452 



NEW ENGLAND FAEMER. 



Oct. 



For the New Eni^land Farmer. 



EARLY AND DESTRUCTIVE FROST. 



Mr. Editor: — On the morning of August 31, 

 1 855, there appeared the hardest and most destruc- 

 tive frost that I ever knew in the month of August, 

 although I am over 56 years of age. I have taken 

 a Httle pains to look over a part of my record of 

 the weather, and find the following account for the 

 past twenty-two years : 



FIRST FROST IN EACH YEAR, SINCE 1834. 



Hard Frost, so as to kill Com, Beans, Potato tops, Pumpkins, 

 Tmnatoes, ^c. S;c. 

 Thermon. at sunrise. Thermom. at sunrise. 



1834. September 30 — 1845. October 17 17° 



1835. September 17 — 1846. October 11 25 



1836. September? 28° 1847. October 12 23 



1837. September 14 26 1848. September 14 28 



1838. September 3 28 1849. October 15 23 



1839. Oct. 5 and 6... 29 and 33 1850. September 30 27 



1840. September 23 27 1851. September 25 28 



1841. Octobers 29 1852. October 6 27 



1842. October 7 27 1853. September 30 30 



1843. September 13 27 1854. September 21 26 



1844. September 28 23 1855. August 31 28 



Remarks. — During the whole twenty-two years 

 there has been no frost in the month of August, in 

 this and the neighboring towns, equal to that which 

 appeared on the morning of Friday, Aug. 31, just 

 past The year 1836, nineteen years ago, the month 

 of August came the nearest to it. In that month 

 there were five frosts, \iz: Aug. 10, 18, 21, 23 and 

 24 ; but not severe enough to do any great damage. 

 In August, 1835, a little frost on the 4th. In 1834 

 none. In 1837 none. In 1838, Aug. 15, a very 

 little in low ground. Since 1838, making sixteen 

 years in succession, none during the months of Au- 

 gust.^ And none of any consequence for eight of 

 the sixteen years during the month of September, 

 viz: 1839, 1841, 1842, 1845,_ 1846, 1847,1849 

 and 1852. In those years, none in September equal 

 to the killing one of August 31, 1855. 



My cranberries have fared the worst. Not one 

 in fifteen but what are rendered soft by being killed 

 by the frost, and are therefore unfit to pick, unless 

 done immecUately, and made into sauce. We have 

 done up some, and it tastes not so bad as might be 

 expected, but not equal to fully ripe and unfrost- 

 bitten ones. In foct, the loss to me by that frost I 

 consider fully equal to one-third of a crop, to what 

 it might be, had it kept off, till the last of Septem- 

 ber. Most of my potatoes were in the very height 

 of growing, being planted on reclaimed swamp 

 land, and the black potato, which grows late. 



Yours, &c., Is.\AC Stearns. 



Mansfield, Mass., Sept. 1, 1855. 



For tlie New England Farmer. 



EXPERIMENTS WITH GUANO. 



Mr. P. L. O., a careful cultivator, the last spring, 

 late in April or early in May, appHed 25 pounds of 

 Peruvian gu mo to ten square rods, or at the rate 

 of 240 lbs. to the acre. This was upon a flat, high 

 meadow, moist and fair soil, which had been mowed 

 for a dozen years last past without any application 

 of manures, or any manner of cultivation. When 

 the crop was fairly grown, he cut from this lot 253 

 lbs. of good hay. From an adjoining lot of the 

 same field, of like dimensions and character, (ex- 

 cept the guano applied) he cut only 56 lbs. — show- 

 ing an increase of more than four-fold, by reason of 

 the application of the guano. 



The field contains two acres, and he knows no 



reason, why a like effect could not have been pro- 

 duced throughout, under like treatment. 



Suppose it to have been done, here would have 

 been 8096 lbs. of hay, where there grew but 1792 

 lbs. — three tons, at least, created by the appKca- 

 tion of a fertilizing material, that cost not exceed- 

 ing $20. I am no enthusiast in my admiration of 

 fancy manures ; but when I see well-attested facts 

 like these, springing up m the natural M-ay, I feel 

 irresistibly impelled to state them, that others may 

 have the benefit of the instruction. Mr. O. has 

 made numerous other experiments, in the cultiva- 

 tion of crops, particularly vegetables, the details of 

 which I hope he will give in due time, that others 

 may profit thereby. There are so many fancy notions 

 abroad in these days — when we get hold of rea- 

 ones, we should cherish them as pearls of great val- 

 ue. Truly yours, J. w. P. 



South Danvers, Aug. 16, 1855. 



AMERICAN WOOL IN ENGLAND. 



Sometime since P. A. Browne, Esq., of Philadel- 

 phia, obtained from different parts of the U. States 

 samples of wool, wliich he forwarded to the Society 

 of Arts of London. The a^ent for the Commission- 

 ers of the permanent Exliibition of objects of Art 

 and Industry, in a letter to Mr. Browne, aclvuowl- 

 edging the receipt of them, says : — "The collection 

 of samples of American Wools is of the highest val- 

 ue and interest, and I feel extremely obliged for 

 your kind aid in collectuig them." In a circular 

 addressed to American wool-growers, Mr. Browne 

 remarks : 



The deposit of these specimens of fleece in this 

 Museum, (where they can and will be examined 

 by thousands of -visitors,) I camiot help regarding 

 as highly important to your interests, and the re- 

 sult will, I feel assured, prove creditable to this na- 

 tion. 



The consumption of wool in England is vast and 

 increasing : last year the woolen manufactures of 

 that kingdom amoimted to 150,000,000 of dollars: 

 and yet they do not raise one pound of wool fit for 

 making the best broadcloths. The finest avooI suc- 

 cessfully produced in England, is from the South- 

 Down, for the Merino is not suited to their climate. 

 Formerly the British manufacturers depended for 

 their supply on Spain — afterwards on Germany, and 

 lastly upon Australia ; from wliich latter place were 

 brought in one year, upwards of 47 millions of 

 pounds. 



So soon as they ascertain, by inspecting these 

 specimens, that the United States can raise wool 

 quite as fine if not a httle finer than any other coun- 

 try in the world, the demand \n\.\ be extensive and 

 lasting. So it was with American cotton, so it will 

 be, I predict, with fine wool ; and our wool-growers 

 should prepare themselves steadily, for this great 

 event. The agricultural disturbances, occasioned by 

 the war in Europe, has injured German sheep breed- 

 ing ; and the pursuit of gold in Australia, has had 

 its effect upon this portion of agricultural industry 

 in that region, so that Great Britian will naturally 

 turn her thoughts to this extensive Continent ; where 

 sheep may be raised, almost to any extent that can 

 be contemplated. The formers of the United States 

 have only to be careful to form their flocks from the 

 best breeds, and to keep them pure — no crossing oj 

 species, — and they will garner a golden harvest, — 

 Country Gentleman. 



