1859. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



95 



gle instance of time — when the check is present- 

 ed. That passed, the forger is comparatively 

 safe. He may set rewards and telegraphs at de- 

 fiance. It is, therefore, the skill and discernment 

 of the Teller, first and last, that keeps the forger j 

 at a respectful distance — skill not only in detect- 

 ing false signatures, but in reading men at sight 

 by the most obscure of all characters, written 

 upon the manner, and covered by practiced dis- 

 semblance, more quickly than you would Roman 

 capitals. The value to the bank of this detec- 

 tive faculty can hardly be exaggerated. 



The Paying Tellers of New York disburse 

 daily near twenty-five millions, and in the course 

 of a year eight or ten thousand millions of dol- 

 lars ; and the aggregate of all losses incurred 

 through them by mistake or by abuse of trust, 

 is not, at the highest, as much perhaps, as the 

 one-ten-thousandth part of one per cent. ! This 

 is strong testimony in favor of their general 

 fidelity as a class, in view of the extensive pow- 

 ers with which they are entrusted, and especially, 

 in view of the power of certification, which in 

 the manner of its use up to the present day, has 

 been without any other protection than their own 

 sense of propriety and honor. — Gibbou^s "Banks 

 of New York." 



For the New England Farmer. 

 ANIMAL MAWUBES, &c. 



Mr. Editor : — Being one of your less scien- 

 tific, but inquiring readers, I am disposed to in- 

 quire further of your correspondent, who gives 

 us "Corn Again," in your weekly of Nov. 27. 



I have fallen into the eri-or, which I apprehend 

 is quite a common one, of believing that animal 

 manures do, in New England especially, form an 

 important basis of all farm improvement. 



The two first gardeners were placed, no doubt, 

 in far different circumstances, than any of your 

 "inquiring" farmers find themselves, as regards 

 Sertility of soil, and other agricultural requisites. 



Even in those days, best suited to your cor- 

 respondent's theory, animals were by no means 

 overlooked ; being created prior to man, and 

 consequently, considered necessary to complete 

 the harmony of a perfect world. 



As to the Chinese and Japanese, I have no de- 

 sire to pattern especially after their mode of ag- 

 riculture, but think your correspondent will find 

 them placing a higher value on animal manures 

 than he would have us infer. 



Spade husbandry, at the pr(!sent ratio of labor, 

 for farmers who have notes to meet, and families 

 to maintain and educate, as a general method, 

 would be more expensive than profitable. 



I have found a yoke of oxen and an Eagle 

 plow, or two yokes and the Universal sod and 

 subsoil, equal in amount and thoroughness of 

 labor to as many Irishmen with spades, as would 

 have eaten the oxen at one day's meals, and con- 

 siderable corn bread beside. 



Instead of animal manures being to the soil as 

 the condiments to our food, I have been educa- 

 ted to believe them the food of the plant. In- 

 deed, every corn or oat or grass crop I raise so 

 proclaims them, and I believe the plant as good 

 an analyst of the condition of soil necessary to its 

 growth, as many of your more scientific, but less 



inquiring readers. I agree with your correspon- 

 dent, upon the evanescent properties of guano. 



I presume the gentleman's dinner or supper 

 becomes evanescent in the course of a few hours ; 

 at least, should think it might, unless he should 

 consume a little beef, or the Yankee dish of 

 pork and beans there »'-ith. 



The general practice of farmers in this section 

 is to raise corn, small grains and grass, in rota- 

 tion ; and land well manured after corn, and the 

 crop of grain at seeding, generally produces two 

 good crops of grass, and then is manured and 

 put in corn, &c. 



To grow good corn, without animal manures, 

 would be like making water run up hill ; one 

 could grow the stalk, but the rounded and well- 

 filled ear of golden corn, would come up missing 

 like Paddy's flea. 



It is considered, by many farmers, the surest 

 way to put money in pocket, to consume on the 

 farm all the hay and coarse fodder, and much of 

 the grain, making the marketable products of the 

 farm consist for the most part, of beef, pork and 

 dairy products. 



This system, with care in providing cellars in 

 which to secure the manures, and muck, and 

 loam to absorb the liquids, with now and then a 

 load of muck in the hog-yard, "for the scavenger 

 of the family," gives more corn, more rye or 

 grass, and more money, with which to keep the 

 wheels greased, and pay for the N. E. Farmer, 

 than the opposite. 



With most of us, inquiring farmers, a full bel- 

 ly makes a strong back, even if the food be some- 

 what of such matters as corned beef and pork 

 and beans. 



I venture to assert that many of the most po- 

 tent charms of farm life are found in good crops, 

 well filled barns, plenty of cattle, horses, sheep 

 and swine, sleek and contented, to devour the 

 contents of the same. 



I may add, that many farmers, possessors of 

 such charms, and taking pleasures from these fer- 

 tile sources — advocates of thorough culture, lib- 

 eral application of manures, a generous but 

 thrifty policy everywhere upon the farm, pay 

 for and highly appreciate the Farmer, and are 

 known, by force of introduction, as your less 

 scientific but inquiring readers. A Farmer. 



Vermont, Jan. 1, 1859. 



Gigantic Harvest Home. — The Irish papers 

 contain an account of the gigantic harvest home 

 on the estate of Mr. Pollock, in the county of 

 Galway. About 1,400 persons (only one-half of 

 his servants,) were liberally entertained in the 

 Home Farm Stead at Lismay. The roof covers 

 nearly two acres of land, and the building was 

 lighted with gas. The extent of this gentleman's 

 operations may be judged by the fact that he has 

 1,800 acres in green crops, and 4,000 in grain, 

 with about 4,000 head of cattle. 



House Committee on Agriculture. — Messrs. 

 William G. Whiteley, of Delaware, Lawrence W. 

 Hall, of Ohio, Wm. H. Kelsey, of New York, 

 John Huyler, of New Jersey, Richard INIott, of 

 Ohio, James B. Foley, of Indiana, James L. Gil- 

 lis, of Pennsylvania, R. P. Tripp, of Georgia, W. 

 H. Keim, of Pennsylvania. 



