414 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER, 



JULY 10, 1S33. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



BOSTON, WEDNESDAY EVENI^C, JULY 10, 1833. 



CI.OSE: OP THE ELEVENTH VOLUME. 



The present Number completes the current volume 

 of the JVVjo England Farmer ; which is the second vol- 

 ume of the new series, and the eleventh volume from the 

 commencement of tlie work. We shall not at this time 

 attempt either a retrospective or a prospective view of 

 our labors. Tlic New England Farmer being in its 

 teens is of age to speak for itself. And if its character 

 is not so far established, ^nd its acquaintances so nume- 

 rous and respectable, that it needs letters of introduction 

 and recommendation, it is time to give it a passport to 

 merited oblivion : or suffer the barren scion to witlier 

 on its stock for want of the dews and sunshine of public 

 patronage. 



But we may. perliaps. be allowed to state that our 

 predilection to the Art of all Arts, increases in a direct 

 proportion to the attention we bestow on it ; for like 

 every thing else possessing intrinsic excellence, the 

 more intimate the acquaintance the more obvious are its 

 merits — the more we explore the avenues of culture, tlie 

 stronger the perception that its ways are profitable as 

 well as pleasant, and " all its paths peace." And, in- 

 deed, the world is apparently now becoming practically 

 impressed witli the primary importance of those pursuits 

 which feed and clothe the human race ; and to wliich we 

 are indebted for all which makes life a blessing, or gives 

 civilized a superiority over savage existence. 



We iiave improvements in anticipation for the next 

 volume which it is not necessary now to develope ; but 

 would merely state that our efforts will be chiefly di- 

 rected to the important objects of plainness, certainty 

 and usefulness. Amusement will not be neglected, but 

 blended with improvement, and ever held subordinate 

 to the great objects before specified. 



The Index to the present volume will be put to press 

 immediately, and forwarded to subscribers as soon as 

 possible, 



PARMEU-S WORK FOR JULY. 



Salt your Cattle. Neat stock and sheep fie- 

 queutly thrive but little in fresh and good pastures, 

 in consequence of the negligence of those vpho 

 have the care of thcin, in not giving tlieni salt. 

 We made some reniaiks on this subject ; and 

 would licrc merely add thiit in England, as well as 

 by some farn)ers in this country, salt is always 

 kept in pastures under cover to which their cattle 

 always have access. Rock salt is sometimes used 

 in large lumps, which cattle are permitted to lick 

 at pleasure ; and as they cannot take any more 

 than they can dissolve with their tongues, they are 

 not liable, in that way to use it to e.xcess. Dr. 

 Cooper, in Willieli's Domestic Encyclopedia stated 

 that " a quarter of an ounce of salt per day to 

 sheep, and one ounce per day to cows and oxen 

 is an allowance ample enough." Perhaps the kind 

 of food, with which cattle are fed, may make a 

 diflerence with regard to the quantity of salt, which 

 ■would prove of use : and grazing cattle will no 

 doubt, need more salt than those fed on hay or 

 otlier dry food. 



Cockle. Goodsell's Genesqe Farmer observes 

 that " this is the proper season for destroying that 

 enemy to our wheat crops. Some may say that 

 they can separate it when they clean their wheat. 

 This does not remedy the evil. If cockle is allow- 

 ed to stand and ripen with the wheat, a part of it 

 will shell out when harvesting, and remain on the 

 field to infest the next crop. In short, it may re- 

 niaiu many years in the ground without vegetating. 



At this season, when the cockle is in flower, a 

 child of twelve years old would clean out several 

 acres in one day, by pulling it up, unless the far- 

 mer has become so negligent that his case is hope- 

 less. When piilled up it should not be left in the 

 field, but gathered, and when sufficiently dry 

 burned. The difterence in the market price of 

 the wheat, whether clean or foul, will abundantly 

 compensate for the labor of pulling cockle." 



Mown Grass. Should the weather continue as 

 wet as for a few weeks past, it may be well to remind 

 young farmers that grass, after it is mown in wet 

 weather, is not materially injured although it does 

 not dry in several days, provided it is often turned 

 over to prevent its turning white. The loss of 

 nutritive matter does not always correspond with 

 its change of colors. Timothy cut late, or after 

 the seed has come to its full size, does not look as 

 green as when in flower, and yet it contains more 

 nutritive matter, and is preferred by most kinds of 

 stock. — Ihid. 



Liquid Manure. Mr. A. Bryant, of Buffalo Hor- 

 ticultural Garden, in the Genesee Farmer of June 

 29th, condemns the improper use of liquid ma- 

 nure, and says, "I have been in the habit of using 

 it for many years on garden plants, and am satis- 

 tied that it is the worst application that can be 

 made to any kind of vegetables in dry hot weather. 

 I have often tried it, and always found it an in- 

 jury rather than a benefit. 1 would almost as 

 soon apply hot ley to my beds of vegetables. Beets 

 will very soon wither under its parching influence. 

