1857. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



373 



will so shake and jar the earth around as to open 

 many pores, into which the roots will find a way 

 long after the operation of hoeing is of necessity 

 given up, and thus the crop is progressively and 

 safely brought forward to maturity. 



The Aeration of the Soil. — This is one of the 

 most important principles involved in hoeing. It 

 is an undoubted fact that the "roots increase their 

 fibres every time the earth is stirred about them," 

 and consequently the plants themselves grow the 

 faster, providing, of course, fair judgment is exer 

 cised in directing the operation. This manifest ad- 

 vantage can only be attributed to the supply of 

 food thus communicated to the plants by promoting 

 the admission of atmospheric influence into the 

 soil, its sub-division and repeated stirrings making 

 a new and plentiful "internal superfices" in it. 



The Theory of the Food of Plants. — The 

 modes by which it is supplied from the soil, from 

 the artificial aids now generally adopted, and from 

 almospheric influence, as also the appropriation of 

 these various life-giving properties by the plants, is 

 somewhat beyond the sphere of inquiry of a practi 

 cal farmer ; but if my readers would trouble them 

 selves to read upon the subject, they will find the 

 the simple fact as I have stated it. The great ob 

 ject, therefore, in hoeing, should be to provide a 

 deep, loose soil, contiguous to the plant, for the re- 

 ception of their food from the atmosphere, that the 

 near and spreading rootlets may be induced to pos- 

 sess themselves of it ; and the corresponding one 

 should be with a view of providing a large extent 

 of internal superfices or openings, in and around 

 wiiich the plants can fix their rootlets and obtain 

 food. 



Th::: Extirpation of Weeds from the sur- 

 face. — Cleanliness is indispensable to good cultiva- 

 tion; hence, one great principle in hoeing is the 

 eradication of weeds. Weeds will grow everywhere, 

 and they will grow apace ; they must be kept down, 

 and, if possible, destroyed. Hoeing — repeated 

 hoeing in all its varieties — is the best method dis' 

 covered for the destruction of weeds during the 

 growth of the crop. In row culture it is an admira- 

 ble adjunct to agriculture ; and in broadcast sowing 

 it may be advantageouslj adopted — the horse-hoe 

 for deep culture, the hand-hoe for surface work. 



There is something very encouraging in the 

 consideration of these principles, the mere out- 

 lines of v/hich I have but pointed out. If the sur- 

 face of the earth or soil is left untilled neither air 

 nor moisture can be imbibed to any extent. The 

 evening's dews are taken up by the morning's sun. 

 Hoeing or stirring the soil is the great means of its 

 replenishment, and the faster the plant grows, the 

 .jore and deeper hoeing it requires, and \\hich it 

 ought to to receive so long as it can be given with- 

 out injury being sustained by the operation itself. 

 The continuous hoeing will, of course, insure the 

 destruction of innumerable weeds which would 

 otherwise invest the soil, partially exhaust it, and 

 damage the crop, besides leaving a large progeny 

 for future condemnation. Hoeing, then, is the 

 greatest means to promote the full and healthy de- 

 velopment^of the latent powers of the soil, by its con- 

 tinuous .breaking up and sub-division of the gradu- 

 ally consolidating soil, by its rendering admissible 

 every atmospheric fertilizing agency, and by the de- 

 struction of every obnoxious and intruding weed. 

 — Mark Lane (Eng.) Express, 



For the New England Farmer. 



AGRICULTURAL REPORTS. 



Mr. Editor : — Can you inform me when the 

 compilation and publication of the returns made by 

 the agricultural societies of the Commonwealth 

 commenced? I have an impression that it was 

 about the year 1845 or 184G — at the suggestion of 

 the model farmer of Plymouth — Mr. Allen, of Pem- 

 broke, as he was denominated by that chief of far- 

 mers, the late Daniel Webster. 



I am desirous of obtaining a complete series of 

 these publications from the commencement for the 

 use of the library here, recently established by our 

 munificent benefactor, whose name is abroad 

 through all the land. 



If I do not mistake, some of the papers then put 

 forward, with no pretence of authority or knowl- 

 edge, will be found to contain as much useful infor- 

 mation as others which have since appeared. There 

 is such a thing as being "more nice than wise" — at 

 least such has been my impression, when I have 

 turned over page after page of publications that 

 will never be looked at, except by children to see 

 the pictures. South Danveks. 



June 24, 1857. _ 



Remarks. — The Secretary of the Board of Agri- 

 culture may be able to supply your wants. 



For the New .England Farmer. 



THE CHIMNEY. 



Mr. Etitor : — The number of fires in the Unit- 

 ed States during the past year, and the loss caused 

 by them, which, from the most reliable computa- 

 tion, is not less than $27,000,000, should incite 

 inquiry in relation to the best means of avoiding or 

 preventing, if possible, like calamities in future. 



The incendiary, without doubt, has had a busy 

 hand in the work of devastation ; yet, much may 

 have been charged against him, of which he is not 

 guilty, if v/e consider the risk and danger of fires, 

 to which most buildings, both in the cityandcoun- 

 try, are exposed from the defects and imperfections 

 of their chimneys. It may in truth be stated, that 

 not one chimney in ten will be found, after a care- 

 ful examination, to be free from all danger of fire. 

 Owners of real estate should examine frequently 

 the condition of their chimney flues, and where 

 cause of danger is found, remove it in season. Ma- 

 ny families live in perpetual fear of fire, when a 

 few dollars judiciously expended in rebuilding a 

 broken and crumbling chimney, would insure them 

 comfort and security. 



All chimneys built of old bricks are unsafe. 

 Such materials may be worked up in ash or smoke 

 houses, but, having lost their most valuable qualities, 

 they should have no place in the chimney. Who 

 has not, during a day's ride in the country, ob- 

 served neatly painted dwelling-houses, with all their 

 fixtures comparatively new in a])pearance about 

 them, except the chimneys, the tops of which were 

 literally in ruins. It was reasonably inferred that, 

 when the old houses were torn down or removed, the 

 owners, to save expense, caused the chimneys to be 

 built in the new, of the old bricks. In illustrution — 

 the chimneys of two churches in neighboring vil- 

 lages have recently fallen to pieces ; one of which 

 cases occurred during Divine Service, in consequence 



