  is 
enabled  to  profit  from  every  one's  experience.  It 
is  not  to  be  assumed  that  every  farmer,  however 
Intelligent,  knows  all  the  facts  which  would  be 
necessary  to  constitute  the  ground-work  of  a  per- 
fect system  of  agriculture.  But  among  all  the 
farmers  in  the  country,  there  is  a  vast  amount  of 
practical  information,  not  yet  recorded  in  books, 
which  if  gathered  into  a  volume  and  systema- 
tized, would  be  of  immense  value.  Almost  every 
man  has  learned  some  fact  which  is  unknown  to 
the  generality  of  those  who  pursue  the  same  oc- 
cupation. Almost  every  man  has  some  experi- 
ence, with  which  no  other  person  is  so  well  ac- 
quainted as  himself.  Suppose  every  farmer  in  a 
certain  county  has  obtalnec"  the  knoAvIedgc  of  one 
important  fact,  and  only  one,  and  that  no  other 
person  knows  this  feet ;  while  each  man's  knowl- 
edge Is  thus  confined  to  himself,  It  is  of  no  ser- 
vice to  the  (iommunlty.  But  were  some  person 
of  intelligent  and  scientific  mind  to  go  round  and 
gather  all  these  facts,  classify  and  arrange  them 
in  a  clear  and  intelligible  manner,  and  then  read 
them  to  an  audience  of  all  these  farmers — what 


148 


NEW   ENGLAND  FARMER. 


IV'  ARCH 


can  be  more  apparent  than  that  those  who  lis- 
tened must  be  vastly  wiser  than  they  were  before? 
Every  individual  has  communicated  his  spark 
towards  the  formation  of  a  permanent  blaze  of 
scientific  light. 

The  object  of  our  agricultural  societies  should 
be  to  gather  these  facts,  and  reduce  them  to  sys- 
tem. By  such  a  method,  they  would  establish  a 
foundation  for  the  enlightened  practice  of  agri- 
culture, on  the  true  Baconian  system  of  philoso- 
phy. Nothing  would  be  left  to  idle  conjecture. 
Every  idea  would  be  deduced  from  the  actual 
practice  of  men  who  have  devoted  their  lives  to 
experience.  He  who  collects  this  information  is 
not  himself  the  instructor  of  the  agricultural 
community ;  but  the  whole  mass  of  farmers, 
through  him  as  a  medium  of  communication,  in- 
struct each  other.  In  this  way  science,  sitting  at 
the  foot-stool  of  common  sense  and  enlightened 
practice,  aiTanges  and  systematizes  what  she  ob- 
tains from  every  man  who  has  learned  any  new 
fact. 

Gentlemen  have  been  sent  abroad  to  collect  in- 
formation from  the  expei'ience  of  foreign  agricul- 
turists ;  and  the  knowledge  thus  obtained  is  of 
high  value.  But  the  most  important  of  all  knowl- 
edge to  the  farmer  is  that  which  is  exactly  appli- 
cable to  the  agriculture  of  his  own  district.  The 
experience  of  the  mass  of  farmers  in  New  Eng- 
land is  more  valuable  to  the  New  England  far- 
mer than  that  of  the  farmers  in  any  foreign  coun- 
try or  section.  The  practice  of  agriculture  must 
vary  not  only  with  every  country,  but  with  every 
district.  Even  two  districts  lying  contiguous  to 
one  another  may,  in  many  respects,  require  a  dif- 
ferent practice,  which  is  modified  by  climate  ;  by 
the  geological  character  of  the  place  ;  by  the 
length  of  time  it  has  been  under  cultivation ;  by 
its  moisture  and  dryness  ;  by  its  elevation,  and  by 
the  depth  and  native  fertility  of  the  soil.  It  must 
be  aflfected  also  by  the  nearness  or  distance  of  a 
market,  and  by  the  extent  and  the  demands  of 
that  market. 

Hence  the  most  valuable  information  for  a  far- 
mer, in  any  county,  is  that  which  is  derived  from 
the  experience  of  the  farmers  in  that  particular 
county.  If  a  few  individuals,  without  superior 
advantages  of  capital  or  location,  have  been  re- 
markably successful  in  their  farming,  the  experi- 
ence of  such  men  could  not  fail  to  be  useful  to 
others  in  the  same  district.  But  it  would  not 
necessarily  follow,  that  the  experience  of  a  suc- 
cessful farmer  in  Ohio  or  Michigan,  or  even  in 
the  western  part  of  Massachusetts,  would  be  val- 
uable to  a  farmer  in  Essex  county. 

I  have  been  led  into  this  train  of  reasoning,  by 
the  perusal  of  the  ingenious  and  eloquent  report 
of  Dr.  Geo.  B.  Loring,  "On  Farms,"  in  the  Essex 
Agricultural  Transactions,  for  1857.  He  recom- 
mends "that  the  services  of  a  competent  person 
be  secured  by  the  Society,  to  collect  such  infor- 
mation from  the  farmers  of  this  county  as  will 
secure"  certain  educational  purposes  mentioned 
in  his  report.  His  object  is  to  combine  all  the 
experience  of  the  farmers  of  that  county,  from 
which  a  manual  might  be  compiled,  for  the  use 
of  the  pupils  of  an  agricultural  school,  and  for 
the  private  instruction  of  all  who  are  engaged  in 
agricultural  pursuits. 

By  carrying  out  this  project  of  Dr.  Loring's, 
the  county  would  be  made,  as  it  were,  one  grand 


experimental  farm,  in  which  a  thousand  diligent 
hands  and  practical  minds  are  constantly  engaged 
in  learning  new  facts,  testing  the  value  of  newly 
discovered  plants,  newly  invented  implements,  and 
new  ways  and  means  of  tilling  and  improving  the 
soil.  The  Society,  through  the  instrumentality 
of  their  agent  employed  for  this  purpose,  collect 
the  results  of  all  this  experience,  so  that  the  wis- 
dom of  no  man,  however  humble,  shall  perish 
with  him,  and  be  lost  to  the  world. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
THE  THINGS  I  RAISE— No.  7. 
DAVIS    SEEDLING    POTATO. 

This  is  one  of  the  very  best  potatoes  grown, 
taking  everything  into  consideration,  size,  pro- 
ductiveness, hardiness,  &:c.  I  do  not  mean  to 
say  it  is  of  the  best  quality  for  eating  when  com- 
pared with  the  State  of  Maine  or  Carter ;  but  I 
do  mean  that  it  is  a  good  eating  potato,  which 
added  to  all  its  other  good  qualities,  makes  it  a 
very  desirable  variety.  Its  color  is  red  outside 
and  white  inside,  slightly  tinged  with  pink  just 
under  the  skin ;  large  size,  and  very  free  from 
rot.  This  variety  originated  in  Sterling,  Mass., 
and  has  been  under  cultivation  some  eight  or  ten 
years.  It  is  so  far  superior  to  Peach  Blows,  Ver- 
mont Whites,  Pink  Eyes,  and  those  common  sorts 
that  are  raised  in  the  country,  that  I  should  ad- 
vise all  who  grow  potatoes  for  market  in  fall  or 
winter  to  raise  this  sort  for  one.  It  requires  a 
full  season  to  mature.  It  yielded  better  than  any 
other  out  of  the  forty  kinds  I  raised  last  year. 

STATE  OF  MAINE. 
This  is  a  fine  eating  potato,  unsurpassed  by 
any  in  the  whole  list,  not  excepting  the  Riley  or 
Carter.  It  is  not  more  than  half  as  productive 
as  the  Davis,  but  superior  in  quality  for  the  ta- 
ble. It  is  white  outside  and  inside,  and  shaped 
somewhat  like  the  White  Chenango.  This  vari- 
ety is  quite  early,  being  not  more  than  a  week 
later  than  the  Chenango,  to  which  it  is  superior. 
Should  not  consider  it  so  profitable  a  variety  for 
the  market,  except  for  early,  as  the  above  named 
variety. 

JACKSON    WHITE. 

A  sort  of  recent  introduction,  and  promises 
well.  I  have  grown  it  two  years  with  fair  suc- 
cess, but  have  never  had  it  dry  and  mealy  as  the 
State  of  Maine.  This  is  a  white  potato,  nearly 
round,  medium  size,  eyes  deeply  sunk,  fair  as  to 
productiveness  and  hardiness,  worthy  of  trial. 

ST.    HELENA. 

This  is  an  old  and  well  known  sort  that  was 
formerly  cultivated  in  this  region,  but  for  some 
years  has  been  neglected,  but  now  comes  out  un- 
der other  names,  such  as  Laplander,  White  Moun- 
tain Seedling,  &c.  It  is  a  very  productive  sort, 
very  handsome  on  account  of  its  good  size  and 
whiteness.  Quite  free  from^  the  rot.  This  potato 
is  apt  to  be  soggy,  and  for  that  reason  is  not  so 
highly  esteemed.  James  F.  C.  Htde. 

Newton  Centre,  Jan.  18,  1858. 


A  Silly  Report,  which  has  gained  circula- 
tion and  believers,  that  the  seed  of  the  Chinese 
sugar  cane  was  poisonous  has  been  put  down  by 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


149 


Mr.  D.  J.  Browne,  of  the  Patent  Office,  who  says 
that  he  has  seen  horses,  cattle,  poultry  and  swine 
feed  upon  it  freely,  both  in  an  unripe  and  a  ma- 
ture state,  without  the  slightest  symptoms  of  in- 
jury or  disease.  Bread  has  been  made  from  the 
Hour  in  Texas,  which  was  of  a  pinkish  color,  but 
was  palatable,  and  no  injui-y  was  suffered  by  those 
who  ate  of  it.  It  is  true,  the  seeds  are  very  hard 
and  almost  indigestible,  and  should  never  be  used 
in  an  unsfround  state. 


THIRD  LEGISLATIVE  AGBICULTURAL 
MEETING. 

[reported  for  the  n.  e.  farmer  by  zenas  t.  HAINES.J 

THE  CULTURE  OF  THE   SUGAR  BEET,  Am>  ITS   MANU- 
FACTURE INTO  SUGAR. 

The  third  of  the  current  series  of  Legislative 
Agricultural  Meetings  was  held  in  the  Hall  of 
the  House  of  Representatives  last  Tuesday  even- 
ing. The  attendance  was  rather  small.  Mr. 
Felton,  Senator  from  Worcester,  presided,  and 
in  opening  the  meeting,  announced  the  subject  of 
discussion  to  be,  "The  culture  of  the  Sugar  Beet, 
and  its  manufacture  into  Sugar."  He  said  he 
had  the  satisfaction  to  introduce  to  the  audience 
Mr.  Leonard  Wray,  of  England,  who  had  con- 
sented to  deliver  an  address  on  the  subject  an- 
nounced. 

Not  many  years  ago,  said  Mr.  Wray,  in  com- 
mencing, the  beet  root  was  not  known  as  a  plant 
of  more  value  than  the  turnip ;  but  in  the  wars 
of  Napoleon  it  was  brought  into  extensive  notice. 
When  France  was  in  a  manner  sealed  up,  Napo- 
leon had  to  foster  the  beet  plant  as  the  only 
source  for  obtaining  sugar ;  since  then  it  had 
gradually  and  extensively  increased.  The  other 
nations  of  the  Continent  saw  the  benefits  which 
France  had  derived  from  its  cultvire,  and  now 
175,000  tons  of  pure  refined  beet  sugar  are  annu- 
ally made  on  the  Continent.  Its  average  yield 
was  comparatively  small,  but  in  some  districts  it 
yields  very  largely.  Its  culture  was  still  spread- 
ing in  Belgium  and  Russia.  In  France,  in  1854, 
there  were  354  sugar  manufactories.  But  in  ad- 
dition to  this,  proof  spirit  was  also  extracted  from 
the  root.  Last  year  the  value  of  this  item  alone 
in  France  was  $10,000,000.  It  was  a  mistaken 
idea,  said  the  speaker,  that  this  culture  had  in- 
jured France.  The  effect  has  been  entirely  to  her 
benefit.  The  farmer  who  sells  it  to  the  manufac- 
turer by  weight  found  it  extremely  profitable. 
Hence  he  manured  his  land  heavily,  and  obtained 
very  large  and  very  undesirable  roots  for  sugar. 
To  have  a  beet  root  in  perfection  for  sugar-mak- 
ing, it  should  only  weigh  from  2  to  2^  lbs.  By 
planting  it  at  small  distances  apart,  and  manur- 
ing properly,  the  desirable  size  can  be  obtained. 
Increasing  the  size  of  the  beet  root  decreased  the 
quantity  of  sugar.  Here  was  seen  an  antagonism 
between  the  cultivator  and  manufacturer.  Such 
antagonism,   he  apprehended,   would  not  occur 


here,  where  so  much  enlightenment  among  agri- 
culturists existed.  The  beet  contained  a  very  large 
amount  of  sugar,  but  its  product  had  been  great- 
ly disproportioned  to  the  sugar  in  the  plant.  Mr. 
Wray  here  exhibited  some  simple  beet  jviice 
which  he  had  that  day  expressed  from  a  beet  se- 
lected at  random,  which  he  said,  measured  to  his 
astonishment,  nine  by  the  saccharometer — a  num- 
ber representing  16  per  cent,  of  sugar  or  saccha- 
rine matter,  or  as  rich  as  the  cane  of  Louisiana. 
The  juice  was  very  dark,  and  much  richer  than 
that  expressed  from  beets  grown  in  France. 

The  leaves  and  crowns  of  the  beet  furnished 
two  or  three  tons  of  fine  vegetable  matter  to  the 
acre,  which  was  very  good  for  cattle.  A  farmer 
in  England  saved  a  quantity  of  white  beet  and 
mangel  wurtzel  leaves,  which  he  carefully  buried 
in  a  pit,  with  a  layer  of  straw  between  them  and 
the  earth.  After  eight  or  ten  months  he  opened 
the  pit  and  found  a  soft  unpleasant-looking  mass, 
which,  upon  experiment,  he  found  was  eaten  with 
avidity  by  his  cattle,  and  to  the  greatly  increased 
yield  of  milk  by  his  dairy  cows. 

The  pulp  left  after  the  expression  of  the  juice 
was  purchased  by  the  French  farmer,  who  found 
it  better  for  feeding  to  cattle  than  the  beet  itself, 
for  the  reason  that  certain  injurious  salts  were 
removed  with  the  saccharine  juice.  He  thus  gets 
back  not  only  food  for  his  stock,  but  valuable 
manure.  Pigs,  also,  fatted  readily  on  the  pulp, 
especially  if  it  was  mixed  with  a  little  meal. 

The  speaker  then  spoke  of  the  manufacture  of 
alcohol  from  the  beet  root.  It  yielded  a  valua- 
ble spirit,  which  sold  for  75  cts.  per  gallon.  A 
French  farmer  from  420  acres  of  land  of  modei-ate 
quality,  and  of  a  slightly  calcareous  nature,  net- 
ted over  $73,000  in  proof  spirit. 

The  process  of  manufacturing  the  spirit  Avas 
described  according  to  the  practice  of  Laplay,  a 
celebrated  cultivator  of  the  beet  root.  The  beets 
were  cut  into  long,  thin  pieces,  the  fermentation 
being  commenced  in  the  piece,  'i'hey  were  then 
put  into  a  cistern  containing  a  portion  of  ferment- 
ing juice,  to  which  was  added  a  quantity  of  sul- 
phuric acid.  After  two  days  it  was  put  into  a 
cylinder  and  steam  let  in  upon  it.  The  steam 
passes  through  the  mass,  cooking  it  and  depriv- 
ing it  of  its  alcohol,  and  leaving  it  in  the  finest 
possible  condition  for  cattle.  For  this  cooked 
pulp  farmer  were  glad  to  give  one  ton  of  beets 
for  two  of  the  former.  From  a  hundred  tons  of 
beet  roots,  70  tons  of  the  pulp  might  be  obtained, 
and  it  might  be  kept  two  years.  Its  value  for 
cattle  in  New  England  was  alluded  to. 

The  speaker  called  attention  to  the  immense 
consumption  of  sugar  in  the  United  States.  In 
1855  and  1856  we  raised  123,468  tons  of  sugar, 
and  imported  double  the  amount,  making  a  drain 
on  the  country  of  $25,529,200. 


150 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


March 


The  speaker  thought  this  drain  might  be  avoid- 
ed by  devoting  our  New  England  lands  to  the 
culture  of  the  sugar  beet,  and  thus  inducing  men 
to  cultivate  the  beet,  instead  of  going  to  the 
rWest.  He  had  seen  much  excellent  land  in 
Massachusetts  for  this  culture,  lying  idle,  instead 
of  yielding  $200  to  the  acre,  as  it  might.  Then 
it  would  aflbrd  employment  to  the  poor  classes 
in  that  time  of  trial,  the  winter  season.  This  was 
an  important  consideration.  It  would  be  a  com- 
fortable and  pleasant  occupation,  to  work  in  a 
beet-root  sugar  factory.  The  speaker  liked  to 
see  ruddy  women  hoeing  the  beet-root.  He  did 
not  consider  it  a  degrading  occupation,  but  one 
conducive  to  health,  and  involving  a  principle 
important  to  us  all.  He  spoke  particularly  upon 
this  point,  because  he  deemed  the  labor  of  m'o- 
men  important  in  connection  with  this  culture. 

In  many  places  in  France  there  were  small  dis- 
tilleries, which  were  called  agricultural  distiller- 
ies, in  which  the  farmer  worked  up  his  own  crop, 
and  by  which  he  could  obtain  419  gallons  of 
proof  spirit  to  the  acre,  beside  70  per  cent,  of  the 
cosset,  or  pulp. 

The  capability  of  this  country  for  this  culture 
Avas  undoubted.  They  had  seen  the  remarkable 
result  of  his  own  experiment,  before  alluded  to. 
It  was  a  fair  trial.  The  beet  was  selected  hap 
hazard,  but  yielded  an  uncommonly  rich  juice. 
In  France  it  generally  marks,  by  the  saccharome- 
ter,  but  5,  but  here  was  juice  marking  9. 

Some  beet-root  sugar  was  here  exhibited  by 
the  speaker.  It  appeared  similar  to  refined  loaf 
sugar,  in  the  purity  of  its  taste  and  color.  All 
beet-root  sugar  that  comes  into  commerce  was 
white,  for  the  reason  that  a  disagreeable  smell 
and  taste  belonged  to  it,  in  a  less  refined  state 
Calculating  from  the  crude  beet,  they  get  5  per 
cent,  of  this  pure  sugar,  80  per  cent,  of  the  juice 
and  20  per  cent,  of  the  pulpy  matter. 

The  specimen  of  sugar  alluded  to  was  grown 
in  Konisberg,  Prussia,  and  was  brought  to  the 
meeting  by  Mr.  CUNNINGH.4.M,  of  Boston. 

The  process  of  making  sugar  from  the  beet  was 
next  described.  The  juice  was  received  into  de- 
fecators, and  a  quantity  of  finely  sifted  lime  add- 
ed. Steam  was  then  let  on,  and  its  action  caused 
a  skum  to  be  thrown  to  the  surface.  When  the 
juice  was  quite  clear,  the  steam  Avas  thrown  ofl', 
and  the  juice  allowed  to  subside.  The  juice  was 
then  k't  ofi"  from  the  bottom  into  an  animal  char- 
coal filter.  In  passing  through  it  became  decol- 
orized and  deprived  of  all  feculent  matter,  and 
came  out  very  clear  and  bright.  If  the  charcoal 
was  new,  the  liquid  would  be  nearly  as  white  as 
water.  It  was  then  passed  into  a  conical  vessel, 
and  finally  into  evaporators,  thence  into  a  clari- 
fier  with  fresh  milk  and  finely  powdered  charcoal, 
and    then    submitted   to  another    filtration,    by 


which  the  juice  was  made  quite  white.  It  was 
then  put  into  the  vacuum  pan  and  boiled  down 
into  a  granulating  syrup.  A  ton  of  animal  char- 
coal was  used  to  a  ton  of  sugar,  and  would  be 
ery  expensive  but  for  its  capability  of  being  re- 
burnt  and  restored  to  its  original  power. 

^Ir.  French,  of  Braintree,  had  never  found 
but  one  instance  where  the  beet  could  be  grown 
successively  on  the  same  soil  with  profit.  The 
crop  should  be  alternated.  He  believed  that  the 
culture  might  be  profitable.  With  reference  to 
the  labor  of  women,  alluded  to  by  Mr.  Wray,  he 
hoped  never  to  see  women  in  the  field,  or  any 
other  out-door  work,  unless  in  that  of  the  culti- 
vation of  a  flower-garden. 

He  would  not  undertake  to  grow  beets  after 
beets  or  peas.  It  was  an  old  adage  that  where 
our  fathers  lived  we  could  live,  and  if  it  could  be 
grown  in  the  old  country  successfully  it  might  be 
done  here,  and  by  the  work  of  men.  He  believed 
the  culture  would  ultimately  be  introduced. 

Mr.  BUCKMIXSTER,  of  the  Ploughman,  would  be 
glad  to  have  a  class  of  females  about  the  cities, 
getting  a  livelihood  by  sewing  and  selling  candy, 
work  at  the  manufacture  of  sugar.  He  was  also 
glad  to  be  rebuked  1  y  ^Ir.  Wray  or  the  national 
practice  of  going  abroad  for  that  which  we  might 
grow,  with  so  much  facility,  at  home. 

Mr.  Wray  was  asked  as  to  the  law  of  succes- 
sion in  the  culture  of  the  beet,  and  replied  that 
the  law  of  the  exhaustion  of  soil  applied  to  the 
culture  of  tliis  root,  as  well  as  other  crops.  It 
draws  from  the  subsoil  its  potash,  and  that  re- 
turned to  the  soil,  of  course  enriched  it.  He 
would  recommend  the  use  of  the  subsoil  plow, 
and  rotation  of  crops. 

Mr.  Brooks,  of  Princeton,  wanted  to  know 
how  the  soil  could  be  exhausted  if  the  residuum 
of  the  beet  which  contained  the  potash  of  the 
plant  should  be  returned  ?  He  has  raised  beets 
for  seven  or  eight  successive  years,  by  plentiful 
manuring  the  same  soil. 

Mr.  Wray  said  they  did  produce  in  France  beets 
year  after  year  on  the  same  soil,  but  they  were 
full  of  salts,  and  contained  comparatively  but 
little  saccharine  matter.  It  was  only  by  highly 
artificial  means  that  beets  could  be  produced  in 
this  manner.  It  takes  the  great  body  of  its  pot- 
ash from  the  subsoil,  and  was  rapidly  exhaustive 
of  the  soil. 

Mr.  French  could  not  see  how  the  soil  would 
be  exhausted  if  the  fructifying  properties  in  the 
beet  were  all  returned. 

Mr.  Wray  said  that  Liebig  assured  us  that 
every  plant  leaves  its  excrement  in  the  soil,  and 
this  was  an  argument  in  favor  of  the  rotation  of 
crops.  Plants  would  be  injured  by  their  own  cx- 
crcmeutitious  matter. 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


151 


Mr.  French  said  that  Liebig  also  said  that 
every  plant  contains  enough  to  re-produce  itself. 

Mr.  Flint,  Secretary  of  the  Board  of  Agricul- 
ture, moved  that  the  thanks  of  the  Society  be 
tendered  to  Mr.  Wray  for  his  interesting  re- 
'^arks.     Carried. 

The  Chairman  then  announced  that  the  subject 
of  discussion  at  the  meeting  next  week  would  be 
"The  preparation  and  application  of  Manures." 


TO  CORRESPONDENTS. 

Many  favors  of  our  attentive  correspondents 
have  been  received,  which  we  cannot  lay  before 
the  reader  in  a  single  sheet.  Among  these  are 
"Ci-ojjs  on  Peat  Meadows,"  "Witch  Grass," 
"Sawed  Shingles,"  "Crows,"  "A  Day  at  Brigh- 
ton," "How  to  Prevent  Hard  Times,"  "Egyptian 
Millet,"  "A  Fai'mer's  Club,"  "Real  Estate  in  Rut- 
land Co.,  Vt."  "Value  of  Mucli,"  "Analysis  of 
Soils,"  "A  Plea  for  the  Robin,"  "Leaves  from  a 
Lady's  .Vote  Rook,"  "Salt  Marshes,"  "Young 
Men  on  the  Farm,"  "Laying  down  Inundated 
Lands,"  and  many  other  articles. 

These  articles  are  all  of  a  practical  character, 
most  of  them  written  by  persons  occupying  and 
laboring  on  the  farm,  and  who  are  qualified  to 
speak  from  an  experimental  knowledge  of  the 
matters  they  discuss.  Others  are  from  ingenious 
and  observing  mechanics,  who  have  too  much 
sympathy  with  the  world  to  hide  the  light  which 
they  are  able  to  reveal :  while  some  are  gradu- 
ates of  our  best  universities,  gentlemen  who  have 
not  only  qualified  themselves  to  decide  with  just 
discrimination,  to  investigate  with  sound  judg- 
ment, and  to  make  such  researches  in  our  beauti- 
ful and  attractive  art  as  the  common  farmer  can 
scarcely  be  expected  to  make,  but  whose  love  of 
the  garden  and  the  farm  have  scarcely  known  a 
limit,  and  whose  practical  operations  have  gone 
on  even-handed  with  their  untiring  investigations 
and  experiments  in  the  soil  itself.  Besides  this, 
there  are  occasional  articles  written  by  women  of 
great  intelligence,  of  close  observation,  and  of 
much  practical  skill  in  horticulture  and  all  that 
relates  to  the  orchard  and  garden,  added  to  those 
femenine  graces  which  seldom  fail  to  excite  a 
love  of  the  moral  and  beautiful  in  the  young,  and 
obliterate  from  their  hearts  a  too  common  aver- 
sion to  the  farm.  It  would  afford  us  pleasure, 
if  it  were  proper,  to  mention  the  names  of  sev- 
eral such,  and  briefly  sketch  some  of  the  benefits 
which  they  have  conferred  upon  those  whose 
occupation  it  is  to  cultivate  the  soil.  If  anything 
can  iiipart  value  to  an  agricultural  periodical,  it 
must  be  such  concise  and  practical  articles  as 
these  ;  they  are  worth  infinitely  more  than  length- 
ened and  finely-written  essays,  fresh  and  vigorous 
as  they  are  from  active  hands  and  warm  hearts. 

We  trust  there  will  be  no  diminution  of  such 


healthy  articles — the  pure  gold  from  the  mine, 
and  it  shall  be  our  care  to  communicate  them  to 
the  working  world  in  due  season,  on  the  fair 
pages  of  the  Farmer. 

It  gives  us  pleasure  to  acknowledge  our  obli- 
gations to  as  able  and  intelligent  a  corps  of  wri- 
ters, both  male  and  female,  we  believe,  as  ever 
occupied  the  columns  of  any  newspaper  in  New 
England. 


To  Prevent  Rabbits  from  barking  young 
fruit  trees,  give  the  body  of  the  young  tree  a 
thorough  rubbing  with  soft  soap.  This  not  on- 
ly prevents  the  rabbits  from  barking  them,  but 
it  protects  them  against  insects,  takes  all  the 
rough  scales  off",  softens  the  bark,  and  renders 
them  much  more  thrifty  than  they  would  be  oth- 
erwise. This  simple  recipe  will  be  of  vast  value 
to  the  farmers  in  many  parts  of  the  West. — 
Greasing  will  prevent  rabbits  from  barking  fruit 
trees  but  it  will  also  injure  the  tree. — Maine 
Farmer. 


BOYS'  DEPARTMENT. 


THE  SCHOOL-HOUSE. 

Scuffling  should  never  be  attempted  nor  per- 
mitted in  the  school-house,  Avhatever  the  tempta- 
tion may  be.  When  a  tempting  chance  is  pre- 
sented to  knock  off  a  playmate's  cap,  or  knock  an 
apple  or  snowball  out  of  the  hand,  or  do  anything 
else  that  might  by  possibility  result  in  a  scuffle, 
you  must  not  do  it.  Scuffle  to  your  heart's  con- 
tent at  the  right  time  and  place, — but  the  school- 
house  is  not  the  right  place,  nor  study  hours 
the  right  time.  And  you  must  not  play  at  hop- 
skip-and-jump  on  the  seats  and  desks.  There 
is  no  good  reason  why  you  should  take  liberties 
in  the  school-room  that  would  be  improper  in  the 
parlor  at  home.  Some  scholars  have  the  habit 
of  dropping  their  apple  cores  and  the  crumbs 
from  the  dinner  basket  upon  the  floor,  and  throw- 
ing away  pieces  of  bread  on  the  floor  with  th« 
butter  side  always  doAvn,  and  of  dripping  the  wa- 
ter from  their  slates  to  the  floor,  and  the  disgust- 
ing habit  of  spitting  on  the  floor.  You  must  do 
no  such  thing.  With  the  best  judgment,  and  the 
utmost  care,  the  atmosphere  of  a  school-room  is 
unhealthy  ;  and  every  pupil,  and  every  other  per- 
son who  goes  into  a  school-house,  should  cheer- 
fully do  all  that  can  be  done  to  preserve  the 
beauty  and  purity  of  the  entire  premises.  And 
if  anybody  is  so  abusive  as  to  bring  tobacco  into 
the  school-house,  and  the  teacher  does  not  per- 
emptorily prevent  it — or  if  anybody  brings  to- 
bacco there  at  an  evening  or  Sunday  meeting — 
go  to  the  trustees  with  a  complaint ;  and  if  they 
do  their  duty  they  will  put  the  tobacco-users  out 
of  the  house  with  as  much  promptitude  and  as 
little  ceremony  as  we  drive  the  cat  out  of  the  lar- 
der, or  a  pig  out  of  the  garden — or  a  skunk  out 
of  the  cellar.  And  if  the  trustees  have  a  noisome 
chew  in  the  mouth  and  a  filthy  pipe  in  the  pock- 
et, and  therefore  do  not  heed  your  complaint,  go 
to  the  chancellor  for  an  injunction  against  the 
nuisance. 

As  it  is  of  great  importance  that  the  ground 


152 


NEW  ENGLAND  FAEMER. 


March 


around  the  school-room  should  be  ornamented 
with  trees  and  shrubbery,  if  it  has  not  already 
been  done,  you  may  pleasantly  amuse  yourselves 
some  of  the  stormy  noontimes  by  drawing  plans 
on  your  slates,  showing  after  the  forest  trees  have 
been  duly  placed,  how  you  will  plant  a  lilac  in 
this  spot,  a  snowball  in  that,  an  eglantine  under 
one  window,  a  cabbage-rose  under  another,  with 
snow-drops  between,  and  so  on,  till  every  place 
not  wanted  for  play  and  play-houses  has  some- 
thing ornamental  upon  it.  And  do  not  fail  to  in- 
termingle with  the  ti'ees,  the  moosemissie,  the 
barberry  and  the  like,  whose  tempting  red  fruit 
will  invite  the  robins  in  the  autumn,  and  perhaps 
induce  them  to  return  and  nestle  there  in  the 
summer. 

And  every  district  that  is  pecuniarily  able 
should  give  the  interior  of  the  house  an  agreea- 
ble and  elevating  aspect  by  hanging  the  walls 
with  historic  prints  and  paintings. — Independent 
Standard. 

Observation. — The  habit  of  observation  is 
one  of  the  most  valuable  in  life,  its  worth  can 
never  be  too  highly  estimated,  and  it  is  one  that 
can  easily  be  cultivated.  Never  do  anything 
without  observing  that  all  you  do  is  correct.  Do 
not  ever  take  a  walk  without  having  your  eyes 
and  ears  open,  and  always  try  and  remember 
what  you  see  and  hear.  By  this  means  you  will 
acquire  more  knowledge  than  can  ever  be  learned 
from  books,  as  you  will  find  the  information  in 
exactly  the  form  you  are  capable  of  receiving  it. 
Read  books  and  newspapers,  but  above  all  ac- 
quire observing  habits,  for  they  will  be  always 
with  you,  and  ever  ready  to  store  your  mind  with 
the  truths  of  nature. 


LADIES'  DEPARTMENT. 


DBESS. 

I  am  inclined  to  concur  with  the  spirit  of  a  re- 
mark once  made  by  a  distinguished  country  wo- 
man, I  cannot  at  this  moment  call  her  name  to 
mind,  who  thus  expressed  herself: — "I  never  will 
forgive  a  woman  for  being  ill-dressed,  or  for  be- 
stowing a  thought  on  her  toilet  after  it  is  once 
completed." 

A  slatternly,  dowdily  dressed  woman  is  no 
pleasing  object  of  contemplation;  neither  is  one 
who  is  everlastingly  conscious  of  her  costly  robes 
and  sparkling  gems,  who  values  herself,  and  ex- 
pects to  be  valued,  for  those  outward  adornments 
that  perish  in  the  using. 

It  is  well  to  be  neatly,  tastefully,  appropriate- 
ly attired,  but  it  is  not  well  that  woman's  pro- 
foundest  studies  should  be  confined  to  books  and 
plates  of  fashion  ;  that  her  loftiest  aspirations 
should  centre  in  her  wardrobe  and  her  jewel-case. 
Assuredly,  my  fair  countrywomen,  we  are  capa- 
ble of  nobler  aims  than  these. 

With  an  immortal  destiny  awaiting  us,  shall  we 
fritter  away  the  energies  that  were  granted  unto 
us  for  the  accomplishment  of  far  more  exalted 
purposes,  in  pampering  and  adorning  the  frail 
')ody  that  so  soon  must  see  corruption,  to  the 
neglect  of  those  higher  and  more  enduring  por- 
tions of  our  being  over  which  death  has  no  pow- 
er ?     Shall  this  "mortal  coil,"  that  we  must  so 


soon  shake  off,  engross  our  almost  exclusive  at- 
tention, while  the  poor  hungry  soul  that  should 
be  developing  for  a  glorious  immortality,  is  left 
to  starve  on  the  husks  and  vanities  of  life  ? 

Rather,  let  us  make  "goodly  apparel"  the  sub- 
ject of  minor  importance  that  it  ever  is,  and 
ought  to  be,  to  a  well  regulated  mind  ;  and  daily 
study  so  to  live  that,  when  we  are  called  upon  to 
lay  down  what,  to  each  and  every  one  of  us, 
should  have  been  the  priceless  boon  of  earthly 
existence,  we  may  not  cry  out,  in  unavailing  an- 
guish, "Our  days  have  been  altogether  vanity 
and  vexation  of  spirit ;  and  now  when  death, 
like  a  thief  in  the  night,  hath  stolen  upon  us  un- 
awares, our  eyes  strive  vainly  to  pierce  the  thick 
darkness  that  hides  from  our  failing  vision  the 
golden  gate  opening  upon  a  blissful  immortality." 
— Traveller. 

DOMESTIC  RECEIPTS. 

Flour  Pudding. — Beat  two  eggs  and  a  little 
milk,  and  stir  in  five  table  spoons  full  of  flour, 
making  a  batter.  Boil  one  quart  of  milk,  and 
when  it  boils  pour  in  the  batter,  stirring  well 
while  it  is  poured  in.  Let  it  boil  slowly  for  a 
few  minutes.  Eat  it  with  sweetened  cream  or 
milk,  or  whatever  sauce  suits  best  your  palate.  It 
is  a  cheap,  quick  way  of  making  a  very  pleasant 
and  wholesome  desert. 

Wheat  meal,  unbolted  flour,  can  be  used  in- 
stead of  flour,  which  to  our  taste  is  still  better. 
This  is  a  home  dish  which  we  prize  much.  If  we 
could  introduce  it  into  general  use,  we  should  al- 
most esteem  ourselves  a  benefactor. —  Valley 
Farmer. 

Bread. — Dry  bread,  crusts,  stale  biscuit,  etc., 
I  always  soak  in  warm  water,  mash  fine  and  mix 
with  milk,  when  I  make  bread.  The  loaves  will 
not  be  so  white,  but  will  be  moister — besides,  it 
is  economical,  and  every  housewife  must  be  sav- 
ing these  hard  times.  All  the  cold  potatoes  that 
are  not  hashed  with  meat,  come  to  our  table  the 
second  time  metamorphosed  into  light  loaves  of 
bread. 

Meat. — The  best  way  to  use  pickled  pork,  if 
it  is  too  salt,  is  to  cut  it  in  slices,  and  soak  it 
over  night  in  milk  and  water,  then  roll  each  piece 
in  flour,  and  fry  in  a  little  butter,  the  same  as 
fresh  fish.     It  is  nice  for  a  change. 

Beans. — For  laboring  men  at  this  season  of 
the  year,  there  is  nothing  more  nutritious  and 
wholesome ;  besides,  there  is  no  other  food  of 
which  a  little  will  go  so  far  and  do  so  much  good. 
Boil  them  three  hours  in  plenty  of  water,  with  a 
piece  of  pork  to  flavor  them  just  right.  Put  in 
pepper  as  soon  as  they  come  to  the  boil ;  when 
cooked  a  lump  of  butter  and  some  cream  or  good 
milk.  The  meat  and  butter  generally  makes 
them  salt  enough.  If  there  is  plenty  of  soup 
about  them,  take  them  to  the  table  in  a  deep  dish 
lined  with  bread  crumbs. 

Salt  Fish. — My  way  of  cooking  salt  fish  is, 
to  soak  them  well,  then  wrap  and  tie  them  in  a 
piece  of  old,  thin  white  muslin,  and  boil  them  in 
plenty  of  water.  Untie  carefully,  so  they  wont 
break  to  pieces,  and  season  with  butter  and  pep- 
per. 


fo^IMlP^^^ 


DEVOTED   TO  AGKICULTUKE    AND    ITS   KINDRED   ARTS   AND    SCIENCES, 


VOL.  X. 


BOSTON,  APRIL,  1858. 


NO.  4. 


JOEL  NOURSE,  Proprietor. 
Office., .13  Commercial  St, 


SIMON  BROWN,  EDITOR. 


FRED'K  HOLBROOK,  )  Associate 
HEXRV  F.  FKEXCH,     Editors. 


CALENDAR  FOR  APRIL. 

How  awful  is  the  thought  of  the  wonders  underground, 
Of  the  mystic  changes  wrought  in  the  silent,  dark  profound  j 
How  each  thing  upward  tends  by  necessity  decreed, 
And  a  world's  support  depends  on  the  shooting  of  a  seed ! 

The  summer's  in  her  ark,  and  this  sunny-pinion'd  day 
Is  commisiion'd  to  remark  whether  winter  holds  her  sway: 
Go  back,  thou  dove  of  peace,  with  the  myrtle  on  thy  wing, 
Say  that  floods  and  tempests  cease,  and  the  world  is  ripe  for 
Spring.  Horace  Smitlt. 

TRIL  animates  all  liv- 
ing things ;  quick- 
ens the  blood,  giv- 
-  ing  it  new  fire  and 
force,  and  starts 
the  sap  in  all  the 
vegetable  kingdom, 
sending  it  dancing 
joyfully  along  into 
every  spray  and  leaf  and 
flower.  The  trees  glow  with 
I  a  new  delight,  wave  their 
glad  branches,  or  bow  with 
graceful  ease  to  the  passing 
breeze,  as  young  girls  bend 
in  sportive  grace  on  sunny 
slopes  or  flowery  lawns.  Xo 
reflecting  being  can  be  in- 
sensible to  the  charms  of 
Spring;  if  he  were  so,  he 
could  not  be  reflecting — he 
would  have  lost  the  impress  of  Divinity  stamped 
upon  the  race.  He  would  be  less  than  a  brute 
or  a  clod ;  for  the  animals  certainly  feel  a  new 
life  in  the  spring,  as  they  give  evidence  in  many 
ways.  And  do  not  the  clods  feel  the  electric 
fire,  and  swell  -with  warmth  and  gratitude,  and 
clothe  themselves  in  beautiful  attire,  in  cheer- 
ful green,  in  purple  and  white,  and  sparkle  with 
dewy  gems,  and  exhale  their  fragrance  upon  the 
soft  air?  Surely,  surely,  that  must  be  a  dark 
and  brooding  mind  that  the  sweet  influences  of 
Spring  does  not  kindle  into  a  delightful  glow, 
and   lift  it  rapturously  to  Him  who  brings  the 


Seasons  in  their  order,  and  gives  each  its  appro- 
priate duties  and  charms  ! 

Since  Spring,  then,  has  already  greeted  you, 
we  will  speak  of  some  of  the  incidents  of  the 
season,  whether  they  come  a  few  weeks  earlier  or 
later. 

And  there  are  the  spring  winds  and  rains,  and 
their  influence  :  those  powers  of  the  air,  that  for 
a  season  seem  to  wage  fierce  war  in  the  heavens, 
and  present  all  the  fury  of  a  battle  between  the 
retreating  Winter  and  advancing  Spring.  The 
air  comes  whistling  and  roaming  through  the 
barns  and  about  our  chimney-tops,  as  though  it 
had  no  object  beyond  expending  its  rage  ;  whirl- 
ing the  amazed  weather-cock  till  it  creaks  and 
complains  in  its  despair  of  ever  designating  the 
quarter  whence  the  unruly  one  cometh  ;  rattling 
Avindows  and  slamming  blinds  until  the  nervous 
member  of  the  family  carefully  wedges  and  fast- 
ens all  "tight  as  a  drum  ;"  tossing  and  scattering 
the  clouds  and  smoke ;  driving  so  many  stout 
vessels  on  our  dreadful  coasts,  and  giving  over 
the  poor  fellows  on  board  to  the  mercy  of  the 
waves. 

One  is  almost  convinced  that  the  Latin  poet 
had  arrived  at  the  truth  of  it,  when  he  represent- 
ed a  grim  old  jailer  of  the  winds  imprisoning 
them  in  a  vast  cave,  while  they,  with  the  first 
chance,  escape,  and  rush  forth  to  commit  a  thou- 
sand wild  freaks. 

To  this  idea  of  the  grim  ^olus,  and  fitful 
winds  that  blow  by  chance,  contrast  the  meteo- 
rologists of  the  present  day,  quietly  reviewing 
masses  of  information  derived  from  all  quarters 
of  the  world,  and  at  last  astounding  many  of  us 
with  the  declaration  that  there  is  a  system  ruling 
the  atmosphere  that  envelopes  tlie  globe,  as  icell  as 
the  waters  that  cover  it!  By  discoveries  already 
made,  science  proves  that  chance  no  more  rules 
the  directions  and  violence  of  the  winds,  than  it 
regulates  the  rise  of  the  tide  wave,  or  the  even, 
more  wonderful  ocean-currents. 

And  to  this  conviction  we  must  come  in  what- 


154 


XEW  ENGLAND  FAllMER. 


April 


ever  direction  we  turn  our  studies,  and  one  be- 
comes appalled,  almost,  as  he  advances  in  life  and 
sees  how  perfectly  every  detail  of  the  vast  machin- 
ery of  the  globe  is  constructed,  and  with  what 
exactness  their  various  offices  are  fulfilled. 

And  so  we  shall  find  it  with  the  phenomena  of 
the  seasons  :  the  snows  of  winter  we  are  taught 
to  regard  as  fleecy  garments  actually  mantling 
the  earth  and  keeping  it  warm,  and  the  pinching 
droughts  of  summer  are  none  the  less  valuable, 
drawing  up  by  evaporation  to  the  surface  vhere 
it  ^^ill  be  available,  the  mineral  wealth  that  lies 
too  deep  for  the  roots  to  reach.  So  this  change 
from  Winter  to  Summer,  from  Winter  to  Spring, 
indeed,  is  not  by  a  leap  but  gradual.  The  old 
earth  must  yawn,  and  stretch,  and  get  his  eyes 
open,  before  he  springs  into  full  strength  and 
vigor  for  the  work  he  has  to  do.  Let  us  be  pa- 
tient, then,  and  remember  what  has  been  done. 

Though  all  the  little  channels  and  pores  may 
be  shut  close  enough  by  the  frost  now — for  they 
often  are  on  the  first  of  April — presently  the  rain 
soaks  in  a  little  way  and  the  winds  take  up  the 
superfluous  water ;  the  sun  begins  to  be  felt,  the 
moisture  from  below  seeks  the  light  and  is  car- 
ried off  by  the  wind  again  ;  the  watery  particles 
are  presently  distilled  and  return  to  the  earth  in 
warm  rains.  And  thus  these  busy  elements,  air 
and  water,  keep  at  their  round  of  Avork  till  the 
frost  is  driven  out  of  the  ground,  the  earth  is  in 
a  fit  state  to  go  under  the  hand  of  the  husband- 
man, and  a  subtle  chemistry,  whose  mysteries  we 
are  beginning  to  find  out,  has  prepared  the  soil 
for  another  season  of  plenty. 

The  popular  mind  long  ago  acknowledged  the 
utility  of  these  labors,  and  "the  Avisdom  of  many 
men"  became  crystalizcd,  "by  the  wit  of  one"  in 
the  familiar  proverb, 

"llarcli  winds  and  April  showers 
Bring  forth  May  flowers" — 

which  has  doubtless  consoled  many  a  little  girl- 
philosopher  for  a  stormy,  disagreeable  half-holi- 
day in  the  spring.  [The  boys  are  intentionally 
omitted ;  indeed,  we  fear  they  are  more  apt  to 
believe  that  "it  always  storms  of  a  Wednesday 
afternoon,"  while  the  promised  flowers  are  not 
half  compensation  enough  for  them.] 

It  is  difilcult  to  repress  the  feelings  which  the 
season  naturally  calls  up  in  the  least  sentimental 
of  us.  After  the  grass  has  fairly  clothed  the 
meadows  in  their  beautiful  verdure  again,  when 
the  sun  rises  clear  and  warm,  the  blue-birds  are 
flying  from  post  to  tree-top  with  their  clear,  li- 
quid melody,  the  sparrows  chirping  and  looking 
about  the  hedges  for  new  quarters,  then  does  not 
every  one  feel  that  the  season  gives  him  a  new 
lease  of  life,  that  new  health  and  strength  are  ris- 
ing in  his  frame,  that  he  has  returned  to  a  land- 
scape that  is  familiar  and  welcomes  him  ? 


Poetry,  appropriate  to  the  season  rises  readily 
to  one's  lips  at  such  a  time,  as  the  song  pours 
from  the  swelling  throats  of  the  warbling  birds, 
and  it  is  nearly  Avith  the  same  exaltation  of  spir- 
it that  we  begin  a  new  agricultural  year. 

The  viyifying  spell  has  been  felt  beneath  the  wave, 

By  the  dormouse  in  its  cell,  and  the  mo'e  within  its  cave  ; 

And  the  summer  tribes  that  creep,  or  in  air  expand  their  wings, 

Have  started  from  their  sleep  at  the  summons  of  the  Spring. 

The  cattle  lift  their  voices  from  the  \'alleys  and  the  hills. 
And  the  feather'd  race  rejoices  with  a  gush  of  tuneful  bills; 
And  if  this  cloudless  arch  fills  the  poet's  song  with  glee, 
Thou  sunny  first  of  April,  be  it  dedicate  to  thee. 

Horace  Smith. 

FARM  WORK   FOR  APRIL. 

The  month  of  April  is  the  beginning  of  the 
agricultural  year :  that  is,  the  farmer  then  enters 
resolutely  upon  those  field  labors  which  must 
continuously  occupy  his  attention  through  the 
growing  season,  and  until  the  ripened  crops  are 
gathered  in,  and  winter  again  assumes  the  sway. 

The  labors  of  April  to  the  farmer  are  some- 
thing like  those  of  furnishing  a  ship  for  a  long 
voyage  by  the  merchant.  If  he  furnishes  her 
well,  puts  in  a  liberal  supply  of  provision  and 
water,  sees  that  every  thing  in  the  craft  herself 
is  "staunch  and  trim,"  and  that  an  intelligent 
and  resolute  captain  stands  at  the  helm,  it  is  rea- 
sonable to  indulge  the  hope  that  she  should  re- 
turn in  good  time,  freighted  with  such  a  harvest 
as  shall  yield  a  fair  profit  on  investments  and 
risks. 

And  so  it  is  with  the  farmer.  If  he  is  astir 
early  in  April,  lays  his  plans  with  an  intelligent 
foresight,  and  makes  every  thing  "staunch  and 
trim"  for  the  summer  voyage,  he,  too,  may  rea- 
sonably hope  for  such  harvests  as  shall  reward 
his  intelligence,  his  skill,  and  his  manual  labor. 
Some  of  the  things  which  his  experience  or  his 
wisdom  Avill  suggest,  will  be  to  look  early  after  the 

Fences  of  tlie  Farm. — As  soon  as  the  frost  is 
out,  and  before  the  winds  and  sun  have  dissipated 
the  moisture  so  as  to  permit  plowing  to  be  done, 
let  the  brush,  rail,  or  stone  fences  be  put  in  good 
order ;  not  leaving  "weak  places,"  to  invite  a 
hungry  animal  to  try  his  skill  in  getting  over ; 
because  once  over,  and  gaining  a  taste  of  your 
spring  wheat  or  your  clover,  he  will  be  strongly 
tempted  to  try  it  again  and  again.  Make  fences 
strong  and  sure  in  the  spring,  if  you  would  avoid 
invasions  of  your  fields  while  making  hay  or  cul- 
tivating green  crops. 

Poached. — This  is  a  term  often  used  by  farm- 
ers, and  means,  to  be  ^'trodden  with  deep  foot- 
steps." What  do  you  think,  reader,  of  the  prac- 
tice of  alloAving  cattle  to  roam  at  will  over  moAV- 
ing  lands  in  April  ?  Do  they  receive  any  benefit, 
or  the  land  any  injury? 

Mowing  Fields. — Delays  in  haying-time  are  ex- 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


156 


pensive — to  avoid  them,  visit  the  mowing-fields 
and  gather  the  broken  twigs  from  trees,  stones 
and  rubbish  of  every  kind.  If  the  cattle  ran  in 
them  last  autumn,  scatter  their  droppings  now 
■with  a  light  beetle. 

Plowing. — If  drying  winds  and  warm  suns 
have  carried  off  the  excessive  moisture,  so  that 
upon  turning  up  a  spadeful  of  soil  it  will  crum- 
ble to  pieces,  it  is  pretty  good  evidence  that  the 
King  of  agricultural  implements,  the  Plow,  may 
now  be  put  in  use.  But  for  the  benefit  of  inex- 
perienced operators,  we  say  that  they  will  do  well 
not  to  he  in  a  hurnj.  If  the  soil,  upon  being 
turned  uj),  remains  fiat  and  compact,  it  will  be 
difficult  to  remove  it  from  that  condition  during 
the  summer.  It  will  be  likely  to  remain  in  lumps, 
be  uncomfortable  to  work  upon,  and  will  not  ac- 
commodate the  roots  of  your  plants.  But  when 
the  land  is  right,  "plow  deep  while  sluggards 
sleep ;"  go  half  an  inch  deeper  than  last  year ; 
then  you  will  have  a  loose,  porous,  inviting  bed 
for  young  roots  to  travel  and  feed  in.  Such  a 
soil  will  admit  heat  and  moisture,  and  those  are 
just  what  the  seeds  and  young  germs  want, — and 
when  the  May  showers  come  they  will  descend 
freely  among  the  new  roots,  carrying  warmth  with 
them,  and  leaving  a  portion  of  moisture  and  am- 
monia as  they  pass  down  into  a  lower  stratum. 
Then  the  young  rootlets  will  open  their  mouths 
and  feed  like  a  young  child,  and  grow  and  send 
up  their  stems  to  find  nev\'  joy  in  the  light  and 
air !     Under  such  a  condition  of  things  the 

Spring  Wheat,  Oats  and  Barley  ought  to  be 
in  the  ground ;  but  the  barley  ought  to  be  on  a 
gravelly  loam,  rather  than  a  black  loam  ;  it  loves 
a  warm,  dryish  soil.  Wheat  and  oats  do  better 
on  a  soil  not  excessively  manured.  If  land  is  laid 
to  grass  M-ith  them,  it  is  probably  better  to  ap- 
ply only  a  light  dressing  at  the  time  of  sowing, 
and  add  a  portion  to  the  young  grass  in  the  au- 
tumn following. 

Early  Potatoes. — After  all  that  has  been  said 
in  favor  of  early  peas,  lettuces,*ou,\umbers,  &c., 
we  doubt  whether  there  is  any  vegetable  more 
grateful  to  the  palate,  or  more  healthful  to  the 
system,  than  a  good  mealy  potato  in  July.  "Well, 
you  can  have  them  on  your  table  "on  the  glori- 
ous Fourth,"  if  you  set  about  it  on  the  first  of 
April.  How  ?  Bring  as  many  potatoes  as  you 
wish  to  plant  into  the  kitchen,  or  any  other  warm. 
place,  in  a  box  or  barrel,  and  sprinkle  a  little  fine 
loam,  or  old,  fine  compost  among  them,  and  keep 
the  light  out.  In  a  short  time  they  will  sprout, 
then  plant  them  in  a  warm,  sheltered  jAaee,  and 
on  Hcw  ground  if  possible.  Or,  spread  the  po- 
tatoes on  the  grass  in  a  warm  nook,  and  cover 
them  with  horse-manure  deep  enough  to  keep 
them  warm,  and  when  sprouted  plant  them.  The 
soil  for  them  should  be  pretty  rich,  and  when 


they  are  up,  hoe  often  and  keep  all  the  weeds 
down. 

A  little  Garden,  Avell  tilled,  will  afford  a  world 
of  convenient  things.  Just  think  of  it !  Early 
asparagus,  beans,  beets,  brussels-sprouts,  cab- 
bage, carrots,  celery,  cucumbers,  chives,  egg- 
plant, horse-radish,  corn,  lettuce,  melons,  mustard, 
onions,  parsley. parsnips,  peppers,  peas,  potatoes, 
pumpkins,  radishes,  rhul)arb,  spinage,  squashes, 
tomatoes,  turnips,  sage,  sweet-marjoram,  sweet- 
potatoes,  strawberries,  blackberries,  currants, 
gooseberries,  raspberries,  potatoes,  &c.  The  fam- 
ily may  find  -well  nigh  half  its  support  from  the 
garden  during  the  summer  and  autumn  months. 

Get  field  crops  in  early. — Spring  wheat,  oats, 
barley  and  corn,  are  better  for  being  in  as  soon 
as  the  soil  is  in  a  fit  condition  to  receice  them. 
The  middle  of  June  is  early  enough  for  millet, 
winter  squashes,  and  ruta  bagas.  Some  delay 
sowing  carrot-seed  until  the  last  of  May — our 
crops  succeed  better  when  earlier  sown. 


For  tJie  Ncip  E)igland  Form'iT. 
COAIi  TAR  FOB.  CHOWS. 

Mn.  Editor  : — In  the  Farmer  of  the  26th  ult., 
appears  an  article  on  "The  Crow,"  by  "Ycung 
Farmer ;"  he  seems  to  have  been  tormented  by 
this  colored  gentleman.  It  may  be  acceptable 
to  him,  and  perhaps  to  others,  to  know  how  to 
prepare  their  seed  corn  so  that  neither  crows  nor 
blackbirds,  nor  any  other  bird,  will  pull  more 
than  one  or  two  grains. 

Have  your  corn  all  ready,  take  about  a  pailful 
of  boiling  hot  water,  and  add  to  it  about  a  pint  of 
coal  tar  ;  sth",  and  let  stand  for  two  or  three  min- 
utes, and  turn  in  your  seed  corn ;  stir  it  round  three 
or  four  times,  then  turn  out  into  a  sieve  so  as  to 
hold  the  corn  together  and  let  the  Avater  go  ;  now 
roll  your  corn  in  ashes  or  plaster.  All  this  must 
be  done  in  the  shortest  time  possible ;  when  the 
corn  is  taken  out  of  the  water  each  grain  will 
have  a  light  coating  of  tar,  and  by  rolling  in 
ashes  or  plaster  it  keeps  it  from  sticking  to  the 
hands.  Crows  will  not  pull  up  much  corn  plant- 
ed in  this  way. 

Some  may  say  that  corn  will  not  grow  after 
such  a  hot  water  process  ;  but  to  such  I  would 
say  try  and  see.  ^Iumfokd. 

irhiiiiisriUe,  JP'orcester  Co.,  Mti.ix.,  Dec.  20, 1SJ7. 


Remarks. — We  are  obliged  to  correspondents 
for  several  articles  on  "The  Crows,"  which  we 
cannot  publish  at  present.  They  arc  well  writ- 
ten, and  amusing,  but  contain  no  special  facts 
that  could  be  brought  into  practical  use.  The 
article  above  distinctly  specifies  how  some  of  the 
ravages  of  the  crow  may  be  prevented,  and  is, 
therefore,  laid  before  the  reader. 


CF°  The  Cincinnati  (Ohio)  Gazette  states  that  a 
bill  has  passed  the  Senate  of  that  State  prohibiting 
the  intermarriage  of  first  cousins.  That  paper  says 
that  public  sentiment  i'^  in  favor  of  that  r.icasure. 


156 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


April 


Fur  the  Netr  England  Farmer. 
ORNITHOLOGY. 
BY    S.     P.    FOAVLER. 

Mu.  Editor  : — Upon  examination  of  the  bird 
I  send  you  to-day,  you  will  probably  not  at  once 
discover  anything  very  remarkable  in  its  general 
appearance  ;  you  cannot  fail,  hoM'ever,  to  notice 
tliat  it  has  a  large  head  and  a  sharp  and  strong 
beak,  that  betokens  a  life  spent  in  bloody  deeds. 
But  when  you  look  at  its  feet  you  will  see  no  cor- 
responding talons,  that  we  alv.ays  find  in  birds  of 
2)rey.  Its  wings  also  are  short  and  rounded, 
which  renders  it  incapable  of  soaring  and  indulg- 
ing in  a  prolonged  flight,  and  you  are  perplexed, 
it  may  be,  to  know  where  to  class  the  bird,  or 
judge  of  its  character  by  its  points  developed. 
And  it  would  not  be  surprising,  even  after  you 
were  Avell  acquainted  with  its  habits,  to  find  this 
difficulty  of  classification  increased.  Ray,  Buf- 
fon,  Brisson,  Linnaeus  and  Latham  long  ago  could 
not  agree  in  what  order  the  birds  of  this  genus 
should  be  classed.  Some  of  our  ornithologists  of 
the  present  day,  from  the  fi^ct  of  its  preying  up- 
on insects,  class  it  in  the  order  of  insectiverous 
birds.  But  if  the  exhibition  of  rapacity,  connect- 
ed with  unnecessary  cruelty,  give  character  to  a 
bird,  it  should  be  classed  with  the  rapacious  birds. 
All  animals  that  kill  for  the  pleasure  of  killing, 
and  more  than  suffices  them  for  food,  must  be 
considered  cruel.  That  broad  head  of  our  bird, 
armed  with  a  strong  and  heavy  beak,  and  moved 
by  strong  muscles,  situated  in  its  neck,  when 
thrown  back,  inflicts  a  stunning  blow  like  a  slung- 
shot,  or  breaks  the  skull  of  its  victim,  usually  a 
small  bird.  After  it  has  satisfied  its  appetite,  it 
continues  to  kill,  and  hangs  up  its  dead  in  the 
crotches  of  small  trees  and  bushes  to  decay.  It 
has  been  thought  by  some  ornithologists  that  our 
bird  is  provident  by  thus  making  provision  for 
its  future  wants,  that  it  is  in  fact  hanging  up  its 
game,  like  an  epicure,  to  ripen  and  grow  tender. 
But  such  does  not  appear  to  be  the  fact,  as  itfeeds 
only  on  fresh-killed  meat.  It  likewise  has  the 
singular  habit  of  impaling  grasshoppers  upon  the 
thorn  bush.  I  have  seen  some  of  this  hung  dried 
meat  .n  my  rambles  in  boyhood.  A  lady  a  few 
•weeks  since  showed  me  a  Yellow  Rumped  Warbler, 
in  its  winter  plumage,  that  was  found  hanging  by 
the  neck  in  a  crotchet  twig  of  an  alder,  no  doubt 
placed  there  by  the  bird  under  consideration.  Its 
usual  method,  as  we  have  before  said,  of  killing 
its  prey,  is  by  breaking  the  skull  with  its  beak, 
but  it  sometimes  resorts  to  garroting  its  victim, 
by  seizing  it  by  its  throat  and  choking  it.  This 
warbler  that  was  found  suspended,  was  evidently 
tlirottled.  Jardine,  speaking  of  the  birds  of  this 
species,  says:  "They  have  all  the  character  of 
being  cruel  and  tyrannous,  arising  from  the  pe- 
culiar manner  of  impaling  their  prey  upon  thorns, 
or  fastening  it  in  the  cleft  of  branches,  often  in  a 
Avanton  manner,  as  if  for  the  sake  of  murder 
only,  thus  fixing  up  all  it  can  seize  upon."  A  lady 
of  my  acquaintance  informed  me  that  during  the 
last  winter,  one  morning  upon  sweeping  her  par- 
lor she  discovered  what  she  supposed  to  be  alight 
blue-colored  dove,  endeavoring  to  come  into  the 
room  by  the  upper  sash  of  the  window,  where 
was  hanging  her  canary  in  its  cage.  She  dropped 
thv  sash,  when  instantly  the  strange  bird  came 
in  and  alighted  upon  the  cage,  and  exhibited  hos- 


tile movements,  which  being  noticed  by  the  lady 
she  attacked  him  with  a  woman's  best  Aveapon,  a 
l)room,  which  she  happened  to  have  in  her  hand, 
but  did  not  succeed  in  driving  the  marauder  out 
at  the  window  until  it  had  killed  her  favorite  bird 
by  a  Ijlow  u])on  the  head.  Such  is  the  bold  and 
burglarious  daring  of  the  bird  before  you.  As  it 
stands  in  some  of  our  ornithological  Avorks,  at 
the  head  of  the  order  of  insectivorous  birds,  it 
may  claim  some  favor  from  agriculturists.  Mr. 
Wilson  supposed  that  its  principal  food  Avas  in- 
sects, particularly  grasshoppers,  and  that  it  preyed 
only  upon  birds  in  Avinter.  I  am  of  the  opinion 
that  it  Avould  not  hesitate,  when  pressed  by  hunger, 
to  attack  any  small  quadruped,  as  I  have  noticed 
it  Avatching  around  a  hog-yard,  and  endeavoring 
to  seize  the  vermin  that  infested  it.  Its  note  is 
as  singular  as  its  habits,  being  like  the  creaking 
of  a  sign-board  hinge  !  But  it  is  time,  perhaps, 
that  I  should  close  this  communication,  by  an- 
nouncing the  name  of  the  smart  little  bird  you 
hold  in  your  hand,  and  give  some  accounts  of  its . 
breeding  habits. 

It  is  the  Great  American  Shrieker  or  Butcher 
Bird,  {Lanuis  borealis  vieill.)  During  winter  it 
is  not  uncommon  in  Massachusetts.  Retires  to 
the  forest  to  breed,  builds  a  large  nest,  the  female 
laying  six  eggs  of  a  greenish  white  color,  thickly 
marked  Avith  pale  broAvn  spots. 

Danvers-Port,  Feb.  10,  1858. 


FOURTH  LEGISLATIVE  AGRICULTURAL 
MEETING. 

[reported   for  the    N.   E.    FjVRMER   by    ZENAS   T.    HAINE3.] 

THE   PREPARATION  AND  APPLICATION   OF   JIANURE3. 

At  the  Fourth  Legislative  Agricultural  Meet- 
ing, held  last  Tuesday  evening,  Hon.  Mr.  Phelps 
of  the  Senate,  presided.  On  taking  the  chair  he 
remarked  that  he  had  no  practical  knoAsiedge  of 
agriculture,  and  consequently  had  no  suggestions 
to  offer.  The  subject  of  the  proposed  discussion 
of  this  evening  Avas  one  of  great  interest  to  those 
dwelling  on  the  sterile  soil  Avhere  our  lot  had  been 
cast. 

Mr.  Flint,  Secretary  of  the  Board  of  Agri- 
culture, Avas  the  first  speaker  introduced.  He  re- 
marked that  the  subject  of  the  preparation  and 
application  of  manures  was  the  great  basis  of 
successful  farming  In  this  section.  Manures  were 
divided  into  animal,  vegetable  and  mineral;  or, 
more  commonly,  into  the  two  classes  of  barnyard 
and  artificial  manures.  But  animal  manure  was 
the  kind  in  which  the  agriculturists  of  Massachu- 
setts were  the  most  interested.  The  importance 
of  protecting  such  manures  from  the  washing  of 
rains  was  urged.  Its  soluble  nature  particular- 
ly required  its  protection  from  the  forty-eight 
inches  of  rain  that  fall  in  a  year.  Liquid  manures 
had  been  too  much  disregarded.  A  coav  would 
void  sixty  lbs.  of  liquid  manure  a  day,  but  by  the 
ordinary  management  of  farmers  forty  lbs.  a  day 
were  lost,  and  with  it  a  pound  of  ammonia  to 
every  5^  gallons  of  the  fluid.     The  great  value  of 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


157 


ammonia  as  a  fertilizer  was  dwelt  upon,  and  the 
speaker  mentioned  the  recent  discovery  of  the 
mechanical  and  chemical  power  of  the  earth  to 
absorb  and  retain  ammonia.  In  conclusion,  ^Ir. 
Flint  read  a  letter  in  relation  to  the  general  sub- 
ject, from  J.  W.  Proctor,  of  Danvers,  who 
thought  the  manure  used  on  a  farm  should,  as 
nearly  as  possible,  be  made  from  what  the  farm 
produces. 

Rev.  Mr.  Sanger,  of  Dover,  was  very  favora- 
bly impressed  with  this  idea  in  the  note  of  Mr. 
Proctor,  and  fully  acceded  to  it.  Peat  mud  he 
deemed  a  valuable  manure,  and  particularly  adap- 
ted to  the  region  where  it  was  found,  from  the 
fact  that  it  consisted  of  the  washings,  the  leaves, 
and  other  accumulations  of  the  land  in  the  vicin- 
ity. The  speaker  had  found  great  benefit  from 
this  manure  on  sandy  lands.  It  was  excellent  in 
the  growth  of  corn,  potatoes  and  fruit  trees.  He 
would  have  it  dug  and  exposed  to  the  frost  one 
or  two  winters.  In  regard  to  its  effect  on  fruit 
trees,  he  has  found  it  would  make  them  bear 
well  even  on  sandy  and  dry  lands.  As  to  the  ap- 
plication of  manures,  he  preferred  to  have  only 
a  portion  applied  broadcast,  and  the  remainder 
in  the  hill,  where  it  would  give  the  plant  an  early  I 
and  vigorous  start. 

Mr.  Allen,  of  Oakham,  remembered  when  the 
barn-yard  was  almost  the  only  resource  for  man- 
ure. It  was  once  deemed  important  to  cart  out 
and  pile  up  the  manures  previous  to  their  appli- 
cation, for  the  purpose  of  more  finely  pidverizing 
them.  AVhen  he  merely  cultivated  a  garden,  he 
found  the  water  from  the  wash-tub,  sink,  Szc,  a 
valuable  and  important  manure. 

David  Davenport,  of  Mendon,  kept  a  horse 
and  cow  on  three  acres  of  land,  and  had  more  than 
they  could  eat.  Yet  all  his  manure  was  derived 
from  the  fluids  created  on  his  farm.  His  mode 
of  preparation  was  to  add  water,  and  then  plaster, 
to  fix  the  ammonia,  after  which  it  was  distributed 
over  the  land  from  a  hogshead.  He  had  found 
swamp  mud,  applied  to  sandy  plain  land,  with 
ashes,  in  the  proportion  of  thirty  bushels  of  mud 
to  one  barrel  of  ashes,  a  valuable  manure.  It 
would  make  corn,  even  on  that  land,  produce  full 
an  average  crop.  He  had  found  this  plain  land 
productive  of  potatoes,  with  a  previous  crop  of 
clover,  stimulated  by  mud  and  ashes,  and  then 
turned  in  as  a  manure.  The  potatoes  were  sound. 

Mr.  Hartey  Dodge,  of  Sutton,  spoke  of  the 
importance  of  using  subsoil  as  an  absorbent  of 
the  water  collecting  in  barn-yards.  It  was  hun- 
gry for  ammonia.  The  speaker  believed  there 
was  no  necessity  for  Massachusetts  farmers  to  go 
oft'  after  guano  and  phosphates.  They  h  A  the  ad- 
equate materials  at  home,  and  could  \\->t.  afford 
to  buy  manures.  The  grass  crop  was  the  most 
profitable  crop  in  New  England.       *  1 


N.  A.  Richardson,  of  "Winchester,  bore  testi- 
mony to  the  value  of  muck  in  a  pulverized  condi- 
tion. He  had  found  the  effect  of  the  pulverized 
muck  far  more  powerful  than  muck  in  a  raw  con- 
dition. He  had  found  nothing  so  valuable  as 
muck  in  making  a  compost.  It  was  true  that 
"meadow  muck  is  the  mother  of  the  meal  chest." 
Guano  was  a  convenient  and  pretty  manure  for 
flowers,  but  not  suited  to  farming  purposes.  It 
had  not  the  necessary  bulk,  heart  and  perma- 
nence. 

Mr.  Davis,  of  Plymouth,  said  fresh  muck  was 
a  valuable  manure  for  grass  land.  Very  much 
depended  upon  the  locality  and  character  of  the 
mud  as  well  as  of  peat  as  to  its  effects.  In  his  sec- 
tion he  believed  that  muck  furnished  the  founda- 
tion for  cultivating  the  soil.  They  had  found  that 
sea-weed  put  into  their  potato  hills  had  a  very 
favorable  effect.  It  equalized  the  moisture,  and 
the  potato  grew  large  and  mealy,  even  in  very 
sandy  soil.  Ammonia  water  and  lime  from  gas- 
works might  doubtless  be  made  valuable  manures. 

Mr.  J.  W.  Proctor,  of  Danvers,  spoke  of  the 
cultivation  of  the  Derby  farm  in  Salem.  Twenty 
acres  manured  with  a  compost  of  night  soil,  barn 
manure,  Szc,  yielded  a  profit  of  $200  to  the  acre, 
in  garden  vegetables.  People  in  Salem  and 
Marblehead  found  sea-weed  a  valuable  auxiliary. 
Home  materials  were  abundant,  and  there  was  no 
necessity  to  go  away  from  home  for  manures. 

Col.  Hawks,  of  Deerfield,  thought  the  best 
mode  of  applying  manures  depended  upon  the 
soil.  On  clayey  land  he  found  it  best  to  plow 
under  the  manure.  On  meadow  land  he  would 
both  plow  in  and  spread  on  the  top.  He  had 
had  experience  with  guano,  and  found  it  better 
on  sandy  land  than  heavy  land.  It  was  better 
for  broom  corn  than  Indian  corn,  and  was  ex- 
hausted the  first  year. 

JosiAH  QuiNCY,  Jr.,  of  Boston,  had  been  in- 
formed by  Dr.  Dana,  the  great  authority  in  muck 
matters,  that  salt  water  muck  might  be  more  val- 
uable than  fresh  water  muck.  He  would  like  to 
have  the  experience  of  gentlemen  on  this  point. 

ISIr.  Davis  was  now  engaged  in  digging  salt 
and  fresh  peat,  and  recommends  farmers  to  em- 
ploj'  laborers  in  the  same  work.  It  could  be  done 
at  this  season,  and  furnish  aid  to  the  poor  unem- 
ployed. The  frost  oflered  no  impediment  to  the 
prosecution  of  the  work. 

B.  V.  French,  of  Braintree,  said  a  cord  of 
good  animal  manure  was  worth  more  than  eight 
dollars  to  a  farmer.  He  had  a  good  deal  of  faith 
in  meadow  muck  to  be  used  in  a  compost.  He 
thought  considerable  was  to  be  derived  from  peat. 
It  was  estimated  that  there  were  700,000  acres  of 
muck  meadow  in  Massachusetts.  They  were 
found  near  sandy  lands.  He  accounted  for  their  ex- 
istence in  the  fact  of  their  being  in  hollows,  which 


158 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Afril 


had  collected  leaves  and  other  floating  substances.  \ 
To  get  rid  of  the  acid  he  would  mix  the  mud  with 
horse  manure.  They  could  no  more  expect  to , 
get  good  crops  from  our  soils  unaided  by  manure, 
than  to  make  good  bread  without  good  yeast. 
The  application  of  ground  bone  was  of  great, 
value  in  the  production  of  cabbages,  &c.  Guano , 
should  never  be  sowed  in  windy  weather,  but  it  | 
would  be  well  to  apply  it  during  a  rain.  He  had 
plowed  in  manures  to  the  depth  of  nine  inches, 
and  lost  it.  There  was  a  mystery,  he  said,  in  the 
practice  of  agriculture.  He  had  concluded,  after 
considerable  observation  and  experience,  that  ma- : 
niire  had  better  be  covered  one  inch  than  four , 
inches.  Every  means  should  be  used  to  save  ma- 1 
nures — ^liquid  and  solid.  Chemists  agreed  that  | 
the  first  was  as  valuable  as  the  latter.  The  speaker  j 
questioned  whether  the  water  from  the  city  sew-j 
ers  had  sufficient  fertilizing  properties  to  warrant 
carrying  it  any  great  distance. 

Mr.  Flint  presented  to  the  meeting  a  state- 
ment given  him  by  Mr.  NoURSE,  founded  on  data 
suggested  in  'previous  remarks  by  Mr.  Flint,  by 
which  it  would  appear  that  the  annual  loss  in 
liquid  manures  was  $15  a  year  to  each  cow,  or 
$3,900,000  a  year  on  all  the  cattle  in  the  State. 

Ex-Go  v.  BouTvvELL  asked  Mr.  Flint  if  by 
that  calculation  the  value  of  the  liquid  manure 
would  not  pay  for  the  keeping  of  the  cattle.  The 
question  was  considered  very  pertinent,  and  cre- 
ated some  merriment,  but  was  not  answered. 

Mr.  Sparhawk,  of  Boston,  said  that  so  far  as 
his  experience  went,  there  was  no  such  thing  as 
a  specific  manure  for  a  specific  crop.  He  pre- 
ferred to  apply  manures  in  the  fall. 

W.  J.  BucKMiNSTER,  of  the  Ploughman,  exhib- 
ited a  novelty  in  the  shape  of  a  box  of  very  su- 
perior butter,  wrought  into  various  fanciful  de- 
signs, such  as  shells,  scrolls,  &e.,  well  calculated 
to  ornament  a  tea-table.  The  butter  was  sent  by 
Peter  Swallow,  of  Dunstable,  and  elicited  a 
good  deal  of  praise  for  its  beauty  and  sweetness. 

At  the  next  meeting  the  discussion  of  the  sub- 
ject of  mamircs  will  be  resumed. 


For  the  JS'etc  Eni/latuI  Farmer. 
FARMING  EEQUIBES  STUDY. 

Mr.  Editor: — Owing  to  the  high  value  of 
the  farmer's  productions,  many  iiiechanics  have 
recently  left  their  business  and  taken  farms,  with 
the  anticipation  of  making  a  fortune  immediate- 
ly ;  and  living  with  that  ease  and  luxury  which 
they  imagine  country  ])eople  enjoy.  They  should 
remember  that  all  ought  to  understand  the  busi- 
ness best  that  they  have  been  the  longest  time 
engaged  in ;  and  tliat  if  any  one  from  any  other 
business  would  prefer  farming,  let  him  begin  un- 
derstandingly. 

He  should  know  what,  M-hen  and  where  to  be- 
gin to  plant;  what,  when  and  where,  in  the   cul- 


ture ;  what,  when  and  where  to  reap.  And  can 
a  person  ignorant  of  all  this,  expect  to  succeed 
in  any  ])art  or  in  all  ?  As  well  might  the  country 
jouth  expect  to  be  benefited  in  the  merchant's 
counting-room — as  well  might  the  student  in  ad- 
dition, suppose  because  he  used  a  slate  that  he 
could  do  all  that  can  be  done  on  a  slate — as  a 
person  not  used  to,  and  not  acquainted  with  the 
soil,  can  suppose  himself  to  excel  in  agriculture. 

What  must  the  farmer  do  to  better  himself  and 
fai-m?  Study  interestedly,  by  obtaining  infor- 
mation from  experienced  and  skilful  agricultur- 
ists; by  reading  and  observation  ;  and  by  a  judi- 
cious expenditure  of  lal)or  and  money  upon  the 
soil;  andAvhen  he  has  made  his  farm  what  a  farm 
should  be,  he  may  expect  to  be  able  to  live  in  a 
better  manner  than  any  of  his  neighbors ;  and 
not  till  then. 

When  I  hear  a  man  raising  objections  to  an 
agricultural  paper,  I  observe  his  farm,  and  am 
generally  sure  to  find  that  he  is  raising  very  pow- 
erful objections  to  farming,  in  a  very  unconscious, 
and  as  we  say,  in  a  very  hereditary,  honor-thy- 
father  way.  E. 

For  the  New  Ensland  Farmer. 
LAYING  DOWN  INUNDATED  LANDS. 

Mr.  Editor  : — I  am  puzzled,  somewhat,  to 
know  how  to  treat  a  pif  ce  of  land  I  broke  up  last 
fall,  and  having  no  one  to  advise  with,  I  take  a 
subscriber's  liberty  to  request  that  you  will  help 
me  out  of  my  difficulty. 

The  piece  of  land  in  question  is  a  part  of  my 
meadow  (intervale),  and  has  been  mowed  for  a 
numl)er  of  years.  The  soil  is  rich  and  light,  but 
overflows  every  spring,  (lying  rather  low,)  so 
that  it  is  late  in  the  season  before  I  can  get  on  it. 
My  wish  is  to  get  it  into  grass  again  as  soon  as 
possible,  after  manuring  it  well.  It  had  a  thick, 
mossy  turf  before  I  plowed  it,  and  yielded  but  a 
small  quantity  of  fine,  miserable  g|ass.  I  had 
thought  tliat  it  would  be  a  good  plan  to  harrow 
it  thoroughly  in  the  spring,  then  sow  on  grass 
seed,  and  a  heavy  coat  of  guano,  having  no  crop 
from  it  until  I  cut  the  grass  again  the  next  year's 
summer.  ]\Iy  object  in  sowing  no  gi'ain  was,  that 
I  might  not  lessen  the  strength  and  vitality  I 
hoped  to  get  from  the  guano.  But  I  have  heard 
so  many  conflicting  opinions  in  regard  to  this  ma- 
nure and  the  maiiner  of  using  it,  that  I  am  un- 
decided, as  yet,  as  to  whether  I  have  chosen  the 
best  plan.  I  could  sow  oats  on  the  upturned 
turf  in  the  spring,  I  suppose,  and  by  plowing  It 
in  the  fall  and  manui-ing  heavily  with  stable  ma- 
nure the  next  spring,  have  the  ground  in  pretty 
good  order  ;  but  the  river  washes  over  It  so  much, 
it  is  so  late  before  I  can  do  anything  with  it  In 
the  spring,  and  I  am  so  limited  In  my  supply  of 
stable  manure,  that,  all  things  considered,  I  am 
very  desirous  to  lay  it  down  before  the  water  has 
much  time  to  injure  it.  And  yet  I  want  it  rich, 
so  that  I  wont  be  obliged  to  disturb  It  again  for 
some  years.  If  you  can  tell  me  what  to  do,  you 
will  much  oblige,  Yours,  respectfully, 

Montreal,  January,  ISuS.     Joseph  Gould. 


Remarks. — We  have  a  ten-acre  field  in  pre- 
cisely the  same  condition, — lying  on  the  river's 
bank,  and  su'bject  to  overflow  every  spring.  Our 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


159 


plan  is  this : — -to  throw  the  soil  into  beds  fifty  or 
sixty  feet  in  width,  so  that  the  w-iter  shall  flow 
from  a  large  portion  of  it  as  fast  as  the  river  falls ; 
then  plow  and  sow  with  a  light  seeding  of  oats, 
say  from  six  to  eight  pecks  to  the  acre,  and  cut 
tliem  at  the  proper  season  for  fodder.  The  growth 
of  oats  will  keep  the  weeds  down,  and  shade  and 
protect  the  young  and  tender  grass,  and  will  not 
greatly  exhaust  the  land  if  cut  just  as  the  seed  is 
fairly  formed.  Or,  you  may  sow  oats  without 
grass  seed,— cut  them  for  fodder,  plow  and  ma- 
nure the  land  immediately,  early  in  August  if  you 
'can,  and  then  sow  such  grass  seed  as  you  like, 
but  we  shall  get  a  plentiful  intermixture  of  clo- 
ver for  a  year  or  two  if  we  can. 

If  the  field  is  dressed  with  a  fine,  rich  compost, 
so  that  the  young  shoots  of  the  grass  seed  may 
readily  find  something  nourishing  to  lay  hold  of, 
and  the  seed  is  sown  in  August,  the  grass  will 
become  so  thoroughlyrooted  and  established  be- 
fore the  autumnal  overflows,  as  to  resist  the  ac- 
tion of  the  water,  unless  the  current  over  it  is 
pretty  strong.  Fragments  of  ice  may  occasion- 
ally kill  out  spots  of  the  grass,  but  the  old  sward 
is  equally  liable,  and  early  attention  must  be 
given  in  the  spring  to  correct  such  jjlaces. 


U.  S.  AGRICULTURAL  SOCIETY. 
We  have  already  given  an  outline  of  the  pro- 
ceedings of  this  society  at  its  late  session  at 
Washington.  But  in  the  National  Intelligencer 
we  find  a  more  minute  account  of  the  action  of 
the  society  upon  the  resignation  of  President 
Wilder,  Avhich  will  be  read  with  interest  by  the 
large  number  of  friends  of  that  gentleman 
throughout  New  England.     It  is  as  follows  : 

Mr,  Wager,  of  New  York,  ofi'ered  the  resolu- 
tions following,  which  were  unanimously  adopted: 

Whereas,  the  Hon.  Marshall  P.  Wilder,  of  ]Mas- 
sachusetts,  who  has  for  years  so  eminently  dis- 
tinguished himself  by  his  exertions  in  promoting 
the  cause  of  terra-culture,  has  declined  a  further 
re-election  to  the  office  of  President  of  this  soci- 
ety, which  he  has  filled  since  its  creation  with 
ability,  industry  and  outlay  of  his  private  means  ; 
therefore 

Be^solved,  That  his  name  be  placed  on  the  roll 
of  honorary  members  of  the  United  States  Agri- 
O-dtural  Society ;  and  that  the  Executive  Com- 
mittee are  instructed  to  present  him  with  a  suita- 
ble testimonial  as  a  mark  of  appreciation  of  this 
society  for  the  energy,  time  and  money  which  he 
has  expended  in  advancing  its  interests,  and  in 
raising  it  to  the  position  which  it  now  occupies. 

Resolved,  That  while  the  members  of  this  soci- 
ety regret  exceedingly  that  personal  considera- 
tions constrained  him  to  decline  a  re-election, 
they  would  express  their  kind  regards  and  most 
eai'nest  desires  for  his  future  happiness. 

The  President,  in  reply,  said  : 

Gentlemen,  I  thank  you  most  sincerely  for  this 
renewed  testimonial  of  esteem  and  affection,  as 


expressed  in  the  words  of  the  resolutions  that 
have  just  been  adopted. 

Endowed  from  my  youth  with  a  love  of  rural 
life  and  of  rural  taste,  I  have  but  obeyed  the  in- 
stincts of  my  nature  in  devoting  sucli  time,  al)ility 
and  means  as  I  could  command  to  the  cultivation 
of  the  earth. 

In  taking  the  incipient  measures  towards  the 
formation  of  this  society,  in  all  my  efforts  for  its 
advancement,  and  in  whatever  I  have  been  enabled 
to  do  for  the  promotion  of  the  general  cause,  I 
have  only  been  following  the  leadings  of  Provi- 
dence and  the  inspirations  of  my  own  mind. 

The  duties  of  your  presiding  officer,  I  need  not 
inform  you,  have  frequently  been  perplexing  and 
arduous,  and  their  faithful  discharge  attended 
with  difl[iculty  and  delicacy  ;  but  your  kindness 
and  co-operation  has  shared  the  burden  with  me, 
and  I  shall  ever  regard  my  connection  with  you 
and  the  many  friendships  I  have  here  formed,  as 
among  the  most  delightful  circumstances  in  my 
life. 

On  retiring  from  the  position  which  I  have  so 
long  occupied,  I  pray  you,  therefore,  to  accept  the 
assurances  of  my  high  consideration  and  regard, 
and  of  my  undiminished  interest  in  each  of  you 
personally,  and  in  the  future  prosperity  of  the 
United  States  Agricultural  Society.  Longmayit 
live  to  be  an  honor  and  blessing  to  our  country, 
and  may  its  last  days  be  its  best  days  ! 

At  a  meeting  of  the  Executive  Committee,  held 
the  evening  previous  to  the  last  day  of  the  session, 
they  unanimously  passed  the  following  resolution, 
which  was  offered  by  Mr.  Wager,  of  New  York  : 

Besolved,  That  in  obedience  to  instructions 
from  1  he  society,  the  Executive  Committee  request 
the  Hon.  Henry  Wager  to  inform  the  Hon.  Mar- 
shall P.  Wilder  that  the  sum  of  $250  is  placed  at 
his  disposal  for  the  purchase  of  such  a  testimo- 
nial as  may  be  to  him  most  acceptable. 

Mr.  BuRGWYN,  of  North  Carolina,  addressed 
the  society  in  support  of  the  resolution  of  the 
Executive  Committee,  and  commented  in  warm 
terms  on  the  united  energy,  intelligence,  liberali- 
ty and  ])ublic  spirit  which  had  marked  the  official 
connection  of  Mr.  Wilder  with  the  society. 

The  Chair  united  in  testifying  to  the  eminent 
services  rendered  by  his  predecessor  in  the  pres- 
idency. 

After  which,  on  motion  of  ISIr.  BuRGWYN,  the 
resolution  of  the  Executive  Committee  was  adopt- 
ed unanimously  and  by  acclamation. 

Ex-President  Wilder  replied  to  the  vote  thus 
taken,  and  feelingly  returned  his  acknowledg- 
ments for  the  very  kind  treatment  he  hiul  receiv- 
ed at  thehands  of  his  fellow-members.  He  wished 
to  take  the  opportunity  to  give  testimony  to  the 
zealous  co-operation  he  had  experienced  from 
members  and  officers  of  the  society,  who  had  with 
him  borire  the  burden  and  heat  of  the  day.  He 
spoke  in  the  most  flattering  terms  of  the  zeal  and 
ability  of  the  Secretary,  Maj.  Ben  :  Perley 
PooRE,  whose  "steady,  minute  and  untiring  at- 
tention to  duty,  aided  as  it  has  been  l)y  bodily 
powers  and  force  not  granted  to  many  men,  had 
combined  to  make  him  a  model  Secretary."  He 
also  paid  merited  compliments  to  "the  fidelity 
and  industry  of  the  Treasurer  of  the  society,  ^laj. 
B.  B.  French.     We  are  glad  to  record  the  clos- 


160 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


April 


ing  events  of  the  energetic  and  prosperous  career 
of  the  first  President  of  the  U.  S.  Agricultural 
Society. 

For  the  Nezo  England  Farmer. 
"WITCH  GRASS,  (TKITICUM  BEPENS.) 

Messiis.  Editors  : — Much  has  been  said  and 
written  Avithin  the  last  few  years  upon  the  subject 
of  witch,  couch,  quitch,  or  phin  grass,  as  it  is  va- 
riously termed.  Our  most  eminent  writers  upon 
grasses  condemn  it.  Dr.  Darlington  says,  "It  is 
important  to  keep  our  farms  as  clear  of  it  as  pos- 
sible." IMr.  Flint,  in  his  work  on  grasses,  saj's, 
"It  is  important  to  destroy  it  if  possible."  And 
Mr.  Lapham,  in  his  treatise  upon  the  grasses  of 
Wisconsin,  calls  it  "a  mere  pest,  of  no  use  for 
food  of  cattle." 

Although  reluctant  to  dissent  from  an  opinion 
so  strongly  supported,  I  yet  hesitate  a  little  in 
adopting  it.  I  have  known  something  of  this 
grass  for  a  good  while,  and  have  come  to  regard 
it  with  less  aversion  than  the  writers  above  quot- 
ed express  for  it.  While  I  do  not  consider  it  a 
desirable  acquisition  to  a  farm  of  a  stony  soil, 
yet  upon  one  free  of  rocks,  it  is  not  very  much  to 
be  dreaded,  to  say  the  least.  Like  very  many 
other  things,  it  has  some  good  and  some  undesi- 
rable qualities.  Let  us  look  for  a  moment  at 
some  of  the  latter. 

It  is  objected  to  it,  that,  where  it  grows  alone 
upon  very  rich  soil,  it  frequently  turns  yellow  at 
the  bottom,  and  falls  down  before  it  is  ripe,  but 
I  have  never  known  this  to  occur  when  it  was 
mixed  to  a  considerable  degree  Avith  other  grasses. 
It  is  also  objected  that  when  suffered  to  stand  a 
little  too  long  before  cutting,  it  grows  light  col- 
ored near  the  ground,  and  the  stalk  becomes  hol- 
low, woody  and  brittle.  This  grass  flowers  usual- 
ly during  the  first  half  of  July,  and  if  cut  when 
in  blossom,  or  quite  soon  after,  this  evil  is  not 
experienced.  It  is  furthermore  urged,  that  when 
•witch  grass  is  upon  the  land,  there  will  be  hard 
hoeing.  Upon  land  free  of  rocks,  deep  plowing 
with  a  complete  inversion  of  the  sod  in  breaking 
up  the  ground,  and  a  sharp  cultivator  run  both 
lengthwise  and  across  through  the  rows  and  fol- 
lowed by  a  sharp  hoe,  obviate  this  objection. 
Thus  much  against  it. 

Can  anything  be  said  in  its  favor  ?  I  think  so. 
It  will  grow  luxuriantly  where  no  other  grass  half 
as  good  will  grow  at  all.  Upon  many  of  the  low 
intervals  of  the  Merrimack,  which  are  annually 
flooded  and  oftentimes  covered  with  sand  to  the 
depth  of  one,  two,  three,  and  occasionally  even 
five  and  six  inches  in  a  single  year,  this  grass 
seems  to  enjoy  life,  and  yields  a  good  burden  of 
hay.  If  its  roots  are  in  the  ground  when  it  is  laid 
down  to  grass  with  a  grain  crop,  there  is  certain 
assurance  of  a  tolerable  crop  of  hay  the  following 
year.  If  the  herds  grass,  red  top,  clover,  or  what- 
ever other  seed  is  sown,  fail  to  appear,  the  witch 
grass  will  not.  These  grasses,  too,  will  be  fully 
as  likely  to  live  as  in  its  absence,  for  this  attains 
a  considerable  growth  by  the  time  the  grain  is 
harvested,  and  affords  shelter  to  the  tender  blades 
of  the  other  grasses  left  exposed  to  the  fierce  Au- 
gust sun,  by  the  removal  of  the  grain  in  whose 
shelter  they  have  been  hitherto  nurtured. 

But  as  to  the  value  and  quality  of  the  hay,  hov/ 
is  it  ?    If  cut  early,  and  weU  cured,  it  is  good.  It 


comes  out  of  the  barn  in  winter,  heavy,  green 
in  color  and  fragrant.  Cattle  and  horses  eat  it 
with  a  relish  and  grow  fat  upon  it.  Its  price  in 
this  market,  when  of  good  quality  and  mingled 
to  some  extent  with  other  grasses,  is  about  the 
same  as  herds  grass.  When  free  of  any  admix- 
ture of  herds  grass  and  red-top,  it  is  generally  of 
a  somewhat  coarser  and  inferior  quality,  and  sells 
at  a  less  price. 

I  have  said  thus  much  of  this  grass  as  a  conso- 
lation to  any  farmer  Avho  may  find  it  appearing 
upon  his  farm.  If  it  has  spread  over  any  consid- 
erable part  of  it,  any  fond  hopes  of  its  extermi- 
nation are  vain.  For  although  physically  possi- 
ble, its  destruction  is  practically  impossible. 
Neither  will  it  avail  anything  to  lie  frightened  at 
it.  An  acquaintance  with  its  habits,  which  may 
be  soon  formed,  will  suggest  the  best  mode  of 
treating  it.  It  has  frequently  been  a  policy  of 
late  to  conciliate  any  strong  opponent  who  could 
not  be  otherwise  silenced,  and  thereby  gain  his 
support.  This  is  the  true  Avay  to  deal  with  witch 
grass,  which,  managed  as  it  may  be,  will  prove 
not  a  curse  or  a  pest,  but  a  blessing  and  a  source 
of  wealth.  Penny-Cook. 

Concord,  N.  I[.,Jan.  12,  185S. 


THE  FARMER. 


"WTiat  a  sovereign  man  is  the  intelligent,  indus- 
trious farmer  !  Within  his  own  realm  of  earth,  he 
wields  a  sceptre  to  which  all  must  bend.  The 
balance  of  the  world's  life  and  comfort  he  holds 
in  his  stalwait  hand.  Neither  courts,  nor  camps, 
nor  armies,  nor  fleets,  can  exist  without  his  aid. 
He  is  the  feeder — aye,  and  the  garmenter,  virtu- 
ally— of  the  race.  Cities  spring  from  the  traffic 
in  the  products  of  his  industry.  Commerce  is 
born  at  his  bequest.  Of  the  State  he  is  the  "first 
Estate."  Lord  of  the  land,  no  man  has  firmer 
hold  of  the  essential  title  of  nobility.  And  he 
need  be  no  plodder  because  he  is  a  farmer.  The 
day  is  past  when  the  soil  tiller  was  confounded 
with  the  clod  turned  by  his  plow.  The  soil  is 
his  servitor :  he  smites  it,  and  lo !  the  harvest 
comes  forth.  The  hoe  and  the  sickle  make  him 
music  braver  than  dulcimers,  and  sound  the  march 
of  a  triumph,  grand  as  it  is  peaceful  and  blessed. 
But  he  is  not  forever  in  the  furrow.  For  him 
are  broadest  fields  of  study — fairest  fields  of  de- 
light. For  him  are  honors  linked  to  beauties  and 
wisdoms  ;  for  him,  periods  of  communion  and 
rapture,  of  which  the  birds,  the  flowers,  the  streams, 
the  stars,  and  all  wondrous  things  of  the  universe, 
may  bear  witness.  A  brave  man  art  thou,  wield- 
er  of  the  mallet  and  plane  ;  and  thou,  skilful  work- 
er of  webs ;  and  thou,  deviser  of  all  machines 
whereby  the  labor  of  man's  hand  is  speeded  or 
abridged.  He  is  master  of  the  needfulest  of  toils, 
and  the  most  serviceable  products.  He  can  live 
without  you.  but  you  cannot  exist  for  a  day  with- 
out him.  Honor  to  the  farmer  ;  may  his  sphere 
widen  and  his  stature  be  exalted.  And  honor 
to  all  honest  toil,  for  of  such  are  the  fruits  that 
form  the  crowning  glories  of  the  world. — New 
York  Ledger. 

ly  A  bill  has  been  introduced  into  the  New 
York  Legislature  for  the  incorporation  of  the  Cen- 
tral American  Industrial  Emigration  Company, 
with  a  capital  of  $300,000. 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER, 


161 


A  STABLE  FOB  CITTT  OR  VILLAGE  USE. 


We  have  been  allowed  to  look  at  the  sheets,  in 
advance  of  publication,  of  a  new  work  entitled 
"TAe  Farmer's  ami  Mechanic's  Practical  Archi- 
tect and  Guide  in  Rural  Economy.  By  J.  H. 
Hammond,  Architect.  Boston :  John  P.  Jewett 
&  Co.,  Publishers."  This  is  a  work  by  a  practical 
man, — a  carpenter, — who  has  made  it,  as  it  were, 
because  he  couldn't  help  it, — made  it  in  the 
course  of  his  business  to  satisfy  the  wants  that 
were  continually  pressing  upon  him. 


We  will  only  say,  now,  that  it  appears  to  us 
that  this  book  presents  designs  for  the  million, 
that  it  is  a  work  for  popular  use,  and  will  aiford 
numerous  suggestions,  which  will  be  carried  out 
by  that  class  of  our  people  who  desire,  and  are 
able  to  erect,  comfortable  and  even  elegant  resi- 
dences, but  not  of  a  very  costly  character.  We 
give  one  of  the  designs  to-day,  and  when  we  see 
the  whole  work,  shall  find  occasion  to  speak  of  it 
again. 


fel^^SS^ 


This  design  exhibits  a  neat  and  convenient  sta- 
ble, adapted  to  the  wants  of  those  who  wish  to 
keep  two  or  three  horses  and  a  cow  or  two.  It 
contains  five  apartments,  or  stalls,  with  a  wide  pas- 
sage behind  the  horses,  and  a  slide-door  between 
the  stable  and  carriage-room.  The  carriage-room 
is  ample  enough  to  admit  three  or  four  carriages. 
It  contains  also  a  harness-room,  which  is  indis- 
pensable to  every  stable,  to  preserve  the  harness 
from  the  dust  that  is  constantly  accumulating. 
This  building  also  contains  a  large  hay  loft,  ca- 
pable of  holding  ten  or  twelve  tons  of  hay.  The 
cupola  over  the  ventilator  gives  the  building  a 
neat  and  finished  appearance.  A  stable  of  this 
description  may  be  m&de  an  ornamental  object, 
but  its  convenience  depends  almost  as  much  on 
its  location  as  its  construction.  The  proper  loca- 
tion must  depend  on  the  relative  position  of  sur- 


rounding objects.  It  is  impossible  to  offer  ad- 
, vice  which  would  apply  to  all  circumstances;  a 
few  hints,  however,  may  not  be  useless. 

All  stables  should  be  so  situated  as  to  allow 
sufficient  space  for  driving  in  and  out  and  for 
'turning.  If  practicable,  they  should  be  on  the 
north  and  north-east  side  of  the  house,  because 
when  the  wind  blows  from  these  points,  the  doors 
and  windows  of  the  dwelling-house  are  usually 
closed,  even  in  summer.  The  inmates,  therefore, 
by  this  arrangement,  avoid  the  effluvia  from  the 
stable. 

Very  few  stable  cellars  are  properly  ventilated, 
and  some  have  no  ventilation  at  all,  except  one 
opening  or  door,  which  is  closed  in  cold  weather. 
There  ought  to  be  at  least,  four  good-sized  win- 
dows equally  distributed,  and  in  opposite  places, 
to  produce  a  current  of  air  in  all  parts  of  the  eel- 


162 


NEW  ENGLAND  FABMER. 


April 


i^^^^..^^^.^wm^^$^^ 


A  A  A  A  A,  Stalls.    B,  Passage  behind  the  Stalls.    C,  Ventilating  Pipe.    D,  Harness  Room, 
E,  Carriage  Room. 


lar,  each  window  containing  four  or  eight  lights, 
of  nine  by  twelve  glass  ;  the  sash  hinged  for  the 
convenience  of  opening  at  pleasure,  inside  or  out. 

This  stable  is  38  by  28  feet  on  the  ground  ; 
first  story  nine  feet  six  inches  in  the  clear  ;  the 
hay  loft  nine  feet.  A  ventilating  tube  from  the 
cellar  to  the  cupola,  twelve  by  sixteen  inches ; 
also  an  opening  back  of  the  stalls  at  the  top  into 
the  ventilating  tube  of  suitable  size.  »■ 

If  the  stable  is  a  thorough-built  one  it  will  re- 
quire two  or  more  small  windows,  near  the  floor, 
to  supply  fresh  air  constantly  in  all  mild  weather. 

The  estimated  cost  of  this  stable  is  fifteen  hun- 
dred dollars.  • 

For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
A  FARMERS'  CLUB. 

It  was  my  good  fortune  recently  tO  be  present 
at  a  meeting  of  this  kind  in  the  good  old  town  of 
Chicopee.  Such  a  gathering  of  stalwart  men, 
with  brown  cheeks  and  big  hands,  is  seldom  seen. 
If  there  should  ever  be  a  National,  or  even  State, 
man-show,  I  trust  some  of  the  "river  gods"  will 
be  present.  We  have  in  this  valley  some  as  per- 
fect specimens  of  the  genus  homo  as  the  world  af- 
fords. They  are  every  inch  men,  physically, 
mentally,  morally  and  socially.  It  is  a  custom  of 
the  club  to  meet  at  3  P.  M.,  to  examine  stock, 
buildings,  grounds,  &c.;  to  have  a  plain  supper 
at  the  house  of  one  of  the  members,  and  to  spend 
the  evening  in  the  discussion  of  previously  an- 
nounced topics.  As  a  member  recently  said,  "it 
is  a  sort  of  maternal  association." 

The  subject  under  discussion  was  "Farm  Im- 
plements." The  plow  was  first  considered.  It 
was  thought  by  some  that  the  side-hill  or  swivel 
plow,  would  become  the  plow  for  general  use.  Its 
advantages  are  that  it  leaves  no  dead  furrows 
and  takes   less   time   of  the   team  in    turning 


around.  By  others,  the  double  or  Michigan  plow 
was  considered  the  best  implement.  It  requires 
more  team,  but  does  better  work.  A  long,  slop- 
ing share,  diminishes  the  draught,  but  pulverizes 
the  soil  less. 

Much  is  expected  of  the  new  plow  announced 
by  Nourse,  Mason  &  Co.,  with  its  many  various 
mould  boards.  Every  farmer  has  some  favorite  in- 
strument. The  square  hinged  harrow,  with  short 
wrought  iron  teeth  fastened  in  their  place  by  a 
nut,  was  decided  to  be  the  best ;  the  seed-sower 
with  one  wheel  the  best  for  uneven  ground ;  a 
corn-planter  that  M'ill  plant  in  squares  a  desira- 
ble invention  ;  a  short  handle  hoe  the  best  imple- 
ment for  cutting  up  corn ;  a  shovel  branded  O. 
Ames  &  Son, — a  fork  made  by  Partridge,  and 
the  best  of  tools  generally,  the  cheapest  in  the  end 
for  any  man.     More  anon.  J.  N.  B. 


THE  CONCORD  GRAPE. 

Not  having  noticed  any  account  of  the  fruiting 
of  this  new  grape  in  this  State,  I  venture  to  off'er 
my  experience  to  your  horticultural  readers. 

It  fruited  with  me  last  season.  I  allowed  it  to 
overbear — a  single  vine  giving  me  over  a  half 
peck  of  fruit.  This  reduced  the  size  of  the  berries. 

The  bunches  were  large,  very  compact,  with 
few  imperfect  berries.  Flavor,  very  sweet,  with 
little  juice,  but  with  a  slight  after-tacte  of  foxi- 
ness  in  the  skin.  It  ripened  at  least  two  weeks 
earlier  than  the  Isabella  in  the  same  yard — the  Isa- 
bellas growing  against  the  side  of  a  wooden  house 
with  an  eastern  exposure — the  Concords  on  a 
trellis  in  the  open  garden. 

In  quality  I  think  the  Concord  not  quite  equal 
to  the  best  Isabellas.  In  vigor,  hardiness,  pro- 
ductiveness and  ease  of  propagation  the  viae 
cannot  be  excelled. 

These  are  qualities,  which  with  its  early  ripen- 
ing, can  hardly  fail  to  render  this  grape  a  popu- 
lar one  in  this  climate. — Michigan  Farmed'. 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAKD  FARMER. 


163 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
LETTER  PEOM  MAJOB  FRENCH. 

Wasliingion  City,  Jan.  30,  1858. 

My  Dear  TJrowx  ; — I  suppose  you  would  like  to 
hear  from  Washington,  and  be  told  how  matters 
and  tilings  are  progressing  in  this  Federal  me- 
tro]iolis,  now  the  light  of  your  countenance  is 
withdrawn  from  us.  We  enjoyed  your  visit  ex- 
ceedingly, and  the  .shadow  of  your  departure  cast 
its  gloom  over  one  breakfast  at  least  !  I  see  by 
your  weekly  that  you  posted  your  readers  up 
pretty  well  in  regard  to  the  agricultural  doings  at 
the  annual  meeting  of  the  U.  S.  Agricultural  So- 
ciety. You  have  not,  however,  said  anything  of 
our' new  President,  more  than  to  mention  his 
name,  and  that  he  was  elected.  That  hiatus  in 
your  account  I  will  endeavor  briefly  to  supply. 

Gen.  Tench  Tilghman  is  a  farmer  and  a  gen- 
tleman— most  farmers  are — and  it  does  not  re- 
quire much  knowledge  of  physiognomy  to  judge 
at  a  glance  by  his  appearance,  of  the  character  of 
the  man.  Good  nature,  gentleness,  firmness  of 
purpose  and  high  intelligence  are  as  plainly  writ- 
ten on  his  countenance,  as  this  writing  of  mine 
is  upon  this  white  paper  ;  and  the  compositors 
always  give  me  great  credit  for  plain  Avriting ! 
His  age  is,  perhaps,  fifty,  if  anything  on  the  sun- 
nv  side  of  that  climactric.  He  is  of  medium 
height,  of  fine  figure,  and  has  much  of  the  milita- 
ry air  which  was  drilled  into  him  at  West  Point, 
where  he  received  his  education.  He  was  ap- 
pointed a  Lieutenant  of  Artillery  in  1832,  and 
resigned  in  the  following  year.  He  was  U.  S. 
Consul  at  Turk's  Island  in  1849,  and  has  been 
honored  by  his  own  State  with  several  offices. 
He  is  the  grandson  of  Col.  Tilghman,  of  the  rev- 
olutionary army,  one  of  Gen.  Washington's  aids- 
de-camp,  and  is  a  distinguished  member  of  the 
Cincinnati.  He  is  a  gentleman  of  wealth,  and 
cultivates  his  large  ancestral  plantation  on  the 
eastern  shore  of  Maryland,  near  Oxford.  He  is, 
in  every  respect,  worthy  to  succeed  our  late  able, 
popular  and  accomplished  President,  Hon.  Mar- 
shall P.  Wilder,  to  whose  indomitable  energy 
and  j^erseverence  the  U.  S.  Agricultural  Society 
owes  a  debt  of  gratitude  which  it  can  never  repay. 

It  is  generally  known,  I  believe,  that  but  for 
Col.  Wilder's  preremptory  declination,  he  would 
have  again  been  elected  to  the  office  he  so  admi- 
ral)ly  filled. 

The  United  States  Agricultural  Society  has 
started  into  the  present  year  under  glorious  aus- 
pices. With  an  energetic  and  accomplished  Pres- 
ident, supported  as  he  is  by  a  Vice  President  of 
character  and  influence  from  every  State  and  Ter- 
ritory, with  an  Executive  Committee  which  has 
already  evinced  a  determination  to  do  all  in  their 
power  to  sustain  the  society,  and  with  that  untir- 
ing worker,  Maj.  Ben  :  Perley  Poore  as  the 
Secretary,  with  a  permanent  office  established  in 
iJiis  city,  from  which  is  to  be  issued  a  monthly 
bulletin,  what  may  not  the  farming  commimity 
hope,  expect,  indeed,  from  it  ?  Its  days  of  Iwpe 
are  passed,  and  those  of  fruition  have  commenced. 

The  office  of  the  society,  occupied  by  the  Sec- 
retary and  Treasurer,  is  in  Todd's  marble  build- 
ing, adjoining  Brown's  hotel,  on  Pennsylvania 
Avenue ;  and  it  is  due  Mr.  Todd,  who  is  from 
Massachusetts,  to  say  that  after  placing  the  rent 
at  a  very  low  rate,  he  generously  deducted  fifty 
dollars  as  his  own  contributioru 


The  society  only  wants  now  the  hearty  co-opera- 
tion of  the  farmers  of  the  United  States  to  make 
it  the  very  corner-stone  of  the  agricultural  in- 
terests of  the  country. 

AVhen  here  you  made  a  pretty  thorough  in- 
spection, I  believe,  of  the  improvements  now  in 
process  at  the  capitol,  and  expressed  your  own 
admiration  of  the  new  hall  of  the  House  of  Rep- 
resentatives. There  is  no  doubt  that  so  far  as 
hearing  is  concerned,  it  is  a  better  room  than  the 
old  hail.  In  size  it  is  by  far  more  commodious, 
and  in  gilding  and  red  morocco  it  blazes  out  like 
a  bright  coal  fire  compared  with  an  air-tight 
stove.  In  architectural  beauty  it  compares  with 
the  noble  columns,  beautiful  ceiling  and  fine  pro- 
portions of  the  old  hall  about  as  the  Egyptian 
figures  we  have  seen  in  stone,  (always  supposing 
a  little  gold  leaf  added  to  brighten  them  uj),)  with 
the  Venus  de  Medicis  or  Apollo  Belvidere !  It 
is  a  great  square  iron  room,  gilded.  It  is  enclos- 
ed entirely  by  a  suite  of  surrounding  rooms,  so 
that  not  one  particle  of  God's  free  air  can  pene- 
trate it,  and  it  is  to  be  ventilated  by  an  artificial 
contrivance,  like  the  blower  of  a  steamboat,  which 
is  to  blow  in  the  air  for  our  conscript  fathers  to 
breathe,  as  soon  as  the  weather  becomes  so  warm 
as  not  to  need  fires  in  the  furnaces.  At  the  pres- 
ent time  the  air  from  the  furnaces,  or  rather  pass- 
ing through  them,  is  the  article  furnished  for 
lung  consumption,  and  through  the  aid  of  which 
the  legislative  Avisdom  of  the  nation  makes  itself 
heard.  It  may  work  first-rate,  and  the  members 
may  be  delighted  Avith  their  cellar-like  hall,  but  I 
am  one  of  those  Avho  doubt.     Time  will  show. 

The  work  is  going  on  all  over  the  building, 
notwithstanding  it  is  mid-winter.  The  weather 
thus  far  has  been  such  as  not  to  interfere  in  any 
way  with  out-of-door  labor,  and  some  of  our  days 
recently  have  had  all  the  mildness  and  beauty  of 
October  weather. 

The  new  dome  is  the  main  outside  feature  of 
observation.  It  has  not  gained  in  height  any 
since  you  saw  it,  but  the  enlargement  of  the  base, 
by  the  addition  all  around  it  of  a  cast  iron  Cc  sing, 
is  now  going  on,  and  as  soon  as  that  is  complet- 
ed it  will  begin  to  show  its  magnificence,  for  it 
will  be  a  magnificent  affair.  The  only  fear  is  that 
it  will  be  so  large  as  to  overshadow  the  building 
— that  instead  of  being  a  capitol  surmounted 
with  a  dome,  it  will  be  a  dome  with  a  capitol  for 
its  foundation ! 

The  Treasury  and  Post  Office  extensions  are 
rapidly  progressing.  The  city  Post  Office  has  re- 
cently been  moved  into  the  latter,  and  is  so  ar- 
ranged as  to  be  as  complete  and  convenient  as  it 
is  possible  for  a  Post  Office  to  be.  It  is  highly 
creditable  to  all  who  have  had  the  control  of 
building  and  arranging  it.  It  is  pleasant  to  see 
these  things  going  on  here,  for  although  silent, 
they  outweigh  many  fold  all  the  clamor  and  rhodo- 
mantade  noAv  so  rife  against  the  perpetuity  of  the 
Union.  They  illustrate  perfectly  the  old  adage, 
"actions  speak  louder  than  words." 

The  political  horizon,  so  far  as  regards  Kansas, 
is  yet  cloudy.  There  are  some  bright  spors,  now- 
ever,  which  give  promise  of  a  general  clearing  up 
ere  long.  I  was  gratified  to  see  in  this  morning's 
National  Intelligencer  a  candid  and  impartial 
statement  from  Gov.  Stanton,  who  has  just  re- 
turned from  the  Territory,  placing  things  in  their 
true  light,  for  which  he  is  entitled  to  the  thanks 


164 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


April 


of  the  people,  and  which,  it  seems  to  me,  must 
have  a  great  effect  in  bringing  about  an  amicable 
adjustment  of  the  Kansas  difficulties.  It  shows 
conclusively  that  those  difficulties  have  l)een  oc- 
casioned by  the  enormous  frauds  attempted  by 
the  pro-slaveryites  in  that  Territory. 

We  have  had  here  during  the  past  week  a  sing- 
ing party,  composed  of  some  thirty  or  forty  per- 
sons from  Reading,  Mass.,  who  style  themselves 
"The  Old  Folks."  They  dress  in  costumes  from 
one  to  two  hundred  years  ago,  and  sing  mostly 
the  old  music  that  you  and  I  heard  when  we  were 
children — we  wont  mention  how  long  ago  that 
was,  lest  we  should  be  ranked  with  the  "old  folks." 
They  have  given  several  concerts  at  the  Odd  Fel- 
low's Hall,  a  large  room  capable  of  seating  at  least 
1200  people,  which  has  been  literally  crammed, 
and  hundreds  have  left  the  door,  there  being  no 
room  inside  for  them.  I  believe  the  performers 
compose  a  musical  class,  taught  by  a  Mr.  Kemp, 
of  Reading,  formerly  of  Boston,  who  is  styled  in 
the  programme  "Grandfather  Kemp."  He  is  a 
very  pleasant,  gentlemanly  man,  and  manages  his 
class  most  admirably.  I  attended  the  Thursday 
evening  concert,  and  was  very  much  interested  in 
the  performance.  It  was  i-eally  refreshing  to  hear 
sung,  in  perfect  time  and  tune,  and  by  some  of 
the  best  voices  I  have  ever  heard,  "Denmark," 
"Majesty,"  "Shurburne,"  "New  Jerusalem,"  &c. 

They  also  sung,  with  great  effect,  "The  Dying 
Christian,"  "Strike  the  Cymbal,"  "The  Star  Span- 
gled Banner"  and  the  Marseilles  Hymn.  When 
"Coronation"  was  sung,  "Grandfather  Kemp"  in- 
vited the  audience  to  rise  and  join  them  ;  he  said 
he  wanted  every  person  in  the  room  to  sing.  The 
request  was  complied  with  so  far  as  rising  was 
concerned,  and  I  should  think  every  one  who 
could  sound  a  musical  note,  put  in  his  or  her 
share,  for  such  an 

"All  hail  the  power  of  Jesus'  name," 

I  have  never  heard  before,  and  hardly  expect  ever 
to  hear  again !  They  closed  their  performance  by 
singing,  at  the  special  request  of  the  audience, 
better  than  I  had  ever  heard  it  sung  before, 
"Home,  Sweet  Home."  The  whole  performance 
was  most  admirable,  and  I  was  carried  back — no 
matter  how  many  years — sometimes  laughing  and 
sometimes — not  laughing!  I  have  formed  the 
acquaintance  of  Mr.  Kemp,  and  some  others  of 
the  company,  and  they  are  true  Yankee  honest 
men  and  women,  and  an  honor  to  old  Reading 
and  the  old  Commonwealth ;  God  bless  them  ! 

I  have  not  said  much  about  farming  in  this  let- 
ter, but  as  soon  as  spring  opens,  and  I  commence 
my  spring  work,  look  out  for  a  letter  about  my 
tbj.-ee-quarters-of-an-acre  plantation. 
Your  faithful  friend, 

B.  B.  French. 


HOME  ON  THE  FARM. 

The  farm  preserves  the  family  in  its  integrity. 
The  home  has  in  that  charming  word,  and  that 
more  charming  thing,  the  fireside  ;  around  which 
parents  and  children  gather,  and  where  the  bright 
and  cheerful  blaze  upon  the  hearth  is  but  a  true 
type  of  the  flame  of  love  that  glows  in  every 
heart.  The  parents  have  been  drawn  together, 
not  by  sordid  motives  of  wealth,  or  by  the  ambi- 
tious desire  of  social  display,  but  for  "the  person- 


al qualities  seen  in  each  other.  The  glory  of  that 
fireside  to  the  husband  is  that  the  wife  is  there, 
and  to  the  wife  that  he  is  there,  who  is  head  of 
the  woman  and  the  band  in  that  home  circle. 
Here  they  gather  at  morning,  and  at  noon.  Their 
board  is  almost  always  surrounded  by  the  same 
circle.  Here  they  spend  the  long  winter  evenings 
together,  enlivened  with  the  school-books  cf 
children,  the  newspapers  and  journals  and  worki 
of  history  and  science.  A  constant  homogeneous 
influence  goes  forth  from  this  circle  to  the  hearts 
that  are  moulding  there.  Parental  vigilance 
guards  the  young  against  wicked  companions. 
If  the  religious  influences  are  right  in  that  home, 
they  will  grow  up  to  be  good  citizens,  to  be  the 
pillars  of  society,  wherever  their  lots  may  be  cast. 
The  sons  follow  the  business  of  their  father  as 
soon  as  their  labors  are  available.  They  are  with 
him  in  the  field,  and  by  the  way,  and  at  home. 
They  form  industrious  habits,  and  are  prepared 
for  the  responsibilities  of  life. — American  Jo  ir- 
nal  of  Education. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 

ILLUSTRATIONS—POCKET  PRINTING 
MACHINES— A  MEAT-CUTTER. 

I  am  very  happy  to  see  in  the  Farmer  notices 
of  many  valuable  inventions,  and  drawings  of 
many  of  them.  While  some  of  your  more  suspi- 
cious subscribers  are  inclined  to  the  belief  that 
you  receive  pay  for  so  doing,  and  thereby  save 
the  proprietor  or  inventor  the  cost  of  advertising, 
and  at  the  same  time  secure  the  more  favorable 
notice  consequent  upon  an  editorial  puff,  the 
most  of  us,  who  are  not  always  looking  behind 
the  faces  of  probabilities  for  the  chance  of  seeing 
a  possibility,  look  at  them  as  given  to  us  at  a 
cost  and  trouble  on  your  part,  for  which  your 
only  compensation  is  the  satisfaction  of  benefiting 
the  numerous  readers  of  the  Farmer,  whose  in- 
land location  and  home  industry  prevent  them 
from  going  abroad  to  examine  the  new  works  of 
inventive  minds. 

But  let  me  request  a  little  more  full  explana- 
tion of  the  more  complicated  machines  as  they 
appear  in  your  columns,  that  I  may  be  able  to  un- 
derstand their  operations  without  re-inventing 
the  same  in  my  imagination. 

I  recently  heard  of  a  pocket  printing  machine 
— who  can  give  us  more  light  upon  the  subject? 

You  also  gave  us  a  drawing  of  a  meat-cutter — 
probably  simple,  but  we  don't  all  u  rstand  its 
operation. 

If  I  am  not  already  taking  too  much  of  your 
space,  I  will  describe  a  meat  cutter  already  in  the 
hands  of  every  farmer,  viz.;  a  board  two  feet 
long  and  wide  enough  to  hold  your  meat.  Jack 
Frost,  and  a  common  plane.  Let  your  meat  be 
packed  or  piled  closely  on  the  board,  let  Jack 
freeze  it  tight,  and  then,  with  the  plane,  in  a  few 
minutes  one  can  chop  sausage  or  pie  meat  for  a 
regiment ;  and  my  word  for  it,  you  will  not  find 
square  meat"  upon  the  table.  P.  J. 

Middlesex,  Vt.,  18oS. 


Remarks. — The  suppositions  of  our  corres- 
pondent in  regard  to  the  manner  of  our  publish- 
ing cuts  in  the  Farmer,  are  correct.  The  en- 
gravings which  we  give  our  readers  are  an  ex- 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


165 


pense  to  us  of  some  hunch-eds  of  dollars  yearly. 
We  are  always  glad  to  publish  engravings  of  any 
machine  which  "we  think  our  readers  will  be  ben- 
efited by,  but  we  uniformly  refuse  to  give  any 
pvjf,  or  anything  more  than  a  fair  description  of 
the  implement  illustrated,  so  as  to  make  it  plain 
to  the  reader.  All  matter  for  which  we  receive 
pay  is  placed  under  its  proper  head,  in  our  ad- 
vertising columns. 

Of  the  machines  of  which  our  correspondent 
inquires  we  can  say  but  little.  The  pocket  print- 
ing machine  is  the  invention  of  a  Vermont  me- 
chanic, and  as  the  patent  is  not  secured,  he  does 
right  to  keep  any  very  definite  description  of  it 
from  the  public.  Our  examination  of  it  has  con- 
vinced us  that  it  is  practicable,  and  would  be 
highly  useful,  and  we  hope  to  see  it  prominently 
before  the  public,  as  soon  as  the  inventor  thinks 
he  has  brought  it  to  a  satisfactory  state  of  perfec- 
tion. 

The  meat  cutter  is  very  simple.  Pins  set  in  a 
spiral  row  on  a  cylinder,  which  is  turned  by  a 
crank,  carry  the  meat  against  rows  of  knives  be- 
tween which  the  pins  pass  while  the  meat  is  cut 
into  small  particles.  They  can  be  found  almost 
anywhere  where  agricultural  implements  are  kejit. 
The  plane  and  frost  are  good,  but  the  latter  can- 
not be  depended  upon. 


Fur  the  New  England  Farmer. 
SiniE  PREVENTION  OF  HARD  TIMES. 

There  is  a  family  in  the  heart  of  this  Common- 
wealth, (not  tbirty  miles  from  Boston,)  of  the 
highest  respectability  and  the  most  decidedly 
Christian  character,  whose  income  and  expendi- 
tures for  the  last  few  years  have  been  as  will  ap- 
pear in  the  statements  which  follow  : 

Deacon  A.  is  a  laborer — a  farmer — in  the  em- 
ploy, by  the  day  or  the  month,  (for  I  am  uncer 
tain  which,)  of  a  near  neighbor.     The  receipts 
from  this  source  were, 

For  the  vear  ending  March  31, 1S53 §250,48 

"  "  '•  1854 '287,64 

"  "  "  1855 286,65 

"  "  '<  1856 290,80 

"  "  "  1857 297,11 

.  As  he  has  no  land  of  his  own — and  not  so  much, 
I  believe,  as  the  smallest  domestic  animal,  the 
avails  of  his  labor,  as  above,  are  his  principal  re- 
liable resource.  He  has,  however,  during  the 
above  five  years,  received — partly  by  donation, 
and  partly  as  the  reward  of  various  services  per- 
formed by  himself  or  his  family — from  $80  to  $85 
a  year,  besides.  Placing  this  at  $85 — for  I  do 
not  wish  to  exceed  the  limits  of  the  strictest  truth 
— and  adding  it  to  the  sum  total  of  the  above, 
and  we  ha\e  an  aggregate  income,  for  the  five 
years,  of  $1946,58  or  an  average  income,  for  each 
year,  of  $o89,31  ;  or  a  little  over  a  dollar  a  day. 

It  is  next  to  be  observed  that  on  this  compar- 
atively small  income  Dea.  A.  has  not  only  well 
supported  his  family,  but  saved  something  from  it 
for  the  future.  This  saving  or  laying  up  has  aver- 
aged $45  a  year.  Deducted  from  the  above,  a 
yearly  balance  remains  of  $344,31. 


Then  it  is  to  be  observed  still  further,  that  his 
rent  for  one-half  of  a  plain,  but  ample  country 
dwelling,  has  averaged  $39,  yearly  ;  his  life-in- 
surance about  $37  ;  and  his  contributions  for  re- 
ligious and  charitable  purposes  not  far  from  $22. 
The  aggregate  of  these  last  are  $98 ;  deducted 
from  the  above  yearly  resources  of  $344,31  would 
leave  $24(3,31  ;  or,  for  the  support  of  a  family, 
about  sixty-seven  cents  a  day.  Now  his  family 
consists  of  himself,  his  wife  and  four  children — 
the  eldest  in  his  eighth  year.  They  are  all,  it  is 
true,  comparatively  healthy.  As  an  evidence  of 
which,  their  whole  expense  for  physicians  and 
medicine,  during  the  five  years,  has  been  but 
$1,50. 

How  have  they  been  sustained  on  means  so 
limited  ? 

1.  They  have  used,  as  they  say,  only  one  pound 
of  coffee,  half  a  pound  of  tea,  three  pounds  of 
salei-atus  and  one  and  a  half  pounds  of  cream  of 
tartar  a  year — and  no  fermented  or  distilled  li- 
quors or  tobacco. 

2.  For  articles  of  luxury,  or  almost  luxury,  they 
have  also  spent  comparatively  little  ;  only  $12, 
yearly,  for  sugar  and  molasses;  $12  to  $15  for 
butter  ;  nothing,  or  next  to  nothing,  for  lard,  eggs 
or  cheese  ;  and  only  $15  for  animal  food.  Their 
living  has  been,  (except  milk,  at  an  expense  of 
$18  or  $20  yearly,  and  fruit,)  chiefly  bread-stuffs 
and  potatoes.  These  and  milk  have  cost  them 
from  $80  to  $100  yearly.  In  winter,  however, 
they  use  much  corn,  and  of  wheat,  during  that 
season,  comparatively  little.  It  is  said  that  the 
rigging  of  a  ship  cost  more  than  the  hull ;  and 
that,  in  like  manner,  the  non-essentials  in  the 
family  cost  more  than  the  essentials.  But  the 
rule  is  reversed  in  the  family  of  Deacon  A.  The 
principal  expenditures,  so  far  as  food  and  drink 
are  concerned,  though  there  has  been  nothing 
mean  or  stinted  about  it,  have  been  for  that 
which  is  truly  the  staff  of  life  ;  while  the  expen- 
diture for  luxuries  and  semi-luxuries,  though 
quite  enough  for  the  best  purposes  of  health,  and 
even  for  the  highest  gustatory  enjoyment,  have 
been  comparatively  trifling. 

I  might  say  much  more  on  this  interesting 
case,  but  a  word  to  the  wise,  in  a  matter  of  so 
much  importance,  ought  to  be  sufficient  for  my 
present  purpose ;  which  is  to  set  the  friends  of 
Chi'ist  and  of  His  religion  to  thinking. 

w.  A.  A. 

THE  HEVULSION  IN  BUSINESS. 
It  is  wonderful  how  the  effects  of  the  recent  re- 
vulsion in  business  have  been  felt  in  every  depart- 
ment of  industry  throughout  the  land — hoAV  they 
have  invaded  every  art,  trade  and  calling,  and 
left  their  impress  upon  them  all.  We  will  not  at- 
tempt to  show  how  they  have  decimated  the  profits 
of  the  merchant  and  manufacturer,  kept  travel- 
lers and  mex'chandize  from  railroads,  and  ships 
rotting  at  the  wharves,  but  state  a  simple  instance 
to  show  hoAV  minute  and  searching  their  ramifi- 
cations have  been.  A  market  gardener  told  us 
the  other  day,  that  last  year,  185G,  he  got  four 
cents  a  pound  for  squashes,  and  sold  large  quan- 
tities at  that  price  ;  that  this  year  he  had  sold  the 
same  quality  for  one  cent  a  pound,  and  that  the  de- 


166 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


April 


mand  was  quite  limited  at  that  low  rate  !  And 
he  imputed  this  entirely  to  the  revulsion  in  busi- 
ness! He  enumerated  other  changes  equally  as 
striking. 

In  calling  attention  to  the  effects  of  this  revul- 
sion, our  intention  was  to  speak  more  directly 
of  our  own  affairs.  We  suppose  the  newspapers 
of  the  country  have  not  escaped  entirely  unscath- 
ed ;  indeed,  we  have  heard  that  some  of  them 
have  been  sadly  diminished  by  the  revulsion.  We 
deplore  the  error  that  leads  to  such  results — for 
no  farmer,  however  intelligent  and  thrifty  he  may 
be,  can  afford  to  be  without  at  least  one  good  ag- 
ricultural paper.  We  receive  it,  therefore,  as  an 
evidence  of  appreciation  of  our  labors,  that 
throughout  this  fiery  ordeal  our  list  has  decreased 
only  one  or  two  hundred  on  our  weekly  edition, 
and  less  than  many  other  papers  on  our  monthly 
issue.  This  was  unexpected,  is  encouraging,  and 
will  stimulate  to  renewed  efforts  to  return  to  the 
reader  with  ample  usury  all  we  may  receive  from 
him. 

For  the  Netc  England  Farmer. 
ATfALrSIS  OF  SOIL. 

A  few  years  since,  we  were  encouraged  to  hope 
that  the  philosopher's  stone  of  culture,  had  been 
found  in  these  processes.  I  remember  to  have 
heard  a  learned  gentleman  (professor  I  think  he 
styled  himself,  though  I  never  could  learn,  where 
or  of  what)  say  that  he  then  had  on  hand  more 
than  a  hundred  parcels  of  soils,  from  so  many 
different  localities,  to  be  analyzed,  and  that  he 
should  be  able  to  furnish  certificates  of  their  pe- 
culiar productive  qualities.  I  have  since  heard 
it  averred,  that  he  was  never  known  to  make  an 
analysis  of  a  single  parcel  himself — always  trust- 
ing these  operations, to  the  young  men  mIio  were 
studying  under  his  direction.  I  cannot  speak  as 
to  the  truth  of  these  assertions,  though  I  suspect 
there  is  much  more  reason  to  believe  in  his  ig- 
norance than  in  his  wisdom.  On  one  occasion  I 
heard  him  discourse  at  length,  and  my  conclusion 
was  that  he  knew  much  less  than  he  thought  he 
did. 

Of  late,  I  have  seen  it  intimated  in  journals  of 
character  most  reliable,  that  no  reliance  at  all 
can  be  placed  on  analysis,  that  can  be  matured  in 
a  day  or  even  in  a  week  ;  and  that  nine  out  of  ten 
of  these  pretended  analyses  were  neither  more  nor 
less  than  humbugs.  If  this  be  so,  Mr.  Editor,  the 
people  should  know  it.  Where  is  our  Board  of 
Agriculture,  witli  its  learned  Secretary?  don't 
they  know  ?  Where  is  the  State  essayer,  with 
his  accumulated  science  ?  We  farmers  want  to 
know  whether  science  and  scientific  men  can  be 
reli  d  on?  If  I  do  not  mistake,  you  yourself 
have  occasionally  hinted  that  "all  is  not  gold 
that  glitters."  IxutiKKR. 

Jan.  '30,  1858. 


RemaiUvS. — Ay,  ay,  sir,  we  long  ago  learned 
the  truth  of  that  homely  old  saying, — and  it  was 
only  at  the  recent  session  of  the  U.  S.  Agricul- 
tural Society  at  Washington,  that  Ave  heard  the 


learned  Dr.  Antisele  denounce  in  set  terms  all 
pretensions,  that  a  reliable  analysis  of  any  soil 
can  be  made  in  a  day,  or  a  week,  or  at  a  cost  of 
five  dollars  only !  Before  we  left  the  room  where 
this  was  uttered,  one  of  the  most  distinguished 
chemists  of  the  country  stated  to  us  that  $25 
would  hardly  pay  for  a  soil  analysis,  and  that 
some  six  tveeks  time  would  be  necessary  to  make 
it  in  a  proper  manner. 


For  the  Nezc  England  Farmer. 
$81.10  INCOME  PER  COW. 

Mr.  Editor  : — Will  you  please  insert  the  fol- 
lowing statement  of  facts,  and  correct  a  wrong 
impression  made  upon  the  minds  of  some  of  your 
readers,  by  the  last  paragraph  in  your  editorial 
of  Dec.  26,  in  regard  to  the  amount  of  hay  con- 
sumed by  my  cows.  I  presume  the  calculation 
there  made  was  a  mistake,  (for  even  Editors  some- 
times do  such  things.)  My  attention  was  direct- 
ed to  it  by  the  remarks  of  your  correspondent,  T. 
A.  S.,  in  the  last  week's  N.  E.  Farmer. 

I  have  weighed  the  hay,  &c.,  used  by  my  cows, 
at  different  times,  so  that  I  know  nearly  how 
much  has  been  consumed.  About  one-half  the 
fodder  used  Avas  corn  stover  and  barley  straw, 
the  other  half,  English  hay,  meadow  hay  and 
rowen,  all  cut  and  mixed  as  stated  in  your  paper, 
the  value  of  which  would  not  exceed  $10  per  ton. 
The  price  received  for  my  milk  last  year  was  22 
cents  per  can,  of  eight  quarts  each,  from  April 
1st  to  October  1st,  and  32  cents  per  can  the  other 
six  months  of  the  year.  The  milk  was  kept  at 
home  at  different  times,  equal  to  one  month,  ail 
of  which  was  valued  at  the  lowest  price.  This 
was  made  into  butter  and  cheese  and  used  in  the 
family.  No  account  has  been  made  of  the  milk 
used  in  the  family  for  ordinary  purposes.  The 
amount,  at  those  prices,  was,  for  each  of  the  seven 
cows  $81,10. 

Cost  of  keeping  at  my  estimate,  as  follows  : 

20  pounds  of  fodder  per  day  for  213  days,  at  $10  per  ton..  $21 ,30 
6J  cents  worth  of  meal  or  shorts  a  day  for  the  same  time. ..13,32 

Roots,  mostly  ruta-bagas 10,00 

Pasturing  and  green  corn  fodder  the  other  152  days, 

valued  at  75  cents  per  week 16,50 

Cost  of  keeping  each  cow $*il!l2 

Profit  on  each  cow 19.98 

I  should  not  have  troubled  you  with  this  com- 
munication, had  it  not  been  for  the  purpose  o*f 
correcting  the  inference  drawn  from  your  re- 
marks, that  my  cows  live  and  do  well  on  twelve 
pounds  of  hay  per  day.         Eljier  Brigiiam. 

Westhoro',  Feb.  2,  1858. 

Remarks. — We  wish  all  our  errors  could  be 
corrected  as  promptly  and  easily  as  this.  We 
cannot  help  thinking,  however,  that  ive  are  near- 
er what  ought  to  be  the /"act,  than  our  correspond- 
ent is.  Twenty  pounds  of  hay  each  day  for  a 
cow,  and  meal  beside  !  Why,  'tis  a  mountain  of 
fodder  !  Fourteen  pounds  of  hay  a  day  is  all  we 
give  a  twelve-hundred  horse,  with  a  little  meal, 
and  work  him  hard  at  that.  We  were  in  a  stable 
the  other  day,  Avhere  400  horses  are  kept,  and 
they  were  in  excellent  condition,  too,  and  all  the 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


167 


hay  they  eat  in  24  hours  is  barely  seven  i^ounds ! 
and  coarse  oat  and  corn  meal  enough  to  make 
it  up  to  20  pounds — just  as  many  pounds  as  you 
give  one  cow  ;  your  cow  lies  down,  sleeps,  chews 
her  cud,  has  a  good  time  generally,  and  only  pro- 
duces ycu  a  little  milk,  while  the  horses  of  which 
■we  speak  perform  prodigies  of  labor  every  day, 
in  hauling  all  sorts  of  human  beings  up  and  down 
Broadway,  New  York.  We  are  inclined  to  believe 
that  when  the  true  mode  of  feeding  neat  stock  is 
ascertained,  12  pounds  of  good  hay  and  6  cents' 
worth  of  corn  meal  will  produce  results  as  good 
as  those  realized  from  your  more  liberal  feeding 
at  present.  We  (hank  you  for  correcting  our  er- 
ror, and  when  we  next  listen  to  your  interesting 
story,  hope  we  shall  not  be  so  near  half-frozen  as 
when  we  heard  the  last. 


others,  more  than  anything  else,  led  us  to  our 
present  field  of  labor.  We  are  confident  that  no 
one  can  take  and  read  even  the  poorest  agricul- 
tural paper  in  the  country,  without  deriving  hints 
and  suggestions  therefrom,  which  will  in  the  long 
run  pay  him  enough  to  meet  the  expense  of  a 
hundred  annual  subscriptions. — American  Agri- 
culturist. 


I5r  DEBT  FOR  HIS  FAEM. 

This  is  the  case  with  many  throughout  the 
length  and  breadth  of  the  land.  Not  having  all 
the  needful  cash  on  hand  to  purchase  their  farms 
at  once,  they  paid  what  they  could,  and  gave  a 
mortgage  for  the  remainder.  Very  well.  They 
now  have  a  powerful  motive  to  industry.  Every 
dollar  saved  is  at  least  as  good  as  one  earned, 
and  every  dollar  earned  is  a  new  step  towards 
independence.  From  year  to  year,  the  incum- 
brance grows  a  little  lighter,  and  the  prospect  of 
a  competence  a  little  brighter.  But  some  tell  us 
that  the  good  time  is  a  long  while  in  coming ; 
they'  do  not  make  farming  as  profitable  as  they 
could  wish ;  can  we  help  them  by  any  sugges- 
tions? 

We  reply  that  we  know  of  no  royal  road  to 
riches  through  agriculture  more  than  in  other 
pursuits.  But  we  are  assured  that  much  can  he 
gained  by  farming  in  an  intelligent  and  thorough 
manner.  It  will  not  do  to  work  at  random,  or  by 
rote,  even  though  one  work  like  a  slave.  It  will 
not  do  to  work  with  poor  and  insufficient'  imple- 
ments. It  will  not  do  to  waste  time  and  strength 
and  manure  on  wet  land,  when  it  ought  to  be 
drained.  It  will  not  pay  off  the  debt,  to  let  the 
manure  heap  waste  its  virtues  in  the  sun  and 
rain.  In  short,  it  will  not  answer  to  labor  hard 
and  hoard  Avith  one  hand,  while  wasting  with  tne 
other. 

But  we  cannot  go  into  details  on  this  subject; 
it  would  only  be  rehearsing  the  lessons  Ave  have 
so  long  and  so  largely  taught  in  our  columns 
heretofore.  We  can  say,  however,  most  truthful- 
ly, that  one  of  the  best  ways  to  learn  how  to  re- 
duce the  farm  debt  rapidly,  will  be  to  read  one 
or  more  of  the  leading  agricultural  journals. 
They  give  instructions  in  economy  ;  they  teach 
how  to  m.'ike  the  most  of  a  little  ;  they  abound 
in  facts,  notes  of  experience  and  observation ;  in 
short,  tliey  teach  how  to  farm  in  tlie  best  and 
most  profitaljle  manner.  A  little  money  and 
thinking  so  invested  will  yield  the  most  ample 
returns.  In  our  own  experience,  we  remember  a 
single  hint  obtained  from  an  agricultural  paper, 
in  regard  to  putting  in  a  grain  crop,  Avhich  Avas 
Cicnrly  Avorth  sixty-tAvo  dollars  the  same  year. 
This  and  similar  results  on  our  own  farm  and  on 


EXTRACTS  AND  REPLIES. 
TORTURING   A  HORSE. 

It  is  cruel  to  fasten  a  horse's  head  in  any  posi- 
tion, even  a  natural  one,  much  more  at  an  unnat- 
ural and  uneasy  elevation.  Yet  many  persons  do 
not  like  to  see  a  horse  standing,  draAviiig  or  traA'- 
elling,  unless  his  head  is  raised  to  a  fashionable 
or  high  position.  It  is  very  fatiguing  to  the  horse 
to  have  the  cords  of  his  neck  thus  cramped  for 
hours,  or  a  day  at  a  time.  Besides,  he  cannot 
travel  so  easily,  or  draw  so  much  Avitli  his  head 
curbed  or  fastened.  And  if  he  trips  or  stumbles, 
he  cannot  gain  his  footing  so  easily  as  Avhen  his 
head  is  free. 

If  persons  desire  a  short  rein  or  check  for  their 
horses,  they  should  be  made  so  as  to  be  as  easy 
as  possible  for  the  horse,  for  it  is  unmerciful  and 
cruel  to  afflict  and  punish  a  horse  thus  for  no  of- 
fence or  fault.  The  bridle  rein  should  have  elas- 
tics in  it,  one  upon  each  side,  so  as  to  yield  Avhen 
the  horse  trips,  or  strains  to  draAV  a  load.       r. 

Remarks. — Any  person  whose  attention  has 
been  called  to  the  subject,  and  Avho  still  persists 
in  the  use  of  a  tiglit  check  rein,  ought  to  have  his 
own  head  placed  in  a  similar  position  to  that  to 
AA'hich  he  has  cruelly  subjected  that  of  the  horse. 
If  Ave  were  the  "  Grand  Sultan,"  every  man  who 
torments  his  horse  Avith  a  check  rein,  should  hold 
out  both  arms  at  right  angles  with  his  body  for 
^n  hour  at  a  time  once  in  each  tAventy-four  hours, 
as  long  as  he  continued  the  use  of  the  check  rein. 


THE   YELLOAV   LOCUST. 

Please  inform  me  when  and  how  Yellow  Locust 
seed  should  be  sown  ?  PiiiLiP  Collins. 

Guilford  Centre,  Vt.,  ISoS. 

Remarks. — The  seeds  of  the  YelloAv  Locust 
should  be  sown  in  a  rich,  free  loam,  an  inch  or 
two  apart  every  Avay,  and  covered  Avith  light  soil 
from  a  quarter  to  half  an  inch  deep.  The  seeds 
may  be  sown  in  the  autumn  or  spring,  and  under 
favorable  circumstances,  the  plants  will  be  from 
2  ft.  to  4  ft.  high  the  folloAving  autumn ;  the  larg- 
est may  then  be  removed  to  Avhere  they  are  to 
remain,  and  the  others  transplanted  into  nursery 
lines.  If  the  seeds  are  not  soAvn  in  the  autumn 
it  Avould  be  better  to  keep  them  in  the  pods  until 
spring,  but  in  a  dry  state.  See  monthly  Farmer 
for  1854,  pp.  265,  479,  482. 

SPRING    SADDLES. 

There  has  been  a  patent  granted  for  spring  rid- 
'ing  saddles.  It  Avoukl  be  Avell  if  the  patent  should 
be  applied  to  the  dray  or   cart  horse    saddle. — 


16f) 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


April 


Good  elliptic  springs  between  two  metallic  saddle- 
trees Avoukl  save  the  horse  from  the  jars  of  the 
pavement,  and  the  present  unrelieved  crushing 
efl'ects  of  a  load.  The  under  saddle-plate  or  tree 
could  have  interstices  in  it  for  ventilation.  The 
padding  of  it  would  not  be  difRcult,  with  such 
spaces  open  for  the  cool  air  to  touch  the  back 
beneath  the  saddle.  By  a  suitable  contrivance  a 
rod  would  shove  up  the  weight  at  any  time  jjress- 
ing  upon  the  back  of  the  horse.  p. 

"GOD   SEXDS   MEATS   AND   TIIE   DEVIL   SENDS 
COOKS." 

Do  any  of  your  readers  know,  Mr.  Editor,  the 
origin  of  this  saying  ?  It  is  one  of  long  stand- 
ing ;  and  it  is  found  in  more  than  one  language. 

And,  what  is  vastly  more  important,  do  you  or 
your  readers  know  what  is  its  meaning  ?  Mean- 
ing it  has.  undoubtedly ;  its  meaning  may  be  im- 
portant ;  it  is  my  opinion  it  is  so.  But  before  I 
venture  any  comments  on  it,  I  prefer  to  await  a 
rejjly  from  yourself,  or  from  some  of  your  intel- 
ligent readers,  male  or  female.  May  I  not  hope 
for  an  early  response — at  least,  to  my  first  in- 
quiry ?  W.  A.  A. 

Remakks. — What  its  meaning  is,  my  dear  sir  ? 
Yes,  every  time  we  sit  at  the  table.  God  did 
send  meats,  and  they  are  good.  He  also  sent 
medicines,  and  they  are  good  in  their  place.  But 
something,  or  somebody,  whether  "Old  Cloots" 
or  not,  we  don't  know,  has  induced  our  cooks, 
all  over  the  land,  to  7nix  the  medicines  icith  the 
meats,  and  it  makes  a  compound  too  villanous 
"to  take."  Why,  sir,  half  the  trade  of  the  apoth- 
ecary has  gone  into  the  grocer's  hands.  It  is 
difRcult  now  to  get  a  dish  of  ineat,  even,  to  say 
nothing  of  pies  and  puddings,  that  is  unpolluted 
with  some  sort  of  drug.  There  is  scarcely  any- 
tliing  that  needs  reformation  more  than  our 
present  modes  of  cooking. 

CULTURE   OF   INDIAN   CORN. 

I  am  truly  sorry  to  learn  from  your  venerable 
Plymouth  correspondent,  that  the  culture  of  this 
most  reliable  and  valuable  crop  of  our  fields  is 
falling  off".  I  had  hoped,  under  the  influence  of 
the  improved  varieties  introduced  by  himself  and 
others,  and  the  multiplication  of  ears  upon  the 
stock,  by  artistic  arrangement  in  the  selection  of 
seeds,  that  the  farmers  of  Massachusetts  would 
have  found  their  best  interests  advanced  by  stick- 
ing closely  to  this  crop.  Instead  of  introducing 
"new  crops,"  Chinese  sugar  cane,  for  instance,  if 
they  Avould  do  what  they  might  to  perfect  their 
own  johnny-cakes,  they  would  better  their  own 
and  their  children's  condition.  I  have  heard, 
years  ago,  of  a  class  of  persons  who  were  con- 
stantly looking  after  "some  new  thing,"  but  I  nev- 
es  heard  that  they  were  to  be  regarded  as  the  bet- 
ter class  of  the  community  ;  I  would  much  rath- 
er train  under  the  banner  of  the  justly  styled 
"model  farmer  of  Plymouth,"  though  I  confess  I 
do  not  like  the  Plymouth  mode  of  measurement, 
by  weighing  green  in  the  ear.  Give  me  the  stan- 
dard bushel,  well  matured,  fit  to  be  ground ;  this 
alone  Mill  satisfy  me.  p. 

Feb.  8,  1858. 


CRANBERRIES. 

Mr.  Editor  : — Will  you,  or  some  cultivator  of 
cranberries,  oblige  liy  replying  to  the  following : 

I  have  removed  the  muck,  &c.,  from  a  piece  of 
low  land  down  to  a  hard  sand  pan  mixed  with  a 
little  clay.  For  certain  purposes,  I  intend  to  flow 
this  in  winter  as  a  pond.  In  case  the  water  dries 
away  in  summer,  my  plan  is  to  plant  it  with  cran- 
berries. The  place  can  be  flowed  or  drained  at 
pleasure,  except  in  a  dry  time;  by  one  year's 
freezing  and  thawing,  and  other  means  of  pul- 
verizing, I  have  no  doid:)t  a  friable  soil  can  be 
made.  The  questions  are,  will  cranberries  do 
well  in  such  a  soil  ?  Can  they  with  safety  or 
benefit  be  flowed  permanently  during  cold  weath- 
er?    Or  will  they  rot  by  excluding  air  so  long? 

R Y. 

Real\rks. — There  are  many  valuable  facts 
among  Massachusetts  men,  on  this  subject,  that 
ought  to  be  more  generally  knoAvn,  and  we  hope 
some  of  them  will  be  given  in  reply  to  the  inqui- 
ries of  R y.     We  think  cranberry  plants  may 

be  flowed  from  November  to  April  Avithout  inju- 
ry, as  we  have  observed  a  meadow  for  more  than 
tAventy  years  that  has  been  regularly  flowed  all 
through  the  winter,  which  has  yielded  a  good 
crop  of  cranberries  during  that  time,  and  contin- 
ued to  do  so  as  late  as  last  autumn.  It  has  been 
flowed  purposely,  with  the  intention  of  jyresen'ing 
the  plants !  Judging  from  this  example,  there 
can  be  no  doubt  but  that  the  plants  receive  ben- 
efit— at  least,  protection — from  the  water,  and 
■will  not  rot  when  thus  immersed. 

U.  S.  AGRICULTURAL  SOCIETY. 
Won't  you  be  good  enough  to  publish,  in  full, 
the  proceedings  of  the  late  annual  meeting  of  the 
U.  S.  Agricultural  Society,  in  your  next.  Many 
of  your  subscribers  in  this  place  would  like  to 
see  them  in  print.  H.  H.  Huntley. 

Remarks. — We  have  already  given  an  outline 
of  said  proceedings  ;  to  publish  the  whole  would 
occupy  our  columns  for  some  weeks  to  come. 
We  can  fill  our  sheet  more  profitably  to  the  gen- 
eral reader,  than  with  the  long  speeches  made 
on  that  occasion.  

LICE   ON   CATTLE. 

The  best  remedy  for  lice  on  cattle  or  ticks  on 
sheep,  is  a  little  sulphur,  mixed  Avith  salt  or  a  lit- 
tle meal.  It  is  less  trouble  than  grease,  and  I 
have  found  it  much  more  cfl'ective. 

Athens,  Pa.,  Jan.,  1858.  C.  Tiiurstojj. 

DIRECTIONS   FOR   SETTING    POSTS. 

Dig  a  hole  two  feet  in  diameter,  and  four  feet 
deep  ;  set  the  post  in  the  centre,  and  fill  with  stone 
18  inches,  then  one  foot  of  tan,  or  fine  chips,  and 
fill  up  with  gravel  or  coarse  sand  and  tamp  well. 

I  have  found  by  experience  that  posts  set  in 
this  way  will  stand,  even  in  a  clay  soil,  and  will 
not  be  thrown  out  by  the  frost,  Avhich  is  the  main 
difficulty  to  overcome ;  it  is  a  very  essential 
point,  not  only  for  the  practicability,  but  for  the 
durability  of  a  gate  of  any  kind. 

L.  D.  Woodbury. 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


169 


CHARCOAL   DUST    IN   APPLE   OPvCHARDS. 

Will  you  be  kind  enough  to  state  how  charcoal 
dust  may  be  best  used  in  the  apple  orchard  ? 
also,  whether,  in  your  opinion,  said  fertilizer,  in 
consequence  of  the  large  per  centage  of  carbonic 
acid  contained  in  the  apple  (36  or  37  per  cent.,) 
is  not  peculiarly  adapted  to  the  purpose  ?  By 
so  doing  you  will  confer  a  favor  upon  many 

SUBSCRIliEES   AND   READERS. 

Boston,  Febniary,  1858. 

Remarks. — We  have  never  given  special  at- 
tention to  this  particular  point — but  have  long 
observed  that  grass  and  bushes  grow  with  great 
thrift  on  and  near  old  charcoal  pits.  There  is  no 
doubt,  hov/ever,  on  our  mind,  that  charcoal  dust 
in  an  apple  orchard  would  be  useful,  not  merely 
of  itself,  l)ut  as  receiving  fertilizing  matters  from 
the  atmosphere  and  holding  them  in  readiness 
for  the  foraging  roots  of  the  trees. 

WINTER   BUTTER. 

A  few  days  since,  I  received  from  our  old 
friend,  Sheldon,  of  W.,  a  box  of  about  20  pounds 
of  winter  butter,  as  delicate,  pure  and  nice  as  any 
butter  that  I  ever  saw.  It  keeps  as  firm  and  hard 
as  a  brick.  I  presume  it  was  the  product  of  his 
premium  cow.  A  brief  description  of  the  process 
by  which  this  butter  was  made,  by  the  ladies  who 
made  it,  (for  be  it  known  there  are  ladies  on 
farms  as  well  as  in  parlors,)  would  be  of  more 
value  than  any  of  the  speculations  of  your  corres- 
pondents. I  will  guarantee  that  no  otter  or  car- 
rot juice  was  used  to  color  this  butter — it  needed 
no  such  artificial  appliances — but,  like  woman  her- 
self, is,  "when  unadorned,  adorned  the  most." 


MANURES— BEANS— CORN  FODDER— CORN  ON 
MUCK-LAND. 

It  gives  me  pleasure  to  hear  from  those  cor- 
respondenls  of  your  paper  who  are  warning  the 
tillers  of  the  soil  of  the  (so  called)  fertilizers, 
which  many  are  duped  by  purchasing.  INIost 
farmers  here  have  been  induced  to  try  some  one 
of  the  famed  fertilizers,  and,  like  myself,  find 
that  there  are  none  so  profitable  as  those  that 
every  farmer  can  make  on  his  own  farm. 

That  which  can  be  made  in  the  hog-yard  by 
carting  in  turf,  muck  and  refuse  hay,  during  the 
summer,  while  the  pigs  which  I  am  to  fatten  in 
the  fall  are  made  to  work  in  the  yard,  will  con- 
vert its  contents  into  good  manure  in  sufficient 
quantity  for  a  piece  of  land  upon  which  I  raise 
enough  corn  and  roots  to  fatten  those  who  take 
their  place,  and  to  raise  beans  to  use  with  the 
pork. 

I  Avill  give  your  readers  an  account  of  money 
received  from  one-half  pint  of  beans  which  were 
planted  in  tbe  spring  of  18-36.  I  gave  for  the 
one-half  jiint  twenty-five  cents.  Sold  five  dollars' 
worth,  and  saved  four  quarts  for  seed.  In  1857  I 
sold  what  brought  me  twenty-five  dollars,  and 
have  one-half  bushel  for  seed.  Those  last  were 
planted  Ijetwixt  my  squash  hills.  I  also  raised  a 
crop  of  turnips  on  the  spare  ground  amongst 
them. 

"How  does  it  happen,"  says  my  neighbor, 
"that  your   cows   give  a  large  mess  of  milk  and 


mine  so  small  ?  You  feed  on  corn  stalks  and 
roots,  the  same  feed  which  mine  have,  except 
mine  have  English  hay  part  of  the  time."  My 
reply  was,  "Examine  my  fodder,  it  was  cured  in 
the  shade,  and  did  not  ripen  and  bleach  in  the 
sun  and  rain." 

Will  corn  grow  so  as  to  make  it  profitable  (on 
muck  where  it  is  two  feet  in  depth  and  well 
drained)  and  ripen  ?  S.  P.  Maybery. 

Cape  Elizabeth,  Maine,  1858. 

Remarks. — Corn  will  undoubtedly  do  well  on 
such  land  as  you  describe,  a  in  hot  season. 


A   GOOD   cow. 

The  following  statement  was  handed  to  me  by 
Jonathan  E.  Morrill,  Esq.,  Representative  from 
Fall  River,  who  assures  me  that  there  is  no  mis- 
take about  it : 

"Quantity  of  milk  given  by  a  cow  five  years 
old,  owned  by  Ex  Mayor  Edward  P.  Buffinton,  of 
Fall  River,  in  twelve  months,  ending  December 
15th,  1857. 

January  15th 509  quarts. 

February  15th 469  " 

March  15th 430  "      1  pint. 

April  15th 470  " 

Mayiath 422  "      1  pint. 

June  15th 448  " 

Julyl5th 413  "       1  pint. 

August  15th 39(5  " 

September  15th 372  " 

October  15th 330  "      1  pint. 

November  15tli 280  " 

December  loth 223  " 

4764  quarts. 

Or  an  average  of  13  19-365  quarts  per  day  for 
365  days,  which  milk  was  sold  at  6  cents  per 
quart,  amounting  to  $285,84* 

Cost  of  cow $74,00 

Cost  of  food 124,45— $198.45 

Deducted  from 285,84 

$87,39 

Net   profit   in  one  year,  over  cost  and  food. 
This  cow  was  fed  all  the  time  on  shorts  and  hay. 
She  had  five  bushels  of  meal  during  the  year. 
James  F.  C.  Hyde. 

Newton  Centre,  Feb,  15,  1858. 

HOW   IS  BRUSH  IN  PASTURES  TO  BE  DESTE.OYED  ? 

I  wish  to  inquire  the  best  method  of  destroy- 
ing brush,  as  I  have  about  15  acres  of  pasture 
land,  which  is  nearly  covered  with  brushes,  viz. : 
barberry,wortleberry,  and  low  or  sweet  laurel,  and 
the  earth  about  as  full  of  stone,  (both  great  and 
small,)  as  an  egg  is  of  meat.  What  I  wish  to 
know  is,  what  is  the  best  method  to  extricate  the 
brush  so  that  I  can  bring  it  into  feed? 

N.  E.  Middleboro',  1858.    ExrsH  Whacker. 

Remarks. — A  knotty  question.  Who  can  an- 
swer it?  

OIL   soap   for  BORERS. 

Two  years'  experiment  has  satisfied  me  of  the 
utility  of  oil  soap  on,  the  trunks  of  trees  near 
j  the  ground  for  the  destruction  of  the  borer.  No 
i  injury  is  done  the  trees  by  its  use  in  an  undiluted 
state.  The  best  time  to  use  it  is  the  month  of 
June  ;  rub  it  in  well  and  stop  up  all  the  holes. 
I     Sippican,  Mass.  Natil^n  Bkiggs. 


170 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


April 


Fur  the  Naw  England  Farmer, 
LETTER   FKOM   MR.  FRENCH. 

Lynns,  in  France,  August  15,  1857. 
My  Dear  Brown  : — The  city  of  Lyons,  as 
the  children  who  have  recently  been  at  school 
■would  know,  is  on  the  Rhone,  at  the  confluence 
of  that  river  with  the  Saone.  My  last  letter  was 
written  near  Hendersteg,  in  Switzerland,  and 
while  I  am  on  the  subject  of  geography,  I  may 
as  well  add,  for  the  benefit  of  all  who  may  read 
this  letter,  and  have  occasion  to  travel  over  this 
region  of  beauty  and  grandeur,  a  sketch  of  our 
route  to  this  point.  From  Hendersteg  we  came 
over  what  is  called  the  German  Pass  of  the  Alps. 
The  first  letter  in  the  word  German,  by  the  way, 
is  hard,  but  not  half  so  hard  as  the  passage  over 
it,  of  which  I  will  speak  again  presently.  Next 
to  finding  out  where  one  is  in  this  strange  land, 
is  the  difficulty  of  pronouncing  the  names  of 
places,  so  as  to  be  at  all  intelligible.  From  the 
German,  we  came  down  to  the  baths  of  Leuk, 
as  the  name  is  usually  printed  on  our  maps,  from 
thence  to  the  town  of  Leuk,  on  the  Rhone,  thence 
down  that  river,  by  post-horses  through  Sian  to 
Montiguy,  then  across  the  Alps  again  over  the 
Tete  Noir  Pass  to  Chamouni,  at  the  foot  of  the 
famous  Mont  Blanc,  the  highest  peak  of  the 
chain,  thence  after  various  excursions  to  Geneva, 
by  diligence,  from  Geneva  which  is  on  Lake  Ge- 
neva, also  called  Lake  Lenore,  by  diligence  to  a 
small  place  called  Sejssel,  and  thence  by  railway 
to  Lyons,  which  is  called  three  hundred  and 
twenty-six  miles  from  Paris.  My  proposed  route 
is  from  here  to  Paris,  thence  to  London,  from 
there  to  the  south  of  Ireland,  thence  through 
Ireland  to  Scotland,  and  home  by  way  of  Liver- 
pool. In  our  passage  yesterday  from  Geneva 
here  we  passed  through  a  corner  of  Sardinia. 
Of  course,  at  the  entrance  of  every  kingdom,  the 
traveller  is  subjected  to  the  trouble  of  showing 
his  passport  and  of  having  his  baggage  exam- 
ined, to  see  that  he  is  neither  an  enemy  nor  a 
smuggler.  The  mode  of  conducting  these  opera- 
tions is  quite  amusing  to  all  but  those  who  are 
subjected  to  it.  Our  diligence,  which  is  a  big 
kind  of  a  stage-coach,  divided  into  three  apart- 
ments below,  with  a  sort  of  chaise-top  above,  for 
the  accommodation  of  about  twenty-two  persons 
in  all,  with  their  baggage,  was  driven  into  a  shed 
under  a  stable,  and  there  we  twenty-two  people, 
who  had  been  carefully  packed  at  Geneva  like  so 
many  herrings  in  a  box,  were  unpacked,  and  all 
our  innumerable  trunks,  bags,  boxes,  baskets  and 
budgets  taken  off"  and  spread  out  on  a  long  plat- 
form. Then  each  owner  walked  up  and  unlocked 
or  unstrapped  his  share  of  the  plunder,  and  an 
important  military  individual  of  the  Sardinian 
government,  rumaged  about  in  the  interior  among 
our  valuables  till  he  was   satisfied,  and  then  we 


locked  up  again,  and  with  our  baggage  were  re- 
packed and  proceeded.  After  a  few  miles,  we 
came  to  France  again,  at  Seyssel,  and  there  our 
passports  were  examined,  all  our  baggage  again 
unstrapped  and  overhauled,  and  then  we  came 
on  to  Lyons. 

In  about  two  minutes  after  we  were  in  our  ho- 
tel, an  attendant  of  some  kind  came  for  our  pass- 
ports and  took  them  away  for  half  an  hour  to 
send  our  names  to  the  police,  so  that  the  govern- 
ment may  know  who  does  their  country  the  honor 
of  visiting  it.  This  precaution  is  taken  every- 
where in  France,  and  as  often  as  a  traveller 
changes  his  boarding-place,  the  change  is  record- 
ed in  the  office  of  the  police.  On  the  whole,  I 
am  well  pleased  with  a  reason  for  this  precaution, 
suggested  by  a  French  gentleman,  on  being  told 
that  we  had  no  such  practice  in  the  United  States. 
"Why,"  said  he,  "if  a  man  were  travelling  alone 
in  your  country,  and  should  be  murdered  or  ac- 
cidentally fall  into  a  lake  or  river,  his  friends 
would  never  be  able  to  find  any  trace  of  him."  I 
have  often  had  similar  reflections  when  journey- 
ing alone  in  England.  Going  from  a  railway, 
perhaps  at  midnight,  alone,  with  no  person  with- 
in hundreds  of  miles  who  knew  of  my  existence, 
I  have  been  shown  into  a  chamber  in  the  fourth 
story  of  the  hotel,  without  even  giving  my  name, 
and  have  lain  down  with  the  comforting  reflec- 
tion that  if  I  should  disappear  before  morning, 
by  a  conflagration  of  the  house,  the  utmost  that 
could  be  said  of  me  by  way  of  history  or  epitaph 
would  be,  that  a  gentleman  in  number  forty-seven, 
was  among  the  missing.  As  to  the  examination 
of  your  baggage,  it  is  somewhat  annoying,  espe- 
cially to  ladies,  who  do  not  seem  to  enjoy  seeing 
their  private  goods  and  chattels,  which  they  have 
nicely  and  smoothly  arranged,  turned  up-side 
down  and  inside  out  by  the  rude  hands  of  strang- 
ers. I  carry  but  one  bag,  and  always  hold  that 
open  to  the  inspection  with  such  an  air  of  con- 
scious innocence  that  through  the  manifold  ex- 
aminations to  which  it  has  been  subjected,  not  a 
single  article  has  ever  been  taken  out  of  it.  The 
officer  usually  puts  in  a  hand,  and  finding  nothing 
suspicious  to  the  touch,  passes  along  and  bestows 
his  more  critical  attention  upon  the  laces  and 
jewels  of  some  poor  lady,  whose  well-founded 
apprehension  that  her  dresses  will  be  rumpled, 
is  mistaken  for  fear  of  being  detected  in  smug- 
gling. 

So  much  by  way  of  episode  ;  and  now  let  us 
return  to  Hendersteg  and  cross  the  Gemmi  to 
the  baths  of  Leuk.  We  set  forth  on  the  morn- 
ing of  Monday,  the  tenth  of  August,  my  three 
Canadian  friends  and  I,  in  a  gentle  drizzle  of  rain, 
each  mounted  on  a  mule,  with  a  man  to  each 
mule,  a  guide  besides,  and  one  mule  loaded  with 
our   baggage,  with   another  man   to  lead  him. 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


171 


Men,  in  Switzerland,  seem  to  be  of  very  little 
importance,  so  that  if  you  hire  a  mule  i  costs 
no  more  to  have  a  man  go  with  it  than  to  have 
the  mule  without  the  man.  There  had  been  a 
heavy  rain  for  a  day  or  two  previous,  and  the 
mountain  path  was  wet  and  slippery.  Four  pic- 
turesque looking  Swiss  singers,  who  were  on  their 
way  to  give  a  concert  at  Leuk,  started  in  company 
with  us  ou  foot,  and  entertained  us  with  an  occa- 
sional note,  somewhere  between  a  song  and  a 
howl,  and  with  divers  calls  to  each  other  which 
helped  to  wake  the  numerous  echoes  that  sleep 
among  the  hills.  Slowly  we  crept  along  the  wind- 
ing path  up  the  face  of  the  mountain,  wrapped 
in  all  the  coats  and  shawls  we  could  muster,  oc- 
casionally raising  an  umbrella  when  "the  storm 
grew  fast  and  furious."  Soon  the  rain  turned  to 
snow,  and  the  whole  scene  changed  to  a  winter 
landscape,  drear  and  desolate.  We  came,  after 
about  two  hours  ascent,  to  a  level,  where  were 
two  or  three  huts,  and  fifty  or  sixty  cattle.  The 
cattle  seemed  surprised  at  this  visit  of  winter  in 
August,  and  were  roaming  about  apparently  in 
search  of  something  better  than  snow  for  food. 
The  ground  on  the  top  of  this  ascent,  although 
it  was  between  high  ridges,  was  covered  with  snow 
to  the  depth  of  four  or  five  inches.  We  soon 
came  to  a  halting  place,  near  a  small  lake  or 
pond,  Avhere  is  a  sort  of  hotel.  The  prevailing 
fashion  in  Switzerland  is  to  build  house  and  barn 
under  one  roof,  and  here  the  mules  were  led  into 
one  apartment,  the  guides  entered  another,  and 
we,  the  aristocracy  of  the  party,  took  a  third.  It 
seems  to  be  the  custom  for  the  guides  and  mule- 
teers to  eat  and  drink  at  every  place  where  any 
supplies  can  be  procured,  and  although  we  had 
been  but  a  little  more  than  two  hours  on  the  way, 
I  found  them  all  at  their  table,  which  was  well 
supplied  with  bread  and  cheese  and  wine,  eating 
OS  if  they  had  fasted  for  a  week.  These  people 
pay  from  six  to  ten  cents  a  bottle  for  their  wine, 
and  they  eat  nothing  but  bread  and  cheese.  Meat 
is  a  luxury  reserved  for  us  foreigners,  for  Avhich 
we  pay  the  most  extravagant  prices.  In  the 
matter  of  wine,  our  education  has  improved  daily. 
The  light  wines  of  the  country  seem  really  to 
be  the  best  drink  that  can  be  used.  Nobody  could 
take  enough  of  them  to  intoxicate,  and  in  the  cli- 
mate of  Switzerland,  which  is  very  warm  in  the 
valleys,  it  quenches  thirst  far  better  than  the 
snow  water  which  runs  from  the  hills.  Travellers, 
however,  especially  Americans,  who  think  they 
must  have  the  best  that  the  land  affords,  pay 
dearly  for  their  education.  I  concluded,  early  in 
our  travels,  that  the  wine  at  one  franc,  or  twenty 
cents  a  bottle,  was  just  as  good  as  that  at  four  or 
five  times  that  price.  Some  of  the  party,  how 
ever,  were  not  satisfied,  but  insisted  that  there 
was  a  marked  difference,  so  I  challenged  any  one 


of  them  to  distinguish  between  two  kinds,  one  of 
which  cost  just  four  times  aa  much  as  the  other. 
The  challenge  was  accepted,  and  the  bottles  pro- 
cured. Our  friend  turned  his  back,  and  I  passed 
him  two  glasses  of  Avine,  which  he  tasted  alter- 
nately, and  then  very  confidently  announced  that 
the  one  in  his  right  hand  was  far  superior  to  the 
other.  The  fact  was,  however,  that  both  glasses 
came  out  of  the  same  bottle !  And  our  friend 
was,  to  use  a  slang  phrase,  decidedly  "sold." 
Upon  fairly  trying  the  two  bottles,  however,  we 
could  scarcely  discern  any  difference,  and  on  call- 
ing the  landlord,  he  said  the  highest  priced  wine 
had  been  bottled  many  years,  and  the  other  was 
draw"n  from  a  cask,  but  that  originally  they  cost 
the  same.  It  is  not  generally  supposed  that  light 
wines  improve  by  much  age,  and  there  is  no  rea- 
son why  they  should  more  than  cider. 

These  M'ines,  to  which  I  refer,  have  not  appar- 
ently half  the  strength  of  common  cider,  although 
they  are  pure  juice  of  the  grape.  A  single  glass 
of  port  or  sherry  contains  more  of  the  intoxicat- 
ing principle  than  a  pint  of  this  common  wine, 
and  English  beer,  which  seems  to  me  the  worst 
beverage  ever  invented,  has  more  stupefaction  in 
a  bottle  of  it,  than  could  be  found  in  a  whole 
vineyard  of  Swiss  wines.  The  Swiss,  have  how- 
ever, a  cheap  kind  of  white  brandy  which  they 
use,  and  which  produces  the  same  effect  as  New 
England  rum,  that  is  to  say,  intoxication  and 
misery. 

After  an  hour's  rest,  we  again  mounted  and 
soon  came  to  a  larger  lake  of  a  mile  or  more  in 
extent.  Here  the  wind  blew  furiously,  and  the 
snow  was  whirled  in  drifts  across  our  path  to  the 
depth  of  two  feet,  in  some  places.  After  about  an 
hour,  we  were  told  by  the  guides  to  dismount,  as 
nobody  is  alloAved  to  ride  down  that  side  of  the 
pass. 

We  had,  by  the  way,  met  an  English  gentle- 
man and  lady  making  the  whole  passage  on  foot, 
and  the  lady,  with  her  dress  tucked  up,  and  her 
Alpenstock  in  hand,  was  facing  the  snow-storm 
rather  more  manfully  than  would  be  jjleasant  to 
most  ladies,  though  from  observation,  it  Avould 
seem  that  l".dies  on  these  expeditions  frequently 
endure  the  hardship  and  fatigue  fully  as  well  as 
the  men. 

The  descent  from  the  Gemmi  towards  Louk  is 
wonderful  indeed.  Standing  at  the  bottom  and 
looking  back,  you  behold  a  ledge  of  rocks,  some 
two  thousand  feet  in  height,  not  one  smooth  face, 
but  divided  as  it  were  into  several  round  towers, 
and  in  the  midst  a  deep  gorge  which  seems  to  sjjlit 
the  mountain  in  twain,  but  winds  suddenly  out  of 
view,  leaving  only  the  precipices  on  each  side  in 
sight ;  up  this  rock,  perpendicular  for  the  most 
part,  and  actually  leaning  forward  in  many  places, 
a  path  has  been  cut,  winding  and  zigzaging  about 


172 


XEW  ENGLAND  FAKMER. 


April 


one  of  the  towerlike  prominences,  up  to  the  top  of 
the  mountain.  It  seems  actually  impossible  to 
believe,  as  you  look  at  the  precipice,  that  human 
hands  could  work  out  a  way,  by  which  a  mule  or 
even  a  human  being  could  ascend,  but  down  the 
steep  descent  we  M-alked  in  safety.  In  many 
places  the  path  is  cut  by  drilling  and  blasting  in- 
to the  solid  wall,  so  that  we  passed  along  on  a 
shelf  four  or  five  feet  in  width,  with  a  very  steep 
descent  in  the  path,  looking  down  many  hun- 
dreds of  feet  into  the  chasm  below.  We  were 
told  that  a  stone  would  fall,  at  one  point,  six- 
teen hundred  feet,  before  it  struck  any  other  ob- 
ject, but  that  must  be  an  exaggeration.  What- 
ever may  be  the  height,  it  is  a  fearful  passage  for 
timid  persons  to  make,  and  the  sick  who  are  car- 
ried over  it  to  the  hot  baths  below,  are  blind- 
folded, that  their  nerves  may  not  be  shaken  by 
the  sight  of  the  precipice. 

Before  arriving  at  the  pass,  our  senses  had 
been  somewhat  quickened  by  an  incident  which 
though  not  unusual,  does  not  befal  every  party. 
Passing  under  a  high  ridge,  we  were  startled  by 
a  crash,  like  the  report  of  artillery,  with  echoing 
reverberations.  The  mules  all  stopped  and  looked 
wildly  up,  and  the  guides  shouted  "an  avalanche  ! 
au  avalanche  !"  and  for  a  moment  we  looked  up- 
ward in  apprehension  that  it  might  cross  our 
path ;  but  the  sound  soon  died  away,  and  we  pro- 
ceeded. When  we  had  nearly  reached  the  bot- 
tom of  the  narrow  path,  we  again  heard  a  crash, 
and  soon  came  a  rush  of  earth  and  stones  pour- 
ing over  a  cliff  in  front  of  us,  nearly  down  to  the 
track  which  lay  before  us,  and  scattering  Avith  a 
terrific  sound  over  the  slope  at  the  foot.  The 
rain  and  snow  had  loosened  the  earth  on  the 
mountains,  and  caused  an  unusual  tumult  for  our 
edification.  It  seems  as  if  the  people  of  these 
mountain  countries  courted  destruction  in  the  se- 
lection of  their  homes.  Three  times  has  the  vil- 
lage at  the  foot  of  this  pass  been  overwhelmed 
and  destroyed  by  avalanches,  and  yet  it  is  re- 
Iniilt,  and  relying  on  artificial  walls  which  have 
been  constructed  behind  the  town  to  stop  the  im- 
pending ruin,  they  buy  and  sell,  and  float  in  the 
baths  as  securely  as  if  in  the  midst  of  a  prairie. 

All  along  the  sides  of  these  mountains,  the  av- 
alanches have  cut  their  paths.  Any  slide  of  earth 
or  rock  or  snow  is  called  an  avalanche.  Most  fre- 
quently this  terrible  destruction  is  in  the  form  of 
large  masses  of  rock  and  earth,  which  in  the 
spring,  by  the  action  of  water  and  frost,  split  off 
from  the  face  of  the  mountain,  and  descend  with 
such  power  upon  the  plain,  as  to  sweep  away  in 
their  progress  large  forest  trees,  cutting  a  track 
9£  rM,er  desolation  through  woods  and  vineyards, 
and  over  whole  villages  even,  as  it  were  in  a  sin- 
gle moment. 

Soon,  we  were  below  the  snow  clouds  which 


were  still  visible  like  a  white  mantle,  on  the 
mountain  peaks,  and  quietly  walking  in  a  warm 
summer  sun  amid  green  fields  in  the  valley.  The 
whole  passage  from  summer  to  midwinter  and 
back  again  to  midsummer,  occupied  but  six  hours, 
and  although  we  saw  nothing  of  the  fine  views 
that  are  usually  had  from  the  summit  of  the 
mountain,  we  felt  satisfied  with  the  strange,  wild 
scenes  through  which  we  had  passed,  though  not 
sori'y  that  our  passage  was  an  experience  rather 
than  a  present  reality.  And  at  the  foot  of  the 
Gemmi  Pass,  we  will  for  the  present  take  a  rest. 

H.  F.  F. 


Fu7-  the  Neic  EitgLrnd  Farmer. 
DRAIlSriNG  AND  IRRIGATION. 

A  correspondent,  over  the  signature  of  "S. 
F.,"  in  the  weekly  Farmer  of  6th  inst.,  writes  up- 
on thorough  draining  and  irrigation,recovam.ei\(\- 
ing  the  latter  as  well  suited  to  our  climate  and 
soil,  and  condemning  the  former  as  an  English 
process  imported  with  the  "theoretical  agricul- 
ture" that  "comes  directly  from  that  country," 
and  not  required  in  New  England.  "S.  F." 
seems  to  be  aware  that  "thorough  draining"  has 
been  successfully  tried  in  England,  but  he  cannot 
be  well  informed  of  the  extent,  methods,  or  re 
suits  of  this  great  modern  improvement  in  agri- 
culture, which  has  added  25  per  cent,  to  the  pro- 
ducts of  British  soil  in  as  many  years,  and  which 
with  its  predecessors,  rotation  of  crops  and  the 
turnip  culture,  now  enables  English  farmers  to 
compete  successfully  with  the  cheap  prairie  land 
of  the  West,  and  the  cheap  labor  of  the  East,  in 
growing  wheat  without  the  protection  of  the  corn 
laws. 

He  says,  "But  must  the  English  practice  of 
thorough  draining  and  hob-nail  shoes  be  fol- 
lowed in  the  United  States  ?  Is  draining  with 
tiles  'the  next  great  step  to  be  taken  in  the 
march  of  improvement  on  all  our  old  farms'  in 
New  England  ?  Will  any  one  who  ever  did  so 
much  at  farming  as  to  dig  a  hole  in  the  ground 
in  this  country,  adopt  the  language  of  Mr.  Smith, 
which  I  have  put  in  italic  letters,  when  he  draws 
up  a  description  of  the  soil  and  the  subsoil  through 
which  he  penetrated?  Or  will  he  infer  from  the 
dry  sand  and  the  loose  gravel  which  here  gener- 
ally lies  from  five  to  fifty  feet  over  any  thing  'sat- 
urated with  water,'  that  the  American  farmer 
must  expend  twice  the  value  of  his  farm  to  rid 
himself  of  the  'surplus  fluid  ?'  " 

The  theory  of  Mr.  Smith,  of  Deanston,  does 
not  assert  that  draining  is  required  for  "dry  sand 
and  loose  gravel  overlying  from  five  to  fifty  feet 
any  thing  saturated  with  water."  It  goes  to  the 
extent  of  laying  dry,  retentive  soils,  of  lowering 
the  "water  table"  to  a  proper  depth  beneath  such 
soils,  that  they  may  become,  in  respect  of  the  pas- 
sage of  water  through  them,  like  sand  or  loose 
gravel,  and  furnish  its  free  descent  by  gravitation. 
Applied  first  to  very  wet  or  heavy  soils,  and  found 
so  beneficial,  it  was  extended  with  success  to  oth- 
ers of  a  lighter  character,  clay  loams,  and  even 
sandy  loams,  such  as  the  light  lands  of  Norfolk, 
now  famous  for  its  "rotation"  as  for  sheep  and 
other  husbandry. 

But  admitting  it  to  be  useless  for  sand  and 


lSo8. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


173 


loose  gravel,  there  are  in  New  England  many 
thousand  acres  of  clays,  clay  loams,  and  general- 
ly loams  very  retentive  of  water.  These  are  not 
insignificant  in  extent  or  in  their  productions, 
constituting  the  most  fertile  meadows  and  fields 
of  many  farms ;  and  these  require  to  be  relieved 
of  that  surplus  water  which  saturates  and  often 
submerges  them  in  spring  or  fall,  and  which  when 
evaporated  in  summer,  leaves  them  compact, 
parched  and  baked. 

Fully  persuaded  by  the  study  of  this  theory, 
and  the  results  obtained  by  others,  and  by  my 
own  practical  experiments,  that  all  the  benefits 
attained  in  England,  and  more,  are  attainable  here 
by  thorough  draining  our  most  fertile  soils,  I  am 
induced  to  correct  some  of  the  errors  of  fact  and 
reasoning  in  the  paper  of  "S.  F.,"  as  well  also  to 
provoke  inquiry  for  the  truth,  and  encourag<!  the 
sure  test  of  practical  experiment  upon  the  process. 

The  assumption  that  the  humidity  of  England's 
climate  creates  a  necessity  for  drying  the  land 
there,  which  does  not  exist  here,  is  denied  by  the 
rain  guage.  That  instrument  shows  a  much  lar- 
ger fall  of  rain  annually  in  New  England  than  in 
old  England.  The  apparent  or  sensible  moisture 
in  the  air  is  less  here  in  midsummer,  because  of 
our  higher  temperature  at  that  season. 

But  so  far  as  getting  off  the  water  is  concerned, 
we  must  consider  the  seasons  of  its  abundance — 
spring  and  autumn.  At  these  seasons,  no  one 
will  contend,  we  have  any  deficiency  of  moisture 
either  in  the  soil  or  in  the  air.  In  the  summer, 
our  hot  sun  and  drying  winds  cause  a  rapid  evap- 
oration from  the  earth's  surface.  Then,  if  not 
moistened  by  frequent  showers,  our  lands  suff'er 
from  drought,  and  then  it  is,  according  to  "S.  F.," 
that  draining  would  aggravate  that  injur j'.  Not 
so — the  very  reverse  is  the  fact.  Thorough  drain- 
ing is  the  best,  almost  the  only  protection  to  our 
clayey  lands  and  their  crops,  against  injury  by 
drought.  The  fact  has  been  well  tested  by  re- 
peated experiments,  including  in  their  range  the 
dry  season  of  1853,  and  the  reasons  for  it  are 
found  in  the  operation  of  familiar  natural  laws, 
and  as  negative  as  well  as  affirmative  theories  are 
liable  to  errors  and  fallacies,  practical  men  will 
do  well  to  give  a  fairly  conducted  experiment  to 
a  process  which  has  proved  of  such  immense  ben- 
efit to  another  countr}%  before  denying  it  to  ours. 

To  the  aflSrmative  part  of  "S.  F.'s"  proposition, 
the  value  of  irrigation,  I  heartily  assent.  It  has 
surprising  efi'ects  as  a  fertilizer,  and  gives  new 
effect  to  elements  of  fertility  in  the  soil.  The  re- 
corded results  of  experiments  in  England  and 
Scotland  almost  surpass  belief,  in  the  increased 
production  of  grass  ;  and  its  practice  in  Lombar- 
dy  has  long  been  commended  as  worthy  of  imita- 
tion. But  unless  there  are  peculiar  local  advan- 
tages, such  as  an  elevated  head  of  water  in  close 
vicinity,  it  requires  a  costly  apparatus,  which  few 
can  afford,  and  to  be  quite  efficient,  should  be 
preceded  by  thorough  draining  and  subsoiling. 
On  the  other  hand,  there  are  few  farmers  who 
can  afford  to  let  their  thin  arable  lands  retentive 
of  surface  waters  remain  undrained.  That  water 
wastes  their  labor,  their  manure,  their  solar  heat 
— it  tends  to  poverty.  B.  F.  Nourse. 


by  jNIessrs.  Beed,  Hull  &  Pierson,  and  edited  by 
our  old  friend,  Dr.  Reed.  It  purports  to  be  devoted 
to  the  interests  of  the  farmer,  the  Tiorticulturist 
and  mechanic ; — the  school-room,  the  housewife 
and  fireside ;  and  it  has  in  this  first  number  a 
dish  of  which  each  may  partake  and  find  whole- 
some nutriment.     We  wish  it  abundant  success. 


The  Berkshire  Culturist. — This  is  the  ti- 
tle of  a  new  paper  published  at  Pittsfield,  Mass., 


FIFTH  LEGISLATIVE  AGRICULTURAL 

MEETING. 
[reported  for  the  n.  k.  farmer.  ] 

The  fifth  meeting  of  the  Legislative  Agricultu- 
ral Society  took  place  at  the  State  House,  in  the 
Representatives'  Hall,  on  Tuesday  evening. 

Mr.  Asa  G.  Sheldon,  of  Wilmington,  presid- 
ed, and  on  assuming  the  chair,  offered  a  few  re- 
marks upon  the  subject  for  discussion,  viz. ;  "The 
preparation  and  application  of  manures."  It  had 
been  said  that  a  bank  of  manure  was  the  richest 
bank  a  farmer  could  possess,  and  the  speaker 
had  never  heard  the  assertion  doubted.  He  be- 
lieved it  was  an  admitted  fact  that  all  manures 
should  be  composted  before  used.  This  being 
admitted,  it  was  important  to  know  the  easiest, 
cheapest  and  best  way  in  which  it  could  be  ac- 
complished. The  best  way  the  speaker  was  ac- 
quainted with,  was  to  team  the  manure  upon  the 
ground  and  backfurrow  it  in.  If  the  cows  lie  in 
the  yard,  and  there  is  plenty  of  earth  lying  around 
the  yard,  it  has  been  found  to  be  an  excellent 
method  to  throw  the  manure  into  a  pile  in  the 
morning  and  cover  it  up  with  earth.  The  speak- 
er had  never  found  any  manures  more  valuabl* 
for  various  applications  than  that  composted  af- 
ter the  foregoing  method.  About  three  times  as 
much  earth  was  needed  to  be  thrown  on  as  there 
is  manure.  It  had  been  said  that  guano  was  a 
humbug ;  but  the  speaker  thought  the  guano  it- 
self was  not  so  much  of  a  humbug,  as  were  the 
dealers  in  it.  The  first  guano  the  speaker  ever 
purchased,  he  found  on  application  to  be  very 
good,  but  since  then  he  had  received  but  little 
benefit  from  it. 

Mr.  W.  J.  BUCKMINSTER  wished  to  inquire 
how  far  it  was  best  to  compost  manure  for  field 
use,  and  for  those  who  do  not  raise  produce  for 
market.  Certain  manures  were  good  for  certain 
purposes,  which  may  not  be  so  well  adapted  for 
other  uses.  There  was  a  difficulty  in  composting 
barn  manures,  among  farmers,  particularly  at 
certain  seasons  of  the  year,  when  they  were  want- 
ed for  farm  purposes,  and  it  was  important  to 
know  whether  it  would  prove  of  moi-e  advantage 
to  save  the  manure  for  composting  purposes. 

Mr.  Allex,  of  Tisbury,  was  in  favor  of  the 
preparation  of  fine  manures,  and  thought  the 
manure  prepared  in  cow-yards,  after  the  manner 
alluded  to  by  the  President,  to  be  the  most  valu- 
able. 


174 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


April 


Mr.  D.  W.  LoTHROP,  of  West  Medford,  said 
if  farmers  would  lay  it  down  as  a  general  rule  to 
take  care  of  the  ammonia  in  manure,  all  the  oth- 
er ingredients  would  take  care  of  themselves. 
The  speaker  considered  it  a  good  plan  to  use 
liquid  manure,  which  enters  immediately  into  use. 
He  was  something  of  a  horticulturist,  and  he  had 
been  in  the  habit  of  sinking  a  barrel  in  his  gar- 
den in  order  to  collect  all  the  M-ater  from  the 
sink.  Where  he  made  an  application  of  the 
same  he  found  it  very  valuable  for  various  pur- 
poses. The  speaker  alluded  to  the  application 
of  charcoal  around  trees,  and  said,  so  far  as  his 
experience  went,  it  was  excellent  as  an  absorb- 
ent, when  finely  pulverized.  The  speaker  be- 
lieved that  snow  was  more  beneficial  to  the 
ground  than  rain.  In  regard  to  the  liquid  ma- 
nure of  cows,  he  said  that  he  had  recently  looked 
into  a  work,  by  Mr.  Johnston,  Avhich  stated  that 
the  liquid  manure  of  cows  during  a  year,  gener- 
ally amounted  to  from  1200  to  1500  gallons. 
Now,  if  a  cow  voids  1200  gallons  of  liquid 
manure  in  a  year,  it  would  produce  250  pounds 
of  ammonia,  which  would  amount  to  $31. — 
The  speaker  was  somewhat  astonished  at  such  a 
statement,  and  he  was  inclined  to  think  it  could 
hardly  be  worth  so  much.  The  ammonia  of  good, 
rich  manure,  however,  flowing  into  the  Thames 
from  London  (gross  flowage  daily  115,000  tons,) 
had  been  estimated  at  about  3800  tons  daily, 
which  was  fully  sufficient  to  manure  over  50,000 
acres  of  land.  At  this  ratio,  the  flowage  in  the 
harbor  of  Boston  would  be  sufficient  to  manure 
5000  acres.  The  speaker  observed  that  the  clouds 
were  the  great  public  store-house  of  liquid  man- 
ure ;  and  in  the  annual  fall  brought  down  20  lbs. 
of  ammonia  and  100  lbs.  of  nitric  acid  to  the 
acre.  The  acid  united  with  the  soda,  lime  and 
potash  in  the  soil,  and  formed  their  correspond- 
ing nitrates,  which  are  known  to  be  powerful 
fertilizers. 

Mr.  Cheney,  of  Holden,  thought  all  manures 
should  be  worked  over  and  made  fine.  The 
speaker  was  not  certain  in  his  own  mind,  whether 
it  would  pay  to  take  the  spring  manure  which  is 
in  the  barn  cellar  and  go  through  the  long  pro- 
cess of  composting  it.  His  own  method  was  to 
cart  it  on  the  land,  and  spread  it  and  plow  it  in. 
He  thought  this  was  the  best  waj.  Farmers  who 
depend  upon  corn  and  potatoes,  can  hardly  afford 
time  to  compost  all  manure,  and  it  requires  so 
much  work  it  seldom  pays. 

Mr.  Merriam,  of  Tewksbury,  had  composted 
everything  in  the  shape  of  manure  for  two  years. 
He  keeps  his  horses  and  cattle  together  in  order 
to  do  so,  and  in  the  spring  plowed  the  yard  and 
mixed  the  whole  together,  and  he  found  such 
manure  valuable.  In  alluding  to  the  application 
of  manure  to  Indian  corn,  and  its  modes  of  ap- 


plication, the  speaker  said  he  had  but  little  faith 
in  deep  plowing,  as  on  certain  soils  it  tends  to 
bring  up  a  cold  soil  which  requires  an  immense 
amount  of  manure  upon  it.  There  was  no  rea- 
son for  deep  plowing,  and  the  speaker  recom- 
mended the  application  of  manure  near  the  sur- 
face. The  cultivation  of  Indian  corn  the  speaker 
regarded  as  the  most  profitable  business  the 
farmer  could  engage  in,  but  it  must  be  cultivated 
on  certain  principles.  With  the  method  of  deep 
plowing,  manuring  in  the  hill,  hoeing  the  corn 
three  or  four  times  with  rather  lazy  men,  &c.,  it 
could  not  be  expected  the  cultivation  of  Indian 
corn  would  prove  profitable.  But  by  a  syste- 
matic method,  the  cultivation  could  be  made 
more  profitable  than  any  other  crop.  The  ap- 
plication of  manure  on  corn  has  not  been  profi- 
table. We  plant  for  corn  and  not  for  stalks, 
and  the  application  of  manure  in  the  hill  tends 
to  the  last  result.  Our  cultivation  of  Indian 
corn  had  been  absurd.  The  speaker  believed  the 
proper  way  was  to  spread  the  manure. 

Mr.  Ingalls  believed  great  benefit  was  to  be 
derived  from  the  composting  of  manure.  He  had 
not  much  faith  in  the  quality  of  manure  made 
in  the  barn  cellar,  as  the  farmer  would  not  get 
as  much  corn,  load  for  load,  of  such  manure  as 
that  of  another  kind.  The  great  difficulty  in  re- 
gard to  composting  manure  was  on  account  of 
the  soil  to  which  it  was  to  apply. 

Mr.  Merri.\m  had  no  faith  in  the  system  of 
concentrated  manures.  He  thought  farmers 
should  rely  wholly  upon  the  manures  manufac- 
tured in  the  cow  and  hog-yard.  He  had  found 
muck,  saturated  with  the  urine  of  neat  cattle, 
worth  all  solid  excrements. 

Mr.  Parker,  of  Worcester,  had  had  much  ex- 
perience in  concentrating  manures,  and  was  of 
the  opinion  that  no  benefit  was  derived  from 
guano  or  similar  manures,  with  the  exception  of 
ashes.  He  had  found  dried  charcoal  to  be  of 
advantage  by  sprinkling  it  in  horse  stables. 

Mr.  Richardson,  of  Winchester,  thought  too 
much  stress  was  laid  on  the  ammonia  in  manures. 

Mr.  Barber,  of  Gloucester,  offered  a  few  re- 
marks in  regard  to  the  best  method  of  compost- 
ing manure,  after  which  the  meeting  adjourned. 

The  subject  announced  for  discussion  at  the 
next  meeting  was  the  ^'renovating  of  our  pas- 
tures and  other  worn  out  lands." 


Cure  F(MI  Warts. — If  they  give  you  no  special 
inconvenience,  let  them  alone.  But  if  it  is  of 
essential  importance  to  get  rid  of  them,  purchase 
half  an  ounce  of  muriatic  acid,  put  it  in  a  broad- 
bottomed  vial,  so  that  it  will  not  easily  turn  over  ; 
take  a  stick  as  large  as  the  end  of  a  knitting- 
needle,  dip  it  into  the  acid,  and  touch  the  top  of 
the  wart  with  whatever  of  the  acid  adheres  to 
the  stick  ;  then,  Avith  the  end  of  the  stick  rub  the 


1858. 


NEW  ENGL/.ND  FARMER. 


175 


acid  into  the  top  of  the  wart,  ■Nvithout  allowing 
the  acid  to  touch  the  healthy  skin.  Do  this  night 
and  morning ;  a  safe,  painless  and  eflectual  cure 
is  the  result. — Hall's  Journal  of  Health. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
THE  HEIGHT  OF  MY  AMBITION. 

Br   R.    T.    H. 

A  beautiful  eottage  embowered  in  vines — 

Just  large  enough  for  two ; 
Where  the  tangled  rays  of  the  bright  sun  shine 

The  leafy  curtain  through ; 
Where  the  notes  of  warbling  birds  resound, 

At  the  blush  of  young  morn  so  still ; 
Where  the  little  nest  of  eggs  is  found 

In  the  branch  by  the  window  sill ; 
Where  the  squirrel  frisks  nimbly  in  joyful  glee, 

At  earliest  peep  of  dawn  ; 
Where  the  sky  is  blue,  where  the  air  is  free, 

And  green  is  the  verdant  lawn. 
I  ask  for  no  mansion  with  arching  dome, 

Or  the  meed  of  high  position  ; 
For  the  quiet  joy  of  the  cottage  home 

Is  the  height  of  my  ambition. 

Y«t  I  would  not  live  in  this  home  alone. 

For  'twould  far  sweeter  be 
To  sit  with  a  wife  on  the  low  door  stone. 

And  'neath  the  spreading  tree — 
To  read  to  her  when  the  winter  night 

Falls  dark  o'er  the  cottage  bower —     • 
To  wander  with  her  when  morn's  red  light 

Opes  the  eyelids  of  the  flower : 
To  meet  her  with  smiles,  morn,  noon  and  even, 

And  part  with  a  loving  kiss — 
To  make  our  home  an  earthly  heaven 

Of  purest  human  bliss. 
'Neath  the  sunlight's  glance  and  the  blessed  rain. 

And  from  earth's  own  blest  fruition, 
To  gather  our  fruit,  and  the  golden  grain, 

Is  the  height  of  my  ambition, 

And  a  little  room,  in  a  quiet  nook. 

O'er  looking  the  rosy  flowers ; 
Where  we  both  might  sit,  in  a  world  of  books. 

In  the  heat  of  noon-tide  hours ; 
And  converse  hold  with  the  years  that  are  gone, 

And  with  regions  far  away ; 
With  the  author's  mind.  Whose  radiance  shone 

O'er  the  gloom  of  life's  darkened  way. 
From  this  cottage  home,  with  its  vine-clad  bower. 

And  the  roses  o'er  the  door, 
We  could  view  the  works  of  a  Master's  power — 

No  king  can  e'er  do  more  ! 
For  the  choicest  gifts  of  a  father's  hand. 

Have  sped  on  their  holy  mission, 
And  to  dwell  'neath  their  folds,  in  this  flowery  land, 

Is  the  height  of  my  ambition. 

Where  there  hang,  at  even,  the  richest  folds 

When  the  Lingering  sunbeams  rest ; 
Where  heaven's  rich  painting  the  eye  beholds 

O'er  clouds  in  the  distant  west ; 
Where,  to  greet  the  God  of  day  abov", 

Each  flower-face  turns  to  heaven. 
And  chooses  the  rays  Which  best  they  love 

From  among  the  glorious  seven  ; 
Where  the  warbler  bathes  in  the  rippling  stream, 

And  rings  his  sweet  notes  of  praise  ; 
Where  honors  attend  the  daylight's  gleam 

In  the  swell  of  myriad  lays ; 
There  to  live,  and  to  work,  for  an  heavenly  life, 

In  the  mem'ry  of  life's  transition, 
In  this  beautiful  cot,  with  my  own  sweet  wife. 

Is  the  height  of  my  ambition. 


COUNTY  SOCIETIES. 

Through  the  attention  of  H.  ().  Hildreth, 
Secretary,  we  have  received  the  transactions  of 
the  Norfolk  County  Agricultural  Society  for  1857. 
It  is  beautifully  printed,  contains  many  valuable 
articles,  and  one  by  Mr.  J.  M.  Merrick,  Chair- 
man of  the  Visiting  Committee,  ought  to  be  re- 
printed in  all  the  agricultural  papers.  It  is  sur- 
prising to  us  that  any  county  society  fails  to  send 
out  such  a  committee.  The  address  was  by  Rev. 
Alvan  Lamson,  of  Dedham,  and  is  a  credit  to 
his  head  and  heart.  The  Norfolk  Society  has 
many  men  of  much  ability  and  zeal  in  the  noble 
work  of  agricultural  improvement. 

The  Worcester  West  Society's  Transac- 
tions contain  an  Address  by  Prof.  J.  A.  Nash, 
excellent,  of  course,  as  all  his  productions  are, 
and  the  brief  reports  of  committees,  among  which 
we  find  the  following  : 

STATEMENT  OF  PETER  B.  DERRV. 

My  dairy  consists  of  13  cows.  I  commenced  making  cheese 
the  Soth  of  March  with  the  milk  of  one  cow,  and  adilod  that  of  the 
others  from  time  to  time  as  the  calves  were  disposed  of.  I  have 
sold  from  the  13  cows, 

262  cheeses  to  market 5099  lbs.  $561,02 

7  I  have  consum'.-d  and  sold  at  home... 127    "  13,97 
56  I  have  on  hand,  estimated  to  weigh 

22  pounds  each 1232  lbs.  123,20 

63o8  lbs. 

I  have  made  butter 52  lbs.  $13,00 

Sold  and  used  milk 490  qts.  14,70 

The  13  calves  were  sold 128,00 

Total $853,89 

It  being  an  averaee  product  of  $65,68  to  each  cow. 

Barre,  Sept.  17, 1857.  PETER  B.  DERRY. 

Plymoi'th  County  Society. — The  report  of 
the  committee  on  "Produce  and  Improvements" 
is  an  interesting  paper — all  the  rest  is  brief  re- 
ports of  committees,,  without  any  facts  for  consid- 
eration, and  the  statements  of  contributors. 

Middlesex  Society. — This  report  is  well 
printed,  has  a  comprehensive  account  of  its  late 
exhibition  by  Dr.  Joseph  Reynolds,  the  Secre- 
tary, a  short,  practical,  living  and  breathing  Ad- 
dress, by  Rev.  Charles  Babbidge,  of  Pepper- 
ell,  the  usual  reports  of  committees,  and  a  most 
admirable  report  upon  the  Culture  of  the  Grape, 
by  E.  W.  Bull,  of  Concord,  the  originator  of 
the  Concord  Grape.  This  society  is  in  a  very 
prosperous  condition,  has  many  skilful  and  earn- 
est farmers  among  its  members,  and  has  beeii 
highly  influential  in  promoting  the  agriculture  of 
the  county. 

Worcester  North  Society. — The  Exhibi- 
tion was  at  Fitchburg.  Address  by  Justus  Tow- 
er, Esq.,  of  Berkshire  County  ;  a  plain,  practical, 
common-sense,  excellent  production, — one  of  the 
most  difficult  addresses  imaginable  to  write.  We 
wish  our  limits  would  admit  the  M-hole,  but  we 
have  room  for  a  single  paragraph  only  now, — but 
that  ought  to  arouse  every  farmer  of  the  State 
to  renewed  exertions  in  his  calling.     He  said: — 


176 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


A?RIL 


"Although  there  have  been  added  in  this  Com- 
monwealth to  the  lands  under  improvement  since 
1840,  300,000  acres,  and  although  the  upland  and 
other  mowing  lands  have  been  increased  more 
than  90,000  acres,  or  nearly  15  per  cent.,  and  the 
tillage  lands  increased  more  than  40,000  acres  in 
the  same  period,  yet  there  has  been  no  increase 
in  grain  crops,  but  an  absolute  depreciation  of 
600,000  bushels.  *  *  »  This  plain- 
ly shows  the  condition  of  agriculture  in  Massa- 
chusetts as  a  whole,  and  with  an  increasing  pop- 
ulation, with  good  markets,  and  every  facility  for 
improving  and  restoring  our  lands,  it  is  truly  an 
alarming  state  of  things." 

Can  this  be  so  ?  We  wish  Mr.  Tower  would 
show  us  how  the  fact  is  obtained. 

The  reports  by  Charles  H.  Merriam,  on 
Steers,  by  Solon  Carter,  on  Oxen,  by  John  M. 
Harris,  on  Sheep,  by  J.  S.  Brown,  on  Vegeta- 
bles, by  Ezra  Kendall,  on  Farms,  by  Jonas  A. 
Marshall,  on  Gardens,  by  E.  F.  Bailey,  on 
Orchards,  and  by  W.  G.  Wyman,  on  Grain,  are 
all  valuable  papers,  each  containing  either  state- 
ments or  suggestions  that  must  be  valuable  to 
their  brother  farmers.  The  statement  of  Jabez 
Fisher,  upon  the  Culture  of  Pears  is  an  elabo- 
rate and  well-drawn  paper,  containing  much  in- 
formation of  value  to  those  who  wish  to  engage 
in  the  cultivation  of  that  delicious  fruit. 

We  shall  be  glad  to  receive  a  copy  of  the  tran- 
sactions of  each  county  society  in  this  or  any 
other  State. 

STRYCHNINE. 

This  poison  Avhich  has  of  late  become  so  noto- 
rious in  its  abuse,  (we  cannot  say  use,)  is  the 
most  uncertain  in  its  action  on  the  human  frame  ; 
in  some  producing  instant  death  ;  the  same  dose 
in  others  only  bringing  on  tetanic  convulsions, 
and  in  a  lucky  few  no  effect  at  all ;  and  this  does 
not  appear  to  have  any  relation  to  the  physical 
strength  of  the  patient.  It  is  a  whitish,  crystal- 
line substance,  and  is  extracted  from  the  nut  of 
a  tree  called  strychnos  nux  vomica.  This  tree 
grows  in  Ceylon,  is  of  moderate  size,  and  has 
thick,  shining  leaves,  with  a  short,  crooked  stem. 
In  the  fruit  season,  it  is  readily  recognized  by  its 
rich,  orange-colored  berries,  about  as  large  as 
golden  pippins.  The  rind  is  smooth  and  hard, 
and  contains  a  white  pulp,  of  which  many  varie- 
ties of  birds  are  very  fond  ;  within  this  are  flat, 
round  seeds,  not  an  inch  in  diameter,  covered 
■with  very  beautiful  silky  hairs,  and  of  an  ash 
grey  color.  The  nut  is  the  deadly  poison  which 
was  well  known,  and  its  medicinal  properties  well 
understood  by  Oriental  doctors,  long  before 
Europe  or  America  had  heard  its  name.  "Dog- 
killer"  and  "fish-scale"  are  translations  of  two  of 
its  Arabic  names.  The  natives  of  Hindostan  of- 
ten eat  it  for  months,  and  it  becomes  a  habit, 
like  opium-eating,  with  the  same  disastrous  re- 
sults. They  commence  with  taking  the  eighth  of 
a  nut  a  day,  and  gradually  increase  their  allow- 
ance to  an  entire  nut,  which  would  be  about  twen- 
ty grains.  If  they  eat  directly  before  or  after 
food,  no  unpleasant  effects  are  produced,  but  if 


they  neglect  this  precaution,  spasms  result.  The 
chemical  tests  for  it  are  numerous,  but  only  one 
or  two   can  be  relied  upon  as   thoroughly  ace 
rate. — Scientific  American. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
CHOPS  ON"  PEAT  MEADOWS. 

Mr.  Editor  : — I  have  a  peat  meadow,  three 
acres  of  which  I  broke  up  in  the  fall  of  1855  ;  the 
following  spring  I  planted  the  same  with  pota- 
toes ;  they  grew  finely,  but  were  all  destroyed  by 
the  great  rains  in  that  year  ;  in  the  fall  I  levelled 
the  ridges  and  [forked  over  the  whole,  and  plant- 
ed potatoes  again  in  the  spring  of  1857,  which 
produced  a  little  over  200  bushels.  I  have  now 
drained  it  more  thoroughly,  so  that  the  surface, 
to  the  depth  of  six  or  eight  inches,  is  well  pul- 
verized ;  below  this  the  peat  is  from  two  to  twen- 
ty feet  deep  ;  have  sounded  sixteen  feet  without 
finding  bottom. 

Now  what  I  would  like  to  know  is,  what  crops 
will  it  grow  beside  potatoes  and  grass,  and  must 
it  be  gravelled  to  produce  the  latter?  If  you,  or 
some  of  your  correspondents,  will  j,ive  me  your 
experience  or  advice  you  will  confer  a  favor  on 

Jan.  26, 1858.  Essex  County. 


Remarks. — We  have  seen  corn,  oats,  cabbages, 
beets,  carrots,  onions,  &c.  &c.,  growing  on  such 
land  as  you  describe,  without  its  being  gravelled, 
— but  that  operation  would  undoubtedly  secure 
better  grass.  With  six  or  eight  inches  of  the 
surface  well  pulverized,  and  with  sufficient  drain- 
age, such  land  will  produce  most  crops  common 
to  our  farms,  with  the  exception  of  barley.  Buck- 
wheat we  have  seen  growing  on  them  with  great 
luxuriance.  Many  of  our  readers  have  had  much 
experience  with  such  lands,  and  perhaps,  may  give 
some  detailed  account  of  the  operations  on  them. 


The  Latest  Invention. — A  mill  has  been 
started  in  Haverhill  for  the  preparation  of  "gran- 
ular fuel."  The  "masheen"  will  cut  into  four 
inch  length  all  sorts  of  brush,  such  as  huckle- 
berry bushes  and  similar  shrubs  vip  to  large  alder 
branches.  The  fuel  will  light  without  shavings, 
and  will  burn  longer  than  charcoal,  and  answer 
the  same  purpose,  and  it  is  considerably  cheaper 
The  Banner  thinks  it  a  good  thing,  and  says  it 
will  give  the  farmers  in  that  ylclnity  a  chance  to 
rid  themselves  of  huckleberry  pastures,  which 
are  to  many  a  constant  source  of  complaint  and 
annoyance. 

Preserve  the  Papers. — Forney's  Press  has 
a  very  readable  article  on  English  and  American 
newspapers,  from  which  we  learn  that  "three 
copies  of  each  newspaper,"  signed  by  the  pub- 
lisher, must  be  regularly  transmitted  to  the  Stamp 
Office,  which  pays  full  price  for  them.  After  the 
expiration  of  a  year,  one  complete  file  of  each 
journal  is  transferred  to  the  British  Museum, 
where  they  are  bound  in  volumes,  and  preserved 
for  reference.  A  most  excellent  plan  it  is,  and 
Macaulay  has  repeatedly  acknowledged  his  in- 
debtedness, as  a  historian,  to  these  valuable 
sources  of  contemporary  information. 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


177 


No.  1  is  a  side  view  of  the  Plow  rigged  with  one  of  the  Upland  mould-boards,  for  plowing  flat  furrows  in  stony  or  rough 

grass  land. 


No.  2  is  a  side  view  of  the  Plow  rigged  with  one  of  the  Stubble  mould-boards,  for  plowing  stubble  or  old  ground. 


\o.  3  is  a  side  view  of  the  Plow  rigged  with  one  of  the  Stubble  mould-boards  and  the  Skim  Plow  forward,  for  Double,  or 

Sod  and  Subsoil  plowing. 


178 


NEAV  ENGLAND  FAlliMEK. 


April 


PLOWS  AND  PLOWINO-. 

In  the  weekly  Farmer  of  Feljruary  20,  and  in 
the  monthly  for  Mai'ch,  page  2S,  we  briefly  spoke 
of  the  operation  of  plowing,  of  the  efforts  that 
have  been  made  to  devise  new  forms  of  the 
plow,  and  introduced  two  or  three  illustrations  of 
the  new  Universal  Plow,  recently  invented  by 
Mr.  Frederick  Holbrook,  of  Brattleboro',  Vt. 

As  the  proof  of  the  pudding  is  in  the  eating, 
so  the  test  of  the  plow  is  in  the  using ;  for,  to 
the  eye,  it  may  possess  all  the  graceful  curves 
and  nice  lines  imaginable,  in  beam,  mould-board, 
share  and  cutter,  yet  upon  applying  it  to  the  work 
about  to  be  done,,  it  will  sometimes  fail  to  accom- 
plish it.  In  the  construction  of  plows,  whatever 
be  the  sort  used,  there  are  a  few  general  princi- 
ples that  ought  invariably  to  be  attended  to,  and 
Mr.  Holbrook  has  given  these  the  nicest  care. 
It  will  be  seen  that  he  has  given  that  part  which 
"enters,  perforates,  and  breaks  up  the  ground, 
that  sort  of  long,  narrow,  clean,  tapering,  sharp- 
ened form,  that  affords  the  least  resistance  in 
passing  through  the  land ;  and  to  the  mould- 
board,  that  kind  of  hollo  wed-out  and  twisted 
form,  which  not  only  tends  to  lessen  friction,  but 
also  to  contribute  greatly  to  the  perfect  turning 
over  of  the  furrow-slice."  The  beam  is  also  so 
contrived  that  the  team  may  be  attached  in  the 
most  advantageous  line  of  draught. 

Some  of  the  advantages  of  the  Universal 
Plow  are  these :  It  is  sold  with  one  mould-board 
only,  or  with  any  number,  as  the  purchaser  may 
select.  It  is  a  desirable  implement  if  but  one 
mould-board  is  wanted,  because  that  one  will  do 
thorough  and  finished  work,  and  when  worn  away 
considerably  or  broken  by  accident,  its  place  can 
be  cheaply  supplied  with  a  new  one.  Again,  the 
purchaser,  after  obtaining  one  mould-board,  and 
the  standard,  share  and  frame-work  to  go  with  it 
can  at  any  time  procure  such  other  mould-boards, 
of  the  series  as  he  would  like,  at  slight  expense, 
as  compared  with  buying  new  plows  entire  ;  and 
thus  he  may  be  induced  to  employ  a  larger  and 
better  assortment  of  plows,  suited  to  his  various 
fields  and  modes  of  culture,  than  he  would  other- 
wise use. 

The  opinion  which  we  offer  of  these  Plows  was 
not  made  up  in  the  parlor,  by  reading  descrip- 
tions and  an  examination  of  figures  of  them,  but 
by  actual  trial  in  the  field,  and  in  the  presence  of 
many  spectators. 

It  was  on  one  of  those  calm  and  sunny  days  of 
middle  November  last,  that  some  dozen  persons — 
most  of  them  as  good  at  the  handle  of  the  plow 
as  any  son  of  Neptune  ever  was  at  the  helm  of  a 
ship — assembled  upon  our  farm  to  test  the  Uni- 
versal Ploio.  Mr.  Holbrook,  the  inventor,  was 
present,  and  assisted  throughout  the  day.  His 
associates  were  all  practical  farmers,  men  who 


not  only  plan  but  work  out  results  by  their  pa- 
tient, daily  labor,  and  who  quickly  discover  and 
appreciate  whatever  will  be  likely  to  facilitate 
their  plans  and  increase  their  profits.  The  teams 
for  the  occasion  were  a  pair  of  horses,  a  yoke  of 
oxen  and  a  four  horse  team,  so  that  whatever 
change  was  made  in  the  plow  for  working  deep 
or  shallow,  narrow  or  wide  furrow-slices,  there 
was  a  team  present  ready  for  it. 

The  ground  to  be  plowed  was  free  from  stones, 
a  portion  of  it  covered  with  a  thick  sward,  and 
the  remainder  stubble  ground.  It  is  scarcely 
necessary  to  occupy  space  with  a  detail  of  the 
precise  operations  of  the  several  mould-boards, 
as  to  inches  in  depth  and  width,  as  there  was  no 
difficulty  whatever  in  doing  as  much  good  ivork 
within  a  limited  time  as  would  satisfy  the  most 
exacting.  At  high  noon  the  teams  went  to  their 
provender,  and  the  plow  people  from  labor  to  re- 
freshment. The  ample  dinner  provided  by  the 
mistress  of  the  mansion  was  pretty  much  a  home- 
made affair  ;  roasted  turkey  and  cranbeiTy  sauce, 
delicious  ham  and  cup  potatoes,  bread  from  wheat 
that  grew  in  the  young  orchard,  and  pies  from  the 
apple-trees  that  stood  among  thewh(;at,  with  va- 
rious incidentals,  made  up  the  country  dinner  ; 
but  all  this  was  seasoned  with  an  earnest,  intelli- 
gent and  instructive  conversation  upon  Plows 
and  Plowing,  in  character  with  the  work  that  had 
been  done.  It  was  in  reality  a  feast  of  reason,  as 
well  as  of  the  good  things  which  the  farm  affords. 

Thus  physically  and  mentally  refreshed,  as  soon 
as  the  sun  leaned  from  the  zenith  to  the  west, 
men  and  teams  were  moving  again,  and  continued 
the  trial  throughout  the  afternoon.  Mr.  Hol- 
brook invited  any  objection  that  presented  itself, 
and  gave  such  pertinent  illustrations  both  by 
hand  and  word,  as  to  satisfy  all  that  he  had 
achieved  a  signal  success  with  the  plow.  The  day 
was  not  long  enough  to  permit  a  trial  of  all  the 
mould-boards  ;  but  two  or  three  of  the  intervale, 
as  many  of  the  upland,  t\ie prairie  and  the  double 
mould-board  or  skim-plow  were  tested. 

Something  was  certainly  due  to  the  skill  with 
which  the  plows  were  handled,  though  these  ex- 
perienced workmen  were  unanimous  in  their 
commendation  of  every  pattern  that  Avas  tried. 
The  double  plow  drew  forth  lively  cnconiums ; 
and  it  was  often  said — "I  liave  never  seen  so  good 
work  with  the  skim-plow  done  before."  The 
stubble-plow  certainly  surpassed  in  execution  any 
we  had  before  seen,  in  throwing  up  a  large  col- 
umn of  earth,  and  leaving  it  in  a  loose  and  well 
pulverized  condition ;  and  this  without  an  un- 
usual strength  of  team,  a  pair  of  horses  doing 
the  work. 

We  feel  free  to  advise  our  friends  to  make  a 
careful  examination  of  the  Universal  Plow  before 
purchasing. 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


179 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
THE  TREADWELL  PAEM  IN  ESSEX. 

By  the  generosity  of  an  eminent  physician  of 
Salem,  lately  deceased,  the  Essex  Agricultural 
Society  have  recently  come  into  the  possession  of 
the  Treadwell  farm  of  one  hundred  and  fifty 
acres,  centrally  situated,  in  the  town  of  Topsfield. 
What  to  do  with  it  is  now  the  question  ? 

We  perceive  that  the  Trustees  have  advertised 
for  some  one  to  take  charge  of  it ;  but  whether 
%vith  or  without  the  means  of  support  is  not  stated 
in  their  notice.  If  they  can  find  any  smart  man, 
with  a  wife,  who  will  take  charge  of  it,  for  ten 
years,  and  improve  its  condition,  under  their  su- 
pervision, taking  the  produce  for  his  services, 
this  will  relieve  them  of  much  anxiety,  and  pos- 
sibly show  that  a  toorn-out  farm  can  be  redeemed. 
Here  is  one  of  the  best  enterprises  for  farmers, 
within  our  knowledge.  Smart  young  men,  with 
healthy  wives,  now  is  your  chance.  IBetter  labor 
here  than  on  the  prairies  of  the  West. 

February  24,  1858.  EssEX. 


Re^lvrks. — Eew,  if  any,  doubt  that  the  opera- 
tions of  the  county  agriciUtural  societies  of  Mas- 
sachusetts have  been  productive  of  much  good ; 
that  they  will  continue  to  do  as  much  good  in  the 
future,  as  in  the  past,  admits  of  a  doubt.  The 
keen  edge  of  their  novelty  is  worn  off,  and  the 
people  are  inquiring  whether  some  new  field  of 
enterprise  may  not  be  entered,  promising  better 
results?  In  the  acquisition  of  the  '■^Treadwell 
Farm  in  Topsfield,"  by  the  Essex  county  society, 
there  is  the  initiatory  movement  precisely  in  the 
right  direction,  which  we  have  often  suggested, 
but  which  has  not  yet  met  with  public  favor.  We 
therefore  respectfully  beg  leave  to  suggest  to  the 
Trustees  of  the  Essex  society  that  the  Treadwell 
Farm  shall  in  future  become  the  scene  and  cen- 
tre of  all  their  operations, — and  that  it  shall  bear 
testimony  upon  its  face  of  the  acknowledged  skill 
of  these  Trustees  to  make  it  blossom  as  a  rose,  at 
a  living  profit.     And, 

1.  We  suggest  that  an  accurate  survey  of  the 
farm  be  made,  and  the  actual  value  be  ascertained 
of  what  it  maybe  sold  for,  iox  farming  purposes. 

2.  That  photographic  views  of  the  buildings 
and  their  surroundings  be  taken,  and  an  accurate 
description  be  made  of  them,  both  inside  and  out. 
To  which  add  a  faithful  account  of  all  the  fields, 
pastures,  forests  and  roads  of  the  farm,  showing 
how  much  wood  or  timber  there  is  standing  up- 
on it,  how  much  hay  is  cut  per  acre,  and  where, 
how  much  stock  it  was  capable  of  pasturing  last 
summer,  how  much  corn,  grain,  fruit  and  vegeta- 
bles were  raised,  and  in  every  way  the  precise 
condition  and  increase  of  the  farm.  Let  these 
descriptions  be  criticised  by  a  visiting  committee, 
corrected  if  necessary,  and  then  filed  in  the  ar- 
chives of  the  society  for  future  comparison. 

3.  The  farm  is  now  ready  to  receive  an  impress 
from  the  genius  and  skill  of  the  Board  of  Trus- 


tees— how  and  what  they  shall  direct,  it  is  not 
pertinent  for  us  to  suggest. 

4.  As  it  M-ould  become  necessary  that  the  Trus- 
tees should  occasionally  see  the  farm,  it  is  sug- 
gested that  all  their  meetings  for  the  transaction 
of  Society  business  should  take  j^lace  there,  in 
addition  to  the  visits  of  any  supervising  com- 
mittee. 

5.  Prepare  the  farm  for  and  hold  all  the  annu- 
al Exhibitions  upon  it,  where  all,  having  a  com- 
mon interest,  can  meet  upon  common  ground. 
If  necessary  to  erect  new  buildings  for  farm  pur- 
poses, erect  them  as  far  as  possible  with  movable 
partitions,  so  as  to  accommodate  the  wants  of  the 
exhibition, — and  convert  the  barn  floor  into  a 
grand  fruit  room  for  the  fruit  show,  if  you  can- 
not do  any  better.  Here  let  every  thing  centre, 
and  here,  at  home,  on  your  own  soil,  under  your 
own  roofs,  will  soon  congregate  such  croAvds  of 
the  substantial  and  intelligent  people  of  your 
county  as  will  make  your  exhibitions  more  popu- 
lar than  your  itinerary  plan  can  ever  do. 

6.  Here,  directed  by  the  wisdom  of  your  Board, 
will  grow  up  examples  of  great  practical  utility 
to  the  farmers  of  the  county  in  many  things  : 
In  the  buildings  you  construct,  in  the  fields  you 
lay  out,  in  the  stock  you  rear,  the  crops  you  har- 
vest, the  implements  you  use,  the  manner  in 
which  you  plow,  make  your  hay,  drain,  subsoil, 
or  irrigate,  and  in  the  modes  of  feeding  stock,  in 
the  raising  of  fruit,  roots,  and  Liany  minor  mat- 
ters, but  still  matters  of  importance. 

In  witnessing  the  productions  of  other  parts  of 
the  county,  concentrated  upon  the  farm,  the  visi- 
tor may  also  behold  the  farm  itself,  learn  what  it 
has  yielded,  and  by  the  Trustees'  records,  how 
the  crops  were  produced,  and  at  what  profit. 

We  had  hoped  Middlesex  would  take  the  lead 
in  this  movement — but  it  is  the  good  fortune  of 
Essex  to  possess  the  means  of  starting  first.  We 
hope  ishe  will  give  her  sister  counties  a  noble  ex- 
ample. 

For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
THE  THINGS  I  BAISE— NO.  8. 
JENNY   LIND   POTATO. 

This  is  a  very  productive  sort,  the  potatoes 
growing  very  large,  shaped  somewhat  like  the 
Rohan,  except  longer ;  the  eyes  are  deep  sunk, 
color  light  red,  almost  pink.  This  variety  sports 
so  that  sometimes  an  entirely  white  potato  will 
be  found  among  them.  It  is  a  profitable  sort  for 
cattle  and  pigs ;  not  very  good  for  table  use,  as  it 
is  yellow  meat  and  a  little  strong.  This  is  iden- 
tical with  the  Rhode  Island  Seedling. 

POGIES. 

This  is  the  same  potato  that  was  cultivated 
some  years  ago  under  the  name  of  Cow  Horn.  It 
is  long,  flat  and  smooth,  the  eyes  are  scarcely  per- 
ceptible, color  dark  purple,  almost  black  ;  meat 
purple  next  the  skin,  inside  nearly  white  ;  mod- 


180 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


April 


erately  productive,  fine  for  baking  and  good  for 
boiling  ;  rots  badly  in  some  localities.  This  va- 
riety does  well  in  Nova  Scotia,  from  whence  Bos- 
ton market  is  supplied.  I  think  it  equal,  if  not 
superior,  to  all  other  potatoes  for  baking. 

The  Bullard's  Seedling,  Cristy,  Fluke  Kidney, 
Lapstone  Kidney,  Old  Kidney,  Irish  Cups,  White 
Cups,  Bowen's  Seedling,  Lady  Finger,  Vermont 
Whites,  Calico,  Pink  Eyes,  Black  Chenango,  Mex- 
ican, Prescott,  Crackers,  and  many  others  that  I 
could  name  that  I  have  tried  for  years,  are  not 
worthy  of  general  or  extensive  cultivation. 

It  was  my  intention  when  I  begun  these  arti- 
cles to  continue  them  through  the  winter  and 
spring,  having  made  notes  on  all  the  matters  of 
which  I  intend  to  speak,  but  having  in  some  way 
lost  or  mislaid  the  memoranda,  I  may  not  trouble 
you  and  your  readers  with  my  loose  remarks.  I 
shall  give  more  attention  another  season  to  the 
various  vegetables,  new  and  old,  and  shall  per- 
haps give  you  some  of  the  results  of  my  labors. 
I  shall  give  you  one  or  two  articles  on  the  Chinese 
Sugar  Cane,  giving  the  results  of  my  experi- 
ments, &c.  James  F.  C.  Hyde. 

Netdon  Centre,  Feb.  15,  1858. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer, 
SAWED    SHINGLES. 

The  time  has  past  when  the  farmers  of  New  Eng- 
land raised  the  raw  material  for  their  own  clothes, 
and  when  our  grandmothers  could  rival  Manches- 
ter or  Lowell  in  the  manufacture  of  substantial 
fabrics.  We  sometimes  sigh  for  those  good  old 
times  ;  especially  when  the  slight  intrusion  of  a 
knot  or  nail  against  our  new  and  ready-made 
pants  show  marked  sym2)toms  of  premature  ex- 
posure and  early  decay.  There  are  many  of  the 
customs,  habits  and  materials  of  by-gone  days 
that  I  wish  were  with  us  still ;  not  the  least  among 
which  are  old-fashioned  rij't  shingles  ;  and  while 
my  hand  is  in  wishing,  I  would  have  them  at  the 
old-fashioned  price,  which  was  about  two  dollars 
per  thousand.  But  alas !  I  have  failed  of  many 
a  pleasant  ride,  because  wishing  didn't  bring  the 
horses.  I  might  just  as  well  look  for  the  return 
of  the  hand  spinning-wheel  and  loom,  at  the  pres- 
ent prices  of  labor  and  manufactured  goods,  or 
the  method  of  transportation  and  communication 
of  fifty  years  ago,  as  to  advocate  the  use  of  such 
shingles  as  were  made  then,  when  the  lumber  in 
its  native  forests  was  as  abundant  as  the  rocks 
of  the  granite  hills  where  it  grew.  Then,  when 
the  farmer  had  a  leisure  day,  he  could  go  into 
the  woods,  and  rive  a  thousand  shingles,  which 
he  could  afford  to  sell  for  a  less  price  than  the 
cheapest  sawed  shingles  are  now  sold  for. 

I  saw  an  article  in  the  Farmer  of  Jan.  9th,  in 
which  the  writer  strongly  condemns  the  use  of 
sawed  shingles.  He  thinks  "the  community  have 
paid  about  enough  for  experiment,  and  it  is  about 
time  to  have  it  awakened  to  its  true  interest." 
So  do  I.  An  experiment  of  forty  years  with  an 
increasing  demand,  is  pretty  conclusive  that  it  is 
awakened,  and  finds  its  true  interest  in  using 
sawed  shingles. 

Saj)  shingles,  so  called,  are  a  cheap  kind  of 
sawed  shingles  that  are  used  extensively  in  Rock- 
ingham and  other  counties  in  N.  H.,  with  good 
satisfaction ;  costing  about  two  dollars  and  twenty- 
five  cents  per  thousand.     It  is  thought  that  com- 


mon roofs  can  be  kept  covered  with  this  quality 
of  shingles  at  a  less  expense  than  with  the  best 
sawed  or  rift  shingles.  Since  the  edict  has  gone 
forth  that  "man  shall  eat  bread  in  the  sweat  of  his 
brow,"  it  matters  but  little  whether  a  man  ex- 
pends fifty  dollars  in  covering  his  house  once 
with  good  shingles,  or  the  same  amount  in  cover- 
ing it  twice  with  a  cheaper  article,  if  he  can  make 
it  pay. 

In  the  article  above  referred  to,  it  is  said,  "there 
are  very  few  sawed  shingles  that  are  not  sawed 
cross-grained,  as  it  is  called.  This  comes  of  ne- 
cessity in  the  use  of  the  saw,  and  it  is  unavoida- 
ble that  the  rain  will  at  once  penetrate  the  entire 
shingle." 

I  am  aware  that  moisture  penetrates  soft  wood 
very  rapidly,  and  more  so  in  the  direction  of  the 
grain  than  across  it,  and  perhaps  there  are  some 
kinds  of  wood  so  porous  that  water  will  filter 
through  it ;  but  such  timber  is  not  usually  sawed 
into  shingles ;  most  of  the  sawed  shingles  are 
made  from  pine,  spruce  and  cedar,  which  will 
not  leak  water  until  they  become  rotten  or  worn 
out,  however  cross-grained  they  may  have  been 
sawed. 

The  writer  also  attributes  the  rusting  of  the 
nails  to  sawed  shingles ;  but  by  a  little  investi- 
gation he  will,  without  doubt,  find  it  attributable 
to  their  contact  with  salt  water.  It  is  believed 
that  the  complaints  of  shingles  rusting  the  nails 
is  mostly  confined  to  sea-board  towns  and  east- 
ern shingles.  Sap  shingle,  eighteen  inches  long, 
costing  $2,25  per  thousand,  will  last  without 
leaking  from  twelve  to  fifteen  years.  Admitting 
that  they  will  remain  sound  only  twelve  years, 
also  admitting  that  the  best  rift  shingle,  the  same 
length,  i.  e.  18  inches,  to  cost  $5,25  per  thousand, 
and  last  any  length  of  time,  however  long ;  the 
sawed  shingles  are  the  cheapest.  For  it  will  be 
observed  that  allowing  seventy-five  cents  per 
thousand  for  laying  the  shingles,  Avhich  is  a  fair 
price,  it  costs  three  dollars  per  thousand  less,  to 
shingle  a  roof  with  sawed  sap  shingles  than  it 
does  with  the  best  rift  shingles  ;  which,  with  the 
interest,  would  amount  to  six  dollars  in  twelve 
years,  the  time  which  the  shingles  are  presumed 
to  last.  Thus  it  will  be  readily  seen  that  the  sum 
which  it  would  cost  to  cover  a  roof  with  the  best 
rift  shingles,  would  keep  it  shingled  forever  with 
sawed  shingles,  allowing  them  to  rot  every  twelve 
years.  Jonathan  A.  Robinson. 

Fremont,  N.  H.,  1858. 


Tremendous  Hogs  ! !— Mr.  J.  W.  Black,  of 
Jobstown,  N.  J.,  sends  us  an  account  of  some 
hogs  which  "beat  all  nater."  He  says  Isaac  Har- 
rison, of  New  Hanover,  slaughtered  35  recently, 
whose  total  weight  was  19,415  pounds,  and  their 
average  weight  554  lbs. 

Joseph  K.  Hulme,  of  Fountain  Green,  21  hogs, 
averaging  455^  lbs. !  Joseph  Neichold,  of  Wrights- 
town,  26,  averaging  461  lbs.  per  hog  !  Same  town, 
Alex.  Shrove,  21,  averaging  532^  lbs.!  And 
Thomas  Hood,  of  Shelltown,  44  hogs,  averaging 
533J  lbs.  per  hog.  The  average  a{je  of  the  hogs 
was  20  months,  and  they  had  no  feed  hut  grass 
between  May  and  September  last. 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


181 


For  the  New  England  Fanner. 
MOWING  LANDS. 

Mr.  Brown  : — Since  it  is  a  cherished  principle 
with  most  farmers,  that  short  articles  upon  prac- 
tical ar^riculture  are  of  the  most  general  interest, 
I  am  induced  to  give  a  few  thoughts  upon  mow- 
ing lands,  and  perhaps  add  some  upon  kindred 
subjects.  On  most  farms  in  New  England,  there 
is  a  proportion  of  moist  and  dry  soils.  The  usu- 
al method  of  applying  manures  to  dry  soils  by 
plowing  and  thorough  incorporation  is,  I  think, 
approvable.  In  the  treatment  of  moist  or  wet 
soils,  quite  a  different  practice  should  be  pursued. 
Since  the  hay  crop  is  of  more  general  value  than 
an)-  other  in  New  England,  it  is  of  the  utmost 
importance  that  we  husband  well  our  resources, 
for  its  greater  production.  Dry  soils  I  would  re- 
commend for  pasturage,  and  wet  or  mnist  for 
mowing,  reserving,  however,  so  much  of  the  dry 
as  is  needed  for  cultivation.  Wet  soils,  to  be  pre- 
pared for  manureal  treatment  and  a  high  produc- 
tive condition,  should  first  be  drained  either  by 
open  ditches,  or  by  that  better  way,  underdrain- 
ing  with  tile,  or  stone.  The  latter  method  has 
been  fully  treated  by  Henry  F.  FRENCH,  who, 
by  theory  and  practice,  has  beautified  and  vivified 
numy  cold  and  desolate  places  in  our  own  land ; 
and  who,  by  the  way,  as  a  traveller,  has  found  in 
Switzerland,  Deity,  where  Bayard  Taylor  only 
found  Humanity. 

When  the  soil  has  been  rid  of  its  surplus  wa- 
ter, then  level  and  smooth  the  surface  by  such 
means  as  are  most  available.  Now  it  is  in  a  con- 
dition for  top  dressing.  My  practice  has  been  for 
several  past  years  to  throw  up  swamp  muck  in 
the  early  fall,  in  a  sort  of  wind  row,  letting  it  re- 
main until  another  fall,  when  it  can  be  handled 
most  rapidly  with  a  six  tined  manure-fork.  I  cart 
this  into  my  hog  and  barn-yard,  and  also  barn- 
cellar  ;  this  is  to  remain  still  another  year,  when 
the  most  of  it  becomes  a  highly  concentrated  ma- 
nure, putting  to  shame,  in  its  results,  the  specific 
and  patent  manures,  which  are  crowded  upon  the 
public  by  false  pretences.  A  portion  of  this  ma- 
nure I  put  into  a  heap  near  my  corn  field,  and 
cover  with  soil  or  sand,  and  the  remainder  is  ap- 
plied to  my  moist  mowing  fields  as  soon  as  may 
be  after  the  second  cutting  of  grass  has  been  com- 
pleted. I  wish  usually  to  apply  from  twenty  to 
twenty-five  loads  of  tM'enty  bushels  each  to  the 
acre.  This  course,  if  systematically  and  pcrsist- 
ingly  adhered  to,  will  produce  two  crops  of  grass 
every  year  of  the  finest  quality,  containing  most, 
if  not  all,  the  elements  of  health  and  nutrition 
needed  by  cattle,  especially  milch  cows. 

I  wish  to  add  in  this  connexion,  in  view  of  the 
vast  resources  which  may  be  found  in  our  moist 
soils,  that  I  regard  the  root  culture  of  doubtful 
expediency  as  extra  food  for  stock.  It  is  well 
known  that  the  main  ingredient  of  all  roots  is 
water,  and  it  would  seem  cheaper  and  far  more 
sensible  to  furnish  drink  to  cattle  by  the  common 
methods  0/  hydrostatics  than  by  lacerated  hands, 
aching  heads  and  broken  backs. 

I  wish  to  enter  my  protest  against  the  ruinous 
practice,  of  fall  or  spring  feeding  of  our  mowing 
lands.  When  once  made  smooth,  elastic,  and  po- 
rous, no  man  can  receive  any  adequate  advantage, 
by  turning  on  to  such  a  field  a  drove  of  cattle  or 
horses  to  race  over  and  change  this  beautiful 
field  into  a  broken  and  jagged  bed. 


All  damp  soils  should  be  kept  as  light  and  po- 
rous as  possible,  so  that  the  rain  may  discharge 
its  ammonia  into  every  fibi-e  and  tissue  of  it. 

Let  our  pastures  be  enlarged,  and  so  supersede 
the  necessity  of  feeding  our  mowing  lands,  and 
let  the  limits  of  our  mowing  fields  be  diminished, 
so  that  labor  and  capital  may  be  better  expend- 
ed, and  my  word  for  it,  two  blades  of  grass  icill 
grow  where  but  one  grew  before  in  our  mowing 
lands,  and  our  pastures,  not  over  stocked,  will 
become  rich  and  highly  px-oductive  by  the  fi'ee 
working  of  vegetable  laws.  s.  G. 

East  Hardwick,  Vt.,  Feb.  15,  1858. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer, 
BEAL  ESTATE  IN  BUTLAND  CO.,  VT. 
THE    EFFECT   OF   THE  MONEY    PRESSURE   ON  IT. 

I  know  not  how  it  may  be  in  other  sections  of 
Vermont,  but  in  Rutland  county  farms  have  come 
into  market  within  the  last  three  months,  and 
have  been  sold  almost  daily  at  prices  varying 
from  twenty-five  to  forty  per  cent,  less  than  at 
any  other  period  within  the  past  ten  years.  The 
question  is  often  asked,  why  is  it  that  so  many  of 
our  farmers  are  selling  their  farms  at  such  re- 
duced prices  ? 

In  no  part  of  Vermont  has  land  been  valued  as 
high  as  in  Rutland  county,  during  the  past  twen- 
ty years.  Farmers  have  ascertained  that  not  one 
farm  in  fifty  has  or  can  be  made  to  pay  four  per 
cent,  upon  the  assessed  value  thereof.  Many  of 
us  find  ourselves  much  in  the  predicament  of  a 
foot  ir  a  small  boot,  and  we  are  pretty  well  con- 
vinced that  he  who  is  in  debt,  and  paying  six  per 
cent,  interest,  must  remain  in  debt  for  a  series  of 
years  to  come.  In  other  words,  we  fully  believe  that 
farming  cannot  be  as  good  business  for  ten  years 
to  come,  as  it  has  been  for  the  last  ten  years. 
What  then  ought  those  farmers  to  do  who  are 
largely  in  debt  ?  AVhat  is  a  safe  course  to  pur- 
sue ?  I  say,  sell  out  and  pay  up ;  and  if  we  have 
anything  left  buy  smaller  farms,  or  go  West  where 
land  is  cheaper  than  in  Rutland  county.  So  say 
a  large  portion  of  the  farmers  of  this  vicinity. 

I  sec  that  not  only  the  country  papers,  but  the 
city  papers  also,  are  crowded  with  advertisments 
of  "Fai'?ns  for  Sale."  There  are  twenty  such 
notices  now,  Avhere  there  was  one  a  year  ago.  Am 
I  wrong  in  believing  that  all  kinds  of  property 
are  destined  to  be  cheap  for  many  years  ?  Am  I 
wrong  in  my  conclusion  that  real  estate  here  in 
the  East,  as  well  as  the  West,  has  materially  de- 
preciated, and  that  it  will  have  to  remain  so  ? 

Castleton,  Januai-y  12,  1858.  L.  s. 

Remarks. — This  is  the  first  complaint  of  the 
kind  that  has  come  to  our  knowledge.  The  gen- 
eral efl'ect  is,  when  commercial  business  is  em- 
barrassed, and  men  recently  engaged  in  it  are 
thrown  out  of  employment,  they  yield  to  the 
common  desire  of  man,  and  seek  the  form.  Such 
has  been  the  case  in  this  region  since  the  late  re 
vulsion  ;  farms  are  in  quick  demand,  and  at  fair 
prices.  It  is  difficult  for  us  to  perceive  how  the 
good  people  of  Rutland  county  have  sustained 
themselves  on  farms  where  not  one  in  fifty  pays 
four  per  c&ut.  on   their  assessed  valuation.    A 


182 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


April 


farm  -v^'orth  $3,000  would  only  give  $120  at  four 
per  cent.  Now  does  L.  S.  believe  that  such  a 
farm  would  not  yield  more  than  that  sum,  even 
if  it  was  turned  to  pasture,  or  left  for  a  growth 
of  wood  alone !  The  difficulty  of  the  matter  lies 
in  another  direction,  we  think ;  in  the  want  of 
proper  cultivation.  But  more  or  less  capital  is 
indispensable.  A  farm  is  much  like  a  mine. 
There  must  be  capital  with  which  to  work  it  and 
bring  to  light  the  precious  metals  which  lie  hid- 
den far  below,  or  they  never  will  appear.  It  is 
unreasonable  to  expect  a  farm  worth  only  $1000 
to  produce  an  annual  income  equal  to  that  sum  : 
But  upon  tolerably  good  land,  Avhatever  capital  is 
judiciously  expended  will  usually  give  an  annual 
interest  of  fifteen  per  cent. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
FIELD  IIOLIjER---FOUL    IN"  THE    FOOT- 
TO  PREVEHT  PUMPS  FEBEZING. 

Eriend  Brown  : — I  subscribed  for  the  New 
England  Farmer  last  October,  but,  through  the 
negligence  of  either  the  post  master  or  myself,  I 
did  not  receive  any  of  the  numbers  until  this 
month,  then  I  received  them  all.  In  looking  them 
over  some  ideas  were  suggested  to  me  which  I 
thought  might  benefit  some  of  your  readers. 

In  reply  to  Mr.  Dimon,  I  agree  with  Mr.  Hol- 
brook  as  to  the  value  of  the  roller.  My  father 
and  myself  have  used  one  a  number  of  years,  and 
consider  it  one  of  the  farming  tools  which  ought 
not  to  be  dispensed  with.  Although  within  a  few 
years  it  seems  to  be  more  highly  appreciated 
than  formerly,  it  is  not  in  that  general  use,  which 
its  merits  demand.  The  roller  can  be  used  to 
great  advantage  on  the  mowing  land  in  the 
spring ;  it  rolls  in  all  bunches  and  small  stones  ; 
the  larger  stones  and  all  other  substance  which 
will  interfere  with  the  scythe  may  be  laid  on  the 
roller  and  carried  to  the  end  of  the  field.  It 
should  never  be  used  on  wet  land;  it  is  worse  than 
useless — is  injurious  ;  instead  of  leaving  the  soil 
light,  as  on  dry  land,  it  renders  it  hard  and  clam- 
my, and  the  heat  of  the  sun  will  bake  it  so  that 
it  will  crack  like  clay.  ]\Ir.  Holbrook  omitted  to 
mention  this  fact,  Avhich  I  consider  very  impor- 
tant, as  it  probably  explains  the  objection  many 
persons  have  to  Ihe  roller. 

CURE  FOR  FOUL  IN  THE  FOOT. 

A  simple  cure  for  the  Fold  in  the  Foot.  After 
cleaning  the  foot,  pour  in  a  few  drons  of  spirits  of 
turpentine,  and  unless  in  very  aggravated  cases, 
two  or  three  applications  Avill  be  sufficient.  I  have 
always  used  it,  and  when  applied  in  season  have 
never  known  its  failing. 

now  TO  PREVENT  FREEZING  OF  PUMPS. 

In  winter,  I  often  hear  complaints  of  freezing 
of  pumps  ;  to  prevent  this  ;  cover  your  well  with 
a  high  platform ;  then  prepare  a  box  fifteen  or 
eighteen  inches  square  ;  according  to  the  size  of 
your  pump,  and  sufficiently  high  to  cover  the 
nose  ;  cut  a  hole  around  the  pump  as  large  as 
the  box  will  admit.  The  steam  arising  from  the 
^vater  in  the  well  into  the  box  will  keep  the  pump 


warm  and  prevent  its  freezing.  Care  should  be 
taken  to  have  everything  made  tight  to  prevent 
the  steam  from  escaping.  My  pump  has  been 
thus  covered  for  many  years,  and  although  it 
stands  in  a  very  exposed  place,  yet,  during  the 
extreme  cold  of  the  past  winter,  it  has  only 
slightly  frozen  over  a  few  times.  This  remedy  is 
very  simple,  and  if  done  thoroughly,  very  effec- 
tive, and  saves  the  trouble  of  letting  off'  the  water 
or  covering  the  pump  with  straw  or  bundles  of 
stalks,  which  is  useless.  a. 

East  Lexington,  1858. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer, 

CULTIVATION"  OF  THE  PEAB  ON" 
QUINCE  STOCKS. 

,  Mr.  Editor  : — Can  any  dependence  be  placed 
upon  this  stock,  for  the  pear,  as  far  north  as  this 
place,  lat.  43°,  where  the  mercury  frequently  falls 
from  20  to  30"  below  zero,  and  where  the  quince 
itself  is  not  hardy,  but  is  almost  surely  killed  to 
the  surface  of  the  ground,  although  the  roots  usu- 
ally escape  injury  ? 

Is  the  Angers  quince  more  hardy  than  the 
other  varieties  ? 

I  have  for  several  years  annually  set  a  few 
trees  on  quince,  but  they  have  not  succeeded  well, 
but  ha\  e  mostly  been  killed  the  first  winter  from 
cold  or  some  other  cause. 

Would  the  trees  prove  more  hardy  to  procure 
stocks  and  bvids  here,  thus  raising  trees  in  the 
vicinity  where  they  are  to  grow  than  those  raised 
in  the  vicinity  of  Boston  ?  If  so,  how  can  the 
trees  be  protected  so  the  stock  will  not  winter- 
kill until  the  trees  are  set  where  they  are  to  re- 
remain  permanently  ?  Agricola. 

Rutland,  Feb.  10,  1858. 


Remarks. — We  sent  the  above  queries  to  ouc 
of  the  most  successful  pear  growers  in  this  coun- 
try, Col.  Wilder,  who,  with  his  accustomed 
kindness  and  promptitude,  at  once  sent  us  the 
subjoined  remarks : — 

I  reply,  to  the  Jirst  question,  yes,  if  any  variety 
of  the  pear  is  hardy  in  Rutland — if  the  selection 
of  varieties  is  judicious,  and  the  junction  where 
the  stock  is  grafted  be  covered,  at  the  time  of 
planting,  with  three  or  four  inches  of  soil. 

To  the  second,  I  answer,  that  I  have  never  dis- 
covered any  difference  as  to  the  hardiness  of  the 
Angers  or  Fontenay  quince,  nor  do  I  believe  that 
one  is  preferable  to  the  other  as  a  stock  for  the 
pear. 

To  the  third,  1  reply,  experience  must  be  the 
guide.  Quince  stocks  two  or  three  years  old, 
with  well  ripened  wood,  whether  grown  here,  or 
at  Rutland,  will  withstand  the  severe  alternations 
of  weather  better  than  those  of  younger  grafting, 
but  to  either,  it  would  be  a  great  safeguard  if 
they  could  be  covered  a  fevi  inches  high  with  old 
compost,  or  decayed  manure. 

Pears  on  the  quince  should  be  planted  in  a 
luxuriant  deep  soil  and  be  abundantly  supplied 
with  nutriment  and  good  cultivation.  If  planted 
so  deep  that  the  point  of  junction  may  be  three  or 
four  inches  below  the  surface  of  the  soil,  the  pear 
will  frequently  form  roots  independent  of  the 
quince,  and  thus  combine    early    fruiting  from 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


183 


the  quince  and  the  strength  and  longevity  of 
the  pear  stock.  For  instance,  of  trees  of  the  same 
variety  standing  side  by  side  in  my  own  grounds 
for  twelve  years,  and  enjoying  the  same  treat- 
mentf  those  on  the  quince  stock,  have  attained  a 
larger  size,  and  have  borne  for  nine  years  abun- 
dant crops,  while  those  upon  the  pear  stock  have 
yielded  but  very  little  fruit. 

In  a  word,  so  far  as  my  experience  extends,  I 
can  see  no  difference  in  the  hardiness  of  the  same 
variety  of  pear,  whether  on  the  quince  or  on  its 
own  roots.  Some  varieties  are  not  suited  to  the 
quince  stock,  others  grow  vigorously  and  bear 
abundantly.  Some  are  as  hardy  in  Vermont, 
New  Hampshire  and  Maine  as  in  Massachusetts. 
These  remarks  are  made  without  reference  to  ex- 
traordinary climactic  influences  such  as  distin- 
guished the  winter  of  1857. 

Marshall  P.  Wilder. 


Remarks. — We  hope  you  will ;  this  is  a  sub- 
ject of  importance  to  a  large  number  of  our 
readers. 

EXTRACTS  AND  REPLIES. 

MEASUREMENT   OF   CORN. 

Mr.  Editor  : — I  am  most  happy  to  greet  our 
venerable  friend,  M.  A.,  of  P.,  again  in  the  field. 
What  he  says  of  his  own  knowledge,  I  should  as 
soon  credit,  as  the  sajdngs  of  any  other  man.  I 
believe  him,  also,  truly  Avorthy  of  the  appellation 
model  farmer,  given  him  by  Daniel  Webster.  But 
when  he  tells  the  public  that  a  crop  of  corn 
measured  one  hundred  and  forty-five  bushels  to 
the  acre,  (this  was  the  quantity,  I  think,)  by  a 
certain  measurement  of  so  many  pounds  for  a 
bushel,  weighed  green  in  the  ear,  as  it  first  comes 
from  the  field,  1  think  the  statement  was  not 
generally  understood.  A  bushel  is  a  bushel — 
neither  more  nor  less — and  is  determined  by  the 
number  of  cubic  inches.  Corn  is  corn,  when  clear 
from  the  cob,  fairly  seasoned,  fit  to  be  ground. 
Any  other  mode  of  measurement  does  not  accord 
with  my  notions  of  propriety.  This  must  be  my 
apology  for  strictures  upon  the  mode  of  measur- 
ing heretofore  used  in  the  county  of  Plymouth. 

February  6,  1858.      p. 

CELERY. 

Mr.  Editor  : — I  at  last  appeal  to  you  and 
your  intelligent  readers  to  inform  me  of  a  prop- 
er way  to  cultivate  celeiy  for  market  purposes.  I 
have  inquired  in  other  directions,  but  thus  far 
have  failed. 

1.  Which  is  the  best  way  to  make  a  bed  to 
prevent  the  ravages  of  the  gnat,  fly  or  Avorm,  so 
very  destructive  to  the  young  plant  while  in  the 
bed? 

2.  What  soil  is  best  for  rapid  and  tall  growth  ? 

3.  How  should  the  plants  be  set,  what  distance 
apart  the  rows,  how  deep  the  trenches,  and  what 
distance  the  plants  ? 

4.  How  much  manure  should  be  covered  or 
mixed  with  the  earth  before  the  plants  are  set  ? 

5.  How  often,  and  how  many  times  should  it 
be  hilled  ? 

6.  Are  there  any  of  the  noted  fertilizers  of  the 
day  which  will  answer  the  place  of  manure  for  cel- 
ery?    Will   not  some    combination    of  guano, 


bone  dust,  or  other  patent  enricher,  answer  for 
manure  ? 

7.  Is  there  anything  which  will  prevent  rust  or 
blast  ?  This  is  one  of  the  worst  evils  the  farmer 
has  to  contend  with  in  raising  this  plant. 

8.  Which  is  the  best  time  to  hill  up,  in  damp 
or  dry  weather  ? 

9.  How  can  it  be  preserved  through  the  win- 
ter, in  an  acre  or  two,  so  as  to  be  handy  to  get  at 
during  the  winter? 

I  will  pay  $25  to  any  one  who  will  answer  fully 
and  give  such  directions  as  will  enable  me  suc- 
cessfully to  obviate  the  dlfhculties  of  the  1st,  7th 
and  9th  questions ;  they  shall  have  their  money 
as  soon  as  I  prove  their  directions.      Celery. 

Johnson's  Creek,  N.  Y. 

Remarks. — We  usually  raise  celery  for  family 
use  only,  and  have  no  particular  difficulty  in  get- 
ting good  plants.  There  are  persons  among  our 
correspondents  who  cultivate  it  largely,  and  who 
may  throw  much  light  upon  the  subject  if  they 
will.  Please  send  it  along — we  will  scatter  it  to 
the  million.  

WHITEWASH  FOR    SHINGLES. 

I  wish  to  make  the  inquiry  whether  white- 
wash is  an  actual  preservative  ?  I  have  read 
somewhere  of  dipping  shingles  in  whitewash  and 
salt. 

Burlington,  Jan.,  1858. 

Remarks. — We  have  had  no  personal  experi- 
ence in  this  matter,  but  have  been  told  that 
shingles  dipt  into  boiling  whitewash  containing 
a  little  salt,  will  last  indefinitely.  If  there  were 
much  salt  it  might  corrode  the  nails  and  cause 
them  to  break  oflf.  Perhaps  the  safest  way  v\-ouId 
be  to  use  the  lime  alone. 

ABOUT    BUCKWHEAT. 

Please  to  inform  me  how,  and  at  what  time,  to 
sow  and  harvest  buckwheat  to  advantage. 

How  shall  I  prepare  and  use  lime  for  manure  ? 
Jeffrey,  N.  H.,  1858.  d.  s. 

Remarks. — When  buckwheat  is  intended  for 
seed,  it  should  be  sown  about  the  middle  of  June, 
and  then  the  crop  will  be  in  early  enough  to  al- 
low the  grain  to  be  perfectly  matured  before  the 
usual  frosts.  Harvest  when  the  grain  is  faiiiy 
glazed,  to  prevent  its  shedding. 

There  is  no  better  way  to  prepare  lime  for  ag- 
ricultural purposes,  to  our  knowledge,  than  by 
mixing  it  with  muck.  But  if  the  land  is  a  moist, 
granitic  soil,  containing  an  abundance  of  vegeta- 
ble matter,  then  scatter  the  lime  broadcast  over 
it,  at  the  rate  of  five  bushels  per  acre. 

WINTER   BUTTER-MAKING   IN   VERMONT. 

Last  winter  I  had  two  farrow  cows,  consequent- 
ly our  dairy  came  in  winter  ;  but  cows  should  be 
made  profitable,  whether  they  are  summer  or  win- 
ter cows.  I  gave  them  one  quart  of  meal  each 
per  day,  and  good  care  ;  so  they  gave  a  tolerable 
mess  of  milk  through  the  winter.     Pains  were 


184 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


April 


taken  to  have  milking  done  in  such  a  manner 
that  the  butter  tasted  perfectly  well.  The  milk 
was  set  on  shelves  made  for  the  purpose  in  the 
room  where  we  lived,  which  proved  sufficiently 
warm  for  the  cream  to  rise  in  thirty-six  hours. 
The  cream  was  then  taken  oft'  and  set  in  a  cold 
back  buttery  every  day  through  the  week,  which, 
of  course,  was  frozen  as  hard  as  a  stone. 

The  day  previous  to  the  churning  evening,  the 
cream  was  set  in  a  warm  place  about  the  stove, 
and  stirred  as  it  thawed,  u#  til  it  was  about  the 
temperature  of  45°.  Care  was  taken  not  to  have 
it  melt.  Under  this  treatment  I  never  churned 
over  thirty-one  minutes,  and  often  the  butter 
came  in  fifteen  minutes. 

The  butter  came  hard,  and  it  cut  as  hard  as 
that  made  in  June.  Carrot  juice  is  an  advan- 
tage to  the  taste  as  well  as  to  the  looks  of  win- 
ter-made butter.  A  Subsceibek. 

Emding,  Ft,  Feb.,  1858. 


BOAKD   OF    AGRICULTURE. 

Mr.  Editor  : — I  have  recently  read  in  the 
Maine  Farmer,  published  at  Augusta,  the  doings 
of  the  Board  of  Agriculture,  in  Maine,  at  their 
annual  meeting  in  January.  A  prominent  object 
of  this  Board  seems  to  be  to  give  information  to 
tlie  people  of  what  is  done,  and  to  advise  them 
what  is  best  to  be  done.  I  like  this  plan  of  ac- 
tion much.  It  is  of  no  use  to  have  such  a  Board, 
if  they  meet  only  occasionally  to  compare  notes 
with  each  other,  without  putting  forward  their 
wisdom  in  a  form  to  be  understood  and  enjoyed 
by  the  people.  Why  not  give  a  detailed  account 
of  what  they  do  in  your  paper  ?  How  can  you 
find  anything  more  instructive  to  the  farmers  of 
the  State,  than  the  concentrated  wisdom  of  their 
best  farmers,  as  developed  in  their  Board  of  Ag- 
riculture ?  If  it  is  not  so — then  it  has  failed  to 
fulfil  the  object  for  which  it  was  organized. 

Feb.  20,  1858.  Inquirer. 

Remarks. — Our  columns  are  always  open  to 
spread  before  the  people  in  them  the  doings  of 
our  State  Boai-d  of  Agriculture — but  we  cannot 
publish  unless  such  doings  are  furnished  us. 


VEGETABLES   AND   FROST. 

Will  you,  or  some  of  your  correspondents  fa- 
miliar with  agricultural  chemistry,  inform  me 
why  certain  vegetables,  as  the  diff"erent  species  of 
turnip,  cabbage,  &c.,  are  able  to  resist  the  action 
of  frost  so  much  more  than  the  different  species 
of  the  vine,  pumpkin,  squash,  &:-c.,as  also  the  po- 
tato and  tomato  ?  Is  it  owing  to  a  different  chem- 
ical composition  ?  If  so,  what  is  the  particular  el- 
ement, or  what  the  combination  of  elements  that 
produces  the  result  ?  J. 

Wendell,  Jan.  23,  1858. 

Remarks. — We  sent  the  above  queries  to  Dr. 
C.  T.  Jackson,  an  eminent  chemist  of  this  city, 
who  kindly  replied  as  follows  : — 

Boston,  Feb.,  1858. 
Dear  Sir  : — On  my  return  home  I  found  your 
note  of  28th  ult.,  and  in  reply  would  state  that 
the  difi'erent  powers  of  resistance  to   frost,  char- 
acteristic of  certain  vegetables,  cannot  depend  on 


their  chemical  constitution,  but  must  be  owing  to 
their  organic  structure  and  vitality. 

The  Chinese  yam,  for  instance,  and  the  pars- 
nip, bear  a  frost  jjelow  zero  Avithout  injury, 
yet  they  contain  a  large  proportion  of  water, 
which  must  freeze,  expand,  and  rupture  the  cel- 
lular structure  of  the  plant,  but  still  the  plants 
grow  as  Avell  as  ever.  So  with  the  vines  and 
other  plants  you  name,  the  water  congeals  but 
the  effects  are  quite  difl'ercnt.     C.  T.  Jackson. 

PEACH  trees. 

I  learn  from  the  most  extensive  grower  of  the 
peach  in  Essex  county,  (he  having  over  3000  trees 
in  his  orchard  in  bearing  condition,)  that  he  lost 
about  1500  new  budded  stocks  the  last  winter,  by 
reason  of  the  snow  and  ice  gathering  around 
them  so  closely  that  when  a  thaw  came,  it  slipped 
down  and  rubbed  off  the  buds.  This  was  a  seri- 
ous loss,  as  there  is  an  anxious  solicitude  to  ob- 
tain promising  trees.  This  obstacle  to  their  cu  - 
ture  was  new  to  me,  though  I  think  it  might  be 
prevented  by  proper  care.  I  am  quite  sure  the 
trees  will  not  be  thus  incumbered  the  present 
winter,  unless  the  snows  are  much  more  abun- 
dant than  they  have  yet  been.  P. 

Jan.  29,  1858.  _ 

now  is  SUMAC  used? 

I  wish  to  inquire  what  part  of  the  sumac  tree 
is  used,  how  cured,  «S:c.?  There  are  two  kinds 
here,  the  ball  and  the  blossom,  or  poison  sumac, 
so  called  on  account  of  its  being  a  little  poison- 
ous to  some.  John  L.  Maxwell. 

Guilford,  Vt.,  1858.  _ 

TO  PROTECT  PEACH  TREES  FROM  BORERS. 

Remove  the  earth  from  the  base  of  the  tree,  in 
such  a  manner  as  to  leave  a  hollow  around  the 
tree,  into  wh>:h  pour  boiling  water.  This  pro- 
cess should  be  repeated  two  or  three  times  dur- 
ing the  summer.  M.  A.  Hawley. 

^Loda,  III.,  Feb.,  1858. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
EGYPTIAN"  MILLET. 

Mr.  Editor: — The  Egyptian  millet  I  have 
found  much  preferable  to  any  other  crop  for  feed- 
ing green  to  stock.  Two  or  three  crops  can  be 
obtained  in  a  season,  as  it  springs  immediately 
up  after  being  cut.  Cows,  horses  or  hogs  eat  it 
readily  and  thrive  upon  it.  I  have  raised  it  for 
the  past  three  years  with  a  view  of  testing  its 
actual  value  for  soiling,  and  will  give  my  experi- 
ments, leaving  the  reader  to  judge  of  its  value. 

In  1856  I  sowed  10  rods  to  the  millet;  about 
the  last  of  July  commenced  to  cut  and  feed  to 
five  cows  each  morning,  for  six  weeks.  This  was 
at  just  the  time  when  the  pastures  were  dry  and 
feed  usually  short.  The  com'S  were  turned  to 
pasture  each  day,  till  it  was  estimated  that  we 
made  ten  dollars  Avorth  more  of  butter  in  conse- 
quence of  the  10  rods  of  millet.  This  season  I 
sowed  one-fourth  acre  to  the  millet  and  fed  to  a 
yearling  bull,  which  gained  in  a  few  days  over 
four  months  320  pounds,  or  about  2  J  pounds  daily. 
Stock  fed  upon  the  millet  a  short  time  prefer  it 
to  the  best  hay.     I  think  it  well  adapted  to  feed 


1858. 


KEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


185 


to  cows  to  increase  their  milk ;  it  is  s"Weet,  and 
consequently  must  be  nutritious.  The  seed  is 
about  the  size  of  clover-seed,  and  from  one  root 
I  have  counted  24  stalks  as  large  as  a  man's  fin- 
ger, and  will  grow,  if  not  cut  at  all,  from  8  to  9 
feet  high.  I  furnished  seed  to  farmers  in  small 
quantities  last  season  in  different  parts  of  the 
country,  and  as  far  as  heard  from,  it  is  pronounced 
the  best  crop  for  soiling  purposes.  Where  pas- 
turing is  short,  many  are  obliged  to  keep  their 
cows  up  all  summer,  and  many  who  have  pastures 
would  find  it  greatly  to  their  advantage  to  feed 
some  green  crop  to  their  cows  once  a  day,  dur- 
ing the  dry  season,  which  most  always  occurs  in 
August,  i  first  saw  the  seed  in  South  Carolina, 
and  have  some  on  hand,  which  I  will  send  to 
those  who  wish  to  try  it  at  a  reasonable  price. 
One  pound  of  the  seed  is  sufficient  for  thirty  rods. 
Franklin  H.  AVilllIms. 
Sunderland,  Mass.,  1858. 


Remarks. — The  article  accompanying  this,  on 
the  culture  of  the  Chinese  Sugar  Cane,  we  omit 
because  ■we  have  already  given  that  subject  so 
much  room  and  prominence,  that  other  matters 
demand  our  space,  for  the  present,  at  least. 


For  the  New  England  farmer. 

^  SALT    MAHSHES. 

Improved  by  Drainage — Cost  of  Drainage — Value  of  the  Mud — 
How  to  Compost  it — Where  to  use  it,  and  a  promise  of  more  light. 

Mr.  Editor  :— Farmers  who  live  near  the  sea- 
coast,  seem  to  me,  never  realize  all  the  advanta- 
ges within  their  reach;  vegetable  matter  from  the 
ocean,  mud  from  rivers  and  creeks,  and  sods  from 
the  marshes  are  all  valuable  fertilizers  ;  a  few  fads 
in  relation  to  my  own  practice  the  present  sea- 
son may  be  of  some  value  to  my  brother  farmers. 

In  November  I  employed  a  man  to  cut  ditches 
on  my  salt  marsh,  thirty  inches  deep,  eight  Avide 
and  two  hundred  and  twenty  rods  in  length,  I 
paid  the  usual  price  in  this  vicinity,  ten  cents  a 
rod  for  digging  and  piling  the  sods  so  as  the  tide 
could  not  fUiat  them  away.  This  winter  one  of 
my  neighbors  wlio  had  but  little  to  do,  agreed  to 
cart  the  whole,  two  miles,  to  my  barn  cellar,  for 
twenty-five  dollars,  which  he  has  performed  to 
my  satisfaction.  Thus  you  perceive  I  have  more 
than  forty  cords  of  a  valuable  absorbent,  in  the 
right  place,  and  my  marsh  ditched  for  the  sum  of 
forty-seven  dollars.  I  consider  this  material  from 
the  salt  marsh  preferable  to  that  from  the  fresh 
meadow,  as  it  is  a  finer  and  more  thoroughly  de- 
cayed vegetable  matter,  and  the  salt  it  contains 
renders  it  more  valuable.  The  manure  of  twenty 
cows  is  dropped  into  the  barn  cellar,  the  urine 
saturates  the  sods,  the  hogs  root  over  the  mixture 
and  eat  the  roots  of  the  grass  contained  in  the 
sods  with  great  apparent  relish,  and  the  whole 
becomes  quite  equal  to  fine  cow  manure,  particu- 
larly when  applied  to  gravelly  or  sandy  soils. 
The  salt  marsh  is  greatly  improved,  and  accord- 
ing to  my  former  experience,  will  increase  the 
value  of  the  crop  of  hay  in  quality  and  quantity. 

I  may  at  a  future  time  give  my  views  in  relation 
to  mud  as  a  fertilizer,  to  be  obtained  from  creeks 
and  rivers.  N. 

Dorchester,  Jan.  8,  1858. 


FIFTH    LEGISLATIVE    AGRICULTURAL 
MEETING. 

[REPORTED   FOR   THE   FARMER   BY    ZBNAS  T.    HAINES.] 

At  the  fifth  regular  weekly  Legislative  Agricul- 
tural Meeting,  last  Tuesday  evening,  the  topic  of 
discussion  was,  '^The  renovation  of  worn-out 
soils." 

The  meeting  was  called  to  order  by  Senator 
Felton,  of  Worcester. 

Senator  Metcalf,  of  Worcester,  presided.  On 
assuming  the  chair  he  remarked  that  it  had  been 
said  that  he  who  made  two  spears  of  grass  grow 
where  one  grew  before  was  a  public  benefactor. 
He  presumed  there  were  gentlemen  here  capable 
of  telling  how  that  thing  could  be  doge. 

Senator  Feltox  thought  the  pastures  of  Mas- 
sachusetts needed  renovation.  About  forty  years 
ago,  they  would  carry  about  double  the  stock 
they  do  now.  He  knew  farms  in  his  own  vicin- 
ity where  this  was  the  case.  How  should  they 
renovate  these  lands  ?  Some  had  used  leached 
ashes  and  guano,  but  he  believed  to  little  pur- 
pose. Some  recommended  compost  and  barn 
manure,  and  plowing  and  seeding ;  but  our  rocky 
pastures  could  not  easily  be  plowed.  He  believed 
that  they  could  be  renovated  to  a  great  extent 
by  keeping  sheep  upon  them.  They  destroyed 
briers,  bushes  and  the  troublesome  indigo  weed 
so  prevalent  in  our  pastures.  He  had  no  doubt 
that  plowing  and  manuring,  where  it  was  possi- 
ble, would  produce  fresher  and  richer  feed..  He 
had  known  this  tried  with  very  excellent  effect. 

Mr.  Richardson,  of  Franklin,  said  a  great 
proportion  of  the  lands  in  his  vicinity,  particu- 
larly the  pastures,  had  greatly  deteriorated.  He 
had  a  comfortable  share  of  such  lands  on  his  own 
hands.  He  had  a  pasture  which  had  commenced 
growing  to  bushes.  Pie  decided  to  let  one-half 
of  it  grow  to  woodland,  and  eradicate  the  bushes 
from  the  other ;  this  he  plowed  and  cultivated 
with  profit.  He  subdued  the  bushes  by  summer 
tilling,  and  avoided  turning  in  his  cattle  till  the 
grass  was  well  set.  He  generally  sowed  some 
kind  of  grain  with  the  grass  seed. 

Deacon  Allen,  of  Oakham,  thought  farmers 
went  over  too  much  land.  He  liked  the  idea  of 
letting  worn-out  thin  land  grow  to  pines.  He  had 
noticed  that  plowing  thin  land  in  the  vicinity  of 
pine  trees  operates  to  catch  the  pine  seeds,  which 
germinated  and  grew  with  great  rapidity.  When 
a  boy,  he  saw  in  Braintree  thirteen  cows  and  a 
bull  more  than  amply  provided  with  feed  from 
ten  acres  of  land,  which  to  his  mind,  M'as  strong 
proof  that  a  little  land  well  cultivated  was  the 
true  system. 

j\Ir.  Felton  inquired  if  this  was  worn-out  or 
well-cultivated  land  at  the  time  it  was  first  used 
as  a  pasture.  Deacon  Allen  had  understood  that 
it  was  always  well  cultivated,  and  deeply  plowed. 


186 


NEAV  ENGLAND  FARMEH. 


April 


Mr.  Denny,  of  Barre,  had  cultivated  carrots 
and  fruit  on  gravelly  soil  by  deep  tillage. 

W.  J.  BacKMiNSTER  recommended  mixing 
soils  as  the  most  available  means  of  renovating 
■worn-out  lands.  If  there  Avas  manure  enough  the 
problem  would  at  once  be  solved,  but  there  was 
not.  He  would  add  sand  to  clayey  lands,  and 
clay  to  sandy  lands.  There  had  been  remarkable 
results  from  covering  soil,  by  which  saltpetre  and 
nitre  was  engendered.  Keep  something  grow- 
ing and  keep  turning  in  green  crops.  This  would 
very  much  benefit  the  soil.  If  the  process  of 
growing  could  be  kept  up,  something  would  be 
growing.  It  was  their  business  to  know  by  what 
process  s*s  would  grow  stronger  or  Aveaker. 
Deep  tillage  was  important,  for  it  enabled  the  air 
to  permeate  the  soil  and  deposit  its  gases.  The 
atmosphere  was  the  great  renovating  store-house. 
Burnt  materials,  as  burnt  clay,  were  good  for 
soil.  Pulverized  granite  was  also  good.  The 
soil  asked  but  little  beside  the  atmosphere,  if  the 
plow  was  kept  going. 

Mr.  Spakhawk,  of  Boston,  wanted  to  know 
the  cause  of  the  deterioration  of  our  pastures. 
Young  cattle  took  from  a  pasture  different  ele- 
ments from  those  taken  by  fat  cattle.  Cows 
again  took  different  elements  from  either  of  the 
others.  A  young  animal  takes  from  the  soil  much 
nitrogen,  which  goes  to  form  the  bone,  horns  and 
hair.  (Jows  consume  the  important  ingredient 
of  phosphorus.  Fat  cattle  take  no  carbon.  A 
compost  of  liquids,  muck,  ashes,  salt,  &c.,  was 
the  thing  needed  on  worn-out  pastures.  It  de- 
pends upon  your  pasturage  Avhether  you  make 
good  butter  and  cheese.  Sand  was  an  important 
fertilizer,  but  it  must  be  combined  with  potash. 

Mr.  Howard,  of  the  Cultivator,  thought  the 
plan  of  renovating  pastures  by  compost  manures 
could  only  be  available  in  exceptional  cases. — 
Draining  Avas  an  important  desideratum  in  re- 
deeming this  class  of  lands  for  the  purpose  of 
getting  rid  of  a  deposition  of  substances  on  the 
subsoil  injurious  to  vegetation.  Among  these 
substances  was  iron,  which  could  not  be  decom- 
posed except  by  draining  or  subsoiling.  Next  to 
draining,  irrigation  might  be  of  great  advantage 
Water  consisted  of  various  elements,  and  it  was 
only  a  certain  part  of  these  that  were  beneficial 
Running  water  best  contributed  these  fertilizing 
elements.  Among  the  fertilizers,  wood  ashes 
composted  with  muck  Avould  operate  favorably 
upon  granitic  soils.  So  of  plaster.  Guano  had 
in  some  instances  quadrupled  the  crop  of  grass 
on  moist  pastures.  He  had  known  farmers  to 
pen  their  cattle  at  night,  and  then  apply  the 
droppings  to  those  parts  of  pasture  land  most  in 
need  of  manure.  It  might  be  well  to  use  the 
)dow.  if  manure  was  to  be  plentifully  applied  : 
otherwise  i'    would  be  better  not  to   plow.     He 


believed  we  had  much  land  in  Massachusetts 
upon  which  no  attempts  of  renovation  should  be 
made — lands  which  would  be  worth  more  for 
wood.  This  discrimination  should  be  used  in 
regard  to  this  matter.  As  a  rule,  manures  must 
be  made  on  the  lands  themselves. 

Mr.  Sheldon,  of  Wilmington,  said  a  good 
many  j'ears  ago,  farmers  plowed  up  their  Avorn-out 
pastures,  and  sowed  them  to  rye  and  grass  seeds. 
But  railroads  had  made  Avood  valuable,  and  the 
farmers  in  his  section  had  found  it  the  best  poli- 
cy to  let  their  worn-out  pastures  groAV  to  Avood, 
turn  out  some  of  their  fields  to  pastures,  and 
then  redeem  swamp  land  for  pi)tatoes,  &c.  They 
had  found  it  more  profitable  to  clear  their 
SAvamps  than  to  redeem  their  pastures.  Worn- 
out  lands  in  his  section  could  be  bought  for  $10 
an  acre,  and  it  would  pay,  he  thought,  more  than 
the  interest  of  the  money  in  Avood.  The  speak- 
er alluded  to  the  great  supposed  loss  of  ammo- 
nia. He  thought  it  was  not  all  lost,  but  that  the 
atmosphere  took  it  up  and  returned  it  to  the  soil. 
Those  disagreeable  east  Avinds  of  the  spring 
months  carried  ammonia  back  on  the  farms  fast- ' 
er  than  a  four  ox-team  could  do  it.  To  shoAV  the 
practicability  of  turning  Avorn-out  pastures  into 
Avoodland,  the  speaker  mentioned  a  case  within 
his  knowledge,  Avhere  in  thirty  years  wood  grew 
from  the  seeds  at  the  rate  of  forty  cords  to  the 
acre. 

Kev.  Mr.  Sanger,  of  Dover,  remembered  that 
thirteen  years  ago  this  Avinter,  the  subject  of  dis- 
cussion Avas  AVorn-out  pasture  lands.  Gov.  Lin- 
coln presided,  and  recommended  the  harroAving 
of  such  lands.  In  Norfolk,  Plymouth,  Barnsta- 
ble, &c.,  he  would  let  such  pastures  grow  up  to 
wood.  It  would  be  more  profitable  than  money 
at  compound  interest.  Mr.  Morrill,  of  Pembroke, 
had  tried  this  Avith  great  success. 

Mr.  Haavks,  of  Deerfield,  said  the  gentleman 
who  recommends  the  application  of  compost  man- 
ures to  pastures  didn't  say  hoAV  much  it  Avould 
cost.  He  thought  it  AAOuld  be  rather  expensive, 
and  that  it  Avould  be  bettpr  policy  to  let  Avorn-out 
pastures  groAV  up  to  AVOod.  He  had  found  a 
bushel  of  plaster  to  the  acre  on  hilly  pasture 
land  to  Avork  very  beneficially.  We  carried  on 
too  much  land.  It  Avas  better  to  raise  80  bush- 
els of  grain  to  the  acre,  than  40  bushels.  In  the 
interior  plaster  Avas  worth  about  40  cents  per 
bushel. 

Mr.  Cheney,  of  Holden,  thought  plaster  the 
cheapest  fertilizer  for  our  pastures,  unless  the 
soil  Avas  sandy.  On  hilly  lands  Avhere  there  Avas 
a  clay  subsoil  it  worked  profitably  in  producing 
white  clover. 

Hon.  Mr.  Russell,  of  Princeton,  wished  to 
confirm  the  remarks  of  the  tAvo  last  gentlemen. 
He  never  raised  better  potatoes  than  on  pasture 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


187 


land,  with  no  manure  save  a  little  plaster  in  the 
hill  and  on  the  vines.  He  had  tried  growing 
wood  on  such  lands  with  great  success. 

Rev.  L.  Farnham,  of  Boston,  recommeneded 
the  application  of  clay  to  sandy  soils.  His  father 
had  tried  it  with  great  profit. 

]Mr.  Sparhawk  said  a  compost  suitable  for  the 
renovation  of  pasture  land  could  be  made  eco- 
nomically. Liquid  manure,  soap  suds,  &c.,  would 
all  work  in. 

Mr.  BucKMINSTER  had  heard  of  the  excellent 
effect  of  j)laster  upon  grass  land  as  near  the  sea 
as  Roxbury. 

Senator  Adams,  of  Middlesex,  thought  a  com- 
post of  manures  as  suggested  by  Mr.  Spai'hawk 
was  highly  beneficial  for  fields. 

IMr.  Howard  had  found  that  plaster  had  oper- 
ated favorably  near  the  sea  in  the  State  of  ]Maine. 

Mr.  Felton  thought  there  was  no  great  diflu- 
culty  of  renovating  worn-out  lands  if  they  could 
be  plowed  and  meadow  muck  and  compost  ma- 
nures obtained.  On  the  hills  he  would  let  sheep 
run,  and  also  apply  plaster.  He  had  not  been 
generally  successful  in  the  general  use  of  plas- 
ter. On  his  farm,  in  Worcester  county,  there 
was  but  one  corner  where  it  operated. 

The  chairman  had  read  of  a  Scotch  peer  who 
set  out  5000  acres  of  pasture  to  oak  trees.  Be- 
fore this  he  had  rented  the  land  for  a  shilling  an 
acre,  but  the  presence  of  the  trees  improved  the 
grass,  while  the  timber  accumulated  to  the  value 
of  millions  of  dollars. 

Mr.  Feltox  here  announced  that  the  topic  of 
discussion  at  the  next  meeting  would  be,  "iVca^ 
Stock.''     The  meeting  then  adjourned. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
YOUNG  MEN"  AND  THE  FARM. 

Before  asking  ''Farmer's  Son"  a  few  questions 
that  may  be  of  use  to  himself  and  others,  let  me 
beg  of  him  to  get  rid  of  the  absurd  idea  of  men 
and  women  being  slaves.  God  intended  that  all 
should  earn  their  bread  by  the  sweat  of  their 
brow.  This  he  will  find  to  be  the  case  if  he  would 
succeed  in  any  occupation.  His  complaint  of 
want  of  time  for  study  is  admirably  answered  by 
the  remark  of  a  late  traveller  anV-l  missionary  in 
Africa  Avho  has  attracted  much  notice  in  Europe 
lately.  He  says  that  until  he  was  17  he  had  to 
work  in  a  cotton-mill  to  assist  his  mother  and 
educate  himself,  and  that  while  at  work  he  stud- 
ied Latin,  &-c.,&c.,  proving  thereby  in  such  cases 
as  "Farmer's  Son"  refers  to,  that  "where  there 
is  a  will  there  is  a  way." 

Now  to  the  questions, — How  many  acres  are 
in  the  farm  ?  how  many  are  cultivated  ?  how  far 
are  you  from  a  market?  how  many  sons  are 
there  to  cultivate  the  farm  ?  have  you  ever 
thought  or  looked  about  you  to  see  in  what  way 
you  could  make  your  father's  farm  (old  man's 
farm  is  too  grossly  disrespectful)  yield  twice  as 
much  as  it  does  now  ?  have  you  ever  thought  that 


if  you  can  make  one  cow  yield  60  dollars  per  an- 
num, you  get  the  interest  without  any  risk,  of 
$1000,  and  if  your  farm  will  support  20  cows,  you 
have  more  than  an  average  income  on  $20,000 
cash  and  no  risk  ?  If  the  hive  is  too  small  you 
must  swarm.  I  know  of  no  business  so  likely  to 
succeed,  or  is  at  this  moment  more  wanted,  than 
good  farmers  ;  if  they  are  honest,  careful  of  their 
tools  and  thoroughly  understand  their  business, 
they  will  not  be  like  most  young  men  who  leave 
the  farm  for  cities,  ruined  or  broken-hearted  for 
want  of  employment.  Should  they  take  a  wife 
with  them,  who  also  thoroughly  understands  the 
work  of  a  farm,  is  cleanly  and  willing,  they  will 
be  all  the  more  welcome. 

When  "Farmer's  Son"  has  answered  these,  I 
will  try  to  answer  him,  and  at  the  same  time  poke 
a  few  more  at  him.  D.  c. 

RoseviUe,  Del.,  Jan.,  1858. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
PUMPKINS  AMONG  CORN. 

Li  the  Fanner  of  February  6,  in  answer  to  cer- 
tain queries  of  a  correspondent,  you  express  some 
doubt  whether  "any  gain  is  made  by  the  intro- 
duction of  the  pumpkin  into  the  corn-field."  This 
question  belongs  to  a  class  in  practical  farming 
which  can  never  be  settled  by  theory.  Careful 
experiments,  made  under  different  and  adverse 
circumstances,  can  alone  settle  them.  And  it  is 
to  these  experiments  that  every  intelligent  far- 
mer ought  to  contribute  something  for  the  gen- 
eral good. 

The  question  of  utility  in  cultivating  corn  in 
the  same  field  with  pumpkins,  is  not  by  any  means 
raised  now  for  the  first  time.  It  is  older,  to  my 
certain  knowledge,  than  the  "^Missouri  compro- 
mise," and  may  date  back,  for  aught  I  know,  to 
the  first  hill  of  corn  and  the  first  pumpkin.  As 
a  general  rule,  I  am  opposed  to  mixed  crops  ;  yet 
there  are  exceptions  to  all  rules  in  farming,  and 
I  think  this  matter  of  corn  and  pumpkins  is  one 
of  them.  I  would  not  knowingly,  do  anything  to 
disparage  the  value  of  the  corn  orop,  for  I  hold 
it  to  be  by  far  the  most  valuable  grain  crop  of 
New  England,  and  indeed  of  any  other  country 
whose  climate  is  adapted  to  it,  and  whose  soil 
will  not  produce  wheat  as  a  staple. 

I  recollect  very  well  that  my  grandfather  had 
all  the  old-fashioned  prejudice  in  favor  of  raising 
pumpkins,  and  would  plant  them  among  corn, 
potatoes,  and  even  beans,  if  the  soil  was  rich 
enough  to  hold  out  any  prospect  of  a  crop.  My 
father,  on  the  other  hand,  doubted  the  value  of 
pumpkins,  and  Avas  especially  opposed  to  any- 
thing that  could,  by  any  possibility,  detract  from 
the  product  of  his  corn-field.  With  these  opposing 
views  upon  the  same  farm,  you  will  perceive  at 
once  that  there  was  a  necessity  for  trying  an  ex- 
periment ;  for  "a  house  divided  against  itself 
could  not  stand  forty  years  ago  any  better  than 
it  can  now.  Accordingly,  in  the  year  1818,  I 
think  it  was,  the  corn-field  was  equally  divided 
by  two  or  three  rows  of  potatoes  through  the 
centre,  and  one-half  planted  to  corn  with  pump- 
kins, and  the  other  without.  There  was  no  per- 
ceptible difference  in  the  growth  of  the  corn,  and 
when  the  field  was  harvested  there  was  not  a  dif- 
ference of  three  bushels  in  the  (^uantitv  on  each 


188 


NEW  ENGLAND  FAEMER, 


Apeil 


part,  although  the  whole  field  embraced  an  area 
of  four  or  five  acres.  Eleven  large  loads  of  hand- 
some pumpkins  were  considered  by  my  grand- 
father as  a  weight  of  evidence  m  favor  of  his 
theory  (or  in  other  words,  his  side  of  the  corn- 
field) which  could  not  well  be  resisted.  I  believe 
my  father,  ever  after  that,  planted  pumpkins 
with  his  corn. 

It  seems  to  me  reasonable  that  a  plant  so  well 
adapted  to  the  shade  as  the  pumpkin,  and  one 
which  receives  so  large  a  share  of  its  nutriment 
from  the  atmosphere,  can  be  planted  with  corn, 
without  injury  to  the  latter,  and  without  much 
detriment  to  the  soil.  Indeed,  it  is  held  by  some 
intelligent  farmers  that  the  large  leaves  of  the 
pumpkin,  by  shading  the  ground,  and  thus  pre- 
venting the  sun  from  dislodging  the  various  gases 
which  decompose  and  foi'm  soluble  matter  in  the 
soili  to  be  taken  up  as  food  for  the  growth  of 
plants,  are  a  direct  benefit  to  the  land,  to  say 
nothing  of  the  value  of  the  pumpkin  crop.  It  is 
well  settled,  I  believe,  that  pumpkins,  fed  out, 
vjithout  the  seeds,  in  moderate  quantities,  to  milch 
cows,  impart  a  rich  flavor  to  the  milk.  It  is  also 
conceded  that  they  are  very  valuable  in  fattening 
beef.  Let  them  not,  therefore,  be  given  up,  with- 
out some  tangible  evidence  of  their  inutility. 

Bomerville,  E.  c.  P. 

For  ilie  New  EiifiLind  Farmer. 
LETTER  FBOM  MH.  FRENCH. 

Lyons,  in  France,  jh(g.,  1857. 

My  Dear  Bkown  : — Perhaps  it  may  not  be 
thought  best  to  fill  the  agricultural  part  of  the 
Farmer  with  accounts  of  my  wanderings,  and  I 
will  endeavor  to  hasten  as  rapidly  as  possible 
over  my  journey  from  Leuk,  or  rather  the  Baths 
of  Leuk,  for  they  are  separate  jilaces,  on  to  my 
present  resting-place.  There  is  a  great  deal  that 
relates  to  agriculture,  in  observations  upon  the 
face  of  the  country  and  the  habits  of  the  people, 
the  use  of  donkeys  and  men  over  mountains,  the 
railways  and  highways  and  rivers,  though  little 
be  said  of  plowing  and  hoeing,  and  I  feel  sure 
that  if  I  can  but  bring  before  the  minds  of  our 
readers  the  scenes  that  were  all  along  presented 
to  me,  they  will  have  an  interest  and  utility, 
worth  the  space  they  occupy.  At  the  foot  of  the 
Gemmi  Pass,  after  a  Avalk  of  three  or  four  hours, 
although  our  labor  had  been  far  more  severe 
than  on  any  previous  day,  we  were  all  so  fresh 
and  vigorous  that  we  did  not  even  sit  down,  be- 
fore we  made  a  visit  to  the  Baths,  the  famous 
Baths  of  Leuk. 

We  entered  a  large  stone  building  of  no  par- 
ticular style  of  architecture,  and  were  met  at  the 
door  by  a  man,  who  told  us  to  take  off  our  hats 
when  we  entered,  and  be  sure  and  shut  the  door 
as  soon  as  we  passed  through,  and  stay  as  long 
as  we  pleased.  We  entered,  and  the  sight  that 
met  our  vision  was  worthy  of  the  times  of  the 
Arabian  Nights. 

The  room  is  perhaps  sixty  feet  square,  and  cov- 
ered with  water  about  three  or  four  feet  deep,  ex- 


cept a  walk  of  a  yard  or  so  in  width  through  the 
centre,  leading  to  a  door  opposite.  In  this  wa- 
ter, which  is  as  warm  as  one  can  conveniently 
live  in,  were,  when  we  entered,  thirty-five  per- 
sons, with  only  their  heads  above  the  surface. 
There  were  young  men  and  maidens,  children  of 
all  sizes,  old  men  and  old  ladies,  all  parboiling  in 
the  same  water.  Two  young  gentlemen  were 
playing  at  chess,  on  a  floating  table,  which  was 
level  with  their  chins,  two  others  were  taking  a 
lunch  of  cake,  with  a  bottle  of  champagne,  occa- 
sionally projecting  a  wet  white  hand  from  the 
flood,  taking  a  sip,  or  touching  glasses  in  the 
German  fashion  of  drinking  health.  A  young  gen- 
tleman and  lady  in  a  corner  were  evidently  hold- 
ing a  confidential  conversation,  and  a  young  girl 
of  five  or  six  was  frolicking  with  a  gentleman, 
probably  her  father,  and  making  sjjort  for  others 
around.  These  people  were  dressed  in  woollen 
dresses  of  various  patterns  and  colors,  with  bare 
feet  which  glanced  in  the  water  like  silver  fishes, 
as  they  moved  about. 

Their  locomotion  seemed  neither  swimming 
nor  walking,  but  a  sort  of  gliding.  They  had,  I 
thought,  a  sort  of  float  on  which  they  rested,  and 
pushed  themselves  about  with  their  feet.  Occa- 
sionally a  side  door  would  open,  and  in  would 
float  a  new  personage,  who  would  be  politely 
greeted  by  all  in  the  bath,  and  another,  perhaps, 
wovdd  go  out,  always  with  some  sign  of  farewell 
to  those  behind. 

The  water  is  from  hot  springs,  and  is  changed 
every  night,  and  sufl'ered  to  cool,  it  being  too  hot 
as  it  comes  from  the  mountain,  for  comfort.  The 
bathers  come  here  for  the  cure  of  certain  diseases, 
rheumatic  and  cutaneous,  as  near  as  I  could  learn, 
and  they  stay  in  the  water,  after  gradually  get- 
ting used  to  it  ten  hours  a  day.  Some  of  them 
were  swimming  as  if  in  a  river,  and  many  spirt- 
ing water  into  the  air,  by  squeezing  their  fingers 
in  a  peculiar  way. 

The  young  ladies  looked  several  of  them  very 
pretty  and  clean,  and  afterwards  when  I  recog- 
nized the  same  persons  at  the  table  at  dinner, 
clothed  like  other  people,  I  could  see  nothing  to 
indicate  any  disease,  or  any  effect  of  this  singular 
remedy,  which,  perhaps,  is  the  best  evidence  of 
their  cure.  We  afterwards  went  into  other  baths 
of  the  same  kind,  close  by,  and  saw  sixty  or  sev- 
enty persons  together  in  the  same  manner. 

On  the  same  day,  we  walked  two  miles  to  see 
"The  Ladders,"  as  they  are  called,  an  arrange- 
ment as  peculiar  as  the  Baths.  The  Gemmi  Pass 
is  said  to  be  seven  thousand  feet  above  the  level 
of  the  ocean.  The  Baths  are  at  the  foot  of  the 
Pass,  but  still  some  three  or  four  thousand  feet 
above  the  sea.  The  village  of  Leuk  is  about  nine 
miles  below  the  Baths,  and  is  reached  by  a  good 
carriage-way,  down  a  constant  and  rapid  descent. 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


189 


Away  up  on  the  left  of  this  way,  as  you  go 
from  the  Baths  to  Leak,  is  a  small  village,  on  a 
mountain,  where  amid  a  fine  tract  of  pasturage, 
and  some  good  tillage,  there  is  a  population  of 
several  hundred.  These  villagers  have  no  means 
of  reaching  the  Baths,  which  are  much  resorted 
to  by  invalids,  and  tourists  in  summer,  and  of 
course,  furnish  a  good  market, — by  any  highway, 
without  descending  a  steep  path,  and  going  up 
many  miles  by  the  carriage-way. 

About  two  miles,  however,  from  the  Baths,  is 
a  precipice,  several  hundred  feet  in  height,  up 
the  side  of  the  mountain  where  the  village  is 
perched,  and  to  save  distance,  ladders  have  been 
placed  up  and  down  this  precipice,  which  is  nearly 
perpendicular,  and  the  villagers  use  them  as  their 
common  way  to  and  from  the  market  at  the 
Baths.  We  went  to  the  foot  of  the  ladders. 
The  first  one  goes  up,  perhaps,  thirty  feet,  and 
then  there  is  a  resting-place  on  a  cliff.  Another 
goes  twenty  or  more  feet  to  another  landing  on 
the  natural  rock,  and  so  on,  it  is  said,  several 
hmadred  feet.  And  up  and  down  these  ladders, 
by  day  and  by  night,  all  the  people  of  the  village, 
young  and  old,  male  and  female,  carry  their  fruit 
and  fowls  and  other  products  of  their  farms,  and 
their  purchases  at  the  shops  at  the  Baths. 

We  saw  an  old  man  and  boy  with  large  bas 
kets  of  sticks,  that  had  been  gathered  in  the 
wood  at  the  foot  of  the  ladders,  and  which  they 
were  carrying  up  the  ladders  to  their  houses  on 
the  top,  to  use  for  fuel.  They  strap  these  bas 
kets  on  to  their  backs  and  shoulders,  so  as  to  use 
their  hands  on  the  ladders,  going  up  and  down 
with  their  faces  towards  the  wall.  Nothing  on 
my  whole  journey  has  given  me  such  an  impres- 
sion of  utter  poverty,  as  this  poor  old  man  and 
boy,  climbing  those  hills  in  this  way,  with  a  few 
sticks  not  worth  the  picking  up  at  the  door  in 
our  country,  spending  all  their  day,  probably,  for 
a  single  armful  of  fuel. 

Winding  along  down  to  Leuk,  through  a 
strangely  picturesque  route  of  mountains  and 
gorges,  now  on  the  brink  of  a  gulf  a  thousand 
feet  deep,  and  now  in  a  tunnel  through  a  rock, 
doubling  backwards  on  our  course  to  follow  the 
mountain  stream  which  we  crossed  several  times, 
on  beautiful  bridges,  we  came  to  one  of  the  great 
roads  constructed  by  Napoleon,  over  the  Alps, 
called  the  Simplon  Road.  It  leads  from  Valais 
to  Piedmont,  connecting  Switzerland  with  Italy, 
is  thirty-six  miles  in  length  and  twenty-five  feet 
in  width,  and  is  a  good  carriage  way,  over  a 
mountain  pass  more  than  ten  thousand  feet  high. 
It  leads  over  steep  precipices,  through  galleries 
hewn  in  the  solid  rock,  across  mountain  torrents, 
by  bridges,  and  is  altogether  one  of  the  greatest 
wonders  of  human  labor  and  energy. 

We  struck  this  road   near  the   river  Rhone, 


which  we  followed  along  for  many  miles.  The 
general  aspect  of  the  valley  of  the  Rhone  is  bar- 
ren, but  the  hills  are  covered  with  grapes  grown 
on  terraces,  wherever  the  exposure  to  the  sun 
permits  their  culture.  I  counted  on  some  of 
these  hills,  which  may  perhaps  be  called  moun- 
tains, forty  terraces,  rising  one  above  another. 
There  are  also  good  fields  of  Indian  corn,  the 
best  I  have  seen  in  Europe.  At  Sion,  some 
twenty  miles  from  the  Baths,  we  stopped  to  dine. 
As  we  entered  the  hotel,  we  noticed  a  peculiar 
and  disagreeable  odor,  and  while  waiting  for  din- 
ner, we  several  times  closed  the  door  to  exclude 
this  strange  perfume.  At  dinner,  among  other 
delicacies  offered  us  was  chamois,  a  dish  which 
we  all  wanted  to  try,  because  chamois  are  pecu- 
liar to  the  Alpine  regions,  and  considered  a  great 
delicacy.  The  chamois  came  on  the  table,  and  it 
required  no  organ  but  that  of  smell,  to  satisfy 
us  that  we  had  been  on  scent  of  that  game  since 
we  first  entered  the  hotel.  The  chamois  was  or- 
dered off  untasted. 

However,  in  justice  to  this  beast,  it  should  be 
said  that  a  day  or  two  after,  at  Chamouni,  we  not 
only  tasted  chamois,  but  found  it  an  excellent 
dish,  and  our  conclusion  is,  that  the  chamois  at 
Sion  died  about  a  month  sooner  than  he  ought 
to  have  died  in  order  to  be  in  good  condition  for 
our  table^  We  saw  wine  for  laborers  advertised 
here  at  Sion,  at  six  cents  a  bottle,  a  price,  by  the 
way,  that  need  not  surprise  us  when  we  remem- 
ber that  good  cider  is  often  sold  in  New  England 
at  two  dollars  a  barrel,  Avhich  is  about  six  cents 
a  gallon. 

After  riding  forty-five  miles  to  Montigny  we 
walked  nearly  five  miles  and  back  to  see  the 
Pissbach  Falls,  said  to  be  very  beautiful,  and 
found  them  not  half  so  well  worth  seeing  as  Mr. 
Lowe's  factory  dam  at  Exeter,  in  a  freshet.  The 
great  difficulty  with  all  the  cascades  and  cataracts 
hereabouts  is,  that  they  have  not  any  water,  ex- 
cept in  the  spring.  And  this  brings  us  to  another 
mountain  pass,  over  which  we  will  journey  in  my 
next  letter.  Yours,         H.  F.  Fkexcii. 


Wintering  Lambs. — The  food  and  treatment 
applied  to  calves  will  succeed  equally  with  lambs. 
If  they  get  ticks  upon  them,  Scotch  snuff  distrib- 
uted along  the  back,  by  opening  the  wool,  and 
rubbing  it  well  in,  will  destroy  the  ticks.  Do  not 
crowd  too  many  lambs  together,  and  be  careful 
to  separate  the  strong  from  the  weak.  All  ani- 
mals are  selfish,  and  have  no  sympathy  for  their 
inferiors.  The  larger,  of  whatever  kind,  will  over- 
run the  smaller,  drive  them  from  their  food,  and 
starve  them  out  altogether.  Old  or  weakly  sheep 
may  be  wintered  in  the  same  stables  or  sheds 
with  lambs  ;  for,  if  the  old  sheep  be  larger  and 
stronger,  the  lambs  are  spryer,  and  can  better 
dodge  about  them  for  their  food.  They  all  re- 
quire fresh  air,  and  plenty  of  it.    Dry  cold  never 


190 


NEW   ENGLAND  FARMER. 


April 


hurts  a  sheep,  but  rains  in  winter  are  frequently 
injurious,  particuhirly  if  of  open-wooled  varieties, 
as  they  soak  to  the  skin,  and  give  them  severe 
colds.  A  severe  snow  storm,  if  dry,  is  less  hurt- 
ful than  a  warm  rain,  and  a  sleet  is  worse  than 
both  together. — American  Agriculturist. 


Fur  the  Neio  England  Farmer. 

LIGHTENING  THE  BURDENS  OP  HOUSE- 
KEEPEKS. 

Mr.  Editor: — Your  Gardner  correspondent, 
!Mrs.  Barlow,  may  not  fully  apprehend  me  after 
all,  when  she  compliments  me  on  my  eflbrts  to 
lighten  the  burdens  of  woman.  For  since  it  is  a 
scriptural  injunction  on  us  all  to  bear  one  anoth- 
er's burdens,  itwas  not  so  much  my  ol)ject  to  les- 
sen or  lighten  the  toils  of  woman,  in  the  aggre- 
gate, as  to  change  the  form  of  these  toils.  I  Avas 
anxious — and  still  am  so — to  have  what  I  call 
woman's  sacred  fire  expended  more  wisely  than  it 
usually  is  when  she  is  enslaved — bound  hand  and 
foot  and  heart  too — to  custom  and  fashion. 

"Woman  may,  like  her  compeer,  sometimes 
work  too  hard  ;  but  I  doubt  M'hether  she  as  fre- 
quently works  too  much  as  too  little.  She  works 
too  much  for  the  body,  in  my  opinion,  and  too 
little  for  the  mind  and  heart,  particularly  the 
latter. 

When,  however,  I  say  she  works  too  much  for 
the  body,  I  mean  for  certain  departments  of  the 
body.  Too  much  is  done  for  the  brain,  stomach 
and  skin,  too  little  for  the  lungs,  heart  and  mus- 
cles. Appointed,  though  she  is,  to  elevate  and 
purify  and  ennoble  humanity,  by  her  misdii'ected 
efforts  she  depresses  it  and  degrades  it. 

Pity,  indeed,  it  is  that  she  who  has  it  in  her 
power  to  raise  man — the  grace  of  God  assisting 
her — to  capabilities  which  no  angel  or  seraph 
knows,  should,  by  her  mismanagement,  so  often 
sink  him  below  the  beasts  that  jjerish.  Pity  that 
while  her  whole  nature  is  tenderness  and  love  and 
jiurity,  her  mistake,  in  education — especially  in 
physical  education — should  tend  to  the  opposite 
of  all  these,  viz. :  to  cruelty,  hatred  and  sensual- 
ity.    Yet  is  this  not  the  usual  result  ? 

How  can  a  child  l)e  other  than  impure  and 
brutal  and  cruel,  whoso  blood  is  made  so  stimu- 
lating as  to  over-excite,  and  in  truth  over-heat 
and  irritate  the  heart  and  all  the  vessels  connected 
therewith  through  which  it  is  continually  sent 
forth  ? 

I  would  lighten  the  labors  of  cooks  and  dress- 
makers, and  consequently  of  those  mothers  who 
arc  their  own  cooks  and  dress-makers — if,  indeed 
any  such  mothers  are  left  to  us.  That  cookery 
is  for  the  most  part  unneccssarv  and  even  hurt- 
ful, whether  done  by  one  person  or  another,  seems 
to  be  conceded  in  giving  currency  to  the  old  ad- 
age, "God  sends  meats,  but  the  Devil  sends 
cooks  ;"  but  Ave  have  as  yet,  so  far  as  I  know,  no 
equivalent  adage  or  saying  with  regard  to  dress- 
making. Perhaps  it  migld  be  said,  that  God 
sends  us  clothing  but  Paris  sends  us  dress-mak- 
ers ;  or  clothing  comes  to  us  from  God,  through 
the  windows  of  heaven,  but  dresses  come  from 
Satan,  through  the  chambers  of  death  at  Paris 
and  London. 

When  I  speak  with  doubt  whether  we  have  any 
mothers  left  to  us  who  are  cooks  and  dress-makers 
for  their  children,  I  may  seem  to  some,  after  all, 


to  utter  a  slander.  But  is  it  so?  Fifty  years 
ago,  mothers  with  the  aid  at  most  of  elder  sis- 
ters, were  bo.th  cooks  and  tailors  to  their  own 
families,  in  many  parts  of  our  country ;  but  now 
how  is  it  ?  Not  one  mother  in  a  hundred  is  tail- 
or in  her  own  family  ;  and  I  do  not  believe  that 
a  majority  of  our  mothers  do  their  own  cooking. 
I  know  of  one  mother  in  Massachusetts  who  fills 
with  her  own  hands  both  these  offices,  and  I  be- 
lieve there  are  more ;  but  they  are  becoming 
scarcer  and  scarcer  every  year.  If  things  are  to 
go  on  for  the  next  fifty  years  as  they  have  done 
for  the  last  fifty,  I  know  not  what  we  shall  come 
to.  If  the  devil  now  sends  us  cooks  and  dress- 
makers, whether  they  come  straight  up  from  the 
nether  regions  or  come  by  way  of  Paris  and  Lon- 
don, what  shall  hinder  him,  ere  long,  from  send- 
ing us  shoe-makers  and  carpenters  and  farmers 
— aye,  and  school-masters,  too,  and  other  teach- 
ers high  and  low  ?  Extremes,  it  is  said,  some- 
times meet.  Lawyers  have,  for  sometime  past, 
been  regarded  as  Satan's  emissaries  ;  doctors  are 
beginning  to  be  thought  so,  and  ministers  are  by 
some  suspected — what  are  we  coming  to  ? 

I  Avould  return,  not  to  nature  in  a  savage  or 
uncultivated  state,  but  to  nature  in  her  simplici- 
ty. Mothers  are  the  natural  teachers  and  educa- 
tors of  their  own  children.  They  are,  of  course, 
as  physical  educators,  the  natural  cooks  and 
dress-makers  of  their  children.  I  do  rot  say  that 
there  are  no  circumstances  in  which  these  same 
offices  can  be  delegated ;  for  there  are  such. — 
These,  however,  ave  the  exceptions,  and  not  the 
general  rule ;  and  as  in  other  such  cases,  they 
seem  to  confirm  and  strengthen  it,  rather  than  in 
the  least  to  invalidate  it. 

But  hoAv  can  mothers  find  time  to  do  every 
thing  for  their  children  ?  you  will  perhaps  ask. 
There  is,  in  the  nature  of  things,  no  real  or  in- 
trinsic difficulty  here.  My  own  mother  had  no 
advantage  of  birth  or  education  or  fortune  be- 
yond ihe  women  of  her  time.  Early  thrown  up- 
on her  oAvn  resources,  she  came  to  the  head  of 
her  family  in  the  deepest  poverty,  except  of  mind 
and  heart ;  yet  she  educated  four  children.  She 
was  for  the  most  part — that  is,  as  a  general  rule 
— spinster,  Aveaver,  dyer,  tailor,  cook,  physician, 
nurse,  teacher  and  general  housekeeper.  Nor 
Avas  she  alone.  Fifty  years  ago,  as  I  have  inti- 
mated already,  there  were  many  more  like  her. 

I  Avill  not  say  that  my  mother  is  the  standard 
— midAvay  between  a  savage  and  a  cultivated 
state — to  Avhich  it  is  needful  to  return  ;"but  I  do 
say  that  a  return  is  necessary,  to  something  like 
it.  Nor  do  I  say  that  the  golden  age  is  past,  and 
that  all  things  eartliAvard  tend.  I  am  not  yet  old 
enough  to  see  everything  in  the  retrograde.  But 
I  do  say  that  just  in  proportion  as  Ave  depart 
from  nature's  simplicity — not  nature's  barbarity 
— in  any  society  Avhatcver,  Ave  begin  to  have 
among  us  those  materials  which  give  rise  to 
peace  societies,  temperance  societies,  moral  re- 
form societies  and  charitable  societies  and  chari- 
table and  home  institutions. 

There  may  be  no  harm  in  buttering  my  bread, 
apart  from  the  fact  that  butter  seems  to  be  the  re- 
sult of  a  degree  of  putrifaction,  provided  human 
time  could  not  be  more  profitably  employed  than 
in  making  a  better  article  into  one  Avhich  is  Avorse, 
and  provided  the  wants  of  society  everyAvhere, 
physical,  social,  intellectual  and  moral,  Avere  Avell 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


191 


supplied ;  but  I  wish  Mrs.  Barlow  or  somebody 
else  would  tell  me  by  what  right  we  spend  pre- 
cious time — God's  precious  gift  to  man — in 
changing  articles  from  better  to  worse  and  in 
preserving  them  with  great  pains  and  care,  while 
there  are  so  many  around  us  in  the  world  who 
need  something  more  essential  to  earth  and  hea- 
ven both  than  butter.  I  should  like  to  know  by 
what  right  we  are  at  the  pains  to  make  butter 
and  spread  on  our  bread  and — monstmm  liorren- 
ditm — mix  it  in  almost  all  our  dishes,  while  thou- 
sands and  millions  have  not  bread  (of  earth  or 
heaven)  even  without  any  butter  to  eat,  or  rai- 
ment (moral  or  spiritual)  to  put  on.  Your  cor- 
respondents must  know  that  I  am  not  insensible 
to  compliments  on  the  one  hand,  nor  to  reproach 
and  ridicule  on  the  other.  I  have  other  reasons 
for  my  remarks,  both  here  and  elsewhere,  than 
the  love  of  approbation. 

But  I  have  run  on  at  greater  length  than  I  in- 
tended. Mrs.  B.  and  others  must  be  a  little  cau- 
tious about  calling  me  out,  if  they  have  a  strong 
antipathy  to  long  articles.  w.  A.  A. 

Auhurndale,  March,  1858. 


Por  the  New  England  Farmer 
VALUE   OF  MUCK. 

The  compost  heap  is  of  great  importance,  and 
could  every  farmer  realize  its  worth,  one  extra 
link  would  be  added  to  the  chain  of  agricultural 
improvement.  Facts  will  convince  many  a  stub- 
born will.  And  facts  enough  can  be  obtained  to 
wake  up  any  farmer  to  a  sense  of  the  importance 
of  using  muck. 

In  the  year  of  1850,  my  father  had  a  piece  of 
land,  worj;  out  by  continual  cropping.  Having 
])lenty  of  muck,  fifty  loads  were  hauled  and  emp- 
tied with  ten  bushels  of  ashes  to  the  load.  A 
hole  was  then  dug  in  the  centre,  and  three  barrels 
of  stone  lime  was  put  in.  Water  enough  M-as 
poured  on  to  slake  it.  The  lime  was  covered 
with  weeds,  straw  and  muck.  In  the  fall  it  was 
drawn  out  and  thoroughly  plowed  in.  The  next 
spring  the  land  was  sown  to  wheat  and  stocked 
down.  From  the  two  acres  that  the  compost  was 
spread  on,  we  harvested  forty  bushels  of  nice 
wheat.  Since  then  the  land  has  produced  good 
crops  of  hay,  and  worn  better  than  land  manured 
with  long  manure  the  same  season. 

The  winter  is  an  excellent  time  to  haul  muck 
if  preparation  has  been  made  before  l)y  shovel- 
ing up.  Mr.  Holbrook's  practical  answers  to  IMr. 
Dimon's  questions  are  of  great  value,  and  farm- 
ing in  New  England  can  be  and  is  made  profita- 
ble by  the  scientific  farmer.  Maple. 

Caledonia  Co.,  Vt.,  1858. 


A  New  Tree  Protector. — Many  contrivan- 
ces have  been  resorted  to  in  order  to  2:)rotect  our 
fruit  and  even  ornamental  trees  from  the  rava- 
ges of  insects — particularly  the  canker  worm, 
who  has  annually  denuded  a  great  many  of  the 
finest  trees  in  this  State.  The  article  of  which 
we  now  speak  is  a  new  device,  and  Ave  think  will 
outwit  any  bug  that  "cannot  take  wings  and  fly." 
For  if  he  ascends  the  stem  of  the  tree,  he  soon 
finds  an  effectual  stopper ;  and  if  he  descends  by 


the  trap,  he  is  surely  a  "gone  bug."  He  may  as- 
cend the  trunk  of  the  tree,  up  to  the  trap,  and  de- 
scend again  as  many  times  as  he  pleases,  if  that  is 
any  comfort  to  him,  but  he  can  only  reach  the 
branches  of  the  tree  by  his  wings.  It  cannot  fail, 
we  think,  to  prove  effectual.  It  is  simple  in  its 
construction,  and  extremely  cheap. 

It  is  the  invention  of  Mr.  Josiah  Foster,  of 
Sandwich,  Mass.,  who  is  ready  to  dispose  of 
rights  for  towns  or  counties,  at  moderate  prices, 
on  application  to  him  in  person  or  by  letter.  As 
a  portion  of  the  Protector  is  made  of  tin,  workers 
of  that  article  will  be'  proper  persons  to  manufac- 
ture them.     A  sample  may  be  seen  at  this  office. 


For  Hie  New  England  Farmer. 
LABOR  OF  BOYS. 

Is  it  worth  anything  or  is  it  not  ?  At  the  State 
Reform  School  the  moderate  allowance  of  tea 
cents  a  day  for  each  day's  labor  has  lieen  made, 
and  those  who  have  made  it  complain  that  this 
is  a  reason  why  they  cannot  make  both  ends  meet, 
on  the  farm.  We  see  it  reiterated  in  all  the  pa- 
pers, that  at  the  late  meeting  of  the  Board  of 
Agriculture,  it  was  concluded  that  the  labor  of 
the  boys  was  no  benefit.  In  fact,  I  have  heard 
this  distinctly  averred  by  prominent  members  of 
the  Board.  If  this  be  so,  there  must  be  a  stitch 
down  somewhere,  either  in  the  government  of  the 
boys  or  in  those  who  superintend  the  labor. 

In  my  neighborhood,  from  the  first  of  April  to 
the  first  of  Nov.,  the  labor  of  active,  healthy  boys 
from  the  age  of  ten  to  sixteen  years  is  in  great 
demand,  and  such  boys  will  command  half  as 
much  wages  as  common  men.  Why,  then,  can- 
not boys  on  a  farm  in  the  county  of  Worcester 
be  made  to  earn  their  living  as  well  as  in  the 
county  of  Essex  ?  Will  it  be  said  that  the  boys 
at  the  Reform  School  are  not  generally  so  old  as 
those  above  named  ?  But  surely  out  of  six  hun- 
dred, one  hundred,  at  least,  can  be  found  of  this 
age.  My  interest  in  the  success  of  this  Institu- 
tion, must  be  mv  apology  for  these  suggestions. 

February  6,  1858.  *^* 


Remarks. — We  are  no  less  surprised,  than  is 
our  correspondent,  at  the  statements  we  have 
seen  in  the  public  papers,  purporting  to  give  the 
proceedings  of  a  meeting  of  the  members  of  the 
Board  of  Agriculture,  that  the  labor  of  the  boys 
on  the  farm  attached  to  the  Reform  School  is  a 
hill  of  cost  to  the  Board,  at  ten  cents  per  day  for 
each  boy !  If  this  declaration  is  sanctioned  by 
the  Board,  we  believe  it  labors  under  error, — for 
we  do  not  believe  that  every  hired  man  on  the 
farm  during  weeding  time  last  summer,  could 
have  tended  the  root  crops  alone  that  were  raised. 
We  certainly  should  be  glad  to  pay  15  cents  per 
day  for  such  boys  in  weeding  time,  and  pay  for 
superintending  them.  We  hope  the  Board  will 
correct  the  error,  if  it  be  one,  or  show  us  the 
facts  to  sustain  the  assertion. 


192 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


April 


iilSliiililillslll,^^      ,^ 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


193 


CAPS  FOB  COVERING  HAY  AND   GRAIN. 

"See  that  big  black  cloud,  in  the  west—  how 
steadily  and  majestically  it  approaches  us !  There 
is  something  besides  thunder  and  lightning  in  it, 
too.  See,  how  it  attracts  the  smaller  clouds,  in- 
creasing its  own  volume  as  it  moves  oa  ;  by  the 
time  it  comes  over  our  fields  we  shall  have  a 
drencher  ;  well,  boys,  the  corn-fields  need  it,  and 
it  wont  hurt  our  hay,  as  it  is  all  under  the  caps!'^ 

Farmer  Jones  was  right — that  "drencher," 
wind  and  all,  did  not  hurt  Ms  hay,  and  he  got  it 
all  in  the  next  day,  while  the  hundred  cocks  of 
his  neighbor  Anticap  had  to  be  spread  and 
cocked  again !  The  verdict  of  an  honest  jury 
would  be,  "sarved  him  right,  he  was  able  to  pro- 
cure caps  and  wouldn't — didn't  believe  in  'em." 

No  man  who  investigates  the  matter,  can  fail 
to  come  to  the  conclusion  that  the.use  of  caps  for 
covering  grain  and  fodder,  is  a  matter  of  strict 
economy;  and  we  believe  no  man  who  has  used 
them  one  season  has  been  known  to  lay  them 
aside.  Some  object  to  using  them,  saying  they 
cannot  stop  to  put  them  on  when  a  shower  is  com- 
ing on  ;  the  objection  is  not  valid,  because  they 
have  had  no  experience  in  the  matter.  Mr.  E. 
Emerson,  of  Hollis,  says : — As  to  the  work  of 
putting  them  on,  I  will  go  into  the  field  with  any 
man  of  my  ability  to  work,  and  ind  up  hay  and 
cap  it,  as  fast  as  he  can  put  it  up  so  that  it  will 
do  without  a  cap,  as  it  takes  twice  the  work  to 
ti'im  a  cock  without  a  cap  that  it  does  with  one. 
Cocks  of  hay,  or  shocks  of  grain  or  stalks,  put 
together  only  tolerably  well,  and  covered  with  a 
piece  of  twilled  cotton,  will  keep  the  cocks  or 
shocks  dry  through  any  storms  that  we  usually 
have  in  the  harvesting  season.  A  set  of  caps 
properly  taken  care  of  will  last  a  life-time. 

Some  enterprising  young  men,  Messrs.  Chases 
&  Fay,  Boston,  are  now  preparing  cloth  to  pre- 
vent its  mildewing,  and  will  furnish  well-made 
caps  at  moderate  prices  and  of  any  desired  size. 
See  their  advertisement  in  another  column. 


pounds.  I  am  certain  it  will  improve  the  stock 
of  hogs  in  New  England  to  introduce  this  breed 
among  them.  For  beauty  and  symmetry  of  form 
they  cannot  be  surpassed.  Mine  have  been  ex- 
amined by  good,  practical  farmers  in  this  vicinity 
and  pronounced  very  superior  animals.  In  all 
points  they  excel  the  Berkshire  or  Suffolk. 

Mr.  Wood  holds  himself  in  readiness  to  ship 
pairs,  not  akin,  to  any  part  of  the  Union  at  mod- 
erate prices.  His  stock  is  of  undoubted  purity, 
and  I  would  cheerfully  recommend  it  to  all  my 
brother  farmers  who  wish  to  make  a  judicious 
improvement  in  their  breed  of  hogs. 

William  A.  White. 

Lancaster,  JV.  II.,  Feb.  15,  18o8. 


I'br  the  New  England  Fanner. 

CHESTER  COUNTY  HOGS. 

Having  learned  from  various  sources  that  a 
Dreed  of  swine  called  the  "Chester  county  Whites" 
was  superior  to  most  or  all  of  the  foreign  breeds, 
for  their  early  maturity,  good  form  and  quiet 
disposition,  I  procured  a  pair  of  them  from 
TuoMas  Wood,  Esq.,  of  Penningtonville,  Ches- 
ter county,  Pa.,  a  celebrated  breeder  of  these 
hogs.  I  am  exceedingly  well  pleased  with  them. 
They  are  pure  white,  long  bodV)  with  small,  fine 
bone  and  square  liuilt.  Mr.  AVood  informs  me 
that  the  genuine  Chester  will  make  more  meat 
to  the  offal,  and  to  the  amount  of  food  consumed, 
than  any  other  breed.  They  will  fatten  well  at 
any  age,  and  often  weigh  from  350  pounds  to  400 
pounds  net,  under  a  year  old.  When  well  fed 
to  twenty  months    they  will  weigh   700   to   800 


A  NEW  BREED  OP  SHEEP. 
D.  J.  Browne,  Esq.,  the  head  of  the  Agricul- 
tural Bureau  of  the  Patent  Office,  has  received 
a  very  interesting  letter  from  R.  L.  Pell,  of  Mas- 
sachusetts, concerning  a  new  breed  of  sheep  which 
has  been  lately  imported  from  China.  Three 
years  since,  a  Mr.  Theodore  Smith  imported  three 
ewes  from  Nankin,  from  which  he  obtained,  in 
twenty  months — three,  four  and  five  at  a  birth — 
and  they  commenced  breeding  at  four  and  a  half 
months  old.  This  breed  are  perfectly  hardy, 
having  endured  the  past  severe  winter  without 
any  shelter,  producing  lambs  constantly,  which 
bore  the  cold  as  well  as  the  old  sheep,  and  ma- 
tured rapidly.  They  will  not  jump  fences,  either 
stone  or  wood.  The  flock  was  separated  last  sea- 
son from  a  rye-field  by  a  cobble-stone  wall  two 
and  a  half  feet  high,  over  which  they  never  at- 
tempted to  pass,  nor  can  they  be  driven  over  any 
description  of  fence.  The  fibre  of  their  wool  fs 
exceedingly  strong  and  the  fleece  heavy.  The 
mutton  cannot  possibly  be  surpassed,  as  it  is  en- 
tirely free  from  the  strong  flavor  usual  to  sheep, 
and  is  tender,  juicy  and  delicious.  The  tails  are 
broad,  and  when  properly  prepared  much  resem- 
ble marrow,  and  form  a  delightful  morsel  for  the 
epicure.  

Remarks. — We  have  received  several  inquiries 
aliout  the  breed  of  sheep  spoken  of  above.  We 
know  nothing  of  it,  and  never  have  heard  of  such 
a  man  as  "R.  L.  Pell,  of  Massachusetts."  Mr. 
D.  J.  Browne,  of  the  Patent  Office,  is  the  person 
to  inquire  of  in  relation  to  the  sheep. — Farmer. 


jNIorton's  New  Farmers'  Almanack  for 
1858. — This  is  an  English  work,  by  JoHN  C. 
^lORTON,  a  gentleman  of  some  agricultural  ce- 
lebrity. 36  of  its  pages  are  occupied  by  an  agri- 
cultural history  of  1857  :  20  by  a  calendar  of  op- 
erations for  the  farm  and  garden  :  20  by  an  ac- 
count of  the  treatment  of  live  stock  under  dis- 
ease: and  12  by  a  calendar  for  each  month.  It 
is  filled  with  a  thousand  matters  of  interest,  not 
the  least  among  which  is  the  table  of  the  duties 
which  are  levied  on  pretty  much  every  thing  but 
the  air  the  people  breathe.  A  man  cannot  build 
a  house,  hire  a  servant,  or  look  out  of  the  window, 
without  paying  a  duty  for  it.  For  sale  by  A.  Wil- 
liams &  Co.,  100  Washington  Street,  Boston. 


194 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


April 


EXTBACTS  AND  BEPLIES. 

APPLE   TREES. 

Will  you  give  the  best  method  of  preparing 
the  ground  to  set  apple  trees  in?  What  kind  of 
trees  is  it  best  to  set  out  for  grafted  fruits  ?  Also, 
the  best  method  of  setting  out,  and  the  proper 
distance  apart  ?  J.  H. 

South  Benvick,  Me.,  March,  1858. 

Remarks. — Plow  and  manure  the  land  as  you 
wauld  if  you  intended  to  getjifty  bushels  of  corn 
to  the  acre  ;  then  dig  holes  thirty  feet  apart  each 
way,  from  three  to  six  feet  across,  and  twelve  to 
twenty  inches  deep.  Throw  the  black,  top  soil 
into  the  bottom  of  the  hole,  and  scatter  the  yel- 
low soil  on  the  surface,  mixing  a  little  manure 
with  it  if  you  can  spare  it.  The  Baldwin  is  as 
good  a  market  apple  as  we  have  at  present.  The 
Hubbardston  and  Hunt  Russet  are  good  bearers 
and  always  saleable.  The  Danvers  Sweet,  Tol- 
man  Sweet  and  Russet  Sweet  are  excellent  vari- 
eties. The  Massachusetts  Transactions  are  prob- 
ably for  sale  at  the  bookstores. 

STONE   AND   TILE   DRAINS. 

In  your  number  of  Januai-y  2,  "E.  G."  inquires 
the  comparative  value  and  cost  of  stone  and  tile 
drains.  I  have  watched  since  for  an  answer,  but 
not  having  seen  any,  I  will  venture  a  few  re- 
marks. I  see  5^  inch  horse-shoe  tiles  and 
their  soles  are  advertised  at  about  one  dollar  per 
rod  delivered  in  the  vicinity  of  Boston  ;  slate 
stone,  for  soles  and  coverings  for  the  same  size 
drain,  will  cost  about  the  same,  at  the  same  place. 
The  cost  of  the  walls  between  the  sole  and  cov- 
ering, which  can  be  built  of  cobble-stone,  I  leave 
for  "E.  G."  to  judge.  Stone  soles,  9  inches  wide 
for  oh.  inch  brick  tile,  if  they  can  be  used  so,  cost 
aliout  8-'3  per  thousand,  delivered  as  above. 
John  L.  Maxwell. 

Remarks. — Our  correspondent  describes  a 
kind  of  drainage  which  we  know  nothing  of  as 
applied  to  farm  drainage.  Such  tile  and  stone  as 
he  speaks  of  are  used  as  outlets  of  manufactories, 
for  sewers,  &c.  In  another  column,  Mr.  French 
has  an  article  upon  the  "Comjmrative  cost  of 
Tiles  and  Stones,"  which  is  clear,  and  corresponds 
with  our  own  experience  in  some  recent  opera- 
tions. 

CULTURE   OF   CELERY. 
In  answer  to  your  correspondent,  "Celery,"  of 
Johnson's  Creek,  N.  Y.,  I  beg  to  offer  a  few  re- 
mai-ks : — 

1.  Make  your  bed  of  light  soil,  and  to  every 
barrow  full  of  soil  add  five  pomids  of  superphos- 
phate of  lime  well  mixed  ;  when  the  plants  make 
their  appearance,  dust  them  well  with  soot. 

2.  Rich,  light,  sandy  loam. 

3.  The  rows  four  feet  apart — the  trenches  one 
foot  deep — the  plants  six  inches  apart. 

^  4.  Put  800  to  1,000  lbs.  of  superphosphate  of 
lime  to  the  acre. 

5.  Hill  the  plants  four  or  five  times,  and  great 
care  should  be   taken  not  to  let  any  soil  get  to 


the  heart  of  the  celery ;  if  it  does  it  will  turn  the 
growth  down,  and  will  spoil  all. 

6.  The  best  fertilizer  you  will  find  is  super- 
phosphate of  lime. 

7.  I  have  found  lime  and  soot  mixed  well  to- 
gether, and  thrown  lightly  over,  to  answer  well 
in  this  and  the  old  country.     Try  it. 

8.  After  rain  you  will  find  the  best  time  to  hill. 

9.  I  know  of  no  better  way  for  winter  keeping 
than  taking  the  plants  up  and  replanting  in  sand 
in  the  cellar.  R.  F. 

Providence,  B.  I.        

early   peaches — SUMMER    SQUASHES — MELONS. 

Can  you  inform  me  which  is  the  most  profita- 
ble early  peach  to  raise  for  market  ?  "Cole's 
Fruit  Book"  recommends  the  Early  Chelmsford, 
Early  Maiden  and  Tuft's  Early,  and  in  the  third 
volume  of  the  monthly  Farmer,  jNIr.  Cole  several 
times  recommended  the  Early  Sturbridge  peach 
very  highly  indeed.  Can  you  tell  me  where  that 
can  be  obtained,  or  give  any  other  information  re- 
specting it  ?  Do  you  know  of  any  kind  superior 
to  either  of  these,  and  if  so,  where  can  it  be  ob- 
tained ? 

Which  is  the  best  kind  of  summer  squash  and 
early  watermelon  and  musk  melon  ?  What*  do 
you  think  of  Lucei'ne  as  a  crop  for  feeding  milch 
cows  with  in  the  latter  part  of  the  season  ?  Is  it 
better  than  Southern  corn,  and  if  so,  why  is  it 
not  more  generally  raised  ? 

Clinton,  March,  1858.        Old  Subscriber. 

Remarks. — The  Boyal  George  is  one  of  the  best 
early  peaches  we  have  eaten.  Under  favorable  cir- 
cumstances they  ripen  about  the  20th  of  August. 
Craioford's  Early  is  a  little  later,  but  is  a  very 
fine  peach.  We  suppose  any  of  the  nurserymen 
will  inform  you  where  the  varieties  of  peaches 
may  be  obtained.  We  have  had  no  experience 
with  the  Lucerne.  

crows   and   CHICKENS. 

Mr.  Crow  is  a  thief,  and  a  bold  one  too,  for  he 
not  only  steals  corn  and  eggs,  whenever  he  can 
get  a  chance,  but  chickens  also,  of  which  I  had 
convincing  proof  last  summer.  They  would  come 
within  a  few  feet  of  the  house  and  take  ofi'  quite 
large  chickens  ;  even  when  the  hen  was  with  her 
brood  and  defended  them,  the  crows  would  often 
take  all  from  them.  To  protect  the  small  chicks 
I  had  a  straw  man  dressed  and  stationed  near  the 
coops,  which  kept  them  at  a  distance;  but  they 
never  failed  to  bear  off  any  that  strayed  beyond 
his  protection. 

Can  you  tell  me  the  price  of  a  good  Ayrshire 
bull,  two  years  old  ?  j.  j.  E. 

Sunderland,  N.  J.,  1858. 

Remarks. — Bulls  of  the  age  you  want,  com- 
mand from  $40  to  $100  each,  according  to  make, 
size,  &c. 

Fat  Cow.— Mr.  John  E.  Merrill,  of  Pittsfield, 
slaughtered  on  the  9th  inst.,  a  cow  which  weighed 
1174  lbs.  Mr.  Merrill  has  also  in  preparation  for 
the  shambles  a  noble  pair  of  Durham  oxen,  very 
heavy,  Avhich  excite  already  the  attention  of 
beef  fanciers. 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


195 


SIXTH  LEGISLATIVE  AGRICULTUBAL 

MEETING. 
[reported   for  ihe  k.  e.  farmer,  by  z.  t.  haises.] 

NEAT   CATTLE. 
At  the  sixth  Legislative  Agricultural  meeting, 
held  last  Tuesday  evening  in  the  Hall  of  the 
House  of  Representatives,  the  topic  of  discus- 
siop  was  "Neat  Cattle." 

The  meeting  was  called  to  order  by  Senator 
Felton,  of  Worcester. 

On  motion  the  Hon.  JoHN  W.  Proctor,  of. 
Danvers,  was  requested  to  preside,  and  complied. 
On  taking  the  chair  he  made  a  few  remarks,  in 
which  he  expressed  the  opinion  that  the  subject 
of  neat  stock  was  one  of  pre-eminent  importance 
to  the  New  England  farmer.  In  the  county  of 
Essex,  where  he  was  most  familiar,  the  subject 
was  one  of  very  deep  interest.  In  his  own  opin- 
ion, the  best  stock  for  our  farmers  was  the  old 
red  stock  of  New  England,  the  descendants  of 
those  imported  by  our  fathers.  There  might  be 
some  stock  superior  in  certain  particulars,  but 
generally  the  stock  alluded  to  was  the  best  for 
our  use. 

Mr.  Hawkes,  of  Deerfield,  said  a  good  deal 
had  been  said  of  the  excellency  of  the  milk  of 
tlie  Devon  cow,  but  although  the  Devon  breed 
might  furnish  excellent  milkers,  he  preferred  a 
larger  kind  of  stock.  The  old  Northumberland 
stack  had  proved  the  best  in  his  region.  He 
had  one  Devon  cow  which  was  valuable  for  the 
dairy,  but  not  so  valuable  for  stock  raising  as 
the  Durham.  In  the  upper  part  of  Vermont,  the 
hilly  region,  the  Devon  stock  might  be  preferable. 
Mr.  Howard,  of  the  Cultivator,  said  the  term 
short  horns  was  very  comprehensive.  The  ob- 
ject of  their  early  improvement  was  to  produce 
the  greatest  quantity  of  beef  in  the  least  time  at 
the  least  expense.  It  was  obvious  that  the  heavy 
cattle  of  the  low  lands  were  not  suited  to  the 
high  lands.  The  Devon  was  a  very  useful  ani- 
mal, but  their  characteristics  were  first  for  beef, 
next  for  labor,  and  lastly  for  the  dairy.  In  New 
York,  where  there  are  more  Devons  than  any- 
where else  in  the  country,  they  were  more  profit- 
able than  if  they  were  the  best  adapted  for  dairy 
purposes. 

Mr.  H.  C.  Merriam,  of  Tewksbury,  alluded  to 
the  seeming  contradictions  in  the  experience  of 
those  taking  a  part  in  the  discussions,  and  thought 
tliey  were  attributable  to  the  various  geographical 
situations  where  agricultural  experiments  were 
ti'ied.  Hence  these  contradictions  were  rather 
instructive  than  otherwise.  With  reference  to 
the  subject  of  debate,  a  long  and  careful  experi- 
ence had  convinced  him  that  our  native  stock 
was  greatly  improved  by  an  infusion  of  foreign 
blood.  We  are  told  to  go  to  Worcester  for  fine 
native  cattle,  but  tliere  was  not  perhaps  one  sin- 


gle drop  of  pure  native  blood  in  all  Worcester 
county.  There  had  been  no  other  place  in  New 
England  where  greater  eflTorts  had  been  made  to 
introduce  good  foi'eign  blood,  and  with  better  re- 
sults. The  speaker  had  used  full  blood  Durharas 
for  fifteen  years  past  as  working  cattle.  They 
were  eminently  docile,  sprightly  and  lively.  They 
were  good  walkers,  quick  and  large.  In  Worces- 
ter and  jNIiddlesex  counties,  within  the  past  twen- 
ty years,  the  speaker  believed  that  working  oxen 
had  improved  fully  15  per  cent. ;  that  this  was 
the  case  with  neat  cattle  generally  throughout 
the  State.  As  to  what  cattle  it  was  best  for  us 
to  keep,  it  did  not  follow  that  smaller  breeds 
lived  on  less  food  than  larger  ones.  He  pre- 
ferred the  Durham  for  the  simple  reason  that  he 
could  get  more  meat  and  money  from  them.  He 
only  fed  them  four  times  a  day,  twice  on  English 
hay  and  twice  on  coarse  feed.  This  was  not  ex- 
pensive keeping.  His  milk  cows  were  treated 
to  roots.  The  highest  his  cow^s  had  yielded  was 
about  17  quarts  of  milk  a  day.  On  a  thin,  bar- 
ren soil,  the  speaker  would  prefer  a  lighter  stock 
than  the  Durham.  He  considered  the  Sutton 
cattle  the  result  of  a  successful  crossing.  The 
Alderney  cows  are  rich  milkers,  but  that  stock 
is  not  well  calculated  for  work  or  beef. 

JosiAH  QuiNCY,  Jr.,  was  at  the  great  exhibi- 
tion at  Paris,  where  there  were  1200  head  of  cat- 
tle of  forty  different  breeds.  He  was  surprised  at 
the  great  interest  and  knowledge  evinced  con- 
cerning these  animals.  There  were  Hungarian 
cattle  with  horns  a  yard  long,  and  others  with 
no  horns  at  all ;  there  were  Ayrshires  and  Short- 
horns. The  Ayrshires  took  the  premiums  for 
milking  properties,  the  Short-horns  for  fattening, 
and  the  French  breeds,  which  were  generally 
crosses  of  the  English  breeds,  were  awarded 
premiums  for  a  combination  of  these  qualities. 
The  Englishman's  test  of  value  was  the  greatest 
number  of  cuts  that  could  be  taken  from  an  ani- 
mal. Mr.  Quincy  gave  an  interesting  description 
of  the  exhibition,  and  a  humorous  account  of  the 
meagre  show  made  there  by  the  United  States. 

Hon.  Mr.  Brooks,  of  Princeton,  believed  that 
we  want  to  breed  cattle  as  they  do  in  France- 
breed  for  meat,  for  milk  and  for  work.  We  were 
not  prepared  to  separate  the  breeds.  He  believed 
that  INIr.  Merriam's  partiality  for  the  Durham  was 
because  he  had  practised  most  from  them.  He 
would  not  say  that  native  cattle  were  better  than 
foreign,  but  it  was  sometimes  found  they  worked 
as  well,  and  gave  as  much  milk.  There  was  mor 
elasticity  in  our  native  breeds.  They  had  the 
spring  that  was  needed  to  take  a  rock  out  of  a 
hole.  He  believed  the  Ayrshire  Avas  as  good  for 
milk  as  any  other  breed ;  they  were  also  a  hardy 
cattle.  His  Ayrshire  cows  walked  from  Prince- 
ton to  Boston,  a  distance  of  fifty  miles,  stayed  a 


196 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


April 


week  at  the  fair,  and  walked  back,  without  falling 
oflFa  pint  from  their  usual  yield  of  milk.  Farming 
was  a  system  and  science  of  averages,  and  thus 
we  must  speak  of  averages.  As  a  general  rule,  the 
largest  yield  of  milk  produced  the  least  butter 
and  the  most  cheese.  The  speaker  thought  a  mis- 
take was  made  in  using  the  milk  of  the  Devons, 
because  from  its  superior  richness,  it  was  less 
healthy  than  the  thinner  milk  of  the  Ayrshire  and 
Durham.  No  man  could  make  up  or  greatly  im- 
prove a  breed  in  much  less  than  sixty  years.  The 
speaker  had  practised  for  twenty  years,  and  could 
not  count  with  any  degree  of  certainty  upon  the 
result  of  his  endeavors.  As  a  whole  the  Durhams 
were  not  good  workers.  They  could  not  back  a 
man's  hat  off.  It  was  considered  by  some  that 
young  bulls  were  the  best  for  use,  but  the  speaker 
did  not  consider  the  age  a  matter  of  much  impor- 
tance. For  beef,  in  Massachusetts,  the  Herefords 
were  better  than  the  Durhams,  whose  fat  was  laid 
on  the  outside,  and  was  tallowy  in  its  character. 
They  were  better  workers,  as  a  general  rule,  than 
the  Devon  or  Ayrsliire. 

Mr.  Howard,  of  the  Cultivator,  said  the  qual- 
ities of  beef  were  best  determined  by  the  Eng- 
lish prices  current,  and  it  was  found  that  first  of 
all  stood  the  Scotch  Highland,  next  the  Hereford 
and  Devon,  and  next  the  Short-horns  ;  the  first 
being  worth  two  pence  more  the  pound,  than  the 
last. 

Mr.  W.  J.  BucKMlNSTER,  of  the  Ploughnan, 
alluded  to  the  Jersey  cow  Flora,  belonging  to  Mr. 
Motley,  of  West  Roxbury,  which  yielded,  in  12 
consecutive  months,  511  pounds  of  butter.  These 
were  the  most  extraordinary  figures  on  record. 
He  believed  that  the  richest  butter-making  milk 
was  not  desirable  for  the  table. 

The  subject  for  discussion  at  the  next  meeting 
will  be,  ''Drainage^''' 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 

CHOPS  IN  "WISCONSII3". 

Mr.  Editor  : — This  flourishing  county  has  for 
its  western  boundary  the  Mississippi  river,  and 
has  generally  a  rolling  or  hilly  surface,  and  is 
naturally  divided  into  timber,  opening  and  prai- 
rie. The  western  part  may  be  called  mountain- 
ous or  bluffs,  rising  from  ont  to  three  hundred 
feet  above  the  river.  The  soil  is  excellent,  black 
marl  predominating  in  the  lowest  timber  and 
prairie  lands,  and  is  often  four  feet  deep.  The 
black  land  is  the  most  common  in  the  openings, 
and  on  the  rolling  prairies,  and  is  cultivated  with 
the  best  success.  The  climate  is  mild  and  salu- 
brious, and  is  very  healthy.  The  average  crop  of 
wheat  last  season  was  25  bushels  per  acre.  Corn 
75  do.  Potatoes  200  do.  Vegetables  grew  with 
rapidity.  Owing  to  the  great  range  of  pasturing 
on  the  hills  and  prairies,  it  is  a  fine  grazing 
country.  Manufactures  are  still  in  their  infancy, 
although  but  few  counties  have  equal  natural 
facilities  for  extensive  operations. 


Our  principal  ports  on  the  Mississippi  river 
are  De  Sota  and  Victory.  The  last  named  place 
is  where  Black  Hawk's  tribe  was  at  last  defeated. 
Unimproved  lands  are  held  at  from  $3  to  $10  per 
acre. 

What  a  change  has  come  over  this  new  coun- 
try in  the  short  space  of  two  years.  At  that  time 
nothing  could  be  seen  but  the  rude  log  cabin,  to 
shelter  its  inmates  from  the  blasts  of  winter,  and 
the  scorching  rays  of  the  noonday  sun.  Now  we 
can  look  abroad  and  see  convenient  structures  by 
hundreds.  Villages  have  sprung  into  existence, 
as  if  by  magic  ;  schools  may  be  found  in  every 
part  of  this  county.  In  fact  every  thing  is  taking 
a  new  shape.  C.  W.  Sanderson. 

Badax,  Wis. 


"GOB  SAVE  THE  PLOW. 

BY  MRS.    SIGOURNET. 

See  how  the  glittering  share 
Make  earth's  bosom  fair, 

Crowning  the  brow ; 
Bread  in  its  furrow  springs, 
Health  and  repose  it  brings. 
Treasures  that  mock  at  kinga — 

God  save  the  plow. 

Look  to  the  warrior's  blade, 
While  o'er  the  crimson'd  glade, 

Hate  breathes  its  vow — 
Wrath  it  unsheathing  wakes, 
Love  at  its  flashing  quakes, 
Weeping  and  woe  it  makes — 

God  save  the  plow  ! 

Ships  o'er  the  ocean  ride, 

Storm  wrecks  their  bannered  pride, 

Waves  whelm  their  prow — 
While  the  untroubled  wain 
Garneth  the  golden  grain, 
Gladdening  the  reaper  train  ! 

God  save  the  plow ! 

Who  are  the  truly  great  ? 
Minions  of  pomp  and  state. 

Where  the  crowd  bow  ? 
Give  us  hard  hands  and  free — 
Cultures  of  field  and  tree — 
True  sons  of  liberty — 

God  save  the  plow. 


A  Chimney. — Professor  Faraday  has  shown 
the  chimney  to  possess  very  important  functions 
in  sanitary  -economy.  Thus  a  parlor  fire  will  con- 
sume forty  pounds  of  coal  in  twelve  hours,  the 
combustion  rendering  42,000  gallons  of  air  unfit 
to  support  life.  Not  only  is  that  large  amount 
of  deleterious  product  carried  away,  and  rendered 
innoxious  by  the  chimney,  but  five  times  that 
quantity  of  air  is  also  carried  up  by  the  draft, 
and  ventilation  is  thus  effectually  maintained. — 
S.  American. 

Making  Wood  Fire-proof. — Professor  Ro- 
chelder,  of  Prague,  has  just  discovered  a  new 
antiphlogistic  material,  which  promises  to  become 
of  importance.  It  is  a  liquid  chemical  composi- 
tion, the  secret  of  which  is  not  yet  divulged, 
which  renders  wood  and  other  articles  indestruct- 
ible by  fire.  Several  successful  experiments  have 
been  made,  and  others  are  promised  on  a  larger 
scale. — California  Farmer. 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


197 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
DRAINAGE. 
COMPARATIVE   COST   OF    TILES   AND    STONES. 

Mr.  Brown  : — It  is  not  possible  to  answer, 
with  precision,  the  question  so  often  asked,  as  to 
the  comparative  cost  of  drainage  with  tiles  and 
stones.  The  actual  cost  of  making  two  inch 
pipe  drain  tiles,  in  England,  is  about  the  same 
as  that  of  making  common  bricks.  When  they 
shall  be  made  in  this  country,  as  they  soon  will 
be,  in  large  quantities,  and  with  proper  machinery, 
they  will  be  sold  at  about  the  price  of  bricks,  say 
five  dollars  per  thousand,  at  the  kiln.  Now,  they 
are  sold  at  the  works  in  Albany,  N.  Y.,  at  Whately 
and  other  places  in  Mass.,  and  at  Exeter,  N.  H., 
at  about  twelve  dollars  per  thousand.  Tiles  will 
lay  about  one  foot  each,  that  is  to  say,  if  you 
get  a  thousand,  you  may,  after  breaking  and  re- 
jecting, have  enough  to  lay  a  thousand  feet  of 
drain.  Tiles  are  usually  moulded  fourteen  inches 
long.  They  shrink  in  burning,  from  one  to  two 
inches,  according  to  the  hardness  of  the  burn. 

Under-drains  should  be  four  feet  deep,  as  a 
general  rule.  They  may  be  opened  with  proper 
draining  tools,  and  usually  are  in  England  eigh- 
teen inches  wide  only  at  top,  and  three  inches 
wide  at  bottom,  but  we  will  say,  twenty-four  inch- 
es at  top  and  four  at  the  bottom.  The  excavated 
earth  will  then  measure  not  quite  three  cubic 
yards  to  the  rod  (exactly  2.85.)  On  my  own 
farm,  where  we  use  a  pick  to  loosen  the  lower  tAvo 
feet  of  earth,  the  cost  of  opening  such  drains 
and  laying  and  covering  tiles,  is  about  one  day's 
labor  to  three  rods.  The  tiles  at  twelve  dollars 
per  thousand  cost  about  twenty-three  cents  per 
rod.  Call  the  labor  one  dollar  per  day,  and  we 
have  the  cost,  about  fifty-six  cents  per  rod. 

My  estimate  is  upon  hand  labor  entirely.  If 
the  fii'st  foot  of  the  ditch  be  plowed  out,  the  cost 
would  be  lessened.  I  have  laid  on  my  farm 
nearly  a  mile  of  tile  drains,  at  a  cost  of  about 
fifty  cents  a  rod,  calling  the  tiles  twelve  dollars 
per  thousand. 

Stone  drains  cost  more  or  less,  according  to 
the  mode  of  laying,  and  the  convenience  of  the 
stones.  To  lay  a  regular  water-course,  of  the 
smallest  size,  the  excavation  must  be  twenty-one 
inches  wide,  at  least,  from  top  to  bottom,  just  fifty 
per  cent,  more  than  I  have  estimated  for  tiles, 
say  fifty  cents  a  rod  in  all.  It  will  require, 
at  the  least,  two  ox-cart  loads  of  stones  to  the 
rod,  to  construct  any  sort  of  a  stone  drain,  cost- 
ing say  twenty-five  cents  a  load  for  picking  up 
and  hauling.  Generally  it  will  cost  twice  that. 
I  hardly  know  what  to  add  for  the  cost  of  laying 
the  stones,  but  will  say  twenty-five  cents  a  rod 
though  it  is  probably  too  little.  We  have  then 
fifty  cents  for  opening  and  filling  up,  fifty  cents 
for  hauling  stone,  and  twenty-five  cents  for  lay 


ing,  making  one  dollar  and  twenty-five  cents  a 
rod  for  a  stone  drain,  or  twice  the  cost  of  tile 
drains  at  the  above  estimate. 

Then  we  have  a  large  surplus  of  earth,  two 
cart  loads  to  the  rod,  to  be  disposed  of,  displaced 
by  the  stones,  and  in  case  of  the  tiles,  we  have  just 
earth  enough.  There  are  many  other  considera- 
tions, such  as  the  cutting  up  of  the  ground,  if  it 
be  mowing,  by  teaming  heavy  loads  of  stones, 
the  greater  permanency  of  tile  drains,  and  the 
fact  that  they  furnish  no  harbor  for  mice  and 
moles,  all  in  favor  of  the  tiles,  but  of  those  I  will 
not  now  speak. 

My  conclusion  is  that  the  cost  of  tile  drainage 
as  compared  with  stone  drainage,  is  less  than 
one-half,  even  at  the  present  price  of  tiles,  which 
is  double  what  they  will  be  sold  for  within  five 
years. 

I  make  no  estimate  for  laying  the  tiles,  because 
a  man  can  lay  100  rods  a  day,  after  the  ditches 
are  ready. 

I  am  preparing  careful  estimates  on  all  these 
points,  and  putting  in  form  such  information  as 
I  have  collected,  on  the  whole  subject  of  Drain- 
age, and  hope  at  some  future  day  to  give  the 
public  the  benefit  of  my  researches. 

Yours  truly,  Henry  F.  Erench, 

Exeter,  N.  II.,  Feb.  15,  1858, 


Fur  the  New  England  Farmer. 
IOWA-~"WEATHER~.MONEY— CHOPS. 

"The  month  of  winds  and  drifting  snows"  has 
come  in  Iowa.  Up  to  the  1st  of  February  (except 
a  few  days  in  November)  we  had  most  delight- 
fully mild  and  pleasant  weather.  Since  February 
came  in,  we  have  been  having  regular  old-fash- 
ioned winter  weather. 

"The  times,"  considering  the  almost  entire  ab- 
sence of  money,  are  only  moderately  "hard"  with 
us ;  and  now,  we  have  a  little  gold  and  silver, 
plenty  of  shin-plasters,  and  a  r/reat  plenty  of  corn 
and  wheat,  at  20  and  40  cents  per  bushel,  with 
but  few  cash  customers  at  that.  But  nobody 
goes  hungry,  and  but  few  have  suff'ered  from  cold, 
till  winter  is  nearly  gone  and  spring  at  the  door. 

We  note  that  better  times  are  returning  at  the 
East ;  and  Hope  bids  us 

"Wait  a  little  longer," 

when  we  too  shall  again  rejoice  in  the  same. 

I  have  but  one  fault  to  find  with  your  other- 
wise always  welcome  Montlihj.  It  is  this :  my 
little  boy  cannot  wait  patiently,  for  me  to  cut  the 
leaves  open.  Now,  if  you  would  be  so  kind,  in 
addition  to  other  improvements,  as  to  trim  it  fo^ 
us,  as  our  best  magazines  are  now  generally 
served,  and  as  yours  certainly  deserves  to  be,  I 
think  the  New  England  Farmer  would  be  just 
about  perfect.  M.  R.  C. 

Tipton,  Iowa,  Feb.,  1858. 


Remarks. — The  Monthly  Farmer  is  of  suffi- 
cient value  to  be  preserved  and  bound  into  volumes 
— if  the  numbers  Aveie  trimmed,  the  corners  Avould 


198 


NEW  ENGLAND  FAHMER. 


Aprit 


soon  roll  up  and  the  edges  become  so  ragged  as 
to  make  it  necessary  to  trim  again  -when  they  are 
bound,  and  that  would  destroy  the  appearance 
of  the  book.  One  minute's  time  is  sufficient  to 
cut  the  leaves  of  any  single  number.  Those  Avho 
intend  to  bind  the  volumes  ought  not  to  trim 
them.  Cannot  you  indoctrinate  a  great  many  of 
your  neighbors  with  your  good  opinion  of  the 
Farmer  ? 

For  the  Netc  England  Farmer. 
LEAVES  FROM  A  LADY'S  NOTE  BOOK. 

1857,  November  25,  Thanksgiving  Day. — What 
magic  in  the  sound !  what  a  world  of  ideal  pleas- 
ure when  looking  into  the  prospective,  does  it 
sometimes  mirror  forth ;  but  to  me  the  shadows 
from  the  past  come  surging  up  through  the  im- 
agination, filling  it  with  visions  of  doctors  and 
nurses,  and  sundry  vials  containing  all  manner 
of  specifics  known  and  talked  of  for  the  cure  of 
"ills  that  flesh  is  heir  to."  When  I  was  last  able 
to  walk  abroad  and  look  upon  the  fair  face  of 
nature,  the  grass  was  green,  the  leaves  and  the 
fruit  were  upon  the  trees,  and  the  merry  sunshine 
came  dancing  down  in  floods  of  golden  light,  as 
if  defying  the  stern  roar  and  bluster  of  win- 
ter ;  but  days  have  since  lengthened  into  weeks 
and  weeks  into  months,  to  find  me  still  the  pris- 
oner of  a  darkened  room.  As  I  would  not,  how- 
ever, be  too  exacting,  even  in  my  dependence,  on 
this — to  us,  descendants  of  the  Pilgrims — the 
gladdest  day  of  all  the  year,  I  am  left  alone  from 
choice,  that  those  who  have  sympathized  with 
me  in  my  helplessness,  and  smoothed  for  me 
the  pillow  of  pain,  weariness  and  langor,  with 
a  love  and  devotion  untiring,  may  unrestrainedly 
enjoy,  not  only  the  "feast  of  reason  and  the  flow 
of  soul,"  but  likewise  take  (heir  fill  of  all  the  fat 
things  of  which  I  must  partake  only  in  imagina- 
tion, and  while  all  are  occupied,  I  record  the  pass- 
ing thoughts  that  occupy  my  yet  weak  brain. 

Yes,  alone,  for  the  time — even  my  kind-heart- 
ed, grey-haired  old  physician,  M'ho  has  come  so 
often  with  his  noiseless  steps  and  gentle,  winning, 
fatherly  ways,  and  laid  one  cool  hand  on  my  fe- 
vered brow,  and  the  other  on  my  throbbing  pulse 
— has  forgotten  his  accustomed  visit,  or  per- 
chance, some  one  whose  necessities  are  greater 
than  mine  now  are,  has  claimed  his  attendance  ; 
and  while  the  flavor  of  the  savory  viands  comes 
up  from  below  to  my  quiet  chamber,  through  the 
dini  old  staircase,  mingled  with  the  clatter  of 
knives  and  forks,  and  the  sounds  of  joy  and  glee, 
from  the  heart  of  happy  childhood  and  youth,  I 
am  thinking  what  an  army  of  the  farmer's  "cher- 
ished things"  have  disappeared,  since  the  time 
when  I  could  mingle  with  such  a  group,  and  rel- 
ish the  good  things  of  life  ! 

December  2. — A  stray  number  of  the  Farmer 
has  found  its  way  to  my  table,  and,  though  pro- 
hibited reading,  I  have  taken  a  peep  at  Mr.  Ev- 
erett's oration  at  Buffalo,  October  9.  Who  ever 
saw  a  finer  passage  than  his  "Evidences  of  God's 
interposing  care  on  the  farm  ?"  and  then  there 
was  Maj.  French's  letter  to  "My  dear  Captain," 
— why,  he  gives  just  the  same  reason  for  writ- 
ing to  the  edit  jr  that  prompts  me  sometimes. 

December  30. — Have   been   looking   over  the 


last  number  of  the  Farmer.  I  see  Gov.  Brown 
makes  us  to  understand  in  one  of  his  editorials, 
that  he  is  not  particularly  fond  of  giving  or  re- 
ceiving titles.  Perhaps  he  is  not ;  but  if  titles  are 
well  earned,  there  ought  to  be  pleasure  in  wear- 
ing them.  Our  efl"usions,  on  the  fair  page  of  the 
Farmer,  in  juxtaposition  with  his  and  those  of 
others,  give  us  an  honest  pleasure  and  pride. 
Nothing  can  exceed  the  beauty  of  his  remarks  at 
the  closing  of  the  year — so  natural  and  appropri- 
ate— and  withal  so  friendly,  and  so  full  of  kind- 
ness to  his  numerous  patrons.  I  am  wondering 
if  he  will  get  off  that  old  Kossuth  of  his,  the 
coming  new  year,  in  season  to  give  us  his  bow, — 
or  will  it  still"  cling  to  his  head  like  a  wet  night- 
cap," as  it  did  last  year,  and  spoil  it  all  ?  Not 
that  I  am  so  "particularly  fond"  of  boivs,  but  the 
style  and  manner  that  some  have  of  doing  the 
agreeable  is  pleasing  to  M'itness. 

January  2,  1858. — When  I  took  up  to-day's 
paper,  the  first  thing  I  looked  for  was  that  new 
year's  bow,  but  I  could  not  find  it ;  on  turning 
over,  however,  I  would  have  laughed  as  loud  as 
did  Maj.  French,  (only  it  would  have  been  unla- 
dy-like,)  Avhen  I  found  the  whole  burden  laid  on 
the  shoulders  of  his  Associate  ; — but  most  hand- 
somely he  sustained  it ;  and  this  I  would  say, 
not  in  flattery,  but  in  justice  to  the  enterprise  and 
ability  which  characterizes  those  who  are  associ- 
ated in  the  management  of  the  N.  E.  Farmer.  I 
would  that  they  should  feel  that  their  labors  and 
aims  are  acknowledged  and  appreciated  by  their 
"subscribers,  contributors,  and  friends  generally." 

When  I  saw  the  lines  from  "Poor  Poe,"  that 
always  touch  a  vibrating  cord  away  down  in  my 
heart,  and  read  the  editor's  tribute  to  him,  I  felt 
that  a  bow  would  have  been  nothing  in  compari- 
son. Aunt  Polly. 


GRAIN'  FOR  STOCK-.COTTON  SEED 
MEAL. 

It  is  much  more  common  now  to  feed  grain  of 
some  kind  to  neat  cattle,  than  it  used  to  be,  as 
it  is  supposed  that  cattle  thrive  better  on  a  por- 
tion of  grain  with  their  hay,  even  if  the  cost  of 
keeping  is  not  increased,  than  they  will,  at  an 
equal  expense,  if  fed  on  hay  alone.  AVe  have 
no  doubt  that  such  is  the  fact, — and  that  if  the 
hay  is  cut,  mixed  with  the  meal,  and  wet,  that  it 
will  prove  more  economical  still. 

Among  the  kinds  used  are  Indian  corn  meal, 
oat  meal,  shorts,  flax  or  linseed  meal,  and  quite 
lately  cotton  seed  meal.  The  latter  article  is  spo- 
ken of  by  many  persons  who  have  tried  it,  as 
giving  highly  satisfactory  results.  We  have  been 
using  it  for  ten  weeks,  as  a  feed  for  milch  cows, 
but  without  entering  into  any  accurate  experi- 
ments. It  is  plainly  perceived,  however,  that 
the  flow  of  milk  has  been  very  considerably  in- 
creased, and  that  the  cows  have  kept  in  excellent 
condition  as  to  flesh. 

Prof.  Johnson,  of  Yale  College,  who  has  given 
it  chemical  examination,  states  that  its  "comj  o- 
sition  is  not  inferior  to  that  of  the  best  Linseed 
Cake,"  and  that  "in  some  points  its  agricultural 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


199 


value  surpasses  that  of  any  other  kind  of  oil 
cake  of  which  he  has  knowledge."  He  thinks 
the  cotton  seed  cake  much  richer  in  oil  and  albu- 
minous matters  than  the  linseed  cake, — and  that 
three  pounds  of  the  cotton  seed  cake  are  equal 
to  four  pounds  of  the  linseed. 

Judging  of  the  value  of  this  new  feed  from 
our  own  results,  from  the  opinions  expressed  by 
Messrs.  Joiixsox  and  Jackson,  and  the  high 
terms  in  which  it  is  spoken  of  by  several  persons 
who  have  fattened  oxen  upon  it,  we  are  of  the 
opinion  that  persons  feeding  grain  to  cattle  will 
do  well  to  try  the  Cotton  Seed  Meal. 

It  is  for  sale,  at  present,  by  Messrs.  Parke:)', 
White  &  Gannett,  Blackstone  Street,  Boston,  and 
Nourse  &  Co.,  Commercial  Street. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
SUGAB  MAKING. 

Mr.  Editor  : — A  few  days  since  I  saw  in  the 
daily  Trihune  a  long  editorial  with  the  above 
heading,  containing  so  many  things  likely  to  mis- 
lead one  who  is  unacquainted  with  the  subject, 
that  I  have  concluded  to  send  you  some  of  the 
results  of  my  own  experience. 

The  writer  in  the  IVibiine  says,  "get  ready,  for 
now  is  the  time,"  and  the  only  reason  he  can  as- 
sign for  this,  is  the  old  saw,  "better  late  than 
never."  Now  the  fall,  (any  time  is  better  than 
winter,)  is  the  best  time  to  build  aixhes  for  the 
boilfers,  at  least  where  stones  are  abundant,  as  in 
this  section  of  Bcrksliire.  Good  fine  stones  are 
easily  obtained  here,  and,  while  they  are  less  ex- 
pensive than  brick,  they  are  equally  good  in  every 
respect,  and  far  more  durable.  I  will  describe 
first  the 

ARCHES   AND   BOILERS 

X  would  use.  To  evaporate  ten  barrels  of  sap 
per  day,  I  want  two  pans  made  each  of  two  sheets 
of  Russia  iron.  This  will  make  each  pan  about 
forty-two  inches  square  and  six  inches  deep, 
(five  and  one-half  inches  deep  is  just  as  good.) 
These  are  to  be  set  in  an  arch  of  the  ox-bow 
fashion,  the  distance  between  the  side-M-alls  of 
the  arch  to  be  nearly  as  great  as  the  diameter  of 
one  of  the  ]5ans.  A  division  wall  should  run  from 
the  front  of  the  arch  to  within  nine  or  ten  inches 
of  the  rear,  and  be  elevated  just  high  enough  for 
the  pans  to  rest  upon  it.  This  should  divide  the 
space  beneath  the  pans  into  two  unequal  com- 
partments, the  place  for  the  fire  occupying  about 
two-thirds  of  it.  The  remaining  third,  on  the 
other  side  of  the  dividing  wall,  (which,  it  will  be 
seen,  should  be  as  nan-ow  as  is  consistent  with 
the  necessary  strength,)  being  connected  in  the 
rear  with  the  fire-place,  will  serve  as  a  fiue  along 
which  the  fire  will  return  to  the  front  of  the  arch. 
Here  the  smoke  will  escape  by  a  chimney  built 
on  one  of  the  front  corners  of  the  arch,  and  raised 
high  enough  to  secure  sufficient  draft  for  a  strong 
fire,  and  to  carry  off'  the  smoke  above  the  head  of 
the  fireman.  At  the  bottom  of  the  arch  a  grate 
should  be  laid  (of  fire-stone,  if  they  can  be  easily 
obtained)  with  a  drain  under  it  a  foot  deep,  and 
as  wide  as  the  fire-place.  Into  this  the  coals  will 
fall,  and  between  the  grate-stones  the  air  will 


rush  in  to  feed  the  fire  above.  Set  your  pans 
eighteen  inches  above  the  grate  ;  the  return  flue 
will  need  to  be  but  about  fourteen  or  fifteen 
inches  deep.  It  is  desirable  to  use  dry  wood, 
since  the  coarser  the  wood  is,  provided  it  will 
burn  fast  enough,  the  less  fuel  will  be  required. 
Of  course,  a  shelter  will  be  needed.  Shut  the 
mouth  of  the  arch  with  a  sheet  iron  door,  turn- 
ing on  hinges  in  a  cast  iron  frame  solidly  built 
into  the  stone  work.  If  you  wish  to  boil  fifteen 
barrels  a  day,  add  another  pan,  of  the  same  size 
as  before  mentioned,  in  the  rear  of  the  others,  by 
lengthening  your  arch,  and  set  all  of  your  pans 
two  or  three  inches  higher  for  a  larger  fire-place- 
Build  all  your  fire,  in  either  case,  on  the  first  five 
feet  over  the  grate.  For  smaller  business,  take 
two  pans  of  a  sheet  and  a  half  each ;  these  will  be, 
when  made,  about  forty-two  by  tv\-enty-eight 
inches.  Set  them  lengthwise,  one  behind  the 
other,  building  the  fire  under  the  first ;  and  sep- 
arate the  space  beneath  the  second  by  a  division 
wall  in  a  manner  similar  to  that  suggested  above, 
save  that  the  chimney  will  in  this  case  come  on 
the  sifle  in  the  middle  of  the  structure. 

SAP    TUBS. 

Those  made  of  tin  are  too  expensive,  costing 
about  thirty-four  cents  apiece,  and  are  too  small, 
even  if  they  were  cheap  enough.  I  should  lose 
too  much  sap  by  running  over,  if  I  used  ■  such  ; 
besides,  I  want  a  tub  smaller  at  the  top  than  at 
the  bottom,  as  they  will  hang  better  (more  near- 
ly level)  on  the  spike,  and  catch  less  snow  or 
rain  in  case  of  storms.  Those  I  use  are  made  of 
wood,  hooped  with  iron,  and  painted  on  the  out- 
side. 

PREPARING   TUBS. 

A  rinsing  in  cold  water  is  by  no  means  suf- 
ficient. You  should  scald  them  in  boiling  water, 
rolling  them  round  for  a  moment,  and  then  take 
out  a  quart  or  two  and  let  it  stand  in  them,  as 
the  dairy  women  do,  M-hen  they  scald  their  milk- 
pails  ;  afterward  scrub  them  M-ith  a  little  birch 
brush,  and  they  are  ready.  If  you  would  keep 
them  sweet  as  long  as  possible,  turn  them  down 
at  the  last  gathering  of  every  run,  that  all  the 
sap  may  run  out,  and  nothing  be  left  to  ferment. 
The  freezing  that  occurs  before  the  next  "run" 
will  have  a  good  eff"cct  upon  them.  Some  of  my 
neighbors  have  wondered  why  their  sugar  is  not 
of  first  quality — equally  good  with  mine.  They 
could  not  believe  but  that  all  was  right,  except 
the  sap.  Indeed,  everything  else  may  have  been 
as  it  should  be,  but  the  sap  had  been  in  tubs  and 
in  "storage"  containing  acid  enough  to  spoil  the 
sugar.  It  would  only  make  molasses,  and  that 
of  very  poor  quality.  Their  tubs  may  never  have 
been  entirely  free  from  sourness  since  they  were 
first  put  out  years  ago.  But  it  requires  too  much 
attention  to  make  good  sugar,  or  much  of  it,  for 
every  one  who  meddles  with  it  to  succeed  either 
in  quality  or  quantity. 

VESSELS   FOR   STOR.\GE. 

Some  people  use  cider  barrels,  and  tubs  in 
which  apples  have  been  stored,  and  some  of  them 
decayed.  A  cold  water  soaking  is  entirely  inad- 
equate to  their  purification.  Boiling  water  is 
needed.  Fill  your  barrels  partly  full  with  this, 
bung  them  up,  and  when  they  have  stood  long 
enough  to  become  cold,  they  are  fit  to  be  used  in 


200 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


April 


the  sugar-orchard.  The  Tribune  says,  "use  the 
antiquated  boilers  to  store  sap  and  syrup  in."  To 
this  I  demur.  They  are  not  usually  the  purest 
vessels  that  can  be  had. 

STORING   TUBS. 

When  you  gather  your  tubs  at  the  close  of  the 
season,  you  will  of  course  cleanse  them  as  thor- 
oughly as  you  can  with  cold  water,  and  store 
them  where  they  will  be  safe  from  the  action  of 
the  weather. 

What  I  have  to  say  of  the  mode  of  tapping 
trees,  cleansing  syrup,  "sugaring  off,"  &c.,  I  must 
resume  for  another  letter. 

Yours,  E.  H.  GOODRICH. 

Rbisdale,  Mass.,  Marcli  5,  1858. 


EXTRACTS  AND  KE PLIES. 

TREES   FROM   CUTTINGS. 

Will  slips  of  elm,  locust,  or  any  other  trees,  be- 
sides willow,  grow  by  sticking  them  into  the 
ground,  and,  if  so,  how  large  should  they  be.  If 
limbs  or  branches  will  live  and  grow  into  trees, 
served  in  this  manner,  it  appears  to  me  that  a 
good  many  farmers  might  find  it  profitable  to 
plant  in  this  way.  The  land  most  suitable  in  my 
opinion,  is  around  the  edges  of  swamps  and 
ponds,  where  there  is  nothing  growing  at  pres- 
ent. Locust  and  elm  is  valuable  timber  in  these 
parts,  when  it  gets  to  be  five  or  six  inches  and 
more  in  diameter. 

Branford,  Ct.,  March,  1858. 

Remarks. — We  have  Cherry  trees  now  grow- 
ing which  Ave  obtained  by  cutting  off  the  shoots 
which  had  grown  the  previous  year,  and  then 
planting  them  in  moist,  shady  places.  It  is  quite 
probable  that  twigs  of  other  trees  would  grow  as 
well  under  favorable  circumstances,  as  we  know 
of  one  or  two  instances  Avhere  the  apj^le  twig  has 
taken  root  and  produced  a  fine  tree. 

WntRE  DOES   THE   WHITE   CLOVER   COME   FROM  ? 

Some  years  ago,  in  enlarging  my  house-cellar, 
I  threw  out  a  quantity  of  blue  hard  pan.  A  few 
loads  of  this  I  spread  on  a  moist,  cold  piece  of 
land,  which  for  several  years  I  had  mowed  more 
for  looks  than  profit,  it  being  not  far  from  my 
house.  The  next  year  the- white  clover  came  up 
(to  use  a  common  expression)  "as  thick  as  a  mat," 
where  I  never  saw  clover  before.  It  was  very 
short,  but  so  thick  that  I  cut  a  handsome  swath. 
Now  where  was  the  seed  ?  In  what  I  spread  on  ? 
Or  was  it  in  the  ground  ?  If  so,  why  did  it  not 
germinate  before  ?  J.  WooD. 

Boyalston. 

Remarks. — It  is  quite  probable  that  the  clover 
seed  was  in  both  places — in  the  "hard  pan"  which 
you  spread,  and  in  the  "cold  piece  of  land"  upon 
which  you  placed  it.  The  gravelly  soil  spread 
may  have  contained  some  mineral,  sulphur,  for 
instance,  which  was  congenial  to  the  seed,  and  in- 
duced it  to  germinate  on  the  cold,  Avet  land  where 
it  had  failed  to  sprout  befcre  ;  cr  ihe  "hard-pan'' 
may  have  attracted  an  unusual  amount  of  heat, 
and  thus  caused  the  clover  seed  to  germinate. 


rOTASn  AND  ASHES. 
I  want  to  inquire  of  your  numerous  subscribers 
how  much  good  potash  dissolved  in  water  and 
mixed  with  yellow  loam  will  be  a  substitute  or 
:5qual_  to  100  bushels  of  unleached  ashes  for  a 
dressing  spread  on  meadow  or  for  corn  in  hill? 
Ashes  being  scarce  and"  dear. 

A  New  Subscriber. 


LADIES'  DEPARTMENT. 


DOMESTIC  KECEIPTS. 

To  Cook  Parsnips. — Scrape  the  parsnips, 
wash,  and  slice  them  lengthwise  ;  boil  in  just 
water  enough  to  cover  them,  till  thoroughly  done  ; 
then  put  in  a  piece  of  butter,  Avith  a  little  salt  and 
pepper  ;  beat  up  an  egg  with  a  spoonful  of  flour, 
and  pour  over  them,  and  they  are  ready  to  dish 
up. — Country  Gentleman. 

Celery. — This  delicious  vegetable  is  not  gen- 
erally appreciated  as  a  cooking  vegetable.  Wash 
the  stems  clean  in  salt  and  Avater,  and  drop  them 
into  boiling  Avater  ;  after  boiling  tAventy  minutes 
take  up  and  drain ;  place  some  toasted  bread  in 
the  bottom  of  a  dish,  lay  the  celery  upon  it,  and 
season  with  butter,  pepper  and  salt. 

A  Cheap  and  Good  Pudding. — Permit  me 
once  more  to  give  you  a  recipe  for  making  a  good 
pudding.  It  is  at  once  economical,  healthful,  nu- 
tritious, and  delicious  ;  it  may  be  eaten  Avarm  or 
cold.  When  cold,  it  is  a  capital  substitute  for 
hlanc  mange. 

Into  a  nappy  that  Avill  contain  about  two  qliarts 
place  apples,  pared  and  cut  coarsely,  until  the 
dish  is  nearly  full  ;  sprinkle  on  this  six  table- 
spoonfuls  of  sago  ;  then  pour  into  the  dish  as 
much  hot  water  as  will  cover  the  apples  and  sago. 
Let  it  bake  about  tAvo  hours.  If  the  upper  pieces 
of  apples  become  too  brown,  push  them  doAvn  and 
others  Avill  take  their  places. 

This  pudding  should  be  eaten  in  deep  plates 
or  saucers,  Avith  cream  or  milk  and  sugar.— r 
Country  Gentleman. 

Egg  Cakes.  —  Eggs  are  not  generally  very 
plentiful  at  this  season  of  the  year,  and  I  fre- 
quently make  egg  cakes  as  a  substitute  for  fried 
eggs,  and  some  of  my  family  like  them  even  bet- 
ter than  the  real  eggs.  Perhaps  some  of  your 
readers  may  wish  to  give  them  a  trial.  Beat  six 
eggs  thoroughly,  add  a  quart  of  sAveet  milk  and 
a  little  salt — stir  in  flour  ti.'l  you  have  a  nice  bat- 
ter, then,  taking  care  to  have  your  lard,  or  pork 
fat,  hot  enough  to  brown  them  quickly,  drop  the 
batter  in  Avith  a  spoon,  serve  them  hot.  Don't 
make  the  batter  too  thick.  The  above  propor- 
tions Avill  make  enough  for  a  family  of  a  baker's 
dozen. — Aroostook  Pioneer. 

Cure  for  Rheumatism. — 1  oz.  Oil  Rosemary, 
1  oz.  Oil  Cloves,  1  oz.  Oil  Origanum,  1  oz.  Spir- 
its Turpentine,  1  oz.  Spirits  Ammonia,  1  oz.  Tint- 
ture  Cantharides,  1  oz.  Alcohol.  Mix  in  a  light 
glass-stopple  bottle,  and  shake  up  Avhen  used. 
Heat  a  saucer  on  embers,  pour  a  little  in  the 
saucer,  and  rub  it  on  the  part  afi'ected  Avith  the 
hand,  previously  Avarmed  by  the  fire,  so  as  to  en- 
courage absorption.  Also  said  to  be  very  good 
for  sick-headache. 


DEVOTED   TO  AGRICULTUKE    AN"D    ITS   KINDRED   ARTS   AND    SCIENCES, 


VOL.  X. 


BOSTON,  MAY,  1858. 


NO.  5. 


JOEL  NOURSE,  Proprietor. 
Office.. .13  Commercial  St. 


SIMON  BROWN,  EDITOR. 


FRED'K  HOLBROOK,  )  Associate 
HENRY  F.  FRENCH,     Editors. 


MAY. 

"0  !  knew  he  but  his  happiness,  of  men 

The  happiest  lie,  who,  far  from  public  rage, 

Deep  in  the  vale  with  a  choice  few  retir'il, 

Drinks  the  pure  pleasures  of  the  rural  life  ! 

Rich  in  content,  in  nature's  society  rich, 

In  herbs  and  fruits,  whatever  greens  the  Spring:, 

When  Heaven  descends  in  showers  or  bends  the  boughs, 

When  summer  reddens  and  when  autumn  beams, 

Or  in  the  wintry  glebe  whatever  lies 

Conceal'd,  and  fattens  with  the  richest  sap, 

These  are  not  wanting: — 

This  is  the  life  which  those  who  fret  in  guilt. 

And  guilty  cities  never  knew ;  the  life 

I,ed  by  primeval  ages  uncorrupt. 

When  acgels  dwelt,  and  God  himself  with  man." 

AY,  more  than 
any  other  month, 
awakens  and 
kindles  those 
emotions  of  the 
heart  which  beat 
in  unison  with 
the  changes  and 
appearances  of 
Nature.  The 
pleasures  of  ru- 
ral life,  and  es- 
pecially those  of 
spring,  have 
been  a  standing 
theme  of  admi- 
ration, from  time 
immemorial. 

Wherever  the 
harmonizing  in- 
fluences of  civil- 
ization have  been  felt,  there  have  not  been  want- 
ing those  who  delight  to  sing,  paint  or  chisel  the 
joys  of  husbandry. 

The  Idyls  of  Theocritus  and  the  Bucolics   of 

Virgil  are  imperishable  monuments  of  the  high 

estimation  in  which  agricultural  pursuits  were 

held  by  the  most  eidightened  nations  of  antiquity. 

Cincinnatus  deemed  it  an  honor  to  exchange 


the  helm  of  state,  to  which  he  had  been  called  by 
a  nation's  voice,  and  which  he  had  so  conducted 
as  to  secure  a  nation's  approbation,  for  the  plow, 
and  the  purer  and  more  simple  pleasures  of  rus- 
tic life. 

The  most  successful  efforts  of  genius  have  been 
expended  upon  rustic  simplicity. 

Among  enlightened  nations  of  modern  times, 
no  order  of  poetry  has  so  many  admirers  as  pas- 
toral, no  style  of  painting  awakens  such  enthusi- 
asm, and  commands  such  universal  admiration,  as 
landscape. 

The  merchant,  amid  the  toils  and  perplexing 
cares  of  city  tiade,  sighs  for  the  sweets  of  coun- 
try life, — longs  to  hold  communion  with  nature 
in  her  rustic  retreats.  With  the  laboring  man, 
the  mechanic,  and  the  artisan,  the  height  of  am- 
bition of  his  being  is  to  gain  undisputed  posses- 
sion of  a  "little  farm  well  tilled ;"  and  the  pro- 
fessional man  and  the  man  of  letters  are  ever 
looking  forward  with  pleasing  anticipations,  to 
the  time,  when  they  may  be  permitted  to  enjoy  a 
dignified  retirement  in  a  sequestered  spot,  where 
art  is  less  conspicuous  than  nature,  and  where 
they  can  contemplate  the  varying  aspects  of 
country  life,  ramble  over  sunny  hills  or  meditate 
by  purling  brooks,  or  find  unalloyed  enjoyments 
in  the  cultivation  of  the  soil  and  the  growth  and 
care  of  the  inferior  animals  dependent  upon 
them. 

Indeed,  nearly  all  our  ideas  of  comfort,  of 
calm  satisfaction,  are  associated  with  country  life. 
The  paradise  in  which  Adam  and  Eve  found 
their  chief  joys,  was  a  garden,  in  which  gi-ew 
every  conceivable  variety  of  plant.  Listen  to 
their  charming  conversation  : — 

Adam  to  Eve — 

"To-morrow,  ere  fresh  morning  streak  the  east 
With  first  approach  of  light,  we  must  be  risen, 
And  at  our  pleasant  labor  to  reform 
Von  flowery  arbors,  yonder  alleys  green. 
Our  walk  at  noon,  with  branches  overgrown. 
That  mock  our  scant  manuring,  and  require 
More  hands  than  ours  to  lop  their  wanton  gi-owth  j 


202 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Mat 


.*1 


Those  blossoms,  also,  and  those  dropping  gums, 
That  lie  bestrown,  unsightly  and  unsmooth, 
Ask  riddance,  if  we  mean  to  tread  with  ease  : 
Meanwhile,  as  Nature  wills,  night  bids  us  rest." 

lEve  to  Adam — 

"With  thee  conversing  I  forget  all  time  ; 
All  seasons  and  their  change,  all  please  alike. 
Sweet  is  the  breath  of  morn,  her  rising  sweet, 
AYith  charm  of  earliest  birds  ;  pleasant  the  sun,     ^ 
When  first  en  this  delightful  land  he  spreads 
His  orient  beams,  on  herb,  tree,  fruit  and  flower, 
Glistering  with  dew ;  fragrant  the  fertile  earth 
After  soft  showers ;  and  sweet  the  coming  on 
Of  grateful  evening  mild  ;  then  silent  night. 
With  this  her  solemn  bird,  and  this  fair  moon, 
And  these  the  gems  of  Heaven,  her  starry  train : 
But  neither  breath  of  morn,  when  she  ascends 
With  charm  of  earliest  birds  ;  nor  rising  sun 
On  this  delightful  land ;  nor  herb,  fruit,  flower. 
Glistering  with  dew ;  nor  fragrance  after  showers ; 
Nor  grateful  evening  mild  ;  nor  silent  night. 
With  this  her  solemn  bird,  nor  walk  by  moon. 
Or  glittering  starlight,  without  thee  is  sweet." 

Such  are  the  scenes  which  yield  a  calm  satis- 
faction that  is  undying — that  time,  nor  distance, 
nor  circumstances,  can  ever  efface  ;  they  make  an 
impression  that  outlives  all  the  gratifications  of 
pomp,  or  power,  or  pecuniary  gain,  and  nestle 
and  live  in  the  heart  when  the  applause  of  the 
world  falls  cold  and  lifeless  upon  it. 

"What  imagination  is  so  fertile  as  to  conjure  up 
a  paradise,  where  there  is  neither  tree,  nor  shrub, 
nor  flower, — where  neither  vegetable  color  nor 
odor  regale  the  senses, — where  Flora  and  Pomo- 
na are  unknown  goddesses,  —  where  nought 
meets  the  eye,  but  a  boundless  waste  of  sterilitj'. 

Sensibility  to  emotions  of  beauty  and  grandeur 
and  sublimity  is  innate  in  the  human  breast. 
Amid  the  ever-shifting  scenes  which  nature  pre- 
sents, objects  are  constantly  occurring  which 
awaken  these  emotions  and  give  a  charm  to  life, 
to  which  the  shop,  the  counting-room,  the  studio, 
the  cloister  and  the  forum  are  all  strangers. 

The  tiller  of  the  soil  is  the  true  nobleman 
He  receives  the  bounties  of  Providence  direct 
from  the  hand  of  the  Giver.  He  is  daily  conver- 
sant with  scenes  of  unsurpassed  beauty  and 
grandeur,  and  unless  more  stupid  than  the  ox 
which  he  feeds  and  drives,  must  be  constrained 
to  exclaim,  in  view  of  such  displays  of  wisdom 
and  benevolence,  "What  a  stupendous  power  and 
boundless  love  does  my  Father  possess  who 
made  and  gives  them  all !" 

Who,  then,  would  not  be  a  farmer  ?  "Why 
should  not  he  who  is  blessed  in  the  possession  of 
a  few  prolific  acres,  cultivated  with  skill,  and 
yielding  the  staple  articles  of  subsistence,  be  con- 
tent therewith  ?  Why  should  farmers'  sons  be 
so  ready  and  anxious,  even,  to  quit  the  home  of 
their  youth  and  wander  from  all  early  associa- 
tions, to  become  involved  in  the  intricacies  of 
"trade,"  and  lead  a  life  of  uncertain  gain,  and  of 
feverish  disquietude  ?     Why  should  parents  urre 


this  course,  as  too  many  do,  with  the  gloomy 
fact  before  them,  that  less  than  five  in  one  hun- 
dred who  engage  in  mercantile  life  succeed  in 
the  business  they  have  chosen? 

Man  made  the  city,  but  God  made  the  country. 
Great  cities  are  great  sores  upon  the  body  poli- 
tic ;  and  were  it  not  for  the  sanitary  influences 
which  flow  in  from  the  country,  they  would  be- 
come so  greatly  demoralized  as  to  be  extermina- 
ted by  their  own  corruption.  Our  country's  hope, 
like  that  of  every  other  republic,  is  in  her  yeoman- 
ry. To  the  rural  districts,  to  the  hard-handed, 
clear-headed,  high  moral  toned  conservative  cul- 
tivators of  the  soil,  patriotism  must  look  for  pro- 
tection and  the  perpetuity  of  our  free  institu- 
tions. 

Hail,  then,  lovely  May,  most  inspiring  of  the 
months.  We  have  welcomed  all  the  early  har- 
bingers of  spring  that  dared  to  peep  from  their 
sunny  nooks  in  March ;  they  were  few  and  shy 
heralds,  but  were  beautiful  and  breathing  fra- 
grance, and  imparting  joy  while  winter  lingered 
about  them.  April,  too,  has  passed,  watering 
and  refreshing  the  earth,  so  that  May,  with  her 
warm  sun  and  fresh  flowers,  should  be  as  strong 
as  it  is  lovely,  in  order  to  complete  the  work  she 
has  to  do. 

"Meadows  fresh  with  Daisies  trim. 

Shady  banks  with  Harebell  blue. 
Groves  where  birds  are  carolhng, 

Towering  Pines  where  Turtles  coo." 


MASSON'S  OIL  FOB  "WOUUDS,  &C. 

I  have  long  been  in  possession  of  a  recipe  for 
the  cure  of  corked  hoofs  and  wounds  on  horses 

Take  2  ounces  of  rock  salt ; 
2  ounces  of  copperas  ; 
2  ounces  of  white  vitriol ; 
8  ounces  of  sale  molasses  ; 
h.  pint  of  linseed  oil ; 
1  pint  of  chamber  lye. 

Pulverize  and  boil  the  above  together  fifteen  min- 
utes ;  then  add  4  ounces  spirits  of  turpentine  and 
1  ounce  of  oil  of  vitriol,  and  bottle  it  up,  and 
when  cold  it  is  fit  for  use.  Shake  the  bottle  be- 
fore using  it.  Bathe  the  wound  once  or  twice  a 
day,  and  dry  it  in  with  a  hot  shovel. 

I  have  kept  and  used  this  liniment,  which  is 
here  known  as  "Masson's  Oil,"  for  the  past  ten 
years,  to  a  good  account. — A.  D.  Brovm,  in  Coun- 
try Qentleman. 

Soil  Culture. — This  is  the  title  of  a  new 
work  by  J.  H.  Walden,  A.  M.,  containing  a 
comprehensive  view  of  Agriculture,  Horticulture, 
Pomology,  Domestic  Animals,  Rural  Economy 
and  Agricultural  Literature.  Illustrated  by  nu- 
merous engravings.  New  York:  B.  F.  Chap- 
pell  &  Co.  Persons  cultivating  the  soil  will  find 
this  a  useful  book,  full  of  useful  suggestions,  and 
given  in  a  brief  and  comprehensive  manner. 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


203 


Fur  the  New  England  Farmer. 
A  DAY  AT  BRIGHTON, 

Thursday,  oi-  market  day  at  Brighton,  is  dis- 
tinctly announced,  by  the  many  carriages  which 
are  seen  rattling  along  the  road  ;  these  are  usual- 
ly distinguished  by  the  absence  of  ladies,  and 
sometimes  still  more  conspicuously  by  the  addi- 
tion of  a  lame  or  bliad  horse  hitched  on  behind, 
while  a  yoke  of  oxen  or  a  couple  of  cows,  sound 
or  unsound,  frequently  bring  up  the  rear.  As 
we  approach  still  nearer  to  Brighton,  the  number 
of  carriages  increase,  fast  horses  rush  past  us  at 
every  turn,  while  the  jolly  farmer  with  his  fat  and 
contented  horse  may  be  seen  plodding  slowly  and 
happily  along.  The  rattling  of  carriages,  the  low- 
ing of  cattle,  and  the  bleating  of  sheep  announce 
our  entrance  to  the  great  cattle  market  of  New 
England. 

Having  put  up  our  tired  horse  at  the  stable 
near  the  Brighton  Hotel,  where  a  hundred  other 
equally  tired  horses  are  hurriedly  eating  their 
provender,  the  first  thing  that  attracts  our  atten- 
tion, (if  it  is  in  the  fall  of  the  year,)  is,  the  great 
quantity  of  goods  offered  for  sale  in  the  open  air 
on  the  piazza  of  the  Brighton  Hotel,  and  in  front 
of  the  neighboring  stores.  The  voice  of  the  auc- 
tioneer is  distinctly  heard  above  all  the  bustle 
and  confusion  of  the  place  ;  and,  although  very 
many  useful  articles  are  sold  here  very  cheap,  yet 
sometimes  the  buyer  l)ays  pretty  dear  for  his 
whistle.  Good  leather  trunks  have  been  sold 
here  for  the  low  price  of  two  dollars,  but  they  af- 
terward proved  to  be  made  of  brown  paper  ;  and 
woolen  cloth  for  twenty-five  cents  per  yard,  but 
it  afterwards  proved  to  be  made  from  old  rags. 

As  it  is  near  eleven  o'clock,  we  will  next  visit 
the  place  where  any  quantity  of  old,  lame,  blind 
or  diseased  horses  may  be  bought  at  prices  va- 
rying from  seventy-five  cents  to  five  dollars,  and 
where  better  ones  may  be  bought  from  that  sum, 
up  to  any  price  you  wish.  Some  apparently  good 
horses  are  sold  here  very  cheap,  but  sometimes 
horses  are  sold  here,  having  various  diseases, 
from  glanders  down  ;  and  having  all  manner  of 
ugly  tricks,  from  kicking  wagons  to  pieces  up. 
We  think  there  must  be  some  risk  in  purchasing 
here,  without  alluding  to  the  chance  of  getting  a 
stolen  horse. 

We  will  now  pass  to  the  cattle-yards,  where 
W'e  see  superior  beeves,  strong  working  oxen, 
handsome  heifers  and  steers,  beautiful  cows,  in- 
nocent lambs  and  fat  sheep,  and  a  large  number 
of  swine,  judging  from  the  music  they  make. 
With  these,  also,  there  is  much  inferior  stock, 
and  sometimes  a  diseased  or  an  ugly  cow,  or  an 
ox  that  has  been  strained  by  overdrawing,  or  bit- 
ten by  a  mad  dog,  is  skilfully  sold  to  an  unsus- 
pecting purchaser.  After  having  considered  all 
these  things,  we  conclude  to  purchase,  and,  in 
our  haste  to  do  so,  we  run  against  a  couple  of 
Irish  women  who  are  buying  a  pig  ;  attempting 
to  apologize,  we  stumble  over  the  pig  himself. 
We  pick  ourselves  up,  and  see  a  mulatto  sitting 
on  a  plank,  playing  on  a  banjo  and  singing  about 
glorious  Brighton  day. 

We  next  buy  a  yoke  of  oxen,  very  cheap  !  The 
fellow  who  sold  them  seemed  to  be  in  a  great 
hurry,  he  takes  his  money  and  runs.  One  ox 
turned  out  to  be  very  badly  strained  by  over- 
drawing, and  we  believe  the  name  of  the  disease 


which  it  caused,  is  termed  red  water.  We  soon 
ascertain  that  the  cattle  had  been  sold  there  four 
times  before,  and  were  pretty  well  known  by 
those  Avho  frequent  Brighton.  We  sold  them  to 
a  person  who  was  well  posted  up  in  Brighton  af- 
fairs for  twenty  dollars  less  than  we  gave,  and  as 
one  ox  was  worthless,  we  think  we  made  a  good 
trade.  He  sold  them  the  next  market  day  at  a 
fair  profit.  We  then  bought  another  yoke  of  cat- 
tle which  proved  well,  and  we  returned  home  ap- 
parently satisfied  with  our  day's  labor.  AVe  con- 
clude this  imperfect  but  truthful  sketch  with  the 
wish,  that  the  farming  readers  of  the  Farmer 
have  all  made  as  many  good  trades  in  Brighton 
as  the  undersigned,  and  not  half  as  many  poor 
ones.      »  J.  N.  s. 

South  Walpole,  Muss. 


Remakks. — We  long  since  learned  that  it  is 
not  all  gold  that  glitters,  nor  can  it  be  all  sham  or 
false  at  Brighton.  Would  it  not  be  well  for  our 
correspondent  to  give  some  of  the  real  merits  of 
Brighton  Market  ? 


HOGS  VS.  DOGS. 


""WTiat  a  dog  lives  upon  Mill  keep  a  hog."  If 
anybody  doubts  the  truth  of  the  saying,  let  him 
kill  his  useless  dog,  and  put  a  pig  in  the  pen  and 
give  it  the  dog's  allowance.  He  M-ill  find  in  a  few 
months  that  he  has  a  fine  fat  porker  fit  to  be  eat- 
en, a  use  the  dog  could  not  be  possibly  applied 
to  by  any  Christian  man.  There  are  too  many 
dogs  in  the  countrj-,  by  far  too  many — if  they 
had  all  been  killed  a  year  ago,  there  might  be 
two  hundred  pounds  of  good  fat  pork  in  the  coun- 
try to  balance  against  every  dog  so  set  aside, 
which  would  be  no  inconsiderable  item  in  the 
present  scarcity  of  supplies.  Dogs  are  a  nuisance, 
and  should  be  taxed.  While  every  farmer  keeps 
his  dog,  and  every  slave  his  dog,  and  every  free 
negro  his  (wo  or  three  dogs,  sheep  stand  a  poor 
chance  to  get  through  the  world  and  yield  their 
annual  fleece  with  untorn  throats.  The  increase 
of  the  dog  po])idation  accounts  for  the  scarcity 
of  sheep. — N.  C.  Planter. 


MANURES. 

Mr.  T.  W.  Field,  in  a  paper  read  before  the 
Farmer's  Club  of  the  American  Institute,  on  ma- 
nures, states  the  following  propositions  : 

1.  Manure  does  not  waste,  so  long  as  it  is  un- 
fermented  or  undissolved,  and  these  conditions 
may  be  effected  by  drying  or  saturation. 

2.  Fresh  manure  is  unfit  for  food  for  plants. 

3.  Fermenting  manure,  in  contact  with  inert 
matter,  has  the  power  of  neutralizing  vicious  prop- 
erties, such  as  the  tannic  acid  of  peat,  and  ma- 
king it  a  fertilizer. 

4.  ]\Ianure  wastes  in  two  ways — the  escape  of 
gas,  and  the  dissolving  of  its  soluble  salts. 

5.  The  creative  power  of  manure,  mixed  with 
other  substances,  is  capable  of  multiplying  its 
value  many  times. 

G.  The  value  of  manure  to  crops  is  in  propor- 
tion to  its  divisibility  through  the  soil.  The 
golden  rule  of  farming  should  be — small  quantities 
of  manure  thoroughly  divided  and  intermingled 
with  the  soil. — American  Farmer. 


204 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


May 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
PUMPKIUS  AMONG  COEN". 