 I would as soon take unrectified whiskey, while 

 laboring under a burning sim in August, to cool 

 myself, as pour this liquid fire upon my plants. It 

 has an excellent cflect when used just before a 

 rain, or in wet weather, but if used at all in a dry 

 time it should not be suftered to touch the plants, 

 but only poured on the ground between rows or 

 drills, wide enough apart to admit a spade, and 

 the ground between the drills so watered, should 

 be inmiediately tinned over to the depth of four 

 or five inches. Never having tried it on a grass 

 crop, I cannot say what efl'ect it might have ; the 

 labor, however, must be considerable in watering 

 an acre of ground with the conveniences iha: 

 farnjers usually have for that purpose ; besides, iii 

 a very dry time, the article is scarce in most farm- 

 er's barn yards, but few having pits or cisterns to 

 collect and preserve it for such a time of need." 



Liquid raaimrcs, however, are very much used 

 in Flanders and other parts of Europe. The cele- 

 brated author of the Code of Agriculture stated, 

 that Mr. Harvey of Glasgow, by its use cut grass 

 six limes in a season, and that the average of each 

 cutting was fifteen inches in length. The Com- 

 plete Grazier observes, that urine or the liquor of 

 farm yards, is a fluid capable of being employed 

 with great benefit both on meadow, (mowing lands' 

 and arable land, which renders them unconnnonly 

 fertile. It should be used as fresh as possible, at 

 the soluble animal matter it contains is destroyet 

 by putrefaction ; and if not nii.\ed with solid matter 

 should be diluted ivith tvater, as, when pure, it 

 contains too much animal matter to form a proper 

 fluid nourishment for absorption by the roots cf 

 plants. Probably diluting such manure with water 

 would be equivalent to applying just before a rain, 

 or in wet weather, as recommended by Mr. Bry- 

 ant. 



ITEMS OP IBITEIiLIGENCE. 



Steam Convetjance. It appears by a letter of Mr. Han- 

 cock, showing the performajices of liis Strain Omnibus 

 on tlie Paddington Road, the most crowded and hilly 

 roaM in the immediate neighborhood of London, that in 

 a great number of trips of about 10 miles each, the car- 

 riage was driven on an average 10 miles an hour. The 

 average quantity of coke consumed was three bushels 

 each trip of 10 miles. 



A bill authorizing the construction of a Railroad be- 

 tween tie cities of Hartford and New Haven, has passed 

 both houses of the Connecticut Legislature. 



The Baltimore Chronicle suggests the expediency of 

 making up a purse, and sending Mrs. Ann Royal to 

 England, in order to describe tlie •• Domestic Manners" 

 of Jolih Bull. 



Wool- The price of wool, though too low yet, is 

 risingjfroni the first otFers. We understand that from 

 47 l-'ilo .50 cents per lb. has been obtained for some lots 

 in thij town. The speculators are not few, and appear 

 anxiops to obtain it, but .is anxious not to give too 

 mucli — Maine Farmer of July 1. 



Palfioti.^m of the Clergy during the ReroliUionary War. 

 Two jninister's sons, in tlie county of Essex, whose fa- 

 thers if ere out in the great struggle for American liberty 

 and iidependence, met not long since. After talking 

 over ome of the events of that period, one says to the 

 other 1 believe my father did more than any other min- 

 ister n the State." " How so .'" says the other, " what 

 did 111 do .•"" '• Why, he sent three sons into the field.' 

 The tlier replied, " My father did more ; he went him- 

 self, uid took four with him." 



The thermometer at Fort Hill, on the 9th inst, at 1 

 o'clock, stood at 91 deg, — in State-street, at half past 4, 



98 deg. 



Cofivterfeiting. The country is inundated with coun- 

 terfeit bank bills, many of tliera so ingeniously executed 

 as to baffle the sagacity of the most experienced Cashiers, 

 even where their own signatures are imitated. To such 

 perfection is this business carried, that no sooner is a 

 newly incorporated Bank prepared to issue its bills, tlian 

 ipply of counterfi'its equally well executed, are also 

 ready to be put in circulation ; Pcrlujis's Stereotype Plate 

 is no longer security. — Sidcm Observer. 



The Weeril. The Ballston Spa Gazette mentions that 

 the weevil has commenced his destructive operations on 

 the w heat in that county — and that in some wheat fields 

 of sixty acres, where there was every promise of abun- 

 dant yield, there will not be sufficient to pay the farmer 

 for harvesting. It is said that sowing lime on the heads 

 of wheat when the dew is on, will drive the weevil from 

 the field. 



Mammoth Strawberry. A strawberry, measuring seven 

 and a ipiarter inches in circumference, was grow'n in the 

 garden of Charles M, Lee, Esq. of Rochester. Thus 

 saith the Albany Evening Journal — and in repeating 

 large stories it is always prudent to quote authority. — 

 It became necessary to hunt over half the city before a 

 man could be found with a mouth large enough to eat 

 it — that's our own. — Ibid. 



Tooth-ache. A lump of unslacked lime, about as big 

 as a '• piece of chalk," put in a tumbler 2-3ds full of 

 water, forms a solution, which the Gettysburg Star says, 

 if held in the mouth, is an infallible cure for the tooth- 

 ache. 



The Sea Serpent. Several monsters, with legitimate 

 claims to be denominated Sea Serpents, have lately been 

 seen by numbers of ladies and gentlemen, displaying 

 their shapes and dimensions in and near Boston harbor. 

 On tlie 8th inst. the Steam-boat Connecticut commenced 

 a cruise against his enormity. Several respectable gen- 

 tlemen, passengers on board said steamer, put off there- 

 from in a small boat, and have pubhshcd their testimony 

 that they '• approached within ten feet of a Sea Monster, 



