1855. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Ill 



it with a complete index, so that the intelligent! Sulphate of Ammonia ; a chemical compound of 

 and careful reader will always find the subjects |flpl»>';i^,^f^i<l f"^! ammonia, very solul.le in wa- 



, , . , i -i. • 1 • 1 1 ter, and lavurable to the growth oi phmts. 



seasonable. At most, it is only an occasional Carbonate of Lime; a compound of carbonic 

 fact given during the current year that can be Lcid and lime, 22 parts of the acid to 28 parts of 

 unseasonable. The space occupied by "the re- lime. Marl)k% common lime stone, and a portion 



view," seems to us to be appropriate and valua- 

 ble, and we believe is generally approved. A 

 similar practice was long continued in the Horti- 



of marls, and a portion of all soils, are carbonate 

 of lime. Carbonic acid is the gas which rises 

 from foaming beer, cider or wine, also from soda 

 water, and from a bit of chalk or lime stone when 



cullurist, while under the charge of Mr. Downing, jo^ Ji-op vinegar upon it. It is injurious, if ta- 

 ken into tlie lungs — destroys life if ))reathed in 

 large quantities, as in the bottoms of dry wells — 

 but is wholesome when taken into the stomach, 

 as in soda water. It arises from fermenting ma- 

 nure heaps, also from rich soils ; water readily 

 absorbs it, and brings it down in the form of rain. 

 It constitutes a large portion of the food of all 

 plants. 



Carbonate of Ammonia ; a compond of carbonic 

 acid and ammonia. Ammonia is composed of 14 

 parts of nitrogen and 3 of hydrogen. It rises 

 from fermenting or decaj-ing substances, and com- 

 bines with carbonic acid, which springs from the 

 same sources, forming with it carbonate of ammo- 

 nia, a volatile gas, that is, one which flies away 

 in the air. What is meant by fixing the ammo- 

 nia is this : — Sulphate of ammonia is soluble, that 

 is, it dissolves in water and stays in the soil or 

 manure, while carbonate of ammonia is volatile, 

 that is, it flies away in the air and is lost from 

 fertilizers which contain it. By putting in plas- 

 'ter, or sulphate of lime, the volatile carl)onate of 

 ammonia is changed to the non-volatile (fixed) 

 sulphate; and in this form it remains for the fu- 

 ture use of plants. Hence the great utility of 

 applying plaster to all manures and keeping them 

 in a moist condition. — The Farm, by Prof. Nash. 



NOW-A-DAYS. 



Alas ! how every tiling has changed. 



Since I was sweet sixteen. 

 When all the girls wore homespun frocks, 



Anil aprons nice and clean ; 

 With bonnets made of braided straw. 



That tied beneath the chin ; 

 The shawls laid neatly on the neck. 



And fastened with a pin. 



I recollect the time when I 



Rode father's horse to mill, 

 Across the meadows, rock and field. 



And up and down the hill ; 

 And when our folks were out at work, 



As sui'e as I'm a sinner, 

 I jumped upon a horse bare-back, 



And carried them their dinner. 



Dear me ! young ladies, now-a-dayg, 



Would almost faint away. 

 To think of riding all alone. 



In wagon, chaise, or sleigh ; 

 And as for giving "pa" his meals, 



Or helping "ma" to bake, 

 0, dear, 'twould spoil their lily hands. 



Though sometunes they make cake. 



When winter came, the maiden's heart 



Began to beat and flutter ; 

 Each beau would take his sweetheart out, 



Sleigh-riding in a cutter; 

 Or, if the storm was bleak and cold. 



The girls and beaux together, 

 Would meet and have most glorious fun, 



And never mind the weather. 



But now, indeed, it grieves me much 



The circumstance to mention. 

 However kind the young man's heart, 



And honest his intention ; 

 He never asks the girls to ride, 



But such a war is wagedj 

 And if he sees her once a week, 



Why, surely, "they're engaged." 



TERMS. 



Wc promised in a former number, to adhere as 

 far as possi!)le to the use of terms which are uni- 

 versally understood ; and, if scientific terms creep 

 into our pages in spite of us, to explain them in a 

 little vocabulary annexed to our educational de- 

 partment. In pursuaucs of that plan we give 

 the following : 



Sulphate of Lime; Gypsum, Plaster of Paris ; 

 a clieniical compound of 40 parts of sulphuric 

 acid (oil of vitriol) to 2S parts of lime and 1<S 

 parts of water. The experiment of putting plas- 

 ter witii green manure Ibr tlie 



lor the corn crop, men- 

 tioned on page G, is well worth trying. ^Vo here 



commend a very careful perusal of the article on witlioni^ kind of food 

 page 5, headed. Plaster of Paris as a fixing ar/ent. \thc winter, hay of various kinds, oat straw, corn 



For the New En/^/and Farmer. 



TAKE CARE OF YOUR CATTLE. 



BV DR. JOSEPH REYNOLDS. 



It is a pleasant sight to see a herd of cattle 

 quietly chewing the cud of contentment, appar- 

 ently satisfied with themselves, and all the world 

 around them. But a herd of restless, uneasy 

 cattle, breaking out of their enclosures, hooking 

 and pushing each other, whenever they come 

 near enough, rubbing off their hair against every 

 post or tree they can get at, shaking tlieir heads, 

 and apparently dissatisfied Avitli everything 

 around them, is anything liut a pleasant sight. 



If you would liave your cattle happy and con- 

 tented, furnish them with an abundant sujiply of 

 wholesome food, and keej) them in a warm and 

 comfortable atmosphere. Cattle that are pinched 

 with the cold, are always restless, as well as 

 those that are pinched with hunger. Dairy-men 

 understand very well the effect of n^stlessness and 

 discontent, both upon the quantity and quality 

 of milk, llowever well a cow may lie fed, if she 

 is uncomfortable from cold, she will give but lit- 

 tle milk. If she is homesick or uneasy from be- 

 ing sluit away from her companions, it will soon 

 be seen in the poorer quality of her milk. Cat- 

 tle are often restless and tliscontented because 

 their wants are but partially supplied. It is not 

 enough that they sliould be abundantly furnislicd 

 They need a vari'"ty. In 



