1868. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



23 



No inconsiderable portion of the actual fer- 

 tility of every soil is derived from the atmos- 

 phere — principally through the economy of 

 aeration or airing, which imbues or impreg- 

 nates it v.ith the fructifying gases, and gives 

 energy to its particles, and to the mass in pro- 

 portion to its lightness and permeability to, 

 their effects. 



Of the numerous aerified and volatile sub- 

 stances imbibed by the soil, the most impor- 

 tant, perhaps, so far as regards its effects 

 upon the vegetable system, is ammoniacal gas. 

 This substance is copiously evolved wherever 

 animal manures are used, or permitted to fer- 

 ment in a free atmosphere. It is absorbed by 

 the earths, and acts as a most powerful stimu- 

 lant, both to the plant and soil. The finer 

 the earth is made, the greater is its capacity 

 to absorb this gas ; consequently, any process 

 calculated minutely to pulverize or disintegrate 

 its granules, will increase this power of absorp- 

 tion, and the more ropion^ will be the supply 

 of fnrtilizing matters from the air. 



Heavy lands are, therefore, ameliorated by 

 ploughing, spading, &c., which destroys their 

 ponderosity, and exposes them to atmOL-pheric 

 action. It also secures a more immediate and 

 efficient development of the fructifying princi- 

 ples of all such matters as may be applied as 

 manure. 



As to ammoniacal gas, it was long supposed 

 to be an injury rather than a benefit to plants. 

 This idea arose, no doubt, in part, from the pun- 

 gency of its odor. It is evolved by a mixture of 

 sal-ammoniac and quicklime, and is the princi- 

 ple which causes the smell noticeable in sta- 

 bles. Pure ammoniacal gas has been called 

 "T/ie Awakener of the Dead,'^'' as persons have 

 sometimes been brought to life and conscious- 

 ness after having fainted, by inhaling it, and 

 even after animation has been suspended by 

 other and more fearful causes. 



To prevent the escape of ammonia from 

 manure heaps, it is necessary to sprinkle them 

 •with a strong solution of copperas in water. 

 The sprinkling should be repeated often, if the 

 decompotition or fermentation is vigorous, 

 and a small quantity of gypsum may be added, 

 with good effect. 



— Alden Adams, of Leverett, Mass., has this 

 season gathered a goodly crop of hops off from 

 the same vine that his grandfather gathered from 

 nineiif years ago. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 FARM HELP. 



Messrs. Editors : — As far as my experi- 

 ence goes, the difficulty of supplyingthe farm 

 with good help seems steadily increasing. 



There have been a good many men along 

 the past season, but most of them have not 

 been the steady, reasonable, faithful "help" 

 so much needed by the hard-working farmer. 

 I don't believe I am alone in often shrinking 

 from undertaking a big job of farm improve- 

 ment, for the reason that the men cannot be 

 depended upon to put it through. 



The number of men wlio work out their reg- 

 ular eight months from April to December, has 

 grown less of late years. J see men pack up 

 their things, and asK for their wages and leave, 

 without an hour's notice, not caring a copper 

 for the bargain made at the hcainging of their 

 service. Now the farmer is grievously wronged 

 by such treatment. He has employed a new 

 man, awkward and ignorant at everything, 

 and after much pains-taking and considerable 

 loss, gets him "broken in" to his business. 

 Just as he is beginning to earn his wages, he 

 learns of some cousin who brags of the big 

 pa} he is getting, becomes uneasy and leaves. 



A neighbor, well known to you, whose large 

 farm — lately mentioned s-o favorably in the 

 Farmer — is somewhat retired, had one of his 

 men leave, complaining that the place was too 

 lonesome. His employer told him he couldn't 

 very well move his farm into the middle of the 

 town to accommodate him with society ! 



I hardly feel it right to detail personal ex- 

 periences with hired men. Your columns 

 could easily be filled with cases that have se- 

 verely exercised many homes where the Nev? 

 Exgland Farmer is read 



What will benefit your readers more is sug- 

 gestions to remedy the evil to which I have al- 

 luded. I live, as you are well aware, in a 

 manufacturing village. The owners of the 

 mill have suffered from unsteady help in times 

 past. They now employ a better class of fam- 

 ilies, furnishing them with comfortable tene- 

 ments at reasonable rents. Such help can be 

 depended upon. They keep the machinery 

 always going. 



Now are there not many farms where mar- 

 ried men might be employed to great advan- 

 tage, and furnished with cottages and gardens 

 which would fix them to the place, and make 

 them mutually interested in its prosperity ? 



Will you be kind enough to enlarge a little 

 on the above suggestions ? 



Yours truly, Wm. D. Brown. 



Concord, Mass., Oct.. 1867. ' 



Remarks. — The remark is often made that 

 farming, as an occupation, is unpopular ; that 

 young people, especially, dislike it, and that 

 they will engage in almost any other calling, 

 sooner than to work on a farm. If such con^ 



