1825.] 



NEW ENGLAND FARRIER. 



381 



it was reliirded by the numernns sticks by whicli 

 the ground was partially covered ; and littlo 

 injury could have been sustained from the shade 

 of these, because the quantity of light compara- 

 tively with the temperature of the ;>ir, and 

 growth of the plants, is very great after the 

 vernal equinox ; and it ia every day increasing 

 in power and influence. 



Another cause of the rapid growth of the 

 transplanted peas ha' probably been the very 

 favourable state of the soil in which they have 

 been placed, it having been turned over with 

 the spade immodiatelv before transplantation 

 took place ; for peas fiever thrive well in strong 

 soils, when such have been compressed and sod- 

 den in early spring by much moisture. But 

 the chief causes of their very rapid growth have, 

 I believe, been the highly nutritive and stimu- 

 lating quality of the compost, and the presence 

 of some degree of additional warmth. For I 

 have in former seasons derived great advantage 

 from placing a moderate quantity of nearly sim- 

 ilar compost immediately under rows of peas, 

 which have been sown in (he usual m:inner,ex- 

 cept that the seeds were placed on the surface 

 of the soil, within which the compost had been 

 buried, and covered by having had the soil col- 

 lected from each side to form a ridge over them. 

 In all cases, where a compost of the kin<l I have 

 described is employed to accelerate the growth 

 of dwarfish early peas, it should be used in small 

 quantities only ; that the early growth of the 

 jieas may be promoted, without excessive and 

 consequently injurious luxuriance being given. 

 For transplanted peas 1 should |>rcfera poor and 

 light soil ; so that the roots might be led as they 

 would be under such circumstances tn confine 

 themselves in narrow limits: and t-bo pi, inls con- 

 sequently be brought to csriy maturil}'. 



J'l'ctc bij the Secreltiry — In a letter rce^^jved 

 from Mr Knight, dated the 27(h of June, he nien- 

 lions that he bad seen the full result of his ex- 

 periments on (he mode of raising early, peas a- 

 bove described. The plants so treated hud pro- 

 duced a very abundant crop at least twelve days 

 earlier than those sown at the same lime in the 

 usual way, and with a much more rapid succes- 

 sion of produce. 



From the Domestic Encyclopedia, 



BCD BUGS. 



Of the various recipes for the exiirpalion and 

 prevention of these vermin, the following have 

 been found by experience, the most effectual. 



Take of the highest rectified spirit of wine, 

 iialf a pint ; newly distilled oil, or spirit of tur- 

 pentine, half a pint ; mix them together, and 

 crumble into it an ounce of camphor, which will 

 dissolve in a few minutes; shake the whole well 

 together, and with a piece of sponge, or brush 

 dipped into it, anoint the bed, or furniture, in 

 wliich those vermin harbour and breed ; and it 

 will infallibly kill and destroy both them and 

 their nits. Should any bug, or bugs, happen to 

 appear after once vising it, the application must 

 be repeated, and at the same time some of the 

 mixture poured into the joints and holes of the 

 bed.^tead and head-board. Beds that have much 

 wood-work, require to be first taken down, be- 

 fore they can be thoroughly cleared of lliesp 

 vermin; but others may be perfectly cured with 

 out that trouble. It is advisable to perform this 



work in the day lime, lest the spirit contained 

 in the mixture take fire from ihe candle, while 

 using it, and nccas'on serious damage ; 



Or, dissolve 100 grains of corrosive sublim- 

 ate in a pint of brandy, or whiskey : use it with 

 the feather of a quill. 



FroTn the Mhany Argus, 



NEW AGRICULTUR.^L PUBL1CATI0N.S. 

 1 beg leave, Mr. Editor, to direct the atten- 

 tion of ray brother Farmers, particularly of those 

 who are ambitiou'! to improve in husbandry, to a 

 valuable work, (from the jircss of J. S. Skinner, 

 Esq. Baltimore, and for sale at the bookstore of 

 D. Steele &. Son, South Market ?t.) the Memoirs of 

 the Pennsylvania Agricuhvrat Sociclij. That So- 

 ciety is composed wholly of practical farmers ; 

 and their practice probably exhibits the best ex- 

 ample.i of neat and profitable farming that can 

 be found in the United States. The volume is 

 composed principally of communications from 

 the members, relating to the prominent branches 

 of husbandry; the residue of judicious selections; 

 and is ornamented with several elegant engrav- 

 ings of stock and farming implements. It is 

 well printed, and is sold at the reasonable pries 

 ofgl 50. Mr. Skinner is entitled to great cred- 

 it lor his ardent zeal in. promoting agricultural 

 improvement ; and it is hoped that he may no! 

 be a loser by the publication of this volume. — 

 But it is the benefit of Ihe purchaser, more than 

 of the publisher, that has prompted this notice; 

 for 1 am confident that the int'ormation which 

 the volume contains will profit any farmer ten- 

 fold its price. 



