254 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER, 



PEBRJART 19, 1S34. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



BOSTON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, FEB. 19, 1834. 

 EXPERIMENTAL, HUSBANDRY.* 



In our last, page 24G, we published an article 

 detailing certain experiments made by Gorham 

 Parsons, Esq. of Brighton, Mass. We shall now 

 advert to that gentleman's row or drill culture of 

 wheat, as given by him, in the communication al- 

 luded to. 



Sir John Sinclair lias the following, among other 

 remarks on the subject of Drill Husbandry: " In 

 comparing the drill and broad-cast systems, the 

 following maxims may be laid down : 1. That it is 

 of little or no advantage to drill autumn or winter 

 sown wheat, as the crop is rarely injured by annual 

 weeds, and they can be easily and completely ex- 

 tirpated by hand hoeing, and weeding; and when 

 the soil is much infested by root weeds, as the 

 crop in ordinary cases will completely meet in the 

 rows before the root-weeds make much appear- 

 ance, it is impossible without injuring the crop to 

 render much benefit to the land by the hoe. '2. On 

 all lands where annual weeds are abundant, and 

 where a number of hands can be procured for 

 using the hoe, white crops, sown in the spring, 

 may be drilled, for the advantage of clearing the 

 land more effectually. By weeding broad-cast 

 crops carefully, an addition of four and a half 

 bushels of wheat, fifteen bushels of bailey, and ten 

 of oats has been obtained. The adoption of that 

 practice, therefore, would probably equal the aver- 

 age advantage from drilling; so that the difference 

 between broad-cast crops, properly weeded, and 

 the drilled, may not he material. 3. That though 

 the hoeing of the crops, and the stirring of the soHj 

 has not been injurious in light soils like those of 

 Norfolk and Suffolk, win-re drilling has succeeded ; 

 yet where the soil is fertile, by nature, or enriched 

 by art, drilling forces up the straw, and conse- 

 quently diminishes the quantity and quality of the 

 grain in so great a degree as to render the crops 

 unproductive. Hence in rich soils drilling has 

 been so frequently given up, and hence it is that 

 Tull probably considered dung as prejudicial. 



"There doubtless must be some radical defect 

 in the system ol' drilling, when after a full tria 

 its merits by a number of intelligent farmers in 

 several districts, but more especially in the coun- 

 ties of Hertford and Lincoln, it has been given up, 

 with hardly an exception, in so far as respects 

 crops of grain. These facts confirm the almost 

 general opinion throughout the kingdom, that drill- 

 ing will be found to answer to a certain extent, 

 and with a certain degree of skill and attention; 

 but when the scale is extended the attention is apt 

 to flag, and the conclusions drawn from one or 

 two fields are not found applicable, unless where 

 the operation is very skilfully conducted, to a whole 

 farm." — Code of Agriculture. 



Dr. Deane, in his New England Fanner, Art. 

 ".Veto Husbandry,'" after mentioning the various 

 impediments to drilled and hoed crops of grain, 

 which are peculiar to a new and rough land, and 

 of course more applicable to this country than to 

 Great Britain, observed as follows : 



" I have not mentioned these things with any 

 view to deter my countrymen from attempting to 

 apply the new mode of culture to winter grain. 

 There is nothing that I more sincerely wish than 

 to see careful experiments made with it. But I 

 think this caulion ought to be observed, never to 



attempt to raise spring wheat or spring rye in this 

 manner. Though I have -never read nor heard of 

 horse hoeing spring wheat in England, I have 

 known it tried by several persons to their mortifi- 

 cation and loss in this country. The crops were 

 so entirely blasted as to be scarcely worth reaping. 

 This has been the case, when the culture has been 

 conducted by some oT the most judicious persons, 

 with great attention and with the proper apparatus. 

 The true reason of their miscarriage I take to be 

 this, that as spring grain ripens later than winter 

 grain, and hoed later than unhoed grain, it could 

 not be ripe till sometime in August, when some of 

 the nights are so cold as to blast the grain, by stop- 

 ping the ascent of the sap. 



" But let the new husbandry be tried on winter 

 wheat, sown in August or September, on a warm 

 soil with a southern exposure, and where there 

 are no stones, nor any other -obstacles ; and let the 

 seed he brought from some place at least a hun- 

 dred miles northward. If with these advantages 

 for ripening early, and in favorable seasons, a good 

 crop of wheat cannot be obtained, it will not be 

 worth while to make further trials. But it should 

 be tried on rye also ; for as that is known to be a 

 hardier grain than wheat, it is probable that it 

 may answer better in this husbandry. 



" We need not be at the expense of procuring 

 drill ploughs and horse hoes, to make experiments 

 of these kinds. After the ground is ploughed into 

 ridges and well harrowed, the channels may be 

 expeditiously made two inches deep with the head 

 of a common rake. The horse hoeing may be well 

 enough performed with a common horse plough, 

 passing it twice in a furrow, if found necessary, 

 that the ground- may be stirred to a sufficient 

 depth." 



It appears from the authorities above quoted 

 that the most eminent agriculturists are divided in 

 opinion relative to the drill culture of white crops. 

