152 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



March 



the old-fashioned stock. It is no uncommon 

 thing to find April and May calves that girth 

 4^ feet, and over. 



Mr. Lewis Beal informed me that in the fall 

 of 1867 he tried top-dressing with sheep, as 

 has been recommended by a correspondent of 

 the Farmer. His hurdle or pen was 30 feet 

 square, in which he yarded 160 sheep four 

 nights in a place, when the hurdle was re- 

 moved to another spot. Last summer he cut 

 the first crop of grass on the land thus top- 

 dressed quite early, as it was lodging badly on 

 account of the great growth. He took four 

 racks, eighteen feet long and well filled, from 

 an acre. On the second mowing he took more 

 hay from this land than ever grew there any 

 preceding year. Besides which, it produced 

 a large growth of fall feed. Some of his 

 neighbors contend that he merely robbed 

 Peter to pay Paul, inasmuch as he took or kept 

 from his pastures whatever was added to the 

 meadow. To this he replies that his sheep in- 

 variably seek the same shady side of some 

 ledge, fence, stump or tree, where a large 

 share of their droppings are wasted. 



Potatoes are largely cultivated in this town, 

 and are one of its principal market crops. As 

 has been recommended in the Farmer, many 

 here plant the butt end of the potato after cut- 

 ting off the seed end. The tops of the pota- 

 toes in a field thus planted appear light, and to 

 an unpracticed eye they look discouraging all 

 through the season. But, on digging, the re- 

 sult is entirely satisfactory as to yield, size of 

 tuber and exemption from disease. Many 

 have been successful in the use of superphos- 

 phate in the cultivation of potatoes. Barn 

 manure excites too large a growth of tops, and 

 induces disease in the potatoes. The plan 

 here is to plant potatoes with superphosphate 

 alone one year, and the next year put in the 

 manure liberally and seed down to grass. It 

 is no uncommon thing to find farmers here 

 with from 1000 to 1500 bushels of potatoes on 

 hand, waiting for a favorable market. 



There are six post-offices in the town, but 

 the largest village is Kendall's Mills, where 

 there are some dozen stores, several manufac- 

 turing establishments, mills, «&c. The rail- 

 road accommodations are very good, and a 

 new one to pass through the west part of the 

 town is expected to be in running order by the 

 fourth of July next. Zen. 



Fairfield, Me., Jan. 4, 1869. 



FEEDING OFF APTERMA-TH. 

 It is a very common practice with farmers, 

 to reserve their meadow feed until very late 

 in the fall, even so near to winter that the 

 frost has taken nearly all the succulent and 

 nutritious properties out of it; but, by this 

 mode of management, very little benefit is re- 

 ceived, and in many cases great injury is done. 

 Some advocate, however, tliat aftermath should 

 not be fed off at all, but left as a shield and 



mulch for the roots ; but from our own expe- 

 rience, we do not believe meadows are in- 

 jured by being pastured in the fall, if it is 

 done at the right time, and by certain animals. 



Meadows are injured by horses and sheep 

 late in the season ; for after the blades of the 

 grass are killed, these animals will nip close 

 to get sweet feed. They should never be al- 

 lowed upon mowing land after the grass has 

 stopped growing, not even in winter when the 

 earth is frozen, for they will then gnaw to the 

 very roots. 



Horned cattle are really the only fit animals 

 for the meadow, and they should be turned in 

 while the feed is good, and removed as soon 

 as the earth becomes moist enough for their 

 feet to break the sod. In this way, a profit 

 may be derived on one hand, without any loss 

 attending it on the other, and sufficient pro- 

 tection left for the roots. Timothy, and many 

 .other grasses which are common, take strong 

 hold upon the soil, and are difficult to eradi- 

 cate, and for this reason farmers abuse their 

 fields. 



Close feeding kills out here and there a lit- 

 tle, and mosses, with other foreign matters, 

 work in so gradually that it is for a few years 

 hardly noticeable, but eventually the meadow 

 has to be ploughed up and re-stocked, because 

 a paying yield of grass is not received. 



Now all this results from injudicious man- 

 agement ; for we know of many meadows which 

 yield heavy crops every year, of the best 

 quality of grass, that have never been ploughed 

 or re-seeded since the land was cleared nearly 

 half a century ago. They have always been 

 pastured in early fall, never fed close, and 

 have occasionally received a top-dressing of 

 barnyard manure. — Ohio Farmer. 





From the Independent. 



A LITTLE MAIDEN'S SONO- TO HEB 

 DOLLY. 



Lie down, little Dclly, quite still on my lap, 

 While I hasten to put on your ni^ht giwn and cap; 



You have been wide awake tliis whole tileesed day— 

 LoBg enough, I am sure, for a Dolly to play. 



The sun has gone down full two hours ago; 



' ris long past your bed-time, you very well know ; 

 The bright stars are peopirg from out the cliar skies; 



Then go to sleep, iJolly — come, shut your blue eyes. 



There I a soft little pillow lies under your head ; 



Had ever a Dolly a cozier bed ? 

 I will covtr you up, so warm and so n'cc — 



Then stop y.our cries, Dolly, hush I hush ! in a trice. 



Mamma says the flowers were asleep long ago — 

 Sweet roses, pure lilies, their heads drooping low; 



Blip paj'fl 'tis a li't son for me and for yon, 

 That children and dollies should be asleep too. 



Ilark I Susan is calling, now out gaes the light ; 



I will tuck you up stiugly, then kiss you goo i night. 

 'Tis time you were elcepmg; for do you rot know 



That the dear little birds went to bed long ago ? 



