114 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



July 21, isyo. 



to know what part of this machine belongs to my 

 improvement, I would state that it includes nearly 

 all, except simply, the principle of the cylinder 

 and bedstone. 



Letters, post paid, will bo attended to. 



MOODY STOCKMAN. 



Hampton, (JV. U.) July 14, 1826. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



BOSTON, FRIDAY, JULY 21, 1826. 



To Correspondents. — A communication from 

 Gov. Lincoln, and one from a gentleman in Hal- ; 

 lowell, (Me.) were received too late for insertion 

 in this week's paper. We are sorry to state that 

 an article from a gentleman in Kelson, (N. H.) 

 has been mislaid. 



CLOSE OF THE FOURTH VOLUME. | 

 The present No. completes the 4th volume of I 

 the jVeui England Farmer. A retrospect of our 

 labours affords us the satisfaction, wliich arises 

 from a consciousness that our efforts to be useful 

 have been unremitted ; and the constant though ' 

 gradual increase of our subscription list proves ' 

 that our paper is deemed not undeserving of pub- , 

 _ lie patronage. The value of a publication, princi- 

 pally devoted to the prime pursuit of the human 

 race, is becoming generally appreciated. The 1 

 number of our correspondents is increasing ; and , 

 their communications become more interesting, as 

 the spirit of inquiry is more excited. They enable '■ 

 us to make our columns the records of agricultu- : 

 ral experience. Being mostly from practical farm- 1 

 crs, who have tried what they recommend, they 

 may usually be relied on. Tlieories may be erro- 

 neous, but facts are infallible. By knowing what 

 has been done, the judicious cultivator knows what 

 m similar circumstances may be dono; nntl crnth- 

 crs the fruits of knowledge from all quarters, in- 

 stead of being limited to the comparatively narrow 

 sphere of personal observation. 



We shall publish next week a list of Agents 

 to whom payment can be made in advance by dis- 

 tant subscribers. 



SAXONY SHEEP. 



The flock of Saxony Sheep, sold at Brighton, 

 13 inst. consisting of 189 bucks and 30 ewes, av- 

 eraged $18,64 each. . The average of the sale on 

 the 6th of last May was $44, and that of tho 15th 

 July, 1825, $158,80 each. 



At a similar sale at New York on the 12th inst. 

 38 bucks and 40 ewes averaged about $27 each. 



THE SEASON ; CULTIVATION OF TUR- 

 NIPS. 



The late copious supplies of rain, alternated with 

 sun shine, have revived the hopes, and brightened 

 the prospects of the husbandman. Although the 

 crops of grass and English grain, in New Eng- 

 land have generally fallen very far short of an av- 

 erage, we believe Indian corn, and potatoes never 

 appeared better at tliis season of the year ; and 

 there is time enough yet, should the present fa- 

 vourable weather continue, to provide in an ample 

 manner for the subsistence of stock through the 

 winter. 



We have, heretofore, recommended the growing 

 of Indian corn, ruta baga, oats, &c. for winter 

 food for stock. Potatoes are also excellent , 

 for the same purpose ; but it is too late in the I 

 season to plant potatoes with a prospect of success. 



On many accounts, and in many situations the 

 common English turnip will prove the most elij;i- 

 ble crop, which a farmer can raise for supplying 

 the deficiencies in the hay harvest, which tho un- 

 precedented drought of early summer hag occa- 

 sioned. 



The time generally recommended for sowing 

 English turnip seed is about the middle of July. — 

 Dr Deane, however, observed, " I have sown them 

 in drills the fii'st week in Augjst, and had a good 

 crop. One great advantage of sowing so late is 

 that the turnips will escape insects. And if the 

 crop shonld not happen to be quite so large as if 

 the sowing had been earlier, the roots will not fail 

 of being better for the table. 



" One pound of seed is the common allowance 

 for an acre of land. But to guard against the fly, 

 the quantity may be a little increased. 



" The seed, sown broadcast nuist be harrowed in 

 with a short tined harrow, and then rolled with a 

 wooden roller, to break the clods, and level the 

 surface." 



Mr M. Mahon says " If the farmer would insure 

 Ills first crop, I would not advise him to sow till 

 the last four days in July, or even to the third or 

 fourth day of August, but liable as the turnip crop 

 is to numerous accidents and miscarriages, it is 

 prudent to have a week or two in reserve for a 

 second sowing in case the first should fail. 



The same writer likewise says in substance that 

 it is very important to roll the field, in whicli you 

 have sowed turnip seed with a heavy roller, imme- 

 diately after harrowing in the seed, provided the 

 ground is sufficiently dry, or as soon after as it is 

 in a fit condition. This, he says. " is experiment- 

 ally found to be tlie most efibctual method hither- 

 to discovered for the preservation of the rising 

 crop from the destructive depredations of tho fly. 

 The turnip fly is always found most numerous in 

 rough worked ground, as there they can retreat 

 and take shelter under the clods or lumps of earth 

 from such changes of weather as are disagreeable 

 to them, or from the attacks of small birds and 

 other animals. 



