106 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



March 



wanted in jilanting time. This enables ua to 

 give more time to plowing, sowing and trans- 

 planting. 



Top-Dressixg. — Our inquiries on this matter 

 have been extended to many of the best farmers 

 of New England, and from experience and what 

 we gather I'rom them, we cannot recommend this 

 mode of manuring, only in casjs of reclaimed low 

 ground, too wet for the plow, but which will 

 yield good crops of hay by an occasional dressing. 

 If top-dressing is applied to high lands at all, it 

 should be late in autumn, so that the rains or 

 melting sn(jwa shall thoroughly wash it into the 

 soil. 



Farm Tools. — Are the plows in order ? Is that 

 lost hinge on the harrow replaced ? Are the 

 yokes, ciiains, carts, collars, hames, and harness- 

 es sound and whole, so that a briglit day shall 

 not be lost in repairing them in planting time ? 



Clover Seed. — Sow during the month, five or 

 six pounds to the acre — if on the snow you will 

 be likely to get it even. 



Firewood — Split fine and housed at once, will 

 be best, if a current of air passes through it after 

 being under cover. 



Live Stock. — Working oxen that are well- 

 tended now, will be far more serviceable for the 

 spring-work, than those that are neglected ; so if 

 good butter cows are desired in the summer, they 

 must be turned to pasture in thrifty condition. 



Maple Sugar. — Many of our readers make this 

 delicious article, and understand the jnodus oper- 

 a'idi better than we do ; but that is no good rea- 

 son why we should not remind them of the ap- 

 proaching season, and drop a hint that they may 

 not forget us during their harvest ! 



Pruning Apple Trees. — Again we caution the 

 cultivator against pruning aj pie trees in March 

 or April — they are the two months the most un- 

 suitable of the whole twelve. 



The sun now runs high — the soil will soon be 

 warm, and invite us again to the delightful la- 

 bors of spring, and especially the Garden ; for 

 we believe with Bacon, that "God Almighty first 

 planted a garden ; that it is the purest of human 

 pleasures ; it is the greatest refreshment to the 

 spirits of man, without which buildings and jm- 

 laces arc but gross handyworks." Be resolved, 

 then, to commence a garden with some system, if 

 you have not already. 



teasing her mother very earnestly to procure her 

 some. Wliile doing so, the sagacious dug stood 

 near, eyeing them very intently, apparently un- 

 derstanding the meaning of tlie conversation. 

 Watching an opportunity, he left the house soon 

 after, and made his way directly to one of our fur 

 stores, and seizing one of these articles, Avhich 

 was displayed at the door for sale, he made oflF 

 with it. He directed his course homeward, and 

 being pursued, the fur was taken from him just 

 as he reached the gate of his master's residence." 



A Dishonest Dog. — The Fall River Monitor 

 relates the following dog story — showing that re- 

 markable brutes, as well as wonderful men, some- 

 times apply their superior talents to tlie worst of 

 purposes : 



^ "A fiimily residing in the southern part of the 

 city, are tlie owners of a large and faitliful watch 

 dog ; the little daughter, being very anxious to 

 possess a set of furs, the other day commenced 



For the New England Farmer. 



CTJLTUEE OF WILLOWS FOU OSIERS. 



Mr. Editor : — In the last numljcr of the Far- 

 mer, a communication from a Hingham corres- 

 pondent on the subject of cultivation of basket 

 willow contains statements, which, I fear,- may 

 mislead some of those who are trying to gather in- 

 formation on the subject. 



Your correspondent says he cut his willow in 

 November, and the impression naturally conveyed 

 is that this is the prosier time to cut them for 1ms- 

 ket work ; but, as the bark adheres firmly at that 

 time, he must have had some otlicr purposes in 

 view. He also tells your readers that his pro- 

 duct was at the rate of nearly nine tons to the 

 acre, and a person who read the commvmicatiou 

 carelessly, might suppose that something like this 

 weight may be depended on as a crop when ready 

 for the market, but in the account given, the 

 osiers must have been weighed in a green state 

 and with the bark on them, as the growth of an 

 acre which produces three tons of osiors in a fit 

 state for the market (that is, peeled, dried and 

 tied in small bundles) is considered very satis- 

 factory, and is more than an average crop. With 

 no more labor in the cultivation than running a 

 cultivator between the rows, two tons to two 

 and a half tons can be raised, and it is then very 

 profitable. 



The present price of French willow is one hun- 

 dred and twenty dollars per ton, and the Belgian 

 willow, which is sold by the bundle, would, if 

 weighed, cost one hundred and thirty-five dollars 

 per ton. Thougli large quantities are raised in 

 England, (the estates of the Duke of Bedford 

 alone, having several hundreds of acres) it is 

 mostly consumed at home. The price of French 

 willow has been as high as one hundred and sixty 

 dollars per ton, and the Belgian still higher, with- 

 in the last eight months, but the present is about 

 an average rate. 



There has been none imported into this city for 

 about two years, the trade being kept in the 

 hands of a few importers in New York, when 

 the supply for the manufacturers in Boston and 

 vicinity has to hn ol)tained. As there is no sep- 

 arate account kept at the custom houses of the 

 quantity of osiers imported annually, it is diffi- 

 cult to get at the amount with any degree of ac- 

 curacy, but it is variously stated at one and a 

 half or two millions of dollars. 



I hope some of our careful fiirmers will give 

 the matter a fivir trial, as we eight not to send 

 money to Europe to pay for wl it we can profita- 

 bly raise at home, and we have in this a special 

 encouragement in the fact of the existing duty of 

 twenty per cent, to protect the grower. 



Respectfully yours, w. 



