No. 17. 



Canada Thistle — Capons — Peach Trees. 



325 



different quantities of moisture collected upon 

 plants or any other objects, depends upon their 

 respective powers of radiation, those which 

 become coolest always displaying the most 

 moisture. Leaves which spread themselves 

 in greatest luxuriance generally become the 

 coldest. This luxuriance may proceed from 

 the application of some stimulant to the roots, 

 such as lime, ashes or plaster of paris. These 

 substances do not therefore, as commonly 

 supposed, attract atmospheric moisture direct- 

 ly of themselves, but merely render plants 

 more capable of being cooled by the refriger- 

 ating agents which have been mentioned. 



Varro. 



Philadelphia, May 21st, 1838. 



For the Farmers' Cabinet. 



Canada Thistle. 



"Thou shalt not sow thy field with mingled seed." 

 Great mischief has arisen to our fanners 

 generally, by sowing grass seeds wliich were 

 mingled with the seeds of noxious and 

 pernicious weeds, by which means they have 

 been disseminated throughout our country. 

 TJie Canada thistle was brought from the 

 iiorthern part of the State of New York in 

 timothy seed, and is spreading rapidly in 

 some neighborhoods to the great dismay of 

 many farmers. I perceive that it has been 

 noticed in your useful Cabinet, but I have not 

 yet seen any thing stated in your columns 

 that can be depended on as a remedy for era- 

 dicating it. 1 hope your correspondents will 

 keep a close watch on this unwelcome in- 

 troder, and furnish you with the first success- 

 ful experiment which results in getting rid 

 of it. A farmer lastsea.son who had it among 

 his otats, mowed it with the oats and burnt 

 the whole together. This season it has 

 made its appearance in his wheat, which will 

 be destroyed by it in the part of the field 

 where it has taken root. I hope you will ex- 

 cuse my calling attention to this subject, as 

 it is one of great interest to many 



Farmers. 



Bucks Co. June 1, 1838. 



For the Farmers' Cabinet. 



Capons. 



In the last number of your highly useful 

 periodical, I observe an article very properly 

 recommending the production of Capo.is by 

 our farmers and others, for the city markets. 

 Your correspondent has the merit, so far as 

 my knowledge extends, of first publicly noti- 

 «ing this important matter of agricultural 

 economy. I say "publicly" noticing this mat- 

 ter, inasmuch as several gentlemen of my ac- 

 quaintance have in various ways endeavored 

 to accomplish this desirable object; but I re- 

 gret to say without the least approach towards 

 success.* Fowls have been by tliem operat- 



» Skc Cabinet Vol. II. p«ge 145. 



|ed upon in the West India mode by punc- 

 I ture, and in the Chinese and European man- 

 j ner by incision, but so far the result has been 

 ; death to the animal, or its nature unchanged. 

 I They have endeavored to get intbrmation from 

 I books, and have even had the assistance of 

 j those who sa/y they performed the operation 

 I frequently in Europe^ but notwithstanding 

 ] ail of their attempts at mutation the object 

 i has not, in a single instance which I have 

 i beard of, been effected. I am aware that in 

 jthe West Indies, China, Western Europe?, 

 land other countries, women and children are 

 I successfully employed in this kind of surgery, 

 I but it somehow happens that I have never 

 seen a Capon in this country; although I 

 must confess that I have frequently heard of 

 them, and with your correspondent 'Civis' 

 understood that the art was "easily acquired." 

 Mrs. Glasse, in her directions for cooking a 

 turbot, says, you must "take him;" and I 

 should, by parity of reasoning, suppose that 

 to eat a Capon you must first make him. 

 Now will our friend 'Civis' put us on the 

 right tack between this and next August, by 

 which we may in the course of another year 

 both take and eo.^ of tliis delicious bird. If 

 I he feels the same interest which myself and 

 I many others do, he will doubtless comply 

 I with the request. I also agree with 'Civis' 

 I that it may be made a profitable business in 

 this country, and may hereafter endeavor to 

 point out the mode whereby persons- with a 

 very small capital, near our great cities, may 

 make a livelihood, if not a fortune, in an eafy 

 manner. It should be remarked that the ope- 

 ration is not confined to the dunghill fowl, 

 but that it is successfully extended to the 

 turkey, goose and duck, both male and fe- 

 male. kShould your correspondent find lei- 

 sure to give us his experience and the modus 

 operandi in your next or the succeeding 

 number, I shall then endeavor to offer some 

 suggestions which may be profitable to our 

 farmers and others. Rusticus. 



To ihe Editor of the Farmers' Cabinet. 



I»eacla Trees. 



Sir: — By an en-or of the press, the latter- 

 part of the communication at page 308, -'On 

 planting peach trees," is rendered unintelli- 

 gible ; the manuscript reads thus: — "The 

 subsoil of Jersey is ferruginous ajid acidulous; 

 Lime and the calcareous earths, are correctors 

 of these evils." 



The worm in the root of the peach tree and 

 the excressence on the branches ofthePi/Iorel- 

 lo Ciierry, are not the ca«,se, but the effect of 

 disease, which arises either from a poisonous 

 subsoil, or an exhausted surliice; the cure 

 might be effected by carefully removing the 

 soil about the roots to a considerable depth 

 and distance, and replacing it with fresh rioh . 



