NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



427 



had sawed it entirely off, and then marched up the 

 branch an inch and about one-eighth of an inch 

 under the bark. Hundreds of branches sawed off 

 in this manner are scattered under the oak trees. 

 We also have before us a young apple tree cut off 

 in the same manner. The insect resembles the 

 common apple-tree borer ; that from the apple 

 tree is about half an inch, and that from the oak 

 nearly an inch in length. 



For a description of this grub, the reader is re- 

 ferred to Dr. Harris' excellent work on Insects, 

 and also to a letter from him in another column. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 GRASS CULTURE. 

 It is not my purpose to tell a great story, of a 

 great crop — but simply to state what a plain, 

 practical man has done, and what other men like 

 him can do. My neighbor, Stephen Blaney, has a 

 field lately taken from the pastures of Salem, sur- 

 rounded by hills, rocks, swamps, and other appen- 

 dages, not very inviting, on which there grew, in 

 1851, not more than half a ton of ordinary hay to 

 the acre. The land is flat, rather moist, requiring 

 some small drains to carry off the superfluous 

 moisture. In September of the last year, heplowed 

 this land eight inches deep, and turned the fur- 

 row slice flat. He then pulverized the surface, 

 and applied a dressing of well-rotted manure, not 

 exceeding four cards to the acre. He then sowed 

 herdsgrass and red-top, and levelled the surface, 

 He is "now mowing the crop, and obtains from two 

 to three tons of hay to the acre,— of as good qual- 

 ity as can be desired. Thus his land, within 

 twelve months, has been brought from a worthless 

 condition, to yield a crop worth at least forty dol- 

 lars to the acre ; and this, without any extra ex- 

 pense, or extra effort. Without doubt there are 

 many other instances of culture, equally success- 

 ful ; but heretofore, in the usual manner of culture, 



this land has not yielded annually grass 'enough 

 to feed one cow. The point to which I would di- 

 rect attention is, greater care in cultivation — less 

 land and more labor, if you would have labor well 

 rewarded. p. 



Danvcrs. 



MY FATHER'S HALF-BUSHEL. 



My father's half bushel comes oft to my mind, 

 And wakens deep feeling of various sorts; 

 'Twas an honest h.ilf-hushel, a noble half-bushel; 

 It held a half-bushel of thirty-two quarts! 



When I think of that bushel,— my father's half-bushel, 

 That dear old half-bushel, so honest and true, 

 Then look at the bushels, our city half-bushels, 

 Little dandy half-bushels, — it makes me feel blue ! 



O, my father's half-bushel, that country half-bushel, 

 Say, when, with blest vision, its like shall I see? 

 'Twas a blessed half-bushel, and he was a true man, 

 For he filled his half bushel, and something threw free! 



Yet all the half-bushels, if mean, are not small; 

 I'm vexed with the great ones the most, after all. 

 O, mark out that ashman's, next time he shall call; 

 'Tis a monstrous half-bushel — holds quarts sixty-four; 

 So send the base rascal away from your door! 



'Tis a fact I am stating— no slanders I utter — 

 But who cin forbear, when cheated, to mutter? 

 In New York, a barrel — I pray you, dou't laugh — 

 Will not hold so much ashes as potatoes by half! 



O, what are the lawyers, and what are the laws, 

 But bugbears and phantoms, — mere feathers or straws! 

 Unless our half-bushels are all made as one, 

 Like father's half-bushel, I say, we're undone! 



Journal of Commerce. 



SPEECH OF ABBOTT LAWRENCE IN 

 LONDON. 



The Royal Agricultural Society of England had 

 its great annual dinner at Lewes, on the 15th inst. 

 Among others present, was the American Minis- 

 ter, Hon. Abbott Lawrence, who made a short 

 speech . He said : 



My Lords and Gentlemen — I have the honor of 



it has taken three years, at least, to bring land submitting to you a toast, and that toast is one of 

 into a condition alike productive. First, a crop] very extensive significance. It is no other than 



of corn or potatoes. Second, a crop of barley, oats, 

 or other grain. Third, the crop of grass — and this 

 generally, clover, of much less value than the crop 

 of which we have spoken. 



What is the secret of the success of Mr. Blaney's 

 culture? First, complete pulverization of the sur- 

 face ; second, complete preparation and interming- 

 ling of manure. Where small seeds are expected 

 to vegetate, these conditions are indispensable. — 

 Suppose he had taken the same quantity of manure 

 from his barn-yard, and spread it upon the land, 

 in lumps, three or four inches in diameter, and 

 cross plowed and harrowed the land, as is ordina- 

 rily done, it is safe to say his crop would not have 

 been worth half as much. Here then the appli- 

 cation of labor of the value of three dollars to an 

 acre, has increased the income at least twenty dol- 

 lars. Might not our farmers do the same thin w 

 with other crops, as well as with their hay? Are 

 there not hundreds of acres that do not now yield 

 a crop of the value of ten dollars per acre, that 

 could be made to yield crops of the value of forty 

 dollars ? 



I saw, yesterday, a field of rye on our town 

 farm, of four acres, the product of which will be 

 not less than one hundred and twentv bushels : 



The Agricultural Societies throughout the 

 World ;" and I give it with the more pleasure be- 

 cause I know that the operations of the Royal 

 Agricultural Society of England are bounded only 

 by the horizon. I know that your premises are 

 open to all the world. I know that my honored 

 colleagues on both sides of me — each representing 

 a farming country — their stock and their imple- 

 ments — may come here and compete with yours. 

 I say, then, that the science which has been and 

 is applied to agriculture in England is like all other 

 scientific pursuits — it knows no limits. I honor 

 this society, then, for its liberality; and on the 

 part of my country I desire to present my thanks 

 to you for the great benefits we have derived from 

 your publications and experiments. (Cheers.) — 

 Between our two countries there never was any 

 reason — at least, any true reason — for feelings of 

 alienations ; and if I could have my way — if I 

 could govern and regulate matters, with the aid of 

 my friend on the right, (Lord Palmerslon,) with 

 the kind feeling which I knoio to exist in the heart 

 of another eminent individual zoho occupies a seat 

 in the present Cabinet, we should never have war 

 or even rumors of war more. (Vociferous cheer- 

 in <r ^ 



