16 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Jan. 



the ground, but the mountains have frequently 

 been covereu, probably some inches in depth. 

 The sky has heen less cloudy by more than one- 

 tenih than last year. 



May was rather dry during the first part of 

 the month, but copious rains al)out the 2()th gave 

 p'enty of moisture to the ground, which was wet 

 enough during the remainder of the month. The 

 mean temperature of the month was 51.61 de- 

 grees, being l.i51 degrees colder than last year, 

 and 2.91 colder than the mean of the past five 

 years, — being the coldest of the six. 1854 was 

 the warmest, being 57.64 degrees, being more than 

 six degrees warmer than the present. There was a 

 light, easterly wind a considerable part of the last 

 three days of the month, at the time when apple 

 trees were in full bloom. Fruit trees of all kinds 

 had a full medium quantity of blossoms, but not a 

 great extra amount. The rains during the latter 

 part of the month were favorable to grass, which 

 appeared very promising. 



June was neither dry nor wet, but had about 

 the usual quantity of rain ; its amount was 3.87 

 inches. The weather was warm and favorable 

 to the growth of corn. The mean temperature 

 of the month was 67.58 degrees, being 7.15 de- 

 grees warmer than last year and 3.48 Avarmer 

 than the mean of the five preceding years. The 

 warmest day was the 25th, when the thermometer 

 stood at 91 degrees at 2, P. M., while the mean 

 temperature of the day was 82 degrees. This 

 was the most favorable month for corn during 

 the season. 



The first half of July was rather dry for vege- 

 tation, but the latter part was exceedingly wet. 

 Rain fell on 15 days. The temperature of the 

 month was 63.37 degrees, being 6.05 colder than 

 last year, and 1.06 degrees colder than the five 

 preceding years. The amount of rain was 4.80 

 inches. The month was unfavorable to corn. 



August had a temperature of 65.67 degrees, 

 which is about an average. The rain was dis- 

 tributed in showers through the month, giving a 

 bad hay season, but no excess of rain ; its whole 

 amount was a little less than three inches. Kain 

 fell on 17 days, and the amount of cloudiness 

 was 45 hundredths. Owing to the cold of July 

 the corn crop remained in a backward state. 



September was warmer than the same month 

 in the five preceding years, by 1.19 degrees, and 

 had a temperature of 59.52 degrees, which was 

 warmer than last year by 2.39 degrees. The 

 amount of rain was nearly 3 inches, or about an 

 average. The first frost occurred on the 23d 

 day. It was hard enough to kill most vegetables, 

 and was preceded by a thunder storm two even- 

 ings previous. The mean temperature of the last 

 six months was 58.95, and the warmest month 

 was June. 



On the condition of these six months were in- 

 cluded the hopes and prosperity of" the farmer, 

 for a supply of all his wants. Nature has fur- 

 nished that supply. His corn crop is considera- 

 bly above an average,with large, well-ripened ears. 

 Potatoes were never better, yet the rot has done 

 some damage. The warm and moist weather of 

 September has increased the malady, but yet the 

 supply is greater than the demand. Of the ce- 

 reals we have a fair crop. Wheat is much bet- 

 ter than last year, yet some pieces are nearly de- 

 stroyed by the weevil and rust. Late wheat suf- 



fered much from rust. Oats are a good crop, 

 seldom better, yet the amount of land in oats is 

 comparatively small. Grass was about an ave- 

 rage crop, rather below than above. The season 

 was rather unfavorable for haying, yet no great 

 amount was damaged. The fruit crop is, at least, 

 a partial failure. Apples are very scarce and 

 small. Plums are almost unknown, while grapes 

 have yielded abundantly. Wild fruits and nuts 

 exist in very limited quantities, and the seeds of 

 forest trees in general are scarce. Not only dur- 

 ing the season of blossoms, but through the whole 

 summer, we have had an unusual amount of east 

 wind, whose blighting influence is felt in this 

 section on the whole fruit crop. 



Among the periodical phenomena we notice 

 the appearance of various kinds of migratory 

 birds. Bluebirds appeared March 17th ; robins 

 .March 19th; barn swallows May 3d; grass, first 

 appearance of growth April 6th ; general leafing 

 of forest trees May 15th; barn swallows disap- 

 peared August 27th ; general fall of forest leaves 

 took place Oct. 21st. 



Such are the results of the record of 1858. 

 Shall we hear like results from other parts of 

 the country ? D. BUCKLAND. 



Brandon, Vt., Nov. 8, 1858. 



CA.RKOTS FOB HORSES. 



In Great Britain, many of the most successful 

 agriculturists, and cattle breeders, feed their 

 horses liberally, and, indeed, in some instances, 

 quite exclusively on roots. The carrot they hold 

 in high estimation for this purpose, and vast 

 quantities are annually raised and consumed. It 

 has been estimated by some writers on domestic 

 economy, that a bushel of^carrots is equal to half 

 a bushel of grain ; but although this is doifbtless 

 a somewhat extravagant appreciation, we have no 

 doubt that three bushels of carrots will prove, in 

 all cases, fully equivalent to one of oats. It was 

 stated not long since in one of the papers, that 

 the proprietor of one of the most extensive livery 

 stables in Connecticut "considers carrots the 

 most valuable article of winter feed he has ever 

 raised." Rasped, and mixed with chopped straw, 

 or refuse hay, they answer a double purpo.se of 

 economy, and render the expense of wintering 

 animals far less than it would be were we to em- 

 ploy only English hay and grain. Hogs v/inter 

 admirably, and even fatten on these roots. We 

 advise every farmer who can command a piece of 

 old, well worked, rich and deep soil, to put in a 

 few square rods, and try them. The seed may be 

 sown in this climate as late as the twentieth of 

 June. The ground should be finely pulverized 

 by harrowing or some other equally efficient dis- 

 integrating process, and thoroughly rolled after 

 sowing the seed. Guano and bone dust are effica- 

 cious and salutary stimuli for the crop. Ashes, 

 also, and gypsum, have a decidedly favorable 

 and energizing efi'ect. But plenty of gaod barn 

 manure is best. 



