NO. 13. 



THE FARMERS^ CABINET. 



201 



is, that they are shed, and re-produced an- 

 nually. 



Horns generally serve as weapons of of- 

 fence and defence. 



In my next, I shall consider the patho- 

 logical, or diseased states, of the horns of 

 cattle. 



New-Garde7i, 12th mo. 31st 1836. 



liive Fences. 



To the Editor of tlio Farmers' Cabinet. 



I have heretofore stated the manner of 

 treating the plant until it arrives at about one 

 inch diameter at the ground. This will treat 

 of the process afterwards, which is as fol- 

 lows, viz. :— Each alternate (or every other) 

 one is cut at or near the ground, about half 

 off, or sufficiently to allow them to be leaned 

 or bent in a line over the row at an angle of 

 about forty-five degrees from a horizontal 

 line. The uncut plants are then bent at right 

 angles to the row, each alternate one in op- 

 posite directions, sufficiently to allow the cut 

 plants to pass between them and be adjusted 

 at an angle of forty-five degrees as afore- 

 said; the uncut plants are then permitted to 

 press against the cut ones and keep them in 

 their proper places. The whole are allowed 

 to grow till the uncut plants are about two 

 inches diameter at the ground; they are then 

 cut off about six feet from the ground, and 

 the other parts trimmed or clipped, sloping 

 from the top downards on each side at an 

 angle of about forty-five degrees from a ver- 

 tical line; and trimmed each year after- 

 wards. Near the termination of each annual 

 growth is a good time to trim them. A very 

 convenient instrument for trimming the 

 hedge, is one made in the form of a broad 

 sword, with a handle suitably formed for the 

 operator to use both hands at the same 

 time. If the fence made in this form should 

 not be sufficiently strong to guard against all 

 kinds of stock, the plants at the last cutting, 

 instead of being cut entirely off, six feet high 

 as aforesaid, may be cut about half off and 

 bent downwards toward the ground, each 

 alternate one on opposite sides; or every 

 third one may be laid nearly or quite hori- 

 zontally, and in a line with the direction of 

 the hedge, and the other two-thirds bent 



downwards as aforesaid, each alternate one 

 on opposite sides of the hedge. The parts 

 thus bent can be secured in their proper 

 places by interlocking some of the branches 

 with the parts beneath, (or the vertical 

 parts,) and a proper form given to the hedge 

 by trimming, either at the time these parts 

 are thus laid on, or at the termination of the 

 annual growth, as may be most convenient. 



If the proper form can be given to the 

 hedge, without cutting off any part cf the 

 plant, previous to laying the same, none 

 should be lost, because the first growth is 

 superior to the second. The principal ob- 

 jects required in these fences are closeness 

 at the bottom, to guard against small stock; 

 height and strength at top, to guard against 

 large animals, and a form, &c., likely to pre- 

 vent premature decay. 



If I should discover any form or mode of 

 treatment superior to the foregoing, or any 

 plant which seems to answer the purpose 

 better than this, perhaps I may be able to 

 make a communication to you on the subject. 



The plants should be guarded by dead 

 fences until the live fence is completed. 



Chester County, Pa. Dec. 26th, 1836. P 



Fertilizing the Soil. 



The golden rule in agriculture is to apply 

 such manures and tillage as will make heavy 

 land lighter, and liglit land heavier, cold land 

 hotter and hot land colder. He only is a farmer 

 who knows and follows this rule. 



Lands are seldom so rich but it may be a 

 matter of gain to increase the fertility ; and 

 lew tracts are so poor but that with proper 

 tillage and manuring, they may be made the 

 residence of plenty. 



Manures are composed of all these substan- 

 ces whicii either directly or indirectly, supply 

 plants with their requisite food, by means of 

 which they are enabled to expand and come 

 to maturity. 



In the first place, the different earths will 

 serve to manure each other. Thus, clay is a 

 fertilizer of a light sandy soil, and sand is 

 equally a fertilizer of clay . Whereclay is ap- 

 plied to a sandy soil, it sliould be carted on in 

 the fall, and spread evenly over the ground, 

 that the frost may pulverize it before it is 

 mixed with the soil in the spring. 



The better these earths are mixed in tlio 

 respective soils, the more sensible and im- 

 mediate will be their effect: but their princi'? 



