Sheep Barn — Lime Stone. 



Vol. II. 



of August, within one day of the time when 

 the moon is full, as the best time to cut all 

 kinds of oak ; and that the best and cheapest 

 mode of guarding it from decay, is to im- 

 merge the wood, immediately after it is cut, 

 in lime and water — to remain immersed a 

 sufficient lengtli of time for the small parti- 

 cles of lime to penetrate into the wood ; one 

 year is considered sufficient for this purpose ; 

 the timber is split or otherwise I'educed near- 

 ly to the dimensions to suit the purpose for 

 which it is required, so as to permit the lime 

 to penetrate the pores in the best manner, in 

 the least space of time. One gentleman 

 states that lie considers oak posts for fences 

 treated in this manner equal to ordinary lo- 

 cust without any preparation.- A vat made 

 water tight, with plank sunk in the ground, 

 of sufficient dimensions to contain the re- 

 quired quantity of timber, with a small space 



between the different courses and the sides 

 of the vat, sufficient to allow the water and 

 lime to be agitated occasionally, is all the 

 preparation required. The timber is placed 

 in the vat and covered with water and lime, 

 mixed to the consistence of common white- 

 wash, and this agitated occasionally during 

 one year ; the timber is then removed and 

 when sufficiently dry is fit for use.* 



* Perhaps the lime may act chemically in neutral- 

 izing the acid of the sap, as wtll as mechanically in 

 lining llie inleistices between the filjres of wood ; if go 

 the above process may possibly not be so useful when 

 applied to some other kinds of wood ; there are several 

 other substances which are naturally brought to the 

 mind when investigating this subject, particularly 

 those of a resinous nature; also, salt, and charcoal, 

 either of these might be brought into contact with the 

 interior part of the wood by a strong hydrostatic or hy- 

 draulic pressure where expedition in the process may 

 be important. 



From the Cultivator. 



Sbeep Baru— Riita Baga. 



Dear Sir, — As you are engaged in agri- 

 culture, and no doubt take an interest in all 

 improvements, I enclose you a sketch of a 

 barn, (fig. 2,) which I built last season for 

 the accoinmodation of sheep — 141 by 40 feet, 

 with a basement, three sides of which are 

 built of stone laid in mortar, 6^ feet high in 

 the rear and 7^ in front, with a cellar 40 by 

 16, which will hold about 2,.500 bushel roots, 

 which are dropped into it through a trap door 

 from the outer floor. The barn will hold 

 from 80 to 100 tons of hay, besides grain, 

 straw, &c. The basement will conveniently 

 hold 700 sheep, where they are fed with hay, 

 ruta baga, and watered. In cold weather, 

 we close the doors and windows,* and throw 

 them open in mild weather, and it is sufficient- 

 ly warm in March and April, for young 

 lambs. We shear on the centre floor, and 

 have a wool room plastered on the right. Our 

 flock consists of about 1,000 of the finest 

 Saxony sheep, and we have long found it 

 difficult to keep these fine and tender slreep 



* We doubt the propriety of closing the doors and 

 windows at any time, except during a driving snow 

 storm. No animal is more sensitive to foul air than 

 the sheep; and 7110 of these animals will soon vitiate 

 the air of Uie basement story. We think it would be an 

 improvement to have doors or ventilators, on the ends 

 and rear, as well as in front. 



If we were to prescribe rules in regard to the manage- 

 ment of sheep, they would be something like the fol- 

 glowing: — 1. Give tfiem pure air; 2. Feed them well ; 

 3. Keep them dry ; 4. Give them salt often ; and 5. 

 graze them in hilly, stony pastures.— Cored. 



sufficiently warm, and particularly to guard 

 young lainbs against the vicissitudes of the 

 weather, even in April. 



We think ruta baga are decidedly prefera- 

 ble to any other roots, and raised about three 

 thousand bushels last season. They are as 

 valuable for cattle as for sheep. 



The enormous high prices which are de- 

 manded for oxen and cows, as well as for 

 butter and cheese, admonish us that the peo- 

 ple of this country have run too much into 

 sheep, to the neglect of cattle ; which the 

 good sense of the farmers will soon rectify. 

 We have an earnest of this from the number 

 of calves which we see in the pasture of al- 

 most every farmer. 



I am very respectfully yours, &c., 



E. TiLDBN, 



New-Lebanon, Way 20, 1837. 



liiiiie Stoue, 



Ground, hut not burned, for agricultural 

 purposes. 



The following paper, on the use of Lime- 

 stone, ground instead o? burned, for agricul- 

 tural purposes, was read before the Lyceum 

 of Natural History of New York, by William 

 Partridge, Esq. 



The facts therein set forth, are highly im- 

 portant, and are worthy of being tested by 

 those who have lime-stone on their farms. 

 We ask for this subject, the attention of our 

 readers ; and of those who have heretofore 



