804 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



July 



agricultural survey of the whole State pre- 

 sented annually which would be of great value, 

 and would do more to stimulate improvement 

 and progress than is accomplished by the thou- 

 sands of dollars now given in premiums for 

 articles of accidental growth or for those which 

 need no encouragement. 



The giving of premiums for big squashes 

 and beets, or even for apples and pears, the 

 profits of which are sufficient inducement for 

 their cultivation, is only money thrown away. 

 However useful it may have been in the past, 

 it is no longer required. But careful reports 

 ■vfrhich would bring before us the changes and 

 improvements in agriculture that are taking 

 place in all and every part of the State, — the 

 methods of culture, the conditionof the crops, 

 the stock, the dairy, the markets and the fa- 

 cilities for reaching them, the implements, 

 labor and all the important subjects included 

 in "agricultural reports," — would be of great 

 value. A series of (questions might be pre- 

 pared, which all Societies receiving State aid 

 should be required to answer truly and hon- 

 estly before receiving their share of the bounty. 



This subject is respectfully commended to 

 the Legislatures of the several New England 

 States. 



MORTALITY AMONG VERMONT 

 SHEEP. 



The singular disease of which we gave some 

 account on page 321, appears to be quite 

 general in the eastern parts of Vermont. A 

 gentleman in Vershire informs Dr. Boynton 

 that "sheep are dying in large numbers in 

 every direction, and there will not be lambs 

 enough raised to make the number good. 

 Lambs are djing both here and in the neigh- 

 boring towns of New Hampshire, in many 

 flocks to the extent of two-thirds and three- 

 fourth of all that are dropped," and he has in- 

 formation of the same import from other sec- 

 tions of the Connecticut valley. 



In relation to the effect of the muriated tinc- 

 ture of iron which Dr. Boynton administered 

 to six yearling bucks that were too weak to 

 stand but a few moments at a time, and could 

 with great difficulty be made to walk ten rods, 

 and would take little or no food, he says, in 

 the last Mirror and Farmer : — 



We commenced trivintr them each a table-spoon- 

 ful of ibc muriated tiiittiirc of iron, in water, three 

 times a day. At the end of two days \vc could 

 see a marked change. The ruse color began to 



return to the blanched lips, the eye was brighter, 

 the discharge from the nose less, and signs of a re- 

 turning appetite were unmistakable. 



Of the fiix thus treated, 1 killed one the second 

 day by kindness — I choked it to death in trying to 

 feed it some gruel it was too weak to swallow ;"the 

 smallest and most feeble one of the lot died ; the 

 other four arc now so well I have slopped my medi- 

 cation, and I regard their recovery beyond a doubt. 



For the New England Farmer, 

 THE GARDEN IN JULY. 



The backwardness of the spring, and conse- 

 quent shortness of the growing season has 

 tended strongly to concentrate work on growing 

 crops ; and in this concentration and hurry, 

 some things may be slighted, or put off for 

 others ; and, with too many farmers, the gar- 

 den is the one that is tbpught can be left; till 

 the field crops are laid aside. But is it economy 

 to thus do ? I think not, for every dollar gained 

 from field crops, at the expense of neglect of 

 the garden, two dollars are lost in the economy 

 of the household, besides a great amount of sat- 

 isfaction and enjoyment of the farmer and his 

 family. It is better to let those crops suffer 

 neglect, if any are to, where the least loss will 

 occur, yet still better is it to hire extra help 

 than let either suffer neglect. ' 



The main work for the month is to hoe the 

 advancing crops, to kill weeds, and stir the 

 soil ; for every weed that grows robs other 

 plants and the soil of just the amount of ele- 

 ments that enter into the composition of the 

 weed, and frequent stirring of the soil has the 

 effect of manuring, warming and moistening 

 it. The ground occupied by an early crop can 

 be made to produce a second, by planting 

 lettuce, cabbage, celery, turnips, &c., after 

 removing the first. The following hints will 

 serve to recall some of the labors in the garden 

 during the month. 



AsPAK.vGUsi should receive a dressing of 

 fine manure or superphosphate, worked lightly 

 into the soil, and cutting cease, to let the 

 roots recover from drafts made during the 

 cutting season. If any tops are infected with 

 the larvjB of the "asparagus beetle," cut and 

 burn them ; let the rest grow. 



Be.vns. — Plant dwarfs for late crop, pick- 

 ling, &c. See that the Limas incline to the 

 pole, and have strong encouragement to grow, 

 by freijuent hoeings when dry, and an occa- 

 sional stimulant of Ii(juid or other manure 

 around the roots. Gather string beans as 

 they become fit for the table, but leave some 

 of the most prolific plants to go to seed. 



Beets. — Thin out where too thick, and use 

 for greens, — they make excellent ones ; keep 

 them well cultivated. Seed may be sown 

 early in the month for a late crop. 



Cahhage, — for winter use, may be trans- 

 planted any time up to the middle of the 

 month. Those already set need frequent hoe- 

 ing. There is no crop that requires more cul- 

 ture than cabbage in order to grow extra good 



