378 



NEW ENGLAND f ARMEK. 



Aug. 



are, to some extent, formed by the action of dif- 

 ferent particles of earthy matter upon each other, 

 when brought into contact, as done by hoeing. 

 Water acts as a solvent of other substances, and 

 holds them in solution so that they can be taken 

 up by the roots, and made to nourish the growing 

 plant. This is the reason why it is best to sow 

 or plant seeds as soon as possible after the land 

 has been plowed or harrowed. The different par- 

 ticles of matter coming together, form new rela- 

 tions and produce a chemical action, during which 

 heat is evolved, and oxygen and hydrogen are 

 generated and caused to unite, and form water, 

 which, Avith other substances, act upon the seeds 

 and produces germination, and gives to the new- 

 born plant a vigoi-ous start into existence. After 

 the soil has remained quiet for some time, these 

 substances having exhausted their energy by 

 neutralizing the powers of each other, the plant 

 having absorbed all the elements of nutrition 

 within reach of its roots, it growth becomes re- 

 tarded, and can only be restored by renewing the 

 chemical action. This can be done by applying 

 some compost manure, or by hoeing or stirring 

 the earth, so as to bring different particles into 

 contact with each other and forming new com- 

 binations, and consequently, thus producing a 

 further supply of nutritious matter. Corn, that 

 is hoed every two or three weeks, will come to 

 maturity sooner, produce more, and be better 

 filled on the cob, than it will when treated in the 

 usual way. We would recommend to our far- 

 mers to select two or three rows in the field, and 

 hoe it regularly once in two or three weeks, and 

 in the fiiU inform us of the results of their exper- 

 iments. — Anon. 



reel, and it became clogged in going a few feet ; 

 it was cleared and tried again and again, as at 

 first, but with no better success. The Ketchum 

 machine was then tried and worked well, giving 

 decided satisfaction to those present. One of 

 Manny's machines was then tried, with the reel 

 attached, but with no better success. It was 

 then frankly acknowledged by the agent that the 

 machine would not work in such grass in its 

 present constrviction. The Ketchum machine 

 was purchased by me at this last trial for the use 

 of the alms-house farm, in this city. The last 

 trial, above named, was on the 29th of June, last 

 past. Earl C. Uriggs, Keeper of Aims-House. 

 New Bedford, July 5, 1855. 



For the New England Farmer. 



TRIAL OF MOWING MACHINES. 



Gentlemen : — Having seen an article in your 

 paper, copied from the Telegraph, giving an ac- 

 count of a trial of mowing machines at Dedham, 

 and which report seems to convey the idea that 

 Manny's machine was generally considered the 

 best, and learning from an eye-witness that the 

 grass was very lifjht, I write to give my brother- 

 farmers the result of my experiments with it. 



My first trial was in clover, a portion of which 

 was lodged, with much old stubble at the bottom ; 

 the machine became clogged in going a few rods. 

 It was then cleared and tried again and again, 

 until I became satisfied that it would not work 

 in such grass. 



I then informed the agent for selling, of whom 

 I had previously purchased it, and requested him 

 to inform the company that the machine would 

 not work in such grass. 1 then took of the agent 

 for selling the Ketchum machine, one of his on 

 trial ; tried it the same day, in the same grass, 

 and it worked to my entire satisfaction — it cut 

 the grass close and smooth. After this, I was in- 

 formed by the agent for selling the Manny ma- 

 chine tliat by attaching the reel to the machine, 

 it would work well, and to my satisfaction. 



The mayor, some of the aldermen, and several 

 practical farmers, had an invitation, and were 

 present, to witness the second trial of the two 

 machines, which was in an old meadow, that cut 

 about two tons on an average per acre. 



The Manny machine was first tried without the 



For the New England Farmer. 



DOES THE CURCULIO PUNCTUEE THE 

 APPLE? 



It certainly does. I have repeatedly caught it 

 in the very act, as for several years I have been 

 watching with much anxiety the operations of this 

 insect upon my own fruit, consisting of some 

 scattered old trees, a few in the garden, and an 

 orchard set out in 1850. And I have often ex- 

 pressed my fears that unless there is some check 

 upon the operations of the curculio, it will soon 

 be as diSicult in my section to raise either apples 

 or peaches as it now is to raise plums. For the 

 last six years, nearly every apple of the few gath- 

 ered from my scattered trees has been more or 

 less deformed by the punctures of the curculio. 

 Even the fruit of an unusually sour and crabbed 

 "Native" has been as badly used as the more val- 

 uable varieties. Indeed, I noticed last year, — 

 what I thought a little strange, — that the fair- 

 skinned Porter grafted into an old tree with sev- 

 eral other varieties, was much less hacked than 

 the other kinds. My young trees have borne a 

 very little fruit for three years past, but I saw 

 nothing of the curculio among them until last 

 year, and then in but two or three trees. This 

 year I believe their marks are to be seen on every 

 tree that has si^ any fruit. I have spent consid- 

 erable time in jarring the scamps upon a sheet, as 

 recommended in case of plums, and have bad the 

 satisfaction of grinding scores of them between 

 the thumb and finger. 



The statement of Mr. Wyman agrees perfectly 

 with my observation of the effects of this insect 

 upon the apple. But as it "stings" my peaches 

 as well as apples, I should not expect any great 

 advantage from cutting down the apple trees and 

 setting out peach trees in their place, as he pro- 

 poses, now that the curculio has possession of the 

 ground . 



As to remedies or preventives, I have not a 

 word of encouragement, except by reference to 

 the early promise that man was to have dominion 

 "over every creeping thing that creepeth upon 

 the earth," and to a faint hope that "man" may 

 yet perceive that his "mission" is rather to sub- 

 due the earth than his fellows. 



A neighbor who succeeds in raising large crops 

 of plums informs me that he has tried all such 

 prescriptions for the soil, as salt, lime, ashes, &c. , 

 and found them utterly inefficacious for the de- 

 struction of the curculio, and that he now de- 

 pends mainly upon his thumb and fingers. Last 



