NEW ENGLAND FARMER, 



63 



Plantations of Firs alone. 



I hnve liithcrto ;n(ii(!pd speakinsr of plantn- 

 (ions made of firs alone. There was a time 

 when they were patronized by (he grealci^t, 

 and recommended by the wisest men, and boun- 

 ties were given by public societies for their 

 encouragement, but they have now the misfor- 

 tune to be out of fasliion. Even the larch, ol 

 which more has been said as to its durability 

 and variety of uses than of any other trees, has 

 lost the greater part of its votaries ; and the 

 whole ge"nus of pines are now condemned as 

 monotonous, iinpicturesque trees, and banished 

 Irom all polite society. 



I am old fashioned enough to continue to 

 think, as every body else thought thirty years 

 ago ; i had rather see on a poor barren heath, 

 even in the summer, a grove of handsome 

 thriving Scotch firs, than a parcel of stunted, 

 half-starved oaks; and in the winter 1 am cer- 

 tain the evergreen has the advantage. I 

 do not mean to say that I would plant a clump 

 of Scotch firs in' the front of a gentleman's 

 house, or indeed where any other tree would 

 grow well ; but I would plant them in prefer- 

 ence to any thing else on poor, barren heaths, 

 where every other tree would starve, and 

 where they alone would thrive and flourish ; — 

 and in point of protit, if they were ever right, 

 they are doubly so now. English oak has not 

 advanceJ in price within the last twenty years 

 more than 5U per cent, and ash and elm not 

 above 30, while the value of the best yellow 

 foreign deal, produced from the syhestris pinus, 

 or Scotch fir, is increased 300 per cent, and 

 English grown deal is increasing in repute and 

 demand as a substitute for foreign deal every 

 day ; and firs not only grow faster than forest 

 trees, but four tirs will stand and thrive on the 

 same space that one oak will. 



In hopes that the whole tribe may not be ex- 

 ploded, but that some may be induced to see 

 the advantage of planting them in situations 

 where picturesque beauty is not essential, I will 

 add a (ew short hints respecting the most prop- 

 er and profitable sorts to plant. 



The Scotch fir which produces the real yel- 

 low deal is the most valuable timber, especially 

 if planted so thick that the knots may not be 

 large, and suffered to stand till a proper age. 



Larch is the next best, and makes very good 

 timber, little if any inferior to Scotch fir. 



Pineaster produces a strong coarse timber, 

 and, in some situations, grows faster than any 

 other fir, but it is apt to grow crooked. 



Spruce fir, silver fir, and Weymouth pine, all 

 produce white deal, and therefore are of infe- 

 rior value. The first is the best, and is very lit- 

 tle, if any, inferior to the best white Norway 

 deal. As to the kiud of fir proper for exposed 

 •situations, the Scotch is by far the best, and 

 spruce the worst. The latter will grow well, 

 and look well for the first 30 years ; but it then 

 gets mossy, thin and ragged, and its duration is 

 much shorter than that of a Scotch fir. Its ap- 

 propriate situation is to stand single in a plea- 

 sure ground, where its branches feathered to 

 the ground, and its conical shape produce a good 



effect. Larch will grow faster than either; but 

 its top shoot being always above the other 

 trees, and consequently not protected, is ajit to 

 bend and get crooked. It should stand on the 

 sides of hills, whose tops will be always above 

 it ; and as a mixture of Scotch firs, its colour, 

 both in spring and autumn, makes a pleasing 

 contrast. Silver firs are fit lor very strong land. 

 Such as oaks delight in, bul thoy are only fit to 

 be planted in rous, or at great distances as or- 

 namental trees. Weymouth pines thrive best 

 at the sheltered sides of plantations. The 

 beauty of their bark makes them ornamental ; 

 but the timber is too light and porous to be of 

 much value. For large plantations the Scotch 

 fir and larch are the only trees to be recom- 

 mended, adding a few of the other kinds in the 

 skirts and near the roads for varietv. 



should be allowed for the sprouts to dry. Dr. Deane 

 observes, [Deane's New England Farmer, Art. Oak] 

 " I incline to prefer this method especially since I 

 have tried that which is recommended by Mr. Miller 

 mthout success. Not one ia a buadred ever came Vf •" 



From Ihe. JN'tu; York Statesman. 



VVJPROVEMENTS IN PRINTING. 