Mr.  Editor  : — For  the  benefit  of  your  Ver- 
mont correspondent,  I  will  give  you  an  item  from 
my  experience.  Some  fifteen  years  since,  I  plant- 
ed three-fourths  of  an  acre  of  corn  in  one  piece, 
on  one-fourth  acre  of  which  I  planted  pumpkins  ; 
the  land  was  manured  highly,  and  gave  a  fine 
growth  of  both  corn  and  pumpkins,  but  at  harvest, 
the  vines  had  so  overrun  the  corn,  that  I  was 
obliged  to  leave  that  portion  until  the  frost  had 
killed  them,  by  which  the  fodder  was  reduced  in 
value  at  least  half,  and  when  the  corn  was  husked, 
I  found  the  ears  shorter,  badly  filled  at  the  tips, 
and  much  lighter  than  where  no  pumpkins  greAV. 

This  is  the  only  instance  in  which  I  have  seen 
a  fair  trial  of  both  methods  on  the  same  piece, 
having  discontinued  the  practice  of  planting 
mixed  field  crop ;  but  I  can  see  but  one  advan- 
tage in  planting  corn  and  pumpkins  together, 
viz.,  when  the  bugs  destroy  the  vines,  as  they  of- 
ten do,  the  corn  is  ready  to  occupy  the  ground, 
all  the  advantage  from  a  variety  of  crop  being 
obtained  quite  as  readily,  by  rotation  in  diflferent 
seasons ;  on  the  other  hand,  I  think  the  vines 
produce  all  the  bad  effect  of  weeds,  by  drawing 
from  the  soil  the  nutriment  which  ought  to  go  to 
fill  out  the  grain,  and  they  shade  the  ground  late  in 
the  season,  thereby  preventing  the  ripening  of 
the  corn,  quite  an  important  item  in  our  short 
summers  ;  besides,  if  the  land  is  prepared  as  it 
should  be  for  corn,  the  vines  will  pull  down  and 
tie  it  together,  so  that  both  crops  must  of  neces- 
sity be  harvested  at  once,  for  all  which,  in  my 
opinion,  nothing  like  an  adequate  return  will  be 
made  in  the  crop  of  pumpkins. 

As  a  field  crop  for  feeding  purposes,  I  think 
the  pumpkin  will  not  pay ;  but  if  your  Vermont 
friend  cannot  do  without  pumpkin  pies,  I  would 
advise  him  to  plant  separate  from  other  crops,  or 
at  least  near  the  edge  of  his  corn,  where  the 
vines  will  run  out  on  the  grass  land,  or  better 
still,  supply  their  place  with  the  Hubbard  squash  ; 
and  here  let  me  suggest,  if  any  of  your  friends 
have  still  any  of  last  year's  crop  of  this  delicious 
vegetable,  that  they  should  try  baking  instead  of 
boiling  it.  It  will  peel  readily  from  the  shell  and 
is  much  sweeter  and  drier.     Wm.  F.  Bassett. 

Ashfield,  Feb.,  I808. 


HEDGES  AND  EVERGREENS. 

It  is  doubtful  whether  hedges  will  ever  become 
common  in  New  England  as  division  fences,  but 
they  will  be  used  by  persons  of  taste  as  lines  of 
division  wherever  they  will  become  objects  of 
ornament  and  utility  at  the  same  time.  Between 
well  kept  grounds  about  the  dwelling,  and  a  dusty 
highway,  or  for  separating  a  lawn  from  plowed 
fields,  or  screening  unsightly  objects  from  the 
windows,  hedges  answer  an  admirable  purpose. 

In  the  western  States,  however,  where  wood 
and  stone  are  both  scarce  and  costly  for  fencing 
materials,  the  hedge,  or  iron,  must  be  resorted 
to,  if  the  practice  of  the  older  States  becomes 
prevalent,  of  each  man  having  his  farm  enclosed 
by  itself.     Indeed,  on  the  prairies,  hedges  would 


be  useful  not  only  as  fences,  but  as  affording 
shade  for  man  and  beast,  and  as  a  protection 
against  the  winds  which  are  usually  blowing  un- 
obstructed over  those  vast  and  treeless  plains. 
Hedges,  therefore,  will  be  useful  in  one  form  or 
another,  over  the  whole  extent  of  our  country. 

Such  being  the  case,  we  are  glad  to  see  a  work 
on  the  subject  of  Hedges  and  Evergreens,  which 
will  point  the  way  to  their  successful  culture. 

The  book  with  the  title  which  stands  at  the 
head  of  this  notice  purports  to  be  'A  complete 
manual  for  the  cultivation,  pruning  and  manage- 
ment of  all  plants  suitable  for  American  hedging  ; 
especially  the  Madura,  or  Osage  Orange  ; — and 
fully  illustrated  with  engravings  of  plants,  imple- 
ments and  processes.  To  which  is  added  a  Trea- 
tise on  Evergreens ;  their  different  varieties — 
their  propagation,  transplanting,  and  culture  In 
the  United  States."  By  John  A.  Warder,  M. 
D.,  Editor  of  Western  liorticidturalEevieiv,  Presi- 
dent of  the  Cincinnati  Horticultural  Society,  &c. 
A.  O.  Moore,  Agricultural  Book  publisher.  New 
York.  The  work  contains  a  chapter  on  the  juris- 
prudence of  fences,  giving  an  outline  of  the  laws 
relating  to  fences  In  the  several  States,  and  con- 
tains much  information  of  value  to  those  engaged 
In  the  subjects  of  which  It  treats.  It  Is  printed 
in  Mr.  Moore's  beautiful  style,  and  illustrated 
with  numerous  engravings,  and  for  sale  by  A. 
Williams  &  Co.,  Booksellers,  100  Washington 
Street,  Boston. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
CONCENTRATED  MANURES. 

Mr.  Editor  : — Much  has  been  said  and  writ- 
ten within  the  few  past  years,  on  the  value  of 
concentrated  manures,  guano,  |)hosphate,  <S:c.,  and 
I  cannot  doubt  that  in  a  multitude  of  cases  the 
money  expended  for  them  has  proved  a  remuner- 
ative outlay ;  and  yet  I  strongly  suspect  that  if 
these  highly  recommended  fertilizers  which  have 
been  purchased  by  the  farmers  of  this  State, 
could  be  traced  to  their  results,  we  should  find 
that,  like  lottery  tickets,  too  many  of  them  have 
drawn  blanks  for  the  aggregate  profit  of  the  pur- 
chaser. 

AVith  manures,  as  with  many  other  things,  the 
fact  that  they  come  from  a  distance  and  cost  a 
great  deal  of  money,  seems  to  give  them,  in  the 
estimation  of  some,  an  additional  recommendation. 

Do  not  infer  from  the  above  remarks  that  I 
have  burnt  my  own  fingers  in  the  purchase  and 
use  of  these  fertilizers.  I  have  tried  them  to 
some  extent,  and  carefully  noted  the  result ;  yet 
I  cannot  tell  whether  I  have  gained  or  lost  by 
the  operation.  But  my  experiments  have  helped 
me  In  coming  to  the  conclusion  that  the  same 
expenditure  In  collecting  materials  from  my  own 
premises  to  act  as  absorbents  and  swell  the  com- 
post heap,  would  have  proved  a  more  profitable 
investment.  Why,  sir,  just  look  at  it.  Take  the 
article  of  guano.  Two  bags  at  150  pounds  each, 
would  cost  me,   delivered,  at  least  ten  dollars. 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


205 


These  two  bags  would  just  about  fill  a  common 
flour-barrel.  Now  let  any  industrious  farmer  ex- 
pend five  dollars  in  labor  with  his  own  help  and 
team,  in  procuring  swamp-muck,  if  within  reason- 
able distance  ;  and  five  dollars  more  in  collecting 
brakes  and  other  materials  from  the  pasture,  road- 
side or  wood-lot ;  and  I  think  he  will  have  a  pile  by 
the  side  of  which  the  barrel  of  guano  will  be 
small  in  size  and  in  value  ;  and  the  ten  dollars 
be  kept  nearer  home. 

While  ammonia  is  the  principal  element  of 
value  in  concentrated  manures,  those  from  the 
stable  and  hog-yard,  contain  in  due  proportion, 
more  of  the  requisite  food  for  plants,  and  besides 
have  more  of  bulk, — an  important  quality  for 
most  of  our  soils,  rendering  them  more  pervious 
to  heat  and  atmospheric  influences. 

There  are  few  farmers  who  so  understand  how 
to  use  these  manures,  and  their  adaptation  to 
particular  soils,  as  to  make  the  purchase  of  them, 
to  any  great  extent,  a  safe  operation,  unless  their 
circumstances  are  such  that  they  can  aflbrd  to 
fail  in  the  experiment. 

I  believe  that  many  kinds  of  concentrated  ma- 
nures will  yet  find  a  permanent  place  among  the 
farmers  as  reliable  auxiliaries  ;  but  they  will  be 
like  the  mint  the  anise  and  the  cummin,  com- 
pared with  what  he  may  manufacture  on  his  own 
premises.  J.  WoOD. 

Hoyalston,  March  6,  1858. 


Fur  the  New  England  Farmer 
PLEA   FOB  THE  ROBIN". 
BY   WILSON   FLAGG. 

Certain  cultivators,  annoyed  by  the  depreda- 
tions committed  by  the  common  robin  upon  their 
cherry  trees,  have  lately  discovered,  as  they  sup- 
pose, that  this  bii'd  is  of  no  sei'vicc  to  agriculture. 
They  accuse  him  of  living  upon  fruit  and  earth- 
worms alone,  alleging  that  he  destroys  but  very 
few  of  the  insects  which  are  injurious  to  vegeta- 
tion. Herein  they  are  led  astray  by  a  very  egre- 
gious error,  and  one  that  might  produce  incalcula- 
ble mischief  were  they  to  succeed  in  convincing 
the  public  that  the  robin  is  an  enemy  to  the  garden 
and  the  farm.  Nothing  can  be  further  from  the 
truth.  It  is  in  fact  one  of  the  most  valuable  of 
oir  birds,  exceeded  only  by  the  small  woodpeck- 
er and  the  chickadee  in  the  service  he  pei'forms  by 
checking  the  multiplication  of  noxious  insects. 
Let  us  make  a  few  inquiries  respecting  his  habits. 

The  robin  is  not  a  searcher  for  small  insects, 
that  live  upon  the  bark  and  leaves  of  trees.  He 
seeks  his  food  like  the  other  thrushes,  mostly  up- 
on the  ground  ;  and  is  often  seen,  after  a  rain, 
pulling  out  earth-worms  from  their  holes.  This 
circumstance  has  led  many  to  suppose  that  he 
confines  himself  to  these.  It  is  true  that  he  de- 
vours great  quantities  of  earth-worms,  but  they 
are  only  a  small  part  of  his  diet.  He  also  con- 
sumes large  numbers  of  those  grubs  which  occa- 
sionally appear  on  the  surface  of  the  soil.  These 
are  taken  only  by  certain  species  of  birds.  Neith- 
er the  woodpecker,  nor  the  chickadee,  nor  the 
■wax-wing,  nor  any  species  of  swallow,  nor  the 
king-bird,  nor  any  of  the  fly-catchers,  nor  that  ex- 
cellent friend  of  the  garden,  the  golden  oriole, 
take  their  food  from  the  ground.  What  provis- 
ion then  has  nature  made  to  rid  the  surface  of  the 


soil  of  its  noxious  insects  ?  Among  the  small 
birds  the  thrushes  seem  to  be  designed  for  this 
special  purpose  ;  and  of  all  the  species  of  this 
tribe  none  is  more  beneficial  than  the  common 
robin. 

What  constitutes  the  food  of  this  bird  during 
eight  months  of  the  year  when  there  are  no  fruits 
in  the  garden  or  pasture  ?  It  cannot  be  said  that 
he  lives  upon  seeds,  for  he  refuses  seeds  of  all 
kinds  unless  they  are  crushed  and  made  into  a 
dough ;  and  if  a  young  robin  is  fed  chiefly  on 
farinaceous  food  in  a  state  of  confinement,  he 
will  sicken  and  die.  The  plain  inference  is,  that 
when  he  cannot  obtain  fruit  he  lives  upon  worms 
and  insects.  If  angle-worms  are  the  principal 
part  of  his  diet,  how  does  he  continue  to  obtain 
them  when  the  superficial  soil  is  dry,  and  they  are 
lodged  in  the  subsoil  ?  He  cannot  get  them  at 
any  time  except  when  they  are  either  wholly  or 
partially  above  ground.  He  cannot  dig  or  scratch 
for  them,  and  must  consume  other  insects  or  he 
would  starve.  And  when  we  consider  the  vast 
multitudes  of  robins  in  our  land,  and  their  vora- 
cious appetites,  when  we  consider  likewise  that 
they  live  exclusively  upon  insects  and  Avorms, 
when  fruit  is  not  to  be  obtained,  we  must  admit 
that  the  quantity  of  crawling  vermin  consumed  by 
these  birds  must  be  immense  and  altogether  beyond 
calculation.  There  are  no  other  birds  that  could 
supply  their  place,  since  the  other  thrushes  are 
too  shy  to  frequent  our  tilled  grounds.  The  larks, 
the  snipes  and  blackbirds  are  likewise  all  too  shy 
to  perform  an  equal  amount  of  the  same  service. 

If  the  robins  were  to  be  exterminated  the  mis- 
chievous consequences  that  would  ensue  could 
never  be  repaired  except  by  restoring  them,  cer- 
tainly not  within  a  period  of  twenty  years.  Let 
us  enumerate  some  of  the  insects  that  are  kept 
in  check  by  the  labors  of  the  robin.  He  destroys 
nearly  all  kinds  of  worms,  grubs  and  caterpillars 
that  live  upon  the  green  sward  and  the  cultivated 
soil ;  and  large  quantities  of  crickets  and  grass- 
hojjpers  before  they  have  become  perfect  insects. 
The  grubs  of  locusts,  of  harvest-flies  and  of 
beetles,  which  are  turned  up  by  the  plow  or  the 
hoe,  and  the  puptB  of  the  same  when  emerging 
from  the  soil ;  apple  worms  when  they  leave  the 
fi'uit  and  crawl  about  in  quest  of  a  new  shelter, 
and  those  subterranean  caterpillars  or  cutworms, 
that  come  out  of  the  earth  to  take  their  food;  all 
these  and  many  others  are  eagerly  devoured  by 
the  robin.  The  cutworms  emerge  from  the  soil 
during  the  night  to  seek  their  food,  and  the  rob- 
in, which  is  one  of  the  earliest  birds  to  go  abroad 
in  the  morning,  is  very  diligent  at  the  dawn  of 
day  in  hunting  for  these  vermin  before  they  have 
gone  back  into  their  retreat.  The  number  of 
these  destructive  grubs  is  immense. 

"Whole  cornfields,"  says  Dr.  Harris,  "are  some-, 
times  laid  waste  by  them.  Cabbage-plants,  till 
they  are  grown  to  a  considerable  size,  are  very 
apt  to  be  cut  off"  and  destroyed  by  them.  Potato 
vines,  beans,  beets  and  various  other  culinary 
plants  suff'er  in  the  same  way.  The  products  of 
our  flower-gardens  are  not  spared  ;  asters,  balsams, 
pinks  and  many  other  kinds  of  flowers  are  often 
shorn  of  their  leaves  and  of  their  central  buds, 
by  these  concealed  spiders." — Report,  page  343. 
The  services  of  the  robin  in  destroying  these 
alone  would  more  than  pay  for  all  the  fruit  they 
devour.     Indeed,  during  the  breeding  season,  a 


206 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Mat 


robin  is  seldom  seen  Avithout  one  of  these  cater- 
pillai-s  or  some  similar  grub  in  his  mouth,  which 
he  designs  for  his  young  ;  and  as  the  robin  often 
raises  three  broods  of  young  during  the  season, 
his  species  must  destroy  more  of  this  class  of  nox- 
ious insects  than  almost  all  other  birds  together. 

It  must  be  idle  to  dispute  the  fact  that  in  cer- 
tain places  the  robins  are  very  mischievous  in 
their  depredations  upon  the  cherry  trees.  There 
is  one  good  remedy  for  this  evil,  which  was  sug- 
gested some  weeks  since  by  a  correspondent  of 
the  Farmer.  This  remedy  is  to  plant  a  greater 
quantity  of  cherry  trees  ;  for  it  will  be  found  that 
wherever  there  is  a  great  abundance  of  this  fruit 
the  robins  do  comparatively  but  little  damage. 
One  very  important  cause  of  their  depredations 
is  the  destruction  of  the  blueberry  pastures, 
which  would  supply  them  with  large  quantities  of 
berries  about  cherry  time.  It  is  precisely  in  those 
sections  of  the  country,  as  in  Cambridge  and  the 
suburbs  of  Boston,  where  the  lilueberry  bushes 
have  been  extirpated  from  the  wild  lands,  we  hear 
the  most  complaint  against  the  robin.  Our  farm- 
ers, when  they  clear  a  whortleberry  pasture, 
should  transplant  all  the  blueberry  bushes  to  the 
sides  of  the  walls  and  fences,  to  supply  the  fru- 
giverous  birds  with  berries,  and  thereby  divert 
them  from  the  gardens.  There  are  thousands  of 
miles  of  stone  wall,  within  two  hours  walk  from 
Boston,  which  ought  to  be  bordered  with  blue- 
berry bushes  and  amelanchiers,  (June  berries,) 
where  without  occupying  any  valuable  space  they 
would  feed  the  birds  and  produce  tons  of  berries, 
to  employ  the  diligent  hands  of  women  and  child- 
ren of  poor  families,  who  would  gather  them  for 
the  market.  Let  those  horticulturists  who  have 
conceived  a  prejudice  against  the  robin,  instead 
of  petitioning  the  Legislature  to  remove  the  legal 
protection  that  new  exists  in  favor  of  this  bird, 
petition  the  authorities  of  the  city  of  Boston  to 
appropriate  a  few  thousand  dollars  for  the  plant- 
ing of  blueberry  bushes  and  amelanchiers  by 
the  sides  of  fences  in  all  pasture  lands  within  five 
miles  of  the  city ;  and  after  the  work  is  accom- 
plished we  shall  hear  no  more  complaints  of  the 
robin  and  the  cedar-bird. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer, 
MUD  FHOM  THE  MARSHES. 
From  the  salt  marshes  I  mean — for  every  one 
knows,  that  the  mud  from  swamps  and  fresh 
meadows  is  more  or  less  valuable  as  material  for 
compost,  according  to  the  position  in  which  it 
is  found,  and  the  time  it  has  been  accumulating. 
When  I  heard  a  distinguished  gentleman  inquire, 
at  a  late  farmers'  meeting  in  the  State  House, 
as  to  the  value  of  this  marsh  mud,  many  cords  of 
which  he  had  seen  thrown  into  piles  from  the 
'  ditches  cut  to  drain  the  marshes,  I  Avas  disposed 
to  answer  his  inquiry,  and  sa)  it  was  little  ivorth. 
Such  was  my  impression  at  the  time.  And  such 
I  have  since  found  is  the  estimate  of  it  by  those 
who  own  marshes,  and  have  handled  this  sub- 
stance. They  compare  it  with  the  sods  gathered 
from  peat  meadows— it  helps  to  fill  up — but  has 
very  little  of  fertilizing  material  about  it.  It  is 
not  every  substance  that  is  carried  to  the  pig- 
pen or  the  barn-yard,  that  helps  to  increase  the 
pile  of  manure,  but  it  is  those  substances  only, 
that  have  in  them  the  right  kind  of  material.    P. 


For  the  jSew  England  Farmer- 
CBANBEREIES. 

Friend  Brown  : — I  catch  up  my  pen  to  say  a 
hasty  word  upon  the  culture  of  this  berry. 

I  have  seen  inquiries  frequently  made  through 
the  Farmer,  in  reference  to  the  best  modes  of 
cultivation,  &c.  My  own  experience  teaches  me 
a  few  facts. 

L  Get  rid  of  all  stagnant  water  by  shallow 
draining. 

2.  Destroy  all  vegetation  by  taking  off  the 
turf,  or  by  cultivation. 

3.  Cover  two  inches  deep  with  sand,  if  it  is 
handy ;  if  not,  put  in  the  vines,  and  let  them  take 
their  chance  with  grass  and  weeds. 

4.  The  large  round  berry  is  much  the  best. 

5.  So  arrange  your  ditches,  that  a  smart  show- 
er in  summer  will  flood  the  vines  for  a  day  or  so. 

6.  The  vines  should  be  flowed  before  it  is  cold 
enough  to  freeze  the  roots  in  autumn,  and  be 
kept  flowed  till  mild  weather  in  the  spring. 

I  flow  mine  immediately  after  raking  in  the 
fall.  By  so  doing  I  get  all  the  scattering  berries. 
I  keep  the  water  over  and  among  my  vines,  till 
frosty  nights  have  mostly  disappeared  in  the 
spring.  The  water  should  be  drawn  oS'  gradu- 
ally, so  that  the  vines  may  not  be  all  exposed  to 
the  sun  at  once.  A  dressing  of  sand  may,  be  ap- 
plied by  spreading  it  on  the  ice  in  winter — say 
an  inch  deep — which  will  be  of  great  benefit. 
Eight  years  ago  last  fall,  I  laid  out  some  fifteen 
dollars  in  preparing  ground,  setting  vines  and 
fencing  a  worthless  frog  pond,  containing  one 
acre.  Three-fourths  of  the  ground  is  covered 
with  vines  ;  last  fall,  I  raked  twenty  bushels  of 
berries,  for  which  I  was  oft'ered  three  dollars  per 
bushel,  but  declined  the  off'er.  The  price  de- 
clined also,  and  I  wintered  them  over. 

Please  give  me  a  few  facts  in  your  next  paper, 
in  reference  to  the  milk  business  of  Boston. 
Please  give  us  the  names  of  the  companies  run- 
ning milk-cars  into  Boston — the  names  of  the 
agents — what  they  pay — -what  they  get,  and  a 
few  of  the  milk-men's  names  who  buy  most  large- 
ly of  them.  A  particular  and  full  history  of  the 
business  would  be  exceedingly  interesting,  but  a 
few  facts  just  at  this  time  will  be  thankfully  re- 
ceived. 

FEEDING   HENS,   ETC. 

I  have  twenty-five  hens.  I  get  on  an  aA'Brage 
twelve  eggs  a  day.  They  roost  in  a  warm  place. 
I  keep  oats  and  ears  of  corn  by  them  all  the 
time,  and  pound  up  raw  bones,  clam-shells,  oyster- 
shells  and  old  white  crockery  once  a  week  ;  give 
them  drink  every  day,  and  occasionally  give  them 
buckwheat  and  sunflower  seeds.  Do  they  lay  as 
well  as  they  should,  or  can  I  feed  them  differently 
and  make  them  lay  better  ?     Gr.u^ite  Quill. 

Weave,  N.  H. 


Remarks. — We  will  try  to  collect  the  facts 
about  the  milk  business,  and  will  publish  if  we 
obtain  them.  Your  hens  are  very  considerate  and 
liberal.  An  egg  every  other  day  is  quite  liberal. 
From  140  to  150  eggs  in  a  year  from  a  good  hen, 
and  one  well  fed,  is  as  many  as  you  ought  to  ex- 
pect, and  is  probably  rather  more  than  you  will 
get. 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


207 


For  the  Neiv  England  Fainter. 


LITTLE  THINGS, 

Or,  a  Walk  in  My  Garden. ...No. 
grate  vines. 


14. 


A  neighboi"  of  mine  says,  that  the  sweet  water 
grape  should  be  pruned  as  early  as  the  1st  of 
Nov.ember,  so  that  the  wood  will  harden  a  little 
before  covering  them  up.  Otherwise  they  will 
bleed  in  the  spring.  I  have  been  much  pleased 
vritli  your  correspondent  who  writes  on 

THINGS   I   RAISE   IN   MY    GARDEN. 

This  Is  just  what  we  want ;  not  only  what  we 
raise,  but  how  we  raise  it  to  the  best  advantage. 
Professional  gardeners  have  rare  advantages  in 
this  respect,  and  can  do  much  to  elevate  the  con- 
dition of  the  multitude  by  making  public  their 
success.  May  your  correspondent  long  continue 
to  gratify  us.  But  I  see  a  red  spot  on  one  of  my 
apple  trees,  and  I  am  led  to  notice  a  little,  but 
very  important  thing,  and  that  is,  a  covering  for 

WOUNDS   ON   APPLE   TREES. 

I  have  tried  several  things  with  indifferent 
success,  but  have  not  seen  anything  so  complete 
and  easy  as  a  little  red  ochre  mixed  with  linseed 
oil  into  a  paste  and  applied  with  a  brush  some- 
what profusely  but  closely  to  the  wood.  It  forms 
a  yielding  surface,  a  matter  of  importance — is 
impervious  to  rain,  and  completely  protects  the 
tree  from  bleeding.  It  injures  my  feelings  very 
much  to  travel  by  an  orchard  and  see  the  bark 
black  and  killed,  by  neglecting  to  cover  the 
wounds.  But  I  wish  to  say  a  word  on  cultivating 

THE   CRANBERRY. 

Very  many  persons  are  deterred  from  cultivat- 
ing the  cranberry  because  they  have  been  influ- 
enced by  the  complicated  and  expensive  processes 
supposed  to  be  necessary.  I  have  eaten  as  hand- 
some cranberries  the  present  winter  as  I  ever  saw, 
which  were  raised  in  this  manner.  A  man  ob- 
tained some  vines  three  years  ago,  in  a  neigh 
boring  town,  took  his  hoe  and  proceeded  to  a 
wet  spot  in  his  grass  field,  struck  in  his  hoe,  put 
in  a  vine,  trod  it  down  with  his  foot,  and  so  on, 
and  then  said  to  the  grass  and  vines,  do  your  best 
each  for  the  mastery.  The  vines  grew,  and  he  has 
had  cranberries  to  sell.  Though  this  may  not  be 
the  best  method,  yet  I  believe  that  they  may  be 
raised  in  thousands  of  places  in  sufficient  quanti- 
ties for  family  use  without  any  particular  difficul 
ty.  I  do  wish  some  of  your  correspondents  would 
inform  me  through  your  paper  about 

MY   ASPARAGUS   BED. 

Shall  I,  in  making  a  new  bed,  transplant  old 
roots,  or  young  plants  from  the  seed  ?  1  have 
plenty  of  each.     Yours  exceedingly  little. 

Bethel,  Me.,  Feb.  25,  1858.  N.  T.  T, 


Remarks. — If  you  transplant  the  old  roots 
you  will  obtain  asparagus  much  sooner,  of  course 
than  you  would  from  the  young  plants, — and  we 
can  see  no  reason  why  they  would  not  be  just  as 
good. 

Gophers. — Some  years  ago,  the  State  of  Iowa 
was  nearly  overrun  by  gophers  ;  but  at  last  it 
•was  discovered  that  the  castor  bean  was  an  effec- 


tual remedy,  and  its  use  very  much  reduced  the 
number  of  this  mischievous  pest.  The  method  is, 
to  plant  the  bean  all  over  the  land,  about  one 
bean  to  the  square  rod.  It  is  supposed  that  the 
gojiher  is  fond  of  the  root,  and  eats  it,  and  that 
it  acts  like  physic  or  slow  poison.  At  any  rate, 
it  exterminates  the  gophers.  Whether  it  oper- 
ates the  same  with  squirrels,  or  whether  any  ef- 
fectual remedy  has  been  discovered  for  them,  we 
are  not  informed,  but  hope  if  our  readers  know  of 
any,  they  will  inform  us,  and  thus  benefit  all. — 
Prairie  Farmer. 

EXTK.ACTS   AND  REPLIES. 
WEAKNESS   IN   LAMBS. 

^Vhat  is  the  cause  and  remedy  for  weakness  in 
the  backs  and  limbs  of  lambs  ? 

I  have  twenty-four  good  northern  ewes,  three 
to  five  years  old  ;  eighteen  have  lambed  and  the 
lambs  did  very  well  until  they  were  a  few  weeks 
old,  and  then  they  are  taken  while  fat  and  smart, 
with  this  weakness,  and  die  off  suddenly,  or  re- 
main lingering  along.  J.  B.  Ball. 

Concord,  Vt.,  March  2,  1858. 

Remarks. —  These  ewes,  as  appears  above, 
have  dropt  their  lambs  early,  and  while  the 
weather  is  yet  cold.  The  lambs  are  weak  in  the 
back  and  limbs.  This  is  a  sort  of  palsy,  or  par- 
tial suspension  of  nervous  influence  on  the  mus- 
cles of  voluntary  motion,  and  is  a  disease  very 
liable  to  occur  to  young  lambs  just  dropt,  if  ex- 
posed to  cold.  Ewes  heavy  with  young  should 
always  have  a  warm  dry  place  to  retire  to,  as  the 
lamb,  perhaps,  suddenly  exchanges  the  tempera- 
ture of  the  mother's  womb,  for  one  below  the 
freezing  point,  and  lies  for  hours  on  a  bed  of 
snow,  becomes  palsied,  and  perhaps  never  entire* 
ly  recovers. 

A  lamb  that  has  been  exposed  to  cold  and  be- 
come chilled,  should  be  placed  in  a  basket, 
wrapped  in  warm  woollens,  and  gradually  brought 
near  a  fire  ;  then  administer  a  little  warm  gruel, 
with  some  ginger,  in  small  quantity,  and  gently 
rub  the  surface  with  the  warm  hand.  When  the 
lamb  has  recovered  a  little  return  it  to  its  mother, 
but  in  a  place  where  it  will  not  again  become 
chilled.  

BONE   DUST    ON   CORN. 

Will  bone  dust,  if  applied  in  the  hill,  produce 
any  serious  effects  on  corn  or  potatoes  by  coming 
in  contact  with  the  seed  ? 

A    GOOD   FERTILIZER. 

I  have  made  a  good  fertilizer  by  mixing  one 
part  night  soil,  one  of  ashes  and  one  of  plaster 
together,  two  weeks  before  use.  It  can  be  ap- 
plied on  the  seed  M'lthout  Injury.  It  will  push 
corn  ahead  faster  than  any  other  compost  that  I 
ever  used.  Emory  Stone. 

Auburn,  Mass.,  February,  1858. 

Remarks. — Bone  dust  applied  to  the  hill  and 
mixed  a  little  with  the  soil  will  not  prevent  the 
germination  of  corn  or  potatoes — it  probably 
would  not  if  unmixed. 


208 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


May 


SWAMP   MUCK — CROPS. 

I  have  a  tract  of  low  brook  meadows,  a  large 
part  of  which,  back  from  the  stream,  is  so  cov- 
ered in  some  places  I)y  white  moss,  and  in  others 
bj-  meadow  hardback,"  that  it  is  of  little  value  in 
its  present  condition.  Can  you  so  describe  the  I 
different  qualities  of  muck,  that  a  novice,  like  my- 1 
self,  can  decide  its  value  before  it  has  been  test- 
ed by  experience  ? 

"What  is  the  most  feasible  way  of  reclaiming 
such  land  as  I  have  described  ?  I  will  state  that 
I  have  covered  a  few  rods  with  sandy  loam  from 
an  adjacent  pasture,  to  the  depth  of  three  or  four 
inches.  On  this  I  have  laid  some  compost  man- 
ure, which  I  intend  to  spread  in  the  spring  and 
seed  it  down  with  herds-grass  and  red-top.  On 
another  small  piece  I  have  spread  loam  at  the 
rate  of  twenty  loads  to  the  acre,  and  have  also 
dug  over  a  small  patch  on  which  I  mean  to  see  if 
potatoes  can  be  made  to  grow.  J.  WoODS. 

Roijaldon,  Feb.,  1858. 

Remarks. — You  have  made  a  good  beginning 
in  the  ditching  you  describe,  and  in  the  applica- 
tion of  the  sandy  loam  and  compost  manure; 
you  Avill  undoubtedly  get  good  crops  of  grass. 
Potatoes  grow  finely  on  such  lands,  and  so  will 
most  vegetables,  as  we  have  seen  fine  crops  of 
cabbage,  beets,  &c.,  growing  luxuriantly  in  th" 
warm  and  porous  muck  beds.  We  cannot  de- 
scribe the  different  qualities  of  muck  so  as  to  be 
of  service  to  you.  If  plants  spring  up  and  grow 
well  on  the  ridges  you  have  thrown  up, it  is  evi- 
dent that  the  muck  is  not  hurtful.  Spread  some 
of  it  in  different  places  on  the  uplands'and  watch 
its  effects.  You  will  undoubtedly  find  it  piofita- 
ble  to  haul  up  any  quantity  you  can  get. 

COVERING   ROOFS. 

As  a  subscriber  in  your  Januaiy  number  wish- 
es to  know  the  cheapest  and  best  material  for 
covering  flat  roofs,  I  send  you  the  following  as 
the  best  I  am  acquainted  with.  It  is  composed 
of  equal  parts,  water,  cement  and  coarse  beach 
sand  or  gravel  mixed  up  with  proper  ingredients, 
for  which  Mr.  W.  Sterling,  of  this  place,  ob- 
tained a  patent  about  the  year  1852-3.  It  is  im- 
pervious to  frost,  sun,  air  or  rain,  and  if  properly 
laid  on  I  believe  will  last  a  century.  I  have  seen 
several  roofs  that  have  been  on  six  or  seven 
years,  and  covered  a  veranda  myself  last  fall,  the 
whole  expense  being  (it  is  covered  with  cross 
wire  before  the  mixture  is  put  on)  six  cents  per 
foot-,  including  everything,  cost  of  material  and 
laying  on,  which  I  believe  is  forty  per  cent,  less 
than  tin  to  start  with,  and  five  times  as  durable. 

Bridgeport,  Ct.,  March,  1858.        J.  Moody. 

SEWING  machines— niLLING  CORN. 
One  of  your  correspondents  inquires  about 
sewing  machines.  Let  him  look  at  Wheeler  & 
Wilson's  before  he  purchases.  Grover  &  Baker's 
is  a  line  machine,  but  I  prefer  the  shuttle  stitch; 
most  of  the  cheap  machines  are,  I  think,  very  im- 
perfect and  liable  to  get  out  of  order.  Most  of 
them  use  but  one  thread,  which  is  liable  to  rip. 
There  is  now  a  great  variety  of  machines,  and 


no  one  is  excusable  for  letting  his  wife   sew  by 
hand  if  he  is  able  to  buy  a  machine. 

HILLING   CORN. 

One  writer  advocates  hilling  corn  three  times. 
Is  he  aware  tint  while  his  corn  is  throwing  out 
roots  higher  upon  the  stalk  every  time  he  hoes, 
that  the  lower  roots  are  dying,  and  that  his  corn 
is  turning  from  a  seedling  plant  to  a  layer?  And 
that  a  field  "hilled"  very  high  will  be  blown  to 
the  ground  Avith  a  M'ind  which  a  field  cultivated 
level  will  stand  with  impunity  ?  This  is  true  in 
this  section,  and  I  guess  elsewhere. 

Cultivation,  and  frequent  cultivation,  is  right ; 
but  no  good  farmer  here,  now,  advocates  the  nill- 
iiig  process.  D. 

Middlesex  Co.,  Ct.,  March  2,  1858. 

papers   on   the   POTATO  ROT. 

Has  any  advance,  of  late,  been  made  in  the 
discovery  of  the  cause  or  causes,  of  what  is  gen- 
erally termed  the  potato  rot?  Several  years 
since,  the  community  was  deluged  with  theories 
upon  this  matter.  The  rot  still  continues,  but  the 
theories  have  funked  out — to  use  a  strong,  but 
coarse  expression. 

My  attention  has  recently  been  called  to  this 
matter,  by  inquiries  for  a  certain  letter  written 
by  the  late  Dr.  T.  W.  Harris,  of  Camliridge,  in 
which  he  clearly  proved  that  certain  insects  of 
.he  beetle  order,  found  upon  the  vines  of  the  po- 
"^ato,  were  not  the.  cause  of  the  decay  of  the  tubers 
or  roots.  And  particularly,  that  the  little  black 
fly,  or  beetle,  put  forward  by  Mr.  Whipple,  of 
Lowell,  as  the  cause,  was  entirely  harmless  of 
this  offence.  I  have  looked  for  these  letters  of 
Dr.  Harris,  (who  was  authority  second  to  none 
other  on  whatever  he  presumed  to  speak,)  but 
have  not  been  able  to  put  my  hands  upon  them. 
If  you  can  point  to  them  you  will  confer  a  favor 
upon  all  Avho  are  interested  in  this  subject — as 
every  lover  of  good  potatoes  should  be. 
Very  truly  yours, 

March,  1858.  J.  W.  Proctor. 

Remarks. — We  can  give  no  clue  to  the  pa- 
per's wanted.  

CURE   for   chilblains. 

Draw  off  the  stockings  and  sit  with  the  feet  to 
the  fire  as  hot  as  it  can  be  borne,  until  the  feet 
feel  easy.  Repeat  this  every  night,  and  cure  will 
be  certain.  I  have  tried  many  things  beside  this 
without  any  good  effect. 

HILLY   FARMS. 

Is  a  farm  located  on  a  side-hill  as  desirable  as 
one  upon  level  ground  ?  Is  the  manure  likely  to 
be  lost  on  such  lands,  or  is  there  any  particular 
manure  best  adapted  to  it  ?  A  Reader. 

South  Wrentham,  Mass. 

Remarks. — Land  of  the  same  quality  is  cer- 
tainly preferable  on  a  level,  or  gently  rolling  sur- 
face, as  it  is  more  easily  cultivated  and  is  less 
likely  to  wash.  Where  a  field  on  a  side-hill  is 
highly  manured,  you  will  usually  find  the  land  at 
the  base  quite  productive,  yielding  large  crops  of 
grass  or  other  crops  that  may  be  upon  it.  We  are 
not  aware  that  any  special  manure  is  better  adap- 
ted to  side-hill  than  to  other  lands 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


209 


JOHNSON'S  PATENT  HOG  THOUGH. 


The  ease  and  economy  with  -which  farm  work 
may  be  done,  like  all  other  business,  depends 
much  upon  the  arrangements  and  conveniences 
that  may  exist  for  doing  it.  It  is  not  only  impor- 
tant to  have  buildings  and  implements  well  made, 
but  they  should  be  convenient  for  the  uses  for 
which  they  tire  intended.  Even  a  pig's  trough  may 
have  the  requisites  of  convenience  and  economy, 
or  it  may  not.  Many  a  man  is  obliged  to  jump 
over  into  the  quagmire  of  his  sty  and  turn  the 
trough  "right  side  up,"  beating  off  the  squealing 
and  hungry  swine  with  a  cudgel  or  the  toe  of  his 
boot,  before  he  can  empty  his  pail !  Now  if  this 
is  a  luxury,  it  can  only  be  enjoyed  by  a  rich  man, 
as  no  man  of  moderate  means  can  afford  it ;  it 
would  be  a  loss  of  time,  and  probably  of  feed, 
that  would  impoverish  him  too  fast. 

We  have  introduced  Mr.  Johnson's  new  Pig 
Trough,  above,  that  the  reader  may  see  for  him- 
self, whether  its  introduction  will  be  any  improve- 
ment in  his  mode  of  feeding  swine.  Without  a 
trial  of  it,  we  cannot  speak  with  certainty,  but  it 
seems  to  us  that  it  is  simple,  cheap,  and  will  prove 
effectual. 

It  is  simply  an  elongated  bowl,  ■with  a  cover 
half  as  large  and  of  the  same  shape,  which  may 
be  opened  or  shut  at  pleasure.  It  is  placed  in 
the  side  of  the  sty,  by  cutting  out  a  hole  in  the 


boards,  and  fastened  with  three  bolts,  ^nd  then 
the  pig  cannot  get  his  feet  into  it,  nor  get  tne 
food  out.  It  is  made  of  cast  iron,  so  that  the 
swine  will  not  eat  it,  unless  very  hungry ! 

In  the  figure  above,  the  man  has  opened  one 
bowl  and  the  pig  is  taking  his  breakfast,  while 
the  other  bowl  is  being  filled  the  lazy  pig  seems 
inclined  to  lounge  till  the  last  moment. 


AGKICULTUBE  IN  MICHIGAN. 

Our  sister  State,  Michigan,  has  bounded  by  a 
single  leap,  as  it  were,  not  only  into  line  with  the 
elder  States,  but  has  already  outstript  them  in 
some  of  the  elements  which  must  certainly  be 
among  the  principal  causes  of  intellectual  wealth, 
prosperity  and  power.  With  a  wisdom  unexam- 
pled in  this  country,  her  people  have  taken  hold 
of  the  great  interest  of  agriculture  with  more  en- 
ergy and  system  than  can  be  found  in  the  legis- 
lative action  of  any  other  State  in  the  Union. 

We  have  now  before  us,  through  the  attention 
of  Mr.  John  C.  Holmes,  the  accomplished  Sec- 
retary of  the  State  Society,  the  eighth  volume  of 
its  agricultural  transactions,  containing  nearly  a 
thousand  pages  of  printed  matter.  In  the  midst 
of  this  mass  there  are  many  papers  of  value, 
showing  a  large  amount  of  observation,  research 
and  experiment,  and  an  intimate,  practical  knowl- 


210 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Mat 


edge  of  the  business  of  the  farm,  as  well  as  its 
theories,  and  its  aspects  in  a  theoretical  and  sci- 
entific point  of  view. 

A  paper  on  The  Pofo^o,  another  on  The  Breed- 
ing and  Management  of  Sheep,  on  Fruit  Trees, 
on  The  Cultivation  of  Clover,  on  Thorough  Brain- 
ing, and  one  by  Joseph  R.  Williams,  read  at 
the  Dedication  of  the  Agricultural  College.  The 
paper  that  follows  is  the  annual  Address  before 
the  Calhoun  County  Agricultural  Society,  by  Prof. 
J.  E.  Tenney  ;  it  abounds  with  pleasant  refer- 
ences and  useful  suggestions.  Among  other 
things,  it  gives  the  following  striking  compari- 
son : 

"Michigan  has  56,243  square  miles — Arkansas  52,198.  Michi- 
gan has  a  population  of  397,754  ;  Arkansas  209,897  ;  47,100  of 
them  are  slaves.  Michigan  has  property  valuation,  $59,787,295  ; 
Arkansas,  $39,841,025.  Michigan,  value  of  farms,  $51,874,446  ; 
Arkansas,  $15,256,245.  Michigan,  improved  land,  $11,922,110  ; 
Arkansas,  $6,647,969,  value  of  slaves  included.  Michigan  has 
an  educational  income  of  $214,717  ;  Arkansas,  $105,819.  Michi- 
gan has  56  newspapers  ;  Arkansas,  9.  Tliis  last  comparison  is 
wonderful.  But  9  newspapers  in  Arkansas !  The  literature  of 
any  country  is  a  pretty  safe  index  of  its  prosperity.  No  one  can 
doubt  but  that  the  rich  soil  of  Arkansas  has  a  capacity  equal  to 
that  of  our  own  State,  for  farming  interests,  and  it  is  equally 
certain,  that  Slavery  paralyzes  every  species  of  improvement." 

Then  follows  the  address  from  Genesee  Coun- 
ty, by  C.  P.  Avery,  also  a  capital  paper.  But 
•why  did  they  print  it  twice  ?  If  delivered  before 
two  societies,  one  insertion  in  the  Transactions 
would  seem  to  be  enough.  The  address  before 
the  Jackson  county  society,  by  Rev.  Elijah  H. 
PiLCHER,  the  Munroe  County,  by  A.  R.  Strong, 
and  that  of  Wm.  M.  Fenton,  of  the  Shiawassee 
County,  are  also  practical  and  excellent  produc- 
tions. There  are  also,  reports  upon  farms,  drain- 
ing. Sec,  which  cannot  fail  to  arouse  the  attention 
of  farmers,  if  these  papers  find  their  way  into  the 

.«spapers  of  the  State. 

This  energetic  State  has  the  honor,  we  believe, 
of  establishing  an  Agricultural  College,  with  all 
its  professors  and  necessary  officers ;  has  a  tract 
of  nearly  700  acres  of  land,  and  suitable  buildings 
already  erected  upon  it.  That  she  may  make 
steady  and  healthful  advancement  in  this  noble 
enterprise  is  our  sincere  wish. 


Salt. — An  improvement  in  the  manufacture  of 
rock  and  sea  salt  has  been  patented  in  England, 
which  consists  in  fusing  the  raw  salt,  and  keep- 
ing it  for  some  time  in  a  state  of  tranquil  fusion, 
decanting  it  into  hot  molds,  or  letting  it  cool 
slowly  ;  in  this  manner,  all  the  impurities  are  se- 
parated from  the  mass  In  fusion,  and  are  elimin- 
ated by  crystallization  by  the  dry  process,  which 
corresponds  with  crystallization  by  the  wet  one. 

Farming  in  Maine.— The  town  of  Exeter,  in 
Penobscot  county,  Maine,  is  almost  exclusively  a 
farming  town,  and  a  recent  examination  and  esti- 
mate of  its  value  by  competent  gentlemen,  has 
led  them  to  the  declaration  that  it  is  worth  now 
twenty  times  as  much  as  it  was  twenty  years 
since.  It  will  hardly  do  to  say  that  farming  in 
Maine  is  not  a  good  business. 


SEVENTH  LEGISLATIVE  AGRICULTXT- 
BAL  MEETING. 

[REPORTED   FOB  THE   FARMER  BY   ZENAS  T.   HAIIfES.] 

At  the  seventh  Legislative  Agricultural  meet- 
ing, held  at  the  State  House  last  Tuesday  even- 
ing, Hon.  Mr.  Felton,  of  Worcester  county, 
presided.  "Drainage"  was  the  subject  of  dis- 
cussion. 

Mr.  Richardson,  of  Franklin  county,  deemed 
the  subject  one  of  great  importance,  and  one  on 
which  farmers  needed  information.  The  wet  and 
unproductive  spots  so  prevalent  in  the  western 
part  of  the  State  should  be  made  available  for 
agricultural  purposes.  They  had  heard  of  brush 
drains,  but  he  could  not  recommend  them  in  his 
section.  Their  land  was  plentifully  supplied  with 
small  stones,  and  it  having  occurred  to  him  that 
they  might  be  used  to  advantage  in  the  place  of 
brush  wood,  he  made  from  75  to  100  rods  of  drain 
with  them.  He  dug  the  drain  wider  than  would 
be  necessary  in  the  use  of  tiles,  and  from  2  to  2h 
feet  deep,  they  being  twenty  inches  wide  at  the 
top  and  from  12  to  14  inches  at  the  bottom.  He 
placed  small  stones  on  the  bottom  from  12  to  14 
inches  apart,  and  then  placed  a  cover  of  larger 
stones  over  them.  Then  he  filled  in  with  smaller 
stones,  leaving  the  smallest  on  the  top.  Bushes, 
sods  or  coarse  hay  was  then  placed  on  top.  This 
was  made  in  April  and  May  of  last  year.  It  was 
a  very  wet  season,  and  in  a  very  few  days  water 
commenced  running  from  the  drains,  and  had  con- 
tinued to  when  not  prevented  by  the  frost.  The 
soil  was  black  and  springy.  The  immediate  ben- 
efit of  this  was,  that  the  soil  became  in  condition 
for  cultivation  in  good  season,  and  did  not  bake 
or  become  hard.  It  also  took  the  stones  out  of 
the  way  and  out  of  sight.  Time  must  determine 
as  to  the  durability  of  this  drain,  whether  or  not 
it  would  fill  up.     It  cost  about  50  cents  a  rod. 

Mr.  Fay,  of  Boston,  said  they  got  their  first 
principles  of  drainage  from  the  other  side  of  the 
water,  where  it  is  necessary  that  almost  all  lands 
be  drained.  In  our  climate,  it  seemed  to  the 
speaker,  that  drainage  was  only  necessary  in 
springy  and  hard,  clayey  soils.  The  best  soil  in 
the  world  was  that  which  would  hold  the  ammo- 
nia best.  Sometimes  water  ran  off  too  fast  and 
left  the  land  to  suffer  from  drought.  Drainage 
would  hardly  pay  in  this  country  except  on  springy 
soils,  and  those  with  a  clay  subsoil.  How  should 
we  drain  them  ?  The  tile  drain  was  doubtless  the 
best,  but  too  expensive  for  common  use.  Open 
drains,  which  should  not  be  over  30  feet  apart, 
were  unsightly  and  very  inconvenient.  Drains 
should  without  doubt  be  covered,  and  those  men- 
tioned by  Mr.  Richardson  were  doubtless  next 
best  after  tiles,  and  M'ould  last  20  years.  He  had 
made  similar  drains  10  years  ago.  They  were 
now  dischai"ging  water  with  regularity.   It  might 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


211 


be  supposed  that  water  ■would  hardly  find  its  way 
through  these  stones,  but  water  would  make  way 
through  very  small  crevices  if  there  was  but  a 
sUght  fall. 

Mr.  Flint,  Secretary  of  the  Board  of  Agricul- 
ture, did  not  believe  in  indiscriminate  draining 
in  this  country,  for  the  reason  which  had  been 
stated.  But  he  rose  to  introduce  a  gentleman 
of  experience  in  this  matter,  who  had  constructed 
four  miles  of  drain.  He  referred  to  Mr.  B.  F. 
NouRSE,  of  Boston. 

Mr.  NouRSE  said  that  he  had  laid  two  miles  of 
tile  drain,  in  which  he  made  use  of  10,000  tiles, 
and  about  the  same  distance  of  stone  drain,  on 
his  farm  in  Orrington,  Maine.  His  stone  drains 
were  four  feet  deep.  They  were  constructed  of 
side  stones  covered  with  flat  stones  to  form  a 
channel  for  the  water.  He  then  filled  with  small 
stones  about  six  inches  deep,  then  threw  on  sod, 
turf  or  bushes,  to  exclude  the  particles  of  soil,  and 
then  returned  the  soil.  This  cost  from  90  cents  to 
$1,00  a  rod.  His  small  drains  were  3^  feet  deep, 
similar  to  the  above,  and  cost  from  75  cents  to  87 
cents  per  rod,  deducting  the  amount  of  the  benefit 
in  getting  rid  of  the  stones.  His  small  tile  drains 
were  less  in  width,  but  of  the  same  depth,  and 
equal  care  was  used  in  laying  them.  When  la 
bor  was  dear  they  cost  fi"om  80  to  88  cents  per 
rod.  His  soil  was  springy  and  cold,  with  a  hard 
pan.  The  drains  were  laid  four  rods  apart,  and 
afterwards  the  land  was  plowed  crosswise  over 
them.  The  effect  was  to  put  these  lands  in  good 
working  condition  earlier  in  the  season  than  any 
other  land  in  the  neighborhood.  In  1852,  a  lot 
of  springy  land  which  he  had  drained  with  tiles 
was  in  good  plowing  condition  as  soon  as  the 
frost  was  out.  Before  the  drainage,  cattle  could 
not  cross  it  in  early  June  without  miring.  The 
effect  of  drainage  on  the  field  crops,  including 
roots  and  grain,  was  equally  marked,  giving  an 
increased  return  of  more  than  double  the  extra 
cost,  and  it  more  than  doubled  the  grass  crop. 
The  last  foot  in  the  depth  of  a  drain  was  the 
most  expensive  and  the  most  valuable,  but  $37,50 
per  acre  would  cover  all  the  expense  of  drainage 
This  was  a  process  which  increased  in  value  with 
years.  It  enabled  the  later  as  well  as  earlier  cul- 
tivation of  the  land.  His  own  land  in  Maine, 
drained  in  this  manner,  had  been  plowed  as  late 
as  November  20th.  He  found  that  the  cost  of 
the  tile  drain  was  a  little  larger  than  the  stone 
drain.  He  made  no  account  of  the  advantage  of 
getting  rid  of  the  small  stones.  He  found  no 
difference  in  the  operation  of  the  two  drains  on 
his  own  farm,  which  was  a  pretty  steep  hill-side, 
with  a  northern  exposure.  He  could  not  recom 
mend  an  open  drain  with  stones. 

Mr.  Howard,  of  the  Cultivator,  said  that  ar- 
rangements  were  making  to   furnish  tile  at  a 


cheaper  rate  than  heretofore.  Drains  were  made 
in  New  York  at  a  cost  of  30  cents  a  rod.  They 
would  be  for  sale  at  all  the  agricultural  warehouses 
here.  Their  average  depth  was  2^  feet.  There 
might  be  cases  M'here  a  depth  of  4  feet,  or  more, 
might  be  necessary.  It  was  found  In  England 
that  in  very  tenacious  soils,  dejith  would  not 
compensate  for  great  width  of  space  between  the 
drains.  The  effect  of  water  left  on  the  surface 
was  to  bake  and  stiffen  the  soil.  On  springy 
soils,  where  sub-aquatic  plants  were  observable, 
drainage  was  necessary. 

Mr.  Cook,  of  AVareham,  had  found  drains  of 
great  advantage  even  ten  rods  apart.  He  had 
doubled  the  value  of  lands  by  open  drains  this 
distance  apart.  If  his  drains  were  nearer  togeth- 
er he  had  found  the  grass  lighter.  They  drained 
the  land  too  much.  Tipping  in  stones  without 
the  care  of  laying  them  had  not  worked  so  well 
as  bushes. 

Mr.  Flint  offered  the  following  resolutions  re- 
ferring to  the  death  of  Col.  Moses  Newell,  of 
Newbury,  which  were  adopted  by  the  meeting, 
after  feeling  and  eloquent  tributes  to  the  memory 
of  the  deceased  by  Mr.  Flint,  Mr.  Fay,  of  Bos- 
Ion,  and  Mr.  Davis,  of  Plymouth. 

Besolved,  That  we  contemplate  with  deep  and 
unmingled  sorroAv  the  death  of  our  late  associate, 
the  Hon.  MosES  Neavell,  of  West  Newbury. 

Besolved,  That  we  feel  most  sensibly  the  great 
obligations  which  rest  upon  the  community  to 
cherish  his  memory,  for  the  lively  interest  which 
he  manifested  in  the  progress  of  agriculture,  and 
for  that  benevolence,  courtesy  and  kindness  of 
heart  which  gained  him  the  confidence  and  re- 
spect of  all. 

Besolved,  That  we  sympathize  most  deeply  with 
the  family  and  friends  of  the  deceased  in  their 
heavy  bereavement,  and  that  while  we  mingle 
our  tears  with  theirs,  we  rejoice  in  the  belief  that 
he  has  passed  to  a  higher  and  more  glorious  state 
of  existence  and  happiness. 

Besolved,  That  a  copy  of  these  resolutions  be 
transmitted  to  the  family  of  the  deceased,  and 
published  in  the  report  of  this  meeting. 


NEW  GRAFTING  WAX. 

We  find  in  the  papers  the  following  recipe  for 
making  grafting  ivax.  It  is  similar  to  a  composi- 
tion which  has  long  been  used  for  covering  limbs 
where  they  are  cut  off  in  pruning.  It  may  prove 
well,  and  will  cost  but  little  to  try  it.  It  is  as 
follows : 

Take  two  ounces  of  common  rosin,  melt  it  slow 
over  a  fire,  being  careful  not  to  heat  it  so  much 
as  to  make  it  throw  off  its  spirit  of  turpentine. 
When  it  becomes  clear  as  syrup,  add  a  little  less 
than  one  ounce  of  alcohol,  and  mix  well  and  put 
in  a  bottle  at  once  and  cork  tight.  Alcohol  is  to 
be  added  sufficient  to  make  the  mixture  liquid  and 
keep  it  so,  and  Avhen  applied  to  trees,  it  hardens 
at  once  and  forms  an  air-tight  covering. 


212 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


May 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
SUGAK  MAKING. 
TAPPING  THE  TREES. 

The  old-fashioned  barbarous  method  of  boxing 
is  now  mostly  disused  ;  and  the  custom  of  using 
an  inch  auger,  or  even  one  of  three-fourths  of  an 
inch,  should  also  be  discontinued.  The  practice, 
too,  of  fastening  a  spout  under  the  auger-hole  by 
means  of  a  gouge,  is  by  no  means  to  be  recom- 
mended. A  bit,  of  three-eighths  of  an  inch  diam- 
eter, is  large  enough.  I  use  no  other,  though  my 
trees  are  from  one  foot  to  two  and  a  half  feet 
through.  As  for  "spiles,"  the  best  when  made, 
and  the  easiest  to  make,  are  made  from  white 
pine.  Take  free  sticks  eight  inches  long,  and  split 
them  up  into  pieces  five-eighths  of  an  inch  square. 
Saw  them  half  in  two  on  opposite  sides,  about 
two  and  a  half  inches  from  each  end.  You  can 
split  them  with  a  knife  or  chisel  as  easily  as  you 
could  open  an  oyster.  Every  slick  will  thus  fur- 
nish you  two  spiles  in  the  rough,  five  and  one- 
half  inches  long.  Bore  holes  through  the  square 
ends  with  a  bit,  and  if  the  timber  is  soft,  a  pod- 
bit  will  remove  the  wood  so  that  there  will  be  no 
need  of  burning.  "Whittle  them,  not  to  a  point, 
but  so  that  they  will  exactly  fit  your  three-eighths 
bore.  Spiles  should  not  be  driven  hard  into  a 
tree,  for  if  they  are  dry,  they  will  be  likely  to 
swell  and  press  the  bark  on  each  side  so  as  to  kill 
it,  causing  a  wound  that  will  require  a  long  time 
to  heal.  It  is  very  easy  to  set  them  perfectly  tight 
with  the  hancL 

You  can  box  the  tree  anywhere  from  one  to  six 
feet  from  the  ground,  selecting  a  place  where  the 
timber  is  free  and  straight-grained.  The  sunny 
side  of  the  tree  is  to  be  preferred  early  in  the 
season  ;  later,  the  shady  side  is  best.  If  there  is 
much  snow,  spike  up  your  tubs  ;  if  not,  I  would 
set  many  of  them  on  the  ground,  if  the  roots  were 
not  in  the  way  ;  this  is  much  better  in  a  windy 
place,  than  to  hang  them  up.  Spiles  can  be  made 
of  various  lengths,  up  to  two  and  three  feet  long, 
to  suit  the  diflerent  locations.  Bore  about  an  inch 
deep  at  first,  and  about  one-fourth  of  an  inch 
more  each  subsequent  time  ;  as  you  will  general- 
ly need  to  tap  over  twice  during  the  season ;  but 
never  exceed  an  inch  and  a  half  in  the  wood. 
Large  trees  may  sometimes  be  tapped  over  by 
transferring  the  tub  from  the  south  side  to  the 
north,  when  the  south  side  ceases  to  run. 

SPIKES. 
Wrought  nails  are  not  fit  to  hang  up  tubs  with. 
I  use  spikes  made  expressly  for  the  purpose,  (wo 
and  one-half  or  three  inches  long,  and  one-fourth 
of  an  inch  square,  with  a  heavy  brad  head,  and 
fiat  point  so  that  they  may  cut  their  way  into  the 
tree  without  splitting  the  bark,  and  also  be  more 
easily  drawn.  Good  spikes  for  the  purpose  are 
worth  $1,25  per  hundred. 

CARE  OF  SAP. 
Be  especially  careful  to  keep  your  sap  clean 
both  in  the  storage  and  the  boilers,  and  thus  save 
the  eggs  and  milk  which  the  Tr/ft^oie  recommends 
to  be  used.  Leaves  and  other  foreign  substances 
will  discolor  your  sugar  very  badly.  The  best 
way  is  to  prevent  all  need  of  cleansing.  To  dip 
sap  from  one  pan  to  another,  as  is  advised  by  the 
Tribune,  would  be  worse  than  labor  lost.  To  dip 
a  single  barrel  would  be  no  great  matter,  but  to 


dip  twenty-five  barrels  per  day,  or  four  hundred 
barrels  in  the  season,  (the  quantity  I  boiled  last 
year,)  would  be  an  additional  labor  I  should  not 
be  willing  to  incur.  Besides,  even  if  it  cost  noth- 
ing, I  should  choose  not  to  have  it  done. 

TUE  SYRUP 

need  not  be  taken  out  oftener  than  once  a  day ; 
and  should  not  be  thicker  than  will  make  six 
pounds  to  the  gallon,  since  it  will  not  settle  clear, 
if  but  a  little  too  thick.  When  it  is  reduced  to 
the  right  point,  (a  thing  best  learned  by  experi- 
ence,) take  the  pans  ofl'  and  turn  it  out ;  for,  if 
you  undertake  to  draw  it  off"  at  one  corner  by  an 
outlet  made  for  the  purpose,  you  will  be  likely  to 
burn  some,  as  your  arch  Avill  probably  be  hot. 
Two  persons  can  easily  remove  the  pans,  if  made, 
as  they  should  be,  with  two  handles  on  each  side. 
But  it  will  be  said  that  this  plan  Mill  not  work, 
if  there  is  but  one  person  tending  the  boilers.  I 
will  tell  you  how  I  can  take  off"  the  biggest  pan  I 
have  described,  without  help.  Near  the  middle 
of  your  arch,  upon  one  side,  and  at  a  convenient 
distance  from  it,  set  a  post  of  proper  height  for 
the  purpose.  Fasten  a  light  pole,  that  you  can 
handle  easily,  to  the  top  of  the  post  by  a  pin 
driven  in  vertically.  To  that  part  of  the  pole 
which  comes  just  over  the  centre  of  the  pan,  at- 
tach a  cord  that  has  been  doubled,  or  two  cords, 
if  you  choose,  each  being  tied  in  the  middle.  Y'ou 
will  then  have  as  many  cords  hanging  from  the 
pole  as  handles  to  each  pan.  To  each  of  them 
fasten  a  hook  made  of  strong  wire,  hook  them 
into  the  handles,  and  then,  if  the  height  of  your 
post  and  the  length  of  your  cords  are  rightly  ad- 
justed, by  lifting  at  the  free  end  of  your  pole,  you 
can  raise  your  pan,  swing  it  round,  and  set  it  on 
a  platform  that  you  can  readily  construct.  This 
is  easily  done,  and  will  obviate  the  necessity  of 
having  two  hands  in  the  sugar-place  when  you 
"syrup  down." 

Strain  the  syrup  through  a  tolerably  fine  strain- 
er into  tubs  (of  a  large  size,  if  you  prefer,)  but 
not  into  iron  kettles,  and  let  it  have  time  to  set- 
tle perfectly  before  "sugaring  off"." 

About  this  and  a  few  other  things  I  will  say  a 
few  words  in  ihe  next  paper.  E.  H.  G. 

Hinsdale,  March,  1858. 


For  the  New  Ens^iand  Farmer. 
FARMS  IKT  KUTLAJSTD  CO.,  VEBMONT. 

"L.  S.,"of  Castleton,  Vt., recently  said  in  your 
columns,  "that  not  one  farm  in  fifty  in  Rutland 
county  has  or  can  be  made  to  pay  four  per  cent, 
upon  the  assessed  value  thereof."  I  think  he  is 
mistaken.  We  certainly  send  large  quantities  of 
produce  away  after  reserving  enough  for  all  our 
wants.  I  understand  that  the  Brighton  and  Cam- 
bridge Markets  receive  their  largest  supplies  of 
cattle  and  sheep  from  Vermont,  and  I  have  no 
doubt  that  Rutland  county  supplies  her  full  share 
of  them. 

It  is  my  opinion  that  Vermont  has  plenty  . . 
good  land  that  maybe  cultivated  at  a  better  profit 
in  small  farms  than  can  be  obtained  by  farming 
in  the  AVest.  Large  farms  are  well  enough  where 
there  is  large  capital  and  large  skill.  The  great 
trouble  with  us  is,  that  our  boys  and  girls  are  not 
educated  for  farming  business  ;  most  of  them  are 
looking  to  something  else  for  a  living,  partly  be- 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FAEMER. 


213 


cause  they  have  heard  the  cry  so  often  that  "there 
can  be  nothing  made  in  farming."  New  Enghmd 
is  the  place  for  honest  enterprise,  and  for  farming 
especially, — but  then  men  and  women  ought  to 
understand  the  business  as  well  as  the  cabinet- 
maker or  wheelwright  does  his.  J.  E.  W. 
Souih  Londonderry,  Vt.,  1858. 


BE  GEIsfTLE  WITH  THY  WTFE. 

Be  gentle  :   for  you  little  know 

How  many  trials  rise  ; 
Altliough  to  thee  they  may  be  small. 

To  her  of  giant  size. 

Be  gentle  !  though  perchance  that  lip 

May  speak  a  murmuring  tone. 
The  heart  maj'  beat  with  kindness  yet, 

And  joy  to  be  thine  own. 

Be  gentle  !  weary  hours  of  pain 

Tis  woman's  lot  to  Isear  ; 
Then  yield  her  what  support  thou  can. 

And  all  her  sorrows  sliare. 

Be  gentle  !  for  the  noblest  hearts 

At  times  may  have  some  grief. 
And  even  in  a  pettish  word, 

May  seek  to  find  relief. 

Be  gentle  !  for  unkindness  now 

May  rouse  an  angry  storm, 
That  all  the  after  years  of  life 

In  vain  may  strive  to  calm. 

Be  gentle  !  none  are  perfect — 

Thou'rt  dearer  far  than  life  ; 
Then,  husband,  bear  and  still  forbear — 

Be  gentle  to  thy  wife.  Fannt  Feen. 


For  the  Neip  England  Farmer. 
BLOOD   MANUBE--AN  EXPEKIMENT. 

Mr.  Editor  : — I  wish  to  inquire,  through  you, 
if  Nourse,  Mason  &  Co.  still  continue  to  manu- 
facture the  blood  manure,  of  which  I  bought  last 
season  ?  If  so,  I  propose  to  give  the  results  of 
what  I  used  by  way  of  trial,  both  for  their  bene- 
fit and  for  the  advantage  of  the  farming  commu- 
nity, through  the  columns  of  the  Farmer.  Think- 
ing as  I  do  that  the  farmer  cannot  manure  too 
highly,  and  that  some  concentrated  manure  may 
be  used  to  much  advantage  in  forcing  forward 
the  young  crops,  I  have  always  used,  to  consid- 
erable extent,  stimulating  manures  at  the  time  of 
planting. 

I  began  to  use  guano  among  the  first,  having 
taken  two  bags  of  lluggles,  Nourse  &  Mason,  I 
think  of  their  first  importation,  and  have  used  it 
to  a  greater  or  less  extent  ever  since,  mostly  with 
profit  to  myself. 

But  as  it  became  more  known  and  in  greater 
demand,  the  sellers  of  the  article,  deeming  it  a 
necessity  to  the  farmer,  continued  to  raise  the 
price,  until  they  carried  it  too  high  for  their  own 
advantage.  I  then  began  to  try  other  fertilizers. 
Super-phosphate,  ashes,  muriate  of  lime,  (a  poor 
manure,  according  to  my  opinion,  by  the  way,) 
fish  guano,  &c.,  still  continuing,  however,  to  use 
Peruvian  guano  side  by  side  with  the  other  ma- 
nuc-;es  mentioned,  and  comparing  the  cost  and  the 
result. 

Last  year,  on  seeing  the  advertisement  of  the 
concentrated  blood  manure,  I  resolved  to  try  tliat, 
side  by  side  with  guano  and  super-phosphate,  on 


a  small  scale,  and  therefore  purchased  two  bags, 
weighing,  I  believe,  300  lbs.  The  cost,  I  think, 
was  $35  or  $40  per  ton,  while  guano  was  selling 
for  $68  or  $70 ;  the  blood  manure  being  but 
little  over  one-half  as  much  per  lb.  as  the  latter. 

I  applied  it  in  the  hill  to  corn,  as  nearly  as  1 
could  in  equal  proportions  of  iveigld,  thus  making 
it  cost  me  about  twice  as  much  where  I  manured 
with  guano  as  with  the  blood  manure.  I  put  up 
stakes  at  the  end  of  the  rows,  marked  for  each 
kind  of  fertilizer  on  the  land,  and  watched  the 
efi"ects  through  the  season.  I  used  on  the  piece 
guano,  super-phosphate,  muriate  of  lime  and 
blood  manure,  ten  rows  of  each,  leaving  ten  rows 
unmanured.  I  said  1  watched  the  growth  through 
the  season  with  much  interest,  and  could  perceive 
but  little  difi"erence  between  the  looks  of  the  corn 
manured  with  blood  manure  and  super-phosphate, 
both  being  of  a  darker  green  and  more  luxuriant 
growth  by  far  than  where  the  muriate  was  used, 
which  did  not  appear  to  have  made  any  better 
growth  than  where  the  corn  was  not  maniu'ed  in 
the  hill  at  all.  The  guanoed  rows  were  nearly, 
but  not  quite  up  to  the  rows  on  which  the  blood 
manure  was  used,  but  at  double  the  cost;  and 
we  must  also  take  into  consideration  that  not  one 
year  in  five  is  as  good  as  the  last  to  obtain  all  the 
virtues  of  guano.  1\\  a  dry  season  I  have  found  it 
worse  than  money  thrown  away  to  apply  it. 
Therefore  I  shall  use  the  blood  manure  in  future 
as  a  stimulant,  with  perhaps  some  exceptions  in 
favor  of  super-phosphate. 

There  is  one  objection  to  the  super-phosphate, 
that  you  are  not  sure  of  getting  a  good  article, 
and  being  manufactured  at  a  distance — I  have 
always  used  De  Burg's — it  is  not  (should  what 
you  bought  prove  inferior,)  so  handy  to  blow  the 
manufacturer  up  as  it  would  be  to  complain  of  a 
firm  nearer  home. 

For  their  sake,  and  for  the  benefit  of  the  farm- 
ing community,  I  hope  Nourse,  Mason  &  Co.  will 
continue  to  make  and  sell  the  blood  manure,  and 
from  their  well  known  standing  as  fair  business 
men,  I  think  we  may  rely  upon  the  article  as  be- 
ing Avhat  it  professes  to  be. 

I  intended  to  harvest  the  rows  and  husk  them 
separately,  when  I  could  have  given  a  more  definite 
result ;  but  fortunately  for  me,  although  unfortu- 
nately for  my  making  on  accurate  trial,  I  had  so 
much  fruit  last  fall,  and  was  so  much  hurried 
thereby,  that  I  did  not  do  so. 

Westford,  March  1.  L.  H.  IIlLDRETll. 


Cure  for  the  Bite  of  a  Mad  Dog. — A 

writer  in  the  National  Intdl/gencer  says  that 
spirits  of  hartshorn  is  a  certain  remedy  for  the 
bite  of  a  mad  dog.  The  wound,  he  adds,  should 
be  constantly  bathed  with  it,  and  three  or  four 
doses,  diluted,  taken  inwardly  during  the  day. 
The  hartshorn  decomposes,  chemically,  the  virus 
insinuated  into  the  wound,  and  immediately  al- 
ters and  destroys  its  delecteriousness.  The  wri- 
ter, who  resided  in  Brazil  for  some  time,  first 
tried  it  for  the  bite  of  a  scorpion,  and  found  that 
it  removed  pain  and  inflammation  almost  instant- 
ly. Subsequently  he  tried  it  for  the  bite  of  a 
rattlesnake,  with  similar  success.  At  the  sug 
gestion  of  the  writer,  an  old  friend  and  physician 
tried  it  in  cases  of  hydro])hobia,  and  always  with 
success. — Qermantoicn  Telegraph. 


214 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Mat 


For  Vic  New  Eni^hinil  Furmer, 

C5ULTURE  OP  THE  MANGOLD  -WUIITZEL. 

BY    HENRY   F.   FRENCH. 

Value  of  the  MangoUl — Fed  to  Cows  in  the  City  of  London— Cul- 
ture in  Lincolnshire,  England — Culture  in  Ireland — Letter 
from  Mr.  Boj-le,  Farmer  at  the  Albert  Model  Farm. 

In  no  single  point  did  ray  opinions  meet  with 
a  more  decided  change,  in  my  wanderings  last 
summer  in  Europe,  than  with  respect  to  the  value 
of  the  mangold  wurtzel.  My  belief  now  is, 
that  we  can  cultivate  no  other  root  for  stock  so 
profitably  as  this,  and  I  hope  the  readers  of  the 
Farmer  will  give  it  a  fair  trial  the  coming  season. 

The  results  of  careful  inquiry  in  many  places 
in  England  and  Ireland,  and  of  observations  in 
Belgium  and  France,  where  the  climate  is  hot  and 
dry  in  summer,  may  be  given  in  a  few  lines. 
The  mangold  is  more  easily  cultivated  and  yields 
a  greater  weight  than  any  other.  It  is  in  gener- 
al of  about  the  value,  bushel  for  bushel,  with 
Swede  turnips,  for  all  horned  cattle.  It  is  valu- 
able for  sheep,  for  horses  and  for  swine.  Many 
English  farmers  consider  the  mangold  equal  in 
value  to  carrots,  bushel  for  bushel,  for  cows. 
Swine,  they  say,  will  thrive  well  on  them  raw  in 
the  spring  and  summer,  and  there  is  nothing  so 
profitable  to  raise  for  milch  cows.  All  agree  that 
they  should  not  be  fed  out  until  after  Christmas. 
Many  say  they  are  actually  poisonous  to  cattle 
in  the  fall.  They  doubtless  undergo  some  rip- 
ening process,  like  winter  apples,  after  they  are 
taken  from  the  ground,  or  some  fermentation, 
which  adapts  them  to  the  wants  of  animals. — 
Twenty-five  or  thirty  tons  of  2240  lbs.  is  a  com- 
mon crop  to  the  acre  in  England.  I  think  three 
or  four  tons  of  them  can  be  raised  with  the  same 
labor  as  one  ton  of  carrots.  There  is  nothing 
that  will  stand  a  drought  like  the  mangold.  They 
have  been  known  frequently  to  strike  to  the  bot- 
tom of  a  four  feet  drain,  and  so  have  a  good 
chance  to  find  all  the  water  that  is  going.  The 
beet,  of  which  the  mangold  is  a  huge  variety, 
thrives  well  in  France,  as  is  well  known,  and  is 
extensively  cultivated  for  sugar.  I  observed 
through  both  France  and  Belgium  that  the  beet 
endured  drought  better  than  Indian  corn.  In 
our  hot,  dry  summers,  it  must  be  our  surest  root 
crop.  I  had  always  supposed  it  easily  produced, 
but  not  to  be  of  much  value.  My  attention  was 
first  called  to  it  in  London,  a  strange  place  to 
study  the  culture  of  root  crops. 

In  the  midst  of  the  fashion  at  the  West  End 
in  London,  a  sensitive  and  discriminating  nose 
may  detect  the  rural  flavor  of  the  cow-house,  I 
soon  found  a  stable  near  my  boardin"--house  of 
three  hundred  and  fifty  cows.  Visitino-  them  of- 
ten, I  took  careful  notes  of  the  mode  of  keepin"-, 
the  structure  of  the  stables,  quantity  of  milk  and 
breed  of  animals,  which  I  will  advert  to  when 


there  is  room  in  the  paper.  All  I  wish  to  say 
now,  is,  that  I  never  saw  a  better  collection  of 
cows,  and  that  then,  in  the  month  of  June,  each 
cow  received  three  pecks  daily  of  mangolds. 
My  inference  is  that  if  it  is  profitable  to  feed  this 
root  to  cows,  in  the  city  of  London,  in  the  sum- 
mer, it  must  be  profitable  for  farmers  in  the  coun- 
try to  use  it. 

Everywhere  I  heard  the  same  opinion,  and 
made  it  a  subject  of  conversation  often,  that  I 
might  not  mistake  the  opinion  of  a  few  for  pub- 
lic sentiment.  In  July,  I  passed  a  week  Avith 
Ralph  Lowe,  Esq.,  of  Brauncewell  Manor,  in 
Lincolnshire,  and  found  that  he  and  all  the  other 
good  farmers  of  one  of  the  best  farmed  districts 
in  England  thought  very  highly  of  the  mangold. 
So  after  dinner  one  day,  I  took  my  pen  and  note- 
book, and  asked  him  to  give  me  careful  direc- 
tions how  to  cultivate  the  crop  in  his  country. 
Mr.  Lowe  is  as  reliable  as  any  man  in  England, 
and  his  mode  is  correct  for  his  district,  and  a  lit- 
tle Yankee  shrewdness  may  adapt  it  to  America. 
I  give  the  directions  almost  verbatim,  as  I  re- 
corded them  that  pleasant  summer  evening,  in 
"Merrie  England." 

"Take  dry  land,  well  drained, — not  clay, — that 
will  work  fine,  say  after  wheat.  Manure  with 
twelve  tons  of  good  manure  to  the  acre,  at  least, 
and  the  more  the  better.  Plow  it  in  six  inches, 
and  leave  it  till  spring ;  then  when  dry  enough, 
harrow  deep,  roll  and  work  fine  with  plow  and 
harrow.  Sow  broadcast  at  least  560  lbs.  of  salt, 
twice  the  quantity  is  better.  Throw  into  ridges 
twenty-seven  inches  apart  with  a  common  plow. 
Soak  the  seed  eighteen  hours  in  water,  and  lay 
on  a  dry  cloth  twenty-four  hours.  Drill  with  a 
hand-drill  three  to  six  pounds  of  seed  to  the  acre. 
Examine  and  see  if  the  seed  is  sound  or  has  been 
eaten  by  an  insect.  Drill  100  lbs.  of  super- 
phosphate with  ashes,  the  more  the  better,  with 
the  seed  on  the  ridge,  the  ridge  having  been  first 
rolled  lightly  to  flatten  it.  Sow  one  inch  deep, 
by  hand,  drop  the  seed  six  inches  apart.  Hoe  as 
soon  as  up — thin  out  to  one  foot  apart.  Horse 
hoe  and  keep  clean.  Look  over  and  be  sure  to 
have  but  one  plant  in  a  place. 

In  October  or  November  gather  without  break- 
ing the  skin,  cut  or  twist  ofi'  the  top  an  inch 
above  the  root,  remove  the  earth  with  a  dull  in- 
strument, so  as  not  to  cut  the  root.  They  are 
usually  stacked  and  covered  with  straw  and  earth 
in  England,  but  will  probably  (says  Mr.  Lowe,) 
keep  like  potatoes  anywhere.  Average  crop,  26 
to  30  tons  of  2240  lbs.  to  the  acre.  Spread  the 
leaves  evenly  over  the  ground,  and  plow  in.  By 
no  means  remove  them  from  the  land.  Do  not 
feed  out  till  February,  because  the  mangold  is 
poisonous  early  in  the  season,  and  will  scour  the 
cattle  and  do  them  no  good." 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FAET^IEE. 


215 


So  much  for  Lincolnshire.  Nearly  two  months 
after  this  my  wanderings  led  me  to  Dublin,  in 
Ireland,  and  to  the  Government  Model  Farm  at 
Glasneven,  close  by.  I  shall  some  day,  perhaps, 
have  a  long  story  to  tell  of  this  school  and  farm, 
but  now  mangold  is  the  word.  I  never  saw  bet- 
ter crops  in  my  life  than  on  the  model  farm,  and 
the  mangold  I  found  in  high  favor  there  too. 
Dr.  Kirkpatrick,  the  Superintendent,  was  absent, 
but  Mr.  Boyle,  the  farmer,  a  man  of  great  intel- 
ligence, showed  me  the  farm.  I  was  so  much 
struck  with  the  mangolds,  and  had  become  so 
much  impressed  with  the  importance  of  the  crop 
to  us  at  home,  that  I  requested  Mr.  Boyle  to 
.furnish  me  with  an  account  of  its  cultivation  for 
publication  in  America. 

Mindful  of  his  partial  promise,  !^L•.  Boyle  has 
written  me  the  following  letter,  which  I  know  will 
interest  our  readers.  The  article  referred  to  in  it 
has  not  yet  been  received,  but  will  be  in  some 
form  given  to  the  public  when  it  comes. 

We  have  here  an  opportunity  to  compare  the 
views  of  persons  quite  remote  from  each  other, 
and  it  is  worthy  of  notice  how  well  they  are 
agreed,  especially  as  to  the  points  that  the  man- 
gold is  very  valuable,  and  that  it  must  not  be  fed 

early  in  the  season. 

Alceet  Model  Farm,      ) 
Glasrwfin,  Dublin,  Vith  Feb.,  1858.  ( 

Sir  : — At  your  visit  to  this  farm  last  autumn  I 
promised  to  forward  you  a  report  on  the  cultiva- 
tion, &:c.,  of  the  mangold  wurtzel ;  and  on  speak- 
ing to  Dr.  Kirpatrick  (the  Superintendent)  on  the 
subject,  he  thought  better  to  allow  the  advanced 
pupils  here  to  compete  for  prizes,  offered  by  him- 
self, for  the  best  essay  on  that  crop,  with  the  un- 
derstanding that  it  should  be  forwarded  to  you. 
This  I  agreed  to,  and  I  therefore,  for  the  present, 
forego  the  pleasure  I  should  have  derived  from 
sending  you  a  paper  of  my  own  on  the  subject. 
The  essay  is  at  press,  and  it  shall  be  forwarded  to 
your  address  immediately  after  issue. 

I  hope  it  will  reach  you  in  time  for  the  purpose 
originally  intended.  A  portion  of  the  essay  has 
just  appeared  in  the  Chemico-Agricultural  Socie- 
tifs  Journal,  which  you  may  expect  along  with 
the  essay  in  a  complete  form.  Every  succeeding 
year  we  are  more  convinced  of  the  superiority 
of  mangold  over  Swedes  for  general  purposes. 
The  only  reason,  perhaps,  why  this  crop  should 
not  altogether  take  the  jjlace  of  Swedes,  on  deep, 
rich  land,  is  that  it  is  not  fit  for  use  until  it  has 
been  stored  for  about  two  months.  Hence  tur- 
nips, or  some  other  crop,  must  be  supplied  for 
this  period.  The  crop  of  mangold  which  you 
saw  growing  here  in  August,  produced  31  tons, 
per  statute  acre,  of  hidhs,  and  12  tons  of  leaves. 
Swedes  19  tons  per  acre  ;  wheat  20  to  2o  cwt.  ; 
oats  30  cwt.  ;  potatoes  8  tons.  Our  potatoes  are 
keeping  well  in  store,  and  the  crop  pays  us  bet- 
ter than  any  other  we  grow. 

Returning  to  the  mangold ;  it  requires  to  be 
largely  manured,  the  land  on  Avhich  it  is  to  be 
grown  deeply  tilled.  On  no  account  should  the 
young  plant  be  hied  by  any  of  the  implements  in 
the  after  culture.     Should  be  securely  stored  pre- 


vious to  the  setting  in  oi  frost ;  the  long  varie- 
ties are  more  susceptible  of  injury  than  the  glohe 
varieties — the  former  should  be  first  used.  If 
stored  in  cellars,  it  must  be  well  ventilated,  oth- 
erwise the  heap  will  heat  and  decay.  Even  over 
ground,  in  large  piles,  the  crop  will  require  ven- 
tilation. It  occurs  to  me  that  it  will  take  great 
care  and  good  management  to  keep  the  mangold 
secure  from  the  frost  of  an  American  winter,  and 
at  the  same  time  to  provide  proper  ventilation. 

In  taking  off"  the  leaves  at  the  time  of  storing, 
care  should  be  taken  that  the  croivn  of  the  plant 
is  not  cut  into.  Some  persons  advocate  the 
breaking  off  the  leaves  by  the  hand.  I  prefer 
cutting  them  off  carefully.  The  bulbs  will  keep 
all  the  better  in  store  by  allowing  some  of  the 
earth  to  remain  on  them  when  taking  them  out  of 
the  land.  As  to  feeding  qualities,  the  mangold 
will  produce  more  milk  than  the  same  weight  of 
Swedes,  and  the  milk  from  both  will  produce  as 
nearly  as  possible  the  same  per  centage  of  cream; 
but  the  butter  produced  from  the  former  will  be 
paler  in  color  than  from  the  latter.  Swedes, 
however,  give  an  unpleasant  taste  to  milk,  which 
may  be  obviated  by  the  use  of  a  little  nitre  in  the 
miKc  when  fresh. 

Some  of  these  points  may  not  be  touched  upon 
in  the  essay,  hence  I  have  taken  the  liberty  of 
saying  a  little  on  the  subject  here.  I  shall  be 
happy  at  any  time  to  give  you  my  views  on  any 
farming  subject  you  may  select. 

I  have  to  thank  you  for  the  Patent  OfEce  lie  • 
port,  the  value  of  which  is  enhanced  by  your  own 
article.  I  have  a  great  many  near  relatives  in 
the  United  States,  most  of  whom  are  engaged  in 
farming  pursuits — some  in  Ohio  and  others  in 
Wisconsin,  &c. — and  I  have  an  opportunity  of 
knowing  a  good  deal  about  the  country,  and  I 
am  always  glad  to  sea  the  official  reports. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be,  sir,  your  obt.  servt., 
William  Boyle. 

If  we  consider  the  above  statement,  as  to  all 
the  crops  named,  we  shall  find  them  very  heavy. 
The  ton  should  be  reckoned  2240  lbs.,  and  the 
cwt.  112  lbs.  The  wheat  crop,  then,  was  40 
to  50  bushels  to  the  acre,  reckoning  56  lbs.  to  the 
bushel;  the  oats  112  bushels  to  the  acre,  reckon- 
ing 30  lbs.  to  the  bushel.  The  potatoes  320 
bushels  of  56  lbs. 

When  shall  we  have  Model  Farms  in  our  coun- 
try? 

For  the  New  England  Farmer. 

MOSES  irarWELL.,  OF  WEST   WEWBUEY. 
^.  63. 

On  Saturday,  13th  inst.,  at  noon,  it  was  my 
privilege  to  be  present  in  West  Newbury,  v.hen 
the  mortal  remains  of  (his  highly  esteemed  citi- 
zen of  the  county  of  Essex,  Mass.,  were  deposited 
in  the  silent  tomb.  I  have  rarely  known  a  better 
man.  An  intimate  acquaintance  of  more  than 
forty  years  has  confirmed  the  belief  that  he  was 
worthy  of  entire  confidence.  Inheriting,  as  he 
did,  a  vigorous  body  and  an  ample  farm,  from 
his  much  respected  sire,  he  was  content  to  remain 
a  genuine  specimen  of  the  New  England  farmer, 
without  deviating  into  tlie  quagmires  of  official 
life.     True,  at  the  earnest  solicitations  of  fricu' 


216 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


May 


and  for  their  gratification,  he  several  times  ac- 
cepted office,  for  short  periods,  but  never  for  the 
vain  desire  of  official  distinction,  or  to  the  neg- 
lect of  his  family  or  farm.  Frank,  open  and  free, 
you  always  knew  where  to  find  him.  He  was 
eminently  distinguished  for  soundness  of  judg- 
ment and  integrity  of  character.  Gladly  would 
I  record  ftpccijicalli/  his  many  virtues,  did  I  not 
know  that  they  are  ineffaceably  engraved  on  the 
hearts  of  all  who  knew  him  well.  He  was  an 
admirable  illustration  of  the  noblest  work  of  God 
— "an  honest  man."  P. 

March,  1858. 


Fur  the  New  England  Fanner, 
SCION'S,  SEEDS  AND  SOILS. 

Messrs.  Editors  : — If  I  mistake  not,  the  fol- 
lowing query  had,  some  time  ago,  a  place  in  your 
columns  ;  viz  : — "When  scions  are  taken  from  a 
fruit  tree,  and  grafted  upon  stocks  raised  from 
the  seeds  of  that  same  fruit  tree,  will  any  advan- 
tage or  detriment  result  from  the  practice  ?  or  is 
it  simply  immaterial  ?" 

No  response,  from  any  quarter,  was  given  to 
this  inquiry.  Possibly  if  now  repeated,  it  might 
attract  the  notice  of  some  horticulturist,  compe- 
tent, from  his  own  experience,  to  satisfy  the  doubt. 

Another  point  of  interest,  not  yet  settled,  is 
this.  "In  selecting  a  suitable  soil  for  a  fruit  tree, 
should  the  ground  be  chosen  with  reference  to 
the  graft,  or  to  the  stock  ?"  In  the  case  of  pears 
on  quince  stocks,  it  seems  to  be  conceded  that 
the  soil  must  be  adapted  to  the  quince.  Yet,  on 
consulting  the  several  fruit  books  now  extant,  it 
will  be  found  that  each  fruit  is  described  as  re- 
quiring a  certain  kind  of  soil,  without  reference 
to  the  stock  on  which  it  may  be  growing.  How 
is  this  matter  to  be  understood  ?  As  the  roots 
proceed  from  the  stock,  it  would  seem  reasojia- 
ble  that  the  ground  should  be  such  as  the  stock 
would  best  thrive  in.  But,  as  fruit  trees  are  graft- 
ed indiscriminately  on  various  stocks,  how  was  it 
discovered  that  certain  soils  were  adapted  to  cer- 
tain varieties  of  fruit  ? 

If  fruit  trees  can  henceforth  be  grown  upon 
their  own  roots,  byM.  Dochmahl's  method,  or  by 
any  other  mode,  then  it  will  be  practicable  to  as- 
certain the  soil  suited  to  each  variety,  or  if  scions 
may  be  grafted  on  seeds  obtained  from  the  same 
tree  that  produced  the  scion,  it  may  l)e  presumed 
that  the  soil  would  affect  both  stocks  and  graft 
alike,  but  how  the  point  is  to  be  determined 
when  several  varieties  of  fruit  trees  are  growing 
on  stocks  of  other  unknown  vai-ieties,  it  is  surely 
difficult  to  understand.  Faii  East. 

February  23,  1858. 


A  SiMrLE  Remedy.— A  writer  in  the  Balti- 
more Sun,  who  has  been  afflicted  severely  in  his 
family  by  that  appalling  disease,  bronchitis,  has 
fount!  relief  from  the  following  remedy : — Take 
honey  in  the  comb,  squeeze  it  out,  and  dilute 
with  a  little  water,  and  wet  the  lips  and  mouth 
occasionally  with  it.  It  has  never  been  known 
to  fail,  in  cases  where  children  had  throats  so 
swollen  as  to  be  unable  to  swallow.  It  is  cer- 
tainly a  simple  remedy,  and  may  be  a  very  effica- 
cious one. 


DEATH  OF  COL.  NEWELL. 

The  intelligence  of  the  death  of  Col.  Newell 
came  to  us  like  one  of  those  unexpected  and 
startling  calamities  which  occasionally  arrest  the 
thoughts  of  man,  and  show  him  how  true  it  is 
that  "in  the  midst  of  life  we  are  in  death."  It 
seems  but  a  week  since  we  saw  him  with  a  steady 
step,  a  clear  eye  and  comprehensive  intellect,  ac- 
tively engaged  in  the  concerns  of  life,  and  with 
earnest  desires  to  promote  the  happiness  of  all ; 
but  without  a  warning  note  having  reached  our 
ear,  we  heard  that  he  had  been  called  from  the 
earthly  scenes  which  he  had  so  long  dignified  and 
adorned.  His  step  has  ceased,  his  eye  become 
dim — but  that  intellect  which  guided  him  so  w^ise- 
ly  here,  and  through  which  he  conferred  so  many 
benefits  upon  his  kind,  we  cannot  doubt  is  al- 
ready effulgent  with  new  illuminations  from  the 
Creative  PoAver. 

Col.  Newell  was  well  educated  as  a  citizen  of 
the  world ;  he  was  gentle  and  unassuming  in  his 
manners,  discriminating  and  sound  in  his  judg- 
ments and  firm  in  his  opinions,  though  he  never 
pressed  the  latter  upon  his  listener.  Though  of- 
ten called  to  the  discharge  of  public  duties,  he 
preferred  rural  life,  and  found  his  chief  enjoy- 
ments in  the  bosom  of  his  family  and  in  the  con- 
genial occupations  of  the  farm. 

He  had  long  been  an  influential  member  of  the 
Essex  county  agricultural  society,  acting  for  sev- 
eral years  as  us  President,  and  was  an  active  and 
useful  member  of  the  State  Board  of  Agriculture, 
where  his  unostentatious  and  winning  manners, 
and  the  general  correctness  of  his  views,  led  all 
to  look  upon  him  as  a  safe  adviser. 

Let  us  cherish  his  memory  and  emulate  his  vir- 
tues, and  be  ready  for  the  call  which  summoned 
him  in  the  midst  of  his  labors  and  usefulness, 
and  like  a  shock  of  corn  ripe  in  its  season. 


A  Nice  Point  of  Law. — I  heard  this  anec- 
dote from  a  gentleman  long  resident  in  Philadel- 
phia. Two  Quakers  in  that  place  applied  to  their 
society,  as  they  do  not  go  to  law,  to  decide  in  the 
following  difficulty.  A.  is  uneasy  about  a  ship 
that  ought  to  have  arrived,  meets  B.,  an  insurer, 
and  states  his  wish  to  have  the  vessel  insured. 
The  matter  is  agreed  upon.  A.  returns  home 
and  receives  a  letter  informing  him  of  the  loss  of 
his  ship.  What  shall  he  do  ?  He  is  afraid  the 
policy  is  not  filled  up,  and  should  B.  hear  of  the 
matter  soon,  it  is  all  over  with  him;  he  therefore 
writes  to  B.  thus:  '-Friend  B.,  if  thee  hasn't  fill- 
ed up  the  policy,  thee  needn't,  for  I've  heard  of 
the  ship."  "O,  O  !"  thinks  B.  to  himself,  "cun- 
ning fellow ;  he  wants  to  do  me  out  of  the  pre- 
mium." So  he  writes  thus  to  A. :  "Friend  A., 
thee  be'st  too  late  by  half  an  hour  ;  the  jjolicy  is 
ffiled."  A.  rubs  his  hands  with  delight ;  yet  B. 
refuses  to  pay.  Well,  what  is  the  decision  ?  The 
loss  is  divided  between  them. — Itev.  JoJin  Eagles, 
in  Blackwood's  Magazine. 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


217 


For  the  New  Ennland  Farmer. 

irrrDERDRAiwiwa  and  ibrigatiojst. 

■  That  underdraining  is  not  needed  on  most  of 
our  land  in  this  country,  I  infer  with  much  confi- 
dence from  the  acknowledged  beneficial  effects  of 
mulching, — a  process,  by  the  way, 

"For  which  the  speech  of  England  hath  no  name ;" 

simply,  I  suppose,  because  M'here  draining  is  real- 
ly necessary,  any  such  expedient  as  mulching  is 
not  necessary.  I  do  not  speak  of  mulching  as  a 
substitute  for  draining ;  and,  therefore,  do  not 
care  to  inquii-e  Avhether  it  is  practicable  in  ordi- 
nary farming.  The  principle  of  its  operation 
may  be  tested  in  the  garden  or  orchard  as  satis- 
factorily as  on  the  whole  farm.  That  principle  I 
rely  upon  as  an  argument  against  draining.  My 
own  experience,  and  that  of  others  who  have 
published  the  results  of  their  trials,  show  that 
mulching  benefits  vegetation  chiefly  by  keeping 
the  surface  of  the  earth  moist  and  loose  in  our 
hot  and  dry  summers.  As  straws  afloat  in  the 
air  show  the  direction  of  the  wind,  so  "straws" 
spread  upon  the  ground  may  show  the  direction 
farmers  should  take  in  their  efforts  to  promote 
the  growth  of  their  crops.  The  principle,  then, 
■which  I  regard  as  conclusively  demonstrated  by 
the  effects  of  mulching  is,  that  a  deficiency  of 
moisture,  not  an  excess,  is  what  American  farm- 
ers have  to  fear  and  guard  against ;  and .  the  in- 
ference, a  very  natural  one,  is  that  they  should 
"govern  themselves  accordinglj-." 

With  these  views,  and  in  one  of  those  "dry 
spells"  that  occur  almost  every  summer,  when  the 
broad  leaves  of  that  salamander  plant,  our  In- 
dian corn,  roll  themselves  into  fiabby  strings, 
and  when  wells,  twenty,  thirty  and  forty  feet 
deep,  "give  out"  entirely,  is  it  not  rather  more  re- 
freshing than  instructive  to  retire  into  a  cool  li- 
brary, and  read,  as  we  may,  from  a  portly  volume, 
backed  in  golden  letters,  "The  American  Farm- 
er's   ,"  the   timely  assurance  that  "The  very 

first  care  of  the  farmer,  that  on  which  the  success  o  f 
his  future  crops  almost  eniirely  depends,  is  the 
removal  of  unnecessary  supplies  of  water  ?" 

As  it  is  possible  that  some  one  may  reply  to 
the  argument  drawn  from  the  effects  of  mulching, 
that  it  is  superficial, — that,  at  best,  it  relates  only 
to  the  surface  of  the  soil,  while  watery  billows 
I'oU  below,  I  will  now  try  to  go  a  little  deeper. 
Though  claiming  the  ability  to  see  as  far  into  a 
mill-stone  as  most  people  can,  I  feel  much  satis- 
faction in  being  able  to  take  for  my  subterranean 
guide  so  distinguished  a  gentleman  as  Dr.  Hitch- 
cock, and  will  let  him,  as  spokesman,  report : 

"It  is  well  known  to  the  chemist  that  most  of 
the  salts,  so  useful  upon  lands,  are  dissolved  by 
rains,  and  carried  downward  through  the  soil  till 
they  meet  with  a  water-bearing  stratum.  There 
they  will  accumulate  ;  and  now  let  that  stratum — 
known  by  springs  issuing  from  it — be  dug  up  and 
spread  over  the  surface,  and  these  salts  will  ex- 
ert their  appropriate  influence  upon  the  crops. 
This  very  principle  is  the  chief  secret  of  the  good 
effects  of  subsoil  plowing,  and  I  doubt  not  but  it 
will  yet  lead  to  valuable  results  in  the  use  of  sub- 
stances drawn  from  a  still  greater  depth.  In  some 
instances  they  certainly  have  produced  astonish- 
ing effects." — Uamp.  Ag.  Address,  1856. 

Now  if  the  pot  be  not  allowed  to  call  the  ket- 
tle black,  why  should  those  who  underdraiu  their 


soil,  and  thus  empty  these  valuable  "salts"  through 
carefully  laid  tiles  into  the  ocean,  or  some  other 
safe  place,  laugh  at  the  folly  of  those  old-fash- 
ioned farmers  who  "underdrained"  their  cow- 
yard,  pig-pen  and  manure-heaps  ? 

Whatever  may  be  thought  of  the  pertinency  of 
this  question,  I  must  confess  that  it  is  not  origi- 
nal with  myself.  Some  time  ago  a  stray  number 
of  the  Mark  Lane  Express,  an  English  agricul- 
tural journal,  fell  into  my  possession.  It  is  lost 
now,  but  I  remember  that  the  leading  editorial 
article  was  devoted  to  a  discussion  of  the  subject 
of  draining.  In  the  course  of  his  remarks,  the 
editor  puts  into  the  mouth  of  a  regular  old-style 
John  Bull  farmer,  whom  he  pretended  to  have 
met  at  a  certain  fair,  divers  objections  and  argu- 
ments against  draining,  among  which  was,  in 
substance,  the  above  question.  It  appeared  strange 
to  me  that  an  agricultural  paper  in  England 
should  venture  to  give  so  many  suggestive  hints 
against  draining,  although  it  was  done  in  the 
words  of  a  mere  "clodhopper,"  I  thought  it  clear- 
ly indicated  the  existence  of  doubt,  in  the  mind 
of  at  least  one  able  English  agricultural  editor, 
of  the  infallibility  of  Thoi'ough  Draining  as  a  spe- 
cific for  every  ill  farming  is  heir  to.  From  my 
slight  knowledge  of  English  agriculture,  I  sup- 
pose that  draining,  like  the  much  vaunted  Tip- 
tree  farming,  is  rather  the  plaything  of  capital- 
ists than  the  w^ork  of  practical  farmers — that,  in 
fact,  drainage  is  the  exception,  not  the  rule,  of 
tillage  land  even  in  England, 

This  digression  has  carried  me  so  far  from  Dr. 
Hitchcock's  remarks,  and  I  am  so  willing  to  leave 
them  to  make  their  own  impression,  that  I  shall 
not  attempt  to  return  to  that  branch  of  my  subject. 

In  the  next  place  I  oly'ect  to  tile  draining,  that 
it  is  exhaustive.  It  adds  nothing  to  the  soil.  It 
is  not  a  fertilizer.  No  one  will  dispute  these  po- 
sitions. In  a  long  list  of  the  benefits  ascribed  to 
thorough  draining,  on  the  last  page  of  the  month- 
ly Farmer  for  1850,  is  the  following  :  "It  hasten* 
the  decay  of  roots  and  other  vegetable  matter" 
in  the  soil!  A  statement  far  more  encouraging 
to  the  race  of  farm-skinners  than  to  those  who 
wish  to  improve  the  soil.  This  singular  "benefit" 
of  draining  suggests  another  thought.  By  "has- 
tening the  decay  of  vegetable  matter  in  the  soil," 
an  apparent  improvement  in  crops  may  for  a  time 
be  ascribed  to  drainage,  which  should  be  credited 
to  the  gradual  impoverishment  of  the  soil,  conse- 
quent on  this  very  decay  of  its  vegetable  matter. 
Especially  in  a  highly  manured  and  long  cultiva- 
ted country  like  that  of  England,  a  lowering  o^ 
the  water-line  froni  within  a  few  inches  of  the 
surface  to  the  depth  of  several  feet,  might  be 
followed  for  a  time  by  results  that  could  not  be 
anticipated  in  a  poorer  soil,  or  in  one  M'hose  sat- 
urated subsoil  has  always  been  much  farther  be- 
low the  surface  of  the  earth. 

In  conversation  a  few  years  since  with  a  Con- 
necticut River  farmer,  on  the  comparative  merits 
of  the  soil  of  that  valley  and  the  more  heavy 
soil  of  the  Champlain  valley,  one  remark  was 
made  that  I  have  not  forgotten,  and  which  I  will 
repeat  in  this  connection.  The  Connecticut  Riv- 
er farmer  said,  "What  we  lack  is  a  bottom  to  our 
farms,"  I  understood  him  to  hold,  with  Dr. 
Hitchcock,  that  on  the  porous  subsoil  of  his  farm 
the  salts  of  the  manure  were  carried  downward 
thi'ough  the    soil   beyond   the   reach   of  plants. 


218 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


May 


while  the  more  volatile  portions  escaped  into  the 
air.  He  wanted  a  "bottom  to  his  farm" — some- 
thing that  would  hold  the  manure — the  vegeta- 
ble matter — and  the  soil,  too,  from  the  constant 
leaching  to  wbich  it  was  already  subject.  Would 
thorough  draining  meet  his  case? 

An  observing  townsman,  who  has  spent  some 
time  in  California,  informs  me  that  the  river  bot- 
toms only,  so  far  as  he  saw,  were  cultivated  in 
that  State.  On  these  bottoms,  he  says,  the  soil 
is  constantly  moist  almost  to  its  very  surface. 
Hero  grow  the  monster  vegetables  of  which  we 
have  so  often  read.  Tlie  soil  there  which  is  not 
thus  kept  filled  with  moisture,  bakes  and  cracks 
in  the  dry  season,  and  cannot  be  cultivated  at  all, 
until  by  some  means  the  land  shall  be  irrigated. 
When  I  closed  my  first  article,  and  when  I  wrote 
the  heading  of  this,  I  thought  I  should  have  am- 
ple space  for  some  remarks  upon  irrigation,  after 
giving  my  reasons  for  believing  that,  in  this  coun- 
try, draining  Avill  long  be  confined  to  svv-ampsand 
^ow  lands,  which  constitute  a  very  small  propor- 
tion of  the  soil  either  of  New  England  or  of 
these  United  States.  But  I  have  filled  my  sheet, 
and  may  as  well  stop  where  I  am.  AVishing, 
however,  to  make  my  bow  in  good  company,  I 
will  append  the  following  statement  from  the 
writings  of  Prof.  Nash  : 

"I  have  often  described  our  most  common 
qualities  of  New  England  soil  to  English  farm- 
ers, and  asked  what  would  be  the  eff'ect  of  drain- 
ing such  lands ;  and  I  have  received  for  reply, 
that  it  would  but  lose  to  the  owner  all  the  money 
expended  in  the  operation."  s.  F. 

Winchester,  Feb.,  1858. 


For  the  New  Enr;Iand  Farmer. 
MERCY  TOWARDS  ANIMALS  IS 
ECONOMY. 

The  teamster,  who  loads  his  dray  or  wagon 
so  heavily  that  the  horse  or  team  attached  to  it 
cannot  draw  it  but  a  short  distance,  without  be- 
ing so  exhausted  of  strength  as  to  be  unable  to 
proceed,  without  stopping  to  rest,  or  breathe 
awhile,  is  an  unmerciful  and  an  unwise  man. 

Vriiocver  practices  such  a  mode  of  loading  his 
team  is  ignorant  of  true  economy,  and  is  wanting 
in  merciful  feelings — is  inhuman.  It  is  ever  in- 
jurious to  the  beast  of  burden  or  draft  to  over- 
load hun ;  such  loads  as  require  the  exercise  of 
the  full,  or  nearly  the  whole  strength  of  the  ani- 
mals to  move  them  forward,  strain  their  nerves 
and  sinews  and  stifle  them.  The  over-driven  or 
over-worked  horse  is  injured  in  his  strength  and 
speed.  It  is  uneconomical  to  manage  and  use  a 
horse  in  such  a  manner  as  to  impair  his  useful- 
ness and  value.  It  i-s  most  unwise  to  lessen  by 
our  usage,  more  than  necessary,  the  market  val- 
ue of  our  working  animals,  to  shorten  their  lives 
or  their  periods  of  scrviceableness.  It  is  great 
folly  to  so  use  a  horse,  that  would,  with  kind 
and  wise  management,  be  serviceable  for  ten 
years,  as  to  curtail  that  term  of  usefulness  to  six 
years. 

The  motto,  that  "time  is  money,"  is  true  in- 
deed. By  over-driving  or  over-loading,  we  im- 
pair the  speed  of  the  carriage  and  dray  horse. 
We  lose  time  in  their  lessened  speed  and  activi- 
ty afterwards.  We  occasionally  see  drays,  sleds, 
and  wagons,  so   heavily  loaded  for  the  horses  or 


teams  attached,  that  they  cannot  be  moved  but  a 
few  yards  or  rods,  without  so  fatiguing  the  ani- 
mal as  to  require  rest,  and  may  be,  with  difficul- 
ty the  load  is  started  after  such  pauses  or  stop- 
pings. The  horses  are  much  injured  by  strain- 
ing, to  haul  such  loads,  and  much  time  is  lost  by 
such  mode  of  dragage.  It  would  be  more  expe- 
ditious and  economical  to  go  oftener  with  light- 
er loads.  It  is  better  to  go  twice,  in  transport- 
ing flour,  than  put  on  one  barrel  too  many  for 
a  load.  It  is  an  injury  to  the  harnesses  and  car- 
riages, when  the  load  is  too  heavy  for  the  team. 
A  sled  is  much  racked  by  the  swinging  to  and 
off'  of  the  team  in  endeavoring  to  start.  Heavy 
loads  rack  and  strain  the  carriage  ever.  It  is 
ungentlemanly  to  so  load  a  team  that  its  move- 
ments pain  and  shock  the  sensibilities  of  street 
passengers.     The  act  of  overloading  is  accursed. 

p. 

For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
GUANO. 

Mr.  Editor  : — I  am  a  common  man,  cultivat- 
ing my  own  acres  to  acquire  a  comfortable  sup- 
port for  my  family  and  myself;  and  have  no  time 
to  institute  accurate  comparative  experiments. 
I  have  endeavored  to  learn  whether  it  was  worth 
while  for  mo  to  buy  guano,  at  a  cost  of  three 
or  four  dollars  per  hundred  pounds.  The  first 
thing  I  learn  about  it  is  that  it  expends  its 
strength  the  first  season ;  the  second  is,  if  the 
article  is  of  good  quality  it  needs  to  be  mixed 
with  some  diluting  substances.  The  third  is,  the 
quantity  you  obtain  for  your  money,  as  compared 
with  good  manure,  is  so  small  that  I  am  satisfied 
it  is  better  to  make  compost  at  home,  or  purchase 
good  manure  from  the  stable,  and  to  leave  the 
bags  of  guano  to  those  who  deal  in  fancy  articles. 
I  have  applied  guano,  with  good  success  to  grass 
land,  just  before  a  rain,  doubling  the  crop  as 
compared  with  like  grounds  next  adjoining;  but 
I  have  never  seen  very  beneficial  results,  when 
applied  to  hoed  crops.  If  it  be  true,  as  I  believe 
it  is,  that  its  virtue  will  be  expended  the  first 
year,  I  doubt  whether  it  will  be  found  worth  pur- 
chasing. I  have  heard  it  said  that  the  most  care- 
ful analysis  will  not  distinguish  the  difference  in 
soils,  where  oOO  pounds  of  guano  has  been  ap- 
plied to  the  acre,  and  where  none  has  been  ap- 
plied. This  being  so,  it  shows  that  there  is  lit- 
tle reliance  to  lie  placed  in  analysis,  or  that  there 
is  little  virtue   in  guano.  Arator. 

March  20,  1858. 


Value  of  Clover  Hay. — H.  Capron,  of  Illi- 
nois, who  has  been  largely  concerned  in  the  dai- 
ry business,  (having  sold  $6000  worth  of  milk  in 
a  single  year.)  informs  the  Country  Gentleman 
that  he  made  accurate  experiments  to  test  the 
comparative  value  of  timothy  and  clover  hay. 
These  experiments  extended  through  a  period  of 
two  years,  were  accompanied  with  accurate 
weighing  and  measuring,  and  the  food  was 
changed  from  timothy  to  clover  and  vice  versa, 
once  a  month,  and  results  were  that  the  clover 
hay  yielded  ten  per  cent,  more  milk  than  the  tim- 
othy. It  will  be  observed  that  this  Avas  not  a 
single  experiment,  but  a  series  of  experiments 
extending  for  a  long  period.  It  is  proper  to  state 
that  the  clover  was  well  cured. 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


219 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
DESTRUCTIVE  INSECTS. 

Mk.  Editor: — I  made  a  note  of  an  article  with 
the  above  heading  in  the  A^eiv  England  Farmer 
of  October  31st,  written  by  Mr.  S.  I3rown,  a  wri- 
ter over  whose  signature  I  always  expect  to  find 
something  worth  reading.  In  that  article,  occurs 
the  following  passage :  '"There  is  a  natural  law 
operating  among  reptiles  and  insects,  and  all  an- 
imals which  multiply  to  excess,  which  causes  near- 
ly their  extermination  periodically." 

I  am  glad  to  see  attention  called  to  this  sub- 
ject, for  I  believe  that,  until  we  arrive  at  a  suf- 
ficient knowledge  of  what  these  causes  are,  to  en- 
able us  to  co-operate  tcith  ihcni,  we  shall  produce 
about  as  much  effect  as  we  should  by  sweeping 
back  the  tide  with  a  broom. 

We  may,  it  is  true,  save  the  fruit  of  a  single 
plum  tree,  or  the  blossoms  of  a  single  rose  bush, 
from  the  depredations  of  the  curculio  and  rose- 
bug  for  a  single  year,  l)ut  unless  the  same  eflbrts 
are  renewed  every  year,  a  new  and  countless  ar- 
my will  come  from  some  other  source,  ready  to 
destroy  each  succeeding  crop. 

I  know  it  is  a  favorite  method  of  enforcing  the 
importance  of  destroying  insects,  to  exhibit  their 
rapidity  of  increase,  and  show  us  what  numbers 
are  nipped  in  the  germ  by  destroying  a  single  in- 
dividual ;  but  let  us  look  at  the  other  side  ;  take, 
for  instance,  the  common  caterpillar ;  Downing 
says,  "each  female  lays  from  two  to  five  hundred 
eggs ;"  allowing  the  number  of  males  and  fe- 
males to  be  equal,  and  taking  the  lowest  estimate, 
suppose  out  of  each  hundred  caterpillars  scattered 
over  our  orchards  and  forests,  many  of  them  in 
almost  inaccessible  places,  we  succeed  in  destroy- 
ing ninety,  this  will  give  us  one  thousand  next 
j"ear,  in  place  of  one  hundred  this.  I  would  not, 
however,  discourage  any  one  from  making  war 
upon  the  caterpillar,  even  with  our  present  knowl- 
edge of  the  subject.  I  only  wish  to  show  the  value 
of  such  calculations. 

Perhaps  I  shall  be  told,  many  cultivators  save 
their  plums  and  other  fruits  from  the  ravages  of 
the  curculio,  and  that  there  are  many  simple  rem- 
edies which  are  often  successful.  That  brings  us 
exactly  to  the  point.  Show  me  a  cultivator  who 
succeeds  in  raising  a  good  crop  of  plums  every 
year,  and  I  will  grant  that  his  skill  or  location, 
produces  this  result ;  very  probably  the  former  ; 
but  to  one  living  as  I  do,  in  a  region  where  a 
majority  of  the  farmers  leave  their  fruit  trees  to 
take  care  of  themselves,  it  is  not  difficult  to  see 
how  these  remedies  originate  ;  some  natural  cause 
keeps  down  the  curculio  for  one  season,  and  every 
remedy,  tried  for  the  first  time  during  that  sea- 
son, succeeds  perfectly. 

But  to  treat  my  subject  more  directly,  the 
causes  which,  according  to  my  observations,  ap- 
pear to  have  had  most  eflect  in  producing  the 
partial  extinction  of  various  species  of  insects, 
are parasuic  insects,  late  spring  frosts,  and  cold, 
at  a  certain  stage  of  their  development.  I  have  ob- 
served the  first  particularly  with  the  common  cat- 
erpillar ;  some  few  years  since,  our  orchards  were 
so  infested  with  this  pest,  that  whole  trees  were 
entirely  stripped  of  their  foliage  by  them,  but 
suddenly  their  ravages  almost  ceased,  and  I  per-j 
ceived  that  after  the  nests  had  gained  about  half  i 
their  usual  size,  they  appeared  to  be  deserted.    l' 


at  first  attributed  this  to  the  Oriole,  but  on  closer 
examination,  I  found  the  remains  of  the  cater- 
pillars evidently  eaten  by  some  parasite.  This 
insect  is  now  again  on  the  increase. 

Of  the  eflfect  of  late  frosts,  I  do  not  feel  quite 
so  sure,  but  think  the  large  black  pumpkin  bugs 
were  nearly  exterminated  by  the  frost  in  1834. 
Perhaps  some  of  your  readers  will  recollect  that 
in  many  places,  nearly  all  the  apples  were  killed 
that  year,  by  a  frost,  -while  the  trees  were  in  blos- 
som, about  the  middle  of  May,  I  think.  These 
bugs,  which  had  destroyed  most  of  the  vines  for 
several  years  previous,  did  no  damage  at  all  that 
season.  The  past  year  witnessed  another  general 
disappearance  of  this  enemy,  although  not  as 
complete  as  before,  and  this  time  it  was  not  ac- 
companied by  severe  spring  frost,  but  I  would 
suggest,  whether  the  cold,  wet  weather  may  not 
have  had  some  agency  in  it  ? 

In  an  article  on  this  'subject,  in  the  Countr;/ 
Gaitleman  of  August  13,  Mr.  Levi  Bartlett, 
of  Warner,  N,  H.,  says  he  has  not  seen  the  first 
black  bug  this  year,  and  not  over  half  a  dozen 
striped  bugs  ;  if  this  should  meet  his  eye,  will 
Mr.  B.  give  us  his  opinion  ? 

Cold  weather,  accompanied  by  high  wind,  I 
think  reduced  the  number  of  rose  bugs  at  least 
nine-tenths  in  one  season,  a  few  years  since. 
Those  who  have  observed  the  habits  of  this  bee- 
tle, are  probably  aware  that  they  make  their  ap- 
pearance about  the  time  of  the  first  blossoms  of 
the  common  white  rose,  and  are  most  abundant 
in  the  first  part  of  the  hay  season,  especially  in 
very  warm,  sultry  days  ;  at  least,  they  are  much 
more  active  on  such  days,  and  they  fly  with  dif- 
ficulty when  the  wind  blows.  Now  for  several 
weeks  of  the  year  alluded  to,  just  at  the  time  for 
them  to  come,  we  had  almost  continual  cold  win- 
dy weather,  and  very  few  rose  bugs  were  seen, 
and  although  they  have  been  increasing  most  of 
the  time  since,  they  are  not  near  so  numerous 
now  as  previous  to  that  time. 

I  throw  out  these  hints  to  call  farther  attention 
to  this  subject,  with  the  hope,  that  some  of  your 
readers,  who  are  better  acquainted  with  entomol- 
ogy, may  make  farther  observations,  and  give  us 
information  by  which  we  may  assist  nature  in 
this  work,  as  perhaps  we  might  do,  by  preserving 
the  parasites  which  feed  on  these  noxious  insects, 
by  exposing  our  cultivated  grounds  more  to  the 
action  of  frost,  or  by  giving  more  shelter  to  birds, 
by  planting  evergreens,  and  retaining  a  larger 
proportion  of  our  forests. 

MeanM'hile,  I  would  suggest  that  every  reader 
of  the  Farmer  "keep  his  eyes  open"  during  the 
insect  season,  make  a  note  of  all  important  ifacts, 
and  communicate  them  for  the  benefit  of  all  con- 
cerned. Wm.  F.  Bassett. 

Ashfield,  Mass.,  18o8. 


TO  PKEVEWT  HEISTS  SITTING, 
^lake  a  small,  open  pen  of  laths,  or  some  sim- 
ilar material,  in  one  corner  of  your  hen-house, 
about  eight  inches  wide,  and  of  any  convenient 
length  and  height.  Let  one  of  the  laths  or  slats 
be  so  secured  that  it  may  be  easily  taken  out  or 
moved  one  side,  so  that  a  hen  may  be  convenient- 
ly passed  into  or  taken  out  of  the  pen.  On  the 
bottom  of  this  pen,  and  running  lengthwise 
through  it,  set  up  a  couple  of  laths  on  edge,  and 


220 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


May 


fasten  them  about  the  same  distance  from  each 
other,  and  from  the  sides  of  the  pen.  Run  a  small 
perch  across  the  pen  and  the  work  is  done.  When 
a  hen  wishes  to  set  put  her  in  there.  She  will 
soon  find  that  she  can  walk  leisurely  upon  the 
floor,  or  roost  comfortably  upon  the  perch,  but 
she  can't  sit  without  "riding  on  a  rail,"  and  that, 
they  seem  to  think,  isn't  decorous.  The  length 
of  time  for  which  they  will  have  to  be  confined 
will  vary  somewhat,  and  in  obstinate  cases  it  may 
be  necessary  to  put  a  few  pegs  or  tacks  into  the 
edges  of  the  laths. —  Genesee  Farmer. 


For  the  Neu'  England  Farmer. 
FEEDING  OATS  TO  SHEEP. 

Articles  in  late  numbers  of  several  papers  con- 
demn the  use  of  oats  as  feed  for  sheep,  the  writ- 
ers avering  that  they  cause  the  sheep  to  bring 
weakly  lambs. 

Mr.  O.  S.  Cummings,  of  Trenton  Falls,  N.  Y., 
says  : — "I  had  three  choice  ewes  last  spring.  I 
fed  them  two  quarts  oats  daily,  through  the  win- 
ter, except  as  they  were  fed  twice  a  week  on  car- 
rots, when  the  oats  were  omitted.  They  dropped 
four  lambs  and  all  but  one  died."  Another 
writer  in  Fairfax  county,  Va.,  says : — "I  have  a 
small  flock  of  breeding  ewes,  and  fed  as  follows: 
First  winter,  no  grain  except  corn  ;  raised  every 
lamb.  Second  winter,  fed  corn  and  oats  ;  raised 
50  per  cent,  of  the  lambs.  Third  winter,  fed  corn 
daily;  raised  95  per  cent.  Fourth  winter,  fed  corn 
liberally  until  February,  and  then  oats  daily, until 
they  were  turned  to  pasture ;  lost  80  per  cent.  Why 
there  has  been  such  disparity  in  my  success  in 
raising  lambs  while  there  was  luiiformity  in  the 
treatment  of  the  flock,  with  the  exception  of  the 
grain,  is  to  me  a  mystery.  It  never  entered  my 
mind  to  look  into  the  oat  bin  for  the  cause,  until 
reading  the  suggestions  in  the  paragraph  on 
'Feeding  Oats  to  Sheep,'  in  Rural  New-Yorker." 

Now,  Mr.  Editor,  are  these  things  so  ?  I  have 
been  in  the  habit  of  feeding  oats  to  sheep  for 
quite  a  number  of  years  and  have  never  noticed 
anything  detrimental  arising  from  it ;  and  I  am 
inclined  to  think  that  in  the  case  of  the  above 
writers,  if  they  had  not  kept  their  sheep  so  well 
they  would  have  had  better  success  ;  two  quarts 
of  oats  daily  would  be  pretty  full  feed.  It  is 
generally  understood  in  this  part  of  Vermont 
that  a  breeding  sheep  will  do  better  not  to  be  in 
very  high  flesh,  or  as  the  saying  is,  "fat  as  a  hog." 
As  this  is  an  important  question,  I  would  like  to 
hear  the  experience  of  some  of  our  Vermonters 
upon  it.  Solon  H.  Berry. 

Theiford,  VL,  1858. 


Remarks. — So  should  we,  and  hope  it  will  be 
fairly  discussed. 


To  Imitate  Coral  Baskets.— Make  the  bas- 
ket of  pasteboard  in  any  shape  you  please  ;  dis- 
solve three  sticks  of  sealing-wax  in  a  pint  of  al- 
cohol ;  wet  the  basket  Avith  this  mixture,  and 
sprinkle  on  rice  which  has  been  about  half  ground ; 
let  it  dry,  and  repeat  the  process  until  the  paste- 
board is  covered,  after  which  paint  it  with  the 
mixture  until  it  is  red  enough.  A  brush  of  hair 
or  feathers  should  be  used. 


"WHAT  THE  WORLD  MIGHT  BE. 

Gotl's  world  is  worthy  of  our  love. 

Were  kindly  deeds  done  to  each  other, 
"Were  creeds  and  castes  blown  to  the  winds, 

And  man  in  man  beheld  a  brother. 
A  world  of  beauty,  bloom,  and  song, 

Would  each  exert  his  noble  powers 
To  plow  the  stubborn  glebe  of  wrong 

And  plant  again  love's  Eden  flower. 

Grod's  world  is  worthy  of  our  love. 

With  all  its  sorrow,  crime,  and  madness  ; 
And  heaven  or  hell  dwells  in  the  heart, 

As  man  exists  in  grief  or  gladness. 
Man  will  be  better,  better  loved  ; 

No  heart  was  ever  lost  by  kindness ; 
One  word  of  mercy  might  have  saved 

Souls  that,  like  beacons,  sunk  in  blindness. 

God's  worid  is  worthy  of  our  lore. 

If  labor  did  its  fruits  inherit. 
If  blood  ne'er  ruled  instead  of  brains. 

And  wealth  ne'er  placed  its  heels  on  merit. 
That  nobler  name  than  King  or  Lord — 

The  name  of  Man — 0  !  guard  and  cherish  ; 
And  Freedom's  sacred  lands  shall  lire. 

When  guilty  thrones  and  crowns  shall  perish. 

God's  world  is  worthy  of  our  love. 

When  joy,  like  music,  thrills  heart-chords  j 
When  smiling  lips  do  arch  their  bow. 

And  in  the  heart  loose  golden  words. 
The  heaven  we  pray  for  would  be  here, 

If  each  would  bravely  do  his  part 
To  crown  with  joy  one  cheerless  home. 

To  crown  with  love  one  human  heart. 


EIGHTH  LEGISLATIVE  AGKICITLTUEAL 
MEETING. 

Hon.  Mr.  Earle,  of  the  Senate,  presided.  Af- 
ter a  modest  expression  that  he  should  have  pre- 
ferred some  one  more  competent  to  be  in  the 
chair,  he  went  on  to  speak  of  his  experience  in 
the  culture  of  fruits — particularly  the  pear — and 
some  of  the  modern  and  preferred  varieties.  He 
spoke  particularly  of  the  Beurre  Clairgeau, 
which  he  considered  a  fine  grower,  and  a  good 
bearer,  and  as  worthy  of  cultivation  as  any  other. 

He  called  upon  Mr.  Proctor,  of  South  Dan- 
vers,  who  fully  confirmed  all  that  he  had  said 
about  the  Beurre  Clairgeau  pear,  having  wit- 
nessed the  culture  of  the  same  by  his  neighbor, 
who  had  awarded  to  him  the  first  premium  for 
pears  in  Essex  the  last  season. 

Mr.  Proctor  also  spoke  of  the  very  fine  apple 
orchard  on  Mr.  Ware's  farm  in  Marblehead,  on 
which  grew  three  hundred  barrels  of  superior 
winter  apples  the  last  season — worth,  at  least,  $3 
per  barrel.  These  trees  were  understood  to  have 
been  growing  in  the  orchard  about  twenty-four 
years,  and  to  have  been  attended  with  the  same 
care  as  is  applied  to  everything  else  on  this  well 
managed  farm.  Mr.  Ware's  land  is  first  rate  to 
begin  with,  and  he  neglects  no  opportunity  of 
fertilizing  it  in  the  best  manner,  always  having 
regard  in  what  he  does  to  the  utility  of  the  thing. 
He  is  no  fancy  man — but  one  of  the  right  sort  of 
cultivators. 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


221 


Mr.  Brooks,  of  Princeton,  inquired  as  to  the 
profits  of  growing  orchards — whether  it  would 
pay  ?  The  general  expression  was  that  nothing 
could  be  done  more  advantageously  on  our  farms 
— but  no  one  appeared  prepared  to  present  an 
account  stated. 

Mr.  Dodge,  of  Sutton,  spoke  of  his  culture 
of  orchards,  and  of  the  decided  benefit  to  be  ex- 
pected from  such  culture. 

Mr.  Joel  Lake,  of  Topsfield,  spoke  of  his  ex- 
perience of  twenty  years  in  the  culture  of  trees. 
The  first  thing,  he  said,  was  to  find  the  right  place 
to  set  them  ;  the  next  was  to  take  good  care  of 
them  after  they  were  set.  This  being  done, 
there  was  no  doubt  an  orchard  would  pay,  and 
pay  liberally,  too. 

The  President  named  several  other  varieties  of 
pears  and  apples  particularly  worthy  of  culture. 

Several  other  gentlemen  narrated  their  expe- 
rience. The  meeting  was  prolonged  to  past  ten 
o'clock,  and  all  appeared  to  be  satisfied  that  their 
time  had  been  well  spent. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer, 
CULTURE  OP  KOOTS. 

Are  roots,  such  as  beets,  carro.t",  turnips,  pars- 
nips, &c.  &:c., worth  cultivating  as  feed  for  stock? 
It  had  not  occurred  to  me  to  think  otherwise,  un- 
til I  saw  the  suggestion  in  the  Farmer  of  this 
date  (March  6th) — and  forsooth  because  so  large 
a  proportion  of  their  substance  proves  to  be  loa- 
ter.  Admit  this  to  be  so,  it  by  no  means  follows 
that  they  may  not  be  the  best  of  feed.  We  have 
vei-y  imperfect  ideas  of  the  processes  of  nature, 
by  which  the  size  of  animals  or  the  growth  of 
plants  is  advanced.  We  have  no  such  Avell  es- 
tablished analyses  as  will  enable  us  to  lay  down 
certain  rules  on  the  subject.  What  though  it 
should  prove,  on  examination,  that  potatoes 
are  composed  of  three-fourths  parts  of  water — 
docs  this  prove  they  are  not  fit  to  sustain  animals 
that  feed  on  them  ?  and  that  the  animals  would 
thrive  just  as  well,  on  taking  the  same  quantity 
of  water,  in  a  diflerent  form  ?  I  think  not.  I 
have  seen  animals  that  had  constant  access  to  the 
purest  fountains  of  water — but  it  never  occurred 
to  me  to  think  that  water  alone  would  sustain 
animals.  We  know  just  about  as  much  of  an- 
imal growth,  as  we  do  about  soil  analysis  which 
is  in  fact  nothing  at  all,  notwithstanding  the  puifs 
of  certain  persons  to  the  contrary.         Essex. 

March  6,  1858. 


Pea  Bug. — The  editor  of  the  Ohio  Farmer 
recommends  every  one  to  steep  their  peas  in  boil- 
ing water,  in  order  to  kill  the  pea  bug,  and  thus 
lessen  the  reproduction  of  this  insect,  which  all 
lovers  of  peas  detest.  If  all  would  do  this,  we 
have  no  doubt  it  would  soon  lessen  the  preva- 
lence of  the  nuisance.  It  is  also  suggested  that 
the  remainder  of  the  crop,  or  those  not  intended 
for  seed,  be  exposed  to  a  slight  kiln  drying  in  the 
fall  or  winter,  to  destroy  the  "bug." 


LETTER  FROM  THE  SANDWICH 
ISLANDS. 

[From  our  own  Correspondent.] 

Makawao  Maui,  Hawail^n  Islands.  ) 
December  15, 1857.  \ 

Editors  New  England  Farmer  : —  Gentle- 
men,—  The  earth  at  Makawao  and  Kula,  our 
wheat- growing  country,  is  now  being  "visited, 
watered,  and  greatly  enriched  with  tlie  river  of 
God  which  is  full  of  water."  Blessed  be  His  name, 
giving  doth  not  impoverish  our  heavenly  Bene- 
factor. How  suitable  that  husbandmen,  of  all 
others,  may  I  not  say,  should  feel  deep  emotions 
of  gratitude  to  God.  How  much  of  Him,  so  to 
speak,  do  they  see.  How  much  is  he  doing  for 
them.  Your  readers  are  all  familiar  with  the  lines 
of  Pope  which  many  a  schoolboy  in  each  eSbrt  at 
learning  to  speak  has  spouted  : — 

"Ask  to  what  end  the  heavenly  bodies  shine, 
Earth  for  whose  use  ?     Pride  answers  'tis  for  mine  ; 
For  me  kind  nature  wakes  her  genial  power, 
Suckles  each  herlj  and  spreads  out  every  flower. 
Annual  for  me  the  grape,  the  rose  renew 
The  juice  nectareous,  and  the  balmy  dew." 

This  is  indeed  ridiculous  enough  uttered  by  a 
vain  and  ungrateful  recipient  of  the  divine  boun- 
ty. But  substitute  husbandman  for  Pride,  and 
give  him  a  humble  heart,  a  grateful  temper,  and 
he  may  well  adopt  the  language  of  the  poet. 
Surely  for  his  use  is  the  earth  who  cultivates  it, 
and  for  his  special  benefit  do  the  heavenly  bodies 
shine,  warming  the  bosom  of  the  earth  and  caus- 
ing it  to  bring  forth  abundantly  for  his  suste- 
nance. Who  can  deny  that  for  the  husbandman 
more  than  for  any  other  mortal,  doth  God  cause 
nature  to  wake  her  genial  power,  clothing  the 
fields  with  beauty  and  fruitfulness  ?  Is  it  not  a 
pity  that  so  few  of  this  class,  numerous  and 
strong  for  labor,  seem  to  understand  the  dignity 
and  importance  of  their  calling  ?  I  say,  "so  few  ;" 
for  though  I  am  happy  in  the  belief  that  the 
number  is  increasing,  still  I  fear  that  multitudes 
of  farmers  hold  on  to  the  cultivation  of  Ihe  soil 
•not  because  they  delight  in  the  employment,  but 
because  they  know  of  no  other  way  of  obtaining 
a  livelihood.  They  toil  away  like  bond  slaves, 
and  some  of  them,  perhaps,  determine  secretly  to 
abandon  their  occupation,  as  soon  as  they  can 
find  some  other  business  more  congenial  to  their 
tastes.  Is  it  not  a  pity  that  this  noble,  invigorat- 
ing, God-given  employment  should  be  thus  slight- 
ed, not  to  say  despised,  by  so  many  sons  of  New 
England  ;  that  so  many  of  them  should  pine  for 
the  city  while  the  means  of  health  and  compe- 
tence, with  peace  of  mind  and  manly  intelligence, 
lie  all  about  them  in  the  SM'eet  country  air  and  in 
the  soil  which  may  be  truly  said  to  have  nour- 
ished and  brought  them  up  from  their  birth  ? 
Who  would  exchange  these  for  the  heat  and  con- 
finement and  the  temptations  of  a  crowded  city  ? 
Many  have  done  so  to  their  great  loss. 

Need  I  then  exhort  your  readers  to  be  awake 
to  the  importance  of  agricukural  pursuits,  or  to 
suggest  that  they  educate  as  many  of  their  sons 
as  possible  in  the  mysteries  of  farming  ?  Even 
should  one-half  of  them  choose  a  professional 
life,  it  would  be  no  disadvantage  to  them  to  un- 
derstand the  theory  of  fanning,  and  enough  of 
the  practice,  too,  to  carry  with  them  to  the  pul- 
pit, or  to  the  bar,  or  to  the  sphere  of  the  physi- 
cian's practice,  a  vigorous  constitution.  The  read- 


222 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Mat 


ers  of  the  Farmer  certainly  do  not  need  a  homily 
from  a  Hawaiian  pastor  on  the  benefit  of  farm- 
ing. They  see  enough  in  your  excellent  periodi- 
cal. Allow  me,  however,  to  say  that  I  have  late- 
ly read  an  essay  on  "Farm  Life,  a  School  of  True 
Manhood"  by  the  Rev.  William  Clift,  of  Stoning- 
ton,  Ct.,  which  I  think  valuable,  and  which  I  de- 
sire to  commend  to  the  attention  of  your  read- 
ers. I  do  not  know  the  writer,  though  I  have 
some  acquaintance  with  his  locality,  having  spent 
my  early  boyhood  in  the  counties  of  New  Lon- 
don and"  Windham.  I  wish  every  farmer  in  New 
England  could  read  this  essay.  Mr.  Clift  nobly 
advocates  the  work  of  the  cultivator.  He  writes 
like  one  who  has  some  experience  in  the  busi- 
ness. For  aught  I  know,  he  may  have  been  com- 
pelled from  feeble  health  to  devote  a  portion  of 
his  time  to  laboring  on  the  farm.  Like  the  late 
Rev.  Isaac  Robinson,  of  Stoddard,  New  Hamp- 
shire, who  devoted  much  of  his  time  from  ill 
health  to  this  business,  though  he  gained  and 
held,  wliile  he  lived,  the  reputation  of  a  close 
student,  and  an  uncommonly  able  minister  of  the 
gospel;  I  know  another  minister  whose  health 
demands  that  he  toil  twelve  hours  a  day,  who  is 
yet  an  indefatigable  student.  I  love  to  hear  such 
men  speak  on  the  influence  of  farm  life  to  the  de- 
velopment of  true  manhood.  If  I  am  not  mis- 
taken, the  business  of  toiling  on  the  farm  had, 
in  their  case  caused  such  a  development. 

Allow  me  to  say  that  on  looking  back  on  my 
life  spent  in  the  United  States  till  thirty  years  of 
age,  first  in  Connecticut,  then  in  Vermont,  after- 
wards in  Western  New  York,  and  finally  in  Mas- 
sachusetts, I  plainly  see  the  truth  of  the  proposi- 
tion which  Mr.  Clift  lays  down  in  this  article, 
and  which  it  is  his  object  to  establish,  viz.: — 
"Farm  Life  a  School  of  True  Manhood."  Yes,  as 
I  recall  early  scenes,  go  from  one  end  to  the  oth- 
er of  this  and  that  parish,  and  look  in  upon  the 
families  which  I  knew  in  my  boyhood  and  youth, 
I  plainly  see  that  the  farm  was  indeed  the  school 
of  true  manhood.  I  love  to  think  of  the  farmers 
of  those  towns.  They  composed  the  backbone  of 
society  and  the  church.  One  of  them  after  whom 
I  named  our  only  son,  was  qualified  to  be  gover- 
nor of  the  State.  Indeed,  many  of  your  readers 
kno'v  that  more  than  one  governor  of  Vermont 
was  a  practical  farmer.  They  were  the  deacons 
in  our  churches,  our  town  officers,  and  our  repre- 
sentatives to  the  State  Legislature.  I  say  this 
the  more  freely  as  it  was  not  my  privilege  to  be 
brought  up  on  a  farm,  though  I  belonged  to  the 
working  class,  still,  except  in  haying  and  harvest- 
ing, I  seldom  wrought  in  the  field.  My  sympa- 
thy was  rather  with  the  mechanics,  many  of 
whom,  I  beg  leave  to  say,  Avere  intelligent  and 
noble  men,  though,  on  the  whole,  the  farmers  as 
a  class  were  more  manly,  hardy  and  wealthy. 
One  advantage  farmers  have  always  had  of  me- 
chanics I  may  mention,  is  the  leisure  of  long 
winter  evenings.  While  mechanics  of  almost 
every  sort  were  compelled  to  toil  by  candle-light, 
and  to  a  late  hour,  farmers  used  to  sit  by  the 
fire,  and  might  spend  their  time  in  reading  and 
profitable  conversation.  Their  superiority  as  a 
class  when  I  was  young  ought  to  have  been 
greater  than  it  was ;  for  though  I  freely  admit 
that  as  a  class  farmers  had  a  manly  and  noble 
character,  I  cannot  at  the  same  time  forget  that 
cider-drinking  and   story-telling   during  winter 


evenings  eff'ectually  kept  many  of  them  from  ris- 
ing as  intellectual  men.  Indeed  the  practice  was 
in  many  cases  ruinous.  The  thrilling  tale  of 
"Kitty  Grafton"  I  never  read  without  being  re- 
minded of  scenes  which  I  know  to  have  been  act- 
ed in  my  own  town  which  nestles  among  the 
mountains  of  Vermont.  How  many  of  my  old 
neighbors  sleep  in  a  drunkard's  grave  on  the  old 
hill,  who  learned  to  drink  whisky,  and  brandy, 
and  other  foul  spirits,  from  guzzling  cider  ?  I  re- 
joice to  believe  that  the  practice  of  swallowing 
the  juice  of  the  apple  has  fewer  advocates  than 
formerly,  and  that  winter  evenings  at  farmers' 
firesides  are  now  spent  in  a  more  rational  man- 
ner than  they  used  to  be  in  dear  New  England. 
Yours  truly,  J.  S.  Green. 


For  the  Nev  England  Farmer. 
HEMLOCKS  AND  V^THITE  PIKES. 

Mr.  Editor  : — While  perusing  the  ])leasant 
letters  of  your  correspondent,  Mr.  French,  indit- 
ed from  foreign  parts,  and  strolling  in  imagina- 
tion among  the  scenes  described,  free  of  all  sus- 
picions regarding  the  truthfulness  of  the  narra- 
tive, the  "even  tenor  of  my  way"  was  rudely  dis- 
turbed by  the  unexpected  announcement,  that  our 
traveller  wandering  in  the  Schwarzwald,  discov- 
ered the  black  mountains  to  be  overspread  with 
hemlock  trees  and  white  pines  ! 

"All  the  world  and  his  wife"  are  aware  that 
the  trees  in  question  {Ahies  Canadensis  and  Phms 
strolms)  are  held  to  be  natives  of  the  new  world 
only.  Mr.  French's  adventure  and  recognition, 
as  detailed  in  his  letter  published  in  your  Janu- 
ary number,  will  create  quite  an  uproar  amongst 
the  botanists.  However  it  may  be  at  Baden, 
these  trees  are  very  common  in  our  forests  here- 
abouts, and  they  fully  bear  out  Mr.  French's  en- 
comiums on  the  beauty  of  their  appearance  ; 
though  I  regret  to  say  that  the  greater  part  of 
the  full  grown  specimens,  majestic  with  umbra- 
geous heads  of  a  century's  growth,  have  suc- 
cumbed to  the  axe,  and  have  been  ignominiously 
converted  into  boards  for  the  carpenter  and  logs 
for  building  wharves.     Sic  Transit,  Sec. 

March,  I808.  Far  East. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
"OLD  EED  STOCK  OP   NEW  ENGLAND." 

Mr.  Editor  : — AVe  are  glad  to  see  by  your 
last  paper  that  there  in  one  man  among  us  who 
stands  up  for  the  "old  red  stock  of  New  Eng- 
land." This  is  no  new  theory  with  Mr.  P. ;  we 
remember  to  have  heard  a  like  opinion  from  him 
several  years  ago,  when  he  addressed  the  farmers 
of  Hillsborough  county,  and  you  yourself  were 
present.  We  have  lately  seen  an  elaborate  arti- 
cle on  this  subject,  in  the  American  Farmers'' 
Magazine,  a  valuable  paper  published  by  Mr. 
Nash,  at  New  York.  The  truth  is,  farmers  are 
diffident  in  the  expression  of  their  real  opinions 
of  the  value  of  natives,  because  they  are  not  quite 
so  fashionable.  But  if  it  is  found  that  they  can 
be  fed  at  two-thirds  the  cost,  and  at  the  same 
time  will  yield  quite  as  good  products,  is  it  not 
clear  beyond  a  doubt,  that  it  is  best  economy  to 
keep  them  ?  Granite  Hills. 

March  14,  1838. 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


223 


EXTRACTS  AND  BEPLIES. 
FORESTS   FOK   WOOD. 

I  wish  to  plant  an  acre  of  very  rich  (loam) 
land  to  forest  trees  ;  will  you  give  the  informa- 
tion, as  to  what  kind  is  best  to  grow  wood  fast- 
est, where  seed  can  be  obtained,  and  the  best 
way  to  plant  and  manage,  also,  what  tiuK;  is  best 
to  plant  ?  and  oblige,  Wm.  li.  L. 

Remarks.— Mr.  B.  F.  Cutter,  of  Pelham,N. 
H.,  can  probably  answer  these  questions,  so  as 
to  be  of  value  to  you.  See  a  long  article  of  his 
on  "the  cultivation  and  preservation  of  forests," 
in  the  Monthly  Fanner  for  January,  1856  ;  also, 
several  other  articles,  same  volume,  pages  217, 
222,  258.  Some  of  the  seeds  of  forest  trees  may 
be  obtained  at  the  seed  stores, — but  generally, 
they  must  be  ordered  in  advance. 

AGE   OF   SEEDS. 

Will  you  or  some  of  your  correspondents  fur- 
nish me  through  your  paper,  the  length  of  time 
that  the  following  seeds  may  be  kept  on  hand  be- 
fore they  will  lose  their  vitality? 

Shawn,  Mass.,  March,  1858.  Patron. 

I'cars. 

Beet 4 

Carrot 2 

Parsnip 1 

Cucumber 6 

Squash 6 

Melon 0 

Turnip 4 

Cabbage 4 

Lettuce 3 

Radish 3 

Pepper 4 

Onion 1 

Remarks. — We  took  the  above  list  to  Mr. 
GwYNNETH,  one  of  the  firm  of  Nourse  &  Co., 
Boston,  and  who  attends  to  the  seed  department 
of  that  establishment,  who  placed  the  above  fig- 
ures opposite  the  name  of  the  article  in  question. 
Mr.  G.  states,  however,  that  the  long-continued 
vitality  of  seeds  depends  upon  so  many  circum- 
stances, that  no  certainty  can  be  expected  unless 
the  seed  was  gathered  when  in  proper  condition, 
careJuUy  cleaned,  so  as  not  to  bruise  or  otherwise 
injure  the  seed,  and  thoroughly  cleaned,  so  that 
no  foreign  matter  shall  excite  fermentation  or 
dampness  and  mould,  and  then  kept  in  proper 
packages  in  a  place  pretty  uniformly  dry.  When 
these  conditions  are  all  complied  with,  he  would 
have  no  hesitation  in  guaranteeing  that  most 
seeds  will  germinate  at  double  the  length  of  time 
he  has  set  down  above  ;  but  they  should  never  be 
placed  where  the  heat  is  more  than  60"^. 

SPAYING   GOVTS. 

It  will  not  answer.  Nature  must  have  its  course 
in  some  measure  ;  it  is  best ;  it  is  profitable  for  a 
cow  to  go  dry  one,  two  or  three  months  in  a 
year — the  milk  is  better  and  more  of  it,  in  a  year. 

Plaivftcld,  Mass.,  1858.  G.  V. 

Remarks. — If  we  did  not  arrest  nature  in  her 
course  in   a  good  many  things   in  farming,  we 


I'eaTs. 

Tomato 5 

Celery 3 

Beans 3 

Peas 3 

Sape 3 

Saffron 1 

Summer  Savory 2 

Flotrer  Seeds. 

Balsam 5 

German  Aster 3 

Pink 


should  probably  have  queer  results,  both  with 
animals  and  plants.  It  is  a  fruitless  effort  to  at- 
tempt to  put  down  scientific  results  by  mere  opin- 
ions. All  the  reasoning  in  the  world  would  not 
convince  Massachusetts  farmers  that  it  is  best 
never  to  graft  an  apple  tree,  even  if  it  is  a  viola- 
tion of  nature  ;  and  so  of  many  other  things. 

A   RAT  ?    OR   weasel  ?    OR  WHAT  ? 

I  recently  ftmnd  upon  the  cellar  bottom  an  an- 
imal which  the  cat,  I  suppose,  had  caught  and 
killed,  that  was  milk  white,  except  a  tuft  of  hair 
on  the  end  of  the  tail,  which  was  black.  It  was 
as  large  as  a  fair  sized  rat,  and  had  all  the  ap- 
pearance of  a  rat,  except  the  color  and  tail,  the 
latter  being  shorter  and  covered  with  hair  which 
was  somewhat  bushy  at  the  end.  I  at  first  sup- 
posed it  to  be  a  white  rat,  but  the  strangeness  of 
its  color  caused  me  to  examine  it  more  particular- 
ly, and  I  began  to  doubt  whether  it  could  be  one, 
and  the  more  I  reflect  upon  it,  the  more  certain  I 
feel,  it  must  be  some  other  species  of  anim  1. 

But  what  it  is,  or  where  it  came  from,  is  beyond 
my  knowledge,  having  never  seen  anything  of 
the  kind  before.  It  has  been  suggested  that  it 
might  be  a  weasel,  but  it  has  nothing  of  the 
shape  and  appearance  of  a  weasel,  but  in  all  par- 
ticulars excepting  those  named  above,  it  strongly 
resembles  a  common  house  rat. 

If  }ou,  or  any  of  your  readers,  can  give  any  in- 
formation in  relation  to  such  animals,  it  would 
be  most  thankfully  received.       A.  S.  Sawyer. 

Harvard,  Mass.,  March,  1858. 

BONE    SPAVIN. 

Can  you  or  your  subscribers  tell  of  an\i;hing 
that  will  stop  a  bone  spavin  from  growing,  and 
prevent  it  from  making  a  horse  lame,  if  taken  ia 
season  ?  H.  F.  RoYCE. 

South  WoodstocJc,  Vt.,  1858. 

Remarks. — Dr.  Dadd's  "Modem  Horse  Doc- 
tor" recommends  as  a  remedy. 

Muriatic  acid 4  ounces. 

Water 2  quarts. 

Tincture  of  blood-root G  ounces. 

Applied  daily  by  means  of  a  sponge. 

cracks  in  TREES — PUMPKINS. 

"S.  W.,"  Waltham,  thinks  "cracks  in  trees  are 
occasioned  by  water  freezing  in  them,  when  the 
expansion  causes  the  crack."  But  what  caused 
the  original  crack  ?         

RUSSET   SWEET   APPLES. 

Some  of  the  finest  Russet  Sweet  Apples  we  ever 
tasted,  have  been  handed  us  by  Mr.  James  Eus- 
Tis,  of  South  Reading,  a  gentleman  well  known 
as  a  successful  cultivator  of  good  fruit. 

PROLIFIC  HENS. 
I  have  had  four  laying  hens  through  the  win- 
ter and  they  have  laid  from  seventeen  to  eighteen 
eggs  j)cr  week  ;  they  have  been  kept  on  a  coarse 
food,  roosted  in  a  cold  l)arn.  One  dozen  of  the 
eggs  weighed  2  lbs.  1  oz.  Hinsdale. 


224 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


May 


DORKING  AND  SUANGHAI  FOWLS — SHORT  HORN 
COW. 

Where  can  I  obtain  pure  blood  White  Dor- 
king Fowls,  at  a  fair  price,  and  the  Grey  Shang- 
hai spoken  of  in  the  Farmer "?  Also,  a  good 
short-horn  cow,  and  what  is  a  fair  price  ? 

Foxboro',  1858.  II.  S.  Sweet, 

Remarks. — The  fowls  may  be  obtained  of 
James  INIann,  6  City  Hall  Avenue,  Boston,  at 
$2,50  to  $4  a  pair. 

You  can  probably  obtain  the  short-horn  cow 
of  Paoli  Lothrop,  of  South  Hadley,  Mass. 

A   NEW   SUGAR   BOILER. 

Mr.  J.  A.  French,  of  North  Clarendon,  Vt., 
sends  us  a  drawing  of  an  ingenious  invention  of 
his  own,  for  economizing  fuel  and  equalizing  heat 
in  the  process  of  boiling  sugar.  These  objects  arc 
of  much  importance  and  will  be  fully  accomplished 
by  the  design  of  Mr.  French.  It  is  also  adapted 
to  boiling  vegetables,  and  other  similar  uses.  As 
our  space  forbids  a  full  description  of  the  boiler, 
we  refer  our  readers  to  Mr.  French. 

TRANSPLANTING   LOCUST   TREES. 

I  have  several  hundred  locust  trees  to  trans- 
plant in  the  spring,  and  would  like  to  have  Mr. 
Holbrook,  or  others,  give  their  advice  as  to  the 
cheapest  and  best  method  of  doing  it.  The  trees 
are  seedlings  from  three  to  six  feet  high,  and  the 
land  on  which  I  wish  to  plant  them,  is  barren, 
rocky  pasture,  descending  to  the  north  and  much 
exposed  to  severe  cold  winds.  AVill  they  succeed 
without  some  fertilizer,  and  would  it  not  be  bet- 
ter to  remove  the  tops  entirely,  planting  only  the 
roots,  Wm.  F.  Bassett. 

Ashjield,  Feb.  10,  1858. 

SLAUGHTER-YARDS — ASHES   AND   BONE. 

Will  you,  or  some  one  of  your  numerous  cor- 
respondents, inform  a  subscriber  as  to  the  best 
mode  of  using  a  slaughter-yard  so  as  to  make  the 
most  of  the  manure  ?  There  must  be  valuable  ex- 
perience on  the  subject  in  the  towns  adjacent  to 
Boston. 

Also,  what  you  think  of  using  strong  ashes 
mixed  with  ground  bone,  instead  of  sulphuric 
acid,  which  is  not  a  very  pleasant  operation. 

Amherst,  Mass.,  March,  1858.     Hampshire. 

Remarks. — We  have  had  no  experience  with 
slaughter-yards.  I 

Pure  ashes  mixed  liberally  with  gi'ound  bone, : 
think  would  form  one  of  the  best  manures 
that  can  be  used  for  almost  all  soils. 

GREEN   MOUNTAIN   PIG. 
Mr.  William   Spalding,  of  Cavendish,  Vt.,  77 
years    old,   fatted   and    slaughtered   a  pig,  nine 
months  and  three  days  old,  that  weighed  when 
dressed,  424  pounds  !  A  Subscriber. 

"A  Subscriber"  at  Shrewsbury,  Mass.,  re- 
quests us  to  republish  an  article  which  appeared 


in  our  columns  a  few  weeks  ago,  as  he  "has  mis- 
laid that  number  of  the  paper."  If  he  will  send 
his  address,  we  will  send  him  a  copy  of  the  miss- 
ing paper. 

HEMLOCK  HEDGES. 

The  Country  Gentleman  gives  the  following  di- 
rections for  the  cultivation  of  Hemlock  Hedges, 
in  answer  to  an  inquiry  on  the  subject: 

The  first  thing  is  to  procure  the  plants.  If 
our  correspondent  can  find  a  locality  in  the  woods 
where  young  hemlock  trees  are  abundant,  he  will 
have  no  difficulty  in  forming  a  hedge.  The  great 
requisite  for  success  in  transplanting  is  to  remove 
a  considerable  portion  of  earth  on  the  roots  of 
every  tree.  If  this  cannot  be  done,  they  should 
instanthj,  on  being  withdrawn  from  the  ground, 
and  before  the  outside  of  the  roots  have  dried  in 
the  least,  be  buried  in  wet  moss, — or  still  better, 
if  practicable,  dipped  first  into  a  bed  of  thin  mud, 
and  then  protected  with  moss.  Another  mud- 
ding,  and  puddling  on  setting  out,  will  be  of  ad- 
ditional service. 

If  the  young  plants  can  be  had  from  a  nursery, 
where  they  have  become  hardened  to  open  ground, 
they  will  be  still  better.  We  know  of  no  nur- 
sery in  the  vicinity  of  our  correspondent's  resi- 
dence more  likely  to  supply  good  plants  than 
that  of  Dell  &  Collins,  of  Waterloo,  N.  Y. 

The  mode  of  planting  must  depend  on  the 
objects  of  the  hedge.  If  for  a  simple  screen 
from  the  wind,  and  if  the  plants  are  scarce  or 
costly,  a  distance  of  three  or  four  feet  apart  will 
be  near  enough,  to  form  in  a  few  years  a  contin- 
uous line.  But  if  a  hedge  proi^er  is  wanted,  the 
trees  should  be  within  about  a  foot  of  each  other. 

The  hemlock  will  make  the  handsomest  screen 
or  hedge  of  any  evergreen  known ;  it  will  bear 
almost  any  amount  of  shearing,  and  the  hedge 
may  be  formed  into  a  smooth  wall  of  verdure, 
or  be  left  for  a  tall  natural  growth.  Either  way, 
it  is  of  surpassing  beauty.  If  cattle  or  other 
animals  cannot  see  through,  they  scarcely  ever 
attempt  passing,  even  a  weak  hedge. 


HOW  TO  KAISE  EARLY  BEANS. 

Plow,  manure  and  prepare  the  ground  well,  as 
for  common  garden  purposes,  then  make  holes 
which  will  contain  a  peck  or  more  of  horse- 
manure  and  the  usual  litter  that  accompanies  it. 
If  for  running  beans,  set  the  poles  in  the  centre 
and  then  drop  the  beans  upon  the  manure  after 
treading  it  down  slightly  with  the  foot.  Now 
scatter  over  the  beans  and  manure  a  very  little 
fine  mould  and  then  cover  with  clear  sand.  The 
warm  horse-manure  acts  as  a  hot-bed,  while  the 
sand  becomes  heated  above  by  the  sun's  rays, 
and  has  the  further  advantage  of  throwing  up 
no  weeds.  In  this  manner  beans  and  most  other 
garden  vegetables  may  be  obtained  very  early. 


What  One  Bean  has  done. — According  to 
the  Barnstable  (Mass.)  Patriot,  Mr.  LORING 
Crocker,  of  that  village,  raised  last  season  on 
one  stock,  and  consequently  from  one  bean,  106 
pods,  which  yielded  453  beans ! 


1858. 


NEW  ENGL  lO)  FARMER. 


225 


HALL'S  HAND  POWER  STUMP  MACHINE. 


AVe  give  above  an  illustration  of  a  new  Hand 
Power  Sttimp  MacJiine.  Having  no  knowledge 
whatever  of  its  merits,  we  give  Mr.  Hall's  own 
account  of  it,  merely  saying  that  we  have  exam- 
ined the  machine  with  some  care,  and  can  see  no 
good  reason  why  it  will  not  prove  valuable  when 
put  in  operation.  Mr.  Hall  says,  "That  two 
men  can  carry  it  about  the  field  from  one  stump 
to  another,  and  draw  the  largest  pine  stumps  out 
of  the  ground  by  hand  power,  without  digging 
around  the  stump  or  cutting  any  roots.  All 
stump  machines  heretofore  are  objectionable  for 
their  high  cost,  great  weight,  expense  of  operat- 
ing, unwieldy  dimensions,  &c.;  but  mine  is  supe- 
rior for  the  following  reasons  :  —  First, — it  is 
much  cheaper — a  great  consideration  to  farmers 
on  new  land.  Price  $50  for  No.  2,  and  right  to 
use.  Second, — it  is  much  lighter,  requiring  no 
team  of  oxen  or  horses  to  remove  it  from  one 
stump  to  another.  Two  men  can  carry  it  in  their 
hands.  Third, — It  requires  no  team  to  operate 
it  ;  two  men  can  work  it  by  hand,  and  extract 
more  stumps,  and  at  very  much  less  expense, gen- 
erally requiring  about  two  minutes  to  take  up  a 
common  stump.  Fourth, — It  can  be  used  when 
and  where  the  ground  is  wet  and  soft,  and  does 
not  punch  up   the  grass  field  as   with  a  heavy 


team.  Fifth, — It  is  very  simple  in  its  construc- 
tion and  not  liable  to  get  out  of  order,  and  so 
small  that  it  can  be  housed  as  conveniently  as  a 
plow  or  wheelbarrow.  Sixth, — It  will  take  up 
every  stump  in  the  field,  not  requiring  one  to  an- 
chor to,  as  is  usual  with  the  best  stump  machines. 
Seventh, — It  does  not  turn  the  stump  over,  there- 
by taking  up  a  large  quantity  of  earth  from  one 
place  and  heaping  it  up  on  another,  as  is  usual 
with  other  stump  pullers,  but  leaves  the  stump 
poised  at  a  convenient  distance  from  the  ground, 
until  the  soil  can  be  rattled  off  the  roots  into  the 
bed  of  the  stump,  saving  the  labor  of  shovelling 
the  heap  back  into  the  hole  in  order  to  leave  the 
field  smooth.  Three  men  will  pull  iip  from  50  to 
100  large  pine  stumps  per  day  after  they  have 
worked  two  or  three  days  to  get  their  hand  in, 
thus  costing  about  six  cents  per  stump,  for  such 
as  usually  cost  from  fifty  cents  to  one  dollar  each. 


Horse  Radish — (CocJielaria  armoracia.)  — 
This  plant  is  commonly  cultivated  by  planting 
ndiings  taken  from  the  top,  or  by  small  offsets 
from  the  sides  of  the  main  root,  so  divided  as  to 
retain  a  portion  of  the  crown.  The  cuttings  or 
offsets  thus  obtained  should  be  planted  out  in 


226 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Mat 


April,  or  as  early  in  the  spring  as  the  state  of  the 
air  and  soil  will  admit,  in  rows  of  from  two  to 
two  and  a  half  feet  asunder,  and  from  six  to  ten 
inches  between  the  plants.  The  soil  should  be 
warm,  deep  and  rich,  and  the  plants,  when  set, 
covered  with  two  or  three  inches  of  chip  manure, 
or  forest  scrapings,  mixed  with  wood  ashes  or 
hydrate  of  lime.  No  weeds  should  be  permitted 
to  grow  in  the  lines,  and  the  surface  of  the  soil 
should  be  kept  firm  and  light. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
THE  PAST  WINTEB. 

AVhile  fresh  in  memory,  let  us  record  what  we 
think  of  it.  Neither  cold  nor  hot,  wet  nor  dry, 
but  oil  the  whole,  a  very  comfortable  winter — 
generally  favorable  to  moving  about,  and  but  lit- 
tle obstructed  by  drifts  of  snow.  Eruptive  dis- 
eases, such  as  scarlatina  and  measels,  have  been 
prevalent,  but  not  of  a  severe  type.  In  the  world 
of  business  there  has  been  great  depression  and 
sufi'ering,  growing  out  of  overtrading  and  inflated 
prices.  Some  will,  of  consequence,  learn  a  hard 
lesson,  by  severe  discipline  ;  such  things  have 
before  happened,  and  still  the  world  goes  on. 
Without  such  trials,  life  would  be  a  stupid  mo- 
notony. 

In  the  western  horizon,  Kansas,  with  all  its 
horrors  and  awful  forbodings,  has  emitted  a  liv- 
id glare,  but  still  there  remains  a  hope  of  a 
brighter  day — the  sun  of  freedom  has  not  yet 
sunk  to  rise  no  more.  P. 

April  1,  1858. 


Remarks. — It  is  well,  thus  briefly  to  record  the 
general  characteristics  of  a  past  season.  In  some 
respects  they  have  been  quite  singular  during 
the  winter  just  passed.  While  it  has  been  un- 
asually  mild  all  along  the  northern  Atlantic  sea- 
board, it  has  been  cold  in  the  South  and  West, 
and  attended  with  much  snow.  In  the  south  of 
Europe,  too,  and  as  far  down  as  Egypt,  Me  learn 
that  it  has  been  cold  without  parallel,  and  that 
the  Pyramids  have  been  covered  with  snow,  loom- 
ing up  and  having  all  the  appearance  of  moun- 
tains of  snow  ! 

There  can  be  no  chance  in  these  changes,  but 
are  all  ordered  for  some  wise  purpose  which  our 
limited  knowledge  does  not  enable  us  to  compre- 
hend. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
IIiIDIAN  COKN. 
Your  correspondent  "P."  appears  to  have  re- 
linquished his  flrst  idea  of  "humbuggery"  in  the 
measurement  of  Indian  corn  in  the  county  of 
Plymouth,  and  is  sufficiently  courteous  in  his 
apology  for  the  remarks  he  fii  st  made  on  the  sub- 
ject, but  still  maintains  that  the  rules  which  gov- 
ern us  are  fallacious.  The  writer  thinks  he  has 
been,  to  some  extent,  influenced,  though  perhaps 
uncon-iiously,  by  the  severe  and  false  strictures 
of  a  j^eiiius  that  haps  before  it  looks.  The  writ- 
er never  made  any  report  of  145  bushels  to  the 


acre  ;  one  of  his  successors,  however,  has  report- 
ed 150,  it  is  presumed  with  fidelity  in  the  observ- 
ance of  established  rules  ;  and  whatever  doubts 
may  be  cherished  of  there  being  that  amount  of 
good  merchantable  corn  on  the  acre,  no  candid 
man  Avho  examines  our  doings  from  the  begin- 
ning, will  deny  that  there  has  been  constant  im- 
provement in  the  cultivation  of  Indian  corn,  of 
which  the  citizens  of  Plymouth  county  may  in- 
nocently boast  a  little.  If  "P."  will  make  some 
experiments  in  weighing  corn,  he  nny  convince 
himself  there  is  not  quite  so  much  danger  of  de- 
ception as  he  has  imagined.  Usually  there  are 
several  frosts  before  the  corn  is  harvested  ;  if 
those  occur  before  it  is  fully  ripe,  the  corn  be- 
comes very  light  and  can  safely  be  purchased  on- 
ly by  weight.  There  are  a  fcAV  seasons  in  which 
there  are  no  autumnal  frosts  till  after  the  period 
of  harvest ;  corn  is  likely  in  these  seasons  to  be 
fully  ripened ;  if  there  should  be  some  fields 
where  much  of  it  remains  in  a  green  state  weigh- 
ing would  be  a  less  certain  proof  of  the  number 
of  bushels  to  the  acre,  not  so  much  from  its  ex- 
cessive weight,  as  excessive  shrinkage  of  the 
kernels  in  the  bin.  M.  A. 

Pembroke,  March  2,  1858. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
SPKING   CULTURE. 

Our  gardeners  are  already  busy  in  planting 
their  onions  and  other  seeds.  Experience  has 
taught  them  the  earlier  they  are  started  to  grow, 
the  l)etter  their  chance  of  matured  crops.  The 
casualties  are  so  many  now-a-days,  that  no  man 
may  calculate  with  confidence,  upon  what  the  au- 
tumn will  bring  forth.  The  small  snows  of  win- 
ter and  smaller  rains  of  spring,  have  left  the 
earth  in  favorable  condition  for  the  reception  of 
seed,  where  the  frost  is  entirely  out ;  though 
there  will  soon  be  need  of  more  moisture  to  make 
the  seeds  germinate.  I  learn  that  the  prospect 
of  blossoms  on  the  peach  trees  is  uncommonly 
good.  So  far  as  I  have  observed,  the  same  is 
true  of  the  apple  trees ;  though  there  is  much 
reason  to  fear  the  ravages  of  the  canker-worm, 
its  forerunner  having  been  abundant,  wherever 
tar  has  been  applied,  which  is  the  best  preventive 
to  our  knowledge.  The  labors  of  the  field  de- 
mand constant  vigilance.  It  is  not  enough  to 
pulverize  and  fertilize  the  ground,  to  carefully 
select  and  insert  the  seed  ;  but  hostile  assailants 
of  infinite  variety,  have  to  be  watched  and  guard- 
ed against.  SouTil  Danvers. 

A2)ril  3,  1858. 

Remarks. — The  above  was  received  a  little 
too  late  for  the  weekly  of  Aj)ril  10th,  when  it 
ought  to  have  appeared. 


Peat,  Lime  and  Potatoes. — Mr.  Philip 
O'Reilly,  of  Providence,  11.  I.,  states  that  lime  is 
of  no  avail  in  preventing  potato  rot,  as  he  has 
tried  it,  and  has  seen  it  tried  by  others  in  vain. 
After  many  experiments,  he  has  found  that  a 
handful  of  dry  peat  in  powder  or  small  pieces 
was  the  best  preventive,  and  he  thinks  if  it  were 
generally  applied,  it  would  save  ninety-nine  in 
every  hundred  hills. — Germantown  TeleijrajjJi, 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


227 


Fui-  tlie  New  England  Farmer. 
MAKING   AND   PRESERVING  MANURES. 

Agriculture  is  the  philosophy  of  the  earth — 
manure,  the  touchstone  of  that  philosophj'.  There 
are  many  false  philosophers  as  well  as  false  teach- 
ers at  the  present  time.  jNIany  of  the  leading 
writers  in  the  agricultural  journals  of  the  day 
speak  of  ammonia,  as  if  it  were  the  "breath  and 
life*'  of  aiiriculture,  and  when  it  shall  have  been 
arrested  in  it-  escape,  the  whole  principle  of  the 
manufacture  of  manure  had  been  accomplished. 
The  monotonous  strain  of  these  writers  still  lum- 
bers along  in  the  moulded  ruts  of  false  theory, 
because  it  is  easy  to  follow  in  the  wake  of  others. 
Some  men  h-^xc  a  rare  faculty  of  deducing  de- 
ductions from  ?i'wdeducibles.  This  is  the  basis 
of  false  philosophy.  The  lines  of  such  reason- 
ing lead  men  to  false  conclusions,  for  the  reason- 
ing seems  plausible,  and  it  keeps  the  company  of 
science.  But  few  men  will  dispute  that  manure 
is  the  basis  of  all  successful  farming  in  New  Eng- 
land. Levi  Bartlett,  in  the  Boston  Cidiivator  of 
the  2;3d  ult.,  gives  his  method  of  securing  the 
liquid  manures.  "Of  the  several  materials  used, 
I  prefer  leaves  and  leaf  mould,  next  muck,  and 
lastly  sawdust ;  not  that  there  is  any  manurial 
value  in  sawdust  in  its  crude  state,  but  it  is  an 
excellent  absorbent."  I  think  there  will  be  birth 
given  to  a  new  idea,  when  it  can  be  found  that 
manure  is  increased  in  quantity  or  value  by  be- 
ing mixed  with  materials  having  no  "manurial 
value"  of  themselves.  The  American  Agricidtn- 
rist  of  Jan.  last,  page  11th,  speaking  of  sawdust 
as  an  absorbent  says  : — "If  ammonia  is  one  of  the 
most  powerful  fertilizers,  why  should  not  the 
greatest  pains  be  taken  to  save  it?  For  this 
purpose,  sawdust  is  just  the  thing."  The  Coun- 
try Gentleman,  of  Dec.  18th,  18-36,  says : 

"sawdust  as  litter  for  stables. 
"Some  Aveeks  ago  an  article  appeared  in  the 
columns  of  this  paper,  in  which  sawdust  was 
mentioned  and  recommended  as  a  litter  for  sta- 
bles, which  possessed  a  superioi'ity  over  straw 
in  several  particulars.  We  have  just  noticed  a 
communication  in  the  Farmer  and  Visitor,  (Man- 
chester, N.  H.,)  in  which  the  writer  mentions 
several  other  advantages  in  addition  to  those 
■which  were  named  in  the  article  referred  to  in 
our  columns.  Among  the  points  in  which  saw- 
dust was  found  superior  to  straw  by  the  person 
who  had  tried  it  in  N.  H.,  the  first  mentioned  is, 
that  it  occupied  less  room  in  the  barn,  which  is 
not  unfrequently,  as  in  the  case  in  this  paper,  a 
matter  of  some  importance.  Next,  sawdust  is 
claimed  as  superior  to  straw,  because  it  absorbs 
more  of  the  fertilizing  matters  about  the  stable, 
the  person  using  it  being  very  swe  that  the  amino- 
nial  emanations  icere  less  strong  on  opening  the 
doors  in  the  morning  than  when  straw  litter  was 
tised.  Next,  it  is  said  to  be  much  less  of  a  chore 
to  clean  the  stable,  and  also,  that  so  little  com- 
paratively had  to  be  thrown  out  that  one  load 
lasted  a  long  time.  The  next  thing  named  as  an 
advantage  of  sawdust  as  litter  is,  that  the  manure 
heap  occupied  so  much  less  space  than  when  straw 
■was  used,  and  thus  admitted  more  easily  of  be- 
ing protected  by  a  covering  from  the  wasting  ef- 
fects of  exposure  to  sun,  wind  and  rains.  Then 
again  it  is  an  obvious  advantage  to  have  in  one's 
yard  manure  in  as  small  bulk  as  possible,  and 


this  is  effected  to  a  great  extent  by  the  use  of 
sawdust.  The  same  amount  of  fertilizing  matter 
is,  probably,  contained  in  one  load  of  manure 
made  from  sawdust,  as  there  would  be  in  two  or 
three  loads  of  that  ichich  had  been  made  from  straw 
liiler.  Then,  too,  in  the  field  it  would  be  free 
from  all  the  trouble  which  long  manure  frequently 
gives.  _ 

"With  so  many  points  of  superiority,  we  think 
it  probable  that  sawdust  will,  hereafter,  be  more 
generally  used,  at  least  in  the  neighborhood  of 
saw-mills." 

The  italics  are  mine.  For  your  son's  sake, 
once  more  read  the  lines  italicised.  The  recom- 
mendation of  the  use  of  sawdust,  or  any  other 
powerful  absorbent  for  the  mere  purpose  of  ar- 
resting the  escape  of  ammonia  is  fallacious. 

The  exhausted  lands  of  New  England  can  only 
be  redeemed  by  the  application  of  large  quan- 
tities of  manure.  To  vucceed  in  this  great  en- 
terprise, the  farmers  should  all  be  in  possession 
of  barn  cellars  and  manure  tanks  of  sufficient 
capacity  to  meet  the  exigencies  of  the  case.  All 
highly  concentrated  manures  should  be  diluted 
in  several  times  their  bulk  in  water,  and  turned 
or  pumped  upon  compost  heaps  prepared  for  the 
purpose.  Leaves  and  leaf  mould,  muck  and  na- 
tive soil,  are  decidedly  the  best  materials  for  this 
purpose.  (By  native  soil,  I  mean  the  subsoil,  or 
that  which  has  never  been  subjected  to  cultiva- 
tion.) Night  soil,  hog's  dung,  sheep  dung  and. 
even  cattle's  manure,  when  highly  fed,  should  al- 
ways be  diluted  in  several  times  their  bulk  in 
water,  and  turned  upon  less  fertilizing  substances. 

Every  family  of  five  persons,  by  carefully  sav- 
ing all  the  chamber  lye  and  dropping  of  the  privy 
and  diluting  it  in  ten  times  its  bulk  of  Avater,  and 
turning  it  upon  a  heap  of  muck  and  native  soil, 
can  make  enough  in  a  year  to  plant  an  acre  of 
corn  and  manure  it  well.  Doct.  Dana  says  a 
cow,  kept  up,  and  all  of  her  urine  and  hard  ex- 
crements carefully  saved,  will  do  the  same.  The 
economical  saving  of  the  soap  suds  of  the  laun- 
dry is  a  valuable  addition  to  the  manure  heap ; 
put  it  in  the  tank  with  concentrated  manures. 
The  dilution  of  hog  dung  when  highly  fed,  and 
night  soil,  in  many  times  its  bulk  of  water,  and 
turned  upon  leaves  and  leaf  mould,  muck  and 
native  soil,  cannot  be  too  strongly  impressed  up- 
on the  attention  of  farmers. 

Immense  quantities  of  manure  'may  be  made 
by  farmers  in  close  proximity  to  large  villages, 
by  securing  night  soil,  diluting  and  applying  it 
in  this  manner.  Here  in  New  England,  we  can 
only  measure  the  amount  of  crops  in  acres  by 
the  manure  on  hand.  The  farmers  of  the  rich 
prairies  and  bottom  lands  of  the  West  can  com- 
pute their  acres  of  Avheat  or  corn  by  the  amount 
of  team  and  labor  on  hand. 

I  know  farmers  in  this  vicinity,  who  have  Avith- 
in  two  hundred  rods  of  their  barns  a  forest  that 
yields  a  hundred  loads  of  leaves  and  leaf  mould 
a  year,  that  never  used  a  thimble  full  in  their 
lives  to  my  knowledge,  that  mow  acres  and  acres 
that  produce  eight  or  nine  hundred  pounds  of 
hay  per  acre,  and  farms  running  out,  and  yet  they 
are  "good  farmers." 

When  will  farmers  make  use  of  the  redundant 
materials  of  the  earth  in  the  cultivation  of  their 
farms  ?  This  is  the  basis  upon  which  the  farming 
of  New  England  is  to-day  carried  on.     I  believe 


228 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


May 


the  great  principle  of  the  restoration  of  our  soil 
to  fertility  is  in  the  apjjlication  of  large  quanti- 
ties of  manure — the  diluting  of  all  highly  con- 
centrated manures  in  water,  and  mixing  them 
with  such  materials  as  will  hold  them  in  a  state 
of  solution  until  required  by  the  growing  plant. 
Not  one  particle  of  sawdust  should  enter  into 
this  ])ractice.  All  heaps  of  compost  and  manure 
should  be  kept  sufficiently  wet  by  continued  ap- 
plications of  liquid  manures  to  resist  rapid  de- 
composition and  rot  down,  not  burn  or  fire-fang. 
Let  this  system  be  but  in  full  practice,  and  these 
beautiful  hills  and  valleys  of  New  England  will 
again  blossom  as  the  rose,  and  no  farmer  will 
need  send  to  New  York  or  Boston  to  buy  fertil- 
izers at  ruinous  prices.  The  mixing  of  night 
soil  and  muck  in  the  cities  by  the  Liebeg  philos- 
ophers, and  sending  into  the  rural  districts  at  two 
cents  per  pound,  would  be  at  an  end. 
"Othello's  occupation's  gone." 

For  the  purpose  of  putting  this  philosophy  in 
practice,  let  us  suppose  a  case : — Say  I  have  a 
barn  eighty  by  f<nty  feet,  with  a  good  cellar  un- 
der the  whole  of  it,  for  the  purpose  of  making 
manure.  In  the  fall  and  winter  I  haul  in  fifty 
loads  of  leaves  and  mould  from  the  forests,  fifty 
loads  of  good,  finely  pulverized  muck,  (two  years 
dug,)  fifty  loads  of  native  soil  from  the  bank.  I 
keep  ten  cows  for  the  purpose  of  making  butter 
and  cheese,  beside  five  hogs,  one  pair  of  oxen 
and  some  young  stock.  The  cows  are  to  have 
good  English  hay  and  one  quart  of  corn  meal 
per  day,  which  materially  increases  the  value  of 
their  manure.  Now  I  have  a  tank  of  sufficient 
size  to  dilute  all  the  manure,  placed  immediately 
under  the  stable,  and  so  elevated  as  to  be  near 
the  floor  and  carry  the  diluted  manure  to  every 
part  of  the  cellar  by  means  of  a  trough  attached 
to  the  same.  Every  morning  shovel  the  manure 
of  the  ten  cows  and  oxen  into  the  vat,  and  add 
just  water  enough  to  hold  it  in  a  state  of  solution, 
throwing  the  bedding  and  long  manure  of  the 
young  stock  upon  the  heap  below.  Once  a  week 
put  in  your  hog  dung  and  night  soil,  with  water 
enough  to  make  .the  wdiole  sufficiently  thin  to 
pour  upon  the  heap  below.  Throw  it  over  on 
stormy  or  other  days,  and  add  a  new  supply  of 
material  as  often  as  needed.  The  amount  of  ma- 
nure made  in  this  way  in  a  year,  bj^  housing  j'our 
cows  in  summer,  would  be  surprising. 

This  is  the  system  that  will  redeem  the  soil  of 
New  England  back  to  its  primitive  state  of  fer- 
tility. Lewis  L.  Pieece. 

East  Jeffrey,  N.  n.,  Feb.,  1858. 


washing  should  be  given  to  the  ceilings  and  par- 
titions ;  its  sanatory  effects  are  well-known,  and 
of  a  nature  too  indisputably  obvious  to  admit  of 
doubt.  Vermin  rai-ely  infest  barns  or  animals 
treated  in  this  way.  The  floors  of  all  "tie-ups" 
should  always  be  of  stones — large  flags — which 
can  be  thoroughly  cleansed  by  the  diffusion  of 
water,  and  which  do  not  become  impregnated 
with  the  ammoniacal  matter  contained  in  the 
urine,  and  the  foetid  animal  matters  of  the  excre- 
ment. 


For  the  Neiv  England  Farmer. 
EECLAIMING  LIGHT  LANDS. 

How  can  this  best  be  done  ?  There  are  hun- 
dreds of  acres,  all  about,  only  used  to  hold  crea- 
tion together,  that  might  bo  made  beautiful  and 
valuable,  if  we  only  knew  how  to  do  it.  Some 
years  since,  Mr.  Wm.  Clark,  of  Northampton, 
Mass.,  said  he  had  reclaimed  such  lands,  and 
brought  them  to  produce  respectable  crops.  How 
this  was  done,  I  do  not  remember.  But  I  pre- 
sume you  will,  Mr.  Editor,  as  it  is  your  business 
to  catch  the  manners  living  as  they  rise,  and  to 
bring  to  light  what  others  may  have  forgotten. 
As  you  live  in  a  region  where  the  soil  is  light  and 
sandy,  if  you  will  tell  me  how  such  a  soil  can 
economically  be  brought  into  a  decent  and  pro- 
ductive condition,  you  will  not  only  do  me  a  fa- 
vor, but  also  many  other  anxious 

March  15,  1858.  Inquirers. 


MABTAGEMENT  OF  THE  BARN. 

Let  the  utmost  neatness  be  observed  in  the 
management  of  the  barn.  No  more  hay  or  other 
fodder  should  be  thrown  on  the  floor  at  once  than 
is  requisite  to  supply  one  feed.  By  throwing 
large  quantities  from  the  mows  or  scaffoldings, 
there  is  an  unavoidable  loss  from  the  drying  of 
the  fibre,  -svhicli  renders  it  less  palatable  to  the 
animals,  as  well  as  less  nutritious.  Sweeping  the 
floor  daily  promotes  cleanliness,  and  conduces 
to  the  health  and  consequently  the  comfort  of 
animals.  The  "tie-ups"  and  "stanchels,"  as  well 
as  the  mangers,  cribs,  &C.,  should  be  daily  cleaned 
out  and  frequently  washed.  An  occasional  white- 


Remarks. — Certainly,  Mr.  "Inquirer,"  we  can 
tell  you  how  to  reclaim  such  lands,  even  without 
carrying  a  load  of  manure  upon  them.  But  will 
you  be  patient,  and  follow  the  plan  ?  and  can  you 
^ord  to  wait  for  the  result  ? 

We  will  suppose  that  the  land  is  sandy,  or  per- 
haps a  sandy  loam,  that  was  once  covered  with 
pines  which  were  cut  off,  and  the  land  "ryed  to 
death,"  and  then  pastured  to  death,  which  is  full 
as  bad  as  was  the  old  Irish  Judge,  who  sentenced 
a  man  to  "be  hung  and  pay  forty  shillings."  Ma- 
nure the  land  if  you  can,  if  not,  plow  with  one 
horse,  or  two  if  you  choose,  but  do  not  go  down 
more  than  four  inches,  sow  rye  and  harrow  in. 
When  the  crop  is  ripe,  thresh  on  the  field,  and 
keep  what  grain  you  can  get  as  a  compensation 
for  your  labor !  Now  take  the  rye  straw,  and  let 
a  man  drop  it  before  each  furrow,  and  the  plow 
follows  immediately  and  covers  it  up. 

Follow  this  course  three  years,  and  then  sow 
with  clover.  Cut  two  crops  of  this,  and  the  sec- 
ond year  plow  again  and  sow  to  rye,  and  if  the 
operation  has  been  well  managed,  you  will  prob- 
ably get  tweafy-Jive  bushels  of  rye  per  acre,  and 
your  Jand  be  in  pretty  good  condition  for  any 
crop  with  common  manuring.  We  can  show  you 
twenty-five  acres  that  was  almost  moving  sand, 
reclaimed  in  this  way  into  fair  and  fertile  fields. 
Are  you  encouraged  ? 

We  do  not  rememl^er  how  Mr.  Clark  reclaimed, 
and  have  not  the  leisure  at  this  time  to  look  up 
his  account  of  doing  it. 


1S58. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


229 


HUMBOLDT  ON  "SYMMES'  HOLE." 

It  has  been  computed  at  Avhat  depths  liquid 
and  even  gaseous  substances,  from  the  pressure 
of  their  own  superimposed  strata,  would  attain  a 
densitj'  exceeding  that  of  platinum,  or  of  iridium  ; 
and  in  order  to  bring  the  actual  degree  of  ellip- 
ticity,  which  Mas  known  within  very  narrow  lim- 
its, into  harmony  with  the  hypothesis  of  the  in- 
finite compressibility  of  matter,  Leslie  conceived 
the  interior  of  the  earth  to  be  a  hollow  sphere, 
filled  with  "an  imponderable  fluid  of  enormous 
expansive  force."  Such  rash  and  arbitrary  con- 
jectures have  given  rise,in  wholly  unscientific  cir- 
cles, to  still  more  fantastic  notions.  The  hollow 
sphere  has  been  peopled  with  plants  and  animals, 
on  which  two  small  subterranean  planets,  Pluto 
and  Proserpine,  were  supposed  to  shed  a  mild 
light.  A  constantly  uniform  temperature  is  sup- 
jjosed  to  prevail  in  these  inner  regions,  and  the 
air  being  rendered  self-luminous  by  compression, 
might  well  render  the  planets  of  this  lower  world 
unnecessary.  Near  the  North  Pole,  in  82  degree 
of  latitude,  an  enormous  opening  is  imagined, 
from  which  the  polar  light  visible  in  Aurora 
streams  forth,  and  by  which  a  descent  into  the 
hollow  sphere  may  be  made.  Sir  Humphrey 
Davy  and  myself  were  repeatedly  and  publicly 
invited  by  Capt.  Symmes  to  undertake  this  sub- 
terranean expedition  ;  so  powerful  is  the  morbid 
inclination  of  men  to  fill  unseen  spaces  with 
shapes  of  wonder,  regardless  of  the  counter-evi- 
dence of  well-established  facts,  or  universally 
recognized  natural  laws.  Even  the  celebrated 
Halley,  at  the  end  of  the  17th  century,  hollowed 
out  the  earth  in  his  magnetic  speculation  ;  a  freely 
rotating  subterranean  nucleus  was  supposed  to 
occasion,  by  its  varying  positions,  the  diurnal  and 
annual  changes  of  the  magnetic  declination.  It 
has  been  attempted,  in  our  own  day,  in  tedious 
earnest,  to  invest  with  a  scientific  garb  that  which 
in  the  pages  of  the  ingenious  Holberg  was  an 
amusing  fiction. — Ilumholdt^s  Cosmos, 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
SHOEING  HENS. 

A  friend  of  ours,  boarding  in  the  country, 
found  his  hostess  one  morning  busily  engaged 
in  making  numerous  small  woolen  bags,  of  sin- 
gular shape.  Upon  inquiry  he  was  informed  that 
they  were  shoes  for  hens,  to  prevent  them  from 
scratching.  The  lady  stated  that  it  had  been  her 
practice  for  years  to  shoe  her  hens,  and  so  save 
her  garden.  These  "shoes,"  (I  believe  they  are 
not  yet  patented,)  were  of  woolen,  made  some- 
what of  the  shape  of  a  fowl's  foot,  having  an 
opening  left  sufficiently  large  to  thrust  in  the 
foot  with  ease,  after  which  it  is  closed  with  a 
needle  and  sewed  tightly  on,  extending  about  an 
inch  up  the  leg.  Our  friend  observed  that  some 
of  the  biddies,  possibly  conceited  with  their  new 
honors,  appeared  to  tread  as  though  walking  on 
eggs — particularly  was  this  the  case  when  from 
the  width  of  the  shoe  one  would  conceive  that 
their  toes  might  be  a  little  pinched. 

Thus,  Mr.  Editor,  you  see  the  progress  of  civ- 
ilization ;  another  class  of  bipeds  has  stepped  into 
shoes  !  how  far  in  the  future  pantalettes  and  boa- 
nets  lie  hid  let  no  scoffer  dare  say.  "Puss  in 
boots,"  as  every  one  knoM's,  was  all  a  sham  ;  but. 


for  a  certainty,  biddy  in  shoes  is  no  longer  a 
fable.  When  snarling  Diogenes  hurried  into  the 
academy  with  "Plato's  man,"  we  all  know  what 
very  naturally  followed,  for  in  his  haste  he  had 
forgotten  even  to  put  his  shoes  on ! 

The  original  idea  of  this  lady  may  be  of  value 
to  those  amateurs  who  desire  at  the  same  time 
a  fancy  garden  and  fancy  fowls  ;  for  it  is  gener- 
ally agreed  that,  baring  their  scratching  propen- 
sities, fowls  are  of  gi-eat  advantage  to  grounds, 
from  the  immense  quantity  of  vermin  which  they 
destroy.  If,  then,  by  this  contrivance  of  bagging 
their  toes,  they  can  be  prevented  from  scratching, 
we  may  thus  secure,  on  a  barn-yard  scale,  the 
political  desideratum,  the  largest  liberty  compati- 
ble with  the  greatest  safety. 

Yours  respectfully,        J.  J.  H.  Gregory. 

Marblehead,  Mass. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
SUG-AK   MAKING. 
"SUGARING    OFF." 

Be  sure  first  that  your  syrup  is  thoroughly  set- 
tled, so  that  it  is  translucent  and  wholly  free  from 
impurities.  If  made  too  thick  for  this,  it  can  be 
reduced  with  sap  or  water  ;  but  make  no  sugar 
from  it,  till  you  have  given  a  fair  cliance  for  the 
fine  particles  of  dirt  that  will  unavoidably  get  in, 
to  deposit  themselves. 

A  pan  is  the  best  thing  to  sugar  off"  with.  For 
a  batch  of  100  or  120  pounds,  use  the  front  pan 
over  the  arch  you  boil  sap  in.  A  small  pan,  two 
feet  square,  and  nine  inches  high,  is  very  conve- 
nient for  a  batch  of  forty  pounds,  (or  less)  to  be 
made  into  small  cakes.  This  may  be  set  in  a  tem- 
porary arch  of  brick,  in  your  back  kitchen,  (if 
you  have  one  with  a  fire-place  and  a  wide  hearth 
before  it.)  Now,  if  you  have  such  syrup  as  you 
can  easily  make,  and  ought  to  make,  boil  it  down  ; 
but  save  your  eggs  to  go  with  your  bacon,  your 
skimmed  milk  for  the  pig,  the  saleratus  for  bis- 
cuit and  batter-cakes,  and  your  lime  for  mortar, 
but  keep  them  all  out  of  such  syrup  as  should 
and  can  be  made  until  late  in  the  season.  When 
the  syrup  is  just  commencing  to  boil,  remove 
carefully  all  the  skum,  &c.,  which  rises  to  the 
surface.  If  it  will  not  stand  fire  well,  and  threat- 
ens to  run  over,  a  bit  of  fresh  butter  will  at  once 
cure  it  of  this  propensity,  unless  your  sap  was 
sour.  You  can  use  snow  to  tell  Avhen  it  is  done ; 
but  it  is  best  tried  with  a  bow  tied  in  the  end  of 
a  green  twig,  or  in  a  small  wire  with  a  handle  of 
wood.  Let  this  bow  or  ring  be  about  three-fourths 
of  an  inch  in  diameter.  When  the  syrup  is  suf- 
ficiently reduced  for  wet  sugar,  if  this  be  dipped 
in,  it  will  fill,  and  you  can  blow  "feathers"  from 
it,  that  will  collapse  as  soon  as  formed.  If  they 
retain  their  shape,  and  will  fly,  or  crimible  when 
struck  by  the  feathering  stick,  it  is  dry  enough  to 
be  made  into  small  cakes  that  Avill  not  drain  at 
all.  A  little  practice  is  needful  to  determine  when 
it  is  in  just  the  right  condition ;  and  regard  must 
be  had,  too,  to  the  temperature  and  dryness  of 
the  air  in  which  you  blow  these  sugar-feathc" - 
When  done  to  suit  you,  lift  off"  the  fire,  and  tur  ,. 
it  into  a  brass  or  copper  kettle.  Stir  it  briskly 
until  it  granulates  sufficiently,  but  be  careful  not 
to  wait  too  long,  if  you  wish  to  put  it  into  small 
moidds.     This  requires  rapid  and  skilful  fingers. 


230 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


May 


^1 


The  longer  and  more  vigorously  you  stir  it,  how- 
ever, the  whiter  your  cakes  will  be.  Prepare  your 
iiioulds  before  you  remove  the  sugar  from  the 
fire,  by  ajiplying  fresh  cream  to  them  wi  h  a  small 
brush.     Be  sure  that  the  cream  is  always  sweet. 

THE   SETTLINGS   AND   SKIMMINGS 

are  all  to  be  saved  in  a  tub  by  themselves,  regard 
being  had  to  the  quality  of  the  syrup  from  which 
they  were  taken.  The  settlings  at  the  bottom  of 
several  tubs  may  be  poured  together,  slightly  re- 
duced with  sap,  and  in  a  day  or  two  the  pure 
sweet  may  be  poured  off.  After  making  1000 
pounds,  I  have  had  the  "settlings"  all  contained 
in  a  four  gallon  tub,  and  the  "skimmings"  in  a 
two  quart  basin.  The  best  way  to  deal  with  these 
is  to  take  six  or  eight  gallons  of  them,  turn  them 
into  a  barrel  of  sap,  (in  a  half  hogshead  tub,  or 
something  similar,)  stir  them  up  thoroughly ; 
then  throw  about  four  quarts  of  dry  plaster  of 
Paris  upon  the  surfai;e,  and  leave  it  to  settle. 
The  pulverized  gypsum  in  its  slow  descent  will 
precipitate  with  itself  the  lighter  minute  impuri- 
ties that  float  in  the  sap.  At  the  proper  time  dip 
or  turn  this  off,  and  call  these  settlings  finished. 
Tliis  will  make  a  sugar  of  second  quality. 

PAILS   FOR   GATHERING. 

Let  these  be  made  of  tin,  smaller  at  top  than 
bottom,  with  a  lulf  inch  rim  on  the  bottom  to 
prevent  their  sliding.  On  the  one  side  should  be 
a  tip  like  that  upon  a  gallon  measure,  and  a  han- 
dle upon  tlic  other  to  turn  them  with.  Those  for 
a  man  should  hold  about  fourteen  quarts,  for 
boys,  seven  to  ten  quarts.  Such  pails  will  not 
become  heavy  by  water-soaking. 

Sap  at  a  distance  from  your  arch  is  most  easily 
gathered  with  the  help  of  horse  or  oxen.  If  you 
use  an  open  cask,  it  should  be  largest  at  the  bot- 
tom. I  think  barrels  preferable,  since  you  can 
easily  unload  them  into  your  storage  tub.  A  large 
cask  is  not  so  easily  managed,  unless  you  dip  the 
sap,  or  a  part  of  it ;  and  this  cannot  well  be  done 
without  waste.  The  barrels  should  be  carried  on 
a  rack  purposely  made  for  them.  Your  large  tul)s 
can  easily  be  so  arranged,  that  the  sap  will  run 
from  them  directly  into  the  boilers,  if  you  choose 
it. 

STOPPING   UP   THE   TREES. 

When  you  gather  your  tubs  at  the  close  of  the 
season,  it  will  be  a  good  thing  if  you  will  stop  up 
the  holes,  at  least  in  your  young  trees,  with  close- 
h'  fitting  pine  plugs.  INIake  them  an  inch  long, 
and  every  one  of  exactly  the  right  size.  To  se- 
cure in  all  of  them  a  perfect  fit,  bore  two  or  three 
holes  in  a  hickory  stick,  or  bit  of  plank,  with  the 
same  bit  you  use  to  tap  your  trees,  and  make  all 
the  plugs  pass  through  these,  seeing  to  it  that 
they  touch  at  every  point.  The  boys  can  easily 
make  as  many  of  these  as  you  will  need,  on  stor- 
my days,  or  in  the  evenings.  It  is  no  long  job, 
ifthe  boys  have  sharp  knives  and  free  pine.  You 
will  saw  them  off  a  little  obliquely,  since  you  did 
not  tap  the  trees  with  a  perpendicular  bore  ;  and 
in  stopping  up  the  holes,  you  will  take  care  to 
drive  them  Just  inside  the  hark,  so  that  they  will 
fit  smoothly  with  the  outer  wood.  These  will  keep 
out  the  water  and  the  air,  and  cause  the  tree  to  j 
heal  sooner,  and  with  a  less  scar,  than  when  left 
as  they  usually  are.  | 

Some  like  to  tell  groat  stories.     I  can   easilv 


show  that  sugar-making  is  profitable,  though 
many  think  it  is  not.  I  have  to  boil  with  three 
fires,  on  account  of  my  trees  being  so  widely 
scattered;  but  one  little  place  of  140  trees  of 
second  growth,  all  upon  an  acre  and  a  half  of 
land,  is  tended  by  a  lad  of  thirteen  years.  He 
gathers  by  hand,  and  boils  the  sap  for  fifty  pounds 
per  day,  and  often  more,  with  time  to  spare  for 
reading  the  newspapers.  This  he  does  in  two 
copper  pans,  each  three  feet  square,  upon  an  ox- 
bow arch  like  that  described  in  number  one. 
Elijah  H.  Goodricii. 
Hinsdale,  Mass.,  March.  18.58. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 

CONTBIBUTIONS  BY  THE  STATE  TO 
COUNTY  SOCIETIES. 

It  is  now  about  forty  years  since  organizations 
of  this  kind  Avere  first  instituted.  Then  they 
were  thought  so  desirable  that  an  offer  was  made 
of  twenti/-Jive  per  cent,  annually  on  such  fund  as 
should  be  raised,  not  exceeding  $3000.  In  this 
way  $600  a  year  has  accrued  to  each  county  so- 
ciety ;  and  in  several  of  the  counties  two,  three 
and  even  four  societies  have  been  established ; 
so  that  like  territory  and  like  population,  in  some 
sections,  draws  four  times  as  much  money  from 
the  treasury  of  the  State  as  in  others.  Instance, 
while  Essex  draws  only  $000,  Worcester  diaws 
$2400.  This  is  unequal  and  unjust,  and  if  not 
remedied  will  be  a  growing  cause  of  dissatisfac- 
tion. Sooner  than  have  such  inequalities  remain,  I 
would  leave  the  societies  to  their  own  resources 
for  sujjport,  and  am  by  no  means  sure  that  they 
are  not  quite  as  able  to  go  alone  as  the  State  is 
to  lead  them.  I  would  not  say  anything  rashly, 
to  the  prejudice  of  any  existing  society,  nor 
would  I  wish  the  State  to  become  bankrupt  in 
support  of  any  ])articular  class  of  citizens,  even 
though  they  were  more  to  be  relied  on,  in  time 
of  need,  than  any  other,  as  I  think  the  farmers 
are.  Essex. 

March  18,  18j8. 


"WILL   BOOTS    PAY?" 

I  see  that  two  of  your  correspondents  have 
opened  quite  strongly  on  the  negative  of  this 
question.  I  take  the  affirmative — at  least,  till 
our  markets  are  better  supplied  than  at  present. 

Root  culture,  like  fruit  culture,  does  not  keep 
pace  with  the  demand — so  roots  bring  in  market 
much  mors  than  it  costs  to  raise  them — and,  per- 
haps much  more  than  they  are  worth  to  feed  to 
stock,  unless  it  be,  as  one  of  the  gentlemen  on  the 
negative  has  suggested,  ^'for  medicine!" 

On  the  basis  of  nutritive  value  assumed  by 
"P.,"  carrots  would  be  more  profitable  to  raise  in 
this  region,  than  corn.  We  can  raise  enough 
more  than  ten  times  the  quantity,  to  pay  for  the 
extra  labor  required  for  the  carrots. 

But  a  writer  in  a  recent  Bural,  in  trying  to 
show  that  potatoes  are  a  more  profitable  crop  than 
wheat,  ranks  the  nutritive  value  of  the  tuber 
nearly  equal  to  the  grain.  Now,  I  believe  car- 
rots will  as  nearly  equal  corn,  as  potatoes  will 
wheat,  in  the  comparative  value  of  food  for  man 
or  beast. 

One  farmer  in  our  town  has  taken  carrots 
from  my  premises   before  they  were  housed,  at 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


231 


twenty-three  cents  per  bushel,  when  corn  was 
worth  seventy-five,  and  good  hay  could  be  bought 
at  seven  dollars  per  ton,  (sixty  pounds  for  twenty 
cents,)  to  feed  his  stock  with.  Another  brought 
me  corn,  in  the  ear,  in  the  spring,  and  took  car- 
rots, bushel  for  bushel,  to  feed  his  horses. 

I  can  pay  interest  on  land  and  taxes,  within 
the  corporation  of  Attica  village,  and  raise  car- 
rots for  ten  cents  per  bushel,  one  season  with 
another.  On  cheaper  land,  exempt  from  corpo- 
ration taxes,  I  think  farmers  generally  can  pro- 
duce them  for  from  four  to  eight  cents,  and  pay 
all  charges. 

"P."  finds  trouble  in  keeping  them.  Build,  in 
the  cellar  of  the  barn,  cribs,  such  as  you  would 
use  for  corn,  and  I  think  they  will  keep  Avell.  A 
slight  freeze  will  not  hurt  them.  A  little  sand 
scattered  in  among  them,  will  tend  to  keep  them 
fresh. 

I  have  spoken  only  of  carrots,  as  this  root  is 
at  once  the  best,  the  surest  and  the  most  prolific 
ci'op.  But  to  supply  our  city  and  village  markets, 
every  kind  of  edible  "root"  will  pay  well,  as  those 
who  try  it  will  know. 

As  to  the  "medicine"  for  stock,  I  like  the  id^a 
— but  have  no  fear  of  its  bad  effects  in  Allopathic 
doses.  My  cow  is  not  harmed  by  a  half  bushel 
a  day.  It  ^'doeth  good,  like  a  medicine,"  as  Solo- 
mon says  of  a  merry  heart,  and  as  I  think  all 
"medicines,"  we  take,  should  do. — Rural  Kew- 
Yorker. 

For  the  New  Enf^land  Farmer. 
T^OODLAWD. 

There  seems  to  be  a  growing  conviction  in  the 
minds  of  intelligent  observers  that  too  much 
land  has  been  "cleared  up,"  in  our  vicinity  at 
least.  Large  tracts  of  "plain"  land  are  often 
seen  by  the  traveller,  which  hardly  pay  for  fencing. 
Grass  grows  sparingly  on  such  lands  through  the 
moist  weather  of  June,  but  the  hot  summer 
months  dry  up  the  half-covered  soil  so  thorough- 
ly that  vegetation  nearly  ceases. 

Having  spent  much  time  the  past  month  in  the 
"woods,"  my  attention  has  been  directed  to  the 
comparative  value  of  woodland  over  other  open 
fields  similarly  situated. 

Li  the  first  place  the  climate  of  the  forest  is 
more  favorable  to  vegetable  growth.  In  winter 
the  ground  freezes  to  a  less  depth  than  in  pas- 
ture land.  There  is  always  more  or  l^'^s  rubbish 
on  the  surface — brush,  twigs  and  leaves,  wh'ch 
protect  tender  roots  from  injurious  freezing. 
Moisture  and  heat  are  indispensable  conditions 
for  rapid  growth.  Every  one  has  observed  how 
much  faster  the  grass  gains  when  it  has  become 
high  enough  to  remain  damp  till  mid-day.  Now 
in  the  woods  there  is  sufficient  heat  for  the  growth 
of  trees  in  summer,  and  the  ground  in  the  shade 
of  the  thick  branches,  covered  with  decaying  veg- 
etable mould,  is  in  the  best  possible  condition. 

The  effects  of  boisterous  winds  are  much  less 
unfavorable  on  forest  lands  than  on  open  fields. 
Storms  of  rain  and  driving  showers  are  broken 
by  groves  of  trees,  and  the  needed  moisture 
drops  softly  down  up^  n  the  spongy  earth. 

In  the  mysterious  operations  of  nature  the  at- 
mos])here  receives  from  the  earth  invisible  gases, 
which  can  only  be  arrested,  fixed  and  returned 
to  the  earth,  through  vegetable  forms. 


Now  every  leaf  is  a  lung,  whose  principal  office 
is  to  breathe  the  passing  air,  and  transform,  by 
its  wonderfully  delicate  functions,  the  wandering 
atoms  into  solid  oak.  The  grass,  the  grain,  spread 
their  network  but  a  few  feetupwards.  But  through 
what  a  space  do  the  forest  giants  fling  their  broad 
arms ! 

The  demand  for  wood  and  timber  will  probably 
continually  increase  until  the  price  reaches  that 
of  European  countries.  In  Paris  wood  is  sold  in 
small  packages  by  weight.  In  Iceland  no  fuel  is 
used  except  for  cooking.  In  Buenos  Ayres  Avood 
is  so  scarce  that  the  common  peach  tree  is  culti- 
vated for  fuel.  Immense  fields  are  planted,  and 
cut  down  when  of  sufficient  size. 

But  how  different  the  practice  in  New  Eng- 
land. A  piece  of  woodland  is  cut  over.  The  fol- 
lowing summer  it  is  burned.  Now  in  burning 
there  is  always  a  great  waste.  The  light,  com- 
bustible matter,  which  if  let  alone  would  gradually 
decay  and  become  wood  again,  is  consumed  ;  and 
the  ground  retains  a  slight  covering  of  ashes,  in- 
stead of  a  heavy  mulching.  The  land  is  plowed 
with  a  "breaking  up"  team,  which  proves  no  joke 
to  him  at  the  handles.  Rye  is  sown,  which  grows, 
generally,  luxuriantly,  stimulated  by  the  ashes. 
As  the  thrifty  sprouts  come  up  they  are  faithfully 
grubbed  down,  until  discouraged.  Oftentimes  a 
second  crop  of  rye  is  sown,  which  comes  up  spar- 
ingly. Finally  this  beautiful  piece  of  woodland 
becomes  the  "old  field,"  or  "the  plain,"  orna- 
mented with  mullens  and  protected  by  blackberry 
vines  ! 

The  fact  seems  too  often  lost  sight  of,  that, 
when  the  young  trees  of  a  forest  are  cut  oft"  with 
the  large,  (as  they  always  should  be,  that  no 
bruised  or  broken  sapling  remain,)  the  sprouts 
which  spring  up  are  always  unusually  thrifty. 
They  shoot  up  in  a  few  years  straight  and  prom- 
ising. Now  is  there  not  a  great  waste  in  destroy- 
ing such  roots,  so  full  of  vitality,  all  alive  and 
planted  ? 

The  sad  mistake  of  killing  the  goose  that  lay 
the  golden  eggs  is  often  made  by  the  owners  of 
woodland.  Rocky  hillsides,  only  accessible  in 
deep  snows,  are  often  brought  into  grass  by  great 
labor.  And  "pine  plains,"  where  nothing  but 
pines  are  profitable,  are  cleared  of  these. 

The  fact  is,  a  tree  is  not  looked  upon  in  its 
true  light.  Dr.  Holmes  speaks  of  the  lofty 
elms  as  "nature's  flagstaffs."  He  is  to  be  pitied 
who  looks  with  no  feelings  of  admiration  upon  a 
beautiful  grove.  'W^ho  can  pass  the  attractive 
residence  of  our  distinguished  townsman,  R.  W. 
Emerson,  without  acknowledging  the  marvellous 
beauty  of  trees  skilfully  planted?  But  this  is  a 
digression.  I  wish  to  speak  of  trees  only  as  a 
source  of  gain. 

I  know  that  there  are  hundreds  of  acres  of 
poor  pasture,  now  of  trifling  profit  to  the  owner, 
which  were  better  in  woodhnd.  Just  think,  a 
piece  of  woods  takes  care  of  itself.  There  is  no 
building  of  fence,  or  particular  risk  about  the 
pro])erty. 

To  derive  the  greatest  profit  from  any  land,  it 
is  necessary  to  have  a  good  deal  growing  on  it. 
The  gai'dener  plants  potatoes  between  his  rows 
of  peas,  so  that  when  the  peas  are  out  of  the  way 
the  land  may  be  still  occupied.  So  turnips  are 
sown  among  corn  on  stony  land,  and  gain  pro- 
digiously after  the  frost  has  killed  the  corn. 


232 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


May 


Now  I  would  leave  all  the  land  to  woods  not 
convenient  to  till,  or  fertile  enough  to  yield  good 
pasturage.  By  so  doing  a  great  addition  would 
be  made  to  the  wealth  to  be  enjoyed  by  the  next 
generation. 

There  can  never  be  another  period  while  man 
exists  upon  the  earth  when  coal-fields  and  peat 
bogs  will  be  formed  by  a  luxuriant  vegetation. 
It  is  but  a  needed  economy  to  save  the  woods, 
and  allow  as  many  trees  as  possible  to  grow  for 
the  future,  AV.  D.  B. 

Concord,  Mass.,  Marcli,  1858. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer 
EXPERIMENTS  WITH  PEAS. 

Mr.  Editor  : — Last  spring  I  received  from  a 
friend  the  following  new  varieties  of  peas — a 
description  of  which  I  send  you,  together  with 
samples  of  the  same. 

Daniel  O'Leary. — Planted  May  10th.  First 
mess  gathered  July  13th.  It  does  not  seem  to 
be  a  good  bearer. 

Harrison's  Climax. — Planted  May  12th.  First 
mess  gathered  July  22d.  Very  productive  and 
delicious,  and  bids  fair  to  become  a  valuable  va- 
riety. Wrinkled  and  much  resembling  in  ap- 
pearance the  Champion  of  England.  Height  2^ 
feet. 

Ilarrison^s  Alliance. — This,  with  the  one  above 
and  two  following,  were  planted  at  the  same  time. 
First  mess  gathered  July  20th.  It  is  a  wrinkled 
variety  of  a  straw  color,  fine  quality  and  nearly 
equal  to  the  Climax.     Height  2^  feet. 

Harrison's  Perfection. — First  mess  gathered 
July  20th.  A  very  good  pea,  and  like  the  others, 
great  bearers — one  vine  producing  seventeen  cods. 
Partially  wrinkled  and  of  a  straw  color.  Height 
2^  feet. 

Harrisoii's  Glory. — A  green  variety,  partially 
■wrinkled,  of  splendid  foliage,  good  quality  and 
much  promise.  First  mess  gathered  July  22d. 
Height  21  feet. 

Dwarf  Green  Mammofh. — Planted  April  29th. 
First  mees  gathered  July  30th.  It  does  not 
seem  suited  to  our  climate.  Many  of  the  cods 
were  imperfectly  formed,  and  in  most  instances 
contained  but  three  or  four  peas  in  each.  The 
expectation  Avhich  Ave  had  formed  of  it  Avas  far 
from  being  realized.     Height  2i  to  3  feet. 

Wane's  King  of  the  Marrows. — This  is  a  pea 
of  high  character,  but  its  growth  has  been  so  wild 
and  luxuriant  that  Ave  have  not  been  able  to  fix 
its  period  of  maturity.  Two  feet  and  a  half  Ave 
Avere  told  was  its  usual  height — but  in  our  grounds 
some  of  the  vines  measured  nine  feet  and  a  half. 
One  of  the  largest  and  finest  peas. 

Of  all  the  European  varieties  which  we  have 
ever  tested,  none  (everything  considered)  seem 
so  well  adapted  to  our  climate  as  the  Champion 
of  England.  It  often  fails,  however,  in  very  dry 
locations.  Rich,  moist  land  is  its  delight,  and  on 
such  only  can  it  be  grown  in  its  greatest  perfec- 
tion. A  decided  advantage  is  gained  we  think 
b)  sticking  peas.  They  continue  longer,  are 
sweeter,  more  prolific  and  less  liable  to  mildcAV 
than  those  suff'cred  to  lay  on  the  ground.  From 
July  10th  to  Oct.  20th,  we  were  by  successive 
planting  enabled  to  pick  a  mess  of  peas  every 
day.  Yours  truly,        Andreav  Lackey. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
FLAX—POTATOES  AND  PEAS. 

Mr.  Broavn  : — Last  summer  I  accidentally  met 
Mr.  John  Boyle,  Avho  is  mentioned  below  in  an 
editorial  notice  from  the  Mercantile  Jouryial  of 
Jan.  5th,  1858,  published  at  Belfast,  in  Ireland. 

Mr.  Boyle  is  a  very  intelligent  man,  of  Irish 
birth,  now  residing  at  Leeds,  in  England,  where 
he  is  employed  by  a  company  to  introduce  the 
culture  of  flax.  He  and  I  had  "walks  and  talks" 
together  through  old  Ireland,  and  I  have  recently 
received  from  him  a  letter  making  inquiries  about 
the  flax  culture  in  this  country,  and  the  prospect 
of  success  if  he  should  come  here.  We  cultivate 
very  little  flax  hereabouts,  and  if  you  or  any 
reader  of  the  Farmer  can  give  any  information 
on  the  subject,  I  should  like  to  see  it  j)ublished. 
Mr.  Boyle  also  sent  me  the  paper  from  which  I 
cut  the  following,  worth  noticing  for  the  singu- 
larity of  the  leading  thought,  if  nothing  more. 

H.  F.  French. 

Exeter,  N.  H.,  Feb.  15,  1858. 

THE   POTATO   DISEASE. 

We  publish  in  our  seventh  page  a  very  im- 
portant letter,  addressed  to  the  editors  of  the 
Leeds  Mercury,  pointing  out  an  easy,  and,  as  the 
writer  reports,  effectual  remedy  for  this  destruc- 
tive malady.  Our  attention  Avas  drawn  to  this 
letter  by  Mr.  John  Boyle,  of  Leeds,  Avho  knoAvs 
Mr.  Jackson  well,  and  has  every  confidence  in 
his  report.  We  strongly  recommend  our  agri- 
cultural friends  to  try  Mr.  Jackson's  plan  next 
spring,  as  Ave  have  no  doubt  of  it  leading  to  sat- 
isfactory results. 

REMEDY   FOR  THE   POTATO   DISEASE. 

To  the  Editors  of  the  Leeds  Mercury : 

Gentlemex  : — In  your  supplement  of  the  28th 
November  last,  you  have  an  extract  from  a  letter 
in  the  Agriadtural  Gazette,  respecting  the  inser- 
tion of  peas  into  potato  sets,  with  a  view  to  coun- 
teract the  disease  which  is  and  has  been  so  very 
prevalent  in  the  growing  of  that  very  important 
root.  Eleven  years  ago,  Avhen  that  disease  had 
made  its  appearance,  and  was  exciting  a  great 
deal  of  consternation  in  the  minds  of  both  pota- 
to growers  and  consumers,  I  made  the  same  ex- 
periment. I  do  not  lay  any  claim  to  originality. 
I  believe  it  emanated  Avith  an  English  farmer  in 
Belgium,  and  Avas  the  result  of  the  merest  acci- 
dent. Some  idle  boys  in  his  field,  Avho  ought  to 
have  been  setting  potatoes,  amused  themselves 
by  thrusting  hard  peas  Avhich  they  had  in  their 
pockets  into  the  sets  Avithout  the  farmer's  knowl- 
edge, and  planted  them  in  that  state.  The  farm- 
er's attention  was  directed  to  the  fact  by  his  im- 
mense yield  of  the  peas,  growing  in  connection 
with  his  potatoes,  and  his  astonishment  Avas  still 
greater  Avhen,  on  taking  up  his  crop,  these  Avere 
all  sound  and  free  from  disease,  while  he  was  suf- 
fering very  much  in  other  parts  of  the  field.  By 
making  inquiries  amongst  his  servants,  he  dis- 
covered how  the  circumstance  had  arisen,  and  com- 
municated the  Avhole  facts  to  the  English  newsi)a- 
pers.     Mr.  Joseph  Bower,  chemist,  of  Hunslet, 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


233 


had  read  the  account  in  the  papers,  and  informed 
me  of  it.  For  some  time  before  I  had  paid  a 
good  deal  of  attention  to  the  subject  of  the  po- 
tato disease,  but  my  inquiries  had  certainly  not 
gone  in  that  direction.  Immediately,  however, 
I  set  to  work,  to  endeavor  to  find  a  solution  to  the 
new  problem.  I  submitted  many  samples  of  dis- 
eased potatoes  and  of  sound  potatoes  to  careful 
chemical  analysis,  and  I  invariably  found  that  the 
diseased  potatoes,  as  compared  with  the  healthy 
ones,  exhibited  a  marked  deficiency  of  nitrogen 
and  of  nitrogenised  matter  in  every  instance,  and 
also  a  great  deficiency  as  compared  with  the  pub- 
lished analysis  of  the  potato,  by  Liebig  and  oth- 
ers, made  some  years  before.  From  that  result, 
then,  I  inferred  thai  the  potato  was  set  inherently 
deficient  in  nitrogen,  being  inoculated  with  a 
substance  intrinsically  rich  in  that  element,  as 
peas  are  during  the  mutual  decomposition  and 
chemical  change  of  the  two  substances  in  the 
process  of  their  germination  and  growth,  sufficient 
evolution  of  nitrogen  from  the  pea  would  take 
place,  and  being  absorbed  by  combining  with 
and  supplying  the  deficiency  of  that  clement  in 
the  potato,  communicating,  as  it  were,  its  equiv- 
alent in  that  way,  would  counteract  its  tendency 
to  disease.  I  then  tried  the  experiment  practi- 
callj\  I  obtained  potatoes  of  several  kinds  for 
sets  whole ;  I  then  took  peas  (Bishop's  dwarfs,) 
and  inserted  four  or  five  (according  to  the  size  of 
the  potato,)  deep  in  the  fleshy  part  of  the  set, 
taking  care  to  avoid  the  eyes.  I  then  planted 
them  in  my  garden  at  Hunslet,  in  the  usual  way. 
Mr.  Bower,  and  several  other  gentlemen  at  Huns- 
let, will  well  recollect  watching  with  great  inter- 
est the  growth  and  development  of  the  compound 
crop.  The  result  was  perfect  success.  I  had  a 
very  extraordinary  yield  of  peas.  When  the  po- 
tatoes were  taken  up,  they  were  a  large  yield, 
with  a  very  few  small  ones,  and  every  potato  was 
healthy  and  free  from  every  trace  of  disease. 
Those  potatoes  were  laid  on  a  wooden  floor  in  a 
room  in  my  dyehouse,  where  they  remained  all 
winter  until  the  following  spring  ;  they  were  then 
examined,  and  found  to  be  all  sound  and  healthy, 
and  were  employed  as  sets  again  in  the  same 
way,  with  the  same  result.     I  am,  iS:c., 

John  Jackson. 
Knostroplane  Ban!;,  Leeds,  Dec.  1,  1857. 


AMERICAN"  POMOLOGICAL  SOCIETY. 

We  learn  that  the  Seventh  Session  of  the  Amer- 
ican Pomological  Society  will  be  held  in  the  city 
of  New  York,  and  that  Tuesday,  the  14th  of  Sep- 
tember next,  has  been  fixed  by  the  President,  Hon. 
Marshall  P.  Wilder,  as  the  day  for  its  com- 
mencement. This  society  has  already  done  much 
good  in  fixing  the  nomenclature  of  fruits,  in  pro- 
moting the  growth  of  those  that  are  woithy  of 
cultivation,  and  in  rejecting  those  that  are  worth- 
less. Through  its  agency,  the  individual  farmer 
may  save  the  trouble,  cost  and  vexation  of  test- 
ing fruits  for  himself,  which  others  have  tested 
and  found  good  for  nothing.  Circulars  will  un- 
doubtedly be  issued  in  due  time,  giving  particu- 
lars 'A  Lhe  intended  gathering. 


/■or  the  NeiD  Englnnd  Farmer. 

QUINCE  ON"  PASTURE  LAND— ELMS- 
BLUEBERRIES. 

Mr.  Brown  : — Am  I  right  in  the  opinion  that 
the  culture  of  the  Quince  may  be  as  profitable, 
and  even  more  so,  than  that  of  the  apple?  (1.) 
I  know  some  quince  bushes  that  have  been  sadly 
neglected,  yet  have  borne  very  fair  crops  in  the 
two  last  years,  while  apples  in  this  vicinity  have 
been  very  scarce.  I  know  the  quince  bush  is  a 
favorite  of  the  borer,  but  is  the  fruit  as  liable  to 
be  attacked  by  the  curculio  as  is  the  aj)plo  ?  The 
latter  is  ruinous  to  the  apple  crop  here,  and,  of 
the  two,  seems  to  be  a  hundred  times  the  worse. 

To  fit  a  piece  of  pasture,  never  yet  cultivated, 
for  a  quince  orchard,  would  the  plowing  in  of 
green  crops  and  subsoiling  three  or  four  years 
be  a  sufficient  preparation  without  any  other  ma- 
nure? (2.) 

Two  years  ago  (like  a  dunce,  and  with  plenty 
of  company,  too,)  I  transplanted  some  large  elm 
trees,  thinking  to  gain  some  years  over  small 
ones  in  size.  The  tops  I  cut  oflF  to  match  the 
roots  unavoidably  lost,  and  as  these  stumps  were 
not  covered  in  any  way,  they  are  now  rotting. 
Will  not  this  cause  a  lasting  defect  in  the  trees, 
by  the  rot  continuing  down  ?  (3.)  If  one  is. 
planting  shade  trees  for  beauty,  should  they  not 
be  as  particular  in  the  choice  of  handsome  and 
thrifty  trees  as  in  the  selection  of  fruit  trees? 
(4.)  For  myself  I  would  rather  see  a  naked 
door-yard  and  road-side  than  a  homely  tree.  My 
observations,  in  the  two  years  since  I  set  my 
trees,  have  led  me  to  think  that  it  will  be  a  last- 
ing source  of  regret  to  me  if  I  do  not  pull  up  my 
trees  without  delay,  and  plant  good  ones.  You 
must  have  noticed  this  defect:  and  now  your 
opinion,  if  you  please. 

Can  the  common  blueberry  be  much  improved 
in  size  by  cultivation  ?  Or  can  a  superior  fruit 
be  raised  only  by  seedlings  ?  (5.) 

Benj.  Chase,  Jr. 

Manchester,  N.  II.,  March,  1858. 


Remarks — (1.)  Where  there  is  a  demand  for 
the  Quince,  at  a  fair  price,  we  have  no  doubt  it 
might  be  cultivated,  even  with  more  profit  than 
the  apple  afi'ords.  Quinces,  however,  are  used 
only  in  quite  limited  quantities,  and  the  supply 
may  easily  be  carried  beyond  the  demand. 

(2.)  The  preparation  of  pasture  land  for  the 
quince  as  you  suggest  would  be  sufficient  for  a 
time — but  as  the  trees  or  bushes  should  increase, 
spread  their  roots  and  produce  fruit,  they  would 
need  dressing. 

(3.)  If  the  elms  you  speak  of  should  grow  rap- 
idly, the  wound  made  might  be  covered  with  a 
new  growth,  but  a  defect  would  always  remain, 
and  one  which  might  prove  ruinous  to  the  tree 
after  it  had  attained  considerable  size  and  assum- 
ed a  beautiful  form. 

(4.)  Certainly.  It  costs  no  more  to  take  up  and 
transplant  a  handsome  tree  than  it  does  a  deform- 
ed one.  If  we  have  committed  an  error,  the 
sooner  it  is  corrected  the  better  ;  we  believe  that 
rule  holds  good  in  physics  as  well  as  in  ethics. 


234 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


May 


(5.)  Cannot  tell  you.  The  common  high  black- 
berry may  be  greatly  improved  by  garden  culti- 
vation ;  that  is,  improved  in  size,  but  not  in 
flavor.  May  not  the  blueberry  as  well  ?  Try  it, 
•will  you  ? 

For  tlie  New  England  Farmer. 

WHAT  CAN"  WIVES  AND  DAUGHTERS 
DO  FOR  AGRICaLTUKE? 

BY   SUSIE    SUJIMERFIELD. 

"Nothing  towards  helping  us,  while  they  lav- 
ishly spend  our  hard  earnings,"  exclaims  an 
aged  farmer  by  some  cozy  fireside,  with  his  week- 
ly paper  in  his  hand.  "Ha!  ha  !  wo?Ke/t' help  us 
farmers  greatly,  with  their  high  notions,  with 
their  imported  fabrics  and  dainty  airs  !  Humph  ! 
they  only  burden  us  with  expense,  knock  us  with 
their  elbows,  crowd  us  with  their  hoops,  and  dis- 
dain us  in  their  pride,  now-a-days ;  but,  in  my 
youthful  days,  a  woman  proved  herself  a  genuine 
help-meet,  and  not  a  help-cat.  Then,  wives  and 
daughters  were  like  stars  in  our  homes,  and  made 
hearts,  vibrate  with  delight  by  their  cheerful 
smiles,  soul-meaning  sympathy  and  earnest  labor. 
Eh  !  time  and  again,  I'm  forced  to  say,  'O,  would 
I  were  a  boy  again,'  that  times  were  now  as  of 
old,  when  our  women  were  to  us,  what  roses  are 
to  the  garden;  shedding  joy  in  rich  profusion. 
Say,  Charley,  don't  you  get  marriexl,  till  you  find 
a  lady  worthy  of  the  title,  a  New  England  daugh- 
ter." 

Thus  does  a  wise  old  farmer  cogitate  and  ad- 
vise in  his  easy-chair,  over  his  paper.  But  spare 
your  sarcasm  and  judgment  against  us  for  a  mo- 
ment, dear  sir,  while  Susie  chats  with  thee,  and 
attempts  to  prove  that  woman  in  this  age,  can  be 
just  as  wise,  useful  aiul  truly  estimable  as  in  the 
days  of  our  grandmothers.  Though  the  spinning- 
wheel  and  shuttle  have  given  place  to  the  facto- 
ry and  steam-power,  and  invention  has  lightened 
labors  of  all  kinds,  yet  our  sex  have  a  mighty 
power  to  exercise,  even  in  the  art  of  agricul- 
ture. 

When  the  Creator  had  made  Eden,  with  its 
purple  clusters,  and  luscious  fruits,  and  dewy 
flowers,  when  he  had  made  man  to  cultivate,  gov- 
ern and  enjoy  it,  he  then  made  woman  as  a  boon 

as  Heaven's  best  gift.  She  has  proved  herself 
to  be  such,  in  different  ages,  and  in  diversified 
sjAeres. 

While  our  forefathers  made  heavy  strokes 
towards  civilization,  our  primitive  mothers  acted 
well  their  parts,  in  humility  and  sweet  confidence. 
In  times  of  contest  and  privation,  womanly  coun- 
sel and  her  constancy  shone  conspicuously  in 
every-day  scenes,  and  accomplished  noble  deeds. 

On  missionary  grounds  she  has  proved  herself 
competent  for  arduous  labor,  and  granted  cheer- 
ful aid  in  isksome  tasks.  In  modern  times,  the 
walks  of  literature  have  been  traversed,  yea, 
adorned  by  women  of  refined  sensibilities  and 
great  mental  endowments.  Even  our  own  age 
has  been  memoiialized  by  heroic  deeds  of  love 
and  charity,  from  a  Florence  Nightengale  and 
Grace  Darling. 

But  you,  Sir  Farmer,  exclaim,  "what  has  all 
this  to  do  with  us  and  our  occupation  ?" 

It  proves  her  potency  and  ability.  Now  we 
wish  her  to  realize  that  she  possesses  such  merits, 


and  to  feel  as  if  she  had  something  to  do  in  our 
era;  something  to  efi"ect,  not  only  in  tiie  refine- 
ments of  elegant  society,  but  something  to  do  in 
behalf  of  agriculture,  and  then  this  truly  Moble 
and  compensating  occupation  will  become  ele- 
vated accordingly  as  it  deserves.  She  must  be- 
lieve that  her  Creator  has  given  her  a  mental  ca- 
pacity  and  a  physical  organization  to  be  kept  in 
healthful  condition  by  use.  Then,  she  must  have 
a  right  estimation  of  life,  of  the  demands  of  soci- 
ety, and  of  true  merit,  wherever  it  is  found. 

If  our  New  England  ladies  would  but  place  a 
proper  estimate  u])on  our  farmers  and  farming, 
which  actually  is  the  stay  and  staff'  of  our  land, 
then  society  in  general  would  properly  estimate 
and  respect  it. 

Agriculture  invites  investigation  into  the  most 
intricate  labyrinths  of  nature,  and  what  woman 
can  meet  with  injury  by  coming  in  contact  with 
the  simple,  yet  wonderful  beauty  of  the  natural 
world  ?  If  a  husband  or  son  laljors  in  the  har- 
vest field  or  verdant  meadow,  to  supply  his  fam- 
ily with  their  daily  food,  with  nought  but  the 
echoes,  whispering  breezes,  or  breathing  mur- 
murs from  nature's  unseen  choir  to  molest  him  ; 
or  whether  he  toils  upon  the  mountain's  brow,  in 
the  solemn  silence  of  dense  forests,  or  amidst 
waves  of  gold,  where  the  ripened  grain  bends  in 
seeming  adoration  to  the  god  of  plenty,  he  meets 
with  nought  in  his  submissive  toil  which  should 
deteriorate  him  one  iotu,  in  the  estimation  of  the 
gentler  sex. 

The  farmer  at  the  plow,  with  his  striped  frock, 
engaged  in  honest  toil,  is  as  worthy  of  a  smiling 
recognition,  as  is  his  wife  in  her  flounced  silks 
upon  the  fashionable  promenade.  The  farmer's 
son,  whose  imbrowned  brow  is  damp  with  the 
sweat  of  labor,  is  as  worthy  of  admiration,  as  is 
I  the  farmer's  daughter  at  the  boarding-school, 
I  with  dewy  lips,  and  rose-tinted  fingers. 

Futurity  will  prove  the  necessity  of  more  ex- 
j  tensive  agriculture  in  oiu*  country,  as  extent  of 
I  territory  and  her  population  increases.  During 
the  recent  convulsion  in  our  financial  and  com- 
mercial aff'airs,  the  permanency  and  lucrativeness 
I  of  farming  remained  stable  ;  and  now  is  the  time 
for  woman  to  show  that  she  has  a  right  appreci- 
lation  of  this  worthy  occupation,  by  encouraging 
I  those  of  the  other  sex  to  engage  in  it. 

American  agriculture  has  much  to  accomplish 
ere  it  becomes  perfected,  and  American  ladies 
[  should  be  proud  to  act  well  their  part  in  its  pro- 
gression. It  is  just  as  meritorious  in  a  young  or 
I  elderly  lady  to  manifest  an  interest  in  the  pro- 
gression of  the  science  of  agriculture,  as  to  be  in 
terested  in  the  literature  of  the  day. 

It  is  natural  that  man  should  love  womanly 
sym])athy  and  encouragement,  in  whatever  sphere 
of  life  he  moves ;  and  are  not  our  hardy,  strong- 
minded  yeomen,  as  worthy  of  approl)ation  from 
our  sex,  as  are  financiers  in  the  commercial  world, 
or  clerks  in  the  counting-room,  or  shalloM-pated 
fops,  that  have  not  one-half  of  the  intellectual  or 
moral  worth  about  them,  as  has  the  most  brawny 
greenhorn  in  Christendom  ? 

I  once  read  of  some  fashionable  exquisites  at  Sa- 
ratoga becoming  shocked  because  they  chanced 
to  sit  at  the  table  with  an  intelligent  farmer  and 
his  family,  ^for  it  ivas  so  vulgar  to  eat  with  far- 
mers!" We  hardly  believe  they  had  as  correct 
ideas  as  the  spirits  who  communicated  to  a  medi- 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


235 


urn,  ^'that  Webster  teas  apt  to  make  mistakes  in 
his  politics  and  his  dictionary  too .'" 

A  worthy  young  man  once  remarked  to  me, 
"that  he  would  stay  on  the  farm  if  the  young  la- 
dies did  not  turn  up  their  noses  to  farmers." 
Young  ladies,  you  must  see  to  it  that  this  error 
be  corrected  in  your  circles.  Farmers  usually 
prnvide  the  best  of  homes,  and  make  the  best  of 
husbands.  Now  young  farmers  must  advocate 
improvement  in  agriculture,  elevation  in  mind, 
retinement  in  manners,  and  young  ladies  should 
advocate  them  too.  God  never  designed  woman 
as  a  mere  toy,  to  be  stowed  away  in  palaces. 
Farmers  have  few  palaces,  and  need  no  lisping 
fashionable  belle  to  preside  at  their  hearth-stone. 
They  need  assistance  from  vigorous  minds  and 
willing  hands,  while  the  natural  vivacity  of  wo- 
manly hearts  should  be  their  sun-light,  which 
shall  shed  a  cheerful  glow,  and  even  penetrate 
the  depths  of  manly  souls,  coax  tired  laborers 
and  anxious  business  men  to  relaxation  and  in- 
nocent pleasure.  When  our  young  ladies  are  ed- 
ucated to  become  efficient  co-Avorkers  with  the 
other  sex,  a  new  feature  in  society  will  be  devel- 
oped, while  woman  will  endear  herself  by  her 
graceful  virtues  to  man,  and  prove  his  guiding 
star  through  the  myths  and  mirage  of  life's  weary 
pilgrimage.  AVhen  we  find  feminine  talent  and 
sympathy  directed  into  a  right  channel,  we  may 
then  expect  that  the  intellectual,  moral  and  phy- 
sical being  of  future  generations  will  become  ele- 
vated, and  truth  more  often  triumphing  over  er- 
ror. 

It  is  no  ignominious  thing  to  our  farmers'  wives 
and  daughters,  that  they  understand  the  distinc- 
tion between  a  superior  and  inferior  breed  of  an- 
imals, which  exists  in  the  farmer's  herd  or  flock. 
It  is  as  praiseworthj'  for  a  young  Miss  to  knit  a 
sock,  produce  golden  lumps  of  butter  or  a  tempt- 
ing cheese,  or  loaves  of  bread  of  feathery  light- 
ness, as  it  is  to  trace  fairj  flowers  and  forms  up- 
on the  canvass  with  the  needle  and  crewel ;  or 
upon  bristol-board  with  the  paint-brush,  or  to 
touch  the  ivory  keys  of  the  piano.  It  is  as  grace- 
ful in  the  young  maiden  to  dance  over  the  newly 
mown  meadow,  while  she  administers  to  the 
wants  of  the  heated  and  thirsty  laborer  swinging 
his  scythe,  as  it  is  for  her  to  "tread  the  light  fan- 
tastic toe"  iu  a  dizzy  whirl  in  the  fashionable  ball- 
room. 

A  complaint  is  made  that  our  young  men  emi- 
grate to  the  West,  but  we  have  ladies  enough  to 
stop  them,  if  they  will  try  for  it.  Ladies  must 
not  treat  farmers  as  drudges.  They  must  talk 
with  them,  calculate  with  them  in  their  estima- 
tion of  loss  and  profit.  Must  admire  with  them 
their  broad,  well-tilled  acres  ;  their  sleek  oxen, 
fine  horses  ,•  laugh  with  them  beneath  the  drop- 
pings of  the  thrifty  vine  or  fruit  tree  of  their  own 
planting  ;  sympathize  with  them  in  their  cares, 
soothe  them  in  their  weariness ;  and  then,  we 
will  answer  for  it,  that  the  wise  old  farmer  will 
cease  to  expatiate  upon  the  merits  of  the  women 
of  his  youthful  days,  and  his  son  "Charlie"  will 
be  glad  to  catch  one  fcr  a  wife,  while  New  Eng- 
land daughters  of  the  present  age  shall  redeem 
New  England  feminine  character  ! 


Grennell,  Esq.,  of  Greenfield,  and  Secretary  of 
the  Society,  we  have  before  us  its  Eighth  Annual 
Beport.  Coming  through  the  hands  of  Mr.  Gren- 
nell, of  course  it  is  made  up  with  care,  and  pre- 
sents a  handsome  appearance ;  and  this,  with  its 
papers  on  various  topics,  will  reflect  permanent 
credit  and  character  on  the  association.  The  re- 
port of  the  committee  on  "Improving  Pasture 
Lauds,"  "on  Subsoiling,"  on  "Improved  Meadow 
and  Swamp  Land,"  on  "Fruit  Trees,"  "Manures," 
"Grain  and  Root  Crops," and  several  on  "Stock," 
contain  valuable  information  and  suggestions, 
and  are  worthy  of  frequent  reference.  The  offi- 
cers of  the  society  for  1858  are : 

Z.  S.  Raymomb,  of  Greenfield,  President. 
T.  M.  Stocghton,  Gill,  )  rr-      i,      . ,    ^ 

Moses  Steubins,  So.  DeerfieW,  j  ^ ''^^ '^'■^'^*"<-«- 
James  S.  Grennell,  of  Greenfield,  Sec.  and  Treas. 


Franklin  County  Agricultural  Society. 
— By  the    considerate   attention   of    James    S. 


THE  FLOWERS. 

The  ancients  early  remarked  that  different 
trees — especially  different  date  trees — produced 
differently  developed  flowers.  The  discrepancy 
consisted  simply  in  the  flowers  of  one  tree  being 
provided  with  several  minute  organs,  to  which 
botanists  apply  the  term  ^'pistils."  These  trees 
were,  they  remarked,  invariably  destitute  of  fruit, 
unless  growing  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  trees 
differently  constituted,  and  which  produces  flow- 
ers differently  constructed,  and  containing  in 
their  central  organization  certain  members  to 
which  is  applied  the  technical  name  "stamens." 

The  celebrated  naturalist,  LiNN.EUS,  has  ar- 
ranged the  whole  vegetable  kingdom  into  twen- 
ty-four classes — each  class  being  distinguished 
by  the  number  of  the  generic  or  sexual  organs 
found  in  each  flower.  His  system  is  admirably 
adapted  to  assist  the  memory,  and  at  the  same 
time  denotes  with  accuracy  and  clearness  the 
analogies  of  all  plants.  Philosophers,  in  every 
age  have  indulged  in  many  singular  fancies  re- 
garding flowers,  and  their  uses  and  modes  of 
contributing  to  the  economy  of  vegetable  repro- 
duction. 

Dr.  Darwin,  Tiimself  a  true  poet,  delighted 
to  contemplate  flowers — not  in  the  light  and 
character  of  mere  organized  but  insentient  be- 
ings, but  as  possessing  a  sentient  principle,  not 
less  real  or  identifying  in  its  character  than  the 
mysterious  but  strongly  distinguishing  faculty  of 
instinct  in  the  human  soul.  Hence  his  beautiful 
theory  of  the  "Loves  of  the  Plants" — a  theory 
which  could  have  been  suggested  only  to  a  mind 
endued  with  the  richest  elements  of  poesy,  and 
vividly  alive  to  that  peculiar  species  of  inspira- 
tion which  the  most  hidden  and  recondite  recess- 
es of  nature  can  alone  afford.  It  is  much  to 
be  regretted  that  botany  has  not  been  more  ex- 
tensively introduced  into  our  common  schools. 
In  it  the  young  would  find  a  powerful   induce- 


236 


KFM  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Mat 


ment  to  more  extended  researches,  and  the  early 
formation  of  habits  of  perseverance  and  industry 
— qualities  always  to  be  appreciated  in  youth, 
and  which  it  is  not  always  easy  to  form,  without 
the  assistance  of  some  powerfully  attractive  and 
engrossing  study,  which  unites  the  rewards  of 
pleasure  with  the  labor  of  pursuit. 

Flowers  indicate  taste,  sentiment,  character  ; 
they  have  a  charming  influence  on  young  persons, 
as  those  who  are  reared  in  their  midst  and  who 
engage  in  their  cultivation,  are  quite  likely  to  be 
truthful,  gentle  and  sincere. 

See  in  what  glowing  numbers  Dr.  Darwin 
wrote  upon  his  favorite  topic,  the  Floicers.  How 
closely  he  must  have  observed  them,  and  what 
joy  his  rambles  among  the  flowers  of  the  fields, 
and  that  minute  observation,  must  have  afl"orded 
him. 

"But  thou  whose  mind  the  soul-attempered  ray 
Of  taste  and  virtue  lights  with  purer  day  ; 
Whose  finer  sense  with  soft  vibration  owns 
With  sweet  responsive  sympathy  of  tones  ; 
So  the  fair  fiower  expands  its  lucid  form 
To  meet  the  sun,  and  shuts  it  to  the  storm ; 
For  thee  my  borders  nurse  the  fragrant  wreath, 
My  fountains  murmur,  and  my  zephyrs  breatlie  ; 
Slow  slides  the  painted  snail,  the  gilded  fly 
Smooths  his  fine  down,  to  charm  thy  curious  eye  ; 
On  twinkling  fins  my  pearly  pinions  play, 
Or  win  with  sinuous  train  their  trackless  way  ; 
My  plumy  pairs  in  gay  embroidery  dressed, 
Form  with  ingenious  bill  the  pencile  nest, 
To  love's  sweet  notes  attune  the  listening  dell, 
And  echo  sounds  her  soft  symphonious  shell." 


Fur  the  New  England  Farmer. 

HARD  TIMES. 

"Hard  times" — nothing  has  been  heard  scarcely 
for  the  past  six  months  but  "hard  times" — and 
to  many,  the  expression  has  a  feeling  meaning  to 
it ;  but  to  you,  brother  fixrmers,  what  care  you  for 
hard  times,  so  far  as  all  the  essentials  of  a  good 
living  are  concerned  ?  There  may  be  a  "panic" 
among  money-lenders,  note-shavers,  &c. ;  there 
may  be  a  "crisis"  among  traders,  merchants  and 
manufacturers  ;  but  if  you  are  a  farmer,  such  as 
1  often  picture  to  myself,  and  such  an  one  as  I 
have  seen  in  my  day,  you  will  care  for  "none  of 
these  things,"  any  further  than  your  svmpathies 
are  called  forth  by  the  wants,  misfortunes  and 
sufl'erings  of  your  fellow-men.  Yours  is  a  call- 
ing instituted  by  the  Great  Former  of  all  things, 
and  you  have  only  to  obey  the  laws  which  He  has 
given  you,  and  the  "profits"  are  seen ;  there  can 
be  no  mistake  here.  Truly,  there  is  no  calling, 
no  speculation,  no  venture,  no  splendid  opera- 
tion that  can  compare  with  yours  ;  the  croaking 
and  preaching  of  the  idle  and  lazy  to  the  con- 
trary,, notwithstanding.  Hard  and  severe  toil 
may  be  yours,_but  do  they  not  bring  sound  health 
and  a  good  digestion  ?  By  some  ignorant  and 
foolish-minded  persons,  your  business,  I  know, 
is  called  low  and  vulgar — but  I  tell  you,  it  is  the 
business  of  Heaven  ;  it  brings  you  in  direct  com- 
munion with  "nature  and  nature's  God,"  and  there 
can  be  nothing  low  or  vulgar  in  this. 

Shame  on  the  stupids  that  know  no  better,  and 


can  see  nothing  beautiful,  and  to  admire,  in  the 
occupations  of  the  farmer.  Such  a  soul  must 
have  a  body  more  simple  than  the  zoophite,  and 
it  would  need  no  miscroscope  to  show  the  struc- 
ture of  such  persons.  Heed  them  not,  but  go 
forward  and  upward  in  your  nobler  and  more  el- 
evating work,  remembering  that  the  promise  of 
seed-time  and  harvest  is  yours,  the  beauty  and 
sublimity  of  nature  are  yours,  health,  and,  I  hope, 
contentment  are  j'ours,  the  noblest  of  all  that 
constitutes  manhood  are  yours  ;  and  if  the  bless- 
ings, opportunities  and  privileges  of  life  which 
God  has  given  you  are  rightly  improved,  when 
you  are  called  to  the  judgment  to  render  your 
account  of  life's  farming,  an  eternity  of  happiness 
is  yours.  All  honor,  then,  to  the  worthy,  indepen- 
dent farmer !  NORFOLK. 
King  Oak  Bill,  1858. 


-WAIFS  FROM  OVER  THE  WATERS. 

Sandwich  Islands — Sugar  Cane — Apples — Bananas — Sweet 
Potatoes. 

We  have  been  favored  by  the  Rev.  R.  TV- 
Fuller,  of  Lempster,  N.  H.,  with  the  following 
extracts  of  a  letter  from  that  far  distant  and  in- 
teresting group,  the  Sandwich  Islands. 

In  a  line  from  your  office,  received  last  July, 
a  desire  Avas  expressed  for  information  concern- 
ing the  fate  of  the  China  sugar  cane  seed,  which 
I  ordered  for  my  brother,  Josiah  Fuller,  at  Hon- 
olulu, Sandwich  Islands ;  and  "the  results  of 
the  experiments"  with  it  there.  My  brother  in- 
formed me  that  "the  seed  came  safely  to  hand, 
in  good  order,  with  tlie  pamphlet,"  &c.  In  re- 
gard to  the  production  he  writes, — "We  look 
with  much  contempt  upon  the  grass  as  a  sugar- 
producing  plant,  in  this  country,  where  the  real 
sugar  cane  produces  three  tons  of  sugar  to  the 
acre.  But  it  is  undoubtedly  of  the  greate>t  val- 
ue as  fodder  for  animals.  I  have  a  small  patch 
in  my  garden,  from  which  I  feed  my  cow.  In 
three  clays  after  I  began  to  give  her  about  25 
pounds  of  the  suckers,  she  increased  her  milk 
more  than  a  quart  a  day." 

The  following  brief  extract  from  one  of  his  let- 
ters, concerning  the  productions  and  fertility  of 
those  islands,  may  not  be  uninteresting  to  the 
readers  of  the  Farmer.  At  the  time  this  was 
written  he  had  recently  purchased  and  taken  pos- 
session of  a  pleasant  residence  in  a  valley  about 
two  miles  from  the  city,  for  the  health  of  his  fam- 

"We  enjoy  our  valley  residence  very  much, — 
have  fruit  and  vegetables  of  our  own, — have  not 
been  obliged  to  buy  any  vegetables  except  Irish 
potatoes  for  months.  Had  two  apples  on  one  of 
our  little  trees.  One  came  to  perfection  and  was 
a  delicious  fruit ;  the  other  was  blown  off  by  the 
wind,  before  it  ripened.  I  mention  this  because 
it  is  something  remarkable  here.  One  of  my  ba- 
nanas, only  seven  months  from  planting,  has  a 
large  bunch  of  100  bananas  upon  it  and  is  a  mag- 
nificent plant,  about  12  feet  high.  The  fruit  will 
be  ripe  in  a  month.  I  have  about  200  plants 
growing.  There  is  no  check  to  the  growth  of  our 
plants,  except  the  dry  weather  which  we  some- 
times experience. 

My  sweet  potato  patch — one-fifth  of  an  acre — 
produced  about  60  barrels  of  potatoes.     We  have 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


237 


been  supplied  for  the  last  four  months,  and  sup- 
plied several  families,  and  sent  4000  pounds  to 
San  Francisco  market.  The  second  crop  will  be 
nearly  as  large.  We  do  not  pull  up  the  vines, 
but  take  out  the  full  sized  potatoes  and  cover  the 
roots.  The  potatoes  keep  growing,  and  in  good 
soil,  produce  crop  after  crop  to  one  planting. 
We  can  keep  constantly  digging  for  our  own  use 
from  the  time  the  potatoes  are  first  ripe,  (four  or 
five  months  from  planting)  through  the  year. 
One  of  my  potatoes  weighed  eleven  and  one-half 
pounds  !  Would  be  glad  could  I  send  j-ou  a  bag 
by  telegraph"  R.  w.  F.     j 

For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
STEAM  PLOWS — [Continued.] 

by  h.  f.  french, 
boydell's  patent  traction  engine. 
This  engine,  as  exhibited  at  Salisbury,  was 
operated  to  draw  six  plows,  opening  six  furrows 
at  one  passage  across  the  field.  It  is  distinguish- 
ed from  ths  other  steam  plows  that  have  been 
mentioned  by  being  worked  by  a  locomotive  in- 
stead of  a  stationary  engine,  which  walks  over 
the  earth  like  some  huge  animal,  puffing,  and 
snorting,  and  taking  along  its  six  plows,  w^ith  no 
apparent  consciousness  of  eff"ort.  It  possesses 
another  peculiarity — that  of  laying  down  an  end- 
less railway  track  for  its  wheels  to  run  upon,  and 
taking  it  up  as  it  proceeds.  Attached  to  the 
wheels  of  the  engine  are  large,  flat  blocks,  six  to 
each  wheel,  like  rackets  on  a  horse,  to  keep  him 
from  sinking  in  soft  ground,  which  are  laid  down 
in  turn  by  the  wheel  in  its  revolution,  and  on 
which  the  iron  rim  of  the  wheel  runs.  This  en- 
gine walks  about  in  a  very  intelligent  sort  of  way, 
comes  on  to  the  field  from  a  common  road,  draw- 
ing its  tender  with  coal  and  water,  and  even  car- 
ries the  extra  clothing  and  dinner  of  the  labor- 
ers. It  turns  readily  at  the  end  of  the  furrow^ 
stalks  off  to  its  water-tank  when  it  is  thirsty, 
and  helps  itself  to  w'ater,  and  when  it  is  hungry 
or  fatigued  goes  for  its  own  coal  for  refreshment. 
It  is  claimed  that  the  same  engine  can  draw  your 
timber  to  market  or  the  mill,  upon  common  roads, 
haul  in  your  hay  and  grain,  work  your  threshing 
machine,  and  in  short  do  most  of  the  work  of  the 
farm  instead  of  horses.  This  machine  was  not,  at 
Salisbury,  doing  so  good  plowing  as  Fowler's,  but 
the  quality  of  the  work  is  not,  at  present,  of 
much  importance.  It  is  not  a  question  of  mere 
plowing,  it  is  a  question  as  to  the  best  mode  of 
applying  the  power  of  the  steam  engine,  whether 
as  a  stationary  or  locomotive  engine ;  for  it  is 
obvious  enough  that  when  we  have  once  found  a 
convenient  and  economical  power,  jjlows,  har- 
rows, digging  machines,  or  anything  else  may  be 
worked  by  it.  Boydell's  engine  is  guided  by  a 
driver,  who  sits  on  the  forward  part,  while  the 
engineer  rides  like  a  footman  behind.  Three 
double  plows  were  at  Salisbury  attached  to  it  by 


chains,  and  these  were  held  by  three  men,  who 
walked,  following  and  holding  the  plows  in  the 
usual  manner.  Many  of  the  objections  to  the 
stationary  engine  are  obviated  by  this  invention. 
No  horses  are  required  to  move  it  from  place  to 
place,  or  to  draw  its  supply  of  fuel  and  water. 
The  cumbrous  "anchor,"  with  the  long  ropes, 
used  by  Fowler,  are  here  dispensed  with,  and  if 
the  adjustment  of  the  plows  as  used  by  Fowler 
is  found  most  convenient,  there  is  nothing  to 
prevent  its  adoption,  and  the  drawing  of  his 
plows,  with  this  locomotive  engine.  The  follow- 
ing extract  from  The  Railway  Record  of  June  20, 
1857,  may  be  interesting,  as  showing  the  practi- 
cal working  of  this  engine,  and  the  probability  of 
its  application  to  agricultural  uses  : 

"We  publish  to-day  the  journal  of  the  trial  of 
Mr.  Boydell's  Traction  Engine,  on  its  endless 
raihvay,  from  Thetford  in  Norfolk  to  London,  a 
distance  of  about  eighty-five  miles,  with  a  train 
of  carriages,  containing  about  seventeen  tons  of 
goods,  which  it  brought  up,  upon  the  ordinary 
road,  at  the  rate  of  three  and  a  half  miles  per 
hour.  The  train  was  ninety-five  feet  in  length, 
and  the  engine  twenty-seven,  and  the  gradual  as- 
cent in  many  parts  was  one  in  fifteen,  and  at  va- 
rious points  the  road  was  newly  laid  with  rough 
flint  and  gravel.  We  are  so  satisfied  that  it  is 
only  necessary  for  the  actual  performances  of 
this  engine  to  be  generally  known  to  lead  to  its 
adoption  in  localities  where  the  cost  of  construct- 
ing a  level  locomotive  line  would  be  too  great, 
that  we  especially  desire  that  the  "journal  of  the 
trial  between  Thetford  and  London"  should  be 
carefully  read  by  all  practical  men.  Hitherto 
the  traction  engine  has  been  better  known  in 
connection  with  the  agricultural  interest,  but 
here  we  have  its  application  to  the  traction  of 
merchandise  on  common  roads." 

All  the  steam  plows  that  have  thus  far  been  de- 
scribed, are  constructed  upon  the  idea  that  the 
old  principle  of  the  plow  which  shall  turn  a  fur- 
row of  a  few  inches,  subverting  the  soil,  and  pre- 
paring it  for  more  perfect  tillage  by  means  of 
harrows  and  the  like,  should  be  employed.  Yet 
everybody  admits  that  spade-cultivation  is  far 
more  perfect  than  that  by  the  plow^,  and  the  fact 
that  we  never  regard  the  soil  as  properly  pre- 
pared for  the  seed  by  the  plow  alone,  indicate^: 
pretty  strongly  that  some  more  thorough  opera't 
tion  than  mere  plowing  is  desirable  in  any  im- 
plement moved  by  steam. 

In  the  progress  of  all  arts  and  sciences  it  is 
observable  how  principles  at  one  time  deemed 
most  vital,  come  afterwards  to  be  regarded  as  of 
secondary  importance,  and  still  later  again  assert 
their  original  claim  to  attention.  Pulverization 
of  the  soil  was  more  than  a  century  ago  advoca- 
ted by  Jetliro  Tull  as  the  one  essential  to  good 
husbandry,  and  he  even  regarded  manure  as  val- 
uable only  as  assisting  to  pulverize  the  soil,  by 
fermentation.     In  later  years  chemistry  has  as- 


238 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Mat 


sumed  a  conspicuous  position  in  agriculture,  and 
many  have  been  inclined  to  regard  more  the  con- 
stituent elements  of  plants  and  of  artificial  ma- 
nures than  the  mechanical  condition  of  the  soil ; 
like  quack  doctors,  whose  attention  is  so  much 
occupied  by  their  specifics  that  they  entirely  over- 
look the  condition  of  their  patients. 

But  now,  after  the  practical  failure  of  the  the- 
ories of  some  distinguished  chemists,  agricultur- 
ists are  again  disposed  to  regard  the  physical 
condition  of  the  soil  as  of  primary  importance, 
and  the  operations  of  draining  and  subsoiling,  and 
otherwise  opening  a  greater  depth  of  soil  to  the 
action  of  the  atmosphere  and  to  the  roots  of  the 
plant,  engage  the  attention  of  the  farmer.  As 
land  becomes  more  valuable  it  is  found  more  con- 
venient to  add  another  seed  bed  to  the  field  by 
preparing  it  nnder  the  shallow  furrow  turned  by 
our  fathers,  rather  than  by  annexing  our  neigh- 
bor's farm,  in  the  covetous  desire  to  possess  all 
the  land  that  adjoins  our  own.  And  so  we  are 
looking  for  more  power  to  work  our  land  deeper 
and  to  pulverize  it  more  thoroughly.  In  England 
four  or  five  plowings  are  considered  essential  to 
preparation  for  a  good  crop  of  turnips.  In  Amer- 
ica, where  labor  is  more  costly  and  products 
usually  cheaper,  we  the  more  need  some  new  aids 
to  our  husbandry.  Livy  says  that  Romulus,  in 
his  distribution  of  the  land,  allotted  two  acres  to 
each  citizen,  and  that  after  the  expulsion  of  the 
kings  it  was  increased  to  seven.  Columella  tells 
us  that  the  patrimonial  estate  on  which  Cincin- 
natus  employed  himself  consisted  of  four  acres  I 
Yet  we,  whose  single  farms  are  larger  than  the 
city  of  Rome,  with  her  seven  hills,  arc  plodding 
along,  bound  to  the  old  notion  that  the  plow  used 
by  the  Romans,  or  at  least  its  principles  of  opera- 
tion, must  be  forever  preserved.  Every  one  knows 
how  much  better  is  the  preparation  of  the  garden 
by  forking  up  and  raking,  than  by  turning  with 
the  plow  and  harrowing  ;  and  the  implement  de- 
sired now,  in  place  of  the  plow,  is  a  forking  or 
digging  machine  that  shall  at  one  operation  stir 
the  ground  to  sufficient  depth,  leaving  it  as  nearly 
as  possible  in  the  condition  of  a  garden  bed,  pre- 
pared with  a  fork.  Such  a  machine  has  been  at- 
tempted in  France. 

THE   FRENCH   STEAM    PLOW   OR   CULTIVATOR. 

In  a  walk  near  Paris  last  July,  I  accidentally 
came  upon  a  steam  cultivator  or  digging  machine 
in  full  operation.  It  was  a  locomotive  engine, 
with,  I  think,  twelve  spades  or  forks,  working 
in  pairs,  on  bent  axles,  from  which  the  spades,  if 
they  may  be  so  called,  projected  at  right  angles. 
My  impression  is  that  each  pair  of  spades  struck 
the  ground  and  entered  it  separately,  each  of  the 
six  pairs  successively  doing  its  work,  as  the  lo- 
comotive traversed  the  ground,  and  thus  forking 


up  the  soil  to  the  depth  of  six  or  twelve  inches, 
at  the  will  of  the  operator,  and  four  and  a  half 
feet  wide.  The  machine  was  under  examination 
by  some  commission,  at  the  time,  and  I  Avas  in- 
formed that  no  report  had  yet  been  made  upon 
it,  and  no  patent  secured,  and  that  no  description 
or  drawing  of  it  could  be  obtained.  I  took  a 
great  deal  of  pains  afcerwards  to  obtain  further 
information  ;  and  from  my  inability  to  do  so,  in- 
ferred that  there  were  reasons  Avhy  the  inventor 
desired  at  present,  that  his  machine  should  not 
be  made  public.  I  was  told  upon  the  ground, 
that  the  engine  was  only  of  three  horse  power, 
but  its  performance  indicated  far  more.  It  moved 
upon  broad  wheels,  however,  over  the  soft  ground 
which  had  been  before  stirred  by  it,  and  turned 
without  difficulty,  at  the  end  of  the  furrow.  The 
spades,  I  think,  were  upon  three  or  more  inde- 
pendent axles,  and  worked  between  the  wheels 
of  the  engine.  Doubtless  the  invention  will  soon 
be  made  public,  and  the  full  description  of  it 
given  to  the  world.  With  my  very  limited 
knowledge  of  machinery,  and  my  inability  to  con- 
verse on  a  technical  subject  in  the  French  lan- 
guage, I  could  not  understand  its  details,  and 
find  it  impossible  to  convey  more  than  a  general 
impression  of  the  working  of  this  machine. — 
Steam  digging  machines  constructed  with  spades 
or  teeth  set  in  a  cylinder  have  been  before  at- 
tempted. The  great  obstacle  to  their  success  has 
been  found  in  the  fact,  that  the  moist  earth  clogs 
the  teeth,  and  fills  the  spaces  between  them.  In 
the  French  machine,  this  objection  appeared  to 
be  obviated  by  the  arrangement  of  the  teeth  or 
spades,  which  were  curved  like  the  nails  of  a 
mole,  upon  several  small  axles. 

No  steam  plow  that  has  come  under  my  notice 
appears  so  likely  to  prove  of  practical  utility  as 
this  French  machine.  Two  points  seem  to  be 
established,  that  the  steam  cultivator  must  be  a 
locomotive,  and  that  its  operation  must  be  not 
that  of  plowing,  but  of  spading  or  digging,  or 
possibly  of  stirring  merely,  by  drawing  through 
the  soil  a  set  of  teeth,  in  the  manner  of  the  sub- 
soil plow,  or  of  the  English  scarifier. 

That  such  an  implement  will,  upon  the  broad 
fields  of  the  West,  if  not  elsewhere,  soon  be  seen 
in  common  use  cannot  be  doubted.  To  see  clearly, 
as  all  must  see,  the  necessity  for  such  an  improve- 
ment, and  at  the  same  time,  to  have  before  us  so 
many  practical  suggestions  for  its  introduction, 
and  to  doubt  of  its  ultimate  success,  were  to  set 
narrow  bounds  to  human  ingenuity,  and  to  dis- 
card our  belief  in  human  progress. 


Cranberries. — Persons  wishing  to  engage 
extensively  in  the  culture  of  cranberries,  may  find 
it  to  their  advantage  to  correspond  with  WlNS- 
LOW  Roberts,  Esq.,  at  Brooks,  Maine. 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


239 


THE  PHILOSOPHY  OF  BATHING. 

Once  a  week  is  ofien  enough  for  a  decent  white 
man  to  wash  himself  all  over ;  and  whether  jn 
summer  or  winter,  that  ought  to  be  done  with 
soap,  warm  water  and  a  hog's-hair  brush,  in  a 
room  showing  at  least  70'^  Fahrenheit. 

Baths  should  be  taken  early  in  the  mornin 
for  it  is  then  that  the  system  possesses  the  power 
of  re-action  in  the  highest  degree.  Any  kind  of 
bath  is  dangerous  soon  after  a  meal,  or  soon  after 
fatiguing  exercise.  No  man  or  woman  should 
take  a  bath  at  the  close  of  the  day,  unless  by  the 
advice  of  the  family  physician.  Many  a  man,  in 
attempting  to  cheat  his  doctor  out  of  a  fee,  has 
cheated  himself  out  of  his  life ;  aye,  it  is  heed- 
less and  carelessly  done  every  day. 

The  best,  safest,  cheapest  and  most  universally 
accessible  mode  of  keeping  the  surface  of  the 
'"ody  clean,  besides  the  once  a  week  washing  with 
soap  and  warm  water,  is  as  follows : 

As  soon  as  you  get  out  of  bed  in  the  morning, 
wash  your  fiice,  hands,  neck  and  breast ;  then,  in 
the  same  basin  of  Avater,  init  your  feet  at  once 
for  about  a  minute,  rubbing  them  briskly  all  the 
time  ;  then  with  the  towel  which  has  been  damp- 
ened by  wiping  the  face,  etc.,  wipe  the  entire  body 
well,  fast  and  hard — the  mouth  shut,  lungs  in- 
flated, breast  projecting.  Let  the  Avhole  thing  be 
done  quick — say  within  five  minutes. 

At  night,  when  you  go  to  bed,  and  if  you  get 
out  of  bed  during  the  night,  or  Avhen  you  find 
yourself  wakeful  or  restless,  spend  from  two  to 
five  minutes  in  rubbing  your  whole  body  with 
your  hands,  as  far  as  you  can  reach  in  every  di- 
rection. This  has  a  tendency  to  preserve  that 
softness  and  mobility  of  skin  which  is  essential 
to  health,  and  which  too  frequent  washings  will 
destroy. 

That  precautions  are  necessary  In  connexion 
with  the  bath-room,  is  impressively  signified  in 
the  death  of  an  American  lady  of  refinement  and 
position,  lately,  after  taking  a  bath  soon  after 
dinner  ;  of  Surgeon  Hume,  while  alone,  in  a  warm 
bath,  and  of  an  eminent  New  Yorker,  under  sim- 
ilar circumstances,  all  within  a  year. —  Hall's 
Journal  of  Health. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 

SPUING  AND  THE  BIRDS. 

How  many  grand  intentions  had  the  Supreme 
Author  of  nature  in  vicM'  when  He  created  the 
creatures  and  things  that  people  and  comprise 
the  great  universe.  Among  the  many  things 
given  to  cheer  the  heart  of  man,  let  us  notice  the 
birds  whose  language  is  for  the  most  part  ex- 
ceedingly musical  ;  tranquillizing,  rather  than 
disturbing,  our  feelings,  and  I  might  add,  spirit- 
ualizing them,  as  we  behold  the  return  of  pleas- 
ure and  plenteousness  that  surround  us.  In  the 
spring-season  of  praise  what  harmony  and  con- 
sistency there  is  in  the  general  order  of  nature  ; 
at  its  first  return,  some  fearless  little  songster 
announces  it  as  the  morning  of  the  year,  and  as 
it  advances,  what  feelings  of  inspiring  pleasure  it 
excites.  The  woods  put  forth  their  green  leaves, 
the  orchards  their  fragrant  blossoms,  and  the 
earth  its  flowers,  while  one  by  one,  or  pair  by 
pair,  or  in  flocks,  the  birds  arrive,  filling  the 
great   orchestra — arranging   themselves   in   the 


groves,  the  thickets  and  the  fields,  as  their  habits 
of  life  require  ;  everything  appears  beautiful,  and 
as  the  morning  of  each  day  breaks,  the  beauty  of 
the  scene  is  heightened  ;  the  lark  rises  in  the  first 
feeble  beams  of  morning  twilight,  and  soars  to 
meet  the  coming  sun,  when,  with  o])en  beak,  he 
proclaims  the  advent  of  a  new-born  day  ;  a  thou- 
sand warblers  listen  to  the  strain,  and  ere  the 
sun  has  made  his  appearance,  every  bush  and 
tree  is  vocal  with  the  sweetest  music,  while  the 
vigorous  song  of  the  bob-o-link,  the  measured 
and  varied  notes  of  the  robin  and  cat-bird,  ac- 
company us  through  the  day. 

Spring  passes, — and  summer  begins  with 
scenes  as  strikingly  illustrative.  In  this  season 
there  is  no  want  of  the  beautiful,  the  gentle,  or 
the  lovely;  the  gaiety  of  forest,  field  and  moun- 
tain ;  the  mild  sky  without  a  cloud  of  storm, 
breathes  its  soft  winds,  while  the  sun,  with  its 
warm  beams,  puts  the  earth  in  its  gayest  attire ; 
there  is  perfect  consistency  also  in  which  nature 
has  directed  the  birds  of  song  ;  now,  as  though 
it  Avas  contrived,  the  thrush  takes  the  lead,  whose 
plaintive,  mellow  notes  more  sweetly  accord  with 
the  stillness  of  the  morning  and  evening  hour, 
while  the  martin  and  the  swallow,  with  their  easy 
flight  and  peculiarly  delicate  notes,  cheer  us 
through  the  day.  A.  F. 

Danvers-port,  April  5,  1858. 


For  the  Netc  England  Farmer. 
PUMPKIN-SQUASHES ! 

Yf'ur  correspondent  "Essex,"  in  the  January 
number  of  the  Farmer,  speaks  of  the  vexed  ques- 
tion,"Will  seeds  taken  from  squashes  yield  pump- 
kins, or  vice  versa  ?"  ]My  opinion  is  they  will 
not.  But  seeds  taken  from  either  may  produce 
what  are  called  in  these  j^arts  Fumjjkin- Squash- 
es! 

In  the  year  1856,  I  raised  two  of  the  finest 
pumpkins  I  ever  saAV,  of  the  old-fashioned  corn- 
field variety,  from  a  vine  which  sprung  up  near, 
and  partly  between  my  summer  and  winter 
squashes,  and  also  in  the  vicinity  of  some  custard 
squashes.  I  kept  one  of  the  pumpkins  until  the 
20th  of  April,  and  on  cutting  it  I  found  it  so 
firm,  sweet  and  fine,  that  I  saved  all  the  seeds, 
and  last  year  planted  them,  and  no  others.  From 
those  seeds  I  raised  long-necked  summer  squash- 
es, and  custard  squashes,  apparently  almost  pure, 
and  nearly  everything  else  in  the  shape  of  pump- 
kin-squashes that  can  be  imagined,  but  only  two 
pumpkins  that  would  ever  have  been  suspected 
of  having  grown  from  the  planted  seeds,  and 
those,  although  they  resembled  the  parent  pump- 
kin very  closely,  on  being  cut  were  found  to  be 
almost  too  poor  to  feed  to  the  catt'le,  as  was  the 
product  of  all  those  seeds  wVJiout  regard  to  its 
outward  appearance. 

I  would  like  to  ask  you  or  any  of  your  corres- 
pondents to  explain  why  mixing  a  good  squash 
and  good  pumpkin  is  sure  to  spoil  both  ?  Who 
ever  saw  a  good  pumpkin-squash?        A.  M.  P. 

Elmioood,  Cranston,  March  1,  1858. 


Woodlands. — The  careful  attention  of  the 
reader  is  called  to  the  article  on  Woodlands,  in 
another  column. 


240 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Mat 


FLEMISH  BEAUTY  PEAR. 


The  Flemish  Beauty  is  universally  admitted, 
we  believe,  to  be  one  of  the  finest  pears  now  un- 
der cultivation.  "In  good  soils,"  Downing  says, 
"and  upon  open  situations,  the  Flemish  Beauty 
is  certainly  one  of  the  most  superb  pears  in  this 
climate.  AVe  have  seen  specimens,  grown  on  the 
banks  of  the  Hudson  which  measured  twelve 
inches  in  circumference,  and  were  of  the  finest 
quality. 

"The  tree  is  very  luxuriant,  and  bears  early 
and  abundantly  ;  the  young  shoots  upright,  dark 
brown.  It  should  be  remarked,  however,  that 
the  fruit  requires  to  be  gathered  sooner  than 
most  pears,  even  before  it  parts  readily  from  the 
tree.  If  it  is  then  ripened  in  the  house,  it  is  al- 
ways fine,  while,  if  allowed  to  mature  on  the  tree, 


it  usually  becomes  soft,  flavorless,  and  decays 
soon. 

"Fruit  large,  obovate.  Skin  a  little  rough,  the 
ground  pale  yellow,  but  mostly  covered  with 
marblings  and  patches  of  light  russet,  becoming 
reddish  brown  at  maturity,  on  the  sunny  side. 
Stalk  rather  short,  from  an  inch  to  an  inch  and 
a  half  long,  and  pretty  deeply  planted  in  a  pecu- 
liarly narrow,  round  cavity.  Calyx  short,  open, 
placed  in  a  small  round  basin.  Flesh  yellowish- 
white,  not  yery  fine-grained,  but  juicy,  melting, 
very  saccharine  and  rich,  with  a  slightly  musky 
flavor."     In  eating  last  of  September. 

Col.  Wilder  says,  "It  is  a  very  large,  beautiful, 
melting  pear.  One  of  the  best  in  cultivation. 
I  Ripe  in  October." 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


241 


STATE  BOARD  OF   AGRICULTUBE. 

The  members  of  the  Board  met  at  the  State 
Farm  at  Westboro'  on  Wednesday,  7th  inst.  Of 
the  new  members  present  were  Messrs.  G.  M.  At- 
WATEU,  of  the  Hampden  Society,  Simon  Brown, 
of  the  Middlesex  Society,  Richard  S.  Fay,  of 
the  Massachusetts  Society,  Cyrus  Knox,  of  the 
Hampden  East  Society,  and  Charles  K.  Tracy, 
of  the  Berkshire  Society. 

In  the  absence  of  His  Excellency,  Gov.  Banks 
Col.  Wilder  was  invited  to  preside,  and  took  the 
chair  and  called  attention  to  the  recent  death  of 
Col.  Moses  Newell,  and  to  the  propriety  of 
noticing  it  before  proceeding  further  with  the 
business  of  the  meeting.  After  paying  a  noble 
and  generous  tribute  to  his  memory,  he  offered 
the  following  resolutions  : — 

Resolved,  That  we  learn  with  the  deepest  sor- 
row the  death  of  our  fellow-associate,  the  Hon. 
Moses  Newell,  of  West  Newbury,  in  the  full 
matin-ity  of  his  powers,  and  at  a  time  when  his 
services  were  so  highly  regarded  and  generally 
recognized. 

Besolved,  That  we  fully  appreciate  the  obliga- 
tions which  rest  upon  us  and  upon  the  commu- 
nity to  cherish  his  memory,  for  the  interest  which 
he  always  manifested  in  the  cause  of  Agriculture 
in  this  Commonwealth,  and  for  the  uniform  kind 
ness,  courtesy  and  benevolence  of  heart  which 
endeared  him  to  all  who  knew  him. 

Resolved,  That  we  sympathize  most  deeply 
with  the  family  relatives  of  the  deceased  in  their 
severe  affliction,  and  that  the  Secretary  be,  and 
he  is  hereby  requested  to  furnish  to  them  a  copy 
of  these  resolutions,  and  to  enter  them  upon  the 
records  of  the  Board. 

Messrs.  Fay,  Brooks  and  others  followed 
•with  appropriate  remarks,  when  the  resolutions 
•were  unanimously  adopted. 

The  report  of  the  Superintending  Committee 
of  the  Farm  was  then  read  to  the  Board.  It  ap- 
pears from  this  that  the  immediate  care  of  the 
farm  for  the  present  year  is  in  the  hands  of  a 
Superintending  Committee  consisting  of  eight 
persons.  At  this  meeting  they  reported  a  gen- 
eral plan  of  operations  to  the  Board,  which  was 
adopted.  This  plan  had  evidently  been  prepared 
■with  care,  after  a  critical  examination  of  all  the 
resources  of  the  farm  to  furnish  manure,  and 
then  the  amount  of  land  to  be  cultivated  -was 
designated  and  also  the  kind  of  crop  to  be  grown 
upon  it.  As  an  illustration  of  the  plan  we  will 
take  a  single  item,  that  of 

"Indian  Corn. — Four  acres  to  be  manured 
with  7A  cords  per  acre  of  barn-manure,  Avorked 
in  with  cultivator;  ten  bushels  of  ashes  and  100 
lbs.  of  plaster  to  be  added  at  first  hoeing.  Al- 
ternate rows  throughout  the  whole  field  planted 
in  hills,  and  drill  three  feet  apart.  Hills  three 
feet  apart  in  the  row,  four  plants  to  be  left  in  the 
hill,  and  the  plants  left  nine  inches  apart  in  the 
drills.     The  seeds  to  be  at  exact  distances  in  the 


drills,  and  leave  the  same  number  of  plants  in  a 
row  of  drills  as  a  row  of  hills." 

This  will  give  the  reader  an  idea  of  the  syste- 
matic plan  which  is  laid  down  for  the  present 
management  of  the  crops.  The  arrangements 
seem  to  us  well  considered  and  judicious,  and  if 
faithfully  carried  out,  will  result  in  rich  harvests, 
and  many  valuable  facts  which  must  be  of  im- 
portance to  farmers  in  every  part  of  the  State. 

After  the  reading  of  the  report  and  some  dis- 
cussion upon  its  details,  the  Board  proceeded  to 
elect  two  members  of  the  Superintending  Com- 
mittee to  fill  the  vacancies  occasioned  by  the 
death  of  ('ol.  Newell,  and  the  absence  of  Mr. 
Tower,  of  Berkshire  county,  when  Simon  Brown, 
of  Middlesex,  and  JosiAil  White,  of  Worcester, 
were  chosen. 

Voted,  To  award  to  J.  B.  Hull,  of  Stockbridge, 
a  first  premium  of  $10,  for  the  best  acre  of  car- 
rots, a  sample  of  which  ■was  presented  at  the 
State  Fair. 

Voted,  That  it  is  expedient  to  hold  the  second 
State  Fair  in  the  city  of  Springfield,  in  1860, 
provided  a  satisfactory  guarantee  fund  is  secured. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
EECLAMATION  OP  LIGHT  LANDS. 

Thank  you,  Mr.  Editor,  for  your  practical  sug- 
gestions on  this  subject.  They  strike  me  as  pat 
to  the  purpose.  The  renovating  power  gi'ows  up- 
on the  land  itself;  this  is  as  it  should  be.  If  the 
straw,  strewed  in  the  furrows,  can  be  made  to  de- 
cay before  the  coming  season,  so  that  the  land 
can  be  thoroughly  pulverized,  and  the  decayed 
vegetable  matter  intermingled,  this  meets  my  no- 
tions. But  your  experience  is  better  than  all 
theories.  A  continued  course  of  like  culture  for 
h(df  a  dozen  years  will  thus  place  barren  plains 
in  creditable  condition.  This  is  what  is  wanted, 
a  self-renovating  power  upon  our  fields.  Such  a 
power,  rightly  understood  and  properly  used, 
would  do  more  towards  restoring  the  fertility  of 
our  farms  than  all  the  deposits  of  all  the  fishes 
and  birds  on  the  Pacific.  What  is  wanted  in 
farming  to  advantage  is  the  power  to  use  the  re- 
sources at  command  in  the  best  manner.  Never 
borrow  of  a  neighbor  ■when  you  can  get  along 
tolerably  without  borrowing.  Never  bring  fer- 
tilizers from  afar  when  they  can  be  had  near  by. 
There  is  nothing  like  trying.  Many  a  game  has 
been  lost  for  want  of  eflbrt.  We  have  a  fine  op- 
portunity to  apply  your  recommendation  on  our 
county  farm,  and  I  hope  you  will  ere  long  allow 
us  the  privilege  of  your  personal  inspection  of  it. 

April  12,  1858.  Inquirer. 

Sheep  and  Dogs. — An  exchange  paper  says, 
that  "fourteen  farmers  of  Stockbridge,  Mass., 
within  the  past  five  years,  have  suffered  the  loss, 
by  dogs,  of  290  sheep,  valued  at  $1025.  One  far- 
mer alone  computes  his  killed  and  injured  ani- 
mals at  177,  and  their  value  at  $450.  Some  of 
the  sheep  were  of  choice  varieties,  and  valued  at 
from  $5  to  $20  per  head."  We  doubt  not  that 
of  many  another  town  in  this  State  and  Massa- 
chusetts, a  worse  story  may  be  told. 


242 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


May 


THE  SKIN  THE  SEAT  OF  PAITJ". 

The  same  Infinite  Wisdom  which  has  contrived 
pain  for  our  protection  has  also  distributed  it  in  a 
manner  which  causes  it  to  fulfil  its  defensive  pur- 
poses with  the  least  suff'ering  to  its  subjects.  The 
chapters  which  Sir  Charles  Bell  devoted  to  this 
question  in  his  work  on  the  "Hand"  are  alone, 
from  their  originality,  and  the  striking  evidence 
they  afford  of  design,  worth  all  the  rest  of  the 
Bridgewater  Treatises.  The  skin  is  the  advanced 
guard  through  which  everj*  injury  to  the  other 
parts  must  make  its  way.  1  he  skin,  therefore, 
required  to  be  the  seat  of  a  peculiar  sensibility 
both  for  its  own  security  and  to  impel  us  to  flinch 
from  the  violence  which  would  hurt  the  tiesh  be- 
neath. Forming  our  notions  of  pain  from  what 
we  feel  at  the  surface,  we  imbibe  the  idea  that 
the  deeper  the  wound  the  more  severe  would  be 
the  sufl'ering,  but  this,  says  Sir  Charles  Bell,  is 
delusive,  and  contrary  to  the  fact.  The  surgeon, 
he  adds,  who  makes  use  of  the  knife,  informs  the 
patient  that  the  worst  is  over  when  the  skin  is 
passed,  and  if,  in  the  progress  of  the  opera' ion, 
it  is  found  necessary  to  extend  the  outer  incision, 
the  return  to  the  skin  proves  far  more  trying  than 
the  original  cut,  from  the  contrast  which  it  pre- 
sents to  the  comparative  insensibility  of  the  in- 
terior. The  muscle  is  protected  not  by  its  own 
tendei'ness,  which  is  by  no  means  acute,  but  by 
the  tenderness  of  its  superficial  covering,  "which 
affords,"  says  Sir  Charles,  "a  more  effectual  de- 
fence than  if  our  bodies  were  clothed  with  tlie 
hide  of  a  rhinoceros."  To  have  endowed  the  deli- 
cate internal  textures  with  an  exquisite  suscepti- 
bility to  the  gash  from  a  knife,  or  a  blow  from  a 
stick,  would  have  been  superfluous  torture.  The 
end  is  efi'ectually  attained  by  spreading  over  them 
a  thin  layer  of  highly  sensitive  skin,  which  is  too 
intolerant  of  cuts  or  bruises  to  allow  any  harm  to 
approach  it,  which  it  is  in  our  power  to  avert.  In 
addition  to  the  protection  which  is  thus  provided 
against  occasional  dangers,  the  skin,  by  its  sensi- 
bility, is  essential  to  our  existence  under  the 
hourly  conditions  of  life.  It  is  the  skin  which 
acts  as  a  thermometer  to  tell  us  whether  the  tem- 
perature is  suited  to  our  organization,  and  warns 
u,s  alike  to  shun  pernicious  extremes  of  heat  and 
cold.  It  is  the  skin  again  Mhich  prompts  the  in- 
stinctive restlessness  that  preserves  the  entire 
frame  from  decay.  A  ])aralytic  patient  must  be 
supported  upon  soft  pillows,  and  his  position  fre- 
quently changed  by  the  nurse,  or  the  uninterrupted 
pressure  upon  the  same  surface  stops  the  flow  of 
the  blood,  of  which  the  consequence  is  the  speedy 
destruction  of  the  part,  mortification,  and  death". 
AVhen  Sir  Charles  Bell  cdled  the  attention  of  his 
audience  to  this  fact,  in  a  lecture  delivered  before 
the  College  of  Surgeons,  he  bid  them  observe 
how  often,  as  they  listened  to  him,  they  had  moved 
upon  their  seats  that  they  might  shift  the  weight 
of  their  bodies,  and  relieve  the  portions  which 
were  beginning  to  be  cramped.  "Were  >ou  con- 
strained," he  said,  "to  retain  one  position  during 
the  whole  hour,  you  would  rise  stiff  and  lame." 
Even  in  the  unconsciousness  of  slumber  the  con- 
trivance continues  to  act,  and,  were  it  otherwise, 
sleep  instead  of  being  "nature's  sweet  restorer," 
would  derange  the  circulation  anc'c  cripple  our 
frames. 

Not  only  have  different  parts  of  the  system  sen- 


sibilities which  differ  in  degree,  but  sensibilities 
which  differ  altogether  in  kind,  so  that  Avhile  both 
shall  be  acutely  alive  to  their  appropriate  stimu- 
lus, one  or  either  may  be  dead  to  the  application 
which  rouses  and  tortures  the  other.  "A  man 
who  had  his  finger  torn  off,"  writes  Sir  Charles 
Bell,  in  his  "Animal  Mechanics,"  "so  as  to  hang 
by  the  tendon  only,  came  to  a  pupil  of  Dr.  Hunt- 
er. I  shall  now  see,  said  the  sur*geon,  whether 
this  man  has  any  sensibility  in  his  tendon.  He 
laid  a  cord  along  the  finger,  and,  blindfolding  the 
patient,  cut  across  the  tendon.  Tell  me,  he  asked, 
what  I  have  cut  across  ?  Why,  the  cord,  to  be 
sure,  was  the  answer."  The  tendon  was  as 
insensible  as  the  string  itself.  Further  experi- 
ments have  shown  that  the  tendons  of  the  muscles, 
the  ligament  which  hold  together  the  joints,  the 
cartilages  which  act  as  a  pad  to  the  extremities  of 
the  bones  where  they  work  upon  one  another,  feel 
neither  cuts  nor  burns.  But  there  is  a  very  dif- 
ferent result  if  they  are  submitted  to  stretching, 
laceration,  and  concussion.  Then  they  raise  the 
warning  voice  of  pain,  and  obtuse  to  what  might 
seem  a  more  agonizing  species  of  injury,  they  are 
intolerant  of  the  less.  The  reason  is  obvious. 
The  skin  is  the  fence  to  the  inner  membranes 
from  the  first  class  of  evils,  but  if  the  skin  is  to 
have  the  play  and  power  of  adaptation  Avhich  is 
essential  to  its  functions,  its  suppleness  would 
be  too  great  to  be  a  check  upon  the  movements, 
which  affect  the  cartilages,  the  ligaments  and  the 
tendons.  These  consequently  are  made  impatient 
of  concussion,  of  tearing,  and  of  stretching,  that 
we  might  not  leap  from  heights,  run  with  vio- 
lence, or  twist  our  joints  with  a  force  inconsistent 
with  the  strength  of  the  human  fabric.  The  pain 
of  a  sprained  ancle  shows  how  sufficient  is  the 
punishment  to  put  a  check  upon  any  excesses  of 
the  kind.  Exchange  the  sensibilities,  confer  upon 
the  membranes  which  are  interposed  between  the 
joints,  or  which  tie  them  together,  the  same  feel- 
ings both  in  kind  and  degree  which  belong  to  the 
skin,  and  the  commoii  movements  of  the  body,  or 
even  the  weight  of  one  foot  upon  another,  would 
have  been  attended,  says  Sir  Charles  Bell,  with 
as  much  suffering  as  we  experience  when  we  walk 
upon  an  inflamed  limb. — London  Quarterly  Re- 
view. 

THE   SEASOM". 

The  winter  just  passed  all  along  the  Atlantic 
sea-board,  and  extending  into  Vermont,  has  been 
remarkable  for  its  temperate  character  and  the 
absence  of  snow  and  rain. 

On  the  second  of  February,  there  were  copi- 
ous rains  which  filled  the  streams,  and  partially 
soaked  the  ground.  These  were  succeeded  by 
warm  suns  and  mild  winds,  so  that  on  the  Jiftli 
we  saw  grass  growing  on  the  sovith  side  of  build- 
ings which  had  attained  a  length  of  more  than 
six  inches,  and  had  all  the  freshness  of  grass  in 
June. 

The  next  rain  which  fell  in  this  region  was  on 
the  list  of  March,  there  being  slight  showers 
only,  through  a  portion  of  the  day,  and  no  other 
rain  fell  during  the  entire  month.  March  was 
remarkable,  too,  for  the  absence  of  the  usual  high 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


243 


V-inds  which  herald  in  the  spring,  and  for  that 
blustering  activity  which  has  given  the  first  month 
of  spring  no  very  enviable  character.  The  last 
days  of  this  month  were  sunny  and  genial,  and 
bluebirds,  robins,  blackbirds  white-belly  swal- 
lows, song-sparrows  and  meadow-larks  appeared. 

Our  usual  winter  birds,  however,  scarcely 
showed  themselves  at  all, — there  not  being  half 
as  many  seen  as  during  the  winters  that  are  al- 
together more  inclement. 

April  came  in  warm,  with  soft,  mild  winds, 
■with  streams  and  springs  remarkably  low  and  the 
earth  unusually  dry.  Farmers  commenced  plow- 
ing in  its  first  week,  and  more  farm-work  had 
been  accomplished  before  the  10th  than  was  done 
last  year  by  the  20th,  or  perhaps  the  25th.  The 
first  rain  in  this  month  fell  on  the  9th,  which  at 
once  put  a  new  aspect  on  the  face  of  the  earth — a 
lively  green  taking  the  place  of  the  brown  her- 
bage which  had  so  long  met  the  eye. 

These  April  showers  water  the  earth,  already 
•warmed  by  unclouded  suns,  and  prepare  it  for 
the  handiwork  of  the  husbandman,  and  he  will 
enter  anew,  we  trust,  upon  his  healthful  and  de- 
lightful employments  with  filial  trust,  with  feel- 
ings of  more  intimate  relationship  Avith  Him  who 
orders  all  events,  and  with  a  higher  appreciation 
of  His  ever-watchful  interest  in,  and  over  us, 
and  all  our  afi'airs.  With  trusting  hearts  and 
stout  hands,  the  farmer  has  nothing  to  fear,  as 
He  who  created  and  moves  all  things  will  send 
the  early  and  the  latter  rain,  seed-time  and  har- 
vest, and  whatever  else  that  shall  work  together 
for  his  good. 

In  this  trusting  spirit  let  us  turn  up  the  fresh 
furrows  and  sow  the  seed  in  gladness,  rejoicing 
no)c,  in  the  pleasant  things  of  life,  and  so  all 
along  the  way  to  the  ingathering  of  the  Harvest. 


MEXICA-N    CURE  FOB  HEADACHE. 

Proper  diet  and  exercise,  cheerfulness  of  mind 
and  agreeable  social  intercourse  will  do  more  to- 
wards regulating  the  stomach  and  bowels  in  those 
predisposed  to  this  dreadful  pain,  than  any  plan 
of  medical  treatment  which  can  be  suggested. 
However,  vinegar  bandages,  apj  lied  to  the  tem- 
ples and  forehead,  give  great  relief.  Mr.  Thomp- 
son, a  traveller  in  Mexico,  describes  an  efficacious 
remedy  used  there.  The  head  must  be  bent  down 
on  the  side  from  which  the  pain  proceeds,  M-hilst 
a  teaspoonful  of  rum,  or  any  other  spirit,  is  in- 
troduced into  the  ear.  The  patient  should  then 
remain  quiet  till  the  pain  subsides,  which  is  usual- 
ly in  three  or  four  minutes.  This  I  have  tried 
myself,  and  derived  great  benefit  from  it  on  more 
than  one  occasion. 


Americaj^  Farmer's  Magazime. — We  have 
just  risen  from  the  perusal  of  the  April  number 
of  this  work,  by  Prof.  J.  A.  Nash,  of  New  York, 
with  a  degree  of  gratification  not  often  felt.  Pa- 


per, print,  doctrines,  all  of  the  highest  order. 
He  ought  to  have  100,000  subscribers.  Why  don't 
farmers  study  their  own  interest  enough  to  send 
him  10,000  subscribers  this  year  to  begin  with? 
Address  American  Farmer's  Magazine,  7  Beek- 
man  Street,  New  York. 


EXTRACTS  AND  REPLIES. 

A   LIVING   FENCE. 

I  am  about  to  burn  and  clear  a  piece  of  ground 
which  will  destroy  the  old  brush  fence,  and  now 
for  a  new  and  valuable  one.  Stones  are  not  very 
plenty.  The  land  is  upon  a  steep  side-hill,  and 
I  think  of  setting  a  row  of  pine  trees  about  three 
feet  apart,  and  supporting  a  wooden  fence  by  the 
side  of  them  for  a  few  years  until  they  get  large 
enough  to  stop  cattle  ;  the  land  I  intend  to  use 
as  pasture.  I  have  hundreds  of  young  pines 
growing  upon  a  pasture  near  by,  which  will  have 
to  be  removed  soon.  What  do  you  think  of  such 
a  plan  ?  John  W.  Nye. 

Remarks. — If  you  protect  the  pines  from  the 
cattle  until  they  are  sufficiently  large  to  nail  a 
rail  or  strip  of  board  against  them,  you  will  have 
a  beautiful  living  fence,  that  will  probably  last  a 
hundred  years,  and  then  furnish  you  or  some- 
body else  a  fine  lot  of  wood.  Hope  you  will 
carry  out  your  design. 

SUPERPHOSPHATE   OF   LIME  FOR  SQUASH  BUGS. 

Last  spring  I  planted  a  patch  of  marrow 
squashes,  to  try  the  virtue  of  superphosphate  of 
lime  as  a  preventive  of  the  squash  worm  or  bor- 
er, as  I  had  failed  to  raise  any  squashes  for  sev- 
eral years  on  account  of  this  destructive  worm. 
After  the  seeds  came  up  I  sprinkled  some  of  the 
lime  on  the  young  j^lants,  first  to  keep  off  the 
small  black  beetle,  and  then  to  keep  off"  the  stri- 
ped bug, — all  of  which  was  successful.  I  still 
put  it  around  the  roots  to  prevent  the  borer,  and 
repeated  it  after  each  hoeing,  taking  care  to  have 
it  encircle  every  stalk ;  when  the  young  fruit  ap- 
peared, I  put  it  on  for  the  last  time  and  found 
that  it  prevented  the  worm  or  borer  entirely ;  it 
also  kept  off"  the  long  pumpkin  bug.  The  result 
was,  I  had  a  splendid  crop  of  squashes  for  the 
first  time  for  many  years.     Will  others  try  it  ? 

Spring  Grove,  1858.  S.  A.  Shurtleff. 

ESSEX   COUNTY   FARM. 

We  find  this  farm  much  better  than  it  was  at 
first  apprehended  to  be.  We  think  interested 
motives  have  prompted  some  togive  it  a.bad  ii^^me. 
We  find  60  acres  of  it  to  be  as  good  as  any  other 
pasture  of  like  extent.  We  find  the  meadow 
bordering  on  the  Ipswich  River  to  be  very  good 
of  its  class.  It  has  yielded  a  fair  crop  of  grass 
for  many  years,  without  any  other  dress'ng  than 
the  flow  of  the  river,  and  we  know  no  reason  why 
it  will  not  do  this  as  long  as  water  runs.  As  to 
the  light  land  on  the  plains,  it  can  be  reclaimed 
by  pioper  plowing  and  fertilizing.  Such  things 
have  been  done,  and  can  be  again.  I  have 
thought  if  this  farm  can  be  so  managed  as  to  re- 
generate itself — then  will  every  acre  of  this  Com- 
monwealth be  worth  possessing  and  experiment- 


244 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


May 


ing  on.  But  we  are  clearly  of  the  opinion,  that 
we  should  not  be  justified  in  expending  our  funds 
upon  the  farm.  Look  wliere  you  will,  you  will 
see  examples  in  abundance,  of  money  expended 
by  visionari/  farmers,  that  will  not  be  found 
again  in  their  day  and  generation.  *. 

March,  1858.  _ 

A   FINE   COW. 

Mr.  Isaac  Demsey,  of  this  town,  owns  a  re- 
markably fine  cow,  now  e"ght  years  old,  raised 
in  the  neighboring  town  of  Middleton,  of  the 
breed  common  to  that  vicinity.  She  was  raised 
by  Mrs.  Flint.  Her  product  for  the  past  j'ear, 
commencing  wi'h  the  spring  of  1857,  was  as  fol- 
lows: 

Calf  sold  at $11 ,00 

291  pounds  butter,  at  28  cts 81,48 

50  pounds  cheese,  at  8  cts 4,00 

700  quarts  milk,  sold  and  used,  at  5  cts 35,00 

$131,48 
Cost  of  Keepfng. 

2  tons  English  hay $30,00 

Corn  fodder 8,00 

Vj  bushels  meal 7,50 

Summer  pasture 8,00 

$53,50 
Net  profit $77,98 

This  cow  had  the  small  quantity  of  one  quart 
of  meal  per  day  for  eight  months,  making  7^ 
bushels,  as  will  be  seen  by  the  above  account, 
and  during  one  week  made  13|  pounds  of  butter. 
She  was  milked  11^  months.  Can  this  product 
be  exceeded  ?  c.  p.  p. 

Banvers,  Marcli  16,  1858. 

sow,  AND  SEVENTY-ONE  PIGS! 
Having  often  seen  accounts  in  the  Farmer  of 
valuable  hogs,  and  having  seen  especial  notice  of 
die  "Chester  County  Hogs,"  I  thought  I  would 
give  you  an  account  of  a  breeding  sow  I  now  own, 
and  the  return  she  has  made  me.  She  is  three 
years  old,  weighs  500  pounds  and  has  dropt  5 
litters  of  pigs,  as  follows  : 

April  15,  185t5 12  pigs. 

Si^ptember  15,  1856 \9    " 

April  25. 1857 12     " 

September  12,  1857 17     " 

March  10, 1858 17     " 

Making  in  all  71,  dropt  alive,  perfectly  formed, 
healthy  and  pure  white.  Of  this  number,  she 
has  raised  to  5  weeks  of  age  63,  having  lost  a 
few  of  the  two  last  litters  by  laying  on  them. 
Keeping  a  few  of  the  best  of  each  litter,  I  have 
sold  the  ba'ance  at  $5  each. 

Her  breed  is  J  Suffolk,  I  native,  pure  white, 
long  body,  small  head,  short  neck,  fine  bone  and 
square  built.  She  is  a  small  eater,  and  takes  on 
fat  easily — in  fact,  during  the  period  of  gestation 
I  am  troubled  to  keep  her  sufficiently  lean  ;  her 
pigs  often  weigh  350  pounds  at  8  months,  fed  on 
skimmed  milk,  apples  and  pumpkins,  &c.,  until 
6  weeks  previous  to  slaughtering,  when  I  give 
them  all  the  meal  tlicy  will  eat. 

A  neighbor  has  tliree  of  the  litter  dropt  Sep- 
tember last,  which  now  weigh  300  pounds,  and 
thf  ir  only  feed  has  been  skimmed  milk  and  boiled 
pumpkins.  Truly,  Sir,  there  is  no  need  of  send- 
ing to  Chesrer,  Penn.,  for  a  breed  of  pigs,  when 
any  farmer,  with  a  little  care  and  attention,  may 
get  up  one  equally  good. 

Groton,  Ms.,  1858,  Calvin  Blood,  2d. 


A   GOOD   COW. 

I  have  a  cow  6  years  old  in  the  spring  of  1856. 
She  calved  June  20,  1856,  calf  remained  8  days; 
cow  made  187f  pounds  of  butter  in  175  days — 
had  but  this  cow,  and  during  this  time  presume 
we  used  one  pint  of  milk  per  day,  87^  quarts. 
She  gave  from  Dec.  13,  last  day  of  churning,  to 
April  5,  1857,  566^  quarts.  We  sold  to  one  fam- 
ily 333i  quarts,  at  6  cents,  $20,01  Balance  sold 
and  used,  at  5  cents,  $16,01.  Butter,  1871  pounds, 
at_30  cents,  $56,20.  Total,  $92,22.  All  of  her 
skim  milk  was  given  to  a  pig. 

1857.— Calved  May  13th.  Sold  calf  19th,  from 
which  time  to  January  19,  1858,  237  days,  made 
215.^  pounds  of  butter.  We  hid  a  larger  family 
than  in  1856,  and  used  much  more  milk  and 
cream.  She  was  given  to  me  when  a  week  old 
by  a  gentleman  who  cal  ed  her  a  full-blooded 
Ayrshire.  She  is  entirely  red,  with  the  exception 
of  white  tip  on  tail,  gentle  and  handsome.  She 
has  been  well,  but  not  extravagantly  fed. 

Cohasset,  Mass.,  1858.     John  Wilson,  Jr. 

THE   ERMINE. 

For  the  information  of  your  Harvard  corres- 
pondent, Mr.  Sawyer,  I  would  say  that  the  ani- 
mal he  found  in  his  cellar  was  the  ermine,  an  an- 
imal not  differing  much  in  size  or  form  from  the 
weasel ;  his  color  being  the  same  in  summer 
with  the  exception  of  his  toes  and  the  tips  of  his 
ears,  which  are  white  ;  in  winter  he  is  white  all 
but  the  end  of  h's  tail,  which  is  black.  Their 
habits  are  like  those  of  the  weasel,  and  they  are 
considered  by  some  as  a  species  of  the  same 
family,  but  by  others  as  a  distinct  species.  For- 
merly, they  were  seen  very  frequently,  but  I  have 
not  seen  more  than  one  or  two  for  the  last  20 
years.  They  are  dead'y  foes  to  rats,  mice  and 
squirrels,  which  they  kill  in  great  numbers  for 
their  blood.  The  fur  is  very  valuable,  and  the 
skins  sometime  sell  as  high  as  $2  each.  The 
history  of  this  animal  I  think  I  read  in  Thomp- 
son's Natural  History  of  Vermont,  several  years 
since.  B.  F.  Cutter. 

Pelham,  N.  E.,  March  26,  1858. 

HOG   CHOLERA. 

Li  looking  over  the  census  of  the  town  farm 
the  last  year,  I  see  that  a  loss  of  $1300  is  charged 
as  accruing  from  this  disease,  all  of  which  is  al- 
leged to  have  occurred  in  the  course  of  a  few 
weeks.  No  satisfactory  explanation  of  this  dis- 
order has  ever  been  given.  It  is  conjectured 
hat  they  had  imbibed  stri/chtiine  trom  the  whisky 
factories,  where  they  were  fed  when  young.  If 
such  be  the  fatal  effect  on  the  brute  creation,  how 
much  more  powerful  must  be  the  effect  on  the 
wieu  M'ho  use  the  tvhisly  itself  thus  adulterated? 

March,  1858.  South  Danvers. 


Officers  of  the  North  Middlesex  Agri- 
cultural Society  for  1858: 

Tapp.\n  Wentworth,  Lowell,  President. 

J.  C.  BartloTT,  Chelmsford,    "1 

Elijah  M.  Reed,  Tew-ksburv,    \  r^      „      •>    ^ 

A.  L.  BROOKS,  Lowdl,  '   \^ce  Presidents. 

J.  B.  V.  COBDRN,  Dracut,         J 

S.  J.  Varnet,  LoweJI,  Recording  Secretary. 

A.  R.  Brown,  Loweb    Corre-^ponding  Secretary. 

Alfred  Gilsun,  Lowell,  Treasurer. 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FAEMER. 


245 


For  the  New  England  Farmer, 
A  METHOD  OF  RAISING  GBASS. 

I  have  been  reading  with  much  pleasure,  and,  I 
think,  profit,  the  last  annual  report  oftheMassa- 
sachusetts  Board  of  Agriculture.  As  I  do  not 
learn  from  it  that  any  one  has  adopted  a  method 
of  raising  grass  precisely  like  my  own,  I  take  the 
liberty  of  communicating  to  you  my  method,  as 
well  as  the  steps  by  which  I  arrived  at  it.  I  know 
very  well  that  we  are  all  inclined  to  regard  our 
geese  as  the  most  beautiful  swans,  but  if  my  ideas 
are  worth  nothing,  the  paper  may  serve  to  kindle 
your  fire. 

My  land  is  a  clayey  loam,  resting  on  a  subsoil, 
the  first  layer  of  which  is  a  mixture  of  clay,  loam 
and  gravel,  that,  brought  to  the  surface,  exposed 
to  the  frost  and  mixed  with  the  surface  soil  and  a 
liberal  dressing  of  manure,  makes  a  productive 
grass  land.  Below  this,  at  the  depth  of  about 
two  feet,  is  a  hard  pan  of  blue  clayey  gravel,  al- 
most as  impervious  to  water  as  a  cemented  cellar 
bottom,  and  this  rests  on  the  underlaying  slate 
rock  at  the  depth  of  from  five  to  twenty-five  feet. 
The  land  in  no  part  is  hilly,  but  has  descent 
enough  to  carry  off  the  surface  water. 

It  came  into  my  possession  in  1851,  and  I  cut 
that  year  about  four  tons  of  inferior  hay  from 
seven  acres.  The  next  year  I  sowed  about  half 
an  acre  with  spring  rye,  clover,  herdsgrass  and 
redtop  seed.  The  ground  had  corn  and  potatoes 
on  it  in  1851,  and  was  in  good  condition.  The 
summer  was  hot  and  dry.  The  rye  did  badly  and 
the  grass  almost  disappeared  under  the  scorch- 
ing suns  of  July  and  August.  It  rallied  some- 
what before  the  next  summer  and  produced  from 
fifteen  to  eighteen  hundred  weight  of  hay  from 
the  half  acre. 

In  1852  I  had  two  and  one-fourth  acres  in  cul- 
tivation with  corn  and  potatoes,  on  which  I 
spread  and  plowed  in,  twenty  ox-cart  loads  of 
manure,  and  put  ten  more  in  the  hill  per  acre.  In 
September,  I  dug  the  potatoes  on  one-fourth  of 
an  acre,  spread  and  plowed  in  three  loads  of  ma- 
nure, and  seeded  down  with  herdsgrass  and  red- 
top.  After  the  corn  was  harvested,  I  had  an  acre 
more  plowed  and  harrowed,  and  about  the  twen- 
tieth of  November,  sowed  half  a  bushel  of  herds- 
grass  and  a  bushel  of  redtop  seed  on  it,  and 
rolled  the  ground  just  as  it  froze  for  the  winter. 
In  the  following  spring,  I  seeded  down  the  re- 
maining acre  with  barley  and  a  mixture  of  clover, 
herdsgrass  and  redtop  seed.  I  had  sixteen  bush- 
els of  barley,  and  the  grass  looked  finely  in  the 
autumn.  The  ground  seeded  the  preceding  Sep- 
tember, although  the  grass  suffered  considerably 
from  the  winter,  produced  about  eight  hundred 
weight  of  hay  and  the  acre  sown  in  November  a 
little  over  a  ton. 

In  1854  my  field  appeared  as  follows :  on  the 
quarter  acre  seeded  in  September,  the  herdsgrass 
had  spread  and  the  redtop  came  in  so  as  to  cover 
the  ground  M'cU  ;  on  the  acre  sown  in  November 
there  was  a  beautiful  strong  turf  covering  the 
whole  surface,  while  on  the  acre  sown  with  bar- 
ley the  winter  had  killed  a  good  deal  of  the  clo- 
ver and  left  many  spots  bare,  where  the  ground 
had  settled  below  those  portions  covered  with 
grass  and  the  turf  was  generally  broken  and  un- 
even. On  the  one  and  one-fourth  acre  seeded  in 
autumn,  there  was  about  threj  tons  of  hay,  and  on 


the  acre  sown  with  barley  about  thirty  hundred 
weight.  After  haying,  I  spread  two  hundred  and 
fifty  bushels  of  leached  ashes  on  the  acre  and  one- 
fourth  sown  in  the  fall. 

In  1855,  which  was  a  bad  hay  year,  I  had  about 
two  and  a  half  tons  from  the  acre  and  one-fourth, 
and  about  twenty-five  to  thirty  hundred  weight 
from  the  acre  sown  in  spring.  The  latter  had  be- 
come mostly  redtop.  I  let  it  stand  till  the  seed 
was  ripe  enough  to  shell  out  in  making  the  hay, 
and  in  the  fall,  I  spread  two  hundred  bushels  of 
leached  ashes  on  it.  This  brought  in  considerable 
clover  and  thickened  up  the  redtop  so  as  to  give 
me  a  very  fair  crop,  but  it  has  always  fallen  below 
the  part  sown  in  the  autumn  by  ten  to  fifteen  hun- 
dred weight  per  acre.  These  crops  have  mostly 
been  sold  standing  on  the  field,  the  purchaser 
having  the  privilege  of  weighing  whenever  he 
chose  to  do  so,  rather  than  to  take  tliem  at  my 
estimate,  and  in  all  cases  when  weighed,  they 
have  exceeded  my  estimate. 

Thus  far  it  is  evident  that  my  experience  is  in 
favor  of  late  fall  sowing  ;  for  although  the  Sep- 
tember sowing,  with  its  extra  dressing  of  manure, 
slightly  exceeded  the  November  sowing  the  first 
year,  there  has  been  no  difference  since.  The  re- 
sult has  been  still  more  decidedly  against  raising 
spring  grain  on  such  land  as  mine.  The  cost  of 
the  grain  sown,  with  the  extra  labor  in  harvest- 
ing, threshing,  &c.,  would  amount  to  much  more 
than  the  difference  in  the  average  value  of  a  crop 
of  spring  grain  and  that  of  an  average  first  crop 
of  grass,  even  should  the  land  be  plowed  for  the 
grass,  as  in  the  above  experiment.  In  addition 
to  this,  if  recollected  that  the  annual  grass  crop, 
when  the  ground  has  been  exhausted  by  ripening 
a  grain  crop,  falls  at  least  half  a  ton  below  that 
which  follows  the  corn  immediately,  the  question 
to  my  mind  is  settled. 

At  the  risk  of  tiring  your  patience,  I  wish  to 
give  you  the  results  of  an  attempt  to  get  a  large 
crop  of  grass  the  first  year.  In  the  spring  of  1854, 
I  had  an  acre  by  the  side  of  the  lot,  on  which  I 
raised  barley  in  1853.  It  was  in  corn  the  year 
before,  and  had  twenty  loads  of  manure  to  the 
acre,  one-half  spread  and  plowed  in,  and  the  re- 
mainder in  the  hill.  This  year,  1854,  1  spread 
twenty  loads  per  acre  and  plowed  it  in,  then 
spread  two  hundred  bushels  of  leached  ashes  and 
furrowed  so  deep  that  the  rorn,  which  was  plant- 
ed in  drills,  could  be  covered  without  raising  the 
rows  above  the  surface.  There  was  compost  put 
in  the  furrows  equal  to  ten  loads  of  manure  per 
acre.  The  field  was  cultivated  twice.  The  first 
time  the  ground  was  levelled  and  the  weeds  cut 
up,  the  second  time  the  small  stones  were  picked 
up  and  wheeled  to  the  edge  of  the  field ;  herds- 
grass  and  redtop  seed  were  sown  and  the  ground 
raked  over  with  a  common  hand  rake,  such  as  is 
used  in  the  hay  field.  The  labor,  except  picking 
up  the  stones,  was  just  about  equal  to  two  hoe- 
ings,  and  the  surface  was  left  beautifully  even.  I 
had  a  forest  of  corn  stalks,  about  two  cart-loads 
of  smutted  ears,  and  fifty  bushels  of  sound  corn 
to  the  acre.  The  season  was  hot  and  dry,  and  in 
the  fall,  I  found  no  grass  except  on  a  wet  place, 
and  under  some  large  apple  trees.  As  my  ground 
was  in  fine  condition  and  very  smooth,  I  did  not 
like  to  plow  it  up  again  until  I  tried  some  way 
to  get  it  into  grass.  In  the  fall,  as  soon  as  the 
ground  froze  enough  to  hold  the  stumps  of  the 


246 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


May 


corn  stalks  firmly,  I  took  a  sharp  hoe  and  cut 
them  off  even  with  the  surface  of  the  ground, 
raked  off  the  rubbish  and  sowed  half  a  bushel  of 
herdsgrass  and  a  bushel  of  redtop  seed  on  the 
acre.  The  next  spring  as  soon  as  the  weather 
became  warm  enough,  the  grass  came  up  beauti- 
fully over  the  whole  piece.  The  summer  was 
wet  and  Avarm,  and  I  cut  more  than  a  ton  and  a 
half  per  acre  for  the  first  crop.  In  1856  and  1857 
I  had  three  tons  per  acre  each  year  for  the  first 
crop,  and  rowen  enough  to  make  the  whole 
amount  in  the  two  years  not  much  short  of  seven 
and  a  half  tons. 

About  the  middle  of  June,  1854, 1  sowed  a 
quarter  of  an  acre  with  oats  and  grass  seed,  and 
mowed  the  oats  for  fodder  while  green.  The 
grass  on  part  failed  from  the  hot,  dry  weather. 
I  Avent  over  the  ground  in  November  and  sowed 
the  vacant  spots  with  grass  seed,  and  it  came  up 
and  grew  perfectly  well  the  next  spring. 

In  justice  to  summer  sowing  among  corn,  I 
will  say  that  I  tried  it  again  in  1855,  which  was 
a  wet  season,  and  it  did  well  and  gave  a  larger 
first  crop  than  I  generally  get  from  late  fall  sow- 

Early  fall  sowing  did  well  in  the  instance  in 
which  I  tried  it,  but  I  have  not  repeated  the  ex- 
periment, as  I  observe  on  the  land  of  my  neigh- 
bors that  grass  sown  in  this  way  often  suffers 
from  the  winter  frosts,  while  I  have  never  known 
late  fall  sowing  to  fail.  I  find  it  very  little  extra 
labor,  if  I  begin  right  in  the  spring,  to  have  my 
ground  all  i-eady  to  seed  doAvn  at  the  setting  in 
of  winter.  I  proceed  as  detailed  in  my  experi- 
ment on  my  corn  field  in  1854,  except  I  do  not 
sow  any  grass  seed  till  I  am  confident  it  will  not 
vegetate  till  the  next  spring,  say  from  the  twentieth 
of  November  to  the  setting  in  of  winter.  I  have 
pieces  of  late  sown  grass,  which  have  been  mown 
one,  two,  three  and  five  years  respectively.  The 
average  results  have  been  about  twenty-five  hun- 
dred weight  for  the  first  crop  per  acre,  and  includ- 
ing rowen  three  tons  per  year  afterwards. 

How  long  they  will  hold  out  time  must  deter- 
mine. As  my  land  was  not  exhausted  by  spring 
grain  and  I  do  not  fall  feed  at  all,  or  cut  the  row- 
en when  it  can  be  safely  avoided,  I  expect  a  fair 
yield  for  several  years  to  come.  I  prefer  Novem- 
der  seeding,  because  I  believe  there  is  an  abso- 
lute certainty  that  every  good  seed  sown  in  this 
way  will  vegetate  the  next  spring,  and  will  have 
the  whole  season  to  groAV  before  the  winter  frosts. 
Even  on  land  where  the  Avater  stood  for  weeks  it 
did  Avell.  I  prefer  it  for  the  economy  of  this 
method.  If  the  corn  is  planted  in  drills  as  above 
described,  I  believe  the  increased  product  Avill 
fully  compensate  for  the  extra  Avork,  and  the  cut 
ting  off  the  stumps  of  the  corn  stalks  and  raking 
ofi'  the  rubbish  are  much  less  labor  than  ploAving 
and  again  levelling  the  ground,  as  must  be  done 
for  a  grain  crop.  I  should  not  expect  the  same 
advantages  on  sandy  or  gravelly  land  as  on  clay- 
ey and  level  Avet  land,  Avhich  are  much  more  liable 
to  have  their  crops  Avinter-killed,  and  on  steep 
hill  sides  it  Avould  not  be  admissii3le  on  account 
of  the  Avashing  of  the  Avinter  rains. 

There  are  three  things  Avhich  I  regard  as  indis- 
pensable to  the  successful  culture  of  grass.  The 
first  is  to  put  the  land  in  good  condition  by  thor- 
ough tillage  and  a  liberal  application  of  fertili- 
izers ;  the  second,  to  get  a  good  healthy  set  of 


grass  roots  that  will  cover  the  ground  entirely ; 
the  third  not  to  exhaust  both  the  grass  and  the 
land  by  fall  feeding  or  cutting  the  second  crop, 
unless  it  is  so  luxuriant  as  to  endanger  the  roots 
of  the  grass.  By  observing  these  things  strictly, 
I  believe  it  Avill  be  found  that  a  heavy  yield  of 
grass  is  not  an  uncertain  or  doubtful  result. 

M.  D. 

For  the  Netc  Enslnnd  Farmer. 
PEARS  UPON"  QUINCE  STOCKS. 

AVliere  is  the  benefit  of  thus  cultivating?  At 
the  late  meeting  of  legislative  farmers,  (Avho  are 
of  course  among  the  best  experienced,)  I  under- 
stood Mr.  Eakle,  of  Worcester,  and  Mr.  Lake, 
of  Essex,  to  say,  Avhen  they  transplanted  the  pear 
Avhich  had  been  grafted  upon  the  quince,  they 
Avere  careful  to  set  the  trees  so  that  the  place  of 
junction  should  be  several  inches  beloAV  the  sur- 
face of  the  ground,  so  that  the  roots  should  start 
ancAvfrom  the  pear  stock,  and  the  tree  be  mainly 
supported  by  such  roots.  Why,  then,  graft  on 
the  quince  at  all  ?  Is  it  not  quite  easy  to  raise 
from  the  seed  as  many  young  pear  trees  as  may 
be  wanted  ?  Can  there  be  any  benefit,  in  intex'- 
posing  the  dAvarf  quince,  Avhen  much  more  sub- 
stantial and  beautiful  Avood  can  be  grown  from  the 
pear  seeds  alone  ? 

Why  not  engraft  the  pear  on  the  apple  stock  ? 
Can  any  one  say  that  the  stock  in  the  least  de- 
gree modifies  the  quality  of  the  fruit  ?  From  Avhat 
Ave  have  learned,  Ave  presume  pears  on  quince 
stocks  Avill  fruit  earlier,  than  otherAvise  ;  and  we 
believe  also  they  Avill  decay  earlier.  I  throAV  out 
these  inquiries  to  elicit  information,  and  not  to 
communicate  it.  I  am  not  convinced  that  there 
is  any  considerable  benefit  accruing  from  the 
groAving  of  pears  upon  the  little  quince.  jNIerely 
because  they  can  be  made  thus  to  grow,  is  no 
reason  Avhy  they  should  be  so  grown.     EssEX. 

April,  1858. 

Clouds  Outside,  Sunshine  Inside  our 
Homes. — Whether  men  do  business  and  have 
dealings  with  others  in  city  or  in  country,  there 
Avill  be,  occasionally,  unpleasant  occurrences, 
causing  sourness,  irritation  or  discomposure,  to  a 
greater  or  less  degree.  Temper  Avill  be  ruffled 
by  losses,  disappointments  and  dealings  with  the 
stupid  and  dishonest.  If  Ave  could  leave  all  these 
trials  and  the  irritation  they  may  have  produced 
outside  Avhen  Ave  return  to  our  homes,  and  make 
resolute  efforts  to  have  nothing  but  peace,  love 
and  sunshkie  inside  our  homes,  the  comfort  of 
ourselves,  our  Avives  and  our  children  Avould  be 
much  promoted.  To  accomplish  this  maybe  dif- 
ficult, but  it  is  correspondingly  desirable.  If  Ave 
make  a  determined  effort,  it  will  not  always  be  in 
vain.  Success  Avill  occasionally  rcAA'ard  us,  and 
encourage  us  by  its  sweet  satisfaction  to  rencAvcd 
efforts.  And  Avhen  success  becomes  habitual, 
hoAV  much  happier  Avill  be  our  homes  !  For  the 
man  Avho  goes  home  sour  and  irritable,  Avith  a 
cloud  upon  his  countenance,  is  sure  to  sadden 
and  perhaps  to  sour  the  hearts  of  his  Avife  and 
children.  AYhcreas,  he  that  succeeds  in  leaving 
all  these  outside,  Avill  make  his  coming  welcome, 
and  his  home  a  scene  of  smiles  and  sunshine. — 
Country  Gent. 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


247 


IMPROVED  HINGE  HASKOW. 

The  true  work  which  a  harrow  should  perform 
is  generally  quite  imperfectly  understood.  Its 
principle  office  is  to  pulverize, — to  make  the  soil 
finer  and  lighter  than  the  plow  leaves  it,  as  this 
condition  of  the  soil  is  not  only  important  in  or- 
der to  facilitate  labor  in  the  cultivation  of  crops, 
but  important  in  order  to  bring  the  soil  into  that 
friable  condition,  which  will  attract  and  readily 
receive  those  atmospherical  influences  upon  which 
plants  greatly  depend  for  their  growth.  Levelling 
with  the  harrow  is  of  secondary  consequence. 

A  light  harrow,  with  rather  long,  slender  and 
smooth  teeth,  drawn  quickly  through  the  soil, 
will  do  7nore  and  better  work,  than  a  heavy  one 
moved  slowly. 

The  harrow  represented  below  may  be  folded 
double,  or  separated  into  two  parts,  for  the  con- 
venience of  transportation  or  other  purpose. 
Either  half  may  be  lifted  for  any  purpose  while 
the  implement  is  in  motion ;    and  the  easy  and 


to  draw  either  end  forward  ;  and  when  the  teeth 
become  dull  by  working  in  one  direction  forward, 
the  team  may  be  hitched  tg  the  other  end,  and 
they  are  sharp  again. 

This  harrow  Avas  "got  up"  by  Mr,  Holbrook, 
our  Associate  Editor,  who  has  given  the  subject 
his  usual  discriminating  attention,  and  finds  up- 
on practice  with  it,  that  it  operates  better  thai 
any  other  he  has  used. 


independent  play  of  the  parts  up  and  down  upon 
the  hinges,  enables  the  instrument  to  adajijt  itself 
to  the  surface  of  the  ground  in  all  places,  so  that 
whether  going  through  hollows,  or  over  knolls 
and  ridges,  it  is  always  at  work,  and  every  tooth 
has  an  operation  upon  the  soil.  There  are  thirty 
teeth  in  the  harrow,  and  yet  they  stand  equi-dis- 
tant  and  wide  apart  each  way,  so  that  while  from 
their  number  and  arrangement  the  ground  is 
worked  fine,  they  are  not  liable  to  clog.  This 
harrow  is  made  heavy  for  rough  land  and  the 
pulvei'izing  of  sod  furrows,  or  light  for  grain  and 
grass  seed.  It  is  a  very  light,  pretty  harrow  for 
one  horse,  when  made  of  bars  2^  inches  square, 
with  teeth  of  half-inch  steel ;  and  thus  made,  and 
carrying  a  breadth  of  five  feet,  one  horse  will 
harrow  as  much  ground  in  a  day  with  it,  as  is 
usually  accomplished  by  two  horses.     It  is  made 


EXTKACTS   AND  REPLIES. 
GRAFTING   CHERRIES,   PLUMS   AXD    PEACHES. 

Will  you  inform  me  of  the  best  time  of  the 
year  for  grafting  stone  fruit,  such  as  cherries, 
plums  and  peaches ;  and  also  if  peaches  grafted 
into  the  wild  cherry  will  do  well  ? 

Plum  and  Peach. 

Osterville,  March,  1858. 

Remarks. — Cherries  should  be  grafted  as  ear- 
ly in  April  as  the  weather  will  allsw  it  to  be 
done  comfortably  to  the  grafter,  and  in  which  the 
wax  may  be  handled.  Plums  should  come 
next,  and  then  peaches — but  all  some  time  in 
April.  We  have  never  worked  the  peach  on 
the  Avild  cherry,  and  do  not  know  how  it 
would  succeed.  

recipe  for  making  sap  beer. 
Take  one  pound  of  good  hops,  put  them  in 
a  clean  barrel,  and  take  it  to  the  orchard;  fill 
the  barrel  with  sap  and  set  it  a*vay  for  use  ;  in 
about  two  weeks  it  will  be  fit  for  drinking, 
and  will  remain  good  till  June. 

Thomas  G.  Holbrook. 
Manchester,  Vt.,  1858. 

TARRED  PAPER  FOR  ROOFS. 

"A.  S."  may  find  plenty  of  tarred  paper  for 
roofs  or  sides  of  buildings  at  the  paper  store 
of  Messrs.  Conant  &  Hood,  141  Blackstone 
Street,  Boston.  It  is  sold  for  about  $3,50 
per  100  lbs.  One  pound  will  cover  about  ten 
square  feet.      .  

WHERE   MEATS   AND   COOKS   COME  FROM. 

There  is  a  satisfaction  in  the  fact  that  your  lit- 
erary correspondent,  "W.  A.  A.,"  applies  to  us 
farmers  to  instruct  him  as  to  the  origin  of  the 
lines  which  he  misquotes ;  but  he  is  right,  Mr. 
Editor,  for  I  can  assure  him  the  sons  and  daugh- 
ters of  our  farmers  are  as  competent  to  answer 
his  inquiry  as  those  who  have  learned  more  and 
know  less. 

If  "W.  A.  A."  will  read  Dr.  Oliver  Goldsmith's 
"Retaliation,"  he  will  be  amused  if  not  instruct- 
ed ;  and  he  will  find  in  David  Garrick's  reply, 
among  other  caustic  things,  the  following 

JEU  d'esprit. 

"Aro  these  the  choice  dishes  the  doctor  has  sent  us? 
I^  ttiis  the  great  poet  whose  works  so  content  us  .-' 
This  Goldsmith's  fine  feast  wlio  has  written  fine  books? 
Heaven  sends  us  good  meat,  but  the  devil  sends  cooks." 

Framingham,  March'iO,  1858.  J.  w.  C. 


248 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Mat 


MILL  FOR   GRINDING   SCRAP   CAKES. 

I  am  in  want  of  a  mill  or  some  kind  of  a  ma- 
chine for  granulating  the  hard  cakes  made  from 
beef  scraps.  Where  can  I  get  one,  and  at  what 
cost?  Subscriber. 

Remarks. — We  do  not  know  of  any  such  mill 


For  the  New  England  Fanner. 

PIFTH  AWNUAL  REPORT  OP  THE3  MASS. 
BOARD  OF   AGRICULTURE. 

I  have  glanced  my  eye  over  this  paper  of  about 
300  pages,  and  find  it  truly  practical  and  instruc- 
tive. As  was  to  be  expected,  much  of  it  is  filled 
with  the  details  of  the  Exhibition,  held  under 
the  supervision  of  the  Board.  This  is  as  it 
should  be.  Such  an  exhibition  should  be  a  pre- 
sentation of  the  best  products  of  the  Common- 
wealth— and  such  a  Report  should  be  a  fair  view 
of  what  was  presented.  In  this  way  alone,  from 
year  to  year,  can  we  have  a  correct  idea  of  the 
progress  made.  That  our  agriculture  is  in  healthy 
progress,  no  one  who  has  carefully  observed  for 
the  last  thirty  years  can  for  a  moment  doubt.  That 
our  State  has  done  better  than  any  of  her  neigh- 
bors, I  am  not  prepared  to  say.  That  there  is 
room  for  many  and  greater  improvements,  I  can- 
not doubt.  Essex. 


BOYS'  DEPARTMENT. 


MATHEMATICAL  MYSTERIES. 
_  Take  a  straight  line  one  inch  in  length,  and  di- 
vide it  into  two  equal  parts  or  halves,  divide  the 
half  into  two  quarters,  the  quarters  into  two 
eighths,  the  eighths  into  two  sixteenths, and  so  on, 
continually  bisecting  the  fraction  last  arrived  at. 
It  is  logically  obvious  that,  by  this  process  of 
perpetual  halving,  we  can  never  reach  the  end  of 
the  line,  although  its  length  is  only  one  short 
inch.  There  will  always  remain  a  fraction  to  bi- 
sect. By  increasing  the  number  of  bisections 
indefinitely,  we  can  approach  indefinitely  near  to 
the  extrenuty  of  the  line,  but  through  all  eterni- 
ty we  could  not  actually  arrive  at  it !  There  is  a 
geometrical  curve  called  the  hyperbola,  Avhich  is 
so  related  to  a  straight  line  called  the  asymptote, 
that  they  approach  each  other  continually  and 
never  meet. 

The  geometer  will  show  you  in  a  diagram  both 
curve  and  line,  not  many  hair  breadths  apart,  and 
yet  he  can  demonstrate,  by  logic  the  most  vigor- 
ous, that  the  line  may  travel  through  all  eternity 
toward  the  curve,  and  still  no  meeting  take  place 
between  them.  There  is  an  eternal  convergence 
across  a  space  not  broader  than  our  pen,  but  no 
possible  concurrence  ! 

The  algebraist  will  show  you  the  commence- 
ment of  a  series  of  numbers,  the  terms  of  which 
are  absolutely  infinite,  and  yet  the  sum  of  the 
whole— the  precise  sum— may  be  no  more  than 
one,  two,  three  or  four.  He  will  tell  you  respect- 
ing a  progression  beginning  with  unity  as  the 
first  term— what  the  second  term  is,  what  the 
hundredth  term  is,  whatthehundredth-thousanth- 
millionth  term  is,  Avhat  any  term  you  please  to 
ask  him  is ;  and  he  will  further  tell  you  that  the 
whole  infinitude  of  terms  added  together  amounts 
to  exactly  four — no  more,  no  less — and  yet  he 


will  also  tell  you  that  eternity  alone  would  suffice 
to  writedown  the  terms  whose  sum  is  really  com- 
prised in  that  insignificant  number  four! — an 
eternity  of  duration,  and  an  innumerable  host  of 
ever  busy  writers ! 

Now  the  whole  mystery  and  contradiction  in 
these  well  known  mathematical  truths,  arises 
from  the  presence  of  infinity.  Expel  that  ele- 
ment and  all  mystery  would  vanish  ;  retain  it,  and 
facts  known  to  a  school-boy  are  incomprehensible 
by  a  Newton.  Newton  admits  them,  uses  them, 
knows  them  to  be  true,  but  cannot  explain  them — 
and  never  will  be  able  to  explain  them,  norabso 
lutely  to  comprehend  them,  even  though  his  occu- 
pation in  heaven  were  the  study  of  mathematics 
and  nothing  else  forever.  It  is  a  mistake  to  sup- 
pose that  all  mysteries  will  be  solved  hereafter; 
for  every  mystery  of  incapacity — which  is  the  only 
real,  ultimate  incomprehensibility — must  remain 
forever  uncomprehended  by  the  creature.  No 
progress  can  elevate  the  finite  into  the  infinite. 
Happy  for  us  that  this  is  so  !  Were  it  otherwise, 
a  period  in  eternity  might  arrive  when  truth 
would  be  exhausted,  and  our  felicity  Avould  be 
overclouded  by  a  grief  to  which  the  weeping  Al- 
exander's was  a  childish  sorrow. 


THE  BEST  SCHOLAR. 

In  every  school  there  is  one  who  is  called  the 
best  scholar.  Teachers  and  pupils  have  no  diffi- 
culty in  deciding  who  is  entitled  to  this  honora- 
ble distinction,  and  when  we  once  heard  the  pu- 
pils of  a  school  exclaim,  as  a  bright-eyed  boy  en- 
tered the  room,  "Here  comes  Frank ;  he  is  the 
best  boy  in  school," — we  thought,  "What  a  good 
introduction  to  a  new  teacher."  After  becoming 
acquainted  with  the  scholars,  we  found  that  they 
had  told  the  truth.  Frank  was  the  best  boy  in 
school,  and  will  no  doubt  become  one  of  the  best 
men  in  the  city.  Think  of  it,  boys.  "The  best 
boy  in  school."  Who  would  not  be  proud  of 
such  a  title  ?  It  is  worth  more  than  millions  of 
dollars.  But  perhaps  some  scholars  will  say, 
"We  can't  all  be  the  best."  This  is  true,  but  you 
have  a  right  to  try,  and  the  one  who  will  try  hard- 
est will  succeed,  for  there  is  power  in  that  little 
word  trij.  Frank  could  not  be  the  best  boy  in 
his  school  if  he  did  not  try.  If  j'ou  cannot  be 
the  best,  be  careful  and  not  be  the  Avorst.  Every 
school  has  one  boy  who  is  worse  than  any  other 
scholar.  We  pity  him ;  we  pity  his  parents,  his 
brothers  and  sisters.  AVhat  a  disgraceful  title — 
"The  worst  boy  in  school."  He  will  no  doubt 
become  one  of  the  worst  men  in  the  community. 
Let  every  boy  who  reads  this  resolve  to  be  "the 
best  boy  in  school." 

Practice  at  the  Bar. — Whoever  stoppeth  at 
the  bar  of  him  who  bar-tcrs,  distilled  bar-ley, 
drawn  from  a  bar-xe\,  bars  himself  from  ever  ad- 
vancing at  the  bar  of  life.  He  will  live  like  a  bar- 
bar-ian — an  outcast  from  civilized  society — and 
his  memory  Avill  be  to  him  as  a  bar-bed  arrow, 
when  he  thinks  of  the  bad  bar-gains  he  made 
when  under  the  influence  of  bar-m.  His  bar-h 
will  founder  on  the  sand  bars  in  the  stream  of 
life,  and  his  life  will  be  bar-ren  of  any  good,  in 
consequence  of  the  6(7?--rier  he  has  placed  between 
himself  and  the  world,  and  no  bar-d  will  chant  a 
bar  at  his  de-&ar-king. — Merri/s  Museum. 


DEVOTED   TO  AGRICULTUBE    AND    ITS  KINDKED   ARTS   AND    SCIENCES. 


VOL.  X. 


BOSTON,  JUNE,  1858. 


NO.  6. 


JOEL  NOURSE,  Proprietor. 
Office. ..13  Commercial  St, 


SIMON  BROWN,  EDITOR. 


FRED'K  HOLBROOK,  )  Associate 
HENRY  F.  FRENCH,  \  Editors. 


CALENDAR  FOR  JUNE. 

"Tough  thistles  choked  the  fields  and  killed  the  corn, 

And  an  unthrifty  crop  of  weeds  was  born. 

Then  burs  and  brambles,  an  unbidden  crew 

Of  graceless  guests,  the  unhappy  fields  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  other  crops  you  may  with  envy  look, 

And  shake  for  food  the  long  abandoned  oak.'' 

XJ  N  E     is    a    busy 
month.      The    sun 
shines  in  our  lati- 
tude  more    hours, 
^^^^  this    month,    than 
g^  11/  ill   any    month   in 
"  the  year.    His  rays 

are  sending  tlieir 
all-penetrating 
force  into  the  most 
hidden  recesses  of 
aiiimated  nature, 
and  under  his  stim- 
ulating influence, 
sb.e  is  driving,  in 
full  tide,  the  life- 
lood  through  eve- 
y  artery  and  sap- 
vessel  of  every  liv- 
ing thing.  All 
nature  is  glowing 
with  fervid  life.  The  grain  is  green  in  the  fields. 
The  leaves  upon  the  trees  are  fast  attaining  their 
fidl  size,  and  every  leaf,  in  all  its  vessels,  is  elab- 
orating the  sap  from  which  the  fruit  and  the 
growing  wood  are  being  formed.  The  seeds 
have  germinated  and  are  pushing  up  into  the  air 
their  delicate  plumules,  that  they  may  imbibe  the 
breath  of  heaven,  and  also  throwing  their  radi- 
cles into  the  soil.     The  blades  of  corn  are  shoot- 


ing up  green  and  succulent,  and  soon  will  come 
the  ear,  and  then  the  full  corn  in  the  ear.  The 
plants  in  the  garden  are  expanding  their  leaves 
and  filling  the  soil  with  their  rootlets,  and  each 
is  struggling  to  secure  possession  of  as  much 
space  as  possible,  for  its  further  development. 
They  all  need  watching  and  cherishing,  and  a 
large  portion  of  them  must  be  sacrificed,  to  make 
room  for  the  remainder.  It  requires  no  small 
share  of  resolution  t6  pull  up  fine,  thrifty  plants, 
to  give  space  for  those  that  are  to  remain  till 
autumn,  but  it  must  be  done,  or  we  shall  fail  to 
find  well-grown  and  fully-developed  vegetables, 
in  the  time  of  harvest.  Through  the  growing 
season,  the  soil  must  be  kept  mellow  and  light. 
The  hoe  and  the  rake  must  be  busily  plied 
through  this  month  in  the  garden.  The  weeds, 
must  be  kept  down,  or  they  will  steal  away  the 
food  of  the  plants.  They  are  most  unscrupulous 
robbers,  and  must  be  treated  without  mercy.  It 
has  been  settled  by  experience  extending  from 
the  time  when  Adam  cultivated  the  garden  of 
Eden,  down  to  this  time,  that  we  cannot  raise  a 
good  crop  of  vegetables,  and  a  large  crop  of 
weeds,  upon  the  same  spot,  at  the  same  time.  If 
we  have  fine,  thrifty  vegetables,  we  have  few  and 
meagre  weeds, — or,  if  we  get  a  vigorous  growth 
of  weeds,  we  cannot  have  thrifty  vegetables,  too. 

It  is  the  wisest  course  to  decide  early  in  the 
season  which  we  will  have,  and  not  waste  our 
labor  in  attempting  to  have  both.  This  is  as  un- 
wise as  to  try  to  serve  God  and  mammon  at  the 
same  time. 

The  cultivator  and  the  hoe  must  be  busy  in  the 
corn  field  and  potato  field.  You  will  need  to  go 
over  these  crops  twice,  at  least,  this  month.  If 
you  can  sprinkle  a  handful  of  ashes,  or  a  little 
plaster,  or  air-slaked  lime  on  each  hill  before 
hoeing,  you  will  find  it  a  paying  ojjeration  ;  and: 
if  you  will  have  a  cask  or  two  of  lime  ready,  and 
sprinkle  it  freely  over  your  potatoes,  about  the 
middle  of  July,  early  in  the  morning,  when  the 


250 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


June 


vines  are  wet  with  dew,  or  just  after  a  shower, 
you  will  probably  do  an  essential  service  to  your 
crop,  both  as  regards  snails  and  slugs  and  the  rot. 
Let  your  hoeing  be  thoroughly  done.  Pick 
out  the  weeds  carefully  from  the  plants,  and  thin 
them  where  they  are  too  thick.  It  is  much  easi- 
er to  do  this  when  the  plants  are  small,  and  it  is 
much  less  injurious  to  them  to  disturb  their 
roots  when  small,  than  when  they  have  reached 
a  larger  growth. 

Soils  that  have  been  long  cultivated,  and  are 
manured  with  manure  from  the  stable,  will  nec- 
essarily be  weedy,  and  no  inconsiderable  part  of 
our  farm  labor  consists  in  eradicating  the  weeds 
from  our  crops.  This  will  always  be  so,  and  we 
must  make  our  arrangements  accordingly.  The 
best  means  that  we  can  suggest  to  save  labor  in 
this  matter,  is  never  to  let  the  weeds  go  to  seed 
in  the  field  or  garden. 

In  the  eastern  and  southern  parts  of  Massa- 
chusetts, work  in  the  hay-field  will  commence 
about  the  close  of  this  month.  Mowing  ma- 
chines are  now  becoming  quite  common,  and  up- 
on many  large  farms,  will  greatly  facilitate  the 
labOi  of  haying.  We  hope  it  will  not  be  a  long 
time  before  Yankee  ingenuity  will  provide  a  light, 
compact  machine  that  can  easily  be  Avorked  by 
one  horse,  and  will  be  furnished  at  a  price  with- 
in the  means  of  every  farmer  in  New  England. 
This  will  reduce  the  labor  of  haying,  as  well  as 
the  time  occupied  by  it,  at  least  one-half,  *id 
thus  leave  much  time  for  the  other  labors  of  the 
farm,  which  press  so  urgently  at  this  season  of 
the  year.  Such  a  machine  would  meet  the  wants 
of  the  small  farmers  of  the  east,  and  would  put 
them  upon  a  level  with  the  farmers  of  the  west. 
In  their  wide  fields,  where  horses  abound,  and 
are  cheaply  kept,  the  heavy  machines  now  in  use 
are  of  inestimable  value,  and  have  already  in- 
creased the  amount  of  the  grain  crop  beyond  all 
calculation.  Without  their  aid,  it  would  be  im- 
possible for  them  to  secure  their  grain  before  it 
would  spoil  in  the  field.  Necessity  is  the  mother 
of  invention,  and  now  that  invention  has  become 
a  profession,  the  farmer,  like  the  manufacturer, 
has  but  to  make  his  wants  known,  and  brains  are 
immediately  set  to  work,  to  devise  means  of 
meeting  them. 

But  enough  of  this.  We  have  digressed  wide- 
ly from  the  point  at  which  we  started,  and  have 
not  yet  expressed  the  thought  which  was  in  our 
mind  when  we  took  pen  in  hand. 

June  is  the  most  beautiful  month  in  the  year. 
Its  breath  is  fragrant  with  the  sweet  odors  of 
the  flowers.  The  clarion  notes  of  the  birds  wake 
the  echoes  of  the  morning.  The  insect  tribes, 
the  birds  and  the  animals  all  wear  their  bright- 
est liveries.  The  vegetable  world  is  clothed  in 
its  richest  garb.     The  fields  and  the  forests  are 


robed  in  their  brightest  green.  Every  liring 
thing  is  fair  and  fresh,  and  all  is  full  of  hope. 
Then  let  us,  while  the  sun,  and  all  the  sweet  in- 
fluences of  the  heavens,  and  the  energies  of  na- 
ture around  us  are  working  for  us,  and  cheering 
our  labors,  not  be  deficient  in  eff'orts  for  our- 
selves. Let  us  rise  with  the  lark,  and  with  hearts 
full  of  gratitude  and  cheerful  hope,  second  and 
guide  with  skilful  hands,  the  energies  which  na- 
ture is  putting  forth  for  the  sustenance  and  hap- 
piness of  all  her  children. 

Let  us  work  in  accordance  with  her  laws,  and 
avail  ourselves  of  that  assistance  which  she  is 
ever  ready  to  lend  to  all  our  wisely-directed  ef- 
forts, and  then  when  the  bright  verdure  of  sum- 
mer shall  be  replaced  by  the  russet  of  autumn, 
when  the  music  of  the  feathered  songsters  is 
hushed,  and  the  leaves  have  become  brown  and 
sere,  we  shall  rejoice  with  thankful  hearts  over 
the  labor  of  our  hands. 


KECIPE  FOR  MAKING  SOAP. 

The  following  recipe  for  making  soap  is  by  a 
lady  who  took  the  premiums  for  a  very  superior 
article  at  the  late  Fair  of  the  Virginia  State  Ag- 
ricultural Society.  We  think  it  will  be  found 
good : 

IJave  ready  hickory  lye,  strong  enough  to  bear 
an  egg,  slioiciiig  the  size  of  a  dime  above  the  sur- 
face of  the  lye.  To  three  pounds  of  clean  fat, 
after  being  melted,  add  two  gallons  of  the  lye 
and  a  bit  of  lime  the  size  of  a  walnut ;  boil  it 
fast,  and  frequently.  Wheji  it  has  boiled  an  hour 
stir  in  two  gallons  more  of  the  lye  ;  continue  to 
stir  it  often,  and  always  one  way.  After  it  has 
boiled  for  several  hours,  take  out  a  spoonful  and 
cool  it  on  a  plate ;  if  it  does  not  jell}',  add  a  very 
little  water  ;  if  this  cause  it  to  jelly,  add  water  to 
that  in  the  kettle, — stir  very  quickly  while  the 
water  is  poured  in,  till  you  perceive  that  it  ropes 
on  the  stick  or  becomes  heavy.  Wh':'n  this  is  the 
case,  you  have  what  is  called  jelly  soap,  (or  soft 
soap  by  some.)  To  make  it  hard,  stir  one  quart 
of  salt  into  the  kettle,  and  let  it  boil  ten  minutes 
longer  ;  set  it  by  to  cool.  Next  day  cut  the  soap 
out  of  the  kettle  and  clarify  it  by  melting  it  over, 
adding  water  enough  barely  to  cover  it ;  let  it 
just  come  to  a  boil,  and  set  it  away.  When  per- 
fectly cool  and  firm,  turn  it  out  of  the  oven, 
scrape  off"  the  residuum  that  may  adhere  to  the 
cake  of  soap,  cut  it  in  pieces  and  place  it  on  the 
board  to  harden. 

To  make  this  soap  fit  for  toilet  purposes,  it  is 
only  necessary  to  cut  it  into  thin  shavings,  place 
it  in  a  very  nice  tin-pan,  add  a  little  water,  scarcely 
enough  to  cover  the  shavings,  set  it  on  some  em- 
bers and  stir  and  beat  it  with  a  nice  spoon  till  it 
becomes  a  smooth  jelly ;  while  in  this  state,  if 
you  wish  to  color  it,  dissolve  Chinese  vermillion 
in  a  little  water,  and  stir  it  in  till  you  get  the  de- 
sired hue  ;  take  it  oft"  the  fire,  and  add  oil  of  lav- 
ender, bergamot,  sassefras,  or  any  o'cher  essential 
oil,  the  scent  of  which  you  like  ;  and  while  it  is 
somewhat  liquid,  pour  it  into  moulds. 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


251 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
PATENT  OFFICE  BEPORT  FOR  1856. 

I  have  before  me  the  Patent  Office  Report  for 
18-56,  on  Agriculture.  The  table  of  contents  prom- 
ises a  rich  repast,  but  a  careful  examination  shows 
the  promise  scarcely  fulfilled.  There  are,  how- 
ever, several  highly  interesting  and  valuable  ar- 
ticles, and  in  one  respect,  there  is  a  decided  im- 
provement on  the  past.  The  plates  are  better 
executed  than  in  any  former  number,  showing  a 
gratifjing  advance  in  this  branch  of  art  in  our 
country. 

The  plate  of  Peabody's  Haut  Bois  Strawberry 
is  beautifully  done,  and  would  do  credit  to  any 
horticultural  magazine. 

The  plates  accompanying  Kermicolt's  report 
upon  the  quadrupeds  and  birds  of  Illinois,  are 
highly  creditable,  both  to  the  author  and  the  ar- 
tist. The  whole  article  by  Kermicolt  is  very  val- 
uable. It  is  written  in  a  clear,  intelligible  style, 
and  exhibits  great  industry  and  research,  and  is 
an  important  contribution  to  the  zoology  of  the 
United  States.  The  articles  upon  ckainage  as  a 
means  of  improving  land,  by  Henry  F.  French, 
of  New  Hampshire,  and  upon  the  use  of  muck  as 
a  fertilizer,  by  vSimon  Brown,  of  Massachusetts, 
are  plain,  common-sense  and  instructive  articles, 
and  deserve  to  be  carefully  read  and  inwardly  di- 
gested, by  ever}'  New  England  farmer  especially. 
The  paper  upon  grafting  and  budding,  by  John 
I.  Thomas,  of  the  State  of  New  York,  is  neat  and 
sensible,  and  embraces  the  gist  of  the  whole  sub- 
ject. His  descriptions  are  clear  and  compre- 
hensible, and  his  directions  are  in  general  cor- 
rect, and  may  be  followed  with  safetj-.  The  re- 
ports of  the  American  Pomological  Society  em- 
body a  good  deal  of  valuable  information,  and  it 
is  to  be  presumed  that  the  varieties  of  fruit  rec- 
ommended in  the  reports  from  the  several  States 
will  be  found  well  adapted  to  the  localities  where 
they  have  been  cultivated.  The  results  in  fruit- 
growing arrived  at  by  careful  and  competent  ex- 
perimenters, are  very  valuable,  inasmuch  as  they 
save,  to  those  wishing  to  obtain  good  varieties  of 
fruit,  a  great  amount  of  time  and  labor.  The  ar- 
ticle upon  grape  culture,  by  Dr.  Warden,  of  Ohio, 
contains  several  useful  suggestions.  His  remarks 
upon  the  preparation  of  the  soil,  drainage,  &c., 
are  worthy  of  careful  perusal.  The  crowning  ar- 
ticle in  the  volume  is  that  upon  meteorology  and 
its  relations  to  agriculture,  accredited  to  Profess- 
or Henry,  of  the  Smithsonian  Institute. 

Some  131  pages,  or  about  one-fourth  part  of 
the  volume  is  prepared  by  D,  J.  Browne.  Mr. 
Browne  is  certainly  a  man  of  great  industry ;  but 
he  obviously  has  a  high  opinion  of  himself  and 
his  own  abilities, — probably  higher  than  his  read- 
ers will  entertain.  His  articles  are  prepared  up- 
on the  modern  plan  of  lectures  and  magazine  lit- 
erature. He  reads  up  for  the  occasion,  and  se- 
lects the  most  striking  thoughts  and  facts  from 
other  authors,  who  have  written  upon  the  sub- 
jects which  he  discusses.  But  he  often  shows  that 
he  has  not  practical  knowledge  enough  of  the 
subject  of  which  he  treats,  to  enable  him  to  distin- 
guish between  the  true  and  the  false — between 
the  chaff  and  the  wheat.  To  be  a  compiler  of 
other  men's  thoughts  for  practical  use,  a  man 
should  understand  the  subject  for  himself,  and  be 
able  to  discriminate  between  that  which  is  erro- 


neous, and  that  which  is  true.  Otherwise  but 
little  reliance  can  be  placed  upon  his  collections. 

We  have  already  a  sufficient  number  of  school 
books,  and  agricultural  books  manufactured  to 
order,  for  the  trade,  in  the  same  way.  Another 
objection,  too,  may  be  urged  against  some  of  these 
articles  with  propriety.  In  such  compositions, 
justice  would  seem  to  require  that  due  credit 
should  be  given  to  the  authors  consulted.  In 
some  of  these  articles  we  have  statements  given 
as  original  that  have  been  before  the  public  for 
years,  indicating  either  a  large  share  of  conceit 
in  the  writer,  or  a  low  estimate  of  the  intelligence 
of  his  readers. 

We  have  some  curiosity  to  know  whether  INIr. 
B.  is  jwid  by  the  page  for  the  matter  which  pur- 
ports to  be  original,  in  addition  to  his  salary  for 
services  in  the  office.  If  he  is,  this  will  account 
for  the  large  space  which  his  articles  occupy. 
We  certainly  do  not  object  to  a  reasonable 
amount  of  matter  from  his  pen.  Some  of  his  ar- 
ticles are  very  readable.  He  writes  in  an  easy' 
fluent  style,  and  if  we  could  feel  that  he  knows 
whereof  he  affirms,  and  could  rely  upon  his  judg- 
ment, we  should  be  satisfied.  We  know  nothing 
of  him  except  what  we  infer  from  his  style,  and 
iiianner  of  gathering  his  facts,  and  the  ex  cafJte- 
dra  spirit  apparent  in  most  of  his  articles.  It  is 
obvious  that  he  is  not  to  be  contradicted,  and  that 
we  are  expected  to  receive  his  opinions  as  law 
from  which  there  is  no  appeal.  The  modesty  of 
real  knowledge  is  not  as  apparent  as  could  be  de- 
sired. A  book  got  up  at  so  much  cost  and  print- 
ed at  the  expense  of  the  nation,  and  which  pur- 
ports to  represent  the  condition  of  agriculture  in 
the  United  States,  should  consist  of  original  and 
carefully  digested  matter,  in  all  respects  accurate 
and  reliable.  The  appropriation  by  Congress  is 
certainly  adequate  to  command  the  pens  of  the 
most  intelligent  and  competent  agricultvirists  in 
the  nation.  Perhaps  any  suspicion  of  favoritism 
in  the  employment  of  writers,  or  of  sectional- 
ism in  the  expenditure  of  the  funds  subject  to 
the  control  of  the  bureau  of  agriculture,  is  unjust, 
but  we  confess  that  a  feeling  of  this  sort  has 
sometimes  crept  over  us,  when  we  have  looked 
over  the  contents  of  the  volumes  from  this  de- 
partment. Yours,  &c.,  Middlesex. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 

'WAR'WICK  AGRICULTURAL  SOCIETY. 

IMk.  Editor  : — The  town  of  Warwick,  being 
situated  in  the  extreme  north-eastern  part  of  the 
county,  and,  by  its  location,  cut  off  from  all  in- 
terest and  influence  in  the  county  society,  it 
was  thought  advisable  to  form  a  town  society, 
not  in  the  spirit  of  opposition  to  the  county  soci- 
ety, but  with  the  view  of  bringing  home  to  the 
minds  of  all  our  farmers  the  various  improve- 
ments which  have  been  made  in  the  science  of 
agriculture.  Accordingly,  in  the  early  part  of 
the  winter,  a  large  and  flourishing  society,  com- 
posed principally  of  farmers,  was  formed,  a  con- 
stitution adopted,  and  preparations  made  for 
holding  discussions  on  some  of  the  most  inter- 
esting subjects  of  agriculture.  And  though  it  was 
no  part  of  our  design  to  make  the  learned  display 
which  is  made  by  our  "Conscript  Fathers"  at  the 
State  House,  in  their  discussions  upon  the  sub- 


252 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


June 


ject,  yet  we  did  expect  to  receive  mutual  ber.efit  drains  pass  are   quite  variable  ;  sometimes  pre- 
and  instruction,  and,  thus  far,  we  have  not  been  senting  a  level  surface,  with  a  rich  black   soil,  at 


act 


disappointed.     The   subjects  which  have  already 

been  discussed  are  the  folloAving  :   TJie  best  metli 

ods  of  making  and  saving  domestic  manures ;  the 


others  undulating,  and  presenting  below,  stones, 
rocks,  gravel,  clays,  in  one  instance  a  quick-sand 


bestiimeof  mtti7ig  the  variovs  kinds  of  grass,  a7id\^hout  as  ready  to  find  its  level  as  water  itself, 
the  best  methods  of  airing  them  ;  the  best  style  0/  and  below  most  of  these  a  hard-pan  subsoil. 
plowing  the  different  kinds  of  soil   These  discus-      xhis  interval,  or  space  between  the  hills,  was 

sions  have  been  held  once  a  fortnight.     It  is  the  « i  i    i     ■  ^  ^     «  .i 

.\     ^.         r.  .1  •  i.    *    1  "        14.         formerly  covered  during  a  greater  part  of  the 

intention  of  the  society  to  have   a  regular  town  /  *       °,.  ' 

Cattle    Snow  scrnetime  during    the  autumn.  |  y^^^r  ^■^th  stagnant  water,  supplied  from  the  hills. 
The  following  are    the   officers  for  the  present  acting  as  reservoirs,  on  either  side.     But  being 


year  : — Rev.  John  Goldsbury,  President ;  Edward 
Mayo,  Vice  President ;  Samuel  W.  Spooner,  Sec- 
retary ;  Joseph  W.  Phillips,  Treasurer ;  Elisha 
M.  Davis,  Clark  Stearns,  William  R.  Ball,  Joseph 
W.  Green,  and  Jotham  Lincoln,  Standing  Com- 
mittee. John  Goldsbuky. 


A  MORNING  IN  AN  OLD  SWAMP. 

At  a  period  when  so  much  interest  is  felt  in 
the  subject  of  Drainage,  it  is  important  that  per- 
sons engaged  in  the  operation  should  not  only 
have  access  to  the  best  works  on  the  subject,  and 
communication  with  intelligent  men  who  have 
given  the  matter  thought,  investigation  and  prac- 
tical attention,  but  they  should  be  referred  to 
works  going  on  and  also  in  a  completed  state,  in 
order  to  determine,  by  the  practical  efforts  of 
others,  whether  it  is  feasible  and  advisable  for 
them  to  embark  in  a  similar  enterprise  on  their 
own  estates.  For  cautious  and  well  considered 
movements  would  save  farmers,  as  well  as  men 
in  other  callings,  from  many  disastrous  experi- 
ments that  not  only  exhaust  their  means,  but  fill 
them  afterwards  with  prejudices  that  are  not  well 
founded,  and  that  are  exceedingly  difficult  to  be 
removed. 

It  is  with  this  view  that  we  give  an  account  of 
a  morning  visit  to  an  old  swamp — to  state  where 
an  extensive  operation  in  drainage  is  now  being 
carried  on,  and  to  suggest  to  those  contemplating 
similar  operations,  that  they  may  find  much  in  this 
work  towards  settling  the  question  whether  they 
will  embark  in  such  an  enterprise  or  not. 

It  was  a  windy  morning  in  early  March  when 
Mr.  J.  H.  Shedd,  of  the  firm  of  Shedd  &  Edson, 
Civil  Engineers  and  Surveyors,  Boston,  took  us 
to  the  pleasant  town  of  Milton,  seven  miles  from 
Boston,  to  look  at  lands  now  going  through  the 
process  of  being  underdrained,  and  belonging  to 
Messrs.  John  A.  Cunningham  and  John  M.  Forbes, 
both  Boston  merchants,  but  who  have  an  eye  for 
the  useful  and  beautiful  in  country  life. 

The  tract  on  which  the  drains  are  located  is 
considerably  elevated  above  that  immediately 
north  of  it,  and  in  this  direction,  and  by  means  of 
this  elevation,  the  necessary  fall  for  the  main 
drain  is  obtained.  The  east  and  west  sides  are 
flanked  by  hills,  and  terminating  in  somewhat 
extensive  plains  or  table  land. 

The  surface  and   the   soil  through  which  the 


well  M'ooded  with  a  rich  growth  of  young  oaks, 
maples  and  elms,  the  project  was  conceived  of 
converting  it  into  a  park  or  pleasure  ground,  by 
the  permanent  removal  of  the  water,  and  reduc- 
ing the  soil  to  a  state  of  dryness  and  solidity ; 
and  by  the  construction  of  avenues,  and  the  in- 
troduction of  such  other  features  as  might  be  de- 
sirable. 

The  trencli  for  the  main  drain  is  1450  feet  in 
length,  about  4i  feet  in  depth,  and  3^  feet  wide 
at  top,  by  3  feet  at  the  bottom.  The  least  fall  in 
any  portion  of  the  drain  is  three-tenths  of  a  foot 
in  a  hundred  feet. 

The  lateral  drains  on  the  easterly  side  of  the 
main  are  ten  in  number,  with  an  aggregate  length 
of  1900  feet,  their  average  length  being  190  feet. 
These  drains  were  laid  out  at  distances  60  feet 
apart,  are  on  the  line  of  half-rise  with  the  steepest 
ascent,  and  their  ends  run  well  into  the  hills. 

The  tract  to  be  drained  has  very  properly  been 
made  into  two  divisions,  as  the  condition  of  the 
surface  naturally  requires  two  main  drains  to  lead 
ofi"  the  water  from  the  laterals.  It  ought  to  be 
stated,  too,  that  there  was  a  small,  natural,  sinu- 
ous water-course  flowing  through  both  divisions. 
The  length  of  the  mains  and  the  laterals  passing 
into  the  brook  are  as  follows  : 

1st  division,  main  drain 1450  feet. 

1st  division,  laterals 1900      " 

2nd  division,  main  drain 550      " 

2Dd  division,  laterals 1050      " 

Brook 1550      " 

Laterals  into  brooli 1700      " 

Total S200feet. 

The  sinuous  water  course  has  been  excavated 
and  its  stream  so  much  increased  in  volume  as 
to  become  dignified  into  a  rapid  and  pleasant 
brook,  adding  greatly  to  the  appearance  of  what 
will  now  rapidly  assume  the  appearance  of  a 
clear  and  wholesome  park  ! 

The  tract  of  land  now  drained  has  long  been 
abandoned  to  stagnant  water,  lily  pads,  frogs, 
lizards  and  water  brush,  and  was  a  fair  sample 
of  those  dismal  sivamps  which  abound  in  nearly 
every  portion  of  New  England.  Now  the  sur- 
face presented  is  extremely  uneven,  and  abounds 
with  a  mass  of  decaying  vegetation,  black,  slimy 
and  disagreeable,  where  hassocks,  rotten  roots, 
and  masses  of  leaves  and  brakes  may  become  ac- 
tive agents  in  fertilizing  and  rearing  more  useful 
and  agreeable  plants. 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


253 


For  the  NeiP  England  Farmer. 
THINGS  BY  THE  WAYSIDE— No.  5. 
"TREES  BESIDE  THE  WALL." 
This  is  a  good  suggestion  of  yours,  Mr.  Editor, 
and  deserves  an  extensive  investigation.  That 
trees  having  roots  under  stone  walls,  or  a  large 
rock,  thrive  better  than  those  out  in  an  open  field 
where  the  scythe  passes  close  to  the  soil  over  the 
roots  annually,  is  quite  evident  to  the  careful  ob- 
server. The  earth  under  a  large  stone,  a  collec- 
tion of  small  stones  or  a  stone  wall,  is  always 
light  and  mellow,  easily  penetrated  by  the  surface 
roots  near  the  top  of  the  ground,  seeking  light, 
heat  and  moisture,  and  sustains  a  remarkably 
uniform  degree  of  temperature  both  summer  and 
winter.  Hundreds  of  fruit  trees  are  annually 
killed  by  drought  in  summer,  and  frost  in  winter. 
Neither  heat  or  cold  will  destroy  fruit  trees  in  a 
healthy  condition  if  the  roofs  are  properly  pro- 
tected. Three  years  ago  last  summer  I  lost  a 
beautiful  Seckle  pear  tree  by  drought.  Since  then 
I  have  carefully  guarded  against  both  drought  and 
frost  by  mulching,  the  practice  usually  adopted 
by  nursery-men  and  fruit-groM'ers.  I  have  no 
doubt  but  a  body  of  stones  covering  the  whole 
surface  under  the  tree  would  be  nmch  better,  es- 
pecially old  trees.  I  have  noticed  inquiries  in 
your  paper  concerning  the  cracking  of  fruit  trees 
in  winter.  This  probably  is  occasioned  by  the 
pressure  of  sap  to  the  top  of  the  tree,  by  freezing 
of  the  roots.  So  far  as  my  observations  have  ex- 
tended, thrifty  and  rapid  growing  trees  are  the 
first  to  suffer  in  this  way. 

CORN  AND  POTATOES — PROFITS. 
Indian  corn  is  recommended  by  a  large  major- 
ity of  writers  in  New  England  as  our  most  prof- 
itable field  crop.  This  runs  counter  to  my  expe- 
rience, and  I  beg  to  differ.  Last  summer  I  plant- 
ed three-fourths  of  an  acre  of  lis^ht  sandy  loam 
to  corn,  and  one-fourth  to  potatoes  in  the  same 
field.  Fourteen  loads  of  unfermented  manure  per 
acre  was  the  amount  used,  the  poorest  portion  be- 
ing reserved  for  the  potatoes.  Fifteen  bushels 
of  shelled  corn  and  forty-five  bushels  of  potatoes 
was  the  crop  raised.  The  corn  was  worth  one 
dollar,  and  the  potatoes  fifty  cents  per  bushel. 
By  planting  the  three-fourths  of  an  acre  in  corn 
to  potatoes,  I  should  have  realized  four  times  as 
much  in  value  at  less  expense.  This  agrees  with 
my  experience  and  observations  for  the  last  three 
years,  and  I  think  will  satisfy  any  person  who 
will  look  at  the  price  of  potatoes  for  several  years 
past  at  New  York  and  Boston  quotations.  I  be- 
lieve light  sandy  soils  are  the  best  for  potatoes 
in  these  times  of  rot.  High  manuring,  for  the 
last  few  years,  has  proved  quite  injurious. 

CARROTS  AND  RUTA  BAGAS. 

A  strong  desire  to  possess  information  upon 
this  point  of  agricultural  intelligence,  has  led  me 
to  inquire  into  the  experiments  and  results  of 
many  of  my  neighbors,  who  are  engaged  in  this 
and  many  other  experiments  of  a  kindred  nature  ; 
and  I  find  a  large  majority  of  those  I  have  con- 
sulted to  be  strongly  in  favor  of  raising  ruta  ba- 
gas  in  preference  to  carrots,  for  three  leading 
reasons. 

L  A  much  larger  crop  can  be  grown  upon  the 
same  breadth  of  land,  manure,  quality  of  soil  and 
every  thing  else  being  equal. 


2.  They  can  be  grown  at  much  less  expense,  as 
they  can  be  grown  in  drills,  or  sown  broadcast 
among  corn  ;  and  I  find  it  very  convenient  when 
sown  among  corn  to  sow  the  seed  upon  the  ma- 
nure heap  before  spreading  or  laying  out  into 
hills. 

3.  Nearly  all  kinds  of  stock  relish  them  much 
better  than  they  do  carrots,  they  sell  more  readi- 
ly in.  market  as  a  garden  sauce,  and  command  a 
higher  price. 

SEASONING   AVOOD 

for  home  consumption  or  for  the  market  is  a  very 
important  branch  of  business  among  farmers  at 
this  time,  and  any  information  upon  this  subject 
seems  to  me  to  be  of  importance.  Wood  prepared 
for  the  stove  or  open  fire  while  green,  corded  up 
in  the  open  air,  say  two  or  three  months,  then 
securely  packed  up  under  cover,  is  much  more 
valuable  than  when  cured  in  the  condition  of 
four  feet,  or  cord  wood.  Many  kinds  of  wood, 
birch  in  particular,  spalt  badly  unless  prepared 
for  the  fire  while  green.  To  avoid  this,  when 
cording  up  wood  for  the  market  or  home  con- 
sumption, pile  it  with  the  bark  up. 

L.  L.  Pierce. 
East  Jaffreij,  N.  H.,  March,  1858. 


THINNING  OUT  VEGETABLES. 

It  was  Cobbitt,  we  think,  that  remarked,  when 
speaking  of  the  ill  effect  of  thick  planting,  that 
one  cucumber  plant  in  a  hill  would  bear  more 
fruit  than  two,  two  more  than  four,  and  so  on, 
and  if  there  were  fifty  plants  in  a  hill,  the  whole 
of  them  put  together  bear  no  cucumbers  at  all ! 
The  truth  is,  there  is  a  much  greater  loss  in  al- 
lowing vegetables  to  stand  thickly  together  than 
most  are  at  all  aware  of.  To  insure  a  crop,  plenty 
of  seed  is  sown,  with  the  intention  of  thinning 
at  the  proper  time ;  but  when  thinning  day  ar- 
rives is  requires  rather  more  nerve  to  commit 
what  appears  to  be  the  merciless  havoc  of  tearing 
out  nine-tenths  of  the  beautifully  growing  young 
plants,  than  most  people  possess.  A  crop  of 
beets  has  just  commenced  forming  handsome 
bulbs,  precisely  one  inch  asunder  in  the  row ; 
certainly  something  of  the  surgeon's  temper  is 
needed  to  lay  nine-tenths  of  these  withering  in 
the  sun  ;  cucumbers  are  just  beginning  to  throw 
out  their  yellow  blossoms,  and  it  seems  to  some 
a  hard  matter  to  tear  out  three-fourths  of  the 
dozen  now  growing  in  the  hill.  It  must,  howev- 
er, be  done — all  the  surplus  plants  in  a  bed  of 
beets  or  turnips,  or  a  hill  of  cucumbers,  squashes 
or  melons  are  to  be  regarded  as  so  many  posi- 
tive, downright  weeds,  obstructing  the  growth  of 
the  rest,  and  yielding  but  little  or  nothing  them- 
selves. If  our  crops  are  to  be  crowded  and 
stunted,  we  would  quite  as  Millingly  have  it  done 
with  pig-weeds  and  fox-tail,  as  to  have  them 
smothered  and  the  soil  exhausted  by  seeds  of 
their  own  species. 

Many  years  ago,  when  the  cultivation  of  the 
rutabaga  was  first  introduced,  we  could  invaria- 
bly distinguish  the  crops  of  the  novice  by  the 
thickly-growing,  half-developed  bulbs.  "O  !  but 
they  had  thinned  them  to  a  very  great  extent — 
they  had  cut  out  three-fourths,  and  reduced  them 
from  one  inch  to  four  inches  in  distance,"  whereas 
none  should  ever  stand  nearer  than  a  foot  to  each 


254 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


JujfE 


other,  if  the  soil  possesses  anything  like  a  fair 
degree  of  fertility  ;  hut  this  looked  like  indis- 
criminate slaughter,  and  could  not  be  thought  of 
for  a  moment.  The  finest  specimens  of  garden 
products,  which  we  see  exhibited  at  horticultural 
shovvs,  are  those  -which  have  been  well  thinned 
and  allowed  every  opportunity  to  develop  them- 
selves freely;  and  the  same  is  true  of  ornamen- 
tal plants,  where  a  full,  rich  and  luxuriant  growth 
and  bloom  are  obtained  through  the  adoption  of 
the  same  principle. — Country  Gentleman. 


THE  INTERIOR  OP  WORTH  AMERICA. 

Prof.  Henry,  of  the  Smithsonian  Institution, 
has  collected  facts  representing  the  interior  of 
the  United  States,  which  will  command  the  atten- 
tion of  scientific  men  and  statesmen.  The  in- 
duction from  these  facts  is,  that  the  entire  region 
of  the  United  States  west  of  the  98th  degree 
west  longitude,  (say  the  western  boundary  of 
Minnesota,)  with  the  exception  of  a  small  portion 
of  Western  Texas  and  the  narrow  border  along 
the  Pacific,  (including  California,)  is  a  sterile 
vxiste  of  comparatively  little  value,  and  which  can 
never  be  available  to  the  agriculturist.  The  im- 
portance of  this  statement  will  be  more  fully 
comprehended  when  it  is  considered  that  the  line 
of  Prof.  Henry,  which  extends  southward  from 
Lake  Winnipeg  to  the  Mexican  Gulf,  will  divide 
the  surface  of  the  United  States  into  two  nearly 
equal  parts. 

The  intense  heat  and  extreme  dryness  of  this 
region,  which  will  make  the  Great  American 
Plains  a  barren  waste  forever,  is  caused  to  a  large 
extent,  according  to  Prof.  Henry's  theory,  by  the 
fact  that  the  returning  Trade  Winds,  sweeping 
over  the  elevated  masses  of  the  Rocky  Moun- 
tains, are  deprived  of  their  moisture  ;  in  other 
words,  the  heated  air  which  ascends  at  the  equator, 
saturated  with  moisture  it  has  extracted  in  its 
passage  over  the  ocean,  after  depositing  a  portion 
of  its  vapor  in  the  tropics  at  the  rainy  seasons,  is 
further  dessicated  by  the  ridges  and  mountains 
which  it  meets,  the  vapor  being  condensed  on  the 
windward  side  by  the  cold  due  to  the  increased 
vertical  height,  and  it  finally  passes  over  and 
strikes  the  plains  as  dry  as  a  sponge  Avhich  has 
been  thoroughly  squeezed.  Without  moisture 
there  can  be  no  fertility,  no  agriculture ;  and  a 
great  portion  of  this  wilderness,  according  to 
Prof.  Henry,  is  as  irredeemably  barren,  for  the 
purposes  of  agriculture,  as  the  deserts  of  Africa. 
If  this  theory  be  true,  it  will  greatly  modify  the 
opinions  which  have  been  entertained  by  politi- 
cians and  statesmen  of  the  future  destiny  of  the 
"Great  West." 


Soap  Suds  for  Curhaxt  Bushes.— A  cor- 
respondent of  the  Indiana  Fariner  says  :  "I  have 
found  the  cultivation  of  currants  to  be  very  profi- 
table. By  care  and  attention  I  greatly  increased 
the  size  of  the  bushes  and  the  quality  of  the 
fruit.  My  bushes  are  now  about  six  or  eight  feet 
in  height,  and  are  remarkably  thrifty.  The  cause 
of  this  large  growth  I  attribute,  in  a  great  meas- 
ure, to  the  fact  that  I  have  been  in  the  habit  of 
pouring  soap-svds  and  chamber-ley  around  their 
roots  during  the  summer  season.  I  am  satisfied, 
•"rom  my  own  experience  and  that   of  some  of 


my  neighbors,  that  the  treatment  will  produce  a 
most  astonishing  effect  upon  the  growth  and  pro- 
duct of  the  bushes,  and  would  advise  others  to 
give  it  a  trial." 

JFcn-  the  New  England  Farmer 
TALES  OF  A  TRAVELLER. 

Somebody  who  signs  "Far  East"  in  the  last 
weekly  Farmer,  and  whose  knowledge  seems  to 
exceed  his  faith,  seems  disturbed  at  my  seeing 
white  pines  and  hemlocks  in  the  neighborhood  of 
Baden-Baden,  and  thinks  the  discovery  "will 
create  quite  an  uproar  amongst  the  botanists." 
He  says  truly  that  the  trees  in  question  "are  held 
to  be  natives  of  the  new  world  only."  ladian 
corn  and  tobacco  are  held  to  be  natives  of  the 
new  world  only,  but  fields  of  them  are  growing 
all  along  in  Germany.  I  am  myself  a  native  of 
the  new  world,  and  yet  there  are  many  who  would 
testify  that  they  saw  me  in  Europe  last  summer. 

But  as  to  the  white  pines  near  Baden-Baden, 
On  the  3d  day  of  August  last  I  walked  out  with 
three  friends  from  Canada,  v^p  a  short,  steep  hill;, 
close  by  that  city  of  fashion  and  folly.  I  was 
struck  at  finding  myself  among  white  pine  trees, 
which  extended  over  many  acres,  covering  the 
steep  side  hill  so  far  that  I  could  not  see  their 
termination.  They  looked  thrifty,  and  as  if  they 
might  have  had  forty  or  fifty  years'  grovi'th,  and 
the  ground  beneath  them  was  coYcred  with  their 
leaves.  I  was  as  much  surprised  at  the  sight  as 
our  "Far  East"  friend  is  at  the  statement,  and 
while  my  companions  reposed  on  the  grass,  I 
wandered  off  to  find  a  branch  low  enough  to  ex- 
amine, and  finally  returned  with  a  handful  of 
twigs,  and  explained  to  them  my  botanical  no- 
tions. They  weie  white  pines,  as  we  all  knew, 
though  we  were  as  much  surprised  at  meeting 
them  as  they  were  at  meeting  «s,  so  far  from 
home.  The  hemlocks  I  saw  at  the  "old  castle/' 
six  miles,  I  think,  from  the  watering-place.  There 
is  a  heavy  forest  close  about  the  ruins,  and  large 
trees  growing  up  inside  the  walls,  indicating  the 
great  antiquity  of  the  structure.  I  took  one  of 
my  friends  back  a  long  way  to  convince  him  that 
there  were  large  maples  growing  there.  The 
woods  look  as  wild  as  a  New  Hampshire  moun- 
tain, and  we  spoke  of  the  remai'kable  variety  of 
forest  trees,  as  we  looked  down  upon  them  from 
the  towering  old  walls.  As  to  how  our  native 
trees  came  there,  history  is  by  no  means  silent. 
Loudon,  in  his  Arboretum,  vol.  1,  p.  147,  says  : 

"The  margraves  of  Baden  have,  from  the  ear- 
liest ages,  been  much  attached  to  planting  and 
gardening.  The  worthy  old  margrave  Charles, 
who  died  about  1805,  and  one  of  his  sons  yet 
alive,  may  be  reckoned  amongst  the  most  zealous 
promoters  of  the  planting  of  foreign  trees  and 
shrubs,  in  proof  of  which  we  need  only  refer  to 
the  parks  at  Carlsruhe,  Schwetzingen,  Mannheim 
and  Baden-Baden." 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  PARMER. 


255 


The  same  author  says  the  planting  of  the  cas- 
tle garden  at  Heidelberg  was  begun  in  1615,  and 
"at  Haroke,  near  Helmstadt,  there  is  a  very  in- 
teresting garden  laid  out  in  different  scenes, 
which  are  called  Canada,  Virginia,  &c.,  from  the 
native  countries  of  the  trees  planted  in  them." 

It  need  not  surprise  us  that  our  forest  trees  of 
full  growth  are  found  all  over  Europe.  The  white 
pine  (pinus  strobiis,)  was  introduced  into  Kent, 
in  England,  so  early  that  the  trees  "began  to  bear 
cones  with  perfect  seeds,"  says  Loudon,  "about 
1720."  Perhaps  my  expression  was  not  precise- 
ly accurate  when  I  said  that  the  white  pine  is 
found  near  Baden  "in  its  natural  growth."  I 
meant  that  it  grew  as  it  naturally  grows,  not  that 
it  was  a  tree  that  was  originally  found  there.  I 
presume  the  pines  I  had  in  mind  were  grown 
from  the  seed  artificially  planted,  and  that  the 
present  forest  about  the  old  castle  sprang  up 
from  the  seeds  and  sprouts  of  those  planted  there 
centuries  ago.  At  all  events  I  defy  Nature  herself 
to  make  a  more  "natural growth"  than  maybe  seen 
there  now. 

I  hope  no  Down  Easter  will  hold  up  to  view 
the  spelling  of  some  of  the  proper  names  in  my 
letter  from  Lyons  in  the  April  number.  It  gave 
me  a  profitable  admonition  to  write  plainer  in 
future,  especially  when  dealing  in  the  names  of 
French  and  German  places.      H.  F.  French. 

April  o,  1858. 

For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
CULTURE  OF  MAIZE   OB  INDIAN"  COEN. 

It  is  refreshing,  in  these  days  of  visionary 
speculation,  to  find  such  salutary  instructions  as 
have  lately  appeared  on  this  subject  in  that  truly 
sensible  journal,  the  Country  Gentleman.  While 
one  is  hunting  the  arid  sands  of  Africa  for  Im- 
jjhee,  and  another  is  importing  his  Sorghum  (for 
sugar)  from  China — the  substantial  farmer  from 
the  granite  hills  of  New  Hampshire  tells  how  we 
may  prosper  best  by  cultivating  our  omu  Indian 
Corn.  This  plant  we  know,  and  have  known  it 
ever  since  our  sires  first  rested  on  the  sands  of 
Plymouth,  where  it  is  still  cultivated  as  success- 
fully as  anywhere  we  know.  It  is  easy  to  dem- 
onstrate that  a  net  i^^'ofit  of  Jiftij  dollars  an  acre 
can  be  realized  annually  by  the  growing  of  this 
crop.  Any  farmer  possessing  one  hundred  acres, 
can  find  the  means  of  cultivating  ten  acres  of 
corn,  and  hence  an  income  of  $500.  The  remain- 
der of  his  land  will  meet  other  expenses  of  the 
family  and  farm ;  and  let  this  course  of  industry 
be  followed  for  ten  years,  he  will  have  the  means 
of  paying  for  his  land,  and  settling  down  truly 
independent.  *^* 

April,  1858. 

What  an  Industrious  Man  can  Do. — What 
an  industrious  man  can  do  in  a  single  year  as  a 
farmer  on  our  soil,  is  sufficiently  explained  by 
whai  Mr.  S.  P.  Scofield,  of  the  town  of  Russ,  in 
this  county,  has  done  since  last  March.  He  com- 
menced by  splitting  rails  enough  to  make  three- 


fourths  of  a  mile  of  fence,  all  of  which  fence  was 
in  due  time  made.  He  gathered  last  harvest — 
295  bushels  of  wheat ;  150  bushels  of  corn  ;  140 
bushels  of  oats  ;  90  bushels  of  buckwheat  ;  85 
bushels  of  potatoes  ;  50  bushels  of  turnips.  Mrs. 
Scofield,  in  the  meantime,  made  250  pounds  of 
butter  from  the  milk  of  four  cows,  from  which  we 
infer  that  she  is  not  herself  afraid  of  work.  Mr. 
Scofield  has  labored  the  whole  season  under  the 
disadvantage  of  having  no  team  of  his  own.  This 
deficiency  he  supplied  by  "changing  work"  with 
a  neighboi- — he  himself  working  one  day  for  the 
use  of  the  team  another  day. — Galena  Advertiser. 


EXTRACTS   AND  REPLIES. 
MOWING   MACHINES. 

Mr.  Editor  : — I  have  heard  so  much  said 
about  this  class  of  implements,  that  I  sought  the 
abstract  of  returns  from  the  several  societies,  to 
learn  which  was  best  to  be  purchased.  But  to 
my  astonishment,  I  found  there  only  three  spoken 
of — and  these  in  a  manner  that  I  could  not  de- 
cide which  was  to  be  preferred.  Allen's,  Manny's 
and  Ketchum's  are  the  machines  mentioned.  All 
of  these  appear  to  have  done  good  work — but 
each  and  all  of  them  are  open  to  exceptions.  Is 
it  not  time  that  our  farmers  should  be  informed  of 
an  implement  unexceptionable  in  its  character? 
We  do  not  expect  this  information  from  the  ma- 
kers and  venders  themselves,  because  they  have 
too  much  interest  in  their  own  wares  not  to  jmjf 
them.  But  we  do  expect  it  from  those  who  are 
clothed  with  the  authority  of  the  State, — and  we 
think  it  is  their  duty  to  be  fully  advised  in  these 
matters,  and  to  lose  no  time  in  giving  reliable 
information  to  their  constituents.  * 

April,  1858. 

Remarks. — We  think  our  correspondent,  *,  is 
asking  too  much  ;  there  is  no  mowing  machine 
in  existence,  probably,  which  is  "unexceptionable 
in  its  character" — that  is,  so  perfect  that  no  fault 
can  reasonably  be  found  in  it.  Is  it  not  quite 
likely  that  "those  who  are  clothed  with  the  au- 
thority of  the  State,"  may  entertain  different 
views  of  the  merits  of  the  several  machines,  as 
well  as  others  ? 

We  can  see  no  other  way  than  for  farmers  to 
test  them  for  themselves,  and  then  compare  the 
opinions  made  up  from  such  tests.  There  were 
several  machines  used  in  this  State  last  year 
which  worked  well :  Manny's,  Ketchum's  and  Al- 
len's were  in  general  use,  and  we  have  great  con- 
fidence that  the  Heath  Machine,  to  which  was 
awarded  the  thousand  dollar  premium,  is  to  take 
a  high  stand  among  them  all.  Some  errors  in 
the  construction  have  been  corrected,  and«it  is 
now  ready  for  the  public,  manufactured  with  great 
care,  and  preserving  the  plan  of  the  original  ma- 
chine. 

GUTTA  PERCHA   PIPE. 

Can  you  or  any  of  your  correspondents  inform 
me  where  gutta  percha  pipe  can  be  obtained,  and 
at  what  price  per  foot  for  §  or  h.  inch  hole,  and  if 


2.'n 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


June 


it  is  healthy  to  use  the  water  passing  through  it  ? 
Also,  if  it  is  cheaper  than  lead  pipe,  and  whether 
it  must  be  laid  in  logs  or  without  ?  Will  it  bear 
the  pressure  that  ten  ounces  lead  pipe  per  foot 
will  ?  W.  J.  Smith. 

Ludlow,  VL,  1858. 

Remarks. — Gutta  percha  pipe  of  any  size  and 
in  any  quantity  may  be  obtained  of  Charles  Stod- 
der,  7-5  Kilby  Street,  Boston.  It  costs  about 
the  same  as  lead  pipe ;  does  not  affect  the  Avater, 
and  need  not  be  laid  in  logs.  Cannot  tell  you 
about  the  pressure  it  will  bear. 

SHAKKR   GRAFTING   CEMENT. 

I  have  forwarded  you  a  few  pounds  of  grafting 
cement,  and  wish  you  to  give  it  a  trial. 

It  is  composed  of  such  ingredients  as  make  it 
the  best  article  for  grafting  in  its  various  forms 
now  in  use.  It  is  perfectly  pliable  at  a  proper 
temperature  of  the  weather,  and  may  be  spread 
upon  the  cut  surface  of  the  grafted  stalk,  with 
■the  most  perfect  ease,  with  the  fingers,  by  touch- 
ing them  to  a  little  tallow,  which  all  grafters  usu- 
ally have  with  them.  The  greatest  heat  of  the 
sun  will  not  cause  it  to  run  off  the  stalk,  neither 
will  it  crack  or  pull  of,  as  most  other  cements  do 
the  second  year. 

I  have  used  this  cement  more  than  twenty 
years,  and  have  yet  seen  nothing  of  the  kind  that 
will  equal  it.  Others  who  have  used  it,  acknowl- 
edge it  to  be  the  best  article  in  their  knowledge. 
I  call  it  Shaker  Grafting  Cement. 

Peter  A.  Foster. 

Shaker  Village,  Merrimac  Co.,  N.  H. 

Remarks. — Thank  you,  Sir.  We  shall  try 
your  "Shaker  Grafting  Cement"  in  a  few  days, 
and  if  it  proves  good,  we  will  tell  the  "world's 
people"  so.  

LAMP   OIL. 

To  Remove  Lamp  Oil  from  Cotton  and  Woolen 
Goods. — Rub  in  thoroughly  with  the  hand  some 
clean,  fresh  lard,  let  it  remain  for  two  or  three 
hovu's,  then  apply  soft  soap,  and  Avash  in  warm 
water.  This  can  be  depended  on. 
MILCH  cows. 

Can  you  inform  me  if  a  book  entitled,  I  think, 
"Guenon's  Cow  Book,"  is  in  print  now,  and  where 
it  can  be  obtained  ?  The  book  contained,  what 
was  claimed  to  be,  a  discovery  made  by  Mr. 
Guenon,  a  Frenchman,  of  a  never-failing  means 
of  ascertaining  the  milking  properties  of  cows  by 
the  direction  of  the  growth  of  the  hair  upon  the 
rump  of  the  animal.  It  was  transcril^ed  entire  to 
the  pages  of  the  Montldy  Journal  of  Agricul- 
ture, published  by  Greeley  &  McElrath,  New 
York.  B.  F.  M. 

Lmvell,  Mass.,  April  V2th,  1858. 

Remarks. — The  book  you  inquire  for  may  be 
found  at  this  office,  as  well  as  all  the  best  works 
on  agricultural  and  horticultural  subjects.  The 
pamphlet  edition  of  Guenon  costs  37^  cents. 

turkeys — HOW  TO   RAISE  ? 
Some  few  months  since  I  noticed  in  your  pa- 
per an  article  stating  that  sixty-six  turkeys  had 


been  raised  from  two  or  three  hen  turkeys.  I 
would  like  to  inquire  in  regard  to  the  feeding  and 
other  care  bestowed,  by  which  such  a  fort\inate 
result  was  obtained.  In  this  vicinity  many  of 
our  farmers  find  it  extremely  difficult  to  raise 
even  a  small  number  of  this  valuable  fowl. 
Gloucester,  April.  1858.        G.  II.  Procter. 

cure  FOR  CHILBLAINS. 
Take  a  saucer  full  of  beef  brine,  and  if  it  be 
cold  weather,  warm  it  a  little  ;  then  take  a  flan- 
nel cloth  and  dip  it  into  the  brine,  rub  it  on  and 
dry  it  in,  and  a  few  applications  will  entirely  re- 
move the  chilblains.      L.  F.  D. 

A   SICK  HEIFER. 

I  have  a  two-year  old  heifer  which  has  been 
troubled  since  a  few  months  old  with  a  constant 
running  at  the  eyes.  Will  you  or  some  of  your 
numerous  correspondents  please  inform  me  the 
cause  and  remedy,  and  oblige, 

Freetown,  April,  1858.  A  Subscriber. 


WHEAT   STRAW. 

Last  season  we  were  presented  with  a  speci- 
men of  wheat  straw  for  examination,  which  had 
grown  on  a  piece  of  land  formerly  very  produc- 
tive in  this  species  of  grain,  but  which  had  failed 
to  produce  it  for  some  years,  except  in  very  di- 
minished quantities.  On  examining  the  texture 
of  the  straw,  it  was  found  to  be  lax,  and  very 
"flabby,"  something  like  a  towstring,  without  so- 
lidity or  strength.  The  cause  of  this  was  at  once 
apparent.  The  soluble  silex  of  the  soil  necessa- 
ry to  the  production  of  a  firm,  glossy  straw,  had 
been  exhausted  by  the  previous  crops,  and  the 
present  one  had  failed  from  want  of  a  supply. 
No  wheat  can  be  produced  where  this  mineral 
ingredient  does  not  exist.  It  is  still  more  diffi- 
cult to  grow  barley  where  there  is  not  considera- 
ble sand  or  gravel. 

Land  for  wheat  should  not  be  made  very  rich ; 
if  it  is,  there  will  be  a  great  growth  of  long,  coarse 
straw,  which  will  be  quite  likely  to  fall  before 
the  berry  is  formed,  and  the  crop  fails.  There  is 
little  danger  of  this  in  the  Indian  corn  crop — it 
will  bear  almost  any  amount  of  manure.  Where 
it  is  intended  to  lay  land  to  grass  with  wheat,  it 
is  best  to  manure  rather  lightly  for  the  wheat,  if 
the  land  is  in  tolerably  good  condition,  and  add 
the  fine  manure  to  the  young  grass  immediately 
after  the  wheat  is  harvested. 


The  Borer. — INIr.  Travis,  of  Natick,  states 
that  a  mixture  of  one  part  salt,  two  parts  fresh 
slaked  lime,  and  two  parts  soft  soap,  applied  to 
the  lower  limbs  and  the  body  of  the  apple  tree, 
after  first  scraping  the  tree  gently,  will  prevent 
the  borer  from  depositing  its  eggs  in  the  bark. 
It  should  be  applied  about  the  middle  of  April. 
He  states  that  the  success  of  this  remedy  is  com- 
plete. 


isr>s. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FAR:MER. 


257 


A  FINE   MORGAJNT,— TOM  HOWARD. 


Every  body  loves  a  good  horse, — and  when 
hflkling  the  ribbons  behind  one  possessing  the 
symmetry  and  spirit  of  the  one  presented  in  our 
engraving,  it  inspires  us  with  a  feeling  kindred  to 
that  which  the  eagle  seems  to  possess,  of  going 
where  we  will  without  restraint  or  fear  of  fatigue. 

For  beauty  of  form,  and  power  of  endurance, 
added  to  gentleness  and  graceful  activity,  proba- 
bly no  breed  of  horses  in  the  world  surpasses 
the  Morgans.  When  well  treated,  they  are  kind 
in  every  harness,  and  in  the  hands  of  those  who 
are  willing  to  take  some  pains  with  them,  will 
soon  learn  so  much  of  the  road  or  the  farm,  as 
to  show  a  surprising  degree  of  intelligence.  The 
Morgans  are  seldom  vicious,  are  strong,  compact, 
sure-footed,  and  weigh  about  ten  hundred,  vary- 
ing both  below  and  above  that  size  occasionally. 

A  friend  whose  knowledge  of  horses  is  scarcely 
surpassed  by  that  of  any  person  in  New  England, 
told  us  the  other  day  that  his  father  long  owned 
a  Morgan  horse  that  he  frequently  drove  from 
Brattleboro',Vt.,  to  Hartford,  Conn.,  80  miles,  in 
one  day,  attached  to  a  chaise  containing  two  per- 
sons, and  that  he  did  this  service  handsomely  af- 
ter he  was  24  years  old ! 


As  roadsters,  coach  or  stage  horses,  they  can 
scarcely  be  equalled,  while  they  are  rarely  excelled 
in  fleetness  by  any  other  breed  on  the  turf. 

li.  B.  Westover,  Esq.,  of  Castleton,  Vt.,  the 
owner,  says  that  Tom  Howard,  the  subject  of  our 
cut,  was  sired  by  the  celebrated  Black  Hawk,  for- 
merly owned  by  David  Hill,  of  Bridport,  Ad- 
dison county,  Vt.,  (now  dead,)  widely  known  as 
the  sire  of  Ethan  Allen,  Lancet,  Black  Hawk 
Maid,  Bill  of  Saratoga,  Black  Ralph,  Lady  Litch- 
field, and  other  famous  trotting  horses,  and  as  bt- 
ing  the  parental  head  of  this  most  distinguishctl 
family  of  Morgans.  Tom  Howard's  dam  was  the 
noted  Henry  Mare,  sired  by  Barney's  Henry  G. 
D.  Queen  Bess,  sired  by  Sherman  Morgan,  Bar-  ' 
ney's  Henry  by  Allen's  Young  Signal,  he  by  old 
Imported  Signal;  his  clean,  lean  head,  his  broad 
forehead,  bold,  full  and  prominent  eyes,  delicate 
ears  and  flat,  clean  limbs,  give  unmistakable  ev- 
idence of  a  large  infusion  of  superior  blood. 

Tom  Howard  is  a  beautiful  raven-black,  not  a 
white  hair  on  him,  stands  16^  hands  high,  weighs 
1250  pounds,  and  will  be  7  years  old  the  20th  of 
June.  For  style,  symmetry  and  action,  he  can- 
not be  surpassed  ;  is  a  splendid  stepper ;  his  colts 


2oS 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


June 


ftre  justly  celebrated  for  speed,  bottom  and  good 
tem))er,  and  are  eagerly  sought  after,  command- 
ing prices  from  $200  to  $2,500,  according  to  age. 


BEAUTIFUL    HANDS. 

As  a  young  friend  was  standing  with  us  notic- 
ing the  pedestrians  on  the  sidewalk,  a  very  styl- 
ish and  elegant  girl  passed  us.  "What  beautiful 
hands  Miss has  !"  exclaimed  our  friend. 

"What  makes  them  beautiful?" 

"Why,  they  are  small,  white,  soft  and  exquis- 
itely shaped.  The  fingers  taper  down  most  deli- 
cately, and  there  is  a  roseate  blush  on  the  finger- 
nails that  no  artist  could  imitate." 

"Is  that  all  that  constitutes  the  beauty  of  the 
hand?  Is  not  something  more  to  be  included  in 
your  catalogue  of  beauty  which  you  have  not 
enumerated  to  make  the  hand  desirable  ?" 

"What  more  would  you  have  ?" 

"Are  they  charitahle  hands  ?  Have  they  ever 
fed  the  poor  ?  Have  they  ever  carried  the  ne- 
cessities of  life  to  the  widow  and  the  orphan  ? 
Has  their  soft  touch  ever  soothed  the  irritation 
of  sickness,  and  calmed  the  agonies  of  pain? 
Do  the  poor  bless  those  rosy-tipped  fingers  as 
their  wants  are  supplied  by  them  ? 