I have also examined " ihe Agricultural Read- 

 er,'''' advertised by D. Steele & Son, and consid- 

 er it well adapted as a school book, for boys 

 Vtlio are designed for agricullural pursuits, and 

 indeed as a book which no farmer can road 

 without profit. It gives a familiar explanation 

 of agricultural ternis ; of the nature of soils, 

 (heir use in the growth of plants ; of the pro- 

 perties of various manures, and of their opera- 

 tion as the food of plants. It contains concise 

 and perspicuous directions for cultivating our 

 ordinary farm crops, managing our stock, fruit 

 trees, &c. — It contains, in fine, the seeds of 

 temperance, frugality, industry and wisdom, 

 vvbich, if sown in the youthful mind, will germi- 

 nate, grow, and produce fruits of usefulness 

 am) virtue — and will choke and keep down 

 vicious and noisome weeds : For the mind may 

 aptly be compared to the soil — if useful plants 

 are not assiduously cultivated,, baneful ones will 

 spring up spontaneously. Books rany be to the 

 farmer what they are to the professional man — 

 they may make, him acquainted with the best 

 methods of managing his business which has 

 been found out in any country or in any age. 



J. BUEL. 



GREEN CLOUDED MARBLE. 

 It is stated m the Westchester Herald that a 

 «|uarry of this beautiful variety of marble, so 

 highly prized by the ancients, and known in Eu- 

 rope as the Verd Antique, has been discovered 

 in the progres.i of the digging for the founda- 

 tions of the new State Prison in (hat county. — 

 The quarry is said to be inexhaustible, and the 

 quality of the marble very fine : it is convenient- 

 ly situated on the shore of the Hudson, 



From the Amcricnn Farmer. 



ORCHARD GRASS. 



Inquiry as to the time of its seeding — timefor soto- 

 ing it, S,-c. 

 Scotland JVcck, 2d J}pril, 1825. 

 Mr. Skinner, 



Several persons in (his neighbourhood have in 

 their giirdens small patches of what they believe 

 to be (he orchard grass. Will you get some per- 

 son who is well acquainted with it, (o give a 

 pardcular descriplion of it — the time it seeds, 

 and when is the proper lime to sow it. 

 Respectfully, yours, 



WM. R. SMITH. 



[The above was referred (o a friend, who 

 was known (o be a very successful cultivator of 

 Orchard Grass, and on whose farm the Editor 

 had recently seen the best lot of grass which 

 has attracted his notice Ibis spring. He has 

 kindly favoured us wi(h the following answer — i. 

 (hc accuracy of which may be fully relied on, 

 as would be better known, if he had consented 

 to give his name.] 



So much has already been published in the 

 American Farmer upon the excellent qualities 

 of Orchard Grass, (hat it would be presun>p(u- 

 ous in a petty farmer, like myself, (o give any 

 additional information (hereon; but from your 

 flattering request, I cheerfully state the experi- 

 ence I have had, as to sowing and reaping upon 

 my small farm. 



It will answer to sow orchard grass either in 

 (he spring or fall ; and if (he farmer season is 

 found most convenient, it may be done upon any 

 growing crop of grain, and the earlier the bet- 

 ter, if the ground be sufficiently dry; after 

 which harrow, with a very light harrow, or roll 

 — either, or both operations, will rather benefit 

 (han injure the grain crop. But if the ground 

 is poor, a top dressing of manure will be requi- 

 site immediately after sowing. You cannot have 

 a crop cf grass to mow the first year, if sown in 

 the spring ; and indeed it will be better for the 

 grass if not pastured during that year, except by 

 calves, which would not injure it. 



If ground is prepared for sowing in the fall, 

 the earlier this object is accomplished the better; 

 for if it does not take good root and cover the 

 ground well before winter, the frost will be very 

 apt to turn the plant out of the ground — which 

 I one year experienced in sowing after potatoea 

 in the month of November ; for although the 

 grass came up handsomely, there was none left 

 in the spring, and 1 then sowed a second time. 



Last year I had a poor field, which bore very 

 light crops of English grass ; it was ploughed 

 in Ihe spring and sown in May with millet, 

 which came up very slightly, and was ploughed 

 in, the last of June, and the ground immediate- 

 ly sown with buckwheat, upon which, when in 

 blossom, I spread a light coat of manure, and 

 aoain ploughed and harrowed : the soil was very 

 fineh' pulverized, and on the 4th August I sow- 

 ed orchard grass seed, which came up beau- 

 tifully without a weed appearing; before Decem- 

 ber it was six inches high, and is now a very 

 luxuriant crop, and will, 1 make no doubt, pro- 

 duce between two and three tons to the acre 

 this summer. 



Two years since, I ploughed a field of inised 

 worn out grasses in ihe menth of November; 

 let it lay all winter, and in the spring top-diesgs. 



