No. 9. 



Irrigation. — Spirits Turpentine a cure for Poison. 



275 



increased the value of cattle for packing. 

 Although not fed to the extent I think they 

 should be for the best interests of the farmer 

 and the packer, they are highly improved 

 from what they were but a few years since. 

 In this career, no one has been more conspi- 

 cuous than Mr. N., or has pursued the sub- 

 ject with more constancy, intelligence, and 

 liberality. He has a farm in Illinois of 

 6,000 acres, where he annually fats from 

 1,000 to 2,000 head, which are brought to 

 Cincinnati for packing. He considers $400 

 to $500 well expended in a good bull, whose 

 services he is willing to bestow gratuitously 

 for the purpose of getting the progeny, when 

 ready for market. These, he thinks as ripe 

 at three, as the common cattle of the country 

 are at five or six years old. A handsome 

 fortune has attended his efforts. It is to be 

 hoped that others engaged in the rearing of 

 stock, will follow, with equal perseverance 

 and success, so laudable an example. — Amer- 

 ican Agriculturist. 



Cincinnati, Nov. 24th, 1847. 



which rise in a more elevated situation ; and 

 this circumstance afforded me the means of 

 making a small pond, from which I can cause 

 the water to flow out over every part of every 

 other kind through every part of the sum- 

 mer; and I cause a stream to flow down the 

 rows of celery, and along the rows of bro- 

 coli and other plants, which are planted out 

 in summer, with very great advantage. But 

 the most extensive and beneficial use which 

 I make of the power to irrigate my garden 

 by the means above mentioned, is in supply- 

 ing my late crops of peas abundantly with 

 water, by which the ill efTects of mildew are 

 almost wholly prevented, and my table is 

 most abundantly supplied with very excel- 

 lent peas through the month of October." — 

 Dictionary of Gardening. 



Irrigation. 



Irrigation, as employed by the farmer, is 

 chiefly beneficial in proportion to the amount 

 of saline and decomposing matter contained 

 in solution by the water employed. But this 

 is not the exclusive cause of benefit, for much 

 of this arises from the increased and perma- 

 nent supply of moisture to the roots of the 

 plants. These can only derive food from the 

 soil in a gaseous or liquid form ; and the de- 

 composing matters in a soil decompose, and 

 constantly are converted into gaseous and 

 soluble matters, with a rapidity proportioned 

 to the abundance of water supplied to them. 

 Experience shows that there is in the kitchen 

 garden scarcely a crop that is not benefited 

 by a much more abundant supply of water 

 than can be obtained usually ; and I can bear 

 testimony to the correctness of Mr. Knight's 

 conclusion, not limiting, however, my ap 

 proval of such abundant watering to late 

 crops of peas, but to all, as well as beans, 

 spinach, and the entire cabbage tribe. Kid- 

 ney beans and potatoes are not benefited by 

 such an abundance of water, 



"The quantity of water," says Mr. Knight, 

 " which may be given with advantage to 

 plants of almost every kind, during warm 

 and bright weather, is, I believe, very much 

 greater than any gardener who has not seen 

 the result will be inclined to suppose possible; 

 and it is greater than I myself could have 

 believed upon any other evidence than that 

 of actual experience. 



" My garden, in common with many 

 others, is supplied with water by springs, 



For the Farmers' Cabinet. 



Spirits of Turpentine, a cure for Poison. 



If any person should be stung by a bee or 

 other insect, rub some spirits of turpentine 

 on the place, the pain will nearly cease in 

 one minute. It is said that the pain arising 

 from the bite of a copper-head may be ar- 

 rested in a few minutes, by the continued 

 application of this article, and from my own 

 knowledge of its effects in other cases, I 

 have not the least doubt of it. The effect 

 of all poison is to contract the blood vessels 

 and prevent a free circulation ; the natural 

 consequence is pain and inflammation imme- 

 diately. Spirits of turpentine, by their pene- 

 trating and expanding qualities, soon over- 

 come the difficulty. 



Can some one tell how to make Soap ? — If 

 the Editor, or any of his correspondents, 

 would furnish a rule by which every house- 

 keeper might make soap the Jirst trial, they 

 would confer a favour that would long be 

 remembered by many. M. T. J. 



Short Creek, Harrison Co., Ohio. 



Hints to Lovers of Flowers. 



A MOST beautiful and easily attained show 

 of evergreen may be had by a very simple 

 plan, which has been found to answer re- 

 markably well on a small scale. If gerani- 

 um branches are taken from healthy and 

 luxuriant trees, just before the winter sets 

 in, cut as for slips, and immersed in soap 

 and water, they will, after drooping for a 

 few days, shed their leaves, put forth fresh 

 ones, and continue in the finest vigor all 

 winter. By placing a number of bottles 

 thus filled in flower baskets, with moss to 

 conceal the bottles, a show of evergreens is 

 easily insured for a whole season. They re- 

 quire no fresh water. — Coiirt Journal. 



