40 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Fifth. — Select the seed from a field which has not 

 been attacked by the rot. Tubers, apparently sound, 

 if taken from a blighted field, must sympathize more 

 or less with the general disease. Though they may 

 not be absolutely putrescent, yet then tendencies 

 are all that way. Under such circumstances, they 

 may be said to be predisposed to rot, as a child is 

 to sin. 



Sixth. — If, in spite of all precautions, the tops 

 should be blighted, cut them off with a scythe im- 

 mediately, close to the ground — the closer the bet- 

 ter. This will prevent the diseased sap of the stalk 

 from descending into the tuber. Do not wait, 

 an hour after the first symtoms of the blight ap- 

 pear ; for if, in the natural circulation of the sap, 

 the tuber becomes inoculated with the virus from 

 the vines, its eventual destruction is sure — " salt 

 can't save it." 



Seventh. — The potatoes when dug should lie care- 

 fully sorted and thoroughly dried; and then placed 

 in small Inns in a dry cellar. Coal-dust or powdered 

 charcoal, applied at the rate of five or six quarts to 

 a barrel, is undoubtedly useful as an antiseptic ■ its 

 extreme porosity enables it to absorb in great quan- 

 tities moisture and noxious gases, and thus to pre- 

 serve the potatoes sound. 



These precautionary measures we have ventured 

 to suggest to your readers, because we have our- 

 selves found them uniformly beneficial and certain 

 in their effects. They may serve a good purpose, 

 until some benefactor of his race shall discover the 

 specific cause of the disease and its specific remedy. 

 Whatever the future may reveal, we certainly do 

 not yet think that the potato-grower need say in 

 the despairing language of the Moor — " Othello's 

 occupation 's gone." J. G. Hoyt. 



Exeter, Nov. 24, 1851. 



north and west by flourishing and well-arranged plan- 

 tations of evergreens,* are much warmer than those 

 which are nakedly exposed. There is, generally 

 speaking, but little difficulty experienced in making 

 these trees grow. All that appears to be essen- 

 tially requisite to secure success, is to remove them 

 with proper care, taking with each tree a sufficien- 

 cy of soil to retain the small roots in a moist state, 

 and in their original position, and to set them firm 

 ly and securely in the ground. Mould from the 

 forest in which they have grown is the best ma- 

 nure that can be applied. All fermenting or fer- 

 mentable manure should be rejected, and if the soil 

 is (if a loamy or sandy constitution, clay, mixed 

 with rich garden mould, will be found a most ex- 

 cellent application, especially in the spring. Out 

 of a hundred trees transplanted, scarcely one will 

 fail. — Germantown Telegraph. 



EVERGREENS FOR A NORTHERN DE- 

 FENCE. 



It is often necessary to secure certain enclosures 

 from the cold and drifting winds which during the 

 autumnal and winter months, as well as during the 

 earlier periods of spring, blow so constantly from 

 the north. For this purpose I have found no pro- 

 tection superior to that afforded by a close and 

 compact plantation of thrifty evergreens. The sil- 

 ver fir, — {Pinus sylvestris,) is a vigorous, thrifty 

 and elegant tree, and when properly transplanted 

 and managed, makes a close and compact defence, 

 which is highly ornate in its appearance, especial- 

 ly during winter, when all around is desolate and 

 dreary to the eye. 



Fruit trees that are induced to put forth too ear- 

 ly in the soring, and which therefore require to be 

 set on the north of buildings where the propensity 

 to premature inflorescence may be restricted, should 

 be protected by a row of evergreens, winch is a 

 much better preventive than high fences, or build- 

 ings, as the air lias a free circulation, at all sea- 

 sons, through the boughs, which afford all the 

 necessary advantages, without any of the inconven- 

 iences and disadvantages of the former. Paths and 

 roads that, from their exposed locality, are liable to 

 be rendered dangerous or impassable by the ob- 

 struction of snow drifts during the winter, should 

 also be sheltered by lines of evergreens. With a 

 little care, and the manuductory suggestions of 

 good taste, these may be made to conduce greatly 

 to the elegance of any place. Barns, out-build- 

 ings and even dwelling-houses, protected on the 



For the New England Farmer. 



NEW YEAR'S MORNING THOUGHTS. 



'Tis New Year's morn, and all is still; 



And while I silent sit, sober 



Reflection throws her mantle o'er 



My mind, and thus in breathless 



Whispers says,— "Another year is gone) 



Another arch in the bridge of life 



Has fallen, and with it how many 



Lives have perished ! Ye who still survive, 



Review the past— review your deeds, 



And ask why you've escaped. 



Is it for your own good works ? 



Can you claim superior skill 



In guiding the frail bark of life 



Down Time's rapid tide, in which are 



Rocks and shoals innumerable ? 



Nay, verily; but He who sees the 



Sparrow fall, hath still upborn you, 



And, if in Him you trust, will ever." 



As thus I musing sit, the future 

 Breaks upon my view. Anticipation 

 Steals my thoughts, and thus she seems to say, 

 "Past errors may forgiven be, yet 

 Better far, never to commit them. 

 Therefore be wise in future; commence 

 Anew thy life, firmly resolved to 

 Pass the present year— if life is spared — 

 In doing good; then shalt thou be blest, 

 And have indeed a Happy Year." 



Her words are wise, her counsel good, 

 And may it be well received; may all 

 Pursue the paths of Peace, — guard well their 

 Thoughts and acts, and aim at happiness. 

 So living, when our Father calls, 

 Cheerfully the summons we'll obey. Aquila 



ENGLISH FARMING. 



Sam Slick, writing from England, says, "Arter 

 all, they haint got no Indgin corn here ; the}'' can't 

 raise it, nor punkin-pies, nor quinces, nor pea- 

 nuts, nor silk-worms, nor nothin.' Then as to 

 then' farmin' — Lord ! only look at five great ele- 

 phant-lookin' beasts in one plough, with one 

 great lummokin' feller to hold the handle, and 

 another to carry the whip, and a boy to lead, 

 whose boots, has more iron on 'em than fchehorses' 

 huffs have, all crawlin' as if they was a-goin' to a 

 funeral. What sort of a way is that to do work ! 

 It makes me mad to look at "'em. If there is any 

 airthly clumsy fashion of doin' a thing, that's the 

 way they are sure to git here. They are a be- 