"Are  they  useful  hands  ?  Have  they  been 
taught  that  the  world  is  not  a  plaj-ground,  or  a 
theatre  of  display,  or  a  mere  lounging  place  ? 
Do  those  delicate  hands  ever  labor  ?  Are  they 
ever  employed  about  the  domestic  duties  of  life 
— the  homely,  ordinary  employments  of  the  house- 
hold ?  Or  does  the  owner  leave  all  that  to  her 
mother,  while  she  nourishes  her  delicate  hands 
in  idleness  ? 

"Are  they  modest  hands  ?  Will  they  perform 
their  charities  or  their  duties  without  vanity  ? 
Or  do  they  pander  to  the  pride  of  their  owner 
by  their  delicacy  and  beauty?  Does  she  think 
more  of  their  display  than  of  the  improvement 
of  her  intellect  and  character  ?  Had  she  rather 
be  called  'the  girl  with  the  beautiful  hands'  than 
to  receive  any  other  praise  for  excellency  of  con- 
duct or  character  ? 

"Are  they  htt.mhie  hands?  Will  their  owner 
extend  them  to  grasp  the  hard  hand  of  that  old 
schoolfellow,  who  sat  at  the  same  desk  with  her 
and  on  the  same  recitation  bench,  but  who  now 
must  earn  her  living  by  her  labor  ?  Or  Mill  they 
remain  concealed,  in  their  exclusiveness,  in  her 
aristocratic  muft',  as  she  sweeps  by  her  former 
companion  ? 

"Arc  they  religious  hands  ?  Are  they  ever 
clasped  in  prayer  or  elevated  in  praise  ?  Does 
she  remember  the  God  who  has  made  her  to  dif- 
fer from  so  many  of  her  sex,  and  devote  her  mind, 
her  heart,  her  hands,  to  his  service  ?  Does  she 
try  to  imitate  her  Saviour  by  going  about  doing 
good  ?  Or  are  her  hands  too  delicate,  too  beau- 
tiful to  be  employed  in  good  works  ? 

"These  are  qualities  that  make  the  hand  a 
beautiful  one,  in  my  estimation.  There  is  an 
amaranthine  loveliness  in  such  hands  superior  to 
the  tapering  slenderness  of  the  fingers  or  the  ro- 
seate hue  of  the  nails." 

'•}'oh,  poh,  you  treat  this  subject  too  seriously. 
Besl'ies,  you  forget  the  most  valuable  ])articular 
ir  a  »  oung  man  like  me.  IVill  she  (■heerj'ulhj  give 
me  luat  liund  to  keepT' — Hartford  Courant. 


For  the  New  England  Farvier. 
HOW  DEEP  SHALL  "WE   PLOW? 

Who  can  answer  this  question  ?  the  first  that 
arises  on  going  into  the  field  to  cultivate.  Shall 
it  be  four  or  twelve  inches  deep  ?  or  any  inter- 
mediate quantity  ?  It  Avould  seem,  as  all  plants 
that  grow  make  use  of  twelve  inches  or  more  of 
soil,  that  it  should  be  stirred  to  this  depth,  if 
practicable.  The  best  cultivators  I  know,  adopt 
this  practice.  Those  who  plow  less  depth  than 
this  have  more  regard  to  ease  of  labor  than  prof- 
its of  crops.  I  am  quite  well  assured,  that  no 
one  can  grow  a  fair  crop  of  Indian  corn,  wheat 
or  barley,  on  shallow  culture.  Some  are  afraid 
to  start  the  hard  pan  or  subsoil,  through  fear  of 
turning  up  a  barren  or  unproductive  substance. 
This  is  because  they  do  not  understand  their 
business.  The  best  way  of  guarding  against 
drought,  the  chief  bugbear  of  New  England  cul- 
ture, is  to  plow  deep  and  fertilize  liberally ;  tak- 
ing care  to  save  manure  from  evaporation,  by  in- 
termingling or  covering  it  with  soil.  I  am  not 
unmindful  that  no  general  rule  can  be  prescribed 
that  will  be  suited  to  all  soils  and  to  all  crops  ; 
but  still  I  think  there  are  some  principles,  which 
are  applicable,  to  some  extent,  to  all  crops. — 
Among  these,  I  believe,  complete  pulverizations 
of  the  soil  and  complete  intermingling  of  the 
manure  will  be  found  conspicuous.  I  have  never 
known  any  crops  to  be  prejudiced  by  this  being 
done  ;  but  have  often  known  them  to  suff"er  for 
the  want  of  these  operations.  If  cultivators 
would  be  vigilant  in  thus  applying  their  energies, 
they  would  find  their  reward,  in  seasons  of  har- 
vest. I  have  personal  knowledge  of  a  farm, 
where  the  soil  was  considered  very  gravelly  and 
unproductive.  On  this  farm,  within  ten  years 
last  past,  deep  plowing,  say  from  nine  to  twelve 
inches,  has  generally  been  introduced.  The  con- 
sequence has  been,  crops  have  been  grown  equal 
to  those  on  the  best  farms  around.  Whether 
deep  plowing  was  the  cause  or  not,  I  will  leave 
for  others  to  say.  *»* 

April,  1858. 

Mr.  Morrill's  Land  Bill. — The  Washing- 
ton correspondent  of  the  Philadelphia  Enquirer 
says  of  the  new  bill  giving  lands  to  the  States 
for  agricultural  and  mechanical  j^urposes  : 

"The  entire  amount  ■thus  given  to  the  States 
exceeds  six  millions  of  acres.  Instead  of  being 
apportioned  according  to  the  various  areas  in 
acres  or  square  miles,  it  is  distributed  on  the  ba- 
sis of  Congressional  representation,  allowing 
20,000  acres  for  each  Senator  and  Representative 
in  Congress.  The  result  is  that  the  largest  States 
sometimes  gets  the  smallest  quantity  of  land. 
The  distribution  will  be  as  follows :  New  York, 
700,000  acres;  Pennsylvania,  540,000;  Ohio, 
460,000;  Virginia,  300,000;  Massachusetts  and 
Indiana,  260,000  each  ;  Kentucky  and  Tennessee, 
240,000  each  ;  Illinois,  220,000  ;  North  Carolina 
and  Georgia  200,000  each  ;  New  Jersey  and  ]\Iis- 
sissippi,  140,000  each ;  Connecticut,  Louisiana 
and  Michigan,  120,000  each  ;  New  Hampshire, 
Vermont  and  Wisconsin,  100,000  each ;  Rhode 
Island,  Arkansas,  Texas,  Iowa  and  California, 
80,000  each ;  and  Delaware  and  Florida,  60,000 
each." 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARIMER. 


259 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
NEW  BNQIiAND  AND  THE  "WEST. 
.  How  the  New  England  farmer  can  successfully 
compete  with  the  Western  planter,  is  a  serious 
question.  Upon  its  truthful  answer  depend  the 
enterprise  and  thrift  of  many  New  England  men. 
Let  it  once  be  settled,  that  the  prairie  farmer 
has  the  pecuniary  advantage  in  the  agricultural 
yoke,  and  the  right  arm  of  New  England  indus- 
try is  paralized.  On  the  contrary,  let  it  be  proved 
by  facts,  that  economy,  industry  and  intelligence 
are  all  that  is  requisite  to  make  the  Eastern 
States  the  equal  of  other  sections  of  the  country, 
and  New  England  will  become  what  she  of  right 
ought  to  be,  the  garden  of  America,  the  Eden  of 
the  world.  Her  roxigh  and  sterile  soil  will  be- 
come polished  and  fruitful.  Her  unsightly  rocks 
will  either  sink  into  her  bosom,  or  rise  in  palaces 
of  marble.  Her  frozen  lakes,  so  useless  at  home, 
"will  equalize  both  the  temperature  and  the  com- 
merce of  other  zones.  "Her  hills  will  be  covered 
vith  flocks  and  her  valleys  clothed  with  corn." 
Success  is  ever  the  key  of  enterprise.  I  pro- 
pose to  suggest  some  of  the  ways  of  obtaining 
this  success. 

1.  The  New  England  farmer  should  carefully 
save  his  fertilizers.  Circumstances  alter  cases,  is 
an  old  adage.  In  New  England,  land  is  compar- 
atively scarce  and  sterile.  At  the  West,  it  is 
abundant  and  fruitful.  Here,  crops  are  only 
raised  with  care  and  toil.  There,  with  ease  and 
negligence.  Here,  manure  is  bought  with  money. 
There,  they  pay  something  to  get  rid  of  it.  If  it 
shall  ever  prove  true,  that  the  more  manure,  the 
greater  the  crop,  then  it  will  be  easy  to  show 
that  the  more  manure,  the  more  successful  the 
farmer.  Indeed,  experience  proves,  that  without 
manures,  the  New  England  farmer  can  do  noth- 
ing. They  constitute  not  only  the  body,  but  the 
soul,  of  our  farming.  Therefore  I  repeat  it,  care- 
fully save  all  yotir fertilizers. 

2.  Be  ready  to  adopt  the  improved  methods  of 
cultivation.  We  hear  much  said  about  high  cul- 
tivation and  improved  implements,  but  the  pro- 
gressive farmer,  should  know  their  meaning  by 
sight  and  feeling  as  well  as  sound.  Faith  Avith- 
out  works  is  as  contemptible  in  agriculture  as  in 
religion.  He  that  makes  two  spires  of  grass 
grow  where  one  grew  before,  is  accounted  a  pub- 
lic benefactor.  No  man  of  common  intelligence 
will  say  that  the  capabilities  of  our  soil  have  been 
fully  tested.  Neither  is  it  literally  true,  that  land 
is  scarce  in  New  England.  Not  one-third  of  her 
ground  has  been  cultivated  or  improved.  If  all 
the  land  in  the  six  Eastern  States  was  equally  dis- 
tributed to  its  inhabitants,  every  man,  woman 
and  child  would  possess  nearly  forty  acres.  In 
the  good  time  coming,  when  every  acre  shall  sus- 
tain its  man,  a  vast  amount  of  produce  will  be 
sold  to  somebody.  Our  position  gives  us  the  ad- 
vantage of  our  Western  brethren.  We  are  nearer 
the  sea-board  and  the  great  marts  of  trade.  It 
will  cost  us  less  for  the  transportation  of  our 
produce.  This  transportation  will  always  be  a 
cash  article.  This  cash  must  necessarily  be  de- 
ducted from  the  profits  of  agriculture.  This  profit, 
saved  by  the  New  England  farmer,  will  purchase 
many  of  the  luxuries  of  life,  that  the  Western 
farmer  cannot  afford  to  enjoy.  Rye,  corn,  pota- 
toes, butter,  eggs,  beef,  pork,  veal  and  poultry. 


things  which  almost  every  fai'm  can  spare,  are 
here  usually  cashed  at  sight. 

There  are  some  men  that  affect  to  pity  the 
eastern  farmer,  because  he  has  to  contend  with  a 
rugged  soil,  in  a  vigorous  climate.  Such  men 
seem  to  forget  the  old  proverb,  "that  nothing 
valuable  is  obtained  without  labor."  It  is  glory 
enough  to  live  in  New  England,  even  if  we  work 
hard  for  it.  Besides,  no  man  can  expect  success 
in  any  business  without  industry.  "Employment 
makes  a  people  happy,"  said  the  immortal  Web- 
ster. To  attain  the  highest  success  the  farmer 
must  attend  closely  to  his  business.  He  must 
use  caution  on  the  one  hand,  and  energy  on  the 
other.  He  must  never  put  off  till  to-morrow,  that 
which  should  be  done  to-day.  He  must  be  pro- 
phet enough  to  anticipate,  at  least,  one  day's  work 
ahead.     In  short  he  must  be  icide  awaJce. 

3.  Be  intelligent.  The  time  was,  when  the 
strongest  man  was  the  best  farmer.  To  knock 
down  a  bullock  with  the  fist  was  a  crowning  qual- 
ification. But  times  are  changed.  Brains  are 
fast  taking  the  place  of  brute  force,  and  mind  is 
displacing  matter,  otherwise  the  ox  would  be 
more  skilful  than  the  man.  To  sustain  the  well- 
earned  reputation  of  our  ancestors,  we  must  in- 
crease our  intelligence.  New  England  is  fore« 
most  in  all  things  else — let  her  be  in  this.  We 
must  read  more,  attend  farmer's  clubs,  exchange 
opinions,  compare  notes,  learn  different  practices, 
ask  counsel,  take  advice,  draw  conclusions,  but 
finally  trust  in  our  own  judgment.  There  are 
some  men  who  condemn  book  farming  indiscrim- 
inately. They  try  a  single  theory,  and  if  it  does 
not  work  well,  they  reject  all  other  theories. 
With  a  serious  air,  they  tell  us,  that  ^^practice 
alone  brings  success."  Such  reasoning  answers 
for  old  men  better  than  for  young  America.  The 
fault  is  not  so  much  in  the  theory,  as  in  the  judg- 
ment. All  the  theories  in  the  world  will  not 
hurt  men  who  use  judgment.  The  mind  must 
work.  Intelligence  is  the  price  of  the  highest 
agricultural  success.      J^uiEs  Newton  Bagg. 

West  Springfield,  1858. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
ON  KILLING  KOBINS. 

Mr.  Editor  : — We  have  a  good  many  cherry 
trees  on  our  place ;  among  them  is  one  whose 
fruit  ripens  very  early.  For  the  last  two  years 
we  have  had  hardly  a  cherry  from  this  tret-,  on 
account  of  the  ravages  made  by  the  robins.  As 
soon  as  one  began  to  ripen  it  was  sure  to  be 
pecked.  This  work  went  on,  until  every  one 
worth  pecking  was  pecked ;  doubtless,  greatly  to 
the  delight  of  the  birds,  but  very  little  to  us.  So 
with  the  later  kinds  ;  the  largest  and  fairest  of 
the  fruit  was  plucked  or  mangled  so  as  to  be  un- 
fit for  use. 

I  think  it  will  be  justifiable,  on  the  gi-ound  of 
self-defence,  to  use  a  little  shot  among  our  trou- 
blesome visitors  this  year. 

It  is  doubtless  true,  as  Mr.  Flagg  says,  that 
the  robins  destroy  vast  numbers  of  earth-worms 
before  the  fruits  are  ripe  enough  to  furnish  them 
food  ;  but  if  it  appears  that  they  are  of  less  ben- 
efit in  this  respect,  than  they  are  of  injury  in  des- 
troying our  fruit,  shall  we  not  be  justified  in  cai-- 
rying  the  war  into  the  enemy's  country  ?   By  vir- 


260 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


June 


tue  of  the  dominion  given  him  over  birds,  beasts 
and  fishes,  man  may  use  these  creatures  in  the 
way  that  will  benefit  him  most.  It  is  no  more 
■wrong  to  kill  an  ox  for  food,  than  it  is  to  compel 
him  to  draw  a  burden.  Every  one  will  allow 
there  is  no  wrong  in  killing  a  turkey  or  a  chick- 
en for  food  ;  and  what  wrong  is  there  in  killing 
a  dozen  robins  for  food  ?  None,  because  the  end 
in  view  is  a  useful  one.  So  when  these,  or  any 
other  birds,  or  animals  of  any  other  kind,  become 
so  numerous  as  to  be  of  positive  injury  to  us,  we 
do  no  wrong  in  killing  them,  because  by  so  doing 
we  find  ourselves  better  off  than  we  should  be,  if 
we  suffered  them  to  live — in  other  words,  because 
our  object  is  a  useful  one. 

It  is  pleasing  to  see  the  sprightly  redbreast 
hopping  along  the  ground,  or  skipping  among 
the  branches,  and  it  is  still  more  pleasing  to  hear 
him  at  daybreak  pouring  forth  his  rich  notes  with 
.so  much  animation,  but  if  we  are  to  have  these 
gi'atifications  only  at  the  expense  of  our  cherries, 
peaches  and  strawberries,  it  may  be  well  to  in- 
quire whether  we  are  not  giving  more  than  we 
are  receiving  ?  j.  B.  R. 

Concord,  April  \Qith,  1858. 


HOW  DROUGHT  BENEFITS  THE  SOIL. 

That  a  season  of  extreme  drought — so  often 
occurring  and  so  injurious  to  our  summer  crops 
— should  still  prove  beneficial  to  the  soil,  seems 
strange,  but  chemical  science  shows  that  droughts 
are  one  of  the  material  causes  to  restore  the  con- 
stituents of  crops  and  renovate  cultivated  soil. 

Mineral  matter  is  taken  from  the  soil  by  the 
crops  grown  upon  it,  and  also  carried  away  by 
the  surface  water  flowing  into  streams,  and 
thence  carried  to  the  sea.  These  two  causes,  al- 
ways in  operation,  unless  counteracted  by  other 
influences,  would  in  time  render  the  earth  a  bar- 
ren waste.  The  diminution  which  arises  from  the 
first  cause  is  in  part  restored  by  manures,  but  not 
in  all  cases,  and  Providence  has  provided  a  way 
of  its  own  to  supply  lost  mineral  constituents 
needed  in  the  growth  of  plants.  At  intervals, 
droughts  occur  to  bring  up  from  the  deep  parts 
of  the  earth  food  for  the  use  of  plants  when  the 
rains  shall  again  fall. 

The  manner  in  which  droughts  exercise  their 
beneficial  influence  is  as  follows :  during  dry 
weather  a  continual  evaporation  of  water  takes 
place  from  the  surface  of  the  earth,  which  is  not 
supplied  by  any  from  the  clouds.  The  evapora- 
tion from  the  surface  creates  a  vacuum  (as  far  as 
the  water  is  concerned)  which  is  at  once  filled  by 
water  rising  up  from  the  subsoil ;  the  water  from 
the  subsoil  is  replaced  from  the  next  below,  and 
in  th's  manner  the  circulation  of  water  in  the 
earth  is  the  reverse  of  that  which  takes  place  in 
w'et  weather.  This  progress  to  the  surface  of  the 
water  in  the  earth  manifests  itself  strikingly  in 
the  drying  up  of  springs  and  wells,  and  streams 
which  are  supported  by  springs. 

It  is  not,  however,  only  the  water  which  is 
brought  to  the  surface  of  the  earth,  but  also  all 
the  water  holds  in  solution.  These  substances 
are  salts  of  lime  and  magnesia,  of  potash  and  so- 
da, and  indeed  whatever  the  soil  or  top  strata  of 
the  earth  may  contain.  The  water  on  reaching 
the  surface,  is  evaporated,  and  leaves  behind  in 
the  soil  its  mineral  salts,  the  chief  of  which  are 


lime,  magnesia,  phosphate  of  lime,  sulphate  of 
lime,  carbonate  and  silicate  of  potasih  and  soda, 
and  also  common  salt — all  indispensable  to  the 
growth  of  the  vegetable  products  of  the  farm. 
Pure  rain  water,  as  it  falls,  will  dissolve  but  a 
very  small  portion  of  some  of  these  substances, 
but  when  it  sinks  into  the  earth  it  then  becomes 
strongly  imbued  with  carbonic  acid  from  the  de- 
composition of  vegetable  matter  in  the  soil,  and 
thus  acquires  the  property  of  read'ly  dissolving 
minerals,  on  which  it  before  could  have  very  lit- 
tle influence. 

Several  experiments  tried  by  Professor  Hig- 
gins  go  to  show  this  action  of  drought  in  bring- 
ing matters  to  the  surface  of  the  soil.  In  one 
case  he  placed  a  solution  of  chloride  of  basium  in 
the  bottom  of  a  glass  cylinder,  and  then  filled  it 
with  dry  soil.  After  long  exposure  to  the  rays 
of  the  sun,  the  surface  of  the  soil  was  tested  with 
sulphuric  acid,  and  gave  a  copious  precipitate  of 
sulphate  of  baryta.  Chloride  of  lime,  sulphate 
of  soda  and  carbonate  of  potash  were  experi- 
mented upon  in  like  manner  ;  and  upon  the  ap- 
plication of  proper  tests,  the  surface  of  the  soil 
showed  their  presence  in  large  quantities,  drawn 
up  the  rising  of  water  from  underneatli,  as  in  the 
case  of  drought. 

The  parched  earth,  every  green  thing  dwarfed 
in  growth  or  withered  by  long  continued  heat, 
seems  suffering  under  an  afflictive  dispensation 
of  Providence,  yet  we  should  not  murmur  ;  it  is 
a  blessing  in  disguise.  The  early  and  the  latter 
rain  may  produce  at  once  abundant  crops,  but 
dry  weather  is  needed  to  bring  to  the  surface 
food  for  future  harvests  from  the  depths  of  the 
earth,  where  else  it  would  lie  forever  unemployed. 
It  is  a  needed  means  of  keeping  up  the  fertility 
of  the  cultivated  soil. — California  Farmer. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
CXrTTrKTG  BUSHES  IN"  PASTURES. 

Mr.  Editor  : — I  feel  inclined  to  say  a  few 
words  in  answer  to  "Bush  Whacker,"  about  de- 
stroying brush  in  pastures  that  are  too  rough 
and  stony  to  plow.  I  think  that  the  best  method 
is  to  follow  his  occupation  closely  and  keep 
whacking  them,  and  cut  close,  i.  e.,  keep  mowing 
them,  not  once  in  two  or  three  years,  as  is  the 
too  common  practice,  but  at  least  once  every  year, 
and  even  twice  a  year,  if  they  grow  tall  enough 
to  get  hold  of  them  with  the  scythe. 

Bushes,  in  common  with  all  vegetation,  draw 
a  share  of  their  support  from  the  atmosphere 
through  their  foliage,  and  if  constantly  deprived 
of  their  foliage,  and  consequently  of  their  at- 
mospheric support,  they  will  soon  die.  There  is 
work  in  this,  I  know.  But  it  is  less  work  to  mow 
constantly  for  three  or  four  years  than  to  mow 
them  perpetually  every  second  or  third  year,  as 
this  latter  process  gives  them  time  to  recover, 
and  serves  to  spread  the  roots  and  increase  their 
number. 

"Once  well  done  is  twice  done."  After  mow- 
ing, rake  clean  and  burn  the  bushes,  and  sow  on 
plaster  and  rake  in  hay-seed  on  the  burnt  spots  ; 
this  gives  the  cattle  a  chance  to  browse  or  feed 
them  off  and  tread  them  down.  Some  say  that 
they  cannot  be  killed  by  mowing,  but  such  are 
either  mistaken  or  do  not  do  it  faithfully. 

Orafton,  April,  1858.  T.  Leonard. 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FAEMER. 


261 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
CHOPS  AUD  STOCK  IN  MASSACHUSETTS. 

In  your  April  number  you  noticed  my  address 
delivered  at  Fitchburg,  before  the  Worcester 
North  Society,  last  fall,  and  made  a  quotation  in 
relation  to  the  depreciation  of  grain  and  the  re- 
duction of  stock  in  Massachusetts,  and  ask,  "Can 
it  be  so?  We  wish  Mr.  T.. would  show  us  how 
the  fact  is  obtained." 

I  would  refer  you  to  the  Massachusetts  Agri- 
cultural Transactions  and  Returns,  by  Secretary 
Amasa  WalivEK,  for  1851,  page  440,  from  a  re- 
solve of  the  Board  of  Agriculture,  founded  upon 
a  report  of  the  Valuation  Committee  to  the  Leg- 
islature in  1851,  and  the  report  of  that  Commit- 
tee, which  may  be  found  at  the  Library  at  the 
State  House. 

You  will  also  find  it  in  Secretary  Flint's  re- 
port for  1854,  page  480,  it  being  an  extract  fi'om 
the  most  excellent  address  of  Hon.  Increase 
Sumner,  before  the  Berkshire  Agricultural  Soci- 
ety. I  supposed  it  had  been  generally  known 
and  proclaimed  by  the  agricultural  journals  in 
Massachusetts,  as  a  fact  so  important  to  the  ag- 
ricultural interest  of  Massachusetts  should  be 
sounded  in  thundering  tones  in  every  newspaper 
within  our  borders,  that  there  may  be  a  waking 
up  to  her  greatest  interest. 

That  thei-e  should  be  an  increase  of  40,000  acres 
of  tillage  land  since  1840,  and  still  a  deprecia- 
tion of  grain  crops  of  600,000  bushels,  and  also 
an  increase  of  pasture  lands  to  the  amount  of 
100,000  acres,  and  a  reduction  of  160,000  sheep 
and  17,000  swine,  and  a  very  little  augmentation 
in  neat  cattle,  are  facts  that  the  citizens  of  our 
State  are  not  prepared  to  believe,  without  proof 
the  most  reliable, — yet  it  is  too  true  for  the  credit 
of  our  ancient  and  far-famed  Commonwealth. 

At  the  meeting  of  delegates  from  the  agricul- 
tural societies  throughout  the  State,  in  Conven- 
tion at  Boston,  March  20th,  1851,  for  the  promo- 
tion of  agriculture  and  agricultural  science,  the 
Hon.  Marshall  P.  Wilder,  from  the  Norfolk 
Society,  who  has  ever  been  the  great  champion 
of  agricultural  and  horticultural  science,  and  who 
has  spent  great  energy  of  mind  and  much  money 
for  their  promotion,  was  chosen  President  of  the 
Convention.  On  taking  the  chair,  he  set  forth 
the  waning  condition  of  the  agriculturist,  as  a 
whole,  in  the  Commonwealth,  and  brought  up 
these  very  fjcts  with  great  fidelity,  urging  upon 
the  Convention  the  importance  of  their  consider- 
ation. Since  the  formation  of  the  State  Board 
of  Agriculture,  the  great  aim  in  their  delibera- 
tion and  action  has  been  to  wake  up  the  drowsy 
energies  of  the  farmer  to  the  fact  of  the  depre- 
ciating crop-producing  value  of  their  fai-ms  un- 
der the  old  system  of  culture.  The  reports  that 
have  been  issued  under  the  patronage  of  the 
Board  by  their  talented  Secretary,  are  among  the 
most  valuable  documents  that  have  been  placed 
before  the  American  farmer. 

Justus  Tower. 

Laneshoroiigli,  April  16,  1858. 


Live  Braces  for  Fruit  Trees. — Every  fruit 
culturist  knows  that  crotched  trees  arc  frecjuent- 
ly  split  apart  and  nearly  ruined  when  loaded  with 
fruit.     I  have  found  by  experience  that  this  can 


easily  be  prevented  by  putting  in  a  live  brace  or 
stay  when  the  tree  is  young,  to  fasten  the  tAVo 
prongs  or  stems  of  the  tree  together.  It  is  done 
in  tlie  following  manner  :  Take  a  small  branch  of 
one  of  the  main  stems,  growing  between  the  two, 
and  cut  ofl"  the  top  end  slanting,  similar  to  a  scion 
prepared  for  lap  grafting ;  then  make  an  incision 
on  the  opposite  stem  with  a  sharp-pointed  knife 
or  small  chisel ;  then  insert  the  toj)  end  of  said 
branch,  and  tie  it  down  firmly  with  a  woolen 
string ;  then  cover  tlie  wound  with  grafting  wax, 
and  the  work  is  completed ;  remembering  to  cut 
the  string  as  soon  as  the  brace  has  grown  fast,  to 
prevent  it  from  girdling  the  tree.  This  is  the  best 
operation  for  crotched  trees  that  I  have  ever  seen 
tried. — Elihu  Cross. 

The  Shakers  at  Niskayuna  have  practised  a 
system  of  connecting  the  branches  of  fruit  trees, 
something  like  that  described  above,  for  years, 
and  we  should  be  greatly  obliged  if  some  one  of 
them  would  furnish  us  with  a  description  of  their 
process,  with  the  benefits  derived  from  it. — 
Country  Gentleman. 


FOOD  OF  THE  KOBIN. 

At  the  January  meeting  of  the  MassachusettJ 
Horticultural  Society,  an  interesting  discussion 
took  place  upon  the  habits  and  food  of  the  robin, 
{Turdus  migratorius,)  and  more  especially  the 
useful  or  injurious  relation  which  this  bird  bears 
to  horticulture.  The  law  prohibiting  the  destruc- 
tion of  the  robin  was  severely  commented  upon 
by  many  fruit  growers,  who  were  disposed  to 
consider  the  bird  as  a  perfect  nuisance  to  the 
horticulturist.  The  other  side  of  the  question 
also  found  able  advocates,  till  finally,  after  a  long 
discussion,  the  result  was  the  appointment  of  a 
committee  with  full  powers  to  investigate  the 
matter  thoroughly  during  every  season  of  the 
year  1858,  to  ascertain  the  habits  of  the  bird  as 
fully  as  possible  ;  to  find  out  the  nature  of  its 
food  during  each  month,  by  examination  of  the 
crops  of  specimens  killed  at  all  seasons  and  on 
different  hours  of  the  same  day ;  and  to  report 
from  time  to  time  at  regular  meetings  of  the  so- 
ciety. In  accordance  with  the  duty  imposed  on 
them,  the  Committee  have  made  their  report  for 
the  months  of  January,  February  and  March,  and 
as  the  question  respecting  the  utility  of  the  bird 
has  been  long  mooted  and  is  of  general  interest, 
we  copy  the  substance  of  it.  It  was  drawn  up 
by  J.  W.  P.  Jenks,  Esq.,  of  Middleboro',  and,  it 
will  be  observed,  is  decidedly  favorable  to  tlie 
robin,  though  it  is  possible  that  the  report  of  the 
next  three  months  will  turn  the  scales  the  other 
way : 

"First.  No  robins  were  seen  in  this  region,  not 
even  in  our  extensive  cedar  swamps,  during  the 
months  of  January  and  February,  they  being 
thoroughly  explored  by  my  direction  every  few 
days.  Early  in  Marcli,  however,  numbers  made 
their  appearance,  l)ut  until  the  second  week  in 
April  c  ■  \y  the  male  bii'ds. 


262 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARIVIER. 


June 


"SecoJid.  I  found  the  crops  of  those  killed  in 
the  morning  either  entirely  empty  or  but  partial- 
ly distended  M'ith  food  torZZ  ?rtace?'a^ecZ,  while  those 
killed  in  the  latter  part  of  the  day  were  as  uni- 
formly well  filled  with  iood  freshly  taken. 

"Third.  From  the  almost  daily  examination  of 
their  crops,  from  the  early  part  of  March  to  the 
present  date,  I  have  obtained  and  preserved  in 
alcohol,  ten  varieties  of  food,  consisting  of  larva?, 
coleopte.'-ous  insects  (beetles,)  orthopterous, 
(grassnoppers,)  and  araneidaus  (spiders).  But 
nine-tenths  of  the  aggregate  mass  of  food  thus 
collected,  consist  of  one  kind  of  larvae,  which  be- 
longs to  the  curculio  family ;  but,  as  yet,  I  am 
unable  to  determine  the  species.  I  have  frequent- 
ly taken  a  hundred  from  a  single  crop,  and,  in 
one  instance,  I  found  one  hundred  and  sixty-two 
all  in  a  fresh,  unmacerated  condition.  Usually, 
when  this  larvte  is  found,  it  is  the  only  food  in 
the  crop. 

"Fourth.  To  the  present  date,  I  have  not  dis- 
covered the  first  particle  of  vegetable  matter  in 
the  crop  of  a  single  bird." 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 

FHOM  THE  SANDWICH  ISLAISTDS. 

MaTcaioao,  Maui,  Dec.  21,  1857. 
Gentlemen  : — Allow  me  to  give  you  some  ac- 
count of  our  farming  operations  at  Makawao  and 
vicinity  during  the  year  now  drawing  to  a  close. 
I  find  that  I  wrote  you  in  February,  soon  after 
our  farmers  had  finished,  as  they  supposed,  sow- 
ing their  wheat.  Some  two  thousand  acres  were 
sown,  came  up  well,  and  we  were  cheered  with 
the  prospect  of  securing  a  fair  crop.  Some  of 
the  wheat  was  up  to  the  knees,  and  all  looked 
exceedingly  well,  when  our  fields  were  attacked 
with  such  a  host  of  caterpillars  as  we  had  never 
seen.  Heretofore  we  have  not  much  feared  this 
insect.  We  have  always  had  them  more  or  less, 
but  they  have  left  us  after  a  few  days,  and  given 
place  to  our  old  enemy,  the  cut-worm.  Not  so 
this  year.  They  approached  us  on  the  side  next 
the  sea,  and  swept  all  before  them.  More  than 
half  of  the  wheat  sown  was  swept  as  clean  as  it 
could  have  been  done  with  a  sickle,  and  in  a  few 
days  the  fields  had  the  appearance  of  stubble 
fields.  Nothing  dismayed,  the  farmers  plowed 
and  re-soAved  their  fields,  and  some  of  them  lost 
the  second  sowing  and  thrust  in  the  third.  Those 
of  us  who  are  farthest  from  the  sea  suff'ered  much 
less  from  this  insect.  Our  wheat  grew  rapidly, 
but  in  May,  when  too  late  to  re-sow,  we  found 
that  our  fields  were  destroyed  or  greatly  injured 
by  the  rust.  Some  hundred  acres  were  thus  lost 
or  nearly  lost.  I  had  scarcely  my  seed.  I.  J. 
Gower,  Esq.,  my  neighbor,  tells  me  that  he  had 
not  a  bushel  of  good  wheat.  Kekaha,  the  most 
prosperous  Hawaiian  wheat-grower  I  have,  lost 
fifty  acres  from  this  cause.  In  Makawao  proper, 
we  had  so  much  rain  during  harvest  time  that  a 
portion  of  our  crop  was  injured,  and  just  as  we 
began  to  cut  the  grain,  nearly  every  man,  woman 
and  child  in  the  place  was  attacked  with  the  in- 
fluenza, so  that  nothing  could  be  done,  though 
the  weather  was  fine.  This  visitation  occasioned 
another  loss,  some  of  the  grain  spoiling  ere  it 
could  be  stacked.  For  a  while  the  prospect  of  a 
wheat  crop  was  very  much  darkened.     I  feared 


at  one  time  that  there  would  not  be  enough  raised 
for  seed  for  the  coming  year,  and  such  was  ihe 
impression  among  us  generally. 

Now  the  grain  is  cut,  threshed,  sold  and  most 
of  it  manufactured  into  flour,  and  much  to  my 
surprise  and  gratification,  I  am  able  to  report 
that  there  have  been  sold  to  the  Hawaiian  Flour 
Company  some  15,040  bushels  of  wheat,  by  the 
farmers  of  Makawao  and  vicinity,  and  there  are 
some  hundreds  of  bushels  reserved  for  seed  for 
next  year.  And  most  of  this  wheat  is  of  an  ex- 
cellent quality.  For  some  of  it  the  agent  of  the 
Company  paid  $1,20;  so  down  to  $1,10,  $1,00, 
and  a  small  quantity  ninety  cents  and  seventy- 
five  cents.  God  has  been  better  to  us  than  our 
fears ;  and  we  have  occasion  to  bless  His  holy 
name. 

Of  other  crops  there  has  been  an  increase,  so 
far  as  attention  has  been  turned  to  them.  Very 
little  corn  has  been  raised  by  our  farmers  at 
Makawao,  as  there  is  but  little  demand  for  it, 
and  no  grain  is  so  soon  destroyed  by  the  weevil. 
But  the  crop  of  oats  has  never  been  so  large  as 
this  year.  They  are  easily  raised  and  easily  kept. 
The  only  diflficulty  we  find  is  the  smallness  of  the 
market.  Beans  also  have  been  raised  in  large 
quantities,  and  they  might  be  greatly  increased, 
but  for  the  smallness  of  our  market.  The  mill 
company  have  not  sold  as  much  of  their  flour 
as  they  expected,  though  of  an  excellent  quality, 
because  a  good  deal  of  foreign  flour  from  the 
United  States  and  California  has  been  imported. 
This  has  all  along  been  our  trouble  in  respect  to 
our  crops,  the  uncertainty  and  fluctuation  of  our 
markets ;  and  it  is  very  difficult  to  regulate  such 
matters.  I  don't  know,  however,  that  our  trou- 
bles are  any  greater  than  yours  in  this  respect. 
The  thing  which  we  most  need  in  this  selfish 
world,  is  competition.  This  would  benefit  all 
classes.  At  present  the  mill  company,  composed 
of  as  good  men  as  we  have  at  the  islands,  and  as 
good  men  as  you  have  in  the  United  States  or 
England,  have  not  that  motive  to  be  economical 
in  manufacturing  their  flour  and  in  selling  it  that 
they  would  have  were  there  another  mill.  In  my 
opinion,  flour  could  be  manufactured  at  Honolulu 
at  much  cheaper  rate  than  it  is  now  done — at  nearly 
half  the  exj^ense.  I  hear,  too,  that  the  company 
refuse  this  year  to  allow  some  mercantile  houses 
to  sell  their  flour,  as  they  did  last  year,  appoint- 
ing one  of  their  own  number  to  sell  all.  This 
has  proved  a  great  injury  to  themselves  and  to 
wheat-growers.  Some  1350  barrels  they  have 
now  on  hand,  besides  a  good  deal  of  wheat- 
Much  of  this  flour  might  have  been  sold,  but  for 
the  neglect  or  refusal  to  secure  merchants  as 
agents.  The  consequence  has  been  the  sending 
to  San  Francisco  for  flour  while  Hawaiian  remains 
on  hand.  And  if  this  shall  become  a  drug,  the 
company  will  gravely  inform  our  wheat-growers 
in  1858  that  the  price  of  M'heat  must  come  down. 
Would  men  act  on  the  principle  laid  down  by 
the  Saviour,  in  the  golden  rule,  there  would  be 
no  necessity  of  competition,  but  as  things  now 
are,  we  greatly  need  it,  and  shall  ere  long  seek 
for  something  of  the  sort.  It  is  needed  not  only 
in  reference  to  wheat-growing  and  manufactur- 
ing, but  in  reference  to  other  things.  Just  uoav, 
it  costs  more  to  go  down  to  Honolulu,  some  sev- 
enty miles,  a  single  night  only  being  needed, 
than  it  costs  to  go  from  Boston  to  Bufialo,  not 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


263 


to  say  to  St.  Louis.  So  of  freight ;  we  some- 
times pay  more  from  Honolulu  to  Makawao,  than 
from  Boston  to  Honolulu,  via  Cape  Horn.  All  in 
good  time  this  evil  will  be  remedied,  if  things 
shall  continue  prosperous. 

December  22nd,  1857. 
Let  me  add  a  few  items  of  intelligence  from 
the  islands,  and  forward  my  communication.  I 
have  more  to  say  on  the  subject  of  farming,  its 
great  importance  here,  and  every  where  ;  but  I 
may  not  take  hold  of  that  subject,  particularly  in 
its  bearing  on  whalers,  in  this  communication.  I 
may  make  it  a  topic  for  winter,  if  spared.  In  the 
meantime,  I  hope  you  will  present  every  motive 
in  your  power  to  induce  all  of  our  people,  and 
particularly  the  young  men  of  our  country,  to  re- 
main at  home,  and  engage  in  plowing  the  fields, 
rather  than  tempt  the  dangers  of  the  deep,  and 
plow  the  ocean  ;  or  try  their  fortune  in  the  mines  of 
California.  Early  in  the  year,  two  young  men,  sons 
of  missionaries  at  the  islands,  obtained  a  reluc- 
tant leave  of  their  parents,  and  going  to  Califor- 
nia, tried  their  hand  at  mining.  One  of  them 
gave  out  after  a  few  weeks,  and  sought  his  island 
home.  The  other  held  on  awhile  longer,  suffered 
a  good  deal  of  hardship,  and  some  sickness, 
made  nothing,  and  finally  left,  fully  satisfied  with 
his  experience  in  the  gold-digging  line.  Good 
will  result  from  the  expei'ience  of  these  boys,  good 
to  themselves  and  good  to  other  boys  of  the  mis- 
sion. The  state  of  things  at  the  mines  is  truly 
deplorable.  No  Sabbath — no  God — no  hope — is 
true  of  a  vast  majority  of  the  wretched  men  who 
congregate  in  that  wretched  land.  How  infatua- 
ted are  the  men  and  youth  who  leave  a  New  Eng- 
land home  for  the  country  of  gold,  thus  putting 
in  jeopardy  their  every  interest,  and  hazarding 
their  undying  souls.  The  Lord  save  our  country- 
men from  this  egregious  folly. 

Yours  truly,  J.  S.  Green. 

P.  S.  Not  long  since  the  Royal  Hawaiian  Agri- 
cultural Society  had  a  meeting  which  the  newspa- 
pers called  the  annual  meeting,  though  a  year  and  a 
half  had  passed  since  the  last  meeting  and  fair, 
with  the  annual  address.  Judging  from  appear- 
ances, I  think  it  may  be  safely  concluded  that  the 
society,  as  an  agricultural  society,  is  defunct.—- 
True  it  lives  nominally,  and  officers  were  chosen 
for  the  next  year,  but  I  see  no  list  of  committees, 
nor  subjects  for  discussion  for  another  annual 
meeting,  nor  do  I  see  that  the  society  adjourned 
either  sine  die  or  otherwise.  James  F.  13.  Mar- 
shall, Esq.,  the  retiring  President,  delivered  an 
address,  not  particularly  interesting,  I  judge  from 
reading  it,  but  as  able  perhaps  as  could  have 
been  expected  from  one  Avho  perhaps  thought 
himself  pronouncing  a  funeral  oration  over  the 
remains  of  the  society.  I  could  give  some  half  a 
dozen  causes  for  the  decease  of  the  society,  or 
for  its  change  to  a  kind  of  seed,  fruit  and  plant 
society.  One  cause  may  be  seen  in  the  material 
of  which  the  society  was  '"^imposed.  Mr.  Marshall 
tells  the  story  in  a  few  words.  On  examination, 
he  found  it  thus  on  a  list  of  members  :  Of  the 
whole  number  216  :  of  these  were  55  merchants 
and  traders  ;  44  government  officers,  24  clerks, 
20  missionaries  and  clergymen;  16  mechanics; 
7  officers  of  foreign  governments ;  6  hotel  keep- 
ers ;  6  physicians  ;  5  sea-captains  ;  5  lawyers  ;  2 
school-masters ;  4  editors  ;  1  traveller — 195  non- 


agriculturists,  and  10  grazers  and  11  planters 
and  farmers — but  21  practical  agriculturists  in 
all.  Who  csn  wonder  that  a  society  composed  of 
such  materials  should  cease  to  feel  an  interest  in 
the  pi'ofessed  object  of  such  a  society  ?  Had  the 
216  men  who  were  members  of  the  society  been 
agriculturists,  or  a  majority  of  them,  the  results 
of  their  labors  and  deliberations  since  1850  would 
have  been  very  different,  I  judge.  Another  cause 
I  find  in  the  want  of  variety  in  subjects  selected 
and  given  out  to  committees  at  one  meeting,  to 
be  written  upon  and  read  at  the  next  meeting. 
Nearly  the  same  subjects  were  committed  to  com- 
mittees each  year  of  the  society's  existence.  No 
variety,  no  advance  ;  so  that  reports  became  stale. 
The  fair  had  considerable  interest  for  two  or 
three  years,  and  some  degree  of  interest  while 
they  continued.  So  also  the  annual  addresses, 
which  M'ere  not  commonly  given  to  working-men 
who  took  a  lively  interest  in  the  society,  but 
more  frequently  to  foreign  officials  who  knev/  lit- 
tle of  agriculture,  and  less  of  the  islands — these 
called  out  an  audience  ;  but  the  dissertations 
however  important  or  interesting  they  might 
have  been,  were  commonly  read  to  nearly  empty 
seats.  Some  few  even  at  Honolulu  took  an  in- 
terest in  the  society.  The  late  Judge  Lee  seemed 
to  have  his  heart  much  set  upon  the  success  of 
the  experiment  which  was  being  made  in  agricul- 
ture among  us.  Had  this  excellent  man  enjoyed 
health,  I  doubt  not  he  would  have  held  on  to  the 
society,  and  done  still  more  than  he  did,  for  its 
prosperity.  But  he  could  not  sustain  it  alone. 
I  hope  it  has  done  good.  Some  six  or  eight  num- 
bers of  the  Annual  Transactions  of  the  society 
were  printed  and  distributed  among  the  members 
of  the  society,  and  perhaps  sent  abroad.  In  good 
time,  another  society,  or  other  societies  may 
spring  up  from  the  I'uins  of  the  old  one,  compos- 
ed of  more  practical  men — materials,  if  not  bet- 
ter, certainly  of  more  homogeneous  character. 
We  shall  see  in  good  time. 

Things  with  us  much  as  usual.  Some  commer- 
cial embarrassment,  but  nothing  A'ery  serious  at 
present. 

Your  fellow-laborer  in  the  cause  of  agriculture. 

J.  S.  Green. 


For  Vie  A>!c  England  Farmer. 
MANURES  FOB  INDIAN"  COKN. 

The  paper  on  this  subject,  lately  given  to  the 
public  in  the  Country  Gentleman,  by  Mr.  Harris, 
of  Rochester,  N.  Y.,  is  truly  instructive.  He 
states  things  just  as  they  come  to  his  observa- 
tion, without  regard  to  preconceived  theories. 
This  is  the  only  just  way  of  acquiring  or  commu- 
nicating knowledge. 

I  am  truly  surprised  at  the  little  benefit  derived 
from  the  use  of  ashes  of  wood.  There  is  no  fer- 
tilizer sought  with  more  avidity,  or  used  with 
more  success  in  this  vicinity.  Ashes  have  been 
found  valuable  for  corn,  and  also  for  root  crops 
generally,  to  which  they  have  been  applied.  So 
great  has  been  the  success  in  the  use  of  ashes, 
that  no  one  despaired  of  a  good  crop,  when  they 
could  command  a  full  supply.  Of  the  compara- 
tive value  of  ashes,  leached  or  unleached,  I  have 
heard  various  opinions.  They  are  used  in  greater 
quantities,  on  our  lands,  after  they  have   been 


264 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


JUNS 


leached — under  the  apprehension  that  they  are 
equally  valuable  for  growing  crops.  It  is  very 
clear,  from  Mr.  H.'s  experiments,  that  no  reliable 
conclusions  can  be  deduced  from  theory  alone. 
The  same  gentleman,  if  I  do  not  mistake,  has  re- 
cently expressed  a  like  opinion  as  to  analyses  of 
soils.  So  fast  are  the  improvements  of  the  pres- 
ent day,  that  it  takes  as  much  care  to  unlearn 
vhat  is  erroneously  stated,  as  to  find  out,  by  ac- 
tual trial,  what  is  correct.  Essex. 
Jjyrll,  1858. 

WELLS'  GKASS  SEED    SOWER. 


Some  three  or  four  weeks  since  we  spoke  of 
this  Seed  Sower  in  general  terms,  not  then  hav- 
ing had  an  experimental  knowledge  of  its  ability 
to  sow  grass  seed  quickly  and  well.  Since  then 
we  have  used  it  to  stock  several  acres  with  grass 
seeds  of  various  kinds,  and  found  it  to  answer 
the  purpose  admirably  for  Avhich  it  is  designed. 
It  is  always  difficult  to  sow  gi-ass  seed  evenly,  un- 
der favorable  circumstances,  but  when  it  is  windy, 
or  it  is  to  be  done  by  inexperienced  or  unskilful 
hands,  not  only  a  loss  is  incurred  by  a  waste  of 
seed,  but  by  having  some  portions  of  the  field 
overstocked  while  others  are  left  bare,  thus  ren- 
dering both  unproductive.  A  money  loss  is  felt, 
and  a  loss  of  that  just  and  proper  culture  in 
which  any  good  farmer  feels  a  proper  and  hon- 
est pride. 

The  use  of  Wells'  Seed  Sower  will  prevent 
these  occurrences  ;  it  scatters  the  seeds  evenly 
and  with  rapidity,  so  that  an  acre  may  be  well 
sowed  as  fast  as  a  man  can  comfortably  Avalk  over 
it  at  distances  about  nine  feet  apart.  In  order 
that  the  whole  ground  shall  be  covered,  it  is  well 
to  let  the  sower  lap  a  little  at  each  succeeding 
breadth. 

A  single  sower  will  answer  for  a  neighborhood 
of  a  dozen  persons,  and  it  is  so  light  that  a  child 
can  carry  it  from  place  to  place.  For  sale  by 
Nourse,  Mason  &  Co.,  Quincy  Hall.     Price  $4. 


The  Gapes  in  Chickens. — A  correspondent 
says  :  Tell  those  of  your  readers  who  are  inter- 
ested in  raising  chickens,  that  a  small  pinch  of 
gunpowder,  given  to  a  chicken  with  the  gapes, 
will  effect  a  sure  and  complete  cure  in  from  one 
to  three  hours'  time,  and  leave  the  chicken 
healthy  and  hearty. — Cal.  Farmer. 


For  the  New  Enj^land  Farmer. 
REVIEW  OP    THE  FALL   AND   WINTER. 

Mr.  Editor  : — After  the  rigors  of  winter  have 
passed,  and  the  time  of  singing  of  birds  has  ar- 
rived, and  nature  wears  a  more  congenial  aspect, 
it  may  be  well  to  recount  those  meteorological 
conditions  which  have  been  the  main  features 
and  governing  principles  of  the  past  winter.  A 
winter  not  of  extreme  heat  nor  of  extreme  cold, 
but  a  winter  whose  changes  of  temperature 
have  been  congenial,  for  the  climate  of  the  green 
hills  of  Vermont.  Although  its  heat  and  its  cold 
have  not  been  excessive,  yet  the  quantity  of  snow 
has  been  extremely  small,  and  so  has  the  quanti- 
ty of  rain  during  the  winter  months. 

In  this  review  of  the  Avinter  I  will  include  the 
autumnal  months  to  October,  to  the  time  when  I 
closed  the  review  of  the  summer  of  1857.  The 
rains  continued  through  October,  and  two  inches 
of  snow  fell  on  the  20th.  The  whole  amount  of 
rain  and  melted  snow  was  5. GO  inches,  and  the 
temperature  was  44.95  degrees,  it  being  colder 
than  the  fovir  preceding  years  by  2.39  degrees, 
and  is  the  coldest  October  since  1853.  Its  ex- 
treme daily  mean  temperature  was  58. G6  and  30.66. 

November  was  a  mild  month.  Its  mean  tem- 
perature was  36.85  degrees,  which  is  2.58  above 
the  mean.  The  storms  were  frequent  and  light. 
There  was  2.14  inches  of  rain  and  one  inch  of 
snow. 

December  was  unusually  mild.  Its  temperature 
was  27.70,  and  was  4.64  above  the  mean.  There 
was  2.52  inches  of  rain  and  7.50  of  snow.  Storms 
were  frequent  and  light,  and  winter  l)egan  so 
gradually  that  the  time  of  its  commencement 
cannot  be  correctly  stated,  as  we  had  little  or  no 
winter  weather  through  the  month. 

Jamiary,  1858.  This  has  been  the  mildest 
January  for  many  years.  Its  temperature  Avas 
24.30,  being  6.82  degrees  above  the  mean  of  the 
five  preceding  years,  and  15.61  deg.  warmer  than 
last  year,  which  was  the  coldest  of  the  last  six 
years.  The  amount  of  precipitation  was  1.83 
inches  of  rain  and  melted  snow,  and  7.25  of 
snow.  The  highest  daily  mean  was  43.66  deg., 
and  the  lowest,  zero.  The  murcury  stood  below 
zero  only  a  part  of  one  day  during  the  month. 

February  was  rather  a  cold  month.  Its  tem- 
perature was  15.51  deg.,  being  4.20  below  the 
mean,  and  11.55  colder  than  February  last  year, 
which  was  the  warmest  of  the  six.  The  whole 
amount  of  water  which  fe'l  during  the  month 
was  .61  of  an  inch,  which  "••.-.s  produced  by  5.50 
inches  of  snow,  but  no  rain.  The  thermometer 
stood  at  or  below  zero  eleven  mornings  and  four 
evenings,  but  did  not  sink  to  zero  at  2  V.  M. 
during  the  month.  The  mean  was  below  zero 
five  days,  and  the  greatest  extreme  was  13  deg. 
below  zero,  on  the  morning  of  the  16{h. 

Although  March  has  been  a  mild  month,  yet  it 
has  been  about  one  degree  colder  than  the  mean  ; 
and  the  coldest  of  the  past  six  years,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  1856,  which  was  about  four  degrees 
colder  than  the  present.  We  had  1.48  inches  of 
rain  and  five  inches  of  snow  during  the  month, 
while  last  year  we  had  2.29  of  water  and  10.75  of 
snow ;  thus  showing  that  our  storms  have  been 
far  less  this  year,  which  gives  the  month  a  more 
pleasant  appearance. 

We   have   had   27  inches  of  snov/  and  14.18 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


265 


inches  of  rain  during  the  last  six  months,  which 
is  about  half  the  quantity  of  snow  that  fell  (lur- 
ing the  corresponding  months  of  1856-7,  and 
nearly  an  equal  quantity  of  rain.  There  has  been 
little  or  no  good  sleighing,  although  the  ground 
has  been  partially  covered  with  snow  the  greater 
part  of  the  time.  The  amount  of  snow  at  any 
time  would  not  exceed  five  or  six  inches,  while 
its  average  depth  was  less  than  two  inches  ;  con- 
sequently the  ground  has  been  frozen  to  a  great 
depth.  The  earth  is  extremely  dry,  owing  to  the 
small  quantity  of  rain  which  has  fallen  during 
the  past  two  months. 

The  birds  have  made  their  appearance  in  the 
following  order:  Blue-bird  arrived  March  17; 
robin,  19;  black-bird,  27  ;  Phoebe  and  meadow- 
lark,  April  1.  Vegetation  has  not  made  any 
progress,  and  the  fields  look  barren  and  desolate. 
There  was  a  thunder-storm  last  night,  which  pass- 
ed to  the  north,  at  about  6  P.  M.  Another  came 
over  this  place  at  a  little  before  seven,  with  heavy, 
rolling  thunder  and  vivid  flashes  of  white  light- 
ning. The  color  of  the  lightning  denotes  a  low 
cloud,  which  appeared  to  cover  only  a  limited 
space.  Our  first  thunder-storm  last  year  was  on 
the  evening  of  the  28th  of  May,  nearly  two 
months  later  than  the  present.  To-day  the  Green 
Mountains  are  clad  in  their  robes  of  white,  wear- 
ing the  aspect  of  winter — a  natural  consequence 
of  an  electrical  disturbance,  which  passes  away 
as  the  equilibrium  is  restored. 

D.   BUCKLAND. 

Brandon,  Vt.,  April  6,  1858. 


SHALL  WE  EAT  POKK  ? 

Messrs.  Editors  : — We  shall,  of  course. — 
The  question  is  altogether  superfluous.  Nine- 
tenths  of  us  have  from  one  to  a  dozen  porkers, 
within  a  stone's  throw  of  our  dwellings,  (the 
other  tenth  wish  they  had,)  and  what  shall  we  do 
with  them  ?  Your  correspondent  might  as  well 
inquire,  "when  we  are  hungry,  shall  we  eat  or 
starve  ?"  No  one  feels  that  the  old  Levitical 
law  are  binding  on  us  of  this  generation ;  they 
are  the  fossil  remains  of  the  buried  and  almost 
forgotten  past,  and  are  not  to  be  classed  with 
the  commands  of  the  Decalogue,  which  are  found- 
ed, as  I  believe,  upon  eternal  principles  of  right. 
Commentators  teach,  and  our  reason  accepts  the 
teaching,  that  the  law  concerning  swine's  flesh 
was  enacted  from  causes  local  and  peculiar  to 
that  climate  and  people.  The  anti-swiners  will 
admit  that  what  is  very  proper  food  in  one  cli- 
mate, may  be  improper  in  another;  and  a  slice 
of  raw  blubber  may  be  very  palatable  and  stom- 
achic in  latitude  eighty,  with  the  mercury  at 
forty  below  zero,  while  at  the  equator  the  same 
article  would  be  disgusting.  I  have  seen  many 
men  who  professed  the  same  belief  as  your  cor- 
respondent ;  but  they  will  all  confess  themselves 
in  the  daily  use  of  that  which  their  reason  and 
conscience  so  strongly  condemn.  The  fact  is, 
gentlemen,  your  scruples  are  not  skin  deep,  nor 
need  they  be.  The  vision  of  the  Apostle  ought 
to  teach  us,  as  it  did  him,  that  what  God  has 
cleansed,  we  should  not  call  unclean.  That  there 
is  a  large  class  of  diseases  brought  on  by  the  use 
of  pork,  "I  deny,  and  call  for  proof."  What  if 
I  assume  that  it  is  the  use  of  beef  that  brings 
on  the  diseases  to  which  you  refer ;  is  not  my 


position  as  tenable  as  yours?  But  "every  crea- 
ture of  God  is  good,  and  nothing  to  be  refused," 
but  they  should  be  used  with  moderation  as  well 
as  received  with  thanksgiving.  The  human  econ- 
omy requires  a  certain  amount  of  carbon  to  keep 
up  its  fires  and  lubricate  its  bearings,  and  we  find 
the  article  in  a  highly  concentrated  and  conven- 
ient form  on  the  back  of  a  well  fatted  porker. 
What  a  cunning  elaborator  of  essential  oils  the 
comfortable  rascal  is  !  He  is  a  true  gentleman 
of  science,  and  in  his  little  laboratory,  he  per- 
forms feats  of  analysis  unapproachable  by  a  John- 
son. He  will  filter  the  slops  of  the  kitchen,  re- 
solve into  their  constituent  elements  the  refuse 
of  the  garden,  "from  seeming  evil  still  educing 
good,"  and  separate  and  assimilate  the  surplus 
of  the  grain-field,  and,  interstratified  with  mus- 
cle, will  be  found  a  whole  "carboniferous  system" 
on  his  back  and  sides,  as  the  result.  And  how 
the  residuum,  when  applied  to  the  garden,  "with 
transport  touches  all  the  springs  of  vegetable 
life  !" 

The  fact  is,  gentlemen  hog  defamers,  you  must 
reform  your  habits,  and  tell  your  ladies  to  mod- 
erate their  cuisine.  Don't  set  down  and  "stufi" 
you  full  as  an  egg"  of  fried  sausages,  and  hot 
buckwheat  cakes,  saturated  with  their  fat,  and 
then  in  a  fit  of  indigestion,  mentally  send  all 
pigdom  down  a  steep  place  into  the  sea.  Don't 
lay  your  gastronomic  sins  at  the  door  of  the  sty, 
when  they  should  be  laid  at  the  door  of  your 
face.  You  would  not  think  of  building  a  rousing 
anthracite  fire  in  your  parlor,  with  the  mercury 
at  ninety,  nor  should  you  build  one  equally  fierce 
in  your  corporeal  kitchen  with  fat  pork,  under  like 
thermal  conditions.  When  you  can  raise  150  lbs. 
of  steam  with  pine  wood,  what  is  the  use  of  ros- 
in ?  Regulate  your  fires  then  according  to  the 
season,  and  let  piggy  live  and  enjoy  his  brief 
year ;  and  with  the  pork-barrel  well  filled  with 
his  embalmed  remains,  you  may  snap  your  fingers 
at  the  wintry  blasts  that  howl  drearily  around 
your  dwelling. — Country  Gentleman. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
INDIAJNT  COKN. 

I  am  happy  to  learn  from  "M.  A.,"  in  the  Far- 
mer of  this  date,  that  he  never  reported  145  bush- 
els of  corn  to  the  acre.  I  am  glad  that  such  a 
statement  has  not  the  sanction  of  his  authority. 
I  had  the  impression  that  he  had  thus  averred 
— but  I  may  have  confounded  the  remarks  of  the 
Ploughman  on  the  subject — and  not  having  the 
papers  at  hand,  to  refer  to,  must  leave  it,  with 
the  reflection  that  his  professional  cloth  is  more 
likely  to  be  correct  than  my  own,  though  in  mat- 
ters agricultural,  1  always  endeavor  to  speak  tru- 
ly, according  to  my  knowledge.  I  heartily  con- 
cur in  the  opinion  that  there  is  increasing  atten- 
tion given  to  the  culture  of  Indian  corn,  and  that 
it  is  becoming  to  be  looked  upon  as  one  of  our 
most  valuable  crops.  I,  this  morning,  sent  a 
parcel  by  express,  to  a  distinguished  agricultur- 
ist, in  the  Empire  State,  telling  him  that  the 
variety  had  been  cultivated  on  my  native  hills  for 
twenty  years  or  more  ;  that  it  made  good  Johnny 
cakes,  and  good  pork — and  these  afforded  as 
good  living  as  was  enjoyed  by  our  Pilgrim  Fath- 
ers. P. 

April  17,  1858. 


266 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


June 


For  the  Neio  England  Farmer. 
PEABS  ON  QUINCE  STOCKS. 

Mr.  Editor : — As  there  has  beei  much  said 
about  the  pear  on  the  orange  quince,  I  -will  tell 
you  my  experience.  I  pull  up  the  sprouts  from 
the  roots  of  old  quince  bushes — the  best  come 
from  the  ends  of  small  roots — shape  the  roots  and 
tops,  set  them  in  rows  three  feet  and  a  half  apart, 
and  the  sprouts  about  ten  inches  apart  in  the 
rows,  perhaps  fourteen  inches  would  be  better. 
When  they  are  well  rooted  and  large  enough, 
bud  or  graft  them  as  near  the  ground  as  possible, 
so  that  you  can  fetch  the  soil  up  over  the  joint. 
Bud  when  the  stock  is  half  an  inch  in  diameter 
and  graft  when  it  is  three-fourths  of  an  inch.  I 
have  thought  that  grafting  was  the  best,  but 
either  way  will  do  well. 

The  kinds  that  have  failed  with  me  are  the 
Bartlett,  Golden  Beurre,  Dix,  Russel,  Seckel, 
Glout  Morceau,  St.  Michael,  Passe  Colmar, 
Beurre  Diel,  and  some  others.  The  kinds  that 
grow  and  bear  well,  are  the  Louise  Bonne  de  Jer- 
sey, English  Jargonelle,  Napoleon,  Duchess  de 
Angouleme  and  Beurre  de  Aremberg.  The  Thorn 
and  Sugar  plum  vrill  do  for  stocks  when  we 
know  the  kinds  that  will  unite  with  them. 

I  have  a  very  thrifty  Glout  Morceau  on  the 
sugar  plum,  full  of  blossom  buds  now  ;  I  grafted 
a  wild  pear  into  the  thorn,  which  grew  strong, 
then  budded  and  grafted  into  that  the  Dix,  the 
Seckel  and  Flemish  Beauty,  which  are  growing 
finely,  and  the  Flemish  Beauty  is  now  full  of 
blossom  buds. 

I  had  a  Passe  Colmar  on  the  thorn  which  grew 
well  for  three  years,  then  broke  out,  but  it  had 
rooted  above  the  joint.  I  removed  the  thorn 
root,  then  set  the  tree  down,  and  it  is  doing  well 
now. 

I  have  about  sixty  apple  trees,  from  one  to  two 
inches  through ;  some  animal  bites  them  in  the 
spring  so  as  to  loosen  the  bark  from  the  ground 
up  one  foot  and  a  half.  I  lay  it  to  the  wood- 
chucks,  but  my  neighbor  thinks  it  the  skunk,  for 
he  set  a  trap  and  caught  the  skunk  and  the  trees 
were  not  bit  after  that. 

I  made  a  wash  of  one  quart  soft  soap,  quarter 
of  a  pound  of  sulpher,  a  hoe  full  of  green  cow 
manure,  and  five  quarts  water,  and  put  it  on  with 
a  brush  or  swab ;  the  animal  stuck  his  teeth  in  a 
few  times,  but  did  not  injure  them  afterwards. 
Last  fall  I  put  the  same  wash  on,  to  prevent  the 
mice,  and  I  believe  not  a  tree  is  injured  where  I 
put  it,  while  my  neighbors  complain  that  theirs 
are  injured  by  the  mice. 

Oliver  Butterfield. 
Francestown,  N.  E.,  April  13,  1858. 


purchasers — but  if  we  are  compelled  instead  of 
this  to  purchase  an  article,  three-fourths  or 
more  of  which  is  composed  of  Jersey  sand  or 
muck — why,  all  is,we  shall  not  probably  be  caught 
but  once  by  that  bait. 

Do  please,  Messrs.  Manufacturers,  give  us  a 
pure  article,  and  I  will  warrant  you  not  to  be 
obliged  to  advertise  for  the  address  of  farmers — 
or  have  to  make  them  a  present  of  an  almanac  in 
order  to  obtain  their  custom.  At  least,  I  will 
promise  you  one  purchaser.  AV.  J.  P. 

Salisbury,  Conn.,  April  22,  1858. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
POUDRETTE. 

I  have  often  thought  what  a  pity  it  was  that  so 
valuable  a  fertilizer  as  our  night  soil  should  be 
made  almost  wholly  worthless  in  its  manufacture 
through  the  cupidity  of  those  engaged  in  prepar- 
ing it. 

No  one  will  doubt  for  a  moment  but  what  pure 
night-soil,  with  only  just  enough  of  foreign  mat- 
ter with  it  to  deodorize  and  make  it  usable  would 
be  one  of  our  most  valuable  concentrated  fertil- 
izers, and  as   such,  no   doubt  would  find  ready 


THE  PREACHING  OF  THE  TREES. 

FROM  THE  GERMAN  OP  ORBEN. 

At  midnight  liour,  when  silence  reigns 

Thi'ougli  all  the  woodland  spaces, 
Begin  the  bushes  and  the  trees, 
To  wave  and  whisper  in  the  hreeze, 
All  talking  in  their  jilaces. 

The  Rosebud  flames  with  look  of  joy. 
And  perfumes  breathes  in  glowing  ; 

"A  Rose's  life  is  quickly  past ! 

Then  let  me,  while  my  time  shall  last. 
Be  richly,  gaily  blowing '." 

The  Aspen  whispers,  "Sunken  days  ! 

Not  me  thy  glare  deceiveth  ! 
Thy  sunbeam  is  a  deadly  dart, 
That  quivereth  in  the  Rose's  heart — 

My  shuddering  soul  it  grieveth  !" 

The  slender  Poplar  speaks,  and  seems 
To  stretch  her  green  hands  higher  ; 
"Up  yonder  life's  pure  river  flows. 
So  sweetly  murmurs,  brightly  glows, 
To  that  I  still  aspire  !" 

The  Willow  looks  to  earth  and  speaks  : 

"My  arm  to  fold  thee  yearneth, 
I  let  my  hair  float  down  to  thee  ; 
Entwine  the  rein  thy  flowers  for  me, 

As  mother  her  child  adorneth  I" 

And  next  tlie  wealthy  Plum  tree  sighs  ; 

"Alas !  my  treasures  crush  me  ! 
This  load  with  which  my  shoulders  groan 
Take  off — it  is  not  mine  alone  : 

By  robbing  you  refresh  me  !" 

The  Fir  tree  speaks  In  cheerful  mood  : 

"A  blossom  bore  I  never  ; 
But  steadfastness  is  all  my  store, 
In  summer's  heat  and  winter's  roar, 

I  keep  my  green  forever  !" 

The  proud  and  lofty  Oak  tree  speaks  : 

"God's  thunderbolt  confounds  me  ! 

And  yet  no  storm  can  bow  me  down, 

Strength  is  my  stem  and  strength  my  crown  ; 

Ye  weak  ones,  gather  round  me  !'' 

The  Ivy  vine  kept  close  to  him, 
Her  tendrils  round  him  flinging  ; 

"He  who  no  strength  has  of  bis  own, 

Or  loves  not  well  to  stand  alone, 
May  to  a  friend  be  clinging  '." 

Much  else,  now  half-forgot,  they  said : 

And  still  to  me  came  creeping. 
Low  whispered  words,  upon  the  air, 
While  by  the  grave  alone  stood  there 

The  Cypress  mutely  weeping. 

0  !  might  they  reach  one  human  heart. 

These  tender  accents  creeping! 
What  wonder  if  they  do  not  reach  ! 
The  trees  by  starlight  only  preach, 

When  we  must  needs  be  sleeping. 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


267 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
HOW  TO  PREVENT  HARD  TIMES. 

In  the  year  1832,  when  the  cholera  first  reached 
Boston,  many  were  alarmed,  and  suddenly  cried 
out,  as  in  days  of  old,  "What  shall  we  do  to  be 
saved"  from  the  jaws  of  this  monster  disease  ? 
My  reply  usually  was,  "You  should  have  asked 
this  question  many  years  ago."  So  with  regard  to 
the  present  wide-spread  and  increasingly  alarm- 
ing pecuniary  distress.  To  those  who  cry  out  in 
the  intensest  mental  agony,  "What  shall  we  do  ?" 
I  usually  reply,  "You  ought  to  have  asked  this 
question,  with  solicitude,  many  years  ago." 
Young  men,  above  all  others,  at  their  first  set- 
ting out  on  the  journej'  of  life,  should  both  ask, 
and  find  a  reply  to  this  question. 

It  may  not  be  useless  to  present  a  list  of  cases 
of  young  men  who  early  pursued  an  anti-hard- 
times  course,  and  lived  to  reap  the  full  benefit  of 
it.  Although  I  suppress  their  names  and  place 
of  residence,  the  reader  may  be  well  assured  they 
are  real  cases,  and  not  only  7-eal,  but  living  ones. 

S D.,  of  N.,  in  Mass.,  when,  at  the  age 

of  twenty-one,  he  was  fairly  released  from  the  pa- 
ternal farm,  hired  out  to  a  neighboring  farmer 
two  years,  at  twelve  dollars  a  month  and  board, 
of  which  he  saved,  besides  clothing  himself,  two 
hundred  dollars.  His  wages,  under  a  new  em- 
ployer, were  now  raised  to  fifteen  dollars  a  month 
or  one  hundred  and  eighty  dollars  a  year,  of 
which  he  laid  up  one  hundred  and  fifty. 

A.  G.  L.,  of  W.,  in  Conn.,  after  reaching  the 
age  of  twenty-one,  labored  a  long  time  for  sev- 
entj^-five  dollars  a  year  and  his  board ;  of  which 
he  laid  up  fifty.  It  must,  however,  be  admitted 
that  he  had  some  mending  done  for  him  by  his 
friends,  gratuitously. 

Mr. T.,  of  L.,  in  Mass.,  after  the  age  of 

six  years,  wholly  sustained  himself  by  the  avails 
of  his  own  labor,  with  the  exception  of  twenty 
dollars.  It  may  also  be  added  that  from  the  age 
of  six  to  fifteen,  he  subsisted  on  brown  bread 
and  milk. 

W.  A.  W.,  of  W.,  in  Conn.,  at  the  age  of  twen- 
ty-two, had  remunerated  his  parents  for  all  the 
expense  to  which,  in  the  progress  of  his  bringing 
up,  both  early  and  late,  he  had  been  subjected. 

All  these  individuals  are,  at  present,  men  of 
decent  property,  good  standing,  and  respectable 
character,  and  in  most  respects  beyond  the  reach 
of  hard  times.  Thousands  of  young  men  among 
us  may  learn  a  lesson  from  them  and  "go  and 
do  likewise."  It  may  not,  kideed,  be  necessary 
or  even  practicable  for  young  men  to  clothe  them- 
selves for  twenty-five  or  thirty  dollars  a  year ; 
but  with  their  increased  wages  they  may  econo- 
mize in  the  same  proportion.  If  with  one  hun- 
dred and  forty-four  dollars  a  year,  Mr.  Y>.  could 
lay  up  one  hundred  dollars,  he  who  now  receives 
two  hundred  and  sixteen  can  lay  up  one  hund- 
red and  fifty.  And  the  yovmg  man  who  will  do 
this,  will  be  wise  and  economical  in  other  mat- 
ters ;  and  will  be  duly  fortified  against  hard 
times.  AV.  A.  A. 

Will  Underdraixing  Pay  ? — This  depends 
on  circumstances.  If  good  naturally  underdrain- 
ed  land  can  be  obtained  in  your  neighborhood  for 
from  $15  to  $20  per  acre,  it  would  not  pay,  in  all 
probability,  to  expend  $30  per  acre  in  under- 


draining  low,  wet  or  springy  land  ;  but  in  all  dis- 
tricts where  land  is  worth  $50  per  acre,  nothing 
can  pay  better  than  to  expend  from  $20  to  $30 
per  acre  injudicious  underdraining.  The  labor 
of  cultivation  is  much  reduced,  while  the  produce 
is  generally  increased  one-half,  and  is  not  unfre- 
quently  doubled  ;  and  it  must  he  remembered  that 
the  increase  is  net  jirofit.  If  we  get  $15  worth  of 
wheat  from  one  acre  and  $20  Avorth  from  the  oth- 
er, and  the  expense  of  cultivation  is  $10  in  both 
cases,  the  profit  from  the  one  is  twice  as  much  as 
from  the  other.  That  judicious  underdraining 
will  increase  the  crops  one-third  cannot  be  doubted 
by  any  one  who  has  witnessed  its  effects.  If  it 
should  double  the  crops,  as  it  often  does,  the 
profit  Avould  be  four-fold. — Genesee  Farmer. 


EXTKACTS   AND  REPLIES. 

A   BUTTER   COW — 100   POUNDS    PER   MONTH  ! 

A  reliable  gentleman,  residing  in  Dedhani, 
Mass,  informs  me  that  he  is  owner  of  an  import- 
ed Alderney  cow,  from  which  he  can  make  one 
hundred  pounds  of  butter  per  month,  for  three 
months — May,  June  and  Julj\  Is  it  possible  ? 
— and  what  is  the  fair  product  of  what  is  styled 
a  good  cow? 

The  above  cow  cost  $400.  G.  M.  L. 

Boston,  April,  1858. 

Remarks.  —  About  twenty-one  pounds  pei 
week !  Yes,  it  is  possible,  but  without  ocular 
demonstration,  the  statement  would  be  hard  to 
believe.  A  cow  that  will  yield  ten  pounds  of  but- 
ter a  week  Is  a  "good  cow ;"  one  that  yields j^f- 
tan  pounds  a  week  is  an  extraordinary  cow, — 
and  one  that  yields  twenty-one  pounds  per  week, 
for  thirteen  weeks  in  succession,  is  such  a  cow  as 
few  people  have  yet  seen. 

DORKING   EGGS. 

Will  you  inform  me  where  I  can  obtain  the 
eggs  of  the  pure  White  Dorking  fowl  ?  and  also 
if  the  latter  will  mix  if  allowed  to  run  with  hens, 
(hens  only)  of  another  breed  ?  G. 

Auburn,  N.  II.,  April  14. 

Remarks. — The  eggs  may  be  procured  at 
Mann's,  Court  Square,  Boston,  at  50  cts.  per  doz- 
en. There  can  be  no  mixture  under  the  circum- 
stances you  describe.     

THE    QUICKEST   TIME   SHQEING  HORSES   EVER 
KNOWN. 

Mr.  H.  J.  Batchelder,  of  this  town,  set  two 
shoes,  after  the  feet  were  fitted,  drove  eight  nails 
in  each  shoe,  and  finished  them  up  in  two  minutes, 
fifty-five  seconds !  Also,  he  took  off  two  shoes 
and  pared  the  foot,  set  on  the  shoes  and  finished 
them  up  in  a  workmanlike  manner,  in  six  min- 
utes ! 

Mr.  Bachelder  served  his  apprenticeship  in 
this  State  and  Massachusetts,  spent  the  last  two 
years  in  West  Fairlee,  Vt.,  and  is  now  employed 
by  Amos  Morrill,  of  this  town,  where  any  person 
who  will  favor  him  with  a  call  can  get  as  good 
shoeing  done  as  can  be  found  in  the  world. 

Strafford,  Vt.,  1858.  Sound  Foot. 


268 


KEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


June 


TO  PREVENT  CRQ-SYS,  BLACKBIRDS  AND  CUT- 
WORMS FROM  DESTROYING  CORN. 

Stir  in  warm  tar  with  the  corn,  then  mix  with 
plaster  before  planting. 

Plant  no  pumpkins  except  in  the  outer  rows, 
and  give  the  plant  a  direction  outward. 

Will  tar  applied  to  young  apple  trees  late  in 
the  fall,  prevent  mice  from  gnawing  them  ? 

Mt.  Holly,  Vt.  J.  P. 

Remarks. — Tar  might  prevent  the  gnawing 
by  mice  wherever  it  is  applied,  but  would  it  not 
be  dangerous  to  a  young  tree  to  cover  so  much 
of  its  stem  as  would  be  necessary  to  keep  it  from 
mice?  Snows  drift  about  young  trees,  and  we 
have  seen  them  completely  stript  of  thoir  bark 
three  or  four  feet  from  the  ground. 

"WHITE    STRAWBERRIES. 

I  have  on  hand  a  small  lot  of  white  strawberry 
plants,  which  I  wish  to  introduce  into  the  market. 
They  bore  abundantly  last  season,  were  ripe  as 
early  as  any  which  I  had,  and  held  out  the  long- 
est. 

I  would  be  much  obliged  if  you  would  give  me 
a  little  information  in  regard  to  grafting  an  or- 
ange tree ;  I  have  one  very  thrifty,  about  two 
years  old,  which  has  never  blossomed. 

Austin  C.  Packard. 

J^orth  Bridgewater,  April,  1858. 

Remarks. — This  publicution  will  introduce  the 
"White  Strawberry,"  and  perhaps  induce  some 
one  who  knows  to  tell  you  about  grafting  the 
orange  tree.  

CRANBERRY   PLANTS. 

Can  you  infonn  me  where  I  can  obtain  the  best 
kind  of  cranberry  roots  sufficient  for  setting  three 
or  four  acres?  A  Subscriber. 

Winchendon,  Mass.,  1858. 

Remarks. — Select  the  plants  bearing  the  fin- 
est-looking berries  you  can  find  in  the  neighbor- 
hood of  the  land  you  intend  to  plant.  This  is 
the  course  we  should  take. 

RELATIVE  VALUE  OF  ARTICHOKES. 

Will  some  one  inform  me  of  the  relative  value 
of  artichokes  compared  M'ith  potatoes,  or  other 
roots,  as  feed  for  swine  or  cattle.  They  can  be 
made  to  yield  four  hundred  bushels  to  an  acre, 
and  be  dug  in  the  spring,  at  a  time  when  there  is 
a  scarcity  of  other  vegetables.         A  Farmer. 

Windsor,  Vt.,  1858. 

COVERING  MANURE. 

*  *  *  I  am  confident  from  forty  years'  expe- 
rience, that  it  will  not  do  to  bury  manure  very 
deep  in  the  cold  region  of  Vermont. 

Waitsjield,  Vt.,  1858.        Erastus  Parker. 

TO   STOP  the  nose-bleed. 

Firmly  press  the  thumb  and  finger  on  opposite 
sides  of  the  nose,  immediately  below  the  bone, 
from  three  to  ten  minutes,  according  to  the  ra- 


pidity of  bleeding.  If  the  bleeding  be  in  the  ex- 
treme point,  then  compress  that  part  in  a  similar 
manner.  l. 

ARTIFICIAL  WHALEBONE. 

It  would  almost  seem  that  science,  in  its  rapid 
march,  would  finally  procure  for  the  great  whales 
of  the  deep  a  respite  from  the  tormenting  and 
deadly  assaults  of  the  harpoon.  Artificially  made 
oils  and  fluids  are  steadily  displacing  animal  prod- 
ucts for  purposes  of  illuminations,  and  now  by  a 
somewhat  recent  discovery  the  bone  of  the  whale 
is  no  longer  needed  to  supply  our  umbrella  and 
skirt-makers  with  skeleton  frames.  In  1855,  Jo- 
seph Kleemann  of  Meissen,  Germany,  obtained  a 
patent  for  a  mode  of  preparing  a  substitute  for 
whalebone.  The  process  has  been  put  into  prac- 
tice in  this  city  by  Vellman,  Solomon  &  Co.,  who 
are  turning  out  about  twenty  thousand  umbrella 
frames  every  week !  It  consists  in  taking  sticks 
of  the  common  ratan  and  soaking  them  in  a  li- 
quid extract  for  about  four  days,  after  which 
they  are  immersed  in  a  solution  of  any  of  the 
iron  salts,  which  gives  the  ratan  a  a  deep  black 
dye.  Subsequently  the  sticks  are  exposed  in  a 
close  vessel,  for  the  space  of  about  one  hour,  to 
the  action  of  steam  of  about  three  or  four  atmo- 
pheres'  pressure,  and  then  thoroughly  dried  in  a 
furnace  or  drying  room  at  a  temperature  of  about 
180°  Fah.,  when  they  become  ready  for  the  im- 
pregnating process. 

The  sticks  are  then  placed  into  an  iron  cylinder 
(capable  of  standing  the  pressure  of  at  least  ten 
atmospheres,)  connected  by  a  pipe  with  an  open 
vessel,  containing  a  varnish  made  by  dissolving 
120  parts  of  shellac  and  100  parts  of  burgundy 
pitch  in  90  parts  of  absolute  alcohol.  The  air 
having  been  exhausted  from  the  cylinder,  the  cock 
connecting  it  with  the  vessel  containing  the  var- 
nish is  opened,  when  the  atmospheric  pressure 
Avill  force  the  varnish  into  the  cylinder  and  into 
the  pores  of  the  ratan. 

The  impregnation  of  the  ratan  is  rendered 
more  perfect  Ijy  the  use  of  a  pump  for  forcing 
the  solution  into  the  cylinder.  The  ratan  has  now 
changed  its  character  and  become  hardly  distin- 
guishable from  the  best  quality  of  whalebone, 
except  that  it  is  somewhat  more  elastic  and  less 
liable  to  splinter  and  break.  It  has  gained  one 
hundred  per  cent,  in  weight  by  impregnation. 
After  being  removed  from  the  cylinders,  or  im- 
pregnators,  but  little  remains  to  be  done  in  the 
way  of  drying,  polishing,  fitting  the  ends,  «S:c., 
to  prepare  it  for  use  for  umbrellas,  parasols, 
canes,  &'c.,  and  various  other  purposes. — Scien- 
tific American. 

Remedy  for  Leaks. — A  correspondent  of  the 
Lynn  News  says : 

Some  years  ago  I  had  a  leaking  "L."  Every 
northeast  storm  drove  its  waters  in.  I  made  a 
composition  of  four  pounds  of  rosin,  one  pint 
linseed  oil,  and  one  ounce  red  lead,  applied  it  hot 
with  a  brush  to  the  part  where  the  "L"  joined 
the  main  house.  It  has  never  leaked  since.  I 
then  recommended  the  composition  to  my  neigh- 
bor, who  had  a  lutheran  window  which  leaked 
badly.  He  applied  it,  and  the  leak  stopped.  I 
made  my  water  cask  tight  by  this  composition, 
and  have  recommended  it  for  chimneys,  windows, 
&c.,  and  it  has  always  proved  a  cure  for  a  leak. 


1858. 


KEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


269 


For  the  Neiv  England  Farmer. 
HOKSE  TAMING. 

Mk.  Editor  : — The  art  of  subduing  horses  of 
vicious  and  ungovernable  dispositions,  has  as- 
sumed an  importance  only  commensurate  to  its 
great  utility.  The  wonderful  success  of  our  coun- 
tryman, Mr.  Rarey,  in  England  and  France,  has 
created  a  great  excitement,  and  a  consequent  de- 
sire to  be  informed  of  the  method  by  -which  these 
astonishing  results  are  achieved.  I  am  more  par- 
ticularly induced  to  revert  to  this  subject,  from 
the  fact  that  numerous  recipes  have  been  pub- 
lished in  New  England  papers,  professing  to  be 
the  method  by  which  Mr.  Rarey  subjugates  and 
has  acquired  so  much  control  over  the  horse. 
One  of  the  recipes  is  as  follows  :  "Take  the  grated 
horse-castor  or  wart,  which  grows  on  the  inside 
of  the  horse's  legs,  put  it  on  an  apple  or  other 
enticing  substance,  and  let  him  eat  it ;  then  rub 
a  few  drops  of  the  oils  Cumin  and  Bhodium  upon 
his  nose." 

It  is  stated  that  these  drugs  possess  some  po- 
tent charm  by  which  the  animal  is  rendered  ob- 
noxious to  his  vicious  propensities,  and  his  dispo- 
sition radically  changed  to  that  of  subservience, 
docility  and  implicit  obedience  to  the  mandates 
of  his  conqueror.  In  response  to  which  I  unre- 
servedly assert  that  no  such  result  is  produced. 
The  horse  castor  exhales  an  extremely  pungent 
ammoniacal  effluvium.  The  oil  of  Cumin  is  man- 
ufactured from  the  seed  of  the  same  name,  and 
in  smell  somewhat  resembles  turpentine ;  it  is 
very  persistent,  and  will  volatilize  its  strong  odor 
without  any  perceptible  diminution  for  several 
days.  The  oil  of  Rhodium  takes  its  name  from 
the  island  of  Rhodes,  or  roses.  It  is  procured 
by  maceration  from  rose-leaves,  and  has  a  very 
agreeable  and  powerful  aroma.  The  use  of  the 
drugs  in  subduing  an  ungovernable  animal  is 
quite  limited.  Their  powerful  smells  serve  to  at- 
tract his  attention  for  a  few  moments,  and  in  this 
manner,  may  possiblj'  prove  auxiliary  to  subse- 
quent operations  in  ameliorating  his  incorrigible 
temper. 

It  is  a  fact,  authentic  beyond  all  cavilling,  that 
horses  imbued  Avith  the  most  intelligence  and 
qualities  of  endurance,  are  generally  the  most 
stubborn  and  implacable ;  hence,  the  inestimable 
value  of  some  process  by  which  they  may  be  re- 
duced to  domestication  and  consequent  utility. 
The  plan  pursued  by  Mr.  Rarey  and  myself  pro- 
duces this  result,  and  therefore  its  importance. 
No  horse  will  submit  to  man  unless  convinced 
of  his  superiority.  To  obtain  this  supremacy  in 
ordinary  cases  require  no  skill,  but  where  the  an- 
mal  is  headstrong  and  obstinate  the  matter  as- 
sumes a  more  formidable  aspect,  and  defies  the 
orthodox  means  by  which  success  has  been  real- 
ized. 

The  obdurate  horse,  then,  must  be  vanquished 
in  a  trial  of  strength,  he  must  be  placed  in  such  a 
position  that  all  his  efforts  and  struggles  at  resis- 
tance shall  be  skilfully  encountered,  and  rendered 
futile.  This  accomplished,  the  horse  becomes  a 
slave,  and  only  as  such,  is  he  useful.  In  this  lies 
the  whole  secret  of  horse  taming.  It  requires 
nothing  but  confidence,  fearlessness,  and  patience 
and  perseverance  in  the  operator  to  perform  what 
appears  to  be  almost  miraculous.  The  time  re- 
quired to  conquer  the  horse  varies  with  the  ani- 


mal's disposition,  from  fifteen  minutes  to  three 
hours,  and  in  a  few  isolated  cases,  it  is  necessary 
to  repeat  the  operation.  In  general  it  is  quickly 
and  noiselessly  accomplished,  but  at  times  the 
struggle  is  severe  and  protracted,  but  success  in- 
variably eventuates  ;  during  the  period  I  have  im- 
parted instructions  in  horse  training  I  have  had 
several  very  vicious  animals  subjected  to  my  treat- 
ment, which  I  have  in  no  instance  failed  to  con- 
quer. 

I  am  not  at  liberty  to  give  the  details  of  my 
practice,  as  it  would  interfere  with  my  pecuniary 
interests.  The  secret  has  been  knoAvn  to  a  few 
horse-trainers  in  this  country  for  many  years. 
And  in  the  elementary  operation  pursued  in  gen- 
tling the  horse  for  the  uses  of  the  amphitheatre 
and  hippo-dramatic  performances,  it  has  alwajs 
been  regarded  as  a  great  secret,  and  only  impart- 
ed by  professional  horsemen  under  the  seal  of  se- 
crecy, and  for  a  large  remuneration.  Mr.  Rarey 
is  not  the  originator,  but  his  familiarity  with  the 
horse  has  developed  in  him  a  superiority  and 
skill,  which  the  amateur  cannot  realize.  In  con- 
clusion, I  would  remark  that  any  man  that  can 
handle  a  horse,  can  effectually  operate  my  meth- 
od of  subduing  him.     Yours  respectfully, 

Neio  York,  1858.  Caleb  H.  Rany. 


For  the  New  Eiigland  Farmer. 
BABNS,  AKD   BARN  KOOM. 

Mr.  Editor  : — Your  correspondent,  "Pine 
Hill,"  in  the  Farmer  of  Jan.  30th,  gives  a  de- 
scription or  plan  of  a  barn,  in  reply  to  the  in- 
quiries of  a  "Subscriber,"  which  I  think  Mill  not 
meet  the  approbation  of  farmers  generally. — 
Twenty  feet  posts  is  decidedly  an  inconvenience, 
for  it  is  imposing  upon  the  pitcher  of  hay,  a  task 
that  is  extremely  irksome,  in  the  hottest  season 
of  the  year.  Sixteen  or  eighteen  feet  posts,  to 
the  extent,  is  as  high  as  a  person  of  ordinary 
muscles  and  strength  would  wish  to  pitch,  while 
heated  with  a  hot  July's  sun. 

Your  correspondent  recommends  a  "brick  un- 
derpinning two  feet  high,  containing,  at  suitable 
distances,  small  doors  eighteen  by  sixteen  inch- 
es, for  the  purpose  of  light  and  ventilation.  The 
cellar  should  be  at  least  eight  feet  deep,  with  two 
rows  of  brick  piers  eight  feet  apart — the  whole 
length  of  the  barn.  The  entrance  to  the  cellar 
for  teams  should  be  at  one  end,  secured  by  a  tight 
door."  It  is  obvious  that  a  barn  should  be  built 
in  the  most  thorough  and  substantial  manner, 
therefore  underpinning  should  be  dispensed  with, 
especially,  a  brick  one.  A  well  constructed  •wall 
three  feet  in  thickness  laid  in  mortar  and  cement, 
makes  a  substantial  foundation  for  the  barn  to  rest 
upon,  which  joiners  readily  admit  is  preferable  to 
underpinning.  Instead  of  the  small  doors  for 
light  and  ventilation,  Avindows  on  hinges  are  de- 
cidedly preferable,  as  they  will  afford  these  at 
will ;  this  obviates  the  necessity  in  extremely 
cold  weather  of  keeping  a  door  open  for  the  sole 
purpose  of  aflbrding  light. 

The  space  for  Avindows  can  be  reserved  while 
completing  the  wall,  in  less  time  and  with  less 
trouble  and  expense  than  could  be  done  in  pro- 
curing and  setting  underpinning.  I  presume 
"Pine  Hill"  would  have  the  two  rows  of  piers 
stand  directly  under  the  posts  in  the  body  of  the 


270 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


June 


barn  ;  such  being  the  case,  the  drive-way  -woulcl 
be  only  eight  feet  in  width,  which  would  be  too 
narrow  for  either  barn  or  celhir.  The  drive-way 
in  the  cellar  being  under  the  drive-way  in  the 
barn,  its  entrance  must,  of  necessity,  preclude 
the  privilege  of  driving  through  the  barn,  which 
is  not  good  policy.  The  trap-door  in  the  floor- 
way  should  be  dispensed  with,  and  the  cellar 
should  be  of  such  depth  as  to  admit  of  tipping  a 
cart.  The  "Model  Barn"  in  the  N.  E.  Farmer, 
p.  272,  vol.  4,  embraces  much  that  is  economical 
and  convenient.  Middlesex. 

Feb.  26,  1858. 


MASSACHUSETTS  AGRICULTUEE. 
We  have  before  us  the  fifth  annvial  report  of 
the  Secretary  of  the  Massaclmseits  State  Board 
of  Affriculiure,  together  with  the  reports  of  com- 
mittees appointed  to  visit  the  autumnal  exhibi- 
tions of  the  several  county  societies  last  fall.  The 
volume  is  a  handsome  octavo  of  371  pages,  on 
fine,  white  paper,  is  illustrated  with  excellent  en- 
gravings of  horses,  cattle,  sheep,  swine  and  agri- 
cultural implements, — it  is  printed  well,  edited 
with  ability,  by  Mr.  Secretary  Flint,  and  is  a 
credit  to  the  Board  of  Agriculture  and  to  the 
State  under  whose  auspices  it  has  originated. 

The  volume  opens  with  an  account  of  the  re- 
cent operations  of  the  Board  of  Agriculture  and 
of  the  State  Exhibition  last  autumn,  and  its  re- 
sults, and  incidentally  giving  an  account  of  an 
effort  to  organize  a  new  Massachusetts  Agricul- 
tural Society.  The  Secretary  then  proceeds  to 
give  a  detailed  account  of  the  State  Fair  held  in 
Boston,  last  October,  into  which  he  has  intro- 
duced beautiful  portraits  of  some  of  the  stock  ex- 
hibited, among  which  are  a  Short  Horn  bull,  an 
Ayrshire  bull,  five  portraits  of  horses,  two  groups 
of  Cotswold  sheep  and  a  Hereford  bull  and  heif- 
er, owned  by  the  State,  and  kept  at  the  State 
Farm,  at  AVestboro'.  The  volume  is  also  inter- 
spersed with  numerous  engravings  of  agricultural 
implements,  articles  used  for  dairy  purposes,  Szc. 
In  arranging  the  statements  of  the  competi- 
tors for  premiums  and  the  reports  of  the  judges, 
the  Secretary  has  not  contented  himself  with 
presenting  us  a  dull  detail,  merely,  of  these  mat- 
ters, but  has  enlivened  them  with  a  short,  clear 
and  comprehensive  account  of  the  origin  of  the 
animal  under  consideration,  together  with  a  brief 
description  of  its  characteristic  points.  These 
terse  essays,  wrought  in,  as  they  are,  among  the 
dry  mass  of  heavy  statements  of  fact,  are  like 
gushing  springs  or  green  oases,  in  hot  sands,  kin- 
dling and  enlivening  the  whole  work,  and  giving 
it  an  attraction  which  it  must  have  failed  to  pos- 
sess without  them.  They  are  drawn  with  fideli- 
ty, indicate  corfsiderable  research  and  industry 
on  the  part  of  the  Secretary,  and  we  think  may 
generally  be  relied  upon  as  correct ;  while  the 
engravings  of  which  we  have  spoken,  are  intro- 


duced among  the  descriptions,  so  that  each  may 
give  force  to  the  other.  Some  of  the  subjects 
considered  are  as  follows  :  viz  : — 

Improved  Short  Horns  ;  North  Devons  ;  Ayr- 
shires  ;  Herefords  ;  Alderney  or  Jersey  Cattle; 
Grade  or  Native  Stock  ;  Milch  Cows  ;  Working 
Oxen  and  Fat  Cattle. 

Then  comes  the  subject  of  horses,  and  the  fii'st 
introdviced  is  the  Thorough  Bred ;  then  Roadsters 
and  Horses  for  General  Utility.  The  same  plan  is 
pursued  with  regard  to  Sheep,  Swine  and  Poultry. 
Agricultural  Products,  including  the  Dairy,  are 
also  considered.  The  subjects  of  Agricultural 
Implements,  of  Wine,  of  Entomology,  each  re- 
ceives a  liberal  share  of  attention.  A  somewhat 
detailed  accomrt  of  the  doings  of  the  Board  of 
Agriculture  on  the  State  Farm  for  the  last  yeai", 
closes  the  report  of  the  Secretary. 

Some  forty  or  fifty  pages  of  this  report  are 
occupied  in  a  mere  detail  of  enti'ies  by  the  com- 
petitors, and  are  then  reported  back  again  in  a 
different  form  by  the  judges.  This  is  all  proper 
in  this  volume,  but  to  repeat  it  in  less  than  ten 
years,  would  be  a  waste  of  space  and  energy. 
Once,  at  the  expiration  of  ten  years,  these  details 
will  be  valuable  to  afford  a  contrast  and  show 
whether  we  are  advancing  or  receding.  As  a 
whole,  the  Report  is  one  of  much  value,  while 
there  is  little,  very  little,  to  which  reasonable  ob- 
jections may  be  urged. 

The  second  portion  of  the  volume  is  made  up 
of  abstracts  of  returns  from  the  county  agricitl- 
tural  societies  of  the  State,  and  first,  of  extracts 
from  addresses  delivered  before  them.  These 
extracts  are  of  no  ordinary  character  j  they  indi- 
cate a  wide  range  of  inquiry  and  learning  in  their 
authors,  and,  as  literary  productions,will  compare 
favorably  with  the  literary  labor  of  the  best  re- 
views of  the  country.  They  are  also  remarkable 
for  their  pure  tone  of  morals,  for  the  just  and  at- 
tractive views  of  rural  life  which  they  present, 
and  for  their  earnest  faith  in  the  progress  of  ag- 
ricultural art  and  its  remunerative  results.  It 
affords  us  sincere  pleasure  to  bring  together  upon 
this  page  the  names  of  those  persons  who  left 
the  feverish  pursuits  of  commerce,  physic,  law  or 
other  occupation,  last  autumn,  to  commune  awhile 
with  Nature  in  her  fresh  and  glowing  walks,  and 
to  instil  into  others  the  wholesome  and  charming 
sentiments  of  which  they  are  themselves  the  hap- 
py recipients.  We  wish  we  could  send  to  every 
farmer's  fireside  in  the  Commonwealth,  sorre  one 
of  these  Addresses,  so  full  of  well-tempered  zeal, 
so  rich  in  encouragement,  and  so  abounding  in 
common  sense  and  high-toned  morality,  and  firm 
faith  in  Him  who  has  promised  us  perpetual  seed- 
time and  harvest.  We  now  subjoin  the  names 
of  such  persons  as  the  Secretary  has  reported, 
who  have  done  themselves  an  honor,  and  their 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


271 


State  a  distinguished  service  by  giving  a  portion 
of  their  time  and  talents  to  the  important  cause 
of  agriculture.  We  take  them  in  the  order  in 
which  they  stand  in  the  volume,  and  the  first  is 
that  of  Dr.  E.  G.  Kelley,  before  the  Essex  So- 
ciety, at  Newburyport.  Subject— "27ie  Fariner's 
Home  and  its  Embellishments." 

Rev.  Chaeles  Babbidge,  before  the  Middle- 
sex Society,  at  Concord.  Subject — ^^Agricultural 
Heart-Work:' 

E.  F.  Sherman,  before  the  Middlesex  North, 
at  Lowell.     Subject — ^^  Articles  of  Food" 

George  M.  Preston,  before  the  Worcester 
South  Society.  Subject — "Agriculture  in  its  re- 
lations to  the  Sciences." 

Prof.  John  A.  Nash,  before  the  Worcester 
West  Society.  Subject — "Hoic  to  better  Farmers." 

Justus  Tower,  before  the  Worcester  North 
Society.     Subject — "The  Farmer's  Position." 

Rev.  Alvan  Lamson,  before  the  Norfolk  Soci- 
ety. Subject — "Farming  in  some  of  its  Intellec- 
tual Aspects." 

By  George.  S.  Boutwell,  before  the  Barn- 
stable Society.  Subject — "System  oj"  Agricultu- 
ral Education." 

By  A.  B.  Whipple,  before  the  Nantucket  So- 
ciety.   Subject — "Forethought  in  Farming." 

The  attentive  reader  cannot  fail  to  observe 
what  a  wide  field  of  research  is  opened  in  the  in- 
troduction of  these  topics,  and  what  an  opportu- 
nity is  afforded  to  ingenious  and  cultivated  minds 
to  expatiate  upon  the  advantages,  charms,  and 
blessings  of  rural  life.  Faithfully,  and  with  sin- 
cere fervor,  have  our  authors  performed  their 
part,  and  the  bread  which  they  have  thus  cast 
upon  the  Avaters,  will  surely  coiae  back  to  them, 
blessed  and  multiplied  exceedingly.  We  cannot 
withhold  an  expression  of  our  admiration  of  their 
labors,  and  of  the  pei'sonal  obligation  we  feel  for 
the  noble  eff"orts  which  they  have  made  to  raise 
the  whole  subject  from  the  low  state  in  which  it 
had  come  to  be  considered,  to  its  ownproper  rank 
and  level. 

The  next  division  of  the  volume  introduces  the 
reports  of  Committees  upon  Farms.  The  first  re- 
port is  by  Dr.  George  B.  Loring,  of  Salem,  one 
of  the  most  accomplished  public  speakers  and 
writers  of  Essex  county,  and  if  Madam  Rumor 
is  correct,  he  is  just  as  accomplished  in  his  stout 
boots,  in  the  furrows,  or  on  the  moioing  ma- 
chine m  as  he  is  in  the  realm  of  letters.  His  re- 
port is  upon  farms,  is  not  a  dry  detail  of  farm  man- 
agement only,  but  a  running  fire  of  useful  thought 
and  happy  suggestions,  showing  all  along  how 
deeply  he  was  imbued  in  his  early  years  with 
both  the  prose  and  poetry  of  rural  life.  This  re- 
port is  foUoAved  by  many  statements  from  propri- 
etors of  farms,  detailing  their  particular  modes 


of  culture,  and  giving  results,  some  of  which  are 
valuable  papers. 

There  is  an  excellent  paper  on  "Farm  Ac- 
counts," by  P.  N.  Richards,  of  Sunderland. 
Then  follow  papers  upon  "Reclaimed  Swamps," 
"Improvement  of  Waste  Lands,"  "Orchards," 
"Manures,"  "Wire  Fences,"  "Indian  Corn," 
"Wheat,"  "Rye,"  "Barley,"  "Oats,"  "Broom 
Corn,"  "Chinese  Sugar  Cane,"  "Root  Crops," 
"Farm  Implements,"  "Neat  Stock,"  "Horses," 
"Sheep,"  "Poultry,"  "Bee  Culture,"  "The  Dairy," 
"Fruits  and  Flowers,"  a  paper  of  rare  excellence, 
full  of  beauty  and  genial  feeling,  and  what  may 
be  of  consequence  to  some,  full  of  information 
how  to  coin  shining  gold.  "Vegetables,"  and 
"Maple  Sugar."  A  paper  upon  "Inqidries  in  re- 
lation to  Experimental  Farming"  by  Wilson 
Flagg,  and  one  upon  "Artificial  Planting  of 
Trees, — its  Importance  and  Benefits"  by  Rev. 
John  L.  Russell,  close  the  volume.  These  pa- 
pers, excellent  in  themselves,  form  a  fit  ending  to 
a  volume  of  so  much  excellence. 

When  we  have  said  that  a  good  index  to  the 
Secretary's  Report,  and  to  the  ^miscellaneous  pa- 
pers that  follow,  is  given,  we  have  only  to  add 
that  we  close  the  volume  with  feelings  of  sincere 
gratification  and  pride. 


HOW  MUCH  HORSES  FEEL. 

Mr.  Rowell  relates  some  horrible  cases  in  Avhich 
horses  had  broken  their  bones  at  the  fetlock  joint 
and  were  compelled  to  walk  upon  their  stumps, 
with  their  fore-feet  turned  up,  as  we  should  turn 
back  our  legs  to  walk  upon  our  knees,  and  yet 
continued  to  graze  quietly  till  they  were  dis- 
patched. But  assuming  the  particulars  to  be  ac- 
curately reported,  and  they  did  not  fall  under  the 
observation  of  Mr.  Rowell  himself,  we  attach  lit- 
tle importance  to  them.  He  acknowledges  that 
horses  are  keenly  alive  to  the  stroke  of  the  whip, 
the  prick  of  the  spur,  and  the  sting  of  an  insect. 
That  they  are  peculiarly  sensitive  to  lameness  is 
also  a  matter  of  every-day  experience.  They 
groan  when  they  are  wounded  on  the  field  of 
battle,  and  by  their  looks  and  their  restlessness 
betray  great  uneasiness  when  the  lacerated  flesh 
begins  to  inflame.  The  absence  of  pain  in  par- 
ticular instances  of  extensive  injury  can  only  be 
temporary,  in  the  same  way  that  the  soldier  is 
often  unconscious  for  a  time  that  his  arm  has 
been  shot  off',  or  a  ball  been  lodged  in  his  body. 
The  numbness  which  appears  to  be  produced  by 
the  concussion  passes  away,  and  the  sensitive- 
ness is  to  be  judged  by  the  suffering  which  en- 
sues at  a  subsequent  stage.  Horses,  no  doubt, 
feel  less  then  men,  but  they  feel  a  great  deal.  It 
is  impossible,  however,  to  gauge  with  precision 
the  degree  of  anguish  which  is  allotted  to  each 
grade  of  animal  life.  There  are  circumstances  in 
every  case  which  must  be  experienced  to  be  un- 
derstood, and  to  estimate  truly  the  condition  of 
worms  or  quadrupeds,  we  must  become  worms 
and  quadrupeds  ourselves. — London  Quarterly 
Review. 


272 


NEW  ENGLAND  PARMER. 


June 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


273 


FOWL  MEADOW,  OR  FALSE  BEDTOP. 

1.  Spikelet,  magnifiej.      2.  Flower.      3.  Germ. 

Some  months  since  we  gave  an  engraving  and 
description  of  the  ''Orchard  Grass,"  intending 
at  that  time  to  introduce  other  varieties  of  the 
Grasses  from  time  to  time,  as  opportunity  and 
space  would  permit.  We  now  have  the  pleasure 
of  presentins;  the  reader  with  a  beautiful  illus- 
tration of  one  of  the  finest  and  best  grasses  of 
New  England,  the  Fowl  Meadoic,  or  False  Redtop 
Gh-a^s.  We  copy  the  description  from  Flint's 
Work  on  the  "Grasses  and  Fobage  Plants," 
recently  published. 

The  specific  characteristics  of  this  species  are 
two  to  four,  sometimes  five,  flowered  spikelets, 
oval,  spear  shaped,  ligules  elongated,  flowers 
acutish,  green,  often  tinged  with  purple,  roots 
slightly  creeping ;  wet  meadows  and  banks  of 
streams,  very  common.  Flowers  in  July  and 
August.  In  long  continued  moist  weather  the 
lower  joints  send  up  flowering  stems.  The  pan- 
icle is  erect  and  spreading  when  in  flower,  but 
more  contracted  and  drooping  when  ripe.  It  is 
perennial.     Native  of  Germany. 

It  early  commended  itself  to  the  attention  of 
farmers,  for  Jared  Eliot,  writing  in  1749,  says  of 
it :  "There  are  two  sorts  of  grass  which  are  na- 
tives of  the  country,  which  I  would  recommend, 
— these  are  Herds-grass,  (known  in  Pennsylvania 
by  the  name  of  Timothy-grass,)  the  other  is  Fowl 
Meadow,  sometimes  called  Duck-grass,  and  some- 
times Swamp-wire  Grass.  It  is  said  that  Herds- 
grass  was  first  found  in  a  swamp  in  Piscataqua, 
by  one  Herd,  who  propagated  the  same ;  that 
Fowl  Meadow-grass  was  brought  into  a  poor 
piece  of  meadow  in  Dedham,  by  ducks  and  other 
wild  water-fowl,  and  therefore  called  by  such  an 
odd  name.  It  is  supposed  to  be  brought  into  the 
meadows  at  Hartford  by  the  annual  floods,  and 
called  there  Swamp-wire  grass.  Of  these  two 
sorts  of  natural  grass,  the  fowl-grass  is  much  the 
best ;  it  grows  tall  and  thick,  makes  a  more  soft 
and  pliable  hay  than  Herds-grass,  and  conse- 
quently will  be  more  fit  for  pressing,  in  order  to 
ship  off"  with  our  horses ;  besides  it  is  a  good 
grass,  not  in  abundance  inferior  to  English  grass. 
It  yields  a  good  burden,  three  loads  to  the  aci'e. 
It  must  be  sowed  in  low,  moist  land.  This  grass 
has  another  good  quality,  which  renders  it  very 
valuable  in  a  country  where  help  is  so  much  want- 
ing ;  it  will  not  spoil  or  sufi"er,  although  it  stand 
beyond  the  common  times  for  mowing.  Clover 
will  be  lost,  in  a  great  measure,  if  it  be  not  cut 
in  the  proper  season.  Spear-grass,  commonly 
called  English  grass,  if  it  stands  too  long,  will 
be  little  better  than  rye  straw ;  if  this  outstand 
the  time,  it  is  best  to  let  it  stand  till  there  comes 
up  a  second  growth,  and  then  it  will  do  tolerably 
well ;  but  this  fowl-grass  may  be  mowed  any  time 
from  July  to  October.  *  *  *  This  I  won 
dered  at,  but  viewing  some  of  it  attentively,  I 
think  I  have  found  the  reason  of  it.  When  it  is 
grown  about  three  foot  high  it  then  falls  down, 
but  doth  not  rot  like  other  grass  when  lodged ; 
in  a  little  time  after  it  is  thus  fallen  down,  at  ev- 
ery joint  it  puts  forth  a  new  branch  ;  now  to 
maintain  this  young  brood  of  suckers  there  must 
be  a  plentiful  course  of  sap  conveyed  up  through 


the  main  stem  or  straw  ;  by  this  means  the  grass 
is  kept  green  and  fit  for  mowing  all  this  long 
period." 

This  grass  grows  abundantly  in  almost  every 
part  of  New  England,  especially  where  it  has 
been  introduced  and  cultivated  in  suitable  ground, 
such  as  the  borders  of  rivers  and  intervals  occa- 
sionally overflowed.  It  will  not  endure  to  be 
long  covered  with  water,  especially  in  warm 
weather.  It  is  well  to  let  a  piece  go  to  seed,  save 
the  seed  and  scatter  it  over  low  lands.  It  makes 
an  excellent  grass  for  oxen,  cows  and  sheep,  but 
is  thought  to  be  rather  fine  for  horses.  It  never 
grows  so  coarse  or  hard  but  that  the  stalk  is  sweet 
and  tender  and  eaten  without  waste.  It  is  very 
easily  made  into  hay,  and  is  more  nutritive,  ac- 
cording to  Sinclair,  than  either  foxtail,  orchard 
grass,  or  tall  meadow  oat  grass.  Owing  to  its 
constantly  sending  flowering  stems,  the  grass  of 
the  lattermath  contains  more  nutritive  matter 
than  the  first  crop  at  the  time  of  flowering,  hence 
the  names  fertilis  and  serotina,  fertile  and  late 
flowering  meadow  grass.  It  thrives  best  when 
mixed  with  other  grasses,  and  desei'ves  a  place 
in  all  mixtures  for  rich  moist  pastures. 


COOLING  ROOMS. 


The  warm  weather  will  shortly  be  here,  and 
every  one  will  be  seeking  the  refreshing  influ- 
ence of  a  cool  and  shady  place,  whereunto  they 
can  retreat  from  the  blazing  sun  ;  so  we  will  give 
our  readers  a  few  hints  concerning  the  cooling  of 
their  houses.  The  fii-st  necessity  is  a  thorough 
draft.  This  can  always  be  obtained  by  opening 
every  door  and  window  in  the  basement,  the  top 
of  every  window  above,  and  by  throwing  each 
door  wide  open  ;  but  above  all,  be  sure  that  the 
trap  door  in  the  roof  is  open,  and  there  is  plenty 
of  air  room  from  it  down  the  stairs,  so  that  what- 
ever be  the  direction  of  the  wind,  there  will  at 
least  be  one  ascending  current  of  air  in  the 
house.  Another  requisite  is  shade.  Our  com- 
mon slat  shutters  answer  well  for  the  windows, 
but  the  cheapest  and  most  convenient  shelter  for 
the  roof  is  to  cover  it  thickly  with  straw,  dried 
reeds,  or  rushes.  These  will  resist  the  influence 
of  the  noonday  sun,  and  keep  the  garret  almost 
as  cool  as  the  basement.  One  of  the  most  sim- 
ple methods,  and  at  the  same  time  the  cheapest 
means  of  artificially  lowering  the  temperature  of 
a  room,  is  to  wet  a  cloth  of  any  size,  the  larger 
the  better,  and  suspend  it  in  the  place  you  want 
cooled ;  let  the  room  be  well  ventilated,  and  the 
temperature  will  sink  from  ten  to  twenty  degrees 
in  less  than  half  an  hour. 

The  above  hints  will  be  useful  to  many,  and  as 
a  last  suggestion  we  will  inform  the  reader  that, 
in  summer,  it  is  well  to  keep  a  solution  of  chlor- 
ide of  lime  in  the  house,  and  occasionally  sprin- 
kle it  in  the  more  frequented  parts,  as  the  pas- 
sages and  stairs. — Scientific  American. 


Bright  Boy. — Not  long  since  some  ladies 
walking  in  the  garden  of  an  em.inent  divine,  who 
has  been  classed  among  the  transcendentalists, 
saw  his  little  boy  scraping  up  the  path  with  an  old 
table  spoon.  "What  are  you  doing,  my  little 
boy  ?"  inquired  one  of  the  ladies.  "O,"  said 
the  young  offshoot  of  transcendentalism,  "I'm 
digging  after  the  Infinite." — N.  Y.  Post. 


274 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMEK. 


June 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
BEE  CULTURE. 

Me..  Editor: — During  the  last  summer,  I  sent 
you  a  few  short  articles  on  the  above  subject, 
which  you  had  the  kindness  to  publish.  It  was 
my  intention  at  that  time  to  continue  the  subject 
until  I  had  gone  through  with  all  its  depart- 
ments. But  quite  a  number  of  experienced  api- 
arists, to  whose  judgment  I  defer,  took  up  the 
pen,  and  cast  "your  humble  servant"  quite  in  the 
shade.  When  I  have  grown  wiser  in  the  business, 
I  may  resume.  My  present  object  is  to  call  the 
attention  of  the  readers  of  the  New  England 
Farmer  to  their  bee?,  if  they  have  any.  "The 
winter  is  over  and  gone,  and  the  singing  of  birds 
has  ccme,"  and  a  little  attention  bestowed  upon 
your  l)ees  no^o,  will  pay  a  handsome  return  when 
the  honey  harvest  is  over. 

Last  fall,  when  putting  my  bees  in  their  winter 
quarters,  I  tried  Mr.  Quinby's  plan — that  is,  I 
put  my  hives  in  a  cool,  snug,  dark  room,  well 
ventilated,  and  turned  the  hives  bottom  up,  and 
kept  them  so  until  a  few  weeks  ago.  That  win- 
ter management  is  good,  which  preserves  your 
bees  and  brings  them  to  spring  in  a  sound  and 
healthy  condition,  and  not  greatly  reduced  in 
numbers.  I  cannot  say  but  my  swarms  have  come 
out  well  this  spring  ;  they  did,  with  one  excep- 
tion, and  probably  I  lost  that  by  some  experi- 
ments which  I  subjected  them  to.  Still,  I  do  not 
like  the  Quinbyplan  of  turning  the  hives  bottom 
up.  There  is  no  mistake  but  by  so  doing  you  get 
rid  of  the  moisture  generated  by  the  breath  of 
the  bees.  I  examined  my  hives  a  number  of 
times  during  the  coldest  weather,  and  never  saw 
any  moisture  in  or  about  the  hive.  But  this 
moisture  can  be  got  rid  of  equally  as  well  in 
another  way,  and  not  be  liable  to  the  objection 
which  the  "bottom  up"  plan  has  ;  by  this  treat- 
ment, all  the  filth  and  dirt  of  the  bees,  dead  bees 
and  all,  is  retained  in  the  hive,  and  I  found  it  al- 
most impossible  to  clean  them  so  as  to  make 
them  fit  to  be  seen.  Mine  were  all  chamber  hives, 
which  must  be  more  favorable  for  the  "bottom 
up"  plan,  than  with  hives  without  a  chamber. 

Now  my  hand  is  in,  let  me  say  a  word  about 
hives.  I  have  four  different  patents  in  operation, 
but  I  have  about  come  to  the  conclusion  that  be- 
tween "Patent  Bee  Hives" — moth 2^roof  included 
— and  "Humbug,"  there  is  no  great  difference. 
If  you  have  a  hive  like  Bevan's  cross-bar  hive, 
■with  a  chamber  to  it,  and  the  lower  part,  or  liv- 
ing room,  about  twelve  inches  square,  thorough- 
ly made  and  painted  white,  don't  spend  your 
money,  thinking  to  get  any  thing  better.  Dur- 
ing the  past  few  weeks  of  pleasant  weather,  those 
■who  have  taken  notice  have  found  their  bees 
hard  at  work,  coming  in  from  the  fields  with 
their  baskets  loaded  down  with  pollen.  Of  course 
your  hives  are  on  their  stand,  and  have  been  these 
three  weeks.  See  that  your  hives  are  thorough- 
ly cleaned,  particularly  the  bottom,  and  all  filth 
removed  from  every  part.  This  saves  your  bees 
a  very  hard  job.  You  have  also  weighed  your 
hives,  or  by  some  other  means  satisfied  yourself 
that  they  have  plenty  of  stores  to  carry  them  safe- 
ly into  the  honey  season ;  if  they  are  deficient, 
supply  them  at  once.  Every  few  days,  I  put  in 
the  outer  channels  of  the  chamber,  two  table- 
spoonfuls  of  honey,  and  let  it  run  where  it  pleas- 


es.  This  "strikes  the  fancy"  of  the  bees,  makes 
them  bestir  themselves,  and  is  said  to  promote 
early  swarming. 

During  the  middle  of  the  day,  just  pass  around 
among  your  hives  and  see  that  there  is  no  rob- 
bing going  on,  and  bees  are  more  prone  to  rob 
each  other  at  this  season  and  in  the  fall  than  at 
any  other  time.  I  take  the  precaution  to  contract 
the  entrance  to  all  my  hives  to  one  inch,  and  keep 
it  so  until  the  weather  becomes  quite  warm.  If 
the  farmer  wants  a  good  crop  he  must  use  the 
means  to  produce  one  ;  if  he  does  this,  nothing 
will  prevent  its  coming,  but  "the  hand  of  God." 
So  in  bee-culture,  they  must  have  the  care  and 
attention  of  the  master  ;  it  is  not  much  they  need, 
but  this  little  they  must  have,  or  there  is  no  suc- 
cess ;  with  it,  nothing  pays  better  in  the  whole 
range  of  the  farm  of  the  same  cost. 

Now,  friends  of  the  bee,  just  give  them  this 
care  for  a  few  weeks,  and  then  they  will  care  for 
themselves.  I  am  often  inquired  of  as  to  the 
price  of  a  swarm  of  bees,  including  a  good  hive. 
I  don't  know.  I  have  always  sold  mine  in  the 
spring,  about  this  time,  for  ten  dollars ;  never 
have  sold  any  without  a  hive,  but  should  suppose 
six  to  eight  dollars  a  fair  price.  NORFOLK. 

King  Oak  Hill,  April,  1858. 


THE  TKOUT. 


In  some  remarks  made  before  the  Farmers' 
Club  in  New  York,  by  Robert  L.  Pell,  Esq.,  we 
find  the  following  interesting  information  con- 
cerning this  highly  esteemed  fish  : 

"The  trout  is  the  only  fish  that  comes  in  and 
goes  out  of  season  with  the  deer ;  he  grows  rap- 
idly, and  dies  early  after  reaching  his  full  growth. 
The  female  spawns  in  October-  at  a  diff'erent 
time  from  nearly  all  other  fish ;  after  which  both 
male  and  female  become  lean,  weak  and  unwhol- 
some  eating,  and,  if  examined  closely,  will  be 
found  covered  with  a  species  of  clove-shaped  in- 
sects, which  appear  to  suck  their  substance  from 
them ;  and  they  continue  sick  until  warm  weath- 
er, when  they  rub  the  insects  off  on  the  gravel, 
and  immediately  grow  strong.  The  female  is  the 
best  for  the  table.  She  may  be  known  by  her 
small  head  and  deep  body.  Fish  are  always  in 
season  when  their  heads  are  so  small  as  to  be 
disproportioned  to  the  size  of  their  body.  The 
trout  is  less  oily  and  rich  than  the  salmon  ;  the 
female  is  much  brighter  and  more  beautiful  than 
the  male  ;  they  swim  rapidly,  and  often  leap,  like 
the  salmon,  to  a  great  height  'when  ascending 
streams.  When  I  first  stocked  my  trout-pond,  I 
placed  1500  in  it,  and  was  accustomed  to  feed 
them  with  angle-worms,  rose-bugs,  crickets,  grass- 
hoppers, &c.,  which  they  attacked  with  great  vo- 
racity, to  the  amusement  of  those  looking  on. 
They  grow  much  more  rapidly  in  ponds  than  in 
their  native  streams,  from  the  fact  that  they  are 
better  fed,  and  not  compelled  to  exercise.  Trout 
are  the  only  fish  known  to  me  that  possess  a 
voice,  which  is  perceived  by  pressing  them,  when 
they  emit  a  murmuring  sound,  and  tremble  all 
over." 

CuRCULlo. — Mr.  Walker  of  Kentucky,  through 
the  Ohio  Valley  Farmer,  suggests  the  following 
remedy  : — "As  soon  as  the  fruit  is  attacked  take 
a  tin-pan,  into  which  soap-suds  has  been  placed 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


275 


to  the  depth  of  an  inch  or  two  ;  place  it  in  the 
tree  and  place  a  small  glass  globe  lamp  in  the 
middle  of  the  pan,  which  permit  to  burn  all  night. 
In  darting  towards  the  light,  the  curculios  strike 
the  glass,  and  are  precipitated  into  the  liquid 
from  which  they  are  unable  to  extricate  them 
selves." 

For  the  New  England  Fanner. 
"KAISING  CAJNTE." 

Mr.  Editor  : — If  you  are  not  already  weary 
of  the  accounts  of  cane-raising  experience,  I 
should  be  glad  to  give  you  the  result  of  my  own 
experiments.  You  know  we  read  the  newspapers 
here.  Well,  last  winter  there  came  to  us  from 
the  north,  east  and  south,  such  glowing  descrip- 
tions of  the  results  of  Sorghum-raising  that  our 
little  village  was  thrown  into  quite  an  excite- 
ment upon  the  matter.  One  gentleman  procured 
a  good  deal  of  seed  from  Washington  and  dis 
tributed  it,  and  others  sent  to  Boston  and  bought 
it  in  larger  quantities.  The  price  of  sugar  and 
molasses  were  daily  on  the  rise,  till  we  began  to 
fear  that  pies  and  cake  would  be  reminiscences, 
not  present  realities  ;  besides,  the  Yankee  spirit 
of  independence  was  up,  and  we  were  ripe  for  a 
trial.  Now,  just  as  Spring  came  on,  I  had  a  piece 
of  land  given  to  me  for  cultivation  if  I  wished  so 
to  use  it.  There  was  a  quarter  of  an  acre.  So 
enthusiastic  had  I  become  from  much  reading  of 
Sorghum  reports  that  I  would  gladly  have  filled 
all  my  space  with  the  seed.  But  having  never 
held  the  plow  or  hoed  corn,  I  could  not  cultivate 
my  land  in  person,  and  felt  troubled  as  to  how 
my  pantry  was  to  be  supplied  with  syrup.  For- 
tunately we  have  a  neighbor,  a  staid,  worthy  dea- 
con, who  thoroughly  understands  farming,  and 
when  I  told  him  about  my  land  he  kindly  oifered 
to  "take  it  to  the  halves,"  as  we  call  it  here  in  the 
countr3\  Now  this  pleased  me  vei-y  much,  but 
how  in  the  world  should  I  manage  about  my 
" Sorglmm  Saccliaratum'7  I  had  a  strong  suspi- 
cion that  the  deacon  would  laugh  at  "hobbies" 
and  "newspaper  farming,"  and  it  was  therefore 
with  a  very  modest  manner  that  I  said,  "Deacon, 
I  should  like  very  well  to  try  a  little  of  the  new 
sugar  cane." 

"Yes,  yes,"  said  he,  "so  should  I ;  I  have  read 
a  great  deal  about  it  in  the  papers,  and  'sugar 
has  ris'  so  much  that  it  will  be  quite  an  object  if 
■we  can  make  some  ourselves."  Unfortunately, 
as  I  then  thought,  potatoes,  too,  "had  ris,"  and  in 
the  Deacon's  judgment  it  would  be  well  to  raise 
a  few  bushels  and  a  little  corn. 

We  consented,  at  the  same  time  thinking  how 
nice  it  would  be  if  we  could  have  it  all  in  sugar 
cane.  "Sugar  cane"  on  our  New  England  soil ! 
How  it  would  remind  us  of  the  sunny  tropics. 
But  with  a  wonderful  degree  of  reticence  we  lim- 
ited ourselves  to  two  hundred  and  thirty-four 
hills  of  the  sorghum. 

Time  passed — corn  and  potatoes  grew  apace, 
■while  the  sugar  cane  plants  looked  like  poor  sick- 
ly little  foreigners,  in  an  uncongenial  clime.  Our 
manure  was  guano  and  hen  manure.  In  a  few 
■weeks,  however,  the  sugar  cane  began  to  "pick 
up,"  and  look  aiound,  as  if  astonished  to  find 
such  a  hot  sun  in  our  skies  ;  it  grew  apace,  leav- 
ing its  country  cousin,  the  Indian  corn,  quite  in 
the  shade.     And  now,  indeed,  we  rejoiced  in  our 


goodly  crop,  and  the  Deacon  would  sometimes 
come  by  five  o'clock  in  a  summer  morning  and 
smack  his  lips  in  anticipation  of  the  sweet  juices 
that  were  maturing  in  the  rapidly  growing  cane. 
Why,  Mr.  Editor,  you  could  almost  hear  it  grow, 
as  to  seeing  there  was  no  mistake.  The  Deacon 
counted  the  stalks,  and  calculated  three  half- 
pints  of  juice  to  every  hill.  He  now  took  little 
heed  of  corn  and  potatoes — they  were  old  ac- 
quaintances, and  forsaken  for  our  more  showy 
stranger. 

When  Autumn  came,  as  good  luck  would  have 
it,  a  neighbor  who  lived  on  the  river  a  short  dis- 
tance from  the  village,  constructed  a  small  mill, 
consisting  of  two  horizontal  iron  rollers  for  crush- 
ing the  cane,  and  two  feeding  rollers.  Near  this  he 
put  up  a  boiler  for  preparing  the  syrup.  I  wish, 
Mr.  Editor,  you  could  have  gone  with  me  to 
"Uncle  Noah's,"  in  syrup  time.  You  would  have 
enjoyed  it.  He  is  a  wide-awake  man,  dead-set 
against  all  tyranny,  from  that  of  the  Russian 
Czar  down  to  our  birch-loving  district  school 
master.  It  would  disturb  him  to  see  a  woman 
vote,  and  if  he  was  town  lister,  would  have  no 
desire  to  assess  a  tax  upon  the  small,  hardly- 
earned  property  of  a  widow  or  maiden  lady.  No, 
he  firmly  believes  that  taxation  and  representa- 
tion should  go  together.  He  says  that  with  all 
the  new  spectacles  he  can  procure  he  can't  read 
the  Declaration  of  Independence  in  any  other 
way  than  that  all  men  have  a  right  to  life,  liberty 
and  pursuit  of  happiness,  and  he  is  so  stupid 
that  he  don't  know  what  Mr.  Choate  means  by 
•'glittering  generalities,"  for  to  him  they  are  plain 
truths.  It  would  have  pleased  you  to  see  him 
crushing  the  cane. 

He  was  to  take  our  cane  and  manufacture  it 
for  one-half  of  the  syrup.  We  had  seventy  gal- 
lons of  juice,  but  from  these  seventy  gallons  we 
obtained  but  seven  gallons  of  syrup.  There  came 
a  sudden,  early  frost,  which  injured  the  cane  so 
that  we  thought  it  would  not  yield  so  much  sac- 
charine matter. 

You  will  perceive  tliat  our  share  from  the  234 
hills  was  three  and  a  half  gallons.  Now  the 
deacon  had  to  strip  the  leaves  from  all  the  stalks 
before  they  could  be  crushed,  and  the  frost  had 
made  them  adhere  closer,  and  increased  the  la- 
bor. Then  there  was  the  expense  of  transporta- 
tion to  and  from  the  mill,  all  of  which  brought 
up  our  three  and  a  half  gallons  of  syrup  to  quite 
a  respectable  price.  At  last  it  was  completed, 
and  the  decaon  tasted — we  tasted,  the  children 
tasted,  and  one  looked  at  the  other,  then  we 
tasted  again,  then  a  silence.  I  wanted  to  say  it 
was  good,  but  I  couldn't  tell  a  lie.  The  deacon 
finally  said  he  liked  it,  and  he  thought  the  more 
one  ate  of  it,  the  better  they  would  like  it.  We 
tried  the  experiment,  and  kept  a  tumbler  of  it 
near  us  through  the  day,  and  occasionally  tasted 
as  we  have  seen  old  women  do  with  herb  tea, 
but  our  palates  were  inexorable ;  we  could  not 
like  it,  and  finally  we  told  the  deacon  if  he  would 
take  the  whole  for  the  labor  of  preparing  the 
stalks  and  the  expense  of  transporting  them  to 
the  mill,  we  would  conclude  the  bargain.  He  as- 
sented, and  we  thought  he  had  the  hardest  share, 
if  he  was  to  eat  the  syrup.  So  you  see,  Mr.  Ed- 
itor, we  furnished  land,  seed  and  manure — and 
learned  wisdom.  I  ought  to  add  that  our  Indian 
corn  was  good,  and  ripened  very  well,  notwith- 


276 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


June 


standing  the  wetness  of  the  season.  The  pota- 
toes were  very  fine,  mealy  and  delicious,  with  no 
symptoms  of  disease.  These  good  old  friends 
were  true  to  us,  and  if  I  farm  it  again,  I  shall 
cultivate  their  acquaintance  more  closely. 

We  used  to  scold  a  little,  Mr.  Editor,  because 
you  were  not  more  sanguine  about  the  results  of 
Sorghum,  and  thought  your  cautiousness  very 
largely  developed.  A.  E.  P. 

Sprintifield,  Vt.,  1858. 

Remarks. — We  yielded  a  good  deal  of  space 
last  year  for  a  fair  discussion  of  the  merits  of  the 
Chinese  sugar  cane,  advised  our  friends  to  try  it 
in  a  small  way,  and  have  more  recently  given 
many  accounts  of  results  in  various  quarters, — 
and  the  conclusion  we  have  come  to  is  this : — 
When  molasses  is  75  cents  a  gallon  in  the  win- 
ter or  early  spring,  and  the  prospect  is  strong 
that  it  will  remain  so,  it  will  be  wise  for  those  who 
have  light,  early  land,  to  cultivate  the  cane. 

We  give  the  above  article  because  the  story  is 
so  pleasantly  told,  and  because  its  results  are 
probably  those  of  nine  cases  in  ten  wherever 
the  trial  was  made  in  New  England.  We  do  not 
care  to  occupy  much  more  space  in  our  columns 
on  this  subject,  at  present. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
PEABS  ON"  THE  QUINCE  AND  APPLE. 

"Where  is  the  benefit  of  thus  cultivating?" 
asks  your  correspondent  "Essex,"  considering  the 
trees  are  to  be  set  so  deep  that  roots  may  start 
anew  from  the  pear  stock.  As  quince  roots  will 
cause  an  earlier  bearing,  and  continue  to  bear 
during  the  development  of  pear  roots,  we  ulti 
mately  get  pear  trees  on  their  own  permanent 
roots,  which  have  borne  from  the  time  they  were 
three  or  four  years  old — which  is  not  the  case 
with  original  pear  stocks. 

But  "why  not  graft  on  the  apple  stock  ?"  fur- 
ther inquires  your  correspondent.  The  affinity 
between  the  pear  and  apple  is  not  so  close  as  be- 
tween the  pear  and  the  quince  ;  and  although 
the  pear  takes  well  on  the  apple,  it  is  very  short 
lived — much  shorter  than  when  on  the  quince, 
under  the  most  unfavorable  circumstances.  Per- 
haps if  the  pear  were  grafted  low  on  the  apple  for 
the  purpose  of  re-rooting,  it  might  not  live  to  ac- 
complish it — though  I  have  heard  of  one  person 
who  has  tried  it  with  some  degree  of  success.  A 
few  years  ago  I  grafted  about  a  dozen  of  young 
apple  stocks  with  the  pear,  about  a  foot  from  the 
ground.  Though  growing  well  for  a  year  or  so, 
they  soon  died,  and  only  the  Jargonelle  bore  one 
early  specimen,  and  then  also  perished.  I  have 
since  grafted  some  apple  stocks  close  to  the 
ground,  to  ascertain  if  they  can  be  easily  re-root- 
ed. I  have  heard  that  fine  specimens  of  the  Sec- 
kle  pear  have  been  grown  on  the  standard  apple 
tree  ;  it  is  thought,  however,  that  this  is  an  ano- 
maly. Perhaps  most  any  pear  might  be  made  to 
bear  a  few  fruit  on  a  bearing  apple  tree,  as  the 
union  need  not  last  long  to  effect  it.  Some  one 
exhibited,  during  the  last  autumn,  at  the  Massa- 
chusetts Horticultural  Society,  a  very  handsome 


Flemish  Beauty  pear,  grown  on  the  apple.  Such 
unions  being  short,  are  not  profitable. 

I  confess  I  have  some  sympathy  with  "Essex" 
in  his  implied  distrust  of  the  "little  quince." 
Where,  however,  persons  are  planting  a  fruit  gar- 
den, they  are  generally  impatient  to  see  their 
pear  trees  bear.  In  such  cases,  it  would  be  well 
to  set  a  few  on  the  quince,  being  careful  to  plant 
them  in  a  rich  soil  two  or  three  inches  below  the 
junction. 

Query. — As  the  pear  will  grow  on  the  quince, 
the  quince  will  probably  grow  on  the  pear.  Has 
any  one  tried  this  on  a  standard  pear  ?  If  the 
union  Avould  last  any  length  of  time,  it  might  be 
advisable,  as  the  quince-borer  would  be  avoided, 
and  the  trees  would  present  a  full,  weeping  top. 

W.  Medford,  April,  1858.  D.  "W.  L. 


Fur  the  New  England  Farmer. 
HOW  THEY"  PEED  THEIR   CHOPS  IN 
MARBIiEHEAD. 

Mr.  Editor  : — As  some  of  yovir  readers  may 
like  to  know  what  we  call  high  farming  down 
our  way,  I  send  the  following  "table  of  contents" 
of  several  heaps  of  compost  on  the  farm  of  Mr. 
Setii  Hatha w'ay,  of  this  town.  These  masses 
of  manure  Avere  fourteen  in  number,  having  a  di- 
ameter of  from  ten  to  thirty  feet,  with  an  average 
depth  of  about  four  feet,  and  were  all  designed 
to  be  applied  to  between  fourteen  and  fifteen 
acres  of  tillage,  devoted  mostly  to  onions  and 
cabbages.     Contents,  viz. : 

Glue  manure 30  cords. 

Night  soil 2S  cords. 

Rotten  kelp  (see  manure) 10  cords. 

Beech  sand 10  to  12  cords. 

Muck  and  surface  soil 14  to  16  cords. 

Lime  grounds,— being  the  sediment — remaining  in  the 
pots  in  which  skins  are  prepared  for  the  man- 
ufacturing of  glue 11  cords. 

Bone  manure 6  to  S  cords. 

Waste  onions,  which  did  not  fully  bottom  last  year.  .250  barrels. 

With  such  data  before  them,  I  think  some  of 
your  readers  may  cease  to  wonder  at  the  mam- 
moth cabbages,  onions,  and  other  vegetables 
which  have  made  ^larblehead  famous  in  Boston 
market,  and  made  the  names  of  her  handful  of 
farmers  occur  so  frequently  as  successful  compet- 
itors in  the  reports  of  the  Essex  County  Agricul- 
tural Society.  *  *  Mr.  H.  works  up  and  com- 
bines his  glue  manure  most  thoroughly  and  mi- 
nutely with  composting  materials,  and  in  this 
state,  considering  its  strength  and  durability,  es- 
timates it  at  nearly  double  the  value  of  barn  ma- 
nure ;  yet  his  father-in-law,  a  glue  manufacturer, 
informs  me  that  within  three  years  he  has  had 
difficulty  in  disposing  of  it  to  farmers  at  $2  per 
cord !  I  intend  to  keep  my  eye  on  Mr. 
Hathaway's  acre,  and,  perhaps,  by-and-bye,  may 
report  how  such  manuring  pays.  Whatever  re- 
turns she  may  make  him,  we  will  all  agree  that 
he  does  not  design  to  cheat  mother  Earth. 

Marblehead,  Mass.  J.  J.  H.  Gregory, 


CilALK  FOR  AVarts. — A  Correspondent — W. 
H.  Bennett,  of  Warwick,  R  I.,  informs  us  that  by 
rubbing  chalk  frequently  on  warts,  they  Avill  dis- 
appear. In  several  instances  known  to  him  in 
which  this  simple  remedy  M'as  tried,  it  proved 
successful.  We  have  known  slightly  moistened 
pearl-ash  to  remove  warts  by  rubbing  it  upon 
them. — Scientific  American. 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


277 


SEEDTIME  AND  HARVEST 

BY   J.  O.    TVHITTISR. 

As  o'er  his  furrowed  fields  which  lie 
Beneath  a  coldly-dropping  sky, 
Yet  chill  with  winter's  melted  snow^ 
The  husbandman  goes  forth  to  sow  ; 

Thus,  Freedom,  on  the  bitter  blast 
The  ventures  of  thy  seed  we  cast, 
And  trust  to  warmer  sun  and  rain, 
To  swell  the  germ,  and  fill  the  grain. 

Who  calls  thy  glorious  service  hard  ? 
Who  deems  it  not  its  own  reward  ? 
Who,  for  its  trials,  counts  it  less 
A  cause  of  praise  and  thankfulness? 

It  may  not  be  our  lot  to  wield 
The  sickle  in  the  rijK'ned  field  ; 
Nor  ours  to  hear,  on  summer  eves, 
The  reaper's  song  among  the  sheaves  ; 

Yet  where  our  duty's  task  is  wrought 
In  unison  with  God's  great  thought. 
The  near  and  future  blend  in  one. 
And  whatsoe'er  is  willed  is  done  ! 

And  ours  the  grateful  service  whence 
Comes,  day  by  day,  the  recompense  : 
The  hope,  the  trust,  the  purpose  stayed, 
The  fountain  and  the  noonday  shade. 

And  were  this  life  the  utmost  span, 
The  only  end  and  aim  of  man, 
Better  the  toil  of  fields  like  these 
Than  waking  dream  and  slothful  ease. 

But  life,  though  falling  like  our  grain, 
Like  that  revives  and  springs  again  ; 
And,  early  called,  how  blent  are  they 
Who  wait  in  heaven  their  harvest  day  ! 


SUGGESTIONS  ABOUT  HAYMAKING. 

Some  things  I  know,  and  others  I  should  like 
to  know.  I  know  that  this  life  is  too  short  to 
learn  everything  that  a  farmer  should  know  by 
actual  experiment ;  therefore  it  is  necessary  to 
profit  by  the  experience  of  others  by  reading.  I 
would  therefore  recommend  that  every  farmer 
who  can  should  take  and  read  the  Coimtry  Gentle- 
man or  Cultivator,  and  as  many  other  agricultu- 
ral papers  as  he  pleases.  1  think  it  pays  well. 
Knowledge  and  Industry  are  what  elevate  the 
farmer,  or  one  man  above  another.  I  know  that 
horses  and  cattle  like  early  cut  hay  better  than 
that  M'hich  is  cut  late.  They  will  fatten  on  it  by 
giving  them  what  they  will  eat,  while  they  will 
barely  subsist  on  that  which  gets  dead  ripe  be- 
fore it  is  cut.  Cows  which  go  to  pasture  early  in 
the  spring  will  make  yellow  butter,  and  so  they 
will  in  winter  if  fed  on  early  cut  hay,  if  it  be  Avell 
cured.  It  is  more  work  to  make  hay  of  early  cut 
grass,  than  that  which  stands  and  dries  up  before 
being  cut.  It  is  an  old  adage,  "to  make  hay 
while  the  sun  shines."  I  think  hay  dried  in  the 
shade,  is  more  fragrant  and  better  than  if  dried 
in  the  sun.  But  in  haying  time  we  are  in  haste 
to  dry  it  as  soon  as  possible,  and  get  it  into  the 
barn  out  of  the  way  of  the  rain.  I  have  noticed 
that  women  who  have  occasion  to  gather  herbs 
for  winter  use,  usually  gather  them  when  in  blos- 
som, and  dry  them  in  the  shade.  I  believe  it  i? 
correct.  If  it  be  so  with  herbs,  is  it  not  so  with 
grass?  I  don't  know  which  will  pay  best — to 
cut  meadows  once  or  twice  the  same  season.  I 
think  it  will  be  better  to  cut  twice ;  and  I  think 


the  quantity  will  be  as  much  or  more  on  the  right 
kind  of  land,  if  cut  twice  the  same  season.  I  do 
not  know  but  grass  would  be  more  likely  to  kill 
or  die  out,  if  cut  twice  a  year ;  think  it  would  ; 
but  would  it  not  pay  to  reseed  it  every  two  or 
three  years  ? 

I  wish  J  ou  would  persuade  John  Doe  or  Rich- 
ard Roe,  or  some  of  those  big  farmers  who  own 
a  hay-scale,  to  take,  say  two  acres  of  meadow 
ground,  cut  one  acre  early  so  as  to  cut  it  twice  the 
same  season,  and  the  other  acre  to  cut  but  once, 
and  weigh  it  in  and  weigh  it  out  again  on  feed- 
ing, and  feed  it  to  two  steers  or  cattle  of  nearly 
equal  size,  and  weigh  them  every  few  days,  so  as 
to  determine  which  is  the  most  economical  plan, 
or  which  will  pay  the  best.  I  should  like  to  see 
the  result  of  such  an  experiment  in  the  Country 
Gentleman. — Country  Gentleman. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
LETTER  from:  MR.  FRENCH. 
THE  ALPS   AND   GLACIERS. 

My  Dear  Brown  :— On  the  12th  day  of  Au- 
gust, at  about  six  o'clock  in  the  morning,  my 
three  Canadian  friends  and  I,  on  our  mules,  and 
with  a  liberal  supply  of  guides  and  mule-drivers, 
left  Martigny  to  cross  the  Alps  by  the  Tete  Noir 
pass  to  Chamouni,  in  Sardinia.  It  is  called  a 
ten  hours'  ride,  for  nobody  in  these  countries  has 
any  other  idea  of  distance  than  by  the  time  occu- 
pied in  travelling.  The  morning  Avas  clear  and 
warm,  and  as  we  wound  along  in  single  file  up 
the  narrow  path,  we  often  turned  to  gaze  with 
admiration  at  the  picturesque  valley  of  the  Rhone 
which  stretched  many  leagues  away  behind  us, 
and  at  the  snowy  mountain  peaks  which  lifted 
their  heads  in  the  far  distance. 

Soon,  how"ever,  the  winding  pathway  led  us 
among  the  high  hills,  and  amidst  forest  trees 
which  shut  out  all  prospect  in  the  rear,  and  over- 
taking a  party  consisting  of  an  English  gentle- 
man and  his  wife  and  sister,  and  an  American 
clergyman,  we  were  soon  mingled  in  one  party, 
sometimes  walking  down  the  hills  too  steep  for 
comfort  or  safety,  sometimes  conversing  at  the 
top  of  our  voices,  as  we  filed  along  on  our  mules, 
and  so  making  the  most  of  our  new  acquaintances, 
till  we  reached  the  Barberine  house,  a  little  more 
than  half  way,  where  we  left  our  mules  and  pro- 
ceeded on  foot. 

We  soon  caught  our  first  glimpse  of  Mont 
Blanc,  towering  up  clear  and  white  in  the  sun- 
light, magnificent  in  the  distance.  Then  we  came 
close  down  upon  the  Argentine  glacier,  sloping 
quite  into  the  valley,  in  the  gorge  of  the  moun- 
tains, a  strangely  grand  sight,  of  a  field  of  snow 
and  ice,  extending  for  miles  from  the  regions  of 
perpetual  snow,  like  a  frozen  river  of  a  mile  or 
two  in  width,  down  to  where  the  wheat  and  oats 
were  ripening  in  the  August  sultry  sun. 

After  dinner  at  Chamouni,  at  the  London  Ho- 


278 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


June 


tel,  over  which  the  American  and  English  flags 
•were  waving  to  attract  just  such  patriots  as  our- 
selves, we  walked  up  to  the  small  church  and  in- 
to the  fields,  and  sat  down  upon  the  grass,  and 
watched  the  sunlight  on  the  mountain  peaks, 
glistening  like  silver  with  rainbow  hues,  as  the 
shadows  from  the  valleys  crept  softly  up  the  hill- 
sides. There  was  no  cloud  or  mist  around  the 
lofty  peaks,  and  one  by  one  the  twilight  cast  her 
mantle  over  them,  till  the  brightness  of  all  was 
dimmed,  except  one  distant  lofty  summit  which 
before  had  seemed  no  higher  than  the  rest,  but 
now  we  saw,  as  the  sunlight  still  glanced  from 
this,  when  all  the  rest  of  the  world  had  sunk  into 
shade,  that  Mont  Blanc,  with  his  glorious  fore- 
head bathed  in  light,  looked  down  on  all  around 
him.  Next  day  was  clear  and  bright,  and,  as  I 
watched  the  sunrise  on  the  mountains  which  rise 
almost  like  a  wall  on  the  east  of  the  valley  of 
Chamouni,  every  wave  of  the  ocean  of  snow 
which  covers  them  was  plainly  visible.  "We  took 
an  early  start  on  foot  up  Mt.  Anvert,  by  a  steep 
and  crooked  path,  and  there  at  about  three  thou- 
sand feet  elevation  above  the  valley,  and  eight 
thousand  above  the  ocean  level,  we  looked  down 
upon  the  famous  Mer  de  Glace.  This  is  one  of 
the  glaciers,  and  here  about  three  miles  above  the 
lower  end  of  it  we  crossed  to  the  other  side  upon 
the  ice.  The  passage  did  not  seem  to  me  either 
difficult  or  dangerous,  though  some  of  our  party 
availed  themselves  constantly  of  the  helping 
hand  of  the  guides  to  steady  their  steps. 

It  is  a  rough  river  of  ice  of  about  half  a  mile 
in  width,  not  smooth,  like  ice  formed  where  it 
lies,  but  rough  and  broken,  as  if  a  sea  of  ice  of 
many  feet  in  thickness  had  been  broken  up  by  a 
torrent  and  swept  down  from  above,  till  it  was 
jammed  into  the  mountain  pa?s  in  a  perfect  chaos 
of  confusion.  The  guides  have  small  flags  post- 
ed up  at  intervals  to  indicate  a  safe  pathway, 
and  they  carry  hatchets  with  which  they  cut 
notches  in  the  large  masses  of  ice  over  which  we 
climbed. 

We  passed  close  by  large  fissures  where  the 
masses  of  ice  were  separated,  which  appeared  to 
be  fifty  feet  in  depth,  and  across  narrow  passes 
as  if  on  huge  cakes  of  ice  set  on  edge.  Stones 
and  earth  are  in  places  mingled  with  the  ice,  and 
all  this  seems  to  substantiate  the  theory  that 
these  glaciers  are  formed  by  avalanches  of  snow 
and  ice  which  slide  from  the  higher  peaks  of  the 
mountains. 

Slowly,  but  surely,  the  whole  mass  slides  down 
into  the  valley,  where,  at  the  end  of  the  glacier, 
which  juts  out  like  a  tongue  between  the  green 
fields  and  pastures  which  almost  touch  its  sides, 
a  river  of  roaring,  foaming  water  constantly 
rushes  from  beneath  it.  It  is,  as  I  have  said, 
about  three  miles  from  where  we  crossed  to  the 


lower  end  of  the  glacier.  Occasionally  a  guide 
or  traveller  falls  into  the  deep  fissures  in  the  ice 
in  crossing,  and  they  say  that  it  takes  about  for- 
ty years  for  those  unfortunate  individuals  to 
make  the  passage  out  at  the  lower  end,  showing 
that  the  glacier  moves  at  about  the  speed  of  three 
miles  in  that  period  of  time.  We  were  solemnly 
assured  that  there  are  three  guides  now  on  the 
passage,  and  that  one  of  them  is  anxiously 
looked  for  every  year  by  his  posterity,  and  ex- 
pected to  come  out  in  as  good  a  state  of  preser- 
vation as  the  elephant  that  was  found  in  Siberia, 
frozen  up  probably  before  the  time  of  Noah. 

After  crossing  the  ice,  we  walked  down  on  the 
other  side,  climbing  along  by  the  side  of  a  per- 
pendicular precipice,  holding  by  a  rope  fastened 
with  staples  to  the  rock,  for  many  rods,  looking 
down  all  the  way  upon  the  glacier  at  our  feet. 
The  day  was  hot,  and  large  masses  of  ice  were 
constantly  falling  as  the  water  beneath  loosened 
the  foundation,  and  occasionally  a  crash  like  the 
report  of  a  field-piece,  told  that  a  great  mass  of 
ice  had  fallen  oft'  from  the  end  of  the  glacier, 
which  seems  to  stand  some  fifty  feet  high,  and  to 
preserve,  by  some  means,  a  square  wall  at  its  ter- 
mination. All  through  the  day  we  had  fine  views 
of  the  mountains,  and  at  night  arrived  at  our  ho- 
tel, after  a  rough  walk  of  twenty  miles,  with  less 
feeling  of  fatigue  than  a  quarter  of  that  distance 
gave  us  in  our  early  attempts  at  pedestrianism. 

The  agriculture  of  this  valley  is  not  extensive. 
Crops  of  wheat  and  oats  were  growing  in  the  nar- 
row plains  in  the  valleys.  Flocks  of  she-goats, 
each  with  a  bell  on  her  neck,  were  driven  at 
night  home  to  the  village  to  be  milked.  High 
up  on  the  mountains  we  could  see  little  villages 
of  small  cottages,  where  a  few  cows  and  goats 
are  kept.  Even  in  the  midst  of  the  mountain 
passes,  where  nothing  but  a  mule  can  travel, 
there  were  away  up  above  our  path,  houses  and 
attempts  at  fields  of  grain.  The  hunters  shoot 
chamois  and  some  other  kinds  of  mountain  goats 
or  deer.  Where  there  are  wider  valleys,  grapes 
are  grown  on  the  sunny  slopes,  but  on  the  whole, 
the  region  about  Chamouni  is  barren  and  deso- 
late, and  the  inhabitants  subsist  mainly  by  the 
expenditures  of  travellers  who  are  attracted 
thither  by  the  wild  beauty  of  the  scenery.  From 
Chamouni  we  took  post-horses  to  Geneva,  a  long 
but  pleasant  day's  ride  of  nearly  fifty  miles. 

The  scenery  is  picturesque  and  grand  through 
most  of  the  route,  with  fine  views  backward  of 
Mont  Blanc.  We  dined  at  Bonneville,  and  then 
journeyed  on  through  a  pleasant  Rhine-like  vine 
land  down  the  river  Arve  till  we  reached  the  ele- 
gant aristocratic  city  of  Geneva.  Here  again  we 
seemed  to  have  found  one  of  those  cities  peculiar 
to  continental  Europe,  devoted,  like  Brussels  and 
Paris,  to  luxury  and  elegant  amusement.  Beauti- 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FAIl]MEIl. 


279 


ful  walks  among  trees  and  fountains  and  statues 
ornament  the  shores  of  the  lake  in  front  of  the 
stately  and  palace-like  hotels.  In  the  evening, 
bands  of  music  surrounded  by  parties  of  elegant- 
ly dressed  ladies  and  gentlemen,  were  perform- 
ing in  a  garden  by  one  of  the  bridges,  while 
graceful  pleasure  boats  were  gliding  from  point 
to  point  on  the  lake.  This,  however,  is  but  the  out- 
side impression  of  Geneva,  a  city  famed  for  its  de- 
votion to  science  and  learning  as  well  as  the  arts, 
and  famous  as  the  residence  of  Calvin,  and  as  the 
head-quarters  of  the  Puritans. 

In  a  former  letter  written  at  Lyons,  I  have 
hastily  sketched  my  journeyings  to  that  city, 
and  if  in  this  or  others  of  my  letters,  repetitions 
or  omissions  are  noticed,  It  should  be  borne  in 
mind,  that  what  I  have  written  abroad  has  been 
in  haste,  and  almost  on  the  wing,  and  that  no 
copies  have  been  kept.  The  freshness  of  a  first 
impression  has  seemed  to  me  of  more  interest 
than  a  more  careful  narrative  from  notes  or  re- 
vised correspondence.  H.  F.  F. 


For  the  Neic  England  Farmer. 

BUCK'WHEAT  BRAZST   AND    STilA"W-.OX- 
YOKES. 

Mr.  Brown  : — I  wish  to  know  if  there  Is  any 
virtue  in  buckwheat  bran  ?  I  have  fed  it  mixed 
with  oats,  to  horses,  putting  in  about  twelve 
quarts  of  bran  to  one  bushel  of  oats,  and  am  con- 
fident that  it  has  been  injurious  to  the  animals  ; 
had  I  fed  the  oats  clear,  I  have  no  doubt  the 
same  quantity  would  have  put  the  horses  In  bet- 
ter condition. 

I  have  heard  it  remarked  that  buckwheat  straw 
used  as  bedding  for  hogs  would  eventually  cause 
their  death.     Is  it  so  ? 

I  would  like  to  Inquire  what  Is  the  best  kind  of 
a  yoke  for  oxen  to  work  in,  i.  e.,  a  long  or  a 
short  one  ?  I  am  told  by  one  they  avIU  work  the 
best  and  draw  the  most  in  a  short  yoke  ;  another 
says  the  reverse.  My  opinion  Is  that  it  depends 
upon  circumstances  ;  If  a  pair  of  cattle  are  equal 
in  strength  to  each  other,  they  will  work  to  the 
best  advantage  in  a  long  yoke.  In  matching  cat- 
tle, the  weight  of  each  should  be  ascertained  ; 
this  is  the  most  essential  point.  Supposing  their 
horns  are  not  exactly  alike,  or  one  may  be  a  lit- 
tle darker  red  than  the  other,  what  matter  Is  it  ? 
If  they  are  equal  to  each  other  In  weight,  they  are 
apt  to  be  equal  in  strength,  and  if  they  are  equal 
in  strength,  when  working  in  a  long  yoke,  one 
will  not  be  constantly  behind  the  other,  or  crowd- 
ing against  the  tongue.  If  they  are  not  matched 
in  this  manner,  It  ought  not  to  be  said  they  are 
well  matched.  If  you  desire  to  work  them  in  a 
long  yoke,  give  the  weak  one  the  advantage,  by 
placing  him  farther  from  the  tongue,  which  can 
be  done  by  boring  the  hole  in  the  yoke  farther 
from  the  centre.  It  Is  best,  however,  to  give 
such  cattle  a  short  yoke. 

Onvell,  T^.,  1858.         Edmund  H.  Benson. 


substance,  and  rattles  like  a  "pocket  of  walnuts," 
when  shaken. 

We  can  see  no  reason  why  lying  upon  buck- 
wheat straw  should  be  hurtful  to  swine. 

Your  remarks  upon  matching  cattle  and  fitting 
yokes  are  valuable.  Those  subjects  need  more 
attention. 

TOMATOES— SUPPORTING  AND   SHORT- 
ENING-IN. 

Few  gardens  are  now  found  unsupplled  with 
tomatoes,  but  very  few  persons  take  pains  to  cril- 
tivate  them.  The  vines  are  usually  left  to  strag- 
gle ad  libitum.  This  is  both  bad  economy  and 
bad  taste.  If  tomatoes  are  planted  in  rows,  a 
convenient  plan  Is  to  put  up  stakes  on  both  sides 
of  each  row,  and  nail  on  horizontal  strips  or  slats 
to  keep  the  vines  perpendicular.  They  may  be 
carried  up  to  the  height  of  three  to  five  feet.  By 
this  means  the  vines  will  show  much  better,  es- 
pecially when  covered  with  ripened  fruit  cluster- 
ing thickly  upon  the  sides.  The  fruit  Itself  will 
be  much  superior  to  that  matured  on  the  ground 
and  In  the  shade.  Strong  twine  or  wires  may  be 
substituted  for  the  horizontal  slats.  A  cheaper 
process  of  supporting  tomatoes  Is  to  bush  them. 
In  the  same  manner  that  beans  or  peas  are  treat- 
ed. Our  own  tomatoes  are  planted  around  the 
border  of  the  garden,  and  trained  upon  the  fence, 
the  vines  being  upheld  by  strips  of  leather,  dou- 
bled around  the  stalks  and  fastened  to  the  fence 
with  small  nails. 

Tomatoes  are  also  benefited  by  sJiortening-in. 
Three-fourths  of  the  mature  fruit  is  produced 
upon  a  small  part  of  the  vine  nearest  to  the  root, 
say  one-third  or  one-fourth  of  its  length.  It  is 
recommended  to  stop  the  further  development 
of  vines  after  a  fair  supply  of  fruit  Is  set,  by 
clipping  off"  the  vines  growing  beyond.  The  clip- 
ping should  not  be  carried  too  far,  as  a  supply  of 
foliage  is  required  to  gather  food  from  the  air. 
One  of  the  most  successful  cultivators  in  our  ac- 
quaintance made  it  a  rule  to  let  no  vine  extend 
beyond  four  feet  from  its  root. — Am.  Agriculturist. 


BLASTING  STUMPS. 


IIe]VL\rks. — Buckwheat  bran,  we  understand, 
is  nearly  valueless  as  food.     It  is  a  hard,  shelly 


The  Ohio  CitUivator  relates  the  experience  of 
W.  A.  Gill,  of  Columbus,  Ohio,  in  clearing  a  field 
of  stumps  by  gunpowder,  which  really  appears 
to  be  a  most  powerful  "stump  extractor."  He 
cleared  a  stumpy  field  of  twenty  acres  cheaply 
and  expeditiously,  the  following  plan  being  pur- 
sued for  each  stump : 

"Select  a  solid  place  in  a  large  root,  near  the 
ground,  and  Avith  an  inch  and  a  quarter  augur 
bore  in,  slanting  downward,  to  as  near  the  heart 
of  the  base  of  the  tap-root  as  you  can  judge ; 
then  put  in  a  charge  of  one  or  two  ounces  of 
powder,  with  a  safety  fuse,  and  tamp  in  dry  clay 
or  ordinary  tamping  material,  to  fill  the  hole, 
some  six  Inches  above  the  charge ;  then  touch 
fire  to  the  fuse  and  get  out  of  the  way.  The  blast 
will  usually  split  the  stump  into  three  pieces,  and 
make  It  hop  right  out  of  the  ground.  If  the 
charge  Is  put  In  too  high  up,  the  blast  will  only 
split  the  top  of  the  stump,  without  lifting  it." 


280 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


June 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 

HOW  FRIEND  OLIVER  RAISES 
PORKERS. 

"Oliver's  the  hand  to  raise  hogs,"  says  Uncle 
Tom  ;  "it  does  beat  all  natur  how  he  will  make 
the  critters  grow !"  Holloa !  Oliver,  said  I,  is 
that  so  ?  Come,  then,  you  must  tell  us  all  about 
it.  "You  see,"  said  Oliver,  "I  always  buys  the 
mangiest,  scouriest  thing  you  ever  did  see,  and 
yet  I  always  gets  a  good  pig  out  of  him.  When 
a  drover  comes  along  with  a  poor,  weak,  thin, 
sickly  critter  in  his  lot  and  I  gets  my  eyes  on 
him,  why,  I  generally  gets  him  at  a  bargain,  and 
I  soon  sets  him  going  towards  being  a  fat  porker. 
Now  there's  Mason,  he  had  a  poor,  sick  hog  that 
had  the  scours  as  dreadfully  as  ever  you  did  see ; 
my  conscience!  there  wasn't  anything  left  of  him! 
Well,  you  see,  I  went  to  Mason  to  know  what  he 
■would  take  for  him,  but  he  was  so  awfully  used 
up  that  he  said  he  wouldn't  sell  him  at  no  rate. 
So  I  gets  him  to  bring  him  down  to  my  place  for 
a  dollar,  and  goes  to  work  on  him.  I  goes  up  in 
the  pastures  and  gets  some  hardback  and  makes 
a  strong  tea  of  it,  and  pours  it  down  his  throat, 
and  I  didn't  have  to  do  it  but  twice  before  iu  cured 
him  entirely ;  and  then  you  had  better  believe  I 
started  him  !  In  a  week  or  two,  I  sold  him  to 
Reuben,  and  a  splendid  hog  he  made. 

"Then,  again,  there's  Ben  Pritchard ;  he  and  I 
bought  hogs  out  of  the  same  drove ;  he  gave  six 
dollars  for  his  two,  and  took  his  pick  of  the  best, 
and  I  gave  one  dollar  seventy-five  cents  for  my 
one,  and  he  was  the  poorest  in  the  drove  ;  he  was 
as  awful  looking  a  critter  as  ever  you  seed.  AVell, 
Ben  he  comes  over  and  looks  at  mine,  and  says, 
'Oliver,  why,  what  under  the  sun  have  you  got 
nere  !  I  wouldn't  take  that  hog  for  a  gift !'  I 
says  nothing,  but  thinks  I  to  myself,  I'll  give  you 
a  tussle  to  beat  him,  my  boy,  if  it's  a  possible 
thing.  Ben  he  used  to  pass  by  about  dinner-time, 
and  so  sometimes  he'd  take  a  peep  at  my  pig : 
■well,  pretty  soon  he  began  to  stare  rather  hard. 
I  used  to  see  him,  but  I  says  nothing.  By-and- 
by  he  would  stare  and  stare  and  scratch  his  head 
dreadfully ;  and  one  day  he  says  to  me,  'plague 
take  it,  Oliver,  I  don't  see  how  under  the  sun  you 
do  that!'  'Do  what,  Ben,'  says  I,  for  you  see  I 
pretends  as  though  I  didn't  know  what  he  meant. 
'Why,  how  do  you  get  that  hog  to  grow  so?' 
*0,  never  mind  about  that,  Ben,'  said  I,  'we'll 
just  wait  and  see  how  he  comes  out.'  Well,  sir, 
■when  I  comes  to  kill  my  hog,  and  I  killed  him 
ten  days  before  his,  mine  weighed  more  than  both 
of  his  together,  and  mine  was  a  one  dollar  sev- 
enty-five hog  and  his  two  cost  six  dollars  !  Now 
■what  do  you  think  of  that?"  I  at  once  acknowl- 
edged, with  emphasis,  that  it  was  a  grunter  of  a 
story. 

Now,  Oliver,  said  I,  you  must  tell  us  the  secret 
of  all  this ;  how  can  you  take  the  "tag-rag  and 
bobtail"  of  every  drove  that  comes  along,  and 
make  such  excellent  porkers  out  of  them  ?  Now 
out  with  the  facts,  every  one  of  them. 

"Well,"  said  friend  Oliver,  "I'll  tell  you  the 
whole  secret ;  it's  just  this  :  Taking  good  care  of 
the  critters,  and  feeding  them  just  ichat  they  like, 
with  a  little  knack  at  getting  as  much  inside  of 
them  as  possible.  When  I  takes  a  poor  critter,  I 
Makes  it  a  point  first  to  start  him  ;  so  I  first  gives 
him  a  good  scrubbing,  once  or  twice,  and  I  boils 


up  some  sweet  corn  and  milk  and  feeds  to  liim, 
or  I  boils  up  some  hasty-pudding  with  milk  and 
mixes  a  little  molasses  with  it ;  just  give  them 
most  anything  they  like  best,  to  give  them  a  start, 
and  when  they  once  gets  started  I  gets  inside  of 
them  all  I  can.  For  instance,  I  gives  them  some 
meal,  and  when  they  have  eaten  all  that  they  will  of 
that,  I  throw  in  a  few  clams  or  some  fi^.h  or  some 
waste  stuff'  from  the  slaughter-house,  and  they 
eat  that  too ;  so  I  gets  more  inside  of  them,  and 
that's  what  does  the  business.  You  see,  get  all 
inside  of  them  you  can  get  them  to  eat,  by  giv- 
ing them  something  else  when  they  have  eaten 
their  fill  of  one  thing.  As  for  making  anything 
out  of  a  hog  by  giving  them  meal,  meal,  meal, 
everlastingly,  I  don't  believe  in  it." 

Well,  Oliver,  said  I,  you  have  given  us  some 
ideas  on  hog-raising  that  have  stood  the  test  of 
practical  experience ;  why  don't  you  put  your 
ideas  on  paper,  for  the  benefit  of  the  community? 
Why  don't  you  pen  them  for  some  agricultural 
paper  ?  "O !"  said  Oliver,  "I  am  not  used  to 
that  sort  of  business ;  it  doesn't  run  in  my  line, 
you  see," 

So,  Messrs.  Editors,  as  it  didn't  run  in  friend 
Oliver's  line  to  put  his  report  on  paper,  I  have 
attempted,  humbly,  to  do  it  for  him ;  and  I  have 
a  notion  that  "Uncle  Tom"  will  assent  to  it  as 
very  nearly  a  literal  transcript.         j.  J.  H.  G. 

Marhlehcad,  Mass. 


HO"W    TO   DESTROY  BRUSH. 

The  Berkshire  Ctdttirisf  replies  as  follows  to 
some  inquiries  in  our  columns,  as  to  the  best 
method  of  destroying  bushes  in  pastures  : — 

"Bush  Whacker"  may  have  some  peculiarity 
relative  to  the  location  of  his  pasture  and  its 
connection  with  other  lands  of  the  farm  which 
would  be  important  to  be  known,  and  which  it 
might  have  been  well  to  have  given.  In  the  or- 
dinary position  of  such  lands  we  should  feel  com- 
petent to  give  a  practical  if  not  specific  answer 
to  the  inquiry.  It  would  be  something  like  the 
following : 

In  the  first  place,  see  that  there  is  a  fence 
which  will  keep  all  cattle  from  breaking  into  the 
pasture.  In  the  second  place,  see  that  no  crea- 
tures are  turne  1  in.  These  are  the  main  dii'ec- 
tions,  and  if  the  ground  is  literally  covered  with 
bushes,  we  care  but  little  of  what  kind,  this  is  all 
that  is  necessary.  If  there  are  large  spots  free 
from  bushes,  plow  them  as  well  as  you  can,  some- 
time in  the  early  part  of  the  season,  and  as  soon 
as  the  chestnuts,  beech-nuts,  acorns  and  other 
seeds  of  the  forest  trees  are  ripe,  plant  the  spots 
with  the  seeds  of  such  trees  as  are  indigenous  to 
the  soil.  An  eye  placed  upon  the  neighboring  for- 
ests, and  especially  such  as  are  of  second  growth, 
will  direct  what  woods  it  maybe  expedient  to  culti- 
vate. Wait  patiently  twenty-five  or  thirty  years, 
and  you  will  find  your  present  p-!sts  haAe  disap- 
peared, and  in  their  place  a  wood  and  timber  lot, 
which  will  enrich  you  and  your  children,  and  prove 
a  blessing  to  all  the  community.  If  you  still  persist 
in  making  a  pasture  of  it,  you  can  then  cut  off 
the  timber  and  sell  it  for  enough  to  pay  for  land 
and  interest.  Burn  the  brush,  and  put  on  a  flock 
of  sheep ;  feed  close  two  or  three  years,  and  you 
will  have  a  fine,  clean  pasture. 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


281 


We  never  yet  saw  a  piece  of  stony  ground 
covered  with  shrubs  of  any  description,  but  had 
many  young  forest  trees  intermingled.  These 
are  often  kept  browsed  down  by  cattle,  but  the 
short  time  required  to  make  a  forest  of  them  is 
surprising  to  one  who  has  not  given  attention  to 
this  point.  There  are  many  thousands  of  acres 
of  rough  land  in  this  State  which  ought  to  be 
devoted  to  timber,  and  of  all  others — mountain 
ledges  excepted — the  old  pastures,  cold  and  heavy, 
full  of  stone  and  covered  with  moss,  brakes  and 
useless  shrubs,  stand  first.  This  is,  in  our  view, 
the  only  way  in  which  these  lands  can  ever  be  re- 
stored to  fertility.  Manuring  is  out  of  the  ques- 
tion, and  the  extirpation  of  shrubs  from  rough, 
wet  ground  is  next  to  impossible,  and  in  the  ex- 
hausted state  of  the  soil,  moss  and  brakes  would 
soon  fill  their  place  were  the  shrubs  desti'oyed. 


For  the  Nete  England  Farmer. 
HOW  TO  MAKE  A  GOOD  SHINGLE  BOOP. 

Mr.  Editor: — An  article  on  this  subject  in 
your  November  number  for  1857,  has  led  me  to 
make  the  following  remarks. 

It  appears  that  the  writer  of  that  article  was  a 
carpenter ;  I  also  am  a  carpenter ;  have  had  an 
experience  of  over  fifty  years  in  making  and  re- 
pairing roofs,  and  would  wish  to  lay  before  your 
readers  a  few  considerations  as  the  result  of  my 
long  experience. 

In  the  first  place,  it  is  important,  in  order  to 
make  a  tight  shingle  roof,  that  it  should  have  a 
good  pitch  ;  forty-five  degrees  is  none  too  much 
when  it  can  conveniently  be  had ;  this,  in  a  krge 
building,  may  be  a  little  too  much  to  look  Mell, 
but  in  small  buildings  more  is  better,  both  for 
looks  and  utility ;  it  gives  opportunity  for  the 
water  to  run  off  freely,  and  the  roof  soon  dries. 
One  reason  ■why  roofs  decay  so  soon,  and  become 
leakj^,  is  their  flatness, — they  hold  the  water  for 
a  long  time  ;  it  penetrates  the  wood,  the  heat  of 
the  sun  causes  a  kind  of  fermentation,  and  de- 
composition takes  place,  and  the  life  and  strength 
of  the  wood  is  soon  destroyed. 

Shaved  shingles  I  conceive  to  be  better  than 
sawed,  for  this  reason  :  they  are  free  from  that 
roughness  which  the  sawed  shingle  possesses, 
serving  as  a  sponge  to  hold  the  water,  and  caus- 
ing the  shingles  to  decay,  and  then  the  general 
surface  of  the  shaved  shingle  is  not  so  level  as 
the  sawed,  and  of  course  they  do  not  lay  down 
so  close  to  the  shingles  below,  which  gives  the 
air  free  circulation  to  dry  the  shingle,  which  pre- 
vents it  from  rotting. 

Another  thing  in  favor  of  shaved  shingles,  is, 
they  run  with  the  grain  of  the  wood,  and  do  not 
so  readily  absorb  the  water  as  the  cross-grained, 
sawed  shingles. 

It  is  my  opinion  that  a  roof  covered  with 
shaved  shingles  will  last  a  third  longer  than  one 
covered  with  sawed  shingles  made  out  of  the 
same  kind  of  stuff". 

Various  methods  have  been  tried  to  prevent 
shingles  from  decaying  when  laid,  but  all  have 
not  proved  alike  successful.  Smearing  over  with 
tar  has  been  tried,  but  has  not  succeeded  well. 
Painting  roofs  after  they  have  been  shingled  has 
been  tried,  but  this  is  really  worse  than  useless. 
Oiling  or  painting  shingles  and  drying  them  be- 


fore they  are  laid,  is  a  good  way,  but  is  too  ex- 
pensive for  common  use.  A  better  and  much 
cheaper  way  is  to  make  use  of  lime.  In  the 
course  of  my  experience  and  observation  on  roofs, 
I  have  always  found  that  where  shingles  have 
come  in  contact  with  lime,  they  are  in  a  much 
better  state  of  preservation  than  where  they  have 
not  been  exposed  to  it ;  even  the  small  quantity 
that  comes  off"  a  whitewashed  chimney,  in  the 
course  of  years,  will  have  a  surprising  effect  on 
the  shingles  around  it.  There  are  three  impor- 
tant advantages  to  be  derived  from  making  use 
of  lime  on  shingles. 

The  first  is,  it  preserves  the  shingles  in  a  good 
degree  from  moisture.  Whoever  will  take  the 
pains  to  examine  a  well  whitewashed  roof  in  the 
morning  when  the  dew  is  on,  will  readily  see  that 
the  moisture  does  not  penetrate  through  the 
whitewash,  and  th-s  it  serves  as  a  shield  to  pre- 
vent the  shingles  from  the  decaying  eff"ect  of  wet- 
ting and  drying,  and  although  it  is  not  a  perfect 
preventive  from  moisture,  yet  it,  in  a  good  de- 
gree, preserves  the  shingles  from  that  process  of 
welting  and  drying  to  which  unprotected  shingles 
are  exposed,  and  which  is  the  great  cause  of  the 
speedy  decay  of  so  many  roofs. 

Another  important  advantage  from  using  lime 
on  shingles,  is,  it  fills  the  pores  of  the  wood  with 
the  salts  of  the  lime,  which  hardens  the  wood 
and  renders  it  more  impervious  to  the  water. 

A  third  advantage  from  the  use  of  lime,  is,  it 
serves  to  keep  the  shingles  clean  from  all  impu- 
rities, and  especially  from  moss,  which  so  com- 
monly grows  on  roofs,  and  which  serves  as  a 
sponge  to  hold  the  water,  and  prevents  the  roof 
from  drying. 

In  order  to  prepare  the  shingles  for  laying,  I 
would  observe — take  a  cistern  or  long  tub,  put 
in  about  half  a  bushel  of  unslaked  lime,  slake  it 
with  warm  water,  reduce  it  to  the  consistency  of 
whitewash,  immerse  your  shingles  in  the  liquid, 
let  them  lay  about  two  hours,  take  them  out  and 
cast  them  promiscously  into  a  pile,  let  them  re- 
main two  or  three  days,  and  they  will  be  fit  for 
laying.  When  the  shingles  are  laid,  whitew-ash 
the  whole  roof  over  anew,  and  you  will  have  a 
roof  that  will  do  good  service. 

New  Hampshire  Carpenter. 

Dernj,  N.  E.,  1858. 


DUST. 

From  whence  does  it  all  come?  You  may 
sweep  your  room  twice  every  day,  and  you  will 
find  that  a  cloud  of  dust  arises  every  time  the 
broom  and  the  floor  make  acquaintance.  You 
may  dust  every  article  of  furniture,  every  book, 
every  picture ;  you  may  take  care  to  shake  your 
duster  out  of  the  window,  and  your  own  clothes 
out  in  the  yard ;  you  may  wipe  all  about  the 
book-shelves  and  the  floor  with  a  damp  cloth ; 
and  yet  after  all  your  labor,  there  will  be  dust. 
Dust  flying  in  the  air;  dust  settling  on  the  books 
and  tables  ;  dust  on  the  pictures,  on  the  flowers 
— dust,  dust  everywhere.     It  is  discouraging. 

You  think,  perhaps,  'tis  because  the  room  in 
which  you  sit  is  so  large  ;  you  think  that  if  you 
were  in  snugger  quarters,  there  would  not  be 
much  of  this  annoyance;  you,  therefore,  move  in- 
to a  smaller  apartment,  but  you  are  worse  off"  now 
than  you  were  before.     You  can't  turn  around 


282 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


June 


quick,  nor  even  heave  a  sigh,  without  setting  in 
motion  ten  thousand  particles  of  dust.  You  may 
sweep  till  j'our  broom  fails,  and  dust  till  your 
arms  fall  off,  and  the  story  Avill  be  always  the 
same.  Even  out  at  sea,  where  the  good  ship 
rides  the  billows  thousands  of  miles  from  land, 
the  dust  gathers.  It  matters  not  how  much  the 
sailors  rub  the  masts  and  holy-stone  the  decks, 
the  dust  will  gather,  even  amid  the  salt  spray  of 
the  sea.  It  is  for  ever  flying  and  settling  where- 
ever  there  is  any  solid  substance  on  which  it  can 
alight.  Where  it  comes  from  is  no  mystery,  when 
•we  remember  what  sort  of  things  we  are. 

"Dust  thou  art,  and  unto  dust  shalt  thou  re- 
turn," is  written  on  clothing,  on  wood,  and  iron, 
and  steel  just  as  truly  as  it  is  on  frail,  perishing 
flesh  ;  and  the  changing  and  sifting  back  to  its 
despised  original,  is  going  on  before  our  very 
eyes,  in  each  thing  that  we  look  upon.  Constant- 
ly— some  rapidly,  others  with  a  slower  waste, 
but  certainly  all  things  are  returning  whence  they 
came.  'Tis  enough  to  make  one  fear  the  dust, 
to  make  one  feel  a  horror  at  the  atoms  falling  on 
one's  garments,  and  one's  limbs,  to  read  and  un- 
derstand their  language.  That  language  is  all  of 
decay  and  death  ;  of  earth,  decay,  and  worms  ; 
of  darkness,  forgetfulness,  and  despair.  This,  if 
one  cannot  look  beyond  the  dust,  and  see,  and 
take  hold  upon,  the  eternal  life. 

How  carefully,  and  purely,  should  we  step 
through  the  world,  did  we  but  read,  as  we  walk, 
all  that  is  written  for  our  admonition  and  warn- 
ing. But  we  go  hastily,  with  careless  eye  and 
dumb  heart,  taking  liltle  heed  when  we  should 
be  most  studious.  Many  there  be  who  have  deep 
skill  to  read  the  dark  sayings  written  on  ancient 
rocks,  who  yet  have  never  understood  the  plain 
language  of  the  gathering  dust. 


TAXING  DOGS  TO  PRESERVE  SHEEP. 

Friend  Hakeis  : — We  keep  two  rifles  and  a 
.d-O'ubled  barrelled  shot  gun,  and  can  level  them 
■with  great  precision  on  a  sheep-killing  dog,  eith- 
er moving  or  still,  but  mischief  is  most  always 
done  first.  Our  Ring  is  a  very  knowing  little 
dog,  and  lives  up  to  the  top  notch  of  his  knowl- 
edge. He  guards  the  house  diligently,  and  never 
was  inside  in  his  life  ;  we  would  pay  a  considera- 
ble tax  rather  than  part  with  him.  But  he  is  lia- 
ble at  any  time  to  go  mad,  and  ramble  through 
the  neighborhood,  leaving  death  and  misery  in 
his  train. 

What  is  the  reason  that  sensible  men  do  not 
view  dogs  as  a  dangerous  species  of  property,  and 
tax  them  accordingly  ?  Instead  of  having  an  ex- 
tra tax  put  upon  them,  they  are  not  taxed  at  all. 
According  to  the  common  rules  of  taxation,  they 
should  be  included  in  the  assessor's  list,  but  their 
dangerous  propensities  should  entitle  them  to 
heavier  tax.  If  z  dog  is  loose  at  night,  his  own- 
er has  no  control  over  him,  fences  are  mere  ropes 
of  sand,  and  whenever  mischief  calls,  he  obeys 
ker  command. 

If  the  Legislature  were  to  pass  a  law  requiring 
the  owners  of  dogs  to  pay  one  dollar  for  each, 
annually,  it  would  diminish  the  number  of  dogs, 
•without  increasing  our  taxes.  It  would  only  be 
transferring  a  small  portion  of  the  tax  to  dog  ow- 
ners, where  it  justly  belongs.      No  reasonable 


man  would  grumble  at  paying  one  dollar  for  a 
good  dog,  considering  the  nature  of  his  property, 
and  a  worthless  one  he  would  not  keep. — MlCA- 
JAii  T.  Johnson.,  Harrison  Co.,  O.—Ohio  Culti- 
vator. 

EXTRACTS  AND  REPLIES. 

CULTURE   OF   HOPS. 

Why  do  you  not  give  us  the  prices  of  hops  in 
your  "Review  of  the  Market  ?"  Several  in  this 
section  are  raising  hops,  and  notwithstanding  the 
present  low  prices,  are  not. discouraged. 

What  kind  of  manure  is  best  adapted  to  them  ? 
Are  ashes  good,  and  if  so  how  should  this  be  ap- 
plied ;  alone,  or  mixed  with  manure  or  compost  ? 
How  many  vines  ought  to  climb  the  pole  ?  Will 
some  one  in  the  north  part  of  this  State,  experi- 
enced in  the  business,  please  give  us  a  lesson? 
Will  it  pay  to  sow  salt  broadcast  on  grass 
ground  ?  If  so,  how  many  bushels  to  the  acre  ? 
Also,  if  good  for  corn,  and  root  crops,  how  used  ? 
Where  can  I  get  the  King  Phillip's  corn  for 
planting?  A  Subscriber. 

Green  River,  Vt.,  1858. 

Remarks. — AVe  can  add  the  price  of  hops  to 
our  price  current,  if  it  is  desired. 

We  prefer  that  some  practical  producer  of 
hops  should  reply  to  the  questions  relating  to 
that  crop. 

Five  bushels  of  salt  per  acre,  provided  it  can 
be  purchased  very  low,  say  less  than  25  cents  a 
bushel,  will  undoubtedly  be  profitable  ;  and  would 
be  as  much  so  on  corn  or  root  crops,  probably. 

The  King  Phillip  or  Brown  corn  is  usually  for 
sale  at  the  seed  stores. 

A  LARGE  barren  MEADOW. 

I  have  a  large  barren  meadow  which  nothing 
but  grass  will  grow  on ;  will  you  inform  me, 
through  your  columns,  the  best  way  to  proceed 
to  get  it  into  English  grass. 

Barton,  Vt.,  1858.  J.  P.  Robinson. 

Remarks. — Drain  it,  so  that  no  water  shall 
stand  within  fifteen  inches  of  the  surface ;  then 
plow  it  if  you  can, — if  not,  "bog"  it  with  a  bog 
hoe,  and  plant  potatoes  one  or  two  years.  Then 
plow,  level,  manure  and  sow  with  grass  seed  as 
early  in  September  as  you  can  get  off  the  pota- 
toes. As  a  general  thing,  this  process  will  in- 
crease the  value  of  such  meadows  more  than  four 
iold.  Be  quite  sure,  however,  not  to  take  up  at 
once,  more  than  you  can  reclaim  thoroughly,  if 
it  be  but  half  an  acre.  Does  not  the  "barren 
meadow"  look  better  akeady  ? 

MILK  FOR  butter. 
Mr.  Secretary  Johnson  states,  on  the  authority 
of  Mr.  Holbert,  as  the  result  of  his  inquiries  in 
the  great  State  of  New  York,  (Trans.,  vol.  xi.,  p. 
232,)  that  it  tape's,  fourteen  quarts  of  milk,  on  an 
average,  for  the  production  of  a  pound  of  butter. 
This,  he  says,  is  confirmed  by  the  experience  of 
Mr.  Horsfall,  of  England.  So  much  detail  is 
given  in  confirmation  of  this  statement,  that  its 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


283 


correctness  is  not  t^  be  questioned.  But  such 
ha;  not  been  the  reports  of  dairy  management  in 
Massachusetts — not  to  speak  of  the  fonr-quart 
products  of  Devon  stock,  in  October.  Why  this 
difference  ?  Is  it  in  the  animals,  the  pasture,  or 
tile  management? 

I  have  long  been  of  the  opinion,  that  our  own 
native  stock  were  as  good  for  butter  as  any  ani- 
mals whatever,  but  I  did  not  presume  to  say  they 
were  hoenty-Jive  per  cent,  better,  which  I  should 
do,  if  the  above  facts  are  to  be  conclusively  re- 
lied on.  Essex. 

May,  1858.  _ 

WATER   PIPES. 

Will  you  have  the  kindness  to  inform  me  in 
regard  to  the  best  kind  of  pipe  for  bringing  wa- 
ter to  the  house  for  family  use,  and  where  it  can 
be  obtained  ?  Lead  is  poison  and  iron  corrodes. 
Is  there  any  thing  better  than  logs  ?  I  believe  I 
have  seen  an  advertisement  in  the  Farmer,  or 
some  other  paper,  of  a  cast  iron  pipe,  lined  with 
glass  or  cement  and  covered  with  the  same,  so 
that  the  iron  will  not  corrode,  and  the  water  will 
remain  pure.  Is  there  such  a  pipe,  and  is  it  the 
thing  wanted  ?  If  so,  where  can  it  be  obtained, 
and  what  is  the  probable  cost  ?  Any  information 
on  this  subject  will  be  very  gratefully  received. 
Austin  Constantine. 

East  Wallinciford,  ButlaTid  Co.,  Vt. 

Remarks. — In  the  country,  where  logs  can  be 
easily  obtained  and  at  a  cheap  rate,  we  doubt 
whether  anything  more  economical  can  be  used. 
There  is  such  pipe  made  as  you  speak  of,  but  it 
would  be  quite  costly  compared  with  logs.  Pipe  is 
made  of  common  hydraulic  cement,  thus ;  dig  the 
trench,  cover  the  bottom  for  a  length  of  six  or 
eight  feet  with  cement,  then  lay  a  round  stick  on 
it  of  the  size  of  the  diameter  of  the  pipe  which 
you  desire,  and  cement  over  and  around  it.  In  a 
short  time  the  cement  will  set,  then  go  on  as  be- 
fore. But  this  must  be  below  the  frost.  Upon 
the  whole,  you  will  be  safest  with  logs  from  your 
own  hiUs.  

to  convert  bones  into  manure. 
Please  tell  me  the  best   and  cheapest  way  to 
convert  bones  into  manure.  D.  Roberts. 

North  Adams,  1858. 

Remarks. — First  break  the  bones  as  finely  as 
you  can.  Then  it  can  be  done  by  covering  tiiem 
six  or  eight  inches  thick  with  unleached  ashes, 
but  the  process  will  be  a  slow  one.  Take  one 
part  sulphuric  acid,  and  Jive  parts  water,  and  mix 
the  bones  with  it.  If  it  does  not  form  a  sort  of 
paste  in  a  few  days,  add  a  little  more  acid.  The 
acid  is  an  excellent  manure,  and  costs  about  three 
cents  a  pound,  and  is  a  liquid  dangerous  to  han- 
dle, and  must  be  used  with  care. 

leaky  cows  and  afflicted  horses. 

Is  there  any  remedy  for  cows  leaking  their 
mi'k,  and  if  so,  what  it  is?  Also,  what  is  the 
best  remedy  for  sores  on  horses  ? 

April  2Qtli,  1858.  A  Subscriber. 


more  land  and  less  products. 

I  accept  the  authorities  cited  by  Mr.  TowF.R, 
as  an  explanation  for  his  statements,  that  while 
our  acres  of  cultivated  grounds  within  the  State 
of  Massachusetts  had  expanded  one-quarter,  our 
products  had  diminished  one-third.  If  such  has 
been  the  progress  for  eight  years  last  past,  it 
will  not  be  difficult  to  calculate  the  time,  when 
our  products  will  be  entirely  unworthy  of  notice. 
I  think  there  must  be  some  error  in  the  statistics. 
I  cannot  believe  that  our  cultivators  have  thus 
been  advancing  backwards. 

I  hope  measures  will  be  adopted  to  mark  these 
things  with  entire  accuracy.  It  would  be  easy 
to  require  of  each  agricultural  society,  enjoying 
the  bounty  of  the  State,  a  specific  retm-n  of  the 
products  within  their  limits.  Let  such  returns 
be  made  upon  the  responsibility  of  the  society, 
and  on  failing  to  be  made  in  a  satisfactory  man- 
ner, let  their  portion  of  the  State  bounty  be  with- 
held, and  all  these  things  would  soon  be  right. 

A  Looker-On. 

REM.4RKS. — We  have  no  doubt  our  correspon- 
dent is  correct  in  his  belief  that  some  "error  ex- 
ists in  the  statistics."  In  the  first  place,  we  be- 
lieve that  instead  of  our  cultivated  acres  being 
expanded  one-quarter,  they  have  been  contracted 
more  than  that,  and  that  still  our  products  have 
increased. 

We  have  asked  the  question  of  gentlemen  from 
all  parts  of  the  State,  "icJiether  as  much  land  is 
under  tillage  noiv  as  there  was  twerity  years  ago," 
and  the  invariable  reply  is, — "No,  we  plow  less 
land,  but  use  more  manures,  and  cultivate  bet- 
ter ;  we  have  learned  to  find  a  better  profit  in  al- 
lowing our  rough  pastures  to  run  to  wood,  and 
pasture  our  cattle  partly  on  land  that  we  can 
plow  and  manure  and  re-seed.  There  is  more 
wood-land  than  formerly,  and  less  pasture  and 
tillage  land." 

This  accords  entirely  with  our  own  observa- 
tions and  impressions.  We  think  there  is  an 
error  in  the  statistics,  and  wish  some  person  of 
leisure  and  patience  would  take  the  proper  step 
to  correct  it.  

growth  of  wood  for  fuel. 
In  answer  to  a  correspondent  who  inquired 
about  the  best  trees  to  raise  for  a  crop  of  wood 
in  the  shortest  time,  I  would  say  that  the  Silver 
Maple  is  the  quickest  growing  tree  and  the  easi- 
est to  raise  of  any  with  which  I  am  acquainted. 
The  River  Birch  is  the  next  best.  The  seed  of 
both  are  ripe  about  the  last  of  May,  or  first  of 
June,  and  should  be  sown  as  soon  as  ripe,  and 
covered  very  lightly.  The  seed  of  the  Maple 
may  be  found  in  Nashua  hanging  over  the  iron 
bridge  near  the  Indian  Head  Company's  Mills, 
and  other  locations  in  Tyngsborough,  at  the  farm 
of  D.  P.  Colburn.  The  seed  of  the  birch  may  be 
had  on  the  Merrimack  River  at  Lowell,  above 
the  falls  opposite  the  residence  of  Abiel  Rolfe, 
Esq.,  or  in  Methuen,  four  miles  above  Lawrence, 
near  the  well-known  Bartlett  farm.  I  have 
raised  one  year  seedlings  of  both  kinds  from  one 
to  two  feet.  B.  F.  Cutter. 


284 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


June 


THE   horse's   tail. 

Messrs.  Editors  : — Arc  not  dooking,  prick- 
ing and  pullying  the  horse's  tail  among  the  dy- 
ing barbarisms  of  the  day?  Are  not  wise  far- 
mers, bungling  jockeys,  and  fastidious  horse  fan- 
ciers, beginning  to  think  a  horse  looks  better  for 
having  a  tail  ?  Wonderful  discovery  all  this,  af- 
ter all  the  persecutions  practiced  upon  the  horse. 
Who  has  not  been  in  a  position  to  say  that  de- 
cency forbids  this  mutilation  ?  Could  the  poor 
animal  remonstrate,  he  would  say,  my  pride  is 
humbled,  my  loins  are  weakened,  and  robbed  of 
my  most  useful  and  becoming  appendage,  but  to 
the  instrument  and  mallet  I  must  submit. 

Why  this  passion  for  chopping  of  tails  ?  Will 
you,  Governor,  answer  this  question  ?  P. 

Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 

Remarks. — We  hate  all  barbarisms  on  humans 
or  anything  less.  Dr.  Dadd  can  best  reply,  if  he 
Mill.  _ 

drumhead   savoy   CABBAGE. 

Can  you  inform  me  where  seed  of  the  Drum- 
head Savoy  cabbage  (the  genuine  article)  can  be 
procured?  F.  Keith. 

No.  Easton,  Mass.,  April  26,  1858. 

Remarks. — We  can  only  refer  you  to  the 
seedsmen  at  the  agricultural  warehouses. 


A  PROLIFIC  sow. 

I  have  a  breeding  sow  which  has  dropped 
eighty-six  pigs  at  five  litters  as  follows ;  April  8, 
1856,  17;  September  4,  15;  April  4,  1857,  16; 
August  22,  16;  April  16,  1858,  22;  64  of  these 
86  within  the  short  term  of  16  months  and  14 
days.  C.  P.  Ward. 

Hast  Poidtney,  VL,  April,  1858. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
OBNITHOIiOGY. 
BY  S.  P.  FOWLER. 

The  Robin  (Turdiis  migratorious)  is  perhaps 
more  generally  known  in  the  United  States  than 
any  of  our  birds,  and  has  been  noticed  by  travel- 
lers and  naturalists,  from  the  earliest  discovery 
of  the  country.  Josselyn,  in  1663,  in  his  list  of 
singing  birds,  speaks  of  Thrushes  with  redbreasts, 
which  are  very  fat  and  good  meat.  Kalm,  in  his 
travels  in  1748,  has  given  us  a  rude  cut  of  the 
Robin,  or  as  he  calls  it.  Red-breasted  thrush,  and 
says  it  is  very  different  from  the  Robin  of  Eng- 
land. He  says  it  sings  melodiously,  is  not  very 
shy,  and  hops  on  the  ground.  It  was  noticed  by 
Dr.  Latham,  under  the  name  of  the  Red-breasted 
thrush  in  1783  ;  byCatesby,in  his  "Natural  Histo- 
ry" of  Carolina,  in  1748,  where  he  calls  it  the  Field- 
fare ;  by  Jefferson  and  Bartram,  in  their  catologues 
of  our  birds,  and  by  Pennant,  in  his  "Arctic  Zoolo- 
gy",in  1785,  where  he  says,  at  Moose  Fort,  these 
birds  build  their  nests,  lay  their  eggs,  and  hatch 
their  young  in  fourteen  days.  Hearne,  in  his 
journey  to  the  Northern  ocean,  says  of  the  Rob- 
in, that  it  is  called  at  Hudson's  Bay  the  Red-bird, 
and  that  they  are  not  numerous.  Dr.  Richard- 
son says  the  Robin  inhabits  every  part  of  the  fur 
countries,  as  high  as  the  67th  parallel,   and  that 


it  comes  in  company  with  the  Blue-birds  and 
Graklcsin  spring,  to  the  shores  of  the  Great  Bear 
lake.  Gosse  says  the  Robin  is  found  in  New- 
foundland, where  it  is  very  common,  and  is  al- 
ways called  the  Blackbird. 

The  habits,  instincts,  and  migrations  of  the 
Robin  are  interesting,  especially  those  connected 
with  the  rearing  of  its  young.  It  builds  a  very 
substantial  nest  with  great  care  and  labor,  erect- 
ing its  mud  wall  upon  the  true  principles  of  ma- 
sonry, so  that  it  is  capable  of  affording  a  safe  and 
comfortable  domicile  for  its  two  or  three  broods 
of  young,  during  the  season,  and  withstanding 
even  the  storms  of  the  following  winter. 

How  wonderful  is  the  instinct  that  prompts 
birds  to  build  their  nests  in  such  a  variety  of 
forms,  and  from  such  different  materials.  We 
know  not  why  a  Robin  should  consider  its  nest 
unfinished,  until  it  is  neatly  plastered  with  mud, 
and  a  wild  Pigeon  content  itself  with  a  nest  con- 
sisting of  a  slight  scaffold  of  a  few  dry  sticks, 
carelessly  placed  upon  a  limb  of  a  lofty  oak,  anct 
feel  secure  in  thus  rearing  its  young.  Our  bird 
under  consideration,  in  some  of  its  habits,  may 
be  considered  as  truly  American,  in  accomplish- 
ing a  manifest  destiny  by  its  constant  increase, 
and  by  its  filling  the  whole  country  and  much  of 
its  adjoining  territoi-y  with  its  species,  and  also 
from  its  constant  residence  in  the  Union,  only 
migrating  from  one  part  of  the  country  to  the 
other  to  procure  its  food,  or  to  avoid  the  inclem- 
ency of  the  season. 

Many  of  our  birds  migrate  upon  the  approach 
of  winter  beyond  the  limits  of  the  United  States, 
and  are  only  summer  residents,  but  the  Robin 
can  be  found  in  some  localities  even  in  Massa- 
chusetts, during  the  whole  season.  Its  maraud- 
ing inroads  upon  our  gardens,  and  the  impudence 
with  which  it  partakes  of  our  fruits,  has  given 
the  bird  a  bad  reputation.  This  aggressive  trait 
of  character  which  we  discover  in  the  Robin  and 
some  other  birds,  they  most  probably  acquired  in 
a  considerable  degree  from  ourselves,  and  may 
fairly  be  considered  an  American  propensity, 
which  we  have  fastened  upon  them.  The  Robin 
is  a  true  thrush,  and  consequently,  its  principal 
food  is  fruit  and  small  berries  and  these  the  wild 
cherry  trees  and  Vacciniums  furnished,  until  man 
bought  all  the  fruit  of  the  first  mentioned  he 
could  procure,  to  put  into  his  rum,  and  the  latter 
into  his  puddings  !  He  having  taken  unto  himself 
all  the  indigenous  fruits  and  berries,  that  are  to 
be  found  in  the  forests,  swamps  and  fields,  the 
poor  Robins  and  some  other  birds,  have  been 
compelled  by  their  honest  fruit-loving  appetites 
given  them  by  the  great  Giver  of  all  gifts,  to  re- 
sort to  our  gardens  for  a  supply  of  their  favorite 
food,  or  starve  !  Well  might  our  birds  say  to 
man,  if  they  had  the  gift  of  speech,  as  they  have 
of  song,  let  our  indigenous  berries,  that  nature 
has  given  us,  alone,  before  you  complain  of  our 
robbing  your  gardens  of  their  cultivated  fruits  ! 

The  form  of  the  Robin  is  good  and  symmetri- 
cal, but  its  plumage  is  not  brilliant.  Nature  gives 
form,  and  adapts  the  parts  of  birds  to  their  pecu- 
liar mode  of  obtaining  a  living,  and  in  doing  this, 
frequently  in  our  poor  conceptions,  destroys  their 
symmetry.  But  we  overlook  what  we  falsely  sup- 
pose a  want  of  due  proportions  in  the  parts  of 
birds,  by  entertaining  the  notion  l\vat  fine  feath- 
ers will  alone  make  fine  birds — as,  for  instance, 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


285 


the  Scarlet  Ibis.  As  the  Robin's  food  can  be  ob- 
tained without  much  difficulty,  no  elongation  or 
contraction  of  its  limbs  becomes  necessary,  hence 
there  is  more  proportion  in  its  parts  than  is  to 
be  found  in  most  birds.  The  note  of  our  bird  is 
characterized  by  its  honest  earnestness,  and  is  al- 
ways pleasing.  Its  habits  are  social,  and  it  is 
found  no  where  in  abundance,  except  around  the 
habitations  of  man,  where  it  rears  its  young,  con- 
fiding in  his  protection.  We  should  miss  the 
Robin  more  than  any  other  bird,  should  it,  from 
any  cause,  become  rare  or  extinct,  associated  as 
it  is  from  our  childhood,  with  the  return  of  spring, 
the  ripening  of  the  summer  fruits,  and  our  shoot- 
ing days  in  early  autumn.  Our  rural  writers 
would  also  regret  to  lose  so  fruitful  a  theme,  as 
the  Robin  has  always  furnished.  It  is  a  favorite 
bird  with  most  persons,  notwithstanding  its  pro- 
pensity to  partake  unbidden  of  their  choicest 
fruits.  Some,  in  their  great  desire  to  shield  their 
favorite  from  a  charge  of  shot,  have  claimed  for 
it  the  habits  of  an  insectiverous  bird,  but  orni- 
thologists know  it  does  not  possess  them.  Its 
claims  for  our  protection  should  come  from  its 
confiding,  familiar  character,  its  pleasant  song, 
but  more  especially  from  the  love  we  cherish  for 
all  birds.  And  if  these  considerations  are  not 
strong  enough  to  prevent  our  shooting  it,  let  us 
remember  its  relationship  to  its  name-sake,  Rob- 
in Redbreast,  of  Britain,  who  so  affectionately 
covered  up  the  dear  little  babes  in  the  woods 
with  leaves.  Surely,  the  remembrance  of  this 
touching  and  affectionate  deed,  will  save  our  bird 
from  harm !  In  the  circular  groupings  of  Mr. 
Swainson's  classification,  the  Robin  is  distin- 
guished as  a  true  Thrush  by  the  generic  name 
Merula,  and  by  Dr.  Richardson,  in  his  "Northern 
Zoology,"  by  the  specific  name  Merula  Migrato- 
ria,  and  says  it  is  called  by  the  Cree  Indians  the 
Peepeechew. 

Danvers  Port,  April  \st,  1858. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
TIGHT  TANKS  UNDER  THE  CATTLE. 

Mr.  Editor: — Being  a  constant  reader  and 
admirer  of  the  N.  E.  Farmer,  for  its  usefulness 
in  directing  the  husbandman  in  his  daily  avoca- 
tions, and  for  its  independent  and  fearless  expres- 
sion of  opinion  on  great  moral  questions,  I  am 
glad  to  offer  a  few  facts  for  its  columns. 

Just  before  haying  last  summer,  we  raised  a 
barn,  built  a  substantial  cobble-stone  wall  under 
the  back  side  and  each  end,  and  surmounted  it 
with  a  good  split  stone  underpinning,  making 
the  cellar  eight  feet  deep.  After  haying  we  built 
a  water-tight  tank  forty  feet  long,  twenty  feet 
wide  and  four  feet  deep,  of  the  construction  of 
which  I  will  give  you  a  brief  aescription. 

Rift  granite  in  our  town  is  quite  plenty,  of 
which  I  obtained  a  good  quality  for  the  purpose. 
We  split  them  twenty  inches  wide  and  laid  them 
two  tiers  high,  after  fitting  the  two  edges  that 
came  together  and  squaring  the  ends.  Top  of 
the  wall  we  set  the  posts  to  support  the  barn,  and 
between  the  posts  we  fitted  permanent  eight  inch 
timbers.  Where  the  ground  is  dry  and  a  sort  of 
hard  pan,  the  cement  may  be  put  on  to  the  earth 
itself,  but  mine  being  wet  and  liable  to  innunda- 
tion,  we  proceeded  in  the  following  manner  t  We 


made  an  underdrain  to  carry  off  the  water  up  to 
the  corner  of  the  cellar,  dug  the  bottom  inside 
the  tank,  sloping  and  dishing  ;  we  then  obtained 
rubble-stone,  of  which  we  have  plenty,  and  set 
the  bottom  all  over  with  them,  in  scientific  or- 
der ;  then  gathered  pebble-stone  and  covered  the 
rubble,  which  made  a  most  permanent  founda- 
tion for  the  cement,  which  we  laid  on  about  two 
inches  thick.  The  tank  makes  a  tight  and  dura- 
ble hog-pen,  and  saves  all  the  dropping,  liquid 
and  solid,  being  directly  under  the  stable.  It  re- 
quires a  large  amount  of  absorbing  materials  to 
be  thrown  in,  in  order  to  save  all ;  save  all  the 
liquid,  which  adds  very  much  to  the  manure  heap. 
The  manure  appears  to  be  of  excellent  quality. 
How  it  will  prove  time  and  the  crops  will  tell.  " 

Calvin  Smith. 
West  Eenniker,  N.  E.,  May,  1858. 


ENTOMOLOGY. 

This  is  a  word  which  means  a  talk  about  in- 
sects ;  it  is  derived  from  two  or  three  Greek  word*, 
as  many  of  our  words  are  that  are  used  as  names 
to  insects  and  flowers  and  plants.  Writers  upon 
insects  find  it  necessary  to  classify  them,  bringing 
those  of  the  nearest  corresponding  structure  to- 
gether, and  giving  them  one  general  name.  These 
divisions  are  called  Orders,  and  there  are  seven 
very  generally  adopted  by  naturalists,  which  are 
as  follows,  viz. : 

1.  CoLEOPTERA.  The  insects  included  under 
this  tevm  are  Beetles,  that  is,  nhiter,  an  insect  that 
bites.  Their  wings  are  covered  and  concealed  by 
a  pair  of  horny  cases  or  shells  ;  hence  the  order  to 
which  these  insects  belong  is  called  Coleoptera, 
a  word  signifying  wings  in  a  sheath. 

2.  Orthoptera.  Including  Crickets,  Cock- 
roaches, Grasshoppers,  &c. ;  their  wings,  when 
not  in  use,  are  folded  lengthwise  in  narrow  plaits 
like  a  fan,  and  are  laid  straight  along  the  top  or 
sides  of  the  back.  They  belong  to  the  order  Or- 
thoptera, which  means  straight  wings. 

3.  Hemiptera.  Bugs,  Locusts,  Plant-lice,  &-c. 
These  insects  have  a  horny  beak  for  suction,  and 
four  wings,  which  lie  flat,  and  cross  each  other 
on  the  top  of  the  back.  They  are  called  Hemip- 
tera, because  that  word  means,  half,  and  loing, 
literally  half-ioings,  on  account  of  the  peculiar 
construction  of  their  wing-covers,  the  hinder  half 
of  which  is  thin  and  filmy  like  the  wings,  while 
the  fore  part  is  thick  and  opake. 

4.  Neuroptera.  Dragon-Jlies,  Lace-tcinged- 
flies,  May-flies,  White-ants,  &c.  Insects  with  jaws, 
four  netted  wings,  of  which  the  hinder  ones  are 
the  largest,  and  no  sting  or  piercer.  This  order 
of  insects  has  four  membranous,  transparent,  and 
generally  naked  Avings,  having  a  net-work  of 
nerves,  as  may  be  seen  on  the  dragon-fly,  oi 
"devil's  darning  needle,"  as  they  are  frequently 
called.  These  dragon-flies  prey  upon  gnats  and 
mosquitos,  and  if  the  reader  will  carefully  ob- 


286 


KEW  ENGLAND  FARMEE. 


June 


serve  them  take  their  victims  some  still  after- 
noon in  June,  he  will  be  exceedingly  interested. 
He  must  sit  down  quietly  near  some  corn  or 
other  plants,  having  them  between  him  and  the 
sun,  otherwise  he  would  not  be  able  to  see  the 
extremely  small  gnats  that  are  flying  or  spring- 
ing from  plant  to  plant,  in  search  of  their  food, 
or  sporting  in  the  mild  rays  of  the  sun  just  be- 
fore it  sets.  At  a  little  distance  from  the  plants 
the  "devil's  needle,"  with  wings  outstretched  and 
vibrating  so  rapidly  as  scarcely  to  show  any  mo- 
tion, seems  poised  in  the  air,  a  pretty,  harmless 
thing.  Now  he  has  changed  his  place — you  did 
not  see  him  move  !  but  in  that  lightning  dash 
his  prey  was  secured  !  A  more  careful  observa- 
tion will  enable  you  to  see  his  motions,  as  well 
as  the  minute  insects  upon  which  he  feeds.  This 
dragon-fly  is  repulsive  to  many  persons,  but  a 
better  acquaintance  with  him  will  bring  him  into 
favor. 

5.  Lepidoptera.  Butterflies  and  Moths.  These 
insects  have  a  mouth  with  a  spiral  sucking  tube, 
and  four  wings  covered  with  scales.  They  be- 
long to  an  order  called  Lepidoptera,  which  means 
scaly-wings ;  for  the  mealy  powder  with  which 
their  wings  are  covered,  when  seen  under  a  pow- 
erful microscope,  is  found  to  consist  of  little 
scales,  lapping  over  each  other  like  the  scales  of 
fishes,  and  implanted  into  the  skin  of  the  wings 
by  short  stems. 

6.  Hymenoptera.  Satoflies,  Ants,  Wasps, 
Bees,  &c.  Insects  with  jaws,  four-veined  wings, 
in  most  species,  the  hinder  pair  being  the  small- 
est, and  a  piercer  or  sting  at  the  extremity  of 
the  abdomen.  They  fly  swiftly,  and  are  able  to 
keep  on  the  wing  much  longer  than  any  other 
insects,  because  their  bodies  are  light  and  com- 
pact, and  their  wings  very  thin,  narrow,  and  with- 
al very  strong.  The  males  have  no  weapons  of 
offence  or  defence  except  their  jaws.  The  females 
are  armed  with  a  venomous  sting,  concealed  in 
the  hind  part  of  the  body.  The  word  Hijmenoj?- 
tera,  is  from  two  Greek  words,  meaning  a  mem- 
irane,  and  a  wing. 

7.  DiPTERA.  Mosquitos,  O-nats,  Flies,  &c.  In- 
sects with  a  hox'ny  or  fleshy  proboscis,  two  wings 
only,  and  two  knobbed  threads,  called  balancers 
or  poisers,  behind  the  wings.  The  word  Dipte- 
ra  signifies  two  luings.  Various  kinds  of  gnats 
and  of  flies  are  therefore  the  insects  belonging 
to  this  order.  The  proboscis  or  sucker,  where- 
with they  take  their  food,  is  placed  under  the 
head,  and  sometimes  can  be  drawn  up  and  con- 
cealed, partly  or  wholly,  within  the  cavity  of  the 
mouth. 

If  the  farmer  were  to  give  a  little  more  atten- 
tion to  these  busy  out-door  people  who  occupy 
his  farm  with  him,  who  are  his  constant  compan- 
ions, who  sometimes  aid  and  sometimes  injure 


his  plans,  while  they  are  enjoying  their  brief 
life  and  seeking  to  perpetuate  their  kind,  he 
would  find  an  interest  in  them  which  would  al- 
most repay  him  for  partial  losses  of  crops.  That 
attention  might  also  lead  him  to  such  a  knowl- 
edge of  their  habits  as  to  enable  him  to  prevent 
any  injury  from  them. 

There  are  several  excellent  works  upon  the 
subject  of  insects,  the  best  of  which,  for  the  com- 
mon reader,  may  be  "Harris'  Insects  Injurious  to 
Vegetation."  "Fitch's  Noxious  Insects  of  New 
York,"  is  also  a  popular  and  reliable  work.  There 
is  also  KoUer  on  Insects,  and  various  works  des- 
cribing the  insects  of  particular  States  or  other 
localities. 


For  the  New  Englaml  Parmer. 
EEASOIS"  AND  ANIMALS. 

Walking  along  the  streets  of  Boston  a  few 
days  since,  my  attention  was  called  to  the  motions 
of  a  blind  man  led  by  a  large  black  dog,  to  which 
a  string  was  attached,  one  end  of  which  was  held 
by  the  hand  of  the  man.  While  passing  along  the 
walks  between  the  cross  streets,  there  was  no 
more  than  ordinary  interest  exhibited  by  the  dog 
for  the  man.  He  occasionally  looking  around  to 
see  if  his  master  was  feeling  his  v/ay  with  bis 
cane  successfully,  and  was  not  jostled  by  the  pass- 
ers by,  trotted  on  or  walked  as  he  saw  his  way 
clear,  or  as  the  v/ill  of  his  master  determined. 
There  chanced  to  be  a  wide  street  crossing  their 
path  to  which  they  were  approaching,  and  my  cu- 
riosity was  excited  to  know  the  result  of  their  at- 
tempt to  cross.  As  they  came  near  to  the  side 
of  the  walk,  the  dog  stopped,  and  the  man,  gov- 
erned somewhat  by  the  sound  in  the  street,  and 
by  the  dog,  slackened  his  pace,  and  immediately 
commenced  feeling  with  his  cane  for  the  curb- 
stone ;  having  found  it,  he  stood  near  it  and  pre- 
pared himself  to  step  down  at  a  moment's  warn- 
ing from  the  dog.  In  the  meanwhile  the  street 
being  full  of  vehicles,  the  dog  looked  up  the 
street  to  the  left,  and  down  to  the  right,  looked 
as  did  the  gentlemen  and  ladies  who  gathered 
about  him,  for  an  opportunity  to  cross,  without 
being  run  against,  or  hurrying  ungracefully  over. 
Soon  the  street  became  clearer,  and  nearly  free 
of  wagons,  only  one  remained  in  the  street.  Most 
of  the  pedestrians  were  passing  over;  but  the 
dog  did  not  start,  the  reason  we  found  to  be,  a 
wagon  which  was  coming  in  the  distance  rattling 
along  which  he  had  caught  sight  of,  and  had  cal- 
culated ti-uly  that  he  could  not  cross  before  that 
came  along,  and  accordingly  he  waited  for  it  to 
pass.  But  he  had  evidently  determined  to  cross 
when  that  had  passed,  as  he  exhibited  a  careless 
restlessness,  as  if  no  alertness  M-as  needed  at  pres- 
ent, but  a  patience  in  waiting  that  the  wjgon 
might  pass  and  allow  him  to  put  into  execution 
the  result  of  his  reasonings,  that  of  taking  ad- 
vantage of  the  opportunity  which  would  certainly 
be  presented.  When  the  vehicle  was  abreast  lie 
started,  and  the  man  with  one  step  was  in  the 
street,  and  with  the  use  of  his  cane  and  the  con- 
stant pulling  of  the  dog  on  the  sti'ing  he  hurried 
safely  over. 

This  may  be  seen  most  any  week  in  this  city, 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND     ARMER. 


287 


and  to  our  minds  is  no  extraordinary  display  of 
reason  on  the  part  of  a  dog.  But  it  brought  to 
my  mind  forcibly  the  somewhat  prevalent  belief 
that  the  chief  difference  between  man  and  the  an- 
imals is,  that  while  the  former  has  reason,  the 
latter  has  not.  I  think  that  facts  in  regard  to  an- 
imals, and  their  halnts,  have  come  within  the  ob- 
servation of  most  persons,  that  ought  to  convince 
them  that  in  respect  to  reason,  men,  and  some 
animals,  at  least,  are  alike.  As  there  is  evident- 
ly a  radical  difference  between  them,  I  think  it 
may  be  wholly  accounted  for,  by  the  theory  that 
animals  have  no  conception  of  virtue  or  vice ; 
that  they  have  not  the  power  to  know  moral 
right  or  wrong.  To  them  the  moral  world  has 
no  existence.  The  fear  of  man  will  account  for 
many  exhibitions  by  the  domestic  animals,  M'hich 
are  analogous  to  contrition  or  repentance  in  man. 
This  instance  of  the  man  and  his  dog  does  not 
so  much  suggest  these  thoughts,  as  the  fact  that 
I  recently  heard  the  statement,  "that  animals  do 
not  possess  reason,"  stated  by  a  public  speaker 
to  an  audience,  in  such  a  manner,  that,  in  his 
opinion,  at  least,  it  admitted  of  no  doubt.       L. 


EVENING  HOUKS  FOB  MECHANICS. 

One  of  the  best  editors  the  Westminister  Re- 
view could  ever  boast,  and  one  of  the  most  bril- 
liant writers  of  the  passing  hour,  was  a  cooper  in 
Aberdeen.  One  of  the  editors  of  the  London 
TiaSXy  Journal  was  a  baker  in  Elgin  ;  perhaps  the 
best  reporter  of  the  London  Times  was  a  weaver 
in  Edinburgh ;  the  editor  of  the  Witness  was  a 
stone  mason.  One  of  the  ablest  ministers  in 
London  was  a  blacksmith  in  Dundee  ;  and  anoth- 
er was  a  watchmaker  in  Banff.  The  late  Dr. 
]\lilne,  of  China,  was  a  herd-boy  in  Rhyne.  The 
principal  of  the  London  Missionary  Society's 
College  at  Hong  Kong  was  a  saddler  in  Huntley  ; 
and  one  of  the  best  missionaries  that  ever  went 
to  India  was  a  tailor  in  Keith.  The  leading  ma- 
chinist on  the  London  and  Birmingham  Railway, 
with  £700  pounds  a  year,  was  a  mechanic  in 
Glasgow ;  and  perhaps  the  very  richest  iron 
founder  in  England  was  a  working-man  in  Mo- 
rap.  Sir  James  Clark,  her  Majesty's  physician, 
■was  a  druggist  in  Banff.  Joseph  Hume  was  a 
sailor  first,  and  tlien  a  laborer  at  the  mortar  and 
pestle  in  ]Montrose  ;  Mr.  McGregor,  the  member 
from  Glasgow,  was  a  poor  boy  in  Rosshire.  Jas. 
Wilson,  the  member  from  Westbury,  was  a  plow- 
man in  Haddington,  and  Arthur  Anderson,  the 
member  from  Orkney,  earned  his  bread  by  the 
sweat  of  his  brow  in  the  Ultima  Thule. — Maine 
Farmer. 

FACTS  ABOUT  PHOSPHORUS. 

It  is  now  just  two  hundred  years  since  phos- 
phorus was  first  obtained  by  Brand,  of  Hamburg. 
So  wonderful  was  the  discovery  then  considered, 
that  Kraft,  an  eminent  philosopher  of  the  day, 
gave  Brand  $300  for  the  secret  of  its  preparation. 
Kraft  then  travelled,  and  visited  nearly  all  the 
courts  of  Europe,  exhibiting.  Phosphorus  resem- 
bles bees-wax  ;  but  it  is  more  transparent,  ap- 
proaching to  the  color  of  amber.  Its  name,  which 
is  derived  from  the  Greek,  signifies  "light-bearer," 
and  is  indicative  of  its  most  distinguishing  qual- 
ity, being  self-luminous.     Phosphorus,  when  ex 


posed  to  the  air,  shines  like  a  star,  giving  out  a 
beautiful,  lambent,  greenish  light.  Phosphorus 
dissolves  in  warm  sweet  oil.  If  this  phosphorized 
oil  be  rubbed  over  the  face  in  the  dark,  the  fea- 
tures assume  a  ghastly  appearance,  and  the  ex- 
perimentalist looks  like  a  veritable  living  Will- 
o'-the-Wisp.  The  origin  of  phosphorus  is  the 
most  singular  fact  concerning  it.  Every  other 
substance  with  which  we  are  acquainted,  can  be 
traced  to  either  earth  or  air ;  but  phosphorus 
seems  to  be  of  animal  origin.  Of  all  animals, 
man  yields  the  most ;  and  of  the  various  parts  of 
the  body,  the  brain  yields,  by  analysis,  more 
phosphorus  than  any  other.  This  fact  is  of  no 
little  moment.  Every  thought  has,  perhaps,  a 
phosphoric  source.  It  is  certain  that  the  most  in- 
tellectual beings  contain  the  most  phosphorus. 
It  generally  happens  that  when  a  singular  dis- 
covery is  made,  many  years  elapse  before  any  ap- 
plication of  it  is  made  to  the  welfare  and  happi- 
ness of  man.  This  remark  applies  to  phosphorus. 
— Johnsioii's  Chemistry. 


THE  FLESH  OF  EXTBA  FAT  CATTLE. 

There  is  a  very  general  desire  among  raisers  of 
stock-beeves,  hogs,  pigs,  sheep,  &c.,  for  the 
shambles,  to  produce  animals  that  will  greatly 
surpass  the  average  of  their  fellows  in  the  accu- 
mulation of  flesh  or  fat.  They  take  peculiar 
pleasure  in  stuffing  an  animal  with  rich  food  un- 
til it  becomes  such  a  mass  of  fat  as  almost  to  lose 
the  use  of  its  limbs,  when  it  is  duly  weighed  and 
its  enormous  ponderosity  is  heralded  as  an  espe- 
cial recommendation  of  the  creature  for  table  use. 
Nothing  is  more  frequent  than  to  meet  wiih  com- 
mendatory notices  of  such  monstrosities  in  the 
newspapers.  Oxen  weighing  a  ton,  hogs  of  six 
or  eight  hundred  pounds,  and  calves  as  heavy  as 
the  parent  cows,  seem  to  be  among  the  legitimate 
marvels  which  the  pi'ess  is  bound  to  notice.  This 
tendency  to  secure  excessive  weight  and  corpu- 
lence in  animals,  is  also  observable  in  the  fat  cat- 
tle offered  for  prizes  at  agricultural  exhibitions, 
though  not  to  so  great  an  extent,  perhaps,  as 
above  indicated. 

The  opinion  seem  to  follow,  too,  that  these 
gross  accretions  of  animal  matter  are  of  superior 
quality  for  consumption.  But  if  the  same  rule 
was  applied  to  them  that  is  applied  by  experienced 
judges  to  other  articles  of  food,  they  would  rate 
below  instead  of  above  par  in  the  provision  mar- 
ket. Every  judicious  housewife  knows  that  ex- 
cessively fat  poultry  is  but  poor  eating ;  that 
mammoth  squashes  and  pumpkins  are  not  of  so 
good  a  quality  as  those  of  moderate  size  ;  that  ex- 
tra large  vegetables  of  all  kinds  are  really  inferi- 
or ;  and  that  even  in  the  matter  of  fish,  in  regard 
to  which  there  is  usually  very  little  discrimina- 
tion practiced,  those  medium  in  size  and  flesh  are 
the  best  for  the  table.  There  is  a  certain  medi- 
um in  all  articles  used  for  food,  the  nearer  to 
which  the  production  of  them  is  kept,  the  more 
wholesome  and  nutritious  they  are. 

This  is  not  only  the  lesson  of  experience,  but 
it  is  borne  out  by  the  researches  of  science.  Mr. 
Frederick  J.  Gant,  late  surgeon  to  the  military 
hospital  in  the  Crimea,  has  recently  made  a  very 
interesting  investigation  respecting  the  whole- 
someness  of  the  flesh  of  fat  prize  cattle  as  an  ar- 
ticle of  food,  which  fully  establishes  the  unfitness 


288 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


June 


of  such  flesh  for  human  sustenance.  Mr.  Gant 
attended  the  Smithfield  cattle  show,  and  after- 
wards examined  the  carcases  of  the  slaughtered 
prize  bullocks,  heifers,  j^igs  and  sheep  which  re- 
mained in  London,  and  gives  the  result  of  his 
observations  at  great  length.  His  conclusions 
are  deserving  of  great  attention  not  only  by  the 
breeders  and  feeders  of  cattle  for  the  shambles, 
but  by  all  consumers  of  meat.  Mr.  Gant  says : 
"Let  an  animal  be  fed  beyond  the  limits  com- 

fiatible  with  health,  and  the  superfluous  fat  is  no 
onger  confined  to  the  instertices  of  muscular 
fibres,  but  actually  invades  and  eventually  super- 
sedes them.  The  fibres  then  contain  fat,  instead 
of  the  fibrilltp,  (known  to  anatomists,)  in  which 
reside  the  contractile  power  of  muscle  and  its  nu- 
tritive value  for  human  food.  We  therefore  say 
that  such  meat  no  longer  retains  its  healthy  struc- 
ture and  nutritive  quality,  but  has  actually  degen- 
erated into  fat,  although  still  presenting  the  sem- 
blance of  ordinary  muscle,  and  thereby  deceiving 
both  buyer  and  seller. 

"We  should  therefore  expect  in  vain  to  replen- 
ish our  own  muscles  by  the  use  of  such  food,  nor 
should  animals  thus  overfed  be  regarded  as  prize 
specimens  of  rearing  and  feeding.  The  heart,  be- 
ing converted  into  fat,  no  longer  retains  its  con- 
ti'actile  power,  but  beats  feebly  and  irregularly. 
The  blood,  therefore,  now  moves  onward  in  a 
slow  and  feeble  current.  Hence  the  panting 
breathlessness  due  to  stagnation  of  blood  in  the 
lungs,  while  the  skin  and  extremities  are  cold. 
Hence  the  stupid,  heavy-headed  expression  of  a 
congested  brain,  and  the  blood-stained  appear- 
ance of  meat  after  death.  The  slightest  exertion 
to  an  animal  under  such  circumstances  might  sud- 
denly prove  fatal.  Were  a  man  in  this  condition 
to  present  himself  at  an  insurance  office,  it  would 
refuse  to  insure  his  life  at  any  premium.  Yet, 
under  similar  circumstances,  a  sheep  is  awarded 
gold  and  silver  medals,  and  its  feeder  a  prize  of 
£20. 

"I  would  observe  well,  during  life,  the  excre- 
tions, and  see  if  their  condition  gave  proof  of 
over-feeding.  If  so,  I  should  consider  that  the 
stomach  and  kidneys  were  overworked.  Nor 
would  I  neglect  the  less  perceptible  evidence  af- 
forded by  the  skin,  the  respiration,  with  the  state 
of  the  brain  as  indicated  by  the  general  expres- 
sion of  the  animal,  and  the  mode  of  carrying  its 
head.  Then,  after  death,  I  would  pursue  my  in- 
quiry further,  and  see  whether  my  opinion  of  the 
animal,  formed  during  life,  was  corroborated  or 
reversed  by  the  appearances  of  its  internal  organs, 
the  condition  of  the  heart,  lungs,  stomach,  intes- 
tines, liver  and  kidneys  more  especially. 

"All  this  kind  of  knowledge  is  required  by  phy- 
sicians and  surgeons  in  their  estimate  of  health 
and  disease,  and  is  equally  necessary  to  settle  the 
question  at  issue.  Instead,  therefore,  of  pursuing 
the  present  system  of  rearing  cattle,  much  as  it 
may  test  the  qualities  of  food  and  other  matters 
of  minor  importance,  let  the  breeders,  feeders, 
exhibitors  and  prize  judges  alike  visit  the  slaugh- 
ter-houses ;  let  them  do  this  with  a  due  knowl- 
edge of  diseased  appearances,  and  let  them  thus 
discover  that  system  of  rearing  which  is  most 
compatible  with  the  health  of  cattle,  and  which 
produces  the  largest  amount  of  the  most  nutri- 
tious food  for  man. 

"Under  the  present  system,  the  public  have  no 


guaranty,  and  are  not  insured  the  best,  if,  indeed, 
the  cheapest.  The  bulky  withers  of  a  fat  bullock 
are  no  criterion  of  health,  for  his  fat,  tabular 
back  may  conceal  the  revolting  ravages  of  disease. 
All  this  can  alone  be  disclosed  by  an  inspection 
of  the  animal's  interior  after  death.  The  flesh  of 
animals  which  has  been  produced  by  organs  them- 
selves diseased,  is  itself  naturally  deteriorated, 
and  ought  not  to  be  regarded  as  prime  samples 
of  human  food.  These  facts  will  be  best  under- 
stood by  pathologists,  but  they  also  come  home 
to  the  understandings,  and  certainly  to  the  stom- 
achs of  the  people." 

We  would  suggest  that  the  subject  of  fattening 
cattle  would  be  an  excellent  topic  for  investiga- 
tion and  discussion  by  our  farmers'  clubs  and  ag- 
ricultural associations. 


HOME  IS  "WHERE  THERE'S  ONE  TO 
LOVE  US. 

Home's  not  merely  four  square  walls, 

Though  with  pictures  hung  and  gilded ; 
Home  is  where  affection  calls, 

Filled  with  shrines  the  heart  hath  builded. 
Home  ! — go  watch  the  faithful  dove 

Sailing  'neath  the  heaven  above  us — 
Home  is  where  there's  one  to  love  ! 

Home  is  where  there's  one  to  love  us ! 

Home's  not  merely  roof  and  room, 

It  needeth  something  to  endear  it ; 
Home  is  where  the  heart  can  bloom, 

Where  there's  some  kind  lip  to  cheer  it ! 
What  is  home  with  none  to  meet  ? 

None  to  welcome,  none  to  greet  us? 
Home  is  sweet,  and  only  sweet, 

Where  there's  one  we  love,  to  meet  us ! 


The  Striped  Bug,  a  Remedy. — Remove  all 
lumps  and  rubbish  from  the  hill,  then  level  and 
pat  it  down  gently,  filling  all  the  remaining  cracks 
and  holes  within  one  foot  of  the  plants  with  fine 
dry  sand,  and  be  assured,  that  nine-tenths  of  the 
striped  bugs  visiting  the  premises  will  quickly 
leave  for  other  quarters  ;  my  attention  was  first 
drawn  to  tha  subject  by  observing  how  much 
thicker  the  bugs  congregated  upon  plants  in 
cracked,  lumpy  hills  than  those  more  smooth. 
The  striped  bug  is  one  of  the  first  to  make  its 
appearance,  and  the  plants  being  young  and  ten- 
der, they  do  the  greatest  amount  of  mischief. 
This  putting  ashes,  lime  and  other  stuff"  on  the 
delicate  leaves,  I  contend  is  like  taking  drug- 
poisons  into  the  human  system. — Boston  Cultiva- 
tor. 

Buckwheat  Straw  for  Sheep. — One  word 
on  the  benefit  of  agricultural  papers.  A  few 
weeks  since  I  was  looking  over  some  of  the  back 
volumes  of  the  Cultivator,  which  I  have  bound, 
to  find  something  I  then  wanted  to  see,  when  I 
accidentally  came  across  a  statement  that  sheep 
loved  buckwheat  straw.  Having  several  loads  of 
that  straw  in  my  barn,  which  was  cut  early  and 
got  in  good  order,  and  which  I  was  intending  to 
let  my  cattle  pick  from,  and  use  the  remainder 
for  litter,  I  immediately  went  to  my  barn  and 
tried  my  sheep,  and  found  they  ate  the  straw 
greedily.  I  think  I  shall  realize  enough  from 
this  discovery  to  pay  for  the  paper  a  number  of 
years. — Country  Gentleman. 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


289 


For  the  New  England  Farmer 

POTATOES. 

Mr.  Editor  : — It  being  about  planting  time 
"down  east,"  I  beg  to  make  a  few  suggestions 
that  will  cost  neither  time  or  money  to  aJ^pt. 

1.  Plant  all  small  potatoes  by  themselves. 

2.  Plant  large  potatoes  by  themselves. 

3.  Cut  the  "seed  end"  from  all  varieties  of 
large  long  potatoes,  and  plant  separately. 

4.  Cut  the  remaining  part  of  the  large  potato 
into  quarters,  and  plant  separately  in  drills  twen- 
ty-two inches  apart.  Three  to  four  stocks  to  a 
hill  is  sufficient.  This  latter  mode  in  throwing 
away  the  "seed  end,"  is  Long  Island  fashion. 
The  farmers  say  it  gives  them  all  large  potatoes, 
without  small  ones,  and  as  many  pounds  to  the 
acre.     Quite  an  object  in  digging  time. 

Mr.  Editor,  it  was  about  a  settled  fact  in  my 
mind  last  year,  in  reading  your  excellent  Farmer, 
that  large  potatoes  for  seed  had  the  best  of  the 
argument.  It  is  to  be  hoped  that  the  matter  will 
be  fairly  tested  by  many  of  your  farmer  readers, 
which  may  take  two  or  three  years  to  prove.  The 
animal  creation  is  made  dwarf,  or  gigantic,  by 
close  breeding.  Will  not  the  same  law  apply  to 
the  vegetable  kingdom,  in  selecting  your  largest, 
best  seed  to  produce  from  ?     Try  it. 

New  York,  May  1st.  H.  Poor. 


A  NEW  HOE. 

The  neat  little  engraving  above  illustrates  a 
new  Hoe  which  has  been  recently  invented  and 
introduced  to  the  hoeing  world,  by  Mr.  H.  A. 
LOTHROP,  of  the  firm  of  H.  A.  Lothrop  &  Co., 
Sharon,  Mass.  We  have  used  it  enough  to  find 
it  a  pleasant  implement  in  many  places  ;  but  not 
enough  to  speak  of  the  comparative  merits  be- 
tween this  and  the  common  hoe. 

It  is  claimed  by  the  inventor  to  work  with 
much  greater  ease,  and  to  be  equally  as  efficient 
as  the  old  hoe,  in  every  place  excepting  where  it 
is  desired  to  remove  a  considerable  body  of  earth 
from  one  point  to  another. 

All  we  can  say  further  of  it  now  is,  that  it  will 
not  cost  much  to  try  it,  and  it  may  be  found  to 
possess  some  advantages  over  the  old  implement 
which  has  become  so  familiar  to  our  hands.  It 
is  made  with  two  and  three  prongs  or  points. 


EXTRACTS  AND  REPLIES. 

ICACGOT   IX   CABBAGE   PLANTS — BUGS   ON   VINE?. 

Is  there  anything  that  will  prevent  or  destroy 
the  maggot  in  cabbages  ?  Last  spring  I  trans- 
planted several  hundred  cabbages  from  my  hot 
bed,  and  in  a  short  time  they  would  turn  yellow 
and  die.  I  found  at  the  roots  a  lot  of  little  mag- 
gots. 

I  have  heard  much  complaint  about  bugs 
among  vines,  especially  the  striped  bug.  Pre- 
vention is  better  than  cure.  I  will  tell  you  how 
I  stop  their  ravages.  In  the  fall  of  1855  I  raked 
up  all  the  rubbish  of  my  garden,  including 
squash  and  cucumber  vines,  and  burnt  them; 
the  next  spring  I  found  no  bugs  on  my  vines, 
while  my  neighbors'  were  destroyed.  I  have 
practiced  it  since,  and  have  not  been  troubled 
except  now  and  then  by  a  stray  one  from  my 
neighbors'  gardens.  s.  d. 

South  Hanson,  May,  1858. 


ARBOR  VIT.5:   FROM   SEED. 

I  wish  to  inquire  if  the  Arbor  Vit(B  can  be 
propagated  from  seed  ;  when  it  should  be  plant- 
ed ;  and  where  it  can  be  obtained  ? 

Holliston,  1858.  C.  J.  Heath. 

Remarks. — The  arbor  vita?  flowers  in  May 
and  ripens  its  cones  in  the  following 
autumn.  The  seed  should  then  be 
gathered,  sowed  in  a  very  fine  soil,  mo- 
derately rich,  covered  quite  lightly  with 
fine  loam,  and  then  a  few  leaves  or 
straw  scattered  over  them.  We  sup- 
pose the  seed  may  be  obtained  at  the 
seed  stores  in  Boston. 

PUMPS   and  PIPES. 

I  wish  to  inquire  which  is  the  best 
kind  of  pumps  and  pipe  for  wells  ?  Are 
copper  pumps  objectionable,  and  what 
is  the  best  substitute  for  lead  pipes  ? 
What  do  you  think  of  zinc  pipe,  or 
block  tin,  or  gutta  percha  ?  There  is  also  a  kind 
of  stone  pipe  made  which  is  glazed  with  salt.  I 
would  also  like  to  get  Dr.  Alcott's  opinion  upon 
these  points.  A  New  Subscriber. 

Fitcliburg,  May,  1858. 

Remarks. — In  the  situation  of  your  well,  a 
good  wooden  pump  and  pipe,  or  bored  log,  is 
better  than  any  thing  else. 

TIMBER — potatoes — MANURE — ROSE  BUDS. 

Is  it  as  good  time  as  any  to  cut  timber  as  soon 
as  the  leaves  get  their  growth  ?  (a.) 

Will  potatoes  keep  as  well  on  a  cement,  as  a 
sand  cellar  bottom  ?  (h.) 

I  have  read  that  the  potato  rot  is  almost,  or 
entirely  unknown  in  countries  where  there  is  no 
mildew.  If  such  is  the  case,  is  there  not  some- 
thing in  the  shape  of  powder,  or  solution,  that 
can  be  applied  to  the  tops  to  prevent  the  rot  ?  (c.) 

AVhat  potato  sells  the  best  in  the  Boston  mar 
ket?  (d.) 


290 


NEW  ENGLAND  FAKMER. 


June 


Which  is  the  best  for  green  manure,  clover  or 
lucerne,  and  how  should  it  be  plowed  in  ?  (e.) 

Will  rose-bud  seeds  come  uj),  if  planted,  and 
when  should  they  be  planted  ?  (f.) 

Branford,  Conn.,  1858.       O.  C.  Hoadley. 

Remarks. — (a.)  September  is  considered  the 
best  time  to  cut  timber. 

(b.)  Cannot  see  why  they  would  not. 

(c.)  If  the  rot  is  not  occasioned  by  an  insect, 
perhaps  the  application  of  some  kind  of  salt, 
either  alkaline,  or  something  else,  might  prevent 
the  rot. 

(d.)  No  one  in  particular.  The  State  of  Maine, 
the  Irish  Cup,  the  Chenango,  Peach  Blow,  Jack- 
son White,  Jenny  Lind,  and  many  other  kinds, 
are  constantly  sold,  some  kinds  preferred  by  one, 
and  some  by  others. 

(e.)  Cannot  tell — never  tried  lucerne.  Cut  the 
clover  and  let  it  partially  dry  before  it  is  plowed 
under.  It  will  not  then  pass  into  rapid  fermen- 
tation and  drive  off  the  sugar  and  starch  which  it 
contains. 

(f.)  Plant  the  buds  in  the  fall,  and  cover 
slightly  with  leaves  and  fine  loam. 

DOES    STJPEKPIIOSPIIATE   PAY? 

Last  year  I  planted  my  corn  with  about  a 
spoonful  of  Hoyt's  bone  superphosphate  of  lime 
in  the  hill,  Avhich  cost  about  the  same  as  the  la- 
bor of  manuring  in  the  hill ;  the  manure  having 
been  previously  spread  and  plowed  in.  The  corn 
came  up  quick,  grew  fast,  ripened  early,  and 
produced  a  rich  harvest  of  good,  sound  corn.  I 
calculate  that  I  got  double  pay  for  the  phosphate. 
First,  it  saved  the  labor  of  manuring  in  the  hill, 
and  secondly,  it  increased  the  crop  of  corn. 

Yours,  &c.,  Samuel  W.  Foskett. 

Cliarlton,  Mass.,  1858. 

what  will  destroy  ant-hills? 

Will  you  inform  me  how  I  may  kill  an  ant  hill 
that  has  been  among  my  flowers  two  years  ?  I 
have  tried  scalding  and  ashes,  but  with  no  suc- 
cess. M.  Greenleaf. 

Wiscasset,  Me.,  May,  1858. 

Remarks. — Open  a  hole  in  the  hill,  put  in 
some  light  wood  and  set  it  on  fire — keep  it  burn- 
ing for  two  or  three  hours. 

WHICH  IS  THE  best  horse-rake  ? 

I  intend  to  purchase  a  hori^e-rake,  and  wish  to 
inquire  which  is  the  best  ?  The  only  kinds  much 
used  in  this  vicinity  are  the  revolver  and  spring 
tooth  ;  of  the  two,  I  much  prefer  the  revolver, 
but  if  there  is  any  kind  superior  to  it,  I  wish  to 
obtain  it.  My  land  is  not  very  stony,  neither  is 
it  entirely  clear  of  them.  W. 

Fitchhury,  May,  1858. 

Remarks. — We  have  used  nearly  all  the  horse 
rakes  that  are  common,  and  give  a  decided  pref- 
erence to  Delano's  Independent  action.  It  is 
simple,  Btrong,  and  does   the  work  effectually, 


without  gathering  up  any  more  rubbish  than  a 
hand  rake  will.  For  sale  at  Nourse,  Mason  & 
Co.'s,  Quincy  Hall,  Boston.     Price  about  $12. 

ashes  on  potatoes  and  corn. 

Permit  me  to  ask  the  opinion  of  some  of  your 
correspondents  as  to  which  is  the  best  manner  of 
using  ashes  on  potatoes  and  corn. 

Atkinson,  N.  H.  Norman  Mathews. 

a  big  calf. 

Mr.  Sol'  von  Richardson,  of  Westford, 
Mass.,  has  a  calf  one  year  old  that  weighs  650 
pounds — native  breed.  g.  b. 

Westford,  May,  1858. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer, 
HORSES. 

Mr.  Editor  : — I  have  lately  read  several  arti- 
cles in  the  newspapers  treating  of  thorough-breds, 
with  occasional  sneers  at  some  races  of  horses 
that  are  in  high  repute  among  us.  As  far  as  I 
am  able  to  observe,  the  principal  excellence 
claimed  for  thorough-breds  consists  in  their  ra- 
cing qualities.  I  confess  myself  so  "puritanic," 
that  I  am  unable  to  see  any  benefit  to  the  com- 
munity arising  from  horse-racing.  It  does  not 
produce  a  dollar,  or  auglit  that  can  feed  or  clothe 
or  promote  the  real  welfare  of  the  community.  I 
have  owned  several  horses,  driven  them  at  the 
plow  and  on  the  road,  and  though  none  of  them 
were  called  thorough-breds,  some  of  them  in 
style,  strength  and  endurance,  were  good  enough 
to  satisfy  the  most  fastidious.  We  are  told  that 
to  keep  up  the  blood  of  our  horses,  we  must  re- 
sort to  thorough-bred  stock.  That  the  Morgans 
have  deteriorated  in  size,  &c.  Now  I  believe  that 
it  is  for  the  interest  of  the  farmer  to  breed  such 
horses  as  will  work  at  the  plow,  or,  in  short,  are 
"good  business  horses." 

The  attempt  to  raise  and  train  fast  horses  has 
emptied  two  pockets  where  it  has  filled  one.  I 
do  not  deny  to  imported  horses  many  valuable 
qualities,  and  some  of  them  have  become  the 
progenitors  of  excellent  animals.  But  I  protest 
against  this  attempt  to  spread  the  foolish  idea 
that  it  is  for  the  interest  of  our  farmers  to  breed 
from  none  but  thorough-breds,  so  called.  Our 
Morgans  and  Black  Hawks  are  not  the  mere 
"runts"  that  some  of  the  city  papers  speak  of. 
Come  up  here  into  the  country,  and  I  will  show 
you  a  plenty  of  Morgans  and  Black  Hawks,  whose 
weight,  from  ten  to  fourteen  hundred  pounds,  is 
sufficient  for  most  purposes.  A  writer  in  the 
Tribune  stated  that  it  was  "acknowledged"  that 
the  Morgans  had  deteriorated  in  size.  Acknowl- 
edged by  whom  ?  Not  by  Vermonters,  in  the 
State  where  they  have  been  bred  for  about  fifty 
years.  I  do  not  know  what  kind  of  a  pony  has 
been  seen  in  the  city,  but  so  far  from  deteriora- 
ting in  size,  very  few  can  be  found  that  are  not 
heavier  than  Old  Justin,  the  sire  of  the  race, 
whose  weight  never  came  up  to  one  thousand 
pounds. 

As  for  strength  or  endurance,  I  had  rather 
have  the  smallest  Morgan  pony  that  can  be  found, 
than  one  of  your  light-limbed,  long  legged,  long- 
necked,  rat-tailed    thorough-breds.    Running  a 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


291 


mile  in  2.40  is  no  part  of  the  proper  use  of  a 
horse.  Give  me  a  good  sized,  well  formed  ani- 
mal that  is  able  to  draw  a  load,  trot  in  the  bug- 
gy eight  or  ten  mile?  in  an  hour  if  need  be,  and 
when  he  is  properly  cared  for,  -will  repay  that 
care  with  something  besides  laziness  and  un- 
soundness. I  love  to  feed  such  an  animal.  He 
will  earn  his  living,  not  gamble  it  out  of  fools' 
pockets. 

If  speed  were  the  object,  I  think  the  pro- 
found critics  on  Morgan  horses  might  learn  a  lit- 
tle modesty,  and  wait  until  they  could  match 
Ethan  Allen,  to  say  nothing  [of  young  Morrill, 
owned  at  Manchester,  N.  H.,  who  by-the-bye  is 
a  very  fast  going  handsome  trotter,  and  can  hard- 
ly be  matched  by  any  thorough-bred  entire  horse 
in  the  country.  One  of  his  colts  owned  at  Laco- 
nia,  N.  H.,  by  L.  T.  Tucker,  Esq.,  trots  down 
close  to  2.40.  Also  the  North  horse,  sired  by  old 
Black  Hawk,  a  splendid  animal,  going  in  2.40  or 
less.     But  enough  of  this. 

I  desire  to  see  our  farmers  turning  their  atten- 
tion to  raising  a  class  of  good  roadsters,  such  as 
we  have  seen  in  times  past — horses  that  can  work 
every  day.  Brother  farmers,  when  you  have  a 
good  mare  that  will  command  a  good  price,  keep 
her  for  your  own  service  ;  do  not  se*  her  to  the 
first  man  who  offers  a  fair  price.  Keep  her  to 
raise  stock,  and  for  service  on  the  farm  ;  you  will 
find  it  a  good  investment.  Plow  Jogger. 

Addison,  Vt.,  May  6,  1858. 


For  tlie  New  England  Farmer. 
CBOSSINQ  PUMPKINS  WITH  SQUASHES. 

Where  does  the  Sicash  Borer  come  from  ? 

Messrs.  Editors  : — Your  correspondent  "A. 
M.  P.,"  in  the  Farmer  of  April  17th,  has  thrown 
the  light  of  his  experience  on  the  question  pro- 
posed by  "Essex,"  in  January  last ;  but  as  Essex 
appealed  directly  to  Marblehead  as  an  "overflow- 
ing fountain"  on  squash  culture,  perhaps  she  may 
yet  be  allowed  to  throw  a  little  mist  over  the  sub- 
ject, in  the  summing  up  of  her  experience. 

On  a  pretty  extensive  inquiry  among  our  farm- 
ers, I  meet  with  one  vital  trouble  at  the  outset, 
and  that  is,  that  from  the  value  of  our  land  for 
high  cultivation,  owing  to  the  facilities  presented 
by  a  good  soil,  good  markets  and  abundance  of 
valuable  manures,  the  culture  of  pumpkins  for 
the  past  ten  or  fifteen  years  has  almost  been  ob- 
solete. The  summing  up  of  their  experience 
previous  to  the  general  introduction  of  the  mar- 
row-squash, amounts  to  this  :  that  the  squash 
and  pumpkin  will  cross  ;  which  they  have  se^n  in 
the  squash  assuming  the  shell  of  the  pumpkin, 
somewhat  of  its  color,  and  when  thus  character- 
ized being  inferior  in  quality ;  that  they  never 
have  seen  the  squash  take  upon  itself  the  form 
of  the  pumpkin. 

The  experience  of  one  gentleman  was  striking. 
Several  years  since  a  neighbor  whose  land  was 
adjoining,  planted  a  few  hills  of  the  old-fashioned 
"nigger  pumpkin"  near  by  a  large  crop  of  mar- 
rows, a  common  wall  intervening.  For  several 
years  previous  to  this  his  marrows  had  been  ex- 
ceedingly pure,  but  since  that  date,  with  the  ut- 
most care  in  selecting  his  seed  he  has  always  had 
some  among  his  marrows  with  a  hard  pumpkin- 
like  shell ! 

There  appears   to  be  a  general  impression 


among  farmers  that  the  borer,  that  has  proved 
himself  of  late  years  so  troublesome  to  the  squash- 
vines  in  many  sections,  ascends  from  the  ground 
and  bores  his  way  into  the  plant.  Your  corres- 
pondent from  Spring  Grove,  in  the  Farmer  of 
April  17th,  appears  to  have  adopted  that  theory; 
I  have  also  noticed  it  interwoven  into  some  of 
the  reports  included  in  the  transactions  of  our 
County  Agricultural  Societies. 

If  gentlemen  will  turn  to  the  treatise  of  the 
late  Dr.  Harris,  on  "Insects  injurious  to  Vegeta- 
tion," they  will  find  that  that  most  original  ob- 
server traced  the  parentage  of  the  borer  to  a  spe- 
cies of  the  coccinella,  lady-bird  or  lady-bug,  as 
it  is  variously  known.  This  insect  deposits  its 
eggs  in  the  vine  at  about  the  time  of  the  push- 
ing of  the  runners.  It  may  be  recognized  by  its 
resemblance  to  the  common  lady-bug  in  form, 
being  larger,  of  the  size  of  the  half  of  a  large 
pea,  and  its  back  having  a  red  groundwork,  spot- 
ted with  black.  I  quote  from  memory,  but  be- 
lieve I  am  substantially  correct. 

Marblehead,  Mass.  J.  J.  H.  Gregory. 


CURE  FOR  THE  GARGET. 

Some  two  or  three  years  since  we  published  the 
following  recipe  for  curing  garget,  and  from  ac- 
tual experiment  in  this  vicinity,  we  know  it  to  be 
a  good  one.  Mr.  Lowell  Greenleaf  writes  to  one 
of  our  agricultural  exchanges,  (we  have  lost  the 
credit,)  giving  an  account  of  his  trials  of  the  re- 
ceipe,  and  its  results,  as  follows  : 

"Having  had  a  cow  that  was  almost  worthless 
on  account  of  bunches  in  the  udder  which  ren- 
dered the  milk  bloody,  stringy,  and  not  fit  for 
the  hogs,  I  was  on  the  eve  of  giving  her  up  for 
lost,  when  I  used  the  following  recipe,  which  in 
three  weeks  restored  her  to  perfection,  and  not 
the  slightest  symptom  of  garget  has  appeared 
since.  I  could  cite  numerous  cases  of  perfect 
cure.  And  not  only  doubling  the  nuantity,  but 
improving  the  quality  of  the  milk  and  butter. 
Since  I  applied  this  remedy,  my  cow  has,  in  two 
years  risen  in  value  from  $20  to  $75  : 

Itecipe. — "An  ounce  and  a  half  of  hydriodate 
of  potash,  at  440  grains  to  the  ounce,  will  contain 
660  grains.  Put  the  whole  into  a  glass  bottle  of 
sufficient  capacity,  with  fifty-five  table  spoonfuls 
of  cold  water.  Shake  briskly,  and  it  will  be 
thoroughly  dissolved  in  a  few  minutes ;  one  table 
spoonful  will  contain  a  dose,  the  requisite  quan- 
tity of  twelve  grains.  Wet  a  little  Indian  meal 
or  shorts  and  thoroughly  stir  in  the  dose.  Give 
two  or  three  doses  a  day.  Keep  the  bottle  corked 
tight."— Ex. 

Soot. — In  England  this  is  saved  and  applied 
to  the  wheat  and  other  crops,  with  great  returns. 
In  this  country,  it  is  too  often  thrown  into  the 
street  and  lost.  About  eighteen  bushels  are  a 
good  dressing  for  an  acre.  Several  salts  of  am- 
monia, magnesia  and  lime  render  it  too  valuable 
to  be  wasted.  As  a  liquid  manure  for  the  garden, 
nothing  is  better  than  three  or  four  quarts  of  soot 
dissolved  in  a  barrel  of  water,  and  applied  with  a 
watering  pot.  Almost  every  family  may,  as  well 
as  not,  preserve  a  few  bushels  of  it.  It  is  good 
for  any  kind  of  grain  ;  also  for  roots,  especially 
potatoes  and  carrots  ;  and  nothing  excejjt  Peru- 
vian guano,  which  it  is  silly  to  buy,  and  at  the 


292 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


June 


same  time  throw  away  about  as  good  an  article, 
is  equal  to  it  for  giving  a  rich  bloom  to  flowers. 
Save  your  soot  and  you  may  have  the  richest 
vegetables  and  the  brightest  flowers. — Plow, 
Loom  and  Anvil. 


THE  MILK  TBADE  OF  BOSTON. 

The  reading  of  a  small  book  several  years 
since,  entitled  "T/^e  Milk  Trade  of  New  York" 
together  with  certain  facts  which  came  to  our 
knowledge,  and  several  observations  made  from 
time  to  time  in  regard  to  matters  q«ite  nearer 
home,  led  us  to  make  some  investigations  into 
The  Milk  Trade  of  Boston.  These  investigations 
have  been  going  on  with  more  or  less  care  and 
earnestness  for  the  space  of  two  years,  and  have 
led  to  results  which,  when  stated,  will  not  fail  to 
startle  some  of  the  upright  and  confiding  consu- 
mers of  milk  in  this  city. 

In  the  first  place,  the  milk  trade  of  Boston  has 
reached  a  magnitude,  in  a  commercial  point  of 
view,  which  gives  it  importance,  as  employing  a 
large  number  of  men  and  teams  after  it  leaves 
the  farm,  and  has  been  transported  over  the  rail- 
roads into  the  city,  or  is  brought  here  in  wagons. 
This  goes  to  make  up  a  part  of  the  active  busi- 
ness of  the  city,  and  in  this  point  of  view  alone^ 
is  worthy  of  consideration. 

We  find  by  the  investigations  instituted,  that 
the  value  of  the  milk  annually  brought  to  the 
city,  as  it  comes  from  the  country,  is  about  one 
million  of  dollars,  and  that,  as  it  is  sold  out  to 
the  consumers,  it  has  swollen  to  the  sum  of  one 
million  two  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dollars ! 
the  ttoo  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dollars  being 
the  charge  for  carrying  the  Cochituate  water 
through  the  streets,  and  peddling  it  out  at  six 
cents  per  quart !  This  may  seem  a  strong  state- 
ment, but  we  have  the  facts  to  justify  us  in  ma- 
king still  broader  ones,  or  even  to  make  specific 
charges,  which  it  may  yet  become  necessary  to  do. 

That  the  milk  leaves  the  country  pure,  as  a 
general  thing,  there  is  no  reason  to  doubt.  This 
point  has  received  attention,  and  the  facts  elicited 
all  go  to  show  that  a  few  instances,  only,  have 
been  found  where  there  was  an  adulteration  of 
milk  on  the  farm.  Those  who  purchase  and  col- 
lect milk  in  the  country,  are  vigilant  and  shrewd 
men,  not  only  constantly  examining  the  milk  as 
it  is  sent  to  them,  but  visiting  the  places  where 
it  is  made,  to  learn  whether  the  cows  who  yield 
it  are  in  good  condition,  and  whether  it  is  put  up 
in  a  cleanly  and  wholesome  manner.  There  are 
also  other  eyes  than  their  own  engaged  for  them, 
so  that  there  is  very  little  probability  they  can 
long  be  deceived  by  any  producer  who  might  be 
sufficiently  corrupt  to  attempt  it. 

Happily  for  the  consumer,  and  perhaps,  happi- 
ly for  the  seller,  too,  there  is  an  instrument  now 


in  use  by  which  any  considerable  adulteration  of 
milk  with  water,  or  reduction  of  its  cream,  can 
be  ascertained  with  certainty,  and  at  a  cost  so 
trifling  as  to  enable  every  family  to  own  one,  and 
to  put  it  into  practical  use.  This  statement  is 
made  considerately,  after  many  personal  tests 
ourself,  and  with  the  certificates  of  other  persona 
before  us  who  reside  in  various  parts  of  the 
State,  all  going  to  substantiate  it.  One  of  the 
tests  instituted  was  as  follows  : 

During  the  month  of  January  last,  we  purchased, 
in  person,  from  those  usually  selling  it,  a  single 
pint  of  milk  at  a  place,  yVo?»  every  part  of  the  city 
of  Boston.  Each  parcel  was  placed  in  a  bottle  by 
itself,  and  the  name  of  the  person  of  whom  it  was 
purchased,  together  with  the  name  of  the  street 
and  number  of  the  place  of  business,  entered  upon 
a  card  and  tied  to  the  bottle.  When  a  large  box 
full  of  these  samples  had  been  collected,  the  milk 
was  taken  into  the  presence  of  several  impartial 
business  men  of  the  city  and  tested.  Before  giv- 
ing a  dozen  of  the  cases  as  examples,  we  will  state 
that  in  the  pure  milk  {of  all  cows,)  the  instru- 
ment will  stand  at  the  degree  marked  20,  and 
that  as  it  rises  above  that  point  it  indicates  the 
amount  of  water  introduced ;  so  that  if  it  stands 
at  fifteen,  the  instrument  being  graduated  down- 
wards, it  is  one-fourth  water,  if  at  10,  one-half 
water,  and  so  on. 

The  following  table  will  show,  by  this  instru- 
ment, the  amount  of  water  mixed  with  each  sam- 
ple, viz.: — 

Case.  Degree.  Adulteration. 

1. Street 19^ nearly  pure. 

2. Street 17 15  per  cent,  water. 

3. Street 13 35       "  " 

4. Street 17 15       "  " 

5. Street 15 25       "  " 

6. Street 17 15       "  " 

7. Street 10| 47^     "  " 

8. Street 21§ , skim  milk. 

9. Street 14 30  per  cent,  water. 

10 Street 131 321      "  " 

11. Street 13| 32|     '<  " 

12. Street 15J 22^     "  " 

These  results  show  that  nearly — but  not  quite 
— one-quarter  ])art  of  all  that  is  sold  for  milk  in 
Boston,  is  water.  The  samples  collected  were 
from  all  classes  of  places,  including  the  good  and 
bad,  and  were  probably  a  fair  average  of  them 
all. 

The  question  now  arises,  who  is  justly  charge- 
able with  this  corruption  and  fraud  upon  our  peo- 
ple ?  Our  investigations  have  not  left  us  with- 
out some  pretty  tangible  evidence  on  this  point. 

Some  of  the  places  where  this  adulteration 
takes  place,  together  with  the  method  of  color- 
ing, and  other  parts  of  the  modus  operandi,  are 
much  better  known  than  the  participators  in  this 
wicked  work  are  aware  of.  That  the  milk  comes 
pure  from  the  country,  as  a  general  thing,  we 
have  no  doubt ;  it  then  passes  through  the  hands 
of  the  milk  distributors  or  pedlers,  where  it  pro- 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


293 


bably  receives  its  first  dilution,  and  then  into  the 
hands  of  the  grocers,  where  it  is  brought  into  the 
limpid  form  of  cases  Nos.  3,  7, 10  and  11,  in  which 
it  would  be  difficult  by  the  taste  to  tell  whether 
milk  or  water  prevails. 

But  this  is  not  all.  In  many  cases  the  milk  is 
deprived  of  its  cream  either  before  or  after  it  is 
watered,  or  perhaps  in  both  cases, — so  that  the 
consumer  after  paying  the  highest  prices  for  his 
milk  and  water,  pays  from  17  to  25  or  30  cts.  per 
quart,  for  his  own  cream  ! 

But  the  worst  aspect  of  the  case,  after  the  crim- 
inality of  such  transactions,  is  the  effect  that 
such  milk  has  upon  the  health  of  the  people. 
Milk  is  now  resorted  to,  not  only  by  the  feeble 
and  infirm,  but  by  the  robust  and  healthy,  as  a 
cheap  and  wholesome  article  of  food ;  and  at  a 
proper  age  and  in  a  pure  state,  it  unquestionably 
is  so.  So  it  forms  a  large  portion  of  the  food  of 
numerous  children  who  are,  from  constitutional 
or  other  infirmity,  unable  to  partake  of  solid  food. 
But  does  milk  that  has  been  mingled  with  water 
from  twelve  to  twenty-four  hours,  and  then  trot- 
ted through  the  city  and  doled  out  in  pints  and 
quarts,  retain  the  precise  qualities  of  pure  milk — 
or  has  it  received  some  chemical  change,  which 
makes  it  neither  milk  nor  water,  and  an  article 
entirely  unfit  for  use,  and  especially  for  the  sick  ? 
We  make  no  claim  to  an  exact  knowledge  either 
of  chemistry  or  physiology,  but  believe  that  such 
change  actually  does  take  place,  and  that  those 
persons  engaged  in  this  abominable  adulteration 
and  traffic  ought  to  be  classed  with  those  who 
poison  Avells,  although  their  crime  may  be  some- 
what less  in  degree.  Some  of  these  persons,  to- 
gether with  their  practices,  are  well  known,  and 
they  may  be  thought  entitled  to  more  special  at- 
tention hereafter. 

Other  persons  have  been  engaged  with  us  in 
these  investigations,  who  may  possess  facts 
which  we  have  not  given  ;  we  hope  they  will  make 
them  known,  and  that  every  consumer  in  the  city 
will  lend  an  influence  to  suppress  this  illegal  and 
infamous  traffic  in  an  article  which  is  second 
only  to  the  "staff"  of  life"  itself. 


A  New  Theory  about  Hog  Cholera. — On 
dissecting  a  hog  which  had  died  of  cholera,  Dr. 
Dougherty  comes  to  this  conclusion :  That  the 
disease  is  not  in  the  brain,  spinal  marrow,  lungs, 
liver,  heart,  or  stomach.  The  large  bowel  and 
part  of  the  small  were  without  disease,  but  that 
portion  of  the  small  bowel  next  the  stomach  was 
literally  filled  with  worms  for  several  feet,  and 
was  highly  inflamed.  The  worms  were  from  two 
to  five  inches  in  length,  hardy,  active,  and  tena- 
cious of  life.  They  were  crowded  so  closely  in 
the  bowels  that  their  forms  could  be  distinctly 
traced  through  their  coats.  The  doctor  thinks 
these  the  cause  of  the  evil,  and  thinks  that  the 
treatment  must  be  altogether  preventive. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
LETTEB  FROM  AN  ENGLISH  FARMER. 

My  Dear  Brown  : — When  you  go  to  Old 
England,  and  find  yourself  alone  in  a  strange 
land,  should  you  chance  to  meet  a  man  who  has 
faith  enough  in  human  nature  to  invite  you  to 
join  him  in  his  travels,  to  take  you  to  his  home, 
and  show  you  such  attentions  as  are  usually  be- 
stowed only  upon  near  friends,  you  will  feel  that 
sort  of  gratitude  towards  him,  that  I  feel  towards 
the  writer  of  the  enclosed  letter.  Among  the 
pleasant  pictures  of  English  life,  upon  which  I 
shall  always  look  with  pleasure,  one  of  the  most 
pleasing  is  that  of  my  friend  Lowe's  nome  at 
Brauncewell  Manor,  where,  with  his  large  and 
agreeable  family,  he  farms  his  thousand  acres,  as 
independent  as  any  lord  of  the  land.  He  will 
pardon,  I  trust,  the  liberty  I  take  in  publishing  a 
part  of  his  private  correspondence,  but  it  is  so  il- 
lustrative of  the  difference  between  our  own  land 
and  the  mother  country,  that  I  know  it  will  in- 
terest our  readers,  and  it  seems  a  pity  they 
should  not  enjoy  the  privilege  of  reading  it.  The 
expression  "wheats  will  cover  a  hare,"  which  to 
many  readers  would  convey  no  idea,  is  full  of 
significance  to  one  who  knows  something  of  the 
preservation  of  game  in  England,  and  who  has 
seen  the  little  rascals  sitting  up  in  the  pastures, 
by  scores,  or  skulking  among  the  half-ripened 
grain,  destroying  what  they  phase.  The  wheat 
is  sowed  in  autumn,  and  by  April  7th  had  grown 
well  to  aflbrd  cover  for  game.  I  hope  my  friend 
will  favor  me  with  more  reports  from  Lincoln- 
shire, for  comparison  with  our  own  affairs.  I  am 
sure,  at  least,  that  I  shall  not  soon  forget  the  old 
yew  trees  and  the  purple  beeches  around  the  ma- 
nor house,  nor  the  kind  hearts  of  those  who  sat 
in  the  sultry  summer  evening,  with  me  in  their 
shadows.         Truly  yours, 

Henry  F.  French. 


Brauncewell,  April  7,  1858.  > 
Sleaford,  Lincolnshire,  England.  ) 

Hon.  H.  F.  French: — My  Dear  Sir, — Do  not 
suppose  we  have  forgotten  you,  though  we  do 
not  write  ;  few  days  pass  that  some  of  the  family 
or  friends  do  not  refer  to  ]Mr.  French,  to  his  ')- 
servations  or  writings.  P.'s  question  yesterday, 
"Papa,  do  you  think  Mr.  French  will  come  this 
summer  ?"  brought  before  me  our  Welsh  tour, 
Lincoln  Tower  and  Haddon  Hall.  Those  were 
pleasant  sunny  days  for  her  aiid  me.  We  thor- 
oughly enjoyed  your  visit.  I  would  it  were  pos- 
sible to  have  a  fortnight  with  you  and  W.  in 
Devonshire  in  the  Peak  Country  and  at  Ilokcby 
— Sir  Walter's  Rokeby — between  turnip-sowing 
and  hai'vest,  generally  the  best  time  of  the  year, 
and  usually'the  only  time  we  farmers  have  at  our 
disposal.  Yours  is  indeed  a  long,  long  winter ; 
it  is  well  you  have  no  poor.  In  the  short  sum- 
mer how  do  you  contrive  to  get  your  work  done  ? 
Where  do  you  get  labor  from  ?  I  understood  you 
to  say  that,  for  the  most  part,  the  farmer's  fami- 


294 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


June 


ly  perform  the  work  upon  the  farm  except  upon 
large  holdings.  Your  New  England  farmer  does 
well  to  talk  about  neatness  and  ornaments  around 
dwelling-houses,  planting  orchai-ds  and  flower- 
gardens  ;  and  you,  yourself,  set  him  at  work  to 
drain  his  land.  Poor  farmer  !  he  can  have  but 
little  time  for  Sundays.  We  have  not  lost  four 
■weeks  in  three  winters — the  three  last  I  mean — 
else  the  horses  and  men  have  been  at  work.  The 
draining  has  all  been  done  in  winter  ;  we  have 
an  unlimited  staff,  and  we  nei^er  get  all  our  Avoi'k 
done  that  is  set  out.  Hoxo  then  do  ijou  manage 
to  perform,  tlie  requisite  loork  within  the  jyroper 
time")  Your  people  must  be  killing  themselves, 
I  should  think,  and  your  animals  have  some  sore 
shoulders,  I  should  guess,  sometimes. 

We  have  had  a  most  singular  autumn  and  win- 
ter— no  wind  for  three  months  after  harvest,  and 
the  leaves  staid  upon  all  the  trees  until  the  end 
of  November.  I  should  think  our  woods  were 
nearly  as  beautiful  as  your  own  forest  scenery 
that  you  so  well  descril)e.  The  apples  would 
have  staid  upon  the  trees  until  Christmas,  and 
many  of  the  pears  did  so.  M.  gathered  a  dessert- 
plate  full  of  raspberries  at  the  Moor  on  the  8th 
of  December.  We  have  had  no  rain  until  to-day, 
and  but  one  inch  of  snow,  and  that  drifted ;  we 
have  only  lost  five  days  with  the  horses  all  win- 
ter. I  have  set  33  acres  beans,  which  are  up  ; 
153  acres  barley,  most  of  it  is  up  ;  20  acres  oats. 
I  have  10  acres  of  Swede  turnips  to  eat  off  with 
the  fat  sheep,  and  then  sow  with  barley,  and 
then  the  seed-time  will  be  finished  for  this  spring, 
excepting  clovers,  rye-grass,  &c.,  which,  as  we 
now  put  them  in  with  the  broad  drill,  we  leave 
until  more  at  liberty  than  was  usual  formerly. 

All  the  land  that  is  for  turnips  this  season  has 
been  plowed — cross-plowed  —  twice  three-horse 
dragged — twice  harrowed,  and  is  now,  when  dry 
enough,  ready  for  the  roll.  Some  has  been  raked 
and  is  ready  for  the  third  plowing.  Wheats  about 
here  will  cover  a  hare,  are  very  dark  in  color, 
and  having  been  growing  ail  winter,  is  rather 
too  thick,  but  not  dangerously  so.  There  has 
not  been  such  a  winter  since  after  the  long  sum- 
mer of  1826.  The  mangolds  are  doing  good  ser- 
vice now ;  we  are  giving  them  to  the  ewes  and 
lambs.  They  are  the  best  article  for  milk  that 
ever  was  used  for  that  purpose ;  if  you  attempt 
them  on  your  own  place,  do  not  forget  the  salt. 

I  should  very  much  have  liked  to  hear  your 
lectures  upon  us  all,  last  winter.  I  rather  think 
we  should  not  have  found  them  all  compliments. 

We  have  received  several  copies  of  the  Far- 
mer, a  report  from  the  Patent  Office,  and  news- 
papers. We  have  read  all  with  pleasure,  but  with 
most  interest  look  out  your  own  contributions. 
That  article  of  yours  in  the  Patent  Office  report 
on  draining,  is  well,  done,  particularly  well  done. 
W.  seems  to  hesitate  about  sending  anything  to 
the  Farmer.  He  says  the  contributors  to  that 
paper  farm  the  same  as  our  Midland  Counties. 
Where  there  is  a  difference,  it  is  in  favor  of 
America.  They  appear  to  understand  their  busi- 
ness thoroughly. 

We  shall  be  glad  to  see  all  the  Farmers  that 
contain  your  letters  ;  please  advise  how  to  remit 
the  subscription. 

Trusting  that  we  shall  continue  to  hear  from 
you,  believe  me  very  sincerely,  yours  faithfully, 

IUlpii  Lowe. 


JFor  the  New  Englarui  Farmer. 
FAKMING  IN  LEBANON,  CONNECTICUT. 

Mr.  Editor  : — Lebanon  is  considered  one  of 
the  best  towns  in  New  London  county  for  rais- 
ing general  crops ;  such  as  grain  of  all  kinds, 
and  potatoes,  which  are  generally  very  produc- 
tive. Considerable  attention  has,  of  late,  been 
paid  to  the  raising  of  onions,  of  which  almost 
every  farmer  has  a  small  patch,  and  they  are  a 
very  profitable  crop.  Almost  all  the  new  kinds 
of  seed  have  been  tried,  to  some  extent.  Of  the 
new  kinds  of  corn  we  have  tried  the  King  Phil- 
ip, Wyandot  and  Rhode  Island  Premium.  Of 
these  three  kinds  I  shall  class  the  Rhode  Island 
Premium  as  No.  1,  as  it  yields  more  corn  to  the 
acre  than  either  of  the  others,  although  the 
King  Philip  is  a  very  good  kind,  and  I  doubt 
not,  a  very  profitable  kind  to  raise. 

We  have  tried  all  the  new  kinds  of  manures ; 
such  as  guano,  and  phosphate  of  lime,  &c.  Guano 
does  very  well  on  some  kinds  of  soil,  but,  as  a 
general  thing,  we  do  not  think  it  pays  very  well. 

We  have  some  fine  stock  here.  Many  of  the 
farmers  have  adopted  a  rule  of  raising  from  three 
to  seven  good  likely  calves  every  spring,  and  as 
soon  as  they  get  to  giving  milk,  if  they  have  any 
cows  which  are  not  good  milkers,  they  are  fatted, 
and  *^heir  place  made  good  by  the  heifers,  and  so 
on,  from  year  to  year  until  they  get  a  good  herd 
of  cows. 

Sheep  are  also  raised  to  some  extent,  but  most 
of  the  land  is  better  calculated  for  raising  other 
stock.  H.  P. 

Lebanon,  Conn.,  1858. 


VALUE    OF  BUCK^WHEAT. 

A  late  issue  of  ITnnt's  Merchant's  Magazine,  in 
an  article  upon  buckwheat,  thus  speaks  of  it  con- 
cerning its  properties  as  an  edible  : — "Consider- 
ing the  good  qualities  of  buckwheat,  it  is  proba- 
bly less  appreciated  than  any  other  bread  grain. 
Writers  on  agricultural  products  seem  to  eschew 
it  as  food  for  man,  and  regard  it  only  as  a  mis- 
chievous adulteration  of  wheat  flour,  or  as  a  pro- 
duct of  poor  soil  for  cattle.  It  is  of  a  totally  dif- 
ferent family  of  plants  from  the  cereals,  and  will 
flourish  on  sandy  hill-sides  which  are  barren  for 
other  grain.  It  is  probably  the  most  easily  cul- 
tivated, and  the  cheapest  bread  grain  in  the 
world.  It  is  extensively  cultivated  in  Belgium 
and  some  parts  of  France,  where  it  forms  the  ba- 
sis of  food  for  the  inhabitants.  Though  its  prop- 
erties are  very  different  from  wheat,  it  is,  never- 
theless, quite  as  rich  in  all  important  compounds, 
and  in  extremely  cold  weather,  it  is  more  sub- 
stantial than  wheat.  It  is,  however,  less  digesti- 
ble, and  apt  to  disagree  with  weak  stomachs,  or 
persons  unaccustomed  to  it.  By  analysis,  buck- 
wheat is  second  to  wheat,  in  gluten,  but  deficient 
in  starch.  By  the  addition  of  one-fourth  quanti- 
ty of  oat,  or  Indian  meal  to  buckwheat  flrur,  the 
bread  is  very  much  improved." 


Warm  Water  for  Cattle. — Mr.  Peter  Mal- 
bon,  Jr.,  of  this  town,  has  devised  a  very  curious 
and  ingenious  plan  to  warm  water  for  his  cattle, 
as  Avell  as  to  prevent  the  water  from  collecting 
in  the  tub.  It  consists  of  a  small  cast  iron  chest, 
or  box,  about  twelve  inches  square,  made  water- 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


295 


tight,  fixed  in  such  a  manner  that  one  side  of  it 
forms  so  much  of  the  fireplace  at  is  exposed  to 
the  heat  of  the  fire.  The  water  of  the  aqueduct, 
in  its  cour>e  from  the  fountain  to  the  yard,  is 
made  to  pass  into  this  box  at  one  end,  and  thus, 
becoming  heated,  passes  out  at  the  other  end,  and 
continues  to  the  yard,  which  is  across  the  road, 
and  about  six  rods  from  the  house.  Mr.  Malbon, 
previous  to  adopting  this  plan,  had  a  good  deal 
of  trouble  with  the  ice  forming  in  his  tub,  but 
has  very  little  troul)le  of  that  kind  now.  He  says 
his  cattle  drink  much  more  than  they  would  if 
the  water  was  cold,  and  he  believes  it  to  be  more 
healthy  for  them.  The  calves  enjoy  it  so  much, 
that  when  let  out  to  drink  they  will  fight  for  the 
•warm  end  of  the  tub. — Somerset  Telegraph. 


PICKLED  FODDEB. 


twenty  pounds  per  day  of  this  feed  with  cut  straw, 
kept  his  cows  in  excellent  condition  all  winter. 
Forrest  Shepherd. 
New  Haven,  Nov.  2,  1857. 


Remarks. — We  give  the  above,  not  expecting 
that  our  friends  will  immediately  adopt  that  rrode 
of  making  their  hay,  but  to  show  how  difiercutly 
from  our  own  practice  the  mode  of  hay-making 
is  in  another  part  of  the  world. 


Messrs.  Editors  : — Not  having  seen  in  any 
agricultural  journal  of  the  U.  S.  the  method  of 
making  hay,  or  rather  preserving  grass  without 
sunshine,  as  practised  in  East  Prussia,  I  commu- 
nicate the  same,  in  hope  that  ^ome  of  the  readers 
of  your  valuable  paper  may  test  the  experiment, 
and  publish  the  result  in  the  Homestead. 

The  process  is  as  follows :  "Pits  are  dug  in 
the  earth  twelve  feet  square,  and  as  many  deep  ; 
those  are  lined  with  wood,  and  puddled  below 
with  clay.  They  may  be  made  of  any  other  size, 
and  lined  with  brick.  Into  this  pit  the  green 
crop  of  grass  or  clover  is  put,  soon  as  cut.  Four 
or  five  hundred  weight  (cwt.)  are  introduced  at  a 
time,  and  sprinkled  with  salt,  at  the  rate  of  one 
pound  to  each  cwt.,  and  if  the  weather  and  grass 
be  dry,  two  or  three  quarts  of  water  should  be 
sprinkled  on  to  each  hundred  weight,  as  it  is  laid 
down  in  successive  layers. 

It  is  only  when  rain  or  heavy  dew  has  fallen 
that  this  watering  is  considered  unnecessary. 
Much,  however,  must  depend  upon  the  succulency 
of  the  crop.  Each  layer  of  four  or  five  cwts.  is 
spread  evenly  over  the  bottom,  is  well  trodden 
down  by  five  or  six  men,  and  is  especially  rammed 
as  close  as  possible  at  the  sides,  by  wooden  ram- 
mers. Each  layer  is  thus  salted,  watered  and 
trodden  in  succession  till  the  pit  is  full.  Much 
depends  upon  the  perfect  treading  of  the  grass 
to  the  exclusion  of  the  air.  Between  each  layer 
of  four  or  five  cwts.,  a  thin  layer  of  straw  may 
be  sprinkled  in  order  to  show  the  quantity  con- 
sumed when  feeding  out  to  stock.  When  the  pit 
is  full,  the  topmost  layer  is  well  salted.  The 
whole  is  then  covered  with  a  well-fitting  lid  or 
follower  of  boards  or  planks,  and  then  a  foot  and 
a  half  of  earth  shovelled  thereon,  similar  to  the 
covering  of  a  coal-pit.  This  is  to  exclude  the 
air.  The  grass  thus  covered  speedily  ferments, 
and  in  about  a  week  sinks  to  about  a  half  of  its 
original  bulk.  During  fermentation  the  cover- 
ing should  be  examined  daily  to  see  if  there  are 
any  crevices  or  openings,  if 'so,  they  should  be 
carefully  filled.  When  the  first  fermentation  has 
ceased,  the  pit  maybe  opened  and  filled  up  again 
in  the  same  manner  as  at  first.  A  pit  ten  feet 
square  filled  in  this  way  will  contain  nearly  ten 
tons  of  this  salted  grass,  which  has  the  appear- 
ance of  having  been  boiled,  has  a  sharp  acid 
taste,  and  is  greedily  eaten  by  the  cattle.  After 
once  opened  they  may  be  left  open  without  inju- 
ry.    One   experimenter   says  that  giving   only 


EOOFS  AND  ROOFING. 

Mr.  Editor: — I  saw  the  remarks  of  R.  C. 
Norton  in  the  Farmer,  No.  51,  on  the  subject  of 
Roofs  and  Roofing.  Since  reading  said  remarks, 
it  has  seemed  to  me  that  there  might  be  a  resi- 
nous substance  prepared,  and  laid  on  with  a 
caulker's  mop,  upon  a  tightly  boarded  roof,  that 
would  be  impervious  to  water,  and  fire-proof  on 
the  outside.  Tar  and  turpentine,  or  other  like 
substance  boiled  down  to  a  proper  consistency, 
so  that  it  could  be  laid  on  hot ;  and  after  the  roof 
is  well  covered  with  it,  sift  on  a  coat  of  sand,  and 
let  it  harden,  then  lay  on  another  coat,  and  sand 
as  before,  and  continue  these  alternate  coatings 
of  "half-made  stuff,"  (as  the  caulkers  call  it,)  and 
sand  until  ihe  whole  coating  shall  be  §  to  ^  an 
inch  thick,  the  last  coat  of  ''stuff"  to  be  more  soft 
and  pliable,  to  admit  a  good  coating  of  fine  sand 
to  complete  it.  This  coating  to  be  used  instead 
of  shingles.  The  roof  boards  must  be  well  sea- 
soned, the  side  of  the  board  next  the  heart  of  the 
log.  laid  up  and  snugly  fitted  together. 

Will  you  please  give  your  views  upon  the  ques- 
tion ?  Whether  or  not  such  a  mode  for  covering 
a  roof  could  not  be  profitably  used,  instead  of 
shingles,  &c.  I  have  a  roof  which  I  should  like  to 
cover  with  something  that  would  be  more  lasting 
than  sawed  shingles.  It  was  shingled  Avith  the 
best  of  sawed  hemlock  shingles  in  1845  or  6,  and 
now  they  are  rotten  and  blowing  oft".  May  I  not 
see  your  remarks  on  the  mode  proposed  as  a  sub- 
stitute for  shingles  ?  R.  Lewis. 

Whitejield,  Dec.  18,  1857. 

Note. — We  have  not  had  sufficient  experience 
with  the  use  and  nature  of  the  cement  or  prepa- 
ration proposed  by  our  correspondent,  to  enable 
us  to  judge  of  its  practical  value  for  the  purpose 
of  roofing.  We  apprehend,  however,  that  its  util- 
ity will  depend  much  whether  the  cold  weather 
will  contract  it,  and  the  warm  weather  expand  it, 
to  such  a  degree  as  to  cause  it  to  crack.  A  sub- 
stitute for  shingles,  that  shall  be  cheap  in  its  first 
cost,  and  more  durable,  is  a  desideratum.  We 
have  examined,  and  are  watching  the  uses  of  a 
new  material  for  covering  roofs,  called  "Russell's 
patent,"  introduced  here  by  1).  M.  Walker,  Esq., 
of  Portland.  It  can  be  put  upon  new  roofs  just 
boarded,  or  on  old  roofs  over  the  old  shingles,  at 
a  cost  of  five  cents  per  square  foot.  The  propri- 
etor recommends  it  as  being  very  durable.  Dr. 
Hill,  of  this  city,  has  had  it  applied  to  the  roof 
of  a  new  house  he  is  building.  Mr.  Johnson, 
landlord  of  the  Central  House  has  had  it  put  on 
over  the  shingles  of  his  buildings.  It  looks  well, 
and  promises  well,  but  time  will  prove  it. — Maine 
Farmer. 


im 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


JUNB 


Eating  One's  Self. — As  one  of  the  Hudson 
River  steamboats  was  about  leaving  the  wharf  on 
Saturday,  two  sturdy  fellows  were  seen  bustling 
through  the  crowd,  Avith  as  much  impatience  as 
if  they  feared  she  would  fly  before  they  could 
get  hold  of  her.  Too  eager  to  wait  till  he  had 
fairly  reached  her,  one  of  them,  to  the  infinite 
amusement  of  the  passengers  and  by-standers, 
vociferated  an  application  in  his  broad,  just-come- 
over  dialect,  as  follows  :  "Captain  !  captain  !  or 
are  you  the  mate  ?  (and  not  waiting  for  an  ans- 
wer,) what  will  you  ax  to  sail  us  to  Albany — an' 
you  to  ate  us  ?  or  what  will  you  ax  and  we  to  ate 
ourselves  ?" 


LADIES'  DEPARTMENT. 


FAIR  PLAY  FOB.  WOMEN. 
At  the  Lowell  Institute  last  evening,  Geo.  W. 
Curtis,  Esq.,  of  New  York,  delivered  his  lecture 
on  "Fair  Play  for  Women."  There  was  a  very 
fine  audience  present.  He  began  by  congratu- 
lating himself  that  on  the  theme  he  had  chosen, 
there  was  no  lyceum,  no  church,  no  party,  not 
even  a  committee,  to  be  compromised  by  any  plain 
speaking.  This,  though  a  new  subject,  had  already 
a  literature  of  its  own.  It  already  counted  a 
brilliant  list  of  advocates  ;  and  many  views  which 
might  seem  novel,  or,  at  least,  unusual  to  his  au- 
dience, were  as  familiar  to  those  who  had  serious 
thought  of  the  question  as  "the  flowers  of  May  ;" 
and  when  we  saw  that  something  might  be  done, 
we  would  soon  enough  begin  to  consider  how  it 
should  be  done.  Just  in  the  degree  that  the 
world  advanced,  every  question  of  right  and  re- 
sponsibility in  human  relations  was  sure  to  come 
to  the  most  certain  discussion.  It  did  no  good  to 
lose  our  tempers  and  call  bad  names.  We  might 
indeed  suppress  debate  when  the  subject  was  but 
an  infant,  by  laughing  merrily  ;  but  when  the  poor 
little  baby  of  a  question  that  we  laughed  at  had 
grown  to  be  a  vigorous  problem,  determined  to 
be  resolved,  without  the  slightest  respect  for  bu 
aboo,  and  quite  able  to  endure  being  called  vul- 
gar and  atheistic,  and  all  the  other  cries  of  mad- 
dog,  and  when  it  become  strong  enough  to  hold 
our  fists  and  pummel  us  with  its  own,  we  Avould 
very  soon  have  to  come  to  terms,  or  be  reduced 
to  an  intellectual  and  moral  jelly.  So,  in  our  day, 
the  Avoman's  question  was  coming  to  be  quite 
robust.  It  might  be  an  infant  still,  but  it  was  a 
very  noisy  infant,  and  certainly  Avas  doing  quite 
as  well  as  could  be  expected.  The  question 
whether  women  have  the  same  fair  play  for  their 
faculties  in  the  world  that  men  have  for  theirs 
had  become  an  absorbing  and  all  important  query 
indeed,  and  was  not  likely  to  be  extinguished  with 
a  sneer,  or  put  ofi'  with  sops  and  sugar  much  Ion 
ger.  The  question  Avas  not  whether  Avomen  Avere 
men,  or  Avhether  there  were  diff"i.rences  of  duties 
arising  from  difl'erence  of  sex.  In  a  general  and 
poetic  Avay,  man  might  be  called  the  head,  and 
Avoman  the  heart ;  man  the  intellectual  and  di- 
recting force,  Avomanthe  receptive  and  modifying 
genius.  It  is  an  instinctive  requirement  that 
every  AVoman  should  be  essentially  womanly — 
though  Avomanly  could  not  be  defined — as  it  Avas 
that  every  man  should  be  truly  manly.  The  sexes 
had  their  domestic  relations  in  common,  but  each 
had  duties  and  claims  beyond  the  kitchen   and 


nursery.  But,  notAvithstanding  this,  the  inferior 
position  of  woman  in  human  society  was  apparent 
equally  in  the  history  of  savage  and  of  civilized 
nations. 

Among  primitive  nations  woman  belonged  to 
the  man  who  seized  her  first ;  and  the  earlier 
books  of  the  Old  Testament  showed  hoAV  she  was 
regarded  by  the  Hebrews,  who  were  polygamists, 
and  among  whom  she  was  kept  and  sold  like 
slaves.  St.  Paul  was  ahvays  a  Jcav  in  regard  to 
woman,  and  many  of  the  early  Christian  Fathers 
wtre  positive  pagans  in  their  notions  as  to  her 
duties  and  position.  [Here  the  lecturer  discussed 
the  position  of  Avoman  under  the  Egyptians,  the 
Grecians,  the  Romans,  among  the  Oriental  nations 
and  the  Northern  races,  tracing  her  social  prog- 
ress through  the  chivalric  and  Elizabethan  ages, 
doAvn  to  more  recent  times.]  In  the  history  of 
literature,  as  shoAving  the  position  of  AVoman,  he 
knew  nothing  more  touching  or  beautiful  than 
the  words  that  well  out  of  all  the  filth  of  the  sev- 
enteenth century,  Avritten  by  a  London  hosier, 
who  proposed,  in  his  essay  on  "Projects,"  the 
plan  of  a  college  for  Avoman,  and  declared,  in  a 
strain  of  simple,  poetic,  manly  respect,  unequalled 
since  Shakspeare,  but  indicative  of  the  general 
sentiment  of  his  day  :  "I  cannot  think  that  God 
made  them  so  delicate,  so  glorious  creatures,  to 
be  only  safeguards  of  his  house,  drudges  and 
slaves.  A  AVoman  Avell-bred  and  Avell-taught,  fur- 
nished Avith  all  the  additional  accompaniments  of 
knoAvledge  and  behavior,  is  a  creature  without 
comparison ;  her  society  is  the  emblem  of  sub- 
limer  enjoyments.  She  is  all  softness  and  sweet- 
ness, love,  Avit  and  delight." 

In  the  eighteenth  century  women  Avere  the 
toasts  of  convivial  hours,  the  toys  of  passionate 
moments,  the  puppets  of  a  court,  the  slaves  of 
parents  and  of  brothers,  the  drudges  of  the 
household  and  of  the  field.  In  England,  a  Judge 
gravely  held  from  under  his  horsehair  wig,  that  a 
man  might  beat  his  wife  Avith  a  stick  as  large  as 
his  thumb,  and  thcAvomen  immediately  petitioned 
him  to  know  the  size  of  the  judicial  thumb.  But 
if  it  had  not  been  larger  than  his  wit  or  his  sym- 
pathy, a  cord  of  such  sticks  Avould  not  have  made 
a  baby  tingle. 

The  Avhole  theory  of  modern  society  Avas  that 
of  the  Cochin  China  proverb,  that  Avomen'sheai-ts 
bear  a  good  deal  of  breaking  ;  and  Goody  Bar- 
lowe,  toAvards  the'end  of  Avhat  was  called  and  is 
called  the  sphere  of  Avoman,  when  she  simpered, 
in  her  languid  verses  on  floAvers  : 

"Gay  without  toil,  and  lovely  without  art, 
They  sjjring  to  cheer  the  sense  anfl  glad  the  heart ; 
Nor  blusli,  ray  fair,  to  own  you  copy  these, 
Your  best,  your  sweetest  empire  is  to  please." 

This  was  precisely  the  sentiment  urged  by  ev- 
ery slave-merchant  upon  every  Circassian  girl 
that  he  brought  to  the  market  at  Constantinople, 
and  precisely  the  same  lesson  Avas  inculcated  by 
scheming  mammas  in  Paris,  London,  New  York 
and  Boston. 

Mr.  Curtis  proceeded  to  vindicate  the  right 
and  capacity  of  Avomen  to  take  rank  Avith  men  in 
the  studio,  the  school-room — in  all  efforts  for  the 
social  amelioration  of  both  sexes,  and  concluded 
by  ably  and  eloquently  urging  her  claims  to  the 
right  of  suflFrage,  and  answering  all  objections 
thereto.  He  was  enthusiastically  apjjlauded 
throughout. — Boston  Journal,  6th. 


DEVOTED   TO  AGBICULTITBE   AND    ITS  KINDRED   ABTS  AND    SCIENCES. 


VOL.  X. 


BOSTON,  JULY,  1858. 


NO.  7. 


JOEL  NOUKSE,  Proprietor. 
Office.. .13  Commercial  St. 


SIMON  BROWN,  EDITOR. 


FRED'K  HOI,BROOK,  )  Associate 
HENRY  F.  FRENCH,  j  Editors. 


CALENDAR  FOB  JULT. 

"With  tossing  and  raking,  and  setting  on  cocks. 
Grass  lately  in  swaths,  is  hay  for  an  ox. 
That  done,  go  and  cart  it  and  have  it  away, 
The  battle  is  fought,  'Ye  hare  gotten  the  day.'  " 

jULY  is  the  hajinak- 
er's  month.  Now 
we  must  bestir 
ourselves.  The 
timothy,  the  red- 
top  and  the  sweet 
clover,  are  all 
ready  for  the 
scythe.  If  you 
would  have  the 
hay  -  mow  retain 
the  true  flavor  of 
the  hay-field,  you 
must  cut  the  grass 
while  it  is  in  blos- 
som, and  before  it 
has  lost  its  sweet 
aroma.  It  will 
then  be  tender 
and  nutritious, 
and  easy  of  diges- 
tion, and  your 
milch  cows  in  the  winter  will  show  you  the  dif- 
ference between  that,  and  hard  over-ripe  hay. 
Some  farmers  consider  well-ripened  grass  more 
hearty,  cattle  will  not  eat  so  much  of  it,  and 
they  will  be  longer  digesting  it.  It  will  do  very 
well  for  oxen  and  horses.  The  ripened  seed,  if 
kept  in  the  heads,  makes  up  in  some  measure 
for  the  loss  of  juices  in  the  stalk.  But  the  dif- 
ference in  the  milk -producing  qualities  will  be 
very  apparent  to  every  observing  farmer. 

We  must  now  be  astir  with  the  lark.  The  days 
are  long,  it  is  true, — but  when  were  bright  days 
ever  too  long  ?  The  music  of  the  rifle  upon  the 
clear,  ringing,  keen-edged  scythe,  must  wake 
the  echoes  of  the  morning.  Now  all  hands  are 
fresh  and  active,  and  the  sweet  breath  of  morn- 


ing diff'uses  new  life  and  vigor  through  all  the 
frame. 

Learn  to  swing  the  scjlhe  with  an  easy,  uni- 
form motion,  and  keep  yourself  as  much  as  pos- 
sible in  an  erect  position.  Do  not  attempt  to  cut 
too  much  at  one  stroke,  or  to  drive  the  scythe 
through  the  grass  by  main  strength.  Mowing 
does  not  require  so  great  an  outlay  of  strength 
as  many  seem  to  suppose.  With  the  right  stroke, 
and  a  keen  scythe,  mowing  is  pleasant  work,  es- 
pecially when  the  dew  falls  in  pearly  drops  be- 
fore every  stroke.  "Make  hay  while  the  sun 
shines," — but  you  must  get  it  cut  early  to  make, 
by  the  time  the  sun  shines  bright  and  clear,  and 
then  it  will  be  ready  to  "set  on  cocks,"  before  the 
dew  of  evening  gathers  upon  it.  Keep  it  stirring 
and  tossing  in  the  bright  sunshine,  through  the 
middle  hours  of  the  day.  Hay-making  is  busy 
work.  There  is  no  time  for  idling.  Hay  should 
be  put  into  the  barn  warm  from  the  field,  and 
well  stowed  in  the  mow,  and  it  will  come  out 
fresh  and  fragrant.  But  there's  a  cloud  in  the 
west,  and  the  hay  is  not  dry !  What  is  to  be 
done  now  ?  All  hands  afield  with  rakes  and  forks, 
and  John,  take  the  horse  and  wagon,  and  get  the 
hay-caps  from  the  harness-room,  and  bring  them 
to  the  field,  and  we  will  be  ready  for  the  shovi'er  if 
possible.  The  cloud  slowly  rises  and  gathers 
blackness,  but  we  keep  steadily  at  our  work,  and 
the  cocks  rapidly  multiply  under  our  hands.  Ah  ! 
there's  a  bright  gleam  of  lightning  and  a  sharp 
peal  of  thunder.  It  is  time  to  put  on  the  caps. 
Come,  John,  now  for  the  caps  and  help  me 
spread  them  on  the  cocks.  That  was  a  heavy 
•clap — how  majestically  it  rolls  away  and  reverb- 
erates through  the  skies.  One  cannot  help  be- 
ing struck  with  awe,  at  such  manifestations  of 
the  Almighty  Power.  The  rain  will  be  here  soon, 
but  the  caps  are  on,  and,  now  let  it  rain  !  We 
have  put  them  on  in  twenty  minutes,  and  itwwill 
save  us  four  hours'  work  tomorrow,  besides  the 
injury  to  the  hay. 

If  instead  of  a  shower  there  should  be  a  storm 


298 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


July 


of  tlu-ee  or  four  days'  duration,  the  saving  of  la- 
bor and  of  injury  to  the  hay,  would  nearly  or 
quite  pay  for  the  caps. 

"But,"  says  my  old  neighbor,  "all  this  is  mighty 
expensive  business.  We  used  to  get  along  very 
well  without  all  this  outlay  for  mowing  machines 
and  hay  caps,  and  all  this  new  fangled  machinery." 
True,  we  did,  neighbor,  and  when  we  were  boys, 
we  paid  seventy-five  cents  a  day  for  labor,  and 
cut  one  ton  or  less  to  the  acre,  and  fed  it  out  to 
cows  worth  from  eighteen  to  twenty-five  dollars. 
Now  we  have  to  pay  two  dollars  to  mowers,  and 
cut  frequently  two  to  three  tons  to  the  acre,  and 
feed  it  to  cows  worth  from  forty  to  eighty  dollars 
each.  We  must  have  our  hay  got  in  the  right 
time,  and  well  got,  for  such  cows,  and  is  it  not 
cheaper  to  save  labor  by  machinery,  than  to  pay 
for  it,  at  such  prices  as  we  now  have  to  pay  ? 
We  must  keep  up  with  the  times,  and  make  our 
arrangements  to  suit  changing  circumstances,  or 
we  cannot  get  along. 

We  said  July  is  the  Haymaker's  month ;  but 
it  is  not  wholly  thus.  The  reapers  must  have 
their  share  of  it.  The  grain  as  well  as  the  grass 
must  be  cut  in  season.  Do  not  let  it  stand  till 
the  kernel  will  shell  out  in  handling  the  sheaves. 
When  grain  is  ripe,  it  is  liable  to  be  injured  by 
rains  and  wind.  There  is  risk  in  letting  it  re- 
main longer  than  is  absolutely  necessary,  and 
when  properly  dried,  the  sooner  it  is  housed  the 
better.  On  the  immense  grain  fields  of  the  West 
they  cannot,  and  do  not  attempt,  to  house  their 
grain,  but  cure  It  in  the  shocks  and  stacks,  and 
much  of  it  is  injured  by  the  M'eather  or  destroyed 
by  the  birds  and  squirrels  and  mice. 

With  our  small  fields,  this  is  not  necessary,  and 
would  be  for  us  a  wasteful  and  slovenly  way  of 
doing  business. 

The  cornfields  and  the  garden  must  not  be 
neglected  in  July.  Weeds  will  grow  in  July 
as  well  as  in  June.  The  corn  must  have  its  last 
hoeing  in  this  month.  See  that  it  is  well  done. 
Leave  no  weeds  to  bear  a  crop  of  seed  for  next 
year.  Your  root  crops  want  frequent  visits  from 
the  wheel  hoe,  to  keep  the  ground  light  and  mel- 
low.    The  old  saw  says — 

The  twentieth  of  July- 
Sow  turnips,  wet  or  dry. 

But  for  winter  turnips,  any  time  before  the  tenth  of 
August  will  do,  though  that  period  is  rather  late. 
It  is  very  convenient  to  sow  turnips  among  corn, 
at  the  time  of  the  last  hoeing.  Turnip  seed  costs 
but  little.  Scatter  it  broadcast  among  the  corn 
and  potatoes,  and  It  will  well  repay  for  the  labor. 
The  turnip  takes  but  little  from  the  soil,  feed- 
ing chiefly  upon  the  atmosphere,  by  means  of  Its 
broad,  pulpy  leaves.  If  time  can  be  found  to 
plow  up  a  piece  of  old  pasture  land,  fence  it, 


harrow  in  a  good  dressing  of  ashes  or  superphos- 
phate of  lime,  and  sow  with  turnips  and  grass 
seed  ;  you  will  be  quite  likely  to  get  a  good  crop 
of  turnips  if  the  autumn  should  prove  favorable, 
and  the  land  will  be  doubled  in  value  for  pasture 
afterwards. 

We  now  begin  to  enjoy  the  fruit  of  our  labor 
in  the  garden.  Peas  and  string  beans,  and  new 
potatoes  and  turnips,  strawberries,  currants  and 
cucumbers  are  charming  additions  to  our  daily 
food,  and  if  we  are  fortunate  enough  to  have  a 
few  apples  ripe  in  July,  we  shall  know  how  to 
prize  them,  and  to  be  tliankfulfor  them  too. 


COOKEKT. 

A  writer  in  the  New  York  Spirit  of  the  Times 
says  :  The  refinement  of  a  family  is  nowhere  so 
quickly  seen  as  at  a  table,  and  nowhere  do  men's 
sensual,  selfish  Instincts  become  more  prominent. 
There  is  the  centre  of  the  family  after  the  day's 
wandering  ;  there  Its  first  meeting  after  a  night 
of  forgetfulness  ;  there  we  give  hospitality  to  the 
stranger,  there  the  tongue  Is  loosened,  the  wan- 
dering thoughts  called  back,  and  the  heart  Is 
warmed  Into  expression  under  generous  fare. 
"He  has  eaten  with  me,"  is  the  Arabian  talisman 
to  protection,  and  the  Christian  has  made  a  sup- 
per the  emblem  of  his  religion. 

Then  what  constitutes  a  supper?  Even  the 
simpler  half  of  a  meal,  being  the  food  and  its 
preparation,  apart  from  its  physiological  bear- 
ings. Is  worthy  of  thoughtful  study.  As  to  that 
other  half  of  a  dinner,  the  people  that  are  to  sit 
around  It,  they  being  chosen  only  on  festive  oc- 
casions, to  them  I  do  not  allude. 

E<iually  important  to  a  man's  physical  being, 
as  to  his  moral  health.  Is  the  character  of  the 
food  on  the  table.  It  may  be  Insufficiently  cooked, 
crude,  and  Indigestible  ;  It  may  be  overdone, 
sodden  and  heavy  ;  It  may  be  dried  to  a  chip,  un- 
til the  nutriclous  juices  are  evaporated,  or  it  may 
be  fried  to  an  oily  mass  that  requires  the  strong- 
est stomach  to  analyze.  Then,  again,  the  food 
that  was  originally  ample  and  rich,  may  be  so 
wasted  by  the  culinary  process,  that  what  was 
once  abundant  is  prodigally  reduced. 

One  or  the  other  of  these  faults  universally  af- 
fects nearly  every  dish  that  is  placed  on  the 
American  tables. 

To  avoid  such  evils,  and  cook  sufliciently  with- 
out wasting,  and  In  the  most  economical  quanti- 
ties. Is  a  high  art  of  life,  and  one  of  the  simplest 
and  most  overlooked.  It  is  slighted  by  the  intel- 
ligent and  left  in  the  hands  of  the  ignorant ;  and 
those  whose  duty  It  Is  to  govern,  are  punished  in 
health  and  property  for  their  neglect. 


E.  Foster,  of  Salem,  Wis.,  writes  us:— ■*I 
raised  a  quarter  of  an  acre  of  sugar  3ane  the  past 
season,  from  which  I  made  fifty  gallons  of  very 
good  molasses.  I  think  I  shall  i)lant  two  acres 
another  season."  This  is  a  substantial  argument 
why  sugar  should  be  cheaper — and  abundant  rea- 
son why  the  Journal  of  Commerce  and  kindred 
sheets  should  caution  (!)  farmers  against  too 
great  risk  in  its  culture. 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


299 


FARMYARD  DUNG-.-PREPARATION  AND 
APPLICATION. 

No  subject  in  the  varied  course  of  agriculture 
obtains  a  more  general  notice,  or  deserves  a 
more  important  consideration,  than  the  applica- 
tion of  farmyard  dung.  The  article  is  produced 
on  all  lands  on  which  grains  grow  and  animals 
are  kept,  and  is  the  most  efficacious  of  all  ma- 
nures that  are  yet  known.  It  is  a  mixed  body  of 
straws  and  excrements,  urinary  and  solid,  pos- 
sessing the  quick  action  of  the  latter  substances, 
and  the  more  durable  qualities  of  the  former  ma- 
terials. All  other  manures  are  brought  from  for- 
eign places,  and  purchased  by  a  ready  cost ;  farm- 
yard dung  is  daily  produced,  and  of  a  constant 
repetition.  The  use  is  varied  and  of  a  great 
value,  and  the  application  is  no  less  important. 

An  approved  and  long-continued  mode  of  pre- 
paring farmyard  dung  prevails  in  the  celebrated 
lurnip-growing  Border  counties,  of  placing  the 
contents  of  the  cattle-yards  in  square  piles  about 
six  feet  in  hei^t,  in  the  corner  of  the  fields  to 
be  planted  with  green  crops.  The  yards  are  con- 
cave or  dish-shaped,  retaining  and  spreading  the 
moisture  equally  over  the  mass,  and  supplied 
with  straws  that  absorb  all  the  moisture  from 
rains,  snows  and  urine.  The  contents  are  car- 
ried out  at  two  different  times  during  winter,  and 
no  pressure  is  allowed  on  the  piles,  except  the 
weight  of  one  or  two  persons  to  spread  the  ma- 
terials evenly  and  thinly  over  the  heap.  In  this 
condition,  a  fermentation  reduces  the  heap  into 
a  saponaceous  mass  for  use  in  May  and  June,  and 
in  a  condition  that  is  easily  divided  by  hand-forks, 
well  moistened,  and  from  which  the  heat  of  fer- 
mentation has  in  most  cases  nearly  altogether 
vanished.  Much  bulk  is  lost  by  this  mode  of 
preparation,  but  it  is  reckoned  the  best  for  the 
u.se  of  green  crops. 

Having  been  educated  under  the  above  system 
of  preparing  farmyard  dung,  I  practised  the  mode 
with  the  usual  success  in  various  parts  of  the 
kingdom.  In  later  years  I  adopted  another  mode, 
from  the  observation  of  a  very  large  loss  of  bulk, 
and  from  a  wish  to  use  a  fresher  condition  of  the 
dung.  At  any  times  of  convenience  during  win- 
ter, the  contents  of  the  yards  are  carried  to  the 
green-crop  fields,  and  laid  in  a  heap  sloping  at 
both  ends,  over  which  the  carts  pass  to  deposit 
the  loads,  and  over  which  the  materials  are  spread 
evenly  and  thinly,  in  order  to  mix  the  substances, 
and  that  no  part  remain  in  a  dry  state.  The  con- 
solidation from  the  pressure  of  the  carts  prevents 
the  fermentation  of  the  heap,  which  is  formed  at 
convenient  times,  from  November  to  the  month 
of  April,  and  later  when  the  yards  are  duly  moist 
and  the  straws  thinly  used.  Potatoes  are  the 
first-planted  green  crop  ;  and  about  ten  days  be- 
fore the  dung  is  required  for  use,  the  heap  is 
turned  over  with  forks,  laid  loosely  together,  and 
the  lumps  well  broken,  and  the  dry  outside  of 
the  heap  thrown  into  the  middle  of  the  new  ag- 
gregation. A  very  active  fermentation  immedi 
ately  commences,  which  is  prevailing  during  the 
deposition  of  the  dung  in  the  drills,  which  are 
immediately  reversed  and  the  seed  sown.  This 
mode  produces  fully  equal  if  not  superior  results 
to  the  first-mentioned  preparation :  it  affords  a 
larger  bulk,  and  more  convenience  in  forming 
the  heaps  at  different  times ;  while  the  former 


requires  to  be  done  at  one  time,  or  at  not  distant 
periods. 

For  some  considerable  time  past,  I  have  doubt- 
ed the  fermentation  of  farmyard  dung,  having 
had  freshly-voided  fa?ces,  carried  from  the  cow- 
shed, laid  into  drills  for  turnips,  which  were  a 
superior  crop  to  the  parts  of  the  field  treated  with 
fermented  dung.  This  result  happened  on  sev- 
eral occasions,  constituting  a  fact,  from  a  majority 
of  similar  results.  In  order  to  facilitate  the  ap- 
plication of  fresh  dung,  I  have  long  ago  recom- 
mended that  all  straws  for  litter  should  be  cut 
into  short  lengths  by  the  thrashing  machinery, 
and  that  the  dung  be  mixed  with  the  prepared 
turnip-lands  by  contrary  workings  of  Finlayson's 
harrow,  and  raised  into  ridglets  by  one  furrow 
of  the  common  plow,  in  which  the  seeds  are  sown 
by  the  common  two-drill  machine,  or  with  a  por- 
tion of  bones  or  guano  by  Hornsby's  drop  drill. 
This  practice  will  supersede  the  fermenting  heap 
of  farmyard  dung,  and  remove  the  objection  of 
long  straws  not  covering  into  the  ground,  by  cut- 
ting into  short  lengths.  The  fa3ces  and  short 
straws  will  be  convenient  for  Chandler's  liquid 
manure  drill,  when  Mr.  Kemp's  theory  has  ad- 
vanced into  a  more  general  notice. 

The  application  is  most  excellent  of  farmyard 
dung  as  a  top-dressing  of  young  grass  seeds ; 
and  for  that  purpose,  the  fresh,  strawy  condition 
is  preferable.  The  crops  of  clover  are  largely 
increased,  and  also  the  following  crops  of  wheat. 
I  have  long  ago  suggested  that  the  farmyard  dung 
generally  applied  on  bare  clay  fallows,  for  wheat, 
be  applied  as  a  top-dressing  on  the  young  wheats, 
in  March,  by  means  of  moveable  timber  railways 
placed  on  the  ground.  But,  most  unfortunately, 
now-a-days,  no  opinion,  theory,  idea,  or  sugges- 
tion meets  with  any  notice,  except  it  emanates 
from  a  society  or  a  club.  Individuals  languish 
in  obscurity,  and  are  held  in  insignificance. 

The  use  of  food  being  to  produce  caloric  to 
plants  and  organic  bodies,  the  chief  considera 
tion  is,  how  to  apply  the  manures  as  food  for  that 
purpose,  and,  in  order  to  yield  that  element  in 
the  least  expensive  manner  and  most  ample  quan- 
tity. I  wholly  dissent  from  chemistry — that  rot- 
ten dung  is  more  efl[icacious  than  fresh  dung : 
weight  for  weight,  and  quantity  for  quantity,  the 
latter  must  prevail  in  the  abundance.  The  many 
statements  made,  of  chemical  agencies  and  trans- 
formations, are  of  small  account. 

With  regard  to  covered  and  uncovered  feeding- 
stalls,  the  former  may  suit  in  certain  places  ;  but 
in  the  majority  of  situations,  the  stray/  could  not 
be  reduced  without  the  rains  and  snows  that  fall 
in  the  yards  ;  and,  under  the  covered  sheds,  the 
want  of  moisture  produces  a  dry  putrefaction. 
Even  with  the  present  open  yards,  much  difficulty 
is  experienced  in  reducing  the  straws  into  an  im- 
pregnated condition  with  rain  and  urine. 

I  have  not  the  pleasure  of  an  acquaintance 
with  Mr.  Baker,  of  Writtle,  nor  do  I  know  his 
appearance  from  sight ;  but  I  have  ever  admired 
the  sound  and  enlightened  judgment  displayed 
by  him  on  all  practical  subjects,  and  the  strong 
sense  that  he  brings  to  bear  on  the  reveries  of 
cognate  auxilaries.  These  aids  are  but  puny, 
shallow  and  evanescent ;  apt  to  dazzle  and  de- 
ceive, to  bewilder  and  mislead ;  and  often  noisy 
as  the  tinman's  trade.  An  enlightened  practice 
must  lead  and  confirm. — Mark  Lane  Express. 


300 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


July 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
COLOR  OP  CATTLE, 

We  speak  of  the  animals  of  one  section  of 
country  as  red,  another  as  black — of  one  class  as 
a  mixture  of  red  and  white,  another  as  fawn-col- 
ored, &c.,  &c.,  as  though  these  characteristics 
were  of  a  reliable  character.  Is  it  so  ?  Can  we 
predict  at  all  from  the  color  of  the  parents,  what 
will  be  the  color  of  the  ofl'spring,  or  is  it  chance 
entirely  ?  We  speak  of  the  red  cattle  of  New 
England — is  this  characteristic  permanent?  I 
make  the  inquiry  to  be  informed,  not  having  had 
sufficient  experience  to  speak  with  confidence  on 
the  point.  So  much  is  said  of  color,  in  the  des- 
cription of  animals,  that  it  is  well  to  understand 
how  far  this  is  to  be  relied  on.  Whenever  we 
see  an  ox  with  a  white  head,  the  thought  imme- 
diately occurs,  has  not  that  animal  a  streak  of 
Hereford  blood, — just  as  though  this  color  was 
peculiar  to  this  class.  In  speaking  of  the  ani- 
mals in  some  of  the  districts  of  Great  Britain, 
they  are  said  to  be  all  black,  or  nearly  so.  So 
much  so,  that  horned  cattle  generally  are  spoken 
of  as  black  cattle.  With  us,  it  is  very  rare  to 
meet  an  animal  entirely  black. 

April  8,  1858.  INQUIRER. 


For  the  Neic  England  Farmer. 
THOUGHTS  ON  COOKERY. 

Your  remarks,  Mr.  Editor,  in  reply  to  my  in- 
quiry about  cooks,  viz.,  that  medicines  are  so 
mingled  with  all  sorts  of  food,  or  nearly  all  sorts, 
now-a-days,  that  it  is  difficult  to  get  anything 
that  is  unpolluted  by  them,  and  that  there  is 
scarcely  anything  that  needs  reformation  more 
than  our  present  modes  of  cookery,  have  embold- 
ened me  to  say  a  few  things  in  your  paper,  on 
which,  otherwise,  I  might  not  have  had  the  mor- 
al courage  to  venture.  Yet  I  know,  dear  sir, 
that  there  are  a  few  of  your  readers  so  tired  of 
wearing  the  chains  of  a  slavery  more  detestable,  if 
possible,  than  that  of  man  to  man,  that  the  discus- 
sion of  this  subject  in  a  candid  way,  so  as  not  to 
offend  those  who  may  not  perceive  its  necessity, 
will  be  truly  welcome.  But  I  have  no  room  for 
preliminaries,  other  than  to  bespeak  forgiveness 
if  I  chance  to  repeat  some  things  which  I  may 
have  already  said  in  other  numbers  of  your  valu- 
able paper. 

There  are  a  few  simple  principles  by  which 
every  truly  Christian  cook  who  wishes  to  be  free 
— sent  of  God,  and  not  of  Satan — should  be  gov- 
erned. Let  me,  in  as  few  words  as  I  can,  present 
some  of  them  for  consideration.  Others,  of  less 
importance,  I  omit. 

1.  No  cookery  is  legitimate  whose  aim  is  to 
make  it  less  healthy,  less  agreeable,  or  less  nutri- 
tious than  before. 

2.  No  cookery  is  according  to  truth  and  nature, 
and,  consequently,  is  legitimate — which  even/^er- 
mits  this. 

3.  No  cookery  is  in  accordance  with  the  laws  of 
God,  natural  and  moral,  which  aims  solely  to  bring 
the  food  to  appetites  which  are  acknowledged, 
universally,  to  he  fallen  appetites.  The  food  be- 
ing made  right,  our  appetites  should  come  to  the 
food,  and  not  the  food  to  our  perverted  appetites. 
Hence,  v.e  should  hear  nothing  about  preparing 


food  so  as  to  have  it  relish.     We  should  prepare 
it  right,  and  habit  will  soon  render  it  agreeable. 

4.  No  food  can  be  according  to  law — the  law  of 
God,  I  mean,  not  the  law  of  custom — which  is  so 
operated  on  by  cookery  that  its  proportions  are 
much  changed  from  what  the  Creator  intended. 
Thus  the  apple  contains  water,  acid,  and  saccha- 
rine matter.  Now  to  have  it  lawfully  cooked,  all 
these  should  be  retained  in  their  own  propor- 
tions. To  diminish  or  add  to  the  water  ;  or  above 
all,  to  increase  or  diminish  the  acid  with  sugar 
by  cookery,  would  therefore  be  a  wrong.  Nor 
have  we  a  right  to  add  to  them  any  new  ingredi- 
ents, foreign  or  domestic  ;  such  as  sugar,  salt, 
pepper,  spices,  &c.  I  do  not  say,  in  this  place, 
that  they  may  not  be  eaten,  but  I  do  say  that 
they  should  not  be  added  to  our  food.  They 
should  be  eaten  by  themselves,  if  at  all. 

5.  That  sort  of  preparation  of  our  food  which 
putrefies  it,  or  even  carries  it  through  the  first 
stage  of  putrefaction — whether  we  call  it  cookery 
or  not — is  far  enough  from  b^ing  legitimate. 
Thus  that  which  is  prepared  by  fermentation, 
whether  bread,  cake,  beer,  or  anything  else,  has 
passed  through  what  may  be  called  the  first  stage 
of  putrefaction,  and  is  hence  a  detei-iorated  article. 
In  like  manner,  processes  of  cookery  which  has- 
ten decomposition  by  diminishing  the  vitality,  so 
to  speak,  of  the  article,  are,  to  say  the  least, 
doubtful. 

6.  No  processes  of  cookery  are  legitimate 
which  have  for  their  object  to  preserve  food  from 
decomposition,  especially  such  as  accomplish  this 
object  by  depriving  the  article  of  its  vitality  by 
extrt>.  heat  or  by  the  addition  of  foreign  agents, 
or  medicinal  substances.  Thus  the  preservation 
of  butter  and  meats  by  salt,  spices,  saleratus, 
saltpetre,  and  the  preservation  of  cheese  by  ren- 
net, salt,  &c.,  is  not  in  accordance  with  the  laws 
of  nature,  and  is,  therefore,  wrong.  Drying  sub- 
stances very  slowly  by  the  fire  or  in  the  open  air, 
is  less  objectionable. 

7.  All  cookery  which  consists  in  part  or  in 
whole  in  adding  to  our  food,  while  being  cooked 
or  afterward,  any  medicinal  agents,  even  though 
not  intended  to  preserve  it  from  decay,  is  also 
wrong.  Thus  the  addition  of  saleratus,  saltpetre 
(or  nitre,)  cream  of  tartar,  vinegar,  mustard, 
catchup,  pepper,  allspice,  ginger,  cinnamon,  salt, 
&c.,  is,  by  this  rule,  objectionable.  For  all  these 
things  and  many  more,  whis^'  I  could  name  are 
medicines.  They  are  set  down  in  our  books  as 
medicines — they  ever  were  medicines — they  pro- 
bably ever  will  be  so.  The  last  three  are  least 
objectionable. 

8.  Lastly — for  the  present — Dr.  Dunglison,  in 
his  "Elements  of  Hygiene,"  says,  "that  every 
made  dish  is  more  or  less  rebellious  ;"  by  which 
he  must  mean  more  or  less  objectionable.  As  an 
example  of  his  meaning,  he  speaks,  in  particular, 
of  the  addition  of  eggs,  as  wrong.  If  eggs  are 
wrong,  butter  is  more  so,  milk  also,  and  sugar ; 
for  all  compounds  into  which  these  enter  are 
made  dishes.  The  French  are  said  to  have  685 
preparations  of  which  eggs  form  a  component 
part,  and  we  have  probably  hundreds.  So  of  but- 
ter and  lard ;  nearly  everything,  now-a-days,  is 
besmeared  or  permeated  by  one  or  th©>  other  of 
them. 

It  is  possible  a  few  madedishes,if  they  deserve 
the  name,  such  as  farina  mixed  with  farina,  ia 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


301 


the  case  of  brown  bread,  &c.,  may  form  excep- 
tions to  Dr.  D.'s  rule.  It  may  also  be  observed, 
that  certain  cases  which  may  be  abnormal  or 
diseased  cases,  may  form  exceptions  to  some  of 
the  other  preceding  rules ;  but  they  cannot  be 
numerous,  and  their  application  belongs  to  the 
department  of  the  medical  men,  rather  than  that 
of  the  hygeist. 

Your  readers  may  now  judge  for  themselves, 
Avhether  your  statement  is  too  strong,  that  our 
cookery  needs  reformation  more  than  anything 
else.  They  may  also  understand,  perhaps,  how 
it  is  that  while  medical  men,  even  we,  of  the  old 
school,  do  not  order  for  our  patients,  one-fourth 
as  much  medicine  as  we  did  fifty  years  ago,  so 
much  more  is  sold  in  proportion  to  the  popula- 
tion. They  eat  and  drink  it  daily  and  hourly — 
this  is  one  reason.  Hence  the  correctness  of  your 
own  statement,  that  "half  the  trade  of  the  apoth- 
ecary has  gone  into  the  grocer's  hands." 

If  any  of  your  fair  readers  should  begin  to  be 
alarmed,  and  to  say  that,  at  this  rate,  nothing  is 
left  for  us  to  eat,  or  certainly  to  cook ;  let  them 
recall  their  conclusion  till  I  have  time  to  show 
them  a  long  list  of  dishes,  longer  perhaps  than 
they  will  have  patience  to  look  over,  which  can 
be  prepared  without  violating  any  of  the  fore- 
going rules,  unless  it  be  the  eighth — hardly  even 
that.  Meanwhile,  if  they  do  not  like  to  wait,  let 
them  look  into  my  great  work,  "The  Laws  of 
Health,"  (at  John  P.  Jewett  &  Co.'s)  or  into  a  lit- 
tle book  costing  about  ten  cents,  entitled  "Bread," 
written  and  published  by  William  Hunt,  of  Bos- 
ton, which,  on  the  preparation  of  breadstuffs, 
contains  more  wisdom  than  many  an  "ample  vol- 
ume— mighty  tome,"  which  could  be  named,  even 
though  emanating  from  "high  authority,"  and 
highly  commended.  W.  A.  Alcott. 

Auburndale,  May  10,  1858. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
THE  BONE  SPAVIN. 

Friend  Brown: — In  your  last  monthly  an 
inquiry  was  addressed  to  yourself  or  subscrib- 
ers, as  to  a  cure  for  bone  spavin.  Knowing 
nothing  of  the  remedy  you  refer  to,  permit  me 
to  relate  an  experiment  of  my  own  with  bone 
spavin,  and  the  result,  leaving  parties  interested 
to  form  their  own  conclusions.  Some  few  years 
since,  I  became  possessed  of  a  fine  family  mare, 
that  was,  and  had  been  for  a  long  period,  trou- 
bled with  bone  spavin.  This,  while  it  did  not 
exactly  lame  her,  seriously  affected  her  gait  when 
at  full  speed.  Having  in  the  stable  one  day  a 
can  of  "rosin  oil,"  it  occurred  to  me  to  apply 
some  of  it  to  the  mare's  spavined  joint,  which  I 
forthwith  did,  without  any  very  definite  idea  as 
to  the  nature  of  the  remedy  or  its  probable  eff"ect. 
During  that  and  the  succeeding  day,  several  appli- 
cations of  the  oil  were  made,  and  I  soon  came  to 
notice  considerable  inflammation  over  and  about 
the  joint,  attended  with  a  copious  discharge  of  a 
transparent  _  fluid  resembling  water.  In  a  few 
days  the  hair  came  off"  where  the  oil  had  been 
applied,  and  the  watery  discharges  continued 
through  the  pores  of  the  now  uncovered  skin. 
This  gradually  ceased,  however,  and  I  soon  had 
the  gratification  to  find  that  instead  of  destroy- 
ing the  joint,  as  I  began  to  fear,  I  had  completely 


removed  every  vestige  of  bone  spavin.  This  be- 
came known  to  a  neighbor  whose  brother  was  in 
the  livery  business,  and  he  has  since  informed 
me  that  both  himself  and  brother  subsequently 
applied  this  oil  to  bone  spavin,  and  in  one  in- 
stance to  incipient  ring-bone,  with  complete  suc- 
cess. It  should  be  the  first  run  of  rosin  oil. 
Mine  was  procured  from  the  "Boston  Oil  Com- 
pany's," Custom  House  Street,  Boston. 

East  Wohurn,  May  12,  1858.  l.  p.  d. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
ASPARAGUS  BEDS. 

Mr.  Editor  : — I  wish  to  say  a  few  words  to 
you,  and  to  have  a  few  words  from  you,  in  re- 
gard to  asparagus  beds.  From  all  my  reading  for 
the  past  fifteen  or  twenty  years,  I  supposed  that 
the  only  way  to  have  a  good  asparagus  bed,  was 
to  bestow  a  great  deal  of  labor  and  a  great  deal 
of  manure  in  its  formation,  as  well  as  of  atten- 
tion to  its  proper  position.  ^  few  days  since, 
having  an  opportunity  of  getting  some  good 
roots,  I  thought  I  would  make  one,  late  as  it  is,- 
this  spring.  I  took  my  stored  information  into 
account,  of  trenching  deep,  two  spades  at  least, 
or  even  two  and  one-half  feet,  manuring  at  the 
bottom  very  heavily,  &c.  I  laid  out  a  bed  about 
sixteen  feet  square,  and  came  to  the  conclusion  be- 
fore I  got  through  with  the  digging,  that  if  th(? 
operation  was  to  be  conducted  on  an  extended 
scale,  it  would  be  well  for  humanity,  if  not  for 
the  asparagus,  that  an  easier  plan  should  be 
found.  The  idea  of  having  eighty  acres,  (as 
Bridgman,  I  think,  says  one  gardener  has,  who 
sends  to  the  London  market,)  under  cultivation, 
would  require  a  life-time,  and  the  fortune  of  the 
Duke  of  Devonshire,  to  supply  the  manure.  Our 
farmers,  I  thought  to  myself,  must  have  an  easi- 
er method, — and  so  it  turned  out.  I  asked  one 
of  them,  soon  after,  and  this  was  the  amount  of 
the  conversation. 

Question. — How  do  you  manage  your  aspara- 
gus beds, — do  you  trench  ? 

Answer. — No,  I  plow  two  furrows. 

Q. — How,  both  in  the  same  line  ? 

A. — No,  I  plow  one  furrow,  and  then  return. 

Q. — How  deep,  then,  is  your  furrow  ? 

A. — O,  perhaps  eight  or  ten  inches. 

Q. — Well,  do  you  manure  highly  at  the  bot- 
tom ? 

A. — No,  I  believe  I  didn't  put  any  manure  \r* 
to  the  bottom  of  the  trench. 

Q. — Is  your  ground  very  rich  ? 

A. — No,  only  medium. 

Q. — You  manure  on  top,  then  ? 

A. — Yes,  a  good  deal. 

^.— When  ? 

^.— In  the  fall. 

Q. — Do  you  think  this  the  best  plan  to  follow, 
in  managing  a  bed  ? 

A. — I  don't  know  whether  it  is  the  best  plan 
or  not,  but  from  my  bed  I  got,  a  few  days  ago, 
one  hundred  bunches  for  Boston  market,  and  I 
thought  that  was  doing  pretty  well. 

I  can't  give  you  the  size  of  the  beds  mentioned 
by  the  individual  above,  but  it  is  enough  to  say, 
he  is  one  of  those  energetic,  practical  farmers,  that 
would  hardly  be  content  with  one  bunch  of  as- 


302 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


July 


paragus,  where  two  could  be  had — unless  the  two 
cost  more  than  they  came  to. 

Now,  Mr.  Editor,  what  say  you  ?  I  have  looked 
over  twenty-four  numbers  of  the  Farmer  and  only 
found  one  article  on  asparagus,  and  that  not 
much  more  than  an  allusion  to  its  cultivation. 
Shall  we,  gardeners  on  a  small  scale,  trench  over 
our  ground,  bury  our  manure,  after  the  fashion 
of  Bridgeman,  Fessenden,  Agricultural  Reports 
of  Congress,  &c.,  or  pursure  my  neighbor's  sim- 
ple, easy,  comparatively  economical  method — and 
durable,  too,  for  he  says  such  a  bed  will  last  "any 
length  of  time?"  A  Subsckiber. 

Lincoln,  Mass.,  1858. 


Remarks. — The  result  of  your  "energetic, 
practical  farmer's"  experiment  would  lead  us  to 
travel  in  his  path.  Hundreds  of  people  have 
been  frightened  away  from  raising  asparagus  be- 
cause the  common  opinion  has  been  that  it  re- 
quires nice  and  expensive  operations  to  produce 
it.  But  it  is  not  so  ;  asparagus  is  a  hardy  plant, 
and  will  grow  well,  with  little  care,  on  a  moder- 
ately rich  soil.  If  manure  is  placed  at  the  bot- 
tom of  a  trench  two  feet  below  the  surface,  the 
roots  of  the  plant  will  find  it ;  but  even  then  it  is 
doubtful  whether  that  manure  would  be  as  valu- 
able to  the  plant  as  manure  placed  upon  the  sur- 
face and  dug  under  two  or  three  inches  in  the 
autumn. 

An  idea  that  it  is  difficult  to  raise  small  fruits, 
such  as  currants,  strawberries,  raspberries,  black- 
berries, &c.,  also  prevails,  and  deters  many  from 
making  the  attempt,  when  they  might  easily 
have  their  tables  spread  with  these  wholesome 
fruits  during  the  hot  weather,  when  the  system 
needs  them  in  order  to  keep  it  in  healthy  action. 
There  is  scarcely  any  plant  so  easy  to  produce  as 
asparagus. 

THE  PLANETARY  SYSTEM. 

According  to  M.  Ilelmholtz,  a  number  of  sin- 
gular peculiarities  in  the  structure  of  our  plane- 
tary system  indicate  that  it  was  once  a  connected 
mass,  with  a  uniform  motion  of  rotation.  With- 
out such  an  assumption,  it  is  believed  impossible 
to  explain  why  all  the  planets  move  in  the  same 
direction  round  the  sun  ;  why  they  all  rotate  in 
the  same  direction  round  their  axes  ;  why  the 
planes  of  their  orbits,  and  those  of  their  satellites 
and  rings,  nearly  all  coincide  ;  why  all  their  or- 
bits differ  but  little  from  circles,  and  much  be- 
sides. From  these  remaining  indications  of  a  for- 
mer state,  astronomers  have  shaped  a  hypothesis 
regarding  the  formation  of  our  planetary  system, 
which,  although  from  the  nature  of  the  case,  it 
must  ever  remain  a  hypothesis,  deserves  special 
attention.  The  commencement  of  our  planetary 
system,  including  the  sun,  must,  according  to 
this,  be  regarded  as  an  immense  nebulous  mass, 
which  filled  the  portion  of  space  which  is  now  oc- 
cupied by  our  system,  far  beyond  the  limits  of 
Neptune,  the  most  distant  planet.  Even  now  we, 
perhaps,  see  similar  masses  in  the  distant  regions 
of  the  firmament,  as  patches  of  nebulae  and  neb- 


ulous stars.  Within  our  system,  also,  comets, 
the  zodiacal  light,  the  corona  of  the  sun,  during 
a  total  eclipse,  exhibit  remnants  of  a  nebulous 
substance,  which  is  so  thin  that  the  light  of  the 
stars  passes  through  it  unenfeebled  and  unrefract- 
ed.  If  the  density  of  the  mass  of  our  planetary 
system  be  calculated,  according  to  the  assumption 
in  question,  for  the  time  when  it  was  a  nebulous 
sphere,  which  reached  to  the  path  of  the  outmost 
planet,  it  would  be  found  to  require  several  cubic 
miles  of  such  matter  to  weigh  a  single  grain. 


HOBSE  TAMING. 


This  subject  does  not  appear  to  be  fully  under- 
stood even  by  professional  horsemen.  The  ma- 
jority of  horses  which  are  denominated  vicious, 
are  on  the  contrary  extremely  docile  and  pos- 
sessed of  gentle  natures,  but  as  these  admirable 
qualities  are  always  associated  with  boldness  and 
courage,  such  animals  will  not  infrequently  re- 
taliate by  kicking  or  biting  their  abusers.  They 
never  exhibit  antagonism  unless  punished,  or 
when  made  to  perform  some  painful  exertion, 
taxing  them  beyond  their  powers. 

The  horse  inherits  a  greater  degree  of  intelli- 
gence than  any  other  useful  animal  of  the  brute 
kind.  His  instincts,  in  many  instances,  compare 
favorably  with  those  of  the  nobler  animal,  man. 
If,  therefore,  ahorse  is  obdurate  and  incorrigible, 
it  is  because  he  has  not  been  understood  ;  be- 
cause his  genius  is  superior  to  the  person  to 
whom  his  early  education  and  training  have  been 
confided.  Ignorant  grooms,  in  breaking  colts, 
use  coercive  measures,  where  kindness  and  gen- 
tle treatment  are  only  appropriate.  The  first 
impressions  of  a  young  horse  deprived  of  his  lib- 
erty and  the  unrestrained  following  of  his  own 
inclinations,  are  almost  certain  to  mark  indelibly 
his  future  career,  and  make  him  either  oljstinate 
and  intractable  or  submissive  and  affectionate. 
Thus,  if  he  has  been  frightened  and  his  nervous 
system  excited  beyond  control,  fiogging  or  any 
harsh  practice  would  confirm  what  originally  was 
but  an  impulse,  and  make  it  a  permanent  habit. 

Horses,  like  men,  are  more  susceptible  to  flat- 
tery than  chastisement.  I  will  r?late  a  case  in  point 
which  occurred  last  spring,  by  which  a  promising 
thorough-bred,  three  years  old,  was  entirely  ru- 
ined in  disposition.  The  animal  in  question  was 
unusually  intelligent,  possessed  remarkably  elas- 
tic limbs  and  temperament,  and  was  perpetually 
throwing  up  his  heels  and  gamboling  when  not 
restrained  by  lack  of  space.  A  professional 
horse-trainer  had  contracted  the  job  of  reducing 
him  to  servitude.  The  first  difficulty  of  catching 
the  colt  in  an  adjoining  pasture  was  only  accom- 
plished after  half  a  day's  coaxing,  and  the  utter 
demolition  of  the  patience  of  the  trainer.  This 
individual,  thoroughly  exasperated,  initiated  the 
mettlesome  animal  into  the  virtues  of  a  black 
whip.  His  efforts  at  resistance  were  terrific  ;  he 
kicked  and  plunged,  and  made  fearful  plunges 
at  his  executioner ;  he  was  in  the  most  intense 
state  of  excitement ;  the  neck-veins  became 
gorged  with  blood,  and  his  eyes  were  projected 
far  from  their  sockets.  So  ungovernable  did  he 
become,  and  so  much  was  his  indignation  aroused 
by  this  surprising  treatment,  that  after  a  period 
of  a  week  had  elapsed,  the  opening  of  the  stable 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARISIER. 


303 


door  where  he  was  confined  was  the  signal  for  a 
continuation  of  the  knocking  and  struggles  which 
marked  the  day  of  his  introduction  to  society. 
At  the  present  time  this  colt  is  the  most  furious 
and  vicious  quadruped  I  ever  saw,  which  is  en- 
tirely attributable  to  the  brutal  flogging  he  re- 
ceived when  it  was  unmerited,  and  before  he 
could  understand  its  object.  Thus  the  superior 
intelligence  which  might  have  been  cultivated 
into  pre-eminent  virtues,  was  turned  into  a  chan- 
nel for  the  fostering  and  development  of  his  bas- 
er proclivities. 

In  breaking  a  colt,  we  should  first  endeavor  to 
make  him  conscious  of  what  is  required  of  him. 
Fettering  him  with  a  halter  for  the  first  time, 
placing  the  saddle  upon  his  back,  fastening  the 
girths,  are  all  matters  of  paramount  importance, 
and  an  intuitive  knowledge  of  his  idiosyncracies. 

Before  putting  a  halter  upon  a  colt,  he  must  be 
rendered  familiar  with  it  by  caressing  him  and 
permitting  him  to  examine  the  article  with  his 
nose.  Then  place  a  portion  of  it  over  his  head, 
occasionally  giving  it  a  slight  pull,  and  in  a  few 
minutes  he  will  be  accustomed  to  these  liberties, 
and  then  the  halter  may  be  fastened  on  properly. 
To  teach  him  to  lead  is  another  difficulty.  Stand 
a  little  on  one  side,  rub  his  nose  and  forehead, 
take  hold  of  the  strap  and  pull  gently,  and  at  the 
same  time  touch  him  very  lightly  with  the  end 
of  a  long  whip  across  his  hind  legs.  This  will 
make  him  start  and  advance  a  few  steps.  Re- 
peat the  operation  several  times,  and  he  will 
soon  learn  to  follow  you  by  simply  pulling  the 
halter.  The  process  of  saddling  and  bridling  is 
similar.  The  mouth  of  the  colt  should  be  fre- 
quently handled,  after  which  introduce  a  plain 
snaffle  between  his  teeth  and  hold  it  there  with 
one  hand  and  caress  him  with  the  other.  After 
a  time  he  will  allow  the  bridle  to  be  placed  upon 
him.  The  saddle  can  now  be  brought  in  and 
rubbed  against  his  nose,  his  neck,  and  his  legs ; 
next  hang  the  stirrup  strap  across  his  back,  and 
gradually  insinuate  the  saddle  into  its  place.  The 
girth  should  not  be  fastened  until  he  becomes 
thoroughly  acquainted  with  the  saddle.  The 
first  time  the  girth  is  buckled  it  should  be  done 
so  loosely  as  not  to  attract  his  attention ;  subse- 
quently it  can  be  tightened  without  inspiring 
him  with  fear,  which  if  fastened  immediately  it 
would  most  certainly  do.  In  this  manner  the 
wildest  colt  can  be  eflectually  subjugated  by  such 
imperceptible  degrees  that  he  gives  tacit  obedi- 
ence before  he  is  aware  of  his  altered  condition. 

The  recently  introduced  art  of  taming  horses 
as  practiced  by  Mr.  Ilarey,  and  which  has  given 
him  an  enviable  celebrity  in  Europe,  is  one  which 
in  my  opinion  will  prove  of  inestimable  value, 
not  only  in  training  colts,  but  in  eradicating  the 
vices  of  the  matured  horse.  Mr.  Rarey's  method 
is  not  new  in  this  country,  nor  original  with  him, 
it  having  been  practiced  by  circus  riders  in  sub- 
duing and  educating  horses  for  their  performan- 
ces. _  The  treatment  is  exceedingly  simple,  and 
consists  in  placing  the  horse  in  such  a  position 
as  to  render  all  his  eff"orts  at  resistance  abortive. 
Once  convince  him  of  your  superiority  mentally 
and  physically,  and  his  obdurate  spirit  is  perma- 
nently conquered.  The  older  the  horse,  the  more 
the  difficulty  in  vanquishing  him,  as  he  clings  to 
his  early  impressions  with  astonishing  tenacity. 
Last  week  I  had  the  gratification  of  witnessing 


the  taming  of  a  horse  by  a  confrere  of  Mr.  Rarey 
practicing  in  this  city — Mr.  Caleb  H.  Rarey. 
The  horse  provided  for  the  operation  was  a  most 
incorrigible  brute,  extremely  nervous,  and  appa- 
rently actuated  by  a  desire  to  taste  of  every  per- 
son who  came  within  range  of  his  mouth.  Mr. 
Rarey  approached  him  fearlessly,  and  after  a  con- 
tested struggle  of  two  hours,  the  ferocious  ani- 
mal was  entirely  changed  in  disposition.  In  fact 
he  presented  a  most  pitiful  and  forloi-n  appear- 
ance, not  only  permitted  Mr.  Rarey  but  also  the 
bystanders  to  take  liberties  which,  two  hours  be- 
fore, he  would  have  resented  in  the  most  savage 
manner.  Such  was  the  wonderful  influence  of  a 
few  simple  contrivances  by  which  the  horse  was 
eff"ectually  px'evented  from  off"ering  successful  re- 
sistance. 

The  art  of  horse-taming  is  to  a  certain  extent 
known  to  the  Mexicans.  Throwing  the  lasso  and 
entangling  the  animal  in  its  meshes,  so  as  to  de- 
prive him  of  his  liberty,  will  produce  similar  ef- 
fects in  curing  his  obstinacy  as  Mr.  Rarey's  meth- 
od, as  the  same  general  principles  are  involved. 
I  am  not  permitted  to  give  the  details  of  this 
gentleman's  pi-actice,  as  secrecy  was  enjoined 
upon  all  who  witnessed  the  performance.  Any 
knowledge  of  the  horse  that  will  make  him  more 
useful  to  man  cannot  be  too  widely  disseminated ; 
and  I  sincerely  hope  that  horse  taming,  with  all 
the  details  of  the  operation,  will  soon  find  its 
way  into  the  public  prints,  properly  authenticated. 
The  introduction  of  valuable  thorough  breds 
makes  the  subject  of  training  an  exceedingly  in- 
teresting one,  as  in  many  instances  the  pure 
bloods  defy  all  efforts  at  subordination. 

J.  V.  v.,  in  N.  Y.  Tribune. 


Marvellous  Growth  of  Vegetation  in 
THE  High  Latitudes. — Bayard  Taylor,  retrac- 
ing his  steps  along  the  coast  of  Norway,  after 
the  lapse  of  a  few  weeks,  says : — 

"I  was  particularly  struck,  during  the  return, 
with  the  rapid  progress  of  summer — the  leaps 
with  which  she  clears  her  short  course.  Among 
the  Lofodens  the  potatoes  are  just  coming  into 
blossom  and  the  rye  and  barley  into  head :  the 
grass  was  already  cut  in  many  places,  and  di'ying 
on  poles,  and  the  green  of  the  woods  and  mead- 
ows showed  the  dark,  rich  character  of  the  north- 
ern lands.  Owing  to  this  rapidity  of  gi-owth,all 
the  more  hardy  varieties  of  vegetables  may  be 
successfully  cultivated.  Mr.  Thomas  informed 
me  thaf-  his  peas  and  beans  at  Kaafiord — latitude 
70  degrees  north — grew  three  inches  in  twenty- 
four  hours,  and,  though  planted  six  weeks  later 
than  those  about  Christiana,  came  to  maturity  at 
the  same  time." 

Here  is  another  popular  illusion  dispelled. 
What  are  all  the  marvels  of  tropical  growth  to 
this  ? 

Artesl\n  Wells  in  Illinois. — We  learn 
by  the  Prairie  Farmer  that  the  above  kind  of 
wells  are  becoming  common  in  some  parts  of  Il- 
linois, and  that  they  are  of  the  greatest  necessity" 
and  benefit  to  farmers  residing  on  prairies  dis- 
tant from  living  streams.  There  are  about  a  hun- 
dred such  wells  in  Iroquois  county  alone  ;  their 
average  depth  is  about  one  hundred  and  twenty- 
five  feet,  and  cost  about  $200. 


304 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


July 


BUCKEYE  BOTATING  HAHHOW. 


The  above  is  a  representation  of  the  "Buckeye 
Rotating  Harrow,"  recently  patented  by  Wm. 
DeWitt  and  O.  D.  Barrett,  of  Cleveland,  Ohio. 
The  toothed  frame  is  made  of  suitable  sized  tim- 
ber, halved  together,  and  fastened  by  the  teeth, 
which  have  shoulders  that  come  against  the  low- 
er side  of  the  timbers  and  nuts  on  the  upper  side. 
The  centre-piece,  1,  is  made  fast  to  the  toothed 
frame  by  means  of  the  cast  plate,  3.  The  thim- 
ble, 2,  has  a  flange  on  its  lower  end,  by  which  it 
is  firmly  bolted  to  the  draft  bar,  4.  The  weighted 
arm  is  held  on  either  side  of  the  draft-bar,  and 
at  right-angles  to  it  by  means  of  a  hook,  as  re- 
presented. A  weight  of  twenty-five  or  thirty 
pounds  is  placed  in  the  box  on  the  weighted  arm. 
This  weight  causes  the  teeth  under  it  to  sink 
deeper  into  the  ground  than  the  rest.  As  the 
harrow  is  drawn  forward,  they  meet  with  more 
resistance,  and  consequently  cause  it  to  rotate 
horizontally,  pulverizing  the  ground  completely, 
requiring  less  force  to  draw  it  than  it  would,  did 
it  not  rotate. 

The  advantages  the  patentees  claim  for  this 
harrow,  are  as  follows  : 

1st.  It  will  do  twice  as  much  as  the  common 
harrow  in  pulverizing  the  soil,  without  any  extra 
labor  for  the  team. 


2d.  It  is  the  strongest  harrow  built,  and  does 
not  cost  so  much  as  the  common  jointed  harrow. 

'Sd.  It  is  adapted  to  all  kinds  of  soil,  and  can 
be  operated  like  the  common  harrow,  by  taking 
off"  the  weight.  This  is  of  advantage  only  in  ref- 
erence to  newly  turned  up  sod,  requiring  to  be 
harrowed  with  the  furrows. 

4th.  By  the  rotating  motion,  the  teeth  are 
made  to  move  in  every  conceivable  direction. 
Consequently,  they  sharpen  themselves. 

5th.  This  harrow  leaves  the  ground  smooth 
and  even,  as  it  is  impossible  to  clog  it,  conse- 
quently stones,  roots,  vines,  or  other  things,  can- 
not be  dragged  along  by  it,  to  leave  the  ground 
in  furrows,  as  it  frequently  is  by  the  common  har- 
row. 

Messrs.  Nourse,  Mason  &  Co.,  of  Quincy  Hall, 
are  making  a  few  of  these  harrows  for  trial  by 
our  New  England  farmers. 

For  further  information,  address  the  General 
Agents,  Robinson  &  Co.,  21  Bank  Street,  Cleve- 
land, Ohio. 

Working  and  Thinking. — It  is  a  no  less  fa- 
tal error  to  despise  labor  when  regulated  by  in- 
tellect, than  to  value  it  for  its  own  sake.  AVe  are 
always  in  these  days  trying  to  separate  the  two  ; 
we  want  one  man  to  be   always  thinking,  and 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


305 


another  to  be  always  working,  and  we  call  one  a 
gentleman  and  the  other  an  operative  ;  whereas 
the  workman  ought  often  to  be  thinking,  and  the 
thinker  often  to  be  working ;  and  both  should 
be  gentlemen  in  the  best  sense.  As  it  is,  we  make 
both  ungentle,  the  one  envying,  the  other  despis- 
ing his  brother  ;  and  the  mass  of  society  is  made 
up  of  morbid  thinkers  and  miserable  workers. 
Now  it  is  only  by  labor  that  thought  can  be  made 
happy,  and  the  two  cannot  be  separated  with  im- 
punity. All  professions  should  be  liberal,  and 
there  should  be  less  pride  felt  in  peculiarity  of 
employment,  and  more  in  excellence  of  achieve- 
ment.— BusJcin. 


MANUBES— VEGETABLE  AND  ANIMAL. 

Everything  which  has  grown  upon  the  soil, 
even  to  the  comparatively  dry  and  unsucculent 
haulm  or  straw  which  most  crops  leave  behind 
them,  is  capable  of  being  transformed,  by  the 
chemistry  of  nature,  into  manure,  or  the  pabu- 
lum of  vegetable  life. 

By  the  term  hnmus,  we  understand  that  por- 
tion of  the  vegetable  structure,  or  organization, 
which  is  resolved,  by  fermentation,  into  mould  ; 
such  as  the  foliage,  the  stems,  and  succulent 
parts  of  the  stalks  of  plants,  and  even  those  por- 
tions of  the  more  perfectly  liquified  or  woody 
organism,  which  are  broken  up  by  the  play  of 
chemical  affinities,  and  made  capable,  when  ren- 
dered soluble  by  water,  of  contributing  to  the 
development  and  sustenance  of  plants.  It  is 
rarely  the  case,  however,  that  viere  vegetable 
matters  are  applied  to  the  soil  artistically.  They 
are,  for  the  most  part,  used  in  conjunction  with 
animalized  particles,  which  render  them  more  en- 
ergetic, efficient,  and  salutary  in  their  effects. 

Even  the  manure  from  the  stable  is  by  no 
means  a  purely  vegetable  substance,  although 
formed  of  hay  and  grain.  In  every  case,  portions 
of  matter  rejected  from  the  animal  system,  are 
mixed  up  with  the  vegetable  mass — worn  out, 
abraded  particles,  which  are  no  longer  of  any 
service,  and  which  are  thrown  into  the  common 
receptacle  which  receives  the  residuum  of  the 
food  that  has  not  been  digested,  and  from  which 
it  passes  in  the  form  of  excrement. 

The  poorer  an  animal  is,  the  less  of  this  ani- 
malized matter  does  it  throw  off;  hence  the 
well-known  fact  that  the  manure  made  by  cows, 
oxen,  horses,  sheep  and  hogs,  which  have  been 
•well  kept,  is  much  more  energetic  and  valuable 
than  that  furnished  by  those  which  have  not 
been  supplied  liberally  with  food.  The  urine  of 
every  animal  contains  a  certain  portion  of  this 
animalized  matter,  and  hence  its  superior  value 
for  agricultural  purposes,  and  the  high  degree  of 
vegetable  fecundity  resulting  from  its  application 
to  most  crops  and  soils.  The  ammonia  contained 
in  this  liquid  manure  also  contributes,  very  es- 
sentially, to  its  fertilizing  powers ;  but  the  ani- 


malized matter  is  that  which  chiefly  produces 
its  fermentation  and  putrefaction,  without  which 
it  would  be  nearly  or  quite  useless  for  manuri- 
al  purposes,  at  least  in  its  immediate  effects. 
Other  principles  highly  beneficial  to  vegetation 
are  also  contained  in  urine,  many  of  which  are 
derived  immediately  from  the  food  upon  which 
the  animal  is  kept.  This  remark  applies  also  to 
the  solid  voidings,  and  is  illustrated  by  the  fol- 
lowing table,  showing  the  constituents  of  foeces 
and  urine. 

In  one  hundred  parts  of  horse  dung,  in  a  fresh 
state, — the  animal  having  been  kept  on  oats,  hay 
and  straw, — there  were, 

3.7  of  biliary  matter  and  coloring  matter  in  a  state  of  altera- 
tion. 

6.3  of  mucus,  (crude,)  &c.,  &c. 
20.2  of  non-digegted  vegetable  remains  and  ashes. 
69.8  of  water. 

100.0 

The  quantity  of  ashes  in  this  case  was  six  per 

cent.     Their  constitution,  according  to  accurate 

analysis,  was  as  follows  :  In  one  hundred  parts — 

Phosphate  of  lime 05 

Carbonate  of  lime 18.70 

Phosphate  of  magnesia 36.25 

Silioia  acid 45.00 

lOO.OO 

Urine  from  the  horse  contained,  in  one  hund- 
red parts — 

Carbonate  of  lime 1.1 

Carbonate  of  soda 0.9 

Hippurateof  soda 2.4 

Hydrochlorate  of  potass 0.9 

Urea 0.7 

Water 94.0 

100.0 

It  will  be  seen  that  both  these  articles  contain 
carbonate  of  lime,  a  substance  valuable  to  vege- 
tation in  many  ways,  and  they  are  also  replete 
with  other  highly  energetic  and  valuable  princi- 
ples. In  applying  manure  to  the  soil — whether 
animal  or  vegetable — we  should  endeavor,  in  the 
first  place,  to  ascertain  the  character  and  condi- 
tion of  the  latter,  and  also  the  habits,  character 
and  requirements  of  the  crops  intended  to  be 
grown  upon  it.  Whether  we  turn  in  green  crops, 
or  feed  them  to  animals,  and  apply  only  their 
excrements,  this  information  is  alike  essential  to 
success.  By  applying  to  a  vegetable,  manure 
which  does  not  contain  principles  congenial  to 
its  nature,  or  which  does  not  enter  into  its  con- 
stitution, we  do  not  secure  those  advantages 
which  we  might  derive  if  the  manure  Avere  more 
appropriate  to  the  plant  which  it  is  desired  to 
produce.  It  is  worthy  of  some  study,  therefore, 
to  act  understandingly  upon  this  point,  and  to 
furnish  such  aliment  as  will  be  taken  and  assim- 
ilated by  the  system,  for  the  support  of  which  it 
is  intended.  By  enabling  ourselves  to  do  this, 
we  shall  obviate  no  inconsiderable  expense  and 
trouble,  and  ensure  a  better  success. 


306 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


July 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
"SPAKE  THE  BIRDS." 

Mr.  Editor  : — It  is  strange  that  after  so  much 
dissemination  of  a  broader,  deeper  and  more 
benevolent  philosophy  in  regard  to  the  value  of 
the  "sweet  warblers  of  the  grove,"  that  there 
should  be  any  person  living  under  the  influences 
of  a  genuine  New  England  rural  home,  who  can 
deliberately  advocate  the  destruction  of  birds, 
especially  "robin  red-breast."  The  writer,  J.  B. 
R.,  in  the  last  issue  of  the  Farmer  (May  1st,)  is 
so  far  in  doubt  of  the  correctness  of  his  danger- 
ous views,  as  to  call  in  the  nominal  authority  of 
Moses  to  justify  his  conclusions.  It  would  be 
difficult  to  name  an  iniquity  which  the  selfishness 
of  man  has  perpetrated,  for  which  he  has  not 
sought  a  justification  from  the  Bible.  Without 
wishing  to  discuss  Moses'  views  of  "dominion," 
it  must,  I  think,  be  clear  to  every  enlightened 
head  and  heart,  that  the  only  "dominion"  which 
God  ever  gave  man  over  "birds,  beasts  and  fish- 
es," is  the  dominion  which  mind  has  over  matter 
— the  dominion  of  intellect  over  mere  animal  in- 
stincts. But  where,  save  through  the  cravings  of 
his  depraved  appetites  and  passions,does  man  find 
authority  for  laying  under  tribute  all  of  God's 
animal  creation,  to  gratify  his  passions  or  sub- 
serve a  lazy  and  blind  convenience  ?  Because 
God  has  given  to  man  "dominion  over  birds, 
beasts  and  fishes,"  by  virtue  of  his  superior  en- 
dowments, it  by  no  means  follows  that  men  may 
be  tyrants  by  virtue  of  their  power.  The  char- 
acteristic of  tyrants  is  to  destroy  whatever  stands, 
lives  or  moves  in  the  way  of  their  pleasure  or 
convenience.  "He  who  spake  as  never  man  spake," 
has  assured  us  that  the  raven  is  fed  by  the  fath- 
erly care  of  its  Creator,  and  that  not  a  sparrow 
falls  without  its  Maker's  notice.  These  views,  I 
know,  are  abstract,  and  will  avail  but  little  with 
such  as  seem  to  think  all  God's  creation  has  been 
made  for  their  especial  benefit  and  convenience. 
Let  us,  therefore,  appeal  to  the  self-interest  of 
such,  and  inquire  whether  the  services  which  the 
"robin"  is  performing,  are  not  far  more  valuable 
than  a  few  or  even  all  the  "cherries  ?"  The  robin 
is  well  known  to  be  the  consumer  of  a  vast  mul- 
titude of  worms,  bugs,  beetles  and  curculios, 
which  if  left  without  check,  would  destroy  fruits 
far  more  valuable  than  "cherries,"  which  in  dog- 
days  are  no  real  estate,  though  pleasant  and  cool- 
ing, moderately  partaken  of.  A  long  list  of  val- 
uable services  might  be  presented  in  detail,  which 
not  only  the  robins  confer,  but  which  are  con- 
ferred in  kind,  by  nearly  all  the  birds  which  fre- 
quent the  haunts  of  men,  not  even  excepting  the 
"villanous"  crow,  whose  intelligence  and  sagacity 
often  baffle  the  ignorant  enmity  of  its  pursuers. 

But  aside  from  material  and  transient  interests 
involved  in  the  destruction  of  birds ;  what  man 
is  so  dead  to  the  spiritual  teachings  of  animated 
nature,  whose  soul  is  so  unstrung  to  the  "music 
of  the  birds,"  as  to  find  it  in  his  heart  to  ruth- 
lessly shoot  them  down  for  the  paltry  reason  that 
they  partake  of  some  of  the  bounties  of  their 
Creator — that  they  deprive  their  lordly  masters 
of  a  few  "cherries"  or  other  small  and  quickly 
perishing  fruits  ?  Who  would  not  give  up  his 
daily  repast  of  cherries  for  a  few  days  or  even 
weeks  for  the  soul-inspiring  "music  of  the  birds" 
— their  joyous   carolling  from  "early   dawn  to 


dewy  eve  ?"  He  who  has  no  heart  for  the  com- 
panionship, the  joy  of  life  and  gladness  of  the 
song  of  birds,  should  forthwith  seek  the  crowded 
and  dusky  haunts  of  city  life.  I  cannot  speak 
I  calmly  in  view  of  so  cruel,  unjust  and  injurious 
a  proposition  as  that  of  "killing  the  robins,"  or 
any  other  of  our  almost  domesticated  birds.  If 
it  is  right  or  expedient  to  kill  the  robin,  then  we 
had  better  encourage  our  boys  to  the  wanton 
practice  of  destroying  their  nests,  and  thus  pre- 
vent the  increase  of  an  evil,  instead  of  taking 
pains  to  cure  it.  Does  not  such  a  rapacity  as 
would  kill  the  birds  for  pleasure,  convenience  or 
even  temporary  profit,  feed  and  keep  alive  a 
spirit  of  vindictiveness  and  hatred  towards  real 
or  supposed  enemies  of  our  kind  ?  Is  the  shoot- 
ing of  robins  the  best  moral  lesson  and  the  most 
refined  pleasure  we  can  give  our  sons  ?  Even  if 
it  is  certain  that  the  birds  do  us  some  real  injury, 
are  we  for  this  reason  to  destroy  them,  and  thus 
teach  our  children  that  they  may  destroy  what- 
ever gives  them  inconvenience  ? 

I  apprehend  that  the  killing  of  any  of  our 
birds  of  the  air  or  forest,  under  our  present  mea- 
gre and  imperfect  knowledge  of  the  "unkindly 
offices"  which  they  fill,  would  be  like  wielding  a 
giant's  club  in  the  dark — more  likely  to  injure  a 
friend  than  foe. 

I  will  not  allow  any  shooting  of  birds  upon  my 
farm,  and  I  would  that  every  farmer  well  consider 
both  the  temporal  and  spiritual  welfare  of  him- 
self and  family,  and  of  the  community,  before  he 
suffers  his  farm  to  become  the  hunting-ground  of 
idle  and  vicious  sportsmen.     "Spare  the  birds." 

Wtstboro',  May,  1858.  t.  a.  s. 


For  the  New  England  Fanner. 
BEE-HIVES. 

I  am  aware  of  the  confidence  placed  in  the 
opinion  of  those  who  have  experience  in  the  sub- 
ject under  consideration,  even  without  their  rea- 
sons. Lacking  the  experience  of  many  in  bee 
culture,  I  gave  what  I  thought  good  reasons  for 
diff"ering  with  Mr.  Quinby,  in  the  opinion  that  a 
rough  bee-hive  was  the  cheapest.  He  has  given 
his  reasons  for  leaving  the  inside  of  a  hive  un- 
planed.  I  will  fully  concur  with  him,  for  the  rea- 
sons he  gave,  that  it  is  unwise  to  place  a  large 
swarm  of  bees  in  a  hive  having  nothing  for  their 
support  but  a  plane  polished  surface.  I  beg  leave 
to  add  that  the  "single  case  reported,"  was  in  a  hive 
furnished  with  a  very  simple  device,  designed  to  aid 
the  bees  in  supporting  themselves  until  they  could 
commence  building  their  comb,  affording  a  more 
sure  support  than  could  be  had  on  an  unplaned 
board,  not  only  affording  a  support  to  the  bees, 
but  so  arranging  them  that  they  would,  almost 
invariably,  lay  the  foundations  of  their  combs, 
where  a  skilful  engineer  would  have  placed  them, 
having  for  his  design,  economy  of  building  ma- 
terial, the  filling  of  the  hive  to  the  best  possible 
advantage,  and  a  thorough  ventilation  of  the 
whole,  after  the  work  was  completed.  A  hive 
thus  filled  may  be  as  thoroughly  ventilated  when 
standing  in  its  usual  position,  as  it  is  possible  to 
be  when  inverted,  and  the  bottom  board  removed, 
as  Mr.  Quinby  recommends  in  his  winter  man- 
agement of  bees.  If  the  hive  is  inverted  the  chips 
from  unsealing  honey,  dead  bees  and  other  offend 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


307 


ing  substances  must  lodge  among  the  combs, 
there  to  remain  among  the  bees  until  they  can 
remove  it  in  the  spring.  In  the  hive  to  which  I 
referred,  the  refuse  matter  will  fall  upon  the  bot- 
tom board,  to  be  removed  by  the  apiarian  at 
pleasure. 

Of  the  adaptation  of  bee  culture  to  New  Eng- 
land, of  the  profit  and  pleasure  it  affords  the  bee- 
keeper, when  properly  managed,  I  need  not  write. 
But  of  the  losses  and  disappointments  which 
have  followed  the  efforts  of  many  who  have  at- 
tempted bee  culture,  the  greater  part  have  arisen 
from  the  thousand  and  one  inventions  of  men, 
to  improve  the  habitation  of  the  honey-bee,  none 
of  them  improving  or  even  changing  its  habits 
or  instincts,  in  the  least.  As  the  first  thing  we 
can  do  for  a  swarm  li  bees  is  to  furnish  it  with 
a  house,  I  deem  it  of  the  utmost  importance  that 
it  should  be  as  near  in  accordance  with  their  na- 
ture and  habits  as  may  be.  "Amicus." 

JiJast  Washington,  N.  H.,  1858. 


HOQ-YARD  COMPOST. 

In  the  immediate  vicinity  of  your  hog-pen, 
have  a  yard,  strongly  and  permanently  enclosed, 
and  of  sufficient  size  to  afford  ample  accommo- 
dation to  the  number  of  swine  you  intend  to 
keep.  Into  this  cast  as  much  good  muck,  chip- 
manure,  sods,  forest  scrapings,  loam  from  the 
road-side,  saw-dust,  refuse  hay,  straw,  haulm, 
and  weeds  that  have  not  gone  to  seed,  as  will, 
•when  firmly  compressed,  form  a  stratum  of  one 
foot  in  depth  over  the  whole  yard.  On  to  this 
let  whatever  liquids  can  be  spared  about  the 
premises  be  directed,  such  as  suds  from  the  wash 
room,  the  wash  from  the  sinks,  a  portion  of  rain 
water  from  the  eaves,  and  whatever  else  that  can 
be  obtained  that  possesses  any  virtue.  These 
fluids  all  contain  more  or  less  fertilizing  matters, 
and  if  mixed  with  the  other  materials,  will  induce 
a  thorough  fermentation  of  the  whole  mass,  and 
secure  its  ^preparation  for  the  use  and  sustenance 
of  crops. 

A  few  quarts  of  corn,  peas,  buckwheat,  or 
other  grain,  scattered  over  and  dug  into  the  ma- 
nure, or  dropt  into  holes  made  with  an  iron  bar, 
•will  operate  as  an  inducement  to  the  swine  to 
root  and  turn  the  mass,  and  thus  effect  the  thor- 
ough incorporation  of  all  the  parts,  so  that,  by 
their  assistance,  and  the  effects  of  a  proper  de- 
gree of  fermentation,  you  will  have,  in  the  end, 
instead  of  the  crude  collection  originally  depos- 
ited, a  perfectly  homogeneous  article  of  great 
richness,  and  at  a  moderate  expense. 

We  mention  the  labor  of  the  swine  in  this 
connection  because  it  is  a  popular  belief  that 
they  can  be  thus  profitably  employed ;  it  certain- 
ly admits  of  a  question,  however,  whether  that 
belief  is  not  fallacious.  That  is,  whether  the  la- 
bors of  swine  in  rooting  up,  turning  over  and 
mingling  the  common  manure  heaps  of  the  barn, 
cannot   be   more   cheaply  performed  by  men,  at 


common  wages.  In  order  to  raise  pork  profita- 
bly, we  must  avail  ourselves  of  two  things,  viz. : 
get  a  great  loeigld,  and  at  an  early  age.  Can  this 
be  accomplished  by  working  hogs,  for  well-fed 
ones  will  not  Mork  much. 

Is  it  not,  then,  better  to  feed  swine,  from  the 
beginning,  with  as  much  nutritious  food  as  they 
will  eat  up  clean,  and  with  a  good  appetite,  when 
they  will  remain  quiet  and  lay  on  fat  and  flesh 
with  great  rapidity  ? 

If  the  manure  made  from  the  process  described 
above  is  intended  for  light  arenaceous  soils,  in 
which  there  is  a  want  of  cohesibility,  it  would  be 
well  to  add  a  liberal  percentage  of  fine  clay  to 
the  other  ingredients,  wherever  that  article  can 
be  easily  obtained.  This  is  the  constitutional  al- 
terant which  such  lands  require,  and,  with  the 
organized  and  decomposable  constituents  of  the 
mass,  will  produce  most  immediate  and  favora- 
ble effects. 

By  applying  this  earth  in  the  compost,  it  will 
be  found,  that,  although  the  quantity  annually 
used,  may  be  small,  it  will,  in  time,  produce  an 
important  change,  and  secure  a  good  degree  of 
retentiveness  and  productive  energy  to  lands  or- 
dinarily too  light  for  the  profitable  cultivation  of 
any  crops  but  rye  or  corn. 

There  can  be  no  doubt,  we  think,  that  the  run- 
ning of  well-fed  hogs  on  manure  heaps  is  of 
great  value  to  them ;  such  hogs  will  not  root 
much,  while  their  constant  droppings,  especially 
the  liquid  portions,  are  of  the  most  valuable 
character.  Where  they  run  over  horse-manure 
heaps,  they  keep  it  compact,  preventing  the  ad- 
mission of  air,  and  that  rapid  heating  which 
quite  often  nearly  destroys  it.  At  any  rate,  in 
one  or  the  other  of  these  ways,  or  by  partially 
using  both,  a  large  and  valuable  heap  of  manure 
may  be  annually  secured  from  the  hog-yard. 
Now  is  the  time  to  begin  the  process. 


Hard  Cement. — The  following  cement  has 
been  used  with  great  success  in  covering  terraces, 
lining  basins,  soldering  stones,  etc.,  and  every- 
where resists  the  filtration  of  water.  It  is  so 
hard  that  it  scratches  iron.  It  is  formed  of  nine- 
ty-three parts  of  well-burned  brick,  and  seven 
parts  of  litharge,  made  plastic  with  linseed  oil. 
The  brick  and  litharge  are  pulverized  ,  the  latter 
must  always  be  reduced  to  a  very  fine  powder ; 
they  are  mixed  together,  and  enough  of  linseed 
oil  added.  It  is  then  applied  in  the  manner  of 
plaster,  the  body  that  is  to  be  covered  being  al- 
ways previously  wet  with  a  sponge.  This  pre- 
caution is  indispensable,  otherwise  the  oil  would 
filter  through  the  body,  and  prevent  the  mastic 
from  acquiring  the  desired  degree  of  hardness. 
When  it  is  extended  over  a  large  surface,  it  some- 
times happens  to  have  flaws  in  it,  which  must  be 
filled  up  with  a  fresh  quantity  of  the  cement.  In 
three  or  four  days  it  becomes  firm. — Scientific 
American. 


3C8 


NEAV  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


July 


For  Vie  Neiv  En f>  land  Farmer. 
"WOMAN  AND   THE   HOUSEHOLD. 

Mr.  Editor  : — I  see  by  quite  a  long  article 
from  the  pen  of  Dr.  Alcott,  that  he  seems  fearful 
I  do  not  fully  apprehend  him.  Were  this  the 
first  time  he  has  said  the  same,  I  should  be  dis- 
posed to  pass  it  again  in  silence ;  but  in  justice 
I  would  sa}%  his  expositions  are  so  lucid,  that  I 
consider  the  idea  of  misapprehension  entirely 
precluded,  if  his  articles  are  read  with  attention ; 
and  could  he  know  the  interest  with  which  I  ever 
regard  what  falls  from  his  pen,  and  how  much  of 
my  life  has  been  squared  by  his  rules  and  pre- 
cepts, he  might  think,  perchance,  he  is  the  one 
who  misapprehends.  He  may  call  this  compli- 
ment, or  whatever  he  chooses  ;  it  matters  not  far- 
ther than  justice  is  concerned  ;  and  yet  I  feel  I 
have  the  same  right  to  an  opinion  of  my  own, 
and  the  same  right  to  express  it  that  he  has, 
though  it  be  at  the  risk  of  disagreeing  with  him, 
or  "calling  him  out,"  even. 

I  know  not  which  of  your  correspondents  have 
reproached  or  ridiculed  him — for  myself,  I  would 
not  knowingly  stoop  to  either.  If  I  have  said 
aught  that  he  or  any  one  else  has  so  construed, 
they  have  greatly  erred.  If  this  does  not  give 
the  doctor  satisfaction,  I  should  be  very  glad  to 
have  him  address  me  personally.  I  will  meet 
him  half-way,  and  that  is  as  much  as  he  can  ask 
of  any  woman.  I  have  many  things  I  could  say 
to  him  that  would  not  perhaps  particularly  inter- 
est the  readers  of  the  Farmer,  and  I  would  be 
the  last  one  to  mar  the  beauty  of  its  fair  columns 
by  allusions  to  personal  differences  or  private 
feelings  farther  than  justice  demands. 

He  calls  upon  me  or  somebody  else  to  tell  him 
"by  what  right  we  spend  precious  time — God's 
precious  gift  to  man — in  changing  articles  from 
better  to  worse,"  &c.  Now  allowing  we  have  no 
right,  who  shall  tell  us  just  how  much  we  may 
spend  ?  how  much  of  each  day  shall  be  given  to 
the  culture  of  "mind  and  heart,"  and  how  much 
to  the  care  of  the  body  ?  Who  is  to  blame  for  the 
"misdirected  efforts"  of  woman,  and  who  shall 
teach  her  just  the  amount  of  labor  necessary  to 
bestow  upon  the  "brain,  stomach  and  skin,"  and 
how  much  upon  the  "lungs,  heart  and  muscles  ?" 
Who  will  take  the  lead  in  a  reformation  in  such  a 
manner  that  the  mass  shall  be  willing  to  follow  ? 
If  that  dark-visaged  personage  whom  the  good 
doctor  mentions,  sends  us  cooks  and  dressmakers, 
what  proof  can  the  doctor  give  us  that  he  has  not 
already  sent  us  "schoolmasters  and  lawyers,  doc- 
tors and  ministers"  as  much  ?  To  whom,  then, 
can  we  look  ?  who  shall  draw  the  dividing  line 
for  us  poor  women  ? 

In  regard  to  the  mere  physical  labor  of  wo- 
man, I  think  if  he  would  inform  himself,  he  would 
not  find  it  less  than  it  was  fifty  years  ago — it  has 
only  changed  its  form.  Instead  of  the  spinner, 
weaver  and  dyer,  we  have  the  palm-leaf  braider, 
the  chair-seater,  the  boot  and  shoe-stitcher  and 
binder — besides  the  thousands  who  congregate 
in  the  different  kinds  of  manufactories. 

Every  mother  ought  to  be  competent  to  over- 
see her  own  tailoring  and  dressmaking — but  if 
those  who  can  afford  the  expense,  shall  give  the 
labor  to  the  poor  seamstress,  that  she  too  may 
be  benefited — who  shall  dare  to  complain  ? 

If  the  doctor  knows  but  one  mother  in  all 


Massachusetts,  who  is  cook  and  dressmaker,  let 
him  fill  his  carpet-bag  with  choice  books  and  then 
step  into  the  cars  some  pleasant  morning  in  June 
— when  earth  is  robed  in  her  richest  green  and 
"every  warbkr's  throat's  in  tune,"  and  ride  till 
he  is  fairly  out  into  the  country.  Now  he  may 
take  a  walk  among  the  laboring  community — go 
into  their  homes — sit  by  their  hearthstones  and 
hold  converse  with  them ;  to  the  poor  he  may 
give  a  book  to  cheer  them  on  in  their  labors,  to 
the  rich  he  may  sell  one ;  he  may  come  to  our 
manufacturing  town  and  see  the  amount  of  labor 
performed  by  the  women  and  children,  or  he  may 
go  to  the  green  hills  of  western  Massachusetts, 
among  the  farmers  and  dairy-women,  and  observe 
the  amount  of  physical  labor  there  called  forth. 
If  this  does  not  satisfy  him  of  the  truth  of  my  as- 
sertions, let  me  point  him  to  where  the  tall  grass 
may  wave  and  the  church  shadows  fall  above  the 
resting-place  of  more  than  one  much  esteemed  or 
dearly  loved  friend,  who  has  laid  down  the  bur- 
den of  an  over-tasked  life  ere  its  meridian,  and 
left  her  children,  and  her  place  to  be  filled  by 
another. 

But  like  the  doctor,  I  have  said  more  than  I 
intended ;  and  if  he  thinks  me  a  bungler  with 
the  pen,  he  must  wield  it  in  future  himself,  and 
allow  me  to  make  the  bread. 

Mrs.  H.  Barlow. 

Gardner,  Mass.,  May,  1858. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
ROTATION  OF  CBOPS. 

The  word  rotation,  when  applied  to  agriculture, 
signifies  a  succession  of  different  crops  instead  of 
a  succession  of  the  same  crop.  It  is  known  that 
the  preparation  of  elementary  substances  tliat  en- 
ters into  the  composition  of  plants,  is  not  the 
same  in  all.  Probably  it  is  not  precisely  the  same 
in  any  two  plants.  The  soil  containing  the  sub- 
stances for  the  growth  of  plants,  imparts  them  as 
needed,  till  nothing  remains,  when  the  plants 
will  cease  to  grow.  Supposing  a  particular  in- 
gredient for  a  particular  plant  were  lime,  it  is  ev- 
ident that  when  the  lime  is  all  exhausted,  or 
drained  from  the  soil,  that  plant  can  no  longer 
be  produced  on  it.  So  also  of  other  plants,  and 
all  other  substances  which  compose  them. 

The  rotation  of  crops  grew  out  of  experience. 
The  farmers  observed  that  in  most  cases,  when 
the  same  plants  were  grown  for  two  or  three 
years,  consecutively,  upon  the  same  soil,  it  did 
not  yield  the  same  abundant  harvest,  but  when 
another  crop  was  tried  upon  that  soil,  the  prod- 
uct was  satisfactory.  Therefore,  observation  and 
experience  gradually  introduced  an  alternation  of 
crops.  There  may  not  be  an  entire  failure  the 
second,  third,  or  even  the  fourth  years  ;  but  each 
succeeding  year,  all  other  things  being  equal, 
there  will  be  a  diminished  crop.  But  other  things 
may  not  always  be  equal.  Drought,  or  cold  may 
destroy  or  greatly  injure  a  crop  of  Indian  corn 
one  year,  and  the  next  year,  there  being  no 
drought,  and  an  abundance  of  heat,  the  crop  of 
corn  may  be  far  better  than  the  preceding  year. 
The  soil,  too,  may  be  so  amply  furnished  with  a 
particular  substance  for  vegetable  growth  that 
several  crops  of  the  same  plant  may  be  raised  in 
succesGion,  before  material    diminution  will  be 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


309 


perceived ;  but  this  makes  no  exception  to  the 
principles  for  a  general  rotation.  Sooner  or  later 
this  substance  will  be  exhausted,  and  there  would 
then  be  a  complete  failure. 

A  single  crop  of  wheat  may  so  deprive  the  soil 
of  one  of  its  mineral  constituents,  that  another 
crop  of  wheat  would  not  grow  upon  it,  and  yet 
the  soil  may  still  contain  abundant  mineral  con- 
stituents for  the  production  of  a  good  crop  of 
clover  or  turnips.  There  is  no  fixed  period  for  a 
complete  rotation.  Four,  five  or  six  years,  is  the 
usual  time,  unless  it  be  for  lands  that  may  ad- 
vantageously remain  a  longer  period  in  grass. 
Rotation  may  be  prevented  by  keeping  up  an  an- 
nual supply  of  the  fertilizing  agents  of  the  soil 
equal  to  what  is  taken  away  by  the  plants. 

Farms  were  formerly  divided  into  meadow, 
plow  or  tillage  land,  and  pasture,  and  each  section 
was  permanently  used  for  these  specific  purpo- 
ses, till  the  meadows  were  covered  with  moss,  and 
the  tillage  ground  was  so  impoverished  as  to 
yield  inferior  crops.  The  Flemings  are  the  first 
known  to  have  made  rotation  a  fixed  part  of  their 
system  of  agriculture.  They  insisted  that  where 
it  was  practiced,  the  land  did  not  need  rest,  and 
it  was  this  system  which  gave  their  husbandry  a 
pre-eminence  over  that  of  every  other  country  at 
that  period.  In  Scotland,  it  has  been  pursued 
with  the  very  best  results.  It  was  also  introduced 
into  England,  and  has  become  general  there,  and 
it  is  now  constantly  gaining  advocates  in  this 
country.  I  should  be  pleased  to  hear  more  on 
this  subject.  J.  E.  WiGHT. 

Hatfield,  Mass. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
PEARS  ON  QUINCE   STOCKS. 

Mr.  Editor  : — I  have  read  with  interest  the 
various  suggestions  that  have  recently  appeared 
in  your  pages  on  this  topic.  It  would  seem,  ear- 
lier fruiting  can  be  attained  by  the  use  of  the 
quince  stock,  and  when  it  is  particularly  desira- 
ble to  test  the  variety,  this  process  may  be  worth 
following.  But  when  the  purpose  is  to  secure 
permanent  trees  of  superior  character,  I  have 
seen  nothing  that  commends  the  insertion  of 
pear  scions  upon  the  quince.  On  the  contrary, 
lam  apprehensive  that  those  who  have  purchased 
such  trees  from  nursery  puffs,  will  be  doomed  to 
have  their  hopes  disappointed. 

It  is  said  pear  scions  set  upon  apple  stocks, 
will  flourish  for  a  few  years  and  then  decay.  If 
this  be  fact,  it  is  a  good  reason  why  it  should  not 
be  done.  Without  question,  pear  scions  will 
grow  well  on  pear  stocks.  This  being  so,  those 
who  would  have  pears  in  greatest  perfection, 
should  be  careful  to  start  right  in  their  culture. 
In  this,  as  most  other  things,  "the  best  way  will 
be  found  as  good  as  any."  * 

May  8,  1858. 


Rejl\rks. — We  do  not  quite  agree  with  our 
intelligent  correspondent  in  regard  to  this  mat- 
ter. We  can  show  him  pear  trees  on  quince 
stocks  that  have  been  bearing  for  more  than  25 
years,  frequently  a  barrel  of  pears  each,  in  a  sea- 
son, and  that  promise  now  to  bear  well  for  25 
years  to  come.     They  are  set  only  8  or  10  feet 


apart,  and  have  proved  themselves  a  capital  in- 
vestment. Plant  pear  trees  on  pear  stocks  if  you 
please, — but  unless  already  enjoying  an  abund- 
ance of  pears,  do  not  hesitate  also  to  use  the 
quince  stock. 

For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
HOW  TO  OIL  A  HARNESS. 

We  all  know  that  it  is  of  great  benefit  to  oil 
our  harnesses,  yet  many  of  us  neglect  to  do  it, 
because  we  regard  it  as  a  dirty  job  ;  but  it  is  easy 
enough,  if  done  right.  My  process  for  doing  it 
is  as  follows  : — First,  I  take  the  harness  apart, 
having  each  strap  and  piece  by  itself;  then  I 
wash  it  in  warm  soap-suds.  I  used  to  soak  it  in 
cold  water  for  half  a  day,  as  others  did,  but  I 
find  that  warm  water  does  no  harm  and  much  fa- 
cilitates the  job.  When  cleaned,  I  black  every 
part  with  a  harmless  black  dye  which  I  make 
thus  : — One  ounce  of  extract  of  logwood,  twelve 
grains  bichromate  of  potash,  both  pounded  fine  ; 
upon  that  I  pour  two  quarts  boiling  rain-water, 
stirring  until  all  is  dissolved.  When  cool  it  may 
be  used.  I  keep  it  on  hand  all  the  time,  in  bot- 
tles. It  may  be  applied  with  a  shoe  brush,  or 
anything  else  convenient.  If  any  one  objects  to 
the  use  of  this  blacking,  fearing  that  the  bichro- 
mate of  potash  it  contains  would  injure  the  leath- 
er, I  would  just  say  that  this  kind  of  potash  will 
not  injure  leather,  even  when  used  in  a  much 
larger  proportion.  The  blacking  generally  used 
contains  copperas — a  sulphate  sometimes  made 
of  oil  of  vitrol  and  iron,  and  it  is  found  that  it 
will  eat  out  the  life  of  leather,  unless  used  with 
great  caution.  AVhen  the  dye  has  struck  in,  I 
go  through  with  the  oiling  process.  Some  have 
a  sheet-iron  pan  to  oil  in,  which  is  better  than 
anything ;  but  I  have  a  sheet  of  iron  nailed  to  a 
board  ;  it  is  about  two  by  three  feet  square.  This 
I  lay  upon  a  table  ;  I  lay  a  piece  or  part  of  the 
harness  upon  this,  and  with  neats-foot  oil  ap- 
plied with  a  paint  brush,  kept  for  the  purpose,  I 
go  over  it,  oiling  every  part ;  and  thus  I  proceed 
until  every  part  is  oiled.  The  traces,  breeching, 
and  such  parts  as  need  the  most,  I  oil  again.  For 
the  last  oiling  I  use  one-third  castor  oil  and  two- 
thirds  neats-foot  oil,  mixed.  A  few  hours  after, 
or  perhaps  the  next  day,  I  wipe  the  harness  over 
with  a  woolen  cloth,  which  gives  it  a  glossy  ap- 
pearance. AVhy  I  use  some  castor  oil  for  the 
last  coat,  is,  because  it  will  stand  the  effects  of 
the  atmosphere,  the  rain,  &c.,  much  longer  than 
neats-foot  oil,  consequently  the  harness  does  not 
require  oiling  so  often,  by  its  use.  One  pint  of 
oil  is  sufficient  for  one  harness. 

The  common  way  of  oiling  a  harness,  is  to  ap- 
ply as  much  neats-foot  oil  containing  lamp-black 
as  the  leather  will  take  up  ;  then  washing  off 
with  castile  soap  and  water.  This  way  is  not  so 
good  as  mine,  because  it  makes  the  harness  smut- 
ty, and  also  the  soap  that  is  used  contains  baril- 
la— a  strong  alkali,  which  cuts  up  and  feeds  upon 
the  oil  in  the  leather,  and  the  weather,  especially 
if  rainy,  soon  renders  the  harness  stiff  and  un- 
yielding as  before  ;  the  wax  in  the  threads  is  al- 
so destroyed,  and  the  stitching  gives  way.  I 
have  experimented  with  different  kinds  of  oil, 
and  find  that  the  kind,  and  the  process,  I  now 
use  is  the  best.  J.  Hart. 

Portsmouth,  jY.  K,  1858. 


310 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


July 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
FEEDING  SHEEP— REARING  LAMBS. 

Mr.  Editor  :  —  In  the  May  number  of  the 
monthly  Farmer  there  was  a  communication  from 
Solon  II.  Berry,  of  Vermont,  on  the  feeding  of 
sheep,  which  concludes  as  folloM's : 

"It  is  generally  understood  in  this  part  of  Ver- 
mont that  a  breeding  sheep  will  do  better  not  to 
be  in  very  high  flesh,  or  as  the  saying  is  'fat  as  a 
hog.'  As  this  is  an  important  question,  I  would 
like  to  hear  the  experience  of  some  of  our  Ver- 
monters  upon  it." 

Although  I  am  not  one  of  "our  Vermonters," 
still  I  feel  some  interest  in  the  subject,  and  will 
venture  to  give  my  opinion. 

That  sheep  will  do  better,  bring  more  healthy 
and  stronger  lambs  in  a  stinted,  half-starved  con- 
dition, or  even  with  decent  fare,  than  with  high 
feed,  is  conti-ary  to  my  experience,  and  it  seems 
to  me  to  be  reason  and  common  sense.  In  all 
my  experience  in  keeping  sheep  and  raising 
lambs,  extending  through  a  period  of  nearly 
twenty  years,  and  being  in  the  habit  of  feeding 
higher,  probably,  than  most  people,  generally  giv- 
ing them  corn  for  some  weeks  previous  to  lamb- 
ing, I  never  lost  a  lamb  when  I  was  led  to  think 
it  was  in  consequence  of  my  sheep  having  been  in 
too  high  flesh. 

I  am  willing  to  allow  that  my  sheep  under  the 
above  described  treatment,  were  not  generally 
"fat  as  a  hog,"  and  I  think  it  is  no  very  easy 
matter  while  they  raise  one  or  two  lambs  each 
year,  to  keep  them  so  ;  still,  I  have  endeavored 
to  come  up  as  near  to  that  point  as  the  nature  of 
the  case,  and  a  proper  respect  for  my  corn-bin, 
would  allow.  I  believe  that  sheep  kept  in  high 
flesh,  with  a  full  flow  of  milk,  are  much  less  like- 
ly to  disown  their  lambs. 

I  have,  at  the  present  time,  twenty  ewes  and 
thirty-one  lambs.  There  are  nine  pairs,  one 
triplet,  and  ten  single.  I  have  lost  none.  I  do 
not  say  that  I  have  ever  done  any  better  than 
this,  but  do  say  that  in  several  instances,  so  far 
as  loss  is  concerned,  I  have  made  out  as  well. 

I  apprehend  that  the  real  cause  of  the  poor 
success  of  many  in  raising  lambs,  lies,  not  so 
much  in  the  fact  of  their  sheep  having  been  kept  in 
good  condition  through  the  winter,  as  from  some 
cause  or  causes  a  little  further  back.  It  requires 
but  a  slight  acquaintance  with  the  subject  to  con- 
vince one  that  there  is  a  vast  deal  of  difl'erence  in 
breeds  of  sheep  ;  some  kinds  being  naturally  much 
more  inclined  to  bring  weak  and  sickly  lambs  than 
others.  Then,  again,  many  flocks  of  sheep  that 
formerly  did  well  and  brought  good  lambs  have 
probably  degenerated  in  consequence  of  sufficient 
attention  not  having  been  given  to  crossing,  a 
point  of  vital  importance  to  success  in  raising 
good  lambs. 

I  have  practiced  for  a  number  of  years  messing 
my  lambs.  I  have  a  small  enclosure  adjoining 
the  sheep  pen,  with  an  opening  large  enough  to  let 
them  through  and  keep  out  the  sheep.  They  will 
generally  begin  to  eat  by  the  time  they  are  two 
weeks  old.  For  the  past  five  or  six  weeks  my 
lambs  have  taken  from  twelve  to  sixteen  quarts 
of  meal  per  day.  I  am  not  very  particular  as  re- 
spects the  kind  of  meal,  though  I  rather  prefer 
equal  parts  of  corn  and  oil  meal.  I  have  twin 
lambs  at   the    present   time,  not   far   from   two 


months  old,  that  will  weigh  nearly  sixty  pounds. 
If  in  addition  to  the  meal  they  have  plenty  of 
good  hay  in  a  crib  by  themselves,  they  will  re- 
quire but  little  else.  They  will  not  be  continually 
worrying  the  sheep,  so  that  not  only  the  lambs, 
but  the  sheep,  will  be  in  much  better  condition 
on  turning  to  grass  than  they  otherwise  would.  I 
have  never  discovered  any  injurious  effect  from 
giving  my  lambs  so  much  meal,  although  I  al- 
ways let  them  eat  all  they  will.  s.  D.  c. 
Sunderland,  May  15th,  1858. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
A  SPRING  CAROL. 

BT   THE   "PEASANT   BARD." 

Now  Spring  calls  the  farmer  afield  to  his  toil, 

And  cares  fill  the  lengthening  day  ; 
But  hope  gives  him  cheer  from  the  fresh  crumbling  soil. 

And  the  sweet-scented  airs  round  him  play. 

Enchanting  the  songs  of  the  birds,  as  I  rove  I 

O'erhead, — near-at-hand, — far  away  ; 
The  hymuings  of  nature — the  warblings  of  loye, 

Poured  forth  on  the  brightness  of  day. 

There's  the  same  little  bird,  with  the  same  little  song 

I  heard  when  a  loitering  boy, 
By  the  runny  brook-side,  the  soft  catkins  among, 

And  sighed  for  his  holiday  joy. 

But  tcish  of  the  boy,  still  is  zcant  in  the  man  ; 

Life's  real,  though  misnamed  a  dream  ; 
Youth's  visions  give  place  soon  to  plotting  and  plan. 

And  carefulness  sobers  their  gleam. 

Ah  !  long  is  the  road  !  and  how  rugged  the  way, 

The  past  and  the  present  between  ! 
My  \'i3ion  would  pall  at  the  desert  survey. 

But  for  patches  of  "gold  and  of  green." 

When  the  sun  settles  low,  and  the  oxen  are  tired, 

And  slow  moves  the  ponderous  plow. 
Then  robin,  dear  warbler  !  by  pity  inspired, 

Carols  "cheer  up  !  cheer,  0  !"  from  the  bough. 

And  evening  an  ellin-like  music  awakes  ; 

From  the  marsh  comes  the  merriment  shrill ; 
The  softened  winds  creep  thro'  the  green  springing  braises, 
And  the  moon  rises  red  o'er  the  hill. 
Gill,  Mass. 

ANIMAL  TRACKS  OF  THE  CONNECTI- 
CUT VALLEY. 

Among  the  most  deeply  interesting  papers 
read  before  the  Scientific  Convention  at  Balti- 
more, was  one  by  Professor  Edward  Hitchcock, 
upon  the  tracks  of  animals  found  in  the  Connec- 
ticut Valley.  He  described  the  valley  as  classic 
ground  for  these  sandstone  tracks,  ten  times 
more  of  them  having  been  found  there  than  else- 
where the  globe  over.  As  to  the  age  of  the  rocks 
thus  marked,  he  had  recently  concluded  that  a 
portion  of  them,  at  least,  were  as  modern  as  the 
Lias  formation.  The  cabinet  of  Amherst  College 
contains  8000  individual  impressions  of  these 
tracks.  Professor  Hitchcock  said  that  most  of 
his  time  for  two  years  past  had  been  given  to 
grouping  the  individuals.  He  had  made  119 
species  and  00  genera  of  them.  He  made  31  bi- 
peds, 55  quadrupeds — 18  having  more  than  four 
feet,  12  without  feet,  and  three  of  uncertain  foot- 
ing. Upon  this  he  dwelt  the  more,  because  in  the 
Annual  of  Scientific  Discovery,  he  had  been  in- 
correctly reported   as  giving  up   his  theory  that 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMEK. 


311 


they  were  bird  tracks.  Among  the  quadrupeds 
he  had  concluded,  but  without  evidence  that  en- 
tirely satisfied  him,  that  five  M'ere  marsupials — 
the  youngest  of  the  mammalials.  Of  the  bipeds, 
14  were  of  the  thick-toed  birds,  like  the  ostrich, 
and  9  of  the  narrow-toed  tribe.  These  statements 
of  the  most  accomplished  judge  of  such  matters 
in  the  world,  and  a  man  of  great  caution,  give  us 
astonishing  glimpses  into  the  period  when  such 
a  variety  of  extinct  monsters  went  tramping  or 
writhing  up  and  down  the  valleys  of  New  Eng- 
land.— Boston  Journal. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
UNDERDRAINING. 

Mr.  Editor  ; — Taking  some  interest  in  under- 
draining,  theoretically,  I  have  read  three  articles 
in  your  late  numbers  on  this  subject — two  by  S. 
F.,  and  one  by  Mr.  Nourse — with  a  desire  to  get 
some  clearer  views  upon  an  agricultural  topic 
now  exciting  much  attention. 

I  understand  your  correspondent  S.  F.  to  com- 
bat the  idea  that  "oZZ  land  requires  to  be  drained." 
This  he  seems  to  do  with  a  quiet  smack  of  self- 
satisfaction,  though  the  notion  has  not  much  vi- 
tality, in  this  country  at  least,  and  according  to 
his  statements,  but  little  in  England.  He  may, 
however,  have  killed  this  feeble  extravagance, 
yet  at  the  waste  of  some  of  his  best  ammunition. 
Strike  lightly  on  the  weak  ! 

