54 



Alpaca. — Turning in Green Crops. 



Vol. IX. 



bones the cominor spring, for the purpose of 

 testing them by the side of other manures. 

 Several of the kinds he has not yet tried, 

 but from his remarks, I feel satisfied he will 

 find them all invaluable helps for increasing 

 his crops, and from the nature of some of 

 them, valuable and permanent improvers of 

 his soils. 



Alpaca. 



Probably few ladies who wear and ad- 

 mire the beautiful fabric called Alpaca, are 

 aware of the source of its production. The 

 Alpaca is a wool-bearing animal, indige- 

 nous to South America, and is one of four 

 varieties which bear general points of re- 

 semblance to each other. The Lama, one 

 of these varieties, has been long known and 

 often described ; but it iff only within a few 

 years that the Alpaca has been considered 

 of sufficient importance to merit particular 

 notice. 



Nine-tenths of the wool of the Alpaca is 

 black, the remainder being partly white, 

 red and grizzled. It is of a very long sta- 

 ple, often reaching twelve inches, and re- 

 sembles soft glossy hair — which character 

 is not lost in dyeing. The Indians in the 

 South American mountains, manufiicture 

 nearly all their clothing from this wool, and 

 are enabled to appear in black dresses, with- 

 out the aid of a dyer. Both tlie.Lama and 

 Alpaca are, perhaps, even of more value 

 to the natives as beasts of burden than wool- 

 bearing animals, and their obstinacy when 

 irritated, is well known. Tlie importance 

 of this animal has already been considered 

 by the English, in tlieir hat, woollen and 

 stuff trade, and an essay on the subject has 

 been published by Dr. Hamilton, of London, 

 from which some of these details are col- 

 lected. 



The wool is so remarkable, being a jet 

 black, glossy, silk-like hair, that it is fitted 

 for the production of texile fabrics differing 

 from all others, occupying a medium position 

 between wool and silk. 



It is now mingled with other materials in 

 such a singular manner, that while a par- 

 ticular %e will affect those, it v/il! leave 

 the Alpaca wool witii its original black 

 colour, and thus giving rise to great diver- 

 sity. — Iris. 



Drop Cakes. — One quart of milk, a large 

 teaspoonful of salsratus, dissolved in a cup 

 of cream ; to which stir in flour very smoothly 

 until a thick batter is formed. Then dip 

 your spoon in milk, and with it place your 

 batter at short distances in a buttered pan. 

 Very delicate, made entirely of cream, either j 

 with or without eggs. 



For the Fanners' Cabinet. 

 Turning in Green Crops. 



To THE Editor, — I saw an editorial in 

 the last number of the Cabinet, calling upon 

 its readers to bear their proportion of the 

 labour, or the pleasure, if you choose, in 

 giving variety and interest to its pages: and 

 it seemed to me so reasonable that we who 

 are principally benefited by its publication, 

 should yield a hearty support, not only by 

 our subscriptions, but also by our pens, to 

 tliis well established paper, that I looked 

 around me, to see what I could find to say, 

 which, while it filled a column, would at 

 the same time, give a valuable hint, or stir 

 up to action a fellow ploughman, who might 

 perhaps otherwise forget to practice what 

 ho had already learned. It immediately oc- 

 curred to me to say, that I believe wo are 

 very apt to overlook one of the cheapest and 

 most efficient modes of improving our im- 

 poverished lands, and sustaining them in 

 their fertility. I allude to the°ease with 

 wliich we might all avail ourselves of the 

 expedient of turning in green crops. Clover, 

 buc!:wheat, corn, have often been recom- 

 mended for this purpose; and among these, 

 some prefer one, and some anothert^ Corn 

 sown broadcast, even if the ground is poor, 

 will start up and soon afford a very consider- 

 able crop to plough in. Buckwheat is of 

 quick growth, deriving much of its support 

 from the atmosphere, and therefore return- 

 ing more to the earth than it draws from it. 

 Clover also, from its abundant foliage and 

 large tap root, is quite a favourite, — and de- 

 servedly so in my opinion — with manv for 

 plougliing in. Where the ground is toler- 

 ably good, an amount of green herbage will 

 spring up, that will very nearly or quite 

 equal a moderate dressing of stable manure. 

 Clover to be of much avail, must have a 

 good footing in the soil,. Corn or buckwheat 

 may bo sown in the early part of summer, 

 and in the course of two or three months, 

 will be ready to be turned under, when the 

 ground may be put in wheat. Large crops 

 of wheat and rye have o'ten been the result 

 of this method; and it certainly is much 

 cheaper, where there is a scarcitv of manure, 

 than to buy it; but I do not think our gene- 

 ral practice is such, as shows that farmers 

 are sufficiently aware of the menus they 

 have within themselves of improving their 

 lands. 



Now I am aware that this is not the time 

 of year to sow either corn or buckwheat, for 

 the purpose above sugirested — but let those 

 who have a good swarth of clover on land 

 whicli they wish to put in wheat, turn in a 

 good plough and cover it up thoroughly, and 



