560 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Dec. 



The farmer who will excel and thrive must be a 

 farmer, and give his thought and study and ef- 

 fort to his calling, the same as the eminent; physi- 

 cian, lawyer or clergyman gives all his energies to 

 his profession. When this is the case he will show 

 it, and will be as proud of his farm frock as the 

 parson of his cloak. He will not be clownish or 

 indifferent to his outward appearance, but he will 

 not be ashamed to be found dressed suitably for 

 tBfe farm. He will feel as easy and as much at 

 home in his working garb when visited, as the 

 merchant is behind his counter, or the lawyer 

 in his office. When we meet a farmer about 

 his appropriate business who holds up his head 

 and shows a manly dignity, and yet courteous, if 

 thrown among gentlemen of the cloth, we con- 

 clude, that there is a man who values his man- 

 hood, and is proud of his noble calling : that is 

 the man who will thrive and secure a plentiful 

 board fcr himself and family, and contribute 

 something towards the support of the rest of 

 mankind. — Farmer and Mechanic, Leivision Falls, 

 Maine, 



For the New England Farmer. 



STATE FAKM AT TEWKSBURY ONCE 

 MORE. 



Messrs. Editors : — I admire the benevolence 

 of the good Dr. B. in his willingness " to render 

 services to the poor gratis." Such is the char- 

 acter of all eminent in his profession. I sin- 

 cerely believ^ there exists in the breasts of high- 

 minded physicians more generous sympathy than 

 in any other class in the community, not more 

 numerous. Whether their judgment of soils is 

 equally to be relied on, I shall have some doubt, 

 if this Dr. shall continue to say that the soil 

 about this State Alms House, or anywhere within 

 one hundred yards of it, is worth cultivating, or 

 can be made so at any reasonable expense. 

 have seen this soil several times of late, and have 

 inquired its character of others, who understand 

 the subject much better than I do, and the uni- 

 form testimony is that it is miser ably poor. 



As to the interior arrangements of the estab- 

 lishment, I have not seen them. All I can say is, 

 if they afford decent accommodations for 600 in- 

 mates, it shows that these State agents can build, 

 for the same money ,iQrx times thp oouommodations 

 that the ag"ii*=« or tne adjoining county build for 

 theirs. I have heard of wells, 50 feet deep, having 

 been dug, bricked and cemented, fi'om bottom to 

 top, without a bucket of water therein except what 

 rained in from the heavens above. Whether this 

 is the class of wells the doctor spoke of improv- 

 ing, I should like to be advised; and if he will 

 tell me how such improvements, can be made 

 effectual for an adequate supply of pure water, I 

 will tender him a fee in advance. 



Mind you, Mr. Editor, I do not attach any 

 blame to the Dr. in thia matter, knowing that he 

 had no hand in the structure ; I only blame him 

 for giving the high influence of his name to 

 bolster up and justify an egregious folly. 



Oct. Tith, 1854. * * 



Worth Knowing. — It is said that a small piece 

 of resin dipped in the water which is placed in a 

 vessel on the stove, will add a peculiar property 

 to the atmosphere of the room, which will give 



relief to persons troubled with a cough. The 

 heat of the water is suflScient to throw off the 

 aroma of the resin, and gives the same relief as is 

 afforded by a combustion of the resin. It is 

 preferable to the combustion, because the evapo- 

 ration is more durable. The same resin may be 

 used for weeks. 



EXTRACTS AND REPLIES. 



, LIME FROM GAS WORKS. 



Mr. Editor : — Please inform me what the lime, 

 after being used for making gas, is worth, com- 

 pared with stable manure ? 



Would it not improve pasture and mowing, if 

 spread on them this fall, and if so, how much to 

 the acre ? 



Would it benefit corn and potatoes next season, 

 if spread and plowed in this fall ? 



I have used some of the lime the past season, 

 for turnips, both rutabagas and flat,but it did not 

 answer. Either I put on too much, or it was the 

 dry weather — the seed did not come up ; where I 

 used ashes they have done very well. t. h. 



ISev) London, Oct. 2f th, 1854. 



SALT LTE — GAS LIME. 



Mr. Brown : — I want information in relation to 

 an article made at the hard soap manufacturers, 

 and called by them, (at least in Hartford,) salt 

 ley. What is its value compared, with stable 

 manure, or with the same bulk of night soil ? 

 What is the best use I can make of it 1 My soil 

 is a sandy loam ; swamp muck costs me, deliv- 

 ered, 25 to 30 cents per load. Shall I pile it up, 

 and turn the ley top of it 1 How much ley will it 

 take to fertilize, in the most economical degree, a 

 cord of muck? How much should be applied to 

 the acre for corn ? would you advise to spread on 

 or put in the hill 1 Or is it better adapted to some 

 other crop 1 How would it answer for cabbages 1 



Would ammoniacal liquor or gas lime be suit- 

 able articles to apply to a compost heap in con- 

 nection with the ley ? j, r. s. 



East Hartford, Conn., 1854. 



Remarks. — Will somo uf our correspondents, 

 acquaintod with the subjects, reply to the ques- 

 tions in the two letters given above 1 

 early peas. 



Mr. Editor : — I should like some light on rais- 

 ing early pea,s. Is it better to stick or rod them, 



i 



or nof? Which way do our market-gardeners do, 

 with or without sticks 1 a. b. 



Fitchburg, OcL, 1854. 



Remarks. — To be successful in producing early 

 peas, the first thing necessary is to get an early 

 kind, and sow early. The product will probably 

 be much larger, if they are provided with sticks. 

 If "pea-brush" is convenient, use it. Make the 

 experiment yourself, on the same land, crop man- 

 ured alike, and sow at the same time, with the 

 brush, and without it, and let us know the result 

 next August. Will you 1 



1^ The number of hogs in the United States is 

 said to exceed that of sheep by ten millions. 



