476 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Oct. 



-xcept when drenched by the thawing rains of 

 •inter. 



The snows which are so liable to come upon 

 •18 at that season of the year, will soon cover it, 

 ndding defiance to the winds Avhich are so eager 

 Lo catch up its fertilizing qualities, bearing them 

 hence to no particular spot. 



The greatest benefit I ever received from top- 

 dressing, was spread on the snow in winter, while 

 that spread in early autumn has been almost an 

 entire failure. 



Ashes and other non-evaporating substances 

 may be spread at any season of the year. Under 

 the above process I have improved the condition 

 of a farm which had been continually deteriorat- 

 ing under the process of plowing, so that the 

 barns that were not more than two-thirds filled 

 are now filled — full. This season I have been 

 obliged to reap and cradle my grain, which 

 heretofore has been mowed, for want of barn 

 room, and all this has been done in the space of 

 four years. 



Now let us examine it in a scientific point of 

 view. It has been my pleasure, as well as priv- 

 ilege, for the past few years, to enjoy the reading 

 of your excellent paper, of which the editorials 

 have not been of the least importance. You have 

 frequently set forth in them, (and I think not 

 M'ithout foundation,) as a principle, that the sub- 

 stances which combine to perfect the formation 

 of the vegetable kingdom are classed under two 

 heads, called organic and inorganic. That the 

 organic substances are derived from the atmos- 

 phere, and the inorganic from the soil ; that when 

 these substances have combined and formed veg- 

 etable matter, and are permitted to decay, being 

 exposed to the open air, will return to the source 

 from whence they came. 



Now, does it appear reasonable that our com- 

 post manure, a large share of which is organic, 

 should be spread upon the surface, under the 

 burning sun of July, August or September, ex- 

 posed to the evaporating influences of sun and 

 air, and that in case it should not rain for a week, 

 would almost be relieved of its organic substan- 

 ces, or, at least, of those parts which are of any 

 service, leaving only the inorganic, which alone 

 cannot perfect vegetation ? N. II. L. 



Ottei' River, Mass., 1859. 



top-dress ; but the objection to the former time 

 is, we cannot tell when the snows are coming, 

 and do not like to risk the manure exposed to 

 the fierce winds, and the objection to the latter 

 time is, that the ground being so soft at that sea- 

 son of the year, might be injured by going ovei 

 it with teams and wheels. 



B EM ARKS. — When we wrote the paragraphs 

 which "N. H. L." has quoted, we had not forgot 

 ten the objections he raises — they are valid ob 

 jections. There is always more or less loss in 

 top-dressing with organic manures. What we 

 must do, is, to select that time which we think, 

 upon the whole, is the least objectionable. We 

 have asked the question of at least fifty among the 

 best farmers in New England, "When is the best 

 time to top-dress grass land ?" and we think the 

 reply has been, in a majority of cases, — "just as 

 soon after you take your crop off as you can." 

 If the manure is applied late in autumn, the 

 sweeping winds which prevail at that season de- 

 siccate it with great rapidity, even more rapidly 

 than July suns. Just before snows fall in au- 

 tumn, or early in April, are also good times to 



AUTUMN WILD FLOWERS. 



BY MART HOWITT. 



The autumn sun is shining, 



Gray mists are on the hill ; 

 A russet tint is on the leaves, 



But flowers are blooming still ! 



Still bright, in wood or meaJow ; 



On moorlands dry and brown ; 

 By little streams ; by rivers broad ; 



On every breezy down — 



The little flowers are smiling, 



With chilly dew-drops wet, 

 Are saying with a sportive voice — 



"We have not vanished yet '. 



"No, though the spring be over ; 



Though summer's strength be gone ; 

 Though autumn's wealth be garnered, 



And winter cometh on ; 



"Still we have not departed, 



We linger to the last, 

 And even on early winter's brow 



A cheerful radiance cast !" 



Go forth, then, youths and mailens, 



Be joyful whilst you may ; 

 Go forth, then, child and mother, 



And toiling men grown gray. 



Go forth, though ye be humble. 



And wan with toil and care ; 

 There are no fields to barren 



But some sweet flower is there ! 



Flowers spring up by the highway 



Which busy feet have trod ; 

 They rise up in the dreariest wood ; 



They gem the dullest sod. 



They need no learned gardener 



To nurture them with care ; 

 They only need the dews of earth. 



The sunshine and the air. 



And for earth's lowly children ; 



For loving hearts and (Ood, 

 They spring up all around us, 



They will not be subdued. 



Thank God ! when forth from Eden 



The weeping pair was driven, 

 That unto earth, though cursed with thorny 



The little flowers were given. 



That Eve, when looking downward. 



To face her God afraid. 

 Beheld the scented violet. 



The primrose in the shade ! 



Thank God ! that with the thistle 



That sprang up in his toil, 

 The weary worker, Adam, 



Saw roses gem the soil. 



And still, for anxious workers — 



For hearts with anguish full, 

 Life, even on its dreariest path, 



Has floweri for them to cull. 



