332 



THE farmers' cabinet. 



Vol. I. 



the root; and then only one on a lateral 

 branch, lliree to a plant. Let the vine run 

 on as tar as it will — kcepintj it to the {jruund : 

 permit no melon to grow that is deformed : 

 pull off no male blossoms. 



When the melon is nearly to its size, 

 others may be permitted tu set on the same 

 vine, and a second crop raised. 1 should 

 think the vines might be made to grow from 

 20 to 30 feet lonj,^. 



Great care should be taken that the vines 

 are not moved or trod upon. 



The early but small melons. Let the 

 melon set at the 2d or 3d leaf-joint from the 

 root, and take the vine off two joints beyond 

 the melons. 



To increase the number of cantelopes. — 

 Take off all tiie melons tliat set within two 

 feet of the roots. 



These may be planted 6 feet apart, 4 to the 

 hill, and require no particular attention. 



8and on the hills is one of the best pre- 

 ventatives against the yellow bug, though not 

 entirely a preventative. 



It is useful to plant pumpkin or squash 

 seeds near the hills for the bugs — taking c:jre 

 to pull tliem up as soon as the bugs are gone. 



Cantelopes should not be planted nearer 

 than 20 yards to muskmelons or cucumbers. 



To improve your seed, save none but from 

 the very best melons. 



Keep a record if you wish to know certain- 

 ly the results. 



Important Ctuestiosts in Husbandry 

 sJiould l>c Settled. 



No Advantages gained by Cutting up Com 

 when bitten by a Frost. 



There are, in relation to practical husban- 

 dry, very many important questions, which 

 remain yet to be settled. Nothing could con- 

 tribute more succesfully to the advancement 

 of the rural arts, than to bring such questions 

 to a satisfactory solution. The questions to 

 which we allude are indeed very numerous. 

 Scarcely any truth, in relation to the practice 

 of agriculture, is so well and so generally 

 ascertained and established, as to command 

 universal belief, and produce uniformity in 

 practice. In regard to almost every tiling 

 that comes within the province of agriculture, 

 praciical men entertain different opinions. 

 Yet it i.-; an unquestionable truth, in relation 

 to every s-ort of business under the sun, tiiat 

 there is one right way of doing it, and that 

 there is no other way equally good. When 

 two or more farmers ditier m their opinions, 

 relative to practicing riny specific branch of 

 husbandry, they may indeed all be wrong, but 

 it is certain they cannot all be right. 



It is very desirable that the important ques- 



tions wiichso frequently arise, in relation to 

 the practice of agriculture, should be settled 

 in a satisfactory manner. Gentlemen of 

 scientific and practical attainments, who 

 delight in rendering themselves useful as the 

 patrons of agriculture, should, with a single 

 eye, aim at such objects. 



Important questions in relation to the advan- 

 tages of using plaster, the manner of its appli- 

 cation and the manner also of its action, remain 

 yet to be settled. The pubhc uund needs to eb 

 further enlightened on those subjects, for it is 

 obvious that farmers do not in general avail 

 themselves, to so great an extent as they 

 might, of the advantages to be derived from 

 the use of this mysterious article. Important 

 questions relative to the best methods of cul- 

 tivating the wheat crop, the corn crop, and 

 all the other crops connected with the husban- 

 dry of the country, also remain yet to be 

 settled. There are also yet to be settled ques- 

 tions of the highest importance, relative to 

 the advantages to be derived from the culture 

 of roots, together with tlie manner of their 

 culture, and the most profitable uses to which 

 they can be applied. We see already that an 

 immense field lies in view, affordhig unlimited 

 scope for inquiry, and for investigations rela- 

 tive to the agricultural interests of the coun- 

 try. 



To these general remarks, we add two 

 specific questions, selected not only because 

 they are intrinsically important, but because 

 they frequently occur, and no less than any 

 others divide the minds of farmers. 1. If 

 corn, while in a state of imperfect maturity, 

 be bitten and injury by frost, will any thing 

 be gained by cutting it upl 2. Is it profitable, 

 in ordinary cases, to cut up corn at all, or to 

 cut up the stalks while tlie ears are attached 

 to them 1 In answer to the first question 

 we shall now offer some remarks, and to the 

 second we may respond at another time. 



At the time of the great frost in Septem- 

 ber, we happened to iiave a small field of 

 corn which was badly injured by that frost 

 and what to c'owith it v^as to us a perplexirg 

 {juestion. Ih^ving, however, a slight impres- 

 sion that something might bo gained by cut- 

 ting it up imraediatly, v.e went at it, and cut 

 and put up with our own hands, as much per- 

 haps, as grew on the fourth of an ace. I5ut 

 finding that tiie work was tolsome, and hav- 

 ing some misgivings as to what might be the 

 consequences of it, we concluded to discon- 

 tinue our labors, and abandon the crop to its 

 fortune, whatever it migiit be. 



The results of this experiment were such 

 as fully to sustain theopinions entertained h}' 

 by the old farmer of Waterloo, as reported 

 by the editor of the Farmer, who was present 

 and heard the converealion. The conversation 

 turned on the question, what should be done 



