Gl.AN» FARMEM. 



Published btj John B. Russbli,, at JVj. 52 M'orth Market Street, {over the Agricultural fVarehouse):~-TnoMAa ii. Fessenden, Editor. 



VOL. VII. 



BOSTON, FRIDAY, AUGUST 29, 1828. 



No. 6. 



AGRICULTURE. 



FOK THK NKW KKUl.ASU FABAIEB. 



HAY— FODDER. 



Mr Fessenden — As tiie mowing scasoii'diaws 

 to a close, it becomes a matter of regret, that tlie 

 result is likely to (Iisai]point the early expecta- 

 tions of a great abundance. It is a fact, that in 

 general the barns are filiel, and that many small 

 stacks make tbeir appearance in the yards, but 

 the quality ought to be considered as well as the 

 quantity ; and there is no doubt but a considera- 

 ble proportion of the Englisii hay got in this seas- 

 on, has been gre:itly injured in the making, by the 

 continual showers, and that there is but a small 

 portion of the general crop, which can be esteem- 

 ed of a first rate qurJity ; even the best is inferior 

 to the bay raised in common seasons ; having 

 grown on a soil continually soaked with rain, it is 

 less substantial and nutritious, and will not go so 

 far in feeding either cattle or horses. In regard 

 to the produce of the meadows, it is very mateiial- 

 ly injured ; even the most fiivored lots have suf- 

 fercil greatly from a superabundance of water, 

 which has checked the growth of the better 

 grasses, and encouraged that of the coarse, broad 

 grass, which when dried is hardly tit for any pur- 

 pose but that of a poor litter. The lower mead- 

 ows have been so long under water, that the best 

 grasses have perished, and where in good seasons 

 the eye is delighted to contemplate a thick tanti 

 rich mixture of pipes, ye)!f •■ a eed, blue and eel, 

 and other valuable grasses, nothing at present is 

 •n but a dreary waste, the swarthy being hml 

 ■ wn and in a state of decay. It is probable that 

 the most of it will not be thougiit worthy of the 

 labour of mowing, poling and bringing to tl:e 

 barn. 



All these matters duly taken into consideration, 

 the hay produce of this jear, will be found, I ap- 

 prehend, not to exceed an average crop ; yet thi» 

 impression of a great abundance is gone abroad, 

 and has brought down the market to an uiiai-- 

 countable state of depression. If we consider 

 that the exnijerent vegetation of this season, has 

 been owing to an unusual quantity of rain, aided 

 by heat, and by frequent thunder, (electricity), we 

 rpust acknowledge it to be the result of powcrfid 

 stimulants, which after their effect is over, will 

 leave the swarth in an exhausted state, threatenina' 

 great sterility, the first coming season of a dry, or 

 otherwise unfavorable nature. The reflecting, 

 (Experienced farmer, will see, therefore, that al- 

 though tlie precise time is hidden, that " the lean 

 Mne'^e coming ; and he will jirepare accoroinu-- 

 ly. Under that impression it would seem, that, 

 although much degraded, the produce of all mead- 

 ows unmowed yet, may be, it ought to be, gather- 

 ed and secured. A good salting will give some 

 relish to poor fodder. It would assist to save the 

 English hay for a better market, and towards the 

 coming time of need, where barn room is want- 

 ing, the hint given in your paper of the 8th inst. 

 and subscribed " Dorchester," is well deserving 

 of notice. 



The time for cutting the stalks of Indian corn 

 is near at hand, and I shall improve this opportu- 

 nity to point out a manner of curing rheni, prac- 



tised by many careful farmers, and which wifl not 

 fail to prove satisfactory to those who have not 

 yet atiopted the same. After cutting them by fair 

 weatlier, they shotdd be gathered the next or fol- 

 lowing day, tied in small bundles at the upper 

 end, and set immediately, not too close, on poles 

 fixed in the barn across the l)eams, taking care to 

 have the doors opened in the day time, that they 

 may dry and season. In January those which re- 

 niaiji, ought to be taken down and packed close 

 together, to prevent their getting too dry. 'I 

 usual method of making small stacks of them 

 roimd the fields, exjiosed for weeks to the wind, 

 the t\ew, and the rain, is a dreadful waste of this 

 article, which if cured as above, makes a sweet 

 and excellent fodder. 



With nuich esteem, I am your friend, &e. 



ff'eston, Augjtst 26, 1828. " J. M. G. 



of making such a fumigation as would prove 

 their destructioji, are matters to be decided only 

 by expeiinient. 



FOR THE NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



CANKER WORMS. 



