54 THE FARMER AT HOME. 



BRISTLES. The strong glossy hairs growing upon the hack of 

 the wild boar and the hog. They are an important item in the 

 matters furnished by swirie. They are used by the brushmaker and 

 the shoemaker, and they form an article of commerce much more in 

 value than one would at first imagine. Large quantities ara T^inually 

 * imported into England, mostly it is believed from Russia and Prus- 

 sia. M'Culloch says, that the quantity amounted to 1,789,801 

 pounds a year, for the three years ending 1831. Youatt supposes 

 that each hog furnishes one pound. If this estimate is correct it 

 would be easy to calculate the probable value of all the bristles 

 yielded in the United States. Professor Low says that in the Orkney 

 Islands ropes are made from bristles, for some purposes preferable to 

 those manufactured from hernp. 



BROADCAST. In sowing broadcast considerable skill is re- 

 quisite to spread the seed equally over the ground. A failure of this 

 kind is not only injurious to the crop, but as when the grain springs 

 up, it may be seen for a great distance, the unevenness of the sowing 

 #ives a most unfarmerlike aspect to the field. In broadcast sowing 

 advantage should be taken of the wind, otherwise, great inequalities 

 will sometimes be produced. When grain is sown broadcast, the 

 plough or the harrow is to be used for covering it ; and unless these 

 operations are well performed, much of the seed will remain uncov- 

 ered, and be lost to the purposes of vegetation. More seed is required 

 to the acre when sown broadcast than when put in drills. Machines 

 have been invented for sowing seed broadcast, which do the work 

 with great precision ; and, where the ground is even and free from 

 etones, they answer an admirable purpose. 



BROCCOLI. This is an improved variety of cabbage, the flower 

 buds of which are to be eaten. It differs from the cauliflower only in 

 the looseness of the inflorescence. The varieties are numerous, the 

 early white and the white cape being the best ; but the purple cape is 

 the only kind much cultivated. In flavor, good judges pronounce the 

 flowers equal to the cauliflower ; and, as its cultivation is much more 

 easy, its use will become much more general, especially in the country, 

 where the conveniences for raising the other are less common . It is 

 not a long period since it was first known to American horticulturists ; 

 and, it is only about a quarter of a century since its proper mode of 

 culture was correctly understood by them. 



In the middle and northern portions of our country the seeds may 

 be sown towards the end of May. The transplanting may be made 

 in July, or when the plants are large enough, into very rich, manured, 

 and mellow earth. They should be from eighteen to twenty-four 

 inches apart, each way. The flowers will probably begin to show 

 themselves in the latter part of August. In September more will 

 show themselves ; and from the middle of the month to the middle of 

 November, they produce one continued sue session of flowers. The 



