NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



243 



'ceived; will appear in good time. Your girdled 

 trees may be saved by inserting fresh strips of 

 bark from other trees, and excluding the air from 

 the wounded parts. 



N. C. T., Washington, D. C. — Thanks for your 

 excellent article — will find a jjlacc for it soon. 



E. M.— The "Rural Sketch" is evidently the 

 work of a young hand. It contains many good 

 ideas, and indicates a close observation of irration- 

 al life, but needs pruning both as regards correct- 

 ness and length. Plain prose is far better than 

 rhyme. We can find nothing in that way better 

 than the Georgics. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 GRAFTING WAX. 

 isynoNESTUs stearns. 



Mr. Editor : — I have lately read several articles 

 recommending grafting wax prepared with linseed 

 oil, &c. I have used this wax for the last two 

 years, and that gives me some right to judge of its 

 merits ; and for the benefit of your readers and 

 the community at large, I will venture to give a 

 little of my experience and opinion concerning it. 

 In the first place, in the preparation of this wax, it 

 is evident no chemical combination takes place be- 

 tween the ingredients ; therefore there is nothing 

 to prevent a portion of the oil being absorbed by 

 the bark both of the scion and stalk, which imme- 

 diately puts a stop to all circulation of the juices 

 wherever the wax comes in contact. This recei 

 was highly recommended by a friend, and it struck 

 ifny fancy as being just the thing. I used it, and 

 in consequence, I have lost more than a thousand 

 scions, of choice varieties of fruit, some of them 

 obtained at a distance at a heavy expense, besides 

 ruining many valuable seedlings by the failure. 

 The first year, I attributed the loss to some other 

 cause ; but after the failure the second year, I was 

 convinced of the true cause ; and on examination, 

 I found, as a general thing, the bark of both stalk 

 and scion completely dead. A very few set late 

 • in the season, after the circulation of the juices 

 had become sufficient to counteract the pernicious 

 influence of the oil, barely lived ; but their stinted 

 growth told a sad story. 



The following recipe forms a perfect article ; and 

 one that is in no way injurious — though the body 

 of a tree were completely-covered with it. It is 

 the same used by Geo. R. Gill *Son, experienced 

 and skilful nurserymen of Springfield, Vermont, 

 and I think the same recommended by the late Mr. 

 Cole, in his work on fruit, viz. : 

 4 parts good Rosin, 

 2 parts Beeswax, 

 1 part good Beef Tallow. 



Cloth may be used with the above wax, but I do 

 not recommend it. In splicing or tongue grafting, 

 all that is necessary is to stretch out the wax into 

 a strip and wind it round. A little lard rubbed 

 on will prevent its sticking to the hands. The fol- 

 lowing is recommended as a wash to cover wounds 

 caused by pruning : 



Saturate alcohol with gum shellac, and apply 

 with a painter's brush. 



Yours truly, u. s. 



Felchville, March 8th, 1S52. 



Remarks. — Linseed oil is recommended by many 

 of our experienced farmers and nurserymen, as 

 better than tallow in making grafting wax. We 

 have used it without injury. This difference of 

 opinion should teach the importance of close and 

 continued observation in this as all other matters 

 of the farm. 



Catucs' Department. 



SELECTION OF A CARPET. 



The walls being properly papered, the next thing 

 is to consider the pattern of the carpet. In this 

 also the rule must be followed, of selecting small 

 patterns for small rooms. There is economy in 

 this, as well as taste, because small-patterned car- 

 pets are generally found the most durable. As a 

 rule, a formal geometrical pattern is best for a car- 

 pet ; it should be something which does not appear 

 unnatural to tread upon. It is a mistake to put 

 flowers, trees, or figures of birds or animals, into 

 a carpet, for we do not walk on such things ; far 

 other are their purposes and uses. Sometimes a 

 carpet is made to represent a picture or landscape, 

 which is also a mistake, for it offends our notions 

 of propriety to see such objects spread on a floor. 

 In the formal pattern, all these defects are avoid- 

 ed ; it is not unusual to walk upon ornamental 

 pavements or floors, and we are not displeased at 

 seeing varieties of similar ornaments reproduced in 

 a carpet. Those persons who have seen the House 

 of Lords will remember that the pattern of the car- 

 pet is nothing more than a small amber-colored 

 star, on a deep blue ground, which, simple as it 

 appears, harmonizes admirably with the superb | 

 decorations of the spacious edifice. 



Another reason why a small pattern should be 

 chosen is, that it suits best with the furniture of 

 a room. The furniture must of course cover some 

 portions of the carpet, so that if the pattern be 

 large, there is so much confusion between what 

 is seen and what is hidden, that a very disagreea- 

 ble effect is produced. With a small pattern, on 

 the contrary, the concealing of a portion by the 

 furniture does not spoil the effect of that which re- 

 mains uncovered. In general suitability the Tur- 

 key carpet is the best ; it is adapted for almost any 

 style of furniture, and no one ever gets tired of it, 

 owing to the perfect naturalness and harmony of 

 the pattern. Let it be remembered, that neither 

 on the wall nor on the floor should there be any 

 one strong predominating color which injures the 

 effect of everything else in the room. As a rule, 

 the color of the carpet should be darker than that 

 of the walls ; very light patterns are most suitable 

 for bedrooms. 



WOMAN'S RIGHTS. 



David Hale, late editor of the Journal of Com- 

 merce, once wrote &jeu d 1 esprit on the "Rights of 

 Women," in which he showed that the balance of 

 wrongs was decidedly on the side of the men. 

 "When the simple question of superiority is at is- 

 sue, the men always have to give up. If ladies 

 and gentlemen meet on the sidewalk, who has to 

 turn out ? If there are not seats enough for all 

 the company, who has to stand up? When there 

 is danger to face, who must go forward ? If there 

 is curiosity to gratify, who goes behind 1 If there 



