442 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Oct. 



•will husk a little later ourselves to make up the 

 loss ! 



But there are many other things to be done 

 in beautiful October. We wish we were a poet 

 BO that we could sing its charms. We have an 

 inspiration, but cannot whip it into measure ; so 

 we give it up and 



G.\THER THE AppLES. — The last week in Sep- 

 tember is the time with many to do this work — 

 but much depends on the weather. If frosts are 

 severe they should be gathered early — if not, let 

 them hang. Do not allow one to be in the least 

 bruised that is intended for winter. Separate 

 them into grades — the f5rst grade will be likely 

 to sell for as much as the whole if they were 

 mixed. 



Make the Cider. — Ten gallons of dirty stuff, 

 compounded ofvillanous drugs, are used where 

 one gallon of vinegar is used, made of pure cider. 



TuE Potatoes are probably dug, sorted, and 

 placed in winter quarters. 



The Seed Corn is selected, of ears that ripened 

 first. 



Draining. — See, particularly, that the wheat 

 fields are properly drained, and so that no sur- 

 face water will rest upon them. 



Pruning. — Towards the last of the month 

 pruning may be done with propriety. Cover the 

 wounds with shellac dissolved in alcohol — apply 

 it with a small brush. Shape young trees in the 

 nursery. 



Transplant apple trees. There is no better 

 time. 



The Garden. — As an experiment, trench a por- 

 tion of the garden, even if it be but a small piece, 

 18 inches deep Und note the effect on the crops 

 next year, other things being equal. •; a out 

 and tie up raspberries ; dreeg strawberries ; plant 

 out hardy bulljs ; and do all that may be done in 

 the garden so as to save time in the spring. 



Visits. — Take a pleasant afternoon and go and 

 see how others are managing their farms. 



For the New England Farmer. 



GUANO. 



Mr. Editor : — My object in writing at this 

 time is to inquire, through your columns, how 

 the farmers who bought guano for manure last 

 spring, have succeeded in using it, for I think it 

 is only by actual experiments upon our own soil, 

 that we shall learn to apj.ly it aright. The hope 

 that others may bo induced to coniniunicate their 

 experiments with it, iiiOucnccH me in giving mine. 

 1 trust you will cn'cusc me fur giving so partic- 

 ular a statement of luv pmall experiment witli it. 



Last spring f purchased a bag of guano of J. 

 Brcck & Son. On the 22d of April I spread six 

 pounds of it on two square rods of grass land; 

 the land V, as moist. Its effect upon the grass 

 ■was sooi) .ip] .irent ; it gave the grass a very lux- 

 uriant {inivvtl. in a few weeks. On the first of 

 June there wiui twico aa much upon it as there 



was upon the part where none was applied. 

 About the middle of June a rust, or blight, ap- 

 peared upon the spot where the guano was put ; 

 the rust did not show itself much upon the rest 

 of the field. On the 15th of July it was mown. 

 When dry, the hay upon the two rods weighed 50 

 pounds ; upon the two rods adjoining, 40 pounds, 

 making a gain of 300 pounds to the acre. From 

 this experiment, 480 pounds of guano to the 

 acre gave 8000 pounds of hay at the iirst cutting. 

 1 think if six pounds had been put upon four 

 square rods, the gain would have been more upon 

 each rod. 



I next used it to plant peas upon ; 24 pounds 

 were put into furrows, for two rows, through the 

 piece, at the rate of 500 pounds to the acre ; it 

 was covered before the seed was dropped. The 

 peas came up well ; the vines were not so large 

 as those planted upon manure ; they filled as 

 soon, and I think yielded as much. From this 

 trial, 100 pounds of guano is equal to one cord 

 of good manure for growing peas. 



tlpon the onion field I put 25 pounds, at the 

 rate of 450 pounds to the acre ; it was harrowed 

 and raked in the rows. The rows crossed this 

 strip at right angles, so that each row in the 

 field had a part of the guano. The onions came 

 up well ; but they soon began to say, by their 

 looks and actions, if not in words, we do not like 

 this new fashion manure ; and all through the 

 season they have had a sickly look. 



Some of it was put upon a small piece of tur- 

 nips ; the contrast of the effect upon onions and 

 turnips was striking ; it was applied in the same 

 manner upon each, but it gave to the turnips a 

 vigorous, healthy look. 



I put 75 pounds of it upon my corn land ; 

 when the corn is harvested, I shall be able to give 

 a more particular account of its effects upon corn. 



I hope, Mr. Editor, you and your readers will 

 give the public the result of your experiments 

 with this manure. Wm. R. Putnam. 



North Danvers, Srpt. Hth, 1854. 



A HINT TO FARMERS. 



A late writer says that "the less land a farmer 

 has the more corn he will raise." This is so. Our 

 friend S. once owned a farm of 300 acres, while 

 his capital was so small that he could only half 

 manure it. The effect was tliat he could scarcely 

 pay expenses. The money he expended on fen- 

 ces should have been expended on guano ; while 

 the wear and tear of plow and harness, was nearly 

 equal to the par value of his potato crop. Some 

 three years ago S. endorsed ibr a friend. The 

 friend forgot the day it was to fall due. S. had 

 to take it up for him. To do this, he mortgaged 

 his farm. The mortgage was foreclosed, and one 

 half his farm struck ofj to the highest bidder. He 

 thought he was ruined. No such thing. The 

 manure, labor and horse-flesh, which he Jormerly 

 scattered over three hundred acres,were spread over 

 one hundred acres, and what was the result 1 We 

 will inform the reader. He now clears $2,000 a 

 year, which clearing is effected with one-third 

 the labor, swearing and chuckleheads, which he 

 formerly made use of to keep himself poor and ill- 

 natured. We conclude with the same text we 

 set out with — "the less land a farmer owns, the 

 more corn he will grow." — Anon. 



