182 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



April 



farm -v^'orth $3,000 would only give $120 at four 

 per cent. Now does L. S. believe that such a 

 farm would not yield more than that sum, even 

 if it was turned to pasture, or left for a growth 

 of wood alone ! The difficulty of the matter lies 

 in another direction, we think ; in the want of 

 proper cultivation. But more or less capital is 

 indispensable. A farm is much like a mine. 

 There must be capital with which to work it and 

 bring to light the precious metals which lie hid- 

 den far below, or they never will appear. It is 

 unreasonable to expect a farm worth only $1000 

 to produce an annual income equal to that sum : 

 But upon tolerably good land, Avhatever capital is 

 judiciously expended will usually give an annual 

 interest of fifteen per cent. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 FIELD IIOLIjER---FOUL IN" THE FOOT- 

 TO PREVEHT PUMPS FEBEZING. 



Eriend Brown : — I subscribed for the New 

 England Farmer last October, but, through the 

 negligence of either the post master or myself, I 

 did not receive any of the numbers until this 

 month, then I received them all. In looking them 

 over some ideas were suggested to me which I 

 thought might benefit some of your readers. 



In reply to Mr. Dimon, I agree with Mr. Hol- 

 brook as to the value of the roller. My father 

 and myself have used one a number of years, and 

 consider it one of the farming tools which ought 

 not to be dispensed with. Although within a few 

 years it seems to be more highly appreciated 

 than formerly, it is not in that general use, which 

 its merits demand. The roller can be used to 

 great advantage on the mowing land in the 

 spring ; it rolls in all bunches and small stones ; 

 the larger stones and all other substance which 

 will interfere with the scythe may be laid on the 

 roller and carried to the end of the field. It 

 should never be used on wet land; it is worse than 

 useless — is injurious ; instead of leaving the soil 

 light, as on dry land, it renders it hard and clam- 

 my, and the heat of the sun will bake it so that 

 it will crack like clay. ]\Ir. Holbrook omitted to 

 mention this fact, Avhich I consider very impor- 

 tant, as it probably explains the objection many 

 persons have to Ihe roller. 



CURE FOR FOUL IN THE FOOT. 



A simple cure for the Fold in the Foot. After 

 cleaning the foot, pour in a few drons of spirits of 

 turpentine, and unless in very aggravated cases, 

 two or three applications Avill be sufficient. I have 

 always used it, and when applied in season have 

 never known its failing. 



now TO PREVENT FREEZING OF PUMPS. 



In winter, I often hear complaints of freezing 

 of pumps ; to prevent this ; cover your well with 

 a high platform ; then prepare a box fifteen or 

 eighteen inches square ; according to the size of 

 your pump, and sufficiently high to cover the 

 nose ; cut a hole around the pump as large as 

 the box will admit. The steam arising from the 

 ^vater in the well into the box will keep the pump 



warm and prevent its freezing. Care should be 

 taken to have everything made tight to prevent 

 the steam from escaping. My pump has been 

 thus covered for many years, and although it 

 stands in a very exposed place, yet, during the 

 extreme cold of the past winter, it has only 

 slightly frozen over a few times. This remedy is 

 very simple, and if done thoroughly, very effec- 

 tive, and saves the trouble of letting off' the water 

 or covering the pump with straw or bundles of 

 stalks, which is useless. a. 



East Lexington, 1858. 



For the New England Farmer, 



CULTIVATION" OF THE PEAB ON" 

 QUINCE STOCKS. 



, Mr. Editor : — Can any dependence be placed 

 upon this stock, for the pear, as far north as this 

 place, lat. 43°, where the mercury frequently falls 

 from 20 to 30" below zero, and where the quince 

 itself is not hardy, but is almost surely killed to 

 the surface of the ground, although the roots usu- 

 ally escape injury ? 



Is the Angers quince more hardy than the 

 other varieties ? 



I have for several years annually set a few 

 trees on quince, but they have not succeeded well, 

 but ha\ e mostly been killed the first winter from 

 cold or some other cause. 



Would the trees prove more hardy to procure 

 stocks and bvids here, thus raising trees in the 

 vicinity where they are to grow than those raised 

 in the vicinity of Boston ? If so, how can the 

 trees be protected so the stock will not winter- 

 kill until the trees are set where they are to re- 

 remain permanently ? Agricola. 



Rutland, Feb. 10, 1858. 



Remarks. — We sent the above queries to ouc 

 of the most successful pear growers in this coun- 

 try, Col. Wilder, who, with his accustomed 

 kindness and promptitude, at once sent us the 

 subjoined remarks : — 



I reply, to the Jirst question, yes, if any variety 

 of the pear is hardy in Rutland — if the selection 

 of varieties is judicious, and the junction where 

 the stock is grafted be covered, at the time of 

 planting, with three or four inches of soil. 



To the second, I answer, that I have never dis- 

 covered any difference as to the hardiness of the 

 Angers or Fontenay quince, nor do I believe that 

 one is preferable to the other as a stock for the 

 pear. 



To the third, 1 reply, experience must be the 

 guide. Quince stocks two or three years old, 

 with well ripened wood, whether grown here, or 

 at Rutland, will withstand the severe alternations 

 of weather better than those of younger grafting, 

 but to either, it would be a great safeguard if 

 they could be covered a fevi inches high with old 

 compost, or decayed manure. 



Pears on the quince should be planted in a 

 luxuriant deep soil and be abundantly supplied 

 with nutriment and good cultivation. If planted 

 so deep that the point of junction may be three or 

 four inches below the surface of the soil, the pear 

 will frequently form roots independent of the 

 quince, and thus combine early fruiting from 



