NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



urine contains the essential elements of vegeta- 

 bles in a state of solution. The urine of a horse 

 being so much lighter, would be more valuable 

 than its dung, if both must be conveyed any con 

 siderable distance. The urine of six cows, or 

 horses, will enrich a quantity of earth sufficient to 

 top-dress one English acre of grass land ; and as 

 it would require about twenty dollars worth of 

 dung to perform the same operation, the urine 

 of a cow or horse is worth about tlu-ee dollars 

 per annum, allowing two dollars per acre as the 

 expense of preparing the compost. The advan- 

 tages of irrigating grass lands with cow urine al- 

 most exceeds belief, Mr. Hardy, of Glasgow, 

 who keeps a large dairy in that town, by using 

 cow urine, cuts some small fields of grass six 

 times ; and the average of each cutting is fifteen 

 inches in length." If this is all true, farmers 

 should exert their utmost efforts to economize 

 this substance, and apply i^ to their crops with 

 great care. It is, vmdoubtedly, a most energetic 

 and efficient fertilizer, and one which, we are in 

 clined to think, has been allowed to run greatly 

 to waste. 



THE ALBANIAN MARSHES. 



These marshes are a paradise for ornithologists. 

 Wild fowl of every description rise in clouds on 

 all sides out of shot ; while the coots and small 

 cormorants, conscious of safety, scarcely trouble 

 themselves to move at the sound of a gun. Plo- 

 vers of all kinds whistle around, and down at the 

 sea are flocks of huge grotesque-looking pelicans, 

 with a sprinkling of snow-white egrets. Slowly 

 flapping over the reeds are innumerable marsh 

 harriers ; merlins, peregrines, and bright blue hen 

 harriers dash along above, and high up in the air 

 the great Egyjjtian vultures (seeming pure white 

 as you look up at them from below) soar slowly 

 round, or rise sluggishly from their feast on some 

 carcass at your feet. Eagles are as numerous as 

 hawks in a deer forest in Scotland ; five different 

 kinds (I am told — I am no ornithologist myself) 

 are frequently seen. In the Avoods the great ea- 

 gle owl (stn/x bubo) is not uncommon ; and there 

 is no laclc of four-footed animals — wild boar, i-oe 

 deer, jackals, foxes and martin cats abound ; oc- 

 casionally a wolf is seen, though they more com- 

 monly keep to the hill-sides ; and among the high 

 mountains in the interior are bears, red deer and 

 chamois. — Fraser's Magazin e. 



HOW TO MAKE LARD CANDLES. 



Messrs. Editors :— Having been the recipient 

 of many favors through the columns of your in- 

 valuable publications, I propose, as far as in me 

 lies, to cancel the obligations already incurred, 

 and as the first installment I shall offer a receipt 

 for maki'ig hard, durable and clear-burning can- 

 dles of lard. The manufacture of lard candles is 

 carried on to a considerable extent in some of the 

 western States, particularly Wisconsin, and being 

 monopolized by the few, has proved very lucra- 

 tive. The following is the receipt in toto. To 



every 8 lbs. of lard, add one ounce nitric acid ; 

 and the manner of making is as follows : Hav- 

 ing carefully M'eighed your lard, place it over a 

 slow fire, or at least merely melt it ; then add 

 the acid, and mould the same as tallow, and j^ou 

 have a clear, beautiful candle. 



In order to make them resemble bona-fide tal- 

 low candles, you have only to add a small pro- 

 portion of pure beeswax.' J. A. RoBlNSON. 



Belcher, N. Y. ' Country Oentleman. 



EXTRACTS AND REPLIES. 

 HOW SHALL WE SPELL ? 



The firm of Nourse, jMason & Co., of Boston, 

 have a world-wide reputation for their implements 

 made for turning over and pulverizing the soil. 

 But they have not yet succeeded in instructing 

 the people, all of tJicm, hoAv to sixiU the name by 

 which these implements are to be designated. I 

 find even learned editors vary in this — and dic- 

 tionary-makers have no standard authority. The 

 witty Dr. Holmes says, there would be the same 

 propriety in spelling the name of the animal that 

 supplies nourishment for our babies, when their 

 mothers fail to afford it, c-o-u-cj-h, as in spelling 

 the name of this implement p-l-o-ii-g-li. But 

 every one pronounces the two with the same ter- 

 minating sound, cow, plow. Then why not so 

 spell them ? No good reason can be assigned but 

 being led captive by early jirejudices and anti- 

 quated errors. 



November IG, 1857. Reformer. 



MUCK AS A TOr-DRESSING — MUCK IN BARN- 

 YARDS — MANURES. 



Do you think it will pay to spread muck on as 

 a top-dressing for mowing ? If so, Avhen is the 

 best time for putting it on, fall or spring ? (a.) 



Do you think it advisable to buy manures to 

 raise crops to pay for a farm, when one has con- 

 siderable interest money to pay ? Or is it best to 

 let the farm pay for itself without any stimu- 

 lus ? (b.) 



Is cider pomace beneficial to apj^le trees ? (c.) 



Is it not better to use muck in barn-yards, iSrc, 

 instead of loam ? As I have a great quantity of 

 that article, I wish to know the most profitable 

 way to use it. (d.) K. A. c. 



Uxbridge, Nov., 1857. 



Remarks. — (a.) On sandy loams especially, but 

 on any lands that have been heavily cropped, 

 mnck that has been thrown out one or more years, 

 and occasionally worked over to get it fine, af- 

 fords an excellent top-dressing, even when not 

 mingled with any other substance. We should 

 advise to apply it, if it can be made convenient, 

 as soon as possible, after the grass is cut in July 

 or August ; but at any rate, in the fall, in pref- 

 erence to the spring, so that it may have the ben- 

 efit of the fall and winter rains and frosts in pul- 

 verizing and settling it down about the roots. 



(b.) Purchasing manure is much like any other 

 merchandising ; if you are satisfied that you can 

 increase your profits enough to pay the cost of 

 the manure, then purchase. It will be prudent, 



