100 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Feb 



where the bite proved fatal to man. But the 

 banded rattlesnake is much longer and more dan- 

 gerous, while tlie terrible diamond rattlesnake of 

 the Soi:th sometimes attains the length of eight 

 feet, and a blow from which is almost certain 

 death. 



The rattlesnake was for a time our national 

 emblem, and it is to be regretted that it was so 

 soon thrown aside for the bald eagle. For des- 

 pite the horror in which he is held, the reptile is 

 by far the nobler animal of the two. He is no 

 impotent and cowardly robber, like our emblem- 

 atic bird, makes no unprovoked attacks, and al- 

 ways sounds his warning rattle, a sure precursor 

 of the deadly blow that follows. 



It is doul>tful whether any of the popular rem- 

 edies for serpent bite are of positive avail, ex- 

 cept, perhaps, the internal use of stimulants. 

 Probal)ly the best way of treating a bite would 

 be immediate excision, if practicable, as deep as 

 the fang entered, or the application of cupping 

 glasses, or sucking with the mouth. A pressure 

 over the wound would also be beneficial, by re- 

 tarding absorption. To be of any use, however, 

 these measures must be taken instantly. It may 

 be well to mention here that the only poisonous 

 snakes m the United States are those composing 

 the family of rattlesnakes, moccasins and copper- 

 heads. T he moccasins are confined to the South- 

 ern States- The copperheads have a wider range, 

 but are now, fortunately, nowhere abundant. 



D. J. Benton. 



Manee, Ills., Dec. 23, 1857. 



APPLE TREES BY THE SIDE OP FENCES 

 Many years ago it used to be the custom to 

 set young apple trees alongside the wall or fence, 

 not only against the fences bordering the high- 

 way, but quite often along the division lines of 

 the fields. This practice has been latterly neg- 

 lected, and Ave believe condemned by most per- 

 sons who have planted trees. The question has 

 often arisen in our mind whether that old custom 

 was entirely without merit. Were there no good 

 reasons for placing fruit trees in those positions ? 

 Giving the subject some thought, and looking at 

 the farms Avhere the trees were thus scattered, we 

 confess, has given us several reasons for believ- 

 ing that the old way, after all, had its claims, as 

 well as the modern innovation. 



The work of cultivating the soil, for any crop, is 

 just about doubled on land that is covered with 

 fruit trees at the ordinary distances, say from 25 

 to 40 feet apart. The trees ofi"er an obstruction to 

 every operation, in removing the stones if there 

 are any, in plowing, carting on manure, in har- 

 rowing, furrowing, and, perhaps, more than all, in 

 cultivating the corn preparatory to hoeing. They 

 are also formidable obstacles to the use of mow- 

 ing machines w' en the land comes to be in grass, 

 as well as obstructions in carting off the hay. 

 They are so many hindrances, and consequently 

 are as much a tax to the farmer as though the 

 amount of hindniucc was paid in cash. 



These reasons are not presented to dissuade 

 any one from planting an orchard in the compact 

 form, but merely to show that olijections may be 

 urged to this mode of planting as well as to any 

 other. 



Some of these objections advanced against 

 planting by the side of fences, are, 



1. That the trees prevent plowing near the 

 wall or fence. 



2. That weeds and bushes grow and at length 

 occupy the ground between the tree and the 

 fence, until the former scatter their seeds over 

 the contiguous fields, and the latter send out 

 their roots to sap the soil of the nutriment which 

 the trees themselves require. 



3. That cattle reach after the limbs, either te 

 browse them or feed upon the fruit, and thus 

 break the trees and destroy their symmetry, and 

 also destroy the fences. 



4. If apple trees are set along side of mowing 

 fields, we must either suflter the loss of the "fall 

 feed," or run the risk of having the trees browsed. 



5. That where trees are on the roadside the 

 fruit becomes a temptation to boys, who some- 

 times steal it, knock the fences down, and stone 

 and club the trees, greatly to their detriment. 



Now let us see if these objections have any 

 better foundation than those urged against com- 

 pact orchard culture. 



1. In order to make trees grow so rapidly as to 

 prevent their being stunted, covered with moss 

 and show premature old age, they must stand in 

 a loose and porous soil, beside being manured ; 

 and this must be their position with occasional 

 exceptions, for a year or two at a time, of leaving 

 them in grass, for at least twenty years. A strip 

 of land near the fence may be plowed and thor- 

 oughly pulverized, to set them in when planted, 

 and this may be spaded up once or twice a year 

 with as much economy, perhaps, as it could be 

 plowed ; for even in close orchard culture, the 

 use of the spade is necessary after the best plow- 

 ing has been performed, and spading the trees 

 near fences may be done in spring and fall, at 

 odd hours when other work is not pressing. — 

 When this is faithfully done, it takes away the 

 force of the second objection in regard to weeds 

 and bushes. 



3. The third objection, in relation to the de- 

 struction of trees and fences by cattle, is the 

 most formidable one. But in order to prevent 

 this mischief, the limbs of the tree may be start- 

 ed high, the fences made strong, and such other 

 precautionary measures adopted as might be from 

 time to time devised. 



4. In regard to the fourth objection, if planting 

 fruit trees by the side of mowing lots would keep 

 cattle out of them, it would prove of essential 

 service to many farmers who greatly injure their 



