1854. 



NEW ENGLAND FAR]\rER. 



545 



N.F.WHITE.SC 



MacGREGOR'S PATENT PORTABLE 

 CALDRON FURNACE, 



OR, AGRICULTURAL UOILER. 



The belief is prevalent now that it is a matter 

 of economy to cook most of the food fed to swine, 

 and under this belief many persons are devising 

 methods of doing it in the cheapest and easiest 

 way. We have before us a boiler somewhat dif- 

 ferent in its construction from any we have here 

 tofore represented, and which is said by some 

 who have used it to bo superior to any other. 

 We have not tried it. The description below is 

 from Messrs. Ruggles, Nourse, Mason & Co. 'a 

 catalogue. 



" These furnaces are made witn nu-x '.Mt.hout 

 covers, very substantial, and are more durable 

 than any others in use ; are arranged for wood 

 or fitted with grates and fire bi'ick lining for coal 

 With the lining they are ever durable by replacing 

 the bricks occasionally, at an expense of only 

 $1,25, and can be used with wood with equal 

 facility as if not lined. 



They require less amount of fuel to accomplish 

 the same amount of work than any other furnace 

 or boiler, either set in iron or brick. 



They heat equally as quick at the front as at 

 the back part, the fire and draught being en- 

 tirely under the control of the operator by simply 

 moving one damper at the back part, consequently 

 they are well adapted for all manufacturing and 

 mechanical purposes, and for farmers' use, where 

 an equal and governable heat is required. For 

 the boiling of oil, the rendering of tallow, lard 

 and such like articles, the boiling of food for 

 stock, and the scalding of hogs, this article is 

 unequalled by any furnace or boiler in the mar- 



ket. They have been fully tested eight years 

 with much success. They are of different sizes, 

 holding from i barrel to 4 barrels." 



For the Ifew England Farmer. 



BURNT CLAY, MEANS GRASS, &c. 



Burnt clay is now extensively used, in some 

 sections of the country, as a manure for garden 

 soil. It is generally prepared, I believe, by first 

 accumulating a quantum sufficit of woody matter, 

 and covering it with clay. The mass is then 

 ignited, and burnt till the wood is reduced to 

 coal and ashes, similar to the manner pursued in 

 coal ))urning. The charcoal, ashes and clay thus 

 furnished, constitutes an excellent dressing, and 

 produces highly beneficial effects on both crop 



Means Grass — \.o^..,i „ tt , \ mu> • 



a native of Syria, and belongs /o¥n"rJ-T^'f»« 

 as bi'oom corn. It has recently been introduced 

 to notice in this country by some experiments 

 made in Massachusetts and New York, where its 

 cultivation has been attended with considerable 

 success. It can be cut several times in a season, 

 and is consequently well adapted to soiling. 



Strawherry Runners. — These sliould be con- 

 templated in the light of weeds, and destroyed. 

 They arc no less detrimental to the plants tlian 

 ordinary kinds of spurious vegetation, and pro- 

 duce effects equally as deleterious upon the crop. 

 A writer in the Gardener^ s Chronicle remarks: 

 " So convinced am I of the propriety of cultiva- 

 ting this fruit in separate and distinrt plants, and 

 uf cutting off the runners, that I liave this season 

 taken out a plant between cacli of my planta- 

 tions — thus making the distance between each 

 Y>\Ani four feet by three.'''' This is, perhaps, run- 

 ning somewhat too far into the opposite extreme ; 

 but there can be no question that an o]ten ar- 

 rangement is preferable to a close and crowded 

 one. 



