MEW ENCJL.AJVB FAKMEK. 



PuUishtd by John B. Russbli., at JVo. 62 Morlh Market Street, (over the'l^gH^^Ol^l Warehouse).- T^,i^i>;i7GrFEssEivDEN, Editor. 



VOL. YII. 



BOSTON, FRIDAY, AUGUST 8, 1828. 



No. 3. 



AGRICULTURE. 



tOR THE .-(EW ESGLANI) PARMER. 



FARMERS' WINTER EVENINGS. 



No class of tlie comiiiuiiity have more leisure 

 during the evenings of winter, than practical fann- 

 ers ; and it way, perhaps, be a ([uestion worthy 

 ilieir consideration, whether those hving in the 

 .•*ame neigliborliood, can enter into any arrange- 

 ment, to appropriate a portion of this leisure time, 

 to aiding each other, in the cultivation of their 

 social, intellectual and moral faculties, or in th' 

 sljll and success of their ini]>ortant and dignified 

 employment. 



The instruction and pleasure received by my- 

 .self, a winter or two since, at weekly meeting.- 

 with a t{!W practical farmers, are fresh in my re 

 collection 



be raised and lowered for the purpose of putting 

 in and taking out hay, and vvdl effectually secure 

 the top of the stack from wind and rain. 



Ilt>RCHESTER. 



FOR THE NEW ENGLAND FARMKB. 



DESTROY THISTLES. 



Mr. Fessende^, -I was pleased to observe in 

 your last, the subject of the Canada thistle again 

 i)rought to view. I allude to the piece signed "a 

 farmer," from the Massachusetts Spy. [page 13 of 

 the current volume.] I have no doubt of the effi- 

 cacy of salt, or strong brine, in destroying this 

 worst of all pestiferous weeds. I destroyed the 

 most of what few I found on my farm U»st year, 

 with some refuse beef brnie, without the trouble 



f cropping them down ; though I think it best to 



and two volumes of notes taken from ! "^'^^ *'''''"' *'^'"" "'"^'^'' g""""nd- Imleed the crop. 



I>ing or cutting down, should be attended to before 

 this time of the year, if nothing more is done ; in 

 order to prevent their spreading. Its downy seeds 

 are now in this vicinity wafted about in the air by 

 every wind — they just begin to be let loose, anil 

 will propagate far and wide. It is matter of as- 

 tonishment, that so httle attention is paid to the 

 subject. Farmers were informed several years 

 ago, of the efficacy of the above method of des- 

 troying the thistle, or one quite similar, in vol. ii. 

 p. 411 of the New England Farmer, and yet they 

 still neglect to make use of it.* I understand gome 

 |)roposals have been made in our State Logislatur. 

 jTi the subject ; perhaps that body mav think it r 

 subject worthy their attention. But much might 

 be done by individuals, if all would be awakened 

 to a sense of its importance. 



Salt, that has been used for salting imported 

 hides, and for salting the bottoms of vessels maj 

 sometimes be purchased for a trifle ; ar-l farmers 

 may be assured that if applied, it will destroy 

 thistles, as well as any other tree or plant. 



Lynn, Jlug. 4, 1828. A FARMER. 



statements of the observation and experience of 

 the various members of the association, still re- 

 main, as satisfactory proof, that social, intellectUJil 

 and moral iiuprovement, was not the only advan- 

 tage derived from the meetings, but that much 

 practical instruction was received by all who at- 

 tended them. 



If I understand the object of a few articles of 

 association, entitled " American Lyceiun," pub- 

 lished hi your last number, it is to furnish farmers 

 and others, with an opportunity to aid each other 

 by reading, communications, and discussions upon 

 subjects relating to their professions. Indeed it is 

 well know'.i thdt those branches of the Lyceum, 

 already in operation, have had many practical and 

 interesting discussions and communications, both 

 upon agriculture and the mechanical arts, as well 

 as the other various relations of hunian society. 



It is hoped that farmers in every town in New 

 England at least, will give the subject an early 

 and serious consideration ; and that many will be 

 induced to make arrangements, to devote a few 

 eyenuigs of the approaching autumn and winter, 

 to the benevolent and dignified object of aiding 

 each other in the improvement of their minds, 

 their hearts, and their farms?. 



On a future occasion I may ask a place in your 

 paper for a few practical questions upon agricul 

 furc, as proper for discussion at social meetinas. 



FRANKLIN 



FOR THE NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



STACKING HAY. 



Mr Fessenden — Perhaps it may prove benefi- 

 cial to communicate to the public a mode of stack- 

 ing which has been put in practice in this town. 

