340 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



July 



was in the first place verj' carefully and moderately 

 used so to never produce perspiration. He was 

 carefully blanketed when the weather was cold, 

 (it was about mid-autumn,) or when he was in the 

 least degree heated — he was kept constantly on 

 green and succulent food, clover, roots, &c., and 

 was supplied with plenty of the best water at all 

 times. In a few weeks he was perfectly well. — 

 It is an old saying that more depends on the nurse 

 than on the physician, which was verified in this 

 instance. — Jlgriculiural Exchange. 



Perforated or Solid Bricks. — Some experi- 

 ments have lately been made on the comparative 

 sustaining power of jiatent perforated bricks, and 

 bricks of the ordinary kind. In each case, a pier 

 of four courses of the bricks to be tested was built 

 in Roman cement, on the table of a powerful hy- 



draulic press, and allowed at least twenty-four hours 

 thoroughly to set. A light scale-board was sus- 

 pended to the safety valve lever of the press, on 

 which there were placed successive weights, until 

 the pier of bricks on the table of the press was 

 crushed. The number of weights was increased a 

 quarter of a pound at a time — being equivalent to 

 an increment of ten tons upon the press — com- 

 mencing at 30 tons, this starting point l)eing the 

 effect due to the united weights of the lever and 

 scale board. The pumps were worked very slowlj', 

 to eliminate the concussion produced otherwise by 

 the inertia of the water. The first experiment was 

 made with good ordinary brick in a pier of 18 

 inches square, built in four courses. 'J'his showed 

 sym])toms of failing with 110 tons, and was crushed 

 with 150 tons. A pier of the same dimensions of 

 perforated bricks began to crack with 270 tons, and 

 was crushed with 350 tons. 



KNOX'S PATENT GANG CULTIVATOR. 



This is a combination of the Horse Hoe and 

 Gang Plow. A row of small steel plows, attached 

 to a diagonal beam, lift and pulverize the soil, pro 

 ducing a fine tilth. For covering grain, and pre- 

 paring the soil for root and other crops, it is prefer- 

 able to the harrow. 



The following letter shows how the "Gang Culti- 

 vor" is appreciated by practical men who have tried 

 it. 



Mr. Editor : — Permit me to recommend to you 

 a flew implement of husbandrj-, of no small import- 

 ance. It is "Knox's Patent Gang Cultivator" man- 

 ufactured by Messrs. Nourse, Mason & Co., 

 AVorcester, Mass. For putting in wheat, rye, oats, 

 &c., I have never seen anything nearly equal to it. 

 It leaves the ground light and level, whereas, a har- 

 row leaves it heavy. I plow my ground with a 

 side-hill plow, and if it is green sward I roll it 

 smooth ; put on my manure, and then put on the 

 Gang Cultivator and go lengthwise of the furrows 

 and then cross them, and then my land is nicely 

 levelled and the manure well put under. I was 

 fearful it would not do the work well with coarse 

 manure, but I found it was just the tool for it. I 

 tiiink our crops will be enough better, and our land 



enough richer, to amply compensate for tlie ex- 

 pense of one. Wm. Emerson. 

 Auburn, Mass., May 29, 1856. 



I have used one of the above-named Cultivators 

 to get my grain in this spring and for pulverizing 

 my land, and I do most fully concur in the above 

 statement of Mr. Emerson. MARCUS BENNETT. 



Auburn, Mass., May, 1856. 



A Practical Mistake. — In a certain town in 

 Vt., a fresh son of Erin and a young man who was 

 familiar with the "beasts of our forests," were walk- 

 ing leisurely home from their day's labor when a 

 little animal started off before them. "Och!" says 

 Pat, "I'm sure its a Pacock or wild Tarky," and 

 made after him, endeavoring to secure him under 

 his coat, which he was carrying on his shoulder. — 

 "Hold, pat," said his friend, "it's a skunk." "An sure, 

 I'm after kaping the lad," said Pat, and threw his 

 coat over the Pacock and clasped him in his arms ! 

 The scene suddenly changed, and the wild tarkey 

 was off, while Pat was rubbing his face and crying, 

 "Me eye's out ! me eye's out ! I'm kUt entirely." 



