328 



Sow Pure Seed- 



-Machinejor planting Seed. 



Vol. If. 



Communicated for tlio Farmers' Cabinet, 



Soiv Piive Seed. 



"One year's seeding makes seven year's weeding.' 

 It is very material when about to purchase 

 seed, that we should select a seeds-man of 

 lirst character, who has made the business his 

 study, and obtained a thorough knowledge of 

 it in its different branches, and not trust our- 

 selves to transient dealers who may have 

 their attention divided between many other 

 articles of merchandise. Such persons maybe 

 strictly honest, and yet lack tliat information 

 which every dealer in the article ought to 

 possess. Always buy the best that is to be 

 had without regard to a small advance in the 

 price over a common quality, ^nd put plenty 

 on the ground, as 1 hold it to be no economy 

 to save a few dollars in the purchase of seed 

 at the risk of having it impure, or a less crop 

 than the land ouglit to produce. It is also of 

 great importance tliat we should become good 

 judges of seed ourselves, or we may fill our 

 fields with weeds that will recjuire years of 

 trouble, and much expense to get rid of. 

 Many are unacquainted with the seeds of the 

 most common weeds Ibund in clover, timo- 

 Vhy, orchard grass, &c. ; such as v.'ild carrot, 

 daisy, (called underblooni by some persons, 

 and Bensalem clover by others,) wild chamo- 

 mile, (this also is called underbloom in some 

 districts,) St. Johnswort, wild amaranthus, 

 field sorrel, &c. &c., and as these pests are 

 the common attendants of the grasses, their 

 seeds should be known to us all. To attain 

 this knowledge, 1 would advise every farmer 

 to collect when ripe, the seeds of every weed 

 they meet with, fold them carefully in paper, 

 mark and put thorn away in some secure and 

 convenient place to refer to at any tune, un- 

 til they become so familiar with them that 

 they can detect them easily wlien mingled 

 with any seed they are about to purchase, and 

 should there be any weeds unknown to any 

 of us on our premises, it would be well to 

 dry specimens of them carefully, and send 

 them in a fold of paper, tied between two pie- 

 ces of pasteboard to the office of the Cabinet, 

 where they would be marked by some one of 

 the patrons of that work, and left for the in- 

 spection of all. In this way, thrire could 

 soon be a collection made (to which the wri- 

 ter would contribute all in his jwwer) that 

 would enable the fanner to detect and extir- 

 pate many a troublesome weed, which would 

 otherwise overrun his grounds. 



To ascertain the true character of plants, 

 they should be taken when they are in bloom, 

 and they may be preserved simply by placing 

 them in some large book with a sufficient 

 weight to press them until they are dry, this 

 wilfbe accomplished in a few days. 



Farmer. 



For ihe Farmers' Cabinet. 



SAachine for planting* Seed. 



A very simple, useful and convenient ap- 

 paratus tor drilling l)eet and other seeds has 

 recently been made and brought into use. It 

 consists of a tin tube about an inch or less in 

 diameter, and three feet and a half in length, 

 the top widening like a common funnel. 

 This is carried in one liand with the bottom 

 of the tube on the ground where the seed is 

 to be deposited, and the seed is put into the 

 funnel with the other hand and immediately 

 descends to the place of deposit. In this 

 way a person passes on depositing tlie seed 

 in the tube as he progresses with it along the 

 row, by which means it is evenly dropped, 

 and may be covered with a hoe or rake. This 

 sav3s stooping, which is painful and incon- 

 venient to those who have not been early in 

 life habituated to it, and is particularly use- 

 ful and grateful to those who have long backa. 

 These simple machines, with a general as- 

 sortment of tools tor gardeners and farmers, 

 and seeds in all tlieir varieties and of the 

 best and most approved kinds may be pur- 

 chased of Landreth's in Chesnut street, above 

 Second street. S. 



For the Fanners' Cabinet, 



draKimg Neiit Cattle. 



This is a matter of great interest, and in 

 order to its successful management it is all 

 important that we start on right principles. 

 I The Editor of the 'Complete Grazier,' says 

 that the feeding and fattening of cattle, wlie- 

 ther for labor or for sale, is the most impor- 

 tant in the wiiole economy of the grass farm. 

 It, therefore, follows that the farmer 

 should previously consider the nature and 

 fertility of his pastures, and the extent and 

 quality of his other resources — and, accord- 

 ing to these, he ought to regulate his system 

 oi' grazing, soiling or stall feeding. Those 

 beasts only should be selected which evince 

 the most thriving dtsposilion to fatten with 

 the Un^t onsmnpiion of food, and depas- 

 ture thtnn upon such lands as are best calcu- 

 lated for the respective breeds.* Cattle 

 o'lght not to be taken from rich to inferior 

 soils — it is desirable to ch(x>.se them from lands 

 of nearly the same quality as those intended 

 for their reception. It would be well for 

 graziers to choose their purchased stock from 

 an inferior soil. It is also jiroper in all situ- 

 ations not fully supplied with wholesome 

 water, to avoid selecting cattle from those 

 districts where it abounds in a state of purity. 



The practice o[' grazing necessarily difiers 

 according t^) the nature of the land. In 

 stocking lands, as the proportion of beasttj 

 must depend upon the fertility of the soil, it 

 will generally be found that local custom 



Cuisplctc Graz-ier, 6tU oJ, p. 72. 



