No. 2. 



Items. 



67 



MANAGEMENT OF SANDY LOAMS. 



Mr. Duchett, of Surry, England, a most ac- 

 complished and successful farmer, ascribed 

 the luxuriance of his crops to three principles, 

 which he laid down for his guidance, and 

 strictly adhered to. He relied upon 



1. Deep ploughing, by means of which tlie 

 roots of his plants were permitted to pene- 

 trate the earth to a depth where they found a 

 uniform moisture, by which they were pre- 

 served in a healthful and flourishing condi- 

 tion, while those of his neighbors, who were 

 shalloto ploughers, in seasons of drought were 

 measurably destroyed. 



In Flanders, in the Peys de Waes, where 

 the soil was originally a barren white sand, 

 by a sure process has been brought to a state 

 of fertility which entitles it to be called a 

 fruitful loam. At first it was barely scratch- 

 ed, being ploughed not more than ten inches 

 deep ; it was subsequently gradually deepen- 

 ed, as it was enriched, — and it is now stated 

 tliat this barren sand has been so fertilized 

 that it bears to be trenched to the depth of fif- 

 teen to eighteen inches. This operation is 

 performed every seven years. 



CLAV SOILS. 



All clay soils intended for spring culture 

 should be turned up in the fall to receive the 

 benefit of the action of the winter's frost, 

 which mellows and reduces it infinitely bet- 

 ter than any treatment which man is suscep- 

 tible of giving it. If very tenacious, its con- 

 dition may be greatly improved, by simply 

 adding sand to it, after the ploughing, and so 

 harrowing it as thoroughly to mix the two 

 together. Instances of the success of this 

 practice are numerous in Europe, and are said 

 to have been so decidedly striking as to excite 

 surprise. In numerous cases the advantasres 

 have been equally great as if the clay had 

 been heavily manured, 



REPRODUCTION OF FRUIT. 



It is said that apples, pears, peaches, and 

 various other fruits, will not produce their like 

 from the seed. May not this arise from the 

 fact of various kinds of each sort being plant- 

 ed together, the farina of the one is carried 

 by the industrious bee to the other, and a hy- 

 brid produced 7 Would it not be worthy of a 

 trial, to take for instance the stone of a peach 

 remotely situated from any other of the spe- 

 cies, and see whether it would not produce 

 its like ? — We believe it would, and if so, 

 many diseases which proceed from grafting 

 and budding might be avoided. This will, 

 we are sure, be unpopular doctrine with ma- 

 ny, but believing it correct, we hesitate not to 

 advance it 



IMPLEMENTS OF HUSBANDRY. 



That farmer best consuHs his interest who 

 is well provided with a sufficient number of 

 good implements and tools, and that interest 

 is fiirthor promoted by always keeping them 

 in good order. 



MILCH cows. 



These animals should always, if possible, 

 be kept where they can have free access to 

 good water, whether ranging m the pasture, 

 or confined in the barn-yard. From experi- 

 ence, we hesitate not to say that having wa- 

 ter always at hand will make a diflPerence of 

 2.5 per cent, in favor of their yield. In winter 

 no man should pretend to keep a cow to the 

 pail who does not provide her twice a day 

 with either good rich slops, pumpkins or roots. 

 How in the name of St. George can it be ex- 

 pected that a cow fed upon dry hay, fodder or 

 tops, from November till April, can secrete 

 any considerable quantity of milk ; we know 

 that there is a large quantity of nutritive 

 matter in each of these kinds of provender ; 

 but to replenish the udder, it is necessary 

 that some such liquids, or succulent pabulum 

 named, be daily given. No one should keep 

 a cow to the pail who does not keep her well ; 

 humanity as well as true economy are both 

 consulted in so doing. 



PASTURES. 



Fields of clover, or other artificial grass, in 

 which cattle are grazed, should be small, for 

 it has been accurately ascertained that a much 

 less number of acres will answer where they 

 are so, than when they are always kept in 

 one large field. The withdrawal of cattle 

 from one field to another gives the grass a 

 chance of growing, and that which has been 

 trampled down, is thus enabled to assume its 

 upright position. So fiir, however, as the 

 saving and economy of green provender are 

 concerned, soiling is incomparably the best 

 plan of feeding. Two animals thus served 

 can be fed from the product of one acre, 

 whereas it requires one acre for each where 

 they are permitted to graze on the field. 



DRAINING. 



The cultivator would find his profit in 

 draining all his wet arable land ; blind ditch- 

 es, which are easily constructed, can be so 

 arranged as not at all to interfere with the 

 cultivation of the surface. Any common farm 

 hand can be taught to make them in a few 

 hours. 



The meliorating effect of marl has been 

 known in Europe for a long time, and clay, 

 stone and shell marl have been severally used 

 with decided advantage, and as our tide wa- 