In  speaking  of  the  dampness  of  the  soil  of  Great 
Britain,  your  correspondent  observes,  "Eng- 
lish farms  may  perhaps  need  draining  ;  Ameri- 
can farms  need  irrigation."  This  may  be  true — 
but  certain  it  is  that  both  soils  need  just  mois- 
ture enough  for  the  proper  development  of  roots, 
and  no  more.  S.  F.  it  would  seem,  is  unacquaint- 
ed with  the  theory  of  underdraining,  or  else  some 
of  its  benefits  were  forgotten,  or  thrust  aside  as 
problematical,  when  he  penned  his  articles.  Un- 
derdraining, as  I  understand  it,  by  carrying  off' 
the  surplus  water,  equalizes  the  temperature  and 
humidity  of  the  soil  during  the  summer  months, 
while  it  deepens  and  improves  it  by  giving  it  a 
freer  circulation  of  air,  which  at  night  is  cooling, 
and  leaves  in  its  apertures  moisture  in  the  form 
of  d^w,  which  it  would  not  do  in  a  hard  or  baked 
state  of  the  soil.  Figuratively,  underdraining 
gives  greater  lungs,  and  consequently  more  vi- 
tality to  the  land  subjected  to  it.  Porous  soils, 
and  those  not  having  a  hard,  impervious  pan  ten 
or  twelve  inches  beneath  their  surface,  may  not 
need  underdraining,  as  the  air  passes  freely 
through  them,  and  moisture  maj^  be  drawn  up 
from  a  greater  depth  by  capillary  attraction. 

And  let  me  say  here  (though  I  may  refer  to  it 
again)  that  the  idea  of  the  salts  washing  out  and 
running  to  the  ocean,  need  excite  no  fears  for  a 
soil  so  retentive  of  moisture  as  to  need  under- 
draining. 

My  friend  S.  F.  may  have  seen  low  lands  with 
more  or  less  water  standing  on  their  surface  in 
June.  In  July  it  may  have  evaporated  (not 
sunk  ;)  and  in  August  the  soil  is  hard  and  cracky. 
In  surveying  such  a  piece,  after  wiping  off' the  per- 
spiration from  his  face  and  making  his  "bow," 
he  would  probably  exclaim — "Inscrutible  powers, 
what  a  dry  piece  of  land  is  this  !  Plague  on  our 
hot  summers  !    It's  'a  deficiency  of  moisture,  not 


an  excess,'  that  American  farmers  have  to  fear 
and  guard  against.  But  if  we  can't  get  showers, 
mulching  would  be  the  remedy,  if  not  expensive 
and  impracticable,  to  prevent  the  evaporation." 
A  friend  might  suggest  underdraining.  "That 
would  only  carry  off"  the  water  the  sooner! 
Draining  is  preposterous.  But  it  is  a  self-evident 
fact,  that  as  the  water  is  gone,  it  needs  irriga- 
tion." 

But  I  may  be  doing  S.  F.  injustice ;  for  he 
says  in  his  last  article,  that  in  the  United  States 
"draining  will  be  confined  to  swamps  and  low 
lands."  It  seems  by  this  that  he  would  drain 
swamps  and  low  lands.  He  cannot,  however, 
mean  those  which  lose  their  water  in  a  drought 
and  become  baked,  for  this  would  be  draining 
soils  already  parched  up,  and  which,  as  I  under- 
stand him,  need  "irrigation" — at  least  in  the  lat- 
ter part  of  the  summer.  I  suppose,  then,  he 
means  those  lands  only  which  present  water  to 
the  eye  the  year  round  !  I  venture  the  opinion, 
after  some  little  hesitation,  that  his  "good  com- 
pany," Prof.  Nash,  would  differ  with  him  here. 

And  here  I  would  notice  his  California  fact, 
which  asserts  that  the  "river  bottoms,"  so  called, 
are  only  cultivated  there,  which  soil  is  constantly 
moist,  "almost  to  its  very  surface."  The  soil 
there,"  it  is  stated,  "which  is  not  thus  kept  filled 
with  moisture,  bakes  and  cracks  in  the  drj'  sea- 
son, and  cannot  be  cultivated  at  all,  until  by 
some  means  the  land  shall  be  irrigated." 

Now  this  land,  which  he  would  irrigate,  (a  fre- 
quent and  expensive  job,)  in  my  opinion,  should 
be  underdraincd.  By  this  operation  the  water 
would  sink,  not  dnj  up,  and  the  land  would  be- 
come porous  and  well  ventilated,  and  would  pre- 
serve a  proper  and  almost  uniform  moisture  per- 
haps for  half  the  year  ;  and  being  thus  porous, 
would  not  be  so  liable  to  crack,  and  would  prob- 
ably be  rendered  very  valuable  for  the  purpose 
of  cultivation,  even  without  irrigation. 

But  S.  F.  would  demur  at  this,  especially  if  it 
were  underdrained  with  tile  ;  for  he  says,  "I  ob- 
ject to  tile  draining  that  it  is  exhaustive,"  for  it 
"hastens  the  decay  of  vegetable  matter  in  the 
soil,"  as  its  advocates  say,  which  he  thinks  would 
be  "far  more  encouraging  to  the  race  of  farm 
skimmers  than  to  those  who  wish  to  improve  the 
soil."  The  sooner  the  vegetable  matter  is  used 
up,  the  sooner  the  land  is  exhausted  !  There  is 
undoubtedly  vegetable,  no  less  than  mineral  mat- 
ter, deep  in  the  soil,  which  the  plow  will  not  turn 
up  ;  and  S.  F.  seems  to  think  that  it  should  re- 
main there  undisturbed  and  unpenetrated  by  the 
roots  of  plants  and  by  the  decomposing  and  life- 
giving  influence  of  the  air,  because,  forsooth,  the 
sooner  you  get  at  it  and  use  it  up,  the  sooner  the 
land,  will  become  exhausted  !  This  most  every  one 
would  regard  as  poor  economy.  Good  farmers 
spread  manure  on  their  soils  with  the  purpose  of 
raising  crops.  These  crops  imbibe  the  manure, 
and,  using  it  up,  tend  to  exhaust  the  land.  Would 
it  be  well  to  plant  nothing,  so  that  the  manure 
may  remain  in  the  soil  ? 

By  laying  drains  three  or  four  feet  deep,  we 
get  a  far  deeper  soil,  of  nearly  as  good  a  quality 
as  on  the  surface,  and  hence  a  greater  resource  ; 
for  water,  air,  manure  and  warmth  all  penetrate 
it.  And  when  the  roots  are  attracted  by  deep 
nourishment,  they  will  strike  deeper  for  it  and 
flourish  greatly  by  it.     "The   roots  of  our  corn 


312 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


July 


and  other  crops  will,  under  favorable  circumstan- 
ces," says  Prof.  Johnston,  "descend  to  a  depth 
of  four  or  five  feet."  What  practical  farmer  does 
not  know,  that  the  best  way  to  avoid  the  effects 
of  drought,  is  to  deepen  the  soil  ?  Annually 
many  of  the  deeply  penetrating  roots  would  be 
left  in  the  soil,  for  they  are  larger,  and  more  of 
them,  and  would  serve  as  pabulum  (supplying  the 
carbonic  acid)  for  new  crops — having  all  the  ele- 
ments of  their  decomposition  brought  down  to 
them.  Such,  at  least  is  the  opinion  of  one,  that 
tile  draining  "is  exhaustive."  But  if  tile  draining 
is  exhaustive,  is  not  stone  or  other  kinds  of  drain- 
ing? And  would  not  underdraining,  by  any 
means,  be  exhaustive  to  "swamps  and  low  lands," 
to  the  draining  of  which  S.  F.  seems  to  interpose 
no  positive  objection  ? 

As  to  the  salts  of  the  manure  or  soil  being 
washed  away  (alluding  to  this  point  once  more, 
as  it  stands  out  prominently  in  the  communica- 
tion under  notice,)  lands  that  are  not  all  gravel 
have  an  affinity  for  lime,  soda,  ammonia,  &c.,  in 
their  common  manurial  forms,  and  probably  ab- 
sorb them  as  they  are  retentive  in  clay  or  vegeta- 
ble humus ;  so  that  little  of  them  could  be 
washed  out  until  the  soil  was  sufficiently  supplied 
with  them,  and  then  if  a  little  escaped  to  "the 
ocean,"  it  might  well  be  spared.  Urine  is  said  to 
be  tasteless  when  leached  through  a  body  of  soil, 
having  left  its  salts  in  the  earth. 

"What  we  lack  is  bottom  to  our  farms,"  said 
the  Connecticut  farmer.  Undoubtedly,  where  the 
subsoil  is  a  loose  sand,  under  a  few  inches  of  sur- 
face mould,  it  is  too  porous  and  of  an  improper 
nature  to  retain  the  manurial  agents.  Neither 
underdraining,  nor  perhaps  any  thing  else  would 
improve  such  soil.  But  while  some  lands  have 
no  bottom,  others  have  a  hard  one  too  near  the 
surface,  and  still  others  are  all  bottom.  Under- 
draining  would  undoubtedly  be  of  benefit  to  the 
two  last.  The  desideratum  is  to  get  the  bottom 
in  the  right  place. 

Your  industrious  correspondent  writes  with 
commendable  feeling,  though  he  seems  to  enter- 
tain a  spite  against  the  English  notion  of  under- 
draining,  the  absurdity  of  which  seems  to  him  as 
"plain  as  way  to  parish  church."  Some  of  his 
points,  however,  prove  too  much  for  the  harmo- 
ny of  the  others — besides  elaborately  combatting 
(as  before  observed)  the  idea  of  universal  drain- 
age, the  benefit  or  economy  of  which  very  few 
admit.  D.  w.  L. 

W.  Medford,  April  18,  1858. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 

TOUJVG  MEN  AND  "WOMEN  ON  THE 
FAHM. 

Mr.  Editor  : — Why  is  it  that  so  many  of  our 
young  men  and  women  are  inclined  to  dislike  an 
agricultural  life  ?  Is  it  because  the  work  is  too 
hard,  or  because  there  is  no  pleasure  in  it,  or  is 
it  because  they  think  it  degrading  ?  or  because 
the  occupation  is  unhealthy?  These  questions 
properly  answered,  would  be  of  public  conse- 
quence. 

1.  They  are  not  brought  up  to  take  an  interest 
in  that  branch  of  industry.  2.  They  think  they 
can  live  easier  in  some  other  occupation. 

I  do  not  say  that  all  ought  to  remain  upon  the 


farm,  but  I  think  that  if  they  are  rightly  encour 
aged,  there  will  be  more  thus  inclined.  Let 
cldldren  obtain  a  good  education,  for  we  want 
what  are  called  educated  farmers,  and  the  more 
the  better ;  it  is  not  the  farmer  only,  but  educa- 
ted/arme?-*'  wives  that  are  wanted,  so  that  they 
can  have  an  even  yoke  together.  I  am  sorry  to 
say,  that,  in  my  opinion,  there  is  not  more  than 
one  in  twenty  of  the  young  women  properly  ed- 
ucated for  a  farmer's  wife.  Let  us  hope  that 
these  things  will  receive  more  attention  and  be 
corrected  in  the  future.  J.  E.  WHITMAN. 

South  Londonderry,  Vt.,  1858. 


LYON'S  PATENT  COPPER  LIGHTNING 
CONDUCTOK. 

Lightning  rods  constructed  upon  proper  prin- 
ciples and  properly  applied,  are  undoubtedly  an 
important  protection  to  our  buildings,  but  if  they 
do  not  possess  these 
qualifications  they  are 
absolutely  worse  than 
no  rods,  as  they  invite 
the  fluid  to  themselves 
without  possessing  the 
power  to  convey  it 
harmlessly  away. 

With  regard  to  this 
particular  rod,  we  pre- 
fer to  give  the  opinion 
of  Chester  Dewey, 
Professor  of  Chemistry 
and  the  Natural  Scien- 
ces in  the  University  of 
Rochester,  N.  Y.,  to 
giving  one  of  our  pwn. 

"The  use  of  copper  is 
proposed  for  two  impor- 
tant reasons :  First,  its 
high  conducting  power 
of  electricity,  and  sec- 
ond, its  less  exposure  to 
oxydation  in  the  atmosphere.  It  is  agreed  by  phi- 
losophers that  the  conduction  of  copper  is  from  six 
to  eight  times  that  of  iron,  and  that  in  either 
metal  the  conduction  is  dependent  upon  the  sur- 
face, and  not  upon  the  solid  contents  of  the  met- 
al, or  that  the  greatest  surface  conveys  the  elec- 
tricity with  more  facility.  Hence,  while  the  flat- 
tening of  the  rod  increases  the  surface,  with  less 
weight,  the  conduction  is  augmented.  As  cop- 
per is  a  better  conductor  of  heat  than  iron,  the 
larger  surface  of  moderate  thickness  is  the  pro- 
tection against  the  fusion  of  the  rod  by  any  dis- 
charge of  lightning.  The  rusting  of  iron  dimin- 
ishes its  conducting  power,  but  copper  is  far  less 
liable  to  rust. 

The  fixings  of  Lyon's  Rod  comport  with  the 
best  arrangements  of  other  rods.  The  part  which 
projects  above  the  building  is  made  adequately 
strong,  and  the  terminating  points  are  to  be  fully 
silvered  or  gilded.  The  passage  of  the  rod  into 
the  earth  should  be  to  a  p»int  of  permanent  mois- 
ture. Every  man  who  seeks  this  protection 
should  look  to  this  point  and  be  satisfied  fo.  him- 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


313 


self,  as  dry  earth  is  an  insulator,  and  may  pre- 
vent the  protection.  An  iron  rod  may  form  an 
adequate  protection  ;  a  copper  rod  must  be  a  safer 
instrument,  and  as  it  will  not  rust,  it  may,  on  the 
whole,  prove  the  more  economical  of  the  two. 
The  amount  of  protection  and  security  is  the  great 
object." 

For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
"EBKORS  ABOUT  THE  HONEY  BEE." 

Mr.  Editor  : — Such  is  the  title  of  a  short  ar- 
ticle in  a  late  number  of  the  N.  E.  Farmer.  The 
statements  therein  made  are  partly  true,  and 
partly  false.  First,  it  is  true,  that  the  wax  of 
which  the  comb  is  made  is  a  secretion  from  the 
honey  bee,  and  is  only  worked  when  there  is  suf- 
ficient warmth  in  the  hive  as  to  make  it  quite 
soft,  or  plastic.  This  is  one  great  reason  why 
comb  is  made  much  faster  during  the  night  than 
in  the  day  time.  In  the  former  case,  the  bees  be- 
ing all  in  the  hive,  their  apartment  is  warmer, 
from  the  animal  heat,  than  in  the  day  time,  when 
many  of  the  bees  are  off  in  the  fields,  gathering 
honey,  &c.  A  stock  very  much  reduced  in  num- 
ber, can  build  no  combs,  even  when  honey  is 
plenty  in  the  flowers,  simply  because  there  are 
not  bees  enough  to  produce  sufficient  heat  to 
make  the  wax  in  working  order.  It  is  true  also, 
that  when  bees  gather  pollen,  or  bee  bread,  they 
make  a  business  of  it,  as  much  so  as  they  do  in 
gathering  honey,  and  the  two  are  seldom  or 
never  done  by  the  same  bee  at  the  same  time. 
The  honey  bee  does  one  thing  at  a  time,  and 
thoroughly  does  it. 

Again,  it  is  not  true,  that  the  honey  bee  can 
manufacture  honey,  or  that  he  has  any  contri- 
vance, or  apparatus  for  this  purpose.  If  this  was 
the  case,  bee-culture  might  be  made  a  very  prof- 
itable business.  This  question  can  be  easily  set- 
tled by  any  one  who  has  bees.  I  have  tried  the 
experiment  time  and  again,  and  always  with  the 
same  results,  for  the  bee  is  true  to  its  instinct, 
and  that  instinct  cannot  be  much,  if  any,  improv- 
ed, or  changed  by  art.  She  has  no  laboratory  for 
making  honey.  She  has  a  wonderful  instinct  for 
gatliering  honey,  or  sweets  of  any  kind,  and 
wherever  she  finds  these  sweets,  she  fills  her 
honey  sack,  carries  it  to  her  house,  and  then  de- 
posits it,  just  as  gathered.  If  it  be  honey  when 
taken  into  her  sack,  it  will  be  honey  when  ejected 
from  it ;  if  it  be  molasses,  or  sugar,  or  these  com 
bined  with  any  other  ingredients,  it  will  be  the 
same  when  deposited  in  the  comb,  nothing  more 
or  less  ;  if  there  was  no  true  honey  in  the  mix- 
ture, there  will  be  none,  after  passing  through 
the  honey  sack  of  the  bee.  Of  this  fact  any  one 
who  keeps  bees  may  satisfy  himself,  without 
much  trouble.  The  mixture,  molasses,  sugar,  or 
whatever  it  may  be,  may  have  the  peculiar  smell 
of  the  bee,  but  it  is  not  honey ;  there  has  been 
no  change,  its  chemical  character  is  the  same  as 
it  was  before  being  taken  up  by  the  bee.  I  shall 
have  more  to  say  on  this  subject  at  a  future  time. 
In  regard  to  gender,  I  have  used  the  feminine, 
though  the  working  bee  is  a  neuter,  and  very 
properly  so  called,  as  the  microscope  reveals  no 
organs  by  which  to  designate  its  sex.  The  dif- 
ferent classes  of  bees,  which  make  up  the  family, 
will  constitute  a  future  article.  NORFOLK. 

Eing  Oak  mil,  1858. 


EXTRACTS   AND  BEPLIEB. 

A  BOOK  ON  AGRICULTURE  FOR  COMMOX  SCHOOLS. 

Do  you  know  of  any  book  on  the  subject  of 

agriculture  suitable  to  be  introduced  into  com- 
mon schools  ?  W. 

Newport,  N.  H.,  1858. 

Remarks. — Yes  sir.  The  Massachusetts  Board 
of  Education,  as  long  ago  as  the  year  1839,  took  a 
noble  step  in  introducing  some  work  on  the  sub- 
ject of  agriculture  into  the  common  schools  of  this 
State.  That  Board  contracted  with  the  late  Hon- 
orable Judge  BuEL,  of  Albany,  to  fui-nish  a  suit- 
able work,  and  he  compiled,  principally  from  his 
own  writings  which  had  been  previously  published 
in  the  Cultivator,  a  work  which  we  have  always 
referred  to  with  entire  confidence.  It  was  intro- 
duced into  our  common  schools,  but  with  what 
influence  we  are  not  able  to  say.  It  ought  to 
be  there  again — in  every  school  of  every  district 
in  the  Commonwealth,  and,  in  our  judgment, 
would  lead  to  incalculable  benefits  to  those  suc- 
cessively entering  upon  the  theatre  of  life.  It  is 
entitled,  "The  Farmer's  Companion;  or  Essaijs 
on  the  Principles  and  Practice  of  American  Hus- 
bandry T  It  is  written  in  a  plain,  cbmmon-sense 
style,  and  now  that  we  have  been  occasionally 
referring  to  it  for  more  than  ten  years,  feel  free 
to  say  that  we  have  not  yet  found  a  paragraph  in 
it  which  would  lead  a  novice  in  farming  into  er- 
ror. The  book  is  now  published  by  the  Harpers, 
and  is  for  sale  for  about  fifty  cents  a  copy  by 
John  Raynolds,  at  Concord,  this  State,  or  at  this 
office.  

practical  FARMERS   AS   WRITERS. 

I  often  observe  articles  in  your  paper  which 
speak  in  strong  terms  in  favor  of  agriculture,  and 
I  am  much  rejoiced  to  see  them.  But  never,  or 
rarely  ever,  do  the  writers  say  anything  as  to 
themselves  being  farmers.  Now  some  men  are 
not  apt  to  pay  much  attention  to  theoretical 
farming ;  they  do  not  like  to  hear  anything  on 
the  subject  from  any  one  who  is  not  a  practical 
farmer.  To  such  I  would  say,  turn  to  a  recent 
article  headed  "Hard  Times,"  and  read  it ;  I  say 
Amen  to  it,  and  to  all  others  of  a  like  character. 
I  hold  the  occupation  of  cultivating  the  soil  to 
be  as  honorable  as  any  other  occupation  in  the 
world,  to  say  nothing  of  the  profit  and  true  happi- 
ness there  are  combined  in  it.  o.  A.  c. 

Easthamjiton,  April  26,  1858. 

hall's   HAND    rOWER   STUMP    PULLER. 

If  "A  Subscriber"  at  Pittsford,  Vt.,  had  sent 
his  name  with  his  communication — as  all  corres- 
pondents ought  to  do — we  could  have  communi- 
cated wuth  him.  As  it  is,  we  have  sent  one  of 
Mr.  Hall's  Circulars  describing  his  Stump  Ma- 
chine, to  "A  Subscriber,"  Pittsford,  Vt.,  where 
he  will  probably  find  it  at  the  post-office.  Nourse 
&  Co.,  13  Commercial  Street,  Boston,  are  the 
Agents  for  New  England. 


314 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


July 


MASSACHUSETTS   DAIRY   COWS. 

Seeing  the  communication  of  "Essex,"  in  last 
Saturday's  Farmer,  I  thought  that  I  would  state 
a  fact  or  two,  in  confirmation  of  his  opinion  ;  i.  e. 
that  Massachusetts  dairies  produce  more  butter 
to  a  quart  of  milk,  than  do  the  dairies  of  England 
and  New  York,  according  to  Messrs.  Horsfall 
and  Holbert.  Mr.  L.  P.  Dempsey,  of  this  place, 
has  a  cc  w  that  gives  fourteen  quarts  of  milk  per 
day,  and  seven  quarts  of  it  make  a  pound  of  but- 
ter. Her  feed  is  English  hay,  three  quarts  of 
shorts  and  three  pints  of  meal  a  day.  In  the 
next  barn  is  a  cow,  owned  by  Mr.  Isaac  Demp- 
sey, which  gives  sixteen  quarts  of  milk  per  day ; 
seven  quarts  of  it  make  one  pound  and  one  ounce 
of  butter.  Her  feed  is  English  hay,  three  pints 
of  meal  with  no  shorts.  Neither  of  these  cows 
was  bought  for  anything  extra,  but  if  any  one 
thinks  they  can  beat  them,  let  them  try. 

Danvers  Centre,  May,  1858.  H.  o.  "W. 

chemical  analyses  of  corn-cobs. 

Have  you  the  analysis  of  the  corn-cob,  made 
by  Dr.  Jackson  ?  If  so,  please  give  it  to  us,  as 
an  aid  to  judge  of  the  profit  or  loss  to  be  made 
in  grinding  and  using  the  cob  for  feed. 

Groton,  1858.  Corn  Cob. 

Remarks. — Below  we  give  an  analysis  by  Dr. 
Charles  T.  Jackson,  of  this  city,  of  two  sam- 
ples of  Indian  corn — one  grown  in  Rhode  Island 
and  the  other  in  Massachusetts.  The  Doctor 
says  : — 

The  following  analyses  were  undertaken  with 
the  view  of  ascertaining  how  much  nutritive  mat- 
ter is  contained  in  the  cobs  of  Indian  corn,  and 
also  how  much  of  each  mineral  salt  they  had  ex- 
tracted from  the  soil  upon  which  they  grew. 
Never  was  a  more  important  subject  laid  before 
me  than  the  investigation  of  the  chemical  nature 
of  the  Indian  corn  plant,  since  it  concerns  the 
chief  agricultural  industry  of  our  people.  Were 
as  much  time  and  expense  devoted  to  the  analy- 
ses of  our  staple  crops,  and  the  soil  in  which  they 
are  cultivated,  as  there  is  annually  expended  on 
metals  and  ores,  how  soon  would  the  farmer  reap 
the  advantage  of  a  truly  scientific  and  profitable 
agriculture.  The  age  demands  progress  in  this 
science,  and,  I  trust  that,  ere  long,  complete  in- 
vestigations will  be  made  in  the  other  parts  of 
this  valuable  plant,  as  well  as  in  several  others 
among  our  economical  products. 

Analysis  of  the  Corn-cob  from  the  Farm  of 
Thomas  Andrews,  in  Smithjield,  Rhode  Island. — 
This  corn  was  produced  by  admixture  of  the  two 
varieties,  "Canada"  and  "Red-cap."  It  was  re 
markably  prolific,  with  a  very  small  cob,  weigh- 
ing only  124  grains. 

The  matter  soluble  in  ether,  alcohol  and  water 
■was  found  to  be  in  the  following  proportions  :  In 
100  grains  of  the  ground  cob,  the  whole  amount 
dissolved  was,  3.145  grains, or  about  3 J  percent, 
of  the  cob. 

Grains,  or  per  cent,  of  cob. 

A  sicatiye  yellow  fixed  oil 0.323 

Sugar 0.242 

Ue.xtrine  (gam)  and  Bome  albumen  and  extractive. . .  .2.557 

3.122 
Loss 0.023 


The  saccharine  matter  did  not  crystallize,  and 
probably  is  identical  with  grape  sugar  or  glucose. 

Analysis  of  the  Ashes  ofihe  "Tiiscarora"  Corn- 
cob.— This  corn  was  grown  at  Long  Meadow,  on 
the  Connecticut  river,  in  Massachusetts.  It  is  a 
large-grained  corn,  very  rich  in  starch.  The  cob 
weighed  630  grains.  When  burned  it  gave  12.2 
grains  of  ashes,  which  yielded,  on  analysis,  near- 
ly 2  per  cent,  of  the  cob. 

Grains,  or  per  cent,  of  cob. 

Potash 6.6430 

Soila 0.1 970 

Silica 0.0714 

Phosphate  of  lime  and  magnesia,  and  oxid  of  iron.... 0.0800 

Phosphoric  acid 0  0800 

Chlorine 0.0630 

Unburned  carbon 0.1430 

Oxid  of  iron,  carbonic  acid,  and  loss 0.6590 


1,9364 


POULTRY. 

I  wish  you  would  inform  me  whicii  is  the  larg- 
est breed  of  poultry,  and  where  I  can  procure  the 
eggs,  as  I  wish  to  breed  for  the  market. 

Neioburyport,  May,  1858.  w.  \v. 

Remarks. — Shanghaes,  Cochin  Chinas,  Chit- 
tagongs,  and  other  large  fowls,  are  scattered  all 
over  New  England ;  it  is  probable  that  all  these 
are  in  your  town.  But  the  largest  fowls  are  not 
always  the  best  for  market.  A  mixture  of  Shang- 
hae  with  our  common  poultry  is  better  than  the 
pure  of  either.  The  White  Dorkings  are  common, 
and  all  things  considered,  perhaps  the  best  breed 
of  poultry  we  have.  The  cocks  are  handsome 
and  bold,  the  hens  good  layers  and  good  moth- 
ers. They  are  plump,  have  rather  short  and  yel- 
low legs,  and  the  flesh  is  juicy  and  sweet.  When 
nicely  di-essed  they  are  always  attractive. 

EGYPTIAN  AND   HUNGARIAN   MILLET. 

Is  the  Egyptian  and  Hungarian  Millet  seed  for 
sale  at  the  seed  stores  in  Boston  ?  What  is  the 
price,  and  which  is  the  best  kind?  w. 

Newport,  N.  H.,  1858. 

Remarks.  —  The  Egyptian  millet  would  be 
about  as  profitable  to  raise  for  stock  as  rail 
fences  would ;  it  does  not  ripen  well  here,  and  is 
altogether  unsuited  to  our  New  England  pur- 
poses. The  Hungarian  millet  seed  may  be  jiur- 
chased  at  Nourse  &  Co.'s,  13  Commercial  Street. 
But  why  not  sow  the  common  millet,  Panicum 
miliaceum,  about  which  there  is  no  question, 
which  grows  rapidly,  ripens  its  seed,  and  is  an 
excellent  plant  for  soiling  stock,  or  gives  you 
capital  seed  for  young  poultry  ? 

PACKARD'S   WHITE   STRAWBERRY. 

In  consequence  of  an  article  in  your  paper  of 
May  1st,  I  was  induced  to  obtain  some  of  the 
above  plants,  which  will  undoubtedly  prove  to  be 
nothing  more  or  less  than  the  old  white  wood 
strawberry,  a  discarded  variety.  I  give  this  time- 
ly hint  that  others  may  not  meet  with  the  same 
disappointment.  E.  w. 

Ledham,  May  29. 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


315 


PLASTER  FOR    POTATOES — TIME   TO     SET   YOUNG 
APPLE   TREES   AND   TO   PRUNE   OLD   ONES. 

I  wish  to  inquire  on  what  land  it  is  best  to  ap- 
ply plaster,  wet  or  dry  ? 

Also,  what  is  the  best  time  for  setting  young 
apple  trees,  and  for  trimming  old  trees  ?  Is  it 
best  to  put  manure  under  young  trees,  or  to  set 
them  without  any  ? 

A  Subscriber  in  Vermont. 

Remarks. — Use  the  plaster  on  your  dry  land. 
Set  young  apple  trees  in  the  spring  any  time  be- 
fore the  leaves  start — but  if  more  convenient  set 
them  in  the  autumn,  after  the  leaves  have  fallen. 
Old,  well  rotted  compost  will  be  useful  about  the 
roots,  but  if  the  manure  is  all  fresh  put  it  away 
from  the  roots  about  the  sides  of  the  hole  which 
has  been  dug  to  receive  the  trees.  Apply  fresh 
manure  in  the  autumn,  and  dig  it  under  two  or 
three  inches  below  the  surface. 

1^^  Never  prune  an  apple  tree  in  the  months  of 
March,  April  or  May.  All  the  borers  in  the 
world  do  not  commit  half  the  havoc  in  our  orch- 
ards, that  the  pruning-knife  and  saw  do,  applied 
at  the  wrong  season  of  the  year.  In  the  spring 
the  sap  is  abundant,  thin  and  active,  and  where 
limbs  are  taken  off  it  passes  through  the  pores 
of  the  wood  to  the  surface,  and  coming  in  con- 
tact with  the  atmosphere,  becomes  bitter  and  ac- 
rid, runs  down  the  bark  and  poisons  it,  so  that  it 
is  often  killed  quite  into  the  wood.  This  is  what 
causes  most  of  the  black  lines  so  frequently  seen 
on  apple  trees,  and  which,  in  thousands  of  cases, 
ends  in  the  death  of  the  tree. 

Old  men  persist  in  pruning  in  the  spring,  be- 
cause they  think  it  the  most  convenient  time, 
and  because  their  fathers  did.  Young  men  may 
entertain  no  fears  that  there  will  be  too  much 
orcharding,  so  long  as  old  men  continue  the  hab- 
it of  mutilating  and  poisoning  their  trees. 

CANKER   "WORMS. 

In  reading  your  last  Farmer,  I  was  informed 
that  the  canker  worm  had  hatched  ;  let  me  advise 
that  as  soon  as  they  are  large  enough  to  string 
down  by  their  webs,  and  before  the  trees  are 
much  damaged,  tar  the  trees,  then  with  a  pole  or 
otherwise,  give  the  limbs  a  sudden  jar,  and  the 
worms  will  string  down  by  their  webs  ;  then  with 
a  pole  strike  them  down  to  the  ground,  and  in  a 
little  while  you  will  find  them  stuck  in  the  tar  as 
they  attempt  to  ascend  the  tree.  Take  a  warm 
day  to  dislodge  them,  beginning  about  10  o'clock, 
A.  M.  Employ  all  hands  while  the  work  is  going 
on,  and  not  leave  until  every  worm  is  on  the 
ground,  and  the  trees  are  safe. 

Bockville,  May  22,  1858.        P.  W.  Miller. 

VERMONT   AHEAD. 

Mr.  Isaac  Ali  en,  of  Salisbury,  Addison  Co., 
Vt.,  fattened  a  pii^,  which  was  killed  April  15th, 
at  360  days  old,  and  when  dressed  weighed_/;i'e 
hundred  and  ninety -four  pounds. 

E.  H.  Weeks. 


EGGS  OF  THE  GUELDERLAND  FOWLS. 

Can  you,  or  any  of  your  subscribers,  inform  me 
where  I  can  obtain  eggs  of  the  pure  Guelderland, 
or  Devereux  fowls  ?  G. 

Marblehead,  Mass.,  May  3,  1858. 

SALT  FOR  MANGOLD   WURTZELS. 

I  would  like  to  know  the  meaning  of  "Don't 
forget  the  salt,"  in  Mr.  Lowes'  letter  to  Mr. 
French,  with  regard  to  mangolds.  I  am  planting 
some  this  spring,  and  others  are  turning  their 
attention  to  the  mangold  wurtzel  in  this  vicinity. 

Norwich,  Vt.,  May,  1858.        W.  D.  Baxter. 

Real\rks. — Salt,  in  England,  is  considered  one 
of  the  best  dressings  for  this  crop — Mr.  Lowe  is 
of  opinion  that  it  will  invariably  greatly  increase 
it  

For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
UNDEKDRAINING. 

Much  has  been  said  and  written  upon  the  sub- 
ject of  land  drainage,  and  with  some  effect;  but 
if  we  are  to  judge  from  the  thousands  of  acres 
that  now  lie  waste  in  every  State  in  the  Union,  it 
would  seem  that  there  is  yet  room  for  much  to 
be  done. 

Probably,  every  owner  of  a  large  farm  has  many 
acres  of  land  now  entirely  useless,  on  which  noth- 
ing is  grown  but  coarse  grass  or  other  semi- 
aquatic  plants,  which  might,  with  a  little  judi- 
cious expenditure,  be  brought  into  a  state  fit  for 
growing  any  useful  product  of  the  soil — and,  in- 
deed, be  the  best  land  for  farming  or  gardening 
purposes. 

Land  drainage  is  becoming  a  science,  and  will 
yet  be  practiced  very  extensively  in  the  United 
States ;  not  only  will  the  land,  now  flooded  with 
water,  be  reclaimed,  but  much  of  the  upland, 
which  now  bears  moderate  crops  but  has  a  tena- 
cious subsoil  holding  stagnant  water  within  a  few 
inches  of  the  surface,  will  be  made  earlier,  light- 
er and  warmer  by  thorough  drainage  ;  and  the 
farmer  will  find  it  a  profitable  investment,  pay- 
ing a  much  greater  per  cent,  for  the  money  in- 
vested, than  bank  stock,  railroad  stock  or  rented 
houses. 

Much  of  our  swamp  land  lies  very  level,  and 
many  owners  consider  their  pai'ticular  pieces  un- 
drainable,  "because  there  is  no  fall," — they  may 
even  have  dug  a  few  ditches  hither  and  thither 
over  the  piece,  but  to  no  purpose,  for  want  of  a 
good  outlet,  the  one  made  being,  perhaps,  on  the 
highest  part  of  the  land.  Unless  an  instrument 
has  been  put  upon  the  land  and  the  inclination 
carefully  determined,  the  owner's  impression  can- 
not be  depended  upon,  and  in  such  a  case  is  usu- 
ally erroneous.  It  may  be  impossible  for  the  un- 
aided eye  to  detect  the  slightest  descent  in  any 
direction,  and  yet  the  land  have  a  sufficient  in- 
clination for  thorough  drainage.  A  few  minutes' 
work  with  a  spirit  level  would  settle  this  ques- 
tion, and  leave  the  farmer  with  some  practical 
knowledge  of  the  inclination  of  his  land  and  the 
proper  course  for  his  drains. 

There  is  no  danger  that  too  much  water  will 
be  taken  from  the  land,  for  all  soils  which  are  so 
tenacious  as  to  need  draining  at  all,  will  hold  in 
suspension  as  much  water  as  can  be  used  by  the 


116 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


July 


crops,  and  when  the  surphis  water  is  carried  off, 
the  drains  will  stop  discharging.  The  fact  that 
most  drains  discharge  throughout  the  year  is  an 
evidence  of  their  value. 

Stagnant  water  having  no  other  means  of  es- 
cape from  the  soil,  will  be  partially  carried  off  by 
evaporation  ;  this  process  causes  the  land  to  be 
very  cold,  sometimes  making  a  difference  of  from 
10  tc  15  degrees.  If  a  certain  amount  of  water 
is  evaporated,  a  certain  amount  of  heat  must,  of 
course,  be  used  up  in  evaporating  it.  It  is  found, 
I  believe,  that  10  degrees  of  heat  are  required  to 
evaporate  1  pound  of  water  from  100  pounds  of 
soil,  and  that  heat  might,  but  for  the  water,  have 
been  used  in  raising  the  temperature  of  the  soil. 
Water  also  prevents  the  summer  rain,  which  has 
passed  through  the  heated  atmosphere  and  the 
heated  surface  of  the  earth,  from  passing  down 
deep  into  the  soil,  carrying  the  warmth  it  has 
gained  above  to  the  roots  of  the  plants,  which 
would  be  much  benefited  by  it ;  it  also  prevents 
air  from  coming  to  the  roots  by  stopping  ujj  the 
pores. 

Warm  land  is  early  land,  and  it  is  often  that  a 
piece  which  has  been  drained  can  be  planted  a 
month  earlier  than  the  same  piece  before  drain- 
ing. 

Some  crops  may  be  grown  to  moderate  advan- 
tage on  cold  lands,  but  there  are  others  which 
cannot  be  grown  on  such  land  with  any  profit ; 
if,  therefore,  we  wish  to  increase  the  variety  of 
produce,  we  must  drain  the  land.  If  land  is  sat- 
urated up  to  within  a  few  inches  of  the  surface, 
then  much  of  the  water  that  falls  upon  it  during 
a  heavy  shower,  finding  no  chance  of  passing 
down  through  the  soil,  will  run  off  upon  the  sur 
face,  carrying  many  valuable  properties,  and  from 
year  to  year  impoverishing  the  land.  Drainage 
should  be  so  thoroughly  done  as  to  allow  no 
surface-washing  unless  the  land  stands  very  steep 
or  the  rainfall  is  very  heavy. 

Boston,  May,  1858.        J.  Herbert  Shedd, 


THE!  FAKMEB'S  MOTTO. 

Gen.  Bierce  closes  an  Agricultural  Address, 
at  Twinsburgh,  Ohio,  Sept.  I7th,  1857,  as  fol- 
lows : — "Let  the  farmer's  motto  be,  then,  'good 
farms,  good  stock,  good  seed,  and  good  cultiva 
tion.'  Make  farming  a  science,  in  which  your 
heads  as  well  as  your  hands  are  employed ;  let 
there  be  system  and  reason  in  all  your  operations ; 
.study  to  make  your  farms  beautiful,  and  your 
lands  lovely ;  entice,  by  kindness,  the  birds  to 
visit,  and  cheer  your  dwellings  >vith  their  music ; 
I  would  not  associate  with  the  man  or  boy,  that 
would  wantonly  kill  the  birds  that  cheerfully  sing 
:>.round  our  dwellings  and  our  farms ;  he  is  fitted 
for  treason  and  murder.  Who  does  not,  with 
the  freshness  of  early  morning,  call  up  the  mem- 
ory of  the  garden  of  his  infancy  and  childhood  ? 
the  robin's  nest  in  the  old  cherry  tree,  and  the 
nest  of  young  chipping  birds  in  the  currant  bush- 
es ?  the  flowers  planted  by  his  mother,  and  nur- 
tured by  his  sisters  ?  In  all  our  wanderings,  the 
memory  of  childhood's  birds  and  flowers  are  as- 
sociated Avith  our  mother  and  sisters,  and  our 
early  home.  As  you  would  have  your  children 
intelligent  and  happy,  and  their  memory  in  after 
life,  of  early  home,  pleasant  or  repulsive,  so  make 
your  farms,  a'ld  your  children's  home." 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
IS  FARMING  PROFITABLE? 
BY   "WILSON   FLAGG. 

What  is  the  meaning  of  this  question,  and 
what  is  the  signification  attached  to  the  word 
profitable  ?  Is  it  intended  to  be  applied  to  those 
occupations  only  that  lead  to  riches  ;  or  ought  it 
to  be  applied  to  every  honest  and  healthful  em- 
ployment that  affords  to  the  intelligent  and  in- 
dustrious a  good  livelihood,  and  may  lead  to  com- 
petency ?  It  is  plain  that  the  question  respect- 
ing the  profitableness  of  farming  cannot  be  an- 
swered, until  we  have  fixed  upon  the  definite 
meaning  of  the  term,  and  an  intelligible  limit  to 
its  signification.  Some  men  would  refuse  to  call 
any  business  profitable,  by  which  they  could  not 
double  their  capital  as  often  as  once  in  two  or 
three  years  ;  others  of  equal  intelligence  believe 
themselves  to  be  very  profitably  employed,  as 
long  as  their  income  affords  them  a  sure  and  com- 
fortable support.  The  experience  of  mankind 
has  determined  that  six  per  cent,  a  year  is  a  rea- 
sonable profit  on  capital,  because  by  investing  in 
any  kind  of  stocks  that  afford  a  greater  rate  of 
interest  than  six  per  cent.,  the  safety  of  the  capi- 
tal is  endangered.  This  is  a  law  of  trade  which 
might  be  explained  by  a  process  of  reasoning  too 
lengthy  to  be  introduced  in  this  connection.  We 
will  at  present  deal  simply  with  the  fact  that  al- 
most all  property  which  is  perfectly  secure  yields 
but  a  low  rate  of  interest. 

It  seems  reasonable,  therefore,  that  in  order  to 
determine  the  profitableness  of  farming,  we  should 
consider  whether  the  farm  and  farm  stock  will 
yield  six  per  cent,  of  their  rateable  value.  After 
adding  this  interest  to  the  sum  which  the  owner 
of  the  farm — if  he  be  a  farmer — can  earn  upon  it 
by  his  own  hands,  we  might  compare  its  profita- 
bleness with  other  safe  kinds  of  business.  Esti- 
mating the  farmer's  own  time  as  worth  two  dol- 
lars a  day,  leaving  out  holidays,  it  may  be  called 
$600  a  year.  If  his  farm,  his  buildings  and  stock 
be  valued  at  $7000,  the  interest  of  this  sum  in 
six  per  cent,  stock  would  be  $420.  The  farm, 
therefore,  with  his  own  labor  upon  it,  ought  to 
yield  him  about  $1000  a  year,  or  its  equivalent, 
to  be  considered  profitable,  on  a  moderate,  but 
just  and  liberal  calculation.  The  question  is  not 
strictly  whether  it  yields  so  much  money,  but 
whether  it  enables  him  to  live  as  well  as  the  ma- 
jority of  men  in  other  business  whose  income  is 
but  $1000  per  annum. 

There  is  a  great  deal  of  difficult  and  tangled 
reckoning  to  be  used,  before  a  farmer  can  arrive 
at  the  exact  amount  of  his  own  profits.  A  mer- 
chant's clerk  who  receives  $1000  a  }ear,  may 
easily  make  an  exact  estimate  of  his  profits  and 
expenses,  provided  he  lives  upon  his  salary  alone. 
His  profits  are  the  amount  of  his  salary.  His 
expenses  may  be  easily  recorded  in  an  account- 
book.  W  e  will  suppose  one  of  many  cases.  Our 
merchant's  clerk  lives  in  the  suburbs,  about  ten 
miles  from  his  ofliice.  His  travelling  expenses 
of  all  kinds  may  be  set  down  at  $150  ;  his  house- 
rent,  $150  ;  butcher's  bill,  $125 ;  grocer's  and 
baker's  bill,  $200;  shoes  and  clothing,  $175; 
help,  $75  ;  miscellaneous  expenses,  $125. 

Our  farmer,  knowing  the  salary  of  the  mer- 
chant's clerk,  who  is  his  neighbor,  believes  him 
to  be  in  a  more  enviable  situation  than  himself. 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARIMER. 


317 


"He  has  no  capital,  yet  without  it  he  earns  about 
as  much  as,  on  a  moderate  calculation,  I  ought 
to  obtain  from  the  profits  of  my  farm  united  with 
those  of  my  own  labor.  Yet  I  work  as  hard  as 
any  one  of  my  hired  men,  and  at  the  end  of  the 
year,  when  I  compare  my  profits  and  expenses,  I 
am  obliged  to  call  my  own  labor  almost  nothing, 
or  reckon  the  interest  on  my  property  as  nothing, 
in  order  to  satisfy  myself  that  I  have  earned  half 
as  much  as  the  merchant's  clerk  obtains  by  writ- 
ing eight  hours  a  day.  It  must  be  true  that  a 
farm  is  poor  stock,  and  that  farming  is  unprofit- 
able business.  Seven  thousand  dollars,  the  rate- 
able value  of  my  farm,  if  invested  in  safe  bank 
stock,  would  yield  me  a  sure  income  of  $420, 
which  would  amply  support  me  and  my  family,  if 
we  preserved  our  present  economical  habits." 

The  merchant's  clerk  arrives  in  the  middle  of 
the  farmer's  soliloquy,  and  invites  him  to  com- 
pare notes.  The  clerk  insists  that  the  farmer  is 
better  off  than  himself,  even  on  the  supposition 
that  the  clerk  could  be  always  sure  of  his  salary. 
"You  remark,"  says  the  clerk,  "that  your  farm  is 
so  much  capital  sunk  ;  because  with  the  aid  of  it 
you  can  earn  only  about  as  much  as  you  could 
probably  earn  with  your  hands  in  other  business 
without  it ;  and  only  half  as  much  as  I  can  with- 
out any  capital.  You  have  taken  only  a  specula- 
tor's view  of  the  case.  Let  us  consider  it  in  an 
economical  point  of  view,  and  I  think  I  can  prove 
your  condition  to  be  better  than  mine.  You  con- 
tend that  you  ought  to  earn  as  much  I  do,  to  be 
equal  with  «ae.  You  would  then  have  this  ad- 
vantage over  me  ;  your  farm  is  a  sort  of  anchor 
of  your  fortune,  which  must  prevent  its  being  en- 
tirely wrecked.  I  have  no  such  anchor.  You 
would  be  satisfied  if  your  farm  and  your  labor 
yielded  you  $1000  a  year;  but  you  deny  that 
they  yield  you  more  than  half  that  sum.  I  think 
I  can  prove  the  contrary. 

"It  is  difficult  to  make  an  accurate  estimate  of 
family  expenses  in  your  case,  and  proportionally 
difficult  to  estimate  your  profits.  If  you  want  a 
head  of  cabbage  or  half  a  peck  of  potatoes  before 
they  are  stored,  you  take  them  from  your  grounds, 
and  do  not  credit  them  to  your  farm.  When  I 
procure  the  same  from  the  market,  I  pay  five 
cents  for  the  first,  and  fifteen  cents  for  the  other. 
You  should,  therefore,  charge  five  cents  for  every 
cabbage,  and  fifteen  cents  for  every  half  peck  of 
good  potatoes  consumed  in  your  family,  to  the 
credit  of  your  farm,  when  you  are  comparing 
notes  with  me.  The  same  you  should  do  with 
relation  to  every  other  article  of  your  produce 
and  consumption,  however  insignificant,  for 
which  I  am  obliged  to  pay  money;  because  if  you 
were  in  my  situation,  and  had  neither  garden  nor 
farm,  each  of  these  trifles  would  assist  in  forming 
an  aggregate  of  very  considei-able  amount,  in  the 
course  of  the  year !  Farmers  do  not  always  take 
these  trifles  into  their  account,  when  they  com- 
pare their  own  condition  with  that  of  their  neigh- 
bors. 

"With  us  these  trifles  are  luxuries,  and  we  pay 
a  high  price  for  many  things  which  are  so  abun- 
dant with  you  that  you  are  willing  to  waste  them. 
Your  farm  furnishes  you  with  these  luxuries  at 
appa/"ntly  so  small  cost,  that  you  regard  them 
as  unworthy  of  any  account ;  yet  if  you  examined 
every  item  of  my  expenses,  you  would  find  a  very 
considerable  sum  laid  out  quarterly   for   these 


things.  Fifty  dollars  a  year,  at  least,  is  required 
to  furnish  my  family  with  articles  that  might  be 
classed  under  this  denomination.  So  much,  there- 
fore, in  comparing  your  circumstances  with  mine, 
is  to  be  passed  to  the  credit  of  your  farm. 

"I  pay  $150 — my  travelling  expenses — for 
country  air.  This  costs  you  nothing,  but  it  is  to 
be  subtracted  from  my  salary,  and  brings  me  down 
$150  nearer  to  the  standard  you  have  assumed 
for  your  own  profits.  Many  a  merchant  residing 
near  Boston,  has  paid  a  thousand  dollars  or 
more,  for  an  acre  of  land  adjoining  his  house,  to 
be  used  as  mere  space,  and  kept  in  grass  as  a 
pleasure  ground,  and  which  after  all  is  as  need- 
ful for  health  as  for  pleasure.  This  is  a  luxury 
which  the  wealthy  only  can  enjoy  in  the  suburbs 
of  the  city.  All  the  inhabitants  of  the  city  are 
obliged  to  pay  a  heavy  tax  for  water.  It  is  the 
multitude  of  such  expenses  that  renders  it  so  dif- 
ficult to  live  on  a  small  income  in  the  city. 

"If  my  income  is  double  yours,  while  you  can 
obtain  with  five  hundred  dollars,  all  that  I  can 
obtain  with  one  thousand,  it  is  plain  that  your 
five  hundred  is  equivalent  to  my  ten  hundred.  I 
am  supposing  that  you  live  in  every  respect  as 
well  as  I  do ;  that  you  have  as  many  comforts 
and  conveniences,  and  as  many  luxuries  as  I  do. 
This  is  undoubtedly  true  of  our  farmers  compared 
with  our  salaried  men.  I  believe  the  majority  of 
farmers,  whose  farms  range  from  $2000  to  $8000 
in  value,  live  as  well  as  the  same  number  of  sal- 
aried clerks,  teachers  and  clergymen,  whose  sal- 
aries range  from  $500  to  $1200  a  year. 

"But  you  reply  that  we  live  more  at  ease.  It 
is  true  that  we  perform  less  corporeal  labor,  but 
we  suffer  more  confinement.  We  have  more 
ease,  you  more  independence.  We  are  obliged 
to  wear  better  clothes  than  you.  It  is  one  of  our 
misfortunes  that  we  are  obliged  to  dress  accord- 
mg  to  an  expensive  style  established  by  custom. 
This  furnishes  another  article  of  expense  which  is 
much  greater  than  yours  in  the  same  department. 
We  ai"e,  with  our  families,  more  directly  under 
the  tyranny  of  fashion  than  you  are.  This  dif- 
ference between  us  constitutes  one  of  your  ad- 
vantages." 

Farmer. — "In  the  world  you  are  considered  a 
gentleman,  and  I  a  clown." 

Clerk. — "I  will  be  candid,  and  will  admit  that 
in  certain  situations,  as  in  a  ball-room,  or  at  a 
tea-party,  we  should  probably  be  received  with 
more  favor  than  you.  But  were  American  soci- 
ety to  be  graduated  as  it  is  in  Europe,  you  land- 
owners or  yeomen  would  be  placed  some  degrees 
above  us  clerks  and  salaried  men,  who  are  de- 
pendents. At  political  meetings  you  have  at 
present  more  consideration  than  we.  A  farmer, 
other  things  being  equal,  is  more  likely  than  a 
salaried  man  to  be  elected  a  representative  to  the 
General  Court,  to  be  made  a  Justice  of  the  Peace, 
and  to  be  elected  to  many  other  political  offices. 
We  clerks,  obtain,  comparatively,  but  little  po- 
litical consideration.  The  account  is,  therefore, 
very  evenly  balanced  between  us.  If  we  are  re- 
ceived with  more  favor  in  social  circles,  you  ob- 
tain a  great  deal  more  in  political  circles,  because 
your  property,  though  small,  lifts  you  above 
want,  and  makes  you  independent." 

Farmer. — "This  may  all  be  admitted ;  but  I 
have  often  thought  that  if  I  could  have  sold  my 
property  for  cash  in  early  life,  and  invested  it  in 


318 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


July 


trade,  and  become  myself  a  trader,  I  might  now, 
at  the  approach  of  okl  age,  have  been  independ- 
ently rich.  But  I  have  not  increased  my  prop- 
erty, because  the  profits  of  my  farm  have  only 
afforded  me  a  living." 

Clerk. — "Perhaps  it  would  have  been  so.  But 
while  you  were  shaking  the  dice  of  trade,  for- 
tune might  not  have  favored  you.  The  chances 
would  be  against  your  ultimate  success.  The 
statistics  of  trade  show,  that  only  a  small  pro- 
portion of  those  engaged  in  it  make  an  indepen- 
dent fortune,  and  more  than  half  of  them  die 
with  insolvent  estates.  Still  it  is  not  to  be  de- 
nied that  trade  or  speculation  affords  almost  the 
only  chances  for  becoming  rich.  The  farmer  of 
moderate  possessions  cannot  grow  rich  by  agri- 
culture. But  it  would  be  idle  to  say  for  this  rea- 
son that  farming  is  unprofitable.  I  cannot  grow 
rich  upon  my  salary  ;  but  I  do  not,  on  this  ac- 
count, deny  that  my  occupation  is  profitable.  I 
am  willing  to  admit  that  any  business  is  profita- 
ble, that  ensures  one  a  comfortable  livelihood. 
But  your  situation  is  better  than  mine,  inasmuch 
as  while  it  affords  you  a  comfortable  living,  your 
farm  secures  you  from  absolute  want,  which  is 
liable  to  come  upon  me,  were  I  to  lose  my  health, 
or  to  be  turned  out  of  employment. 

"In  conclusion,  I  would  say,  that  if  you  desire 
wealth,  you  must  engage  in  trade  and  specula- 
tion, with  all  their  risks  and  dangers  ;  if  you  de- 
sire the  appearance  of  wealth,  without  fortune 
and  without  independence,  be  a  clerk  or  an  of- 
fice-holder ;  but  if  with  only  small  possessions  you 
would  enjoy  both  freedom  and  independence,  and 
obtain  dignity  and  respect,  which  are  better  than 
gentility,  and  with  all  these  more  than  an  aver- 
age amount  of  the  comforts  of  life — ^keep  your 
farm." 


of  cultivation  ;  there  are  some  under  culture  in 
his  garden  at  Union,  on  the  Bay.  The  black 
raspberry,  running  blackberry  and  whortleberry 
are  abundant.  There  are  several  species  of  ber- 
ries which  are  said  to  be  poisonous,  whose  names 
are  not  stated. 

No  nuts  grow  near  the  coast,  except  Hazle- 
nuts.  In  the  mountains  are  other  kinds.  The 
forest  trees  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Bay  are  princi- 
pally redwood,  Oregon  pine  and  occasionally  ash, 
alder,  maple,  and  a  few  other  species.  On  the 
mountains  are  seen  oak  and  several  kinds  of 
pine ;  there  are  several  kinds  of  shrubs  which  are 
very  ornamental.  The  myrtle  is  an  evergreen 
and  has  clusters  of  blue  flowers  ;  the  wild  syrin- 
ga  is  very  fragrant  when  in  flower ;  the  snow- 
berry  is  a  native  there.  O.  V.  Hills. 

Leominster,  Mass.,  I808. 


For  the  New  England  Fanner. 
FRUITS  OF  NORTHERN  CALIFORNIA. 

The  following  account  of  the  fruits  indigenous 
to  the  region  about  Humboldt  Bay  was  received 
from  a  young  man  who  resides  at  Union,  on  the 
Bay,  and  who  has  devoted  some  attention  to  the 

subject.  As  this  is  comparatively  anew  field  for  ,  ^^^  ^^  ^^j^^^j^  g;,^^^  ^^  p^-^  ^^  ^j^^  complainant, 
the  study,  it  may  not  be  uninteresting  to  have  a  ^j.  ^y  imprisonment  in  the  House  of  Correction  not 
brief  description  of  the  species  he  enumerates.  " 

The  native  Crab  Apple  is  found  there,  the  same 
kind  as  that  in  our  western  States.     The  Service 


THE    MILK   PLOT   THICKENS,  BUT  NOT 
WITH  GOOD   CREAM. 

The  few  facts  which  we  stated  last  week  in  re- 
lation to  frauds  in  milk  in  this  city,  have  caused 
some  persons  ta  look  nearly  as  blue  as  does  the 
article  which  they  vend  fc^r  milk.  As  we  believe 
that  it  is  better  to  prevent  crime  than  to  punish 
for  it,  we  give  below  the  law  of  1856,  upon  the 
adulteration  of  milk,  so  that  those  who  offend 
may  know  what  the  legal  penalty  of  such  crime  is. 

AN    ACT    TO    PUNISH    FRAUD    BY    THE    SALE    OF    ADUL- 
TERATED   >ULK. 

Be  it  Enacted,  by  the  Senate  and  Ilouse  of  Represen- 
tatives, 

That  if  any  person  or  persons  shall  adulterate, 
by  water  or  otherwise,  milk  to  be  sold  in  this 
Commonwealth,  or  if  any  person  or  persons  shall 
sell,  or  cause  to  be  sold,  milk  adulterated  by  water 
or  otherwise,  knowing,  or  having  reason  to  believe 
the  same  to  be  so  adulterated,  he  or  they  shall  be 
held  guilty  of  a  misdemeanor,  and  on  conviction, 
be  fined  twenty-five  dollars  for  the  first  offence, 
one-half  of  which  shall  be  paid  to  the  complainant, 
and  for  every  subsequent  offence  fifty  dollai-s,  one- 


Berry,  the  bushes  of  which  are  low,  the  fruit  in 


less  than  two  nor  more  than  six  months. 
Approved  by  the  Governor,  May  30,  1856. 


We  hope  the  city  press  will  generally  copy  this 


clusters  as  large  again  as  the  common  bilberry,  ^  law,  and  thus  cut  off'  the  apology  of  those  whose 
and  very  good.  The  wild  Olive  has  fruit  about 'consciences  do  not  accuse  them,  if  any  such  there 
thesize  of  the  seedling  olive  ;  when  in  blossom  U^^  j^  ^jjj  somewhat  interfere  with  their  traffic, 
their  fragrance  fills  the  air.     Ihere  are  several  1      •      i-  wi     •  •     ^  /. 

kinds  of  Currants,  some  of  which  are  very  orna-|to  be  sure,  and  make  it  slightly  inconvenient  for 
mental  when  in  flower;  there  are  also   several ; their  pro/ii's,  and  they  will  not  like  it. 


species  of  Gooseberries,  one  of  which  is  covered 
with  prickles,  both  bush  and  berry ;  there  is 
another  which  has  no  prickles,  and  resembles  our 
wild  purple  variety.  There  is  another  berry 
which  resembles  the  currant  in  size  and  form ; 
the  bush  is  much  like  the  whortleberry.  The 
Salal  berry  grows  there ;  this  is  described  by 
Kenrick  in  his  Orchardist  as  being  about  the  size 
of  a  common  grape,  of  a  purple  color,  of  a  sweet 
and  pleasant  flavor ;  it  grows  in  clusters.  The 
Salmon  berry,  which  is  a  species  of  raspberry,  is 
found  in  abundance,  and  he  esteems  it  the  best 
berry  he  ever  tasted,  and  thinks  it  highly  worthy 


"No  rogue  e'er  felt  the  halter  draw, 
With  good  opinion  of  the  law." 

We  tender  our  thanks  to  those  persons  who 
have  voluntarily  given  us  new  facts  in  regard  to 
this  mean  and  iniquitous  traffic,  and  shall  only 
use  their  names  or  facts  to  sustain  the  ground 
we  have  assumed.  We  hope  no  more  persons 
will  write  us  anonymously  ;  give  us  your  names; 
"tell  the  truth,  and  shame  the  devil,"  and  let  con- 
sequences take  care  of  themselves.  We  have  a 
few  more  "rods  in  pickle." 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


319 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
FARM  LIFE  IN  WINTER. 

At  this  season  of  the  year  the  farmer  enjoys, 
comparatively,  a  period  of  rest.  His  crops  were 
gathered  and  housed  in  the  mellow  autumnal 
days  ;  and  now,  when  cold  winter  comes  and 
touches  with  an  icy  wand,  brooks,  rivers  and 
lakes,  covering  them  with  a  crystal  mantle,  he 
can  glance  with  a  contented  mind  at  his  well-filled 
barns  and  granaries,  feeling  thankful  that  his  lot 
has  been  cast  in  "pleasant  places."  His  eyes  will 
be  refreshed  with  the  sight  of  generous  heaps  of 
golden  maize,  looking  more  truly  valuable  than 
the  metal  whose  color  it  bears  ;  while  barrels  of 
darker,  rich  looking  rye,  boxes  of  tri-cornered 
buckwheat,  and  bins  of  lighter  oats,  all  tell  tales 
of  patient  toil,  richly  blessed  with  an  abundant 
harvest.  Full  stores  of  luscious  fruit  stand  invi- 
tingly in  the  cellar,  tempting  the  appetite  by 
its  mellow  hues  ;  piles  of  vegetables,  with  their 
many  colored  skins,  are  here,  destined  at  some 
future  time  to  grace  the  table  ;  and  away  up  in 
the  garret  are  heaps  of  brown  nuts,  which  serve 
for  evening  feasts,  at  least  for  the  younger  mem- 
bers of  the  household. 

There  are,  however,  many  duties  for  the  faith- 
ful farmer  to  perform  even  in  the  winter  months. 
To  do  "the  chores"  requires  much  time  and  pa- 
tience. Stock,  in  order  to  be  pleasurable  as  well 
as  profitable,  must  be  carefully  tended.  Their 
sleek,  contented  looks,  if  nothing  more,  will  well 
repay  a  littler  extra  labor.  Then  there  is  much 
planning  to  do — deciding  what  crops  to  raise, 
and  how  large  proportions  of  each — determining 
what  fertilizers,  if  any,  to  purchase — reviewing 
our  last  year's  labors,  in  order  to  find  what  modes 
of  culture,  all  things  considered,  will  best  reward 
us.  Now  is  the  time  to  i-epair  farm  tools,  being 
careful  to  buy  new  ones  if  needed.  The  best  seeds 
should  also  be  selected  for  sowing  and  planting, 
and  placed  where  they  can  readily  be  found.  The 
"wood-yard"  should  now  be  filled  with  an  abun- 
dant supply  of  fuel,  the  cutting  and  splitting  of 
which  will  afford  labor  for  many  an  hour.  There 
are  a  thousand  other  things  that  can  now  be  done, 
to  facilitate  the  more  pressing  labors  of  the 
spring  ;  but  the  duties  of  a  farmer  have  been  oft- 
en dwelt  upon — oftener,  perchance,  than  the 
pleasures.  Certainly  no  farmer  lacks  for  employ- 
ment at  any  season  of  the  year ;  neither  need  he 
lack  for  enjoyment. 

Farm  life  in  winter  has  many  pleasures — pleas- 
ures of  a  diff'erent  cast  from  those  of  other  sea- 
sons, but  not  less  satisfying  in  their  nature.  The 
long  winter  evenings  are  a  fruitful  source  of  en- 
joyment, for  they  afford  much  time  for  the  im- 
provement of  the  wtjjc?.  "Onward  and  Upward" 
should  be  the  farmer's  motto,  as  well  as  that  of 
other  callings.  If  he  adopts  it  he  will  surely  have 
joys  of  a  nature  worth  possessing.  After  the  du- 
ties of  the  day  are  all  performed,  the  farmer  can 
seat  himself  before  a  comfortable  fire,  and  devote 
his  time  to  reading  the  history  of  other  nations, 
travels  in  foreign  countries,  together  with  the 
neAvs  of  the  times.  His  mind,  unburdened  from 
all  the  cares  of  the  day,  can  follow  with  a  vivid, 
life-like  interest,  the  pen  of  the  traveller  and  his- 
torian, reveling  among  the  scenes  of  other  lands 
and  days  long  past. 

Friendly  calls  among  our  neighbors,  for  the 


purpose  of  interchanging  opinions,  and  strength- 
ening the  social  ties  that  bind  us  to  our  fellow- 
men,  can  now  be  made.  Gossip  does  not  of  ne- 
cessity form  a  part  of  such  visits.  A  discussion 
of  the  events  now  transpiring  in  the  world  would 
be  profitable ;  for  farmers  should  aim  to  keep 
"posted  up"  on  all  matters  of  general  interest,  so 
as  not  to  be  "behind  ihe  times,"  in  any  valuable 
information. 

Lectures  and  other  literary  treats  are  not  so 
frequent  in  the  country  as  in  the  city ;  but  their 
very  scarcity  should  tend  to  make  them  more 
highly  valued  by  the  farmer.  The  great  book  of 
nature  is  always  open  to  his  eyes,  and  he  may 
read  from  its  ever-changing  pages,  truths  more 
sublime,  more  comforting  to  the  soul,  than  learned 
disquisitions  from  lips  of  eloquence.  Some  leaves 
are  filled  with  singing  birds,  and  bursting  buds, 
and  babbling  brooks,  and  balmy  breezes  ;  others 
with  waving  grain,  and  full-blown  flowers,  and 
summer  fragrance ;  still  others,  with  autumn's 
russet  hues,  and  ripening  fruits,  and  fading  flow- 
ers, and  falling  leaves ;  and  then  come  wintry 
winds,  and  sifting  snows,  and  furious  gales ;  all 
teaching  us  some  useful  lesson  if  we  read  them 
rightly. 

Winter  is  an  excellent  time  for  earnest  tlionght. 
The  farmer  can  now  lay  up  a  store  of  information, 
which  will  make  him  feel  that  he  is  "something 
worth."  And  then  when  he  goes  from  home  to 
associate  with  difterent  classes,  he  will  feel  that 
he  has  a  firm  foundation  on  which  to  rely.  And 
when  old  age  comes  on,  and  swift-winged  time 
blanches  his  hair,  and  causes  his  limbs  to  grow 
infirm,  he  can  look  back  without  regret  on  an  up- 
right life,  and  feel  truly  thankful  that  he  has 
been  blessed  with  so  much  abundance. 

Much  more  might  be  said  of  farm  pleasures  in 
winter,  as  well  as  in  other  seasons,  for  they  are 
numerous  ;  but  each  farmer  can  best  add  to  them 
from  his  own  experience.  S.  J.  WlllTON. 

Westford,  Conn.,  Feb.  19,  1858. 


THE  PRODUCTIONS  OF  A  SMALL  FARM 
ON  THE  END  OF  CAPE  COD. 

It  happened  the  other  day,  Mr.  Editor,  that  I 
met  with  a  gentleman  from  the  adjoining  town 
of  Truro,  who  is  engaged  in  farming,  and,  enter- 
ing into  conversation  with  him  upon  the  subject 
of  his  avocation,  I  obtained  from  him  the  fol- 
lowing items,  comprising  the  products  of  his 
farm  for  the  past  season.  Believing  they  might 
be  of  some  interest  to  your  reader,  I  noted  them 
for  the  Banner.     Here  they  are  : 

100  bushels  corn,  worth $100,00 

150      "       beet?,  sold  for  60  cents  per  bushel 90,00 

80      "       potatoes,  sold  at  87^  cts.  per  bushel 70,00 

60      "       turnips,  sold  at  60  cts.  per  bushel 30,00 

10      "       beans,  worth  $2,'25  per  bushel 22  50 

20      "        rye,  worth  $1,40  per  bushel 28,00 

200      "       carrots,  worth  25  cts.  per  bushel 50,00 

Sciuashea  and  pumpkins 20,00 

Milk  sold 1 25,00 

1000  cabbages,  sold  at  6  cts.  each 60,00 

EtJgs  and  fowls 75,00 

Pigs 50,00 

Amounting  in  the  aggregate  to $720,50' 

The  owner  of  this  farm,  Mr.  Thomas  F.  Small, 
together  with  his  son,  a  boy  of  some  twelve  or 
thirteen  years  of  age,  performed  the  entire  la- 
bors of  tillage,  with  the  exception  of  the  sum  of 
one  dollar  and  twenty-five  cents,  paid  during  the 


320 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


July 


season  for  extra  help.  The  amount  of  land  cul- 
tivated did  not,  I  believe,  exclusive  of  the  part 
occupied  by  rye,  exceed  seven  acres.  This  crop 
is,  thougli  a  good  one,  not  considered  by  him  an 
uncommon  one,  nor  was  it  produced  by  a  system 
of  forcing,  or  of  excessive  manuring,  the  present 
season,  for  the  purpose  of  showing  what  could 
be  done.  It  has,  however,  been  constantly  im- 
proving under  the  persevering  industry  and  judi- 
cious cultivation  of  Mr.  Small. 

The  above  instance  is  not  a  solitary  one  in  this 
quarter.  Mr.  Small's  neighbor,  Mr.  Holden,  has 
one  adjoining,  as  also  Mr.  Samuel  Knowles,  and 
others  in  the  vicinity,  nearly  or  quite  equal  in 
productiveness,  and  enjoying  the  same  facilities 
for  a  market  there  are  in  Provincetown. 

We  not  unfrequently,  as  you  know,  Mr.  Edi- 
tor, see  people,  strangers  here,  smile  at  the  bare 
mention  of  a  farm  on  Cape  Cod  ;  but  I  submit, 
with  these  facts  before  us,  whether  the  farms  in 
Massachusetts,  generally,  or  even  in  sections 
where  farming  is  the  chief  occupation,  will  aver- 
age in  productiveness  or  profit  a  sum  greater 
than  that  produced  by  this  Cape  Cod  farm,  situ- 
ated here  within  a  few  miles  of  the  very  "jump- 
ing oft'  place." 

Add  to  this,  the  fact,  that  there  are  large  tracts 
of  waste,  unimproved  land — old  fields,  in  the  im- 
mediate vicinity  of  the  above  farm,  that  might, 
under  good  cultivation,  in  a  short  time  be  equal- 
ly productive,  and  we  perceive  that  farming  may, 
even  here,  become  an  interest  not  to  be  despised. 
— Provincetoicn  Banner, 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
LEGITIMATE  COOKERY. 

Mk.  Editor  : — Having  presented  your  readers, 
in  my  last  article,  a  negative  view  on  cookerj' — 
a  series  of  thou  slicdt  nots, — I  am  next  to  come  to 
affirmations — thou  shalts.  In  other  words,  I  am 
to  say  what  is  legitimate  cookery. 

Indulge  me,  however,  in  two  brief  preliminaries. 
1.  The  vastness  of  the  subject,  in  itself  and  by 
its  relations,  is  embarrassing  and  discouraging, 
and  leads  me  to  shrink  from  it,  at  first  thought, 
and  to  refer  my  readers  to  my  "Laws  of  Health." 
But  as  many  have  not  seen  it,  I  will  endeavor  to 
do  something.  2.  There  will  be  a  difficulty  con- 
tinually presenting  itself,  at  nearly  every  step, 
which  1  wish  to  meet  at  the  outset.  Many  will 
say,  "O,  I  could  not  relish  food  prepared  in  this 
way  ;  I  have  never  been  used  to  it."  Now,  I  re- 
ply to  this,  by  saying,  once  for  all :  "Remember 
Mr.  Addison's  rule, — Find  out  what  is  best /or  you 
and  adopt  it,  and  custom  or  habit  will  soon  ren- 
der it  agreeable." 

The  softening  of  the  farinaceous  grain — wheat, 
corn,  rye.  See. — whether  by  mere  soaking,  or  by 
boiling  or  steaming,  is  lawful  and  proper  cook- 
ery. It  is  true,  that  in  a  perfect  state,  mankind 
might  use  them,  as  they  do  the  fruits,  without 
cooking ;  but  our  teeth,  in  most  instances,  are 
fallen  ones. 

Parching,  or  what  is  still  better,  popping  our 
grains,  especially  corn  and  buckwheat,  is  legiti- 
mate. 

Grinding  grains,  very  finely — after  being  made 
clean — and  by  means  of  simple,  pure,  soft  water, 
bringing  them    back  to  nearly  the  consistency 


of  the  original  kernels,  but  in  larger  masses,  as 
wafers,  cakes,  or  loaves,  is  also  legitimate  cook- 
ery. 

Under  this  head  we  may  have  cakes  or  loaves, 
but  thin  cakes  are  best,  whether  of  wheat,  oats, 
corn,  rye,  barley  or  buckwheat.  Here  are  six 
kinds  of  grain,  in  the  order  of  their  value  as 
bread.  To  which  we  may  add,  without  violating 
what  I  think  was  the  intention  of  Dr.  Dungli- 
son's  rule,  mixtures  of  these  six  articles,  in  vari- 
ous proportions,  such  as  wheat  and  corn  meal, 
rye  and  corn  meal,  wheat  and  oat  meal,  oat  and 
corn  meal,  Sec,  Hence  we  may  have,  with  no  loss 
but  that  of  a  little  time,  as  many  as  fifteen  or 
twenty  kinds  of  mixed  bread,  in  addition  to  the 
above.  The  reader  will,  of  course,  understand 
that  no  additions,  except  in  some  instances  a  lit- 
tle water,  are  to  be  made  to  the  meal  ;  and  noth- 
ing is  to  be  bolted  or  sifted  out,  except  the  hulls 
or  skins  of  the  oats  and  buckwheat. 

The  preparation  of  the  potato,  the  common 
and  the  sweet,  by  baking  or  boiling  ;  the  baking 
or  boiling  of  turnips,  beets,  parsnips,  chestnuts, 
pumpkins,  squashes,  &'C.,  is  legitimate  cookery. 
So,  also,  is  the  thorough  preparation  by  simple 
boiling,  of  rice,  peas,  beans,  &c.  In  all  this, 
however,  there  are  no  additions  to  be  made  ; 
such  as  milk,  salt,  lard,  butter,  &:c.,  for  this  would 
be  a  departure  from  true  simplicity. 

Nearly  all  these  preparations,  amounting  to 
some  forty  or  more,  may  be  regarded  as  various 
forms  of  the  bread  stuffs — the  staff  of  life. 

Some  of  the  fruits  may  be  cooked,  especially 
by  baking.  Such  as  the  apple,  pear  and  quince. 
Many  varieties  of  the  latter  two  are  greatly  im- 
proved by  baking.  The  fruit  juices  are  the  milk 
of  adult  life.  Fruits  may  be  cooked  in  a  simple 
way,  or  be  eaten  without  cooking  ;  and  the  juices 
may  be  expressed  as  into  Pharaoh's  cup,  or  eaten 
in  the  pulp.  The  last  is  doubtless  to  be  prefer- 
red, for  mastication's  sake. 

Meats,  too,  in  order  to  be  legitimately  pre- 
pared, should  be  taken  as  soon  as  possible  after 
life  is  extinct,  and  simply  broiled,  baked,  or 
boiled,  without  additions. 

Milk  and  eggs,  if  used,  should  be  either  taken, 
uncooked,  or  cooked  legitimately.  Milk  is  best 
fresh  from  the  cow,  and  uncooked.  If  cooked  at 
all,  it  should  be  simmered  at  a  heat  not  exceed- 
ing 165°  of  Farenheit.  So  should  the  egg  ;  its 
temperature,  in  cooking,  should  never  exceed 
IGo*^.  The  reason  is  that  the  white  or  albumi- 
nous part  coagulates  at  165"^,  and  is  of  no  use  in 
the  body  in  that  state  ;  being  only  soluble  by  the 
mineral  acids. 

I  do  not  say,  Mr.  Editor,  that  every  departure 
from  the  strict  letter  of  the  law  in  regard  to  cook- 
ery, is  equally  a  departure  from  what  I  have 
called  legitimate  cookery ;  for  there  are  all  de- 
grees of  errors,  as  in  other  things.  Thus,  to 
raise  bread,  though  wrong,  yet  if  done  neatly,  is 
but  slight  wrong.  Again,  to  salt  it  is  wrong,  but 
the  wrong  is  slight,  not  so  great  as  when  you  both 
raise  it  and  salt  it.  And  even  then  the  evil  is  not 
so  great  as  when  in  addition  to  these  departures 
you  add  milk  and  molasses  and  saleratus,  and 
perhaps  lard  and  alum. 

But  perhaps  I  have  said  enough,  on  a  subject 
which,  to  many,  will  seem  so  uncongenial.  I  will, 
at  least,  close  for  the  present.  W.  A.  A. 

Aubiirndale,  May  20,  1858. 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


321 


32? 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


July 


COBA.  the    short-horn  in  size.     As  to  dairy  qualities, 

Cora  is  a  fine  looking  animal,  now  three  years  thej^  are  as  good  as  any  cattle  in  which  the  fat- 
old,  and  ui)on  looking  at  her  reminds  one  more'temng  tendency  is  as_  highly  developed.     They 
.        ,  ,  •   •       .     1     ^u        c\    •       •  -1      nive  rich  milk,  and  it  it  were  desirable,  the  milk- 

of  tender  and  juicy  steaks  than  of  brimming  pails,  P^„  ^^^^^^^^  ^.^^^.  ^^  ^^^^^^^^^  ^^  ^  ^^.^^^^^  ^^_ 

pots  of  cream,  and  yellow  butter.  The  Herefords  |  grgg,  but  as  it  would  be  at  the  sacrifice,  more  or 
have  not  yet  gained  a  reputation  as  profitable  less,  of  the  fattening  propensity,  the  breed  would 
milkers,  and  from  their  tendency  to  take  on  fat, 'not  probably  be,  on  the  whole,'improved  by  this 
and  want  of  those  points  which  are   considered  '^o"^^^*-     There  is  a  place   for  the  Herefords,  as 

[  the  breed  is  at  present  constituted,  in  this  coun- 
try, and  so  far  as  they  have  been  fairly  tried,  they 


indispensable  in  good  milch  cows,  it  is  improba 
ble  that  they  will  ever  be  favorites  as  milkers. 

Below,  we  give  part  of  a  report  of  the  Judges 
on  Hereford  stock  at  the  Massachusetts  State 
Fair,  held  at  Boston  last  fall. 

The  Herefords  belong  to  the  class  of  middle 
horns,  according  to  the  arrangement  of  varieties 
of  the  ox  adopted  by  zoologists.  Like  their  con- 
geners, the  Devons,  the  West  Highlanders,  and 
the  cattle  of  Wales,  they  are  considered  indige- 
nous to  Britain — that  is,  they  were  found  in  cer- 
tain districts  of  that  kingdom  at  the  earliest  pe- 
riod to  which  history  or  tradition  reaches.  The 
breed  appears  to  have  undergone  some  changes 
■within  the  last  century,  which  changes  are  chiefly 
the  result  of  systematic  selection  and  breeding 
in  reference  to  particular  purposes,  and  not  the 
admixture  of  other  blood. 

In  1824,  Admiral  Coffin,  of  the  Royal  Navy, 
presented  to  the  Massachusetts  Society  for  Pro- 
moting Agriculture,  a  Hereford  bull  and  heifer. 
The  cow  never  bred.  The  bull  was  kept  for  some 
time  by  the  late  Hon.  Isaac  C.  Bates,  of  North- 
ampton, and  died  in  that  vicinity  at  the  age  of 
nineteen  or  twenty  years,  leaving  a  progeny  high- 
ly esteemed  for  general  usefulness. 

The  predominant  characteristic  of  the  Here- 
fords, is  a  tendency  to  fatten.  In  a  paper  by  E. 
F.  Wells,  published  in  the  London  Farmers' 
Magazine  for  February,  1848,  the  following  sen- 
sible remarks  are  made  in  regard  to  the  proper- 
ties of  the  Herefords : — "It  is  allowed  on  all 
hands,  I  believe,  that  the  properties  in  which 
Herefords  stand  pre-eminent  among  the  middle 
sized  breeds,  are  in  the  production  of  oxen  and 
their  superiority  of  flesh.  On  these  points,  there 
is  little  chance  of  their  being  excelled.  It  should, 
however,  be  borne  in  mind,  that  the  best  oxen 
are  not  produced  from  the  largest  cows,  nor  is  a 
superior  quality  of  flesh,  such  as  is  considered 
very  soft  to  the  touch,  with  thin  skin.  It  is  the 
union  of  these  two  qualities  which  often  charac- 
terizes the  short-horns ;  but  the  Hereford  breed- 
ers should  endeavor  to  maintain  a  higher  stand- 
ard of  excellence — that  for  which  the  best  of  the 
breed  have  always  been  esteemed — a  moderately 
thick,  mellow  hide,  with  a  well  apportioned  com- 
bination of  softness  with  elasticity.  A  sufficien- 
cy of  hair  is  also  desirable,  and  if  accompanied 
with  a  disposition  to  curl  moderately,  it  is  more 
in  esteem ;  but  that  which  has  a  harsh  and  wiry 
feel  is  objectionable."  It  is  for  beef,  chiefly,  that 
they,  as  well  as  the  "improved  short-horns,"  and 
the  Devons,  are  bred  in  England.  They  are  more 
hardy  than  the  short-horns,  and  their  beef  is  of 
better  quality,  commanding  a  price  in  the  Eng- 
lish markets  equa'  to  any,  except  the  Highland 
Scotch.  As  oxen,  they  are  active,  with  weight 
and  strength  equal  to  the  performance  of  any  la- 
bor usually  required.     The  breed  ranks  next  to 


have  given  good  satisfaction.  Wherever  beef 
and  labor  are  the  leading  object  for  which  cattle 
are  kept  in  New  England,  and  the  northern  sec- 
tion of  the  country  generally,  the  Herefords  are 
worthy  of  a  thorough  trial,  inasmuch  as  the  ex- 
periments heretofore  made  with  them,  indicate 
their  adaptedness  to  this  purpose. 


FOWLS  BBEEDING  IN  AND  IN. 

It  has  been  said,  if  you  continue  to  raise  from 
the  same  species,  for  a  number  of  years  together, 
your  stock  will  degenerate,  and  will  become  use- 
less. 

I  will  now  give  my  experience ;  and  we  will 
see,  if  by  being  particular  in  selecting  the  ances- 
tors, the  result  is  not  the  reverse  of  the  above. 
My  first  experiment  was  at  a  hen-house,  a  mile 
from  where  I  live ;  my  stock  of  fowls  then  were 
the  Black  Mexican.  I  turned  out  six  hens  and 
a  cock,  from  my  first  year's  raising,  and  to  all 
appearance  they  were  as  fine,  trim  made  fowls  as 
any  I  ever  saw.  The  second  year  I  found  my 
chickens  losing  size  ;  then  I  selected  a  tall  spare- 
made  cock,  as  being  the  finest  chicken  in  the  lot, 
and  thought  he  would  give  them  height ;  whilst 
the  hens,  which  were  low  in  stature,  would  give 
them  size  enough  ;  but  to  my  mortification  the 
chickens  became  tall  and  slender,  and  in  four 
years  were  not  to  be  compared  to  the  original 
stock.  Now,  at  the  same  time  I  was  trying  an 
experiment  where  I  live,  in  one  of  my  lots,  on 
the  Earl  of  Derby  fowls,  and  to  my  surprise  they 
improved  in  form  and  some  in  weight. 

I  selected  four  pullets  of  good  size  and  large 
bone ;  the  cock  I  selected  from  chickens  hatched 
in  March ;  he  was  broad  across  the  breast,  back 
short  and  round,  wings  long  and  strong,  feet 
small,  legs  large  and  straight,  and  in  symmetry 
unsurpassed ;  then  I  gave  him  the  run,  and 
raised  from  him  two  years,  though  I  turned  out 
a  cock  the  first  year  ;  and  when  I  saw  the  chick- 
ens, the  most  of  them  wanting  height,  I  selected 
the  hens,  not  the  cock,  with  long  legs ;  and  in 
that  way  I  can  keep  a  stock  pure  for  any  length 
of  time  without  degenerating.  My  stock  of 
Derby s  are  finer  to-day  than  they  were  when  I 
got  them. 

Late  chickens  should  never  be  turned  out  to 
raise  from,  unless  you  intend  to  cross  them,  for 
that  will,  of  itself,  make  your  chickens  small. 
March  chickens  are  preferred  by  me  to  any  other 
month. 

You  should  never  keep  many  chickens  crowd- 
ed in  one  hen-house,  especially  during  August 
and  September,  for  it  will  be  sure  to  give  them 
the  distemper.  The  distemper  is  known  by  the 
chickens  discharging  a  watery  mucus  from  the 
nostrils,  and  the  head  looks  pale,  and  the  chick- 
en has  no  appetite. — Southern  Planter. 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


32? 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 

BARBARITY  ON  HORSES—PRICKING, 
DOCKING,  &c. 

Dear  Sir: — In  your  paper  of  May  15th,  I 
read  an  article  in  which  the  writer  denounces  the 
popular  barbarisms,  docking  and  nicking,  and 
asks,  "Why  this  passion  for  chopping  oif  tails  ?" 

I  endorse  the  sentiments  of  "P.,"  and  agree 
■with  him  in  the  opinion  that  "decency  forbids 
such  mutilation."  The  passion  for  nicking  and 
docking  probably  originated  with  some  vain  and 
officious  individual,  who  had  an  impression  that 
he  could  make  some  improvements  on  nature's 
handiwork  ;  in  process  of  time  the  barbarous  fol- 
ly became  quite  fashionable,  and  now  it  is  no  un- 
common thing  to  see,  in  some  of  our  city  stables, 
as  many  as  five,  sometimes  a  dozen,  horses  with 
their  tails  in  the  pullies,  for  the  purpose  of  giv- 
ing them  the  latest  style  of  curve  or  elevation,  to 
suit  the  morbid  fancy  of  the  horse-dealer.  If  pur- 
chasers did  but  know,  how  very  painful  such  op- 
erations are  to  the  horse,  I  feel  assured  they  would 
set  their  faces  against  them  at  once.  In  the  course 
of  my  practice  I  have  always  refused  to  perform 
such  cruel  and  unnecessary  operations,  and  if 
my  veterinary  brethren  would  adopt  a  similar 
course,  and  at  the  same  time  try  to  convince  the 
community  that  such  operations  are  entirely  un- 
necessary, the  barbarism  would  soon  cease. 

These  unnecessary  operations  were  once  as 
popular  in  England,  as  they  are  here  at  the  pres- 
ent period,  but  the  English  people  have  at  last 
realized  the  enormity  of  torturing  uncomplaining 
animals  in  this  barbarous  way,  and  I  feel  assured 
that  American  horsemen  have  no  desire  to  be 
considered  less  humane  than  those  of  the  mother 
country,  hence  we  may  reasonably  expect  that 
the  time  is  not  far  distant,  when  such  cruel  oper- 
ations will  cease. 

A  very  philanthropic  man,  and  eminent  sur- 
geon, (Mr.  Blain,)  in  his  work  on  the  horse,  thus 
alludes  to  the  popular  follies  of  nicking  and 
docking  : — "We  are  happy  to  state  that  this  fil- 
thy and  unnecessary  operation  is  now  discarded. 
It  never  consisted  of  more  than  the  cutting  off  a 
portion  of  the  tail  with  brute  force,  and  the  cruel 
application  afterwards  of  a  hot  iron  to  the  ar- 
teries of  the  tail. 

Nickiiig. — We  should  be  grateful  that  this  bar- 
barous and  dangerous  process  is  no  longer  num- 
bered among  the  necessary  operations.  It  is  so 
beset  with  accidents  which  no  skill  or  prudence 
can  prevent,  that  no  one  ought  to  mutilate  a  horse 
by  nicking." 

Boston,  May  19,  1858.      G.  H.  Dadd,  V.  S. 


EAGLE  MOWER  AND  REAPER. 

The  season  of  Haymaking  will  soon  be  upon 
the  farmer.  Is  he  prepared  for  it  ?  We  have 
just  been  looking  at  the  new  "Eagle  Mower  and 
Reaper,"  and  thought  many  of  our  friends  who 
cut  hay  for  ten  head  of  cattle  and  upward,  ought 
to  look  at  it  too.  It  is  certainly  a  model  of  good 
work, — is  light,  yet  strong,  executes  rapidly,  but 
with  little  draft,  travels  on  its  own  wheels  from 
field  to  field, — has  no  gearing  to  jar  its  motions, 
and  can  be  stopt  and  started  in  the  grass  with- 


out any  backing.  This  is  the  machine  that  took 
the  one  thousand  dollar  premium  offiered  by  the 
Massachusetts  Society  in  1856.  It  v/as  tried  with 
other  machines  a  week  or  two  since  in  a  field  of 
"old  fog,"  or  old  grass,  and  went  through  it,  with 
great  facility  and  ease,  while  other  machines  tried 
with  it  all  clogged  more  or  less, — so  a  friend  who 
witnessed  the  operation  informed  us.  We  have 
not  yet  seen  it  in  motion,  and  only  desire  now 
to  call  the  attention  of  our  friends  to  it  before  the 
hay  season  comes  on. 


FRUIT— ITS  BENEFITS. 

After  some  months  of  reflection,  I  am  still  in 
favor  of  "strawberries  and  cream."  I  respect  Dr. 
Franklin — I  suppose  he  was  a  good  man — not 
pious,  but  patriotic.  Patriotism  is  only  a  seg- 
ment of  piety,  but  it  is  about  all  the  good  there 
is  in  our  "great  men"  Franklin  had  something 
to  do  with  lightning.  1  never  exactly  found  out 
what,  but  his  relationship  in  that  quarter  has  ev- 
idently made  women  and  children,  and  even  men, 
contemplate  him  with  awe.  A  sort  of  philosoph- 
ical wizard,  he  is  the  right  kind  of  man  to  "head 
off"  poor  scribblers.  Accordingly  a  liural  cor- 
respondent arrays  the  doctor  against  me.  He 
quotes  him,  not  exactly  against  my  friends  the 
Bartletts  and  Antwerps,  nor  yet  against  eating 
in  general,  but  against  talking  of  our  food,  and 
smacking  our  lips  with  too  evident  relish.  Now, 
I  confess  to  a  hearty  dislike  of  sensualism — in 
fact  I  was  pleased  with  what  the  doctor  said.  I 
believe  in  raising  our  thoughts  above  the  things 
of  earth,  but  I  submit  it  to  the  philosophers  of 
this  generation,  whether  our  thoughts  and  asso- 
ciations would  not  savor  more  of  Heaven  while 
partaking  of  Newton  Pippins,  Seckels  and  Hov- 
ey's  Seedlings,  than  when  munching  crab-apples 
and  Rohan  potatoes. 

I  believe  no  man  can  deliberately  set  about 
getting  up  a  good  assortment  of  fruit,  without 
being  a  better  man.  I  will  guarantee  that  an  in- 
ventory of  scoundrels  will  include  but  few  zeal- 
ous fruit-growers.  A  man  seldom  plants  a  tree 
without  thinking  of  his  friends,  and  the  good 
cheer  he  can  give  them.  He  means  to  send  a 
basket  of  pears  to  the  minister,  and  give  the 
widow  lady  over  the  way  all  the  peaches  she  can 
use;  he  aint  the  kind  of  man  that  is  unwilling  to 
move  till  he  can  get  a  warranty  that  all  the  bene- 
fit shall  accrue  to  himself.  He  goes  for  posterity 
and  patriotism. 

How  much  the  general  use  of  fruit,  as  every- 
day diet,  will  do  to  bring  about  the  millennium,  I 
cannot  exactly  tell ;  but  I  do  know  that  there  is 
no  use  in  our  trying  to  be  wiser  than  God.  Break 
one  link  in  the  divine  economy,  and  the  universe 
is  enfeebled  in  all  its  parts ;  the  divine  arrange- 
ment evidently  is  that  fruit  shall  form  a  large 
part  of  our  diet.  "Of  every  tree  of  the  garden 
thou  mayest  freely  eat,"  8zc.,  implies  a  variety  of 
fruit  and  the  use  of  it.  The  exquisite  flavor  of 
our  best  varieties  is  nothing  more  nor  less  than 
their  adaptation  to  our  natures  and  necessities. 
Fruit  is  suited  to  our  palate,  as  the  shell  is  suit- 
ed to  the  oyster,  or  the  air  to  the  lungs.  Men 
may  like  tobacco,  but  it  is  only  in  their  fallen 
state,  in  the  very  lowest  stages  of  manhood,  when 


324 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


July 


they  are  about  fit  to  be  transposed  into  monkeys 
— the  infant  never  likes  it — the  unsophisticated 
and  unperverted  hate  it.  Not  so  with  fruit.  Man 
in  his  normal  state  likes  it ;  his  relish  is  not  ac- 
quired— God  gave  it  to  him.  Physicians  have 
given  repeated  and  emphatic  testimony  as  well 
to  the  nutritive  qualities  of  fruit  as  to  its  emin- 
ently healthful  character.  Men  who  deemed  pills 
essential  to  life  have  found  in  multitudes  of  cases 
a  pleasant  substitute  in  fruit.  Its  free  use  would 
be  preventive  of  indigestion,  headache,  dyspepsia, 
(my  readers  will  find  a  complete  list  of  the  com- 
plaints in  the  patent  advertisements,)  and  I  take 
it  for  granted  that  when  these  diseases  are  cured, 
melancholy  and  suicides  will  cease  ;  quarrels  and 
wars  be  done  away  with  ;  and  peace  on  earth  and 
good  will  to  men  prevail. — Rural  New-Yorker. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
AGRICULTUBE  IN  COMMON  SCHOOLS. 

A  common  school  education  is  deemed  of  great 
importance,  and  the  branches  here  taught  should 
be  of  practical  utility.  Among  these  no  one  will 
rank  higher  than  a  knowledge  of  the  elementary 
principles  of  agriculture.  If  these  are  taught  in 
our  common  schools,  impressions  will  be  made  on 
the  minds  of  youth  highly  salutary  to  their  future 
usefulness  and  happiness.  They  will  be  likely  to 
engage  in  agricultural  pursuits,  and  deem  the 
employment  of  the  husbandman  the  most  honor- 
ble  and  useful  of  all ;  and  when  this  is  the  case, 
the  earth  will  bud  and  blossom  as  the  rose,  and 
under  the  smile  of  a  merciful  Providence  peace 
and  plenty  will  be  the  common  lot  of  man. 

Considerable  efforts  are  being  made  at  the 
present  day  to  elevate  the  standard  of  common 
school  education.  But  it  is  unpopular  to  say  much 
on  the  importance  of  instructing  youth  in  the  el- 
ementary principles  of  agriculture.  Books  on  al- 
most all  other  branches  are  introduced  into  our 
schools  and  highly  extolled.  But  an  elementary 
book  on  the  subject  of  agriculture  is  hardly 
named,  or  if  named,  is  said  to  be  out  of  place  ; 
and  a  distaste  is  impressed  on  the  minds  of 
youth  against  rural  and  agricultural  pursuits. 
This  proves  highly  detrimental  to  their  future 
usefulness  and  happiness.  How  many  young 
men  and  young  women  scorn  the  idea  of  living  a 
farmer's  life  ?  With  them,  some  profession  or 
some  splendid  residence  in  a  city  is  preferred  to 
a  rural  dwelling-place  in  the  country,  where  the 
mental  and  physical  powers  may  be  cultivated, 
and  where  health  and  happiness  may  be  enjoyed 
so  far  as  it  is  for  the  good  of  man  in  this  world. 
Will  not  the  true  friends  of  a  good  practical  com- 
mon school  education  discuss  this  subject  through 
the  medium  of  the  press,  and  give  all  classes  of 
people  to  understand  the  importance  of  introduc- 
ing elementary  books  of  agriculture  into  our 
common  schools  ?  John  Wilcox. 

Xewport,  N.  H.,  1858. 


Pepper. — Pepper  is  an  almost  universal  con- 
diment. Black  pepper  irritates  and  inflames  the 
coatings  of  the  stomach,  red  pepper  does  not ;  it 
excites  but  does  not  irritate,  consequently  it 
should  be  used  instead  of  black  pepper.  It  was 
known  to  the  Romans,  and  has  been  in  use  in 
the  East  Indies  from  time  immemorial,  as  it  cor- 


rects that  flatulence  which  attends  the  large  use 
of  vegetable  food.  Persons  in  health  do  not 
need  any  pepper  in  their  food.  But  to  those  of 
weak  and  languid  stomach,  it  is  manifold  more 
healthful  to  use  cayenne  pepper  at  meals  than 
any  form  of  wine,  brandy  or  beer  that  can  be 
named,  because  it  stimulates  without  the  reac- 
tion of  sleepiness  or  debility. — UalVs  Journal  of 
Health. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
TOWN  AND  COUNTRY. 

Mr.  Editor  : — I  believe  it  is  Cowper  who  says, 
"God  made  the  country,  and  man  made  the 
town."  This  does  not  appear  to  me  to  be  strictly 
true ;  or,  if  it  be  true,  it  is  to  be  understood  with 
certain  limitations ;  for,  in  both  places,  we  are 
alike  surrounded  by  the  works  of  God  and  man. 
In  the  country,  we  see  more  of  nature  in  its  sim- 
plicity, adaptation  and  loveliness,  less  perverted 
by  the  artifices  of  man  ;  whereas,  in  the  city,  the 
eye  is  limited  to  some  narrow  spot  by  streets  and 
walls  of  massive  brick  and  stone.  Men  and  their 
arts  appear  in  greater  number  and  force  in  cities  ; 
but  the  hand  of  rural  art  and  labor  renders  the 
country  the  most  picturesque  and  charming  to 
the  eye  of  the  beholder.  In  both  situations,  men 
are  toiling  for  gain  and  subsistence,  but  with  this 
difference ;  in  the  city,  they  depend  upon  shrewd 
bargains  or  upon  their  mechanical  skill ;  but,  in 
the  country,  upon  the  direct  returns  of  their  la- 
bor in  the  products  of  the  soil.  As  the  inhabi- 
tants of  the  country  deal  more  directly  with  their 
Creator,  there  is  more  constancy  and  security  in 
their  gains,  though  they  seldom  accumulate  great 
fortunes. 

It  is  often  asked  whether  life  in  the  country  or 
in  the  city  is,  on  the  whole,  most  favorable  to  the 
formation  of  the  Christian  character ;  the  pursuit 
of  true  wisdom,  virtue  and  holiness.?  It  Is  not 
my  purpose  to  answer  this  question  directly.  It 
is  sufficient  to  say,  that  in  both  situations,  there 
is  room  for  moral  and  intellectual  improvement, 
where  there  is  a  disposition.  He  who  lives  among 
the  crowds  of  the  city,  frequently  ascribes  to 
their  example  his  own  vices  ;  and  he  who  lives  in 
the  retirement  of  the  country,  often  refers  his 
rudeness  to  want  of  better  opportunities.  In  both 
situations,  we  are  required  to  do  an  honest  man's 
earnest  work,  and  to  secure  our  own  happiness 
by  a  virtuous  course  of  conduct. 

It  appears  to  me,  that,  whether  we  live  In  the 
country  or  in  the  city,  we  should  remember  we 
are  progressive  beings,  and  endeavor  to  make 
some  progress,  not  only  in  our  characters,  but  in 
our  business  pursuits.  There  are  some  people, 
with  whom  a  whole  century  produces  no  visible 
change  for  the  better.  They  make  no  improve- 
ments in  their  style  of  doing  business,  or  in  any 
thing  else.  They  seem  to  be  the  very  type  of 
conservatism — immovable  in  the  midst  of  inces- 
sant change.  If  in  the  country,  they  remain  on 
the  old  homestead,  and  retain  all  their  acres. 
from  generation  to  generation.  To  sell  one  o{ 
their  hundred  acres,  would  be  a  downright  dese- 
cration, though  they  do  not  properly  cultivate  a 
hundredth  part.  If  they  live  in  the  city,  theii 
minds  seem  to  have  been  stereotyped  with  all  tht 
old  notions  which  prevailed  before  the  flood. 
John  Goldsbury. 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


325 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
PIPES  FOR  CONDUCTINQ  WATER. 

Mr.  Editor  : — I  cheerfully  answer  the  inquiry 
of  Mr.  CONSTANTINE,  in  your  paper  of  the  15th 
inst.,  in  regard  to  the  "best  kind  of  pipe  for 
bringing  water,"  by  stating  my  own   experience. 

Nearly  forty  years  ago,  in  connection  with  a 
neighbor,  I  constructed  an  aqueduct  of  drawn 
lead  pipe  of  three-fourth  inch  calibre,  to  supply 
ourselves  with  spring  water.  The  fountain  was 
on  my  own  land,  and  not  over  forty  rods  distant 
from  our  houses.  We  used  it  at  our  houses  and 
barns.  This  was  the  first  drawn  lead  aqueduct 
used  in  this  town  or  vicinity,  so  far  as  I  know ; 
but  a  sheet  lead  pipe  soldered  together,  was  con- 
structed by  a  mechanic  a  year  or  two  previous, 
but  it  was  of  short  duration.  Our  aqueduct  last- 
ed some  fifteen  years,  when  it  failed  by  corrosion, 
and  was  replaced  by  new  pipe.  The  last  pipe  is, 
so  far  as  I  know,  still  in  use,  and  I  attribute  its 
preservation  from  corrosion  to  the  precaution 
taken  to  cover  it,  say  a  foot  deep,  with  clay. 

My  next  was  about  thirty  years  ago,  in  con- 
structing a  pipe  of  two  inch  calibre,  on  a  new  lo- 
cality to  supply  some  twenty  or  twenty-five  cus- 
tomers. This  pipe  was  made  very  heavy,  as  it 
was  particularly  desirable,  for  special  reasons, 
that  it  should  not  often  need  repairs.  I  was 
much  surprised,  however,  to  find  in  the  course  of 
three  or  four  years,  that  this  new  lead  aqueduct 
began  to  need  repairs,  and  after  being  at  consid- 
erable trouble  with  it,  for  a  time,  I  was  led  to 
make  a  thorough  examination,  when  I  found 
nearly  every  rod  of  my  pipe  more  or  less  corroded, 
and  I  was  obliged  to  substitute  some  other  mate- 
rial. I  decided  upon  wood,  and  this  last  is  in 
good  order  now,  after  having  been  in  the  ground 
for  twenty  years.  I  would  state  that  the  ground 
through  which  this  pipe  ran,  is,  or  was,  a  wet 
meadow — but  has  been  materially  modified  by 
draining  and  filling — and  I  would  remark  that 
my  first  aqueduct  ran  for  a  considerable  distance 
through  similar  ground,  and  in  that  part  it  was 
that  the  corrosion  took  place,  while  that  part 
wliich  ran  through  a  sandy  soil  was  not  affected. 

My  third  enterprise  in  the  aqueduct  line,  was 
on  a  more  extended  scale,  and  in  giving  an  ac- 
count of  my  experience,  I  may  possibly  be  more 
minute  than  would  be  desirable.  But  it  being 
probably  the  most  extended  individual  enterprise 
of  the  kind  in  New  England,  and  one  in  which  I 
took  especial  pains  to  introduce  all  the  conveni- 
ences that  I  could  find  far  and  near  ;  and  it  being 
an  enterprise  which  has  been  crowned  with  com- 
plete success  as  to  its  indispensable  utility  to  a 
large  population,  its  permanency,  and  its  value 
as  an  investment,  an  account  of  it  may  perhaps 
be  worth  the  space  it  will  occupy. 

The  town  of  Springfield,  where  I  have  lived 
for  near  half  a  century,  had  always  been  poorly 
supplied  with  water.  There  were  a  few  poorly 
constructed  private  aqueducts,  but  the  popula- 
tion depended  mainly  upon  wells,  which  afforded 
indiff'erent  water  for  drinking,  and  almost  im- 
practicable for  wacshing.  I  sought  what  I  deemed 
a  good  source  for  water,  gushing  from  the  bowels 
of  the  sandy  plain  above  us,  and  of  the  purest 
and  softest  quality,  and  I  secured  by  purchase  the 
spring  and  the  right  of  way  to  a  public  road  at 
once,  and  at  a  very  moderate  charge.  I  then  invited 


attention  of  several  prominent  citizens  to  the  sub- 
ject, who  I  knew  had  quite  as  much  personal  in- 
terest in  the  introduction  into  our  village  of  pure 
water,  as  myself,  and  a  good  deal  more  money  to 
spare  to  invest  in  it,  but  no  one  seemed  to  have 
confidence  in  its  success,  and  each  declined  join- 
ing in  the  undertaking.  Many  promised  to  be 
customers,  if  the  water  was  brought  to  them,  and 
the  Western  Railroad  station  being  scantily  sup- 
plied, Hon.  Edmund  Dwight,  then  President  of 
the  corporation,  offered  to  make  a  contract  for 
ten  years,  at  a  very  moderate  charge.  After  re- 
flecting on  the  question  of  engaging  single-hand- 
ed in  such  an  enterprise,  I  determined  to  go  on ; 
my  reasoning  was,  that  if  it  proved  useful,  and 
not  extravagantly  expensive,  the  citizens  would 
not  allow  me  to  suffer.  This  was  in  the  spring 
of  1843. 

Being  in  the  timber  business,  and  having  on 
hand  a  considerable  amount  of  timber  suitable 
for  pipes,  and  conveniences  for  manufacturing,  I 
procured  a  set  of  tools  for  manufacturing,  of  dif- 
ferent calibre,  and  employed  an  experienced  man 
to  bore  and  fit  them.  While  the  work  was  going 
on,  I  visited  various  places  where  aqueducts 
were  established,  to  acquire  information  as  to 
various  matters  of  convenience  and  expediency. 
Among  other  places,  I  visited  Syracuse,  in  the 
State  of  New  York,  where  I  learned  that  a  com- 
pany was  introducing  water  into  that  city,  much 
on  the  plan  that  I  was  pursuing.  I  learned,  also, 
that  the  State  of  New  York  had  used  wooden 
pipes  to  conduct  their  salt  water  from  their  sa- 
line wells  to  the  various  points  where  it  was  used 
for  the  manufacture  of  salt.  These  works  had 
been  in  use  many  yeais,  and  I  presumed  that 
long  experience  had  suggested  improvements  in 
the  manufacture  and  laying  of  the  pipes,  not  gen- 
erally known.  Nor  was  I  mistaken  ;  and  my 
journey  there  was  important  in  its  results.  I 
found,  at  Syracuse,  augers  for  boring,  and  tools 
for  fitting  the  logs  together,  so  perfect,  that  I 
bought  a  set  at  considerable  expense,  and  laid 
my  own  aside.  I  also  learned  the  mode  of  char- 
ring the  insides  of  the  pipes,  a  most  important 
operation,  as  it  has  the  eflect  to  prevent  the  wa- 
ter passing  through,  from  being  affected  with  the 
tasteof  the  timber.  This  opei'ation  is  exceedingly 
simple,  like  many  other  valuable  improvements 
and  inventions. 

I  also  visited  your  good  city  of  Boston.  You 
will  see  by  the  date  that  it  was  some  years  before 
your  magnificent  Cochituate  was  commenced,  but 
having  been  a  Boston  boy  myself,  forty  years  be- 
fore, I  remembered  the  Jamaica  Pond  aqueduct, 
and  that  it  was  constructed  with  logs.  At  Bos- 
ton I  found  several  conveniences,  not  in  use  else- 
where. But  the  great  idea — and  worth  more 
than  all  the  rest — that  I  received  there,  was  to 
lay  my  logs  deep.  For  this  idea  I  was  indebted 
to  Thomas  A.  Dexter,  Esq.,  who  was  principal  di- 
rector of  the  old  Boston  Water  Works. 

He  remarked  to  me,  that  wood  Mas  a  very 
good  material  for  conducting  water,  and  if  laid 
deep  enough,  it  would  out-last  iron.  He  repeat- 
ed with  emphasis,  deep  enough,  to  impress  the 
importance  of  it  on  my  mind,  and  I  have  taken 
pleasure  in  calling  on  him  at  his  office  repeated- 
ly, to  speak  of  my  success,  and  to  thank  him  for 
his  most  valuable  suggestion.  I  have  lived  to 
become   convinced  that    Mr.   Dexter's   opinion, 


326 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


July 


that  timber  thus  laid  will  out-last  iron,  may  be 
safely  regarded.  It  will  occur  to  any  person  of 
practical  experience,  that  a  post  set  say_  three 
feet  deep,  will  rot  off  near  the  surface,  while  the 
lower  part  is  comparatively  sound.  Mr.  Dexter 
has  samples  of  my  aqueduct  which  have  laid 
from  eight  to  thirteen  or  fourteen  years,  and  I 
doubt  not  he  will  show  them  to  whoever  may  feel 
interested  to  see  them,  and  I  will  send  you  sam- 
ples taken  off  the  logs  quite  recently  that  will 
speak  for  themselves. 

I  followed  the  injunctions  of  Mr.  Dexter  strict 
ly,  and  will  now  say  that  in  eighteen  miles  length 
of  wooden  pipe,  which  is  now  laid  and  used,  I 
have  reason  to  believe  that  at  this  moment, 
nine-tenths  of  it  is  as  sound  as  the  day  it  was 
laid,  after  having  been  used  from  ten  to  fourteen 
years.  I  am  in  the  habit  of  procuring  chips  from 
the  logs  whenever  there  is  occasion  to  dig  down 
to  them  for  inserting  a  new  leading  pipe  or  for 
repairs,  and  keep  them  as  evidences  of  the  con- 
dition of  the  logs.  I  have  samples  taken  off 
within  three  days,  from  logs  laid  in  the  fall  of 
1843,  which  are  as  sound  as  when  first  bored  and 
laid.  My  depth  in  sandy,  porous  ground  is  six 
feet,  and  in  clayey  ground,  four  feet,  but  in 
swampy  or  meadow  ground,  scarcely  three  feet. 
The  idea  is  to  put  the  timber  below  the  changes 
of  temperature.  There  is  another  advantage  in 
laying  deep,  and  not  a  slight  one.  It  keeps  the 
water  about  as  cool  as  when  it  is  in  the  spring. 
and  obviates  the  objection  to  aqueduct  water,  that 
it  is  insipid  for  drink. 

I  will  now  give  an  example  in  proof  of  the  ad- 
vantages of  deep  laying.  I  furnished  pipes  for  a 
company  in  a  neighboring  town,  of  about  two 
miles  in  length,  and  they  chose  to  dig  the  ditch, 
and  notwithstanding  my  remonstrances,  they  in- 
sisted on  laying  them  between  three  and  four  feet 
deep  in  sandy  ground.  The  consequence  was, 
that  the  principal  part  of  the  line  decayed  within 
seven  years,  and  it  is  now  totally  useless.  The 
logs  were  the  same  quality  as  my  own,  which,  laid 
at  the  same  time,  are  sound.  This,  I  think,  set- 
tles the  question  of  advantage  of  deptli  beyond 
dispute. 

I  soon  found  that  my  enterprise  was  popular, 
especially  with  the  women,  as  it  furnished  to 
them  in  their  houses,  at  a  moderate  charge,  an 
abundant  supply  of  pure  spring  water,  and  more 
was  called  for  than  my  first  spring  would  aff'ord. 
I,  therefore,  added  by  subsequent  purchases,  five 
other  springs,  which  altogether  aftbrd  an  abun- 
dant supply  of  water  for  families,  for  steam  en- 
gines, and  for  the  city  reservoirs  in  case  of  fires. 
These  last  are  supplied  in  such  abundance,  that 
there  has  been  no  cistern  in  which  the  water  has 
been  exhausted,  when  the  fixtures  for  letting  on 
the  water  are  in  order,  and  immense  amounts  of 
property  have  been  preserved  from  destruction, 
by  means  of  this  aqueduct.  During  the  first  five 
years,  and  while  I  was  sole  owner,  I  had  laid 
more  than  eleven  miles  of  wooden  main  pipe,  of 
a  calibre  from  seven  inches  down  to  one  and  one- 
half  inches,  and  service  pipes  of  lead,  measuring 
perhaps  as  much  more  ;  these  last  invariably  at 
the  expense  of  the  water  takers,  and  I  supplied 
customers  as  follows  : 


Barbers'  Shops  and  Bathing 

Rooms 5 

Foundries 3 

Offices 6 

Fire  Reservoirs 4 

668 


Families 479 

Stores  and  Shops 84 

Stables  and  Barns 37 


Livery  Stables 8 

Churches 1 

Steam  Engines 5 


Hotels 6 

Printing  Offices 2 

Machine  Shops 3 

Banks 3 

Boarding-Houses 17 

Railroad  Depots  and  Engine 

Houses 3 

Bakers 2    And  also  for  watering  streets. 

I  was  verbally  threatened  by  various  individu- 
als, with  prosecutions,  at  various  stages  of  the 
progress  of  my  work.  The  great  mass  of  the 
people,  however,  having  become  satisfied  of  the 
indispensable  importance  of  the  aqueduct,  lent 
their  countenance,  and  cheered  me  on. 

I  had,  however,  invested  more  than  was  pru- 
dent in  a  person  of  my  moderate  means,  and  in 
order  that  the  full  benefits  might  be  enjoyed  by 
all,  I  proposed  to  put  the  property  into  a  joint 
stock  corporation,  and  gentlemen  came  forward 
and  subscribed  for  shares,  and  an  act  was  granted 
by  the  legislature  of  1848.  All  sorts  of  difficul- 
ties were  throM^n  in  my  way,  in  procuring  a  leg- 
islative charter,  but  as  the  usual  powers  only 
which  had  been  accorded  to  other  parties  were 
asked,  an  act  finally  passed,  authorizing  a  capi- 
tal of  $25,000,  with  liberty  to  increase  as  needed, 
to  $50,000.  Extensions  have  been  since  made 
from  time  to  time,  until  the  length  of  main  pipe 
exceeds  18  miles,  and  the  capital  has  been  in- 
creaied  to  $35,600,  and  the  number  of  customers 
has  steadily  increased,  and  is  now  increasing.  I 
will  now  say,  without  the  fear  of  contradiction, 
that  this  work,  commenced  and  carried  forward 
to  successful  results,  is  of  as  much  importance  to 
the  city  of  Springfield,  and  as  indispensable  at 
this  moment  to  them,  as  the  Croton  is  to  New 
York,  or  the  Cochituate  to  Boston,  and  as  an  in- 
vestment, is  as  productive  as  any  stock  in  this 
place.  The  net  earnings  from  the  first  year  of 
its  operation  to  the  present  time,  have  averaged 
ten  per  cent.,  and  is  paid  in  semi-annual  dividends 
of  five  per  cent.,  and  as  the  expenses  are  lessen- 
ing, and  the  rents  increasing,  the  stockholders 
may  look  forward  to  a  twelve  per  cent,  dividend 
in  a  short  time. 

I  will  not  extend  this  account,  by  stating  the 
difficulties  which  were  thrown  in  the  way  of  pro- 
curing a  Legislative  act  of  incorporation.  It  is 
sufficient  to  say,  that  envy,  and  personal  and  po- 
litical grudges  moved  it,  and  I  doubt  not  the  most 
active  and  virulent  have  long  since  repented  of 
their  course.  At  any  rate,  several  of  the  most 
prominent  depend  on  the  water  for  themselves 
and  their  tenants,  and  some  of  them  are  now 
stockholders  in  the  property. 

I  took  especial  care  throughout  the  construc- 
tion of  this  work,  to  avoid  encroachments  on  in- 
dividual rights,  and  the  rights  of  the  public. 
First,  by  the  purchase  of  the  springs  and  the 
right  of  way  to  a  public  street ;  and  second,  by 
procuring  the  consent  of  the  town  authorities, 
for  laying  my  pipes  in  the  streets,  which  was  du- 
ly recorded,  and  when  from  any  cause  an  individ- 
ual was  injured  by  my  operations,  I  made  satis- 
faction without  litigation.  There  were  individu- 
als who  claimed  to  be  lawyers,  who  disputed  the 
power  of  the  Selectmen  or  any  other  authority, 
even  the  Legislature,  to  grant  the  right  to  lay 
pipes  in  the  streets  without  the  consent  of  all 
abuttors.  I  have  before  me  a  notice  in  the  hand- 
writing of  a  prominent  individual,  which  I  will 
give  as  a  sample,  which  was  regularly  served  by 
a  constable. 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


327 


"To  Charles  Stearns,  Esq.  :—Sir — This  is  to  notify  you, 
that  I  intend  to  dispute  your  right  to  lay  an  aqueduct  in  Howard 
Street  or  Water  Street,  in  the  town  of  Springfield,  or  to  continue 
the  one  already  laid  in  Howard  Street,  in  front  or  on  either  side 
of  the  homestead  I  now  own  and  occupy,  on  the  corner  of  said 
streets,  also,  in  Bridiie  Street,  in  said  town,  in  front  of  tlie  Ed- 
son  house,  so  called." 

A  true  copy,  attest,  (Signed,) . 

Wm.  Hatfield,  Constable  of  Springfield. 

I  have  deviated  somewhat  from  the  simple 
question  of  Mr.  Constantine,  as  to  "the  best  kind 
of  pipe  for  bringing  water,"  hoping  that  my  ex- 
perience may  be  beneficial  to  others,  if  not  to 
himself.  I  will  remark,  however,  that  as  to  the 
poisonous  effects  of  lead  pipe,  I  used  constantly, 
for  twenty  years  at  least,  water  drawn  through 
a  lead  pipe,  and  neither  my  family  nor  myself  ex- 
perienced any  bad  effects,  nor  have  I  ever  known 
a  well  authenticated  instance  of  the  injurious  ef- 
fects of  such  pipe,  but  I  have  heard  of  such  in- 
stances, and  it  is  probable  that  they  have  existed. 
All  my  leading  pipe,  conducting  the  water  from 
the  mains  to  houses  and  other  places  where  the 
water  is  used,  are  of  lead.  I  have  lately  received 
a  printed  statement  of  an  aqueduct  constructed 
in  Pittsfield,  Berkshire  Co.,  in  this  State,  within 
a  few  years.  The  main  pipe  of  this  aqueduct  is 
constructed  of  Ball's  patent  indistructible  cement 

gipe,  an  article  with  which  I  am  not  acquainted, 
ut  I  notice,  that  the  expense  of  this  aqueduct 
is  fully  treble  that  of  timber,  and  if  there  were 
never  any  expenses  for  repairs  upon  it,  the  inter- 
est of  the  money  on  the  difference  in  the  cost 
would  keep  the  Springfield  wood  aqueduct  in  re- 
pair for  all  time  to  come,  and  divide  a  large  sur- 
plus for  the  owners. 

The  timber  aqueduct  is  manufactured  liere  by 
Mr.  Ezekiel  Keith,  who  will  answer  any  ques- 
tions as  to  price,  &c.  Charles  Stearns. 

Springfield,  Mass.,  May,  1858. 


Fur  tlie  Nero  England  Farmer. 
DEPTH  OF  PLOWING. 

Mr.  Editor  : — I  have  seen  numerous  specula- 
tions of  late,  as  to  the  proper  depth  of  plowing 
to  be  had  in  our  fields,  and  know  of  no  question 
of  more  practical  utility.  Some  say  four,  others 
eight  and  others  twelve  inches,  according  to  the 
condition  of  the  soil.  Much  will  depend,  un- 
doubtedly upon  how  it  has  heretofore  been  turned, 
it  being  thought  judicious  to  deepen  one  or  two 
inches,  at  each  succeeding  breaking  up — until  at 
least  a  depth  of  twelve  inches  of  loosened  soil 
shall  be  attained.  We  know  that  most  plants, 
even  those  that  grow  chiefly  on  the  surface,  (the 
onion,  for  instance,)  extend  their  fibres  to  the 
depth  of  a  foot  or  more,  therefore  it  is  reasona- 
ble to  suppose  that  they  will  be  benefitted  by  thf 
soil  being  stirred  to  this  depth. 

Our  best  cultivators,  when  they  first  turn  up 
their  grass  lands  use  a  strong  team,  (two  pairs 
of  oxen,  at  least,)  and  let  their  plow  sink  as  far 
as  it  will — say  from  six  to  twelve  inches.  And 
they  generally  realize  the  best  products,  where 
the  culture  is  deepest,  provided  there  has  been 
applied  a  sufficiency  of  manure.  So  long  and  so 
hard  have  our  fields  been  pressed,  that  no  man 
may  expect  a  crop,  without  a  due  application  of 
the  needful.  It  is  said  that  corn  will  do  best, 
where  the  culture  is  shallow  ;  and  that  it  is  more 
than  useless,  to  stir  the  soil  more  than  six  inches 


deep  for  this  crop.  Such  has  not  been  my  ob- 
servation. 1  know  of  farms,  where  from  forty 
to  eighty  bushels  of  corn  are  now  grown  to  the 
acre,  on  which  thirty  years  ago,  thirty-five  bush- 
els would  have  been  considered  a  good  crop  ;  and 
this  difference  is  attributed  to  the  deepening  of 
the  culture. 

Notwithstanding  the  doubts  of  some  and  the 
slurs  of  others,  I  am  of  the  opinion  that  benefit 
will  accrue  from  deepening  the  culture  of  the 
soil,  and  that  double  the  crop  now  attained,  can 
be  had,by  a  judicious  application  of  this  process, 
J.  W.  Proctor. 

South  Danvers,  June  2,  1858. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
THE  FAJaMIN-Q  AKT. 

The  multitude  of  separate,  independent  arts 
combined  in  agriculture,  horticulture  and  floricul- 
ture, can  scarcely  be  estimated.  The  culture  of 
each  kind  of  grain  and  fruit  must  have  been  a 
separate  discovery,  and  given  rise  to  a  new  art. 
The  Indian  corn  was  originally  a  wild  grass  or 
plant,  and  in  its  wild  state  afforded  only  a  small 
quantity  of  seed,  spread  over  immense  plains  in 
thin,  scattering  beds,  and  collected  with  difficulty. 
The  art  of  raising  this  plant,  has  become  so  per- 
fected as  to  yield  a  hundred  barrels  where  only 
one  could  once  have  been  collected.  The  grain, 
too,  is  more  improved  in  quality  than  in  quantity. 
Wheat,  rye,  oats,  barley,  buckwheat,  rice,  beans, 
peas,  were  all  separately  discovered  to  be  edible, 
civilized,  and  finally  produced  in  the  shape  we  now 
see  them.  These  wei-e  all  wild  grasses  and  vines, 
collected  by  various  observing  individuals,  sub- 
mitted to  the  trial  of  culture,  and  perfected  by 
the  ingenious  hand  of  the  husbandman. 

Instead  of  the  fine,  full,  large  grain  of  wheat 
we  now  see,  the  kernel  was  small,  withered  and 
tasteless.  The  various  wild  grains  only  yielded 
seeds  like  other  grasses,  and  afforded  but  a  scan- 
ty pittance  to  the  gleaner.  Apples,  pears,  peach- 
es, plums,  cherries,  currants,  quinces,  oranges, 
lemons,  and  many  more  fruits,  all  grew  wild  in 
woods,  plains  and  swamps,  and  were  taken  from 
these  places,  planted  in  mellow  soil,  enriched, 
hoed  and  nurtured  from  year  to  year  until  they 
grew  to  the  size  and  flavor  in  which  they  now  ap- 
pear. In  size  they  resembled  walnuts,  chestnuts, 
huckleberries,  swamp-cheeses  and  wild  cherries. 
Beets,  carrots,  parsnips,  turnips  and  cabbages, 
may  all  be  cited  as  instances  of  brilliant  discov- 
eries, and  their  culture  as  new  arts.  The  grape 
and  the  cranberry  are  probably  the  least  changed 
and  improved  of  any  kinds  of  fruits,  yet  what  a 
change  is  effected  even  in  these  by  habitual,  at- 
tentive culture. 

The  husbandman,  unconscious  of  the  multi- 
tude of  arts  combined  in  his  occupation,  grows 
up  among  them  as  if  all  were  the  product  of  na- 
ture, and  the  inspiration  of  the  seasons,  and  not 
the  work  of  patient  attention  and  careful  study. 
The  animals  which  he  uses  were  as  wild  as  his 
plants  and  trees.  The  horse,  the  ox,  tlie  cow, 
the  sheep,  the  hog,  the  geese,  turkeys,  hens  and 
pigeons  were  all  as  profitless  and  as  much  beyond 
his  reach  as  the  lion,  the  tiger,  the  eagle  and  the 
partridge.  The  domestication  of  all  these  ;  the 
manufacture  of  butter  and  cheese  ;  the  manage- 


328 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Jul; 


ment  of  wheel  carriages ;  the  slaughter  and  pres- 
ervation of  animal  food  ;  and  the  measurement 
of  his  land  by  paces  and  rods  comprise  an  im- 
perfect list  of  the  arts  in  the  profession  of  the 
farmer  or  of  general  agriculture. 

The  culture  of  flowers  and  shrubs  evinces  no 
less  of  art  than  the  astonishing  development  of 
grasses,  grains  and  fruit  trees.  In  value,  size 
and  beauty  they  have  increased  many  fold.  The 
poppy,  the  rhubarb,  the  peppermint,  the  caraway, 
the  rose-bush,  the  pepper,  the  mustard,  the  sage, 
the  lavender,  the  saff'ron,  the  lobelia,  the  sun- 
flower, the  pink,  the  violet  and  the  honeysuckle, 
each  displays  the  ingenuity  and  refinement  of  the 
agricultural  art.  Their  old  kindred  in  the  wil- 
derness and  the  plain  would  seem  to  have  lost 
all  relationship,  and  to  live  in  comparative  worth- 
lessness.  Rural  Art. 

April,  1858. 

I^or  the  NeiP  England  Fanner. 

THE  PROMOTION  OF  AQRICULTUBE. 

[An  Extract  from  a  paper  read  before  a  Farmer's  Club  in 
,  Jan.  21.] 


*  *  *  *  To  see  the  condition  of  our  town  is 
easy  ;  to  prescribe  a  remedy  may  be  more  dif- 
ficult. But  however  hazardous  it  may  be  to  em- 
ulate him,  who,  when  asked,  "Can  you  play  on 
the  flute  P"  replied,  "No,  but  I  can  tell  you  how 
to  make  a  little  village  become  a  great  city  ;" 
yet  every  man  owes  it  to  the  town  he  lives  in,  to 
make  the  best  suggestions  that  he  can  to  pro- 
mote the  pulilic  good. 

A  few  days  since,  an  eminent  citizen  caused  his 
name  to  be  forever  held  in  grateful  remembrance, 
by  a  bequest  of  $15,000  to  our  town  ;  the  income 
of  which  is  to  be  appropriated  to  moral  and  in- 
tellectual purposes.  This  noble  gift  has  insured 
the  prosperity  of  the  causes  to  which  it  was  be- 
queathed. Now,  let  some  other  rich  man,  or 
some  number  of  rich  men,  or  even  the  town  it- 
self, donate  a  fund,  the  income  of  which  shall  be 
appropriated  to  the  promotion  of  agriculture  in 
this  town.  One-fourth  part  of  the  capital  which 
our  citizens  have  invested  in  bank  stocks  out  of 
toion,  viz.,  $30,000,  would  give  an  annual  income 
of  $1800,  to  be  divided  in  premiums  among  our 
farmers,  every  year  through  all  future  time.  Let 
this  be  done,  and  this  town  would  blossom  as  a 
garden.  As  a  mere  money-making  stroke  of  pol- 
icy, I  challenge  the  suggestion  of  a  better.  Ten 
of  our  greatest  land-holders  could  to-night  make 
money  by  donating  such  a  fund  to  the  town. 
Real  estate  would  forthwith  rise  in  value  to  the 
extent  of  $200,000.  $1800  hard,  golden  dollars, 
counted  out  and  distributed  among  our  farmers 
at  an  annual  cattle  show  day,  would  have  a  mar- 
vellous eff'ect ;  the  attractions  of  the  West  would 
pale  before  their  glittering  light.  Li  ten  years, 
this  town  would  become  as  near  a  city  as  the 
business  of  agriculture  would  allow.  Then  would 
it  be,  in  the  words  of  the  poet : 

"A  goodly  sight  to  see 
What  Heaven  hath  done  for  this  delicious  land, 
What  fruits  of  h-agrance  blush  on  every  tree, 
What  goodly  prospects  o'er  the  hills  expand." 

J.  R.  E. 


^^  IJalVs  Hmicl  Potver  Stump  Machine,  re- 
cently illustrated  in  the  Farmer,  is  for  sale  at 
NovMfise  &  Co.'s,  13  Commercial  Street,  Boston. 


PASTURE  LANDS. 

In  the  management  of  pasture  lands,  it  is  an 
excellent  plan,  where  the  nature  of  the  ground 
favors  the  operation,  to  free  the  surface  of  bushes, 
stones,  stumps,  &c.,  and  then  plow  it  carefully 
once  every  six  or  eight  years,  harrow  thorough- 
ly, and  sow  on  the  seeds  of  such  grasses  as  are 
found  to  be  best  adapted  to  the  locality,  and  the 
most  valuable  as  a  summer  food  for  stock. 

Herd's  grass  (timothy)  white  and  red  clover, 
red  and  brown  top,  make  an  excellent  stocking 
for  light  pastures.  The  recuperative  power  of 
pasture  lands  is  such  as  to  render  the  application 
of  manures  of  less  consequence  than  on  other 
lands  ;  yet  it  will  be  found  highly  beneficial  to 
apply,  occasionally,  a  light  dressing  of  plaster, 
limC;  or  what  is  better  still,  wood  ashes — all  of 
which  have  a  tendency  to  promote  the  develop- 
ment of  vegetation  in  the  early  spring,  as  well  as 
to  sustain  it  in  seasons  of  severe  and  protracted 
drought.  These  appliances  tend  also  to  bring  in- 
to action  the  energies  of  the  inert  humus  con- 
tained in  the  soil,  and  to  render  the  silicates  so- 
luble, and  consequently  in  a  proper  condition  to 
be  taken  up  by  the  roots  of  plants. 

From  the  inert  humus,  and  certain  other  sub- 
stances of  a  mineral  character,  the  soil  of  our  pas- 
tures derives  the  power  of  recuperation,  or  self- 
replenishment,  M'hich  it  is  supposed  to  possess. 
But  it  is  well  enough  to  remark,  that,  apart  from 
the  phenomena  of  vegetable  growth  and  decay, 
in  no  such  power  is  recognized  nature.  If  we  an- 
nually remove  the  produce  of  a  field  or  pasture, 
without  making  any  retui-ns  in  the  form  of  ma- 
nure, we  shall  necessarily  pretty  rapidly  impov- 
erish the  soil. 

In  fallowing — that  is,  in  plowing  and  harrow- 
ing land  without  sowing  it — no  vegetation  is  al- 
lowed to  mature  ;  all  that  the  vegetable  powers 
of  the  soil  produce,  is  immediately  returned  to 
it,  and  as  most  plants  derive  a  jjortion  of  their  food 
from  the  atmosphere,  the  air,  by  this  process,  is 
made  to  enrich  the  earth.  The  soil  itself  also  ab- 
sorbs from  the  same  source  a  very  considerable 
amount  of  fertilizing  matters  in  the  shape  of  gas- 
eous products,  and  when  supplied  with  materials 
capable  of  absorbing  and  fixing  the  ceriform  prin- 
ciples which  are  perpetually  present — and  in  large 
quantities,  throughout  this  wide-spread  and  in- 
exhaustible field  of  fertility — the  accession  of  fe- 
cundating matter  will  be  very  large,  and  secure 
the  most  favorable  results,  both  to  the  soil  and 
the  succeeding  crops.  This  is,  perhaps,  one  of 
the  most  economical  and  eff'ectual  methods  of  re- 
plenishment it  is  possible  to  adopt. 

But  we  must  not  suff"er  ourselves  to  be  illuded 
by  the  glitter  of  hypothetical  conclusions ;  we 
must  attribute  results  to  their  legitimate  causes, 
and  trace  each  one,  so  far  as  it  is  practicable  for 


;858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


329 


as  to  do,  to  its  real  and  proper  source.  The 
demand  upon  the  energies  of  the  soil  always  ex- 
ceeds the  supplies  derived  from  the  air,  and  hence 
we  see  that  there  is  no  such  thing  as  a  recuper- 
ative power,  or  principle,  independent  of  vegeta- 
ble life. 

The  spires  and  blades  of  the  grasses,  and  the 
stalks  and  foliage  of  other  plants,  frequently  de- 
cay and  fall  upon  the  ground,  their  places  being 
supplied  by  new  formations,  often  emanating 
from  the  same,  or  neai  ly  the  same  points.  The 
same  takes  place  among  the  roots.  When  a  fibre 
perishes,  it  is  resolved  into  humus,  and  supplies 
food  for  the  new  organ  which  nature  prepares  to 
occupy  its  place.  This  alternation  of  decay  and 
reproduction,  is  going  on  continually  throughout 
the  wide  range  of  nature,  and  its  results  are  ob- 
vious at  every  turn. 

The  pastures  to  which  we  refer,  must  be,  of 
course,  such  as  are  capable  of  being  worked ; 
such  as  lie  near  villages,  or  wherever  land  is 
high.  The  rough,  rocky,  mountain  pastures, 
■where  the  land  is  comparatively  cheap,  cannot  be 
economically  plowed.  If  they  are  absolutely 
needed,  being  worth  more  for  pasture  than  to  al- 
low them  to  grow  up  to  wocd,  about  all  that  can 
be  done  for  them  is  to  keep  the  bushes  down, 
and  sow  on  them  occasionally  plaster,  lime,  or 
ashes ;  and  the  economy  of  this  will  depend  en- 
tirely upon  the  price  at  which  these  articles  can 
be  obtained,  including  the  cost  of  transportation. 


eight  first  threads  for  as  many  pieces  of  carpet. 
Yarn  for  the  next  thread  is  then  wound  on  the 
drum,  and  printed  according  to  its  plan,  and  this 
is  continued  until  enough  is  done  for  the  whole 
width  of  carpet,  the  result  being  enough  for  eight 
pieces  of  carpet  just  alike.  The  separate  thi-eads 
numbered  are  then  brought  together  in  proper 
order  side  by  side,  and  placed  in  the  loom,  the 
filling,  as  all  our  readers  know,  being  of  hard 
twisted  uncolored  thread  which  only  shows  on 
the  back  of  the  carpet.  The  carpet  is  then  wo- 
ven, without  farther  regard  to  style,  the  beauti- 
ful figures  resulting  being  produced  entirely  by 
the  previous  printing,  the  raatherratical  accuracy 
of  which  is  truly  astonishing.  The  most  exquis- 
ite shadings,  bouquets,  and  figures  of  every  im- 
aginable design  or  colorings,  may  thus  be  pro- 
duced with  all  the  accuracy  of  needlework  upon 
prepared  canvas,  and  at  a  price  which  is  wonder- 
fully cheap  when  the  brilliancy  of  effect  is  con- 
sidered. The  loop  on  the  surface  of  the  Brus- 
sels is  made  by  throwing  the  thread  over  a  pol- 
ished wire,  which  is  withdrawn  as  the  work  pro- 
gresses ;  and  the  velvet  surface  is  made  by  cut- 
ting the  loop  after  weaving. 


■WEEDEK,  TRO"WEL  AND  DIBBLE, 
COMBINED 


MANUPACTUBE  OP  CABPETS. 

The  New  York  Journal  of  Commerce  thus  de- 
scribes the  process  of  manufacturing  Brussels 
Tapestry  and  Velvet  carpets  by  the  New  England 
Worsted  Company : 

The  process  of  making  these  carpets  is  one  of 
the  most  interesting  in  the  whole  range  of  man- 
ufacturing. The  goods  are  not  printed  in  the 
piece,  but  the  threads  are  colored  by  the  printing 
process  before  the  fabric  is  woven.  The  opera- 
tion is  as  follows :  The  yarn  in  a  white  state  is 
reeled  upon  a  large  drum,  so  that  the  threads  lie 
side  by  side,  the  circumference  of  the  drum  be- 
ing the  length  of  the  figure,  or  of  the  yarn  nec- 
essary to  make  it,  in  an  elongated  state,  while 
enough  yarn  is  placed  upon  it  to  make  eight 
threads,  each  running  the  whole  length  of  a 
piece  of  carpet.  A  plm  for  the  figure  is  then 
drawn,  and  gaged  with  mathematical  accuracy, 
shov/ingthe  exact  space  of  each  color  to  be  print- 
ed on  each  separate  thread  of  warp.  Holding 
this  plan  before  her,  the  girl  in  charge,  by  the 
assistance  of  a  boy,  rolls  a  box  of  color  under  the 
drum,  making  a  line  across  the  drum  ;  if  a  wider 
space  of  the  same  color  is  needed  this  box  rolls 
several  times,  the  drum  meantime  slowly  revolv- 
ing. The  next  color  is  then  added,  until  the  whole 
surface  of  the  varn  upon  the  drum  is  striped  with 
these  lines.  1  he  yarn  is  then  removed,  and! 
makf'S  eight  threads,  only  one  of  which  can  bej 
KSfed  iu  a  single  piece  of  carpet;  they  are,  in  fact,] 


The  cotton  mills  and  carpet  looms  have  not 
had  all  the  benefit  of  active  and  ingenious  minds, 
as  will  be  evident  to  those  who  stroll  through 
the  extensive  agricultural  warehouses  of  this  city. 
There  is  "something  new  under  the  sun"  every 
day.  The  exercise  of  many  educated  and  well 
disciplined  minds  is  now  turned,  more  than  ever, 
we  think,  to  the  interests  of  the  soil.  A  chaste, 
instructive  and  vigorous  agricultural  literature 
now  charms  and  adorns  the  labors  of  rural  life, 
and  is  throwing  around  them  influences  which 
will  not  only  keep  more  of  our  young  men  and 
maidens  on  the  farm,  but  it  is  winning  back  many 
who  have  strayed  and  "tasted  a  thousand  ills  un- 
felt  at  home." 

We  have  not  used  the  Weeder,  Trowel  and  Dib- 
ble combined,  and  cannot,  therefore,  speak  from 
any  practical  experiences.  It  is  a  device  of  Mr. 
Von  Unwerth,  who  says  it  is  "a  most  valuable 
combination  of  three  very  useful  garden  tools. 

The  operation  is  so  simple  as  hardly  to  require 
an  explanation.  The  broad  side  of  the  weeder 
may  be  used  to  clear  a  larger  space  of  weeds,  and 
also  to  loosen  the  soil.  The  narrow  oval  sides  of 
the  weeder  are  intended  to  loosen  the  earth  light- 
ly around  the  young  and  tender  plants  without 
injuring  them. 


330 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


JULT 


The  use  of  the  trowel  and  dibble  in  setting  out 
plants,  and  doing  various  kinds  of  garden  work 
is  obvious  to  all. 

By  combining  the  three  in  one  the  purchaser 
has  an  instrument  costing  less  than  three  separ- 
ate implements  and  also  much  more  convenient." 

For  sale  by  Parker,  White  &  Gannett, 
Blackstone  Street,  Boston. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 

OULTUBE  OF  THE  PEACH. 

Mr.  Editor  : — As  it  may  not  be  uninterest- 
ing to  some  of  your  readers,  I  have  herein  set 
forth  an  account  of  my  experience  in  the  cultm-e 
of  the  peach.  In  the  year  1849, 1  gathered  some 
peach-stones  of  the  wildest,  and  I  might  say,  the 
poorest  I  could  find.  I  placed  them  in  a  box, 
first  a  layer  of  earth,  then  a  layer  of  peach-stones, 
until  I  filled  the  box  ;  I  think  there  might  have 
been  three  layers  of  peach-stones.  They  were 
left  out  of  doors  until  the  frost  had  acted  upon 
them,  and  about  the  first  of  January  they  were 
placed  in  the  cellar.  Early  in  the  spring  they 
were  removed  to  a  warm  situation,  where  the  sun 
could  reach  them  most  of  the  day,  and  by  the 
time  I  could  prepare  my  ground,  they  had  most- 
ly started  ;  some  grown  from  six  to  ten  inches 
high.  By  removing  one  end  of  the  box  they 
were  easily  transplanted  into  rows  where  they 
grew  to  a  good  size  for  budding  ;  which  was  done 
early  in  September.  Of  five  or  six  hundred  trees, 
only  one  hundred  and  seventy  took  well ;  these 
were  set  out  in  the  spring  of  1850,  and  in  1851  I 
planted  more  in  the  same  manner,  with  similar 
result,  until  I  obtained  four  hundred  and  fifty 
good  trees  budded  with  twenty-three  varieties  : 
there  remained  over  one  thousand  inferior  trees, 
on  many  of  which  the  buds  did  not  take  ;  these 
■were  thrown  away.  The  four  hundred  and  fifty 
trees  were  set  out  in  rows  fourteen  feet  apart  each 
way.  When  one  year  old  from  the  bud,  the  top 
was  cut  in  close  to  the  main  stock  ;  apple  trees 
were  set  every  twenty- eight  feet  each  way.  The 
ground  occupied  is  less  than  three  acres.  I  have 
continued  to  work  the  land,  planting  corn,  pota- 
toes, beans,  squashes,  kc,  commencing  with  three 
rows  between  the  trees,  each  way,  and  as  the 
trees  grew,  two  rows,  then  one,  always  making  a 
tree  come  in  a  hill,  plowing  either  way. 

Of  peaches,  the  result  has  been,  that  in  1853  I 
had  a  few,  I  forget  how  many,  sold  to  the  amount 
of  fifty  dollars ;  in  1854,  had  one  hundred  and 
fifty  bushels,  sold  to  the  amount  of  two  hundred 
and  fifty  dollars  ;  in  1855  I  did  not  have  one 
peck  ;  in  1856,  had  about  eighty  bushels,  sold  to 
the  amount  of  three  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  ; 
in  1857  had  one  hundred  and  thirty-five  bushels, 
sold  to  the  amount  of  four  hundred  and  fifty-four 
dollars.  The  trees  are  mostly  in  a  healthy  con- 
dition, in  full  blossom,  with  a  prospect  of  a  much 
larger  crop  than  ever  before.  My  situation  is 
sheltered  from  the  bleak  winds  ;  there  is  a  large 
hill  on  the  north-east  and  also  on  the  north-west, 
and  I  think  it  must  be  owing  to  my  location  that 
I  have  had  quite  a  crop  of  peaches,  when  there 
were  hardly  any  in  this  country,  as  was  the  case 
in  1856.  As  respects  the  varieties,  there  is  a 
marked   difi"erence   in   their  hardiness,  also  the 


same  kinds  will  not  always  be  as  good,  owing,  1 
think,  mostly  to  the  season.  I  have  thirty  rath- 
er small-sized  trees  of  the  Malta,  which  in  1856 
produced  twenty  bushels  ;  they  sold  readily  for 
one  hundred  dollars,  were  large,  high-colored, 
and  excellent.  Last  year  the  trees  were  suffered 
to  bear  too  full,  consequently  the  fruit  was  small 
and  inferior.  Most  of  my  fruit  has  been  sold  to 
dealers  to  sell  again.  I  have  many  trees  of  a 
firm,  high-colored  peach ;  excellent  for  the  mar- 
ket; we  call  them  the  "Jenks  Rareripe," — it  has 
proved  hardy.  Last  year  many  of  them  rotted 
on  the  trees,  I  think  by  reason  of  there  being  too 
much  water  in  the  ground,  as  several  other  kinds 
were  aff'ected  in  the  same  way.  "Crawford's  Ear- 
ly" are  as  handsome  as  any  that  I  have  cultiva- 
ted, but  I  think  they  are  rather  tender,  and  very 
sensitive  to  our  winters.  The  large  white  and 
yellow  rareripe,  "Coolidge's  Favorite,"  the  old 
large  red  rareripe,  have  each  proved  hardy.  Al- 
though I  adopted  the  heading  in,  from  the  first, 
and  continued  it  for  several  years,  yet  some  kinds, 
such  as  the  Early  York,  Gross  Mignonne,  Royal 
George,  &c.,  would  soar  aloft,  the  lower  limbs 
dying  out.  I  have  thought  my  trees  were  more 
hardy  than  some  other  orchards,  by  reason  of 
the  stocks  being  selected  from  seed  of  the  native, 
unbudded  fruit.  I  have  kept  out  all  dead  wood, 
trimming  in  the  autumn,  removing  sometimes 
large  limbs  that  interfered  with  my  apple  trees  ; 
where  they  -were  severed  from  the  trunk  would 
become  hard  and  dry  before  spring,  therefore 
send  out  no  gum. 

In  the  first  starting  of  my  peach  orchard,  the 
grubs  took  to  them  so  that  1  began  to  think  they 
would  destroy  them  entirely.  I  took  air-slaked 
lime,  removed  the  earth  from  near  the  trunk  of 
the  trees,  and  applied  about  two  quarts  to  each 
tree,  pressing  it  up  close  to  the  tree ;  this  was 
done  in  June,  for  two  or  three  years,  and  it  proved 
effectual.  Now  it  is  evident  we  can  have  a  crop 
of  peaches  when  the  mercury  fulls  twenty  below 
zero  ;  but  the  reason,  to  my  mind,  is  that  the 
wood  has  well  ripened  the  previous  autumn,  the 
blossom  buds  never  swelling  or  starting  until 
spring.  It  often  happens  that  we  have  a  warm 
spell  of  weather  in  November,  sometimes  later, 
that  starts  the  blossom  buds,  after  which,  extreme 
cold,  say  a  few  degrees  below  zero,  Avill  be  death 
to  them.  The  soil  on  which  my  orchard  stands 
is  mostly  warm,  dry  soil,  with  a  hard,  gravelly 
sub-soil  underlying  it,  on  which  the  apple  flour- 
ishes finely,  and  its  nature  is  to  stand  a  drought 
extremely  well.  A.  G.  Bradstreet. 

Locust  Glai,  Danvers,  May  20,  1858. 

Remarks. — Mr.  Bradstreet,  will  please  ac- 
cept our  thanks  for  this  excellent  article  upon 
the  culture  of  the  peach.  We  have  no  doubt  it 
will  be  the  indirect  means  of  supplying  many  fam- 
ilies with  a  supply  of  that  delicious  and  whole- 
some fruit. 

Coal. — Ere  we  wrap  up  this  carboniferous  in- 
tegument of  the  landscape,  let  us  mark  to  how 
small  a  coal-field  England  has  for  so  many  years, 
owed  its  flourishing  trade.  Its  area,  as  I  have 
already  had  occasion  to  remark,  scarcely  equals 
that  of  one  of  our  largest  Scottish  lakes,  and  yet 
how  many  thousand  steam  engines  has  it  set  in 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


331 


motion — how  many  railway  trains  has  it  propelled 
across  the  country — how  many  thousand  wagon 
loads  of  salt  has  it  elaborated  from  the  brine — 
how  many  more  millions  tons  of  iron  has  it  fur- 
nished, raised  to  the  surface,  smelted  and  ham- 
mered !  It  ha?  made  Birmingham  a  great  city, 
the  first  iron  depot  of  Europe,  and  filled  the 
country  with  crowded  towns  and  busy  villages. 
And  if  one  small  field  has  done  so  much,  what 
may  we  not  expect  from  those  vast  basins  laid 
down  by  Lyell  in  the  geographical  map  of  the 
United  States  ? — Hugh  Miller. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
TABLB  OP  MEASURES  OP  LAND. 

Knowing  the  difficulty  often  experienced  by 
farmers  and  others,  in  laying  off  small  parcels  of 
land  to  be  used  in  making  an  experiment  in 
growth  of  crops,  or  application  of  manures, — I 
have  prepared  a  small  table  of  measures,  in  the 
simplest  form,  which  may  be  useful  to  the  read- 
ers of  the  Farmer. 

It  will  be  seen  by  reference  to  the  plan  that  a 
practice  sometimes  followed  by  farmers  is  very 
erroneous ;  if  the  side  of  a  square  containing 
one  acre  measures  208.71  ft.,  one-half  that  length 
will  not  make  a  square  containing  one-half  an 
acre,  but  only  one-fourth  an  acre,  and  one-third 
the  length  of  line  will  enclose  a  square  of  one- 
ninth  an  acre,  and  one-fourth  the  line,  squared, 
will  contain  one-sixteenth  an  acre,  and  so  on,  the 
square  of  the  fraction  of  the  line  taken  will  give 
the  part  of  an  acre  enclosed. 

ONE    ACRE    CONTAINS 
160  square  rods  ;   4840  square  yards ;    43,560  square  feet. 

ONE    ROD    CONTAINS 

.30.25  square  yards  ;   272.25  square  feet. 
One  square  yard  coutains  nine  square  feet. 

THE    SIDE    OF   A    SQUARE    TO    CONTAIN 

One  acre 208.71  feet 12  65  rods 64  paces. 

One-lialf  acre.... 147.58   "    8  94    "     45      " 

One-third  acre.. .120.50   "   7.30    "    37      " 

One-fourth  acre. .104.36   "    6.32    "    32      " 

One-eighth  acre... 73  79   "    4.47    "    2i\    " 

208.71  feet. 


12.65  rods. 

f 

d 

o 

104.36. 

£2.18.      • 

i 

1-16 

52.18.        1      52.18. 

104.36. 

208.7 

I  feet. 

The  square  above  is  supposed  to  contain  one 
acre.  J.  Herbert  Shedd. 

Boston,  May,  1858. 


CliOSE  BREEDING. 

There  has  long  been  a  controversy  among  men 
on  the  subject  of  close  breeding,  some  contend- 
ing that  it  is  very  injurious,  others  that  it  is  not 
seriously  objectionable.  By  close  breeding  is 
meant,  breeding  by  animals  of  near  affinity  of 
blood.  It  is  contended  by  the  objectors  to  close 
breeding,  that  fowls,  sheep,  hogs,  and  cattle  that 
are  bred  for  a  long  series  of  years  in  the  same 
flocks,  without  the  addition  of  any  alien  blood 
from  other  flocks  or  breeds,  surely  degenerate 
and  become  less  useful.  And  this  is  given  to  ac- 
count for  the  unserviceable  fowls,  the  gaunt  hogs, 
the  weakly  sheep  and  the  scrawny  cattle  that  are 
so  frequently  found  on  old  farms,  among  old- 
style  farmers.  Those  who  see  no  objections  to 
close  breeding  cite  many  examples  of  it  to  sus- 
tain their  views,  such  as  Flying  Childers,  a  horse 
of  unrivalled  beauty  and  speed,  known  to  have 
been  closely  bred ;  the  Darby  Game  fowl,  bred 
at  Knowsley  Park  for  several  hundred  years  with- 
out change  from  the  blood  of  the  original  stock  ; 
the  pair  of  wild  geese  brought  by  Col.  Jaques,  of 
Somerville,  Mass.,  from  Canada,  in  1818,  whose 
stock  at  this  time,  bred  in  a  direct  line  from  the 
original  pair  without  the  addition  of  any  strain 
of  new  blood,  is  not  the  least  degenerated.  But 
notwithstanding  these  isolated  cases  of  the  seem- 
ing safety  of  close  breeding,  we  must  give  our 
testimony  strongly  against  it.  We  cannot  but 
feel  that  close  breeding  among  human  creatures 
or  animals  is  generally  attended  with  bad  effects. 
It  is  true,  cousins  may  marry  with  safety  to  their 
offspring,  but  it  is  very  common  that  bad  results 
are  known  to  follow.  We  have  seen  nor  read  of 
no  great  man  nor  woman  the  offspring  of  cous- 
ins. And  we  believe  that  the  children  of  cousins 
are  generally  inferior  to  their  parents.  The  same 
physiological  laws  are  in  action  in  both  human 
and  animal  creatui-es.  It  is  a  law,  we  believe,  of 
human  physiology  that  similarity  of  tempera- 
ment is  unfavorable  to  the  offspring,  whilst  dis- 
similarity of  temperament  is  favorable.  Now,  it 
is  a  general  rule  that  similarity  of  temperament 
obtains  in  families.  This  will  be  especially  the 
case  if  families  should  breed  in-and-in  for  sever- 
al generations.  Even  in  this  view  of  the  sub- 
ject it  is  best  often  to  seek  favorable  crosses  in 
breeding  animals. 

It  is  well  known  that  the  barn-yard  fowls  on 
many  farms  are  very  unserviceable.  It  is  known, 
too,  that  this  is  not  for  the  %vant  of  good  fare, 
shelter,  &c.  It  is  known,  also,  that  in  many 
instances  these  fowls  have  been  bred-in  for  many 
years  without  a  single  fowl  from  any  other  flock 
being  added.  The  inference  is  very  plausible 
that  close  breeding  has  affected  them  unfavora- 
bly. 

We  know  a  woman  whose  hens  have  for  sev- 
eral years  been  very  serviceable.  She  is  the 
wife  of  an  intelligent  and  successful  farmer,  and 
she  laughs  at  the  mania  for  foreign  fowls.  She 
thinks  she  can  show  as  large  eggs  and  as  many 
from  a  hen,  as  much  profit  with  as  little  expen- 
diture as  anybody.  Her  plan  has  been  for  many 
years  to  breed  from  her  best  hens,  to  set  only  the 
largest  eggs.  If  she  sees  a  fowl  in  any  neigh- 
bor's yard  that  is  very  fine,  she  buys  it  or  swaps 
for  it ;  if  she  sees  a  very  large  agg  elsewhere, 
she  secures  it  if  possible  ;  thus  constantly  bring- 
ing new  strains  of  promising  blood.     Her  fowls 


332 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


July 


are  large,  healthy,  and  thrifty.  Being  well  cared 
for  every  way,  they  are  very  productive  and 
serviceable. 

We  believe  this  is  the  best  plan  to  secure  use- 
ful fowls.  The  same  general  principles  will  ap- 
ply to  raising  all  kinds  of  stock. —  Valley  Farmer. 


INCREASING  THE  QUANTITY  OF  CBEAM. 

A  gentleman  in  Brussels,  Mr.  Bakaert,  some- 
time since  assured  the  public  that  he  had  at  last 
been  successful  in  his  efforts  to  discover  a  pro- 
cess for  increasing  the  quantity  of  cream  from 
milk.  The  process  by  which  this  is  accomplished 
is  as  follows : — 

To  every  two  quarts  of  milk,  add  a  table- 
spoonful  of  liquid  made  by  dissolving  in  a  quart 
of  water  one  ounce  of  carbonate  of  soda,  one 
tea-spoonful  of  curcuma,  or  tumeric,  and  three 
drops  of  marigold  water  is  added.  The  action 
of  the  soda  is,  according  to  Mr.  Bakaert,  to  cause 
a  greater  quantity  of  cream  to  be  separated  from 
the  milk  than  would  otherwise  be ;  while  the 
other  ingredients  render  the  quality  and  color  of 
the  butter  superior  to  that  of  butter  produced 
in  the  ordinary  way. 

Wc  are  not  satisfied  that  this  boasted  discovery 
will  be  of  any  great  utility,  after  all.  It  is  some- 
what difficult  to  conceive  how  the  carbonate  of 
soda  can  produce  the  action  or  result  which,  in 
this  case,  is  attributed  to  it.  As  to  "coloring" 
and  "flavoring"  butter,  -when  the  latter  is  prop- 
erly made,  it  is  to  be  regarded  as  of  a  piece  with 
"gilding  refined  gold,"  or  to  add  perfume  to  the 
violet.  The  milk  of  cows,  judiciously  kept,  if 
well  managed,  will  always  produce  butter  of  a 
good  color  and  flavor,  and  the  attempts  of  some 
to  render  their  butter  more  saleable  in  the  prin- 
cipal markets,  by  coloring  it  with  pigments  of 
various  kinds,  is,  at  best  questionable  as  to  its 
utility,  and  generally  to  be  deprecated  as  a  de- 
cided injury  to  the  article  when  it  is  to  be  kept 
any  time  before  being  used. 

In  a  paper  now  before  us,  we  notice  an  article 
in  which  the  yellow  Altringham  carrot  is  recom- 
mended as  an  excellent  article  for  coloring  but- 
ter !  The  yolks  of  eggs,  and  otto,  are  also  used 
in  some  localities,  for  this  purpose,  as  are  various 
other  vegetables  and  dnigs.  Every  thing  added 
to  good  butter, — after  a  little  salt, — hurts  its 
keeping  qualities,  changes  that  sweet,  delicious 
taste  that  good  butter  always  has,  causes  it  sooner 
to  become  rancid,  and  depreciates  its  true  value. 


As  TO  Going  to  Parties. — "Extensive  and 
promiscuous  intercourse  with  mankind  has  few 
advantages  for  the  man  of  thought.  Access  is 
not  thus  to  be  obtained  to  what  is  most  valuable 
in  others.  Better  for  the  studious,  thinking  man 
to  be  much  alone,  cultivating  acquaintance  with 
the  inside  of  good  books  and  himself,  than  with 
tlie  outsides  of  other  people." 


A  NEW  VINE  PROTECTOR. 

We  have  seen  a  new  contrivance  to  protect 
squash,  melon  and  other  vines  from  the  ravages 
of  bugs,  which  we  think  cannot  fail  to  be  effi- 
cient. The  largest  in  size  and  form  resembles  a 
half  bushel  measure ;  the  sizes  then  decrease  so 
as  to  allow  three  others  to  be  packed  into  the 
first,  forming  a  nest. 

They  are  made  of  scaleboard,  about  an  eighth 
of  an  inch  thick,  got  out  by  machinery  from 
chestnut  timber ;  are  about  eight  or  ten  inches 
high,  and  fastened  with  copper  nails.  The  top 
being  covered  with  gauze,  a  hoop  is  pressed  down 
over  it  and  the  thing  is  complete.  It  is  light, 
cheap,  durable,  and  will  prove  just  the  article 
needed.  They  are  made  by  Mr.  J.  C.  Gove,  of 
Leominster,  and  are  for  sale  by  Noui'se  &  Co.,  13 
Commercial  St.,  Boston. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer, 
NEW  ENGLAND  FARMING. 

It  is  evident  that  the  cultivator  of  a  naturally 
unproductive  soil  needs  more  agricultural  knowl- 
edge than  one  who  cultivates  a  soil  naturally 
rich  in  the  elements  of  productiveness ;  for  while 
the  latter  has  to  do  only  the  commonest  opera- 
tions, such  as  call  for  a  moderate  outlay  of  phys- 
ical force,  the  former  has  to  do  many  things  that 
could  not  be  done  by  the  mere  exercise  of  brute 
strength,  or  could  be  done  only  at  an  unwarran- 
table expenditure  of  time  and  money.  The  lat- 
ter has  to  do  scarcely  more  than  plow,  sow  and 
reap,  while  these  constitute  but  a  small  part  of 
the  necessary  labor  of  the  former. 

The  latter  may  plant  any  seed  on  any  portion 
of  his  farm  and  he  will  get  good  crops,  while  the 
former  must  know  what  parts  of  his  farm  are 
best  adapted  to  the  growth  of  particular  crops 
and  what  elements  he  must  supply  to  make  cer- 
tain parts  yield  desired  crops.  He  must  know, 
too,  whether  his  farm  contains  within  its  limits 
the  elements  requisite  for  the  restoration  of  the 
balance  between  its  different  parts  ;  whether  the 
swamp  contains  substances  wanted  by  the  sandy 
plain  to  render  it  fertile;  and  on  the  contrary, 
whether  the  soil  of  the  sandy  plain  can  be  trans- 
ferred with  profit  to  the  rank  and  heavy  swamp 
land. 

In  short,  as  has  been  said  a  thousand  times, 
he  must  have  an  acquaintance  with  the  chemistry 
of  agriculture,  and  after  he  has  an  acquaintance 
with  it,  he  must  put  it  into  practice ;  in  other 
words,  he  must  proceed  to  experiment  upon  his 
knowledge.  He  may  be  successful  or  otherwise. 
Very  likely  his  trials  may  lead  to  some  useful 
discovery.  At  any  rate,  the  fountains  of  thought 
will  be  broken  up,  and  new  ideas  will  pour  in  up- 
on his  mind.  Having  acquired  knowledge  upon 
one  subject,  he  will  begin  to  long  for  knowledge 
upon  other  subjects,  and  having  disciplined  his 
mind  somewhat,  as  he  has  been  forced  to  do  in 
making  his  first  acquirement,  he  will  begin  to 
feel  the  value  of  mental  disciijline,  and  to  pos- 
sess more  of  it  will  be  his  aim,  until  at  le-.gth 
he  will  be  the  owner  of  a  store-house  oi  infor- 
m»tioD,  and  the  master  of  a  well  cullivuted  ia- 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


333 


tellect.  Such  would  seem  to  be  the  legitimate 
course  of  things  with  the  tiller  of  an  unfertile 
soil. 

The  Illinois  farmer  need  not,  and  therefore 
will  not,  trouble  his  brain  about  the  chemical 
properties  of  the  soil  or  those  of  manures,  nor 
about  the  proper  method  of  bringing  the  two  to- 
gether so  that  the  heaviest  crop  may  be  obtained. 
He  can  get  heavier  crops  from  his  luxuriant  prai- 
rie land,  without  the  knowledge  of  these  things, 
than  we,  in  New  England,  with  the  aid  of  the 
whole  circle  of  sciences,  from  our  stubborn  soil. 
So  long  as  this  is  the  case,  New  England  will 
furnish  the  most  intellectual  farmers.  Here  will 
be  the  birth-place  of  the  best  ideas  upon  the  sub- 
ject of  agriculture.  J.  B.  R. 

May  19,  1858. 


Remarks. — Excellent,  and  ought  to  be  well 
considered  by  every  reader. 


For  tlie  New  England  Farmer. 
STICK  TO  YOUR  BUSINESS. 

"Gentlemen,  we  are  about  to  separate — you  to 
enter  the  arena  of  a  hard  profession  ;  a  large  part 
of  you  I  may  never  see  again,  and  you  will  par- 
don me  for  the  freedom  of  speech  I  have  used  ir 
giving  you  my  parting  advice.  Allow  me  to  sum 
up  the  whole  matter  in  a  few  short  words  which 
have  passed  into  a  maxim.  Short,  it  is  true,  but 
of  vast  import — Stick  to  your  business.  Let  come 
what  will,  be  true  to  your  profession  and  stick  to 
it — let  no  consideration  whatever  divert  you  from 
it — give  to  it  all  the  energy  of  your  nature." 
These  were  the  parting  words  of  Prof.  Sewell, 
now  dead,  of  Washington,  D.  C,  to  a  graduating 
class  of  medical  students,  in  the  spring  of  1842. 
He  went  on  further  to  say,  that  if  any  of  the  class 
present  had  any  doubts  in  regard  to  their  future 
success  in  business,  if  they  would  follow  the 
maxim  to  the  best  of  their  ability  for  ten  years 
and  did  not  succeed  equal  to  their  expectations, 
if  they  would  come  to  him,  or  acquaint  him  with 
the  fact,  he  would  set  them  up  in  business  with  a 
competent  income.  About  one-half  of  that  class 
the  writer  of  this  has  kept  the  run  of,  and  they 
have  no  occasion  to  avail  themselves  of  the  doc- 
tor's offer,  even  if  he  were  living.  Thus  it  is  in 
every  department  of  life.  I  have  yet  to  learn  that 
one  occupation  of  life  is  more  honorable  than 
another ;  it  is  the  man  who  honors  the  business, 
and  not  the  business  the  man.  At  the  present 
day,  there  is  great  need  of  the  application  of  oui 
text — Stick  to  your  business,  and  if  in  connection 
with  this,  John  Randolph's  motto  be  put  in  force 
— Pay  as  you  go,  success  is  morally  certain — fail- 
ure would  be  impossible. 

It  is  said  a  rolling  stone  gathers  no  moss,  and 
if  the  setting  hen  does  not  grow  fat,  she  does  not 
wear  herself  out  in  fruitless  changes.  So,  young 
man,  farmer  it  may  be.  Stick  to  the  farm,  work 
on,  do  not  be  allured  from  it  by  the  fine  stories 
which  come  to  every  one's  ears,  about  the  West, 
California,  and  particularly  of  city  life.  Pay  no 
attention  to  what  that  nice  young  cousin  of  yours 
has  been  pouring  into  your  ears.  He  has  only 
returned  to  the  old  farm  to  rusticate  a  few  weeks, 
so  he  says.  If  he  would  only  tell  you  the  whole 
truth,  you  can  well  afford  to  let  him  "spread  him- 


self" during  that  time ;  but  I  am  fearful  he  will 
not  initiate  you  into  the  whole  of  his  city  life. 

There  is  probably  no  other  business  where  the 
same  amount  of  capital  is  invested  and  tact  re- 
quired, so  free  from  anxiety  and  care  as*that  of 
farming,  and  by  general  consent,  none  that  pays 
better  in  the  long  run  ;  there  may  be  exceptions, 
of  course.  No  matter  what  one's  business  may 
be,  if  he  sticks  to  it,  success  is  almost  certain, 
but  if  there  is  a  rule  without  an  exception  this  is 
one.  It  is  related  that  a  certain  person  undertook 
to  insult  Billy  Gray  by  telling  him  he  remembered 
when  he  was  only  a  drummer.  "Ah  !  yes,"  said 
Billy,  but  didn't  I  drum  well  T'  Billy  stuck  to 
it,  and  succeeded.  So  will  you,  farmer,  mechanic, 
boot-black,  merchant,  factory  girl,  et  omnia,  &c., 
only  flick — stick  to  it — that's  all.      NORFOLK. 

King  Oak  Hill,  1858. 


EXTBACTS   AND  BEPLIES. 

RULE   IN   PRUNING   TRi:;ES. 

This  is  my  rule  in  pruning  trees : — "Every 
branch  that  beareth  not  fruit  is  cut  off,  and  every 
branch  that  beareth  is  purged  that  it  may  bring 
forth  more  fruit." 

After  the  fruit  is  set  is  the  time  to  prune  and 
purge,  that  the  risk  which  is  incurred  by  pruning 
earlier  or  later  than  this  season — the  risk  of  cut- 
ting off  fruitful  and  leaving  unfruitful  branches, 
— may  be  avoided. 

Nature  has  given  every  tree  the  most  advanta- 
geous form,  and  man  can  gain  nothing  by  alter- 
ing that  form  ;  his  business  is  to  remove  the  un- 
fruitful, and  so  feed  and  purge  the  fruitful 
branches  of  the  bearing  tree,  that  it  may  be  a 
profitable  bearer  of  food  and  enjoyment  to  him 
and  his.  c.  C. 

WincJiester,  June,  1858. 

Remarks. — Very  well,  friend  "C,"  we  are  glad 
of  your  opinion  on  this  important  subject.  But 
branches  on  which  no  fruit  is  set  this  year,  would 
be  quite  likely  to  bear  abundantly  next  year,  if 
they  were  permitted  to  remain. 

PEAR   TREE   BLIGHT, 

Will  you  inform  me  of  the  cause  of  the  blight 
which  is  upon  my  pear  trees,  and  also  the  reme- 
dy ?  I  have  six  young  trees  which  are  more  or 
less  afi'ected,  and  I  am  fearful  I  shall  lose  them  ; 
they  all  appear  to  be  in  a  healthy  condition  other- 
wise. I  send  you  two  of  the  leaves,  that  you  may 
see  how  it  works. 

I  send  you,  also,  a  leaf  from  an  oleander,  which 
has  something  on  the  back  of  it  which  is  sapping 
the  life  from  the  plant ;  if  you  can  tell  what  they 
are,  and  the  cause  and  remedy,  you  will  oblige 
my  wife,  who  is  a  constant  reader  of  your  valua- 
ble paper,  J.  F.  RAYMOND. 

Hopkinton,  May,  1858. 

Remarks. — There  is  considerable  of  the  blight 
in  pear  trees  :  the  subject  of  cure  and  remedy  ha,s 
often  been  discussed  with  little  or  no  benefit  ta 
the  pear  grower.     We  know  of  no  remedy. 

The  only  safe  remedy  for  the  oleander  is  to 
brush  off  the  insects  carefully  into  a  saucer,  and 


334 


TW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


July 


burn  them ;  this  may  be  done  with  a  feather  or 
soft  brush.  This  can  well  be  aflForded  with  par- 
lor flowers.  

BUTTER   STOCK. 

I  am  pleased  to  learn  that  William  S.  Lincoln, 
Esq.,  of  Worcester,  has  a  cow  that  has  yielded 
eighteen  pounds  of  butter  a  week,  this  spring.  1 
am  not  informed  as  to  her  specific  name,  if  she 
has  any — but  if  she  continue  to  do  as  well  as  this 
through  the  summer,  she  will  be  entitled  to  stand 
alongside  the  famous  "butter  stock"  from  Fra- 
mingham.  We  have  in  Essex  several  cows  that 
yield  sixteen  pounds  of  butter  a  week — but  none 
that  come  quite  up  to  eighteen — since  the  famed 
Oakes  cow,  which  yielded  more  than  nineteen, 
and  nearly  five  hundred  pounds  in  the  course  of 
the  season.  I  am  glad  this  cow  has  fallen  into 
so  good  hands.  Nobody  understands  dairy  man- 
agement better  than  Mr.  L.,  or  can  tell  his  cow's 
story  with  more  effect.  Cream  Pot. 

May  31,  1858.  _ 

SHEEP   AND   OATS. 

If  "S.  D.  C,"  of  Sunderland,  will  take  the 
trouble  to  read  the  communication  entitled, 
"Feeding  Oats  to  Breeding  Sheep,"  from  the  be- 
ginning, he  will  find  that  the  question  was  not 
whether  breeding  sheep  should  be  "fat  as  a  hog," 
but  whether  oats  were  injurious  to  breeding 
sheep,  yea  or  nay.  One  writer  whom  I  quoted 
stated  that  he  fed  three  sheep  two  quarts  of  oats 
per  day,  and  lost  his  lambs,  as  he  thought,  in  con- 
sequence. Judging  from  his  statement  his  sheep 
must  have  been  fat,  but  perhaps  not  as  "fat  as  a 
hog."  What  I  meant  to  suggest  was,  that  per- 
haps his  sheep  lost  their  lambs  because  of  their 
condition,  and  not  because  of  the  oats.  liut  how 
or  where  he  gets  the  idea  that  I  preferred  poor 
starved  scalawag  sheep  to  raise  lambs  from,  is 
more  than  I  can  imagine. 

N.  Thetford,  Vt.,  1858.      Solon  H.  Berry. 

RHUBARB   PLANT. 

Will  you  or  some  one  of  the  numerous  read- 
ers of  the  Farmer,  please  give  me  information  as 
to  which  of  the  various  kinds  of  rhubarb  is  best 
to  cultivate  solely  for  the  root,  as  a  medicine? 
Also,  information  as  to  the  method  of  raising 
cranberries  from  the  seed,  time  and  mode  of 
planting,  and  oblige  A  Subscriber. 

Vermont,  June,  1858. 

use  of  coal  TAR. 
What  will  coal  tar  in  a  liquid  state  do  towards 
keeping  vines  free  from  insects  ?  It  will  pre- 
serve wood  from  injury  by  worms  and  bugs.  If 
it  is  used,  it  should  be  quite  weak,  say  a  pint  of 
tar  to  a  gallon  of  water  ;  if  applied  to  the  trunk 
of  peach  and  apple  trees,  it  will  keep  off  borers, 
by  wetting  a  brown  paper  and  putting  it  around 
the  trunk  just  below  and  above  the  ground,  or 
wet  straw  in  it,  and  secure  it  to  the  tree  with 
twine,  it  will  be  equally  good.  s.  A.  s. 

TRANSPLANTING   STRAWBERRIES. 
Will  you,  or  some  one  of  your  correspondents, 
please  to  inform  me  which  is  the  best  time   to 


separate  and  transplant  strawberry  vines  ?  I  have 
a  fine  bed  which  I  wish  to  enlarge ;  therefore, 
the  above  information  will  be  gratefully  received 
by  A  Young  Subscriber. 

Remarks. — The  early  spring  is  probably  the 
natural  and  proper  time  to  transplant  strawberry 
plants.  We  do  not  think  August  or  September 
so  good  as  the  spring.  

AIR-SLAKED   LIME   FOR   PLANTS. 

I  wish  to  inquire  how  I  can  best  apply  air- 
slaked  lime  to  my  crops  of  com  and  potatoes. 
The  land  is  dry  and  sandy.  Shall  1  put  it  around 
the  plants  at  the  second  hoeing,  or  shall  I  sow 
it  broadcast  and  hoe  it  in  ?  C.  W. 

Indian  Orchard,  Mass.,  June  2,  1858. 

Remarks. — Apply  it  to  the  hill  at  the  first  or 
second  hoeing,  occasionally  omitting  a  row  in  or- 
der to  see  what  the  effect  is. 

"WHAT  I   CALL  A   GOOD  COW. 

After  using  what  milk  we  need  for  coffee  and 
tea,  for  a  family  of  four  persons,  we  make  about 
nine  pounds  of  butter  a  week  from  my  cow.  I  call 
her  a  good  one. 

Beading,  Vt,  1858. 


EATING  AND  SLEEPING. 

BalVs  Journal  of  Health  says  :  "For  persons 
who  eat  three  times  a  day,  it  is  amply  sufficient 
to  make  the  last  meal  of  cold  bread-and-butter 
and  a  cup  of  warm  drink.  No  one  can  starve  on 
it,  while  a  perseverance  in  the  habit  soon  begets 
a  vigorous  appetite  for  breakfast  so  promising  of 
a  day  of  comfort." 

Yes,  yes  ;  and  by  omitting  the  third  meal,  the 
individual,  besides  securing  a  night  cf  sound 
sleep,  will  not  find  on  awaking  in  the  morning  a 
bad  taste  in  his  mouth  so  indicative  of  general 
foulness. 

If  one  would  always  have  a  sweet  mouth  and 
a  clean  tongue,  he  can  secure  them  both  by  sim- 
ply ceasing  to  overtax  his  stomach.  This  frequent 
eating  is  an  idle,  mischievous  habit,  ruinous  of 
both  health  and  comfort ;  and  it  prevents  the  in- 
dividual from  receiving  the  great  amount  of  en- 
joyment which  it  was  intended  he  should  receive 
from  eating,  and  which  is  necessary  to  perfect 
nutrition. 

Nothing  should  be  eaten  between  the  regular 
meals,  whether  these  meals  are  taken  either  two 
or  three  times  a  day ;  nor  should  one  eat  so  that 
the  quantity  ingested  will  induce  heaviness  or 
uncomfortable  feelings. 

The  cook  tastes  the  food  she  prepares  ;  and  by 
this  frequent  tasting  she  destroys  both  the  relish 
for  her  meals,  and  her  health.  There  are  many 
housekeepers  who  have  the  same  pernicious  habit. 

We  know  farmers  who,  at  the  close  of  a  long 
summer  day,  during  which  they  have  eaten  heart- 
ily five  times,  and  worked  hard  from  four  o'clock 
in  the  morning  to  nine  at  night,  eat  freely  just 
before  going  to  bed. 

The  stomach,  already  enfeebled  by  constant 
working  under  disadvantageous  circumstances, 
has  now  imposed  on  it  an  impracticable  task,  and 
the  men  lie  down  to  sleep  !     Next  morning  they 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


335 


are  nerveless — have  scarcely  slept  all  night — feel 
more  wearied  than  they  did  when  they  lay  down 
— and,  on  the  whole,  think  the  farmer  lives  a 
dog's  life.  So  he  does,  so  far  as  he  sinks  to  mere 
animalism — living  to  eat — taxing  his  digestive 
apparatus  at  the  expense  of  health,  life,  and  life's 
enjoyments.  So  on  from  day  to  day,  till  nature 
makes  a  desperate  effort  to  rid  the  body  of  the 
superfluous  food  introduced  into  it.  burning  it  up 
by  fever,  or  expelling  it  by  some  different  reme- 
dial effort. 

Farmers,  being  so  much  in  the  open  ?  ir,  with 
abundant  exercise,  should  be  the  healthiest  peo- 
ple ;  but,  like  others  who  are  cursed  with  "abun- 
dance of  bread,"  they  are  rheumatic,  bilious,  dy- 
speptic. This  is  a  shame  and  a  sin.  Farmers  ! 
it  is  sin.  Your  liver  complaints,  chill  fevers,  etc., 
are  as  unnecessary  as  is  the  plague.  Health  and 
sweet  sleep  will  come  to  you  when  you  need,  unless 
by  bad  habits  you  drive  them  away.  "Go,  and 
sin  no  more." — Life  Illustrated. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
CATTLE   DISEASE. 

Mr.  Editor  : — Can  you  or  some  of  your  cor- 
respondents give  us  information  about  a  disease 
among  our  young  cattle  ?  About  the  first  of  Sep- 
tember last,  a  party  walking  over  a  pasture  be- 
longing to  one  of  my  neighbors  found  a  fine  calf 
dead,  which  had  probably  been  so  three  or  four 
days.  It  may  be  well  to  state  here  that  the  pas- 
ture is  on  a  high  hill,  one  of  the  best  in  the  vi- 
cinity, and  has  been  used  as  a  pasture  for  thirty 
years.  Some  days  after  another  calf  was  found 
dead,  and  a  few  days  after  two  more  died.  The 
owners  then  removed  those  remaining  from  the 
pasture  and  bled  them  in  the  neck.  Was  this  a 
judicious  course  ? 

The  next  day  another  died  and  the  day  after 
another.  These  last  had  probably  contracted 
the  disease  before  their  removal  from  the  pasture. 
I  saw  the  last  one  while  sick  (for  it  was  well  at 
night  and  died  before  noon  the  next  day.)  It 
staggered  about,  lying  down  and  rising  often. 
Its  eyes  rolled  around.  The  body  was  swelled 
slightly  and  a  white  froth  came  from  its  mouth. 
I  should  think  its  head  and  stomach  was  the  seat 
of  the  disease.  A  week  after,  a  yearling  was 
found  dead  in  the  same  pasture.  The  remaining 
cattle,  consisting  of  yearlings  and  two  years  old, 
were  driven  from  the  pasture  and  bled,  (with  the 
exception  of  some  half-dozen  owned  by  a  man 
living  at  a  distance,)  in  the  same  manner  as  the 
calves,  viz.,  in  the  neck.  The  amount  of  blood 
taken  varied  from  one  to  two  quarts.  The  num- 
ber bled  was  eighteen.  Those  remaining  lived 
and  were  in  good  condition  when  taken  from  the 
pasture.  It  was  supposed  that  it  would  be  safe 
to  turn  cattle  of  the  same  age  into  the  pasture 
this  spring,  but  it  proved  otherwise  for  about  a 
week  after  the  owner  had  turned  his  cattle  to 
pasture  a  fine  yearling,  one  of  the  calves  which 
had  escaped  last  year,  died.  In  a  pasture  on  the 
same  hill,  a  short  distance  from  the  one  noticed 
above,  a  calf  died  last  year.  It  was  skinned  by 
he  owner  and  buried.  I  ought  to  have  said  be- 
fore, that  in  the  first  named  pasture  the  cattle 
•which  died  were  neither  opened  nor  buried, 
though  the  two  calves  which  died  near  the  house 


were  buried.  This  spring,  a  few  days  after  the 
young  cattle  were  turned  into  the  last  named  pas- 
ture, a  yearling  died.  Being  much  interested, 
three  of  us  examined  this  animal.  It  could  not 
have  been  dead  more  than  fifteen  or  twenty  hours. 
It  lay  in  a  clump  of  spruce  bushes,  where  it  had 
apparently  laid  down  a  short  distance  from  the 
others,  and  after  a  short  struggle  died.  Its  body- 
was  swelled,  but  the  neck  was  very  much  swelled. 
Upon  opening  the  skin  the  neck  was  very  black, 
the  neck  veins  much  swelled.  The  body  looked  as 
natural  as  common.  The  peck  or  second  stom- 
ach was  swelled  very  hard,  and  the  inside  skin  as 
rotton  as  wet  brown  paper,  and  of  a  chocolate 
color.  The  rest  of  the  body  was  a  natural  color. 
The  head,  neck  and  stomach  appear  to  be  the 
seat  of  the  disease.  Would  poison  produce  the 
above  result?  They  die  so  suddenly  there  seems 
to  be  no  chance  for  the  application  of  remedies. 
Would  it  be  best  to  remove  cattle  of  that  age 
from  the  pasture  ?  Since  writing  the  above, 
another  yearling  died,  the  appearances  indicating 
the  same  disease.  Will  Dr.  Dadd  or  some  other 
veterinary  physician  give  his  opinion  ?  B. 

Campion,  1858. 


Remarks. — We  can  throw  no  light  on  this  un- 
fortunate visitation  of  disease.  Dr.  Dadd  will 
impart  any  information  he  may  possess,  but  would 
undoubtedly  prefer  to  do  it  through  his  own  ex- 
cellent Journal.  We  shall  be  glad  to  have  him 
reply  through  our  columns,  but  will  copy  with 
pleasure  from  his  own. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer, 
THE  HOKSE  POWER  MOWEB. 

I  want  to  hear  the  click  of  this  implement. 
The  abundant  grass  waving  over  the  plains  in- 
vites its  use.  Imperfect  as  have  been  most  of 
those  that  have  been  brought  forward,  either 
through  defect  of  principle  or  material  used  in 
their  constructions,  still  they  are  a  decided  im- 
provement on  the  ordinary  scythe  operation.  I 
know  a  single  machine,  of  Manny's  pattern,  with 
which  more  than  three  hundred  acres  of  grass 
have  been  cut  within  the  last  three  years,  aver- 
aging, at  least,  one  and  a  half  tons  to  the  acre, 
on  time  not  exceeding  fifty  minutes  to  the  acre. 
I  have  good  reason  to  believe  that  Allen's  pattern 
has  been  used  to  better  advantage  than  this. 
Either  of  them  will  be  a  saving  of  one-half  the 
expense  of  cutting  by  the  scythe.  Will  farmers 
neglect  such  a  boon,  when  they  can  grasp  it  at 
their  pleasure  ?  Ess£X. 

June  10,  1858. 


To  Tell  the  Number  of  Days  in  the 
Month  by  Counting  the  Knuckles.  —  By 
counting  the  knuckles  on  the  hand,  with  the 
spaces  between  them,  all  the  months  with  thirty- 
one  days  will  fall  on  the  knuckles ;  and  those 
with  thirty  days,  or  less  will  come  on  the  spaces. 
January,  first  knuckle ;  February,  first  space ; 
March,  second  knuckle  ;  April,  second  space  ; 
May,  third  knuckle ;  June,  third  space ;  July, 
fourth  knuckle  ;  August,  first  knuckle  ;  Septem- 
ber, first  space  ;  October,  second  knuckle  ;  No- 
vember, second  space;  December,  third  knuckle. 


336 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


July 


For  the  New  Engtarui  Farmer. 
THE  TKUE  FO"WL.MEA.DO"W. 
BY   LEANDER   WETIIERELL. 

There  are  two  distinct  sjjecies  of  grass,  and  by 
some  botanists  considered  of  different  genera, 
called  fowl-meadow  by  the  farmers.  One  of  them 
is  called  Poa  serotina  by  Gray,  and  the  other 
Glycerin  nervata,  the  latter  being  indigenous  to 
America  and  the  former  to  Germany.  The 
American  grass  is  called  Poa  nervata  by  Willde- 
now,  and  most  of  the  old  botanists;  also  by  Wood, 
in  his  "Class-Book  of  Botany."  In  Flint's 
"Grasses  and  Forage  Plants"  it  is  called  Poa 
nervata,  with  the  popular  English  names.  Mea- 
dow Spear  grass,  Nerved  Manna  grass.  The  for- 
mer, whose  cut  was  given  in  the  Farmer  of  last 
month,  is  called  in  the  same  work,  Poa  serotina ; 
English  names.  Fowl-meadow — False  red-top.  It 
is  also  called  a  native  of  Germany.  The  object 
of  preparing  this  article,  is  to  show  that  the 
American  Poa  nervata,  or  Glyceria  nervata,  and 
not  the  German  grass,  Poa  serotina  or  Poafer- 
tilis,  is  the  TRUE  Fowl-meadow  Grass  of  our  in 
tervals  and  wet  meadows  or  swamps. 

The  first  description  of  the  agricultural  value 
of  this  grass  I  have  been  able  to  find,  is  con- 
tained in  the  "Essays  upon  Field-Husbandry  in 
New  England,"  by  the  Rev.  Jared  Eliot,  of  Con- 
necticut, and  was  written  in  1748  more  than  a 
century  ago. 

After  claiming  Indian  corn  as  a  native  of  this 
continent,  Mr.  Eliot  adds,  "There  are  two  sorts  of 
grass  which  are  natives  of  the  country,  which  I 
would  recommend,  —  these  are  Herds-grass, 
(known  in  Pennsylvania  by  the  name  of  Timothy- 
grass,)  the  other  is  Fowl-meadow,  sometime< 
called  Duck-grass,  and  sometimes  Swamp-wire 
Grass.  It  is  said  that  Herds-grass  was  first  found 
in  a  swamp  in  Piscataqua  (now  Portsmouth,)  by 
one  Herd,  who  propagated  the  same  ;  that  Fowl- 
meadow-grass  wag  brought  into  a  poor  piece  of 
meadow  in  Dedham,  by  ducks  and  other  wild  wa- 
ter-fowl, and  therefore  called  by  such  an  odd 
name.  It  is  supposed  to  be  brought  into  the 
meadows  at  Hartford  by  the  annual  floods,  and 
called  there  Swamp-wire  grass.  Of  these  two 
sorts  of  natural  grass,  the  fowl-grass  is  much  the 
best ;  it  grows  tall  and  thick,  makes  a  more  soft 
and  pliable  hay  than  Herds-grass,  and  conse- 
quently will  be  more  fit  for  pressing,  in  order  to 
ship  off  with  our  horses  ;  besides,  it  is  a  good 
grass,  not  in  abundance  inferior  to  English  grass. 
It  yields  a  good  burden,  three  loads  to  the  acre. 
It  must  be  sowed  in  low,  moist  land.  Our  drained 
land,^  (meaning  swamps,)  when  it  is  of  sufficient 
age,  is  land  very  agreeable  to  this  sort  of  grass. 
As  the  seed  is  very  fine,  there  is  danger  of  sow- 
ing it  too  thick,  as  some  have  done,  so  as  to 
come  up  thick  like  hair  ;  this  is  a  loss  of  seed  and 
prejudicial  to  the  grass. 

When  you  bring  to  a  swamp  by  flowing — 
have  killed  your  bushes,  and  have  ditched  your 
land,  and  got  it  a  little  dry,  you  may  sow 
the  seed  among  the  trees  and  the  bushes  ;  it  will 
come  up  and  establish  itself,  and  prevent  bad 
grasses  from  taking  possession  ;  then  you  may 
clear  off  the  wood  and  brush  at  your  leisure,  and 
you  will  have  good  grass  to  mow  as  fast  as  the 
land  is  cleared.  I  have  seen  it  grow  knee  high 
where  the  dead  brush  were  very  thick. 


"This  grass  has  another  good  quality,  which 
renders  it  very  valuable  in  a  country  where  help 
is  so  much  wanting ;  it  will  not  spoil  or  suffer, 
although  it  stand  beyond  the  common  times  for 
mowing.  Clover  will  be  lost,  in  a  great  measure, 
if  it  be  not  cut  in  the  proper  season.  Spear- 
grass,  commonly  called  English  grass,  if  it  stands 
too  long,  will  be  but  little  better  than  rye  straw ; 
if  this  outstand  the  time,  it  is  best  to  let  it  stand 
till  there  comes  up  a  second  growth,  and  then  it 
will  do  tolerably  well ;  but  this  fowl-grass  may 
be  mowed  any  time  from  July  to  October. 

"One  of  my  sons  told  me,  that  at  New  Fairfield, 
he  saw  some  stacks  of  it,  that  the  people  told 
him  were  cut  in  October ;  he  pulled  out  some  of 
the  hay ;  it  looked  green,  and  had  a  good  smell. 
This  is  a  great  convenience  in  time  of  sickness, 
or  any  other  casualty  whereby  we  may  be  hin- 
dered from  mowing  in  season.  This  good  prop- 
erty renders  it  a  fit  sort  of  grass  for  a  new  coun-' 
try,  where  we  often  have  business  crowded  too 
hard  upon  us.  Although  Herds-grass  be  a  valu- 
able sort,  yet  the  Fowl-meadow  has  quite  eclipsed 
its  glory." 

In  a  subsequent  essay  Mr.  Eliot,  alluding  to 
this  grass,  again  remarks  : 

"In  a  former  essay,  I  mentioned  the  strange 
and  peculiar  property  of  Fowl-meadow  grass, 
that  it  will  hold  out  to  be  in  season  for  cutting 
from  the  beginning  of  July  till  some  time  in  Oc- 
tober ;  this  I  wondered  at,  but  viewing  some  of 
it  attentively,  I  think  I  have  found  the  reason  of 
it.  When  it  is  grown  about  three  feet  high  it 
then  falls  down,  but  does  not  rot  like  other  grass 
when  lodged ;  in  a  little  time  after  it  is  thus 
fallen  down,  at  every  joint  it  puts  forth  a  new 
branch ;  now  to  maintain  this  young  brood  of 
suckers  there  must  be  a  plentiful  course  of  sap 
conveyed  up  through  the  main  stem  or  straw;  by 
this  means  the  grass  is  kept  green  and  fit  for 
mowing  all  this  long  period. 

"Whether  this  young  growth  from  the  joints 
be  owing  to  the  horizontal  position  of  the  straw, 
or  whether  it  is  a  confirmation  of  that  doctrine 
that  the  joints  of  plants  are  seed-vessels,  1  leave 
for  Naturalists  to  determine. 

"I  find  by  experience  that  the  best  time  to 
mow  this  grass,  is  when  these  new  branches  or 
suckers  have  obtained  their  full  growth." 

Thus  have  I  copied  in  full  what  Mr.  Eliot's  Es- 
says contain  on  this  interesting  topic  to  the  far- 
mer. 

In  the  Patent  Office  Report  of  1853,  is  a  state- 
ment relative  to  this  same  species  of  grass,  by 
Archibald  Jones,  Frankfort,  State  of  Maine.  Says 
Mr.  Jones  : — "Among  our  native  grasses,  I  would 
call  attention  to  the  Fowl-meadow,  which  grew 
wild  at  Madawaska  before  it  was  settled  by  the 
Acadian  French.  It  flourishes  best  on  intervals, 
which  in  the  spring  are  overflowed,  receiving  a 
rich  deposite  of  sediment.  It  grows  well  also  on 
land  artificially  flowed,  provided  the  water  be 
drawn  off  before  warm  weather,  and  the  land  well 
drained ;  if  not,  water-grasses  will  prevail  over 
the  Fowl-meadow.  Under  favorable  circumstan- 
ces such  as  indicated,  it  produces  a  more  valua- 
ble crop  than  other  grasses.  Water  lying  upon 
it  all  winter  will  kill  it;  but  an  occasional  over- 
flow will  not. 

"Cutting  it  three  or  four  years  before  the  seed 
ripens,  will  cause  it  to  disappear.    For  hay,  it 


1858. 


NEW  EXGLAXD  FARMER. 


337 


THE  TRUE  FOWIi-MEADOW:-I'0A  Nervata. 


338 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


July 


should  not  be  cut  before  the  seed  is  ripe.  ^  When 
sown,  it  tillers  like  rye  and  wheat,  and  in  such 
cases  is  shortlived.  To  meadows  that  have  been 
cut  two  years  in  succession,  before  the  seed  is 
ripe,  harrowing  is  beneficial,  and  by  breaking  the 
long  and  fibrous  roots,  the  plants  are  multiplied. 
If  the  meadow  be  soft  and  miry  it  should  be  har- 
rowed in  the  spring  before  the  frost  is  out. 

When  feeding  out  the  hay,  it  is  a  good  prac- 
tice to  save  the  seed,  chaflf  and  all,  and  sow  it  on 
swales,  moist  upland,  and  well  drained  lowlands 
that  are  occasionally  submerged.  In  all  situa- 
tions it  produces  seed  in  abundance,  which  will 
readily  germinate  among  other  grasses.  Sown 
liberally  over  moist  mowing-fields,  it  serves  to 
keep  out  foul  vegetation,  otherwise  prevalent. — 
Every  farmer  should  cultivate  a  small  patch  for 
seed  to  be  used  as  aforesaid. 

Fowl-meadow  makes  excellent  fodder  for  sheep 
and  cows ;  but  for  horses  it  is  too  fine  to  distend 
^  the  bowels  when  fed  with  grain.  However  large 
the  produce,  it  is  never  coarse,  the  buts  being 
eaten  with  the  same  relish  as  the  finer  parts  ; 
consequently  there  is  little  or  no  waste.  If  the 
burden  be  heavy,  it  does  not  fall  flat  by  its  own 
weight,  but  'cripples,'  the  lower  part  near  the 
ground  with  the  top  erect.  If  bent  down  by  a 
summer  freshet,  new  plants  start  from  the  joints 
and  increase  the  yield  without  rot  or  decay. 

"The  stalks  of  this  grass  near  the  ground  are 
small  and  wiry,  and  full  of  joints,  containing  lit- 
tle moisture,  consequently  are  easily  made  into 
hay ;  and  as  the  upper  portions  are  small  and 
limber,  it  is  very  little  affected  by  rains  while  ly- 
ing in  cock  in  the  field.  Hence  it  is  easily  cured 
for  the  mow  or  the  stack." 

In  a  letter  from  Mr.  Jones,  he  refers  to  Mr. 
Eliot  as  quoted  above  ;  he  also  adds  that  "it  is  a 
native  grass  of  Maine  and  New  Brunswick,  grow- 
ing abundantly  on  the  intervals  of  the  St.  John's 
before  the  arrival  of  the  Europeans.  Wild  lands 
'cleared  near  the  intervals  of  Madawaska  require 
no  seeding,  the  seed  having  been  diffused  by  the 
moose,  deer  and  cattle,  feeding  on  the  grass." 

"For  cattle  and  sheep  it  is  preferred  by  those 
best  acquainted  with  it,  to  Timothy  or  herds- 
grass.  It  never  rusts,  and  may  stand  late  with 
out  suffering  injury, — is  easily  cured,  a  ton  of  it 
occupying  a  less  space,  it  is  said,  than  any  other 
kind  of  hay. 

Fowl-meadow  is  like  red-top.  On  lands  suit- 
able for  it,  the  crop  is  superior  to  red-top.  Un- 
less seeded  once  in  two  or  three  years  it  runs  out. 
It  is  most  grown  in  the  country  back  of  Port- 
land, where  seed  enough  may  be  obtained,  and 
that,  too,  of  the  right  kind.  The  best  time  to  sow 
the  seed  is  in  August,  when  Nature  sows  the 
seed.  It  may,  like  other  grass  seeds,  be  sown 
at  any  time  and  with  any  other  kinds.  If  the 
seed  be  scarce,  a  peck  per  acre,  on  suitable  land, 
will  soon  spread  over  the  whole.  It  will  grow 
on  any  land  not  too  wet,  but  best  on  lands  sub 
ject  to  overflowing  by  spring  freshets,  if  well 
drained,  after  the  waters  subside.  A  common 
fault  is,  that  such  lands  are  not  well-drained,  and 
consequently,  the  water-grasses  crowd  out  the 
Fowl-meadow.  Dry  weather  has  but  little  effect 
upon  Fowl-meadow." 

The  two  descriptions  of  the  True  Fowl-meadow, 
native  American,  h)a  nervata,  the  former  by  the 
Rev.  Jared  Eliot,  of  Killingworth,  Ct.,  110  years 


ago,  and  the  latter  by  Archibald  Jones,  of  Frank- 
fort, Me.,  are  the  fullest  and  best  in  print,  and 
are  worthy  of  a  place  in  the  Farmer,  where  they 
may  be  read  and  referred  to  in  time  to  come. 

I  shall  next  invite  attention  to  George  Sin- 
clair's Hortus  Gramineus  Wohurnensis,  or  an 
account  of  the  results  of  experiments  on  th^ 
produce  and  nutritive  qualities  of  the  different 
grasses  and  other  plants  used  for  food  for  the 
more  valuabe  domestic  animals,  instituted  by  the 
Duke  of  Bedford,  and  prepared  and  published 
in  1824. 

His  experiments  with  the  two  grasses  under 
consideration,  the  German  grass,  Poa  serotina 
or  fertilis  and  the  American  or  Pua  nervata,  or 
Olyceria  nervata  of  Gray,  resulted  as  follows: 

The  German  grass  at  the  time  of  flowering 
produced  per  acre,  weighed  while  green,  15,654 
lbs. ;  soil  sandy  loam ;  loss  by  curing,  9000  lbs. ; 
hay  when  dry,  6,653  lbs.  When  ripe,  per  acre, 
14,973  lbs. ;  loss  by  curing,  6,738  ;  weight  when 
dry,  8,235  lbs. ;  weight  of  the  nutritive  matter, 
733  lbs. ;  this  exceeds,  when  ripe,  that  of  the 
produce  cut  in  flower,  in  the  proportion  of  5  to 
3  ;  and  the  produce  of  the  latter-math  to  that  at 
the  time  of  flowering  is  as  3  to  6 ;  and  to  the 
same,  when  the  seed  is  ripe,  3  to  10. 

In  regard  to  early  growth  this  grass  ranks  next 
to  meadow  fox-tail,  cock's-foot  or  orchard-grass 
and  tall  oat.  It  is  remarkable  that  the  latter- 
math  should  be  more  nutritious  than  at  the  time 
of  flowering ;  but  this  is  owing  to  its  property  of 
sending  forth  a  succession  of  flowering  culms 
until  frost  comes  ;  hence  the  xia.xnes,,  fertilis  and 
serotina,  M.  Host  and  Schrader  speak  of  it  as 
a  grass  suited  in  Germany  to  moist  pastures  and 
river-banks. 

The  American  grass,  the  true  Fowl-meadow, 
produced  per  acre  while  in  the  state  of  flowering, 
21,780  lbs.;  loss  in  drying,  13,612  lbs.;  when 
dry,  weighed  8,167  lbs. ;  when  the  seed  was  ripe, 
21,780  lbs.;  loss  drying  13,068  lbs.;  when  dry, 
weighed  8,712  lbs.;  nutritive  matter  1,616  lbs. ; 
the  same  whether  cut  while  in  flower  or  when  the 
seed  is  ripe,  the  weight  at  the  time  of  cutting 
both  being  the  same ;  a  circumstance,  says  Mr. 
Sinclair,  that  occurs  with  no  other  grass.  The 
nutritive  qualities  of  the  latter-math  exceed  that 
of  most  other  grasses.  The  root-leaves  are  pro- 
duced on  a  shoot,  standing  fan-like  in  two  rows, 
and  are  very  succulent. 

It  is  a  remarkably  hardy  grass.  In  Feb.,  1814, 
after  a  very  severe  winter,  this  species  of  Poa 
was  perfectly  green  and  succulent,  while  not  a 
single  other  species,  of  nearly  300  about  it,  re- 
mained in  a  healthful  state. 

It  is  a  native  of  North  America,  says  Mr.  Sin- 
clair, the  Scotchman,  where  the  winters  are  long- 
er and  more  severe  and  the  summers  warmer 
than  in  our  climate.  Experience  enables  me  to 
state  that  this  grass  possesses  valuable  proper- 
ties for  agricultural  purposes, — that  it  is  a  valu- 
able pasture  grass  where  the  soil  is  not  too  dry. 

Ger.  grass.  Am.  grass. 

Produce  per  acre,  when  flowering 15,654  lbs.  21  780  lbs. 

Loss  in  drying 9,000  "  13,612  " 

Dry  hay,  weight  of 6,653  "         8,167  " 

Produce  per  acre  when  ripe 14,973  "  21,780  " 

Loss  in  drying 6,738  "  13,065  " 

Nutrition,  weight  of 733  "         1,616  " 

Thus  does  it  appear  that  the  true  fowl-meadow 
is  superior  to  the  other  called  by  some  farmers 


[SoS. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


339 


"bastard  fowl-meaclow,"  the  German  grass.  They 
resemble  each  other  in  appearance,  and  by  many 
botanists,  are  regarded  as  different  species  of  the 
same  genus,  both  being  esteemed  as  valuable  ag- 
ricultural grasses  ;  the  American,  however,  being 
quite  superior  to  the  German,  allowing  a  good 
Scotchman  to  be  judge,  and  one,  too,  whose  name 
ranks  among  the  ablest  agricultural  writers  Great 
Britain  has  ever  produced.  Loudon,  in  his  En- 
cyclopaedia of  Plants,  calls  Poa  Nervata  a  native 
of  North  America ;  and  Poa  fertilis  or  serotina, 
a  native  of  Germany. 

John  Sinclair,  in  his  "Code  of  Agriculture," 
speaking  of  Poa  fertilis,  says  it  is  a  native  of 
Germany,  and  possesses  considerable  merit,  on 
account  of  its  early  and  productive  growth,  deem- 
ing it  as  being  better  adapted  for  "hay  than  de- 
pasturing." Poa  nervata,  he  says,  is  a  native  of 
North  America,  and  is  distinguished  for  its  nu- 
tritive quality, — affecting  moist  soil,  that  is  per- 
fectly drained,  and  is  a  valuable  addition  in  the 
composition  of  pastures,  and  is  very  hardy,  the 
herbage  being  rich  and  succulent.  David  Low, 
in  his  "Practical  Agriculture,"  speaks  of  Poa  fer- 
tilis as  a  native  of  Germany,  where  it  is  esteemed 
as  one  of  the  superior  pasture  grasses,  where  it 
grows  in  wet  soils  and  near  rivers. 

Lawson,  in  his  "Agricultural  Manual,"  speaks 
of  the  German  grass,  as  Poa  fertilis  or  serotina, 
fertile  meadow  grass,  as  a  grass  growing  natur- 
ally in  rich  and  moist  soils ;  and  of  Poa  nervata, 
nerved-seeded  meadow  grass,  as  a  native  of  North 
America,  stating  that  it  was  introduced  in  Bri- 
tain in  1822,  and  is  an  early  spring  grass. 

It  will  have  been  observed  by  the  reader,  that 
the  English  botanists,  agricultural  experimenters 
and  writers,  agree  in  calling  Poa  nervata  the  true 
Fowl-meadow  grass ;  also,  in  calling  it  a  native 
product  of  North  America.  Botanists  of  this 
country,  from  Willdenow  down  to  Gray  and  Tor- 
rey,  are  all  agreed,  with  the  exception  of  Nuttall, 
who  calls  it  Briza  Canadensis. 

In  Dr.  Willich's  "Domestic  Encyclopaedia," 
published  in  Philadelphia,  1821,  it  is  called  Herds- 
grass,  White-top,  Fowl  meadow  grass  of  East 
Jersey.  Dr.  Muhlenberg  thinks  it  the  same  as 
Agrostis  stricta  of  Willdenow.  [In  this  he  is  in 
error,  for  it  is  the  Poa  nervata  of  Willdenow.] 
It  is  particularly  adapted  to  wet,  low  lands.  It 
mats  and  consolidates  the  surface,  continues  many 
years,  excluding  every  other  grass,  and  weeds. 
Many  worthless  swampy  spots  in  the  low  parts 
of  New  Jersey  have  been  made  valuable  graz- 
ing land  by  this  grass,  loaded  wagons  having 
passed  over  places  which  two  or  three  years  be- 
fore sowing  it  would  scarcely  admit  an  animal  to 
walk  over  without  miring. 

It  makes  excellent  hay,  cattle  preferring  it  to 
either  Timothy  or  Clover,  it  being  better  than 
the  former,  because  finer  and  more  succulent. 
The  same  bulk  of  herds-grass,  [Fowl-meadow] 
will  weigh  one-third  more  than  the  same  of  Tim- 
othy. Four  tons  is  a  common  crop  for  an  acre. 
It  yields  no  second  crop,  but  affords  excellent 
late  and  early  pasturage.  It  was  first  brought 
to  New  Jersey  from  New  England,  by  the  late 
Wm.  Foster ;  and  introduced  into  Pennsylvania 
about  1810. 

Dr.  Willich  concludes  this  article  by  adding, 
The  Red -top  and  White-top  are  varieties  of  the 
above   ["Herds-grass"]    species   of  grass.     The 


latter  is  the  larger  of  the  two.  The  red-top  is 
particularly  valuable,  as  it  will  grow  and  sod  the 
first  year  on  banks,  where  no  other  grass  will 
thrive. 

Thomas  G.  Fessenden,  editor  of  the  old  Ntw 
England  Farmer,  says,  this  grass  is  called  Herds- 
grass  and  White-top  at  the  South ;  and  we  be- 
lieve it  belongs  to  the  same  genus  with  the  Fio- 
rin,  first  brought  into  notice  by  Dr.  Richardson, 
an  English  writer  on  Agriculture.  Fiorin  is 
Agrostis  stolonifera.  Creeping-bent ;  and  Fowl- 
meadow  is  Agrostis  stricta.  Upright-bent. 

In  these  remarks  Mr.  Fessenden  most  undoubt- 
edly labored  under  a  misapprehension,  for  he 
acknowledges  before  closing  his  article,  his  want 
of  information  or  ability  to  answer  the  following 
questions  proposed  by  Chas.  W.  Macomber,  of 
Marshfield,  and  published  in  the  N.  E.  Farmer 
more  than  thirty  years  ago,  as  follows : 

1.  What  are  the  properties  and  uses  of  Fowl- 
meadow  grass  ? 

2.  What  soil  is  best  adapted  to  it  ? 

3.  Will  it  answer,  provided  the  soil  is  over- 
flowed sometimes  by  salt  water  ? 

4.  In  what  manner  should  the  soil  be  prepared 
for  the  seed  ? 

5.  The  quantity  of  seed  per  acre  ? 

These  inquiries  have  all  been  answered  in  this 
article,  but  the  third,  which  is  so,  by  stating  it  is 
not  a  salt  marsh  grass. 

John  Lowell,  nearly  thirty  years  ago,  addressed 
a  letter  to  the  Trustees  of  the  Massachusetts 
Society  for  the  Promotion  of  Agriculture,  and 
after  recommending  Herds-grass,  white  and  red 
Clover  and  Red-top,  says,  we  want  no  more.  They 
are  better  for  us  than  any  of  your  outlandish 
grasses.  But  wait,  gentlemen,  I  reply :  There 
is  the  Yankee  grass,  unknown  to  many  of  you, 
but  well  known  to  the  owner  of  the  extensive 
meadows  on  Charles  river, — the  Fowl-meadow 
grass. 

If  this  truly  Yankee  grass  could  be  translated 
to  all  the  meadow  bottoms  and  the  naturally 
moist,  cold,  half-peaty  lands  of  New  England, 
their  produce  would  at  least  be  doubled.  It  is 
difficult  to  procure  the  seed ;  but  its  value  is  be- 
yond all  calculation.  Low  meadows  are  furnished 
with  Carices,  unfit  for  forage.  We  have  then 
one  species  of  grass  not  nsually  known  or  culti- 
vated, that  is  of  inestimable  value.  It  is  no  idle 
speculation,  but  sober  fact,  and  unless  a  defender 
of  ignorance  will  maintain  that  the  Fowl-meadow 
grass  can  only  flourish  in  the  Dedham  meadows, 
where  first  observed  in  Massachusetts,  our  agri- 
culture has  much  to  gain  by  the  active,  earnest, 
and  assiduous  propagation  of  this  grass. 

So  much  from  Mr.  Lowell,  one  of  the  best 
Agricultural  writers  New  England  has  ever  pro- 
duced. 

Dr.  Bigelow,  in  his  Plants  of  Boston  and  Vi- 
cinity, 3d  edition,  speaks  of  Poa  nervata,  Fowl- 
meadow  or  Meadow-spear  grass,  but  says  noth- 
ing of  Poa  serotina,  the  Fowl-meadow  of  Dr. 
Gray ;  both  Professors  of  the  same  University. 

Dr.  Dewey,  Professor  in  the  University  of 
Rochester,  N.  Y.,  in  his  Report  on  the  Herba- 
ceous Plants  of  Massachusetts,  gives  Poa  nervata, 
Meadow-spear  grass,  Fowl-meadow  grass ;  but 
says  nothing  of  Poa  serotina,  it  not  being  an 
American  grass. 

Having  now  set  forth,  authoritatively  and  quite 


440 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


July 


elaborately,  as  seen  by  the  writers  cited,  the 
claims  of  the  Poa  nervata,  represented  in  the  fine 
cut,  above,  to  the  name  of  Fowl-meadow  grass, 
it  is  hoped  that  both  farmers  and  botanists,  will 
hereafter  distinguish  between  the  "Yankee  grass," 
and  the  Dutch  grass,  calling  the  former,  as  has 
been  clearly  illustrated  is  its  rightful  claim,  and 
not  the  latter,  The  True  Fowl-Meadow,  one 
of  the  best,  if  not  the  most  valuable  indigenous 
grass  of  the  American  continent,  and  being  sur- 
passed by  few  if  any  exotics. 


ANTHRACITE  ASHES. 

It  is,  perhaps,  not  generally  well  known,  that 
anthracite  ashes — long  considered  worthless  to 
vegetation,  and  an  injury  to  the  soil — are  endued 
with  properties  rendering  them  somewhat  valua- 
ble as  manure.  Those  who  reside  in  the  vicinity 
of  cities  and  other  places  where  this  coal  is  used 
as  fuel,  and  where  the  ashes  can  be  obtained  in 
large  quantities  and  at  small  cost,  will  find  this 
article  a  matter  of  importance  to  their  farming 
interests,  if  properly  applied.  All  ashes  act  fa- 
vorably on  plants  in  general,  and  should  never 
be  thrown  away. 

Dr.  Dana  says,  in  his  "Muck  Manual,"  that 
from  4  to  8  pounds  in  every  100  parts  are  valua- 
ble to  the  farmer ;  and  that  the  composition  of 
anthracite  ashes  is  very  nearly  that  of  soil  de- 
prived of  its  geine. 

In  referring  to  some  carefully  made  analyses, 
Prof.  Norton,  of  Yale  College,  said,  "they  ena- 
ble the  chemist  who  has  studied  these  subjects, 
to  say  at  once,  and  with  confidence,  that  this  ash 
is  of  some  value  as  a  manure,  and  should  by  all 
means  be  so  applied  in  cases  where  it  can  be  ob- 
tained cheapl)." 

"In  looking  at  the  nature  of  these  results,"  he 
adds,  "we  may  draw  the  general  conclusion,  that 
in  the  ash  of  anthracite  coal,  we  have  in  every  100 
pounds,  from  4  to  8  pounds  of  valuable  inorganic 
material,  of  a  nature  suitable  for  adding  to  any 
soil  requiring  manures." 


WB  KNEVST  IT  "VSTOUIiD  RAIN 

We  knew  it  would  rain,  for  alt  the  morn 

A  fpirit,  on  slender  robes  of  mist, 
Was  lowering  its  golden  buckets  down 

Into  the  vapory  amethyst, 

Of  marshes  and  swamps  and  dismal  fens — 
Scooping  the  dew  that  lay  in  the  flowers. 

Dipping  the  jewels  out  of  the  sea. 
To  sprinkle  them  over  the  land  in  showers  ! 

We  knew  it  would  rain,  for  the  poplars  showed 
The  white  of  their  leaves — the  ember  grain 

Shrunk  in  the  wind — and  the  lightning  now 
Is  tangled  in  tremulous  skeins  of  rain ! 

T.  B.  Alcrich. 

I^"^  Do  you  not  expend  time  enough  each  year 
running  after  your  neighbors'  tools  to  pay  for  a 
complete  outfit?  Some  men  do,  and  exhaust  the 
patience  and  respect  of  a  good  neighbor  beside. 


For  the  Neic  England  Farmer. 
THE  PEAR  CULTURE. 

I  must  be  permitted  to  say  that  the  frequent 
discussions  in  the  Farmer  upon  the  comparative 
value  of  the  pear  and  quince  as  a  stock  for  the 
pear  scion,  have  aflForded  me  amusement  rather 
than  instruction.  They  show  that  prejudice  and 
ultraism  still  influence  to  a  great  extent  those 
counsels  which  ought  of  all  others  to  be  eminent- 
ty  practical.  If  after  so  many  years  of  trial, 
under  so  many  difficult  circumstances,  the  proper 
culture  of  the  pear  is  still  an  open  and  unsettled 
question,  what  point  in  the  theory  of  farming 
can  be  considered  as  fully  established  ?  I  had 
supposed,  until  the  discussions  alluded  to  made 
their  appearance,  that  there  was  very  little  dif- 
ference of  opinion  among  fruit-growers  on  the 
subject.  I  had  supposed  it  to  be  conceded  that 
both  systems  of  culture  have  their  advantages ; 
and  certainly  I  have  seen  nothing  as  yet  in  the 
arguments  of  j  our  correspondents  to  satisfy  me 
that  such  is  not  the  fact. 

In  my  view,  the  whole  matter  depends  upon 
the  circumstances  of  soil,  climate  and  the  desires 
of  the  cultivator.  In  the  more  northerly  parts 
of  New  England,  the  quince  cannot  be  trusted 
to  survive  the  inclement  winters,  and  some  more 
hardy  dwarfing  stock,  like  the  thorn-plum,  is  un- 
doubtedly better.  On  a  very  dry  and  gravelly 
soil,  the  quince  does  not  flourish,  even  in  this 
latitude.  On  the  other  hand,  the  pear  stock  sel- 
dom produces  good  fruit  upon  a  wet,  clayey  soil, 
however  well  the  tree  itself  may  flourish.  As  a 
general  thing,  a  ferruginous  soil  is  good  for  the 
pear,  but  not  good  for  the  quince  stock.  But 
most  of  our  Massachusetts  farms  combine  such 
a  variety  of  soils,  that  some  portions  of  them 
may  be  found  adapted  to  both  modes  of  culture. 

If  a  man  desires  to  leave  a  rich  legacy  to  pos- 
terity, and  has  a  soil  adapted  to  the  purpose,  he 
can  hardly  attain  that  object  more  eff"ectually  than 
by  setting  out  a  large  orchard  of  standard  peal 
trees.  It  may  take  twenty,  thirty  or  even  fiftj 
years  for  them  to  come  to  full  maturity ;  but  it 
less  than  the  shortest  of  these  periods  they  will 
pay  for  theraeelves.  But  if  the  farmer  has  neg- 
lected to  cultivate  a  taste  for  fruit-growing,  as 
most  do,  until  gray  hairs  admonish  him  of  a  close 
proximity  to  the  grave-yard,  and  still  desires  to 
enjoy  some  of  the  fruits  he  has  neglected  before 
he  changes  this  sphere  for  another,  his  best  chance 
certainly  lies  in  the  direction  of  the  dwarf  nur- 
sery. 

Again,  in  many  of  our  small  gardens  there- 
are  little  spaces  where  dwarf  trees  may  flourish, 
while  standards  would  be  cramped  for  room.  On 
the  other  hand,  with  a  larger  space  to  be  filled, 
the  pear  stock  would  form  in  a  few  years  a  beau- 
tifully ornamental  tree. 

I  believe  it  is  conceded  that  the  quince  stock 
produces  almost  invariably  the  largest  and  most 
highly  flavored  fruit.  But  then  there  are  certain 
varieties,  important  in  making  up  a  good  collec- 
tion, which  will  not  flourish  on  any  other  than 
the  pear  stock.  Under  all  these  c  rcumstances, 
therefore,  I  think  if  the  cultivator  will  only  ex- 
ercise an  intelligent  judgment,  he  will  find  both 
systems  of  pear  culture  good  in  their  place,  and 
will  adopt  either  or  both  according  to  the  partic- 
ular purpose  which  he  desires  to  accomplish. 

Somerville.  E.  c.  p. 


(858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


341 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
LETTER  FROM  MR.  FRENCH. 

Waterford,  Ireland,  August,  1857. 
My  Dear  Brown  : — To  show  that  America  is 
not  the  only  country  where  one  who  is  so  dis- 
posed may  find  the  means  to  "go  ahead,"  I  will 
tell  you  how  rapidly  I  overcame  space  to  reach 
the  show  of  the  Royal  Agricultural  Society  of 
Ireland.  I  was  at  Lyons,  in  France,  on  the  Sab- 
bath of  August  16th,  and  having  before  seen 
Paris  and  London  to  my  satisfaction,  I  took  the 
quickest  conveyance  to  Waterford,  in  Ireland, 
where  the  exhibition  was  to  be  held  on  the 
Wednesday,  Thursday  and  Friday  following, 
about  one  thousand  miles  from  Lyons.  At  forty 
minutes  past  seven.  A,  M.,  I  took  the  train  for 
Paris,  three  hundred  and  twenty-six  miles,  and 
arrived  at  that  beautiful  city  at  half  past  six  in 
the  afternoon  of  the  same  day. 

As  we  left  Lyons,  we  found  the  land  more  lev- 
el than  it  was  before  we  reached  that  city,  and 
grapes  are  growing  finely  over  large  tracts  of 
even  surface,  extending  through  fields  apparent- 
ly of  fifty  or  more  acres. 

This  was  to  me  a  new  feature.  All  along  the 
Rhine,  and  through  the  valley  of  the  Rhone,  the 
grape  is  usually  grown  upon  the  sunny  declivity 
of  steep  hills,  very  often  terraced,  and  supported 
by  stone  walls  at  great  expense  of  labor.  Here, 
however,  the  vineyards  are  wide  spread  over  rich 
fields,  like  our  fields  of  corn,  and  wine  is  the 
principal  product  of  the  land,  though  Indian 
corn,  which  is  nowhere  seen  in  England,  Scotland 
or  Ireland,  is  seen  here  flourishing  in  small 
.matches.  Oxen,  along  this  route,  are  worked  upon 
the  plow  and  cart,  in  pairs,  drawing  usually  by 
the  head ;  the  yoke,  if  such  a  thing  may  be  called 
a  yoke,  being  laid  across  their  foreheads  and 
bound  to  the  horns  with  leather  thongs. 

One  Avould  suppose  that  cattle  thus  harnessed 
could  perform  but  little  labor.  I  watched  them, 
carefully,  both  on  the  plow  and  on  the  cart,  and 
really  could  not  see  but  that  they  carried  their 
load  as  easily  and  comfortably,  as  if  yoked  in 
New  England  fashion.  They  hold  their  heads 
fully  as  high  as  our  cattle,  and  walked  very 
steadily,  and  I  noticed  one  yoke  in  particular, 
hauling  a  load  of  split  stones  on  the  highway, 
which  I  thought  would  make  a  heavy  load  for 
oxen  of  the  same  size  in  America. 

Men,  women  and  children  all  carry  heavy  bur- 
dens on  their  heads  in  all  these  countries,  as 
heavy  as  our  men  can  bear  on  their  shoulders. 
On  the  whole,  I  am  inclined  to  think  that  both 
men  and  beasts  are  stiff'-necked  enough  to  take 
along  any  burden  by  the  head,  which  they  can 
carry  in  any  other  way-  In  some  districts  through 
which  we  passed,  oxea  were  seen  yoked  both 


ways  in  the  same  field,  so  that  if  it  were  found 
that  one  mode  is  really  much  better  than  the 
other,  one  would  suppose  it  would  be  universally 
adopted.  We  remained  in  Paris  till  Tuesday  at 
half-past  one,  and  then  took  the  train  for  Lon- 
don by  way  of  Boulogne. 

The  distance  from  Paris  to  Boulogne  is  not 
far  from  cne  hundred  and  eighty  miles.  The 
first  part  of  the  route  is  through  market-gardens 
finely  cultivated  and  very  productive.  Soon, 
however,  the  scene  changes,  and  the  land  be- 
comes level  and  low,  and  we  passed  through  a 
wide  extent  of  country  devoted  to  pasturage. 
Large  herds  of  cattle  were  seen  grazing  in  the 
meadows,  many  of  which  appeared  as  if  kept 
green  by  artificial  irrigation.  Some  flocks  of 
sheep  were  observed  watched  by  shepherds  with 
their  faithful  dogs.  Hemp  is  cultivated  to  a  large 
extent,  and  grows  very  tall  and  heavy.  I  noticed 
some  tracts  in  which  men  were  at  work  among 
the  hemp,  which  reached  a  foot  or  two  above 
their  heads.  Wheat  and  oats  were  just  at  har- 
vest time,  and  looked  well,  though  cultivated  in 
small  tracts,  and  a  few  lots  in  tobacco  seemed  to 
indicate  that  the  most  useless  of  all  weeds  might 
thrive  in  this  part  of  France.  At  Boulogne,  we 
crossed  the  channel  to  Falkstone  in  England. 
We  embarked  at  about  eight  in  a  small  steamer 
and  touched  English  soil  at  about  ten,  where  we 
soon  took  the  train  in  the  darkness  for  London, 
where  we  arrived  at  about  one  at  night,  making 
the  distance  from  Paris  to  London  in  less  than 
twelve  hours,  about  three  hundred  miles.  On  the 
whole,  the  French  railways  are  as  well  conducted 
and  as  comfortable  as  any  I  have  seen.  Their 
second-class  cars  are  cushioned  and  stuff'ed,  and 
good  enough  for  anybody.  The  English  first 
class  carriages,  as  they  are  always  called  in  Eng- 
land, are  very  luxurious,  but  the  second  class 
are  without  cushions  or  stuffing,  and  a  bare  board 
for  seat  and  back  is  all  they  aff'ord.  The  price  of 
the  second  class  in  England  is  somewhat  higher 
than  the  first  class  in  America,  and  of  the  first 
class  about  fifty  per  cent,  higher  than  the  second. 
It  is  respectable,  though  not  very  comfortable, 
for  a  gentleman,  to  take  the  second  class.  We  re- 
mained in  London  till  Wednesday  afternoon,when 
we  took  the  Great  Western  broad  gauge  railway 
for  Waterford.  We  arrived  at  Milford  Haven, 
on  the  extreme  western  coast  of  England  at 
one  in  the  night,  having  run  two  hundred  and 
sixty  miles  in  the  time,  some  part  of  the  way, 
at  the  rate  of  fifty  miles  an  hour.  At  Milford 
Haven  we  took  a  steamer  ninety  miles  for  Water- 
ford, where  after  a  comfortable  sleep,  rocked  in 
the  Cradle  of  the  deep,  I  arrived  at  about  noon 
on  Thursday,  having  made  the  distance  of  one 
thousand  miles  in  a  little  more  than  three  days, 
besides  passing  a  good  part  of  a  day  in  Paris, 


342 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


July 


nearly  a  whole  one  in  London,  and  twice  crossing 
the  channels,  reckoned  the  most  disagreeable  of 
all  passages. 

I  received  a  hearty  welcome  from  Col.  Nichols, 
Secretary  of  the  Agricultural  Society,  who  at 
once  presented  me  with  admission  tickets  to  all 
the  exhibitions,  as  well  as  to  the  ball,  to  come 
off  that  evening.  Of  the  exhibition  I  shall  not 
have  occasion  to  speak  at  much  length,  having 
already,  in  previous  letters,  given  a  pretty  full 
description  of  the  animals  and  implements  at  the 
exhibitions  in  Suffolk  county  and  of  the  Royal 
Society  at  Salisbury.  The  exhibition  at  Water- 
ford  was  very  fine,  in  all  its  departments,  but  I 
was  soon  satisfied  that  at  the  previous  exhibitions 
which  I  had  attended,  I  had  seen  very  nearly  the 
same  variety  that  was  exhibited  at  Waterford. 
The  Short  Horn  stock  was  of  a  very  high  order, 
but  although  not  consisting  of  the  same  animals, 
differing  very  little  from  those  I  described  at  Salis- 
bury. Everywhere  through  Great  Britain  and 
Lreland,  the  Short  Horn  is  in  general  regarded 
as  the  best  stock,  though  in  particular  districts, 
peculiar  varieties  are  bred.  The  agricultural  im- 
plements at  Waterford  were  nearly  the  same  as 
at  Salisbury.  Indeed,  manufacturers  from  Eng- 
land were  the  principal  exhibitors.  At  Water- 
ford, I  noticed  some  very  fine  Ayrshire  cows,  in 
milk,  I  think  the  very  best  milking  stock  I  have 
seen  at  any  exhibition.  I  hai^pened,  by  a  single 
inquiry,  to  elicit  a  very  warm  discussion  between 
two  breeders,  as  to  the  origin  of  the  Ayrshire 
stock.  One  of  them  insisted  that  the  Ayrshire 
is  a  distinct  original  breed,  like  the  Alderneys  and 
North  Devons,  while  the  other  contended  that  it 
is  a  mixed  breed,  made  up,  as  both  admitted  the 
Short  Horn  to  be,  of  other  breeds  improved  by 
careful  crossing.  I  leave  the  question  for  the 
decision  of  those  who  are  competent  to  "decide 
when  doctors  disagree."  Some  Galloways,  of 
very  good  quality,  were  on  exhibition.  From 
what  I  saw  of  them  there,  and  have  seen  else- 
where, I  should  describe  them  as  a  black,  horn- 
less, hardy  breed,  of  good  size,  much  inclined  to 
lay  on  fat,  and  average  milkers.  They  are  much 
valued  for  beef.  There  was,  also,  a  fair  show  of 
Kerry  cows,  a  very  small,  thin  looking  race,  with 
very  long,  slender  horns,  and  good  indications 
for  milk.  They  look,  in  general,  like  some  very 
small,  old  cow  that  we  occasionally  find  in  a 
farmer's  yard,  tolerated  because  she  happened  to 
be  a  good  milker,  but  always  shown  with  an  apol- 
ogy for  her  presence  in  good  society. 

Then  we  had  the  West  Highlanders,  which  I 
have  seen  on  their  native  mountains  in  large 
numbers.  They  are  a  small,  "scrubby"  looking 
race,  with  large  horns,  and  thick,  rough  coats, 
valuable  for  the  fine  quality  of  their  meat,  which 
is  fattened  for  the  gentry,  who  prize  it  above 


any  other  variety.     These  cattle  are  raised  on 
the  Highlands  of  Scotland,  and  driven    over  to  ' 
England  for  the  market.     I  do  not  hear  that  any 
attempt  has  been   anywhere  made  to  improve 
them  by  careful  breeding. 

The  sheep  were  principally  Leicesters  and 
Cheviots,  and  appeared  very  excellent  of  their 
kinds. 

There  was  a  large  show  of  swine,  principally 
of  two  varieties  ;  the  Berkshire,  a  black  and  white 
race,  such  as  we  see  in  America,  from  the  West- 
ern States,  and  the  Cumberland,  a  very  large, 
white  breed,  long  and  well  proportioned,  evi- 
dently designed  to  inhabit  a  land  of  plenty.  My 
impression  of  them,  however,  is  that  they  cannot 
come  to  maturity  young  enough  to  make  them  pro- 
fitable for  rearing  in  New  England,  where  I  think 
the  general  opinion  is  in  favor  of  slaughtering 
swine  at  an  age  not  much  exceeding  one  year. 
As  I  entered  the  show-ground  I  noticed  the 
American  flag  flying  over  a  tent,  and  on  approach- 
ing found  the  American  Eagle  Mower  and  Reap- 
er (Heath's  Patent)  there  on  exhibition.  It  took 
the  first  prize  both  at  Waterford  and  Salisbury 
as  a  Mower.  It  was  not  entered  for  premium  as 
a  Reaper.  Mr.  Haskins,  who  has  charge  of  the 
working  of  it,  has  attracted  much  attention  by 
his  Yankee  shrewdness  and  wit,  at  the  exhibitions. 

At  the  Salisbury  exhibition,  when  the  Prince 
Consort  called  to  examine  the  Yankee  machine, 
and  the  attendants  were  attempting  to  explain 
the  operation  of  it,  Mr.  Haskins,  to  the  horror 
and  consternation  of  the  awe-stricken  bystand- 
ers, stepped  in  and  took  the  exjilanation  into  his 
own  hands.  His  Royal  Highness  had  the  good 
sense  to  prefer  the  conversation  of  a  sensible 
American,  who  understood  hia  subject,  and  at 
once  entered  into  the  details  of  the  matter,  and 
at  the  close  thanked  Mr.  Haskins  for  his  assist- 
ance. It  requires  a  good  deal  of  intercourse  with 
Englishmen,  for  an  American  to  realize  the  aw- 
ful distance  between  a  laborer  or  mechanic  and 
a  nobleman  or  lord.  Any  American  feels  him- 
self the  equal  of  any  other  man  alive,  but  Eng- 
lish society  is  divided  into  classes,  based  upon 
titles  and  estates,  by  barriers  as  impassible  as 
the  great  gulf  itself.  However,  most  nations 
have  their  idols,  and  we  will  not  too  severely  crit- 
icise the  taste  of  a  nation  who  worship  the  na- 
tional debt  and  an  aristocracy,  as  the  sources  of 
all  prosperity  ;  and  with  this  one  ill-natured  re- 
mark, I  will  close  this  letter.  Wishing  you  health 
and  peace,  I  remain  your  friend, 

Henry  F.  French. 


i^  It  was  the  saying  of  Sir  Robert  Peel,  "I 
never  knew  a  man  to  escape  failure,  in  either 
body  or  mind,  who  worked  seven  days  in  the 
week." 


18.58. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


343 


A  WORD  FOR  THE  BOYS. 

"No,  father,  I  don't  want  sandy  ridge,  nothing 
grows  there  l)ut  sorrel." 

"That's  good  enough  for  you,  boy.  You'll  only 
waste  your  time  and  raise  nothing,  if  you  had  the 
Ijest  of  the  farm.  You  may  as  well  take  a  hard 
piece  to  begin  with  as  anything  else.  I  don't 
know  about  this  plan  that  you  boys  have  of  farm- 
ing for  yourselves,  and  having  the  profits  ;  I  rath- 
er think  it  won't  amount  to  much,  after  all." 

"I  don't  think  it  will  either,  if  we  have  nothing 
but  sand  to  plant  our  seed  in.  The  other  boys 
are  going  to  have  a  few  rods  of  the  right  kind  of 
land,  and  will  raise  good  crops.  If  I  can't  have 
anything  but  sandy  ridge,  I  don't  want  any.  Har- 
ry Grey  is  going  to  have  one  side  of  his  father's 
vegetable  garden.  The  hired  man  will  spade  it 
for  him  and  show  him  how  to  plant  his  potatoes, 
and  all  that  he  raises  will  be  his,  to  do  just  what 
he  pleases  with.  This  is  the  way  the  other  boys 
are  going  to  do.  We  have  agreed  to  sell  what 
we  raise  and  put  the  money  in  the  missionary 
box." 

"A  poor  piece  of  speculation.  But  I'll  see 
about  it,  boy.  You  go  about  your  work  now, — 
there's  plenty  to  be  done,  and  you  won't  have 
any  time  for  boy's  plans  or  plays — you  keep 
steady  about  it,  and  if  the  crops  come  in  well, 
perhaps  you'll  get  something  extra." 

The  boy  went  to  his  work,  but  with  tears  and 
a  heavy  heart.  "It  is  always  just  so,"  he  said  to 
the  hired  man,  "I  never  can  do  anything  I  want 
to.  It  is  so  strange  my  father  won't  let  me  have 
a  decent  piece  of  land,  when  he  has  more  tlian  he 
knows  what  to  do  with.  I  won't  work  here  all 
my  life  time,  I  know.  He  thinks  I'm  going  to  be 
a  farmer,  but  he'll  find  himself  mistaken." 

Why  not,  Mr.  Farmer,  let  your  son  choose  a 
piece  of  land  for  himself,  when  you  have  enough 
and  to  spare  ?  It  would  yield  you  compound  in- 
terest in  a  few  years.  If  you  wish  to  bind  him  to 
the  farm,  first  tie  his  heart, — and  no  better  w?y 
can  be  found  than  to  consult  his  wishes,  and  to 
give  him  your  sympathies  when  so  simple  a  re- 
quest is  made  as  to  try  his  skill  at  a  little  inde- 
pendent farming.  What  if  he  should  fail  in  his 
enterprise,  which  is  not  very  likely,  if  you  give 
him  the  aid  that  you  ought,  the  time  is  not  whol- 
ly lost.  It  will  excite  him  to  more  diligence, 
and  hf  will  perform  twice  the  labor  for  you  that 
he  would  had  you  refused  him.  It  will  not  be 
enough  to  give  him  the  use  of  the  land,  manifest- 
ing no  further  interest  in  the  matter.  But  tell 
him  how  to  dress  it — what  kind  of  grain  or  roots 
will  be  best  adapted  to  the  soil — how  to  sow  or 
plant, — and  then  occasionally  give  him  a  word  of  | 
encouragement,  should  he  find  his  labors  more 
than  he  anticipated.  He  may,  boy-like,  leave  his 
work  for  play,  but  don't  chide  him  harshly  for  it, 
remember  ng  the  old  saying,  that  "all  work  and 
no  play  makes  Jack  a  dull  boy."  Give  him  time 
for  recreation,  and  work  for  you  will  become  no 
drudgery. 

By  interesting  yourself  a  little  in  the  boy's 
plans,  you  will  gain  his  confidence,  and  cheerful 
obedience,  making  home  so  pleasant  that  he  will 
never  distress  you  by  roaming  for  forbidden  pleas- 
ures, or  by  fastening  himself  to  associates  that 
would  work  his  ruin.  If  you,  then,  value  the 
boy's  happiness  or  your  own,  do  not  coldly  re- 
pulse him,  when  he  comes  to  you  with  what  may 


seem  a  childish  request.  For  the  time,  it  involves 
as  important  consequences  to  him,  as  any  of  your 
own  plans  which  have  grown  out  of  matured  ex- 
perience. The  disappointment  to  him  would  be 
as  great  as  it  would  be  to  yourself  to  fail  in  some 
enterprise  v.'hich  had  long  occupied  your  thonghts. 
If  you  keep  your  boy's  heart,  he  will  more  than 
requite  you  in  future  years,  when  the  toils  and 
cares  of  life  have  become  a  burden,  and  you  feel 
that  you  must  lean  somewhere, — then  he  will 
support  you — brightening  the  decline  of  life, 
steadying  your  faltering  steps  with  the  same  pa- 
tient care  with  which  you  have  guided  him 
through  the  capricious  years  of  boyhood. — Port- 
land Transcript. 

Early  Closing  Movement. — All  the  agricul- 
tural houses  in  this  city  have  agreed  to  close 
their  stores  at  4  o'clock  on  Saturday  afternoons 
during  the  summer  months.  The  New  England 
Farmer  oflUce  will  also  close  at  that  hour  on  Sat- 
urdays through  the  summer. 


BOYS'  DEPARTMENT. 


POP  CORN. 

I  will  tell  you,  dear  young  readers  of  Mr.  Mer- 
ry, something  about  pop  corn,  that  I  am  sure 
will  surprise  you. 

I  know  that  you  have  often  paraded  a  saucer 
or  small  dish  of  the  said  luxury,  asking  mother 
and  sisters,  "Take  some,  please,"  while  your  face 
was  painfully  glowing,  almost  parched  like  your 
corn.  I  will  tell  you  of  a  place  where  it  is  made 
a  business,  or  trade.  A  building  is  appropriated 
to  it ;  and  six  or  eight  persons  do  the  work.  An 
immense  wire  box  is  suspended  over  a  furnace, 
and  when  half  a  bushel  of  corn  is  popping  at  one 
time,  you  may  think  there  is  a  beautiful  uproar 
— the  maize,  which  is  another  name  for  Indian 
corn,  flies  about  like  mad.  Twenty  bushels 
bursts  or  pops  into  240  bushels — increasing 
twelve-fold.  They  pop,  and  sell,  in  good  seasons, 
some  240  or  250  bushels  weekly.  Think  of  that, 
boys  and  girls.  Five  hundred  of  the  balls,  which 
you  see  and  taste  so  often,  fill  a  barrel.  Twenty- 
seven  barrels  are  prepared  in  a  day.  Sometimes 
they  receive  orders  for  sixty  bushels  by  one  house 
at  a  distance.  The  bin  or  box,  in  which  it  is  first 
placed,  holds  sixty  bushels.  It  is  a  fine  sight, 
too,  for  every  kernel  is  perfect  as  a  flower.  A 
great  sieve  passes  out  all  which  are  under  size 
or  imperfect.  These  go  to  the  chickens  by  th^ 
barrel. 

Often  three  barrels  of  sugar  are  used  weekly, 
for  the  coating  of  the  balls.  This  is  a  regularly 
made  candy,  which  is  poured  hot  upon  the  popped 
corn.  At  this  place,  Merriam's,  Franklin  Street, 
Brooklyn,  they  use  refined  sugar,  and  the  pink 
coloring  is  harmless.  As  I  looked  upon  the  corn, 
or  maize,  I  remembered  that — 

The  life  of  Sir  John  Barleycorn 

Was  long  since  sung  by  Burns — 
To  sing  of  Brother  .'onathan  Maize, 

My  muBe  with  ardor  turns. 

His  early  life  was  watched  with  care, 

And  guarded  every  hour  ; 
One  ministered  to  every  need, 

From  sprouting  into  flower. 


344 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


July 


young  Fonathan  no  trouble  met, 

But  plump  and  strong  he  grew  j 
Silk  tiis.tel  o'er  his  ear  he  set, 

Exquisite  'twas  to  view. 

But  now  ilrew  near  bis  trial  time — 

For  soon  as  he  matured, 
And  just  had  donned  his  yellow  coat. 

Of  proud  repose  assured, 

All  roughly  seized  was  Jonathan  Maize, 

To  Merriam's  he  was  borne  ; 
It  was  no  jnem-ment  for  him, 

For  he  must  burst  or  burn. 

A  fiery  ordeal  would  him  try — 

Ah  I  that  would  test  the  chit — 
If  beauty,  goodness,  strength  is  there, 

The  fire  will  make  the  hit. 

A  furnace  is  in  glowing  heat — 

Bold  Jonathan,  hold  your  own  ; 
Hark !  'tis  not  presto,  but  'tis  pop — 

Twelve-fold  his  size  has  grown. 

Hurrah !  hurrah !  for  Jonathan  Maize, 

Expanded  by  the  fire  ! 
Pureness  and  beauty  burst  to  sight  j 

We  look,  and  we  admire. 

All  honored  now  is  Jonathan  Maize — 

Selina's  kindly  hand 
Bedecks  him  in  a  rosy  coat. 

With  skilful  stoeetness  planned. 

Then  in  a  box  that's  clean  and  white. 

He's  carefully  encased ; 
Upon  my  word,  if  you  would  bite. 

You'd  say  'twas  bite  well  placed. 

Laura  Elmir,  in  Merry^s  Museum, 


LADIES'  DEPARTMENT. 


BHUBABB  WINE. 

To  every  gallon  of  water,  add  five  pounds  of 
rhubarb  cut  in  thin  slices ;  let  it  stand  nine  days, 
stirring  it  three  times  a  day  ;  cover  the  pan  con- 
taining it  with  a  coarse  cloth  ;  strain  it ;  to  every 
gallon  of  the  liquor,  add  four  pounds  of  loaf-su- 
gar, the  juice  of  two  lemons,  and  the  rind  of  one  ; 
dissolve  one  ounce  of  isinglass  (to  fine  it)  in  a 
pint  of  the  liquor  over  a  slow  fire,  then  add  it, 
when  cold,  to  the  rest ;  when  fermentation  has 
ceased,  bung  it  close,  and  bottle  it  in  March.  A 
few  raisins  improve  it.  The  lemon  rind  Snould 
not  remain  in  after  fermentation  has  ceased. 

Cut  the  rhubarb  into  rather  thin  slices  ;  squeeze 
through  a  sieve  to  extract  the  juice;  this  being 
done,  mix  with  it  as  much  sugar  as  will  suit  the 
taste,  and  some  water,  after  which  it  must  sim- 
mer on  the  fire  for  an  hour  or  two  ;  then  put  as 
much  yeast  as  will  cause  it  to  ferment ;  put  it  in- 
to a  cask  for  three  weeks  ;  draw  through  a  tap  ; 
bottle.  It  will  be  good  at  the  time,  if  properly 
fermentc^l,  but,  if  allowed  to  stand  a  year,  would 
be  perfect. 

Seven  pounds  of  rhubarb  to  be  bruised  in  a 
mortar  ;  and,  when  bruised,  put  to  it  three  quarts 
of  water;  let  the  water  be  boiled,  and  stand  until 
cold  ;  stir  them  every  day  for  five  days  ;  then 
add  three  and  a  half  pounds  of  coarse  sugar ; 
then  put  it  into  a  bottle  or  cask,  and  in  three 
months  add  a  quarter  of  a  pint  of  the  best  bran- 
dy, and  in  six  months  bottle  it  for  use.  Twenty 
pounds  of  rhubarb,  twelve  pounds  of  sugar  and 
fiigkt  quarts  of  water  will  mike  thr«e  i^allous. 


To  every  five  pounds  of  rhubarb  stalk,  when 
sliced  and  bruised,  put  a  gallon  of  cold  spring 
water  ;  let  it  stand  three  days  in  a  tub,  stirring 
it  twice  every  day  ;  and  then  press  and  strain  it 
through  a  sieve,  and  to  every  gallon  of  the  liquor 
put  three  pounds  of  loaf-sugar ;  put  it  in  a  bar- 
rel, and  hang  some  isinglass  within  the  barrel, 
and  bung  it  up  directly.  In  six  months,  it  will 
be  ready  to  bottle.  Currant  juice  to  color,  if  you 
like. 

Take  six  pounds  of  rhubarb,  and  cut  it  into 
half-inch  pieces,  put  it  into  a  pot,  add  one  gallon 
of  cold  water,  and  let  it  stand  three  weeks,  stir- 
ring it  every  day  ;  then  strain  out  the  rhubarb, 
put  the  liquor  into  the  pot  a»ain,  and  add  three 
pounds  of  sugar  to  every  gallon  of  the  liquor ;  let 
it  stand  three  weeks  longer ;  then  strain  it  through 
a  flannel  bag,  put  it  into  a  keg  or  stone  bottles, 
and  add  a  little  isinglass  to  clear  it.  It  will  be 
ready  for  use  in  three  or  four  months. 

Take  four  and  a  half  pounds  of  rhubarb,  bruise 
it  in  a  tub  with  a  mallet  till  quite  soft ;  add  one 
gallon  of  cold  water,  and  let  it  stand  three  or 
four  days  ;  stir  it  frequently  ;  strain  it  off  through 
a  wort  sieve,  and  press  the  juice  out ;  then  meas- 
ure the  liquor ;  to  every  gallon,  put  three  and  a 
half  pounds  of  moist  sugar  ;  let  it  stand  a  day  or 
two,  that  all  the  sugar  may  dissolve  ;  put  it  into 
the  cask ;  do  not  stop  it  up  close  for  a  week  ; 
leave  the  top  cork  out ;  when  put  into  the  cask, 
add  two  or  three  ounces  of  isinglass  ;  stir  it  well 
together,  and  in  two  months  rack  it,  and  run  it 
through  a  flannel  bag  ;  then  put  it  into  the  cask 
again,  with  a  little  more  isinglass,  if  required. 
To  ten  gallons  of  wine,  add  six  pounds  of  chopped 
raisins  ;  the  isinglass  should  be  dissolved,  and 
whisked  to  a  froth ;  add  what  quantity  of  brandy 
you  think  right. — Godey^s  Lady's  Book  for  June. 


How  TO  Cook  Rhubarb  or  Pie  Plant. — Get 
the  LinniBus  rhubarb.  It  is  larger,  more  tender 
and  better  flavored  than  any  other,  requires  less 
sugar  by  one-fourth,  and  has  no  skin  to  be  taken 
oiT.  Do  not  attempt  to  peel  it,  but  cut  in  pieces 
as  long  as  the  thickness  of  the  stalk,  and  put 
them  with  your  sugar  in  an  earthen  dish  without 
water  ;  cover  it  to  retain  the  flavor,  and  place  it 
in  an  oven  and  cook  till  quite  tender  without 
stirring  or  breaking  the  pieces.  If  too  much 
cooked  it  assumes  a  disgusting  stringy  appear- 
ance, and  loses  all  fruity  character.  The  rosy 
color  of  the  stalks  will  give  your  dish  an  attrac- 
tive appearance,  and  the  dyspeptic  will  find  in  it 
a  powerful  aid  to  digestion. 


The  Mistress  of  a  Family. — The  house- 
mother !  what  31  beautiful,  comprehensive  word 
it  is!  how  suggestive  of  all  that  is  wise  and  kind- 
ly, comfortable  and  good  !  Surely,  whether  the 
lot  comes  to  her  naturally,  in  the  happy  grada- 
tions of  wifehood  and  motherhood,  or  as  the 
maiden-mistress  of  an  adopted  family,  or — as 
one  could  find  many  instances,  in  this  our  mod- 
ern England — when  the  possession  of  a  large 
fortune,  received  or  earned,  gives  ner,  with  all 
the  cares  and  duties,  many  of  the  advantages  of 
matronhood — every  such  woman  must  acknowl- 
edge that  it  is  a  solemn  as  well  as  a  happy  thing 
to  be  the  mistress  of  a  family. — A  Wo7na/ii'3 
Thought*  ubtiti  W»ni4n. 


DEVOTED   TO  AGBICULTURE   AND    ITS  KINDRED   ARTS  AND    SCIENCES. 


VOL.  X. 


BOSTON,  AUGUST,  1858. 


NO.  8. 


JOEL  NOURSE,  Proprietor. 
Office.. .13  Coijmercial  St. 


SIMON  BROWN,  EDITOR. 


FRED'K  HOI.BROOK,  )  Associate 
HENRY  F.  FRENCH,     Editors. 


CALENDAR  FOB  AUGUST. 

Now  sober  Ind0strt,  illustrious  power  I 
Hath  raised  the  peaceful  cottage,  calm  aboile 
Of  innocence  and  joy  ;  now   sweating,  guides 
The  shining  plowshare  ;  tames  the  stubborn  soil ; 
Leads  the  long  drain  along  the  unfertile  marsh  ; 
Bids  the  bleali  hill  with  vernal  verdure  bloom, 
The  haunt  of  flocks  ;  and  clothes  ihe  barren  heath 
With  waving  harvests  and  the  golden  grain. 

Michael  Bruce. 

HOT,  du=ty,  dog -day 
Month  is  August 
— when  the  wise 
denizens  of  the  ci- 
ty fly  to  the  cool 
retreats  of  the 
country,  to  enjoy 
their  dolce  far  ni- 
ente  there,  or  those 
who  love  show  and 
excitement  tor- 
ment     themselves 


m> 


--^  in    stifled 


preyed 


rooms, 

upon     by 

musquitoes  and  other  night- 

walJcers,    and  the  scarcely 

less  remorseless  customs  of 

popular  watering-places  !     What  is 


-  1  Saratoga  water  or  Sulphur  water 
to  the  sweet  breath  of  cows,  and  zephyrs,  and 
the  bleating  of  lambs  or  the  chii-ping  of  crickets 
in  the  fresh  and  cool  and  invigorating  country 
air  ? 

A  feeling  and  accomplished  writer  in  the  Edin- 
burgh Review,  many  years  ago,  said,  "The  Year 
has  now  reached  the  parallel  to  that  brief,  but 
perhaps  best  period  of  human  life,  when  the  prom- 
ises of  youth  are  either  fulfilled  or  forgotten,  and 
the  fears  and  forethoughts  connected  with  de- 
cline have  not  yet  grown  strong  enough  to  make 
themselves  felt ;  and  consequently  when  we  have 
nothing  to  do  but  look  around  us  and  be  happy. 
It  has,  indeed,  like  a  man  at  forty,  turned  the  cor- 
ner of  its  existence  ;  but,  like  him,  it  may  still 


fancy  itself  young,  because  it  does  not  begin  to 
feel  itself  getting  old.  And  perhaps  there  is  no 
period  like  this  for  encouraging  and  bringing  to 
perfection  that  habit  of  tranquil  enjoyment  in 
which  all  true  happiness  must  mainly  consist ; 
with  i^leasiire  it  has,  indeed,  little  to  do ;  but 
with  happiness  it  is  every  thing." 

Hay  making  is  now  nearly  completed,  or,  at 
least,  the  principal  part  of  it  is  done,  and  a  gen- 
erous crop  has  been  gathered  in.  The  copious 
rains  of  June  overflowed  the  low  meadows,  and 
in  some  places,  the  water  stood  upon  them  so 
long  as  greatly  to  injure  the  growing  crop,  and 
make  it  somewhat  later  than  usual.  But  a  few 
good  days  in  August  M'ill  see  these  meadows 
cleared  off. 

Our  farmers  are  learning  to  value  this  de- 
scription of  hay  less  and  less,  and  to  depend 
more  upon  the  clover,  red-top  and  timothy. 
There  are  many  acres  of  wet  meadow  in  New 
England  that  ought  to  yield  better  hay  than  they 
do.  They  need  to  be  drained,  that  the  surface 
water  may  run  off  early,  and  not  stand  upon 
them  long  enough  to  kill  out  the  sweet  grasses, 
— and  now  is  the  time  to  dp  it.  There  is  a  little 
respite  between  hay-making  and  harvesting,  and 
every  farmer  who  has  a  piece  of  meadow  that  may 
be  improved  by  ditching,  especially  if  it  is  near 
his  dwelling,  should  embrace  the  present  time  to 
begin  it,  at  least.  For  this,  we  might  suggest 
several  reasons.  The  present  is  usually  the  dry- 
est  season  of  the  year,  and  of  course  is  the  most 
convenient  time  for  such  work.  As  we  have  al- 
ready said,  the  farm  work  does  not  crowd  as  hard 
as  it  did  in  haytime,  or  as  it  will  in  harvesting, 
and  thirdly,  you  need  a  pile  of  meadow  muck  for 
the  barn-yard,  the  hog-sty,  and  barn-cellar,  and 
by  ditching  where  this  material  abounds  you 
will  "kiil  two  birds  with  one  stone." 

Throw  the  mud  into  heaps,  and  when  the 
ground  is  frozen,  it  will  be  ready  to  haul  ofi'.  Put 
it  into  convenient  piles  near  the  barn,  and  let 
the  frosts  of  winter  pulverize  it,  and   after  you 


346 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Aug. 


have  carried  out  the  manure  in  the  spring,  you 
•will  know  what  use  to  make  of  it.  You  cannot 
spend  a  few  days,  at  this  time,  more  profitably  in 
any  other  way,  than  in  ditching  and  reclaiming. 

August  is  the  time  for  plowing  and  seeding 
down  such  mowing  lands  as  need  re-seeding. 
That  is,  if  the  work  is  done  in  this  month,  the 
grass  will  gain  such  growth  and  strength  as 
to  go  through  the  winter  with  more  safety  than 
if  postponed  to  a  later  day, — it  will  not  be  so 
likely  to  get  winter-killed.  From  the  10th  of 
August  to  September  20,  is  appropriate  time  for 
this  work.  There  can  be  no  doubt  that  this  is  the 
best  way  to  resuscitate  worn-out  grass  lands. 
But  it  is  important  that  it  be  done  in  season. 
The  warmth  of  AUGUST  will  cause  the  seed  to 
germinate,  and  get  a  good  start,  and  be  pre- 
pared to  resist  the  frosts  of  autumn.  By  this 
mode  of  reseeding,  nothing  is  lost  but  the  fall 
feed,  and  on  land  where  the  crop  of  grass  is 
small,  this  is  of  little  value. 

Plow  to  a  good  depth,  according  to  the  nature 
of  the  land,  and  spread  on  a  liberal  dressing  of 
compost,  and  harrow  thoroughly.  Then  sow  the 
seed  and  harrow  again,  and  follow  with  the  roller, 
leaving  the  surface  as  smooth  as  a  floor.  If  the 
ground  is  wet,  and  the  surface  should  be  thrown 
by  the  frost  of  the  coming  winter,  pass  over  it 
with  the  roller  again  in  the  spring.  This  will 
leave  it  in  good  condition  for  the  mowing  ma- 
chine. The  compost  will  give  the  grass  an  early 
start  in  the  spring,  and  the  roots  will  soon  find 
the  mellow,  decaying  sod,  and  you  will  have  a 
full  crop  of  grass  the  next  season.  It  will  be 
a  week  later  than  the  crop  on  fields  that  have 
been  laid  down  two  or  three  years,  but  quite 
equal  in  quantity  and  quality.  A  good  soil, 
moderately  moist,  may  be  jilowed  and  re-seeded 
in  this  way,  once  in  six  or  eight  years,  and  made 
to  yield  steadily  a  fine  crop  of  hay,  of  the  very 
Lest  quality,  at  a  trifling  expense. 

We  have  long  been  convinced  that  this  is  the 
best  way  of  treating  grass  lands,  that  are  rather 
low  and  moist.  If  they  are  planted  with  hoed 
crops,  it  takes  about  three  years  to  get  the  sod 
well  rotted  and  pulverized.  They  are  cold,  and 
cannot  always  be  planted  early,  and  are  hard  to 
work,  and  the  crops  are  apt  to  be*  injured  by  the 
cut  worm,  and  require  re-planting,  and  if  after 
two  or  three  years  of  cultivation,  they  are  sowed 
down  with  grass  and  oats,  the  grass-seed  is  much 
lees  certain  to  catch  well,  so  that  on  the  whole, 
we  con^xAex  fall-seeding ,  as  it  is  called,  much  the 
most  certain  and  economical  way  of  keeping 
grass  lands  in  good  condition.  But  as  we  have 
already  said,  success  will  depend  very  much  on 
doing  the  work  at  the  right  time, — and  now  is  a 
good  time  to  be  about  it. 

In  June,  and  also  in  Jttly,  we  hinted  at  the  im- 


portance of  keeping  a  watchful  eye  upon  the 
weeds.  This  matter  is  no  less  important  this 
month,  for  now  the  weeds  are  maturing  their 
seeds,  and  if  you  let  them  ripen,  they  will  make 
much  work  for  next  year. 

The  hoeing  is  now  generally  finished,  but  if 
the  ground  is  weedy,  it  will  pay  well  to  go  through 
the  field,  row  by  row,  and  pull  out  with  care  all 
the  weeds  that  have  escaped  the  hoe.  Make 
thorough  work  of  this,  and  it  will  save  a  deal  of 
vexatious  labor  next  year. 

We  have  a  friend  Avho  takes  the  utmost  care  of 
his  garden  in  the  early  part  of  the  season.  He 
rakes  it  over  as  often  as  twice  a  week,  and  not  a 
weed  can  be  found  in  it  during  the  month  of 
June.  But  after  he  has  got  his  first  mess  of  po- 
tatoes, which  he  usually  does  on  the  Fourth  of 
July,  he  gets  tired  of  the  work,  and  hangs  up  his 
hoe  and  rake,  and  in  September  his  ground  is 
covered  with  weeds  which  yield  a  fine  crop  of 
I  seed,  and  of  course,  he  will  find  enough  to  do 
next  spring,  and  indeed,  every  spring,  as  long  as 
I  he  lives,  if  he  continues  the  same  course.  Now 
if  he  would  take  as  much  pride  in  showing  a  clean 
surface  among  his  plants  in  AUGUST  and  Sep- 
tember, as  he  does  in  June,  he  would  find  the 
labor  of  tending  his  garden  grow  less  and  less 
every  year.  He  is  not  the  only  one  who  needs  a 
little  good  advice  in  this  respect.  There  are  many 
gardens  that  look  well  in  the  spring  and  early 
summer,  but  in  autumn  are  like  the  garden  of 
the  sluggard,  all  overgrown  with  weeds.  This  is 
poor  economy.  It  will  be  cheaper  in  the  long  run 
to  pull  out  every  weed  that  shows  itself,  not  only 
in  the  spring,  but  in  the  summer  and  autumn. 
This  will  leave  the  ground  in  a  state  to  be  much 
more  easily  taken  care  of  next  year.  And  even 
if  the  ground  is  to  be  seeded  down  next  year,  it 
will  pay  well  to  keep  it  free  from  weeds,  in  order 
to  prevent  a  mixture  of  weeds  with  the  grain 
crop. 

The  farmer  always  has  enough  to  do.  He  can 
never  afford  to  be  idle.  But  it  is  a  matter  of 
much  importance  that  he  be  employed  in  labors 
appropriate  to  the  season.  As  he  cannot  do  every 
thing  at  once,  he  must  use  his  best  judgment  in 
selecting  the  proper  labor  for  to-day.  Let  him 
do  this  well,  and  to-morrow  will  bring  its  appro- 
priate work.  Thus  every  day  will  be  spent  to  the 
best  advantage,  and  at  the  close  of  the  season,  he 
will  not  have  to  lament  his  "lost  days." 


Drugging  Animals. — Continual  dosing  ani- 
mals is  just  as  useless  and  injurious  to  them,  as 
is  constant  swallowing  drugs  and  poisonous 
compounds  to  the  human  system.  It  is  all  folly 
to  allow  your  stables  to  become  hospitals,  and  to 
smell  and  appear  like  an  apothecary's  shop.  It 
is  much  more  humane  to  shoot  ahorse,  or  knock 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


347 


an  animal  in  the  head  at  once,  than  to  force 
down  its  throat  doses  of  drugs  whose  quality  or 
action  j'ou  know  little  about,  having  the  effect  to 
create  disease  when  it  did  not  exist,  and  prolong 
suffering  much  beyond  the  time  in  which  nature 
would  herself  effect  a  cure. — American  Agricul- 
turist. 

For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
A  HOKSE  WORTH   ©"WNING. 

Mr.  Editoe  : — The  following  is  a  biographical 
sketch  of  one  of  the  most  noble  specimens  of  the 
horse  species ;  and  appreciating  the  design  and 
usefulness  which  this  superior  animal,  the  horse, 
subserves  to  the  service  and  pleasure  of  the 
"Lords  of  Creation,"  the  writer  would  heartily 
concur  with  the  views  of  others,  and  commend 
their  laudable  efforts  to  improve  the  condition, 
not  only  in  enacting  laws  against  inhuman  and 
brutal  treatment,  but  in  personal  care  and  proper 
attention  to  the  keeping,  driving  and  health  of 
this  noblest  of  all  beasts. 

"Old  White,"  as  she  is  called,  was  first  owned 
in  this  town  by  Capt.  Joshua  Dodge,  Mr.  Dodge 
having  purchased  her  of  a  horse-dealer  at  Lynn. 
Of  her  birth-place,  sireship  and  previous  history 
we  have  not  yet  learned  anything,  except  that 
she  probably  passed  through  the  hands  of  sev- 
eral owners ;  and  it  appears  that  up  to  that  time, 
her  merits  were  not  fully  discovered,  as  she  was 
bought  by  Mr.  Dodge  for  only  fifty  dollars, 
though  then  with  foal.  She  served  her  owner 
on  a  farm  to  his  highest  satisfaction,  till  her  colt 
was  old  enough  and  broken  to  work,  when  she 
was  supposed  to  be  eighteen  years  old,  and  Mr. 
Dodge  not  having  use  for  more  than  one  horse, 
sold  her  for  fifty  dollars,  to  Capt.  George  Apple- 
ton,  of  this  town,  her  present  owner,  (and  by  the 
way,  we  might  suppose  that  "Old  White"  must 
be  thoroughly  disciplined,  as  she  had  been  under 
two  captains,  covering  a  period  of  seventeen 
years  of  her  existence !)  Capt.  Appleton  has 
owned  her  upwards  of  fourteen  years,  and  her 
present  age  must,  of  course,  exceed  thirty-two 
years.  During  the  time  owned  by  Capt.  Apple- 
ton,  she  had  been  put  to  most  every  use  in  which 
any  horse  is  capable  of  service  ;  and  was  able  to 
perform  as  much  labor  in  a  given  time.  She 
would  endure  fatigue  and  exposure  without  dis- 
qualifying her  for  actual  and  constant  work. 

Even  at  the  age  of  twenty  and  upwards,  she 
was  quite  distinguished  for  speed ;  and  in  many 
instances  has  proved  more  than  a  match  for  quite 
smart  horses.  She  has  drawn  loads  of  hay  of 
twenty  and  twenty-five  hundred  weight  to  Sa- 
lem, a  distance  of  nine  miles,  without  difficulty, 
not  excepting  even  the  steep  and  difficult  hills 
on  this  route  ;  and  has  been  used  in  carrying 
the  mail  to  the  depot,  Capt.  Appleton  being 
postmaster,  performing  this  once  a  day  most  of 
the  time,  Sundays  excepted,  for  the  past  ten  or 
twelve  years,  and  has  probably  by  private  car- 
riage, carried  five  thousand  to  six  thousand  per- 
sons to  the  cars. 

Persons  of  all  ages,  from  the  boy  of  seven  to 
the  adult  of  four-score  years,  have  driven  her  to 
different  places,  either  fast  or  slow,  as  desirable, 
and  might  leave  her  at  any  place  without  tying. 
When  turned  out  to  pasture  or  into  the  highway, 
she  might  be  bridled  by  a  mere  child,  and  is  so 


kind  and  docile,  but  at  the  same  time  high-spir- 
ited, as  to  be  perfectly  manageable  in  any  hands 
and  every  kind  of  carriage  ;  and  until  of  late 
years  has  not  required  urging  by  the  whip. 

"Old  White,"  in  her  best  estate,  weighed  only 
about  eight  hundred  and  fifty  pounds,  and  re- 
cently at  her  present  advanced  age,  drew  a  load 
from  Essex,  over  a  very  hilly  road,  weighing 
twenty-three  hundred  pounds.  In  regard  to 
keeping,  she  has  had  but  little  grain,  and  other 
food  not  extra  in  quality  ;  and  notwithstanding 
her  constant  labor,  has  kept  herself  looking  well. 

One  thing  in  the  history  of  "Old  White"  is 
worthy  of  special  notice,  that  for  many  years  past 
she  has  been  a  faithful  and  trustworthy  servant 
to  convey  a  venerable  lady  now  ninety-five  years 
old,  a  connection  of  the  family  in  which  she  is 
owned,  to  Ipswich  and  back  again,  this  aged  lady 
having  in  both  towns  sons  and  daughters  with 
whom  she  resides  alternately. 

Her  owner  thought  a  few  years  since  in  the 
fall  that  he  would  kill  her,  thinking  she  might 
fail  during  the  winter,  rather  than  let  her  be  sold, 
subject  to  fall  into  hands  which  might  abuse  her, 
but  though  she  shows  some  signs  of  declining 
years,  she  still  survives,  and  it  is  not  impossi- 
ble that  she  will  live  to  bless  the  next  generation 
with  her  valuable  service.      Z.  A.  APPLETON. 

Hamilton,  Mass.,  June,  1858. 


LIGHTS  AND  SHADOV7S. 

The  gloomiest  day  hath  gleams  of  light. 
The  darkest  wave  hath  bright  foam  near  it, 

And  twinkles  through  the  cloudiest  night 
Some  solitary  star  to  cheer  it. 

The  gloomiest  soul  is  not  all  gloom, 

The  saddest  heart  is  not  all  sadness ; 
And  sweetly  o'er  the  darkest  doom, 

There  shines  some  lingering  beam  of  gladness. 

Despair  is  never  quite  despair  ; 

Nor  life  nor  death  the  future  closes ; 
And  round  the  shadowy  brow  of  Care, 

Will  Hope  and  Fancy  twine  their  roses. 

Mrs.  Hemans. 


How  TO  Protect  Sheep  from  the  Rava- 
ges OF  THE  Canine  Species.— "A  subscriber," 
whose  sheep-fold  has  been  often  visited  by 
prowling  dogs,  wishes  to  know  how  he  can  pro- 
tect his  flock.  With  pleasure  we  give  the  fol- 
lowing prescription  : 

Beef  Steak 16  ounces. 

Strychnia 4  scruples 

Directions. — Divide  the  beef-steak  or  tit-bit 
into  sixteen  parts  ;  take  a  sharp  knife  and  make 
an  incision  into  each  one  of  them,  and  insert  one- 
sixteenth  of  the  above  quantity  (which  should  be 
five  grains,)  drop  a  few  of  these  medicated  "tit- 
bits" around  your  sheep  preserves,  and  have  a 
few  in  your  coat  pocket,  so  that  when  you  come 
across  an  ugly  cuss  of  a  dog — a  perfect  Nena  Sa- 
hib— ^just  come  the  "Rarey"  over  him — make  his 
acquaintance,  coax  him  to  stay  by  long  enough, 
while  you  draw  forth  just  one  morsel.  In  the 
name  of  mutton  let  the  medicine  be  given. — 
Dadd's  Veterinary  Journal. 


I^°  When  corn  costs  50  cents  per  bushel,  pork 
costs  5  cents  per  pound. 


348 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER, 


Aug. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
LETTEB  PROM  MR.  FRENCH. 

Steamship  Ecropa,  at  Sea,  \ 
August  31,  1857.         | 

My  Deak  Brown  : — After  four  months'  ab- 
sence from  home,  once  more  I  am  upon  the  sea, 
looking  homeward,  anxiously  anxiously,  with 
some  two  hundred  others,  many  of  whom,  like 
myself,  have  been  wanderers  for  a  long  season, 
and  are  now  hoping  soon  to  meet  the  "old  famil- 
iar faces"  of  friends  and  kindred  in  America.  If 
one  would  learn  to  value  the  peace  and  comforts 
of  a  New  England  home,  let  him  leave  it  for  a 
single  season.  If  one  would  remove  from  his 
mind  any  lingering  doubt  he  may  entertain,  that 
our  own  is  the  best  land  which  the  sun  in  all  his 
oourse  looks  down  upon,  let  him  wander  over  the 
best  countries  of  Europe,  and  he  will  doubt  no 
longer.  But  I  sat  down,  amid  the  rolling  of  the 
ship,  the  Babel  of  tongues  in  conversation  about 
me,  the  playing  with  cards,  of  chess  and  back- 
gammon, the  crying  of  children  and  the  rumbling 
of  the  padde  wheels,  to  endeavor  to  make  some 
use  of  the  twelve  days  usually  occupied  in  the 
passage. 

The  attempt  to  write  under  such  circumstances, 
is  indeed  an  illustration  of  the  pursuit  of  learn- 
ing under  difficulties,  but  the  consciousness  that 
on  my  arrival  home,  other  duties  will  fill  my 
time,  has  induced  me  to  attempt  to  write  into 
publishable  shape  some  of  the  notes  of  my  travel 
since  I  wrote  you  at  Waterford  in  Ireland. 

At  about  noon  on  the  21st  of  August  I  took 
the  train  at  Waterford  for  Dublin,  in  a  second 
class  car,  in  which  were  about  two  dozen  men, 
principally  Scotch  and  Ii'ish,  and  a  single  mo- 
ment was  enough  to  convince  me  that  the  man- 
ners and  habits  of  England  had  not  followed  me 
across  the  channel.  The  fashion  in  T^ngland  is 
for  each  passenger  to  get  snugly  into  his  own 
corner,  to  draw  his  head  as  far  as  possible  into 
his  shell,  and  to  neither  say,  hear  nor  see  any- 
body nor  anything  on  the  passage,  although  I 
have  usually  found  that  a  little  Yankee  inquisi- 
tiveness  would  soon  draw  John  Bull  out  into 
something  like  sociability.  But  here,  every  man 
was  wide  awake,  and  ready  for  a  part  in  any  con- 
versation that  might  be  introduced.  On  my  left 
sat  a  Waterford  ship -builder,  a  shrewd  and  Intel 
ligent  Scotchman,  full  of  mischief  and  fun. 

On  my  right  was  a  personage,  who  is  worth 
knowing,  and  who  continued  with  me  some  days, 
and  is  worth  a  brief  description.  His  dress  was 
that  of  a  Yorkshire  farmer,  which,  as  may  be 
seen,  would  attract  some  attention  in  a  New  Eng- 
land village,  though  not  uncommon  in  several 
districts  in  England.  He  is  a  large,  tall  man  of 
sixty  or  more,  of  about  two  hundred  pounds 
weight,  with  a  large  head,  a  quiet,  substantial  ex- 


pression like  a  man  of  thought  and  determina- 
tion, with  a  quizzical  twinkle  of  his  gray  eye, 
which  made  me  doubt  from  the  first,  whether  he 
was  not  enjoying  the  jokes  which  others  were 
putting  upon  him  full  as  much  as  they.  He  had 
a  strong  accent,  not  exactly  Irish  or  English,  but 
as  he  soon  mentioned  that  he  was  from  Leeds  in 
England,  we  all  took  him  for  a  true  Yorkshire- 
man,  a  race  whose  dialect  is  as  strongly  marked 
as  any  in  England.  Our  Waterford  man  soon 
commenced  his  attack  on  Yorkshire,  which  our 
man  of  Leeds  defended  in  a  quiet,  moderate  way, 
showing  very  little  feeling,  but  pretending  all 
the  time  to  fee  an  Englishman.  "The  Yorkshire 
people,"  said  the  Waterford  man,  "are  a  hundred 
years  behind  the  South  of  Ireland,  in  civiliza- 
tion;  really  they  are  in  a  very  degraded  condi 
tion ;  you  may  take  one  hundred  of  them  at  ran- 
dom," said  he,  "and  you  will  find  ninety  of  the 
hundred  cannot  read  or  write.  In  short,  sir, 
they  are  very  nearly  cannibals."  "Do  you  know," 
said  he  to  me,  "sir,  that  the  Yorkshire  men  al- 
ways bite  off'  each  other's  noses  when  they  get  in- 
to a  fight  ?"  An  English  soldier  who  sat  in  a  cor- 
ner, undertook  to  take  up  the  defence  of  York- 
shire ;  everybody  else  put  in  a  word,  and  I  really 
thought  we  should  soon  be  in  a  general  fight. 
We  all  expected  to  hear  the  Leeds  man  burst  out 
in  great  wrath  upon  the  Scot,  but  he  sat  unmoved, 
till  everybody  else  had  said  his  say,  when  he  looked 
up  with  a  quiet  smile  and  remarked,  "Well,  my 
friends,  if  we  are  not  very  rich,  surely  we  are  all 
very  cheerful."  This  cool  remark  at  once  re- 
stored good  humor,  but  the  Scot  had  got  a  new 
idea.  "You  are  not  an  Englishman,"  said  he  to 
the  man  of  Leeds,  "you  are  an  Ii-ishman  by  birth, 
though  you  dress  like  a  Yorkshireman."  "I  did 
not  say  I  was  a  Yorkshireman,"  quietly  rejoined 
the  other ;  "it  was  your  own  opinion  you  were  act- 
ing upon,  and  I'll  not  contradict  ye  if  ye  abuse 
the  English  to  your  full  content." 

I  kept  along  with  the  Leeds  man  to  Dublin, 
and  found  him  an  intelligent  and  useful  compan- 
ion. He  proved  to  be  Mr.  John  Boyle,  a  man 
well  known  in  the  agricultural  world  for  his  zeal 
and  knowledge  about  the  culture  of  flax.  I  un- 
derstood that  he  was  hired  by  a  Yorkshire  Com- 
pany to  leave  his  home  in  Ireland  and  go  to 
Leeds  to  instruct  the  Yorkshire  people  in  the  flax 
culture.  He  gave  me  a  pamphlet  entitled  "An 
Essay  on  the  Growth  and  Management  of  Flax," 
which  may,  at  a  convenient  time,  be  well  worth 
publication  in  the  Farmer.  Before  reaching 
Dublin,  Mr.  Boyle  and  I  had  struck  up  quite 
a  pleasant  acquaintance,  and  arranged  to  pass 
the  next  day  together  in  Dublin  and  vicinity, 
with  which  he  seemed  quite  familiar. 

We  took  an  Irish  jaunting  car,  in  the  after- 
noon, and  rode  over  the  city,  visited  the  Phoenix 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


349 


park,  which  contains  about  three  thousand  acres, 
and  in  which  we  saw  large  herds  of  deer  quietly 
feeding,  looked  at  the  barracks  capable  of  ac- 
commodating four  thousand  soldiers  and  two 
thousand  horses,  saw  the  equestrian  statue  of 
King  William  of  Orange,  the  Nelson  monument, 
and  an  unfinished  monument  to  Wellington,  and 
the  pedestal  of  a  statue  to  be  erected  to  Tom 
Moore. 

But  it  is  time  to  describe  an  Irish  jaunting 
car,  the  carriage  in  almost  universal  use  in  all 
Ireland.  The  carriage  is  upon  two  low  wheels, 
and  is  drawn  by  one  horse.  It  has  no  top  or 
protection  from  sun  or  rain. 

The  seats  are  over  the  wheels,  and  the  passen- 
gers sit  back  to  back,  facing  outwards  towards 
the  sidewalks,  or  just  the  reverse  of  the  position 
in  an  omnibus.  Usually  the  seats  carry  two  per- 
sons on  each  side,  but  are  frequently  loaded  with 
six  in  all.  The  driver  has  a  small  seat  in  front, 
where  he  sits  if  his  load  is  properly  balanced, 
otherwise  he  occupies  one  side  to  make  it  even. 
You  sit  leaning  sideways  on  the  cushion  which 
is  at  your  back  between  the  two  seats,  with  your 
feet  on  a  foot-board  projecting  outward  beyond 
everything  else,  and  one  unused  to  the  vehicle 
expects  every  moment  to  have  his  boots  and  their 
contents  carried  away  by  some  car  which  rushes 
by.  Dublin  is  full  of  these  cars.  Nearly  all  the 
passengers  are  taken  to  and  from  the  stations  in 
them,  families  go  to  church  in  them,  or  rather 
on  them,  on  the  Sabbath,  ladies  with  two  or  three 
small  children,  or  with  market-baskets,  vases  of 
flowers,  baskets  of  china,  are  seen  rushing  past 
in  all  directions,  looking  all  the  time  to  a  stran- 
ger as  if,  at  the  first  corner,  they  would  fly  ofi"  at 
a  tangent  against  the  curb-stones. 

But  the  Irish  insist  that  they  are  the  safest, 
most  comfortable  and  most  convenient  carriages 
in  existence,  and  that  noboby  ever  lost  a  foot,  or 
was  thx'own  off  in  turning.  It  is  useless  for  a 
stranger  to  set  up  his  opinion  against  such  odds, 
but  it  did  seem  to  me,  that  human  ingenuity 
could  hardly  devise  a  vehicle  for  riding  in,  less 
safe  or  comfortable.  However,  1  have  taken 
pleasant  rides  in  the  jaunting  cars,  and  perhaps, 
in  time,  should  get  up  an  attachment  for  them, 
but  it  must  require  a  long  practice  before  one 
can  feel  that  he  is  in  a  very  retired  or  even  shel- 
tered position,  on  the  top  of  such  a  vehicle. 

Next  morning  early  found  friend  Boyle  and 
myself  on  our  way  on  foot  to  the  Prospect  Cem- 
-^tery  and  the  Glasneven  Model  farm,  a  distance 
out  and  back  of  some  seven  or  eight  miles. — 
Friend  Boyle  was  in  the  costume  of  a  Yorkshire 
farmer,  with  a  low  crowned  hat,  a  broad  skirted 
coat,  small  clothes  and  leather  leggins  tight  from 
the  knees  to  the  shoes,  over  which  they  fitted 
like  old  fashioned  buskins. 


Friend  Boyle's  figure  and  gait  reminded  one 
constantly  of  Dr.  Johnson,  and  as  his  bulky  fig- 
ure in  his  peculiar  costume,  attended  by  my  lesser 
frame  appareled  in  a  gray  travelling  suit,  with 
soft  hat,  and  more  whiskers  than  are  common  in 
Ireland,  and  a  big  cane  with  a  large  chamois  horn 
head,  passed  through  the  streets,  it  was  evident 
that  we  produced  a  sensation ;  and  once  a  good- 
natured  Irishman  accosted  us  with  the  suggestion 
that  we  were  not  very  well  matched  for  a  pair. 
However,  we  jogged  on  and  soon  reached  Glas- 
neven, where  ■j'e  entered  the  cemetery,  which  is 
the  present  burial-place  for  the  city  of  Dublin. 
It  contains  forty-two  acres,  and  is  laid  out  with 
great  taste  and  planted  well  with  trees  and  shrub- 
bery, and  kept  with  great  care.  Altogether,  the 
general  impression  one  receives  in  passing  over 
it,  is  more  satisfactory  to  American  taste,  than 
that  made  by  any  other  burial-place  I  have  seen 
in  Great  Britain  or  Ireland. 

The  conspicuous  object  in  the  cemetery  is 
O'Connell's  monument,  a  shaft  in  the  form  of 
the  famous  round  towers  which  are  found  in  many 
parts  of  Ireland,  and  which  have  occasioned 
much  speculation  as  to  their  origin  and  use.  I 
have  seen  several  of  them,  some  nearly  entire, 
and  they  seem  to  be  of  one  form,  a  round  shaft, 
of  stone,  roughly  put  together  with  mortar,  ta- 
pering slightly  towards  the  top,  and  running 
some  seventy  or  eighty  feet  high.  The  top  is 
drawn  to  a  point,  in  a  conical  shape,  so  as  to  cover 
the  hollow  space  within.  These  towers  are  thought 
to  have  been  built  in  very  ancient  times  as  places 
of  refuge  in  war,  though  many  have  supposed 
they  were  connected  with  some  religious  purpose. 
Such  is  the  monument  to  Daniel  O'Connell,  the 
great  Irish  Repealer,  a  man  still  almost  wor- 
shipped by  (Jatholic  Ireland.  O'Connell's  body 
is  not  deposited  at  this  monument,  but  reposes 
in  a  tomb,  at  a  short  distance,  in  the  same  ceme- 
tery, except  his  heart,  which  at  his  own  request, 
was  sent  to  be  preserved  at  Rome,  to  show  his 
respect  for  the  Pope  and  his  religion. 

Along  the  walks  ai-e  a  great  many  beech  trees, 
upon  which  some  amateur  had  practiced  in  per- 
forming a  singular  operation.  They  are  trees  of 
six  or  eight  inches  diameter,  with  each  a  single 
top,  and  two,  three  or  four  trunks.  Small  trees 
are  planted  within  a  foot  or  two  of  each  other 
and  then  brought  together  at  three  of  four  feet 
above  the  ground,  and  united  by  a  sort  of  graft- 
ing, one  top  only  being  jjreserved,  so  that  the 
tree  stands  as  it  were  on  several  legs.  But  my 
letter  is  already  too  long,  and  the  Glasneven 
Model  farm  is  close  by,  and  calls  for  attention 
in  another  letter. 


Moths  in  Carpets. — An  experienced  house- 
keeper writes  : — ''Camphor  will  not  stop  the  rav- 


350 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Aug. 


ages  of  the  moths  after  they  have  commenced 
eating.  Then  they  pay  no  regard  to  the  presence 
of  camphor,  cedar  or  tobacco  ;  in  fact,  I  rather 
think  they  enjoy  the  hitter,  if  anything  else  than 
humanity  can.  Nor  will  the  dreaded  and  incon- 
venient taking  up  and  heating  always  insure  suc- 
cess, for  I  tried  it  faithfully,  and,  while  nailing  it 
down,  found  several  of  the  worms  'alive  and  kick- 
ing,' that  had  remained  under  the  pile  unharmed. 
I  conquered  them  wholly  in  this  way  :  I  took  a 
coarse  crash  towel  and  WTung  it  out  of  clean 
water,  and  spread  it  smoothly  on  the  carpet,  then 
ironed  it  dry  with  a  good  hot  iron,  repeating  the 
operation  on  all  suspected  places,  and  those  least 
used.  It  does  not  injure  the  pile  6r  color  of  the 
carpet  in  the  least,  as  it  is  not  necessary  to  press, 
heat  and  steam  being  the  agents ;  and  they  do 
the  work  effectually  on  worms  and  eggs.  Then 
the  camphor  will  doubtless  prevent  future  depre- 
dations of  the  miller." — Dollar  Newspaper. 


For  the  Neto  England  Farmer. 
SURFACE  APPLICATION  OP  MAWUHE. 

AVhere  the  purpose  is  to  secure  good  crops  of 
grass,  I  am  inclined  to  believe  this  can  be  most 
succesfuUy  done,  by  applying  the  dressing  at  a 
proper  time,  directly  upon  the  surface.  My  faith 
in  this  belief  was  strongly  confirmed  yesterday 
by  a  view  of  the  grounds  of  an  intelligent  gentle- 
man who  had  dressed  them  in  this  manner  only 
for  a  series  of  years  ;  and  I  never  saw  better  as- 
surance of  fine  crops.  I  queried,  whether  it  would 
not  have  been  better  to  have  turned  over  the 
sod,  and  mingled  Aie  manure  with  the  sod,  to 
save  it  fi'om  evaporation.  In  reply,  he  said, 
v/hat  do  you  want  better*  than  the  present  pros- 
pect of  a  crop  ?  There  will  grow  as  much  as  can 
conveniently  be  cured  upon  the  land,  and  the  ex- 
pense of  fertilizing  has  not  been  one-third  as 
much,  as  to  have  plowed  the  ground*;  more  than 
this,  the  appearance  of  the  field  is  smoother  and 
more  complete,  than  it  could  be  made  after  re- 
peated plowings.  I  was  thrown  into  a  quandary 
by  the  argument.  If  any  of  our  cultivators,  of 
long  experience,  who  have  been  accustomed  to 
turn  anew  their  fields,  once  in  ten  years  or  often- 
er,  can  tell  why  they  do  it,  I  should  be  glad  to 
hear  from  them.  As  at  present  advised,  I  believe 
the  best  crops  of  grass  grown  in  this  vicinity,  are 
brought  about  by  judicious  top-dressings.  I 
know  this  to  be  true,  where  kelp  and  other  like 
articles  can  be  obtained  from  the  sea-shore,  to 
spread  upon  the  land.  I  know  of  fields  of  twen- 
ty acres  or  more,  that  can  be  relied  on  for  two 
tons  to  the  acre,  at  the  first  cutting,  and  one  at 
the  second,  the  sod  of  which  has  not  been  started 
for  the  last  twenty  years  ;  these  are  the  fields  for 
the  use  of  the  horse-power  moioer.  What  kind, 
Mr.  Editor,  do  you  recommend  to  be  purchased? 
Now  is  the  time  to  prepare  for  the  work. 

June  5,  1858.  Essex. 


every  year  as  soon  as  the  crop  was  cut,  would  run 
out  in  one  hundred  years.  It  might  be  necessary, 
occasionally,  to  leave  the  crop  until  some  of  the 
seed  had  fallen,  or  to  scatter  seed  upon  it  with 
the  top-dressing  if  the  crop  were  always  taken 
off  before  the  seed  had  ripened. 

It  is  a  heavy  bill  of  cost  to  re-seed  our  mowing 
lands  as  often  as  we  do,  and  we  hope  this  note 
of  our  correspondent  will  call  out  the  views  of 
others  on  the  subject. 


TOADS, 

Never  destroy  the  toad.  We  are  assured  that 
"nothing  is  made  in  vain,"  and  a  very  slight 
knowledge  of  natural  history  will  show  us  that 
even  the  toad — the  most  universally  deprecated 
of  all  reptiles,  perhaps  with  the  exception  of  the 
viper — may  be  of  some  use.  In  the  first  place 
we  discover  that  toads  feed  on  all  kinds  of  grubs 
and  worms ;  consequently  they  serve  to  protect 
the  vegetable  kingdom  from  the  ravages  of  its 
most  insidious  and  destructive  foes.  The  pestif- 
erous canker-worm  is  a  favorite  food  with  him, 
and  he  devours  indiscriminately,  and  in  large 
numbers,  for  his  dilating  powers,  and  capacity  of 
deglutition  almost  rival  those  of  the  anaconda. 
Craving  only  the  protection  of  a  turf  or  chip,  he 
labors  incessantly  for  man's  benefit,  and  demands 
for  his  invaluable  services  no  guerdon  as  a  re- 
ward. The  antipathy  cherished  by  some  towards 
the  toad,  is  the  consequence  of  perverted  views, 
and  should  be  con-ected.  In  itself  it  is  a  source 
of  misery  to  those  by  whom  it  is  indulged,  and 
the  cause  of  cruelty  to  the  innocent  and  unoff'end- 
ing.  Hence  it  is  a  disgrace  to  our  nature,  which, 
illuminated  by  the  divine  scintillations  of  science, 
should  see  beyond  the  blinding  mists  of  preju- 
dice, and  recognize  the  wisdom  and  goodness  of 
Providence  even  in  its  most  abject  creations. — 
Cowper,  the  poet  of  nature,  discourses  admirably 
upon  this  subject. — Germantown  Telegrapli. 


Remarks. — The  practice  is  rapidly  gaining 
ground  of  keeping  moist  lands  in  grass,  and  of 
top-dressing  them  once  in  three  years  at  least, 
and  oftener  where  manure  can  be  had.  It  is 
hardly  probable  that  an  acre  of  naturally  good 
land,  at  the  same  time  moist,  slightly  top-dressed 


ABOUT  THE  BIEDS. 

The  JVaiional  Intelligencer  gives  the  following 
beautiful  instance  of  the  kindness  towards  each 
other  by  birds  : 

"A  gentleman  observed  in  a  thicket  of  bushes 
near  his  dwelling  a  collection  of  brown  thrushes, 
who  for  several  days  had  attracted  his  attention 
by  their  loud  cries  and  strange  movements.  At 
last  curiosity  was  so  much  excited,  that  he  de- 
termined to  see  if  he  could  ascertain  the  cause  of 
the  excitement  among  them.  On  examining  the 
bushes  he  found  a  female  thrush,  whose  wing 
was  caught  in  a  limb  in  such  a  way  that  she 
could  not  esca])e.  Near  by  was  her  nest,  con- 
taining several  half-grown  birds.  On  retiring  a 
little  distance,  a  company  of  thrushes  approached 
with  worms  and  other  insects  in  their  mouths, 
which  they  would  give  first  to  the  mother,  and 
then  to  her  young,  she  in  the  meantime  cheering 
them  in  their  labor  of  love  with  a  song  of  grati- 
tude. After  watching  the  interesting  sight  until 
curiosity  was  satisfied,  the  gentleman  relieved 
the  poor  bird,  when  she  flew  to  her  nest  with  a 
grateful  song  to  her  deliverer,  and  her  charitable 
neighbors  dispersed  to  their  usual  abodes,  sing- 
ing as  they  went  a  song  of  praise." 


:858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


351 


EXTBACTS   AND  BEPLIES. 
MANURES   FOE.   COMPOSTING. 

I  noticed  that  one  of  your  correspondents  re- 
commended hauling  earth,  leaves,  &:c.,  into  the 
barn-cellar  and  weekly  pouring  the  manure  of 
cattle,  Szc,  mixed  with  water,  on  the  mass  for  the 
purpose  of  absorbing  the  liquid  portion,  and  also 
increasing  the  quantity  of  manure. 

Now  if  moisture  is  necessary  to  produce  fer- 
mentation in  the  heap,  would  it  not  be  better  to 
keep  the  solid  and  liquid  parts  of  the  manure 
separate,  until  a  short  time  before  applying  it  ? 
Also  to  keep  the  solid  part  In  as  compact  a  state 
as  possible,  by  compression  of  some  sort  ?  Would 
it  not  save  a  portion  of  the  gases  that  arise  dur- 
ing decomposition  ?  .Could  it  not  then  be  used 
in  making  up  compost  heaps,  and  become  more 
valuable  than  if  used  in  the  way  spoken  of  above  ? 
What  is  your  opinion,  Mr.  Editor  ? 

Lowell,  Mmj,  1858.  B.  F.  Mann. 

Remarks. — When  the  farmer  has  a  plentiful 
supply  of  good  meadow  muck,  and  his  soils  need 
vegetable  matter,  we  think  there  is  no  way  of 
composting  equal  to  covering  the  droppings 
every  morning  with  a  coat  of  such  muck,  to  the 
extent  of  the  droppings  themselves.  Follow  this 
practice  for  a  few  weeks  or  months,  keeping  out 
all  dry  and  coarse  herbage,  and  you  will  find  a 
heap  as  rich  in  all  the  elements  of  fertility,  as 
anything  that  can  well  be  devised.  It  will  be 
black,  saponaceous  or  soapy  to  handle,  easy  to 
shovel  and  remove  to  the  field  and  to  be  applied 
there,  and  we  think  is  the  easiest,  cheapest,  and 
most  profitable  way  of  preserving  manures,  and 
produces  the  best  present  and  most  permanent 
results  on  the  crops. 

If  large  quantities  of  coarse  materials  are  to  be 
converted  into  manure,  we  are  inclined  to  think 
a  good  barn-yard  is  a  good  place  to  do  it,  if  it  is 
not  the  best.  It  should  be  dishing,  shaded  by 
trees  somewhat,  so  provided  with  a  coating  of 
loam,  muck,  and  dried  herbage  of  some  kind,  as 
to  absorb  all  the  droppings  of  the  stock  as  they 
are  yielded.  It  is  necessary  that  cattle  stay  in 
the  yard  a  portion  of  the  time,  summer  and  win- 
ter, and  there  will  always  be  an  accumulation, 
more  or  less,  of  their  offal, — so  that  something 
must  be  done  to  preserve  what  falls  there,  even 
if  the  yard  is  not  intended  as  a  place. 

HOW  TO   KEEP    OFF   BORERS. 

I  find  in  your  June  number  over  the  signature 
of  "Essex,"  this  remark,  viz.:  "So  fast  is  improve- 
ment at  the  present  day,  that  it  takes  as  much 
care  to  unlearn  what  is  erroneously  stated,  as  to 
find  out  by  actual  trial  what  is  correct." 

This  is  the  fact,  and  one  completely  successful 
experiment  is  worth  dozens  of  theories.  I  have 
written  you  an  article  or  two  on  the  destruction 
of  the  fruit-tree  borer,  and  my  experiments  are 
completely  successful.  I  will  repeat  it.  In  this 
month,  clean  the  trees  by  rubbing  Avith  the  cor 
ner  of  a  chisel,  lightly  the  whole  trunk,  including 


a  portion  of  the  limbs,  and  remove  the  earth  lo  sv 
enough  to  cut  off  smoothly  all  the  fibrous  or  suck- 
er roots  ;  then  rub  them  all  over  with  undiluted 
oil  soap.  I  have  examined  all  my  trees,  \vhich 
were  well  stocked  with  borers  two  years  ago, 
and  there  is  not  now  the  appearance  of  one.  One 
of  my  neighbors  who  told  me  last  year  that  com- 
mon bar  soap  was  equally  good,  recently  informed 
me  he  had  lost  by  this  insect  three  of  his  best 
trees. 

The  trees  are  not  injured  by  this  mode  of  treat- 
ment. My  orchard  is  vigorous  and  healthy,  and 
bore  a  handsome  quantity  last  year  ;  this  year  it 
has  finely  blossomed.  I  only  wish  the  insect 
which  mars  the  fruit  could  be  as  easily  extermi- 
nated as  the  borer.  Nathan  Bkiggs. 

Marion,  June  4,  1858. 

GUENON'S   ESCUTCHEON. 

I  remember  to  have  seen  a  publication  explan- 
atory of  this  infallible  guide  to  the  ti'ue  charac- 
ter of  milch  cows.  I  doubted  then,  and  have 
continued  to  doubt  ever  since,  because  I  could 
trace  no  connection  between  the  hair  and  the 
milking  properties  of  the  animal.  I  should  as 
soon  think  of  graduating  the  ability  of  a  man, 
mental  or  physical,  by  the  hair  upon  his  lip,  or 
the  productive  power  of  a  farm  by  a  profes- 
sor's certificate  of  the  quality  of  the  soil,  the  only 
knowledge  of  which  he  had  obtained  by  analyz- 
ing a  few  ounces,  without  ever  seeing  the  farm. 
The  public  is  so  flooded  with  humbugs  of  this 
character,  that  it  behoves  them  to  be  on  their 
guard. 

I  remember  to  have  heard  an  eminent  lecturer 
say,  a  few  years  since,  that  he  then  had  on  hand 
more  than  one  hundred  parcels  of  soil  waiting  to 
be  analyzed.  Whether  he  ever  found  time,  un- 
der his  multiplied  avocations  and  perigrinations, 
to  attend  to  these  applications,  and  furnish  the 
promised  certificates,  I  have  no  means  of  deter- 
mining. * 

June,  1858.  — 

RAKES   AND   MILK. 

I  notice  you  have  an  inquiry  from  "N.,"  of 
Fitchburg,  "Which  is  the  best  Rake  ?"  In  your 
remarks  I  notice  you  prefer  the  Delano.  Now 
the  rake  that  scarifies  the  ground  the  least,  or 
that  takes  up  the  least  quantity  of  diift,  and 
raises  the  least  amount  of  dust,  or  dry  soil  in 
particular,  should  be  preferred,  and  my  impres- 
sions were  in  favor  of  the  old  rotary  rake  ;  but  I 
may  be  in  error.  This  matter  of  raking  is  to  be 
done  quickly  by  the  farmer,  now-a-days,  but 
what  is  the  effect  upon  his  stock?  Dusty  hay 
will  give  your  cattle  the  heaves,  wear  out  their 
teeth  and  disease  their  stomachs.  Bottom  drift, 
dirt  and  dust,  are  anything  but  nutriment,  but 
sure  promoters  of  disease.  For  choice  farm  stock, 
I  would  give  odds  for  hay  that  is  gathered  by  the 
ancient  hand  rake. 

Our  "swill  milk"  developments  are  unpleasant 
matters  of  contemplation.  Only  think  of  it — milk 
strained  through  a  diseased  cow!  But  the  public 
stomach  is  by  nature  and  practice  a  most  endur- 
able, unyielding  machine.  But  by  a  more  genial 
atmosphere  than  yours,  our  average  of  life  is 
equal  to  that  of  your  better  regulated  city.  It 
would  seem  from  your  report  that  Massachusetts 
milk  would  be  much  improved  if  the  cows  were 


352 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Aug, 


shingled  and  the  pump   handles   were  cut   off. 
Has  it  rained  any  of  late  ?  H.  PoOR. 

Neio  York,  May,  1858. 

Remarks. — The  Delano  or  Independent  Tooth 
Rake  operates  much  like  the  Revolving  Rake  ;  it 
gathers  very  little  that  ought  not  to  be  gathered. 

A   SAVINGS   BANK. 

I  should  like  to  speak  of  my  savings  bank,  and 
ask  you  to  make  any  suggestions  as  to  improve- 
ment in  its  management.  It  is  not  an  incorpora- 
ted institution,  has  no  officers  but  a  president, 
and  his  or  her  assistants,  no  salary  to  be  paid, 
receives  deposits  at  all  hours,  and  of  any  quality 
which  Mill  contribute  to  the  general  fund  ;  never 
refuses  to  discount  at  any  time,  both  principal 
and  interest  ;  the  interest  per  centum  varies  in 
proportion  to  the  amount  of  deposits. 

Now,  you  may  ask,  is  it  a  paying  institution  ? 
Yes,  if  well  managed,  for  the  president  is  of  such 
a  make,  that  he  only  requires  his  keeping  for  his 
services, — and  throws  in  his  carcass  in  9  or  12 
months  to  boot. 

The  deposits  consist  of  various  kinds  of  mate- 
rials, 1,  Good  loam,  sufficient  to  absorb  all  li- 
quids. 2.  The  droppings  of  my  cows,  with  the 
loam  upon  which  they  stand  and  void  their  liquid 
and  solid  manure,  both  summer  and  winter.  And 
finally,  every  weed,  straw,  litter  and  all  refuse 
vegetables  not  eaten  by  the  cows  or  pigs.  Now 
how  shall  I  make  it  better,  or  more  profitable  ? 

Prospect  Hill,  1858.  Sponge. 

Remarks. — A  capital  bank,  that — its  tenden- 
cies are  exactly  opposite  to  those  of  banks  general- 
ly. Banks  with  salaried  officers  have  a  tendency 
to  fasten  mortgages  on  the  farm,  while  such  as 
yours  are  calculated  to  lift  them  ofi".  K  farmers 
would  have  nothing  to  do  with  money  banks,  and 
more  with  compost  banks,  their  grass  would  be 
thicker  and  higher,  their  corn  stouter  and  sound- 
er, milch  cows  better,  oxen  stronger,  their  orch- 
ards and  potato  fields  more  prolific,  and  their 
families  happier,  

a  cow  that  holds  back  her  milk. 

Will  you,  or  seme  of  your  numerous  subscrib- 
ers tell  me  through  your  columns  what  will  stop 
a  cow  from  holding  up  her  milk  ?  I  have  a  three- 
year  old  heifer  from  whom  at  times  it  is  impossi- 
ble to  get  more  than  one-third  of  her  milk  ;  she 
has  all  the  marks  of  a  first-rate  cow,  gives  rich 
milk,  is  an  easy  milker,  and  perfectly  gentle. 
W.  B.  Williams. 

Chittenden,  Vt.,  June,  1858. 

Remarks. — Treat  her  gently  always,  and  at 
milking  time  especially  so,  giving  her  a  mess  of 
meal,  oats,  or  grass.  Such  are  the  remedies  we 
have  heard  ofi'ered — we  know  of  no  other, 

what  will  kill  houseleek  ? 

A  friend  of  mine  wishes  to  know  what  will  kill 
the  high  houseleek,  as  he  has  a  piece  of  land  that 
is  almost  overrun  with  it?  E.  W,  KiNG. 

Charlton,  June,  1858. 

Remarks. — Who  can  tell? 


CEMENT   WATER   PIPES, 

A  correspondent  inquires  in  regard  to  cement 
pipes.  Several  years  since,  I  laid  a  pipe  pro- 
cured of  the  Water  and  Gas  Pipe  Co.,  of  Jersey 
City,  New  Jersey,  and  it  has  proved  to  be  an  ex- 
cellent aqueduct.  I  gave  a  particular  description 
of  it  a  year  or  two  since,  in  the  columns  of  your 
paper,  if  I  remember  correctly,  I  think  no  pipe 
is  so  durable,  and  none  so  pure  as  this,  unless  it 
be  block  tin.  At  the  outlet  I  attach  a  block  tia 
pipe  to  the  cement  pipe  in  the  bottom  of  the 
ditch.  Stop  cocks  should  be  used  at  every 
branch  in  the  bottom  of  the  ditch  and  protected 
by  a  cement  box.  The  pipe  is  made  in  pieces 
from  6  to  10  feet  long,  of  tin  or  sheet  iron,  and 
then  lined  on  the  inside  with  cement.  When  it 
is  laid,  it  is  laid  in  cement,  and  a  sheet  iron  sleeve 
4  inches  wide  is  put  over  the  joints,  and  the  space 
between  the  joints  filled  in  with  cement  and  then 
the  sleeve  is  well  covered  with  the  same  material. 
If  made  with  good  cement  and  laid  below  the 
fi'ost,  I  don't  see  how  it  can  ever  fail.  The  Com- 
pany send  men  to  lay  the  pipes,  and  Avarrant  the 
work.  It  is  well  to  have  a  stop-cock  near  the 
spring  to  shut  off'  the  water  for  repairs. 

David  Lyman. 

Middlefield,  Conn.,  June  10,  1858. 

WEATHER  IN  VERMONT — WOOL. 

We  had  rain  almost  every  day  from  the  10th 
of  May  up  to  the  25th  ;  then  dry,  up  to  the  5th  of 
this  month :  since  last  date,  it  has  rained  each 
day  to  this  date,  and  is  raining  now.  We  have 
had  quite  a  full  blossom  for  fruit ;  grass  looks 
quite  well  for  a  good  crop  of  hay.  I  think  our 
plowing  was  mostly  done  near  three  weeks  earli- 
er than  in  1857.  We  have  not  had  very  warm 
weather,  as  yet,  nor  have  we  had  it  very  cool, — 
on  the  whole,  crops  bid  fair  to  give  us  another 
blessing  at  harvest  time,  I  think  there  was  not 
more  than  one-fifth  of  maple  sugar  made  this 
reason,  as  compared  with  last  year,  in  this  part 
of  our  State,  Our  heaviest  shearing  flocks  of 
sheep  have  been  shorn,  and  the  wool  sold  in  the 
dirt  and  oil,  at  25  cts.  per  pound,  which,  I  think,  is 
fully  equal  to  40  cts.  if  cleansed,  as  the  sheep 
have  been  housed  and  fed  grain,  and  most  of  them 
oiled  since  the  clipping  of  1857.  Farmers  in 
this  vicinity  expect  to  get  from  34  to  40  cents 
per  pound  for  our  cleansed  wool. 

W,  F.  Goodrich. 

Middlebury,  Vt.,  June  8,  1858. 

TO   DESTROY   VERMIN   AND   BORERS. 

Apply  spirits  turpentine.  You  will  need  to 
wet  the  branch  or  limb  both  above  and  below 
the  nest,  then  wet,  the  nest  well  with  the  turpen- 
tine, and  life  will  soon  be  extinct.  It  is  sure. 
For  borers  put  it  round  the  tree  near  to  the 
ground.  It  will  not  injure  the  tree  in  the  least. 
It  will  destroy  the  egg  as  well  as  the  worm. 

Lempster,  N.  II.,  June  10,  1858,     L.  Smith. 

SEED  OF  the  white  PINE. 
Friend  IvENRlCK,of  South  Orleans,  may  obtain 
seed  of  the  white  pine  by  applying  to  B.  F.  Cut- 
ter, Esq.,  seedsman,  florist  and  gardener,  Lowell, 
Mass.  Please  have  a  pair  of  those  whales  har- 
nessed by  the  time  we  get  along  that  way ! 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


353 


BOLES'  PATENT?  STONE-DIGGEK  AND  "WALL-LAYEB. 


A,  Is  the  rock  just  raised  above  grouud.  F. 
the  windlass.  G,  the  connecting  wheels  between 
the  windlass  and  crank-shaft  H.  H,  the  crank- 
shaft, with  drum,  secured  to  or  detached  from 
the  shaft  at  pleasure.  B  B,  the  hoisting-rope, 
wound  on  the  drum  or  crank-shaft  H,  and  runs 
under  a  roller  and  through  a  shreeve  near  the 
end  of  the  tongue,  to  which  a  horse  is  attached 
to  hoist  the  rock.  The  small  crank  and  shaft 
under  crank-shaft  H,  is  to  wind  up  the  rope  when 
the  rock  is  hoisted  high  enough  and  the  horse  is 
detached.  The  proprietors  of  this  machine  and 
patent  right  claim,  that  it  is  one  of  the  greatest 
labor-saving  improvements  of  the  age.  It  will 
take  rocks  out  of  the  earth  of  five  tons  weight 
or  less,  M'ithout  digging  to  relieve  them,  with 
great  ease  and  rapidity,  and  move  them  into  the 
line  for  a  wall,  if  desired,  and  place  smaller  ones 
on  top  until  the  wall  is  five  feet  high.  The  ma- 
chine may  be  operated  by  men  or  by  horse-power. 
The  united  power  of  two  men  will  lift  a  rock  of 
five  tons  weight  from  the  ground  in  ten  minutes, 
or  it  may  be  done  by  a  horse  in  one  minute. 
The  proprietor  has  many  certificates  from  prac- 
tical men  showing  the  efficacy  of  his  machine. 
For  further  particulars  address  Thomas  Ellis, 
Rochester,  Mass. 


kind  of  sweet  well-made  hay,  cut  it  with  a  knife, 
and  with  your  hands  press  it  well  around  the 
hams  in  the  bag  ;  tie  the  bags  with  good  strings, 
put  on  a  card  of  the  year  to  show  their  age,  and 
hang  them  up  in  the  garret  or  some  dry  room, 
and  they  will  hang  five  years,  and  will  be  better 
for  boiling  than  on  the  day  you  hung  them  up. 
this  method  costs  but  little,  as  the  bags  will  last 
forty  years.  No  flies  or  1  ngs  will  trouble  the 
hams  if  the  hay  is  wellpres'-"d  around  them  ;  the 
sweating  of  the  hams  will  )■■:  taken  up  by  the  hay 
and  the  hay  will  impart  a  fiae  flavor  to  the  hams. 
The  hams  should  be  treat  el  in  this  manner  be- 
fore the  warm  weather  sets  in. — Southern  Far- 


To  Pkeserve  Ham  through  the  Summer. 
— Make  a  number  of  cotton  bags,  a  little  larger 
than  your  hams  :  after  the  hams  are  well  smoked, 
place  them  in  the  bags ;  then  get  the  very  best 


THE  HOHSE  NOT  OEIG INALLY  IMPOBT- 
ED  PKOM  TUB  EAST. 

It  is  well  known  to  our  readers  that  Professor 
Holmes,  of  the  College  el  Charleston,  has  been 
for  many  years  engaged  in  exploring  the  fossil 
beds  of  Ashley  river.  A  large  number  of  inter- 
esting relics  have  been  collected,  and  the  savans 
of  Europe  and  America  have  expressed  their 
great  satisfaction  at  the  results  of  these  explora- 
tions. Professor  Agassiz  in  a  lecture  some  lime 
since,  just  after  a  visit  to  the  Ashley  with  Pro- 
fessor H.,  said,  "it  was  the  greatest  depository 
of  fossil  remains  he  had  ever  seen."  Professor 
Tuomey  called  it  "the  great  shark  sepulchre  of 
America,"  and  now  Professor  Leidy,  the  distin- 
guished American  anatomist,  has  prepared  a  val- 
uable paper  on  the  remains  of  the  horse  and 
other  animals,  found  fossil  on  the  Ashley,  which 
had  been  placed  in  his  hands  for  examination  by 
Profesor  Holmes ;  and  it  will  appear,  from  the 
short  extract  we  make,  that  the  investigation  now 


351 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Aug. 


being  made  in  this  department  of  natural  science 
are  developing  some  curious  things.  Professor 
Leidy  writes  : — "In  regard  to  the  remains  of  the 
horse,  from  the  facts  stated  in  the  account  given 
of  them  in  the  succeeding  pages,  I  think  it  will 
be  conceded  that  this  animal  inhabited  the  United 
States  during  the  post-pleiocene  period,  cotem- 
porarily  with  the  mastodon,  megloanyx  and  the 
great,  broad-fronted  bison," — Ch.  Mercury. 


MASSACHUSETTS  SCHOOL  OF  AGBICUL- 
TUB.E. 

The  first  publication  of  this  corporate  body  is 
before  us,  and  consists  of  a  list  of  its  officers, 
and  their  address  to  the  public,  setting  forth  the 
objects  of  the  School,  of  the  act  of  incorpora- 
tion, the  by-laws,  and  the  business  of  the  quar- 
terly meeting  in  April  last.  It  appears  by  the 
Address  that  the  object  of  this  institution  is  to 
improve  the  condition  of  Agriculture  in  the  Com- 
monwealth, that  some  associated  centre,  guarded 
by  the  solemn  forms  of  law,  is  necessary  to  make 
a  suitable  depository  for  any  bequests  which  those 
who  are  able  and  generous  may  make  to  subserve 
this  noble  cause. 

"It  is  intended,"  the  Trustees  say,  "that  the 
school  shal3  bear  the  same  relation  to  the  farming 
interest  of  Massachusetts,  which  the  West  Point 
Academy  sustains  to  the  military  interests  of  the 
nation,  viz.:  that  of  a  thoroughly  practical,  pre- 
paratory school,  where  sound  theory  and  intelli- 
gent practice  may  be  so  blended  and  harmonized, 
as  to  be  inseparably  connected  in  the  minds  of 
those  who  have  faithfully  gone  through  with  the 
prescribed  course  of  discipline." 

We  have  plenty  of  men  in  our  community 
who  have  abundant  means  to  establish  such  a 
school  as  is  contemplated  by  this  association, 
and  who  may  embalm  their  memory  in  the  hearts 
of  our  people  by  such  munificence,  and  at  the 
same  time  greatly  promote  the  interests  not  only 
of  our  citizens,  but  of  the  country  generally. 
We  cannot  but  hope,  therefore,  that  ample  en- 
dowments will  soon  justify  the  establishment  of 
such  a  school,  and  do  not  doubt  that  its  walls 
would  soon  be  crowded  with  earnest  and  sincere 
inquirers  into  the  mysteries  which  now  envelop 
nearly  every  department  of  terra  or  horticulture. 

We  observe  that  men  of  wisdom  and  experi- 
ence, and  men  entitled  to  public  confidence,  stand 
as  guardians  and  trustees  of  the  interests  of  the 
school,  and  they  are  men  who  will  give  it  that 
popularity  when  it  is  once  founded  which  it  must 
possess  to  bring  it  into  public  favor. 

The  Trustees  close  their  bi-ief  address  by  say- 
ing that  "they  have  no  endowment  from  the  State. 
In  their  opinion,  the  object  appeals  to  the  patri- 
otism and  philanthropy  of  the  citizens  of  our 
Commonwealth ;  and  it  is  hoped  that  the  appeal 
will  be  liberally  met."    Donations  may  bt  sent 


to  the  Treasurer,  Richard  S.  Fay,  Esq.,  13  Ex- 
change Street,  Boston,  who  will  acknowledge  the 
receipt  of  them. 

Bequests  should  be  to  "The  Trustees  of  the 
Massachusetts  School  of  Agriculture,"  and  may 
be  general,  or  may  be  limited  to  any  purpose 
within  the  scope  of  the  institution,  as  the  testa- 
tor may  designate. 

Some  of  the  readers  of  the  'Farmer  may  re- 
member that  we  foreshadowed  a  plan  of  this  kind, 
in  these  columns,  several  years  ago,  and  pointed 
out  the  course  whereby  some  of  our  monied  men 
might  dispose  of  a  portion  of  their  surplus  means 
with  great  credit  to  themselves  and  with  much 
advantage  to  the  world.  It  affords  us  sincere 
pleasure,  therefore,  to  find  the  work  in  progress 
and  resting  in  the  hands  of  gentlemen  of  decided 
ability  and  influence. 


MEASURING  THE  HEIGHT  OF  TREES, 

Take  two  straight  sticks  of  equal  length — any 
convenient  length  less  than  the  length  of  the  arm; 
place  them  in  the  form  of  a  carpenter's  square, 
preserving  as  nearly  as  possible  a  right  angle, 
holding  one  stick  in  a  horizontal  and  the  other 
in  a  perpendicular  position,  and  placing  the  end 
of  the  horizontal  stick  at  the  eye  with  the  angle 
held  in  the  hand  extended  directly  in  front.  Then 
walk  backwards  from  the  tree  to  be  measured, 
on  ground  as  nearly  level  as  the  case  admits  of, 
until  a  line  from  the  eye  to  the  top  of  the  per- 
pendicular stick  shall  cut  the  top  of  the  tree,  and 
the  distance  from  the  observer  to  the  tree  will 
be  the  height  of  the  tree  above  the  level  of  the 
eye.  The  impossibility  of  keeping  the  sticks  at 
an  exact  perpendicular  and  horizontal,  is  all  that 
interferes  with  perfect  accuracy — allowing  the 
tree  to  stand  in  a  perpendicular.  The  accuracy 
is  sufficient  for  many  practical  purposes,  and  will 
often  enable  the  woodsman  to  determine  before 
he  cuts  a  tree  whether  it  will  answer  the  purpose 
for  which  he  intends  it. — Bath  Organ. 

We  think  the  wooden  rectangle  should  be 
made  with  exactness  before  the  measurer  goes 
forth  to  his  work,  that  he  should  attach  a  plum- 
met to  the  instrument  so  as  to  secure  perpendic- 
ular and  horizontal  lines, — and  we  suppose,  also, 
the  perpendicular  half  of  the  wooden  "square," 
should  point  upwards. 


Wild  Onions. — California  papers  state  that 
onions  growing  wild  have  been  discovered  in 
that  State,  an  inch  and  a  half  in  diameter,  cov- 
ered with  a  thick  husk  like  the  soap-root.  They 
are  palatable  and  even  preferable  to  garden  on- 
ions, and  it  is  thought  may  prove  a  valuable  ad- 
dition to  the  cultivated  varieties. 


Cure  for  Felons  on  Fingers. — The  Scien- 
tific American  says :  "The  past  year  we  have 
known  the  spinal  marrow  of  an  ox  or  cow  appli- 
ed to  three  difi'erent  persons  with  the  most  satis- 
factory results  in  relieving  pain,  and  securing 
cures  of  their  felons.  The  spinal  marrow  should 
be  applied  every  four  hours  for  two  days." 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


355 


COMPAKATIVE  VALUE  OF  DIFFEKEKT 
FERTILIZERS. 

A  gentleman  having  a  desire  to  test  the  rela- 
tive value  of  certain  substances  used  as  fertilizers, 
selected  for  the  purpose  a  piece  of  upland  soil, 
which  had  been  carefully  plowed  the  previous  au- 
tumn. In  May  the  ground  was  again  plowed, 
but  so  lightly  as  not  to  turn  up  the  sod,  and  well 
worked  with  the  cultivator  and  harrow.  Cattle 
were  then  allowed  to  have  free  access  to  the 
piece  till  June,  remaining  upon  it  during  the 
night,  together  with  one  horse  and  about  thirty 
sheep  and  their  lambs,  in  all  fifty-four  head. 

On  the  17th  of  June  it  was  again  plowed  and 
well  harrowed,  and  subsequently  marked  off  into 
drills.  The  whole  piece  was  then  divided  by  ad- 
measurement into  four  equal  parts,  one  of  which 
was  manured  with  common  stable  dung,  and 
another  with  an  extra  quantity  of  compost,  the 
base  of  which  was  vegetable  matter  in  a  state  of 
complete  decomposition  ;  in  both  cases  the  ma- 
nurial  applications  were  spread  over  the  drills, 
the  seed  sowed  immediately,  and  the  whole  rolled. 
The  other  two  sections  were  manured,  one  with 
two  bushels  of  finely  jiulverized  lime  and  three 
bushels  of  wood  ashes — the  other  with  two  bush- 
els of  bone-dust. 

At  first  the  portions  of  the  field  which  had 
been  dressed  with  manure,  took  the  lead,  and 
seemed  for  some  time  likely  to  hold  it.  Care  was 
taken  to  keep  down  all  weeds,  and  retain  the  soil 
in  a  finely  pulverized  state  by  frequent  workings. 
The  turnips  were  not  injured  by  the  fly,  and  the 
weather  being  very  favorable  to  the  crop,  all  had 
a  rapid  and  healthy  growth,  with  the  exception 
of  the  two  sections  first  mentioned,  on  which  the 
woim  commonly  known  as  the  turnip  worm  dep- 
redated somewhat  in  the  first  part  of  the  season, 
though  "not  so  extensively  as  seriously  to  injure 
the  crops.  Nearly  fifty  bushels  of  thinnings  were 
taken  out  towards  the  close  of  July,  and  about 
the  15th  of  November,  the  entire  crop  was  har- 
vested.    The  result  was  as  follows  : — 

Section  No.  1,  manured  with  animal  excre- 
ments produced  after  the  rate  of  394  bushels  per 
acre. 

Section  No.  2,  dressed  with  compost,  after  the 
rate  of  400  bushels. 

Section  No.  3,  dressed  with  pulverized  lime, 
after  the  rate  of  500  bushels. 

Section  No.  4,  dressed  with  bone  dust,  after  the 
rate  of  740  bushels. 

In  turnip  culture,  no  article  more  valuable,  he 
thought,  could  be  used,  than  bone  dust.  It  is 
moderately  cheap,  easily  transported  and  applied, 
and  produces  results  no  less  valuable  than  imme- 
diate. It  furnishes,  he  thinks,  all,  or  nearly  all, 
the  elementary  principles  involved  in  the  system 
of  the  roots  it  is  applied  to  nourish,  and  adds  al- 


so several  important  and  valuable  principles  of 
fertility  to  the  soil.  Lime  is  an  excellent  article, 
but  a  large  proportion  of  it  by  weight,  is  insolu- 
ble, or  not  so  immediately  capable  of  adding  its 
wealth  to  the  soil,  or  yielding  it  to  the  crop.  As 
a  constitutional  alterant,  it  is  of  considerable 
importance,  however,  and  as  a  solvent  of  humus, 
it  possesses  great  value. 


Fur  the  New  England  Farmer. 

TO  DESTROY  BUGS  OW  VINES. 

Mk.  Editor  : — I  noticed  in  the  Farmer  of 
June  5,  an  account  of  "A  New  Vine  Protector," 
which  seems  to  me  to  be  a  little  more  expensive, 
and  to  require  more  time  to  arrange  and  put 
away,  when  not  required  for  use,  than  one  in- 
vented and  constructed  by  myself.  I  have  used, 
it  for  the  last  five  years  with  perfect  success,  and 
it  never  has  failed  to  perform  its  duty.  I  take 
an  old  flour  barrel  that  is  water-tight,  and  put  in 
one  bushel  of  hen  manure,  then  fill  the  barrel 
about  two-thirds  full  of  soft  water,  stirring  it 
well  once  in  two  or  three  days ;  set  it  in  a  sunny 
location,  and  at  the  end  of  two  weeks  it  will  be 
ready  for  use,  although  it  would  be  better  to 
stand  five  or  six.  When  the  bugs  pay  my  vines 
a  visit,  I  take  a  pail  and  with  a  swab  made  by 
tying  a  rag  to  a  stick  about  18  inches  long  I 
sprinkle  the  liquid  over  the  leaves  and  upon  the 
hill  around  the  plants,  putting  to  each  hill  about 
three  table  spoonfuUs,  and  they  invariably  take 
leave.  The  application  should  be  made  about 
once  a  week ;  the  liquid  will  also  be  beneficial  to 
the  vines.  This  protector  comes  within  the  reach 
of  all  farmers,  and  can  be  had  without  cost  as  no 
patent  right  is  applied  for.  It  can  also  be  mixed 
in  larger  or  smaller  quantities,  to  suit  each  per- 
son. I  have  procured  from  a  friend  at  Marble- 
head,  some  of  the  celebrated  Hubbard  squash 
seeds,  and  if  they  can  stand  what  the  bugs  can- 
not, (my  protector)  I  shall  probably  raise  some 
fine  squashes,  as  they  are  now  up  and  looking 
well. 

A  constant  reader  of  the  N.  E.  Farmer, 
Eliot,  Me.,  1858.  B.  H.  Crane. 


A  NOVEL  BAT  TRAP. 

Eds.  Rural  : — Having  seen  several  inquiries 
in  your  valuable  paper  as  to  the  best  method  of 
capturing  or  destroying  the  rat,  I  send  you  my 
recent  novel  and  successful  plan  of  performing 
the  operation.  Last  summer  I  moved  into  my 
present  abode,  and  was  not  long  in  discovering 
that  we  had  rats  in  quantum  svfficit.  I  tried  sev- 
eral of  the  popular  ways  of  alluring  them  into  a 
steel  trap,  by  means  of  delicate  morsels,  perfumes, 
&c.,  but  succeeded  in  catching  only  two  young 
ones,  who, to  use  acommon  expression,  had  "stuck 
their  foot  in  it."  Early  this  winter  my  wife  dis- 
covered a  hole  in  the  papers  which  covered  a  four 
gallon  stone  butter  crock  about  one-third  full  of 
strained  honey.  It  stood  on  the  ground  adjoin- 
ing some  cabbages  which  were  piled  higher  than 
the  top  of  the  crock.  Upon  uncovering  it  she 
discovered  a  rat  quite  dead,  and  I  proceeded  to 
remove  the  carcass,  under  which  I  found  two  more. 
I  consigned  them  to  the  manure  heap, — and,  act- 


356 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Aug. 


ing  upon  the  suggestion,  I  replaced  the  trap  to 
receive  further  patronage.  The  next  morning  I 
found  two  more.  Repeated  the  operation  of  the 
preceding  day,  and  on  the  third  day  I  found  but 
one.  Since  that  time  we  have  neither  seen,  heard, 
or  been  troubled  with  anymore  rats.  They  closed 
their  career  without  acerbity,  having  retired  from 
the  busy  scenes  of  their  lives  nweetlij.  Should 
any  of  your  subscribers  feel  disposed  to  try  the 
trap,  I  have  no  doubt  that  molasses  would  answer 
as  well  as  honey. 

Can  any  of  your  numerous  readers  give  me 
any  practical  information  in  regard  to  the  Dios- 
corea  Batatas,  or  Chinese  Potato  ;  is  there  not 
considerable  of  Rohan  about  it? — John  R.  Simp- 
son, in  Rural  New-Yorker. 


PROGRESSIVE  AGRICULTURE. 

•     The  N.  Y.  Observer  says  the  following  good 
things  of  progressive  agriculture  : 

"Under  its  influence,  spring  up  tasty  and  con- 
venient dwellings,  adorned  with  shrubs  and  flow- 
ers, and  beautiful  within  with  the  smiles  of  hap- 
py wives,  tidy  children  in  the  lap  of  thoughtful 
age — broad  hearts,  and  acts  as  well  as  words  of; 
■welcome.  Progressive  agriculture  builds  barns 
and  puts  gutters  on  them,  builds  stables  for  cat- 
tle and  raises  roots  to  feed  them.  It  grafts  wild 
apple  trees  by  the  meadow  with  pippins  or  green- 
ings,— it  sets  out  new  orchards,  and  takes  care  of 
the  old  ones. 

It  drains  low  lands,  cuts  down  bushes,  buys  a 
mower,  house-tools  and  wagons,  keeps  good  fences 
and  practices  soiling.  It  makes  hens  lay,  chick- 
ens live,  and  prevents  swine  from  .rooting  up 
meadows.  Progressive  agriculture  keeps  on  hand 
plenty  of  dry  fuel  and  brings  in  the  oven-wood 
for  the  v/omen.  It  plows  deeply,  sows  plentiful- 
ly, harrows  evenly  and  prays  for  the  blessing  of 
Heaven.  Finally,  it  subscribes  for  good  reli- 
gious, agricultural  and  family  journals,  and  pays 
for  them  in  advance,  advocates  free  schools,  and 
always  takes  something  besides  the  family  to  the 
county  fair. 

LIMA  BEANS, 

For  twenty  years  I  have  tried  to  raise  Lima 
beans,  but  with  poor  success,  failing  at  least  dur- 
ing one  half  of  the  time  to  raise  any.  About 
seven  years  ago,  B.  Beman,  Esq.,  of  Mecca,  in- 
formed me  of  his  method  of  growing  the  Lima 
bean,  and  following  his  instructions,  I  have  not 
failed  since  that  time  in  raising  a  good  crop. 

In  early  spring  I  select  a  piece  of  rich,  mel- 
low soil,  and  setting  my  poles, — that  are  about 
six  and  a  half  feet  long — about  three  feet  apart 
each  way,  I  plant  three  or  more  beans  in  each 
hill,  being  careful  to  set  each  bean  with  its  gei-m 
downward.  After  they  have  grown  awhile,  and 
before  they  begin  to  run,  I  pull  up  all  but  the 
most  vigorous  plant,  thus  leaving  but  one  plant 
to  each  pole.  The  plant  is  then  carefully  tied  to 
the  pole  if  necessary.  When  it  has  ascended  to 
the  top  of  the  pole  I  pinch  off  its  end  and  con- 
tinue to  do  so  to  all  the  branches  whenever  they 
reach  that  height.  This  checks  the  liability  to 
run  to  vines,  and  to  make  them  blossom,  bear 
sooner,"  and  more  abundantly  than  they  otherwise 
would  do. — Adam  Gkiswold,  m  Ohio  Farmei\ 


Pot  the  New  England  Farmer. 
A  STUMP  MACHINE. 

Mr.  Editor: — I  have  on  my  farm  a  great 
many  pine  stumps,  and  if  they  could  be  taken  out 
of  the  ground  with  the  roots  attached,  they  would 
make  excellent  fences.  There  are  stump  fences 
in  this  vicinity  which  have  been  built  nearly  for- 
ty years,  and  are  as  good  as  new ;  they  have  had 
no  repairs,  and  will  probably  need  none  for  forty 
years  to  come.  To  dig  up  pine  stumps  with  a 
crowbar,  hoe,  spade  and  lever,  is  a  tiresome  and 
expensive  operation,  and  when  so  extracted,  they 
are  unfit  for  fences,  as  they  must  of  necessity  be 
detached  from  the  roots  in  digging.  Some  forty 
years  ago,  there  was  a  stump  machine,  consist- 
ing of  two  wheels,  an  axle-tree  and  windlass  at- 
tached, vised  in  this  town  with  very  good  success 
for  a  short  time  ;  but  it  required  so  much  strength 
to  lift  the  ugly  thing,  that  the  whole  machine 
(though  strongly  built,)  soon*  became  worthless 
from  wear  and  tear.  Since  which  time  very  few 
pine  stumps  have  left  the  soil  of  the  fertile  valley 
of  Otter  Creek,  while  many  have  been  added 
thereto  where  once  stood  the  stately  pine. 

Now,  Mr.  Editor,  we  would  be  willing  to  pay 
a  good  pile  of  shiners  for  a  good  durable  stump 
lifter,  one  that  will  do  the  work  effectually,  and 
no  humbug  ;  or  we  are  willing  to  pay  well  for  the 
privilege  of  using  another's  invention,  if  a  valua- 
ble one.  At  the  first  sight  of  your  illustration  of 
"Hall's  Hand  Power  Stump  Machine,"  in  your 
paper  of  April  17,1  thought  it  was  the  very  thing 
so  much  needed  in  this  pine  stump  region,  and  I 
now  think  it  may  he  used  with  some  success,  and 
not  knowing  Mr.  Hall's  post  office  address,  and 
as  you  have  seen  the  thing  yourself,  I  would  like 
to  inquire  of  you  in  relation  to  its  construction, 
an  answer  to  which  inquiry  may  enable  the  read- 
ers of  the  N.  E.  Farmer  to  judge  more  correctly 
of  the  merits  of  Mr.  Hall's  invention  than  they 
can  do  by  merely  looking  at  the  illustration.  The 
beam  or  axle-tree  around  which  the  lifting  chain 
winds  must  have  great  strength,  or  it  would  break 
in  raising  anything  but  infant  stumps.  Is  it  of 
iron  or  timber,  and  of  what  size  is  it  ?  It  must 
also  be  considerably  elevated  to  raise  the  stump 
from  the  ground.  How  high  is  it  above  the  bot- 
tom of  the  feet  ?  What  is  the  size  of  the  posts  ? 
Of  what  material  are  they  composed  ?  What  is 
the  length  and  size  of  the  levers  ?  And  are  they 
timber  or  otherwise  ?  The  feet  will  be  on  the 
roots  of  the  stumps  if  near  each  other,  and  for  the 
machine  to  stand  on  the  stump  while  attempting 
to  raise  it  from  the  ground,  would  be  like  the 
man  who  lifted  himself  by  the  seat  of  his  panta- 
loons. How  far  distant  are  the  feet  from  each 
other  ?  The  feet  must  be  long  or  they  would  set- 
tle into  soft  ground,  and  the  machine  would  tip 
over,  from  the  great  weight  it  would  have  to  sus- 
tain in  raising  large  stumps.  What  is  the  length 
and  size  of  the  feet  ?  Are  the  posts  braced  at  the 
feet  ?  The  lifting  chain  on  the  old  Pittsford 
Stump  Machine  used  to  weigh  about  three  hun- 
dred pounds,  and  used  to  break  sometimes.  What 
is  the  size  of  the  chain  used  by  Mr.  Hall  ? 

Pittsford,  Vermont.  A  Subscriber. 


Remarks. — We  cannot  give  the  actual  dimen- 
sions of  Hall's  Stump  Machine  without  a  good 
deal  of  measuring.     "A  Subscriber"  can  address 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


357 


the  proprietor,  "W.  Hall,  Brewer,'  Maine,  and 
learn  all  he  desires  to  about  the  machine.  If  this 
is  not  stout  enough,  Wm.  W.  "Willis,  of  Orange, 
Mass.,  has  one  that  will  pull  anything  out  of  the 
ground  that  ever  grew  in  it. 


TO  PBEVENT  BATS  UNDERMIKING 
CEIiLAB  WALLS. 

The  stability  of  cellar  walls  is  sometimes  seri- 
ously affected  by  rats  digging  underneath  them 
and  thus  weakening  the  foundation.  In  order  to 
prevent  such  injury,  after  the  cellar  walls  are 
completed  and  pointed,  you  must  dig  a  small 
trench  inside  of  them,  about  one  foot  wide  and 
half  a  foot  deep.  Now  fill  this  trench  nearly  full 
of  small  stones  and  water-lime  mortar  ;  then  cov- 
er the  stones  and  mortar  with  the  earth  taken 
from  the  trench.  If  thus  you  guard  the  bottom 
of  the  walls,  you  will  find  all  the  efforts  of  rats  at 
undermining  to  be  utterly  vain  ;  they  will  have 
to  go  sneaking  out  at  the  very  door  or  hole  by 
which  they  entered.  Some  people  say  that  rats 
from  the  outside  dig  down  under  the  wall,  and 
thus  under  the  cellar ;  but  this  is  a  mistake.  The 
fact  is,  they  enter  the  cellar  by  the  door  or  some 
hole  ;  and  then,  if  this  entrance  is  closed  against 
them,  they  dig  a  passage  out  under  the  wall. 
Such  passage  they  cannot  make  if  the  inside 
trench  is  described,  as  they  always  begin  to  dig 
close  to  the  bottom  of  the  wall ;  and  hence,  when 
they  encounter  the  stones  and  mortar,  they  are 
disheartened,  and  abandon  the  undertaking.  If 
a  plank  close  to  the  wall  should  lie  on  the  cellar 
bottom,  they  will  commence  digging  at  the  in- 
side edge,  although  it  be  a  foot  or  more  from  the 
wall.  If  a  quantity  of  potatoes  should  be  piled 
up  in  the  middle  of  the  cellar,  the  rats  will  begin 
to  dig  under  the  pile,  or  even  under  the  bottom 
of  the  chimney,  perhaps  instinctively  expecting 
thus  to  work  their  way  out.  But  to  guard 
against  their  digging  operations  cover  your  cel- 
lar-bottom with  a  thick  coating  of  water-lime  and 
sand,  and  the  saucy  depredators  won't  trouble 
you  any  more. — Rural  American. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
THE  MILK  TEADE. 

The  developments  that  have  been  made  in  some 
of  our  cities,  in  providing  milk  for  the  market 
are  completely  astounding.  That  an  occasional 
deficiency  in  the  milk-man's  cans  should  be  sup- 
plied from  the  fountains  of  pure  Cochituate,  we 
can  easily  conceive.  This  is  a  cheat  not  unlike 
that  of  the  grocer  who  waters  his  rum,  under 
pretence  that  it  will  do  less  harm  to  those  who 
use  it ;  as  was  formerly  done  in  some  of  our  New 
England  stores.  But  to  undertake  to  pass  the 
dregs  of  the  still  through  the  bodies  of  animals 
that  have  no  chance  to  breathe  the  pure  air  of 
heaven,  and  to  deal  out  such  stuff,  as  milk  fit  to 
be  used,  is  an  offence  the  vilest  scamp  in  creation 
■would  be  ashamed  to  acknowledge.  Language 
fails  in  characterizing  its  baseness.  We  are  truly 
glad,  Mr.  Editor,  that  you  have  had  the  perse 
verance  to  ferret  out,  and  the  independence  to  ex 
pose  these  iniquities.  * 

June  10,  1858. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 

COUNTY  FAIRS. 

Dear  Sir: — The  returns  of  the  times  and 
places  of  holding  the  exhibitions  of  the  county 
agricultural  societies  not  having  been  received  in 
season  for  publication  in  my  last  report,  as  usu- 
al, I  take  the  liberty  to  inform  you  and  the  pub- 
lic that  they  have  been  officially  made  to  me  as 
follows : 

Essex Danvers.  Sept.  29  and  30. 

Middlesex Concord,  Sept  29. 

Middlesex,  North Lowell,  Sept.  15,  16  and  17. 

Middlesex,  South Framingham,  Sept.  21  and  22. 

Wtjrcester Worcester,  Oct.  6  and  7. 

Worcester,  West Barre,  Sept.  30. 

Worcester,  North Fitchburg,  Sept.  24. 

Worcester,  South S'urbridge,  Sept.  29. 

Hampshire,  Frank,  and  Hamp. ...Northampton,  Oct.  13  and  14. 

Hampshire Amherst.  Oct.  12  and  13. 

Hampden Springfield,  Sept.  28,  29  and  30. 

Hampden,  East Pa>aier,  Oct.  5  and  6. 

Franklin Greenfield,  Oct.  6  and  7. 

Berkshire Pittsfield,  Oct.  6,  7  and  8. 

Housatonic Great  Harrington,  Sept.  22,  23  atd  24. 

Norfolk Dedham,  Sept.  28  and  29. 

Bristol Taunton,  Sept.  22  and  23. 

Plymouth Bridge  water,  Sept.  29  and  30. 

Barnstable Barnstable,  Oct.  6  and  7. 

Nantucket Nantucket,  Oct.  13  and  14. 

The  Horse  Show,  at  Springfield,  under  the  aus- 
pices of  the  Hampden  Agricultural  Society,  will 
be  held  Sept.  14, 15,  16  and  17. 

Very  truly,  your  obedient  servant, 

Charles  L.  Flint, 

Secretary  of  the  Board  of  Agriculture. 

Boston,  June  11,  1858. 


THE  JEWS  AND  HOGS. 

It  was  no  doubt  a  good  law  among  the  Jews, 
preventing  the  eating  of  hog  flesh.  Because 
Judea  is  a  warm  climate,  and  highly  concentrated 
food  is  there  to  be  avoided  7ioio  as  well  as  then. 
Beef  and  fruits,  and  what  may  be  called  diluted 
food,  is  much  better  there.  But  I  imagine  it 
would  be  as  poor  policy  for  the  Icelander  to  ven- 
ture to  live  on  bananas  and  plantains,  as  for  the 
Indians  of  Central  America  to  attempt  raw  walrus 
meat  as  a  desert !  Again,  the  Jews  were  emi- 
nently impulsive,  under  the  influence  of  the  pas- 
sions and  appetites,  and  it  Avas  not  safe  to  allow 
them  any  latitude  on  so  good  a  dish  as  good  ham 
or  stewed  pig's  head  ! 

I  am  willing  to  admit  that  swine's  flesh  is  riot  a 
good  dish  for  a  surfeit, — but  moderately  used,  as 
all  the  good  things  of  a  good  Providence  ought 
to  be,  it  is  not  more  unhealthy  than  other  flesh. 
Indeed,  I  regard  salt  pork  as  one  of  the  most 
healthy  of  all  meats,  as  experience  in  the  army 
and  navy,  and  in  the  fishing  service,  every  day 
proves.  But  be  all  this  as  it  may,  the  question 
of  eating  pork  is  a  settled  question  beyond  the 
reach  of  Jew  or  Gentile,  and  all  will  eat  it  who 
can — get  it.  A  word,  however,  about  the  "dis- 
eased livers  of  hogs  !  A  hog  is  omnivorous,  and 
delights  especially  in  roots  and  buried  nuts,  and 
in  worms  and  grubs.  Our  would-be  "scientific" 
farmers  and  philosophers  who  never  farm,  put  the 
hog  where  all  his  natural  habits  are  ignored- 
without  proper  food  or  exercise,  and  then  if  the 
grunter  follows  the  law  of  nature's  penalties  he 
is  decried  and  slandered  as  being  under  the  curse 
of  God — when  it  is  only  the  curse  of  foolish  man  ! 
— C.  M.  C,  in  Ohio  Farmer. 


?o8 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Aug. 


/■"or  the  Neto  England  Farmer. 
AUTOCRATS  OF  THE  HIGHWAY. 

Mr.  Brown  : — You  -will  gratify  many  of  the 
readers  of  your  widely  circulated  Farmer,  by  em- 
ploying your  editorial  powers  for  the  suspension 
of  abuses,  ])ractised  by  persons  annually  "clothed 
in  a  little  brief  authority,"  who  are  called  Road- 
Surveyors,  and  who  declare  war  to  the  knife,  pick 
and  axe,  against  all  the  works  of  the  Creator  be- 
longing to  the  vegetable  world  and  coming  with- 
in the  range  of  their  destructive  powers.  In- 
deed, their  wanton  ravages  would  seem  incredi- 
ble without  proof,  and  I  must  give  you  a  few  in- 
stances. Within  five  miles  of  your  home  there 
is  about  half  a  m-ile  of  highway,  leading  to  the 
railroad  station,  which,  till  a  year  ago  last  road- 
mending  season,  was  most  richly  bordered  on 
both  sides  by  a  living  hedge-row  of  birches,  eld- 
ers, wild  roses,  profusely  blooming,  tall  black- 
berry bushes  loaded  with  fruit  in  their  season, 
ground-nut-vines,  ornamenting  and  perfuming 
the  whole  region,  grape-vines,  climbing  wher- 
ever their  tendrils  could  reach,  and  loaded  with 
blossoms,  fragrant  as  the  mignonette,  whose  seeds 
are  imported  from  France,  or  grapes,  sweet  and 
refreshing  in  their  season,  with  many  other  liv- 
ing and  growing  ornaments  of  the  earth,  which 
the  Creator's  bountiful  hand  formed  and  placed 
there,  for  the  service  and  delight  of  man. 

At  this  shady  and  fragrant  spot  the  sun- 
scorched  traveller  could  pause  and  rest  on  his 
journey  ;  children,  on  their  way  to  school  might 
set  down  their  little  dinner-pails  for  a  few  mo- 
ments, to  pick  the  ripe  berries  or  gather  a  bou- 
quet for  their  teacher ;  and  here  all  who  love  the 
works  of  God  better  than  the  destruction  caused 
by  man,  could  send  up  their  thanks  to  Him  who 
made  the  world  so  beautiful ! 

But,  Mr.  Editor,  last  June,  a  year  ago,  the  re- 
pairers came  to  this  pleasant  spot  and  began 
their  devastations,  right  and  left.  One  of  the 
inhabitants,  hearing  what  was  going  on,  wrote  a 
respectful  note  to  the  overseer,  requesting  him 
to  spare  as  much  of  the  shade  as  he  could,  con- 
sistently with  his  duties,  as  it  was  a  great  com- 
fort to  those  who  were  obliged  to  walk  to  the  de- 
pot. But  still  the  destruction  went  on  unflinch- 
ingly. Every  birch,  every  vine,  every  fruitful 
shrub,  every  forir  of  vegetable  beauty,  fresh  from 
the  hand  of  the  bountiful  Creator,  was  swept 
awaj\  Nor  could  any  plea  be  set  up  that  this 
waste  of  God's  gifts  was  for  the  improvement  of 
the  highway,  for  in  no  case  were  these  trees  and 
shrubs  levelled  with  the  ground,  but  still  stand, 
their  dead  stumps  a  foot  or  two  high,  making 
the  sides  of  the  road  as  useless  as  they  were  be- 
fore this  havock.  The  ruins  of  the  hedge-rows 
were  tossed  over  the  wall,  upon  the  shrubs  and 
vines  on  the  other  side,  thus  transforming  both 
from  rows  of  sweet  and  beautiful  vegetation  to 
heaps  of  rubbish  and  bristling  dead  stumps.  A 
little  farther  toward  Concord  the  road  was  shaded 
by  a  succession  of  young  locust  trees,  rich  in 
their  bright  and  varied  green,  or  loaded  in  their 
season,  with  sweet  blossoms,  from  which  the  bees 
delighted  to  draw  their  stores  ;  these,  also,  were 
destroyed,  every  one,  and  the  spot  where  they 
waved  and  blossomed  is  bare  and  desolate.  Still 
nearer  Concord,  was  a  thick  hedge-row  of  such 
plants  as  delight  in  a  moist,  alluvial   soil ;  they 


grew  and  bloomed  and  gave  out  their  odors,  shel- 
tering the  traveller  from  the  sun,  and  protecting 
him  from  the  cold  blasts  which  sweep  over  the 
level  plains.  They  were  all  destroyed — not  only 
cut  down  but  burned,  lest  their  roots  might  spring 
up  again ;  and  the  fire  has  also  killed  all  the 
young  elms  and  other  trees  near  the  spot,  leaving 
the  road  bare  and  destitute  of  shade,  as  if  it  ran 
through  the  deserts  of  Sahara.  In  another  part 
of  the  same  town,  the  side  of  the  road  for  some 
distance  was  ornamented  with  wild  roses,  which, 
finding  the  soil  congenial,  grew  uncommonly  tall 
and  prolific  ;  the  roses  were  very  large,  abundant 
and  fragrant,  making  the  spot  so  inviting  that 
persons  directed  their  drivers  that  way,  for  their 
sake,  but  the  road-surveyors  had  all  the  stones 
which  were  collected  in  their  improving  process 
tipped  upon  this  bed  of  roses  and  it  is  extin- 
guished ;  instead  of  it  we  see  along  heap  of  loose 
stones  and  rubbish. 

Now,  Mr.  Editor,  you  can  do  much  toward  put- 
ting down  this  disgraceful  abuse  of  power.  Tell 
the  readers  of  your  valuable  magazine,  that  there 
is  profit  in  every  thing  which  is  made  by  our 
good  Father  in  Heaven.  The  wild  roses  are 
good  to  make  conserves  for  colds  and  rose-water 
for  cooking  and  sore  eyes.  It  will  always  sell. 
The  elder-fiowers  are  good  for  babies,  and  the 
berries  make  good  wine  and  syrup.  High-bush 
blackberries  will  bring  a  good  price,  and  so  will 
other  berries.  Wild  grape's  will  meet  a  ready 
market  among  the  wine-makers,  or  will  sell  well 
to  housewives  who  wish  to  make  jelly,  and  birch 
trees  are  good  for  them  to  climb  on,  so  that  the 
grapes  may  come  to  the  sun,  but  dead  stumps 
and  heaps  of  stone  and  dirt  by  the  roadside  will 
never  make  them  or  their  children  richer  or  bet- 
ter. 

Hoping,  sir,  you  will  speak  to  some  purpose, 
to  these  destroyers,  before  they  commence  their 
ravages  this  year,  I  remain  with  much  respect, 
A  Reader  of  the  Farmer. 

Remarks. — The  autocrats  of  the  highway  have 
not  got  through  yet,  we  observe,  with  mending  the 
ways  which  were  made  dangerous  by  spring  frosts 
and  floods.  We  are  not  surprised  at  the  com- 
plaints of  our  correspondent.  Many  of  these 
road-makers  are  utterly  incompetent  to  discharge 
the  duties  assigned  them.  Road-making  is  a 
science  that  requires  observation  and  study,  and 
includes  some  important  principles.  We  can 
point  to  a  piece  of  road  to-day,  where  money  has 
been  liberally  expended  for  more  than  a  dozen 
yeai's  without  effecting  any  good  results,  from  a 
want  of  the  application  of  the  true  principles  of 
drainage  alone !  It  is  preposterous  to  think  of 
improving  a  road  by  covering  up  the  gushing 
springs  or  water-courses  which  underlie  it — they 
must  be  cut  off  and  led  away  from  the  road,  and 
then  it  becomes  dry  and  compact.  The  mere 
moving  of  gravel  from  one  point  to  another  will 
seldom  make  a  good  road,  alone.  These  auto- 
crats flatter  themselves  that  they  act  under  the 
shield  of  the  law.  But  does  the  law  sanction 
such  ravages  as  our  correspondent  describes,  or 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


359 


the  txcavation  of  a  neighbor's  door-yard,  so  as 
to  endanger  life  and  limb  when  he  goes  forth  to 
the  highway,  or  undermine  his  fences,  or  do  any 
thing  that  shall  incommode  any  one  or  mar  the 
general  beauty  of  the  landscape  ? 

Towns'  should  be  more  considerate  in  the  se 
lection  of  their  agents  to  do  the  necessary  and 
important  work  of  repairing  the  roads.  Con- 
stant feuds  and  great  hostility  of  feeling  annvi- 
ally  grow  out  of  the  unnecessary  depredations 
of  highway-surveyors. 


For  ihe  New  England  FartneT. 

SHINGLES  AND  NAILS. 

Mr.  Editor  : —  An  article  appeared  in  your 
paper  of  the  6th  of  March  last,  where  a  writer  at- 
tributes the  rusting  of  nails  to  "sawed  shingles," 
and  goes  on  to  say,  (speaking  of  another  person) 
"but  by  a  little  investigation  he  will  without 
doubt  find  it  attributable  to  their  contact  with 
salt  water;"  he  then  adds,  "it  is  believed  that  the 
complaints  of  shingles  rusting  the  nails  is  most- 
ly confined  to  the  sea-board  towns  and  eastern 
shingles."  Now  salt  and  iron,  M'e  all  know,  do 
not  agree  very  well,  but  there  are  some  other 
causes  which  should  be  taken  into  account. 

1.  By  experience  I  have  found  that  nails  made 
of  poor  or  cast  "puddled"  iron  will  sometimes 
rust  ofl"  in  seven  years  with  sawed  or  rift  shingles, 
but  generally  perish  soonest  in  the  former. 

2.  The  nailing  of  sawed  shingles  the  grain 
"wrong  side  up."  They  should  be  laid  so  as  to  car- 
ry the  water  out  of  the  pores  instead  of  into  the 
wood. 

3.  Using  a  slender,  light  nail,  well  known  by 
carpenters  who  work  by  the  job  and  find  the  ma- 
terials. The  undersigned  shingled  a  house  in 
1833  with  sawed  cedar  shingles,  and  with  red 
chalk  marked  every  one  with  a  cross  for  "this  side 
up;  "it  did  not  want  recovering  until  18j7 — 24 
years.  He  shingled  another  in  1840,  in  the 
same  manner,  and  it  was  in  good  order  in  1856. 
This  last  was  the  "Old  Cole  White  House,"  (well 
known  here,)  which  was  i)artly  removed  and  the 
rest  demolished  this  year ;  this  gave  a  chance  to 
examine  both  shingles  and  nails.  The  former 
were  in  good  order  and  the  latter  were  "as  good 
as  new,"  as  far  as  the  carpenter  and  myself 
could  discover.  I  will  here  mention  that  these 
nails  were  rolled  and  cut  from  old  sable  iron  by 
one  of  your  citizens,  Jarvis  Danforth,  Esq.,  at  6 
cts.  per  lb.,  or  one  cent  extra ;  the  price  of  com- 
mon ones  being  5  cts.,  as  the  price  was  then.  I 
would  recommend  using  the  same  material,  or  its 
equivalent,  as  a  matter  of  economy  for  the  own- 
ers of  buildings,  especially  if  the  shingles  are 
clear  of  sap,  or  nearly  so.'  With  this  I  send  a 
shingle  whh  a  nail  placed  on  a  house  in  this 
place  in  1785  ;_ one  of  our  oldest  townsmen,  Capt. 
Job  Godfrey,  informs  me  that  he  remembered 
when  they  were  put  on,  and  in  that  age  nearly 
all  the  shingles  used  came  from  tlie  "Great 
Swamp,"  and  all  "heart  stuff,"  which  appeared  to 
be  the  case.  The  house  last  spoken  of  was  stripped 
in  April  last,  and  the  shingle  and  nail  came  from 
the  wall ;  the  roof  had  been  repaired  since  it  was 
built.  Jonathan  Hodges. 

'  Taiadon,  1858. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
CROV/S. 

Many  of  the  ancient  nations  worshipped  all 
the  offensive  creatures  they  could  find,  placing 
highest  in  the  calendar^those  most  loathsome  and 
harmful.  I  suppose  it  is  on  the  same  principle 
that  the  crow  has  lately  been  commended  in  va- 
rious periodicals  to  our  regards  as  a  very  harm- 
less and  useful  bird.  I  am  no  ornithologist,  and 
am  less  acquainted  with  the  habits  of  the  bird  in 
question  than  are  others,  but  certain  facts  respect- 
ing it  I  suppose  are  well  established. 

1.  It  inclines  to  prey  upon  the  cornfields  in 
the  spring,  and  can  be  kept  off  only  by  great  care 
and  trouble.  Our  practical  farmers  assure  us 
that  the  loss  occasioned  by  its  depredations  is 
often  severe.  They  also  not  unfrequently  dam- 
age seriously  potato  fields  in  the  spring  by 
scratching  open  the  hills. 

2.  They  destroy  vast  multitudes  of  the  smaller 
birds.  There  is  nothing  for  Avhich  they  have 
so  keen  an  appetite  as  the  eggs  and  young  of 
our  singing  birds.  Last  June  a  robin's  nest,  in 
a  maple  standing  within  two  rods  of  my  house, 
was  robbed  by  a  crow,  and  I  caught  them  after- 
wards doing  the  same  thing  in  the  apple  trees 
that  stand  close  to  the  house.  You  may  see 
them  not  unfrequently  flying  from  tree  to  tree 
through  an  orchard,  hunting  their  j)rey  on  each 
limli.  All  "the  unmannerly  fowlers"  put  togeth- 
er do  not  destroy  a  tenth  part  of  the  singing 
birds  that  are  annually  consumed  l)y  this  black 
monster. 

And  what  services  do  his  advocates  plead  in 
arrest  of  judgment  for  these  crimes  ?  "Why,  he 
sometimes  removes  offal  that  the  lazy  owner 
has  failed  to  cover  up  for  the  benefit  of  his  lands. 
Still  further,  they  may  be  seen  in  the  spring  and 
fall,  (in  the  summer  while  the  birds  are  nesting 
they  are  above  such  business,)  in  our  pastures 
and  meadows  at  a  safe  distance  from  the  house, 
and  usually  on  the  most  worthless  land,  picking 
worms  from  the  earth,  which  some  conjecture 
are  hurtful  to  the  grass.  The  gardens  and  high- 
ly cultivated  fields  about  our  dwellings,  they 
never  a])proach  unless  to  murder  a  nest  of  sing- 
ing birds.  For  these  very  doubtful  benefits  it 
is  proposed  to  let  them  live,  when  the  life  of  each 
one  involves  the  destruction  of  scores  of  singing 
lairds  every  season,  birds  whose  presence  and 
whose  music  form  so  great  an  attraction  to'\our 
country  houses,  and  whose  usefulness  in  our 
gardens  and  orchards  no  one  will  for  a  moment 
question.  They  v/ere  undoubtedly  made  for 
some  desirable  end,  as  were  hundreds  of  squash 
bugs  and  borers,  and  so  on.  The  great  end  they 
all  seem  to  us  to  answer  is  in  the  exercise  of  our 
patience,  while  they  live,  and  in  the  practice  of 
our  skill  to  destroy  them.  It  is  long  since  I  have 
found  it  in  my  heart  to  shoot  a  partridge  or 
squirrel,  the  beautiful  occupants  of  our  fields 
and  forest  are  worth  more  alive  than  dead,  but 
for  border  ruffians  I  have  no  pity.        Justice. 

Groion,  1858. 


Treatment  of  Hens. — Two  flocks  of  hens 
wei'e  coiupared.  One  laid  eggs  almost  all  the 
time  ;  the  other  laid  scarcely  any.  On  examining 
their  treatment,  the  following  differences  were 
found  to  exist ;    the  former  had  a  warm  cellar  to 


560 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Aug. 


roost  in  during  the  -n-inter ;  the  latter  roosted  in 
a  stable  where  the  Avind  blew  in.  The  former  hadi 
a  fine  place  in  an  open  cellar  for  scratching  among 
ashes,  lime  and  earth  ;  the  latter  scratched  in  the 
manure  heap,  or  in  the  stable  M'hen  the  cows, 
were  put  out.  The  former  had  plenty  of  good 
water,  with  milk,  etc.,  the  others  had  no  drink 
except  what  they  could  find. — Prairie  Farmer. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer, 
CULTURE  OF  FOBEST  TREES. 

The  Legislature  of  Massachusetts  made  it  a 
condition  precedent,  in  granting  funds  to  agri- 
cultural societies,  that  something  should  be  done 
to  encourage  the  growth  of  forest  trees.  Accord- 
ingly we  find  more  or  le?s  of  these  premiums  of- 
fered by  all  of  the  societies.  But  we  have  looked 
in  vain  for  the  award  of  such  premiums,  and 
more  for  the  forests,  the  growth  of  which  was 
encouraged  by  such  oifers. 

These  reflections  were  brought  to  mind  on  a 
recent  visit  to  the  grounds  of  Sir.  Fay,  of  Lynn, 
where  are  growing  many  thousand  of  the  Scotch 
Larch,  the  English  Oak,  and  other  trees  of  like 
character,  all  of  which  were  imported  and  planted 
by  him,  about  ten  years  since.  I  never  witness- 
ed any  growth  that  awakened  my  admiration 
more.  Notwithstanding  the  injuries  sustained 
by  fires,  and  other  wanton  encroachments,  the 
whole  region  about  the  beautiful  sheet  of  water 
long  known  as  Spring  Pond,  whose  waters  sup 
ply  the  city  of  Salcra  with  the  elixer  of  life,  is 
made  beautiful  by  their  verdure.  On  many  of 
the  larch  trees,  I  witnessed  a  gror/th  of  two  feet 
in  extent,  the  present  season,  and  some  of  them 
have  already  risen  to  a  height  of  thirty  feet.  I 
forbear  to  say  more,  as  nothing  short  of  an  actu- 
al view,  will  afford  an  adequate  idea,  of  what  can 
be  done  by  the  application  of  scientific  culture, 
even  in  a  forest,  on  a  forbidding  soil. 

I  was  assured  by  the  proprietor,  that  the  prob- 
able value  of  the  timber  on  these  grounds,  if  its 
growth  could  go  on  unimpeded,  for  thirty  years, 
would  be  not  less  than  $300  an  acre.  He  said 
he  had  visited  an  estate  in  Scotland,  where  there 
grew,  within  the  life  of  the  owner,  from  his  own 
planting,  timber  enough  of  the  Scotch  larch  vari- 
ety, to  build  one  of  the  largest  ships  in  the  Brit- 
ish Navy.  What  ])etter  service  could  a  man  do 
for  his  country  ?  If  we  had  more  men  like  Mr. 
Fay,  we  should  never  be  in  want  of  Essex  fri- 
gates, to  sustain  the  honor  and  glory  of  our 
noble  country.  * 

Jrine  18,  1858. 


each,  while  in  the  centre  of  this  vast  building  is 
an  arena  w^here  an  army  of  5,000  head  of  tht 
finest  horses  in  the  world  are  broke,  trained  and 
exercised  daily  by  another  army  of  the  most  skil- 
ful trainers,  jockies,  ^'c,  in  the  Emperor's  do- 
minions. By  an  imperial  decree,  sales  are  per- 
mitted to  be  made  when  a  certain  number  of  an- 
imals are  in  the  stables,  of  which  Captain  Lane 
has  taken  advantage,  as  of  the  advantage  of  his 
relations  with  the  Government — thus  making  an 
invaluable  addition  to  the  American  stud,  for 
which  he  deserves,  and  will  doubtless  receive 
the  thanks  of  the  country  at  large.  They  cost 
$18,000,  which  was  much  below  their  value,  and 
are  pairs  of  grey,  dark  bay  and  black.  They  are 
stabled  at  Tattersall's,  Thirty-ninth  Street  and 
Sixth  Avenue,  where  all  who  wish  to  see  these 
matcliless  creatures  will  no  doubt  have  every  fa- 
cility aff'orded  by  the  courteous  proprietor.  They 
stand  about  fifteen  hands  high,  and  exhibit  all 
the  fine  points  to  be  expected  from  their  descent. 

—N.  r.  Post. 


IMPORTATION  OF  PURE  ARABIAN 
BliOOD  HOBSES, 

We  were  shown  six  head  of  pure  Arabian 
blood  stallions,  brought  to  this  city  by  Captain 
Lane,  late  of  the  combined  American  and  Eng- 
lish companies  engaged  in  raising  the  sunken 
vessels  of  war  in  the  harbor  of  Sevastopol.  These 
noble  animals  are  direct  from  the  Czar's  cav- 
alry stables,  and  were  raised  expressly  for  the  Im- 
perial stud.  These  stables  are  the  wonder  and 
astonishment  of  all  who  have  obtained  admission 
to  them.  The  inclosure  of  stone  walls  and  iron 
frames  covers  an  area  of  ten  miles  in  length  by 
five  in  width.     The  stables  are  twelve  feet  square 


For  tlio  New  England  Farmer. 
FOOD  AND  HABITS  OF  THE  ROBIN. 

Mr.  Editor  : — The  report  of  the  food  and 
habits  of  the  robin,  so  far  as  published  by  you, 
for  the  months  of  January,  February  and  INIarch, 
drawn  up  by  J.  W.  P.  Jenks,  Esq  ,  of  Middlebo- 
ro',  one  of  the  committee  appointed  by  the. Mas- 
sachusetts Horticultural  Society,  strikes  me  with 
much  surprise.  Mr.  Jenks  says,  the  fourth  fact, 
"To  the  present  date  I  have  not  discovered  the 
first  particle  of  vegetable  matter  in  the  crop  of  a 
single  bird."  Now  this  would  lead  us  to  infer, 
without  other  testimony,  that  the  robin  at  this 
season  of  the  year,  and  for  two  months  past,  hav 
ing  first  made  its  appearance  the  first  of  March 
in  the  latitude  of  Massachusetts,  subsists  wholly 
on  insects,  grasshoppers,  spiders  and  the  larvte 
belonging  to  the  curculio  family. 

I  was  teaching  school  in  St.  Mary's  County, 
Md.,  during  the  years  1843  to  1848,  inclusive, 
and  I  was  curious  to  observe  the  difference  of 
time  that  the  robin  and  other  birds  made  their 
appearance  in  their  migi-ation  from  south  to  north. 
The  robin  made  its  first  appearance  in  Maryland, 
generally  about  the  last  week  in  Februarj-. 
Sometimes  as  late  as  the  first  week  in  March, 
and  often  they  would  retreat  south  to  be  gone  a 
week,  or  till  the  weather  became  mild  again. 
They  often  came  in  flocks,  numbering  many  thou- 
sands, covering  large  fields,  or  acres,  which  I 
never  observed  in  the  latitude  of  New  Hampshire 
or  Vermont,  in  my  boyhood  days.  Now  there  is  a 
tree  quite  common  in  the  forest  in  Maryland,  an 
evergreen  called  the  Holly  ;  this  tree  is  usually 
loaded  Avith  a  berry  or  fruit  about  the  size  of  a 
marrow  fat  pea,  as  red  as  a  cherry,  and  it  re- 
mains on  the  tree,  (a  beautiful  sight)  till  the  rob- 
ins make  their  appearance,  and  during  the  short 
time,  say  two  weeks,  the  robins  remain  during 
their  migration,  they  strip  these  Holly  trees  of 
every  berry  to  be  seen.  They  are  as  ravenous  as 
locusts.  Now,  provided  there  Avas  a  fruit,  or  ber- 
ry in  Massachusetts,  like  the  Holly,  or  wer*^ 
cherries  ripe  at  their  first  coming,  undoubtedly 
they  would  spend  little  time  in  hunting  after 
such  small  fry  a3  Mr.  Jenks  reports  only  to  be 
found  in  their  crops.     I  used   to  think  that  the 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


361 


Holly  was  planted  by  Providence  especially  for 
the  food  of  the  robin,  and  its  fruit  left  on  the 
tree  during  the  winter,  to  sustain  these  birds  at 
a  time  when  comparatively  few  of  the  insect 
world  were  abroad.  Charles  S.  Weld. 

Greenhusli,  Maine,  1858. 


MARKET  GABDENS. 

The  bare  mention  of  a  kitchen-garden  will  suf- 
fice to  one  enthusiastic  writer  for  an  allusion  to 
the  wars  of  the  Red  and  White  Roses.  In  the 
mind  of  another,  pot-herbs  are  associated  with 
all  the  glories  of  Oriental  fiction  ;  for  did  not  the 
renowned  Caliph  Haroun  Al  Raschid  teach  his 
trusty  and  well-beloved  brother,  the  Emperor 
Charlemagne,  (to  whom  he  was  personally  known, 
and  was  perhaps  no  more  a  hero  than  King 
George  the  Third  to  his  valet-de-chambre,)  the 
value  of  pot-herbs  generally,  and  how  to  cultivate 
them  ?  Turnips  suggest  Charles  Townshend, 
King  George  the  First's  foreign  secretary,  called 
Turnip  Townshend  by  the  foolish  wits  about 
Court,  because  he  noted  the  mode  of  cultivating 
that  vegetable  in  Hanover,  when  attending  the 
king  on  an  excursion  thither,  and  afterwards  in- 
duced his  countrymen  to  adopt  it.  The  annual 
value  of  the  turnips  chiefly  grown  on  stony  lands 
or  on  lands  exhausted  by  previous  crops  in  Eng- 
land, which  but  for  Townshend's  efforts  would 
have  lain  fallow,  or  remained  totally  uncultivated, 
is  now  estimated  at  fourteen  millions  sterling. 
Surely  here  was  a  benefactor  to  the  human  race 
whose  monument  history  has  raised,  by  calling 
him  "Turnip  Townshend." 

It  is  worth  remarking  that  very  few  of  those 
vegetables  which  are  now  so  common  among  us, 
are  natives  of  these  isles.  The  potato — still  a 
valuable  servant,  though  much  broken  up  in  con- 
stitution of  late  years — comes,  as  every  one 
knows,  from  America.  The  common  pea  is  sup- 
posed to  be  only  strictly  at  home  in  Syria.  Beans 
are  from  Egypt  or  Persia.  Onions,  in  all  their 
varieties,  are  also  from  the  East.  Even  the  leek 
the  Welchman  has  no  right  to  stick  in  his  hat  as 
a  national  emblem  ;  the  same  being  a  native  of 
Switzerland.  The  Cos  lettuce  ought  to  be  a  na- 
tive of  the  island  of  Cos.  Cauliflowers  and  gar- 
den cress  are  from  Cyprus  ;  spinach  from  West- 
ern Asia  ;  endive  from  Japan ;  radishes  from  Chi- 
na ;  rhubarb  from  Tartary  ;  artichokes  from  the 
shores  of  the  Mediterranean.  Jerusalem  arti- 
chokes are  not  from  Jerusalem,  but  from  South 
America,  the  word  Jerusalem  being  a  mere  cor- 
ruption arising  from  an  accidental  resemblance 
in  sound  between  that  word  and  their  Spanish 
name.  Turnips  and  carrots  are  found  wild  here  ; 
but  experiments  have  proved  that  cultivation 
could  not  have  converted  the  native  variety  into 
that  which  we  are  accustomed  to  eat.  The  Flem- 
ish refugees  in  Queen  Elizabeth's  time  brought 
the  carrot  with  them,  and  planted  it  first  at  Sand- 
wich. The  turnip  probably  found  its  way  hither 
by  the  same  means.  There  is  a  tombstone  to  be 
seen  still,  I  believe,  in  the  church-yard  of  Wim- 
bourne  St.  Giles,'  in  Dorsetshire,  erected  to  the 
introducer  of  cabbages,  with  a  representation  of 
a  cabbage  carved  in  stone  at  the  foot.  Potatoes 
are  for  ever  associated  with  Sir  Walter  Raleigh, 
since  whose  time  they  have  achieved  their  extra- 


ordinary revolution  in  the  kitchen-garden.  Mr. 
Myatt,  of  Deptford,  who  first  cultivated  rh'ibarb 
for  the  market,  is,  I  think,  still  living.  Only  for- 
ty years  ago  he  first  sent  five  bunches  of  this  veg- 
etable to  the  Borough  iSIarket ;  of  which  he  pre- 
vailed upon  some  one  to  purchase  three  by  way 
of  experiment.  The  other  two  he  brought  back 
unsold. 

This  is  as  much  as  I  can  tell  the  reader  about 
vegetables  on  my  walk  from  the  station  to  Mr. 
Trench's  house.  Mr.  Trench  (whose  modesty  pre- 
fers that  pseudonym,  and  who  would  not  be  made 
famous  on  any  account)  is  quite  a  model  market- 
gardener.  There  are  members  of  his  profession 
who  have  nothing  to  tell  about  it,  except  that  it 
is  a  ruinous  business,  to  which  they  have  moodi- 
ly resigned  themselves  with  the  determination  of 
losing  their  capital  and  bringing  themselves  and 
families  to  the  work-house.  Some  of  them  have 
been  pursuing  this  reckless  course  all  their  lives, 
and  are  bringing  up  their  sons  to  achieve  the 
work  of  destruction.  They  are  philanthropically 
anxious  not  to  tell  the  world  any  thing  about  it. 
Perhaps  they  are  right,  and  dread  competition.  A 
recital  of  the  sufferings  and  privations  of  Robin- 
son Crusoe  has  induced  many  a  boy  to  go  to  sea. 
Who  knows  what  might  be  the  result  of  the  most 
faithful  picture  of  their  laborious  life,  and  contin- 
ual losses  ?  My  market-gardener,  however,  is 
not  one  of  these  ;  he  knows  how  to  manage  things 
well  enough  to  get  a  comfortable  income  out  of 
his  capital  and  industry  ;  and  he  does  not  think 
of  making  a  secret  that  a  comfortable  income  is 
to  be  made  by  such  means.  The  table  in  Mr. 
Trench's  cool  and  shady  sitting-room  is  bestrown 
with  letters  and  papers  ;  books  lie  about  there 
every  where ;  and  portraits  ornament  the  walls, 
as  well  as  one  or  two  testimonials  from  certain' 
societies,  framed  and  glazed.  A  fresh  smell  of 
mould  and  fiowers  comes  through  the  window 
from  the  green-house,  and  lingers  in  the  room. 
Cowper  might  have  written  his  Task  here  ;  and  I, 
who  am  by  no  means  poetical,  feel  as  if  I  could 
sit  down  in  that  worn  arm-chair,  and  while  the 
linnet  in  his  cage  at  the  window  chirps  and  pecks 
and  drops  his  seed-husks  on  the  floor,  could  in- 
dite something  to  my  mistress'  eye-brow,  above 
that  mediocrity  which  the  gods  abhor. 

Mr.  Trench  offers  to  walk  with  me  through  his 
hundred  acres  of  ground,  warning  me  not  to  ex- 
pect to  find  any  thing  very  exciting  in  market- 
gardening.  I  reply,  that  I  am  not  in  search  of 
excitement ;  but  only  desirous  of  seeing  with  my 
own  eyes  something  of  the  routine  of  those  oper- 
ations, of  whose  magical  result  I  have  heard  so 
often.  My  modest  friend  is  as  anxious  to  repu- 
diate the  employment  of  magic  as  if  King  James 
were  still  upon  the  thi-one,  and  Matthew  Hop- 
kins a  neighbor  of  his  ;  and  further  reminds  me, 
that  only  a  very  small  part  of  that  routine  can  be 
seen  at  one  time,  and  that  to  understand  market- 
gardening  it  would  be  necessary  to  remain  there 
a  whole  year,  going  progressively  through  the 
Gardener's  Calendar.  All  these  objections  (which 
I  listen  to  as  I  would  to  the  good  housewife's 
depreciation  of  her  own  Christmas  pudding,)  be- 
ing got  over,  we  go  into  a  field  of  cabbages, 
through  the  green-house  again,  and  across  a  clean 
yard  paved  with  pebbles,  where  men  are  stacking 
cabbages  in  a  wagon,  apparently  w'th  the  ambi- 
tion of  the  builders  of  13abel ;  and  through  a  row 


362 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Aug. 


of  sheds,  where  men  and  women  are  washing  and 
tying  vegetables  in  bundles. 

"Nothing  very  remarkable  in  a  field  of  cabba- 
ges," says  my  conductor. 

"Very  large  and  healthy-looking."  I  note  the 
blue  bloom  upon  them,  and  the  glistening  drops 
of  dew  collected  in  the  wrinkles  of  their  leaves. 

"Of  course,"  repl  es  my  conductor.  "Before 
this  ground  was  planted,  you  see,  every  bit  was 
dug  up  two  spades  deep.  We  never  have  a  plow 
here.  Then  it  was  thoroughly  manured — a  good 
horseload  to  every  thirty  square  feet  of  ground." 

"Rather  expensive." 

"Why,  we  put  as  much  as  twelve  pounds'  worth 
of  manure  to  a  single  acre.  Supposing  my  land 
could  be  all  clear,  and  I  wanted  to  plant  the 
whole  of  it  with  cabbages,  I  must  pay  twelve 
hundred  pounds  doAvn  for  manure  to  begin  with  ; 
without  considering  the  cost  of  digging,  and  at- 
tending to  the  crop  till  it  comes  to  maturity, 
gathering,  taking  to  market,  &c." 

"And  rent,"  I  suggest. 

"Nine  pounds  a  year  for  every  acre,"  says  my 
friend,  "besides  ten  shillings  for  tithes  which  the 
church  is  none  the  better  for." 

"How  many  of  those  plants  are  produced  on 
an  acre  of  ground  ?" 

"Nothing  easier  than  to  calculate.  You  see 
they  are  all  at  exactly  equal  distances.  The 
plants  are  twenty  inches  apart,  and  the  rows 
eighteen  inches.  That's  the  distance  they  grow 
best  al."  My  conductor  takes  out  a  rule  and 
proves  the  correctness  of  this  to  a  nicety,  which 
convinces  me  that  there  is  no  slovenliness  in  his 
ground.  "That  '11  give,"  he  continues — with  a 
promptitude  which  makes  me  suspect  that  he 
must  have  been  once  a  calculating  boy — "that  '11 
give  seventeen  thousand  cabbages  to  an  acre.  I 
could  grow  near  upon  a  couple  of  millions  at 
once,  if  I  chose." 

I  indulge  involuntarily  in  Dominie  Sampson's 
favorite  exclamation  ;  and  ask,  "What  those  wo- 
men yonder  are  raking  about  for  ?" 

"Hoeing  out  the  weeds.  Every  weed  or  blade 
of  grass  that  could  steal  a  grain  of  nourishment 
from  the  ground  is  cut  down  as  fast  as  it  ap- 
pears ;  our  plan  is  to  keep  all  employed,  ground, 
men  and  horses.  This  piece  of  ground,  for  ex- 
ample, we  shall  begin  to  plant  again  the  moment 
a  portion  of  it  is  cleared." 

"What  will  be  the  next  crop  ? 

"I  don't  know.  Whatever  is  ready  for  plant- 
ing." 

"But,"  I  ask,  "what  is  that  'succession  of  crops' 
which  I  have  always  believed  so  necessary,  un- 
less you  follow  the  old  plan  of  letting  the  land 
lie  fallow  ?  What  is  the  'four-course  system  of 
husbandry,'  which  some  farmers  are  tied  down 
by  their  leases  to  follow  ?" 

"Nothing  to  do  with  us,"  replies  my  friend, 
smiling  ;  "nor  with  formers  either,  if  they  knew 
it.  Those  chaps  who  don't  put  a  bit  of  manure 
upon  their  land  for  years,  are  obliged  to  vary 
their  crops  ;  for,  you  see,  a  plant  with  its  roots 
takes  its  own  kind  of  nourishment  from  the 
ground,  just  as  a  chemist  extracts  one  or  two 
components  from  any  substance,  and  leaves  the 
rest.  When  wheat  has  had  its  feed,  the  farmer 
knows  it  is  of  no  use  to  sow  wheat  again.  He 
plants  tares,  which  extract  something  of  what  the 
wheat  has  left ;    next  turnips,  and  so  on.     Now 


we  supply  our  soil  artificially  with  what  the  next 
crop  requires,  and  so  can  grow  any  thing.  Thus 
we  get  first-rate  crops,  and  three  or  even  four  of 
some  things  in  a  year,  whereas  the  farmer  will 
seldom  get  more  than  a  single  crop." 

Passing  through  a  little  patch  of  well  pruned 
fruit-trees,  I  observe  that  every  bit  of  ground  be- 
neath is  planted  with  another  kind  of  cabbage — 
coleworts  or  "coUards,"  as  a  laborer  calls  them. 
"No  space  lost  here,"  says  my  conductor.  "These 
little  plants,  which  perhaps  you  might  take  for 
weeds,  growing  in  this  narrow  strip  of  ground, 
between  the  gooseberry  bushes  and  the  path,  are 
broccoli.  While  they  are  so  young  they  can  find 
nourishment  enough  here — thick  as  they  are. 
They  will  be  thinned  and  planted  out  in  the  fields, 
very  soon.  Here  is  a  patch  of  ground,  you  see, 
already  planted  with  them." 

"I  suppose  these  weeds  among  them  do  no 
harm  while  the  plant  is  so  young." 

"May  be  weeds  there  wouldn't  hurt  them  now ; 
for  there  is  more  nourishment  in  the  ground 
than  they  want,  planted  at  that  distance  apart. 
But  if  weeds  wouldn't  hurt  them,  we  say  some- 
thing more  useful  wouldn't  hurt  them.  This  is 
not  a  weed  ;  it  is  celery.  They  can  grow  very 
well  together,  till  the  broccoli  gets  bigger,  and 
wants  all  the  strength  of  the  soil  to  itself ;  then 
we  shall  remove  the  celery." 

"You  take  advantage  of  everything." 

"Must  do  so,  in  these  Free-trade  days,"  says 
my  companion,  sitting  down  upon  a  hand-bar- 
row, and  rubbing  the  perspiration  from  his  fore- 
head Avith  a  pocket-handkerchief.  "If  M'e  couldn't 
beat  our  neighbors  in  a  fair  trial,  we  wouldn't  be 
so  shabby  as  to  ask  the  Government  to  help  us  ; 
that's  how  I  look  at  it.  But  Free-trade  puts  us 
all  upon  our  mettle  ;  Belgium  and  the  South  of 
France  have  sent  some  first-rate  things  to  our 
markets  this  year.  What  do  I  care  ?  I  set  about 
it  and  grow  as  good."  Mr.  Trench  paused.  "It 
don't  do,"  he  added,  thoughtfully,  "to  waste  as 
much  as  a  leaf  or  a  root  that  would  go  into  the 
manure  heap,  I  assure  you.  There  is  my  neigh- 
bor, Mr.  Kutch,  who  has  been  in  the  East  Indies. 
He  is  a  man  of  property,  and  it  is  his  whim  to 
turn  market-gardener.  He  makes  up  his  books 
every  year  and  finds  himself  just  a  hundred 
pounds  out  of  pocket.  And  why  P  Because  he's 
not  on  the  ground  himself,  as  we  are,  from  morn- 
ing till  night ;  and  doesn't  take  such  care  to  pre- 
vent waste." 

"This  thin  green  down,  with  patches  of  white, 
here  and  there,  as  if  some  workmen  from  the 
lime-kilns  had  been  trespassing  in  it,  is  onions,  I 
suppose  ?" 

"One  kind  of  onions.  A  very  different  sort 
from  those  with  the  great  seed-pods  at  the  top. 
It  is  of  no  use  my  troubling  you  with  the  various 
names  of  our  things.  Some  have  no  end  of  va- 
rieties, chiefly  named  after  the  gardeners  who 
have  imported  or  produced  them.  Fruit-trees, 
as  you  know,  change  their  very  nature  by  culti- 
vation— as  for  instance,  the  peach,  whose  fruit  in 
a  wild  state  is  poisonous.  So  plants  by  cultiva- 
tion change  in  quality,  form,  and  color." 

"Though  never  their  primary  structure,"  I  in- 
terrupt. 

"Quite  right.  Now,  in  the  rivalry  going  on 
among  market-gardeners  and  nursery-men,  con- 
stantly experimenting  too  as  they  are,  infinite  va- 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


363 


rieties  of  every  thing  grown  are  necessarily  pro- 
duced." 

"You  will  of  course  choose  the  best." 

"Some  kinds  are  equally  good.  Others  are 
known  for  certain  qualities,  for  which  we  choose 
them  as  we  want  them.  Some  are  by  their  na- 
ture fit  for  earlier  or  later  growing  than  others  ; 
and  as  our  object  is  to  keep  the  markets  supplied, 
we  grow  several  sorts  of  most  things.  In  this 
way  we  have  various  crops  of  the  same  vegetable, 
which  we  know  will  come  due  every  week  while 
the  season  lasts." 

Walking  on  through  other  gardens,  all  plant- 
ed with  the  same  regularity  and  neatness,  we  no- 
tice in  every  patch  one  or  two  laborers,  chiefly 
women.  Some  are  hoeing  among  crops  so  fine 
and  thickly  sown  that  it  is  a  marvel  how  the 
greatest  care  can  prevent  their  cutting  them  down 
with  the  weeds.  Others  are  propping  bell-shaped 
and  square  glass-lights  with  bits  of  wood,  to  let 
the  air  in  to  the  plants  beneath.  Some  men  are 
perseveringly  watering,  one  by  one,  tomatoes, 
or  love-apple  plants,  against  a  wall.  Others  in 
deep  alleys,  among  rows  of  beds,  as  regular  as  a 
ground  plan  of  the  city  of  Philadelphia,  are  care- 
fully picking  weeds  with  the  hand ;  while  a  few, 
I  see  on  coming  nearer,  are  cutting  asparagus. 
Wherever  a  blue  top  has  just  forced  its  way 
through  the  mould,  a  woman  thrusts  in,  sideways, 
a  long  steel  instrument,  notched  at  the  end,  and 
saws  at  the  stem  some  inches  under  the  ground. 
The  notched  cutter,  I  am  told,  leaves  a  ragged 
surface  where  the  stem  is  severed,  which  heals 
more  readily  than  a  smooth  cut — the  mould  staun- 
ching the  sap  more  completely,  and  preventing  it 
from  bleeding.  These  asparagus  roots  have  been 
three  years  in  the  ground,  and  have  only  yielded 
shoots  strong  enough  to  bear  cutting  this  year — 
though  the  soil  is  of  course  occupied  by  other 
crops  during  that  time.  The  shoots  grow  rapidly 
in  the  season,  and  are  cut  every  other  day  for 
five  weeks.  The  "grass"  is  removed  to  the  yard 
in  baskets  as  fast  as  it  is  cut,  to  be  washed  and 
tied  in  bundles  for  the  market.  I  learn  that  the 
long,  hard,  white  stem — which  the  eater  rejects 
for  its  earthy  and  watery  flavor — is  produced  by 
earthing  the  shoots,  or  "blanching,"  which  is  a 
mere  waste  for  the  sake  of  appearance.  By  sim- 
ply removing  some  of  the  mould  the  shoots  would 
grow  up  with  five  or  six  inches  of  eatable  top, 
instead  of  that  half  inch  of  purple  sprout,  which 
would  tantalize  anybody  but  that  morbidly  car- 
nivorous lady  in  the  Arabian  Nights.  So  long, 
however,  as  the  public  prefer  the  purple  tip  and 
tasteless  stem,  and  the  green-grocer  refuses  to 
buy  a  wholesomer  kind,  the  market-gardener  is 
compelled  to  earth  up,  and  blanch,  and  make 
pretty  looking  bundles.  Some  laborers  are  sprink- 
ling lime-dust  here  and  there,  which  I  take  to  be 
manure  ;  but  my  friend  corrects  me. 

"The  only  remedy  for  slugs.  A  dust  of  lime 
when  the  dew  is  on,  spreads  all  over  leaves,  and 
kills  everything  without  injuring  the  plants. 
These  insects  puzzle  us.  Look  at  the  scarlet 
beans  just  coming  up,  and  all  eaten  away." 
While  I  am  looking  at  them,  my  conductor  pulls 
out  a  microscope  in  a  brass  tube,  and  begins  to 
inspect  a  leaf  minutely.  "We  have  been  watch- 
ing this,"  he  continues — screwing  up  one  eye, 
and  wrinkling  his  forehead  like  a  Scotch  kale — 
"We  have  been  watching  this  for  a  week  past, 


and  can't  find  what  it  is.  There  is  a  disease 
among  cabbages  called  'clubbing,'  which  looks 
like  the  ravages  of  insects  ;  but  it  come  from 
over-manuring  ;  for  you  may  manure  too  much. 
Some  say  fhe  disease  in  the  potatoes  and  cucum- 
bers, as  well  as  in  several  other  vegetables  late- 
ly, is  from  the  same  cause." 

"Are  you  much  troubled  with  vermin  ?" 

"Well,  we  keep  a  sharp  look-out  to  burn  or 
fumigate  them  before  they've  time  to  spread. 
Field  mice  eat  our  seeds.  We  take  care  to  frighten 
all  birds  away  with  scarecrows,  but  I  doubt 
whether  we  don't  do  more  harm  than  good,  by 
preventing  the  birds  from  eating  the  insects, 
with  which  we  are  always  more  troubled  than  far- 
mers are.  I  am  tempted  to  make  a  bonfire  of  all 
our  Guy  Fawkeses  one  day.  A  friend  of  mine 
keeps  young  bantams,  who  peck  up  worms  and 
slugs  like  barleycorns ;  they  scratched  a  good 
deal  among  the  crops,  at  first ;  but  he  got  over 
that  by  putting  their  feet  in  socks." 

A  bantam  with  his  feet  in  socks  is  so  diflficult 
to  imagine,  that  I  am  suspicious  that  my  friend 
is  mystifying  ;  but  I  find  him  quite  serious.  "This 
little  insect  that  rolls  itself  into  a  perfect  black 
ball  as  soon  as  you  touch  it,"  he  continues,  "is 
one  of  our  most  troublesome  visitors.  A  wood- 
louse  will  eat  anything,  sweet,  sour,  or  bitter. 
They  can't  have  any  sense  of  taste  ;  or  if  they 
have,  it  is  the  reverse  of  ours.  They  will  greed- 
ly  devour  a  leaf,  that,  to  us,  has  the  moot  nause- 
ous flavor  imaginable.  I  have  seen  three  young 
bantams  peck  up  a  hundred  of  these  in  two  min- 
utes by  the  watch.  Our  plan  for  killing  them  in 
the  green-house  and  cucumber  frames  is  with 
toads." 

"Toads !" 

"Toads.  We  buy  toads ;  I  have  paid  as  much 
as  six  shillings  a  dozen  for  toads." 

There  is  considerable  bustle  in  an  adjoining 
field,  where  a  number  of  women  are  pulling  gi- 
gantic rhubarb  stalks,  and  loading  barrows.  I 
observe  a  considerable  diff'erence  in  the  rapidity 
with  which  some  do  their  work ;  and  my  conduc- 
tor confirms  my  observation.  "That  young  Irish 
woman,  yonder,"  he  says,  "with  her  gown  pinned 
up  behind,  and  her  bare  arms,  as  brown  as  ma- 
hogany, will  get  through  twice  as  much  work  in 
a  day  as  some  of  our  people.  We  give  her  two 
shillings  a  day  ;  most  of  them  get  only  a  shilling 
or  eighteen  pence.     How  are  you,  Molly  ?" 

"Very  well,  sir,  thank  you,"  (without  pausing 
in  her  work.) 

"Here's  the  shilling  I  promised  you  three  wo- 
men." Molly  protests  she  "never  thought  he 
meant  it ;"  but  constitutes  herself,  at  once,  a 
trustee  for  the  other  two ;  and  deposits  the  shil- 
ling in  a  large,  heart-shaped  pocket,  hanging  at 
her  side. 

"How  old  are  you,  Molly  ?" 

"Thirty,  sir." 

"Married  ?" 

"No,  sir.  Nobody  won't  have  me."  Molly's 
face  would  certainly  not  be  deemed  equivalent  to 
a  fortune  in  the  matrimonial  market. 

"She's  a  good  deal  better  off  single,  sir,"  says 
an  old  woman.     "I  know  that  to  my  cost." 

Molly  won't  look  us  in  the  face,  but  she  keeps 
to  her  point,  and  honestly  confesses  her  matri- 
monial inclinations. 

"Ah!"  says  another— a  young  woman  looking 


364 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Aug. 


very  flushed  and  heated  with  her  work.  "I  never 
used  to  work  half  so  hard  as  I  have  since  I  got  a 
master.  Molly  oughtn't  to  say  a  word ;  she's  bet- 
ter off'  than  any  of  us." 

But  Molly  is  very  stubborn  ;  shakes  her  head, 
and  goes  on  with  her  work  ;  evidently  convinced 
that  the  married  women  have  entered  into  a  com- 
pact to  dissuade  the  single  women  from  matri- 
mony. 

I  learn  that  about  fifty  of  these  women,  with 
about  twenty  men,  do  the  whole  work  upon  a 
hundred  acres  of  land  in  the  busiest  season.  In 
the  winter  time,  half  that  number  only  are  em- 
ployed. Women  are  strong  enough  for  almost 
any  kind  of  labor  required,  except  trenching  and 
the  like.  A  number  of  supernumeraries  (all  wo- 
men) are  employed  in  the  strawberry  season,  who 
earn  five  shillings  a  day  by  carrying  the  fruit  to 
market  on  their  heads.  No  other  kind  of  carriage 
answers.  Some  of  the  best  hands  are  retained  all 
the  year  round.  In  seasons  when  there  is  not 
much  doing  in  the  ground,  they  are  employed  in 
mending  garden  tools,  painting  and  repairing 
hand-lights — three  thousand  in  number — besides 
frames  and  other  "plant." 

My  conductor  regrets  that  he  has  little  more 
to  tell  me  ;  but  I  assure  him  that  I  have  heard 
and  seen  enough  to  convince  me  of  the  extraor- 
dinary skill  and  pains  with  which  market  gardens 
are  cultivated. 

"Why,  sir ;  we  do  all  naturally  try  every  means 
for  producing  a  good  thing.  Look  at  that  field  of 
cauliflowers,  for  instance." 

"Cauliflowers !  I  don't  see  a  sign  of  blossom 
on  any  of  them." 

"No  !  If  they  were  allowed  to  be  exposed  to 
the  sun,  they  would  turn  yellow  in  a  few  days. 
Every  morning  the  outer  leaves  of  the  plant  are 
folded,  one  by  one,  over  the  flower.  Each  one,  I 
may  say,  is  regularly  nursed  and  brought  up  by 
hand.  My  man,  I'll  warrant,  knows  every  plant 
individually  by  the  shape  of  the  head  and  the  va- 
ried paleness  of  countenance.  Open  the  leaves, 
and  look  into  them.  You  will  find  the  flower  as 
white  as  snow.  We  never  allow  even  a  drop  of 
■wet  to  fall  on  it.  If  it  were  to  begin  to  rain  sud- 
denly, you  would  see  our  people  leave  whatever 
work  they  might  be  upon,  and  rush  away  to  cov- 
er them  immediately  with  those  bell-shaped  glass- 
es, which  dazzle  our  eyes  so  with  the  sun.  All 
the  ground  about  them  has  been  covered  with 
straw,  or  mulched,  as  we  call  it.  We  use  straw 
for  everything  now.  Notice  that  acre  of  cucum- 
ber frames  yonder  ;  though  the  plants  grow  upon 
deep  hot-beds,  and  are  all  under  glass,  we  keep 
every  frame  embedded  and  covered  with  straw. 
The  beautiful  white  sea  kale  you  find  in  the  mar- 
ket is  blanched  by  simply  covering  it  with  straw. 
That  pinky  rhubarb,  which  you  see  in  winter  and 
early  spring,  is  forced  by  the  same  means.  Straw 
is  the  market-gardener's  sun-blind." 

Having  now  made  the  circuit  of  the  gi-ounds, 
we  pry  into  seed-sheds  and  sheds  full  of  paint 
pots,  and  plumbers'  tools,  and  broken  frame- 
lights,  and  into  out-houses  full  of  garden  imple- 
ments, and  huge  man-traps — some  with  shark- 
like double  rows  of  teeth ;  others,  of  the  sort 
called  the  humane  man-trap,  because  they  snap 
the  bone  of  a  man's  leg  smoothly  and  do  not 
make  a  compound  fracture  like  the  old-fashioned 
ones.     These,  I  understand,  are  only  to  be  set 


when  that  fearless  aeronaut  who  lately  trailed  his 
grapling-iron  through  my  friend's  cucumber 
frames,  and  attended  by  a  numerous  train  of  fol- 
lowers, accomplished  an  easy  descent  in  his  flow- 
er-garden, shall  announce  another  ascent  in  the 
Royal  Mammoth  Balloon.  Which  fact  we  reserve 
to  the  last,  in  the  hope  that  it  may  meet  the  eye 
of  that  renowned  and  intrepid  individual,  and  in- 
duce him  to  shape  his  course  accordingly. 

The  way  home  is  through  the  cart-yard ;  where 
rows  of  wagons  stacked  and  ready  for  to-mor- 
row's market  remind  me  that  I  have  another 
chapter  to  write  in  vegetable  history.  Therefore, 
if  there  be  any  sluggards,  who,  when  awakened 
too  soon,  are  heard  to  complain,  and  in  whose 
gardens  the  thorn  and  thistle  grow  higher  and 
higher,  let  them  be  warned  in  time  that  we  in- 
tend to  arouse  them  at  daybreak  one  fine  morn- 
ing, with  a  summons  to  accompany  us  to  Covent 
Garden  Market. — Eousehold  Words. 


LITTLE  THINGS. 

Scorn  not  the  slightest  word  or  deed. 

Nor  deem  it  void  of  power  ; 
There's  fruit  in  each  wind-wafted  seed, 

Waiting  its  natal  hour. 

A  whispered  word  may  touch  the  heart, 

And  call  it  back  to  life  ; 
A  look  of  love  bid  sin  depart. 

And  still  unholy  strife. 

No  acts  fall  fruitless — none  can  tell 
How  vast  its  power  may  be, 

Nor  what  results  unfolded  dwell 
Within  it  silently. 

