351 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Aug. 



being made in this department of natural science 

 are developing some curious things. Professor 

 Leidy writes : — "In regard to the remains of the 

 horse, from the facts stated in the account given 

 of them in the succeeding pages, I think it will 

 be conceded that this animal inhabited the United 

 States during the post-pleiocene period, cotem- 

 porarily with the mastodon, megloanyx and the 

 great, broad-fronted bison," — Ch. Mercury. 



MASSACHUSETTS SCHOOL OF AGBICUL- 

 TUB.E. 



The first publication of this corporate body is 

 before us, and consists of a list of its officers, 

 and their address to the public, setting forth the 

 objects of the School, of the act of incorpora- 

 tion, the by-laws, and the business of the quar- 

 terly meeting in April last. It appears by the 

 Address that the object of this institution is to 

 improve the condition of Agriculture in the Com- 

 monwealth, that some associated centre, guarded 

 by the solemn forms of law, is necessary to make 

 a suitable depository for any bequests which those 

 who are able and generous may make to subserve 

 this noble cause. 



"It is intended," the Trustees say, "that the 

 school shal3 bear the same relation to the farming 

 interest of Massachusetts, which the West Point 

 Academy sustains to the military interests of the 

 nation, viz.: that of a thoroughly practical, pre- 

 paratory school, where sound theory and intelli- 

 gent practice may be so blended and harmonized, 

 as to be inseparably connected in the minds of 

 those who have faithfully gone through with the 

 prescribed course of discipline." 



We have plenty of men in our community 

 who have abundant means to establish such a 

 school as is contemplated by this association, 

 and who may embalm their memory in the hearts 

 of our people by such munificence, and at the 

 same time greatly promote the interests not only 

 of our citizens, but of the country generally. 

 We cannot but hope, therefore, that ample en- 

 dowments will soon justify the establishment of 

 such a school, and do not doubt that its walls 

 would soon be crowded with earnest and sincere 

 inquirers into the mysteries which now envelop 

 nearly every department of terra or horticulture. 



We observe that men of wisdom and experi- 

 ence, and men entitled to public confidence, stand 

 as guardians and trustees of the interests of the 

 school, and they are men who will give it that 

 popularity when it is once founded which it must 

 possess to bring it into public favor. 



The Trustees close their bi-ief address by say- 

 ing that "they have no endowment from the State. 

 In their opinion, the object appeals to the patri- 

 otism and philanthropy of the citizens of our 

 Commonwealth ; and it is hoped that the appeal 

 will be liberally met." Donations may bt sent 



to the Treasurer, Richard S. Fay, Esq., 13 Ex- 

 change Street, Boston, who will acknowledge the 

 receipt of them. 



Bequests should be to "The Trustees of the 

 Massachusetts School of Agriculture," and may 

 be general, or may be limited to any purpose 

 within the scope of the institution, as the testa- 

 tor may designate. 



Some of the readers of the 'Farmer may re- 

 member that we foreshadowed a plan of this kind, 

 in these columns, several years ago, and pointed 

 out the course whereby some of our monied men 

 might dispose of a portion of their surplus means 

 with great credit to themselves and with much 

 advantage to the world. It affords us sincere 

 pleasure, therefore, to find the work in progress 

 and resting in the hands of gentlemen of decided 

 ability and influence. 



MEASURING THE HEIGHT OF TREES, 



Take two straight sticks of equal length — any 

 convenient length less than the length of the arm; 

 place them in the form of a carpenter's square, 

 preserving as nearly as possible a right angle, 

 holding one stick in a horizontal and the other 

 in a perpendicular position, and placing the end 

 of the horizontal stick at the eye with the angle 

 held in the hand extended directly in front. Then 

 walk backwards from the tree to be measured, 

 on ground as nearly level as the case admits of, 

 until a line from the eye to the top of the per- 

 pendicular stick shall cut the top of the tree, and 

 the distance from the observer to the tree will 

 be the height of the tree above the level of the 

 eye. The impossibility of keeping the sticks at 

 an exact perpendicular and horizontal, is all that 

 interferes with perfect accuracy — allowing the 

 tree to stand in a perpendicular. The accuracy 

 is sufficient for many practical purposes, and will 

 often enable the woodsman to determine before 

 he cuts a tree whether it will answer the purpose 

 for which he intends it. — Bath Organ. 



We think the wooden rectangle should be 

 made with exactness before the measurer goes 

 forth to his work, that he should attach a plum- 

 met to the instrument so as to secure perpendic- 

 ular and horizontal lines, — and we suppose, also, 

 the perpendicular half of the wooden "square," 

 should point upwards. 



Wild Onions. — California papers state that 

 onions growing wild have been discovered in 

 that State, an inch and a half in diameter, cov- 

 ered with a thick husk like the soap-root. They 

 are palatable and even preferable to garden on- 

 ions, and it is thought may prove a valuable ad- 

 dition to the cultivated varieties. 



Cure for Felons on Fingers. — The Scien- 

 tific American says : "The past year we have 

 known the spinal marrow of an ox or cow appli- 

 ed to three difi'erent persons with the most satis- 

 factory results in relieving pain, and securing 

 cures of their felons. The spinal marrow should 

 be applied every four hours for two days." 