Perhaps no better directions for raising turnips 

 can be given than by copying the statement of the 

 mode of cultivating tlie crop raised by Messrs. 

 Tristram and Henry Little, of Newbury, Mass. 

 for whicli tliey received two premiums of .*20 each 

 from the Mass. Agric. Society, in 1823. One of 

 these premiums was for having raised the greatest 

 quantity of turnips on an acre, and the other for 

 having raised the greatest quantity of the same 

 vegetable as a second crop. 



" The lot is on the north side of a small swell 

 on our farm in said town, the soil is a yellow loam 

 on a gravelly bottom, and liad been down to grass 

 two years ; in July, 1823, the lot was mowed and 

 the hay made on the same land, and the produce 

 was one ton and eiglit hundred ; the sward was 

 then ploughed as dcej) as would turn over, and 

 twice harowed ; furrows were then opened at the 

 distance of three feet apart, ten oxcart loads of 

 manure, mixed with ten loads of marsh mud, or 

 sod, were put into the furrows, which were cover- 

 ed with a plough, one pound of seed was sown 

 with a machine, one row on each ridge, and a rol- 

 ler was made to pass over the same, which com- 

 pleted the sowing. As soon as the third leaf was 

 grown they were thinned to the distance of one 

 foot apart in the rows. After that they were three 

 times ploughed between the rows and twice hond ; 

 the harvesting was in November, and the product 

 nine hundred and eight bushels." 



It is not yet too late to break up mowing or pas- 

 t'lre ground, and raise a good crop of turnips, 

 without the expense and trouble of yarding cattl<j 

 or sheep on the ground, according to the customa- 

 ry mode of preparing for a turnip crop. Sowing 

 broad cast will do well ; but sowing in drills or 

 rows will do better. In either way the crop will 

 be the better for hoeing and thinning out the su- 

 perfluous plants. If the soil is not very poor, a 

 good crop may be obtained, even without manure, 

 but a much better with manure. Wood ashes, 

 soot and lime are said to be preferable, as manure 

 for turnips, to that which is obtained from the 

 farm yard. 



A writer for the American Farmer, vol. II. page 

 I00,who signs "Thomas Harris," and dates "Rock- 

 hall," says " I beg leave to suggest to you a spe- 

 cific against the fly or little black flea, which are 

 so destructive to young plants in warm and dry 

 weather, which is simply to steep the seed in train 

 or fish oil and sulphur, for 15 or 20 hours before 

 seeding ; the oil may then be strained off, and the 

 seed rolled in plaster or ashes — the oil assists the 

 vegetation of the seed, and impregnates the plant 

 so strongly that no fly will trouble it, till it is well 

 leafed out. This antidote I have used for several 

 years past with all the small seed I sow." One 

 would not readily believe that the steeping of 

 small seeds, with any substance, however, oSensive 

 to insects, could preserve the plants, which vege- 

 tate from such seeds from the ravages of those 

 little depredators. It would seem that the flavour 

 of the train oil and sulphur would be dissipated by 

 the process of vegetation, by the soil, sun, air and 

 moisture before the leaves of the plant were devel- 

 oped. But, we cannot reason against experiments. 

 " No argument like matter of fact is." It is easy 

 to try Mr Harris' recipe. If it does not succeed, 

 the expense will be but trifling; and if it does suc- 

 seed with turnip seed, why not with other seeds ? 

 It will no doubt be effectual against all insects, 

 which like the wire worm, attack the seed itself, 

 which has been planted or sown, under ground. — 

 But we can hardly, at present, believe that it is 

 possible to impregnate any seed with a substance, 

 w hich will protect the plant, springing from such 

 seed, from insects. But it is easily tried ; without 

 any risk. 



Common lamp oil, and brimstone are cheap, and 

 at the command of most or all farmers. If they do 

 no good, they can do no harm, as they cannot in 

 15 or 20 hours destroy the power of vegetation in 

 any seed. This is our opinion, but we may be in- 

 correct. We know that some scientific writers on 

 agriculture have condemned the use of steeps for 

 seed; and no doubt they may be injurious, when 

 they go to destroy the germinating principle, or 

 life of the seed. But, when cautiously and prop- 

 erly used, they may not only protect tlie seeds 

 against insects, but give them a good start, or 

 commencement of growth ; and a vigorous seed- 

 ling, is more likely to become a fine and full grown 

 plant than one which peejis out of ground with a 

 sickly aspect, and has not strength enough to ex- 

 tend its roots, and put forth its stem, leaves and 

 branches, with that vigor, whicli can insure its full 

 developement. 



We learn from tlie Ncwburyport Herald that 

 the late Oliver Piitmun, Esq. of Ilampstead, has 

 bequeathed to Newburyport, " for the establish- 

 ment and endowment of a seminary of practical 

 learning, the noble legacy of Jifty thoiisand dollars." 



