1869. 



NEW ENGLAND FAEMER. 



555 



clean tillage and abundant crops, were evidence of 

 tlie care with whic-ii he read its panes. He was 

 about 70 years of age. A Neighbor. 



Bristol, Vt., Sept., 1869. 



OCTOBER. 



Thou monitor of Winter's reign, 



Approaching fast his crystal throne, 

 Last of dead Summer's funeral train, 

 Her treasures all thine own. 



Thy pallet spread with magic dyes, 

 The forests painted by thy hand 

 Btand glowirg neath thy sombre skies 

 Throughout the land. 



Through orient windows of the morn, 

 The sun looks forth with regil blaze; 

 ' "What g'orious tints the fields adorn 

 To meet his gaze. 



As ruddy fires o'er mountains sweep, 

 Like some old allied hosts arrayed. 

 High up the foliaceous tteep 



Red banners are displayed. 



The tall elm's drooping branches bend. 

 In the light breeze at morning hour, 

 With yellow drapery to send 



To earth a golden shower. 



Midst bowers of pale and emerald hue. 



The walnut stands in sober brown. 

 Where boys shake, when their task is through, 

 The brown nuts down. 



Pay-mistress of the laboring swain, 



Who laughs as scon as thou art born, 

 For he knows thou wilt load his wain 

 With golden corn. 



The leaves light from the tall shade tree 



Down at the quaint old farm-house door. 

 Where sounds glad mirth and jollity, 

 Till busting time is o'er. 

 Eppivg, K. B,, Oct., 1869. M. J. Hakvey. 



A MUCK MEADOW. 



I have a muck meadow comprising about ten 

 acres. A considerable stream passes through its 

 centre. It is dry and hard enough to bear a team 

 at all seasons of the year. What crops can I raise 

 on it most successfully ? Will corn grow there ? 

 Suppose I can raise grain, is there any danger 

 of diminishing its fertility ? I can flow the whole 

 by building a dam some four fei t long, — the high- 

 way forming the remainder of the dam. Please 

 give me such directions for its treatment as you 

 deem most advisable with a view of ultimately 

 cutting grass. Zen. 



Androscoggin Co., Me., 1869. 



Remarks.— The first thing to be observed in 

 such a meadow is its hygrometic condition ; as, if 

 the water stands too near the surface, the soil will 

 be too wet; will be cold and plants will not send 

 their roots down into it. On the other hand, if it 

 is drained too deeply, it is so light and porous that 

 in a season when rains are not frequent, it would 

 become so dry that nearly all plants would suffer 

 for want of moisture. 



If possible, in all such meadows, the height of 

 water should be under the control of the cultiva- 

 tor. This may be done by a dam or other means, 



so that he can preserve it at all times at such a 

 level as will keep the whole mass in a moist condi- 

 tion, from the water level to the surface. 



On uplands, the black soil of the surface varies 

 in thickness, and is followed by what is usually 

 called a "hard-pan" of clayey or gravelly loam, 

 which prevents the water from passing off rapidly, 

 and at the same time is constantly supplying the 

 surface with moisture by capillary attraction. 



On muck meadows a contrary course takes place. 

 After the water is drained away, the whole mass 

 lies lightly, is porous, so that sun and air easily 

 penetrate it, and it soon becomes quite dry, not 

 only on the surface but to a considerable depth 

 below. When rains are frequent it will be suffi- 

 ciently moist to sustain the growth of plants ; bat 

 in a moderate drought the plants soon cease to 

 grow. Hence the necessity of having the water 

 under control. 



In a meadow where the muck was several feet 

 deep, but where the water was under control, we 

 have seen Indian corn, beets, onions, cabbage and 

 other vegetables growing luxuriantly and thor- 

 oughly perfecting themselves, — so were squashes, 

 melons, cucumbers, &c. The best grasses also grew 

 finely. You ask if "there is danger of diminish- 

 ing its fertility ?" Certainly, there is. It w. 1 need 

 the generous hand of culture, as well as the up- 

 lands. But with fair treatment it will prove to be 

 among the most profitable lands, because so easy 

 to work and so certain of carrying crops to per- 

 fection in dry seasons. 



SrCKHORN — HORSE-TAIL — ONOCLEA SENSIBILIS. 



You have recently cautioned your readers 

 against the use of the plant known, indifferently, 

 as "Horse-tail," "Mare's-tail" or "Fclypod," — the 

 assertion being that its effects when red to horses 

 are very injurious. In this vicinity there are many 

 farmers who believe that the plant known as 

 "buckhorn," is poisonous as horse provender. 

 Wow, are "polypod" and "buckhorn" one and the 

 same thing ? Essecker, 



JJanvers, Mass., 1869. 



Remarks. — We are not certain what plant is 

 known in your section as "buckhorn." That 

 name is applied in Darlington's "Weeds and Use- 

 ful Plants" to a species of the plantain, — Playitago 

 lanceolata, — where it is remarked that nearly all 

 kinds of stock eat tliis plantain freely, and it has 

 even been cultivated expressly for a sheep pas- 

 ture, but it is generally much disliked in Penn- 

 sylvania. If this is what you mean by "buckhorn" 

 it is quite unlike the horse-tail in appearance and 

 manner of growth. 



The plant for which you ask the name was sent 

 to one of our young friends in the agricultural 

 college at Amherst, who has very kindly given the 

 following answer : — 



The botanical name of the plant you sent is 

 "Onoclea sensihilis," — a fern which is very com- 

 mon in wet places. I showed the specimen to our 

 Professor in Botany. He says he never heard it 

 called "buckhorn," but thinks the name would be 

 very appropriate. 



There is a fern which resembles this somewhat, 