Work  and  despair  not ;  give  thy  mite, 

However  small  it  be  ; 
God  13  with  all  who  serve  the  right — 

The  holy,  true  and  free. 


/-or  t/ie  New  Kngland  farmer. 
ABOUT  BUGS. 

Mr.  Editor  :— "B.  H.  Crane"  will  find  that 
his  method  of  preventing  bugs  from  destroying 
vines  will  prove  a  hnui-bug,  for  the  good  reason 
that  the  material  he  uses  is  good  for  the  vine, 
but  will  not  prevent  the  visits  of  the  striped  or 
black  bug.  Being  a  practical  gardener,  I  have 
used  barrels  of  the  liquid  from  hen  manure,  from 
the  tannery  in  which  great  quantities  were  used 
in  the  process  of  tanning,  but  in  vain.  Notwith- 
standing the  application  was  beneficial  to  the 
plant,  it  did  not  prevent  the  destructive  proper- 
ties of  the  bugs. 

Having  been  engaged  in  tanning  for  nearly 
fifty  years,  and  after  trying  all  other  methods  to 
preserve  my  vines,  I  have  found  the  only  reme- 
dy in  making  boxes  fiom  one  foot  to  one  foot 
and  a  half  square,  and  from  eight  to  ten  inches 
deep,  covered  with  what  is  called  musquito  cloth, 
and  by  this  means  good  success  has  attended  my 
eff'orts.  I  have  now  about  70  boxes,  under  which 
the  vines  look  flourishing,  and  those  not  thus 
covered  are  nearly  destroyed.  With  the  utmost 
respect  for  Mr.  Crane,  I  sign  my  name  as  a  con- 
stant reader,  as  well  as  an  admirer  of  the  N.  E, 
Farmer,  S.  L.  Billings. 

Rockingliam,  Vt.,  June  21st,  1858. 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


365 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
INFLUENCE  OP  SEX. 

Mr.  Editor  : — The  prevailing  opinion  has 
heretofore  been,  among  those  engaged  in  the 
rearing  of  milk  cows,  that  the  character  of  the 
male  is  more  deeply  impressed  upon  his  progeny 
than  is  that  of  the  female.  Indeed,  farmers  have 
been  repeatedly  and  incessantly  urged  to  regard 
the  bull  as  of  the  chief  importance  in  the  making 
up  of  a  good  dairy.  Men  of  extensive  informa- 
tion and  large  experience,  have  spoken,  written, 
and  reported,  citing  facts,  and  confidently  assert- 
ing the  correctness  of  the  principle.  The  reports 
of  the  committees  of  our  State  and  county  socie- 
ties nearly  all  make  particular  reference  to  the 
supposed  fact.  Men  of  limited  experience,  with- 
out the  facilities  for  testing  the  matter,  and  wil- 
ling to  profit  by  the  wisdom  of  others,  have  taken 
the  thing  upon  trust,  and  have  adopted  a  course 
in  accordance  with  the  instruction  given.  But 
the  end  is  not  yet  ;  in  his  last  Report,  Mr.  Secre- 
tary Flint  proclaims  a  new  gospel,  which  is  rath- 
er a  disturbing  element  to  the  settled  conviction 
of  many,  and  will  be  likely  to  mar  their  faith  in 
the  infallibility  of  agricultural  prophets  and 
preachers. 

Mr.  Flint  says,  page  28  of  his  Report,  "The  ex- 
perience of  the  best  breeders  in  all  countries  has 
pretty  well  established  the  truth  of  the  principle, 
which  experiment  will  only  still  further  confirm, 
that  in  the  breeding  of  animals,  it  is  the  male 
which  gives  the  external  form,  or  the  bony  and 
muscular  system  to  the  young,  while  the  female 
imparts  the  respiratory  organs,  the  circulation  of 
the  blood,  the  mucus  membranes,  the  organs  of 
secretion,  S-'c,  and  if  this  principle,  now  general- 
ly conceded  by  practical  breeders,  is  true,  it  fol- 
lows that  the  milking  qualities  come  chiefly  from 
the  mother,  and  that  the  bull  could  in  no  respect 
alter  the  conditions  which  determine  the  transmis- 
sion of  these  qualifies." 

It  may  be  that  there  is  something  a  little  be- 
-yond  my  depth  in  this,  but  as  it  gets  through  my 
wool,  it  entirely  explodes  the  principles  enunciat- 
ed by  an  eminent  breeder  of  stock,  that  "the  male 
has  far  more  influence  than  the  female  in  fixing 
the  characteristics  of  the  progeny."  According 
to  the  latest  intelligence  we  have,  it  would  seem 
that  a  good  frame  and  form  are  the  only  requi- 
sites in  a  bull  from  which  to  raise  dairy  stock, 
and  that  the  rest  depends  upon  the  cow.  As  this 
is  a  subject  to  which  too  much  importance  can- 
not be  attached,  it  is  to  be  hoped  that  a  thorough 
investigation  will  be  had,  and  the  true  principles 
which  govern  the  matter  determined  and  present- 
ed to  the  public  in  a  character  that  can  be  relied 
upon.  J.  K. 

COOL  WATER. 
At  this  season  of  the  year  a  cool  draught  of 
water  is  a  luxury  which  we  may  enjoy  with  a 
little  care.  By  the  following  method,  simple  and 
inexpensive,  water  may  be  kept  almost  as  cold 
as  ice.  Let  the  jar,  pitcher  or  vessel  used  for 
water,  be  surrounded  with  one  or  more  folds  of 
coarse  cotton,  to  be  constantly  wet ;  the  evapo- 
ration of  the  water  will  carry  off"  the  heat  from 
the  inside,  and  reduce  it  to  a  low  temperature. 
In  India  and  other  tropical  countries,  where  ice 
cannot  be  procured,  this  expedient  is  common. 


Let  every  mechanic  and  laborer  have  at  the  place 
of  his  work  two  pitchers  thus  provided,  and  with 
lids  or  covers,  one  to  contain  fresh  water  for 
evaporation,  and  he  can  always  have  a  supply  of 
cold  water  in  warm  weather.  Any  person  may 
test  this  by  dipping  a  finger  in  water,  and  hold- 
ing it  in  the  air  on  a  warm  day ;  after  doing  this 
three  or  four  times,  he  will  find  his  finger  uncom- 
fortably cool.  This  plan  will  save  (lie  bill  for 
ice,  besides  being  more  healthful.  The  free  use 
of  ice  water  often  produces  derangement  of  the 
internal  organs,  which,  we  conceive,  is  due  to  a 
property  of  the  water  independent  of  its  coldness. 
— Maine  Farmer. 


EXTRACTS  AND  REPLIES. 
SOIL  FOR   STRAWBERRIES — COUGH  IN   HORSES. 

Please  inform  me  of  the  best  kind  of  soil  for 
strawberries,  and  the  manner  in  which  the  soil 
should  be  prepared  for  them. 

Also,  what  is  the  best  thing  to  be  done  for  a 
young  horse,  seven  years  old,  which  has  consid- 
erable cold  and  cough. 

June  16,  1858.  A  Constant  Reader. 

Remarks. — New  soil,  that  is  rather  moist,  but 
well  pulverized,  is  undoubtedly  the  best  for  straw- 
berries ;  but  they  will  succeed  quite  well  on  a 
heavy  clay  soil,  or  even  on  gravelly  soils,  with 
care.  A  sandy,  moist  loam,  we  should  select. 
The  strawberry  requires  great  quantities  of  wa- 
ter, in  order  to  flourish  in  perfection. 

Moist  feed  and  careful  attention  to  the  horse 
will  often  be  sufficient  to  remove  a  cough  that  is 
not  cmonic.  If  it  is  of  long  standing,  consult  Dr. 
Dadd,  of  Boston.  

AN   OLD   USE  of  GRASS — MOWERS. 

As  I  passed  the  luxuriant  field  of  grass,  to- 
day, I  was  reminded  of  the  use  made  of  new- 
mown  hay  by  our  fathers  when  they  constructed 
their  defence  against  the  British  arm  eighty-three 
years  ago  at  the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill.  I  have  often 
thought  it  strange  that  they  could  readily  find  at 
that  time  grass  sufficient  to  be  of  any  use  for 
that  service.  But  if  the  fields  were  clothed  then 
as  they  are  now,  there  would  have  been  no  diflft- 
culty  at  all  in  constructing  a  battery  quite  as  ef- 
fective as  that  of  cotton,  which  under  the  skilful 
direction  of  the  brave  Gen.  Jackson,  saved  New 
Orleans.  The  prospect  now  is  that  the  mower 
will  soon  be  in  demand.  Farmers  should  be  on 
the  look-out  for  those  of  best  construction,  for  in 
so  doing,  one-half  of  this  most  arduous  labor  can 
be  saved,  as  compared  with  the  use  of  the  scythe. 

June  17, 1858.  Essex. 

AGRICULTURAL  LIBRARY. 
An  agricultural  library  association  has  just 
been  formed  in  our  town,  which  starts  with  sixty 
members.  At  the  first  meeting  of  the  associa- 
tion, on  Wednesday  of  last  week,  there  was  quite 
a  numerous  attendance,  and  a  farmer's  club  was 
fornied,  which  will  include  among  its  members 
all  our  best  farmers.  We  intend  to  have  meet- 
ings for  discussions,  Sec,  once  a  month,  and  we 
think  much  good  will  result  therefrom.  Our 
farmers  are  certainly  as  good  as  any  in  the  State, 


366 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Aug. 


and  are  probably  the  best  market  gardeners  in 
the  vicinity  of  Boston.  StraAvberries  are  raised 
by  them  hirgely,  and  the  subject  for  discussion 
at  our  next  meeting  is,  ^' Strawherry  Culture." 
Knowing  that  you  take  a  deep  interest  in  all 
that  tends  to  promote  the  welfare  of  the  farmer, 
we  thought  in  well  to  let  you  know  what  we  are 
doing.  W.  J.  Underwood, 

Secreiary  of  Belmont  Agricultural  Library  Association. 

Belmont,  June  3,  1858. 

Remarks. — Send  us,  occasionally,  Mr.  Secre- 
tary, brief  reports  of  some  of  your  discussions. 

A   NEW   DEVASTATOR. 

A  new  and  alarmingly  destructive  worm  be- 
gan devouring  forest  leaves  of  oak  and  maple 
trees  in  August  last,  here  and  elsewhere,  as  I 
have  heard,  in  Berkshire  county,  Mass.,  and 
worked  steadily  till  frost  killed  the  foliage.  They 
have  begun  here  already,  again. 

I  send  you  in  the  accompanying  box,  a  speci- 
men of  a  butterfly  which  has  been  numerous  here 
since  June  began ;  a  constant,  nimble  flyer,  nev- 
er seeming  to  stop  to  rest  but  for  a  moment  upon 
some  flower  for  which  it  seems  to  care  but  little  ; 
and  then  he  is  off  in  multifarious  evolutions 
among  and  around  the  branches  of  trees.  I  have 
taken  notice  that  in  our  adjoining  oak  forest  the 
insect  abounds,  sailing  and  fluttering  high  like  a 
bird.  The  body  has  a  general  resemblance  to 
that  of  the  full-grown  worm  of  last  year. 

Under  the  butterfly  lie,  (as  I  suppose)  the  eggs 
and  young  worms  hatching,  on  an  eaten,  shriv- 
elled oak  leaf — the  oftspring  of  the  fly.  Please 
handle  and  inspect  with  care.  The  leaf  with  the 
eggs  glued  to  the  underside  of  the  leaf,  r  found 
with  a  branch  I  cut  ofl'  and  hung  in  my  chamber 
some  days  since.  To-day  I  see  the  worms  are 
apparent  and  dislodged  from  their  cells.  How 
they  may  be  when  they  reach  you,  I  cannot  fore- 
see.* The  dry  state  of  the  leaf  may  already  have 
arrested  life,  and  no  further  development  take 
place.  In  another  leaf,  webbed  together,  is  an- 
other worm  showing  further  advance,  and  giving 
proof  in  color  and  stripes,  so  far  as  I  can  judge 
by  the  naked  eye,  of  being  the  same  species  of 
insect  Avhich  made  so  general  and  rapid  devasta- 
tion of  our  forest  foliage  last  year. 

If  this  insect  is  multiplied  in  projjortion  to  the 
butterflies,  the  trees  attacked  must  be  made  quite 
bare  by  early  autumn,  if  Divine  Providence  does 
not  interpose  to  pi'event.  I  ask  information,  if  en- 
tomologists or  observers  of  facts  can  give  it,  as 
to  the  history  of  this  insect.  Till  the  summer  of 
1856,  no  insect  of  this  sort  had  been  known  or 
heard  of  in  this  vicinity. 

A  further  query :  have  not  the  martin  birds, 
king-birds  and  swallows  greatly  diminished  in 
numbers,  and  consequently  insects  in  proportion- 
al variety  and  number  augmented  ?  I  am  sure 
that  the  race  of  martins,  king-birds,  great  fly- 
catchers, are  rare  among  us. 

Yours  truly,        Jonathan  Lee. 

*  Further  inspection  shows  the  eggs  are  unhatched  and  that 
distinct,  small  insects,  which  I  cannot  define,  I  mistook  for  the 
worms.    The  other  leaf  is  a  valuable  specimen  of  iha  leaf-eater. 

Remarks.  —  We  have  examined  the  eggs, 
worm  and  butterfly  you  sent,  with  interest  and 
care.     The   worm  is  still  living,  while  we  write 


this,  but  the  leaf  upon  which  he  was  placed  hav- 
ing become  dry  and  hard,  he  probably  resorted 
to  the  beautiful  butterfly's  wing  for  a  little  meat 
diet,  he  did  not  consume  it,  however,  merely  cut- 
ting it  off  very  smoothly  and  leaving  it.  But 
what  is  it  ?  The  butterfly  is  gorgeous,  with  his 
brilliant  tints  of  gamboge,  yellow  and  drab, 
crossed  by  lines  of  black.  The  green  worm  looks 
somewhat  more  familiar,  although  we  do  not  re- 
cognize him  as  peculiar  to  any  particular  fami- 
ly of  plants.  Please  accept  our  thanks  for  this 
favor.  The  curious  may  inspecct  these  new 
"tormentors"  by  calling  at  our  "oom. 

There  seems  to  be  no  diminution  in  the  num- 
ber of  bii'ds  where  we  have  visited  in  New  Eng- 
land. Martins  and  swallows  of  several  kinds  are 
about  our  buildings  in  numbers,  and  the  robin, 
Baltimore  oriole,  cherry  birds  and  others,  are 
sufficiently  numerous  to  take  about  all  the  fruit 
we  can  produce  in  spite  of  us. 

DISEASED   cows. 

I  have  a  four  years'  old  cow  who  gave  a  little 
bloody  milk  when  she  calved  last  year,  but  was 
good  the  rest  of  the  season ;  she  ^ras  fed  on  hay 
and  grass  only.  When  she  calved  this  year  she 
lost  three  of  her  teats,  or  nearly  so.  The  milk 
was  not  bloody  or  stringy,  nor  the  bag  caked,  but 
seemed  to  perish  away.  Is  there  a  cure,  and 
how? 

I  have  another  cow,  same  age,  who  has  given 
milk  two  years  past ;  last  fall  she  appeared  to 
have  a  knot  in  her  bag,  but  by  applying  a  wire  I 
pushed  it  back  a  few^  times  and  it  went  away,  and 
this  spring  when  she  calved  two  of  her  teats 
were  grown  up  entirely  about  six  inches  up  th"e 
bag.  I  made  a  hole  through  them  and  one  gives 
a  little  milk,  but  it  comes  down  very  slowly.  Is 
there  any  cure  for  such  a  difliculty  ? 

East  Poultney,  Vt.,  1858.  W.  Dayton. 

Remarks. — We  probably  cannot  do  much  to 
help  our  correspondent  out  of  his  difficulty. 
CoM's  are  quite  subject  to  inflammation  of  the 
udder  soon  after  calving.  The  causes  of  this 
disease  are  various ;  exposure  to  cold,  allowing 
the  cows  to  get  into  too  high  condition ;  feed- 
ing with  grain  just  before  calving ;  a  careless 
habit  of  not  milking  the  cow  clean,  leaving  a  por- 
tion in  the  bag  to  become  a  source  of  irritation 
and  inflammation  in  the  part.  We  know  of 
nothing  better  than  to  keep  the  bag  perfectly 
clean  with  soft  warm  water,  and  the  application 
of  some  sweet,  pure  oil,  and  to  administer  three 
times  a  day  four  drops  of  aconite,  on  meal  wet 
with  water. 

It  is  not  often  that  we  hear  of  two  or  three 
cows  in  a  single  small  herd  affected  so  seriously 
as  these  appear  to  be,  and  the  natural  suggestion 
is  that  there  must  be  some  local  cause  for  it, 
such,  for  instance,  as  lying  upon  a  damp  floor, 
where  openings  in  the  planks  allow  a  cold  draft 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


367 


of  air  to  pass  when  the  cows  are  lying  down,  by 
which  they  take  cold,  or  by  some  s-iniilar  expos- 
ure.   

CATTLE   FOR  THE   DAIRY. 

What  breed  of  cattle  is  the  best  for  dairy  pur- 
poses ?  Are  the  Jersey  or  Alderney  cattle  what 
they  are  recommended?  Would  they  make  a 
good  cross  with  other  breeds,  such  as  Durhams, 
Natives,  &c.  ?  s.  G.  H. 

Walpole,  N.  H.,  June,  1858. 

Remarks. — No  five  men  in  New  England 
would  probably  answer  your  question  alike.  The 
best  cows  for  the  dairy  we  have  ever  seen  were  a 
mixture  of  Short  Horn  Durhams  with  our  native 
stock,  as  it  is  called.  But  it  is  said  by  many  that 
where  the  A3'rshire  blood  prevails  the  cows  are 
better.  The  Jerseys  give  very  rich  milk,  and  are 
capital  cows  in  some  positions, — but  we  should 
scarcely  dare  recommend  them  for  our  common 
dairy  purposes  just  yet. 

GALLS    ox   HORSES. 

In  perusing  your  Farmer,  I  noticed  an  inquiry, 
''WTiat  is  the  best  remedy  for  sores  on  horses  ?" 
I  feel  prepared  to  give  you  a  recipe  for  a  safe  and 
sure  cure : 

Take  one  quart  of  soft  water,  one  table  spoon- 
ful of  gunpowder,  one  ounce  of  white  vitriol, 
and  half  an  ounce  of  copperas.  Shake  them  well 
together,  and  it  will  soon  be  fit  for  use.  Apply 
to  fresh  or  old  sores. 

I  would  inquire  if  it  is  beneficial  to  give  cows 
their  milk  after  the  cream  is  taken  off. 

Felchville,  Vt.  T. 

Remarks, — Skimmed  milk  is  excellent  for 
cows.  

WOOD   ASHES. 

I  wish  to  inquire  the  best  use  to  be  made  of 
wood  ashes.  M.  v. 

New  Hampsldre. 

Remarks. — Scatter  them  on  your  grass  land, 
apply  to  corn  crops,  cabbages — they  do  not  come 
amiss  on  any  crop — save  them  all. 


"No  Man  Liveth  unto  Himself." — God  has 
written  on  the  flowers  that  sweeten  the  air — up- 
on the  breeze  that  rocks  the  flowers  upon  the 
stem — upon  the  rain-drops  that  refresh  the  sprig 
of  moss  that  lifts  its  head  in  the  desert — upon  its 
deep  chambers — upon  every  penciled  sheet  that 
sleeps  in  the  caverns  of  the  deep  no  less  than 
upon  the  mighty  sun  that  warms  and  cheers  mil- 
lions of  creatures  which  live  in  its  light — upon 
all  His  works  He  has  written,  "None  liveth  for 
himself." 

SooT  TO  Destroy  Vermin.— I  have  been  in- 
formed by  a  gentleman  from  England  that  they 
pay  $45  per  load  for  chimney  soot,  to  spread  on 
their  land  for  the  purpose  of  killing  vermin. 
Soot  is  a  capital  fertilizer,  and  is  frequently  used 
to  kill  insects.  It  is  certainly  advisable  to  save 
it  all  and  apply  it  in  some  way  to  the  crops. 


THE  "WONDERS  OF  INANIMATE 
NATUBE. 

"There  are  objects  always  before  the  rural  cul- 
tivator, the  result  of  Creative  Wisdom,  constant- 
ly tending  to  excite  his  wonder  and  admiration. 
A  single  tree  is  as  a  continued  miracle  before 
him.  The  germination  of  the  embryo  is  a  beau- 
tiful and  mysterious  process — the  circulation  of 
the  sap,  through  innumerable  tubes,  each  smaller 
than  the  finest  hair,  yet  showing  a  perfection  of 
finish  under  a  powerful  achromatic  microscope, 
far  excelling  the  most  elaborately  made  parts  of 
the  finest  watch — and  these  tubes  in  such  amaz- 
ing numbers,  that  I  have  counted  and  estimated 
in  a  single  apple  tree  limb,  one  inch  only  in  di- 
ameter, no  less  than  one  million.  The  leaves  on 
a  fully  grown  pear  tree  are  half  a  million  in  num- 
ber :  yet  every  one  of  these  leaves  is  divided  up 
into  minutely  branching  veins,  and  every  branch 
is  furnished  with  great  numbers  of  these  sap 
tubes  or  vessels — every  part  of  the  leaf  is  made 
up  of  millions  of  microscopic  cells,  more  perfect 
than  the  cells  of  the  honey  bee, — and  the  minute 
pores  on  the  surface  of  the  leaves,  through  which 
the  ascending  sap  evaporates,  while  changing  its 
nature  to  descend  again  to  form  new  wood,  are 
so  small  that  30,000  are  found  on  a  single  square 
inch  of  surface — while  the  beautiful  process  con- 
stantly going  on  for  months  together,  in  the  cir- 
culation of  food  for  the  growing  leaves  and  form- 
ing fruit,  through  these  myriads  of  pores,  is  im- 
measurably more  complex,  more  complete,  and 
more  really  wonderful,  than  the  working  of  the 
most  perfect  steam  engine  ever  made  by  man. 

"We  see  in  the  water  only,  M'hich  supplies  the 
wants  of  the  growing  tree,  several  most  remarka- 
ble properties,  without  which  every  living  organ- 
ization in  the  vegetable  world  must  perish — and 
those  gone,  what  would  become  of  the  human 
race  ?  Were  it  not  for  the  capillary  attraction 
between  the  particles  of  soil  and  those  of  water, 
the  earth  would  not  retain  moisture  a  moment — 
it  would  instantly  pass  downward  through  the 
soil ;  and  blooming  gardens  and  refreshing  land- 
scapes would  soon  become  a  frightful  desert. 
Were  it  not  for  the  latent  heat  contained  in  wa- 
ter, the  whole  upper  portion  of  the  soil  would 
freeze  instantly  as  soon  as  the  thermometer  sunk 
below  the  freezing  point ;  and  no  matter  how 
deep  the  snow  might  be  upon  the  surface  of  the 
earth,  the  very  moment  the  temperature  of  the 
air  rose  above  freezing,  the  whole  would  instant- 
ly dissolve  into  water  and  cause  the  most  des- 
tructive floods.  The  latent  heat  of  vapors  pre- 
vents the  instant  expansion  of  all  the  water 
which  moistens  the  ground,  on  the  first  warm 
day.  And  these  and  many  other  most  accurate 
contrivances,  show  beyond  contradiction,  that  all 
that  supports  us  and  maintains  our  existence, 
and  that  sustains  us  during  every  breath  we 
draw,  Is  the  design  of  a  Superior  Power  on  whom 
we  constantly  depend.  But  the  thinking  mind 
does  not  stop  at  the  boundaries  of  his  own  gar- 
den. 

"What  a  theme  for  contemplation  Is  the  view 
of  a  broad  meadow,  consisting  as  it  does  of  count- 
less millions  ot  blades,  and  every  one  of  these 
made  up  of  myriads  of  beautiful  vessels  and 
tubes,  all  having  the  most  perfect  finish.  Every 
tree  of  the  thousands  which  compose  the  broad 
landscape  is  so  wonderfully  constructed,  that  an 


368 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Aug. 


ingenious  man  could  not  manufacture  a  single 
leaf  or  shoot,  in  all  its  parts,  in  a  whole  life-time. 
But  what  is  a  broad  landscape  of  a  few  miles  in 
extent,  to  the  wonders  of  the  earth's  surface  at 
large,  with  its  far-stretching  and  gloomy  forests, 
its  ranges  of  sublime  and  mighty  mountains,  its 
long-sweeping  rivers,  and  the  eternal  turbulance 
of  its  rolling  oceans !  Yet  every  portion  is  filled 
with  microscopic  wonders,  and  the  most  beauti- 
ful proof  of  Omniscient  design — and  shall  any 
one  say  or  think,  that  with  this  proof  of  the  in- 
finite number  of  creative  conceptions,  afforded  by 
the  myriads  of  organized  and  animated  objects 
upon  the  surface — the  ever-varying  beauties  of 
the  clouds  and  skies — the  rain-bows  and  dew- 
ch'ops — the  placid  lakes  and  rolling  seas — the 
delicate  flowers  and  blackening  forests — the 
gloomy  tempests  and  the  crimson  sunsets — that 
he  would  forego  the  contemplation  of  all  these, 
merely  for  the  sake  of  scooping  together  dollars 
and  cents,  and  spend  the  vigor  of  life  within  the 
confines  of  the  dark,  brick  walls  of  the  city,  por- 
ing over  columns  of  figures  ;  or  in  the  midst  of 
rural  cultivation,  shut  his  eyes  closely  to  every- 
thing else  but  the  process  of  converting  one  dol- 
lar into  two." 

The  above  is  from  the  Address  of  Mr.  J.  J. 
Thomas,  before  the  Western  New  York  Fruit 
Growers'  Association. 


as  to  suppose  that  one  woman  in  ten  will  conde- 
scend to  say,  "I  thank  you,  sir, — you  are  very 
kind,"  because  if  you  do  so  suppose  you  will  be 
mistaken.  They  will  plump  themselves  into  your 
seat  with  an  air  of  "It  belongs  to  me,  sir,"  and 
you  may  find  another  seat  if  you  can,  or  stand  at 
the  window  of  the  door,  and  count  the  cinders 
that  are  whirling  on  the  breath  of  that  monster 
tearing  along  before  you. 

"A  want  of  decency,  is  a  want  of  sense." 


CAB  TBAVBLLINQ. 

All  persons  travelling  in  the  cars,  where  there 
is  no  escape  from  a  pretty  close  personal  contact, 
are  bound  by  a  sense  of  common  decency  to  keep 
their  person  and  their  clothing  sweet  and  clean. 
They  have  no  right  to  make  the  way  disagreeable 
or  unpleasant  in  any  respect — either  by  opening 
a  window  and  allowing  a  cold  stream  of  air  and 
a  shower  of  cinders  to  come  plump  into  their 
neighbor's  face,  or  by  contaminating  his  atmo- 
sphere by  the  use  of  narcotic  or  other  weeds, 
such  as  smart  weed;  tobacco,  camomile,  cubibs, 
catstail,  hellebore,  or  assafoetida  !  What  may  be 
a  breath  of  fragrance  to  one,  like  the  logs  among 
the  frogs,  may  be  a  stench  to  the  nostrils,  or 
death  to  another.  There  is  no  accounting  for 
tastes, — and  each  one  has  a  right  to  his  own, 
provided  he  does  nothing  to  molest  another.  The 
contents  of  various  gallipots  of  sticky  cream, 
yclept  pomatum,  or  rancid  bear's  grease,  which 
was  once  innocent  cow's,  or  mutton  tallow,  should 
never  be  poured  upon  the  skulls  of  persons  about 
to  travel  in  the  cars. 

Above  all,  never  be  so  ungentlemanly  and  in- 
decent as  to  spit  on  the  floor  of  the  car,  either 
between  the  seats  or  in  the  aisle,  upon  which  wo- 
men and  children  may  slip  and  break  their  limbs, 
or  which  they  may  carry  away  upon  their  flowing 
robes.  Be  decent  in  every  thing — in  behavior, 
in  appearance,  in  language.  Give  up  your  seat 
to  the  women  when  they  enter  a  crowded  car,  no 
matter  how  many  miles  you  may  have  just  rode 
or  walked  in  the  hot  sun,  and  do  not  be  so  weak 


PLANTING  A  "WALNUT  GROVJE. 

As  near  as  I  can  recollect,  about  twelve  years 
ago  I  planted  a  row  of  these  nuts  south  of  my 
house,  in  the  edge  of  the  plowed  land.  I  planted 
in  the  fall  soon  after  the  nuts  fell,  four  feet  apart, 
with  a  hoe,  about  two  inches  deep,  as  we  used  to 
plant  corn  down  east.  The  next  spring  they  came 
up  with  the  other  plants.  I  kept  the  stock  from 
them  for  four  or  five  years.  The  most  of  them 
grew  rapidly  ;  but  they  were  too  thick,  and  some 
are  now  dwarf  trees,  four  to  six  feet  high,  while 
those  that  got  the  start  went  right  up,  and  in  six 
or  seven  years  from  the  planting  they  bore  wal- 
nuts, and  they  continued  to  bear  and  grow  so 
that  this  fall  I  had  several  bushels  of  nuts,  and 
have  planted  a  piece  of  two  acres  west  of  my 
house  with  them.  These  I  put  ten  to  twelve  feet 
apart.  I  think  it  would  be  better  to  plow  as  deep 
as  you  can  before  planting.  I  think  it  will  make 
little  diff'erence  whether  you  plant  this  winter 
or  as  the  ground  opens  in  the  spring.  Keep  the 
weeds  down  and  the  stock  from  them,  and  there 
is  no  danger  but  you  will  have  a  grove  far  more 
beautiful  than  the  locust ;  besides,  the  advantage 
of  timber  and  nuts. — Cor.  of  Prairie  Fanner. 

Another  correspondent  of  the  same  paper  says 
he  planted  five  acres  to  walnuts  in  1843,  and  that 
a  large  portion  of  the  trees  that  are  now  standing, 
are  from  20  to  35  feet  in  height,  and  8  to  10 
inches  in  diameter. — Country  Gentleman. 


Not  Making  Money. — "I  am  farming  some, 
pretty  satisfactorily  to  me,  though  I  am  not  mak- 
ing much  money,  but  I  am  making  my  farm  bet- 
ter." Friend  M.  said  this  to  us  a  few  days  ago 
in  answer  to  our  inquiries  after  his  progress. 
That  was  a  very  significant  answer.  Is  he  not 
making  money  then  ?  Is  he  not  investing  it  at 
the  same  time  where  it  will  yield  him  the  great- 
est dividends  ?  Farmers  need  not  go  away  from 
home  to  invest  their  surplus  profitably.  They 
need  not  contribute  to  the  wealth  of  defaulting 
treasurers  of  land  companies,  or  to  the  ill-gotten 
gains  of  speculators  in  paper  town  lots. 


The  Properties  of  a  Good  Horse. — A  good 
horse  should  have  fifteen  good  properties  and 
conditions,  viz  : — Three  of  a  man,  three  of  a  wo- 
man, three  of  a  fox,  three  of  a  hare,  and  three  of 
an  ass.  Of  a  man,  bold,  proud  and  hardy  ;  of  a 
woman,  fair-breasted,  quick  hearing,  and  easy  to 
move  ;  of  a  fox,  a  fair  tail,  short  ears,  and  a  good 
trot ;  of  a  hare>  a  clear  eye,  a  dry  head,  and  a 
well-formed  body ;  of  an  ass,  a  big  chin,  a  flat 
leg,  and  a  good  hoof. — The  Sports  and  Pastimes 
of  Merry  England. 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


369 


THE  EAGLE  MO^WEB  AND  KEAPEB. 


Most  of  the  progressive  farmers  who  annually 
cut  thirty  tons  of  hay  have  now  come  to  the  con- 
clusion that  it  is  more  economical  to  use  a  ma- 
chine and  the  power  of  horses  to  cut  their  grass, 
than  to  sweat  it  out  of  the  muscles  and  sinews  of 
their  men.  Wherever  the  land  is  suitable  for 
the  use  of  a  machine,  we  have  no  doubt  but  this 
is  a  just  conclusion.  We  propose  now  to  speak 
of  what,  in  our  opinion,  constitutes  a  good  ma- 
chine, and  then  of  the  advantages  to  the  farmer 
in  employing  one. 

1.  A  machine,  to  operate  successfully  and  to 
possess  some  degree  of  permanency,  must  have 
considerable  weight,  in  order  to  withstand  the 
resistance  made  by  the  grass,  but  more  especially 
to  resist  the  power  of  such  a  team  as  is  required 
to  work  it,  whenever  any  obstacle  is  presented  to 
obstruct  its  onward  motion,  such  as  a  stump  or 
fast  stone.  Such  obstructions  will  occasionally 
occur,  in  despite  of  all  the  foresight  and  care  that 
can  be  exercised.  The  experiment  has  been  tried 
to  build  lighter  machines,  but  they  have  not  yet, 
in  any  case,  we  believe,  succeeded  in  performing 
the  work  required  of  them. 

2.  The  machine  that  will  cut  an  acre  of  grass 
in  the  shortest  period  of  time,  unless  it  possess- 
es other  indispensable  points  of  merit,  is  by  no 
means  the  best  machine  on  that  account.  The  de- 
sirable point  is  to  get  a  machine  that  may  be 
kept  long  in  motion  at  a  slow  pace,  without  be- 
ing compelled  to  stop  to  adjust  its  parts,  to  /est 
the  horses,  clear  the  knives,  or  make  any  altera- 
tions whatever. 

3.  A  good  machine  will  be  easy  and  conveni- 


ent to  back,  so  that  in  turning  the  corners,  the 
horses,  by  a  gentle  and  sort  of  natural  pressure 
on  the  breeching,  will  throw  it  back  and  bring  it 
into  line  for  the  next  swath. 

4.  Few  fields  are  so  completely  clear  but  that 
occasionally  some  obstruction  will  meet  the  eye 
of  the  driver,  and  it  is  necessary  for  him  to  stop 
at  once  where  he  is,  and  remove  it.  It  now  be- 
comes important  to  be  able  to  start  again  with- 
out backing, 

5.  A  good  machine  will  enable  the  farmer  to 
move  it  from  place  to  place  on  its  own  wheels, 
without  any  motion  or  danger  to  the  knives,  so 
that  he  can  pass  over  stones  or  dead  furrows 
without  risk  or  inconvenience. 

6.  Such  a  machine  will  h'ave  knives  construct- 
ed of  materials  so  excellent  that  they  will  per- 
form a  large  amount  of  work  without  being 
sharpened.  On  fair  land,  it  is  only  necessary  to 
touch  the  knives  a  little  with  a  scythe-stone  once, 
in  cutting  twenty  to  twenty-five  acres  with  the 
Eagle  machine. 

7.  The  strength  of  the  knives  and  their  ar- 
rangement is  such  that  there  is  scarcely  any  dan- 
ger of  their  being  injured  by  coming  in  contact 
with  stones,  or  by  passing  through  hummocks  of 
soil,  or  even  small  hassocks. 

8.  A  good  machine  will  cut  the  grass  at  any 
time,  whether  it  be  dry,  or  wet  with  dew  or  rain. 
The  foreign,  and  some  American  machines,  have 
failed  in  this  particular  in  England.  Where  the 
grass  was  thick  and  fine  and  moist  in  that  moist 
climate,  many  machines  have  failed  to  cut  it,  and 
have  been  pronounced  failures.  The  Eagle  works 


370 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Aug. 


clear  and  easy  under  such  circumstances  as  these, 
and  cuts  the  grass  just  as  smoothly  as  though  it 
were  red-top  or  herds-grass  with  straight  stems 
standing  two  feet  high. 

The  above  are  the  principal  points  of  excellence, 
indispensable  in  a  good  machine,  and  from  the 
closest  scrutiny  of  the  principles  of  the  one  in 
question,  and  from  a  personal  practical  application 
of  it  to  the  work  of  mowing,  we  are  confident  that 
it  possesses  them  all.  With  a  trifling  amount  of 
mechancal  skill,  one  may  set  it  up  and  drive  it 
with  complete  success.  Such  should  be  the  ma- 
chine ;  now  let  us  consider  for  a  moment  whether 
it  may  be  used  with  comfort  and  profit  by  such 
farmers  as  have  land  in  a  condition  to  receive  it. 


1.  To  spread  grass  as  it  ought  to  be,  where  there 
is  more  than  one  ton  to  the  acre,  it  will  cost  at 
least  25  cts.  per  acre,  and  we  assume  from  this, 
that  on  any  farm  where  twenty  to  thirty  head  of 
cattle  are  kept,  the  cost  of  spreading  alone,  which 
is  done  by  the  machine,  and  done  infinitely  bet- 
ter than  it  can  be  done  by  hand,  in  ten  years 
will  pay  for  the  machine  and  the  interest  upoii  the 
purchase  moneij !  Another  advantage  is  that  the 
grass  is  spread  just  as  fast  as  it  is  cut,  and  being 
cut  within  a  short  space  of  time,  is  all  drying 
alike  and  at  the  same  time. 

2.  With  a  machine,  grass  may  be  cut  so  rapid- 
ly that  the  whole  pi'ocess  of  haying  may  be  car- 
ried on  evenly,  and  no  day  or  half  day  of  brilliant 
sunshine  lost. 

3.  The  mowing  may  also  be  done  by  those  who 
are  not  able,  or  do  not  care  to  perform  the  labor 
of  a  full  hand — by  an  elderly  or  infirm  person,  or 
by  a  smart  boy  who  would  not  be  expected  to  en- 
ter the  field  as  a  mower. 

4.  It  may  be  done  on  moderately  sized  farms 
after  five  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  in  the  cool  of 
the  day,  and  the  grass  be  ready  the  next  morn- 
nig  for  the  action  of  the  sun,  not  having  wilted 
sufficiently  the  evening  before  to  harm  it  in  the 
least. 

5.  It  may  be  done  on  most  farms  without  any 
extra  cost  for  team,  as  oxen  work  the  machine 
well  where  horses  are  not  conveniently  at  hand. 

We  do  not  wish  to  be  understood  that  there  is 
to  be   no  further  improvement  in  mowing  ma- 


chines,— not  at  all, — we  believe  there  will  be; 
but  only  this,  that  up  to  this  time,  the  new  Eagle 
mower  seems  to  us  to  he  of  the  easiest  draft, — to 
do  the  most  work  and  in  the  best  manner  of  any 
macliine  in  our  knowledge.  We  have  spent  much 
time  and  thought  over  it,  aided  by  a  tolerable 
knowledge  and  appreciation  of  mechanical  prin- 
ciples, and  are  happy  to  give  the  readers  of  the 
Farmer  the  result  of  our  investigations.  But  we 
cannot  forbear  to  urge  them,  as  far  as  is  possible, 
to  see  the  machine  in  operation  for  themselves, 
and  then  reject  or  purchase  upon  their  own  judg- 
ment. 

This  machine  is  equally  well  adapted  for  a 
Reaper  as  for  a  Mower,  and  we  give  a  cut  of 
each  showing  the  diff'erence  between  them. 

On  the  23d  of  June  we  put  in  operation 
one  of  these  machines,  which  was  taken  at 
random  from  among  several  hundred,  and 
sent  to  us  without  any  special  preparation 
whatever, — was  put  together  and  immedi- 
ately taken  to  the  field  and  put  into  grass 
that  would  give  about  two  tons  of  hay  pex 
acre.  Two  rather  light  horses  were  hitched 
to  it,  and  the  work  went  on  without  inter- 
ruption until  the  piece  was  finished,  cutting 
the  grass  and  spreading  it,  with  an  evenness  that 
no  hand  of  man  could  imitate.  The  team  was 
repeatedly  stopt  in  the  middle  of  the  thickest 
grass,  and  started  again  without  backing,  and 
the  corners  turned  with  regularity  and  certainty, 
without  pressure  either  on  horses,  machine  or 
driver. 

The  next  field  into  which  it  was  taken  present- 
ed a  much  severer  test — the  grass  was  thin,  wiry 
June  grass,  yielding  500  or  600  lbs.  per  acre,while 
the  bottom  was  a  bed  of  "old  fog."  The  compa- 
ny of  farmers  present  admitted  that  a  good  mow- 
er with  a  keen  scythe  could  scarcely  go  more 
than  ten  rods  in  such  a  place  without  whetting, 
while  the  machine  cut  the  last  swath  of  the  acre 
and  a  half  just  as  evenly  as  it  did  the  first! 

The  approbation  of  the  lookers-on  was  univer- 
sal— they  had  witnessed  nothing  equal  to  it  be- 
fore in  any  machine — for  while  the  draft  is  light, 
they  said,  it  does  more  work  than  other  machines 
by  cutting  a  swath  five  feet  across.  But  we  will 
not  go  into  details  of  the  trial  to-day,  and  have 
only  room  left  to  advise  those  who  contemplate 
purchasing  a  mowing  machine  to  see  this  one  in 
operation  before  making  a  selection. 

This  is  the  machine  to  which  was  awarded  the 
premium  of  $1000  by  the  Massachusetts  Society 
in  1856. 


Barley. — It  is  stated  that  the  first  barley  sown 
in  this  country,  was  upon  the  ■  island  of  Mar- 
tha's Vineyard,  in  1602,  by  a  man  named  Gos- 
neld,  who  introduced  this  and  other  varieties-  of 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


371 


grain  from  England  into  Massachusetts.  In  1811, 
barley  was  sown  as  a  crop  in  Virginia,  and  con- 
tinued to  be  cultivated  there  until  the  settlers 
found  tobacco  more  remunerative.  In  1626,  bar- 
ley was  one  of  the  crops  grown  upon  Manhattan 
island ;  probably  where  Trinity  church  now  stands. 
In  1849,  the  barley  crop  of  the  United  States 
was  5,167,000  bushels  ;  and  according  to  the  in- 
crease of  the  preceding  decade,  the  crop  of  1856 
would  be  over  seven  millions  of  bushels.  It 
probably  even  exceeded  this.  The  grain  is  nearly 
all  consumed  in  the  States  where  it  is  grown, 
principally,  we  presume,  for  malting,  as  the  price 
IS  too  high  for  feeding  to  stock. 


CUTTING  AND  CURING  CLOVER 
HAY. 

According  to  the  thirty  years'  close  observa- 
tion made  by  the  writer  of  this  article,  there  is 
but  one  method  of  curing  clover  hay  that  pays 
well  for  the  labor,  and  that  I  shall  describe 
shortly. 

Observation  has  taught  me,  that  the  best  time 
for  cutting  clover  is  when  two-thirds  of  the  blooms 
begin  to  turn  brown.  At  this  stage  it  makes  the 
best  hay,  and  is  not  sappy  enough  to  reduce  much 
in  the  curing  process. 

When  the  clover  is  in  the  above  stage,  cut  it 
as  rapidly  as  possible  ;  but  never  cut  when  there 
is  dew  or  rain  water  on  the  clover.  Let  the  green 
clover  be  put  in  small  shocks  as  fast  as  cut  down, 
so  that  the  sun  may  not  wilt  it.  When  enough  is 
cut  and  shocked  for  a  large  stack,  haul  up  and 
stack  as  fast  as  possible.  The  stack  should  be 
some  fourteen  or  fifteen  feet  at  the  base,  and  six- 
teen or  eighteen  feet  high,  so  put  up  as  to  make 
it  the  shape  of  a  cone.  With  a  hay  fork,  let  one 
hand  throw  up  the  green  clover,  while  two  hands 
stack  and  trample  it,  so  as  to  make  it  as  near  air- 
tight as  possible.  Every  foot  in  height  should 
have  about  one  quart  of  salt  sprinkled  regularly 
over  it.  This  will  require  about  75  lbs.  to  the 
stack.  In  finishing,  top  it  off  and  rake  it  down 
so  as  to  turn  rain.  In  ten  or  twelve  days  it  will  be- 
come wet  and  hot,  and  smoke  like  a  coal  pit,  so 
as  to  have  all  the  appearance  of  rotting ;  but  in 
ten  or  fifteen  days  more  it  will  cool  off,  .and  be 
found  dry,  bright,  sweet  hay. 

If  the  clover  were  allowed  to  wilt  before  stack- 
ing, the  hay  would  be  dark  and  mouldy  ;  but  if  put 
up  green,  it  will  be  bright,  green,  and  sweet,  and 
free  from  mould.  This  process  preserves  all  the 
leaves  of  the  clover,  so  certain  to  be  lost  by  any 
other  process  ;  and  it  also  preserves  all  the  vola- 
tile constituents  of  clover,  which  are  sure  to  be 
lost  when  it  is  cured  in  the  sunshine  or  open  air. 

The  whole  management  may  be  summed  up  in 
a  few  words.  Cut  and  stack  free  from  moisture, 
in  the  perfectly  free  state  ;  salt  it  well,  and  make 
the  stack  as  nearly  air-tight  as  hard  tramping 
can  make  it. — F.  H.  G.,  in  Genesee  Farmer. 


Remarks. — We  do  not  feel  disposed  to  say 
that  clover  hay  cannot  he  cured  according  to  the 
above  plan,  because  we  have  never  tried  it,  hav- 
ing learned  long  ago,  that  many  things  can  be 
well  done  that  seem  hard  to  believe  until  we 
have  made  a  personal  trial  ourselves.  If  clover 
hay  can  be  cured  in  tliis  manner,  it  may  be  done 


with  great  rapidity,  as  it  may  be  stacked  upon 
the  field  and  removed   in  the  winter  to  the  barn. 
The  article  comes  from  a  respectable  source, 
and  is  worth  considering. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
COWS  THAT  HOLD  UP  THEIR  MILK. 

Mr.  Editor  : — In  the  Farmer,  a  few  weeks 
ago,  you  recommended  that  cows  disposed  to  hold 
up  their  milk  should  be  fed  when  the  milk  is 
drawn  from  them.  That  suggestion  came  very 
opportunely  to  me,  as  well  as  to  the  correspon- 
dent whose  inquiry  caused  the  advice  to  be  giv- 
en. I  had  a  cow  that  calved  in  November,  and 
through  the  winter  and  spring  she  frequently  re- 
tained a  portion  of  her  milk,  notwithstanding 
very  pressing  entreaties  on  my  part.  This  re- 
tention of  milk  was  so  frequent  that  she  did  not 
give  more  than  two-thirds  of  what  I  supposed  I 
had  a  right  to  expect.  I  have  always  fed  my  cows 
when  beginning  to  milk,  but  as  this  one  stands 
not  among  the  first,  she  no  doubt  often  finished 
eating  what  was  placed  before  her,  before  her 
turn  came  to  be  milked.  On  reading  your  sug- 
gestion I  adopted  the  plan  of  feeding  her  imme- 
diately before  sitting  down  to  milk  her.  The  re- 
sult has  been  entirely  satisfactory.  She  now  reg- 
ularly gives  down  her  milk  as  promptly  as  any 
cow  in  the  barn,  except  in  some  instances,  when, 
as  a  test  of  the  certainty  of  the  remedy,  I  have 
omitted  the  feed.  In  all  such  cases  she  has  in- 
variably retained  her  milk  till  the  feed  was  giv- 
en ;  and  then,  rather  tardily,  however,  the  milk 
would  come.     Gratefully  yours,  M.  P. 

Concord,  July  8,  1858. 

P.  S.  If  any  of  your  readers  do  not  know  that 
a  green  leaf  or  two  of  some  plant  that  has  large 
leaves,  or  a  small  handful  of  green  clover  placed 
in  the  hat,  is  a  great  comfort  and  protection  to 
those  who  work  in  the  hot  sunshine  in  these 
warm  days,  let  me  recommend  all  such  to  try  it. 


THE  NATIONAL  HORSE  EXHIBITION. 
In  another  column  is  a  more  extended  notice 
of  the  National  Horse  Exhibition  which  is  to 
take  place  at  Springfield,  September  14,  15,  16 
and  17,  1858.  Every  thing,  we  learn,  has  been 
done,  to  make  the  show  attractive.  About  $3,000 
are  offered  in  premiums.  Springfield  is  one  of 
our  most  beautiful  cities,  and  its  citizens  are  as 
much  distinguished  for  their  urbanity  and  intel- 
ligence, as  the  city  is  for  its  fine  attractions,  so 
that  those  who  attend  the  show  cannot  well  fail 
to  have  a  good  time  in  one  way  or  the  other,  pro- 
vided they  go  in  good  nature  with  themselves  ! 


Chalk  for  Warts. — A  correspondent,  W. 
H.-  Bennett,  of  Warwick,  R.  I.,  informs  us  that 
by  rubbing  chalk  frequently  on  warts,  they  will 
disappear.  In  several  instances  known  to  him, 
in  which  this  simple  remedy  was  tried,  it  proved 
successful.  We  have  know  slightly-moistened 
pearl-ash  to  remove  -warts  by  rubbing  it  upon 
them. — Scientific  American. 


372 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Aug. 


For  the  Ncio  England  Farmer. 
CARE  OF   STOCK. 

Mr.  Editor  : — We  often  read  about  the  care 
that  should  be  taken  of  stock  in  the  winter  in 
order  to  promote  the  health  and  growth  of  the 
same,  but  verj'  seldom  do  we  see  any  thing  writ- 
ten with  regard  to  the  treatment  they  should  re- 
ceive in  the  summer.  Now  I  do  not  wish  to  say 
that  great  care  should  not  be  taken  of  stock  in 
the  winter,  but  it  also  needs  care  in  the  summer, 
and  I  wish  to  say  a  few  words  with  regard  to  it. 

The  difference  between  stock  well  provided  for 
and  that  but  half  taken  care  of  is  apparent  to 
any  person  who  has  taken  ordinary  pains  to  in- 
form himself,  and  I  am  not  afraid  to  leave  it  to 
the  readers  of  your  paper  to  say  which  pays  the 
best. 

Solomon  says,  a  righteous  man  regardeth  the 
life  of  his  beast ;  he  M'as  right ;  not  only  would 
a  careful  man  prove  himself  a  benefactor  to  his 
stock,  but  would  increase  the  profits  of  the  same ; 
his  cows  would  give  more  milk,  and  in  conse- 
quence of  which  he  could  sell  more  butter,  fat 
more  hogs,  and  as  a  matter  of  course,  make  farm- 
ing more  profitable. 

Cows  should,  during  the  spring  and  summer, 
be  provided  with  warm  and  dry  apartments  in  case 
of  a  storm,  more  especially,  the  cold  storms  of 
spring,  in  which  case  it  is  better  to  keep  the  cat- 
tle in  the  barn  during  the  entire  day,  with  the 
exception  of  letting  them  out  for  the  purpose  of 
getting  drink.  Cows  should  also  have  all  the 
salt  they  wish  to  eat ;  put  it  before  them  about 
twice  a  week,  which  will  tend  very  much  to  keep 
them  hardy. 

A  change  of  pasture,  also,  is  of  great  advan- 
tage to  cows,  more  especially  in  case  of  a  drought, 
as  then  the  cows  can  have  fresh  pasture  through 
the  entire  summer,  by  merely  transferring  them 
from  one  lot  to  another. 

I  might  say  much  more  about  the  management 
of  stock  at  this  season  of  the  year  but  I  think 
that  every  correct  farmer  will  study  the  comfort 
of  the  animals  under  his  care,  not  only  from  a 
common  principle  of  humanity,  but  from  a  healthy 
and  laudable  regard  for  his  own  interests. 

H.  G.  Palmer. 

Lebanon,  Conn.,  June,  1838. 


THE  TIME  TO  CUT  WHEAT. 

This  has  been  made  a  matter  of  careful  experi- 
ment in  England,  and  much  more  depends  upon 
it  than  is  generally  supposed. 

From  a  very  careful  series  of  experiments 
made  in  England,  in  1840-41,  by  Mr.  John  Han- 
man,  of  Yorkshire,  with  a  view  of  determining 
the  proper  period  of  reaping  wheat,  it  was  decid- 
ed that  the  best  time  for  performing  the  opera- 
tion is,  when  it  is  in  a  "raw  state,"  or  when  the 
straw,  as  seen  from  a  distance,  appears  green, 
but,  closely  examined,  is  found  to  be  approxima- 
ting to  yellow,  and  the  grain  itself,  being  separ- 
ated from  the  chaff",  is  pulpy  and  soft,  but  not  in 
the  milky  stage.  This  gentleman  has  shown  that, 
at  least  six  dollars  per  acre  are  lost  by  allowing 
the  wheat  to  become  ripe  before  it  is  cut,  and, 
that  at  the  same  time,  its  quality  is  not  so  good. 

The  chief  advantages  derived  from  this  meth- 
od, are  stated  to  be  a  greater  weight  of  grain  to 


a  given  space  of  ground,  which  produces  more 
flour,  of  a  superior  quality  ;  the  straw  contains 
more  nutritive  matter,  and  is  better  relished  by 
animals  ;  and  there  is  a  better  opportunity  of  se- 
curing the  crop,  and  a  saving  so  doing,  as  there 
is  less  waste  in  moving  or  reaping  the  wheat  by 
the  dropping  out  of  the  seed. 

It  will  be  seen  in  this  matter,  how  much  a  far- 
mer's success  depends  upon  an  accurate  knowl- 
edge of  his  business.  Even  in  so  small  an  item 
as  the  cutting  of  grain,  the  owner  of  fifty  acres 
would  lose  three  hundred  dollars,  by  harvesting 
a  few  days  too  late.  There  are  many  other  farm 
operations  in  which  accurate  knowledge  is  quite 
as  important.  Is  it  any  wonder  that  so  many  of 
our  farmers  do  not  make  money,  when  there  are 
a  hundred  holes  in  their  pockets,  through  which 
the  money  is  dripping  out  in  dollars,  dimes,  and 
cents  ?  The  whole  year  is  a  scene  of  prodigal 
waste,  for  want  of  a  little  knowledge.  Wood  is 
wasted  for  want  of  a  good  stove,  or  a  tight  house. 
Ashes  are  wasted  for  want  of  a  dry  place  to  put 
them.  Fodder  is  wasted  for  want  of  a  tight  barn 
to  shelter  cattle,  in  the  winter  nights.  Manures 
are  wasted  for  want  of  a  barn  cellar,  and  sheds, 
and  absorbents.  Labor  is  wasted  for  Avant  of  ma- 
nure to  produce  maximum  crops.  Is  it  strange 
with  all  these  leaks,  that  the  farmer's  till  does 
not  fill  up  faster  ? — Homestead. 


TTEW  PUBLICATIONS. 

Pear  Cdlture.  A  Manual  for  the  Propagation,  Planting,  Cul- 
tivation and  Management  of  the  Pear  Tree.  With  Descrip- 
tions and  Illustrations  of  the  most  Productive  of  the  Finer  Va- 
rieties, and  Selections  of  Kinds  most  profitably  grown  for  mar- 
ket. By  Thomas  W.  Field.  A.  0.  Moore,  Agricultural  Book 
Publisher,  140  Fulton  Street,  New  York. 

A  treatise  on  the  culture  of  the  Pear  was  want- 
ed, by  beginners,  and  we  have  no  doubt  the  one 
before  us  will  pretty  generally  supply  that  want. 
It  touches  upon  every  point,  we  believe,  relating 
to  the  culture,  ripening,  and  varieties  of  the  pear, 
and  the  doctrines  it  advocates  are  those  usually 
entertained  by  persons  who  profess  to  under- 
stand the  subject,  with,  perhaps,  one  or  two  ex- 
ceptions. The  doctrine  set  forth  under  the  head 
"Season  for  Pruning,"  we  believe  to  be  er- 
roneous. In  pruning,  we  must  be  governed  by 
the  physiological  condition  or  habit  of  the  plant, 
whatever  it  may  be.  The  author  says,  "the  best 
season  for  pruning  the  pear  is  after  the  buds  be- 
gin to  swell  in  April,  until  the  new  leaves  are 
half  formed."  According  to  our  observation, 
and  experience,  too,  this  is  the  most  unsuitable 
time  to  prune  in  the  whole  twelve  months, — be- 
cause the  pores  of  the  wood  are  distended  and 
filled  with  a  watery  fluid  on  its  way  to  the  twigs 
and  leaves  there  to  be  elaborated  into  that  pab- 
ulum which  may  be  the  most  readily  converted 
into  wood  and  bark.  But  the  wound  is  made, 
the  thin,  watery  fluid  passes  out  freely  through 
the  open  pores,  and  often  continues  in  this  con- 
dition for  years,  or,  in  many  cases,  until  the  tree 
is  ruined.  If  these  wounds  were  made  from  the 
10th  to   the  20th  of  June,  after  the  limpid    sap 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


373 


had  passed  up,  their  surfaces  would  become  dry 
by  the  action  of  the  sun  and  wind,  and  when  the 
returning  sap,  now  converted  into  proper  food, 
comes  along,  it  soon  encircles  the  wound  with  a 
bright,  green,  healthy  bark,  which  soon  covers 
it  entirely  over,  and  the  tree  is  safe.  Spring 
pruning  has  wrought  more  mischief  among  our 
orchards,  than  all  other  calamities  combined. 

The  execution  of  the  work  sustains  the  high 
reputation  which  this  old  publishing  house  has 
acquired.  The  illustrations  are  good,  the  type 
large  and  clear,  and  the  book  is  concluded  by 
catalogues  of  American  and  foreign  pears,  and  a 
good  index.  • 

We  know  Mr.  Field  as  an  enthusiast  on  the 
subject  of  pears,  and  feel  free  to  say — a  few  er- 
rors excepted,  perhaps — that  we  think  he  has 
done  the  public  an  essential  service  in  publish- 
ing his  book. 


For  tlie  New  England  Farmer. 

SALES  OF  BLOOD  STOCK. 

Public  sale  of  Short  Horns,  Brood  Mares,  Colts 
and  Swine,  by  B.  &  C.  S.  Haines,  Elizabeth, 
New  Jersey. 

SHORT  HORNS. 

Lot  1.  Columbus,  D  B.  Kershow,  Philadelphia $195 

"    2.  Lafayette,  William  Hurst,  Albany 205 

"   3    SanhicaD,  H.  C.  Greenwall,  Pennsylvania 185 

"   4.  Mohean,  E.  D.  Pearce,  Providence 150 

"   5.  Essex  Hero,  Robert  Campbell,  N.  J 205 

"  6.  Gen.  Havelock,  D.  B.  Kershow,  Philadelphia 200 

\\   g-  I  Not  sold. 

COWS. 

Lot   9.  Lady  Cartaret,  Robert  Campbell,  N.  J $140 

"    10.  Gertrude,  William  Kelly,  Rhiubeck 215 

"   11.  Creampot  6th,        "        "        "        125 

"    12.  Jenny  Lind,  E.  Halsted,  N.  J 110 

"    13.  Duchess  Rose,  "         "      110 

"   14.  Jessie  Brown,  George  W.  Adams,  N.  J 60 

«'    15.  Ro;-e,  E.  I.  Halsted,  N.  J 75 

"    16.  Sophie,  A.  B.  Conger,  N.  Y 30 

"    17.  Nymph  5th,  Timothy  Mather,  Hartford 250 

"    18.  Gipsey  3d,  Dan.  Talmage,  N.  Y 120 

"    19.  Nymph  8th,  R.  Hursby,  Brooklyn 100 

"   20.  Nymph  9th,  D.  B.  Kershow,  Philadelphia 200 

'-   21.  Nvmph,  William  Hurst,  Albany 165 

"   22.  Troe,  imported,  A.  B.  Conner,  N.  Y 325 

"   23.  Sunshine,  Henry  Meeker,  N.  J 230 

«'•  24.  Nymph  7th,  D.  B.  Kershow,  Philadelphia 700 

BROOD  MARES  AND  COLTS. 

No.  1.  Black  Hawk  Maid,  William  Hurst $225 

"   2.  Fanny  Kemble 210 

"   3   White  Stocking,  William  Kelly 110 

"   4.  Lady  Franklin,  G.  W.  Adams 170 

"    5.  Pet,  E.  J.  Cowley,  N.J 100 

"   6.  Aurora,  C.  P.  Wood,  N.  Y 260 

SUFFOLK  PIGS. 
25  pairs  brought  from  $10  to  $15  per  pair. 

BERKSHIRE. 
6  pairs  brought  from  $10  to  $18  per  pair. 


Pig  Breeding. — An  experienced  English  pig 
breeder  says  :  "In  breeding,  the  sow  should  be 
larger  than  the  male,  and  the  male  the  most  per- 
fect of  the  two,  as  the  sows  will  generally  breed 
to  the  boar ;  that  is,  the  good  or  bad  points  of 
the  male  will  preponderate  more  in  the  young 
ones  than  those  of  the  sow.  And  I  have  found 
that  the  boar  the  sow  may  have  had  pigs  to,  the 
litter  before,  has  a  great  deal  to  do  with  the  f'd- 
lowing  litter.     I  once  put  a  black  sow  to  a  white 


boar,  and  had  some  black  and  white  pigs ;  I  then 
put  her  to  a  black  boar,  and  still  had  some  black 
and  white  ;  and  I  had  to  wait  for  three  litters  be- 
fore getting  rid  of  the  white.  I  once  purchased 
a  large-bred  Yorkshire  boar,  and  more  than  nine- 
ty per  cent,  of  his  stock  died  from  inflammation 
of  the  lungs,  or  were  more  or  less  affected.  I  af- 
terwards learned  that  the  sire  of  the  boar  died 
from  the  same  complaint.  All  this  convinced  me 
how  particular  one  should  be  in  using  a  pure  and 
sound  male  animal." — Genesee  Farmer. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
LEGITIMATE  COOKERY,  AGAIiSr. 

In  a  late  article  on  Reformed  or  Legitimate 
Cookery,  I  have,  on  one  point,  said  either  too 
much  or  too  little  ;  because  I  have  breached  a 
topic  which,  to  not  a  few  housekeepers,  will  be 
rather  new  ;  and  yet  I  have  not  made  a  full,  prac- 
tical application  of  the  rule  it  was  intended  to 
inculcate.  I  refer  here  to  what  I  said,  inciden- 
tally, concerning  milk  and  the  egg. 

These  articles,  as  I  stated,  contain  more  9r  less 
of  albumen  ;  the  egg  a  very  large  proportion. 
This  substance,  (albumen)  when  subjected  to  a 
heat  equal  to  165*^  Fahrenheit,  and  all  the  proc- 
esses of  ordinary  cookery,  such  as  baking,  boil- 
ing, frying,  &c.,  involve  this  dc-gree  of  heat,  and 
much  more,  becomes  insoluble  by  anything  which 
is  ordinarily  found  in  the  human  stomach.  It 
can  only  be  dissolved  by  the  mineral  acids,  the 
nitric,  the  sulphuric  and  the  muriatic.  Hence 
it  is,  to  say  the  least,  entirely  unnutritious  ;  and 
consequently,  wasted.  But  it  is  more  than  was- 
ted ;  it  is  positively  undigested ;  and  hence  is 
positively  Injurious.  On  this  account  it  is  that 
hard  boiled  eggs,  for  diseased  and  debilitated 
stomachs,  have  been,  time  immemorial,  regarded 
as  unwholesome.  They  are.  In  this  state,  as  ev- 
ery one  may  observe,  also  inodorous  and  insipid. 

But  there  is  no  necessity  of  cooking  them  at 
a  temperature  above  165°.  By  cooking  the  egg  or 
any  other  albuminous  article  at  the  temperature  of 
about  160°,  and  continuing  the  application  of  the 
heat  a  little  longer  than  usual,  you  may  gain  ev- 
ery point  of  importance  which  you  would  gain  by 
a  temperature  of  212°,  and  without  any  positive 
loss.  The  taste  is  even,  to  most  persons,  greatly 
improved.  The  albumen  is  indeed  coagulated ; 
but  is  not  so  hard  or  consolidated.  Nor  is  there 
any  mystery  in  this  matter,  or  very  much  of  tact 
or  skill  required.  To  cook  the  egg,  legitimately, 
you  have  but  to  take  care  that  the  heat  does  not 
rise  above  165".  You  may,  indeed,  be  required 
to  use  a  cheap  thermometer  for  a  short  time, 
but  a  very  little  observation  and  experience  will 
enable  you  soon  to  jvidge  correctly  enough  with- 
out the  thermometer.  Even  if  the  temperature 
falls  to  150°,  it  will  do  very  well,  except  that  the 
lower  the  heat,  the  longer  time  will  be  required 
to  accomplish  your  object. 

What,  however,  was  my  principal  aim,  when  I 
began  these  remarks,  was  to  extend  the  applica- 
tion of  the  principle.  If  the  egg  is  injured,  both 
wasted  and  rendered  irritating,  by  being  cooked 
alone,  it  is  so  when  it  enters  into  the  composition 
of  all  our  complicated  dishes.  It  is  true  we  have 
not  yet  attained,  like  the  French,  to  nearly  seven 
hundred  of  them;  but  we  have  a  very  great  num- 


371 


NEW  ENGLAND  FAKMER. 


Aug. 


ber,  possibly  a  hundred  or  more.  Now,  in  order 
to  have  our  cookery  legitimate,  either  the  eg; 
must  be  withheld  from  all  these  or  they  must  be 
cooked  in  a  very  different  manner  from  what 
they  have  been  heretofore.  Will  not  science, 
duly  regarded,  hence  cause  a  mighty  revolution 
in  our  cookery  ? 

Then  again,  milk,  in  proportion  to  its  albumin- 
ous parts,  comes  under  the  same  law.  It  cannot 
legitimately  be  boiled  or  baked.  What  then  is 
to  become  of  our  puddings  and  cakes — nay,  in 
some  places,  even  of  our  bread  ?  I  know  many 
a  housekeeper  who  is  unwilling  to  make  bread 
without  milk.  The  dishes,  of  which  according 
to  custom,  it  becomes  a  component  part,  are  very 

"merous.     Whether  they  amount  to  hundreds, 

do  not  know. 

But,  again,  the  same  law  applies  to  the  cook- 
ing of  all  lean  meats.  Blood  contains  some  ten 
or  twelve  per  cent,  of  albumen ;  but  lean  flesh, 
or  muscle,  is  very  largely  composed  of  blood. 
Does  it  not  hence  follow  that  this  substance,  like 
eggs  and  milk  in  all  their  combinations,  should 
be  coot.ed  below  the  temperature  of  IGo*^  ? 

There  has  been,  indeed,  time  immemorial,  a 
traditionary  notion  that  hai-d  boiled  egg  is  inju- 
rious ;  but  how  or  why,  was  not  told  us.  It  has 
also  been  known  that  milk  was  greatly  changed, 
it  its  tendencies  on  the  bowels,  by  boiling.  To 
avoid  evil  tendencies,  in  the  case  of  the  egg, 
many  have  eaten  it  raw,  both  at  the  suggestion 
of  their  own  minds,  and  by  the  prescription  of 
the  physician.  To  this  there  has  been  no  very 
grave  objection.  But  it  has  also  been  quite  cus- 
tomary of  late,  to  subject  it  to  a  species  of  half 
cooking,  which  seems  to  me  objectionable.  This 
consists  essentially,  in  barely  immersing  the  egg 
in  boiling  water,  perhaps  at  the  table,  thus  cook- 
ing a  pellicle  or  layer  of  it  too  much,  and  leaving 
the  far  greater  part  of  the  interior  almost  raw. 
The  true  course  is  either  to  eat  it  wholly  raw,  or 
cook  it  for  some  time,  in  a  heat  a  little  below 
165°,  according  to  the  foregoing  directions. 

It  has  also  been  faintly  understood,  without 
knowing  why,  that  milk  is  best  when  newly  drawn 
from  the  cow ;  and  that  during  every  moment 
after  its  withdrawal  it  is  deteriorating.  But  it 
has  not  always  been  known  why  ;  nor  have  I  time 
or  room,  to  present  in  full  the  reasons.  One  of 
these,  however,  is  the  ulterior  separation  of  its 
parts,  or  a  tendency  thereto,  in  the  formation  of 
cream  and  whey,  &c. ;  and  another  is  the  fact 
that  when  it  is  kept,  it  finds  its  way  into  an  al- 
most innumerable  company  of  our  dishes. 

Meats,  it  has  also  been  contended,  meats  which 
include  muscle,  should  be  cooked  but  little  ;  or 
as  it  is  expressed,  should  be  "rarely  done ;"  and 
some  few  have  gone  so  far  as  to  contend  even, 
that  raw  meats  are  the  most  wholesome.  Now 
the  whole  matter  is  made  plain,  and  all  myste- 
ries or  difficulties  removed,  when  we  remember 
that  lean  flesh,  made  up  largely  of  condensed 
blood,  is  of  course  albuminous ;  and  is  hence  in- 
jured by  subjecting  it  to  an  elevated  temperature. 
Let  our  meats,  both  fat  and  lean,  but  especially 
the  latter,  be  cooked  for  a  long  time  at  the  tem- 
perature of  about  160°  to  165°  ;  that  is,  let  them 
be  stewed*  rather  than  consolidated ;  and  the 
epicurean,  even,  would  be  a  gainer,  while  not  only 
he,  but  every  body  else,  who  has  good  teeth,  would 
be  healthier.     Even  to  those  whose  teeth  are  de- 


fective, it  may  be  some  consolation  to  know  that 
one  cause  of  their  trouble  may  be  found  in  the 
fact  that  in  saving  the  labor  of  the  teeth  by  over 
cooking,  we  overtax  and  abuse  the  stomach  and 
other  and  kindred  organs,  which  cause  a  re-action 
on  the  teeth. 

We  may  see  also  from  the  foregoing,  inciden- 
tally, why  cheese,  custards,  &c.,  have  universally 
been  deemed  unwholesome  ;  and  why  some  whole 
nations  make  no  cheese,  or  even  any  butter. 
Society,  in  its  simple  state,  is  restrained  from 
those  abuses,  which,  in  a  more  refined  condition, 
it  possesses  the  power  to  covinteract.  In  neither 
condition,  can  we  proceed  so  far  in  the  way  of 
transgression,  as  wholly  to  set  at  nought  the  great 
first  command,  "Be  fruitful,  and  multiply  and  re- 
plenish the  earth,  and  subdue  it." 

Aicbitrndale,  June  5,  1858.     W.  A.  Alcott. 


*  Of  late  years  I  have  heard  much  said  about  the  superiority 
of  stewing  rather  tlian  boiling  many  substances  of  purely  vegeta- 
ble origin,  but  more  or  less  albuminous,  especially  beans.  Now 
I  have  not  yet  satisfied  myself  of  the  truth  of  Liebig's  theory  so 
fully  as  to  be  able  to  say  positively,  that  the  albumen  from  ani- 
mals and  vegetables  is  identical.  The  doctrine,  however,  is  at 
least  plausible. 


CLUB  FOOT  CABBAGES. 

Messrs.  Editors  : — I  have  read  Mr.  Yale's  ar- 
ticle with  the  above  heading,  and  will  tell  him 
the  cause  of  the  "club  foot,"  which  may  enable 
him  to  account  for  the  difference  in  his  crop  of 
cabbages  last  year. 

A  cabbage  Avith  a  "club  foot,"  is  a  cross  be- 
tween the  cabbage  and  turnip.  The  seed  plants 
have  been  placed  so  near  each  other,  that  the 
pollen  of  the  turnip  has  impregnated  the  cabbage 
and  produced  the  cross.  There  is  no  doubt  but 
that  this  is  the  cause  of  the  anomaly.  Hundreds 
of  experiments  have  proved  it.  If  Mr.  Yale  could 
get  at  the  experience  of  the  man  who  grew  the 
cabbage  seed  he  used,  he  would  learn  that  his 
turnips  tried  to  be  cabbages,  and  had  club  heads 
instead  of  feet.  The  Kohl  Rabi,  I  think  it  is 
called,  is  a  cross  of  the  same  character,  and  is 
now  a  vegetable  sought  after  in  the  mai'ket.  It 
was  produced  in  the  garden  of  Prof.  Mapes.  Was 
not  Mr.  Yale  mistaken  in  saying  this  crop  of  cab- 
bages was  all  from  the  same  seed  ?  If  so,  was 
not  the  seed  gathered  at  different  periods  ? — W. 
F.,  in  Homestead. 


Farm  Buildings. — At  a  Farmer's  Club  lately 
held  in  West  Springfield,  Mass.,  after  a  consulta- 
tion and  debate,  it  was  decided  that  a  large  barn 
was  better  than  two  or  more  small  ones ;  that  a 
tight  barn  was  better,  even  for  badly  cured  hay, 
than  P.n  open  one  ;  that  a  brick  barn  and  slate 
roof  were  the  best  and  cheapest  for  a  man  who 
has  all  his  materials  to  buy ;  that  a  good  connec- 
tion between  a  house  and  barn  is  a  covered  walk, 
overhung  with  grape  vines  ;  that  economy  of  roof 
and  convenience  for  work  were  of  the  first  im- 
portance in  any  building  ;  that  warm  water  and 
warm  stables  were  essential  to  the  comfort  of 
animals  ;  that  the  housing  of  manures  was  judi- 
cious ;  that  liquid  manures  are  largely  lost,  even 
by  those  who  have  cellars  and  sheds  for  storing 
them ;  and  that  the  best  absorbents  of  liquid 
manure  are  buckwheat  hulls,  leaf  mould,  saw- 
dust, fine  sand,  dried  peat,  turf  and  straw. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


375 


Fur  the  New  England  Fanner. 

THE  BEST  "WAY  TO  MAKE  LARGE 
FIELDS. 

Messes  Editors  : — I  have  been  dabbling  at 
farming  and  experimenting  upon  a  small  scale, 
and  laboring  practically,  when  other  business  did 
not  interfere,  for  nearly  a  half  century  past.  My 
farm  consists  of  nearly  200  acres  of  "Wilmington 
land,"  of  all  descriptions  except  the  best.  I  have 
soil  which  ranges  from  good  down  to  the  very 
cheapest.  I  find  more  or  less  profit  derived  from 
it  all.  My  best  lots  we  cultivate  and  use  for  pas- 
turage, the  remainder,  of  upland,  produces  a 
quick  and  profitable  growth  of  wood ;  my  low 
land  produces  a  plenty  of  meadow  hay,  occasion- 
ally a  crop  of  cranberries,  and  any  amount  of  wa- 
ter bushes,  and  a  profusion  of  meadow  flowers, 
besides  answering  the  purpose  of  a  reservoir  for 
a  mill  pond.  When  I  commenced  fai'ming  here, 
I  did  as  many  of  my  neighbors  did,  made  my  fields 
too  large  for  my  manure.  It  cost  me  as  much  to 
cultivate  four  acres  of  corn  that  produced  15 
bushels  to  the  acre  as  it  would  the  same  number 
of  acres  which  would  produce  40  or  50  bushels 
to  the  acre,  beside  the  loss  in  the  depreciation  of 
the  soil,  which  is  not  duly  considered  by  many 
farmers. 

A  light  crop  of  corn  was  not  the  end  of  the 
evil ;  my  grass  seed,  if  it  came  up  at  all,  was  no 
more  prolific  than  the  corn  that  grew  on  the 
same  ground.  I  found  a  great  difference  in  rais- 
ing my  supply  of  corn,  between  the  expense  of 
raising  it  on  four  acres  and  cultivating  two  acres 
to  obtain  as  large  a  quantity.  We  cannot  cheat 
our  laud,  but  we  can  cheat  ourselves  in  trying  to 
do  it.  If  we  have  but  little  manure,  make  a  little 
land  better  than  it  was  before  ;  in  that  way  there 
is  a  great  saving  of  expense  in  labor  and  time.  I 
find  by  making  every  little  field  which  is  laid 
down  to  grass  richer  and  more  productive,  is  the 
direct  course  to  larger  fields.  The  best  way  to 
enlarge  fields  is  to  get  large  crops  from  small 
fields.  Large  quantities  of  manure  applied  to 
small  lots  of  land  is  much  the  cheapest  way  of 
farming  on  Wilmington,  and  much  other  soil  in 
our  State. 

The  great  Creator  of  New  England  never  de- 
signed it  for  large  farming  operations,  as  is  evi- 
dent from  the  "lay  of  the  land  and  the  nature  of 
the  soil,"  but  for  a  hardy  band  of  republican  pa- 
triots, who  could  do  their  own  farming  and  fight- 
ing successfully,  by  cultivating  small  farms  and 
keeping  an  eye  well  directed  to  the  enemy.  I  be- 
lieve, in  the  prevalence  of  the  late  "panics,"  that 
the  small  farmers  have  escaped  the  epidemic  as 
well,  if  not  better,  than  those  who  have  been  en- 
gaged in  an  extensive  business  of  almost  any 
kind.  The  inordinate  desire  to  gain  wealth  often 
defeats  its  own  purposes  and  instead  of  conduct- 
ing the  deluded  aspirant  to  the  true  El  Dorado, 
it  conveys  him  to  the  barren  mines  of  poverty. 

I\^rth  Wilmington,  1858.        Silas  Brown. 


it  remain  a  few  seconds,  then  into  boiling  water 
again,  repeating  this  process  ten  times  in  a  min- 
ute, without  injury  or  inconvenience,  not  even 
making  my  arm  look  red.  From  this  experi- 
ment I  suggested  the  propriety  of  using  cold 
water  baths  instantly  after  being  scalded.  I 
have  practiced  the  above  remedy  with  entire  suc- 
cess during  the  last  ten  years.  Cold  water  is  al- 
ways handy  where  there  is  hot  water.  The  soon- 
er cold  water  is  applied  after  scalding,  the  surer 
will  be  the  cure. — Ohio  Cultivator. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer, 

A  GOOD  "WEBDER,  THAT  NEED  NOT 
COST  A  COPPER! 

Messrs.  Editors: — I  yesterday  saw  in  the 
hands  of  !Mr.  William  Goodwin,  of  our  town,  a 
very  useful  little  implement  for  weeding,  which 
might  rest  a  good  many  aching  backs.  It  was 
simply  a  rusty  table-knife,  sharpened  towards  the 
point,  on  both  sides  of  the  blade,  about  two  inches 
of  which  was  then  bent  up  like  a  hook  and  firmly 
secured  by  the  handle  to  a  strip  of  light  pine,  of 
sufficient  length  to  enable  a  man  to  use  it  as  a 
weeder  while  standing  erect.  If  our  friends  will 
try  this  simple  weeder,  they  will  find,  after  slight 
practice,  that  they  can  weed  about  as  clean  and 
nearly  as  fast  as  with  the  hand.  The  weeds  are 
removed  by  a  scraping  movement.  In  wet  weather 
it  will  prove  a  capital  preventive  of  rheumatism 
and  cramp  in  the  limbs.  Let  no  one  "poh"  upon 
this  implement  because  of  its  simplicity ;  if  he 
has  much  bed  sauce  to  weed,  let  him  try  it,  and 
he  may  have  reason  to  thank  our  friend  for  his 
"notion."  J.  J.  H.  Gregory. 

Marhlehead,  Mass. 


Cold  Water  to  Cure  Scalds.— I  placed  a 
large  tub  full  of  cold  water,  with  plenty  of  ice  in 
it,  by  the  side  of  a  large  kettle  full  of  water, 
which  was  boiling  very  fast.  I  then  rolled  up 
my  sleeve  above  the  elbow,  and  thrust  it  into  the 
kettle  of  boiling  water  up  to  the  elbow,  then  im- 
mediately back  into  the  tub  of  ice  water,  letting 


THE  DROP-'WORM— AGAIN. 

Eds.  Rural: — I  am  perhaps  like  friend  "Plow 
HANDLE,"  somewhat  ambitious  to  see  my  name 
in  print.  Yet  I  hope  I  will  never  trouble  you 
and  your  readers  unless  I  have  something  to  say 
unto  edification. 

The  article  in  the  last  number  of  the  Rural  on 
the  "Drop-worm"  is  excellent.  By  way  of  gos- 
sip, I  will  give  you  my  brief  experience  of  this 
villanous  insect. 

On  the  the  21st  of  May,  1855,  I  first  noticed 
them  on  a  peach  tree,  apparently  restless.  How- 
ever, they  arrested  my  attention  by  their  comic 
movements,  sticking  on  the  stem  and  branches 
with  their  then  small  cocoons  of  bits  of  leaves, 
&c.,  erect,  while  their  head  and  first  and  second 
pair  of  legs  were  withdrawn.  On  July  25th,  I 
found  them  increased  in  size  on  a  beautiful  and 
vigorous  Tliuja  Occidentalis  in  my  yard.  Unac- 
quainted with  the  creature,  I  left  it  alone  to  watch 
the  process  of  its  transformation.  In  short,  I 
learned  the  economy  of  this  Oiketicus  Conif era- 
rum,  as  you  call  it,  but  lost  my  tree.  There  it 
stands,  a  sad  memorial  of  my  forbearance  in  not 
picking  the  customers  and  treading  them  under 
foot. 

I  was  amused,  however,  at  the  ruse  de  guerre 
of  a  large  species  of  Ichneumon  fly,  which  I  ob- 
served to  pinch  with  its  strong  jaws  the  domicile 
of  the  Oiketicus,  irritating  the  tenant  within  un- 
til it  thrust  its  head  out  of  its  hole,  when  the 


376 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


AliG. 


wily  fly  gave  it  a  dab  behind  the  head  with  its 
ovipositor,  leaving  an  egg  lodged  for  future  de- 
velopment. Good,  thought  I,  and  left  them  alone, 
Alas !  some  of  those  identical  cocoons  now  or- 
nament the  bare  branches  of  my  once  beautiful 
evergreen,  not  yet  cut  down  as  a  cumberer  of  the 
ground.  Such  has  been  my  experience,  .and  I 
paid  for  my  learning. — J.  Stauffer,  in  liural 
New-Yorker. 

HISTORY  OF  A  FBESH  TVATER 
AQUARIUM. 

During  the  last  spring,  I  commenced  the  for- 
mation of  an  aquarium.  I  accordingly  procured 
a  glass  jar  that  would  hold  several  quarts  of 
water,  and  covered  the  bottom  to  the  depth  of 
two  or  three  inches  with  coarse  sand,  with  a  little 
23ond-mud  on  top ;  then  sallied  out  in  search  of  an- 
imals to  stock  it  with.  Going  to  a  neighboring 
brook,  I  fished  in  its  waters,  and  as  the  result  of 
my  endeavors,  captured  myriads  of  small  fry — 
small  shells,  crustaceas,  caddis  worms,  duns  and 
drakes,  as  the  English  angler  calls  them,  with  ma- 
ny water  beetles,  insects,  young  dragon  flies  and 
tad-poles.  I  also  pulled  up  several  roots  of  "eel 
grass,"  or  ballis  veria,  with  two  or  three  young 
water  cresses,  then  just  putting  out  their  leaves, 
and  a  bunch  of  a  beautiful  delicate  moss  from  a 
still  pool,  with  multitudes  of  small  snails  creep- 
ing over  its  leaves.  Returning  home  with  my 
spoils,  I  immediately  planted  the  roots,  filled 
the  vessel  with  pure  water,  threw  in  my  live  stock, 
and  left  them. 

In  a  few  days  the  water  grew  clear,  the  plants 
throve  well,  and  the  animals  had  accommodated 
themselves  to  their  new  quarters. 

On  subsequent  walks  to  the  river  and  ponds,  I 
made  new  acquisitions  to  my  little  colony — several 
beautiful  newts,  or  water  salamanders,  with  some 
fresh  water  muscles,  gave  more  variety  to  my  col- 
lection. 

For  hours  have  I  watched,  with  never  failing 
interest,  this  little  company.  By  degrees  they 
became  more  and  more  accustomed  to  me ;  the 
salamander,  instead  of  darting  to  the  bottom  at 
my  approach,  would  remain  at  the  top,  and  take 
from  my  hand  a  fly  or  bit  of  meat,  while  the  wa- 
ter tiger,  unscared,  pursued  with  relentless  hate 
the  tad-poles  round  the  vessel. 

I  found  that  the  harmless  tad-poles  sufl"ered 
much  from  their  companions.  The  water  tiger 
was  particularly  fond  of  nipping  off  their  tails 
with  his  scissor-like  jaws,  and  if  by  good  chance 
they  escaped,  they  would  rush  into  the  jaws  of  a 
voracious  dragon  fly,  while  a  coujjle  of  water 
beetles  would  fight  and  tug  away  over  the  re- 
mains of  their  carcasses. 

The  water  fleas  and  snails,  though  not  so  inter- 
esting in  their  habits,  proved  to  be  extremely 
useful ;  these  little  scavengers  were  ever  on  the 
search  after  any  particles  of  decaying  matter,  on 
which  they  live.  They  are  the  humble  means  of 
removing  from  our  swamps  much  foul  matter 
which  gives  rise  to  deadly  exhalations. 

The  microscope  revealed  to  my  eyes  a  new 
world  within  this  jar.  Myriads  of  new  and  strange 
forms  of  animal  and  vegetable  life,  of  wonderous 
beauty  and  variety,  sported  through  this  minia- 
ture woi'ld. 

The  summer  passed  away  and  winter  came,  but 


my  little  vivarium  still  held  its  own.  Some 
changes  had  occurred  :  some  of  the  creatures  had 
died,  but  others  took  their  place.  My  salaman- 
der had  disappeared,  and  I  suff'ered  a  few  other 
losses,  but  there  were  still  enough  to  amuse  and 
instruct  me.  I  removed  them  to  a  smaller  room, 
where  they  could  get  a  few  warm  beams  from  the 
winter  sun,  and  they  lived  on,  regardless  of  the 
frosts  and  snows  without,  though  perhaps  some- 
what chilled  some  of  those  cold  nights  when  the 
fire  got  low.  How  much  to  be  envied  by  their 
companions,  now  frozen  up  beneath  the  snow 
and  ice ! 

It  is  now  the  end  of  March.  My  aquarium  still 
thrives  vigorously.  The  plants  grow  rapidly, 
though  kept  dowij  somewhat  by  the  snails  feeding 
on  their  leaves.  The  caddis  worms,  enclosed  in 
their  snug  fitting  jackets,  are  pulling  themselves 
around,  the  bottom.  The  water  beetles,  "of  activi- 
ty inconceivable,"  scuttle  about  the  vessel  in 
hot  haste.  The  sluggish  snails  crawl  up  the  sides 
of  the  jar,  or  glide  smoothly  along  the  top  of  the 
water,  rowing  themselves  along  by  their  horns. 
But  few  deaths  of  any  note  have  occurred  during 
all  the  winter. 

For  a  year  now  I  have  seen  with  admiring  eyes 
the  every-day  life  of  these  little  creatures  ;  and 
how  richly  has  all  my  care  and  trouble  been  re- 
paid ! 

Thanks  to  the  untiring  energy  and  patience  of 
a  few  naturalists,  the  aquarium  has  within  a  few 
years  been  discovered  and  perfected,  until  now 
but  little  care  and  management  are  required  to 
keep  in  our  rooms,  year  after  year,  these  "drawing 
room  ornaments,  flower  gardens  which  never 
wither,  fairy  lakes  of  perpetual  calm,  which  no 
storm  blackens." — Portland  Transcript. 


SMALL  POX  AND  VACCIWATION". 

Hall's  Journal  of  Health  has  the  following ; 
"From  extended  and  close  observation,  the  fol- 
lowing general  deductions  seem  to  be  warranted: 
First,  Infantile  vaccination  is  an  almost  perfect 
safeguard  until  the  fourteenth  year.  Second, 
At  the  beginning  of  fourteen  the  system  gradu- 
ally loses  its  capability  of  resistance,  until  about 
twenty-one,  when  many  persons  become  almost 
as  liable  to  small  pox  as  if  they  had  not  been 
vaccinated.  Third,  This  liability  remains  in  full 
force  until  about  forty-two,  when  the  susceptibil- 
ity begins  to  decline,  and  continues  for  seven 
years  to  grow  less  and  less,  becoming  extinct  at 
about  fifty — the  period  of  life  when  the  genera: 
revolution  of  the  body  begins  to  take  place,  dur- 
ing which  the  system  yields  to  decay,  or  takes  a 
new  lease  of  life  for  two  or  three  terms  of  seven 
years  each.  Fourth,  The  grand  practical  use  to 
be  made  of  these  statements  is  :  Let  every  youth 
be  re-vaccinated  on  entering  fourteen ;  let  sev- 
eral attempts  be  made,  so  as  to  be  certain  of  safe- 
ty. As  the  malady  is  more  likely  to  prevail  in 
cities  during  the  winter,  special  attention  is  in- 
vited to  the  subject  at  this  time." 


II^=  J.  Smart,  of  Vergennes,  Vt.,  sheared  a  year- 
ling buck  this  season  whose  fleece,  unwashed, 
\ie\g\iedi  seventeen  and  three  qiiarters  pounds ;  and 
a  four  year  old  buck  whose  fleece  weighed  11  ^ 
pounds ;  a^so  an  ewe  sheep  whose  fleece  weighed 
9A  pounds. 


l858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


377 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
NATUEE.  MAN'S    TEACHER. 

"Nature"  and  "the  laws  of  Nature"  are  com- 
mon terms  of  expression.  And  their  very  com- 
monness may  be  one  reason  why  they  have  not 
a  more  definite  meaning  in  most  minds.  The 
different  vegetable  productions,  animal  beings, 
man,  of  the  higher  order  of  intelligences,  and 
all  other  objects,  material  and  spiritual,  are  only 
parts  of  a  Universal  Nature.  And  the  nature 
of  all  is  their  essential  constituent  elements, 
properties,  qualities  and  capabilities.  Its  funda- 
mental laws  are  only  their  general  forms  of  ex- 
pression. God  is  tiie  author  of  all  things,  and 
originally  gave  to  each  being  and  thing  a  perfect 
nature,  subject  to  no  law,  wrong,  conflicting  with 
any  other,  or  in  the  least  opposed  to  universal 
harmony.  Man's  nature  then  was  in  consonance 
■with  the  Divine  will.  One  of  its  laws  was  pro- 
gression. He  must  in  his  perfect  state  be  ever 
rising  higher  and  nearer  to  God.  Right  and 
wrong  being  revealed  to  him  by  sin,  as  a  free 
agent  he  was  permitted  to  choose  either.  But 
in  whatever  else  he  may  have  suflFered  by  his  es- 
trangement, this  law  of  progression  remained 
the  same.  He  ever  advances,  right  or  wrong ; 
rises  or  descends ;  knowing  no  standing  still 
point. 

Nature,  commonly  understood,  is  the  aggre- 
gate of  God's  works  manifest  to  man  on  earth. 
These  bear  impress  of  His  hand,  and  in  studying 
them  aright,  the  soul  cannot  fail  to  be  purified 
in  thought,  feelings  and  aspirations.  The  mind 
will  not  be' wholly  absorbed  in  the  Avorks,  but  in- 
stinctively looks  beyond ;  and  through  them, 
catches  glimpses  of  the  great  Creator,  God. — 
Therefore,  to  allow  this  law  of  progression  in 
man  full  scope,  to  develop  his  intellectual  facul- 
ties and  raise  his  soul  nearer  to  Divine  knowl- 
edge and  perfection,  he  was  originally  placed  in 
close  connection  with  these  works  in  the  garden 
of  Eden.  They  were  thus  made  his  teacher,  to 
show  to  him,  in  part,  God's  character  and  gov- 
ernment and  his  consequent  duty  ;  in  all  of 
which  he  showed  his  ignorance  in  attempting  to 
hide  from  the  Lord.  If,  then,  close  and  contin- 
ued communion  with  Nature's  works  was  to  him 
a  source  of  happiness,  and  that  it  was  we  know, 
as  in  his  perfect  state  he  had  no  sorrow,  and  if 
this  condition  was  best  adapted  for  his  progres- 
sion, these  laws  being  unchanged,  we  may  now 
expect  the  same  results. 

Nature  shows  to  her  student  a  broad  field  of 
knowledge  where  he  can  roam  at  pleasure.  Pre- 
sents to  him  subjects  requiring  more  than  a  life- 
time to  fathom.  And  his  moral  feelings  and  in- 
tellectual taste  are  elevated  in  their  study.  Morn- 
ing, noon  and  evening,  her  lessons  are  varied, 
interesting  and  beautiful.  The  glory  of  a  sum- 
mer's morn — when,  riding  forth  on  his  course 
from  the  east,  the  god  of  day  dispenses  light  and 
blessings  to  all,  announced  by  ten  thousand  war- 
blers caroling  forth  joyous  notes  of  praise,  and 
everything  seems  inspired  with  new  life  and  at- 
tuned to  harmonious  melody — is  unsurpassed  by 
aught  of  man.  And  witnessing  this,  who  that 
has  a  soul  bearing  anything  of  its  original  like- 
ness, does  not  attest  sympathy ;  and  feel  the  deep 
fountains  of  joy  and  gratitude  welling  forth  in 
his  heart  anew. 


And  when  low  in  the  heavens  his  chariot  of  fire 
descends,  and  the  last  rays  play  around  the  sum- 
mits of  the  hills  and  dance  through  the  topmost 
branches  of  the  trees,  the  clouds  burnished  with 
a  sea  of  glory,  presenting  to  the  eye  a  picture 
which  could  any  artist  copy,  would  immortalize 
his  name — is  an  hour  destined  by  God  to  be  fa- 
vored to  man.  These  scenes  make  him  forget 
the  cares  and  disappointments  of  the  day,  and 
his  soul,  enraptured,  drinks  in  the  beauties  be- 
fore him. 

"Not  rural  sights  alone,  but  rural  sounds 
Exhilarate  the  spirit,  and  restore 
The  tone  of  languid  nature." 

The  eflfects  of  Nature's  works  ever  harmonize. 
And  the  thoughts  suggested  by  the  scenes  of 
closing  day,  are  deepened  by  the  gentle  breeze, 
the  hum  of  insects  and  the  plaintive  note  of  some 
bird  calling  to  his  mate. 

This  is  the  hour  for  reflection.  Unlike  the 
feelings  of  the  morning,  when  Nature  enlivens 
us  for  the  duties  of  the  day,  we  are  moved  to  re- 
flect on  what  has  passed.  Thus  are  not  only  our 
instructions  varied  throughout  the  day,  but  the 
whole  year.  Each  season  has  its  peculiar  lessons. 
May  not  Nature  then  emphatically  be  called 
man's  teacher  ?  Such  was  she  appointed  in  his 
perfect  state  ;  and  now,  with  these  laws  un- 
changed, her  lessons  are  the  same,  as  she  aids 
him  in  his  upward  flight.  The  well  ordered  mind 
cannot  fail  to  appreciate  her  teachings,  and  ac- 
knowledge their  divinity. 

Man's  object  in  life  is  happiness.  In  the  thous- 
and varied  pursuits,  the  true  expression  of  his 
soul  is,  make  me  happy.  To  attain  this  his  char- 
acter must  be  a  perfect  sphere.  Each  want  must 
receive  just  and  equal  attention,  and  all  his  fac- 
ulties the  same  cultivation.  Those  employments 
must  be  adopted  favoring  this.  And  if  he  fol- 
lows the  original  laws  of  his  being,  accepts  such 
employment,  bringing  him  into  daily  connection 
with  Nature's  works,  and  he  heeds  her  teachings, 
he  will  ever  progress  and  enjoy  happiness. 

Wayland,  1858.  L.  H.  Sherman, 


For  the  New  England  Farme. . 

SALTING  ASPARAGUS. 

Messrs.  Editors  : — Forty  years  ago,  when  I 
bought  my  farm,  I  found  a  bed  of  asparagus  up- 
on it  which  furnished  my  family  with  a  good  sup- 
ply yearly  until  lately.  Having  a  desire  to  en- 
large my  beds,  and  improve  the  crop,  I  trans- 
planted some  into  a  new  bed.  I  had  read  in  the 
papers  that  salt  was  a  "superior  article"  applied 
to  asparagus,  as  a  "fertilizer"  which  would  invig- 
orate and  promote  the  growth  of  the  plant.  Af- 
ter my  new  bed  had  got  well  established  in  the 
soil,  I  supposed  that  salt  and  brine  were  about 
the  same  tifiing,  and  I  sprinkled  the  latter  pretty 
liberally  on  to  my  new  bed,  and  from  some  cause 
the  "fertilizer"  saved  us  all  trouble  of  weeding, 
for  the  plants  never  again  showed  their  heads. 
My  next  experiment  was  upon  the  old  bed,  aged 
over  forty  years.  I  supposed  my  former  success 
was  owing  to  the  application  of  brine  instead  of 
the  genuine  muriate  of  soda,  and  suspecting  that 
brine  was  not  salt,  according  to  "book  farming" 
I  strewed  the  bed  with  salt  till  it  looked  white, 
and  to   my  great  gratification,  the  weeds  surren- 


378 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER: 


Aug. 


dered  in  a  hurry,  and  the  next  spring  a  few  fee- 
ble spires  of  asparagus  shewed  themselves,  inti- 
mating that  they  came  to  bid  us  a  last  farewell. 
The  present  season  the  old  bed  of  half  a  century, 
and  another  about  ten  or  twelve  years  old,  salted 
at  the  same  time,  shew  nothing  but  the  remains 
of  decayed  roots.  The  salt  was  applied  two  or 
three  years  ago.  And  now,  Mr.  Editor,  if  some 
of  your  correspondents  who  are  practical  men  at 
cultivating  asparagus,  would  be  so  good  as  to  tell 
me,  and  others,  whether  it  was  salt  or  some  oth- 
er mismanagement  that  killed  my  asparagus,  they 
would  do  me  and  perhaps  others  a  favor. 
North  Wilmington,  June,  1858.     S.  Brown. 


THE  CONSTRUCTION"  AND  ARRANGE- 
MENT  OF  BARN- YARDS. 

A  well  constructed  barn-yard  is  the  most  im- 
portant part  of  the  farm.  It  is  a  kind  of  mine, 
containing  elements  of  more  intrinsic  value  than 
the  gold  of  a  "thousand  hills."  The  size  of  the 
yard  should  be  made,  not  merely  according  to 
the  size  of  the  farm,  but  with  reference  also  to 
the  collection  of  any  materials  which  Avould  in- 
crease the  amount  of  the  manure.  Its  line, 
and  location  as  an  enclosure  for  the  confinement 
and  convenient  feeding  of  stock,  would  naturally 
be  adapted  to  the  situation  of  the  buildings  and 
adjoining  fields  ;  but  as  a  place  for  making  and 
saving  manure,  the  main  object  is  the  manner  of 
its  construction.  The  border  on  every  side 
should  be  high,  with  an  inward  slope,  forming  a 
reservoir  sufficient  to  contain  all  the  water  which 
might  in  any  way  get  into  it,  and  with  the  bot- 
tom so  compact  that  it  could  not  penetrate  the 
ground. 

A  yard  so  constructed  would  retain  all  the 
salts  of  the  manures, — a  large  portion  of  which, 
according  to  the  present  practice  of  many  far- 
mers, is  entirely  lost.  "The  dark  side  of  the  pic- 
ture" of  a  barn-yard,  is  that  side  where  is  fre- 
quently seen  a  black  or  copper-colored  liquid 
running  into  the  ditches  by  the  roadside,  or  over- 
flowing some  already  rich  portion  of  the  land, 
and  lost  for  any  useful  purposes  to  the  farm.  The 
waste  in  this  way,  on  many  farms,  is  very  great ; 
and  the  annual  loss  to  the  farmers,  by  neglecting 
to  provide  suitable  yards  for  the  preservation  of 
their  manure  is  beyond  estimation.  But  light  on 
this  subject  is  breaking  into  the  minds  of  at  least 
a  portion  of  the  farming  community,  and  a  bet- 
ter practice  will  eventually  prevail. — Oenesee 
Farmer. 

Buckwheat  Cakes. — The  American  Agricul- 
turist contains  the  following  hint  on  this  subject, 
which  is  worth  trying  : 

"Buckwheat  cakes  !  one  buckwheat  cake  diff'er- 
eth  from  another,  yet  not  one  in  a  thousand  is 
made  right.  Yet,  of  all  things,  they  are  the  easi- 
est to  cook,  if  the  meal  is  prepared  rightly.  To 
three  bushels  of  buckwheat,  add  one  of  good 
heavy  oats ;  grind  them  together  as  if  they  were 
only  buckwheat ;  thus  you  will  have  cakes  al- 
ways light  and  always  brown,  to  say  nothing  of 
the  greater  disability  and  the  lightening  of  spir- 
its, which  are  equally  certain.  He  who  feeds  on 
buckwheat  may  be  grum  and  lethargic,  while  he 
of  the  oatmeal  will  have  exhilaration  of  brain 
and  contentment  of  spirit." 


HOEING  AND  HAYING. 

There  are  some  errors  committed  on  the  farm 
—as  there  doubtless  are  in  all  occupations — 
which  are  continued  more  from  the  want  of 
thought  than  as  the  result  of  ignorance.  As  a 
general  thing,  those  persons  who  have  been  en- 
gaged in  any  particular  business  from  their  youth, 
are  not  those  who  investigate  its  interests,  and 
ascertain  what  will  facilitate  or  retard  its  opera- 
tions, and  consequently  increase  or  diminish  its 
profits.  Is  it  not  so  with  farmers  ?  Is  it  those 
who  have  been  bred  to  the  farm,  from  their  boy- 
hood, and  whose  manipulations  are  as  familiar  to 
them  as  household  words,  who  are  the  most  in- 
quisitive, who  break  away  occasionally  from  old 
and  questionable  customs — or  is  it  those  who 
have  had  an  innate  and  irrepressible  love  for  the 
business  from  early  life,  and  who  have  given  the 
subject  earnest  thought,  exercised  constant  ob- 
servation, and  searched  the  books  to  learn  the 
practice  of  others  ?  We  have  no  doubt  which  of 
these  two  classes  are  among  the  progressive  ag- 
riculturists of  the  land,  and  have  had  a  large  in 
fluence  in  effecting  the  important  changes  which 
have  been  wrought  in  farm  management. 

Such  were  the  ideas  that  occurred  to  us  when 
we  took  up  the  pen  to  say  a  word  upon  the  sub- 
ject of  hoeing. 

The  work  of  hoeing,  like  that  of  acquiring 
knowledge,  is  never  finished  until  the  crop  is 
matured,  and  nearly  ready  to  harvest.  No  mat- 
ter whether  there  are  weeds  or  not,  the  crop  is 
greatly  benefited  by  repeated  stirrings  of  the 
ground.  If  this  is  so,  can  that  practice  be  a  good 
one  which  divides  off'  the  season,  giving  a  partic- 
ular time  for  hoeing,  and  presuming  that  it  must 
be  finished  within  that  period,  in  order  that  the 
period  assigned  for  haying  may  not  be  interrupt- 
ed? . 

We  believe  a  grave  error  is  committed  by 
many  in  this  respect — indeed,  the  fields  them- 
selves, in  autumn,  bear  ample  evidence  of  the 
fact — as  pigweeds  and  Roman  wormwood  encum- 
ber the  ground  and  rob  the  cultivated  plants  of 
the  nutrition  which  is  needed  for  their  perfection. 

When  we  had  written  so  far,  in  looking  over 
our  exchanges,  we  found  our  views  confirmed  by 
a  writer  in  the  Oenesee  Farmer.  Hear  what  he 
says : — 

Haying  and  harvest  will  soon  be  upon  us,  and 
of  late  years  they  seem  to  come  right  in  "hoeing 
time,"  but  we  would  remind  those  who  would 
raise  corn  or  roots,  and  so  far  have  done  every- 
thing in  good  ^tyle,  to  weary  not,  but  patiently 
continue  their  labors.  We  must  remember  that 
"growing  weather"  is  as  favorable  to  the  growth 
oi  weeds  as  of  valuable  plants,  and  that  on  no  ac- 
count should  we  neglect  to  give  clean  culture  to 
our  hoed  crops.  Let  us  keep  the  cultivator  going 
among  them,  if  no  more,  so  as  to  keep  the  soil 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


379 


light  and  clean,  even  if  we  have  to  hire  an  extra 
hand  in  the  hay-field.  We  are  apt  to  forget  how 
much  cultivation  has  to  do  with  the  early  growth 
of  corn — with  its  "getting  a  start,"  so  as  to  be 
able  to  feed  itself  from  the  food  supplied  in  the 
soil.  This  is  also  true  of  potatoes — and  we  may 
add,  beans,  since  our  last  year's  experience  in  be- 
ing hurried  away  into  haying  and  harvest  before 
finishing  the  hoeing  of  the  whole  crop.  Had  we 
hired  it  done,  at  two  dollars  per  day,  we  should 
have  made  money  in  the  increased  product,  as 
shown  by  the  clean  cultured  over  the  weedy  part. 
And  what  farmer  cannot  look  back  and  see  when 
he  -'missed  it,"  in  not  being  more  thorough,  even 
though  it  seemed  as  if  he  "couldn't  aflbrd  it,"  at 
the  time  ? 

Let  us  urge  the  matter  still.  A  few  days  in 
finishing  up  the  culture  of  our  hoed  crops — which 
should  all  be  done  by  the  time  they  get  one-quar- 
ter of  their  growth — is  of  vast  importance  in  se- 
curing a  well-ripened  and  heavy  yield,  and  should 
by  no  means  be  omitted.  We  must  not  fail  here, 
for  these  are  important  crops,  and  midsummer  is 
the  pinch  with  them  as  regards  their  value, — es- 
pecially corn,  which  the  frost  hardly  gives  time 
to  ripen,  when  the  planting  season  is  delayed  as 
of  late  years.  j. 

Niagara  Co.,  N.  T. 

Do  not,  then,  neglect  the  hoeing,  in  order  to 
hurry  into  haying,  but  let  the  former  lap  a  little 
into  the  latter,  by  cutting  small  pieces  of  early 
grass  in  the  morning,  but  not  so  much  but  that 
it  may  be  tended  without  entirely  discontinuing 
the  hoeing. 

It  is  too  costly  an  operation  to  plow  land,  ma- 
nure, plant  and  cultivate  it,  until  the  crop  is 
about  half  grown,  and  then  leave  it  to  its  own 
fate,  to  struggle  with  hardy  weeds,  and  lose  the 
benefit  from  atmospheric  influences  which  it 
would  receive  if  the  surface  were  in  a  proper  con- 
dition. 

Look  at  the  practice — investigate  it,  and  learn 
whether  you  can  afford  to  neglect  the  crops  al- 
ready half  grown,  for  the  sake  of  beginning  hay- 
ing a  week  earlier. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 

DAIRY  STOCK. 

Who  shall  decide  when  doctors  disagree  ? — 
Which  has  the  greater  influence  in  the  produc- 
tion of  superior  stock  for  dairy  purposes,  the 
male  or  the  female  ?  I  had  supposed  it  was  gen- 
erally understood  that  the  male  was  entitled  to 
as  much  consideration  as  the  female,  until  I  saw 
it  somewhere  authoritatively  quoted  from  the 
28th  page  of  the  Secretary's  Report  on  Stock, 
that  "it  is  now  conceded  otherwise."  If  this  be 
so,  I  should  like  to  see  the  data  from  which  the 
conclusion  is  drawn.  Such  has  not  been  the 
judgment  or  observation  of  those  with  whom  I 
have  associated  for  the  last  thirty  years.  Such 
has  not  been  the  principle  upon  which  premiums 
have  been  off"ered  or  awarded,  so  far  as  I  have 
understood  the  matter.  I  admit  this  is  an  age 
of  improvement,  though  I  think  the  laws  of  gen 
oration  are  not  essentially  changed.  *. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
COLOR  OF  CATTLE. 

Mr.  Editor  : — In  your  paper  of  this  month,  I 
read  an  article  signed  "Inquirer,"  April  8,  ask- 
ing information  respecting  the  various  colors  in 
horned  cattle.  I  do  not  know  that  I  can  give 
much  light  on  the  subject,  but  it  is  matter  that 
would  be  interesting  to  know  about.  It  ap- 
pears that  in  difi"erent  sections  of  the  country 
and  all  over  the  world  the  color  varies  some- 
what. Cattle  that  are  driven  from  the  Western 
prairies  for  this  market  partake  of  grey,  red  and 
white,  while  in  the  New  England  States  they  art 
brown,  red  and  black ;  I  am  induced  to  think  it 
may  be  chance  in  cattle,  as  well  as  in  other 
things. 

I  have  raised  this  season  two  broods  of  chick- 
ens of  the  Golden  Bantam  breed,  having  but  one 
male  and  two  pullets,  and  no  other  fowls  any- 
where near,  and  the  result  has  been  from  the  first 
brood  of  eight  chickens,  five  pure  golden  chick- 
ens, two  white  and  one  black ;  in  the  second 
brood  of  seven  chickens,  four  pure  golden,  two 
black  and  one  white.  Now  this  must  be  chance, 
and  why  should  not  the  same  be  chance  in  cattle 
aj  in  fowls  ?  Still  it  may  be  in  crossing  the  dif- 
ferent breeds  of  cattle,  but  we  have  Scripture  au- 
thority that  the  difl"erent  colors  were  produced  by 
Jacob  in  taking  rods  of  green  poplar  and  of  the 
hazel  and  chestnut  tree,  and  pealed  white  streaks 
in  them,  and  set  the  rods  before  the  flocks  in  the 
gutters  and  watering  troughs,  and  the  flocks  con- 
ceived before  the  rods,  and  brought  forth  cattle 
ring-streaked,  speckled  and  spotted.  I  hope 
some  one  acquainted  with  the  raising  of  stock 
will  give  some  light  on  the  subject. 

Old  Jacob. 

A  STREET  SCENE. 

The  other  day,  as  I  came  down  Broome  Street, 
I  saw  a  street  musician  playing  near  the  door  of 
a  genteel  dwelling.  The  organ  was  uncommonly 
sweet  and  mellow  in  its  tones,  the  tunes  were 
slow  and  plaintive,  and  I  fancied  that  I  saw  in 
the  woman's  Italian  face  an  expression  that  indi- 
cated sufficient  refinement  to  prefer  the  tender 
and  the  melancholy  to  the  lively  "trainer  tunes" 
in  vogue  with  the  populace.  She  looked  like  one 
who  had  suff"ered  much,  and  the  sorrowful  music 
seemed  her  own  appropriate  voice.  A  little  girl 
clung  to  her  scanty  garments,  as  if  afraid  of  all 
things  but  her  mother.  As  I  looked  at  them,  a 
young  lady  of  pleasing  countenan'^e  opened  tht 
window,  and  began  to  sing  like  a  bird,  in  keep- 
ing with  the  street  organ.  Two  other  young  girls 
came  and  leaned  on  her  shoulder  ;  and  still  she 
sang  on.  Blessings  on  her  gentle  heart !  It  was 
evidently  the  spontaneous  gush  of  human  love 
and  sympathy.  The  beauty  of  the  incident  at- 
tracted attention.  A  group  of  gentlemen  gradu- 
ally collected  round  the  organist ;  and  ever  as  the 
tune  ended,  they  bowed  respectfully  toward  the 
window,  waved  their  hats,  and  called  out,  "More, 
if  you  please  !"  One,  whom  I  knew  well  for  the 
kindest  and  truest  soul,  passed  round  his  hat ; 
hearts  were  kindled,  and  the  silver  fell  in  freely. 
In  a  m'nute,  four  or  five  dollars  were  collected 
for  the  poor  woman.  She  spoke  no  word  of  grat- 
itude, but  she  gave  such  a  look  !  "Will  you  g' 
to  the  next  street,  and  play  to  a  friend  of  mine  ? 


380 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Aug. 


said  my  kind-hearted  friend.  She  answered,  in 
tones  expressing  the  deepest  emotion  ;  "No,  sir, 
God  bless  you  all ;  God  bless  you  all"  (making  a 
courtesy  to  the  young  lady,  who  had  stepped 
back,  and  stood  sheltered  by  the  curtain  of  the 
window  ;)  "I  will  play  no  more  to-day  ;  I  will  go 
home,  now."  The  tears  trickled  down  her  cheeks, 
and,  as  she  walked  away,  she  ever  and  anon 
wiped  her  eyes  with  the  corner  of  her  shawl.  The 
group  of  gentlemen  lingered  a  moment  to  look 
after  her,  then,  turning  toward  the  now  closed 
window,  they  gave  three  enthusiastic  cheers,  and 
departed,  better  than  they  came.  The  pavement 
on  which  they  stood  had  been  a  church  to  them ; 
and  for  the  next  hour  at  least,  their  hearts  were 
more  than  usually  prepared  for  deeds  of  gentle- 
ness and  mercy.  Why  are  such  scenes  so  uncom- 
mon ?  Why  do  we  thus  repress  our  sympathies, 
and  chill  the  genial  current  of  nature,  by  formal 
observances  and  restraints  ? — Lydia  Maria  Child. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
HO"W  TO  PREVENT  BUGS  FROM 
EATING  VINES. 

I  notice  in  the  Farmer  of  July  3,  that  Mr.  S. 
L.  Billings,  of  Rockingham,  Vt.,  has  come  to 
the  conclusion  that  my  method  of  preventing 
bugs  from  destroying  vines  will  prove  a  hum- 
hug;  well,  it  may  be  a  humbug,  used  in  the  way 
he  has  used  it  from  the  tannery. 

I  do  not  use  it  in  the  way  spoken  of  by  him, 
but  take  it  fresh  from  the  poultry-house,  and 
dissolve  it  in  rain  water,  making  it,  when  dis- 
solved, about  as  thick  as  water  gruel.  I  then  set 
it  in  a  sunny  location,  and  it  goes  through  a  state 
of  fermentation,  and  is  then  ready  for  use.  I  ap- 
ply it  once  in  three  or  four  days,  commencing 
with  about  three  table  spoonfuls,  and  increase 
the  quantity  as  the  vines  grow  larger.  I  have  at 
this  time  120  hills  of  squashes,  and  have  not  had 
one  vine  destroyed  by  the  bugs  this  season.  One 
of  my  neighbors,  a  Mr.  Leighton,  who  has  fol- 
lowed gardening  44  years,  now  in  his  66th  year, 
considers  it  the  best  preventive  ever  used  by 
him,  and  I  must  put  him  down  as  a  practical  gar- 
dener, for  his  whole  life  has  been  spent  in  rais- 
ing vegetables  for  the  market. 

It  seems  to  me  that  if  the  liquid  used  by 
Friend  Billings  had  contained  all  of  its  former 
properties,  that  justly  belonged  to  it  before  hav- 
ing been  used  for  tanning  purposes,  that  it  could 
have  been  used  repeatedly  for  the  same  purpose ; 
but  if  it  did  not  contain  all  of  those  properties,  it 
certainly  could  not  have  had  the  same  effect  as 
the  liquid  used  by  me. 

I  am  not  opposed  to  using  boxes,  providing 
you  do  not  have  a  better  substitute.  My  vines 
are  from  ten  to  fifteen  inches  high,  and  the  bugs 
have  not  been  more  plenty  at  any  time  this  sea- 
son, than  at  the  present,  and  boxes  from  eight  to 
ten  inches  high  -^vould  scarcely  cover  them.  If 
friend  B.  will  try  one  hill  the  next  season,  fix  it 
up  as  I  have  described,  and  apply  it,  and  does  not 
then  change  his  mind,  I  will  then  confess  that 
Vermont  bugs,  as  well  as  Vermont  horses,  are 
hard  to  beat,  and  I  will  never  again  try  to  cram 
a  humbug  down  his  throat,  which,  by  the  way, 
Mr.  Editor,  my  name  should  have  been,  instead 
of  Crane.  B.  H.  Cram. 

Eliot,  July  6,  1858. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
EAGLE  MOVSriNG  MACHINE. 

Mr.  Editor  : — Very  recently,  I  obtained  a 
mowing  machine  of  Heath's  patent,  manufactured 
by  Nourse,  Mason  &  Co.,  whose  works  are  at 
South  Groton,  Middlesex  Co.,  in  this  State. 

Having  closely  observed  the  operation  of  this 
and  other  machines,  while  on  trial  in  1856, — sep- 
arately at  various  places  in  the  State,  and  then 
at  the  .general  trial  at  Northfield,  in  Franklin 
Co.,  for  the  premium  of  $1000,  generously  offered 
by  the  "Massachusetts  Society  for  the  Promo- 
tion of  Agriculture,"  I  was  very  favorably  im- 
pressed with  the  movement  of  three  of  the  ma- 
chines on  trial,  but  with  the  work  of  no  one  was 
I  so  much  pleased  as  with  that  of  the  Heath  Ma- 
chine, to  which  was  awarded  the  premium.  If 
any  one  is  curious  to  learn  the  reasons  why  the 
committee  appointed  to  examine  and  judge  of 
the  merits  of  the  several  machines,  so  awarded 
the  premium,  they  are  referred  to  the  report  of 
that  committee,  an  extract  of  which  may  be  found 
in  the  Report  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Board  of 
Agriculture,  page  183,  for  the  year  1856. 

The  reasons  given  in  that  report  were  suffi- 
cient in  the  minds  of  that  committee,  whose  spe- 
cial  business  it  was  to  attend  on  the  work  of  the 
machines,  examine  their  structure,  &c.,  &c.,  to 
induce  them  to  award  the  premium  as  they  did, 
and  they  confidently  believed  that  the  opinion  of 
gentlemen  present  on  the  occasion  of  the  trial 
(except  those  interested  in  other  machines)  was 
in  harmony  with  their  own. 

I  say  that  I  have  one  of  the  Heath  machines, 
nor  am  I  unhappily  disappointed  in  the  work  of 
it.  It  does  much  better  than,  under  the  circum- 
stances, I  had  reason  to  suppose  that  it  would. 

Two  horses,  strangers  to  each  other  and  to  the 
work,  were  put  to  the  machine,  and  a  driver 
wholly  unaccustomed  to  the  horses  and  to  the 
machine,  took  his  seat  over  the  wheel  and  pro- 
ceeded to  an  old  field,  with  not  very  heavy  grass, 
but  hard  to  cut.  The  aborigines  of  this  country 
were  perhaps  not  more  surprised  Avhen  the  May- 
flower landed  at  Plymouth,  than  were  the  villagers 
of  Shrewsbury,  when  they  learned  that  a  moioing 
macliine  had  arrived.  About  two  acres  were 
soon  cut,  to  the  astonishment  of  those  who  wit- 
nessed the  operation  as  well  as  those  who  ex- 
amined the  work  when  done. 

One  man  remarked  that  he  "had  seen  many 
machines  operate  at  the  West,  but  never  saw  one 
do  the  work  so  well  as  that." 

The  machine  worked  among  cobble-stones  to 
mow  the  last  two  of  six  to  seven  acres,  without 
injury  to  the  knives,  which  were  not  sharpened 
till  the  six  to  seven  acres  were  mowed — though 
I  would  not  recommend  mowing  where  the 
stones  are  very  thick. 

It  is  very  important  to  have  horses  for  this 
work  that  are  tempered  alike,  and  that  walk 
alike  ;  if  one  is  quicker  than  the  other  let  him 
be  put  on  the  off  side,  and  when  the  driver  and 
his  team  become  acquainted  with  each  other  and 
with  the  work,  there  is  no  danger  to  be  appre- 
hended on  ground  adapted  to  the  use  of  the 
mower. 

I  am  highly  pleased  with  the  machine,  and 
think  it  ^o  be  an  article  that  will  in  time  come 
into  pretty  general  use  for  mowing  smooth  sur- 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


381 


faces.  Until  farmers  have  better  prepared  their 
grounds  by  removing  the  stones,  &c.,  from  them, 
one  machine  may  answer  for  a  neighborhood  of 
farms,  on  all  of  which  there  are  some  fields  that 
can  profitably  be  mowed  with  the  mower. 

There  are  other  and  very  good  working  ma- 
chines in  the  market — machines  well  put  together 
and  attractive  to  the  eye,  but  in  my  opinion, 
there  is  no  machine  that  will  do  work  so  accepta- 
bly as  the  Heath  (or  Eagle)  machine,  to  which  a 
reaper  may  be  attached  without  inconvenience. 
Thomas  W.  Ward. 

Shrewsbury,  July  10,  1858. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
FARMING  PROGRESSIVE. 

Mr.  Editor  : — By  those  who  know  nothing 
bout  it,  we  often  hear  it  said  that  the  enjoyments 
of  the  farmer  are  few,  and  that  what  he  has  are 
low  and  gross.  At  this  day  it  need  hardly  be 
said,  that  this  is  untrue,  and  a  libel  upon  the  pro- 
fession. There  doubtless  has  been  a  time  when 
there  might  have  been  more  "truth  than  poetry" 
conveyed  in  the  above,  so  far  as  the  pleasure  and 
position  of  the  farmer  were  concerned,  but  this 
will  not  hold  good  at  the  present  day.  For  my- 
self, I  can  conceive  of  no  other  occupation  which 
carries  along  with  it  so  much  of  "nature  and  of 
nature's  God,"  which  has  in  it  so  much  for 
tlwuglit,  in  fact,  has  every  science  combined,  as 
the  employments  of  the  farmer.  I  mean,  of  course, 
a  farmer  in  the  broadest  acceptation  of  that  word. 
It  would  be  needless  to  enumerate  the  diS'erent 
branches  of  knowledge  which  this  embraces.  The 
time  has  gone  by,  when  to  mention  book  farm- 
ing, was  to  bring  upon  one  the  ridicule  of  the 
whole  community.  For  the  past  few  years,  the 
change  has  been  great  in  this  respect,  but  no 
greater  than  the  times  demand.  It  wont  do  now 
to  go  to  mill  with  the  corn  in  one  end  of  the  bag 
and  a  stone  to  balance  in  the  other.  Farmers 
have  found  out  that  they  might  just  as  well,  and 
with  far  greater  profit,  carry  corn  in  both  ends, 
as  it  not  only  saves  time,  "which  is  money,"  but 
is  more  economical  in  more  senses  than  one. 

An  intelligence  which  answered  very  well  a  few 
years  since,  will  not  answer  now.  We  live  in 
stirring,  changing,  progressive  times,  and  I  am 
one  of  those  who  believe  in  this  progress,  not  on 
ly  in  the  science  of  farming,  but  in  every  other 
profession.  Notwithstanding  some  of  the  "old 
fogy"  cant  of  the  day,  I  believe  the  world  is 
progressing  for  the  better,  that  mankind,  as  a 
whole,  are  more  intelligent,  wiser  and  better  than 
they  used  to  be  ;  that  the  cultivation  of  the  soil, 
the  rotation  of  crops,  the  proper  application  of 
manures  for  the  samC;  is  becoming  better  under 
stood,  and  being  reduced  to  a  science,  and  that 
this  state  of  things  will  continue.  As  long  as 
land  is  cheap,  it  cannot  be  expected  that  there 
will  be  that  improvement  made  in  the  science  of 
farming,  as  would  be  the  case,  if  land  was  dearer 
and  the  population  more  dense.  Something  of 
this  condition  of  things  may  be  seen  within  a  few 
miles  of  all  our  cities  and  larger  towns.  Here 
land  is  dearer,  and  there  is,  as  a  general  thing, 
more  mind  brought  into  action,  and  the  cultiva- 
tion of  the  soil  is  more  scientific,  and  more  pro 
fitable. 


We  have  reason  to  believe  that  this  state  of 
things  will  continue  to  spread  wider  and  wider. 
True,  it  may  be  a  very  slow  process,  but  it  is  a 
certain  one,  therefore  I  take  it,  that  the  interest 
and  prospects  in  the  future  for  the  farmer  are 
more  encouraging  now  than  they  have  been  in 
the  past.  He  should  be  posted  up  in  his  profes- 
sion, and  avail  himself  of  those  means  of  improve- 
ment which  have  stood  the  test  of  experience,  in 
carrying  on  his  operations.  Among  these,  labor 
saving  machinery  is  destined  to  perform  a  good 
part  of  the  labor  now  done  on  the  farm  by  hu- 
man muscle,  as  well  as  a  goodly  share  of  that  of 
the  ox  and  horse.  From  the  foregoing,  we  there- 
fore deduce  the  following :  We  live  in  a  "go 
ahead"  age ;  one  of  improvement ;  that  book 
farming  is  not  to  be  discarded,  and  that  there 
may  be  a  better  way  than  the  old  one,  that  the 
farmer  who  would  keep  himself  and  family  well 
informed,  and  learn  to  manage  his  farming  in- 
terest to  the  best  advantage,  must  consult  his 
books,  and  take  at  least  one  agricultural  paper 
as  good  as  the  New  England  Farmer. 

King  Oak  Hill,  February,  1858.     Norfolk. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
GUENON'S  THEORY. 

Mr  Editor  : — One  of  your  correspondents  has 
expressed  a  doubt  of  the  reliability  of  the  Es- 
cutcheon theory  of  Guenon,  because  he  cannot 
trace  any  connection  between  the  position  of  the 
hair  and  the  milking  properties  of  the  animal. 
This  may  be  prudent — but  if  we  are  to  believe 
nothing  that  cannot  be  fully  demonstrated,  the 
horizon  of  our  knowledge  will  be  much  restricted. 

If  the  coincidence  has  often  been  noted,  and 
rarely  failed,  the  presumption  is  in  favor  of  the 
theory,  though  no  connection  may  be  traceable. 
Who  is  there  that  can  fully  explain  the  connec- 
tion between  the  falling  shower  of  rain  and  the 
green  grass  of  the  field  ?  But  still  we  certainly 
know  that  one  follows  and  is  caused  by  the 
other. 

So  much  attention  has  this  theory  awakened 
on  the  continent  of  Europe,  that  a  committee  of 
eminent  gentlemen  in  France  was  appointed  to 
investigate  it ;  and  it  was  found  to  hoW  good  in 
a  large  proportion  of  the  cows  that  came  under 
their  observation — though  not  in  every  case.  I 
think  the  purpose  of  your  correspondent  was  to 
direct  attention  to  other  unintelligible  notions 
that  are  abroad,  quite  as  much  as  to  the  escutch- 
eon of  Guenon.  Though  I  cannot  say  that  I  have 
full  confidence  in  the  theory,  I  think  it  entitled 
to  careful  examination.  I  find  those  who  have 
given  to  it  best  attention,  are  most  favorably  im- 
pressed. Inquirer. 

June  29, 1858. 


Eggs. — Let  it  be  understood  that  eggs  may 
lose  their  nourishment  by  cooking.  The  yolk, 
raw  or  very  slightly  boiled,  is  exceedingly  nutri- 
tious. It  is,  moreover,  the  only  food  for  those 
afflicted  with  jaundice.  When  an  egg  has  been 
exposed  to  a  long  continuance  of  culinary  heat, 
its  nature  is  entirely  changed.  A  slightly  boiled 
egg,  however,  is  more  easy  of  digestion  than  a 
raw  one.  The  best  accompaniment  for  a  hard 
egg  is  vinegar.     Raw  eggs  have  a  laxative  effect ; 


382 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Aug. 


hard  boiled  the  contrary.  There  is  an  idiosyn- 
crasy in  some  persons,  which  shows  itself  in  the 
utter  disgust  which  they  experience,  not  only 
against  the  egg  itself,  but  also  against  any  prep- 
aration of  which  it  forms  an  ingredient,  however 
slight.  Eggs  should  always  be  liberally  accom- 
panied by  bread. — Dr.  Doran. 


TBAINING  STEERS  TO  THE   YOKE   AND 
TO  ^?^OBK 

It  is  one  thing  to  train  steers  to  the  yoke,  and 
another  to  train  them  to  work — even  as  knoM'l- 
edge  of  the  theory  differs  practically  from  "know- 
ing how,"  and  going  through  with  it.  As  in  teach- 
ing human  scholars,  "one  thing  at  a  time"  is  bet- 
ter acquired,  than  a  miscellaneous  jumble  of  infor- 
mation, so  it  is  in  teaching  steei's,  and  the  first 
object  is  to  train  them  to  wear  the  yoke  and  to 
obey  the  commands  of  the  driver. 

Four  pair  of  steers  can  be  trained  at  once,  with 
nearly  the  same  ease  as  one.  The  first  step  is  to 
shut  them  into  a  well-fenced  yard,  with  an  area 
of  from  twelve  to  sixteen  square  rods,  where  the 
driver  can  stand  in  the  centre  and  make  the  steers 
travel  around  him.  They  should  be  kept  going 
in  pairs  or  Indian  file,  until  they  will  allow  his 
approach — until  they  learn  to  be  handled  with- 
out fear,  which  is  an  important  rudiment  in  the 
education  of  an  ox.  In  doing  this,  the  same  pa- 
tience and  gentleness  should  be  exercised  which  is 
expected  of  the  teacher  of  a  school — a  patience 
which  never  yields  to  vexation.  In  a  short  time 
they  will  allow  themselves  to  be  yoked  on  either 
side,  and  can  be  driven  anywhere,  either  in  or  out 
of  the  yard.  Four  days  spent  in  this  way,  will 
better  train  steers  to  the  yoke  than  four  months  of 
miscellaneous  farm  service,  and  they  will  be  bet- 
ter cattle  for  all  kinds  of  teaming,  and  sell  for  a 
higher  price.  The  drilling  in  the  yard  should 
be  continued  until  they  can  be  driven  with  ease. 
To  learn  them  to  stand  when  left  to  rest,  they 
need  hitching  as  much  as  a  span  of  horses. 

When  steers  are  trained  to  drive  well  in  the 
yoke,  the  entirely  different  operation  of  training 
them  to  work  should  be  commenced.  This  should 
proceed  by  degrees,  with  light  loads  and  short 
journeys,  until  they  give  evidence  of  ability  as 
well  as  knowledge.  Oxen  can  be  trained  to  work 
with  as  little  expense  to  the  natural  spirits  of  the 
animal,  as  the  horse,  and  it  should  be  the  aim  of 
every  ox-teamster,  to  train  his  cattle  to  work 
well  without  discouraging  or  abusing  them. 

Doubtless  many  of  our  farming  readers  are 
training  steers  to  the  yoke  this  season — will  they 
adopt  the  rule,  "one  thing  at  a  time,"  and  break 
to  the  yoke  before  putting  them  untaught  to  draw- 
ing loads  ;  and  after  a  patient  trial,  report  success 
or  the  want  of  it  for  our. columns.  One  thing 
should  be  remembered — no  farmer  is  competent 
to  manage  steers  who  cannot  govern  and  manage 
himself. — Country  Gentleman. 


CUKE  FOB  THE  BITE  OP  A  MAD  DOG. 

A  frightful  case  of  attack  and  biting  of  a  child 
in  the  family  of  one  of  our  friends  recently,  which 
the  public  in  this  region  have  generally  seen,  in- 
duces us  to  give  the  following  remedy  to  cure  the 
bite  of  a  mad  dog,  which  we  hope  will  be  care- 
fully preserved.  There  is  not  a  year  passes  in 
which  some  rabid  dog  does  not  go  at  large,  bit- 
ing cattle,  sheep,  swine  and  horses,  and  some- 
times human  beings,  and  spreading  present  terror 
and  future  anxiety  through  the  neighborhood. 

This  remedy  has  no  smack  of  quackery,  and 
in  our  opinion  is  worthy  of  immediate  applica- 
tion to  any  one  who  has  been  bitten,  either  re- 
cently or  remotely. 

A  writer  in  the  National  Intelligencer  says  that 
spirits  of  hartshorn  is  a  certain  remedy  for  the 
bite  of  a  mad  dog.  The  wound,  he  adds,  should 
be  constantly  bathed  with  it,  and  three  or  four 
doses,  diluted,  taken  inwardly  during  the  day. 
The  hartshorn  decomposes,  chemically,  the  virus 
insinuated  into  the  wound,  and  immediately  al- 
ters and  destroys  its  deleteriousness.  The  writer, 
who  resided  in  Brazil  for  some  time,  first  tiied 
it  for  the  bite  of  a  scorpion,  and  found  that  it 
removed  pain  and  inflammation  almost  instantly. 
Subsequently  he  tried  it  for  the  bite  of  a  rattle- 
snake, with  similar  success.  At  the  suggestion 
of  the  writer,  an  old  friend  and  physician  tried 
it  in  cases  of  hydrophobia,  and  always  with  suc- 
cess. 


The  Sex  of  Eggs. — M.  Genin  has  addressed 
the  Academic  des  Sciences  on  this  subject.  He 
says  he  is  able,  after  three  years'  study,  to  state 
with  assurance  that  all  eggs  containing  the  germs 
of  males  have  wrinkles  on  their  smaller  ends 
while  female  eggs  are  equally  smooth  at  both  ex- 
tremities. 


HOW  A    QUABBEL  WAS  SETTLED. 

The  ancient  family  of  Wolcott,  in  Connecticut 
was  remarkable  for  clear-headedness,  inflexible 
integrity,  pungent  wit  and  Christian  principle. 
The  following  facts  relate  to  the  Hon.  Roger 
Wolcott,  who  was  afterwards  Governor  : 

Expressing  my  surprise  one  day  to  Wolcott, 
that  his  satirical  disposition  had  not  got  him  into 
more  scrapes,  he  told  me  he  never  was  in  but 
one  that  seriously  alarmed  liim.  It  was  with  the 
late  General  M'Cormick.  "We  had  passed  the 
previous  forenoon  together,"  said  Wolcott,  "when 
something  I  said  more  severe  than  I  ought  to 
the  General,  roused  his  anger.  He  retorted.  I 
was  more  sarcastic  than  before.  He  went  away 
and  sent  me  a  challenge  for  the  next  morning. 
Six  o'clock  was  the  hour  fixed  upon ;  the  ground 
to  be  the  green  at  Truro,  wliich  at  that  time  was 
sufliiciently  retired.  There  were  no  seconds.  The 
window  of  my  room,  however,  commanded  the 
green.  I  had  scarcely  got  out  of  bed  to  dress 
for  the  appointment,  when,  pulling  aside  the  cur- 
tains, I  saw  the  General  walking  up  and  down  on 
the  side  next  the  river,  half  an  hour  before  the 
time.  The  sun  was  just  rising,  cloudily,  the  morn- 
ing bitterly  cold  ;  which,  Avith  the  sight  of  the 
General's  pistol  and  his  attendance  on  the  ground 
before  the  hour  appointed,  were  by  no  means 
calculated  to  strengthen  my  nerves.  I  dressed, 
and,  while  doing  so,  made  up  my  nilnd  that  it 
was  great  folly  for  two  old  friends  to  pop  away 
at  each  other's  lives.  My  resolution  was  speedi- 
ly taken.  I  rang  the  bell  for  my  servant  girl : 
'Molly,  ligUt  the  fire,  instantly  ;  make  some  good 
toast ;  let  the  breakfast  be  got  in  a  minute,  for 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


383 


two.'  'Yes,  sir.'  My  watch  was  within  a  minute 
of  the  time.  Pistol  in  hand,  I  went  out  the  back 
way  from  my  house,  which  opened  on  the  green. 
I  crossed  like  a  lion  and  went  up  to  M'Cormic. 
He  looked  fii-m,  but  did  not  speak.  I  did.  'Good- 
morning,  t'ye,  General.'  The  General  bowed. 
'This  is  too  cold  a  morning  for  fighting.'  'There 
is  but  one  alternative,'  said  the  General,  distinct- 
ly. 'It  is  what  you  soldiers  call  an  apology.  My 
dear  fellow,  I  would  rather  make  twenty  when  I 
was  so  much  in  the  wrong  as  I  was  yesterday  ; 
but  I  will  only  make  it  on  one  condition.'  'I  can- 
not talk  of  conditions,  sir,'  said  the  General. 
'Why,  then  I  will  consider  the  condition  assented 
to.  It  is,  that  you  will  come  in  and  take  a  good 
breakfast  with  me,  now  ready  on  the  table.  I 
am  exceedingly  sorry  if  I  hurt  your  feelings  yes- 
terday, for  I  meant  not  to  do  it.'  We  shook 
hands  like  old  friends,  and  soon  forgot  our  dif- 
ference over  tea  and  toast :  but  I  did  not  like  the 
pistols  and  that  cold  morning,  notwithstanding 
I  believe  many  duels  might  end  harmlessly,  could 
the  combatants  command  the  field  as  I  did,  and 
on  such  a  bitter  cold  morning." 


steam.  The  wound  is  now  dressed,  and  the  out- 
side rim  soon  suppurates,  and  the  cancer  comes 
out  in  a  hard  lump,  and  the  place  heals  up.  The 
plaster  kills  the  cancer,  so  that  it  sloughs  out 
like  dead  flesh,  and  nevey-  grows  again.  The 
remedy  was  discovered  by  Dr.  Fell,  of  London, 
and  has  been  used  by  him  for  six  or  eight  years, 
with  unfailing  success,  and  not  a  case  has  been 
known  of  the  re-appearance  of  the  cancer,  where 
this  remedy  has  been  applied." 


CAK"  CANCERS  BE  CUBED  ? 

We  occasionally  meet  a  person  afflicted  with 
that  terrible  disease,  a  cancer,  and  few  things  to 
which  flesh  is  heir  excite  our  sympathies  more, 
Cancers  have  been  cured,  we  believe,  without  the 
use  of  the  knife,  and  perhaps  some  of  those  who 
assume  the  title  of  cancer  doctors  have  succeeded 
in  assuaging  the  pains  of  the  disease,  and  in 
some  cases,  perhaps,  effecting  a  permanent  cure. 

Not  long  since  an  article  appeared  in  the  Mil- 
waukie  Free  Democrat,  which  the  Providence  Post 
thinks  of  sufficient  importance  to  receive  gen- 
eral notice.  We  agree  with  the  Post,  and  there- 
fore place  on  record  the  remedy,  advising  each 
reader  to  cut  out  the  article  and  preserve  it,  as 
by  so  doing  he  may  be  able  to  minister  to  some 
sufi"ering  brother,  and  perhaps  save  life  itself. 

The  statement  of  the  Democrat  is,  that  some 
eight  months  ago,  Mr.  T.  B.  Mason — who  keeps 
a  music-store  on  Wisconsin  Street,  and  is  a 
brother  of  the  well  known  Lowell  Mason — ascer- 
tained that  he  had  a  cancer  on  his  face  the  size 
of  a  pea.  It  was  cut  out  by  Dr.  Walcott,  and 
the  wound  partially  healed.  Subsequently,  it 
grew  again,  and  while  he  was  in  Cincinnati  on 
business,  it  attained  the  size  of  a  hickory  nut. 
He  remained  there  since  Christmas,  under  treat- 
ment, and  now  returns  perfectly  cured.  The 
process  is  this  :  "A  piece  of  sticking-plaster 
was  put  over  the  cancer,  with  a  circular  piece  cut 
out  of  the  centre  a  little  larger  than  the  cancer, 
so  that  the  cancer  and  a  small  circular  rim  of 
healthy  skin  next  to  it  were  exposed.  Then  a 
plaster  made  of  chloride  of  zinc,  blood-root  and 
wheat-flour,  was  spread  on  a  piece  of  muslin  of 
the  size  of  this  circular  opening,  and  applied  to 
the  cancer  for  twenty-four  hours.  On  removing 
it,  the  cancer  will  be  found  to  be  burnt  into,  and 
appear  of  the  color  and  hardness  of  an  old  shoe- 
sole,  and  the  circular  rim  outside  of  it  will  ap- 
pear white  and  parboiled,  as  if  scalded  by  hot 


EXTRACTS  AND  REPLIES. 

QUINCE   STOCKS,   STRAWBERRIES   AND   VINES. 

In  the  monthly  Farmer  for  April  I  find  some 
remarks  by  Col.  Wilder  upon  pears  on  quince 
roots,  and  among  them  the  following :  "I*  have 
never  discovered  any  diff'erence  as  to  the  hardi- 
ness of  the  Anglers  or  the  Fontenay  quince,  nor 
do  I  believe  that  one  is  preferable  to  the  other 
as  a  stock  for  the  pear." 

Now  I  wish  to  inquire  what  variety  is  meant 
by  the  Fontenay  ?  I  have  never  before  heard  of 
that  variety.  I  presume  that  he  did  not  intend 
to  give  an  impression  that  our  common  orange 
and  pear  quinces  are  as  good  as  the  Anglers  as  a 
stock  for  the  pear. 

What  kinds  of  strawberries  would  you  recom- 
mend one  to  cultivate  for  home  use  ? 

Can  the  plants  be  safely  sent  a  considerable 
distance  in  August,  and  would  they  arrive  in 
good  condition  if  two  or  three  days  on  the  way  ? 

Will  not  pumpkins  and  squashes  mix  with 
water  and  musk  melons  if  planted  within  two  or 
three  rods  of  each  other  ?  James. 

Shirley,  June,  1858. 

Remarks. — We  have  several  kinds  of  straw- 
berries under  cultivation,  and  do  not  hesitate  to 
say,  the  best  among  them  all,  to  take  from  the 
vines  to  Okie's  own  table,  is  the  old-fashioned 
Wood  strawberry ;  it  is  an  English  variety, 
which  we  have  knoAvn  from  boyhood,  and  the 
same  introduced  here  several  years  since — hon- 
estly, we  have  no  doubt — by  Mr.  Newland.  It 
is  a  great  bearer,  is  hardy,  and  continues  in  hear- 
ing about  three  weeks  longer  than  strawberries 
generally  do,  others  bearing  two  weeks,  and  this 
from  four  to  six  weeks.  In  point  of  richness  of  fla- 
vor, no  other  strawberry  compares  with  it  for 
our  palate. 

Plants  properly  packed  may  be  sent  long  dis- 
tances without  injury. 

We  have  never  noticed  that  squashes  and  mel- 
ons would  mix.  

SilLK,   MORNING   AND   EVENING. 

Which  will  yield  the  most  butter,  all  other 
things  being  equal  ?  I  have  seen  it  averred  on 
the  authority  of  a  scientific  journal  published  at 
Edinburgh,  that  the  evening  product  is  to  the 
morning's  as  5.42  to  2.17  per  cent.,  that  is, 
more  than  twice  as  much.  If  this  be  so,  it  must 
have  been  noticed  by  many  a  dairy-maid  in  her 
skimming  operations.  Perhaps  this  fact  has 
some  bearing    upon  the  "gallon    product,"  of 


384 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Aug. 


•which  mention  has  often  been  made.  Will 
you  have  the  goodness,   Mr.   Editor,   to 
state  how  is  the  ftict,  if  you  know.        *. 
July  1,  1858.        


DEATH   OF   YOUNG   TURKEYS. 

I  wish  to  inquire  through  the  columns 
of  your  paper  what  is  the  cause  of  turkeys 
dying  in  such  numbers,  when  they  are 
three  and  four  weeks  old — and  if  there  is 
anything  which  will  prevent  this.  One 
man  in  this  vicinity  has  lost  eighty  in  a 
very  short  time  ;  if  there  is  any  remedy  I 
should  like  to  know  what  it  is — as  I  have 
a  number  to  come  off  soon,  and  I  do  not 
care  to  lose  them  all,  if  there  is  any  help 
for  it. ,  A  Constant  Reader. 

Warren,  E.  1.,  June,  1858. 

Remarks. — Wet  and  cold  are  the  caus- 
es of  the  death  of  more  young  poultry, 
than  all  other  causes  combined,  we  think. 
Staggers,  pip,  moping  and  sore  throats  are 
generally  occasioned  by  exposure  to  wet 
and  cold.     We  have  rarely  known  young 
chicks  to  die   prematurely  that  were  fed 
regularly  on  common  coarse  food,  such  as 
corn  and  cob  meal,  cracked  corn  or  wheat, 
and  allowed  plenty  of  water,  and  kept  dry 
and  warm.     Chickens  or  turkeys  should 
never  run  in  the  grass  when  wet  with  dew  or 
rain ;  if  they  do,  they  will  almost  certainly  take 
cold  and  have  some  of  the  diseases  common  to 
young  poultry.  

strawberries. 

Will  you  please  inform  me  of  the  best  kind  of 
strawberries  for  general  cultivation,  and  where 
they  can  be  obtained,  and  the  price  of  the  same, 
the  best  time  to  transplant  them,  and  such  other 
information  as  would  be  valuable  to 

A  Cultivator. 

Bouih  Middleboro\  Jtdy,  1858. 

Remarks. — We  cannot  do  it — there  is  no  ac- 
counting for  tastes.  If  you  get  Brighton  Pine, 
McAvoy's  Superior,  Hovey's    Seedling,  Monroe 


GAKDEasr-SYKINGE,   OB,    WINDOW-WASHES. 


This  is  said  to  be  a  new  and  valuable  article 
for  sjTinging  plants,  watering  gardens,  washing 
windows,  &c.  By  the  cuts  it  will  bo  readily  seen 
that  the  article  can  be  used  from  either  end.  To 
throw  a  constant  stream,  place  the  short  end  in 
the  pail  of  water,  or  other  liquid  to  be  thrown, 
as  shown  by  the  cut  on  the  left  hand  side,  (the 
ncnrn-shaped  cap  being  fii'st  screwed  on  to  that 
end,)  resting  the  end  on  the  bottom  of  the  pail, 
and  holding  it  there  while  operating.  In  this 
way  it  can  be  used  to  throw  a  single  stream ;  or 
by  screwing  the  strainer  on  to  the  discharge  pipe, 
it  can  be  used  for  showering  plants,  &c. 

If  to  be  used  simply  for  throwing  liquid  in  jets 
for  showering  plants,  &c.,  it  is  most  effectually 
Scarlet,  Burr's  New  Pine,  AValker's  Seedling,  or  1  done  by  reversing  the  machine,  as  shown  by  the 
Jenny  Lind,  you  certainly  will  have  a  good  vari-jcuton  the  right  hand  side,  by  changing  theacorn- 


ety.  Plant  on  rich,  moist  land,  and  keep  all  weeds 
and  grass  out. 

Hay  Caps,  or  Covers. — We  have  already 
seen  tons  of  hay  nearly  ruined  this  season  for 
the  want  of  hay  caps.  If  the  season  should  be  a 
"catching  one,"  their  entire  cost  may  be  saved 
on  some  farms.  Remember,  that  a  great  deal  of 
time  is  saved  in  not  being  obliged  to  dry  hay  the 
seco7id  time,  as  those  are  obliged  to  do,  who  do 
not  use  covers. 

The  Messrs.  Chases  &  Fay,  14  City  Wharf, 
Boston,  are  making  up  and  have  sold  nearly 
20,000  caps  this  season !  There  are  some  pro- 
gressive farmers  on  hand  still.  They  have  60 
sewing  machines  at  work  by  steam. 


shaped  cap  from  the  short  to  the  long  end,  and 
placing  the  strainer  on  the  short  end  and  filling 
the  machine  by  the  same  end,  from  the  pail, 
and  throwing  the  liquid  as  shown  by  the  cut 
through  the  strainer ;  or  by  dispensing  with  the 
strainer  throw  a  single  stream,  as  the  case  may 
require.  The  machine  is  always  filled  from  the 
short  end :  but  can  be  used  to  discharge  from 
either  end,  as  shown  by  the  cuts,  always  having 
the  acorn-shaped  cap  screwed  on  to  the  opposite 
end  from  the  one  to  be  discharged  from.  The 
strainer  or  nose  can  be  used  on  either  end. 

These  machines  are  invaluable  for  using  to 
throw  on  liquid  compositions,  such  as  whale-oil 
soap-suds  br  tobacco-water,  for  destroying  insects 
on  roses  and  other  plants,  &c.  &c. 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


385 


We  have  not  used,  or  seen  used,  this  syringe, 
and  can  only  give  what  others  say  of  it.  We 
think,  however,  it  may  be  a  convenient  and  use- 
ful article.  Price  $3.  For  sale  by  Parker,  White 
&  Gannett,  Boston. 


FIRST  BATE  WHITEWASH. 

The  editor  of  the  American  Agriculturist  says 
he  has  tried  various  preparations  for  whitewash- 
ing ceilings,  and  the  walls  of  unpapered  rooms, 
but  has  never  found  anything  that  was  entirely 
satisfactory  until  the  present  spring.  He  has 
now  something  that  affords  a  beautiful,  clear, 
white  color,  and  which  cannot  be  rubbed  off,  and 
which  he  prepares  in  this  wise  : 

"We  procured  at  a  paint  store  a  dollar's  worth 
of  first  quality  'Paris  white' — 33  lbs.,  at  three 
cents  per  lb. — and  for  this  quantity  one  pound  of 
white  glue,  of  the  best  quality,  usually  called 
Cooper's  glue,  because  manufactured  by  Peter 
Cooper,  of  New  York.  Retail  price  50  cents  per 
pound.  For  one  day's  work,  half  apound  of  glue 
was  put  in  a  tin  vessel,  and  covered  with  cold 
water  over  night.  In  the  morning  this  was  care- 
fully heated  until  dissolved,  when  it  was  added 
to  16  lbs.  of  the  Paris  white,  previously  stirred 
in  a  moderate  quantity  of  hot  water.  Enough 
water  was  then  added  to  give  the  whole  a  prop- 
er milky  consistency,  when  it  was  applied  with  a 
brush  in  the  ordinary  manner.  Our  33  pounds 
of  Paris  white  and  one  pound  of  glue  sufficed  for 
two  ceilings,  and  the  walls  and  ceilings  of  seven 
other  small  rooms. 

"A  single  coat  is  equal  to  a  double  coat  of  lime 
wash,  while  the  white  is  far  more  brilliant  than 
lime.  Indeed,  the  color  is  nearly  equal  to  that  of 
'zinc  white,'  which  costs  at  least  four  times  as 
much.  We  are  satsified,  by  repeated  trials,  that 
no  whitewash  can  be  made  to  adhere  firmly  with- 
out glue,  or  some  kind  of  sizing,  and  this  will  in- 
variably be  colored  in  time  with  the  caustic  lime. 
The  Paris  white,  on  the  contrary,  is  simply  pure 
washed  chalk,  and  is  entirely  inert,  producing  no 
caustic  effect  on  Ithe  sizing.  Any  of  our  readers 
who  try  this,  and  are  as  well  pleased  with  it  as 
we  are,  will  consider  the  information  worth  many 
times  the  cost  of  an  entire  volume  of  the  Agri- 
culturist. Had  we  known  of  it  when  we  first  'set 
up  housekeeping,'  it  would  have  saved  us  much 
labor,  and  the  annoyance  of  garments  often  soiled 
by  contact  with  whitewash — not  to  mention  the 
saving  of  candles,  secured  by  always  having  the 
ceiling  white  enough  to  reflect  instead  of  absorb- 
ing the  rays  of  light." 


one  to  sit  at  his  bedside  and  read  to  him.  AVhen 
he  rose,  he  had  a  chapter  of  the  Hebrew  Bible 
read  for  him;  and  then,  with,  of  course,  the  inter- 
vention of  breakfast,  studied  till  twelve.  He  then 
dined,  took  some  exercise  for  an  hour — general- 
ly in  a  chair,  in  which  he  used  to  swing  himself 
— and  afterwards  played  on  the  organ,  or  the 
bass-viol,  and  either  sang  himself  or  made  his 
wife  sing,  who  had  a  good  voice  but  no  ear.  He 
then  resumed  his  studies  till  six,  from  which 
hour  till  eight  he  conversed  with  those  who  came 
to  visit  him.  He  finally  took  a  light  supper, 
smoked  a  pipe  of  tobacco,  and  drank  a  glass  of 
water,  after  which  he  retired  to  rest. — KnigJitly's 
Milton. 


THE  DAILY  LIFE  OF  MILTON". 
In  his  mode  of  living,  Milton,  as  might  be  an- 
ticipated, was  moderate  and  temperate.  At  his 
meals  he  never  took  much  of  wine  or  any  other 
fermented  liquor,  and  he  was  not  fastidious  in 
his  food  ;  yet  his  taste  seems  to  have  been  deli- 
cate and  refined,  like  his  other  senses,  and  he  had 
a  preference  for  such  viands  as  were  of  an  agree- 
able flavor.  In  his  early  years  he  used  to  sit  up 
late  at  his  studies  ;  and  perhaps  he  continued 
this  practice  while  his  sight  was  good  ;  but  in  his 
latter  years,  he  retired  every  night  at  nine  o'clock, 
and  lay  till  four  in  summer,  till  five  in  winter ; 
and,  if  not  disposed  then  to  rise,  he  had  some 


SMILES. 

A  pleasant  smile  to  light  the  eye, 

And  fill  the  heart  with  gladness, 
To  chase  away  the  tears  of  grief, 

And  hush  the  sigh  of  sadness ; 
To  lend  the  face  a  fairer  charm, 

A  soul  of  love  expressing. 
That  to  cartlimust  divinely  bring 

A  comfort  and  a  blessing. 

O,  smiles  have  power  a  world  of  good 

To  fling  around  us  ever  ; 
Then  let  us  wear  their  golden  beams, 

And  quench  their  ardor  never. 
For  while  a  smile  Illumes  the  eye, 

And  wreathes  the  lip  of  beauty, 
The  task  of  life  must  ever  be, 

A  pure  and  pleasant  duty. 

For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
DEPTH  OF  PLOWING. 

Noticing  in  the  N.  E.  Farmer  an  article  by  J. 
W.  Procter  on  the  depth  of  plowing  which  so 
nearly  accords  with  my  experience,  I  will  add 
that,  in  my  opinion,  much  benefit  would  result 
from  a  judicious  deepening  of  the  soil  at  each 
succeeding  plowing,  although  on  some  soils  more 
benefit  I  think  would  be  foiuid  from  subsoiling 
than  from  very  deep  plowing. 

The  roots  of  plants  extend  farther  and  deeper, 
in  search  of  nourishment  than  many  suppose. 
I  have  been  told  upon  reliable  authority  that  the 
roots  of  the  onion  have  been  traced  from  two  to 
three  feet.  I  have  traced  the  roots  of  apple  trees 
in  a  nursery  to  the  depth  of  four  feet,  which 
proves  to  my  mind  that  we  need  not  fear  stirring 
the  soil  too  deep ;  and  not  lo  bring  too  much  of 
it  to  the  surface,  and  espcLially  at  one  time.  I 
have  experienced  a  very  marked  improvement 
upon  spring-wheat  when  it  was  subsoiled,  except 
three  furrows ;  these  grew  less  vigorously  through 
the  season  than  where  the  ground  was  stirred  to 
the  depth  of  eighteen  inches.  I  am  satisfied  that 
all  plants  prefer  a  deep  soil.  P.  Taber. 

Vassalboro',  Me.,  July  7,  1858. 


Remarks.  —  The  opinion  advanced  by  Mr. 
Procter,  and  now  confirmed  by  Mr.  Taber,  is 
fast  gaining  ground,  even  among  farmers  who 
are  usually  not  in  haste  to  change  their  opinions 
on  any  subject.  "Stir  the  Soil,"  would  be  an  ex- 
cellent motto,  for  a  conspicuous  panel  in  the 
farm-house. 

Healthy  roots  are  great  travellers — they  have 


386 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Au« 


the  power  of  choice,  and  will  sometimes  turn 
and  go  directly  backwards,  if  the  favorite  bone 
of  some  prudent  dog  has  been  buried  behind 
th^-ir  onward  course,  or  if  some  gushing  spring 
or  water-course  breaks  out  in  their  vicinity. 
We  do  not  suppose  they  hold  a  conversation,  and 
resolve  what  course  they  will  pursue,  but  go 
where  they  find  the  best  pasturage,  as  naturally 
as  the  branches  of  the  tree  shoot  upward. 

An  observing  gentleman  told  us  the  other  day 
that  early  in  the  spring  he  observed  a  beautiful 
shagbark  walnut  tree  standing  in  the  bank  of  a 
deep  cut  excavated  for  a  railroad,  and  that  he 
determined  when  the  proper  time  arrived  to 
transplant  it.  On  digging  he  found  the  tap-root 
near  the  edge  of  the  bank  so  that  it  was  easy  to 
reach  it.  He  dug  to  it,  then  followed  it  carefully 
down,  and  found  it  es-tenUm^  four  feet  below  the 
surface,  so  that  there  was  just  as  much  root  as 
top !  It  Avas  properly  set  and  is  now  growing 
well. 

Would  not  apple  trees  be  much  better  planted 
and  tended  where  they  are  to  stand,  having  all 
the  tap-root  that  nature  gives  them  ? 


THE  GREATEST  FABMEB  IN  THE 
UKITED  STATES. 

On  the  18th  of  December,  ult.,  we  published 
the  following  sketch  of  what  was  supposed  to  be 
the  largest  and  most  profitable  farm  in  the  coun- 
try. We  published  it  then,  well  knowing  we 
could-  soon  procure  items  here,  in  (/alifornia,  that 
would  far  excel  it.  Here  is  the  Great  Farm  in 
Texas : 

"An  Extensive  Farmer. — A  correspondent 
of  the  Silver  Creek  Mirror  says  that  Col.  Jacob 
Carroll,  of  Texas,  is  the  largest  farmer  in  the 
United  States.  He  owns  250,000  acres  of  land 
(nearly  400  square  miles,)  in  that  and  adjoining 
counties.  His  home  plantation  contains  8000 
acres,  nearly  all  valuable  bottom  lands,  along  the 
Guadalupe  river.  On  this  farm  he  has  over  600 
acres  in  cultivation,  on  which  he  raises  annually 
about  300  bales  of  cotton,  worth  at  the  plantation 
from  $75  to  $100  per  bale,  and  20,000  bushels  of 
corn,  worth  about  50  cents  per  bushel.  He  has 
a  force  of  about  fifty  field  hands,  and  he  works 
about  sixty  mules  and  horses,  and  fifteen  yoke  of 
oxen.  Col.  Carroll  has,  on  his  immense  ranges 
of  pasture  lands,  about  one  thousand  horses  and 
mules,  worth  $50,000 ;  one  thousand  head  of 
cattle,  worth  $7000  ;  six  hundred  hogs,  worth 
$2000 ;  three  hundred  Spanish  mares,  worth 
$15,000  ;  fifty  jennies,  worth  $2000  ;  fifteen  jacks, 
worth  $9000  ;  and  five  stallions,  worth  $2500. 
Col.  Carroll's  property,  in  stock  and  negroes,  is 
worth  at  least  $150,000;  and  the  value  of  his 
landed  estate  will  swell  the  amount  to  over  half 
a  million  of  dollars.  His  annual  income  from  the 
sale  of  stock  amounts  from  $5000  to  $10,000 ; 
and  from  the  sale  of  cotton,  to  from  $15,000  to 
$20,000." 

And  here  we  present  the  following : 

A.  P.  Smith,  of  Smith's  Pomological  Gardens, 
at  Sacramento,  on  the  American  river,  cultivated 


about  sixty  acres  the  last  year  ;  about  fifty  acres 
in  orchard,  nursery  and  flower  garden,  and  ten 
acres  in  a  vegetable  garden. 

Mr.  Smith  employs  from  twenty  to  forty  men  ; 
runs  one  team  in  the  spring  to  the  mines  with 
vegetables,  one  team  twice  a  day  to  the  -' ty  with 
vegetables,  and  in  the  fruit  season  keeps  a  team 
constantly  going  to  the  mines.  He  has  agericies 
for  the  sale  of  his  splendid  peaches  in  San  Fran- 
cisco, Marysville,  Stockton  and  Sacramento  ;  and 
we  learn  that  the  gross  amount  of  his  sales  in  the 
year  1857,  exceeded  the  round  sum  of  $60,000. 

What  will  our  great  planters  and  farmers  say 
to  this  ?  We  can  give  them  the  particulars,  if 
they  need  it. 

Each  year  of  those  famous  gardens  only  in- 
creases the  amount.  This  should  teach  men  who 
are  laboring  on  their  thousand,  or  five  thousand 
acres,  that  it  is  the  "little  farm  well  tilled,"  and 
not  the  great  Spanish  grant  that  covers  all  out 
doors,  that  makes  the  money  or  brings  prosperi- 
ty. If  all  our  large  grants  were  cut  up  into  small 
farms,  our  State,  and  all,  would  be  better  oS". 
California  Farmer. 


THE  MILK  BUSINESS. 

The  Springfield  (Mass.)  Republican  furnishes 
the  following  facts  in  relation  to  the  supply  of 
milk  for  that  city  : — 

We  have  made  an  efi"ort  to  learn  some  of  the 
aggregates  of  this  industry  ;  to  compare  the  av- 
erage quantity  of  milk  per  cow  in  each  herd  ;  to 
learn  the  different  methods  of  feeding  ;  all  points 
of  curious  interest  and  suggestive  value.  For 
this  purpose  circulars  have  been  addressed  to 
most  of  the  milkmen  of  this  city,  of  course  with 
varying  success.  All  have  not  answered,  but  yet 
enough  have  done  so  to  give  a  nearer  estimate 
than  otherwise  would  be  possible.  Not  far  from 
2,000  qts.,  or  $100  worth,  are  sold  daily  through 
the  year.  The  highest  quantity  sold  by  any  one 
milkman,  in  the  best  of  the  season,  so  far  as  is 
known,  is  400  qts.  daily,  and  this  man,  in  the  av- 
erage for  the  year,  is  put  down  at  250  qts.  Tak- 
ing all  the  milkmen,  the  average  is  166|  qts. 
each,  daily.  To  raise  this  milk  requires  a  herd  of 
390  cows,  which  give,  on  an  average,  about  sev- 
en quarts  each.  The  highest  quantity  given  by 
extraordinary  cows  ranges  from  20  to  25  qts. 
The  force  requisite  to  carry  on  this  business, 
equals  one  man  for  every  six  cows,  or  an  aggre- 
gate of  fifty  men,  summer  acd  winter.  The  best 
milkers,  generally,  are  crosses  of  Short-Horn 
with  Ayrshire  and  Natives,  but  good  milkers  can 
be  found  of  almost  every  breed. 

The  feed  that  produces  the  most  milk  is  yet  a 
vexed  question.  In  the  opinions  received,  cot- 
ton seed  meal,  corn,  rye  and  buckwheat  ground 
together,  and  roots,  with  rowen  hay,  have  equal 
prominence.  The  order  of  feeding  cows  varies 
with  diff'erent  individuals.  Some  feed  roots  the 
first  thing  in  the  morning,  and  others  late  at 
night.  Each  feeder  gives  his  practice  and  rea- 
sons with  equal  freedom — a  hopeful  symptom  in 
any  debate.  Our  conclusion  is,  that  the  best  or- 
der is  as  follows :  wet  cut  feed  mixed  with  meal 
after  each  milking,  with  hay  and  roots  between. 
Neither  roots  nor  grain  should  be  fed  upon  an 
empty  stoanach.  In  the  first  case,  the  milk  is 
more  likely  to  receive  the  odor  of  the  roots.     In 


1S58. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


387 


the  latter  the  appetite  is  greatly  impaired  for 
other  food.  No  fact  is  more  clearly  established 
than  that  the  flavor  and  quality  of  the  milk  and 
flesh  depend  in  part  upon  the  flavor  and  quality 
of  the  food.  Various  expedients  have  been  re- 
sorted to,  to  counteract  bad  flavors.  The  English 
heat  their  milk  and  then  add  saltpetre  to  it  to 
prevent  the  taste  of  cabbages.  The  Virginians 
slice  and  salt  ruta-bagas,  twelve  hours  before 
feeding,  to  escape  that  odor.  In  this  region, 
regularity  in  feeding,  as  to  quantity  and  time,  by 
some  is  considered  sufiicient  remedy  for  common 
turnips.  Experience  proves  that  corn  and  car- 
rots make  first  quality  beef,  and  fcorn  and  pota- 
toes first  quality  pork.  Cows  that  give  milk  re- 
quire more  food  in  proportion  to  their  bulk  than 
either  oxen  or  horses;  twenty-five  to  thirty 
pounds  of  dry  hay  daily  is  the  usual  consump- 
tion of  farm  animals.  Of  course,  if  roots  or 
meal  are  added  the  consumption  will  be  less. 


Fur  the  New  England  Farmer. 
GLASNEVIN  MODEL  FAKM,  IRELAND 
BY    HENRY   F.   FRENCH. 

On  the  22d  of  August  last  I  visited  this  es- 
tablishment, which  is  situated  at  about  three 
miles  distance  from  Dublin.  Dr.  Kirkpatrick, 
the  superintendent,  was  absent,  but  his  accom- 
plished lady,  who,  by  the  way,  is  an  American, 
from  Baltimore,  and  is  manifestly  a  valuable 
helpmate,  in  more  senses  than  one,  was  kind 
enough  to  show  me  over  the  house,  lecture-rooms, 
halls,  dormitories,  milk-room,  and  the  like,  and 
to  give  me  much  valuable  information.  It  was 
a  source  of  no  little  satisfaction  to  find  one  of 
my  countrywomen,  thus  unexpectedly,  presiding 
so  gracefully  and  usefully  over  such  an  institu- 
tion in  a  foreign  land.  It  is  an  almost  hopeless 
task  to  attempt  to  give  any  correct  idea  of  the 
system  of  education  which  has  been  undertaken 
for  Ireland.  The  twenty-second  report  of  the 
Commissioners  of  National  Education  in  Ireland 
has  been  kindly  presented  to  me.  It  consists  of 
two  octavo  volumes  closely  printed,  full  of  fig- 
ures and  statistics,  containing  eight  hundred  and 
sixty  pages ! 

It  appears  that  there  were  at  the  close  of  the 
year  1855,  in  operation  in  Ireland,  165  agricultu- 
ral schools  of  all  kinds.  Of  these  37  were  mod- 
el farm  schools,  46  ordinary  agricultural  schools, 
three  "school  gardens,"  and  79  "workhouse 
schools."  Twenty  of  the  model  schools  were 
under  the  exclusive  management  of  a  Board  of 
Commissioners.  One  of  this  number  is  the  "Al- 
bert National  Model  Farm  School,"  at  Glasnevin, 
to  which  I  made  the^visit  referred  to.  It  may  as 
well  be  stated  here  that  the  total  expenditure  on 
the  several  agricultural  schools  and  farms  in  Ire- 
land for  the  year  1855  was  about  $55,000,  of 
which  about  $20,000  was  returned  in  receipts 
from  the  produce  of  the  farms  and  the  like. 


At  the  twenty  model  farms,  about  four  hun- 
dred pupils  were  taught  in  1855.  Tliese  farms 
are  conducted  for  the  public  account,  by  an  agri- 
culturist, under  the  direction  of  the  Board,  and 
the  most  accurate  accounts  are  kept  of  all  pecu- 
niary aff'airs,  as  well  as  of  all  experiments  and 
farm  operations. 

The  Albert  institution  may  be  taken  as  a  rep- 
resentative of  this  class  of  farm  schools.  It  was 
established  in  1838,  and  is  designed  to  supply 
such  instruction  both  in  the  science  and  practice 
of  agriculture,  as  will  qualify  young  men  for  dis- 
charging the  duties  of  teachers  of  agriculture, 
land-stewards,  farmers,  &c. 

It  should  be  kept  in  mind,  that  in  England 
most  all  of  the  land  is  owned  by  lords  and  gen- 
tlemen, who  have  often  many  thousands  of  acres, 
divided  into  farms,  which  are  leased  to  farmers. 
These  farms  are  of  various  sizes,  from  one  hun- 
dred to  a  thousand  acres  or  more.  The  propri- 
etors usually  have  little  or  no  personal  care  of 
their  lands,  often  not  setting  a  foot  on  to  one  of 
their  farms  for  years,  but  leaving  to  a  steward 
the  whole  matter  of  leasing  and  superintending 
the  whole  estate.  The  farmers  who  hire  their 
farms  are  often  men  of  large  capital.  Indeed, 
the  business  of  farming  in  England  is  conducted 
with  an  amount  of  labor  and  expenditure  of  which 
we  in  America  know  nothing.  In  Lincolnshire, 
it  requires  a  capital  of  about  fifty  thousand  dol- 
lars to  enter  upon  and  profitably  farm  a  thousand 
acres  of  land.  These  farmers  are  merely  tenants. 
They  own  no  interest  in  the  land,  but  hire  it,  at 
perhaps  an  average  of  five  dollars  an  acre  rent, 
annually.  To  train  up  stewards  and  farmers  for 
such  employments  as  these,  is  a  principal  object 
of  the  model  farm  schools. 

It  will  be  seen  at  once,  that  a  thorough  train- 
ing, not  only  in  the  practical  operations  of  plow- 
ing, sowing,  tilling,  harvesting,  fencing,  draining, 
and  the  like,  is  necessary,  but  also,  a  good  educa- 
tion in  arithmetic,  book-keeping,  animal  and  veg- 
etable physiology,  chemistry  and  business  aff'airs. 

The  farm  contains  about  180  acres.  Mr.  Cole- 
man visited  it  in  1844,  when  it  contained  but  52 
acres,  and  before  the  present  buildings  were 
erected,  and  his  reports  contain  an  interesting 
notice  of  it,  as  it  was  then  in  operation  upon  a 
much  smaller  scale  than  at  present.  Ninety  pu- 
pils were  there  under  instruction  in  1855.  In 
order  to  teach  pupils  the  practical  labors  of  the 
farm,  every  one  is  required  to  take  a  part  in  ev- 
ery operation,  including  the  feeding  and  manage- 
ment of  the  live  stock.  With  a  view  to  exemplify 
the  most  approved  systems  of  culture,  various 
rotations  of  cropping  are  followed  upon  separate 
divisions  of  the  farm.  The  system  of  house- 
feeding  cattle  is  pursued  both  summer  and  win- 
ter.    The  arrangements  afford  the  pupils  the  best 


388 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Aug, 


opportunity  to  obtain  information  upon  every 
branch  of  the  business  of  farming,  including 
dairy  husbandry,  the  fattening  of  cattle,  the  breed- 
ing of  stock,  the  various  operations  of  field  cul- 
ture, and  the  permanent  improvement  of  the  soil. 

The  new  buildings  erected  in  1853  comprise 
dormitories,  dining-hall,  lecture  and  school-room 
for  seventy-five  resident  pupils,  museum,  library 
and  laboratory,  a  comprehensive  range  of  farm 
offices  and  apartments  for  the  superintendent, 
matron,  land  steward,  literary  teacher  and  ser- 
vants. Everything  was,  at  the  time  of  my  visit, 
in  the  nicest  order  about  all  these  apartments, 
as  also  about  the  stables  and  other  farm  build- 
ings. The  superintendent  has  general  charge. 
The  agriculturist,  assisted  by  an  efficient  land 
steward,  carries  out  the  practical  working  of  the 
farm,  under  the  direction  of  the  superintendent. 
The  literary  instruction  of  the  pupils  is  conduct- 
ed by  two  competent  teachers,  and  a  gardener  of 
practical  experience  has  charge  of  the  horticul- 
tural department.  The  course  of  instruction  in- 
cludes surveying,  levelling,  and  mapping. 

Two  classes  are  admitted  into  the  institution. 
The  first  consists  of  two  divisions,  one  of  which 
is  composed  of  young  men  who  intend  to  become 
land  stewards  or  farmers,  and  who  are  boarded, 
lodged  and  educated,  at  the  public  expense.  For 
admission  to  this  division  the  applicant  must 
pass  the  proper  examination,  be  seventeen  years 
of  age,  of  sound  constitution  and  free  from  dis- 
ease, and  produce  satisfactory  certificates  of  good 
character.  The  period  of  training  for  this  divi- 
sion is  two  years.  The  second  division  of  this 
class  consists  of  teachers  who  are  qualifying 
themselves  for  conducting  agricultural  schools. 
These  are  also  supported  like  the  others  at  pub- 
lic expense,  and  are  admitted  on  satisfactory  evi- 
dence of  character,  and  of  having  been  properly 
trained  in  the  literary  department.  The  instruc- 
tion in  this  division  extends  only  to  one  year. 

The  second  class  Is  composed  of  young  men 
who  board  and  lodge  at  their  own  expense  in  the 
immediate  neighborhood  of  the  farm.  They  are 
admitted  on  condition  that  they  engage  In  the 
ordinary  farm  work,  attend  punctually  all  the 
lectures,  be  amenable  to  the  regulations,  and  pay 
an  entrance  fee  of  two  guineas,  or  about  ten  dol- 
lars and  a  half.  This  class  remain  as  long  as 
they  choose. 

The  general  regulations  provide  that  all  shall 
attend  punctually  all  recitations,  shall  "wear 
slippers  always  within  doors,  and  school-coats 
when  at  study,  and  never  to  wear  them  out  of 
doors,"  that  they  shall  not  smoke  or  use  spiritu- 
ous liquors,  nor  become  a  member  of  any  politi- 
cal society,  nor  take  part  In  any  meeting  of  a 
sectarian  character. 

Both  classes  are  required  to  engage  In  all  de- 


scriptions of  farm  labor,  to  take  due  care  of  im- 
plements, &c.,  and  are  liable  to  be  called  on  for 
extra  work  at  any  busy  season  of  the  year.  Yard 
officers  are  appointed  from  the  pupils,  in  their 
turn,  to  feed,  clean,  and  otherwise  attend  to  the 
live  stock,  and  to  keep  the  farm-yard  and  offices 
clean  and  neat.  Each  pupil  is  required,  in  his 
turn,  to  take  charge  of  a  horse,  which  he  is  to 
clean  and  litter.  The  entire  classes  are  divided 
Into  two  divisions,  which  are  so  employed,  that 
while  one  is  at  work,  the  other  Is,  In  turn,  at 
study. 

The  farm  at  Glasnevin  appears  to  be  under  the 
highest  order  of  cultivation.  The  finest  crops  of 
wheat,  oats,  and  of  roots  were  upon  the  ground 
when  I  was  there.  The  mangold  wurtzel  crop 
appeared  to  be  the  finest  I  had  ever  seen.  This 
crop,  by  the  way,  is  becoming  a  favorite  In  Great 
Britain,  and  all  agree  that  it  Is  one  of  the  most 
valuable  that  can  be  cultivated. 

They  are  fed  to  horses,  sheep,  cattle  and 
swine.  I  visited  one  milk  establishment,  where 
in  June, 'three  hundred  and  fifty  cows  each  re- 
ceived a  bushel  per  day.  The  longer  they  are 
kept  the  better  they  become.  It  is  a  crop  well 
suited  to  our  hot,  dry  summer,  and  is  easily  cul- 
tivated. Mr.  Boyle,  who,  I  think,  is  the  agricul- 
turist of  the  establishment,  partly  promised  to 
furnish  me  with  a  statement  of  his  mode  of  cul- 
tivating the  mangold.  II.  F.  F. 

P.  S.  Months  ago,  this  letter  was  left  unfin- 
ished. Since  then,  Mr.  Boyle  has  redeemed  his 
promise,  and  furnished  me  with  a  valuable  trea- 
tise on  the  culture  of  mangold  wurtzel,  which 
hae  been,  in  part,  laid  before  the  public  in  Amer- 
ica. Experiments  are  In  progress  all  about  us, 
with  this  crop  the  present  season,  and  by  another 
seed-time  we  shall  be  able  to  judge  correctly  of 
Its  value.  This  letter  is  already  too  long  for  ad- 
ditional remarks. 


PRESEKVING  GRAPES. 

Charles  Campbell,  of  Aurora,  Cayuga  county, 
N.  Y.,  communicates  to  the  American  Agricultu- 
rist, the  following  method  of  preserving  grapes  : 

"When  they  are  fully  ripe,  suspend  the  basket 
by  a  strap  or  cord  passed  around  the  neck,  there- 
jby  giving  liberty  to  both  hands  for  picking  :  with 
;one  hand  hold  the  cluster,  and  with  the  other  re- 
move It  from  the  vine  ;  remove  from  the  clusters 
all  unripe  or  decayed  fruit,  and  deposit  them  in 
the  basket  until  it  is  filled.  (I  use  a  market  bas- 
jket  that  will  hold  about  a  half  bushel.)  Carry 
jthe  grapes  thus  gathered  to  the  place  for  pack- 
ing. I  use  boxes  about  two  feet  square  by  six 
I  inches  deep  in  the  clear,  with  covers  made  to 
shut  tight.  In  packing,  lay  a  newspaper  on  the 
bottom  of  the  box,  then  a  layer  of  grapes,  then  a 
paper  and  second  layer  of  grapes,  which,  when 
closely  packed  fills  the  box  ;  set  in  some  dry,  airy 
place,  witlt  the  cover  off  and  let  the  box  remain 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


389 


open  for  ten  days,  or  until  the  sweating  process 
is  passed  ;  then  close  the  box  and  set  it  in  the 
fruit-room,  cellar,  or  garret,  any  place  where 
they  will  not  freeze,  or  which  is  not  extremely 
damp. 

"Grapes  packed  as  ahove  directed,  will  open 
at  any  time  during  the  winter  or  spring  follow- 
ing as  fresh  as  when  packed.  The  only  secret 
or  mystery  is,  that  the  moisture  which  spoils  the 
fruit  when  packed  in  saw-dust  and  other  absorb- 
ents, passes  off  during  the  ten  days  that  the  box 
remains  open,  instead  of  being  absorbed,  and  ul- 
timately moulds  and  spoils  them.  So  perfect  has 
been  my  success  that  I  have  more  confidence  in 
the  preservation  of  the  grape  than  any  other 
fruit.  I  use  shallow  boxes  for  packing  grapes, 
that  the  moisture  may  more  readily  escape,  and 
that  the  first  layer  in  the  bottom  may  not  be 
crushed  by  the  weight  above." 


AMERICAN"  POMOLOGICAL  SOCIETY. 

The  Seventh  Session  of  this  National  Institu- 
tion will  commence  at  Mozart  Hall,  663  Broad- 
way, in  the  CiTY  OF  New  York,  on  Tuesday, 
the  14th  day  of  September  next,  at  10  o'clock.  A. 
M.,  and  will  be  continued  for  several  successive 
days. 

Among  the  objects  ot  this  meeting  are  the  fol- 
lowing :  To  bring  together  the  most  distinguished 
Pomologists  of  our  land,  and,  by  a  free  inter- 
change of  experience,  to  collect  and  diffuse  such 
researches  and  discoveries  as  have  been  recently 
made  in  the  science  of  Pomology — to  hear  re- 
ports of  the  various  State  Committees  and  other 
district  associations — to  revise  and  enlarge  the 
Society's  catologue  of  fruits — to  assist  in  deter- 
mining the  synonyms  by  which  the  same  fruit  is 
known  in  America  or  Europe — to  ascertain  the 
relative  value  of  varieties  in  different  parts  of  our 
countrj' — what  are  suitable  for  particular  locali- 
ties— what  new  sorts  give  promise  of  being  wor- 
thy of  dissemination — what  are  adapted  to  gen- 
eral cultivation  ;  and,  especially,  to  concert  meas- 
ures for  the  further  advancement  of  the  art  and 
science  of  Pomology. 

The  remarkable  and  gratifying  progress  which 
has  recently  been  made  in  this  branch  of  rural 
industry,  is  in  no  small  degree  attributable  to  the 
establishment  and  salutary  influences  of  our 
Horticultural  and  Pomological  Societies,  the  pro- 
ceedings of  which  have  been  widely  promulgated 
by  the  press.  A  great  work  has  been  already 
performed,  but  a  greater  still  remains  to  be  ac- 
complished. It  is,  therefore,  desirable  that  every 
State  and  Territory  of  the  Union  and  the  Prov- 
inces of  British  America  should  be  ably  and  fully 
represented  in  this  convention,  and  the  Pomo- 
logical, Horticultural,  and  Agricultural  Societies, 
within  these  limits,  are  hereby  requested  to  send 
such  number  of  delegates  as  they  may  deem  ex- 
pedient. Nursery-men,  fruit-growers,  and  all  oth- 
ers^ especially  interested  in  Pomology,  are  also 
invited  to  be  present,  and  participate  in  the  de- 
liberations of  the  meeting. 

Held  as  this  assembly  will  be,  in  the  great 
commercial  emporium  of  our  country,  easily  ac- 
cessible from  all  parts  of  this  continent,  and  at 
the  same  time  when  the  convention  of  the  editors 
of  the  Agricultural  press  will  be  in  session,  it  is 
anticipated  that  the  attendance  will  be  larger 


than  on  any  former  occasion,  and  the  beneficial 
results  proportionably  increased. 

In  order  to  increase  as  much  as  possible  the 
utility  of  the  occasion,  and  to  facilitate  business, 
members  and  delegates  are  requested  to  forward 
specimens  of  fruit  grown  in  their  respective  dis- 
tricts, and  esteemed  worthy  of  notice  ;  also,  pa- 
pers descriptive  of  their  mode  of  cultivation — of 
diseases  and  insects  injurious  to  vegetation — of 
remedies  for  the  same,  and  to  communicate  what- 
ever may  aid  in  promoting  the  objects  of  the 
meeting.  Each  contributor  is  requested  to  mako 
out  a  complete  list  of  his  specimens,  and  present 
the  same  with  his  fruits,  that  a  report  of  all  the 
varieties  entered  may  be  submitted  to  the  meet- 
ing as  soon  as  practicable  after  its  organization. 

For  the  pui-pose  of  eliciting  the  most  reliable 
information,  the  several  fruit  committees  of 
States,  and  other  local  associations,  are  request- 
ed to  forward  to  Hon.  Samuel  Walker,  general 
Chairman  of  the  Fruit  Committee,  Roxbury,  Ms., 
or  to  P.  Barry,  Esq.,  Secretary  of  the  Society, 
Rochester,  N.  Y.,  a  definite  answer  to  each  of  the 
following  questions,  at  an  early  date,  and  prior 
to  September  1st : 

What  six,  twelve  and  twenty  varieties  of  the 
apple  are  best  adapted  to  a  family  orchard  of  one 
hundred  trees,  and  how  many  of  each  sort  should 
it  contain  ?  What  varieties,  and  how  many  of 
each,  are  best  for  an  orchard  of  one  thousand 
trees,  designed  to  bear  fruit  for  the  market  ? 

What  six  and  twelve  varieties  of  the  pear  are 
best  for  family  use  on  the  pear  stock  ?  What  va- 
rieties on  the  quince  stock  ?  What  varieties,  and 
how  many  of  each  of  these,  are  best  adapted  to 
a  pear  orchard  of  one  hundred  or  of  one  thous- 
and trees  ? 

What  are  the  six  and  twelve  best  varieties  of 
the  peach  for  a  family  orchard  ?  What  are  the 
best  varieties,  and  how  many  of  each  best  adapt- 
to  a  peach  orchard  of  one  hundred  or  of  one 
thousand  trees  ? 

Answers  to  these  questions  should  be  made 
from  reliable  experience,  and  with  reference  to 
the  proximity  or  remoteness  of  the  market. 

Societies  will  please  transmit  to  the  Secretary 
at  an  early  day  a  list  of  the  delegates  they  have 
appointed. 

Gentlemen  desirous  of  becoming  members  can 
remit  the  admission  fee  to  Thomas  P.  James, 
Esq.,  Treasurer,  Philadelphia,  who  will  furnish 
them  with  the  Transactions  of  the  Society.  Life 
Membership,  twenty  dollars  ;  Biennial,  two  dol- 
lars. 

Packages  of  fruits  may  be  addressed  to  Wm. 
S.  Carpenter,  Esq.,  468'Pearl  Street,  N.  Y. 

Marshall  P.  Wilder,  President,  Boston,  Ms, 
P.  Barry,  Esq.,  Secretary,  Rocliester,  N.  Y. 
July  1,  1858. 


Seasonable  Information. — Apart  from  the 
advantages  of  bathing  in  salt  water,  the  inhala- 
tion of  sea  air  has  a  salubrious  and  beneficial  ef- 
fect, which  is  most  apparent  upon  those  who  re- 
sort to  the  coast  from  towns  or  from  inland  dis- 
tricts. It  has  been  shown  by  Prof.  Faraday  and 
other  chemists  that  oxygen  in  the  particular  con- 
dition kxiown  under  the  name  of  "ozone,"  exists 
in  large  proportion  in  sea  air.  Though  air  im- 
pregnated with  the  saline  of  the  sea  is  found  too 


390 


NEW  ENGLAND  EARMER. 


Aug. 


strong  for  some  persons,  in  the  great  majority 
of  cases  an  occasional'visit  to  the  coast  is  a  cap- 
ital restorative  of  vital  power  to  those  whose 
nerves  are  exhausted  by  long  sojourn  in  inland 
towns. — Scientific  American. 


ENTOMOLOGY. 

The  word  entomology  is  derived  from  two  Greek 
words,  entoma  and  logos,  which  signify  discourse 
and  insects,  a  term  implying  a  knowledge  of  in- 
sects. There  are  various  classifications  of  the  in- 
sect tribes,  and  the  arrangement  has  perpetually 
varied  since  the  days  of  Linnaeus,  to  the  pres- 
ent time.  That  able  naturalist  classes  them  from 
the  wings ;  Fabricius,  from  the  peculiarities  or 
contours  of  their  mouths,  and  Latuillo  from 
their  general  physiological  structure.  KiRBY, 
more  recently,  has  adopted  the  locomotory  or- 
gans, or  legs,  as  the  basis  of  classification.  Rol- 
ler describes  insects  as  "animals  which  have  a 
body  consisting  of  one  or  more  divisions  ;  artic- 
ulated feet ;  a  head  conspicuously  distinct  from 
the  body,  on  which  are  placed  two  movable  horns 
called  antenna?.  They  breathe  through  air  holes, 
which  are  situated  on  the  sides  of  the  body,  the 
greater  number  having  wings,  in  their  perfect 
state,  and  only  a  proportionably  small  number 
are  without  them. 

"With  the  exception  of  certain  groups,  all  in- 
sects have  six  feet,  and  their  bodies  are  divided 
into  a  head,  thorax  and  abdomen,  by  notches  or 
incisions  ;  hence  the  name  insect  is  derived  from 
a  Latin  word,  signifying  to  cut,  ornotch.  Before 
they  attain  their  perfect  state,  they  are  subject  to 
various  transformations,  which  are  called  meta- 
morphoses." 

Decandolle,  and,  if  we  mistake  not,  some 
other  writers,  have  estimated  the  num.ber  of  in- 
sects that  derive  their  nutriment  from  herbivor- 
ous vegetation,  or  plants,  to  amount  to  not  less 
than  one  hundred  thousand  species.  Some  of 
these  are  partial  to  feed  only  on  one  kind  of 
plant,  while  others  devour  indiscriminately  al- 
most every  tender  and  sapid  vegetable  that  falls 
in  their  way. 

This  is  the  case,  to  a  certain  extent,  with  the 
grasshopper,  and  more  emphatically  so  with  the 
locust,  which,  in  the  language  of  Scripture,  may 
be  said  to  devour  every  green  thing.  It  is  a  mat- 
ter of  deep  regret,  that  a  department  of  knowl- 
edge so  intimately  associated  with  agriculture,  is 
so  little  attended  to,  and  so  imperfectly  under- 
stood. Of  the  habits,  and  even  the  names  of  the 
almost  innumerable  insects  that  prey  upon  our 
crops,  we  may  be  said  to  know  comparatively 
nothing.  This  is  not  as  it  should  be.  If  we  know 
not  the  habitudes  of  our  enemies,  we  shall  scarce- 
ly be  able  to  contend  successfully  with  them  in 
their  attacks  uuon  our  fields  and  fruits. 


While  the  loathsome  cimex  lectularius,  com- 
mon bed  or  chinch  bug,  which  infests  the  do- 
mains of  the  housewife — obtruding  itself  into 

"Scenes  sacred  to  neatness  and  repose," 

is  cautiously  destroyed,  the  residue  of  the  Hem- 
ipterous  family  is  allowed  the  free  liberty  of  our 
fields  and  gardens,  carrying  ruin  and  destruction 
wherever  they  go.  Patiently  we  replant  where 
they  destroy,  never  reflecting  that  a  few  hours' 
study  would  enable  us,  perhaps,  to  destroy  them, 
and  preserve,  uninfested,  the  produce  of  our  toils, 
and  the  beauty  of  our  fields. 

The  destruction  of  birds,  which  is  encouraged 
by  many,  is  a  practice  that  cannot  be  too  severe- 
ly deprecated,  as  it  tends  directly  to  the  multipli- 
cation of  the  vermin  which  prove  so  destructive 
to  many  of  our  most  valuable  fruits  and  field 
products.  A  single  robin-»-it  is  said — will,  in  one 
season,  destroy  as  many  worms  as  would,  if  per- 
mitted to  feed  upon  our  vegetables  unmolested, 
lay  waste  whole  fields.  Yet  these  useful  labor- 
ers are  massacred  without  pity  or  compunction. 
It  is  to  be  hoped  that  our  people  will  reflect  up- 
on this  matter,  and  introduce  a  proper  and  eflPec- 
tual  corrective.  It  certainly  behooves  them  to 
throw  around  their  crops  every  available  protec- 
tion, and  as  one  of  the  cheapest  and  most  efiicient 
means  of  securing  this  result,  we  would  recom- 
mend the  preservation  and  protection  of  birds. 


The  Cultivation  of  Tea. — The  Washington 
correspondent  of  the  New  York  Times  says  that 
the  Agricultural  Bureau  of  the  Patent  Office  is 
making  preparation  to  test  the  cultivation  of 
tea  in  this  country.  The  seed  will  be  preserved 
in  China  specially  for  this  purpose,  planted  in 
glass  cases  and  shipped  in  October.  By  the 
time  of  their  arrival  here  they  will  have  sufficient- 
ly sprouted  to  be  set  out  in  beds.  After  being 
tested  here,  the  plants,  if  successful,  will  be  dis- 
tributed among  the  Southern  States.  An  order 
for  a  great  variety  of  seeds  will  also  be  sent  to 
Egypt  in  a  few  days,  through  a  house  in  London. 
This  list  includes  wheat,  barley,  rice,  clover,  (Tri- 
folium  Alexandrium,)  &c.  &c.  Arrangements  are 
also  making  to  commence  a  nursery  for  the  growth 
of  ornamental  trees  for  the  public  grounds  of  this 
and  other  cities.  They  can  be  supplied  from  a 
public  nursery  at  one-twentieth  their  present 
cost.  Such  is  the  estimate  of  the  Interior  De- 
partment. 


SoAP-SuDs  FOR  Currant  Bushes. 
in  the  Indiana  Farmer  says  he  has 


-A  writer 
done  well 
with  currant  bushes.  He 'attributes  his  special 
success  to  the  fact  that  he  has  made  a  liberal  use  of 
soap-suds  and  chamber-lye  about  their  roots  in 
the  summer  time.  Some  of  his  bushes  are  seven 
feet  highi 


1858. 


KEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


391 


Apoplexy. — Persons  below  the  middle  height, 
robust,  with  large  heads  and  short,  thick  necks, 
are  generally  recognized  as  apoplectic  subjects ; 
but  a  foreign  medical  author  asserts  that  it  is 
confined  to  no  particular  conformation  of  the 
body,  all  persons  being  alike  liable  to  be  attacked 
by  it.  The  predisposing  causes  are  the  habitual 
indulgence  of  the  appetite  in  rich  and  gross  food, 
or  stimulating  drinks,  coupled  with  luxurious  and 
indolent  habits  ;  sedentary  employments  carried 
to  an  undue  length ;  the  habit  of  sleeping,  es- 
pecially in  a  recumbent  posture,  after  a  full  meal ; 
and  lying  too  long  in  bed.  Persons,  however, 
who  are  predisposed  to  this  disease  should  not 
fail  to  profit  by  the  warnings  of  its  approach, 
such  as  giddiness,  drowsiness,  loss  of  memory, 
twitching  of  the  muscles,  faltering  of  the  speech, 
&c.  Their  diet  should  be  light  and  nutritious  ; 
and  luxurious  habits  should  be  abandoned,  and 
moderate  exercise  should  be  taken.  Above  all, 
they  should  avoid  giving  way  to  their  passions, 
as  it  is  well  known  that  many  persons  have  been 
struck  with  death  in  the  midst  of  a  fit  of  anger. 
— Scientific  American. 

BoAKD  OF  Agriculture. — At  the  quarterly 
meeting  of  the  Massachusetts  Board  of  Agricul- 
ture, held  at  Westboro'  on  Wednesday,  Messrs. 
Fay,  Lathrop  and  Grinnell  were  appointed  dele- 
gates to  the  National  Horse  Show,  at  Springfield, 
on  the  14th,  loth,  16th  and  17th  of  September. 
Gov.  Banks, Chairman  of  the  Board, and  Messrs. 
Marston,  Wilder,  Atwater,  Sutton,  Flint,  Brooks 
and  French,  were  appointed  delegates  to  the  Na- 
tional Exhibition  at  Richmond,  Oct.  2Gth,  27th, 
28th,  29th  and  30th. 

Eddy  on  Bee-Culture,  and  the  Protective 
Bee-Hive.  By  Henry  Eddy,  M.  D.,  North 
Bridgewater,  Mass.  This  is  a-  neatly-printed 
pamphlet  of  60  pages,  containing  a  good  deal  of 
valuable  information  on  the  subject  of  Bee-Cul- 
ture. Dr.  Eddy's  Hive  is  a  good  one,  and  he  is 
doing  his  fellow-men  much  service  in  disseminat- 
ing the  knowledge  he  has  acquired  by  long  prac- 
tice and  earnest  zeal,  in  this  interesting  branch 
of  rural  economy. 


BOYS'  DEPARTMENT. 

IS  HEALTH  PKOPEB  FOK  YOUNG 
LADIES? 

Enter  Mrs.  Fluster  and  Miss  Mendum,  meeting. 

Mrs.  Fluster. — This  is  Miss  Mendum,  I  believe. 

Miss  Mendum. — The  same,  madam. 

Mrs.  F. — And  I  am  Mrs.  Fluster. 

Miss  M. — The  aunt  of  my  little  pupil,  Ruth 
Fenway  ? 

Mrs.  F. — The  same. 

Miss  M. — Be  seated,  madam.     (They  sit.) 

Mrs.  F. — I  have  come,  Miss  Mendum,  to  ex- 
postulate with  you  on  the  course  you  are  pursu- 
ing in  regard  to  my  niece's  education. 

Miss  M. — I  shall  be  happy  to  receive  your  sug- 
gestions.    You  are  aware  that  Mr.  Penway,  on 


going  to  Europe,  confided  his  daughter  to  my 
charge,  making  me  promise  that  I  Avould  bring 
her  up  as  I  would  my  own  child.  I  assure  you  I 
feel  the  responsibility  of  the  office. 

Mrs.  F. — Ah !  if  you  had  had  my  maternal  ex- 
pedience, you  would  have  been  more  careful  in 
guarding  her  from  the  coarse,  vulgar  habits  into 
which  she  has  fallen. 

Miss  M. — Coarse,  vulgar  habits  !  There  is  no 
more  lady-like  girl  in  my  school.  What  do  you 
mean,  madam  ? 

Mrs.  F. — I  mean  what  I  say.  You  need  not 
put  on  that  dignified  air,  miss.  I  know  who  your 
father  was  ! 

Miss  M. — All  the  world  may  know  that,  mad- 
am. He  was  a  good  carpenter,  and  an  honest,  in- 
telligent man.  But  let  us  keep  to  the  point. 
What  are  these  coarse,  vulgar  habits  of  which 
you  speak  ? 

Mrs.  F. — Why,  miss,  when  my  brother-in-law 
sent  Ruth  to  you,  three  years  ago,  she  was  as 
delicate,  refined,  pale-faced  a  child  as  one  would 
wish  to  see.  She  could  not  have  weighed  more 
than  fifty  pounds.  Now  she  has  doubled  in  weight 
— has  a  brown,  ruddy  complexion,  a  robust  fig- 
ure, and  stands  erect  as  a  May-pole.  The  poor 
child  has  altogether  lost  that  graceful  stoop  which 
I  used  to  admire. 

Miss  M. — But  are  not  all  these  facts  an  evi- 
dence that  she  has  improved  in  health  ? 

Mrs.  F. — Health,  indeed !  Who  wants  to  see 
a  coarse,  exuberant  state  of  health  in  an  heiress 
and  a  belle  ?  It  may  do  very  well  in  a  Avasher- 
woman  ;  but,  let  me  tell  you,  it  is  very  uninterest- 
ing in  Ruth  Penway. 

Miss  M. — I  ditl'er  from  you  so  entirely  that  it 
seems  absurd  for  me  to  argue  against  your  opin- 
ion. 

Mrs.  F. — Did  you  say  my  opinion  was  absurd, 
miss  ?     Did  you  dare  to  say  that  ? 

Miss  M. — I  said  no  such  thing.  All  that  you 
have  told  me  of  Ruth's  health  gratifies  me  ex- 
tremely. My  training  has  been  directed  to  pro- 
duce the  very  result  which  you  seem  to  disap- 
prove. 

Mrs.  F. — Your  training  has  made  her  a  romp 
— a  great,  strong,  masculine  girl,  as  brown  as 
one  of  those  German  women  who  spend  their 
summers  in  picking  berries. 

Miss  M. — What  has  she  done  to  offend  your 
sense  of  propriety  ? 

Mrs.  F. — Wasn't  she  seen  last  Wednesday 
morning,  when  the  thermometer  was  at  zero,  ac- 
tually shoveling  snow  from  the  sidewalk  before 
your  house  ? 

Miss  M. — I  saw  it,  madam,  and  delighted  I 
was  to  see  it.  When  I  thought  of  the  poor,  puny 
little  thing,  who  came  to  me  three  winters  ago, 
weak  and  shivering, — and  when  I  looked  upon 
the  active,  graceful  girl,  her  cheeks  glowing  with 
health,  her  limbs  warm  with  exercise,  braving  the 
cold  and  the  sleet,  tears  of  pleasure  sprang  to 
my  eyes,  and  I  felt  proud  of  my  work. 

Mrs.  F. — What  will  you  say,  m.iss,  to  her  be- 
ing seen  on  Hacmetac  Pond,  with  skates  on  her 
feet,  moving  at  most  unbecoming  speed  over  the 
ice,  and  carrying  a  stick  bent  at  the  end  in  her 
hand? 

Miss  M. — I  gave  her  the  skates  and  the  stick, 
and  taught  her  the  use  of  them. 

Mrs.  F — And  vou   sit  there   and    confess   it! 


392 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Aug. 


What  would  my  venerable  instructress,  Miss  So- 
phonisba  Primvvood,  have  said  to  see  one  of  her 
pupils  skating  like  a  boy  ?  She  would  have  faint- 
ed on  the  spot ! 

Miss  M. — Did  she  think  that  the  boys  ought 
to  have  a  monopoly  of  the  healthful  out-of-door 
exercises  ? 

3lrs.  F. — She  knew  what  belonged  to  a  lady. 
She  never  would  let  us  walk  out  except  in  single 
file,  with  a  monitress  at  the  head.  Ah  !  she  had 
studied  the  proprieties.  I  am  indebted  to  her  for 
all  my  knowledge  of  deportment.  The  doctor  of 
the  village  called  her  a  model  schoolmistress. 
She  used  to  put  more  business  into  his  hands 
than  all  the  families  in  the  place.  There  was 
hardly  a  day  that  he  was  not  called  in  to  attend 
some  one  of  the  young  ladies.  Such  recommen- 
dations of  her  seminary  as  he  used  to  give  ! 

Miss  ]\L — Though  I  cannot  boast,  madam,  of 
the  number  of  my  doctor's  visits,  I  can  boast  of 
those  of  my  market-man. 

Mrs.  F. — I  can  only  pity,  miss,  your  W'ant  of 
refinement.  I  shall  by  and  by  expect  to  see  your 
young  ladies  driving  hoop,  or  playing  at  puss-in- 
the-corner. 

Miss  M. — As  soon  as  the  weather  is  propitious, 
your  expectation  w:il  be  fulfilled. 

Mrs.  F. — Shall  we  see  football  ? 

Miss  M. — The  feminine  dress  forbids.  Besides, 
we  have  more  agreeable  sports.  If  you  will  come 
next  spring,  you  shall  see  how  well  Ruth  can  use 
the  rake  and  hoe.  You  shall  also  see  her  scull  a 
boat  across  the  pond  after  lilies. 

Mrs.  F. — Abominable !  And  you  encourage 
such  things  !  What  if  she  should  fall  overboard  ? 

Miss  M. — She  would  not  care  much ;  for  Ruth 
is  a  capital  svi'immer. 

Mrs.  F. — A  swimmer?  My  niece  a  swimmer? 
Your  treatment  of  her  is  atrocious  !  (Rising.) 
AVhat  next,  miss  ?  Perhaps  pugilism  and  the 
broadsword  exercise ! 

Miss  M,  (risiny.) — Well,  to  be  candid,  Ruth 
is  anxious  to  take  lessons  in  fencing,  and  I  do 
not  know  but  I  shall  let  her  learn  the  principles 
of  the  art. 

Mrs.  F. — Worse  and  worse  !  If  I  do  not  hear 
of  her  taking  part  in  a  prize-fight,  I  shall  be  glad. 
I  shall  write  to  her  father  at  once,  denouncing 
your  whole  system. 

Miss  M. — You  have  been  anticipated.  He  has 
known  it  these  two  years. 

Mrs.  F. — Well,  if  he  is  fool  enough  to  submit 
to  it,  I  will  go  among  my  fashionable  acquaintan- 
ces, and  expose  the  whole  thing. 

Miss  M. — You  will  oblige  me  by  so  doing.  It 
will  save  me  some  money  in  advertising. 

Mrs.  F. — Provoking  woman  ! 

Miss  M. — Permit  me  to  say,  madam,  that  you 
are  behind  the  age.  Ill  health  is  getting  to  be 
unfashionable.  Dyspepsia  is  no  passport  to  the 
best  society.  A  cough  is  no  certificate  of  what 
you  would  call  gentility.  Sensible  people  are  be- 
ginning to  realize  the  importance  of  abundant 
air  and  exercise,  not  only  to  boys  and  men,  but 
to  girls  and  women.  To  be  "interesting,"  a 
young  lady  need  no  longer  cultivate  a  pallid  face, 
or  protest  that  she  is  "ready  to  die  with  fatigue" 
after  a  walk  of  a  mile.  The  example  of  the  high- 
bred women  of  England,  who  walk  their  eight  or 
ten  miles  a  day,  is  influencing  us  more  and  more. 
So,  if  you  would  be  in  the  fashion,  you  must  give 


up  your  antiquated  notions  on   the   subject  of 
feminine  exercise. 

Mrs.  F. — You  are  an  essentially  vulgar  person, 
miss,  and  I  shall  not  bestow  my  superior  cultiva- 
tion upon  you  any  longer.  You  will  soon  find 
what  it  is  to  have  my  disapproval.  [Exit. 

Miss  M. — Poor  Mrs.  Fluster !  Her  disappro- 
val has  no  terrors.  Her  recommendation  is  what 
I  dread.  \_Exit, 

— SargenVs  School  Monthly. 


LADIES'  DEPARTMENT. 


Worth  Considering. — The  following  para- 
graph from  the  pithy  sayings  of  Ralph  W.  Em- 
erson, contains  food  for  reflection  for  a  good 
many  ladies  and  fast  men — and  not  for  "fast" 
men  only,  but  for  old  "  fogies "  as  well.  We 
give  it  for  the  benefit  of  all  whom  it  may  con- 
cern : 

"We  spend  our  income  for  paint  and  paper, 
for  a  hundred  trifles,  I  know  not  what,  and  not 
for  the  things  of  man.  It  is  for  cake  that  we  run 
in  debt ;  'tis  not  the  intellect,  not  the  heart,  not 
beauty,  not  worship,  that  costs  so  much.  We 
dare  not  trust  our  wit  for  making  our  house 
pleasant  to  our  friend,  and  so  we  buy  ice-creams. 
He  is  accustomed  to  carpets,  and  we  have  not 
sufficient  character  to  put  floor  cloths  out  of  his 
mind  whilst  he  stays  in  the  house,  and  so  we  pile 
the  floor  with  carpets.  Let  a  house  rather  be  a 
temple  for  the  furies  of  Lacedemon,  formidable 
to  all,  which  none  but  a  Spartan  may  enter  or  so 
much  as  behold.  As  soon  as  there  is  society, 
comfits  and  cushions  will  be  left  for  slaves. 


Indian  BiuiAD. — A  lady  contributor  to  the 
Prairie  Farmer  closes  an  article  on  various  sub- 
jects with  the  following  directions  for  cooking 
Indian  bread : — 

"Do  you  know  how  to  make  good,  old-fash- 
ioned Indian  bread?  Yes  !  Well,  do  you  know 
how  to  cook  it  ?  I  will  give  you  my  plan.  When 
sufficiently  light,  place  it  in  a  hot  oven  ;  put  into 
your  tin  or  copper  boiler  a  pail  full  of  clean  water  5 
place  it  over  the  fire  ;  have  made  a  wooden  frame, 
fitting  snugly  into  the  boiler,  on  which  to  place 
your  bread-pans.  This  must  be  high  enough  to 
prevent  the  Avater  boiling  into  the  pans.  When 
your  bread  has  baked  three-fourths  of  an  hour, 
place  it  in  the  boiler,  cover  tight  and  steam  three 
hours.  The  water  must  not  stop  boiling  until 
the  bread  is  done.  You  will  have  a  nice  loaf 
without  the  hard  crust  formed  by  baking  until 
done." 

Simple  Cure  for  Dysentery.  —  An  old 
friend  handed  us  the  following  simple  receipt, 
for  publication.  It  has  been  practiced  in  his 
family  for  many  years,  with  uniform  success,  ev- 
en in  the  most  alarming  stages  of  the  complaint: 
Take  Indian  corn,  roasted  and  ground  in  the 
manner  of  coffee,  (or  coarse  meal  browned,)  and 
boil  in  a  sufficient  quantity  of  water  to  produce 
a  strong  liquid  like  coffee,  and  drink  a  teacup 
full,  warm,  two  or  three  times  a  day.  One  day's 
practice,  it  is  said,  will  ordinarily  effect  a  cure. — 
Middletouhi  Republican. 


DEVOTED   TO  AGiUCULTUKE   AND    ITS  KINDHED   ARTS  AND     SCIENCES. 


VOL.  X. 


BOSTON,  SEPTEMBER,  1858. 


NO.  9, 


JOEL  NOURSE,  Proprietor. 
Office.. .13  Commerci.vl  St. 


SIMON  BROWN,  EDITOR. 


FRED'K  HOLBROOK,  )  Associate 
HENRY  F.  FRENCH,  j  Editors. 


C.i.IiBNDAB  FOR  SEPTEMBER. 

'•Crowned  with  the  sickle  and  the  wheaten  sheaf, 
While  Autumn,  nodding  o'er  the  yellow  plain, 
Comes  jovial  on." 


LPTEltftER  is  the 
season  in  which  the 
husbandman  gath- 
ers the  harvest, 
and  rejoices  over 
the  fruit  of  his  la- 
bor. The  grass, 
tlie  small  grains 
and  the  early  fruits 


^f  ^  i  have  been  secured, 
and  the  barns  are 
filled  almost  to 
bursting. 

This  month  the 
later  crops,  the  golden  corn, 
the  potatoes,  the  roots,  the 
squashes  and  pumpkins,  and 
i>^i  the  fruits,  are  to  be  harvested.  The 
corn  crop  is  rather  late,  owing  to  the 
wet  and  cool  weather  of  the  latter 
part  of  July  and  the  early  part  of 
August.  But  it  is  well  grown,  and  a  few  weeks 
of  dry,  warm  weather,  will  change  its  rich, 
milky  juice  into  starch,  gluten  and  oil,  and 
give  its  hardened  grains  the  color  of  living 
gold.  What  a  wonderful  chemist  is  nature  !  She 
finds  everywhere  the  elements  she  needs.  In 
every  leaf,  and  seed  and  fruit,  she  is  at  work  se- 
lecting, combining  and  compounding,  that  she 
may  provide  food  for  her  vegetable  and  animal 
offspring.  A  faithful,  kind  and  assiduous  nurse, 
she  spares  no  pains,  and  refuses  no  labor, — that 
she  may  supply  all  their  wants.  And  she  is  not 
satisfied  with  barely  supplying  their  Avants,  but 
like  an  indulgent  mother,  she  caters  for  their  va- 
rious appetites,  and  furnishes  an  infinite  variety 
to  suit  the  tastes  of  all ;  and  while  she  gratifies 
♦he  taste,  she  delights  to  please  the  sight  and  the 


smell,  and  to  awaken  the  love  of  the  beautiful, 
by  clothing  her  gifts  in  forms  of  beauty,  and  in 
the  richest  hues.  While,  then,  we  luxuriate  up- 
on the  bounties  of  nature,  let  us  learn  the  lessons 
she  would  teach  us,  and  while  our  senses  are 
gratified,  may  our  hearts  be  growing  better. 

The  farmers  in  Vermont  and  New  Hampshire 
find  it  the  safer  way  to  cut  up  their  corn  as  soon 
as  the  kernel  is  well  glazed,  and  shock  it  in  the 
field.  This  secures  it  from  the  frost.  Perhaps 
there  is  a  slight  loss  in  the  weight  of  the  grain, 
which  we  might  avoid  were  we  sure  of  good 
weather  to  ripen  it.  But  the  stover  is  better 
dried  off  in  this  way,  and  the  additional  security 
against  frost  amply  compensates  for  the  slight 
shrinkage  of  the  kernel.  This  practice,  we  think, 
is  gaining  favor.  Those  that  have  adopted  it 
say  it  is  no  more  work  to  husk  the  corn  and  se- 
c  are  the  stover  than  when  the  stalks  are  cut  and 
made  into  bundles  before  the  corn  is  fully  riotj. 
We  think  there  are  many  fields  that  it  will  bf 
safest  to  treat  in  this  way,  this  fall. 

The  sun  is  now  returning  from  his  annual  vis- 
it to  the  north,  and  on  the  twentieth  of  this 
month,  he  will  have  reached  the  equator,  the 
point  from  which  he  started  on  the  20th  of  last 
March,  just  six  months  ago.  At  that  time,  the 
days  and  nights  will  be  of  equal  length.  From 
then,  till  the  20th  of  December,  the  days  will  be 
growing  shorter,  and  we  shall  enjoy  less  and  less 
of  the  cheering  rays  of  the  sun.  During  the  long 
nights  of  the  northern  latitudes,  the  earth  loses 
more  heat  than  it  receives  in  the  short  days, 
consequently  the  cold  at  length  becomes  so  in- 
tense, and  the  surface  of  the  land  and  the  watea- 
becomes  so  deeply  frozen,  that  the  oblique  rays  of 
the  sun  are  scarcely  felt  during  the  short  period  of 
his  shining.  If  the  inhabitants  in  these  latitude; 
enjoy  the  advantage  of  the  long  days  and  con- 
tinual sunlight  in  the  summer,  they  suffer  the  in- 
convenience of  short  days,  and  the  absence  of 
sunlight  in  the  winter.  These  advantages  and 
disadvantages,  the  bitter  and  the  sweet,  the  e^5 


394 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Sept. 


and  the  good,  are  made  to   counterbalance  each 
other  in  this  life. 

In  this  section  of  our  country  the  fruit  crop  is 
not  very  abundant.  The  apples,  we  think,  will 
be  of  better  quality,  in  general,  than  they  were 
last  year.  The  early  blossom  promised  an  abun- 
dant crop.  The  deficiency  is  owing  chiefly  to 
the  ravages  of  the  cureulio.  This  insect  is  the 
enemy  which  we  have  most  to  dread.  The  bor- 
er, the  caterpillar,  and  the  canker-worm,  we  can 
encounter  with  some  hope  of  a  successful  result, 
but  the  cureulio  seems  to  be  beyond  our  reach. 
It  is  but  recently  that  it  has  attacked  the  apple, 
but  its  ravages  are  now  widely  extended,  and 
what  may  be  the  result  time  only  can  show.  We 
do  not  yet  fully  understand  its  habits.  The  can- 
ker-worm extends  its  devastations  for  a  few 
years,  and  then  partially,  or  wholly,  disappears. 
Whether  this  may  be  the  case  with  the  cureulio, 
future  observation  will  ascertain.  If  its  return 
shall  be  constant  and  permanent  like  that  of  the 
caterpillar,  the  prospect  of  profit  from  the  thou- 
sands of  trees  that  have  been  planted  within 
the  few  years  past  will  be  greatly  diminished. 
But  we  will  not  despair.  If  the  crop  is  not  abun- 
dant, those  we  have  will  bear  a  better  price,  and 
we  will  harvest  them  with  the  greater  care. 

September  is  a  busy  month.  The  winter 
grain  is  now  to  be  got  in,  and  the  earlier,  the 
better.  Those  who  neglected  to  seed  down  their 
grass  lands  in  August,  should  do  it  as  early  this 
month  as  possible,  that  it  may  get  well  rooted 
before  the  ground  freezes.  Ditches  should  be 
dug  or  cleared  out  and  a  good  stock  of  mud 
and  peat  thrown  out  for  future  use.  Early  pota- 
toes should  be  dug  this  month.  Rye  and  oats 
should  be  threshed,  and  not  left  till  winter  for 
the  mice  to  riot  in.  Look  well  to  your  ruta-bagas 
and  turnips,  and  thin  them  out  where  they  are 
growing  too  thick.  They  will  well  repay  a  little 
care.  Make  your  barn-cellar  secure  against  the 
frost,  that  your  roots  may  be  properly  protected, 
after  they  are  harvested ;  your  stock  will  be 
grateful  for  them  during  the  cold  and  dreary  sea- 
son which  is  approaching. 

We  have  often  expressed  our  opinion  of  the 
value  of  the  turnip  crop.  We  wish  we  could 
speak  our  own  view  upon  this  subject  in  such 
words  as  would  carry  conviction  to  the  minds  of 
all  our  brother  farmers.  There  is  no  crop,  unless 
it  be  the  mangel  wurtzel,  so  easily  raised,  and 
probably  no  crop  of  equal  value  can  be  raised 
on  the  same  ground,  at  the  same  expense.  The 
value  of  turnips  for  fattening  cattle,  for  making 
milk,  or  for  promotinj  the  health  and  thrift  of 
all  kinds  of  stock,  is  not  duly  appreciated  by 
New  England  farmers.  They  have  much  to  learn 
by  experience  upon  this  subject,  and  the  sooner 
they  set  about  it,  the  sooner  will  they  be  con- 


vinced of  its  importance.  Many  of  our  farmers 
depend  largely  upon  swale  or  meadow  hay  for 
wintering  their  stock.  Could  they  add  to  this  a 
few  hundred  bushels  of  turnips,  they  would  be 
able  to  carry  their  stock  through  in  much  better 
condition  than  they  now  do,  and  they  would 
come  out  in  the  spring  vigorous  and  healthy, 
and  not  lose  two  or  three  months  in  the  summer 
recuperating  from  the  loss  of  the  winter.  In 
sheep  culture  the  value  of  the  turnip  can  hardly 
be  estimated.  As  food  for  colts  and  horses  the 
ruta  baga  is  very  important.  Put  a  half  bushel 
of  roots  into  a  box  two  feet  square  and  chop 
them  with  a  sharp  spade,  and  sprinkle  a  little 
meal  or  shorts  over  them,  and  they  will  soon 
learn  to  eat  them  freely.  Try  them  once  and  you 
will  be  satisfied.  Experience  is  the  most  con- 
vincing argument. 

The  present  season  has  taught  us  in  a  forcible 
manner  our  dependence  upon  Providence.  Much 
hay  and  some  grain  have  been  injured  in  the 
making.  The  excessive  rain  and  low  tempera- 
ture have  retarded  many  of  the  crops  ;  we  have 
barely  escaped  a  frost,  more  than  once,  when  it 
would  have  been  very  destructive.  The  ripening 
of  the  corn  is  still  somewhat  precarious,  but  the 
season  has  thus  far  been  remarkably  healthy,  and 
we  have  an  abundant  supply  for  all  our  wants. 

Let  us  then  never  indulge  a  spirit  of  repining 
or  distrust,  but  enjoy  with  thankful  hearts  the 
blessings  which  Heaven  bestows. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
"WHITE  ■WEED—SOW  GKASS  SEED. 

This  infectious  weed  (white  daisy  it  is  called 
in  some  sections)  has  become  a  standard  nuisance 
on  nearly  every  farm  in  New  England.  Many 
beautiful  fields  areas  white  with  it  as  if  blanched 
with  the  snows  of  mid-winter.  It  was  so  much 
my  abomination,  and  my  father's  before  me,  that 
every  peering  blossom  was  hunted  out  of  the 
grass-field,  and  its  roots  spaded  out  as  clean  as 
a  surgeon  would  trace  the  roots  of  a  cancer  with 
his  microscopic  eye.  Why  tolerate  white  weed 
in  your  grass  field,  any  more  than  weeds  in  your 
garden  or  cornfield  ?  If  suffered  to  abide,  it  be- 
comes a  selfish  monopolizer.  In  a  few  years  lit- 
tle else  will  grow.  What  is  its  range  of  value  as 
a  hay  crop  ?  How  does  the  feeding  stock  thrive 
upon  it?  Will  your  intelligent  farmers  give  us 
light  ?  The  writer  may  be  in  the  dark  as  to  it« 
nutritious  qualities. 

If  it  is  the  pest  I  judge  it  to  be,  this  is  the 
time  to  put  in  the  Double  Eagle  Plow  and  give 
it  a  berth  as  near  "Symmes'  Hole"  as  possible. 
If  it  can  make  its  way  to  the  opposite  hemisphere, 
I  would  say  good  riddance,  and  many  a  farmer 
would  say  amen. 

Now  upon  this  virgin  furrow,  harrow  in  your 
grass  seed  and  your  crop  will  be  doubled  the 
next  year  with  pure  hay,  and  not  white  weed, 
which  cannot  be  called  hay.  No  loss  of  time  or 
of  a  crop. 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


395 


The  Michigan  or  Double  Eagle  Plow,  with  its 
skim  sward  mould-hoard  and  the  large  mould- 
board,  buries  it  so  deep,  leaving  the  furrow  pul- 
verized even,  and  in  fit  condition  to  plant  corn — 
is  far  ahead  of  the  other  good  plows  tliat  turn  a 
solid  slice  furrow.  Your  readers  will  have  ob- 
served how  quick  twitch  grass  will  start  up  be- 
tween the  furrows  of  the  common  plow,  (yet  I 
should  use  it  to  bury  Avhite  weed  if  the  other 
could  not  be  obtained,)  but  with  the  Double  Ea- 
gle, as  I  have  seen  it  work,  I  can  scarcely  con- 
ceive that  even  twitch  grass  could  find  its  way 
out,  it  is  so  thoroughly  rolled  over  and  packed 
deep  in  the  bottom  of  the  furrow  by  the  large 
mould-board. 

Plowing,  Mr.  Editor,  is  a  most  significant 
word,  and  is  not  strictly  confined  to  the  farmer, 
nor  to  this  first  best  implement  of  husbandry. 
Politicians  plow — the  clergy  plow — government 
plows — (comment  is  unnecessary,)  but  the  far- 
mer knows  the  genuine  plow,  and  its  legitimate, 
proper  uses.  All  mankind  should  know  it  bet- 
ter. It  opens  the  way  to  seed  time,and  has  pre- 
pared us  with  refreshing  harvest. 

I  would  say,  plow  deep  on  all  soils.  You  may 
not  agree  with  me,  but  the  roots  of  vegetable  life 
are  always  sinking  and  seeking  for  nourishment 
and  will  surely  find  it.  The  deep-buried  mould 
in  shallow  lands  would  be  more  retentive  of  mois- 
ture, less  liable  to  be  driven  by  fierce  winds,  less 
acted  upon  by  the  scorching  sun,  and  by  continu- 
ous plowing  becomes  a  well  incorporated  depth 
of  soil. 

When  a  boy,  my  father  cautioned  me  "not  to 
plow  up  the  yellow  dirt."  I  am  now  convinced 
the  "yellow  dirt"  should  come  vp  and  the  soil  go 
doum  with  the  manure.  Evaporation  is  rapid  on 
such  soil,  and  vegetable  contact  would  make  in- 
creased growth  and  a  more  abundant  harvest. 
The  farmer  can  easily  test  the  principle.  A  little 
more  team  will  be  required  to  plow  eight  to  ten 
inches  deep  than  five  to  six  inches.  Surely,  there 
can  be  no  danger  in  making  the  experiment. 
Now  is  the  time  to  sow  grass  seed. 

Brooklyn,  Aug.,  1858.  H.  Poor. 


HOW  DBIVING  AFFECTS  THE  MEAT  OP 
NEAT  CATTLE. 

There  is  some  excuse  for  the  Western  grazier's 
preference  for  the  Durhams,  as  they  drove  them 
over  the  mountains.  The  fat  of  all  cattle  is  the 
first  to  run  oif,  ^the  fine  particles  mixed  through 
the  flesh  of  the  first — the  kidney  being  coated 
over  and  more  solid,  holding  out  longer,  and  the 
red  meat  being  the  last  to  fall.  One  accustomed 
to  driving,  fattening  and  slaughtering,  could  de- 
tect a  drove  of  "drifted"  cattle  from  those  taken 
fresh  from  the  pastures,  by  seeing  them  pass  on 
yonder  road,  as  well  as  the  skilful  butcher  could 
by  handling  them,  and  although  the  "drift"  cat- 
tle might  have  much  more  kidney  tallow,  the 
meat  would  be  as  poor  as  wood  ;  and,  instead  of 
being  red,  would  be  as  blue  as  a  whet-stone; 
Avhilst  those  taken  fresh  from  the  pasture  or  stall, 
if  not  so  fat,  would  make  more  juicy,  tender  and 
sweeter  beef.  If  you  see  a  lot  of  cattle  in  the 
field  or  elsewhere,  with  good  shoulders,  or  rath- 
er what  a  butcher  would  term  showing  his  shoul- 
der to  the  ear,  without  any  flank,  rest  assured 
that  they  have  been  "drifted,"  or  in  some  way  in- 


judiciously handled  for  slaughtering  ;  for  if  there 
is  no  flank,  there  is  not  much  fat.  A  poor  bul- 
lock does  not  wear  a,  good  shoulder  longer  thar. 
to  get  rid  of  his  fat,  and  the  tenderest  parts  of 
his  flesh,  and  the  neck  and  round  would  be  the 
only  parts  of  such  a  bullock  left  for  a  steak. — 
Major  Didxiiisoii's  Pen- Tan  Address. 


THE  FALLACY  OF  PBEMATUBB  EDU- 
CATION. 

When  we  are  considering  the  health  of  children 
it  is  imperative  not  to  omit  the  importance  of 
keeping  their  brains  fallow,  as  it  were,  for  several 
of  tlie  first  years  of  their  existence.  The  mischief 
perpetrated  by  a  contrary  course,  in  the  shape  of 
had  health,  peevish  temper  and  develojjed  vanity,  is 
incalculable.  Some  infant  prodigy,  which  is  a 
standard  of  mischief  throughout  its  neighbor- 
hood, misleads  them.  But  parents  may  be  as- 
sured that  this  early  work  is  not  by  any  means 
all  gain,  even  in  the  way  of  work.  I  suspect  it 
is  a  loss ;  and  that  children  who  begin  their  edu- 
cation late,  as  it  would  be  called,  will  rapidly 
overtake  those  who  have  been  in  harness  long 
before  them. 

And  what  advantage  can  it  be  that  a  child 
knows  more  at  six  years  old  than  its  compeers, 
especially  if  this  is  to  be  gained  by  a  sacrifice  of 
health,  which  may  never  be  regained?  There 
may  be  some  excuse  for  this  early  book-work  in 
the  case  of  those  children  who  are  to  live  by 
manual  labor.  It  is  worth  while,  perhaps,  to  run 
the  risk  of  some  physical  injury  to  them,  having 
only  their  early  years  in  which  we  can  teach  them 
book-knowledge.  The  chance  of  mischief,  too, 
will  be  less,  being  more  likely  to  be  counteracted 
by  their  after  life.  But  for  a  child  who  is  to  be 
at  book-work  for  the  first  twenty-one  years  of  its 
life,  what  folly  it  is  to  exhaust  in  the  least  its 
mental  energy,  which,  after  all,  is  its  surest  im- 
plement. 

A  similar  course  of  argument  applies  to  taking 
children  early  to  church,  and  to  over-developing 
their  minds  in  any  way.  There  is  no  knowing, 
moreover,  the  disgust  and  weariness  that  may 
grow  up  in  the  minds  of  young  persons  from 
their  attention  being  prematurely  claimed. 


Correct  Speaking.  —  We  advise  all  young 
people  to  acquire  in  early  life  the  habit  of  using 
good  language,  both  in  speaking  and  writing,  and 
to  abandon  as  early  as  possibly  any  use  of  slang 
words  and  phrases.  The  longer  they  live,  the 
more  diflScult  the  acquisition  of  good  language 
will  be ;  and  if  the  golden  age  of  youth,  the 
proper  season  for  the  acquisition  of  language,  be 
passed  in  its  abuse,  the  unfortunate  victim  of  ne- 
glected education  is,  very  probably,  doomed  to 
talk  slang  for  life.  Money  is  not  necessary  to 
procure  this  education.  Every  man  has  it  in  his 
power.  He  has  merely  to  use  the  language  which 
he  reads,  instead  of  the  slang  which  he  hears  ;  to 
form  his  taste  from  the  best  speakers  and  poets 
of  the  country ;  to  treasure  up  choice  phrases  in 
his  memory,  and  habituate  himself  to  their  use — 
avoiding,  at  the  same  time,  that  pedantic  pre- 
cision and  bombast  which  show  rather  the  weak- 
ness of  a  vain  ambition  than  the  polish  of  an 
educated  mind. — Star. 


396 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Sept. 


USEFUL  KNOWLEDGE  RESPECTING 
THE  VEGETABLE  FOOD  OF  MAN. 

During  the  early  part  of  the  winter  of  1857, 
the  Rev.  11.  Wood,  of  Lowell,  Mass.,  addressed 
the  distinguished  Dr.  S.  L.  Dana,  requesting  in- 
formation relating  to  the  cheapest  and  best  kinds 
of  food.  The  answer  of  Dr.  Dana  has  been  pub- 
lished in  the  Medical  World  ;  it  is  scientific — as 
might  be  expected,  coming  from  such  high  chem- 
ical and  physiological  authority  ;  and  it  also  con- 
tains much  useful  information,  little  known  to 
the  community  in  general.  We  will  endeavor  to 
present  the  substance  of  its  most  important 
points,  because  we  believe  such  knowledge  should 
be  circulated  through  every  corner  of  the  world, 
concerning,  as  it  does,  the  welfare  of  every  human 
being. 

It  has  been  laid  down  as  a  law  of  physiological 
chemistry  that  all  food  s*^rves  two  distinct  pur- 
p'oses  ;  one  part,  for  building  the  body,  forms  the 
blood  out  of  which  come  all  the  animal  tissues  ; 
the  other  part  forms  fat,  and  furnishes  the  fuel  by 
which  the  animal  heat  is  kept  up  through  the 
process  of  breathing.  Food  contains  flesh,  blood, 
and  tissue  formers  in  proportion  to  their  amount 
of  nitrogen.  When  chemistry,  therefore,  de  ter- 
mines  the  amount  of  nitrogen  in  any  kind  of 
food,  it  expresses  the  relative  value  of  that  food 
for  these  purposes.  The  starch,  gum,  fat,  sugar, 
and  water,  and  occasionally  a  portion  of  woody 
fiber  of  grain,  rarely  minister  to  the  wants  of 
nutrition.  These  substances  are  the  fuel  formers, 
out  of  which  fat  may  be  formed,  which  is  as  es- 
sential as  blood.  Ten  parts  of  fat  are  equal  to 
twenty-four  parts  of  starch,  grape,  and  milk  sugar 
in  heating  power. 

Life  cannot  long  be  maintained  by  any  food 
that  fulfils  only  one  part  of  the  process  of  nutri- 
tion. A  man  fed  only  on  that  food  which  forms 
blood  and  tissue  soon  dies  of  starvation,  and  so 
does  the  man  that  is  only  fed  on  fuel-forming 
food  ;  and  if  a  man  is  deprived  of  certain  salts, 
such  as  common  salt,  compounds  of  sulphur, 
phosphorus,  potash,  soda,  lime,  magnesia,  and 
iron,  he  cannot  long  survive.  And  even  if  fed 
on  all  these  three  classes  of  substances,  he  will 
die  of  starvation,  unless  allowed  a  certain  pro- 
portion of  ready  formed  fat,  in  addition  to  the 
i'at  that  may  be  formed  out  of  the  other  elements 
of  his  food. 

Nature  has  taught  us  the  type  of  our  food,  viz., 
milk.  It  contains  the  essentials  of  four  great 
■'roups  of  substances  on  which  nutrition  in  its 
widest  sense  depends.  The  elements  of  milk  are 
Ist.  Cm?tZ,  which  is  a  blood  former ;  it  contains 
all  the  nitrogen  and  all  the  sulphur.  2d,  Butler, 
which  is  fat.  3d,  Sugar,  which  is  a  fuel  former 
or  heater.  4th,  Salts — soluble  and  insoluble — the 
earth  of  bones,  potash,  soda,  and  phosporic  acid. 

Such  are  the  substances  which  Nature  has  pre- 
pared for  our  first  food — a  mixture  of  four  groups 
of  substances.  To  suit  human  wants,  according 
to  its  age,  we  should  imitate  this  best  natural 
mixture  of  these  substances  designed  as  the  food 
of  man. 

In  vegetable  and  animal  food  there  are  sub- 
stances representing  those  contained  in  milk. 
Dr.  Dana  merely  alludes  to  those  of  fish  and  flesh, 
and  states  (which  is  somcihing  new  to  most  per- 
sons) that  the  flesh   of    ii-h  contains  the  same 


amount  of  nutrient  matter,  as  the  fltsh  of  oxen. 
Albumen  forms  gristle,  sinews,  membrane,  mus- 
cle, nails,  and  is  found  in  the  nerve  tul)es.  Fat 
is  a  lubricant,  assists  to  form  cells,  and  it  forms 
part  and  parcel  of  all  the  chemical  changes  which 
the  body  undergoes,  and  is  required  for  more 
purposes  than  merely  heating  the  body.  Sugar 
never  forms  part  of  the  animal  tissues,  but  it  per- 
forms an  important  office  in  the  changes  of  all 
these  tissues.  It  forms  lactic  acid,  and  contrib- 
utes largely  to  the  formation  of  fat. 

The  waste  of  anything  essential  to  life,  and  all 
its  healthy  functions  must  be  supplied  by  a  like 
substance.  Food,  therefore,  is  nutritious  just  in 
proportion  as  it  contains  the  elements,  properly 
mixed,  which  go  to  sustain  the  body  and  supply 
its  waste.  What  is  the  best  and  cheapest  food 
for  this  purpose  ?  This  is  a  great  question,  and 
one  respecting  which  much  reliable  information 
has  been  wanting. 

Wheat,  Indian  corn,  rye,  rice,  and  buckwheat, 
are  the  principal  grains  used  in  our  country  for 
food.  Wheat  holds  the  highest  place  in  the  mar- 
ket, and  its  finest  flour — that  which  is  deprived 
of  most  bran — is  the  dearest  and  the  most  ad- 
mired. This  cherished  flour — the  costliest — is 
actually  the  least  valuable  for  food.  The  fat  and 
salts  of  wheat  reside  chiefly  in  the  bran,  and  the 
flour  deprived  of  those,  does  not  contain  well- 
mixed  nutrient  matter. 

Dr.  Dana  places  Indian  corn  and  rye  above 
wheat  for  our  food,  and  he  sur;  rises  us  by  giving 
oatmeal  the  highest  place  of  all — it  contains  the 
greatest  amount  of  albumen,  its  starch  is  equal  to 
that  of  fine  wheat  flour,  and  its  fat  exceeds  that 
of  any  other  cereal  grain.  Buckwheat  and  rice 
are  poor  articles  of  food  ;  one  pound  of  beans  is 
equal  to  three  and  a  half  of  rice  or  potatoes. 
Cabbage  contains  a  great  amount  of  albumen, 
but  no  fat,  sugar  or  salts,  but  it  is  excellent  for 
mixing  with  other  substances,  such  as  potatoes, 
which  contain  these.  Oatmeal  cake,  bean  and 
pea  soup,  baked  beans,  Indian  meal  pudding 
sweetened  with  molasses,  are  the  vegetable  food 
which  he  esteems  to  be  the  best  and  cheapest  for 
common  and  general  use. —  Scientific  xhncrican. 


TOMATOES— SUPPOKTING  AND    SHOET- 
ENING  IN. 

Few  gardens  are  now  found  unsupplied  with 
tomatoes,  but  very  few  persons  take  pains  to  cul- 
tivate them.  The  vines  are  usually  left  to  strag- 
gle ad  libitum.  This  is  both  bad  economy  and 
bad  taste.  If  tomatoes  are  planted  in  rows,  a 
convenient  plan  is  to  put  up  stakes  on  both  sides 
of  each  row,  and  nail  on  horizontal  strips  or  slats 
to  keep  the  vines  perpendicular.  They  may  be 
carried  up  to  the  height  of  three  to  five  feet.  By 
this  means  the  vines  will  show  much  better,  es- 
pecially when  covered  with  ripened  fruit  cluster- 
ing thickly  upon  the  sides.  The  fruit  itself  will 
be  much  superior  to  that  matured  on  the  ground 
and  in  the  shade.  Strong  twine  or  wires  may  be 
substituted  for  the  horizontal  slats.  A  cheaper 
process  of  sujjporting  tomatoes  is  to  bush  them, 
in  the  same  manner  that  beans  or  peas  are  treat- 
ed. Our  own  tomatoes  are  planted  around  the 
border  ofi  the  garden,  and  trained  upon  the  fence, 
the  vines  being  upheld  by  strips  of  leather,  dou- 


1858.  NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER.  397 


bled  around  the  stalks  and  fastened  to  the  fence 
with  small  nails. 

Tomatoes  are  also  benefited  by  shortening  in. 
Three-fourths  of  the   mature   fruit  is  produced 


lar  as  it  was  before  the  fall ;  but  is  grown  more 
rebellious  and  uneasy  and  diseased,  as  the  body 
is  ;  and  therefore  it  is  now  much  more  unfit  to  be 
our  measure  than  it  then  was.     You  see  it  even 


upon  a  small  part  of  the  vine  nearest  to  the  root,  I  in  swine,  (?)  and  many  greedy  children,  that 
say  one-third  or  one-fourth  of  its  length.  It  is  [would  presently  kill  themselves  if  they  had  not 
recommended  to  stop  the  further  development  |  the  reason  of  others  to  rule  them, 
of  vines  after  a  fair  supply  of  fruit  is  set,  by  "Finally,  poison  itself  may  be  as  delightful  to 
clipping  off  the  vines  growing  beyond.  The  |  the  appetite  as  food,  and  dangerous  meats  as 
clipping  should  not  be  carried  too  far,  as  a  sup-  those  that  are  most  wholesome.  So  that  it  is 
ply  of  foliage  is  required  to  gather  food  from  the  most  certain  that  appetite  is  not  to  be  the  meas- 
air.     One  of  the  most  successful  cultivators  in  j?<re  (as  appetite  regards  g;/a?t^)7?/ of  a  man.)    Yet 

this  is  true  withal,  than  when  reason  hath  noth- 


our  acquaintance  made  it  a  rule  to  let  no  vine 
extend  be}'ond  four  feet  from  its  root. — Am.  Ag- 
riculturist. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 

BAXTEB  ON  EXCESS  OF  FOOD,  OR 
GLUTTONY. 


ing  against  it,  then  an  appetite  showeth  what 
Nature  taketh  to  be  most  agreeable  to  itself,  and 
Reason,  therefore,  if  it  have  nothing  against  it, 
hath  something  for  it." 

Nowhere,  in  the  whole  compass  of  my  reading, 
have  I  met  with  sounder  views — more  in  accor- 
dance, I  mean,  with  the  laws  of  man's  constitu- 
"Living  like  a  beast,"  says  Richard  Baxter,  tion,  as  interpreted  by  science  and  experience— 
"will  at  last  make  men  judge  like  beasts  ;  and  I  than  those  of  Mr.  Baxter.  His  position  that  "liv- 
will  brutify  their  brains  as  well  as  their  bellies."  ting  like  beasts  makes  us  judge  like  beasts,"  is  not 
And  hence  it  is,  as  he  very  fairly  infers,  that  j  more  striking  than  it  is  tenable  ;  and  perhaps  his 
to  say,  "I  feel  it  do  me  no  harm,  and  therefore  jt|  broad  statement  that  "God  never  gave  man  his 
is  no  excess,  is  the  saying  of  an  idiot.  Or  it  is; appetite  to  be  the  measure  of  his  eating  or  drink- 
like  him  who  would  go  into  a  pest-house  and  say,  ing,  but  to  make  that  grateful  to  him  which 
I  feel  it  do  me  no  harm.  But  within  a  few  days  Reason  biddeth  him  to  take,"  may  have  much 
or  weeks  he  will  feel  it.  It  is  as  if  the  beginning  |  more  of  truth  in  it,  than  we  are  wont  to  suppose, 
of  a  consumption  were  no  hurt  to  people  because  in  any  event,  nothing  can  be  clearer  to  my 
they  feel  it  not."  "Most  people,"  he  adds,  "have  own  mind  though  nothing  should  be  more  para'- 
no  considerable  knowledge  what  measure  (3W«'^-  doxical  to  others,  than  that  we  are  to  be  guided 
tity)  is  best  for  them;  but  the  common  tule  that  by  our  appetites  as  regards  "quantity,  quality  or 
they  judge  by  is  their  appetite.  They  think  they  time."  This  doctrine  of  Mr.  Baxter  is  certainly 
have  eaten  enough  when  they  have  eaten  as  long  I  sound  and  defensible.  And  there  is  a  plain  rea- 
as  they  listed,  and  not  before.  If  they  could  eat  [son  for  this.  While  the  animals  below  man  are 
more,  with  an  appetite,  and  not  get  sick  after  it, 'left  to  the  direction  of  mere  instinct,  this  iu  man 
they  would  never  think  they  had  been  guilty  of  I  subserves  his  purpose  no  longer  than  till  his  rea- 
gluttony,  or  of  excess."  _    son  is  developed  and  has  an  opportunity  to  be- 

He  next  proceeds  to  lay  down  some  general  di-  [  come  its  substitute.  As  reason  takes  possession, 
rections  for  our  conduct  in  this  matter,  which  are;  instinct  dies  out.  In  the  fully  developed  adult, 
so  striking  that  I  copy  them,  with  merely  a   few  [instinct  is  powerless. 

passing  comments  in  parentheses.  As   adults,   therefore,  as   creatures   of  reason 

"First,  therefore,  you  must  know  that  appetite  and  not  of  instincts  we  are  to  ask  our  heads 
is  not  to  be  your  rule  or  measure,  either  for  quan-  and  not  our  stomachs  or  any  of  our  inferior  or- 
tity,  quality,  or  time.  For  it  is  irrational ;  and  gans  what  we  should  do.  These  latter  have  nei- 
reason  is  your  ruling  faculty,  if  you  are  men.  In-  ther  eyes  nor  ears;  but  the  former  has  both, 
deed  it  (appetite)  dependeth  much  on  the  tem-|  Besides  its  elevated  position  in  the  physical  hu- 
perature  of  the  body  and  the  humors  and  dis-:  man  domain  is  favorable  to  their  exercise.  In 
eases  of  it ;  and  not  merely  on  the  natural  need 'other  words,  we  are  never,  as  mature  reasoning 
of  food.  A  man  in  a  dropsy  is  most  thirsty  that  I  men  and  women,  to  ask,  first,  what  is  agreeable 
hath  least  cause  to  drink  ;  though  frequently,  in  [to  our  instinctive  feeling— our  perhaps  perverted 
a  putrid  or  malignant  fever,  a  draught  of  cold  tastes— but  simply  what  is  right.  The  question, 
drink  would  probably  be  death,  yet  the  appetite  [to  young  or  old,  what  do  you  like,  or  do  you  like 
desireth  it,  nevertheless.  Stomachs  that  have  ac-jthis  or  that,  should  seldom,  if  ever,  be  heard; 
rid  humors  have  commonly  a  strong  (active,  rath- land  never  in  the  first  place.  The  first  question, 
er)  appetite,  be  the  digestion  never  so  weak  ;  and :  i  repeat,  is  what  is  right.  That  being  ascertained, 
most  of  them  could  eat  with  an  appetite  about  the  full  measure  of  mere  agreeableness.  Heaven's 
twice  as  much  as  they  ought  to  eat.  And,  on  the  [own  measure— is  sure  to  come  in  its  train, 
contrary,  some  others  desire  not  so  much  as  is  Yet  the  great  mass  of  mankind  persist  in  ask- 
necessary  to  their  sustenance,  and  must  be  urged  ing  as  the  first  question  in  all  these  things— who 
to  eat  against  their  appetite.  [  will  show  us  any  good,  or  what  is  most  agreeable. 

"But,  again,  most  Iiealthful  people  in  the  world  j  Pi-ofessed  disciples  of  Christ,  in  instances  almost 
have  an  appetite  to  much  more  than  nature  can! innumerable,  ^sk  their  own  appetites,  their  fallen 
well  digest;  and  would  kill  themselves  if  they  [appetites  or  stomachs,  as  Mr.  Baxter  calls  them, 
pleased  their  appetites  (('.  e.,  made  it  there  busi-  v,'hat  is  liked  or  what  is  relished,  not  what  God 
ness  to  please  their  appetite.)  For  God  never  [would  have  done.  They  seek  to  please  them- 
gave  man  his  appetite  to  be  the  measure  of  his  selves,  not  to  please  God.  Is  this  Christianity  ? 
eating  or  dnnknig,  but  to  make  that  grateful  to  is  it  favorable  to  our  growth  in  grace,  supposing 
him,  which  reason  biddeth  him  take.  Man's  ap-  us  to  be  Christians  ?  What !  Growing  in  grace 
petite,  you  know,  is  not  now  so  sound  and  regu-  and  in  the  knowledge  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 


398 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Sept. 


■when  instead  of  doing,  like  Ilim,  the  -will  of  our 
Father  in  Heaven,  we  do  our  own  will  three- 
quarters  of  the  time  ?  For  he  who  makes  his 
own  natural  preferences,  whether  right  or  wrong, 
the  measure  or  rule  of  his  conduct  with  regard 
to  the  gratification  of  his  appetites  will  not  stop 
here.  He  will  be  led  gradually,  perhaps  insensi- 
bly, to  ask  his  own  perverted  preferences  about 
every  thing  else,  in  the  ordinary  routine  of  daily 
life ;  our  dress,  our  society,  our  conversation, 
our  manners  and  habits.  And  what  is  that  Chris- 
tianity worth  which  only  leads  us  to  regard  the 
will  or  pleasure  of  God  on  occasions,  whose  ag- 
gregate scarcely  makes  up  one-fourth  of  our  ex- 
istence? Are  we  under  no  sort  of  obligation  to 
give  heed  to  the  injunction,  "Whether,  therefore, 
ye  eat  or  drink,  or  whatsoever  ye  do,  do  all  to 
the  glory  of  God  ?" 

Mr.  Addison,  who  was  by  no  means  too  fully 
consecrated  to  the  work  of  pleasing  God,  says  in 
relation  to  the  gratification  of  our  appetites  and 
passions  and  tastes,  "Fix  upon  what  is  best  for 
you  and  custom  will  soon  make  it  agreeable." 
Here  philosophy  and  Christianity  meet  hand  in 
hand.  They  point  to  one  and  the  same.  They 
do  not  teach  us  to  ask  what  we  like  or  what  per 
verted  appetites  or  passions  or  tastes  or  relishes 
in  others  would  lead  them  to  like ;  but,  rather, 
what  God  likes — what  he  would  have  us  do,  or 
in  other  words,  what  is  right.  For  the  pleasure, 
having  done  what  is  right,  we  may  fully  trust. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 

AN  EASY  WAY  TO  RAISE  STEAW- 
BERBIES. 

Any  one  can  raise  a  few  boxes  of  strawberries, 
which  will  add  to  their  pleasure  and  comfort.  In 
the  early  part  of  August,  prepare  a  bed  as  you 
would  to  sow  beets,  three  feet  wide,  and  as  long 
as  you  please.  Spade  it  up  thoroughly  at  least  a 
foot  and  a  half  deep,  and  better  if  two  feet  in 
depth.  Set  as  you  would  cabbages,  Brighton 
Pine,  Jenny  Lind,  or  early  Virginia  plants,  two 
rows,  twelve  or  fifteen  inches  apart  each  way.  If 
you  can  easily  get  saw-dust,  or  old  tan,  or  spent 
tan  from  the  tan-yard,  cover  the  whole  surface  of 
your  bed  with  it  two  inches  deep,  at  the  same  time 
that  you  set  out  your  plants,  placing  it  carefelly 
around  and  close  to  the  plant,  but  not  burying 
its  leaves.  If  you  cannot  get  saw-dust  or  tan,  lay 
on  a  thick  coating  of  salt  hay,  or  rowen,  but  be- 
ware of  any  covering  which  has  either  seeds  or 
roots  in  it.  Water  the  plants  well,  with  soap- 
suds, or  water,  during  the  dry  weather  of  August 
and  September ;  pinch  off  the  runners  when  they 
begin  to  run.  Protect  them  from  the  winter  by 
a  loose  coating  of  coarse  straw,  which  allow  to 
remain  till  April.  If  the  spring  is  dry,  water 
them  occasionally,  and  pull  up  all  weeds  and  grass 
that  make  their  appearance  before  the  strawber- 
ries blossom,  but  do  not  dig,  or  fork  up  the  soil, 
nor  disturb  the  roots  of  your  plants  ;  drench 
them  thoroughly  with  water  two  or  three  times 
after  the  berries  have  set.  The  first  summer  you 
will  have  strawberries  enough  to  repay  you  for 
your  labor;  the  second,  third,  and  fourth  sum- 
mers you  will  have  an  abundant  crop,  and  with 
scarcely  any  labor  except  weeding  and  thinning 
the  plants  a  little  in  autumn,  and  weeding  a  lit- 
tle in  spring. 


Strawberries,  I  speak  of  garden  culture,  do  not 
need  high  manuring,  but  they  do  require  a  deep 
soil,  undisturbed  roots  and  moisture.  A  straw- 
berry root  will  run  into  the  earth  about  as  far  as 
it  finds  a  loose  soil.  I  have  known  good  crops 
from  beds  treated  as  above,  five  years  in  succes- 
sion. The  above  is  of  no  use  to  those  skilled  in 
the  culture,  but  may  be  useful  to  many  who  have 
small  bits  of  land,  and  would  like  a  few  strawber- 
ries of  their  own,  if  they  knew  it  is  as  easy  to 
raise  a  bushel  of  strawberries,  as  a  bushel  of  po- 
tatoes, and  at  a  not  much  larger  outlay  of  labor 
and  land.  The  watering  may  be  wholly  omitted, 
not  being  necessary,  but  still  highly  beneficial. 

Boston,  July  10,  1858.        M.  F.  Duncklee. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
THE  "WEST  VS.  NEW  ENGLAND. 

Mr.  Editor  : — It  is  said  that  "nature  has  im- 
planted within  the  bosom  of  all  men  a  love  for 
the  land  of  their  birth,"  an  affection  for  one's 
country.  Whether  this  be  true  or  not,  there  is  a 
strong  desire  in  most  men  to  be  the  owner  of 
land.  Indeed,  I  sometimes  think  a  wan  cannot  be 
atnie  man,  and  feel  such  in  all  his  dignity,  unless 
he  is  a  free-holder — a  land-owner  ;  this  at  once 
elevates  him  in  his  own  estimation,  and  more  or 
less  by  the  community.  Seeing,  then,  that  all 
men  are  possessed  with  this  feeling,  the  question 
is,  how  can  they  satisfy  this  feeling  ?  Of  course, 
there  are  many  ways  by  which  it  can  be  done. 
Earning  it  at  home,  or  going  West  to  do  it.  I 
propose  saying  a  few  words  about  going  down 
East,  instead  of  going  West. 

Having  had  a  touch  of  the  western  fever,  I  en- 
tered into  a  careful  estimate  of  the  advantages  of- 
fered in  New  England  and  the  West.  So  far  as 
land  is  concerned,  it  is  cheap  in  either  ;  but  ta- 
ken as  a  whole,  as  going  into  farming  as  a  means 
of  getting  a  living  and  profit,  I  have  come  to  the 
conclusion  that  the  advantages  are  altogether  in 
favor  of  New  England.  To  make  a  long  calcu- 
lation short,  I  estimate  the  pros  and  cons  some- 
thing in  this  way.  I  conclude  to  go  West,  and 
in  order  to  get  me  a  farm  at  government  price,  I 
have  got  to  go  a  long  distance  fi'om  the  larger 
towns  and  villages.  Here  I  find  land  enough  truly, 
good  land,  there  is  none  better  out  door,  and  this 
is  all.  No  roads,  no  fences,  no  buildings,  no 
school-houses,  no  churches,  no  stores,  in  fact,  "no 
nothing"  but  land.  Now,  then,  I  conclude  that  be- 
fore my  farm  is  worth  much,  all  these  must  be 
within  a  respectable  distance,  and  I  have  got  to 
do  my  part  towards  having  them,  and  by  the  time 
I  can  enjoy  my  farm  with  all  these  privileges,  it 
will  have  cost  me  quite  a  fortune.  There  is  no  fan- 
cy here,  but  an  actual  reality,  what  every  Western 
farmer  knows,  or  is  learning  every  day.  Now 
take  the  same  money  which  the  Western  farm 
costs,  and  go  into  any  of  our  New  England  States, 
and  it  will  buy  a  farm  good  enough  for  any  body, 
and  leave  money  enough  to  put  at  interest,  to 
carry  on  your  farm  with  as  much  profit,  and  I 
think  with  greater  profits,  than  the  Western  farm 
can  produce.  And  this,  too,  without  a  sacrifice 
of  some  of  those  things  which  add  so  much  to 
our  comfort  and  happiness  in  this  life,  such  as 
old  friends  and  associations. 

I  beg  of^our  young  men,  before  they  decide  to 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


399 


go  West,  to  think  on  these  things,  and  in  this 
particular  "let  your  moderation  be  known  unto 
all  men."  I  have  lately  seen  a  short  article  go- 
ing the  rounds  of  the  papers,  about  the  unoccu- 
pied lands  in  the  State  of  Maine.  Here  are  lands, 
according  to  all  accounts,  of  the  very  highest  or- 
der, which  can  be  bought  cheap  enough  to  satisfy 
a  Jew  ;  they  are  not  "clear  out  of  the  world,"  but 
in  good  old  New  England,  near  a  good  market, 
BJid  surrounded  with  all  the  advantages  and  bless- 
ings of  an  old  civilized  community.  Now  if  any 
young  or  old  man  has  the  western  fever,  and  is 
bound  to  go  somewhere — I  would  advise  him  to 
take  a  strong  dose  of  "Down  East,"  and  look  at 
these  unoccupied  lands  in  the  State  of  Maine. 
King  Oak  Ilill,  1858.  Norfolk. 


PRODUCTIVE  FARMS. 

To  a  person  not  familiar  with  the  history  and 
statistics  of  English  husbandry,  the  surprising 
productiveness  of  the  lands  of  that  country  will 
appear  incredible.  Nearly  nine-tenths  of  the 
cultivated  lands  in  England  and  Ireland  are 
rented  to  tenants  who  pay  usually  from  four  to 
five  pounds  sterling,  about  twenty-five  dollars, 
per  acre  annual  rent. 

Where  is  the  farmer  in  this  country  who  could 
"live"  under  such  a  burden  ? 

Here,  a  farm  containing  from  eighty  to  a  hun- 
dred acres,  is  often  rented  for  one  hundred  and 
fifty  dollars — and  sometimes  less — and  even  atj 
this  rate  the  tenant  has  a  hard  task!  The  culti- 
vation, even  where  there  are  a  large  number  of 
acres  in  grass,  will  little  more  than  pay  the  rent 
and  taxes;  but  in  England,  the  result  is  wide- 
ly different.  The  tenant  who  there  pays  five 
pounds  sterling,  per  acre,  annual  rent,  and  finds 
all  appliances,  obtains  not  only  the  means  of  a 
comfortable  subsistence,  but  wealth,  from  the 
prosecution  of  a  calling  which  here  would  doom 
him  to  want  and  destitution,  and  ultimately, 
death,  unless  assisted  by  the  town. 

In  1811,  Mirwin  estimated  the  produce  of  one 
English  farm  of  890  acres  at  £8,578— or  $38,000 ! 
The  (Quantity  of  manure  applied  was  13,746  one 
horse  cart  loads  in  one  year ;  and  10,250  the  next ! 

Now  admitting  the  rent  of  this  farm  to  be  but 
$12,00  per  acre,  and  the  cost  of  the  manure  and 
its  application  $12,00  more,  and  if  to  these  sums 
we  add,  for  interest  or  expenses,  taxes,  and  vari- 
ous contingent  expenses  of  cultivation,  &c. , 
$12,00  more,  we  shall  find,  upon  striking  the  bal- 
ance, that  there  will  remain  a  profit  of  $10,00  per 
acre — amounting  in  the  gross  aggregate  to  the 
sum  of  $10,000  clear  gain  to  the  occupant  in  a 
single  year ! 

In  the  vicinity  of  London,  a  hay  farm,  compris- 
ing 160  acres,  was  rented.  The  rental,  in  this  in- 
stance, was  $12,00  per  acre — amounting  in  all  to 
$1920  per  year.  A  heavy  expenditure  was  re- 
quired for  manure — probably  as  much  as  many  a 


New  England  farmer  would  have  been  willing  to 
give  for  the  fee  simple  of  the  land,  and  yet  the 
tenant  succeeded,  and  has  since  become  wealthy, 
and  with  no  other  income  than  the  produce  de- 
rived from  this  one  farm. 

In  Ireland,  a  poor  tenant  had  one  acre  of  land, 
erected  a  cottage,  purchased  manure  aud  farming 
tools,  and  the  first  year  cleared  all  expenses,  and 
had  a  balance  of  forty  dollars  left.  And  yet  that 
Irish  peasant,  in  addition  to  the  expenses  and 
outlays  above  enumerated,  had  a  church  tax  to 
pay,  and  be  at  the  expense  of  purchasing  his  own 
seed,  and  maintaining  a  family  of  four  besides 
himself  and  wife ! 

In  this  country  we  cultivate  too  much  land. 
Were  we  to  concentrate  our  energies  upon  one- 
quarter  of  the  soil,  we  should  derive  greater  profit 
from  our  labor,  and  instead  of  exhausting  our 
farms,  should  keep  them  in  a  condition  of  con- 
stant improvement.  Look  where  we  may,  we  find 
that  the  independent  farmers — the  "good  livers" 
of  the  country,  are,  in  nine  cases  in  ten,  the  oc- 
cupants of  small  farms. 


VALUE  OP  SHEEP  TO   THE  FARMER. 

Sheep  are  profitable  to  the  farmer,  not  only 
from  the  product  of  wool  and  mutton,  but  from 
the  tendency  which  their  keeping  has  to  improve 
and  enrich  his  land  for  all  agricultural  purposes. 
They  do  this  : 

1.  By  the  consumption  of  food  refused  by  oth- 
er animals,  in  summer  ;  turning  waste  vegetation 
to  use,  and  giving  rough  and  bushy  pastures  a 
smoother  appearance,  and  in  time  eradicating 
wild  plants  so  that  good  grasses  and  white  clover 
may  take  their  place.  In  this  respect,  sheep  are 
of  especial  value  to  pastures  on  soils  too  steep  or 
stony  for  the  plow.  In  winter,  the  coarser  parts 
of  the  hay,  refused  by  horses  and  cows,  are  read- 
ily eaten  by  sheep,  while  other  stock  will  gener- 
ally eat  most  of  that  left  by  these  animals. 

For  these  reasons,  among  others,  no  grazing 
farm  should  be  without  a  small  flock  of  sheep — 
for  it  has  been  found  that  as  many  cattle  and 
horses  can  be  kept  with  as  without  them,  and 
without  any  injury  to  the  farm  for  other  pur- 
poses. A  small  flock,  we  said — perhaps  half  a 
dozen  to  each  horse  and  cow  would  be  the  prop- 
er proportion.  A  variety  of  circumstances  would 
influence  this  point ;  such  as  the  character  of 
the  pasturage,  and  the  proportion  of  the  same  fit- 
ted and  desirable  for  tillage. 

2  Sheep  enrich  land  by  the  manufacture  of 
considerable  quantities  of  excellent  manure.  A 
farmer  of  long  experience  in  t-heep  husbandry, 
thought  there  was  no  manure  so  fertilizing  as 
that  of  sheep,  and  (of  which  there  is  no  doubt) 
that  none  dropped  by  the  animal  upon  the  land 
suff"ered  so  little  by  waste  from  exposure.  A 
German  agricultural  writer  has  calculated  that 
the  droppings  from  one  thousand  sheep,  during 
a  single  night,  would  manure  an  acre  sufficiently 
for  any  crop.  By  using  a  portable  fence,  and 
moving  the  same  from  time  to  time,  a  farmer 
might  manure  a  distant  field  with  sheep  at  a  less 


400 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Sept. 


expense  than  that  of  carting  and  spreading  barn 
manure. 

The  value  of  sheep  to  the  farmer  is  much  en- 
hanced by  attention  to  their  wants.  Large  flocks 
kept  together  are  seldom  profitable,  while  small, 
assorted  flocks  always  pay  well,  if  fed  as  they 
should  be.  To  get  good  fleeces  of  wool,  and  large, 
healthy  lambs  from  poor  neglected  sheep  is  im- 
possible. It  is  also  true,  that  the  expense  of 
keeping  is  often  least  with  the  flocks  that  are  al- 
ways kept  in  good  condition.  The  eye  and  the 
thought  of  the  owner  are  far  more  necessary  than 
large  and  irregular  supplies  of  fodder.  Division 
of  the  flock  and  shelter,  with  straw  and  a  little 
grain,  will  bring  them  to  spring  pastures  in  bet- 
ter order  than  if  kept  together  with  double  ra- 
tions of  hay,  one-half  of  which  is  wasted  by  the 
stronger  animals,  while  the  weak  of  the  flock  pick 
up  but  a  scanty  living,  and  oftentimes  fail  to  get 
that  through  the  whole  winter. 

We  commend  this  subject  to  the  consideration 
of  our  correspondents — it  needs  attention  on  the 
part  of  the  farming  public. — Country  Gentleman. 


For  the  New  England  Fanner. 
CHINESE  SUGAR  CANE  AND  MOWERS. 

Mr.  Editor: — What  say  you  of  the  sorglio 
the  present  season  ?  If  my  memory  is  right,  you 
were  of  the  number  the  last  year  that  hoped 
benefit  to  accrue  from  its  culture.  I  have  in- 
quired for  it,  but  have  not  found  any — or  at  most 
"none  to  speak  of,"  as  the  bachelor  said  of  his 
children.  Some  answer  that  their  seed  did  not 
ripen  sufficiently  to  vegetate ;  but  generally  the 
impression  seems  to  be  that  it  is  not  woi'th  culti- 
vating ;  certainly  rjot  here  at  the  North. 

I  have  just  come  in  from  witnessing  the  ope- 
rations of  mowers.  There  were  four  in  the 
same  field,  all  mowing  at  the  same  time — com- 
pletely harnessed  and  skilfully  driven — cutting 
and  spreading  the  grass  to  the  admiration  of  all 
who  saw  them.  Beyond  question,  implements 
of  this  character  are  destined  to  survive  and  be 
practically  useful.  I  look  forward  to  the  time 
when  a  mower,  moved  by  the  power  of  one  horse, 
cutting  a  clear  swarth  of  four  feet,  in  grass  yield- 
ing two  tons  to  the  acre,  completing  an  acre  an 
hour,  shall  be  deemed  as  indispensable  an  imple- 
ment on  every  well  furnished  farm  in  New  Eng- 
land, as  a  plow  or  a  harrow. 

Our  friends  of  the  State  Society  did  not  mis- 
apprehend the  importance  of  the  value  of  this 
implement,  when  they  offered  a  premium  of 
$1000  for  one  of  unexceptionable  structure  ;  and 
although  the  award  was  made  somewhat  precipi- 
tately, still  there  is  reason  to  believe  that  the 
principle  on  which  the  Heath  mower  is  construct- 
ed, will  be  found  the  very  thing  that  is  needed. 

Juhj  14,  1858.  Essex. 


PULPING  OR  MINCING  ROOTS. 

At  a  recent  meeting  of  the  London  Central 
Farmers'  Club,  the  subject  under  discussion  was 
that  of  the  expediency  of  reduc'ng  roots,  such 
as  turnips,  beets,  parsnips,  carrots,  &c  ,to  a  pulp, 
before  feeding  them  out  to  stock.  Mr.  Ford- 
IIAM,  a  gentleman  of  some  agricultural  distinc- 
tion, and  whose  name  we  frequently  see  in  the 
English  agricultural  papers,  addressed  the  meet- 
ing and  recited  many  instances  of  cattle  being 
fatted  economically  on  pulped  roots,  and  com- 
mended the  process  to  general  use.  Several 
other  gentlemen  spoke  in  favor  of  the  practice, 
some  of  them  relating  their  own  experiences  in 
the  matter. 

We  have  excellent  machines  among  us  to  cut 
roots  quite  fine,  and  a  practical  use  of  one  of 
them  has  convinced  us  of  their  utility  and  econ- 
omy, especially  where  the  roots  are  to  be  fed  to 
sheep  or  young  cattle. 

There  is  also  a  machine  in  use,  devised  by  Mr. 

,  of  Lowell,  Mass.,  for  reducing  roots 

to  a  pulp — this  we  have  also  used,  but  soon  found 
that  it  required  something  more  than  man  power 
to  run  it.  The  pulp  sprinkled  upon  cut  hay  made 
a  feed  for  which  the  cattle  were  extremely  eager, 
and  upon  which  they  flourished  remarkably  well. 

It  is  well  to  note  these  experiments  by  others, 
as  well  as  to  make  them  ourselves  whenever  op- 
portunity and  convenience  will  permit.  The 
farmer  is  already  deriving  great  benefits  from 
such  sources. 


Remarks. — Certainly,  sir,  we  always  "hope" 
for  the  best.  Our  people  gave  the  sorgho  a  pret- 
ty fair  trial  last  year,  and  have  generally  come  to 
the  conclusion  that  when  molasses  is  one  dollar  a 
gallon,  they  will  do  well  to  cultivate  the  sorgho 
and  raise  their  own  sweetening !  We  commend 
them  for  making  the  effort — don't  you  ?  It  is 
pleasant  to  have  all  doubtful  questions  settled. 


Fur  the  New  England  Farmer. 
WELLS  FOR  KEEPING  MILK. 

I  would  like  to  make  a  simple  suggestion 
through  the  columns  of  your  paper,  thinking  it 
may  be  of  advantage  to  some,  as  it  would  have 
been  to  me  five  years  ago.  It  is  in  regard  to  a 
well  for  the  purpose  of  keeping  milk. 

It  is  injurious  to  the  water  of  a  well,  used  for 
any  other  purpose,  to  put  cans  of  milk  in  it,  and 
it  is  no  small  labor  to  pump  water  to  cool  and 
keep  milk  in  tubs  or  troughs. 

Last  summer  I  dug  a  well  for  this  purpose. 
It  is  near  the  barn,  and  in  a  convenient  situation 
for  the  neighbor  to  take  who  carries  milk  to  the 
railroad.  It  is  about  seven  feet  deep,  with  about 
three  feet  of  water. 

The  soil  at  the  top  for  making  manure  in  the 
barn-yard,  and  the  gravel  at  the  bottom  for 
mending  the  highways,  nearly  paid  for  digging. 
A  few  loads  of  stone  for  the  walls,  and  a  simple 
platform  of  plank,  with  a  square  of  joist  for  the 
cover  to  rest  upon,  includes  the  expense.  It  is 
in  the  shade  of  some  quince  trees,  and  near  a 
natural  spring. 

It  is  not  every  farmer  who  needs  such  a  well, 
that  has  a  convenient  place  for  digging  it,  with- 
out going  too  deep  for  water, — but  there  are  a 
number  in  every  town  in  this  vicinity,  who  might 
be  benefited  by  such  a  well. 

Lincoln.  James  Farrar. 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


401 


BLACK  SPANISH  FOWLS. 


Among  the  various  breeds  of  fowls  which  have 
been  reared  in  our  own  yard,  that  which  is  illus- 
trated at  the  head  of  this  article  has  not  yet 
been  one.  We  are,  therefore,  only  able  to  give 
the  experience  and  commendations  of  others. 
They  are  said  to  possess  many  and  rare  merits. 
Their  appearance  is  certainly  very  fine. 

In  an  English  work  on  Domestic  Poultry,  by 
Messrs.  Dixon  &  Kerr,  it  is  said  that  a  thorough- 
bred Spanish  fowl  should  be  entirely  black,  as 
far  as  feathers  are  concerned,  and  when  in  high 
condition,  display  a  greenish  metallic  lustre. 
The  combs  of  both  male  and  female  are  very 
large,  of  a  brilliant  scarlet,  and  that  of  the  hen 
drooping  over  on  one  side.  Their  most  singular 
feature  is  a  white  mark  on  each  cheek,  of  a  fleshy 
substance,  similar  to  the  wattles  ;  which  is  small 
in  the  hens,  but  large  and  very  conspicuous  in 
the  cocks. 

A  full-grown  cock  may  weigh  nearly  seven 
pounds,  and  a  hen  about  six.  The  comb  is  deep- 
ly serrated,  and  the  wattles  are  very  long  and 
the  bird  quite  free  from  top-knot.  They  are  not 
very  pugnacious.  The  hens  are  not  inclined  to 
Bet,  but  are  good  layers ;  eggs  large  and  white. 


Francis  Blake,  Esq.,  of  Boston,  who  has  bred 
this  variety  since  the  year  1847,  his  communi- 
cated his  opinion  of  the  breed  to  Mr.  Kerr,  who 
has  transferred  it  to  a  recent  edition  of  the  "Do- 
mestic Poultry."  He  says : — "I  have  seen  no 
breed  of  fowls  more  peculiar  and  strikingly  at- 
tractive in  its  appearance  than  this ;  and  as  re- 
gards their  laying  qualities,  and  character  for 
the  table,  I  decidedly  prefer  them  to  any  oth- 
ers with  which  I  have  had  experience.  They 
are  literally  everlasting  layers.  Their  peculiar 
disinclination  to  set  is  very  remarkable ;  for,  in 
my  experience,  I  have  been  exceedingly  annoyed 
by  the  constant  propensity  which  some  other 
breeds  have  manifested  in  this  respect.  For  the 
period  of  more  than  three  years,  during  which  I 
have  had  them,  the  hens  have  not  in  a  single  in- 
stance manifested  a  desire  to  set." 

Richardson,  another  writer  on  poultry,  says 
that  "as  table  birds  they  hold  a  place  in  the  very 
first  rank,  their  flesh  being  particularly  white, 
tender  and  juicy,  and  the  skin  possessing  a  beau- 
tifully clear  white  hue.  They  are,  besides,  pro- 
lific, extremely  easily  fed  ;  and,  in  short,  I  know 
of  no  fowl  I  would  rather  recommend  to  the  no- 


402 


NEW   ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Sept. 


tice  of  the  breeder."  The  commendations  of 
Dixon  are  also  equally  decided. 

We  scarcely  know  what  more  can  be  desired 
in  a  fowl,  than  is  conceded  to  the  Black  Spanish 
by  these,  and  other  distinguished  writers  whom 
we  have  not  yet  quoted.  Color  in  fowls  is  a 
matter  of  taste ;  we  do  not  like  black  fowls,  or 
fowls  with  lilac-colored  legs,  and  always  mark 
Buch  as  the  first  for  the  spit  or  the  gridiron. 

There  is  one  other  fact  in  regard  to  the  Black 
Spanish,  and  that  is  their  value  as  early  pullets 
for  laying  purposes  in  the  autumn  and  winter  af- 
ter they  are  hatched. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
OB  NIT  HO  LOGY. 
BY  S.  P.  FOWLER. 

In  our  long  list  of  birds,  there  is  not  one  so  beau- 
tiful and  diminutive,  as  the  Ruby-throated  hum- 
ming bird,  its  metallic  lustre  of  plumage  render- 
ing it  a  perfect  jewel  of  ornithology.  There  have 
been,  as  yet,  but  five  species  of  humming  birds 
discovered  in  the  United  States  :  these  are,  the 
Ruby-throated  humming  bird,  (Trochiius  colu- 
bris)  every  where  common  in  the  Atlantic  States ; 
the  Mango  humming  bird  (  T.  Mango,)  occasion- 
ally found  in  Florida  ;  the  Anna  humming  bird 
(T.  Anna,)  found  in  California  ;  the  Rufus  throat- 
ed humming  bird,  (T.  ii'j^/ws ;)  and  the  Purple- 
throated  humming  bird  {T.  Alexandri,)  first  de- 
tected by  Dr.  Heerman  at  Sacramento  City.  Of 
the  three  hundred  and  twenty-five  species  of 
humming  birds  now  known,  but  one,  the  Ruby- 
throated,  is  found  in  New  England.  Mr.  Cassin, 
in  his  "Birds  of  America,"  says,  in  size  the  hum- 
ming birds  vary  much.  The  Giant  humming  bird 
of  Brazil,  which  is  the  largest,  though  one  of  the 
plainest,  is  about  the  size  of  the  Chimney  bird  of 
the  United  States,  and  several  fine  species  of  the 
later  discoveries  in  this  group  are  but  little 
smaller.  Several  species  are  quite  as  large  as  the 
house  wren.  On  the  other  hand,  there  are 
humming  birds  little  larger  than  the  humble  bee 
of  our  meadows  ;  and  there  are  many  species  of 
beetles  and  other  coleopterous  insects,  that  are 
much  larger.  The  common  ruby-throated  hum- 
ming bird  of  the  United  States,  is  a  medium 
species,  and  of  respectable  dimensions,  when 
compared  with  some  of  his  pigmy  brethren  of  the 
far  South.  Mr.  William  H.  Edwards,  in  a 
"Voyage  up  the  Amazon,"  thus  describes  the  little 
Hermit  humming  bird  :  "Wherever  a  creeping 
vine  opens  its  fragrant  clusters,  or  wherever  a 
tree  flower  blooms,  may  these  little  birds  be  seen. 
In  the  garden  or  in  the  woods,  over  the  water, 
everywhere,  they  are  darting  about ;  of  all  sizes, 
from  one  that  might  easily  be  mistaken  for  a  dif- 
ferent variety  of  bird,  to  the  tiny  Hermit  (Tro- 
chiius rupigaster,)  whose  body  is  not  half  the 
size  of  the  bees  buzzing  about  the  same  sweets. 
Sometimes  they  are  seen  chasing  each  other  in 
sport,  with  a  rapidity  of  flight,  and  intricacy  of 
path,  the  eye  is  puzzled  to  follow.  Again  circling 
round  and  round,  they  rise  high  in  mid-air,  then 
dart  off'  like  light  to  some  distant  attraction. 
Perched  upon  a  little  limb,  they  smooth  their 
plumes,   and  seem  to   delight  in  their  dazzling 


hues  ;  then  starting  off  leisurely,  they  skim  along, 
stopping  capriciously  to  kiss  the  coquetting  flow- 
erets. Often  two  meet  in  mid-air  and  fight  furi- 
ously, their  crests  and  the  feathers  on  their 
throats,  all  erected  and  blazing,  and  altogether 
pictures  of  the  most  violent  rage.  Several  times 
we  saw  them  battling  with  large  black  bees,  who 
frequent  the  same  flowers,  and  may  be  supposed 
to  interfere  often  provokingly.  Like  lightning, 
our  little  heroes  would  come  down,  but  the  coat 
of  shining  mail  would  ward  off  their  furious 
strokes.  Again  and  again  would  they  renew  the 
attack,  until  their  anger  had  expended  itself  by 
its  own  fury,  or  until  the  apathetic  bee,  once 
roused,  had  put  forth  powers  that  drove  the  iu- 
vader  from  the  field." 

From  this  description  of  the  habits  of  the 
humming  bird,  from  the  banks  of  the  Amazon, 
we  perceive  it  differs  but  little  from  our  ruby- 
throated  gem,  which  is  made  by  some  ornitholo- 
gists the  type  of  a  genus.  The  humming  bird  is 
distinguished  for  its  rapid  flight,  and  has  what  is 
called  a  falcated,  or  sword-shaped  form  of  wing 
that  is  possessed  by  no  other  bird.  It  is  this 
form  of  pinion  that  causes  the  humming  sound 
by  its  rapid  vibrations.  It  is  large  for  the  size  of 
the  bird,  and  of  great  power,  and  when  in  motion 
the  whole  body  is  completely  under  its  control. 
As  the  tiny  birds  moves  in  their  quick  and  rapid 
flight,  darting  from  side  to  side,  their  bodies  seem 
but  appendages,  and  sway  and  swerve  like  flow- 
ing dresses  in  the  wind.  It  was  for  a  long  time 
supposed  that  humming  birds  subsisted  upon  th« 
nectar  of  flowers  only ;  it  is  now  ascertained  that 
small  dipterous  insects  form  their  principal  food. 
The  habits  of  the  ruby-throated  humming  birds 
are  so  well  known  to  the  readers  of  the  Neic 
England  Farmer  that  I  Avill  not  repeat  what  has 
been  written  by  our  ornithologists.  Mr.  Charles 
Waterton,  the  eccentric  and  enthusiastic  orni- 
thologist who  rode  the  Cayman  in  the  rivers  of 
Demerara,  takes  exceptions  to  Mr.  Audubon's  ac- 
count of  the  humming  bird,  where  he  says,  that 
in  one  week  from  their  hatching  they  are  able  to 
fly.  Waterton  remarks  that  "Mr.  Audubon  tells 
us,  that  in  one  Aveek  the  young  of  the  ruby- 
throated  humming  bird  are  ready  to  fly.  One 
would  suppose,  by  this,  that  they  must  be  hatched 
with  a  good  coating  of  feathers  to  begin  with. 
Old  dame  nature  sometimes  performs  odd  pranks. 
We  are  informed  that  our  crooked-back  Dicky 
the  Third  was  born  with  teeth  ;  and  Ovid  men- 
tions the  astonishingly  quick  growth  of  certain 
men.  He  says,  in  his  account  of  the  adventures 
of  Captain  Cadmus,  who  built  Thebes,  that  the 
captain  employed  some  men  as  masons,  who  had 
just  sprung  up  out  of  the  earth.  I  have  Mr.  Au- 
dubon's account  of  the  growth  of  the  humming 
bird,  and  I  have  read  Mr.  Ovid's  account  of  the 
growth  of  Captain  Cadmus'  masons,  and  both 
very  attentively.  I  think  the  veracity  of  the  one 
is  as  apparent  as  the  veracity  of  the  other.  What, 
in  the  name  of  skin  and  feathers,  I  ask,  has  Mr. 
Audubon  found  in  the  economy  of  the  ruby- 
throated  humming  bird,  to  enable  him  to  inform 
Englishmen,  that  its  young  can  fly  in  so  short  a 
space  of  time  ?  The  young  of  no  other  bird,  that 
we  are  acquainted  with,  from  the  Condor  to  the 
Wren,  can  fly  when  only  a  week  eld."  With  all 
due  allowance  for  the  prejudices  of  Mr.  Water- 
ton  against  our  great  ornithologist,  we  still  think 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


403 


his  cdticisms  just.  We  do  not  believe  a  hum- 
ming bird,  naked,  blind,  and  so  feeble  as  scarce- 
ly lo  be  able  to  raise  its  little  bill  to  receive  food 
from  its  parents,  as  Mr.  Audubon  asserts  is  their 
condition  when  hatched,  would  be  able  to  fly  in 
one  week !  Can  any  reader  of  the  Farmer  give 
us  any  information  upon  the  subject  P  Mr.  Wa- 
terton,in  continuing  his  criticisms,  says,  "A  word 
on  the  cradle.  Mr.  Audubon  tells  us,  that  the 
little  pieces  of  lichen,  used  in  forming  the  nest 
of  the  humming  bird,  are  glued  together  with  the 
saliva  of  the  bird.  Fiddle !  The  saliva  of  all 
birds  immediately  mixes  with  water.  A  single 
shower  of  rain  would  undo  all  the  saliva-glued 
work  on  the  nest  of  Mr.  Audubon's  humming 
bird." 

Now  Audubon  is  not  singular  in  his  belief  that 
the  bird  in  question  uses  saliva  in  the  finish  of 
its  cradle,  as  the  same  is  asserted  by  Wilson  and 
Nuttall.  Upon  the  examination  with  a  good  glass, 
of  a  nest,  that  has  undoubtedly  been  exposed  to 
storms  of  rain,  we  find  the  coating  of  lichens 
fii-mly  attached  to  it.  Audubon's  description  of 
the  humming  bird's  nest  is  as  follows.  "It  is  of 
the  most  delicate  nature,  the  external  parts  being 
formed  of  a  light  grey  lichen,  found  on  the 
branches  of  trees,  or  on  decayed  fence-rails,  and 
so  neatly  arranged  round  the  whole  nest,  as  well 
as  to  some  distance  from  the  spot  where  it  is  at- 
tached, as  to  seem  part  of  the  branch  itself. 
These  little  pieces  of  lichen  are  glued  together, 
with  the  saliva  of  the  bird.  The  next  coating  con- 
sists of  cottoney  substance,  and  the  innermost, 
of  silky  fibres  obtained  from  various  plants." 
Wilson's  description  is  as  follows  :  "The  outward 
coat  is  formed  of  small  pieces  of  bluish  grey  lich- 
en, that  vegetates  on  old  trees  and  fences,  thick- 
ly glued  on  with  the  saliva  of  the  bird,  giving 
firmness  and  consistency  to  the  whole,  as  well  as 
keeping  out  moisture.  Within  this  are  thick, 
matted  layers  of  the  fine  wings  of  certain  flying 
seeds,  closely  laid  together ;  and  lastly,  the  dow- 
ny substance,  from  the  great  mullein,  and  from 
the  stalks  of  the  common  fern,  lines  the  whole." 
Nuttall  in  describing  the  nest  of  the  humming 
bird,  says,  "it  is  concealed  by  an  artful  imitation 
of  the  mossy  branch,  to  which  it  is  firmly  at- 
tached and  incorporated.  Bluish-grty  lichens, 
agglutinated  by  saliva,  and  matched  with  sur- 
rounding objects,  instinctively  form  the  deceiv- 
ing external  coats  ;  portions  of  the  cunning  ar- 
chitecture, for  further  security,  are  even  tied 
down  to  the  supporting  station.  Within  are  laid 
copious  quantities  of  the  pappus  or  other  down 
of  plants  ;  the  inner  layer  of  this  exquisite  bed, 
is  lurnished  with  the  short  wool  of  the  budding 
Platanus,  the  mullein,  or  the  soft  clothing  of  un- 
folding fern-stalks."  A  nest  of  our  bird  lying 
now  before  me,  is  composed  mainly  of  the  purple 
cottony  substance,  from  the  stalks  of  the  fern, 
intermixed  with  a  short  fibrous  vegetable  sub- 
stance, evidently  with  the  design  of  holding  to- 
gether the  short  staple  of  the  fern  cotton  or 
down.  This  fibrous  substance  seems  to  be  thor- 
oughly incorporated  throughout  the  entire  nest, 
and  as  seen  on  its  outside,  appears  in  some  de- 
gree to  hold  and  retain  the  lichen  in  its  place. 
Portions  of  this  outside  deceptive  finish  are  so 
firmly  attached  to  the  nest,  as,  when  taken  from 
it,  to  bring  away  some  small  parts  of  the  fabric 
with  it,  while  other  portions  found  detached  from 


the  nest,  remain  in  their  position,  by  the  fibrous 
substance  surrounding  them.  So  that  it  is  at 
least  safe  to  say  to  Mr.  Waterton  as  at  present 
informed,  that  "if  the  gluten  don't  stick,"  the 
lichen,  with  its  rough  edge  and  surface,  is  kept  in 
its  place  by  being  imbedded  into  the  fibrous  cot- 
ton probably  by  the  bill  of  the  bird.  It  is  there- 
fore not  so  clear  that  the  account  given  by  our 
three  most  distinguished  ornithologists,  in  the 
matter  of  hum-bird  gluten,  should  be  considered 
apocryphal,  and  be  classed  with  the  fabulous  ac- 
counts of  the  red-throated  humming  bird,  as  re- 
lated by  father  Chavlevoix  or  Fernandez  Oviedo. 
Danvers  Port,  July  19,  1858. 


EAISING  AND  PICKINQ  GEESE. 

When  the  good  motherly  goose  wishes  to  set, 
give  her  eleven  eggs,  and  shut  her  away  from 
other  geese  and  ganders.  Supply  her  with  food 
and  water — give  her  grass  as  well  as  corn,  if  the 
former  is  sufficiently  grown  for  gathering.  In 
four  weeks  the  young  goslings  will  begin  to  ap- 
pear, and  will  all  hatch  in  a  day  or  two's  time. 
Don't  hurry  them  from  the  nest,  nor  be  over- 
anxious to  have  them  eating  ;  they  will  be  ready 
for  that  when  they  become  older.  Feed  them 
with  a  little  bread  and  milk  at  first — corn  meal 
does  not  seem  to  agree  with  them  as  well.  Let 
them  go  to  grass  and  water  in  pleasant  days.  A 
shallow  vessel,  which  they  can  get  in  and  cut  of 
readily,  supplied  frequently  with  clean  water,  is 
as  good  as  any,  so  far  as  raising  geese  is  con- 
cerned, though  it  is  less  trouble  if  one  has  the 
pond  for  them.  Be  sure  and  shut  them  up  at 
night,  in  a  warm,  dry  place,  and  keep  them  there 
until  the  dew  is  off,  in  cold  mornings.  Shut 
them  up  in  cold,  stormy  days,  also,  feeding  them 
with  handfuls  of  fresh  clover.  If  no  accident  be- 
fals  them,  they  will  live  and  grow,  without  trou- 
ble. 

There  is  no  machine  for  picking  geese,  that 
ever  I  heard  of;  the  thumb  and  finger  must  do 
that  work.  The  time  to  do  it  is  when  the  feathers 
are  ripe,  which  occurs  about  four  times  during 
the  season.  Feathers  picked  when  green — in  the 
pin-feather  state — are  not  fit  to  put  into  a  bed ; 
they  can  not  be  cured  so  as  to  be  as  light  and 
sweet  as  ripe  feathers  are.  When  picked,  put  the 
feathers  in  a  sack  made  of  thin  cloth — an  old 
sheet  is  good — and  dry  them  perfectly  in  the 
sun.  Afterward,  they  will  keep  good  in  any  dry 
place. — Genesee  Farmer. 


ACCOUNTS  OF  THE  CHOPS. 

During  the  busy  period  when  the  crops  are 
growing,  and  need  constant  attention,  most  of 
our  farmers  feel  obliged  to  remain  pretty  con- 
stantly at  home  and  give  them  the  care  which 
they  require,  and  they  can,  therefore,  only  learn 
what  the  prospects  of  the  crops  are  in  other  sec- 
tions than  their  own,  through  the  papers  of  the 
day,  or  by  casual  reports  from  travellers. 

We,  therefore,  invite  our  correspondents  to  fa- 
vor each  other  and  the  general  reader  with  such 
brief  reports  of  the  state  of  the  crops,  as  may  be 
found  from  Berkshire  and  Middlesex  counties  in 
this  paper. 


404 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Sept. 


We  shall  be  glad  of  reports  from  all  the  New 
England  States,  from  the  South  and  West,  and 
the  Canadas,  as  we  have  readers  in  them  all. 

By  mingling  brief  remarks  in  these  reports  of 
the  causes  of  failure  or  success  in  certain  crops, 
we  believe  much  valuable  information  may  be 
disseminated  throughout  our  whole  circle  of  wri- 
ters, readers  and  operators. 


CUEIOSITIES  OF  COMMERCE. 

Turning  over  the  pages  of  the  CydopfEdia  of 
Commerce,  just  published,  a  few  matters  attracted 
our  attention  as  curiosities  which  we  propose  to 
transcribe  for  our  readers.  We  were  lacking  for 
the  small  things  in  commerce,  matters  that,  in 
taking  a  magnificent,  broad  and  comprehensive 
view,  would  be  overlooked.  Just  as  an  inven- 
tion of  the  greatest  importance  for  domestic  pur- 
Eoses  would  be  overlooked  and  unnoticed,  in  its 
omely  attire,  when  placed  in  an  exhibition  and 
surrounded  by  works  of  polished  art,  costly  ma- 
chinery and  gorgeous  furniture.  A  humble  in- 
ventor once  placed  in  such  an  exhibition  a  few 
bunches  of  friction  matches.  They  were  unno- 
ticed. Visitors  went  there  looking  for  some  great 
thing,  not  realizing  that  the  despised  package  of 
splints,  tipped  with  chemical  fire,  was  the  great- 
est thing  in  that  proud  collection,  destined  to 
work  a  revolution  in  the  means  of  procuring  ar- 
tificial light,  and  to  become  a  universal  necessity, 
to  be  deprived  of  which  would  be  one  of  the 
greatest  inconveniences  that  could  happen. 

It  is  not  more  than  twenty  years  ago  since  the 
tinder-box  was  in  universal  use.  It  is  abolished 
now.  The  invention  of  the  friction  match  spread 
slowly,  but  who,  at  this  day,  would  venture  to 
say  they  could  do  without  it?  Insignificant  as 
they  appear  to  be,  single  factories  with  extensive 
machinery,  cut  up  large  rafts  of  timbers  annually 
for  matches. 

Under  the  head  of  Pin,  we  find  that  the  man- 
ufacture of  this  indispensable  little  instrument 
was  commenced  in  the  United  States  between 
1812  and  1820,  since  which  time  the  business 
has  extended  greatly,  and  several  patents  for  the 
manufacture  of  pins  have  been  taken  out.  The 
manufacture  in  England  and  other  parts  of  Eu- 
rope is  conducted  upon  improvements  made  in 
the  United  States.  Notwithstanding  the  extent 
of  our  production,  the  United  States  imported 
in  1856  pins  to  the  value  of  $40,255. 

Still  keeping  our  attention  directed  to  small 
things,  we  find  that  the  imports  of  needles  into 
this  country  for  1856,  amounted  to  $246,060. 
It  is  said  that  needles  were  first  made  in  England, 
in  the  time  of  the  bloody  Mary,  by  a  negro  from 
Spain ;  but  as  he  would  not  impart'his  secret,  it 
was  lost  at  his  death  and  not  recovered  again  till 
1566,  in  the  reign  of  Queen  Elizabeth,  when  a 
German  taught  the  art  to  the  English,  who  have 
since  brought  it  to  the  greatest  perfection.  It  is 
stated  that  the  construction  of  a  needle  requires 
about  120  operations,  but  they  are  rapidly  and 
uninterruptedly  successive. 

The  Temperance  people  will  find  an  argument 
to  enforce  their  doctrines  in  the  fact  that  41,071,- 
636  bushels  of  grain,  paying  twenty-five  million 
dollars  duty,  are  annually  converted  into  malt  in 


Great  Britain  for  ale  and  porter.  It  may  reason- 
ably be  inferred  that  a  great  quantity  of  these 
beverages  is  drank  there. 

Ground  nuts  are  quite  an  institution  with 
Young  America,  eight  hundred  tons  having  been 
imported  into  the  United  States  from  Gambia  in 
one  year.  We,  however,  dissent  from  the  ency- 
clopaedist, when  he  says  they  are  most  used  here 
at  dessert,  roasted,  as  chestnuts  are  elsewhere. 
But  France  is  the  great  iffarket  for  ground  nuts, 
where  they  are  used  for  oil  of  which  they  con- 
tain large  quantities.  The  insignificant  Hazel 
nut,  so  agreeable  to  the  palate,  but  so  difficult  to 
get,  is  exported  from  Tarragona,  to  the  extent  of 
25,000  or  30,000  bags  of  four  to  the  ton.  A  kind 
of  chocolate  is  prepared  from  them  and  they  have 
sometimes  been  made  into  bread.  The  pressed 
oil  of  hazel  nuts  is  little  inferior  to  that  of  al- 
monds. 

The  original  inventor  of  the  Ayrshire  snuff- 
boxes was  a  cripple  hardly  possessing  the  power 
of  locomotion.  They  are  made  of  wood,  admira- 
bly joined,  painted  and  varnished,  and  were  first 
manufactured  only  sixty  years  since.  Instead  of 
taking  out  a  patent,  the  inventor  entrusted  his 
secret  to  a  joiner  in  the  village,  who  in  a  few 
years  amassed  a  great  fortune,  while  the  other 
died  as  he  had  lived  in  the  greatest  poverty. 
Speaking  of  snuff-boxes,  snufl-taking  took  its 
rise  in  England  in  1702.  Under  the  head  of  hair 
the  CyclojjcBdia  says  that  two  hundred  thousand 
pounds  weight  of  woman's  hair  is  annually  sold 
in  France  and  that  the  price  paid  for  it  is  usually 
six  cents  an  ounce.  One  hundred  roses  are  re- 
quired to  give  a  yield  of  188  grains  ottar  or  oil 
of  roses. 

There  are,  doubtless,  in  this  compendious  work, 
a  great  many  curious,  interesting  and  instructive 
facts,  if  one  had  the  time  to  search  them  out. 
And  now,  as  we  are  closing,  we  notice  quite  a 
number  of  items,  such  as  that  a  bale  of  Sea  Is- 
land cotton  weighs  333  pounds  and  measures  35 
cubic  feet,  while  a  bale  of  East  India  cotton 
weighs  383  pounds  and  only  measures  15  cubic 
feet,  a  fact  of  great  importance  in  the  question 
of  transportation.  What  makes  this  great  dif- 
ference in  cubic  proportions  ? — Boston  Herald. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 

A  CHEAP  FEED  FOB  SWINE. 

Happening  to  call  upon  a  lady  a  few  days  since, 
not  a  milliner  shop  one,  but  a  well  educated 
one,  who  knows  what  it  is  to  grapple  with  the 
practical  duties  of  life  in  the  kitchen  and  the  par- 
lor equally,  and  who  now  is  compelled  to  provide 
for  her  orphaned  children, — I  saw  in  her  kitchen 
a  new  mode  of  providing  food  for  a  p'g.  She 
had  caused  a  large  boiler  to  be  filled  with  weeds 
which  her  little  boys  had  pulled  up  about  the 
premises,  for  she  superintends  a  small  farm,  and 
these  were  being  boiled.  More  were  added  from 
time  to  time,  till  the  whole  kettle  was  filled  with 
well  boiled  greens.  These,  when  done,  were  tak- 
en out  with  a  pie  slice  and  well  cut  up.  A  little 
bran  and  the  slops  from  the  kitchen  were  added 
and  fed  to  the  pig.  She  remarked  that  he  seemed 
to  like  the  feed  and  to  thrive  on  it.  The  boiled 
weeds  were,  she  thought,  worth  as  much  as  the 
same  bulk  df  boiled  potatoes.  Of  course,  I  wait- 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FAEMER. 


405 


ed  on  the  pig  while  at  dinner,  and  found  both  an 
appetite  and  rotundity  that  would  do  credit  to  a 
candidate  for  city  aldermanship. 

This  was  a  new  feed  to  me,  and  the  experi- 
ment seemed  successful.  It  can  be  no  more 
work  to  boil  the  weeds  than  potatoes,  and  if 
they  answer,  any  farmer  has  weeds  enough 
about  his  premises  to  save  not  a  little  in  raising 
his  swine,  besides  benefiting  his  land,  by  boiling 
them  up.  J.  II.  A. 

Hinsdale,  N.  IL,  1858. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
NEATNESS  IN"  PABMING. 

Mr.  Editor  : — I  wish  to  speak  of  neatness  in 
farming.  I  think  this  has  been  and  is  too  much 
neglected  by  our  farmers.  It  is  just  as  important 
to  be  neat  in  farming  as  in  any  other  branch  of 
business;  it  is  not  only  economical  to  be  neat, 
but  it  shows  a  cultivated  taste,  which  all  can  ap- 
preciate. How  essential  it  is  that  the  farmer 
should  have  a  place  for  everything  and  every- 
thing in  that  place.  Instead  of  throwing  the 
plow  and  other  farming  tools  down  in  the  yard, 
they  should  be  carefully  laid  away  till  they  are 
■wanted  for  use.  How  important  it  is  that  every 
farmer  should  strive  to  make  home  happy  and 
pleasant.  In  setting  out  a  few  trees  around  his 
premises,  they  not  only  look  handsome,  but  they 
afford  a  cool  and  refreshing  shade  on  a  hot  sum- 
mer's day,  and  thus  tempt  the  farmer's  sons  to 
remain  at  home,  instead  of  leaving  their  rural 
home  for  the  city. 

In  travelling  through  Londonderry,  N.  H.,  a 
few  da]jp  since,  I  noticed  the  neatest  farm  I  ever 
saw,  (the  residence  of  Heni'y  Crowell,  Esq.;) 
everything  around  showed  a  mark  of  neatness. 
The  land  was  well  tilled  and  the  buildings  were 
well  painted.  This  is  economy  in  the  farmer,  as 
much  as  anybody  else,  for  if  his  biSildings  are 
well  painted  it  will  cost  but  little  to  keep  them 
in  repair.  The  pig  pens  should  be  kept  clean.  It 
costs  but  little  to  whitewash  out-buildings  once 
a  year.  The  farmer  has  plenty  of  days  when  he 
can  do  this,  thereby  adding  much  to  the  beauty 
of  his  premises,  and  the  general  health  of  all 
concerned.  The  winter's  wood  which  is  pre- 
pared for  the  fire,  should  not  be  suffered  to  lay 
all  round,  but  should  be  carefully  packed  away, 
it  will  then  be  fit  and  ready  for  use. 

Charles  H.  Rogers. 

Concord,  N.  E.,  July,  1858. 


Remarks. — We  say  "amen"  to  all  this.  Near- 
ly every  good  farmer,  now-a-days,  has  a  double 
duty  to  perform.  He  is  not  only  a  farmer,  but 
he  is  also  a  teacher.  The  men  and  boys  he  em- 
ploys have  little  or  no  education,  while  some  that 
they  have  acquired  is  more  expensive  than  their 
ignorance.  We  do  not  intend  to  find  fault  with 
them,  but  only  speak  of  them  as  they  are.  Their 
opportunities  have  been  few  among  a  people 
whose  practices  widely  vary  from  ours,  and  upon 
whom  the  idea  of  system  has  not  yet  dawned. 
But  is  it  not  passing  strange  that  any  person  of 
any  name  or  nation,  should  not  possess  some 
faint   idea,  at  least,  of  neatness  and  order  ?     A 


good  rule  on  the  farm  is  this,  viz.: — If  any  one 
uses  an  implement  or  tool  for  any  purpose  for 
which  it  was  not  intended,  and  breaks  it,  make 
him  pay  for  it.  For  instance,  if  a  man  pries  up 
a  stone  with  a  shovel  (as  is  often  done)  and 
breaks  it,  he  has  used  the  shovel  instead  of  an 
iron  bar,  and  must  pay  damages, — and  so  of 
every  other  implement,  or  tool. 

One  may  lift  a  hundred  pounds  of  hay  with  a 
good  three-tined  fork,  but  if  it  is  thrown  only 
lightly  upon  the  scaffold  or  barn-floor,  it  Avill  fly 
like  glass.  It  was  not  made  to  be  tliroicn  doion, 
and  has  no  power  of  resisting  such  a  strain.  If 
every  tool  on  a  good-sized  farm  were  always 
clean  and  in  its  place  when  not  in  use,  it  would 
be  worth  the  interest  of  two  or  three  hundred 
dollars  annually,  to  most  farmers. 

Nothing  will  touch  them  but  io  make  them  pay 
tchen  they  break  fools  carelessly. 


COMPOSTS—MUCK  AND  ASHES, 

A  few  weeks  since  we  put  the  question  :  "Got 
any  ashes  ?"  to  our  readers,  and  suggested  some 
of  the  benefits  following  their  use  as  a  direct  ap- 
plication to  the  soil.  Now,  if  they  "have  any 
muck,"  we  would  remind  them  of  one  of  the 
forms  of  compost  into  which  it  may  profitably 
enter.  We  take  up  this  variety  of  muck  compost, 
first,  rather  than  that  of  muck  and  barn  manure 
or  other  material,  as  on  the  whole  more  season- 
able at  present. 

Muck,  we  remarked,  only  needs  further  de- 
composition by  fermentation  to  convert  it  into  a 
valuable  manure,  equal,  according  to  Dana,  to 
cow  dung.  Any  alkali  will  do  this,  and  ashes  an- 
swer well  th^  purpose. 

A  writer  says,  "To  bring  out  the  ammonia, 
the  muck  must  be  fermented,  which  may  be  ef- 
fected by  the  use  of  alkalies.  From  fifteen  to 
twenty  bushels  of  ashes,  or  ninety  pounds  of  pot- 
ash, are  required  to  a  ton  of  peat.  Such  a  com- 
post will  contain  about  the  same  amount  of  am- 
monia as  cow  dung.  *  *  ♦  A  farmer  in  Water- 
town  sells  his  cattle  manure,  and  mixes  the 
leached  ashes  from  his  soap  and  candle  factory 
with  muck,  one  part  of  the  former  to  three  of  the 
latter,  and  thus  keeps  his  farm  in  a  high  state  of 
cultivation," 

As  to  the  quantity  of  ashes  required  for  com- 
posting a  cord  of  muck,  no  exact  rule  can  be 
given,  for  some  specimens  will  possess  greater 
acidity  than  others,  from  less  perfect  decomposi- 
tion, the  character  of  the  vegetation  of  which  it 
is  composed,  or  other  varying  causes.  Experi- 
ment, however,  will  furnish  a  ready  test  of  this 
question.  Five  bushels  of  ashes  to  a  cord  of 
muck,  has  been  found  sufficient ;  they  should 
first  be  placed  in  layers,  and  afterwards  com- 
pletely intermingled  by  shoveling  over  at  inter- 
vals. Twelve  to  fifteen  loads  per  acre,  will  fur- 
nish a  sufficient  dressing  for  one  season,  though 
on  soils  lacking  in  vegetable  matter,  it  should  be 
repeated  for  several  years. 

Many  experiments  have  shown  the  value  of 
this  form  of  compost,  and  we  scarce  need  further 
to  urge  it  upon  our  readers.     To  the  many  in  all 


406 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Sept. 


sections  of  the  country,  who  can  have  muck  for 
the  digging  on  their  own  farms,  and  whose  daily 
fires  supply  ashes  in  considerable  quantity,  it 
would  seem  to  be  a  most  convenient  and  profita- 
ble method  of  increasing  the  stock  of  manure, 
and  the  consequent  productiveness  of  their  soils. 
It  is  well,  if  the  muck  is  of  a  particularly  raw 
character,  to  dry  it  for  some  time  before  compost- 
ing, allowing  it  to  be  exposed  to  the  air  and 
frost  over  winter,  but  with  many  kinds  this  is 
not  essentially  necessary.  In  conclusion  we 
would  recommend  a  trial  of  composts  of  this 
character,  as  a  top-dressing  for  dry  grass  lands, 
to  be  applied  early  in  the  fall.  Finely  pulverized 
as  it  should  be,  it  will  at  once  go  to  "the  root  of 
the  matter,"  and  prove  no  off'ence,  either  to 
grazing  animals  or  the  scythe  and  rake  in  after 
years. — Country  Gentleman. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
MB.  MECHI  AND   HIS  FABM. 

Mr.  Editor  : — You  will  judge  whether  a  few 
extracts,  taken  promiscuously  from  a  pamphlet, 
by  J.  J.  Mechi,  published  in  1850,  will  afford  your 
readers  an  instructive  article  at  the  present  time. 

It  should  be  remembered  that  Mr.  Mechi  was 
not  bred  a  farmer.    He  was  and  is  still  a  London 


manufacturer  ;  and,  inasmuch  as  he  keeps  a  large 
store  for  the  sale  of  his  wares,  he  is  what  would 
be  denominated  a  merchant.  If  our  mother 
tongue,  as  used  on  the  other  side  of  the  water, 
in  the  shade  of  a  less  and  less  overshadowing 
aristocracy,  would  prefer  the  term  shopman,  that  |  and  the  greatest  general  good 


man  to  make  it — could  carry  it  out  a  little  better 
than  any  one  else.  He  could  furnish  the  capital. 
If  there  was  loss,  it  would  be  his,  and  nobody 
should  complain.  If  there  should  be  a  develop- 
ment of  new  and  valuable  truths,  every  body 
might  profit  by  them. 

But  Mr.  Mechi's  position  cannot  be  fully  un- 
derstood, without  considering  the  political  com- 
plexion of  things,  at  the  time  when  he  turned 
farmer.  Sir  Robert  Peel  was  experiencing  about 
that  time  a  most  extraordinary  conversion — was 
in  a  transition  state,  passing  from  the  extreme  of 
protection  to  be  an  ultra  free  trade  man — had 
betrayed,  or  was  about  to  betray,  the  landed  aris- 
tocracy, as  they  chose  to  charge  him.  Hither 
it  was  enough  for  the  English  landholder,  if  he 
pocketed  a  heavy  rent ;  and  it  would  do  very 
well  for  the  tenant  farmer  if  he  took  things  la- 
zily and  raised  a  little  food,  because  he  was  sure 
to  get  a  good  price  for  it.  But  now  prices  must 
come  down ;  there  would  be  competition ;  the 
Yankees,  the  Dutch,  and  who  and  what  other  ra- 
ces and  tribes,  would  come  in,  and  undersell  the 
English  farmer  on  his  own  soil.  Alas !  alas  !  if 
the  people  should  once  get  a  taste  of  cheap  bread ! 
It  was  not  the  nobility  that  bewailed  thus — not 
they  alone,  nor  peculiarly  ;  the  nobility  of  Eng- 
land, in  part,  and  a  large  part,  too,  are  nohle  men, 
at  heart  more   democratic  than   thousands  who 


is  no  business  of  ours.  As  a  merchant,  Mr. 
Mechi  would  rank  with  our  Lawrences,  Apple- 
tons,  and  others  of  a  similar  stamp. 

In  the  business  of  manufacturing  goods  and 
selling  them,  the  world  over,  Mr.  Mechi,  I  be- 
lieve, became  rich  enough ;  and  he  must  have 
found  enough  to  do,  at  least  enough  for  any  or- 
dinary man,  though  it  would  seem,  not  enough 
for  him.  The  fact  is,  he  carries  a  great  deal  of 
steam  ;  and  more  than  one  safety-valve  was  want- 
ing to  let  oft'  the  inherent  energy  of  the  man.  Un- 
der the  pressure  of  a  business  that  would  have 
quite  satisfied  most  men — kept  them  out  of  mis- 
chief at  least — Mr.  Mechi  took  to  farming. 

A  love  of  notoriety  may  have  prompted  him. 
If  his  birth  was  obscure,  it  was  not  necessary 
that  his  life  should  be,  not  even  in  old  England ; 
and  who  will  blame  him  for  wishing  to  he  known, 
as  the  doer  of  good  deeds  ?  There  is  no  virtue 
in  being  obscure  ;  none  in  doing  nothing  ;  none 
in  doing  less  than  one  has  talent  to  do.  But  Mr. 
Mechi's  hobby  was  not  to  be  a  gentleman  farmer; 
he  would  be  a  practical  farmer  ;  would  not  create 
a  sort  of  Baronial  home  on  his  farm,  but  repair 
the  old  buildings,  with  a  decent  regard  to  econo- 
my, and  build  such  new  ones  as  comported  with 
comfort,  utility  and  good  taste ;  and  thus  create 
such  an  homestead  as  intelligent,  working  farm- 
ers may  aspire  to,  both  in  that  country  and  this. 
His  hobby,  as  I  suppose,  was  to  test  a  principle. 
He  believed  that  the  application  of  capital  and 
science  to  agriculture  would  cheapen  production; 
he  wished  the  experiment  to  be  made,  as  it  never 
had  been  made,  thoroughly,  pcrseveringly,  and 
with  exact  accounts  ;  and  like  an  energetic,  self- 
reliaiit,  business  man,  he  felt  that  he  was  the  very 


fawn  about  them,  willing  that  the  people  should 
have  cheap  bread  and  cheap  bibles  and  cheap 
noM'spapers  ;  disposed  to  give  up  every  thing  as 
far  as  consists  with  what  they  honestly  believe 
necessary  for  the  maintenance  of  their  own  rights 

"But  there  was 
fogyism  among  the  aristocracy  ;  there  Was  fogy- 
ism  among  the  commoners ;  there  was  fogyism 
everywhere  ;  just  as  there  is  among  us,  as  fearful 
of  cheap  bread,  cheap  books,  cheap  anything  ex- 
cept laboj;,  as  some  of  us  are  of  cheap  postage 
and  liberty  for  negroes. 

The  deepest  sorrovvs  at  Sir  Robert's  conversion 
— betrayal  of  his  friends  as  they  chose  to  style 
it — were  of  course  felt  by  the  landlords  and  the 
tenant  farmers.  They  were  sold  out ;  going,  go- 
ing, GONE  ;  dying,  dead,  buried  ;  no,  not  buried, 
but  afraid  they  should  fail  to  be  buried  decently. 
Fogyism  is  alike  in  all  countries.  In  reform,  it 
sees  nothing  but  impending  ruin.  In  its  bleared 
eye,  all  progress  is  reform  ;  and  is  to  be  hated, 
slandered,  talked  down.  To  lie  it  down  is  no  sin. 
Ninety-nine-hundredths  of  all  the  lying  in  the 
civilized  world  is  by  fogies  against  progi'essive 
men  ;  and  no  matter  what  the  proposed  reform 
is,  whether  to  give  bread  to  all  the  people  in 
England,  or  to  give  liberty  to  all  the  people  in 
America.  In  Sir  Robert  Peel's  day  the  land- 
holders, with  some  noble  exceptions,  wanted  pro- 
tection, that  they  might  secure  high  rents,  and 
the  tenant  farmers  wanted  protection,  that  they 
might  be  sure  of  high  prices  for  produce.  Their 
heart's  motto  was,  The  government  take  care  of 
us,  and  the  devil  take  the  hindermost.  They 
compounded  with  conscience,  by  the  promise  of 
poorhouse  soup,  in  extreme  cases,  that  is,  when 
the  devil  failed  to  teach  the  starving  to  live  by 
stealing. 

But  there  were  progressive  men  in  England 
then.  There  are  more  now,  and  there  will  be 
still  more  ten  years  hence.  Progress  in  England 
will  be  a  rich  treat  to  republican   eves,  and  no 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


407 


mistake.  The  progressive  men  said  to  the  land- 
ed aristocracy :  "No,  you  are  not  sold,  you  are 
not  dead,  we  are  not  going  to  bury  you,  we  shall 
not  get  rid  of  you  so  easily."  Mr.  Mechi  and 
such  men  as  he,  saw  that  if  the  farmers  could 
get  but  half  as  much  for  their  corn,  they  could 
grow  twice  as  much.  They  said  to  the  grumbling, 
woe-begone  farmer :  "Wake  up  from  the  stupid- 
ity which  the  over-nursing  of  the  government 
has  induced."  They  said  :  "Let  the  landlord  in- 
vest capital  on  his  land,  rendering  it  doubly  pro- 
ductive ;  and  then  let  the  farmer  go  to  work  and 
raise  double  crops ;  for  both  will  do  -well  enough 
still,  and  the  British  poor  will  cease  to  need  the 
charity  of  cargoes  of  American  flour." 

In  this  state  of  things  it  was,  that  Mr.  Mechi 
commenced  his  experiment,  to  see  whether  the 
productiveness  of  land  can  be  doubled,  by  a  ju- 
dicious outlay  of  capital ;  and  whether  it  is  pos- 
sible that  the  British  farmer  can  live  by  growing 
bread  at  such  a  price  that  British  laborers  can 
live  by  eating  it.  A  magnificent  experiment ! 
A  misfortune  was,  that  education  and  previous 
business  engagements  had  failed  to  educate  him 
a  farmer.  He  is  too  impulsive  to  wait,  after  a 
purpose  is  taken.  Could  he  not  farm,  and  learn 
to  farm,  at  the  same  time^  That  is  the  only  way 
for  such  a  man.  He  took  it ;  and  like  the  early 
Methodist  preachers  who  preached  and  prayed 
and  learned  to  preach  and  pray  all  at  once ;  stud- 
ied rhetoric  and  practised  it,  all  at  the  same  rid- 
ing, with  wardrobe  and  library  in  the  same  sad- 
dle-bags ;  and  became  inmost  cases  eminently 
useful  men  ;  so  it  has  been  with  him. 

Mr.  Mechi  purchased  a  farm  of  170  acres  in 
Kelvedon,  Essex  county,  some  forty  miles  from 
London,  near  the  Eastern  Counties  railroad,  of 
rather  poor  land,  some  of  it  very  sandy,  but  more 
a  heavy  clay.  The  annual  rental  was  valued  at 
12s  (about  $3)  the  acre.  He  went  at  it — at  chem- 
istry and  clay,  philosophy  and  sand,  farming  in 
all  its  departments,  and  learning  some  to  farm. 
He  soon  became  wise  enough  to  teach  every  body ; 
but  not  yet  has  he  become  too  wise  to  be  taught 
by  every  body,  that  understands  the  subject.  In 
1850,  the  rental  of  his  farm  was  apprized  at  36s 
(about  $9)  an  acre.  He  had  not  only  doubled, 
in  the  estimation  of  the  judges,  but  had  trebled 
the  productiveness  of  the  land.  Mistakes  he 
acknowledges  he  made,  as  any  one  would  in  a 
new  employment,  and  the  fogies  laughed,  but  he 
corrected  them  the  while,  and  went  ahead.  But 
now  for  the  extracts.  The  opinions  they  imply 
may  not  all  be  correct,  even  in  relation  to  Eng- 
lish farming,  and  much  less  in  relation  to  soil, 
climate  and  circumstances  eo  different  as  ours. 
But  are  they  not  worthy  the  consideration  of 
American  farmers  ? 

CAPITAL — ITS    ORIGIN. 

"The  physical  and  mental  powers  of  a  nation 

form  its  original  capital.     It  is  labor,  directed  by 

the  mind,  that  feeds  and  clothes  us,  and  psacures, 

for  our  social  adjustment,  the  metals  which  form 

"  the  accepted  standard  of  our  currency." 

ROOM  FOR  IMPROVEMENT. 

"The  more  numerous  and  concentrated  the 
population,  the  more  wealthy  the  nation,  provid- 
ed means  are  found  for  its  employment.  Can  it 
be  denied  that  we  have  yet,  in  this  United  King- 
dom, a  wide  and  untilled  field  for  agricultural  la- 


bor and  investment  ?  Look  at  our  statistics  of 
moor,  bog  and  waste.  O,  but  I  am  asked,  can 
these  be  profitably  reclaimed  ? 

Request   the  poor   peasant   squatter  to  show 
you  his  cottage  garden  or  allotment  on  such  soils, 
and  conviction  will  at  once  reach  you." 
CAN   CAPITAL   BE   OBTAINED  ? 

"I  am  asked,  'Where  is  the  capital  to  come 
from  for  all  these  improvements  ?'  I  reply, 
Where  does  the  capital  come  from  to  make  rail- 
ways and  docks  ;  to  build  steam-vessels  ;  to  erect 
a  whole  town  of  new  squares  and  streets,  and  to 
carry  out  every  other  useful  and  profitable  un- 
dertaking ?  I  believe  the  surplus  profits  of  the 
nation  are  estimated  at  fifty  millions  annually. 
Every  ten  years,  this  accumulated  wealth  has 
found  vent  in  rash  or  dangerous  speculations. 
Fortunately,  foreign  loans  have  been  superseded 
by  British  railways ;  and  I  can  perceive  clearly, 
that  the  surplus  gains  of  the  present  times  are 
destined  to  pass  into  agricultural  improvement." 
DEEP   CULTIVATION  AFTER    DRAINAGE 

"Is  essential  to  profitable  farming  on  heavy  lands. 
I  effect  this  by  removing  the  breast  from  a  plow, 
and  letting  it  follow,  drawn  by  a  pair  of  horses, 
in  the  track  of  the  first  plow.  We  thus  gain  a 
greater  depth.  In  summer,  I  use  a  very  large 
plow  with  four  horses,  to  open  the  work,  and 
follow  with  another  plow  and  four  horses  in  the 
same  track,  'i'his  brings  up  immense  clods  and 
blocks  of  the  nasty,  undisturbed  subsoil.  When 
dried  by  the  sun,  the  Crosskill  roller,  with  5  cwt. 
added,  cracks  them ;  the  scarifier  operates,  and 
again  the  Croskill  renews  the  attack,  all  in  dry, 
hot  weather,  until  you  have  a  perfect  garden — 
yellow-looking,  it  is  true,  but  aerated,  and  de- 
prived of  many  noxious  properties,  and  ready 
for  mixing  with  abundant  manure  and  calcareous 
matter.  You  thus  bid  adieu  to  root  weeds  that 
have  tormented  you  for  years  ;  you  facilitate  the 
percolation  of  water,  air,  manure  and  roots. 
Your  crops  do  not  dry  up  in  summer,  or  freeze 
in  winter." 

ARE   EXHAUSTING   CROPS  TO   BE  AVOIDED? 

"For  my  own  part,  I  like  a  heavy  exhausting 
crop.  It  implies  a  heavy  return,  with  means  for 
restoring  the  deficiency  occasioned  by  it.  Mis- 
erable crops,  occasioned  by  the  save-all  and 
cheese-paring  principle,  cause  us  to  feel  severely 
the  pressure  of  our  rent,  tithes  and  rates.  They 
re-act  on  the  landlord,  laborer,  tenant,  and  com- 
munity at  large." 

HUSBANDING   OF   FEED. 

"Experience  has  taught  me,  and  will  teach 
others,  that  in  order  to  succeed  in  farming,  we 
must  produce  a  much  larger  quantity  of  meat  on 
our  farms  than  at  present,  and  at  less  cost.  In 
order  to  do  this  advantageously,  it  becomes  nec- 
essary to  consume  a  large  portion  of  the  straw 
of  the  farm,  cut  into  chafl",  and  cook  it  with  meal 
or  ground  oil-cake.  AYe  are  thus  deprived  of 
the  usual  cattle  bedding,  and  must  find  a  substi- 
tute. ' 

"I  believe  it  is  the  great  quantity  of  stock 
kept,  that  enables  the  Lothian  farmer  to  compete 
at  so  great  a  distance,  with  the  south  country 
farmer  ;  and  I  believe  it  is  the  still  greater  quan- 
tity of  stock  kept  by  Mr.  M'CuUoch,  of  Auch- 
ness,  that  enabled   him  to  surpass  the  Lothian 


408 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Sept. 


farmers.  Mr.  Lawcs  has  shown  most  indisputa- 
bly, in  his  admirable  papers  in  the  Royal  Agri- 
cultural Society's  Journals,  that  we  can  produce 
manure  cheaper  and  better  by  feeding  stock,  than 
even  by  purchasing  guano.  I  mean  not  feeding 
on  turnips  alone,  but  using  the  productions  of 
the  farm  in  conjunction  with  purchased  food." 

"Very  much  depends  oil  the  season  and  weath- 
er. In  cold  weather,  pigs  and  bullocks  can 
scarcely  be  packed  too  close,  so  long  as  there  is 
room  for  them  to  lie  down  comfortably.  Sheep 
require  a  little  more  room,  or  ventilation  and 
temperature.  This  is  best  done  by  a  thermome- 
ter, because  our  own  feelings  are  not  always  a 
sufficient  criterion.  Every  cattle-shed  should 
feel  as  comfortably  warm  as  a  drawing-room. 
The  opening  for  ventilation  should  be  at  the 
highest  point. 

"Fine  bred  pigs,  having  little  hair,  must  have  a 
much  warmer  temperature  than  sheep.  When 
pigs  huddle  together,  it  is  a  sure  sign  that  they 
are  not  warm  enough.  Cold,  stopping  the  circu- 
lation in  the  skin,  drives  the  blood  to  the  inter- 
nal organs,  and  causes  inflammation. 

"I  have  often  been  struck  on  seeing  how  soon 
my  groom  will  get  a  horse  into  condition,  by 
warmth,  cleanliness  and  food." 

AGRICULTURAL   SCIENCE. 

"The  facilities  for  acquiring  agricultural  sci- 
ence, are  now  great.  We  have  now  the  oppor- 
tunity of  rubbing  mind  against  mind,  and  elicit- 
ing bright  scintillations  of  intelligence.  The 
priceless  volumes  of  the  Agricultural  Society  of 
England  and  Scotland,  to  which  every  farmer 
should  belong,  the  agricultural  press  and  periodi- 
cals, teem  with  novelty  and  science,  and  bear  un- 
questionable testimony  that  the  agricultural  com- 
munity can  no  longer  be  a  non-reading  class. 
The  Royal  Agricultural  College  at  Cirencester, 
and  other  similar  but  minor  establishments,  invite 
thejuveniles  of  agriculture  to  excel  their  parents." 

CONCLUSION. 

"Can  it  be  possible  that  England,  great  in 
wealth,  liberty  and  industry,  superabundant  in 
capital  and  labor,  and  superlative  in  manufac- 
tures and  machinery, — I  say  again,  can  it  be  pos- 
eible  or  permissible  that  Britain,  with  all  these 
advantages,  with  merchant  princes  and  baronial 
traders  sweeping  the  seas,  with  her  navy  and 
merchant  fleet,  shall  be  humbly  dependent  for 
her  daily  bread  on  strange  and  foreign  lands  ? 
I  will  never  believe  it  can  continue.  I  will  never 
believe  that  British  enterprise  cannot  and  will 
not  compete  with  the  ill-fed  vassalage  of  mere 
corn-producing  countries.  Countries  whose  peo- 
ple cannot  afl"ord  to  eat  the  wheat  they  send  us, 
and  whose  agricultural  practice,  tested  by  our 
own,  ranks  low  in  the  scale  of  comparative  per- 
fection. I  cannot  believe  that  our  wealthy  and 
patriotic  aristocracy  will  any  longer  permit  such 
an  anomaly  to  continue. 

Lastly,  I  commend  to  your  especial  regard  the 
noble  practice  and  improvement  of  agriculture, 
as  beneficial  to  health,  as  conducive  to  longevity 
and  mental  repose,  and  as  full  of  independence  ; 
presenting  to  your  mind,  through  the  charming 
and  ever-varying  face  of  nature,  the  impress  of 
almighty  Goodness  and  Wisdom.  I  commend 
it,  not  only  on  the  low  ground  of  individual  pro- 
fit, but,  in  virtue  of  its  employing   and  feeding 


the  people,  as  a  means  for  promoting  the  moral, 
social  and  political  strength  of  this  great  and 
happy  nation." 

For  the  New  EiiKland  Farmer. 
THE  BEE  HIVE. 

Mr.  Editor  : — Any  one  who  has  not  given 
attention  to  the  subject  would  be  surprised,  upon 
inquiry,  with  the  fact  of  the  large  number  of 
"Patent  Bee-hives"  there  is  before  the  public,  all 
claiming  to  be  the  "best  hive  out,"  with  tha 
"moth  proof  "  thrown  in.  In  a  general  way,  Nor- 
folk has  expressed  his  opinion  pretty  freely  on 
these,  without  any  particular  reference  to  any. 
Now  in  regard  to  hives — as  with  every  other  par- 
ticular thing  made  to  accomplish  a  particular 
purpose — some  will  be,  and  in  the  nature  of 
things  must  be,  better  than  others.  As  bee  cul- 
ture in  this  State  is  mostly,  and  will  probably  b« 
in  future  confined  to  a  few  swarms — say  under 
ten — to  the  individual,  a  good-looking  and  conve- 
nient hive  will  be  used  rather  than  the  old-fash- 
ioned box,  because  in  very  many  cases,  bees  are 
kept  as  much  for  the  pleasure  they  afford  as  for 
the  profit ;  they  will  give  a  large  share  of  each  if 
properly  managed. 

The  requisites  of  what  any  kind  of  hive  ought 
to  possess  I  have  heretofore  stated,  and  now  I 
wish  to  call  the  attention  of  the  readers  of  the 
Fanner  to  the  Union  Bee-hive,  invented  and  pa- 
tented by  Mr.  G.  H.  Clark,  of  East  Washington, 
N.  H.,  and  I  do  this  not  to  advertise  this  partic- 
ular hive — by  no  means.  My  advice  is,  before 
you  purchase,  examine  all  you  can  conveniently 
find,  and  hold  fast  to  that  which  is  good.  I  have 
tested  this  Union  hive  along  with  Mr.  Lang- 
stroth's  movable  comb  hive,  the  two  patents 
which  now  seem  to  take  the  lead  in  this  region, 
and  the  Union  is  decidedly  the  best  hive  for  all 
practical  purposes  ;  and  if,  as  is  stated,  Mr.  Lang- 
stroth  has  borrowed  the  only  good  thing  there  is 
about  his  hive  from  the  Union,  and  gets  cut  ofl" 
from  its  use  in  making  his  hive  by  the  patent — 
his  hive  is  good  for  nothing. 

I  do  not  know  as  you  allow  one  to  express  his 
opinion  so  freely  as  I  have — nevertheless  I  think 
truth  is  on  my  side.  I  have  no  interest  what- 
ever in  any  hive  that  has  patent  attached  to  it ; 
but  if  any  one  feels  interested  enough  to  call  at 
my  place,  I  will  shew  him  the  difference  between 
some  half  dozen  patent  hives,  and  how  the  beta 
themselves  work  in  the  Union.  NORFOLK. 

King  Oak  Hill,  April,  1858. 


THE  COW-PISH  OF  SOUTH  AMEBICA. 

One  day,  the  fishermen  brought  us  a  fi.tM 
"Poixe  boie,"  or  cow-fish,  a  species  of  manatus, 
and  is  particular  abundant  in  the  lakes  in  this 
part  of  the  river.  It  was  a  female,  about  six  feet 
long,  and  about  five  feet  in  circumference  through 
the  thickest  part.  The  body  is  perfectly  smooth, 
without  any  projections  or  inequalities,  gradually 
changing  into  a  horizontal  semicircular  flat  tail, 
with  no  appearance  whatever  of  blind  limbs. 
There  is  no  distinct  neck ;  the  head  is  not  very 
large,  and  is  terminated  by  a  large  mouth  and 
fleshy  lips,  somewhat  resembling  those  of  a  cow. 
There  are  stiff  bristles  on  the  lips,  and  a  few  dis- 
tantly scattered    over  the   body.      Behind    the 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


409 


head  are  two  powerful  oval  fins,  and  just  beneath 
them  are  the  breasts,  from  which,  on  pressure  be- 
ing applied,  flows  a  stream  of  beautiful  white 
milk.  The  ears  are  minute  holes,  and  the  eyes 
very  small.  The  color  is  a  dusky  lead,  with  some 
large  pinkish  white  marbled  blotches  on  the 
belly.  The  skin  is  about  an  inch  thick  on  the 
back,  and  a  quarter  of  an  inch  thick  on  the  belly. 
Beneath  the  skin  is  a  layer  of  fat  of  greater  or 
less  thickness,  generally  about  an  inch,  which  is 
boiled  down  to  make  oil  used  for  light  and  for 
cooking.  The  intestines  are  very  voluminous, 
the  heart  about  the  size  of  a  sheep's,  and  the 
lungs  about  two  feet  long  and  six  or  seven  inches 
wide,  very  cellular  and  spongy,  and  can  be  blown 
out  like  a  bladder.  The  skull  is  large  and  solid, 
with  no  front  teeth ;  tl\p  vertebrte  extending  to 
the  very  tip  of  the  tail,  showing  no  rudiments  of 
posterior  limbs  ;  the  fore  limbs,  on  the  contrary, 
are  very  highly  developed,  the  bones  exactly  cor- 
responding to  those  of  the  human  arm,  having 
even  the  five  fingers,  with  every  joint  distinct, 
yet  inclosed  in  a  stiff,  inflexible  skin,  where  not  a 
joint  can  have  any  motion.  The  cow-fish  feeds 
on  grass  at  the  borders  of  the  rivers  and  lakes, 
and  swims  swiftly  and  paddles  ;  and  though  the 
external  organs  of  sight  and  hearing  are  so  im- 
perfect, yet  these  senses  are  said  by  hunters  to 
be  remarkably  acute,  and  to  render  necessary  all 
their  caution  and  skill  to  capture  the  animals. 
They  bring  forth  one,  or  rarely  two,  young  ones, 
which  they  clasp  in  their  arms,  or  paddles,  while 
giving  suck.  They  are  harpooned,  or  caught  in 
a  strong  net,  at  the  narrow  entrance  of  a  lake  or 
stream,  and  are  killed  by  driving  a  wooden  plug 
with  a  mallet  up  their  nostrils.  Each  yields  from 
fiye  to  twenty-five  gallons  of  oil.  The  flesh  is 
very  good,  something  between  beef  and  pork, 
and  this  one  furnished  us  with  several  meals,  and 
was  an  agreeable  change  from  our  fish  diet. — 
Travels  on  the  Amazon. 


BBILLIANT  STUCCO  WHITE-WASH. 

Many  have  heard  of  the  brilliant  stucco  white- 
wash on  the  east  end  of  the  President's  house  at 
Washington.  The  following  is  a  recipe  for  it,  as 
gleaned  from  the  National  Intelligencer,  with 
some  additional  improvements  learned  by  exper- 
iments : 

"Take  half  a  bushel  of  nice  unslaked  lime, 
»lake  it  with  boiling  water,  cover  it  during  the 
process  to  keep  in  the  steam.  Strain  the  liquid 
through  a  fine  sieve  or  strainer,  and  add  to  it  a 
peck  of  salt,  previously  well  dissolved  in  water ; 
three  pounds  of  ground  rice,  boiled  to  a  «thin 
paste,  and  stirred  in  boiling  hot ;  half  a  pound 
of  powdered  Spanish  whiting,  and  a  pound  of 
clean  glue,  which  has  been  previously  dissolved 
by  soaking  it  well ;  and  then  hanging  it  over  a 
Blow  fire,  in  a  small  kettle  with  a  large  one  filled 
with  water.  Add  five  gallons  of  hot  water  to  the 
mixture,  stir  it  well,  and  let  it  stand  a  few  days 
covered  from  the  dirt. 

It  should  be  put  on  right  hot ;  for  this  purpose 
it  can  be  kept  m  a  kettle  on  a  portable  furnace. 
It  is  said  that  about  a  pint  of  this  mixture  will 
cover  a  square  yard  upon  the  outside  of  a  house 
if  properly  applied.  Brushes  more  or  less  small 
miiy  be  used  according  to  the  neatness  of  the  job 
i^uired.  It  answers  as  well  as  oil  paint  for  wood, 


brick  or  dtone,  and  is  cheaper.  It  retains  its  bril- 
liancy for  many  years.  There  is  nothing  of  the 
kind  that  will  compare  with  it,  either  for  inside 
or  outside  walls. 

Coloring  matter  may  be  put  in,  and  made  of 
any  shade  you  like.  Spanish  brown  stirred  in 
will  make  red  pink,  more  or  less  deep  according 
to  the  quantity.  A  delicate  tinge  of  this  is  very 
pretty  for  inside  walls.  Finely  pulverized  com- 
mon clay,  well  mixed  Spanish  brown,  makes  red- 
dish stone  color.  Yellow  ochre  stirred  in  makes 
yellow  wash,  but  chrome  goes  further  and  makes 
a  color  generally  esteemed  prettier.  In  all  these 
cases  the  darkness  of  the  shades  of  course  is  de- 
termined by  the  quantity  of  coloring  used.  It  is 
difficult  to  make  rules  because  tastes  are  differ- 
ent ;  it  would  be  best  to  try  experiments  on  a 
shingle  and  let  it  dry.  We  have  been  told  that 
green  must  not  be  mixed  with  lime.  The  lime 
destroys  the  color,  and  the  color  has  an  effect  on 
the  whitewash,  which  makes  it  crack  and  peel. 

When  walls  have  been  badly  smoked,  and  you 
wish  to  have  them  a  clean  white,  it  is  well  to 
squeeze  indigo  plentifully  through  a  bag  into  the 
water  you  use,  before  it  is  stirred  in  the  whole 
mixture.  If  a  larger  quantity  than  five  gallons 
be  wanted,  the  same  proportions  should  be  ob- 
served. 

THE  USE    OF  HAY  CAPS  IS  PKACTICAL 
ECONOMY. 

On  Tuesday,  the  20th  July,  we  struck  into  a 
three-acre  field  covered  with  a  heavy  stand  of 
oats,  which  were  to  be  cut  and  cured  for  fodder. 
A  small  portion  of  them  had  lodged.  Enough 
of  them  were  cut  in  the  morning  to  make  fifty 
large  cocks,  were  left  in  the  swath  until  just  at 
night,  when  they  were  turned  directly  upside 
down,  and  remained  in  that  position  until  the 
next  day,  Wednesday,  when  they  were  carefully 
spread,  and  before  five  o'clock  in  the  afternoon, 
were  all  put  up  in  large  cocks,  and  covered  with 
caps  or  covers,  each  two  yards  square. 

During  Wednesday  night  there  was  a  heavy 
rain,  accompanied  with  considerable  wind,  so 
that  cocks  not  covered  were  pretty  thoroughly 
drenched  on  Thursday  morning. 

On  removing  the  caps  from  those  that  were 
covered  at  10  o'clock  on  Thursday  morning,  the 
top  of  each  cock  was  found  so  dry  as  to  rustle 
like  well-made  hay,  and  was  in  good  condition  to 
go  directly  to  the  barn, — and  no  part  of  the  cock 
was  wet  excepting  a  little  on  the  outer  edges  of 
the  base  of  the  cock.  The  whole  was  then  spread 
and  carefully  tended  until  quarter  before  twelve, 
when  "thunder-heads"  began  to  make  their  ap- 
pearance in  the  West,  and  were  soon  followed 
by  deep-toned  rumblings  in  the  far  distant  hori- 
zon. 

At  a  little  past  one  the  oats  were  in  the  bam, 
dry,  bright  and  sweet  j  the  wind  suddenly 
changed  from  the  south-west  to  the  north,  and  a 
drenching  rain  followed,  which  continued  through 
most  of  the  afternoon. 


410 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Sept. 


Each  cock  of  the.  oats  thus  secured  contained 
at  least  200  pounds.  If  they  had  not  been  cov- 
ered they  could  not  have  been  sufficiently  dried 
to  go  in  between  the  time  of  spreading  in  the 
morning,  and  the  time  of  the  storm,  which  came 
on  at  a  little  past  one,  and  it  is  a  fair  value  we 
think  to  say  that  they  were  worth  80  cts.  a  hun- 
dred, and  would  have  depreciated  to  60  cts.  if 
they  had  been  wet  again. 

If  this  is  right — and  we  believe  every  candid 
mind  will  concede  it — the  caps  used  for  covering 
this  crop,  and  which  cost  just  40  cts.  each,  were 
entirely  paid  for  in  this  single  use  of  them.  There 
is  no  doubt  whatever  in  our  mind  but  such  is 
the  fact,  and  that  hereafter  we  shall  have  the 
benefit  of  them  as  long  as  they  shall  last,  with- 
out any  cost  whatever. 

Hay  caps  will-  be  nearly  as  common  by-and- 
bye  as  hay  cocks  in  haying  time,  merely  because 
farmers  will  find  out  that  they  cannot  afford  to  do 
without  them.  Of  course,  there  will  be  some  tim- 
id and  scrimping  geniuses  that  don't  usually 
wake  up  till  the  next  day,  who  will  denounce  the 
use  of  hay  caps.  That  is  all  well  enough  with 
them,  however,  for  if  they  had  them,  they  would 
never  find  time  to  put  them  on. 


BUTTER  PASTURES. 

There  is  a  neglect  in  many  of  us  in  regard  to 
pastures  of  any  kind,  and  a  serious  neglect  in  re- 
gard to  the  pasturing  for  milch  cows.  With  too 
many  of  us,  if  the  herbage  in  a  pasture  comes 
up  green  in  the  spring,  and  continues  so  through 
the  summer,  it  is  a  pasture.  No  matter  what 
the  kind  of  grass  or  herbage  it  is  that  gives 
the  green  color  to  the  face  of  it,  we  turn  in  our 
cattle  and  let  them  "take  chance,"  as  the  Irish- 
men say.  Now  the  cow  if  she  could  speak  would 
tell  you  in  strong  language,  that  every  green 
field  is  not  a  pasture  for  her.  Indeed,  she  does 
tell  you  every  day  in  tlic  quantity  and  quality  of 
her  milk,  and  in  the  quality  of  her  butter  and 
cheese,  what  the  character  of  the  pasture  is. 

The  cow  is  an  animo  chemico  manufacturer. 
Her  duty  is  to  manufacture  the  food  that  you 
supply  her  with  into  milk,  butter,  cheese,  &c. 
According  to  the  quality  of  the  raw  material 
given,  will  be  the  quality  of  the  product.  Often- 
times the  poor  cow  is  blamed  and  considered 
good  for  nothing,  when  her  owner  is  to  blame 
for  supplying  her  with  good  for  no  hing  material 
from  which  to  make  the  product  required. 

A  little  observation  will  convince  any  one  of 
this  fact.  In  some  rough  pastures  it  is  difficult 
to  make  much  improvements  or  changes,  but  yet 
much  can  be  done  by  the  use  of  plaster,  bone- 
dust,  &c.,  and  by  scattering  occasionally  the  seed 
of  the  best  kinds  of  grasses. 

Mr.  Dickinson  in  an  address  delivered  before 
the  Tioga  Agricultural  Society  in  Peimsylvania, 
said,  the  "first  qualiJ,y  of  butter  land  is  confined 
to  portions  of  New  England,  New  Jersey,  and 
Pennsylvania  and  New  Y.)rK.,  while  cheese  and 
sheep  can  be  grown  wherever  grass  grows. 


For  this  you  must  have  in  your  pastures,  Tim- 
othy (Herdsgrass,)  white  clover,  blue  grass,  [what 
we  call  June  grass. — Ed.]  red-top,  pure  soft  wa- 
ter, and  a  rolling  or  hilly  country.  There  will 
be  then  (when  swarded  over,)  a  solidity  and 
sweetness  to  the  grass,  that  will  give  to  the  but- 
ter that  rich,  sweet  flavor  that  makes  it  so  desi- 
rable. Butter  partakes  not  only  of  everything 
the  cow  eats  and  drinks,  but  of  every  offensive 
thing  within  its  reach  after  it  is  made." 

He  also  advances  the  theory  that  butter  made 
from  red  clover  fed  to  cows,  is  good  when  first 
made,  but  when  laid  down  in  packages  six  months 
it  seems  to  lose  its  flavor,  and  becomes  more  or 
less  rancid,  according  as  the  clover  she  eat  was 
rank  and  of  rapid  growth  or  not. — Maine  Farmer. 


EXTRACTS   AND  REPLIES. 
OPEKATION    OF    MOWERS. 

Last  week  I  saw  four  of  these  implements  at 
work  in  the  same  field  at  the  same  time ;  with 
teams  well  trained  and  experienced  guides.  It 
appeared  to  be  their  purpose  to  show  the  com- 
parative power  of  the  machines.  On  looking  at 
the  ground  on  which  they  operated,  after  the 
crop  was  cleared  away,  the  average  width  of  the 
swath  cut  by  each  was  found  as  follows  : 

Allen's 4    feet. 

*  Heath's 41  feet. 

Manny's 3|  feet. 

Russell's Sj  feet. 

One  of  the  Manny  machines  was  drawn  a  part 
of  the  time  by  a  single  horse,  showing  that  the 
power  necessary  for  the  operation  was  at  the 
command  of  the  animal.  I  have  heard  of  ma- 
chines, designed  to  be  drawn  by  single  horses, 
cutting  swaths  three  and  three  and  a  half  feet  in 
width,  operating  with  entire  success.  Such  a 
one  is  said  to  be  made  by  Mr.  Thompson,  of 
Greenfield.  I  know  a  distinguished  farmer  who 
has  ordered  one  for  use  on  his  own  grounds, 
where  I  hope  soon  to  see  it  in  operation  ;  for  I 
have  learned  that  actual  view  is  the  best  evidence 
in  these  matters. 

July  19,  1858.  Essex. 

*  It  is  proper  to  say  that  the  work  done  by  the  Heath  or  Ea- 
gle machine,  was  equal  to  that  done  by  either  of  the  others ; 
while  Allen's  and  Manny's  machines  were  guided  by  men  as  ex- 
pert at  the  business  as  any  in  the  county. 


POSTS   FOR  FENCES. 
I  wish  to  inquire  about  the  best  fence  posts ; 
where  cedar  cannot  be  obtained,  what  kind  will 
last'the  longest — hemlock,  black  cherry,  spruce, 
pine,  cherry,  beech,  birch  or  maple  ? 

W.  C.  Walker. 
.  Centre  Rutland,  Vt.,  July,  1858. 

Remarks. — Chestnut  is  undoubtedly  among 
our  best  timber  for  fence  posts.  Cut  it  in  Sep- 
tember, take  off  the  bark  and  set  the  posts  on 
their  ends,  butt  end  down,  and  let  them  remain 
until  the  next  spring.  Then  kindle  a  fire  and 
char  the  end  to  be  inserted  in  the  ground,  taking 
special  pains  to  char  two  or  three  inches  of  the 
part  that  is  to  remain  out  of  the  ground.  Good 
posts,  say  six  inches  in  diameter,  will  last  from 
twenty  to  fifty  years,  according  to  the  nature  of 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


411 


the  soil  in  which  they  are  placed.  "White  oak 
•will  probably  come  next  to  chestnut.  We  have 
had  no  experience  with  other  timber  for  the  pur- 
pose of  posts.  

HOW  TO   DESTROY   SWEET   FLAG. 

I  see  by  the  weekly  perusal  of  your  paper  that 
it  is  customary  among  quite  a  class  of  your  read- 
ers to  ask  all  manner  of  questions  on  various 
subjects  relating  to  the  farm.  Now  I  do  not  re- 
collect of  your  being  troubled  by  any  of  this  class 
of  aspirants  for  notoriety  or  knowledge  in  this 
old  town — the  home  of  as  persevering  and  ener- 
getic farmers  as  can  be  found  in  New  England. 
But  there  is  one  thing  that  troubles  us  a  little, 
and  I  doubt  not  that  some  of  your  readers  in 
other  localities  are  troubled  in  the  same  way — 
hence  this  query  .*  how  shall  we  manage  to  kill 
out  a  troublesome  iceed  known  as  the  sweet  flag  ? 
We  have  plowed  it  and  burned  it,  but  to  no  pur- 

Eose  but  to  increase  the  evil.     One  of  my  neigh- 
ors  suggests  salt.     What  is  your  opinion  ? 
Chelmsford,  Mass.,  1858.    T.  J.  Pinkerton. 

Remarks. — We  are    glad  to  hear  from  Old 

Chelmsford — it  has  many  excellent  farmers.  The 
fine  market  at  Lowell,  where  those  thousands  of 
hungry  girls  are  to  be  fed,  has  stimulated  the 
Chelmsford  people  to  marked  improvements  in 
the  cultivation  of  the  soil.  But  our  friends  have 
found  no  way  yet,  it  appears,  to  destroy  the  sweet 
flag,  Acorus  Calamus,  which  grows  so  bountiful- 
ly in  wet  places  all  over  New  England.  Digging 
will  not  kill  it,  burning  the  surface  will  not,  salt 
will  not,  unless  large  quantities  are  used,  but 
thorough  draining  will.  It  loves  water  as  much  as 
an  old  toper  dislikes  it,  and  where  water  abounds, 
is  as  tenacious  of  life  as  a  cat.  But  a  warm,  dry, 
porous  soil  is  contrary  to  its  nature,  and  in  such 
a  place  it  will  soon  give  place  to  stoeet,  nutritious 
grasses.  

the  crops  in  BERKSHIRE  COUNTY. 

Our  crops  are  uncommonly  good.  Grass  more 
than  an  average  crop.  Corn  is  very  promising. 
Rye,  oats  and  wheat  are  remarkably  good.  Pota- 
toes are  uncommonly  thrifty,  and  will  in  all  prob- 
ability be  a  large  crop,  unless  the  disease  should 
destroy  them.  In  my  orchard  and  fruit  yard,  the 
apple  and  plum  set  well,  but  have  most  all  been 
destroyed  by  a  sting  of  some  insect  I  have  not 
been  able  to  discover.  Even  those  that  remain 
on  the  trees  have  "the  mark  of  the  beast,"  and 
will  be  imperfect ;  there  will  be  very  little  fruit 
in  this  section.  Justus  Tower. 

Lanesborough,  July  19,  1858. 

preserving  corn  fodder. 
As  the  season  for  laying  in  a  stock  of  fodder 
approaches,  I  will  give  you  my  experience  in  sav- 
ing corn  fodder.  As  soon  as  my  corn  is  all 
glazed,  I  cut  it  up  near  the  roots  with  a  sickle, 
and  before  any  rain  falls  on  it,  bind  it  and  stook 
it  up,  in  which  situation  I  let  it  stand  till  the  corn 
is  sufficiently  cured  for  husking,  say  two  or  three 
weeks;    after  husking  I  make   a  mow   of  my 


stalks,  a  laying  of  stalks,  say  a  foot  deep,  then 
sprinkle  on  salt  sufficient  to  preserve  from 
mould,  then  another  layer  of  stalks.  In  this  way 
I  preserve  them  almost  as  green  as  when  cut.  I 
feed  them  to  cattle  once  or  twice  a  day,  and  they 
will  eat  them  up  as  cleaa  as  they  would  good 
hay.  In  this  way  a  farmer  can  save  more  fodder 
than  he  is  aware  of.  His  cattle  eat  up  the  stalks 
clean,  and  keep  sufficiently  salted  through  the 
winter.     Just  try  it  once.  M.  DuEFEY. 

Bristol,  Vt.,  July  10,  1858. 


AVHAT   IS   THE   BEST   METHOD   OF   DESTROYING 
CATERPILLARS  ? 

Thus  far  I  have  cut  off  the  infested  part  and 
thrown  it  into  very  strong  soap  suds,  but  this  is 
taking  too  much  of  the  tree  away.  I  would  throw 
soap  suds  on  the  tree,  but  I  have  found  by  sad 
experience  that  strong  soap  and  the  foliage  were 
not  made  to  live  together.  I  shall  be  thankful 
to  learn  of  some  cheaper  method  of  destroying 
this  pest,  and  perhaps  there  are  others  who 
would  be  as  thankful  as  myself.  o.  A.  C. 

Easthainpton,  Mass.,  1858. 

Remarks. — There  is  no  better,  cheaper  or 
quicker  mode  of  destroying  caterpillars  on  trees 
than  by  the  use  of  a  good  spiral  brush  made  for 
the  purpose,  and  attached  to  a  pole.  Two  brushes 
are  convenient — one  attached  to  a  long  pole  for 
the  high  parts  of  the  tree,  and  another  for  the 
lower  parts — but  this  is  a  matter  of  convenience 


merely. 


a   COLT   INJURED   BY   RUNNING. 


I  have  a  valuable  colt  that  shows  a  propensity 
to  run  in  the  pasture,  in  consequence  of  which  he 
has  injured  one  of  his  gambrel  joints,  and  caused 
a  puffy  swelling  on  the  joint,  that  resembles  a 
spavin  on  the  front  side,  and  causes  a  large  puff 
on  each  side  where  the  skin  meets  between  the 
joint  and  gambrel  cord.  I  wish  to  inquire  if  you  or 
any  of  your  subscribers  can  inform  me  whether 
it  is  a  spavin  or  not,  and  v/hat  remedy  to  apply. 
I  am  now  bathing  with  cold  water,  and  George 
W.  Merchant's  Gargling  Oil.  H.  s.  G. 

W^st  Bethel,  Vt. 

Remarks. — If  we  had  such  a  case  we  should 
consult  Dr.  G.  H.  Dadd,  Veterinary  Surgeon, 
Boston.  

BLACK     POLAND   FOWLS. 

Can  you  inform  me  where  I  can  obtain  pure 
Black  Poland  Top-knot  fowls,  at  a  fair  price  ? 
Stafford,  Vt.,  July,  1858.  s,  A.  E. 

Remarks. — We  cannot — do  not  know. 

SURE  CURE  FOR  COUGH  IN  HORSES. 

Bleed  in  the  neck  three  mornings  in  succes- 
sion, three  pints  at  each  time.     Try  it. 

Concord,  Mass.  F.  E.  Bigelow. 

grubs. 

We  do  not  recognize  the  grubs  sent  us  by 
Mr.  Broadhurst,  of  Bridgewater. 


412 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Sept. 


THE    BLOOD. 

It  IS  a  natural  question,  and  often  asked,  but 
difficult  to  answer,  what  quantihj  of  blood  circu- 
lates every  minute  in  our  bodies  ?  The  many  es- 
timates which  have  been  made  need  not  here  be 
given  ;  only  those  of  Lehmann,  Weber  and  Bis- 
choff  now  command  general  attention.  Lehmann 
says  that  his  friend  Weber  aided  him  in  deter- 
mining the  quantity  of  blood  in  two  decapitated 
criminals.  The  weight  of  the  whole  blood  was 
to  that  of  the  body  nearly  in  the  ratio  of  1  to  8. 
It  is  obvious  from  the  account  of  the  experiment 
that  only  an  approximation  could  be  arrived  at. 
And  BischoflF's  more  recent  investigations  on  the 
body  of  a  criminal,  carefully  weighed  before  and 
after  decapitation,  lead  to  the  conclusion  that  the 
blood  amounted  to  ^k  lbs.,  or  exactly  one-four- 
teenth of  the  ichole  body.  This  nearly  corres- 
ponds with  his  former  investigations,  which  gave 
the  weight  as  one-thirteenth  of  the  whole  body. 
If  we  say  ten  pounds  for  an  adult  healthy  man, 
we  shall  probably  be  as  near  the  mark  as  possi- 
ble. The  quantity,  however,  necessarily  varies 
in  different  persons,  and  seems  from  some  calcu- 
lations to  be  greater  in  women  than  in  men.  In 
the  seal  its  quantity  is  enormous,  surpassing  that 
of  all  other  animals,  man  included. 

In  former  days,  blood-letting  was  one  of  the 
"heroic  arms"  of  medical  practice ;  and  it  is 
sometimes  almost  appalling  to  read  of  the  ex- 
ploits of  practitioners.  Haller  mentions  the  case 
of  a  hysterical  woman  who  was  bled  one  thous- 
and and  twenty  times  in  the  space  of  nineteen 
years ;  and  a  girl  at  Pisa  is  said  to  have  been 
bled  once  a  day,  or  once  every  other  day,  during 
several  years.  A  third  case  he  mentions  of  a 
young  man  who  lost  seventy-five  pounds  of  blood 
in  ten  days ;  so  that  if  we  reckon  ten  pounds  as 
the  utmost  which  the  body  contains  at  any  given 
period,  it  is  clear  that  this  young  man's  loss  must 
have  been  repaired  almost  immediately.  In  truth, 
the  blood  is  incessantly  being  abstracted  and  re- 
placed during  the  ordinary  processes  of  life. — 
Were  it  not  continually  renewed,  it  would  soon 
vanish  altogether,  like  water  disappearing  in  sand. 
The  hungry  tissues  momently  snatch  at  its  mate- 
rials as  it  hurries  through  them,  and  the  active 
absorbents  momently  pour  fresh  materials  into  it. 

In  contemplating  the  loss  of  blood  from  wounds 
or  hoemorrhage,  and  in  noting  how  the  vital  pow- 
ers ebb  as  the  blood  flows  out,  we  are  naturally 
led  to  ask  whether  the  peril  may  not  be  avoided 
by  pouring  in  fresh  blood.  The  idea  of  transfu- 
sion is  indeed  very  ancient.  But  the  ancients, 
in  spite  of  their  facile  credulity  as  to  the  effect 
of  any  physiological  experiments,  were  in  no 
condition  to  make  the  experiment.  They  were 
too  unacquainted  with  physiology,  and  with  the 
art  of  experiment,  to  know  how  to  set  about 
transfusion.  Not  until  the  middle  of  the  seven- 
teenth century  had  a  preparation  been  made  for 
such  a  trial.  The  expemiments  of  Boyle,  Graaf 
and  Fracassati,  on  the  injection  of  various  sub- 
stances into  "the  veins  of  animals,  were  crowned 
by  those  of  Lower,  who,  in  1665,  injected  blood 
into  the  veins  of  a  dog.  Two  years  later  a  bold- 
er attempt  was  made  on  man.  A  French  mathe- 
matician, Denis,  assisted  by  a  surgeon,  having 
repeated  with  success  the  experiments  of  Lower, 
resolved  to  extend  the  new  idea.  It  was  difficult 
to  get  a  human  patient  on  whom  the  plan  could 


be  tried ;  but  one  evening  a  madman  arrived  in 
Paris  quite  naked,  and  he  was  daringly  seized  by 
Denis  as  the  fitting  subject  for  the  new  experi- 
ment. Eight  ounces  of  calfs  blood  were  trans- 
fused into  his  veins.  That  night  he  slept  well. 
The  experiment  was  repeated  on  the  succeeding 
day ;  he  slept  quietly,  and  awoke  sane  ! 

Great  was  the  sensation  produced  by  this  suc- 
cess. Lower  and  King  were  emboldened  to  re- 
peat it  in  London.  They  found  a  healthy  man 
willing  to  have  some  blood  drawn  from  him,  and 
replaced  by  that  of  a  sheep.  He  felt  the  warm 
stream  pouring  in,  and  declared  it  was  so  pleas- 
ant that  they  might  repeat  the  experiment.  The 
tidings  flew  over  Europe.  In  Italy  and  Germa- 
ny the  plan  was  repeated,  and  it  now  seemed  as 
if  transfusion  would  become  once  more  one  of 
the  "heroic  arms"  of  medicine.  These  were  soon 
dashed.  The  patient  on  whom  Denis  had  ope- 
rated again  went  mad,  was  again  treated  with 
transfusion,  and  died  during  the  operation.  The 
son  of  the  Swedish  minister,  who  had  been  ben- 
efited by  one  transfusion,  perished  after  a  s^econd. 
A  third  death  was  assigned  to  a  similar  cause ; 
and  in  April,  1668,  the  Parliament  of  Paris  made 
it  criminal  to  attempt  transfusion,  except  with 
the  consent  of  the  Faculty  of  Paris.  Thus  the 
whole  thing  fell  into  discredit,  to  be  revived  again 
in  our  own  day,  and  to  be  placed  at  last  on  a  sci- 
entific basis. 

It  will  immediately  occur  to  the  physiologist 
who  reads  the  accounts  of  these  experiments, 
that  transfusion  was  effected  on  the  supposition 
that  the  blood  of  all  quadrupeds  was  the  same, 
and  that  it  was  indifferent  whether  a  man  re- 
ceived the  blood  of  another  man,  or  of  a  sheep 
or  calf.  This  supposition  was  altogether  erro- 
neous. The  more  rigorous  investigations  of  the 
moderns  have  established  that  only  the  blood  of 
animals  of  the  same  species  can  be  transfused 
in  large  quantities  without  fatal  results.  The 
blood  of  a  horse  is  poison  in  the  veins  of  a  dog ; 
the  blood  of  a  sheep  is  poison  in  the  veins  of  a 
cat ;  but  the  blood  of  a  horse  will  revive  the 
fainting  ass.  From  this  it  follows,  that  when 
transfusion  is  practised  on  human  beings,  human 
blood  must  be  employed ;  and  so  employed,  the 
practice  is  in  some  urgent  cases  not  only  safe,  but 
forms  the  sole  remedy.  Blundell  has  the  glory 
of  having  revived  and  vindicated  this  practice, 
and  he  has  seen  his  idea  amply  confirmed.  Be- 
rard  cites  fifteen  distinct  cases  of  haemorrhage  in 
which  tranfusion  has  saved  life. — Blackwood's 
Magazine. 

THE  ADVENTURES  OF  A  SEED. 

Nature  lias  arranged  that  plants  growing  even 
in  the  burning  desert  shall  be  provided  with 
enough  of  water  for  the  generation  of  their  seeds ; 
and  one  of  the  most  remarkable  instances  of  this 
fact  is  furnished  by  the  Anastatica  Hierochuntica, 
or  rose  of  Jericho,  which  grows  in  the  arid  wastes 
of  Egypt,  Palestine  and  Barbary ;  upon  the  roofs 
of  houses  and  aMong  rubbish  in  Syria ;  and  in 
the  sandy  deserts  of  Arabia.  This  little  plant, 
scarcely  six  inches  high,  after  the  flowering  sea- 
son loses  its  leaves,  and  dries  up  into  the  form 
of  a  ball.  In  this  condition  it  is  uprooted  by 
the  winds,  and  is  carried,  blown,  or  tossed  across 
the  desert  ^into  the  sea.  When  the  little  plant 
feels  the  contact  of  the  water,  it  unfolds  itself, 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


413 


expands  its  branches,  and  having  become  thor- 
oughly saturated  with  sea  water,  are  carried  by 
the  tide  and  laid  upon  the  seashore.  From  the 
seashore  the  seeds  are  blown  back  again  into  the 
desert,  where,  sprouting  roots  and  leaves,  they 
grow  into  fruitful  plants,  which  will  in  their  turn, 
like  their  ancestors,  be  whirled  into  the  sea. 
These  regular  periodical  processes  of  the  life  cir- 
cle of  this  wee  rose  struck  the  simple  imagina- 
tions of  the  men  of  old  with  superstitious  awe, 
and  they  invested  it  with  miraculous  virtues. — 
Dickon's  Household  Words. 


For  ilie  New  England  Farmer. 
TEN  PER  CENT.  INCOME  IN  FABMINQ  ! 

The  agriculture  of  New  England  is  now  a  mat- 
ter of  much  thought  and  discussion,  and  very 
reasonably,  too.  A  new  era  has  dawned  upon 
farmers  within  twenty  years.  Science  and  elab- 
orate theory,  submitted  to  the  test  of  experience, 
have  come  to  the  aid  of  the  blind,  traditional 
routine,  which,  half-guess  work  and  half-careless 
and  unreasoned  experiment — formerly  regulated 
the  practice  of  agriculturists.  Our  farmers  have 
learned  that  books  as  well  as  works  have  their 
province  and  their  value.  A  long  and  distrust- 
ful observation  has  taught  them,  that  book  farm- 
ing may  instruct  and  aid  practical  skill,  although 
it  is  not  sufficient  to  supersede  it.  They  know 
now,  that  the  chemist  in  his  laboratory,  the  nat- 
ural philosopher  in  his  study,  and  the  botanist 
on  his  rambles,  to  .some  ignorant  wiseacres  un- 
meaning, ai*e  all  at  work  for  him.  Theory  and 
practice,  after  a  coy  courtship  and  interminable 
quarrels,  are  now  comfortably  wedded,  and  the 
results  of  the  whole  will  be — Order  from  chaos, 
intelligent  and  educated  system  from  blind  gro- 
ping, clear,  determined  and  well  calculated  pro- 
cesses in  lieu  of  random  ventures  or  apathetic 
fogyism.  Our  climate  is  rough,  our  soil  hard. 
Among  our  products  are  not  the  rich  and  luxu- 
rious harvests  that  have  always  typified  agricul- 
tural wealth.  We  cannot  grow  the  olive,  the  or- 
ange or  the  vine — the  great  staples  of  rice,  cot- 
ton, tobacco  or  sugar.  We  do  not  grow,  (I  will 
not  say  we  cannot,  for  I  know  better  by  actual 
trial)  the  wheat,  the  queen  of  breadstuffs.  Yet 
New  England  is  or  may  be,  if  she  chooses,  the 
wealthiest,  happiest  and  most  truly  comfortable 
country  on  the  face  of  this  earth.  This  comes 
about  from  careful,  intelligent,  well  directed  and 
energetic  industry.  Apply  to  our  farming  the 
system  which  has  placed  our  manufactures  and 
commerce  where  they  are  ;  and  we  need  envy  the 
harvests  of  no  country,  however  favored  by  na- 
ture. Where  nature  does  most,  perverse  man  al- 
ways does  least,  and  the  hard  conditions  she  im- 
poses upon  us  bring  a  blessing  with  them — the 
priceless  gift  of  an  invincible  perseverance  and 
an  intelligent  and  restless  energy  that  overrules 
all  obstacles. 

My  purpose  at  present  is,  however,  not  to  write 
an  essay,  but  simply  to  state  an  encouraging  fact. 
No  man,  who  carefully  examines,  will  conclude 
that  agriculture  is  necessarily  unprofitable  here. 
If  we  adapt  our  system  to  circumstances,  and  phil- 
osophically and  carefully  follow  it  out,  we  can 
satisfy  every  reasonable  desire. 

Now  for  the  fact,  which  I  would  reccommend 


to  the  attention  of  our  young  men  who  are  sigh- 
ing for  Western  prairies  or  other  El  Dorados. 

Four  years  ago  I  purchased  a  farm  of  33 
acres,  of  good  land  naturally,  but  neglected  for 
a  long  while,  and  in  low  condition.  For  three 
years,  it  was  highly  manured  and  carefully  culti- 
vated, and  three-fourths  of  the  arable  land — one- 
fifth  of  the  farm  being  in  wood,  is  now  brought 
up  into  good  heart. 

Last  year,  we  grew  upon  it  corn,  onions,  car- 
rots and  some  small  vegetables,  and  part  of  the 
land,  which  had  been  laid  down  to  grass,  came 
into  full  perfection  for  the  first  time.  Our  crops 
were  all  good,  except  potatoes,  which  were  very 
light,  but  none  of  them  very  remarkable.  I  have 
kept  a  careful  account  with  the  farm ;  and  I  find 
that  last  year  it  paid  just  about  ten  per  cent,  net 
income,  all  expenses  paid — upon  its  cost.  Yet 
one-half  of  the  estimated  value  is  in  buildings  ; 
and  full  one-fourth  of  the  cultivable  land  is  yet 
worn  out  and  neglected  grass  land,  which  we 
have  not  yet  been  able  to  take  in  hand.  I  cannot 
take  to  myself  much  of  the  credit  of  the  good 
husbandry.  [  am  a  professional  man,  with  enough 
of  other  matters  to  occupy  my  time.  But  I  was 
fortunate  in  the  services  of  a  thorough,  practical, 
economical  and  energetic  farmer.  To  him — Mr. 
Luke  Putnam,  the  result  is  due ;  for  I  was  able 
to  exercise  only  a  slight  general  supervision. 

We  tried  no  extra  schemes,  and  had,  in  no  crop, 
any  extraordinary  success.  If  any  deduction 
should  be  made  tending  to  reduce  the  proceeds 
of  this  year's  work  to  an  average  of  a  greater 
length  of  time,  it  could  be  found  only  in  one  fact. 
And  that  is,  the  high  condition  from  generous 
cultivation  of  preceding  years  of  much  ground, 
which  being  then  laid  down  to  grass,  gave  us 
handsome  returns  with  small  outlay.  It  is  my  de- 
liberate opinion,  that  this  farm,  under  judicious 
and  careful  management,  can  be  made  to  pay 
regularly  an  interest  of  eight  per  cent.  It  should 
be  stated,  however,  that  it  contains  no  waste  land, 
and  is  well  situated,  being  about  four  miles  from 
Salem,  two  miles  from  South  Danvers,  and  four- 
teen from  Boston,  with  good  railroad  facilities. 
It  is,  therefore,  convenient  for  obtaining  manure 
and  disposing  of  crops.  How  many  better  chances 
of  independence  and  thrift  could  a  young  man 
find  any  where?  Geo.  H.  Devereux. 

Salem,  Mass.,  1858. 


CUKKANT  WINE. 


This  article,  as  usually  manufactured,  is  rather 
a  cordial  than  a  wine,  and  is  entirely  inferior  to 
the  commonest  imported  wine  ;  but  when  prop- 
erly made,  it  will  be  found  to  be  a  very  superior, 
healthful  beverage,  particularly  for  summer  drink, 
when  fully  diluted  with  water. 

We  have  experimented  carefully  on  the  making 
of  currant  wine,  and  the  following  will  be  found 
to  give  a  result  which  we  have  found  no  difficulty 
in  selling  in  large  quantities  at  $1  per  gallon. 

Before  expressing  the  juice  from  the  currant, 
pass  them  between  a  pair  of  rollers  to  crush  theni, 
after  which  they  may  be  placed  in  a  strong  bag, 
and  they  will  paVt  with  the  juice  readily  by  light 
pressure,  such  as  a  common  screw,  heavy  weights, 
&c.  To  each  quart  of  juice  add  three  pounds  of 
double  refined  loaf  sugar — single  refined  sugar 
is  not  sufficiently  pure — then  add  as  much  water 


414 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Sept. 


as  will  make  one  gallon.  Or  in  other  words, 
suppose  the  cask  intended  to  be  used  to  be  30 
gallons.  In  this  put  30  quarts  of  currant  juice, 
90  lbs.  of  double  refined  sugar,  and  fill  the  cask 
to  the  bung  with  water ;  roll  it  over  until  the 
sugar  is  all  dissolved.  This  will  be  told  by  its 
ceasing  to  rattle  in  the  barrel.  Next  day  roll  it 
again,  and  place  it  in  a  cellar  where  the  temper- 
ature will  be  sure  to  be  even.  Leave  the  bung 
loose  for  the  free  admission  of  air.  In  the  course 
of  one,  or  two  or  three  days,  fermentation  will 
commence.  By  placing  the  ear  to  the  bung-hole, 
a  slight  noise  will  be  heard  such  as  may  be  ob- 
served when  carbonic  acid  is  escaping  from  cham- 
pagne or  soda  water.  Fermentation  will  con- 
tinue for  a  few  weeks,  converting  the  sugar  into 
alcohol.  As  soon  as  this  ceases,  drive  the  bung 
in  tightly,  and  leave  the  cask  for  six  months — at 
the  end  of  which  time  the  wine  may  be  drawn 
off  perfectly  clear,  without  any  excess  of  sweet- 
ness. 

The  reason  why  double  refined  sugar  should 
be  used  may  thus  be  understood.  Ordinary  sugar 
contains  a  half  of  one  per  cent,  of  gum,  which, 
when  dissolved  in  water,  becomes  fetid.  Sup- 
pose, then,  four,  or  five  ounces  of  gum  dissolved 
in  a  barrel  of  water,  we  can  readily  understand 
that  at  the  end  of  a  few  months  this  water  will 
be  very  foul  in  flavor ;  and  most  of  the  currant 
wine  offered  for  sale,  made  from  loaf  sugar  of 
common  quality,  and  often  from  sugar  very  infe- 
rior to  this,  such  as  white  Havana,  &c.,  contains 
gum  in  this  fetid.condition,  and  its  foul  flavor  is 
an  amalgamation  of  sugar,  currant  wine  and  fe- 
tid gum.  When  double  refined  sugar  is  used, 
all  these  difficulties  are  avoided. 

No  alcohol  should  be  added.  The  practice  of 
putting  in  small  quantities  of  brandy  and  other 
liquors,  makes  a  cordial,  and  not  a  wine.  All 
the  sugar  used  may  be  so  much  fermented  as  at 
least  to  change  its  character  chemically,  and  this 
change  will  produce  all  the  alcohol  required. — 
Working  Farmei: 

For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
MOWING  MACHINES. 

Mr.  Editor  : — "Essex"  says,  in  the  Farmer 
just  come  to  hand,  "there  is  reason  to  believe 
that  the  principle  on  which  the  Heath  mower  is 
constructed,  will  be  found  the  very  thing  that  is 
needed.  I  wish  he  ha'd  been  more  explicit  in 
the  description  of  the  principle  to  which  he  re- 
fers ;  and  which  distinguishes  it  from  Allen's  or 
Manny's  machines,  if  there  be  any  such  principle. 
I  have  seen  them  all  operating  in  the  same  field, 
at  the  same  time ;  and  seen  the  ground  where 
they  had  operated  ;  and  the  only  dintinction  I 
could  observe  on  the  ground  was,  that  the  swath 
cut  by  the  Heath  was  from  six  to  nine  inches 
wider  than  that  cut  by  either  of  the  others.  On 
inquiry  of  those  who  guided  them,  each  gave  the 
preference  to  the  machine  he  guided. 

The  Allen  machine  appeared  to  me  the  most 
compact,  and  easiest  guided,  and  least  likely  to 
get  out  of  repair.  I  am  informed  by  an  indus- 
trious farmer  of  this  neighborhood,  that  he  has 
already  cut  three  hundred  tons  of  hay  this  sea- 
son, with  his  Allen  machine,  without  incurring 
one  dollar  expense  for  any  repairs,  other  than 
the  ordinary  sharpening  of  the  knives,  such  as  is 


ap;pHed  in  the  grinding  or  whetting  of  scythes 
This  would  seem  to  be  a  near  approah  to  com- 
plete work,  in  the  cutting  of  grass.  I  admire  the 
facility  with  which  it  could  be  thrown  out  of  gear, 
by  the  application  of  the  hand  to  a  lever  in  front 
of  the  driver.  It  seemed  to  me,  other  things 
being  equal,  this  appendage  gave  it  a  decided 
preference  over  either  of  the  other  machines. 
But  it  may  be,  a  skilled  mechanic  can  discover 
in  the  others  something  to  counterbalance  this 
advantage. 

If  we  are  to  have  such  a  continued  superabun- 
dance of  wet  as  we  have  had  for  a  fortnight  past, 
it  will  be  of  little  use  to  grow  hay  or  to  cut  it, 
for  it  will  be  Avorth  little  or  nothing  when  cured, 
under  such  influences.  a.  B. 

July  24,  18o8, 


THE  CUIiTUKE  AND  HABVESTINQ  OF 
BEANS. 

It  may,  perhaps,  be  received  as  an  indication 
that  the  bean  loves  a  rather  dry  and  warm  soil, 
because  it  is  a  native  of  far  eastern  and  warm 
countries,  as  it  was  cultivated  in  Egypt  and  Bar- 
bary  in  the  earliest  ages  of  which  we  have  any 
records.  The  bean  is  now  in  very  common  use 
as  food  for  man,  and  is  frequently  found  in  one 
form  or  another,  on  the  tables  of  all  classes  of 
people  in  our  country,  and  the  demand  for  them, 
we  think,  is  perceptibly  increasing.  Their  pro- 
portion of  nutritive  matter,  compared  with  other 
grain,  is,  according  to  Einhof,  as  follows  : 


Bii  icei^ht. 

Wheat 74  per  cent. 

Rye 70      " 

Barley 65      " 

Oats 53      " 

Beans 68      " 

Peas 75       " 

French  Beans 84      " 


Or  in  a  ImaJiel. 
.about  47  ibs. 

39    " 

33    " 

23    " 

45    " 

49    " 

54    " 


In  England,  large  varieties  of  beans,  such  as 
the  Flowering  Marsh,  for  instance,  are  raised  in 
quantities,  ground  into  meal,  and  fed  to  horses  ; 
indeed,  they  compose  the  principal  food  of  the 
farm  and  team  horses.  This  practice  has  not 
found  favor  in  this  country  yet,  probably  from 
the  want  of  some  one  or  more  to  lead  in  it.  In 
the  former  country,  bean  meal,  given  to  oxen,  is 
supposed  to  fatten  them  rapidly,  and  mixed  -with 
water,  and  given  as  a  drink  to  cows,  greatly  in- 
creases their  milk.  With  this  declaration,  and 
their  long  and  multiplied  instances  of  experience 
before  us,  ought  we  not  to  experiment  for  our- 
selves in  this  matter,  and  learn  whether  we  can- 
not fatten  our  stalled  cattle  to  better  advantage 
on  bean  meal,  or  jiartially  so,  than  to  feed  them 
exclusively  on  corn  meal  ? 

The  idea  is  certainly  common  with  our  people, 
and  is  illustrated  in  thousands  of  instances  every 
year,  that  beans  do  not  require  a  rich  soil,  and 
we  therefore  see  them  all  over  New  England,  at 
least,  growing  on  the  lightest  lands  of  the  farm, 
such  as  plains,  or  very  light  loams.  It  is  s'  pposed 
by  many  th^t  they  will  actually  do  better  on  such 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


416 


soils  than  on  heavier  ones,  while  others  put  them 
there,  thinking  them  a  more  suitable  crop  than 
Indian  corn  or  the  smaller  grains. 

This  is  not  the  opinion  of  the  English  farmers  ; 
they  say  that  "all  the  varieties  thrive  best  on 
strong  clay  soils,  heavy  marls,  and  deep  loams  of 
a  moist  description.  In  such  soils  the  produce  is 
Bometimes  thirty  to  sixtij  bushels  per  acre,  but 
an  average  crop  on  moderate  land  is  about  half 
that  quantity." 

A  common  error  with  us  in  the  cultivation  of 
the  bean,  is  crowding  them  too  much.  They  re- 
quire air,  light  and  heat,  to  surround  them  freely, 
and  in  order  to  secure  this  they  should  be  plant- 
ed in  rows  about  three  feet  apart,  and  the  hills 
in  the  rows  at  least  two  feet  apart.  Some  varie- 
ties, perhaps,  requiring  more  room  even  than 
this,  and  some  considerably  less.  They  will  not 
perfect  themselves  and  yeild  a  profitable  crop, 
when  the  leaves  next  to  the  stalk  die  early  and 
drop  off,  as  their  loss  deprives  the  plant  of  a  por- 
tion of  its  energy  to  ripen  the  crop  which  it  has 
set. 

Another  error  is,  the  placing  too  much  seed  in 
a  hill.  This  depends  somewhat  upon  the  variety, 
as  the  small  white  bean  will  permit  more  seed  in 
the  hill,  than  the  dwarf  horticultural,  or  some 
other  varieties.  Any  person  may  decide  for  him- 
self what  is  best  in  this  particular  by  a  few  years' 
close  observation. 

Many  good  crops  of  beans  are  greatly  injured 
in  harvesting  them.  Few  field,  are  rarely  ready 
for  gathering  all  at  the  same  time.  When  the 
leaves  begin  to  lose  their  green  color,  and  the 
pods  to  turn  gray,  purple,  or  black,  the  cultiva- 
tor should  go  among  them  and  select  such,  pull 
or  cut  them  up,  and  if  there  is  a  clear  sun  expose 
them  to  it  for  a  few  hours.  A  cheap  and  conve- 
nient way  of  curing  them  then,  is,  to  set  birch  or 
other  poles  in  the  ground,  whose  bi-anches  have 
been  mainly  cut  off,  but  leaving  some  six  or  eight 
inches  in  length  attached  to  the  main  stem.  Then 
surround  these  poles  with  the  beans,  laying  the 
roots  inside,  and  continue  building  up  towards 
the  top  of  the  pole  as  far  as  is  convenient,  or  lay- 
ing on  as  much  as  the  pole  will  sustain.  In  this 
way  the  beans  and  plants  dry  bright  and  sweet, 
leaving  none  of  that  musty  flavor  which  is  almost 
certain  to  follow  where  beans  are  cured  on  the 
ground,  or  thrown  in  masses  upon  walls,  or  rails 
put  up  for  the  purpose.  In  the  use  of  poles,  beans 
may  be  gathered  before  the  vines  have  lost  all 
their  green  appearance,  and  the  beans  themselves 
will  afford  a  larger  and  better  ciop  than  if  allowed 
to  ripen  upon  the  standing  vines. 


of  it,  strange  to  say,  is  animal,  and  the  other 
vegetable.  The  thicker  part,  which  is  animal, 
has  quite  the  appearance  of  an  ordinary  caterpil- 
lar, being  about  two  inches  in  length — very  much 
indeed  like  what  is  familiarly  known  in  north 
country  districts  as  the  heather-worm.  The  veg- 
etable part  is  like  a  root  or  stem,  some  three  or 
four  times  the  length  of  the  animal,  but  scarcely 
one-third  of  the  thickness. — Banffshire  Journal. 


The  Vegetable  Caterpillar. — A  specimen 
of  this  very  wonderful  caterpillar  was  presented 
to  the  Banff  Institution  for  Science.     One  half 


For  the  New  EngLand  Farmer. 
SOW  WINTER  WHEAT. 

While  I  am  sure  I  am  addressing  a  few  of  your 
farming  readers  upon  my  favorite  farm  topic,  that 
have  had  the  wisdom  and  perseverance  to  r^se 
their  own  bread,  I  am  quite  as  sure  a  great  ma- 
jority are  yet  slumbering,  lest  they  should  lose 
time  and  money  in  the  attempt  to  raise  wheat. 

Every  barrel  of  flour  (which  is  cash  on  deliv- 
ery) must  remind  the  thinking  farmer,  that  this 
is  part  and  parcel  of  his  own  business.  The 
question  must  naturally  arise, — why  should  I  be 
eating  flour  that  my  brother  farmer  raised  two  or 
three  thousand  miles  from  this  ?  I  can  raise  big 
crops  of  barley,  oats  and  rye,  why  not  wheat,  the 
most  needed  crop  of  all,  for  my  family's  wants  ? 
Happy  conclusion  !  I  have  long  been  faltering, 
have  tried  "Sorgho"  experiments,  "mulberry" 
experiments,  and  now,  lastly,  shall  I  try  the 
great  wheat  experiment  ?  Farmers,  my  word 
for  it,  it  will  bring  honey  to  your  hives. 

Do  not  let  the  last  week  in  August  or  the  first 
week  in  September  find  you  with  less  than  four 
to  six  bushels  of  winter  wheat  in  the  ground. 
(Plenty  of  expresses  in  all  directions  to  Boston, 
and  abundance  of  seed  wheat  at  the  Farmer  of- 
fice.) 

Sow  early  to  insure  you  against  winter  kill,  es- 
pecially if  on  clayey,  heavy  soil.  Do  you  ask  a 
reason  for  this  ?  I  answer,  it  gets  depth  and 
strength  of  root,  which  anchors  it  fast  in  its  bed  ; 
thawing  and  freezing  will  not  throw  it  out.  All 
that  is  gained  in  this  fall's  growth,  by  early  sow- 
ing, is  so  much  gained  for  an  earlier  summer 
harvest.  Rust,  your  worst  enemy,  too  often 
catches  late  spring  wheat,  always  a  precarious 
crop,  and  makes  poor  flour  in  comparison. 

On  good  tillage  land,  wheat  will  do  well.  Cul- 
tivate and  manure  as  you  would  for  any  grain 
crop.  Lime  or  ashes  are  good  to  cultivate  or 
harrow  in.  Use  a  cultivator  or  very  light  plow 
if  possible,  for  covering.  Pasture  or  mowing 
sod  is  good.  My  best  crop  was  on  mowing 
sward.  Soak  the  grain  in  salt  pickle,  say  twelve 
hours,  and  if  weevil  or  insect  eggs  are  deposited 
in  the  berry,  as  with  the  pea,  it  may  prove  of 
great  benefit.  Rake  the  grain  in  ashes  while 
moist  and  it  comes  up  very  quick. 

I  hope  to  hear  through  your  excellent  paper, 
from  those  farmers  who  have  not  only  been  peti- 
tioners, "Give  us  this  day  our  daily  bread,"  bu; 
those  who  have  been  doers  in  a  work  so  easy  of 
accomplishment,  so  needful  to  their  wants,  so  in- 
dispensable to  every  free-holder  and  farming 
household  in  the  New  England  States. 

Mr.  Editor,  do  you  believe  the  soil  of  New  Eng- 
land lacks  any  of  the  vegetable  elements  neces- 
sary to  produce  wheat  ?  If  not,  and  should  there 
be  a  general  interest  felt  and  adopted  by  the  far- 


416 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Sept. 


mer,  as  with  his  other  crops,  would  not  the  whole 
Hat  of  agriculture  be  complete  in  your  land  ? 
This,  in  addition  to  your  perfect  science  and  high 
attainments  in  horticulture,  would  put  you  far 
m  advance  of  any  other  portion  of  our  country. 
New  York,  July  24.  Henry  Poor. 

Remarks. — We  are  happy  to  be  able  to  encour- 
age our  earnest  friend,  and  friend  of  all  farmers, 
by  saying  that  his  preaching  and  practice  have  en- 
couraged a  great  many  to  try  a  crop  of  winter 
wheat.  Fields  of  it  are  often  seen  now  where  it 
has  never  been  attempted  until  recently.  We 
hope  the  good  advice  given  by  Mr.  Poor  will  be 
wett  considered.  He  is  a  practical  man,  and 
speaks  of  what  he  has  done  with  the  wheat  crop 
himself. 

For  the  New  England  Farmer, 
STOCKING  GHAIN. 

In  riding  about  the  country  just  now  while 
formers  are  cutting  their  winter  grain,  I  am  re- 
minded of  an  intention  that  existed  too  late  to 
ripen  last  year.  This  was  to  call  attention  to  the 
mode  of  stooking  grain.  In  the  showery  weath- 
er of  last  year,  I  saw  not  a  little  grain  greatly 
damaged  for  want  of  being  properly  put  up. 
Now  it  is  just  as  easy  to  put  grain  up  in  the 
stook  so  that  it  shall  shed  rain  for  a  fortnight, 
as  it  is  to  set  it  up  as  it  is  often  done. 

The  plan  is  this.  I  can  vouch  for  its  correct- 
ness, both  from  personal  trial  and  from  seeing 
grain  stand,  put  up  by  my  father,  through  weeks 
of  dull  weather,  without  hurt.  The  bundles 
should  not  be  too  large.  Then  ten  and  only  ten 
should  be  put  together.  Select  the  two  straight- 
est  and  evenest  bundles  for  the  caps.  Then  of 
the  others,  take  one  in  each  hand  by  the  tips, 
and  chuck  their  butts  firmly  upon  the  ground 
about  a  foot  apart.  Bring  the  tips  closely  to- 
gether. Put  up  four  more  in  the  same  way,  leav- 
ing a  space  of  six  inches  between  each  couple. 
They  will  then  stand  in  two  parallel  rows,  three  in 
a  row.  Now  put  one  at  each  end,  and  bring  the 
tops  all  closely  together  with  the  hands.  They 
will  stand  thus :         •    «    » 


In  this  arrangement  they  will  stand  firmly,  and 
the  air  will  readily  circulate  between  them.  Now 
take  the  caps  and  slip  the  straw  in  the  band  so 
that  it  shall  be  shorter  above  the  band  where  the 
cap  is  in  place  on  the  side  of  the  tie.  As  the 
straw  is  rolled  together  in  binding,  it  will  readi- 
ly separate  at  this  place  to  the  centre  of  the  bun- 
dle. Having  the  hands  in  the  bundle,  place  the 
upper  part  of  the  opening  near  the  base  on  the 
end  bundle  below  all  the  heads,  and  raise  it  care- 
fully up  till  it  covers  half  the  stook.  Do  the 
same  with  the  other,  and  bring  the  two  inclined 
butts  together  in  the  centre  of  the  stook.  Now 
spread  out  the  straw  so  as  to  cover  the  whole, 
and  if  you  have  done  it  well,  you  need  not  fear  a 
long  storm,  for  the  stook  will  stand  up  and  shed 
rain,  while  the  interior  will  readily  cure  by  the 
circulation  between  the  bundles.  It  will  be  seen 
that  in  this  way  the  outside  of  the  siook  is  com- 
pletely thatched  by  straw  that  meets  in  the  mid- 
dle and  slopes  oflF  every  way. 


If  this  is  a  long  description,  Mr.  Editor,  bring 
on  your  grain,  and  I'll  put  it  up  in  half  the  tim« 
I  have  been  writing  this.  j.  n.  A. 

Hinsdale,  N.  II,,  1858. 


CORNFIELDS. 

When  on  the  breath  of  autumn  breeie 

From  pastures  dry  and  brown. 
Goes  floating  like  an  idle  thought 

The  fair  white  thistle-down, 
O,  then  what  joy  to  walk  at  will 
Upon  the  golden  harvest  hill ! 

What  joy  in  dreamy  ease  to  lie 

Amid  a  field  new  shorn, 
And  see  all  round  on  sunlit  slopes 

The  piled-up  stacks  of  corn, 
And  send  the  fancy  wandering  o'er 
All  pleasant  harvest  fields  of  yor*. 

I  feel  the  day — I  see  the  field, 

The  quivering  of  the  leaves, 
And  good  old  Jacob  and  hia  house 

Binding  the  yellow  sheaves  ; 
And  at  this  very  hour  I  seem 
To  be  with  Joseph  in  his  dream. 

I  see  the  fields  of  Bethlehem, 

And  reapers  many  a  one 
Bending  unto  the  sickles'  stroke, 

And  Boaz  looking  on  ; 
And  Ruth,  the  Moabite  so  fair, 
Among  the  gleaners  stooping  there. 

Again  I  see.a  little  child, 

His  mother's  sole  delight, 
God's  living  gift  unto 

The  kind,  good  Shunamite  ; 
The  mortal  pangs  I  see  him  yield. 
And  the  lad  bear  him  from  the  field. 

The  sun-bathed  quiet  of  the  hills  ; 

The  fields  of  Galilee, 
That  eighteen  hundred  years  ago 

Were  full  of  corn,  I  see. 
And  the  dear  Saviour  takes  hit  way 
'Mid  ripe  ears  on  the  Sabbath  day. 

O,  golden  fields  of  bending  corn, 

How  beautiful  they  seem  ! 
The  reaper-folk,  the  piled-up  sheaves. 

To  me  are  like  a  dream. 
The  sunshine  and  the  very  air 
Seem  of  old  time  and  take  me  there. 

THE  HOBTICUIiTUBIST. 

This  time-honored,  instructive  and  popular  pe- 
riodical, is  now  published  by  C.  M.  Saxton,  Esq., 
25  Park  Row,  New  York  city.  After  a  long,  use- 
ful and  successful  career  in  book  publishing,  and 
a  pioneer  publisher  of  agricultural  works,  Mr. 
Saxton  retired  for  a  while  to  the  fresh  fields  of 
his  farm  in  Orange,  N.  J.,  to  recuperate  his  en- 
ergies by  stirring  the  soil  and  new  mown  grass, 
and  breathing  the  pure  air  away  from  city  life. 
But  the  old  love  came  back  to  him,  after  a  brief 
repose  with  his  family  and  his  heifers  and  pigs 
and  poultry,  and  he  is  now  in  his  old  line  again, 
and  sending  out  monthly  the  Horticulturist,  in  a 
most  neat  and  attractive  style,  and  is  ready  to 
serve  his  fellow-men  in  any  honest  way  that  wiL 
promote  agricultural  pursuits,  but  especially  so, 
in  publishir^  agricultural  works. 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FAEMER. 


4J7 


THE  GLOUT  MOBCEAU  PEAB. 

[Pronounced  Gloo-mor-so.] 


The  pear  which  this  beautiful  cut  illustrates, 
grew  in  the  garden  of  Mr.  Henky  Vandine,  of 
Cambridgeport,  Mass.,  a  cultivator  of  fruits  and 
flowers  well  known  to  this  community  as  a  suc- 
cessful grower  of  some  of  the  finest  specimens  of 
fruits  which  have  been  presented  at  the  exhibi- 
tions of  the  Massachusetts  Horticultural  Society. 

The  specimen  we  now  represent  by  the  cut 
grew  on  a  tree  twenty  years  old,  having  quince 
roots  only,  and  is  now  about  six  inches  in  diame- 
ter. In  the  month  of  December,  or  January, 
when  the  Glout  Morceau  is  in  perfection,  Mr. 
Vandine  has  frequently  received  between  two 
and  three  dollars  per  dozen  for  it,  and  finds  the 
market  quick.  .The  description  below  is  by 
Downing. 

The  Glout  Morceau  is  universally  admitted  to 
be  one  of  the  most  delicious  of  the  recent  Flem- 
ish winter  pears  ;  and  as  it  is  perfectly  suited  to 
our  climate,  bearing  excellent  crops,  it  should 
have  a  place  in  every  good  garden.     It  has  been 


confounded  with  the  Beurre  d'Aremberg,  but  is 
readily  distinguished  from  that  pear  by  its  sweet- 
er, more  sugary  flavor,  more  ovat  figure,  and 
more  slender  stalk.  The  growth  of  the  tree  is 
also  distinct,  having  dark  olive  shoots,  spreading 
and  declining  in  habit,  with  wavy  leaves. 

The  signification  of  Glout  Morceau  is  greedy 
morsel ;  but  Mr.  Thompson  suggests  that  this  or 
the  synonyme  Goulu  Morceau  is  used  (in  the 
same  sense  &i  pois  goulu,  i.  e.  sugar  peas,)  to  sig- 
nify honied  or  sugar  pear,  which  is  most  appro- 
priately applied  to  the  present  fruit. 

Fruit  rather  large,  varying  in  form,  but  usual- 
ly obtuse-oval,  and  wider  towards  the  stalk  than 
Beurre  d'Aremberg.  Skin  smooth,  thin,  pale 
greenish-yellow,  marked  with  small  green  dots, 
and  sometimes  with  thin  patches  of  greenish- 
brown.  Stalk  rather  slender  and  straight,  an 
inch  or  more  long,  planted  in  a  small,  regular 
cavity.  Calyx  usually  with  open  divisions,  set  in 
a  moderately  deep  basin.  Flesh  white,  fine 
grained,  and  smooth  in  texture,  buttery,  very 
melting,  with  a  rich,  sugary  flavor,  with  no  ad- 
mixture of  acid.    December. 


418 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Sept. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
SCYTHE  PHIIjOSOPHY. 

Dear  Farmer  : — Have  we  no  scythe  philoso- 
phy, no  system  for  fitting  up  the  most  important 
tool  tlie  farmer  uses,  the  scythe  ?  One  prefers  a 
long  scythe,  crooked  at  the  heel  and  straight  at 
the  point ;  another  prefers  it  crooked  at  the  point, 
and  straight  at  the  heel ;  some  short,  &c.  The 
same  opinions  prevail  with  regard  to  snaths,  so 
that  a  scythe  maker  may  make  a  lot  of  scythes 
of  all  lengths  and  shapes,  expecting  they  will  suit 
some  one.  When  the  mower  goes  for  a  scythe 
and  snath,  if  he  has  any  scythe  philosophy  in  his 
head,  he  goes  to  the  loft  with  hammer  and  wrench, 
and  commences  measuring  and  trying,  hanging 
and  unhanging,  trying  which  long  scythe  is  the 
crookedest,  and  which  stiff  snath  has  the  least 
unnecessary  crooks.  Go  amongst  the  mowers, 
and  no  two  scythes  are  alike,  so  each  one  must 
get  used  to  his  own  scythe,  and  no  other.  Now 
the  whole  thing  is  wrong.  Each  and  every  man 
needs  a  scythe  and  snath  alike,  except  a  little  dif- 
ference in  length  of  geer,  to  proportion  it  to  the 
length  of  the  man.  Scythes  and  snaths  should 
be  number  one,  two  and  three,  and  fitted  before 
they  leave  the  scythe  manufactory,  so  that  they 
will  go  together  without  fitting  or  altering. 
Scythes  should  be  crooked  alike,  from  heel  to 
point,  and  be  made  more  crooked  than  they  are ; 
the  snaths  should  have  two  crooks,  all  others  are 
unnecessary.  A  crook  at  the  right  hand  nib  to 
fetch  the  hands  nearly  level  when  the  scythe  rests 
upon  the  ground,  and  the  man  that  holds  it  stands 
erect ;  the  other  near  the  lower  end,  to  turn  the 
edge  down  so  low  as  to  make  it  range  with  the 
left  hand  nib,  or  a  little  inside  of  it,  that  the  cut 
and  draught  shall  agree. 

A  snath  for  a  man  5  feet  11  inches,  or  over,  in 
height,  should  be  2  feet  8  inches  from  the  right 
hand  nib  to  the  lower  end,  and  the  scythe  for 
such  a  snath  should  be  4  feet  3  inches  long  on 
the  edge  before  it  is  bent ;  the  bend  should  be  a 
circular  bend  till  the  edge  in  the  middle  is  6  inch- 
es from  a  right  line  with  the  edge  at  both  ends. 

No.  2  scythe,  2  feet  6  inches  from  lower  nib  to 
end  of  snath,  scythe  4  feet  edge,  bent  5i  inches, 
for  men  from  5  feet  8  to  5  feet  11. 