 Besides, Sir John Sinclair was of opinion that 

 little or no advantage 'could be obtained from the 

 row culture of winter wheat ; and Dr.Deane advised 

 to try the new- husbandry on winter wheat, but not 

 attempt the horse hoeing, or row culture of spring 

 wheat And, whereas those doctors disagree, we 

 must look to other practitioners. Mr. Parsons, 

 of however, has taught us that rows of wheat should 

 not be sown so thick as 15 inches apart, as a gen- 

 eral rule. Yfe/are inclined to the opinion that the 

 row culture of wheat is not expedient except as an 

 experiment, as was the case with Mr. Parsons, or 

 when it is the wish of the cultivator, as it probably 

 was in the case alluded to, to make the most of 

 his seed without regard to the labor and expense 

 bestowed on the crop. 



Some remarks on the modes of cultivation 

 adopted in obtaining large crops of Indian corn, 

 must be deferred to our next. 



by turning into the opposite ear a great spoonful 

 of melted hog's fat, it was cured in 24 hours. 1 

 do not pretend to account for this, but I have seen 

 it tried with success so often, that I think it ought 

 to be made public, if it has not been before. 1 

 learned it of an Indian. 



WINNOWING MILL. 



O.v our first page of this day's paper we have 

 presented to our readers a cut of Elliot's Patent 

 Winnowing Mill, which we believe to be a very 

 valuable implement. We are informed that the 

 right of making, rending and using this article 

 may be had of John Springer of Sterling, Mass. or 

 of J. R. Newell, Agricultural Warehouse, No. 5'2 

 North Market street, Boston, where the mills are 

 for sale. 



A HINT. 



Persons who write for the press, and especially 

 where haste in publication is unavoidable, should 

 write only on one side of the sheet of paper. — 

 Writing on both sides of the paper, creates difficul- 

 ty and confusion in dividing tin matter among the 

 compositors. — Sag Harh'or Watchman. 



ITEMS OP INTELLIGENCE. 



A Company has been formed at Calcutta, to facilitate 



the travel between England and India, via the Red Sea, 

 by steam. The Government of India has offered a 

 reward of $100,000 to any person or company, v.-lio shall 

 make four voyages a year, leaving the proprietors the 

 profits of passengers and letters. 



A correspondent of the Norfolk Beacon, writing from 

 St. Barts, under date of the 10th nit, says : " The West 

 Indies aj now in a deplorable state — poverty has over- 

 taken many since you left here, and is making rapid and 

 quick marches upon many others. 



Deaths by Consumption. — By actual calculation, it ap- 

 pears for the last three years one fourth of the deaths 

 which have occurred in Portland. Me. have arisen from 

 consumption, the primary cause of which, says the ed- 

 itor of the Courier, a shrewd feeling man, is the abom- 

 inable practice adopted among the young girls of tight 

 lacing, and the insufficiency of clothing in its season. 

 which is not endured from poverty, but imposed by 

 fashion. 



StainS In/ Frvits. — Are readily removed from clothes 

 by wetting them, ami placing them near lighted brim- 

 stone : a few matches will answer the purpose. 



CURE FOR A FILM IN THE EYE OF A 

 HORSE OR AN OX. 



Edward S. Jarvis, Esq. of Surry, Me. in a let- 

 ter to Mr. Joseph R. Newell, proprietor of the Bos- 

 ton Agricultural Warehouse, states as follows: 



UnVe you ever heard of a cure for a film on tin- 

 eye of a horse or an ox? I-was told of one eighteen 

 ortwenty years ago, and have been in the practice of 

 it ever since with perfect success. It was brought 

 to my mind by just having had a proof of its suc- 

 cessful application in a calf that had its eye hurt 

 by a blow from another creature. A film formed 

 over it, aud it was thought its eye was lost. But 



BRIGHTON NUUSERIES. 



Messrs. W1NSHIP have (he pi of announcing to 



the i otiii.-. tlia'. a part of their imf>ortoiii n ol new and rare pro- 

 ductions to Ibis country have arrived, among which arc ilie fol- 

 lowing new and /• ading kinds ol Sn '• h Gooseberries, and are 

 now ready for delivery ;— they can be securely parked for this 

 or any other country, and afforded it the lowest Catalogue 

 prices, — with a liberal discount by the hundred : — viz. 



Reds. Roaring Lion, Lancashire Lad, Jubilee, Jolly miner, 

 EmperorfNonsuch, Ringleader, Prince Repent. 



Yellow. Yellede Paris, Nelsfin'sWavi s, Fine bobbin. Hood, 

 Combemere, Waterloo, Collage Girl. Blacksmith, Suffield. 



Green. Ocean, Favori een, No bribery. Fairy, 



Green grove. 



Whiles. Queen Ann, Smiling beauty, Vtttoria, Glory,* <«• 

 quering hero, Queen Caroline, Winsham lass, Noble landlady. 



Also, at the proper season lor removing hardy plants, the 

 most extensive varieties ol FituiT, Ornamental and Fancy 

 productions, that are cultivated in Uii* country 5 all of them 

 well acclimated ; consequent!} , in the 1 itiination of most per- 

 sons heller adapted to eiidure'lhe sevi ritj of our climate, than 

 those imported Iron) more southern and milder temperature. 



Orders may In- left with Geo.- C. Barrett, Agent. 52 

 North Market street, Boston, or forwarded to Messrs. Win- 

 sine Brighton, Ma^s. by mail or otherwise. 



Catalogues for gratuiuaus distribution at the N.E. Farmer 

 Office and Seed Store of Geo C. Barrett. f 19 



