1855. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



233 



PLOWING SANDY SOILS. 



Spring plowing for sandy soils is preferable to 

 fall plowing : for although the plowing of clay 

 soils, including ridging and back furrowing, may 

 be done profitably in the fall, the same practice is 

 not advisable with those of a freer kind. The 

 freezings and thawings of winter will materially 

 improve clayey soils, by rendering them more 

 free from the disintegration of particles, division 

 of masses, etc. Sandy soils, however, should be 

 left undisturbed until spring, by which means 

 they are less liable to be disturbed l)y high winds, 

 freshets, etc. 



No error is more common than to suppose that 

 sandy or gravelly sub-soils render sub-soil plow- 

 ing useless. On the contrary, the continuous 

 descent of water from the soil will so compact 



both the sandy and gravelly soils, as to leave 

 them difficult of penetration by roots, and when 

 they are of such character as to render it injudi- 

 cious to bring tliem to the surface by deep sur- 

 face-plowing, we may at least follow in the same 

 furrow with the lifting sub-soil plow, which does 

 not turn tlie soil, but will disintegrate it to a great 

 depth, with the expenditure of but a small amount 

 of force. In this way sandy soils become ferated, 

 and from the decay of roots passing deeply into 

 them, they are gradually supplied with organic 

 matter so as to improve their general condition. 

 This disturbance, however, should occur in spring ; 

 thus they are less compact during the growing 

 season, and become stilfened during winter, ren- 

 dering them more practicable in their character 

 by spring. — Working Farmer, 



THE NEWTOWN PIPPIN APPLE. 



This is one of the very best, and yet 

 most uncertain of all apples. With 

 great expense and skill in raising, and 

 by selecting some of the finest speci- 

 mens, it has brought a high price in 

 foreign markets, which has given it 

 a great name. The fruit is every 

 year in our market, of poor ap 



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pearance, and selling at common prices. One 

 Baldwin tree, of the same age, will outweigh four 

 of them, and out-bear five or six of them, in good 

 fair fruit. It generally fails in New England ; 

 in some favorable situations in the Middle States, 

 and in some parts of the West, it succeeds well. 

 It requires a warm, deep, sti-ong, friable loam, 

 neither wet nor dry, lime in the soil, or manure, 

 and the highest culture. 



Some pomologists reckon two kinds ; others 

 think there is but one, modified by various cir- 

 cumstances. The Green (dotted outline) is flat- 

 tish-conical ; stem, short, deep cavity; smooth, 

 olive-green. The Yellow (the larger outline) is 

 flattish-round, angular; stem short, rather deep 

 cavity ; rough, yellow, or greenish-yellow, brown- 

 ish or red check. We have seen another form 

 and color. Roundish-conical, very deep cavity ; 

 smooth, w-ax-like, pale yellow, bright red cheek. 



The Newtown Pippin is of medial size ; flesh 

 fine, firm, crisp, juicy, of a rich, sprightly, high 

 aromatic flavor and aroma. Remarkable for re- 

 taining its freshness to a late period. Late winter, 

 spring, and to mid-summer. A slow, scrubby 

 grower ; moderate bearer. Fruit inclined to be 

 defective under the best management. Origin, 

 Newtown, Long Island. — Cole. 



Water Proof. — A correspondent of the Mer- 

 chant's Magazine gives the following receipt for 

 the prevention of wet feet, and adds that by 

 subjecting his boots to this treatment three pairs 

 have lasted him six years, and are likely to last 

 six years longer. He says : 



I put a pound of tallow, and half a pound of 

 rosin in a pot on the fire ; when melted and 

 mixed, I warm the boots and apply the liot stuff 

 with a painter's brush until neither sole nor up- 

 per leather will suck any more. If it is desired 