No.  3,  for  short  men  and  boys  ;  snath  2  feet  4, 
scythe  edge  3  feet  9  or  10  inches,  crook  in  pro- 
portion to  others. 

The  benefits  resulting  from  such  arrangements 
must  be  evident  to  all.  One  of  our  greatest  dif- 
ficulties arises  from  the  weakness  or  elasticity  of 
the  snath.  Norman  can  mow  fast  or  easy,  with  a 
scythe  that  springs,  or  tumbles  in  the  grass.  If 
the  iron  snath  made  by  Lamson,  Goodnow  & 
Co.,  was  bent  as  it  should  be,  and  the  patent 
heel  rigging  left  off,  and  a  good  wrought  iron 
heel  put  in  its  place,  it  would  be  far  superior 
to  any  thing  of  the  kind.  It  is  well  known  that 
there  are  certain  men  that  can  cut  as  much  grass 
in  one  day  as  other  men  of  equal  strength  can  in 
two.  That  is  owing  to  two  things,  namely  ;  skill 
in  rigging  up  the  scythe,  and  second,  in  striking 
it  into  the  grass.  Some  of  the  readers  of  your 
paper  may  i-ecollect  two  men  that  mowed  for 
Erastus  Swift,  of  Addison,  Vermont,  in  1830,  by 
the  acre,  and  he  paid  them  for  mowing  7|  acres 
a  day,  for  every  working  day,  till  his  hay  was  cut. 
Those  men  mowed  with  No.  1  scythes  as  above 
mentioned. 


Now,  if  a  little  skill  can  save  one-third  to  one- 
half  the  labor  of  mowing,  'tis  worth  looking  af- 
ter. A  question  arises  with  me,  and  perhaps  with 
others,  who  is  to  get  up  the  alteration  in  the 
scythe,  and  write  out  a  scythe  philosophy  to  di- 
rect the  young  mower  how  to  strike  the  scythe 
into  the  grass  ? 

Too  many  mowers  stand  too  far  off  from  the 
grass,  and  strike  too  rounding  a  stroke.  Some 
weight  is  necessary  in  scythe  and  snath  to  give 
stability  to  the  motion.       Green  Mountain. 

Middlehury,  Vt.,  July,  1858. 


■WILLIS'  IMPROVED  STUMP  MACHINE. 

Some  two  or  three  years  ago  we  witnessed  the 
operation  of  this  machine,  and  then  spoke  at  some 
length  of  the  wonderful  power  it  possesses,  and 
of  the  great  facility  and  ease  with  which  it  moves 
extremely  heavy  bodies,  or  those  which  are  fast- 
rooted  into  the  earth.  Since  that  time  it  has  re- 
ceived some  improvements,  and  repeatedly  new 
tests  have  been  made  with  it,  which  places  it  be- 
yond all  doubt  at  the  head  of  any  machinery 
within  our  knowledge  for  extracting  stumps, 
transplanting  large  trees,  or  removing  large  rocks 
or  buildings. 

It  is  simple  in  its  construction,  and  its  leverage 
power  is  so  great  that  a  single  horse  can  easily 
draw  from  three  hundred  to  five  hundred  tons. 
It  must  be  of  great  importance  to  railroad  con- 
tractors. 

Our  own  opinion  of  the  machine  now  being 
understood,  we  will  give  that  of  one  or  two  oth- 
ers. The  Republican  Citizen,  published  in  Mary- 
land, says  : — It  did  not  only  perform  all  that  the 
inventor,  Mr.  Willis,  had  notified  the  public 
that  it  would,  but  executed  its  Avork  in  such  a 
manner  as  to  produce  astonishment  and  delight ; 
and  the  general  impression  was,  that  a  resistance 
could  scarcely  be  opposed  to  it  that  it  could  not 
overcome.  Trees,  stumps  and  rocks,  were  re- 
moved from  the  places  where  they  have  rested 
for  centuries,  with  very  little  regard  to  their  size 
or  weight — the  power  seeming  almost  unlimited. 

The  Philadelphia  Public  Ledger,  speaking  of  a 
trial  of  the  Extractor  near  that  city,  says : — Two 
old  chestnut  trees,  each  one  three  feet  in  diame- 
ter, were  removed  in  8  minutes  ;  one  of  them  in 
4i  minutes,  by  the  aid  of  six  men,  and  the  other 
in  3i  minutes  with  two  horses. 

Mr.  Leonard  Ward,  of  Orange,  Mass.,  says : 
— I  have  recently  moved  a  meeting-house  in  Or- 
ange the  distance  of  240  feet,  on  an  inclined  plane 
of  19  feet.  The  time  occupied,  in  using  Willis' 
machine,  was  one  day.  With  the  machine  I 
turned  the  house  one-quarter  round.  It  was 
judged  to  weigh  from  75  to  100  tons. 

Some  fifteen  of  these  machines  have  been  or- 
dered from  Chili,  in  Peru,  where  the  article  of 
fuel  is  extremely  scarce  and  high,  and  an  ordina- 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FAEMER. 


419 


ry  stump  is  worth  one  dollar  standing  in  the 
ground.  During  the  dry  season,  which  is  one- 
half  of  the  whole  time,  trees  send  their  roots  very 
deep  into  the  earth,  and  until  they  had  Willis' 
machine,  it  was  next  to  impossible  to  avail  them- 
selves of  them.  But  this  powerful  Extractor*  un- 
earths them  with  ease,  when  they  afford  our 
neighbors,  the  Chilians,  a  considerable  supply  of 
fuel.     Address  W.  W.  Willis,  Orange,  Mass. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer, 
UNDEHDRAININQ. 

For  the  purposes  of  draining,  we  may  safely 
neglect  the  more  particular  geological  classifica- 
tion of  soils,  and  consider  them  only  in  two  forms, 
pervious  and  impervious  ;  soil  through  which  wa- 
ter will  readily  pass,  such  as  loam,  sand  and  loose 
gravel,  on  the  one  hand,  and  that  which  retains 
it  a  great  length  of  time,  as  clay,  gravel  cement- 
ed with  oxyd  of  iron  or  hard-pan,  on  the  other. 
The  distance  at  which  drains  may  be  laid  and  do 
the  best  service  at  the  least  cost,  depends  in  a 
great  measure  upon  the  kind  of  soil  to  be  treat- 
ed ;  and  this  point  needs  close  attention, — for  the 
cost  of  every  drain  laid  more  than  is  necessary, 
is  thrown  away ;  but  it  is  on  the  other  side,  in 
laying  too  few  drains,  we  are  most  likely  to  err  ; 
in  which  case,  a  much  less  return  will  be  received, 
in  proportion  to  the  amount  expended,  than  if 
the  work  is  thoroughly  done. 

There  is,  in  most  cases,  but  little  regularity 
in  the  strata  of  the  subsoil,  and  the  cuts  often 
seen  in  works  on  draining,  representing  half-a- 
dozen  different  layers  of  soil  all  of  the  same 
thickness,  and  having  the  same  inclination,  are 
in  a  measure  deceptive.  I  would  not,  of  course, 
convey  the  impression  that  there  is  but  little 
general  regularity  in  the  strata,  but  only  that  it 
is  not  so  minute  and  certain  in  its  regularity  as 
to  enable  a  person  to  know,  from  the  strata 
shown  by  opening  a  single  drain,  that  his  entire 
field  is  of  the  same  materials,  lying  in  the  same 
direction,  and  at  the  same  distance  from  the  sur- 
face, as  that  shown  in  the  drain  he  has  opened. 

Each  field  should  be  carefully  examined  before 
draining,  by  an  exploratory  drain,  or  by  trial 
holes,  and  the  drains  laid  so  as  to  cut  the  lowest 
point  of  a  porous  strata,  and  carry  the  water  as 
quickly  as  possible  from  the  land ;  for  this  pur- 

f)ose,  in  most  cases,  the  drains  should  run  on  the 
ine  of  steepest  descent,  as  the  sub-strata  is  more 
likely  to  crop  out  on  the  side  of  a  hill,  than  to 
run  down  parallel  to  its  surface,  and  if  the  drains 
run  on  the  steepest  descent  they  will  tap  and 
draw  the  water  from  each  strata  before  it  arrives 
at  the  surface,  and  the  drains,  having  a  greater 
fall  than  could  be  obtained  in  any  other  way,  will 
discharge  the  water  in  the  shortest  possible  time. 
If,  on  making  examination,  it  is  found  that  the 
strata  does  run  nearly  parallel  with  the  surface, 
the  water  will  be  collected  better  by  drains  laid 
on  the  half-rise  ;  a  very  good  fall  can  usually  be 
secured  for  drains  laid  in  this  direction.  The 
same  field  may  need  different  treatment  in  differ- 
ent parts.  Drains  are  sometimes  laid  across  the 
slope,  but  they  are,  for  various  reasons,  much 
less  effectual  than  when  laid  on  the  line  of  steep- 
est descent,  or  on  the  half-rise. 


A  drain,  driven  across  the  slope,  may  leave  un- 
touched a  strata  of  porous  material,  which,  crop- 
ping out  a  few  feet  below  the  drain,  brings  to  the 
surface  its  collected  waters,  or  if  the  drain  cuts 
through  the  porous  strata  into  a  retentive  one 
part  of  the  way,  yet  the  unequal  thickness  of  the 
porous  strata  will  carry  a  portion  of  it  below  the 
bottom  of  the  drain,  and  water  will  be  discharged 
at  the  surface  as  before ;  or,  allowing  neither  of 
these  cases  to  exist,  but  the  bottom  of  the  drain 
to  be  in  a  retentive  strata  throughout  its  whole 
length,  yet  the  water  will  linger  in  the  drain  for 
want  of  a  sufficient  fall  to  carry  it  off,  and  lying 
against  the  lower  side,  will  ooze  through  at  points 
where  the  soil  is  less  retentive. 

Another  reason  why  draining  should  run  on 
the  steepest  descent,  is,  that  all  water  lying  on 
a  level  with  the  bottom  of  the  drains  can  find  an 
outlet  into  one  or  the  other,  by  running  a  little 
more  than  half  the  distance  between  them,  but 
in  the  case  of  drains  across  the  slope,  as  the  wa- 
ter acts  only  by  gravity,  none  of  it  so  situated  as 
to  depth  can  run  into  the  upper  di"ain,  but  all 
must  find  its  outlet  through  the  lower  one,  and 
half  the  water,  in  order  to  reach  it,  must  travel 
from  one-half  to  the  full  distance  between  the 
two.  Water  stands  nearer  the  surface  at  a  great- 
er distance  from  the  drains  ;  therefore,  in  order 
to  keep  the  water  table  at  a  proper  depth,  the 
drains  across  the  slope  must  be.  deeper  than  if 
run  on  the  steepest  descent.  In  very  steep  lands 
the  direction  of  the  natural  cracks  is  across  the 
slope,  and  the  steep  drain,  cutting  through  them, 
relieves  them  of  their  water. 

A  simple  illustration  will  show  the  effect  which 
stagnant  water,  within  a  foot  or  two  of  the  sur- 
face, has  on  the  roots  of  plants. 

Perhaps  it  will  aid  the  reader  who  doubts  the 
benefit  of  thorough  draining  in  case  of  drought, 
to  see  why  it  is  beneficial. 


No.  1. — Section  of  land  before 
it  is  drained. 


No.  2.— Section  of  land  after 
it  is  drained. 


In  the  first  figure,  1  represents  the  surface  soil, 
through  which  evaporation  takes  place,  using  up 
the  heat  which  might  otherwise  go  to  the  roots 
of  plants ;  2  represents  the  water  table,  or  sur- 
face of  stagnant  water,  below  which  roots  sel- 
dom go  ;  3,  water  of  evaporation  ;  4,  water  of 
capillary  attraction ;  5,  water  of  drainage,  or 
stagnant  water. 

In  the  second  figure,  1  represents  the  surface- 
soil  warmed  by  the  sun  and  summer  rains  ;  2, 
the  water-table  nearly  four  feet  below  the  sur- 
face,— roots  of  the  wheat  plant  have  been  traced 
to  a  depth  of  more  than  four  feet  in  a  free  mold ; 
3,  water  of  capillary  attraction ;  4,  water  of 
drainage,  or  stagnant  water. 

Boston,  Aug.,  1858.       J.  Herbert  Shedd. 


420 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Sept. 


F'or  the  New  England  Farmer. 
THE  FEAB  ON  QUINCE  STOCKS. 

Quite  a  war  has  been  waged  within  the  last 
two  or  three  years  against  the  culture  of  the  pear 
on  the  quince.  The  battle  of  words  has  run 
high  and  been  fiercely  hot,  and  each  argument 
for  and  against  has  no  doubt  been  thought  by 
its  exponent  as  conclusive.  Under  certain  cir- 
cumstances, each  may  perhaps  have  been  right, 
while  facts  on  which  to  form  general  conclusions, 
may  not,  as  a  general  thing,  have  been  reached. 

Our  experience  in  the  matter,  probably  not  as 
extensive  as  that  of  many,  has  led  us  to  believe 
that  under  certain  circumstances  as  positive  suc- 
cess will  attend  this  species  of  culture  as  is  gen- 
erally found  in  apple  tree  growing,  while  under 
other  circumstances  it  may  prove  a  failure.  The 
soil  must  be  favorable  for  both  pears  and  the 
quince.  If  nature  has  not  made  it  so,  we  must, 
for  it  is  of  no  use  to  attempt  to  grow  dwarf  pears 
more  than  any  other  fruit  tree  on  an  unfavorable 
soil.  Ours  are  on  an  open  limestone  loam  ;  the 
soil  was  deeply  spadea  and  pulverized  before 
transplanting  them. 

In  our  first  effort  with  half  a  dozen  trees  our 
success  was  not  very  flattering,  owing,  probably, 
to  a  lack  of  knowledge.  The  pear  was  set  high 
in  the  quince,  and  we  did  not  set  the  quince  un- 
der ground  in  all  cases  as  we  should  have  done. 
Seeing  the  rapid  growth  the  pear  was  making 
over  the  quince,  we  found  our  mistake,  and  that 
we  must  re-set  or  have  short-lived  trees.  This  re- 
setting was  done  early  the  following  spring,  and* 
about  forty  trees  added  to  the  last,  in  making  our 
order  for  which,  we  requested  those  inoculated 
near  the  ground.  In  this  purchase,  the  union 
between  the  pear  and  quince  was  from  three  to 
four  inches  lower  than  in  those  of  the  former 
purchase.  These,  in  a  soil  made  deep,  (it  was 
not  naturally  so,)  were  easily  set  with  the  quince 
all  covered ;  the  growth  so  fine  that  an  acces- 
sion was  made  to  the  number  the  following  year, 
all  of  which  have  done  and  continue  to  promise 
well ;  much  better  than  young  apple  trees  have 
all  around  me,  set  and  managed  in  the  usual  care- 
less way.  Many  of  them  made  a  growth  of 
branches  more  than  four  feet  long  the  last  sea- 
son, and  nearly  all  giving  an  abundance  of  blos- 
soms this  spring,  from  which  fruit  enough,  and 
in  some  instances  too  much,  set. 

In  our  after  culture,  we  keep  the  entire  plot 
fi'ee  from  grass  and  weeds.  Frequent  hoeing, 
especially  in  dry  times,  is  very  beneficial  to  them, 
by  keeping  the  earth  open  and  saving  thereby 
the  necessity  of  watering.  In  autumn  we  place 
a  bushel  of  manure  around  each  tree.  For  this 
purpose  swamp-muck  composted  with  lime-ashes 
or  well-rotted  yard  manure  is  best,  from  the  fact 
that  it  is  most  durable.  Early  in  spring  this  is 
spread  at  some  distance  from  the  body  of  the 
tree,  as  we  suppose  the  fibrous  roots  have  trav- 
elled in  search  of  food,  and  the  ground  is  forked, 
using  the  utmost  care  not  to  disturb  root  or  root- 
let. Such  has  been  our  course  of  culture,  and 
thus  far  it  has  been  attended  with  desirable  suc- 
cess. We  have  had  no  trouble  with  disease  or  in- 
sects, and  the  trees  bid  as  fair  to  reach  the  age 
of  Methuselah  as  any  other  standards  we  have. 
Care  in  the  culture  of  any  fruit  tree  is  necessary, 
and  dwarf  pears  require  it  in  common  with  oth- 


ers, perhaps  more ;  but  if  given  at  the  proper 
times,  it  requires  less  than  often  imagined,  and 
if  comfort  or  luxury  pay  for  the  labor  at  whose 
price  they  are  purchased,  in  any,  they  will  cer- 
tainly pay  in  dwarf  pear  culture.  w.  B. 
BiQhmond,  Mass.,  1858. 


EXTRACTS  AND  BEPLIES. 
CROPS   TO   FOLLOW  TURNIPS. 

Will  you  inform  me  what  crops  will  succeed 
well  after  a  crop  of  turnips  or  ruta  bagas,  and 
what  will  not  ?  A  Subscriber. 

Beep  River,  1858. 

Remarks. — Our  own  experience  in  farming 
has  not  yet  suggested  to  us  what  answer  to  make 
to  these  inquiries  of  our  correspondent.  We  have 
long  observed  that  turnips,  generally,  do  not  flour- 
ish well  on  old  ground, — and  the  saying  is  quite 
common,  that  ruta  haga^  are  great  exhausters, 
and  must  not  be  applied  to  land  twice  in  succes- 
sion. The  opinion  is  general,  also,  that  crops 
with  large  leaves,  such  as  turnips  and  cabbages, 
do  not  exhaust  the  soil  so  rapidly  as  the  corn  or 
grain  crops.  This  is  a  matter  which  requires  great 
accuracy  of  experiment  in  order  to  obtain  relia- 
able  results.  In  order  to  show  what  diflferent 
opinions  prevail  on  these  points,  we  give  two  or 
three  extracts  from  the  Farmer's  Guide,  a  work 
of  great  research  and  merit. 

A  crop  of  20  tons  of  turnips,  and  1850  lb.= 
16  cwt.  58  lb.  of  tops,  will  carry  off"  these  quanti- 
ties from  an  acre  of  soil : 


By  the  hulbi. 
ft). 

Potash 142.66 

Soda 17-31 

Magnesia 18.16 

Phosphoric  acid 25.77 

Sulphuric  acid 46  24 

Chlorine 12.24 


By  the  top$. 
lb. 

88.82 
16-76 
9.SS 
28.80 
38.81 
49.76 


Total. 
it). 

231.48 
34.07 
27.74 
54.57 
85.05 
61.09 


262.38                 232.52 
Gross  weight  to  be  returned  to  an  acre 494.90 

Cabbages. — A  crop  of  cabbage  20  tons,  8  cwt. 

4  lb.,  carries  off'  from  an  acre  of  the  soil  these 

quantities : 

Potash 105 

Soda 184 

Magnesia 54 

Phosphoric  acid 112 

Sulphuric  acid 192 

Chlorine 52 

Gross  weight  to  be  returned  to  an  acre 699 

It  will  be  observed  from  these  results,  the 
much  larger  quantity  which  the  green  crops,  po- 
tatoes, turnips,  and  cabbages,  remove  of  the  min- 
eral ingredients  from  the  soil,  compared  with  that 
which  the  grain  crops,  wheat,  barley,  and  oats, 
carry  away — the  proportion  being  four  times  as 
much.  This  is  a  result  which  observation  alone 
would  not  have  anticipated,  because  the  expand- 
ed area  of  foliage  which  the  green  crops  present 
to  the  air,  would  lead  us  to  expect  that  their 
nourishment  is  derived  more  from  the  atmosphere 
than  the  soil^;  and,  on  the  other  hand,  the  cereal 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


421 


plants,  having  narrow  leaves,  should  depend 
more  upon  the  resources  of  the  soil  than  they 
seem  to  do.  But  this  apparent  anomaly  may  per- 
haps be  explained  in  this  manner : — The  green 
crops  weighing  so  very  much  heavier  than  the 
grain  ones,  from  three  to  eight  times,  they  ought, 
as  a  matter  of  course,  to  take  a  larger  quantity 
of  mineral  ingredients  from  an  acre  of  soil ;  and 
as  all  plants  require  to  absorb  a  large  quantity 
of  water  daily,  in  order  to  keep  the  saline  ingre- 
dients within  them  in  a  constant  state  of  solu- 
tion, it  seems  necessary  that  the  green  crops 
should  be  provided  with  a  large  system  of  leaves, 
to  enable  them  to  draw,  both  through  the  roots 
and  from  the  atmosphere,  the  large  supply  of 
water  which  they  require  to  have  in  order  to 
hold  in  .constant  solution  the  larger  quantity  of 
the  saline  ingredients  they  contain. 

If  this  doctrine  is  correct,  Indian  corn,  pota- 
toes, wheat,  rye  or  oats,  will  be  suitable  to  fol- 
low a  turnip  crop.  We  invite  some  of  our  ex- 
perienced farmers  to  give  us  their  opinions  on 
this  subject.  

A  BIG  BUG. 

I  send  you  an  insect  which  I  found  in  my 
door-yard  this  day.  I  do  not  know  its  name.  I 
have  shown  it  to  a  dozen  or  more  of  my  neigh- 
bors, and  they  never  saw  or  heard  of  any  insect 
like  it  before.  Can  you  tell  us  through  the  col- 
umns of  the  Farmer,  or  otherwise,  what  it  is  ? 

Ashland,  July  21,  1858.  A.  Waufield. 

Remarks. — We  certainly  never  saw  anything 
like  it  before.  Why,  he  has  a  pair  of  mandibles 
in  his  head  like  the  hooks  the  ice  men  carry 
their  huge  cakes  with.  What  a  monster  !  We 
hope  there  will  be  only  one  in  each  State  in  the 
Union.  

INFLUENCE   OF   SEX   IN   STOCK. 

In  a  late  number  of  your  paper,  reference  is 
made  to  the  opinion  expressed  in  the  Report  of 
the  Secretary  of  the  Board  of  Agriculture,  that 
"the  male  is  of  less  consequence  in  rearing  stock 
for  dairy  purposes  than  the  female."  Believing 
this  idea  to  be  erroneous,  I  was  pleased  to  meet 
to-day  an  authority  corroborative  of  my  views. 
You  will  find  it  in  a  letter  from  Mr.  S.  W.  Pom- 
roy,  of  Brighton,  to  Mr.  Quincy,  Agricultural 
Report,  vol.  VI.,  p.  87,  and  seq.  He  says,  "in  the 
selection  of  bulls,  most  farmers  confine  their  at- 
tention to  form  and  color  only,  instead  of  tracing 
their  descent  from  a  valuable  dairy  stock."  I  re- 
member this  Mr.  P.  as  a  very  sensible  man,  who 
thought  much  and  heard  but  little.         j.  w.  P. 

July  22,  1858.  _ 

USE   OF   COAL  TAR. 

A  subscriber  informs  us  that  he  found  coal  tar, 
placed  around  his  squash  and  cucumber  vines, 
saved  them  entirely  from  the  ravages  of  all  kinds 
o£  bugs.  Also  that  the  smoke  of  coal  tar  will 
drive  away  rose  bugs. 


FINE   FLEECES. 

J.  Smart,  of  Vergennes,  Vt.,  beaten.  L.  T. 
Herrick,  Esq.,  of  Milton,  Vt.,  sheared  a  four- 
years'  old  buck  this  season,  whose  fleece  weighed 
10^  lbs.  of  clean  washed  wool;  this  buck  was 
not  a  cosset,  and  has  had  no  extra  feed  from  the 
rest  of  his  flock.  He  also  sheared  125  ewes,  whose 
fleeces  averaged  5  lbs.,  and  25  of  that  number  av- 
eraged 7  lbs.  of  clean  washed  wool,  and  118  of 
that  number  had  lambs.  A  READER. 

West  Milton,  Vt.,  Jtdy,  1858. 


SUCKERS   AMONG   CORN. 

Is  it  proper  or  important,  at  any  time  to  cut 
away  the  suckers  from  among  corn  ? 

If  so,  at  what  stage  of  its  growth  should  it  be 
done  ?  Ephraim  Barker. 

Londonderry,  Vt. 

Remarks. — From  what  we  have  read  and  ob- 
served with  regard  to  taking  suckers  from  corn, 
we  are  of  the  opinion  that  it  ought  not  to  be  done 
at  any  time. 

LEACHED  ASHES. 

Formerly  it  was  supposed  that  the  process  of 
leaching  abstracted  all  the  active  virtues  of  wood 
ashes,  and  that,  after  having  gone  through  this 
process,  the  only  proper  place  for  them  was  the 
road-side  or  the  highway.  Experience,  however, 
has  of  late  sufficiently  demonstrated  the  errone- 
ousness  of  this  view,  and  many  farmers  who  have 
tested  the  value  of  leached  ashes  as  a  stimulant 
of  growing  crops,  as  well  as  an  alterant  in  phys- 
ically ill-conditioned  soils,  are  willing  to  purchase 
them  at  very  nearly  the  same  price  which  ashes 
formerly  commanded  before  being  leached,  and 
convey  them  many  miles  to  their  farms.  Millions 
of  bushels  are  now  used  annually  in  the  United 
States  for  agricultural  purposes,  and  the  demand 
increases  in  proportion  as  their  value  becomes 
known. 

BLACK  LAMBS. 

At  the  farm  of  Chester  Pike,  in  Cornish,  N. 
H.,  we  saw,  a  short  time  since,  a  curious  freak 
of  nature  in  the  production  of  ten  black  lambs 
in  a  flock  of  seventy  Spanish  Merinos.  The  ewes 
were  descended  from  sheep  imported  by  Consul 
Jarvis,  and  had  never  before  produced  any  black 
lambs.  The  buck  had  been  used  in  the  neigh- 
borhood for  two  or  three  years,  and  had  (so  far 
as  Mr.  Pike  could  ascertain)  begotton  no  other 
black  lambs. 

We  were  much  surprised  at  this,  and  made 
many  inquiries  concerning  the  circumstances  at- 
tending the  care  and  management  of  the  sheep 
during  the  winter,  but  could  learn  nothing  wor- 
thy of  notice,  except  that  the  man  who  had  charge 
of  the  flock  during  the  fall  and  winter  was  con- 
stantly followed  by  a  large,  blacJc  Newfoundland 
dog.  It  would  seem  that  the  color  of  the  lambs 
must  be  attributed  to  the  influence  of  the  black 
dog. —  Vermont  Stock  Journal. 


422 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Sept. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
FLO^^ERS  AND  THEIR  INFLUENCE. 

A  neighbor  came  into  my  garden,  and  looking 
upon  a  variety  of  flowers  growing  there,  remarked 
in  a  reproving  manner,  that  he  had  rather  see 
that  ground  planted  to  potatoes,  and  it  would  be 
more  profit  to  me,  than  those  foolish  flowers. 

How  common  is  this,  or  a  similar  remark, 
among  a  certain  class  of  men.  And  what  are 
their  general  characteristics  ?  So  far  as  my  ob- 
servations extend,  they  are  unrefined,  coarse  in 
their  deportment  and  in  their  intercourse  with 
their  families,  and  those  with  whom  they  associ- 
ate. There  does  not  seem  to  be  a  verdant  spot 
in  their  hearts.  They  have  a  certain  kind  of  af- 
fection for  their  families,  and  are  attached  to 
their  associates,  but  it  is  not  that  high  order  of 
friendship  which  flows  from  a  refined  mind  that 
has  been  educated  to  appreciate  the  beauties  of 
nature.  This  neighbor,  and  kindred  spirits,  look 
upon  the  fields  with  interest,  but  it  is  in  view  of 
the  prospective  harvest.  They  have  a  pleasure 
in  seeing  the  growth  of  the  stalk,  and  the  filling 
of  the  ear,  that  gives  them  bread.  Such  men  oft- 
en love  a  horse,  or  an  ox,  and  many  times  exhi- 
bit great  kindness,  yet  it  is  a  sort  of  low,  ani- 
mal affection.  It  is  true  that  men  of  great  refine- 
ment and  good  taste  often  passionately  love  the 
noble  horse,  but  such  love  for  the  animal  is  sub- 
servient to  the  higher  order  of  affection  which 
belongs  to  intelligent  beings.  This  difference 
may  be  attributed  to  their  early  associations. 
This  man  did  not  look  upon  the  flowers,  seeing 
any  beauty  in  them,  nor  were  his  senses  regaled 
by  the  sweet  incense  that  filled  the  air,  and  which 
should  have  inspired  his  heart  with  gratitude  to 
Him,  who  makes  the  morning  blush  with  these 
bright  gems,  which  we  are  permitted  to  cultivate 
in  our  gardens  and  yards,  and  which  grow  wild 
and  spontaneously  upon  the  lawns  and  the  hill- 
sides, and  the  forests  are  made  glad  with  their 
presence. 

How  powerfully  do  early  associations  for  good 
or  evil,  influence  our  actions  in  future  years ;  by 
them  men  become  sordid,  selfish  and  uncomfor- 
table to  themselves,  unprofitable  and  disagreea- 
ble to  others  ;  or  by  them  the  better  feelings  of 
the  heart  are  nurtured,  and  man  becomes  gentle 
mild  and  virtuous,  distilling  an  influence  about 
them  as  the  flower  distils  its  sweet  fragrance 
upon  the  breeze  of  the  morning.  As  it  takes 
mild  and  gentle  influences  to  subdue  the  young 
mind,  there  is  nothing  more  appropriate  than  the 
language  of  flowers,  and  the  sweet  melting  tones 
of  music.  Are  the  vase  of  flowers  and  a  sweet 
toned  instrument  a  part  of  the  furniture  of  the 
sitting-room  ?  Is  a  large  margin  of  the  garden 
set  apart  for  flowers?  Have  you  a  fruit-yard, 
bearing  the  precious  fruit  in  its  season,  that  your 
own  hands  have  helped  to  nurture,  and  which 
brings  luxury  to  all  the  inmates  of  the  family, 
making  youth  buoyant,  and  old  age  peaceful ! 
Then,  long  after  parents  "are  gathered  to  their 
fathers,"  brothers  and  sisters  will  love  to  meet  at 
the  old  homestead,  and  tread  the  hallowed  pla- 
ces, where  once  were  the  paths  of  youthful  days. 

The  love  of  flowers,  what  will  it  not  do  ?  It 
elevates  the  man,  draws  out  his  affections,  and 
excites  modesty  und  humility,  and  all  kindred 
virtues.     It  leads  the  mind  to  hold  communion 


with  Him  who  paints  the  lily's  cup  and  gives  the 
varied  hues  to  every  flower  that  breathes  forth 
the  fragrance  that  sweetens  the  air.  Who  does 
not  admire  that  humble  cottage,  in  a  lonely  place, 
even  where  poverty  may  at  times  intrude,  and  lay 
his  cold  and  icy  hand  upon  its  inmates  ?  yet  there 
is  cheerfulness  and  happiness  there.  The  bright- 
est evidence  of  this  is,  the  modest  violet  and  the 
creeping  honeysuckle  about  the  door  and  win- 
dows, the  blooming  flowers  in  the  little  garden, 
and  the  flower  pot  upon  the  window-sill.  What 
language  comes  to  the  passer  by  from  these  evi- 
dences of  refinement  and  taste.  Our  sympathies 
go  out,  unbidden,  our  hearts  are  affected,  and 
our  eyes  love  to  linger  upon  such  a  place. 
July  20,  1858.  Berkshire. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 

LETTER  FROM  A  TRAVELLER. 

Chester,  N.  H.,  July  28,  1858. 
My  Dear  Brown  : — Not  being  one  of  your 
regulars,  I  write  when  the  spirit  moveth  me, 
which,  fortunately  for  you,  perhaps,  is  not  often. 
When  at  my  home,  in  the  Federal  City,  that 
spirit  has  a  hard  time  of  it,  I  guess,  whenever  it 
undertakes  to  move  my  mind  in  any  one  partic- 
ular direction,  for,  like  the  compass  on  board  an 
iron  ship,  it  is  so  distracted  by  surrounding  attrac- 
tions, as  to  forget  its  northern  affinity  and  roam 
off  in  all  sorts  of  directions.  But  here,  in  this  quiet 
and  unambitious  old  town,  the  spirit  can  woo  me  to 
do  just  what  it  pleases,  and  just  now  it  whispered, 
"remember  the  N.  E.  Farmer."  So  here  I  am, 
remembering  it  with  all  my  might ! 

''Rob  Roy  is  on  his  native  hills  again  !" 

I  don't  know  whether  I  ever  quoted  that  to 
you  before — nor  do  I  care.  I  never  come  here 
without  quoting  it  to  myself,  and  what  I  say  to 
one  sensible  man  (!)  I'm  not  ashamed  to  say  to 
another  ;  and  that,  somehow,  has  a  twang  to  it 
that  vibrates  through  my  nerves,  when  lorn  here, 
just  as  "Auld  Lang  Syne"  does,  when  I  say  to 
you,  and  you  say  to  me,  as  we  clasp  flippers — 

"And  here's  a  hand  my  trusty  frere, 

And  pi'e  us  a  hand  o'  thine, 
And  we'll  take  a  cup  of  kindness  yet 

For  Auld  Lang  Syne." 

I  came  from  Exeter,  here,  yesterday,  in  com- 
pany with  your  co-laborer.  Judge  French,  and  a 
pleasant  ride  we  had,  I  assure  you.  Our  talk  was 
of  farming,  considerably,  for  you  know,  in  the 
present  state  of  the  Judge's  mind,  he  could  not 
look  on  a  piece  of  wet,  sterile  land  without  re- 
marking 'Hhat  land  wants  draining,"  and  when 
that  text  was  named  a  sermon  was  sure  to  follow  ! 
It  is,  however,  a  melancholy  fact  that  the  farms 
between  Exeter  and  Chester,  with  some  M'orthy 
exceptions,  might  be  improved  not  only  by  drain- 
ing, but  in  many  other  particulars.  "Those  oats," 
said  the  Judge,  as  we  passed  a  field  that  seemed 
to  be  endeavoring  to  strangle  a  very  slim  crop  of 
that  vegetable,  "look  exactly  as  I  knew  they 
would  when  I  saw  the  man  harrowing  them  in, 
up  to  his  ankles  in  mud."  We  saw  men  mowing 
with  scythes,  and  raking  with  hand-rakes,  and 
concluded  that  the  spirit  of  improvement  had  not 
yet  sounded  its  trumpet  in  their  ears,  and  that 
they  did  nof  take  the  N'cw  England  Farmer! 
On  the  other  hand  we  saw  mowers   clipping  it 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARISffiR. 


423 


through  the  tall  grass  in  grand  style,  and  horse- 
rakes  gathering  it  up  for  the  garner,  on  some  of 
the  farms  that  appeared  as  if  they  were  cultiva- 
ted by  live  people.  The  corn  crop  generally, 
looked  very  promising,  the  hay  crop  not  so  good, 
and  the  recent  rains,  which  have  fallen  in  rather 
too  much  abundance,  have  sadly  interfered  with 
the  gathering  in  of  the  latter — though,  thanks 
to  the  invention  of  hay-caps,  the  crop  is  not  very 
badly  injured.  By  the  way,  we  saw  many  a  field, 
during  our  early  ride,  dotted  all  over  with  that 
useful  contrivance,  appearing  like  the  grand  en- 
campment of  an  army  of  Liliputians,  and  in  one 
field  where  the  caps  probably  ran  out,  the  owner 
of  the  hay  had  substituted  old  quilts,  coverlids, 
horse-blankets  and  even  buffalo  robes  !  That  man 
deserves  to  save  his  hay,  and  I  trust  his  cattle 
will  luxuriate  next  winter  in  sweet  fodder,  while 
he  is  comfortably  sleeping  under  those  same 
unique  hay-caps ! 

This  town  of  Chester  is,  as  you  know,  dignified 
by  a  long  road  through  its  principal  village, 
called  "Chester  Street."  I  do  not  believe  there 
is,  in  the  United  States,  such  a  half-mile  of  trees 
as  that  street  presents  to  my  eye  at  this  moment, 
as  I  sit  here  in  the  old  paternal  mansion,  where 
you  and  I  have  passed  so  many  happy  hours,  in 
the  days  long  gone  by  !  One  side  of  the  street 
presents  a  continuous  row  of  maples  and  elms, 
now  of  nearly,  or  quite  30  year's  growth^  in  full 
foliage,  and,  as  I  view  them  obliquely,  showing  a 
half-mile  of  solid  green.  This  row  was  mostly 
planted  by  an  assistant  editor  of  the  New  Eng- 
land Farmer,  in  his  boyhood !  Towering  far 
above  this  growth,  for  a  portion  of  the  distance, 
is  another,  about  10  feet  inside  of  it,  forming  an 
avenue — and  it  was  planted  by  that  same  gentle- 
man's great  grandfather,  about  a  hundred  years 
ago.  It  is  principally  of  ash.  There  is,  however, 
one  large  elm  ;  and  as  I  have  been  travelling 
round  with  a  tape  line  in  my  pocket,  ever  since  I 
read  the  last  production  of  "The  Autocrat  of  the 
Breakfast  Table,"  in  the  August  number  of  the 
Atlantic  MontJdy,  I  measured  that  elm  of  a  hund- 
red years.  Near  the  ground  it  is  12  feet  in  cir- 
cumference— 5  feet  from  the  ground,  11  feet  4 
inches — the  diametrical  spread  of  its  foliage  is 
90  feet,  and  some  of  its  limbs  would  make  large 
trees.  Mr.  "Autocrat"  says — "What  makes  a 
first-class  elm  ?  Why,  size  in  the  first  place  and 
chiefly.  Anything  over  20  feet  of  clear  girth,  5 
feet  above  the  ground,  and  with  a  spread  of 
branches  a  hundred  feet  across,  may  claim  that 
title,  according  to  my  scale."  So  our  Chester 
elm  is  still  in  its  youth !  Well,  I  knew  that  tree 
more  than  fifty  years  ago  !  and  it  now  seems  to  | 
me  as  if  it  was  just  about  the  size  then,  that  it  is 
now.  Small  as  it  is,  according  to  our  Autocrat's 
scale,  it  is  an  elegant  and  majestic  tree,  one  of 
the  most  perfectly  shaped  and  well-proportioned 
elms  I  have  ever  seen,  and  so  sound.and  vigo- 
rous as  to  promise  to  come  up  to  our  friend's 
scale  in  about  a  hundred  years  more !  I  hope 
his  grandchildren  may  have  the  pleasure  of  put- 
ting his  "ring"  upon  it !  I  read  that  production 
of  the  Autocrat,  for  the  first  time,  at  Exeter, 
where  there  is  an  elm  that  the  benighted  people 
of  that  town  hav'e  always  looked  upon  as  a  mon- 
ster tree.  One  hour  after  I  read  it,  I  had  a  tape 
line  round  that  tree,  at  5  feet  above  the  root,  and 
lo,  it  annouced  the  humiliating  fact  that  it  meas- 


ured 14  feet  4  inches  !  I  wound  up  the  tape  line 
mighty  quick,  and  sneaked  off  as  if  I  had  been 
caught  measuring  a  stalk  of  tall  corn,  and  found 
it  3  feet  high !  Nothing  takes  the  conceit  out  of 
large  things  like  a  measuring  tape  ! 

But,  to  come  back  to  Chester  Street,  where  j, 
am,  and  where  I  wish  I  could  say  to  you,  "Simon, 
look  down  that  glorious  avenue ;  did  you  ever 
see  anything  more  beautiful,  or  more  silent  and 
deserted  ?"  Poor  old  Chester,  where  you  and  I 
piayed  in  our  boyhood,  loved  in  our  days  of 
goslinship,  married  in  our  young  manhood,  spent 
some  of  the  best  days  of  our  lives,  and  look 
upon,  even  now,  with  reverence  and  deep  affec- 
tion !  Although  it  is  shorn  of  its  fair  propor- 
tions, first  of  Manchester,  before  we  were  born, 
and,  since  our  remembrance,  of  Hookset  and  Au- 
burn, it  is  still,  to  us,  a  green  and  sunny  spot, 
and  never  more  green  or  more  sunny  than  on 
this  beautiful  July  afternoon. 

iTiave  just  been  across  the  street  into  the  old 
garden,  picking  cherries  from  the  grand-child- 
trees,  I .  should  think,  of  those  from  which  I 
picked  them  in  my  boyhood.  But  there  stand 
the  old  St.  Michael  pear  trees  which  I  saw  plant- 
ed, and  in  the  stocks  of  which  plants  I  saw  with 
my  boy-eyes,  my  father  set  the  scions  when  they 
(the  stocks)  were,  i)erhaps  an  inch  and  a  half  in 
diameter.  Those  trees  are  lusty  fellows  now, 
but  there  is  the  ring  around  them  where  the  new 
scion  united  itself  to  the  stock — married  for 
richer  or  for  poorer,  for  better  or  for  worse — no 
divorce  from  that  wedlock,  and  even  death  can- 
not them  separate  !  The  marriage  ring  remains 
a  sacred  tie  to  them  forever !  Would  it  wei-e  al- 
ways as  sacred ! 

But  I  am  getting  garrulous  in  my  old  age,  and 
my  brief  letter  is  passing  the  boundaries  of  your 
patience,  I  fear.  I  am  no  farmer,  as  the  Judge  is, 
and  therefore  you  must  not  expect  me  to  tell  you 
how  to  plant  mangel  wurzel,  lay  drains,  make 
wire  fences,  prune  trees,  and  all  that  sort  of 
thing,  as  he  does,  and  I  must  be  suffered  to  run 
on  in  my  own  way,  and  write  of  what  happens 
to  come  uppermost  in  my  mind. 

It  is  my  candid  opinion  that  I  have  written 
enough  for  this  time,  and  so  I  subscribe  myself 
your  own  and  the  New  England  Farmer  s  very 
humble  servant,  B.  B.  French. 


Remarks. — A  capital  letter.  Major — squeeze 
your  sponge  again,  by-and-bye.  AVe  are  glad  that 
all  persons  are  not  farmers ;  if  they  were,  we 
should  lose  many  beautiful  shades  and  tints  that 
we  enjoy  as  it  is. 

The  Judge  presents  us  with  a  class  of  objects 
and  opinions  widely  different  from  yours,  and  so 
on  through  our  whole  list  of  excellent  corres- 
pondents. It  is  thus  that  we  are  enabled  to  serve 
up  a  Weekly  dish,  so  rich  and  well  seasoned,  as 
to  furnish  something  agreeable  and  profitable  to 
every  taste. 

Teething  ix  Horses. — The  American  Veter- 
inary Journal  for  June  says : — "There  is  no  doubt 
that  many  young  colts  suffer  as  much  pain  in 
cutting  their  teeth  as  is  the  case  with  children ; 
and  the  pain  does  not  always   arise,  as   some 


424 


NEW  ENG].AND  FARMER. 


Sept. 


persons  suppose,  from  irritation  of  the  mucus 
membrane  of  the  mouth,  occasioned  by  the  point 
of  the  tooth,  but  frequently  from  the  pressure  on, 
and  irritation  of,  the  dental  nerve.  The  remedy, 
(instead  of  tormenting  the  suffering  creature  with 
a  red  hot  iron  for  the  purpose  of  'burning  out  the 
lampas,'  as  some  persons  profess  to  do,)  is  a 
common  thnmb  lancet.  Make  an  incision  through 
the  gum  or  mucous  membrane  of  the  mouth,  in 
the  region  of  the  tusks  or  incisors,  wherever  the 
difficulty  may  be,  and  relief  is  almost  immediate. 
This  is  a  sure  remedy  to  relieve  local  distension 
of  the  mucous  membrane  of  the  mouth,  if  it  exist, 
and  at  the  same  time  prevents  the  fang  of  the 
tooth  from  irritating  the  dental  nerve." 


LETTER  FROM  MR.  BROWN. 

Bochester,  Mass.,  Aug.  7,  1858. 

Dear  Sir: — This  was  formerly  one  of  the 
large  towns  of  Massachusetts,  in  territory,  but 
has  recently  been  reduced  in  dimensions,  by 
dipping  from  its  borders,  and  erecting  two  other 
towns,  Marion  and  Mattapoisett.  The  latter 
town  lies  directly  upon  an  arm  of  Buzzard's  Bay, 
and  in  seasons  of  greater  commercial  prosperity, 
had  quite  a  lively  business  in  ship-building, 
which  was  of  considerable  importance  to  the 
people,  in  the  absence  of  manufactures,  which,  in 
one  form  or  another,  may  be  found  in  almost 
every  section  of  our  State.  The  herring  fishery 
of  Mattapoisett,  and  the  lumbering  of  Rochester, 
give  a  little  variety  to  the  occupation  of  the  peo- 
ple, and  are  each  a  source  of  considerable  in- 
come. 

All  this  section  of  Plymouth  county  is  quite 
flat,  and  a  large  portion  of  the  land  is  rather  un- 
inviting to  agricultural  pursuits  ;  some  of  the 
land  is  sandy,  evidently  once  covered  with  a 
growth  of  pines,  while  large  tracts  are  thickly 
studded  with  granite  boulders,  and  a  plenty  of 
small  stones  to  keep  them  company.  Although 
farming  is  the  principal  occupation  of  the  peo- 
ple, it  is  obvious  that  it  has  not  been  looked  up 
on  as  a  pursuit  demanding  study  and  investiga- 
tion, and  one  requiring  considerable  head-work 
as  well  as  hand-work.  The  great  obstacle  to 
progress  here,  seems  to  me  to  be,  the  possession 
of  too  much  land.  On  inquiry  of  one  farmer 
how  much  land  he  owned,  he  replied yb«r  hund- 
red acres,  and  added,  that  his  grand-father  divid' 
ed  it  between  four  sons,  but  he  had  managed  to 
get  it  all  together  again  !  This  desire  amounted 
to  a  passion  with  him,  and  although  now  nearly 
eighty  years  old,  he  will  not  consent  to  the  sale  of 
a  single  rood.  Yet  on  this  400  acre  farm,  I  saw 
no  evidence  of  an  income  equal  to  what  I  fre 
quently  find  on  a  40  acre  farm  under  good  culti- 
Tation, — as  less  than  a  dozen  head  of  cattle  are 
wintered  on  it,  and  the  amount  of  stock  kept,  as 
a  general  rule,  is  the  criterion  by  which  I  usu- 


ally judge  of  a  farm.  If  three-fourths  of  tb« 
outlands  of  this  farm  were  sold  at  a  moderate 
price,  and  the  proceeds  well  employed  on  the  re- 
maining fourth,  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  tb« 
profits  of  the  farm  would  be  trebled,  and  a  new 
aspect  given  to  everything  about  the  ancient 
homestead. 

On  such  lands  as  compose  many  of  these  farms 
it  is  a  pity  that  farming  was  ever  resorted  to  as 
a  source  of  supply.  The  labor  of  clearing  them 
of  the  rocks  and  stones  is  immense,  and  even 
when  that  is  accomplished,  they  are  too  flat  for 
most  of  the  hoed  crops,  and  in  seasons  like  th« 
present  poorly  reward  the  care  and  toil  bestowed 
upon  them.  But  directly  or  indirectly,  good 
seems  to  come  out  of  everything.  These  aftem 
realities  which  meet  the  people  at  every  step, 
have  excited  a  good  deal  of  activity  of  mind  in 
other  directions,  if  not  in  that  of  farming.  The 
extensive  forests  that  prevail,  have  suggested 
many  curious  devices  in  the  way  of  circular  and 
other  saws,  turning  lathes,  and  boring  and  plan- 
ing machines,  to  convert  them  into  a  thousand 
articles  of  ornament  or  utility, — while  the  rocks 
which  have  impeded  the  plow  and  obstructed  th« 
scythe  for  generations,  could  scarcely  fail  to  stim- 
ulate some  minds  to  devise  the  means  of  getting 
them  out  of  the  way  ;  and  this  has  been  most 
signally  accomplished  in 

A   MACHINE   FOR   LIFTING   ROCKS. 

I  was  invited  to  the  farm  of  Thomas  Ellis, 
Esq.,  of  this  town,  to  see  this  machine  in  opera- 
tion, and  a  simple  account  of  what  I  saw  it  do, 
will  be  better  evidence  of  its  value  than  any  glow- 
ing description  or  high-sounding  phrases.  It  is 
necessary,  however,  first  to  state  that  the  rocks 
do  not  require  any  digging  about,  unless  they  are 
entirely  below  the  surface,  and  then  only  enough 
to  make  room  to  apply  the  hooks  by  which  they 
are  raised ;  a  slight  indentation  is  made  on  two 
faces  of  the  rock  with  a  common  drill,  into  which 
the  points  of  the  hooks  are  placed.  The  machin* 
is  a  simple,  stout  framework,  upon  which  is  a  lit- 
tle cast-iron  gearing,  and  the  whole  mounted  up- 
on strong  wheels  six  feet  in  diameter.  Two  men 
and  a  boy  with  a  pair  of  oxen  and  a  horse,  or 
two  pairs  of  oxen,  if  the  rocks  are  very  large,  are 
all  that  is  required  to  work  it,  and  there  is  no 
hard  lifting,  no  chocking  of  wheels,  no  prying 
with  bars  or  levers,  no  vexation  or  swearing  ne- 
cessary in  the  most  eff'ectual  operation  of  the  ma- 
chine. 

At  9  o'clock,  it  was  backed  over  a  rock  show- 
ing only  3  inches  out  of  the  ground,  and  in  5 
minutes  the  rock  was  upon  the  surface,  in  the 
cheerful  sunlight,  whose  warm  rays  it  had  prob- 
ably never  felt  so  plainly  before.  It  was  then  ta- 
ken to  another,  the  hooks  applied,  and  in  6  min- 
utes it  was^upon  the  surface.    The  weight  of  this 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


425 


rock  was  computed  to  be  Jive  tons.  Passing  to 
another,  which,  upon  raising,  was  found  to  be 
half  out  of  the  ground,  it  was  laid  up  high  and 
dry  in  four  minutes!  and  this  was  all  the  time 
occupied  in  applying  the  hooks,  taking  out  the 
rock,  and  dropping  it  loose  upon  the  top  of  the 
ground !  The  next  one  occupied  ten  minutes. 
This  I  measured,  rule  in  hand,  and  allowing  12 
cubic  feet  for  a  ton,  which  I  think  was  enough 
for  the  kind  of  rock  lifted,  I  found  it  to  weigh 
six  tons!  In  one  hour,  26  rocks  were  lifted  out, 
varying  in  weight  from  300  lbs.  to  six  tons !  and 
at  the  end  of  two  hours,  45  rocks  had  been  ex- 
humed from  their  natal  beds,  to  the  glorious  sun- 
light, which,  as  a  great  favor,  shone  out  with  re- 
splendent brightness  on  this  occasion. 

I  am  clearly  of  the  opinion  that  I  have  never 
seen  any  machine  whose  use  would  prove  more 
profitable  on  rocky  farms  than  this.  I  think  I  am 
competent  to  judge  in  this  matter,  as  I  spent 
much  of  my  youth,  and  several  years  more  re- 
cently, in  reclaiming  lands  from  the  possession 
of  rocks  to  the  use  of  the  plow  and  hoe  and  cul- 
tivated crops.  In  accomplishing  the  work  I  have 
described,  there  was  no  hard  labor  for  the  men  or 
the  team ;  every  thing  was  quickly  and  quietly 
done,  and  apparently,  without  unsual  effort  on 
the  part  of  any  engaged  in  it.  The  only  strain 
was  occasionally  upon  a  noble  pair  of  oxen  in  re- 
moving some  of  the  largest  rocks  a  few  feet  from 
their  old  home  ;  but  they  did  it  with  an  energy 
and  precision  that  gave  evidence  of  excellent 
training.  Their  owner  held  a  "goad-stick"  in  his 
hand,  but  guided  them  mainly  with  his  cheerful 
wojds. 

At  the  expiration  of  two  hours,  the  operators 
selected  the  largest  rocks  they  had  raised,  and 
laid  them  in  a  line  for  a  wall,  and  when  two  or 
three  were  in  place,  others,  smaller,  were  laid  up- 
on them  with  rapidity  and  ease,  the  men  having 
scarcely  any  part  in  the  matter  beyond  hitching 
and  unhitching  the  hooks. 

This  is  the  machine  to  precede  the  mower  and 
horse-rake,  on  great  numbers  of  our  rocky  New 
England  farms,  and  facilitate  their  culture  and  in- 
crease their  crops  and  profits.  Those  who  use  it, 
dig  deep  trenches  where  it  is  intended  to  lay  a  wall, 
trenching  sometimes  four  or  five  feet  deep,  or  as 
long  as  the  digging  is  easy ;  then  fill  the  trenches 
with  the  lesser  rocks  and  small  stones  and  use 
the  earth  thrown  out  to  fill  the  holes  left  in  the 
field.  The  machine  weighs  2500  lbs.,  but  stand- 
ing upon  wheels  so  large,  is  easily  transported 
over  the  roads  or  fields.  It  is  compact,  wonder- 
fully strong,  has  nothing  liable  to  get  out  of  re- 
pair or  break,  but  a  chain,  and  costs  $275.  I  was 
sufficiently  interested  in  it  to  induce  me  to  bor- 
row a  model,  which  may  be  seen  at  the  Farmer 
pffice   after  my  return.     Several  persona  who 


looked  upon  the  (operations  of  this  machine  with 
me,  estimated  that  it  would  take  two  men,  such 
as  are  now  commonly  employed  upon  New  Eng- 
land farms,  and  two  pairs  of  oxenyb«r  days,  to 
do  what  the  machine  did  in  two  hours.  I  think 
they  were  correct.  Those  who  are  interested 
may  learn  more  about  this  Lifter  by  addressing 
Thomas  Ellis,  Esq.,  Rochester,  Mass. 

Mr.  Solomon  E.  Bolles,  the  inventor  of  the 
machine,  informed  me,  that,  though  not  intended 
for  that  purpose,  yet  it  could  be  successfully  op- 
erated in  pulling  common  stumps. 

The  crops  in  all  this  region  look  finely — corn 
especially.  The  hay  crop  is  not  all  gathered  yet, 
as  the  frequent  rains  have  prevented  drying  it. 
Much  is  now  standing  in  cock,  and  in  the  flat 
country,  not  a  little  partly  under  water,  while 
nearly  all  the  fresh  meadows  remain  uncut.  A 
great  deal  of  hay  and  considerable  grain  must 
inevitably  be  damaged. 

I  have  been  gratified  to  see  several  plantations 
of  the  white  pine,  of  various  heights,  and  ap- 
pearing to  be  in  a  very  flourishing  condition. 
The  pine  loves  this  soil,  and  I  should  think  the 
best  use  to  which  it  could  be  devoted  would  be 
to  sow  it  with  the  seeds  of  that  tree.  On  one 
plantation  which  I  saw  the  trees  were  about  t^n 
feet  high,  with  an  exceedingly  lively  foliage,  and 
had  retained  their  branches  quite  close  to  the 
ground.  They  certainly  promise  a  very  rapid 
growth. 

I  am  indebted  to  Mr.  Ellis  for  the  cheerful 
faces  of  his  household,  for  excellent  bed  and 
board,  and  for  a  charming  early  morning  ride  oi 
five  miles  to  the  station,  in  a  cosy  carriage,  with 
his  agreeable  and  intelligent  daughter.  "It  is  a 
very  pleasant  world  we  live  in" — sometimes,  very. 
That  is  all,  excepting  that 

I  am  very  truly  yours, 

SiMOK  Brown. 

Joel  Nourse,  Esq.,  Boston. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
MOWING  MACHINES. 
NOTES  BY  THE  WAY. 

Yesterday  I  was  invited  to  witness  the  opera- 
tions of  Allen's  mower,  guided  by  Mr.  Merrill,  on 
land  of  Mr.  Cabot.  He  cut  before  twelve  o'clock, 
five  acres,  yielding  at  least  ten  tons,  with  no  as- 
sistant near.  I  saw  the  same  machine  at  work, 
to-day,  on  the  ground  of  Dr.  Loring,  in  company 
with  Danforth's  improved  grass  cutter,  guided  by 
Mr.  Thompson,  of  Greenfield.  Both  of  these  im- 
plements did  their  work  so  well,  that  it  was  not 
easy  to  say  which  did  the  best.  If  I  were  te 
guide,  I  should  prefer  Allen's,  because  on  this  1 
could  ride  at  my  ease  ;  whereas,  he  who  guides 
Danforth's  machine,  has  to  tag  behind. 

Both  these  fields  were  calculated  severely  tc 
test  the  powers  of  the  implements.  On  the  first, 
was  spread  in  the  spring  a  full  dreasino'  of  mrffe- 


426 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMEK. 


Sept, 


cle  bed,  so  that  the  shells  were  constantly  in  the 
way  of  the  edge  of  the  knives.  The  latter  was 
extremely  uneven,  having  a  clayey  soil,  and  im- 
perfectly laid  down. 

I  mention  these  facts,  to  rebut  the  idea,  that 
mowers  will  operate  only  on  even  land  ;  they 
will  operate  on  any  ground,  when  well  harnessed, 
and  skilfully  drawn,  but  best  on  ground  free  of 
obstructions.  Essex. 

July  30,  1858. 

For  the  New  England  Parmer. 
THE  SEASON. 

Never  have  I  known  a  more  luxuriant  vegeta- 
ble growth  in  our  fields.  Corn,  the  prime  hope 
of  the  farmer,  is  all  that  could  be  asked  for  it ; 
notwithstanding  its  early  start  was  slow  and  un- 
promising. Grass  is  sufficiently  abundant,  though 
quite  a  large  proportion  of  the  crop  remains  un- 
eut ;  and  much  that  has  been  cut  has  been  in- 
jured by  the  superabundant  rains.  Much  inter- 
est has  been  awakened  by  the  use  of  machines 
moved  by  horse-power,  in  the  cutting  and  curing 
of  hay,  and  several  new  and  improved  patterns 
of  implements  have  been  introduced  to  our 
fields  ;  while  the  defects  of  those  heretofore  used 
have  been  noticed  and  corrected.  This  is  cer- 
tain, that  implements  of  this  character  are  des- 
tined to  general  use,  on  all  fields  of  sufficient  ex- 
tent to  warrant  the  expense  of  procuring  them  ; 
tlje  particular  kind  to  be  preferred,  must  depend 
upon  many  contingent  circumstances.  Skill  in 
the  design,  skill  in  the  construction,  skill  in  the 
use,  are  all  essential  to  perfect  work.  I  should 
as  soon  think  of  being  easily  shaved  with  a  dull 
razor,  as  of  having  my  grass  well  cut  with  a  ma- 
chine out  of  order.  1  perceive  that  some  of  the 
editorial  craft  of  your  city  are  untiring  in  their 
suggestions  to  discountenance  the  use  of  ma- 
chinery in  the  labors  of  the  farm.  This  may  do 
very  well  for  gentlemen  of  the  old  school ;  but 
Young  America  will  not  work  long  in  such  a  har- 
ness.    Her  motto  is,  "Best  first,  best  always." 

Much  less  injury  is  experienced  from  the  op- 
erations of  insects  than  was  expected  last  year.  I 
have  never  seen  the  onion  fields  more  luxuriant 
and  promising ;  andjuu  know  this  crop  is  the 
main  stay  of  many  of  our  most  industrious  culti- 
vators. Agricola. 

Essex  Co.,  July  31,  1858. 


HOBSE  POISONED  BY  FUMES   OF  LEAD. 

Mr.  Editor  : — A  few  days  since,  a  horse  be- 
longing to  a  friend,  while  trotting  moderately 
along,  suddenly  commenced  to  tn  inble  and  be- 
came unmanageable — after  running  a  short  dis- 
tance he  fell.  Being  driven  by  the  lady  and  son 
of  the  owner,  and  happening  to  be  near  at  the 
time,  I  Avas  requested' to  assist  them.  I  found 
him  upon  his  feet,  very  weak,  trembling,  and 
covered  with  a  copious  perspiration  ;  after  bleed- 
ing and  walking  around  about  one  hour,  he  re- 
covered, and  drove  home,  (about  three  miles)  ap- 
parently as  well  as  ever,  although  some  weak. 
The  horse  was  one  known  to  be  perfectly  sound, 
and  neither  having  been  over  fed  or  over  driven, 
the  owner  was  quite  anzious  to  ascertain  the 
cause  of  the  "fit."  The  inysteiy  was,  however, 
solved  in  my  own  mind  after  entering  his  stable. 


The  owner  was  engaged  in  painting  and  repair- 
ing his  house,  and  deposited  in  the  stable,  (which 
was  quite  small  and  poorly  ventilated,)  a  number 
of  pots  of  lead  paint,  mixed  in  various  forms — 
but  thought  it  was  impossible  that  the  animal, 
could  have  got  at  them.  Now,  here  is  what  strikes 
me  to  be  a  very  well  marked  case  of  "Lead  Colic" 
in  the  horse.  The  most  distinguished  veterina- 
ry surgeons  of  the  day  have  clearly  demonstrated 
the  susceptibility  of  animals  to  the  poisonous  ac- 
tion of  lead — and  not  unfrequently  we  see  cows, 
in  particular,  lose  their  lives  from  licking  newly 
painted  fences,  &c.  Although  the  horse  might 
not  have  come  in  direct  contact  yvith  the  poison, 
why  should  not  the  horse  suffer  the  same  delete- 
rious effect  from  breathing  the  air  of  a  close  sta- 
ble impregnated  with  carbonate  of  lead,  as  a  hu- 
man being  sleeping  in  a  newly  painted  apart- 
ment? Henry  B.  C.  Greene,  M.  D. 

Saco,  Me.,  June  2,  1858. 


Note. — We  see  no  reason  why  a  horse  should 
not  be  poisoned  by  breathing  the  fumes  of  lead 
as  well  as  a  man.  We  know  of  many  cases  where 
persons  were  attacked  by  colic,  and  rendered  dis- 
eased for  years,  by  sleeping  in  rooms  painted 
with  lead,  before  they  were  perfectly  dry,  and 
many  a  poor  painter  has  found  "death  in  the  pot" 
of  paint  which  he  used  in  his  business. 

Maine  Farmer. 


Fur  the  Netc  England  Farmer. 
BENT  OF  LAND  IN  ENGLAND. 

Mr.  Editor: — In  an  editorial  of  the  24th 
you  speak  of  the  rents  of  the  "cultivated  lands 
in  England  and  Ireland,"  as  averaging  from 
twenty  to  twenty-five  dollars  per  acre.  From  the 
other  portions  of  your  article,  I  suppose  you 
mean,  by  the  expression  "cultivated  land,"  that 
used  for  pasturage  and  for  hay,  as  well  as  that 
which  is  plowed. 

As  your  estimate  is  much  higher  than  I  sup- 
posed the  average  rental  of  farms  to  be  in  Eng- 
land and  Ireland,  I  have  rather  hastily  looked 
over  the  series  of  articles  on  "The  Rural  Econo- 
my of  the  British  Isles,"  published  in  your  col- 
umns in  1856,  and  have  copied  every  direct  state- 
ment there  made  of  the  amount  of  rent  in  the 
various  counties,  that  fell  under  my  notice.  I 
think  it  must  be  interesting  to  American  farm- 
ers, who  generally  own  their  land,  to  know  how 
much  the  farmers  of  England  can  afford  to  pay 
as  rent,  for  their  farms.  I  have  made  my  ex- 
tracts as  brief  as  possible,  supposing  that  those 
who  have  the  monthly  Farmer  for  185G,  and 
who  feel  any  interest  in  the  subject,  will  turn  to 
the  page,  which  is  indicated  in  each  case,  and 
read  the  statement  in  its  connection.  And  if 
my  references  should  provoke  any  one  who  has 
not  the  volume,  to  purchase  a  copy  and  read 
nothing  but  those  eighteen  articles,  I  have  no 
fear  that  he  will  accuse  me  of  leading  him  into  a 
poor  speculation. 

Middlesex — the  metropolis  county, — rents  av- 
erage $10  per  acre.  (Monthly  Farmer,  1856,  p. 
252.) 

Norfolk — A  sandy  plain  of  750,000  acres,  av- 
erages $6,25  per  acre,  net  production,  (not  rent) 
which  in  1780  produced  scarcely  $1,25  per  acre, 
(p.  259.)     i 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


427 


Lincolnshire— The  "Fens"  rent  for  $7,50 ;  the 
"Wolds,"  $6,25.     (p.  260.) 

Somerset— $7,50  to  $15,00,  and  even  $22,50 
in  the  "Vale."     (p.  276.) 

Gloucester  —  The  "Cotswold,"  $4,00  ;  the 
"Vale,"  $7,00.     (p.  276.) 

Chester— Grass  lands,  $7,50.     (p.  276.) 

Lancashire — Average,  $7,50;  near  Liverpool 
and  Manchester,  arable  land  lets  at  $20,00.  (p. 
322.) 

In  Scotland,  the  "Lothians,"  which  surround 
Edinburgh,  average  about  $5,00,  -while  some  ir- 
rigated meadows  rent  as  high  as  $150,00  to 
$200,00  per  annum,  per  acre!     (p.  361.) 

I  know  nothing  about  the  authority  for  these 
statements.  But  many  of  your  readers,  proba- 
bly, besides  myself,  would  like  to  know  what 
rents  our  brother  farmers  do  pay  in  old  England. 

In  this  connection,  I  cannot  refrain  from  copy- 
ing from  the  articles  alluded  to,  a  single  state- 
ment as  to  the  amount  of  capital  required  by 
those  who  hire  land  in  England.  The  writer 
says: 

"The  English  farmer,  before  1848,  held,  that 
to  conduct  a  farm,  he  must  have  a  capital  of  $40 
to  the  acre,  and  now  he  thinks  $80  to  the  acre 
not  too  much."     (p.  178.) 

To  hire  a  farm  of  one  hundred  acres,  then,  the 
poor  tenant  must  have  a  capital  of  eight  thous- 
and dollars !  Verily,  one-half  of  the  world  don't 
know  how  the  other  lives.  s.  F. 

Wincliester,  July,  1858. 


AGRICULTUKAL  EXHIBITIONS— 1858. 

STATE  FAIRS. 

Alabama Montgomerj',  Oct.  18 — 22. 

California Marysville,  Aug.  23 — 28. 

Connecticut Hartford,  Oct.  12 — 15. 

Illinois .Centralia,  Sept.  14—17. 

Indiana Indianapolis,  Oct.  4 — 9. 

Iowa Oecaloosa,  Sept.  28 — Oct.  1. 

Kentucky Louisville,  Sept.  28 — Oct.  2. 

Maine Augusta,  Sept.  21—24. 

New  Hampshire Dover,  Oct.  0 — 8. 

New  Jer?e}' Trenton,  Sept.  14 — 17. 

New  Yorli Syracuse,  Oct.  5 — 8. 

North  Caroiina Raleigh,  Nov.  2 — 6. 

North- Western  Virginia Wheeling  Island,  Sept.  14 — 16. 

Ohio Sandusky,  Sept.  14—17. 

Pennfylvania Pittsburg,  Sept.  28 — Oct.  1. 

Rhode  Island Providence,  Sept.  14 — 18. 

South  Carolina Columbia,  Nov.  9 — 12. 

Vermont... Burlington,  Sept.  14 — 17. 

Wisconsin Madison,  Oct.  4 — 8. 

COUNTY  SHOWS. 

Essex Danvers,  Sept.  29  and  30. 

Middlesex Concord,  Sept.  29. 

Middlesex,  North Lowell,  Sept.  15, 16  and  17. 

Middlesex,  South Framingham,  Sept.  21  and  22. 

Worcester Worcester,  Oct.  6  and  7. 

Worcester,  West Barre,  Sept.  30. 

Worcester,  North Fitcliburg,  Sept.  24. 

Worcester,  South Sturbridge,  Sept.  29 

Hampsliire,  Frank,  and  Hamp.... Northampton,  Oct.  13  and  14, 

Hampshire Amherst.  Oct.1'2  and  13. 

Hampden Springfield,  Sept.  28,  29  and  30. 

Hampden,  East Palmer,  Oct.  5  and  6. 

Franklin Greenfield,  Oct.  6  and  7. 

Berkshire Pittsfield,  Oct.  6,  7  and  8. 

Housatonic Great  Barrincton,  Sept.  22,  23  ard24. 

Norfolk Uedham,  Sept.  28  and  2^^. 

Bristol Taunton,  Sept.  22  and  23. 

Plymouth Bridgewater,  Sept.  29  and  30. 

Barnstable «. Barnstable,  Oct.  6  and  7. 

Nantucket Nantucket,  Oct.  13  and  14 

MISCELLANEOUS. 

American  Pomological  Society New  York,  Sept.  14, 

National  Horse  Show Springfield,  Mass.,  Sept.  14 — 17, 

St.  Louis  Ag.  Mech.  Association St.  Louis,  Sept.  0 — 11. 

Unite*  States  Agricultural  Society.  .Richmond,  Va.,  Oct.  25—30, 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
"WIRE  FENCES. 

July  26,  1858. 
Hon.  H.  F.  French  : — My  Dear  Friend — Can 
you  spare  a  few  moments  from  authorship  and 
court — ship  1  was  about  to  say,  but  I  have  no 
authority  for  that,  to  give  me  some  brief  direc- 
tions about  making  a  wire  fence  ? 

I  know  what  the  books  say,  but  I  prefer  your 
experience. 

I  wish  to  make  a  fence  between  my  lawn  and 
pasture,  running  it  along  on  the  northerly  side 
of  my  pine  grove. 

The  size  of  the  wire,  the  number  of  the  lengths, 
the  distance  and  size  of  posts,  the  manner  of 
stretching  the  wire,  whether  the  trees  can  be 
used,  and  if  so,  how?  These  are  the  points  of 
inquiry  that  occur  to  me. 

Most  truly,  your  Friend,  w.  C.  C. 

Exeter,  N.  ff.,  July  29,  1858. 

My  Dear  Sir  ; — Of  course  when  you  are  so 
wise  as  to  prefer  my  experience  to  what  the  books 
say  about  wire  fences,  I  can  find  time  to  write 
you,  though  I  have  nothing  against  books,  my- 
self! 

On  the  14th  day  of  August,  1852,  I  put  up 
70  rods  of  wire  fence  between  my  cow  pasture 
and  field,  through  the  woods,  using  the  trees  for 
posts,  occasionally  cutting  a  stake  and  driving 
where  more  than  8  feet  space  remained  between 
the  trees,  to  which  the  wires  are  attached.  I  used 
number  9  wire,  annealed,  and  but  3  wires,  the 
highest  4  feet  from  the  ground,  and  the  spaces 
10  inches,  leaving  a  wide  space  at  the  bottom,  of 
course.  I  attached  the  wires  to  the  trees,  partly 
with  small  staples  made  of  the  same  wire,  by 
myself,  and  partly  by  sawing  notches  into  the 
trees  and  driving  nails  over  the  wires.  I  run 
crooked  wherever  a  tree  came  near.  Four  of  us 
put  up  the  70  rods  in  one  day.  The  cows  have 
looked  through  it  each  summer,  with  approba- 
tion at  my  corn-fields,  but  no  animal  has  ever 
broken  through  it,  and  no  repairs  have  been 
made  upon  it.     The  cost  was, 

189  pounds  annealed  iron  wire  at  6  J  cents $12,27 

Labor  putting  up 4,00 

Nails 25 

ToUl $16,52 

being  about  23i  cents  per  rod. 

As  the  fence  was  designed  to  be,  and  is,  invis- 
ible, at  a  few  rods  distance,  I  cared  nothing  about 
its  being  straight. 

So  much  for  experience,  and  now  for  a  little 
theory,  which  is  based  on  some  more  practice, 
and  the  wise  observations  of  a  large  fraction  of 
a  century. 

To  build  a  good  fence  against  cattle,  I  should 
use  number  9  wire,  not  annealed,  because  it  is 
,said  to  be  stronger.  The  telegraph  companies, 
1  am  told,  sometimes  use  galvanized  wire  which 
does  not  rust,  but  that  is  too  expensive.  I  should 


428 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Sept. 


use  5  wires,  so  that  the  cattle  need  not  be  so 
much  tempted  to  thrust  their  heads  between, 
and  so  that  calves  and  "such  small  deer"  need 
not  get  through. 

The  tension  of  the  •wires  makes  the  whole 
strength  of  the  fence,  and  to  get  them  straight, 
and  keep  them  so — "Ay,  there's  the  rub."  No 
matter  how  far  you  want  to  go  on  one  course,  if 
the  ground  is  level,  stretch  the  wires  the  whole 
distance.  A  tree  at  each  end  is  the  best  post. 
Indeed,  it  is  almost  impossible  to  set  a  stone  or 
a  woodcH  post,  that  will  not  yield  to  the  constant 
strain  the  first  spring.  If  you  set  posts,  set  them 
very  deep,  and  brace  them  with  strong  timbers 
resting  against  short  posts  set  for  the  purpose. 

The  best  implement  with  which  to  strain  the 
wires,  is  a  little  thing  which  you  can  make  in  ten 
minutes,  in  this  way.  It  was  invented,  I  think, 
by  Hon.  Simon  Brown,  of  the  N.  E.  Farmer. 
Take  a  stick  of  round  hard  wood,  about  4  inches 
in  diameter,  and  16  inches  long.  With  a  two-inch 
auger,  bore  two  holes  through  it,  at  right  angles 
with  each  other ;  one  near  each  end.  Bore  anoth- 
er small  hole,  say  J  inch  through  the  middle, 
krge  enough  to  pass  tlie  wire  through  conve- 
niently. Make  2  handspikes,  say  2  feet  long,  to 
fit  the  auger  holes.  Having  secured  the  wire  at 
one  end,  unroll  it  by  trundling  the  coil  along  on 
the  ground,  so  as  not  to  get  any  kinks  in  it, 
which  you  are  sure  to  do  in  any  other  way,  until 
you  reach  the  other  end. 

Bore  a  hole,  say  ^  inch  or  inch  through  the 
tree  or  post,  and  pass  the  wire  through,  leaving 
3  or  4  feet  spare  length.  Pass  the  wire  through 
the  small  hole  in  your  windlass,  and  wind  it 
round  once  or  twice  so  that  it  will  not  slip ;  then 
put  in  the  handspikes,  and  you  can  strain  it  until 
it  will  "like  an  angel  sing,"  or  perhaps  the  sound 
will  be  more  like  a  fiddle-string  than  the  music 
of  the  spheres.  You  can  thus  apply  more  power 
than  4  horses,  and  can  hold  the  strain  steadily. 
Then  drive  a  hard  wood  plug  into  the  hole 
through  the  tree  or  post,  on  the  outside.  This 
will  hold  the  wire,  till  you  take  off  your  windlass, 
and  bind  the  wire  a  few  times  round  the  project- 
ing end  of  the  pin. 

At  8  feet  distance  along  the  wires,  drive  small 
stakes  for  the  purpose  of  keeping  the  wires  at 
their  proper  distance  apart,  so  that  cattle  cannot 
pass  between  them.  With  a  short,  stiff  saw  cut 
notches  slanting  downwards  into  the  stakes,  to 
receive  the  wires,  and  confine  them  by  nails.  A 
single  clapboard  nail  driven  upward  across  the 
wire  will  hold  it.  The  whole  strength  of  the  fence 
depends  on  the  end  posts,  and  the  tension  of  the 
wii-e,  as  I  have  said.  After  cattle  have  got  ac- 
quainted with  wires,  they  are  very  discreet  about 
attempting  to  pass  them. 

Oiiu  hkii  J.;  m ()>•>.     Splice  ibo  wires  a^  the  tele- 


graph men  do  theirs,  which  you  can  learn  by 
looking  at  them.  They  never  loop  their  wires, 
because  they  will  break  at  the  loop  if  thus  con- 
nected, but  they  lay  the  ends  together,  lapping 
them  a  few  inches,  and  then  bind  them  round 
with  a  short  turn  three  or  four  times. 

My  land  here  is  clay,  and  posts  will  not  stand. 
Last  spring  I  set  a  row  of  white  pines  between 
my  pasture  and  field,  8  feet  apart,  fifty  rods.  To 
these  I  intend  when  they  have  grown  a  few  years, 
to  attach  wires  for  a  fence.  Of  course  it  does 
not  do  a  tree  much  good  to  bore  holes  through 
it  and  drive  nails  into  it,  but  I  have  several  pine 
and  oak  trees  not  more  than  6  inches  in  diame- 
ter, through  which  I  made  ^  inch  and  inch  holes 
in  1852,  three  in  a  tree,  and  tortured  them  with 
my  "infernal  machine,"  and  they  seem  to  thrive 
none  the  less. 

If  I  wanted  to  deal  gently  with  the  intermedi- 
ate trees  I  should  drive  in  irons  several  inches 
long,  with  holes  at  the  ends,  leaving  them  to  pro- 
ject so  as  to  keep  the  wires  off  the  tree  sufficient- 
ly to  allow  for  its  growth.  A  wire  resting  against 
the  side  of  a  tree  will  injure  it  more  than  if  k 
passed  through  the  centre,  because  it  will  cut  it 
as  the  tree  grows.  I  tried  driving  large  spikes 
into  my  end  trees,  to  hold  the  wires,  but  found 
the  wires  injured  the  trees  more  in  this  way  than 
when  put  through  the  middle  of  them.  If  you 
ever  saw  a  sugar  orchard,  you  have  observed  that 
trees,  like  the  "rest  of  mankind,"  may  be  hored  a 
good  deal  and  not  die,  however  much  they  may 
suffer.  Lest  I  bore  you  too  much,  I  will  desist, 
and  send  this  by  way  of  the  New  England  Far- 
mer, for  "the  greatest  good  of  the  greatest  num- 
ber." Yours  trulv,         H.  F.  French. 


EFFECTS  OF  THE  SUN'S  LIGHT  OM" 
VEGETATION. 

The  Ohio  Valley  Farmer  publishes  the  follow- 
ing. The  observations  detailed  were  furnished 
by  Isaac  N.  Woodward,  of  Montezuma',  Indiana. 

It  is  a  Avell  conceded  fact,  that  the  sun's  light 
has  a  powerful  effect  upon  both  animals  and 
plants,  and  that  a  certain  portion  of  it  is  neces- 
sary to  their  growth  and  proper  development. 
The  different  colors  of  vegetation,  also,  are  at- 
tributable, to  a  certain  extent,  to  the  sun's  light ; 
this  may  be  proven  by  noticing  vegetables  that 
have  flowers,  which  grow  in  the  shade,  and  com- 
paring them  with  those  that  grow  in  the  sun- 
shine. We  will  find  there  is  quite  a  difference  in 
the  growth  and  color.  I  have  noticed  that  pota- 
toes and  other  vines,  which  happen  to  come  up 
in  cellars,  always  direct  their  course  to  that  por- 
tion of  the  cellar  from  which  the  most  light  eman- 
nates.  But  I  have  more  particularly  observed  its 
effects  on  fruit  trees.  I  find  it  is  generally  the 
cas»  that  those  apples  which  grow  in  the  tops  o 
the  trees,  where  they  ai'e  freely  exposed  to  the 
.sun's  light,  are  larger,  of  a  brighter  color,  and 
have  a  richer  flavor  than  those  which  grow  on  the 
under  limlis  or  in  the  shade.     And  I  believe,  if 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


429 


fruit-growers  would  pay  proper  attention  to  prun- 
ing, so  as  to  admit  the  light  freely  among  the 
branches,  they  would  hoth  improve  the  quality 
and  increase  the  quantity  of  their  fruit. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
POOD  AND  DKINK  PHYSIOLOGICALLY 
GONSIDEKED. 

Messrs.  Editors  : — The  writer  in  BlaclavoocVs 
Magazine,    from  whom  you  have  recently  made 


ate  of  soda  is  found  in  au  organism  was  proof 
positive  that  we  ought  to  make  it  an  aliment, 
what  shall  we  say  of  the  fact  that  the  same  ele- 
mentary principle  is  found  in  our  cattle  and  sheep, 
indeed  in  all  our  herbivorous  animals?  Does  this 
alone  prove  that  they  need  salt  ?  The  finest  cat- 
tle in  Hindostan  are  said  to  be  found  among  the 
Himmaleh  mountains,  where  salt  is  never  found, 
nor  does  it  appear  that  they  are  deteriorating. 

Moreover,  if  the  fact  that  mineral  substances, 
such  as  salt,  sulphur  and  iron,  are  found  to  be  a 
part  of  the  organism,  proves  that  we  ought  to  eat 
them,  should  not  iron,  in  small  quantities,  at 
least  some  of  its  oxides,  be  considered  indispen- 


extracts,  is  as  interesting  as  he  is  bold  and  as- 
suming.  Many  of  his  views  demand  the  most  se- 
rious attention,  especially  of  that  class  of  persons !  sable  as  edibles,  no  less  than  salt,  or  the  w'hite 
for  whom  they  seem  to  have  been  specially  in- 1 of  an  egg?  Yei  oi  the  oneliundred persons,  more 
tended.  Nevertheless,  in  his  zeal  to  establish  the !  or  fewer,   whose   blood,  according  to  Dr.  Good, 


physiological  theory  of  diet,  which  I  admit  to  be 
essentially  correct,  and  to  demolish  the  chemical 
theorj',  I  believe  he  has  gone  a  little  too  far,  as 
I  shall  endeavor  to  show. 

Admit  that  water  is  food,  and  "on  the  whole, 
more  nuti'itious    than    roast  beef,"    a  doctrine 


contains  iron  enough  to  make  a  plowshare,  how 
many  ever  ate  iron  in  their  whole  lives  ? 

It  will  not,  surely,  be  said,  by  way  of  reply, 
that  we  take  into  our  bodies  such  elementary  sub- 
stances as  when  recombined  make  iron,  salts,  &c, 
for  that  would  be  but  yielding  the  whole  argu- 


which,  in  its  essentials  has  been  long  taught,  and|ment,  since  it  is  most  certain  that  if  nature  has 
that  "each  individual  organism  is  specifically  dif-  the  power  of  recombining  to  form  one  new  com- 
ferent  from  every  other ;"  still  it  does  thence/oZ-  (pound,  she  may  have  to  form  any  other.  Such, 
low  that  "common  salt"  is  "as  much  an  edible  as  |  at  least  would  be  the  fact  with  regard  to  all  things 
the  white  of  an  egg,"  nor  that  "whatever  we  find 
in  the  organism  is  a  constant  and  integral  ele- 
ment, either  forming  a  part  of  its  structure,  or 
one  of  the  conditions  of  vital  processes,"  alone 


which,  according  to  the  laws  of  animal    hemistry 
are  susceptible    of  recombination,  or  cin  other 
words,  contain  the  needful  elements  or  bases. 
It   is  not  proved  of  all  the  inhabitants  of  the 


'deserves  the  name  of  aliment."  The  former.  South  Sea  Islands,  that  those  who  had  no  salt, 
with  some  qualifications,  we  admit ;  the  latter,  cooked  their  flesh  in  sea  water.  Nor  is  it  better 
without  qualification,  we  deny.  I  proved  that  the  wild  herbaceous  animals  in  Amer- 

In  regard  to  the  former,  I  will  only  say  thatjica  or  Africa  who  frequent  the  salt  licks  go  there 
what  are  here  called  specific  difi"erences  of  organ- 1  for  the  sake  of  the  salt,  even  though  they  should 


ization,  requiring  difi'erent  forms  of  aliment,  are, 
for  aught  which  appears,  abnormal  conditions  or 
differences ;  and  that  all  the  cases  which  the  wri- 
ter in  Blackwood  has  set  down  in  proof  of  his 
doctrine,  are  in  all  probability  only  such  excep- 
tions as  serve  to  prove  the  general  rule  that  in  a 
normal  state  of  the  system  what  is  meat  for  one, 
in  the  human  race  as  a  race,  as  well  as  any  of  the 
omnivorous  races  below  man,  is  meat  for  anoth- 
er, and  not  poison.  The  name  idiosyncrasy  will 
as  well  describe  them  as  any  other.  That  writer 
knows  as  well  as  I,  that  these  specific  diS'erences, 
in  any  considerable  degree,  cannot  be  found  in 
the  infant  at  the  breast,  and  that  they  are  less 
frequent,  in  proportion  to  our  approximation  to 
that  stage  of  existence,  and  more  so  as  we  advance 
into  life,  and  become  exposed  to  its  artificials  and 
combinations. 

If  salt  were  as  much  an  edible  as  the  white  of 
an  egg,  if  in  other  words  it  were  an  essential  ali- 
ment— what  would  become  of  the  nations  and 
tribes  and  individuals  that  never  use  it?  The 
Caroanches  Indians  never  use  it.  The  same  is 
true  of  other  tribes.  One  whole  world,  that  be- 
fore the  flood,  probably  never  used  it.  Was  Me- 
thuselah's life  shortened,  or  was  his  health  dete- 
riorated by  the  want  of  salt,  as  an  aliment  ?  I 
know  of  a  few  individuals  who  seldom  use  salt, 
never  when  they  can  possibly  avoid  it,  yet  none 
are  more  healthy  than  they  appear  to  be.  Can 
the  old,  hackneyed  stories  about  the  terrible  con- 
sequences that  have  followed  from  the  exclusion 
of  salt  from  human  diet,  or  any  new  theories,  long 
stand  against  such  facts  as  these  ? 

But  again,  if  the  physiological  fact  that  muri- 


use  it  after  they  get  there.  We  are  by  no  means 
sure  that  they  are  not  more  eager,  much  mare 
so,  after  the  tender  grass  which  shoots  up  so  ear- 
ly about  these  licks.  In  either  case  they  would 
become  an  easy  prey,  while  there,  to  their  ene- 
mies. 

Let  me  not  be  understood  as  opposing  the 
physiological  theory  of  the  writer  in  Blackwood. 
On  the  contrary,  we  endorse  him  mainly,  and  on- 
ly regret  that  any  part  of  his  excellent  remarks 
should  be  open  to  criticism.  Truth  gains  noth- 
ing in  the  end  by  misrepresentation,  even  when 
unintentional.  W.  A.  Alcott. 

Aburndale,  1858. 


BE-SHINGLING  OLD  HOOPS. 

Mr.  J.  T.  Adams,  in  the  National  Era,  gives 
the  following  directions : 

"Whenever  a  roof  begins  to  leak,  and  you  wish 
to  re-shingle  it,  do  not  take  off  the  old  shingles 
— put  the  new  shingles  on  the  top  of  the  old 
ones — but  make  use  of  six-penny  nails  in  place 
of  four-penny  or  shingle  nails.  The  advantage 
of  this  method  will  consist  in  the  following  par- 
ticulars : 

"1.  You  will  save  the  expense  of  removing 
the  shingles. 

"2.  The  building  will  not  be  exposed  to  wet  in 
case  of  rain,  before  it  is  finished. 

"3.  The  roof  will  be  much  warmer  and  tighter. 

"4.  Neither  snow  nor  rain  can  beat  under  the 
butts  of  the  shingles  by  heavy  winds. 

"5.  The  roof  will  last  full  one-third  longer. 

"I  have  tried  this  plan,  and  find  it  has  these 


430 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Sept. 


advantages.  It  takes  no  more  shingles,  no  more 
nails  in  number — only  a  little  longer — and  no 
more  time  to  put  them  on,  and,  if  done  in  a  work- 
manlike manner,  will  look  as  well  as  if  shingled. 
]5ut  it  should  be  done  before  the  old  shingles  are 
too  much  decayed.  All  the  moss  (if  any)  should 
be  removed,  or  swept  off  with  a  stiff  broom,  be- 
fore putting  on  the  new  shingles." 

Remarks. — Can  this  be  so  ?  "Will  some  of  our 
readers  acquainted  with  these  matters,  write  up- 
on them  ? 

EXTRACTS   AND  EEPLIES. 
FOWL   MEADOW   GRASS. 

Dear  Sir  : — Having  received  your  interesting 
paper  of  the  26th  inst.,  I  beg  to  state  that  your 
contributor,  Mr.  Wetherell,  has  fallen  into  some 
mistake  in  stating  that  Poa  serotina  is  not  an 
American  grass.  It  has  been  recognized  as  an 
indigenous  grass  ever  since  Muhlenburg's  days 
at  least,  in  1817,  and  is  equally  common  with 
Poa  nervata.  Unless  Mr.  Wetherell  means  to 
imply  that  what  botanists  so  denominate  is  not 
the  same  species  as  the  European  grass  of  that 
name,  I  cannot  well  account  for  his  taking  the 
view  he  does  in  this  respect.  As  to  which  of  the 
two  grasses  to  which  the  popular  name  of  "Fowl 
Meadow  Grass"  has  been  applied,  may  rightfully 
claim  that  name,  that  is  a  historical  question, 
about  which  I  have  no  information  to  offer. 
Very  respectfully  yours 

Cambridge,  June,  1858.  Asa  Gray. 

Note, — This  communication  was  mislaid  or  it 
would  have  been  published  at  an  earlier  day. 
Mr.  Wetherell's  article  discussed  the  value  of  the 
two  grasses,  and  the  title  each  has  to  the  name 
of  Fowl  Meadow.  He  speaks  of  Poa  serotina  as 
a  German  grass,  perhaps  to  distinguish  it  more 
particularly  from  Poa  nervata,  which  is  indigen- 
ous only  to  America.  That  the  former  is  a  na- 
tive of  both  continents  is  an  admitted  fact,  and 
it  is  a  valuable  addition  to  our  indigenous 
grasses.  

CURRANTS — MOSSY  LANDS — SCOURING  IN  CALVES 
— WOOD  STRAWBERRY — ONE-HORSE  MOWER. 

When  is  the  best  time  to  set  out  currant 
bushes  ?  and  how  near  should  they  be  set  ? 

What  fertilizer  is  the  best  adapted  to  mossy 
lands  ? 

What  will  stop  a  calf  from  "scouring  ?" 

Where  can  plants  of  the  "wood  strawberry"  be 
obtained?  * 

Which  is  the  best  "one-horse  mower  ?" 

Will  you  please  answer  these  queries  through 
the  Farmer  and  oblige  Inexperience, 

Charlemont,  Mass.,  1858. 

Remarks. — Set  currant  bushes  in  the  spring, 
at  least  four  feet  apart. 

The  best  fertilizer  for  mossy  lands  is  a  good 
plow  and  plenty  of  barn  manure. 

A  dry  warm  shelter,  dry  food,  and  proper  at 
tendance  in  every  way,  will  stop  "scouring"  in 
calves. 


We  cannot  inform  you  where  plants  of  the 
"Wood  Strawberry"  can  be  obtained,  though 
they  have  been  quite  common  in  New  England. 
Nor  can  we  inform  you  which  is  the  best  one- 
horse  mower,  because  there  are  several  which  we 
have  not  used.  By  next  yeai-'s  haying  time  we 
expect  to  see  a  better  one  than  has  been  made 
yet.  

the  PLOW  and  the  spade. 
Is  it  better  to  use  the  spade  than  the  plow  in 
a  garden,  provided  there  is  time  to  do  either  ? 
While  watching  a  neighbor  spading  his  garden 
patch  and  picking  out  the  stones,  the  thought 
occurred  to  me — would  those  stones  ever  be  any 
larger,  should  they  remain  buried  there  for 
years  ?  I  asked  him  for  his  opinion,  and  he  re- 
plied, "they  would  ;  they  grow  like  anything 
else."    I  thought  not ;  how  is  it,  say  you  ? 

Edmund  H.  Benson. 

Remarks. — Use  the  spade  by  all  means,  under 
such  circumstances.  We  are  inclined  to  think 
the  stones  will  decrease,  as  they  gradually  im- 
part their  constituent  particles  to  the  soil,  such 
as  potash,  lime,  &c.       

WHAT   is   the   prospect  OF  THE   HOP  TRADE  ? 

I  wish  to  know  your  opinion  with  regard  to 
the  hop  market  for  the  coming  two  or  three 
years.  Had  hop  raisers  better  continue  in  the 
business,  or  had  they  better  plow  up  their  fields, 
and  plant  and  sow  something  that  will  pay  them 
for  their  labor  every  year  ?  I  have  put  my  hand 
to  the  plow  for  raising  a  small  field  of  hops  every 
year ;  this  is  the  third  year  and  haven't  received 
a  penny  yet;  unless  you  can  speak  favorably,  I 
believe  I  shall  look  back.  L.  C.  Powers. 

Ripton,  Vt.,  1858. 

Remarks. — Will  those  acquainted  with  the 
business  discuss  it  with  Mr.  Powers. 

AGRICULTURAL  ADDRESS. 

Will  you,  through  your  paper,  which  is  very 
generally  taken  by  the  farmers  in  this  vicinity, 
communicate  the  fact,  that  the  Hon.  George  S. 
Davis,  of  Greenfield,  has  consented  to  deliver 
the  address  before  the  agricultural  society  in  the 
town  of  Warwick,  October  13,  1858.  The  pub- 
lic are  invited  to  attend  ;  and  all  the  farmers  in 
the  neighboring  towns  are  respectfully  invited 
to  enter  the  list  of  competitors  for  the  premiums 
at  the  cattle  show  which  is  to  take  place  on  that 
day.  John  Goldsbury. 

Wanoich,  July  29,  1858. 

BLACK   POLAND   TOP-KNOT   FOWLS. 

These  fowls  may  be  procured  of  C.  E.  French, 
of  Braintree,  Mass.,  or  of  N.  P.  Rines,  Concord, 
N.  H.  _ 

hall's   STUMP   PULLER. 

"A  Farmer,"  of  Sparta,  Tenn.,  will  learn  all 
he  wants  to  know  about  this  machine,  by  ad- 
dressing Messrs  Nourse  &  Co.,  Boston,  who  are 
Mr.  Hall's  Agents. 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


431 


THE  ART  OP  TAMING  HORSES. 

The  London  Illustrated  Times  is  publishing 
articles,  by  Rarey,  the  horse-tamer,  in  elucidation 
of  his  theory.  His  method  and  principles  are 
substantially  those,  which,  a  few  weeks  ago,  we 
hinted  they  were  most  likely  to  be.  He  lays 
down  three  cardinal  facts,  in  relation  to  the  horse, 
on  which  he  erects  his  theory.  The  first  is  that 
the  horse  is  so  constituted  by  nature,  that  he  will 
not  offer  resistance  to  any  demand  made  of  him 
which  he  fully  comprehends,  if  made  in  a  way 
consistent  with  the  laws  of  nature.  In  proof  of 
this  he  refers  to  the  want  of  reason  in  the  horse, 
•which  prevents  that  animal  from  resisting  the 
impositions  constantly  practised  upon  him.  The 
horse  is  so  much  stronger  than  man,  that,  if  he 
possessed  the  logical  faculties,  and  was  able, 
therefore,  to  realize  his  advantages  in  a  contest 
with  man,  he  would  not  submit  to  be  driven,  or 
ridden,  but  would  successfuly  demand  to  be  left 
free  to  roam  his  favorite  pastures.  Happily  for 
us,  the  horse  has  no  reason ;  consequently  no 
consciousness  of  imposition ;  and  as  a  corollary, 
no  thought  of  disobedience,  except  impulsiveness, 
when  the  law  of  his  nature  is  violated. 

The  second  proposition  is  that  the  horse  has 
no  consciousness  of  his  strength  beyond  his  ex- 
perience, and  that,  accordingly,  he  can  be  handled 
according  to  our  Avill,  without  force.  Every  one 
acquainted  with  horses  knows  the  truth  of  the 
first  part  of  this  proposition,  and  the  latter  part 
follows  logically  from  it.  The  third  proposition 
is  that  the  horse  will  permit  any  object,  however 
frightful  in  appearance,  to  come  around,  over,  or 
on  him,  that  does  not  inflict  pain.  When  fear 
exists  from  imagination,  and  not  fi'om  the  in- 
fliction of  pain,  that  fear  can  be  removed  by  show- 
ing that  there  is  no  cause  for  the  imaginary  dan- 
ger. A  boy,  who  has  been  frightened  by  a  false 
face,  or  any  other  object  that  he  cannot  compre- 
hend at  once,  will  lose  all  his  terrors  if  he  handles 


is  that  it  will  entirely  explode  the  old,  cruel 
methods  of  breaking,  and  introduce  others  more 
consistent  with  humanity  to  the  horse.  Banch- 
er's  system  of  breaking  dragoon  horses,  and 
saddle  horses  generally,  proceeds  on  the  humane 
principle. — Ph iladelphia  Ledge)'. 


alarmed  at  any  object  on  the  road-side,  coax  him 
up  to  it,  let  him  stand  by  it  and  touch  it  with  his 
nose,  and  his  flight  will  disappear. 

These  are  the  principles  of  Mr.  Rarey's  theory. 
They  are  founded  on  facts  familiar  to  horsemen, 
and  which  have  been  made  use  of  by  thousands. 
The  merit  of  Mr.  Rarey  consists  not  in  the  dis- 
covery of  these  facts,  not  even  in  the  acknowledg- 
ment of  them  as  principles,  but  in  the  very  suc- 
cessful manner  in  which  he  has  put  them  into 
operation.  Many  men  may  understand  an  art 
theoretically,  yet  want  the  executive  faculty  to 
practise  it  skilfully.  There  are  persons  who  have 
had  to  do  with  horses  all  their  lives,  without  ac- 
quiring as  much  control  over  them  as  others  who 
have  just  begun  to  manage  them.  Some  people 
have  what  we  have  heard  called  a  magnetism  in 
this  matter.  But  this  magnetism,  we  take  it,  is 
only  a  skilful  executive.  Mr.  Rarey  evidently 
possesses  this  faculty  in  the  highest  perfection  ; 
and,  without  it,  we  suspect  his  theory  would 
practically  be  of  little  use.  We  have  now  the 
explanation  why  many  persons,  who  have  taken 
lessons  of  Mr.  Rarey  and  his  pupils,  fall  so  far 
short  of  the  performances  of  their  teachers. 
\fter  all,  the  great  merit  of  Mr.  Rarey's  school 


ORIGIN  OP  BRANDY. 

Brandy  began  to  be  distilled  in  France  about 
the  year  1313,  but  it  was  prepared  only  as  a  med- 
icine, and  was  considered  as  possessing  such 
marvellous  strengthening  and  sanitary  powers 
that  the  physicians  named  it  "the  water  of  life," 
(I'eau  de  vie,)  a  name  it  still  retains,  though  now 
rendered,  by  excessive  potations,  one  of  life's 
most  powerful  and  prevalent  destroyers.  Ray- 
mond Lully,  a  disciple  of  Arnold  de  Villa  Nova, 
considered  this  admirable  essence  of  wine  to  be 
an  emanation  from  the  Divinity,  and  that  it  was 
intended  to  re-animate  and  prolong  the  life  of 
man.  He  even  thought  that  this  discovery  indi- 
cated that  the  time  had  arrived  for  the  consum- 
mation of  all  things — the  end  of  the  world.  Be- 
fore the  means  of  determining  the  true  quantity 
of  alcohol  in  spirits  were  known,  the  dealers  were 
in  the  habit  of  employing  a  very  rude  method  of 
forming  a  notion  of  the  strength.  A  given  quan- 
tity of  the  spirits  was  poured  upon  a  quantity  of 
gunpowder  in  a  dish  and  set  on  fire.  If  at  the 
end  of  the  combustion  the  gunpowder  continued 
dry  enough,  it  exploded,  but  if  it  had  been  wet 
by  the  water  in  the  spirits,  the  flame  of  the  al- 
cohol went  out  without  setting  the  powder  on 
fire.  This  was  called  the  proof.  Spirits  which 
kindled  gunpowder  were  said  to  be  above  proof. 

From  the  origin  of  the  terra  "proof,"  it  is  ob- 
vious that  its  meaning  must  at  first  have  been 
very  indefinite.  It  could  serve  only  to  point  out 
those  spirits  which  are  too  weak  to  kindle  gun- 
powder, but  could  not  give  any  information  res- 
jjecting  the  relative  strength  of  those  spirits 
"      ~  "  th  of 

dby 
quan- 

ty  of  weaker  spirit  might  be  made  to  kindle 
gunpowder,  while  a  greater  quantity  of  a  strong- 
er might  fail.  Clark,  in  his  hydrometer,  which 
was  invented  about  the  year  1730,  fixed  the 
strength  of  proof  spirits  on  the  stem  at  the  spe- 
cific gravity  of  0.920  at  the  temperature  of  GO  de- 
grees. This  is  the  strength  at  which  proof  spir- 
it is  fixed  in  Great  Britain  by  act  of  Parliament, 
and  at  this  strength  it  is  no  more  than  a  mixture 
of  49  pounds  of  pure  alcohol  with  51  pounds  of 
water.  Brandy,  rum,  gin,  and  whiskey  contain 
nearly  similar  proportions. — Scientific  American. 


Fires  and  Fire  Systems.  —  Mr.  Joseph 
Bird,  of  Mount  Auburn,  has  published  a  pam- 
phlet of  sixteen  pages  on  this  subject,  which  we 
commend  especially  to  all  city  and  town  authori- 
ties, and  to  all  the  world  beside.  Mr.  Bird  is 
far  from  being  alone  in  the  belief  that  our  "Fire 
Systems"  are  extravagantly  expensive  and  ruin- 
ous in  their  tendencies  both  to  property  and 
men.  Nearly  all  persons  would  believe  this  if 
they  were  to  read  Mr.  Bird's  three  chapters  o« 
the  subject  of  Fires  and  Fire  Systems. 


432 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Sept. 


For  the  New  Eti^land  Farmer. 
WIRE  FENCES  ONCE  MORE. 
How  to  Make  the  Posts — A  Yankee  Invention  Wanted. 

Exeter,  N.  H.,  Aug.  14,  1858, 
Friend  C.  : — In  my  letter  about  wire  fences, 
I  see,  now  it  is  printed,  that  I  overlooked  a  point 
that  may  be  important  to  you,  who  want  a  fence 
that  will  not  disfigure  your  beautiful  grounds. 
For  intermediate  posts,  you  may  use  tire  iron 
set  in  stone.  There  are  many  such  posts  used  in 
Exeter,  where  we  run  a  wire  or  two  through  our 
half-grown  hedges  to  give  them  strength  against 
cattle.  We  use  iron  of  about  the  size  of  the  tire 
of  light  wagon  wheels.  Short  stone  posts  are 
set,  say  three  feet  into  the  ground,  and  holes 
drilled  into  the  tops.  The  iron  cut  into  suitable 
lengths,  is  rounded  to  fit  the  holes  where  it  en- 
ters the  stone,  and  fastened  in  with  lead  or  sul- 
phur. The  wires  are  then  passed  through  holes 
in  the  iron,  previously  punched  or  drilled  by  a 
blacksmith,  at  such  distances  apart,  as  you  wish 
the  wires  to  be  held.  The  wires  are  passed 
through  these  holes,  and  strained  at  the  ends. 
You  may  thus  make  the  fence  invisible,  at  a  few 
feet  distance,  and  the  posts  will  have  strength 
enough,  so  that  you  may  make  curves,  if  you  de- 
sire to  do  so,  and  the  work  will  be  permanent. 
The  stone  posts  should  rise  but  an  inch  or  two 
above  the  surface. 

Some  Yankee  ought  to  invent  a  strong,  cheap 
spring  to  hold  the  wires,  at  their  tension.  There 
is  no  elasticity  to  wire  strained  in  the  way  I  have 
before  described,  and  a  very  little  slackening  of 
it  impairs  the  strength  of  the  fence.  The  spring 
should  hold  a  strain  of  about  300  pounds.  Please 
invent  one,  pro  bono  publico,  and  make  yourself 
famous.         Truly,  your  friend, 

H.  F,  French, 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
INJURIES  BY  LIGHTNING. 

The  simultaneous  injuries  to  persons  and  prop- 
erty, that  have  recently  occurred  at  Salem  and 
the  adjoining  towns  by  lightning,  in  buildings 
that  were  supposed  to  be  secured  by  conductors 
of  copper  or  iron  in  the  usual  forms,  has  awaken- 
ed much  inquiry  as  to  the  sufficiency  of  such  con- 
ductors. We  are  pleased  to  notice  that  gentle- 
men of  competent  ability  have  taken  the  matter 
in  hand,  and  hope  they  will  pursue  their  inquir- 
ies, until  they,  at  least,  shall  be  fully  satisfied  of 
the  cause  of  the  accidents  mentioned. 

AVhether  it  were  from  the  insufficiency  of  the 
conductors  ;  or  their  improper  position  ;  or  from 
any  other  cause,  is  a  fair  subject  of  inquiry. 
There  can  be  no  doubt  that  the  community  are 
often  greatly  abused,  by  the  false  pretences  of 
those,  who  operate  for  their  relief,  with  little  or 
no  knowledge  of  what  they  do.  We  do  not  pre- 
tend to  prescribe  rules  of  action  ;  our  object  will 
be  fully  attained,  if  we  can  guard  against  incon- 
siderate action.    We  believe  that  Franklin  had 


a  very  clear  apprehension  of  what  he  prescribed ; 
and  we  doubt  whether  subsequent  alterations 
have  all  been  improvements.  Essex. 

Aug.  16,  1858, 

EXTRACTS  AND  REPLIES. 
LEAKING   cows'  TEATS, 

"A  Subscriber"  inquires  in  your  paper  if  there 
is  any  remedy  for  cows  leaking  their  milk  ?  I  re- 
ply there  is.  Dip  the  end  of  the  teat  in  strong 
alum  water  twice  a  day,  for  several  days,  and  the 
leak  will  cease, 

Milford,  1858,  _ 

MUCK,   SALT   AND   LIME,   COMPOST, 

In  composting  muck  with  salt  and  lime,  I  wish 
to  inquire  whether  the  muck  should  be  wet  or 
dry,  and  in  what  quantities  salt,  lime  and  muck 
should  be  used,  and  how  long  it  should  stand 
before  using  ?  A.  B.  Franklin. 

tSeekonk,  Mass.,  Aug.,  1858. 

Remarks, — Muck  that  has  been  lying  out  of 
doors,  will  be  sufficiently  moist  to  dissolve  salt, 
or  to  receive  air-slaked  lime  favorably.  Six  or 
eight  bushels  of  lime  and  three  or  four  bushels 
of  salt  thoroughly  mixed  with  one  hundred  bush- 
els of  muck  will  form  an  excellent  compost.  If 
the  muck  has  been  exposed  to  the  air  several 
months,  the  compost  may  be  used  as  soon  as 
mixed  ;  if  not,  let  it  stand  three  or  four  weeks  in 
the  mixed  condition.     

A  FINE  CALF, 
I  have  a  heifer  calf,  a  cross  of  Durham  and  Na- 
tive, four  months  old  yesterday,  that  weighs  370 
lbs.  We  are  taking  measures  to  raise  the  very 
best  stock  in  this  vicinity,  which  has  long  been 
neglected.  W.  P,  Hood. 

DISTURBING   THE   ROOTS   OF   PLANTS. 

Does  it  not  materially  retard  the  growth  of 
a  plant  to  disturb  its  roots  ? 

And  as,  after  corn  has  tasselled,  its  roots  and 
fibres  form  a  perfect  network  over  the  field,  would 
it  not  retard  the  growth  of  the  plant  to  cultivate 
and  hoe  it,  thereby  tearing  and  disturbing  its 
roots,  after  it  had  so  far  advanced  towards  matu- 
rity ?  / 

The  above  questions  came  into  my  mind  after 
perusing  the  article  in  a  late  Farmer  advocating 
hoeing  until  harvest, — and  if  you  can  enlighten 
me  on  this  point  you  will  greatly  oblige  a 

Young  Farmer. 

North  Billerica,  July  26,  1858. 

Remarks. — There  can  be  no  doubt,  we  think, 
but  that  rudely  distui'bing  the  roots  of  a  plant 
would  injure  it. 

But,  is  it  necessary,  in  order  to  keep  a  crop  of 
corn  clean,  for  instance,  to  disturb  its  roots? 
Would  not  the  good  judgment  of  the  cultivator 
suggest  to  him  that  he  could  plow  or  cultivate 
with  safety  in  the  early  stages  of  the  crop,  but 
that  as  it  advances,  the  hoe  only  would  be  safe, 
and  would  be  sufficient,  with  the  aid  of  the  hands 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


433 


in  pulling  the  weeds,  to  do  all 
that  would  be  necessary  ?  Hoe- 
lug  is  essential,  whether  there 
are  weeds  or  not,  and  we  hope 
our  "Young  Farmer"  will  try  it 
next  year  on  some  crop,  hoeing 
one  portion  of  it  twice  or  three 
times  as  much  as  the  other,  ar.  1 
let  us  have  the  benefit  of  the  re- 
sult. 


MEMORY    OF  THE   HORSE. 

The  horse,  like  all  other  ani- 
mals, once  ran  wild ;  but  by  va- 
rious ways  and  methods  has 
been  made  one  of  the  most  use- 
ful animals  ever  yet  tamed.  He 
can  be  made  to  run,  jump, 
dance,  lie  down,  or  anything  of 
the  kind,  and  even  talk,  as  eve- 
ry animal  has  a  peculiar  way  of 
communicating  with  each  other 
as  well  as  man.  AVhat  I  now 
wish  to  speak  of  is  the  treat 
ment  of  the  horse.  If  a  horse  ^ 
once  gets  frightened  at  a  cer- 
tain object  by  the  road-side, 
and  you  whip  him,  he  will  be 
sure  to  dodge  at  the  same  ob- 
ject or  place  that  he  first  got 
frightened  at.  One  day  1  was 
engaged  in  hitching  a  team  be- 
fore a  wagon,  and  one  horse, 
with  the  quickness  of  a  cat, 
plowed  his  teeth  against  my 
head,  which  felt  like  the  weight 
of  a  two-fisted  giant.  The  next 
thing  that  occurred  was  a  heavy 
club  falling  upon  the  poor  ani- 
mal's head  ;  and  now,  whenever 
I  pass  by  him,  his  head  is  sud- 
denly turned  from  me.  By  such 
treatment  a  horse  will  long  re- 
member his  master  or  any  other  one  who  takes 
similar  means  to  subdue  him.  It  is  fear  that 
causes  an  animal  to  shrink  from  your  presence. 
We  are  all  too  apt  to  be  harsh  with  our  animals, 
and  should  study  their  natures,  and  learn  to  treat 
them  with  kindness.  L.  F. 

Brandon,  Vt.,  1858. 

A   SICK   COLT. 

I  have  a  colt  three  years  old  last  spring ;  in 
March  last  she  had  the  common  horse  ail,  and 
when  I  turned  her  out  to  grass  she  was  appar- 
ently well  of  it.  After  being  out  awhile,  1  no- 
ticed that  at  times  she  had  a  difficulty  in  breath- 
ing, which  still  continues.  She  is  thriving  well, 
and  is  lively  and  inclined  to  caper  in  the  pasture, 
but  after  doing  so,  breathes  with  great  difficulty. 
In  two  instances  I  have  seen  her  fall,  and  after 
lying  a  few  minutes,  get  up  and  breathe  well ;  the 
trouble  is  evidently  on  her  lungs. 

Now  I  wish  10  ask  if  you,  or  any  of  your  nu- 
merous readers,  know  of  any  remedy  for  the  case, 
and  if  so,  you  will  confer  a  favor  by  inserting  it 
in  the  Fanner.  N.  H.  Cook. 

North  Farsonsfield,  Me.,  Aug.,  1858. 


AN  EXPEBIMENT  IN  DKAINING. 


EXPLANATION   OF   THE   ENGRAVING. 

A,  is  a  piece  of  land  containing  about  an  acre, 
used  as  a  vegetable  garden  on  the  lower  side,  and 
above  is  filled  with  pear  and  other  trees,  shrubs 
and  small  fruits. 

B,  and  F,  show  the  line  of  the  main  drain; 
F  also  shows  the  junction  of  the  old  stone  drain, 
with  the  main  pipe  drain. 

C,  shows  the  lateral  drains  extending  into  the 
garden. 

U,  is  a  "Peep  Hole"  or  Well,  in  which  may  be 
seen  at  any  time,  how  much  water  is  passing 
through  the  main  drain. 

E,  is  the  line  of  a  stone  drain  laid  in  1849. 

G,  and  H,  show  lateral  drains  running  into  I, 
and  G  also  shows  the  highest  land  in  that  direc- 
tion. 

I,  is  another  main  drain,  receiving  the  later- 
als H,  and  draining  the  hill  on  the  west  side  of 
the  low  land  which  is  designated  by  its  lighter 
color.     On  this  side  hil'    here  is  a  young  orch- 


434 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Sept. 


ard  of  three  acres.    The  curved  lines  across  the 
meadow  represent  a  cart  road. 

When  we  purchased  this  piece  of  land  in  1848, 
all  the  low  parts  were  covered  with  water-grasses, 
and  the  usual  variety  of  wild  plants  common  in 
our  New  England  meadows, — and  among  which 
was  interspersed  in  plentiful  profusion,  the  fra- 
grant skunk  cabbage,  with  its  large,  bright  green 
leaves,  and  for  a  time  almost  covering  every  other 
plant.  It  produced  almost  a  ton  of  poor  fodder 
per  acre.  In  1849,  we  laid  a  common  stone  drain 
two  feet  deep  with  a  six-inch  gullet,  which  is 
represented  on  the  cut  by  the  dotted  line  E.  The 
effect  of  the  draining,  plowing,  and  a  slight  ma- 
nuring, was,  to  change  the  crop  the  second  year 
from  one  ton  of  poor  meadow  hay  per  acre,  to 
three  tons  of  good  English  hay  per  acre!  But 
the  draining  was  not  sufficiently  deep  to  ensure 
good  permanent  results ;  the  stone  drain  got 
gradually  choked  up  by  the  operations  of  mice, 
and  other  causes,  and  the  water  burst  up  in  little 
jets  in  several  places.  Nature  then  resumed  her 
sway,  and  brought  up  the  rushes  and  coarse 
grasses  that  delight  in  an  abundance  of  water. 

That  portion  of  the  land  on  the  margin  of  the 
the  meadow,  and  represented  by  the  letter  A, 
was  never  materially  affected  by  the  stone  drain, 
— but  continued  wet  late  in  the  spring,  and  was 
continually  throwing  up  a  hardy  meadow  grass 
with  a  bulbous  root,  whose  botanical  name  we 
do  not  know.  This  piece  was  plowed  eleven 
inches  deep,  well  manured,  and  sowed  with  car 
rots,  but  proved  to  be  too  moist  to  bring  a  profi 
table  crop.  In  the  spring  of  '57,  it  was  plowed 
with  difficulty  on  the  29</t  of  May,  and  was  then 
so  wet  as  to  leave  portions  of  the  furrows  in 
compact  masses,  which  were  afterwards  broken 
to  pieces  with  great  labor  with  the  hoe.  In  the 
spring  of  '58,  less  than  six  months  after  it  was 
drained,  it  could  have  been  plowed  with  com- 
fort at  any  time  after  the  10th  of  Ajiril ;  and 
during  the  wet  month  of  May  which  followed,  and 
at  any  time  since,  notwithstanding  the  constant 
succession  of  rains,  the  soil  has  been  so  light  and 
porous  as  to  fall  to  pieces  whenever  it  has  been 
worked.  It  is  now  covered  with  the  heaviest 
crops  that  have  ever  stood  upon  it. 

The  drains  are  sunk  four  feet  deep,  and  laid 
with  burnt  clay  pipe  or  tile.  The  pipes  in  the 
main  drain  are  three  inches  in  diameter,  and 
those  in  the  lateral  drains  two  inches,  and  the 
drains  cost,  completed,  seventy  cents  a  rod.  This 
cost,  however,  will  vary  as  wages  vary,  and  as 
the  soil  to  be  dug  through  varies.  The  subsoil 
to  be  dug  through  in  this  case  was  extremely 
hard,  and  we  were  obliged  to  dig  much  too  wide, 
for  want  of  suitable  tools.  The  average  cost  will 
probably  be  less  i\vaxi  fifty  cents  a  rod. 

By  reference  to   the  plan  it  will  be  observed 


that  the  lateral  drains  are  not  all  at  an  equal 
distance  apart,  or  of  the  same  length.  These 
were  varied  in  length  and  width  according  to  the 
the  condition  of  the  ground,  being  brought  near- 
er or  made  to  penetrate  the  hill  farther,  wherever 
there  were  indications  of  a  superabundance  of 
water. 

The  experiment,  so  far,  affords  us  the  highest 
gratification.  Some  of  the  advantages  gained 
are,  that  the  season  on  that  land  is  lengthened 
some  two  to  four  weeks, — that  it  can  be  cultiva- 
ted with  more  facility  and  comfort  and  at  much 
less  cost,  and  that  it  is  capable  of  producing 
much  larger  crops  at  the  same  expense  than  be- 
fore, and  consequently  will  give  a  greater  net 
profit. 

For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
ELECTBICAL  PHENOMEIfA. 

At  the  coming  up  of  the  shower  on  Friday 
last,  about  2  o'clock,  P.  M.,  the  barn  of  Mr.  Phil- 
lips, of  Swampscot,  containing  fifty  or  more  tons 
of  hay,  was  set  on  fire  by  lightning  and  entirely 
burned.  I  have  often  heard  it  said,  that  barns 
filled  with  new  nioicn  hay  are  more  liable  to  be 
fired  by  lightning  than  at  any  other  time,  or  than 
any  other  buildings.  If  this  be  so,  there  must  be 
a  reason  for  it.  Can  you,  Mr.  Editor,  give  us  any 
information  on  this  matter  ? 

I  noticed  the  cloud  on  Friday,  as  it  rose  at  the 
north,  and  moved  terrifically  on  to  the  south ; 
and  just  as  it  appeared  overhead,  it  was  met  by 
another  cloud  from  the  west.  At  this  junction 
the  crashing  of  the  thunder  was  tremendous. 
This  was  before  the  rain  commenced  ;  and  so  was 
the  firing  of  the  barn.  About  the  same  time  a 
man  was  killed  two  miles  north  of  us,  and  anoth- 
er was  paralyzed,  about  one  mile  to  the  east.  I 
remember  the  first  fire  caused  by  lightning  I  ever 
knew,  was  the  barn  of  Dr.  Amos  Putnam,  of  Dan- 
vers,  when  I  was  at  school.  I  was  so  much 
frightened  by  this  event,  that  I  have  taken  par- 
ticular notice,  when  barns  are  burned  by  light- 
ning, ever  since.  If  it  be  true  that  conductors 
can  be  so  placed  on  buildings  as  to  protect  them  ; 
and  that  the  barns  of  farmers,  after  their  hay  is 
gathered  in,  are  specially  liable  to  be  burned,  it 
behoves  them  to  be  on  their  guard.  So  little  is 
known  of  the  laws  by  which  lightning  is  regulat- 
ed, that  all  facts  carefully  observed,  connected 
therewith,  are  worthy  to  be  recorded.  P. 

South  Danvcrs,  Aug.  9,  1858. 


Remarks. — We  prefer  to  leave  the  question 
propounded  by  friend  P.  to  be  answered  by  those 
possessing  exact  knowledge  of  the  laws  and  na- 
ture of  electricity. 


William  F.  Bassett,  Esq.,  of  Ashfield,  Mass., 
has  presented  us  with  some  fine  Ladies'  Sweet- 
ing Apples,  of  last  year's  growth.  They  retain 
their  plumpness  and  color  admirably,  and  have 
received  no  other  care  than  being  kept  open  in 
the  cellar.^ 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


435 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 

LETTEB  PKOM  MR.  HOLBROOK. 

Abortion  in  Cows— The  Universal  Plow— A  iine  Corn  Field— Su- 
perphosphate of  Lime— Another  field  of  Corn  under  different 
treatment— An  Old  Pasture  Revived— Effects  of  Bone  Dust, 
Guano,  and  Unleacbed  Ashes. 

Mr.  Brown  -.—My  Dear  Sir — I  hoped  to  spend 
a  day  with  you  ere  this,  and  to  have  a  pleasant 
chat  upon  various  topics,  but  one  thing  and 
another  has  come  up  to  prevent.  I  have  several 
interesting  matters  in  reserve,  i6  discuss  with  you 
■when  we  meet  again.  Many  things  present  them- 
selves to  one  of  an  observing  mind,  in  the  course 
of  a  season  upon  the  farm,  which  much  engage 
his  thoughts,  and  about  which  he  likes  to  talk 
with  a  friend  who  feels  an  interest  in  them  kin- 
dred with  his  own.  I  often  think  how  much  we 
should  enjoy,  if  we  could  easily  and  frequently 
meet  together,  and  canvass  the  various  subjects 
of  agriculture  which  our  meeting  would  of  itself 
naturally  bring  up.  You  doubtless  remember 
how  unconsciously  we  have  neared  the  midnight 
houi",  on  those  occasions  when  we  have  sat  down 
•together  for  an  evening's  agricultural  talk.  _  If 
one  could  only  write  on  these  subjects,  by  him- 
self, half  as  well  as  he  can  talk  them,  prompted 
and  excited  by  conversation  with  a  friend,  there 
might  be  something  done.  But  although  these 
occasional  social  meetings,-  when  we  live  down 
months  in  moments,  have  an  important  after  in- 
fluence in  directing  and  shaping  our  views  and 
thoughts,  they  also  have  aspects  of  a  nature  too 
etherial  and  exalted  to  be  long  detained  in  this 
dusty  life  of  ours. 

Among  our  topics  when  I  was  last  at  your 
house  at  Concord,  I  remember  was  that  of  Farm 
Stock,  and  the  difficulty  that  has  appeared  among 
the  cows  in  your  locality,  where  numbers  of  them 
are  kept  together.  I  afterwards  received  a  polite 
invitation  from  the  Secretary  of  your  Farmers' 
Club,  to  be  present  at  a  meeting  of  the  club, 
when  this  matter  would  come  up  for  discussion ; 
but  much  to  my  regret,  I  could  not  comply  with 
the  invitation.  Have  you  found  the  cause  of  the 
difficulty  ;  and  if  so,  why  not  publish  a  statement 
about  it  in  the  Farmer "? 

I  presume  you  used  the  Universal  Plow  upon 
your  farm  again  last  spring,  and  lent  it  to  some 
of  your  neighbors  to  try  ;  and  I  hope  it  worked 
as  satisfactorily  as  at  our  trial  of  it  at  your  place 
last  fall.  Several  persons  in  this  section  have 
used  the  plow,  changing  it  variously  for  stubble, 
lap  and  flat  furrow,  sod,  and  sod  and  subsoil 
plowing,  and  are  well  pleased  with  it.  It  was  a 
long  and  perplexing  study  to  originate  and  com- 
bine in  a  simple  way  the  various  parts  of  this  in- 
strument, but  there  is  a  wide  variety  and  a  qual- 
ity of  plowing  to  be  got  out  of  it,  which  I  ti'ust 
will  suit  the  farmers,  and  prove  an  economical 
convenience  for  them. 

I  have  been  rambling  to-day  among  the  fields, 
and  have  found  some  things  which  interest  me 
so  much  that  I  will  mention  them  to  you.  I  first 
looked  at  a  field  of  corn  belonging  to  my  friend, 
Richards  Bradley,  Esq.  It  is  a  remarkable 
and  interesting  sight,  especially  considering  the 
condition  of  the  land  a  year  ago,  and  the  contrast 
between  its  present  product  and  that  of  the  sur- 
rounding unimproved  land.  Mr.  Bradley  pur- 
chased quite  a  tract  of  land  last  year,  in  very  low 
condition,    but  naturally  of  a  good  loam  soil, 


which  he  intends  to  improve  for  tillage  purposes. 
Certainly,  judging  from  the  success  of  this  first 
efi"ort,  the  whole  tract  will  in  a  few  years  be  made 
to  "blossom  as  the  rose." 

This  corn-field  consists  of  between  three  and 
four  acres  of  the  poorest  part  of  the  land  pur- 
chased. It  had  formerly  been  much  reduced  in 
fertility  by  shallow  plowing  and  severe  cropping 
with  rye  and  other  grain,  and  for  a  few  years 
past  was  allowed  to. lie  in  pasture,  and  had  cov- 
ered itself  with  a  light  sward  of  grass  and  moss, 
interspersed  with  sweet  fern,  scattering  shrub- 
pines  and  other  bushes.  Last  November  the  land 
was  broken  up,  nine  inches  deep,  with  the  Uni- 
versal Plow  rigged  in  sod  and  subsoil  fashion, 
and  drawn  by  four  cattle, — the  plowing  being 
handsomely  executed  and  all  the  vegetable  growth 
well  buried.  In  the  spring  the  field  was  dressed 
with  twenty-five  two  horse  loads,  or  about  four- 
teen cords,  of  stable  manure  to  the  acre,  which 
was  spread  broadcast  and  turned  under  from 
four  to  five  inches  deep,  with  a  light  steel  plow, 
so  sharp  on  its  cutting  edges  as  to  shave  off'  a 
thin  furrow  without  pulling  up  the  sod  that  had 
been  buried  in  the  fall.  The  ground  was  then 
lightly  harrowed,  and  marked  out  in  rows  one 
way,  three  and  a  half  feet  apart,  and  the  hills 
were  made  two  and  a  half  feet  apart  in  the  rows. 

About  a  common  table-spoonful  of  superphos- 
phate of  lime  was  placed  in  each  hill,  and  the 
corn  was  dropped  directly  upon  and  in  contact 
with  it.  A  few  rows,  however,  were  planted  with- 
out superphosphate,  and  a  few  others  had  as 
much  as  a  single  handful  of  it  applied  to  each 
hill,  by  way  of  experiment.  The  corn  generally 
came  up  well,  and  has  grown  with  remarkable 
rapidity  ever  since.  The  ears  stand  thickly,  and 
the  stalks  have  a  deep  green  and  healthy  appear- 
ance. There  has  been  no  drought,  high  wind  nor 
storm  as  yet  to  injure  the  corn,  and  there  is  every 
prospect  now  that  the  yield  of  corn  and  of  fodder 
will  be  quite  large, — sufficient  to  more  than  pay 
for  all  that  has  been  done  to  the  land,  leaving  it 
in  a  highly  improved  condition  for  succeeding 
crops.  The  best  corn  is  where  a  spoonful  of  su- 
perphosphate was  applied  in  the  hill ;  the  poor- 
est is  where  none  was  used ;  and  where  a  hand- 
ful was  applied,  the  corn  that  came  up  and  sur- 
vived is  now  stout  and  good,  but  so  large  a  dose 
of  the  fertilizer  rather  prevented  the  corn  from 
coming  up  as  evenly  and  well  as  where  a  less 
quantity  was  applied  ;  and  the  large  dose  some- 
what injured  the  young,  delicate  roots  of  the  corn, 
and  considerably  retarded  its  growth  for  several 
weeks. 

The  land  had  heretofore  been  plowed  only 
about  four  to  five  inches  deep,  and  had  been  se- 
verely taxed  to  that  depth.  Last  November  it 
was  broken  up  about  twice  as  deep  as  ever  be- 
fore, which  brought  up  four  or  five  inches  of  soil 
to  cultivation  that  had  never  seen  daylight,  and 
which  seems  to  operate  upon  the  corn  like  fresh 
soil.  The  plowed  land  changed  color  very  per- 
ceptibly soon  after  it  was  turned  up,  and  before 
winter  set  in  it  was  of  a  darker  hue,  by  several 
shades,  than  when  first  plowed. 

My  walk  next  brought  me  to  one  of  my  own 
corn-fields,  which  I  have  been  observing  pretty 
closely  all  summer.  The  land  was  heavily  ma- 
nured this  season,  with  fine  rotten  compost, 
which  was  plowed  under  the  turf,  say  about  sev- 


436 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Sept. 


en  inches  deep.  It  has  been  my  usual  custom, 
when  using  compost  manure  upon  sod  land,  for 
corn,  to  first  plow  the  land  from  seven  to  ten 
inches  deep,  according  to  its  qualities,  and  then 
spread  the  compost  upon  the  plowed  land  and 
harrow  and  lightly  plow  it  in,  so  as  to  cover  it 
three  or  four  inches  deep.  The  manure  thus 
treated  has  always  made  a  heavy  crop  of  corn 
and  fodder,  and  nothing  has  been  needed  in  the 
hill  to  bring  the  crop  forward  early,  for  the  roots 
very  soon  struck  through  the  mellow  seed-bed 
into  the  manure,  so  as  to  give  the  corn  a  rapid 
growth.  This  year,  however,  I  thought  I  would 
try  one  field  of  corn  more,  with  the  compost 
turned  under  the  sod. 

The  corn  stands  quite  even,  and  is  of  pretty 
good  color  and  size,  but  backward,  and  lacks  that 
great  stout  growth  my  fields  usually  show  at  this 
season  of  the  year.  It  may  in  the  end  come  up 
to  a  favorable  comparison  with  previous  crops, 
where  the  manure  was  kept  nearer  the  surface, 
but  I  have  my  doubts  about  it.  The  compost  be- 
ing akeady  fermented  and  rotten,  it  lies  too  dead 
and  inactive  at  the  bottom  of  the  furrow  and  un- 
der the  sod.  Perhaps  when  it  is  turned  up  to 
the  surface  again,  for  succeeding  crops,  it  will 
make  a  satisfactory  mark  upon  them  ;  but  I  fear 
it  is  one  year  too  late  to  suit  me  exactly.  Coarse 
unfermented  manure  would  have  done  better  un- 
der the  turf;  or  if  the  land  had  been  stubble  in- 
stead of  green  sward,  the  compost  would  have 
done  better  plowed  in  seven  inches  deep.  From 
experiments  I  had  tried  years  ago,  I  felt  pretty 
sure  I  knew  about  this  matter  of  burying  fine 
manure  under  the  turf,  but  still  I  tried  it  again, 
with  something  of  the  spirit  a  friend  once  mani- 
fested when  I  was  looking  over  his  farm  with 
him.  He  was  quite  as  particular  to  show  me  all 
the  failures,  as  the  successes  in  his  farming,  re- 
marking— "I  tried  this  or  that  so,  because  I  want 
to  know  what  wont  do  as  well  as  what  will." 

I  next  visited  a  tract  of  upland  pasture,  in 
which  is  a  piece  of  twelve  acres,  that  four  years 
since  was  the  poorest  part  of  the  whole,  and  was 
plowed  up  and  re-seeded  at  once  to  grass.  You 
may  remember  that  I  mentioned  this  piece  of 
land  in  a  communication  to  the  Fanner,  two 
years  ago  this  present  month.  The  land  was  cov- 
ered with  a  sward  of  moss  and  feeble  grasses, 
with  bushes  and  shrubs  of  various  sorts,  the  larg- 
est of  which  were  pulled  up  with  the  oxen,  root 
and  branch,  and  hauled  off  the  field  and  burned. 
In  the  month  of  August  the  land  was  broken  up 
about  six  inches  deep,  with  a  large  plow  drawn 
by  two  yokes  of  oxen,  and  much  pains  was  taken 
to  lay  the  sward  over  smooth  and  flat,  so  as  to 
bury  the  old  vegetation,  and  make  a  good  clean 
surface  for  the  new  seeding.  A  part  of  the  field 
was  then  dressed  with  400  lbs.  of  bone  dust  per 
acre,  a  part  with  300  lbs.  of  Peruvian  guano,  and 
the  balance  with  twenty  bushels  of  unleached 
ashes  to  the  acre,  and  the  land  harrowed  length- 
wise and  across  tlie  furrows.  Twelve  quarts  of 
herds  grass  and  one  bushel  of  red-top  seed,  to- 
gether with  about  one  bushel  of  winter  rye,  were 
then  sown  on  each  acre,  and  the  land  lightly  har- 
rowed, and  smoothed  down  with  the  roller.  The 
rye  was  fed  off"  by  the  cows,  while  the  young 
grass  was  getting  root,  and  was  not  allowed  to 
mature  into  a  grain  crop. 

The  new  seeding  came  up  well,  and  has  everj 


since  aff"orded  excellent  pasturage.  The  grass  to- 
day stands  thick  and  strong,  and  has  a  life  and 
vigor  about  it  not  possessed  by  that  on  the  sur- 
rounding old  swards.  There  is  apparently  little 
or  no  difference  in  the  beneficial  eff"ects  of  the 
ashes  and  the  bone  dust.  The  grass  on  that  por- 
tion of  the  field  where  the  guano  was  applied  is 
good,  but  not  quite  so  thick  and  strong  as  where 
the  ashes  and  the  bone  were  used.  The  cows 
visit  the  field  daily,  keeping  the  grass  down  very 
close  and  smooth,  and  apparently  preferring  it  to 
any  other  feed  in  the  entire  range  of  pasture. 
The  contrast  is  quite  marked  between  the  green 
and  luxuriant  grass  of  this  field,  and  the  brown 
and  dingy  vegetation  of  the  adjoining  lands ;  so 
great,  indeed,  as  to  leave  no  doubt  in  the  mind 
of  the  observer  that  it  will  be  best  to  plow  up  the 
remainder  of  the  tract  and  seed  it  anew. 

I  wish  that  persons  who  have  tolerably  smooth 
old  pasture  lands,  where  the  grass  is  feeble  and 
poor  and  needs  renewing,  might  try  the  eft'ects 
of  plowing  up  and  re-seeding  at  least  an  acre  or 
two.  The  work  should  be  done  in  August,  or 
quite  early  in  September,  turning  the  sod  over 
just  as  nicely  as  it  can  be  done.  If  a  light  dress- 
ing of  ashes  or  some  other  concentrated  fertili- 
zer can  be  had,  that  will  help  the  young  grass  to 
come  up  well.  Even  ten  bushels  of  unleached 
ashes  to  the  acre  would  shoAV  good  eflfects  ;  and 
so  would  a  mixture  of  say  five  bushels  of  ashes 
with  two  or  three  hundred  weight  of  plaster  to 
the  acre.  But  even  without  these  applications, 
the  pasture  will  be  improved  by  plowing  and  re- 
seeding.  The  old  bound  out  sward  of  moss  and 
grasses  of  inferior  quality,  the  sweet  fern  and 
other  small  bushes,  and  the  cattle  droppings,  be- 
ing turned  smoothly  under,  decompose  gradually 
and  give  nourishment  to  the  better  grasses  of  the 
new  seeding.  In  no  case,  however,  should  a  crop 
of  grain  be  taken  off",  unless  the  land  has  been 
fully  compensated  by  the  application  of  some  fer- 
tilizer to  it,  for  the  grain  would  tax  the  land  too 
much,  and  bring  in  moss  and  other  poor  herbage, 
thus  preventing  all  improvement. 

AVell,  my  friend,  this  has  become  a  long  story 
of  mine,  but  if  you  will  just  come  and  take  a 
tramp  round  the  fields  here  with  me,  I  will  show 
you  a  great  deal  more  than  I  can  communicate 
by  writing. 

Braltlehoro' ,  Aug.  2,  1858. 


Remarks. — Thank  you,  for  the  invitation,  but 
we  must  take  our  "tramp"  in  another  direction 
at  present. 

The  "Concord  Farmers'  Club"  has  never  found 
any  satisfactory  cause  for  the  abortion  in  cows 
which  prevails  to  such  an  extent  in  that  vicinity. 
One  farmer  in  Concord  told  us  he  would  pay 
$200  a  year  as  a  guaranty  against  that  disease. 
We  have  known  30  cases  in  a  single  i>eighbor- 
hood  during  one  spring  season.  It  seems  to  oc- 
cur equally  among  cows  fed  and  stabled  in  all  the 
usual  ways — so  that  it  is  not  confined  to  cows  fed 
with  oat  meal,  corn  meal,  shorts,  roots,  or  on  hay 
alone,  or  tied  with  chains,  bows  or  stanchions — 
it  occurs  among  them  all,  and  is  one  of  our  great- 
est hindrances  to  profitable  farming.  vVho  can 
solve  the  knotty  question  ? 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


437 


We  have  used  the  Universal  Plow,  and  so  have 
our  neighbors,  with  great  gratification  and  profit. 
Mr.  Wood,  who  was  present  at  the  trial  with 
you,  recently  plowed  two  acres  of  old  sward  land 
immediately  after  it  was  mowed,  with  the  skim 
plow  affixed,  and  we  believe  we  are  entirely  with- 
ki  bounds  in  saying  that  not  a  single  peck  of 
grass  could  have  been  gathered  on  the  whole  two 
acres  after  it  was  plowed.  Every  thing  green 
was  covered,  and  the  furrows  were  so  minutely 
cracked  or  broken  that  no  harrowing  was  needed 
to  put  in  a  crop  of  rata  bagas ;  it  was  furrowed 
out,  manured  in  the  furrows,  seeded  and  covered 
with  great  ease  and  convenience,  without  the  use 
of  the  harrow. 


For  the  New  En;^land  Farmer. 
SALTING  HAY— MAKSH  HAY. 

Mr.  Editor: — In  a  catching  season  like  the 

f)resent  it  is  with  difficulty  that  farmers  can  safe- 
y  secure  their  hay.  I  can  scarcely  get  two  whole 
days  of  good  hay  weather,  consequently  I  am  of- 
ten obliged  to  get  it  in  before  it  is  fully  made, 
or  run  the  risk  of  another  storm  ;  and  am  under 
the  necessity  of  using  more  or  less  salt. 

A  difference  in  opinion  prevails  as  to  the 
amount  of  salt  to  be  used,  as  regards  the  health, 
and  thrift,  of  our  cattle.  Some  object  to  as  much 
as  6  or  8  quarts  to'  a  ton,  because,  they  say,  if  an 
animal  should  have  access  to  salt,  he  would  not 
devour  as  much  while  eating  a  ton  of  hay,  and  if 
he  is  obliged  to  take  more  than  his  appetite 
would  crave,  it  does  him  injury. 

In  the  eastern  part  of  Essex  county  a  large 
amount  of  salt  hay  is  used  ;  some  farmers  keep 
their  young  stock  and  oxen  that  don't  work  hard, 
almost  exclusively  on  salt  hay,  and  if  they  are 
well  attended  to,  they  generally  thrive  and  appear 
to  be  in  perfect  health.  There  is  a  difference  in 
the  amount  of  salt  contained  in  a  ton  of  salt  hay ; 
that  which  grows  on  very  low  meadow,  and  re- 
mote from  fresh  water  streams,  being  more  salt 
than  that  from  higher  meadow,  and  perhaps  near 
the  mouth  of  a  river.  If  it  is  cut  after  a  high  run 
of  tides,  before  any  rain  has  fallen  to  wash  the 
salt  from  the  grass,  and  secured  without  rain,  it 
is  more  salt  than  that  which  has  been  washed 
either  before  or  after  it  is  cut. 

Can  any  one  tell  how  much  salt  it  would  take 
to  make  a  ton  of  English  or  fresh  meadow  hay, 
as  salt  as  salt  hay  from  low  marsh,  secured  with- 
out rain  ?  I  think  myself  it  would  be  more  than 
8,  10,  or  12  quarts  per  ton ;  and  still,  on  this 
very  salt  fodder,  cattle  thrive  and  appear  to  be 
iu  perfect  health,  as  indicated  by  their  glossy 
coat,  bright  eye,  and  active  movements. 

Hay-Maker. 

Newhuryport,  Aug.  10,  1858. 


The  Horticulturist  for  August  is  a  capital 
number.  The  leading  article  by  the  Editor,  J. 
Jat  Smith,  is  racy  and  reasonable.  The  illus- 
trations are  pleasant,  and  the  articles  various  and 
practical — the  one  on  Roots,  discussing  the  roots 
«f  plants,  is   excellent.     We  are  plesi-^cd  to  see 


occasional  articles  from  our  southern  friends  in 
this  popular  journal.  Published  by  Saxton,  25 
Park  Row,  New  York. 


LETTER  FBOM  MR.  BROWN". 

Francestown,  N.  H.,  Aug.  10,  1858. 

Dear  Sir  : — My  last  letter  was  dated  on  the 
flat  lands  of  Plymouth  county,  Mass.,  on  the 
shores  of  Buzzard's  Bay  ;  now  I  date  from  one 
of  the  most  romantic  spots  that  New  England  af- 
fords. The  sun  is  just  rising,  lighting  up  the 
whole  eastern  horizon,  and  every  hill  top  that 
lifts  its  head  between  me  and  the  Atlantic  coast. 
A  vast  basin  lies  before  me,  presenting  an  appa- 
rent confusion  of  rocks,  hills,  valleys,  forests  and 
ponds,  but  upon  travelling  through  it,  is  found 
to  be  threaded  with  excellent  roads,  with  sweet 
and  fertilizing  streams,  and  checkered  with  pro- 
ductive farms,  the  abodes  of  intelligent  and  in- 
dustrious free-holders.  This  town  was  the  birth- 
place of  the  late  Hon.  Levi  Woodbury,  Secre- 
tary of  the  Treasury  during  the  administration 
of  Mr.  Polk,  and  one  of  the  Judges  of  the  U.  S. 
Supreme  Court  at  the  time  of  his  decease.  His 
father  died  here  in  1823,  at  the  advanced  age  of 
85.  He  was  an  active  soldier  in  the  old  French 
war,  and  was  engaged  by  the  side  of  Gen.  Wolfe 
when  he  was  killed  at  the  memorable  siege  Oi 
Quebec.  He  was  one  of  the  truly  invincible  rart- 
gers  under  the  immortal  Stark,  and  discharged 
every  duty  in  a  prompt  and  courageous  manner. 
This  town  was  also  the  scene  of  some  serious  In- 
dian troubles.  A  story  is  told  of  one  Richard 
Batten,  who  was  captured  by  them  in  the  year 
1757.  Although  guarded  by  two  warriors,  by  his 
wonderful  strength  and  agility  he  effected  his 
escape,  but  not  without  the  loss  of  all  his  clothes. 
He  wandered  entirely  naked  between  the  lakes 
George  and  Champlain  for  six  days,  eating  noth- 
ing but  berries  and  bark,  and  swam  the  Hudson 
river  three  times,  in  order  the  more  effectually  to 
elude  his  pursuers. 

There  is  here  an  extensive  and  valuable  quarry 
of  freestone,  which  used  to  be  transported  to 
Boston  in  large  quantities.  In  the  north  part  of 
the  town  black  lead  is  found  of  a  good  quality. 
But  what  sound  is  that !  The  tramp  of  horses 
and  the  rattling  of  stage  wheels  !  Familiar  once 
as  household  words,  and  still  familiar  here,  where 
the  shrill  note  of  the  locomotive  whistle  has  never 
yet  echoed  among  the  hills.  Ten,  twelve,  fifteen 
miles  to  the  nearest  station  !  How  do  the  people 
get  out  to  mingle  with  the  great  w^orld !  By 
stages,  sir,  and  by  means  of  their  light  vehicles 
and  hardy  horses  that  are  bred  upon  the  hills. 
Why,  the  terms  used  "On  Change,"  or  on  the 
Court  side  of  "Washington  Street,"  are  almost 
as  familiar  here  as  there  own  vernacular  language, 
while  ample  hoops  distend   skirts  of  the  finest 


438 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Sept. 


fabric,  or  high  heels  set  fair  damsels  a  tiptoe  in 
everj'  lovely  vale  or  on  every  breezy  hill  I  have 
visited.  You  cannot  hem  in  a  true  Yankee,  body 
or  soul,  or  draw  a  cordon  thick  and  strong 
enough  to  keep  the  fashions  away  from  a  young 
Yankee  girl  whose  pulses  are  beating  with  health 
and  joy — bless  her  heart — among  these  healthful 
and  inspiring  hills.  When  you  come  into  this  re- 
gion, you  will  find  a  touch  of  the  modern  in  every 
thing,  whether  railroads  traverse  it  or  not.  The 
same  animics  that  moves  the  modes  and  styles  on 
the  pavements,  inspires  the  same  nature  in  this 
world  among  the  clouds — so  that  you  not  only 
find  a  pleasant  elegance  in  the  sitting-room  and 
parlor,  and  often  in  the  architectural  taste  mani- 
fested in  the  fonstruction  of  new  buildings,  but 
a  suavity  of  manner  and  a  refinement  of  feeling, 
not  often  surpassed  in  any  New  England  society. 
The  stage  we  passed  to-day  had  eighteen  passeii- 
gers  on  and  in  it,  beside  the  driver,  and  a  world 
of  baggage,  probably  just  from  some  fashionable 
resort  on  the  sea-shore,  Hampton,  Cohasset  or 
Nahant !  What  power  could  keep  these  "free  and 
independent"  people  in,  is  a  question  more  perti- 
nent than  to  ask  how  they  get  out. 

But  my  good  steed  is  at  the  door  ;  the  hot  cof- 
fee, corn  bread  and  sweet  butter  have  received 
due  attention,  and  I  must  now  be  on  the  road 
again.  Old  Monadnock  and  the  White  Mountain 
range  are  in  view,  as  we  snuff  the  cool  mountain 
air,  and  slowly  creep  down  "Cork  Hill,"  and  ap- 
proach the  sources  of  the  ancient  Piscataquog, 
where  the  Indian  once  threw  his  spear,  and  built 
his  forest  fire. 

Before  closing  this  sheet,  I  cannot  forbear  to 
speak  of  the  excellent  roads  which  I  travel  over 
in  every  part  of  this  State.  I  have  not  found 
their  equal  in  any  part  of  Massachusetts,  for  an 
equal  extent.  On  inquiring  of  Capt.  Josiah 
Stone,  of  Hancock,  how  they  managed  them,  he 
said  that  as  early  in  April  as  the  condition  of  the 
roads  would  permit,  they  pass  over  them  with  a 
heavy  harrow,  stirring  the  gravel  as  deep  as  they 
can  make  the  teeth  of  the  harrow  penetrate.  A 
slight  filling  up  of  the  low  places,  and  a  rolling 
finishes  the  work,  and  the  result  is  the  finest 
country  roads  we  have  ever  travelled  over. 

Very  truly  yours,     SiMON  Brown. 

Joel  Nourse,  Esq.,  Boston. 

Franklin  County  Fair,  Vt. — We  learn  with 
pleasure  that  Col.  Daniel  Needham,  of  Hart- 
ford, Vt.,  win  deliver  the  annual  address  before 
the  Franldin  County  Agricidttiral  Society  of 
that  State,  at  St.  Albans,  on  the  thirtieth  of 
September  next.  The  Col.  is  a  practical,  as  well 
as  an  educated  man,  and  he  will  prepare  an  ad- 
dress that  will  be  profitable  to  those  who  give 
their  attention  to  it. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
MATTEBS  IN  IO"V^A. 

I  wish  all  discontented  New  England  farmers 
could  be  out  West  this  summer.  It  would  teach 
them  a  lesson  which  they  very  much  need  to 
learn,  viz.,  to  stop  croaking.  Of  all  the  hard, 
dull,  blue  times  I  ever  knew  in  Massachusetts, 
the  present  times  in  Iowa  are  the  bluest.  Prop- 
erty of  all  kinds,  except  money,  has  depreciated 
from  one-third  to  one-half  its  estimated  value 
one  year  ago.  There  is  not  half  so  much  money 
in  circulation  as  there  was  a  year  ago.  The  crop 
of  wheat  and  oats,  in  a  large  part  of  the  State,  is 
less  than  half  of  last  year  ;  and  in  many  instan- 
ces will  not  pay  for  harvesting.  My  nearest 
neighbor  has  sold  his  wheat  in  the  field  for  the 
seed ;  i.  e.,  as  many  bushels  as  he  sowed.  An- 
other neighbor  does  not  consider  his  worth  cut- 
ting. The  season  has  been  very  wet,  more  so 
than  was  ever  known  before.  Weeds  and  vines 
are  rank  enough  ;  corn  and  potatoes  doubtful,  as 
yet.  Moreover,  almost  everybody  is  in  debt,  and, 
like  a  fly  in  molasses,  can't  get  out.  The  harder 
one  tries,  the  worse  off  he  becomes.  Borrowing 
money  only  sinks  him  in  deeper  trouble  ;  for  in- 
terest is  high,  and  property  is  stationary  or 
still  depreciating.  Many  will  be  obliged  to  give 
up  their  farms,  one-half  and  two-thirds  paid  for, 
to  cancel  the  balance. 

The  prospect  for  another  year  is  dark  enough. 
Immigration  from  the  East  has  been  less  than 
usual,  and  few  improvements  are  being  made. 
We  have  enough  to  eat  for  some  time  to  come. 
And  so  have  the  farmers  of  Massachusetts  ;  and 
in  addition  to  that,  they  have  many  other  comforts 
and  conveniences  which  cannot  be  had  here. 

Nevertheless,  as  Mrs.  Hemans  has  beautifully 
sung : — 

"The  gloomiest  soul  is  not  all  gloom  ; 

The  saddest  heart  is  not  all  sadness ; 
And  sweetly  o'er  the  darkest  doom, 

There  shines  some  lingering  beam  of  gladness." 

There  must,  it  would  seem,  some  good  grow 
out  of  all  this  evil  and  trial.  It  will  curtail  some 
of  the  reckless  speculation  which  has  raged  for 
years  past.  It  will  show  men  the  folly  of  run- 
ning in  debt  so  much,  and  the  advantages  of  the 
cash  system.  Men  are  too  eager  to  be  rich  and 
independent  of  labor  ;  too  much  bent  upon  their 
own  gratification  and  self-will ;  too  impatient  of 
the  restraints  of  morality  and  religion.  All  this 
needs  a  powerful  check,  and  the  hard  times 
would  have  been  of  but  little  benefit,  if  they  had 
passed  away  as  soon  as  men  wished  and  proph- 
esied. The  medicine  will  not  only  be  more  bit- 
ter another  year,  but  will  effect  a  more  thorough 
cure.  Prosperity  will  doubtless  return  again, 
sometime,  but  not  speedily ;  and  herein.  Gov. 
Seward,  who  foretold  a  recovery  as  rapid  as  the 
depression,  has  proved  himself  a  mistaken  proph- 
et. 

Yet  some  of  our  people  have  been  so  profound- 
ly beguiled,  that  they  are  not  yet  awake  to  the 
stern  reality.  A  man  who  came  from  New  Eng- 
land some  twenty  years  ago,  told  me,  lately,  that 
he  did  not  believe  he  could  get  a  living  on  one 
of  the  best  farms  around  Boston.  I  replied  that 
if  I  owned  one  of  them,  and  was  on  it,  I  would  try. 
If  I  owned  only  a  very  ordinary  farm  in  any  heal- 
thy, respectable  locality  in  ^Massachusetts,  I  would 
not  so  far  sih'render  niv  ?ood  sense  to  mere  im- 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


439 


agination,  as  to  leave  it,  m  the  hope  of  bettering 
my  condition  by  removing  to  Iowa,  or  any  other 
place  west  of  the  Mississippi.  And  I  consider 
Iowa  as  good  a  State  as  any  other  out  of  New 
England.  It  is  certainly  a  healthy  place  where  I 
am  located.  I  have  been  here  nearly  three  years, 
and  in  my  capacity  as  the  minister  of  more  than 
an  average  congregation,  have  been  called  to  at- 
tend but  a  single  funeral,  and  that  of  an  infant, 
for  more  than  fourteen  months ;  and  of  but  a 
single  adult  during  the  whole  three  years. 

My  wife  suggests  that  I  shall  be  considered 
homesick,  from  my  letter.  I  confess  to  a  little 
of  it ;  especially  since  the  citizens  of  the  county 
seat  of  Cedar,  under  the  combined  influence  of 
the  hard  times,  high  taxes,  party  spirit,  and  igno- 
rance of  their  own  best  interests,  have  just  voted 
down  a  flourishing  union  school  founded  on  the 
free  school  system  lately  adopted  in  this  State. 
If  the  question  should  be  asked,  whether  this 
type  of  sickness  is  not  somewhat  prevalent,  just 
now,  in  our  otherwise  healthy  State,  truth  would 
probably  compel  us  to  admit  it.  M.  K.  c. 

Tipton,  loica,  July  30,  1858. 

Remakks. — We  regret  to  hear  so  unfavorable 
accounts  of  matters  in  the  West,  and  sincerely 
hope  our  friend's  forebodings  will  be  brightened 
by  a  good  many  gleams  of  sunshine  which  he 
cannot  now  anticipate.  He  will  accept  our  thanks 
for  the  records  of  events  in  the  West  which  he 
has  been  so  kind  as  to  frequently  send  us. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
LETTEK  FKOM  A  TKAVELLEK. 

Danvers,  Aug.  3,  1858. 
Dear  Brown:  —  As  I  am  roving  about  New 
England,  I  hardly  know  how  I  can  better  employ 
my  time  than  in  giving  you  a  few  of  my  experi- 
ences. My  last  letter  was  written  at  Chester. 
From  that  steady,  unexcitable  old  place,  the 
judge  and  your  humble  servant  put  out  for  Exe- 
ter, the  day  following  that  writing,  where  I  re- 
mained until  yesterday  morning,  when  we  took 
the  cars — the  judge  and  I — at  half-past  six,  and 
arrived  here — at  the  hospitable  head-quarters  of 
Major  General  William  Sutton — between  9  and 
10,  A.  M.,  where  we  met 

"A  more  than  Highland  welcome." 

Prior  to  dining,  the  General  took  us  to  the  Pea- 
body  Institute,  where  we  spent  the  best  part  of 
an  hour  in  examining  the  interesting  matters  in 
that  monument  of  liberality,  which  was  erected 
by  George  Peabody,  of  London,  as  a  token  of  his 
love  and  veneration  for  his  native  town.  It  con- 
tains a  fine  library,  many  curiosities  of  literature, 
such  as  autographs,  autograph  letters,  &c.,  and 
other  things  which  I  cannot  stop  to  particularize. 
Its  lecture  hall  is  one  of  the  best  arranged  rooms 
I  have  ever  seen,  and  capable  of  seating  between 
1500  and  2000  people  comfortably.  The  build- 
ing itself  is  plain,  but  handsome  and  substantial- 
ly built,  brick,  enclosed  in  a  handsome  and  dura- 
ble iron  fence.  It  is  an  honor  to  the  town  and 
the  generous  donor. 

From  thence  we  went  to  "Harmony  Grove" 
cemetery  ;  a  very  beautiful  home  for  the  dead, 
containing  some  forty  acres  of  hill  and  dale,  hand- 


somely laid  ov.t,  in  which  are  some  very  hand- 
some monuments,  enclosures,  &c.  There  is  no 
more  consoling  observation  for  a  living  man  than 
the  one  that  cannot  but  be  made,  in  these  times, 
by  every  one,  of  the  vast  stride  that  has  been 
made  within  the  past  twenty  years  toward  a  care 
by  the  living  for  a  resting-place  for  the  dead, 
that  shall  carry  with  it  pleasant  associations. 
Any  one  who  will,  as  I  did,  visit  the  old,  forlorn, 
weed  and  thistle  clad  cemetery  near  the  Salem 
and  Danvers  line,  whose  chief  attraction  is,  that 
there  lie  the  remains  of  Elizabeth  Whitman,  once 
made  famous  among  novel  readers  as  "Eliza 
Wharton,"  and  an  hour  afterward  the  beautiful 
"Harmony  Grove,"  must  be  most  forcibly  struck 
with  the  immense  change  that  has  come  over  the 
public  mind  in  respect  to  this  matter. 

AVe  next  called  at  the  office  of  Mr.  Proctor, 
one  of  your  correspondents,  I  believe ;  but  he 
was  not  in.  He  joined  us,  however,  after  dinner, 
and  accompanied  us  in  our  excursion  over  Gen. 
Sutton's  farm.  As  soon  as  we  had  partaken  of 
dinner  we  started  to  see  the  farm.  We  visited 
the  barns,  tool-houses  and  work-shops  first.  The 
barns  were  filled — shiffed  is  a  more  appropriate 
word — with  hay,  and  all  the  arrangements  about 
them  were  of  the  most  modern  and  approved 
kind ;  but  I  am  not  enough  of  a  farmer  to  ap- 
preciate, perhaps,  all  that  I  saw  there.  I  only 
know  I  was  very  much  interested ;  but  when  I 
came  to  the  tool-house  and  work-shop,  I  confess 
my  admiration.  In  the  former,  there  were  sho- 
vels, spades,  hoes,  rakes,  cultivators,  plows, 
chains,  scythes — indeed,  about  every  tool  neces- 
sary for  the  cultivation  of  the  farm  and  garden, 
ancient  and  modern,  old  and  new,  and  all  ar- 
ranged with  a  method  that  would  do  credit  to 
your  publisher's  agricultural  implement  estab- 
lishment. I  have  seen  a  great  many  tool-houses, 
but  never  one  that  came  within  a  long  distance 
of  Gen.  Sutton's.  Of  the  work-shop  I  could 
judge,  as  I  have  one  of  my  own,  and  should  as 
soon  think  of  getting  along  without  cooking 
utensils  in  my  house,  as  without  a  work-shop 
and  tools.  But,  my  friend  the  General's  placed 
mine  in  total  eclipse  !  With  one  of  his  arrange- 
ments I  was  particularly  struck,  and  shall  assur- 
edly adopt  it.  I  noticed  that  all  his  screws,  small 
nails,  tacks,  rivets,  and  such  small  things,  were 
sorted,  and  each  sort  put  in  a  wide-mouthed 
glass  bottle,  giving  his  shelves  somewhat  the  ap- 
pearance of  an  apothecary's  shop.  It  struck  me 
as  a  capital,  and  most  convenient  arrangement. 
Indeed,  method  and  order  are  impressed  on  eve- 
ry thing  about  the  General's  establishment. 

From  the  buildings  we  proceeded  to  the  farm, 
and  we  were  taken  a  right  good  tramp,  I  assure 
you.  The  General's  farm  contains  some  400 
acres  ;  we  did  not  go  all  over  it,  but  we  saw 
enough  to  convince  us  that  few  farmers  in  old 
Essex  will  house  more  of  the  good  things  that 
the  farm  provides  of  all  kinds  than  our  friend. 
His  corn,  and  potatoes,  and  onions,  and  turnips, 
and  mangols,  and  khol-rabi,  equalled  any  thing 
I  have  ever  seen  on  anybody's  farm.  One  of  his 
mowers  was  upon  the  ground,  which  led  to  a 
conversation  upon  the  subject  of  mowers,  when 
he  told  us  that  he  used  a  yoke  of  oxen,  Avith  a 
horse  on  before  them,  in  mowing  with  his  ma- 
chine, and  found  it  a  very  great  improvement. 
The  General  and  Judge  had  a  regular  talk,  both 


440 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Sept. 


being  farmers,  on  all  sorts  of  farming  matters, 
not  forgetting,  of  course,  tlie  draining  of  land, 
and  we  were  taken  to  that  part  of  the  farm  which 
requires  draining,  and  you  may  expect,  in  the 
course  of  another  season,  to  hear  the  results 
from  the  judge's  pen  of  our  visit  to  that  part  of 
the  farm. 

On  our  arrival  at  the  house  we  found  the  Gen- 
eral's carriage  ready  to  convey  us  to  Mr.  R.  S. 
Fay's  beautifully  romantic  farm  in  Lynn,  where 
we  spent  several  hours  most  pleasantly,  and  with 
much  gratification  and  profit. 

I  have,  however,  written  all  I  can  find  time  to 
write  to-day,  and  will  say  something  particularly 
of  our  visit  to  Mr.  Fay's,  when  I  write  again. 

Adieu.  1\\  haste  yours  ever, 

B.  B.  French. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
THE  HAY  CKOP  <JP  1858. 

Notwithstanding  the  superabundant  burden 
of  grass  grown  upon  the  land,  there  is  good  rea- 
son to  believe  that  the  amount  of  well  cured  hay 
will  fall  much  below  the  average  quantity.  Those 
who  were  on  the  alert,  in  the  first  of  the  season, 
by  the  use  of  mowers,  or  otherwise,  and  got  their 
crops  under  cover,  hit  the  nail  on  the  head.  One- 
half  of  the  time  for  a  month  past  has  been  better 
fitted  to  destroy  than  to  cure  hay.  I  have  seen 
in  the  field,  the  present  season,  the  Heath  ma- 
chine, the  Allen  machine,  the  Ketchum  machine, 
the  Manny  machine,  the  Russell  machine,  the 
Danforth  machine,  with  their  several  alterations 
and  improvements,  and  the  conclusion  of  the 
whole  matter,  in  my  mind  is,  there  still  remains 
much  room  for  further  improvement.  There  is 
so  much  hazarded  in  meddling  with  edge  tools, 
that  I  am  not  prepared  to  express  a  preference 
for  either  of  the  implements  mentioned,  though  I 
think  either  of  them  on  large  farms  of  fifty  acres 
or  more  of  land  to  be  mowed,  is  to  be  preferred 
to  the  scythe.  *. 

August  10,  1858. 

1^^  A  thousand  acts  of  thought,  and  will,  and 
deed,  shape  the  features  and  expression  of  the 
soul — habits  of  love,  and  purity,  and  truth — habits 
of  falsehood,  malice,  and  uncleanness — silently 
mould  and  fashion  it,  till  at  length  it  wears  the 
likeness  of  God,  or  the  image  and  superscription 
otf  the  Evil  One. 


BOYS'  DEPARTMENT. 


THE  LITTLE  STRINGS. 

Did  you  ever  see  a  gutta-percha  face,  children  ? 
And  did  you  ever  amuse  yourself  with  pinching 
it  one  way  and  pulling  it  another,  and  seeing 
what  different  expressions  it  will  put  on  ?  "When 
you  cease  pulling  and  pinching  it,  it  returns  to 
the  same  face  it  was  before. 

Now  your  little  faces  are  softer  than  gutta-per- 
cha, ancl  they  are  full  of  the  little  strings  called 
muscles  ;  and  the  little  muscles  pull  thera  one 
way,  and  pull  them  another,  just  according  to 
your  feelings.  Sometimes  you  feel  grieved  or  sad, 
and  the  little  muscles  pull  your  face  into  a  very 
doleful  expression,  and  we  know  by  looking  at 
yQU  just  how  you  feel.  Sometimes  you  feel  pleased 


or  merry,  and  the  little  muscles  pull  your  faces 
into  smiles  and  dimples. 

But  often  there  are  wicked  passions  at  work  at 
the  strings.  Anger  pulls,  and  O,  what  a  disa- 
greeable look  the  face  puts  on  in  a  minute.  Pride 
pulls  the  strings,  or  vanity,  or  envy,  or  dis- 
content, or  deceit,  and  each  brings  its  own  ex- 
pression over  the  face. 

The  worst  of  it  is,  that  when  these  passions 
pull  very  often  the  face  does  not  return  to  what 
it  was  before,  but  the  muscles  harden  and  retain 
that  ugly  expression.  By  indulging  in  evil  pas- 
sions people  may  work  their  faces  up  into  such 
awful  faces,  that  sometimes  when  you  meet  a  man 
in  the  street  you  can  tell,  just  by  looking  at  his 
face,  what  his  character  is. 

A  face  that  was  very  lovely  when  it  was  that  of 
a  child,  has  had  the  passion  of  anger  pulling  at 
it  so  often  that  it  always  wears  a  sullen,  cross, 
dissatisfied  look.  Or  if  a  man  has  learned  to 
love  to  hoard  up  money  for  its  own  sake,  his  face 
gets  a  mean,  grasping  look,  and  we  say  when  we 
pass  him,  "There  goes  a  miser."  Or  if  he  has 
learned  to  lie  and  steal,  he  cannot  make  his  face 
that  of  a  truthful,  honest  man. 

Now,  dear  children,  do  you  want  to  have  pleas- 
ant faces,  that  every  body  will  love  to  look  at  ? 
Then  donH  let  the  ugly  j^assions  get  hold  of  the 
strings.  Put  them  into  the  hands  of  love  and  char- 
ity and  good-will  and  truth  and  honesty,  and 
then  they  will  be  beautiful  faces. 

I  have  seen  faces  without  a  single  handsome 
feature,  that  were  sweeter  to  look  at  than  the 
most  perefect  features  that  ever  were  formed. 
And  why?  It  was  the  expression.  And  what 
makes  the  expression?  O,  it  all  depends  upoa 
whether  the  bad  passions  or  the  lovely  virtues  get 
hold  of  the  little  strings. — American  Messenger. 


ALPHABET  OP  PROVEBBS. 

A  grain  of  prudence  is  worth  a  pound  of  craft. 

Boasters  are  cousins  to  liars. 

Confession  of  a  fault  makes  half  amends. 

Denying  a  fault  doubles  it. 

Envy  shooteth  at  others  and  wounds  herself. 

Foolish  fear  doubles  danger. 

God  reaches  us  good  things  by  our  hands. 

He  has  hard  work  who  has  nothing  to  do. 

It  costs  more  to  revenge  wrongs  than  to  bea? 
them. 

Knavery  is  the  worst  trade. 

Learning  makes  a  man  fit  company  for  him 
self. 

Modesty  is  a  guard  to  virtue. 

Not  to  hear  conscience  is  the  way  to  silence  iti 

One  hour  to-day  is  worth  two  to-morrow. 

Proud  looks  make  foul  works  in  fair  faces. 

Quiet  conscience  gives  quiet  sleep. 

Richest  is  he  that  wants  least. 

Small  faults  indulged  are  little  thieves  that  let 
in  greater. 

The  boughs  that  bear  most  hang  lowest. 

Upright  walking  is  sure  walking. 

Virture  and  happiness  are  mother  and  daugh- 
ter. 

Wise  men  make  more  opportunities  than  thev 
find. 

You  never  lose  by  doing  a  good  turn. 

Zeal  without  knowledge  is  fire  without  light. 
Yqy,n§  People's  Pockd  Book  for  1858. 


DEVOTED  TO  AGRICULTURE    AND    ITS   KIK"DRED   ARTS  AND    SCIENCES. 


VOL.  X. 


BOSTON,  OCTOBEK,  1858. 


NO.  10. 


JOEL  NOURSE,  Pkoprietok. 
Office. ..13  Comjiercial  St. 


SIMON  BROWN,  EDITOR. 


FRED'K  HOLBROOK,  )  Associate 
HENRY  F.  FRENCH,  \  Editors. 


CALENDAR  FOR  OCTOBER. 

Those  virgin  leaves,  of  purest  vivid  green. 

Which  charmed  ere  yet  they  trembled  on  the  trees, 

Now  cheer  the  sober  landscape  in  decay  ; 

The  Lime  first  fading,  and  the  golden  Birch, 

"With  bark  of  silver  line ;  the  moss-grown  Oak, 

Tenacious  of  its  leaves  of  russet  brown  ; 

The  ensanguined  Dogwood ;  and  a  thousand  tints 

Which  Flora,  dressed  in  all  her  pride  of  bloom, 

Could  scarcely  equal,  decorate  the  groves.  Aiken. 


■<^. 


CTOBER,  like  every 
other  month,  has 
its  peculiar  charac- 
teristics, character- 
istics which,  omit- 
ted, or  changed  for 
those  of  some  oth- 
er month,  October 
ii  would  be  October 
no  longer.  "The 
?  month  that  we 
'  have  just  left  be- 
hind us  was  made 
up,  for  the  most 
part,  by  consum- 
mations ;  the  promises  of 
the  year  being  almost  for- 
gotten in  the  fulness  of 
their  performance,  and  the  season 
standing  still  to  enjoy  itself,  and  to 
"-"'  let  its  admirers  satiate  themselves 
upon  the  rich  completeness  of  its  charms.  It  is 
now  gone,  and  October  is  come ;  and  Hope  is 
come  with  it ;  and  the  general  impulse  that  we 
feel  is,  to  loolc  foricard  again,  as  we  have  done 
from  the  beginning  of  the  year." 

September  brought  most  of  the  crops  to  per- 
fection— the  small  grains,  and  golden  corn,  the  de- 
licious fruits  and  substantial  apple,  continuous 
through  the  year,  and  excellent  in  so  many  forms, 
■while  some  of  the  roots,  careless  of  the  frost,  re- 
tain their  rank  foliage  until  severe  cold  weather 
sets  in,  and  only  yield  to  the  united  power  of 
frosty  nights   and   warm    October  suns.     The 


grass  grows  brown  and  sere,  and  cattle  feed  with 
cold  noses,  or  look  wistfully  at  the  barn  for  a 
supply  from  their  winter  stores. 

So  in  the  animal  kingdom  ;  OCTOBER  brings 
its  influences  upon  them.  Crfckets  are  black  and 
lusty,  and  full  of  song,  and  feed  eagerly  upon  the 
apples  left  in  their  way.  Scarcely  a  swallow  of 
all  the  thousands  that  twittered  about  the  barns, 
is  left ;  the  martins,  also,  that  enlivened  the  cot- 
tage with  their  social  habits,  followed  their  in- 
stincts and  are  probably  now  passing  a  season  of 
rest  in  milder  climes  with  their  young  reared 
with  us.  The  faint  chirp  of  the  bob-o-link  that 
was  occasionally  heard  high  in  the  clear  air  late 
in  September,  has  now  entirely  ceased,  and  the 
numberless  meadows  made  vocal  by  them  in  the 
Summer  months,  cannot  claim  one  among  them 
all  to-day.  They  have  now  become  objects  for 
sportsmen  on  the  margins  of  the  Delaware,  Po- 
tomac, and  other  rivers,  where  they  collect  in 
vast  numbers  to  feed  on  the  wild  oats  which 
abound  there,  and  are  called  Reed-birds.  Those 
that  escape  the  slaughter  here,  continue  their 
course  still  further  south,  and  in  the  rice  fields 
of  Georgia  and  the  contiguous  States  are  es- 
teemed a  great  delicacy  as  Bice-birds.  But  the. 
Field  Lark  still  springs  from  the  grass,  perch- 
es upon  the  highest  twig  of  the  old  apple  tree, 
and  whistles  as  in  June.  The  Blue  Jay,  start- 
led in  her  solitary  haunts,  screams  and  flies  to 
a  thicker  retreat,  making  the  woods  ring  with 
her  energetic  notes.  Some  of  the  smaller  birds 
remain,  but  day  by  day  become  less  frequent. 
But  the  year,  in  "all  its  aspects,  has  reached  its 
grand  climacteric,  and  is  fast  falling  'into  the 
sere  and  yellow  leaf.' "  Every  day  a  flower  drops 
from  out  the  wreath  that  binds  its  brow — not  to 
be  renewed.  Every  hour  the  sun  looks  more 
and  more  askance  upon  it,  and  the  winds,  those 
summer  flatterers,  come  to  it  less  fawningly. 
Every  breath  shakes  down  showers  of  its  leafy 
attire,  leaving  it  gradually  barer  and. barer,  for 


442 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Oct. 


the  blasts  of  winter  to  blow  through  it.  Every 
morning  and  evening  takes  away  from  it  a  por- 
tion of  that  light  which  gives  beauty  to  its  life, 
and  chills  it  more  and  more  into  that  torpor 
which  at  length  constitutes  its  temporary  death. 

And  yet  OCTOBER  is  beautiful  still,  no  less  for 
"what  it  gives  than  for  what  it  takes  away,  and 
even  for  what  it  gives  during  the  very  act  of  tak- 
ing away."  It  has  its  aspects  of  decay,  and  its 
aspects  of  iinsurpassed  attraction  and  beauty. 

Aikin  observes,  the  gloom  of  the  falling  year 
is  in  some  measure  enlivened  during  this  month, 
especially  by  the  variety  of  colors,  some  lively 
and  beautiful,  put  on  by  the  fading  leaves  of 
trees  and  shrubs. 

In  fine  weather  many  plants  yet  remain  in 
flower  v/hich  belong  to  summer;  indeed,  most  of 
the  summer  plants  still  hold  out  a  few  flowers 
from  their  wet  and  semi-rotten  stocks,  which  in  a 
fine  sunny  noon  would  almost  remind  one  of 
summer,  were  it  not  for  the  quantity  of  dead 
leaves  which  now  cover  the  ground,  and  the  deep 
autumnal  coloring  of  those  which  remain  on  the 
trees.  The  Ash  by  this  time  has  oftentimes  quite 
cast  its  leaves ;  those  of  the  Elm  are  greatly 
thinned,  and  the  rest  quite  yellow.  The  Poplars 
are  fast  following,  and  the  light  foliage  of  the 
Mountain  Ash  lie  scattered  like  its  mouldering 
red  berries,  on  the  ground.  The  Beach,  the 
Hornbeam,  and  the  Oak,  retain  their  leaves  the 
longest,  and  even  keep  them  all  winter.  Of  fruit 
trees  the  Cherries,  Apples  and  Pears  are  now 
shedding  their  leaves,  while  the  Mulberry  retains 
its  green  leaves  to  the  last,  and  often  keeps  them 
all  till  the  first  smart  frost,  when  they  fall  all  at 
once.  We  have  seen  them  drop  on  the  rising  of 
the  Sun,  after  a  frosty  night,  altogether  like  a 
shower.  The  fall  of  the  leaf  can  be  considered 
only  as  a  "sloughing  or  casting  off  diseased  or 
worn  out  parts,"  whether  the  injury  to  their  con- 
stitution may  arise  from  causes  or  from  an  ex- 
haustion of  their  vital  powers.  Hence  a  separa- 
tion takes  place,  either  in  the  footstalk,  or  more 
usually  at  its  base,  and  the  dying  part  quits  the 
vigorous  one,  which  is  promoted  by  the  weight 
of  the  leaf  itself,  or  by  the  action  of  autumnal 
winds  upon  its  expanded  form. 

The  woodpath  is  carpeted  oyer  with  leaves 

The  glories  of  autumn  obey  ; 
The  Goddess  of  Plenty  has  bound  up  her  sheaves, 

And  carried  the  harvest  away. 

October  presents  many  calls  for  the  care 
and  skill  of  the  good  farmer.  Such  of  the  roots 
as  are  most  able  to  resist  the  frost  and  were  left 
to  mature  under  the  friendly  October  suns^'must 
be  secured  before  the  nights  become  too  cold. 

The  seed  corn  should  be  selected  before  the 
general  harvest  takes  place. 

The  cider  should  be  made,  and  whatever  care 


is  bestowed  to  make  it  in  a  cleanly  manner,  and 
of  sound  apples,  will  be  more  than  repaid  in  the 
excellence  of  the  cider. 

Potatoes,  before  the  rot  was  known  among 
them,  were  considered  safer  in  the  ground  than 
in  the  cellar,  until  the  frosts  became  quite  severe. 
If  they  have  remained  sound  until  the  first  of 
the  month,  they  will  probably  remain  good,  if 
not  dug  until  late. 

Apple  trees  may  be  transplanted  advantageous- 
ly in  this  month ;  a  few  days  after  the  leaves  have 
fallen  from  them,  is  a  suitable  time  to  dig  them 
up  for  setting. 

Next  to  June,  October  is  a  favorable  time  for 
pruning,  and  in  the  still  and  mild  days  it  is  a 
delightful  employment. 

The  subject  of  draining  is  now  attracting  con- 
siderable attention  ;  this  month  usually  affords  a 
good  opportunity  to  engage  in  it. 

Do  not  allow  cattle  to  depend  too  long  upon 
the  frost-bitten  grass, — but  feed  them  liberally 
morning  and  evening,  and  they  will  be  likely  to 
enter  upon  their  winter  fare  all  the  better  for  it. 

October  presents  many  opportunities  for 
recreation  and  enjoyment,  and  the  farmer  and  his 
family,  surrounded  as  they  are  by  pleasant  as- 
sociations, ought  to  be  grateful  and  happy. 


For  the  Neic  England  Farmer. 
THE  GKOWTH  OF  TKEES. 

Trees  grow  faster  or  slower,  according  to  the 
wetness  and  warmth  of  the  season  and  richness 
of  soil  in  which  they  are  planted.  By  looking  at 
the  stems  and  branches  of  trees  it  may  be  seen  at 
once  how  much  more  trees  grow  in  one  year  than 
in  another.  In  examining  a  white  pine  limb  I 
found  the  growth  was  as  follows  :  In  1851,  the 
growth  was  small ;  in  1852,  much  shorter  ;  1853, 
very  long  ;  1854,  middling;  1855,  long;  1856, 
short;  1857,  long;  1858,  long.  An  oak  limb 
measured,  gave  a  length  of  four  inches  for  1856; 
eight  inches  for  1857  ;  seven  inches  for  the  pres- 
ent year,  which  has  nearly  closed  for  the  growth 
of  trees.  The  stumps  of  trees  show  the  sam 
thing.  The  grains  are  wider  or  narrower,  as  th 
season  has  been  favorable  or  unfavorable.  Th 
leaves  of  trees  are  larger  or  smaller,  as  the  season 
is  wet  or  dry.  In  corn,  wheat  and  rye,  the  influ- 
ence of  the  season  is  attentively  noticed,  but  in 
trees  we  seldom  stop  to  measure  the  extent  of 
their  growth  or  the  increase  of  their  size.  We 
feel  no  richer,  nor  poorer,  for  any  influence  the 
season  may  have  on  them.  And  yet  a  genial 
season  promotes  their  growth  as  much  as  it  does 
grass  or  grain.  In  a  genial  season,  the  fruit  of 
trees  is  not  only  magnified,  but  multiplied,  by 
the  rapid  growth  of  the  branches.  In  general,  a 
good  grass  year  is  a  good  tree  year,  though  not 
always  a  good  fruit  year.  The  orchards  and  the 
woods  are  hard  drinkers,  and  enlarge  their  di- 
mensions accordingly. 

The  growth  of  trees  is  retarded  or  increased  by 
the  same  causes  which  retard  or  increase  the 
growth  of  grasses  and  grains.     If  apple,  pear  or 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


443 


cherry  trees  are  left  to  grow  without  manure  or 
culture,  they  do  not  grow  faster  than  Indian  corn 
treated  in  the  same  M'ay.  Weeds,  grasses  and 
oushes  take  away  the  moisture  and  nutritious 
particles  of  the  soil,  just  as  they  do  from  corn 
and  rye.     In  a  word,  their  growth  is  blasted. 

Nothing  is  more  common  than  for  one  tree  or 
plant  to  blast  another  by  abstracting  its  moisture 
and  nourishment,  and  by  obstructing  its  light. 
Notice  the  little  trees  growing  in  the  vicinity  and 
shade  of  larger  ones.  We  all  know  how  quickly 
weeds  and  grasses  blast  Indian  corn  by  absorbing 
the  moisture  and  manure  of  the  surrounding  soil. 
If  we  wish,  therefore,  to  raise  an  orchard  in  the 
shortest  possible  time,  we  iiave  only  to  treat  it 
precisely  as  we  do  a  cornfield.  The  trees  must 
have  a  nursery-treatment  until  they  attain  to  a 
middling  size.  Neither  weeds,  grass,  nor  any 
other  plants,  should  be  allowed  to  grow  near  them 
or  in  the  same  field.  The  trees  should  every  year 
be  manured  with  rich  compost,  and  kept  well 
plowed  and  hoed.  They  will  then  have  nothing 
to  impede  their  growth,  and  \\'ill  rapidly  attain  to 
a  large  size.  An  orchai'd  treated  like  an  Indian 
cornfield,  where  fifty  bushels  to  the  acre  are  ex- 
pected, would  be  none  too  well  to  experience  the 
full  benefit  of  the  agricultural  art,  as  it  may  be 
known  at  the  present  time.  Under  such  a  treat- 
ment they  will  attain  to  a  greater  size  in  seven 
years  than  in  twenty,  v/here  they  are  left  to  them- 
selves in  an  ordinary  soil,  to  contend  with  weeds, 
grasses  and  bushes  of  all  descriptions.  Mind  it 
where  you  will,  those  apple  trees  which  grow 
near  houses  and  barns,  where  the  soil  is  the  rich- 
est of  any  part  of  the  farm,  always  grow  rapidly, 
5'ield  fruit  abundantly,  and  of  the  largest  size. 
Never  be  afraid  of  making  the  soil  too  rich  ;  the 
richest  new  land  has  never  been  found  too  much 
so  for  fruit  trees.  Any  Land  which  is  good  for 
Indian  corn,  rye  and  wheat,  is  good  for  an  orch- 
ard of  apple  trees.  But  avoid  low,  wet,  clayey 
land,  or  land  adapted  to  marsh  grasses.  It  is 
neither  congenial  to  the  tree  nor  the  fruit.  Peo- 
ple are  so  much  accustomed  to  seeing  orchards 
grow  in  a  slow  way,  without  manure  or  cultiva- 
tion, that  they  are  discouraged  from  planting 
them.  Their  patience  is  taxed  too  severely.  In 
general  they  see  the  trees  growing,  or  rather  ex- 
isting, twenty  or  twenty-five  years,  before  they 
attain  even  to  a  middling  size,  whereas  thrifty 
nursery  trees  three  years  of  age,  set  in  a  genial 
soil,  may  easily  be  made  to  yield  fruit  in  good 
quantity  in  four  years  more.  Many  trees  in  a 
genial  soil  grow  as  rapidly  as  Indian  corn.  They 
will  show  as  great  a  length  of  stem,  in  the  same 
time.  If  you  wish  to  raise  a  large  tree  in  a  short 
space  of  time,  you  must  give  it  as  much  food  and 
drink  as  it  wants,  in  the  same  way  that  you  raise 
a  large  calf  or  a  large  turkey.  Drink,  especial- 
ly, is  everything  to  a  tree,  and,  nothing  else  should 
absorb  ic.  To  serve  them  rightly,  they  should, 
in  a  dry  time,  be  watered  artificially. 

Rural  Arts. 

Providence,  R.  I.,  July  1,  1858. 


White  Winter  Flint  Wheat. — A  specimen 
before  us  from  Mr.  Edwin  Tower  is  very  fine 
indeed ;  the  berries  are  large,  plump  and  clear. 
It  was  raised  on  his  grounds  at  South  Hingham, 


and  at  the  rate  of  tJmiy-two  bushels  per  acre. 
Such  wheat  is  well  worth  $2,50  a  bushel  for  seed. 
Fifty-Jive  dollars  an  acre,  beside  the  straw,  is  a 
good  product.  We  are  quite  confident  that  our 
people  do  not  yet  fully  appreciate  the  value  of 
this  crop.  A  single  acre  of  wheat  like  this  on 
one  of  our  small  New  England  farms  is  an  item 
of  importance  to  the  family,  as  it  would  leave  the 
cash  usually  expended  for  flour  to  pay  taxes  or 
grocery  bills. 

For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
MOVING  FOWBB.  OF  MO"WEHS. 

An  "old  subscriber"  asks  whether  oxen  can  be 
advantageously  used  in  the  mowing  field  for  the 
cutting  of  grass  ?  I  think  not,  when  horses  can 
be  had,  because  horses  are  more  conveniently 
guided,  and  are  more  expeditious  in  their  move- 
ments. On  a  neighbor's  farm  I  have  seen  a 
Kdcliwii's  Moiaer  operated  for  several  years  by 
ox-power,  and  my  impression  has  been,  it  wa.s 
not  the  best  of  power  for  this  purpose.  It  will 
do  when  no  better  can  be  had,  but  it  is  not  a 
power  to  be  recommended.  So  habituated  are 
many  of  our  farmers  to  the  labor  of  the  ox,  that 
they  seem  to  have  no  idea  of  anything  being 
done  without  them.  It  is  fair  to  say,  that  a  pair 
of  horses  will  move  one-third  faster  than  oxen, 
and  that  the  driver  can  be  better  accommodated, 
when  sitting  upon  the  machine,  than  by  being  on 
foot  by  the  side  of  the  oxen.  When  thus  on  the 
machine,  he  can  better  adapt  it  to  unevenness  of 
surface  or  any  obstruction  that  may  be  in  the 
way ;  for  very  few  of  our  fields  are  so  completely 
even  and  smooth,  as  not  to  need  ttiese  precau- 
tions. 

The  best  mowing  I  have  witnessed  has  been 
done  by  Alleii's  Machine.  This  moves  with  com- 
parative ease  of  draft  and  without  clogging.  It 
will  cut  a  swath  full  four  feet  wide,  and  when  the 
team  moves  at  the  rate  of  three  and  a  half  miles 
an  hour,  it  is  easy  to  show  that  an  acre  an  hour 
can  be  completed,  leaving  sufficient  time  for  rest 
and  repairs.  I  do  not  mean  to  say  that  other 
machines  will  not  do  equally  well — I  only  speak 
of  what  I  have  actually  witnessed.  *. 

Sept.  4,  1858. 


ESSEX  AGKlCULTUBAIi  SOCIETY. 
The  records  of  this  time-honored  Association 
show  that  the  office  of  President  has  been  holden 
as  follows :  by 

T.  Pickering,  from  1818  to  1828 10  years. 

F.  Howes,  from  1828  to  1831 3  " 

E.  Moseiy,  from  1831  to  1836 5  " 

J.  H.  Duncan,  from  1836  to  1839 3  " 

J.  Kittr>as?e,  from  1839  to  1841 2  " 

L.  Saltonstall,  from  1841  to  1845 4  " 

J.  W.  Proctor,  from  1845  to  1852 7  " 

M.  Newell,  from  1852  to  1856 4  " 

R.  S.  Fay,  from  1856  to  1858 2  " 

40  years. 

Of  whom  Messrs.  Duncan,  Proctor  and  Fay 
still  live.  Its  vested  fund  exceeds  $10,000,  and 
it  has  an  experimental  farm,  valued  at  $6,000. 
Few  societies  have  been  more  faithful  to  theii 
trust — long  may  it  prosper. 


444 


NEV»   ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Oct. 


LETTER  FROM  MB.  BROWK". 

Newport,  N.  II.,  Aug.  12,  1858. 

Dear  Sir: — Descending  from  the  Frances 
town  range  of  hills,  I  passed  through  portions  of 
Deering,  Antrim,  Hillsborough,  Washington  and 
Goshen,  to  this  place.  Newj^ort  is  the  shire  town 
of  Sullivan  county,  has  its  Court-House  and  other 
public  buildings,  and  is  a  pleasant  and  flourish- 
ing town.  The  New  HampsJdre  Argus  and  Spec- 
tator is  published  here  by  Messrs.  Carleton  & 
Harvey,  and  the  "Sugar  River  Bank"  issues  its 
handsome  notes  for  value  received.  This  town 
was  the  residence  of  Gov.  Metcalf  during  the 
time  he  occupied  the  gubernatorial  chair,  and  is 
so  now  of  the  Hon.  Edmund  Burke,  a  member 
of  Congress  for  two  terms  from  this  district,  and 
subsequently  Commissioner  of  Patents  at  Wash- 
ington. The  village  nestles  among  the  hills  which 
surround  it,  and  is  skirted  on  its  southwest  bor- 
ders by  beautiful  meadows  through  which  flow 
the  waters  of  three  distinct  streams,  each  bearing 
the  name  of  Sugar  River.  These  streams  unite 
near  the  village,  and  then  the  waters  go  on  their 
way  through  the  town  of  Claremont  to  the  Con- 
necticut river. 

The  soil  in  this  town  is  of  three  kinds  ;  alluvial 
on  the  borders  of  the  streams,  forming  rich  and 
fertile  meadows ;  back  of  these  more  dry  and 
gravelly,  and  7noist  and  cold  on  the  hills  and  more 
elevated  parts.  Some  of  these  lands  arc  cultiva- 
ted by  skilful  farmers,  and  afford  all  the  substan- 
tial comforts  of  life.  Fine  horses,  working  oxen 
and  beef  cattle  are  raised  here,  while  other  pro- 
ducts in  various  portions  of  the  town,  are  mutton, 
wool  and  butter.  Farmers  in  this  region  have 
not  yet  introduced  the  culture  of  roots  for  feed- 
ing to  stock,  and  most  of  them,  I  think,  do  not 
appreciate  their  value  for  this  purpose.  I  once 
had  strong  prejudices  against  the  use  of  roots  for 
cattle,  unless  it  were  for  a  period  during  the  pro- 
/cess  of  fattening,  a'nd  it  was  only  by  careful  read- 
ing and  observation,  added  to  actual  experiment, 
that  I  became  convinced  that  my  prejudices  were 
not  well  founded.  It  is  my  opinion,  that  the  far- 
mers of  New  England,  with  little  or  no  more  labor 
than  they  now  bestow  upon  their  farms,  can 
double  their  capacity  for  keeping  stock,  by  the 
gradual  introduction  of  root  crops, — and  that  when 
the  stock  is  doubled  in  amount,  their  j^rofts  will 
be  equally  increased !  I  have  often  expressed  this 
opinion  before. 

Nicholas  Biddle,  distinguished  as  he  was  as 
the  chief  engineer  of  the  aff"airs  of  the  U.  S.  Bank, 
was  a  better  farmer,  than  financier.  He  was  a 
man  of  great  personal  beauty,  of  the  most  acute 
observation  and  of  versatile  talent.  His  manners 
were  winning,  his  voice  full,  rich  and  melodious, 
and  he  ])ossessed  such  ajust  combination  of  grace- 
fill  ease  and  dignity  as  to  attract  persons  of  all 


classes  to  himself,  without  any  apparent  effort  on 
his  part.  Such  is  the  account  of  him  given  me 
by  the  widow  of  the  late  Commodore  Stewart, 
who  knew  him  intimately,  boy  and  man,  during 
the  whole  of  his  life.  In  England,  such  a  person 
would  not  only  be  competent  to  judge  of  what  he 
saw,  but  would  be  at  once  favored  with  every 
possible  facility  for  investigating  any  subject  of 
his  inquiry. 

In  an  address  of  his  delivered  before  the  Phila- 
delphia Agricultural  Society  in  1842,  he  made 
the  following  interesting  and  important  remarks  : 
— "It  is  strange  hoW  things  so  lowly  acquire 
national  importance.  The  best  farming  is  that 
which  will  give  the  greatest  mass  of  sustenance  to 
animals — since  the  less  land  required  for  animals, 
the  more  can  we  give  for  the  maintenance  of 
human  beings.  That  fine  farming  region,  Eng- 
land, had  reached  the  limit  of  its  power  of  sup- 
porting animals — since  it  turned  to  the  root  cul- 
ture it  has  more  than  doubled  or  quadrupled  its 
power,  and  now,  odd  as  the  mingling  of  such  dis- 
similar notions  may  seem,  it  is  scarcely  an  exag- 
geration to  say,  that  England's  jjower  is  based 
upon  its  iron,  its  coal,  and  TURNIPS."  I  am 
aware  that  the  English  farmer  possesses  advan- 
tages that  we  do  not,  in  the  mildness  of  his 
climate,  which  saves  to  him  most  of  the  expense 
which  we  must  incur  in  harvesting  and  housing 
roots.  Still,  however,  I  am  confident  that  an  in- 
telligent and  certain  progress  in  profits,  will  re- 
quire us  to  resort  to  the  cultivation  of  root  crops. 
The  expense  heretofore  attendant  upon  it  will 
undoubtedly  be  materially  lessened  by  imple- 
ments better  adapted  to  their  culture,  and  by  the 
experience  to  be  gained  in  the  production  of  a 
succession  of  crops.  The  opinions  expressed  by 
Judge  French  on  this  matter,  since  his  agricul- 
tural tour  in  England,  strongly  confirm  those 
which  I  had  formed.  A  portion  of  the  soil  here, 
as  in  all  the  towns  of  New  England,  is  well  adap- 
ted to  the  common  flat  turnip,  the  ruta  baga,  car- 
rot, red  and  white  beet,  parsnip  and  mangel  wurt- 
zel,  and  the  climate  is  also  favorable  to  each. 

The  country  through  which  I  travel  presents 
quite  an  unusual  appearance  now  in  consequence 
of  the  great  amount  of  grass  remaining  uncut. 
The  cloudy  and  damp  weather,  rather  than  a  large 
amount  of  rain,  has  prevented  the  cut  grass  from 
drying,  so  that  nearly  one-half  of  the  upland  or 
English  crop,  and  most  of  the  meadows,  are  now 
standing,  while  much  that  is  secured  was  out  from 
three  to  ten  days  in  the  process  of  curing.  The 
haying  season  has  been  one  of  care  and  anxiety 
to  the  farmer  ;  he  could  not  secure  the  crop,  and 
he  could  not  leave  it  to  engage  in  other  labor,  so 
that  the  cost  of  securing  what  he  has  got  has 
been  double  of  that  necessary  in  good  weather. 
Hay  will  bei  abundant,  but  the  quality  inferior 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER, 


445 


compared  with  that  laid  up  in  dryer  and  warmer 
seasons. 

It  is  not  intended  as  a  compliment  to  New 
Hampshire,  I  suppose,  when  it  is  said  that  it  is  a 
good  State  to  emigrate /)-o??i.  Better  would  it  be 
for  thousands  who  stray  to  regions  of  gold,  or 
even  to  those  of  less  glitter  and  pretension,  if 
they  would  settle  in  New  Hampshire  and  feed 
cattle  upon  a  thousand  hills,  or  cultivate  its  rich 
valleys,  or  rear  hardy  and  intelligent  boys  and 
girls  to  become  the  future  glory  and  strength  of 
their  country.  I  meet  no  more  sensible,  indepen- 
dent and  hospitable  people  anywhere  than  I  find 
in  the  Granite  State, — and  if  there  is  any  scarcity 
of  the  gentler  sex  in  the  Bay  State,  I  commend 
the  gii'ls  up  here  to  the  respectful  consideration 
of  those  young  bachelors  who  are  seeking  a  yoke 
fellow  "down  in  your  parts."      Simon  Brown. 

Joel  Nourse,  Esq. 


BESTORATIOW  OP  EXHAUSTED  SOILS. 

The  term,  worn  out  soil,  is  of  common  use,  and 
still  no  such  soil  ever  existed.  Any  soil  which 
has  ever  been  fertile,  is  capable  of  being  rendered 
so  again,  and  without  the  addition  of  any  new 
material,  but  only  by  altering  the  conditi'^n  of 
the  soil's  constituents,  by  presenting  conditions 
analogous  to  those  which  Nature  has  always  used 
to  render  soils  fertile.  Ail  soils  are  made  up  of 
powdered  rocks,  rendered  fine  by  the  various 
operations  of  nature,  and  composed  only  of  the 
constituents  of  rocks  and  such  other  deposits  as 
under  peculiar  circumstances  may  be  received 
from  the  atmosphere — such  as  carbon,  from  its 
solidification  in  plant  life  by  the  decomposition 
of  carbonic  acid  gas  taken  from  the  atmosphere, 
intermixed  with  which  it  is  held  in  suspension. 

Neither  the  presence,  however,  of  all  the  pri- 
maries required  for  plant  life  in  a  soil,  nor  indeed 
of  all  the  primaries  in  nature,  will  insure  plant- 
growth.  The  condition  of  these  primaries,  and 
not  their  presence  alone,  is  necessary  to  success- 
ful vegetation.  When  portions  of  the  earth's 
crust,  known  as  soil,  have  been  many  times  in 
plant  form  and  return  again  to  the  soil,  then 
those  poi'tions  are  rendered  capable  of  forming 
parts  of  such  vegetable  growths  as  men  and  ani- 
mals now  require,  and  when  these  are  removed 
from  the  soil  by  the  continuous  removal  of  crops, 
it  will  then  cease  to  be  fertile  until  new  portiotis 
are  progressed  by  the  same  or  other  means.  At 
the  same  time  all  may  know  by  the  help  of  the 
chemist,  that  the  constituents  of  many  soils,  for 
the  time  barren,  are  the  same  as  those  of  fertile 
soils,  by  name,  but  diflering  only  in  condition. 
The  whole  soil,  from  the  earth's  surface  to  the 
undecomposed  rocks  below,  as  a  rule,  contains 
the  constituents  of  plants,  and  therefore  cannot 
be  said  to  he  worn  out,  but  requiring  the  progres- 
sion of  a  portion  of  these  constituents,  viz.,  an 
alteration  in  condition,  before  they  are  available 
to  plants. 

Considering  the  earth's  surface  then  as  an 
endless  or  inexhaustible  source  of  raw  material, 
from  which  plants  may  be  created,  it  only  remains 
to  ascertain  the  means  of  placing  these  raw  ma- 


terials in  proper  condition  for  assimilation,  and 
we  have  a  method  for  restoring  what  are  usually 
called  loom  out  soils.  AVhat  changes  must  occur 
in  the  particles  of  the  soil  to  produce  the  neces- 
sary changes  in  condition,  so  as  to  insure  their 
appropriation  in  plant  life!  It  is  evident  that  at 
least  these  particles  must  be  rendered  soluble  in 
water;  thus  silex  is  only  soluble  after  its  chemical 
combination  with  an  alkali,  and  indeed  every  con- 
stituent requires  some  change  before  it  can  be 
used  as  the  food  of  plants.  Let  us  see  what  pro- 
bably occurs  in  fallow  soils,  or  those  bearing  no 
crops  :  the  circulation  of  atmosphere  between  the 
particles,  (and  there  can  be  no  chemical  changes 
without  such  condition)  deposits  upon  the  cold 
surface  of  every  particle  a  thin  film  of  water, 
which  being  thus  extended,  takes  up  carbonic 
acid,  increasing  its  power  as  a  solvent,  and  by 
dissolving  minute  portions  from  the  surfaces  of 
particles,  open  these  prison  houses  and  permit 
new  constituents  to  be  aff'ected  in  turn  by  new 
potions  of  carbonated  water,  which  upon  the 
receipt  of  each  ingredient  thus  freed  from  their 
resting-places,  is  rendered  capable  of  freeing  an- 
other by  chemical  change,  until  in  course  of  time 
the  land  contains  a  fair  proportion  of  its  own 
constituents  in  a  progressed  condition.  All  this 
progressed  plant-food  is  slightly  soluble  under 
certain  circumstances,  and  in  this  way  bare  fal- 
lows, as  they  are  called,  imitate  vegetable  growth 
by  progressing  plant  constituents.  Do  we  not 
see  this  operation  continuously  going  on  in 
nature?  and  should  not  the  art  of  the  Agricul- 
turist be  to  avail  of  such  natural  laws  as  are  ap- 
plicable to  fallows  in  a  more  rapid  manner  ?  We 
claim  that  this  may  be  done  so  as  to  cause  a 
single  year  to  represent  the  effects  of  a  century ; 
every  particle  of  soil,  if  viewed  through  a  micro- 
scope, imitates  in  appearance  the  rock  from 
whence  it  came,  and  its  analysis  will  show  the 
same  constituents  ;  nature's  laws  debridised  the 
rock  and  gave  us  the  particle,  it  becomes  our 
business  to  facilitate  the  continuation  of  the  ope- 
ration of  these  laws  on  the  particle,  to  insure  its 
still  further  division  and  consequent  exposure 
and  change  of  condition  of  its  constituents. 

Some  of  the  so  called  barren  soils  of  Massachu- 
setts being  coarse  pebbles  and  gravel,  contain 
the  same  primaries  as  do  the  fine  soils  of  the 
Miami  Vally,  but  are  the  conditions  of  these 
constituents  alike  ?  And  will  the  ordinary|analy- 
sis  ofiered  by  chemists  who  are  incapable  of  re- 
cognizing these  conditions,  show  any  difi"erence 
between  the  two  soils,  the  one  fertile  the  other 
barren?  Will  a  cabbage  grow  upon  a  granite 
rock  ?  And  does  not  this  rock  contain  all  the 
inorganic  constituents  required  by  the  cabbage? 
Will  it  grow  in  the  powder  of  this  rock,  if  finely 
ground,  until  after  it  has  been  exposed  to  atmo- 
spheric influence  and  proper  state  of  humidity  for 
so  long  a  time,  as  to  free  portions  of  its  constitu- 
ents and  pi'ogress  them  for  plant  use  ?  Would 
not  the  powder  of  the  granite  rock  placed  imme- 
diately over  an  under-drain  exhibit  these  condi- 
tions in  a  single  year  ?  We  answer  yes  :  and  we 
say  fearlessly  that  many  soils  which  are  compara- 
tively barren  for  want  of  progression,  may  be 
rendered  fertile  by  thorough  draining  and  subsoil 
plowing,  if  left  in  bare  fallow,  but  that  until  a 
portion  of  the  constituents  be  so  acted  upon,  the 
continued   change  will   be   comparatively  slow, 


446 


NEW  ENG3.AND  FARMER. 


Oct. 


hence  the  necessity  for  adding  to  soils  suddenly 
placed  in  a  condition  for  restoration,  such  mate- 
rials as  fertilizers,  as  will  furnish  all  that  may  be 
required  by  the  growing  crop  if  to  be  removed 
from  the  surface.  Under  such  circumstances  the 
progressed  portion,  freed  from  the  particles  of 
soil,  are  not  removed  by  the  crop,  while  the  pro- 
cess of  growth  materially  hastens  the  continued 
development ;  the  amount  of  moisture  and  gases 
sent  coursing  from  the  soil  into  and  through  the 
plants,  causes  the  reception  by  the  earth  of  new 
portions  from  the  atmosphere,  while  the  decay 
and  solution  of  the  roots  of  plants  in  the  soil 
leave  new  openings  for  atmospheric  ingress  and 
ensure  the  deposit  of  the  primaries  yielded  up  by 
the  decay  of  the  roots.  Therefore,  we  say  that 
worn  out  soils  may  be  restored  in  degree  by 
continued  or  frequent  disturbance ;  the  restora- 
tion will  take  place  to  a  still  greater  depth  and 
much  more  perfectly,  as  well  as  in  much  less 
time,  by  under-drains  and  sub-soil  plowing,  even 
with  a  "bare  fallow  surface ;  still  more  rapidly  if 
crops  be  grown  upon  the  surface  and  plowed  into 
the  soil ;  more  rapidly  still,  where  well  chosen 
fertilizing  materials  are  used  to  supply  the  wants 
of  current  crops,  so  that  the  soil  may  aggregate 
quantities  of  progressed  pabulum,  as  have  the 
soils  of  the  Miami  Valley  compared  with  those 
soils  of  Massachusetts  which  are  barren,  al- 
though having  the  same  constituents  differently 
conditioned. 

From  whence  came  the  soils  of  the  Miami 
Valley  ?  Have  they  not  been  deposited  by  water 
courses,  after  having  been  brought  from  the  sur-j 
face  of  particles  as  fast  as  freed  by  the  processes 
we  have  before  enumerated  ?  Has  not  every 
particle  of  this  finely  divided  soil  in  tm-n  been 
exposed  to  the  atmosphere,  to  moisture,  to  car- 
bonic acid,  and  to  contact  with  every  other  con- 
stituent of  soils,  so  that  it  has  availed  of  all 
Nature's  laws,  chemical  or  otherwise,  and  the 
whole  mass  may  now  be  viewed  not  only  as  a 
more  perfect  mechanical  debridation  of  such  soils 
as  those  as  are  barren  in  Massachusetts,  but  also 
as  the  representative  of  the  progressed  condition 
consequent  upon  all  changes  which  natural  law 
is  capable  of  producing  ? 

From  what  we  have  said,  can  it  be  difficult  for 
any  farmer  to  choose  a  method  for  the  restora- 
tion of  soils  ?  If  his  means  are  adequate  let  him 
under-drain,  thoroughly  sub-soil  and  surface- 
plow  to  the  required  depths,  and  add  fertilizing 
materials  chosen  from  the  more  progressed  sourc- 
es to  supply  his  crops,  while  his  soil  is  rapidly 
augmenting  in  value.  If  he  is  located  in  a  part 
of  the  country  where  the  market  demands  noth- 
ing but  special  crops,  then  let  him  use  less  amount 
of  fertilizing  material  and  plow  under  a  variety 
of  quick  growing  crops,  so  that  all  the  pabulum 
elevated  from  the  sub-soil  may  be  deposited  in 
the  surface-soil  for  future  use,  and  continue  this 
treatment  for  one  or  more  years,  until  his  soil  is 
capable  of  raising  maximum  quantities  of  the 
special  crops  his  market  requires  at  a  minimum 
cost ;  the  after  culture  of  such  soil  will  be  less 
expensive  than  that  of  a  merely  ordinary  good 
soil,  while  for  all  time  his  heirs  will  benefit  by 
his  judicious  commencement. 

Farmers  who  have  not  sufficient  capital  for  such 
outlay,  must  be  content  to  benefit  in  degree,  by 
adopting  so  much  of  the  truths  we  have  set  forth, 


as  within  their  means  ;  they  should  first  be  sure 
to  locate  where  the  requirements  of  the  soil  are 
within  their  ability  to  perform  all  the  necessary 
manipulations,  and  to  supply  the  necessary  con- 
stituents ;  thus  a  farmer  without  means  for  un- 
der-draining and  subsoil  plowing,  cannot  locate 
on  a  clay  farm  with  profit,  nor  can  he  cultivate  a 
more  sandy  soil  with  equal  profit,  with  him  who 
can  avail  of  these  appliances.  He  who  plows  a 
clay  soil  not  underdrained,  to  the  depth  of  only 
six  inches,  and  who  uses  no  fertilizing  materials 
but  those  made  upon  his  farm,  voluntarily  places 
himself  in  a  position  to  be  the  slave  of  his  store- 
keeper. Let  those  who  would  repudiate  these 
doctrines,  read  our  articles  on  "Underdraining" 
and  "Subsoil  Plowing,"  and  they  may  learn  that 
there  are  farms  where  drought  is  never  felt ; 
where  meadows  never  run  out ;  where  blight  and 
disease  are  less  frequent ;  and  that  in  no  case 
where  the  drains  are  properly  constructed  has 
the  investment  ever  proved  unprofitable. — Work- 
ing Farmer. 

OVEK-EATINGJ-. 

How  many  people  eat  to  make  it  even.  All 
the  butter  is  gone,  but  the  bread  is  not  quite 
eaten,  so  another  piece  of  butter  is  taken ;  but  it 
was  too  much,  and  the  bread  has  given  out ! 

How  many  a  time  has  the  reader  eaten  some 
remnant  on  his  plate,  not  because  he  wanted  it, 
but  to  prevent  its  being  wasted  !  How  often  have 
you  eaten  as  much  as  you  wanted,  and  were  about 
pushing  back  from  the  table,  when  very  unex- 
pectedly a  new  dish,  or  splendid-looking  puddings 
dumpling,  or  pie,  is  presented,  and  you  immedi- 
ately "set  to,"  and  before  you  are  done,  have 
eaten  almost  as  much  bulk  as  you  had  done  be- 
fore. 

Many  a  time  have  you  gone  down  to  the  table, 
not  only  without  an  appetite,  but  with  almost  a 
feeling  of  aversion  to  food  ;  and  yet  you  tasted 
this,  and  that,  and  the  other,  and  before  you  were 
aware  of  it,  you  had  "made  out"  a  considerable 
supper ! 

All  these  practices  are  wasteful,  hurtful  and 
beastly — no,  we  recall  that ;  we  are  doing  Mr. 
Pig  an  injustice  ;  for,  like  all  other  respectable 
animals,  when  he  "is  done,"  he  "quits" — a  thing 
which  rational  man  seldom  does. — HalVs  Jo^inial 
of  Health. 

■'  1      

INVERTED  POSTS. 

In  the  May  number  of  the  Farmer  appears 
one  of  those  singular  productions — the  fruit  of 
imagination — that  are  sure  as  the  Lake  tides, 
(which  I  am  informed  do  occur,)  to  find  their 
way  into  the  publications  of  the  day.  "Ashfield 
Farmer"  informs  us  that  he  was  induced  to  try 
the  plan  of  inverted  posts  and  stakes,  and  that 
he  soon  had  occasion  to  inquire  why  the  top  end 
of  stakes  should  rot  so  much  quicker  than  the 
butt.  There  was  no  difference  in  favor  of  or 
against  inverted  posts.  What  made  the  diff'er- 
ence  in  the  stakes  and  none  in  the  posts? 

Now  whatever  the  conclusions  deduced  by  the 
"Ashfield  Farmer"  from  his  experience  and  ob- 
servations, my  own  conclusions,  after  the  careful 
observations  of  a  long  life-time,  are  decidedly  in 
favor  of  inverted  posts.  Let  me  mention  one 
fact :  In  ld02,  my  father,  then  a  resident  of  Taun- 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


44-; 


ton,  Mass.,  having  occasion  to  set  a  pair  of  bar- 
posts,  cut  a  swamp  white  oak  of  proper  size  to 
split,  and  set  one  of  the  halves  in  the  ground, 
upright,  as  it  grew,  and  the  other  inverted.  The 
result  was  as  follows :  Some  thirty  years  ago,  I 
helped  my  father  replace  the  upright  one  with  a 
chestnut  post;  which,  also,  some  three  years 
ago  when  I  visited  Taunton,  had  given  place  to 
one  of  cedar  ;  while  the  inverted  post  was  appar- 
ently as  sound  as  forty  years  ago. 

The  same  has  also  been  observed  of  wood 
stacked  up  to  season ;  the  inverted  will  be  well- 
seasoned,  while  the  other  is  heavy  and  inclined 
to  rot.  I  have  examined  many  stakes  in  Iowa 
and  Wisconsin,  and  have  always  found  the  in- 
verted stakes  in  the  soundest  condition,  and  be- 
lieve ninety-nine  out  of  a  hundred  reasonable 
men,  who  will  take  the  trouble  to  examine  such 
as  have  been  set  five  years  or  more,  will  become 
converts  to  the  inverted  system,  the  "Ashfiekl 
Farmer"  to  the  contrary,  notwithstanding.  So 
thinks  ZiNA  RouND.  Nevada,  Wis.,  May,  1858. — 
Wis.  Farmer. 

For  tlia  Nezo  England  Fanner. 
ABOUT  MR.  MECHI'S  FARMING. 
BY  HENUT   F.   FRENCH. 

"Mr.  Sheriff  Mechi" — as  he  is  pleased  to  write 
himself  down  on  the  title-page  of  his  pamphlet, 
"How  to  farm  profitably,  particularly  on  heavy 
clays" — Mr.  Sheriff  Mechi  has  his  farm  of  170 
acres,  all  underdrained  with  tiles,  all  also  under- 
laid with  iron  pipes,  at  '"Tiptree  Hall,"  in  Essex 
county,  in  the  southeast  part  of  England,  about 
fortj'  miles  from  London. 

Mr.  Sheriff  Mechi  drains  his  land  from  four  to 
five  feet  deep,  and  then  by  help  of  a  cistern  of 
80,000  gallons,  and  a  steam  engine,  irrigates  his 
green  crops  in  summer,  by  forcing  liquid  manure 
into  each  field  through  the  iron  pipes,  and  dis- 
tributing it  by  means  of  hose  over  the  growing 
rye,  grass,  clover,  beans,  vetches  and  turnips. 
The  sheriff  is  not  such  a  blockhead  as  to  suppose 
that  draining  and  irrigation  cannot  be  necessary 
on  the  same  land.  Taking  out  the  cold  water 
in  spring,  and  putting  on  water  in  dry  times, 
seems  to  him  as  consistent  as  it  does  for  a  man 
to  drink  in  a  hot  summer  day,  though  he  may 
have  got  out  of  the  river  when  he  fell  through 
the  ice  the  winter  before. 

Mr.  Sheriff  Mechi  raises  about  40  bushels  of 
wheat,  56  bushels  of  barley,  and  88  bushels  of 
oats  to  the  acre,  as  he  states,  no  doubt  with 
truth,  for  average  cro])S. 

I  had  an  introduction  to  Mr.  Mechi,  in  Lon- 
don, last  summer,  and  I  visited  Tiptree  Hall, 
and  I  afterwards  had  the  pleasure  of  seeing  the 
"Sheriff  of  London"  rolling  through  the  city  in 
his  coach,  in  splendid  state,  with  horses  and 
footmen  blazing  with  gold,  and  I  had  the  curios- 
ity, also,  to  peep  into  his  shop,  where  he  made  his 
fortune  by  his  trade  of  manufacturing  dressing- 
cases  and  the  like. 


The  Sheriff  is  "a  good  fellow"  every  way, 
full  of  life  and  kindly  feeling,  a  good  sheriff,  no 
doubt,  and  a  good  farmer.  He  is  one  of  the 
very  few,  who  rise  from  low  condition  to  be  the 
companions  of  Lords  and  Nobles,  in  old  England, 
and  he  has  done  it  by  having  in  him  a  good  deal 
of  what  we  call  "go  ahead." 

The  land  at  Tiptree  Hail  was  a  hard,  sterile, 
water-logged  clay,  for  the  most  part,  and  Mr. 
Mechi  has  brought  it  by  "high-farming"  to  the 
height  of  productiveness.  He  says,  "As  a  gen- 
eral estimate,  you  cannot  effectually  improve  stiff 
land  under  £25  ($125)  per  acre  ;  your  drainage 
will  cost  you  £6  ($30,)  fallowing,  levelling,  sub- 
soiling,  &c.,  £7  ($35  ;)  a  good  heavy  manuring, 
£7  ;  lime  or  chalk,  £5." 

Will  this  sort  of  farming  pay  ?  Mr.  Mechi  says 
it  does  pay  him,  and  he  enunciates  this  as  his 
principle,  that  "whatever  does  not  pay  in  agri- 
culture is  not  an  improvement,"  and  he  shows  by 
his  balance  sheet,  with  carefully  kept  accounts, 
that  his  farming  pays  handsomely. 

Will  such  farming  pay  in  New  England  ?  I  think 
it  will  not,  at  present  prices  of  labor  and  pro- 
duce. Produce  is  higher  and  labor  much  lower  in 
England  than  in  America,  and  this  makes  the 
difference  which  men  who  insist  upon  our  copy- 
ing English  farming,  without  understanding  it, 
overlook.  Mr.  Mechi's  example  is  constantly 
held  up  for  our  imitation,  as  if  it  followed  of 
course,  that  what  is  profitable  there  must  prove 
so  here. 

Now,  professing  myself  an  advocate  for  "high 
farming"  and  deep  farming,  and  especially  for 
draining,  which  is  Mr.  Mechi's  first  command- 
ment, I  cannot  see  my  way  clear  for  under- 
laying my  farm  with  liquid  manure  pipes  in  this 
cold  country,  where  nature  imposes  many  ob- 
stacles unknown  in  the  south  of  England. 

A  few  figures  will  show  where  Mr.  Mechi 
would  find  his  balance,  if  we  substitute  American 
prices  of  labor  and  products,  instead  of  English 
prices. 

On  the  \'ery  soil  at  Tiptree  Hall,  I  inquired  of 
laborers  and  of  the  steward  the  price  of  labor 
there.  The  answer  was  nine  shillings  ($2,25)  a 
week  for  a  man's  labor,  the  laborer  boarding  him- 
self. The  "Encyclopaedia  of  Agriculture"  states 
the  price  in  1850,  in  Essex  county,  at  from  eight 
to  ten  shillings,  and  so  confirms  these  state- 
ments. 

Mr.  Mechi  states  the  "gross  expenses,  per 
acre,  on  the  whole  farm,"  to  be,  reduced  to  our 
currency,  $38,54,  of  which  the  items  of  labor 
amount  to  $12,87. 

Now,  if  we  call  the  price  of  labor  here  935 
cents  per  day,  we  have  it  just  twice  and  a  half  as 
much  as  at  Tiptree  Hall.  Then  call  the  labor 
per   acre,   twice   and   a   half  $12,87,   which    is 


448 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Oct. 


$32,18,  and  we  have  the  difference  of  $19,31  to 
be  added  to  his  "gross  expenses  per  acre,"  which 
will  make  $57,85  instead  of  $38,54,  as  the  cost 
of  bestowing  the  same  labor  here  that  Mr.  Mechi 
bestows  there. 

Now,  to  show  that  it  wont  pay  to  spend  $57,85 
per  acre  even  for  such  crops  as  Mr.  Mechi  pro- 
duces, let  us  try  the  value  in  the  New  York  mar- 
ket of  his  best  crops.  Wheat,  barley  and  oats 
are  the  profitable  standard  crops  that  bring  in 
the  money  in  England.  They  are  called  white 
crops,  and  rarely  are  raised  twice  in  succession 
on  the  same  field.  A  green  crop  of  turnips,  clo- 
•ver,  rye,  grass  or  the  like,  usually  follows  a  white 
crop,  so  that  when  we  estimate  the  value  of  the 
wheat,  barley  and  oat  crop,  we  give  far  more  than 
the  average  value  of  all  the  crops.  Taking  Mr. 
Mechi's  crops  as  he  gives  them,  and  the  prices 
from  the  New  York  Tribune  of  August  14,  1858, 
we  have : 

40  bushels  of  wheat  at  $1,25 $50,00 

56  bushels  of  barley  at       65 36,40 

88  bushels  of  oats  at  50 44,00 

We  have  seen  that  if  Mr.  Mechi  paid  Ameri- 
can prices  for  labor,  each  of  these  crops  would 
cost  him  $57,85,  and  if  he  sold  them  at  Ameri- 
can prices,  he  would  soon  be  seen  coming  out  of 
the  smallest  end  of  the  horn,  instead  of  being 
Lord  Mayor  of  London,  as  we  hope  he  may  be 
in  due  time. 

This  is  written,  not  to  discourage  good  culti- 
vation, but  to  show  the  folly  of  following  Eng- 
lish leaders  in  agriculture,  blindfold. 

Mr.  Mechi  includes  in  his  expenses,  tithes, 
church  rates,  rent  of  land,  and  the  little  items, 
which  we  have  nothing  to  do  with.  AV"e  may 
make  less  or  more  money  than  he,  by  investing 
largely  in  improvements,  but  there  is  no  parallel 
between  us.  We  pay  the  laborer  his  full  share 
of  the  profits,  often  more.  In  England,  he  gets 
only  enough  to  keep  him  from  starving.  Thefe 
land  and  its  products  are  dear,  while  here  both 
are  comparatively  cheap. 

Good  farming,  intelligent  farming,  in  both 
countries,  will  show  a  good  balance  sheet,  but 
Mr.  Sheriff  Mechi's  accounts  need  some  "varia- 
tion for  this  latitude"  and  longitude.  We  may 
do  as  well  as  he  is  doing,  but  not  in  the  same 
way.  He  does  not  state  the  price  he  pays  for 
labor,  by  the  day  or  week,  but  he  gives  such 
items  as  this,  which  shows  how  well  the  laborer 
fares : — "Cutting  drains  in  stiff,  tile  clays,  4  feet 
deep,  at  per  rod  or  pole,  including  placing  the 
pipes,  5id."  About  eleven  cents  per  rod  for  cut- 
ting a  ditch  4  feet  deep  in  stiff  clay,  and  placing 
the  drain  pipes  !  If  any  laborer  wants  a  job,  at 
double  that  price,  I  should  like  to  have  him  call 
on  me,  at  the  Pines.     I  believe  draining  will  pay 


me  at  double  such  prices,  but  some  of  Mr.  Me- 
chi's improvements  would  soon  ruin  me. 

There  is  nothing  in  which  American  farmers, 
especially  in  New  England,  err  more  than  in  with- 
holding capital  from  their  legitimate  business. 
Judicious  improvements  to  make  the  crops  large 
and  uniform,  to  put  them  beyond  the  common 
risks  of  wet  and  dry  seasons,  will  pay  better  than 
banks  and  railroads.  Thorough  draining,  deep 
culture,  and  heavy  manuring,  with  attention  to 
proper  rotation  of  crops,  will  make  farming  prof- 
itable, on  almost  any  land,  near  good  markets. 

Exeter,  N.  H.,  August  16,  1858. 


NECESSITr  OF  PURE  AIR. 

Whatever  makes  the  air  impure  makes  the 
blood  impurer.  It  is  the  air  we  breathe  which 
purifies  the  blood.  And  as,  if  the  water  we  use 
to  wash  our  clothing  is  dirty,  it  is  impossible  to 
wash  the  clothing  clean,  so  if  the  air  we  breathe 
is  impure,  it  is  impossible  for  it  to  abstract  the 
impurities  from  the  blood.  What,  then,  are 
some  of  the  more  prominent  things  which  render 
the  air  impure  ?  It  is  the  nature  of  still  air  to 
become  impure.  Running  water  purifies  itself. 
Air  in  motion,  draughts  of  air,  are  self-purifiers. 
Thus  it  is  that  the  air  of  a  close  room  becomes 
impure.  Thus  it  is  that  close  rooms  bring  con- 
sumption to  countless  thousands.  Hence  all 
rooms  should  be  so  constructed  as  to  have  a  con- 
stant draught  of  air  passing  through  them.  A 
man  of  ordinary  size  renders  a  hogshead  of  air 
unfit  for  breathing,  and  consumes  its  blood-puri- 
fying qualities,  every  hour.  Hence  sleeping  in 
close  rooms,  even  though  alone,  or  sitting  for  a 
very  short  time  in  a  crowded  vehicle,  or  among 
a  large  assembly,  is  perfectly  corrupting  to  the 
blood.  Close  bedrooms  make  the  graves  of  mul- 
titudes.— Hall's  Book  on  Consumption, 


MEN  AND   BOYS. 


There  is  a  real  distinction  between  these  two 
classes  of  persons.  They  are  not  unlike  simply 
as  to  size  and  strength,  but  also  as  to  higher 
qualities.  A  true  man  is  manly,  a  boy  is  natu- 
rally boyish.  "When  I  became  a  man,"  says  Paul, 
"I  put  away  childish  things."  Some  individuals, 
however,  in  the  shape  of  men,  are  as  little  given 
to  reflection — as  indiscreet  and  simple,  as  if  they 
wore  the  shape  of  children. 

Boys  are  designed  to  be  men,  and  men  they 
will  become,  if  they  are  properly  trained  and  ed- 
ucated, and  do  themselves  justice,  but  if  not  so 
trained  and  educated,  and  are  reckless,  they  will 
only  grow  into  large  boys. 

It  is  in  this  case  much  as  it  is  with  tadpoles. 
These  are  meant,  naturalists  tell  us,  to  be  frogs. 
The  Creator  so  intended  them.  But  if  shut  up 
and  excluded  from  the  light,  they  will  never  lose 
their  tails  and  become  frogs,  but  remain  mere 
tadpoles. 

Thus  many  boys  never  become  men.  They 
continue  boys  in  intellect,  judgment  and  deport- 
ment— shrunk,  dwarfish  and  paralyzed, — insep- 
arably allied  to  "childish  things."  "Show  thy- 
self a  MAN,"  by  eschewing  whatever  is  puerile 
and  belittling. — Religious  Herald. 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


449 


PERKINS'  COEN  HUSKER. 


"VVe  have  long  since  ceased  to  entertain  any 
very  strong  doubts  that  husking  corn,  or  any 
other  work,  may  not  eventually  be  assisted — if 
not  entirely  accomplished — by  the  aid  of  machi- 
nery. But  as  relates  to  most  of  the  operations  on 
the  farm,  we  look  u^on  that  oi husking  to  be  among 
those  presenting  many  difficulties  to  be  overcome. 
There  is  no  trouble  in  separating  the  ear  from 
the  stalk,  but  in  most  cases  it  leaves  it  with  so 
many  manipulations  to  be  performed  afterwards, 
that  it  is  doubtful  whether  anything  has  yet  been 
gained  by  the  use  of  machinery  in  this  item  of 
farm  labor. 

Within  the  last  twelve  months  we  have  looked 
at  half  a  dozen  different  contrivances  for  husk- 
ing, with  considerable  interest,  but  have  found 
nothing  among  them  all,  not  fairly  liable  to  pret- 
ty serious  objections. 

The  machine  which  is  figured  above,  we  have 
only  seen  in  operation  in  a  very  limited  degree, 
and  cannot  now,  therefore,  do  more  in  present- 
ing it  to  our  readers  than  to  allow  its  inventor  to 
speak  for  himself.     He  says  : 

"This  machine  will  husk  corn  of  any  size,  on 
the  stalk,  just  as  cut  from  the  ground. 

The  operator,  seated  on  the  machine,  holds, 
with  the  left  hand,  the  ear  under  the  cutters,  and 
with  the  mallet,  A,  in  the  right  hand,  striking  the 
short  lever,  I!,  downwards,  cuts  the  ear  close  to 
the  first  row  of  kernels,  (the  cutters  being  in  con- 
tact or  close  together  when  they  descend,)  then 
striking  the  long  lever,  C,  outioard,  the  ear  is 
pushed  entirely  out  of  the  husk,  being  but  two 
motions — first,  downward,  second,  outward. 

It  husks  as  fast  as  the  stalks  are  placed  under 


the  cutters  ;  and  from  50  to  100  per  cent,  more 
corn  can  be  husked  per  day,  with  this  machine, 
than  by  hand,  and  all  severe  and  painful  hand- 
labor  entirely  avoided. 

The  iron  work  is  of  wrought  iron,  and  the  ma- 
chine is  warranted  not  to  break  by  fair  usage. 

Size  of  machine. — Height,  16  inches;  length, 
28  inches  ;  width,  9  inches  ;  and  weight  17  lbs." 

It  is  made  by  J.  Perkins  &  Co.,  West  Kil- 
ingly.  Conn.,  and  sold,  singly,  for  $5,50. 


For  the  Neio  England  Farmer. 

EVAPORATION. 

It  has  been  very  generally  considered  that  the 
evaporation  of  any  fluid  is  a  cooling  process — that 
is,  that  vapor  always  takes  heat  from,  and  con- 
sequently leaves  cooler,  the  body  which  generates 
it ;  but  is  this  so  in  reality  ?  Let  us  examine  for 
a  moment  the  experiments  usually  cited  in  con- 
firmation of  this  theory;  the  first  of  which  is,  the 
placing  of  alcohol  on  the  hand  and  letting  it 
evaporate  by  the  natural  warmth  of  the  body.  In 
this  experiment,  it  is  true  that  the  hand  will  feel 
cold,  but  does  not  this  prove  that  a  certain  por- 
tion of  caloric  has  left  the  hand  and  united  with 
the  alcohol,  making  it  in  fact  tcarmer,  instead  o* 
colder  ?  The  second  experiment  cited  is  that  o^ 
the  Spanish  alcarrazas,  which  consists  in  placing 
water  in  a  porous  earthen  jar,  either  in  the  sun 
or  in  a  warm,  dry  atmosphere,  where  evaporation 
will  take  place  with  great  rapidity  ?  By  this 
means  water,  it  is  said,  may  be  cooled  to  quite  a 
low  degree  of  temperature.  I  am  not  prepared  now 
to  say  that  this  may  not  be  so,  but  yet  it  is  a  ques- 
tion of  some  doubt,  as  the  reader  will  see,  by 
attention  to  the  result  of  the  following  experi- 
ment, which  was  performed  a  short  time  since  by 


450 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Oct 


Mr.  J.  H.  Shedd,  of  this  city,  for  the  express  pur- 
pose of  testing  the  accuracy  of  commonly  received 
opinion  upon  this  subject. 

A  jar  wrapped  in  several  folds  of  flannel  was 
filled  with  water  at  66°  Fahr. — the  flannel  on  the 
outside  of  the  jar  was  completely  saturated  with 
water  at  the  same  temperature  and  the  whole  was 
then  placed  in  the  sun  when  the  themometer  stood 
at  126°;  evaporation  took  place  with  great  rapid- 
ity, so  rapidly  in  fact  that  the  wrapper  required 
to  be  re-wet  several  times  in  the  course  of  the 
hour  during  which  the  experiment  was  continued ; 
the  water  used  for  wetting  the  wrappers  was  al- 
.(^ays  of  the  same  temperature,  viz.,  66°,  and  could 
have  had  no  eff'ect  in  raising  the  temperature  of 
the  water  in  the  jar ;  yet  at  the  expiration  of  the 
hour  its  temperature  was  81° — that  is,  lo*^  higher 
than  at  the  beginning  of  the  experiment !  Not 
doubting  in  the  least  the  accuracy  of  this  trial,  as 
it  was  performed  by  a  gentleman  who  is  well 
known  to  be  careful  and  exact  in  performance, 
the  trial  was  repeated  in  the  following  manner. 
One  end  of  an  ordinary  porous  drain  tile  was 
closed,  and  the  tile  then  filled  with  water  at  71°; 
this  was  not  placed  in  the  sun,  but  in  such  a  po- 
sition that  it  was  constantly  subjected  to  a  draught 
of  air  at  a  temperature  of  72.^°:  the  water  soon 
saturated  the  porous  sides  of  the  tile,  and  evapo- 
ration took  place  so  fast  that  in  the  course  of 
three  hours  a  tenth  part  had  been  vaporized  ;  yet 
the  only  change  that  had  taken  place  in  the  tem- 
perature of  the  water  had  been  to  raise  it,  in  the 
beginning  of  the  experiment,  1^°,  that  is,  to  72^*^, 
the  temperature  of  the  atmosphere ;  having  gained 
this  point,  it  remained  constant  throughout  the 
entire  time  of  the  trial. 

It  is  possible  that  in  making  these  experiments 
something  essential  to  their  successful  operation 
may  have  been  omitted ;  if  so,  it  is  hoped  that 
some  one  of  the  many  intelligent  readers  of  the 
Farmer  may  correct  our  errors,  and  at  the  same 
time  throw  more  light  upon  this  portion  of  the 
theory  of  evaporation. 

Though  evaporation,  per  se,  may  not  be  a  cool- 
ing process,  yet  no  one  can  doubt  that  through 
this  medium  wonderful  changes  of  temperature 
are  eftected  ;  and  still  more  wonderful  and  even 
fatal  changes  are  prevented. 

In  the  whole  economy  of  nature  there  is  no 
more  beautiful  phenomenon  than  this  ; — annual- 
ly the  earth  in  its  mighty  respiration  sends  forth 
and  draws  back  to  itself  one  hundred  and  sixty 
millions  cubic  miles  of  vapor.  To  this  flow  of 
the  earth's  breath  of  life  we  owe  our  majestic  rivers 
and  ever  flowing  springs ;  the  beauty  of  the  sun- 
set filling  the  heart  with  calm,  quiet  joy,  the 
vanishing  tints  of  the  rainbow,  ever  reminding 
us  of  God's  saving  promise,  are  but  the  fulfilling 
of  its  mission  to  men.  Pensa. 

Boston,  Aug.,  1858. 


The  Heaviest  Bullock  ever  Butchered. 
— Upon  the  authority  of  the  President  of  the 
American  Institute,  it  was  recently  stated  that 
the  heaviest  bullock  butchered  in  this  country 
was  the  ox  Washington,  whose  gross  "weight  was 
3,204  pounds,  and  weight  of  beef  2,174  pounds. 
This  claim  appears  to  be  disputed,  however,  by 
some  writers  in  the  Tribune,  from  Pennsylvania, 
one  of  whom  claims  that  a  bullock  was  butchered 


near  Lancaster,  on  the  22nd  of  February  last, 
whose  live  weight  was  3,387,  net,  2,409 ;  the 
other  that  a  Berks  county  ox  was  butchered  some 
years  ago  in  Philadelphia,  whose  live  weight  was 
3,350,  net  2,388.  A  still  heavier  bullock  is  an- 
nounced in  the  Saratoga  County  Press,  which 
says  "that  J.  M.  Cole,  of  Saratoga  Springs, 
slaughtered  an  ox  in  1847  whose  live  weight  was 
3,520  lbs. ;  dressed  2,567."  If  this  be  true,  Mr. 
Cole  has  probably  beaten  the  world,  and  should 
give  the  world  the  proof. — Southern  Planter. 


INQUIRIES  ABOUT  "WHITE  CATTLE. 

Ed.  Cultivator  : — Permit  me  to  ask  you  or 
some  of  your  readers  a  few  simple  questions  : 

1st.  Will  white  cattle  stand  our  cold  winters 
as  well  as  cattle  of  other  colors? 

2nd.  Does  the  color  make  any  difference  about 
their  standing  the  heat,  when  worked  hard  in 
warm  weather  ? 

3d.  Does  the  color  affect  the  quality  of  beef? 

4th.  Would  it  not  be  better  to  bring  our  cat- 
tle from  the  north  as  much  as  possible,  than  from 
the  south ;  would  they  not  stand  our  winters 
better  ? 

I  would  like  to  have  these  questions  answered, 
as  I  am  rather  partial  to  white  cattle,  and  I  would 
like  to  know  whether  they  are  as  hardy  as  cattle 
of  other  colors  ?         Yours  truly,  H.  c.  B. 

Answer. — More  than  thirty  years  ago  we 
worked  a  yoke  of  white  oxen  through  a  heavy 
season's  plowing,  and  though,  in  the  abstract, 
they  stood  heat  better  than  dark  cattle,  yet  their 
general  tenderness  led  us  to  turn  them  to  beef  as 
soon  as  possible.  Our  experience  with  white 
cows  is  also  unfavorable  to  their  profitableness. 
But  these  were  not  the  blood  stock.  We  shall 
be  glad  to  have  the  experience  of  those  who  have 
kept  the  white  full  blood  short  horns. — Ohio 
Ctdtivator. 

POWEB  OF  ABSOKPTION. 

It  is  a  fact  well  known  to  physiologists  that 
the  power  of  absorption  of  nutritious  matters  de- 
pends upon  the  fact  that  the  blood  in  the  capil- 
lary vessels  which  surround  the  intestines  is 
thicker  than  the  fluid  contained  in  the  intestines. 
Water  is  absorbed  in  great  quantity  and  rapidity 
into  the  blood  from  the  intestinal  canal.  The 
blood  would  thus  soon  become  so  diluted  as  to 
be  incapable  of  further  absorption,  if  it  were  not 
for  certain  arrangements  for  the  rapid  escape  of 
this  water  from  the  body.  A  part  of  the  water 
passes  off  by  the  kidneys.  Thus,  if  a  man  drinks 
five  or  six  tumblers  full  of  ordinary  well  or  spring 
water,  the  major  part  will  be  excreted  by  the  kid- 
neys in  less  than  thirty  minutes.  But,  besides 
this,  the  evaporating  surface,  including  the  cuta- 
neous and  respiratory,  is  immensely  large  as 
compared  with  the  absorbing  surface.  According 
to  Lindenau's  calculation,  the  whole  absorbing 
surface  of  the  intestine  is  24  square  feet,  while 
the  evaporating  surface  of  the  lungs  is  2,642 
square  feet  and  that  of  the  skin  is  12  square  feet. 
By  this  wonderful  contrivance  any  undue  increase 
of  water  in  the  blood  is  soon  got  rid  of,  and  the 
due  thickness  of  ihe  blood,  and  of  consequence  its 
powers  of  absorption,  are  constantly  maintained. 
— Louisville  Journal. 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


451 


For  the  Netc  England  Farmer. 

A  FINE  FIELD   OF  POTATOES— DIGGING 
AND  PILING  MUCK. 

Mr.  Beown  : — Dear  Sir, — I  have  been  much 
interested  to-day  in  viewing  a  field  of  ten  acres 
of  potatoes.  All  things  considered,  the  field  is 
a  sight  worthy  the  observation  of  any  man  at  all 
interested  in  the  cultivation  of  land,  and  I  think 
may  well  receive  a  passing  notice  in  the  Farmer. 

The  land  is  part  of  a  tract  of  upland  pasture, 
heretofore  closely  fed  by  village  cows,  and  in  ordi- 
nary condition.  The  soil  is  a  yellow  loam,  some- 
what mixed  with  cobble  stcnes  in  places,  but  for 
the  most  part  tolerably  free,  and  easy  to  work.  Ear- 
ly in  April  last,  the  land  was  plowed,  harrowed, 
and  furrowed  out  one  way,  in  rows  three  and  a 
half  feet  apart.  Then  it  was  manured  in  the  hills, 
with  a  compost  of  muck  and  ashes, — using,  in  all, 
an  hundred  loads  of  compost,  putting  a  shovel- 
ful! in  each  hill.  The  hills  were  made  three  feet 
apart  in  the  rows.  The  potatoes  were  dropped 
immediately  upon  the  compost,  and  the  planting 
done  between  the  fifteenth  and  twentieth  of  April. 

The  muck  was  dug  from  the  swanp  two  years 
ago  this  summer,  and  placed  in  a  heap  on  dry 
ground,  to  dry  and  become  rotten  and  fine.  A 
week  or  two  previous  to  planting,  it  was  drawn 
upon  the  field  and  placed  in  four  heaps,  of  twenty- 
five  loads  each,  at  convenient  distances  for  re- 
loading'and  dropping  into  the  hills ;  and  three 
bushels  of  unleached  ashes  were  mixed  with  each 
cart-load  of  the  muck,  as  it  M'as  being  deposited 
in  the  heaps.  After  lying  a  few  days,  the  com- 
post was  shovelled  over,  and  then  it  was  ready 
for  use. 

The  potatoes  have  from  the  first  been  very 
thrifty  and  of  stout  growth.  The  tops  now  stand 
about  three  feet  high,  and  spread  out  laterally  so 
as  to  touch  from  row  to  row  and  pretty  much 
cover  the  ground ;  and  they  have  a  deep  green 
color  and  perfectly  healthy  appearance  every  way. 
The  potatoes  are  already  of  good  size  for  cook- 
ing, and  promise  a  good  yield, — indeed,  they  are 
now  daily  ])repared  for  the  table.  Any  one,  ob- 
serving the  perfect  and  large  growth  of  the  crop, 
and  considering  the  previous  condition  of  the 
land,  must  conclude  that  the  compost  of  muck 
and  ashes  is  a  valuable  manure.  My  observa- 
tions to-day  so  forcibly  remind  me  of  the  value  of 
muck,  that  I  can  not  forbear  again  urging  its  pre- 
paration for  tillage  purposes,  notwithstanding 
that  I  have  heretofore  in  the  Farmer  said  so  much 
upon  the  subject. 

August  and  September  are  generally  the  most 
favorable  months  for  digging  muck.  Now  then 
is  the  time  to  get  it  out  of  the  swamp  and  pile  it 
upon  dry  ground,  in  heaps  accessible  at  all  sea- 
sons. It  is  always  a  convenience  to  have  such  a 
deposit  of  vegetable  matter  to  draw  from,  there 
are  so  many  ways  in  which  the  muck  can  be  used 
in  the  making  of  manure  and  cultivation  of  crops. 

The  older  the  muck,  before  using  it,  the  more 
marked  its  good  effects  upon  the  crops.  By  lying 
a  year  or  two  in  a  heap  upon  di-y  ground,  the 
muck  becomes  dry,  rotten  and  finely  pulverized ; 
the  action  of  sun,  frost  and  decomposition  in  a 
good  degree  takes  out  the  acids  ;  the  muck  is 
lighter  and  freer  to  shovel,  cart,  and  handle  any 
way ;  it  will  be  a  more  perfect  absorbent  of  the 
liquids  and  salts  of  manure ;  and  may  be  used  in 


larger  quantities,  in  proportion  to  the  manure, 
lime  or  ashes  it  is  composted  with,  than  would  be 
proper  or  profitable  if  it  were  taken  directly  from 
the  swamp,  in  a  green,  raw  state.  Therefore,  if 
one  can  let  his  muck  lie  in  heap  two  years  before 
using,  it  will  be  enough  better  to  richly  pay  the 
investment ;  and  it  certainly  ought  to  lie  several 
months,  at  least. 

If  the  swamp  is  not  dry  enough  to  get  the  muck 
out  handily,  now  is  the  favorable  period  for  open- 
ing ditches  to  drain  it.  If  it  is  inconvenient  or 
undesirable  to  drain  the  entire  muck-bed,  then  by 
ditching  around  a  piece  of  it,  of  a  few  rods  square, 
and  extending  an  outlet  ditch,  of  suitable  depth, 
to  ground  low  enough  to  carry  off  the  water  clean- 
ly, the  body  of  muck  so  separated  on  all  sides 
from  the  main  bed,  will  in  a  very  few  days  drain 
off  sufficiently  to  be  easily  shovelled  up  and  carted 
out  to  dry  ground.  Where  one  designs  to  get 
out  a  considerable  quantity  of  muck,  he  will  find 
it  to  be  in  the  end  the  best  economy  to  drain  at 
least  that  portion  of  the  swamp  he  is  to  take  the 
muck  from,  clear  to  the  bottom.  A  more  tempo- 
rary and  superficial  arrangement  will  not  gener- 
ally be  any  saving  of  labor.        F.  Holbrook. 

Brattleboro' ,  Aug.  17,  1858. 


TIMES  GO  B^Y  TURNS. 

An  English  Jesuit,  Robert  Southwell,  wrote  the  following  lines 
of  much  merit,  two  centuries  and  a  half  ago.     The  philosophic 
strain  pervading  the  piece  is  worthy  of  admiration. 
The  lopped  tree  in  time  may  grow  again, 

Most  naked  plants  renew  both  fruit  and  flower  ; 
The  sorriest  wight  may  find  relief  from  pain. 

The  dryest  soil  suck  in  some  moistening  shower. 
Times  go  by  turns,  and  chances  change  by  course, 
From  foul  to  fair,  from  better  hap  to  worse. 

The  sea  of  fortune  doth  forever  flow, 

She  draws  her  favors  to  the  lowest  ebb  ; 
Her  tides  have  equal  times  to  come  and  go, 

Her  loom  doth  weave  the  fine  and  coarsest  web. 
No  joy  so  great  but  runneth  to  an  end, 
No  hap  so  hard  but  may  in  time  amend. 

Not  always  fall  of  leaf,  nor  even  spring  ; 

No  endless  night,  nor  yet  eternal  day ; 
The  saddest  birds  a  season  find  to  sing. 

The  roughest  storm  a  calm  rtay  soon  allay. 
Thus  with  succeeding  turns  God  tempereth  all, 
That  man  may  hope  to  rise,  yet  fear  to  fall. 

A  chance  may  win  that  by  mischance  was  lost ; 

That  net  that  holds  no  great,  takes  little  fish  ; 
In  some  things  all,  in  all  things  none  are  crossed  ; 

Few  all  they  need  ;  but  none  have  all  they  wish. 
Unmingled  joys  here  to  no  man  befall : 
Who  least,  have  some  5  who  most,  hath  never  all. 


Trees.  —  I  remember  that,  riding  one  day  in 
the  south  of  Spain,  where  plains  and  hillsides 
have  been  thoroughly  denuded  of  trees, — except 
the  poor,  homely,  shadeless  olive, — my  intelligent 
guide  pointed  to  a  huge  ring,  or  bolt,  in  the  side 
of  a  rock,  as  our  horses  were  picking  their  way 
through  the  dry,  rocky  course  of  a  once  deep 
river.  "There,"  said  he,  "the  old  Romans  used 
to  make  fast  their  galleys  when  they  ascended 
this  river." 

The  forests  have  now  gone,  and  with  them 
this  once  navigable  river,  which  flows  only  in 
the  winter,  and  there  is  but  a  shallow  stream. 
— L.  SaltanstaU. 


452 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Oct. 


ROTATION  OF  CROPS. 

Manuring  has  been  aptly  denominated  the 
moving  power  in  agricultui'al  enterprises — the 
steam  engine  which  propels  the  vessel, — and  if 
so,  a  proper  and  judicious  succession  or  rotation 
of  crops  may  be  considered  the  rudder  which 
guides  or  directs  its  course. 

We  have  not,  in  this  country,  any  general  or 
common  system  of  rotation,  and  have  as  yet 
made  but  a  remote  approximation  to  the  accura- 
cy which  characterizes  the  movements  of  agricul- 
ture in  Great  Britain,  Germany,  and  many  other 
European  countries,  where  the  art  of  agriculture 
has  been  longer  practised,  and  where  its  laws  are 
better  defined  and  understood. 

The  courses  which  have  been  most  generally  in- 
troduced, are  the  following : — 

I.  1st  year,  corn  and  roots  well  manured;  2d 
year,  wheat  sown  with  clover,  15  lbs.  per  acre  ; 
3d  year,  clover  one  or  more  years,  according  to 
the  fertility  and  amount  of  manure  at  hand. 

II.  1st  year,  corn  and  roots  with  all  the  man- 
ure ;  2d  year,  barley  and  peas  ;  3d  year,  wheat 
sown  with  clover ;  4-th  year,  clover,  one  or  more 
years. 

III.  1st  year,  corn  and  roots  with  all  the  man- 
ure ;  2d  year,  barley ;  3d  year,  wheat  sown  with 
clover ;  4th  year,  pasture ;  5th  year,  meadow ; 
6th  year,  fallow ;  7th  year,  wheat ;  8th  year, 
oats  sown  with  clover ;  9th  year,  pasture  or 
meadow. 

It  will  be  noticed  that  in  each  of  these  three 
courses,  the  number  of  fields  corresponds  with 
the  number  of  changes — the  first  is  three,  the 
second  four,  and  the  third  nine.  As  to  the  prac- 
ticability of  rendering  a  thorough  and  complete 
course  of  rotation  economical  at  first,  on  our 
farms,  there  may  be  some  question ;  yet  that  the 
system  is  philosophically  predicated,  and  suscep- 
tible of  successful  adoption,  under  favorable  cir- 
cumstances, is  quite  probable.  A  principal  ob- 
jection will  be  found  as  existing  in  the  extra  ex- 
tent of  fencing  required  in  subdividing  the  farm 
properly. 

Another  objection  would  be  found  by  us  in  the 
year  of  rest  which  the  soil  finds  in  the  nine-course 
system  ;  that  is,  leaving  the  fields  falloio,  or  in 
furrow,  and  perhaps,  plowed  two  or  three  times  in 
the  course  of  the  year,  when  it  recuperates,  not 
only  by  not  being  cropped,  but  being  mellow  and 
porous,  draws  largely  from  the  enriching  influen- 
ces of  the  atmosphere,  and  is  thus  enriched  for 
future  cultivation.  In  fallowing,  therefore,  a  con- 
siderable portion  of  the  labor  required  for  a  crop 
must  be  performed  without  any  present  return 
whatever. 

The  soundness  of  this  practice  is  generally 
questioned  in  this  country,  but  probably  upon 
no  better  data  than  vague  supposition ;  as  we 


have  never  known  of  a  single  experiment  as  a 
test,  nor  seen  one  related.  The  English  people 
have  brought  the  art  of  cultivating  the  earth  too 
near  to  a  system,  and  are  too  critical  and  observ- 
ing, to  continue  a  practice  of  this  kind  through  a 
long  series  of  years,  unless  it  were  based  on  some 
sound  principles  of  utility. 

We  hope  some  of  our  farmers,  such  as  Mr. 
Fay,  of  Lynn,  Brown,  of  Marblehead,  Waters, 
of  Beverly,  Sutton  or  Ayres,  of  Salem,  and 
many  others  who  have  extensive  farms,  will 
make  careful  experiments  on  this  point,  and  let 
the  result  be  known. 

One  thing  with  us  is  certain,  and  is  acknowl- 
edged by  all,  and  that  is,  that  ice  occupy  too  much 
land — that  the  same  manure  now  used,  spread 
on  a  less  quantity  of  land,  would  produce  far 
more  favorable  results, — and  when  we  feel  that 
we  cannot  spare  the  land  for  the  year  oi fallows, 
or  rest,  we  must  remember  that  the  English  peo- 
ple occupy  less  land  and  manure  much  higher 
than  we  do,  and  therefore,  can  better  afford  to 
let  a  portion  of  their  soil  rest. 


For  the  Keic  England  Farmer. 
; CULTIVATION"  OF  WINTER  WHEAT. 

Mr.  Brown: — Dear  Sir, — Happening  a  day 
or  two  since  to  meet  my  townsman,  RuFUS  Clark, 
Esq.,  he  remarked  to  me  that  he  had  been  inter- 
ested in  the  several  articles  in  the  Farmer,  by 
your  able  correspondent,  Mr.  Poor,  upon  the  sub- 
ject of  raising  winter  wheat  in  New  England ; 
that,  in  consequence  of  Mr.  Poor's  suggestions, 
he  in  the  fall  of  1857  sowed  an  acre  and  a  half 
with  winter  wheat ;  and  having  succeeded  in  rais- 
ing a  good  crop,  he  would  like  to  show  it  to  me. 
I  therefore  called  at  Mr.  Clark's  place  to-day,  to 
see  his  wheat,  and  gather  the  details  of  its  culti- 
vation.    I  present  the  results  to  the  Farmer. 

The  land  that  produced  the  wheat  is  of  about 
an  average  quality  with  the  rest  of  Mr.  Clark's 
tillage  land,  and  has  had  no  extra  cultivation 
above  his  other  fields.  In  1854  it  was  manured 
broadcast  and  planted  with  corn,  and  that  Fall 
sowed  with  winter  rye,  and  stocked  the  following 
Spring  with  clover  and  herdsgrass.  In  1855  the 
acre  and  a  half  yielded  twenty-one  bushels  of 
winter  rye.  In  1856  and  1857  the  piece  was  in 
mowing,  yielding  good  crops  of  mostly  clover, 
hay. 

The  first  week  in  September,  1857,  the  acre 
and  a  half  was  plowed  up,  and  manured  with  a 
compost  made  of  muck  and  leached  ashes,  spread- 
ing it  on  .top,  about  at  the  rate  of  fifteen  ox  cart 
loads  to  the  acre,  and  harrowing  it  in  with  the 
wheat.  The  muck  used  had  lain  one  year  in  a 
heap  in  the  barn-yard.  Just  before  applying  it  to 
the  wheat  land,  about  four  bushels  of  leached 
ashes  were  mixed  with  each  load  of  muck.  On 
the  12th  of  September  two  and  a  half  bushels  of 
winter  wheat  were  sown  on  the  acre  and  a  half; 
and  early  this  Spring  it  Avas  stocked  with  grass 
seeds. 

The  first  week  in  July  last,  the  grain  was  cut 
and  stookjfd,  and  made  sixty  stooks,  of  twelve 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


453 


bundles  to  the  stook.  The  heads  of  wheat  are 
of  good  length,  and  the  berry  plump  and  fair, 
with  no  injury  from  insects  of  any  kind.  The 
straw  stood  about  breast  high,  perfectly  bright 
and  free  from  rust  or  blast. 

I  have  examined  the  crop  in  the  barn,  both 
threshed  and  not  threshed,  and  am  pleased  with 
its  appearance.  A  small  portion  has  been 
threshed,  and  it  would  seem,  judging  from  the 
grain  obtained  from  a  given  number  of  bundles, 
and  considering  the  wliole  number  in  the  sixty 
stooks,  that  the  yield  would  be  between  fifteen 
and  twenty  bushels  to  the  acre.  There  is  no  rea- 
son to  doubt  but  what  more  bushels  of  winter 
wheat  have  been  grown  on  the  piece  this  year 
than  it  yielded  of  winter  rye  three  years  ago. 
It  is  proper  to  remark  that  there  was  a  good 
catch  of  grass  with  the  wheat. 

Now  this  is  not  an  extraordinary  crop,  which 
other  farmers  could  not  hope  to  equal.  But  it  is 
a  good  crop,  of  winter  wheat  too,  and  encourag- 
ing to  others  to  try  and  do  likewise.  Mr.  Clark's 
crop  goes  to  confirm  the  correctness  of  Mr.  Poor's 
advice  to  New  England  farmers,  to  attempt  the 
raising  of  winter  wheat.  F.  Holbrook. 

Brattleboro\  Aug.  20,  1858. 


APPLE  PUMICE. 

The  general  presumption  is,  among  farmers, 
that  apple  pumice  is  an  article  utterly  worthless. 
This,  however,  is  a  mistake.  If,  upon  cutting 
down  the  cheese,  the  pumice  be  thrown  into  a 
close,  compact  heap,  with  a  sufficiency  of  quick 
lime  to  neutralize  the  acidity  of  the  mass,  and 
allowed  there  to  remain  undisturbed  until  the 
following  autumn,  and  then  be  shovelled  over 
and  mixed  with  a  fresh  supply  of  lime,  or  un- 
leached  wood-ashes,  old  manure,  compost,  or  dry 
meadow  mud,  it  will  soon  become  one  of  the 
most  salutary  applications  that  can  be  made  to 
apple  trees,  grape  vines,  or,  indeed,  to  almost 
any  species  of  fruitiferous  trees  or  shrubs. 

In  its  crude  state  the  superabundance  of  acid 
which  it  contains,  (tartaric,)  renders  it  highly  in- 
jurious, an.d  not  unfrequently  fatal  in  its  efi'ects 
when  applied  to  vegetables  of  almost  every  kind. 
A  knowledge  of  this  fact  sometimes  induces  the 
spreading  of  fresh  pumice  around  bushes  which 
it  is  desirable  to  destroy,  and  the  result  is  speed- 
ily secured.  Elder  bushes  are  often  completely 
deadened  down  to  dry  wood,  in  a  single  season, 
by  having  the  surface  of  the  soil  around  their 
roots  covered  with  a  stratum  of  pumice  four  or 
five  inches  in  depth.  Bushes  which  are  even 
more  tenacious  of  life  than  the  elder,  rarely  sur- 
vive more  than  a  year  after  the  application  is 
made.  But  it  is  more  valuable  as  a  manurlal 
agent,  and  to  this  use  should  be  appropriated. 

In  districts  where  lime  cannot  be  easily  ob- 
tained, a  good  process  is  to  deposit  the  pumice 
in  some  low  and  convenient  place,  where  it  will 
not  be  liable  to  wash  away,  mix  with  it  what 
wood  ashes  is  at  hand,  and  then  five  or  six  times 


the  amount  of  pumice,  of  old,  well-dried  meadow 
muck.  Turn  the  mass  over  two  or  three  times  a 
year,  and  thoroughly  incorporate  the  whole.  Six 
months  before  using,  cart  to  the  heap  a  few  loads 
of  manure  from  the  barn,  mix  it  minutely,  and 
the  heap  will  be  ready  for  use. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 

THE   TEUE   POWL-MEADOW  GP.ASS. 

Messrs.  Editors  : — The  July  number  of  your 
very  valuable  journal  contains  answers  to  ques- 
tions proposed  by  me  to  the  N.  E.  Farmer,  no 
longer  ago  than  May  28th,  1827.  And  as  I  was 
not  expecting  y»s^  ?iOH',  to  receive  an  answer,  and 
having  a  press  of  business  on  my  hands,  (the 
Monthly  N.  E.  Farmer  being  alwaijs  good  for 
use,)  I  did  not  notice  the  fact  until  this  morning. 
My  special  acknowledgments  are  due,  and  are 
rendered  to  Mr.  Wetherell,  for  his  very  interest- 
ing and  instructive  article,  upon  a  subject  of  so 
much  importance  to  farmers  in  general. 

The  lamented  Fessendex,  of  the  old  series  of 
the  Farmer,  was  deeply  interested  in  regard  to 
this  grass,  (the  Poa  nervata,)  and  says,  in  closing 
his  article  upon  the  subject  in  Vol.  5,  No.  45, 
June  1st,  1827,  "We  are  not  able  to  state  the 
quantity  of  seed  to  the  acre  which  should  be 
sown  for  a  crop  of  fowl-meadow,  nor  to  give  sat- 
isfactory answers  to  the  other  questions  of  Mr. 
Macomber,  but  would  consider  it  as  a  great  fa- 
vor, if  any  person  acquainted  with  the  cultivation 
of  this  valuable  kind  of  grass  will  answer  his  in- 
quiries." But  it  so  happens  that  by  far  the  most 
satisfactory  portions  of  Mr.  Wetherell's  article 
are,  after  all,  contained  in  the  use  of  the  same 
quotations,  from  Dr.  Elliot's  third  essay  on  field 
husbandry,  and  from  Dr.  Willich's  Domestic  En- 
cyclopedia, and  also  from  Dr.  Muhlenberg; 
Avhich  appeared  in  Mr.  Fessenden's  remarks  on 
the  same  subject  more  than  thirty  years  ago. 

Upon  carefully  reviewing  Mr.  Fessenden's  re- 
marks, we  think  Mr.  W.  will  become  convinced 
that  Mr.  F.  did  not  say,  as  he  supposed  him  to 
do,  that,  "this  grass  is  called  herds-grass,  and 
white-top,  at  the  South."  But  says  Mr.  F,  "It 
is  thus  described  in  the  second  volume  of  the 
American  edition  of  Willich's  Domestic  Encyclo- 
pcedia,  page  268 ;"  and  we  do  not  understand  Mr. 
Fessenden  to  affirm  it  to  be  so,  any  more  than 
we  do  Mr.  W.  to  affirm  that  which  he  quotes 
from  others. 

That  Mr.  F.  was  mistaken  in  some  respects 
there  can  be  no  doubt ;  he  answered  according 
to  his  best  information  in  '27,  and  Mr.  W.  has 
given  us  in  some  respects  the  same,  together 
with  the  increasing  light  of  '58  ;  and  the  agricul- 
tural community  can  but  be  grateful  that  a  grass 
of  so  many  valuable  qualities,  is  now  so  authori- 
tatively and  elaborately,  as  seen  by  the  many 
writers  cited  by  Mr.  Wetherell,  placed  within 
their  rightful  power. 

Mr.  W.'s  answer  to  my  third  question  does 
not  appear  to  have  been  understood,  he  having 
once  for  all  said  in  answer,  "it  is  not  a  salt  marsh 
grass  ;"  that  we  well  knew  from  Mr.  Fessenden's 
remarks,  in  '27.  But  will  it  answer  provided  the 
soil  is  sometimes  overjloioed  by  salt  water  ?  in  the 
exact  language  of  the  question,  is  quite  another 
matter. 


454 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Oct. 


Dees  Mr.  W.  know,  that  upon  our  rivers, 
situated  somewhat  remotely  from  the  sea,  we 
have  large  quantities  of  meadow,  producing  at 
the  present  valuable  grass,  known  with  us  as 
blue,  and  black  grass,  mixed  in  with  some  of  the 
English  grasses,  and  that  those  marshes  are 
sovidimes  overjlorced,  by  means  of  salt  water, 
which  in  meeting  the  flowing  tide  from  the  sea, 
is  met  itself  by  the  fresh  water  from  our  inland 
river  sources,  and  is  of  course  thereby  made 
brackish  ;  but  not  so  salt,  as  to  prevent  the 
growth  of  fresh  grass  ?  Very  many  acres  of  this 
kind  of  marsh  exist  upon  all  our  sea-coast  towns, 
which  might  be  very  much  more  productive  of 
quantity,  and  very  greatly  improved  in  many 
other  particulars,  could  the  fowl-meadow  grass 
take  the  place  of  very  much,  at  least,  of  that 
which  now  covers  it.  It  was  to  meet  this  view 
of  the  case,  that  the  question  was  originally  asked, 
and  would  still  doubtless  be  of  considerable  ser- 
vice to  quite  a  large  interest,  to  be  informed,  on 
a  subject  of  so  much  importance  to  them. 

With  many  of  us,  surely,  it  is  a  matter  of  no  tri- 
fling consequence  to  have  a  grass  like  this,  which 
is  said  to  produce  its  three  or  four  tons  to  the 
acre ;  and  at  the  same  time,  in  case  of  sickness, 
want  of  help,  or  any  other  unforeseen  event,  be 
able  to  delay  cutting  it,  even  until  October,  with- 
out injury  to  the  hay.     CliAS.  W.  Macomber. 

East  Marslijield,  July  24,  1858. 


EAKEY  ON  "BLINKERS.' 


It  tells  the  driver,  in  the  most  impressive  charac- 
ters, what  the  horse's  feelings  are.  By  it  he  can 
tell  the  first  approach  of  fear  in  time  to  meet  any 
difiiculty ;  he  can  tell  if  he  is  happy  or  sad,  hungry 
or  weary.  The  horse,  too,  when  permitted  to 
see,  uses  his  eyes  with  great  judgment.  He  sees 
better  than  we  do.  He  can  measure  distances 
with  his  eyes  better  than  we  can,  and,  if  allowed 
free  use  of  them,  would  often  save  himself  by  the 
quickness  of  his  sight  from  collisions  when  the 
driver  would  fail  to  do  so  by  a  timely  pull  of  the 
reins.  It  would  also  save  many  accidents  to  pe- 
destrians in  the  streets,  as  no  horse  will  run  on 
to  any  person  that  he  can  see." 


For  the  New  England  Farmre. 
CANADA  -WEST. 
THE   SEASON,   PROSPECTS,   ETC. 

To  many  who  are  unacquainted  with  this  coun- 
try, its  name  is  associated  with  the  idea  of  a  cold, 
ungenial  climate,  scarcely  habitable  by  enlight- 
ened people.  But  a  few  minutes  spent  in  exam- 
ining a  good  map  would  teach  them  that  almost 
the  Avhole  of  Canada  West  lies  between  the  par- 
allels of  42°  and  45°  of  north  latitude.  One- 
half  of  the  State  of  !Maine  is  farther  north  than 
Canada  West,  and  the  south-western  portion  of 
the  Province  is  farther  south  than  Boston  ;  con- 
sequently it  is  in  the  same  latitude  as  the  great- 
er part  of  New  England,  and  we  may  reasonably 
imagine  a  similarity  in  climate.  By  several  years' 


Mr.  Rary  sends  to  the  London  T(me.s  his  opin-1  careful  observation  I  find  it  to  be  so,  only  that 
ion  of  the  use  of  "blinkers"  on  horses,  as  follows:  near   the  great  Lakes   we   have  less  snow,  and 

"All  my  experience  with  and  observation  of  |  more  changeable  weather  in  winter, 
horses  proves  clearly  to  me  that  blinkers  should  The  soil  is  generally  fertile  and  easy  to  culti- 
not  be  used,  and  that  the  sight  of  the  horse,  for  vate,  producing  abundant  crops.  Wheat  is  the 
many  reasons,  should  not  be  interfered  with  in  (great  staple,  though  in  some  sections  that  grain 
anyway.  Horses  are  only  fearful  of  objects  which 'does  not  succeed  so  well  as  formerly.  This  is 
they  do  not  understand  or  are  not  familiar  with, 'particularly  the  case  in  this  county  (Prince  Ed- 
and  the  eye  is  one  of  the  principal  mediums  by  |  ward)  but  great  quantities  of  rye,  peas,  and  bar- 


which  this  understanding  and  this  familiarity  are 
brought  about. 

The  horse,  on  account  of  his  very  amiable  na- 
ture, can  be  made  in  the  course  of  time  to  bear 
almost  anything  in  any  shape,  but  there  is  a  quick- 
er process  of  reaching  his  intelligence  than  that 


ley  are  raised.  Corn  grows  well,  but  as  it  re- 
quires more  labor  than  grain,  the  quantity  raised 
is  small. 

Although  the  price  of  grain  is  low,  owing  to 
our  great  distance  from  "a  good  market,  farms 
here  sell  from  $30  to  $00  an  acre,  according  to 


of  wearing  it  into  him  through  his  skin  and  bones :  { quality  and  location,  and  for  a  much  higher  price 


and  he,  however  wild  or  nervous,  can  be  taught 
in  a  very  short  time  to  understand  and  not  to 
fear  any  object,  however  frightful  in  appearance. 
Horses  can  be  broken  in  less  time  and  better 
without  blinkers ;  but  horses  that  have  always 
worn  them  will  notice  the  sudden  change,  and 


in  places  farther  west. 

Spring  opened  early  this  year,  and  we  have 
had  some  very  fine  weather,  though  subject  to 
changes.  The  9th  of  May  the  mercury  rose  to 
70°  in  the  shade,  and  in  the  morning  of  the  16th 
it  fell  to  o4<^.     Some  plowing  was   done  the  3d 


must  be  treated  carefully  the  first  drive.     After  i  month ;  the  4th  month  was  milder — mean  tem- 


that  they  will  drive  better  without  the  blinkers 
than  with. 

I  have  proved  by  my  own  experiments  that  a 
horse  broken  without  blinkers  can  be  driven  past 
any  omnibus,  cab  or  carriage,  on  a  parallel  line, 


perature  in  the  shade  43.53",  which  is  6°   above 
that  of  the  corresponding  month  last  year. 

We  have  had  an  abundance  of  rain,  and  grass 
looks  fine.  Vegetation  of  all  kinds  progresses 
steadily.     Forests  have  assumed  quite  a  vernal 


as  close  as  it  is  possible  for  him  to  go,  without !  hue,  and  the  fields  have  spread  their  green  car 


ever  wavering  or  showing  any  disposition  to 
dodge.  I  have  not,  in  the  last  eight  or  ten  years, 
constantly  handling  horses  both  wild  and  nervous, 
ever  put  blinkers  on  any  of  them,  and  in  no  case 
have  I  ever  had  one  that  was  afraid  of  the  car- 


pet. Wild  flowers  are  abundant,  and  many  a 
vase  is  crowned  with  a  bouquet  of  these  emblems 
of  innocence  and  purity.  The  18th  of  4th  month 
I  found  some  flowers  of  the  Bloodroot,  (Sangui- 
naria  Canadensis.)  Liverwort,  (Hcpatica  Triloba,) 


riage  he  drew  behind  him  or  of  those  he  passed! and  of  the  beautiful  Yellow  Erythronium,  {Ery- 

in  the  streets.  \thronium    Americanum,)    which,    with   its    lily- 

The  horse's  eye  is  the  life  and  beauty  of  the  I  shaped  flower,  and  clouded  leaves,  is  among  the 

animal  as  well  as  the  index  of  all  his  emotions.  I  earliest  liarbingers  of  spring,   and   is   found  in 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


455 


New  England  as  well  as  here,  growing  in  rich 
earth  beside  fences,  or  in  thin  woods. 

The  prospect  for  crops  is  good,  yet,  owing  to 
the  open  winter,  considerable  grain  is  winter- 
killed, especially  on  flat  land.  All  kinds  of  fruit 
trees  will  bloom  well,  and  this  was  the  case  last 
year,  but  apples  were  scarce.  Considerable  at- 
tention is  paid  to  raising  fruit,  but  old  orchards 
are  much  neglected.  A  good  supply  of  small 
fruit  is  raised  here,  though  grapes  are  not  so 
plenty  as  is  desirable.  I  should  be  glad  to  try 
the  Concord  grape,  if  I  could  obtain  a  root ;  I  do 
not  know  of  one  in  this  region.       L.  Varney. 

Pidou,  a  W.,  5th  Mo.,  ISth,  1858. 


Remarks. — We  regret  that  this  communica- 
tion, with  one  or  two  others  which  we  shall  pub- 
lish, was  mislaid.  We  are  always  glad  to  hear 
from  friend  Varney,  and  shall  be  more  careful 
with  his  next  letter. 


I^or  the  New  England  Farmer. 
THE  OAKES  COW. 

Mr.  Editor  : — I  have  copied  for  your  month- 
ly journal  a  letter  from  the  venerable  JosiAH 
QuiNCY,  which  I  accidentally  found  among  my 
papers,  to-day.  The  notoriety  of  the  object  about 
which  he  wrote,  as  well  as  the  eminence  of  the 
writer,  will  secure  the  attention  of  many  a  grati- 
fied reader.  In  these  days  when  objects  of  fancy 
are  leading  astray  our  judgments,  let  us  be  care- 
ful not  to  rub  out  old  land-marl:s.  If  my  recol- 
lection is  right,  in  the  volume  of  Agriculture  for 
Massachusetts,  as  compiled  by  Mr.  Secretary 
Flint,  for  1854,  page  280,  will  be  found  a  portrait 
of  this  celebrated  animal.  I  also  think  he  said 
Col.  Jaques,  of  Somerville,  last  owned  her.  If 
any  doubt  remains  on  these  points,  fortunately 
for  the  community,  Messrs.  Quincy  and  Jaques, 
both  "still  live" — although  verging  close  on  90 
years.  Very  truly  yours, 

May  nth,  1858.  J.  W.  Proctor. 

[copy.] 

Sir  : — The  subject  of  the  Oakes  Cow  has  been 
out  of  my  mind  for  at  least  thirty-Jive  years.  I 
bought  her  for  my  farm  use,  (in  1816,  I  believe  ;) 
her  milk  produce  was  satisfactory  to  my  farmer, 
but  neither  her  milk  nor  her  butter  were  kept 
distinct  from  what  my  other  cows  produced.  I 
regarded  her  as  a  very  good  cow,  which  by  high 
feeding,  and  special  attention,  might  be  made  to 
produce  an  extraordinary  quantity  of  milk.  I 
raised  no  calves  from  her,  and  had  no  knowledge 
of  her  origin,  and  have  no  recollection  what  be- 
came of  her.         Yours  respectfully, 

JosiAH  Quincy. 

Note. — In  the  4th  volume  of  Agriculture  of 
Massachusetts,  is  a  specification  of  the  product 
of  the  Oakes  cow,  viz.  : — 484^  pounds  of  butter 
in  one  season,  besides  one  quart  of  milk  a  day 
for  the  use  of  the  family. 


Agitating  Plants. — It  is  a  remarkable  fact, 
according  to  "the  chemistry  of  the  world,"  that 
trees  which  are  regularly  shaken  every  day  in 
the  greenhouse  grow  more  rapidly  and  are 
stronger  than  others  which  are  kept  unagitated. 
— Hogan. 


For  the  New  England  FarTner, 

THE  CURCULIO— "WARTS  ON  PLUM 
TREES— PEAR  BLIGHT. 

Mr.  Editor  : — I  have  noticed,  within  a  few 
years,  that  much  has  been  published  in  your  pa- 
per and  others,  about  the  wart  on  plum  trees, 
and  the  curculio,  or  plum  weevil.  The  wart  still 
continues  to  rage,  and  the  trees  are  fast  giving 
place  to  other  trees  of  more  sure  growth  and 
fruitfulnesR.  To  all  human  appearance,  that 
beautiful  fruit,  the  plum,  is  likely  to  become  ex- 
tinct. 

I  commenced  cultivating  the  plum  about  15 
years  ago.  I  believe  then  the  curculio  and  the 
wart  were  but  very  little  known  in  this  country. 
My  trees  grew  smooth  and  handsome,  and  I  had 
plums  in  abundance,  for  a  few  years.  Then  came 
the  curculio,  apparently  few  in  number,  stinging 
the  fruit,  and  depositing  its  egg,  which  caused 
the  fruit  to  fall  prematurely,  and  they  have  every 
year  increased.  Then  came  the  wart,  which 
was  increased  with  the  increase  of  the  curculio. 
After  much  eff'ort  to  discover  the  cause  of  the 
wart,  I  have  come  to  the  conclusion  that  it  is 
caused  by  the  curculio,  and  if  we  can  destroy  that 
insect  we  shall  again  have  smooth  trees  and  plen- 
ty of  fruit. 

I  have  been  troubled  very  much  with  what 
some  call  sap-blight  on  the  pear  tree ;  mostly  con- 
fined to  the  trunk  of  the  tree,  but  recently,  that 
or  some  other  blight  has  commenced  at  the  top 
of  some  of  my  best  trees,  I  first  discovered  it  by 
seeing  the  leaves  turned  black  and  the  fruit  with- 
ered up.  I  have  taken  off"  several  tops,  down 
some  four  feet.  I  wish  to  inquire  if  this  is  some- 
thing new,  for  it  has  never  been  so  with  my  trees 
before  ?  Peter  Wait. 

Danvers,  August,  1858. 


Remarks. — The  blight  spoken  of  is  no  stran- 
ger to  pear  raisers.  It  is  a  disease,  or  difiiculty 
not  yet  provided  with  a  remedy. 


Hoofs  of  Young  Horses. — We  saw  recently 
an  instance  of  the  ill  eS'ects  resulting  from  the 
neglect  to  shorten  the  excessively  long  hoofs  of 
young  horses.  A  colt,  with  unusually  long  hoofs, 
had,  in  his  play,  stepped  upon  some  hard  sub- 
stance, and  broken  ofl'  the  hoof  of  one  foot  to  the 
quick.  The  accident  was  attended  with  some 
bleeding  and  excessive  lameness,  the  poor  fellow 
being  unwilling  to  put  his  foot  to  the  ground. 
Ten  minutes'  work  would  have  saved  the  animal 
much  pain,  and  the  owner  might  have  had  the 
profit  of  three  months'  growth,  instead  of  having 
it  arrested  for  that  period. 

But  the  occasional  breaking  off  of  a  part  of  the 
hoof  is  but  a  trifle  when  compared  with  other 
mischiefs  resulting  from  the  same  cause.  When 
the  toe  is  too  long  the  strain  on  the  fetlock-joint 
is  greatly  increased,  and  permanent  injury  to 
the  suspensiry  ligament  of  the  foot  often  follows. 
Young  horses  frequently  have  windgalls,  and 
other  evidences  of  sprains,  before  they  are  put  .to 
work,  and  in  ninety-nine  cases  out  of  a  hundred 
these  are  where  shortening  of  the  toe  has  been 
neglected.  On  some  gravelly  and  stony  land  and 
hard  roads  the   hoofs   will  wear  fast   enough  as 


456 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Oct. 


Nature  evidently  intended  they  should ;  but  if 
horses  are  kept  on  smooth  turf  their  feet  must 
be  kept  short  by  artificial  means. — Ohio  Farmer. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
FALL  TKANSPLANTING. 

Mr.  Simon  Brown  : — This  spring  I  became 
aware  that  I  had  lost  about  seven-eighths  of  my 
asparagus  by  transplanting  last  fall :  it  was  origi- 
nally planted  too  deep,  and  I  wanted  to  change 
the  location  of  the  bed ;  so  I  had  it  all  taken  up 
and  planted  in  a  bed  well  manured,  but  not  salted 
enough  to  prevent  weeds  from  starting  abund- 
antly this  spring.  Hoping  it  might  grow — 
though  late — I  put  off  setting  new  roots  till  July, 
(I  was  told  by  an  honest  Quaker  who  grows  it 
largely,  that  he  had  transplanted  it  with  success, 
as  late  as  6th  mo.,)  when,  on  removing  the 
earth  for  planting,  I  found  the  skeletons  of  the 
roots  of  the  old  plants.  Last  fall  was  a  warm  one, 
and  I  suppose  the  manure  was  not  only  decom- 
posed itself,  but  caused  the  roots  to,  also,  as  they 
were  comparatively  in  a  dormant  state. 

Heretofore  I  have  transplanted  in  the  spring 
and  have  been  very  successful ;  but  last  season  I 
was  induced  to  try  the  fall,  not  only  for  my  as- 
paragus, but  for  two  shell-bark  hickory,  from  a 
nursery,  and  two  pear  trees,  two  Hartford  prolific 
grape  vines,  and  some  raspberry  roots.  Of  the 
trees,  though  the  bark  (not  the  buds)  is  still 
green,  only  one  has  started  to  grow ;  and  that 
not  till  after  the  1st  of  July.  One  grape  vine  did 
not  start  at  all,  the  other  did  feebly  in  the  spring 
but  is  now  doing  pretty  well.  The  raspberry 
roots  are  most  all  dead. 

This  ill  success  can  not  be  attributed  to  im- 
proper management  in  planting,  for  I  was  care- 
ful not  to  let  the  manure  come  in  immediate  con- 
tact with  the  roots  at  the  planting ;  and  I  pro- 
cured 29  of  the  grape  vines  for  23  different  per- 
sons— friends  and  neighbors — the  vines  and  trees 
came  with  good  roots,  and  from  all  I  can  learn, 
the  stems  looked  fresh  and  promising  during  the 
winter  ;  but  I  find,  on  inquiry,  only  about  6  liv- 
ing. The  report  from  almost  every  one  I  ask  be- 
ing— they  are  dead  and  dried  up.  These  were 
received  the  9th  of  November,  and  mine  were 
planted  immediately.  In  justice  to  fall  trans- 
planting I  ought  to  state  that  of  two  Clinton  and 
one  Dracut  grape  vines,  three  apple,  six  peach 
and  one  plum  trees,  planted  at  another  time, 
though  in  the  same  month,  all  lived  but  the  plum, 
and  though  some  of  the  peach  trees  started  very 
late,  all  are  now  doing  well. 

Verj'  truly  yours,  O. 

Worcester  County,  Aug.  3,  1858. 


and  fragments  of  limbs  which  must  have  remain- 
ed beneath  the  surface  for  several  generations, 
yet  in  a  perfectly  sound  condition  in  consequence 
of  the  exterior  surface  having  been  charred  when 
the  clearing  of  the  soil  was  effected  by  "axe  and 
brand."  Oak  and  cedar  posts,  as  well  as  stakes 
of  all  kinds,  endure  nearly  twice  ap  long  when  so 
prepared,  and  as  the  cost  is,  in  most  cases,  mere- 
ly nominal,  the  practice  should  universally  pre- 
vail. It  is  well  known  that  on  many  kinds  of 
soil,  the  most  valuable  and  durable  kinds  of  wood 
will  last  but  a  few  years  if  set  in  an  unprepared 
state,  and  the  cost  of  repairs  is  often  one  of  the 
most  serious  drawbacks  with  which  the  farmer 
has  to  contend.  We  advise  every  one,  therefore, 
who  is  about  to  erect  new  lines  of  fence,  or  to  re- 
pair old  ones,  to  make  trial  of  this  plan  by  all 
means,  and  to  carefully  observe  the  result. 


FSNCE  POSTS. 


The  durability  of  fence  posts,  it  has  been  as- 
certained by  reiterated  experiments,  is  greatly  in- 
creased by  charring  the  bottoms,  or  that  portion 
of  them  which  is  to  be  inserted  in  the  soil,  before 
setting  them.  There  are  but  few  methods,  prob- 
ably, of  enhancing  the  durability  of  wood  which 
is  to  be  exposed  to  the  action  of  moisture,  or  the 
soil,  more  effectual  than  that  of  charring.  In  old 
fields,  the  plow  not  unfrequently  exhumes  knots. 


EXTKACTS  AND  K.EPLIES. 
WINTER  WHEAT. 

Having  noticed  a  communication  from  Mr. 
Poor  in  your  issue  of  the  7th  inst.,  upon  the  sub- 
ject of  raising  winter  wheat,  will  you  give  such 
information  as  you  may  be  able  to  respecting  it? 
What  soil  is  best  adapted  to  it  ?  What  is  the 
rule  for  making  pickle  ?  the  quantity  of  seed  per 
acre,  and  the  price  per  bushel  ?  Do  you  know 
anything  of  the  banner  wheat  ?         W.  Ellis. 

Medway,  Eockville,  Aug.  9,  1858. 

Remarks. — Any  land  that  will  produce  three 
good  crops  of  English  hay  in  succession,  after  be- 
ing tolerably  well  manured  when  it  was  laid 
down,  will  produce  wheat.  Moist,  but  not  wet, 
gravelly  or  sandy  loams  are  suitable,  or  clay 
loams  if  they  are  drained.  Pine  plain  lands  are 
not  suitable. 

No  exact  rule  is  necessary  in  making  the 
pickle  in3vhich  to  soak  the  seed.  If  the  water  takes 
up  as  much  salt  as  it  will,  it  will  not  injure  the 
grain.     Soak  it  twelve  hours. 

From  one  bushel  to  a  bushel  and  a  half  of  seed 
is  required  per  acre.  Rich  land  requires  less  seed 
than  poor  land. 

The  Banner  wheat  is  probably  not  a  variety, 
but  has  only  received  a  local  name. 

GREEN   CUCUMBERS. 

At  the  breakfast  table  this  morning  we  had  a 
discussion  with  regard  to  eating  cucumbers.  My 
opponents  were  willing  to  admit  that  all  vegeta- 
bles were  more  wholesome  when  ripe  than  when 
green,  except  cucumbers,  and  they  were  best 
green,  from  the  fact  they  have  always  been  used 
at  that  time.  And  now  we  want  your  opinion,  or 
some  other  scientific  man's  on  this  subject. 

Milford,  N.  H.,  1858.  Dyed. 

Remarks. — We  never  eat  them,  green  or  yel- 
low, and  do  not  feel  competent  to  enlighten  you 
on  the  siAject — but  leave  jt  to   some  who   have 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


457 


been  killed  by  eating  them  to  reply.  We  confess, 
however,  to  their  attractiveness  both  in  taste  and 
smell,  and  sometimes  almost  wish  for  an  os- 
trich's gizzard  v/ith  which  to  digest  them. 

GREEN   CORN   AS   FODDER. 

The  great  drawback  in  raising  corn  fodder  for 
winter  feed,  is  the  great  difficulty  there  is  to  get 
it  sufficiently  dry  for  storing,  and  if  your  readers 
would  give  their  experience  in  the  matter,  it  might 
prove  advantageous  to  many.  My  own  course 
has  been  to  cut  it  just  before  frost,  and  bind  in 
small  bundles,  (after  allowing  it  to  wilt  through 
the  day)  and  put  it  in  large  stacks,  say  from  12 
to  20  bundles  in  each,  and  well  set  up  with  two 
bands,  and  the  top  turned  over,  and  allow  it  to 
stand  thus,  keeping  watch  that  none  of  it  gets 
out  of  place  until  about  the  middle  of  November, 
or  just  before  winter  sets  in.  It  never  hurts  in 
the  stack  out  of  doors  as  long  as  it  is  kept  in 
good  shape. 

But  the  great  trouble  is,  that  after  being  housed 
and  put  in  masses,  it  is  so  liable  to  heat  as  to 
render  it  almost  impossible  to  keep  it  in  good 
condition,  unless  you  have  a  surplus  of  room  to 
spread  it,  on  scaffolds  or  places  where  the  atmo- 
sphere has  free  access  to  it. 

Please,  Messrs.  Editors,  give  us  your  views. 
Wm.  J.  Pettee. 

Salisiuri/,  Conn.,  Aug.  10,  1858. 

Remarks. — The  cultivation  of  southern  corn, 
either  to  be  used  green  or  dried  for  fodder,  has 
become  quite  common.  Not  only  in  the  more 
thickly-settled  towns  is  it  cultivated,  but  we  have 
observed  it  in  the  country  where  there  is  exten- 
sive and  rich  pasturage.  It  is  found  to  be  prof- 
itable, or  the  practice  would  be  abandoned.  Some 
persons  cut  it,  spread  it  thinly  upon  the  ground 
for  a  day  or  two,  and  then  tie  it  in  small  bundles 
and  put  astride  walls,  fences,  or  poles  put  up 
for  the  purpose.  We  have  never  been  satisfied 
that  it  is  a  profitable  crop  for  dried  fodder — bet- 
ter sow  oats  or  millet.  Will  those  having  ex- 
perience come  to  Mr.  Pettee's  help  ? 

CAPONIZING   AND   SPAYING. 

Will  you  please  inform  me  of  the  best  book  on 
gardening  and  horticulture,  or  at  least  the  one 
which  would  be  the  most  suitable  for  a  person 
having  three  or  four  acres  of  land  near  a  good 
market  ? 

Can  you  or  any  of  your  readers  inform  me  of 
the  process  of  forming  a  capon'}  1  have  read  of 
those  who  treated  fowls  in  this  manner  with  ap- 
parent advantage. 

What  is  your  opinion  of  spaying  cows  ?  Is 
there  any  one  in  New  England  tliat  performs  the 
operation  ?  p.  f.  m. 

Lowell,  Aug.  9,  1858. 

Remarks. — Purchase  the  American  Farmer^s 
Encyclopczdia,  and  you  can  learn  all  about  ca- 
ponizing.  Dr.  Joseph  Reynolds,  of  Concord, 
Mass.,  has  performed  the  operation  of  spaying 
with  complete  success. 


ACCIDENTS     TO    COLTS. 

I  recently  noticed  in  the  Farmer  an  account  of 
a  colt  being  injured  by  running  in  the  pasture. 
Having  a  desire  to  do  good  if  I  can,  I  make  a 
statement  of  a  similar  case.  I  had  last  winter 
two  colts  standing  in  an  old  barn  together,  one 
by  the  side  of  the  barn,  and  the  other  next  to 
him,  the  one  hurt  coming  two  years  of  age.  I 
went  in  between  the  two  one  night  with  a  lan- 
tern ;  and  as  my  eye  caught  sight  of  the  gambrel 
joint  of  the  one  standing  next  to  the  side  of  the 
barn,  I  put  my  hand  over  it  and  found  it  was 
much  swollen ;  in  front,  and  on  the  outside  of 
the  leg,  where  the  skin  meets  between  the  joint 
and  gambrel  cord,  there  was  a  soft,  puffy  bunch, 
as  big  as  a  small  hen's  egg,  and  one  on  the  in- 
side not  so  large.  I  could  not  determine  for  some 
days  how  it  was  done  ;  but  as  I  was  rubbing  the 
leg  I  noticed  some  marks  on  the  boarding,  and 
examining  it,  I  found  that  the  boarding  and 
shingling  were  started  from  the  sill  and  post — 
the  bottom  or  outside  of  the  sill  being  some  rot- 
ten. I  found  nair  on  the  post,  between  the  post 
and  boarding,  which  convinced  me  that  the  leg 
was  hurt  by  lying  down  and  getting  it  between 
the  posts  and  boarding. 

I  rubbed  the  joint  with  beef  brine  for  some 
days,  but  thinking  that  it  needed  something  more 
powerful,  began  to  rub  it  two  or  three  times  a 
day  with  the  oil  of  Origanum,  mixed  with  alco- 
hol, equal  parts.  Continuing  this  for  some  time, 
I  thought  it  would  cure  it,  as  the  bunch  grew 
smaller,  but  I  found  after  some  time,  that  the 
bunch  grew  larger.  I  then  took  some  of  the  oil 
and  a  little  of  the  alcohol,  and  rubbed  it  hard 
with  it  for  some  time — the  hair  and  skin  came 
off,  but  the  leg  was  cured  by  it,  and  there  is  no 
bunch  on  it  now.  I  think  our  friend  need  not 
have  a  spavined  colt  if  he  attends  to  it  closely. 

Weston,  Mass.,  Aug.,  10.  G.  w.  D. 

BLOODY'   MILK. 

I  have  a  cow,  that  has  her  second  calf,  a  fort- 
night old,  that  gives  bloody  milk.  There  is  no 
appearance  of  garget  and  no  swelling.  Will  you 
tell  me  through  the  columns  of  the  Farmer  the 
probable  cause,  and  the  remedy,  if  such  there  be. 

Sherborn,  Aug.,  1858.  M. 

Remarks. — We  will  pay  you  one  hundred  dol- 
lars, cash  in  hand,  if  you  will  tell  us  ivJiat  the 
cause  is  of  this  class  of  diseases  in  cows,  and  the 
way  to  prevent  it,  and  we  can  make  more  money 
out  of  the  recipe,  than  all  the  milk  producers  in 
Massachusetts  make  out  of  their  business,  at  the 
present  prices  of  milk. 

Give  her  three  or  four  doses  of  Aconite,  in  as 
many  days — four  drops  at  a  dose. 

REMEDY   FOR   POISON. 

In  a  recent  Farmer,  N.  M.,  of  Atkinson,  N. 
H.,  inquired  the  remedy  for  dog-wood  and  ivy 
poison ;  here  we  find  blood-root  a  sure  cure. 
Take  the  green  root,  and  pound  or  cut  so  as  to 
get  the  juice,  and  rub  on  the  poisoned  parts ; 
taking  the  dry  root  powdered,  or  steeped,  as  a 
tea,  in  very  small  doses,  three  times  a  day,  rub- 
ing  the  green  root  on  at  the  same  time. 

Shelburne,  Vt.,  Aug.  16,  1858.  M.  A.  P. 


158 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Oct. 


NEW  ROCHELLE  BLACKBERRY — CHERRY 
CURRANTS. 

Can  you  tell  me  the  price  of  the  new  Rochelle 
blackberry  plants,  and  where  they  are  to  be  had  ? 
also  the  best  mode  of  cultivating  them  ?  What 
season  is  the  best  for  transplanting  ?  How  many 
plants  are  required  to  set  out  one-fourth  of  an 
acre  ? 

Do  you  know  anything  concerning  the  cherry 
currant  ?  and  where  the  plants  are  to  be  had  ? 

A  Subscriber. 

West  Henniher,  N.  II.,  Aug.  10,  1858. 

Remarks. — We  do  not  know  the  price  of  the 
New  Rochelle  blackberry.  You  may  have  as 
many  plants  as  you  please  by  sending  to  our  gar- 
den and  taking  them  away,  even  to  the  last  plant. 
We  have  nourished  and  cherished  them  for  three 
years,  and  have  not  yet  produced  a  dozen  berries 
fit  to  eat.  They  sometimes  grow  very  large,  and 
are  sour  in  proportion  See  another  article  in  this 
paper  about  cherry  currants. 

suckers  among  corn. 

I  have  worked  on  several  farms,  and  on  some 
of  them  we  cut  the  sucker  away  at  the  second 
time  hoeing ;  on  others  we  did  not  cut  them 
away  at  any  time.  Where  we  left  them,  the  ears 
were  small ;  and  where  they  were  cut  off,  the 
ears  were  large  and  thrifty.  Why  should  they 
do  any  good  ?  The  sap  that  flows  into  the  suck- 
er does  the  ear  of  corn  no  good,  but  takes  good- 
ness away  from  it.  F.  C.  SiLVLLER. 

Essex,  Mass.,  1858. 

Remarks. — We  suppose  the  sucker  bears  the 
same  relation  to  the  stalk  of  corn  to  which  it  is 
attached,  that  side  limbs  or  twigs  do  to  a  young 
tree,  elaborating  the  sap  and  sending  it  on  to 
perfect  the  fruit.  

WHITE   CROWS   AND   SWALLOWS. 

I  saw  it  stated  that  a  boy  in  Georgia,  a  short 
time  since,  killed  a  white  crow  which  was  flying 
with  a  flock  of  black  ones. 

I  saw,  a  few  days  ago,  a  white  swallow  flying 
with  a  flock  of  black  ones,  skipping  over  the  wa- 
ter and  mounting  into  the  air.  It  resembled  the 
black  swallow  in  every  form,  as  nigh  as  I  could 
see.     The  question  is,  where  did  it  come  from  ? 

Brandon,  Vt.  L.  F. 

QUERY  ABOUT  A  HORSE  I  HAVE. 

I  have  a  horse  somewhat  above  twenty  years  of 
age,  who  is  perfectly  sound  and  well  while  feed- 
ing on  grass,  but  feeding  on  hay,  and  especially 
on  clover,  is  so  relaxed  as  to  be  almost  unvit  for 
use.  Can  any  of  your  numerous  readers  or  cor- 
respondents specify  a  cure  for  the  above  disorder  ? 

South  Scituate,  Aug.,  1858.  m.  f. 

POISON   PLANTS   IN   MEADOWS. 

Will  some  of  the  correspondents  of  the  Far- 
mer inform  me  what  will  cure  the  poisorj  of  dog- 
wood and  ivy,  as  many  suffer  from  the  effects  of 
.'.t  in  this  section  of  the  country,  and  oblige  a  sub- 
scriber. N.  M. 

Atkinson,  N.  H.,  Aug.,  1858. 


EDUCATION  OF  GIRLS. 

The  subject  of  physical  education  is  beginning 
to  attract  attention.  The  following  remarks  are 
from  the  Boston  Courier,  written  by  the  editor 
after  having  attended  a  school  festival  in  Fan- 
euil  Hall :  "But  there  was  one  thing  we  noticed 
which  did  throw  a  little  shadow  over  our  thoughts. 
We  stood  on  the  platform,  very  near  the  boys 
and  girls,  as  they  passed  by  to  receive  a  bouquet 
at  the  hands  of  the  Mayor.  We  could  not  help 
observing  that  not  one  girl  in  ten  had  the  air  and 
look  of  good  health.  There  were  very  many  love- 
ly countenances — lovely  with  an  expression  of 
intellect  and  goodness — but  they  were  like  fair 
flowers  resting  upon  a  fragile  stalk.  Narrow 
chests,  round  shoulders,  meagre  forms,  pallid 
cheeks,  were  far  too  common.  There  was  a  gen- 
eral want  in  their  movements  of  the  buoyant 
vivacity  of  youth  and  childhood.  The  heat  of 
the  day  and  nervous  exhaustion  of  the  occasion 
were  to  be  taken  into  the  account,  and  due  allow- 
ance should  be  made  for  them.  But  this  was  not 
the  first  time  that  we  were  forced  to  the  conclu- 
sion that  here  in  Boston,  in  the  education  of  girls, 
the  body  is  lamentably  neglected.  And  it  is  a 
very  great  and  serious  neglect,  the  consequences 
of  which  will  not  end  with  the  sufferers  them- 
selves. Of  what  use  is  it  to  learn  all  sorts  of 
things  during  the  first  sixteen  years  of  life,  and 
to  stuff  the  brain  with  all  kinds  of  knowledge, 
if  the  pi-ice  be  a  feeble  or  diseased  body  ?  A 
finely  endowed  mind  shut  up  in  a  sickly  body  is 
like  a  bright  light  in  a  broken  lantern,  liable  to 
be  blown  out  by  a  puS"  of  wind  or  extinguished 
by  a  dash  of  rain. 

"If  the  destiny  of  women  were  to  be  put  under 
a  glass  and  looked  at,  like  a  flower,  it  would  be 
of  little  consequence  ;  but  woman  must  take  her 
part  in  performing  the  duties  and  sustaining  the 
burdens  of  life.  These  young  medal  scholars,  in 
due  time,  will  marry  men  whose  lot  it  is  to  earn 
their  bread  by'some  kind  of  toil,  in  which  their 
wives  must  needs  aid  them.  To  this  service  they 
will  bring  an  intelligent  capacity  and  a  conscien- 
tious purpose  ;  but  how  far  will  these  go  Avithouf 
health  and  the  cheerful  spirits  vrhich  health  gives? 
A  sickly  wife  is  no  helpmate,  but  a  hindermate. 
If  we  neglect  the  body  the  body  will  have  its  re- 
venge. And  are  we  not  doing  this  ?  Are  we  not 
throwing  our  whole  educational  force  upon  the 
brain?  Is  not  a  healthy  city  born  and  bred  wo- 
man getting  to  be  as  rare  as  a  black  swan  ?  And 
is  it  not  time  to  reform  this  altogether  ?  Is  it 
not  time  to  think  something  of  the  casket  as  well 
as  the  jewel — something  of  the  lantern  as  well  as 
the  light?" 

II^°  Hale's  experiments  show  that  a  sunflower, 
bulk  for  bulk,  imbibes  and  perspires  seventeen 
times  more  fresh  liquor  than  a  man,  every  twenty- 
four  hours.  Lawes'  experiments  "on  the  amount 
of  water  given  off  by  plants  during  their  growth," 
show  that  the  clover  on  an  acre  that  would  afford 
two  tons  of  hay,  absorbs  from  the  soil  and  gives 
ofi"  from  its  leaves  430  tons  of  water  in  101  days, 
or  eight  thousand  six  hundred  pounds  per  day. 
Those  who  allow  clover,  grass,  weeds,  or  any 
other  plants,  to  grow  among  their  fruit  trees  or 
any  cultivated  crop,  should  not  complain  of 
drought. —  Genesee  Farmer. 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


459 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
AN  CTBINa  GRASS  LANDS. 
M.\NUFACTURE   OF   MANURE — TIME   OF     APPLICA- 
TION,  ETC. 

The  manufacture  of  milk  is  a  matter  of  much 


gets  all  of  the  benefits  of  the  late  rains  and  early 
snows  of  November  and  December,  and  becomes 
finely  pulverized  by  the  frosts  of  winter.  A  neigh- 
bor of  mine  has  an  acre  of  grass  land,  (light  san- 
dy soil,)  from  which  he  cuts  three  tons  of  hay 
every  year,  in  two  crops,  two  tons  the  first   cut- 


interest  to   all   farmers  of  the   milk-producing  i  ting  and  one  the  second.  Eight  cart  loads  of  ma- 
States.  It  is  settled  beyond  a  doubt,  in  my  mind,  nure  a  year,  keeps  it  up  to  this  condition.    Does 


that  milk  is  soon  to  become  the  leading  article  of 
production  in  the  .Northern  Stales.  The  discus- 
sion of  this  question  very  naturally  leads  to  the 
consideration  of  the  most  economical  method  of 
its  production.  It  is  well  understood  among  our 
thinking  farmers  that  green,  or  early  cut  hay  and 
rowen,  is  the  best  fodder  for  producing  milk  in 


the  winter  months,  or  as  soon  as  the  grass  upon  loads  of  good  compost  manure  annually !     Any 


our  hills  shall  have  failed  us,  as  feeding  upon  the 
old  fog  or  past  litter  grass,  late  in  the  fall,  will 
invariably  give  the  cows  a  back  set.  A  resort  to 
wheat  shorts  and  corn  meal  is  the  only  remedy 
in  this  case.  The  true  principle  of  agricultural 
science  introduces  another  practice,  plain,  cheaper 
and  altogether  dissimilar.  Before  we  proceed 
farther  upon  this  point,  let  us  state  one  great 
fact ;  no  farmer  need  think  of  success  in  his  busi- 
ness without  a  good  barn  cellar,  sufficiently  ca- 
pacious to  enter  into  the  manufacture  of  manure 
in  large  quantities  ;  this  is  the  basis  of  all  suc- 
cessful farming.  All  the  poorer  portions  of  the 
farm  should  be  turned  into  pasturage,  and  the 
whole  energies  and  resources  of  the  farm  be- 
stowed upon  less  acres. 

MAKE   LARGE   QUANTITIES   OF   MANURE, 

by  hauling  into  the  barn  cellar  leaves,  leaf  mould, 
muck,  hay,  straw,  brakes  and  other  vegetable 
matter  in  the  fall,  to  be  used  for  the  field  crops 
next  season.  Throw  down  all  the  hard  droppings 
of  the  stock  upon  the  materials  already  in  the 
cellar,  catching  the  urine  as  it  passes  through  the 
leanto  floor  in  a  vat  or  cistern,  built  immediately 
under  the  floor  for  this  purpose.  The  vat  does 
not  necessarily  need  be  as  lon^as  the  leanto 
floor,  as  by  a  narrow  opening  between  the  planks 
behind  the  stock,  the  liquids  may  pass  down  into 
a  trough  made  of  boards,  and  conveyed  to  the 
vat  in  the  centre,  of  any  capacity  you  desire.  The 
main  object  of  the  vat  is  to  accumulate  liquids, 
and  by  the  use  of  spouts  convey  them  to  any  part 
of  the  cellar,  which  could  not  be  done  without  it. 
All  highly  concentrated  manures,  as  night  soil, 
hen  dung,  hog  dung  and  sheep  dung,  should  al- 
ways be  diluted  in  several  times  their  bulk  in  wa- 
ter, and  poured  upon  less  fertilizing  substances. 
A  large  quantity  of  manure  may  be  made  in  this 
way,  from  an  ordinary  stock.  This,  I  have  said, 
is  for  the  field  crops  of  the  next  season.  As  soon 
as  this  is  drawn  from  the  cellar,  haul  in  native 
soil  from  the  bank,  muck  and  road  wash,  tie  up 
your  cows  at  night  dfiring  the  summer,  gather 
into  the  vat  as  before  all  the  powerful  stimulants 
to  be  diluted  and  poured  upon  the  heap,  shovel 
over  occasionally  to  pulverize  and  make  fine,  to 
be  spread  upon  the  grass  land  in  the  fall. 

THE  TIME  FOR  SPREADING 
manure  upo^  grass  land  gives  rise  to  much  dis- 
pute, as  much  depends  upon  circumstances  and 
the  conditions  of  the  soil  to  be  dressed.  Upon 
dry  land,  where  the  several  crops  have  been  ta- 
ken off",  the  first  of  November  is  a  good  time. 
Spreading  at  this  season  of  the  year,  the  land 


that  pay  ?  Suppose  some  of  our  farmers  who 
now  mow  over  forty  acres  to  get  twenty  tons  of 
hay,  should  put  ten  acres  of  their  best  land  into 
this  condition  ;  would  it  not  pay  better  than  it 
now  does?  Twenty  tons  of  good,  sweet  juicy 
hay  the  first  crop,  and  ten  tons  of  rowen  the  sec- 
ond  crop,  and  kept  there   by  the  use   of  eighty 


industrious,  progressive  farmer,  with  twenty  head 
of  cattle  and  a  good  barn  cellar,  can  bring  ten 
acres  of  land  into  this  condition  in  five  years, 
and  not  neglect  his  field  crops.  Hay  cut  thus 
early,  well  dried  and  salted  with  two  quarts  of 
fine  butter  salt  per  ton,  will  sustain  a  bountiful 
supply  of  milk  ten  months  in  a  year,  instead  of 
seven,  as  fed  up  dead  hay  and  dry  corn  fodder 
in  the  old  way.  The  salt  so  used,  (two  quarts 
per  ton)  will  cause  the  food  to  relish  better,  and 
produce  more  milk  by  causing  the  cows  to  drink 
hearty,  (give  them  warm  drink  in  winter,)  twice 
each  day  ;  furthermore,  salt  is  the  great  preser- 
ver of  animal  and  vegetable  matter,  and  I  firmly 
believe  it  is  essential  to  the  good  health  and  con- 
dition of  both  man  and  beast.  The  cultivation 
of  root  crops  for  stock  is  both  judicial  and  neces- 
sary to  their  health  and  thrift  when  fed  upon  the 
dry  fodder  and  husks  of  the  old  plan ;  but  I  am 
satisfied  roots  will  not  pay  when  fed  in  connection 
with  green  fodder.  Lewis  L.  Pierce. 

£ast  Jaffrey,  N.  H.,  Aug.,  1858. 


AW  AGED  COUPLE. 
The  following  fragment  is  from  Gould  &  Lin- 
coln's new  work  by  Hugh  Miller,  entitled,  "The 
Cruise  of  the  Betsey,  with  Rambles  of  a  Geolo- 
ist,"  at  page  390. 

In  this  part  of  the  country  was  an  aged  couple 
who  had  lived  together,  it  was  said,  as  man  and 
wife,  for  more  than  sixty  years ;  and  nowhere 
was  their  tombstone  and  epitaph.  They  had  lived 
on  long  after  my  departure  ;  and  when,  as  the 
seasons  passed,  men  and  women  wliose  births 
and  baptism  had  taken  place  since  their  wedding 
day,  were  falling  around  them  well  stricken  in 
years,  death  seemed  to  have  forgotten  tliem ;  and 
when  he  came  at  last,  their  united  ages  made  up 
well  nigh  two  centuries.  The  wife  had  seen  her 
ninety-sixth,  and  the  husband  his  one  hundred 
and  second  birthday. 

It  does  not  transcend  the  skill  of  the  actuary 
to  say  how  many  thousand  women  must  die  un- 
der ninety-six  for  every  one  that  reaches  it,  how 
many  tens  of  thousands  of  men  must  die  under 
one  hundred  and  two  for  every  man  who  attains 
to  an  age  so  extraordinary  ;  but  he  would  require 
to  get  beyond  her  tables  in  order  to  reckon  up 
the  chances  against  the  women  destined  to  attain 
to  ninety-?ix  being  courted  and  married  in  early 
life  by  the  man  born  to  attain  to  one  hundred 
and  two. 


460 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Oct. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
COKN  AND  COR2Sr-FODDEE. 

Mr.  Editor  : — The  profits  of  farming  usually 
turn,  not  on  a  single  article,  but  on  the  various 
productions  of  the  farm,  and  on  none  more,  es- 
pecially in  New  Hampshire,  than  in  securing  in 
a  good  condition  corn  and  corn-fodder.  The  risk 
to  the  farmer  on  his  corn  crop,  if  I  am  not  mis- 
taken, is  now  much  greater  than  it  was  forty, 
fifty  or  sixty  years  ago.  From  a  child  I  have 
been  somewhat  accustomed  to  farming  in  a  small 
way,  usually  cultivating  from  one  to  three  acres 
of  corn.  Those  whose  corn  fields  cover  ten,  fif 
teen  or  twenty  acres,  will  not,  of  course,  feel  in- 
terested in  such  small  business.  But  you  have 
probably  more  readers  who  will  class  with  me, 
than  with  them,  and  it  is  for  their  benefit  I  write. 
What  I  have  learned  has  been  chiefly  by  experi- 
ence and  observation  ;  and  I  am  confident  that 
my  profits  from  a  single  acre  have  been  greater 
than  some  of  my  neighbors  from  four  or  five 
acres.  With  your  permission  and  aid,  Mr.  Edi 
tor,  I  will  tell  your  readers  "how  I  work  it." 

I  endeavor,  in  the  first  place,  to  have  good  ripe 
seed,  and  to  get  it  into  the  ground  as  early  as 
the  soil  and  season  will  warrant  its  quick  germi- 
nation and  growth,  and  not  before.  I  plow  or 
cultivate  and  hoe  three  times.  In  respect  to  the 
ingathering,  I  first  consider  what  advantages  I 
have  for  securing,  in  a  good  condition,  both  the 
corn  and  the  fodder  ;  for  the  fodder  from  a  single 
acre,  if  well  secured,  is  quite  an  item  in  keeping 
stock.  By  cutting  the  stalks  in  a  straw-cutter, 
wetting  or  sprinkling  on  a  little  meal,  not  a 
pound  will  be  left.  Most  farmers  have  more  or 
less  room  in  their  barns,  or  sheds  where,  for  a 
time,  the  crop  may  be  secured  from  rain,  and  in 
such  a  manner  as  not  to  be  damaged  by  mould- 
ing, if  set  up  or  spread  upon  poles,  where  the  air 
can  circulate  freely,  and  drying  be  eflfected  with- 
out injury,  although  put  in  while  quite  green ; 
and  all  kinds  of  stock  are  fond  of  such  fodder. 
The  corn,  also,  will  be  sweet  and  good  for  table 
use.  As  the  time  for  frost  approaches,  I  calcu- 
late, if  occasion  requires,  to  avail  myself  of  all 
such  advantages  on  my  premises.  If  frost  does 
not  come  at  the  proper  time,  after  the  corn  is 
glazed  over,  and  the  tassel  sere  and  dry,  I  cut 
the  stalks  of  a  part  of  my  field  and  give  them  the 
best  chance  I  can  to  dry  for  one  or  two  days  be- 
fore binding  up.  I  then  bind  and  stook;  and  if 
y  the  weather  is  favorable,  let  them  stand  until 
they  can  be  safely  packed  away  in  the  barn.  But 
if  a  storm  threatens,  I  get  them  in,  and  scatter 
about  to  dry,  as  best  I  can.  That  part  of  the 
field  from  which  I  cut  the  stalks  I  let  stand  until 
the  corn  and  husks  are  so  dry  as  to  be  in  no 
danger  of  moulding.  Ripened  in  this  way,  the 
husks  are  usually  bright  and  good — much  better 
than  if  cut  up  green  and  stooked  out. 

But  sometimes  in  the  early  part  of  September 
there  comes  "a  nipping  frost."  Previous  to  such 
a  frost,  if  I  can  foresee  the  danger,  I  cut  up  at 
the  roots,  the  remainder  of  the  field  ;  or  if  the 
frost  steals  upon  me  unawares,  and  is  so  severe 
as  to  affect  the  stalk,  I  cut  it  early  in  the  morn- 
ing and  throw  it  into  piles  with  the  frost  upon  it. 
In  this  way  the  injury  by  the  frost  is  much  less 
tlian  to  let  it  stand  until  the  sun  abstracts  the 
iVosl.  I  then  bind  with  a  band  near  the  top.  For 


convenience  in  handling,  the  bundles  should  not 
be  very  large. 

If  the  weather  is  favorable,  I  give  it  what 
chance  I  can  for  two  or  three  days  to  dry  on  the 
ground  ;  but  mean,  if  possible,  to  get  it  under 
cover  before  rains  come.  (And  here  let  me  say, 
that  I  imagine  caps  might  be  even  of  more  use 
than  in  securing  hay.)  I  then  put  it. in  as  good 
condition  to  dry  as  possible,  in  leantos,  sheds  or 
out-houses,  upon  poles  or  hooks,  where  the  air 
can  circulate  freely,  and  let  it  remain  until  it  is 
so  dry  that  both  corn  and  fodder  may  be  packed 
away  without  liability  to  mould.  Thus  I  have 
good  sweet  corn  for  bread ;  and  for  my  stock, 
fodder  which  is  eagerly  devoured. 

I  remember  one  year  when  the  fall  was  unusu- 
ally wet,  I  secured  my  little  crop  of  about  one 
acre  in  this  way  and  had  it  good.  One  of  my 
neighbors  had  about  five  acres  which  he  cut  up 
and  stooked  out  and  let  it  stand  through  long 
storms  until  it  was  almost  worthless.  I  would 
certainly  not  have  exchanged  my  one  acre  for  his 
five.  In  this  way  I  am  confident  the  scale  is  often 
turned ;  and  farming  proves  profitable  or  unprof- 
itable just  according  as  it  is  conducted.  But 
"wisdom  is  profitable  to  direct,  and  they  that  are 
wise  shall  understand."  N.  s. 

Monadnock,  1858. 


AGKICULTUBE  IN  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 

We  learn  that  the  Hon.  Caleb  Cushing,  of 
this  State,  has  accepted  an  invitation  from  the 
Connecticut  Paver  Valley  Agricultural  and  Indus- 
trial Association,  to  deliver  an  address  before 
them  at  their  Annual  Fair,  to  be  held  in  Charles- 
town,  on  the  21st,  22d  and  23d  days  of  Septem- 
ber next. 

The  limits  of  this  Society,  we  believe,  embrace 
all  of  the  Vallem)f  the  Connecticut  River  within 
New  Hampshire  and  Vermont,  a  territory  un- 
equalled, perhaps,  by  any  other  of  the  same  ex- 
tent in  New  England,  not  only  for  the  beauty  of 
its  scenery  and  the  fertility  of  its  soil,  but  also 
for  the  variety  and  excellence  of  the  most  impor- 
tant domestic  animals. 

We  hope  that  General  Cushing  will  find  the 
occasion  graced  by  an  assemblage  of  the  yeo- 
manry of  the  valley,  with  their  wives,  daughters 
and  sweethearts,  who  will  be  attentive  hearers  of 
what  he  says. 

From  a  knowledge  of  the  hospitality  and  ur- 
banity of  the  people  of  Sullivan  county,  gained 
by  frequent  association  with  them,  we  feel  confi- 
dent that  all  who  visit  them  on  this  occasion  will 
be  cordially  received  and  handsomely  enter- 
tained. They  have  made  extensive  preparation 
for  the  accommodation  of  exhibitors  and  visitors, 
in  ample  halls,  stables,  pens,  &c.,  and  have  se- 
cured the  services  of  HalVs  Boston  Brass  Band 
to  enliven  the  occasion,  and  to  awaken  new 
echoes  among  the  hills  of  old  Sullivan,  and  per- 
haps across  the  river  in  a  sister  State. 

Our  opinioji,  we. trust,  is  well  undersi..)od,  as 


1858. 


KEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


461 


it  regards  whatever  of  glare  or  glitter,  of  military 
display,  of  jockeyisui,  or  political  influences,  that 


supply  of  carbon,  and  to  allow  it  to  recoil  to  its 
natural  condition  of  carbonic  acid  gas.  The  more 


mav  give  tone  or  coloring  to   these  festivals   of  ^  ^y^ale  exerts  his  locomotive  powers,  the  often- 
'  er  It  is  necessary  for  him  to  breathe,  or  "blow," 

as  the  Avhalers  term  it. 


the  farmer.  "We  shall  steadily  oppose  them  all, 
under  whatever  blandishments  they  may  present 
themselves,  or  by  whomsoever  they  may  be  in- 
troduced. Nothing  on  earth  can  keep  them  pure, 


As  amid  abundant  granaries  and  well-stored 
market-houses  where  there  is  little  danger  of 
falling  short  of  a  due  supply  of  daily  food,  it  is 


and  make  them  useful,  but  a  steady,  uniform  ad- i  °^'^"^^f  ^  that  in  the  economy  of  nature   there  is 

no  real  necessity  lor  this  extraordinary  supply  of 


herence  to  the  principles  upon  which  they  were 
established,  viz.,  improvement  in  the  art  and  sci- 
ence  of  Agriculture.  When  this  is  lost  sight  of, 
and  the  occasion  is  made  mainly  to  minister  to 
the  passions,  then  will  one  of  the  best  customs 
of  our  people  have  lost  its  efficacy  as  a  co-op- 
erator in  the  progress  of  rural  art,  and  other 
customs  will  rise  upon  their  ruins,  having  at 
least  doubtful,  if  not  decidedly  demoralizing  ten- 
dencies.    We  utter  these  words  now,  before  the 


a  surplus  stock  of  carbonaceous  fuel,  enveloping 
the  ribs  of  human  beings. 

The  hump  on  the  back  of  the  camel — the  loco- 
motive engine  of  the  wild  deserts  of  Asia  and 
Africa — may  be  deemed  by  the  superficial  ob- 
server as  a  deformity,  or  as  a  sort  of  natural 
saddle,  ready  prepared  to  bear  the  impositions  of 
loads  of  merchandise,  and  thus  stamping  this  an- 
imal as  a  "beast  ot  burthen,"  apparently  by  the 
original  design  of  the  Creator.     But  this  uncouth 


appendage,  so  far  from  being  designed  expressly 

.    ,  I.   /.      •   •        1  •    I  for  the  purpose  of  a  saddle,  does  really  subserve 

opening  of  the  season  of  festivity,  because  in  the  more  essential  purpose  of  a  knapsack  of  pro- 


some  cases  last  year  we  thought  the  true  object 
was  lost  sight  of,  and  display  and  excitement 
ruled  the  hour.  We  trust  that  wisdom  will  guide 
the  counsels  of  our  various  societies,  and  that  no 
word  of  reproach  shall  justly  be  suffered  to  rest 
upon  them. 

USE  OF  FAT  IN"  ANIMAL  ECONOMY. 

The  extraordinary  abundance  c^  fat  in  the  bod- 
ies of  animals  inhabiting  the  intensely  cold  polar 
regions  may  be  philosophically  considered  as  a 
surplus  stock  of  fuel,  to  be  burnt  for  sustaining 
animal  heat  and  motive  power.  Without  this  in- 
ternal resource  for  a  supply,  during  periods 
when  no  other  available  supplies  of  food  are  pro- 
curable from  external  sources,  the  animals  of  the 
arctic  regions  would  speedily  become  frozen,  re- 
maining like  marble  statues  fixed  on  the  surface 
of  the  fields  of  ice  and  snow. 

A  most  remarkably  abundant  provision  of  fatty 
and  oily  matter,  formed  from  hydrogen  and  car- 
bon, is  found  in  the  blubber  which  envelopes  the 
bodies  of  the  stored-up  whales  like  a  thick  blan- 
ket. The  philosophy  of  this  surprising  provis- 
ion of  available  food  and  fuel,  accumulated  in 
these  large  fishes,  admits  of  the  following  expla- 
nation. It  appears  that  whales,  in  ranging  from 
one  feeding-ground  to  another,  sometimes  have 
to  cross  broad  oceans.  Without  an  extraordina- 
ry supply  of  carbon,  provided  like  a  stock  of 
coals  in  the  bunkers  of  a  steamer,  for  sustaining 
continuous   combustion  during  a  long   voyage, 


visions,  to  supply  from  this  superabundant  de- 
posit of  fat,  which  principally  composes  this 
hump,  the  carbon  necessarj*for  propelling  the  lo- 
comotive mechanism  of  his  body  across  the  wide 
wastes  of  sand,  where  no  blade  of  grass  is  found 
to  replenish  his  exhausted  supplies  of  carbona- 
ceous food.  A  surplus  supply  of  water  is  simi- 
larly provided  in  the  extraordinary  sacs  of  his 
stomach,  as  a  substitute  for  the  tank  applied  to 
an  artificial  locomotive  engine. 

Adventurous  mariners  navigate  their  barks 
among  the  icebergs  of  the  polar  regions,  to  pro- 
cure the  valuable  store  of  fat  organized  into  the 
bodies  of  the  whale,  of  the  seal,  and  walrus,  which 
they  transport  to  marts  of  commerce  for  distribu- 
tion, for  the  purpose  of  being  burned  as  fuel  in 
the  lamps,  instead  in  the  lungs,  the  purpose  for 
which  it  was  originally  designed.  Men  strip  off 
the  fur  and  down  from  the  bodies  of  animals, 
whose  breasts,  exposed  by  submersion  into  icy 
water,  and  to  keen  wintry  winds,  require  these 
non-conducting  coverings,  to  sustain  the  animal 
heat  generated  by  combustion  in  their  bodies. 
These  prized  spoils  of  soft  downs  and  furs  are 
appropriated  as  a  covering  to  sustain  the  same 
genial  excitation  within  the  glowing  bosom  of  a 
civilized  belle.  In  the  colder  bosom  of  an  Esqui- 
maux belle,  residing  in  a  crystal  palace,  and  be- 
neath a  dome  built  of  blocks  of  ice,  not  only  are 
these  soft  external  appliances  of  robes  of  fur  ne- 
cessary for  sustaining  a  genial  glow  of  life's  vv'arm 
current,  but  also  the  most  extraordinary  combus- 
tion of  fatty,  oily  matter  in  her  lungs.  One  of 
these  belles,  according  to  Capt.  Parry's  narrative 
the  whales  might  fail  in  exerting  a  motive  power  of  his  voyage  to  the  Arctic  regions,  sipped  the 
sufficient  to  propel  their  great  bodies  through  the  [oil  from   an   extinguished  lamp,  "and  received  a 


waters  of  the  broad  ocean.  Whales  have  been 
captured  from  whose  bodies  more  than  two  hun- 
dred barrels  of  oil  have  been  extracted.  As  sper- 


tallow  candle  as  an  acce;jtable  bon-bon,  the  cour- 
teous captain  kindly  warning  her  by  signs,  not  to 
choak  heisclf  by  attempting  to  swallow  the  wick. 


maceti  and  cetine  contain  above  90  per  cent,  of!  It  thus  appears  that  the  quantity  of  organic  car- 


carbon  and  hydrogen,  one  of  these  fishes,  there- 
fore, carries  with  him  about  ten  tons  of  combus- 
tible fuel,  which  is  ready  at  all  times  to  become 
absorbed  and  burnt,  whenever  this  leviathan  of 
the  deep  desires  to  develop  posverful  impulses  of 
motive  pov/er,  and  rises  to  the  surface  of  the 
ocean,  to  draw  in  a  long  breath  of  air,  contain- 


bon  which  is  scarcely  adequate  to  serve  as  fuel  in 
developing  warmth  and  locomotive  power  in  the 
bodies  of,  human  beings  dwelling  in  the  Arctic 
regions,  would  over-heat  the  bodies  of  the  same 
individuals  in  warm  tropical  climates,  and  would 
speedily  induce  fatal  inflammatory  disorders. 
To   the  ignorance  of  this   simple   fact  may  be 


jng  the  requisite  quantity  of  oxygen  to  burn  his  j  ascribed  the  deaths  of  myriads  of  voyagers  from 


462 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Oct 


cold  to  warm  climates.  On  the  contrary,  voyagers 
from  sultry  to  cold  climates  require  the  combus- 
tion of  more  carbon  in  their  lungs  to  sustain  the 
average  temperature  of  blood  heat.  Indeed,  the 
sensation  of  declining  warmth  is  so  immediately 
attendant  on  a  diminished  supply  of  food  that 
the  terms  cold  and  hunger  have  become  associ- 
ated together,  and  the  phrase  starving  with  cold, 
has  lately  been  introduced  into  popular  language 
in  these  countries. 

Numerous  facts  tend  to  demonstrate  that  a  vig- 
orous and  healthful  condition  of  the  animal  me- 
chanism can  only  be  sustained  by  a  due  rela- 
tive apportionment  of  the  atoms  of  carbon  and 
hydrogen,  presented  in  the  thin  membranous 
air  vessels  of  the  lungs  to  the  contact  and  union 
with  due  relative  apportionment  of  the  atoms  of 
oxygen  inhaled  at  every  breath,  and  by  the  appli- 
ances of  non-conducting  clothing,  to  prevent  the 
too  rapid  propagation  of  heat  from  the  body. 
And  thus  the  mechanical  motive  power  of  the  vi- 
tal agency  of  "life"  truly  subsists  by  the  combus- 
tion of  carbon,  in  accordance  with  the  emblem- 
atical flame  of  the  lamp,  which  was  once  lighted 
in  every  tomb  by  a  classic  and  superstitious  peo- 
ple, as  allegorically  representing  the  bright  spirit 
which,  for  a  brief  time,  animates  the  body,  and 
then  vanishes  forever,  like  the  quivering  and  ex- 
piring flame. — Canadian  Agriculturist. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
O  B  N  I T  H  O  L  O  G  Y  . 
BY   S.   P.  FOWLER. 

The  belted  kingfisher  has  long  been  known  in 
the  United  States,  and  until  the  annexation  of 
new  territory  to  the  union,  was  the  only  species. 
But  since  the  admission  of  Texas,  a  handsome 
little  bird,  called  the  Texan  green  kingfisher,  has 
been  discovered,  (Ceryle  Americana,)  (Omelin,) 
which  may  readily  be  distinguished,  by  its  small 
size  and  different  plumage,  from  the  common  or 
belted  kingfisher.  The  bird  under  consideration 
was  known  to  the  ancients  by  the  name  of  Hal- 
cyon, and  many  fabulous  stories  are  told  of  it,  by 
the  early  writers.  They  supposed  that  it  built 
its  nest  upon  the  surface  of  the  sea,  amongst  the 
foam  of  the  waves,  and  that  it  had  the  power  of 
calming  the  troubled  deep  during  the  period  of 
incubation.  They  only  sat  on  their  floating  nest 
a  few  days,  and  during  that  short  period,  which 
was  in  the  depth  of  winter,  the  mariner  might, 
they  said,  sail  in  perfect  security.  Hence  those 
days  were  called  Halcyon  days.  There  is  a  more 
modern  fancy  in  regard  to  the  kingfisher,  which 
supposes  that  this  bird,  when  stuffed  and  hung 
up  overhead  in  a  room,  by  a  thread,  will  point 
the  direction  of  the  wind,  after  the  manner  some- 
what of  a  dog  vane.  M.  Du  Pratz,  in  his  his- 
tory of  Louisiana,  says :  "The  kingfisher,  it  is 
well  known,  goes  always  against  the  wind,  but 
perhaps  few  people  know  that  it  preserves  the 
same  property,  when  it  is  dead.  I,  myself,  hung 
a  dead  one  by  a  silk  thread,  directly  over  a  sea 
com}M.ss,  and  I  can  declare  it  as  a  fact,  that  the 
bill  was  always  turned  towards  the  wind."  Shaks- 
peare,  when  speaking  of  sycophants,  alludes  to 
these  fabulous  notions,  where  he  says  they 

"Turn  their  Halcyon  beaks, 

With  every  gale  and  vary  of  their  masters." 


Mr.  Cassin  says  in  his  Birds  of  America,  the 
family  of  kingfishers  embraces  about  ninety  spe- 
cies, of  which  seventy-seven  are  in  the  collection 
of  the  Philadelphia  academy.  The  habits  of  the 
belted  kingfisher  are  well  described  by  our  orni- 
thologists, and  the  readers  of  the  7^.  E.  Farmer 
can  consult  them  if  they  choose.  I  notice  some 
of  them  speak  of  their  nests  being  composed  of 
a  few  sticks  and  feathers,  but  those  eggs  which 
I  have  examined  were  laid  upon  the  bare  earth. 
Their  solitary  and  pisciverous  habits,  in  the  es- 
timation of  some  persons,  render  them  unfit 
themes  for  rural  composition,but  the  bird  really 
gives  beauty  and  interest  to  the  scenery  around 
our  mountain  streams,  and  inland  lakes,  which 
it  visits.  And  if  the  kingfisher  has  nothing  par- 
ticularly interesting  in  its  general  appearance, 
which,  I  am  ready  to  admit,  is  grotesque,  or  in 
its  note,  which  would  probably  remind  a  citizen 
of  a  watchman's  rattle  at  midnight,  calling  for 
aid  to  secure  a  burglar,  it  certainly  at  least  pos- 
sesses one  good  trait  of  character,  that  of  troub- 
ling no  one,  which  is  more  than  can  be  said  of 
many  of  our  birds.  It  likewise  has  the  commen- 
dable habit  of  minding  its  own  business,  which  is 
singularly  honest  and  legitimate,  not  to  say 
apostolic — that  of  fishing.  And  well  may  we 
quote  and  apply  honest  Izaak  Walton's  lines  to 
our  bird : — 

"O,  the  gallant  fisher's  life, 

It  is  the  best  of  any  ;  ^ 

'Tis  full  of  pleasure,  void  of  strife, 
And  'tis  belov'd  by  many : 

Other joyes 

Are  but  toyes ; 

Only  this 

Lawful  is  : 

For  our  skill 

Breeds  no  ill, 
But  content  and  pleasure." 

The  kingfisher  is  not  confined  to  our  inland 
waters,  but  is  seen  also  on  the  sea-coast,  around 
the  harbors  and  rivers  that  empty  into  the  ocean, 
diligently  engaged  in  fishing  in  the  shallows  about 
their  shores.  And  there  is  probably  no  bird  bet- 
ter known  to  the  boy,  who  resorts  to  the  salt 
water  to  bathe  or  fish,  than  the  kingfisher ;  and 
when  his  object  of  pursuit,  the  catching  of  min- 
nows or  tomcods,  is  the  same,  how  often  has  he 
been  surprised  by  the  sudden  approach  of  this 
bird,  in  its  gliding  flight  and  rattling  churr. 
How  often  has  he  seen  it  plunge  into  the  stream 
after  a  fish,  and  having  caught  it  in  his  bill,  re- 
turn to  its  stand,  a  post  of  a  water  fence,  and 
swallow  the  glittering  prize  headformost,  and 
shake  its  head  to  clear  its  crest  from  the  brine, 
and  perhaps  proud  of  the  capital  dive  it  made. 
And  how  often  has  the  boy,  unobserved  as  he 
was  fishing  from  the  sedgey  bank,  continued  to 
watch  the  feathered  fisher,  forgetful  of  the  many 
good  bites  at  the  end  of  his  line,  and  viewing 
with  astonishment  the  strange  behavior  of  the 
bird,  who  is  apparently  choking  with  the  fish  it 
has  just  swallowed,  when  after  much  shaking  of 
the  head,  gasping  and  violent  renchings,  it 
throws  up  a  bundle  of  fi.sh  bones  !  But  our  bird 
is  in  no  particular  danger  from  being  choked  with 
its  food,  neither  does  it  suffer  from  a  bad  or  im- 
perfect digestion,  as  we  might  ignorantly  sup- 
pose, when  viewing  its  most  singular  motions  on 
its  perch,  where  sitting  by  the  hour  together  it 
digests  its  food  and  ejects  the  bones  of  the  fish 
it  has  swalloFed,  in  the  form  of  pellets.     These 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


463 


are  always  to  be  found,  where  they  are  accus- 
tomed to  perch,  as  well  as  in  their  breeding 
places,  and  has  given  rise  to  the  notion  in  the  old 
writers,  that  they  build  their  nests  of  fish  bones  ! 
The  kingfisher  is  very  generally  found  through- 
out the  United  States,  and  frequents  all  the  large 
rivers  in  the  far  countries,  up  to  the  67th  de- 
gree of  latitude. 

Danvers-Port,  Aug.  Atli,  1858. 


SIGNS  OF  THE  BIPENESS  OF  GRAPES. 

To  produce  a  good  wine,  it  is  most  important 
to  know  the  external  signs  the  grapes  will  have 
when  perfectly  ripe — each  wine-grower  should  be 
well  acquainted  with  them.  But  still  a  great 
many,  even  knowing  thsse  signs,  will  gather 
their  grapes  before  full  maturity,  for  the  sake  of 
gaining  more  wine — their  principle  is  quantity, 
not  quality.     The  signs  are — 

1.  The  stem  of  the  grape  should  be  of  a  brown 
color. 

2.  The  cuticle  of  the  berry  must  be  clear  and 
transparent. 

3.  The  berries  should  separate  easily  from  the 
stem. 

4.  The  seed  must  be  of  a  brown  color. 

5.  The  juice  must  be  sweet  and  sticky. 
Do  not  cut  the  grapes  early   in  the  morning, 

with  the  dew  on  them,  nor  during  rainy  weather, 
nor  shortly  after  a  rain. 

Pick  out  the  berries  stung  by  wasps,  or  other 
insects,  as  these  commonly  have  a  putrid  and 
sour  taste.  The  unripe  or  green  berries  should 
also  be  carefully  removed. 

The  precise  time  of  perfect  ripeness  can  only 
be  discovered  by  chemical  analysis,  when  the  rel- 
ative quantity  of  sugar  and  acids  can  easily  be 
determined.  The  change  of  gum,  dextrine  and 
acids  into  sugar  can  easily  be  ascertained  ;  and  a 
suspension  of  transformation,  or  a  consequent 
retrogade  action,  would  show  the  real  time  of 
perfect  maturity.  L.  Rehfuss. 

When  shall  we  have  these  critical  and  chemi- 
cal analyses,  which  so  often  prove  of  great  value. 
Ed.  West.  Horticulturist. 


The  American  Staple. — The  Egg  Crop. — It 
is  estimated  that  there  are  103,600,000  laying 
fowls  in  the  country,  of  which  50,000,000  lay  one 
egg  a  day  throughout  the  year.  This  would  give 
the  annual  crop  of  18,250,000,000  eggs,  and  these 
at  eight  cents  a  dozen,would  be  worth  $121,666,- 
666 ! — Buffalo  Express,  Aug.  4. 

The  cotton  crop  of  the  United  States,  estimated 
at  the  seaboard,  according  to  the  census  of  1850, 
amount  to  $78,264,927.  Estimated  at  the  same 
point — that  is,  according  to  New  York  prices  to- 
day— the  egg  crop  of  the  United  States  would 
amount  to  $259,011,666,  or  twice  as  much  as  the 
cotton,  tobacco,  rice,  hay,  hemp  and  sugar  crops 
of  the  slave  States  put  together.  Adopting  the 
estimate  of  the  Buff"alo  print,  the  average  of  eggs 
consumed  by  each  inhabitant  of  the  United  States 
each  day  is  about  two. — New  York  Post. 


I^^A  farmer  returning  home  in  his  wagon,  af- 
ter delivering  a  load  of  corn,  is  a  more  certain 
sign  of  a  national  prosperity,  than  a  nobleman 
riding  in  his  chariot  to  the  opera. 


EXTRACTS  AND  REPLIES. 

MEADOW   CRANBERRIES  —  MEADOW   MUD — IVY — 

PASTURE   LANDS. 

I  wish  to  inquire  through  the  columns  of  your 
paper  what  course  it  is  best  to  take  with  a  mossy 
meadow  ?  («.)  The  grass  is  very  light ;  the 
meadow  has  been  ditched,  but  it  is  tilled  up,  and 
there  is  a  good  chance  to  drain  it. 

Would  cranberries  do  well  upon  it  ?  (6.) 

Would  meadow  mud  be  beneficial  to  plow  into 
light  soiled  land  ?  (c.) 

Would  poor  pasture  land  that  has  been  plowed 
be  the  better  to  plow  again  and  seed  it  ? 

What  will  kill  ivy  ?  George. 

(a.)  Drain  and  plow  the  meadow —  manure 
with  compost  and  seed  with  good  upland  grasses. 

(6.)  If  you  find  cranberries  growing  naturally 
about  the  meadow,  there  is  little  doubt  but  they 
would  do  well  transplanted  there. 

(c.)  The  meadow  mud,  old  and  well  pulverized, 
would  be  excellent  on  your  light  land  ;  and  your 
"poor  pasture  land  that  has  been  plowed,"  would 
greatly  rejoice  if  you  were  to  plow  it  again,  vian- 
ure  it  liberally  and  re-seed  it. 

roots  for  stock. 
In  your  advocacy  for  the  culture  of  root  crops 
for  the  feed  of  stock,  you  might  with  great  pro- 
priety have  referred  to  the  late  Mr.  Webster,  as 
well  as  Mr.  Biddle — both  first  class  minds  in 
their  day.  I  remember  to  have  heard  Mr.  Web- 
ster discourse  for  half  an  hour  or  more,  on  the 
culture  of  the  turnip  in  England,  shortly  after 
his  visit  to  that  country.  I  also  remember  see- 
ing at  the  time  of  his  burial  a  luxuriant  growth 
of  this  vegetable,  on  his  own  fields,  at  his  farm 
in  Marshfield — for  he  was  no  visionary  theorist 
— but  was  always  ready  to  illustrate  his  faith  by 
his  works.  Said  he,  "hundreds  of  acres  of  tur- 
nips are  grown  in  England,  expressly  for  the 
feed  of  sheep.  Not  only  grown ybr,  but  harvest- 
ed by  the  sheep  themselves."  Perhaps  this  mode 
of  harvesting  will  not  answer  so  well  in  our  cli- 
mate, where  frosts  and  snow  so  much  abound, 
when  the  feed  is  the  most  needed.  Pardon 
these  crude  suggestions.  I  make  them  because 
you  claimed  to  be  excused  from  giving  us  some- 
thing better,  as  you  undoubtedly  would,  if  you 
had  attempted  to  answer  my  inquiry.  p. 

Remarks. — We  are  glad  to  be  reminded  of 
Mr.  Webster's  teachings  on  this  important  sub- 
ject, by  our  observing  correspondent.  We  have 
often  quoted  Mr.  Webster's  opinions  in  regard 
to  the  root  crop,  and  it  was,  more  than  anything 
else,  his  plain  and  forcible  illustration  of  their 
value,  that  removed  prejudices  that  we  had  long 
entertained  against  them  as  food  for  our  neat 
stock. 

cure  for  dog-wood  and  ivt  poison. 
In  last  week's  Farmer  I  observed  that  it  was 
asked  by  a  subscriber  what  would  cure  dog-M'ood 
or  ivy  poison  ?  I  will  tell  you  what  is  a  sure  cure 
when  taken  in  season.  Take  the  plant  called 
mouse-ear,   steep  it  to    a   strong   tea,  then  add 


464 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Oct. 


milk  ;  drink  and  wash  in  tlie  tea,  and  by  doin 
so  a  few  times  it  will  effect  a  complete  cure.     If 
the  mouse-ear  is  not  taken  in  season  it  will  help. 
It  is  good  for  sheep  when  poisoned  with  lamb- 
kill.  Samuel  Wilson,  Jr. 
South  Danvers,  Aug.,  1858. 

REMEDY   FOR   CURCULIO   AND  BLACK   WART. 

In  answer  to  Mr.  Wait,  of  Danvers,  I  would 
say  that  myself  and  some  half  dozen  of  my  neigh- 
bors have  for  the  last  three  years  scattered  air- 
slaked  lime  over  our  plum  trees,  from  the  time 
the  blossom  leaf  begins  to  fall  until  the  curculio 
has  done  working,  which  I  think  is  about  four 
weeks.  Our  trees  are  all  in  a  fine,  healthy  state, 
and  loaded  with  good,  smooth  fruit,  and  the 
trees  are  perfectly  free  from  the  black  wart, — so 
much  so  that  they  attract  the  notice  of  strangers 
passing  through  our  village.  We  use  lime  very 
freely,  as  often  as  the  rain  or  dew  takes  it  off.  I 
don't  know  of  anything  the  lime  injures  that  it 
falls  on. 

Some  throw  the  lime  by  hand.  I  use  a  box 
made  of  tin,  the  size  and  shape  of  a  corn  popper, 
the  bottom  filled  with  small  holes,  and  this  fixed 
to  a  pole  of  any  length.  I  prefer  oyster  shell 
lime,  as  it  is  cheap  and  ready  prepared.  Plum 
trees  are  dead  and  dying  all  around  me  where 
they  are  left  to  take  care  of  themselves. 

Gardner,  Mass.,  Aug.,  1858.       J.  W.  Hill. 

NATIVE   GRAPES. 

Mr.  John  Fiske,  of  Holliston,  has  sent  us 
Bome  very' large  and  nearly  ripe  native  grapes, 
which  he  calls  August  grapes,  as  they  usually 
ripen  in  that  month.  He  states  that  he  has  tak- 
en this  season,  from  a  single  vine,  375  pounds, 
which  he  has  sold  in  Boston  market  for  ten  and 
twelve  cents  per  pound.  Profitable  vine  that ! 
The  grapes  before  us  are  too  acid  for  our  taste, 
and  perhaps  would  be  for  dessert  fruit — but  for 
preserving  and  jellies  must  be  valuable.  We  ac- 
cept his  proposition  to  furnish  us  a  plant  for  our 
own  grounds.  

ABORTION   IN   COWS. 

A  correspondent  at  Groton  suggests  that  the 
ergot  in  rye  may  be  the  cause  of  abortion  in 
cows.     He  says : 

"Rye  produces  ergot  in  larger  quantities  than 
anything  else,  and  some  farmers  are  in  the  habit 
of  feeding  freely  with  it  to  increase  the  quantity 
of  milk — that  may  have  some  effect.  Then  there 
are  several  grasses  which  produce  it  to  a  greater 
or  less  degree,  depending  upon  soil,  season,  &c.: 
wet  seasons,  or  soil  having  a  tendency  to  produce 
larger  quantities.  If  you  have  not  examined  it 
with  this  view,  this  suggestion  is  all  that  is  nec- 
essary."   

PLANTING  PEAS  IN  THE  FALL. 
As  a  matter  of  experiment,  I  planted  in  my 
garden  two  rows  of  peas  of  an  early  variety  the 
eighth  day  of  December.  I  buried  them  some 
what  deeper  than  my  usual  custom ;  I  laid  over 
them  a  good  covering  of  leaves,  on  which  I  put 


boards  to  keep  them  in  their  place.  These  I  re- 
moved in  March.  On  the  sixth  of  April,  I  plant- 
ed, side  by  side,  the  same  variety  of  peas.  Those 
planted  in  December,  came  up  seven  days  before 
the  others ;  were  in  blossom  four  days  earlier, 
and  were  ready  for  use  June  20th,  and  the  spring 
planting  only  two  days  later.  Probably  not 
more  than  one-half  the  December  planting  ever 
vegetated ;  and  at  no  time  did  they  look  as 
healthy  as  the  others,  and  their  yield  was  not 
half  as  much.  Such  is  my  experience  in  fall 
planting.  Shall  I  have  the  experience  of  others, 
or  must  I  try  again,  before  I  decide  that  fall 
planting  is  not  to  be  recommended  ? 

East  Hampton,  July,  \Sb%.  H.  s. 

CHAIN   PUMPS. 

Will  you  inform  me  through  the  Farmer  what 
is  the  best  kind   of  pump  in  a  well  thirty-two 
feet  deep  ?     How  will  a  chain  pump  work  ? 
•  West  Townsend,  1858.  c.  w. 

Remarks. — In  one  of  our  recent  rambles  we 
found  a  chain  pump  in  use  for  draM'ing  water  for 
the  farm  stock ;  it  operated  easily,  brought  wa- 
ter rapidly,  and  was  cheap.  They  are  now  in 
common  use,  and  we  believe  they  give  general 
satisfaction.  

CREEPER   FOWLS. 

Will  you,  or  any  of  your  readers,  have   the 

goodness  to  inform  me  through   the  medium  of 

your  columns,  where   I   can   buy   a   few   heavy 

fowls  of  the  creeper  class,  with  very  short  legs  ? 

An  Old  Subscriber. 

Boston,  Aug.  31,  1858. 

Rem.\rks. — We  cannot — who  will  ? 


CHERRY   CURRANTS. 

Can  you  inform  me  through  the  Farmer  where 
cuttings  or  plants  of  the  cherry  currant  can  be 
obtained,  and  at  what  price  per  hundred  ? 

Bolton,  Mass.,  Aug.,  1858.  N.  H. 

Remarks. — M.  P.  Wilder,  Boston,  has  the 
cherry  current  in  his  catalogue,  and  gives  the 
price  as  $2,00  per  dozen  roots  or  plants. 


The  Difference  in  Cows. — It  is  not  the 
cow  that  gives  the  most  milk  that  will  yield  the 
most  butter,  nor  is  it  the  cow  that  gives  the  least 
milk  that  will  yield  the  best  cheese. 

During  a  discussion  upon  the  breeds  of  cattle 
in  Scotland,  as  reported  in  the  Farmei-'s  Maga- 
zine, Mr.  Kay,  of  Hilhead,  in  a  humorous  speech 
advocated  the  utility  of  the  Ayrshire  breed,  but 
said  that  a  good  deal  depended  upon  the  keep 
and  soil. 

In  regard  to  crossing,  he  said  he  had  tried  it, 
and  found  his  best  plan  was  to  come  back  to  the 
pure  breed  again.  He  said  there  was  no  ac- 
counting for  the  difference  between  the  richness 
of  cows'  milk.  He,  himself,  had  an  Ayrshire  cow 
that  gave  IS  (Scotch)  pints  of  milk  per  day  (36 
quarts  Imperial,)  and  only  three  pounds  of  but- 
ter in  the  week,  while  he  had  a  little  cow  whoso 
milk  produced  a  pound  of  butter  daily. 


:858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


465 


THE  POTATO  ROT— ITS  CAUSE  AND 
CUEE. 

The  opinion  is  general,  we  believe,  that  the 
potato  rot  is  caused  by  atmospheric  influences — 
•we  thought  so  until  1855,  when  Lyman  Reed, 
Esq.,  then  of  Waltham,  Mass.,  but  now  of  Mary- 
land, placed  before  us  evidence  that  we  could 
not  resist,  that  it  is  caused  by  an  insect.  In 
1847,  Mr.  Alfked  Smee,  surgeon  to  the  Bank 
of  England,  investigated  the  matter  with  tire- 
less assiduity,  which  resulted  in  the  conviction 
that  the  rot  was  occasioned  by  an  insect,  and  the 
publication  of  a  book  of  150  pages — but  Mr. 
Smee  suggested  nothing  as  a  remedy  beyond 
picking  the  insect  from  the  potato  before  plant- 
ing it. 


Mr.  Reed  has  a  remedy,  upon  which  he  has 
obtained  a  patent.  Mr.  Smee  and  Mr.  Reed  both 
impute  the  mischief  to  an  insect  which  they  call 
the  Aphis  Vastator. 

More  recently,  Mr.  Alexander  Henderson, 
of  Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  has  discovered  that  the  Phy- 
tocoris  Linealaris  of  P.  de  Barroe,  or  the  Capris 
Obliniaius  of  Say,  is  the  cause  of  the  potato  rot. 

In  that  excellent  journal  of  science  and  art, 
the  Scientific  American,  we  find  some  illustrations 
of  the  potato  leaf  and  tuber,  and  the  insects  up- 
on them,  and  an  extended  history  of  the  discov- 


ery. We  have  thought  the  subject  of  sufficient 
importance  to  justify  us  in  incurring  the  expense 
of  the  engravings  which  are  beneath  presented, 


and  with  such  portions  of  the  history  as  we  can 
find  room  for.  In  our  next  paper  we  propose  to 
give  Mr.  Reed's  history  of  his  discovery.  The 
American  says : — 

"One  thing  appears  certain :  Mr.  Henderson 
has  discoved  that  the  Phytocoris  are  the  primary 
cause  of  the  potato  rot,  strictly  so  called,  which 
first  appeared  in  1845,  and  which  is  identical 
with  that  of  the  present  season. 

If  a  tuber  be  examined  with  a  microscope  just 
before  planting,  on  it  may  be  seen  a  small,  yel- 
lowish, translucent  oval  object,  secured,  as  is 
common  with  insects'  eggs,  by  a  gummy  substance 
to  the  potato.  This  will  produce  unsound  pota- 
toes, and  the  egg  is  that  of  the  Pliyiocons. — 
When  the  tuber  is  plarited  at  the  ordinary  depth, 
this  egg  hatches,  but  if  the  potato  is  planted 
deep,  the  egg  is  killed,  and  therefore  deep  plant- 
ing is  one  remedy,  because  air  and  light  are  pre- 
vented from  coming  to  the  delicate  egg.  After 
a  sufficient  amount  of  warmth  and  moisture  has 
been  obtained  by  the  egg,  the  shortest  time  that 
has  yet  been  observed  being  six  days,  the  shell 
opens  along  its  greater  axis,  and  out  comes  the 
small  insect,  without  wings,  from  about  the  twen- 
tieth to  a  twelfth  of  an  inch  long.  It  has  sis 
perfect  legs,  two  attenufe,  a  proboscis  and  a  pair 
of  brilliant  black  eyes.  The  proboscis  is  about 
two-thirds  of  its  body  in  length,  and  one-third 
of  its  length  from  the  head  is  thick,  seen  coiled 
upon  itself  at  c,  Fig.  3  (which  is  an  enlarged 
view  of  the  perfect  insect,  taken,  with  the  other 
views,  from  actual  plants,  tubers  and  insects, 
brought  to  us  by  Mr.  Henderson,)  and  the  re- 
mainder is  flexible  and  needle-like.  It  contains 
three  tubes,  through  one  of  which  it  sucks  up 
the  juice  of  the  plant  for  its  nutriment ;  through 
another  it  probably  ejects  a  poison  into  the  plant, 
and  through  the  other  it  may  perform  part  of  its 
respiration.  The  young  insect  being  born  alive, 
instantly  requires  nutriment,  and  commences 
feeding  upon  the  seed,  which,  without  the  young 
are  very  numerous,  does  not.  perceptibly  inter- 
fere with  its  growth.     According  to  the  amount 


466 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMEK. 


Oct. 


of  heat  and  rr  ■  /sture  in  the  soil,  this  goes  on 
from  two  and  a  half  to  three  months,  when  the 
insect  gets  wings,  and  the  vine  has  attained  its 
full  growth. 

The  insect  has  all  this  time  been  working  at 
the  tuber  (Fig.  2,)  absorbing  much  of  its  nutri- 
tive juice,  and  injecting  a  poison,  which  at  first 
appears  in  spots,  as  seen  at  a,  Fig.  4,  These 
rapidly  spread  to  blotches,  h,  daily  becoming 
more  rotten,  as  c,  and  at  last  leaving  very  little 
of  the  sound  potato,  d. 

The  winged  insect,  tired  of  his  dark  under- 
ground quarters,  moves  a  few  stories  higher,  and 
settles  himself  upon  the  leaves  of  the  vine,  as 
seen  at  1.  They  naturally  attack  the  leaves  and 
main  stem,  which,  having  their  juices  taken  from 
them,  wither  and  die,  leaving  little  save  their  si- 
licious  and  carbonaceous  skeletons,  and  produc- 
ing the  appearance  of  the  rot.  The  best  evi- 
dence that  a  poison  is  also  injected  into  the  plant, 
is  found  in  the  fact  that  fungi  in  great  abundance 
make  their  appearance,  and  these,  as  is  well 
known,  are  generally  the  result  of  putrefactive 
fermentation. 

Sometimes,  in  cold  and  stormy  weather,  the 
insect  again  descends  and  feeds  upon  the  potato, 
which  by  this  time  is  covered  with  fungi  also. 
In  the  winter  they  emigrate,  and  nestling  among 
the  warm  leaves  of  the  mullen  plant,  endeavor 
to  keep  alive  until  the  succeeding  spring.  Mr. 
Henderson  has  been  engaged  observing  these 
insects  since  1850,  although  for  five  years  previ- 
ously he  had  investigated  the  causes  of  the  po- 
tato rot.  On  page  382  of  the  present  volume  of 
the  Scientific  American,  we  gave  a  brief  outline 
of  Mr.  H.'s  discoveries,  from  the  Buffalo  Com- 
mercial, which  was  the  first  newspaper  that  gave 
an  extended  notice  of  these  facts. 

Feeling  the  importance  of  the  subject,  we  have 
given  this  much  space  to  it,  knowing  that  the 
maj(^-ity  of  our  readers  will  look  with  eagerness 
for  Mr.  H.'s  simple  remedies,  which  are,  killing 
the  egg  by  sprinkling  quick-lime  upon  the  seeds 
— preventing  its  development  by  deep  planting, 
by  hoeing  up  well  round  the  vines,  and  filling 
up  the  cracks  in  the  soil  by  pressure — or  by  pre- 
serving an  old  Scotch  method  of  planting,  which 
is  as  follows :  The  ground  is  plowed  about  a 
foot  deep,  the  manure  put  in,  with  three  to  four 
inches  of  soil  on  that,  and  then  the  potato  plant- 
ed. Crops  set  in  this  way  have  never  failed,  the 
vines  sometimes  being  attacked,  but  the  tubers 
always  remaining  sound.  We  hope  that  many 
of  our  readers  will  set  to  work  and  experiment 
on  this  matter,  and  although  the  bug  is  very  ac- 
tive and  lively,  he  may  be  caught  by  shaking  the 
vine  quickly  and  picking  him  up." 


FKOG   SHOWERS. 


It  may  not  here  be  out  of  place  to  give  the  in- 
terpretation of  frog  showers,  as  now  most  gener- 
ally received  by  most  competent  judges.  The  ac- 
tual fact,  that  considerable  spaces  of  ground  have 
been  suddenly  covered  with  numerous  small 
frogs,  where  there  were  no  frogs  before,  has  been 
proved  beyond  a  doubt.  Some  have  called  in  the 
aid  of  waterspouts,  whirlwinds,  and  similar  causes, 
to  account  for  their  elevation  into  the  regions  of 
air,  and  some  have  even  thought  that  they  were 
formed  in  the  clouds  from  whence  they  were  pre- 


cipitated. It  has  generally  been  in  August,  and 
often  after  a  season  of  drought,  that  these  hordes 
of  frogs  have  made  their  appearance ;  but  with 
Mrs.  Siddons,  we  will  exclaim,  "How  got  they 
there  ?"  Simply  as  follows :  The  animals  have 
been  hatched  and  quitted  their  tadpole  state  and 
their  pond  at  the  same  time,  days  before  they 
became  visible  to,  or  rather  observed  by,  mortal 
eyes.  Finding  it  unpleasant  in  the  hot  parched 
fields,  and  also  running  a  great  chance  of  being 
then  and  there  dried  up  by  the  heat  of  the  sun, 
they  wisely  retreated  to  the  coolest  and  dampest 
places  they  could  find,  viz.:  under  clods  and 
stones,  where,  on  account  of  their  dusky  color, 
they  escaped  notice.  Down  comes  the  rain  ani 
out  come  the  frogs  pleased  with  the  chance. 
Forthwith  appears  an  article  in  the  county  pa- 
per ;  the  good  folks  flock  to  see  the  phenome- 
non. There  are  the  frogs,  hopping  about ;  the 
visitors  remember  the  shower,  and  a  simple  count- 
tryman  swears  the  frogs  fell  in  the  shower,  and 
he  saw  them  fall ;  frogs,  visitors,  countrymen, 
editors,  are  all  pleased,  and  nobody  undeceives 
them,  nor  are  they  willing  to  be  undeceived.-^ 
Buckland's  Natural  History. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
CROPS  OF  THE  SEASON. 

Four  weeks  ago,  there  was  reason  to  expect  a 
superabundant  harvest  from  our  fields.  The  corn 
had  started  into  luxuriant  growth.  The  potatoes 
never  promised  better.  The  onions  were  fair  and 
bright — less.marred  by  insects  than  was  expect- 
ed. Now,  how  changed  the  aspect ;  if  rumor  is 
to  be  credited,  one-half  our  hopes  are  cut  off. 

One  of  our  best  cultivators  informs  us  that  he 
had  ten  acres  of  onions,  from  which  he  expected 
4000  bushels  to  the  acre,  at  least ;  and  shall  now 
be  satisfied  to  get  half  this  quantity.  A  blight 
has  come  over  them,  from  what  cause  he  knows 
not,  unless  it  be  the  superabundant  moisture, 
and  almost  frosty  nights,  and  his  fields  look  dis- 
couraging. 

So  true  is  it  that  man  may  plant,  and  industry 
cherish  the  growth,  but  to  a  power  beyond  the 
control  of  man  must  we  look  for  the  increase. 

Sept.  1,  1858.  Essex. 

Wine  from  Wild  Grapes. — Among  the  good 
things  which  are  furnished  from  Pomona's  king- 
dom, we  occasionally  find  a  glass  of  wine  of  con- 
siderable merit.  A  bottle  from  Mr.  S.  H.  Allen's 
untamed  vintage,  at  Shrewsbury,  Mass.,  has  just 
been  broached,  of  which  we  have  drank  sufficient- 
ly deep  to  pronounce  excellent.  We  have  rare- 
ly tasted  better  from  any  source. 

Wine  from  Currants. — A  bottle  of  currant 
wine  from  E.  C.  Purdy,  Esq.,  of  Somerville,  an 
account  of  which  was  given  by  him  last  week, 
was  also  opened  and  found  to  be  excellent.  Mr. 
Purdy's  mode  of  making  his  wine  has  some  nov- 
elties, and  may  be  found  worthy  of  adoption.  So 
with  generous  wine,  and  the  kind  remembrances 
of  friends,  we  find  ourselves  greatly  sustained  on 
one  of  the  hottest  and  most  oppressive  days  of 
the  seasoii. 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


467 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
CURRANT  WINE—PLUMS,  &c. 

A  few  weeks  since,  the  Farmer  re-published  an 
article  which  I  have  seen  in  various  other  papers, 
on  the  subject  of  currant  wine.  The  article  as- 
sumes that  none  but  the  best  refined  sugar  is  fit 
for  the  currant  wine  manufacture.  Believing  this 
to  be  a  mischievous  error,  I  will  give  you  my  ex- 
perience in  the  matter.  I  have  been  in  the  habit 
for  several  years  of  making  up  about  a  bushel  of 
currants,  each  year,  into  wine — finding  it  a  very 
convenient  article  for  various  culinary  purposes, 
to  say  nothing  of  its  use  as  a  beverage.  The 
quality  has  been  pretty  uniformly  good,  though 
I  have  never  used  refined  sugar  in  the  manufac- 
ture. Last  year  I  purchased  a  quantity  of  very 
damp  sugar  which  came  from  the  bottom  of  a 
molasses  hogshead,  and  for  which  I  paid  three 
cents  a  pound.  I  send  you  herewith  a  bottle  of 
the  wine  made  with  this  sugar,  and  if  you  do  not 
pronounce  it  a  good  article,  I  can  only  say  that 
"tastes  diff'er."  The  wine  will  of  course  improve 
by  age. 

The  article  of  which  I  send  you  a  sample  was 
made  as  follows  :  I  picked  fi'om  my  garden  about 
a  bushel  of  well  ripened  currants.  Heating  some 
water  in  a  wash-boiler,  I  placed  the  currants,  say 
half  a  peck  at  a  time,  in  a  tin  pail,  and  placing 
the  pail  in  the  water,  scalded  the  currants  until 
they  became  soft ;  then  putting  them  in  a  linen 
bag,  squezed  them  in  a  portion  of  the  cold  water 
I  had  measured  out  for  the  wine,  until  the  juice 
was  all  expressed.  In  this  way  I  obtained  the 
juice  from  a  bushel  of  currants  in  about  half  an 
hour ;  and  I  am  satisfied  that  the  scalding  of  the 
currants  very  much  improves  the  wine.  The 
quantity  of  water  used  was  from  six  to  seven  gal- 
lons, and  to  this  mixture  was  added  about  forty 
pounds  of  the  molasses  sugar  before  spoken  of. 
The  whole  was  then  put  into  a  well-cleaned  cask, 
the  bung  of  which  was  left  out  for  two  days,  then 
laid  on  loose  for  a  fortnight,  then  driven  tight. 
The  product  is  about  seventeen  gallons  of  wine, 
and  the  only  actual  outlay  in  money  was  a  dollar 
and  twenty  cents  for  the  sugar, — say  about  seven 
cents  per  gallon  ! 

An  article  in  the  Farmer  of  Aug.  28,  from  Mr. 
Wait,  of  Danvers,  speaks  very  despondingly  of 
the  plum  culture,  and  expresses  a  fear  that,  be- 
tween the  ravages  of  the  black  wart  and  the  cur- 
culio,  "that  beautiful  fruit  is  likely  to  become 
extinct."  I  have  a  few  plum  trees  in  my  garden 
which  do  not  look  very  much  like  extinction. 
True,  the  very  wet  season  has  caused  much  of  the 
fruit  to  rot,  and  the  curculio  has  bitten  a  larger 
share  than  the  law  of  equitable  distribution  would 
seem  to  -have  justified — thus  causing  a  large  por- 
tion of  the  fruit  to  fall  prematurely  from  the  tree. 
This  is  the  case  particularly  with  those  excellent 
varieties.  Prince's  Imperial  Gage,  and  Coe's  Gold- 
en Drop.  The  heavy  rains  of  Aug.  28  also  caused 
such  plums  as  were  near  ripening  to  burst  their 
skins.  Despite  of  all  these  adverse  circumstances, 
most  of  my  trees  are  well  loaded  with  fruit.  One 
small  tree  six  years  from  the  bud,  of  the  variety 
called  Drap  d'Or,  has  yielded,  as  nearly  as  I  can 
guess,  a  bushel  of  very  sweet  and  delicious  plums. 
This  variety  rots  very  little  on  the  tree,  bears 
wonderful  crops,  is  not  much  bitten  by  the  cur- 
culio, and  '.  think  will  prove  a  profitable  variety. 


The  same  correspondent  of  your  paper  speaks 
of  what  he  calls  the  sap  blight  in  pear-trees — 
causing  the  leaves  to  turn  black  and  the  fruit  to 
wither  up.  This  disease  is  sometimes  erroneously 
called  "fire  blight."  The  late  Hon.  John  Lowell 
discovered,  as  he  thought,  to  an  absolute  cer- 
tainty, that  this  blight  was  caused  by  a  very  small 
insect  called  the  scolytus  i)yri,  which  sometimes 
eats  a  circle  round  the  tree  in  the  alburnum  or 
sap-wood, — thus  causing  a  complete  interruption 
in  the  flow  of  the  sap.  The  remedy — and  Mi*. 
Lowell  found  it  efi"ectual — is  to  cut  off  the  limb 
on  the  tree  some  two  or  three  inches  below  the 
part  affected,  and  burn  it.  By  this  means  the 
disease  may  soon  be  eradicated. 

With  regard  to  the  black  wart  on  the  plum,  I 
have  kept  my  trees  pretty  free  of  it  by  using  salt 
in  various  forms,  and  by  applying  the  knife  iVeely 
whenever  and  wherever  it  makes  its  appearance. 
This  disease  is  also  probably  caused  by  an  insect, 
whose  bite  poisons  the  sap  and  causes  it  to  form 
a  fungus,  which  soon  becomes  a  black  and  un- 
sightly excrescence.  I  do  not  dread  this  half  so 
much  as  I  do  the  curculio.  E.  c.  P. 

Somerville,  Mass. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
LETTER  FROM  MR.  HOLBROOK. 

RECLAIMING  AND   DRAINING. 

• 

My  Dear  Mr.  Brown  : — For  a  few  days  past, 
I  have  had  occasion  to  make  frequent  visits  to  a 
lowland  meadow  near  my  residence,  and  belong- 
ing to  the  Vermont  State  Asylum.  The  draining 
and  improvement  of  this  tract  of  land  has  in- 
terested me  considerably  for  several  years  ;  and 
two  years  ago  this  month,  I  gave  a  communica- 
tion to  the  Farmer,  describing  the  methods  pur- 
sued in  reclaiming  it. 

The  meadow  consists  of  about  thirty  acres  of 
Connecticut  river  intervale,  lying  quite  low,  and 
subject  to  overflow  from  the  river  when  swollen 
by  spring  and  fall  rains,  a  thaw  in  the  winter,  or 
an  uncommonly  rainy  spell  in  August.  The  land 
was  also  made  wet  by  a  little  brook  from  the  up- 
lands, and  by  cold  springs  in  various  places,  bub- 
bling up  from  a  considerable  depth.  Before 
draining  the  meadow,  the  flood  water  did  not  all 
pass  off"  with  the  falling  of  the  river,  but  portions 
of  it,  together  with  the  waters  of  the  brook  and 
springs,  remained  to  stagnate,  or  in  other  places 
to  diminish  slowly  by  evaporation.  The  land  was 
thus  kept  wet,  cold  and  sour,  and  produced  little 
or  nothing  but  the  coarsest  swale  grasses.  An 
ox  team  could  not  be  driven  over  much  of  tlie 
land  at  all,  and  a  man  could  nt)t  mow  in  the  M'et- 
ter  portions  without  going  over  shoes  in  water. 

Six  years  ago  this  summer,  we  determined  to 
attempt  to  drain  and  reclaim  the  meadow,  and  an 
accurate  survey  was  made  with  levelling  instru- 
ments, to  ascertain  the  exact  lay  of  the  surface, 
and  where  ditches  could  be  opened  that  would 
give  motion  to  the  water  and  pass  it  to  the  river. 
Favorable  routes  were  found  for  the  water  to 
move  off",  and  two  capacious  open  ditches  were 
accordingly  made,  starting  at  a  common  point  at 
the  upper  end,  sweeping  through  the  lower  por- 
tions of  the  meadow,  by  widely  separate  routes, 
but  uniting  in  one  ditch  at  the  lower  end,  and 
from  thence  to  the  river.     The  eye,  alone,  would 


468 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Oct. 


not  have  pointed  out  these  routes  for  the  ditches, 
for  where  they  united,  nearest  the  river,  there 
was  a  swell  in  the  land,  making  the  surface  high- 
er than  where  the  ditches  started  ;  hut  the  instru- 
ments showed  that  just  beyond  the  swell  the 
land  was  low  enough  for  the  purposes  of  drain- 
age, and  they  also  showed  how  deep  the  cut  must 
be  to  pass  the  water  through  properly  to  the  riv- 
er. So  much  for  the  benefits  of  an  accurate  sur- 
vey when  attempting  to  drain  lowlands. 

The  ditches  thus  completed  and  the  land  re- 
lieved of  stagnant  water,  about  ten  acres  were 
each  year  plowea  up,  manured  with  compost,  and 
laid  down'  with  the  cultivated  grasses ;  and  the 
third  year  from  the  commencement  nearly  the  en- 
tire meadow  had  been  reclaimed.  After  plowing  a 
piece,  and  before  manuring  and  seeding  it,  the 
occasional  slight  hollows  were  smoothed  up  to 
the  general  surface,  by  removing  earth  into  them 
from  the  surrounding  crowning  places,  with  the 
oxen  and  scraper ;  so  that  no  portion  of  the  flood 
water  should  remain  on  the  land,  but  all  might 
readily  pass  off  with  the  falling  of  the  river.  The 
breaking  of  the  swale  sod  was  not  an  easy  task. 
The  coarse  water  grasses  had  held  possession  of 
the  land  for  a  long  period,  and  formed  a  strong, 
thickly-rooted  and  ugly  sward,  which  could  not 
be  turned  at  all  by  a  plow  of  the  usual  size.  Ac- 
cordingly a  very  large  plow  was  procured,  which, 
drawn  by  six  oxen,  went  entirely  below  the  roots 
of  the  grasses,  and  turned  up  deep,  wide  furrows, 
laying  them  over,  in  spite  of  their  stifi"ness. 

The  condition  of  the  land  has  been  very  much 
changed  by  draining  and  reclaiming.  The  waters 
are  off  at  once  on  the  receding  of  a  flood,  loaded 
teams  can  be  driven  anywhere  on  the  land,  and 
large  crops  of  good  hay  have  been  taken  off".  On 
a  few  acres,  however,  of  the  lowest  portions  of 
the  meadow  first  plowed  and  seeded,  the  water 
grasses  are  coming  in.  Indeed,  it  was  not  ex- 
pected that  the  land  could  be  wholly  tamed  of  its 
wild,  sour  nature,  at  once,  but  rather  that  in  the 
course  of  time,  after  several  turns  at  plowing, 
manuring  and  reseeding,  this  wildness  would  be 
mostly  taken  out  of  it,  and  the  water  grasses, 
finding  the  conditions  so  modified,  would  nearly 
or  quite  disappear. 

The  lower  portion  of  the  meadow  seeded  down 
six  years  ago,  where  the  wild  grasses  are  getting 
in,  is  now  being  plowed  up  and  reseeded,  turn- 
ing it  over  ten  to  twelve  inches  deep  with  the 
Universal  Plow,  rigged  for  double,  or  sod  and 
subsoil  plov,-ing,  and  drawn  by  three  yokes  of  ox- 
en. The  furrows  turn  over  kindly  now,  and  the 
oxen  have  good  firm  footing  and  a  comparatively 
easy  task.  The  land  has  evidently  settled  down 
several  inches  since  it  was  first  ditched  and 
plowed.  When  plowed  six  years  ago,  this  low- 
est ground,  in  particular,  was  very  boggy,  sticky 
and  diificult  to  overturn,  and  the  oxen  were  con- 
tinually miring  ankle  to  knee  deep  in  the  fur- 
rows, and  had  a  laborious  job  of  it. 

After  plowing,  the  land  is  to  be  harrowed  fine, 
and  some  day  this  week  will  be  stocked  down 
with  a  mixture  of  fowl-meadow,  herds-grass  and 
red-top  seeds,  bushed  in.  We  expect  to  be  able 
to  give  a  more  permanently  good  quality  to  the 
hay  produced  on  this  land,  by  stocking  it  in  part 
with  the  fowl-meadow  grass.  Several  little 
patches  of  this  grass  have  come  in  on  the  mea- 
dow, and  it  seems  to  occupy  the  soil  whenever  it 


gets  foothold,  in  spite  of  floods  or  the  coarse  wa- 
ter grasses.  It  also  yields  a  large  swath  to  the 
scythe,  and  a  very  superb  quality  of  hay.  It  is 
hoped  that  when  the  herds-grass  and  red-top  af- 
ter a  while  begin  to  disappear,  the  fowl-meadow 
grass  will  spread  and  occupy  their  place,  and 
shut  out  the  poorer  wild  grasses.  I  intend  to 
observe  the  operation  of  the  thing  pretty  closely, 
and  may  perhaps  hereafter  have  something  of  in- 
terest to  communicate  about  it.  My  impression 
now  is,  that  the  fowl-meadow  grass  may  be  suc- 
cessfully cultivated  on  low  moist  lands,  and  af- 
ford surer  and  larger  crops  of  hay  than  herds- 
grass  and  red-top.  The  greatest  difficulty,  at  first, 
in  attempting  to  cultivate  this  grass,  will  be  to 
procure  the  seed.  A  large  seed-store  in  Boston 
was  applied  to  a  few  days  since  for  fowl-meadow 
seed,  and  could  only  furnish  two  bushels.  Mr. 
Wether«ll,  however,  informs  us  in  the  Farmer,  in 
his  recent  interesting  and  valuable  essay  upon 
this  grass,  that  the  seed  is  gathered  and  sold  con- 
siderably in  the  neighborhood  of  Portland,  Me. 

August  and  September  form  the  most  favora- 
ble portion  of  the  year  for  draining  and  reclaim- 
ing wet  lands.  Haying  and  the  eai-ly  harvest  be- 
ing mostly  finished,  at  this  season,  there  is  time 
for  draining  operations,  and  the  ground  is  gen- 
erally drier  and  more  accessible  and  easily  worked 
than  at  any  other  time  in  the  year.  Almost  every 
farm  has  a  larger  or  smaller  tract  of  wet  land  up- 
on it.  Such  land  is  generally  the  richest  portion 
of  the  farm,  and  when  once  drained  and  brought 
under  tillage,  produces  very  large  crops  of  grass 
certainly,  and  often  of  corn  and  other  grain ; 
while  it  requires  much  less  manure  to  keep  it 
productive  than  is  necessary  to  bring  up  the  worn- 
out  dry  lands  to  anything  like  the  same  fertility, 
or  to  sustain  them  in  high  heart  after  they  have 
been  made  productive. 

Improvements  upon  these  wet  lands  generally 
prove  profitable  investments — more  so  than  to 
expend  the  same  money  in  buying  more  land. 
They  in  effect  add  to  the  territorial  extent  of  the 
farm  already  owned.  I  have  obsei'ved  several  in- 
stances where  these  improvements  have  made  it 
necessary  to  provide  more  than  double  the  barn 
room  to  store  the  crops  of  the  farm  than  was 
orignally  needed,  and  that  too  without  any  increase 
of  acres.  These  lands  are  often  so  situated  as  to 
receive  the  wash  of  many  acres  of  surrounding 
lands,  and  that  wash,  after  the  wet  land  has  been 
reclaimed,  is  all  turned  to  the  best  account.  There 
is  a  peculiar  satisfaction,  also,  in  looking  upon 
smiling  fields,  productive  of  the  finest  of  grain 
and  grass,  that  one  has  by  his  own  efforts  re- 
deemed from  a  wild  and  perhaps  pestiferous  mo- 
rass. He  feels  that  he  has  added  to  the  wealth 
of  the  country,  as  well  as  to  his  own  resources. 

The  amount  of  outlay  which  may  be  necessaiy 
or  politic  in  reclaiming  swale  lands,  depends  up- 
on several  circumstances,  such  as  the  constitu- 
tion of  the  soil  and  subsoil,  the  way  in  which  the 
water  comes  upon  it,  the  location  of  the  farm  as 
affecting  the  value  of  land  and  products,  and  the 
price  of  labor.  Some  lands  require  thorough  un- 
derdraining,  with  stone  or  tile,  to  give  them  that 
measure  of  dryness  and  warmth  that  shall  bring 
out  their  full  power  of  production.  But  they  may 
be  located  where  land  and  products  are  too  cheap 
to  warrant  so  large  an  outlay  ;  and  perhaps  a 
more  superficial  drainage  may  be  so  well  planned 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


469 


and  executed  as  to  very  essentially  improve  them, 
at  a  reasonable  outlay,  under  the  circumstances. 
In  locations,  however,  where  the  value  of  land  is 
high,  and  its  products  are  near  market  and  bear 
a  high  price,  the  thorough  underdraining  of  bog- 
meadows  and  swaly  lands  needing  that  process, 
proves  invariably  a  profitable  investment.  I  have 
myself  observed  several  specimens  of  underdrain- 
ing, both  with  stone  and  tile,  that  have  produced 
an  astonishing  change  in  the  land,  and  from 
which  very  satisfactory  returns  are  yearly  realized. 

It  is  often  the  case  in  New  England,  that  wet 
lands  are  quite  favorably  situated  for  draining, 
so  that  a  comparatively  small  outlay  of  well-di- 
rected labor  will  relieve  them  of  undue  moisture 
and  coldness,  and  much  change  the  quality  of 
their  products.  Where  the  moisture  arises  from 
surface  water,  then  it  is  only  necessary  to  carry 
it  off  by  open  ditches.  Or  where  the  moisture  is 
produced  by  springs  flowing  in  from  the  adjoin- 
ing higher  lands,  and  the  surface  soil  rests  upon 
a  subsoil  not  too  close  and  impervious,  then  by 
simply  opening  a  suitable  ditch  around  the  wet 
field,  or  across  the  side  where  the  water  comes 
in,  so  as  to  cut  it  off  and  conduct  it  away,  and 
plowing  the  land  deep  and  fine,  backfurrowing  it 
into  beds  of  two  to  three  rods  wide,  clearing  out 
the  dead  furrows  and  smoothing  up  any  little  de 
pressions  there  may  be  in  the  general  surface  of 
the  beds,  the  land  may  be  so  far  improved  as  to 
produce  fine  crops  of  grass  certainly,  and  per- 
haps a  rotation  of  good  farm  crops  generally, 
will  mention  two  of  the  instances  of  this  kind  of 
improvement  that  have  come  under  my  observa- 
tion. 

Mr.  Charles  C.  Lynde,  of  Guilford,  Vt.,  has  a 
tract  of  land  situated  on  a  gentle  slope  to  the 
South,  wliich  was  formerly  too  wet  and  cold  for 
tillage  purposes,  and  was  mostly  overrun  with  in- 
ferior grasses  of  a  swampy  nature.  The  wetness 
proceeded  from  a  belt  of  cold  springs,  issuing  out 
of  the  higher  lands  all  along  the  upper  or  noilh- 
erly  edge  of  this  field.  A  ditch  was  opened  across 
the  slope,  on  the  upper  side,  and  early  in  June, 
the  wet  land  was  deeply  plowed,  and  then  har- 
rowed thoroughly.  In  August  it  was  cross  plowed, 
and  harrowed  several  times  both  ways,  so  as  to 
level  the  little  inequalities  of  the  surface  as  well 
as  might  be.  Then  it  was  laid  up  in  quite  crown- 
ing beds,  two  rods  in  widtfi,  by  backfurrowing 
each  bed  two  or  three  times  with  the  plow,  lay- 
ing the  beds  up  and  down  the  slope.  The  dead 
furrows  were  cleared  out  with  the  shovel,  spread- 
ing the  dirt  upon  the  beds,  and  levelling  up  any 
little  hollows  in  them.  The  land  was  dressed  with 
a  compost  of  one  part  horse  manure  to  about 
three  parts  sandy  loam,  and  seeded  thickly  with 
herds-grass  and  red-top.  It  has  produced  heavy 
crops  of  good  hay  for  several  years,  and  will  con- 
tinue to  do  so  by  an  occasional  plowing,  manur- 
ing and  reseeding,  or  by  top-dressing  alone. 

A  few  years  since,  in  visiting  the  late  Judge 
Hayes,  athis  residence  in  South  Berwick,  Me., 
my  attention  was  directed  to  a  lowland  meadow 
of  sixty  acres,  comprising  a  portion  of  his  farm, 
and  which  he  had  brought  into  good  grass.  The 
meadow  is  of  oblong  shape,  quite  uniform  width, 
and  surrounded  on  all  sides  by  gradually  rising 
uplands.  A  large  portion  of  it  had  been  cleared 
ar.d  mowed  annually  as  sour  meadow,  for  a  very 
long  period.    The  meadow  had  no  natural  outlets 


and  was  made  Avet  by  springs  flowing  in  from  the 
uplands,  which  though  not  sufficiently  numerous 
to  form  a  pond  upon  the  surface,  yet  remaining 
in  the  soil,  made  it  cold,  wet  and  boggy.  On  the 
outer  edges,  where  there  was  the  most  water,  the 
muck  was  from  one  to  two  feet  deep,  and  gradu- 
ally lessened  towards  the  centre,  where  it  was  six 
or  eight  inches  deep — the  whole  resting  on  a 
clayey  bottom.  A  ditch  three  feet  deep,  and  of 
suitable  width  to  give  a  good  slope  to  the  sides, 
was  opened  all  around  the  edge  of  the  meadow, 
thus  cutting  ofi'  all  springs  from  the  uplands.  The 
water  was  all  collected  in  one  channel  at  the  low- 
er end  of  the  meadow,  and  conducted  off  through 
a  deep  cut  made  in  the  upland,  which  at  this  point 
is  lower  than  elsewhere,  and  after  going  a  short 
distance,  a  sufficient  natural  descent  was  found 
to  dispose  of  the  water  without  further  digging. 

After  ditching,  a  few  acres  of  the  meadow  were 
each  year  plowed  up  by  backfurrowing  into  beds 
of  two  rods  in  width,  the  dead  furrows  were 
cleared  out  pretty  deeply,  spreading  the  earth 
upon  the  beds  and  levelling  their  inequalities. 
Compost  made  of  manure  and  upland  loam  was 
carried  on  to  the  land  by  sledding  in  the  winter, 
and  the  next  season  spread  and  harrowed  in,  and 
the  land  seeded  to  grass.  After  mowing  about 
five  years,  the  land  was  again  plowed  by  backfur- 
rowing, manured  and  reseeded.  In  process  of  time 
the  whole  meadow  was  reclaimed  in  this  way,  and 
produced  a  great  quantity  of  good  hay.  The 
meadow  eventually  became  so  settled  and  firm  as 
to  be  accessible  at  all  times  with  loaded  teams. 

But  my  communication  is  getting  quite  too 
long,  though  I  think  of  several  other  points  I 
would  like  to  mention  in  connection  with  this 
matter  of  draining.  F.  Holbkook. 

Brattleboro' ,  Aug.  10,  1858. 


KEEPING  THE  TEETH  CLEAIf. 

Microscopical  examinations  have  been  made  of 
the  matter  deposited  on  the  teeth  and  gums  of 
more  than  forty  individuals,  selected  from  all 
classes  of  society,  in  every  variety  of  bodily  con- 
dition, and  in  nearly  every  case  animal  and  veg- 
etable parasites  have  been  discovered.  Of  the 
animal  parasites  there  were  three  or  four  species, 
and  of  the  vegetable,  one  or  two.  In  fact,  the 
only  persons  whose  mouths  were  found  to  be 
completely  fi-ee  of  them,  cleansed  their  teeth  four 
times  daily,  using  soap.  One  or  two  of  these  in- 
dividuals also  passed  a  thread  between  the  teeth,  "^ 
to  cleanse  them  more  eff"ectuanj'.  In  all  cases 
the  number  of  parasites  was  greater  in  proportion 
to  the  neglect  of  cleanliness.  The  effect  of  the 
application  of  various  agents  was  also  noticed. 
Tobacco  juice  and  smoke  did  not  injure  their  vi- 
tality in  the  least.  The  same  was  true  of  the 
chlorine  tooth-wash,  of  pulverized  bark,  of  soda, 
ammonia,  and  various  other  popular  detergents. 
The  application  of  soap,  however,  appears  to  de- 
stroy them  instantly.  We  may  hence  infer  that 
this  is  the  best  and  most  proper  specific  for  the 
teeth.  In  all  cases  where  it  has  been  tried  it  re- 
ceived unqualified  commendation.  It  may  also 
be  proper  to  add  that  none  but  the  purest  white 
or  Castile  soaps  should  be  used.  We  have  been 
in  the  habit  of  using  finely  pulverized  charcoal 
for  this  purpose,  and  have  found  it  a  most  excel- 
lent dentifrice. — Scientific  American. 


470 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Oct. 


f'or  the  New  England  Farmer. 
BOOK-FARMING. 
BY    ICHABOD    HOE. 

"Wal,  neighbor  Oilman,  what  new-fangled  no- 
tion you  goin'  into  now,  I  should  like  to  know  ? 
Beats  all,  what  nonsense  some  folks  do  run  into, 
now'days." 

"I'm  building  a  hen-house,  and  I'm  going  to 
try  and  make  a  place  under  it  to  save  the  sink- 
slops  and  the  guano  from  the  hen-roost,  too." 

"Sink  slops,  guano,  and  fol-de-rol !  All  this 
comes  of  reading  so  many  ag'cul'tral  books  and 
papers,  and  gettin*  yer  head  full  of  silly  notions, 
and  spendin'  yer  means  in  what  I  call  book-farm- 
in',  which  is  the  worst  kind  of  nonsense." 

"It  takes  everybody  to  know  everything,  Mr. 
Richards,  and  everybody  may  be  supposed  to 
know  something.  You  have  your  views,  and  have 
a  right  to  them,  and  to  act  upon  them.  But 
whether  you  are  wiser  than  others,  remains  to  be 
seen." 

"Wal,  any  fool  might  see  that  a  large  farm  is 
more  profitable  to  carry  on  than  a  little  one,  and 
if  instead  of  spendin'  yer  time  and  money  in 
buyin'  and  readin'  so  many  good-for-nothin' 
books  and  papers,  and  on  so  many  foolish  no- 
tions, you  were  to  save  yer  money  and  buy  land 
■with  it,  you  might  do  something  in  the  world." 

"Perhaps  a.ny  fool  might  think  it  wiser  to  half 
cultivate  a  great  farm  than  well  cultivate  a  small 
one  ;  for  my  part,  I  am  very  well  content  with 
my  thirty-acre  farm,  and  perhaps  a  few  years  may 
convince  even  you  that  all  the  folly  and  non- 
sense in  the  world  is  not  confined  to  books  or 
those  who  read  them." 

"At  the  eend  of  that  few  years  of  yer  book- 
farmin',  I  shouldn't  wonder  if  you  found  your- 
self in  the  poor-house.  My  father  was  one  of 
the  best  farmers  of  his  day,  and  made  more 
money  than  two  or  three  farmers  do  now'days, 
and  all  the  books  and  papers  he  used  to  buy  in 
a  year  was  an  almanac." 

"His  system  of  farming  might  do  where  the 
land  was  newer  and  more  productive  than  it  is 
now.  But  we  have  got  to  take  a  little  difi'erent 
course,  or  we  shall  all  get  into  the  poor-house 
together — there  is  no  doubt  about  that." 

"Nonsense,  nonsense !  the  sile  is  the  same 
now  'twas  then,  but  the  climate  has  changed 
some,  and  things  winter-kill  worse  than  they 
used  to.  But  le's  see,  you  must  'ev  laid  out 
mor'n  a  hundred  dollars,  fust  and  last,  sense  you 
begun  this  'ere  book-farmin'  of  yourn.  You  put 
a  suUer  under  yer  barn  fust,  then  you  made  some 
kind  of  fixin'  under  yer  little-house,  and  now  yer 
spendin'  twenty  or  thirty  dollars  on  a  hen- 
house." 

"Yes,  the  cellar  under  my  barn  cost  me,  reck- 
oning time  and  all,  very  near  a  hundred  dollars, 
and  I  consider  it  money  well  spent." 

This  conversation  took  place  between  two 
neighboring  New  England  farmers  of  widely  dif- 
ferent views.  Mr.  Richards  had  a  large  farm  of 
naturally  strong  but  stony  soil,  which  he  farmed 
in  the  old-fashioned  way.  Mr.  Oilman  was  a 
man  of  less  means  but  more  intelligence.  He 
had  begun  to  have  some  idea  of  a  more  sensible 
way  of  cultivating  the  soil  than  the  skimming 
method.  His  farm  and  that  of  Mr.  Richards  lay 
adjoining.     Mr.  Richards  was  a  very  matter-of- 


fact  kind  of  man — and  anything  that  did  not 
promise  to  bring  an  immediate  return  for  its  out- 
lay was  considered  worthless  by  him.  But  im- 
perceptibly to  him,  at  first,  under  his  system  of 
cultivation,  his  farm  was  constantly  running 
down.  By  degrees  the  hay  crop  sensibly  de- 
creased, and  this  rendered  it  necessary  to  reduce 
the  stock,  and  this,  of  course,  reduced  the 
amount  of  manure  for  fertilizing  the  soil.  What 
made  the  matter  still  worse,  Mr.  Richards  con- 
tinued to  cultivate  the  same  number  of  acres  that 
he  did  when  his  lands  were  more  fertile,  and 
when  he  had  more  manure,  too.  Just  so  much 
land  had  to  be  "broke  up,"  and  just  so  much  "laid 
down,"  every  year,  and  the  breaking  up  and  the 
laying  down  did  less  and  less  good  each  year,  for 
at  each  laying  down  the  land  became  more  com- 
pact and  heavy,  and  having  a  greater  tendency 
to  hold  the  water  from  rains  and  snows  on  the 
surface,  which,  freezing  there,  injured  or  winter- 
killed the  grass.  And  what  really  arose  from 
the  ignorance  and  mismanagement  of  Richards, 
himself,  he  attributed  to  the  climate  and  to 
Providence. 

This  dislike  to  book-farming  extended  also  to 
the  improvements  in  the  tools  and  implements  of 
farming ;  his  plowing,  which  was  in  fact  only  a 
kind  of  rooting,  was  done  with  the  old-fashioned 
home-made  plows,  heavy,  clumsy,  and  worse  than 
worthless.  The  work  after  such  plowing  was 
work  of  the  hardest  kind.  It  was  hard  planting, 
and  harder  yet  hoeing,  and  both  consumed  triple 
the  time  that  should  have  been  required,  which 
made  the  work  with  Mr.  Richards  always  be- 
hind-hand, though  he  worked  and  hurried  early 
and  late.  By  plowing  too  much,  the  plowing 
was  not  done  till  after  the  planting  should  have 
been  done,  and  the  planting  was  not  done  till  af- 
ter some  part  of  the  crops  were  suS'ering  from 
neglect  of  hoeing  ;  and  before  the  hoeing  could 
be  done,  the  haying  would  be  pressing,  and  so  it 
went  from  the  opening  of  spring  to  the  closing  in 
of  winter.  A  farm  managed  in  that  way  makes 
a  slave  of  the  proprietor  and  all  connected  with 
it,  and  after  all,  brings  no  satisfaction,  but  dis- 
appointment and  vexation.  Everything  seemed 
to  Mr.  Richards  to  conspire  to  injure  his  pros- 
pects and  blight  his  hopes.  At  one  time  every- 
thing was  suliering  from  too  much  wet,  and  then 
everything  was  parking  up  from  the  drought, 
and  what  succeeded  in  surviving  these  evils  the 
insects  would  beset  or  destroy. 

The  course  of  Mr.  Oilman  was  very  different. 
When  he  first  began  to  make  experiments  and 
"improvements,"  he  very  naturally  committed 
some  "morus  multicaulus"  blunders,  but  he  was 
even  then,  on  the  whole,  a  gainer.  He  soon  dis- 
covered that  farmers  generally  were  commit- 
ting one  great  blunder  in  attempting  to  cultivate 
too  much  land ;  that  there  was  a  vast  difference 
between  just  skimming  the  surface  and  deep 
thorough  cultivation,  in  the  result.  This  very 
soon  led  him  to  place  a  proper  estimate  upon 
fertilizers,  and  to  use  every  means  in  his  power, 
to  obtain  them.  He  saw  at  once  the  wicked- 
ness and  folly  of  throwing  the  manure  of  the 
stalls  out-doors  to  be  drenched  by  the  rains 
and  dried  by  winds  till  it  was  nearly  worthless, 
and  he  set  about  making  a  good,  warm,  substan- 
tial cellar  under  his  whole  barn,  into  which  the 
manure  whs  to  be  thrown,  and  where   by  proper 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


471 


absorbents  all  the  liquid  and  more  valuable  parts 
of  the  manures  could  be  preserved.  By  this,  and 
other  means  already  referred  to,  farmer  Gilman 
increased  both  the  quantity  and  quality  of  his 
manure  heaps,  and  as  he  plowed  no  more  land 
than  he  could  plow  well,  and  manure  well,  and 
cultivate  well,  his  lands  begun  in  a  short  time  to 
manifest  a  very  different  state  and  condition  from 
his  neighbor's.  When  the  plow  was  started  it 
■was  thrust  down  into  the  soil,  with  a  will,  and 
and  if  a  stone  turned  it  out  that  stone  was  dug 
out,  or  sunk  below  the  reach  of  the  plow.  A 
piece  of  ground  plowed  in  this  manner,  could 
be  planted  and  cultivated  with  less  than  half  the 
time  and  strength  required  in  cultivating  a  piece 
but  half-plowed,  and  beside  that,  the  unfavorable 
season  had  comparatively  little  effect  upon  the 
crops.  If  it  was  a  wet  season,  the  land  was 
stirred  so  deep  and  left  so  open  that  the  water 
descended  easily  and  left  vegetation  uninjured  ; 
and  if  it  was  a  dry  season,  then  the  roots  of  the 
crops  could  easily  penetrate  below  the  heat  and 
drought,  and  seemed  to  flourish  all  the  better. 

A  few  years  of  such  cultivation  brought  the 
tillage  lands  of  Mr.  Gilman  into  a  good  state  of 
cultivation,  and  in  proportion  as  success  crowned 
his  efforts,  he  became  the  more  deeply  interested 
in  farming.  Work  with  him  was  a  continual  pas- 
time. His  fields  were  his  laboratory,  and  no  al- 
chemist ever  pursued  his  studies  and  researches 
with  more  ardor  and  interest  than  Farmer  Gil- 
man tilled  his  farm.  By  plowing  no  more  than  he 
could  plow  well  and  dress  well,  he  always  had 
time  to  do  everything  well,  and  often  found  time 
to  spare.  Soon  after  he  began  this  course  he  took 
advantage  of  his  spare  time  to  try  an  experiment 
in  underdraining,  of  which  he  saw  and  read  so 
much  in  his  papers  and  periodicals.  There  was  a 
place  in  the  field  near  the  house,  of  nearly  or  quite 
an  acre,  that,  though  it  was  not  really  low  ground, 
was  what  farmers  call  "cold  and  wet,"  and  for 
years  had  produced  but  little  else  than  short 
species  of  brakes  called  poUy-pod.  It  was  a 
rough,  hard,  stony,  unpromising-looking  spot, 
and  went  by  the  name  of  "the  hop-yard." 

Upon  this  he  determined  to  try  an  experiment 
in  underdraining.  The  first  few  days'  work  upon 
the  "hop-yard"  was  rather  a  poor  show,  and 
would  have  discouraged  a  less  resolute  spirit. 
One  day,  while  at  work,  Mr,  Richards  happened 
along,  and  wanted  to  know  "what  'pon  airth  he 
was  'bout  there?" 

"I'm  trying  to  sink  a  blind  ditch  through 
here,"  answered  Mr.  Gilman,  upon  which  Rich- 
ards exploded  in  a  broad  yaw-haw  at  "sich  non- 
sense." 

"That's  what  ye  call  book-farmin',  I  suppose. 
Now  'tis  right  in  the  midst  of  plantin'  time,  and 
yer  spendin'  yer  time  makin'  a  ditch  on  high 
ground  !  What  in  natur  do  ye  think  yer  comin' 
tu,  neighbor?" 

"I  finished  all  my  planting  two  or  three  days 
ago,  and  as  it  isn't  hoeing  time  yet,  I  thought  I 
would  try.  an  experiment." 