Mr Fessenden — I observed in my last Fri- 

 day's paper a conmnmication from W. of Lynn, 

 dated August 5th, 1828, stating that the orchards 

 in that town had, for several years, been infested 

 with the canker-worm, and that every expedient 

 had been resorted to for the jjrcservation of the 

 trees, but none have been successful except tar 

 ring. No doubt the writer is ccirecl as relates to 

 tarring. But if this mode of warfare should prove 

 a complete annihilation of all the host of canker 

 worms in an orchard, yet the campaign would be 

 so long and tedious that I should attempt to take 

 the castle by storm. I would not disturb the ca- 

 terpillars till the leaves were cut ; and when they 

 commenced their de|)redations, and were feastino- 

 on the green leaves, I would come upon them as 

 suddenly as did Cyrus and his army upon the 

 king of Babylon and bis nobles, wiien they were 

 bancpieting together. My mode of attack would 

 he to take some rye straw, in a calm time, after 

 sun-set, and scatter it round the trees, about co- 

 extensive with the branches of the trees. Then 

 scatter some sidphur, or roll brimstone powdereil, 

 amongst the straw. Then scatter a little fire 

 amongst these cotlibustibles ; and my word for it, 

 when the smoke and the fragrance of the brin)- 

 stone shall ascend together like a cloud among 

 the limbs and leaves, not a living creature will re- 

 main which will not feel as nnich agitated as flid 

 the Pacha of Egypt when he beheld the ruins of 

 his fleet at Navarino. The caterpillars will quit 

 their hold, and become an ea.sy prey to .the de- 

 vouring element. E. 

 South Sandudch, Aug. 19, 1828. 



FOR THE NF.W ENGLAND FARMER. 



SMUT IN INDIAN' CORN. 



Mr Fessesden — The fields of corn in this re- 

 gion periiaps never looked more promising than 

 at the present period, with one exception only. — 

 That is the unusual quantity of smut ears ; and 

 no one is in possession of any knowledge how to 

 prevent this evil. Should you be in possession of 

 any method to prevent smut, and would be pleas- 

 ed to make it known through the edium of your 

 very usefid paper, you would confer a very grea' 

 favour on a Subscriber. E. 



South Sandtvich, ./}ug, 19, 1828. 



Remarks by the Editor. — We have never observ- 

 ed a crop oi' Indian corn, which was not in some 

 degree affected with what are commonly called 

 " smut ears." The evil, however, has not, so far 

 as our notices have extended, proved of much 

 magnitude ; the smut ears being comparatively 

 few in number, and easily separated in husking 

 from the sound corn. We should be much oblig- 

 ed to the cultivator, who would give us further 

 information relative to this disease in one of our 

 most valuable vegetables, and its remedy, if any 

 has been discovered. 



Be 



Remarks by the Editor. — If the above nwutioned 

 mode of attacking canker-worms should not 

 prove too troublesome and expensive, it would 

 probably be advisable. Forsyth recommends 

 burning of rotten wood, weeds, potatoe vines, 

 wet straw, &c. on the windward side of the trees 

 when they are in blossom, as a remedy against 

 blight and caterpillars. But experiment alone 

 can decide on the efficficy of the measure propos- 

 ed by our correspondent as a remedy against 

 canker-worms. What quantity of smoke the in- 

 i sects would endure, and the trouble and expense 



SEPTEMBER. 



most exceedingly careful to gather all the 

 apples, pears, cherries, &(;. which fall preitiatiu-e- 

 ly from your trels, and are technically called 

 windfalls, .ahtt boil them for yoin- swine, bury them 

 a little this side of the cejitre of gravitj-, or so 

 dispose of them as to destroy the worms they 

 contain ; otherwise the plague of wormy fruit 

 will, for aught that I know to the contrary, be en- 

 tailed on you and your heirs for aye. Your hogs 

 will fatten the faster if you give them every day 

 or two a little charcoal. They will take quantum 

 suffirit of it as a medicine to neutralize the acid 

 of their stomachs, and you have only to place it 

 where they can get at it, and every hog wil\ be 

 his own doi-tor, and charge nothing for his fees. 

 If you feed your hogs with old corn, you will 

 soak, boil, or grind it, otherwise a part will not be 

 digested. Their food will go the further if per- 

 mitted to ferment till it has a sweetish taste, but 

 should be given to them before it becomes decid- 

 edly sour. You may as well iiave a hole in your 

 pocket for yoin- money to escape from, as a drain 

 to lead away the wash of your barn yard. True 

 it may spread over your grass land, and do some 

 good, but it will give a flood of manure to spme 

 parts, a scanty rill to other parts, and some will 

 go to enrich the high way, &c. — [New England 

 Farmer's Alniauac.] 



The quick-'^t and most certain Mode of raising 

 the .Mulberry Tree, is from cuttings of the old 

 branches. Take a branch in the month of March, 

 eight or nine feet in length : plant it half its length 

 in anj good soil, and it M'ill succeed to admiration, 

 producing fruit the folli>'\ ing spring. This I have 

 witnessed in several instances — J. Yonell. 



