NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



507 



about a quarter of an inch in length, through 

 which the sweat is poured out. These glands 

 number about 2500 in a square inch of the palms 

 of the hands and soles of the feet, and about 2800 

 in a square inch of the remainder of the surface of 

 the body. The total numher of pores, therefore, in 

 the human body is about 7,000,000, and the total 

 Length of the tubes through which the sweat is 

 poured out, is nearly 28 miles. 



The weight of the brain and spinal cord of the 

 male ranges between 40 and 63 ounces, but that 

 of the female is often found as low as 41 ounces, 

 and very seldom higher than 47 ounces. In man, 

 one thirty-sixth of the whole is brain, yet it re- 

 ceives one-sixth of the blood of the entire system. 

 Surrounding, and within the convolution of every 

 healthy brain, there are about two ounces of 

 water. 



The process by which sound is communicated to 

 the brain, is very curious. The ear is divided into 

 three parts — external, middle, and internal car — 

 first, there is the external ear, or porch to the house 

 in which sits the god of listening. Every sound, 

 as all very well know, spreads it out upon the air 

 in an undulatory or wavy manner, just as when 

 we cast a stone into a stream, certain waves are 

 produced, which spread out in constantly widen- 

 ing circles. This wave in the air enters the ear, 

 and raps, as it were, upon the little door called the 

 membrana tympani, which is situated at the bot- 

 tom of the external ear. 



Within the middle chamber, and on the inner 

 side of this door, stand those three little houses, 

 which act as servants in the hall, to communicate 

 the message to the brain. No sooner, then, does 

 the sound rap upon this door, than the malleus, or 

 hammer, the handle of which is fastened upon the 

 inner side of the door, strikes a blow upon the 

 anvil. The anvil throws all its burden into the 

 bone called the stirrup, to which it is fastened. 

 The stirrup itself is fastened by a riug to the oval 

 window which opens to the internal ear, to vibrate, 

 and thus tell the story to the nerves which sur- 

 round it, and through them it is communicated to 

 the brain. 



BEDFORD CATTLE SHOW. 



We passed a few pleasant hours with our neigh- 

 bors at Bedford on Thursday, the 30th September, 

 in looking at their Exhibition of the fruits of the 

 farm. The day was one among the pleasantest 

 of our unsurpassed autumnal days. There was a 

 creditable display of cattle, swine, poultry, fruit, 

 vegetables, domestic manufactures and fancy work. 

 They had a plowing and drawing match, and all 

 the other accompaniments usual at the county 

 shows. The address was by the Hon. J.T. Buck- 

 ingham, of Cambridge, a gentleman whose zeal in 

 all that relates to the farm is always active, and 

 whose skill in the culture of fruits is scarcely sur- 

 passed by the most enthusiastic votaries of Po- 

 mona. His subject was, Yankee contrivance and 

 persistence, which he handled with ease and abili- 

 ty. The dinner was a good one, and served in 

 good style, and the "table was set in a roar" more 

 than once by happy hits of the toast-master, the 

 Rev. Mr. Cusiiixg, of Bedford. There were also 



many pretty faces, as well as happy ones, among 

 the ladies which graced the festive board, — a far 

 better seasoning on such occasions, than "caper 

 sauce or cayenne." The old song had it that 

 "women and wine" went together — but they have 

 driven out the wine, and we don't see but the wit 

 sparkles just as well as ever. The President made 

 appropriate remarks, and was sustained by the 

 Chief Marshal, and others who made lively and in- 

 teresting speeches. Upon the whole, as a single 

 Town Show, the Bedford farmers will be found 

 "hard to beat." 



For the Neiu England Farmer. 

 CARROTS— SWEET CORN— STORE 

 SWINE. 



Mr. Editor: — I am of the opinion that no de- 

 partment of an agricultural journal is more profit- 

 able, than that which is devoted to the answering 

 of questions from practical farmers. These an- 

 swers are usually concise, practical, and .to the 

 point. 



If you agree with me in this view of the matter, 

 you will perhaps be so kind as to answer, through 

 your monthly paper, some few questions which I 

 have to propose. 



1. I would inquire how carrots affect the soil 

 on which they are grown 1 or in what condition 

 they leave the soil for a corn crop ? 



2. How does sweet corn affect the soil on which 

 it is raised 1 Has it been tried as food for stock, 

 and if so, with what success 1 



3. What food is most profitable for the winter 

 feeding of store swine? 



4. I have heard of experiments in raising corn 

 for many years in succession upon the same land, 

 with no manure after the first year, except what 

 was left after removing simply the ears of the pre- 

 ceding crop. I should like information in regard 

 to the policy of attempting to raise corn in this 

 manner, upon lands at a distance from one's ma- 

 nure-heaps. 



5. I was much interested in the article of your 

 associate, Mr. Holbrook, published in your June 

 number. The results of his experiments in deep- 

 ening his soil seem to have been very satisfactory 

 indeed ; but I fear that many farmers would reap 

 a large share of disappointment, should they an- 

 ticipate equally good results from a similar course 

 of treatment toward their lands. It has occurred 

 to me that Mr. Holbrook may cultivate some of 

 the Connecticut River flats. If such is the case, 

 his "sandy loams" may differ materially from 

 some which might be pointed out in other parts of 

 New England. 



6. Many articles lack much of the value which 

 they might possess, were they but slightly more 

 specific. I think, however, that Mr. Holbrook's 

 articles may generally be taken as models in this 

 respect. 



An early response to the above would be thank- 

 fully received by Yours, &c. H. 

 Valley Farm, N. H., Sept. 10, 1852. 



REMARKS IN REPLY TO INQUIRIES BY "H." 



1. The carrot exhausts the soil as little as 

 any crop commonly raised ; its tap-root strikes 

 deep, drawing a good portion of nourishment from 



