NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



189 



which I consider the cheapest crop a farmer can raise 

 for his stock. 



The reason so many farmers get discourastccl and 

 discontinue raising roots, is because they sow them 

 so late that the Aveeding time comes on while they 

 are engaged in liaying, which they do not like to 

 leave ; consequently the young plants arc overgrown, 

 and by the time they can be attended to, it is too 

 late, and their crop is ruined. I use a seed-sower 

 procured of Messrs. Rugglcs, Nourse & JIason, 

 which I like very much, as it docs the work per- 

 fectly. O. 



BiLLERicA, May 15, 1850. 



For the New England Farmer. 



OLD TREES IMPROVED BY CULTIVATION 

 AND GRAFTING. 



Many fanners neglect to do aught to their old 

 trees, lest they make a bad matter worse ; but old 

 trees, that are not too much decayed, may, by graft- 

 ing, be brought to bear excellent fruit. Effectually 

 to bring this about, the land about the trees should 

 be well cultivated : if the whole surface is not broken 

 up v.-here the orchai-d stands, the ground, at least, 

 around the trees should be spaded up ; and better to 

 forward the growth of the trees, potatoes may bo 

 planted, after having the land well manured. This 

 plan followed up while the process of grafting is 

 going on year after year, the owner will soon have 

 the satisfaction of seeing his old decaying apple-trees 

 presenting beautiful tops, and loaded with choice 

 fruit. 



When I first moved out on the farm I now occupy, 

 there was an old apple-tree standing in one corner of 

 the door-yard, which was of little consequence as it 

 then was, although it bore pretty plenty of apples, 

 but were scarce worth harvesting. Four years ago 

 I commenced cutting off the top, and inserting scions ; 

 I put in but few the first j'ear, (which was done 

 merely for an experiment ;) these thrived so well, I 

 was uiducod to repeat the operation. The tree had 

 a large branching top, capable of receiving about one 

 hundred and fifty scions. The operation was per- 

 formed in three different years. I have now the 

 pleasure of seeing a tolerably thrifty tree, with a 

 nice top of grafted fruit. Last fall I had about a 

 peck of apples, and the tree this spring bids fair to 

 reward me for my labor. For four successive years 

 I have grafted in an old orchard of one of my neigh- 

 bors, which consisted of about one hundred trees. 

 I'urt of the orchard has been repeatedly cultivated, 

 while the rest has been spaded up around the trees, 

 and the same planted to potatoes. Some of the first 

 grafted trees present tops sufKciently large to bear 

 the present season, while others are coming on nicely. 

 In the same lot, separated only by a private road, is 

 another orchard of the same size, and trees of the 

 same ago, which have been left to talco care of them- 

 selves, with the exception of an occasional trimming. 

 The difference in the appearance of the two orchards 

 is perceptible nearly as fur as the trees are visiljle. 

 The one that has been nursed and taken care of looks 

 thrifty and flourishing, while the other has a sickly 

 and decaying loolc. Now, mark the difference in the 

 views of the two individuals, owners of the orchards. 

 One is for putting his trees in a condition to be of 

 benefit to others, if he does not live to take the good 

 of them himself. The other is of the opinion, that 

 as he is becoming advanced in years, and not likely 

 to live to reap the benefits in Itis day, he will leave 

 his trees to take their own course. Supposing all 

 were of this opinion, supposing our fathers had been 

 of the same opinion, wliat would have been the state 



of our farms, when left to us ? Is it right to suffer 

 our property to go to decay, because we are i:ot 

 likely to live to enjoy it? Should we not feel in- 

 terested for our children, as our fathers have done 

 for us ? Certainly. Then let us take care of our 

 orchards — hnprove our old trees if they are worth 

 it — if not, transplant new ones, and if rce are not 

 benefited by them, we shall have the gratification of 

 having left something for our children, and those 

 that come after us. ALBEKT TODD. 



Smitufield, 11. I., 1S50. 



For the Neio England Farmer. 

 BONE DISORDER IN COWS. 



Mr.^ Editor : Lest j-our readers weary of the re- 

 peated articles on this subject, this shall be the last 

 from my pen, unless I have something to communi- 

 cate of more importance than at present. I can add 

 nothing new to what I have said — I have no theory 

 to maintain — all 1 wish is, that the true cause of the 

 disorder maj- be ascertained, and if it be eventually 

 proved that the one suggested by yourself and your 

 correspondent is the true one, I shall be as ready to 

 admit, as I have been to question it. I do not doubt 

 that a peculiar disease exists, in some sections of this 

 country, in milch cows, and that bone meal has been 

 successfully used as a remedy. The symptoms and 

 the cure of the disorder, I suppose, are well known 

 to the farmers whose cows are thus affected. Eut I 

 cannot j'et see — perhaps I require stronger proof 

 than the nature of the case admits — that the dis- 

 order is owing to the want o^ sufficient phosphate of 

 lime in the food of cows afflicted with it. 



Your correspondent, Mr, Putnam, has given some 

 interesting information respecting this disease ; but 

 in attempting to trace it up to the want of phosphate 

 of lime, he docs not, in my view, connect the one 

 with the other as an effect with a cause. I will not 

 again cite examples from his communications in proof 

 of this — but will merely, in conclusion, refer him, for 

 the statement made by me, that Indian corn con- 

 tains seventeen per cent, of phosphate of lime, to the 

 essay on that grain, by Mr. Flint, which, together 

 Avith an essay by himself on the same subject, is to 

 be found in the transactions of the Essex Agricul- 

 tural Society for 1819. The analysis there given 

 Avas the authority I consulted ; and approA-ed as this 

 essay has been by our oAvn society, and by the Xcav 

 York State Agricultural Society, I need not, I sup- 

 pose, cite any other authority. At all eA'cnts I leave 

 the subject here, hoping that sooner or later some 

 ncAV light may be shed upon it. 



ALLEN ^\. DODGE. 



ILvMiLTON, May 13, 1850. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 SETTING FENCE POSTS. 



^Iit. Editor: I have for some time been satisfied 

 of the economy in setting posts for permanent fence 

 in lime mortar. I have proved the plan, and give it 

 my sanction, for permanent record in your paper. 

 Air-slnked or refuse lime (at ten cents per bushel! 

 ansAvcrs ; and the cost except labor is not over one 

 cent per post. We dig the holes with a spade, and 

 haA'c two semicircular pieces of sheet iron to put 

 down round the post, and after filling inside Avith 

 mortar aiul outside Avith earth, draw up these pieces, 

 and the Avork is done for many years. It dries hard 

 as stone, and remains " in statu (pio." I set the top- 

 end down. I5ENJAMIN WILLARD. 



L.VNCA.STEK, Mag 21, 1850. 



