S50 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER, 



MAT 15, 1833. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



BOSTON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, MAY 15, 1833. 



FARMER'S \VORK FOR MAY, 



Pasture. To make tlie most of pasture land, 

 especially if it be fertile, it should be well fenced 

 in small lots of four, eight, or twelve acres, ac- 

 cording to the size of the farm, and the number 

 and size of stock. There should be trees, for 

 shade, thinly scattered over the pasture land, but 

 not too many in'a place. Cattle should not be turned 

 into any pasture till the grass is so much grown 

 that they can satisfy their hunger without rambling 

 over the whole lot. Dr. Deane observed that the 

 20th of Blay is early enough to turn cattle into 

 almost any of our pastures. Out of some they 

 should be kej)! later. The driest pastures should 

 be used first, though in them the grass is shortest, 

 that the cutting and punching of the surface of 

 the ground by the cattle's feet may be avoided. 



It is not right to turn all sorts of cattle into pas- 

 tures, promiscuously. Milch Cows, working oxeu, 

 and beasts, which it is intended to fatten, should 

 have the first feeding. Afterwards, slieep and 

 horses will find good picking. When a lot hasbiien 

 fed till the grass has become short, shut n up, and 

 the manure which hasbeen dropped, should be 

 beaten to pieces, and spread over the surface. Let 

 tlie next lot be managed by the same method. 



Dr. Deane observed, " Let the stock of a farmer 

 be greater or less, he ij^iould have at least four 

 inclosurcs of pasture land. One ins'osure may 

 be fed two we;ks, and th^n shut up to grow. 

 Then another. Each one will r^jsruit well, in 

 in six weeks ; and each will have this space of 

 time to recruit. But in the latter part of October, 

 tlie cattle may range through all the lots, unless 

 some one may become too wet acd soft. In tiiis 

 case, it ought to bo shut up, and kept till feeding 

 time the next year. 



Pastures which are too wet, should always, if 

 possible, be drained. A low, miry pasture is par- 

 ticularly injurious to sheep, as it is apt to cause 

 the rot. Cattle or sheep fatted in dry pastures, 

 have better tasted and more wholesome flesh than 

 those which arc fatted principally on the coarse 

 produce of wet pastures. 



There are greater advantages in feeding pastures 

 in rotation than many farmers are aware of. — 

 " One acre," said Dr. Deane, " managed according 

 to the above directions, will turn to better account 

 than three acres in the common way." 



Sheep rerjuire no water in their pastures ; it is 

 also thought by some, that calves and horses are 

 best without water, unless the latter are worked. 

 If these animals have no water, it is said they will 

 feed in the night and lie down in the heat of the 

 day. Milch cows, however, require water. 



The bottom of an old hay-stack is recommend- 

 ed as an excellent manure for pasture land, as, 

 besides the nourishment which it affords, it con- 

 tains a quantity of grass seed, which furnishes a 

 new set of plants. It should never be sufiered to 

 mix with mamn-e for grain or corn lands, as it 

 will cause them to be overrun with grass or other 

 plants, which, though useful in a pasture, are 

 weeds in arable lands. • 



Soiling. This is a terra applied to the feeding 

 of domestic animals on new mown grass, or other 

 green crops, in racks, yards, stables, &c. If a 

 farmer possesses more stock than land, and can 

 obtain labor without paying too dear to make it 

 expedient to attempt the niceties of cultivation, 



soiling may pro%e beneficial. " Every farmer,' 

 says Lorain, " should soil his working cattle and 

 horses, whether he may or may not enter into the 

 general practice of soiling. A very small extent 

 of ground will be sufficient for that purpose. This 

 may be so near the barn that the trouble will be 

 but little more if so much as going to the pastures 

 after them. The gross and x'ich dung, saved by 

 this practice, will be very valuable." 



GARDENER'S IVORK FOR MAY.' 



Bush Benns. Any time in this mouth will an- 

 swer for planting bush beans. Select a warm, 

 dry, and favorably situated spot, and having ma- 

 nured it properly, draw drills an inch deep, and 

 tv.o feet or thirty inches asunder ; drop the beans 

 therein two inches apart, and draw the earth 

 equally over them ; do not cover them more than 

 an inch deep. The hush bean does not require a 

 very rich soil, and if too highly manured is apt to 

 run too much to vine. The dwarf kinds of bean 

 may be planted in rows from 12 to 18 iachss 

 apart in the rows. 



Lima Beans. The following directions relative 

 to this valuable product are from J. Buel, Esq., of 

 Albany. 



" 'IVie Livic Bean. Phaseolus liminsis, is un- 

 questionably the best bean, if not the best of the 

 leguniea, that is grown in our gardens, with tlie 

 further recommendatjon that it may be kept for 

 the table, in tolerable perfection, during the whole 

 year. As it ia rather tender for our cl'mate, con- 

 siderable care is requisite to grow i: with success. 



" The soil ehould be rich, mellow, warm, and 

 rather dry. Ths sHualion open and fully e.xposod 

 to the sun. 7'he time of planting. May, — when 

 the ground and weather are sufKciently ,'vm-m to 

 ensure a quick gcrnanation of the .seed, as this "« 

 very liable to rot in a cold or mo'.st temperature. 