"Try  a  'speriment !  fol-de-rol !  you  had  better 
be  plowin'  and  plantin' !  'taint  too  late  yit,  for 
what  do  ye  think  yer  goin'  to  support  yer  family 
on  next  winter,  with  so  little  ground  planted  as 
you've  got?" 

"Well,  we're  in  hopes  to  get  along,  somehow. 
Perhaps  rather  than  see  us  suffer  want,  some  of 


our  neighbors  would  help  us  to  a  few  bushels  of 
corn,  or  a  few  beans,  for  charity." 

"Not  a  kernel  from  me,  I  can  tell  ye.  A  man 
that'll  fool  away  his  time  on  sich  a  piece  of  land 
as  that  needn't  look  for  help  nor  sympathy  from 
me.  All  this  nonsense  comes  of  readin'  them 
silly  ag'cult'ral  books.  Now  I  advise  ye  to  burn 
up  yer  books  and  go  back  to  the  old  way  of 
farming." 

Having  delivered  himself  of  this  piece  of  ad- 
vice, Mr.  Richards  departed,  more  than  ever 
confirmed  in  his  dislike  of  book-farming. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
LITTLE  THINGS, 

Or,  a  Walk  in  My  Gakdex..,.No.  16. 

While  looking  at  a  thrifty  looking  plum  tree,  I 
came  to  this  conclusion  :  that  the  farmer  should 
plant  no  more  trees,  whether  few  or  many,  than 
what  he  can  take  the  best  possible  care  of.  Does 
not  this  rule  apply  to  everything  ?  Does  not  the 
net  profit  of  farming  depend  on  this  principle  ? 
I  leave  the  question  for  politico-economical  farm- 
ers to  determine. 

THE   CURCULIO. 

I  haye  succeeded  in  raising  a  good  lot  of  plums 
by  thoroughly  syringing  my  trees  with  whitewash 
and  kreosote.  It  was  a  real  Sebastopol  fight,  but 
the  big  Jeffersons,  McLaughlins  and  Imperial 
Gages  look  very  tempting,  I  have  never  yet 
seen  the  black  knot  on  my  trees.  The  next  year 
I  propose  to  add  a  solution  of  glue  to  the  mix- 
ture. While  peeping  out  from  under  my  trees  I 
spied  a  neighbor's  field  dotted  with 

HAY  CAPS, 
which  are  with  us  no  longer  a  matter  of  ex- 
periment. How  beautifully  they  protect  the 
wheat  crop  from  sprouting.  I  believe  that  plen- 
ty of  hay  caps,  a  good  barometer  and  a  little  at- 
tention to  the  weather,  would,  all  combined 
with  good  judgment,  do  away  with  damaged  hay 
and  grain. 

RADISHES. 

Persons  troubled  with  the  radish  worm  may 
avoid  them  by  sowing  the  seed  in  subsoil  or 
nearly  pure  sand,  and  making  use  of  liquid  ma- 
nure. 

WOODPECKERS. 

Politicians  in  this  State  are  discussing  the 
merits  and  demerits  of  the  woodpecker.  Before 
I  was  aware  of  this  fact,  one  of  them,  who,  by  the 
way,  is  a  good  grafter,  but  possessed  of  a  strong 
political  bias,  declared  to  me  that  woodpeckers 
did  not  attaok  our  apple  trees  so  much  for  the 
worms  as  for  the  sap.  He  said  that  the  sweet 
trees  suffered  most.  Will  some  woodpecker-ol- 
ogist  give  us  their  experience  ? 

THE  CHUFA  OR  EARTH  ALMOND. 

This  new  vegetable  seems  to  require  but  little 
attention,  and  may  prove  a  favorite  among  the 
children. 

APPLES 

are  scarcer  than  last  year  in  Maine,  Orchards 
that  bore  largely  last  year  are  nearly  destitute 
of  fruit. 

CROPS    GENERALLY   IN   MAINE. 

It  is  believed  that  corn  and  potatoes  are  bet- 


472 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Oct. 


ter  than  for  many  years.  Oats  good.  Rye  and 
wheat  very  good.  The  weevil  has  done  but  lit- 
tle mischief  in  this  vicinity.  As  I  was  returning 
from  my  walk  I  found 

THE  BAraC  CRACKED  ON  A  PLUM  TREE, 

and  the  gum   oozing  out.     Can   this  be  reme- 
died by  slitting  down  the  bark  in  the  spring  ? 
Yours,  rather  plumish,  N.  T.  T. 

Bethel,  Me.,  Aug.  30,  1858. 


HYMN  OF  THE  HARVESTERS. 

We  gather  them  in — the  bright  green  leaves, 

With  our  scythes  and  rakes  to-day, 
And  tlie  mow  grows  big,  as  the  pitcher  heaves 

Ilis  lifts  in  the  sweltering  hay. 
O  ho  !  a  field  !  for  the  mower's  scythe 

Hath  a  ring  as  of  destiny. 
Sweeping  the  earth  of  its  burden  lithe. 

As  it  sung  in  wrathful  glee. 

We  gather  them  in — the  nodding  plumes 

Of  the  yellow  and  bended  grain. 
And  the  flash  of  our  slcliles'  light  illumes 

Our  march  o'er  the  vanquished  plain. 
Anon  we  come  with  the  steed-drawn  car — 

The  cunning  of  modern  laws  ; 
And  the  acres  stoop  to  its  clanging  jar, 

As  it  reelis  its  hungry  jaws. 

We  gather  them  in — the  mellow  fruits 

From  the  shrub,  the  vine  and  tree, 
With  their  russet,  and  golden  and  purjile  suits, 

To  garnish  our  treasury. 
And  each  has  a  juicy  treasure  stored 

All  aneath  its  tainted  rind. 
To  cheer  our  guests  at  the  social  board. 

When  we  leave  our  cares  behind. 

We  gather  them  in — this  goodly  store. 

But  not  with  miser's  gust. 
For  the  Great  All  Father  Wo  adore 

Hath  but  given  it  in  trust ; 
All  our  work  of  death  is  but  for  life. 

In  the  wintry  days  to  come — 
Then  a  blessing  upon  the  reapers'  strife, 

And  a  shout  at  this  Harvest  Home. 


DELEGATES  TO  THE  AQRICULTURAIj 
SOCIETIES. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  delegates  appointed 

by  the  Board  of  Agriculture  at  its  last  meeting 

to  attend  and  report  upon  the  exhibitions  of  the 

various  county  agricultural  societies  : 

Essex  at  Danvers Jabez  Fisher,  of  Fitchburg 

Middlesex  at  Concord George  Mai-ston,  Barnstable. 

Mid.  South  at  Framingham M.  P.  Wilder,  Dorchester. 

Middlesex  North  at  Lowell Wm.  S.  Lewis,  Framingham. 

Worcester  at  Worcester Wm.  Sutton,  South  Danvera. 

Worcester  West  at  Barre Luke  Sweetser,  Amherst. 

Worcester  North  at  Fitchburg T.  J.  Field,  Northfield. 

Worcester  South  at  Sturbridge J.  C.  Bartlctt,  Cbelmsford^ 

Hampshire,  Franklin  and  Hampden  at  Northampton, 

B.  V.  French,  Dorchester. 

Hampshire  at  Amherst George  M.  Atwater,  Springfield. 

Hampden  East  at  Palmer...., Josiah  White,  Petersham. 

Franklin  at  Greenfield C.  G.  Davis,  Plymouth. 

Berkshire  at  Pittsfield N.  Durfee,  Fall  River. 

Hoosatonic  at  Great  Barrington. . .  .E.  W.  Gardner,  Nantucket. 

Norfolk  at  Dedham J.  S.  Grennell,  Greenfield. 

Bristol  at  Taunton C.  Knox,  Palmer. 

Plymouth  at  Bridgewater Simon  Brown,  Concord. 

Barnstable  at  Barnstable S.  Bushnell,  Sheffield. 

Nantucket  at  Nantucket C.  P.  Tracy,  Hinsdale. 


TO  MAKAGE  A  REARING  HORSE. 

Whenever  you  perceive  a  horse's  inclination 
to  rear,  separate  your  reins  and  prepare  for  him. 
The  instant  he  is  about  to  rise,  slacken  one  hand, 
and  bend  or  twist  his  head  with  the  other ;  keep- 
ing your  hands  low.  This  bending  compels  him 
to  move  a  hind  leg,  and,  of  necessity,  brings  his 
fore  feet  down.  Instantly  twist  him  completely 
round  two  or  three  times,  which  will  confuse  him 
very  much,  and  throw  him  off  his  guard.  The 
moment  you  have  finished  twisting  him  round, 
place  his  head  in  the  direction  you  wish  him  to 
proceed,  apply  the  spurs,  and  he  will  not  fail  to 
go  forAvards.  If  the  situation  be  convenient,  press 
him  into  a  gallop,  and  apply  the  spurs  and  whip 
two  or  three  times  severely.  The  horse  will  not, 
perhaps,  be  quite  satisfied  with  the  defeat,  but 
may  feel  disposed  to  try  again  for  the  mastery. 
Should  this  be  the  case,  you  have  only  to  twist 
him,  etc.,  as  before,  and  you  will  find,  that  in  the 
second  struggle,  he  will  be  more  easily  subdued 
than  on  the  former  occasion  ;  in  fact,  you  will  see 
him  quail  under  the  operation.  It  rarely  hap- 
pens that  a  rearing  horse  after  having  been  treat- 
ed in  the  way  described,  will  resort  to  this  trick 
a  third  time. — British.  Sportsman. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer 

EFFECTS  OF  THE  SOIL  ON  PARTICULAR 
PLANTS. 

"When  scions  are  taken  from  a  fruit  tree  and  grafted  upon 
stocks  raised  from  seeds  of  that  same  fruit  tree,  will  any  advan- 
tage or  detriment  result  from  the  practice,  or  is  it  simply  im- 
material?" 

"In  selecting  a  suitable  soil  for  a  fruit  tree,  should  the  ground 
be  chosen  with  reference  to  the  graft  or  to  the  stock  ?" 

"Far  East,"  in  New  £ngland  Farmer,  May,  1858. 

Mr.  Editor  : — It  is  well  known  that,  when 
the  seed  of  an  esteemed  variety  of  pear  is  com- 
mitted to  the  soil,  that  seed  does  not  produce 
the  same  variety,  but  a  number  of  varieties,  no 
two  of  which  are  the  same,  nor  perhaps  like  any 
other  variety  of  the  kind  that  had  ever  been  in 
existence.  Such  being  the  fact,  it  is  easy  to  in- 
ter, even  by  the  most  inexperienced,  that  no  ad- 
vantage would  accrue  from  the  practice  all"uded  to 
by  your  corresjiondent,  and  no  deterioration 
whatever  could  arise  from  the  use  of  such  stocks 
more  than  from  that  of  any  other  "free  stock," 
which,  in  point  of  fact,  they  are.  It  is,  therefore, 
"simply  immaterial,"  and  no  more  necessary  than 
that  the  Asphodel  should  be  planted  in  abun- 
dance, in  and  around  our  cemeteries,  to  supply 
the  manes  of  the  departed  with  food,  in  order  to 
avert  the  terrible  alternative  of  having  hungry 
ghosts  devour  one  another. 

But  it  is  of  paramount  importance  that  the  stock 
should  invariably  be  adapted  to  the  soil.  As  a 
dry,  siliceous  soil  for  the  free  or  pear  stock ;  and 
a  clayey,  heavy,  or  moist  soil  for  the  quince. 

This  is  what  our  standard  pomological  works 
would  inculcate,  Avhen  they  describe  different  va- 
rieties as  succeeding  Ijetter  on  some  soils  than 
on  others  ;  that  is,  the  varieties  described  as  af 
fecting  certain  specified  soils,  should  be  grafted 
on  stocks  naturally  adapted  to  those  soils  rathe^ 
than  on  any  other. 

The  rationale  of  this  is  simple.  We  have  but 
two  differently  constituted  root-systems,  or,  in 
other  words,  two  kinds  of  stocks  to  choose  from 
— the  pear  and  the  quince.  Also,  by  a  little 
generalization,  all  kinds  of  soil  may  be  resolved 
into  two — the  moist  and  dry,  considering  it  with- 
out regard  to  its  organic  constituents,  and  chiefly 
as  to  its  ppwer  of  absorbing  and  giving  off  heat 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


473 


and  moisture  ;  for  through  these  agents  princi- 
pally, it  acts  on  all  vegetable  tissue.  In  one  of 
these  soils,  as  already  stated,  the  pear  delights 
and  luxuriates.  The  quince  flourishes  in  the 
other. 

It  matters  not,  then,  whether  we  adopt  the 
system  of  Dochmahl,  Knight,  or  any  other  of 
those  pomological  worthies ;  this  general  law 
must  be  observed,  and  cannot  be  departed  from 
with  impunity  ;  modified  it  may  be,  to  suit  the 
exigences  of  locality,  or  climate,  or  both  ;  but 
still  regarded  as  the  basis  of  operations,  the  main 
spring  of  action,  the  fundamental  principle  of 
pear  cultivation,  and  the  chief  source  of  ultimate 
success ;  and  so  long  as  the  pear  and  quince  are 
adopted  as  stocks,  the  soil  on  which  they  are 
planted  must  approach  as  nearly  as  possible  to 
the  character  of  their  respective  habitats,  partic- 
ularly in  the  porousness  or  tenacity  of  its  tex- 
ture, f  Thomas  F.  Walsh. 

Boston,  August  23,  1858. 


which  I  believe  to  proceed  from  evil  atmospheric 
influence,  this  will  greatly  enhance  their  value. 

Although  the  Chenangoes  are  so  far  used  up, 
as  to  be  not  worth  digging,  and  some  other  va- 
rieties are  badly  aff"ected,  the  Davis  Seedling 
continues  fair  and  bright,  well  rewarding  those 
who  were  vigilant  in  obtaining  the  best  of  seeds. 

I  have  seen  of  late  a  patent  potato-digger, 
made  by  the  Messrs.  Allen,  of  New  York,' 
which  promises  to  be  a  convenient  and  useful 
implement.  If  it  shall  prove  to  do  as  well  as 
their  mower  has  done,  it  will  be  worth  having. 

Sept.  1,  1858.  ». 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 

CAN  MOWING  MACHINES   BE  WOSXED 
WITH  OXEN  ? 

I  wish  to  inquire  if  mowing  machines  have  ever 
been  successfully  worked  with  oxen,  and  if  so, 
which  machine  operates  in  that  way  the  best  ? 

Will  it  not  require  two  men  to  work  the  ma- 
chine, one  to  drive  the  oxen  and  another  to  man- 
age the  mower?  I  have  heard  of  having  oxen 
bitted  so  as  to  drive  them  like  horses,  but  I 
think  they  would  be  apt  to  prove  a  rather  hard- 
mouthed  team  ;  at  any  rate,  I  should  not  like  to 
risk  the  machine  until  the  oxen  were  pretty  well 
broken  to  the  bit. 

I  have  thought  some  of  getting  a  mower,  pro- 
vided this  and  some  other  objections  can  be  over- 
come, I  have  long  thought  that  an  ox  machine 
would  be  more  useful  to  a  majority  of  farmers 
than  a  horse  machine,  as  the  larger  part  keep 
only  one  horse,  preferring  to  do  their  work  with 
oxen  ;  even  if  they  had  a  one-horse  machine,  it 
would  be  too  hard  for  a  horse  to  mow  during  the 
forenoon  ;  and  then  rake  in  the  afternoon,  be- 
sides being  often  wanted  on  the  road. 

Lancaster,  Aug.,  1858.       Old  Subscriber. 


ReilAlRKS. — Mowing  machines  are  often  used 
with  oxen,  but  we  do  not  know  which  is  best  to 
be  worked  by  them  especially. 


For  the  New  England  Fanner. 
SAVE  TOUR  ASHES. 

The  Oermantown  Telegraph  contains  sensible 
remarks  on  the  prevention  of  the  potato  rot,  by 
the  use  of  ashes  or  other  alkaline  substances. 
I  have  seen  nothing  more  to  the  point.  It  is  a 
remedy  at  the  command  of  all.  The  application 
of  a  pint  of  ashes  to  each  hill  at  the  time  of 
planting,  or  at  the  time  of  first  hoeing,  will  not 
harm  the  potato,  if  it  does  not  entirely  save  them 
from  rot.  I  have  great  faith  in  the  fertilizing 
power  of  good  ashes,  and  believe  they  are  worth 
more  than  they  are  commonly  estimated  at.  Many 
of  our  most  valuable  products  are  made  such  by 
the  application  of  ashes.  And  if  they  are  found 
to  be  a  specific  remedy  for  the  potato  disease, 


EDDY'S  PATENT    SELF-FEEDING  STALL 
FOR  HORSES. 

It  is  an  important  item  in  farm  economy  to  ar- 
range the  places  where  animals  stand,  lie  and 
feed,  so  that  there  shall  be  comfort  to  themselves, 
convenience  to  the  persons  attending  them,  and 
no  waste  suff"ered  in  their  racks  or  mangers.  We 
have  never  yet  seen  a  lean-to,  or  tie-up,  for  cat- 
tle, that  we  thought  was  in  every  particular 
right;  and  we  never  saw  a  horse-stall  until  to- 
day, that  we  could  find  no  fault  with. 

Dr.  Eddy  invited  us  to-day  to  look  into  the 
"Club  Stable,"  near  the  Revere  House,  Boston, 
with  him,  and  see  his  stalls.  We  did  so,  and  from, 
our  examination,  are  enabled  to  use  the  expres- 
sion made  above,  that  we  have  seen  a  horse 
stall  that  we  could  find  no  fault  with.  The  Dr.. 
states  that  by  the  above-named  in\'«ntion  the  fol- 
lowing results  are  secured,  and  we  pretty  nearly 
believe  all  he  says,  viz.  : 

1.  A  horse  maybe  fed  without  soiling  his  head 
or  foretop  with  hay-seed  or  other  matter. 

2.  He  cannot  breathe  upon  his  hay,  or  soil  it 
by  constant  mouthing,  as  in  a  common  rack  or 
manger,  and  thus  render  it  unfit  for  use. 

3.  He  can  receive  his  hay  no  faster  than  it  is 
taken  away  and  eaten. 

4.  He  cannot  thrust  his  nostrils  into  a  mass  of 
smoky  hay.  * 

5.  He  cannot  waste  a  particle  of  his  food. 

6.  The  stall  is  abundantly  ventilated. 

7.  The  cost  of  construction  is  less  than  the  cost 
of  the  common  rack  and  manger. 

8.  After  the  removal  of  the  common  rack  the 
above  improvement  may  be  substituted  in  any 
stall  at  a  very  trifling  expense. 

9.  The  value  of  an  individual  right  may  be 
saved  annually  in  the  feeding  of  a  single  horse. 

With  the  advantages  which  this  improvement 
presents,  there  is  no  longer  an  excuse  for  a  waste- 
ful and  slovenly  method  of  feeding  horses. 
Greater  simplicity,  greater  economy  and  greater 
neatness  can  hardly  be  conceived  than  are  realized 
by  thh  invention.  The  individual  who  keeps  a 
single  horse  cannot  afford  to  do  without  it. 

We  advise  every  lover  of  a  good  horse  to  call 
and  see  these  stalls. 


474 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Oct. 


For  the  Neie  Enf>land  Farmer. 
BOOKFABMIISrG. 
BY    ICnABOD    II  OE. 

Mr.  Gilman  made  his  beginning  upon  the  hop- 
yard  in  the  hardest  part,  but  after  the  first  few 
days'  work,  made  much  better  pi'ogress,  and  be- 
fore he  finally  got  through  with  it,  the  hop-yard 
looked  like  a  new  creation.  All  the  stones  on  or 
near  the  surface  were  needed  in  the  drains,  and 
iiany  others  were  drawn  from  a  large  stone  heap 
n  one  part  of  the  field,  which  had  grown,  by  the 
annual  accumulation  of  years,  to  quite  a  mound. 
A  sing  e  year  was  sufficient  to  convince  Mr.  Gil- 
nan  that  the  labor  upon  the  hop-yard  was  by  no 
jieans  'ost.  The  second  year  it  was  no  light  job 
Lo  dra'  a  scythe  through  the  tall,  rank  timothy 
and  clover,  that  grew  where  before  only  worth- 
less hassock  and  brakes  had  been  found,  and  the 
acre  which  then  had  produced  less  than  a  ton  of 
bedding  hay,  now  produced  more  than  two  tons 
of  the  f  rst  quality. 

This  was  a  result  quite  beyond  the  anticipa- 
tions of  Mr.  Gilman,  and  those  parts  of  his  fields 
which  1  eretofore  had  been  but  eye-sores  to  him, 
he  beg- n  to  regard  with  much  such  feelings  as 
an  enthusiastic  surgeon  does  a  fracture  or  other 
wound,  which  gives  an  opportunity  for  the  exer- 
cise of  his  skill.  By  being  careful  to  obtain  the 
best  implements  for  use  on  the  farm,  and  taking 
advant-  ge  of  every  improvement  and  invention 
for  saving  manual  labor  that  came  within  reach 
of  his  r  cans  and  circumstances,  Mr.  Gilman  both 
lightened  the  labors  of  farming,  and  gained  time 
to  make  great  improvements  upon  his  lands. 

"Want  to  hire  fifty  dollars,  du  ye  ?  It's  jest 
as  I  told  ye,  this  'ere  book-farmin's  jest  runnin' 
en  ye  inter  the  ground.  What  'pon  airth  ye 
want  fif'.y  dollars  for,  neighbor  Gilman  ?" 

"I'm  <  oing  to  buy  a  mower  and  reaper  that 
works  b'  horse-power." 

"Whpt!  goin'  to  give  fifty  dollars  for  one  of 
them  fo  lish  consarns  ?" 

"It  w  11  cost  nearly  a  hundred  dollars  !" 

"Hurderd  dollars!  why,  yer  crazy!  I  jest 
tho  .  you'd  come  to  that,  readin'  so  many  of  them 
foolish  ag'cult'ral  books.  I  wonders  ye  haint  in 
the  poor-house  'fore  now,  layin'  out  so  much  for 
every  kind  of  a  notiorf  that  comes  along — new- 
fashiored  harrers  and  cultivaters,  Kay-cutters  and 
sich  things,  and  now  ye'r  goin'  to  throw  'way  a 
hunde  1  dollars  on  a  mower  for  that  'ar  little 
farm  of  yourn !" 

"Perhaps  some  of  my  neighbors  may  want  to 
hire  it  once  in  a  while." 

"Ye  needn't  make  any  calc'lations  of  that  sort 
on  me  ;  I  wouldn't  have  one  of  the  foolish  things 
on  my  farm." 

"Did  you  ever  see  one  ?" 

"Nf  !  nor  don't  want  tu — they're  only  jest  got 
up  by  them  crafty  fellers  that  wants  tu'git  their 
livin'  by  their  wit,  and  git  sich  foolish  folks  as 
you  are  tii  buy  their  good-for-nothin'  inven- 
tions." 

"You've  been  laughing  at  my  foolishness,  as 
yoi  call  it,  but  somehow,  I  have  managed  to 
rai"e  more  corn,  more  oats,  more  wheat,  and  more 
b  y,  too,  than  you  have,  with  less  than  half  the 

bor  you  have  bestowed  on  yours. 

"Wal,  I  know  my  crops  has  been  purty  light 
for  a  year  or  two  past,  but  it's  owin'  tu  the  sea- 


sons— one  was  dry  and  the  next  was  wet.  These 
things  is  above  our  control,  ye  know." 

"VVe  can't  control  the  season,  to  be  sure,  but 
these  foolish  notions  of  mine  that  you've  been 
laughing  at,  have  enabled  me  to  raise  good  crops 
in  wet  or  dry  seasons,  either." 

"You  may  make  your  farm  du  so,  but  taint  the 
nater  of  my  land." 

"It  isn't  owing  to  the  nature  of  the  land,  as 
much  as  it  to  the  nature  of  the  cultivation. 
When  I  began  upon  my  present  system  of  culti- 
vation, there  wasn't  any  difierence  between  my 
farm  and  yours,  only  in  size.  As  you  say,  I 
don't  think  there  is  much  danger  of  your  using  a 
mower  on  your  farm,  till  you  have  got  the  sur- 
face a  little  smoother,  and  freer  of  rocks  and 
stones  than  it  is  now." 

"Wal,  my  farm  is  jest  as  nater  made  it,  and  I 
aint  to  blame  for  that,  and  my  father  was  a  good 
farmer,  and  he  never  heern  of  sich  a  thing  as  a 
cultivater,  nor  never  dreamed  of  sich  a  thing  as 
a  mower ;  and  I  b'leeve  it's  all  nonsense  tryin' 
tu  use  one.  Better  save  yer  money  for  suthin' 
else.  I  haint  got  s'much  money  by  me's  I  use 
tu  have.  These  'ei-e  bad  seasons  has  spiled  my 
crops,  and  one  thing  or  'nother  has  took  off  a 
good  deal  of  my  loose  change.  I  'spect  I've  got 
suthin'  like  fifty  dollars,  and  I  'spose  if  I  don't 
let  ye  have  the  money,  ye'U  git  it  somewhere 
else,  so  I's  goods  let  ye  have  it  's  any  body." 

"Yes,  I  shall  get  it  somewhere.  But,  Mr. 
Richards,  why  don't  you  take  better  care  of  your 
apple  trees,  and  not  let  them  die  off  so  ?" 

'•Me  let  'um  die  !  You  talk  as  if  you  had  pow- 
er to  control  Providence.  I  'spect  trees  must 
die  as  well  as  folks.  These  'ere  hard  winters  kills 
everything,  and  the  apple  trees  'mong  the  rest." 

"Winterkill  an  apple  tree!  Why,  an  apple 
tree  is  as  hardy  as  an  oak  tree  !  The  fact  is,  Mr. 
Richards,  if  you  had  spent  a  dollar  or  two  a  year 
for  a  good  agricultural  paper,  and  taken  ten  min- 
utes a  day,  or  even  two  minutes,  you  would  have 
found  out  what  ailed  your  tipple  trees,  and  could 
have  saved  them  healthy  and  sound.  You  wont 
have  twenty  bushels  of  good  sound  fruit  in  your 
orchard  this  season." 

"No,  they  bloomed  well,  and  the  fruit  sotharn- 
some,  but,  somehow,  the  fruit's  all  fell  off.  Wal, 
but  what  'spect  'tis  ails  the  trees,  if  'taint  the 
winter  kills  'um  r"' 

"Why,  just  come  here,  and  I'll  show  you;  if 
you'll  just  poke  away  the  grass  you'll  see 
around  this  tree,  close  down  to  the  ground,  what 
it  is." 

"I  don't  see  nothin'  but  the  chankins  the 
worms  has  made  in  the  rotten  wood." 

"Ah,  that's  the  very  mischief.  The  borers 
have  bored  your  trees  into  honeycomb,  and  the 
trees  have  died  in  consequence  of  it,  and  no 
wonder  at  it.  See  here,  while  I  take  this  sprout 
and  strip  off  the  leaves  !  I'll  show  you  how  to 
dispose  of  the  fellow  that  made  this  hole.  There, 
you  see  by  the  end  of  the  stick,  that  that  has  put 
a  stop  to  that  fellow's  operations." 

"Wal,  now,  that  beats  all,  I  vum  !  who'd  a 
thought  it !" 

"Why,  anybody  that  takes  those  foolish  agri- 
cultural books  would  have  thought  of  it,  for 
there  is  a  great  deal  said  about  the  apple  tree 
borer  in  them,  and  full  directions  given  how  to 
get  rid  of  tl^em.     I  have  single  trees  in  my  orch- 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


475 


ard,  this  year,  that  will  bear  as  much  as  twenty 
bushels  of  marketable  apples  each.  I've  been  of- 
fered three  hundred  dollars  for  my  apple  crop 
this  year,  with  the  privilege  of  reserving  what  I 
want  for  family  use." 

"Du  tell !  three  hunderd  dollars!" 
"Yes,  and  I  think  that  that  will  pay  pretty 
well  for  agricultural  books  and  papers  for  a 
spell,  and  for  all  the  time  spent  in  reading  them, 
too,  for  if  it  hadn't  been  for  them,  I  should  have 
been  as  ignorant  of  what  ailed  the  apple  trees 
as  you  were,  and  mine  would  have  gone  the 
same  way,  too.  Now  I've  got  some  trees  that 
Vt'ill  bring  in,  one  year  with  another,  as  much 
clear  income  as  two  hundred  dollars  would  at 
interest,  and  I'm  not  afraid  of  my  income's  be- 
ing cut  off  by  the  failure  of  all  the  banks  and 
railroad  companies  in  the  country." 

"Hang  these  'ere  companies !  I've  lost  suthin' 
{jy  'uni  fust  and  last,  but  they  wont  git  no  more 
of  ray  money,  for  if  times  don't  change,  I  shan't 
have  much  left  I  tell  ye  what,  neighbor  Gil- 
man,  I  guess  I  shall  go  to  work  and  take  care  of 
my  trees,  and  kill  off  them  'ere  borers.  We'll 
go  up  to  the  house,  and  I'll  git  ye  the  money." 

[It  appears  by  the  above  that  Mr.  HoE  has 
not  lioed  his  roio  out  yet,  and  as  the  work  is  very 
well  done  as  far  as  he  has  gone,  we  hope  he  will 
be  diligent  in  well  doing  until  the  job  is  fairly 
completed,] 

Ffir  tlie  New  £ngl<cnd  Farmer. 
A  NEW  FKTJIT  TREE  PBOTECTOB. 

An  invention  has  lately  been  brought  into 
notice  by  Wm.  W.  Taylor,  Esq.,  of  South  Dart- 
mouth, which  bids  fair  to  supply  the  want  of 
what  all  tree  and  fruit  cultivators  have  most 
sensibly  felt  the  need  of,  namely,  a  reliable  pro- 
tector from  the  ravages  of  the  canker  worm  and 
other  destructive  insects,  of  which  there  are  in 
Massachusetts  alone,  according  to  Dr.  Harris,  no 
less  than  4800  species. 

This  invention  consists  of  a  circular  iron  cup 
cast  in  two  semicircular  sections,  with  flanger  and 
screws  so  moulded  as  to  be  perfectly  water-tight 
when  joined  together.  Between  the  cup  and  the 
tree  a  packing  of  sea-weed,  straw,  or  any  other 
suitable  material,  is  placed  sufficiently  tight  to 
prevent  the  passage  of  insects.  An  umbrella-like 
screen  is  suspended  about  two  inches  above  the 
cup,  which  prevents  the  accidental  lodgment  of 
leaves.  The  cup  is  then  filled  with  bitter  water 
which  will  not  freeze  in  the  coldest  winter,  and 
being  deliquescent,  will  not  evaporate.  This  circle 
of  bitter  water  ai-ound  the  tree  is  an  impassable 
barrier  to  every  insect.  A  friend  of  mine  invited 
me  a  few  days  since  to  drive  over  and  see  the 
operation  of  these  cups  in  his  orchard.  I  was 
surprised  to  find  that  though  the  cups  had  been 
placed  on  the  trees  only  a  few  hours,  that  they 
xvere  half  filled  with  canker  worms  and  other 
geometrte,  and  any  quantity  of  aphides. 

Some  of  these  worms  appeared  to  be  pretty 
sensible  fellows  in  the  main,  for  great  numbers 
having  climbed  to  the  edge  of  this  gulf  of  dis- 
truction,  had  wisely  adopted  the  policy  of  a 
vicf^terhj  inactivity,  and  had  gone  into  winter 
quarters  ;  hoping,  perhaps,  like  INIicawber,  that 
something  would  turn  up  in  the  spring ;  and  they 


had  wisely  suspended  themselves  in  cocoons,  like 
so  many  barnacles,  on  the  iron  cup  and  trunk 
immediately  beneath.  There  they  hung  like  so 
many  monuments  of  misguided  ambition.  Now 
when  these  hatch,  the  young  having  no  nourish- 
ment, must  die  of  famine.  The  canker  worm, 
which  is  the  especial  pest  of  our  northern  orch- 
ards, ascends  the  tree  in  the  fall,  and  during 
the  mild  spell  of  a  moderate  winter,  and  laying 
al)out  sixty  eggs,  drops  into  the  ground  and  dies. 
This  new  swai-ra  hatches  in  due  time,  and  when 
it  is  too  late  to  apply  a  remedy,  the  farmer  finds 
his  orchards  blighted,  and  his  hopes  of  a  good 
fruit  season  destroyed. 

This  invention  of  Captain  Taylor  completely 
heads  them  off,  as  these  cups  of  dead  worms  and 
cocoons  beneath  show,  and  if  applied  in  the  early 
fall,  they  act  as  an  efficient  insurance  against 
their  insidious  attacks.  Many  farmers  in  this 
vicinity  have  tried  it,  and  are  thus  far  more  than 
satisfied  with  the  result.  Look  out  for  a  large 
fruit  crop  from  old  Dartmouth  next  year. 

New  Bedford,  1858.  Agricola. 


URINE. 

Some  years  since,  an  experiment  was  made  in 
Flanders,  which  went  far  towards  ascertaining 
the  value  of  urine  when  applied  as  a  stimulant  of 
vegetable  life.  A  box  of  fine,  white  sand  was 
exposed  to  a  heat  sufficiently  intense  to  dissipate 
its  moisture,  and  thoroughly  to  destroy  every 
particle  of  organized  matter  it  contained.  It  was 
then  placed  in  a  dry  situation,  and  some  seeds  of 
Egyptian  wheat  being  planted  in  it,  the  whole 
mass  was  saturated  with  urine  in  a  state  of  in- 
cipient putridity.  The  result  of  this  experiment 
was  that  the  wheat  vegetated,  grew  rapidly 
through  the  season,  and  in  autumn,  rather  before 
the  maturation  of  the  same  grain  in  the  open 
fields,  produced  a  heavy  yield  of  fine  and  perfect- 
Ij-  developed  grain. 

Of  cow's  urine,  according  to  analysis  of  Brande, 
contains  in  100  parts  : 

Hydrochlorate  of  potass  and  ammonia 1.5 

Sulphate  of  potass 0.6 

Carbonate  of  potass 0.4 

Phosphate  of  lime 0.3 

Urea 0  4 

Water 96  8 

100.0 

Urine  of  the  horse,  analyzed  by  Vauquelin, 
gave  : 

Hydrochlorate  of  potass  and  ammonia 1.5 

Sulphate  of  potass 0.6 

Carhonate  of  potass 0  4 

Phosphate  of  lime 0.3 

Urea 0.4 

Water 96.8 

]\Iost  farmers  are  now  so  well  convinced  of  the 
value  of  liquid  manure,  that  they  take  more  pains 
than  formerly  to  preserve  it.  They  have  not  only 
placed  cellars  under  their  barns,  where  it  falls, 
when  dropt,  upon  meadow  muck,  saw  dust,  loam, 
refuse  hay,  leaves,  or  other  matter,  where  it  is 
soon  absorbed  and  saved  from  evaporation, — but 


476 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Oct. 


some  have  sunk  tanks,  or  wells,  into  which  it  is 
led  by  gutters,  and  after  passing  through  the 
putrefactive  process,  is  conveyed  to  the  fields  and 
sprinkled  upon  grass  or  other  lands  as  it  is  need- 
ed. 

This  process  is  highly  commended  by  some  who 
practice  it.  It  seems  to  us,  however,  that  where 
meadow  muck  is  abundant  on  the  farm  and  there 
are  high  lands  of  sandy  or  gravelly  loams  that 
need  dressing,  that  a  cheaper,  easier  and  more 
beneficial  way  would  be  to  let  the  droppings  fall 
upon  old,  finely-pulverized  meadow  muck.  This 
not  only  absorbs  all  the  urine,  holding  its  virtues 
most  tenaciously  within  its  grasp,  but  every  cord 
of  muck  applied  to  such  lands  as  we  have  men- 
tioned is  nearly  eqvial  in  value  to  a  cord  of  the 
common  barn-yard  dung. 

Sir  John  Sinclair,  an  English  writer  of  ce- 
lebrity, speaking  of  the  value  of  this  article  as  a 
fertilizing  agent,  says  : — 

"Every  sort  of  urine  contains  the  essential  el- 
ements of  vegetables  in  a  state  of  solution.  The 
urine  of  a  horse  being  so  much  lighter,  would  be 
more  valuable  than  its  dung,  if  both  must  be 
conveyed  to  any  distance.  The  urine  of  six  cows 
or  horses  will  enrich  a  quantity  of  earth  suffi- 
cient to  top-dress  one  English  acre  of  grassland  ; 
and  as  it  would  require  41.  worth  of  dung  to  per- 
form the  same  operation,  the  urine  of  a  cow  or 
horse  is  worth  about  12  shillings  per  annum,  al- 
lowing 8  shillings  per  acre  as  the  expense  of  pre- 
paring the  compost.  The  advantages  of  irrigat- 
ing grass  lands  with  cow  urine  almost  exceeds 
belief.  Mr.  Harley,  of  Glasgow,  who  keeps  a 
large  dairy  in  that  town,  by  using  cow  urine,  exits 
some  small  fields  of  grass  six  times  ;  and  the  av- 
erage of  each  cutting  is  15  inches  in  length." 


For  theJ^ew  England  Farmer. 

ISriiWLY  FOUNDEBED  HORSJ33. 

Mr.  Editor: — Having  had  considerable  ex- 
perience with  foundered  horses,  I  will  give  a  con- 
densed account  of  one  case  through  your  paper. 
When  but  a  yoiingster,  and  inexperienced,  I  drove 
a  horse  rather  hard,  and  perhaps  gave  him  water 
too  soon,  and  fed  rye  bran  at  night.  Whether 
it  was  the  water,  the  hard  driving  or  the  unac- 
customed feed  that  stiffened  the  horse,  1  am  un- 
able to  say  ;  but  in  the  morning  he  fell  in  com- 
ing out  of  the  stable,  and  was  unable  to  use  his 
limbs.  I  called  a  horse-farrier,  who  said  he  could 
cure  the  horse,  but  should  keep  secret  what  he 
did  unless  I  would  give  him  ten  dollars  for  the 
knowledge  of  his  mode  of  treatment.  I  told 
him  if  he  cured  the  horse  I  would  give  him  a 
])rivate  receipt  that  was  valued  at  fifty  dollars, 
that  would  be  very  beneficial  in  his  business. 
This  he  accepted,  and  went  to  work.  He  first  gave 
the  horse  all  the  salt  he  would  eat,  saying  that 
if  he  did  not  eat  freely  he  should  dissolve  some 
and  turn  it  down.  He  next  bled  in  the  warts 
ujion  the  forward  legs,  having  pealed  them  down 
thin  and  oiled  them.  The  bleeding  was  per- 
iornied  by  my  holdir.g  up  one  foot,  while  he 
pinched  the  wart  upon  the   other  leg  with  his 


thumb  and  finger,  then  running  a  small,  sharp 
knife-blade  into  the  middle  of  the  wart  and  up 
under  the  skin  and  upper  part  of  the  wart,  about 
one  inch  and  a  half,  taking  care  not  to  touch  the 
inside  skin  over  the  bone.  He  did  the  same 
to  both  legs.  There  was  but  little  blood  came 
from  either.  We  next  commenced  rubbing  the 
legs  and  moving  the  horse  about,  and  as  soon 
as  he  thought  he  would  not  fall  we  put  him  be- 
fore the  wagon  and  started  off  upon  the  road. 
As  soon  as  he  began  to  warm  up  he  improved 
rapidly,  and  by  the  time  he  had  gone  six  or  eight 
miles  he  went  as  well  as  ever  he  did,  and  never 
after  showed  any  signs  of  founder.  Dux. 

Plainjield,  Axig.,  1858. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
UNDEKDBAIWING. 

Various  materials  have  been  used  in  drains 
for  conduits,  but  none  with  such  success  and  at 
so  small  cost  as  the  pipe-tile.  All  other  kinds 
are  more  liable  to  be  stopped  by  roots  of  trees, 
burrowing  of  small  animals,  washing  in  of  earth, 
guUeys  worn  in  the  bottom,  breaks  in  the  contin- 
uity, >&c.,  &c.  The  expense  of  tile  drains  is  much 
less  than  those  formed  of  any  other  material,  un- 
less more  is  paid  for  the  transportation  of  tile 
than  their  original  cost  at  the  manufactory. 

The  process  of  tile  manufacture  is  as  follows : 
after  the  clay  has  been  properly  ground  it  is 
shoveled  into  the  tile  machine  and  pressed  out, 
by  a  piston  worked  with  screw  or  cogwheel, 
through  dies  formed  in  the  shape  required  for  the 
tile,  and  run  off  on  canvassed  rollers,  three  or 
four  side  by  side,  in  lengths  of  five  or  six  feet ; 
these  strips  are  cut  into  the  proper  lengths,  usu- 
ally fourteen  inches,  by  the  single  act  of  lifting  a 
frame,  to  which  wires  are  attached  at  small  dis- 
tances, which  cut  through  the  soft  clay,  and  leave 
the  tiles  ready  to  be  carried  away  to  dry  for 
burning  ;  when  sufficiently  dried,  they  are  placed 
on  end,  in  a  kiln  made  for  the  purpose,  and  fire 
applied  until  they  have  acquired  about  the  color 
of  good,  red  brick.  Tiles  are  now  furnished  in 
Boston  at  the  following  rates  : 


Sole  or  pipe  tile,  in  form  as  figure  No.  1  : 

li  inch $10,75  ^  M.  1  3  inch $21,50  ^  M. 

2'iucli 13,25     "       I  4  inch 34,25     " 

5  inch $48,50  ^  M. 

Horse-shoe  tile,  in  form  as  figure  No.  2 : 

21  inch $13,50  ^  M.  SJ  inch $17,00  ^  il. 

5^  inch $33,50^  M. 

For  sewers  of  small  size,  or  for  drains  ex- 
posed to  the  action  of  frost,  and  for  conducting 
pure  water,  the  vitrified  stone  ware  drain  pipe  is 
used  with  great  success ;  it  is  made  of  the  best 
material,  and  is  entirely  proof  against  all  corrod- 
ing agents.     This  pipe  is  very  difl'erent  from  the 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


477 


red  clay  socketed  and  glazed  pipe  often  seen,  be- 
ing formed  of  Jersey  stone  ware  clay,  well 
ground  and  pressed  through  a  strong  machine  at 
an  expense  of  great  power,  and  burned  in  the 
kiln  until  vitrified  ;  it  is  also  glazed  in  the  kiln 
by  vaporized  Liverpool  salt  when  the  pipe  is  at 
a  white  heat.  These  pipes  are  sold  in  Boston  in 
two-feet  lengths  at  the  following  prices : 


No  1,  plain  Pipe.       No.  2,  Double  Joint.      No.  3,  Elbow. 

2  inch,  socketed lie  ^  ft.  I   6  inch,  socketed 30c  ^  ft. 

3  inch,        "       14c  F  ft-      8  inch,        "       45c  ^  ft. 

4  inch,        "       17c  ^  ft.  I    9  Inch,        "       66c  ^  ft. 

Sinch,        "       23c  ^  ft.  1  12  inch,        "       90c  ^  ft. 

Elbows  and  double  joints,  double  price  per  foot. 
The  manufacturers  of  this  article  will  make  any 
shape  or  size  to  order ;  on  account  of  the  ease 
with  which  this  material  can  be  worked,  it  can  be 
adapted  to  many  useful  purposes  on  a  farm ;  one 
of  which  is  in  making  "peep  holes,"  by  which  to 
examine  tile  drains.  Another  very  useful  pur- 
pose is  in  conducting  spring  water  to  the  house 
and  barn,  for  which  is  used  a  pipe  of  one  inch 
bore  in  two  feet  lengths,  with  separate  collars. 
This  size  is  sold  at  6  cents  a  foot,  including  col- 
lars. It  is  capable  of  bearing  the  pressure  of  150 
feet  head  of  water. 


No.  1  represents  the  Pipe.  No.  2,  the  Collar. 

This  form,  viz.,  the  cylindrical  pipe  with  col- 
lars, is,  undoubtedly,  the  best  for  pipe  tile,  to  be 
used  in  underdraining.  It  is  in  extensive  use  in 
England,  and  its  manufacture  is  now  begun  in  this 
country. 

Water  can  get  into  the  pipe-tile  very  freely  at 
the  joints,  as  may  be  seen  by  a  simple  calculation. 
It  is  impossible  to  place  the  ends  so  closely  to- 
gether, in  laying,  as  to  make  a  tight  joint  on  ac- 
count of  roughness  in  the  clay,  twisting  in  burn- 
ing, &c.,  and  the  opening  thus  made  will  usually 
average  about  one-tenth  of  an  inch  on  the  whole 
circumference,  which  is,  on  the  inside  of  a  2  inch 
tile,  6  inches,  making  six-tenths  of  a  square  inch 
opening  for  the  entrance  of  water  at  each  joint. 
In  a  lateral  drain,  200  feet  long,  the  tiles  being 
13  inches  long,  there  will  be  184  joints,  each  joint 
having  an  opening  of  six-tenths  square  inch  area, 
— in  184  joints  there  is  an  aggregate  area  of  110 
square  inches  ;  the  area  of  the  opening  at  the  end 
of  a  2  inch  tile  is  about  3  inches.  1 10  square 
inches  inlet  to  3  inches  outlet;  37  times  as  much 
water  can  flow  in  as  can  flow  out.  There  is,  then 
no  need  for  the  water  to  go  through  the  pores  of 
the  tile,  and  the  fact  is,  I  think,  quite  fortunate, 
for  the  passage  of  water  through  the  pores  would 
in  no  case  be  sufficient  to  benefit  the  land  to 
much  extent.  I  tried  an  experiment  by  stopping 
one  end  of  an  ordinary  drain  pipe,  and  filling  it 


with  water  ;  at  the  end  of  65  hours  water  still 
stood  in  the  pipe,  three-fourths  of  an  inch  deep. 

How  large  an  area  a  certain  sized  pipe  will  drain 
is  a  question  into  which  enters  a  great  many  ele- 
ments ;  among  which  are  the  following  :  Amount 
of  rainfall,  per  centage  of  evaporation,  pervious- 
ness  of  the  soil,  amount  of  drainage  area  beyond 
that  occupied  by  pipes,  amount  of  fall  which  can 
be  given  to  the  drain,  friction  of  water  with  in- 
side of  pipe.  It  will  be  seen  at  once  that  it  is 
impossible  to  lay  down  an  arbitrary  rule  for  all 
cases,  though  the  area  may  be  determined  for 
each  case  by  itself.  The  practice  of  extracting 
the  square  root  of  the  drainage  area  in  acres,  to 
find,  roughly,  the  diameter  in  inches  for  the  main 
drain  of  any  system,  has  been  used  in  England. 
The  rainfall  there  is  about  two-thirds  the  amount 
in  New  England,  but  the  amount  of  evaporation 
here  is  double  the  amount  there.  Again,  in  Eng- 
land the  fall  of  one  inch,  vertical  depth,  of  wa- 
ter would  be  considered  a  great  rain  ;  here  a  rain- 
fall of  three  or  four  inches,  vertical  depth,  is  not 
uncommon.  Other  things  are  different  in  the 
two  countries,  so  that  the  rule  if  safe  in  England 
might  not  be  so  here.  In  the  average  of  condi- 
tions in  New  England,  I  think  the  addition  of 
one  inch  to  the  result  obtained  by  the  English 
rule  would  give  a  good  diameter  of  pipe  for  the 
work ;  for  instance,  suppose  9  acres  are  to  be 
drained,  square  root  of  9  is  3><1=4.  3  inch 
pipe  to  drain  9  acres  in  Old  England,  4  inch  pipe 
to  drain  9  acres  in  New  England ;  but  this  result 
is  by  no  means  safe  for  all  cases. 

If  space  permitted,  I  would  show,  by  calcula- 
tion, what  amount  of  water  certain  sizes  of  pipe, 
under  certain  conditions  could  discharge.  I  will 
give  one  result  with  a  2  inch  pipe  having  the 
least  fall  at  which  it  is  likely  to  be  laid — i.  e.,  3 
inches  fall  in  100  feet — velocity  0.895  feet  per 
second — will  discharge  eleven  thousand  four 
hundred  gallons  a  day.     J.  Herbert  Shedd. 

Boston,  Sept.  14,  1858. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 

FARMERS'  SONS  AS   SCHOLARS. 

Mr.  Editor  : — For  proof  of  the  fact  that  the 
laboring  classes  are  endowed  with  an  intellect  of 
a  superior  order,  and  that  labor  strengthens  and 
develops  the  mind,  Ave  have  but  to  go  into  our 
colleges  and  seminai-ies  of  learning,  and  tell  me 
if  you  please  who  stands  first  in  scholastic  de- 
gree among  his  fellow-students,  not  only  first  in 
his  class,  but  also  in  the  literary  society  to  which 
he  belongs  ?  And  also  first  in  the  estimation  of 
his  instructors,  and  first  in  the  love  of  all  his 
classmates  ?  Is  it  the  youth  who  has  grown  up 
from  infancy  to  manhood  ^Vithout  ever  feeling 
that  industry  was  an  essential  part  of  his  educa- 
tion, without  feeling  that  he  must  needs  labor 
for  a  livelihood  without  ever  knowing  by  experi- 
ence the  truth  of  the  injunction,  "In  the  sweat 
of  thy  face  shalt  thou  eat  bread?"  Is  it  the  child 
of  wealthy  parents  who  have  spared  neither 
pains  nor  expense  in  the  perfection  of  his  educa- 
tion, who  have  afforded  him  every  facility  possi- 
ble in  the  w{^y  of  books  and  private  instructors, 
and  have  carefully  trained  him  along  the  beaten 
path  of  learning,  from  the  primary  school  up  to 
the  very  doors  of  the  college,  and  who  take  care 


478 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Oct. 


that  he  shall  not  want  for  means  to  satisfy  both 
his  physical  and  mental  wants?  Is  this  the  youth 
who  is  to  come  off'  victorious  in  the  strife  ibr 
collegiate  honors  among  his  fellows?  liy  no 
means.  Ten  chances  to  one  if  it  is  not  somej 
humble  farmer's  son  or  some  charity  student  who  i 
during  the  Avhole  course  of  his  studies  has  had: 
to  stru^'le  against  almost  every  difficulty;  whoi 
has  been  pinched  for  means  to  satisfy  his  neces-j 
sary  wants,  both  physical  and  mental.  He  stud-j 
ied  because  he  loved  to  study,  because  he  felt' 
the  value  of  learning;  while  the  son  of  luxury 
studied  because  he  was  driven  to  his  books,  be-{ 
cause  the  pride  of  his  parents  required  that  he 
should  receive  the  form  of  an  education,  if  noth- 
ing more. 

And  the  difference  does  not  end  here  ;  if  the 
son  of  luxury  cannot  sustain  himself  even  in 
college,  as  he  advances  in  life  we  behold  a  still 
greater  disparity  between  him  and  the  son  of 
toil ;  the  former  having  received  his  diploma, 
uses  it  as  a  passport  to  success  and  as  a  letter  of 
introduction  to  refined  and  intellectual  society. 
The  luxurious  and  effeminate  habits  which  he 
acquired  during  his  youth  are  rarely  to  be  shaken 
off;  they,  on  the  contrary,  increase  in  strength 
and  intensity,  and  incapacitate  him  for  usefulness 
of  any  kind  whatever,  and  the  succeeding  gener- 
ation buries  him  and  his  deeds  beneath  the  wave 
of  oblivion. 

The  son  of  toil  lays  his  diploma  aside,  and 
goes  to  work  as  though  he  had  it  not,  and  is 
judged  according  to  his  merits  by  the  ages  yet 
to  come. 

I  hope  the  day  may  come  when  our  farmers 
and  laborers  shall  rank  first  in  point  of  educa- 
tion among  the  people  of  the  land  ;  when  every 
farmer  shall  not  be  afraid  to  compare  his  educa- 
tion with  any  college  graduate.  Then  will  labor 
really  be  honored,  and  our  laborers  be  truly  our 
nation's  strength,  the  safeguard  of  our  liberties 
and  our  country's  pride.       EULEK  NoRCROSS. 

South  Hadley,  1858. 


vrare  county,  into  whose  hands  some  of  the  re- 
pudiated mineral  accidentally  fell.  He  tried  the 
coal,  caused  it  to  burn  freely  with  an  intense 
heat,  and  was  so  pleased  with  it  that  he  proclaim- 
ed the  fact  in  the  newspapers.  This  led  others 
to  try,  and  they  also  succeeded,  the  prejudice  xvas 
removed,  and  consumption  went  on  from  this 
disastrous  beginning,  until  it  last  year  reached 
the  enormous  quantity  of  3,476,862  tons.  But 
up  to  this  date  the  dejnession  of  manufacturing 
has  caused  a  reduction  of  300,000  tons  to  be  sent 
to  market,  and  the  whole  year  undoubtedly  shows 
a  fallkig  off  of  full  600,000  tons.— ilfmer's  Jow- 
nal. 


THE  ANTHRACITE  COAL  TEADE. 
Thirty-one  years  ago  the  first  coal  went  to 
Philadelphia,  being  ten  wagon  loads  hauled  over 
the  mountains  by  George  Shoemaker,  of  Potts- 
ville.,  Very  few  persons  could  be  induced  to  pur- 
chase it,  and  most  of  these  were  wholly  unsuc- 
cessful in  their  attempt  to  make  it  burn.  Every- 
body considered  it  a  mere  stone,  Mr.  Shoe- 
n\,aker  was  denounced  in  all  quarters  as  a  cheat, 
and  measures  Avere  being  taken  to  arrest  him  for' 
swindling;  but  he  escaped  arrest  by  leaving  the 
city  by  a  circuitous  road,  and  did  not  stop  until! 
he  had  got  thirty  miles  on  his  homeward  journey. 
The  most  remarkable  feature  in  this  extraordi-j 
nary  speculation  was,  that  Mr.  Shoemaker  did 
not  himself  know  how  to  make  the  coal  burn. 
He  was  therefore  unable  to  convince  the  public 
that  it  really  would  ignite.  Had  he  experimented 
at  home,  and  brought  with  him  a  grate  or  stove 
in  which  to  kindle  a  successful  fire,  the  exhibition 
would  have,  no  doubt,  hastened  full  ten  years 
the  development  of  the  coal  business.  He  reach- 
ed home  disgusted  at  the  belligerent  temper  of 
the  citizens,  and  heart-sick  at  the  ill  success  of 
his  adventure.  His  reputation  as  an  honest  man 
was  rescued,  however,  by  an  iron  master  inDela- 


I<'or  the  New  England  Farmer. 
OLD  FASHIONED  BUTTER  STOCS:. 

Forty  years  ago,  a  cow  that  yielded  two  pounds 
of  butter  a  day,  with  a  little  cream  for  the  table, 
was  looked  upon  by  such  men  as  L*owell,  Derby 
and  Parsons,  as  extraordinary,  and  worthy  of 
special  admiration.  From  six  to  eight  quarts 
of  her  milk  were  said  to  have  produced  a  pound 
of  butter.  Now  we  hear  of  animals  being  bred 
to  order,  that  will  produce  double  the  quantity 
of  butter,  from  the  same  quantity  of  milk.  I  have 
never  met  with  such  animals,  nor  have  I  ever 
met  any  well  attested  statements  of  such  pro- 
ducts. 

As  the  season  for  shows  is  near  at  hand,  it  is 
well  to  recur  to  first  principles,  and  to  guard 
against  being  misled,  by  cunningly  devised  fables 
of  any  kind.  When  I  meet  with  a  cow  that  does 
as  well  as  the  one  first  mentioned,  I  am  satisfied 
she  is  a  good  cow,  whatever  may  be  her  breed, 
and  I  doubt  whether  any  of  the  fancy  stocks  will 
do  better.  *. 

LETTER  PROM  MR,  BROWN. 

A   BAY    ON   THE   STATE   FARM. 

Westboro',  Mass.,  Sept.  1,  1858. 

Dear  Sir  : — Business,  as  well  as  inclination, 
leads  me  to  various  portions  of  our  good  State, 
and  occasionally  into  other  States,  where  I  min- 
gle freely  with  the  farmers,  observe  their  prac- 
tices, stock,  crops,  modes  of  living,  &c.,  and  get 
new  facts  and  new  courage  myself  as  co-workers 
in  the  progress  of  rural  art.  I  have  passed  to- 
day on  the  State  Farm,  in  this  town,  and  it  is  an 
interesting  day's  work  to  look  at  the  improve- 
ments which  have  been  made  upon  it,  at  the 
stock  and  crops,  and  the  school  of  reformation 
which  is  established  upon  its  grounds. 

The  farm  is  managed  by  the  State  Board  of 
Agriculture,  under  the  superintendence  of  Dea. 
Samuel  N.  White,  a  gentleman  of  large  expe- 
rience in  agricultural  matters,  of  sound  judg- 
ment, and  strongly  imbued  with  the  spirit  of 
progress  and  improvement. 

The  farm  consists  of  285  acres,  divided  into  80 
acres  of  plowable  or  tillage  land,  36  of  natural 
mowing,  or  meadow,  40  of  woodland,  including 
19  acres  of  swamp,  and  about  129  acres  of  pas- 
ture land.  The  soil  is  varied,  some  of  it  being 
light  and  sandy,  probably  once  covered  with  a 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


479 


heavy  growth  of  pines,  while  other  portions  are 
of  granitic  formation,  and  now  so  filled  with 
rocks  as  to  make  it  nearly  worthless  for  purpo- 
ses of  cultivation ;  the  natural  mowing  and 
swamp  lands  will  only  become  valuable  for  cul- 
tivation when  they  can  be  thoroughly  drained 
and  reclaimed. 

I  found  the  crops  generally  appearing  well, 
and,  all  told,  there  were  a  good  many  acres  un- 
der cultivation ;  such  as  19  acres  of  corn,  4 
acres  of  fodder  corn,  13  acres  of  potatoes,  10 
acres  of  carrots,  beets,  and  other  roots,  3  acres 
of  beans,  and  4  acres  in  garden,  covered  with 
onions,  cabbages  and  other  vegetables.  I  also 
found  that  the  farmer  has  harvested  10  acres  of 
oats,  5  acres  of  winter  rye,  2  acres  of  wheat,  1^ 
acres  of  barley  and  2  acres  of  millet,  all  of  which 
were  of  the  first  order  of  crops.  One  hundred 
and  three  tons  of  hay,  all  weighed,  has  been  cut 
and  secured,  and  there  is  a  present  promise  of  a 
considerable  second  crop.  The  farm  affords  a 
variety  of  fruit,  and  I  have  seen  to-day  in  my 
rambles  over  it,  the  finest  crop  of  peaches  and 
pears  that  I  have  met  with  this  season.  The 
high  lands  seem  admirably  adapted  to  the  apple, 
several  varieties  of  the  pear  and  strawberries, 
and  I  am  sorry  not  to  see  more  attention  given 
to  the  cultivation  of  the  apple,  where  there  is 
such  a  demand  for  them  as  is  presented  in  the 
watering  mouths  of  five  or  six  hundred  boys  ! 
The  institution  on  the  farm  is  not  a  penal,  but  a 
reformatory  one,  and  I  know  not  how  a  wild  and 
untutored  boy  can  be  brought  under  submission 
in  any  better  way  than  by  the  kindness  he  re- 
ceives within  those  walls,  accompanied  with  a 
proper  supply  of  wholesome  fruit !  If  the  offi- 
cers-of  that  institution  have  learned  that  kind- 
ness is  better  than  stripes,  the  progress  of  inqui- 
ry would  satisfy  them  that  an  abundance  of  fruit 
in  their  hand  would  become  first  a  tamer,  and 
then  a  civilizer! 

In  looking  at  the  stock  belonging  to  the  farm, 
I  found  12  noble  oxen,  25  cows,  5  horses,  and  an 
Ayrshire,  Hereford,  and  Alderney  bull,  each  be- 
ing a  full  blooded  animal,  together  with  8  head 
of  young  cattle  ;  in  all,  54  head.  Among  them 
are  the  Hereford,  Durham,  Ayrshire,  Devon  and 
Alderney  stock.  In  the  capacious  and  convenient 
piggery,  I  found  105  swine,  many  of  which  were 
of  fine  form,  and  most  of  them  of  Suflblk  and 
Mackay  blood.  Since  the  farm  has  been  man- 
aged by  the  Board  of  Agriculture  many  valuable 
improvements  have  been  made  upon  it,  some  of 
the  most  important  of  which,  such  as  draining 
with  pipes  and  stones,  and  the  removal  of  vast 
quantities  of  boulders  and  imbedded  rocks  from 
the  fields  contiguous  to  the  highway,  cannot  be 
appreciated  by  the  beholder  unless  favored  with 
the  lucid  descriptions  of  Dea.  White  or  some  one 


who  witnessed  the  operations  of  improvement. 
I  saw  one  field  containing  several  acres,  origin- 
ally one  of  the  roughest  and  most  forbidding  of 
our  New  England  pastures,  that  had  been  trench- 
ed to  an  average  depth  of  12  inches,  and  a  large 
portion  of  the  rocks  buried,  so  that  the  trench- 
ing in  many  places  was  three  or  four  feet  deep. 
This  land  is  now  covered  with  fine  crops.  The 
intention  is  to  appropriate  it  to  apple  trees.  This 
trenching,  as  well  as  a  large  proportion  of  the 
other  work  on  the  farm,  is  done  by  the  boys  from 
the  school,  v.'ho  labor  in  gangs,  or  lines,  directed 
by  overseers  who  work  Avith  them,  and  lead  the 
way. 

But  what  means  that  solemn  peal  from  the 
great  bell  in  the  East  Tower?     It  is 

A  FUNERAL  FROM  THE  REFORM  SCHOOL. 

The  officers  and  ladies  of  the  household,  and 
the  boys  from  their  avenues,  all  turned  to  the 
Chapel  in  the  centre  of  the  vast  pile  of  buildings, 
and  when  I  entered,  were  seated.  In  front  of 
the  chaplain,  and  directly  before  the  boys,  was 
the  coffin  containing  the  body  of  a  little  boy  only 
ten  years  of  age,  who  had  suddenly  died  of  heart 
disease.  The  silence  of  this  impressive  scene 
was  broken  by  the  voice  of  the  chaplain,  who 
said,  "we  will  chant  the  23d  Psalm,"  and  then, 
led  by  an  instrument  and  the  firm  and  manly 
tones  of  his  voice,  in  subdued  utterance  they 
chanted  with  touching  pathos — 

"The  Lord  is  my  shepherd :  I  shall  not  want. 

He  maketh  me  to  lie  down  in  green  pastures: 
•     He  leadeth  me  beside  the  still  waters. 

He  restoreth  my  soul :  He  leadeth  me  in  the 
paths  of  righteousness  for  His  name's  sake. 

Yea,  though  I  walk  through  the  valley  of  the 
shadow  of  death,  I  will  fear  no  evil :  for  Thou 
art  with  me ;  Thy  rod  and  Thy  staff  they  com- 
fort me. 

Thou  preparest  a  table  before  me  in  the  pres- 
ence of  mine  enemies  :  Thou  anointest  my  head 
with  oil ;  my  cup  runneth  over. 

Surely  goodness  and  mercy  shall  follow  me 
all  the  days  of  my  life :  and  I  will  dwell  in  the 
house  of  the  Lord  forever." 

A  brief  description  of  the  deceased,  his  sick- 
ness, and  death,  and  a  short  and  fervent  prayer, 
which  seemed  to  find  a  beating  chord  in  every 
heart,  closed  this  part  of  the  service.  The  boys, 
all  barefooted,  for  the  weather  was  hot,  then 
noiselessly  filed  by  the  coffin  and  took  a  parting 
look  at  all  that  remained  to  them  of  their  late 
associate,  so  suddenly  and  unexpectedly  taken 
from  their  midst.  Well  might  they  exclaim  in 
the  feeling  language  of  Grey — 

■'One  morn  I  miss'd  him  on  the  accuftomed  hill. 
Along  the  heath,  and  near  his  fav'rite  tree  : 

Another  came  ;  nor  yet  beside  the  rill, 

Nor  up  the  lawn,  nor  at  the  wood  was  he." 

Headed  b;f  the  bearers,  and  bier,  and  followed 
by  the  Trustees  of  the  School,  who  happened  to 


480 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Oct. 


be  there,  the  560  boys,  the  ladies 
connected  with  the  Institution, 
and  its  officers,  the  procession 
moved  silently  along  to  the  shores 
of  a  beautiful  pond  in  the  centre 
of  the  farm,  where  there  is  a  cem- 
etery laid  out  in  excellent  taste. 
A  receiving  tomb  has  been  pre- 
pared in  the  steep  hill-side,  and 
over  it,  and  along  the  slope  of  the 
hill,  young  oaks  stretch  their 
friendly  branches,  and  sing  their 
requiems  over  the  dead.  The  bier 
was  set  down, the  boys  arranged  eight  deep  in  lines 
on  the  margin  of  the  pond,  while  visitors,  officers 
and  ladies  stood  upon  the  higher  ground  over 
the  tomb.  The  chaplain,  his  wife  and  one  of  the 
officers  sang  an  appropriate  hymn,  their  rich,  full 
tones  rolling  over  the  water  and  returning  in 
sweet  echoes,  seemed  to  bear  all  our  souls  into  a 
heavenly  world.  One  of  the  bystanders  then 
spoke  of  death,  saying  that  although  it  is  a 
solemn  thing  to  die,  yet,  as  it  is  an  ordinance  of 
God,  it  is  for  our  best  good,  and  that  slavish 
fears  of  it  should  not  mar  the  rational  enjoy- 
ments of  life  ;  he  spoke  of  the  regard  which  all 
good  people  have  for  age  and  for  their  dead, — 
of  the  great  improvements  and  the  refined  taste 
which  has  been  manifested  in  the  preparation  of 
places  of  burial,  and  expressed  a  hope  that  the 
spot,  now  for  the  first  time  occupied,  would  be- 
come an  object  of  their  interest  and  clustering 
affections,  and  be  beautified  by  their  skill  and 
care.  He  spoke  of  the  last  Sabbath  lesson  of  the 
deceased,  which  was  among  the  latest  injunctions 
of  the  apostle,  to  "Love  one  another,"  and  told 
them,  if  it  was  sincerely  obeyed,  that  the  grace  of 
God  would  stream  into  their  hearts  as  His  beauti- 
ful sunlight  was  then  streaming  into  that  sacred 
and  quiet  spot,  and  prepare  them  to  meet  death 
in  calmness  and  peace.  A  short  and  expressive 
burial  service,  and  a  fervent  prayer  of  few  words 
closed  one  of  the  most  impressive  funerals  that  I 
ever  attended.  Heavy  clods  falling  upon  the  cof- 
fin, gave  evidence  that  dust  was  committed  to 
dust,  and  that  life's  fretful  fever  with  the  occupant 
of  that  narrow  house  was  over.  I  turned  from  the 
scene  with  subdued  feelings,  and  pondered  upon 
life's  sorrows  and  joys  as  I  watched  the  last  rays 
of  the  sun  sink  away  from  my  sight. 

Very  truly  yours,  Simon  Brown. 

JoBL  NouEsE,  Esq.,  Boston. 


Fine  Plums. — We  find  pleasure  in  the  ac- 
knowledgment of  a  box  of  fine  Drap  d'Or  Plums, 
from  the  garden  of  E.  C.  Purdy,  Esq.,  of  Som- 
erville.  Mr.  Purdy's  skill  in  the  garden,  as 
well  as  his  teachings  through  these  columns,  are 
worthy  of  attention. 


ALLEN'S  POTATO  DIGGING  PLOW. 

We  have  already  an  implement  for  cuttin^, 
dropping  and  covering  the  potato  by  horse  pow- 
er, and  implements  for  cultivating  and  hoeing 
them.  Now  we  have  before  us  an  illustration  of 
one  for  digging  the  potato,  and  as  the  latter  op- 
eration is  a  slow,  back-aching  process,  the  digging 
plow  will  be  hailed  with  pleasure,  if  it  proves  to 
be  really  a  practical  implement.  We  have  not 
seen  it  in  operation,  but  incidentally  learn  that 
it  has  given  such  satisfaction  as  to  cause  a  very 
considerable  demand  for  them.  In  a  circular  be- 
fore us,  Mr.  Allen  says  : — 

"This  implement  weighs  only  85  pounds,  is  of 
light  draft  and  simple  in  construction.  A  pair 
of  small  horses  or  oxen,  with  a  lad  to  drive,  will 
easily  dig  potatoes  as  fast  as  twenty  men  can 
pick  up.  It  turns  them  out  so  clean  that  scarce- 
ly one  bushel  in  fifty,  whether  small  or  large,  is 
left  uncovered.  This  is  a  most  important  advan- 
tage. The  standard  is  so  high  as  to  allow  of  its 
working  freely  without  clogging  from  weeds  and 
potato  vines.  It  works  well  on  side-hills,  in  all 
soils,  and  among  stones  and  stumps. 

DIRECTIONS  FOR   USE. 

1.  Gauge  the  clevis  so  that  the  plow  share  will 
run  directly  under  the  potatoes.  Keep  the  point 
of  the  share  as  near  the  centre  of  the  hills  or  row 
as  possible.  The  soil  and  potatoes  are  by  this 
means  turned  completely  over,  leaving  the  latter 
on  the  top. 

2.  If  the  vines  are  long  and  green  they  should 
be  cut  with  a  scythe  within  six  inches  of  the 
ground  ;  or  what  is  much  cheaper  and  quicker, 
drag  them  with  a  dull  iron  harrow,  and  then  dig 
with  the  plow.  When  the  vines  are  dead,  cut- 
ting is  unnecessary. 

3.  If  the  soil  is  a  stiff  clay  or  somewhat  wet, 
the  potato  digger  may  work  better  with  the  cen- 
tre prong  or  arm  taken  off,  or  with  a  narrower 
one,  which  I  can  furnish  to  order,  or  any  black- 
smith can  make." 

Sold  by  II.  L.  Allen,  189  Water  Street,  New 
York.    Price  $10. 


Opposition. — "A  certain  amount  of  opposi- 
tion," says  John  Neal,"is  a  great  help  to  a  man." 
Kites  rise  against  the  wind,  and  not  with  the 
wind ;  even  a  head  wind  is  better   than   none. 


1S58. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


481 


No  man  ever  worked  his  passage  any  where  in  a 
dead  calm.  Let  no  man  wax  pale,  therefore,  be- 
cause of  opposition  ;  opposition  is  what  he  wants 
and  must  have  to  be  good  for  anything.  Hard- 
ship is  the  native  soil  of  manhood  and  self-reli- 
ance. He  that  cannot  abide  the  storm  without 
flinching  or  cjuailing,  strips  himself  in  the  sun- 
shine, and  lies  down  by  the  wayside,  to  be  over- 
looked or  forgotten. 


CLOVER. 

Clover  has  an  importance  to  farmers  which  can 
scarcely  be  over-estimated,  and  we  fear  it  does 
not  receive  sufficient  consideration.  As  furnish- 
ing a  large  amount  of  excellent  pasture  and  fod- 
der for  domestic  animals,  and  as  a  means  of 
keeping  up  the  fertility  of  our  farms  when  plowed 
under,  it  deserves  a  prominent  place  in  the  sys- 
tem of  rotation  adopted  by  those  who  follow 
either  a  mixed  or  a  grain-growing  husbandry. 
As  a  general  rule  every  acre  of  winter  grain 
should  be  "seeded  down,"  as  it  is  termed,  to  clo- 
ver in  the  spring,  to  remain  for  at  least  one,  and 
not  more  than  three  years,  as  a  meadow  or  pas- 
ture. 

The  soil  best  adapted  to  the  clover  plant  is 
that  of  a  somewhat  clayey  character — such  as  will 
produce  the  best  wheat  crops.  Any  soil  which 
will  grow  wheat  will  also  produce  clover.  A 
deep,  well-drained  loam  suits  it  well — on  aH  ill- 
drained  soils  it  suffers  much  from  winter-killing, 
especially  if  the  spring  prove  one  of  little  snow 
and  variable  temperature.  On  light  soils  it  needs 
the  assistance  of  manure  to  prove  profitable. 

Clover  is  usually  sown  early  in  spring  |upon 
winter  grains,  and  occasionally  with  oats  and 
barley.  With  the  latter  it  generally  does  well, 
especially  if  sown  in  good  season.  Upon  wheat, 
we  sow  in  March,  when  the  season  is  sufficiently 
advanced  to  do  so.  While  the  light  frosts  con- 
tinue, the  slight  cracking  and  heaving  of  the  soil, 
through  their  action,  will  generally  furnish  a  suf- 
ficient covering  for  the  seed,  though  some  recom- 
mend sowing  later  and  harrowing  in,  arguing 
that  this  process  not  only  covers  the  clover  more 
perfectly,  but  benefits  the  wheat  crop.  When 
seeding  with  spring  grains,  it  is  usually  sufficient 
to  pass  over  with  the  rollers,  sowing  the  clover- 
seed  after  the  last  harrowing. 

The  benefit  which  clover  derives  from  plaster 
seems  a  "fixed  fact  in  agriculture,"  not  needing 
special  remark  in  this  connection.  Hence  they 
have  become  associated  in  the  minds  of  jmost  of 
our  farmers  as  partners  in  the  product  desired, 
and  the  one  usually  accompanies  the  other.  We 
think,  however,  that  the  sowing  of  plaster  upon 
wheat  fields  seeded  to  clover  is  frequently  de- 
ferred too  late.  The  clover  needs  its  aid  when  it 
first  comes  up,  besides  if  sown  late,  the  wheat  is 
injured  by  its  causing  too  rank  a  growth  of 
straw  at  the  time  when  the  grain  is  forming.  We 
should  sow  plaster  as  early  as  April,  if  possible, 
upon  wheat,  and  upon  spring  gra'in  seeding  as 
soon  as  it  fairly  appeared  above  ground. 

The  amount  of  seed  necessary  for  an  acre  de- 
pends upon  the  character  of  the  soil,  but  there 
seems  no  disposition  to  seed  too  heavily.  Loamy 
soils  need  less  than  clayey,  and  the  growth  of 
the  crop  with  which  it  is  seeded,  whether  large 
or  small,  has  considerable  influence.     A  peck  to 


to  the  acre  is  little  enough — some  use  more,  but 
many  less.  It  is  poor  economy  to  sow  but  half 
enough  to  cover  the  surface — the  pasturage  and 
hay  are  of  much  less  value,  and  the  saving  of  five 
dollars  in  seed  often  entails  a  loss  of  five  times 
that  amount  in  the  product. 

There  are  many  varieties  of  the  clover  plant, 
but  those  most  grown  are  the  common  red,  or 
Northern  clover,  of  which  we  believe  there  are 
two  varieties — the  large,  or  pea-vine  clover,  and 
the  medium — as  it  is  called,  perhaps,  from  its  ly- 
ing between  that  and  the  Southern  or  small  va- 
riety. The  medium  kind  makes  the  best  hay, 
and  is  equally  valuable  as  a  green  manure. 

We  have  already  remarked  upon  the  great  val- 
ue of  clover  for  this  latter  purpose.  Some  of 
the  reasons  why  it  is  so  may  be  thus  briefly  stat- 
ed. Clover  takes  less  from  the  soil  and  more 
from  the  atmosphere,  in  proportion  to  the  feed- 
ing and  manuring  value  of  its  product,  than  most 
other  plants.  It  has  numerous  roots,  long,  bulky 
stalks,  and  abundant  leaves,  each  supplying  veg- 
etable matter  to  the  soil.  A  luxuriant  growth 
of  clover  is  an  excellent  preparation  for  any  and 
every  crop.  Its  far  spreading  roots  loosen  and 
deepen  the  soil,  and  bring  to  their  support  and 
to  the  surface  the  elements  of  fertility  below  the 
reach  of  most  other  crops.  This,  too,  is  the  rea- 
son why  clover  delights  in  a  deep,  fresh  soil,  and 
why,  after  subsoil  plowing,  it  is  so  certain  to  suc- 
ceed. 

Other  considerations  in  regard  to  clover  might 
appropriately  be  presented,  and  may  form  the 
subject  of  another  article. — Rural  New-Yorker. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
ABOUT  LIGHTNING  RODS. 

Mr.  Editor  : — In  the  July  number  of  the  Far- 
mer I  notice  an  article  recommending  Lyon's  pa- 
tent copper  lightning  conductor ;  which  article 
also  contains  a  statement  of  Professor  Charles 
Dewey,  of  Rochester,  N.  Y.,  to  the  effect  that — 
"It  is  agreed  by  philosophers  that  the  conduction 
of  copper  is  from  six  to  eight  times  that  of  iron, 
and  that  in  either  metal  the  conduction  is  depen- 
dent upon  the  surface,  and  not  upon  the  solid 
contents  of  the  metal,"  &.c. 

Now  the  matter  of  lightning  rods  is  of  very 
great  consequence  to  the  farming  community,  es- 
pecially in  this  vicinity,  where  scarce  a  summer 
passes  but  more  or  less  valuable  property  falls  a 
prey  to  this  subtle  element.  Yes,  hundreds  and 
even  thousands  of  dollars  worth  of  property  are 
destroyed  every  summer  in  our  own  town.  And 
since  this  is  the  case,  is  it  not  of  vast  importance 
that  the  community  should  be  furnished  with 
definite  knowledge  as  to  the  means  of  protecting 
their  buildings  from  the  effects  of  lightning,  both 
as  regards  the  best,  and  the  cheapest  way,  and 
not  be  left  to  choose  between  the  conflicting 
statements  of  a  score  of  lightning-rod  peddlers, 
who  are  themselves  as  ignorant  of  the  principles 
of  electricity  as  most  farmers,  to  say  the  least. 

The  principles  that  govern  the  electric  element 
are  well  established,  and  hence  may  be  known  by 
every  one  who  will  take  the  pains  to  inform  him- 
self. In  Franklin's  time  a  good  substantial  iron 
rod,  fastened  to  the  building  with  saddles  of  wood 
instead  of  glass  fixings,  such  as  any  man  might  put 


482 


NE^^    ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Oct. 


up  for  himself,  was  deemed  all  sufficient  to  carry 
harmlessly  to  the  earth  any  shock  of  lightning 
that  might  seek  a  passage.  And  I  may  here  say, 
that  I  am  yet  to  learn  that  that  rod  has  ever 
proved  false  to  its  trust  when  kept  in  proper  re- 
pair. But  the  work  of  the  great  discoverer  and 
philosopher  has  been  superseded  by  a  multitude 
of  new  inventions,  with  the  pretended  discovery 
of  new  principles.  I  doubt  the  principle  of  Prof. 
Dewey's  statement,  for  many  reason  which  I  have 
not  space  to  give.  But  if  it  be  true  that  surface 
is  all  that  is  required  in  a  good  lightning  con- 
ductor, then  will  not  some  one  please  give  us  an 
ansvv'er  to  the  following  points  : — 1.  If  surface  is 
all  that  is  necessary,  will  electricity  ever  leave  a 
metallic  surface  for  any  other  passajje,  such  as 
wood,  any  more  than  water  will  turn  from  a 
downward  course  of  its  own  accord  and  flow  up 
hill  ?  2.  And  if  not,  what  is  the  use  in  passing 
the  rod  over  glass,  since  in  every  shower  said 
sheets  would  be  covered  with  water,  which  is  of 
itself  a  good  conductor  ?  3.  Therefore,  why  not 
dispense  with  glass  fixings  altogether  ?  And  4, 
since  metallic  surface  is  all  that  is  necessary,  why 
cannot  every  farmer  furnish  himself  with  a  light- 
ning conductor  possessing  double  the  surface  of 
Lyon's  rod,  (since  the  thinnest  sheet  of  copper  is 
as  good  as  the  thickest,  no  matter  if  it  is  as  thin 
as  paper,  fastened  to  a  strip  of  pine  board,  is  all 
that  would  be  required,)  at  an  expense  not  ex- 
ceeding one-fifth  the  expense  of  Lyon's  rod  ? 

Again,  it  is  stated  by  Prof.  Dewey,  that  copper 
has  from  six  to  eight  times  the  conducting  power 
of  iron.  This  statement  is  at  variance  with  that 
of  Mr.  Davis,  of  Boston,  in  his  Manual  of  Mag- 
netism, page  38,  Avhere  he  states  the  conducting 
power  of  the  two  metals  as  follows  :  copper  17,050 
grains  ;  iron  7,800  grains.  Now  that  does  not 
look  like  six  or  eight  to  one.  Who  is  right  ? 
We  want  more  light ;  we  want  definite  knowledge 
upon  this  subject,  and  less  of  that  cutaneous  af- 
fection called  guess-work.  L.  Baker. 

East  Templeton,  July  30,  1858. 


HOW  COFFEE  CAME  TO  BE  USED. 

It  is  somcM'hat  singular  to  trace  the  manner 
in  which  arose  the  use  of  the  common  beverage, 
coffee,  without  which  few  persons,  in  any  half  or 
wholly  civilized  country  in  the  world,  would 
seem  hardly  able  to  exist.  At  the  time  Colum- 
bus discovered  America  it  had  never  been  known 
or  used.  It  only  grew  in  Arabia  and  upper  Ethi- 
opia. The  discovery  of  its  use  as  a  beverage  is 
ascribed  to  the  superior  of  a  monastery,  in  Ara- 
bia, who,  desirous  of  preventing  the  monks  from 
sleeping  at  their  nocturnal  services,  made  them 
drink  the  infusion  of  coflee,  upon  the  report  of 
some  shephei-ds,  who  observed  that  their  flocks 
were  more  lively  after  browsing  on  the  fruit  of 
that  plant.  Its  reputation  spread  through  the 
adjacent  countries,  and  in  about  200  years  it 
reached  Paris.  A  single  plant  brought  there  iai 
1714,  became  the  parent  stock  of  all  the  French 
coffee  plantations  in  the  West  Indies.  The  extent 
of  the  consumption  can  now  hardly  be  realized. 
The  United  States  alone  annually  consume  it  at 
the  cost  of  its  landing  of  from  fifteen  to  sixteen 
millions  of  dollars.  You  may  know  the  Arabia 
or  Mocha,  the  best  coffee,  by  its  small  bean  of  a 
dark  yellow  color.     The  Java  and  East  Indian, 


the  next  in  quality,  are  larger  and  of  a  paler 
yellow.  The  West  Indian  Rio  has  a  bluish  or 
greenish,  gray  tint. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
SHEEP  AND  FLEECES. 

Mr.  Editor  : — There  is  a  statement  going  the 
rounds  of  the  papers,  of  the  great  weight  of  fleeces 
sheared  by  J.  Smart,  and  others,  of  Vermont, 
which  I  am  very  glad  to  see.  It  shows  that  there 
are  some,  at  least,  who  are  trying  to  improve  the 
quantity,  and  it  is  to  be  hoped,  at  the  same  time, 
the  quality  of  their  wool.  A  desideratum,  certain- 
ly, for  us  New  Englanders  in  this  progressive  age, 
when  almost  everything  the  farmer  grows,  ex- 
cept wool,  is  so  much  higher  than  formerly. 
•  It  cost  but  little,  if  any,  more  than  half  as 
much  per  head  to  keep  sheep  thirty  to  forty  years 
ago,  as  it  does  at  the  present  time.  Then,  good 
Spanish  merino  avooI  brought  from  sixty  to  eigh- 
ty cents  per  pound.  Hence  the  necessity  of  many 
fleeces  to  make  wool-growing  a  profitable  busi- 
ness, was  not  so  great  as  it  is  now.  The  cost 
per  head  of  keeping  a  flock  of  sheep,  that  will 
shear  four  pounds  of  good  wool,  is  but  a  trifle 
more  than  that  of  one  that  will  shear  but  half  that 
amount.  And  with  the  present  prices,  and  fu- 
ture prospects,  the  greatly  increased  cost  of  keep- 
ing, the  necessity  of  many  fleeces,  together  with 
good  quality,  is  but  a  too  self-evident  fact  to  all 
intelligent  wool-growers  of  New  England,  as  the 
difference  in  the  prices  paid  for  heavy  or  light 
fleeces  is  comparatively  nothing. 

My  sheep  were  poorly  fed  the  first  year,  not 
one  of  them  having  anything  more  than  ordinary 
keeping.  I  sheared  108 ;  they  were  all  well 
washed — in  fact  the  cleanest  that  I  ever  saw  a 
flock.  I  did  not  keep  an  account  of  the  weight 
of  fleeces,  but  should  not  be  willing  to  sell  it  for 
anything  less  than  five  pounds  per  head.  I 
weighed  several  yearl;ngs'  fleeces  that  weighed 
from  six  to  six  and  three-fourths  pounds  each.  I 
sheared  two  full  blood  Spanish  Merino  bucks, 
that  made  nine  and  one-half  pounds  each  ;  and 
one  three  years  old  that  sheared  twelve  pounds  ; 
and  one  three-quarters  blood  Spanish  and  one- 
quarter  French  MerinOjt  wo  years  old,  that  sheared 
eleven  and  one-half  pounds,  and  as  to  quality  and 
condition,  I  am  willing  to  compare  it  Mith  any  in 
Vermont.  J.  B.  Freeman. 

Lisbon,  Grafton  Co.,  N.  H.,  1858. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 

BE-SHINGLING  OJbD  ROOFS. 

Mr.  E'DITOR  : — I  noticed  in  your  paper  some 
remarks  from  the  pen  of  J.  T.  Adams,  Esq.,  on 
re-shingling  old  roofs.  He  says  his  method  is 
to  shingle  over  the  old  shingles,  thus  saving  the 
expense  of  removing  them.  In  most  cases  the 
old  shingles  will  pay  for  removing  for  our  ladies 
to  kindle  fires.  To  obviate  the  difficulty  of 
getting  the  building  wet,  if  it  should  ram  be- 
fore it  is  finished,  no  more  shingles  should  be 
removed  than  can  be  replaced  by  new  ones  in  a 
short  time.  As  for  the  roof  being  much  warmer 
and  tighter,  I  very  much  doubt.  If  the  roof  is 
properly  covered,  no  snow  or  rain  can  beat  un- 
der the  feuts  of  the  shingles.     As  for  the  rooi 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


483 


lasting  one-third  longer  by  allowing  the  old 
shingles  to  remain  on,  I  think  every  practical 
man  will  differ  from  Mr.  Adams,  for  if  the  old 
ones  be  left  on  in  case  of  heavy  rains,  the  old 
shingles,  as  well  as  the  new  ones,  will  get  satu- 
rated with  water.  The  old  ones  will  retain  the 
water  for  a  long  time,  consequently,  they  will 
cause  the  new  shingles  and  also  the  boards  un- 
derneath to  decay.  My  method  is  to  remove  the 
old  shingles  and  replace  them  with  new  in  a  neat 
and  workmanlike  manner ;  and  I  believe  it  will 
cost  less  and  will  look  much  neater  than  if  the 
old  shingles  should  be  allowed  to  remain  on. 
Henry  Crowell. 
Londonderry,  N.  H.,  1858. 


BUILDINGS  AND  FIXTURES  FOR  A  100 

ACHE  FARM. 

"What  BuilJings  and  Fixtures  are  required  for  farming,  prof- 
itably, one  hundred  acres,  including  timber  lot,  managed  in  the 
usual  way  of  grain-growing  and  stock-raising  combined  r" 

There  is  required  a  pleasant  and  commodious 
dwelling,  with  parlor,  dining-room,  sleeping- 
rcoms,  closets,  kitchen,  cheese-room, pantry,wood- 
house,  cellar,  cistern  and  well — all  constructed 
in  accordance  with  the  best  improved  taste  and 
judgment  of  the  proprietor.  Also,  a  barn  42  by 
52  feet,  elevated  two  feet  from  the  ground  on  the 
upper  side,  having  on  one  side  of  the  barn  floor 
stalls  for  horses,  each  4^  by  14  feet ;  an  apart- 
ment joining,  for  a  cistern,  at  the  further  end  of 
the  stalls,  6  by  14  feet;  and  joining  that,  a  gran- 
ary, 10  by  14  feet;  on  the  opposite  side  of  the 
floor,  a  corn-crib,  14  by  20  feet ;  a  mow  for  hay, 
14  by  32  feet,  and  hay  or  Hungarian  grass  on  the 
scaflblds ;  and  a  floor  14  feet  in  width.  The 
horses  should  stand  on  a  ground  floor,  on  the 
upper  side  of  the  barn.  The  earth  that  is  taken 
out  for  a  cistern  should  be  used  for  that  purpose, 
and  be  covered  with  an  abundance  of  sand  to 
within  a  foot  of  the  sills  of  the  barn.  The  floor 
of  the  granary  need  be  only  one  foot  and  a  half 
from  the  ground,  and  maybe  let  down  below  the 
sills  of  the  barn  to  that  depth.  There  may  be 
under-sills,  resting  on  shoulders  in  the  under- 
pinning, to  lay  the  floor  of  the  granary  on.  The 
floor  should  be  made  of  oak  plank,  two  inches  in 
thickness,  and  the  granary  lined  up  to  the  sills 
of  the  barn  with  similar  plank,  to  keep  rats  from 
intruding.  The  corn-crib,  on  the  opposite  side 
of  the  barn  floor,  may  be  made  in  a  similar  man- 
ner. If  the  corn  is  not  sufficiently  dry  to  keep 
well  in  so  deep  a  crib,  dry  rails  should  be  laid 
along,  occasionally,  through  the  middle  of  it,  for 
ventilators.  But  what  would  answer  for  cribbing 
corn  in  Illinois,  might  be  ruinous  in  the  State  of 
New  York. 

A  wagon  and  carriage-house  may  be  made  on 
the  upper  side  of  the  barn  ;  and  there  should  be 
a  building  for  a  hog-house,  some  30  feet  by  16, 
with  a  corn-crib  and  hen-house  over  the  two 
rooms  for  hogs — there  being  free  access  from 
their  feeding-room  into  a  small  adjoining  yard. 

Perhaps  as  good  a  shelter  for  calves  as  any 
other,  is  a  rick  of  straw  suitably  built  in  a  yard 
for  them — being  brined,  from  time  to  time, 
around,  near  and  at  the  bottom  of  it.  Sheep  can 
find  a  comfortable  shelter  under  the  floor  of  the 
barn. — B.  C.  W.,  in  Oenesee  Farmer. 


TOOLS  AND  IMPLEMENTS  FOR  A  100 
ACRE  FARM. 

"What  Tools  and  Implements  are  necessary  to  farm  it  proSta- 
bly  on  one  hundred  acres,  including  timber  lot,  m;inagud  in  the 
usual  way  of  grain-growing  and  stock-raising  combined?" 

There  would  be  wanted  1  two-horse  scouring 
plow,  1  one-horse  scouring  plow,  1  one-horse 
three-shovel  scouring  plow,  1  harrow,  1  spade,  1 
barn-shovel,  1  Avheelbarrow,  1  dung-fork,  2  pitch- 
forks, 2  hoes,  1  wagon,  1  two-horse  reaper  and 
mower  combined,  1  horse-rake,  1  corn-slieller,  1 
of  the  little  cast  iron  grist-mills,  provided  they 
are  found  to  be  durable  and  to  do  good  business, 
2  sets  of  harness,  1  saddle  and  1  carriage. 

The  best  and  most  profitable  way  of  planting 
corn  that  I  have  noticed,  is  to  drop  with  the  hand 
and  cover  with  the  hoe.  "When  thus  planted,  it 
comes  up  enough  better  to  more  than  pay  for  the 
extra  trouble. 

No  person  can  raise  grain  cheaper,  by  cutting 
and  threshing  it  with  machinery  ;  but  tho  same 
help  can  grow  much  more  with  it  than  without  it. 
— B.  C.  W.,  in  Genesee  Farmer. 


MANURE  MAXIMS. 


At  a  late  meeting  of  the  Farmers'  Club  of  the 
American  Institute,  Mr.  T.  W.  Field  read  a  pa- 
per on  manures,  in  which  he  said : 

The  whole  subject  of  manures  may  be  stated 
in  this  proposition : 

1.  Manure  does  not  waste  so  long  as  it  is  un- 
fermented  or  undissolved,  and  these  conditions 
may  be  efl'ected  by  drying  or  saturation. 

2.  Fresh  manure  is  unflt  for  food  for  plants. 

3.  Fermenting  manure,  in  contact  with  inert 
matter,  has  the  power  of  neutralizing  vicious 
properties,  such  as  the  tannic  acid  of  peats,  and 
making  it  a  fertilizer. 

4.  Manure  wastes  in  two  ways — the  escape  of 
gas  and  the  dissolving  of  its  soluble  salts. 

5.  The  creative  power  of  manure,  mixed  with 
other  substances,  is  capable  of  multiplying  its 
value  many  times. 

6.  The  value  of  manure  to  crops  is  in  propor- 
tion to  its  divisibility  through  the  soil.  The 
golden  rule  of  farming  should  be  small  quantities 
of  manure  thoroughly  divided  and  intermingled 
with  the  soil. — Country  Gentleman. 


WATER. 

Potatoes  contain  75  per  cent,  (by  weight,)  and 
turnips  no  less  than  90  per  cent,  of  water.  A 
beafsteak,  though  pressed  between  blotting  pa- 
per, yields  nearly  four-fifths  of  its  weight  of  wa- 
ter. Of  the  human  frame,  bones  included,  only 
about  one-fourth  is  solid  matter  (chiefly  carbon 
and  nitrogen,)  the  rest  is  water.  If  a  man  weigh- 
ing one  hundred  and  forty  pounds  was  squeezed 
flat  under  a  hydraulic  press,  one  hundred  and 
five  pounds  of  water  would  run  out,  and  only 
thirty-five  pounds  of  dry  residue  remain.  A  man 
is,  therefore,  chemically  speaking,  forty-five  lbs. 
of  carbon  and  nitrogen  diflused  through  six  buck- 
ets of  water.  Berzelius,  indeed,  in  recording  the 
fact,  justly  remarks  that  the  "living  organism  is 
to  be  regarded  as  a  mass  diff'used  in  water ;"  and 
Dalton,  by  a  series  of  experiments  tried  on  his 
own  person,  found  that  of  the  food  with  which  we 
daily  repair  this  water-built  fabric,  five-sixths  are 
also  water. — Scientific  American. 


484 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER 


Oct. 


LETTER  FROM  MR.  BROWN". 

Loicell,  Sept.  15,  1858. 

Dear  Sir  : — I  came  here  this  morning  to  at- 
tend the  annual  Exhibition  of  the  North  Middle- 
sex Agricultural  Society.  It  is  the  elder  daugh- 
ter of  the  old  Middlesex  Society,  whose  meetings 
are  holden  at  Concord.  She  has  another  bounc- 
ing child  in  the  south  part  of  the  county,  who 
calls  her  admirers  around  her  annually  at  Fra- 
mingham.  They  are  both  healthy,  active,  well- 
bred  and  useful  children,  and  are  a  credit  to  the 
stock  from  which  they  sprang. 

This  society  has  ample  and  pleasant  grounds- 
enclosed  with  a  substantial  fence,  near  the  city, 
where  the  stock  is  exhibited,  and  the  horses  are 
put  upon  their  paces.  The  plowing  match  took 
place  near  by,  and  was  contested  by  three  double 
teams,  four  horse  teams  and  five  single  teams, — 
twelve  in  all.  The  ground  was  a  sandy  loam, 
with  a  thin  sward,  and  did  not  call  for  [the  exer- 
cise of  any  special  skill  to  produce  good  work. 
A  variety  of  plows  were  used,  and  among  them 
an  iron  plow,  manufactured  at  South  Boston, 
which  I  had  not  seen  before.  It  appeared  to  be 
symmetrical  and  handy,  and  did  good  work. 
There  was  also  a  new  implement  on  the  ground 
which  I  should  call  a  plow-liarrow,  because  the 
frame  is  shaped  like  a  harrow,  while  the  teeth 
are  a  combination  of  a  double-mould  board  plow 
and  the  common  iron  tooth  of  the  harrow.  A 
tooth  comes  to  an  edge  in  front,  and  as  it  re- 
cedes, the  sides  flare  out,  making  a  sort  of 
mould-board.  I  should  have  been  glad  to  see  it 
in  use,  and  judge  of  it  by  its  work,  but  it  was 
not  put  in  operation  while  I  remained  upon  the 
ground.  The  show  of  cattle,  horses,  swine,  poul- 
try and  sheep  was  not  large,  but  contained  some 
fine  specimens  in  each  department. 

The  exhibition  of  Fruits,  Vegetables,  and 
Household  work,  took  place  in  Huntington  Hall, 
in  the  city,  and  was  very  fine.  There  was  an  ex- 
cellent display  of  peaches,  plums,  grapes,  among 
them  some  fine  samples  of  the  Concord,  apples, 
pears,  &c.  The  show  of  vegetables  was  large,  nu- 
merous in  variety,  and  they  were  of  the  first  or- 
der. There  was  little  machinery,  and  no  farm  im- 
plements but  a  horse-rake.  ^Ir.  O.  Nichols  had 
his  portable  cider-mill,  and  I  thought  it  a  good 
time  to  have  fifty  bushels  of  apples  present  and 
the  operation  of  cider-making  going  on. 

A  procession  was  formed  at;  this  place  and 
marched  to  French's  Hall,  where  a  good  dinner 
awaited  the  hungry  throng,  and  where  they  were 
soon  inducted  into  a  new  series  of  ceremonies. 
The  hall  was  clean,  cheerful  and  attractive,  as 
was  the  dinner  itself,  and  everybody  seemed  to 
be  in  good  nature  with  himself  and  all  the  rest 
of  the  world.  A  brief  welcome  from  the  Presi- 
dent of  the  Society,  Hon.  Tappan  Wentworth, 


and  an  appropriate  blessing  invoked  by  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Sargent,  of  Lowell,  were  all  the  ceremonies 
that  kept  nervous  hands  from  the  numerous 
weapons  that  lay  in  repose  by  the  sides  of  long 
lines  of  shining  plates.  The  next  twenty  minutes 
was  a  period  of  apparently  great  gastronomical 
enjoyment,  and  there  followed  a  gradual  ces- 
sation of  the  sounds  conmion  on  such  occasions, 
and  the  President  announced  the  Rev.  Freder- 
ick Hinckley,  of  Lowell,  as  the  orator  of  the 
day.  He  occupied  forty  or  fifty  minutes,  and 
was  listened  to  by  a  most  attentive  and  gratified 
audience.  His  subject  was — The  Farmer  and  the 
Man — or  Agriculture  in  its  Ministry  to  Manhood. 

The  subdivisions  of  this  branch  of  his  subject 
were,  upon  the  Ends  of  Labor ;  Means  of  Liv- 
ing ;  Success  in  Avocation  ;  and  Development  of 
Manhood. 

The  next  general  division  was  upon  the  Ele- 
ments of  Manhood,  fostered  or  involved  in  the 
Farmer^s  Life,  and  the  topics  discussed  were, — 
Physical  Vigor  ;  Mental  Activity  ;  Social  Sym- 
pathy ;  Love  and  Apjyreciation  of  the  Beautiful; 
Moral  Integrity  and  Religious  Faith.  All  these 
points  were  skilfully  touched,  and  enforced  in  a 
clear,  earnest  and  persuasive  manner,  showing 
that  the  speaker  had  given  the  wants  in  agricul- 
tural life  considerable  thought  and  investigation. 
What  he  uttered  fell  from  his  lips  as  though 
every  thought  had  just  been  nestling  warmly 
around  his  own  heart,  and  thus  it  fell  upon  sym- 
pathetic hearts  where  it  will  take  root  and  bear 
fruit  abundantly.  It  was  an  address  abounding 
in  valuable  suggestions  on  the  poetic,  or  home 
side  of  agricultural  life.  We  have  precepts  with- 
out end  on  improvement  in  turning  furrows  and 
making  manures  ;  now  we  need  them  on  the  as- 
sociations and  sympathies  of  rural  life  ;  on  the 
value  of  varied  and  extended  knowledge  to  the 
farmer,  as  well  as  to  those  engaged  in  any  other 
avocation. 

As  farmers,  Ave  are  indebted  to  the  clergy  for 
the  introduction  of  many  valuable  fruits  and 
flowers,  and  examples  in  practical  horticulture 
and  agriculture,  and  for  several  of  the  best 
works  on  these  subjects.  They  have  education, 
disposition  and  opportunity,  and  when  they  have 
discovered  or  experimented,  possess  the  ability 
to  relate  to  the  world  the  results  of  their  labors. 

After  the  address,  Wm.  G.  Lewis,  Esq.,  a  del- 
egate from  the  State  Board  of  Agriculture,  dele- 
gates from  other  societies,  and  several  other  gen- 
tlemen addressed  the  audience.  The  grave  de- 
signs of  the  occasion  were  enlivened  by  anecdote 
and  pleasant  illustration,  so  that  "the  table  was 
often  in  a  roar,"  and  no  one  present  seemed  to 
know  that  there  was  such  a  thing  as  "dull  care" 
in  the  wide  world. 

Reports  were   then  read,  premiums   awarded, 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


485 


and  such  other  matters  considered  and  conclud- 
ed as  demanded  attention,  and  the  Farmers'  Fes- 
tival in  North  Middlesex  closed  for  the  year 
1858. 

To-morrow  commences  their  Horse  Show,  on 
the  fair  grounds,  to  be  continued  two  days.  But 
■what  means  that  wind,  moaning  through  the 
pines  !  It  comes  from  the  sea,  is  raw,  and  filled 
witTi  chilly  vapor!  Who  knows  what  terrible 
pressure  is  driving  it  in,  and  whether  it  may  not 
fall  in  drenching  torrents  before  the  grand  cav- 
alcade shall  assemble  in  the  morning.  It  is  near 
the  period  when  the  sun  enters  one  of  the  equi- 
noctial points,  you  know,  and  we  always  have  a 
flurry  in  the  elements  about  that  time.  We  shall 
see.        Yours,  very  truly,         SiMOX  Brown. 

Joel  Nourss,  Esq.,  Boston. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
CROPS  IN  PRINCE  EDWARD  CO.,  C.  W. 

Wheat  is  badly  eaten  by  the  weevils,  so  that 
but  little  of  the  first  quality  can  be  found.  Rye 
is  about  an  average  crop.  The  last  few  years 
this  grain  has  been  much  more  extensively  sown 
than  wheat,  which  was  formerly  a  staple  crop, 
but  recently  it  is  not  considered  reliable.  This 
is  considered  by  some  an  evidence  of  poor  farm- 
ing, and  not,  perhaps,  without  good  reason.  At 
any  rate,  land  that  once  bore  good  crops  of  wheat 
will  not  do  it  now  under  the  same  system  of  cul- 
ture. Oats,  barley  and  peas  are  good  where  the 
land  was  not  too  wet  in  the  spring.  Such  land, 
however,  was  scarce  here  last  spring,  owing  to 
frequent  and  very  heavy  rains.  Corn  grows  well 
here,  though  less  attention  is  paid  to  its  cultiva- 
tion than  to  other  crops.  The  yield  this  year, 
on  suitable  land,  will  be  good.  I  planted  the 
"King  Philip"  variety,  and  in  88  days  from  plant- 
ing I  found  some  ripe  enough  to  grow.  The 
hot  weather  of  the  first  ten  days  of  this  month 
was  very  favorable.  Potatoes  are  rotting  in  some 
locations,  and  the  tops  nearly  all  died  the  fii'st 
week  in  this  month,  late  planted  ones  dying  as 
early  as  others.  This  is  considered  by  some  a 
sure  indication  of  disease,  and  they  predict  a 
general  failure.  It  is  to  be  hoped  they  are  false 
prophets.  Early  potatoes  are  very  fine,  and  as 
far  as  I  can  learn,  are  free  from  infection.  Ap- 
ples are  almost  a  total  failure.  I  think  I  never 
saw  so  few.  Plums  are  plenty  in  some  places, 
generally  native  varieties,  such  as  the  Blue  and 
the  Green  Gage,  and  a  larger  blue  plum. 

I  have  referred  to  the  failure  of  land  to  pro- 
duce as  well  as  it  formerly  did,  and  perhaps  it 
may  not  be  out  of  place  to  mention  what  I  be- 
lieve to  be  a  prime  cause  of  deterioration, — that 
is,  a  waste  of  manure.  While  riding  by  a  good 
farm  a  few  weeks  ago,  after  a  heavy  shower,  I 
nodced  a  large,  black  stream  running  from  the 
barnyard  and  depositing  its  treasures  in  the 
sandy  gutter  of  the  highway,  a  distance  of  thirty 
or  forty  rods,  when  by  digging  a  ditch  across  the 
road  not  more  than  four  of  five  rods,  it  might 
Slave  been  conducted  into  a  beautiful  field.  Such 
instances  are  too  common. 

9  Mo.  Voth,  1858.  L.  Varney. 


THE  POTATO  DISEASE. 

Last  week  we  gave  some  illustrations  of  the 
potato  leaf  and  tuber,  and  of  the  insect  preying 
upon  them,  together  with  an  account  of  Mr. 
Henderson's  discovery.  We  now  place  before 
the  reader  the  discovei'y  of  Mr.  Reed,  to  which 
we  referred  in  that  article.  Mr.  Reed  has  laid 
before  us  a  mass  of  evidences  going  to  substan- 
tiate what  he  states,  but  for  which  we  cannot 
find  space.     His  statement  is  as  follows : 

IMPOKTANT  MICROSCOPIC  DISCOVERT  SHOWING  THE 
CAUSE PATENT  GRANTED  POR  THE  REMEDY. 

Messrs.  Editors  : — The  miscroscopic  exami- 
nations which  I  have  made  of  the  potato  plant, 
during  several  summers  past,  has  revealed  facts  of 
vast  importance  to  agriculturists,  both  in  Amer- 
ica and  Europe.  In  1845  the  United  States  Pa- 
tent Office  published  various  communications, 
letters,  extracts,  &c.,  upon  the  potato  disease. 
The  first  scientific  examination  in  the  United 
States  was  made  in  the  State  of  New  York  in 
1844.  The  publication  of  this  investigation  in- 
duced many  persons  in  this  country  to  form  opin- 

I  ions  that  fungi  caused  the  disease.  The  same 
opinion  also  prevailed  in  Europe.     Atmospheric 

1  influence  was  another  theory.     Insects  upon  the 

I  vines  and  leaves  another. 

I  My  microscopic  examination  and  experiments 
commenced  at  Waltham,  Mass.,  in  1851.  In  June 

I  of  that  year,  I  found  the  under  leaves  on  my  po- 

Itato  stalks  turning  yellow — some  quite  dead — 
while  the  tops  and  leaves  and  also  the  leaves  and 
stalks  of  other  hills  continued  quite  thrifty  and 
green.     This  peculiar   circumstance,  thus  early 

I  in  the  season,  induced  close  observation  and 
careful  examination  into  the  phenomenon.  A 
query  naturally  arose — can  fungus  or  atmosphere 

i  act  thus  partially  upon  the  plant  ?  Is  there  not 
some  other  predisposing  cause  prevailing  ?  From 
this  investigation  I  felt  confident  that  insects  or 
worms  had  attacked  these  plants  at  the  roots. 

Acting  from  this  impression  I  examined  the 
roots,  but  with  the  natural  vision  no  insects  were 
found.  The  microscope,  however,  revealed  myr- 
iads of  insects  on  the  seed  tubers,  roots  and 
stalks  under  ground.  The  attack  upon  the  latter, 
at  the  lower  joint,  was  visible  in  spots  or  marks 
resembling  iron-rust. 

Potatoes  which  I  had  in  jars  and  flower-pots 
in  my  shed,  covered  from  any  exposure,  (experi- 
ment tubers)  exhibited,  under  the  microscope, 
similar  insects — and  tubers  taken  from  my  cellar, 
at  this  time,  had  insects  on  those  which  were 
sprouted.  Thus  in  three  sepai^ate  and  entirely 
dissimilar  positions,  insects,  similar  in  every  re- 
spect, were  found,  evidently  subsisting  upon  the 
sap  of  the  sprouts  and  vines.  This  revealed  to 
me  unquestionable  evidence,  that,  during  the 
early  growth  of  'the  plant,  insects'  ravages  pro- 
duced deterioration  by  the  draining  of  the  sap 
from  the  vital  part — thus  causing  the  disease. 
The  insects,  being  only  microscopic,  rendei'ed  it 
extremely  difficult  to  discover  the  nidus  or  hiber- 
nating spot  of  their  eggs. 

Early  in  my  researches,  however,  I  became  sat- 
isfied, from  the  position  of  the  j/om??^  insects,  that 
the  eggs  would  be  found  near  or  under  the  eye- 
brows of  the  potatoes.     This  proved  to  be  cor- 


486 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Oct. 


rect.  It  was  not  until  1856  that  \  first  found  the 
eggs.  They  are  found  imbedded  in  the  very 
sprouts  and  in  the  skin  near  the  eyes,  but  only 
with  a  ))owerful  microscope  and  by  the  light  of 
the  unclouded  sun  can  they  be  found.  During 
the  period  from  1851  to  1856  my  experiments  in 
cultivation  and  otherwise  were  continued.  Since 
the  latter  date  I  have  watched  as  before,  (sealed 
in  glass  jars  end  otherwise,)  the  development  of 
the  tubers,  and  the  embryo  progress  of  the  eggs 
to  the  first  animate  motion  of  the  tiny  insects, 
•ind  their  attack  upon  the  tender  sprouts  ;  the 
effects  of  their  ravages,  and  the  progress  of  their 
poison  infused  into  the  vines,  causing  the  malady. 
This  insect  is  the  Alpliis. 

The  particulars  of  my  discoveries  and  my  opin- 
ion on  this  subject  were  communicated  to  the 
Governor  and  Council  of  Massachusetts  in  Au- 
gust, 1851,  answering  a  resolution  of  the  Legis- 
lature, passed  that  year,  soliciting  information 
on  this  subject.  And  the  fact  is  a  matter  of  rec- 
ord in  the  State  Department.  For  reasons  of 
my  own,  my  communication  was  to  remain  with 
the  seal  unbroken,  unless  at  my  request,  until 
1856. 

I  have  thus  placed  before  the  reader  the  time, 
original  circumstances  of  discovery,  as  also  the 
final  development  showing  the  cause  of  the  po- 
tato disease. 

The  facts  and  authenticated  proofs  attached 
thereto,  and  a  multiplicity  of  other  similar  evi- 
dence, has  been  placed  before  the  United  States 
Patent  Officej  there  to  remain.  They  are  deemed 
adequate  to  settle  the  question,  positively,  as  to 
the  cause  of  the  disease.  I  need  say  only  a  word 
more.  Let  me  briefly  add,  that,  by  repeated  ex- 
periments, I  have  discovered  a  practical  remedy 
for  the  disease.  The  tests  of  cultivation  are 
shown  by  the  evidence  of  my  immediate  neigh- 
bors, at  Waltham,  Mass.,  which  proves  the  effi- 
cacy of  my  remedy. 

After  a  thorough  and  most  rigid  investigation 
oefore  the  United  States  Patent  Office,  I  have 
secured  letters  patent  from  the  United  States 
Government  for  the  right  to  apply  the  remedy. 
I  am  prepared  to  dispose  of  rights  to  use  the 
remedy.  Individuals  wishing  to  possess  the 
same,  for  States  or  counties,  will  apply  by  letter, 
or  otherwise,  to  the  undersigned. 

Baltimore,  1858.  Lyman  Reed. 


GRAPTIlSra  THE  ORANGE!  PLANT. 

Sir  : — In  the  May  number  of  your  excellent 
journal  I  notice  an  inquiry  by  your  North  Bridge- 
water  correspondent,  Austin  C.  Packard,  on  the 
mode  of  grafting  an  orange  plant,  to  which  I  per- 
ceive no  reply  has  been  made.  Permit  me,  there- 
fore, to  occupy  a  portion  of  j^our  space,  while,  for 
his  information,  I  detail  the  modus  operandi. 

Grafting  is  best  performed  in  Spring,  when  the 
plant  begins  to  push  forth  vigorously.  The  scion 
must  be  a  strong  shoot  of  the  preceding  year's 
growth,  about  three  eyes  in  length.  The  essen- 
tial conditions  to  ensure  success — a  perfect  union 
of  the  lihcr  or  inner  bark  of  the  stock  with  the 
liber  of  the  scion — a  slight  bottom  heat  if  con- 
venient, though  not  absolutely  necessary  ;  shade, 
and  a  confined  atmosphere,  to  secure  moisture 
until  they  are  perfectly  united,  in  order  to  pre- 
vent evaporation  from  the  surface  of  the  scion. 


and  to  retain  its  absorbing  powers  in  action. 
Having  thus  premised,  cut  from  the  side  of  the- 
stock  at  the  height  at  which  it  is  wanted  to  work 
it,  and  in  a  longitudinal  direction,  a  sloping  ])iece 
about  an  inch  and  a  half  long,  and  in  width  ecjual 
to  the  diameter  of  the  scion  at  its  lower  extremi- 
ty, against  which,  the  latter,  somewhat  thinned 
down  to  about  the  same  length,  yet  not  so  deep 
as  to  reach  the  medulla  or  pith,  and  retaining  its 
two  upper  leaves,  is  to  be  applied,  Avith  the  liber 
of  both  in  contact  the  entire  length  of  the  cut 
on  one  side  at  least,  and  bound  round  firmly  with 
coarse  woolen  thread,  or,  what  will  answer  as  well, 
a  piece  of  lamp-wick,  until  the  joint  is  entirely 
covered.  Pinch  off  the  points  of  the  branches  on 
the  stock  if  any,  and  all  young  shoots  as  they 
arise,  in  order  that  all  the  sap  possible  may  be 
impelled  into  the  scion.  After  it  has  made  shoots 
an  inch  or  two  in  length  the  tieing  must  be  loos- 
ened and  the  head  of  the  stock  cut  off  at  the  joint. 
The  proper  time  may  always  be  known  when  the 
cellular  deposit  is  observed  on  the  edge  of  the 
scion,  uniting  both  scion  and  stock. 
Boston,  Aug.  9,  1858.     Thomas  F.  Walsh. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
LIGHTNING,  AND  BARNS  WITH  NEW 
HAY. 

Mr.  Editor  : — In  a  late  Farmer,  "P."  asks 
whether  barns  filled  with  new  hay  are  more  lia- 
ble to  be  fired  by  lightning  than  at  any  other 
time,  or  than  any  other  building  ?  If  so,  the  rea- 
son. That  barns  are  struck  at  that  season  more 
frequently  than  at  any  other  time  is  true.  Statis- 
tics gathered  from  the  most  careful  observations 
show  that  about  seven-tenths  of  the  buildings 
burnt  by  lightning  are  barns.  And  most  of  these 
disasters  occur  during  the  curative  state  of  the 
hay,  which  time  continues  some  three  months 
from  the  begining  of  haying. 

Why  are  barns  more  liable  to  be  thus  burnt  by 
lightning  ?  New  hay  contains  much  gas,  especial- 
ly carbon.  All  of  the  hay  is  highly  charged 
with  electricity,  so  that  the  whole  mass  becomes 
a  most  powerful  electric  battery.  All  being  very 
combustible  is  sure  to  fire  if  the  lightning  strikes 
it.  The  all  important  inquiry  is,  can  conductors 
be  placed  on  buildings  so  as  to  protect  them  ? 
Electricity,  though  the  most  powerful  and  exten- 
sive element  in  nature,  is,  like  every  other  ele- 
ment, regulated  by  law.  If  we  understand  the 
laws  by  which  it  is  governed,  the  lightning  can 
be  managed  and  controlled  as  well  as  any  other 
element.  This  is  a  mighty,  subtle,  active  agent ; 
going,  when  it  moves,  at  the  speed  of  more  than 
two  hundred  thousand  miles  in  a  second,  travel- 
ling more  than  eighty  miles  faster  than  the  rays 
of  light  coming  from  the  sun.  Subtle  as  this  fluid 
is,  and  important  as  the  laws  which  govern  it  are, 
men  are  found  engaged  in  erecting  lightning  rods 
to  protect  our  buildings,  who  do  not  understand 
the  first  principles  of  this  important  science.  Not 
but  that  they,  like  the  false  prophets  of  old, 
make  high  and  loud  pretensions,  yet  many  now, 
as  then,  are  deceived  by  them.  If  we  would  not 
be  humbugged  in  so  important  a  thing  as  the 
protection  of  life  and  property,  let  us  employ  men 
who  are  thoroughly  acquainted  with  the  business. 
Yours  truly,  A.  H,  Heed. 

Mendoi^  August,  1858. 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


487 


e:§:tracts  and  kbplies. 

WILLOWS   FOR   FENCE. 

Allow  me  to  make  a  few  inquiries  concerning 
willows  for  fence.  I  have  a  large  meadow  that 
needs  fencing — will  branches  taken  from  the 
common  willow  tree  and  set  in  the  mud,  make  a 
durable  and  good  fence  around  it  ?  If  so,  what 
season  of  the  year,  how  large  and  how  deep 
should  they  be  set,  and  how  far  apart  ?  Will 
they  grow  in  the  form  of  the  weeping  willow  by 
reversing  the  ends  ?  J.  S.  Ellis. 

Boston,  Sept.,  1858. 

Remarks. — Willows  will  grow  readily,  cut  in 
April  or  early  in  May,  and  set  from  one  to  two 
feet  in  the  ground,  where  it  is  usually  moist 
through  the  summer.  If  they  are  intended  for 
fence  without  other  aid,  they  must  be  planted 
quite  close,  within  two  feet  of  each  other,  and 
then  headed  down  annually  so  as  to  dwarf  them. 
They  may  be  set  much  further  apart,  and  when 
stiff  enough  have  rails  or  strips  of  board  nailed 
across  them,  which  will  be  sufficient  to  keep  out 
cattle,  but  not  sheep  or  swine.  A  willow  stick, 
whether  half  an  inch,  or  an  inch  and  a  half  in  di- 
ameter, will  grow  if  set  under  favorable  circum- 
stances. 

A  willow  fence  answers  the  purpose  very  well 
where  the  land  is  liable  to  be  inundated,  or  where 
the  posts  are  badly  thrown  by  frost. 

A   NEW   STUMP   PULLER. 

Your  Pittsford  correspondent,  who  ■vyants  his 
pine  stumps  put  into  a  fence,  may  address  Julius 
M.  North,  of  Shoreham — who  has  a  machine 
that  extracts  stumps  on  the  same  principle  of  the 
large  two-wheel  stump  machine  which  he  de- 
scribes. The  machine  is  moved  on  four  wheels, 
a  common  ox-cart  in  front,  (minus  the  box  or 
body,)  and  two  trunk  wheels  in  the  rear,  with  a 
pulley  attached  to  the  power  to  be  used  when 
necessary.  The  stump  frame  was  borrowed  from 
a  lever  stump  machine  purchased  here  about 
twenty  years  ago,  which  was  a  failure,  as  every 
stump  machine  will  be  that  extracts  the  stumps 
by  manual  strength  only,  at  the  present  or  past 
prices  of  labor.  HiRAM  RlCH. 

Shoreham,  Vt.,  Sept.,  1858. 

cure  for  the  poison  of  ivy. 

In  answer  to  a  request  for  a  cure  for  the  poi 
son  of  ivy,  I  send  you  a  receipt,  which  its  use  for 
ten  years  warrants  me  in  considering  a  specific 
It  is  as  follows :  take  a  handful  of  the  lobelia  in- 
fiatUi  make  an  infusion  by  pouring  on  it  in  a  tin  or 
earthen  vessel,  a  pint  oi  warm  water,  not  hot ;  set 
it  about  an  hour  in  a  warm  place,  reserve  a  little 
to  sip  occasionally,  and  wash  with  the  remainder 
frequently  and  thoroughly  the  parts  affected,  and 
a  speedy  and  certain  cure  will  be  the  result. 

This  plant  is  easily  known  by  its  small,  light 
blue  flowers  and  bladder-like  capsules,  and  as  if 
to  be  an  antidote  ever  at  hand,  grows  wherever 
ivy  is  found,  on  high  or  low,  wet  or  dry  ground 
The  green  plant  is  best.  It  may  cure  dog-wood ; 
it  will  be  safe  to  try  it.  M.  A.  D. 

BocJqjort,  1858. 


CURE   FOR  A   WIND   SPAVIN. 

I  saw  a  communication  in  your  valuable  paper 
signed  "H.  S.  G.,"  of  West  Bethel,  Vt.,  in  rela- 
tion to  his  colt,  wishing  to  know  whether  it  waf 
spavined,  and  what  remedy  to  apply. 

I  should  call  it  a  "wind  spavin."  It  may  be 
cured  with  the  following  remedy :  take  equal 
parts  beefs  gall,  neatsfoot  oil,  brandy  and  spirits 
of  turpentine ;  shake  well  together,  and  apply  it 
thoroughly  once  a  day  until  cured.  I  have  cured 
them  in  this  way  in  eight  weeks. 

mil,  N.  H.,  1858.  N.  F.  Morrill. 

THE   WAY   TO   HAVE   FRESH  TOMATOES  WITHOUT 
SELF-SEALING   CANS. 

Some  afternoon  when  you  think  everything 
will  be  killed  with  frost  at  night,  pull  up  your 
vines  that  are  loaded  with  green  tomatoes,  and 
hang  them  in  the  cellar  ;  they  will  ripfen  off  finely. 
I  took  some  from  my  cellar  last  Christmas  day, 
that  were  very  nice.  J.  C.  Norton. 

Bridgeioater,  Sept.  14. 


BOYS'  DEPARTMENT. 


THE  HAUNTED  HOUSE. 

Speaking  of  ghosts,  I  have  heard  that  some 
years  ago  there  was  a  lone  house  standing  by 
itself,  near  a  plantation,  not  far  from  Guilford. 
The  house  nobody  A\ould  ever  take  because  it  was 
haunted,  and  strange  noises  heard  in  it  every 
night  after  dark ;  several  tenants  tried  it  but  were 
frightened  away  by  the  noise.  At  last  one  in- 
dividual, more  courageous  than  the  rest,  resolved 
to  unravel  the  mystery.  He  accordingly  armed 
himself,  and  having  put  out  the  light,  remained 
sentry  in  one  of  the  rooms.  Shortly  he  heard  on 
the  stairs,  pit  pat,  a  full  stop  again.  The  noise 
was  repeated  several  times,  as  though  some  crea- 
ture, ghost  or  no  ghost,  was  coming  up  stairs. 
At  last  the  thing,  whatever  it  was,  came  close  to 
the  door  of  the  room  where  the  sentry  was  listen- 
ing ;  his  heart,  too,  chimed  in  with  pit  pat  rather 
more  than  it  was  wont  to  do.  He  flung  open 
the  door,  hurry-skurry,  bang ;  something  went 
down,  down  stairs  with  a  tremendous  jump,  and 
all  over  the  bottom  of  the  house  the  greatest 
confusion,  as  of  thousands  of  demons  rushing  in 
all  directions,  was  heard.  This  was  enough  for 
one  night.  The  next  night  our  crafty  sentry  estab- 
lished himself  on  the  first  landing,  with  a  heap 
of  straw  and  a  box  of  lucifer  matches.  Soon  all 
was  quiet.  Up  stairs  again  came  the  pit  pat,  pit 
pat.  When  the  noise  Avas  close  to  his  ambush 
he  scraped  his  match,  and  set  fire  to  the  straw, 
which  blazed  up  like  a  bonfire  in  an  instant ;  and 
what  did  he  see  ? — only  a  rabbit,  who  stood  on 
his  hind  legs,  as  much  astonished  as  was  the 
sentry.  Both  man  and  beast  having  mutually 
inspected  each  other,  the  biped  hurled  a  sword  at 
the  quadruped,  who  disappeared  down  stairs 
quicker  than  he  came  up.  The  noise  made  was 
only  the  rabbit's  fore  and  hind  legs  hitting  the 
boards  as  he  hopped  from  one  stair  to  the  other. 
The  rabbits  had  got  into  the  house  from  the 
neighboring  plantation,  and  had  fairly  frightened 
away,  by  their  nocturnal  wanderings,  the  rightful 
owners  thereof.  The  more  courageous  sentry 
was  rewarded  for  his  vigil,  for  he  held  his  tongue 


488 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Oct. 


as  to  the  cause  of  the  ghost.  He  got  the  house 
at  a  reduced  rent,  and  several  capital  rabbit  pies 
made  of  the  ghosts'  bodies  Into  the  bargain. — 
Buckland/s  Curiosities  of  Natural  History. 


SHUN  AFFECTATION. 
There  is  nothing  more  beautiful  in  the  young 
than  simplicity  of  character.  It  is  honest,  frank, 
and  attractive.  How  different  is  affectation !  The 
simpleminded  are  always  natural.  They  are  at 
the  same  time  original.  The  affected  are  never 
natural.  And  as  for  originality,  if  they  ever  had 
it,  they  have  crushed  it  out,  and  buried  it  from 
sight,  utterly.  Be  yourself,  then,  young  friend  ! 
To  attempt  to  be  anybody  else  is  worse  than 
follj'.  It  is  an  impossibility  to  attain  it.  It  is 
contemptible  to  try !  But  suppose  you  could 
succeed  in  imitating  the  greatest  man  that  ever 
figured  in  history,  would  that  make  you  any  the 
gi-eater  ?  By  no  means.  You  would  always  suffer 
in  comparison  with  the  imitated  one,  and  be 
thought  of  only  as  the  shadow  of  a  substance — 
the  echo  of  a  real  sound — the  counterfeit  of  a 
pure  coin!  Dr.  Johnston  aptly  compared  the 
heartless  imitator — for  such  is  he  who  affects  the 
character  of  another — to  the  Empress  of  Russia, 
■when  she  did  the  freakish  thing  of  erecting  a 
palace  of  ice.  It  was  splendid  and  conspicuous 
while  it  lasted.  But  the  sun  soon  melted  it,  and 
caused  its  attractions  to  dissolve  into  common 
water,  while  the  humblest  stone  cottages  of  her 
subjects  stood  firm  and  unmarred  !  Let  the  fabric 
of  your  character,  though  never  so  humble,  be  at 
least  real.  Avoid  affecting  the  character  of  an- 
other, however  great.  Build  up  your  own.  Be 
what  God  intended  you  to  be — yourself,  and  not 
somebody  else.     Shun  affectation. 


of  hyperbole  is  so  common  among  women  that  a 
woman's  criticism  is  generally  without  value. 
Let  me  insist  upon  this  thing.  Be  more  econom- 
ical in  the  use  of  your  mother  tongue.  Apply 
your  terms  of  praise  with  precision  ;  use  epithets 
with  some  degree  of  judgment  and  fitness.  Do 
not  waste  your  best  and  highest  words  upon  in- 
ferior objects,  and  find  that  when  you  have  met 
with  something  which  really  is  superlatively 
great  and  good,  the  terms  by  which  you  would 
distinguish  it  have  all  been  thrown  away  upon 
inferior  things — that  you  are  bankrupt  in  ex- 
pression. If  a  thing  is  simply  good,  say  so ;  if 
pretty,  say  so  ;  if  very  pretty,  say  so  ;  if  fine,  say 
so  ;  if  very  fine,  say  so  ;  if  grand,  say  so  ;  if  sub- 
lime, say  so  ;  if  magnificent,  say  so  ;  if  splendid, 
say  so.  These  words  all  have  a  different  mean- 
ings, and  you  may  say  them  all  of  as  many  dif- 
ferent objects,  and  not  use  the  word  "perfect" 
once.  That  is  a  very  large  word.  You  will 
probably  be  obliged  to  save  it  for  application  to 
the  Deity,  or  to  His  works,  or  to  that  serene  rest 
which  remains  for  those  who  love  Him. — Tii~ 
comb's  Letters  to  Young  People. 


LADIES'  DEPARTMENT. 


TALKING  IN  ECSTATIC8. 

And  now  that  I  am  upon  this  subject  of  talk, 
it'Vill  be  well  to  say  all  I  have  to  say  upon  it. 
It  is  a  very  common  thing  for  young  women  to 
indulge  in  hyperbole.  A  pretty  dress  is  very  apt 
to  be  "perfectly  splendid ;"  a  disagreeable  per- 
son is  too  often  "perfectly  hateful ;"  a  party  in 
which  the  company  enjoyed  themselves,  some- 
how liecomes  transmuted  into  the  "most  delight- 
ful thing  ever  seen."  A  young  man  of  respecta- 
ble parts  and  manly  bearing  is  very  often  "such 
a  magnificent  fellow  !"  The  adjective  "perfect," 
that  stands  so  much  alone  as  never  to  have  the 
privilege  of  help  from  comparatives  and  superla- 
tives, is  sadly  over-worked,  in  company  with 
several  others  of  the  intense  and  extravagant  or- 
der. The  result  is  that,  by  the  use  of  such  lan- 
guage as  this,  your  opinion  soon  becomes  value- 
'less. 

A  woman  who  deals  only  in  superlatives  de- 
monstrates at  once  the  fact  that  her  judgment  is 
subordinate  to*  her  feelings,  and  that  her  opin- 
ions are  entirely  unreliable.  All  language  thus 
loses  its  power  and  significance.  The  same  words 
are  brought  into  use  to  describe  a  ribbon  in  a 
milliner's  window,  as  are  employed  in  the  en- 
deavor to  do  justice  to  Thalberg's  execution  of 
Beetlioven's  most  heavenly  symphony.    The  use 


domestic  beceipts. 
Important  Hint  in  Washing  Clothes. — 
The  American  Agriculturist  asserts  that  the  great 
secret  of  the  success  of  nine  out  of  ten  of  the 
washing  fluids,  mixtures,  and  machines  which 
have  been  sold  over  the  country  for  many  years 
past,  is  not  owing  so  much  to  the  inherent  qual- 
ities of  the  articles  themselves  as  to  the  process 
of  soaking,  which  they  invariably  recommend. 
If  people  pursuing  the  old-fashioned  system  of 
washing  will  simply  take  the  precaution  to  throw 
all  the  clothing  to  be  washed  into  water  ten  or 
fifteen  hours  before  beginning  operations,  they 
will  find  half  the  labor  of  rubbing  and  pounding 
saved  in  most  cases.  Water  is  of  itself,  a  great 
solvent,  even  of  the  oily  materials  that  collect 
upon  clothing  worn  in  contact  with  the  body, 
but  time  is  required  to  effect  the  solution.  Every 
one  is  aware  of  the  effect  of  keeping  the  hands  or 
feet  moist  for  a  few  hours — the  entire  external 
coating  of  secretion  is/lissolved.  The  same  ef- 
fect is  produced  by  soaking  for  a  few  hours 
clothes  soiled  by  the  excretory  matter  of  the  skin. 

Home-Made  Figs. — Will  you  encourage  home 
manufacturers  so  far  as  to  publish  these  recipes  ? 

Pare  and  core  pears,  peaches,  or  quinces,  (or 
tomatoes  :)  make  a  syrup,  flavored  with  lemon 
peel.  Boil  the  fruit  till  done,  then  drain  it 
through  a  colander,  and  spread  on  dishes ;  place 
in  the  sunshine,  or  in  a  moderately  heated  stove, 
till  nearly  dry  ;  sprinkle  with  loaf  sugar  ;  dry  a 
little  more  ;  then  pack  them  in  boxes,  and  put  in 
a  cool  place.  Figs  made  in  this  way  are  consid- 
erdS  superior  to  real  imported  figs.  When  to- 
matoes are  used,  they  should  be  the  straw-col- 
ored fig  tomatoes. — Lilly,  in  Zion's  Herald. 

Erysipelas. — A  correspondent  of  the  Provi- 
dence Journal  says,  that  in  ninety-nine  cases  out 
of  every  hundred,  cranberries  applied  as  a  poul- 
tice will  effectually  cure  the  erysipelas.  There  is 
not  an  instance  known  where  it  has  failed  to  ef- 
fect a  cure,  when  faithfully  applied  before  the 
sufferer  was  in  a  dying  state.  Tavo  or  three  ap- 
plications generally  do  the  work. 


DEVOTED   TO  AGKICULTURE    AND    ITS  KINDKED   ARTS  AND    SCIENCES. 


VOL.  X. 


BOSTON,  NOVEMBER,  1858. 


NO.  11, 


JOEL  NOIUSE,  Proprietor. 
Office. ..13  ComrERCiAL  St. 


SIMON  BROWN,  EDITOR. 


FRED'K  HOLBROOK,  )  Associate 
HENRY  F.  FRENCH,     Editors. 


OAiBNDAR  FOR  NOVEMBER. 
< 

'"Tis  the  year's  eventide. 

The  wind,  like  one  that  sighs  in  pain, 

O'er  joys  that  ne'er  will  bloom  again, 

Moans  on  the  far  hill  side. 

The  air  breathes  chill  and  free  ; 

A  spirit,  in  soft  music,  calls 

From  autumn's  gray  and  moss-grown  halls, 

And  round  her  withered  trees, 

Leaves,  that  the  night  wind  bears 

To  earth's  cold  bosom  with  a  sigh, 

Are  types  of  our  mortality. 

And  of  our  fading  years." 


November  mornings 
are  often  cold  and 
dark,  and  a  dull, 
sombre  feeling 
'pervades  the  whole 
day.  But  if  the 
pleasant,  cheerful 
weather  does  not 
lead  us  to  go  brisk- 
ly about  our  du- 
ties, we  must  set 
about  them  under 
the  spur  of  neces- 

sity,  for  they  must 

be    performed.      The    corn 

must    be   husked    and    the 

giain  threshed.     The  roots 

must  be  taken  out  of  the  ground,  if 

they  have   not   been    already,   and 


carefully  secured  in  the  cellar,  and 
it  is  to  be  hoped  you  have  a  big  pile  of  them. 

Now  the  fields  have  become  "brown  and  sere," 
and  the  cattle  can  find  nothing  green  and  succu- 
lent,— you  will  begin  to  appreciate  the  value  of 
turnips,  carrots  and  beets.  Before  the  ground 
freezes  there  are  many  things  to  be  done.  If  you 
need  any  drains  about  the  house  and  yard,  to 
carry  off  the  rain-water  that  is  apt  to  trouble 
you  by  its  accumulation  upon  the  frozen  surface, 
see  that  they  are  made  in  the  right  place,  before 
the  ground  freezes.     A  little  forethought  in  this 


respect  may  save  you  much  inconvenience  before 
the  ground  thaws  in  the  spring. 

Now  is  the  time  to  get  a  large  heap  of  muck 
into  the  barn-cellar,  or  if  you  have  not  got  the 
muck,  dry  loam.  It  will  soon  be  frozen,  and  then 
it  will  be  more  work  to  handle  it,  and  it  will  not 
be  mixed  so  freely  or  so  well  with  the  manure. 

See  that  everything  that  needs  protecting 
from  the  weather  is  properly  attended  to  at  once. 
Cover  the  asparagus  bed  and  rhubarb  with  a 
good  coating  of  horse-manure^  A  dressing  of 
fine  old  muck  and  ashes,  spread  on  the  straw- 
berry bed,  and  this  covered  with  leaves,  or  mea- 
dow hay,  straw  or  fine  boughs,  will  prepare  it  for 
an  early  start  in  the  spring.  Isabella  gravies  are 
the  better  for  being  laid  upon  the  ground,  and  cov- 
ered, either  with  earth  or  hay  or  boards.  We  pre- 
fer a  covering  of  soil  alone — and  the  method  is 
as  follows  : — Dig  a  shallow  trench  three  or  four 
inches  deep  with  the  hoe,  as  long  as  it  may  be 
needed,  then  lay  the  vine  into  it,  gathering  in  all 
the  side  shoots.  Then  lay  across  two  or  three 
old  boards  or  stakes,  step  on  them  and  press 
down  the  vine  and  throw  on  the  soil  which  had 
been  removed  from  the  trench,  and  enough  more 
to  cover  the  vine  efi"ectually.  In  the  spring,  after 
the  soil  gets  warm,  remove  the  earth  carefully 
from  the  vine,  and  lift  it  from  the  trench,  and 
replace  it  on  the  trellis.  One  great  advantage 
of  this  mode  of  treating  the  gi-ape  is,  that  the 
vine  remains  in  a  uniform  temperature,  and  does 
not  freeze  and  thaw  with  the  change  of  the 
weather.  We  have  never  known  vines  winter- 
kill that  were  treated  in  this  way.  Have  the  cel- 
lars well  ;.ecured,  and  see  that  the  hens  have  a 
warm,  dry  place,  with  a  plenty  of  gravel  and 
ashes  for  them  to  wallow  in.  See  that  the  swine 
are  provided  with  a  warm,  dry  sleeping  place, 
secure  from  the  driving  wind  and  snow.  They 
are  fond  of  warmth,  and  will  not  thrive  without 
it.  A  little  care  for  poultry  and  pigs  will  be  well 
repaid,  and  the  creatures  will  be  much  more  con- 
tented and  comfortable. 


490 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Nov 


We  think  it  is  not  well  to  allow  the  cattle 
to  roam  over  the  fields  after  this  time,  browsing 
the  trees,  and  shivering  with  the  cold,  even  if 
there  is  no  snow  on  the  ground.  They  may,  it 
is  true,  pick  up  a  part  of  their  living,  but  they 
waste  their  manure,  and  get  roaming  habits 
They  had  better  be  kept  in  the  barn  and  yard, 
and  fed  from  the  ample  store  which  has  been 
provided  for  them.  Take  good  care  of  them  in 
the  early  part  of  the  season,  and  get  them  accus- 
tomed to  quiet  habits,  and  they  will  not  fret  off 
the  flesh  which  they  have  accumulated  in  the  pas- 
ture. Give  them  plenty  of  salt,  a  mess  of  root 
daily,  and  a  foddering  of  corn  stalks  or  husks. 
A  variety  of  food  is  agreeable  to  them,  and  pro- 
motes their  appetite. 

Cattle  that  are  being  stall-fed  require  particu- 
lar attention.  Do  not  surfeit  them  with  too  large 
quantities  of  food.  Give  them  no  more  at  one 
time  than  they  will  eat  up  clean.  Pumpkins  and 
apples,  with  shorts  and  meal,  make  a  good  vari- 
ety of  food.  Use  up  the  perishable  articles  first. 
If  your  hay  is  not  of  the  best  quality,  be  sui'e 
and  cut  it  and  moisten  it,  and  mix  the  meal  and 
shorts  with  it.  Give  them  plenty  of  good  bed- 
ding and  keep  them  clean. 

We  generally  have  a  week  of  fine  weather  in 
November — the  true  Indian  summer.     There  is 

"Yet  one  smile  more,  departing  distant  seen — 
One  mellow  smile,  through  the  soft  vapory  air." 

Improve  well  these  sunny  days. 

"Ere  o'er  the  frozen  earth  the  loud  winds  run, 
Or  snows  are  sifted  o'er  the  meadows  bare." 

But  November  is  not  all  a  month  of  sadness 
and  melancholy.  We  have  been  blessed  in  our 
"basket  and  store"  more  than  we  even  expected 
a  few  weeks  ago,  and  we  have  reasons  all  around 
us,  for  gratitude  to  the  Giver  of  all  good  gifts. 
Our  forefathers  set  apart  a  season  in  November 
to  offer  a  sacrifice  of  thanksgiving  and  praise, 
and  we  will  joyfully  imitate  their  pious  example. 
May  we  do  it  with  sincere  feelings  of  thanksgiv- 
ing for  the  mercies  of  the  year ;  and  let  us  man- 
ifest the  sincerity  of  our  gratitude  for  the  bles- 
sings by  which  the  Year  has  been  crowned,  by 
imparting  freely  to  those  who  need,  remembering 
that  "it  is  more  blessed  to  give  than  to  receive." 


it  is  one  thing  to  grind  a  fabric  to  powder,  and 
another  to  annihilate  its  materials  ;  scattered  as 
they  may  be,  they  must  fall  somewhere,  and  con- 
tinue, if  only  as  ingredients  of  the  soil,  to  per- 
form their  humble  but  still  useful  part  in  the 
economy  of  nature.  The  destruction  produced 
by  fire  is  yet  more  striking.  In  many  cases, 
as  in  the  burning  of  a  piece  of  charcoal  or  a  ta- 
per, there  is  no  smoke — nothing  visibly  dissipa- 
ted and  carried  away ;  the  burning  body  wastes 
and  disappears,  while  nothing  seems  to  be  pro- 
duced but  warmth  and  light,  which  we  are  not 
in  the  habit  of  considering  as  substances  ;  and 
when  all  has  disappeared,  except,  perhaps,  some 
trifling  ashes,  we  naturally  enough  suppose  that 
it  is  gone,  lost,  destroyed.  But  when  the  ques- 
tion is  examined  more  exactly,  we  detect,  in  the 
invisible  stream  of  heated  air  which  ascends  from 
the  glowing  coal  or  heated  wax,  the  whole  pon- 
derable matter,  only  united  in  a  new  combina- 
tion with  the  air,  and  dissolved  in  it.  Yet,  so 
far  from  being  thereby  destroyed,  it  is  only  be- 
come what  it  was  before  it  existed  in  the  form  of 
charcoal  or  wax — an  active  agent  in  the  business 
of  th3  world,  and  a  main  support  of  animal  or 
vegetable  life. — Dickens. 


INDESTEUCTIBILITY  OF  MATTER. 

We  can  alter  the  combinations  and  forms  of 
matter,,  but  we  can  in  no  way  destroy  it ;  and, 
though  we  may  avail  ourselves  of  its  properties, 
in  order  to  obtain  an  enormous  force  to  do  our 
bidding,  and  so  make  ourselves  independent  of 
wind  and  tide,  and  even  anticipate  the  flight  of 
time,  we  can  create  no  new  property.  "One  of 
the  most  obvious  cases,"  says  Sir  J.  Herschell, 
"of  apparent  destruction  is,  when  anything  is 
ground  to  dust  and  scattered  to  the  winds.    But 


For  the  Ketc  England  Parmer. 
STOCKS  FOR  GRAFTING. 

For  twenty  years  past  I  have  experimented  in 
grafting  on  stocks,  of  different  species  of  fruit 
from  that  of  the  scion.  If  the  species  are  not 
nearly  allied,  it  is  useless  to  expect  they  will 
unite  and  grow  ;  we  hear  frequent  reports  of 
grafting  the  apple  into  maple,  poplar,  and  other 
trees  of  various  kinds  of  an  opposite  nature, 
which  is  much  like  raising  wheat  and  chess  by 
sowing  wheat  alone.  There  are  many  instances 
where  a  scion  and  stock  of  two  different  kinds  of 
fruit  will  unite  and  continue  growing  for  one  or 
more  seasons,  and  then  die  before  producing 
I  fruit;  others  will  bear  fruit  for  several  years  ; 
the  pear,  on  quince,  for  instance,  yet  in  this  case 
the  tree  is  much  shorter  lived  than  when  arrowing 
on  its  own  roots  ;  but  many  varieties  of  pears 
are  much  improved  in  quality  by  the  process.  I 
have  put  the  apple  on  the  wild  pear,  or  shad 
bush ;  the  scions  grew  vigorously  for  one  season, 
and  then  died.  Others  set  in  the  thorn  did  not 
grow  at  all.  The  pear  was  inserted  in  the  moun- 
tain ash  and  lived  till  it  produced  fruit,  and  then 
failed ;  grafted  in  the  apple  the  result  was  the 
same ;  in  the  quince,  it  succeeds  better. 

A  few  years  since  a  quince  stock  of  the  com- 
mon kind  was  grafted  with  the  pear  for  a  person 
who  had  quite  a  number  of  dwarf  trees  on  An- 
glers quince  ;  he  recently  informed  me  the  one 
above  mentioned  was  the  best  tree  in  the  collec- 
tion. A  plum  graft  put  in  a  peach  some  years 
since,  now  produces  fruit ;  whether  it  will  survive 
long  I  am  unable  to  say.  Last  spring  a  few  plum 
scions  were  tried  in  the  small  wild  red  cherry ;  a 
part  of  them  have  made  a  good  growth,  and  may 
produce  fruit  in  time.  The  apricot  succeeds  very 
well  on  the  peach,  and  also  on  the  plum ;  the 
almond  I  have  set  in  the  plum,  which  grew  for 
several  years.  I  have  never  been  able  to  succeed 
in  making  a  peach  scion  live,  either  in  peach  or 
plum  stoqji,  yet  the  peach  in  budding,  grows  as 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


491 


readily  as  other  kinds  of  fruit.  Cobbett  recom- 
mends budding  the  peach  into  the  plum,  and  to 
this  he  attributes  the  long  life  of  peach  trees  in 
England.  He  states  that  it  is  not  uncommon 
there  to  see  trees  fifty  years  old  in  full  vigor.  1 
have  set  scions  of  the  English  cherry  in  the 
Mazzard,  the  Morello,  wild  black,  the  choke 
cherry,  and  small  red  or  pigeon  cherry  of  the 
woods ;  in  the  wild  black  they  did  not  live, 
neither  in  the  choke  variety ;  in  the  Morello  th-ey 
grew  and  bore  fruit  a  few  years,  and  then  died ; 
in  the  small  red  or  pigeon,  they  have  done  very 
well,  and  many  which  have  been  grafted  now 
produce  fruit,  and  to  appearance  may  live  many 
years.  But  in  general  it  is  preferable  to  have 
the  stock  and  scion  of  the  same  species,  with  re- 
gard to  all  kinds  of  fruit,  when  it  is  practicable. 
Leominster,  Sept.,  1858.  O.  V.  Hill. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
OW  HAKVESTING  WHEAT. 

Mr.  Editor  : — While  in  the  employment  of 
one  of  your  subscribers,  and  he  harvesting  a  ver-y 
nice  piece  of  wheat  which  he  had  raised,  the 
question  rose  v.ithus  which  was  the  best,  cheapest 
and  quickest  way  of  doing  it.  We  disagreed  in 
our  opinions,  and  as  "H."  thought  his  way  was 
not  only  the  quickest  and  cleanest,  provided 
a  farmer  had  plenty  of  barn  room,  we  agreed 
to  make  our  statements  full  and  plain,  and  rea- 
sons given,  and  then  leave  it  for  your  practical 
and  experienced  farmers  to  decide. 

Mr.  Holmes  claimed  that  the  quickest  and  best 
way  was  to  mow  his  wheat,  rake  it  into  winrows 
and  tumbles,  and  draw  it  as  he  does  hay.  He 
claims  that  the  expense  is  so  much  less  than  to 
hire  a  man  to  reap,  cradle  and  bind  it,  and  that 
it  would  not  pay,  or  at  least,  there  would  be  a 
saving  in  so  doing,  beside  doing  it  so  much 
quicker.  I  contended  it  was  a  slovenish  and 
wasteful  way  of  harvesting  grain,  and  more  es- 
pecially a  crop  of  wheat.  I  contend  there  is  more 
or  less  wheat  that  will  not  be  cut ;  there  will  be 
many  scattering  heads  on  the  ground  which  will 
not  be  got.  Again,  in  drawing  and  pitching,  there 
is  a  loss  by  the  scattering  from  the  wagon  from 
the  field  to  the  barn.  It  takes  four  times  as 
much  room  to  mow  it  away,  saying  nothing 
about  the  scatterings  that  will  be  lost  before 
threshing,  and  the  loss  by  exposure  to  the  fowls. 
I  think  after  a  man  has  been  to  the  expense  of 
preparing  a  piece  of  ground,  and  raised  a  nice 
crop  of  wheat,  his  best  way  is,  either  to  reap,  or 
cradle,  and  then  bind  it  in  medium  size  bundles, 
and  stack  it  a  few  days  till  well  cured,  and  then 
draw  it  to  the  barn  and  put  it  on  a  scafibld  by  it- 
self. The  farmer  that  indulges  in  moiving  loheat, 
is  lacking  in  good  taste,  and  is  not  what  I  should 
call  a  nice  and  prudent  farmer.  I  hope  some  of 
your  farmer  subscribers  will  give  us  their  opin- 
ions upon  this  subject,  that  Mr.  H.  and  myself 
may  have  our  errors  pointed  out,  that  we  may  in 
the  future  improve  and  profit  by  the  practice  of 
old  and  experienced  farmers. 

Another  thing  we  differ  in,  is,  in  hoeing  corn. 
I  claim  the  only  true  way  of  hoeing  corn  is,  to 
cut  up  and  clean  out  all  the  weeds  and  grass  from 
in  and  around  the  hill  of  corn,  and  then  sift  in 
among  it  a  little  fresh  earth,  and  bring  the  weeds 


and  grass  upon  the  surface  where  the  sun  can 
wilt  and  kill  them.  My  neighbor  claims  that  the 
best  way  is  to  cover  the  grass  and  weeds  with 
earth  from  one  to  two  inches  in  depth.  But  will 
the  earth  kill  the  grass  and  weeds,  or  will  they 
not,  the  first  warm  shower,  make  their  appearance 
again,  and  be  more  rank  and  deeply  rooted  than 
before,  and  sap  from  the  earth  that  virtue  which 
the  corn  would  otherwise  have,  by  cutting  up  and 
killing  them  on  the  surface  of  the  ground  ? 
Georgia,  17.,  1858.  n.  n.  II. 


Remarks. — We  have  never  harvested  a  crop 
of  wheat  by  mowing  it,  and  have  never  known  it 
done  in  half  a  dozen  instances.  Reaping  it  by 
hand  is  a  slow  and  laborious  process,  and  conse- 
quently expensive.  Where  the  straw  is  not  of 
much  value,  we  would  mow  a  crop  of  wheat,  and 
sufi'er  the  incidental  loss,  rather  than  reap  it  by 
hand.  But  the  true  way  is  to  cradle  it,  as  an  ex- 
pert workman  will  cradle  from  two  to  three  acres 
in  a  day,  laying  it  out  finely  for  the  binders,  and 
scarcely  leave  more  scatterings  than  is  usually 
left  by  the  reaper. 

With  regard  to  hoeing,  there  can  be  no  ques- 
tion, we  think,  but  that  it  is  better  to  hoe  in 
clear,  hot  weather,  and  leave  the  grass  and  weeds 
that  are  pulled  or  cut  up,  on  the  surface,  where 
the  sun  soon  wilts  them  so  that  they  will  not 
take  root.  Most  weeds  are  so  tenacious  of  life 
that  if  only  a  small  portion  of  their  roots  is  cov- 
ered with  the  soil,  they  will  recover  and  grow 
again.  The  roots  of  some  grasses,  when  cut  up 
and  covered  again,  will  throw  out  a  new  root  at 
every  joint.  But  the  matter  maybe  so  easily  de- 
cided by  experiment,  that  much  doubt  upon  it 
does  not  seem  necessary. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
BUILDING  ON  THE  HILLS. 

The  inquiry  is  prevalent  among  our  young  men, 
"why  our  fathers  build  upon  the  hills  instead  of 
building  upon  the  flats,  or  low  lands."  The 
wisdom  and  good  sense  of  our  early  settlers  will 
readily  be  seen  by  every  thinking  mind  who  re- 
flects upon  the  subject  with  care  and  attention. 

The  average  temperature  of  the  weather  is  much 
lower  in  the  low  lands,  taken  through  the  year, 
and  not  warmer,  as  many  suppose.  It  is  not  only 
colder,  but  the  atmosphere  is  peculiarly  impreg- 
nated with  bilious  influences,  and  particularly 
adapted  to  the  generation  of  diseases.  So  far  as 
my  investigations  extend,  the  record  shows  more 
than  four-fifths  of  all  the  cases  of  dysentery  to 
have  occurred  in  the  low  lands.  Indeed,  I  do  not 
know  of  a  single  case  to  have  occurred  upon  the 
hills  this  many  years.  Young  farmers,  as  you 
delight  in  beautiful  scenery,  sound  health  and  a 
vigorous  body,  keep  back  upon  the  hills. 

L.  L.  Pierce. 


^ff°  Brave  actions  are  the  substance  of  life,  and 
good  sayings  the  ornament  of  it. 


492 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Nov. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
CORISJ"  VERSUS   BEEF. 

It  is  said  by  a  writer  in  the  Farmer  for  March 
last,  that  it  takes  about  ten  pounds  of  corn  to 
make  one  pound  of  beef.  It  is  also  stated  by 
authority  equally  reliable,  that  one  jjound  of  corn 
contains  more  than  twice  as  much  nutritious 
matter  as  a  pound  of  average  butchers'  meat. 
Thus  butchers'  meat  furnishes  in  all,  only  36.6 
parts  in  one  hundred  of  solid  matter,  to  63.4  of 
water ;  while  corn  meal  contains  90  parts  in  100 
solid  matter  and  only  10  of  water. 

Now  in  following  out  and  applying  these  facts, 
we  arrive  at  conclusions  that  may  be,  to  some, 
not  a  little  startling.  We  find,  for  example,  that 
the  change  of  corn  into  beef  and  pork,  especially 
the  latter,  is  a  most  palpable  violation  of  the  laws 
of  domestic  and  political  economy.  For  if  it 
should  be  taken  for  granted  that  we  raise  800,- 
000,000  bushels  of  corn  in  the  United  States  in 
a  year,  (and  this  is  estimated  to  be  the  fact  by 
Mr.  John  Jay,  of  the  Geographical  and  Statistical 
Society  of  New  York,)  is  it  not  safe  to  suppose 
that  at  least  one-half  of  it  is  employed  in  fatten- 
ing animals  ?  And  if  it  takes  as  much  corn  to 
make  a  pound  of  pork  as  it  does  to  make  a  pound 
of  beef,  then  here  is  a  waste  of  360,000,000  bush- 
els of  this  valuable  product ;  or  at  fifty  cents  a 
bushel,  of  $180,000,000;  even  though  we  ad- 
mit that  a  pound  of  beef  contained  as  much  nu- 
tritious matter  as  a  pound  of  corn,  which  we  have 
seen  above  is  not  true. 

If  it  is  said,  as  it  may  be,  that  this  is  a  nation- 
al loss  rather  than  a  loss  to  individuals,  I  should 
like  to  know  how  it  can  be  made  out.  I  see  no 
reason  why  a  national  loss  is  not  a  loss  to  each 
individual  making  up  that  nation — and  in  gener- 
al, a  loss  which  falls  upon  us  about  equally.  If 
this  is  so,  and  we  take  our  present  population  to 
be  30.000,000,  here  is  a  loss  of  six  dolsars  to  each 
individual,  or  thirty  dollars  for  a  family  of  five 
persons.  If,  however,  we  admit  the  corn  to  be 
worth  twice  as  much  per  pound  as  the  beef — I 
mean  for  all  the  purposes  of  human  nutrition — 
then  the  loss  of  course  is  double  that  sum,  or 
sixty  dollars  to  a  family.  Are  we  able  and  will- 
ing to  bear  this  loss  ? 

Some  may  say  they  prefer  the  beef  and  pork 
because  it  makes  them  warmer  than  corn  bread. 
But  if  this  were  admitted,  the  difference  in  favor 
of  the  animal  food  could  not  be  as  great  as  ten 
to  one.  It  is  not  to  be  admitted,  however.  Corn 
meal  contains  77  parts  in  100  of  the  heat-form- 
ing principle,  and  butchers'  meat  only  a  fraction 
over  14  parts  in  100. 

It  may  be  said  that  the  beef  and  pork  taste 
better  than  the  johnny  cake  or  the  pudding.  Not 
to  the  inhabitants  of  those  countries  that  are 
sustained  almost  wholly  on  corn.  Nor  do  they, 
indeed,  to  any  one  whose  taste  is  pure  and  un- 
perverted.  It  is  a  species  of  cannibalism  in  hu- 
man society  that  makes  a  person  relish  flesh  and 
blood,  with  all  the  filth  that  belongs  to  every  part 
and  parcel  of  them — some  items  of  which  it 
would  not  do  for  decency's  sake  to  specify. 

"At  any  rate, "the  laborer  will  say,  "I  can  work 
better  with  my  beef-steak  for  breakfast  and  corned 
beef  for  dinner."  Can  you  work  alongside  of 
the  corn-bread  eater?  The  Swiss  mountaineer 
who  gets  a  little  animal  food  nearly  every  day. 


and  a  plenty  of  milk,  is  soon  outworked  by  his 
neighbor  of  the  valley  of  theTicin,who  through- 
out the  year  lives  almost  wholly  on  food  prepared 
from  Indian  corn.  And  there  was  a  time  v/hen 
it  was  thought  to  be  good  economy  in  one  part 
of  our  United  States,  to  keep  the  laborer  very 
largely  on  corn. 

"But  I  like  the  beef-steak,  I  must  have  it,"  you 
may  say  ;  yes,  here  is  the  secret.  Very  well ;  if 
you  are  willing  as  the  representative  of  the  fam- 
ily to  have  your  pocket  picked  every  year  of  six- 
ty dollars,  then  indulge  your  filthy  habit  a  little 
longer.  And  certainly,  it  is  yet  a  free  country ; 
although,  I  know  not  how  long  it  will  be. 

XV.  A.  Alcott. 


Fur  the  New  England  Farmer. 

THE  EIGHT  "WAY  TO  MAKE  AST  ORCH- 
ARD IN"  A  "WORN-OUT  FIELD. 

Gents.  : — I  wish  to  make  some  inquiries  re- 
specting the  best  manner  of  preparing  an  old 
field  for  the  planting  of  an  orchard,  by  answer- 
ing which  you  will  confer  an  esteemed  favor  on 
me,  and  without  doubt,  upon  many  other  read- 
ers of  your  valuable  journal,  I  have  afield  of 
about  seven  acres  which  it  is  desirable  to  lay  out, 
and  plant  with  an  orchard.  It  is  nearly  square, 
lays  pretty  high,  and"  produces  annually  two  or 
three  tons  of  white  top.  On  the  west  side  of  the 
field  there  is  a  road,  on  the  opposite  side  of 
which  there  is  a  piece  of  woods,while  on  the  north 
it  is  protected  fi'om  winds  by  a  narrow  belt  of 
forest  trees,  running  by  the  Avail.  With  the  ex- 
ception of  two  or  three  slight  depressions,  or 
runs,  as  they  are  called,  the  field  is  nearly  level. 
On  the  land  are  numerous  heaps  of  cobble-stones 
with  an  old  cellar  filled  with  the  same,  and  a 
large  quantity  of  larger  rocks,  suitable  for  wall. 
There  are  at  present,  several  apple  trees  in  tlie 
field,  mostly  of  an  old  growth,  bearing  natural 
fruit,  to  little  or  no  profit.  On  three  sides  of  the 
field  there  is  stone  wall,  with  a  brush  hedge 
growing  beside  it,  on  the  fourth  side  there  is  a 
board  fence.  The  soil  is  naturally  good,  the 
original  growth  having  been  oak,  walnut,  &c. 

Having  given  you  a  particular  description  of 
the  field,  I  v/ould  respectfully  submit  the  plan  of 
operation  which  I  intend  to  pursue,  wishing  your 
criticism,  and  answers  to  the  questions  which  I 
may  propose. 

In  the  first  place,  with  the  exception  of  the  belt 
of  timber  on  the  north  side  of  the  field,  I  would 
clear  the  hedges  by  the  walls,  as  also  the  old  ap- 
ple trees,  and  burn  the  brush  upon  the  land. 
In  place  of  the  board  fence  I  would  plow  a  trench 
three  feet  wide  and  a  foot  deep  and  build  a  sub- 
stantial wall  with  rocks  taken  from  the  field. 
And  here  has  been  a  question  in  my  mind  wheth- 
er it  is  best  to  fill  the  trench  with  cobbles  or 
start  the  wall  from  the  bottom  of  the  trench,  (a.) 

I  would  then  dig  drains  through  the  runs,  three 
feet  deep  and  as  many  wide,  fill  up  two  feet  with 
cobbles,  cover  slightly  with  hay,  and  fill  the  drain 
with  dirt.  Having  drawn  the  rocks  from  the 
cellar  to  a  depth  of  two  feet  below  the  surface,  I 
would  fill  in  with  dirt,  leaving  a  smooth  surface 
over  which  to  plow.  After  clearing  the  trees 
and  bushes,  and  removing  all  the  rocks,  I  would 
plow  this  fall  to  a  depth  of  ten  inches,  and  leave 
for  the  season.     In  the  spring  I  should  intend  to 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


493 


cross  plow,  harrow,  set  out  the  trees,  plant,  and 
dress  the  land  with  manure.  Now  would  it  be 
desirable  to  set  out  the  trees  in  the  coming 
spring,  or  wait  until  the  land  is  in  a  better  state 
of  cultivation  ?  (b.) 

What  variety  of  apple  should  I  select  ?  (c.) 
How  deep,  and  how  far  apart  should  1  set  the 
trees  ?  (d.) 

How  should  they  be  manured,  if  at  all  ?  What 
dealer  in  trees  will  furnish  me  the  best  trees, 
taken  up  and  packed,  in  the  best  manner,  and  at 
the  most  liberal  price  ?  (e.) 

And  lastly,  will  the  enterprise  pay  any  way  ?  (f.) 

You  will  excuse  me  for  presuming  to  this  extent 

upon  your  time  and  patience,  but  you  will  allow 

me  to  repeat,  that  by  giving  your    opinions   on 

this  matter  you  will  highly  oblige  me. 

Berry,  N.  H.,  Aug.  5,  1858,  x.  H.  B. 


Remarks. — (a.)  Dig  the  trench  three  or  four 
feet  wide,  and  three  feet  deep,  or  even  lower,  if 
the  digging  is  easy,  fill  with  cobble  stones,  and 
use  the  earth  thrown  out  to  fill  the  stone  holes 
that  you  get  out  to  make  the  wall. 

(b.)  Set  the  trees  as  soon  as  you  can,  as  by 
the  time  the  roots  have  extended  themselves  your 
land  will  be  in  condition  to  feed  them. 

(c.)  We  cannot  answer  about  varieties — the 
Baldwin  seems  to  be  the  standard  apple  yet. 
Sweet  apples  will  be  profitable  for  the  family  and 
for  stock,  but,  strange  to  say,  they  do  not  sell 
readily  in  the  market  to  any  amount.  You  should 
have  half  a  dozen  trees,  at  least,  of  the  russet 
sweet ;  it  is  well  known  by  the  smooth  warts  which 
always  mark  this  variety. 

(d.)  Set  the  trees  as  deep  as  they  stood  in  the 
nursery,  and  if  you  can  afford  to  cover  so  much 
ground  and  manure  and  cultivate  it,  set  the  trees 
40  feet  apart  each  way.  Manufe  as  you  would 
for  a  good  crop  of  corn,  and  plant  the  orchard 
with  corn  for  several  years. 

(e.)  You  must  look  at  the  advertisements  for 
information  on  this  point.  Have  you  called  up- 
on Mr.  Wilson,  of  Windham,  or  Mr.  Tenney,  at 
Chester,  or  Cutter  or  Clement,  of  Dracut  ?  Col. 
M.  P.  Wilder,  of  Boston,  furnishes  good  trees, 
and  our  neighbor  Buckminster,  of  the  Plough- 
man, raises  and  sells  a„  a  fair  price  as  good  trees 
as  ever  were  set  in  any  man's  orchard. 

(f.)  Pay,  certainly,  if  you  manage  it  properly. 


American  Pomological  Society. — The  7th 
meeting  of  the  American  Pomological  Society 
took  place  in  New  York  city  on  Tuesday,  Sept. 
14th.  President  Wilder  took  the  Chair  and 
made  the  opening  Address.  Discussions  of  much 
interest  succeeded,  in  which  many  valuable  facts 
were  elicited,  some  of  which  we  hope  to  transfer 
to  our  columns.  Col.  Wilder,  though  having  re- 
signed the  office  of  President,  was  re-elected  by 
resolution. 


jFor  the  New  England  Farmer. 

FANNINQ  AND   GKAIN"  ASSORTING 
MACHINE. 

Mr.  Brown  : — Have  you  ever  seen  Nutting's 
Patent  Grain  Fanning  and  Assorting  Machine  ? 
Well,  is  it  not  a  wonder  even  in  this  age  of  won- 
ders? I  have  just  now  been  witnessing  a  trial 
of  (hat  same  "little  giant"  of  a  machine,  and  am 
compelled  to  exclaim,  "how  wonderful  are  its 
works." 

It  seems  incredible,  that  such  a  cheap  and  sim- 
ple machine,  can  perform  so  intricate  a  task,  as 
to  receive  a  horrid  confusion  of  all  sorts  of  seeds, 
grain,  chaff'  and  dirt,  and  with  the  celerity  and 
certainty  of  intelligence  itself,  purify  and  divide 
the  whole  mass,  emitting  each  kind  in  a  separate 
parcel,  with  such  accuracy  that  it  never  fails  tc 
astonish  the  beholders ! 

Do  I  exaggerate,  when  I  estimate  the  intrinsic 
value  of  such  an  invention,  as  being  unsurpassed 
by  any  agricultural  implement  among  the  many 
with  which  the  world  is  now  being  honored  and 
blessed  ? 

If  he  is  a  public  benefactor,  who  causes  two 
blades  of  grass  to  grow  where  only  one  grew  be- 
fore, what  shall  we  say  of  him  who  offers  the 
means,  within  the  reach  of  everybody,  by  which 
vegetation  may  be  purified  from  worthless  and 
noxious  growth,  with  which  it  abounds,  and  made 
fit  for  the  public  use? 

Perhaps  a  briefly  detailed  statement  of  what 
the  machine  is,  and  what  it  does,  may  not  be  un- 
interesting to  your  readers,  and  so  I  will  try  to 
give  it  "as  I  saw  it."  It  is  a  plain,  simple,  cheaply 
made,  and  apparently  very  durable  and  conven- 
iently proportioned  machine,  not  unlike  in  its 
appearance  to  some  other  fanning  mills  ;  but  with 
its  outward  appearances  ends  its  similitude  to  any 
other  with  which  I  am  acquainted.  Its  interior 
and  working  arrangements  being  constructed  on 
philosophical  and  experimentally  tested  princi- 
ples, adapted  to  secure  the  end  sought,  namely, 
the  complete  cleaning  and  assorting  of  the  vai'i- 
ous  useful  gi'ains  and  seeds  from  all  impuri- 
ties ;  and  this  is  done,  as  before  stated,  with  al- 
most perfect  precision,  and  very  rapidly.  With 
it,  wheat  is  prepared  for  flouring  without  being 
submitted  to  the  smut  mills,  thus  saving  more 
or  less,  always  considerable,  of  seeds  and  small 
gi-ain,  valuable  for  provender  or  to  feed  to  fowls, 
which  is  screened  off"  in  the  smutting  process 
and  lost  to  the  owner  of  the  grist.  It  will  like- 
wise prepare  wheat  (and  all  other  grain  and 
seeds)  so  that  it  shall  be  fit  to  be  sown  ;  not  only 
rejecting  all  oats  and  foul  seeds,  but  selecting 
from  the  whole  the  largest  and  most  perfect  kei-- 
nels,  which  alone  ought  to  be  used  for  seed.  No 
intelligent  corn-grower  does  less  than  to  select 
for  seed  his  best  ears,  and  often  from  those  ears 
rejects  the  smaller  kernels.  Now  who  doubts  the 
wisdom  of  such  precaution?  But  is  more  care 
necessary  in  the  selection  of  seed  corn  than  in 
seed  wheat  ?  It  is  a  law  of  nature  that  "like 
produces  like" — so  if  farmers  would  raise  clean 
and  perfect  grain,  they  must  sow  clean  and  per- 
fect seed.  With  this  machine,  grass  seeds  are 
cleaned  ready  for  market  and  use,  Avithout  the 
resort  of  hand  sifting,  as  is  usually  practised. 
So,  too,  peas  and  beans,  whether  designed  for 
cooking  or  for  seedsmen's  sales,  may  be  perfectly 


494 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Nov. 


cleaned  and  assorted  according  to  size.  I  wish 
all  interested  in  such  matters  could  stand  by  and 
see  how  quietly,  easily  and  effectively  all  these 
things  are  accomplished. 

The  patentee,  Mr.  Nutting,  has,  I  understand, 
labored  for  years  in  perfecting  and  bringing  out 
this  mill,  which  he  now  designs  to  ofTer  to  the 
country,  and  all  thinking  men  will,  I  am  sure, 
bespeak  for  him  a  remuneration  commensurate 
with  the  vast  benefit  which  his  invention  shall 
confer.  E.  Ingham. 

Springfield,  Vt.,  Sept.  4. 


Remarks. — We  have  seen  this  fanning  mill  in 
operation  several  times,  and  believe  it  to  l)e  the 
best  fanning  and  separating  mill  ever  invented. 


HEREDITARY  TRANSMISSION". 

Why  should  one  doubt  that  cranial  peculiari- 
ties, accidentally  or  artificially  produced,  may  be 
transmitted,  inasmuch  as  we  see  numerous  ex- 
amples of  the  transmission  of  other  physical  and 
artificially  produced  peculiarities,  in  man  and  the 
lower  animals  ?  All  parts  of  the  animal  body 
are  alike  subject  to  the  laws  of  growth  and  im- 
pression during  utero-gestation.  If  accidental 
or  artificial  peculiarities  of  limbs,  the  skin,  etc., 
are  occasionally  transmitted,  why  may  not  those 
cf  the  head  ?  Blumenbach  relates  the  case  of  a 
man  whose  little  finger  was  crushed  and  twisted 
by  an  accident  to  his  right  hand,  and  his  sons  in- 
herited right  hands  with  little  fingers  distorted. 
A  writer  in  the  Western  Bevieio,  affirms  that 
horses  marked  during  successive  generations, 
with  a  red-hot  iron  in  the  same  place,  transmit 
the  visible  traces  of  such  marks  to  their  colts.  A 
dog  had  her  hinder  parts  paralyzed  for  several 
days  by  a  blow  ;  six  of  her  seven  pups  were  de- 
formed or  excessively  weak  in  their  hinder  parts, 
and  were  drowned  as  useless.  Burdach  cites  the 
case  of  a  woman  who  nearly  died  from  hemor- 
rhage after  blood-letting ;  her  daughter  was  so 
sensitive  that  a  violent  hemorrhage  would  follow 
even  a  trifling  scratch.  She,  in  turn,  transmitted 
this  peculiarity  to  her  son.  A  man  had  the  hab- 
it of  sleeping  on  his  back  with  his  right  leg 
crossed  over  the  left ;  one  of  his  danghters  also 
showed  the  same  peculiarity  from  her  birth,  con- 
stantly assuming  it  in  her  cradle,  in  spite  of  the 
swathing.  A  superb  stallion,  son  of  Le  Glori- 
eux,  who  came  from  the  Pompadour  stables,  be- 
came blind  from  disease  ;  all  his  colts  became 
blind  before  they  were  three  years  old.  Manper- 
tius  mentions  a  phenomenon  which  has  been  ob- 
served elsewhere  by  others ;  he  assures  us  "that 
there  were  two  families  in  Germany,  who  have 
been  distinguished  for  several  generations  by  six 
•fingers  on  each  hand,  and  the  same  number  of 
toes  on  each  foot."  George  Combe  relates  the 
following :  "A  man's  first  child  was  of  sound 
mind  ;  afterwards  he  had  a  fall  from  his  horse, 
by  which  his  head  was  much  injured.  His  next 
two  children  proved  to  be  idiots.  After  this  he 
was  trepanned,  and  had  other  children,  and  they 
turned  out  to  l3e  of  sound  mind."  Venette  knew 
a  woman  who  limped  with  her  right  leg ;  her 
daughter  was  born  with  the  same  defect  in  her 
right  leg.  In  the  civilized  countries  the  constant 
habit  of  milkins:  cows  has    enlarged  the  udder 


greatly  beyond  its  natural  size,  and  so  changed 
the  secretions  that  the  supply  does  not  cease 
when  the  calf  is  removed.  In  Columbia,  where 
circumstances  are  entirely  different,  nature  shows 
a  strong  tendency  to  assume  its  original  type  ;  a 
cow  gives  milk  there  only  while  the  calf  is  with 
her.  M.  Danney  made  experiments  during  ten 
years  with  rabbits,  a  hundred  couples  being  se- 
lected by  him  with  a  view  to  the  creation  of  pe- 
culiarities. By  always  choosing  the  parents, 
"d'apres  des  circonstances  individuelles  fixes  et 
toujours  les  memes  dous  certaines  lignes,"  he 
succeeded  in  obtaining  a  number  of  mal-forma- 
tions  according  to  his  preconceived  plan.  And 
such  experiments  have  been  repeated  on  dogs, 
pigeons  and  poultry  with  like  success. 

From  these  facts,  and  others  which  may  be 
mentioned,  it  seems  safe  to  say,  that  each  new 
individual  inherits  a  predisposition  to  the  habits 
and  structure,  accidental  or  otherwise,  of  those 
from  whom  it  is  derived.  When  all  the  paterjial 
influences  concerned  in  moulding  the  constitu- 
tion in  utero  are  appreciated,  we  see  the  appro- 
priateness of  the  saying  of  S.  T.  Coleridge, — 
"that  the  history  of  a  man  for  the  nine  months 
preceding  his  birth  would  probably  be  far  more 
interesting,  and  contain  events  of  greater  mo- 
ment, than  all  that  follows  it." 

It  may  be  noticed  in  this  connection,  that  ac- 
cidental and  acquired  mental  habits  and  peculi- 
arities, as  well  as  physical,  are  susceptible  of 
transmission.  Mr.  Knight,  who  investigated  the 
subject  for  a  series  of  years,  tells  us,  "that  a  ter- 
rier, whose  parents  have  been  in  the  habit  of 
fighting  with  polecats,  will  instantly  show  every 
mark  of  anger,  when  he  first  perceives  merely 
the  scent  of  that  animal.  A  young  spaniel  brought 
up  with  this  terrier,  showed  no  such  emotion,  but 
it  pursued  a  woodcock  the  first  time  it  ever  saw 
one.  The  offspring  of  the  shepherd's  dog  in  ac- 
tive service,  instinctively  follows  the  flock,  while, 
if  his  father  or  grandfather  have  been  taken 
away  from  this  occupation,  he  will  have  lost  the 
art,  and  be  difficult  to  teach."  (The  Body  and 
the  Mind,  by  Geo.  Moore,  M.D.)  "It  is  worthy 
of  notice,  that  the  amble,  tlie  pace  to  which  the 
domestic  horse  in  Spanish  America  is  exclusively 
trained,  becomes  in  the  course  of  some  genera- 
tions hereditary,  and  is  assumed  by  the  young 
without  teaching."  (Encyclopedia  Brit.)  F.  Cu- 
vier  observes  that  "young  foxes  in  those  parts  of 
the  country  where  traps  are  set,  manifest  much 
more  prudence  than  even  the  old  foxes  in  dis- 
tricts where  they  are  less  persecuted."  Birds  on 
newly-discovered  islands  soon  learn  to  dread 
man,  and  this  dread  they  transmit.  A  recent 
writer  on  hereditary  influence  says  :  "We  had  a 
puppy,  taken  from  its  mother  at  six  weeks  old, 
who  although  never  taught  to  beg,  an  accom- 
plishment his  mother  had  been  taught,  sponta- 
neously took  to  begging  for  everything  he  want- 
ed, when  about  seven  or  eight  months  old  ;  he 
would  beg  for  food,  beg  to  be  let  out  the  room, 
and  one  day  was  found  opposite  a  rabbit-hutch, 
begging  for  the  rabbits." —  College  Journal  of 
Medicine. 

"Is  Charcoal  Liable  to  Spontaneous  Com- 
bustion."— Certain  Philadelphia  chemists  claim 
that  charcoal  is  liable  to  spontaneous  combus- 
tion, when  ex'^josed  to  moisture,  while  the  ScieU' 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


495 


tific  American  (whose  opinion  we  regard  as 
having  great  weight,)  says  :  "We  have  seen  char- 
coal dust  exposed  for  long  periods  of  time  to 
moisture  and  the  atmosphere,  and  never  knew  an 
instance  of  spontaneous  combustion  caused  there- 
by." In  conversation  with  several  gentlemen 
the  other  day,  one  of  them  observed,  that  char- 
coal, long  exposed  to  moisture,  and  suddenly 
dried  or  heated,  would  ignite.  He  had  known 
well  authenticated  instances  of  fires  from  such  a 
cause,  and  of  no  article  about  his  premises  (he 
was  a  manufacturer)  was  he  more  careful,  than 
of  the  disposition  of  charcoal.  Now,  this  is  a 
question  of  no  little  importance,  and  we  hope  it 
will  be  investisjated. 


EXTBAVAGANCE  IN  DKHSS. 

Rev.  Dr.  Cooke,  one  of  the  editors  of  the  Pu- 
ritan Recorder,  who  has  been  writing  for  his  pa- 
per a  series  of  letters  from  Saratoga,  winds  up 
his  observations  on  life  at  the  Springs  with  some 
remarks  that  are  of  special  interest  to  the  ladies 
He  says : 

This  is  the  last  of  my  series  from  this  place. 
And  there  is  but  one  topic  more  on  which  I  care 
to  speak,  and  that  is  the  idol  of  the  place,  to  wit. 
Dress.  Those  who  have  resided  here  even  for 
a  short  time,  have  had  oj^portunities  to  see  the 
absurdities  of  fashion  in  this  respect,  in  a  strong 
light.  In  a  secular  and  moral  aspect,  they  are  a 
fair  match  for  the  fashionable  preaching  of  which 
we  have  spoken.  Indeed,  the  fashionable  lady 
at  the  Springs  comes  to  a  lask  of  dressing,  which 
is  not  to  be  envied.  Most  of  her  waking  hours, 
even  if  she  have  no  hops  nor  balls  to  dress  for, 
are  laborious  hours.  For  dressing  is  her  sub- 
stantive employment ;  it  is  for  this  that  she  has 
come  to  the  Springs.  So  she  must  on  first  waking 
in  the  morning,  dress  for  her  walk  to  the  Springs, 
then  she  must  come  home  and  "jjut  on  another 
harness  for  breakfast.  Then  she  must  unharness 
and  harness  \i\)  wholly  anew  for  dinner ;  then  for 
tea,  all  the  labor  of  changing  her  cumberous  har- 
ness must  be  repeated.  This  often  involves  more 
than  she  can  do  alone.  The  hair-dresser  must  be 
called  in,  and  there  must  be  a  toil  of  currying  as 
well  as  harnessing.  This  is  an  expensive  as  well 
as  laborious  work.  Judge  of  this  from  a  single 
case.  A  lady  was  here  not  long  since,  and  when 
about  to  leave,  she  told  the  landlady  in  all  sober- 
ness, as  if  it  was  a  matter  of  course,  that  she  had 
been  here  thirty  days,  and  that  she  had  only  thir- 
ty changes  of  dress,  and  therefore  she  could  stay 
here  no  longer.  For  she  could  not  wear  the 
same  dress  twice  in  the  same  place.  She  must 
now,  as  a  matter  of  economy,  go  to  Newport, 
where  with  the  same  dresses,  she  could  spend 
thirty  days  more.  This  is  a  fair  sample  of  the 
fashionables  here.  Every  summer  brings  thous- 
ands of  just  this  class  of  miserable  creatures, 
slaves  of  absurd  fashions,  here. 

Think  a  moment  of  the  expense  of  such  an  out- 
fit for  the  Springs.  The  expense  of  her  thirty 
dresses,  with  all  the  laces  and  jewelry  to  match, 
could  not  be  less  than  three  thousand  dollars. 
That  is,  her  dress  for  thirty  days  must  cost  her 
a  hundred  dollars  a  day.  And  among  all  the 
visitors  at  the  Springs,  during  the  season,  there 


cannot  be  less  than  three  thousand  women  so  ex- 
pensively dressed.  If  so,  the  aggregate  expense 
of  equipping  these  butterflies  for  one  season,  must 
be  nine  millions  of  dollars,  which  is  a  very  con- 
siderable fraction  of  the  revenue  of  the  United 
States  Government.  Is  it  a  wonder,  that  so  many 
of  our  wealthy  merchants  fail  ?  True,  many  of 
these  women  are  the  wives  and  daughters  of 
pill-pedlars  and  yeast-venders,  and  the  like,  who 
can  afford  it.  But  many  of  them  also  are  exhaust- 
ing the  capital  of  regular  merchants. 

But  the  absurdity  of  this  business  more  fully 
appears,  if  we  reflect  how  much  of  this  extrava- 
gance looks  to  marriage  ;  and  how  it  defeats  its 
end.  Daughters  are  put  on  this  course  of  ex- 
travagance to  make  them  the  more  attractive 
candidates  for  marriage  ;  and  the  effect  is  to  ren- 
der their  marriage,  to  any  young  man  of  sense, 
impossible.  Young  men,  who  have  their  fortunes 
yet  to  make,  cannot  safely  marry  a  woman  who 
has  been  trained  to  spend  a  fortune  in  a  single 
season.  So  that  this  process,  instead  of  subserv- 
ing marriage,  serves  to  frighten  away  the  very 
young  gentlemen  whom  it  seeks  to  dazzle  and 
attract.  The  thing  may  be  seen  on  the  surface, 
in  the  fact  that  at  this  watering-place  there  are 
ten  young  ladies  to  one  gentleman.  Why  is  it  ? 
The  young  gentlemen  are  but  beginning  in  life, 
and  if  they  are  worth  having,  they  have  not  the 
means  to  face  such  an  expensive  life  as  the  young 
ladies  are  leading  here. 


BE  CONTENT. 

Mistaken  mortal,  ever  fretting, 
Grasping,  grinding,  groaning,  getting,  — 
Be  content ! 

If  thou  hast  enough,  be  thankful, 
Just  as  if  thou  hast  a  bankful — 

Be  content ! 

If  fortune  cast  thy  lot  but  humble, 
Earn  thy  bread  and  do  not  grumble — 
Be  content ! 

Have  the  rich,  think'st  thou,  no  trouble  ? 
Twice  thy  wealth ;  their  sorrow  double — 
Be  content ! 

List  the  lore  of  learned  sages, 
Those  wise  men  of  the  Grecian  ages — 
Be  content ! 

Their  reck'ning  up  of  all  earth's  riches 
Was  compassed  in  one  short  phrase,  which  is- 
Be  content  I 

The  rich  man  gets  with  all  his  heaping 
But  dress,  and  drink,  and  food  and  sleeping — 
Be  content ! 

Though  in  the  sleep  the  rich  men  gain  not, 
Poor  men  sleep  when  rich  men  may  not — 
Be  content ! 

When  winds  about  thy  dust  shall  scatter, 
Where  goes  thy  gold — to  thee  what  matter? 
Be  content ! 

Remember,  thou  for  wealth  who  rakest, 
"Naught  thou  broughtest,  naught  thou  takest.' 
Be  content ! 


ly  From  a  calculation  carefully  made  by  an 
intelligent  gentleman  in  Columbus,  Ohio,  v.-e  learn 
that  the  eggs  annually  produced  by  hens  in  that 
State,  would  pay  the  yeai'ly  interest  on  her  public 
debt. 


496 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Nov. 


BLEECKEE'S   GAGE  PLUM. 


The  subject  of  the  beautiful  engraving  which 
we  present  the  reader  with  this  number,  was 
handed  us  last  autumn  by  Mr.  H.  P.  Wis- 
wall,  of  Marlborough,  Mass.  We  were  sufficient- 
ly well  pleased  with  it  to  have  it  drawn  and  en- 
graved, and  believe  the  reader  will  agree  with 
us  in  pronouncing  the  illustration  a  beautiful 
work  of  art. 

Downing  says  it  is  a  "fruit  of  the  first  quality  ; 
remarkably  hardy,  and  a  good  and  regular  bearer. 
It  was  raised  by  the  late  Mrs.  Bleecker,  of  Al- 
bany, about  thirty  years  ago,  from  a  prune  pit 
given  her  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Dull,  of  Kingston, 
N.  Y.,  which  he  received  from  Germany.  — 
It  ripens  the  last  of  August,  from  a  week  to 
two  weeks  later  than  our  Yellow  Gage.  Branch- 
es downy.  Fruit  of  medium  size,  roundish-oval, 
very  regular.  Suture  scarcely  perceptible.  Stalk 
quite  long,  an  inch  or  more,  straight  and  pretty 
stout,  downy,  slightly  inserted.  Skin  yellow, 
with  numerous  imbedded  white  specks,  and  a 
thin  white  bloom.  Flesh  yellow,  rich,  sweet,  and 
luscious  in   flavor.      Separates   almost   entirely 


from  the  stone,  which  is  pointed  at  both  ends. 
Leaves  dark  green.  Easily  distinguished  from 
Yellow  Gage  by  its  longer  and  stouter  stalk." 


STONE  FENCING. 


The  best  sized  stone  for  a  fence,  is  the  largest 
which  can  conveniently  be  moved ;  and  the  best 
shape  is  slab  or  flat ;  but  in  the  general  all  sizes 
and  shapes  must  be  used,  as  to  be  had. 

In  building  a  house,  the  stone  must  be  tied 
in  every  direction ;  in  building  a  fence  they 
should  be  tied  crosswise  only,  for  it  cannot  fall 
lengthwise. 

Many  fences  fl'hich  I  see  are  made  for  beauty 
instead  of  strength  ;  the  consequence  is,  present- 
ly down  falls  the  fence, — and  then  for  patch-work, 
and  away  goes  beauty.  A  stone-mason  is  not 
the  man  to  put  up  a  stone  fence,  for  he  will  be 
too  tedious  and  neat,  consequently  too  costly. 

To  make  a  stone  fence  strongly  and  expe- 
ditiously, will  require  several  months  experi- 
ence. 

Having  determined  on  the  proper  site  for  your 
fence,  deposit  as  many  stone  on  either  side  as 
you  think  jvill  be  sufficient.  If  the  site  is  level 
or  nearly  so,  no  further  preparation  is  necessary, 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


49^ 


but  stretch  j-our  line  and  go  to  work.  It  is  ■well 
to  use  two  lines,  one  on  each  side,  so  that  there 
be  no  shifting  about  of  the  line.  Raise  your  line 
or  lines  some  eight  inches  or  more  from  the 
ground,  so  that  the  foundation  stones  may  be 
placed  underneath,  thus  making  a  shoulder  or 
jog  on  the  exterior  of  the  fence,  of  some  inches, 
depending  on  the  size  of  the  stone.  Lay  the  larg- 
est rock  first,  and  the  largest  continually,  until 
the  fence  is  complete. 

Three  feet  at  the  base,  four  feet  six  inches  high, 
and  ten  or  twelve  inches  at  the  top,  is  an  excel- 
lent fence ;  but  with  good  stone  a  body  of  less 
dimensions  will  suffice. 

As  the  fence  rises,  lift  the  line,  and  be  mind- 
ful to  begin  to  batter  or  slope  the  wall  at  the 
foundation,  and  continue  to  batter  uniformly  to 
the  top. 

My  fences  lately  made  look  rough,  because  I 
pay  no  attention  to  a  face  stone,  but  head  all  to 
the  line,  both  sharp-pointed  and  rough.  The 
stones  should  be  laid  flat,  and  kept  level,  to  do 
which  it  is  sometimes  necessary  to  fill  in  with 
small  stones.  Be  slow  and  particular  in  laying 
the  foundation,  a  little  faster  in  the  body,  and 
near  the  top  small  stones  require  a  quick  motion, 
or  but  little  is  done, — always  being  mindful  not 
to  leave  a  stone  to  jostle  in  the  wall. 

To  build  a  stone  fence  horizontally  on  a  hill- 
side, the  lower  half  of  the  track  should  be  dug 
down  to  a  level.  On  this  level  build  as  above 
recommended,  putting  all  the  best  stone  in  the 
lower  side  of  the  wall,  for  there  is  little  danger 
of  a  fence  falling  up  hill.  And  remember  to  bat- 
ter the  lower  side  in  proportion  to  the  steepness 
of  the  ground ;  so  that  if  very  steep,  all  the  bat- 
tering shall  be  below,  and  the  upper  side  perpen- 
dicular. 

"When  the  stones  are  at  hand,  a  man  who  un- 
derstands the  business,  can  put  up  from  one  and 
a  half  to  four  rods  of  fence  in  a  day ;  the  amount 
depending  on  the  size  and  quality  of  the  stone. 

I  have  a  man  now  making  stone  fence  for  me, 
boarding  himself  and  gathering  his  own  stone, 
at  four  shillings  the  rod,  who  is  averaging  two 
and  a  half  rods  the  day.  I  am  satisfied  that  if 
the  stone  were  at  hand  he  would  make  from  four 
to  five  rods  the  day 


Where  large  stones  are  scarce  and  small  ones 
plentiful,  the  foundation  of  a  fence  may  be  made 
of  the  small  ones,  provided  broad  stones  are 
placed  on  these, — being  mindful  to  make  the 
foundation  about  four  feet  wide  ;  and  it  would  be 
well  to  run  a  large  plow  furrow  on  each  side, 
casting  the  earth  inward,  so  as  to  make  a  trench 
for  holding  the  foundation  stone. 

Where  stones  of  all  sizes  are  scarce,  a  good 
fence  can  be  made  of  stone  and  Avood.  A  fence 
two  feet  four  inches  at  the  base,  three  feet  high, 
and  six  inches  at  top,  will  require  only  about  half 
the  stone  of  a  fence  three  feet  base,  four  and  a 
half  feet  high,  and  twelve  inches  top.  By  laying 
a  rail  on  the  top  of  a  three-foot  stone  fence,  driv- 
ing stakes  on  either  side,  and  capping  with  poles, 
you  will  have  a  good  fence  about  four  and  a  half 
feet  high.  The  stakes  should  be  locust,  and  the 
poles  should  be  chestnut — and  the  longer  the 
poles  the  stronger  the  fence,  and  fewer  the  stakes 
required.  If  you  have  the  chestnut  but  not  of 
suitable  size,  you  can  with  maul  and  wedge  soon 
make  them  suit. 

A  stone  fence  will  last  as  long  as  one  could 
desire ;  a  rail  fence  must  be  renewed  every  twenty 
or  thirty  years,  although  of  chestnut.  A  wood 
fence  requires  continual  repairs,  a  stone  fence 
needs  but  little  attention. 

In  the  general,  to  make  a  stone  fence,  the  cost 
will  not  exceed  more  than  three  times  that  of  a 
rail  fence ;  and  where  the  stones  are  taken  from 
a  valuable  field,  a  credit  on  cost  should  be  given 
for  their  riddance. 

The  Virginians  pay  taxes  on  too  much  land ; 
they  should  own  much  less,  and  fence  up  and 
take  better  care  of  that  they  have.  Land  not 
worth  fencing  is  not  worth  having. 

For  every  stone  which  you  pick  up  and  move 
you  shall  have  a  credit;  for  every  valuable  tree 
which  you  cut  you  shall  have  a  debt. 

What  did  the  Creator  make  all  these  stones 
for  ? — Soutlievn  Planter. 


Cashmere  Goats  in  Ohio. — We  see  it  no- 
ticed that  Joseph  P.  Ross,  Esq.,  of  Bainbridge, 
Ohio,  has  become  the  possessor   of  a  male  and 
female  kid  of  the  species  of  goats  which  are  pe- 
But  the  stone  are  good,  Luliar  to  Thibet.     He  will   exhibit  them  at   the 
and  none  more  than  thirty  feet  distant.  Qhjo  gtate  Fair,  where  they  will  no  doubt  prove 

After  a  fence  is  two  feet  high,  I  can  head  on  objects  of  interest.  Cashmere  has  long  been  cel- 
the  stone  as  fast  as  two  men  can  hand  them  to  Lbrated  for  the  manufacture  of  shawls,  the  beau- 
me.  The  great  art  IS  dropping  the  stone  in  the  pro- 1  ty  and  texture  of  which  have  always  excited  the 
per  place,  so  that  no  further  handling  shall  be  re- 1  admiration   of  Europeans  and  Americans,  and 


quired.  About  one  hundred  and  eighty  common 
sized  stone  will  build  a  rod  of  fence.  Work  nine 
hours  in  the  day,  and  handle  one  stone  the 
minute,  and  you  will  have  made  three  rods  of 
fence  ;  and  surely  a  man  can  do  this. 

At  this  work  at  least  two  men  should  work  to- 


made  them  a  prominent  article  of  dress  in  the 
fashionable  world.  The  wool  from  which  these 
shawls  are  fabricated  forms  the  inner  coat  with 
which  the  goat  is  covered,  and  has  caused  that 
animal  to  be  an  object  of  great  interest  to  the 
mercantile  community  and  the  beau  monde.     At- 

gether,  particularly  where  the  stones  are  large. !  tempts  to  introduce  this  breed  into  India  have 

The  tools  required  are  a  grubbing  hoe,  crow  bars,  |  i^ggj-^  made  b' 


and  large  hammer, — and  drills  where  blasting  is 
necessary.  A  piece  of  iron  an  inch  square  and 
four  feet  long  is  all  sufficient  for  a  crow-bar. 
Hammer  it  round  about  two-thirds  its  length, 
and  round  the  point  a  little,  and  it  is  ready  for 
ripping  up  stone. 

He  who  has  the  stone  should  put  them  into  a 
fence,  particularly  if  he  is  scarce  of  timber.  And 
if  he  has  the  timber,  better  sell  it  with  the  land, 
and  expend  the  proceeds  in  stone  work. 


but  without  success.  It  is  peculiar 
to  Thibet  where  alone  it  flourishes.  The  at- 
tempt to  introduce  it  here  will,  no  doubt,  meet 
with  a  similar  fate. 


To  Prevent  Cows  Losing  their  Milk. — 
Francis  Van  Doren,  of  Adrian,  Michigan,  had  a 
valuable  cow  that  lost  much  of  her  milk,  and 
found  a  preventive  in  placing  an  India  rubber 
ring  around  the  teat  after  milking.  He  says  this 
is  efi'ectual. — Rural  New-Yorker. 


498 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Nov. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
"BUR All  LIFE." 

Matter  of  astonishment  as  it  may  seem,  the 
^'Atlantic  MonMij"  that  compendium  of  elegant 
literature,  has  reached  the  "farmer's  home,"  and 
there  its  occupants,  who,  in  the  language  of  one 
of  its  contributors,  "contemn  beauty  and  those 
who  love  it,  and  glory,  above  all  things,  in  brute 
strength  and  brute  endurance,"  have  read  its 
dainty  pages.  And  what  then  ?  Why,  nothing, 
— farther  than  that  one  of  the  "drudges,"  so  called 
by  the  writer  of  the  article  entitled,  "Rural  Life 
in  New  England,"  dares  to  consider  for  a  mo- 
ment, whether  the  article  is  a  correct  and  just 
picture  of  farmers'  homes,  generally,  as  they  are 
found  in  New  England,  or  a  gross  misrepresen- 
tation. 

We  cannot  rid  ourselves  of  the  impression  that 
as  our  youthful  associations  are  more  deep  and 
permanent  than  those  of  mature  years,  the  writer 
of  that  article  must  have  passed  his  early  "years 
in  one  of  those  disgusting  heathenish  homes"  he 
describes,  and  then  and  there,  the  impressions  he 
received  must  have,  "like  the  red  letters  on  our 
bank  bills,  struck  through."  Else,  which  we  can 
hardly  believe  to  be  the  case,  the  writer  may  be 
a  worn  and  weary  pilgrim  of  generations  long 
past,  who,  enfeebled  by  age,  sits  in  one  of  the 
"square-brown-one-chimneyed  houses,"  ignorant 
of  the  passing  time ;  no  great-grandchild  near, 
for  disposition  never  could  bo  soured,  as  we  im- 
agine his  to  be,  if  the  soft  fingers  of  childhood 
were  resting  in  his  hard  palm,  or  the  velvet  kiss 
felt  on  his  wrinkled  cheek. 

But  we  will  let  the  writer  pass,  and  just  look 
at  one  or  two  parts  of  his  picture,  as  it  hangs  be- 
fore us.  In  describing  the  "fai-mer's  home,"  the 
writer  evidently  intends  the  description  to  be  ta- 
ken as  a  general  truth,  for  he  speaks  of  "happy 
exceptions."  That  his  "outline  of  the  farmer's 
home  generally"  is  a  false  representation,  and 
that  the  "happy  exceptions"  he  refers  to  are  the 
only  just  pictures  of  farmers'  homes  in  New  Eng- 
land, generally,  we  believe. 

Leaving  the  external  description  of  the  farm- 
ers' home  for  the  "other  side"  to  defend,  we  will 
proceed  to  the  inside.  Li  passing,  we  will  only 
say  to  those  who  were  so  unfortunate  as  to  have 
"first  seen  the  light,"  in  one  of  the  "square,brown, 
one-chimneyed  houses,"  and  many  such  there 
are,  in  our  own  and  foreign  lands — men  whom 
the  nations  have  delighted  to  honor — we  say  to 
them,  blot  out  all  pleasant  memories  of  child- 
hood, come  back,  come  and  purify  the  unsightly 
things  which  your  ignorant  grandsires  of  a  cen- 
tury ago  erected  ;  purify  them,  with  fire,  if  need 
be,  lest  your  fair  fame  be  tarnished  when  it  is 
said  of  you,  "Born  in  a  square,  brown,  one-chim- 
neyed house  !"  Here  is  the  description  ;  have 
ready,  dear  reader,  your  supply  of  Frangipanni, 
or  any  favorite  i)erfume. 

"We  enter  the  house  at  the  back  door ;" 
(you've  no  business  going  in  at  the  back  door,  it 
shows  your  ill-breeding,)  "and  find  the  family  at 
dinner  in  the  kitchen.  A  kettle  of  soap-grease  is 
stewing  upon  the  stove,  and  the  fumes  of  this, 
mingled  with  those  that  are  generated  by  boil- 
ing the  cabbage  Avhich  ^ve  see  upon  the  table,  and 
by  perspiring  men  in  their  shirt-sleeves,  and  by 
boots  that  have  forgotten,  or  do  not  care  where 


they  have  been,  make  the  air  anything  but  agree- 
able to  those  who  are  not  accustomed  to  it.  This 
is  the  place  where  the  family  live.  They  cook 
everything  here,  for  themselves  and  their  hogs. 
They  eat  every  m.eal  here.  They  sit  here  every 
evening,  and  here  they  receive  their  friends. 
The  women  in  this  kitchen  toil  incessantly,  from 
the  time  they  rise  in  the  morning  until  they  go 
to  bed  at  night.  Here  man  and  woman,  sons  and 
daughters,  live  in  the  belief  that  work  is  the 
great  thing,  that  efficiency  is  the  crowning  ex- 
cellence of  manhood  and  womanhood,  and  wil- 
lingly go  so  far  into  self-abasement,  sometimes,  as 
to  contemn  beauty,  and  those  who  love  it,  and  to 
glory,  above  all  things,  in  brute  strength  and 
brute  endurance." 

If  that  is  not  a  gross  caricature  of  farmers' 
homes  as  found  generally  in  New  England,  then 
light  is  darkness  and  darkness  light.  It  is  a  dis- 
gusting and  degrading  picture,  and  more,  it  is  a 
dishonest  representation.  "W'e  appeal  to  every 
one  conversant  with  farmers'  life,  to  unite  with  us 
in  declaring  the  truth  Avhich  we  xiow  state. — that 
in  the  rural  districts,  family  life  answering  to  this 
description  is  held  up  as  a  fit  subject  of  merri- 
ment and  scorn,  and  our  city  friends  can  testify 
that  they,  with  us,  have  enjoyed  many  a  scene  of 
merriment  at  the  expense  of  these  rare  exceptions 
— these  vulgar,  behind-the-times  realities,  for  we 
do  not  deny  that  such  there  are,  but  few  and  far 
between,  relics  of  we  know  not  whcit. 

By  the  way,  we  respectfully  request  our  city 
friends,  believers  in  the  truth  of  the  article  in  the 
Atlantic  Monthhj,  who  contemplate  rusticating 
among  us,  to  bring  the  substantial  in  such  quan- 
tity and  quality  as  suits  their  taste,  unless  they 
wish  to  enjoy  cabbage  alone.  "Stewed  soap- 
grease,"  we  have  never  been  treated  to  the  dish, 
and  rather  conclude  not  to  include  that  in  our 
"bill  of  fare." 

Let  those  who  believe  this  a  true  description, 
no  longer  dream  of  breathing  fresh  air,  in  the 
country.  If  here  is  the  place  where  the  family 
live,  "the  female  part,"  from  morning  till  night, 
"dream  not  of  going  into  the  open  air,  lest  you 
astonish  the  natives  ;  when  with  the  Romans,  you 
must  do  as  the  Romans  do." 

The  writer  certainly  must  have  the  credit  of 
originality,  in  his  description,  for  never  in  our 
reading  have  we  seen  anything  describing  coun- 
try life  like  this.  If  we  take  the  writer's  ideas 
to  be  truth,  why,  we  are  bound  to  believe  that 
vulgarity  and  coai'seness  are  an  essential  part  of 
character,  as  it  is  usually  developed  in  farming 
communities,  and  of  course,  there  can  be  no  crav- 
ing for  the  beautiful  in  nature,  art  or  literature. 
Gray,  Goldsmith,  and  other  writers  who  have 
dared  to  teach  us  that  'mid  the  "homely  joys" 
of  the  rural  homes,  we  were  to  look  for  love  and 
sympathy,  peace,  charity,  friendship  and  truth, 
these,  their  works,  must  bs  laid  aside  as  poetic 
fancies  without  foundation,  and  we  must  receive 
for  truth,  that  from  which  our  better  feelings  re- 
volt. This  we  will  not  do.  "People  above  us  and 
below  us,  we  must  find,"  and  we  have  yet  to 
learn  that  in  the  country  places  there  is  less  re- 
spect "cherished  for  age,  for  friends,  for  poverty 
or  weakness,"  than  in  the  cities. 

Were  one  of  these  specimens  of  "self-abase- 
ment" to  I'isit  the  city  and  give  a  description  of 
city  life,  would  it  be  fair  to  select  the  vicious  and 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


499 


degraded,  the  wholly  vain  and  frivolous,  and  de- 
clare that  of  such  were  the  majority  of  its  inhab- 
itants ? 

Again,  the  writer  speaks  of  "the  deterioration 
of  agriculture  in  New  England."  Be  this  as  it 
may  ;  we  do  not  believe  the  character  of  the  peo- 
ple in  the  farming  communities  has  deteriorated. 
The  writer  of  the  article  referred  to  says  :  "There 
is  probably  no  better  exponent  of  the  farmer's 
life  than  the  farmer's  home."  Let  any  one  who 
lives  in,  or  visits  the  country,  say  whether  the 
"square,  brown  houses,"  with  the  arrangement 
of  the  "barn  and  out-ljuildings,"  as  described 
above,  is  the  present  fashion,  or  one  of  a  past 
age.  His  specimens  are  certainly  relics  of  the 
past,  and  not  to  be  found  among  the  many  con- 
venient and  pretty  farm-houses  of  the  present 
time. 

If  we  were  to  give  the  united  testimony  of 
those  "who  know  whereof  they  do  affirm,"  it 
would  be  that  the  mode  of  life  among  farmers, 
has  greatly  improved  within  the  last  thirty  years, 
in  everything  really  essential  to  happiness  ! 

But  when  we  come  to  that  clause  describing 
the  condition  of  the  wife  and  mother  on  the  ft:rm, 
we  blush  for  very  shame,  that  one  can  be  found 
in  our  midst  who  cherishes  such  degrading  views 
of  his  fellow  man — ay,  of  a  large  proportion  of 
New  England  men !  We  care  not  to  meddle  with 
this  clause,  but  if  we  believed  the  one-half  of  it  to 
be  truth,  we  would  entreat  the  "wives  and  daugh- 
ters" of  New  England  farmers,  (excepting  "the 
happy  exceptions,")  to  follow  fast  in  the  foot- 
steps of  Mrs.  Lot,  of  old,  in  all  save  the  "looking 
back,"  although  even  that  were  preferable  to  re- 
maining behind,  for  so  many  "bent  and  clumsy," 
"pillars  of  salt,"  standing  thickly  over  this  part  of 
our  fair  land,  would  prove  warning  beacons  in 
all  coming  time.  Flee  at  once  to  "the  large  so- 
cial centres,"  ye  who  believe  ye  are  part  and  par- 
cel of  the  "farm-stock,"  look  not  behind  ye,  but 
"look,"  in  the  fearful  language  of  the  writer  re- 
ferred to,  "look  at  your  hands  !  look  at  your 
face  !"  (if  among  your  treasures  you  have  dared 
to  take  a  piece  of  looking  glass,)  "look  at  your 
bent  and  clumsy  forms  !" 

Drop  one  tear  of  pity,  as  ye  think  of  the  igno- 
rant and  lonely  beings  ye  have  left  behind  ;  at 
any  rate,  get  to  the  "large,  social  centres,"  where 
it  is  presumed  ye  will  thenceforth  "be  regarded," 
to  use  the  words  of  the  writer,  as  '■'sacred  beings." 

Brentwood,  N.  H. 


it  in  as  cool  a  place  as  you  can.  If  this  be  done 
over  night,  the  butter  will  be  as  "firm  as  a  rock" 
at  breakfast  time  ;  or,  if  placed  there  in  the  morn- 
ing, the  butter  will  be  quite  hard  for  use  at  tea 
hour.  The  reason  of  this  is,  that  when  water 
evaporates,  it  produces  cold ;  the  porous  pot 
draws  up  the  water,  which  in  warm  weather 
quickly  evaporates  from  the  sides,  and  thus  cools 
it,  and  as  no  warm  air  can  now  get  at  the  butter, 
it  becomes  firm  and  cool  in  the  hottest  day. 


TO  KEEP  BUTTER  HARD  AND  COOL, 

A  writer  in  the  Scientific  American  recom- 
mends to  the  ladies  a  very  simple  arrangement 
for  keeping  butter  nice  and  cool  in  the  hottest 
weather.  Procure  a  large  new  flower  pot  of  suf- 
ficient size  to  cover  the  butter  plate,  and  also  a 
saucer  large  enough  for  the  flower  pot  to  rest  in 
upside  down  ;  place  a  trivet  or  meat  stand,  (such 
as  is  sent  to  the  oven  when  a  joint  is  baked,)  in 
the  saucer,  and  put  on  this  trivet  the  plate  of 
butter  ;  now  fill  the  saucer  with  water,  and  turn 
the  flower  pot  over  the  butter,  so  that  its  edge 
will  be  below  the  water.  The  hole  in  the  flower- 
pot must  be  fitted  with  a  cork  ;  the  butter  will 
then  be  in  what  we  may  call  an  air-tight  chamber. 
Let  the  whole  of  the  outside  of  the  flower-pot  be 
then  thoroughly  drenched  with  water,  and  place 


For  the  Neic  England  Farmer. 
HIKTTS  ON"  KEEPING  SHEEP. 

It  has  been  stated  in  some  of  the  agricultural 
papers  of  the  day,  that  sheep  are  profitable  to  the 
fai-mer,  not  only  from  the  product  of  wool  and 
mutton,  but  from  the  tendency  which  their  keep- 
ing has  to  improve  and  enrich  his  land  for  all 
agricultural  purposes. 

Sheep  are  profitable  to  the  farmer  who  has  a 
broken  or  uneven  farm,  and  his  pastures  have 
been  sufiTered  to  grow  up  to  bushes,  or  where  the 
soil  has  become  exhausted  by  excessive  feeding, 
and  will  produce  more  of  the  grasses,  excepting 
what  the  New  England  farmers  term  June  grass 
or  white  top.  Land  that  has  been  thus  reduced 
will  keep  sheep  better  than  any  other  kind  of 
stock  ;  but  to  think  of  eradicating  the  husks, 
and  thereby  give  the  pasture  a  smooth  appear- 
ance, and  have  white  clover  flourish  in  the  place 
of  June  grass,  is  a  supposition  not  generally  ac- 
knowledged by  the  community,  where  experience 
has  proved  to  be  the  better  teacher  in  regard  to 
what  kind  of  stock  will  best  improve  our  land. 

For  instance,  where  a  pasture  is  in  good  con- 
dition and  produces  clover,  timothy  and  red-top, 
let  it  be  stocked  with  sheep,  and  in  most  of  our 
hill  towns  in  Cheshire  county,  or  even  in  the 
State,  in  fifteen  or  twenty  years,  timothy  or  clo- 
ver will  be  nearly  or  quite  eradicated,  excepting 
where  the  sheep  may  chance  to  lay,  vrhich  is  gen- 
erally on  the  brow.  In  those  localities  white  clo- 
ver may  flourish  to  some  extent,  but  it  will  be  re- 
fused by  the  animals  ;  therefore,  it  will  be  of  no 
practical  utility  to  the  pasture  unless  a  portable 
fence  is  substituted,  and  that  would  not  pay  in 
so  rough  a  country. 

It  has  been  supposed  by  some  that  as  many 
cattle  and  horses  can  be  kept  with  a  certain  por- 
tion of  sheep  as  without  them,  and  without  any 
injury  to  the  farm  for  other  purposes.  One  wri- 
ter states  that  a  proportion  of  six  sheep  to  a 
horse  and  cow  on  the  same  keeping ;  that  would 
be  allowing  about  one-fifth  for  rubbish  for  the 
sheep  on  which  to  feed  ;  consequently,  the  qual- 
ity of  hay  must  be  an  inferior  kind. 

Sheep  kept  on  rubbish  left  by  other  animals, 
may  survive  but  cannot  flourish  in  the  winter 
season,  without  extra  feed.  In  grazing  time, 
sheep  don't  stop  to  crop  the  rubbish  until  they 
have  exhausted  their  curiosity  in  search  of  clover 
or  some  of  the  best  grasses,  and  in  a  pasture 
that  will  keep  six  sheep,  one  horse  and  one  cow, 
the  sheep,  I  venture  to  say,  wall  consume  one- 
half  of  the  clover  in  an  ordinary  pasture.  Con- 
sequently, instead  of  eating  the  poorest,  they 
will  consume  the  very  best  of  the  feed. 

The  farmer  is  more  subject  to  loss  on  sheep 
than  on  neat  stock ;  very  few  wool-growers,  who 


500 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Nov. 


keep  from  one  to  two  hundred  sheep,  but  will 
realize  a  loss  annually  of  ten  per  cent.  Although 
constant  care  and  attention  to  their  wants  are 
carefully  looked  after,  yet  disease  overtakes 
numbers  of  the  flock ;  while  they  are  treated 
with  the  utmost  vigilance  as  rare  animals  it 
would  do  very  well ;  but  this  is  practical  only 
with  a  very  limited  stock. 

Let  the  principle  be  observed,  for  experience 
has  shown  that  between  sheep  well  and  tolera- 
bly fed,  there  is  a  difference  of  one-third,  in  re- 
gard to  the  quantity  of  wool  obtained.  And  then- 
again,  it  is  only  by  such  abundant  food  that  the 
smallest  amount  of  mortality,  as  well  as  the  larg- 
est increase,  and  that  development  of  their  ani- 
mal organism  which  gives  the  sheep  in  all  peri- 
ods of  its  age  the  highest  capacities  of  breeding 
and  fattening,  can  be  secured.      J.  Whitney. 

East  Sullivan,  N.  H. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
LETTER  FROM  MAJOR  FRENCH. 

Lancaster,  Mass.,  Sept.  13, 1858. 

Deae,  Brown  : — My  letter  of  Aug.  3d,  dated 
at  Danvers,  closed  with  a  promise  that  I  would 
say  something  of  Mr.  R.  S.  Fay's  beautifully  ro- 
mantic farm  at  Lynn,  when  I  next  wrote. 

It  was  so  long  ago  that  I  have  almost  forgot- 
ten what  I  intended  to  say.  One  thing  attend- 
ing Mr.  Fay's  farm  worthy  of  note,  is  the  im- 
mense number  of  forest  trees  he  has  planted 
upon  it.  Not  only  the  elegant  avenue  of  per- 
haps a  quarter  of  a  mile  is  bordered  with  them, 
but  acres  and  acres  of  his  land  are  overspread 
with  them,  and  of  the  most  choice  kinds,  too. 
Mr.  Fay  is  working  well  for  posterity,  and  if  the 
blessings  of  the  living  are  available  to  those  who 
have  gone  hence.  Mi*.  Fay  will  have  his  rewai-d. 

I  wish  I  could  describe  to  you  Mr.  Fay's  farm, 
but  I  cannot.  It  is  formed  of  hill  and  vale,  and 
one  side,  at  least,  borders  on  a  beautiful  little 
lake.  The  hill  part  is  very  pleasantly  impressed 
upon  my  mind  by  one  of  ^Ir.  Fay's  witticisms. 
There  happened  to  be  on  a  hill  in  plain  view 
from  the  lawn  fronting  Mr.  Fay's  mansion,  some 
of  his  men  loadiag  hay  on  to  a  cart.  The  pros- 
pect, itself,  was  very  picturesque,  but  the  men, 
oxen,  cart  and  hay,  added  so  much  to  the  beau- 
ty of  the  scene,  that  it  was  remarked  upon,  when 
Mr.  Fay  observed  "that  it  was  his  delight  to  fur- 
nish his  visitors  with  handsome  views,  and  he 
always  kept  those  men  there  with  their  cart  and 
oxen,  to  commence  loading  hay  when  visitors 
came ! !"  I  hardly  knew  which  most  to  appre- 
ciate, the  cleverness  of  the  idea,  or  the  cleverness 
of  the  wit. 

We  had  only  an  hour  or  two  to  spend  with 
Mr.  Fay,  so  he  hurried  us  about  his  place,  and 
showed  us  as  much  as  would  have  occupied  a 
week,  properly  to  appreciate.  A  pair  of  most 
beautiful  heifers  and  a  bull  (Ayrshire,  I  believe, 
but  am  not  certain)  were  our  special  delight.  He 
said  he  had  been  offered  $500  for  the  heifers,  by 
a  gentleman  in  Washington  City,  and  refused  it. 

In  farming  utensils  I  think  Mr.  Fay  cannot  be 
beat  on  tlus  side  of  the  Atlantic,  for  many  of  his 
"gimcracks"  were  from  England,  and  to  a  Yan- 
kee eye  which  had  never  looked  upon  the  like, 
they  were  funny  enough.     An  English  plow,  not 


quite  a  rod  long,  perhaps,  but,  likeBanquo's  line 
of  kings,  amazing  long,  and  resembling  the 
man's  horse,  that  he  said  could  stretch  himself 
into  a  horse  and  a  half,  was  among  the  curiosi- 
ties of  the  place  ;  and  an  English  drill  machine, 
(I  think  it  was,)  at  any  rate  it  was  a  thing,  that 
appeared  to  me  about  as  intricate  as  a  carpet 
loom,  with  all  its  "fixins,"  and  I  should  think  it 
would  require  considerable  drilling  before  a  man 
would  perfectly  understand  the  use  of  it,  was 
also  on  exhibition.  They  were  curiosities  indeed, 
to  me  at  least,  and  I  was  glad  to  see  them,  but  I 
really  do  not  believe  a  common  farmer  would  find 
them  a  profitable  investment,  and  I  somewhat 
doubt  whether  Mr.  Fay  does. 

From  Gen.  Sutton's,  where  my  last  letter  was 
written,  I  went  to  Boston,  and  had  the  pleasure 
of  taking  you  by  the  hand  for  the  first  time  since 
my  present  visit  to  New  England.  Since  then, 
as  you  know,  I  have  been  almost  constantly  mov- 
ing. Your  columns  bear  witness  to  my  visit  at 
the  Isle  of  Shoals — but  there  is  not  much  farm- 
ing done  there !  We  did  up  considerable  fun, 
however,  and  ate  considerable  fish. 

You  may  have  a  faint  recollection  of  my  visit, 
after  my  return  from  the  Shoals,  to  a  certain 
Ex-Lieut.  Governor  of  Massachusetts,  where  a 
chowder  party  made  one  grand  feature  of  the  vis- 
it not  soon  to  be  forgotten  ;  and  where,  for  the 
first  time  in  thirty  years  (I  won't  go  too  far  back) 
I  held  a  breaking-up-plow,  and  I  turned  a  good 
furrow,  too  !  But,  my  stars  !  what  a  differertce 
between  the  iron  plow  I  held  last  week,  with  its 
elegantly  curved  mould-board,  its  cutting  knife, 
its  graduating  roller  under  the  beam,  and  the 
team  of  one  yoke  of  oxen  and  a  horse  that  drew 
it,  and  my  honored  father's  old  breaking-up 
plow,  with  its  wooden  mould-board,  roughly 
strapped  with  iron,  its  beam,  tliut  was  a  beam, 
almost  heavy  enough  to  work  into  a  beam  for  a 
barn,  with  a  sort  of  shoe- shaped  affair  mortised 
into  it,  to  keep  the  plow  from  going  in  too  deep, 
and  a  man  to  ride  on  the  beam  to  keep  it  in  far 
enough,  and  then  four  or  six  full  "six-feet"  oxen 
that  hauled  it — 

"I  tell  yeou" 
That  was  the  way  we  '  put  her  through," 

in  those  days,  and  that  was  plowing!  Modern 
improvement  is  about  as  manifest  in  the  improve- 
ments made  in  plows  as  in  anything  I  know  of. 

I  flitted  from  Concord  here  the  other  day,  and 
I  propose  to  entertain  you  with  a  short  account 
of  my  goings-about  in  this  beautiful  town,  and 
what  I  have  seen  in  my  rambles. 

They  call  New  Haven  "The  City  of  Elms."  I 
am  not  well  enough  posted  as  to  the  trees  in 
New  Haven  to  form  an  opinion  as  to  the  propri- 
ety of  that  appellation,  but  if  there  is  a  toivn  in 
New  England  that  deserves  the  name  of  "The 
town  of  Elms,"  Lancaster,  in  this  old  Common- 
wealth, is  that  town. 

Turn  your  eyes  which  way  you  will,  from  al- 
most any  locality  hei'e,  and  they  are  gi'eeted  with 
magnificent  elms.  The  Saturday  prior  to  my  ar- 
rival here,  the  last  limb  of  an  old  elm,  which 
measured,  it  is  said,  22  feet  in  circumference, 
fell,  and  two  men  have  been  constantly  engaged 
in  chopping  upon  it,  for  an  entire  week,  and  it  is 
not  half  chopped  into  firewood  yet !  I  measured 
an  elm  l^tween  the  village  and  the  Female  In- 
dustrial ochool,  a  little  off  the  main  road,  and, 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


501 


five  feet  above  the  ground,  it  measured  21  feet 
9  inches.  At  the  ground  it  would  measure  near- 
ly, or  quite,  30  feet.  Another,  directly  on  the 
road,  measured  between  17  and  18  feet. 

I  have  visited  the  Industrial  School  for  girls 
twice  since  I  came  here.  Once  on  a  week  day, 
and  yesterday  (Sunday)  afternoon,  and  was  very 
much  gratified.  At  my  first  visit  we  were  shown 
through  the  buildings  by  the  gentlemanly  Super- 
intendent, Rev.  B.  K.  Peirce,  and  found  every 
thing  in  the  very  best  order,  and  the  inmates 
busily  engaged  in  different  ways ;  the  most_  of 
them  were  knitting,  others  seemed  to  be  special- 
ly charged  with  the  daily  work  of  the  establish- 
ment. At  the  request  of  Mr.  P.  a  number  of  the 
girls  seated  themselves  on  the  lawn,  and  while 
plying  their  knitting  needles,  they  sang  to  us,  in 
perfect  time  and  tune,  a  number  of  songs,  in  a 
manner  that  would  not  discredit  professed  musi- 
cians. They  all  appeared  happy  and  contented, 
and  were  treated  by  Mr.  Peirce  more  as  if  they 
were  his  children,  than  his  scholars.  Yesterday 
afternoon  I  attended  the  religious  services  at  the 
Chapel,  and  I  do  not  remember  to  have  passed  a 
Sunday  afternoon  when  I  was  more  pleased  or 
interested  in  religious  services.  They  were  con- 
ducted with  great  propriety,  and  proper  solemni- 
ty, by  Mr.  P.  After  the  evening  lesson  of  the 
Episcopalian  church,  and  singing,  the  Sunday 
school  lessons  were  recited,  under  the  direction 
of  two  young  misses,  whom  I  took  to  be  inmates 
of  the  school,  selected,  probably,  by  the  matrons. 
Everything  that  vras  recited  was  well  selected 
and  perfectly  committed. 

There  were  present  three  gentlemen,  part  of 
a  committee  of  Legislature,  to  examine  the  be- 
nevolent institutions  of  the  State,  Messrs.  Hale, 
of  Boston,  Brooks,  of  Concord,  and  Morrissey, 
of  Nantucket.  They  appeared  to  be  very  much 
gratified,  and  Mr.  Hale,  at  Mr.  Peirce's  request, 
made  some  very  appropriate  remarks.  The  ser- 
vices continued  for  two  hours  or  more,  and  when 
I  left,  I  believe  if  you  could  have  seen  my  heart, 
you  would  have  found  printed  upon  it,  "God  bless 
the  Commonwealth  of  Massachusetts." 

[We  learn  from  one  of  the  gentlemen  present 
that  our  correspondent.  Major  French,  being 
called  upon  by  Mr.  Pierce,  made  some  brief  and 
appropriate  remarks.  He  likened  old  Massachu- 
setts to  an  embodiment  of  philanthropy,  stretch- 
ing forth  the  arms  into  every  corner  of  the  Com- 
monwealth, and  gathering  up  the  poor  and  needy 
and  leading  them  in  the  paths  of  virtue  to  use- 
ful and  happy  lives.  He  spoke  feelingly  of  life  as 
a  state  of  trial  and  progress  in  our  mental  and 
moral  powers  ;  happily  quoted  the  stanza  from 
Longfellow — 

"Life  is  real,  life  is  earnest, 
And  the  grave  is  not  our  goal — 
Dust  thou  art — to  dust  returnest 
Was  not  spoken  of  the  soul," 

and  closed,  leaving  his  audience  to  feel  that  they 
belonged  to  the  great  brotherhood  of  man,  and 
that  they  were  still  regarded  with  a  deep  inter- 
est.] 

Let  politicians  say  what  they  will  of  the  old 
Bay  State,  in  regard  to  her  present  government. 


policy,  &c.  They  cannot  wipe  from  her  statute 
book  the  glorious  pages  whereon  are  recorded 
her  noble  charities !  There  she  stands  as  much 
above  the  petty  malice  and  the  j^^fty  minds  of 
those  who  attempt  to  revile  her,  as  Bunker 
Hill  Monument  does  above  the  mud  pile  of  the 
scavenger  of  the  gutters  ! 

Perhaps  I  will  pursue  the   subject  whfn  I  re- 
turn to  Washington,  I  have  written  enough  now. 
Ever  faithfully,  B.  B.  French.. 


SCIENCE  AiSrSWEBING  SIMPLE  QUES- 
TIONS. 

Why  is  rain  water  soft?  Because  it  is  not  im- 
pregnated M'ith  earth  and  minerals. 

Why  is  it  more  easy  to  wash  with  soft  water 
than  with  hard?  Because  soft  water  unites  freely 
with  soap,  and  dissolves  it  instead  of  decompos- 
ing it,  as  hard  water  does. 

Why  do  wood  ashes  make  hard  water  soft  ? 
1st.  Because  the  carbonic  acid  of  wood  ashes 
combines  with  the  sulphate  of  lime  in  the  hard 
water,  and  converts  it  into  chalk.  2d.  Wood 
ashes  converts  some  of  the  soluble  salts  of  water 
into  insoluble,  and  throws  them  down  as  a  sedi- 
ment, by  which  the  water  remains  more  pure. 

Why  has  rain  Avater  such  an  unpleasant  smell 
when  it  is  collected  in  a  rain  water  tub  or  tank  ? 
Because  it  is  im.pregnated  with  decomposed  or- 
ganic matters,  washed  from  roots,  trees  or  the 
casks  in  which  it  is  collected. 

Why  does  water  melt  salt  ?  Because  very  mi- 
nute particles  of  water  insinuate  themselves  into 
the  pores  of  the  salt,  by  capillary  attraction,  and 
force  the  crystals  apart  from  each  other. 

How  does  blowing  hot  foods  make  them  cool  ? 
It  causes  the  air  which  has  been  heated  by  the 
food  to  change  rapidly,  and  give  place  to  fresh 
cool  ail'. 

Why  do  ladies  fan  themselves  in  hot  weather  ? 
The  fresh  particles  of  air  may  be  brought  in  con- 
tact with  their  face,  by  the  action  of  the  fan  ;  and 
as  every  fresh  particle  of  air  absorbs  some  heat 
from  the  skin,  this  constant  change  makes  them 
cool. 

Does  a  fan  cool  the  air  ?  No,  it  makes  the 
air  hotter  by  imparting  to  it  the  heat  of  our  face, 
but  cools  our  face  by  transferring  its  heat  to  the 
air. 

Why  is  there  always  a  draft  through  keyholes 
and  window  crevices  ?  Because  the  external  air, 
being  colder  than  the  air  of  the  room  we  occupy, 
rushes  through  the  window  crevices  to  supply 
the  deficiency  caused  by  the  escape  of  warm  air 
up  the  chimney,  &c. 

If  you  open  the  lower  sash  of  a  window,  there 
is  more  draft  than  if  you  open  the  upper  sash. 
Explain  the  reason  of  this.  If  the  lower  sash 
be  open,  cold  external  air  will  rush  freely  into 
the  room  and  cause  a  great  draft  inward ;  but  if 
the  upper  sash  be  open,  the  heated  air  of  the 
room  will  rush  out,  and  of  course  there  will  be 
less  draft  inward. 

By  which  means  is  a  room  better  ventilated? 
By  opening  the  upper  sash,  because  the  hot,  viti- 
ated air,  which  always  ascends  towards  the  ceil- 
ing, can  escape  more  easily. 

Why  does  the  wind  dry  damp  linen?  Because 
dry  Mdnd,  like  a  dry  sponge,  imbibes  the  parti- 


502 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Nov. 


cles  of  vapor  from  the  surface  of  the  linen  as 
fast  as  they  are  found. 

Which  is  the  hottest  place  in  a  church  or  chap- 
el ?     The  gallery. 

Why  is  the  gallery  of  all  public  places  hotter 
than  the  lower  parts  of  the  building?  Because 
the  heated  air  of  the  building  ascends,  and  all 
the  cold  air  which  can  enter  through  the  doors 
and  windows,  keeps  to  the  floor  till  it  has  be- 
come heated. — Dr.  Brewer^s  Guide  to  Science. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
LETTEK  FEOM  JUDGE  FBBNCH. 

Exeter,  N.  H.,  Sept.  20,  1858. 

Mt  Dear  Brown  : — To-morrow  commences 
my  labor  in  other  fields  than  those  of  agriculture. 
Before  taking  leave  of  my  farm,  it  may  perhaps 
be  pleasant  to  talk  with  you  and  our  readers  a 
few  minutes  of  what  has  been  going  on  the  past 
season,  here  at  The  Pines,  in  the  way  of  farming. 

"Do  you  think  you  make  anything  by  your 
farming  ?"  is  a  question  which  I  am  frequently 
called  on  to  answer,  and  I  will  answer  it  here, 
thus :  In  the  farming  v/hich  I  undertake  for 
profit,  I  get  my  money  again  with  a  good  profit, 
but  in  the  various  experiments  which  I  tiy,  as 
matter  of  curiosity  and  education,  I  fare  much 
like  other  peoiile.  Sometimes  I  succeed  and 
sometimes  fail,  but  I  gain  usually  what  I  seek, 
that  is,  knowledge  that  may  be  useful  to  myself 
and  others. 

I  hold  it  to  be  as  rational  for  a  gentleman  to 
expend  a  hundred  dollars  in  reclaiming  an  acre 
of  swamp  and  making  a  handsome  acre  of  it, 
even  if  he  derives  no  dollars  from  it,  as  to  ex- 
pend five  hundred  for  a  fancy  span  of  horses  or 
for  dinners  and  champagne.  My  farming  is  my 
amusement.  One  of  my  neighbors,  a  gentleman 
of  wealth,  adopts  the  principle  that  he  will  do 
nothing  on  his  farm  that  will  not  pay  a  profit, 
nothing  that  would  not  be  advisable  for  a  farmer 
v.'ho  gets  his  living  by  hard  work.  I  hold  to  no 
such  doctrine.  My  failures  may  be  as  valuable 
as  my  successes,  if  properly  improved.  One 
great  advantage  from  an  experimental  farm,  is, 
that  we  may  learn  from  actual  trial  what  things 
ought  not  to  be  done.  Nobody  should  expect  a 
profit  from  such  establishments. 

Complaint  is  often  made  of  your  State  Farm 
at  Westboro',  that  it  is  expensive,  and  the  So- 
lons  of  New  Hampshire  are  beginning  to  com- 
plain that  the  Reform  School  Farm,  at  Manches- 
ter, does  not  pay  its  way — a  farm  entirely  run 
down,  almost  every  acre  of  which  needs  thor- 
ough draining,  and  without  a  tenth  part  of  the 
live  stock  necessary  to  carry  it  on.  The  expec- 
tations of  people  of  profits  from  land  are  most 
unreasonable.  A  man  has  a  hundred-acre  farm 
worth,  say  $4000.    Thi-ee-quarters  are  wood  and 


pasture,  the  rest  tillage  and  mowing.  He  plants, 
say  six  acres,  oftener  not  more  than  four,  and 
performs  all  the  labor,  with  the  help  of  one  hired 
man.  What  has  he  then  right  to  expect  as  a  fair 
business  profit  ?  First,  the  interest  on  his  capi- 
tal, which  is  $240 ;  next,  enough  to  pay  his  "help ;" 
thirdly,  for  compensation  for  his  own  labor,  at 
proper  rates  for  such  labor,  which  is  next  thing 
to  mere  manual  labor.  What  does  he  get  ?  He 
gets  his  rent,  his  fuel,-  milk,  butter,  potatoes  and 
garden  vegetables,  a  great  part  of  his  breadstuff, 
the  use  of  a  horse  for  family  purposes,  and  money 
enough  to  pay  taxes,  repair  buildings  and  tools, 
clothe  his  family,  giving  his  children  all  their 
time  for  education,  which  in  other  countries  would 
be  spent  in  hard  work  and  ignorance — pay  his 
"help"  and  doctor's  bills,  and  spend  some  time 
and  money  in  electioneering  and  other  innocent 
recreations.  Now  suppose  he  has  not  a  dollar 
more  at  the  end  of  the  year  than  he  began  it 
with,  has  not  he  done  a  fair  business  ?  His  own 
labor  besides  board  cannot  be  reckoned  more 
than  $200 — and  that  with  the  interest  on  his  cap- 
ital makes  $440 — and  he  somehow  makes  the 
farm  yield  him  a  living  that  would  cost  and  does 
cost  a  man  occupying  a  hired  house,  much  more 
than  that. 

The  truth  is,  that  farming,  even  in  hard  New 
England,  does  pay  better  than  any  other  busi- 
ness, that  is  conducted  on  so  small  a  capital,  with 
so  little  of  what  may  be  termed  skilled  labor. 

At  public  model  farms  and  the  like,  it  is  prop- 
er to  test  new  theories,  to  keep  for  inspection 
specimens  of  difi'erent  breeds  of  live  stock,  a  va- 
riety of  improved  implements,  to  try  new  seeds 
and  modes  of  culture.  Thus  one  published  fail- 
ure may  save  a  thousand  repetitions  of  an  exper- 
iment all  over  the  land. 

Let  us  then  be  reasonable  in  our  expectations 
of  private  and  public  operations  in  agriculture. 

To  answer  directly  the  question  as  to  the  re- 
sult of  my  own  farming,  I  have  no  doubt  that  I 
live  on  my  farm,  for  less  money,  than  I  could 
live  in  the  same  comfort  and  general  style  in  a 
hired  house.  My  farming  not  only  pays  interest 
and  expenses,  but  enables  me  to  do  something, 
without  a  loss,  to  benefit  those  who  have  not 
means  or  leisure  to  indulge  in  the  fascinating 
pursuits  of  experimental  agriculture. 

My  corn,  potatoes,  mangold  v/urtzel  and  tur- 
nips are  this  year  all  on  land  underdrained  with 
tiles,  at  fifty  feet  distances,  and  an  average  depth 
of  four  feet,  on  land  on  which  three  years  ago  no 
one  of  the  crops  could  have  growfi  at  all,  except, 
perhaps  a  half-drowned  crop  of  potatoes.  The  av- 
erage rain-fall  hereabouts  is  thirty-six  inches. 
The  fall  in  1857  was  about  fifty  inches,  and  thus 
far  this  year  has  exceeded  1857.  It  is  one  of  the 
wettest  seasons  ever  known. 


1858, 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


503 


POTATOES. 

My  potato  ground  was  plowed  April  12th,  and 
was  dry  enough.  I  drove  a  span  of  horses  my- 
self, and  we  plowed  1*  acres  in  a  day  with  the 
largest  sized  double  plow.  I  was  in  Court  till 
May  3d,  and  on  the  4th  we  planted  the  potatoes. 
About  five  cords  to  the  acre  of  compost  was 
plowed  in,  with  one  horse,  after  harrowing  the 
first  furrows  ;  then  the  land  was  opened  in  drills, 
with  a  small  plow  and  the  seed  dropped,  and  cov- 
ered with  the  plow.  The  crop  was  cultivated 
mostly  with  a  horse — hoed  once,  and  weeded  af- 
ter the  crop  was  nearly  grown. 

I  cut  most  of  the  potatoes,  a  fair  sized  Jack- 
son white,  into  four  pieces,  and  placed  them  fif- 
teen inches  apart  in  the  drills,  and  the  drills  three 
feet  apart.  The  rows  are  twenty  rods  long.  For 
experiment,  I  cut  the  seed  very  small  in  one  row, 
one  eye  in  a  piece,  and  placed  them  ten  inches 
apart.  In  other  rows  I  planted  whole  potatoes. 
On  part  of  the  piece  I  planted  the  Riley  potato, 
cut  and  whole  in  th,e  same  way.  The  whole  acre 
blighted  somewhat  about  Aug.  15,  until  which 
the  piece  looked  remarkably  uniform  and  well. 
On  the  7th  of  September,  we  dug  the  experimen- 
tal rows,  and  a  part  of  the  others,  and  measured 
the  product.  There  was  no  difference  in  size  or 
quality  or  disease,  between  those  whole  and  cut, 
or  between  those  in  quarters  and  smaller  pieces. 
In  seventeen  bushels,  there  was  not  a  half  bush- 
el of  diseased  potatoes,  and  they  have  not  rotted 
in  the  cellar.  The  yield  is  about  one  hundred 
and  fifty  bushels  to  the  acre,  which  is  as  large  a 
crop  as  I  dare  to  raise  in  these  times.  It  is  less 
work  to  plant  potatoes  in  this  way,  but  far  more 
to  dig  them,  and  I  do  not  think  the  crop  is  in- 
creased. My  potatoes,  as  far  as  I  can  judge,  are 
more  free  from  disease  than  the  average.  I 
should  expect  this  result  on  thorough  drained 
land,  which  has  never  been  too  wet  or  too  dry, 
a  day  during  the  season.  I  shall  leave  the  rest 
of  the  crop  in  the  ground  till  October,  and  then 
try  plowing  them  out. 

MANGOLD   WURTZELS. 

My  mangolds  were  sown  in  drills  on  drained 
land — plowed  twice  with  a  double  plow — then, 
after  harrowing  and  rolling,  opened  in  drills  with 
a  horse-plow,  by  a  furrow  each  way,  about  thirty 
inches  apart.  Two  cords,  by  measure,  of  fresh 
barn  manure  was  put  into  the  drills  on  I5  acre, 
and  covered  by  two  more  furrows,  rolled,  and  the 
seed  dibbled  in,  one  foot  apart,  on  the  27th  of 
May.  No  other  manure  vvas  applied,  except  two 
bushels  of  salt  sowed  after  planting.  The  crop 
is  as  fine  as  I  ever  saw.  Some  of  the  largest 
roots  measure  each  eighteen  to  twenty  inches  in 
circumference.  I  cannot  estimate  the  quantity  to 
the  acre,  but  there  is  enough !  I  shall  have  more 
to  say  about  mangolds  another  time. 


My  corn  is  much  above  an  average  crop,  and 
my  Swedes  sowed  June  28th,  are  looking  finely, 
and  promise  a  good  crop.  Perhaps  they  would 
have  done  better  sowed  earlier,  this  moist  sea- 
son, though  they  will  grow  a  month  yet.  They 
are  on  land  newly  broken  up,  and  newly  drained, 
and  my  corn  land  was  drained  last  fall.  We  do 
not  expect  the  full  benefit  of  drainage  so  soon  af- 
ter the  cold  water  is  taken  from  the  heavy  sour 
soil,  but  my  results,  thus  far,  equal  the  highest 
expectations  I  have  ever  formed  of  the  advanta- 
ges of  tile-draining. 

My  letter  has  spread  wider  than  was  intended, 
and  I  reserve  for  a  future  day  what  more  I  de- 
sire to  say.     Your  friend,  H.  F.  French. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
BEE-HIVE3— PATSSTTS—CORSECTION". 

Mr.  Editor  : — As  a  place  has  been  found  in 
your  journal  for  the  publication  of  an  article, 
over  the  signature  of  "Norfolk,"  headed  the 
"Bee-Hive,"  and  dated  at  "King  Oak  Hill,  April, 
1858,"  which  does  great  injustice  to  Mr.  Lang- 
stroth,  I  doubt  not  that  you  will,  as  a  matter  of 
simple  justice,  admit  the  following  to  your  pages. 

"Norfolk"  gives  a  statement,  but  not  the  name 
of  its  author ;  he  must,  therefore,  be  held  respon- 
sible for  this  sentence  :  "if,  as  is  stated,  Mr.  Lang- 
stroth  has  borrowed  the  only  good  thing  there  is 
about  his  hive  from  the  Union,  and  gets  cut  off 
from  its  use  in  making  his  hive  by  the  patent— 
his  hive  is  good  for  nothing." 

Common  prudence  would  cause  most  men  to 
hesitate  before  they  brought  such  borrowing  as 
is  implied  above  to  the  charge  of  such  a  man  as 
Mr.  Langstroth,  and  men  of  even  very  large  self- 
esteem  would  pause  before  they  pronounced  that 
the  hive  recommended  by  the  most  scientific 
apiarian  on  this  side  of  the  Atlantic  had  but  one 
good  thing  in  it ;  but  perhaps  "Norfolk"  is  "the 
man  for  the  occasion,"  and  is  prepared  to  sub- 
stantiate his  charge  and  prove  his  assertion. 

An  intimate  acquaintance  with  both  the  Lang- 
stroth and  the  Union  hives,  and  the  histories  of 
their  invention,  does  not  permit  me  to  doubt  for 
an  instant  what  that  "only  good  thing"  is  which 
Mr.  Langstroth  is  accused  of  borrowing.  I  have 
heard,  from  sources  which  can  be  given  if  required, 
that  Clarke  and  his  agents  claim  directly  or  in- 
directly, that  Clarke  is  the  inventor  and  present 
or  future  patentee  of  the  triangular  comb  guide, 
which  is  now  used  in  both  of  the  hives  men- 
tioned ;  but  "Norfolk's"  article  is  the  first  appear- 
ance, to  my  knowledge,  of  such  claims  in  print, 
and  I  have  not  thought  loose  verbal  statements 
worthy  of  notice. 

Now  the  fact  plainly  appears,  from  proceedings 
had  before  the  Patent  Office  in  the  interfering 
claims  of  Langstroth,  Clarke  and  May,  that  neither 
of  the  three  contestants  was  the  first  inventor  of 
the  triangular  comb  guide,  although  each  of  them 
might  have  been  an  original  inventor  of  it ;  the 
invention  appears  to  have  been  first  made  in  Eu- 
rope, and  is  described  in  an  English  edition  of 
Huber,  published  in  1841,  to  Avhich  the  Patent 
Office  referred,  and  dissolved  the  interference 
July  1st,  1857,  since  which  time  the  comb  guide 


504 


NEW  ENGLAND  FAEMER. 


Nov. 


has  been  public  property,  and  free  for  all  to  use 
in  any  kind  of  hive. 

Prior  to  the  time  of  writing  this  article,  Sept. 
2d,  1858,  but  one  patent  has  been  issued  to  Geo. 
H.  Clarke,  dated  Jan.  8th,  1856,  and  that  the  pub- 
lic may  be  correctly  informed  of  the  extent  of 
his  rights,  I  will  quote  his  disclaimer  and  claim. 
"Disclaiming  the  other  devices,  described  indi- 
vidually or  combined,  what  I  claim  is,  the  con- 
struction and  arrangement  of  the  hollow  bars,  D, 
in  the  manner  and  for  the  purpose  set  forth." 

The  bars,  D,  are  hollow  wooden  cylinders,  with 
an  opening  or  slit  for  the  entrance  of  the  bees 
from  beneath  to  within  the  bar,  which  extends 
the  whole  length  of  the  bar ;  besides  serving  for 
passages  for  the  bees  from  one  comb  to  another, 
they  also  serve  the  usual  purpose  of  cross  sticks 
in  boxhives,  viz.,  the  support  of  the  combs.  There 
is  nothing  else  patented  about  Clarke's  hive. 
Take  out  the  hollow  slotted  bars,  D,  and  substi- 
tute solid  Avooden  cylinders,  or  even  hollow  cylin- 
ders, if  you  please,  provided  they  have  no  apper- 
tures  in  them  by  means  of  which  the  bees  can  pass 
from  comb  to  comb  through  or  inside  of  the  bar, 
and  the  patented  matter  departs  from  Clarke's 
hive. 

Should  Mr.  Clarke  or  his  agents  be  rash 
enough  to  leave  out  from  the  Union  hives  the 
hollow  bars,  which  support  the  comb  and  afford 
a  passage  to  the  bees,  and  should  then  mark  and 
sell  them  as  patented,  even  though  the  triangular 
comb  guides  and  all  other  parts  were  left^ws^  as 
before,  they  would  be  liable  under  the  oth  Sect, 
of  the  act  of  Oct.  29th,  1842. 

It  is  not  my  purpose  in  this  article  to  analyze 
the  Union  hive,  or  to  exhibit  wherein  it  is  infe- 
rior to  the  Langstroth  hive,  or  to  point  out  its 
remarkably  close  resemblance  to  Mr.  Quinby's 
hive,  and  wherein  it  is  inferior  to  that.  The 
Union  hive  has  received  the  encomiums  of  "Nor- 
folk," and  he  onglit  to  be  qualified  to  express 
an  opinion  on  hives  who  without  any  hesitancy 
states,  that  "the  only  good  thing"  about  the 
Langstroth  hive  is  borrowed  from  Clarke's  Union 
hive.  Comment  on  such  a  statement  will  be 
surperfluous  to  those  who  are  familiar  with  the 
Langstroth  system,  and  to  those  who  are  not,  I 
would  say  that  there  is  a  rich  treat  and  a  fund  of 
information  in  store  for  them,  and  to  be  had 
from  the  perusal  of  the  Rev.  L.  L.  Langstroth's 
Treatise  on  the  Hive  and  the  Honey-Bee. 

Pteally,  that  veteran  bee-keeper,  Mr.  M.  Quin- 
by,  who  has  used  and  tested  the  Langstroth  hive 
for  three  seasons,  and  who  now  has  about  two 
hundred  of  them  in  use,  and  the  host  of  bee- 
keepers of  lesser  magnitude,  who  use  and  more 
than  approve  the  same  hive  and  system  of  bee- 
culture,  must  use  the  Union  hive  if  they  would 
keep  with  "Norfolk's"  movement,  but  whether 
that  is  an  advance  or  retrograde  movement  I  leave 
them  to  pronounce.  j.  b.  C. 

Wyoming,  Mass. 


Value  of  Clover  Hay. — H.  Capron,  Illinois, 
who  has  been  largely  concerned  in  the  dairy  busi- 
ness, (having  sold  six  thousand  dollars  v/orth  of 
milk  in  a  single  year,)  inform  the  Country  Gen- 
tleman that  he  made  accurate  experiments  to  test 
the  comparative  value  of  timothy  and  clover  hay. 
These   exiieriments,  extondin'.r   thrciph  a  pcri'-d 


of  two  years,  were  accompanied  with  an  accurate 
weighing  and  measuring,  and  the  food  was 
changed,  timothy  to  clover,  and  vice  versa,  once 
a  month,  and  the  results  were  that  the  clover  hay 
yielded  ten  per  cent,  more  than  the  timothy.  It 
will  be  observed  that  this  was  not  a  single  expei'- 
iment,  but  a  series  of  experiments  extending  for 
a  long  period.  It  is  proper  to  state  that  the 
clover  was  well  cui-ed. 


AGRICULTURAL  FESTIVALS. 

The  autumnal  "Musters"  of  the  Farmer  began 
in  the  early  part  of  September,  and  have  been 
holden  in  one  place  or  another  neai'ly  every  work- 
ing day  in  the  week  since  ;  they  will  not  be  con- 
cluded until  late  into  October.  The  interest  in 
them  does  not  in  the  least  flag  among  the  farmers 
themselves,  while  the  institution  is  gradually 
drawing  around  it  men  of  all  the  professions  and 
avocations  among  our  people,  and  if  it  is  not  al- 
ready established  in  our  customs  as  firmly  as 
"Thanksgiving  Day"  itself,  will  soon  become  so, 
if  no  baleful  influences  are  suffered  to  tarnish  the 
good  reputation  which  it  has  certainly  gained. 

Those  who  have  attended  these  autumnal 
gatherings  for  a  series  of  years,  and  who  have 
been  careful  observers  of  them,  must  have  no- 
ticed in  the  communities  where  they  prevail,  and 
among  the  people  who  sustain  them,  a  marked 
degree  of  improvement  in  the  practices  of  hus- 
bandry ;  and  they  are  improvements  which  are 
substantial,  pervading  all  parts  of  the  farm,  and 
especially  the  homestead  and  its  immediate  sur- 
roundings. All  over  New  England,  the  buildings, 
as  a  general  thing,  and  the  door-yards,  present  a 
very  different  aspect  from  their  appearance  thirty 
years  ago.  The  houses  more  recently  erected 
are  of  less  pretension,  covering  less  ground,  but 
constructed  with  more  conveniences  and  in  an 
altogether  better  architectural  taste,  so  that  many 
comforts  are  obtained,  while  greater  economy 
may  also  be  secured.  While  the  houses  are 
generally  smaller,  the  barns  and  granaries  have 
increased  to  double  their  former  size,  and  are 
better  filled  now  than  they  were  at  the  period  to 
which  we  have  referred.  That  sure  criterion  of 
farming,  tlie  number  of  cattle  kept,  or  the  quantity 
of  manure  used,  is  also  another  indication  of  sub- 
stantial progress  ;  so  in  the  number  of  acres  of 
tillage  land,  there  being  much  less  in  quantity, 
while  the  quality  of  that  improved  yields  a  larger 
product  than  the  whole  did,  leaving  a  large 
breadth  to  go  first  to  pasture  and  then  to  re-sup- 
ply the  fuel  and  timber  that  had  become  exhaust- 
ed. So  in  the  kinds  of  products  harvested,  es- 
pecially in  the  substitution  of  rich  and  nutritious 
grasses  and  succulent  roots  for  winter  fodder, 
instead  of  the  coarse  and  innutritious  meadow 
grasses  which  were  once  relied  upon  as  an  im- 
Tiortart  poilt  of  the  hn-"-   crop.     So  in  rpoln.iniing, 


1§58. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


505 


subsoiling,  draining,  and  an  improved,  and  at  the 
same  time  more  economical,  mode  of  feeding 
stock. 

It  cannot  be  denied,  with  any  show  of  reason, 
that  these  improvements  have  been  greatly  as- 
sisted by  the  introduction  of  our  autumnal  exhi- 
bitions, discussions,  and  associations.  While 
they  have  excited  and  encouraged,  they  have 
afforded  the  means  of  comparison,  so  that  there 
has  been  a  constant  endeavor  to  imitate,  or  per- 
haps to  transcend  the  best  results  of  the  most 
successful. 

We  did  not,  however,  sit  down  to  write  an 
essay  upon  the  advantages  to  be  derived  from 
these  festivals,  and  will  proceed  to  give  some  ac- 
count of  those  which  have  just  transpired.  They 
have  been  numerous,  and  our  account  must  neces- 
sarily be  brief  of  each. 

The  first  that  occurred,  at  Lowell,  we  gave  an 
account  of  last  week.  The  next  in  order  was 
that  of 

THE  MIDDLESEX  SOUTH  SOCIETY. 

The  exhibition  was  held  at  Framingham,  and 
was  a  successful  one  in  all  respects.  The  Presi- 
dent of  the  society  is  James  W.  Clark,  Esq. 
Address  by  Ex-Gov.  Washbukn,  upon  the  ''Du- 
ties of  the  Farmer"  which  he  very  happily  set 
forth  and  illustrated.  He  said  that  in  no  part  of 
the  universe  did  the  farmer  stand  in  a  more  favored 
position  than  in  Massachusetts.  We  had  a  fickle 
climate  and  a  hardy  soil,  yet  there  was  health  in 
our  rough  winds,  and  a  market  awaits  the  pro- 
ducts of  the  farm.  In  concluding,  he  said  that 
the  character,  importance  and  history  of  our 
people  depended  upou  their  successful  applicar 
tion  of  free  labor  upon  sea  and  land. 

Brief  addresses  were  made  at  the  dinner  table 
by  Messrs,  Train,  Washburx,  Brastow,  Wil- 
son, Marvin,  of  Florida,  Knapp,  T.  Starr 
King,  White,  of  Lowell,  and  Sanger,  of  Dover. 
The  next,  on  the  22d  and  23d,  was 

the  BRISTOL  COUNTY  SOCIETY. 
The  attendance  was  large,  and  the  objects  of 
the  exhibition  realized.  Dr.  Nathan  Durfee 
is  its  presiding  officer.  There  was  no  regular 
Address,  but  at  the  dinner  table  remarks  were 
made  by  Messrs.  T.  D.  Elliot,  Charles  G. 
DaVIS,  E.  H.  Brigham,  and  others.  The  stock 
exhibited  comprised  about  150  head,  mostly 
grade  cattle,  end  a  few  South  Down  and  Native 
Sheep.  The  exhibition  was  attended  with  the 
usual  plowing,  drawing,  &c. 

the  WORCESTER  NORTH  SOCIETY 

held  its  Show  at  Fitchburg,  on  the  24th.  The 
morning  was  drizzly  and  cool,  but  the  plowing 
and  drawing,  and  all  things  else  went  on  with 
spirit  and  regularity.  There  were  304  head  of 
cattle  present,  and  among  them  flaany  of  excel- 


lent quality.  There  was  also  a  fair  show  of 
horses,  sheep,  swine  and  poultry,  and  a  fine  pair 
of  mules,  who  plowed  and  hauled  a  drag  load  of 
stones  with  decided  ability.  Dr.  Jabez  Fisher, 
of  Fitchburg,  is  the  President.  No  regular  ad- 
dress. At  the  dinner-table  remarks  were  made 
by  Messrs.  Brown,  Flint,  Brooks,  Bailey  and 
Tilden. 

the  LEOMINSTER  FARMERS'  AND  MECHANICS* 

association 
held  its  Seventh  Annual  Show  at  Leominster 
on  the  22d,  and  as  usual,  they  made  a  fine  dis- 
play ;  had  a  good  display  of  stock,  and  over  700 
dishes  of  apples  among  the  fruit.  Address  by 
Rev.  RuFUS  P.  Stebbins,  of  Woburn,  and  a 
practical  and  interesting  one  too.  The  Leomin- 
ster people  are  very  energetic,  and  get  up  a  show 
of  more  merit  than  those  of  some  of  the  county 
societies. 

The  Horticultural  Exhibition  of  the 

ESSEX  institute 

took  place  at  Salem  on  Wednesday,  22d,  and  is 
said  to  be  the  best  ever  given  by  the  Institute. 
They  excel  in  fruits  and  flowers. 

THE  NEWTON  HORTICULTURAL  SOCIETY, 

J.  F.  C.  Hyde,  President,  had  an  exhibition  on 
Tuesday  and  Wednesday,  Sept.  21st  and  22d, 
and  made  an  excellent  display  of  vegetables, 
fruits  and  flowers,  and  works  of  art.  Upwards 
of  60  became  members.  It  closed  with  a  banquet 
in  the  evening. 

THE  GROTON  FARMERS'  CLUB 

held  their  exhibition  on  the  24th ;  the  weather 
was  propitious,  the  attendance  large,  and  most 
of  the  departments  of  the  farm  were  well  repre- 
sented. Address  by  Rev.  Mr.  Baebidge,  of  Pep- 
perell. 

Our  friends  in  New  Hampshire  have  also  been 
"mustering." 

THE  ROCKINGHAM  COUNTY  FAIR 

held  its  Sixth  Annual  Exhibition  at  Exeter,  on 
Wednesday.  The  display  of  stock  was  large  ; 
that  of  fruits,  grains,  <orn,  &c.,  not  equal  to  for- 
mer years,  according  to  the  reporters.  Address, 
by  Prof.  J.  G.  Hoyt,  and  as  was  expected,  a 
capital  one — he  does  nothing  in  a  mediocre  way. 
The  town  teams  were  very  fine,  and  so  were  the 
girls  that  rode  in  the  tastefully  trimmed  wagons 
that  were  drawn  by  the  town  teams.  We  are 
sorry  to  see  that  ^'escort  duty  was  performed  by 
tlie  Exeter  Guards,  numbering  forty-one  guns." 
Our  mission  is  a  peaceful  one,  we  have  no  need 
of  guns — the  town  teams,  and  the  healthy  girls 
in  the  wagons  decorated  with  their  own  hands, 
was  an  escort  a  thousand  times  more  appropriate 
and  beautiful  than  as  many  guns  as  were  lost  at 
the  siege  of  Sevastopol.     Let  the  military  reap 


806 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Nov 


its  glory  on  its  own  field,  and  firemen  on  theirs. 
It  would  be  no  more  ridiculous  for  us  to  escort 
the  military  to  a  sham  fight  with  hoes,  scythes, 
pitchforks,  mowing  machines  and  potato-dig- 
gers, than  for  them  to  escort  Pomona  and  Ceres 
to  their  festival  halls  with  cocked  hats  and  guns ! 
We  can  only  keep  these  exhibitions  pure  and 
useful  by  rejecting  all  meretricious  display,  and 
by  confining  them  to  the  specific  objects  for 
which  they  were  established. 

THE  CONNECTICUT  RIVER  VALLT  FAIR 

was  held  at  Charlestown,  on  the  21st,  22d  and 
23d,  and,  we  understand,  was  a  decided  success. 
Henry  Hubbard,  Esq.,  President.  Hon.  Caleb 
Gushing  was  expected  to  deliver  the  Address, 
but  was  prevented  in  consequence  of  sickness. 
We  have  a  spirited  account  of  this  Exhibition  by 
a  lady  who  was  present,  which  we  shall  give  next 
week. 

THE  aiAINE  state  FAIR 

commenced  on  the  21st,  and  was  continued  three 
days,  at  Augusta;  the  papers  give  glowing  ac- 
counts of  its  inception  and  progress.  Hon. 
•Jefferson  Davis,  of  Mississippi,  gave  the  Ad- 
dress, which  is  also  spoken  of  in  high  terms 
the  portions  of  it  which  we  have  seen  we  like, 
Some  practices  were  introduced  into  the  exhi- 
bition which  will  prove  the  entering  wedges  of 
its  destruction  if  they  are  continued.  We  de 
precate  that  course  of  management  which  seems 
to  imply  a  doubt  of  success,  unless  other  matters 
are  introduced  which  are  entirely  foreign  to  the 
objects  of  the  association.  If  we  need  riding 
schools,  or  any  other  useful  accomplishment,  let 
us  have  them  in  their  own  proper  time  and 
places,  and  let  them  stand  or  fall  on  their  own 
merits,  and  not  divert  the  attention  of  gathered 
multitudes  from  the  legitimate  object  of  an  ex- 
hibition. It  is  a  distrust  of  the  power  of  those 
associations  which  may  have  a  disastrous  result, 
— it  has  already  proved  so  in  several  instances. 


BUTTEB  MAKING. 


"Can  we  make  more  Butter  by  churning  all  the  Milk  than  the 
Cream  only?" 

Most  assuredly  we  can.  Almost  every  one  who 
has  had  experience  in  butter-making  in  hot 
weather  knows  that  before  the  cream  all  rises  the 
milk  will  be  loppered,  and  sometimes  it  is  found 
mouldy.  How,  in  this  case,  are  we  to  get  all  the 
butter  that  is  in  the  milk,  unless  we  churn  milk 
cream  and  all  ?  One  of  my  neighbors  churns  his 
milk  and  cream  all  together,  and  after  the  but 
termilk  has  stood  awhile  he  churns  it  over  again, 
and  finds  enough  butter  in  the  buttermilk  to  sup- 
ply his  family  with  what  they  want  to  eat.  If 
you  could  compel  the  cream  to  rise  all  up  before 
the  milk  is  loppered,  you  could  then  get  nearly 
all  the  cream  of  the  milk,  so  as  to  have  the  whole 
of  the  butter  by  churning  the  cream  only. — A 
L.  Smith,  in  Genesee  Farmer. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer, 

LETTER  FROM  THE  SANDWICH 
ISLANDS. 

Honolulu,  July  12,  1858. 

Joel  Nourse,  Esq.  -. — Dear  Sir, — I  find  in  the 
May  number  of  your  very  valuable  journal,  some 
quotations  from  letters  to  my  brother,  which  were 
not  designed  for  publication,  and  were  not  written 
in  a  manner  to  give  a  correct  idea  of  gardening 
or  farming  in  this  tropical  land  ;  a  little  explana- 
tion, then,  may  not  be  unacceptable. 

First,  in  regard  to  the  Chinese  sugar  cane 
seed ;  it  came  to  hand  in  as  fine  condition  as 
could  be  wished,  and  was  very  perfect  seed.  I 
planted  all  the  ground  I  had  to  spare,  about  one- 
twentieth  of  an  acre,  on  the  21st  of  May,  1857. 
It  grew  finely,  and  reached  a  height  of  11  feet, 
on  an  average,  and  produced  a  heavy  crop  of 
seed.  Before  the  seed  was  fully  grown,  I  cut  a 
part  of  the  crop  for  my  cow  and  horse,  and 
weighed  it  for  experiment ;  the  yield  was  at  the 
rate  of  11^  tons  to  the  acre,  of  green  fodder ;  the 
second  crop  was  larger,  and  the  third  crop  was 
double  the  first.  I  cut  six  crops  of  fodder  dur- 
ing the  year,  from  the  same  planting,  and  seven 
crops  on  a  part  of  the  ground.  I  supposed  I 
should  have  to  dig  it  up  on  account  of  the  ex- 
haustion of  the  soil,  but  having  manured  the 
ground  between  the  rows  (it  is  planted  in  drills 
3  feet  apart),  it  still  produces  a  good  crop.  I  am 
now  cutting  the  eighth  crop,  15  months  from 
planting.  I  have  planted  more  since,  as  I  think 
it  the  very  best  crop  for  green  fodder  that  I  ever 
saw. 

In  regard  to  the  sugar  cane  of  the  Islands,  it 
must  not  be  supposed  that  "three  tons  of  sugar 
to  the  acre"  is  an  average  crop,  although  that 
has  been  produced  on  some  very  rich  spots.  One 
and  a  half  tons  is  a  good  average  here,  and  two 
tons  to  the  acre  for  a  field  is  considered  a  re- 
markably fine  crop.  1  wish  I  could  send  you  a 
little  of  our  A.  1,  Island  sugar  ;  it  is  the  finest  I 
ever  saw.  It  is  of  the  lightest  straw  color,  and 
every  minute  particle  is  a  beautiful  crystal.  This 
sugar,  when  shipped  to  San  Francisco  this  sea- 
son, netted  the  owners  10:|  cents  per  pound. 
Several  new  plantations  have  been  commenced 
this  year.  A  careful  calculation  made  by  two  of 
our  practical  planters,  based  upon  the  experience 
of  several  years  past,  gives  a  net  profit  of  about 
33  per  cent,  on  a  capital  of  $40,000  to  $50,000  in- 
vested in  a  well  managed  sugar  plantation  on 
these  Islands.  There  are  many  good  locations 
for  plantations,  but  capital  is  wanting  to  develope 
the  wealth  of  the  soil. 

My  sweet  potatoes,  alluded  to  in  your  extracts, 
gave  me  over  40  barrels  for  a  second  crop,  dur- 
ing the  year,  making  100  barrels,  or  300  barrels 
to  an  acre  for  one  year — about  one-third  of  the 
vines  remain  for  a  third  crop  from  the  same  plant- 
ing, and  are  doing  well.  I  have  three  varieties 
of  the  sweet  potato,  in  separate  patches,  on  a  new 
piece  of  ground,  which  attract  much  attention  on 
account  of  their  luxuriant  growth,  and  from  ex- 
amination of  some  hills,  I  anticipate  a  splendid 
crop, 

1  have  two  kinds  of  millet,  now  ripe,  yielding 
very  heavy  crops — the  Chinese  and  the  Egyptian, 
so  called  here — the  former  a  round,  white  seed, 
and  the  latter  the  shape  of  maize,  and  deep  yel- 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


507 


low  color.  Both  are  excellent  feed  for  fowls. 
I  can  raise  almost  every  kind  of  garden  vegeta- 
ble upon  my  ground  :  the  greatest  difficulty  is  in 
obtaining  good  seed.  That  which  you  sent  me  a 
year  ago  was  the  best  I  ever  had,  scarcely  a  sin- 
gle seed  failed  to  germinate.  Most  of  the  seeds 
which  we  get  from  California  are  of  the  poorest 
quality,  and  almost  as  costly  as  the  gold  dug  from 
their  sands  and  rocks. 

Finally,  I  must  tell  you  that  gardening  and 
farming  generally,  at  the  Islands,  are  in  rather  a 
primitive  state ;  it  is  but  recently  that  much  at- 
tention has  been  turned  in  that  direction.  The 
soils  of  different  localities,  with  perhaps  one  or 
two  exceptions,  have  never  been  analyzed,  and  it 
is  hardly  possible  to  guess  what  elements  are 
wanting  for  our  different  plants  and  fruits.  I  have 
30  or  40  fruit  trees  from  California,  mostly  peach- 
es, which  grow  well,  but  do  not  bear,  the  young 
fruit  dropping  soon  after  the  blossom,  while  the 
peach  from  the  seed  bears  well.  What  is  the 
reason  ?  The  mango  is  a  favorite  fruit  here,  and 
it  grows  luxuriantly  in  rich,  warm  localities. 
Most  tropical  fruits,  I  doubt  not,  would  do  well 
here,  and  very  many  of  the  fruits  and  berries  of 
the  temperate  zone,  did  we  know  how  to  culti- 
vate them ;  as  we  have  every  variety  of  climate, 
from  the  torrid  level  of  the  sea  to  the  region  of 
frost  and  snow,  upon  our  magnificent  mountains. 
But  let  me  not  be  further  tedious  to  you.  I  wish 
I  had  time  to  write  something  worthy  of  a  place 
in  your  excellent  paper,  which  many  of  us  read 
with  great  interest. 

Very  truly,  J.  Fuller. 


For  the  New  England  Fanner. 

"IS  CHAHCOAL  LIABLE  TO   SPONTANE- 
OUS COMBUSTION?" 

Mr.  Editor  : — I  quote  the  caption  of  a  para- 
graph in  your  paper  of  18th  inst.,  and  in  com- 
pliance with  your  general  invitation  for  some  one 
to  investigate  the  matter,  I  give  you  the  results 
of  some  experiments  which  I  made  many  years 
ago,  and  communicated  to  the  American  Acade- 
my of  Arts  and  Sciences,  and  to  several  other 
scientific  associations. 

The  theory  your  article  alludes  to  is  probably 
incorrect,  as  to  moisture  setting  charcoal  on  fire. 
That  hypothesis  is  probably  founded  upon  the 
idea,  that  charcoal  made  at  a  high  temperature  is 
liable  to  have  particles  of  reduced  potassium 
mingled  with  it,  the  potassium  coming  from  the 
reduction  of  the  potash  of  the  wood. 

Now  it  is  a  fact,  that  charcoal  made  at  low 
temperatures  is  most  liable  to  spontaneous  com- 
bustion, or  rather  ignition  at  low  temperatures. 
The  red-brown  charcoal,  made  from  300  to  600° 
Fahrenheit,  is  of  this  kind,  and  no  reduction  of 
potassium  could  take  place  at  such  temperatures, 
indeed,  it  remains  to  be  proved  that  metallic 
potassium  exists  in  any  charcoal. 

The  true  theory  of  ignition  of  moist  charcoal 
in  drying  is  this.  The  cells  of  the  coal  are  filled 
with  water.  Heat  expels  the  water  as  vapor,  and 
the  air  rushes  in  and  oxygen  is  rapidly  condensed, 
producing  great  heat,  just  as  takes  place  in  pla- 
tinum sponge  over  the  hydrogen  jet.  Even  char- 
coal, that  has  not  been  wet,  but  has  just  been  made 
and  extinguished,  is  liable  to  re-ignite,  since  the 


extrication  of  the  natural  moisture  of  the  wood, 
and  the  discharge  of  light  carburetted  hydrogen, 
leaves  the  cells  empty,  and  air  rushes  in  to  supply 
the  vacuum,  and  condensing  gives  out  much  heat. 
"A  fragment  of  recently  burned  charcoal,  of  con- 
venient size  to  be  introduced  under  a  small  air- 
jar,  over  the  mercurial  cistern,  will  soon  take  up 
many  times  its  own  volume  of  air,  as  will  appear 
by  the  rise  of  the  mercury  in  the  air-jar.  In  this 
case  it  absorbs  more  oxygen  than  nitrogen,  the 
residual  air  having  only  eight  per  cent,  of  oxy- 
gen in  it."  ("Sillinian's  Principles  of  Chemistry, 
page  219.  Phil.  Ed.,  1852.")  The  same  author 
observes  that  recently  prepared  boxwood  charcoal 
absorbs  9^  times  its  own  bulk  of  oxygen  gas, 
and  1^  times  its  bulk  of  nitrogen. 

I  have  found  that  the  light  porous  varieties  of 
charcoal,  which  has  been  sa.turated  with  moisture, 
were  very  liable  to  take  fire  when  dried,  even  at  a 
temperature  somewhat  below  that  of  boiling  wa- 
ter, 212*^  Fahrenheit.  The  greater  combustibility 
of  these  light  spongy  charcoals.  Is  partly  owing  to 
their  being  poor  conductors  of  heat,  so  that  it  is 
not  readily  dissipated  by  conduction,  and  hence 
the  heat  rapidly  accumulates,  as  the  oxygen  con- 
denses in  the  pores  or  cells. 

Many  years  ago  I  made  my  first  experiments 
on  this  subject,  and  have  since  frequently  repeat- 
ed them,  or  made  observations  confirming  those 
I  had  before  performed. 

The  first  experiment  was  this :  I  took  a  piece 
of  wet,  porous  charcoal  from  my  laboratory  cel- 
lar, and  attempted  to  dry  it  on  the  top  of  a  stove- 
drum,  on  which  had  stood  and  was  still  there, 
and  at  the  temperature  of  the  stove,  a  jar  of 
water.  The  charcoal  was  laid  close  to  the  water- 
jar,  and  received  no  more  heat  than  that.  Soon 
as  the  charcoal  became  dry,  it  took  fire,  and  yet 
the  water  was  not  boiling  hot  and  had  not  boiled. 
The  charcoal  was  so  thoroughly  on  fire  that  It 
could  not  be  extinguished  by  placing  it  on  a  cold 
marble  table,  but  continued  to  burn  until  It  was 
reduced  to  ashes.  In  this  case,  the  oxygen  of 
the  air  had  penetrated  into  all  the  cells  of  the 
charcoal,  and  It  was  on  fire  all  through. 

The  next  experiment  I  made  was  in  Bangor, 
Me.,  when  giving  some  lectures  on  chemistry 
and  geology. 

I  had  occasion  to  render  some  gunpowder  and 
pulverized  charcoal  very  dry,  and  for  this  pur- 
pose spread  the  gunpowder  on  the  top  of  a  stove- 
drum,  and  placed  a  package  of  charcoal,  done  up 
tightly  in  a  sheet  of  letter  paper  on  the  same 
stove,  on  top  of  the  gunpowder.  When  I  thought 
It  dry  enough,  I  took  the  paper  package  of  char- 
coal from  the  stove,  and  placed  It  on  a  table  ;  on 
opening  the  paper,  a  few  minutes  afterwards,  I 
found  all  the  charcoal  had  taken  fire.  The  gun- 
powder still  remained  safely  on  the  stove,  and 
the  pan  of  water  on  it  was  not  boiling  hot. 

The  first  cited  experiment  I  have  thrice  re- 
peated with  success,  employing  common  pine 
charcoal,  taken  from  my  cellar. 

Hence  you  see  that  the  precautions  taken  by 
your  manufacturing  friend  are  well  grounded 
and  wise.  It  would  be  well  If  builders,  carpen- 
ters and  masons  were  more  fully  convinced  of  the 
readiness  of  wood  and  charcoal  produced  jat  low 
temperatures  to  take  fire,  for  then  they  would  be 
more  careful  in  the  arrangement  of  the  wood- 
work near  chimneys  and  stove-pipes,  and  would 


508 


NEAV  ENGLAND  FARI^IER. 


Nov. 


take  more  precautions  against  the  high  tempera- 
tui'e  of  air  from  small  air-chambers  to  house- 
warming  furnaces.  Hot  air  will  char  wood,  and 
will  set  cotton  and  linen  cloth  on  fire,  as  readily 
almost  as  flame  itself,  if  the  temperature  is  al- 
lowed to  run  as  high  as  it  frequently  does,  in  air 
from  a  small  hot-air  chamber.  A  large  volume 
of  moderately  heated  air  is  far  safer  and  whole- 
somer  than  almost  red-hot  air  from  a  furnace. 
Woodwork,  near  chimneys  of  old  houses,  is  often 
found  to  be  charred,  and  I  have  frequently  seen 
it  in  the  state  of  very  combustible  charcoal,  on 
taking  off  old  hearths.  It  seemed  wonderful  that 
the  houses  had  not  been  burned.  It  is  a  mistake 
to  suppose  that  a  red  heat  is  necessary  to  set 
wood  on  fire.  Instances  are  known  of  shavings 
packed  around  a  steam  escape-pipe,  being  set  on 
fire  by  the  heat  of  steam  under  ordinary  atmo- 
spheric pressure,  viz.,  212°  Fahrenheit. 

A  drying-room  in  a  chemical  establishment 
was  set  on  fire  by  air  at  240°  and  in  drying  pig- 
ments. 

A  flouring  mill  was  set  on  fire  by  the  heat  of  a 
corn-drying  kiln,  at  a  temperature  below  300° 
Fahrenheit,  and  lastly  strips  of  painted  carpet, 
packed  in  a  barrel  and  placed  in  a  garret,  took 
fire  at  the  ordinary  temperature  produced  by  the 
sun's  rays,  and  turpentine  chips  placed  in  a  bar- 
rel, in  a  yard  to  a  drug  store,  took  fire  spontane- 
ously. Charles  T.  Jackson. 

Boston,  Sept.  8,  1858. 


PASTUBING  IN  THE  HIGHWAYS. 

The  grass  which  grows  in  the  road  on  which  a 
man's  land  lies,  is  as  much  his  as  the  fruit  or 
shade  trees  standing  there.  All  the  public  owns 
in  the  highway  is  the  right  of  passing  over  it ; 
and  even  the  town  authorities  can  take  no  more 
cf  the  earth  from  it,  or  anything  else,  than  is 
necessary  for  making  the  passages  safe  and  con- 
venient for  travellers.  Horses  and  cattle,  there- 
fore, that  run  at  large  and  feed  by  the  roadsides, 
are,  in  fact,  just  as  much  taking  what  belongs  to 
the  person  over  whose  land  the  road  runs,  as  a 
man  is  stealing  his  property  who  should  cut 
down  and  cart  off  the  apple  trees  or  shade  trees 
that  stand  in  front  of  his  house.  But  this  is  a 
small  item  in  the  objections  that  lie  against  pas- 
turing in  the  highways.  It  obliges  every  man  to 
be  at  the  expense  of  maintaining  a  high,  strong 
fence,  which  he  ought  not  to  be  required  to  keep 
for  the  sake  of  making  a  "long  pasture"  for  his 
neighbors.  In  France  there  are  no  fences  on  the 
roads.  All  the  fences  there  on  any  farms,  are 
those  around  the  pasture  grounds.  So  in  some 
other  European  nations.  Indeed,  we  know  some 
of  our  own  towns  in  Maine,  where  the  citizens 
have  voted  not  to  allow  cattle  to  run  at  large ; 
and  the  law  is  so  well  observed,  that  whole  farms 
go  unfenced  by  the  roadsides.  This  is  a  great 
saving,  and  one  to  which  every  farmer  ought  to 
be  lawfully  entitled.  The  law  ought  to  be  as  good 
a  pi'otector  of  a  man's  rights  as  cedar  posts  or 
stone  walls.  Or  if  allowed  to  get  their  living  for 
their  horses,  cattle,  sheep  and  swine  out  of  the 
highways,  they  are  bound  to  keep  a  shepherd 
with  them  all  the  time,  for  really,  in  law,  no  man 
is  obliged  to  keep  a  rod  of  fence  between  his 
cornfield  and  the  road. 

If  one  man  may  pasture  his  cows  in  the  road, 


all  have  an  equal  right  to  do  the  same;  and 
when  droves  of  cattle  are  all  the  season  roaming 
about  the  streets  and  public  ways,  they  are  not 
only  oftentimes  a  nuisance  in  the  way  of  enter- 
ing open  gates,  and  breaking  down  fences,  but 
are  sometimes  dangerous  to  persons  by  their  ill 
tempers  and  vicious  habits.  A  man  cannot  al- 
ways have  watch  of  his  gate  or  bars  to  see  that 
they  are  every  moment  closed  against  the  ingress 
of  bold  and  breachy  animals.  The  evils,  there- 
fore, to  a  patient  and  suffering  public,  from  the 
too  common  practice  of  pasturing  in  the  high- 
ways, are  very  great,  and  should  be  corrected 
either  by  the  good  sense  of  the  community  or  by 
the  force  of  law.  Even  the  owners  of  such  cattle 
themselves  run  a  risk  which  more  than  overbal- 
ances what  they  gain  by  this  theft  upon  the  pub- 
lic— the  risk  of  impounding  fees,  of  bills  of  dam- 
age to  the  enclosures  they  enter,  of  straying 
away  beyond  re&overy  at  night,  of  being  stoned 
and  maimed  by  vexed  neighbors  and  unruly 
boys,  and  of  being  dogged  by  a  maddened  ca- 
nine race.  We  had  rather  buy  our  milk  at  ten 
cents  per  quart,  and  our  butter  at  fifty  cents  per 
pound,  than  ;to  purchase  and  own  a  cow  and 
take  all  the  risks  and  censures  of  pasturing  in 
in  the  highways. — Mural  Intelligencer. 


Remarks. — Friend  Drew  has  graphically  de- 
picted some  of  the  evils  growing  out  of  turning 
stock  loose  into  the  highways, — but  the  greatest 
among  them  all  he  has  not  yet  adverted  to — and 
that  is  the  great  danger  of  misunderstandings, 
qviarrels  and  litigation,  growing  out  of  the  forays 
which  cattle  make  upon  pronerty  where  they  do 
not  belong. 

Every  man  is  bound  by  principles  of  morality 
and  kindness  to  be  a  good  neighbor,  and  when 
he  permits  his  horses,  cattle,  poultry,  or  dog,  to 
endanger  his  property,  or  the  persons  of  his  fam- 
ily, he  opens  the  way  for  harsh  feelings,  for 
quarrels,  and  perhaps  for  litigation  which  may 
be  continued  for  several  years,  and  which  may 
end  in  such  expenditures  as  to  drive  one  or  both 
from  the  possession  of  the  farm !  We  have 
known  such  instances. 

It  is  scarcely  less  than  a  crime,  then,  for  a 
farmer  to  allow  any  of  his  stock  to  trespass  upon 
the  property  of  another.  Accidents  will  occur, 
where  stock  will  break  a  fence  and  get  out,  but 
these  are  exceptions,  and  even  if  they  do  consid- 
erable damage,  the  matter  is  easily  overlooked. 

We  look  upon  that  man  as  a  bad  neighbor, 
who  permits  his  stock  of  any  kind — and  espe- 
cially his  dogs — to  injure  or  give  anxiety  to  those 
around  him. 

APPLES  AS  FOOD. 
The  working  people  in  cities  do  not,  as  a 
general  thing,  regard  apples  as  food,  but  merely 
as  a  luxury ;  this  is  especially  the  case  with  our 
foreign  population.  But  apples  are  not  estimated 
according  to  their  real  value  as  an  article  of 
food  ;  they  hold  a  low  rank  in  the  estimation  of 
most  person*  in  comparison  with  potatoes,  so  far 


ISoS. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


509 


as  it  relates  to  their  nutritive  qualities,  whereae 
the  best  qualities  cf  apples  ai'e  perhaps  superior. 
In  Cornwall,  England,  the  peasantry  consider 
ripe  mellow  apples  superior  to  potatoes  as  food, 
and  nearly  equal  to  wheaten  bread.  In  many 
parts  of  Europe  the  laboring  people  eat  sliced 
apples  with  their  daily  bread,  and  make  a  hearty, 
healthy  meal  of  them.  The  finest  apples  in  the 
world  are  raised  in  the  United  States,  and  the 
working  people  in  our  cities  would  do  well  to  use 
more  of  them  for  food,  especially  during  the  fall 
and  winter  seasons,  when  they  can  be  obtained 
cheap.  We  hope  yet  to  be  able  to  eat  apples 
during  the  midst  of  summer  (at  fair  and  reason- 
able prices,)  as  sweet  in  flavor  and  rich  in  nutri- 
ment as  when  plucked  from  the  tree.  Much  at- 
tention is  now  directed  to  their  perfect  preserva- 
tion during  the  summer's  heat  and.  winter's  cold. 


EXTRACTS  AND  REPLIES. 
A  LAEGE   CALF. 

Mr.  E.  Johnson,  of  this  place,  has  a  heifer  calf 
that  is  just  eighteen  weeks  old,  which  weighs  four 
hundred  and  fifty  pounds.  The  calf  is  of  the 
Devon  breed,  of  a  deep  cherry  red  color,  and 
well  marked  for  a  cow.  Its  weight,  when  four 
weeks  old,  was  196  pounds ;  when  four  months 
it  weighed  four  hundred  pounds.  The  girt  of 
the  calf  now  is  four  feet  and  six  inches.  The  feed 
of  the  calf  has  consisted  of  the  milk  of  one  cow 
and  what  hay  she  would  eat ;  no  meal  or  any  other 
grain  having  been  given  her. 

Mr.  Johnson  is  one  of  our  most  thorough  far- 
mers, and  raises  some  good  stock,  as  the  above 
will  testify.  H.  G.  Palmer. 

Lebanon,  Conn.,  Sept.  14,  1858. 

PLOWING  OLD   PASTURES. 

Mr.  Editor  : — I  wish  to  inquire  through  the 
columns  of  your  paper,  of  Mr.  Holbrook,  if  it 
will  do  to  plow  old  pastures  in  August,  and  seed 
down,  without  fencing  to  keep  the  cattle  from 
treading  it  up.  Last  year  I  tried  a  small  piece 
of  winter  wheat  and  it  yielded  25  bushels  to  the 
acre.  I  have  now  three  acres  which  look  well. 
Ought  it  to  be  fed  down  any  ?  Would  it  be  a 
good  plan  to  roll  it  as  soon  as  the  snow  is  oflf  in 
the  spring  ?  Maple. 

East  Hardwick,  Vt.,  Sept.  1,  1858. 

REPLY. 

It  will  unquestionably  work  well  to  plow  old 
pastures  in  August  and  the  first  half  of  Septem- 
ber, and  seed  the  land  to  grass,  Avithout  fencing 
the  cattle  from  it.  Such  has  been  my  own  prac- 
tice, and  that  of  other  persons  whose  improve- 
ments of  pasture  lands  I  have  observed.  Some 
advantage  would  perhaps  be  gained  by  keeping 
ihe  cattle  olf  for  one  year  after  seeding  anew,  but 
by  no  means  enough  to  pay  the  trouble  and  ex- 
pense of  fencing.  After  plowing  the  land  as  w^ell 
as  possible,  harrow  it  thoroughly,  and  then  sow 
the  grass  seeds  thickly,  covering  them  with  simp- 
ly a  bush,  or  a  heavy  roller,  the  roller,  however, 
being  best,  unless  the  land  is  moist  and  heavy. 
I  should  not  feed  down  the  winter  wheat.  If  the 
land,  is  sti;^  and  compact,  and  liable  to  heave  by 
freezing  and  thawing,  then  it  would  be  well  to 


roll  it  as  soon  as  may  be  after  the  snow  is  off  in 
the  spring.  But  if  it  is  a  friable,  sandy  or  loamy 
soil,  rolling  will  not  be  necessarj\  Ten  to  twen- 
ty or  more  bushels  of  unleached  ashes  sown  on 
each  acre  of  the  wheat  next  spring,  will  cause  it 
to  tiller  out  well  from  the  root,  improve  the  crop, 
and  pay  you  well.  If  the  land  is  to  be  stocked 
with  grass  seeds,  the  ashes  will  also  insure  a  good 
catch  of  grass.  F.  HOLBROOK. 

Sept.  20,  1858.  _ 

A  PUMP   FOR  A   DEEP   WELL. 

In  a  late  Farmer,  I  notice  a  correspondent  in- 
quires for  the  best  pump  for  a  deep  well.  Hav- 
ing some  experience  with  pumps,  I  will  give 
"C.  W."  my  opinion. 

Having  recently  and  quite  thoroughly  exam- 
ined "Jeffrey's  Patent  Ball  Valve  Pump,"  I  think 
I  hazard  nothing  in  saying  that  it  has  claims  to 
preference  over  all  others.  It  works  easy  and 
fast,  is  not  liable  to  get  out  of  order,  and  must  be 
very  durable.  Moreover,  it  is  in  itself  an  effi- 
cient fire-engine,  capable  of  throwing  water  rap- 
idly on  to  the  roofs  of  two-story  buildings,  by 
the  aid  of  a  few  feet  of  hose.  This  latter  consid- 
eration gives  this  pump  very  great  importance,  as 
by  its  adoption  the  risk  of  loss  by  fire  is  very 
much  diminished. 

Were  I  the  owner  of  "C.  W.'s"  32  feet  well,  I 
should  not  attempt  to  draw  water  with  a  chain- 
pump,  if  I  could  procure  one  of  the  above  men- 
tioned. E.  Ingham. 

Springfield,  Tt.,  Sept.  6. 

SOWING   BUCKTHORN   SEED. 

Will  you  inform  me  how  the  berries  of  the 
buckthorn  are  to  be  prepared  for  sowing,  and 
when  to  be  sowed,  and  oblige 

Derry,  N.  H.,  1858.  A  Subscriber. 

Remarks. —  The  following  is  Mr.  J.  F.  C. 

Hyde's  plan,  as  communicated  to  us  in  1853.  See 
Monildy  Farmer  for  1853,  page  226,  for  an  in- 
teresting article  on  "Live  Fences." 

"I  take  my  seed  after  it  is  washed  free  from 
the  pulp,  and  mix  it  with  sand  and  loam,  about 
half  of  each,  using  enough  to  prevent  the  seed 
from  heating ;  after  having  thus  mixed  them, 
put  them  into  a  tub  or  box,  and  place  them  away 
in  the  barn-cellar  or  some  such  place,  looking 
out  that  the  mice  don't  get  at,  or  water  run  in, 
to  rot  them.  In  the  spring,  prepare  the  ground 
by  first  spreading  on  manure,  then  plow  it  well, 
that  it  maybe  well  pulverized,  after  which  strike  a 
shallow  furrow  and  manure  again  slightly  in  the 
drills,  mixing  it  up  with  the  soil,  and  then  sov/ 
the  seed  as  peas  are  sown,  not  too  thick,  for  the 
plants  will  not  grow  so  stout ;  this  should  be 
done  as  soon  as  the  ground  is  dry  enough  to 
work  well.  It  is  unnecessary  to  say  that  they 
should  be  kept  free  from  weeds." 

A   SPRAINED'  COLT. 

Can  any  one  tell  me,  through  your  paper,  a 
remedy  for  a  sprain  caused  by  slipping  on  ice  ? 
The  swelling  lies  on  the  fore  foot,  half  way  be- 
tween the  hoof  and  joint,  rather  uneven  and 
somewhat  callous.  I  shall  try  an  oil  made  from 
angle  worms,  which  is  very  powerful,  and  has 


510 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Nov 


been  known  to  remove  callous  bunches  as  hard 

as  bone.     I  will  report  if  successful  in  this  case. 

Hill,  N.  H.,  Sept.,  1858.       N.  F.  Mokkill. 


NEW  WAY  OF   PAYING-  A  SUBSCKIP- 
TION. 

A  correspondent  of  the  Lagrange  Whig  gives 
the  following  amusing  account  of  the  way  a 
farmer  was  taught  how  cheaply  he  could  take  the 
papers.  The  lesson  is  worth  pondering  by  a 
good  many  men  "we  wot  of." 

"You  have  hens  at  home,  of  course.  Well,  I 
will  send  you  my  paper  one  year,forthe  proceeds 
of  a  single  hen  for  one  season  ;  merely  the  pro- 
ceeds. It  seems  trifling,  preposterous,  to  imag- 
ine the  products  of  a  siijgle  hen  will  pay  the  sub- 
cription ;  perhaps  it  won't,  but  I  make  the  offer." 

"Done!"  exclaimed  Farmer  B., "I agree  to  it," 
and  appealed  to  me  as  a  witness  to  the  affair. 

The  farmer  went  off,  apparently  much  elate 
with  his  conquest ;  the  editor  went  on  his  way 
rejoicing. 

Time  rolled  around,  and  the  world  revolved  on 
its  axis,  and  the  sun  moved  in  its  orbit  as  it  for- 
merly did ;  the  farmer  received  his  paper  regu- 
larly, and  regaled  himself  with  the  information 
from  it,  and  said  "he  was  surprised  at  the  pro- 
gress of  himself  and  family  in  general  informa- 
tion." 

Some  time  in  the  month  of  September,  I  hap- 
pened up  again  in  the  office,  when  who  should 
enter  but  our  old  friend,  Farmer  B. 

"How  do  you  do,  Mr.  B.  ?"  said  the  editor,  ex- 
tending his  hand,  and  his  countenance  lit  up  with 
a  bland  smile  ;  take  a  chair,  sir,  and  be  seated ; 
fine  weather  we  have." 

"Yes,  sir,  quite  fine,  indeed,"he  answered,  and 
then  a  short  silence  ensued,  during  which  our 
friend  B.  hitched  his  chair  backward  and  forward, 
twirled  his  thumbs  abstractedly,  and  spit  pro- 
fusely. Starting  up  quickly,  he  said,  addressing 
the  editor,  "Mr.  D.,  I  have  brought  you  the  pro- 
ceeds of  that  hen." 

It  was  amusing  to  see  the  peculiar  expression 
of  the  editor,  as  he  followed  the  farmer  down  to 
the  wagon.  I  could  hardly  keep  my  risibles 
down. 

When  at  the  wagon,  the  farmer  commenced 
handing  over  to  the  editor  the  products  of  the 
hen,  which,  on  being  counted,  amounted  to  eigh- 
teen pullets,  worth  a  shilling  each,  and  a  number 
of  dozen  of  eggs,  making  in  the  aggregate,  at 
the  least  calculation,  $2.50 — more  than  the  price 
of  the  paper. 

"No  need,"  said  he,  "of  men  not  taking  a  fam- 
ily newspaper,  and  paying  for  it,  too.  I  don't 
miss  this  from  the  roost,  and  yet  I  have  paid  for 
a  year's  subscription,  and  over.  x\ll  folly,  sir ; 
there  is  no  man  but  can  take  a  newspaper  ;  it's 
charity,  you  know,  commences  at  home." 

"But,"  resumed  the  editor,  "I  will  pay  for  what 
is  over  the  subscription.  I  did  not  intend  this 
as  a  means  of  profit,  but  rather  to  convince  you. 
I  will  pay  for — " 

"Not  a  bit  of  it,  sir ;  a  bargain  is  a  bargain, 
and  I  am  already  paid,  sir — doubly  paid,  sir. 
And  whenever  a  neighbor  makes  the  complaint 
I  did,  I  will  relate  to  him  the  hen  story.  Good- 
day,  gentlemen." 


HOW  TO  MANURE  TREES  IN  GRASS 
LAND. 

Very  few  persons  manure  trees  growing  in  sod 
or  grass  land,  in  a  judicious  or  economical  man- 
ner. The  general  practice  is  to  dig  the  manure 
in,  within  a  diameter  of  six  feet,  having  the  body 
for  the  centre.  The  tree  takes  its  food  from  the 
young  rootlets,  whose  mouths  extend  just  as  far 
on  every  side,  as  the  branches  of  the  trees ;  hence, 
this  manure  applied  close  to  the  body  of  the  tree, 
is  not  where  the  roots  take  it  up ;  and,  of  course, 
but  little  of  its  value  is  absorbed  by  the  tree.  If 
you  doubt  it,  just  try  the  experiment  on  two 
trees.  Serve  the  one  as  above  named,  and  the 
other,  as  follows,  viz : — Mark  a  circle  around  the 
tree,  having  for  its  outline  the  exact  radius  form- 
ed by  the  overhanging  branches ;  dig  on  the  in- 
ner side  of  this  circle  a  trench  two  feet  wide,  and 
one  foot  deep  ;  mix  well-rotted  manure  half  and 
half  with  the  best  of  the  soil,  or  the  earth  dug 
out  of  the  trench,  and  fill  the  trench  with  it ;  then 
replace  the  turf,  and  wheel  away  the  refuse,  or 
extra  earth ;  rake  clean  and  smooth ;  you  will 
have  a  good  growth  of  tree ;  your  fruit  large  and 
more  fair,  and  no  unsightly  or  unnatural  hillock 
or  mound  around  the  body  of  the  tree. 


For  the  New  Ungland  Farmer. 
MOWING  MACHINES  BY  OXEN. 

Mr.  Editor  : — I  observed  an  inquiry  in  your 
paper  of  the  4ih  inst.,  whether  "mowing  machines 
can  be  worked  with  oxen ;  and  if  so,  which  ma- 
chine operates  in  that  way  the  best  ?" 

I  beg  leave  to  reply — partly  in  confirmation 
of  your  own  answer — that  the  use  of  oxen  with 
these  machines  is,  in  some  sections  of  the  coun- 
try, very  common  ;  though  horses  are  generally 
preferred  where  they  may  be  conveniently  had', 
I  have  seen  the  Allen  machine  worked  by  oxen 
enough  to  convince  me,  that,  with  a  well  trained, 
stout  pair,  driven  by  a  careful  hand,  the  work 
may  be  performed  quite  as  easily  and  success- 
fully as  with  horses.  It  will,  of  course,  require 
two  persons  to  attend  to  the  work,  until  the  oxen 
have  become  accustomed  to  it ;  and  it  will  always 
be  most  convenient  to  have  a  rider  on  the  seat. 
But,  after  a  little  practice,  a  well  trained  pair  of 
cattle  would  not  require  a  driver,  beside  the 
rider;  any  more  than  they  would,  in  plowing,  re- 
quire a  driver  beside  the  plowman. 

Mowing  machines  are  fast  coming  into  use, 
where  the  land  is  free  from  rocks  and  much  grass 
is  to  be  cut.  They  are  found  to  save  labor  and 
wages ;  and  frequently,  much  risk  of  injury  to 
the  hay.  Indeed,  it  is  believed  and  asserted  by 
many,  that  the  mere  saving  of  hay  through  the 
use  of  a  machine,  has  been  sufficient,  in  their 
case,  to  nearly  or  quite  pay  the  expense  of  mow- 

Of  the  several  kinds  of  mowing  machines  in 
use  in  this  section,  I  know  of  none  equal,  in  all 
respects,  to  Allen's,  either  for  horses  or  oxen. 
And  similar  preference  is  given  to  it,  I  believe, 
in  other  places,  where  repeated  and  careful  trials 
have  been  made  to  test  its  comparative  merits 
with  other  machines.  Great  inrprovements  have 
been  made  in  all  these  machines,  since  the  first 
use  of  them,  and  this  of  Allen's  has  been  brought 
fully  up  to  t^e  highest  measure  of  excellence  yet 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARIVIER. 


511 


discovered.  Undoubtedly,  there  are  improve 
ments  yet  to  be  made  in  all ;  and  tlie  inventor  of 
this  will  be  behind  none  in  endeavoring  to  dis 
cover  and  adopt  them.  But,  as  the  machine  is 
now,  no  one  need  be  deterred  from  using  it,  be- 
cause he  has  only  oxen  to  employ  in  drawing  it. 
If  they  are  well  trained,  and  he  is  a  careful  driver 
he  will  desire  no  better  team,  and  be  satisfied 
that  his  work  is  done  more  economically  and 
better  than  it  could  have  been  by  hand  mowing 

Now  that  I  am  writing,  let  me  suggest  the  in- 
quiry, Mr.  Editor,  whether  a  special  meeting  of 
our  County  Agricultural  Societies,  for  the  pur^ 
pose  of  testing  the  mowing  and  reaping  by  ma^ 
chinery  and  by  hand  labor,  might  not]  be  profit' 
able  and  desirable.  Such  meetings  might  be  had 
in  July,  in  suitable  places,  at  a  distance  from  the 
place  of  regular  meetings,  so  as  to  accommodate 
those  whose  residence  is  so  far  from  it,  as  to  pre 
vent  them  from  doing  so  much  for  the  Society  as 
they  would,  and  from  sharing  so  largely  in  the 
benefits  and  pleasures  of  the  annual  show  as  they 
ought.  At  these  special  meetings,  stock  might 
be  exhibited,  and  many  articles  brought  out 
which  would  otherwise  seldom  or  never  be  taken 
to  a  distant  Fair.  1  have  always  thought  that 
such  a  meeting,  in  this  county,  would  be  largely 
attended,  and  be  made  highly  useful  and  profit- 
able ;  while  it  would  serve,  in  a  measure,  to  equal- 
ize the  privileges  of  the  agricultural  society  to 
those  who  join  it  in  towns  remote  from  the  place 
of  the  annual  show.  s. 

Medjield,  Sept.  14. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer, 
CAUSE   OP  POTATO  ROT. 

Friend  Brown  : — The  pictorial  illustration  in 
your  paper  of  this  date  would  seem  to  indicate 
that  you  are  in  a  measure  carried  away  by  the 
bugs — at  least,  so  far  as  potatoes  are  concerned. 
The  microscopic  theories  on  this  subject  are  so 
plausible,  and  so  diSicuIt  to  be  met,  by  those 
who  have  not  complete  magnifying  instruments 
at  command,  that  it  is  almost  useless  to  attempt 
a  replication  thereto. 

After  the  expressed  opinions  of  several  of  our 
most  scientific  observers,  such  as  Dr.  Harris,  of 
Cambridge,  and  Dr.  Fitch,  of  Albany,  that  "in- 
sects are  not  the  cause  of  the  potato  rot,"  and 
their  complete  exposition  of  the  several  varieties 
of  insects  charged  with  being  the  cause,  I 
thought  no  one  would  have  the  presumption 
again  to  introduce  them.  So  it  is,  no  theory 
is  so  visionary  as  not  to  find  some  followers  ; 
and  when  the  leading  columns  of  the  most  relia- 
ble agricultural  journals  in  our  land,  are  caving 
in,  it  is  time  to  look  about  and  see  on  what  foun- 
dations our  own  notions  are  based. 

It  has  Ijeen  repeatedly  averred,  and  not  con- 
tradicted to  my  knowledge,  that  the  blight  upon 
the  potato  has  made  its  appearance  on  the  same 
day, — aye,  even  on  the  same  part  of  the  day, 
over  a  wide  extent  of  territory,  covering  many 
towns  and  even  counties.  If  this  be  so,  it  would 
seem  to  be  brought  about  by  some  influence 
more  pervading,  than  a  fly  on  the  leaf,  or  the 
gathering  of  little  worms  at  the  base  of  the 
vines.*  I  allude  to  these  because  in  times  past 
my  attention  was  called  to  them  as  ilie  real  op- 
erating cau.se  of  the  rot.    Now,  it   seems,  the 


cause  is  found  in  the  development  of  eggs  laid 
upon  the  potato  when  growing,  in  like  manner 
as  the  germ  whence  springs  the  canker  worm  is 
deposited  and  cemented  in  the  limb  of  the  tree 
by  the  grub  that  precedes  it.  Whence  comes  the 
insect  that  deposits  the  eg^,  or  how  it  finds  its 
way  to  the  potato,  is  not  explained.  But  if  it  be 
true  that  a  little  deeper  covering  of  the  earth 
will  save  the  potato  harmless,  this  is  indeed  a 
fortunate  circumstance ;  possibly,  only  those  tu- 
bers which  grow  near  the  surface  will  be  found 
impregnated  with  the  poison.  I  have  always 
found  those  potatoes,  which,  before  they  were 
dug,  had  been  exposed  to  the  sun  and  air,  so  as  to 
become  discolored,  to  be  of  doubtful  value.  But 
it  never  occurred  to  me  to  think  that  they  had 
been  haunted  by  insects. 

You  well  remark  that  the  opinion  is  general, 
that  the  potato  rot  is  caused  by  atmospheric  in- 
fluences. It  is  sound  philosophy,  when  we  find 
a  sufl[icient  cause  to  seek  no  further.  Perhaps 
you  will  ask  me  how  comes  this  cause  in  the  at- 
mosphere ?  If  you  should,  I  must  act  the  Yan- 
kee so  far  as  to  answer  your  question  by  asking 
another, — how  came  the  lightning  there  ?  When 
you  answer  my  inquiry,  I  will  answer  yours. 

Sept.  18,  1858.  J.  W.  Proctor. 

*  I  remember  that  an  eminent  manufacturer  rode  all  the  way 
from  the  banks  of  the  Merrimac,  to  show  me  these  groups  of  in- 
sects; and  because  I  did  not  at  once  acquiesce  in  a  demonstra- 
tion so  palpable,  he  pronounced  me  anything  but  a  wise  man. 
I  believe  ttds  same  gentleman  continues  strong  in  the  faith,  that 
he  has  discovered  tte  cause.  If  so,  your  own  county  of  Middle- 
sex will  have  the  glory.  Do  you  know  what  has  become  of  the 
$10,000  offer  made  by  the  State  ?  Has  it  run  out.'  or  is  it  still 
available  to  those  who  may  desire  it  i 


Remarks. — The  opinions  of  our  intelligent 
correspondent  are  entitled  to  respect.  But  his 
mere  opinions,  without  much  investigation,  are 
not  entitled  to  so  much  regard  as  the  opinions 
of  those  who  have  made  this  particular  subject  a 
matter  of  study  and  investigation  for  several 
years.  The  potato  is  not  more  seriously  afi'ected 
than  the  apple,  yet  nobody  imputes  the  defect  in 
the  latter  to  the  atmosphere.  Why  cannot  care- 
ful investigation  detect  an  insect  in  the  potato, 
if  he  is  there,  as  well  as  in  the  apple  or  plum  ? 


For  tlie  New  England  Farmer 
WINTER  AND   SPRING-  WHEAT. 

Friend  Brown  : — We  noticed  a  communica- 
tion in  the  Monthly  Farmer  for  the  present 
month,  from  Henry  Poor,  of  N.  Y.,  on  winter 
wheat,  wherein  he  expresses  a  hope  to  hear  from 
those  farmers  who  have  not  only  asked  for  their 
"daily  bread,"  but  have  been  doers  in  the  work 
of  raising  it.  For  the  benefit  of  any  New  Eng- 
land farmer  who  might,  by  our  experience,  be  in- 
duced to  sow  wheat,  and  for  the  satisfaction  of 
one  who  we  think  advocates  one  of  the  best  in- 
terests of  New  England  farmers,  we  venture  to 
make  the  following  statements,  viz. : — That  we 
have  raised  winter  wheat  on  our  farm  almost 
every  year  for  the  last  ten  or  twelve  years,  and 
found  it  as  sure,  and  quite  as  profitable  a  crop, 
as  any  we  have  raised.  The  average  yield  per 
acre,  with  us,  has  been  about  25  bushels. 

In    1855  we   purchased  some   seed   wheat   in 


512 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Nov. 


Boston,  which  came  labelled  to  us,  "White  Blue 
Stem  ;  sowed  one  acre,  from  which  we  harvested 
in  1856,  32  bushels  of  white  wheat,  weighing  62| 
pounds  per  bushel !  Sowed  two  acres  from  the 
seed  thus  obtained  from  our  own  raising,  which, 
owing  to  the  severity  of  the  winter,  was  very 
much  injured  on  about  two-thirds  of  the  field  ; 
however,  we  obtained  28  bushels  of  good  plump 
grain,  (14  bushels  to  the  acre)  the  smallest  crop, 
by  the  way,  for  the  past  seven  years.  Sowed  one 
acre  last  year,  which  gave  us  this  season  31 
bushels,  which  weighs  63  pounds  to  the  bushel. 
Before  purchasing  the  variety  above  named,  we 
sowed  the  common  white  wheat.  In  1853  we 
harvested  from  two  acres  65  bushels,  which 
weighed  62^  pounds  to  the  bushel.  We  sow  the 
last  of  8ih  month,  (August,)  or  1st  of  9th  month, 
and  have  the  best  success  on  mowing  swards. 
We  think  the  soil  of  New  England  lacks  none  of 
the  vegetable  elements  to  produce  wheat,  and 
hope  to  see  more  interest  felt  by  New  England 
farmers  in  wheat  culture. 

Last  spring  we  sowed  for  the  first  time,  by  way 
of  experiment,  three-quarters  of  an  acre  of  spring 
wheat  of  two  varieties,  viz. : — bearded  and  bald. 
From  one-half  an  acre  of  the  former,  9  bushels ; 
from  one-quarter  of  an  acre  of  the  latter,  5^ 
bushels.  Thus  it  will  be  seen  that  the  bald  yield- 
ed the  most  per  acre,  notwithstanding  the  grain 
of  the  bearded  is  the  largest.  Quite  as  good  a 
crop  as  oats,  and  no  more  trouble  to  raise  it. 
When  winter  wheat  appears  to  be  killed  by  an 
unfavorable  winter,  we  think  it  will  be  good  econ- 
omy to  sow  spring  wheat  to  make  up  the  deficien- 
cy, and  thus  raise  our  own  bread.  We  sowed  1^ 
acres  last  of  last  month,  from  which  we  look  for- 
ward with  as  much  confidence  in  expectation  of 
a  good  crop,  as  from  corn,  rye  or  potatoes. 

Betty  and  Aldrich. 

BlacJcstone,  Mass.,  9th  mo.,  25th,  1858. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
ELECTRICITY. 

Mr.  Editor  : — I  saw  in  the  New  England 
Farmer  of  August  21,  an  article  by  "P."  headed 
"Electrical  Phenomena,"  stating  that  barns  filled 
with  new  mown  hay  are  more  liable  to  be  struck 
by  lightning  than  others,  and  asking  the  reason. 
Thinking  I  may  assist  your  correspondent,  I  ven- 
ture to  offer  the  following. 

There  are  two  kinds  of  electricity,  named  pos- 
itive and  negative,  which  attract  each  other  and 
repel  themselves ;  that  is,  a  thing  which  is 
charged  or  affected  by  positive,  will  attract  a 
thing  which  is  charged  by  negative,  and  will  re- 
pel one  thut  is  charged  by  positive,  and  vice  ver- 
sa. The  clouds  are  charged  by  one  of  these 
kinds,  and  when  they  come  near  a  conductor  they 
induce,  or  excite,  the  opposite  kind  in  that  con- 
ductor, and  then  the  two  opposite  kinds  endeav- 
or to  run  together  and  form  an  equilibrium. 

Therefore,  suppose  that  a  cloud  is  charged  with 
positive  electricity,  and  it  comes  near  to  a  barn, 
it  will  induce  the  negative  in  that  barn,  and,  if 
near  enough,  will  strike  it,  and  the  heat  generat- 
ed by  the  passage  of  the  fluid  through  the  air, 
will  produce  a  flash,  and  perhaps  set  the  barn  on 
fire. 

Electricity  naturally  seeks  the  best  conductors, 
and  will  strike  them  quicker  than  poor  ones,  and 


water  being  a.  conductor,  new  hay,  which  is  moist, 
will  be  a  better  conductor  than  old  hay,  which  is 
dryer  ;  therefore,  a  barn  filled  with  new  hay,  be- 
ing a  better  conductor  than  one  filled  with  old, 
will  be  more  liable  to  be  struck.  c.  A.  s. 

Spring  Grove,  August  'dlst,  1858. 


EXTBACTS  AND  KEPLIES, 
CURE   FOR   RING  BONE. 

I  noticed  in  your  truly  valuable  paper  of  the 
25th  inst,  an  article  of  inquiry  from  Mr.  N.  F. 
Morrill,  of  Hill,  N.  H.,  in  regard  to  a  colt  that 
had  got  sprainetl  between  the  hoof  and  joint — 
and  in  giving  my  opinion  in  regard  to  it,  would 
say,  that  angle-worm  oil  will  not  prove  effica- 
cious in  removing  or  preventing  ring-bone,  and 
the  only  thing  that  will,  is  something  to  stop  the 
leakage  in  the  sprained  part,  and  thus  prevent 
nature's  continuing  to  form  bone  to  stop  the 
leakage;  and  it  being  in  a  difliicult  place  to  band- 
age, the  only  remedy  I  have  ever  known  to  bo 
successful,  is  a  very  heavy  leaden  ring  to  be 
worn  in  such  a  manner  as  to  continually  press 
upon  the  sprained  joint  and  keep  the  leakage 
closed. 

I  have  never  known  a  case  where  this  has 
proved  unsuccessful,  when  taken  in  season — and 
perhaps  on  a  young  horse,  where  the  bone  has 
commenced  forming,  angle-worm  oil,  in  connec- 
tion with  the  leaden  ring,  may  remove  ring-bone 
and  effect  a  permanent  cure.      S.  A.  Walker. 

A   ROCK   LIFTER. 

In  your  September  number  I  have  observed 
an  account  by  Mr.  Brown  of  "a  machine  for  lift- 
ing rocks,"  as  though  it  were  something  new. 
There  has  been  one  of  this  same  construction  and 
manufacture  in  use  at  the  State  Farm  at  West- 
borough  for  three  years  past,  and  one  on  the 
farm  of  Mr.  R.  S.  Fay,  at  Lynn,  for  the  same  pe- 
riod. I  have  used  one  for  eight  years,  until  I 
have  exhausted  its  field  of  labor,  and  they  are 
quite  common  in  Bristol  and  Plymouth  counties. 
Their  is  no  doubt  of  their  great  value  in  getting 
large  stones  out  of  the  surface,  and  in  placing 
them  in  line  as  base  stones  for  walls,  and  there 
has  been  some  effort  made  to  introduce  them  in- 
to use.  To  show  this,  I  have  called  your  atten- 
tion to  those  which  have  been  for  some  time  in 
your  immediate  vicinity.  I.  s.  F. 

Woods'  Hole,  Mass.,  Sept.,  1858. 

Remarks. — At  the  time  of  writing  the  descrip- 
lion  of  the  Rock  Lifter  which  we  saw  in  opei'a- 
tion  at  Rochester,  we  were  well  acquainted  with 
the  one  on  the  State  Farm  at  Westboro',  and 
were  aware  of  the  fact  that  Mr.  Fay  had  one  at 
Lynn.  But  the  machine  at  Rochester,  though 
acting  on  the  same  principle,  is  essentially  dif- 
ferent in  construction.  One  great  difference  is, 
that  it  has  but  two  wheels — the  others  have  four. 
Both  are  very  useful  machines. 

rocky    MOUNTAIN   POTATOES. 

Mr.  E.  Page,  of  this  place,  planted  last  year 
two  potatoes  of  the  above  seed  which  yielded  one- 
fourth  of  »  bushel,  one  of  which  weighed  1| 
pounds.     This  year  he   planted  the    one-fourth 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


513 


APPLE  PARING  MACHINES. 


bushel  and  raised  7-^  bushels  ;  1  bushel  of  them, 
82  in  number,  weighed  65  pounds.  -^u. 

Canaan,  JV*.  H.,  Sept.  15, 1858. 

QUESTIONS  AXD  ANSWERS. 

What  time  of  the  year  is  best  to  spread  clay 
on  sandy  land,  and  on  grass  ground  ? 

How  much  fowl-meadow  grass  seed  ought  to 
be  sown  on  an  acre  of  low  land  that  has  been 
plowed,  and  what  time  of  year  is  the  best  to  sow 
it?  Where  can  it  be  bought,  and 
about  what  price  ?  Is  this  spear  that 
I  enclose  the  genuine  kind  ? 

Will  it  pay  to  sow  the  seed  on 
grass  land  and  not  do  anything  else 
to  it? 

I  send  you,  also,  a  leaf  of  a  young 
tree  that  I  found  on  my  farm.  Can 
you  tell  what  kind  of  a  tree  it  is  ? 

Will  potatoes  that  are  cut,  one 
eye  to  a  piece  when  planted,  get 
ripe  as  early  as  larger  ones  ? 

I  think  that  potatoes  are  not  so 
good  that  ai-e  cut  very  small,  be- 
cause they  do  not  set  so  early,  there- 
fore do  not  get  so  ripe. 

George  Estes. 

North  UencicJc,  Me.,  1858. 

Remarks. — Haul  out  clay  in  the 
autumn,  and  drop  it  on  sandy  land, 
or  on  grass  land ;  and  the  winter 
frosts  will  enable  you  to  spread  it 
in  the  following  spring.  If  hauled 
on  to  grass  land  early  in  the  au- 
tumn, it  should  not  be  left  in  heaps. 

2.  We  learn,  upon  inquiry,  that  a  bushel  of 
fowl-meadow  grass  seed  is  not  too  much  for  an 
acre.  Sow  in  August,  early  in  September,  or  in 
April  or  May.  There  is  but  little  seed  in  the 
market,  and  it  is  quite  high — as  much  as  $3  to 
$4  a  bushel.  The  spear  you  sent  is  the  true 
fowl-meadow. 

3;  Cannot  tell  by  the  leaf  sent  what  tree  it 
came  from. 

4.  Cannot  tell  about  the  potatoes. 


The  above  engraving  represents  ope  of  Whit- 
temore  &  Brothers^  patent  apple-paring  machines. 
Five  revolutions  of  the  crank  pares,  cores  and 
slices  the  apple  in  the  neatest  manner.  The  fig- 
ure at  the  left  hand  corner  of  the  engraving 
shows  the  apple  sliced.  Taking  the  whole  op- 
eration of  preparing  the  apple  for  the  pan,  there 
is  probably  no  machine  which  performs  the 
work  with  so  much  certainty  and  facility. 


TURN-TABLE   PARING  MACHINE. 

This  machine  is  on  an  entirely  new  principle. 
It  has  no  snapping  or  reverse  motion ;  is 
made  entirely  of  iron  and  not  liable  to  get  out  of 
order,  being  simple  in  its  construction.  After 
the  apple  is  pared  the  knife  is  carried  round  by 
means  of  the  Tum-Tahle,  to  the  rear  side  of  the 
apple,  thereby  giving  no  obstruction  to  remov- 
ing or  replacing  the  apple  ;  it  then  passes  under 
the  fork  arbor,  to  commence  paring,  as  seen  in 


514 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Nov. 


the  cut,  which  is  done  by  2^  revolutions  of  the 
crank. 

One  great  advantage  of  this  machine  is  that  it 
pares  crooked  or  uneven  places  nearly  as  well  as 
the  smooth  surfaces,  and  at  the  same  time  does 
the  work  with  wonderful  rapidity.  This  ma- 
chine is  manufactured  by  Messrs.  Lockley  &  How- 
land,  Leominster,  Mass.  Both  are  excellent  la- 
bor-saving-machines. 


MIDDLESEX  AGKICULTURAL    SOCIETY. 

This  Society  held  its  sixty-fifth  anniversary  at 
Concord,  on  the  29th  of  Sept.  The  weather  was 
favorable,  which,  with  the  liberal  premiums  that 
had  been  offered,  and  the  drawing  power  of  the 
orator  of  the  day,  brought  together  an  unusual 
collection  of  people.  Fifteen  teams  plowed,  and 
the  Spading  Match  took  place  as  usual. 

The  show  of  stock  was  large,  and  embraced 
some  fine  cattle  of  all  breeds  common  among  us, 
and  there  were  about  fifty  horses  of  all  kinds. 
The  swine  and  poultry  were  well  represented. 
Twenty-five  loaves  of  bread  and  fifteen  samples 
of  butter  were  tempting  articles,  especially  to 
those  who  had  taken  an  early  breakfast  and  trav- 
elled twenty  miles  to  reach  the  grounds.  The 
display  of  fruits,  including  apples,  pears,  peaches 
and  grapes,  was  very  fine,  and  received  many 
words  of  commendation.  The  vegetables,  also, 
were  in  profusion,  and  most  excellent  in  kind. 

In  articles  of  household  manufacture,  and  in 
some  specimens  of  painting  and  the  arts,  there 
was  a  good  display.  Of  other  manufactures 
there  were  stoves,  sifters,  a  mowing  machine, 
Boaps,  &c.  &c.  The  sifter  was  a  most  convenient, 
portable  article,  made  to  fit  into  the  top  of  a  bar- 
rel to  sift  coal  ashes,  and  in  another  form  to  sift 
beans  or  sort  them,  or  chestnuts,  or  to  sort  pota- 
toes at  will.  It  is  a  cheap,  durable  and  excellent 
economist,  devised  and  made  by  Mr.  Sanford 
Adams,  of  Boston.  Persons  burning  coal  for 
their  fuel,  cannot  afford  to  do  without  one  of 
these  sifters. 

The  Mowing  Machine  is  an  improvement  upon 
the  old  Ketchum,  and  we  feel  free  to  say,  comes 
nearer  our  idea  of  a  good  ajticle  than  any  we  had 
before  seen.  We  saw  it  put  together  and  set  in 
operation  within  ten  minutes  after  it  was  taken 
from  the  wagon ;  it  was  tried  in  a  field  of  thick 
rowen,  which  it  cut  clean  and  rapidly,  and  with- 
out much  strain  upon  the  horse.  It  could  be 
turned  at  the  corners  or  backed  with  ease.  It 
cuts  a  swath  about  four  feet  wide,  and  weighs 
less  than  300  pounds.  If  this  machine  proves 
to  work  as  well  as  when  we  saw  it,  there  must 
be  a  large  demand  for  it  another  year.  It  was 
made  by  Messrs.  Nourse,  Mason  &  Co.,  who  are 
determined,  we  believe,  to  furnish  the  farmer 
with  just  such  a  machine  as  he  needs  before  they 


are  done  with  it.  We  saw  nothing  in  all  this 
excellent  exhibition,  that  gave  us  more  pleasure 
than  this  new  machine. 

At  half  past  one,  every  plate  at  the  dinner  ta- 
ble was  occupied,  and  many  more  plates  were 
wanted.  Mr.  Sheriff  Keyes,  the  President,  wel- 
comed the  company  in  brief  words,  saying  that 
he  would  not  detain  them  long  from  the  rich  har- 
vests before  them.  The  dinner  over,  he  intro- 
duced Mr.  Emerson,  of  Concord,  who  gave  an 
Address  occupying  nearly  an  hour  in  the  deliv- 
ery. Its  subject  was, — The  condition  of  the 
farmer — his  strength  and  weakness,  his  aids,  and 
his  share  in  the  great  future  before  the  people  of 
the  country.  It  is  utterly  impossible  for  us  to 
give  such  a  synopsis  of  this  address  as  would 
be  fair  to  the  speaker,  or  one  that  would  give  a 
correct  idea  of  it.  We  prefer,  therefore,  to  give 
such  portions  of  it  by-and-bye,  unmutilated,  as 
we  can  find  space  for. 

Several  "regular"  toasts  were  then  read,  and 
were  pleasantly  responded  to  by  Messrs.  White, 
of  Lowell,  Judge  Marston,  of  Barnstable,  the 
Delegate  from  the  State  Board  of  Agriculture, 
Dr.  C.  T.  Jackson,  of  Boston,  Hon.  Joseph 
Howe,  of  Halifax,  N.  S.,  Joseph  T.  Bucking- 
ham and  E.  p.  Whipple,  of  Boston,  and  Hon. 
C.  L.  K.NAPP,  of  Lowell. 

The  Society  then  re-elected  all  its  old  officers, 
and  a  new  Board  of  Trustees  for  the  ensuing 
year,  and  then  adjourned. 

In  this  Exhibition,  we  noticed  that  each  de- 
partment was  distinct,  and  that  when  any  change 
in  the  exercises  occurred,  it  was  done  at  the  mo- 
ment assigned.  The  arrangement  of  the  Show 
was  in  the  hands  of  Capt.  John  B.  Moore,  as 
Superintendent,  and  his  skill  and  vigilance  put 
all  things  in  order  and  kept  them  so.  The  large 
Hall  was  tastefully  ornamented  with  fabrics  from 
the  carpet  mills  of  Amory  Maynard,  Esq.,  of 
Stowe,  their  bright  colors  illuminating  and  ^set- 
ting off  the  gifts  of  Ceres  and  Pomona  below 
them.  We  have  no  doubt  that  many  a  good 
housewife  concluded  that  she  would  have  a  new 
carpet  this  winter. 

In  point  of  merit,  taking  this  Exhibition  as  a 
whole,  Preparations,  Stock,  Implements,  Fruits, 
Vegetables,  Manufactures,  Order,  Punctuality, 
Oration  and  Addresses,  we  think  we  have  never 
seen  it  surpassed — and  our  experience  in  these 
matters  has  not  been  limited.  All  these  excel- 
lent points  have  been  gained  by  two  things : — 
First,  by  well-directed  labor,  and  secondly,  by  en- 
deavoring to  keep  the  Exhibition  confined  to  tlie 
objects  for  which  it  was  designed.  In  speaking 
of  the  Middlesex  Society,  one  of  our  contempo- 
raries says : — 

"One  marked  feature  of  its  management  has 
been  the  cfiscarding  of  all  outside  'attractions'  to 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


515 


draw  crowds.  Its  'trotting  course'  is  hardly  six 
hundred  feet  around,  and  horses  are  made  to  take 
their  true  and  proper  position  in  the  exhibition. 
It  has  encouraged  no  fast  trotting,  no  equestrian 
exercises  by  ladies,  no  balloon  ascensions,  but 
has  pursued  a  straightforward,  steady  course,  en- 
couraging only  what  was  legitimately  connected 
with  agriculture.  The  natural  consequence  of 
all  this  has  been  the  getting  up  of  superior  exhi- 
bitions." 

It  is  true,  that  such  has  been  the  general  fact, 
and  we  regret  to  learn  of  this  old  and  honored 
among  the  honorable  associations  of  this  kind, 
that  after  the  Committee  of  Arrangements  had 
fixed  a  price,  amounting  to  a  prohibition,  of  ad- 
mittance of  peddlers,  auctioneers,  mountebanks 
and  gamblers,  to  their  grounds,  that  wise  restric- 
tion was  re-considered,  and  all  these  classes  were 
admitted.  The  effect  of  this  was,  to  occupy  room 
needed  for  the  proper  purposes  of  the  Exhibition, 
and  distract  the  attention  of  visitors  from  its 
worthy  objects  to  those  of  a  useless,  if  not  of  an 
absolutely  vicious  character.  We  saw  hundreds 
hanging  about  a  brawling  razor  or  cotton  whip 
seller,  or  the  peddler  of  brass  gewgaws,  called 
jewelry.  In  another  instance,  we  saw  for  two 
hours,  a  group  of  fifty  men  and  boys  either  en- 
gaged in  a  low  species  of  gambling  or  looking 
upon  its  changes ;  while,  in  passing  three  or  four 
times  by  the  pens  containing  many  specimens  of 
the  most  beautiful  cattle,  we  did  not  see  half 
that  number  of  persons  looking  at  them.  It  will 
not  do  to  say  that  persons  will  take  their  choice 
in  these  matters,  or  that  if  hawkers  and  peddlers 
are  not  admitted  on  the  grounds  they  vi'ill  plant 
themselves  near  and  draw  the  people  away.  In 
the  first  place,  the  Society  should  present  no 
choice  by  introducing  matter  foreign  to  the  ob- 
jects of  the  incorporation,  and  in  the  next,  if  such 
persons  plant  themselves  near  enough  to  become 
an  annoyance,  let  the  power  of  the  law  be  exe- 
cuted to  remove  them.  When  the  legislature 
granted  acts  of  incorporation  to  these  associa- 
tions, it  did  not  leave  them  unprotected  and  their 
objects  liable  to  be  defeated  by  the  rabble,  but 
extended  over  them  the  panoply  of  its  power  in 
the  form  of  law,  which  is  amply  sufficient  to  guard 
all  their  rights. 

We  have  looked  upon  the  Old  Middlesex  So- 
ciety as  a  wise  and  noble  pioneer  in  all  that  re- 
lates to  the  art  of  husbandry.  We  have  long 
felt  proud  of  her  men  and  her  products,  and  have 
often  quoted  her  arrangements  and  examples  in 
perpetuating  what  has  now  become  one  of  the 
leading  institutions  of  the  Commonwealth.  We 
trust  she  will  purge  herself  of  every  error,  and 
lead  the  way  in  the  future  as  she  has  in  the  past, 
with  that  calm,  clear  light,  which  will  allure,  but 
not  mislead. 

We  omit  the  premiums,  as  they  are  of  a  local 


character,  and  would  occupy  room  which  ought 
to  be  devoted  to  the  general  reader.  They  will 
all  be  given  a  little  later  in  the  publication  of  the 
Society.  The  premiums  of  the  South  Middlesex 
Society  were  admitted  last  week  during  our  ab- 
sence. 

For  tlie  New  England  Farmer. 

LETTER  PBOM  CONCOKD,  MASS. 

Corrcspondenta — Mowing  Machines — Extra  Flour — Hydraulic 
Rams. 

Mr.  Brown  : — Every  Saturday  evening  your 
clean,  handsome,  entertaining,  instructive  paper 
comes  to  my  door.  Let  me  assure  you,  sir,  that 
it  always  finds  a  hearty  welcome.  You  are  for- 
tunate in  your  able  coadjutors.  I  know  that  this 
Mr.  Holbrook  must  be  a  good  farmer.  His  com- 
munications are  very  calm  and  instructive.  I 
never  read  many  articles  before  I  find  what  the 
judge  has  contributed,  when  I  see  his  familiar 
name. 

I  have  thought  a  good  while  of  writing  to  you. 
I  was  greatly  exercised  in  hay-time  about  your 
neighbor  Buckminster.  Why,  he  did  publish 
some  extraordinary  articles  about  MoAving  Ma- 
chines. Whether  other  sections  wer3  like  situ- 
ated or  not  I  don't  know,  but  in  our  part  of  the 
town  his  subscribers  were  using  and  applauding 
the  work  of  the  very  machines  their  paper  of 
progress  unqualifiedly  condemned !  Mowing  Ma- 
chines are  doubtless  susceptible  of  great  improve- 
ments yet,  but  it  is  idle  to  cry  them  down,  indis- 
criminately, and  try  to  show  how  much  better  it 
is  to  let  the  horses  kick  away  at  flies  in  the  barn 
all  the  forenoon,  and  human  sinews  do  their  work. 

It  has  always  seemed  to  me  that  an  agricultu- 
ral paper  should  lead  on  the  farming  community 
in  the  direction  of  true  progress,  and  not  be 
among  the  last  to  acknowledge  the  merits  of  great 
inventions. 

Has  it  ever  occurred  to  you  that  the  flour  men 
were  rapidly  using  up  the  English  language? 
If  you  were  to  order  a  peck  of  fine  peaches  or 
plums,  or  of  your  tailor  a  fine  coat,  no  doubt  you 
would  receive  of  each  most  worthy  specimens. 
But  with  flour,  the  word  "fine"  is  wholly  obso- 
lete. The  very  sourest,  blackest,  heaviest,  mus- 
tiest, buggiest,  is  stamped  "superfine  !"  As  you 
go  up  the  scale  you  find  "Extra  Family ;"  a  tol- 
erable article ;  makes  very  fair  hot  biscuit.  Then 
some  original  marker  puts  on  two  x's  (xx.)  That 
was  double  extra.  But  another  more  ambitious 
has  a  stencil  which  prints  three  !  And  lately  I 
have  seen  four  x's  put  on  to  delude  the  ignorant. 
To  be  sure,  the  inspector  pays  little  heed  to  the 
paint  on  the  head  of  the  barrel.  He  looks  at 
the  flour  within,  and  sometimes  there  is  quite  a 
want  of  consistency  in  the  manufacturer's  opir 
ion  and  that  of  the  disinterested  inspector. 

I  hope  that  you  will  find  an  opportunity  soon 
to  call  and  see  the  operation  of  a  Hydraulic  Ram 
which  I  have  set  up  lately.  It  is  a  complete  ma- 
chine. It  is  very  simple.  Mine  is  set  below  a 
fall  of  about  four  feet,  and  is  nearly  a  thousand 
feet  from  the  barn,  where  a  copious  stream  is  dis- 
charged, very  much  to  the  relief  of  the  animals, 
as  well  as  the  men  who  had  served  faithfully  at 
the  pump-handle.  Then  I  have  a  pretty  foun- 
tain supplied  by  the  same  source,  which  is  a  con- 


516 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Nov. 


stant  delight  to  the  children  of  the  whole  neigh- 
borhood. I  think  so  well  of  the  ram  that  I  should 
be  glad  to  give  you  a  full  article  on  the  subject. 

There  is  not  the  slightest  difficulty  in  any  of 
your  readers  having  water  in  abundance,  if  in 
the  vicinity  ef  their  barns  they  have  brooks  or 
springs  from  which  a  sufficient  supply  can  be  ob- 
tained to  fill  an  inch  and  a  half  driving  pipe, 
with  a  two  feet  fall.  w.  D.  B. 

Concord,  Mass.,  Sept.  21,  1858. 

Remarks. — The  article  which  you  would  be 
"glad  to  write,"  ten  thousand  readers  will  be 
glad  to  read — so  write  it  as  fast  as  you  can,  and 
send  it  along. 

For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
CONNECTICUT  BIVER  VALLEY  FAIK. 
BY  MRS.  A.  E.  PORTER,  SPRINGFIELD,  YT. 

Messrs.  Editors  : — You  will  probably  have 
an  official  account  of  the  Connecticut  Valley  Fair, 
held  this  week,  across  the  river  from  here,  in 
Charlestown,  N.  H. ;  but  I  have  collected  a  few 
little  waifs  which  a  regular  reporter  may  not  have 
noticed.  Sometimes  a  few  fresh  mosses  and  way- 
side blossoms  are  welcomed,  even  though  richer 
bouquets  and  cultivated  flowers  are  in  sight. 

The  counties  on  both  sides  of  the  river  in  New 
Hampshire  and  Vermont  are  represented  at  this 
Fair,  and  in  all  the  region,  beautiful  though  it 
is,  perhaps  no  pleasanter  spot  could  have  been 
chosen  than  Charlestown. 

But  as  I  heard  the  whistle  of  the  cars,  which 
were  hourly  bringing  men,  women,  children, 
horses,  oxen,  cows  and  sheep,  and  saw  the  long 
trains  of  country  wagons  loaded  with  sturdy 
farmers  with  their  wives  and  children,  I  wondered 
how  many  of  these  thought  of  the  fact  that  less 
than  a  hundred  years  ago,  this  spot  M'as  consid- 
ered an  advanced  frontier  military  post,  cautiously 
guarded  from  the  savages,  and  that  the  gay  mul- 
titude passed  on  near  the  spot  where  the  Indians 
took  a  whole  household  captive  to  Canada,  and 
burned  the  buildings  of  the  settlers.  For  a  long 
time  this  fort  was  occupied  by  a  garrison,  and 
more  than  one  bloody  skirmish  was  witnessed 
there.  "Number  Four,"  as  Charlestown  was  called 
for  many  years,  was  well  known  in  the  annals  of 
Indian  warfare.  No  wonder  the  Indians  gave 
up  reluctantly  the  rich  and  fertile  meadows  which 
bound  this  town,  one  of  two  hundred  and  the 
other  of  five  hundred  acres.  The  village  itself 
is  very  beautifully  located,  its  long,  wide  street 
shaded  by  a  row  of  elms  on  one  side  and  a  row 
of  maples  on  the  other.  On  the  north,  a  short 
distance  from  the  village,  are  the  Fair  Grounds, 
a  park  of  thirty  acres,  a  noble,  level  piece  of  land, 
lacking  nothing  but  a  few  shade  trees  to  make  it 
perfect  as  a  gathering  place  for  the  multitude. 
The  race  course  is  half  a  mile  in  circuit,  and  very 
smooth  and  hard.  There  are  seats  for  two  thous- 
and persons.  Everything  is  very  plain,  but  con- 
venient and  substantial. 

When  I  arrived,  the  cattle-pens,  coops  and  Me- 
chanics' Hall,  were  pretty  well  filled,  and  Floral 
Hall  was  filling  with  homespun  blankets,  "good, 
thick  and  warm,"  fancy  bed-quilts,  where  one  is 
puzzled  to  decide  upon  the  comparative  merits  of 
shells,  stars,  vase-work  or  tulip-shaped,  wrought 


rugs,  worsted  rugs,  rag  rugs  and  rag  carpeting, 
fine  and  soft  as  one  could  desire.  These,  with 
cheeses  that  looked  creamy  and  rich,  and  butter 
yellow  and  sweet,  were  the  work  of  Vermont  and 
New  Hampshire  matrons,  for  I  observed  "Mrs." 
attached  to  most  of  them.  Some  nice  oil  paint- 
ings, embroidery,  hair-work,  wax  flowers,  pasted 
flowers,  &c.,  attested  the  taste  of  the  young  la- 
dies. Never  mind,  Mr.  Editor,  the  long  faces  of 
croaking  men  who  tell  how  their  mothers  wove 
and  spun,  and  fancy  that  young  ladies  of  the 
present  day  will  make  worthless  wives  ;  they  are 
mistaken — for  there  are  no  better  wives  the  world 
over  than  these  same  Yankee  girls  ;  and  the 
dainty  hands  that  now  color  these  flowers  and 
weave  so  lovingly  the  vines  and  fancy  work  of 
scarf  and  collar,  will  be  just  as  proud  of  nice 
bread,  sweet  butter  and  good  coffee,  when  they 
find  a  husband  values  them  most.  A  love  of  the 
beautiful  never  disqualifies  a  woman  for  the  use- 
ful, for  as  she  grows  older  she  will  learn  the  true 
beauty  of  use. 

I  found  in  the  Mechanics'  Hall  quite  a  collec- 
tion from  our  little  village,  and  as  I  hope  some 
day,  Mr.  Editor,  to  see  you  here  making  a  per- 
sonal acquaintance  with  your  subscribers,  I  will 
introduce  you  to  a  few.  Here  is  Mr.  Watkins, 
with  a  table  of  surgical  instruments,  made  with 
great  neatness  and  skill.  Here  are  legs  and  arms, 
fingers  and  hands,  for  those  who  need,  almost  as 
good,  and  the  manufacturers  seem  to  think  a  lit- 
tle better,  than  those  endowed  with  nerves  that 
are  sensitive  to  pain.  Next  is  Mr.  Fullam,  with 
a  set  of  stencil  tools  for  marking,  and  here  at 
the  adjoining  table  is  something  new  for  the  la- 
dies ;  "Loveland's  Scissor  Sharpener,"  quite  a 
useful  and  pretty  invention — can  be  kept  in  a 
lady's  work-basket  and  used  by  herself  without 
aid  from  the  noisy  scissor  grinder.  Mr.  LovE- 
LAND,  the  gentlemanly  inventor,  yields  his  seat 
that  I  may  rest  awhile  and  examine  his  invention, 
which  is  well  worthy  of  notice,  and  will  no  doubt 
receive  the  patronage  of  the  ladies.  Here  is 
Randall's  Cheese  Press  and  Ingham's  Fanning 
Mill  and  Separator,  in  which  beans  and  grain  ar- 
range themselves  with  almost  milit^y  precision, 
according  to  size,  while  all  dust  and  rubbish  is 
obliged  to  leave  in  haste.  Our  ingenious  me- 
chanics. Parks  &  Woolson,  had  a  new  Suction 
and  Force  Pump,  well  worth  examination. 

I  was  sorry  to  observe  among  the  vegetables, 
only  the  largest  kind ;  enormous  squashes  that 
look  as  if  made  for  antedeluvian  monsters,  long 
radishes  and  beets  that  seem  fit  for  nothing  but 
to  commence  an  artesian  well.  We  seem  to  be 
a  great  while  in  learning  that  the  largest  are  the 
coarsest  and  generally  unfit  for  table.  The  small- 
er kinds  are  choicer  and  more  concentrated.  Lit- 
tle things  are  not  to  be  despised. 

"Ask  why  God  made  the  gem  so  small, 

And  why  so  large  the  granite, 
Because  lie  meant  that  man  should  set 

A  higher  value  on  it." 

As  to  potatoes,  I  was  happy  to  learn  that  the 
potato  known  with  you  as  the  Eastport,  here  as 
the  Blodgett,  is  ranked  the  best.  It  tallies  with 
our  own  personal  experience,  rich,  mealy  and 
well-flavored,  not  yielding  largely,  but  without 
the  rot,  on  light  soils. 

I  passed  on,  having  a  desire  to  see  some  of  the 
fine  stock  for  which  this  region  is  noted ;  but 


1858. 


KEW  ENGLAND  EARMER. 


517 


some  gentlemen  (?)  look  a  little  askance  Avhen  a 
lady  turns  to  the  pig  pen,  the  os  stall  or  the 
sheep  cote,  and  one  said,  not  to  us,  "A  fair  is  no 
place  for  women." 

One  lot  of  noble  merino  sheep  attracted  our 
attention,  and  even  our  unpractised  eyes  could 
discern  their  merits.  A  gentleman  who  appeared 
by  his  conversation  to  be  the  owner  stood  near. 
He  welcomed  us  cordially,  and  was  happy  to  know 
that  three  ladies  felt  interest  enough  in  his  no- 
ble pets  to  examine  them.  One  by  one  he  brought 
them  to  us,  showed  us  the  breadth  of  chest  and 
back,  thickness  and  fineness  of  the  wool.  He  had 
in  all  fifty-one  Spanish  merino  sheep,  and  among 
them  some  of  which  Vermont  may  well  be  proud. 
We  were  pleased  to  see  his  interest  and  love  to 
the  animals.  He  gave  us  his  name  as  Mr.  Wheat, 
of  Putney,  Vt.,  and  "Ladies,"  said  he,  "allow  me 
to  introduce  to  you  some  fine  thorough-bred  cat- 
tle from  our  village,"  and  he  had  taken  from  their 
stalls  and  ranged  before  us  five  fine  specimens 
of  Durhams,  large,  fat,  sleek,  and  that  looked  as 
if  their  owner  had  an  eye  to  nice  roasts  and  fat 
steaks.  There  were  some  of  the  mixed  breeds 
that  were  fine  animals,  and  not  far  from  here  in 
tlie  stalls,  some  pretty  Devons,  also  some  Cots- 
wold  long  wool,  mutton  sheep.  To  this  gentle- 
man we  were  indebted  also  for  an  introduction 
to  the  "Flying  Morgan,"  a  pleasure  well  worth 
the  day's  time.  I  never  realized  before  the  beauty 
of  this  noble  creature,  in  shape,  color  and  mo- 
tion. Graceful  and  swift  as  a  liird,  but  gentle 
as  a  fawn,  we  patted  his  glossy  coat,  we  stood  by 
his  side  and  gazed  at  those  sightless  eyes,  till  we 
felt  a  sympathy  for  his  misfortune,  strong  as  if 
he  were  human,  like  ourselves.  He  lost  his  eye- 
sight, we  were  told,  through  the  carelessness  of 
a  groom  and  the  unskilfulness  with  which  an  op- 
eration was  performed.  There  he  stood,  strong 
and  supple  in  every  limb,  grace  in  every  curve, 
but  stone  blind.  Nevertheless  he  was  gentle  and 
patient ;  his  great  affliction  had  not  soured  his 
temper  or  lessened  his  activity.  We  turned 
away  with  a  tear  in  our  eye  and  a  gentler  feeling 
in  our  heart  towards  all  God's  creatures.  This 
noble  animal  had  taught  us  a  lesson  of  patience 
and  gentleness  which  we  will  be  long  in  forget- 
ting. 

Mr.  Wheat  was  a  stranger  to  us,  but  we  wish 
his  example  might  be  imitated  at  our  Fairs,  and 
perhaps  ladies  will  feel  more  interest  in  farming 
pursuits,  if  they  could  have  a  few  such  pleasant 
lessons  yearly. 

I  was  exceedingly  disappointed  in  not  hearing 
Mr.  Gushing,  and  his  absence  was  a  great  disap- 
pointment to  thousands.  No  substitute  was  ap- 
pointed, and  horse  trotting  occupied  the  time. 
This  formed  altogether  too  prominent  a  feature 
of  the  exhibition,  and  I  regretted  that  thousands 
of  people  should  come  together  without  one  hour 
for  the  whole  three  days  given  to  moral  o'r  men- 
tal improvement.     Ought  this  so  to  be  ? 

Yours  truly,  A.  E.  P. 

Sprincifield,  Vt. 


Who  is  a  Farmer  ? — Some  persons  seem  to 
think  that  to  become  a  practical  farmer,  one  must 
necessarily  possess  a  rough,  filthy  exterior.  That 
some  excellent  farmers  are  rough,  unpolished, 

d  occasionally  filthy  in  their  persons,  is  true. 


but  it  is  not  the  want  of  good  breeding,  nor  the 
appearance  of  filth,  that  constitutes  the  ability 
to  become  a  good  farmer.  Is  it  not  rather  the 
possession  of  an  intimate  knowledge  of  the  facts 
and  principles  involved  in  the  art  of  agriculture, 
and  a  sound  judgment  to  exercise  them  to  a  good 
end  ? — Worldng  Farmer. 


For  Vie  New  England  Farmer. 
CHOPS  IN  ■WINDSOR  COUNTY,  VBE- 
MONT. 

The  farmer  in  the  south  part  of  Windsor 
county,  Vermont,  has  good  reason  to  rejoice  in 
an  abundant  harvest  for  what  he  has  sown  and 
cultivated  this  season.  The  hay  crop  is  full  an 
average  in  quantity,  of  good  quality,  and  well 
secured.  Corn  is  now,  the  20th  of  Sept.,  un- 
touched by  frost,  and,  in  my  judgment,  a  better 
crop  than  we  have  had  for  some  years  past,  save 
one.  The  late  planted  pieces  here  have  matured 
very  fast  for  the  last  ten  days — a  part  of  mine  is 
now  standing  in  the  stook,  and  the  remainder 
has  been  topped.  The  potato  crop  now  promises 
to  surpass  former  crops  in  yield  and  soundness. 
Rye  and  oats  are  good. 

Wheat  is  but  little  sown  in  this  vicinity, 
not  more  than  one  farmer  in  ten  who  makes  the 
attempt  but  pays  out  his  money  for  the  labor  of 
his  brother  farmer  in  the  West.  This  year  I 
sowed  five  pecks  of  wheat,  from  which  I  raised 
twelve  bushels  of  nice  wheat,  full  and  plump 
berry.  The  ground  selected  was  the  spring 
previous  broke  from  the  sward,  manured  in  the 
rough  furrow,  harrowed  in  and  planted  with  corn ; 
at  the  time  of  first  hoeing.  I  applied  Avood 
ashes  to  each  hill,  say  about  a  gill.  I  received  a 
good  crop  of  corn.  This  spring  I  drew  on  to  the 
poorest  places  some  of  my  finest  manure,  spread 
and  turned  under  with  a  furrow  about  eight 
inches  deep,  then  harrowed  smoothly,  breaking 
and  pulverizing  the  soil  so  that  the  grain  will  be 
covered  more  readily  and  evenly  than  when  sown 
on  the  furrow,  as  some  farmers  do.  I  then  sowed 
my  wheat  as  I  took  it  from  the  granary,  dry — 
harrowed  it  in  thoroughly,  covering  the  seed 
deeper  than  my  neighbors  do  theirs ;  light  cover- 
ing is  a  mistake,  as  I  think  the  grain  should  be 
deep  covered  enough  to  prevent  the  drought  from 
affecting  its  roots  during  June  and  the  forepart 
of  July,  and  will  draw  more  nourishment  from 
the  ground  than  when  the  kernel  is  left  near  the 
surface  of  the  ground.  When  the  wheat  was 
well  up,  1  sowed  (in  a  moist  day)  broadcast,  wood 
ashes,  about  twelve  bushels  to  the  acre.  I  am  of 
the  opinion  that  winter  sown  would  be  prefer- 
able, sow  as  soon  as  the  first  of  September  in 
this  locality,  xlpples,  in  this  immediate  vicinity, 
are  a  failure.  The  curculio  did  its  work  thoroughly 
last  spring,  and  is  fast  increasing  its  ravages  in 
our  orchards  and  so  likewise  the  army  worm. 

Fall  feed  is  very  good — but  the  decline  of  one- 
fourth  in  the  prices  of  our  horses,  and  one-third 
in  neat  stock,  makes  us  feel  that  it  is  hard  times. 
Yet  farming  is  the  business  to  be  sought  after,  to 
make  us  healthy,  honorable  and  happy.  It 
furnishes  the  most  inviting  employment  for  our 
children,  it  brings  with  its  seasons  its  change  of 
work  and  golden  harvests,  which  is  not  the  case 
with  the  mechanic  and  manufacturer.  F. 

Chester,  Vt.,  Sept.  20,  1858. 


518 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Nov. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
CROPS,  FABMINQ,  &c.,  IN  WISCOMSIN. 

Mr.  Editor  : — Our  wheat  and  oat  crops  are 
pretty  much  threshed  out.  The  wheat,  so  far  as 
I  have  heard,  ranges  from  3  to  14  bushels  per 
acre.  I  think  the  average  cannot  go  above  6  or 
7  bushels  to  the  acre,  and  that  of  inferior  quality. 
Oats  are  very  poor,  generally  yielding  10  to  15 
bushels  per  acre.  In  portions  of  Illinois  it  is 
still  worse.  In  large  sections,  along  the  Illinois 
River,  and  elsewhere  in  that  State,  the  oats  were 
not  generally  harvested  at  all,  and  the  wheat 
hardly  worth  the  trouble  and  expense  of  harvest- 
ing. The  corn  crop  is  likely  to  turn  out  fair, 
both  here  and  in  Illinois.  If  Jack  Frost  keeps 
his  distance  a  little  longer,  we  are  safe  for  corn, 
as  much  is  already  beyond  danger.  Our  potato 
crop  is  lighter  than  usual  for  this  country,  so 
there  will  be  a  very  light  surplus  of  grain  and 
provisions  this  year  to  spare  from  this  country, 
but  there  is  enough  for  man  and  beast  until  time 
for  another  crop  to  grow,  when,  through  the  good- 
"less  of  Providence,  a  more  abundant  crop  may 
crown  our  labors. 

I  have  never  been  in  any  part  of  New  England, 
having  been  raised  in  South  Western  Pennsylva- 
nia, where  I  lived  until  three  years  ago.  I  came 
to  Wisconsin  to  make  my  fortune  quick  ;  left  a 
pleasant  home  in  the  good  old  East,  hoping  soon 
to  better  my  condition  in  the  great  and  growing 
West.  Here  I  am  in  a  fertile  part  of  the  coun- 
try, working  hard  and  making  but  little  more 
than  a  living,  deprived  of  many  comforts  I  en- 
joyed East,  among  which  are,  sometimes,  very 
bad  roads,  poor  buildings  and  the  loss  of  fruit  ; 
I  speak  of  those  like  myself,  whose  means  were 
small.  Men  with  means  can  situate  themselves 
pleasantly  enough  near  the  large  towns  and  vil- 
lages of  the  West.  Money  will  do  that  in  any 
State  in  the  Union,  and  what  I  fear  most  here,  in 
regard  to  fruit,  is  that  they  never  can  raise  it 
successfully  in  this  prairie  country.  The  pros- 
pect is  very  poor  at  this  time — perhaps  more  at- 
tention would  lead  to  more  success ;  it  is  evident- 
ly too  much  neglected  here.  The  soil  is  as  good 
In  its  virgin  state  as  any  reasonable  man  could 
ask,  and  lays  as  handsomely,  but  that  tells  the 
story  most  in  its  favor  now.  It  is  no  hard  mat- 
ter to  see  any  amount  of  slovenly  farming  in  this 
country.  There  are  exceptions,  of  course,  but  a 
large  portion  of  farmers  waste  enough  grain  an- 
nually, in  harvesting  and  threshing,  to  keep  a 
good  sized,  economical  eastern  family.  There  are 
but  few  farmers  as  far  West  as  this,  that  have 
fencing  enough  done  to  be  able  to  pasture  their 
stubble  grounds  until  after  corn  gathering,  which 
is  hardly  ever  done  before  December.  Very  few 
have  farms  and  out-buildings  to  take  in  their 
grain,  so  it  is  stacked  on  the  ground  where  it 
grew,  threshed  out  and  the  straw  burned  on  the 
ground,  as  a  general  thing,  as  few  have  stock 
enough  to  consume  their  straw,  so  they  are  ex- 
hausting their  imjjroved  lands  more  and  more, 
every  year,  by  this  practice,  and  the  crops  are  al- 
ready, in  many  places,  telling  the  tale  of  always 
taking  off  the  land,  never  putting  on.  I  can  show 
fields,  and  even  whole  farms,  that  have  seen  their 
best  days,  until  something  more  is  done  for  them 
in  the  way  of  fertilizing. 

A  large  class  of  Wisconsin  farmers  are  much 


in  debt  and  likely  to  remain  so.  The  prosper- 
ous times  enjoyed  here,  the  last  few  years  pre- 
ceding the  present  one,  seemed  to  have  spoiled 
as  many  as  it  benefited.  Never  thinking  a 
change  of  times  might  speedily  limit  their  resour- 
ces, they  plunged  in  debt  to  enlarge  their  farms 
and  possessions,  took  railroad  stocks,  for  which 
many  mortgaged  their  lands,  and  are  now  squirm- 
ing to  get  out  of  debt,  but  it  seems  the  more  they 
squirm,  the  more  they  don't  get  out. 

This  is  a  great  grain-growing  country;  the 
large  crops  that  are  gathered,  of  a  favorable  sea- 
son, in  the  West,  are  truly  tempting  to  the  man 
who  earns  his  living  by  the  sweat  of  his  brow, 
and  thousands  have  done  well  by  coming  West. 
But,  after  having  lived  and  farmed  in  the  West 
nearly  three  years,  and  travelled  in  diff'erent  sec- 
tions of  the  country,  I  prefer  an  eastern  home  for 
our  own  domestic  comfort,  and  think  noAV,  it 
wont  be  long  until  the  N.  E.  Farmer  will  find  its 
way  to  our  own  little  rocky  farm,  that  we  left 
unsold  in  the  east.  We  think  by  taking  out  the 
stumps  and  rocks  it  will  look  smoother,  and  by 
raising  plenty  of  nice  fruit  it  will  be  sweeter  than 
ever.  As  I  said  before,  I  was  never  in  New  Eng- 
land, but  I  like  the  name,  the  enterprise  of  its, 
people  ;  I  like  to  read  its  journals,  for  when  I 
open  one  I  am  sure  to  find  something  useful.  As 
the  budding  place  of  our  best  institutions,  may 
her  example  never  be  less  appreciated. 

T.  A.  Jackson. 

Broadhead,  Wis.,  Sept.  9th,  1858. 


FARMERS'    FESTIVALS. 


NORFOLK  AGRICULTURAL   SOCIETY. 

Norfolk  county  is  favored  with  men  of  means 
and  skill,  who  take  a  decided  interest  in  whatev- 
er relates  to  the  farm.  Under  their  influence, 
the  Norfolk  County  Agricultural  Society  came 
into  the  world  full  grown,  and  started  off  in  her 
first  exhibition  with  a  vigor  rarely  gained  by  oth- 
ers in  many  years.  It  was  not  our  pleasure  to 
attend  the  last  show,  on  the  29th  ultimo,  and  we 
can  only  judge  of  it  by  the  reports  which  we  find 
in  the  papers  ;  that  they  had  a  pleasant,  social 
time,  and  that  there  were  many  things  to  com. 
mend  in  it,  there  can  be  no  doubt.  But,  wheth- 
er in  all  respects,  the  managers  have  taken  the 
best  course  to  subserve  the  cause  in  which  they 
are  engaged,  there  is  considerable  doubt,  judging 
from  the   report  before   us.     The   report  says: 

"The  agricultural  productions  on  exhibition, 
though  not  extensive,  were  highly  creditable,  and 
embraced  nearly  everything  raised  by  the  farm- 
ers of  the  county." 

"The  mechanical  department  was  rather  limi 
ted." 

"In  the  upper  hall,  the  fairest  of  the  Fair  of- 
ficiated at  tables  ladened  with  tempting  baits,  to 
be  secured  by  adventurers  in  scramble-bags,  and 
innocent  little  lotteries ;"  *  *  "and  from  the 
throng  here  all  day,  *  *  a  round  sum  must 
have  been  realized  to  the  society." 

"There  were  a  few  fine  horses  and  some  milch 
cows  with^ 'good  points.'     The  number  of  work- 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


519 


ing  oxen  was  small.  The  Durhams  were  found 
■wanting.  The  Drawing  Match  had  a/a?>  com- 
pany to  witness  it,  and  a  fair  crowd  witnessed 
the  Spading  Match.  No  premium  was  offered 
for  trotting,  but  a  match  was  gotten  up  between 
two  well-matched  horses,  just  to  fill  up  the  time." 
There  was  also  "a  game  of  base  ball  announced 
in  the  programme  of  the  day." 

Such  are  the  expressions  of  the  reporters;  the 
reader  cannot  fail  to  see  that  the  animus  is  not 
in  a  description  of  the  products  of  the  farm,  but 
that  he  found  larger  crouds,  more  excitement  and 
apparent  interest  in  matters  having  no  connec- 
tion with  the  farm.  We  notice  these  things,  not 
because  we  find  pleasure  in  such  criticisms,  but 
to  call  attention  more  directly  to  the  results  of 
any  departure  from  the  true  objects  of  such  an 
association ;  and  to  inquire  whether  others  than 
the  farmer  are  not  gradually  taking  the  control 
of  tkem  into  their  hands. 

Address  by  John  S.  Eldridge,  Esq.,  of 
Canton  ;  subject :  "National  Industry  the  True 
Source  of  National  Wealth,"  and  is  spoken  of  as 
a  fine  production.  Mr.  Grinnell,  of  the  State 
Board  of  Agriculture,  happily  responded  to  a 
sentiment  complimentary  to  the  Board.  Inclos- 
ing his  congratulatory  address,  Mr.  President 
Wilder  "urged  the  true  interests  of  agriculture 
upon  the  farmers  embraced  in  the  Society,  and 
pictured  glowing  results  of  continued  improve- 
ments." No  man  better  knows  the  wants  of  the 
farmer,  or  will  do  more  to  supply  them,  than  he. 

THE  PLYMOUTH  COUNTY  SHOW 

was  held  on  the  28th  and  29th  at  Bridgewater. 
We  regret  that  we  were  not  able  to  attend  it  as 
a  delegate  from  the  State  Board  of  Agriculture, 
as  we  had  been  appointed,  in  consequence  of 
their  making  a  change  and  bringing  their  Show 
on  the  same  day  as  that  in  our  own  county.  In 
jniits  and  vegetables  the  show  was  very  good,  so 
was  the  display  of  household  work.  In  the  Plow- 
ing Match  14  team  were  engaged ;  there  were 
but  78  head  of  horned  cattle  in  the  pens.  But  a 
noble  spectacle  was  presented  in  the  Tovm  Teams, 
numbering  228  pairs  of  oxen! 

"To  please  the  multitude  a  foot  race  was  an- 
nounced at  3  o'clock." 

Charles  G.  Davis,  Esq.,  was  re-elected  Presi- 
dent, and  a  "grand  ball  and  supper"  concluded 
the  exercises  of  the  first  day. 

THE  ESSEX  COUNTY  SHOW 

occurred  at  Danvers,  Sept,  29  and  30.  The 
weather  was  fine,  and  a  large  number  of  people 
attended. 

Neat  cattle. — In  this  department  179  animals 
were  exhibited,  classified  as  follows : 

Fat  cattle,  7  ;  pure  blooded  bulls,  15;  mixed 
blooded  bulls,  13  ;  pure  blooded  cows,  9,  (princi- 
pally Alderney;)  mixed  blooded  and  native  cows, 


35;   heifers,  40;    calves,  8;    working  oxen,  40; 
steers,  12. 

The  neat  stock  comprised  a  much  larger  num- 
ber of  pure  blooded  animals  than  any  previous 
exhibition  of  the  Essex  Society. 

Horses. — There  were  90  horses,  classified  as 
follows : 

Stallions,  12  ;  brood  mares  with  foal  by  side, 
21 ;  draft  horses,  20 ;  colts,  37. 

In  this  department  there  was  a  fine  represen- 
tation of  blood,  prominent  for  its  excellence. 

Sheep. — There  were  two  entries  of  sheep,  num- 
bering about  fifty.  South  Down  and  Native.  They 
exhibited  no  very  noticeable  points. 

Swine. — This  department  was  unusually  rich. 
More  than  half  a  dozen  wagons  were  loaded  with 
pigs  of  all  ages. 

Fowls. — There  were  twenty-five  coops  of  fowls. 

Agricidtural  Implements,  &c. — In  a  large  tent 
near  the  cattle  pens  was  a  display  of  improved 
agricultural  implements,  carriages,  &c.  Con- 
trasted with  the  former  was  a  plow,  pitchforks 
and  other  implements,  evidently  a  century  old. 
Their  bungling  manufacture  and  unwieldy  size 
attracted  a  good  deal  of  notice. 

The  Exhibition  at  Oranite  Hall  was  very  fine. 
The  walls  were  decorated  with  pictures,  flowers, 
needle-work,  &c.,  agreeably  and  tastefully  com- 
bined. The  centre  of  the  hall  was  occupied  with 
several  long  tables,  which  were  literally  covered 
with  the  finest  specimens  of  the  productions  of 
the  orchards  of  Essex  county.  Finer  apples  or 
pears  have  not  blessed  the  vision  of  any  one, 
Essex  county  herself  has  never  done  better. 

Of  butter  there  were  twenty-seven  entries,  or 
twice  the  number  of  any  preceding  year.  Of 
cheese  there  were  seven  entries.  All  the  speci- 
mens of  dairy  product  were  excellent. 

The  usual  trial  of  working  and  draft  horses 
took  place.  Twenty-seven  teams  were  entered 
for  plowing.    Address  by  Dr.  George  B.  Lor- 

ING. 

A  correspondent  says, — "this  show  was  pro- 
nounced by  all  to  be  the  best  ever  witnessed  in 
this  county.  It  was  full  in  every  department. 
One  gentleman  of  great  discrimination  remarked, 
if  there  had  been  a  premium  for  a  bad  animal^ 
there  would  have  been  none  found  worthy  of  the 
award.  The  show  of  fruits  and  vegetable  pro- 
ducts was  superb.  One  cultivator  presented 
88  varieties  of  vegetables  grown  under  his  own 
care.  But  what  charmed  me  most  was  the  intel- 
lectual treat  at  the  table  from  Everett,  LoRiNG, 
Poole,  and  others." 

THE   SALISBURY  AGRICULTURAL   AND   HORTICUL- 
TURAL ASSOCIATION 

had  a  show  at  Amesbury,  on  Tuesday,  Sept.  28th, 
for  the  firjt  time.     They  exhibited  30  cows,  10 


520 


NEW  ENGLAND  FAEMER. 


Nov. 


pairs  of  working  oxen,  several  fine  horses,  and  a 
fine  display  of  sheep  and  fowls.  The  exhibition 
of  fruits  comprised  upwards  of  one  thousand 
plates.  Address  by  Rev.  William  Spaulding, 
of  Newburyport.  Ode,  by  John  G.  Whittier, 
■which  we  shall  publish.  They  dined  together 
and  had  speeches  at  the  dinner-table,  llie  Presi- 
dent is  Dr.  J.  B.  Gajle.     In  New  Hampshire, 

THB  CIIEsnrRE  COUNTY  AGRICULTURAL   SOCIETY 

held  a  show  at  Keene,  Sept.  28th  and  29th, — 
with  fine  weather,  field  entries  larger  than  usual, 
working  oxen  of  a  higher  grade,  horses  numerous, 
and  the  display  in  the  Hall  of  the  artistic  skill  of 
the  citizens  and  the  products  of  the  gardens  and 
fields,  all  of  a  high  order.     The  Sentinel  says : — 

"The  address  of  Judge  French,  on  Tuesday 
evening,  was  superlatively  good,  M-ell  received 
by  all  classes,  and  all  the  criticism  we  have  heard 
is  that  "it  was  too  short — he  ought  to  have 
spoken  three  hours."  But  the  Judge  considered 
himself  limited  as  to  time,  as  there  was  a  concert 
at  the  Town  Hall  to  commence  at  eight  o'clock. 
But  short  as  was  the  address,  the  Judge  has 
made  himself  conspicuous  in  the  estimation  of 
the  farmers  of  Cheshire  county,  many  of  whom 
were  surprised  to  learn  that  a  lawyer  and  Judge 
tx)uld  be  a  first  class  farmer." 


ALL  WEATHER  GOOD. 
The  following  happy  allusion  to  the  weather 
was  made   by  Edward    Everett,  in   his    recent 
speech  at  Binghampton,  N.  Y.,  which  was  deliv- 
ered in  a  rain  storm : 

Sir,  to  speak  more  seriously,  I  should  be 
ashamed  of  myself  if  it  required  any  premedita- 
tion, any  forethought,  to  pour  out  the  simple 
and  honest  efl'usions  of  the  heart  on  an  occasion 
so  interesting  as  this.  A  good  occasion,  sir  ;  a 
good  day,  sir,  notwithstanding  its  commence- 
ment. I  have  heard  from  one  friend  and  anoth- 
er this  morning — kind  enough  to  pay  his  respects 
to  me,  knowing  on  what  errand  I  had  come — I 
have  heard  from  one  and  another  the  remark 
that  he  was  sorry  that  we  hadn't  a  good  day.  It 
was,  it  is  true,  raining  in  the  morning.  But  it 
is  a  good  day,  notwithstanding  the  rain.  The 
weather  is  good  ;  all  weather  is  good  ;  sunshine 
is  good;  rain  is  good.  Not  good  weather,  sir? 
Ask  the  farmer  into  whose  grains  and  roots  there 
yet  remains  some  of  its  moisture,  to  be  driven 
by  to-morrow's  sun.  Ask  the  boatman,  who  is 
waiting  for  his  raft  to  go  over  the  rapids.  Ask 
the  dairyman  and  grazier  if  the  rain,  even  at  this 
season,  is  not  good.  Ask  the  lover  of  nature  if 
it  is  not  good  weather  when  it  rains.  Sir,  one 
may  see  in  Europe  artificial  water  works,  cas- 
cades constructed  by  the  skill  of  man  at  enor- 
mous expense — at  Chatsworth,  at  Hesse  Cassel, 
and  the  remains  of  magnificent  water-works  at 
Marly,  where  Louis  XIV.  lavished  uncounted 
millions  of  gold,  and  thus,  according  to  some 
writers,  laid  the  foundation  of  those  depletions 
of  the  treasury  which  brought  on  the  French 
Revolution.  The  traveller  thinks  it  a  creat  thiPLT 


to  see  these  artificial  water  works,  where  a  little 
water  is  pumped  up  by  creaking  machinery,  or  a 
panting  steam  engine,  to  be  scattered  in  frothy 
spray ;  and  do  we  talk  of  its  not  being  a  good 
day  when  God's  great  engine  is  exhibited  to  us, 
His  imperial  water  works  sending  up  the  mists 
and  vapors  to  the  clouds,  to  be  rained  dowr 
again  in  comfort  and  beauty  and  plenty  upoi^ 
grateful  and  thirsty  man  ?  Sir,  as  a  mere  grati- 
fication of  the  taste,  I  know  nothing  in  nature 
more  sublime,  more  beautiful  than  these,  descend- 
ing in  abundance  and  salubrity  from  the  skies. 
(Applause.) 

For  the  A'ew  England  Farmer. 
RAMBLES  AMOJSTG  BOCKS. 

For  the  first  time  in  my  life  I  have  found  what 
a  rocky  region  there  is  in  the  little  State  of  Rhode 
Island.  I  have  often  seen  the  rough  rocks  on 
the  shores  of  Narraganset  Bay  piled  up  at  Mount 
Hope,  and  "all  along  shore,"  and  heard  many  a 
hint  that  clam-chowders  were  common  even  at 
this  long  date  after  the  downfall  of  King  Philip  ; 
but  never  until  a  few  days  gone  by  have  I  ram- 
bled over  the  rough  roads  of  this  little  mem- 
ber of  our  Federal  family. 

On  this  beautiful  morning,  September  27,  when 
the  Sabbath  was  altogether  past,  and  just  as  the 
frost  and  dew  were  being  sipped  up  and  stolen 
away  by  the  stealthy  king  of  day,  I  went  out 
among  the  meadows,  and  through  the  woody 
wilds,  and  on  to  the  highest  hills,  to  spy  out  the 
shamming  or  the  successful,  among  the  eflbrts  of 
the  farmers. 

Rockland  Village  has  its  name  from,  (I  know 
not  what,)  its  rocks,  I  suppose.  There  are  "a  few 
more  left,"  after  a  host  of  them  have  been  fash- 
ioned into  factory  walls,  and  other  buildings. 
Here  and  there  I  found  a  piece  of  pretty  good 
corn,  standing  where  the  floods  would  not  be 
likely  to  wash  it  away,  if  corn  and  Christians 
alike  by  digging  deep  and  laying  a  foundation 
upon  a  rock  shall  securely  stand. 

The  soil  of  this  neighborhood,  when  you  can 
find  it  outside  of  a  rocky  prison-house,  is  of  an 
excellent  quality  to  raise  good  potatoes. 

It  seems  a  matter  of  astonishment  to  me  that 
so  little  attention  should  have  been  given  to  the 
culture  of  various  kinds  of  fruit.  The  soil  is 
suited  to  the  rapid  growth  of  wood,  and  the  ap- 
ple, pear,  peach,  &c.,  would  be  quite  sure  to  make 
a  good  report  of  themselves.  Grapes  might  be 
grown  in  almost  any  quantity,  if  properly  attend- 
ed to. 

Great  mischiefs  must  ever  follow  so  great  ne- 
glect of  agricultural  interests  as  is  apparent  near 
many  of  our  manufacturing  villages.  If  the  peo- 
ple become  dependent,  in  families,  upon  "the 
mills,"  and  have  no  retreat  for  themselves,  their 
condition  must  be  that  of  vassalage.  Moral  and 
social  degradation  Avill  be  quite  sure  to  follow 
upon  those  families  which  become  a  mere  appen- 
dage of  some  factory.  When  the  homes  of  the 
people  cease  to  be  surrounded  by  well  tilled 
grounds,  then  those  families  will  sink  into  serf- 
dom. But  while  the  factories  of  New  England 
can  be  chiefly  supplied  with  laborers  from  the 
families  of  farmers,  who  know  the  pleasures  of 
rural  life,  and  the  joy  of  life  that  is  where  the 
bri?litkf!owcr,s  bloom  in  summer  and  the  songs  of 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


521 


health  and  hilarity  ring  out  in  winter,  it  will  con- 
tinue to  be  New  England.  But  when  the  little 
farms  of  the  snug  farmers  of  a  happy  era  have 
been  lost  in  the  wild  waste  of  a  neglected  hus- 
bandry, and  the  multitude  huddle  into  the  little 
villages,  and  despise  farming,  it  will  be  Old  Eng- 
land then,  with  the  objectionable  features  of  that 
land  of  starving  workers  and  uneducated  chil- 
dren. 

Complain  as  men  may  of  the  sterility  of  the 
soil  of  New  England,  it  is  the  soil  to  be  honored 
and  cultivated,  and  the  soil  to  boast  of,  so  long 
as  it  bears  an  intelligent,  industrious  and  virtu- 
ous people ;  but  the  land  to  be  ashamed  of, 
when  it  shall  cease  to  present  its  "little  farms 
well  tilled,"  and  its  countless  homes  of  intelligent 
and  fearless  farmers.  C. 

Eockland,  R.  I.,  1858. 


COWIfBCTICUT  KIVER  VALLEY"  FAIR. 

In  another  column,  the  reader  may  find  an  ac- 
count of  the  late  Cattle  Show  and  Exhibition  of 
the  Association  with  the  above  title.  It  was 
written  by  Mrs.  A.  E.  Porter,  of  Springfield, 
Vt., — gives  a  delightful  picture  of  the  scene  pre- 
sented, and  is  made  attractive  by  many  graceful 
and  appropriate  touches,  which  our  poor  pen 
would  have  failed  to  impart  had  we  been  present. 

We  are  under  greater  obligations  to  Mrs.  Por- 
ter for  the  noble  example  to  her  sex,  in  attend- 
ing a  Farmer's  Festival  and  inspecting  objects 
which  ought  to  he  interesting  to  every  body,  than 
we  are  for  the  excellent  account  she  has  sent  us. 
What  sort  of  associations  has  the  biped  been  ac- 
tomed  to  who  said,  "a  Fair  is  no  place  for  wo- 
men !"  Has  not  woman  a  common  interest  with 
man  in  everything  the  soil  produces  to  eat,  drink 
or  wear  ?  Is  it  indelicate  for  her  to  look  upon 
the  products  of  our  fields  and  stalls,  or  to  mani- 
fest an  interest  in  matters  of  the  highest  impor- 
tance to  the  family  ?  In  England,  the  wives  of 
the  landlords  and  tenants,  too,  "ladies  to  the 
manor  born,"  mingle  freely  in  all  the  affairs  of 
the  farm,  and  are  nearly  as  well  acquainted  with 
the  breeds  of  stock,  loss  and  gain,  fields,  crops, 
draining,  &c.  &c.,  as  the  landlord  himself.  It  is 
one  of  the  leading  causes  why  the  occupation  of 
agriculture  does  not  take  a  higher  stand,  that 
women  have  not  been  more  interested  in  it. 
Women  sustain  everything  that  is  good,  have  a 
more  just  appreciation  of  the  useful  and  beauti- 
ful, than  men,  and  by  their  influences  keep  them 
from  sinking  into  utter  barbarism. 


How  TO  Examine  Wells. — A  method  of  ex- 
amining wells  to  ascertain  whether  they  contain 
anything  off"ensive  has  been  recommended  as  be- 
ing simple  and  yet  efficient : 

"Place  a  common  mirror  over  the  well  in  such 
a  position  as  to  catch  and  throw  the  rays  of  the 
sun  to  the  bottom  of  the  well,  which  will  be  im- 
mediately illuminated  in  such  a  manner,  that  the 
smallest  pebbles,  &c.,  at  the  bottom  can  be  dis- 


tinctly discerned,  as  if  in  the  hand.  The  sun  is 
in  the  best  situation  to  be  reflected  in  the  morn- 
ing or  afternoon  of  the  day." 

ASHES. 
There  appears  at  present  to  be  but  one  opin- 
ion among  practical  men  in  relation  to  ashes 
when  applied  as  a  stimulant  to  the  soil,  and  that 
is,  that  they  are  of  great  value.  This  is  indeed 
abundantly  demonstrated  by  science,  and  no  one 
familiar  with  the  developments  of  chemical  sci- 
ence, or  with  the  obvious  practical  results  pro- 
duced by  the  ashes  of  vegetables,  will,  for  a  mo- 
ment doubt  their  value  as  an  application  to  most 
soils  and  crops.  All  vegetables,  without  a  sin- 
gle exception,  produce  ashes  upon  incineration, 
or  burning.  These  ashes,  however,  difl'er  in  their 
chemical  constitution  as  well  as  in  quality ;  and 
there  are  differences  in  the  composition  of  the 
ashes  produced  by  the  several  parts,  or  members 
of  the  same  plant.  To  demonstrate  this  fact,  the 
able  chemist,  De  Sausure,  instituted  a  set  of 
very  elaborate  experiments  upon  the  wheat 
plant,  straw  and  grain,  and  found  the  result  to 
be  as  follows : 

Of  wheat  straw.    Of  wheat  grain. 
100  parts  ofas/ies  contain — 

Carbonate  of  Potass 12.5 15. 

Phosphate  of  potass 5 32. 

Hydrochlorate  of  potass 3 0.16 

Sulphate  of  potass 2 

Earthy  phosphates 6.2 44.50 

Earthy  carbonates 1 

Silica  (sand) 61.5 0.50. 

Metalic  oxides,  (iron) 1 0.25. 

Loss 7.8 7.59- 

All  of  these  ingredients,  both  of  the  straw  and 
grain,  are  derived  exclusively  from  the  soil — from 
terrene  elements,  and  in  order  to  render  lands 
fruitful  in  producing  this  crop,  they  must,  where 
they  do  not  exist  naturally,  and  in  sufficient  quan- 
tity, be  artificially  supplied.  They  are  the  inor- 
ganic constituents  of  plants. 

If  we  burn  7mmi(s,  or  the  residuum  of  vegeta- 
bles left  after  putrefaction,  we  shall  find  that: 
many  of  the  non-volatile,  inorganic  constituents 
of  the  vegetable  structure  remain  in  the  ashes, 
for  putrefaction  is  a  sort  of  combustion,  and  so 
far  as  the  question  under  consideration  is  in- 
volved, produces  nearly  identical  results.  The 
ashes  of  wood  and  bark  abound  in  these  constit- 
uents, and  therefore  are  possessed  of  a  specific 
and  easily  ascertained  value  as  a  stimulant  of 
vegetable  life.  Every  farmer  must  have  wit- 
nessed the  highly  beneficial  effects  M'hich  they 
produce  on  corn,  beans,  and  the  cereal  grains,  as 
well  as  upon  grass  lands,  and  especially  upon 
pastures — upon  turnips,  cabbages,  onions  and 
other  esculent  vegetables. 

They  are  also  possessed  of  a  very  high  value 
as  an  ingredient  in  compost ;  tending,  by  their 
alkalescent  action,  to  promote  decay,  and  the 
neutralization  of  acids  in  the  mass  to  which  they 
are  applied. 


522 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Nov. 


INDECOMPOSABLE  ELEMENTS. 

So  far  as  regards  that  particular  portion  of  the 
soil  which  successfully  resists  the  decomposition 
and  the  action  of  fire,  the  elaborate  experiments 
of  Dc  Saussure  and  Scliroeder  demonstrate,  that 
it  exerts  a  merely  nominal  influence  over  the  de- 
velopment and  perfection  of  the  vegetable  sys- 
tem ;  and  that,  in  fact,  it  merely  contributes  to 
it  by  furnishing  a  necessary  principle  to  the  me- 
chanical medium  which  is  requisite  to  secure  a 
firm  position  or  hold  upon  the  soil,  and  affording 
a  depository  or  sort  of  chemical  laboratory  for 
the  preparation  of  the  food  which  ensures  to 
them  sustenance  and  life. 

All  vegetables,  of  whatever  character,  size  or 
development — from  the  most  worthless  to  the 
most  valuable — from  the  most  insignificant  and 
minute  to  the  most  majestic — derive  the  aliment 
requisite  for  their  systems  from  humus,  or  the 
decomposing  substances  of  animals  and  plants. 
Nov/  if  the  crops  produced  by  the^  soil  of  a  cer- 
tain field  be  regularly  harvested  and  conveyed 
away,  it  is  certain  that  such  a  course  will,  in  a 
few  years,  tend  to  impoverish  that  soil.  Evqry 
crop  abstracts  a  certain  specific  amount  of  ali- 
mentary matter  which  it  formerly  contained,  and 
which  must  be  kept  up  in  order  to  secure  good 
and  remunerating  crops,  as  the  soil  possesses  no 
recuperating  powers,  and  as  no  vegetable  can 
generate  a  single  element  of  which  it  is  composed. 
That  all  vegetables,  and  more  especially  the  ciil- 
mif'era,  or  broad-leaved  tribe  of  plants,  do  actu- 
ally imbibe  a  certain  definite  portion  of  their  pab- 
ulum from  the  atmosphere,  is  a  point  in  relation 
to  which  there  has  long  since  ceased  to  be  any 
dispute  ;  but  with  reference  to  a  greatly  prepon- 
derating majority  of  our  most  valuable  staple 
productions,  this  supply  is  inadequate  to  the  sus- 
tenance of  crops,  and  in  most  instances  would  be 
found  too  limited  even  to  sustain  life.  As  a 
general  axiom,  therefore,  the  perfection  and  vol- 
ume of  a  crop  may  be  regarded  as  depending  up- 
on the  amount  of  succulent  properties  and  nu- 
tritive juices  extant  in  the  soil.  The  humus, 
which  is  the  product  of  decomposition,  or  the 
visible  result  of  putrefaction,  is  the  only  known 
source  of  these  "succulent  properties"  and  "nu- 
tritive juices,"  and  can  be  supplied  in  no  other 
known  way  than  by  the  application  of  those  sub- 
stances— in  the  form  of  manures— which  are  di- 
rectly derived  from  the  vegetable  kingdom.^ 

In  applying  lime,  it  is  well  known  that  there 
must  be  in  the  soil  some  organic  substance  for  it 
to  feed  or  act  upon,  in  order  to  render  its  action 
perceptible,  for  though  it  may  neutralize  certain 
noxious  acids  (which  it  converts  into  manure) 
and  effect  a  kindly  modification  of  the  physical 
texture  of  the  soil,  it  can  nv^er  supply  the  place 
of  putrescent  manure,  nor  furnish  the  aliment  of 


plants  where  no  decomposable  animal  or  vegeta- 
ble matter  exists.  To  render  lands  fertile,  we 
must  supply  the  elements  which  compose  the  or- 
ganized structure  of  the  plant  or  plants  we  are 
desirous  of  producing. 

It  is  plain,  therefore,  of  how  much  importance 
is  the  muck  or  humus,  of  our  extensive  and  ac- 
cessible swamps,  especially  when  it  has  been 
mingled  with  the  droppings  of  stock,  and  has  ar- 
rested their  liquids  and  gases.  We  cannot  well 
refrain  from  again  urging  its  importance  upon 
our  people,  as  the  true  source  from  whence  to 
fertilize  and  once  more  make  glad  their  impov- 
erished and  almost  barren  fields. 


CONSTIPATION. 


Tliere  is  no  single  word  in  Webster's  Una- 
bridged Dictionary,  from  aam  to  zythum  inclu- 
sive, which,  to  our  mind  is  so  expressive  of  hu- 
man misery  and  physiological  depravity  as  this. 
It  is  mainly  because  our  bowels  are  constipated 
that  the  people  of  these  United  States  support 
twenty-five  thousand  drug-shops  and  forty-five 
thousand  doctors  at  an  annual  expense  of  more 
than  a  hundred  millions  of  dollars.  And  it  is 
because  of  this  that  our  people  pay  the  quacks 
of  the  irregular  trade  several  millions  a  year. 

But  the  loss  of  the  money  expended  in  at- 
tempts to  make  the  bowels  ,of  the  community 
move,  and  in  endeavors  to  obviate  the  conse- 
quences of  their  obstruction,  is  an  insignificant 
evil  compared  with  the  loss  of  health  and  happi- 
ness and  life.  The  mischiefs  which  spring  from 
constipation,  as  the  parent  source,  are  as  numer-' 
ous  in  the  vital  domain  as  are  the  sins  which,  in ,, 
the  moral  world,  originate  from  the  evil  one  him- 
self. If  Satan  is  the  father  of  lies,  constipation, 
is  the  mother  of  infirmities. 

Where,  in  all  this  broad  land,  is  there  a  man, 
woman  or  child  whose  bowels  move  naturally, 
who  never  requires  artificial  aids  ?  There  are  a 
few  such.  And  they  are  those  who  know  almost 
nothing  of  sickness.  They  are  strangers  to  dys- 
pepsia, rheumatism,  toothache,  bronchitis,  con- 
sumption. They  never  have  the  cholera.  They 
are  proof  against  yellow  fever.  They  are  secure ; 
from  paralysis.  They  never  die  of  apoplexy.  Or- 
ganic affections  of  the  heart  never  trouble  them. 

Constipation  of  the  bowels  causes  foul  blood 
and  morbid  secretions.  These  occasion  corrupt 
humors,  w^hich  induce  torpid  livers,  congested 
kidneys,  oppressed  lungs,  and  congested  brains. 
Then  follow  rheumatic  pains,  headache,  palpita-/ 
tion  of  the  heart,  vertigo,  sinking  spells,  nervous 
debility,  lumbago,  sciatica,  spinal  irritation,  piles, 
spasms,  colics,  and,  as  more  remote  consequences 
still,  putrid  fevers,  pestilential  epidemics,  malig- 
nant erysipelas,  carbuncles  and  cancers.  And 
the  medicines  which  are  given  to  cure  these  con- 
sequences are  worse  than  the  diseases  which  they 
cure. 

Learned  physicians  look  for  the  causes  of  these 
prevalent  maladies  in  the  vicissitudes  of  the 
weather  ;  in  thermometrical  variations  ;  in  baro- 
metrical states ;  in  prevailing  winds  ;  in  fogs  ;  in 
storms  from  the  east;  in  currents  from  the  ,- 
south;  in  ^rnadoes   from   the   west;  in   blasts,. 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


523 


from  the  north ;  in  commotions  in  the  heavens 
above  ;  in  convulsions  in  the  earth  beneath ;  in 
o^jone  ;  in  electricity  ;  in  animalcules  ;  in  excess 
of  nitrogen  ;  in  deficiency  of  nitrogen  ;  in  some 
fault  of  hydrogen  ;  in  carbonaceous  miasms  ;  in 
a  want  of  carbon ;  in  catching  cold ;  in  getting 
hot;  in  exposure;  in  confinement ;  in  everything 
except — constipation. 

And  why  is  the  whole  human  race,  with  few 
exceptions,  sick  and  dying  of  constipation  ?  The 
complaint  is  scarcely  known  in  the  animal  king- 
dom below  man.  Why  should  the  most  intelli- 
gent creature  in  existence  be  the  only  one  who 
cannot  have  a  healthful  action  of  the  bowels? 
Surely  there  must  be  a  cause.  We  charge  the 
whole  of  it  to  the  prevalent  system  of  cookery — 
worse  in  some  families,  and  hotels,  and  nations, 
than  in  others,  but  bad,  ruinous,  killing,  all  over 
the  area  of  civilization.  The  remedy  is  not  in 
the  direction  of  drug-shops  and  doctors,  but  in 
that  of  food  and  cooks. — Life  Illustrated. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 

LETTER  PBOM  JUDGE  FRENCH. 

A  Look  at  tue  Cattle  Show,  and  at  Agricultuke  in 
CuEsutRE  County,  New  Hampshire. 

Keene,  N.  H.,  Oct.  2,  1858. 

My  Dear  Brown  : — A  pretty  careful  exami- 
nation of  what  was  done  and  seen  at  the  Annual 
Exhibition  of  the  Cheshire  County  Agricultural 
Society,  here  at  Keene,  last  Tuesday  and  Wednes- 
day, with  some  rides  about  the  county,  and  many 
talks  with  the  farmers  during  the  past  fortnight, 
give  me  some  impz-essions  of  the  state  of  agri- 
culture hereabouts. 

The  Show  was  held  at  the  grounds  owned  by 
the  society,  about  a  mile  and  a  half  from  the  cen- 
tral part  of  this  town.  They  have  a  permanent 
enclosure,  well  fenced,  containing  twenty-six 
acres,  upon  which  they  have  this  year  erected  an 
exhibition  hall  100  ft.  by  30,  with  double  floor, 
well  shingled  roof,  and  suitajble  tables  and  other 
fixtures  for  the  display  and  protection  of  the 
fruits,  vegetables,  implements  and  fancy  articles. 
This  hall  cost  about  $1000.  The  officers  of  the 
society  had  faith  enough  to  borrow  $1500  to 
complete  their  grounds  and  buildings  to  their 
satisfaction,  and  the  result  of  their  exhibition 
this  year  financially,  has  been  that  they  have  re- 
ceived about  $500  more  than  all  expenses  and 
premiums,  which  reduces  the  debt  one-third. 
Our  county  societies  receive  no  aid  from  the 
State,  and  it  requires  the  energy  of  such  men  as 
T.  H.  Leverett,  of  Keene,  the  treasurer  of  the  so- 
ciety, who  seems  to  possess  the  faculty  of  bdng 
in  several  places  at  the  same  time,  and  doing 
several  things  at  once,  to  keep  the  treasury  full. 

The  show-ground  is  arranged  with  permanent 
cattle-pens,  and  with  a  half  mile  circular  horse- 
course.  On  the  whole,  although  I  have  a  great 
partiality  for  old  Rockingham,  it  may  as  well  be 
confessed,  that  Cheshire  county  leads  the  State, 


just  now,  in  the  pi'osperity  of  its  agricultural  so- 
ciety. And  now  we  will  look  about  the  grounds, 
and  talk  of  what  we  see,  and  what  is  thereby 
suggested  touching  agriculture. 

CATTLE. 

The  working  cattle  of  this  county  are  equal  to 
any  in  the  world.  Many  of  them  are  used  for 
lumbering,  in  which  business  heavy  cattle  are  re- 
quired, and  here  they  are.  There  is  in  them  a 
manifest  cross  of  Short-Horn  blood,  which  gives 
them  great  size:  One  yoke,  six  years  old,  were 
said  to  weigh  4,500  pounds,  and  many  yokes  av- 
eraged 3,800  pounds  a  yoke. 

They  adopted  a  cruel,  and  not  very  satisfacto- 
ry mode  of  testing  the  strength  of  working  cat- 
tle and  horses.  They  had  drags  loaded  with 
stones  weighing  several  tons,  and  the  cattle  were 
made  to  exert  their  whole  strength  in  attempting 
to  draw  this  dead  weight  through  the  sand.  In 
such  trials,  much  depends  upon  the  work  in 
which  the  cattle  have  been  used,  and  much  upon 
their  being  accustomed  to  society,  many  of  them 
being  frightened  at  the  people  around  them.  A 
trial  in  a  cart  reasonably  loaded,  where  the 
training  of  the  cattle  could  be  fairly  shown, 
would  seem  far  better. 

The  plowing  match  took  place  at  a  field  more 
than  half  a  mile  from  the  grounds,  and  attracted 
very  little  attention,  not  a  hundred  people  being 
present.  Ten  ox-teams,  each  of  a  single  yoke, 
and  two  horse-teams,  competed. 

The  plowing  was  as  good  as  is  usual  at  coun- 
ty shows  in  this  State.  I  think  plowing  is  per- 
formed worse,  by  farmers  in  New  England  gen- 
erally, than  any  other  process  in  agriculture.  The 
land  here  was  easy  and  smooth,  but  the  furrows 
were  not  drawn  straight,  and  the  work  was  not 
well  finished  up.  The  cattle  were  well  trained, 
but  the  plowmen  were  not,  and  indeed,  the  stan- 
dard of  good  plowing  was  evidently  not  very 
high.  Most  of  the  plows  were  of  Boston  make, 
but  generally  made  to  carry  larger  work  than 
they  are  intended  for. 

I  noticed  very  few  Devons  in  the  pens.  In 
Rockingham  we  think  well  of  the  Devons  for 
work,  and  in  Sullivan  county,  they  are  bred  con- 
siderably, and  if  we  must  try  to  breed  a  race  for 
work  and  the  dairy  both  combined,  I  know  of  no 
breed  better  adapted  to  our  short  pastures. 

There  was  a  very  fair  show  of  Alderneys  or 
Jerseys^  At  the  agricultural  shows  in  England 
these  cattle  are  called  "Channel  Islands  Cattle." 
They  con>e  from  the  small  islands  in  the  English 
Channel,  and  it  would  prevent  confusion,  were 
we  to  adopt  this  general  name,  instead  of  the 
several  names  of  the  islands. 

Since  the  show,  I  have  been  to  Swansey  to  see 
the  stock  of  Paul  F.  AUlrich,  the  principal  ex- 
hibitor of  this  breed.     lie  has  four  full  blood 


524 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Nov. 


bulls,  and  one  imported  cow,  and  among  his  one 
hundred  and  forty  head  of  cattle,  a  considerable 
number  of  half  bloods.  It  is  dangerous  to  ex- 
press opinions  about  these  matters,  because  the 
breeders  are  very  sensitive,  and  ready  to  do  bat- 
tle for  their  favorite  stock. 

One  point,  however,  is  settled,  if  anything  is, 
that  the  cows  of  this  breed  give  richer  milk  than 
any  others.  Mr.  Aldrinh  showed  us  the  milk  of 
his  cow,  and  its  color  was  as  different  from  that 
of  his  other  cows,  as  gold  from  silver.  It  is  well 
understood  in  England,  that  the  cream  of  one 
Jersey  cow  will  manifestly  improve  the  butter  of 
a  dairy  of  half  a  dozen  others.  The  breed  is 
peculiarly  adapted  to  the  wants  of  families  in 
the  country  who  know  the  difference  between 
cream  and  skim  milk.  For  milkmen  about  cit- 
ies, a  larger  kind  of  cows,  that  will  give  a  greater 
quantity  of  milk  that  does  not  require  so  much 
watering,  is  perhaps  preferable. 

A  couple  of  Oldenburg  calves,  recently  import- 
ed by  Dr.  Hatch,  of  Keene,  from  Germany,  at- 
tracted a  good  deal  of  attention. 

SHEEP. 

Spanish  merinos  seem  to  be  the  leading  breed 
in  the  county.  Some  pens  were  marked  "Irish 
Smut,"  and  some  were  o''fS»arious  grades. 

Why  cannot  we  introduce  more  fully  some  of 
the  large  English  breeds  of  sheep  for  mutton  ? 
The  improved  Lincolns,  which  grow  to  the  size 
of  yearling  colts,  almost,  and  seem  to  be  hardyj 
and  yield  about  nine  pounds  of  wool  at  a  clip, 
could  not  fail  to  be  profitable  in  New  England. 
The  farmers  all  agree  that  sheep  are  more  profit- 
able now  than  cattle,  and  that  a  sure  source  of 
income  is  in  the  sale  of  lambs  for  the  shambles. 

Not  being  a  sheep  man,  I  will  not  be  too  sure 
on  this  point,  for  I  may  have  had  the  wool  pulled 
over  my  eyes,  but  my  belief  is,  that  the  best  hus- 
bandry for  the  Granite  hills,  just  now,  is  in  sheep 
raising,  for  the  meat  in  the  first  place,  and  the 
wool  as  an  incident. 

Of  the  Horses  and  Swine  and  Poultry,  I  have 
not  room  to  say  much.  The  horses  shown  were 
principally  trotting  horses  for  carriages,  a  kind 
of  horse  of  which  the  Morgans  are  perhaps  the 
best  in  the  world.  For  this  breed,  the  Connect- 
icut River  Valley  Society,  whose  Exhibition  I  at- 
tended last  year  at  Bradford,  Vt.,  probably  beats 
all  New  England.  We  shall  soon  want  a  heavy 
breed  of  draft  horses,  to  take  the  place  of  oxen, 
as  our  farms  become  smoother,  and  the  Suffolk 
Punch,  from  Suffolk  county,  in  England,  seems 
to  me  to  be  the  model  horse  for  the  plow  and  the 
cart.  Their  usual  weight  is  more  than  fifteen 
hundred  pounds,  and  they  are  proverbial  for  their 
docility. 

FEUIT. 

