486 



NEW ENGLAND FAEMER. 



Oct. 



er. Hard water produces a rough and staring coat 



on horses, and renders them hable to gripes. 



Pigeons also refuse hard water, if they can obtain 

 access to soft. Cleghorn states that hard water in 

 Minorca causes diseases in certain animals, especial- 

 ly sheep. So much are race-horses influenced by 

 the quality of the water, that it is not unfrequent 

 to carry a supply of soft water to the locality in 

 which the race is to take place, lest there being 

 only hard water, the horses should lose condition, 



Mr. Youatt, in his book called "The Horse," re- 

 marking on the desirableness of soft water for the 

 horse, says :--"Instinct or experience has made the 

 horse himself conscious of this, for he will never 

 drink hard water if he has access to soft he will 

 leave the most transparent water of a well for a riv- 

 er, although the water may be turbid, and even for 

 the muddiest pool." And again, in another place he 

 says : "Hard water, drawn fresh from the well, will 

 assuredly make the coat of a horse unaccustomed 

 to it stare, and will not unfrequently gripe or fur- 

 ther injure him." 



and enterprismg minds and bodies to the now hon- 

 orable occupation of farming. This is the ultimate 

 alternative. I expect under these circumstances 

 to be respected yet. e. J. w 



Fi-eetoum, Mass. 



Fur the New England Farmer. 



THE SEASON AND CROPS. 



Mr. Editor : — On returning home, after sever- 

 al months' absence, by reason of ill-health, I find 

 the complaint general among the cultivators of this 

 neighborhood that their crops are much less per- 

 fect than was anticipated. The general reason 

 assigned is, superabundance of moisture. Within 

 the last two months there has fallen about as much 

 rain as there usually falls in an entire year. The 

 consequence is, many of the crops are literally 

 drowned out ; and what are not, fail to ripen in a 

 sound condition. Potatoes, for instance, are en- 

 tirely defective. Onions, not more than two-thirds 

 of a crop, where a large yield was anticipated. 

 Rye, less than half the usual quantity of matured 

 grain. Corn, much stalks but imperfect ears. Ap- 

 ples, none to speak of. Grasses, much grown, but 

 a large part spoilt in making. And so generally 

 with all the products of this abundant season.— 

 Heretofore, we have suffered from a Avant of mois- 

 ture ; the present season from a superabundance of it. 

 South Danvers, Sept. 12, 185G. * 



EXTRACTS AND REPLIES. 



THE YELLOW LOCUST. 



I wish )ou would state where yelloiv locust seeds 

 are to be had— the best time to plant them— how 

 long the seeds are to be soaked, and how valuable 

 the yellow locust tree is. j -^y 



JSTewport, JV. H., 1856. 



Remarks,— Our correspondent is referred to the 

 Monthly Farmer for 1854, for several articles on 

 this subject. See pages 48, 265, 479 and 482. Mr. 

 S. Cane, of Brattleboro', Vt,, writes the Country 

 Gentleman : 



"I will tell you how I managed to get a grove of 

 yellow Locust trees. About twenty years a^o I 

 sowed half a pound of locust seeds in bedsf the 

 same as I sow beets or carrots, I jjrepared my 

 seed by pouring hot water on it and letting it stand 

 a few hours. The next spring, I took up my seed- 

 ling trees, and set them out on a piece of ground 

 that was so poor that it would hardly turf over. 

 1 plowed some furrows twelve or fifteen feet apart, 

 laid the roots of my seedling trees into them, about 

 two feel apart, covered them with my hoe, righted 

 them up with my hands, and let them go without 

 further cultivation. At this time I have a beauti- 

 ful grove of trees, straight and thrifty, and many 

 of them long enough for fence posts. The effect 

 on the land is wonderful. It produces ten times 

 the feed it did before the trees were set out.— 

 When I took possession of my farm, I found that 

 acre had been skinned, >mtil it was almost worth- 

 less. Now it produces double the feed of any acre 

 of pasture I have, I take no little pride in show- 

 ing my trees, and the luxuriant growth of white 

 clover under them." 



Remarks. — We have travelled over a large ex- 

 tent of country since the middle of August, and 

 find the crops, as stated by our correspondent, sad- 

 ly affected by the rains. 



For the New England Farmer. 



WHY DON'T YOU SELL YOUR FARM? 



Mr. Editor :— This question was asked me by 

 a neighbor, after reading your travels in New 

 Hampshire, and glancing at the "Farms for Sale." 

 I have a reason for not selling— without mention- 

 ing a thousand truly logical arguments which give 

 more favor to farming than any other profession— 

 which I will state. If people continue to be vul- 

 gar enough to eat, and the country becomes too 

 vulgar for a decent young man to remain in it, I 

 see no other alternative than this, that farms will 

 be plenty and cheap for cash,and provision will be 

 high for cash, and a general stagnation in business 

 will turn the rich men of the cities to purchasino- 

 farms, and for the future to bend their intelligent! 



I nUBBARD SQUASH. 



Mr. Editor :— I would respectfully refer Mr. 

 Robert D. Weeks, or any other person desirous of 

 obtaining seed of the Hubbard squash, to J. L. 

 Gould, Esq., of Bridgeport, Ct. I would gladly 

 supply that gentleman directly, but all our spare 

 seed were reserved for Mr. Gould, and forwarded 

 accordingly. Mr. G. has entered largely on their 

 cultivation the present season, and should the sea- 

 son prove propitious, after November next, he will 

 supply parties desiring it, with good seed, at a fair 

 price. I have Mr. Gould's authority for making 

 this statement. Yours respectfully, 



J. J. H. Gregory. 

 Marblehead, Mass., 1856. 



now to cure fodder corx. 



Mr. Editor :— In the first place, get a stick that 

 has two sticks inserted at right angles at the top. 

 Insert it in the ground, after stocking the corn 

 draw the stick out ; then let it stand as you would 

 field corn. Draw the corn round, and then draw 

 it over. Stook a little this vear, and try it. 



Medfeld, 1856. ' Wm. S.\lisbury. 



