1869. 



NEW ENGLAND FARRIER. 



19 



it, and how apply it? I have before men- 

 tioned (he fact that many men use old manure, 

 but can't tell why. All vegetation is made 

 up of decomposed matter. Manure applied 

 before decomposition takes place, or before it 

 commences, is of little use or none at all, 

 until it does take place. It is a fact that ma- 

 nure left exposed one year before use produces 

 a more rapid growth of vegetation than green 

 manure, but it is also a fact that one-half of 

 it or nearly so is lost. The more rapid the 

 decomposition the more rapid the growth of 

 ve.:j:<taiion. 



If the ground did not undergo a change 

 while the seed was in it, plants would not grow 

 at all. When we applv manure it is to help 

 the ground in her effort to feed the plant. A 

 large amount of manure is thrown out of the 

 barn to lay exposed to the rains a year before 

 it is used, and when wanted the very best of 

 it is gone. Nearly all farmers know the great 

 waste of throwing manure out of their barns, 

 but think they can't help it. They have not 

 the means to cover it with a shed or cellar. 

 If such men wait until they get the means 

 from their farms they will not be likely to get 

 it at all. Put up a shed at any rate. You 

 can sell hay enough ia two years to pay for 

 it, by the extra amount of manure saved, if 

 you cut twelve or fifteen tons of hay now. 

 In this as in many other things the head may 

 be made to save the heels, or in other words 

 contrivance is as good as hard work. 



As a general thing New England farmers 

 work too hard. Many of us work sixteen 

 hours in a day in the summer, with no time to 

 rest. This is too much. It is more than 

 horses or oxen can endure. But some say it 

 is necessary to live, I think not. A man can 

 do about so much work and no more. Work 

 sixteen hours in a day and a man is all ex- 

 hausted. He goes to bed tired and gets up 

 tired. If his wife asks him to go any where 

 with her, he answers with a snarl, "IVe some- 

 thing else to do." Over-work makes him fret- 

 ful. The harder he works the more fretful he 

 grows. But, says one, how shall I avoid it? 

 Work less hours. Sit down in the shade or 

 fireside after supper, with your wife and chil- 

 dren, and you will soon see that old smile re- 

 turn to the face of your now care-worn and 

 toiling wife. A little rest wont hurt her. It 

 will do you both good. You wont be poorer 

 at the end of tne year, but I will warrant you 

 will be more happy. M. Campbell. 



North Turner, Me., 18G8. 



Curious Freak of Nature. — To mark 

 my sheep, I paint a large black K on the rump 

 of the bucks and wethers, and on the right 

 side of the ewes ; and one ewe, no doubt 

 thinking she would save mc the trouble of 

 marking her lamb, marked it herself, and it 

 had a good black K on its rump when it came. 

 — T. L. K., Wisconsin, in Co. Gentleman. 



POINTS OF A GOOD COW. 



She's long in licr face, she's fim in her horn, 

 She'll quickly get fat -wiihoHt cp.ke or corn, 

 She's clean iu her jaw, and full in her chine, 

 Bhe'a heavy in flank and wide in her loin. 



She's hroad in her lih, and long in her rump, 

 A straight and flat back, with never a hump; 

 Shu's wide in her hips, and calm in her eyes, 

 She's fins in her shoulders and thin In her thighs. 



She's lisht in her neck, and.fnaall in her tail, 

 She's wide in her breast, and good at the pail, 

 She's fine in her bone, and eilky of skin. 

 She's a grazier's without, and a butcher's within. 

 London Farmers'' Magazine, 



Sugar Maples from the Seed. — In re- . 

 ply to a subscriber, we would say that the 

 best time to plant the seed of the sugar maple 

 is immediately after it has ripened in tiie fall. 

 It will do well, however, sown in the spring, 

 if it is kept in a dry, cool place. A seed bed 

 should be prepared somewhere in an open 

 field where there is plenty of light and heat. 

 The soil should be deep, rich and mellow, 

 well drained and free from weeds. Muck or 

 leaf mold from the forest will form the best 

 manure ; but if these cannot be conveniently 

 obtained, well-rotted compost or old well-sea- 

 soned farm-yard manure may be used. It is 

 well also to add bone dust and wood ashes in 

 small quantities. A trench should be made 

 about half an inch deep and a foot wide, care 

 being taken to pulverize the bottom well sev- 

 eral inches deep. The seeds should not be 

 placed too thick — not nearer than two or three 

 inches apart, and then the dirt carefully raked 

 over them. If more than one drill is needed, 

 they should be at least four feet apart, so as 

 to allow a cultivator to pass between them. 

 Care should be taken from the time the seeds 

 come up to keep the ground free from weeds ; 

 it should also be stirred frequently so it will 

 not bake ; but pains should be taken not to 

 disturb the roots more than is absolutely 

 necessary. — Prairie Farmer. 



Fall Manuring. — Another valuable use of 

 manure at this season, is its application to 

 grass, to be turned under in spring for corn. 

 If spread now, carefully and evenly, the liquid 

 or soluble portions are carried down along the 

 fibres of the grass, and intimately dillused 

 through the upper soil. If the application is 

 made early, the effect is greater, as the diffu- 

 sion into the soil is not only more perfect, but 

 the growth of grass (or if clover, still better) 

 will add to the fertility. But even now, or 

 during the first half of winter, manure is worth 

 far more than if left for spring application, 

 when there is not time enough for it to be- 

 come diffused, and when likewise the ground 

 is packed and hardened by drawing heavy 

 loads over it. We have sometimes observed 

 a difference of twenty bushels of corn per 

 acre in favor of the fall sjjreading of manure, 

 as compared to spring application, when ap- 

 plied to sod in both instances. It is only 