 The manner of planting may be either that of ordi- 

 nary pole beans, in hills two and a half to three 

 feet deep, or as follows : dig holes three feet in 

 circumference and eighteen inches deep, and pm 

 into each the best part of a barrow load of dung 

 or compost ; cover this with six or eight inches ol 

 moidd, plant the beans near the rim, and insert 

 four or five poles, retaining the branches, round 

 the hill. In either way, it is best to set the poles 

 when the seed is planted. Cover the seed half an 

 iuch with mould, and if the weather is dry when 

 you plant, an occasional watering will be benefi- 

 cial. The seed may be soaked a few hours, with 

 advantage, iu te])id water, or milk and water, 

 previous to planting. 



" The product is very abundant ; though the 

 entire crop seldom comes to maturity in ordinary 

 situations. To make the most of it, however, it 

 has been my practice, on the first indications of 

 frost, to pick off all that have acquired a mature 

 size, and to have them shelled and dried. I gen- 

 erally reserve this bean for winter use, and sixty 

 hills have yielded me four or five pecks of shelled 

 beans. Those that are ripe are separated for 

 seed, and to be used last. They lose but very 

 little of their flavor : and both the ripe and unripe 

 may be cooked in the same way that they are when 

 taken from the vines, taking the precaution to put 

 them in cold water over night, previous to cook- 

 ing. They are particiUarly fine with dried green 

 corn, in the Indian dish, which we denominate 

 succotash. 



"There are two varieties of this bean, which 

 differ in size nearly one half, of like habits, and 

 both very abundant beans." 



The Farmcr^s Guide gives the following direc- 

 tions for raising beans, whose vines need support: 

 " Let poles of a proper height be fitted in the 

 ground, about 2 feet apart, in rows 3 or 4 feet 

 distant from each other — around each ])ole let 

 4 or 5 beans be planted : the poles should have 

 small knots left on them, or pins put through to 

 support the vines. This way of planting gives an 

 opportunity of keeping the soil loose around the 

 roots, and prevents injuries arising from driving 

 poles into the hills. Of the various sorts of pole ' 

 beans one planting is enough ; for if you gather 

 as tlie beans become fit for use, they continue 

 bearing through the summer, especially the Lima 

 bean, which delights in heat, and which should 

 not be planted till the ground is quite warm." 



Coch-oaches. We have been requested by a 

 correspondent to republish " a recipe for destroy- 

 ing that mischievous visiter to most of our houses, 

 the Cockroach." We presume the following was 

 meant, and therefore insert it again. 



"Ts.ke !•• deep plate or dish, and nearly fill the 

 bottom part of it with molasses and water ; set 

 it near their haunts, with some chips from the 

 shelf to the edge of the jilate or dish, fur a railwaij 

 fret bridge, for these nimble-footed beauties to 

 travel on to tliis sweet bath, and the next morning 

 a very goodly number of \.\ic last generation will be 

 found up to their backs, indolently revelling in 

 this cha-micg liquid — now they are not dead, and, 

 if thrown out of doors, I will bet my " Cremona 

 to a .Icwsharp," that the chance is equal for their 

 reviviug and appearing in all their hideous defor- 

 mity, ' hobgoblin and all,' — but another death 

 will stop their swift race, viz. tlie fire. W"hatever 

 number may be caught, scoop them out of the 

 plate and lodge them safely in the fire, and you 

 make good their retreat, and nothing short of that 

 will do it. Experience." 



A FINE BED OF TULIPS. 



We have been much pleased with a parterre of 

 these splendid flowers, owned and cultivated by 

 Mr. Sam.uel AValker, of Roxbury. The Tulip- 

 bed is a'jout 36 feet long, and 11 1-2 wide. The 

 flowers are of many various shapes and colors, 

 and make a display, which might almost justify 

 the Tulip-mania, which was once epidemic ia 

 Holland. The parterre is enclosed by a frame, on 

 which is stretched a linen awning to protect the 

 plants from the rough visitations of the ele- 

 ments, and at the same time admit as much light 

 and air as is necessary for healthy and vigorous 

 vegetation. 



ITEMS OP INTEI.I.IGENCE. 



Assault cm the I'resiilcnt. An assault was lately made on the 

 President of Ihe United Stales hy Mr. Kandolpli, late of the 

 Navy. The President was on boanl of the Steamboat Sydney, 

 at Alexandria, when the assailant struck him, but was immedi- 

 itely arrested by the bystanders. Randolph, however, made 

 his escape, and we have not heard of his being taken. 



Tlie Weather. For a few days past, we have been favored 

 by occasional, intermiuing, but not very copious rains, together 

 with warm southerly breezes, which have put a new face on 

 vcelation, and very much brightened the prospects of the 

 season. Fruit Irccs have blossomed most abundanlly, mowing 

 lands and pastures are clothed in the brightest verdure, and the 

 aspect of the country promises our cultivators a most ample 

 reward for their labors. 



Porcelain China. There is a Porcelain Manufactory in Phi- 

 ladelphia, owned and conducted by Judge Hemphill. A writer 

 iu Poulson's Daily Advertiser recommends the articles manufac- 

 tured at this establishment as being vastly superior in strength 

 and equal in beauty to any imported— and they are lichly de- 



