FARMERS' REGISTER— STRING BEANS— DRAG-ROLLER. 



751 



at the same time in the two adjoining territories, 

 and in this way the interests of tlie statep, as well 

 as those of science, would be most efi'ectually and 

 speedil}^ promoted. 



To the very meagre details, in relation to the 

 green sand, presented in this communication, I 

 may hope ere long to he enabled to add the re- 

 sults of extensive and minute personal observa- 

 tion in the interesting region in which the eocene 

 formation has been detected. In the mean time, 

 the progress of inquiry may be greatly furthered 

 by the friendly aid of those who, Irom their resi- 

 dence in the region in question, will have it in 

 their power readily to collect specimens of shells 

 or earth, and to transmit them to me for in- 

 spection. I would therefore, earnesdy solicit as- 

 sistance of this kind, and in return, t will gladly 

 communicate the results of any observations I 

 may be thus enabled to make. To urge the im- 

 portance of this, and other similar inquiries, would 

 now no longer seem to be necessary — since a large 

 portion of the intelligence and enterprise of our 

 state appears prompt to recognize their value, 

 and interested in furthering their active and suc- 

 cessful prosecution. 



From tlie New England I'armer. 



STRING BEANS (oR SNAPs) DRIED FOR WIN- 

 TER GREENS. 



Mr. Fessenden — If you think the fiillowing state- 

 ment of tacts will enrich your weekly paper, and 

 place in every farmer's reach an additional luxury, 

 I shall look tor it in your next number. 



In consequence of a suggestion dropped in my 

 hearing by an elderly farmer's wife, I took a quan- 

 tity of string beans from the poles, last sunmier, 

 (the Agricultural) [?] preparedthcm entirely forthe 

 pot, spread them on a large table-leaf in the sun, 

 and dried (hem precisely as apples are dried. When 

 perfectly divested of moisture, they rattled like nut 

 shells, and excited no small degree of ridicule. I 

 bore it quite philosophically, and laid the supposed 

 treasure aside for winter. In February, I ordered 

 a handful put into water at night, to be kept warm 

 till the next day, dropping into them a little pearl 

 ash. The next day I found them green and siool- 

 len almost to their size on the pole. They were 

 boiled three hours, and tasted almost as if taken 

 fresh from the garden. I had so pleasant a dish 

 of them to-day, that I wished it possible for you, 

 sir, to have shared the luxury with me. 



Permit me to say, seamen would find them no 

 less, and I believe more valuable, on long voy- 

 ages, than dried apples, and the process of drying 

 is the same. 



SENEX. 



Lancaster, March 12, 1835. 



From the Genessce Farmer. 

 DRAG-I.OG OR DRAG-ROLLER. 



An implement has been in use in this part of the 

 country for several years, which I have not seen 

 elsewhere. It was invented by Thomas B. Gay, 

 a practical and intelligent farmer of this county, 

 and though it has perhaps only been adopted by 

 some agriculturists in this vicinity, who are in the 

 habit of preparing their grounds neatly for the re- '■ 

 ception of seed, yet it deserves to be better and 

 more extensively known. 



The implement is called indifferently Drag-log 

 or Drag-roller, and difl'ers in principle from the 

 conmion roller being dejirived of the rotary mo- 

 tion, and consequently drawn or dragged over the 

 land. Such fiirmers as have used it fully concur 

 in the ojiinion — to the correctness of which I can 

 also attest from my own experience — that it is not 

 only a con venient but li-equently indispensable agent 

 in reducing rough oi' cloddy ground. The most 

 stubborn ])icce of land may, by one or at most 

 two timely oi)crations, be pulverized more com- 

 pletely than by double or treble the number of 

 ploughings. The first application should be made 

 immediately after the land is turned over — that is 

 to say, all land ploughed during the day should be 

 subjected to the operation in the afternoon. When 

 such land comes to be re-ploughed it will always be 

 found in a light and friable condition. 



The drag-roller is not recommended for the pur- 

 pose of being substituted for the common roller, or 

 in any manner superseding it. The respective 

 merits of the implements rest on different basis. 

 The common roller must remain highly useflil in 

 giving a smooth surface to land in order to enable 

 the scytheman to harvest the crop with facility. 

 The drag-roller is intended to assist in the prepa- 

 ration of the ground forthe reception of seed; and 

 will be found exceedingly beneficial in attaining 

 this object in all spring and summer fallows. 

 When the ploughing has been done in the fall or 

 winter, the action of the frost alone will produce 

 the desired efiect. On grass or sward land well 

 turned over, it will aid in smothering such roots or 

 spires as might otherwise grow, by filling the in- 

 terstices with the loose mould. 



The construction of the drag-roller is sufficiently 

 simple. The piece of timber may be about six 

 leet long, and eighteen or twenty inches in diam- 

 eter, which may be lightened to any extent by 

 taking from the upper side: one-third or even one- 

 half may be hewed off according to the size of the 

 log. Two pieces of scantling introduced oblique- 

 ly by mortice and tennon at a suitable distance 

 from the ends of the log, and made fast to each 

 other opposite to the middle, completes the fixture, 

 which may be drawn by either horses or oxen. It 

 is desirable to have the diameter of the size re- 

 commended, that the implement may pass smooth- 

 ly over the ground: — if too small, the earth will 

 gather before it, by which the progress will be im- 

 peded, and the efficiency of the operation im- 

 paired. 



T. 9. P. 



Goochland county, Va., 2 mo. 27. 



FLORIDA COFFEE. 



From the Augusta Sentinel. 



Dear Sir: — The difficulty with which I procured 

 a pamphlet, containing information with regard to 

 the culture of the "Florida cofiee," induces me to 

 offer to the public through your paper the following 

 information with regard to this invaluable arti- 

 cle. 



It should be planted like cotton and at the same 

 time, in any climate where cotton may be culti- 

 vated to advantage — on beds five feet apart (for 

 in good land the plant grows from 10 to 12 feet 

 high,) or nearer on poor land. Two pounds of 

 seed will plant an acre which will yield from 1500 



