402 



NEW ENGLAND FAIIMER. 



Sept. 



frames or trellises, hung on hinges, so as to swing 

 out into the open air in warm, favorable weather, . 

 •when they need no protection, where they receive 

 the full benefit of the sunlight and air, which are 

 necessary for the health and growth of the vine, 

 and the maturity of the fruit. When the weather ; 

 is unfavorable, the vines are swung around under 

 the glass, where they are protected from the cold 

 and storm. 



With this arrangement, nearly twice the amount 

 of vines and fruit may be raised in a building of 

 the same size and at about the same cost. 



If thought best, a portion of the vines may be 

 kept under the glass, while others are swung out. 

 The extreme north side is boarded up tight ; in the 

 space each side of this is but one door, which is hung 

 to the north post, and swings back so as to be on 

 a parallel line with the north side, and answers as 

 a north wall to protect the vines in some measure 

 from the north winds ; the glass doors also break 

 the wind in different directions. 



Further information and explanation may be ob- 

 tained in regard to the cost, construction, &c., by 

 applying to the inventor. 



For the New England Farmer. 



PHILOSOPHY OF HOEING. 



Mr. Editor : — I was highly edified in reading 

 the "Philosophy of Hoeing," published in the Far- 

 mer of July 4. 



Experience in the management of a small farm 

 and a still smaller garden, had long since taught 

 me the great benefit arising from frequent hoeing 

 and stirring the earth around plants, even after the 

 weeds were eradicated, but never, until after read- 

 ing the article to which 1 have alluded, was I able 

 clearly to explain the "why and the wherefore." 



And now, if you or some of your philosophical 

 agricultural contributors will publish the philoso- 

 phy of rolling, and explain in what manner the 

 roller tends to "prevent the soil from regaining 

 its natural solidity, and how it subdivides the par- 

 ticles of earth so as to present innumerable intersti- 

 ces or crevices into which the young rootlets may 

 penetrate and extract their daily food," I for one 

 shall be thoroughly posted. Senex. 



Remarks. — We use the roller for three pur- 

 poses. 



1. To level mowing grounds that have been 

 thrown by the frost, so as to make them uneven in 

 the spring. 



2. To crush lumps which remain after harrow- 

 ing lands to be laid down to grass. 



3. To press the light earth a little more closely 

 about seeds just sown, so that they will germinate 

 more rapidly, as observation has shown us that 

 when the feet of the horses or oxen press the soil 

 closely about the grains of wheat, barley or oats, 

 they are the first to come up. Perhaps some of 

 our readers can add other important advantages to 

 oe derived from the use of the roller. 



For the iVeu) Engiand Farmer. 



FALSE ESTIMATE OF THE HAY CROP. 



Some farmers judge of the hay crop by its bulk. 

 They think that, if their barns are well filled by an 

 abundant yield, they have a great supply, and can, 

 therefore, increase their stocks of cattle for its con- 

 sumption. Usually, when the crop is large, the 

 sale. of hay is dull at harvest time, and farmers 

 think that they will consume it for the improve- 

 ment of their farms, and that they may bave cattle 

 for the market another season ; and will often pur- 

 chase cattle at high fall prices, to increase their 

 herds. 



It not unfrequently occurs that our longest and 

 severest winters follow seasons of great crops, and 

 the hay not having much heart or nutriment in it 

 — it being more bulky than nutritive — the cattle 

 will devour large fodderings speedily, and still be 

 poor in flesh, and unsatisfied. And then not unfre- 

 quently, the farmers who had the fullest barns, and 

 the greatest number of cattle, have been compelled 

 to purchase hay, sell some of the stock at low price 

 before spring, or before pasture time, or lose some 

 of them. On the contrary, when the yield is light, 

 the scaffold not being well filled, men will sell their 

 stock or reduce it. Such seasons, hay will bring 

 a good price at harvest time, and stock small prices. 



Some farmers will sell their stock down, or de- 

 crease it ; and hold their hay for an advance in 

 prices, when the harvest is small, not bulky. It 

 not unfrequently occurs, also, that the winters are 

 mild and open, following small crops, and the hay 

 being fed sparingly to a small stock, the farmer 

 will have to sell in the spring ; but so much being 

 kept over such seasons, the price is usually low. 

 When the crop is small, the quality of the hay is 

 very much better than when the yield is abundant. 

 The cattle are satisfied with small fodderings, and 

 are in better condition than when kept on grass of 

 a rank growth. 



Farmers could tell better what amount of cattle 

 their hay would support — the weather being the 

 same — by weighing it, than by measuring it by the 

 scaffolds or stacks. One may have as many pouuds 

 of hay when the grass is of small size, as when of 

 rank growth. Having the platform scale in the 

 floor-way of the barn, it would not be much trouble 

 to farmers to weigh their crops. In that case, they 

 could tell, by reserving a scaffold for the market, 

 the shrinking of hay in different seasons, and could 

 tell when it was more profitable to sell it. 



Hay, if possible, should be well cured. It is bet- 

 ter to give cattle good fresh hay, and let them eat 

 salt when they desire it, than to compel them to 

 eat salt when they do not need it, by salting their 

 fodder. When the weather is good, the hay should 

 not be mowed till after the dew is off the grass ; 

 and after moving it often with the turning fork, 

 it should be raked up and covered with caps, be- 

 fore the dew falls (by three o'clock, P. M.)_ The 

 following day, the hay should be spread again, af- 

 ter the dew has evaporated, and being well turned 

 again, before the dew falls it should be housed. 



p. 



^ Dr. Charles T. Jackson, of this city, is in 

 Washington, making arrangements to carry out the 

 plans of the agricultural bureau in regard to the 

 chemical analyses of the best soils ard most im- 

 portant productions. 



