No. 14. 



Planting Trees— Culture of Potatoes. 



245 



First, The pasture, fodder, and other food 

 of cows, best calculated to produce the most 

 milk, yielding the greatest quantity of 

 cream. 



Secondly. The best situation for keeping 

 milk the jproper temperature, and the form 

 of vessels required to obtain the most 

 cream. 



Thirdly. The state of the milk when it is 

 necessary that it should be skimmed off", or 

 the cream removed from its surface. 



Fourthly. The form of the vessel for keep- 

 ing cream, and the temperature at which it 

 should be kept until it is in a state to yield 

 the greatest quantity and the best butter. 



Fifthly. The state of ascidity and tempera- 

 ture of tlie cream to obtain butter in the 

 shortest time by churning. 



Sixthly. The reasons why so, if it is more 

 difficult to obtain butter from cream by churn- 

 ing in the winter than there is in the sum 

 mer, and how the difficulty of churning is to 

 be overcome. 



Seventhly. The best mode of working or 

 purifying and freeing it from the butter-milk, 

 so a5 to obtain the best flavor, and to prevent 

 iLs rancidity. 



Practical answers to these queries would 

 be of vast importance to the agriculturist, 

 and to the community. J. C. 



To tJie Kdildi- of the Farmers' Cabinet. 



Plaiitiaig Trees. 



John Libby. — Sir, the following is from an 

 article accredited to the Silk Culturist. 

 "Though the rapid growtli of this tree (the 

 Locust,) and its great value renders it a prime 

 object of cultivation, yet the Mulberry will 

 be found to be altogether more profitable. 

 Its growth is as rapid, its timber as valuable, 

 and in addition to both, its foliage will yield 

 a large annual profit in rearing silk worms. 

 We are credibly informed that Mulberry 

 posts of the ordinary lengtji and size for 

 fences have been sold in New Haven for 

 three dollars a piece. Every farmer may 

 double the value of his farm in ten years, 

 by cultivating the White Mulberry for the 

 sole purpose of timber and fuel." 



My object in calling your attention to this 

 statement, which, whether from inattention 

 or want of opportunity, I have never seen 

 made before is to ascertain the measure of| 

 truth, experimental truth, contained therein. 

 'I confess ignorance of the subject, but ex- 

 ageration in the matter of the silk-worm 

 appears to me to be the order of the day. 

 'Your sober farmer is after all a little tinged 

 with the speculative fever, whenever exotic 

 'plants or animals are brought forward as 

 • worthy of introduction; and it is not impro- 

 bable that like the merino sheep of former 



years, the introduction of the mulberry and 

 tiie worm may prove ruinous to individuals 

 though eventually a benefit to the country. 

 It is'evident, however, that a tree of rapid 

 growth and durable substance is a great 

 desideratum at the present time. Our for- 

 rests are becoming scattered and chinly set, 

 and as a consequence the timber which is 

 still growing is wind-shaken and subject to 

 a rapidity of decay unknown to the earliest 

 inhabitants. Our first attempts at planting 

 will of course be directed to those trees 

 which atford a speedy return for the labor 

 and land bestowed, and which will supply 

 the farmer with tlie most durable material 

 for fences. The Locust has to this end at- 

 tracted general attention ; if an additional 

 end can be attained at the same time with- 

 out diminishing the prospect of a rapid sup- 

 ply of durable timber, it should be known 

 and acted upon forthwith. While writing 1 

 am reminded that the Locust is said to be 

 the least injurious to vegetation beneath, as 

 shade trees and in fences, and rather to bene- 

 fit poor soils. Will some one acquainted 

 with the subject drop a few hints by way of 

 information. 



Chester County, Feb. 24, 1S33, 



Culture of Potatoes. 



Having had numerous applications for sin- 

 irle Nos.'of the Farmer from new subscribers, 

 containing Gen. Barnum's account of the_ 

 manner in which he has raised at the rate of 

 1000 bushels of potatoes per acre, we have 

 concluded to republish it. We give in this 

 number his directions for the preparation ot 

 the ground, planting, &c., and shall hereafter 

 publish the directions for hoeing, harves- 

 ting, &LC. 



PREPARATION FOR PLANTING, 



Whatever soil may be selected for this 

 purpose, to ensure a large crop it should be 

 highly manured with compost decomposed 

 ve°-etables, or barn-yard manure. The latter 

 I consider preferable when it can be obtained 

 with convenience; if raw or coarse be made 

 use of, it should be spread immediately before 

 the first ploughing, on the same day, to pre- 

 vent the evaporation of its best qualities, 

 which will rapidly depart if left exposed to 

 the sun and atmosphere. 



The first should be deep ploughing, and 

 may be done as earlv as suits the convenience 

 of the cultivator. If a stift" marl or clay soil, 

 it would 1)0 well to have it ploughed late in 

 the fall previous to planting. Where com- 

 post or other substances not liable to fer- 

 mentation, are intended as a manure, it is 

 better the spreading should be omitted until 

 just before the last ploughing, after which it 



