THE FARMER AT HOME. 207 



place at the full of the moon, and at all other times, the time of high 

 water depends upon the age of the moon ; the rule for finding which, 

 the age of the moon being given, is as follows, viz : add four-fifths of 

 the days of the moon's age, as so many hours, to the time of high 

 water at the full of the moon, and the sum is the time of high water, 

 answering to that day nearly. 



HOEING. In the new husbandry, is the breaking or dividing 

 the soil by tillage while the corn or other plants are growing thereon. 

 It differs from common tillage in the time of performing it ; and it is 

 much more beneficial to the crops than any other tillage. This sort 

 of tillage is performed various ways, and by means of different instru- 

 ments. Next to ploughing, hoeing is one of the most effectual opera- 

 tions in farming ; and, especially in countries where Indian corn is 

 grown, it may be considered indispensable. There are many kinds of 

 the hoe adapted to its various uses in the garden or the field ; and in 

 the form of it, and in the material used for its construction, depends its 

 excellence. The blade or cutting part of a good hoe should be 

 sufficiently hard to keep a good edge and not batter, and at the same 

 time so elastic and fine tempered as not to be easily broken. 



HOGr. In grossness of manners, the hog tribe stand unrivalled 

 among quadrupeds ; and their general appearance corresponds, in a 

 great measure, with their habits. The natural term of the life of 

 this animal is from fifteen to thirty years ; and it increases in size and 

 strength until four or five years of age. In Minorca, it is said, that 

 the hog is used as a beast of draught. The wild boar, from which 

 most of our domesticated varieties are derived, is found in most parts 

 of Europe and Asia, and is by no means so stupid or filthy an animal 

 as the tame hog. Hunting the wild boar has always been a favorite 

 amusement. When roused, he goes slowly and uniformly forward, 

 frequently stopping and facing his pursuers, often inflicting severe and 

 even mortal wounds. The common hog, in a tame state, is almost 

 universal, except in very high latitudes. In the forests of South 

 America, it is found in vast droves, derived from the European varie- 

 ties again relapsed into a state of nature. The common hog appears 

 to enjoy none of the senses in perfection except that of smell. In their 

 taste they discover a strange degree of caprice ; for while they are sin- 

 gnlarly delicate in their choice of herbs, they will devour with voracity 

 the most nauseous and putrid carrion. 



HOLLYHOCK. A malvaceous plant, a native of the East, and 

 very frequently cultivated in gardens for the sake of its ornamental 

 spikes of large and beautiful flowers. The root is biennial, and shoots 

 up one or several very upright, hairy stems, which attain the height 

 of from five to eight feet. The leaves are cordate at base, and divided 

 into from five to seven lobes. The flowers are subsessile, rose-colored, 

 and situated in the axils of the superior leaves, thus forming a long 

 terminal spike. From cultivation, many varieties have arisen, bear- 



