1868. 



NEW ENGLAND FAKI^IER. 



827 



merely wash in cold water, and lay them in the 

 cask into which a layer of salt has been previously 

 deposited, so that when successive fllyers of cu- 

 cumber and salt are made, the former will be em- 

 bedded in salt, the moisture which covers them 

 tending to dissolve the salt and convert it to brine. 

 To finish the pickling process they must be put 

 into vinegar. Having removed the cucumbers 

 from the salt, some say they should be soaked 

 eight or nine days, in fresh water, changed once a 

 day, and then putting them in a clean cask pour 

 hot vinegar, not too strong, over them. To make 

 them sharp, the first vinegar may be turned oflF and 

 saved for a second batch, and stronger vinegar ap- 

 plied. But we have no great confidence in these 

 directions, which we glean from our back numbers. 

 Pickle-making, like bread-making, must be learned 

 by practice ; and first attempts at any new busi- 

 ness generally result in finding out what one really 

 needs to learn. The price of cucumbers has greatly 

 fluctuated within a few past years in Boston-*the 

 business being profitable some years, and unprofit- 

 able in others. We believe that those who raise 

 them in this section generally make some arrange- 

 ment beforehand with the city market men. 



RAISING TREES FOR SEED. 



I wish for some information on the subject of 

 raising the soft and hard Maple from the seed ; 

 also the Spruce and Fir. Where can I obtain the 

 seed of the two latter ? Will the seed of both kinds 

 of the maple grow if allowed to dry? Some say 

 they will not. When should they be planted ? 



A ARO V P FlETCHEK, 



Hudson, St. Croix Co., Wis., May 16, 1868. 



Remarks. — A little volume, entitled "Forest 

 Tree Culturist," written by A. S. Fuller, and pub- 

 lished by G. E. & F. W. Woodward, New York 

 city, should be among the volumes in your Hud- 

 son library for the benefit of yourself and others 

 who wish to plant trees, as it furnishes just the in- 

 formation needed in relation to their cultivation. 

 As we remarked in an article upon the sub- 

 ject, a few weeks ago, the time of ripening of 

 the seeds of different trees is quite various. The 

 Elm and the Red and Silver Maple ripen their 

 seeds in this section in June ; the Sugar Maple in 

 August and September, the White Pine in August, 

 and the Pitch Pine some time during the winter. The 

 Spruce we believe ripens its seed in the fall. The 

 time for gathering varies of course with the time 

 of ripening. As a general rule, the best time for 

 planting is soon after the seed is mature. Some 

 kind of seeds retain their vitality for a long time, 

 and others for a short period only. The size of the 

 seed is no Indication of its vitality ; the largest may 

 perish much sooner than the very smallest. A 

 seed will retain its vitality so long as the various 

 substances composing it, such as starch, oils, &c., 

 can be preserved from decomposition. Owing to 

 the nature of most evergreen seeds they are poor 

 keepers. So are the seeds of the soft Maples, 

 which retain their vitality for only a ffew weeks, 

 as their thin porous covering soon decays. If 



sown as soon as ripe in June, they will often make 

 a growth of one to three feet by the time the Sugar 

 Maple seed is ripe in autumn. Our city seedsmen 

 sometimes have certain kinds of forest tree seeds, but 

 we believe none of them pretend to keep an assort- 

 ment. Your best course would probably be to 

 write to some postmaster or friend who resides in 

 a section where the seed wanted is produced, who 

 would' probably make arrangements to secure a 

 supply, on your giving them reasonable notice. 

 Messrs. Joseph Breck & Son of this city may be 

 able to furnish a small amount of Spruce seed next 

 fall. But most probably you can obtain the kinds 

 you want much nearer home. A letter to Mr. Ful- 

 ler, 245 Broadway, the author of the book above 

 referred, (with a stamp for reply) would undoubt- 

 edly be cheerfully answered. 



We regard the subject of your inquiries as a 

 very important one to the farmers of the West, 

 and believe forest trees may be more easily and 

 cheaply raised than is generally supposed. Mr. 

 Fuller thinks the cost of seed, preparing the soil, 

 hoeing, weeding, &c., for the first season need not 

 exceed $2 per 1000. 



CARE OF HORSES. 



The spring is a most trying time for teams, but 

 those that have been worked steadily through the 

 winter are best able to stand the increase of heat 

 and length of days. 



I have driven horses at the plough and harrow 

 and seen them growing poorer and weaker each 

 day. They were worked from 7 o'clock ki the 

 morning until noon, then after a rest of an hour to 

 eat, were worked from one o'clock till 8 P. M., 

 without rest,— ^being left standing in the field while 

 a hasty supper was eaten by the driver. 



Ten hours a day is long enough to work a team ; 

 and if a farmer cannot do his work in that- time he 

 should get anotner team. He should have har- 

 nesses well fitted, and not use the same collar on a 

 twelve-hundred-pound horse, that he uses on an 

 eight-hundred-pound colt. 



Galls are the result of three causes, — friction, 

 pressure and heat. Friction of tugs or traces, as 

 the horse turns to the right or left, causes galls 

 upon the Legs, while other straps gall other parts. 

 The back-pad and the collar cause galls by pres- 

 sure and heat. When a team stops to rest a mo- 

 ment in a sultry day the collar should be lifted 

 from the shoulder, to cool it. 



If the horse becomes galled, there are various 

 liniments and solutions that will speedily cure the 

 sore, if the cause that produced it is removed. 

 Among the remedies are alcohol and saltpetre, 

 white lead, tincture of arnica, salt and vinegar. 

 A bit of alum added to either of these mixtures 

 might be beneficial. But it is better to prevent than 

 to cure. When a horse comes in from wort, a 

 free use of a sponge and luke-warm water about 

 the shoulders, legs and feet will add to his comfort, 

 and in addition to good feed will tend to increase 

 his usefulness. z. e. j. 



Irasburg, Vt., May 16, 1868. 



SCIENTIFIC AND EXPERIMENTAL FARMING, 



As you invite contributions from your various 

 patrons,, allow me to say, after taking your Month- 

 ly for about half a year, that I think it is conduct- 

 ed on a liberal scale, and that it contains much 

 valuable matter for all who are engaged in tilling 

 the soil. Farming, howeverj has not arrived at ' 



