1869. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



119 



The agricultural part of the population -were 

 in no condition to well sustain the effects of 

 the war with its attending high prices. The 

 scarcity of labor and increased cost of pro- 

 duction was a great inducement to cultivate 

 loss land, hence farming operations were ma- 

 terially curtailed. The estimates of the sta- 

 tistician at Washington shows that the State 

 has not to-day, except in sheep, as much stock 

 as in 18G0. They likewise show a steady in- 

 crease in wheat and oats and a heavy falling 

 off in all other crops. Judging from these 

 estimates the census of 187U will show the 

 quantity of products to be about the same as 

 in 1850, though there may be decided im- 

 provement in quality. There has never been 

 a better sale of produce than during these 

 twenty years ; home markets have improved, 

 and the numerous lines of r.dlroads which 

 have been built have given greater facilities 

 for reaching Boston and other markt ts. The 

 number of farms for sale, and which can be 

 bought for less than the buildings and fences 

 are worth, is surprising. Thus it will be seen 

 the progress of agriculture is tlow in the old 

 Granite State — there is even danger of a retro- 

 grade movement. What is to be done ? 

 Col. Clough struck the key note for action, 

 when he said the aid of the legislature must 

 be invoked. Since farmers constitute the 

 majority of her voters ; own thi? bulk of the 

 property, and have the largest share if the 

 taxes fall upon them, whatever they may ask 

 of the legislature they can have. n. s. t. 



Lawrence, Mass., Jan. 2, 1869. 



For the Neto England Farmer. 

 CUTTING TIMBEB! FOB DUHABILITY. 



In your issue of the 2d inst., you ask for 

 opinions as to cutting of timler at different 

 seasons nf the year. For one, I am strongly of 

 the opinion that, for all toft or evergreen tim- 

 ber, from the loth of May to the 15th of Au- 

 gust is the best. 



And in proof of the statement, will relate 

 an Incident that came under my oxvn observa- 

 tion. On the afternoon of the 3d of June, 

 18G1, a company of young men cut a very 

 nice spruce, not large nor high, only 66 feet, 

 and of good proportions, peeled and raised it 

 where it stands to-day, as sound as when It was 

 first cut. I know this to be the fact, as one 

 day last summer, in company with others, I 

 dug around the bottom and found it sound. 



1 also can show any one that wishes to see 

 with his own eyes, balsam poles that were cut 

 and peeled and laid up in fence In June, more 

 than fifteen years ago, that are sound to-day ; 

 while others that were cut early in spring, and 

 not peeled, and have not been on the fence 

 more than half as long, are quite rotten. 



One gentleman says he would leave the bark 

 on, so as to keep it moist. I would take It off 

 for the purpose of lettirg it dry. For 

 more than twenty years I have been obliged 



to support a farm bridge over Brown river, 

 and have helped put on stringers, always 

 hemlock, at different seasons of the year, 

 and remember of putting on two that were 

 cut in winter — we did not take off the bark 

 — and they lasted only four years ; while now 

 I can show some that have been on twelve 

 years, that were cut the 18th day of August. 



It will take but little time or trouble for 

 any one to make a trial of cutting timber, if 

 they will only go at it ; that is the hardest 

 part. Almost all farmers are obliged to cut 

 sleepers or the like for their stables, and if 

 they do not find that the dry timbers for such 

 places are the best, then their experience is 

 far different from mine. I think that It can 

 be clearly shown that hemlock, when used 

 where it is damp, will last three times as long 

 if cut and peeled in June and allowed to dry 

 one year before it is put in place. 



I did not mean to say but a word about the 

 article alluded to, but It was so different from 

 my own convictions of right, that I could not 

 refrain from speaking. E. J. BuTTOLPn. 



Essex, Vt., Jan. 5, 18G9. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 BEST TIME TO CUT TIMBER. 



In the Farmer of the 2d Inst., you ask the 

 experience of your correspondents with re- 

 gard (o the best time to cut timber. This Is a 

 very important matter in our country, where 

 timber is becoming so scarce and the demand 

 for the different practical purposes of life are 

 so rapidly increasing, and it is worthy the atten- 

 tion of the economist, If the best time Is not 

 already known, to ascertain when it Is. 



In our experience, which has been of many 

 years, we have found that the more rapidly 

 timber seasons In the open air, the greater 

 will be its duration. Hence, timber cut In 

 June, when the days are long and warm and 

 the force of evaporation Is great and rapid, we 

 have found to be the heaviest after seasoning 

 and the most durable. 



But the general force of evaporation is not 

 the only cause of rapid seasoning at that sea- 

 son ; for then, as every one familiar with tim- 

 ber knows, the bark is easily separated f^m 

 the wood, and by removing it, we expose all 

 parts of the surface of the timber equally to the 

 action of the atmosphere, and of course, being 

 operated upon in all its parts, it seasons through 

 more thoroughly. 



Take, for instance, the chestnut, which has 

 become one of our most valuable timbers, and 

 when it Is cut in June and stripped of the 

 bark, the sap wood, which rots soon cut In 

 any season with bark left on, becomes hard 

 and lasts for years. 



We have found also that timber which is 

 cut when the sap flows most freely, say In 

 the freezing and thawing days of spring, pos- 

 sesses the least vitality and Is most liable to 

 I'ot. Then, too, the bark adheres closely, 



