132 



NEW ENGLAND FAR]\IER. 



]\Iarch 



soil is well adapted to raising grain and all 

 animals. Their grain is as good as that raised 

 in the States ; their horses are notoriously 

 hardy and smart ; their mutton and beef is of 

 prime quality, and their wool, known as'the 

 the Canada combing, brings the highest price 

 in market. Now these things pay twenty per 

 cent, duty in gold, fully equal at times to thir- 

 ty per cent, in greenbacks, besides some extra 

 freight. Now if this produce, by a reciprocity 

 treaty, should come in free, the tendency 

 would be to lower our prices thirty per cent, 

 if the supply was great, or equal to half that, 

 in any case. The supply is almost imlimited. 

 This fall there was a drove of French cattle 

 driven back and ibrth on the other side the 

 line, and fifty of them were olfered at seven 

 dollars per head, rather than pay the duties 

 across. None of these were calves, but young 

 cattle, cows and oxen. Droves have been con- 

 tinually coming from Canada into the States, 

 during the season. I consider the protection 

 now given to farmers none too much ; and that 

 all the benefit of a reciprocity treaty would be 

 to the manufacturer, for certainly Canadians 

 do not wish to purchase our agricultural pro- 

 ductions, and England can supply them with 

 manufactured goods cheaper than they are gen- 

 erally produced in the States. 



On no account re-enact the reciprocity treaty. 

 The Canadian people seem to have no good 

 will for, or sympathy with, the republicanism of 

 our government. Indeed the evidences of a 

 strong enmity have been manifested in years 

 past, and need not be dwelt upon. Their far- 

 mers desire the advantages of the American 

 market for their produce. Shall they have it 

 on the same terms as those who pay the Na- 

 tional debt? z. E. J. 



Irasburg, Vt., Dec. 28. 1868. 



J''or the New England Farmer, 

 EUEOPEAM" BASKET WILLOW. 



Having seen an article in the New Eng- 

 land Farmer of Dec. 21, in which remarks 

 are made on the cultivation of what is there 

 called "basket willow," by Mr. E. liersey of 

 Hingham, and as he has "no time to answer 

 questions, except through the Faumeu," I 

 would, by your permission, use a small space in 

 making the Ibllowing inquiries : 



What is the variety of willow referred to 

 called by European growers and merchants 

 and manufacturers of willow ware ? 



How long has he had experience in growing 

 willow, and how many tons of willow has he 

 grown, harvested and sold, or used in manu- 

 facture ? 



In concluding, how much can be realized 

 per pound or per acre as profit? On how 

 many years' growth on the same land has he 

 made his calculation ? and what did he allow 

 for interest on land, manure, planting, weed- 

 ing, cutting, pitling, peeling, drying, tying up 

 iu bundles, effecting sales, and last, but of 



most consequence, the clearing of the land and 

 having it fit for other crops after the willow is 

 no longer profitable ? 



We have had one "willow fever," but few 

 who have been affected by it wish for a second 

 attack ; it may be, however, that we have not 

 had the instruction we need, and as no wise 

 farmer would plant land to a nev7 crop that 

 will carry fifty bushels of corn to the acre, un- 

 less he has reasonable ground to expect a cor- 

 responding amount of' profit, many readtrs 

 of Mr. Hersey's article will be grateful to 

 him, if, by answering the above inquiries, he 

 can assure them of success in the cultivation-, 

 liarvesting and sale of said willow. 



If for any reason Mr. H. does not see fit to 

 answer the above inquiries in detail, it is 

 hoped that he will make some reply to thera, 

 as we farmers now have time to compare ex- 

 periences and prepare to improve our circum- 

 stances by planting the coming season sach 

 crops as may prove more profitable than corn. 



1 would also inquire if Mr. H. has cultivated 

 more than one variety of European willow, 

 and if so, will he say by what name it is known ? 



Dec. 28, 1868. Salix. 



FARM SLEDS. 



CoNSTRrcTiox. — As to the length cf a sled, 

 no exact number of feet and inches can be 

 giv«n that would suit the masses of farmers, 

 for those used for different purposes are made 

 of different lengths. There is, however, one 

 prevailing fault, and that is, not making them 

 as long as they should be. Every farmer has, 

 no doubt, noticed that when drawing logs, or 

 "sled-length wood" the grea'er jiortion of the 

 load comes upon the hindmost beam. Logs 

 for the saw mill, twelve or fourteen feet long, 

 have to be loaded so far forward that damage 

 is very likely to result ; the pressure of the 

 log coming so heavy upon the pole that it is 

 broken when turning around, or the sled 

 chances to drop into a hollow. 



The sled should be made the same width 

 between the stakes, as that of the wagon kept, 

 so one box may be used upon both. Use deep 

 beams ; it is but little more work to load a log 

 upon a sled twenty inches high, than one fif- 

 teen, and the high sled will be found much 

 more convenient when passing around in the 

 woods. 



The pole should be nine feet long from the 

 doubletree to the end, and the doubletree set 

 as far back as it can be, and not be liable to 

 hit the end of the runner when in use. The 

 closer a team is got to a load the better, pro- 

 viding they have free use of their limbs. A 

 good rule is to set the doubletree eight inches 

 front of a line from the front of one runner to 

 another. The cheapest and best pole is made 

 by framing it into the centre of the roller, and 

 bracing wiih seven-eighth round rod. Square 

 iron should never be used for braces in this 

 place, for if an} thing should occur to bring 