 A foundation being laid adjoining the side of a 

 bam, proceed to mow up the hay in a square or 

 oblong body, quite to the eaves on the barn, on 

 the inner side of the mow or stack ; and on the 

 outer side to such height as to give a proper de- 

 scent. Drive into the plate three or more hooks, 

 directly under the gutter. Lay on the outer side 

 of the stack a joist to support the rafters, which 

 should be of sufficient length to reach from the 

 hooks (with wliich they are connected by plate 

 hinges riveted on the imder side) to the outer ed^e 

 of the stack ; the rafters to be covered ^vith 

 boards, laid on clapboard fashion. This roof may 



* The following is an extract from the pas- 

 sage alluded to : "Cut off each thistle about half 

 an uich below the surface of the ground, and then 

 put on it a gill of coarse sah. Fish brine may be 

 used instead of salt, and will answer the same pur- 

 pose. If in a bed of these thistles, a few should 

 escape the first year, the above operation should 

 be carefully performed on them the year foUoAv- 

 ing. The summer season, when the thistles are 

 in full growth, is the proper time for doing this 

 business." 



AUGUST. 



From the middle of August to the middle of Sep- 

 tember is said to be the best time for sowing win- 

 ter rye. By sowing early you provide green food 

 for sheep late in the tiill and early in the spring, 

 and by early sowing, and feeding in the fall the 

 roots of the grain take such firm and extensive 

 hold of the soil that they are less Uable to be 

 thrown out of the ground by frost, or winter-killed. 

 When sowed so early three pecks of seed will be 

 sufficient. Preserve your sheep from the gad-fly, 

 which causes worms in the bead, by keeping their 

 noses continually smirched with tar from the mid- 

 dle of August to the latter part of September. If 

 you ini.x a little fine salt with tar, and place it un- 

 der cover where your sheep can have access to it 

 no doubt they would keep their noses sufficiently 

 smutted with tar to prevent the troublesome assi- 

 duities of the buzzing belhgerent, who so often 

 plants the seeds of death in the nostrils of one of 

 the most useful and inoffensive of the four-footed 

 friends of the farmer. — JVew England Par.itcr's 

 Almanac. 



THE SEASON. 



E.xtract of a letter (o the Ediior of the New England Farmer 

 dated Floridd, N. Y. July 29, 1828. 

 We have had a very favorable season, our crops 

 of all kind are good. Barley (our staple produce) 

 is remarkably fine, and is now going rapidly into 

 our barns. Our meadows were never better, and 

 our fields of Indian corn are luxuriant — while our 

 gardens please the eye, and contribute an abun- 

 dant supply for the kitchen. 



Preventive against moths — Calamue, or sweet 

 flag root cut in thin sHces and scattered among 

 woollens of any kind, will effectually repel the as- 

 sault of this destructive insect. 



HORN SHAVINGS. 



Horn chips and shavings can be procured in con- 

 siderable quantities wherever the manufactiu-e oi" 

 combs IS extensively caiiied on. Tiiey are admi- 

 rably prepared for the purposes of manure, eithci- 

 lor land uiiiler tillage or as a top dressing for 

 grass grounds, and when judiciously applied in 

 either case, thty have seldom if ever failed to 

 make a rich rcrM.n. As a manure for potatos and 

 corn they are lound valuable ; when apphed to * 

 either at the time of hilhng, coverhig them with 

 the soil, tiie good eftijcts are ijiiniediately percep- 

 tible'. The apphcation ol filty bushels to the acre 

 at the time of seeding a field of rye, ui the au- 

 tumn, would much improve the crop, and much 

 more improA e the land, if to be laid down to "rass. 

 it has been thought, that laying in a dry sandy 

 soil, under grass, in a dry season, was injurious ; 

 it is probable, under such circumstances, the crop 

 was not benefitted, but if there was enough grass 

 to cover tlie shavings from the scorching sun, the 

 succeeding crop would be materially increased by 

 the apphcation. But a situation in which there 

 is no doubt of their efficacy, is, strong moist land 

 under grass, the improvement of the crop from 

 the first is very visible, and it continues for years. 

 It is a warm, stimulatuig, permanent manure, and 

 were it within reach of the generahty of farmers, 

 more might be said to encourage them to use it. 

 Let any one who has the opportunity make the 

 trial of it, and he will hardly tail to cUscover its 

 value. The usual price is about ten cents 

 bushel. — J\/'otes to Davy's Agric. Ckem. 



per 



TURNIPS. 



In Kent's Hints, page 128, is the followLno- on 

 turnips. — In crops they answer three great ])ur- 

 jioses ; to clean the ground ; support live stock, a vast 

 deal ; and prepare for other crops ; particularly for 

 barley and clover, or grass-seeds. The turnip crop 

 is the Norfolkman's sheet anchor ; and he spares 

 it no pains. The stubble of wheat, barley, or oats, 

 is preferred for bringing on turnips. They plough 

 very shallow ; so as to skim oft' the rough sur 



