FARMER'S ASSISTANT. 379 



it is stated, however, that the vegetative power of seeds 

 may be long preserved, by being kept among raisins, in 

 boxes. 



See also, SEEDS, for other methods of making old seeds 

 germinate. 



THORN (Crataegus.) There are many varieties of 

 this trte in this Country, sume of which may be found 

 more valuable tor making hedges, than others. One gen- 

 eral rule should, however, be observed in making a selec- 

 tion, and that is, to take ot those which grow naturally in 

 the Country where the hedge is to be made. In more 

 northerly climates, the red-fruited (Coccinta) is most com- 

 mon, and perhaps as valuable as any, tor the: purpose. In 

 the Middle States, the Washington thorn (Cordata) seems 

 to have the preference. 



There has existed considerable difficulty in making the 

 seeds ot American thorn vegetate. A successful method) 

 pursued by Mr. Kirk, of Brandy wine, for this purpose, is 

 to wash the seeds clean; put them in hot water to swell 

 them, expose them at night to be frozen in the water, and 

 in the day thaw them in the sun ; and by repeating this 

 operation, four or five times, he tound them opea and fit 

 for planting. 



They are to be planted in beds, and covered to the depth 

 of not more than two inches. After they have come up f 

 they may be transplanted into other beds, and are to be 

 kept clear of weeds until they are set out, which should be 

 when they are at the height of about two feet. 



THRESHING. This, when performed with flails, is but 

 slow work. Threshing with Horses is considerably more 

 expeditious. Some of the German Farmers of this county 

 and its vicinity thresh with a roller, which turns on a centre 

 at one end, which is small and confined to the floor, at that 

 end, by an iron pivot on which it turns, and the other end 

 is large in proportion to the increase of the circle it makes. 

 It is drawn by a Horse, and is usually about twelve feet 

 long. It is set full ot little square pieces of wooden teeth, 

 leaning outwards, with the ends cut off slanting, agreeably 

 to the superfice of the roller. With this a Man and Horse 

 will thresh out about twelve bushels of wheat in a day. 



In Virginia, where the greatest crops of wheat are raised, 

 they generally thresh them out in the fieids; and for this, 

 some use threshing-machines, and some make circular 

 floors of eighty feet diameter, or more; on this the wheat 

 is set with the heads upwards, and then wagons and Horses 

 are drove round on it till that floor is threshed; then more 

 is constantly thrown on, till a hundred bushels, or more, 



