396 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Sept. 



For the Kew England Farmer. 



FERTILIZERS. 



Mr. Editor : — An argument adverse to the use 

 of concentrated fertilizers is often made to this ef- 

 fect, that there is not, as there ought to be, the 

 same production of fruit as stock. 



Plants derive their nourishment entirely from the 

 soil, by their roots, until their leaves are sufficient- 

 ly matured to receive atmospheric nutrition. Con- 

 sequently if the soil has l)een vei'y richly prepared, 

 and the stock has largely developed itself, it will re- 

 quire more from the air to complete its growth, 

 blossoms and fruit, than it can take ; because the 

 necessary properties that it needs are limited; for 

 this reason, fruit does not arrive at maturity, or if 

 it does, there is not the quantity anticipated. 



The question arises, what must, or can be used 

 to give to plants this exterior food, that they may 

 ripen a larger quantity of fruit? It is a slow and 

 dear process to feed eacii plant with the acid and 

 ammonia that would be necessary, in any concen- 

 trated form. Being not so much a chemist as a 

 farmer, I had rather take forming apparatus in 

 my experiments. Therefore, experimenting, I very 

 often loosen, by hoe and cullivator, the soil which 

 surrounds plants, as this fovors the admission of air, 

 and the formation of the acid required. Hence 

 plants must advance rapidly when supplied with 

 food below and above ground ; until the maturity 

 of the plant, and full formation of the atmospheric 

 organs indicate that acid from the soil is not de- 

 manded. At ihis stage dryness of the soil does 

 not essentially effect the plant, as all farther sup- 

 port is taken from the air. 



Pruning is practicable and beneficial, as upon 

 vines, shrubs and trees; also potato vines should 

 have the blossom taken off; and whatever agency 

 throws strength to the advantage of the fruit should 

 be enforced thereto. 



I draw from these remarks that something be- 

 sides the fertilizer is wanted to insure a good crop. 

 I contend for free speech znCi free soil consequent- 

 ly I must agitate both, to receive any benefit. 



E. J. w. 



For the Hew England Farmer. 



THE GIFFORD MORGAN HORSE. 



]Mr. Editor: — In the Farmer of May 24, a cor- 

 respondent, "J. W. A.," wishes to know if there is 

 ahorse known as the "Gifford Morgan," and if so, 

 by whom owned and where kept. In the Farmer 

 of June 27, a correspondent from Ferrisburg, "P. 

 J.," has attempted to give the desired information, 

 but is not probably well informed, as his commu- 

 nication is somewhat erroneous. I am familiarly 

 acquainted with Mr. ZiBA Gifford, of Tunb ridge, 

 Vt., who resides within two miles of me, and from 

 him I can give you the information wanted, and in 

 doing so it may be necessary to give you the ped- 

 igree of the celebrated horse known as the Wood- 

 bury ilorgan. The Woodbury horse was sired by 

 the original Morgan horse owned by Justin Mor- 

 gan, and was folded in June, 1S16. The dam of 

 the Woodbury horse was an English mare owned 

 by Lyman Wight, of Tunbridge, Vt. The Gifford 

 Morgan was sired by the Woodbury ISIorgan in 

 1825, and died in October, 1850, and was 24 years 

 old ; he was owned and kept by Ziba Gifford, of 

 Tunbridge, Vt., 16 years, and then sold to a Mr, 



Stuart, of Barnard, Vt, and was afterwards owned 

 by F. A. Wier, of Walpole, Vt., where he died. — 

 Major Gifford was the sire of the celebrated horse, 

 known as the Green Mountain Morgan, owned by 

 Mr. Hale, and several other noted stock horses of 

 Vermont. The dam of the Gifford horse was an 

 English bay mare whose sire was a horse known as 

 the Henry Dundas, owned at the time by Oliver H. 

 Brooks, of Bethel, Vt. The above statement of 

 facts was gi^^n me by Mr. Gifford, and if you think 

 proper you can use them at your leisure. 



ZopiiAR Vinton. 

 East Bethel, Vt., July 14. 



DO GOOD IN YOUR LIFE-TIME. 



Some wealthy men are penurious in their chari- 

 ties during life, reserving their property for mag- 

 nificent schemes of benevolence after death. The 

 history of these posthumous legacies is not very en- 

 couraging, and Providence does not set the seal of 

 approval on that covetousness which seeks to win 

 the name and rewards of benevolence. The Balti- 

 more Sun gives an instructive account of the 

 McDonough estate : 



"A number of papers, relative to the condition 

 of the McDonough estate at New Orleans, have 

 been forwarded to the Mayor and City Council of 

 Baltimore, by Messrs. Emory and Peterkin, which 

 embrace statements of considerable importance. It 

 is stated by gentlemen of the New Orleans City 

 Council that 'the income from the estate is about 

 $55,000 per annum, and the expense about $27,000 

 — leaving only $28,000 of net revenue, which is 

 $1,000 less than the taxes on the property for the 

 year 1856. So that the net income is insufficient 

 to pay the taxes on it.' 



Another said that the McDonough estate was 

 worth now about one- half what it was when Mc- 

 Donough died— $5,000,000 then, $2,270,000 now. 

 We have a bequest estimated, and fairly estimated, 

 as worth $2,271,000. We have it under the con- 

 trol of able and accomplished gentlemen, and what 

 are the fruits of their labors? John McDonough 

 has been gathered to his fathers five long years. 

 In a vain attemp>t to leave a noble monument of 

 charity, he made a will as wonderful and curious 

 as it IS hopelessly imjjracticable. Over $250,000 

 have been spent in litigation; over $100,000 have 

 been spent in charges and commissions; over 

 $500,000 have been lost in interest and delays; 

 over $500,000 have been lost in decay and jiillage, 

 and depreciation of the princely domain. And, in 

 short, these five years past have cost the estate one- 

 half its original value. But notwithstanding all 

 this, not one dollar of charity has ever yet been 

 received by this estate, not one poor child has ever 

 yet been educated ; not one poor negro has ever yet 

 been sent to Liberia ; nor the tears and sorrows of 

 one poor orphan boy ever yet been assuaged. 

 At every point and in every way has the last will 

 and testament of John McDonough been frustrated 

 and thwarted. For the year 1855 the report of 

 the agents and commissioners informs us that the 

 revenues were $49,000, ■ whilst its expenses were 

 $29,000. The value of the real estate in the city 

 of New Orleans is $1,200,000. In the State of 

 Louisiana $2,270,000. The net revenues of $19,- 

 805 have thus been for 1855 but h per cent, of the 

 city property, and but I per cent, of the whole es- 

 tate. The charges of commissions of agents, &c., 



