1856. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



131 



PLOWING AND MANURING ORCHARDS — CANADA 

 THISTLES. 



Mr. Editor : — I wish to have your judgment as 

 to the best manure for me to use upon an orchard 

 which I propose to plow in the spring. There are 

 some 2^ acres, of a claj'ey loam soil, gently undu- 

 lating, with a slight northwestern inclination. 



It was planted about 7 years since, and has had, 

 1 judge, about an equal share of cultivation and 

 neglect since — the owner ha\ang gone west four 

 years since. 



It came into my possession last spring, and I find 

 that the last summer, though the trees seem to 

 thrive, and for the second appearance of fruit, did 

 well, yet the weeds and grass had a strife for pos- 

 session, in which the grass came out second best. 

 The weeds most numerous and troublesome are the 

 white daisy, and a large, coarse weed, with yellow 

 blossoms, called by some, John's-wort. 



Now the question is, as to using stable manure, 

 ashes, lime, poudrette, super-phosphate, &c., &c., 

 either singly or mixed, and if it is best to give a 

 heavy dressmg this year, or moderately for two or 

 three years to come? 



Is there any better way to cure Canada thistles 

 than to salt them ? D. F. M. 



Remarks. — Cover your orchard land well with 

 stable manure, and plow it in, but plow with great 

 care, or you will injure the roots. After plowing, 

 apply ten bushels of ashes to the acre, and harrow 

 it in, and your trees will "drop fatness," after the 

 roots have got fairly hold of such dressing. 



Cut the Canada thistle when in blossom, and 

 when dry burn them where they grew. Apply 

 brush and other rubbish, if you have it at hand. 

 But plowing and cultivating is best. 



ACCIDENTS AND DISEASES OF CATTLE. 



Mr. Editor : — Ten years ago next April I had 

 a cow burst so badly that she grew poor and weak ; 

 for seven or eight days I could get no one to re- 

 lieve hf r, when she failed so rapidly as soon not to 

 be abl& i ( rise alone. With the aid of a farrier I 

 then cut through the skin a slit about eight inches 

 long, and ])ut back the small intestines, which were 

 all down in the skin in front of her bag. We 

 closed up the skin with a strong waxed thread, and 

 she gradually recovered and brought a calf the 

 next spring, and so on for seven years in succes- 

 sion, when I fattened her. 



In reply to some inquiries about the horn ail, I 

 would say that I cured several creatures, so far gone 

 that they could not rise without help, by taking a 

 bag that would hold a quart or more of equal 

 parts of soft soap and fine salt, filling it and tying 

 it on top of the head to each horn. Let it remain 

 several days, and apply another if the cure is not 

 effected. B. Martin. 



East Corinth, Ft. 



how to prepare wheat for SOWING. 



Wash the wheat clean, drain off the water and 

 add two quarts of coarse-fine salt to a bushel. Let 

 it stand from 24 hours to a week, and stir it occa- 

 sionally. When ready to sow, drain off the brine, 

 spread the wheat on the barn-floor and sprinkle it 

 with slaked lime until it is in condition to be scat- 



tered in sowing easily. I never knew smut or the 

 weevil to attack wheat prepared in this manner. 

 Dublin, JV. K, 1856. JosEPHUS Snow. 



about mixing manures. 



Mr. Editor : — As this is a good time to draw 

 out manure, will you please tell me, through your 

 paper, which is the best to put into my heap, plas- 

 ter or muriate of lime ? It may be, some of your 

 readers have tried both, and can tell from experi- 

 ence. 



Milford, Jan., 1856. L. A. 



Remarks. — We would not advise either. Haul 

 out the manure, pile it up snugly, and cover it with 

 old muck, if you have it. In the spring, after you 

 have dressed your land with this manure, then, on 

 a portion of it apply the muriate of lime, and on 

 another portion apply the plaster. Keep an exact 

 account of the transaction, and through the sum- 

 'ner note the appearance of the crop, and in the 

 autumn, the result. 



You will find this course more satisfactory than 

 by mixing all your fertilizers in a promiscuous 

 heap. 



mtiat is the effect of bone meal ? 



Mr. Editor : — Will you have the goodness 

 through your valuable paper to tell me the proper- 

 ties and effect of bone meal upon cattle and fowls, 

 and how often, and what quantities, should be giv- 

 en ? A Subscriber. 



JVasftwa, Jan., 1856. 



Remarks. — ^When "A Subscriber" remembers 

 that in every one hundred pounds of the bones of 

 his cows, there is fifty-Jive and a half pounds of 

 phosphate of lime, and then remembers that those 

 bones are principally drawn from his pastures and 

 fields, he will become satisfied that long and con- 

 stant cropping must exhaust that substance. The 

 term, phosphor, is from two Greek words which 

 mean "to shine," "to bring," that is, to bring light, 

 because when exposed to the air it smokes, shines 

 in the dark, takes fire by mere rubbing, and burns 

 with a large bright flame. Phosphorus, in chem- 

 istry, is a combustible substance, of a yellow color, 

 and resembling fine wax. It exists in all animals 

 and plants, though in comparatively small quanti- 

 ties. Phosphoiic acid is obtained by burning a 

 piece of phosphorus under a glass, where the 

 white fumes of acid will condense on the cool in- 

 side of the vessel in the form of a white powder, 

 which speedily absorbs moisture from the air, and 

 runs to a Hquid. This liquid is called phosphoric 

 add, and is very sour and corrosive. It combines 

 with potash, Hme, &c., and then makes what we 

 call a phosphate, that is, the phosphate of lime., &c., 

 and the bones of animals contain a large propor- 

 tion of this acid, chiefly in combination with lime 

 and magnesia. 



After long-continued cropping of fields and pas- 

 tures, without returning much manure, this sub- 



