;858. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



329 



as to do, to its real and proper source. The 

 demand upon the energies of the soil always ex- 

 ceeds the supplies derived from the air, and hence 

 we see that there is no such thing as a recuper- 

 ative power, or principle, independent of vegeta- 

 ble life. 



The spires and blades of the grasses, and the 

 stalks and foliage of other plants, frequently de- 

 cay and fall upon the ground, their places being 

 supplied by new formations, often emanating 

 from the same, or neai ly the same points. The 

 same takes place among the roots. When a fibre 

 perishes, it is resolved into humus, and supplies 

 food for the new organ which nature prepares to 

 occupy its place. This alternation of decay and 

 reproduction, is going on continually throughout 

 the wide range of nature, and its results are ob- 

 vious at every turn. 



The pastures to which we refer, must be, of 

 course, such as are capable of being worked ; 

 such as lie near villages, or wherever land is 

 high. The rough, rocky, mountain pastures, 

 ■where the land is comparatively cheap, cannot be 

 economically plowed. If they are absolutely 

 needed, being worth more for pasture than to al- 

 low them to grow up to wocd, about all that can 

 be done for them is to keep the bushes down, 

 and sow on them occasionally plaster, lime, or 

 ashes ; and the economy of this will depend en- 

 tirely upon the price at which these articles can 

 be obtained, including the cost of transportation. 



eight first threads for as many pieces of carpet. 

 Yarn for the next thread is then wound on the 

 drum, and printed according to its plan, and this 

 is continued until enough is done for the whole 

 width of carpet, the result being enough for eight 

 pieces of carpet just alike. The separate thi-eads 

 numbered are then brought together in proper 

 order side by side, and placed in the loom, the 

 filling, as all our readers know, being of hard 

 twisted uncolored thread which only shows on 

 the back of the carpet. The carpet is then wo- 

 ven, without farther regard to style, the beauti- 

 ful figures resulting being produced entirely by 

 the previous printing, the raatherratical accuracy 

 of which is truly astonishing. The most exquis- 

 ite shadings, bouquets, and figures of every im- 

 aginable design or colorings, may thus be pro- 

 duced with all the accuracy of needlework upon 

 prepared canvas, and at a price which is wonder- 

 fully cheap when the brilliancy of effect is con- 

 sidered. The loop on the surface of the Brus- 

 sels is made by throwing the thread over a pol- 

 ished wire, which is withdrawn as the work pro- 

 gresses ; and the velvet surface is made by cut- 

 ting the loop after weaving. 



■WEEDEK, TRO"WEL AND DIBBLE, 

 COMBINED 



MANUPACTUBE OP CABPETS. 



The New York Journal of Commerce thus de- 

 scribes the process of manufacturing Brussels 

 Tapestry and Velvet carpets by the New England 

 Worsted Company : 



The process of making these carpets is one of 

 the most interesting in the whole range of man- 

 ufacturing. The goods are not printed in the 

 piece, but the threads are colored by the printing 

 process before the fabric is woven. The opera- 

 tion is as follows : The yarn in a white state is 

 reeled upon a large drum, so that the threads lie 

 side by side, the circumference of the drum be- 

 ing the length of the figure, or of the yarn nec- 

 essary to make it, in an elongated state, while 

 enough yarn is placed upon it to make eight 

 threads, each running the whole length of a 

 piece of carpet. A plm for the figure is then 

 drawn, and gaged with mathematical accuracy, 

 shov/ingthe exact space of each color to be print- 

 ed on each separate thread of warp. Holding 

 this plan before her, the girl in charge, by the 

 assistance of a boy, rolls a box of color under the 

 drum, making a line across the drum ; if a wider 

 space of the same color is needed this box rolls 

 several times, the drum meantime slowly revolv- 

 ing. The next color is then added, until the whole 

 surface of the varn upon the drum is striped with 

 these lines. 1 he yarn is then removed, and! 

 makf'S eight threads, only one of which can bej 

 KSfed iu a single piece of carpet; they are, in fact,] 



The cotton mills and carpet looms have not 

 had all the benefit of active and ingenious minds, 

 as will be evident to those who stroll through 

 the extensive agricultural warehouses of this city. 

 There is "something new under the sun" every 

 day. The exercise of many educated and well 

 disciplined minds is now turned, more than ever, 

 we think, to the interests of the soil. A chaste, 

 instructive and vigorous agricultural literature 

 now charms and adorns the labors of rural life, 

 and is throwing around them influences which 

 will not only keep more of our young men and 

 maidens on the farm, but it is winning back many 

 who have strayed and "tasted a thousand ills un- 

 felt at home." 



We have not used the Weeder, Trowel and Dib- 

 ble combined, and cannot, therefore, speak from 

 any practical experiences. It is a device of Mr. 

 Von Unwerth, who says it is "a most valuable 

 combination of three very useful garden tools. 



The operation is so simple as hardly to require 

 an explanation. The broad side of the weeder 

 may be used to clear a larger space of weeds, and 

 also to loosen the soil. The narrow oval sides of 

 the weeder are intended to loosen the earth light- 

 ly around the young and tender plants without 

 injuring them. 