 Messrs. Editors, — In your paper of Wednes- 

 day, under the head of '• Churches Printing Ma- 

 chine,^'' there is a mistake, highly important as 

 it regards the person just named, and not much 

 less so to the community at large, which I am 

 desirous of correcting. The paragraph states, 

 that the original article (giving an account of 

 his machine for casting and setting types) was 

 a hoax or burlesque upon our countryman Per- 

 kins, though Ihe object of the ridicule is now 

 stated to be Mr. Church, of Birmingham. At 

 any rate the description declares what is me- 

 chanically impossible, notAvithslarding the story 

 is told so well. The gentleman here referred 

 to, is Dr. Church, formerly of Boston, a man of 

 wonderful mechanical talents and ingenuity. — 

 Before leaving this country for England, which 

 he did about three years since in the hopes of 

 procuring more extensive patronage there, he 

 had completed a machine for the purpose of 

 setting types with a rapidity almost incredible, 

 in which the compositor's sole duly was to 

 touch a number of keys arranged like those of 

 a piano-forte, each of which set a particular 

 letter. In company with several scientific 

 gentlemen of Boston, I had the pleasure of see- 

 ing this machine in operation, and in common 

 with them was thoroughly convinced of the 

 importance of the invention, and the advantages 

 which would accrue to the public from its gen- 

 eral introduction. Since Dr. Church's arrival 

 in London, he has been engaged in perfecting a 

 printing press of his own invention, which 

 promises to supersede those now in use, and 

 several of which, I am credibly informed, are 

 now in operation by steam in the city of Lon- 

 don. In consequence, he has not found time to 

 complete his machine for setting types, but 

 there is no doubt, that should his health remain 

 good, that in a few years, we shall have in 

 common use, the invention which is stated in 

 the article referred to as " mechanically impos- 

 sible." He has also made great improvements 

 in the mode of casting types, for which 1 under- 

 stand he is now engaged in procuring a patent 

 from the English government. 



FIAT JUSTITIA. 



j To make Vinegar with the refuse of Bee-hives, afUt 

 I the hone;/ is extracted. 



When honey is extracted from the combs bv 

 I means of pressure, take the whole mass, break 

 and separate it, and into each tub or vessel put 

 one part of combs and (wo of water : place them 

 in the sun, if his rays possess sufficient power, 

 or in a warm place, and cover them with cloths. 

 Fermentation takes place, in a few days, accord- 

 ing to the higher or lower temperature of tlm 

 situation in which the operation is performed. 

 During the fermentation, stir the matter from 

 time to time, and press it down with the hands, 

 that it may be perfectly soaked. When Ihe fer- 

 mentation is over, put the matter to drain upon 

 sieves or strainers. At the bottom of the vessels 

 will be found a yellow liquor, which must be 

 ' thrown away, because it would contract a disa- 

 greeable smell, which it would communicate to 

 I the vinegar. Then wash the tubs, put into them 

 I the water separatcil from the other matter ; it 

 immediately begins to turn sour ; when the tubs 

 must be again covered with cloths, and kept 

 moderately warm. A pellicle or skin is formed 

 on their surface, beneath which the vinegar ac- 

 quires strength ; in a month's time it begins to 

 be sharp ; it must be left standing a little longer, 

 and then put into a cask, of which the bung-hole 

 is left open, and it may then be used like any 

 other vinegar. — English publication. 



Perkins''s Eagine. — It is stated, that Mr Per- 

 kins has so for perfected his steam-engine, as to 

 have obtained from an English capitalist the sum 

 of ^144,000 for a share of his patent ! 



Elder Wine is made by mixing 12 gallons and 

 a half of ripe elder-berry juice and 43 pounds 

 of sugar, with 37 gallons and a half of water, 

 that has previously had boiled in it 6 ounces of 

 ginger, and 9 ounces of pimento, bruised and 

 strained off; and when it is cooled to rather 

 cooler than milk warm, add a pint of thin 

 brewers' yeast, and let it ferment for 14 days in 

 the barrel, then bung it up close, and bottle it 

 sis months. — Johnson's Rural Economy. 



An English work, entitled Pomarium Brillan- 

 icum, says " The wine made from elder berries 

 is too well known by families in the country to 

 require any encomiums ; it is the only wine the 

 cottager can procure, and, when well made, is 

 a most excellent and wholesome drink, taketi 

 warm before going to bed. It causes gentle 

 perspiration, and is a mild opiate ; and may be 

 taken with safety and to advantage by those of 

 costive habits." The same work asserts, that 

 " if a rich syrup be made from ripe elder-ber- 

 ries and a few bitter almonds, when added to 

 brandy, it has al! the flavour of the very best 

 cherry brandy." 



From the Alexandria Herald. 



Mr George Jones, an ingenious mechanic of 

 this place, shewed us, on Saturday, a new pair 

 of pistols, which he has received direct from his 

 brother's manufactory, in England. They are 

 discharged, without the use of flint, by percus- 

 sion, upon an improved plan, which has been 

 introduced at that factory. Mr Jones informed 

 us, that he has fired one off" while pouring water 

 on the small brass pan which contains the prim- 

 ing. It is thought that this method of firing 

 might be applied to ordnance or such fire-arm« 

 as are exposed to the inclemency of the weatber- 