The  show  of  apples,  pears,  grapes  and  peaches 


was  good.  The  hill  farms  in  this  county  produce 
very  fair  and  high  colored  apples.  The  Fameuse 
and  the  Canada  Red,  which  are  not  much  known 
in  the  east  part  of  our  State,  thrive  to  perfection 
here.  The  Northern  Spy  is  beginning  to  bear, 
and  the  fruit  is  very  large  and  perfect,  and  the 
tree  hardy,  though  not  yet  fully  tested. 

The  culture  of  apples,  on  tbe  hills  of  New 
Hampshire,  is  a  sure  and  profitable  business,  in 
the  neighborhood  of  railroads.  In  the  valleys 
and  on  plains,  we  have  many  difficulties  to  con- 
tend with  in  the  cultivation  of  fruit,  of  which 
our  more  elevated  brethren  know  nothing. 

The  crops  this  year  in  this  county  are  good. 
An  early  frost  injured  them  in  low  places,  but 
not  elsewhere,  and  the  corn  crop  generally  is 
good.  Potatoes  are  not  rotting,  and  yield  the 
largest  crop  known  for  years.  Wheat  is  grown 
in  fair  crops  and  of  good  quality  here.  The  sea- 
son has  been  much  dryer  here  than  on  the  east- 
ern side  of  the  State,  where  we  have  reckoned  it 
one  of  the  wettest  of  seasons. 

It  ought,  perhaps,  to  be  named  that  on  Tuesday 
evening,  an  agricultural  address  was  delivered  by 
a  judge  who  was  holding  a  court  here,  to  a  very 
full  audience,  at  Dr.  Barstow's  church.  It  was 
said  to  be  as  good  as  could  be  expected  of  a  gen- 
tleman of  the  profession  of  the  law.  Having 
used  up  my  paper,  I  remain  your  friend, 

H.  F.  Fkench, 


Fur  the  New  England  Farmer 
THE  BEAUTY  OP  A  PABM  IS  A  GOOD 
ORCHARD. 

Mr.  Editor  : — Here  in  old  Cheshire  county, 
N.  H.,  we  have  some  fine  orchards,  which  shows 
that  we  have  some  good  farmers,  for  every  good 
farmer  will  devote  a  portion  of  his  tirae  to  the 
cultivation  of  fruit.  In  my  orchard,  there  was  a 
full  bloom,  and  the  apples  set  well,  but  nearly  al] 
have  been  destroyed  by  the  sting  of  some  insect. 
Even  those  that  remain  on  the  trees  are  very  im- 
perfect ;  there  will  be  a  very  little  fruit  in  this 
section.  Yet  the  failure  of  fruit  this  season 
should  not  discourage  us  ;  but  let  us  hope  on 
and  hope  ever.  Every  farmer  should  strive  to 
study  the  cause  of  the  blight,  and  if  possible; 
guard  against  it  in  future.  There  is  no  doiibt 
but  that  health,  comfort,  sociability,  temperance.- 
and  good  morals,  generally,  would  be  promoted, 
by  making  a  choice  fruit  garden  near  our  dwell- 
ing. But  look  around  here  in  New  England, 
How  much  more  might  be  done  by  raising  friiit, 
the  apple  especially.  Some  will  say  the  crop  is 
precarious,  trees  bear  only  once  in  two  years  I 
In  a  good  collection,  however,  there  is  always  a 
supply  of  some  fruit  or  other,  even  in  the  most 
adverse  seasons ;  meanwhile  the  non-bearing  trees 
are  gathering  strength. 

How  often  we  hear  people  say,  It  is  not  worth 
while,  for  I  may  move  away  or  rent,  and  in  either 
case  I  should  not  get  paid  for  my  trouble  !  Now 
this  is  all  wrong ;  supposing  our  fathers  had 
acted  on  thi%  selfish  principle  ? 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


525 


It  is  true,  every  kind  of  fruit  is  affected,  more 
or  less  by  insects  and  diseases,  and  none  flourish 
without  care  and  culture ;  in  fact,  everything 
that  is  necessary  for  our  existence  we  must  pay  a 
price  for.  Our  trees  suffer  occasionally  from  the 
bark  louse  on  the  branches,  and  from  woolly  and 
green  lice  on  the  top,  which  check  the  growth. 
Caterpillars  and  blight,  the  borer  and  canker 
%vorm,  are  ail  to  be  contended  against.  But  the 
cultivator  himself  is  often  much  more  destructive 
than  any  of  these  insects,  by  allowing  his  cattle 
to  brouse  the  leaves  from  young  trees,  or  trim- 
ming them  himself  at  the  season  of  growth,  and 
also  by  cutting  off  the  branches  after  they  become 
large,  and  by  cutting  off  the  roots  with  the  plow. 

Rexhnry,  N.  H.,  Aug.  5,  1858.  G.  w.  N. 


I^<ir  the  New  England  Fanner. 
LITTLE  THING-S ; 

Or,  a  Walk  ix  My  Garden....No.  17. 

While  gathering  a  plum  tree  a  few  days  ago, 
my  mind  run  on  a  subject  somewhat  foreign,  to 
gardening,  but  as  the  subject  is  one  of  impor- 
tance, I  have  jotted  down  my  thoughts  on 

POPULAR  ERRORS   IN   MEDICINE. 

There  are  some  prevalent  ideas  among  even 
intelligent  people  in  regard  to  the  medical  and 
domestic  treatment  necessarj-  in  sickness.  One 
of  them  Ls  in  the  treatment  of  measles.  If  the 
patient  does  not  break  out  well,  or  even  if  he 
does,  recourse  is  usually  had  to  hot  stimulating 
teas  for  the  purpose  of  driving  them  out.  Now 
in  this  disease  there  is  a  strong  tendency  to  con- 
gestion of  the  lungs,  thereby  bringing  on  a  cough. 
Irreparable  injury  may  thus  be  done  to  the  lungs 
by  such  treatment.  Far  better  to  make  use  of 
milder  teas,  nearly  lukewarm. 

In  cases  of  typhoid  fever  many  persons  are 
afraid  of  the  patient's  catching  cold.  Hence  every 
avenue  to  pure  air  is  closed,  and  the  disease  ag- 
•  gravated.  Watch  the  time  when  the  patient  is 
hot  and  drj^  to  ventilate  the  room,  not  when  in  a 
Gtate  of  perspiration. 

Popular  opinion  has  long  favored  the  idea  that 
there  is  a  specific  remedy  for  every  disease,  but 
medical  knowledge  has  as  yet  advanced  but  a  lit- 
tle way  in  this  direction.  I  hardly  know  of  more 
than  one  complete  specific,  and  that  is  sulphur. 
It  will  positively  kill  a  troublesome  little  insect 
that  burrows  in  the  skin,  thereby  producing  a 
troublesome  disease. 

The  anxiety  of  friends  for  fear  that  a  patient 
will  starve  during  a  fever  is  all  groundless.  Many 
a  patient  has  been  killed  by  giving  food  at  such 
times. 

Many  persons  suppose  that  new  rum,  balm  of 
Gilead  buds  steeped  in  rum,  camphor,  or  some- 
thing else,  inserted  into  a  fresh  cut  will  promote 
its  healing.  I  once  heard  of  a  man  who  thrust 
into  a  bad  cut  a  quid  of  tobacco  for  the  same  pur- 
pose. Nothing  will  heal  a  fresh  cut  more  quick- 
ly than  bringing  the  parts  together  and  not  al- 
lowing them  to  be  disturbed. 

People  often  talk  of  cutting  short  a  fever  and 
curing  the  erysipelas  immediately  by  the  applica- 
tion of  gome  favorite  article,  but  the  truth  is,  the 
latter  disease  will  have  its  run  for  about  seven 
or  eight  days  in  spite  of  all  applications.     The 


most  that  can  be  done  is  to  modify  its  rage,  and 
render  the  patient  as  comfortable  as  we  can. 

Very  many  persons  of  a  strongly  marked  bil- 
ious temperament  often  complain  of  dizziness 
and  headache,  not  knowing  that  it  is  caused  by 
the  use  of  strong  coffee.  This  is  especially  true 
of  persons  of  sedentary  habits.  Hence  they  use 
all  sorts  of  bitters  before  breakfast  and  then  coun- 
teract them  by  a  couple  dishes  of  their  favorite 
beverage.  I  love  coffee  dearly,  but  do  know  that 
it  injures  multitudes  in  this  climate  who  are  not 
ignorant  of  the  cause. 

Many  people  err  in  their  judgment  of  what  the 
physician  should  do  in  a  case  of  typhoid  fever. 
If  the  physician  is  not  at  work  on  his  patient  at 
every  visit,  he  is  doing  nothing.  Never  was  a 
greater  mistake.  The  greatest  care  of  the  phy- 
sician is  to  watch  for  symptoms,  and  when  they 
appear,  to  combat  them  the  best  he  can.  Man- 
aging a  fever  is  much  like  steering  a  ship.  Rocks 
must  be  avoided,  sometimes  by  steering  to  the 
right,  sometimes  to  the  left ;  then  again  the  pilot 
has  nothing  to  do  for  a  time  but  to  steer  straight 
ahead.  Just  so  with  a  fever.  It  is  usually  the 
case  that  during  a  fever  there  is  a  period  when 
no  marked  symptoms  appear,  and  the  physician 
can  let  well  enough  alone,  but  it  is  unfortunate- 
ly the  case,  that  anxious  friends  are  over  anxious 
to  have  something  done,  though  they  do  not  know 
what.  Let  the  fever  sail  on  until  there  is  a  spe- 
cial call  for  interference,  and  then  the  physician 
can  the  better  manage  his  patient  to  a  favorable 
termination  of  the  disease. 

!Many  people  err  in  the  notion  that  it  is  not 
best  to  put  on  additional  clothing  as  soon  as  the 
weather  becomes  cooler  in  autumn,  because,  as 
they  reason,  they  will  need  it  more  in  colder 
weather.  This  is  a  great  mistake.  Put  on  cloth- 
ing just  as  soon  as  you  feel  the  want  of  it.  You 
may  avoid  a  severe  cold  or  a  fever. 

Many  people  attribute  three-quarters  the  com- 
plaints of  children  to  worms,  but  the  truth  is,  it 
is  but  seldom  that  children  have  worms  ;  at  least, 
so  numerous  as  to  be  of  any  account.  Extreme- 
ly ignorant  people  and  quacks  always  find  in  im- 
agination an  abundance  of  worms. 

But  fearing  lest  I  may  not  please  the  doctors,  I 
will  stop.  N.  T.  T. 

BetM,  Me.,  Sept.  25,  1858. 


/*OUT-DOOR  SAFETY. 

The  fear  of  the  weather  has  sent  multitudes  to 
the  grave,  who  otherwise  might  have  lived  in 
health  many  years  longer.  The  fierce  north  wind 
and  the  furious  snow-storm  kill  comparatively 
few,  while  hot  winter  rooms  and  crisping  summer 
suns  have  countless  hecatombs  of  human  victims 
to  attest  their  power.  Except  the  localities  where 
miasma  prevails,  and  that  only  in  warm  weather, 
out  door  life  is  the  healthiest  and  happiest,  from 
the  tropics  to  the  poles.  The  general  fact  speaks 
for  itself,  that  persons  who  are  out  of  doors  most, 
take  cold  least.  In  some  parts  of  our  country 
nearly  one-half  of  the  adult  deaths  are  from  dis- 
eases of  the  air  passages,  these  affections  arise 
from  taking  cold  in  some  way  or  another ;  and 
surely  the  reader  will  take  some  interest  in  an  ail- 
ment through  which,  by  at  least  one  chance  out 
of  four,  his  own  life  may  be  lost.  All  colds  arise 
from  one  of  two  causes  :  1st,  by  getting  cool  too 


526 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Nov. 


quick  after  exercise,  either  as  to  the  whole  body 
or  any  part  of  it ;  2nd,  by  being  chilled,  and  re- 
maining so  for  a  long  time,  from  want  of  exercise. 
To  avoid  colds  from  the  former,  we  have  only  to 
go  to  a  fire  the  moment  the  exercise  ceases,  in 
the  winter.  If  in  summer,  repair  at  once  to  a  closed 
room,  and  remain  with  the  same  clothing  on  un- 
til cooled  off.  To  -avoid  colds  from  the  latter 
cause,  and  these  engender  the  most  speedily  fatal 
diseases,  such  as  pleurisies,  croup  and  inflamma- 
tion of  the  lungs,  called  pneumonia,  we  have  only 
to  compel  ourselves  to  walk  with  sufHcient  vigor 
to  keep  off  a  feeling  of  chilliness.  Attention  to  a 
precept  contained  in  less  than  a  dozen  Avords 
would  add  twenty  years  to  the  average  of  civilized 
life.  Keep  away  chilliness  by  exercise ;  cool  off 
slowly.  Then  you  will  never  take  cold,  in  door  or 
out. 

"WHITEWASHING. 

There  is  nothing,  perhaps,  which  contributes 
more  decidedly  to  the  healthiness  of  a  homestead 
than  whitewash.  It  is  a  cheap  article,  and  any 
one  who  can  lift  a  brush  can  put  it  on.  Fences 
and  rough  siding  as  well  as  the  inside  of  the  tie- 
ups,  sheds  and  other  outbuildings,  and  also  the 
walls  and  ceilings  of  the  cellars,  should  annually 
be  paid  over  with  a  good  coat  of  whitewash.  The 
spring  is  the  most  eligible  season  for  the  apjili- 
cation,^as  there  is  generally  sufficient  leisure  at 
that  time  before  spring's  work  comes  on,  and  as 
the  disinfecting  and  deodorizing  action  of  the 
lime  will  tend  to  prevent  those  unhealthy  mias- 
ma which  are  generated  around  most  dwellings, 
by  the  decay  of  vegetable  matter,  and  the  heat 
of  the  vernal  and  summer  sun.  The  months  of 
October  and  November,  also,  usually  afford  good 
opportunities  to  do  this  work,  at  intervals  be- 
tween harvesting,  draining,  collecting  muck,  &c. 

White  walls,  and  long  lines  of  white  fences 
gleaming  amid  luxuriant  and  embowering  foli- 
age, give  to  a  farm  establishment  an  appearance 
of  neatness  and  rural  elegance  and  comfort,  in- 
describably attractive  to  the  man  of  taste,  and 
can  in  no  way  be  so  effectually  and  economically 
secured  as  by  giving  them  a  few  coats  of  white- 
wash. The  ceilings  of  bed-rooms,  cookeries, 
and  wash  rooms,  should  also  be  frequently  white- 
washed. If  the  walls  are  not  papered,  the  brush 
should  pass  over  them  likewise.  The  lime  will 
not  only  tend  to  sweeten  the  air  and  prevent  ep- 
idemical diseases,  but  fill  up  the  thousand  im- 
perceptible cracks  which  always  exist  in  plaster- 
ing, and  through  which  more  cold  air  will  find  its 
way  in  a  windy  winter's  day,  than  can  be  neu- 
tralized by  many  an  armful  of  hickory,  maple  or 
white  oak. 

The  whitewashing  of  cattle  and  horse  stalls, 
as  well  as  the  inside  of  hog  cotes  and  heneries, 
not  only  renders  them  more  healthy,  but  prevents 
the  animals  and  fowls  from  being  infested  with 
troublesome  and  filthy  vermin. 


For  the  New  England  Parmer. 
AUTUMN". 

ET  AUGUSTA   COOPEE  KIMBALL. 

Kind  Autumn  comes  in  view,  with  stately  tread, 

Wearing  her  olden  robe  of  gold  and  red, 

And  clustered  grape-vines,  drooping  from  her  bead. 

She  decks,  with  gaudy  trimmings,  every  place; 
The  forests  blush  to  feel  her  gay  embrace, 
Yet  melancholy's  tinge  is  on  her  face. 

Behind  her  follow  all  the  fabled  train, 

That  over  Nature's  pro'luce  hold  their  reign ; 

The  unseen  guardians  of  the  hill  and  plain.    ' 

Bright  Ceres,  goddess  of  the  harvest  fieMs, 
With  ardent  pride,  that  is  not  half  concealed. 
Hastens  her  yellow  offering  to  yield. 

Fair-cheeked  Pomona,  in  the  orchard  seen, 
Culls  choicest  fruit,  the  bending  boughs  between, 
And  runs  to  greet  the  advancing  autumn  queen. 

Now,  only  in  the  distance,  we  descry 
The  mellow  lustre  of  her  lambent  eye. 
And  gay  apparelling,  we  know  her  by. 

But  soon  her  presence  will  be  everywhere  ; 
Her  changing  breath  will  scent  the  breeay  air, 
And  amber  light  roll  from  her  yellow  hair. 

The  farmer,  glad,  will  view  the  golden  store, 
Heaped  on  his  spacious,  oaken,  threshing  floor; 
With  such  full  barns,  he  could  not  wish  for  more. 

And  when  the  harvest  moon  rides  up  in  air, 

Vouths  with  browned  cheeks,  and  country  maidens  fair, 

Perchance  may  make  a  merry  husking  there. 

While  in  the  farm  house,  rows  of  pumpkin  pies. 
With  luscious  fruits  and  cakes  of  ample  size. 
The  white -capped  matron  for  the  group  supplies. 

When  vale  and  mount  shall  don  a  russet  gown. 

And  leaflets,  dying  with  a  tint  of  brown. 

Shall  fall  with  wavering  movement  to  the  grourui. 

With  empty  baskets,  laugh,  and  childish  cheer, 
Iq  woodland  aisles,  will  eager  groups  appear, 
To  gather  trophies  of  the  fruitful  year. 

And  tarrying  long,  the  mother  mild  at  bom;, 

Will  anxious  watch  the  paths  where  they  have  gone, 

And  worrying,  list  for  noisy  ones  to  come. 

But  when  the  sun  has  left  the  forest  road. 
Each  rambler  then  will  hasten  with  his  load  ; 
With  nuts,  hats,  caps  and  baskets  are  o'er  Sowed. 

Such  are  the  joys  kind  Autumn,  thou  dost  bring. 
When  verdure  on  the  bough  no  more  may  cling, 
And  summer  birds  no  longer  stay  to  sing. 

From  this  small  tribute  I  could  not  refrain  ; 
Although  the  lay  is  weak,  and  short  the  strain, 
Yet  is  it  large,  with  love  for  all  thy  reign. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 

DRESSING  OF  GKASS  LANDS. 

The  main  purpose  on  many  farms  is  to  raise  a 
good  crop  of  grass,  that  is,  about  two  tons  to  the 
acre,  exclusive  of  the  second  crop.  I  know  of 
farms  where  this  has  been  done  for  thirty  years, 
or  more,  without  disturbing  the  sod  in  the  mean- 
time. How  is  this  brought  about  ?  By  occasion- 
ally applying  a  top  dressing  of  some  fertilizing 
material.  Land  situated  near  the  shore  of  the 
ssa,  as  are  the  grass-producing  fields  at  Marble- 
head,  are  most  conveniently  dressed  by  material 
collected  from  the  beach.  When  so  situate,  that 
sea  maiiurei  cannot  be  obtained,  a  compost  can 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


521 


be  made  for  the  purpose.  If  in  either  of  their 
modes  of  dressing,  one-half  or  more  of  the  labor 
can  be  saved,  as  compared  with  the  ordinary 
manner  of  culture,  it  is  a  saving  worthy  of  no- 
tice, for  it  should  ever  be  borne  in  mind,  that 
"accumulation  does  not  depend  so  much  on  get- 
iing,  as  on  saving."  I  believe  that  much  labor  is 
lost,  by  attempting  to  renovate  fields  of  grass,  by 
the  use  of  the  plow  and  the  hoe,  when  it  can  be 
come  at  in  a  shorter  way.  I  believe  that  it  is  so 
done,  because  our  fathers  so  did  it.  I  remember, 
when  a  boy  on  the  home  farm,  it  v\'as  thought 
absolutely  necessary  to  break  up  all  our  mowing 
fields,  once  at  least,  in  every  eight  or  ten  years. 
The  inquiry  in  the  spring  was,  what  field  shall  be 
plowed  for  corn  this  year  ?  and  to  answer  this, 
the  next  inquiry  was,  how  long  since  it  was  laid 
down  ?  and  so  the  rotation  of  crops  went  on  from 
generation  to  generation. 

One  of  the  Old  School. 


EXTRACTS  AND  REPLIES. 
A   BARREN    GRAPE   VINE. 

A  few  years  ago,  I  set  out  a  grape  vine,  and  I 
have  taken  great  pains  with  it  from  that  time  till 
the  present ;  pruned  it  every  fall,  manured  with 
old  bones,  wash  from  the  house,  Szc,  yet  it  has 
not  borne  a  grape.  It  blossoms  full,  and  then 
comes  the  blasting,  and  they  are  all  gone. 

Now,  can  you,  or  any  of  your  subscribers,  give 
me  any  information  what  to  do  ?  cut  down,  or 
try  another  year  ?  Some  say  that  there  is  a  male 
and  female  root — that  one  was  destroyed  in  trans- 
planting, therefore,  the  vine  is  worthless  ;  others 
that  the  vine  would  bear  if  a  bud  was  inserted. 

Burlington,  Vt.,  Oct.  1,  1858.  B.  c. 

Remark-s. — Your  case  is  not  an  uncommon 
one.  We  know  of  grape  vines  by  the  way-side 
that  blossom  annually,  shedding  a  delightful  fra- 
grance all  around  them,  but  never  bear  a  grape. 
But  such  vines  stand  alone,  far  from  any  other 
grape.  Yours  is  probably  in  the  same  condition, 
needing  fructification  from  some  other  plant. 

FINE   SECKEL   PEARS. 

Supposing  that  you  are,  like  other  men,  in  fa- 
vor of  good  fruit,  I  take  the  liberty  to  send  you 
a  small  box  of  Seckel  pears,  in  hopes  that  they 
will  give  you  as  much  pleasure  in  eating  them, 
as  it  gives  me  to  send  them.  I  am  a  constant 
reader  of  your  paper,  and  hope  they  will  in  some 
measure  repay  you  for  your  exertions  in  the  cause 
of  fruit-growing. 

Yours  truly,  B.  Hedge. 

Phjmoutli,  Oct.  6,  1858. 

Remarks. — We  make  you  our  best  bow,  sir — 
and  if  the  goddess  Pomona  were  present,  she 
should  bow  and  smile  upon  you  too.  Why,  we 
never  saw  such  a  basket  of  Seckel  pears  given 
aimy  before.  Had  it  not  been  for  the  plain  note 
before  us,  under  your  own  "sign  manual,"  we 
certainly  should  have  supposed  the  Express  man 
under  a  mistake,  and  sent  him  over  to  Quincy 
Market  with  them.  They  beat  all  the  Cattle 
Show  Seckels  we  have  seen.     Thank  you,  sir: 


ages  of  animals. 

Will  you  inform  me  through  the  Fanner,  the 
time  when  Cambridge  and  Brighton  cattle  deal- 
ers change  on  the  ages  of  young  cattle,  or  in  oth- 
er words,  when  is  a  two  year  old  called  a  three 
year  old  ?  Some  drovers  have  represented,  that 
they  change  on  the  age  late  in  the  summer  when 
younger  cattle  are  taken  to  market,  while  here 
we  change  on  the  age  in  the  spring,  when  cattle 
are  wintered  through. 

Is  the  sumac  of  commerce,  the  same  that 
grows  wild  in  Vermont  ?  Here  it  is  a  small  tree, 
very  branching,  fi'om  12  to  20  feet  in  height,, 
with  red  berries  in  compact  clusters,  and  wood 
of  a  yellow  color.'  Vermont. 

Ryegate,  Vt.,  1858. 

Remarks. — We  cannot  say  when  the  Cam- 
bridge and  Brighton  dealers,  change  their  terms  of 
age  in  cattle.  Your  change  is  right,  whatever 
they  may  do.  It  is  the  easiest  and  safest  way  to 
call  things  by  their  right  names.  A  calf  that  was 
born  in  April,  1856,  is  two  years  in  Api-il,  1858, 
of  course.  Farmers  about  us  use  the  terms  "past" 
or  "coming."  That  is,  if  an  animal  has  just 
passed  two  years,  and  the  age  is  inquired  after, 
the  reply  is,  "two  years  past  ;"  or  if  its  age  is 
nearer  three  than  two  years,  then  it  is  "three 
years  old  coming."  Everybody  can  understand 
this. 

The  sumac  you  describe,  is  the  sumac  of  the 
shops. 

grasses. 

I  send  you  some  grass  which  grew  in  a  piece 
of  bog  meadow  of  one  of  my  neighbors,  which  he 
broke  up  lately,  to  seed  down  to  English  grass. 
This  grass  is  unknown  to  us.  It  grows  about 
three  feet  high,  and  appears  to'  be  of  a  wild  na- 
ture ;  my  neighbor  says  it  makes  first  rate  fodder. 
Please  give  us  the  name  of  it,  if  you  know. 

Will  fowl  meadow  grass  do  well  on  bog  or 
peat  meadow,  where  the  stumps  were  taken  out 
some  ten  or  fifteen  years  ago  ?  It  is  covered 
with  steeple  weed,  or  hard-hack,  moss,  and  oth- 
er foul  stufi";  the  mud  is  from  two  to  five  feet 
deep.  If  it  will  do  well,  tell  me  how  I  must  pre- 
pare it  for  the  seed,  how  much  to  the  acre,  and 
when  it  must  be  sown.  S.  Denham. 

South  Hanson. 

Remarks. — The  grass  sent  we  do  not  remem- 
ber to  have  seen  before.  The  fowl  meadow  grass 
will  undoubtedly  do  well  on  the  land  you  describe. 

plums  and  melon  vines. 
Dear  Sir  : — I  herewith  send  you  $2,  which  I 
believe  pays  for  your  valuable  and  interesting 
paper  one  year  from  Sept.  1st,  1858.  I  notice 
that  a  very  beautiful  engraving  of  those  plums  I 
sent  you  a  little  more  than  a  year  ago,  has  made 
its  appearance  in  your  paper  of  Oct.  2d,  and  as 
one  of  your  readers,  I  agree  with  you,  in  saying 
it  is  an  admirable  work  of  art,  as  much  so  as  the 
plums  themselves  were  an  admirable  work  of  na- 
ture. There  is,  however,  a  slight  mistake.  In- 
stead of  H.  P.  Wiswall,   Marlboro',   Mass.,  it 


528 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Nov. 


should  be  H.  T.  Wiswall,  Marlboro',  N.  H.  By 
persevering  in  the  jarring  process,  I  have  man- 
aged to  save  a  beautiful  crop  of  plums  the  pres- 
ent year,  notwithstanding  the  curculio,  that  great 
enemy  of  fruit. 

I  wish  to  inquire  of  you,  or  some  of  your  cor- 
respondents, what  is  the  cause  of,  and  the  reme- 
dy for,  the  blast  on  melon  vines  ?  For  two  sea- 
sons past,  I  have  nearly  lost  several  large  fine 
beds  of  them.  I  managed  pretty  well  to  keep  off 
the  bugs  by  killing  them,  which  I  consider  the 
best  way ;  they  grow  finely  till  about  the  time 
they  begin  to  blossom  and  set  for  melons ;  then 
black  spots  begin  to  come  on  the  leaves,  a  rust 
strikes  the  vine  at  the  root,  and  proceeds  with 
greater  or  less  rapidity  to  the  end  of  the  vine, 
that  being  the  last  to  hold  out  against  its  bane- 
ful influence. 

We  were  very  glad  to  see  and  hear  Judge  French 
at  our  County  Fair  in  Keene,  and  to  learn  that  a 
judge  and  lawyer  can  be  a  practical  farmer. 

H.  T.  Wiswall. 

Marlboro',  N.  II.,  Oct.,  1858. 

TRANSPLANTING   EVERGREENS. 

Mr.  Editor  : — As  the  subject  of  transplant- 
ing our  native  evergreens  has  some  time  occu- 
pied a  place  in  your  columns,  I  will  give  you  my 
experience. 

Three  years  since,  in  April,  1855,  I  brought 
from  the  woods  a  single  white  pine,  {Finus  Stro- 
bus)  with  a  ball  of  earth  attached.  I  set  it  near 
the  house,  and  it  lived  without  further  trouble. 
Encouraged  by  this,  last  year,  in  the  first  week 
in  May,  I  transplanted  sixteen  more  in  the  same 
way,  taking  up  each  one  carefully  with  a  ball  of 
earth  upon  the  roots  ;  but  one  of  these  died.  In 
May,  again,  this  year,  I  transplanted  twenty-five 
in  the  same  way,  and  every  one  is  living,  and 
most  of  them  have  made  three  or  four  inches  of 
new  wood.  These  trees  were  from  three  to  eight 
feet  high,  growing  in  dry  open  woods.  From 
these  experiments,  I  think  there  can  be  no  trou- 
ble in  moving  the  pine,  and  this  variety,  one  of 
the  finest  of  our  native  trees,  is  worthy  a  place 
in  any  collection.  Pocassett. 

Cranston,  R.I.,  Sept.  16,  1858. 

A   NICE   LOT   OF   POTATOES. 

As  a  matter  of  experiment,  I  planted  in  my 
garden  one  potato,  the  19th  day  of  May,  in  six 
hills.  I  dug  them  to-day,  and  from  that  one  I 
had  half  a  bushel  of  large  and  fair  potatoes, 
without  any  extra  care.  F.  C.  Shaller. 

Essex,  Mass.,  Sept.  30,  1858. 

FINE   YIELD   OF   POTATOES. 

I  obtained  last  winter  5  potatoes  ;  they  were 
not  large.  I  planted  them  in  21  hills,  oile  piece 
in  the  hill,  and  used  no  manure.  I  dug  them  last 
Saturday,  and  obtained  2^  bushels — 3  potatoes 
weighing  5  pounds,  and  79  of  them  weighed  67 
pounds.  w.  N.  w. 

Lerry,  Oct.  9,  1858. 

OBSERVATIONS   ON    THE   POTATO. 

Mr.  Jacob  Grover,  of  West  Mansfield,  Mass., 
writes  us  that  his  seed  potatoes  that  were  covered 


in  the  cellar  with  loam  and  gravel,  have  pro- 
duced sound  potatoes,  while  others  not  so  cov- 
ered, but  of  the  same  kind,  and  planted  on  the 
same  kind  of  land,  have  rotted  badly. 

DAVIS   seedling   POTATOES. 

Mr.  J.  p.  Watson,  of  this  place,  planted  13 
pounds  of  the  above  seed  this  year,  which  yielded 
720  pounds.  Allowing  60  pounds  to  the  bushel, 
it  would  make  12  bushels  of  potatoes.        A.  B. 

Jamaica,  Vt.,  Oct.  2,  1858. 

CULTURE    OF   CRANBERRIES. 

Our  correspondent  at  Somerset,  Mass.,  may 
find  a  detailed  account  of  the  best  modes  of  cul- 
tivating cranberries  in  our  volume  of  the  Far- 
mer,  for  last  year,  1857. 


HOW  TO  MAKE  HOME  HAPPY. 

Do  not  jest  with  your  wife  upon  a  subject  in 
which  there  is  danger  of  wounding  her  feelings. 
Remember  that  she  treasures  every  word  you  ut- 
ter, though  you  never  think  of  it  again.  Do  not 
speak  of  some  virtue  in  another  man's  wife,  to 
remind  your  own  of  a  fault.  Do  not  reproach  your 
wife  with  personal  defects,  for  if  she  has  sensibil- 
ity, you  inflict  a  wound  difficult  to  heal.  Do  not 
treat  your  wife  with  inattention  in  company.  Do 
not  upbraid  her  in  the  presence  of  a  third  per- 
son, nor  entertain  her  with  praising  the  beauty 
and  accomplishments  of  other  women.  If  you 
would  have  a  pleasant  home  and  cheerful  wife, 
pass  your  evenings  under  your  own  roof.  Do 
not  be  stern  and  silent  in  your  own  house,  and 
remarkable  for  sociability  elsewhere.  Remem- 
ber that  your  wife  has  as  much  need  of  recrea- 
tion as  yourself,  and  devote  a  portion,  at  least, 
of  your  leisure  hours  to  such  society  and  amuse- 
ments as  she  may  join.  By  so  doing,  you  will 
secure  her  smiles  and  increase  her  affection.  Do 
not,  by  being  too  exact  in  pecvmiary  matters, 
make  your  wife  feel  her  dependence  on  your 
bounty.  If  she  is  a  sensible  Avoman,  she  should 
be  acquainted  with  your  business  and  know  your 
income,  that  she  may  regulate  her  household  ex- 
penses accordingly.  Do  not  withhold  this  knowl- 
edge, in  order  to  cover  your  own  extravagance. 
Women  have  a  keen  perception — be  sure  she  will 
discover  your  selfishness, — and  though  no  word 
is  spoke«,  from  that  moment  her  respect  is  les- 
sened, and  her  confidence  diminished,  pride 
wounded,  and  a  thousand,  perhaps  unjust,  suspi- 
cions created.  From  that  moment  is  your  do- 
mestic comfort  on  the  wane.  There  can  be  no 
oneness  where  there  is  no  full  confidence. —  Wo- 
man''s  Thoughts  About  Women. 


Is  Charcoal  liable  to  Spontaneous  Com- 
bustion.— Under  this  caption  the  reader  will 
find  in  another  column,  a  very  interesting  article 
by  Dr.  Charles  T.  Jackson,  the  distinguished 
chemist  of  Boston.  The  attention  of  builders, 
carpenters  and  masons  is  especially  called  to  it, 
aa  a  proper  understanding  of  the  matter  may 
save  many  a  ^uilding  from  destruction  by  fire. 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FAEMER. 


529 


SPANISH   MEEINO  BUCKS. 


We  present  the  reader  in  this  issue  of  the 
Farmer-  with  a  beautiful  illustration  of  a  group 
of  Sjjanish  Merino  Bucks,  from  the  flock  of 
George  Campbell,  Esq.,  of  West  Westminster, 
Vt.  He  visited  Spain  several  years  since,  and 
selected  from  the  finest  flocks  he  could  find  in  that 
country;  these  bucks  are  descendants  of  that 
stock.  He  has  made  the  raising  of  fine  wooled 
sheep  a  business  and  study,  and  the  success  which 
has  followed  his  labors  is  evidence  of  his  skill. 
These  bucks  sometimes  produce  immense  flee- 
ces. We  weighed  a  fleece  from  one  of  them, 
while  visiting  Mr.  Campbell,  aind  found  it  tip  the 
beam  quick  at  22  pounds !  His  ewe  fleeces  of 
1852,  when  well  washed,  averaged  ot  pounds. 
His  two  year  old  ewes  gave  an  average  of  8 
pounds,  on  a  growth  of  only  eleven  months. 
We  wish  him  great  success  in  his  good  work. 


Ii'or  the  NeiD  England  Farmer, 
GRAFTED  FRUIT  TREES. 
Mr.  Editor: — Fruit  trees   with  us,  I  mean 
grafted  trees,  do  poorly,  and  the  remark  is  often 
made,  "They  did  not  use  to  be  so  bad — why  are 
they  now?"'  * 

To  reply  to  this,  I  will  say  that  in  those  days 
scions  were  not  taken  from  old  trees,  the  vital 
force  of  which  was  almost  spent,  but  from  vigo- 


rous, youthful  trees,  pernaps,  and  the  scions  were 
inserted  in  stock  of  similar  character ;  in  this  way 
a  good  thing,  one  which  we  can  hardly  do  with- 
out, was  perpetuated,  for  a  long  time,  on  natural 
principles,  and  may  be  again  and  again,  I  believe, 
to  many  generations. 

That  the  above  reply  is  brief,  is  true,  still  if 
sufficiently  suggestive  of  practical  reform  in  the 
subject  to  which  it  relates,  I  can  but  hope  that 
it  will  find  a  place  in  due  time  in  your  valuable 
paper,  for  the  approved  object  of  life  is  to  bene- 
fit one  another.  W.  S.  Blanchard. 

Walpole,  N.  E.,  Sept.  27,  1858. 


TO  MAKE  HARD  CANDLES  OF  SOFT 
TALLOAST. 

I  noticed  a  request  a  short  time  since  in  the 
Country  Oentleman,  for  a  receipt  to  make  soft 
tallow  hard.  I  send  you  one  I  know  by  ex- 
perience to  be  good.  To  twelve  pounds  of  tal- 
low take  half  a  gallon  of  water,  to  which  add 
three  table-spoons  of  pulverized  alum,  and  two 
do.  saltpetre,  which  heat  and  dissolve ;  then  add 
your  tallow  and  one  pound  of  beeswax;  boil  hai'd 
all  together,  until  the  water  evaporates,  and  skim 
well  while  boiling.  It  should  not  be  put  in  your 
moulds  hotter  than  you  can  bear  your  hand  in. 
The  candles  look  much  nicer  when  the  wicks  are 
not  tied  at  the  bottom.  It  is  not  only  a  dis- 
agreeable task  to  cut  the  wick  off",  but  it  injures 
the  moulds.  Never  heat  your  moulds  to  draw 
your  candles  in  cold  weather. 


530 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Not. 


Perhaps  it  is  not  generally  known  that  tallow 
from  beeves  fed  on  corn  or  grain,  is  much  softer 
than  when  fed  on  grass  or  clover.  Therefore  the 
tallow  from  grass-fed  cattle  should  always  be 
hard  with  the  addition  of  very  little  alum  and 
beeswax.  In  very  cold  weather  much  less  alum 
must  be  used,  or  they  will  crack  so  as  to  fall  to 
pieces  sometimes ;  and  a  third  more  of  each 
should  be  used  in  very  warm  weather  if  the  tal- 
low is  very  soft.  With  a  little  management  you 
can  always  have  hard  tallow  for  summer  use 
where  you  make  all  your  own  candles. — Country 
Gentleman. 

For  the  New  L'ngl-and  Fanner. 
MATBBIAIiS  FOB  BOOFING. 

Dear  Sir  : — Sometime  since  you  asked  me 
some  questions  about  the  best  roofing  material 
for  farmers  to- use.  I  lay  it  down  as  a  principle 
to  commence  with,  that  the  best  roof  is  the  best 
for  a  farmer,  as  it  is  the  one  which,  although  it 
may  cost  most  at  stax'ting,  will  last  the  longest, 
and  preserve  his  crops  from  all  loss  by  bad 
weather. 

The  time-honored  roof  in  New  England  is 
shingles,  and  roofs  are  occasionally  to  be  seen 
which  have  been  shingled  from  30  to  40  years, 
and  have  needed  only  occasional  repairs.  Such 
instances  are  very  rare,  and  it  may  be  assumed 
that  the  best  shingle  roof  which  can  be  laid  will 
not  last  more  than  15  to  20  years — longer,  most 
of  your  readers  will  say,  than  they  shall  need  it. 
Such  a  roof  will  cost,  for  shingles,  $5,50  to  $6 
per  thousand,  and  $1  to  lay  them;  total  cost, 
$6,50  to  $7  per  thousand.  1000  shingles  cover 
a  little  more  than  100  square  feet  for  the  roof; 
and  how  much  more  on  an  average  I  do  not 
know;  the  makers  of  shingles  don't  intend  them 
to  cover  any  more. 

The  next  roofs,  in  point  of  cost,  are  those 
made  of  tar,  gravel,  cement  and  composition. 
These  roofs  originated  farther  west  than  New 
England,  where  shingles  are  even  more  scarce 
than  here. 

There  are  several  great  objections  to  all  such  ; 
any  roof  made  in  one  piece  is  valuless  in  a  cli- 
mate like  ours;  it  does  not  admit  of  any  expan- 
sion and  contraction  ;  the  expansion  of  a  roof 
under  our  summer  suns  is  very  great ;  and  under 
the  direct  rays  of  January  and  February  it  is  very 
appreciable.  The  contraction  caused  by  a  sudden 
frost  is  proportionally  large.  India  rubber  may 
stand  it,  but  no  solid  material  can,  unless  there  is 
some  allowance  for  the  play.  Consequently  you 
will  find  that  all  these  roofs  crack  around  the 
chimney,  under  the  eaves,  and  wherever  they 
join  the  wood-work.  If  the  coat  applied  is  not 
very  thick,  the  cold  penetrates  to  the  boarding, 
below,  which,  being  of  different  density  from  the 
roofing,  expands  and  contracts  differently  from 
it,  and  in  time  you  will  find  cracks  in  the  roofing 
over  the  joints  in  the  boards  below. 

If  the  material  is  put  on  thick  enough  to  keep 
out  cold  it  is  very  heavy  and  expensive.  An  ar- 
gument for  such  roofs  is,  they  may  be  nearly  flat ; 
this  is  no  gain  in  a  barn,  and  is  a  loss  in  a  house, 
for  a  flat  roof  allows  of  no  garret,  and  a  house 
without  a  garret  is  like  a  coat  without  pockets. 
Besides,  flat-roofed  houses  have  to  stand  an  enor- 
mous strain,  from  the  weight  of  snow  which  falls 


upon  them,  and  are  destitute  of  all  the  pictur- 
esque effect  of  pitched  roofs. 

Tin,  zinc  and  galvanized  iron  roofs  are  all 
objectionable  for  the  reason  just  given,  that  they 
are  in  one  piece,  and  as  metals,  they  are  even 
more  affected  by  heat  and  cold  than  other  mate- 
rials. Besides,  they  must  be  painted  often  to 
keep  them  in  order,  and  then,  at  best,  they  wear 
out  in  a  short  time ;  their  cost  is  double  that  of 
best  shingles. 

Another  material  for  roofing  is  slate ;  this  was 
first  imported  from  Europe,  and  is  still.  The 
Welsh  slate  is  sold,  and  used  all  over  our  coun- 
try, and  is  acknowledged  to  be  the  best  slate, 
and  a  standard  for  all  slate  used  for  roofing  pur- 
poses. The  advantages  of  slate  are,  it  comes  in 
pieces  like  shingles,  of  any  size  one  wishes  ;  it  is 
fire-proof,  unaffected  by  heat  and  cold,  imperish- 
able, and  may  at  any  time  be  taken  oft'  the  roof 
and  relaid  Avith  small  loss,  should  there  be  any 
necessity  for  so  doing.  The  Welsh  slate  is  cost- 
ly, though  less  expensive  than  metal. 

There  are  several  varieties  of  slate  found  in 
this  country  ;  these  differ  very  much  in  quality  ; 
the  difference  is  shown  in  thickness,  breaking 
under  the  foot,  and  by  the  action  of  frost.  Very 
much  of  the  American  slate  absorbs  water  ;  a 
slate  which  absorbs  water  will  be  easily  broken  by 
the  frost  of  winter,  and  any  observant  person  will 
see,  upon  looking  at  the  roofs  of  many  of  our 
buildings,  slates  gone,  corners  broken  off,  iS:c. ; 
this  is  attributable  to  the  slate  being  of  poor  qual- 
ity, or  being  made  across  the  grain.  Singular 
though  it  may  seem  to  you,  some  slate  can  be 
made  across  the  grain,  just  as  you  could  saw  a 
shingle  across  the  grain.  Of  course  such  a  slate 
or  shingle  has  no  strength.  The  power  in  soft 
slate  which  absorbs  the  water  and  therefore 
freezes  and  breaks,  may  be  detected  by  setting  a 
slate  carefully,  half  its  depth,  into  a  pail  of  water; 
the  water  will  be  seen  to  ascend  it  quite  rapidly. 
By  putting  several  slates  from  different  quarries, 
into  a  pail  at  the  same  time,  it  will  be  easy  to  as- 
certain their  relative  powers  of  resisting  water 
and  frost.  It  was  this  trouble  which  rendered 
the  slate  of  the  Hoosac  mountain  of  no  value. 
Large  quarries  of  slate  are  found  in  New  Jersey 
and  Pennsylvania  ;  it  is  all  soft,  and  will  rot  on 
the  roof.  So,  also,  will  the  slate  of  the  State  of 
Maine  ;  much  of  that  is  soft,  whilst  in  the  same 
quarry  slate  is  found  that  is  first-rate. 

The  veins  there  are  narrow  and  parallel.  Some 
of  these  veins  are  hard  and  excellent,  others  poor 
and  soft,  and  when  made  into  slate,  the  purchas- 
er is  liable  to  get  slate  of  first-rate  or  of  very  infe- 
rior quality.  I  have  known  roofs  laid  with  this 
slate  to  rot  within  5  years,  and  have  to  be  relaid. 
This  slate,  the  Hoosac  and  New  Jersey,  are  all 
black. 

In  Vermont  large  quarries  of  slate  exist ;  these 
differ  very  much  in  quality.  Their  color  is  all 
much  alike,  purple,  brown  and  green.  The  Ver- 
mont slates,  however,  have  one  peculiarity  in 
their  favor  and  to  their  injury.  Some  of  these 
slate  change  color  when  exposed  to  the  rays  of 
the  sun,  others  do  not ;  those  that  do  fade  are 
hard  and  unaffected  by  frost  or  heat ;  those  that 
do  not  fade  are  soft  afld  very  rotten  and  easily 
broken  by  frost.  A  quarry  somewhat  noted  for 
this  failing  is  called  the  Western  Vermont. 

This  test^of  fading  or  holding  color  settles  the 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


531 


question  of  strength.  The  hard  slates  differ  in 
quality ;  some  are  thick  and  slabby,  others  thin, 
of  uniform  size,  thickness  and  grain,  and  in  all 
respects  but  color,  are  equal  to  the  Welsh  slates, 
and  are  much  cheaper. 

Some  persons  who  make  thick  slates  endeavor 
to  discredit  the  thinner  slates  by  saying  that  the 
latter  lack  strength,  and  that  a  roof,  to  be  well 
protected,  should  be  strong  enough  to  hold  up 
thick  slate.  This  reasoning  is  like  that  of  the 
fox  who  lost  his  tail  in  the  trap  and  then  tried  to 
persuade  the  other  foxes  it  was  vastly  better  to 
do  without  tails.  These  people  split  their  slates 
as  thin  as  they  can ;  the  thin  slates  are  made  so 
for  their  superior  quality  and  grain,  and  could  be 
split  thick  as  well  as  thin,  were  they  not  better 
thin  than  thick. 

''To  test  this  last  operation,  take  specimen  slates 
from  different  quarries  and  rest  them  by  their 
thin  ends  on  supports ;  now  put  weights  on  the 
middle  of  the  slate  till  they  break,  and  you  will 
find  that  in  the  great  majority  of  cases  the  thin 
will  bear  the  largest  weight ;  they  are  stronger 
than  the  other  kinds. 

These  best  slate  are  made  in  the  Glen  Lake 
and  Eagle  quarries  ;  the  former  are  the  most  uni- 
form and  thinnest.  They  average  55 — 60  to 
the  foot,  and  4  squares  to  the  tun.  These  meas- 
urements and  weights  are  the  same  with  the 
Welsh  slate,  which  I  said  at  the  commencement 
are  the  standard.  A  square  of  slate  is  what  will 
cover  10  ;^  10,  or  100  square  feet,  on  the  roof  of 
a  house,  or  is  equivalent  to  1000  shingles.- 

These  best  slate  can  be  had  in  Boston  or  its 
vicinity,  for  $7  per  square  ;  about  the  same  price 
with  shingles,  and  are  fire-proof,  unaflected  by 
heat  and  cold,  and,  in  a  word,  imperishable.  The 
only  objection  to  them  is  the  change  of  color, 
which  is  but  slight,  in  no  way  affects  the  strength 
of  the  slate  and  if  the  slate  are  carefully  selected, 
they  all  fade  about  the  same,  and  in  a  year  or 
two  the  difference  is  hardly  perceptible. 

It  seems  to  me  that  these  facts  prove  conclu- 
sively that  slate  roofs  are  the  only  roofs  an  eco- 
nomical farmer  can  afford  to  lay. 

I  remain  ypurs  respectfully, 

RUSTICUS. 


THE  CAMELS. 


There  is,  after  all,  a  fair  prospect  of  the  Arabi- 
an camel  becoming  a  regularly  naturalized  and 
American  citizen.  Our  government,  on  two  sep- 
arate occasions,  has  imported  cargoes  of  camels, 
in  order,  if  possible,  to  acclimatize  them  for  long 
journeys  over  the  dreary  plains  of  the  south-west. 
Lieut.  Beale,  formerly  of  the  navy,  and  superin- 
tendent of  the  construction  of  the  ne(v  military 
road  from  Texas  to  the  Colorado  river  in  Califor- 
nia, has  made  the  exploration,  occupying  forty- 
eight  days,  and  located  an  excellent  wagon  road, 
the  whole  distance.  On  this  exploration  the  cam- 
el was  the  tried  animal,  and  it  seems  it  surpassed 
his  expectations  for  patience,  endurance  and  fit- 
ness for  American  desert  travel.  He  says  re- 
specting it : — 

"Unsupported  by  the  testimony  of  every  man 
of  my  party,  I  should  be  unwilling  to  state  all 
that  I  have  seen  them  do.  Starting  with  a  full 
determination  that  the  experiment  should  be  no 
half-way  one,  I  have  subjected  them  to  trials 


which  no  other  animal  could  possibly  have  en- 
dured, and  yet  I  have  arrived  here  not  only  with- 
out the  loss  of  a  camel,  but  they  are  admitted, 
by  those  who  saw  them  in  Texas,  to  be  in  as 
good  condition  to-day  as  when  we  left  San  An- 
tonio. In  all  our  lateral  explorations,  they  have 
carried  water  sometimes  for  more  than  a  week, 
for  the  mules  used  by  the  men,  the  camels  never 
even  receiving  a  bucketful  each. 

"They  have  traversed  patiently  with  heavy 
packs  on  these  explorations,  countries  covered 
with  the  sharpest  volcanic  rock,  and  yet  J;heir 
feet,  to  this  hour,  have  evinced  no  symptom  of 
tenderness  or  injury.  With  heavy  packs  they 
have  crossed  mountains,  ascended  and  descended 
precipitous  places,  where  an  unloaded  mule  found 
it  difficult  to  pass,  even  with  the  assistance  of  the 
rider  dismounted,  and  carefully  picking  its  way. 
I  think  it  would  be  within  bounds  to  say  that  in 
these  various  lateral  explorations  they  have  tra- 
versed nearly  double  the  distance  passed  over 
by  our  mules  and  wagons." — Scientijic  American. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
JSTOKFOLK  AGRICULTURAL  SOCIETY. 

Friend  Brown  : — The  report,  in  your  last 
paper,  of  the  Exhibition  of  the  Norfolk  Agricul- 
tural Society,  as  taken  from  another  journal,  is 
so  one-sided  a  statement,  that  I  feel  it  my  duty 
to  make  you  acquainted  with  the  facts  in  the  case, 
and  as  a  verification  of  the  same,  I  enclose  the  re- 
port of  the  Cultivator,  Plougliman  and  Traveller. 
The  Norfolk  Society  never  held  so  good  an  ex- 
hibition, or  one  crowned  with  more  entire  suc- 
cess. The  "Reporter"  you  quote  says,  "there 
icere  a  few  fine  horses  and  some  milch  cotvs." 
Now  there  were  120  entries  of  horses,  and  it  is 
not  too  much  to  say  that  no  county  exhibition 
has  ever  surpassed  them  in  excellence.  As  to 
"some  milch  cows,"  Messrs.  Motley,  Bacon,  Hun- 
newell  and  others  showed  very  fine  animals  in 
this  class.  The  pens,  150  in  number,  were  filled 
and  Mr.  Motley  alone  exhibited  25  head,  two  of 
Jersey  Grade,  and  for  two  or  three  of  his  cows 
he  had  been  ofi'ered  five  hundred  dollars  each. 

The  exhibition  of  fruits  was  remarkably  fine — 
that  of  vegetables  excellent.  There  were  20  en- 
tries of  bread  and  14  of  butter.  The  articles  in 
the  department  of  female  industry,  exclusive  of 
the  ladies'  fair,  filled  a  table  more  than  100  feet 
in  length,  and  constituted  a  fine  feature  of  the  ex- 
hibition. 

The  Ladies'  Fair  in  the  upper  hall,  notwith- 
standing "Reporter,"  was  on  a  most  extensive 
and  magnificent  scale,  occupying  most  of  a  hall 
135  feet  long  and  58  feet  wide,  and  was  an  hon- 
or to  the  mothers  and  daughters  of  Old  Norfolk, 
embracing  in  their  number  ladies  of  the  highest 
distinction  in  the  county.  These  ladies  were  the 
friends  and  patrons  of  the  society,  and  with  most 
generous  and  praiseworthy  labors  volunteered 
their  services  to  aid  in  raising  funds  towards 
paying  for  the  recent  purchase  of  lands.  As  to 
the  base  ball  match,  permission  was  given  by  the 
Committee  of  Arrangements,  for  the  clubs  from 
our  own  towns  to  play  a  game,  after  the  stock 
was  removed,  and  the  exhibition  was  over  on  the 
ground. 

The  plowing  match  was  decidedly  the  best  1 


532 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Nov. 


ever  witnessed,  and  the  spading  match,  in  which 
eleven  hardy  sons  united,  was  one  of  great  inter- 
est. 

The  attendance  was  estimated  at  15,000  per- 
sons, and  not  far  from  the  truth,  as  we  took  for 
ten-cent  tickets,  exclusive  of  the  ladies'  fair,  sev- 
enteen hundred  dollars.  But  I  refrain  from  fur- 
ther remarks.  NORFOLK. 


Remarks. — It  is  always  an  unwelcome  duty  to 
us,  to  find  fault  with  anybody,  and  more  espe- 
cially those  who  are  exemplary  in  almost  every- 
thing, and  whom  we  delight  to  honor.  The  Nor- 
folk Agricultural  Society  cannot  have  a  very  lim- 
ited influence,  made  up  as  it  is  of  men  so  well 
known,  who  mingle  so  largely  with  the  people  of 
the  State.  As  a  general  thing,  her  Exhibitions 
have  been  models,  and  the  publications  of  her 
Transactions  are  certainly  worthy  of  all  imita- 
tion. 

We  did  not  intend,  in  what  we  said  of  it  last 
week,  to  give  an  account  of  the  Exhibition,  be- 
cause in  the  multiplicity  of  these  occurrences, 
we  had  neither  time  or  space  to  do  it.  We  only 
intended,  in  the  kindest  spirit,  to  notice  what  we 
thought  were  encroachments  upon  her  excellent 
example  heretofore,  so  that,  if  they  tvere  en- 
ci'oachments,  a  calm  and  candid  criticism  might 
call  attention  to  the  fact.  Nothing  more.  No 
person  can  have  a  higher  respect  for  the  officers 
and  managers  of  that  society  than  we  entertain. 

The  remarks  of  "Norfolk"  above  will  show 
that  the  exhibition  was  such  an  one  as  is  rarely 
excelled,  if  equalled,  in  the  State,  both  in  the 
amount  and  quality  of  the  articles  and  stock  ex- 
hibited. But  as  "to  err  is  human,"  it  is  still  pos- 
sible that  some  things  may  have  been  done,  that 
it  were  well  to  have  left  undone.  We  intend  that 
all  our  criticisms  shall  be  candid  and  fair ;  if 
they  do  not  appear  so  to  others,  we  will  repair 
the  fault — if  fault  it  is  found  to  be — to  the  best 
of  our  ability. 

As  a  public  journalist,  and  taking  the  strong- 
est interest  in  the  noble  institution  which  ena- 
bles us  to  compare  the  skill  of  the  husbandman 
and  the  product  of  his  labors,  we  feel  bound  to 
defend  it  against  all  invasions,  and  to  exert  what- 
ever influence  we  may  to  preserve  it  as  pure  as 
we  found  it.  That  encroachments  are  made  that 
will  eventually  destroy  its  good  influence  unless 
arrested,  scarcely  admits  of  a  doubt.  The  germ 
of  destruction,  like  a  worm  in  the  bud,  is,  in 
some  instances,  already  introduced.  AVhether 
it  shall  be  cherished  there,  and  do  its  work,  or 
whether  its  progress  shall  be  stayed,  depends 
upon  the  firmness  and  wisdom  of  those  who  con- 
trol it. 


A  New  Fire  Ladder. — A  valuable  ladder  has 
been  devised  by  some  one  in  Ohio.  It  is  spoken 
of  in  the  Cincinnati  Gazette.     Turning  a  crank 


extends  the  reach  of  the  ladder  from  a  very  few 
feet  to  seventy-five  feet.  When  its  length  is  suf- 
ficient for  the  use  required  of  it,  it  is  hooked  up- 
on the  roof  or  other  convenient  place.  At  the 
upper  end  is  a  pulley  over  which  a  rope  is  drawn, 
with  a  basket  attached,  into  which  persons  or 
valuables  may  be  placed  and  safely  removed.  The 
bottom  rests  upon  a  carriage,  for  the  sake  of  rap- 
id transportation. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer, 

"WHEAT  AND  "WHAT  IT  COSTS. 

I  send  you  the  product  and  cost  of  a  crop  of 
spring  wheat  raised  by  me  this  year,  on  about  6^ 
acres  of  land.  In  this  account  the  labor  is  charged 
at  its  cost ;  labor  of  a  pair  of  oxen  is  charged  at 
96  cents  per  day  ;  horse  the  same  ;  board  of  men 
at  33  J^  cents  per  day  ;  no  manure  charged,  none 
having  been  applied.  One  piece  of  the  land, 
about  Ih,  acres,  was  never  before  plowed.  I  as- 
sume the  value  of  the  land  to  be  $100  per  acre, 
and  the  price  of  the  grain  to  be  what  I  think  it 
is  worth  to  me  for  consumption. 

PRODUCT. 

76  bushels  wheat  at  $2 $152,00 

61  tons  straw  (estimated)  $6 39,00   $191,00 

COST. 
Plowing,  harrowing,  sowing,  rolling,  and  labor.. $5,90 

"  "  and  team 8,90 

Board  of  men  at  3"^ 6,00      $19,80 

One-half  chargable  to  succeeding  crop  of  clover  and  grass.  .9,90 

$9,90 

Cradling,  threshing  and  winnowing  and  labor 15,50 

"  "  carting  and  team 2,92 

Board  of  men  at  33j  per  day 7,67 

12  bushels  seed 24,00 

$59,99 
6  percent,  on  $650,. assumed  value  of  land 39,00 

$98,99 

Taking  my  estimate  of  the  value  of  the  grain 
and  land  and  the  quantity  of  the  straw  to  be  cor- 
rect, it  will  be  seen  that  the  crop  has  paid  a  profit 
of  93  per  cent.;  the  product  per  acre  being  about 
an  average  crop.  The  like  results  may,  I  think, 
be  reached  9  years  in  10,  and  often  exceeded, 
with  suitable  soil  and  cultivation. 

Samuel  Raymond. 

North  Andover,  Mass.,  Oct.  4,  1858. 


ON  THE  MORNING. 


It  is  morning — and  a  morning  sweet  and  fresh, 
and  delightful.  Everybody  knows  the  morning, 
in  its  metaphorical  sense,  applied  to  so  many  ob- 
jects, and  on  so  many  occasions.  The  health, 
strength,  and  beauty  of  early  years,  lead  us  to 
call  that  period  the  "morning  of  life."  Of  a  love- 
ly young  woman,  we  say,  she  is  "bright  as  the 
morning,"  and  no  one  doubts  why  Lucifer  is 
called  "son  of  the  morning."  But  the  morning 
itself,  few  people,  inhabitants  of  cities,  know  any 
thing  about.  Among  all  our  good  people  of  Bos- 
ton, not  one  in  a  thousand  sees  the  sun  rise  once 
a  year.  They  know  nothing  of  the  morning. 
Their  idea  of  it  is,  that  it  is  that  part  of  the  day 
which  comes  along  after  a  cup  of  coffee  and  a 
beefsteak,  or  a  piece  of  toast.  With  them,  morn- 
ing is  not  anew  issuing  of  light;  a  new  bursting 
forth  of  the  sun  ;  a  new  waking  up  of  all  that  has 
life,  from  a  sort  of  temporary  death,  to  behold 
again  the  wprks  of  God,  the  heavens  and  the 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


633 


earth  ;  it  is  only  a  part  of  the  domestic  day,  be- 
longing to  breakfast,  to  reading  the  newspapers, 
answering  notes,  sending  the  children  to  school, 
and  giving  orders  for  dinner.  The  first  faint 
streak  of  light,  the  earliest  purpling  of  the  east, 
which  the  lark  springs  up  to  greet,  and  the  deep- 
er and  deeper  coloring  into  orange  and  red,  till 
at  length  the  "glorious  sun  is  seen,  regent  of 
day,"  this  they  never  enjoy,  for  this  they  never 
see. 

Beautiful  descriptions  of  the  "morning"  abound 
in  all  languages,  but  they  are  the  strongest  per- 
haps in  those  of  the  East,  M'here  the  sun  is  so 
often  an  object  of  worship.  King  David  speaks 
of  taking  to  himself  "the  wings  of  the  morning." 
This  is  highly  poetical  and  beautiful.  The  "wings 
of  the  morning"  are  the  beams  of  the  rising  sun. 
Rays  of  light  are  wings.  It  is  thus  said  that  the 
Sun  of  Righteousness  shall  arise,  "with  healing 
in  his  wings  ;"  a  rising  sun,  which  shall  scatter 
light,  and  health,  and  joy  throughout  the  uni- 
verse. Milton  has  fine  descriptions  of  morning, 
but  not  so  many  as  Shakspeare,  from  whose 
writings  pages  of  the  most  beautiful  images,  all 
founded  on  the  glory  of  the  morning,  might  be 
filled. 

I  never  thought  that  Adam  had  much  advan- 
tage of  us,  from  having  seen  the  world  while  it 


The  Narcissus,  Jonquils,  Lilies  and  P.eo- 
NIES  should  be  planted  as  soon  as  the  ground  is 
ready.  After  planting,  rake  oft"  the  bed  nicely, 
and  cover  with  coarse  manure  or  straw,  to  pro- 
tect the  bulbs  a  little  from  the  severity  of  the 
winter.  This  must  be  raked  off  early  in  the  spring. 
— Rural  New-  Yorker. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
LETTER  FROM  MAINE. 

Mr.  Editor  : — Having  an  opportunity  to  at- 
tend the  Cattle  Show  and  Fair  of  the  Androscog- 
gin Society  at  Lewiston,  I  avail  myself  of  a  few 
moments  to  give  you  a  brief  account  of  one  of 
the  Fairs  in  Maine,  especially  for  the  purpose  of 
showing  that  there  is  progress  in  the  right  direc- 
tion in  the  Dirigo  State. 

The  Fair  was  held  on  the  5th,  6th  and  7th  of 
Oct.  The  first  day  was  devoted  to  stock.  The 
most  noticeable  feature  was  the  fine  Durhams 
and  Devons.  There  Avas  a  large  number  of  en- 
tries made.  As  the  Poland  Shakers  live  within 
the  precincts  of  this  Society,  they  were  represen- 
ted by  a  herd  of  twenty  Devons. 

The  exhibition  of  the  speed  of  horses  occurred 
the  second  day,  and  was  conducted  with  good  or- 


The  manifestations  of  the  power  of  ^"-  ^,Y}^^^  "'  \vhichthe  Fair  and //icyiuV  were 


God,  like  His  mercies,  are  "new  every  morning," 
and  "fresh  every  evening."  We  see  as  fine  ri- 
sings of  the  sun  as  ever  Adam  saw,  and  its  ris- 
ings are  as  much  a  miracle  now  as  they  were  in 
his  day,  and  I  think  a  good  deal  more,  because 
it  is  now  a  part  of  the  miracle  that  for  thousands 
and  thousands  of  years,  he  has  come  to  his  ap- 
pointed time,  without  the  variation  of  a  millionth 
part  of  a  second.  Adam  could  not  tell  how  this 
might  be  ! 

1  know  the  morning  ;  I  am  acquainted  with  it 
and  I  love  it,  fresh  and  sweet  as  it  is,  a  daily  new 
creation,  breaking  forth,  and  calling  all  that  have 
life,  and  breath,  and  being,  to  new  adoration,  new 
enjoyments,  and  new  gratitude. — Webster's  Fri 
vate  Correspondence. 


PLANTING  BULBS,  TUBERS,  &c. 

The  earliest  and  prettiest  of  our  spring  flowers 
are  bulbous  rooted,  and  those  who  desire  a  fine 
show  of  flowers  in  the  spring  should  lose  no  time 
in  preparing  their  beds  and  planting.  All  bul- 
bous roots  delight  in  a  deep,  friable  soil,  and  the 
ground  should  be  put  to  proper  condition  before 
planting.  Dig  at  least  eighteen  inches  deep, 
and  thoroughly  mix  with  the  soil  a  good  portion 
of  well-rotted  manure.  If  the  planting  is  done 
at  once  a  good  show  of  flowers  may  be  expected 
in  the  spring. 

The  Crocus  is  well  known  and  popular.  There 
are  a  great  many  varieties,  all  of  them  pretty, 
and  they  can  be  purchased  at  from  $1  to  §2  per 
hundred.  Plant  two  inches  deep,  three  inches 
apart  in  the  row,  and  the  rows  six  inches. 

The  Hyacinth  should  have  a  place  in  every 
garden,  as  they  are  not  only  beautiful  but  very 
fragrant.  They  are  of  all  colors,  single  and 
double.  Plant  four  inches  deep,  and  from  six  to 
eight  inches  apart  each  way. 

The  Tulips  are  too  well  known  to  need  des- 
cription.    Plant  about  the  same  as  the  hyacinth. 


assembled  in  great  dimensions,  was  very  fine. 
The  vegetables  were  numerous  and  large.  The 
display  of  fruit,  especially  of  apples,  was  very 
excellent,  I  have  seldom  if  ever  seen  so  large  and 
so  well  developed  specimens  of  the  oldest  and 
best  known  varieties  of  this  fruit. 

Another  most  interesting  feature  was  the  cer- 
tainty that  several  varieties  of  grapes  have  been 
found  which  will  ripen  well  in  Maine.  The  old 
varieties  of  Isabella  and  Sweetwater  must  give 
way  to  others  that  Avill  ripen  earlier,  such  as  the 
Clinton,  Northern  Muscadine,  Diana,  Rebecca, 
Concord,  and  perhaps  many  others  equally  good 
which  have  ripened  well  here  this  season,  while 
as  much  cannot  be  said  of  the  older  varieties. 
Thanks,  very  many,  to  the  efi'orts  of  horticultur- 
ists who  have  labored  so  perseveringly  in  this 
matter.  I  was  surprised  to  find  so  good  a  tast- 
ing grape  in  the  well  ripened  specimens  of  the 
Northern  Muscadine.  Mr.  Tobie,  at  Lewiston, 
has  succeeded  remarkably  well  in  the  open  cul- 
ture of  the  grape.  As  attention  has  been  paid 
the  present  season  to  girdling  the  vines  to  facil- 
itate their  ripening,  I  would  mention  that  I  have 
accomplished  the  same  thing  simply  by  partially 
breaking  the  vine  above  the  cluster  just  sufficient 
to  impair  circulation.  I  do  not  remember  whether 
the  idea  is  original  with  me  or  not. 

There  was  a  large  display  of  butter  and  cheese 
of  most  excellent  quality.  Among  the  most  im- 
portant contributions  was  that  of  agricultural  im- 
plements and  labor-saving  machines,  by  your 
friend  C.  Keyes,  who  has  opened  an  agricultural 
warehouse  at  Lewiston.  Mr.  K.  appears  to  be 
just  the  man  for  the  place,  and  we  hope  the  time 
will  not  be  far  distant  when  the  farmers  of  Maine 
will  find  his  rooms  the  head-qi?arters  in  this  sec- 
tion of  the  State.  He  owns  an  extensive  scythe 
and  tool  factory  in  Wilton,  and  is  capable  of  do- 
ing immense  good  to  the  fai-ming  interests  of 
the  State.  Procuring  of  him  one  of  your  Ma!?sa- 
chusetts  apple  harvesters,  I  had  to  exhibit  it  all 


534 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Nov. 


the  Avay  home  in  the  cars,  the  same  as  if  it  had 
been  a  bear. 

On  the  third  day  an  address  was  delivered  by 
your  correspondent,  to  a  large  crowd  of  farmers 
and  their  wives,  sons  and  daughters,  who  never 
look  more  interesting  than  on  such  an  occasion. 
In  the  afternoon  an  equestrian  exhibition  of  the 
ladies  took  place. 

One  or  two  features  of  the  exhibition  took 
place,  worthy  of  notice.  One  was  the  privilege  of 
attaching  the  name  of  the  exhibitor  to  his  arti- 
cles as  soon  as  the  committee  have  completed 
their  examination.  It  enhances  the  value  of  an 
exhibition  very  much.  Another  was  for  the  first 
time  introduced  to  our  county  fairs,  the  attach- 
ment of  different  colored  ribbons,  according  to 
the  degree  of  merit  in  the  animals.  The  effect, 
as  they  appeared  in  procession,  was  very  pretty. 
I  have  seen  no  happier  boy  for  many  a  day,  than 
one  I  met  on  his  way  home,  with  his  pair  of  steers 
decked  out  with  a  badge  on  their  horns.  Anoth- 
er feature  was  the  promptness  with  which  all  the 
operations  of  the  society  were  dispatched.  This 
was  owing  to  the  tact  of  the  President,  Hon. 
Robert  Martix,  who  was  always  ready  to  pro- 
ceed to  action  at  the  appointed  moment. 

After  an  absence  of  eleven  years,  I  was  sur- 
prised to  find  such  an  investment  of  capital  in 
Lewiston.  There  is  no  mistaking  the  fact  that 
the  place  is  destined  ere  long  to  be  one  of  the 
great  manufacturing  cities  of  the  land.  The 
water  power  is  immense.  A  hundred  Irishmen 
are  now  at  work  by  the  company,  grading  streets 
and  foundations  for  new  factories.  The  founda- 
tions of  a  large  city  are  all  marked  out,  and  will 
soon  be  occupied.  The  factories  are  all  running 
and  indicate  a  revival  of  business  on  a  surer  ba- 
sis than  during  past  years.  But  fearing  I  shall 
not  interest  your  readers,  I  will  close. 

Betliel,  Me.,  Oct.  1th,  1858.  N.  T.  T. 


Fur  the  New  England  Farmer. 
MANGOLD  WURTZELS. 

Mr.  Editor  : — For  some  time  past,  I  have 
been  desirous  of  placing  before  the  readers  of 
the  Neiu  England  Farmer  a  statement  concerning 
the  raising  of  mangold  wurtzels.  Every  farmer 
is  interested  in  the  production  of  all  articles  by 
which  he  can  the  better  improve  the  condition  of 
his  stock,  and  if  by  the  production  of  these  vege- 
tables he  can  do  that,  he  will  give  his  attention 
to  it. 

For  the  past  two  years  I  have  raised  mangold 
wurtzels,  for  the  purpose  of  trying  the  experi- 
ment, and  of  satisfying  myself  as  to  the  profi- 
tableness of  the  production.  This  year  I  planted 
a  small  piece,  4  rods  by  5,  containing  one-eighth 
of  an  acre  of  land.  I  plowed  the  land  last  fall 
and  put  on  a  good  coat  of  manure.  This  spring 
I  cross-plowed,  and  harrowed  it.  I  planted  the 
seeds  in  hills  one  and  a  half  feet  apart  and  the 
rows  two  feet  apart.  Many  of  the  seeds,  owing 
to  the  wetness  of  the  spring,  or  from  some  other 
cause,  rotted,  and  did  not  germinate,  and  plants 
from  other  hills  were  transplanted  to  supply  the 
deficiency.  The  weeds  were  kept  doMn  by  hoe- 
ing two  or  three  times  during  the  summer.  This 
fall  I  gathered  IGO  bushels  from  the  piece  of 
giound.  Many  of  them  were  very  large,  weigh- 
ing from  12  to   lo  pounds;    and  one  measured 


29  inches  in  circumference,  and  weighed  16^ 
pounds.  Many  of  them  measured  25  inches  in 
circumference.  At  this  rate  1280  bushels  can  be 
raised  from  the  acre,  or  allowing  only  1000 
bushels  to  the  acre,  which  I  consider  a  moderate 
crop,  for  land  under  good  cultivation,  can  farmers 
raise  anything  which  will  be  more  profitable  ?  1 
planted  these  roots  on  moist  land,  and  am  satis- 
fied that  I  cannot  raise  anything  so  profitable  for 
stock  from  the  same  piece  of  land.  I  hope  the 
farmers  in  this  vicinity  will  consider  this  subject, 
and  try  the  experiment,  to  satisfy  themselves  of 
the  expediency  of  raising  these  roots  for  their 
stock. 

If  none  of  the  seeds  had  rotted,  I  am  satisfied 
that  the  crop  would  have  been  larger,  for  none 
of  those  which  were  transplanted  grew  as  large 
as  those  which  remained  in  the  original  hill. 

Epping,  N.  II.,  Oct.  dfh,  1858.  B.  F.  P. 


Fur  the  Neir  England  Farmer. 
RAMBLES  AMONG    ROCKS,  COWTINTJED, 

There  is  something  in  a  rocky  region  which 
serves  a  wonderful  purpose  in  developing  men, 
and  making  them  up  to  a  manly  greatness.  But 
it  has  not  occurred  to  every  thinker,  that  in  sueh 
places  even  pigs  may  come  to  a  perfection  of 
training,  and  to  a  discipline  of  manners  such  as 
is  seldom  seen  in  pigdom. 

While  stopping  for  a  short  time  in  a  manufac- 
turing village  within  twelve  or  fifteen  miles  of 
the  city  of  Providence,  I  had  occasion  to  call 
upon  a  farmer,  and  was  kindly  escorted  to  his 
house  by  a  generous  friend  who  led  the  way  like 
a  good  pioneer.  Just  as  we  were  about  to  touch 
the  stone  steps  of  his  stone  mansion,  I  felt  rub- 
bing against  my  ankle  what  I  instantly  supposed 
to  be  a  kind  and  cousinly  kitten.  Upon  looking 
down  I  was  taken  with  quite  a  spirit  of  wonder,  for 
the  soft  salutation,  so  feelingly  given,  I  at  once 
discovered,  had  come  from  a  pig.  He  was  too  small 
a  pig  to  do  much  in  the  way  of  verifying  Scrip- 
ture, whatever  quantity  of  pearls  might  be  cast 
before  him  ;  but  there  was  something  so  gentle- 
manly in  the  manners  of  his  pigship  as  to  awak- 
en considerable  curiosity.  He  had  a  cleanly- 
looking  face,  as  though  recently  from  the  place 
where  the  sow  we  read  of  in  Scripture  had  been. 
His  hair  lay  straight  and  orderly,  as  though  some 
peculiar  matron  had  mistaken  his  head  for  that 
of  her  husband,  and  had  done  the  combing.  His 
eye  had  as  real  a  jewel  in  it  as  ever  pig's  e3'e 
possessed.  His  nose,  judging  by  one  of  Napole- 
on's rules,  indicated  considerable  talent  and  en- 
terprise. His  body  was  fashioned  after  a  favor- 
ite model  of  piggy  formation,  and  about  six 
inches  long,  omitting  the  shore  ends,  that  is,  the 
head  and  tail.  We  afterwards  learned  that  his 
proportions  had  been  wonderfully  enlarged  with- 
in a  few  days.  He  then  weighed,  as  we  learned, 
the  important  amount  of  four  pounds. 

My  companion  and  guide  was  immediately 
pleased  and  interested  with  the  little  fellow,  view- 
ing the  neatness  of  his  nose,  the  graceful  turn  of 
his  tail,  the  gentleness,  modesty  and  manline&s 
of  his  motions.  Indeed,  he  seemed  to  be  a  won- 
derful pig  ;  but  whether  born  to  be  a  pet  or  a 
porker,  to  occupy  a  filthy  pen  or  a  neat  parlor, 
we  were  un'tible   to  decide  without  learning  his 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


535 


past  history  and  future  prospects.  So,  after  ex- 
changing salutations  with  him,  and  expressing 
compliments,  the  signal  M'as  given  at  the  door 
that  admission  'svas  desired  into  the  house  of  the 
pig's  protector. 

Immediately  we  heard  the  sound  of  footsteps, 
as  of  a  lady  descending  a  flight  of  stairs.  The 
door  opened.  A  gentle  lady  greeted  us,  and  in- 
vited us  up  stairs  to  the  apartments  occupied  by 
her  husband.  Piggy  thereupon  essayed  to  go  up 
also,  but  she  told  him  to  remain.  He  had  already 
indicated  his  desire  for  a  more  exalted  position, 
by  ascending  the  stone  steps  and  putting  his  for- 
vvard  feet  upon  the  threshold.  But  he  stood, 
looking  no  little  disappointed  at  the  turn  things 
were  taking,  when  the  lady  directed  him  to  wait 
below. 

My  friend  was  moved  in  behalf  of  the  little 
fellow,  who  stood  silent  and  sad,  as  quite  broken- 
hearted ;  although  in  his  bitter  grief  he  was  not 
•^ble  to  cast  forth  a  single  pearly  tear.  He  re- 
quested, as  a  special  favor,  that  the  pioneer  of 
pig-greatness  might  be  permitted  to  pursue  what- 
ever course  his  good  judgment  might  dictate. 
The  lady  gracefully  assented.  We  ascended  a 
high  and  steep  flight  of  stairs,  when  our  lady 
friend,  with  a  very  nimble  movement,  ascended, 
allowing  the  pig  prodigy  to  scamper  up  by  her 
side.  The  lady  started  with  some  two  steps  from 
the  door  advantage  of  her  competitor,  and  reached 
the  top  stair  at  the  same  instant  it  was  touched 
by  his  hind  hoofs. 

He  was  allowed,  for  a  few  moments,  to  enjoy 
the  liberty  of  the  whole  house,  to  show  how  well 
he  could  behave.  Whether  in  the  kitchen  or  the 
parlor,  he  seemed  to  know  how  to  observe  the 
proprieties  of  the  place. 

This  gentlemanly  little  pig,  we  were  told, 
weighed  the  whole  of  about  four  pounds,  exclu- 
sive of  the  weight  of  his  profound  wisdom  and 
understanding.  The  owner  puts  a  high  price 
upon  the  interest  he  has  in  the  pig  ;  so  that,  fond 
of  money  as  he  is,  he  peremptorily  refused  a 
quarter  of  a  dollar  per  pound  for  him. 

It  is  interesting  to  farmers  to  know  what 
princely  wisdom  may  be  put  into  the  form  of  a 
pig  ;  and  hov/  pigs  can  be  taught  and  trained  in 
the  ways  of  good  behavior.  I  would  that  all 
children,  in  city  and  country,  were  as  well  in- 
structed and  disiciplined.  C. 

Eliode  Island,  Oct.  2,  1858. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
FAST  HOBSES. 

The  operations  on  the  race  course  yesterday 
(or  rather  the  want  of  operation  there)  strongly 
confirm  the  impressions  that  I  have  entertained, 
of  the  inexpediency  of  these  trials  of  speed. 
After  the  imposition  that  was  practiced  upon  the 
multitude,  of  taking  their  money,  for  what  it  was 
known  at  the  time  would  not  bo  exhibited,  it  is 
quite  astonishing  that  the  crowd  should  have  re- 
tired so  quietly  from  the  field.  When  it  appeared 
by  the  letter  of  Mr.  Warren,  that  he  had  been 
notified  by  Mr.  G.  that  liis  horse  would  not  be 
wanted  tliat  day — it  was  very  clear,  that  Mr.  G. 
was  playing  a  trickish  game  with  all  that  were 
admitted.  So  has  it  ever  been,  with  all  the  trials 
of  speed  that  I  have  ever  witnessed.  *. 

Od.  loth,  1858. 


Middlesex  Agkicultural  Society.  —  At 
the  Annual  meeting  of  this  Society,  holden  at 
Concord,  on  the  29th  of  September,  officers  for 
the  ensuing  year  were  elected  as  follows  : — JonN 
S.  IvEYEs,  President ;  Geo.  O.  Brastow,  An- 
drew Wellington,  Vice-Presidents ;  Joseph 
Keynolds,  Secretary;  George  Heywood, 
Treasurer.  A  new  Board  of  Trustees  was  also 
elected. 

BOYS'-  DEPARTMENT. 


THE  STRUGGLE  AND  THE  VICTOKY. 

"Johnny,"  said  a  farmer  to  his  little  boy,  "it  is 
time  for  you  to  go  to  the  pasture  and  drive  home 
the  cattle." 

Johnny  was  playing  ball,  and  the  pasture  was 
a  long  way  off;  but  he  was  accustomed  to  obey, 
so  off  he  started  without  a  word,  as  fast  as  his 
legs  could  carry  him. 

Being  in  a  great  hurry  to  get  back  to  play,  he 
only  half  let  down  the  bars,  and  then  hurried 
the  cattle  through,  and  one  fine  cow,  in  trying  to 
crowd  over,  stumbled  and  fell  with  her  leg  broken. 

Johnny  stood  by  the  sufi"ering  creature,  and 
thought  to  himself,  "Now  what  shall  I  do  ?  That 
was  the  finest  cow  father  had,  and  it  will  have  to 
be  killed,  and  it  will  be  a  great  loss  to  father. 
What  shall  I  tell  him  ?" 

"Tell  him,"  whispered  the  tempter,  the  same 
tempter  that  puts  wicked  thoughts  into  all  our 
hearts,  "tell  him  you  found  the  bars  half  down, 
and  the  creature  lying  here."  "No,  I  can't  say 
that,"  said  Johnny,  "for  that  would  be  a  lie." 

"Tell  him,"  whispered  the  tempter  again,  "that 
while  you  were  driving  the  cows,  that  big  boy  of 
Farmer  Brown's  threw  a  stone,  and  hurried  that 
cow  so  that  she  fell."  "No,  no,"  said  Johnny ; 
'I  never  told  a  lie,  and  I  won't  begin  now.  I'll 
tell  father  the  truth.  It  was  all  my  fault.  I  was 
in  a  hurry,  and  I  frig?itened  the  poor  creature, 
and  she  fell  and  broke  her  leg." 

So  having  taken  this  right  and  brave  resolve, 
Johnny  ran  home  as  if  he  was  afraid  the  tempter 
would  catch  him,  and  he  went  straight  to  his  fa- 
ther and  told  him  the  whole  truth.  And  what 
did  his  father  do  ?  He  laid  his  hand  on  Johnny's 
head  and  said,  "My  son,  my  dear  son,  I  would 
rather  lose  every  cow  I  own,  than  that  my  boy 
should  tell  me  an  untruth." 

And  Johnny,  though  very  sorry  for  the  mis- 
chief he  had  done,  was  much  happier  than  if  he 
had  lied  to  screen  himself,  even  if  he  had  never 
been  found  out. 


DO  THE  BIGHT  THING. 

Whenever  you  are  in  doubt  which  of  two  things 
to  do,  let  your  decision  be  for  that  v.'hich  is  right. 
Do  not  waver,  do  not  parley ;  but  square  up  to 
the  msrk,  and  do  the  right  thing.  Boy  !  when 
you  divide  that  apple  with  your  little  sister,  be 
careful  not  to  keep  the  largest  half  for  yourself. 
Young  man !  don't  sneak  out  of  the  basement, 
door  because  you  wish  to  escape  your  father's 
eyes.  Maiden  !  let  not  the  most  trifling  deceit 
pass  current  in  those  little  acts  which  make  the 
sum  of  your  life. 

No  matter  who  you  are,  what  your  lot,  or  where 
you  live,  you  cannot  afford  to  do  that  which  is 
wrong.     The  ouly  way  to  obtain  happiness  andiil 


636 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Nov. 


pleasure  yourself  is  to  do  the  right  thing.  You 
may  not  always  hit  the  mark ;  but  you  should, 
nevertheless,  always  AIM  AT  IT,  and  with  every 
trial  your  skill  will  increase.  AVhether  you  are 
to  be  praised  or  blamed  for  it  by  others  ;  wheth- 
er it  will  seemingly  make  you  richer  or  poorer, 
or  whether  no  other  person  than  yourself  knows 
of  your  action,  still,  always,  and  in  all  cases,  do 
the  right  thing.  Your  first  lessons  in  this  will 
grow  easier,  until  finally  doing  the  right  thing 
will  become  a  habit,  and  to  do  a  wrong  will  seem 
an  absolute  impossibility. 

LADIES'  DEPaStMENT; 


-WEBSTER  MATCHED  BY  A  TVOMAN. 

In  the  somewhat  famous  case  of  Mrs.  Bodgen's 
will,  which  was  tried  in  the  Supreme  Court  some 
years  ago,  Mr.  Webster  appeared  as  counsellor 
for  the  appellent.  Mrs.  Greenough,  wife  of  Rev. 
Wm.  Greenough,  late  of  West  Newton,  a  tall, 
straight,  queenly-looking  woman,  with  a  keen 
black  eye — a  woman  of  great  self-possession  and 
decision  of  character,  was  called  to  the  stand  as 
a  witness  on  the  opposite  side  from  Mr.  Webster. 
Webster,  at  a  glance,  had  the  sagacity  to  foresee 
that  her  testimony,  if  it  contained  anything  of 
importance,  would  have  great  weight  with  the 
court  and  jury.  He  therefore  resolved,  if  possi- 
ble, to  break  her  up.  And  when  she  answered 
to  the  first  question  put  to  her,  "I  believe,"  Web- 
ster roared  out,  "We  don't  want  to  hear  what  you 
believe  ;  we  w^ant  to  hear  what  you  know  !"  Mrs. 
Greenough  replied,  "That  is  just  what  I  was 
about  tc  say,  sir,"  and  went  on  with  her  testimony. 

And  notwithstanding  his  repeated  efi'orts  to 
disconcert  her,  she  pursued  the  even  tenor  of  her 
way,  until  Webster,  becoming  quite  fearful  of 
the  result,  arose  apparently  in  great  agitation, 
and  drawing  out  his  large  snuff'-box,  thrust  his 
thumb  and  finger  to  the  very  bottom,  and  carry- 
ing the  deep  pinch  to  both  nostrils,  drew  it  up 
with  a  gusto  ;  and  then  extracting  from  his  pock- 
et a  very  large  handkerchief,  which  flowed  to  his 
feet  as  he  brought  it  to  the  front,  he  blew  bis 
nose  with  a  report  that  rang  distant  and  loud 
through  the  crowded  hall.  Webster — "Mrs. 
Greenough,  was  Mrs.  Bodgen  a  neat  woman  ?" 
Mrs.  Greenough — "I  cannot  give  you  very  full 
information  as  to  that,  sir ;  she  had  one  very  dirty 
trick."  Webster— "What's  that,  ma'am  ?"  Mrs. 
Greenough — "She  took  snufi'.!"  The  roar  of  the 
court-house  was  such  that  the  future  defender  <-f 
the  constitution  subsided,  and  neither  rose  nor 
spoke  again  until  after  Mrs.  Greenough  had  va- 
cated her  chair  for  another  witness — having  am- 
ple time  to  reflect  upon  the  inglorious  history  of 
the  man  who  had  a  stone  thrown  at  his  head  by 
a  woman. 

DOMESTIC  BECEIPTS. 
A  Hard  and  Durable  Soap. — A  patent  has 
been  granted  in  England  for  an  improvement  in 
the  manufacture  of  soap,  by  the  addition  of  sul- 
phate of  lime  to  the  usual  ingredients  employed 
in  its  manufacture.  The  sulphate  may  be  added 
to  the  soap  in  a  dry  powder,  or  in  admixture 
with  any  of  the  usual  ingredients  employed  in 
the  manufacture  of   soap.     The   proportions   of 


the  sulphate  which  it  is  best  to  employ,  vary  ac- 
cording to  the  article  manipulated  upon,  and  the 
quality  of  the  soap  to  be  produced.  Thus  about 
twelve  ounces  of  dry  sulphate  is  sufficient  for 
one  ton  of  best  soap,  whereas,  in  common  or 
highly  liquored  soap,  six  or  eight  pounds  may  be 
used  with  advantage.  Soap,  made  with  the  ad- 
dition of  sulphate  of  lime,  becomes  hardened, 
keeps  dry,  and  is  not  liable  to  shrink  while  in 
water,  its  durability  is  increased,  and  it  does  not 
wear  or  waste  away  before  its  cleansing  proper- 
ties are  brought  into  action. — Scientific  Ameri- 
can. 

Indian  Bannock. — Take  one  pint  of  Indian 
meal,  stir  into  it  a  pint  of  sour  milk — fresh  but- 
termilk is  better — half  a  teaspoonful  of  salt,  a 
spoonful  of  molasses,  and  a  spoonful  of  melted 
butter.  Beat  two  eggs  and  add,  and  then  stir  in 
a  pint  of  wheat  flour  ;  then  thin  it  with  milk  to 
the  consistency  of  drop  cakes,  and  when  ready  to 
bake,  add  two  heaping  teaspoonfuls  of  soda  dis- 
solved in  hot  water.  Pour  in  square  buttered 
pans  an  inch  thick,  and  bake  fifteen  minutes. 
This  quantity  makes  two  pans.     Try  it. 

Vermin  Riddance. — Half  an  ounce  of  soap 
boiled  in  a  pint  of  water  and  put  on  with  a  brush, 
while  boiling  hot,  infallibly  destroys  the  bugs  and 
their  eggs.  Flies  are  dri\en  out  of  a  room  by 
hanging  up  a  bunch  of  the  plantain  or  fleawort 
plant  after  it  nas  been  dipped  in  milk.  Rats  and 
mice  speedily  disappear  by  mixing  equal  quanti- 
ties of  strong  cheese  and  powdered  squills.  They 
devour  this  mixture  with  greediness,  while  it  is 
innocuous  to  man.  When  it  is  remembered  how 
many  persons  have  lost  their  lives  by  swallow- 
ing in  mistake  mixtures  of  strychnine,  ratsbane, 
coiTosive  sublimate,  &c.,  which  are  commonly 
employed  for  this  purpose,  it  becomes  a  matter 
of  humanity  to  publish  these  items. — Hall's  Med- 
ical Journal. 

Washington  Cake. — Heat  together  one  quart 
of  milk,  and  one  ounce  of  butter ;  when  about 
lukewarm,  pour  them  into  two  pounds  of  flour, 
adding  a  cent's  worth  of  yeast,  three  eggs,  and  a 
tablespoonful  of  salt.  Place  the  batter  in  pans, 
let  it  stand  over  night,  and  the  next  morning 
bake  it  in  a  quick  oven  for  three-quarters  of  an 
hour. 

Loaf  Cake. — Three  teacupfuls  of  light  dough, 
one  teacupful  of  sugar,  one  teacupful  of  butter, 
two  eggs,  one  teaspoonful  of  pearlash,  and  two  or 
three  large  tablespoonfuls  of  milk  ;  add  also  a 
half  pound  of  raisins.  After  it  is  thoroughly 
worked  together,  put  the  dough  into  the  pans, 
and  raise  until  it  becomes  light.  Bake  in  a  slow 
oven. 

What  the  Girls  Need. — Mrs.  Ellis  thus 
hints  at  the  deficiencies  of  the  English  girls  in 
household  knowledge.  The  cap  will  fit  our  Amer- 
ican young  ladies,  except  that  some  of  the  latter 
have  plenty  of  "frankness,"  and  do  not  think  it 
woi'th  while  even  to  show  "mock  modesty." 

"The  truth  is,  my  dear  girls,  you  want,  gener- 
ally speaking,  more  liberty  and  less  fashionable 
restraint ;  more  kitchen  and  less  parlor  ;  more 
leg  exercise  and  less  sofa ;  more  making  pud- 
dings and  less  piano  ;  more  frankness  and  less 
mock  modesty;  more  breakfast  and  less  bustle." 


■DEVOTED   TO   AGBICULTUilE    AND    ITS  KINDKED   ARTS  AND    SCIENCES. 


VOL.  X. 


BOSTON,  DECEMBER,  1858. 


NO.  12. 


JOEL  N0UR3E,  Propribtob. 
Office. ..13  Commercial  St. 


SIMON  BROWN,  EDITOR. 


FRED'K  HOLBROOK,  )  Associate 
HENRY  F.  FRENCH,  (  Editors 


CAIiSNDAR   rOR  DECEMBER. 

"What's  that  to  me,  /  cannnt  stay  ;  rememl>er, 
I  am  the  thirty  first  of  old  December." 

'•In  April  or  in  May, 
A  pleasant  garden,  full  of  fragrant  flowers, 
When  the  fresh  earth,  new  clad  in  garments  gay, 
Decks  every  wood  and  grove  with  pleasant  bowers. 
And  now  again  on  some  Decesiber's  day 
We  see  it  marred  with  winter's  storms  and  showers." 

ECEMBER.     The  days 
are  now  the  short- 
est.  The  sun,  from 
the    distant   south^ 
throws  his  rays  up- 
on   us    for    a    few 
short   hours,     and 
^1\^^-^  [U@  !^.^  ^^^'    ^°   obliquely, 
Ifrff'^^'^^'^S  that  they  produce 
'"  '  '      ^      T*!  but   little    impres- 
r^        --  ^'°'-^  upon  the   at- 
•v-.,a3^-=--    mosphere    or     the 
earth. 
^^  \-^-^  Now  is  the  night 

of    the   year, — the 
time  of  its  rest — when  veg. 
~"""^-  I  etables  and  hybernating  an- 

imals and  insects  are  taking 
their  sleep.  All  vegetable  life  re- 
quires a  season  of  rest.  In,  more 
southern  climes,  the  leaves  wither, 
and  dry  and  fall,  before  they  are  touched  by  the 
frost,  and  the  trees  remain  naked  and  desolate, 
until  the  rainy  season  awakens  them  into  new 
life  and  activity.  The  trees  that  open  their  buds 
and  expand  their  leaves  in  February  and  March, 
drop  their  fruit  in  July  and  August,  and  com- 
mence their  season  of  rest,  while  with  us,  the 
trees  that  open  their  buds  in  May,  retain  their 
leaves  till  the  frosts  of  October  paint  them  with 
a  hundred  brilliant  hues. 

Every  climate  has  its  own  season  of  rest.  In 
tropical  climates,  animals  and  insects  which  re- 
quire a  season  of  rest,  burrow  into  the  earth  to 
avoid  the  heat  and  drought,  o.nd  remain  in  a  dor- 


mant state  until  the  returning  moisture  recalls 
them  to  life  and  action.  In  the  regions  of  the 
north,  they  go  into  the  earth,  and  into  caves  and 
holes,  to  avoid  the  destructive  effects  of  the  cold 
and  frost,  and  hybernate  until  the  genial  breath 
of  spring  quickens  the  organs  of  their  peculiar 
forms  of  life,  when  they  come  forth,  each  to  his 
appropriate  work. 

The  Summer  is  for  man,  also,  the  season  of  la- 
bor, and  the  Winter  the  season  of  rest,  when  he 
may  enjoy  the  fruits  of  his  labor,  and  the  pleasures 
appropriate  to  theWinter,  and  recruit  his  exhaust- 
ed energies  for  the  demands  of  another  year.  The 
Winter  is  with  us  peculiarly  the  season  for  social 
enjoyment  and  intellectual  improvement.  Our 
long  winter  evenings  afford  abundant  opportuni- 
ty for  visiting  and  social  intercourse,  and  fireside 
pleasures.  Evening  schools,  singing  schools,  lec- 
tures, religious  meetings,  and  public  and  private 
entertainmants  afford  to  all  classes  abundant  op- 
portunity for  pleasure,  or  instruction,  or  both, 
suited  to  their  respective  tastes.  The  lectures 
which  are  now  so  common  all  over  the  country, 
have  become  an  important  institution  for  good  o-r 
for  evil.  The  lyceum  has  to  a  great  extent  changed 
its  original  purpose,  which  was  mutual  instruc- 
tion, the  development  of  the  faculties  and  the 
cultivation  of  the  talents  of  its  members,  by  the 
mutual  pursuit  of  scientific  or  literary  studies. 

The  lyceum  lecture  has  now  become  more  a 
matter  of  entertainment,  and  our  people  have  be- 
come as  fastidious,  in  the  choice  of  lecturers,  as 
city  audiences  are  in  the  choice  of  actors  on  the 
boards  of  the  theatre.  Instruction  the  most  solid, 
sentiments  the  most  pure  and  elevating,  and  a 
style  the  most  chaste  and  beautiful,  will  by  no 
means  satisfy  the  demands  of  our  exacting  audi- 
ences. Startling  paradoxes,  sparkling  thoughts, 
brilliant  illustrations,  glowing  descriptions,  and 
the  music  of  eloquence,  are  demanded,  at  what- 
ever cost.  We  do^ibt  whether  the  style  of  lec» 
turing  now  in  vogue  is  the  most  useful,  either 
to  the  risen,  or  rising  generation.  Lectures  which 


538 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Dec 


teach  the  hearers  to  think  and  reflect,  which  ex- 
tend their  acquaintance  with  nature  and  art,  with 
language  and  men,  and  which  enforce  lessons  of 
duty  and  worship,  better  meet  the  purposes  for 
which  the  lyceum  was  intended,  and  for  which  it 
is  needed.  It  is,  and  should  be,  one  of  the  means 
of  education  in  the  community.  When  it  is  made 
merely  a  source  of  amusement,  like  the  theatre, 
and  the  opera,  let  it  be  so  understood,  and  so 
called.  Let  it  take  some  other  name,  and  fall  in- 
to its  own  proper  class,  and  not,  under  the  guise 
of  a  false  name,  draw  in  toils  support  those  who 
are  seeking  instruction,  and  not  mere  entertain- 
ment. 

We  have  no  objection,  certainly,  to  public  or 
private  amusements,  when  properly  conducted, 
but  we  are  sorry  to  see  an  institution  capable  of 
conferring  so  much  benefit  upon  every  communi- 
ty where  it  is  sustained,  perverted  from  its  high 
end  and  purpose.  It  does  no  good  to  complain 
of  the  managers  and  curators  of  our  lyceums. 
They  will  cater  to  the  tastes  of  those  who  elect 
them.  The  only  way  to  restore  the  Institution 
to  itsti'ue  purpose,  is  to  elect  for  its  manacfement 
men  who  will  make  it  what  it  should  be.  Farm- 
ers and  their  families  are  interested  in  this  mat- 
ter, for   they  aid  in  sustaining  the  lyceum,   and 


over  the  matter,  until  they  have  the  appointment 
of  teachers.  In  all  our  larger  towns,  this  power 
is  put  into  their  hands.  Where  this  is  not  the 
case,  districts  should  appoint  men,  who  will  not 
regard  district  limits,  relationship,  or  any  outside 
influences,  but  procure  the  best  teachers  within 
their  reach. 

When  the  school  has  commenced,  see  that  your 
children  are  well  supplied  with  books,  and  are  at 
school  every  day,  and  pundually  at  the  opening 
hour.  To  the  older  scholars,  those  whose  time  is 
most  valuable  at  home,  and  whom,  therefore, 
you  are  the  most  often  tempted  to  keep  at  home 
to  assist  you,  this  winter  is  of  inestimable  value. 
Perhaps  it  is  the  last  season  they  will  attend 
school,  and  nothing  but  absolute  necessity,  should 
be  allowed  to  break  in  upon  their  time,  and  in- 
terrupt their  studies.  They  should  be  furnished 
with  every  facility,  and  encouraged  to  make  the 
best  use  of  their  days  and  evenings  to  acquire 
that  knowledge  which  can  alone  fit  them  for  use- 
fulness and  respectability. 

The  introduction  of  a  reasonable  number  of 
new  books  into  schools  increases  the  pleasure 
and  interest  of  the  scholars  in  their  studies,  and 
parents  should  not  grudge  the  cost.  Committees 
should  use  their  best  judgment  in  this  matter, 


they  should  not  leave  its  management  wholly  to  without  paying  any  regard  to  the  written  or  per- 


the  young  men  in  the  villages,  who  are  too  apt 
to  prefer  amusement  to  instruction. 

Our  Winter  Schools  commence  with  this 
month.  Parents  of  all  classes  and  occupations, 
should  unite  to  secure  for  them  that  success 
which  their  importance  demands.  Where  the  old 
system  oi prudential  committees  is  continued,  the 
chief  responsibility  rests  with  the  primary  district 
meetings.  They  should  appoint  the  raost  intelli- 
gent, public  spirited  and  independent  men  among 
them,  to  select  and  aid  the  teacher,  and  make 
the  necessary  arrangements  for  the  season.  They 
should  never  elect  a  committee  man  in  order  that 
some  one  in  the  district  may  be  employed  to 
teach,  and  the  money  be  kept  in  the  district. 
This  is  a  miserable  and  narrow-minded  policy. 
As  a  general  rule,  teachers,  and  especially  young 
teachers,  should  not  teach  in  the  district  where 
they  reside  and  have  attended  school.  It  was  re- 
corded as  one  of  the  experiences  of  human  life, 
more  than  eighteen  hundred  years  ago,  that  "a 
prophet  is  not  without  honor  but  in  his  own 
country,  and  among  his  own  kin,  and  in  his  own 
nouse,"  and  the  experience  of  the  eighteen  hun- 
dred years  since,  has  not  shown  any  change  in 
Jiuman  nature,  in  this  respect. 

Notwithstanding  the  position  and  permanence 
given  to  town  committees  by  the  statutes  of  some 
States,  the  results  of  our  schools  must  and  will 
depend  mainly  upon  the  prudential  committees. 
Town  committees  can  have  but  a  limited  control 


sonal  application  of  publishers  or  their  agents. 
Encourage  teachers  in  the  discharge  of  their  re- 
sponsible duties.  Visit  your  school  occasionally, 
and  speak  a  word  of  commendation  to  both  teach- 
ers and  pupils.  In  this  way  you  may  do  more 
good  than  you  can  be  aware  of.  The  teacher  who 
feels  that  he  has  the  countenance  and  aid  of  the 
parents,  will  labor  not  only  with  more  pleasure, 
but  with  more  success.  The  teacher  is  doing 
your  work  for  you,  and  he  or  she  is  certainly  en- 
titled to  your  support  and  assistance.  Be  sure 
you  never  throw  hindrances  or  obstacles  in  his 
way.  We  have  written  quite  a  dissertation  upon 
school  management.  But  the  subject  is  one  of 
immense  importance.  The  care  of  your  chil- 
dren Is  of  no  less  importance,  certainly,  than  that 
of  your  calves  and  colts  and  lambs,  and  their  fu- 
ture happiness  and  respectability  will  amply  re- 
pay all  your  efforts  in  their  behalf.  A  good  ed- 
ucation is  the  best  investment  you  can  make  for 
them.  It  will  make  them  not  only  better  and 
more  useful  men,  but  better  and  more  useful/ar- 
mers.  Is  not  this  an  appropriate  field  to  culti- 
vate in  December  ?  Does  not  it  promise  as  rich 
returns  as  any  field  of  your  Summer  culture  ?  As 
the  field  crops  had  your  earnest  care,  and  brought 
you  ample  reward,  let  this,  also,  receive  your 
special  attention,  and  your  reward  shall  be  great- 
er, even  than  in  those. 

December.  The  close  of  the  year  is  at  hand — 
a  fitting  goal  upon   which   to  pause  and  reflect. 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


539 


If  thou  hast  travelled  with  us,  kind  reader; 
through  these  twelve  essays,  one  for  each  Month, 
and  hast  not  found  the  way  wearisome  and  dull, 
there  must  now  be  a  sympathetic  chord  between 
us.  We  trust  that  it  shall  not  lapse  into  indif- 
ference, but  that  our  mutual  readings  and  writ- 
ings shall  tend  to  [illumine  all  our  paths,  and 
make  them  paths  of  profit  and  peace. 


FijT  the  Netc  England  Farmer. 
PRUNING   FRUIT   TREES. 

Friend  Brown: — On  or  about  the  first  of 
last  May,  wishing  to  till  a  portion  of  my  orchard, 
as  I  do  every  year,  for  the  benefit  of  the  trees,  I 
found  a  few  that  needed  pruning,  Avhich  I  com- 
menced to  do  ;  but  became  a  little  suspicious 
that  I  might  be  doing  wrong,  for  as  soon  as  the 
first  few  limbs  were  taken  off,  the  sap  flowed  from 
the  wounds  so  freely  that  it  ran  down  the  trunk 
to  the  ground.  Thinking  it  would  soon  stop,  I 
kept  on  with  the  operation,  and  trimmed  four  or 
five  good  sized,  valuable  trees,  considerably,  and 
others  but  little.  Four  of  the  five  that  were 
trimmed  the  most,  were  Rhode  Island  Greenings  ; 
the  other  a  natural,  late  fall  apple.  The  wounds 
on  the  last  mentioned  tree  did  not  run  much  at 
first,  and  soon  stopped;  but  the  Greening  trees 
coutinued  to  run  all  summer,  and  have  not  en- 
tirely done  yet.  The  wounds  were  painted  over 
soon  after  they  were  made,  but  the  paint  did  no 
good,  soon  coming  off — and  they  have  been,  and 
some  of  them  still  are,  covered  with  a  bitter 
filthy  gum,  and  the  bark  from  the  wounds  down- 
wards, in  some  instances  to  the  root,  is  stained, 
or  turned  black,  where  the  sap  has  run  down,  giv-j 
ing  it  a  very  unhealthy  appearance.  I 

On  looking  particularly  about  my  orchard,  last  I 
summer,  with  a  friend,  we  found  several  trees  i 
that  had  been  pruned,  some  one  and  some  two  i 
years  before — with  the  wounds  still  moist  withi 
the  flowing  sap ;  but  none  of  them  had  the  ap- , 
pearance  of  having  flowed  so  profusely  as  those 
that  were  pruned  last  May.  I  am  not  certain 
when  the  last  mentioned  pruning  was  done,  but  | 
presume  it  was  in  May,  or  the  first  of  June,  as  j 
that  is  the  time  that  I  have  usually  taken  to 
plow  my  orchard,  and  look  a  little  to  the  welfare 
of  my  fruit  trees. 

Now  can  you,  or  any  one  of  your  numerous 
correspondents,  explain  this  matter,  and  show 
me  and  others,  wherein  I  have  erred,  that  we 
may  do  better  for  the  future,  and  tell  me  what  I 
shall  do  to  save  my  trees  ?  I  am  fearful  that 
they  cannot  live ;  or  if  they  do,  that  they  can- 
not bear  fruit  with  such  a  drain  on  their  life- 
blood  as  they  have  had  to  sustain  since  they 
were  pruned,  but  a  few  years  at  most,  if  they  are 
not  ruined  already.  Thomas  Ellis. 

Rocliester,  Mass.,  October,  1858. 


sent  the  same  appearances  in  greater  or  less  de- 
gree. Our  fathers  were  an  exemplary  set  of  gen- 
tlemen in  a  great  many  things,  no  doubt,  but 
they  did  not  know  everything.  They  probably 
pruned  apple  trees  in  March  and  April,  because 
it  was  convenient,  and  as  they  did  not  graft  and 
bud,  and  produce  as  many  valuable  trees  as  we 
do  now,  they  cared  less  if  they  did  die,  and 
would  supply  their  places  with  another  set  of 
trees  of  natural  fruit.  But  with  a  clearer  light, 
their  sons  ought  to  know  better  than  to  begin  to 
destroy  their  orchards  just  as  they  are  coming  to 
maturity.  Many  of  them  do  know  better,  but 
with  precisely  such  examples  before  them  as  Mr. 
Ellis  describes,  still  persist  in  the  error.  Well, 
let  them  do  it,  if  they  will,  those  who  cultivate 
judiciously  will  reap  the  larger  profits. 

Who  can  tell  Mr.  Ellis  how  to  save  his  beauti- 
ful trees  ?  That  is  the  question  with  him.  The 
flowing  sap  from  these  wounds  in  the  spring,  will 
burst  off  paint,  shellac,  or  anything  else  we  have 
ever  known  tried.  It  is  a  disease  to  which  we 
cannot  minister.  Who  can  ?  But  we  can  tell 
you  how  to  prevent  it — and  prevention  is  better 
than  cure.  Prune  from  the  loth  of  June  to  the 
10th  of  July,  as  the  best  time,  of  in  October,  af- 
ter the  leaves  have  fallen. 


Remarks. — There  is  no  doubt,  whatever,  on 
our  minds,  what  has  caused  the  appearance  of 
the  trees  which  our  correspondent  describes — he 
pruned  tliem  at  the  wrong  season  of  the  year, 
when  the  sap  was  in  great  abundance,  and  very 
thin.  Nearly  all  the  orchards  in  New  England 
that  are  twenty-five  years  old  and  upwards,  pre- 


SnipriNG  Apples  to  Europe. — The  most 
successful  exporter  of  apples  from  this  country, 
R.  L.  Pell,  of  Ulster  County,  New  York,  owe^a 
considerable  portion  of  his  success  to  careful 
picking  and  careful  handling.  The  fruit  is  picked, 
one  apple  at  a  time,  from  the  tree  ;  when  trans- 
ferred from  the  hand-basket  to  the  larger  one, 
only  two  are  taken  at  a  time  by  hand.  These 
baskets  are  then  drawn,  not  even  on  a  spring 
v/agon,  but  on  a  sled,  to  the  building  for  storing, 
so  as  to  secure  them  from  jolting.  When  packed 
in  barrels  they  are  again  taken  two  at  a  time  by 
hand.  They  are  drawn  on  a  sled  to  the  North 
River,  and  lifted  by  two  men  on  board  the  steam- 
boat, to  be  taken  to  New  York  and  shipped. 
When  lowered  on  shipboard  they  are  caught,  one 
at  a  time,  on  men's  shoulders,  and  carefully  car- 
ried to  the  coolest  part  of  the  ship.  At  London 
they  are  carried  by  two  men  on  a  hand-barrow, 
with  the  same  care  that  we  carry  a  costly  looking- 
glass.  With  these  precautions  they  arrive  in 
London  in  better  order  than  market  apples  usu- 
ally reach  our  own  cities,  and  having  been  care 
fully  selected,  sell  for  $10  per  barrel,  and  some 
as  high  as  $20. 


TuE  California  Culturist. — This  is  the  ti- 
tle of  a  monthly,  published  at  San  Francisco  by 
Messrs.  Wadswortii  &  Turrell,  and  edited 
by  W.  Wadsworth.  It  is  printed  in  a  very 
high  style  of  the  art,  handsomely  illustrated  with 
engravings  of  fruits,  cattle,  &c.,  and  the  articles 
of  which  it  has  been  made  up  so  far,  are  well 
written  and  upon  important  topics. 


540 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Dec. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
FARMING  LIFE  IN  NEW  ENGLAND. 

Mr.  Editor  : — I  have  been  waiting  some 
weeks  In  the  hope  that  you  or  some  of  your  able 
correspondents  would  do  justice  to  an  article 
that  appeared  under  the  above  title  in  the  Au- 
gust number  of  the  "Atlantic  Mo?ithhj."  But  I 
have  waited  in  vain.  The  only  response  that  I 
have  seen,  is  from  a  lady  in  New  Hampshire. 
She,  justly  shocked  at  the  distorted  and  repulsive 
picture  of  her  sex  in  the  farm-homes  of  New 
England,  far  from  thanking  the  writer  for  his 
sympathy,  cries  out  in  indignant  tones,  "save  us 
from  such  friends."  Her  notice  of  the  article  af- 
fords one  proof,  which  the  editors  of  the  "Atlan- 
tic" will  not  surely  reject,  that  the  "child-bearing 
women"  in  the  farmers'  homes,  are  not  cared  for 
less  than  the  occupants  of  the  "farm-yard  and 
State,"  and  that  is,  that  the  Monthly  has  found 
its  way  to  Brentwood,  and  been  read  and  appre- 
ciated by  one  of  the  "ceaseless  ministers  and  ser- 
vants of  the  home."  Whether  she  is  now  enjoy- 
ing a  vacation,  having  been  "for  months  dismissed 
from  labor,"  or  whether  she  is  one  of  those  rare 
exceptions,  for  Avhich  there  is  reason  that  "Heav- 
en be  thanked  for  a  merciful  interference  with 
the  operation  of  its  own  laws,"  I  know  not.  But 
I  should  like  to  "look  at  her  hands,"  and  "look 
at  her  face."  Can  it  be  that  she  "secures  less 
consideration  than  the  pets  of  the  stall  ?"  But 
thanking  her  for  her  spirited  rebuke,  in  behalf 
of  our  sister  farmers,  I  will,  with  your  consent, 
occupy  some  space  in  your  columns,  in  behalf  of 
our  brother  farmers. 

It  was  with  no  little  surprise  that  I  read  the 
article  referred  to,  in  the  "Atlantic  ;  "  I  was  sur- 
prised and  ashamed  that  a  New  England  period- 
ical of  so  high  intellectual  character,  and  so  ex- 
tensively circulated  both  in  and  out  of  New  Eng- 
land, should  admit  into  its  pages  an  article  so 
crowded  with  false  views,  so  degrading  to  New 
England  character  and  reputation,  and  tending 
to  do  so  much  injury  to  the  best  interest  of  New 
England.  Had  it  appeared  in  some  paper  south 
of  Mason  and  Dixon's  line,  in  reply  to  some  ex- 
aggerated picture  of  slave  life,  by  some  "north- 
side"  man,  it  would  have  been  received  as  a  mat- 
ter of  course. 

You  will  permit  me  to  say,  Mr  Editor,  that  I 
was  mortified  to  find  a  portion  of  this  same  arti- 
cle quoted  into  the  New  England  Farmer,  thus 
giving  to  it  your  sanction  and  approbation  so  far 
as  a  quotation  can  give  it.  I  am  afraid  that  ed- 
itors sometimes  forget  that  one  of  the  meanings 
of  the  word  quote,  is  "to  laud,"  "to  commend," 
and  that  they  inadvertently  give  their  sanction  to 
sentiments  that  they  do  not  really  approve.  I 
think  the  quotation  referred  to  must  have  fnund 
its  way  into  your  paper  without  your  knowledge, 
for  I  cannot  believe  that  you  deliberately  intend- 
ed to  give  currency  to  notions  so  entirely  at  war 
with  facts,  and  with  the  general  tenor  and  style 
of  your  paper,  and  with  the  feelings  and  spirit  of 
your  life,  merely  because  they  were  found  in  a 
popular  magazine,  or  were  written  in  a  good 
style.  I  am  disposed  to  give  the  writer  all  the 
credit  he  merits,  and  I  do  not  hesitate  to  say  that 
he  has  a  fine  command  of  language,  ;;nd  con- 
structs his  senter.ces  with  a  good  deal  of  skill. 
He  writes  with  a  bold  hand,  and   in  a  brilliant 


style,  and  has  the  ability  to  "make  the  worse  ap- 
pear the  better  reason."  When  facts  are  wanting, 
he  can  readily  draw  upon  his  imagination.  His 
article  may  be  called  good  writing,  and  it  was 
this,  we  opine,  that  secured  it  a  place  in  the  re- 
spectable journal  which  it  disgraces. 

He  sets  out  with  affirming,  that  "New England 
does  not  produce  the  bread  she  eats,  nor  the  raw 
material  of  the  fabrics  she  wears."  What  then  ? 
Is  she  not  increasing  in  population  and  wealth 
with  wonderful  rapidity  ?  Is  it  not  to  her  credit, 
that  in  spite  of  her  hard  soil  and  rugged  climate, 
she  is  increasing  in  all  the  elements  of  material 
and  social  prosperity  ?  What  portion  of  our  coun- 
try, indeed  what  portion  of  the  world,  exhibits  so 
rapid  an  increase  in  the  means  of  social  comfort 
and  intellectual  culture  as  New  England  ?  And 
does  not  this  increase  depend  upon,  and  afford 
evidence  of  a  corresponding  increase  in  material 
wealth  ?  Do  England  or  Belgium  or  Holland 
produce  the  bread  they  eat,  or  the  raw  material 
of  the  fabrics  they  wear?  But  will  they  not  com- 
pare well,  in  wealth,  in  the  elegancies  and  com- 
forts of  life,  in  intellectual  elevation,  and  in  all 
that  renders  life  desirable,  with  any  other  parts 
of  Europe  ?  Why  do  they  not  produce  the  bread 
they  eat,  and  the  raw  material  they  use  ?  Simply 
because  the  circumstances  in  which  they  are 
placed,  and  the  character  of  their  people,  afford 
them  the  means  of  more  profitable  employment — 
employment  that  furnishes  bread  and  clothing  to 
a  population  beyond  the  capacity  of  their  soil  to 
supply.  Because  there  have  been  "positive  ad- 
vances in  agricultural  science,  and  in  the  means 
and  modes  of  farming,"  will  this  fact  change  the 
character  of  New  England  people,  or  her  soil  and 
climate  ? 

But  has  she  not  availed  herself  of  these  "ad- 
vances" to  a  greater  degree  than  any  other  por- 
tion of  the  country  ?  Is  it  not  owing  to  these 
very  "advances"  in  a  great  measure  at  least,  that 
she  is  able  to  sustain  double  the  population  that 
she  did  forty  years  ago,  and  that  notwithstanding 
the  immense  drain  upon  her  wealth  and  energies, 
to  furnish  the  sinews  of  progress  in  the  new 
States  ?  And  does  she  not  sustain  this  duplicate 
population  in  a  condition  of  much  greater  com- 
fort than  she  did  at  that  time  ?  The  writer  evi- 
dently intends  to  convey  the  impression  that  the 
"advances  in  agricultural  science,  and  the  im- 
proved means  and  modes  of  farming,"  are  gener- 
ally accepted  and  practised  by  the  mass  of  culti- 
vators in  New  England,  and  that  they  are  deriv- 
ing from  them  the  whole  benefit  which  they  are 
capable  of  yielding,  and  yet  they  are  undergoing 
the  process  of  "physical  and  mental  deteriora- 
tion." But  is  the  impression  he  would  convey 
justified  by  facts  ?  If  the  "advantages  of  thor- 
ough draining  are  universally  recognized,"  is 
thorough  draining  universally  applied,  and  are 
New  England  cultivators  deriving  from  it  the 
benefits  it  is  capable  of  affording  ?  Has  one  acre 
in  a  hundred  that  would  be  benefited  by  the  pro- 
cess, been  subjected  to  it  ?  Are  "tiles  everywhere 
for  sale"  at  prices  that  bring  them  within  reach 
of  the  mass  of  farmers  ?  I  am  not  aware  that 
they  are  manufactured  in  more  than  three  places 
in  New  England,  viz.,  Whately  and  Manchester, 
Mass.,  and  Exclcr.  N.  II.  Tlr  y  are  also  import- 
ed from  41bany.  But  the  price  of  frieght  in  most 
parts  of  New  England  amounts  t^  a  prohibition 


i8o8. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


541 


of  their  use,  and  to  intimate  that  the  /"arming 
lands  of  New  England  are  enjoying  the  full  ad- 
vantage of  thorough  draining,  is  as  preposterous 
as  it  would  be  to  say  that  because  the  Bible  has 
been  translated  into  the  dialect  of  Hindostan, 
and  a  few  missionaries  have  been  established  in 
the  peninsular,  therefore  the  Hindoos  are  enjoy- 
ing all  the  advantages  that  Christianity  is  capa- 
ble of  affording  them.  Our  neat  stock  has  been 
"regenerated,"  by  "the  pick  and  pride  of  foreign 
herds,"  to  a  much  greater  extent  than  our  lands 
have  been  improved  by  drainage,  but  very  much 
yet  remains  to  be  done  even  in  this  department. 
In  all  the  departments  of  agriculture,  I  believe 
that  the  "results  are"  fully  "commensurate  with 
the  means"  actually  applied.  More  than  this,  it 
would  be  absurd  to  expect. 

But  were  it  true  that  New  England  farmers 
had  availed  themselves  of  the  "advances  in  agri- 
cultural science,  and  the  improved  means  and 
modes  of  farming,"  that  thorough  draining,  im- 
proved farm  implements,  and  natural  and  artifi- 
cial fertilizers,  were  universally  employed — that 
regenerated  neat  stock,  and  Morgans  and  Black 
Hawks  filled  our  stalls,  and  agricultural  journals 
and  hand  books  were  upon  every  farmer's  table, 
would  not  this  prove  that  farming,  so  far  from  be- 
ing deteriorated,was  going  forward,  upon  the  "full 
tide  of  successful  experiment  ?"  Were  this  hy- 
pothesis an  actuality,  we  should  want  no  further 
witness  to  convict  of  falsehood  the  assertion  that 
farming  is  deteriorating  in  New  England.  So 
far  as  it  is  an  actuality,  it  proves  that  farming  is 
advancing  towards  its  true  ends  and  aims. 

If  "the  life  of  the  New  England  farmer"  ever 
has  been,  and  still  is  so  "widely  diff"erent  from 
what  it  might  be  and  ought  to  be,"  how  is  it  that 
"in  the  quiet  evening  hours,"  "visions  of  the  old 
homestead"  and  the  pleasant  associations  of  early 
life  come  to  the  "successful  merchant,"  the  "pro- 
fessional men"  and  the  "author,"  to  "all  minds 
that  can  apprehend  life's  true  enjoyments,"  draped 
in  such  a  costume  of  "rural  beauty"  that  "the 
heart  will  breathe  a  sigh,  and  the  eye  drop  a  tear, 
and  the  voice  say,"  "it  were  better  so  ?"  If  even 
"the  imagination  weave  the  picture,"  the  stern 
experiences  of  the  past  which  drove  them  from 
that  life,  "which  had  nothing  attractive  and  beau- 
tiful and  good  in  it" — that  "mean  and  contemp- 
tible life"  all  whose  "economies,  associations  and 
objects  were  i-epulsive,"  would  correct  the  hand 
of  the  artist,  and  would  interweave  with  the  warp 
which  he  had  laid,  a  woof  of  dark  and  sombre 
hue,  drawn  from  the  life  of  the  man  who  had 
there  "become  a  beast  of  burden."  If  to  the  best 
minds  in  the  city,  in  their  best  hours,  there  come 
such  visions,  accompanied  with  longings  and  re- 
solves that  "by-and-bye,  in  some  golden  hour, 
that  life  shall  be  enjoyed,"  if  to  such  minds,  there 
is  ever  present  the  thought,  that  "the  farm  is 
nearer  Heaven  than  the  street,"  can  it  be  possi- 
ble that  the  memories  of  the  old  homestead,  which 
form  the  basis  of  such  visions,  are  made  up  of 
scenes,  and  actors,  and  employments  and  motives, 
which  have  the  direct  tendency  to  depress  the  in- 
tellect, blunt  the  sensibilities,  and  animalize  the 
man  ?  Are  these  the  memories  of  a  life  which  is 
a  "pestilent  perversion,"  "a  sale  of  the  soul  to 
the  body,"  a  life  whose  "natural  and  inevitable 
result  is  mental  and  physical  deterioration  ?"  The 
writer,  with  some  vague  idea  of  a  good  that  has 


"survived  the  fall,"  attempts  to  account  for  the 
fact  that  such  longings  for  rural  life,  and  such 
visions  of  "the  quiet  scenes  of  nature,"  visit  the 
men  of  the  city,  by  referring  to  a  "reminiscence 
of  the  first  estate  when  man  was  lord  of  Eden." 
But  when  the  Indian  forms  visions  of  a  future 
paradise,  the  poet  tells  us,  that  he  "dreams  of 
abundant  game,  and  that  his  faithful  dog  shall 
bear  him  company."  He  does  not  dream  of  "gor- 
geous palaces,"  nor  of  the  luxuries  or  refinements 
of  civilized  life,  but  his  imagination  weaves  into 
his  web  the  scenes  and  the  pleasures  with  which 
he  is  most  familiar,  and  to  which  his  heart  is 
most  strongly  alive,  and  so  it  is  ever,  "as  face 
answereth  to  face  in  water,  so  the  heart  of  man 
to  man."  If  farm  life  and  rural  scenes  in  New 
England  were  not  remembered  with  pleasure,  if 
these  scenes  were  not  peopled  with  loved  and 
lovable  friends,  this  life  and  these  scenes  would 
not  constitute  the  prominent  objects,  the  fore- 
ground in  the  pictures  woven  by  the  imagination, 
when  disgusted  by  the  monotony  and  frivolity  of 
city  life. 

i  will  not  attempt  to  follow  this  writer  through 
all  his  vagaries.  He  assumes  as  a  fact,  that  farm 
life  in  New  England,  has  deteriorated,  and  is  de- 
teriorating, and  that  the  cultivators  in  New  Eng- 
land are  undergoing  a  process  of  "both  physical 
and  mental  deterioration."  This  state  of  things, 
which  a  more  extended  acquaintance  with  his 
subject  would  convince  him  is  absolutely  false 
and  groundless,  he  attempts  to  account  for,  and 
it  is  not  surprising  that  he  is  compelled  to  draw 
upon  his  imagination  for  facts  and  illustrations 
to  sustain  his  position.  He  introduces  the  con- 
trast between  the  two  extremes  of  Irish  life,  as 
the  basis  of  an  illustration  of  the  difference  be- 
tween farm  life  and  city  life.  Had  he  told  us  in 
a  bold  and  honest  manner,  what  are  the  "other 
obvious  causes"  which  "have  had  something  to 
do"  in  producing  this  "contrast,"  instead  of  leav- 
ing us  to  infer  that  the  chief  causes  are  continued 
labor,  and  "the  difference  in  food,"  he  might  have 
more  satisfactorily  accounted  for  it.  The  account 
of  the  farmer  and  the  farmer's  home,  I  must  re- 
serve for  a  future  occasion. 


For  the  New  England  Parmer. 
BEEF  VS.  COKN". 

Mk.  Editor  : — I  have  been  a  constant  and  in- 
terested reader  of  the  Farmer  for  seven  years, 
and  I  scarcely  know  how  I  could  get  along  with- 
out it;  but  from  the  views  of  some  of  its  corres- 
pondents, I  respectfully  differ.  I  think  the  arti- 
cle by  W.  A.  Alcott,  in  the  Farmer  of  Septem- 
ber 25,  entitled  "Corn  versus  Beef,"  does  not 
present  a  fair  view  of  the  subject  in  all  its  con- 
nections, and  that  it  would  not  be  good  economy 
for  the  farmers  of  New  England,  at  least,  to  fol- 
low its  teachings. 

Domestic  animals  form  the  basis  of  all  farm 
improvement,  and  there  is  a  close  connection  be- 
tween the  animals  a  man  keeps,  and  the  crops  he 
raises  ;  but  it  would  not  pay  to  keep  them  sim- 
ply to  change  food  into  manure,  throwing  the 
carcass  away,  because  this  or  that  dietetic  re- 
former says  meat  is  unfit  for  food. 

The  Doctor  quotes  a  writer  who  says  it  re- 
quires ten  pounds  of  corn  to  produce  a  pound  of 


542 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER, 


Dec. 


beef;  allowing  this  to  be  correct,  but  a  small 
proportion  of  the  beef  that  is  slaughtered  is  pro- 
duced by  corn,  much  of  it  eating  no  provender 
at  all;  and  cattle  that  are  stall-fed  are  only  fin- 
ished ofi'  on  corn  after  they  have  attained  their 
full  size  on  grass  and  ha)'.  The  same  is  also 
true  with  regard  to  pork,  it  being  raised  chiefly 
on  the  products  of  the  dairy  and  refuse  articles 
of  the  orchard  and  farm,  until  fattening  time. 

The  doctor  probably  remembers  the  old  Latin 
fable,  which,  I  think,  applies  well  to  this  sub- 
ject; for  if  W2  cut  off  or  refuse  to  feed  our  do- 
mestic animals,  our  corn  and  all  other  crops  will 
very  soon  fail.  This  would  materially  change 
the  writer's  figures,  and  I  think  if  the  connection 
between  corn  and  beef  could  be  fairly  traced  out, 
that  beef  would  be  found  an  economical  article 
of  diet.  Dr.  Alcott  says,  "that  no  ])crson  whose 
taste  is  pure  and  unperverted  would  choose  flesh 
for  food."  I  should  presume  that  the  taste  of  a 
child  one  year  old,  is  natural  and  unchanged,  and 
I  have  known  such  to  choose  meat  in  preference 
to  anything  else.  The  doctor,  perhaps,  will  say 
the  child  inherited  a  perverted  taste. 

Naturalists  determine  the  food  of  animals  by 
their  teeth  ;  they  say  that  the  teeth  of  man  indi- 
cates a  mixed  diet,  and  we  may  safely  follow  na- 
ture, and  find  meat  not  only  agreeable  but 
healthful. 

Again,  as  among  animals,  so  among  men,  we 
find  that  the  dominant  races  are  those  that  eat 
flesh ;  and  although  the  fighting  principle  is 
often  carried  too  far,  yet  when  properly  controlled 
by  reason,  it  is  simply  energy  and  force,  which 
are  necessary  to  success  in  any  occupation.    K. 

Kennehunk,  Oct.  8,  1858. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
KILLING  ROBINS. 

Mk.  Editor  : — Mr.  J.  W.  P.  Jenks  has  given 
the  public  an  account  of  the  food  and  habits  of 
the  robin ;  it  is  all  very  good  in  the  time.  But, 
I  would  ask,  if  any  bird  in  the  same  season  of  the 
year  does  not  do  a  similar  amount  of  good  to 
the  farmer  and  fruit-grower  ?  Is  it  possible  to 
do  any  injury,  when  the  ground  is  in  a  frozen 
state,  except  to  scatter  seeds,  injurious  ones,  too, 
which  will  far  overbalance  all  the  good  that  they 
may  possibly  do.  I  was  much  pleased  to  see  the 
communication  in  the  Farmer  of  May  1,  from 
"J.  B.  R.,"  of  Concord.  I  perfectly  coincide  with 
him  in  relation  to  the  destruction  of  the  robin. 
Self-defence  is  the  first  law  of  nature,  and  wild 
animals  and  birds,  which  are  a  positive  injury  to 
man,  it  is  his  right  and  duty  to  destroy,  '"Legis- 
lative enactment  notwithstanding."  The  law  for- 
bids manslaughter,  yet  self-defence  permits  it ; 
man's  title  deeds  allow  him  the  ownership  of  all 
the  animals  and  birds,  both  destructive  and  harm- 
less, that  infest  his  premises,  yet  the  law  declares, 
that  he  shall  suffer  its  penalties,  if  he  destroys 
one  of  them.  If  it  was  the  intention  of  the  law 
to  put  an  end  to  the  wanton  destruction  of  all 
birds,  then  the  laAV  is  a  just  one  ;  but  if  it  was 
intended  that  a  land-holder  should  harbor  a  band 
of  robbers,  then  it  is  an  unjust  one. 

Let  us  enumerate  some  of  the  injuries  that  we 
are  every  year  receiving,  and  some  of  them  are 
entailed  even  to  the  third   or  fourth  generation 


of  man.  The  destructive  propensities  of  the  rob- 
in are  such,  that,  after  doing  all  the  damage  he 
possibly  can  in  the  garden,  by  partaking,  not 
alone,  of  what  he  may  need,  but  by  pecking  at 
all  the  fair  and  sound  fruit,  commencing  with  the 
straM'berry,  raspberry,  cherry  and  peach  ;  none 
even  of  the  new  and  choice  varieties  of  the  black- 
berry can  be  gleaned  in  his  neighborhood,  as  they 
ripen  so  slowly,  that  his  dividend  is  both  princi- 
pal and  interest ;  after  doing  all  this  mischief  in 
the  garden,  he  betakes  himself  to  the  rich  pas- 
ture land,  and  there  riots  in  untold  injuries  to 
us.  He  is  the  enemy  that  sows  tares  when  we 
are  in  the  land  of  dreams,  and  our  Legislative 
bodies  are  hedging  him  around  with  the  impreg- 
nable barriers  of  the  law.  An  envmieration  of  his 
labors  in  pasture  land  will  not  be  inappropriate 
here.  First  he  distributes  the  seed  of  low  blue- 
berry, next  huckleberry,  wild  blackberry,  barber- 
ry, savins,  garget,  &c.  Red  cedars,  sweet  ferns, 
wild  cherry,  are  also  found.  This  may  be  ques- 
tioned by  some  ;  to  such  I  would  advise  that  they 
would  examine  their  droppings,  which  may  be 
abundantly  found  on  walls,  and  they  will  find  the 
germ  of  the  seed  is  not  killed  in  passing  them. 
Most  of  the  pastures  in  the  southeast  part  of  this 
county  are  full  of  ledges,  or  very  stony  at  least, 
so  much  so,  that  it  is  a  very  serious  undertaking 
to  plow  them.  Mowing  only  aggravates  the  dis- 
ease, causing  the  roots  to  sprout  at  their  termini, 
which  greatly  aid  the  spreading  of  plants  whose 
seeds  have  been  scattered  by  birds.  The  pastur- 
age of  to-day  requires  two  more  acres  for  each 
cow  than  it  did  years  ago,  before  legislating  cost 
so  much.  Then  June  butter  was  about  one-half 
as  much  in  price  as  now,  and  pasturage  one-third 
more  per  acre.  Pasture  land  in  my  immediate 
neighborhood  can  be  purchased  at  $25  to  $30  now, 
formerly  worth  from  '^'.lo  to  $40.  Fielding,  twenty 
years  ago,  was  worth  $-10  to  $50,  now  the  same 
cannot  be  obtained  for  less  than  from  $100  to 
$125.  Is  it  a  wonder  that  milk  is  high  and  scarce, 
when  our  pastures  are  fast  filling  up  with  useless 
briers  and  bushes,  and  as  rapidly  deteriorating 
to  wild  wastes  ? 

The  question  arises,  how  shall  we  eradicate 
them  ?  If  the  robin  destroys  the  larva  of  the 
curculio,  when  do  they  do  it?  It  is  not  accom- 
plished in  the  winter  season  during  their  absence, 
and  in  the  spring  their  food  consists  almost  en- 
tirely of  the  seeds  of  noxious  weeds  which  they 
scatter  over  the  gardens,  and  angle  worms,  which 
are  nature's  true  subsoilers.  Did  the  robin  de- 
stroy curculiosto  ensure  us  a  good  fruit  crop  last 
season,  or  for  the  past  three  years  ?  The  robin 
is  almost  the  only  bird  that  is  plenty  in  this  vi- 
cinity, while  all  others  are  the  prey  of  sportsmen, 
which  should  have  been  included  in  the  catalogue 
of  useful  birds  ;  if  so,  some  good  might  have 
been  done  by  preserving  their  lives.  The  enact- 
ment of  the  Legislature  has  been  a  dead  letter, 
in  my  opinion,  as  far  as  the  penalties  are  con- 
cerned. It  raised  up  public  opinion,  and  public 
opinion  saved  the  robins,  and  destroyed  other 
useful  birds.  J.  S.  Needham. 

West  Danvers,  1858. 


How  TO  DO  Good. — Dr.  Johnson  wisely  says : 
"He  who  waits  to  do  a  great  deal  of  good  at  once 
will  never  do  anything.  Life  is  made  up  of  small 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


543 


things.  It  is  but  once  in  an  age  that  occasion  is 
offered  for  doing  a  good  deed.  True  greatness 
consists  in  being  great  in  little  things.  How  arc 
railroads  built?  By  one  shovel  of  dirt  after 
another ;  one  shovel  at  a  time.  Thus,  drops  make 
the  ocean.  Hence,  we  should  be^willing  to  do  a 
little  good  at  a  time,  and  never  wait  to  do  a  great 
deal  of  good  at  once.  If  we  would  do  much  good 
in  the  world,  we  must  be  willing  to  do  good  in 
little  things,  little  acts  one  after  another  ;  speak- 
ing a  word  hei-e,  giving  a  tract  there,  and  setting 
a  good  example  all  the  time.  We  must  do  the 
first  thing  we  can,  and  the  next,  and  then  the 
next,  and  so  keep  on  doing  good.  This  is  the 
way  to  accomplish  anything.  Thus  only  shall  we 
do  all  the  good  in  our  power." 


HOW  TO  GET  SICK. 


R.  H.  M.  wi'ites,  "I  slept  in  a  room  one  night 
which  had  been  washed  out  during  the  day,  and 
was  not  quite  dry.  I  awoke  in  the  morning  with 
a  sore  throat,  which  has  continued  ever  since," 
The  result  is  he  has  had  to  abandon  his  theolog- 
ical studies,  and  place  himself  under  treatment, 
after  having  lost  two  years'  time. 

H.  M.  writes,  "I  went  to  sleep,  in  a  warm  day, 
on  the  top  of  an  ice-box,  and  have  never  been 
well  since."  He  shortly  after  died  of  consump- 
tion. 

T.  H.  took  a  very  severe  cold,  conversation 
was  laborious,  but  he  had  an  appointment  to 
preach,  and  felt  as  if  he  must  fulfil  it.  He  made 
the  attempt,  but  utterance  was  attended  with  a 
pricking  pain  in  the  throat,  and  then  a  dull  hurt- 
ing came  on  in  the  throat,  with  subsequent  "hem- 
ming" and  fruitless  "clearing."  He  was  perma- 
nently disabled. 

A  modest  man  walked  until  quite  fatigued, 
and  perspiring  freely,  entered  an  omnibus,  and 
sat  next  a  lady  who  opened  a  window  to  get 
some  fresh  air  for  herself.  He  soon  became 
chilled,  and  was  ill  for  three  weeks. 

H.  P,  got  up  at  night  and  hoisted  the  window 
to  look  at  a  burning  house  ;  the  cold  air  darted 
in  on  the  unprotected  body,  just  from  a  warm 
bed.  A  twelve-months'  illness  resulted  in  dropsy. 

A  strong,  hearty  man  came  in  on  a  hot  sum- 
mer's day,  immediately  took  off  his  coat  and  hat, 
and  sat  in  the  open  window,  looking  out  upon  a 
beautiful  garden,  over  which  the  ocean  Jjreezes 
came  to  fan  him.  Before  he  was  aware  of  it  he 
was  chilled,  was  attacked  with  inflammation  of 
the  lungs,  and  died  within  a  week. 

A  delicate  young  lady,  an  invalid,  a  patient  of 
ours,  in  an  excursion  with  several  others,  was 
"overtaken"  by  nightfall,  and  by  a  young  gentle- 
man. They  were  in  a  boat,  and  the  boat  was  in 
the  mud,  the  tide  having  gone  out  on  a  visit  to  the 
sea,  and  "there  they  were,"  a  mile  from  shore, 
and  several  miles  from  home,  that  mile  was  ex- 
traordinarily long  and  short.  Only  think  of  it! 
A  whole  mile  over  a  Jersey  flat !  covered  with 
water,  mud  and  bulrushes,  carrying  in  the  arms, 
a  young  eighteen,  with  one  of  the  sweetest  voices, 
faces  and  forms,  to  be  in  or  out  of  Jersey.  Be- 
spattered with  mud,  dripping  with  fog,  and  dew, 
and  slush,  steaming  with  perspiration,  and  wea- 
ned with  hunger,  thirst,  and  fatigue,  delighted 
and  excited  by  the  novelty  of  the  thing,  they 
reached  home  at  midnight.     The  next  day  she 


"didn't  have  anything  the  matter  with  her  at 
all !"  Why  ?  She  had  taken  lessons  of  us.  In- 
stead of  pulling  off  her  bonnet  and  shawl,  afid  sit- 
ting in  a  cool  place,  or  instead  of  undressing  at 
once,  and  thus  letting  the  air  check  the  perspira- 
tioK,  she  went  into  a  warm  room,  closed  the  doors 
and  windows,  sat  some  moments,  laid  aside  the 
garments  one  by  one,  at  intervals,  and  Avhen 
cooled  off,  in  the  course  of  half  an  hour,  re- 
tired to  sound  sleep  and  a  healthful  awaking. 

Another  man  rode  three  miles  with  a  little 
child  sleeping  in  his  lap,  which,  pressing  against 
his  stomach,  caused  unusual  warmth  there.  It 
was  a  chill,  raw  November  evening.  In  Avalking 
a  hundred  yards  to  the  house,  the  child  moving 
slowly  and  wind  blowing,  the  whole  abdomen 
was  chilled  in  a  moment.  The  next  morning  he 
awoke  with  the  ominous  pains  of  peritoneal  in- 
flammation, which  is  often  fatal  in  three  or  four 
days. 

A  man  had  some  accounts  to  draw  off  in  mid- 
winter. It  was  a  cold  night.  He  was  greatly  in- 
terested ;  time  went,  and  the  fire  too.  He'felt  a 
little  chilly,  but  thought  he  would  soon  be  done, 
and  that  it  was  not  worth  while  to  rebuild  the 
fire.  It  was  near  one  o'clock  before  he  left  for 
home,  and  he  reached  it  most  thoroughly  chilled. 
Next  morning  he  had  pneumonia,  and  never  got 
well. 

Remaining  at  rest  for  hours  in  a  cold  room,  in 
raw,  cold,  damp  weather,  is  enough  to  kill  three 
men  out  of  four  by  bringing  on  congestion  of  the 
lungs,  lung  fever,  or  inflammation  of  the  lungs. 
Clergymen  and  lawyers  often  sacrifice  their  lives 
by  speaking  in  warm  rooms ;  the  body  debilita- 
ted by  the  effort ;  the  skin  in  a  state  of  perspira- 
tion ;  the  lungs  all  heated  up  ;  and  thus  hungry, 
tired  and  depressed  in  body  and  mind,  go  out  in- 
to the  cold  air  to  ride  or  walk  home — and  to  die 
in  the  very  bloom  of  health  and  manhood.  And 
yet,  to  know  these  little  things,  there  are  multi- 
tudes who  hesitate  to  give  a  dollar  a  year,  when 
on  the  knowledge  of  them,  human  life  is  daily 
hung,  and  for  want  of  it  daily  lost. — IlaU'sJgur- 
tial  of  Health. 

For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
POTATOES. 

Mr.  Editor  : — As  much  has  been  said  of  late 
about  the  destruction  of  the  potato,  I  thought  I 
would  call  attention  for  a  moment  to  the  means 
coming  into  use  for  increasing  them.  At  the 
late  fair  at  Syracuse  "Potato  Planters"  were  ex- 
hibited, which  are  said  to  save  three-fourths  of 
the  labor  of  planting; — and  I  have  seen  in  the 
field  "Potato  Diggers,"  the  same  that  was  pictured 
in  your  paper  a  few  weeks  since.  I  liked  the 
plan  of  this  implement  very  much — but  it  was 
either  deficient  in  strength  ;  or  the  laborer  who 
guided  it  was  deficient  in  skill,  in  the  use  of  it. 
He  permitted  it  to  settle  so  deep  in  the  earth, 
that  it  would  not  support  the  burden  that  accu- 
mulated upon  it ;  and  twice  it  had  to  be  taken 
away  for  repair.  When  it  did  work,  it  threw  out 
the  potatoes  as  fast  as  half  a  dozen  hands  would 
gather  them  up.  The  maker  informs  me,  that 
he  is  about  to  prepare  castings,  that  will  obviate 
the  difliculty  complained  of;  but  I  fear  they  will 
not  come  to  hand,  until  after  the  potatoes  should 
be  in  the  cellar.  P. 

Oct.  15th,  1858. 


544 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Dec. 


IMPORTED   DUTCH  COW. 


The  above  is  an  accurate  illustration  of  a 
Dutch  cow,  imported  from  Holland  in  1857  by 
Winthrop  W.  Chenery,  Esq.,  of  Watertown,>and 
drawn  and  engraved  for  C.  L.  Flint's  new  work 
on  Milch  Cows  and  Dairy  Farming,  from 
which  we  derive  the  following  notice  of  this  cel- 
ebrated dairy  breed. 

The  Dutch  is  a  short-horned  race,  which,  in 
the  opinion  of  many,  contributed  largely  about  a 
century  ago,  to  build  up  the  Durham  or  Tees- 
water  short-horns.  The  latter  breed  was  at  that 
time  frequently  called  Dutch. 

Dairy  farming  in  Holland  became  a  highly  im- 
portant branch  of  farm  labor  at  a  very  early  date, 
and  a  large  and  valuable  race  of  cattle  existed 
there,  long  before  the  efforts  of  the  most  noted 
breeders  began  in  England  ;  dairy  farming  being 
held  in  the  highest  respect  in  Holland,  as  being 
the  means  by  which  a  large  proportion  of  the 
population  is  supported,  it  is  carried  to  greater 
exactness  and  perfection  than  in  any  other  part 
of  the  world.  The  Dutch  are  especially  particu- 
lar in  the  breeding,  keeping  and  care  of  milch 
cows,  and  hence  the  Dutch,  as  a  race,  is  eminent- 
ly adapted  to  the  dairy.  The  Dutch  cow  may  in- 
deed be  taken  as  the  type  of  a  truly  dairy  race. 
She  usually  unites  all  the  marks  which  indicate 
the  production  of  milk,  and  is  superior  to  the 
Swiss  cow  in  her  yield.  She  is,  perhaps,  a  little 
too  thin-skinned,  and  subject  to  annoyance  from 
insects  and  sudden  changes  of  weather. 

The  Dutch  cow  eats  largely  in  proportion  to 
her  size,  but  will  often  produce  double  the  cost 
of  keeping  in  her  large  and  generous  yield. 

The   prevailing  color  of  the  Dutch  cattle  is 


black  and  white,  but  often  red  and  white,  varie- 
gated. Cattle  of  only  one  color  are  no  favorites. 
The  Dutch  cattle  laid  the  foundation  of  the  na- 
tive or  common  stock  of  New  York,  and  to 
this  day  a  cross  with  the  short-horn  and  Dutch 
is  regarded  there  as  one  of  the  most  desirable 
for  cheese  dairies. 


For  the  Nato  England  Farmer. 
KOOT  CROPS. 

Mr.  Editor  : — I  have  long  promised  myself 
that  I  would  communicate,  through  the  New 
England  Farmer,  my  experience  the  last  winter, 
in  feeding  English  turnips  to  stock. 

In  the  autumn  of  1857,  I  raised  from  among 
my  corn  four  hundred  and  fifty  bushels  of  English 
flat  turnips  ;  these,  I  commenced  feeding  to  my 
stock  early  in  the  month  of  November,  together 
with  -wheat  straw,  and  from  the  time  of  my  first 
feeding,  those  of  my  young  cattle,  composed  of 
two  and  three  years  old,  had  no  other  fodder 
than  the  turnips  and  wheat  straw,  until  after  the 
fifth  of  the  next  March,  at  which  time  they  were 
in  fair  beef  condition.  The  expense  of  raising 
and  harvesting  these  turnips  did  not  exceed  three 
cents  a  bushel;  and  the  additional  cost  of  feed- 
ing roots,  to  stock,  if  a  root-cutter  is  used,  is 
very  little.  I  feel  perfectly  confident  that  the 
statement  made  in  your  letter  from  Newport, 
N.  H.,  in  the  October  number  of  the  Farmer, 
"that  the  farmers  of  New  England,  with  little 
or  no  more  labor  upon  their  farms,  can  double 
their  capacity  for  keeping  stock  by  the  gradual 
introduction  of  root  crops" — is  perfectly  true. 
And  I  would  earnestly  urge  our  farmers  to  imi- 
tate this  well-tested  system  of  husbandry,  so  long 
practised  by  English  agriculturists. 

Daniel  Needham. 

Hartford}' Vt.,  Oct.  llth,  1858. 


185S. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


545 


LETTER  PROM  MR.  BROWN". 

A  Talk  with  the  Farmers  on  the  Results  of  Intelligent  Labor — 
Lancast'^r  a  Beautiful  Town— Old  Elms — Thoughts  Suegested 
— A  Good  Farm — New  Modes  of  Preparing  Roots  for  Cattle — 
A  Milk-Room — A  Well-Balanced  Family. 

Lancaster,  Mass.,  Oct.  15,  1858. 

Dear  Sir  : — I  came  to  this  place  yesterday  by 
invitation  of  the  Farmers^  Club  of  this  town,  to 
talk  with  the  people  upon  agricultural  matters, 
and  to  take  a  look  at  some  of  the  farms  lying 
upon  the  banks  of  the  Nashua  river.  The  meet- 
ing took  place  in  the  Town  Hall  last  evening, 
where  a  numerous  and  exceedingly  attentive  au- 
dience was  present.  The  subject  discussed  was 
— "27ie  results  of  Intelligent  Labor,  and  the  In- 
fluences of  Farming,  as  an  Occupation,  upon  the 
Social  Relations  of  the  Family." 

This  forenoon  I  had  opportunity  to  ride 
through  some  of  the  streets  of  this  beautiful  old 
town,  look  at  the  substantial  residences  which 
line  them,  with  their  noble  elms,  ash,  and  maple 
trees, — 

"And  I  said,  if  there's  peace  to  be  found  in  the  world, 
The  heart  that  is  humble  may  sure  find  it  here." 

I  doubt  whether  the  wide  woi-ld  can  produce 
out  of  New  England  such  perfect  little  Repub- 
lics as  the  rural  villlages  which  stud  this  rough 
region  in  every  direction.  Rich  gems  in  them- 
selves, but  a  thousand  times  richer  for  the  rug- 
ged surroundings  in  which  they  are  set.  What 
can  man  ask  for  more?  Blest  with  a  congenial 
climate  ;  plenty  rewards  his  labor ;  all  his  rights 
protected  and  his  person  secure  under  temperate 
and  equal  laws  ;  quick  and  remunerating  mar- 
kets for  his  products  ;  the  school,  academy  and 
college  at  his  door,  and  the  sound  of  the  "church- 
going  bell,"  sweetly  pealing  over  hill  and  valley, 
forest  and  field,  reminding  each  that  the  Sab- 
bath has  come  when  they  may  commune  togeth- 
er, and  more  directly  and  earnestly  lift  the 
heart's  gratitude  to  Him  who  sends  the  early  and 
the  latter  rain,  and  crowns  the  year  with  His 
goodness.  But  this  is  not  all.  Wide  avenues 
stand  open  for  him  to  go  out  and  see  all  the 
world, — while  all  the  world  comes  daily  to  him 
in  the  morning  paper ;  he  curbs  the  elements 
and  makes  them  subserve  his  will,  and  sends  the 
lightning  along  horizontal  lines,  with  messages 
of  love,  or  the  results  of  negotiation,  arbitration, 
or  trade,  as  he  pleases.  All  artisans  and  trades- 
men, and  professions,  and  cunning  workmen  in 
all  things  stand  ready  to  do  his  bidding.  He 
needs  but  one  thing, — To  be  Contented.  Such 
were  my  thoughts  as  I  rode  under  ancient  elms, 
whose  branches,  spreading  over  my  head,  formed 
an  arch  more  grand  and  imposing  than  ever 
graced  ovation  to  Roman  conqueror.  But  they 
are  passed  now,  and  I  must  tell  you  about  these 
green  meadows  on  Nashua's  banks,  and  the  vil- 
las or  homesteads  to  which  they  belong. 


It  was  my  good  fortune  to  "tie  up,"  for  the 
night,  with  Dea.  Charles  Humphrey,  a  social, 
intelligent  and  progressive  farmer,  wide  awake 
to  his  own  interests,  but  having  a  heart  and 
hand  to  assist  in  making  the  world  agreeable  to 
all  coming  within  his  influence.  I  have  rarely 
walked  through  a  set  of  farm  buildings,  or  over 
a  farm,  with  more  interest  and  profit  than  his. 
He  will  winter  forty  head  of  cattle,  all  ranged  on 
the  south  side  of  the  basement  story  of  his  barn, 
with  wide  rolling  doors  at  each  end,  set  with 
glass  to  admit  light  and  air.  They  are  tied  with 
chains  to  common  stancheons,  which  gives  them 
so  much  room  as  to  allow  them  to  lick  each  oth- 
er, and  to  change  their  position  considerably. 
In  front  of  them,  and  coming  down  to  within  two 
feet  of  the  floor,  is  a  rack  for  feeding  hay,  much 
the  same  as  one  used  for  feeding  horses,  and  in- 
to which  the  hay  is  fed  from  the  barn-floor  above. 
The  two  foot  space  below  the  rack  is  left  for  the 
purpose  of  sliding  under  a  half  barrel,  from 
which  the  cattle  eat  roots,  &c.  Opposite  the  cat- 
tle, and  about  the  centre  of  a  narrow  room  some 
80  ft.  long,  a  sixty  gallon  kettle  is  set,  and  imme- 
diately over  its  edge  and  around  the  kettle  80 
feet  of  iron  pipe  is  coiled  in  brickwork,  with  ap- 
ertures to  admit  the  water  from  the  kettle  to 
touch  them. 

Near  this  kettle  is  a  brickwoi'k  cistern,  in  the 
upper  part  of  which  is  a  trough  for  cooling  milk 
in  cans,  both  of  which  are  supplied  with  pure 
spring  water  passing  in  by  an  aqueduct,  the  wa- 
ter flowing  over  from  the  milk  cooler,  when  full, 
into  the  cistern.  The  kettle  is  lower,  and  with- 
in three  feet  of  the  cistern,  so  that  the  pipe 
around  it  is  always  supplied  with  water  by  its 
own  gravity.  Into  this  kettle  are  thrown  apples, 
rbots  of  all  kinds,  pumpkins,  &c.,  and  boiled  ra- 
pidly and  cheaply,  and  are  then  passed  through  a 
small  mill  placed  over  a  trough,  into  which  they 
fall  a  perfect  mash. 

Hot  or  cold  water  may  be  admitted  by  turn- 
ing a  cock,  to  bring  the  mass  to  a  proper  state 
of  dilution  and  temperature,  when,  a  little  corn 
meal  being  added,  it  is  fed  about  four  pails  full, 
night  and  morning,  to  each  cow.  This  is  given 
them  immediately  after  being  milked  ;  then  they 
are  fed  with  long  hay,  as  much  as  they  will  eat 
with  a  good  appetite,  and  this  is  the  bill  of  fare 
for  the  whole  winter.  The  cows  have  little  or  no 
water  beside  this,  and  are  only  turned  into  the 
yard  occasionally,  during  the  middle  of  bright, 
soft  weather. 

Mr.  Humphrey  says  that  under  this  regimen 
his  cows  continue  healthy,  and  yield  a  satisfacto- 
ry flow  of  excellent  milk.  He  sells  from  30  to 
40  gallons  of  milk,  daily,  at  Clinton,  at  five  cents 
a  quart  in  winter  and  four  cents  in  the  summer. 

In  another  portion  of  the  same  basement,  is 


546 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Dec- 


a  room  for  setting  milk  to  raise  the  cream.  It  is 
about  eight  feet  wide  and  fifteen  long.  On  each 
side  are  firm  plank  shelves  with  strips  on  the 
edges  so  as  to  make  them  water-tight.  Into  the^e 
large  but  shallow  tin  pans  are  set,  and  during  hot 
weather  cold  water  is  admitted  by  a  cock,  and 
when  the  temperature  is  too  low,  hot  water  is 
supplied  by  the  same  means.  The  bottom  of 
the  cellar  is  brick  and  cement,  and  in  very 
hot  weather  the  whole  floor  is  flooded  with  pure, 
cold,  spring  water.  The  milk  remains  sweet  two 
or  three  days  in  this  room  and  7^  and  8  quarts 
will  make  a  pound  of  the  best  butter.  Beside  this 
room,  there  are  in  this  basement,  capacious  rooms 
for  roots,  one  to  store  a  hundred  ox  loads  oj 
much  for  winter  use,  and  racks,  and  convenien- 
ces for  cows  in  calf.  This  lower  story  is  unique 
-^it  is  certainly  unlike  anything  of  the  kind  I 
ever  saw  before,  and  it  will  not  fail  to  afford  val- 
uable suggestions  to  all  persons  who  visit  it,  and 
who  are  engaged  in  producing  milk  for  market. 

Connected  with  the  barn  I  found  a  cider  mill 
of  new  construction,  where  the  apples  can  be 
ground  and  a  barrel  of  cider  made  in  two  hours  ; 
also  a  thresher,  a  saw  for  sawing  wood  at  the 
rate  of  a  cord  an  hour,  a  paint  mill,  a  large  and 
commodious  workshop,  with  proper  tools,  and 
many  contrivances  indicating  skill  in  all  sorts  of 
handicraft  as  well  as  in  cultivating  the  soil.  I 
saw  many  other  things  on  this  farm  that  interest- 
ed me  unusually,  but  as  my  letter  is  getting  long, 
I  must  defer  them  to  another  time.  I  have  never 
before  met  a  man  who  comes  up  so  nearly  to  my 
ideas  of  the  value  and  importance  of  much  as  a 
fertilizer  as  does  Mr.  Humphrey.  He  warmed 
into  eloquence  in  expatiating  upon  its  vii-tues  ; 
and  well  he  might,  for  he  has  gathered  harvests 
of  glittering  gold  through  its  influence,  on  land 
that  he  would  gladly  have  sold  a  few  years  since 
for  $5  an  acre  !  But  all  this,  together  with  his 
experience  with  mowing  machines,  and  his  suc- 
cess in  the  propagation  of  trout,  I  must  for  the 
present  omit. 

The  most  charming  part  of  my  visit,  however, 
was  not  derived  from  these  things,  but  from  the 
manners  and  conversation  of  the  well-balanced 
family  into  which  I  was  thrown.  It  was  refined, 
harmonious,  intelligent ;  the  daughters,  as  well 
as  the  sous,  engaging  freely  in  a  conversation  re- 
lating entirely  to  the  affairs  of  the  farm,  and  giv- 
ing ample  evidence  tliat  they  had  resolved  to 
"magnify  their  office"  to  the  extent  of  their  abil- 
ity.    But  I  must  desist, 

Very  truly,  yours,  SiMON  BnowN. 

Joel  Nodrse,  Esq.,  Boston. 


A  Fine  Heifek. — Mr.  Josiah  A.  Wyman,  of 
Chelmsford,  Mass.,  has  a  beautiful  pure  Durham 
heifer,  three  years  old  in  November  next,  esti- 


mated to  weigh  950  pounds.  She  calved  the  first 
day  of  September — the  calf  sucked  four  days, 
and  she  has  averaged  13  quarts  of  milk  per  day 
since.     He  has  refused  $100  for  her.  b. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
"FARMING  LIFE  IN  NEW  ENGLAND." 

"We  would  by  no  means  compare  New  Eng- 
land farmers  with  the  Irish  peasantry."  Indeed  ! 
"But  if  we  enter  a  church  containing  a  strictly 
rural  assembly,  and  then  visit  another  containing 
a  class  whose  labor  is  lighter,"  "we  shall  see  a 
contrast,  less  marked  perhaps,  but  presenting 
similar  features."  Then  it  is  not  quite  certain 
that  the  "contrast"  between  the  rural  and  city 
population  is  "less  marked,"  than  that  between 
the  "Irish  peasantry,"  and  the  "Irish  gentlemen." 
There  is  room  for  a  "perhaps."  "The  forms  of 
both  men  and  women  are  angular,  their  features 
are  not  particularly  intellectual,  their  movements 
are  not  graceful." 

When  La  Fayette  visited  this  country,  in  1826 
we  think  it  was,  he  visited  several  of  the  country 
towns  ;  among  the  rest  a  farming  town  in  the 
north  part  of  Worcester  county.  An  artillery 
company,  composed  almost  wholly  of  farmers, 
turned  out  to  do  honor  to  the  veteran  soldier  and 
statesman.  After  looking  at  their  maiifeuvres 
for  a  few  moments,  he  remarked  to  a  gentleman 
by  his  side,  "that  is  the  finest  company  of  men  I 
ever  saw."  He  had  an  eye  for  the  "forms  of  men." 
He  had  seen  a  variety  of  "forms  of  men,"  and 
their  "movements."  But  as  at  that  period  he  had 
been  residing  for  years  at  his  chateau  in  the 
country,  perhaps  he  had  become  partial  to  the 
farmer's  "forms"  and  "movements."  At  any  rate, 
he  did  not  seem  to  be  aware  of  the  fact  that  the 
"city  assemblage  is  composed  of  a  finer  and  high- 
er grade  of  men,  women  and  children."  Now,  as 
the  "city  comes  from  the  country,"  it  is  surprising 
how  rapidly  this  transformation  takes  place. 
When  relieved  from  labor,  life  rises  at  once  to  a 
"higher  grade,"  as  the  spring  rebounds  when  the 
weight  is  removed  that  pressed  it  down.  Men  and 
women  of  finer  and  higher  grade  !  Yes,  if  "the 
tailor  makes  the  man,"  they  may  be.  But  if 
health  and  vigor,  intelligence  and  self-reliant  in- 
dustry, independence,  integrity  and  honesty,  make 
the  man,  then  we  deny  the  assertion  altogether. 
"But  the  city  children  going  back  to  the  farm, 
show  that  a  new  element  has  been  introduced  in- 
to their  blood."  Yes,  an  element  of  feebleness, 
frivolity  and  selfishness.  If  these  show  "in  every 
way  a  finer  development,"  then  they  undoubted- 
ly possess  it. 

Where  has  this  writer  spent  his  life  ?  In  what 
aristocratic  "bower  of  ease"  has  he  been  taught 
to  look  back  with  contempt,  upon  the  source 
from  whence  he  sprung  ?  We  should  suppose 
that  he  were  still  a  sophomore,  or  at  least,  that 
he  had  just  graduated,  with  the  notion  so  com- 
mon among  young  students,  that  he  is  of  "a  finer 
and  higher  grade"  than  other  men,  and  that  he 
had  not  lived  long  enough  to  correct  the  mistake. 
Where  would  any  man  in  his  senses  look  for  fair, 
blooming,  well  developed,  healthy,  happy  chil- 
dren, capable  of  caring  for  themselves,  and  lend- 
ing a  generous  aid  to  the  feeble  and  the  needy, 
but  among  the  boys  and  girls  who  have  breathed 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


547 


the  bracing  air,  and  had  the  free  range  of  the 
hills  of  New  England  ?  Would  he  seek  them  by 
gas  light,  in  the  narrow  lanes,  the  dark  avenues, 
or  the  crowded  streets  of  the  city?  Where  do 
our  city  merchants  find  the  healthful,  blooming 
women,  whom  they  transport  to  the  city,  and  to 
whom  they  render  the  "homage  of  their  hearts," 
and  who  may  '-introduce  a  new  element  into  the 
blood  of  their  children  ?"  Were  it  not  for  the 
constant  infusion  of  this  "new  element,"  the  city 
children  would  be  compelled  to  "go  back  to  tlie 
farm"  to  recruit  their  feeble  frames  and  decaying 
energies,  more  frequently  than  they  do  now. 
Where  were  the  Hawleys,  the  Knoxes,  the  Put- 
naras,  the  Starks,  the  Greens,  the  SuUivans,  and 
even  Washington,  raised  ?  Did  Cromwell  and 
Napoleon  have  their  root  in  the  pavement  ?  And 
where  did  Clay,  and  Webster,  and  Calhoun,  and 
Corwin,  and  Cass,  first  see  the  light  ?  Do  their 
mothers  afford  instances  in  which  "Heaven  mer- 
cifully interfered  with  the  operation  of  its  own 
laws  ?"  Will  the  "hands"  and  "faces"  and  "bowed 
and  clumsy  forms"  of  their  mothers  compare  with 
those  of  city  dames  ?  Are  there  no  bowed  frames 
and  angular  forms  and  "features  that  are  not 
particularly  intellectual"  to  be  seen  in  the 
"streets  ?"  We  know  that  such  "comparisons 
are  invidious."  There  are  men  and  women  in 
both  city  and  country,  whose  forms  are  angular, 
whose  features  are  stolid,  and  whose  fram-es  are 
bowed  by  disease,  by  care  and  by  labor.  But  we 
contend  that  the  country  exhibits  its  fu'U  propor- 
tion of  health  and  beauty,  intelligence  and  grace. 
If  the  farmer's  wife,  discharging  her  appropriate 
duties  in  the  kitchen,  is  clothed  in  a  garb  appro- 
priate to  her  work,  if  the  farmer  himself  does.not 
go  to  market  clothed  in  broadcloth,  if  his  face  is 
browned  by  the  weather,  and  his  hands  are 
hardened  by  toil,  does  this  prove  that  they  belong 
to  an  inferior  grade  of  humanity  ?  Apply  to  them 
the  test  of  womanhood  or  manhood.  Appeal  to 
their  hearts,  to  their  conscience,  their  integrity, 
their  love  of  honest  independence,  their  intelli- 
gence, to  all  the  virtues  that  constitute  the  true 
men,  or  the  true  women,  and  will  they  be  found 
inferior  to  those  who  toil  in  the  counting-room, 
or  in  the  dust  and  smoke  of  the  mechanic's  shop  ? 
But  "the  farmers  home,"  the  "sketch."  In  what 
part  of  the  country  did  he  draw  this  "sketch  ?" 
In  what  remote  corner  of  New  England,  where 
the  hum  of  the  factory  or  the  whistle  of  the  en- 
gine was  never  heard,  did  he  find  this  home  ? 
We  do  not  deny  that  there  are  relics  of  the  olden 
time,  venerable  for  their  antiquity,  which  bear 
some  resemblance,  in  their  external  appearance, 
to  the  "sketch."  But  are  they  the  types  and  re- 
presentatives of  the  homes  of  the  living  New 
England  farmers  of  to-day  ?  We  would  as  soon 
think  of  calling  the  "one  boss  shay,"  built  by  the 
logical  deacon,  a  hundred  years  ago,  adorned  in 
front  and  sU  around  by  rows  of  burnished  brass 
nails,  a  type  of  the  vehicles  of  the  present  time. 
As  to  the  internal  arrangement  and  style  of  life 
which  are  said  to  present  themselves,  when  "we 
enter  by  the  back  door,"  we  think  we  should  look 
in  vain  for  them  anywhere  except  in  the  "sketch," 
even  in  a  "square  brown  house,"  unless  it  were 
occupied  by  "Irish  peasantry."  It  is  true  that 
there  is  much  room  for  improvement  in  many  of 
the  "farm  homes"  of  New  England.  Many  of 
them  exhibit  a  sad  want  of  taste  in  their  sur- 


roundings. But  a  want  of  taste  is  not  a  want  of 
truth,  and  we  ask  in  all  soberness,  is  this  a  truth- 
ful "sketch"  of  the  farm  houses  of  New  England? 
In  what  "lodge  in  some  vast  wilderness"  does 
this  man  dwell  ?  Go  through  the  length  and 
breadth  of  the  land,  visit  the  hills  and  valleys  of 
New  England.  Ask  our  county  officers — the 
committees  of  our  agricultural  societies,  on  farms 
and  orchards,  who  visit  the  farms,  and  are  enter- 
tained at  the  homes  of  tiie  farmers.  Some  of 
these  men  have  been  in  the  city.  Some  of  them 
reside  there  a  part  of  the  year,  and  are  partici- 
pants of  Ijoth  city  and  country  life.  Ask  them  if 
the  farmers  "receive  their  friends"  in  the  kitchen, 
where  "a  kettle  of  soap-grease  is  standing  upon 
the  stove,  and  its  fumes  are  mingling  with  the 
boiling  cabbage,  and  other  smells,  anything  but 
agreeable  ?"  Ask  them  if  "the  men  and  women, 
the  sons  and  daughters"  which  they  have  met  in 
their  ani.ual  visits,  "go  so  far  into  essential  self- 
debasement,  as  to  condemn  beauty,  and  those 
who  love  it,  and  to  glory  above  all  things,  in 
brute  strength,  and  brute  endurance  ?"  Where 
do  they  find  more  intelligent,  high-minded  and 
honorable  men  ?  Where  do  they  find  women  of 
more  beautiful  forms,  and  "look  upon  faces" 
more  fair  ?  Where  have  they  mingled  in  con- 
versation more  agreeable  and  more  intellectual  ? 
Where  have  they  been  entertained  at  tables  more 
bountifully,  not  to  say  more  tastefully  spread  ? 
And  more,  where  have  they  "looked  upon  hands" 
that  have  wrought  more  beautiful  specimens  of 
needle  work  or  painting  ?  Vv'here  have  they 
heard  sweeter  voices,  or  more  delightful  strains 
of  music  ?  Where  have  they  found,  in  most  gen- 
erous abundance,  the  comforts  and  conveniences 
of  home,  and  added  to  these,  an  ample  store  of 
the  elegancies  and  luxuries  of  life  ?  Now  we  do 
not  say  that  this  is  a  pictiire  of  farm  life,  as  it  is 
commonly  found  in  New  England.  But  we  do 
say  that  the  picture  is  more  truthful,  and  more 
frequent  at  the  present  day,  than  the  "sketch," 
which  is  held  up  as  a  type  of  farm  life. 

The  tendency  of  the  present  time  is  to  copy 
and  multiply  the  picture  which  we  have  drawn, 
and  many  of  its  features  are  found  in  almost  every 
farm  home,  while  the  "sketch,"  if  it  were  ever 
true  to  life,  has  been  a  relic  of  antiquity  for  half 
a  century.  We  would  recommend  to  the  artist 
to  present  his  study  of  ancient  ruins  to  the  State 
Antiquarian  Society.  We  think  the  gift  should 
entitle  him  to  membership. 

But  "the  real  reason  for  the  deterioration  of 
agriculture  in  New  England."  The  "deteriora- 
tion of  agriculture"  again.  Now  we  wholly  and 
absolutely  deny  that  any  such  "deterioration"  ex- 
ists. It  is  a  false  assumption  without  any  proof. 
Let  us  look  a  little  into  the  detail.  In  the  State 
of  New  York  there  are  58,000  fewer  cows  than 
there  were  fifteen  years  ago.  And  yet  the  increase 
in  cheese  is  12,991,437  pounds,  and  of  butter 
264,361  pounds,  worth  together  $1,202,580.  Now 
if  the  farmers  can  sell  58,000  cows,  and  pocket  the 
money  and  save  the  keeping  of  the  cows,  and 
fyet  their  dairy  products  be  increased  by  more 
than  $1,200,000,  is  there  a  deterioration  in  stock 
husbandry  ?  Throughout  New  England  quite  as 
great  a  change  has  taken  place  in  this  department 
of  farming.  Owing  to  the  introduction  of  the 
"pick  and  pride  of  foreign  herds,"  and  to  more 
skilful  management,  the  value  of  cov/s  and  oxen 


£48 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Dec. 


is  nearly  or  quite  twice  as  much  as  it  was  twen- 
ty-five years  ago.  The  sheep  in  Vermont  yield 
two  pounds  of  wool,  where  they  yielded  one, 
twenty  years  ago,  and  that  of  better  quality.  And 
are  not  the  iVtorgans  and  Black  Hawks  an  im- 
provement upon  the  old  ewe  necked  breed  of 
New  England  horses  ?  And  have  not  swine  ful- 
ly kept  pace  in  improvement,  with  other  farm 
stock  ?  The  grass  lands  in  Massachusetts  yield 
two  tons,  where  they  formerly  yielded  one.  And 
this  is  one  very  important  reason  of  the  in- 
creased value  of  farm  stock. 

In  corn  culture,  our  farmers  harvest  at  least 
twenty-five  per  cent,  an  acre  more  than  formerly. 
If  they  do  not  raise  as  many  potatoes  per  acre  as 
they  once  did,  it  is  owing  to  causes  beyond  their 
control,  like  the  diseases,  that  at  certain  periods 
attack  certain  families  of  trees,  as  the  button- 
wood,  the  peach,  &c.  But  if  the  quantity  of  po- 
tatoes per  acre  has  diminished,  the  price  has  in- 
creased, and  been  sustained  by  the  demand  of  the 
foreign  population,  and  the  income  to  the  farmer 
from  this  crop  has  been  greater,  during  the  few 
years  past,  than  ever  before.  And  is  not  the 
quantity  of  fruit  greatly  increased,  and  its  quali- 
ty improved  ?  But,  it  will  be  said,  the  quantity 
of  grain  rasied  in  New  England  has  diminished. 
The  agriculture  of  New  England  has  doubtless 
undergone  some  changes.  The  habits  of  our  peo- 
ple have  changed.  They  now  consume  a  much 
greater  amount  and  variety  of  vegetable  food 
than  formerly,  and  farm  culture  has  changed  to 
meet  the  demand  occasioned  by  this  change  in 
the  habits  of  living.  In  the  vicinity  of  all  our 
cities  and  manufacturing  towns,  fields  that  were 
once  covered  with  rye  and  corn,  are  cut  up  into 
streets  and  building  lots,  or  covered  with  build- 
ings and  gardens.  The  culture  of  fruit  and  veg- 
etables for  the  supply  of  the  market  in  these 
towns,  is  much  more  profitable  than  the  culture 
of  grain.  One  of  my  neighbors  raised  this  sea- 
son, on  one  acre  and  a  quarter,  one  hundred  and 
sixty  barrels  of  marrow  squashes,  worth  one  dol- 
lar the  barrel. 

Here  was  twice  the  amount  which  this  land 
would  have  yielded  in  corn.  But  has  there  been, 
in  this  case,  a  "deterioration  in  agriculture  ?" 
Farm  lands  which  might  have  been  purchased 
thirty  or  forty  years  ago  for  thirty  dollars  an 
acre,  have  been  sold  for  three  and  even  five  hun- 
dred dollars  for  the  cultivation  of  market  vege- 
tables. Does  this  prove  deterioration?  The 
ti'uth  is  that  in  many  parts  of  New  England,  far- 
mers cannot  afford  to  raise  corn,  or  even  to  pas- 
ture cows  for  butter.  It  is  better  economy  for 
them  to  purchase  corn  and  butter,  and  appropri- 
ate their  lands  to  other  uses.  Does  this  prove 
bad  husbandry  ?  If  so,  every  man  who  engages 
in  a  more  profitable  business  than  he  has  been 
pursuing,  is  a  bad  husband.  Whence  has  come 
the  great  increase  of  taxable  property  in  the 
farming  towns  and  villages  ?  Whence  have 
sprung  up  all  over  our  hills  and  valleys,  neat, 
convenient  and  tasteful  dwelling-houses  ?  How 
comes  it  that  they  are  filled  with  better  furniture 
and  many  more  conveniences,  than  they  were  a 
few  years  ago  ?  Whence  have  sprung  up  the 
large  and  elegant  barns,  Avith  spacious  cellars, 
that  have  taken  the  place  of  the  small  and  incon- 
venient barns  of  the  past?  How  is  it  that  farm- 
ing population  is  better  clothed  and  better  fed — 


that  they  have  better  school-houses,  and  annual- 
ly spend  large  sums  for  the  education  of  their 
children  ?  How  is  it  that  books  and  papers  and 
periodicals  are  found  in  every  farmer's  family? 
How  is  it  that  the  farmers  are  able  to  employ 
foreign  laborers,  both  in  the  house  and  field,  and 
educate  their  own  sons  and  daughters  to  teach 
the  schools  of  the  cities,  to  fill  their  pulpits 
and  adorn  their  legal  tribunals?  Whence  have 
thousands  of  farmers'  sons  obtained  the  means 
to  secure  future  homes  on  the  broad  prairies  of 
the  West,  or  to  gratify  the  love  of  enterprise  or 
fondness  for  roaming,  by  visiting  the  El  Dora- 
dos of  the  world  ?  The  sums  thus  carried  from 
the  farm  homes  within  a  few  years  past,  would 
go  far  to  pay  for  all  the  farms  of  New  England, 
as  they  were  in  the  past  generation.  Does  all 
this  prove  the  deterioration  of  agriculture  ? 

As  we  deny  the  position  which  the  writer  takes 
so  much  pains  to  prove,  we  have  nothing  to  do 
with  the  reasons  by  Avhich  he  attempts  to  prove 
it.  But  one  word  with  respect  to  "the  position 
of  the  mother  in  the  New  England  farm  homes." 
"Is  not  she  who  should  receive  the  tenderest 
and  most  considerate  ministries  of  the  farmer's 
home,  in  all  its  appointments,  and  all  its  service, 
made  the  ceaseless  minister  and  servant  of  the 
home  and  all  within  it,  with  utter  disregard  of  her 
office  ?"  Shame,  shame  on  the  man  who  can  so 
dishonor  the  soil  that  feeds  him.  If  any  woman 
in  any  home  is  completely  mistress  of  "all  its  ap- 
pointments," and  all  its  "service,"  and  of  all 
"within  it,"  it  is  the  beloved  and  virtuous  moth- 
er in  the  New  England  farmer's  home.  It  is  true 
that  New  England  mothers  are  "ceaseless  minis- 
ters" to  those  around  them.  They  are  ever  anx- 
ious about  the  objects  of  their  love.  Their  affection 
takes  that  active  form  that  demands  an  object  to 
love  and  care  for.  Like  Martha  of  old,  they  are 
"careful  and  troubled  about  many  things."  But 
this  is  no  more  true  of  the  mothers  in  farmers' 
homes,  than  in  other  homes.  It  is  characteris- 
tic of  New  England  mothers,  and  their  husbands 
are  not  good  easy  souls,  letting  things  go  their 
own  Avay,  and  taking  the  world  easy.  New  Eng- 
land men  and  women  both  are  characterized  by 
incessant  anxiety  and  ceaseless  care  for  the  ob- 
jects of  their  affection  or  pursuit.  Careful  and  anx- 
ious fathers  and  mothers  are  they.  But  it  is  a  con- 
stitutional trait  and  belongs  to  the  race.  If  the 
New  England  mother  assumes  the  office  of 
"ceaseless  minister"  to  her  children,  it  is  because 
she  is  impelled  to  it  by  an  anxious,  loving  heart, 
and  not  because  her  affectiona'e  service  does  not 
secure  for  her  "more  consideration  than  the  pets 
of  the  stall."  We  are  sorry  that  so  able  a  writer 
does  not  read  human  nature  more  coi-rectly,  or 
understand  better  the  character  of  his  own  coun- 
trymen. 

But,  Mr.  Editor,  we  are  taking  up  quite  too 
much  of  your  space,  and  will  speak  of  only  one 
more  point  before  we  close,  and  that  is  the  "iso- 
lation" of  farm  life,  and  here  we  will  be  brief. 
"The  tree  which  springs  in  the  open  field,  though 
it  be  fed  by  the  juices  of  a  rood,  will  present  a 
hard  and  stunted  growth,  while  the  little  sapling 
of  the  forest  seeking  for  life  among  a  million 
roots,  will  lift  to  the  light  its  cap  of  leaves  upon 
a  graceful  stem,  and  whisper  even-headed  with 
the  stateliest  of  its  neighbors."  Yes,  and  the 
whisper  wiU  ever  be,  "lam  even-headed  with  my 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


549 


neighbors  ;"  and  to  gain  this  even  level  is  the 
struggle  of  its  -whole  life.  Its  "cap  of  leaves"  is 
borne  upon  a  naked  bole.  It  throws  out  no  stur- 
dy arms  laden  with  fruit  and  foliage,  yielding 
shelter  and  nourishment  to  "the  beasts  of  the 
field  and  the  fowls  of  the  air."  It  is  like  its 
neighbors.  It  has  no  individual  character.  Who 
ever  looks  for  a  tree  of  the  "first-class"  in  the 
forest  ?  Did  the  "autocrat"  ever  put  his  "wed- 
ding-ring" on  such  a  tree  ?  Did  his  heart  "ever 
stop  short  and  then  jump  in  his  ribs,"  when  he 
looked  on  such  a  tree  ?  It  is  the  tree  occupying 
a  "rood"  that  "lifts  in  Olympian  majesty  and  im- 

{)erial  supremacy"  "its  great  green  cloud"  of  fo- 
iage.  When  did  the  tree  which  "seeks  for  life 
among  a  million  roots"  ever  spread  its  symmet- 
rical branches  over  a  "diameter  of  a  hundred 
feet  ?  The  "autocrat"  certainly  exhibits  the  most 
extensive  and  accurate  knowledge  of  the  natural 
history  of  trees,  even  of  the  trees  of  the  river 
towns,  and  of  their  individual  character,  as  they 
stand  "alone  in  their  glory."  And  when  "some- 
body" publishes  his  photographs  of  New  Eng- 
land elms  and  other  trees,"  we  shall  have  addi- 
tional evidence  that  trees  which  grow  up  in  "Iso- 
lation" have  not  therefore  a  hard  and  stunted 
growth.  We  present  this  illustration  of  one  of 
the  reasons  of  the  "deterioration  of  agriculture" 
as  a  fair  sample  of  the  writer's  correctness  in  the 
observation  of  facts.  It  is  a  good  specimen  of 
his  accuracy,  and  quite  as  reliable  as  any  other 
"sketch"  he  has  drawn.  The  inferences  which 
he  deduces  from  his  facts,  are  worth  as  much  and 
no  more  than  the  facts  themselves,  and  indicate 
a  judgment  equalled  only  by  his  power  of  obser- 
vation. Had  not  this  outrage  upon  New  Eng- 
land character  been  found  in  company  that  gives 
it  credit  and  currency,  we  would  not  have  trou- 
bled you  with  these  remarks.  R. 
Oct.  15. 


under  the  knife,  at  the  same  time  the  man  above 
reflecting  the  sun's  light  upon  it.  This  being 
done,  the  object  of  search  was  brought  up  within 
eight  inches  of  the  surface,  when  it  glided  off  and 
went  to  the  bottom  again  ;  this  was  tried  over 
again,  and  the  same  result.  But  a  third  time  se- 
cured it  by  thrusting  the  arm  into  the  water  and 
meeting  the  knife  before  it  came  to  the  surface. 

This  was  the  first  practical  application  of  my 
early  discovery  of  reflecting  light,  and  was  of 
great  worth  to  me,  when  in  the  pump  business. 
Not  only  was  it  useful  to  me  where  the  sun  shone 
over  the  well,  but  I  could  reflect  froin  one  mirror 
to  another  into  any  room,  down  any  well, 
through  any  tunnel  or  into  any  pump,  and  see 
the  inside  of  anything  as  well  as  tbe  outside. 

Boston,  Oct.,  1858.  s.  A. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
BEFLECTINQ  LIGHT  INTO  A  WELL. 
Mr.  Editor  : — I  recently  noticed  in  your  col- 
umns the  old  story  revived  of  looking  into  wells 
by  a  looking-glass,  which  carried  my  mind  back 
some  twenty-three  years.  When  standing  in  Dr. 
Bond's  well,  in  Waltham,  the  well  being  about 
thirty-six  feet  deep,  and  had  six  feet  of  water  in 
it,  after  connecting  the  pipe  by  soldering,  to  lead 
the  water  from  it  into  a  house,  and  while  gather- 
ing up  my  tools,  a  valuable  jackknife  slipt  from 
my  hands  to  the  bottom.  I  looked  wishfully  af- 
ter it  till  it  struck  the  water,  then  it  was  out  of 
sight,  and  I  knew  just  as  well  where  it  was  as 
though  it  had  been  in  my  pocket.  While  stand- 
ing on  the  stoning,  some  ten  feet  down,  I  re- 
solved that  I  must  have  it,  but  how  to  get  it  was 
the  knotty  question.  I  bethought  myself  as  be- 
ing once  a  rogue  in  school,  playing  with  a  piece 
of  looking-glass,  refleciing  the  sun's  light  on  the 
walls  and  ceiling  of  the  room,  to  attract  the  lit- 
tle rogues  like  myself.  While  reflecting,  and  the 
sun  shining,  philosophy  told  me  that  he  would 
show  me  where  the  knife  lay.  The  water  being 
clear,  a  mirror  was  brought,  the  experiment  made, 
and  the  knife  brought  clearly  to  view  under  six 
feet  of  -wro+ov,  TI?r"  vis  the  treasure  in  sight. 
Wh.dt  ftext  ?  Perseverance  said — get  a  hoe, 
splice  out  the  handle,  lower  It  down  and  work  it 


MILK  FROM  SPAYED  COWS— INTEREST. 
INO-  TO  DAIRYMEN. 

It  is  known  to  all  our  dairymen,  that  the  milk 
of  cows  varies  greatly.  In  a  period  when  the 
cows  are  in  heat,  the  milk  is  very  unhealthy  and 
injurious  to  other  milk  in  contact  with  it.  The 
milk  of  cows,  for  a  time  after  calving,  is  also  not 
as  good  as  at  a  subsequent  period.  A  French 
gentleman,  "Delamarre,"  proprietor  of  a  milk 
establishment  in  Paris,  gives  the  following  ac- 
count of  f 

THE   MILK   OF    SPAYED   COWS. 

This  milk  is  produced  from  cows  which,  after 
the  fifth  or  sixth  gestation,  and  five  or  six  weeks 
after  calving,  undergo  an  operation  which  con- 
sists in  the  removal  of  the  ovaries,  thus  render- 
ing the  cows,  henceforth,  incapable  of  re-produc- 
tion. From  this  time,  as  happens  to  the  ox,  the 
animal  changes  in  its  nature,  and  its  milk,  which 
we  have  named  milk  of  spayed  cows,  is  free  from 
all  perturbations.  The  spayed  cow  does  not  un- 
dergo those  disturbances  arising  from  being  in 
heat,  from  gestation,  and  pertui'bation,  she  is  free 
from  those  causes  which  produce  such  eff'ects  in 
the  quality  of  the  milk. 

In  this  new  condition  her  milk  becomes  regu- 
lated, and,  which  is  important  to  the  farmer,  lac- 
tation is  maintained  in  full  quantity,  for  a  year 
at  least,  and  is  prolonged,  diminishing  in  quanti- 
ty but  increasing  In  quality,  two  and  even  three 
years,  when  she  is  not  too  old,  and  is  properly 
kept.  When  lactation  has  ceased,  the  cow,  which 
has  by  a  quiet  and  reposed  life  become  consider- 
ably increased  in  flesh,  may  be  delivered  to  the 
butcher  in  perfect  condition,  and  the  meat  is  su- 
perior to  that  of  ordinary  cows.  By  generaliz- 
ing the  spaying  of  cows,  after  the  fifth  or  sixth 
gestation,  there  would  be  introduced  into  com- 
mon use  milk  of  an  irreproachable  quality. 

The  spaying  of  cows  was  known  in  remote  an- 
tiquity. In  modern  times  the  practice  dates  back 
about  twenty-five  years,  with  the  design  to  in- 
crease the  quality  of  milk  in  cows.  In  1830,  Mr. 
Winn,  Natchez,  Miss.,  applied  it  with  advantage 
in  the  production  of  milk.  Mr.  Winn  proceeded 
by  the  cesarian  operation,  which  is  still  pursued 
in  the  United  States,  but  it  presents  serious  diffi- 
culties, resulting  occasionally  in  the  death  of  the 
animal.  In  France,  M.  Charlier,  Veterinary  Sur- 
geon, executes  the  operation  without  externa!  in- 


550 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Dec. 


cision,  and  renders  the  chances  of  mortality  much 
less. 

The  milk  of  spayed  cows  gives  more  cream 
than  ordinary  milk ;  it  is  also  richer  in  casein, 
which  constitutes — a  fact  generally  unknown — 
the  most  nourishing  part  of  milk — hence  the  su- 
perior quality  of  the  milk.  The  butter  extracted 
directly  from  the  milk  is  delicious  in  taste  ;  it 
testifies  to  the  amount  and  richness  of  the  casein 
it  contains.  This  milk  offers  precious  resources 
for  the  artificial  raising  of  infants ;  it  might  be 
asserted  that  they  will  be  better  nourished ;  for 
the  nourishment  of  infants,  who  give  it  the  pref- 
erence over  other  milk,  we  do  not  doubt  that  fhe 
milk  of  spayed  cov,'s  will  be  principally  used. 

Such  is  the  milk  introduced  by  M.  Delamarre 
at  his  establishment  for  consumption.  —  Oldo 
Farmer. 


THE   FLAIL. 

BY  AXNA   L.    A^'^,IER. 

A  song  for  the  flail !  the  smooth  hamlled  flail, 

As  stroke  after  stroke  it  comes  clown  ; 
While  the  golden  grains  fly,  wheat,  barley  or  rye. 

The  toil  of  the  farmer  to  crown. 

The  useful  and  useless  he  thus  will  divide  ; 

And  gathering  each  in  its  turn, 
The  former  with  care,  for  the  garner  prepare. 

The  latter  he'll  scatter  or  burn. 

And  what  is  earth  more  than  a  great  threshing  floor — 
With  the  wrong  and  the  right  thickly  strown  ? 

But  Truth's  iron  flail,  them  both  shall  assail ; 
To  the  winds  then  shall  falsehood  be  thrown. 

Boston  Ilecord^. 


MASS,  STATE  BOAKD  OF  AQBICULTUKB. 

A  quarterly  meeting  of  the  State  Board  of  Ag- 
riculture was  holden  at  the  farm  at  Westboro', 
on  the  18th  October,  the  Superintending  Com- 
mittee having  been  in  session  the  previous  day. 
Nearly  all  the  members  were  present.  The  dis- 
cussions were  animated,  harmonious  and  instruc- 
tive. In  that  on  The  Potato  Rot,  the  opinion 
seemed  to  prevail,  that  insects  xke  not  theprime 
cause  of  the  disease,  but  that  they  are  usually  at- 
tendant upon  it.  Numerous  experiments  have 
been  gone  through  with  on  the  farm  during  the 
season  just  closed,  which  have  been  conducted 
with  accuracy  and  care,  whose  results  indicate 
that  nothing  has  yet  come  to  the  knowledge  of 
the  Board,  that  will  certainly  prevent  the  disease. 
Indeed,  in  some  of  the  experiments,  where  rem- 
edies had  been  recommended  with  the  utmost 
confidence,  the  disease  seemed  to  revel  with  un- 
usual virulence  and  power. 

In  connection  with  this  subject,  the  opinion  as 
expressed,  was  general,  that  potatoes  succeed 
the  best  on  new  land, — that  is,  on  land  newly 
broken,  whether  just  reclaimed  or  broken  pas- 
tures or  mowing  fields.  Mr.  Lathrop,  of  South 
Hadley,  said  he  had  known  potatoes  repeatedly 
to  fail  when  planted  on  the  same  land  for  three 
successive  years. 

The  discussion  "O/i  tlie  use   of  Guano"   was 


highly  interesting, — but  the  views  of  the  speak- 
ers were  various.  We  could  see  that  there  was 
no  unanimity  of  opinion  that  guano  would  inva- 
riably prove  useful  to  hoed  or  grain  crops,  but 
that  on  grass  lands  where  humus  is  annually  sup- 
plied in  the  second  growth  of  grass  which  dies 
and  decays  on  the  ground,  absorbing  and  hold- 
ing the  guano,  it  can  be  universally  employed 
with  confidence,  and  may  be  expected  to  produce 
profitable  results.  On  this  subject,  Col.  Wilder 
observed  that  he  had  known  mowing  fields  sus- 
tained for  eight  successive  years  in  producing 
heavy  crops,  with  no  other  fertilizer  supplied  by 
man  but  guano. 

The  importance  of  th?  means  for  a  more  sys- 
tematic education  for  those  who  mean  to  make 
farming  an  avocation,  was  earnestly  discussed, 
and  it  was  evident  that  the  Board  believes  it  a 
duty  to  give  this  point  more  direct  attention 
hereafter.  Mr,  SwEETSER,  of  Amherst,  sustained 
his  opinions  in  brief,  but  appropriate  and  forcible 
remarks. 

In  the  course  of  business  matters  it  was 
"Voted,  That  the  Board  of  Agriculture  do  not 
contemplate  renewing  the  contract  for  the  man- 
agement of  the  State  Farm  at  Westboro',  and 
now  notify  the  Trustees  of  their  decision." 

We  learn  that  there  were  several  reasons  five 
years  ago  for  transferring  the  farm  to  the  care 
of  the  Board  of  Agriculture,  and  among  the 
principal  of  which  w'as  that  of  relieving  the  Trus- 
tees from  the  care  of  employing  the  boys  on  the 
land  under  the  immediate  care  of  competent 
overseers  and  instructors.  Under  a  new  arrange- 
ment of  the  Board  of  Trustees,  however,  all  the 
boys  who  are  of  sufficient  age  and  ability,  and 
who  can  be  entrusted  on  the  farm,  are  now  em- 
ployed upon  it  during  suitable  weather,  imder 
the  care  of  their  own  teachers  in  the  schools.  This 
plan  has  been  found  to  work  admirably,  and  has 
already  been  attended  with  the  most  beneficial 
results.  The  Board  of  Agriculture  also  found 
its  field  of  operations  somewhat  restricted  by  the 
connection,  and  the  cost  of  managing  the  farm 
considerably  increased  by  the  necessity  of  keep- 
ing minute  and  extended  accounts,  and  the  una- 
voidable intermingling  of  the  business  of  the  two 
Boards.  Having,  therefore,  a  wider  field  of  ac- 
tion in  view,  and  the  term  having  nearly  expii'ed 
for  which  they  contracted,  they  gave  notice  to 
the  Trustees  at  this  early  day — the  contract  ex- 
piring in  April  next — in  order  that  they  may 
have  ample  time  to  arrange  for  next  spring's  op- 
erations. 

One  step  taken  towards  carrying  out  the  new 
views  of  the  Board,  was  the  appointment  of  a 
committee  to  consider  and  report  at  the  annual 
meeting  in  January  next,  a  plan  of  operations  of 
the  Board  for  the   ensuing  year.     Dr.  John  C. 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND   FARMER. 


551 


Bartlett,  of  Chelmsford,  is  Chairman  of  this 
committee,  and  aided  by  his  intelligent  associ- 
ates, they  will  undoubtedly  present  a  lucid  and 
practical  outline  of  business. 

We  hope,  now  that  the  Board  is  about  relin- 
quishing its  charge  of  the  farm,  that  it  will 
devote  a  chapter  in  its  next  volume  of  Transac- 
tions to  a  full  account  of  the  experiments  and 
improvements  which  have  been  conducted  under 
its  control.  We  are  confident  that  in  each  of 
these,  more  has  been  done,  and  more  important 
results  have  been  obtained,  than  our  people  are 
aware  of;  it  is  due  to  the  Board,  that  its  labors 
may  be  appreciated,  and  the  people  desire  it,  that 
they  may  profit  by  the  example  given  them. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
CAUSE  AND  CUKE  OP  THE  POTATO  ROT. 

Mr.  Editor  : — I  have  read  with  much  inter- 
est the  articles  which  have  lately  appeared  in  the 
Farmer  on  the  above-named  subject — one  copied 
from  the  Scientific  American,  one  from  Mr. 
Reed,  the  patentee,  and  another  from  the  veter- 
an Ml".   Proctor,  the sceptic  !      My  interest 

in  the  tv70  first  articles  was  increased,  from  the 
fact  that  they  spoke  with  a  confidence  character- 
istic of  an  "assurance  doubly  sure."  Can  we  even 
suspect  that  it  is  not  the  true  theory,  when  so 
much  science,  time  and  labor  have  been  devoted 
to  it,  and  that  we  shall  not  hereafter  be  able  to 
raise  a  plenty  of  sound  potatoes,  whether  we  pur- 
chase Mr.  Reed's  patent  right,  or  adopt  Mr. 
Henderson's  gratuitous  method  of  sprinkling  the 
seed  with  quicklime,  or  of  planting  deep  ?  And 
in  this  connection  I  cannot  but  observe,  that  Mr. 
Reed  can  have  but  little  faith  in  Mr.  Henderson's 
remedy,  else  he  would  not  be  so  unwise  as  to 
patent  his  own  remedy  when  no  further  means 
of  prevention  were  needed;  or  that  the  public 
would  purchase  his  right  unless  they  thought  it 
the  sole  preventive.  And  do  not  these  gentle- 
men differ  in  regard  to  the  identity  of  the  depre- 
dating insect  ?  I  find  mentioned  the  '^ Aphis 
Vastafor,"  the  ^'Phytocoris  Linealaris,"  the  '-C'a- 
pris  Obliniatus,"  and  the  ^'Alphis."  Are  these 
identical,  all  having  "brilliant  black  eyes  ?" 

For  the  last  few  years  the  potato  has  rotted  bad- 
ly, but  not  because  there  were  no  published  rem- 
edies. Each  last  new  antidote  has  been  regard- 
ed, by  its  pi'omulgator,  as  the  certain  one  ;  but 
before  he  can  justly  appreciate  his  great  discov- 
ery, there  comes  the  conviction  that  it  is  futile, 
and  his  "blushing  honors"  immediately  vanish. 
Let  us  not  be 

'•Unskilled  to  judge  the  future  by  the  past," 
but  require  actual  demonstration,  for  a  series  of 
years  (if  not  falsified  before,)  of  any  new  theory 
in  relation  to  the  cause  and  remedy  of  the  pota- 
to rot. 

In  relatio-j  ^.o  the  Messrs.  Henderson  and  Reed's 
new  insect  tneory,  I  am  reminded  that  "Honest 
doubt  is  the  beacon  of  the  wise."  Neverthe- 
less, every  man,  who  is  not  already  convinced  of 
its  falsity,  is  under  obligation  to  test  it.  There 
are  many  diseases  incident  to  the  human  system, 
for  which  we  have  no  actual  remedy,  but  merely 


palliatives ;  and  even  they,  in  many  cases,  can 
hardly  be  called  such.  The  Asiatic  cholera,  fe- 
vers, &c.,  are  some  of  them.  AVe  may  never 
know  the  cause  or  remedy  of  this  potato  dis- 
ease, yet  it  may  in  time  mysteriously  disappear. 

It  would  seem  from  the  article  from  the  Scien- 
tific American,  that  one  remedy  for  the  evil  is  to 
plant  deep,  thereby  preventing  light  and  air  from 
coming  to  the  delicate  eggs,  though  the  growth  of 
the  tuber  requires  air.  If  such  is  the  case,  I  can- 
not see  how  the  rot  reaches  the  new  tubers  lying 
deep  in  the  hill,  and  as  frequently  leaving  those 
sound  near  the  surface — which  fact  I  have  par- 
ticularly noticed  since  reading  the  above-named 
articles.  If  the  deepest  planted  are  aff"ected,  how 
much  more  should  the  surface  ones  sufi"er !  The 
application  of  quicklime  to  the  seed  is  another 
published  remedy  of  Mr.  Henderson,  with  a  view 
of  killing  the  eggs.  (How  would  scalding  water 
do  ?)  I  have  not  tried  pure  caustic  lime  as  yet, 
but  I  always  sprir.kle  air-slaked  lime,  in  a  some- 
what imperfect  or  lumpy  condition,  on  my  seed- 
ling tubers,  and  it  seems  to  give  no  protection. 

It  is  genei'ally  believed  that  on  upland  new 
soils,  with  but  little  manure,  the  potato  enjoys 
the  greatest  immunity  from  the  rot ;  but  if  the 
embryo  insect  is  adhering  to  the  seedling  tuber, 
and  feeds  upon  it  and  its  products,  when  it  be- 
comes developed,  why  cannot  he  make  as  sad 
havoc  in  this  position  as  in  any  other  ?  The  po- 
tato disease,  it  is  well  known,  is  some  years  more 
virulent  than  in  others,  also  varying  in  diiferent 
sections  of  the  country — which  is  perfectly  in 
hai-monj''  with  the  atmospheric  theory.  But  can 
it  be  so  on  the  insect  hypothesis  ?  Sometimes, 
also,  very  early  varieties  escape ;  and  the  very 
late-growing  are  only  injured.  Can  the  cause  of 
this  be  made  clear  on  the  insect  presumption? 
Again,  if  the  potato  is  the  food  upon  which  these 
bugs  feed,  what  can  we  think  of  that  instinct 
which  leads  them  to  poison  and  destroy  it  ? 

Why  do  peaches  and  plums  rot  early  in  great 
quantities  on  the  trees  ?  Is  this  caused  by  an  in- 
sect, or  by  the  peculiar  state  of  the  atmosphere 
acting  upon  objects  of  easy  decomposition  ?  VVhat 
causes  vegetable  decay  in  general  ?  And  if  in- 
sects of  some  kind  are  found,  by  the  aid  of  the 
microscope,  in  all  incipient  decomposition,  does 
it  prove  they  cause  it  ? 

Some  time  last  winter  or  spring,  Mr.  Sheldon, 
of  Wilmington,  Ms.,  (a  very  zealous  and  Morthy 
farmer,)  published  a  communication  in  this  pa- 
per, and  also  in  the  Boston  Cultivator,  claiming 
the  State  award  of  $10,000,  on  the  conviction 
that  he  had  discovered  the  remedy  for  the  pota- 
to disease,  in  keeping  the  tubers  intended  for 
the  next  planting  from  the  light  and  air.  This 
may  be  a  remedy  ;  but  I  have  seen  no  allusions 
made  to  it  from  any  other  source.  If  Mr.  Shel- 
don can  raise  round  potatoes  without  the  use  of 
lime  or  deep  planting,  or  without  purchasing  Mr. 
Reed's  patent  antidote,  he  is  a  fortunate  man- 
much  more,  probably,  than  the  rest  of  mankind 
with  them  all ! 

I  think,  also,  a  gentleman  of  Essex  Co.,  during 
the  past  summer,  has  stated  in  the  New  EngJciid 
Farmer,  that  an  oyster  shell  placed  within  the 
hill  is  a  preventive  of  the  rot !  This  gentleman 
probably  cherishes  but  very  little  respect  for 
the  entomological  speculation  of  Messrs.  Hen- 
derson and  Reed,  or  of  the  underground  remedy 


552 


NEW  ENGIAND  FARMER. 


Dec. 


of  Mr.  Sheldon.  His  specific  is  a  simple  oyster- 
shell  ;  but  it  is  not  mine,  for  I  have  within  a  few 
days  seen  several  hills  containing  rotten  potatoes 
in  close  contiguity  with  this  crustaceous  protec- 
tor! 

Mr.  Lyman  Reed,  in  his  communication  speaks 
■with  great  confidence  in  his  remedy ;  but  I  ap- 
prehend the  farmer's  confidence  in  his  antidote  will 
,be  signally  feeble  when  he  learns  that  he  is  "pre- 
pared to  dispose  of  rights  to  use  the  remedy." 
With  Mr.  Proctor,  I  must  yet  remain — sceptical ! 

West  Mcdford,  Oct.  10,  1858.  i).  w.  l. 


For  the  New  Englaml  Fanner. 

BOOK  KCrO^WIiEDGE  VS.  EXPaRIBNCE— 
SALTING  PLUM  TBEES. 

Mr.  Editok: — I  read  the  "Farmer"  with 
much  interest.  I  have  been  wont  to  place  con- 
fidence in  its  teachings,  but  my  faith  is  waning  ; 
I  am  feeling  more  and  more  every  season,  that 
we  know  nothing  until  we  learn  it  by  actual  expe- 
rience. For  an  illustration,  I  refer  to  one  instance 
now.  I  have  read  again  and  again  in  the  Farmer, 
that  salt  was  good  for  plum  trees.  In  the  July 
number,  1856,  of  the  monthly,  there  is  an  article 
by  "Norfolk,"  on  the  "Treatment  of  Plum  Trees." 
I  had  in  the  spring  a  number  of  fine  growing 
trees.  Some  were  grafted  the  year  previous  and 
were  doing  very  well.  But  not  satisfied  with 
"doing  well,"  I  wished  to  "do  better."  So  I 
made  what  I  suppose  Norfolk  would  call  a  "free 
use"  of  salt,  and  the  result. is,  what  trees  are  not 
dead  outright,  are  stationary, — have  not  grown 
any,  neither  produced  fruit. 

From  my  experience,  I  venture  the  assertion 
that  with  the  "free  use  of  salt,"  I  can  kill  in  one 
month,  at  a  given  period,  every  plum  tree  which 
"Norfolk"  owns,  or  anybody  else,  for  that  matter. 
I  have  yet  to  be  convinced  that  any  amount  of 
salt,  ever  so  prudently  used,  is  of  any  service  to 
plum  trees.  Still  the  presumption  is  that  small 
quantities  may  be  of  utility.  But  if  the  indis- 
criminate use  is  liable  to  be  followed  by  such  re- 
sults as  I  have  witnessed,  in  the  case  of  my  own 
tiees,  ought  not  more  caution  to  be  used  in 
recommending  the  application  of  "salt  freely  to 
the  roots  of  the  tree?"  If  I  wanted  to  kill  my 
trees  this  would  be  the  course  I  would  pursue. 

I  have  sometimes  felt,  as  I  have  looked  upon 
my  lost  plum  trees,  that  the  friend  whose  advice 
I  was  fool  enough  to  follow  in  killing  them, 
ought  to  be  informed  of  the  result,  and  so  I  have 
written  these  lines.  West  Boylstox. 

Sept.,  1858. 

KEEPING  SWEET  POTATOES  FOE,  SEED. 

We  generally  select  potatoes  from  one-half  to 
one  inch  in  thickness  ;  the  smaller  ones  general- 
ly dry  up  so  as  to  be  worthless  in  the  spring. 
The  next  thing  is  to  store  them  properly.  Take 
old  flour  barrels  or  shoe  boxes  or  almost  any 
vessel  that  is  not  so  tight  as  not  to  admit  the 
air.  A  tight  barrel  or  box  we  have  always  found 
unfavorable  ;  old  salt  barrels,  ruinous,  the  salt 
every  time  rotting  the  potatoes.  We  fill  them, 
car''^'':Uy  shaking  them  down,  then  cover  the  top 
with  well  dried  saw-dust,  or  dust  from  the  road, 
or  drv  riar.d,  or  the  soil  they  were  raised  in,  well 


dried,  will  make  a  good  covering.  Then  store 
them  away  in  a  room  not  subject  to  sudden 
changes,  be  careful  in  storing,  however,  not  to 
cover  so  close  as  to  leave  no  opportunity  for  the 
sweat  from  the  potatoes  to  pass  off,  for  sweet  po- 
tatoes are  like  other  things,  they  will  pass  through 
a  sweat,  and  if  there  is  no  chance  for  the  mois- 
ture to  pass  off",  they  must  rot.  The  room  must 
be  kept  warm  by  fire ;  you  might  as  well  throw 
them  away  at  once  as  to  attempt  to  keep 
them  in  this  climate  without  fire.  The  proper 
temperature  is  about  50°  by  our  common  ther- 
mometers ;  though  where  you  have  a  stove  in 
your  room  the  temperature  may  be  raised  to  70 
or  80°  without  injury,  as  the  air  is  much  easier 
warmed  than  the  potatoes.  In  the  spring  be  not 
in  too  great  haste  to  unpack  and  remove  them  : 
we  have  frequently  been  deceived  by  spells  of 
warm  weather,  into  removing  our  potatoes  too 
early,  and  got  them  chilled  and  lost  more  by  rot 
than  we  had  all  the  winter  before. — G.  S.  Innis, 
Columbus,  0.,  in  Ohio  Cultivator. 


TREES  ABOUND  BAHNYAKDS. 

Much  attention  has  been  paid  in  your  valua- 
ble pnper  lately  to  the  management  and  cultiva- 
tion of  fruit  trees.  The  subject  is  one  of  impor- 
tance, and  worthy  of  your  consideration,  a  swell 
as  more  attention  among  farmers  than  it  gener- 
ally receives.  I  am  willing  to  do  what  I  can  to 
call  more  attention  to  this  subject,  and  would 
therefore  suggest  a  plan  in  which  a  few  dollars 
might  be  profitably  invested  by  every  farmer  who 
has  a  barnyard  ;  it  is  this  :  to  set  out  as  many  ap- 
ple or  other  fruit  trees  around  the  barn  and  yard 
as  the  room  will  permit. 

Trees  so  planted  will  soon  throw  out  their 
roots  under  the  barn  and  yard,  where  they  will 
find  an  abundance  of  nourishment  which  has 
soaked  downward  from  the  surface  of  the  yard, 
and  which,  did  they  not  save,  could  not  be  avail- 
able in  any  other  way.  In  consequence  of  their 
proximity  to  the  yard  and  barn,  they  will  not 
need  any  manuring  or  further  attention,  save  to 
protect  them  from  cattle,  till  they  get  out  of 
their  reach,  Avhich  they  will  soon  do,  and  come 
into  bearing. 

The  fruit  from  trees  so  planted  is  large  and 
well  developed,  and  they  almost  always  hang 
full.  One  of  my  neighbors  who  has  a  row  of  ap- 
ple trees  on  one  side  of  his  yard,  has  two  trees 
of  the  same  kind,  one  near  his  yard  and  the  other 
some  distance  off";  the  one  near  his  yard  produ- 
ces apples  of  twice  the  size,  and  more  than  four 
times  the  quantity  of  the  other.  jSIy  neighbor's 
trees  are  about  sixty  years  of  age,  and  the  largest 
that  I  have  ever  seen  ;  a  number  of  them  are 
about  eight  feet  in  circumference,  at  a  distance 
of  sixty  feet  across  them  through  the  heads,  and 
are  still  growing  vigorously. 

It  is  also  a  great  advantage  to  a  yard  to  have 
trees  around  it,  especially  in  winter,  as  they  do 
much  towards  breaking  the  cold  winds,  and  pre- 
venting much  sufliering  among  the  cattle.  I  hope 
that  those  who  feel  disposed  will  try  it  this  fall, 
as  the  outlay  is  so  small,  and  the  result  so  sure, 
that  T  ^'oubc  i.ut  they  Y/ill  Le  satiifieJ  v\ith  the 
{result,  and  an  additional  attraction  be  given  to 
jthe  old  hoq}est,ead. — Homestead. 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER- 


553 


ADVANTAGES  OF  EDUCATION  TO 
FARMERS. 

BY   HENRY  F.   FRENCH,    OF   EXETER,    N.   H. 

Soil  Analyses — Danger  to  True  Science  from  False  Teachers — 
Analysis  a  Nice  and  DiiBcult  Process — Superphosphate  of  Lime 
— Affection  of  Elementary  Substances,  and  their  Marriage- 
No  Accounting  for  Tastes,  either  in  Men  or  the  Elements. 

The  subject  of  soil  analyses].?,  extremely  inter- 
esting to  the  farmer.  It  is  so  simple  and  easy, 
just  to  be  told  of  what  plants  are  made — to  be 
supplied  with  the  necessary  materials  which  one's 
land  does  not  contain,  and  these  ideas  are  so  much 
more  satisfactory  than  the  mystery  which  former- 
ly hung  around  all  the  processes  of  vegetation, 
that  it  is  not  strange,  that  even  the  cultivators 
of  the  earth,  the  last  class,  usually,  to  be  carried 
away  by  new  plans  of  advancement  in  their  vo- 
cation, should  be  induced  to  over-estimate  the 
pi-actical  advantages  of  analyzing  soils. 

There  i«  danger  to  true  science,  when  men  have 
been  imposed  upon  by  false  teachers.  An  erro- 
neous idea  prevails,  that  it  is  a  very  simple  and 
easy  process  to  analyze  soils.  Many  seem  to 
suppose  that  any  farmer  who  can  make  an  axe- 
handle,  may  sit  in  the  chimney  corner,  and  with 
a  laboratory,  consisting  of  a  frying-pan  and  two 
or  three  old  blacking  bottles,  may  analyze  a  spec- 
imen of  his  soil,  while  his  wife  is  cooking  his 
breakfast,  and  having  thus  ascertained  what  ele- 
ment is  missing  to  make  up  his  crop,  may  go  out 
with  his  waistcoat  pocket  full  of  some  patent  fer- 
tilizer, and  administer  it  in  homneopathic  doses 
to  his  sickly  plants,  and  so  dispense  with  the  old- 
fashioned  manures. 

A  little  examination  will  satisfy  us  that  the  ut- 
most patience  and  care,  with  the  use  of  accurate 
and  expensive  apparatus — that  the  nicest  skill, 
and  long  experience,  with  profound  scientific 
knowledge  of  the  principles  of  chemistry,  are  es- 
sential to  any  valuable  results  in  soil  analyses. 

A  single  example  will  illustrate  this  part  of 
our  subject.  If  Ave  burn  100  lbs.  of  wheat  to 
ashes,  in  an  open  vessel,  we  have  left  two  pounds 
of  ashes,  of  which  one  pound  is  phosphoric  acid. 
A  crop  of  wheat  30  bus.  to  the  acre,  weighing 
60  lbs.  to  the  bushel,  or  1800  lbs.  in  all,  would 
contain  but  18  lbs.  of  phosphoric  acid.  This  is 
all  that  the  grain  takes  from  the  soil. 

Now,  we  estimate  that  an  inch  of  soil  over  an 
acre,  weighs  about  100  tons.  The  roots  of  the 
wheat  would  extend  downwards  ten  inches  at 
least,  so  that  they  would  occupy  1000  tons  of 
soil,  and  from  thi's  1000  tons  of  soil  they  take 
the  IS  lbs.  of  phosphoric  acid.  If  we  can  form 
any  idea  of  the  proportion  which  IS  lbs.  bears  to 
1000  tons,  or  2,000,000  lbs.,  we  can  give  some 
istimate  of  the  nicety  required  to  ascertain  wheth- 
«r  the  elements  essential  to  our  crops,  exist  in 
the  soil.  The  following  remarks  from  a  recent 
jublication,  present  another  view  of  the  subject, 
equally  striking : 

"We  know  that  on  all  poor  lands,  of  proper 
texture,  the  application  of  200  lbs.  of  guano  to 
the  acre  will  produce  fair  crops  of  grain  and  roots, 
and  this  is  the  difference  between  a  barren  and 
tolerably  fertile  soil.  Now,  this  guano  supplies 
only  G  lbs.  of  potash,  24  lbs.  of  phosphoric  acid 
and  34  lbs.  of  ammonia.  But  the  acre  contains 
3,920,000  lbs.  of  soil,  to  the  depth  of  a  foot. 

Can  analysis  ascertain  one  part  of  potash  in 
600,000 ,  parts  of  foreign  matter,  or   one  part  of 


phosphoric  acid  in  150,000  parts,  or  one  part  of 
ammonia  in  100,000  parts?" 

Practical  chemists  are  divided  upon  the  ques- 
tion, whether  the  present  power  of  chemical  anal- 
ysis can  reach  to  so  critical  examinations  as  this. 
When  we  add,  on  the  authority  of  Prof.  Norton, 
that  from  10  to  15  days  of  patient,  constant  toil, 
are  required  for  a  single  analysis,  and  that  from 
two  to  five  years  of  practice  even  by  an  educated 
chemist,  in  a  suitable  laboratory,  are  requisite  to 
give  the  necessary  tact  and  skill  for  the  process, 
we  may  at  least  conclude,  what  I  proposed  to 
show  on  this  subject,  that  an  uneducated  man,  so 
far  from  being  capable  of  performing  analyses 
of  soils  for  himself,  is  not  capable  even  of  pro- 
tecting himself  from  the  grossest  imposition  by 
those  who  pretend,  for  a  few  of  his  dollars,  to 
give  him  accurate  knowledge  on  these  points. 

The  study  of  Agricultural  Chemistry,  aside 
from  the  refinements  to  which  we  have  alluded, 
is  one  of  deep  interest  to  every  cultivator  of  the 
earth.  It  brings  into  constant  practical  use, 
some  of  the  most  curious  and  mysterious  laws  of 
nature,  laws  which  were  known  to  the  alchemists 
of  older  times,  who  sought  for  the  philosopher's 
stone,  which  should  change  base  metals  to  gold, 
renew  youth  to  the  aged,  and  heal  every  disease 
— but  which  have  waited  for  a  generation  that 
has  chained  the  shrieking  steam  giant  to  its 
chariot,  and  bade  the  lightning  carry  its  messa- 
ges,— to  bring  them  into  useful  service  for  man-- 
kind. 

Of  this  kind,  are  the  qualities  of  bodies  known- 
as  the  laws  of  chemical  affinities,  of  chemical  com- 
binations, and  the  solubility  and  insolubility  of 
bodies.  All  these  laws  are  rendered  available  in 
daily  practice  in  the  manufacture  of  the  new 
fertilizer  known  as  Si(perphosphate  of  Lime. 

Everybody  who  reads  a  newspaper,  especially 
if  it  be  an  agricultural  paper,  is  constantly  re- 
minded of  superphosphate  of  lime.  Even  the 
Russia  Salve  and  the  Magical  I'ain  Extractor 
are  scarcely  thrust  upon  our  notice  more  perti- 
naciously. 

That  the  true  Superphosphate  of  Lime  is  a 
valuable  manure — a  most  powerful  fertilizer  for 
many  soils,  is  manifest  to  all  who  know  its  com- 
position. That  the  community  is  in  great  danger 
of  gross  imposition  in  the  sale  of  spurious  arti- 
cles, under  this  name,  is  equally  plain. 

W^hether  even  the  true  Superphosphate  will 
prove  to  be  cheap  enough  to  warrant  its  general 
use,  is  yet  uncertain. 

But  my  purpose  was  to  describe  briefly  tbe^ 
process  of  making  this  famous  article,  to  illus- 
trate how  science  makes  every  law  of  nature  use- 
ful to  mankind. 

Chemical  combinations  take  place  only  in  fixed 
proportions  to  suit  her  taste,  and,  before  the 
temperance  times  a  gentleman  could  mingle  his. 
brandy  and  water  as  he  pleased,  subject  to  any 
quantity  of  logwood  and  other  nourishing  ingre- 
dients added  by  the  manufacturer  ;  bwt  chemical 
combinations  are  not  thus  managed. 

For  instance :  Phosphoric  acid  and  lime  will 
combine  in  two  proportions  only,  and  these  are 
— two  atoms  of  phosphoric  acid  to  two  of  lime,, 
which  make  Phosphate  of  Lime,  and  secondly,, 
three  atoms  of  phosphoric  acid  to  one  of  lime,, 
which  make  Superphosphate  of  Lime. 

Phosphate  of  Lime  is  not  readily  soluble  iiX: 


554 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Dec, 


■water.  Superphosphate  of  Lime  is  very  easily 
dissolved.  The  nutriment  of  plants  is  taken  up 
only  in  a  liquid  form,  and  it  is  desirable,  there- 
fore, to  apply  all  fertilizers  in  the  form  most 
soluble. 

Superpliospliate  of  Lime  is  made  usually  of 
hones  of  animals,  which  are  mostly  Phosphate  of 
Lime,  and  as  all  know,  not  readily  dissolved  in 
■water. 

In  this  form,  as  has  been  said,  the  phosphoric 
acid  and  lime  are  chemically  combined  in  the 
proportion  of  two  and  two. 

They  form  a  sort  of  equal  union  or  marriage — 
one  hone  if  not  one  flesh. 

Now,  the  object  is  to  break  up  this  union,  to 
entice  away  from  the  Phosphoric  acid  its  lawful 
lord  and  master,  the  Lime,  which  we  may  regard 
as  the  weaker  vessel. 

Now  the  process  is  perfectly  natural.  All  we 
have  to  do  is,  to  bring  to  her  neighborhood  and 
notice,  an  object  of  stronger  affection,  an  affinity, 
as  the  chemists  term  it.  Sulphuric  acid  and 
lime  have  a  stronger  affinity  or  affection  for 
each  other,  than  Phosphoric  acid  and  Lime,  and 
so  we  make  use  of  this  fact,  and  by  adding  sul- 
phuric acid,  we  at  once  entice  away  a  proportion 
of  the  lime,  which  forms  a  union  with  it  as  Sul- 
phate of  Lime,  and  leaves  the  remaining  lime  lo 
form  the  only  remaining  connection  which  the 
iaws  of  chemical  combination  allow,  with  the 
■phosphoric  acid,  as  superphosphate  of  lime. 

If  the  question  be  asked  lohy  do  chemical  com- 
binations occur  only  in  certain  fixed  proportions, 
we  cannot  answer. 

If  asked  why  in  one  proportion,  the  same  sub- 
stances are  more  soluble  than  in  another,  we 
cannot  tell.  When  we  have  found  uniform  re- 
sults from  certain  operations,  and  can  divine  no 
reason,  we  call  it  a  law  of  nature. 

Why  has  one  substance  a  stronger  affinity  or 
affection  for  another,  than  for  a  third  ? 

A  Yankee  might  answer,  by  asking  why  one 
young  gentleman  and  lady  have  a  stronger  aff"ec- 
tion  for  each  other,  than  all  else  in  the  world  be- 
side. The  facts  ai'e  equally  apparent, — the  ex- 
planation often  extremely  difficult. —  Country 
Gentleman. 

THE  LAMAS. 

Apropos  to  the  attempt  to  naturalize  the  camel 
in  the  United  States,  eff'orts  have  just  com 
menced  to  acclimatize  the  lama — a  native  of 
South  America — the  animal  from  which  the  fa 
mous  alpaca  wool  is  obtained.  Forty-two  of 
these  animals  recently  arrived  in  this  city,  being 
imported  from  Escuador  by  way  of  Aspinwall 
They  are  destined,  we  understand,  for  the  Eastern 
States,  in  the  hope  that  they  may  become  inured 
to  the  climate,  and  take  the  place  of  sheep,  in 
some  cases,  on  account  of  their  wool,  which  is 
very  valuable.  In  their  native  regions  they  are 
shorn  twice  every  year,  and  yield,  at  each  slaear- 
ing,  about  sixteen  pounds — four  times  the  quan 
tity  obtained  from  the  common  sheep,  which  are 
shorn  only  once  annually.  They  are  pretty  large 
animals,  weighing  from  200  to  300  lbs.,  and  are 
used  as  beasts  of  burden  in  South  America — they 
are  the  American  camel.  They  live  on  coarse 
herbage  in  the  region  of  the  Andes  mountains; 
and  it  is  believed  they  will  prosper  in  the  hilly 
portions  of  Vermont,  Maine  and  New  Hampshire. 


If  not,  we  think  they  can  be  acclimatized  in  the 
mountainous  regions  of  Virginia,  North  Carolina 
and  Tennessee. 

We  really  hope  that  this  laudable  eff"ort  to  in- 
troduce the  lama  into  our  country  will  prove  suc- 
cessful, as  its  flesh  is  said  to  be  equal  to  the  best 
venison,  Avhile  its  wool  is  now  extensively  em- 
ployed in  manufacturing  very  beautiful  fabrics. 
We  also  hope  that  if  one  eff'ort  fails,  others  will 
be  made,  as  it  is  reasonable  to  suppose  that,  with 
our  great  variety  of  climate  and  soil,  this  useful 
animal  can  be  acclimated  in  some  part  of  our 
ountry. — Scientific  American. 


NEW  AND    VALUABLE    DISINFECTING 
AGENT. 

A  Dr.  Angue  Smith  of  Manchester,  England, 
lately  read  a  paper  before  the  Society  of  Arts, 
London,  England,  in  which  he  stated  that  he  and 
a  friend  named  McDougall,  some  years  ago  had 
made  numerous  experiments  to  find  out  a  good 
disinfecting  agent,  and  at  last  found  that  Sul- 
phate of  Magnesia,  which  is  procured  from  Mag- 
nesian  Limestone,  and  a  certain  per  centage  of 
carbonic  or  phenic  acid,  which  is  procured  from 
coal  tar,  made  a  disinfecting  powder  of  remark- 
able efficacy.  The  mode  of  using  this  powder  is 
to  first  sweep  the  stable,  then  sprinkle  it  with 
the  powder,  the  quantity  being  about  the  same 
as  that  of  sand  to  sprinkle  a  floor.  Then  the 
litter  is  thrown  over  this.  This  powder  has  been 
found  so  powerful  and  eff'ective,  that  when  in- 
troduced into  stables  where  sick  and  wounded 
arcny  horses  were,  no  disagreeable  odor  was  per- 
ceptible either  from  the  wounds  or  the  foeces.  A 
stable  keeper,  who  always  kept  on  hand  a  large 
number  of  horses,  found  that  by  using  this  pow- 
der his  horses  were  healthier,  lung  diseases  had 
disappeared  or  decreased,  while  their  eyes  and 
health  did  not  suff"er^  from  the  irritating  effects 
of  the  ammonia  wHich  is  to  be  found  in  all 
stables.  It  was  also  found  that  the  stable  was 
cooler,  and  that  the  dung  did  not  decompose,  so 
that  the  flies  did  not  breed  in  it,  and  tlicie  were 
fewer  of  these  pests  to  annoy  the  beasts.  Mr. 
Murray,  the  stable  keeper,  also  found  that  after 
the  manure  of  his  stable,  in  which  he  had  used 
this  powder,  had  been  used  one  year,  he  was 
off'ered  double  for  it  next  year  by  the  market 
gardeners  who  had  purchased  and  used  it.  As 
Dr.  Smith  was  not  a  trading  man,  had  no  interest 
in  manufactures,  and  did  not  mean  to  have,  his 
statements  in  relation  to  this  matter  are  con- 
sidered reliable  and  disinterested. 


Farming  on  a  Grand  Scale. — Several  men 
of  wealth  in  New  York,  Buffalo  and  Chicago, 
(says  the  Movement,  a  new  paper  just  started  in 
New  York,)  have  it  in  contemplation  to  establish 
somewhere  in  the  West,  a  Leviathan  Farm,  of 
from  100,000  to  200,000  acres.  Their  object  is 
to  do  for  agriculture,  by  the  use  of  combined 
wealth  and  the  power  of  machinery,  what  has 
been  done  in  the  past  half  century,  by  the  rail- 
road and  factory,  to  supercede  the  old  stage- 
coach and  the  spinning-wheel.  They  will  organ- 
ize the  vast  tract  into  two  rival  establishments, 
with  military  organization  of  labor,  gigantic  ma- 
chinery, to  pibw,  to  plant,  reap  and  harvest — vast 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


555 


herds  of  horses,  sheep  and  cattle  of  the  most  se- 
lect stock,  and  the  culture  of  fruit  and  grain  on 
a  grand  scale. 

The  following  beautiful  Ode  was  written  by  John  Whittier  for 
the  Agricultural  and  Horticultural  Exhibition  at  Amesbury. 

This  day,  two  hundred  years  ago, 

The  wild  grape  by  the  river's  side, 
And  tasteless  ground-nut  trailing  low, 

The  table  of  the  wood  supplied. 

Unknown  the  apple's  red  and  gold, 
The  blushing  tint  of  peach  and  pear ; 

The  mirror  of  the  Powow  told 
No  tale  of  orchards  ripe  and  rare. 

Wild  as  the  fruits  he  scorned  to  till, 

These  vales  the  idle  Indian  trod ; 
Nor  knew  the  glad,  creative  skill. 

The  joy  of  him  who  toils  with  God. 

O,  painter  of  the  fruits  and  flowers  ! 

We  thank  Thee  for  Thy  wise  design 
Whereby  these  human  hands  of  ours 

In  Nature's  garden  work  with  Thine. 

And  thanks,  that  from  our  daily  need 

The  joy  of  simple  faith  is  born  ; 
That  he  who  smites  the  summer  weed. 

May  trust  Thee  for  the  autumn  corn. 

Give  fools  their  gold  and  knaves  their  power, 
I^t  fortune's  bubbles  rise  and  fall ; 

Who  sows  a  field,  or  trains  a  flower, 
Or  plants  a  tree,  is  more  than  all. 

For  he  who  blesses  most  is  blest ; 

And  God  and  man  shall  own  lis  worth 
Who  toils  to  leave  as  his  bequest 

An  added  beauty  to  the  earth. 

And,  sooner  late,  to  a,ll  that  sow 
The  time  of  harvest  shall  be  given  ; 

The  flower  shall  bloom,  the  fruit  shall  grow. 
If  not  on  earth,  at  last  in  heaven  ! 


INDIAK"  CORK". 


Two  Hundred  Bushels  per  Acre. — It  has 
been  published — and  so  far  as  we  can  see,  duly 
certified — that  Dr.  J.  W.  Parker,  of  Columbia,  S. 
C,  grew,  in  1857,  upon  his  farm  near  that  town, 
200  bushels  and  12  quarts  upon  one  measured 
acre  of  ground,  and  116  bushels  and  6  quarts  upon 
another  acre.  In  the  report  to  the  State  Agricul- 
tural Society,  Dr.  Parker  states  that  the  seed  se- 
lected for  planting  was  from  North  Carolina,  and 
denominated  "Bale  Mountain  Corn."  After  soak- 
ing it  during  the  night  in  a  strong  solution  of 
nitre,  it  was  planted  from  eight  to  twelve  inches 
distance  in  the  row,  covered  with  hoes,  and  the 
ground  rolled,  leaving  it  perfectly  level.  The 
land  was  the  border  of  a  small  creek,  under- 
drained,  and  prepared  by  plowing  in  November, 
and  manured  in  December  with  twenty-five  two- 
horse  loads  of  cow-house  manure,  plowed  in  and 
followed  by  a  subsoil  plow  drawn  by  two  mules. 
About  the  first  of  March  another  coat  of  good 
stable  and  cow  manure  was  spread  and  plowed  in 
as  the  first.  Early  in  April,  three  cart  loads  of 
air-slacked  lime  and  two  sacks  of  salt  were  spread 
over  each  acre  and  lightly  plowed  under.  On  the 
14th  of  May  the  ground  was  thoroughly  plowed 
with  Glaze's  large  iron  plow,  harrowed  level  and 
laid  ofT.thirty  inches  apart  with  a  shovel  plow. 
Guano  and  plaster  were  sprinkled  in  the  furrows, 


near  200  pounds  of  the  former  and  300  pounds  of 
the  latter  to  each  acre. 

On  the  14th  of  May  the  corn  was  plowed  with 
a  long,  very  narrow  plow,  and  dressed  over  with 
hoes.  On  the  5th  and  17th  of  June  the  same 
work  was  repeated,  each  time  leaving  the  ground 
level.  About  the  first  of  July  it  was  necessary  to 
draw  a  ridge  about  the  roots  of  the  corn  to  pre- 
vent its  falling.  During  a  protracted  drought,  acre 
No.  1  was  twice  irrigated  and  acre  No.  2  had  the 
water  turned  on  it  once. 

The  yield  of  acre  No.  1,  as  before  stated,  ex- 
ceeded 200  bushels.  No.  2  was  part  of  it  replant- 
ed, which  the  Committee  say  prevented  the  yield 
being  as  large  as  the  other. 

True,  this  crop  cost  labor  and  manure,  but  does 
it  not  pay  better  than  the  tens  of  thousands  of 
acres  that  do  not  yield  ten  bushels  per  acre,  for 
such  are  as  common  as  blackberries  all  over  the 
Southern  States.  The  land  used  being  "sandhill 
brushland,"  required  the  high  manuring,  as  it  is 
not  naturally  fertile  enough  to  produce  such  crops. 
The  secret,  however,  is  in  the  underdraining,  the 
frequent  plowing  and  subsoiiing  and  irrigation. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
"FALL  TBANSPLANTIUG." 

Your  correspondent  for  October,  under  the 
above  caption,  speaks  of  his  ill  success  in  trans- 
planting asparagus.  Allow  me  to  state  an  ex- 
perience of  the  opposite  kind.  Two  years  ago 
this  month  I  sowed  some  asparagus  seed  which 
in  the  following  spring  came  up  very  well.  The 
bed,  however,  not  being  made  to  my  liking,  I  re- 
moved the  finest  of  the  plants — say  a  hundred — 
to  a  new  bed  which  had  been  prepared  by  deep 
digging  and  rich  manuring.  This  was  done  last 
October,  and  of  the  one  hundred  plants,  ninety- 
nine  of  them  lived  and  have  grown  luxuriantly 
during  the  past  season. 

AVith  regard  to  raspberries,  my  experience  has 
been  that  they  may  be  transplanted  at  any  time. 
I  have  transplanted  Fastolfs,  every  week  since  last 
June,  and  shall  put  out  a  few  mor-e  some  time 
this  month  to  fill  out  imperfect  rows — all  of 
which  I  expect  to  see  flourishing  next  spring. 

Ware,  Mass.,  Oct.  1th.  h. 


Give  the  Plow  and  the  Hoe  no  Rest. 

1.  In  order  to  prevent  the  growth  of  weeds, 

2.  To  insure  needed  moisture  through  the  de- 
position of  a  greater  amount  of  dew,  upon  which 
plants  so  largely  depend — softening  the  earth,  so 
that  the  moisture  that  condenses  upon  the  sur- 
face may  penetrate  more  deeply,  and  rendering 
it  more  porous  for  the  easier  passage  of  the  at- 
mosphere, for  condensation  in  the  cooler  soil 
below. 

3.  To  secure  a  greater  absorption  of  ammonia. 

4.  To  aid  in  the  decomposition  of  minerals 
whose  elements  are  food  of  plants. 


^^  Spiders  have  four  paps  for  spinning  their 
threads,  each  pap  having  one  thousand  holes,  and 
the  fine  web  itself  the  union  of  four  thousand 
threads.  No  spider  spins  more  than  four  webs, 
and  when  the  fourth  is  destroyed,  they  seize  on 
the  Avebs  of  others. 


556 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Dec. 


Por  the  New  England  Farmer. 
THOROUGH  DBAININQ. 

"The  advantajres  of  thorough  draining  are  universally  recog 
nized,  and  tile  are  for  sale  everywhere,     *     *     *     yet  a  mul- 
tidue  of  her  [Sew  England's]  purely  agricultural  towns  are  un- 
dergoing, more  or  les3  rapidly,  a  processor  depopulation." — 
Atlantic  Monthly  for  August. 

Finding  myself  solitary  and  alone  on  the  sub- 
ject of  Thorough  Draining, — all  three  of  the  ag- 
ricultural editors  of  the  Farmer,  and  its  whole 
phalanx  of  contributors,  either  by  word  or  silence 
consenting  to  the  system, — I  took  an  opportuni- 
ty the  other  day  to  call  upon  the  Commander-in- 
chief  of  these  forces  and  inquire  if  it  were  his 
pleasure  that  I  should  report  myself  "not  dead, 
bu't  speechless  ;"  or  whether,  after  the  hard  hits 
I  have  received,  especially  after  the  declaration 
that  "Mr.  Sheriff  Mechi  is  not  such  a  blockhead 
as  to  suppose  that  draining  and  irrigation  can- 
not be  necessary  on  the  same  land,"  he  would 
advise  me  to  count  myself  "among  the  missing." 
But,  reader,  if  it  has  ever  been  your  good  for- 
tune to  call  on  Gov.  Brown,  you  can  appreciate 
the  kindness  with  which  he  laid  his  finger  upon 
my  pulse,  and  assured  me  that  I  was  by  no  means 
as  yet  hopelessly  in  the  "ditch ;"  that  I  might 
speak  out — might  bring  on  my  objections,  and 
he  would  publish  them,  because  the  Farmer  gives 
all  parties  a  hearing ;  and  because,  said  he,  one 
of  your  articles  may  do  the  cause  as  much  good 
as  two  in  favor  of  draining.  Was  that  an  equiv- 
ocal compliment  ?  Did  he  seat  me  at  his  edito- 
rial elbow  to  play  sly  jokes  at  my  expense?  No  ; 
he  meant  that  I  should  help  the  cause  of  truth, 
not  the  cause  of  draining  ! 

As  I  have  been  charged  with  manifesting  a 
"spite  against  the  English  notion  of  underdrain- 
ing,"  I  ought,  perhaps,  to  define  my  position.  In 
the  extract  with  which  I  commenced  my  first  ar- 
ticle, page  134,  it  is  said  : 

"Draining,  as  understood  thirty  years  ago  in 
England,  meant  merely  the  making  of  channels 
to  carry  off  surface  water,  and  underground 
drains  to  dry  bogs  or  cut  off  springs.  It  has 
now  an  entirely  different  vieaning  in  the  agricul- 
tural world." 

Now,  I  believe  in  draining  our  land  here,  as 
that  word  was  understood  in  England  thirty  years 
ago,  and  I  disbelieve  in  all  modern  "entirely  dif- 
ferent meanings ;"  I  hold  to  the  policy  and  ne- 
cessity of  "drying  bogs,  cutting  off  springs"  and 
removing  standing  water,  but  I  deny  the  expedi- 
ency of  draining  for  any  other  purpose — whether 
to  "give  greater  lungs  and  consequently  more 
vitality  to  the  land,"  to  "cause  the  poisonous  ex- 
crementitious  matter  of  plants  to  be  carried  out 
of  the  reach  of  their  roots,"  or  to  "hasten  the  de- 
cay of  roots  and  other  vegetable  matter,"  in  the 
soil.  In  a  word,  where  farmers  do  not  see  enough 
of  the  evils  of  too  much  water  to  induce  them  to 
throw  their  fields  into  "lands"  with  a  "dead  fur- 
row" between,  as  is  done  in  Western  New  York, 
or  to  adopt  any  other  cheap  means  to  conduct 
off  the  rains  of  spring  and  fall,  it  is  unnecessary 
to  exhort  them  to  the  practice  of  thorough  drain- 
ing. 

To  the  arguments  oT  reasons  which  I  have  al- 
ready presented  as  justifying  this  position,  I 
propose  to  add  but  a  single  one,  viz. :  That  the 
thorough  draining  of  our  old  farms  in' New  Eng- 
land i."  ."^irnpli/  an  iiiipo!--!^U-illUj. 


According  to  the  census  statistics  of  1850,  the 
average  value  of  farms  in  New  England  is  twen- 
ty dollars  and  twenty-seven  cents  per  acre,  and 
the  average  value  of  agricultural  implements  to 
each  farm  is  $77,17.  With  i^^yf  exceptions,  the 
ownei's  of  these  107,651  New  England  farms, 
with  the  aid  of  their  families,  do  all  the  work  that 
is  done  upon  their  premises ;  consequently,  if 
ditches  are  to  be  dug,  they  must  do  the  digging. 

Now,  what  is  thorough  draining  ?  In  an  Eng- 
lish work,  entitled  "Principles  of  Agriculture,  by 
Albert  D.  Thayer,"  it  is  said  :  "The  art  of  drain- 
ing is  one  of  the  most  difficult  of  all  those  apper- 
taining to  agricultural  science."  Like  law  and 
medicine,  it  requires  its  learned  professors. — 
These  have  already  been  called  into  existence,  in 
our  larger  towns,  and  their  professional  services 
are  advertised  in  our  public  journals — not  to  dig 
the  ditches,  by  any  means,  but  simply  to  "ad- 
vise." 

In  a  late  number  of  the  Farvier,  however,  we 
caught  a  glimpse  of  the  ditcher  himself.  He 
digs  "in  stiff  tile  clay"  four  feet  deep,  and  places 
the  tile  for  about  eleven  cents  a  rod !  and  even 
at  that  price  the  cost  of  draining  an  acre  is  thirty 
dollars  !  For  my  own  part,  I  turned  from  the 
picture  with  unfeigned  gratitude  that  "our  lines 
are  cast  in  pleasant  places,"  in  "a  land  of  hills 
and  valleys,  that  drinketh  water  of  the  rain  of 
heaven." 

For  another  purpose  the  writer  of  that  article 
assumes  that  labor  costs  twice  and  a  half  more 
here  than  in  England.  Twice  and  a  half  thirty 
dollars  are  seventy-five.  But  "fallowing,  levell- 
ing, subsoiling,  &c.,"  on  the  same  land,  we  are 
told,  cost  thirty-five  dollars  more.  Admitting 
these  to  be,  as  I  suppose  they  are,  part  and  par- 
cel of  thorough  draining,  then,  if  the  cost  here 
is^not  about  $162  per  acre,  what  is  it,  according 
to  Mr.  Mechi's  statements  ? 

True,  we  have  a  statement  on  page  575  of  the 
Farmer  for  1856,  of  land  being  drained  in  Maine 
for  $67,50  per  acre.  But  in  this  case  the  drains 
were  twice  as  far  apart  as  English  farmers  recom- 
mend, and  only  three  and  a  half  feet  deep.  Why 
this  liberty  with  "the  system,"  why  should  thor- 
ough draining  be  twice  as  thorough  in  England 
as  here,  when  the  exjjerimenter  himself  declares 
that  "all  the  benefits  obtained  in  England,  and 
more,  [italics  his  own,]  are  attainable  here,"  and, 
also,  that  my  "assumption  that  the  humidity  of 
England's  climate  creates  a  necessity  for  drying 
land  there,  which  does  not  exist  here,"  is  one  of 
my  "errors  of  fact  ?"  Did  he  feel  something  as 
the  negro  did  who  announced  to  his  master,  "One 
of  your  oxen  dead — t'other  too  ?"  Was  he  afraid 
we  "couldn't  bore  it"  if  he  gave  at  once  the  fig- 
ures of  the  actual  cost  of  the  "thorough"  English 
system  ? 

But  assuming  either  of  these  sums,  or  any  oth- 
er sum  that  will  be  named  by  any  advocate  of 
thorough  draining,  as  the  cost  per  acre,  and  what 
is  the  prospect  of  applying  the  system  to  farms 
in  New  England  that,  buildings  and  all,  are  worth 
some  twenty-six  dollars  an  acre  ?  Must  we  not 
wait  until  our  present  population  of  small  farm- 
ers, with  small  means,  shall  give  place,  on  the 
one  hand  to  a  class  of  capitalists,  and,  on  the 
other,  to  a  class  of  servile  laborers  ? 

But  I  am  running  wild  of  my  text  from  the  ar- 
ticle in  the  Ad'iidic,  which  has  been  variously  no- 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


557 


ticed  in  the  columns  of  the  Farmer.  The  advo- 
cates of  thorough  draining  may  share  the  sur- 
prise expressed  by  the  Atlantic  writer,  that  tile 
"for  sale  every  where"  should  fail  to  check  the  pro- 
cess of  depopulation  that  our  agricultural  towns 
are  undergoing,  but  I  do  not.  A  life  in  a  four- 
foot  ditch,  or  a  life  in  the  "social  centres  !"  How 
long  will  Young  America  balance  this  alternative  ? 
Practical  faith  in  the  necessity  of  thorough  drain- 
ing of  our  old  farms  in  New  England  would,  in 
my  opinion,  depopulate  this  portion  of  the  coun- 
try. It  would  "start  the  boots" — boots  that  would 
never  "forget  where  they  had  been,"  after  once 
standing  in  a  ditch  four  feet  deep — of  every  far- 
mer's son,  and  give  him  an  excuse  for  leaving  the 
old  homestead,  that  few  of  the  advocates  of  drain- 
ing would  meet  by  placing  their  sons  in  his  place. 

Indeed,  I  do  frankly  confess  that  every  plan 
for  draining  which  I  see  in  the  papers,  and  every 
tile  that  is  exposed  for  sale  "everywhere,"  give 
me  the  horrors.  In  imagination,  I  see  these  tile 
discharging  a  stream  of  young  men  from  our 
farms  out  of  all  proportion  to  their  capacity  for 
conveying  water.  s.  F. 

Winchester,  Oct.,  1858. 


MUCK  AND  PLAIN  LANDS— MOWING 

MACHINES.  &c. 

In  a  recent  letter  from  Lancaster,  Mass.,  in 
which  we  spoke  of  Dea.  Chas.  Humphrey's  farm, 
a  mere  allusion  was  made  to  several  matters 
which  are  worthy  of  more  extended  notice. 

A  portion  of  his  lands  lie  on  the  banks  of  the 
Nashua  river,  are  free  from  stone,  and  very  pro- 
ductive. On  these  his  corn  and  oats  each  aver- 
age fifty  bushels  per  acre,  and  rye  thirty  bushels. 
He  cuts  80  to  90  tons  of  hay,  and  this  year  har- 
vests about  400  bushels  of  corn  and  300  of  oats. 

On  one  extreme  edge  of  his  farm,  Mr.  H.  has 
a  track  of  pine  plain  land  of  the  very  poorest 
quality ;  it  has  been  cropt  with  rye  and  buck- 
wheat from  a  time  "whereof  the  memory  of  man 
runneth  not  to  the  contrary,"  and  without  a  par- 
ticle of  manure  having  been  applied  to  it  within 
his  recollection.  Failing  to  find  a  purchaser  of 
this  land,  though  offered  at  the  low  sum  oi  Jive 
dollars  an  acre,  he  resolved  to  experiment  upon 
it  with  swamp  muck,  and  learn  whether  it  could 
be  brought  into  a  fit  condition  for  cultivation,  at 
a  paying  cost.  As  is  quite  often  the  case,  at  the 
base  of  the  plain,  beds  of  muck  were  deposited 
in  large  quantities,  and  in  this  instance,  of  an 
excellent  kind.  This  was  hauled  to  the  plain  and 
deposited  in  heaps,  and  to  e\  cry  fourteen  loads 
of  muck,  one  load  of  manure  from  the  cattle 
stalls  was  mingled  with  it,  but  not  until  the  muck 
had  become  seasoned  by  exposure  to  the  air  and 
frosts.  The  manure  was  thoroughly  incorporated 
with  the  muck  by  repeated  plowing,  so  that  the 
•whole  mass  was  in  a  finely  pulverized  condition 
•when  applied  to  the  land.  Under  this  treatment, 
•we  saw  portions  of  the  land  covered  with  corn, 
potatoes,  carrots,  mangolds,  turnips,  beans  and 


apple  trees.  Where  the  dressing  was  spread 
broadcast  the  trees  appeared  healthy,  and  the  fo- 
liage large  and  of  good  color ;  but  in  one  or  two 
rows,  where  the  muck  had  been  liberally  applied 
directly  to  the  spot  where  the  tree  was  set,  sev- 
eral of  the  trees  had  died.  The  crop  of  carrots, 
mangolds  and  turnips,  was  very  fine — the  roots 
being  large,  and  clear  with  few  fibres.  The  po- 
tato crop  was  not  so  good  as  the  root  crops,  but 
better  than  an  average  crop  on  old  land.  The 
bean  vines  were  remarkably  luxuriant,  and  had 
set  for  a  great  crop,  but  being  planted  very  late, 
the  frost  had  ruined  them.  The  corn  crop  was 
light — not  more  than  15  to  20  bushels  an  acre, — 
but  where  the  muck  compost  had  been  applied 
two  years  it  was  estimated  that  the  crop  was  ten 
bushels  more  than  where  it  had  been  applied  on- 
ly one  year.  This  fact,  we  think,  shows  the  per- 
manent effect  of  muck  as  a  fertilizer.  The  oat 
crop  on  this  land  yielded  sixteen  bushels  per  acre, 
of  good  quality.  In  consequence  of  the  cheap- 
ness of  manuring,  and  the  ease  with  which  this 
land  is  cultivated,  there  can  be  no  doubt,  we  think, 
but  the  net  profits  of  the  crops  raised  on  this 
land,  are  as  great  as  those  on  the  best  lands  of 
the  farm. 

Dea.  Humphrey  is  fortunate  in  possessing 
quantities  of  muck  of  a  good  quality,  lying  near 
the  spot  where  it  is  to  be  applied.  This  is  not 
always  the  case,  and,  therefore,  great  care  must 
be  used  in  the  selection  of  muck.  AVe  rarely 
meet  a  farmer  who  seems  to  us  to  duly  appreci- 
ate the  value  of  muck  as  a  fertilizer,  and  who 
avails  himself  of  all  the  advantages  which  it  of- 
fers. But  it  is  not  so  in  this  case,  as  muck  en- 
ters into  all  his  arrangements  for  manuring  and 
improving  his  heaps  of  manure.  One  or  two  ox- 
loads  are  distributed  over  the  leanto  floors,  be- 
hind the  cattle,  every  working  day,  and  the  suc- 
ceeding day  thrown  Into  a  long  shed  where  the 
swine  run,  and  from  thence  is  carted  to  the  fields. 
But  to  make  it  certain  that  there  shall  be  no  loss, 
the  "floors  are  tight,  a  little  descending  towards 
one  end  where  a  tank  is  sunk  which  receives 
whatever  liquids  are  not  absorbed  by  the  muck. 
This  is  diluted  by  rain-water  from  the  roofs,  and 
then  sprinkled  on  grass  land. 

Dea.  Humphrey  is  a  man  of  progress,  and 
avails  himself  of  all  the  helps  that  come  within 
his  means  in  order  to  facilitate  the  business  in 
which  he  is  engaged.  So,  as  a  matter  of  course, 
he  was  among  the  first  to  use  a  mowing  machine. 
One  that  we  saw  in  his  barn,  Ketchum's  Patent, 
he  had  used  four  years,  with  a  cost  of  less  than 
one  dollar  for  repairs.  He  informed  us  that  the 
machine  had  been  managed  by  an  Irishman  who 
had  cut,  as  a  general  rule,  one  acre  an  hour,  but 
when  more  was  needed,  it  was  not  found  difficult 
to  cut  at  the  rate  of  an  acre  in  forty  minutes. 


558 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Dec. 


He  prefers  the  Ketchum  to  any  other  machine, 
and  stated  to  us  that  his  horses  do  not  ■work 
harder  with  it  in  cutting  an  acre  an  hour,  than 
they  do  in  ordinary  stubble  plowing.  A  week 
or  two  after  his  grain  is  cut,  he  passes  over  all 
the  fields  with  the  machine,  cutting  down  the 
stubble,  and  the  weeds  before  they  go  to  seed, 
rakes  with  the  horse  rake  and  uses  the  crop  for 
litter  under  the  cattle.  Even  under  this  rough 
usage,  the  machine  does  its  work  quickly  and 
well,  and  keeps  in  order. 

One  of  the  pastimes  in  which  the  deacon  in- 
dulges, when  he  wishes  to  keep  away  from  the 
graver  duties  of  the  farmer,  is  the  pro2)agation 
and  rearing  of  Trout.  He  has  subterranean 
abodes  for  them  as  winter  quarters,  and  different 
ponds  for  fish  of  various  ages,  as  some  of  the 
elder  fish,  forgetful  of  their  paternal  relations, 
indulge  their  cannibal  propensities,  and  swallow 
the  younger  fry  whole  !  So  the  spawn  is  in  one 
pond,  on  beds  of  white  gravel,  the  yearlings  in 
another,  while  the  two-year  olds  and  upwards, 
fraternize  and  seek  their  prey  in  another  direc- 
tion. His  operations,  so  far,  are  somewhat  ex- 
perimental, but  they  certainly  promise  success. 

Since  writing  the  first  notice  of  this  farm, 
many  inquiries  have  been  made  of  us,  both  ver- 
bally and  in  writing,  for  more  minute  particulars 
in  relation  to  some  special  points, — and  among 
these  inquiries  we  find  the  idea  seems  to  prevail 
that  the  proprietor  is  a  capitalist,  and  can  enter 
upon  any  system  of  improvements  he  pleases, 
without  detriment  to  his  farming  operations. 
Had  such  been  the  case,  our  interest  in  the  mat- 
ter would  be  feeble  compared  with  what  it  is  now, 
as  we  desire  to  see  improvements  made  through 
the  avails  of  the  farm  itself.  On  this  point,  af- 
ter speaking  of  some  labor-saving  contrivance 
recently  engaged  in,  the  deacon  said,  "1  wish  it 
to  be  understood  that  we  make  no  improvements 
hut  what  the  farm  pays  for — first  earning  the 
money  through  the  regular  operations  of  the 
farm  to  pay  for  all  we  do." 

There  were  several  other  matters  of  interest 
presented  themselves  as  we  passed  over  his  farm, 
but  our  article  is  too  long  to  refer  to  them  now. 


ASHES—SOME  "WAYS   TO  USE   THBM  AS 
MANUKB, 

1.  One  excellent  way,  is  to^scatter  them  thinly 
over  the  ground,  and  leave  the  dressing  to  soak 
into  the  soil.  This  is  the  best  mode  on  meadows 
that  you  do  not  wish  to  plow. 

2.  They  may  be  applied  in  the  same  way  to 
land  which  you  are  going  to  plow  for  corn  or 
potatoes. 

3.  Unleached  ashes  may  be  applied  to  corn  af-[ 
tei-  it  is  up,  at  the  rate  of  a  tablespoonful  to  a 
hill,  partly  as  a  manure,  and  partly  to  arrest  the } 
ravages  of  cut-worms. 


4.  It  may  be  profitably  used  as  a  dressing  for 
strawberry  beds  in  the  spring.  It  should  be  ap- 
plied dry,  and  spaded  in.  Strawberries  love  an 
application  of  this  sort. 

5.  They  may,  when  unleached,  be  strewn  over 
crops  when  growing.  Such  as  grapes,  or  oats,  or 
other  grain.     They  should  be  scattered  dry. 

6.  They  may  be  scattered  with  the  seed  of 
winter  grain,  and  will  often  thus  be  of  great  use. 

7.  They  form  an  excellent  dressing  for  lands, 
to  be  used  for  fruit  trees.  They  contain  so  much 
of  what  is  needed  for  the  growth  of  ti-ees,  that  a 
generous  application  of  ashes,  plowed  in  deep, 
will  be  beneficial.  Trees  already  set  out,  may  be 
helped  by  spading  in  ashes  sparingly  about  their 
roots. 

8.  Applied  to  clay  soil,  they  soften  it.  Used 
on  sandy  soil,  they  harden  it.  Scattered  on  sour 
land,  they  correct  its  acidity.  They  are  quite 
generally  useful. 

For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
MARYLAND  STATE  FAIR. 


fFrom  our  Special  Reporter.] 

Baltimore,  Md.,  Oct.  22,  1858, 
The  State  Fair  of  Maryland  closes  to-day  after 
a  very  successful  week.  In  many  respects  it  has 
been  superior  to  our  State  Fairs  in  New  Eng- 
land, while,  in  others,  it  can  hardly  compare 
very  favorably.  The  show  of  Devon  stock  was 
superb,  and  Mr.  Patterson  was  on  the  ground 
with  some  of  the  finest  Devons  in  the  country 
when  considered  with  reference  to  dairy  qualities. 
I  had  the  pleasure  of  becoming  acquainted  with 
him,  and  of  hearing  from  his  own  lips  the  state- 
ment of  his  efforts  and  experience  in  introducing 
and  breeding  this  class  of  stock.  I  was  par- 
ticularly glad  of  this  opportunity,  and  improved 
it  to  the  best  of  my  ability.  His  stock  is  very- 
different  from  the  type  of  modern  improved 
Devons  frequently  met  with  at  the  North,  and 
his  efforts  to  get  milk  from  them  have  not  been 
without  success,  but  his  cows  are  larger  in  the 
bone,  coarser  in  form  and  defective  in  the  crops. 
On  my  saying  to  him  that  we  had  many  De- 
vons in  New  England,  that  went  under  the  name 
of  Patterson  Devons,  he  laughed  and  said  that  he 
had  to  bear  the  responsibility  of  many  that  had 
not  a  strain  of  his  stock  in  their  veins.  Mr, 
Patterson  exhibited  the  finest  formed  Devon 
steer  that  I  ever  saw.  The  show  of  Jerseys  was 
also  very  extensive  and  highly  creditable,  but  not 
to  be  compared  with  this  class  at  the  Massachu- 
setts State  Fair  last  fall.  The  Ayrshires  Avere 
numerous,  and  many  of  them  very  fine.  The 
short  horns  were  limited  in  number,  and  they  are 
fast  giving  way,  in  this  section,  to  other  breeds. 
A  herd  of  imported  Holstein  cattle  attracted 
considerable  attention.  They  are  said  to  be  very 
good  as  dairy  stock,  and  to  adapt  themselves 
readily  to  this  climate.  They  are  nearly  all  black 
in  color,  some  of  them  having  white  faces.  Some 
of  the  finest  Cotswold  sheep  were  exhibited  by 
Mr.  Carroll,  an  extensive  sheep  breeder  about 
twenty  miles  north  of  Baltimore. 

In  the  department  of  agricultural  and  mechan- 
ical implements  the  exhibition  was  also  extensive 
and    creditable,  though  not  so  much  so   as  we 
naturally  expect  in  Massachusetts, 
k 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


559 


Gen.  William  Sutton,  of  Salem,  delegate 
from  the  State  Board  of  Agriculture  to  the 
National  Agricultural  Fair  at  Richmond,  is  in 
attendance  to-day  and  expresses  himself  as  high- 
ly gratified  with  the  Maryland  State  Fair.  He 
was  invited,  together  with  your  reporter,  to  be 
present  at  the  meeting  of  the  society  last  evening, 
when  the  reports  of  committees  were  made  and 
the  elections  of  officers  took  place.  Prof.  J.  W. 
HoYT,  of  the  Wisconsin  Farmer,  is  also  present, 
and  I  have  been  exceedingly  gratified  by  his  ac- 
quaintance. Tomorrow  we  shall  be  en  route  for 
Richmond,  where  I  shall  inform  you  of  the  char- 
acter of  the  exhibition  of  the  United  States  Agri- 
cultural Society. 

I  understand  that  the  Patent  Office  Report  for 
1857  will  be  issued  in  about  two  weeks.  It  is 
delayed  now  by  the  engraving  onty,  and  this  is 
nearly  completed. 

Corn  and  other  vegetation  in  the  vicinity  of 
Baltimore  is  as  green  and  flourishing  as  it  is 
with  us  on  the  10th  of  September.      Sypilix. 


For  tJie  Neta  England  Fanner. 
BOOT  CROPS. 

I  noticed  in  the  last  Farmer  the  article  of  D. 
Needham,  on  English  Turnips.  Can  he  pull,  cut 
off  the  tops  and  put  in  the  cellar  a  hundred 
bushels  for  three  dollars?  If  he  can,  I  shall  try 
and  hire  him  to  gather  ray  turnips. 

As  to  cutting  them  up,  and  feeding  them  out, 
I  found  it  quite  a  job.  Fifteen  or  twenty  years 
ago  the  root-crop  was  quite  fashionable  in  this 
region.  Almost  all  our  farmers  went  into  it,  and 
the  few  Vidio  did  not  were  looked  upon  as  b,eing 
behind  the  times,  poor  farmers,  &c.  The  raising 
of  ruta  bag-as,  English  turnips,  and  such  crops, 
to  any  great  extent,  is  as  unfashionable  with  our 
farmers  now  as  it  was  the  reverse  then.  Whi/ 
this  change,  is  not  for  me  to  say.  V/hy  /  changed 
I  am  willing  to  tell. 

My  first  trial  was  to  throw  about  three  or  four 
papers  of  ruta-baga  seeds  over  my  menure  heeps 
that  I  vi&s  going  to  put  in  the  hill  for  corn.  It 
w^orked  finely.  I  had  a  grand  crop,  more  than 
one  hundred  bushels  to  the  acre.  They  cost  al- 
most nothing,  as  you  would  look  at  it,  but  the 
corn  told  a  different  story.  In  those  hills  that 
had  one  or  two  good  stout  turnips  the  ears  were 
small,  and  many  of  the  stalks  had  no  maturing 
ears  on  them.  As  near  as  I  could  estimate  I  lost 
at  least  half  the  corn  crop  in  the  hills  where  the 
turnips  were,  say  twenty  bushels  to  the  acre. 

The  next  year,  on  the  same  land,  I  tried  Eng- 
lish turnips — they  also  did  well.  But  the  corn 
suflered  again,  and  was  not  near  as  good  as  when 
I  did  not  sow  the  turnips.  I  found  if  mj'  hired 
help  had  to  carry  out  three  or  four  bushels  of 
turnips  in  the  morning  and  cut  them  up  and  give 
them  to  the  cattle,  it  took  not  less  that  fifteen 
minutes  to  the  bushel.  They  increased  the 
product  of  milk,  but  not  of  butter,  either  in 
quantity  or  quality.  This  was  not  all — I  found 
on  careful  experiments  that  I  have  never  been 
able  to  raise  a  great  crop  of  grass  after  turnips 
till  I  manured  again,  or  gave  the  land  extra  ma- 
nure. This  has  been  my  experience  as  to  effect. 
On  the  rich  land  of  the  West  it  may  do. 

As  to  the  goodness  of  the  crop  to  feed  out,  I 


would  not  let  you  put  one  hundred  bushels  of 
turnips  into  my  cellar  if  you  would  give  them  to 
me.  They  would  scent  the  whole  house  more 
than  they  are  worth,  and  I  would  not  feed  them 
out  for  them.  e.  e. 

Remarks. — Our  correspondent  is  a  clear  think- 
er, and  bold  writer ;  does  not  hide  his  light,  usu- 
ally, or  qualify  his  opinions,  so  as  to  weaken 
their  force.  Does  not  the  withholding  his  name 
and  place,  in  this  case,  imply  a  little  doubt 
whether  he  is  quite  right  in  his  views  about  the 
root-crops?  We  are  glad  of  his  observations 
nevertheless,  because  this  will  lead  to  investiga- 
tion, and  every  farmer  ought  to  knoiv  whether 
the  crops  he  feeds  to  his  stock  are  profitable  or 
not. 

For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
ROCK-IiIFTEB  AND  \p-ALIi-IiAYEB. 

In  the  Farmer  of  Oct.  1,1  saw  a  letter  from  your 
"Woods  Hole"  correspondent,  "I.  S.  T.,"  in  which 
he  attempts  to  enlighten  you  in  relation  to  our 
rock-lifter  and  wall-layer.  But  as  is  frequently 
the  case  with  those  who  wish  to  enlighten  others, 
-"•our  correspondent  evidently  needs  light  himself. 
He  says  there  has  been  one  of  this  same  construc- 
tion and  manufacture  in  use  at  the  State  Farm 
at  Westboro'  for  three  years  past,  and  one  on 
the  farm  of  Mr.  R.  S.  Fay,  at  Lynn,  for  the  same 
period,  and  that  he  has  used  one  himself  for  eight 
years,  &:c. ;  in  all  of  which  he  is  mistaken.  There 
is  no  such  machine  at  the  State  Farm,  nor  at  Mr. 
Fay's,  neither  has  he  one  himself.  The  machine 
to  which  he  alludes  is  one  got  out  by  Mr.  Devol, 
and  as  you  say  in  your  remarks,  is  a  very  useful 
machine,  and  if  he  has  not  been,  he  ought  to  be, 
amply  remunerated  for  his  study  and  enterprise 
in  getting  it  up  ;  but  Boles'  patent  is  a  decidedly 
better  machine,  as  we  claim,  and  such  is  the  in- 
variable opinion  of  all  disinterested  men  that 
have  seen  them  both  in  operation,  as  far  as  I 
have  ever  known  or  heard.  The  machine  to  which 
he  alludes  is  erected  on  four  wheels  ;  ours  stands 
on  two,  and  can  be  moved  and  set  over  a  rock  or 
on  the  line  of  a  wall  as  readily  and  with  as  much 
precision  as  a  common  ox-cart.  With  the  Devol 
machine  the  rocks  are  hoisted  by  man-pov/er'  ap- 
plied to  brakes  or  cranks.  With  ours  the  hoist- 
ing is  done  with  a  horse  or  oxen,  saving  much 
hard  manual  labor,  and  doing  the  work  much 
faster.  T.  Eljlis. 

Ilochester,  Mass.,  Oct.,  1858. 


Illustrated  Annual  Register  of  Rural 
Affairs,  for  1859,  with  144  engravings.  This  is 
the  fifth  number  of  this  popular  work  ;  a  work 
containing  more  valuable  suggestions  to  the  far- 
mer and  horticulturist  than  many  volumes  of 
more  pretending  titles  and  size.  It  is  made  up 
by  J.  J.  Thomas,  one  of  the  clearest  and  most 
practical  writers  among  us,  and  published  by  Lu- 
ther Tucker  &  Son,  at  Albany.  For  sale  by 
A.  Williams  &  Co.,  Boston, 


660 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Dec. 


POBTRAIT  OF  AN  IMPORTED  DtTTCH  BULIi, 


In  our  last  we  gave  the  portrait  of  a  beautiful  I  Of  the  cows  of  Gelderland,  Uveryss'el,  and 
imported  Dutch  cow,  the  property  of  WiNTHROPj  Utrecht,  the  yield  cannot  be  reckoned  higher 
W.  Cheneky,  Esq.,  of  Watertown,  Mass.,  and  than  sixteen  quarts  daily,  and  that  only  during 
having  introduced  that  illustration  of  this  breed  the  first  half  of  their  milking  season, 
of  cattle  to  the  reader,  we  propose  now  to  pre- 
sent another  view  of  it,  and  make  the  subject  as 
complete  as  possible. 

The  animal  figured  above  was  also  imported  by 
Mr.  Chenery  in  1857,  from  Holland,  near  the 
Beemster,  in  the  northerly, part  of  Purmerend. 
This  animal  illustrates  Mr.  Flint's  new  work  on 
Milch  Cows,  and  we  draw  the  following  descrip- 
tion from  the  same  source. 

The  Dutch  cattle  are,  in  general,  renowned  for 
their  dairy  qualities  ;  but  especially  so  are  the 
cows  of  North  Holland,  Avhich  not  only  give  a 
larger  quantity,  but  also  a  very  good  quality,  so 
that  a  yield  of  sixteen  to  twenty-five  wine  quarts 
at  every  milking  is  not  rare.  Next  to  these  come 
the  West  Friesland  and  South  Dutch  cows,  from 


For  the  New  England  Parmer. 

HOW  TO  PREVENT    BUILDINGS    BEING 
STRUCK  BY  LIGHTNING. 

Mr.  Editor  : — I  have  seen  several  communi- 
cations in  your  papers  of  the  last  few  weeks  on 
the  subject  of  electricity,  and  its  agency  in  the 
firing  of  buildings.  Many  of  the  statements  that 
have  been  made  are  true,  both  in  regard  to  the 
laws  that  govern  the  fluid,  and  other  matters  in 
connection  with  the  subject,  but  none  of  them 
give  a  remedy  that  can  be  used  to  avoid  the  dis- 
asters that  arise  from  the  "equilibriating  of  these 
imponderable  forces."  As  Franklin's  practical 
mind  led  him  to  say  "()««'  bono"  to  know  how 
the  trouble  is  generated,  is  of  no  value  if  we 
cannot  find  a  cure,  so  I  would  ask,  of  what  value 


which  from  twenty  to  twenty-four  quarts  of  milk  a^^  these  statements  ?  What  we  want  is,  to  know 

how  we  may  guide  these  great  lorces,  and  it  we 


may  be  calculated  on.  Though  one  could  not 
take  a  certain  number,  and  calculate  surely  what 
the  yield  of  each  cow  would  be,  yet  he  could 
come  very  near  the  truth,  if  he  reckoned  that  a 
cow,  in  three  hundred  days,  or  as  long  as  she  is 
milked,  gives,  on  an  average,  daily,  from  six  to 
eight  quarts  of  milk,  from  which  the  whole  annu- 
al yield  would  be  from  one  thousand  eight  hun- 
dred to  two  thousand  four  hundred  quarts.  Of 
this,  the  cow  gives  one-half  in  the  first  four 
months,  one-third  in  the  next  three,  and  in  the 
remainder,  one-sixth.  These  superficial  results 
cannot  be  taken,  however,  as  the  fixed  rule. 


cannot  make  them  subservient  to  our  interests, 
and  prevent  their  doing  us  injury. 

The  protection  of  buildings  from  the  disas- 
trous effects  of  lightning,  and  thereby  the  saving 
of  human  life,  is  the  most  valuable  practical  ap- 
plication of  the  theories  of  electricity  ;  and  un- 
doubtedly with  this  end  in  view,  the  inventive 
genius  of  our  people  has  been  turned  in  this  di- 
rection during  the  last  fe^v  years,  bringing  out 
some  half-dozen  different  lightning  rods,  and  as 
many  difterent  insulators  ;  but  all,  I  believe,  to 
very  little  purpose,  for  still  our  buildings  are 
struck  by  the  bolt,  life  is  endangered,  and  prop- 
erty consumed. 

The  great  question,  then,  recurs,  "How  can  we 


1858. 


XEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


561 


be  protected  ?"  I  answer,  by  tJiorougJily  ventilat- 
ing a  building,  you  perfectly  protect  it.  I  have 
never  known  of  a  building  being  struck  by  an 
electric  bolt  that  was  well  ventilated,  but  on  the 
contrary,  if  you  examine  into  the  circumstances 
connected  with  one  that  has  been  struck,  you 
will  find  that  the  chief  damage  was  done  to  that 
part  which  was  the  poorest  ventilated. 

One  of  your  correspondents  says,  "seven-tenths 
of  the  buildings  struck  by  lightning  are  barns, 
and  this  occurs  during  the  curative  process  of 
the  hay  ;"  this  is  undoubtedly  true,  for  without 
doubt,  our  barns  are  less  ventilated  than  any 
buildings  we  have,  and  certainly  very  much  less 
in  proportion  to  their  requirements,  and  that 
they  should  be  fired  by  lightning  is  only  the  nat- 
ural result  of  great  natural  causes  ;  if  we  wish  to 
avoid  the  result,  we  have  only  to  remove  the 
cause. 

Let  us  look  for  a  moment  at  the  process  that 
is  carried  on  during  the  making  of  hay.  Nearly 
all  vegetables,  especially  the  grasses,  are  highly 
charged  with  electricity,  both  positive  and  nega- 
tive, and  by  their  mutual  attraction  they  hold 
each  other  in  subjection.  After  the  grass  is  cut, 
evaporations  begins,  and  if  it  be  a  good  hay-day, 
goes  on  very  fast.  Volta  has  shown  very  con- 
clusively, that  "the  evaporation  of  water  sets 
positive  electricity  f^ee,  which  goes  into  the  at- 
mosphere, while  the  negative  fluid  remains  in 
the  body  from  which  the  water  was  evaporated." 
The  farmer  then  puts  into  his  barn  a  quantity  of 
hay  highly  charged  with  negative  electricity,  and 
this  process  he  curries  on  from  day  to  day,  until 
at  last  he  has  completed  one  of  the  largest  and 
most  powerful  batteries  that  could  be  conceived 
of;  in  a  few  days,  clouds  form  and  hover  over 
his  building ;  they  are  charged  positively,  as  the 
atmosphere  usually  is.  Nature,  true  to  her  laws, 
must  establish  an  equilibrium  between  these  two 
bodies  of  electricity  ;  the  positive  fluid  in  the 
cloud  enters  into  union  with  the  negative  fluid 
in  the  hay,  intense  heat  is  evolved,  and  the  barn 
is  fired.  Now,  how  could  this  result  have  been 
avoided  ?  The  cause  was  unavoidable  ;  the  pos- 
itive fluid  must  go  into  the  atmosphere,  because 
it  had  a  greater  afnnity  for  that  than  for  any- 
thing else  ;  the  negative  had  a  greater  affinity 
for  the  hay  than  anything  it  came  in  contact 
with,  and  must  remain  ;  after  the  positive  fluid 
had  escaped  into  the  air,  it  was  beyond  the  con- 
trol of  man,  and  only  subject  to  the  control  of 
the  winds. 

If  the  lightning  rod  theory  could  be  carried 
sufficiently  far  into  practice,  it  would  answer  our 
purpose  ;  if  this  cloud  could  be  pierced  by  a  good 
conductor,  putting  it  in  connection  with  the 
ground,  the  great  reservoir  both  for  the  absorp- 
tion and  for  the  supply  of  this  fluid,  then  the 
positive  body  would  pass  silently  down  until  an 
equilibrium  was  formed  ;  but  this  is  simply  an 
impossibility  ;  we  must  next  turn  our  attention 
to  the  negative  fluid,  to  remove  that.  We  learn 
from  Coulombe,  that  the  laws  which  regulate 
the  gradual  dissipation  of  electricity  have  been 
investigated,  and  the  causes  which  operate  are, — 
"1st.  The  imperfection  of  the  insulating  property, 
and  2d.  The  contact  of  successive  portions  of  air, 
every  particle  of  which  carries  oS"  a  certain  quan- 
tity of  electricity."  His  expei-iments  show  con- 
clusively  that   electricity    is   capable   of  being, 


transferred  like  caloric,  and  that  as  water  is  one 
of  the  best  conductors,  any  portion  of  it  suspend- 
ed in  the  -air  tends  to  carry  ofl"  electricity  from 
bodies  charged  with  it. 

Now  if  this  theory  be  true,  and  it  has  never 
been  controverted,  what  prevents  our  so  con- 
structing our  buildings  as  to  be  able  to  send 
currents  of  air  through  them  at  our  will,  and 
thus  remove  the  negative  body,  and  by  removing 
it,  move  the  cause  of  our  troubles  ?  It  is  as 
necessary  to  apply  this  system  of  ventilation  to 
our  dwellings  as  to  our  barns,  if  v.-e  would  pro- 
tect them,  for  it  is  found  that  the  air  of  close 
rooms,  vitiated  by  respiration,  is  negatively  elec- 
trified. In  olden  times,  when  the  good  old- 
fashioned  fire-place  was  in  use,  we  had  a  more 
perfect  ventilation  than  we  have  now  with  our 
air-tight  stoves  and  furnaces  ;  then  our  dwelling- 
houses  were  not  damaged  by  lightning,  although 
we  had  no  protecting  rods,  and  the  only  way 
that  we  can  secure  to  ourselves  the  same  immuni- 
ty that  we  enjoyed  then,  is  to  return  to  an  equal- 
ly efficient  system  of  ventilation;  this  can  be 
done  without  much  trouble,  at  one-half  the  cost 
that  would  be  met  in  covering  our  houses  with 
rods. 

And  now,  Mr.  Editor,  one  word  to  the  farmer, 
and  I  will  close  this  communication. 

Barns,  as  they  are  being  filled  with  new  hay, 
should  be  kept  open  night  and  day,  and  if  there 
is  a  window  in  the  roof,  that  should  be  kept  open 
also,  for  at  least  thirty  days  after  haying  is  fin- 
ished ;  but  this  will  not  be  sufficient  to  ventilate  a 
large  bay  of  hay,  and  a  portion  of  the  floor 
should  be  constructed  with  slats  secured  under- 
neath with  a  tight  box,  (so  as  to  exclude  the  ex- 
halations from  the  cellar,)  connecting  with  a  pipe 
running  to  the  outside  of  the  barn  ;  by  this  plan 
currents  of  fresh  air  might  pass  continually 
through  the  mow,  keeping  the  hay  in  most  perfect 
condition,  free  from  all  these  dangers  we  have 
been  considering,  and  also  from  any  decay  or 
must  v/hich  is  very  common  from  imperfect  cur- 
ing. ELECTraCITY. 

Qroton,  Oct.  25,  1858. 


CHINESE    AGRICULTUKE. 

The  Pennsylcanian.,  referring  to  a  narrative  of 
travels  in  China,  published  by  a  Russian  officer, 
says  •—  . 

"This  author,  like  every  other  who  has  visited 
China,  bears  testimony  of  the  high  development 
of  agriculture  in  that  mysterious  country.  The 
harvest  in  China,  he  remarks,  '  produces  fifty, 
seventy,  and  even  a  hundred  fold.  The  cause 
will  be  found  in  the  care  M'ith  which  they  manure 
the  ground,  and  the  custom  of  sowing  early,  of 
weeding  and  watering,  etc'  The  acre  of  land 
yields  in  England,  Germany  and  France,  twice 
or  three  times  as  much  as  with  us,  but  the  Chi- 
nese agriculturist  surpasses  even  the  European 
by  far.  'How  infinitely  inferior,'  says  Professor 
Liebig,  'is  the  agriculture  of  Europe  to  that  of 
China!  The  Chinese  are  the  most  admirable 
gardeners  and  trainers  of  plants,  for  each  of 
which  they  understand  how  to  prepare  and  ap- 
ply the  best  adapted  manure.  The  agriculture 
of  their  country  is  the  most  perfect  in  the  world, 
and  there,  where  the  climate  in  the  most  fertile 
districts  diS'ers  little  from  the  European,  very 


562 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Dec. 


little  value  is  attached  to  the  excrements  of  ani- 
mals. With  us,  thick  books  are  written,  but  no 
experiments  instituted,'"  ttc.  • 

Travellers  tell  us  of  one  particular  attainment 
of  Chinese  Agriculture,  which,  though  it  is  not 
always  of  practical  value,  indicates  a  wonderful 
knov/ledge  of  the  laws  of  vegetable  growth — that 
is,  the  power  of  enlarging  or  dwarfing,  at  will, 
many  of  the  productions  of  nature.  Thus,  an 
oak  tree,  for  instance,  will  frequently  be  seen 
growing  in  a  flower-pot,  bearing  its  thrifty  little 
leaves,  and  bringing  its  tiny  acorns  to  maturity, 
with  all  the  regularity  of  its  forest  kindred,  the 
entire  tree  not  being  more  than  two  feet  high. 
Such  specimens  of  human  ingenuity  may  be 
worthless,  but  they  imply  a  knowledge  and  skill 
that  are  worth  a  great  deal. 


A  IvTICB  "WAY  TO  MAKE  APPLE  TREES. 

Get  a  tree  from  a  nursery,  (no  matter  what 
kind,)  such  as  they  send  out,  or  if  so  large  as  to 
be  unsalable,  just  as  good.  Let  it  be  straight 
and  thrifty.  Cut  it  square  off  at  just  the  height 
you  want  the  top,  and  splice  or  whip  graft  on  it, 
one  scion,  with  three  buds  above  the  waxed  pa- 
per with  which  it  is  wound.  To  make  it  more 
sure  not  to  get  displaced,  tie  a  strip  of  bark 
around  over  the  waxed  paper,  as  tight  as  you 
can  ;  set  your  tree,  and  it  will  make  a  beauty. 
Get  the  nurseryman  to  do  it  for  you  if  possible, 
as  he  will  do  it  better  than  you  can.  I  have 
trees  made  last  spring,  that  put  out  strong  shoots 
two  feet  in  length,  precisely  alike.  This  spring 
I  cut  back  to  six  inches,  and  when  the  new  shoots 
start  allow  six  to  grow,  saving  those  well  placed 
to  make  a  handsome  top.  Next  spring,  shorten 
them  one-half ;  after  that,  use  your  judgment.  I 
have  trees  groviu  three  summers,  that  look  like 
miniature  nature  trees — very  fine.  I  prefer  such 
a  tree,  to  one  from  a  nursery  ready  to  set.  If 
your  friend  at  the  jumping  off  place  send  you  a 
scion  in  a  letter,  you  may  have  a  tree  better  than 
one  of  the  same  sort  got  at  a  nursery. — Rural 
New-Yorker. 

Ho-w  Corn  is  Preserved  in  Russia. — At 
a  late  meeting  of  the  Academy  of  Sciences,  held 
in  Paris,  a  letter  from  M.  de  Semchofi' — a  Rus- 
sion  landholder — was  read,  describing  the  man- 
ner in  which  corn-pits  are  made  in  that  country. 
The  pit  is  dug  in  a  dry  soil,  and  instead  of  ma- 
sonry, the  sides  are  hardened  by  a  long  contin- 
ued exposure  to  a  wood  fire.  Before  the  corn  is 
introduced,  the  air  in  the  pit  is  ratified  by  burn- 
ing some  straw  in  it,  after  which  the  grain  is 
thrown  in,  packed  close,  and  the  pit  tightly  en- 
closed. Corn  has  been  preserved  in  such  pits 
for  forty  years.  Some  of  our  western  farmers, 
who  raise  large  crops  of  wheat  and  corn,  should 
try  this  method  of  preserving  grain  during  years 
when  there  is  a  great  yield,  in  order  to  lay  up  a 
store  for  seasons  of  an  inferior  yield. 


White  Beans. — We  saw  a  fine  sample  of 
wnite  beans  the  other  day  from  the  farm  of  Col. 
H.  H.  Sylvester,  of  Charlestown,  N.  H.  Pro- 
duct,  forty  bushels  to  the  acre  !  Samples  of  corn 
and  oats  from  the  same  farm,  were  also  very  fine. 


Fi>7-  the  New  England  Farmer, 
A  POMOIiOGICAL  POEM. 

BY  B.   n.    TEWKSDUBT. 

Byron,  'tis  said,  drugged  his  eweet  mu?e  with  gin  ! 
And  Bourbon  whiskies  Carlyle'3  laurels  win  ! 
What  harm  if  I  drinli  inspiration  in 
O'er  the  rare  beauties  of  an  apple- bin  ? 

Here  hues  lil£e  glowing  rubies  mingle  well, 
And  charm  the  gazer  with  tlieir  wizard  sptli  ; 
If  thoughts,  poetic,  steal  unbidden  in, 
Can  their  expression  be  a  renal  sin  ? 

'Tis  said  an  apple,  pressed  by  Eve's  red  lip, 
Caused  her  and  us  the  path  of  right  to  slip  ! 
And  yet,  methinks,  the  still  small  voice  within 
Saith  "apple-seeds  are  not  the  seeds  of  sin.'' 

And,  if  'twere  so,  they  surely  have  made  up 
For  half  the  woes  drank  in  that  bitter  cup  ! 
We,  in  their  blessing,  half  our  loss  retrieve — 
The  curse  a  blessing's  feund.fair  Mother  Eve  ! 

It  brought  us  Pippins  fit  for  angel's  clutches — 
The  modest  liuxseits  and  the  fair  Noneniches : 
And  crim?on  cheeks,  like  those  of  modest  misses — 
Fair  apple-faces,  tempting  wood-nymph's  kisses. 

Some  worship  smoke,  and  through  nargliilehs  suck  it ! 
Some  feed  a  drunken  soul  within,  and  duck  it 
With  brandies,  sherries,  wines  and  Holland  gins ! 
Mine  thirsts  for  juices  held  in  apple-skins  ! 

Not  that  vile  beverage  held  in  cider  casks. 
Or  bottled  off  (for  medicine  ;)  in  flasks  ; 
But  the  rich  juices  held  in  crimson  rinds — 
Distilled  by  dews  and  flavored  by  the  winds  ; 

Drank  from  dame  Nature's  goblets,  fresh  and  fair — 
Sweetened  by  breath  of  perfumed  summer  air — 
Stirred  by  the  rushing  of  Ihc  northern  breeze, 
And  colored  by  the  life-blood  of  the  trees. 

Perverted  taste  to  swinish  morsel  stoops, 
Makes  food  of  frogs,  and  doats  on  turtle  soups  ! 
Give  me  for  food  the  nutriment  that  lies 
Between  the  crust  of  generous  apple-pies  ! 

As  Sancho  Panza  called  the  saints  to  keep 
The  feet  of  him  "who  first  invented  sleep," 
So  I  would  bless  ihe  matron,  kind  and  wise, 
Who,  bless  her  soul,  invented  apple-pies. 

When  they  appear — ye  dainties  st»nd  from  iiiider ! 
A  dish  for  king.^  who  rule  or  god-,  who  thunder; 
Seek  for  a  better  with  a  golden  pur.se — 
You  may  go  farther  but  you'll  sure  fare  worse. 

To  v/isdom  seekers  Si'lomon  has  tcld. 
That  'tis  like  app'cs  wrought  of  molten  gold  ! 
He  lost  all  faith  in  man,  all  love  for  wives ; 
His  faith  in  apples  last  of  all  survives. 

So  friend,  (of  course  this  lies  'twixt  you  and  me,) 
Go,  first  of  all,  and  plant  au  apple  tree  ! 
That  when  thy  frame  decays  and  heart  grows  cold. 
Old  age  may  gather  apples  tinged  with  gold. 

Lest  Discord's  apples  block  life's  troubled  way; 
And  Sodom's  apples  youth's  neglect  repay  ; 
And  seeds  (not  apple)  sprout  with  every  sin 
Aiid  fruits  (of  wickedness)  grow  rank  within. 

Do  thus,  and  when  thy  Christiaa  friends  may  slip  in, 
Ask  them  to  take  the  juices  of  a  pippin — 
And  ease  life's  burden  and  earth's  darksome  cares. 
In  feasts  of  reason  o'er  huge  bowls  of  pears : 

For  men  are  known,  and  judged  too,  b;/  their  fruits ! 
Not  so  the  groveling  swino  or  lowing  brutes  ; 
So  bring  us,  friends  !  when  we  may  chance  to  call, 
The  early  picked,  plucked  y«ii  before  the  fall. 
Old  Orchard,  Oct.  15, 1858. 

Remaeks. — Capital,  friend  T. — "drop  in  often." 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


5G3 


For  the  New  England  ^Farmer. 

OKNITHOLOGY. 
BT   S.   P.   FOWLER. 

The  Passenger  Pigeon  [Colutnba  migratoria) 
is,  on  some  accounts,  one  of  our  most  interesting 
birds.  Our  attention  to  the  bird  is  not  excited 
by  its  pleasant  and  charming  note,  for  it  has 
none;  nor  for  its  familiar  and  confiding  habits, 
evinced  by  its  rearing  its  young  in  our  orchards 
and  gardens  ;  it  being  an  inhabitant  of  our  woods 
and  but  little  dependent  on  our  cultivated  fruits 
and  grains  for  its  support ;  as  it  is  in  the  forest, 
that  it  rears  its  young,  and  obtains  its  principal 
food.  It  is  its  gregarious  habits  principally  that 
make  it  so  interesting  to  an  ornithologist,  there 
being  no  bird  like  it  in  this  wide  world,  in  this 
particular.  Indeed,  there  is  nothing  like  this  gre- 
garious propensity,  as  seen  in  our  wild  pigeon, 
in  all  animated  nature,  if  we  except  the  vast 
shoals  of  fish  that  sometimes  visit  our  bays  and 
rivers.  The  bird  possesses  beauty  and  symmetry, 
particularly  the  male,  in  his  second  year,  dressed 
in  his  nuptial  suit,  glowing  in  metallic  lustre. 
His  robust  and  compact  form  of  body  is  just 
suited  to  give  room  for  those  powerful  muscles 
to  play,  and  move  those  long  and  sweeping  wings, 
that  require,  in  order  to  control  them,  a  long 
stretching  oar,  in  the  shape  of  twelve  sharp-point- 
ed, long-tail  feathers.  These  wings  possess  power 
enough  to  force  the  bird  through  the  air,  at  the 
rate  of  a  mile  a  minute,  its  estimated  usual  speed. 
The  use  it  sometimes  makes  of  its  wings  in  beat- 
ing the  mast  or  beech  nuts  from  trees,  to  obtain 
food,  discovers  to  us  their  power  and  strength ; 
none  but  the  strongest  pinions  could  long  with- 
stand this  rough  usage.  When  on  the  wing, 
the  wild  pigeon  never  flags  or  soars,  but  presses 
onward  in  a  rapid  flight,  John  Gilpin  like,  intent 
on  accomplishing  its  journey  in  the  quickest  time. 
In  fact,  in  point  of  speed,  we  may  regard  the  pas- 
senger pigeon  a  perfect  clipper  amongst  our 
birds. 

To  the  eye  of  an  ornithologist,  it  also  presents, 
by  its  admirable  steering  apparatus,  its  great 
ability  to  perform  evolutions  difficult  to  most 
birds.  This  is  seen  when  the  bird  is  passing  over 
the  country,  in  its  most  rapid  flight,  and  fancying 
it  discovers  food  in  the  fields  below,  by  a  short 
curve  it  sweeps  to  the  earth,  and  when  within  a 
few  feet  of  it,  checks  its  speed  by  short  down- 
ward strokes  of  its  wings.  But  should  it  not 
alight,  being  deceived  in  its  expectation  of  food, 
or  apprehensive  of  danger,  it  alters  its  downward 
course,  and  gracefully,  by  describing  a  circle,  rises 
again  into  the  air,  and  pursues  its  journey. 
Where  other  evolutions  are  performed  by  the 
pursuit  of  birds  of  prey,  each  individual  bird 
composing  the  flock,  doing  the  same  thing  at  the 
same  time,  the  efl'ect  produced  upon  the  behold- 
er is  the  same  as  upon  viev/ing  the  rapid  ma- 
noeuvres of  companies  of  dragoons.  The  nidifi- 
cation  of  the  passenger  pigeon  has  been  the  oc- 
casion of  controversies  amongst  ornithologists. 
Wilson  says  thej'  have  only  one  young  at  a  time, 
and  breed  three  or  four  times  in  a  season.  Audu- 
bon says  their  eggs  are  two  in  number,  and  it  is 
a  remarkable  fact,  that  each  brood  generally  con- 
sists of  a  male  and  female. 

Giraud,  in  his  "Birds  of  Long  Island,"  says,  "I 
have  heard  frequent  controversies  relative  to  the 


number  of  eggs  deposited  by  the  wild  pigeon.  I 
can  assure  those  who  are  of  opinion  tliat  it  lays 
but  one  egg,  that  the  number  is  two,  though  gen- 
erally but  one  young  bird  is  found  in  the  nest." 
This  is  accounted  for  by  the  inequality  of  the 
hatching,  one  usually  precedes  the  other  a  few 
days,  and  the  remaining  e^^,  or  young,  as  soon 
as  it  appears,  is  thrown  from  the  nest  by  the  first 
comer.  The  only  nest  of  this  bird  we  ever  dis- 
covered in  Danvers,  was  built  upon  a  lofty  white 
oak,  and  contained  two  white  eggs.  Its  archi- 
tecture was  rude  and  of  the  true  platform  style, 
a  few  dry  sticks  carelessly  placed  together,  and 
through  this  loose  scaflTokling,  with  the  aid  of  a 
glass,  the  eggs  could  be  seen  from  below.  Have 
the  readers  of  the  N.  E.  Farmer  observed  the 
eggs  or  young  of  the  wild  pigeon  ?  But  it  is  its 
gregarious  habits,  as  we  have  before  said,  that 
are  peculiar,  and  have  been  noticed  by  many 
naturalists  and  travelers,  but  by  none  more  close- 
ly than  by  Mr.  Audubon,  whose  account  of  the 
bird  is  very  full  and  remarkable. 

Mr.  Charles  Waterton,  an  English  ornitholo- 
gist, is  very  severe  upon  portions  of  Audubon's 
account  of  the  passenger  pigeon,  in  what  he  says 
he  saw  of  the  assembling  together  of  astonishing 
numbers  of  these  birds  in  Kentucky.  The  excep- 
tions made  by  Mr.  Waterton,  are  to  Audubon's 
account  of  the  assemblage  of  foxes,  lynxes,  cou- 
gars, bears,  raccoons,  opossums  and  pole-cats, 
to  feast  upon  the  pigeons  congregated  together, 
of  the  many  trees  he  observed,  which  were  brok- 
en oft'  at  no  great  distance  from  the  ground  by 
the  weight  of  these  birds  on  their  tops,  of  their 
arriving  by  thousands,  and  alighting  everywhere, 
one  above  another,  until  solid  masses  as  large  as 
hogsheads  were  formed  on  the  branches  all 
around.  To  this,  in  a  querulous  way,  Waterton 
says,  "I  now  leave  the  assemblage  of  wild  beasts, 
the  solid  masses  of  pigeons,  as  large  as  hogsheads, 
and  the  broken  trunk  of  the  tree  two  feet  in  di- 
ameter, to  the  consideration  of  those  British  nat- 
uralists, who  have  volunteered  to  support  a  for- 
eigner, in  his  exertions  to  teach  Mr.  Bull  orni- 
thology in  the  nineteenth  century.  And  by  the 
way,"  continues  Mr.  Waterton,  "at  the  end  of 
Mr.  Audubon's  'Biography  of  Birds,'  I  observe  a 
most  laudatory  notice  by  Mr.  Sv/ainson.  He  tells 
us  that  Audubon  contemplated  nature  as  she 
really  is,  not  as  she  is  represented  in  books  ;  he 
sought  her  in  her  sanctuary.  Well,  be  it  so  ;  I 
do  not  dispute  his  word;  still,  I  suspect,  that 
during  the  search  and  contemplation,  either  the 
dame  herself  was  in  liquor,  or  her  wooer  in  hallu- 
cination." 

Now  we  believe  that  all  Mr.  Audubon  says  he 
himself  saw  of  the  wild  pigeons,  on  the  banks  of 
the  Green  river  in  Kentucky,  is  true,  notwith- 
standing what  European  naturalists  may  say  to 
the  contrary.  They  must  not  judge  of  the  habits 
of  our  fast,  gallant  and  truly  American  bird,  with 
half  a  continent  like  ours  to  range  in,  and  which 
possesses  such  powers  of  flight,  that  in  twenty 
hours,  every  pigeon  in  the  Union  could  meet  to- 
gether in  one  great  mass  meeting,  with  the  gen- 
tle, quiet,  short-winged  doves  of  Europe.  I  see 
Kalm,  in  his  travels,  notices  the  breaking  and  fall- 
ing of  trees,  in  a  partial  state  of  decay,  by  the 
weight  of  pigeons  on  there  tops.  Such  may  have 
been  the  condition  of  the  trees  broken,  and  no- 
ticed by  Audubon.  When  old  and  bare  of  leaves, 


564 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Dec. 


they  are  always  fnvorite  resting  places  for  wild 
pigeons.  Our  bird  has  a  very  extensive  range, 
being  found  from  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  to  Hudson's 
Bay,  and  probably  further  north,  for  I  find  the 
following  notice  of  it  in  the  appendix  to  the  third 
voyage  of  Sir  John  Ross,  page  29.  "A  young 
male  passenger  pigeon  iiew  on  board  the  Victo- 
ry, during  a  storm,  whilst  crossing  Baffin's  Bay, 
in  latitude  73^  degrees  north,  on  the  31st.  of  Ju- 
ly, 1829."  It  is  a  singular  and  interesting  fact, 
that  it  had  never  been  seen  so  far  north  before. 
Danvers-Port,  Oct.  1,  1858. 


Fur  the  New  England  Farmer. 

LETTEK  FROM  VEHMONT. 

Crops — Apples  and  Cider — Winter  Evenings — Annual  Fairs — 
Horses  at  Premiums — The  Legislature — Tlianksgiving  Day — 
Vromotes  Matrimony  —  Gratitude  of  Old  Folks  —  Winter 
Schools. 

Dear  Farmer  : — Thinking  that  a  word  or  two 
by  way  of  remembrance,  from  away  up  in  Ver- 
mont, might  not  be  entirely  unacceptable  to  your 
columns,  I  am  seated  with  a  view  of  making  a 
"scratch,"  which  you  will  be  at  liberty  to  use,  only 
in  case  you  should  lack  the  usual  quantum  of  in- 
teresting matter,  with  which  you  come  so  con- 
stantly laden. 

Our  crops,  which  so  recently  covered  these 
hills  and  valleys  in  great  variety,  are  now  nearly 
all  gathered  in,  and  our  barns  and  garners  are  lit- 
erally groaning  beneath  the  abundance  which  fills 
them.  Among  all  our  harvest,  are  we  short  in 
nothing,  unless  perhaps  it  be  a  partial  lack  of 
apples  (and  cider)  in  some  localities.  And  by 
the  way,  a  failure  in  this  crop,  is  seriously  felt, 
since  we  must  have  the  long  winter  evenings, 
and  how  shall  we  get  on  with  the  stories  and  chit- 
chat,, without  the  apples  and  cider?  Too  long 
have  these  been  associated  together  to  be  parted 
lightl)-.  O,  those  glorious  old  days,  when  these 
hearts  were  younger,  so  well  remembered,  before 
fastidious,  foolish  fashion  and  misnamed,  hypo- 
critical refinement,  had  usurped  the  places  of 
generous  hospitality  and  frank,  honest  sociability, 
that  we  so  well  enjoyed  in  those  plain  old  homes, 
when  the  products  of  God's  bounty  were  used 
without  stint  or  measure. 

That  reliable  personage,  the  "oldest  inhabi- 
tant," is  said  never  to  have  seen  so  abundant  a 
crop  of  corn  as  the  present  season  has  yielded, 
in  all  parts  of  our  State.  In  fact,  every  farmer 
finds  himself  much  in  the  same  condition  that 
the  old  fellow  over  in  New  Hampshire  once  did, 
who  happened  to  be  favored  with  a  crop  of  sound 
corn,  (a  very  rare  thing  for  him,)  and  complained 
to  his  neighbors  that  he  had  nothing  to  fatten  his 
pork  on,  as  he  had  no  hog-corn.  And  we  have 
quite  eschewed  the  cant  phrase  of  "small  pota- 
toes and  few  in  the  hill,"  for  the  present  very 
much  resembles  the  old-fashioned  crops  of  this 
root.  So  with  plenty  of  corn  and  potatoes,  we 
Green  Mountain  boys  (and  girls,  too,)  can  get  on 
right  well,  even  though  the  Atlantic  Telegraph 
should  not  work  very  satisfactorily  at  present. 

Our  Annual  Fairs,  State,  county  and  town, 
have  all  passed  off,  and  I  su])pose  they  have  nev- 
er been  more  satisfactory  than  the  present  sea- 
son. A  grand  show  of  all  the  necessaries,  com- 
forts and  luxuries  of  life  have  never  failed  to  be 
exhibited — always   accompanied  with   sufliicient 


specimens  of  taste,  fancy,  ornament  and  skill  to 
satisfy  all  for  whose  good  opinion  we  care,  that 
though  ours  are  humble  homes,  and  productive, 
remunerative  labor  is  our  lot,  nevertheless,  these 
wives,  these  sisters  and  these  daughters,  (Heaven 
bless  them  all  for  their  goodness,)  are  not  alone 
fitted  for  drudgery,  but  can  show  true  polish,  and 
are  not  a  whit  behind  any  of  their  fair  sisters  in 
any  regard. 

One  thing  in  connection  with  these  fairs  which 
I  regret  to  notice,  namely,  the  increased  atten- 
tion that  horse-racing  is  receiving,  as  though  it 
was  of  the  least  possible  consequence  which  of 
two  or  more  cheap  horses  can  the  soonest  by  a 
second  or  so  go  over  a  half-mile  track.  Is  this 
the  true  test  of  a  good  horse  ?  Is  it  of  more  im- 
portance that  an  animal  can  go  fast,  than  that 
he  is  kind,  gentle,  tractable  and  easily  managed, 
that  he  have  bottom  and  capacity  for  and  a  wil- 
lingness to  labor  ?  Is  it  of  more  importance  that 
the  caprice  of  fast  young  men  be  gratified,  rather 
than  that  the  real  wants  of  the  family  should  be 
consulted,  with  reference  to  hoi'se-breeding  and 
horse-training?  Then  why  is  so  much  pains 
taken  and  so  much  money  off'ered  to  promote  this 
objectionable  feature  in  all  our  State  and  county 
gatherings  ? 

It  seems  to  me  that  in  these  utilitarian  days, 
more  regard  should  be  had  in  off'ering  pre- 
miums to  the  real  and  intrinsic  value  of  things. 
Is  there  any  good  reason  why  an  overwrought 
harness,  a  fimcy  buggy,  or  a  fine  wooled  buck  or 
ewe,  should  receivo  double  or  treble  the  sum  giv- 
en for  the  best  acre  of  corn,  wheat  or  potatoes, 
or  the  best  plow  or  harrow  ?  True  merit  resting 
on  the  foundation  of  usefulness,  ought  more  to 
be  regarded  in  awarding  prizes.  And  why  are 
not  more  fi-equent  rew^ards  offered  for  important 
and  successful  experiments  in  agriculture,  or  for 
instructive  and  valuable  essays  on  the  same  ?  Are 
these  of  less  consequence  to  the  community  than 
a  fast  horse  or  a  showy  carriage  or  harness  ?  In 
my  view,  a  single  letter  from  your  correspondent, 
Judge  French,  detailing  the  inception,  progress 
and  result  of  a  single  experiment  in  draining 
wet,  or  reclaiming  worn-out  lands,  is  of  a  thous- 
and times  more  value  to  the  wants  and  wealth 
of  the  country  than  all  the  reports  of  the  '-turf 
that  have  or  will  be  made  while  time  lasts. 

Our  Legislature  is  now  in  session,  and  the  ma- 
chinery of  law-making  is  in  full  operation,  and 
will  doubtless  turn  out  results  about  as  conse- 
quential as  would  be  the  settling  of  the  great 
question  of  the  difference  between  "tweedle-dee 
and  tweedle-dum."  "We  are  governed  too  much," 
is  now  as  true  as  when  first  uttered.  By  adopt- 
ing biennial  or  even  triennial  legislative  sessions, 
the  true  interests  of  our  little  State  would  be  ad- 
vanced. 

"Thanksgiving  Day"  has  been  appointed,  and 
will  soon  occur ;  and  O,  how  many  hearts  dilate 
and  grow  warm  on  the  return  of  this  time-hon- 
ored occasion.  Children  love  it,  because  of  its 
sports  and  its  bounties — young  men  and  maidens 
love  it,  as  it  is  so  often  made  the  culminating  point 
of  their  love  and  hopes — and  old  men  and  mat- 
rons reverence  it  sacred  in  their  recollections,  as 
the  day  on  which  they  twain  gladly  became  one 
flesh  and  have  since  borne  each  other's  burdens. 
Nowhere  is  there  more  real,  heart-felt  joy  and 
thankfulness  on  the  retui'n  of  this  blessed  old 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


565 


day,  than  around  the  homes  and  hearths  of  Ver- 
mont.    "May  its  shadow  never  grow  less." 

Then  comes  "Monday  after  Thanksgiving," 
when  our  winter  schools  uniformly  commence. 
These  need  a  chapter  by  themselves,  which  I  hope 
to  have  time  to  attend  to  in  season.  E.  J. 


EXTRACTS  AND  BEPLIES. 

HOW   TO   DESTROY   CANADA   THISTLES. 

I  own  a  piece  of  ground  which  was  anciently 
used  as  a  pasture,  there  being  a  small  spot  of 
what  we  call  Canada  thistles  on  it.  More  than 
forty  years  ago  I  broke  up  and  summer-fallowed 
it.  After  raising  two  crops  of  grain,  one  of  wheat, 
the  other  oats,  it  was  seeded  down  with  clover 
and  herds  grass.  Since  then  it  has  been  used  as 
a  mowing  field,  having  been  mowed  every  year 
since.  Still,  that  spot  of  thistles  not  only  re- 
mains, but  has  gradually  increased.  Now,  as  I 
consider  this  a  singular  case,  never  before  having 
failed  to  exterminate  a  spot  of  thistles  in  three 
years  mowing,  I  wish  you,  or  some  of  your  cor- 
respondents, to  explain  this  mystery,  and  tell  me 
how  I  can  kill  said  spot  of  thistles.  J.  D. 

Lebanon,  N.  //.,  18-58. 

Remarks. — Plow  deep  the  offensive  spot,  ma- 
nure well,  and  plant  potatoes  on  it.  Hoe  them 
thoroughly,  suffering  not  a  weed  or  a  Canada 
thistle  to  grow  among  them.  Plant  corn  on  the 
same  spot  for  one  or  two  succeeding  years,  with 
the  same  faithful  culture,  then  sow  to  grass,  and 
you  will  probably  be  able  to  tell  the  world  how 
perfectly  you  succeeded  in  suppressing  a  plant 
which  once  exercised  the  wisdom  of  sage  legis- 
lators in  your  State  to  devise  means  to  destroy. 

Cutting  down  Canada  thistles  and  burning 
them  on  the  spot  will  not  affect  the  roots  so  that 
they  will  not  spring  up  again.  The  Plow  and  the 
Hoe  are  the  civilizers  that  succeed. 


spring  or  fall,  I  break  up  a  piece  of  green  sward 
and  dig  holes  in  the  ground  as  large  as  a  bushel 
basket,  and  fill  that  up  with  coarse  manure ;  cov- 
er that  with  a  light  coat  of  loam,  and  plant  my 
seed  on  that,  and  I  never  have  failed  of  a  crop.  I 
have  made  up  my  mind  that  it  is  a  worm  in  the 
old  manure  which  destroys  the  root  and  causes 
the  blight.  I  have  had  them  destroyed  after  the 
melons  were  as  large  as  a  two  quart  measure.  I 
have  raised  two  melons  this  year  that  weighed 
46  pounds.  I  think  if  the  subscriber  will  try 
green  sward,  he  will  find  no  difficulty  in  raising 
a  crop.     My  time  of  planting  is  about  the  20th 


profits  of  dwarf  pear  culture. 

Allow  me  to  state  for  the  benefit  of  those  who 
douot  the  success  of  dwarf  pear  culture,  that 
from  loss  than  h  of  an  acre  planted  7  years  ago, 
of  Duchess  de  Angouleme  dwarf  trees,  I  have 
since  sold  over  $400  worth  of  fruit,  and  that  this 
year  my  best  pears  sold  here  to  go  to  Philadel- 
phia at  $25  per  barrel,  and  the  second  quality  in 


of  May. 

North  Springfield,  Vermont. 


J.  Lewis. 


SPARE  THE  BIRDS. 

Can  it  be,  Mr.  Editor,  that  our  friend,  the  emi- 
nent cultivator  of  West  Danvers,  is  sincere  in 
his  argument  for  the  destruction  of  the  robin  ?  I 
have  ever  looked  upon  him  as  a  man  of  peace, 
and  amiable  propensities.  I  have  therefore  read 
his  high-wrought  rhapsody  against  the  robins 
with  pity  and  astonishment. 

What,  shall  the  robins  be  wantonly  killed  be- 
cause, when  no  other  food  is  at  hand,  he  sustains 
life  by  picking  berries  from  worthless  shrubs  ? 
Did  not  the  power  that  created  the  robin  endow 
him  with  an  instinct  to  sustain  life  ?  Who  has 
the  right  to  complain  of  his  efforts  to  do  this, 
notwithstanding  the  title  deeds  of  the  most  grasp- 
ing miser  ?  If  the  truth  were  fully  known,  I  think 
our  friend  would  be  found  much  more  disturbed 
by  the  injuries  done  to  his  cultivated  fruits,  and 
the  diminished  income  consequent  thereon,  than 
by  any  injury  done  to  his  neighbor's  pastures. 
Neither  he,  nor  any  other  person,  has  the  right 
to  proclaim,  "I  am  monarch  of  all  I  survey,"  but 
all  God's  creatures  have  their  right  to  as  fair  pro- 
portions. And  I  hope  it  will  be  a  long  time  be- 
fore he  will  again  appear  as  the  advocate  of  such 
selfish  notions.  Possibly  our  friend  may  think, 
that  he  can  make  wiser  and  better  laws  than  his 
predecessors  have  done. 

October  23,  1858. 

COMPOSTS,   MUCK   AND   ASHES. 

Allow  me  to  bring  your  attention  to  an  article 
in  your  work  under  the  head  "Composts  Muck 
and  Ashes,"  on  page  405  in  your  N.  E.  Farmer  for 
September,  which  requires  to  be  written  over 
again.     You  quote  "15  to  20  bushels   of  ashes 

New  York  at  $17  per  barrel.     The  culture  is  no '(wood  ashes)  or  90  pounds  of  potash  are  required 

more  expensive  thus  far  than  the  same  ground! to  a  ton  of  peat "" 


planted   to  potatoes.     My  best  barrel   contained 
166  pears.      The   trees   are    very  vigorous   and 
strong,  and  give  promise  of  abundant  productive- 
ness in  future.  T.  G.  Yeomans. 
Walworth,  N.  T.,  Oct.,  1858. 

BLAST   IN   MELON   VINES. 

Your  subscriber,  H.  T.  Wiswall,  of  Marlboro', 
N.  H.,  wishes  to  know  the  cause  of  blast  on  mel- 
on vines.  I  have  been  in  the  habit  of  raising 
more  or  less  vines  for  twenty  years,  and  have  al- 
ways met  with  the  same  difficulty  when  I  planted 
my  vines   on  the   same  ground  more  than    one 


In  a  following  paragraph  you  say  of  yourself — 
"five  bushels  of  ashes  to  a  cord  of  muck  has  been 
found  sufficient." 

These  two  accounts  of  the  quantity  of  potash 
differ  enormously. 

In  the  first  statement,  15  or  20  bushels  ashes 
are  necessary  for  a  ton.  In  the  second,  "5  bush- 
els of  ashes  to  a  cord."  A  cord  must  be  equal  to 
3  tons. 

One  statement  15  to  20,  and  by  the  other,  less 
than  2  bushels  for  the  same  quantity  of  peat. 

By  the  first  statement,  90  pounds  of  potash  is 
required  for  a  ton  of  muck  or  peat.  Now  what 
would  this  cost  ?  Evidently  too  much  to  be  af- 
year.     My  mode  of  raising  vines  is  this  ;    in  the  I  forded  by  any  farmer  who  could  not  agree  to  pay 


666 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


5  or  $6  for  a  material  to  make  a  ton  of  manure. 
The  article  states  that  any  alkali  will  produce 
the  desired  effect  upon  peat.  Will  common  salt 
produce  as  salutary  an  effect  as  potash  ? 

I  hope  you  will  examine  this  question.  It  is 
of  the  utmost  importance,  and  if  the  90  pounds 
of  potash  can  be  reduced  to  9  pounds,  it  should 
be  known. 

I  think  you  will  be  doing  the  public  and  your 
subscribers  a  favor  by  giving  accurate  informa- 
tion on  the  subject  of  converting  peat  into  a  ma- 
nure cheaply.  s.  T. 

jYaJiant,  Sept.,  1858. 

Remarks. — The  above  article  happened  to  get 
shut  up  in  the  September  number  referred  to, 
and  that  must  sccount  for  the  delay  in  noticing 
it. 

We  have  no  doubt  that  the  "ninety  pounds" 
shoulcl  read  nine  pounds,  for  that  would  certainly 
afford  a  fair  amount  of  alkali  for  a  ton  of  old 
muck,  when  dissolved  and  sprinkled  thoroughly 
through  it. 

We  do  not  think  that  common  salt  would  pro- 
duce as  quick,  or  so  desirable  results  as  the  pot- 
ash, at  an  equal  cost. 

CULTURE   OF   CRANBERRIES. 

I  have  a  piece  of  ground  which  I  wish  to  ap- 
propriate to  the  culture  of  cranberries,  if  suita- 
ble ;  now  what  I  wish  to  know  is,  what  kind  of 
soil  is  most  suitable,  what  manner  to  introduce 
them  into  the  soil,  and  how  to  pi-epare  it,  and  at 
what  time,  also  the  time  of  flowing,  and  how 
long  ?  And  in  short,  all  th«  information  you  see 
fit  to  give,  and  oblige  J.  C.  Martin. 

Ameshury,  Mass.,  Oct.,  1858. 

Remarks. — In  the  Monthly  Farmer  for  No- 
vember, 1857,  there  is  a  carefully  prepared  ac- 
count of  cultivating  cranberries,  consisting  of 
three  or  four  pages,  in  which  we  think  you  will 
find  all  you  want  on  the  subject. 

In  the  Transactions  of  the  Massachusetts  Board 
of  Agriculture  for  1855,  there  is  also  a  detailed 
account  of  the  culture  of  the  cranberry. 

Jeffrey's  patent  ball  valve  pump. 

Can  you,  or  any  of  your  correspondents,  inform 
me  about  Jeffrey's  Patent  Ball  Valve  Pump  for 
deep  wells,  the  cost  of  them,  and  where  they  can 
be  seen,  and  oblige  many  a  farmer  that  has  a 
deep  well.  A  Subscriber. 

North  Beading,  Mass.,  Oct.,  1858, 

Remarks. — We  cannot — we  have  seen  the 
pump,  but  do  not  know  where  pump,  patentee  or 
manufacturer  can  now  be  found. 

a  good  yield  of  potatoes. 

For  an  experiment,  I  planted  one  potato,  the 
21st  day  of  May  last,  in  ten  hills,  and  dug  them 
ihe  tenth  day  of  October,  and  from  that  one  po- 
tato I  obtained  one  bushel  and  four  quarts  of 
sound  potatoes.  J.  W.  Hall. 

Barton,  Vt.,  1858. 


basket  willow. 

Where  can  I  get  any  information  about  the 
culture,  value,  &c.,  of  the  basket  willow  ?  Please 
inform  me  through  the  Farmer,  and  oblige  a  sub- 
scriber. E.  A.  Mulliken. 

Lexington,  Oct.,  1858. 

Remarks. — In  the  Monthly  Farmer  for  Janu- 
ary 1854,  is  a  capital  article  on  the  subject  by 
Charles  Downing,  Esq.,  of  Newbury,  N.  Y., 
and  in  the  Transactions  of  the  Norfolk  County 
Society  for  1854,  there  is  abundant  information 
on  the  subject  by  John  Fleming,  Jr.,  of  Sher- 
born. 

NATIVE   cows,   best   FOR   MILK. 

"I  have  very  often  heard  the  best  judges  of 
stock  say  that  if  they  desired  to  select  a  dairy  of 
cows  for  milk  for  sale,  they  would  go  around  and 
select  cows  commonly  called  native,  rather  than 
resort  to  pure  bred  animals  of  any  of  the  estab- 
lished breeds,  and  that  they  believed  they  should 
find  such  a  dairy  the  most  profitable." 

Flint's  Treatise,  p.  54. 

I  want  no  better  testimony  in  favor  of  our  New 
England  stock  than  this.  It  entirely  accords  with 
my  own  observation,  which  has  not  been  short 
or  limited.  Essex. 

Oct.  20,  1858.  _ 

cow   SHEDDING   HER   MILK. 
Will  you  inform  me  through  the  Farmer  what 
will  prevent  a  cow  from  shedding  her  milk  ? 
October  14,  1858.  A  Subscriber. 

Remarks. — It  is  said  that  the  use  of  Collodi- 
on, applied  to  the  aperture  in  the  teat  for  a  few 
days,  will  prevent  the  leakage.  We  have  never 
tried  it. 

fat  steers. 
Mr.  E.  Mehuran,  of  Middletown,  Vt.,  has  a 
four  year  old  steer,  weighing  2000  lbs.      Mr.  R. 
S.  Wells,  of  Wells,  Vt.,  has  one  of  the  same  age 
weighing  2160  lbs.         

WILD   LANDS   IN   MAINE. 
We  have  no  means  of  giving  our  correspon- 
dent, "P.  T.,"  at  East  Wilton,  N.  H.,  the  infor- 
mation he    desires  about    the  "wild    lands  in 
Maine." 


How  TO  Lay  Out  a  Garden. — This  is  the  ti- 
tle of  a  work  intended  as  a  general  guide  ia 
choosing,  forming,  or  improving  an  estate,  from 
a  quarter  of  an  acre  to  a  hundred  acres  in  extent, 
with  reference  to  both  design  and  execution.  By 
Edward  Kemp,  Landscape  Gardener,  Birken- 
head Park,  England. 

The  work  before  us  is  a  reprint  from  the  sec- 
ond London  edition,  and  is  published  by  Wiley 
&  Hoisted,  N.  Y.  It  is  written  in  a  pleasant  and 
attractive  style,  is  handsomely  printed  and  illus- 
trated with  numerous  engravings,  and  embraces 
almost  every  conceivable  design  in  its  plans. 

For  sale  by  Crosby,  Nichols  &  Co.,  Boston. 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


567 


Fur  the  New  England  Farmer. 
ANOTHER  PLEA  FOR' THE  KOBIN. 
BY   WILSON   FLAGG. 

I  have  lately  become  informed  of  some  new 
facts  in  regard  to  the  robin,  which  I  think  may  be 
worthy  of  another  communication  to  the  Farmer. 
Before  I  had  investigated  the  habits  of  this  bird, 
with  particular  reference  to  the  services  he  ren- 
ders to  agriculture,  I  supposed  he  was  only  of  sec- 
ondary importance,  compared  with  the  blackbird 
and  others  that  possess  the  faculty  of  discover- 
ing and  seizing  the  grubs  that  lie  concealed  be- 
neath the  surface  of  the  ground.  Though  the 
robin  does  not  possess  this  faculty,  he  is  pre-em- 
inently serviceable  in  other  ways  ;  and  the  more 
I  have  studied  his  habits  the  more  I  am  con- 
vinced of  his  usefulness.  Indeed,  I  am  now  fully 
persuaded  that  he  is  valuable  beyond  all  other 
species  of  birds,  and  that  his  services  are  abso- 
lutely indispensable  to  the  farmers  of  New  Eng- 
land. Some  persons  believe  that  the  robin  is 
exclusively  a  frugiverous  bird,  and  that  for  fruit 
he  will  reject  all  other  food  that  is  within  his 
reach.  Others  believe  that  his  diet  consists  about 
etpially  of  fruits  and  angle-worms,  but  that  he  is 
not  a  general  consumer  of  insects.  The  truth  is, 
the  robin  is  almost  exclusively  insectivorous,  and 
uses  fruit  as  we  do,  only  as  a  dessert,  and  not  for 
his  subsistence,  except  in  the  winter,  when  his 
insect  food  cannot  be  obtained.  He  is  not  om- 
niverous,  like  the  crow,  the  jay  and  the  black- 
bird. He  rejects  farinaceous  food  unless  it  is  ar- 
tificially prepared,  derives  almost  his  entire  sup- 
port from  insects  and  grubs,  and  consumes,  prob- 
ably, a  greater  variety  of  species  than  any  other 
known  bird.  I  am  entirely  at  a  loss  to  account 
for  this  very  prevalent  and  mistaken  notion  re- 
specting the  frugiverous  habits  of  the  robin. 

Early  in  ^lay  my  son  caught  and  caged  three 
yoimg  robins,  and  I  encouraged  him  in  the  act, 
that  1  might  be  enabled  to  study  their  habits  of 
feeding.  He  commenced  by  feeding  them  with 
angle-v.orms  and  soaked  bread,  giving  them  the 
latter  very  sparingly.  They  soon  died,  evidently 
from  an  excess  of  the  farinaceous  part  of  their 
diet.  He  then  took  three  others  from  different 
nests,  and  fed  them  more  exclusively  on  worms, 
with  some  fruit.  Two  of  these  also  soon  died,  and 
the  remaining  one  appeared  ill  and  drooping.  I 
suggested  that  the  bird  probably  needed  insects 
as  well  as  worms,  wliich  alone  were  not  sufficient 
to  supply  all  the  wants  of  the  system,  though  he 
had  access  to  cherries  and  soaked  bread,  of  which 
he  could  eat  whenever  he  wanted  them.  After 
this  he  was  supplied  with  all  sorts  of  grubs  and 
insects  which  my  son  was  able  to  capture.  The 
robin  devoured  these  indiscriminately  and  with 
great  eagerness.  He  was  never  known  to  refuse 
one  of  any  description  ;  though  bees  and  wasps 
were  not  offered  him,  all  kinds  of  beetles,  moths, 
bugs,  grubs,  vine  worms,  chrysalids  and  caterpil- 
lars vv-hich  were  presented  to  him  he  devoured. 

After  this  improvement  of  his  diet,  the  bird 
soon  recovered  his  health ;  and  the  experiment 
proved  conclusively,  that  this  variety  of  insect 
food  was  necessary  to  the  life  of  the  bird,  at  least 
while  he  was  young.  These  insects  were  not  put 
into  his  mouth  ;  they  were  placed  upon  the  floor 
of  his  cage,  and  he  picked  them  up,  hilling  them 
in  a  loay  that  shoiced  that  he  knew  instindivehj 


hoicto  manage  them.  I  mark  these  words  in  ital- 
ics because  they  contain  an  important  fact.  Ho 
was  particular  in  beating  the  vine  worm  consid- 
erably before  he  swallowed  it ;  but  he  never  re- 
fused one  or  neglected  to  eat  it.  On  one  occa- 
sion, having  swallowed  a  hard  beetle,  and  finding 
it  incomm-odious,  he  threw  it  out  of  his  crop  by 
a  voluntary  effort,  beat  it  awhile  with  his  bill 
against  the  floor,  and  then  swallowed  it  again. 
This  fact  also  proved  his  instinctive  knowledge 
of  the  mode  of  proceeding  in  such  emergencies. 

It  is  a  fact  worthy  of  notice,  that  the  golden 
robin,  which  has  the  reputation  of  performing 
more  service  than  the  common  robin,  may,  when 
confined  in  a  cage,  be  fed  almost  entirely  on  far- 
inaceous food,  without  injury  to  his  health.  This 
fact  is  good  evidence  that  the  common  robin  is 
more  entirely  insectivorous  than  the  golden  rob- 
in.    The  contrary  is  generally  believed. 

The  fondness  of  the  robin  for  cherries  and 
other  fruit  is  not  peculiar  to  his  species ;  it  is 
equally  remax'kable  in  almost  all  other  insectiv- 
orous birds.  The  birds  that  do  not  eat  cherries 
are  generally  of  those  species  which  are  the  least 
valuable  to  agriculture,  such  as  the  graminivorous 
birds,  including  most  of  the  finches.  And  it  is  a 
fact  which  ought  to  be  more  generally  known, 
that  the  most  useful  birds  are  such  as  are  in  one 
sense  the  most  mischievous  :  they  all  steal  either 
our  fruit  or  our  grain.  Next  to  the  robin,  prob- 
ably the  most  useful  bird  to  agriculture  is  the 
red-winged  blackbird,  called  the  "maize  thief," 
from  his  habit  of  stealing  Indian  corn,  when  it 
is  in  the  milk.  But  the  blackbirds  are  not  suffi- 
ciently numerous  or  familiar  in  this  part  of  the 
country  to  render  us  a  great  deal  of  service. 

The  truth  is  that  nature  does  not  afford  us  a 
benefit  without  exacting  pay  for  it.  Hence  if  a 
bird  is  particularly  useful  to  our  fields,  he  is  sure 
to  devour  some  portion  of  their  produce.  We 
must  be  content  to  pay  them  for  their  services, 
as  we  pay  a  hired  man,  for  clearing  our  trees  of 
borers  and  caterpillars.  If  it  were  possible  to 
obtain  an  exact  estimate  of  the  services  per- 
formed by  the  robin,  we  should  be  willing  to  pay 
him  more  than  the  value  of  what  he  steals,  rath- 
er than  dispense  with  his  services.  At  present, 
however,  it  must  be  confessed  that  the  robin  tax 
falls  chiefly  upon  those  who  raise  cherries  and 
other  summer  fruits.  This  is  an  evil  which  must 
be  patiently  endured  for  the  common  good. 
There  are  onlj'  two  remedies  of  the  evil  to  those 
who  happen  to  be  the  unfortunate  owners  of  cher- 
ry trees :  the  first  is,  to  cut  down  all  the  trees  on 
one's  ground,  on  the  principle  of  cutting  off  one's 
nose  to  spite  his  face  ;  the  second  is,  to  induce 
all  others  to  plant  cherry  trees,  that  the  present 
possessors  may  have  company  in  their  misery. 
The  extermination  of  the  robins  is  out  of  the 
question,  as  it  would  be  hardly  advisable  to  sac- 
rifice the  interests  of  all  the  staple  products  of 
agriculture,  to  preserve  a  few  bushels  of  cherries. 

As  an  improvement  of  the  second  remedy,  we 
should,  as  I  have  intimated  in  a  former  essay,  en- 
courage the  growth  of  the  high  blueberries,  on 
the  borders  of  all  our  pastures  in  all  parts  of  the 
country,  especially  in  the  vicinity  of  large  towns. 
I  observed  in  the  early  part  of  the  season,  that 
the  cherry  trees  before  my  windows  were  filled 
with  robins,  whose  numbers  diminished  as  the 
fruit  ripened  and  improved  in  quality.     The  ques- 


568 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Dec 


tion  vas  asked  if  the  robins  preferred  the  cher- 
ries before  they  were  ripe.  It  was  answered  by 
remarking  that  as  cherries  became  more  abund- 
ant, their  depredations  were  spread  over  a  wider 
surface.  This  was  hardly  a  sufficient  explanation. 
The  problem  was  soon  solved,  however,  by  dis- 
covering multitudes  of  robins  in  the  blueberry 
pastures,  where  the  berries  had  ripened  in  great 
abundance,  and  were  preferred  to  cherries,  by 
the  robins.  I  am  persuaded  that  a  tree  full  of 
the  finest  of  cherries  in  the  middle  of  a  blueber- 
ry pasture,  would  remain  almost  untouched. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
FALIi  PLOWING. 

The  month  of  November  is  a  favorable  time 
for  plowing  grass  lands  that  are  to  be  planted 
the  following  spring.  The  weather  now  is  cool 
and  bracing,  and  favorable  for  the  team,  and 
there  is  generally  leisure  for  doing  the  work. 
Also,  the  plowing  being  now  executed,  there  is 
more  time  left  in  spring  for  other  necessary  op- 
erations. 

Late  fall  plowing  generally  disposes  of  the  cut 
worm,  and  the  common  grub  worm,  and  also  of 
their  eggs,  leaving,  in  this  respect,  a  clean  field 
for  the  next  year's  crop  of  corn  or  potatoes,  I 
have  found,  by  repeated  experience,  that  it  is 
unsafe  for  me  to  plant  corn  on  green-sward 
plowed  in  spring.  Either  the  cut  worm  or  the 
grub,  and  sometimes  both,  will  be  pretty  sure  to 
damage  the  crop,  in  two  out  of  three  cases.  But 
by  late  fall  plowing  they  are  cleared  out  of  the 
land,  and  very  few,  if  any,  hills  of  corn  are  found 
missing  the  following  season.  My  team  is  now 
breaking  up  a  piece  of  green  sward  nine  to  ten 
inches  deep,  that  has  been  much  infested  with 
grubs  this  season,  so  that  in  some  places  the  grass 
is  completely  killed  out.  Quantities  of  the  grubs 
are  turned  up  to  the  surface  in  plowing,  and 
often  one  may  take  up  a  handful  of  minute  eggs, 
in  a  place,  in  the  upturned  furrows.  Now  this 
late  and  deep  plowing  quite  disturbs  the  winter 
arrangements  of  the  worms.  If  the  land  had 
been  left  unplowed,  and  covered  with  the  grass 
sward,  and,  perhaps,  through  the  winter,  covered 
with  snow,  it  would  not  have  frozen  very  deep — 
perhaps  not  more  than  three  to  six  inches  deep, 
and  that  not  permanently  for  the  winter.  But 
being  plowed,  the  land  will  freeze  solid,  in  one 
cold  night,  as  deep  as  the  furrows,  certainly,  and 
probably  before  mid-winter  it  will  be  frozen  from 
one  to  two  feet  deep,  remaining  so  till  spring. 

By  turning  the  sod  over  in  November,  nothing 
green  starts  up,  and  the  frosts  of  winter,  immedi- 
ately following,  mostly  kill  the  grass  roots,  so  that 
the  labor  of  planting  and  weeding  the  succeeding 
crop  is  less  than  after  spring  plowing.  The  frost 
also  so  divides  and  crumbles  the  plowed  land  that 
on  harrowing  in  the  spring  the  soil  is  easily  re- 
duced to  a  fine  deep  tilth. 

In  breaking  up  grass  land  in  the  fall,  it  is  well 
to  plow  deep — from  eight  to  ten  or  twelve  inches, 
according  to  the  quality  of  the  land — so  that 
when  the  manure  is  spread  in  spring,  there  may 
be  enough  loose  earth  on  top,  in  which  to  bury 
the  manure  well,  without  disturbing  the  sod  un- 
derneath. If  the  manure  is  unfermented,  it  may, 
by  using  a  light  plow,  be  covered  from  three  to 
five  inches  deep,  according  to  the  depth  of  the 


fall  plowing.  This  suits  me  better  than  it  would 
to  bury  the  manure  down  deep,  under  the  sod, 
where  it  lies  too  inactive  and  powerless  for  the 
crop  of  corn.  If  the  manure  to  be  applied  is  fine 
compost,  thfcn  it  can  be  worked  into  the  land  suf- 
ficiently with  a  harrow  or  an  ox  cultivator. 

The  action  of  frost,  snow,  sun  and  rain,  on 
the  upturned  subsoil,  is  highly  beneficial  to  it, 
and  improves  the  productive  power  of  the 
land. 

Land  that  has  been  planted  with  hoed  crops 
this  season,  and  is  to  be  sown  with  grain  and 
grass  seeds  next  spring,  may  be  plowed  this 
month,  provided  it  lies  tolerably  warm  and  dry, 
and  is  not  subject  to  overflow,  or  undue  wetness, 
during  winter  and  early  spring.  By  plowing  it 
now,  it  will  not  need  ploAving  again,  but  will  be 
all  ready  to  receive  the  grain  and  grass  seeds  at 
the  first  opening  of  spring  work,  and  thus  the 
seeds  can  be  got  in  a  week  or  ten  days  earlier 
than  if  the  land  were  not  plowed  till  spring. 
This  will  most  likely  be  favorable  for  the  crop  of 
grain,  and  for  a  good  catch  of  grass.  If  the  land 
to  be  plowed  is  corn-stubble,  it  will  be  well  to 
harrow  it  first,  which  will  open  and  level  down 
the  corn  hills,  and  the  stubble  will  be  the  better 
turned  under  in  plowing,  and  the  plowed  land 
have  a  smoother  surface  for  seeding.  The  corn 
stubs,  lying  beneath  the  furrow  through  the  win- 
ter, will  not  be  likely  to  come  to  the  surface  to 
clog  the  harrow  at  seeding  time,  and  thus  the 
field  being  clean,  the  seeds  can  be  worked  in 
quite  evenly.  It  has  been  my  practice,  for  sev- 
eral years  past,  to  plow  such  stubble  land  in  the 
fall,  and  thereby  considerable  convenience  has 
been  found  in  getting  the  spring  work  along  sea- 
sonably. F.  HOLBROOK. 

Braitleboro',  November  2,  1858. 


SUCCESS  OF  THE  STEAM  PLOW. 
During  the  last  year,  the  Illinois  State  Board  of 
Agi-iculture  off"ered  a  premium  of  $5000  for  the 
best  Steam  Plow,  capable  of  doing  the  work  well. 
We  gather  from  an  article  in  Emenfs  Journal  of 
Agriculture,  published  at  Chisfego,  that  it  M'as  ex- 
pected that  three  different  inventions  would  be 
exhibited  and  tested  at  the  State  Fair  at  Centra- 
lia  on  the  16th  of  September,  but  only  one  was 
on  the  ground.     That  was 

FAWKES'  LOCOMOTIVE  STEAM  PLOW, 
which  excited  great  interest  among  the  prairie 
farmers,  and  performed  well.  The  machine  and 
apparatus,  with  fuel  and  water,  weighes  only  about 
seven  tons,  and  by  the  use  of  a  drum  or  barrel- 
shaped  driver  for  propelling  the  locomotive,  the 
difficulty  of  miring  in  soft  soil,  and  slipping  on 
hard,  smooth  ground,  is  overcome.  The  steam 
plow  is  easily  managed,  and  is  described  as  a  cross 
between  a  locomotive  and  a  tender,  combining 
the  essential  elements  of  both,  mounted  on  two 
guiding  wheels  and  a  huge  roller.  The  prairie 
ground  on  which  it  was  tried  was  baked  as  hard 
nearly  as  a  brick,  but  the  engine  turned  six  fur- 
row-8  side  by  side  in  the  most  ■workmanlike  man- 
ner.    The  excitement  of  the  crowd   was   beyond 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


569 


control,  and  their  shouts  and  wild  huzzas  echoed 
far  over  the  prairie. 

This  plow  was  invented  and  exhibited  by  Mr. 
Fawkes,  who  resides  in  Lancaster,  Penn.,  and  is 
the  first,  we  believe,  ever  set  in  'motion  in  this 
country.  On  the  broad  lands  of  the  prairies,  it 
must  prove,  if  entirely  successful,  of  in#iculable 
benefit. 

I<'or  the  New  England  Farmer. 
UNDEBDKAININQ. 

In  executing  a  system  of  thorough  drainage,  as 
in  all  other  work,  it  is  necessary  to  make  the 
original  cost  as  slight  as  possible,  in  order  to  re- 
alize the  greatest  return  in  proportion  to  the 
outlay.  That  this  may  be  done,  it  is  necessary 
for  the  person  having  charge  of  the  work  to  be 
familiar  with  all  its  details,  both  the  scientific  and 
practical,  and  to  know  the  most  eS'ective  use  of 
labor,  that  he  may  attain  the  desired  object  by 
the  shortest  and  simplest  process.  Very  much 
work,  however,  must  be  done  where  the  services 
of  such  a  person  cannot  be  readily  obtained  ;  it 
then  becomes  necessary  for  the  proprietor  to  do 
his  work  as  economically  as  possible,  with  such 
knowledge  as  can  be  obtained  from  those  more 
familiar  with  the  work.  To  such,  I  propose  to 
make  a  few  suggestions  on  a  single  practical 
point,  which  may  be  useful  to  them. 

The  only  object  for  which  trenches  are  cut  in 
underdraining  is  that  the  pipe  may  be  placed  in 
its  proper  position,  and  as  the  amount  of  earth 
thrown  out  materially  affects  the  cost  of  the 
work,  it  is  of  great  importance  that  no  more 
earth  should  be  disturbed  than  is  necessary  to 
give  the  workmen  room  for  a  free  use  of  their  j 
tools.  The  width  at  which  trenches  can  be  most! 
economically  cut  is  much  less  than  is  generally, 
supposed,  and  the  dimensions  that  are  given  be- 
low, though  they  may  seem  small,  are  the  result; 
of  some  experience  and  may  be  relied  on,  except! 
in  peculiar  circumstances.  The  accompanying 
diagram  shows  the  lines  that  may  be  followed  in 
forming  the  cross  section  of  a  trench  from  two 
and  one-half  to  six  feet  deep,  and  to  admit  a 
pipe  from  one  to  eight  inches  inside  bore. 
The  full  lines  represent  the 
sides  of  the  trench,  the  hori- 
zontal dotted  lines  are  at  cer- 
tain distances  from  the  bot- 
tom, as  represented  by  the 
figures  opposite  each  at  the 
side.  The  figures  above  each 
represent  the  width  of  open- 
ing at  the  surface  for  a  trench 
of  that  depth,  the  widths  are 
given  in  feet  and  hundredths, 
to  reduce  the  decimal  to  inch- 
es, divide  by  eight,  the  result 
will  be  inches  nearly.  The 
ertical  dotted  lines  show  what  earth  must  be  re- 
moved in  order  to  increase  the  width  at  bottom 
ito  receive  the  larger  sizes.  Suppose  a  trench  is 
to  be  dug  four  and  one-half  feet  deep,  the  number 
opposite  4>]  is  L42  or  one  foot  five  inches,  which 
is  the  width  of  opening  at  surface. 

If  the  trench  is  to  be  three  fe-et  deep  it  need  be 
opened  only  one  foot  wide  at  the  top,  and  with 
proper  tools,  it  can  be  carried  down  to  a  width 


of  about  two  inches  at  the  bottom,  though,  of 
course,  the  foot  of  a  man  cannot  come  within  six 
or  eight  inches  of  the  bottom,  in  which  case  the 
pipes  are  laid  by  a  man  walking  on  the  surface  at 
the  edge  of  the  trench,  who  lifts  the  pipe,  piece 
by  piece,  with  a  kind  of  hook  made  for  the  pur- 
pose, and  lays  them  carefully  in  the  trench,  as 
shown  by  this  engraving. 


The  cross  section  of  the  land,  shown  in  front, 
represents  it  as  having  had  the  advantage  of 
draining,  by  which  the  water-table  is  brought  to 
a  level  with  the  bottom  of  the  drain,  as  shown  by 
the  heavy  shading.  An  "Irish  spade"  and  a 
pipe-layer  are  shown  lying  on  the  ground. 

If  the  work  is  done  by  a  common  spade,  the 
width  of  opening  at  the  top  maybe  the  same  and'; 
the  sides  can  be  carried  down  as  near  together 
as  the  width  of  spade  will  allow.  The  "Irish, 
spade"  has  been  used  by  Judge  French  in  opc^n- 
ing  trenches  on  his  grounds  in  Exeter,  during 
the  past  season,  and  with  very  satisfactory  re- 
sults. This  tool  being  owned  by  many  persona, 
in  this  vicinity,  who  may  undertake  such  work,  I  ■ 
suggest  that  it  will  be  well  to  use  it  in  preference 
to  the  common  spade. 

As  it  is  not  necessary  to  the  convenience  of 
the  workmen  that  the  sides  of  the  trench  be  car-- 
ried  down  any  nearer  vertical  than  is  represent- - 
ed  in  the  engraving,  they  may  be  opened  and 
carried  down  in  the  same  manner,  for  each  size 
of  the  pipe,  until  the  sides  have  approached  so  , 
near,  that  a  pipe  of  the  size  required  oan  be  just 
passed  between  them  ;  the  cut  may  then  be  car- 
ried down  vertically  to  the  depth  required.  This 
allows  much  earth  to  remain  which  would  be 
thrown  out  if  the  sides  were  cut  straight  down 
from  the  width  opened  at  the  top  to  the  width  at 
bottom.  A  skilful  workman  will  dig  the  trenches 
with  ease  in  this  way,  after  some  practice,  though 
it  may  be  a  little  troublesome  at  first.  lam  now 
having  trenches  dug  in  which  the  opening  at  the 
surface  is  even  less  in  width,  for  the  required 
depth,  than  Is  here  given. 

The  labor  of  one  man  in  a  day  of  ten  hours 
varies  very  much  under  difi'erent  circumstances. 

1.  In  hard,  gravelly  and  clay  soils,  where  pick- 
ing is  constantly  necessary,  a  man  will  throw  out 
only  from  three  t©  five  cubic  yards  in  a  day. 

2.  In  ordinary  clay  and  gravel,  with  an  occa- 
sional use  of  the  pick,  he  will  throw  out  about 
ten  cubic  yards  in  a  day. 

3.  In  loose  earth,  without  picking,  or  in  shov- 


570 


NEAV  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Dec- 


elling  after  the  picking  of  another,  as  in  railroad 
excavations,  a  man  throws  out  fifteen  to  eighteen 
cubic  yards  a  day. 

In  the  first  case,  a  yard,  or  twenty-seven  cubic 
feet,  will  be  removed  for  twenty-five  cents,  by  a 
man  who  works  a  day,  of  ten  hours,  for  one  dol- 
lar. 

In  the  second  case  the  removal  of  a  yard  will 
cost  ten  cents.  This  will  be  the  basis  of  our  es- 
timate of  the  cost  of  cutting  trenches,  from  the 
fact  that  most  soils  which  need  draining  may  be 
classed  under  this  head. 

In  the  third  case,  one  yard  will  be  removed  for 
about  six  and  one-fourth  cents.  The  solid  con- 
tents of  earth  removed  from  a  trench  one  hun- 
dred feet  long,  of  sufficient  width  at  bottom  to 
admit  the  smallest  sizedpipe,  and  of  the  depth  as 
shown,  is  as  follows — 


spade  should  do,  though  few  trenches,  probably, 
are  so  economically  cut,  except  under  the  direc- 
tion of  a  competent  superintendent,  who    is   fa- 
miliar with  the  work.        J.  Herbert  Shedd. 
Boston,  Nov.,  1858. 


Depth.  Cubic  Feet.        Culnc  Yards. 

2i  feet 127.5 4.72 

3'    "  174 6.46 

3|    "  227.5 843 

4      "  288 10.67 


Cost. 

.$0,47. 
...0,65. 
..0,84. 
...1.07. 


.355.5 13.17 1,32. 

.430 15.93 1,59. 

.511.5 18.94 1,90. 

.600 22.22 2,22. 


To  this  must  be  added  the  cost  of  tools,  trim- 
Miing,  and  superintendence. 

The  quantity  removed  by  increasing  the  width 
at  the  bottom  of  the  trench  so  that  it  may  admit 
pipes  of  the  larger  sizes,  is  very  slight,  being 
uiily  one  and  one-fifth  cubic  feet  in  one  hundred 
feet  length,  on  increasing  the  width  to  three 
inches  at  the  bottom.  Quantity  removed  by  in- 
creasing the  width  to  four  inches  is  four  and 
four-fifths  cubic  feet ;  to  five  inches  ten  and  four- 
fifths  feet ;  to  six  inches,  twenty  and  two-fifths 
feet ;  to  eight  inches,  forty-five  feet ;  and  to  ten 
inches  seventy-nine  and  one-fifth  feet. 

The  increased  cost  being  for  the  three  inch 
width  one-half  cent  ;  for  four  inch,  two  cents ; 
for  five  inch,  four  cents  ;  for  six  inch,  eight  cents  ; 
for  eight  inch,  seventeen  cents  ;  and  for  ten  inch, 
twenty-nine  cents. 

The  amount  of  earth  removed  by  widening  the 
trench  for  a  larger  pipe  is  the  same  in  every 
^ase,  without  regard  to  the  depth.  Take  an  ex- 
ample :  a  trench  is  to  be  dug  four  feet  deep  for  a 
one  inch  pipe,  the  cost  of  which  will  be  $1,07 
for  one  hundred  feet,  and  a  trench  of  the  same 
depth  for  an  eight  inch  pipe  will  cost  $1,36.  If 
the  trench  is  to  be  six  feet  deep  for  a  small  pipe, 
the  cost  will  be  $2,22,  and  for  the  large  pipe, 
$2,ol  ;  the  increased  cost  in  each  case  being  29 
•cents.  A  pipe  with  an  eight  inch  bore  requires 
a  trench  ten  inches  wide  at  bottom. 

Judge  French,  of  Exeter,  whose  work  is  done 
in  a  systematic  and  very  skilful  manner,  had  a 
trench  two  hundred  and  thirty  feet  long,  four 
feet  deep,  with  a  width  at  top  of  twenty  inches 
and  at  the  bottom  of  four  inches,  cut  in  one  day, 
by  two  men,  at  a  cost  of  two  dollars  ;  by  the  ba- 
sis used  in  our  estimates,  it  would  cost  three  dol- 
lars and  forty-one  cents,  but  the  digging  was 
•quite  easy  on  his  land,  the  soil  coming  under  the 
third  case  cited  above,  and  would  by  that  basis 
•cost  two  dollars  and  thirteen  cents,  the  estimate 
being  thirteen  cents  more  than  the  actual  cost 
•  on  the  entire  length,  or  ]ps<  than  one  cent  a  rod. 

These  estimates  call  for  no  more  work  than 
Any  man   with  ordiflary   skill   in  handling^ the 


Fi>r  the  New  Englami  Former. 
ABOUT  MANURES. 

Mr.  Editor  : — I  am  a  reader  of  your  valuable 
paper,  and  find  very  many  things  worth  practis- 
ing. But  I  find  that  some  things  do  not  turn  out 
as  I  expected.  I  built  a  barn  some  three  years 
since,  forty  by  forty-eight  feet,  with  cellar  under 
the  whole,  but  did  not  get  the  dirt  all  out  the 
first  year  or  two,  so  I  carted  out  what  manure  I 
made  in  the  summer,  (as  I  put  up  my  cattle  every 
night  to  make  more  manure,)  and  have  found  that 
this  manure  caused  the  corn  to  start  much  quick- 
er than  that  which  I  take  out  in  the  spring,  when 
hogs  have  been  on  it  all  winter,  and  it  had  been 
overhauled  two  or  three  times  besides.  It  shows 
the  difi"erence  even  in  the  second  year.  Why  is 
this  ?  Does  the  action  of  the  frost  help  to  make 
the  manure  better  ?  I  carted  out  the  manure  at 
first  for  lack  of  room,  and  felt  very  sorry  that  I 
was  obliged  thus  to  do.  But  it  proved  a  good 
operation. 

Now  that  I  do  not  need  the  room,  shall  I  con- 
tinue to  cast  out  the  manure,  is  a  question  with 
me,  not  being  willing  to  believe,  hardly,  what  I 
know  to  be  true.  It  seems  as  though  it  were 
self-evident  that  manure  kept  out  of  the  storms, 
wind  and  sun,  six  months  longer,  must  be  bet- 
ter— but  crops  show  otherwise. 

My  hogs  are  of  the  Suffolk  breed,  too  lazy  to 
work,  and  do  not  root  up  the  manure  much,  but 
run  over  it  till  it  is  as  hard  as  it  well  can  be.  I 
don't  know  but  that  is  the  reason  that  it  is  not 
so  good  as  that  out  in  the  free  sunshine. 

Alvan  Ward. 

Asliburnham,  Mass.,  1858. 


Remarks. — There  are  so  many  varying  cir- 
cumstances attending  the  use  of  manures,  that  it 
is  often  somewhat  difficult  to  fix  upon  any  one 
special  reason  how  a  certain  effect  is  caused.  We 
believe  a  great  loss  is  sustained  by  the  farmer  in 
consequence  of  using  his  manures  in  a  too  crude 
or  unripe  state  ;  they  are  applied  to  the  soil  di- 
rectly from  the  barn  cellar,  or  from  the  heaps 
under  the  windows,  mingled  with  coarse  herbage, 
and  in  many  cases  imperfectly  covered  or  min- 
gled with  the  soil.  But  when  well  covered,  the 
wet  masses  adhere  to  each  other  so  that  the  ma- 
nure cannot  be  minutely  mingled  with  the  soil, 
ready  to  be  moistened  by  rains,  and  rendered 
solvent  by  chemical  action,  and  prepared  for  the 
u.'^e  of  the  plant. 

In  the  case  before  us,  the  difference  between 
the  action  of  the  manures  hauled  out  in  the  au- 
tumn and  that  hauled  out  in  the  spring  may  be 
imputed  to  the  greater  mellowness  and  fineness 
of  the  former,  making  it  more  suitable  to  furnish 
food  at  once  for  the  springing  plant.  The  act  of 
shovelling  it  into  the  cart,  tipping  it  up,  and 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


57? 


throwing  it  into  a  compact  heap  mingles  and 
pulverizes  it,  and  greatly  assists  in  preparing  it 
for  use. 

Manure  carried  out  in  this  way,  after  the 
weather  becomes  so  cool  as  to  freeze  the  surface 
of  the  heap,  will  not  shrink  so  much  by  evapora- 
tion as  to  amount  to  any  considerable  loss,  while 
the  inside  of  the  heap  is  probably  undergoing  a 
gentle  fermentation,  which  is  highly  useful  to  it. 


For  the  Netc  England  Farmer. 
BEE  HIVES—KEPIiY  TO  "J.  B.  C." 

Mr.  Editor  :—  Controversy  of  any  kind  I  very 
much  dislike  ;  it  seldom  amounts  to  much,  and 
usually  the  great  point  at  issue  is  lost  sight  of 
and  the  contest  ends  more  in  personal  ill  will 
than  the  advancement  of  truth,  or  the  correction 
of  error.  But  for  the  style  in  which  "J.  B.  C." 
disposes  of  an  article  of  mine  published  in  the 
New  England  Farmer,  some  time  ago,  my  "self- 
esteem"  would  not  allow  me  to  notice  his  article 
of  October  2.  During  the  past  two  years,  I  have 
written  quite  a  number  of  articles  for  the  Neto 
England  Farmer,  on  bee  culture,  that  is,  as  Nor- 
folk understands  and  practices  it.  I  might  as 
well  say,  to  begin  with,  that  my  "self-esteem"  is 
large  on  this  subject,  and  "common  prudence" 
has  not  as  yet,  "J.  B.  C.'s"  article  notwithstand- 
ing, kept  nie  from  urging  farmers  and  mechanics, 
indeed  all,  both  men  and  women,  boys  and  girls, 
all  who  have  a  rod  of  spare  land,  and  strength 
enough  to  handle  a  Union  Bee-hive,  saying  noth- 
ing about  the  unweildly  hive  called  the  Movea- 
ble Comb  Bee-hive,  to  engage  in  this  interesting 
branch  of  farm  economy.  I  believe  it  not  only 
profitable  in  the  long  run,  but  aside  from  the 
profits,  especially  interesting  as  a  branch  of  nat- 
ural history  every  way  calculated  to  instruct  the 
mind  and  elevate  the  soul  from  "nature  up  to 
nature's  God,"  and  to  teach  man  wisdom,  indus- 
try and  forethought.  Norfolk's  self-esteem  is  so 
large  that  he  believes  he  understands  this  sub- 
ject as  well  as  some  who  have  published  books 
relating  to  the  "Hive  and  Honey  bee,"  or  who 
have  made  the  U.  S.  Patent  laws  on  bee  hives  a 
subject  of  investigation,  and  if  "J.  B.  C."  has 
been  a  careful  reader  of  his  articles,  and  has  ex- 
ercised "common  prudence,"  he  has  found  that 
Norfolk  gives  only  his  own  views,  and  his  "self- 
esteem"  leads  him  to  believe  that  what  he  has 
written  will  bear  examination,  and  has  truth  for 
its  foundation.  If  "Wyoming"  will  visit  King  Oak 
Hill,  Norfolk  stands  ready  to  prove  the  truth  of 
all  he  may  have  said  on  bee-culture,  or  hives. 

It  seems  from  "J.  B.  C'.s"  article,  that  he  is  in- 
terested in  the  Langstroth  hive.  I  infer  this,  at 
least,  from  his  manner  of  writing,  and  his  inti- 
mate knowledge  of  the  history  of  the  patent,  and 
the  contest  between  Clarke  and  Langstroth  re- 
garding the  same.  I  confess  that  I  know  nothing 
about  either  in  this  respect.  I  gave  my  opinion 
of  the  two,  based  on  my  own  experience,  and 
that  of  others,  and  it  seems  to  me  that  the  "self- 
esteem"  of  "J.  B.  C."  carried  him  away  in  writing 
his  laudatory  article  in  favor  of  Mr.  Langstroth 
and  his  hive,  which  a  little  more  "common  pru- 
dence" would  have  prevented  him  from  doing. 
Norfolk,  in  his  own  personal  experience,  does 


not  believe  "that  the  hive  recommended  by  the 
most  scientific  apiarian  on  this  side  of  the  Atlan- 
tic" is  the  best,  nor  does  he  admit  the  assertion 
of  "J.  B.  C."  to  this  effect  to  be  true.  "Self-es- 
teem" and  experience  prevent  this,  and  reading 
with  practical  use  disprove  it.  I  have  stated  that 
I  am  in  no  way  interested  in  any  "patent"  hive 
whatever.  I  am  not — on  the  contrary,  I  have 
but  little  faith  in  any  hive  with  "patent"  attached 
to  it;  it  smells  of  humbug,  and  in  the  article  to 
which  "J.  B.  C."  has  taken  umbrage,  I  gave  my 
preference  to  Clarke's  hive,  and  I  stated  that,  "if 
as  is  stated,  Mr.  Langstroth,"  &c.  This  was,  and 
is  now  my  opinion,  which  I  stand  ready  to  prove. 
I  will  say  that  my  authority  for  this  language  is 

Mr.  C ,  who,  I  am  free  to  say,  is  interested  in 

the  Union  Bee-hive,  but  not  to  a  greater  extent 
than  is  "J.  B.  C."  for  the  Langstrotk,  as  I  under- 
stand his  language  in  his  article  of  October  2.  If 
"J.  B.  C'had  read  the  work  of  Huber,  "common 
prudence,"  one  would  have  thought,  should  have 
prevented  him  from  saying  the  tri-angular  comb 
guide  was  invented  in  England,  or  described  by 
him,  as  used  by  Clarke  in  his  Union  hive.  Hu- 
ber describes  quite  a  different  affair.  "It  is  not 
my  purpose  in  this  article  to  analyze  the  Lang- 
stroth hive,  or  exhibit  wherein  it  is  inferior  to 
the  Union,  or  to  point  out"  the  many  good  points 
which  the  Union  hive  combines  in  practical  bee- 
culture.  Suffice  it  to  say,  it  has  received  the  "en- 
comiums of  Norfolk,"  and  he  ought,  and  thinks 
he  has,  put  it  to  the  test,  and  is  "qualified"  to 
recommend  it  to  the  readers  of  the  New  England 
Farmer.  I  express  this  opinion  with  the  more 
confidence,  as  I  have  now  in  my  apiary  five  dif- 
ferent patents  and  seven  different  kinds  of  bee- 
hives. I  am  "familiar"  with  most  of  the  patent 
bee-hives  used  in  this  section  of  country,  and 
while  I  thus  express  myself,  I  believe  Mr.  Quin- 
by  describes  as  good  a  hive  as  any  one  need  have 
for  all  practical  purposes,  and  I  confess  it  was  with 
much  surprise  I  learned  from  "J.  B.C."  that  he 
has  abandoned  his  own  superior  hives,  and  which 
he  so  strongly  recommends  in  his  excellent  work 
on  bees.  Most  of  his  instructions  are  to  the  point, 
and  every  chapter  bears  the  marks  of  practical  ex- 
perience. My  doubts  were  so  strong  as  to  the 
statement  of  "J.  B.  C."  being  a  fact,  that  some  two 
weeks  or  more  since  I  wrote  to  Mr.  Quinby  to  as- 
certain his  position  in  this  matter  ;  as  yet  I  have 
received  no  reply  to  my  inquiry,  therefore  I  will 
admit  the  statementof  "J.B.C'.astrue.  Granting 
then  that  Mr.  Quinby  is  so  much  in  love  with  the 
Langstroth  hive  as  to  use  it  in  preference  to  his 
own,  or  any  other,  this  only  proves  what  every 
one's  experience  teaches,  that  the  "parson  often 
preaches  what  he  does  not  practice."  His  instruc- 
tions are  not  for  himself,  out  for  others.  I  can 
only  say  to  the  readers  of  the  New  England  Far- 
mer that  such  advice  as  I  have  from  time  to  time 
given  them  on  "hives  and  bee-culture,"  has  been 
put  to  a  practical  test,  and  in  accordance  with 
that  test.  So  I  would  advise,  nothing  more — 
nothing  less ;  and  when  a  thing  is  a  failure  with 
me,  or  in  my  hands,  I  so  enter  it  on  the  record, 
and  instruct  accordingly. 

Item. — In  this  town  and  vicinity  bees  have 
done  poorly  this  season.  They  swarmed  well,  as 
a  general  thing,  but  have  nade  little  or  no  sur- 
plus honey.  Rev.  Mr.  Rockwood,  of  North  Wey- 
mouth, I  am  told,  out  of  nine  stocks  in  the  spring 


572 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Dec 


has  had  but  one,  at  most  two  swarms,  come  off. 

He  uses  the  Langstroth  hive.     I  infer,  therefore, 

that  a  wet,  cold  season  is  a  poor  one  for  honey. 

King  Oak  Hill,  Oct.,  1858.  Noufulic. 


Remarks. — We  have  only  to  say  in  regard  to 
this  matter,  that  we  hate  quarrels  most  cordially, 
and  advise  all  our  correspondents  not  to  be  too 
sensitive  when  their  positions  are  attacked,  and 
that  we  believe  there  is  nut  a  purer,  more  noble- 
minded  man  in  New  England  than  Mr.  Langs- 
troth,  and  no  other  man  who  has  given  the  sub- 
ject of  Bee-culture  so  much  thought  and  investi- 
gation, and  brought  to  bear  upon  it  so  much  va- 
ried and  sound  learning:. 


For  ike  Neic  England  Farmer. 

U,  S.  AQRICUIiTCTRAL  SOCIETY. 

^Letter  from  our  own  Correspondent.] 

liichmond,    Va.,  Oct.  22th. 

Gents.  :  — Prompted  by  curiosity  and  love  of 
agriculture,  and  being  desirous  of  seeing  this 
part  of  our  beloved  country,  noting  its  agricultu- 
ral resources,  examining  its  products,  both  veg- 
etable and  animal,  and  observing  its  people,  and 
more  especially  its  farmers,  I  made  the  celebra- 
tion of  the  sixth  anniversary  of  the  National  Ag- 
ricultural Society  in  this  place,  an  occasion  for 
coming  hither.  In  doing  so,  I  feel  amply  repaid 
for  the  time  and  the  money,  I  will  not  say  spent, 
but  invested ;  for  the  money  or  time  which  one 
employs,  in  the  legitimate  pursuit  of  useful 
knowledge,  becomes,  as  it  were,  stock,  whose  div- 
idends are  in  proportion  to  the  skill  of  the  in- 
ventor and  the  investment.  Some  are  only  sat- 
isfied as  they  see  their  bank  stocks  or  other  sim- 
ilar investments  multiplying,  being  careful  to  in- 
vest little  in  books,  papers,  or  other  means  for 
storing  the  mind  with  useful  knowledge,  which, 
if  rightly  employed,  gives  power  over  both  mat- 
ter and  mind.  There  are  others  who  look  upon 
money  as  a  means  to  aid  in  the  acquisition  and 
diffusion  of  knowledge — a  nobler  purpose  than 
hoarding. 

Having  enjoyed  rare  opportunities  for  obser- 
vation concerning  what  relates  to  agriculture, 
horticulture,  stock  breeding,  implement  making, 
&c.,  in  this  southern  region,  I  propose  to  furnish 
your  numerous  and  intelligent  readers  some  ac- 
count of  what  I  have  seen,  occasionally  inter- 
spersed with  my  own  reflections  thereon. 

Nearly  all  who  visit  the  South,  come  to  the 
conclusion  that  its  natural  resources  for  wealth, 
like  those  of  the  West,  are  in  the  soil,  conse- 
quently the  business  of  the  people  is  the  tillage 
of  the  soil,  for  the  purpose  of  producing  wheat, 
maize,  tobacco,  cotton  and  the  sugar  cane,  to- 
gether with  stock  breeding,  as  a  lucrative  branch 
of  farming.  The  breeding  of  horses  and  mules 
is  a  productive  source  of  income  by  those  who 
understand  it.  So  of  cattle,  sheep  and  swine — 
for  wool-;^'rowing  is  becoming  quite  a  profitable 
business  in  the  "Old  Dominion,"  as  1  was  in- 
formed by  experienced  farmers. 

But  the  first  thing  to  he  attended  to  and  what 
more  immediately  concerns  your  readers,  is,  to 
hear  some   account  of  the  National  Fair  by  one 


who  was  there.  In  doing  this  I  shall  endeavor 
to  give  an  impartial  narrative  thereof. 

The  fair  was  held  on  the  grounds  near  the 
city,  and  well  adapted  for  the  purpose.  There 
having  been  little  rain  here  for  four  months,  it  is 
jdry  and  very  dusty.  Crops  here  have  suffered 
from  the  drought  very  much,  and  therefore  the 
I  display  of  vegetables  is  not  as  good  as  it  other- 
wise would  have  been.  As  for  fruits,  there  are 
none  scarcely — they  having  been  destroyed  by 
late  frosts.  The  South  will  almost  entirely  de- 
pend on  the  North  for  apples,  which  will  serve 
to  keep  the  prices  up,  though  the  crop  be  a  fair 
average  at  the  North. 

The  show  of  stock  was  not  large,  as  to  num- 
bers, but  good,  aye,  superior  in  some  classes,  as 
to  quality.  This  will  apply  with  peculiar  dis- 
tinctness to  the  Shorthorns,  Devons  and  Jerseys. 
The  Ayrshires,  Herefords  and  natives  were  not 
very  well  represented.  There  were  some  very 
superior  grades  of  the  Shorthorn  breed,  which 
had  been  bred  back  until  they  were  ly-16  Dur- 
ham. Of  these  were  steers  and  oxen  of  extraor- 
dinary size,  symmetry  and  beauty,  thus  seeming 
to  confirm  the  notion,  that  no  other  cattle  ma- 
ture so  soon  as  the  Shorthorns  and  their  grades. 

The  Devon  herd,  exhibited  by  a  Maryland  far- 
mer, was  vei'y  fine.  The  enterprising  husband- 
man, Capt.  Strandling,  like  S.  C.  Ludington,  of 
Western  Virginia,  the  exhibitor  of  Durhams,  had 
occasion  to  feel  proud  of  the  skill  in  cattle- 
breeding,  which  his  Devons  demonstrated.  Capt. 
S.  had  one  cow,  "Matilda,"  which  Avas  the  best 
cow  of  that  race  I  have  ever  seen,  and  though 
she  did  not  receive  the  first  premium,  to  which 
she  was  so  richly  entitled,  she  was  crowned  with 
a  wreath  of  flowers,  by  the  ladies,  on  leaving  the 
grounds,  as  indicative  of  their  estimation  of  her 
excellence. 

The  Jerseys  were  the  next  best  lot.  They  did 
not  meet  the  approval  of  the  farmers  generally. 
A  Kentucky  farmer  called  them  "scrubs"  in  ap- 
pearance. It  is  true  they  would  thus  impress  a 
western  breeder  of  Durhams. 

Ayrshires  and  Herefords  not  well  represented, 
and  those  on  the  ground  were  not  such  as  to  im- 
press those  unacquainted  with  these  varieties, 
very  favorably. 

Natives  but  few  and  not  superior. 

Sheep,  swine,  poultry  and  horses  all  very  well 
represented,  except  the  swine.  Viator. 


A  PAEMER'S  LIBRARY. 

Dr.  Johnson  being  once  asked  whom  he  deemed 
the  most  miserable,  replied,  "The  man  who  can- 
not entertain  himself  with  a  book  on  a  rainy  day." 
Were  the  question  put,  What  farmers  are  likely 
to  make  the  most  rapid  progress  and  improve- 
ment in  husbandry  ?  the  answer  would  be,  other 
things  being  equal,  those  who  read  most  on  the 
subject  of  their  vocation.  A  man  Mho  reads  lit- 
tle, no  matter  what  his  vocation  is,  will  be  likely 
to  think  little,  and  act  chiefly  with  reference  to 
tradition  received  from  former  generations,  or 
else  in  imitation  of  what  is  going  on  about  him. 
There  is  always  hope  of  a  man  who  loves  reading, 
study  and  reflection.  Not  all  who  buy  books  lib- 
erally and  patronize  the  press  generously,  are 
readers.  There  is  a  class  of  fancy  book  buyers 
who  purchase  freely  and  expensively,  but  who 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


573 


read  little  and  profit  nothing  from  the  stores  of 
knowledge  treasured  up  in  their  libraries.  Fine 
collections  of  books  nicely  arranged  on  shelves 
may  beget  desires  of  covetousness,  but  can  im- 
part little  or  nothing,  only  as  they  are  read, 
studied,  and  referred  to. 

Every  farmer,  whether  rich  or  poor,  learned  or 
unlearned,  should  have  a  collection  of  books  on 
agriculture,  horticulture,  and  the  several  sub- 
jects more  or  less  intimately  connected  with  the 
objects  of  his  special  pursuit.  A  few  good  books 
costing  but  little,  should  make  the  beginning  of 
the  farmer's  library. 


grasp,  till  slowly  upturning  its  huge  roots  to  view, 
down  sank  "the  evergreen  pine"  to  rise  no  more. 
It  is  fearful,  almost,  to  witness  the  exercise  of 
such  power,  but  pleasing  to  see  it  subjected  so 
perfectly  to  man's  power  for  good. 

The  day  following  the  exhibition  was  rainy,  but 
the  next  day,  which  was  the  Sabbath,  saw,  per- 
haps, as  many  spectators  on  the  field  of  opera- 
tions, as  would  have  filled  a  church,  wondering 
at  the  sudden  upturning  of  those  old  fogy  stumps, 
in  this  radical  manner. 

Our  farm  has  somehow  grown  very  attractive 

For  the  New  England  Farmer,     ^.j^i^j^  these  few  days.     The  ladies,  even,  or  per- 

WILLIS'S  PATENT  STUMP  PULLEK.        haps  the  fairies,  have  left  in  the  moist,  soft  soil, 

We  have  a  great  deal  of  hard  work  to  be  done  their  delicate  footprints,  and  we  know,  at  least, 

in  this  country,  and  comparatively  few  hands  to  of  one  fair  daughter  of  an  eminent  farmer  of  the 

do  it.     He  is  a  public  benefactor,  who  invents  a  Green  Mountain  State,  whose  bright  eyes  beamed 


new  mode  by  which  science  may  be  substituted 
for  human  muscles,  in  the  fulfilment  of  man's 
mission  to  make  the  earth  fruitful  and  beautiful. 
We  fight  a  hard  battle  with  hands  and  small 
tools,  alone,  against  the  great  forest  trees.  We 
easily  enough  cut  away  the  top  for  timber  and 


brighter  in  admiration  of  the  work  of  this  new 
civilizer. 

And  so  we  wish  Mr.  Willis  all  success  with 
his  invention.  In  moving  stones  or  buildings, 
in  propelling  a  ditching  machine,  which  somebody 
must  invent  very  soon,  for  underdraining,  in  any 


fuel,  but  the  ugly  stump  remains,  and  we  are  too  work  where  immense  power  at  low  speed  is  re- 


fast  a  people  to  sit  down  quietly  and  wait  the 
process  of  "a  mild  decay"  to  destroy  it,  and  too 
economical  to  dig  it  out  by  hand,  and  too  neat 
in  our  notions  of  good  husbandry  to  think  of 
tilling  among  such  obstacles. 

Willis's  machine  solves  our  difficulties.  It  pulls 
out  the  stumps  by  main  force,  asking  no  favors, 
if  you  will  only  find  a  place  where  to  fasten  a 
chain  to  a  root  strong  enough  to  hold.  The  ex- 
hibition by  the  inventor,  at  Exeter,  last  Friday, 


quired,  this  is,  of  all  others,  the  machine. 

In  another  column  will  be  found  the  adver- 
tisement of  Mr.  Willis,  which  will  give  all  need- 
ed information  on  the  subject. 

Exeter,  N.  H.,  Nov.  1.  H.  F.  French. 


For  the  New  England  Farmer. 
MANUFACTURE  OP  BREAD. 
If  there  is  any  foundation   in  truth  and  nature 


was  witnessed  with  universal  satisfaction  by  ajforthe  standard  phrase, "Bread  the  staff  of  life," 
large  number  of  persons.  Some  twenty-fiveh^'T^y  ^  ^^"^"  discussion,  will  be  profitable  now 
,     °  ^  1  •       /.      ,  iand  then,    ou  customs  which  seem    to  have    in 

large  stumps  were  extracted  ma  few  hours,  some  I  ^jogt  instances   become  nearly  or   quite  stereo- 


of  them  yellow  pines,  recently  cut,  and  some 
white  pines,  whose  wide  spreading  roots  brought 
up  with  them  tons  of  clay  from  their  beds.  The 
power  of  the  machine  seems  almost  without  limit, 
by  shortening  the  short  arm  of  the  lever.  A  sin- 
gle yoke  of  oxen,  in  five  minutes'  time,  easily 
uprooted  the  largest  trees  upon  our  lot.     Four 


typed.  Hence  I  was  glad  to  see,  in  a  late  num- 
ber of  the  Farmer,  a  receipt  or  two  for  manufac- 
turing "brown  bread."  On  a  subject  of  so  much 
importance  Hove  to  see  the  smallest  symptom  of 
progress. 

It  is  indeed  true  that  I  am  opposed  to  all  kinds 
of  receipts  for  bread-making  which  involve  the 
necessity  of  fermentation  or  raising;  still,  if  this 


men,  in  one  instance,  with   no  help  of  cattle  or! stupid  custom  must  be  continued,  I  wish  to  have 
,,  i  1       .       ,.  u-  u  r  1     'the  work  accomplished  in  the   best,  that  is,  the 

other  power,  turned  out  a  stump  which  tour  yoke  I,       ^     ,-     ^.       iS 

^         '  J.  •'        [least  objectionable  manner. 

of  oxen  could  not,  without  machmery,  have  start-  i  ij^t  ^-hat  is  the  reason,  Mr.  Editor,  that  a  corn- 
ed from  its  bed.  munity  like  our  own  can  see  no  beauty  in  sim- 
One  solitary  pine,  which  stood  alone,  was  leftplicity  ?  Why  is  it  that  almost  everybody  revolts 
for  a  last  victim.  Its  wide-spreading  top  tow- 1  at  the  idea  of  making  bread  for  the  table  by  merely 
ered  at  least  sixty  feet  in  the  air,  and  its  trunk  jPf^^^^.tog.ether^  the  m^^^^ 
was  about  two  and  a  half  feet  in  diameter.  A 
chain  was  attached  to  it  about  twenty  feet  from 


the  ground.  The  oxen  were  put  moderately  to 
their  work.  With  a  steady,  irresistible  {jower, 
the  tall  tree  was  drawn  from  its  erect  position. 
The  ground  for  a  space  of  twenty  or  thirty  feet 
about  it  began  to  rise  and  heave  as  with  an  earth- 


it?  Why  is  it  that  William  Hunt's  little  book, 
entitled  "Good  Bread — How  to  make  it  light 
without  yeast  or  powder,"  is  so  little  admired  ? 
Why,  sir,  if  I  don't  mistake,  this  little  book, 
which  only  costs  ten  cents  and  a  postage  stamp 
of  one  cent,  and  which  in  any  sensible  house- 
keeper's hands  is  richly  worth  ten  dollars,  though 
it  has  been  published  several  months,  has  scarcely 
sold,  as  yet,  to  the  extent  of  ten  thousand  cop- 


quake.      The   remorseless   giant  tightened  his  i^s.      One  hundred  thousand  of  it,  to   say  the 


674 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


Dec. 


least,  ought  to  have  been  circulated  long  before 
this  time. 

It  is  not  a  little  remarkable  that  -while  Mr. 
Hunt,  a  plain  and  almost  unlearned  man,  has 
been  slowly  working  out  the  problem,  How  to 
have  good  bread  without  fermentation,  science, 
unknown  to  him,  has  been  accomplishing  the 
same  thing  the  other  side  of  the  water.  For  we 
learn  from  the  Illustrated  Inventor,  that  Dr. 
Danglish,  of  Great  Malvern,  in  England,  has  pa- 
tented an  improvement  on  the  preparation  of 
dough,  from  which  is  manufactured  an  absolutely 
pure  bread,  which,  without  fermentation,  is  so 
sweet  and  tender  as  to  surprise  everybody  who 
has  tasted  it.  The  advantages  which  Dr.  Dang- 
lish claims,  in  its  behalf,  are  the  following : 

"1,  There  is  a  saving  of  the  whole  of  the  waste 
caused  by  fermentation,  which  averages  fully  ten 
per  cent.  Thus  ten  per  cent,  more  bread  is  made 
out  of  a  sack  of  flour,  than  by  the  old  process. 

"2.  The  process,  instead  of  occupying  eight  to 
ten  hours  (in  raising,  moulding,  baking,  &c.,)  is 
completed  in  half  an  hour. 

"3.  The  cost  of  machinery  and  gas  is  less  than 
that  of  the  yeast  used  in  the  old  process. 

"4.  The  dough  requires  scarcely  any  handling 
to  form  it  into  loaves. 

"5.  The  bread  is  absolutely  pure.  It  is  simply 
flour,  water  and  salt. 

"6.  Finally,  should  the  whole  of  the  bread  in 
the  kingdom  be  thus  made,  a  saving  would  be  ef- 
fected of  an  amount  equal  to  our  (the  British) 
entire  importation  of  foreign  wheat." 

We  do  hope,  most  sincerely,  that  this  subject 
will  attract  public  attention  both  here  and  in 
England  ;  especially,  as  it  can  be  no  longer  plead- 
ed that  it  has  been  agitated  by  none  but  the  un- 
scientific and  unskilful.  If  there  be  a  discovery 
based  on  the  principles  of  sound  science,  both 
chemical  and  physiological,  it  is  this,  which  teach- 
es us  how  to  make  good,  light,  sweet  and  perfect 
bread  of  simple  meal  and  water. 

Auburndale,  Sept.  4,  185S.     W.  A.  Alcott. 


LIME  ON"  ORCHARDS. 

The  value  of  lime  for  many  purposes  in  agri- 
culture, is  no  longer  a  theoretical  question,  but 
an  admitted  fact.  On  orchards,  its  efi'ects  have 
been  very  surprising — and  such,  indeed,  as  to 
surprise  even  the  most  incredulous.  For  many 
uses,  lime  in  the  stone  is  preferable,  if  it  is  of  a 
character  that  admits  of  its  being  reduced  to  a 
condition  sufficiently  fine  for  its  application,  for 
it  then  contains  about  fifty  per  cent,  of  carbon,  a 
principle  which  enters  largely  into  vegetables. 
Calcination,  or  burning,  drives  off  the  carbon, 
and  renders  caustic  lime  mild.  In  its  freshly- 
slaked  state,  its  application  is,  in  most  cases, 
attended  with  disadvantage,  as  its  causticity 
proves  harmful  in  many  ways.  In  regard  to  the 
application  of  lime  on  orchards  it  may  be  re- 
marked that  the  fall  is  perhaps  as  favorable  a 
season,  ou  many  accounts,  as  can  be  selected. 
Its  efi'ects  arc  slow  and  lasting,  and  when  spread 
on  orchard  grounds  in  August,  or  even  in  Sep- 
tember or  October,  it  will  be  felt  the  following 
year ;  whereas  if  applied  in  the  spring,  no  ad- 
vantage would  accrue  till  the  subsequent  year, 
which  would  be  a  dead  loss  to  the  owner  of  one 
year's  use  of  the  pecuniary  capital  involved  in 


the  outlay  of  the  experiment.  In  some  cases, 
the  favorable  effects  of  lime  have  been  clearly 
apparent  for  twenty  years. 

Old  lime  from  the  walls  of  buildings,  is  an  ex- 
cellent stimulant  for  fruit  trees  of  all  kinds;  it 
acts  immediately,  and  it  acts  long.  In  one  case, 
a  farmer  who  was  engaged  in  repairing  his  dwell- 
ing, ordered  a  portion  of  the  old  plastering  taken 
from  the  wall  of  one  of  his  rooms,  to  be  thrown 
from  a  window,  where  it  was  accidentally  brought 
in  contact  with  a  plum  tree  which  had  always 
been  unproductive,  and  a  mere  "cumberer  of  the 
ground."  The  subsequent  year,  however,  it  was 
filled  with  fruit.  This  change  was  owing  to  the 
lime,  doubtless,  as  similar  results  have  followed 
its  application  in  various,  indeed,  in  innumerable 
cases  of  a  like  character.  We  advise  every  per- 
son, therefore,  who  is  the  owner  of  an  old  and 
decayed  orchard,  to  lose  no  time  in  giving  each 
tree  a  dressing  of  lime,  or,  better  still,  if  he  can 
procure  it,  of  old  plaster.  A  peck  to  a  tree  of 
middling  size,  and  half  a  bushel  to  a  large  one,* 
is  sufficient,  according  to  the  experience  of  manv ; 
but  though  we  would  by  all  means  recommend 
the  application  of  even  these  small  quantities 
when  larger  quantities  cannot  be  procured,  yet 
we  should  sooner  advise  a  bushel  and  a  half. 
We  have  no  more  faith  in  starving  a  tree  or  a  hill 
of  Indian  corn,  than  we  have  in  starving  an  ox 
or  a  horse.  The  "penny  wise  and  pound  fool- 
ish" policy,  adopted  by  so  many,  is  a  bad  one  for 
the  farmer.     It  always  results  in  loss. 


AMERICAN  PLOWS. 

But  a  few  persons  are  probably  aware  of  the 
demand  upon  New  England  skill  and  industry 
for  articles  resulting  from  mechanical  labor,  and 
made  of  wood  and  iron  ;  they  are  generally  much 
better  informed  upon  the  subject  of  cotton  and 
woollen  goods,  because  they  are  manufactured  by 
the  aggregation  of  more  capital,  and  have,  per- 
haps, been  considered  more  of  a  leading  interest 
among  our  people.  But  we  do  not  excel  more  in 
the  latter  than  in  the  former,  and  the  demand 
for  each  is  much  nearer  alike,  than  most  persons 
suppose. 

The  amount  of  furniture,  such  as  chairs,  bed- 
steads, sofas,  bureaus,  desks,  tables,  book-cases — 
of  boots  and  shoes,  hollow  ware  of  wood  and 
iron,  &c.  &c.,  is  enormous,  that  is  annually  sent 
out  from  New  England. 

The  demand  for  agricultural  implements  is  now 
beyond  all  precedent,  and  the  wide  world  seems 
to  have  its  arms  open  to  receive  them,  and  with 
purse  extended  to  pay  the  bills.  And  the  de- 
mand is  not  the  most  active  in  the  oldest  settle- 
ments, but  in  new  regions,  Oregon.  California, 
Vancouver's  Island,  Africa,  Chili,  the  regions  of 
the  Amazon,  and  even  the  islands  of  the  Pacific 
Ocean. 

We  learn  that  a  few  days  since  the  manufac- 
turing house  of  NouRSE,  Mason  &  Co.,  of  this 
city,  accepted  an  order  to  furnish  a  large  amount 
of  plows  of  various  patterns,  which  order   has 


1858. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FARMER. 


575 


been  filled  in  an  incredibly  short  space  of  time, 
and  they  are  now  on  their  way  to  Africa,  and 
perhaps  to  turn  up  the  fertile  soil  which  has  so 
long  been  supposed  to  be  an  inhospitable  desert 

Mr.  Livingstone,  the  intrepid  African  explor- 
er, will  find  a  greater  civilizing  power  in  these 
plows,  than  he  could  in  as  many  batteries  and 
soldiers  as  sat  themselves  down  in  front  of  the 
Malakoff  Tower  ! 

In  addition  to  this  monstrous  exodus  of  plows 
for  the  East,  we  also  learn  that  within  a  twelve- 
month, two  thousand  plows,  with  steel  plate 
mould-boards,  have  been  sent  to  one  customer 
of  this  house,  for  a  single  port,  with  a  prospect 
of  still  heavier  orders  in  the  future. 

What  worlds  of  grass  and  grain  and  good 
things  will  spring  up  in  the  track  of  these  pio- 
neers of  civilization !  What  abodes  of  comfort 
and  plenty,  and  refinement  and  moral  power,  and 
what  influences  will  flow  from  them  to  bring  na- 
tions into  harmony,  to  make  glad  all  people,  and 
to  cover  unbounded  lands  with  freshness  and 
beauty. 

"God  Speed  the  Plow." 


SULPHUR  FOR  STOCK. 

The  benefit  derived  by  stock  from  the  use  of 
sulphur  is  not  sufficiently  well  known. 

Most  farmers  are  well  aware  that  there  are  cer- 
tain seasons  in  the  year  when  animals  of  every 
description  on  the  farm — from  the  finest  colt 
down  to  the  poorest  calf — become  afflicted  with 
(in  plain  English)  lice  (one  of  the  ten  plagues  of 
Egypt,)  or  "ticks." 

To  become  free  from  any  trouble  or  injuries 
from  the  attacks  of  these  pests,  we  have  only  to 
put  sulphur  in  the  feed  or  salt  of  stock  so  infested ; 
or  mix  a  little  in  lard,  and  rub  it  on  the  small 
and  young  animals.  A  speedy  cure  may  be  de- 
pended upon. 

I  think  a  teaspoonful  two  or  three  times  a 
week — four  or  five  times  a  year — will  generally 
keep  hogs  and  sheep  entirely  clear  of  such  ver- 
min. 

The  above  article  is  more  particularly  appli- 
cable to  sheep  and  hogs.  It  has  been  said,  and, 
I  believe,  with  some  show  of  truth,  that  sulphur 
has  another  effect  on  sheep  ;  that,  given  plenti- 
fully at  the  beginning  of  warm  weather,  as  above 
directed  every  other  week,  till  shearing  time,  it 
opens  the  pores  of  the  skin,  curing  cough,  and 
whitening  the  wool ;  and,  as  evidence  of  which, 
look  at  the  big,  snow-white  sheep  on  the  moun- 
tains of  Virginia,  in  the  vicinity  of  the  sulphur 
springs. — Ohio  Valley  Farmer. 


Feeding  on  Earth. — The  earthworm  not 
only  inhabits  the  earth,  but  also  feeds  upon  the 
element  in  which  it  exists :  and  although  some 
naturalists  have  declared  that  it  derives  its  nutri- 
ment from  the  roots  of  plants,  yet  this  statement, 
according  to  the  most  reliable  authority,  is  now 
pronounced  to  be  a  pure  fable.  The  soil  is,  as 
you  will  probably  be  aware,  impregnated  with 
decaying   organic   substances  of  various  kinds, 


and  in  order  to  secure  these  for  its  sustenance, 
the  worm  gorges  itself  with  earth ;  the  nutritive 
constituents  are  extracted  in  its  stomach  by  the 
digestive  process,  and  the  indigestible  portion 
ejected  in  little  worm-shaped  masses,  well  known 
to  gardeners  and  others  as  "worm  castings." — 
Tlie  Earthworm  and  the  Housefly.  By  James 
Samuelson. 


THE  CLOSE  OP  THE  YEAR. 

"Stbek  'Winter  throws  bis  icy  chains, 

Encircling  nature  round ; 
How  bleak,  how  comfortless  the  plains, 

Late  with  gay  verdure  crowned  1" 

The  Year  that  is  now  about  closing  upon  us, 
has  not  been  marked  by  any  general  fatality  to 
the  herds  or  crops  of  the  farmer,  nor  has  any 
sweeping  scourge  decimated  his  household  and 
brought  universal  sorrow  upon  the  land  ;  but 
warm  suns,  fruitful  showers,  and  healthful  breez- 
es, have  invigorated  himself  and  brought  to  per- 
fection the  crops  which  he  had  committed  to  the 
earth  in  confidence  and  hope.  These  crops  have 
been  abundant,  and  the  season  has  favored  the 
Harvest,  so  that  his  garners  are  full,  and  the 
means  of  comfort  and  comparative  independence 
are  secured  through  the  more  rigorous  months 
of  the  year. 

The  Year  has  been  one  of  progress  in  nearly 
all  the  departments  of  the  farm.  There  is  a  bet- 
ter appreciation,  in  the  first  place,  of  the  advan- 
tages to  be  derived  from  the  application  of  scien- 
tific principles  to  our  labor,  and  a  better  disposi- 
tion on  the  part  of  the  farmer  to  avail  himself  of 
such  helps.  The  stony  walls  of  his  prejudices 
have  been  modified,  or  broken  down,  by  the  in- 
troduction of  new  machines  or  new  modes  of  cul- 
ture, once  considered  as  useless  innovations,  but 
upon  trial,  found  to  be  important  and  profitable 
changes. 

Another  gain  is  in  the  opinion  which  has  tak- 
en strong  hold  of  our  people,  that  y^e  have  here- 
tofore cultivated  too  much,  and  have  not  done  it 
well  enough — that  there  is  great  loss  in  working 
over  two  acres  to  get  sixty  bushels  of  corn,  when 
we  might  have  got  it  from  one. 

More  attention  has  also  been  paid  to  our  cat- 
tle, in  obtaining  breeds  adapted  to  our  climate, 
and  means  of  feeding  them,  and  to  the  manner  of 
managing  them  as  regards  health  and  comfort, 
so  as  to  obtain  the  largest  possible  product  from 
a  given  cost. 

New  devices  in  plows,  mowing  and  reaping 
machines,  hoes,  seed-sowers  and  draining  tools, 
promise  to  mitigate  human  toil,  while  they  will 
increase  the  profits  of  the  farm. 

Another  improvement,  which  promises  happier 
I'esults  than  any,  or  all  of  these  combined,  is  the 
belief  which  is  rapidly  gaining  ground,  that  it  is 
as  advantageous,  and  as  important,  that  a  farmer 


576 


NEW  ENGLAND   FAKMER. 


Dec. 


be  educated  for  the  business  which  he  is  to  fol- 
low, as  for  the  merchant,  lawyer  or  physician. 
That  unless  he  understands  something  of  tne 
laws  of  chemical  action,  of  the  physiology  of  an- 
imals and  plants,  of  the  effects  of  heat  and  cold, 
and  moisture  in  his  soils,  and  of  the  cost  and 
comparative  value  of  his  various  crops,  he  can- 
not reap  those  benefits  from  his  efforts,  that  he 
might  if  his  labors  were  directed  by  a  greater  de- 
gree of  intelligence  and  skill.  The  domestic  la- 
bors of  the  farm,  those  of  the  house,  are  almost 
materially  relieved  by  various  devices,  thus  giv- 
ing both  sexes  more  frequent  opportunities  for 
leisure,  recreation  and  study,  than  before,  and 
consequently  of  adding  essentially  to  the  sum  of 
human  happiness. 

It  has  been  a  year  of  general  prosperity  to 
most  of  us  in  an  avocation  surrounded  with 
more  charms,  we  believe,  than  most  others  pos- 
sess— we  hope  it  has  in  that  higher  advance- 
ment, without  which  our  worldly  effects  are  of 
little  account.  For  if  our  labors  and  aspirations 
are  rightly  directed, 

"We  cannot  toil  in  rain  ; 

Cold,  heat,  and  moist  and  dry 
Shall  foster  and  mature  the  grain 

For  garners  in  the  sky." 

Let  our  hearts  rise  to  Heaven  with  profound 
gratitude  and  thanksgiving,  for  the  blessing  that 
we  enjoy  in  the  occupation  of  the  soil,  for  abun- 
dant harvests,  for  association  and  opportunities 
of  improvement,  and  for  that  general  advance- 
ment in  education  and  the  arts  of  peace  which 
tend  to  elevate  and  adorn  our  race. 

And  now,  while  the  last  sands  of  the  Year  are 
ebbing,  we  can  only  pause  to  say  to  the  tiller  of 
the  soil  that  our  earnest  sympathies  are  with  him 
and  his  household  in  all  the  departments  of  his 
labor ;  that  his  interests  are  our  care,  and  that 
the  sympathy  and  good  fellowship  which  has  ex- 
isted through  so  many  years  between  reader  and 
writer,  shall  be  sustained  on  our  part  by  a  sin- 
cere devotion  to  the  cause  in  which  we  are  mu- 
tually engaged. 


PBOSPECTS. 

We  have  very  little  to  say  in  regard  to  theyw- 
ture,  in  relation  to  the  Farmer  Its  present  pros- 
pects are  fair  and  encouraging,  and  it  is  steadily 
finding  its  way  into  new  homes  and  around  new 
fire-sides,  where  it  has  never  penetrated  before. 
The  efforts  of  Publisher  and  Editors  will  constant- 
ly be  devoted  to  the  same  end,  viz.,  to  make  both 
the  Weekly  and  Monthly  paper,  the  medium  of 
useful  hioicledge,  so  that  the  reader  shall  be  ac- 
tually benefited  by  its  perusal,  to  a  detrree  al- 
tQg<ether  dispE.oportionate  to  its  cost.  We  are 
enabled  to  print  a  cheap  paper  by  distributing 


large  numbers,  and  the  larger  that  number  is, 
the  more  valuable  may  the  paper  be  made. 

We  propose  no  material  change  for  the  future  ; 
but  to  improve,  if  we  can,  both  in  matter  and 
style  ;  shall  introduce  some  new  illustrations  of 
houses,  barns,  fruits,  flowers,  machines,  imple- 
ments, and  stock,  and  record  whatever  may  come 
to  our  knowledge  that  is  new,  if  it  promises  to  be 
useful  to  the  reader. 

We  believe  in  progress ;  that  the  world  is  not 
yet  half  as  wise  as  it  may  be,  and  as  by  wisely 
directed  efforts,  it  certainiij  will  be.  It  becomes 
all  to  watch,  and  wait,  and  hold  fast  to  that 
which  is  good,  until  something  is  found  that  is 
better,  and  then  to  hold  on  to  the  better. 

We  shall  try,  on  our  part,  to  amble  along  with 
the  reader  at  an  easy  gait,  by  growing  fields  and 
plashing  waters,  or  wherever  fruits  or  flowers 
or  forests  and  cooling  shades  attract  and  instruct ; 
or  if  the  paths  of  science  allure,  we  shall  not  fear 
to  travel  in  their  light,  and  shall  find  pleasure 
and  profit,  both  to  the  reader  and  ourselves,  in 
ambling  along  where  they  may  lead. 

In  the  future  we  look  to  make  many  new  ac- 
quaintances among  our  readers,  as  we  have  dona 
the  past  year,  and  in  mingling  with  them  have 
found  new  sources  of  enjoyment,  and  new  means 
of  adding  to  the  value  of  the  Farmer.  Our  in- 
terest in  the  cause  of  agriculture  can  scarcely  be 
increased.  That  love  for  the  farm,  and.  for  rural 
life  which  sprang  up  in  our  bosom  in  boyhood, 
has  never  been  dimmed  by  circumstances  or 
time, — and  the  glorious  manifestations  of  Deity 
which  ever  surround  the  farmer  in  so  many  va- 
ried and  beautiful  forms,  still  allure  us  with  mild 
and  steady  light,  to  spend  as  much  of  life  as  pos- 
sible on  the  farm. 

The  liberality,  as  well  as  the  interest  of  the 
Publisher,  will  prompt  him  to  spare  no  pains  to 
give  the  Farmer  all  that  practical  value  which 
the  cultivator  of  the  soil  needs, — while  the  am- 
ple means  which  he  has  secured  by  a  life  of  ener- 
gy and  industry,  will  enable  him  to  secure  all  the 
advantages  for  his  publication  that  any  can  com- 
mand. 

So  we  part  with  the  Old  Year  without  any  re- 
grets that  it  is  gone,  and  enter  upon  the  New 
Year,  with  cheerful  hopes  of  being  useful  to  the 
world  yet  a  little  longer. 


A  New  Axle-Grease. — We  are  most  kindly 
disposed  to  our  friends,  Messrs.  Hucks  &  Lam- 
bert, who  have  made  the  best  axle-grease  in  the 
world  ;  but  we  only  wish  to  hint  that  castor-oil 
is  one  of  the  best  articles  for  wheel  grease  in  its 
pure  state ;  it  will  last  long  and  operate  most  re- 
markably. Let  it  be  tried,  and  then  raise  the 
castor  oil  bean  and  make  our  own  axle-grease. — 
Cal.  Farmer. 


tl  ll  I  lllllliil  I  i  I  il, 


lM|li| 


ii.l*!iMm 


mii- 


y=,    hi  IliK! 


II  ^li: 


,ill  III 


\]^^ 


lll'v