294 



FARMERS' REGISTER. 



two acres ; these two acres produced him one 

 hundred and twenty bushels; the other two acres 

 yielded only sixty bushels. The next spring these 

 lour acres were sowed with oats and grass seed. 

 The oats was more than twice as large on the two 

 acres dressed with muck as they were on the other 

 two. The grass tor the four succeeding years 

 produced in much the same ratio. I might relate 

 other improvements of a similar kind. It is pre- 

 sumed that every intelligent, industrious farmer 

 will be satisfied of the utility of muck as manure. 

 Those fiarms which are interspersed with swamps 

 of muck and uplands either of loam, sand, or gra- 

 vel, may be made, at an expense of five to ten 

 dollars per acre, capable of paying an interest 

 annually of one hundred dollars. Ten dollars ex- 

 pended with economy will, in most circumstances, 

 be suflicient to cart and spread one hundred loads 

 ofswamp manure on an acre. 



Those who are owning farms, situated as just 

 stated, now valued at twenty-five dollars per acre, 

 have only to say the word, and go I'orv/ard, for one 

 or two years, to convince themselves and their 

 neighbors they have larms intrinsically worth one 

 hundred dollars per acre. Wliyso? it maybe 

 asked. Because they will pay a net profit over 

 and above all expense, amounting to the interest 

 of one hundred dollars. Look for a moment at 

 the statement of Mr. Bloomer. He tells you he 

 applied filty loads of muck in the spring, (though 

 the fall is a better time, and the muck is better to 

 be laid on lands in the fall,) per acre, which cost 

 him five dollars. On this acre he had an excess 

 of corn of thirty bushels, at fifty cents per bushel, 

 which would leave ten dollars, nearly, to pay the 

 interest of one hundred and fifty dollars at 7 per 

 cent., and this only for the first year. It is ivonhy 

 to consider, by taking the muck from the low lands, 

 that ditches may be made or improved, so that the 

 low lands may produce bountilul crops of timothy 

 and red top, &c. &c. It is desirable that farmers 

 in different parts of the country would try the 

 utility of the muck on the different summ3rcrops, 

 and inform the public of the results of their labor 

 through yourusellil New England Farmer, all of 

 which are highly beneficial to us farmers. 



HUSSEY S REAPIIfG MACHINE. 



From ilie Baltimore Patriot. 

 Mr. Charles Carroll, of Doughoregan Manor, 

 liaving liilly tested the advantages of this reaping 

 machine, during the late harvest, speaks in very 

 decided terms as to its merits. Mr. Carroll has 

 had upwards of one hundred acres of grain cut 

 with this machine, "on all kindsof ground, not too 

 stony, and in light and heavy wheat ;" and in a 

 communication to the Chronicle, he gives it as his 

 opinion tliat it is impossible lor cradles to cut grain 

 as clean or as evenly, fur it takes every head and 

 leaves the stubble accurately level. In very heavy 

 grain, however, the machine is represented as 

 showing to most advantage — performing in such 

 grace, the work of four cradlers, and furnishing 

 employment for eight good active binders. The 

 machine is drawn by two horses, which incon- 

 stant or heavy work should be changed twice a 

 day. This machine is evidently a valuable in- 

 vention, or im[)rovement in ll.e matter of harvest- 



ing; and Mr. Carroll observes that it may be 

 applied to cutting of clover seed ; and with some 

 alterations to the cuttingof meadows and all kinds 

 of grass. As to its allotted use as a "reaper," he 

 thinks it will soon be seen upon all farms where 

 it is found necessary to have a thrashing machine. 



USEFULNESS OF BIRDS AND TOADS. 



From the Boston Courier."^ 

 Ulr. Editor — ^I see it stated in your paper of Fri- 

 day, that the probable reason why the canker-worm 

 commits small ravages in 'Flob,' is found in the 

 care v^ith which the birds are protected. I was 

 reminded of a remark in Peabody's Lile of Wilson. 

 "He enters into a deliberate calculation of the value 

 of the services of the red-winged blackbird, which 

 certainly bears no good reputation on the farm ; 

 showing that, allowing a single bird fifty insects 

 in a day, which would be short allowance, a single 

 pair would consume 12,000 in four months : and if 

 there are a m.illion of pairs of these birds in the 

 United States, the amount of insects is less by 

 twelve thousand millions, than if the red-wing 

 were exterminated." Let any one, during the 

 brooding season of robins or other birds, rise by- 

 break of day and count the number of times old 

 ones return in one hour with worms and insects, 

 or, if he can, let him count through the day, and 

 the number will be foimd almost incredible. 



The practice of killing birds for mere amuse- 

 ment, is not merely indicative of cruelty and want 

 of feeling, but is exceedingly detrimental to the 

 interests of the community. If the liirmers re- 

 flected and made calculations upon the sutject, 

 they would discourage and oppose it as one of the 

 greatest scourges, and would pay a premium to 

 their boys to let the birds alone, rather than furnish 

 them with powder and shot to kill them. 



And, now that I am upon the subject of insects 

 and worms, let me add, that there is a very unrea- 

 sonable prejudice against toads. They are ex- 

 ceedingly valuable in gardens, and other places, 

 in consequence of the exterminating warfare they 

 are continually waging against the bugs and 

 worms. Any person who has them in his garden 

 has a treasure there ; and if he will watch them 

 closely, he will find them accomplishing more in 

 the way of preserving his squash and cucumber 

 vines, and other vegetables, than he can do with 

 all his troughs of liquid. I think these subjects 

 will be brought more'fully into notice by the gen- 

 tlemen commissioned by the state to examine into 

 its natural history ; indeed I know that one of 

 them, at least, has been at great pains for two 

 years, to collect from all parts o/ the country what 

 information he could upon the subject, which 

 would be likely to secure the fiirmer from the ra- 

 vages which his trees, his grain crops, and all the 

 products of his farm suffer from insects and 

 other causes. I would suggest that this subject 

 be brought up at the weekly agricultural meet- 

 ings, and that persons acquainted with these mat- 

 ters be invited to communicate their information 

 upon them. For, notwithstanding all the outcry 

 about retrenchment, and useless offices, it seems to 

 me that no offices in the end are likely to be more 

 valuable to us, than those which will bring to light 

 the hidden resources of this state, and collect all 



