304 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



and keep the grass, weeds, and rubbish away from 

 the trees that they may be examined conveniently. 

 During the time of depositing the eggs, wash the 

 trees occasionally with a rather strong lye of wood 

 ashes, or a solution of one pound of potash to 

 two gallons of water. A strong lye is liable to in- 

 jure the trees. These and other corrosive sub- 

 stances may destroy the eggs, or annoy the in- 

 sects ; but they are not always sure. The borers 

 may enter between the roots that branch high, 

 where washes do nof%ffect, or the eggs may not 

 be destroyed ; therefore keep the trees smooth and 

 clear of every thing around them, and examine 

 them often ; and when the young borers have just 

 penetrated the bark, they are all easily destroyed. 

 So attend to them the first season. 



Make a wash of two quarts of soft soap, or 

 whale oil soap, half a pound of sulphur and two 

 gallons of water. Add also camphorated spirit, 

 asafoetida, tobacco and other offensive substances, 

 and wash the tree with it. A little clay or lime 

 added Avill make a coating holding these substan- 

 ces, which may be offensive to the beetle or young 

 borers, and prevent their operations. 



After the borers have penetrated the trees they 

 may be destroyed by running a wire or other flex- 

 ible substance into the hole. 



For Ike New England Farmer. 

 PEAT MUD— SEA WEED. 



Mr. Brown : — I wish to make the following in- 

 quiries, which I would be happy to have you an- 

 swer through the columns of your paper or other- 

 wise. 



I have a very valuable peat swamp on my farm, 

 which is easy to get at with a team ; I also live 

 only six miles from an excellent sea-weed beach ; 

 I keep six head of horned cattle and a pair of hor- 

 ses ; I have no barn cellar or manure shed, but 

 want to make as much good manure as I possibly 

 can this year. My land is a warm sandy loam. 

 Now please tell me how to manage. I would like 

 also to inquire if sea-weed is good manure for a 

 young orchard. Also what is the best kind of plow 

 for my land — it is very smooth — and the price of 

 the same. 



Where can I procure a full blood Devon bull 

 calf, and at what price, delivered at Kingston de- 

 pot, on Stonington and Providence railroad, or at 

 Stonington depot, in Providence 1 



An answer to the above questions will greatly 

 oblige, Yours truly, John Dimon. 



Wakefield, June 8th, 1852. 



Remarks. — If we had access to sea-weed we 

 should spread and plow it in, in as green state as 

 possible, while plump with all its juices. But if 

 not convenient for you to use in this manner, pile 

 it up, layer after layer, with your peat mud, and 

 after it has remained a year overhaul the heap and 

 mix with it such animal or special manures as you 

 cm supply. In this way you may make large 

 (pi unities of excellent dressing. Sea-weed would 



be a good dressing for an orchard by plowing it in. 

 Considerable land has been kept constantly under 

 tillage and producing good crops for many years 

 in New England, by a free application of sea-weed 

 alone. 



The Deep Tiller, No. 73, sold by Messrs. Rug- 

 gles, Nourse & Mason, we should think the suita- 

 ble plow for your land. Full rigged with wheel 

 and cutter, the price is $13,00. We cannot give 

 you the information you desire at present, in rela- 

 tion to Devon bull calves, but advise you to com- 

 municate with B. V. French, Esq., of Braintree, 

 Mass. 



For the New England Farmer. 



NEAT STOCK. 



S. Brown, Esq.: — Dear Sir, — I have to acknow- 

 ledge your favor of yesterday ; and in reply, beg 

 to say, that it gives me much pleasure to comply 

 with your request, although at present I cannot 

 find leisure to write an article for the press ; yet I 

 trust your friends may be able to make some use 

 of the following plain statements. 



The general stock of horned cattle in Nova Sco- 

 tia is now very much improved by the frequent im- 

 portation of pure blood Ayrshires, Durhams, Here- 

 fords and Devons ; these breeds, crossed with the 

 best of our old stock, has produced a profitable 

 breed both for the dairy and the feeding stall. — 

 The Ayrshire and Devon cattle are Avell suited to 

 our upland districts ; while our best alluvial lands 

 support the Durhams and Herefords, without risk 

 of degeneracy, provided that ordinary care is exer- 

 cised. In the Dutch settlements there is a small 

 compact breed of cattle known as the " Dutch 

 breed." They are easily kept, make excellent 

 working oxen, and the cows yield well to their size, 

 and are particularly well adapted to light pastures. 



Respecting the price of cattle, it may be stated 

 that a fair milch cow, in her prime, is generally 

 valued at £8, [about $5 is a pound.] Four year 

 old oxen, when trained to the yoke, readily com- 

 mand from £18 to £20 per pair. 



I think the average yield of our dairy stock may 

 be fairly stated at 10 to 12 quarts per day in the 

 milking season. I have often seen 20 quarts and 

 upwards realized, and I have made 10 lbs. of but- 

 ter per week from a cow, though this may be re- 

 garded as much above the average ; 6 lbs., is con- 

 sidered good dairy yield. 



If we do not produce butter and cheese equal to 

 any made on the American continent, the fault 

 lies in our management, not with the country. — 

 Annapolis cheese and Cumberland butter are now 

 far famed and deservedly popular. Nor is there 

 any reason why other districts may not vie with 

 these established patron dairy localities. Our ru- 

 ral population generally are very deficient in that 

 pains-taking habit necessary to constitute a high 

 grade of agricultural character. 



Nova Scotia is, emphatically, a grazing country, 

 though its natural advantages in this respect have 

 yet to be improved. Our farmers have no defined 

 system, no fixed purpose, nor combination of ac- 

 tion. Each is doing a little of everything, and ef- 

 fecting comparatively nothing. Instead of mutual 

 operation, it is too often regarded a virtue to cher- 

 ish selfish motives and make a secret of practical 

 management. Now and then we may find a fair 



