1855. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



291 



BOILING WATER ON FRUIT TREES. 



Mr. Editor : — Can you tell me anything of 

 the cifi-ot of boiling water poured around the 

 roots of choice fruit trees ? A lady from New 

 Jersey, who is much interested in horticulture, 

 says, if poured over the roots of the cherry tree 

 in sjjring, it destroys the germ of insects deposit- 

 ed there, and makes the tree fruitful. I have 

 never seen the experiment made, but I once rath- 

 er mischievously poured a pailful of boiling wa- 

 ter over the roots of a large grape vine, which 

 had shaded the Avindow inconveniently for many 

 years, without yielding fruit, for the purpose of 

 destroying it ; and the result was, that it ma- 

 tured fruit that season, and continued to, for 

 many successive ones. 



If it is useful, at what season is it best, and 

 how much may be applied with safety ? f. 



East Charlemont, May, 1855. 



Remarks. — The above inquiry and remarks are 

 evidently from one of our numerous female read- 

 ers, who are becoming interested in what relates 

 to the garden and farm. Hot water poured upon 

 the roots of peach trees will prevent the curl of 

 the leaf, and rejuvenate the whole appearance of 

 the tree. We have never tried it on plums or 

 cherries, but it is not clear to us why it would 

 not be as beneficial to cither of them as to the 

 peach. Apply it in April. 



HEMLOCK TREES — AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENTS. 



Mr. Editor : — In answer to the gentleman at 

 Gilford, N. II., upon peeling hemlock trees, I 

 should say let them alone, till you are ready to 

 peel them. My reason is this ; all hemlock trees, 

 as far as I have noticed, when blown down, if 

 the roots are part of them fastened still in the 

 ground, peel better than those which are broken 

 oflf entirely. I suppose the circulation of the sap 

 commences in the spring, and is by the remaining 

 roots carried to the body of the tree, while those 

 broken off have no roots from which the tree may 

 derive sap. 



Will you please ask those who advertise agri- 

 cultural implements in your paper to write the 

 price with the advertisement, and oblige many 

 of your readers. b. j. 



Campton, N. H., 1855. 



air in water PIPES. 



A. S. Worthcn, New London, N. H. — Is the 

 upr.er end of your pipe below tiie surface of the 

 water in the well? If not, the air is drawn in 

 and partially prevents the passage of the water 

 until it is forced through the entire pipe. When 

 tlie pipes are below the water, a chemical action 

 by the water on the pipe generates a (jas, which, 

 in many cases, has the same effect as C(jmmon air. 

 I have frequently ])cen obliged to use a force 

 pump to remove this gas, when no air could pos- 

 sibly get into the pipes. 



Prof. Tinker, P. J. 



Plumberton, Vt., April 20, 1855. 



potato onion. 

 Thanks to a "Suuscriber," at Nantucket, for 

 a box of the potato onion. We shall plant them. 



GROUND NUT, OR INDI.VN POTATO. 



Can any one give information concerning the 

 Groundnvt or Indian Potato ? lias any attempt 

 ever been made to cultivate it, and with what 

 success? Is it not possible to improve this "ehilJ 

 of mother earth" by care and culture so as to 

 make it a valuable root? g. f. n. 



SUBSOIL PLOW. 



To J. G., Northumberland, N. H.—Vrot Mapes' 

 diamond-footed subsoil plow is probably the best 

 now used. 



GUANO FOR A SINGLE YEAR. 



Please inform me what kind of fertilizor to use 

 upon a corn crop to the best advantage for this 

 year. I intend to plant some eight or ten acres 

 of river-land to corn ; the soil is a deep, sandy 

 loam, and is inundated every spring. I have no 

 manure to put on it. The land has been previ- 

 ously pastured. R. Harriman. 



H€nmher,N.H., 1855. 



Remarks. — We saw a field of land similar to 

 that described above, manured with guano, 300 

 pounds per acre, on two acres, and on two ad- 

 joining acres fifteen ox-cart loads of good manure 

 applied ; the result was 56 bushels of good corn 

 to the acre. We have no doubt you may suc- 

 ceed in securing a fair crop for a sincjle year with 

 the guano, perhaps longer, but it is rather at va- 

 riance with the true principles of the science that 

 iyou should for successive years. The farmer's 

 prime object must be to collect all the manure he 

 can from the farm itself. 



HOW shall i solder? 

 Query — I have a pipe case to attend to at the 

 outlet of an aqueduct where there is 00 feet fall, 

 and it is impossible to get at the upper end of the 

 pipe to stop the water. I wish to solder a pipe, 

 to extend the main line four rods further. It is 

 impossible to solder where a drop of water is 

 pressing out. AYill some brother tinker give me 

 the answer ? p. j- 



BOSTON VETERINARY INSTITUTE. 



We are glad to learn that Dr. Dadd has suc- 

 ceeded in obtaining a charter to incorporate the 

 Boston Veterinary Institute. The corporators, 

 and their associates, are invested with University 

 powers, and permitted to hold j^roperty to the 

 amount of twenty-five thousand dollars. 



We learn that the first session of this institu- 

 tion will commence in the month of October. 



A prospectus will soon be issued, so that the 

 public may be informed of tiie objects of this 

 novel enterprise. 



Dr. Dadd. — The attention of the reader ia 

 called to an article in another column, upon the 

 su))ject of re-mastication by our neat stock. Dr. 

 Dadd has kindly permitted us tlie use of an ex- 

 pensive diagram, lor a short time, wiiich hangs 

 in our office, and may be examined by the curious. 



