194 



.? Useful Hint. 



Vol. IV 



A Useful Hint. 



Mr. Editor, — I am persuaded that many 

 farmers feel fully convinced of the truth of 

 many valuable reports which come from the 

 experienced and scientific agriculturist, but 

 which are oflen of very little benefit from the 

 difficulty of making experiments upon their 

 own farm. I beg leave to suggest a very 

 simple plan that will bring what may be du- 

 bious to a matter of fact, witli very little 

 trouble and at a triflmg expense. Take 

 twenty-three yards of comm(jn twine, tie a 

 stake of about sixteen inches long, (sharpen- 

 ed at one end to enter the ground) in the 

 middle of the twine — then place two other 

 stakes, each at e';ven yards from the centre 

 one — now place the three stakes in the 

 ground, as represented below : 



1. 



.4 



Mark the outside of the two lines with a 

 spade or hoe, then take up No. 2 and place 

 it at No. 4, and mark the two lines as before, 

 and you have eleven yards square (121 square 

 yards,) the fortieth part of an acre. This 

 mode will test an experiment as well as 

 eleven acres — eight bushels of manure ap- 

 plied, will be at the rate of 320 bushels per 

 acre, ten bushels at 400 bushels per acre, &c. 

 Such patches, on repeated trials, will afford 

 evident proof of the utility and proper quan- 

 tity required to an acre of lime, marl, plaster, 

 bone dust, &,c., as manures for different 

 plants; and by arranging the plants at differ- 

 ent distances, you will find the best mode of 

 planting or solving. — Ame. Farmer. 



THE FARinERS' CABINET. 



PHILADELPHIA, JAN. 15, 1S40. 



The Publishers owe an apology to their 

 subscribers for the late appearance of this and 

 the last number of the Cabinet. The delay 

 has originated in some recent changes and 

 consequent derangement in the business of 

 our establishment. Our affairs are now in 

 such a train as will secure the regular and 

 punctual issue of the future numbers of our 

 sheet. Among the changes alluded to, is the 

 retirement of Francis S. Wiggins, Esq., 

 from the editorial management of the Cabinet. 

 We have the pleasure of informing our 

 friends, that arrangements are in progress 

 by which we expect to secure the influence 

 and services of a gentleman, who, in addition 



to the numerous and excellent qualifications 

 possessed by the former editor, will bring the 

 superior advantages for such a work of an 

 extensive, sound, practical experience in 

 agricultural pursuits. When our arrange- 

 ments are complete, and we can announce 

 the name of the future editor, our subscribert 

 will receive a sufficient guarantee that the 

 former character of the Cabinet will be fully 

 sustained. 



Several communications were furnished by 

 our attentive correspondents for the present 

 number, which have not come to the hands 

 of the publishers. They will be given to our 

 readers in due time. In our December num- 

 ber several articles were promised to appear 

 in this, but they have not been furnished by 

 the retiring editor, and this must be our apo- 

 logy for their non-appearance. We respect- 

 fully and cordially invite our numerous con- 

 tributors to continue their favours, for it is tc 

 them that we mainly attribute our past suc- 

 cess — on them we still rely for aid to enrich 

 the pages of our future numbers. 



Since we commenced the publication of 

 the Cabinet, some ten or twelve periodicals 

 of a similar character have been commenced 

 in this State and those adjoining. We have 

 sustained towards them the most friendly re- 

 lations, and lived to see the most of them 

 "^0 the way of all the earth." This circum- 

 stance may serve to show our friends the 

 difficulties usually attending the establish^ 

 ment of w-orks of this kind. Those difficul- 

 ties by us have been surmounted, and our 

 books exhibit a numerous, respectable, and 

 we trust, permanent list of subscribers ; from 

 whom the Cabinet in its monthly visits will 

 continue to receive a friendly greeting. 



The sixth number of our fourth volume is 

 now issued, and from the fact that a large 

 part of the Cabinet has been stereotyped, we 

 can always furnish complete setts from the 

 commencement. The volumes already pub- 

 lished contain a great many facts, experi* 

 ments and opinions, that constitute a small 

 library for reference, valuable to every read' 

 infr farmer. We earnestly solicit the aid of 

 friends and subscribers to extend our circa-- 



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