1858. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



133 



EXTBACTS AND REPLIES. 



GAS TAR. 



I would like to inquire if there is any virtue, 



for agricultural purposes, in the substance called 



gas tar, obtained. at the gas works, and if so, how 



it should be applied ? 



Charles A. Theobald. 

 Dresden, Me., 1858. 



Remarks. — We find in the "American Muck 

 Book" the following account of the substance: — 

 ^^Gas tar or coal tar, from the amount of ammo- 

 nia it contains, like all other matter in which am- 

 monia is present, must be rich as a manure, 

 whether diluted with water and applied in a liquid 

 form, or as composted with peat or other ab- 

 sorbent matter. 



"As this substance is produced in rather limited 

 quantities, and employed very commonly as a 

 paint for posts, fences, farm buildings, &e., it has 

 not been much used as a fertilizer on account of 

 the expense attending its purchase ; but wherever 

 it can be obtained at a small cost, it is an article 

 well worthy of the farmer's notice. It is com- 

 posed entirely of ingredients which enter into the 

 composition of all plants, is gradually decomposed 

 in the soil, and is powerful in its effects ; hence, 

 it is preferable to apply it in a compost made of 

 pulverized peat, swamp or pond muck, loam, 

 mould, or any of the absorbents treated of in oth- 

 er parts of this work. It may be applied as a 

 top-dressing for most kinds of crops of grass, 

 turnips or grain ; or it may be employed in the 

 hills or drills of most of our garden vegetables, 

 Indian corn and other hoed crops." 



now TO MAKE AN EXCELLENT CAKE. 



One quart of Indian meal, four table-spoonfuls 

 rye meal or flour, half tea cup West India molas- 

 ses, one tea-spoonful of saleratus, and some salt ; 

 stir in warm or cold water till it is nearly as thin 

 as fritters or pancakes. Sweet or sour milk or 

 buttermilk may be used, allowing more saleratus 

 for the sour. Pour it into a tin or iron baking- 

 pan, M'ell greased, and bake in a quick oven. 



It is good enough without any spice, but if you 

 are fastidious, and can afford it, you can add car- 

 away seed, allspice or ginger-. It is best when 

 first baked, but is good afterwards, cold or 

 steamed. When crumbled in milk, it is particu- 

 larly relished by children. Try it. 



If you should happen to get in too much or not 

 enough saleratus, you can govern yourself ac- 

 cordingly next time. 



P. D. & T. S. Edmonds. 



East Chelmsford, Mass., 1858. 



WH^iT caused it. 



I have noticed within a few days, that a thrifty 

 Porter apple tree, about a foot in circumference, 

 has a large crack in its trunk beginning in the 

 crotch and extending through the bark and wood 

 nearly to the ground. I find similar cracks, but 

 none so large, in the trunks of two other trees : 



the cracks in appearance very are like those pro- 

 duced sometimes in a log, by boring a hole in it, 

 pouring in water and letting it freeze. Some 

 parts of the crevice in the Porter tree were filled 

 with a discolored icicle the morning after a freez- 

 ing night. The trees stand on a yelloAV loam of 

 about a foot in depth ; the subsoil is a coarse, po- 

 rous gravel, perhaps with clay underneath, for 

 water is reached by digging six to eight feet. 

 Jan. 20, 1858. d. 



Remarks. — We have noticed this in our own 

 trees, but always found it in young and thrifty 

 growing ones. Many persons say it is caused by 

 cold. Is it not rather owing to an excessive sup- 

 ply of sap, unable to find an outlet through the 

 natural channel of stems and leaves, and thus 

 swelling the trunk until it is distended to burst- 



SUBSOILING wet SOILS. 



Is subsoil plowing beneficial on a naturally wet 

 granitic soil ? j. 



Remarks. — Certainly, we think. If any natu- 

 rally wet soil is made porous and light six or 

 eight inches lower than usual, it would allow the 

 water to pass away from the upper portion more 

 readily, and consequently let in the air and heat, 

 and thus materially improve the mechanical con- 

 dition of the surface soil. Roots of plants would 

 also extend themselves deeper than if the sub- 

 stratum had not been disturbed. 



But such soils should first be drained, if possi- 

 ble ; then the process of subsoiling will afford 

 ample returns for all its cost. 



WASH FOR FRUIT TREES. 



Make a firm soap of one part lamp oil (no 

 matter how much candied) and six or eight parts 

 of strong ley or potash solution ; one part of this 

 soap and eight of warm water — apply with a 

 brush, or cloth attached to a long handle. 



I have used this wash with perfect success on 

 young trees, entirely destroying the aphis when 

 the trees were nearly covered with them, and giv- 

 ing to the bark a healthy and vigorous appear- 

 ance. Apply the wash in February or March. 

 J. 



PUMPKINS AMONG CORN. 



Will you, or some of your correspondents, give 

 your views of raising pumpkins with corn, as this 

 is a subject I have never seen discussed in your 

 paper ? Old Subscriber. 



Putney, Vt., Jan., 1858, 



Remarks. — It is a common custom in New 

 England to raise pumpkins among corn. It used 

 to be our practice, but we have nearly abandoned 

 it. Whether it is best to cultivate mixed crops 

 of corn and pumpkins, or not, we, certainly, are 

 not able to determine, — but are strongly of the 

 opinion that no gain is made by the introduction 

 of the pumpkin into the cornfield. What do 

 other cultivators think ? 



