1858. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



471 



absorbents all the liquid and more valuable parts 

 of the manures could be preserved. By this, and 

 other means already referred to, farmer Gilman 

 increased both the quantity and quality of his 

 manure heaps, and as he plowed no more land 

 than he could plow well, and manure well, and 

 cultivate well, his lands begun in a short time to 

 manifest a very different state and condition from 

 his neighbor's. When the plow was started it 

 ■was thrust down into the soil, with a will, and 

 and if a stone turned it out that stone was dug 

 out, or sunk below the reach of the plow. A 

 piece of ground plowed in this manner, could 

 be planted and cultivated with less than half the 

 time and strength required in cultivating a piece 

 but half-plowed, and beside that, the unfavorable 

 season had comparatively little effect upon the 

 crops. If it was a wet season, the land was 

 stirred so deep and left so open that the water 

 descended easily and left vegetation uninjured ; 

 and if it was a dry season, then the roots of the 

 crops could easily penetrate below the heat and 

 drought, and seemed to flourish all the better. 



A few years of such cultivation brought the 

 tillage lands of Mr. Gilman into a good state of 

 cultivation, and in proportion as success crowned 

 his efforts, he became the more deeply interested 

 in farming. Work with him was a continual pas- 

 time. His fields were his laboratory, and no al- 

 chemist ever pursued his studies and researches 

 with more ardor and interest than Farmer Gil- 

 man tilled his farm. By plowing no more than he 

 could plow well and dress well, he always had 

 time to do everything well, and often found time 

 to spare. Soon after he began this course he took 

 advantage of his spare time to try an experiment 

 in underdraining, of which he saw and read so 

 much in his papers and periodicals. There was a 

 place in the field near the house, of nearly or quite 

 an acre, that, though it was not really low ground, 

 was what farmers call "cold and wet," and for 

 years had produced but little else than short 

 species of brakes called poUy-pod. It was a 

 rough, hard, stony, unpromising-looking spot, 

 and went by the name of "the hop-yard." 



Upon this he determined to try an experiment 

 in underdraining. The first few days' work upon 

 the "hop-yard" was rather a poor show, and 

 would have discouraged a less resolute spirit. 

 One day, while at work, Mr, Richards happened 

 along, and wanted to know "what 'pon airth he 

 was 'bout there?" 



"I'm trying to sink a blind ditch through 

 here," answered Mr. Gilman, upon which Rich- 

 ards exploded in a broad yaw-haw at "sich non- 

 sense." 



"That's what ye call book-farmin', I suppose. 

 Now 'tis right in the midst of plantin' time, and 

 yer spendin' yer time makin' a ditch on high 

 ground ! What in natur do ye think yer comin' 

 tu, neighbor?" 



"I finished all my planting two or three days 

 ago, and as it isn't hoeing time yet, I thought I 

 would try. an experiment." 



"Try a 'speriment ! fol-de-rol ! you had better 

 be plowin' and plantin' ! 'taint too late yit, for 

 what do ye think yer goin' to support yer family 

 on next winter, with so little ground planted as 

 you've got?" 



"Well, we're in hopes to get along, somehow. 

 Perhaps rather than see us suffer want, some of 



our neighbors would help us to a few bushels of 

 corn, or a few beans, for charity." 



"Not a kernel from me, I can tell ye. A man 

 that'll fool away his time on sich a piece of land 

 as that needn't look for help nor sympathy from 

 me. All this nonsense comes of readin' them 

 silly ag'cult'ral books. Now I advise ye to burn 

 up yer books and go back to the old way of 

 farming." 



Having delivered himself of this piece of ad- 

 vice, Mr. Richards departed, more than ever 

 confirmed in his dislike of book-farming. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 LITTLE THINGS, 



Or, a Walk in My Gakdex..,.No. 16. 



While looking at a thrifty looking plum tree, I 

 came to this conclusion : that the farmer should 

 plant no more trees, whether few or many, than 

 what he can take the best possible care of. Does 

 not this rule apply to everything ? Does not the 

 net profit of farming depend on this principle ? 

 I leave the question for politico-economical farm- 

 ers to determine. 



THE CURCULIO. 



I haye succeeded in raising a good lot of plums 

 by thoroughly syringing my trees with whitewash 

 and kreosote. It was a real Sebastopol fight, but 

 the big Jeffersons, McLaughlins and Imperial 

 Gages look very tempting, I have never yet 

 seen the black knot on my trees. The next year 

 I propose to add a solution of glue to the mix- 

 ture. While peeping out from under my trees I 

 spied a neighbor's field dotted with 



HAY CAPS, 

 which are with us no longer a matter of ex- 

 periment. How beautifully they protect the 

 wheat crop from sprouting. I believe that plen- 

 ty of hay caps, a good barometer and a little at- 

 tention to the weather, would, all combined 

 with good judgment, do away with damaged hay 

 and grain. 



RADISHES. 



Persons troubled with the radish worm may 

 avoid them by sowing the seed in subsoil or 

 nearly pure sand, and making use of liquid ma- 

 nure. 



WOODPECKERS. 



Politicians in this State are discussing the 

 merits and demerits of the woodpecker. Before 

 I was aware of this fact, one of them, who, by the 

 way, is a good grafter, but possessed of a strong 

 political bias, declared to me that woodpeckers 

 did not attaok our apple trees so much for the 

 worms as for the sap. He said that the sweet 

 trees suffered most. Will some woodpecker-ol- 

 ogist give us their experience ? 



THE CHUFA OR EARTH ALMOND. 



This new vegetable seems to require but little 

 attention, and may prove a favorite among the 

 children. 



APPLES 



are scarcer than last year in Maine, Orchards 

 that bore largely last year are nearly destitute 

 of fruit. 



CROPS GENERALLY IN MAINE. 



It is believed that corn and potatoes are bet- 



