1855. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



145 



of it. My own belief is, tliat it is best, for what- 

 ever use it is intended, to mix it with plaster, 

 pulverized peat, fine dry compost, or in the ab- 

 sence of anything better, with fine rich soil from 

 the garden. These should be mixed with it 

 in the proportion of at least five bushels to one. 

 If this mixture is now made in the barn floor, or 

 in a diy Cc'ILir, whatever ammonia is given off by 

 the guano will be absorbed and retained by the 

 diluting sub,stance. If before you have occasion 

 to nse the mixture, you should find it smelling of 

 ammonia, dissolve five or six pounds of copperas 

 in a barrel of water, and occasionally sprinkle 

 the surface, or throw over it an additional quan- 

 tity of pnlverized peat, or a little charcoal. In 

 this way, jou. will have your guano ready to ap- 

 ply as a top-dressing, at the time when it should 

 be applied, which is as soon as the frost is out of 

 the ground, aiiJ the grass begins to start. If you 

 can avail yourself of a new-fallen snow, about 

 the first Aveek in April, as is often the case, you 

 will be able to sow it more evenly. If not, sow 

 it during oi just befora a rain. If sowed upon 

 dry land, and the sowing should be followed by 

 several days of bright sunshine, a great part of 

 its value will be lost. 



When used as a top-dressing, it is worth much 

 more upon moist than upon dry land.' Two years 

 ago. Friend Dyer, of the Shaker establishment at 

 Lebanon, sowed guano upon four aci-es of grass, 

 in the middle of a large field, upon a side-hill, 

 where the land was moist and springy, and he 

 judged that it doubled his crop, although the 

 crop was good before. The expenditure of five 

 dollars to the acre gave at least an additional ton 

 of hay. A gentleman who lived a mile off, told 

 me he could mark the limits of the said four acres 

 through the whole season, from its superior green- 

 ness. A gentleman in the neighborhood sowed 

 his guano tlie latter part of May, after the land 

 had become dry, and it did little or no good. — 

 Here then is a practical lesson which should not 

 be forgotten. 



I am :icquainted with many instances where 

 the crop of grass has been doubled by the appli- 

 cation of 250 or 300 lbs. to the acre ; but in every 

 instance the land was moist, and the guano was 

 applied early. AVhen the land is dry, provided it 

 is level, so tliat the rain and snow that fall upon 

 it will not run off, it will probably be best to ap- 

 ply it later in the fall. Then the rains and melt- 

 ing snows will carry it into the ground. When 

 the land is uneven, or the surface is inclined, ae 

 on a side-hill, so that the surfiice water will run 

 off before thy ground is thawed in the spring, the 

 dissolved guano Avill be carried off by the Avater, 

 and nearly the whole A'alue will be lost, if it is 

 applied in the fall. As a top-dressing to winter 

 wheat and rye, I think it will be found no less 

 efficacious, tlian Avhen applied to grass, provided 

 the above conditions are observed in the applic.i- 

 tion. When rye is groAvn upon very dry land, as 

 is usually the casi! \vith us, I think it will be bet- 

 ter to plow and harrow it into the soil, when the 

 rye is sown. Again I say, that no time is to be 

 lost iu purchasing and preparing the guano which 

 you intend to use as a top-dressing. j. u. 



Concord, Feb. 15. 



pears not to be requisite to develope the excel- 

 lencies of this crop, which is indebted less to the 

 soil than many other vegetables, and more to the 

 air, for the food which perfects its growth. 



Peas. — The soil for peas should not be too lib 

 erally enriched. A great degree of fertility ap- 



TO YOUNG MEN AT SCHOOL. 



.\N APPEAL TO THOSE THAT MOST FREQUENTLY MAKE 

 TROUBLE. 



Those to Avhom Ave refer is a class of young 

 men, who attend the winter schools, and are so 

 disorderly, and in some cases determined not to 

 obey the teacher, that things are rendered trying 

 and disagreeable ; and the usefulness of the school 

 is much prcA'ented. They are from 12 or 14 years 

 of age, up to 20. It is not common to find fe- 

 male pupils of these ages that make trouble. — 

 There is generally too much pliancy, delicacy and 

 refinement in them for this. Man has more rough- 

 ness in his nature, and unless he exercises self- 

 control, he Avill go far astray. 



In a few observations for the benefit of this 

 class, let it hs said that your teacher may not be 

 right in CA'ery course he takes, nor in everything 

 he does ; but then it is not for you to correct him 

 or to be revenged on him for any acts that are not 

 just what they should be, by disorder at school. 

 He is to be approached and advised by the com- 

 mittee, or by your parents, or it may be by your- 

 selves in a priA^ate manner if he judges you wrong- 

 fully, or'does not help you in your studies as you 

 have need. But it is often the case that it is the 

 determination on the part of a few on the first 

 day or Aveek of the school, and sometimes even 

 before it commences, not to like, and to be disor- 

 derly. This is unfair and unjust. 



NoAV what can be gained by disrepect to the 

 teacher, and by ungoverned conduct at school? 

 Is it of any value to you to prevent the peace and 

 quietness of the school, and thereby have many 

 that attend it, hindered in their studies, and time 

 and money lost ? Do you Avish to lose the pre- 

 cious opportunities afforded you of getting that 

 knowledge that Avill be more A'aluable than gold ? 

 Have you not self-respect enough to conduct with 

 propriety and decorum ? Do you not wish to act 

 the part of gentlemen ? We appeal to all that is 

 honorable in you not to let yourseh^ea down by 

 opposition to the teacher, and to the disgrace that 

 attends the trouble you may make in the school. 

 Be kind and respectful towards the one that has 

 charge. Be oi'derly and polite, instead of being 

 AvayAvard, coarse and vulgar. It is the direct 

 way to rise to places of usefulness, fame and peace. 

 — Exeter News-Letter. 



For the New England Farmer. 



MR. CLARK'S COW. 



In the Bos/on Journal of Jan. 23, it is stated, 

 by Mr. Clark, of Sunderland, that one powid one 

 ounce of Inittur Avas made from three quarts of the 

 milk of liis cow — her ieed corn fodder only. I 

 think it must have boon, like the Dutchman's 

 ivheat-sl raic , on Avhich he kept his fat horse, very 

 poorly threshed. This goes aliead of Mr. B.'s De- 

 vons orM.'s Jerseys. 1 should like to knoAV, 

 Avhethcr this milk Avas a fair average of the prod- 

 uct of the coAV, or Avhetlier it Avas the strrjrpinr/s. 

 One story may be good until another is told. It 

 Avill not do to deny anything. X. 



Jan. 29, 1855. 



