250 



N E W E N G L A N I' 'r A II M k 'd , 



FEB. ir, 18;ie. 



t)ie mutilating process, we increase tlie quantity 

 «i)f solar light shed upon the ear, we at the sauie 

 time diminish the quantity of heat, the latter be- 

 ing perhaps more necessary to the plant's growth, 

 than mere light. In autumn, at the usual time of 

 topping corn, more light falls upon an isolated tree 

 in the open field, than upon any one tree in a 

 tliicU grove, or forest. Yet it is true, that the lat- 

 ter tree has more heat than the former. So in 

 a compact, well-shaded corn-field, the heat is 

 retained, if not generated, more than it would be 

 by cutting away the umbrageous foliage to let in 

 solar light, thus exposing the denuded stalk to the 

 full force of the cold, searching winds of that sea- 

 son. In the spring season, when the plants are 

 small and tender, there is an abundance of light, 

 "but such is the low temperature, and their expo- 

 sure to the winils, that as a natural consequence 

 they often appear feeble and sickly, and slowly 

 increase in size. 



We know of no tree or other plant, whose cou- 

 <lition would he improved by cutting oft' its top, 

 «r main branches. Should a tree be entirely 

 strip[)ed of its foliage in midsummer, it would 

 .surely decay and probably die. If it bore fruit 

 aiot fully, ripe, the fruit would shrink, and never 

 ■become palatable. Should the main branches be 

 <!ut off, its growth would be so stinted, that it 

 would not recover until after several years, if at 

 all. In transplanting trees, young, or of many 

 years' growth,* modern experiments have proved, 

 that mutilating the tops and the roots, at the same 

 time, is very destructive to the tree; because the 

 branches through which the sap circulates, are 

 organs just as essential as the roots, to the nour- 

 ishment of the tree. 



Another justification assigned for the practice 

 of topping corn, is to gain a greater supply of 

 fodder for cattle. But the fact is, that the farmer, 

 iiy cutting up his corn at the roots when it has 

 come to maturity, will have a greater quantity of 

 fodder, than he would in the other mode, and he 

 thereby saves much labor. It is admitted, that 

 the stacks cut green, containing more of the sac- 

 charine juice, afford sweeter fodder. But if the 

 Uiain object be to raise good corn, that juice should 

 go to nourish the ear. 



We could extend our remarks, and adduce 

 other arguments to fortify our main position. But 

 should you deem these cursory remarks worthy 

 of publication, for the purpose of eliciting pubuc 

 inquiry, or engaging the attention of writers more 

 competent than myself to establish the truth of the 

 theory, and to put an end to one of the most un- 

 wise and injudicious practices ever adopted in an 

 enlightened community, I shall not regret this 

 iiurnbi, ? effort to ])romote the agricultural interest. 

 William Claggett. 

 Po/tsnwdh, JV. H., Feb. 6, 1836. 



(From the Baltimure farmer.) 

 BO. ^I'BU POOD FOR CATTLE. 



Having for so'ni' years turned my attention to 

 ttie most eeono '■"'c*' and profitable mode of fat- 

 tening cattle an '' esyiecially hogs, I have found 

 .fJiat pre'.ariu" the ''■" fO''^^ ^V the process of boiling 

 is unquestionably i ''C greatest improvement that 



has yet been discovered — a slight fermentation 

 following previously to feeding it away, as certain- 

 ly adds to the capacity of food for affording nutri- 

 tion. And I have also further fully ascertained, 

 that the nutritive qualities of many species of food 

 can only be obtained by boiling, and in many others 

 is only fully developed, or prepared for the action 

 of the stomach by that process. 



The Irish potato furnishes a case in point of 

 the first kind, and the apple of the last. It is ex- 

 tremely rare that you will find a hog that will eat 

 a raiv Irish potato, but put it through a culinary 

 process, 'and it is rare to find one that will refuse 

 them. 



Boil the apples, let them get cold, and feed 

 them to hogs, and you will double their capacity 

 for producing flesh. 



But, sir, the result of fairly conducted experi- 

 ment has equally convinced me that the mixing of 

 diftereiit kinds of food, adds prodigiously to the 

 capacity of the different materials for affording 

 nutrition, from the effect of combination. The 

 increase of the quantity of food, as well as the 

 addition to its nutritive quality, by the simple ab- 

 sorjrtion of water in the act of boiling, is fandliar 

 to all well-informed iiersons. But I am assured 

 that the combination of different mateiials pro- 

 duces a greater mass of nutritive matter, than the 

 whole could separately yield ; and that to find 

 out the art of mixing food, along with the best 

 mode of I'.reparing it for the action of the stomach, 

 is the great art of feeding economically, and I 

 believe to secure animal flesh, he.-dth and vigor. 



The late improved mode of keeping up in flesh 

 working horses in England, by the admixture of 

 food, may be cited as a corroborating proof in 

 point; It is now, I think, rendered certain that 

 the combination of two articles of food, produces 

 a new nutritive matter, more effectual than either 

 could separately, or that could be produced from 

 the nutritive matter contained in each fed sepa-. 

 rately. Boil Irish potatoes, pumpkins and apples 

 combine them by mashing together, and add a 

 little salt, and it will be found most nutritive food 

 for hogs, producing flesh rapidly. Now a hog fed 

 on Irish potatoes raw, would starve to death, and 

 do little better confined to pumpkins; on raw ap- 

 ples he would live tolerably, on the boiled and 

 combined, he fattens kindly and rapidly. 



'i he result with me has become an anxious de- 

 sire to ascertain the simplest and most economical 

 mode of steam boiling food on a large scale, say 

 pumpkins, potatoes, &c. Some of your reader^ 

 may have seen, or be in possession of some plan 

 not generally known, and valuable. 



I have no hesitation in saying, that the individ- 

 ual whose talents would devise some jilan which 

 would come within the reach of every description 

 of planters, uniting economy in the expenditure of 

 cajiital, with despatch, would confer a solid bene- 

 fit on our country. 



*In England, transpla. ntingfull grown trees of all kinds 

 is reduced to a science . ''"'' cvnducted upon systematic 

 principles. By this pro '"^^-'i '''e parks and pleasure 

 grounds of the wealthy a, ' ® sud.-.'euly ornamented with 

 extensive groves. 



Recipe. — It has been discovered, we learn from 

 the New York Sun, that a man, or rather a beast, 

 however drunk he may be, whether lying in the 

 street, or any other place, maybe almost instantly 

 induced and enabled to get upon his feet, and to 

 pursue his way home, if a home he have : — Fill 

 ills mouth as full as you can of common salt, though 

 a quantity not larger than a good sized nutmeg 

 will generally be suflicient, and he will soon jumj) 

 up and become partially sober. 



CULTURE Of SIIiK. 



Throughout the range of nature there is not 

 perhaps a more wonderful, a more mysterious 

 phenomenon, than that which is presented in the 

 natural history of the silk-worm. That an insect 

 apparently so insignificant in the scale of animal 

 creation — so destitute of every quality calculated 

 to recommend itself to the eye of man — should 

 be the producing cause of immense wealth, not 

 oidy to individuals, but to whole nations — is 

 a fact so many centuries old, that it has ceased to 

 be regarded as marvellous. Yet it is marvellous 



— and the closer we look into the matter, the more 

 astonishing are the results manifested. • From the 

 inscrutable toils of this petty mechanic, which 

 seems to exist, and to labor, and to die, for the 

 sole and exclusive benefit of the human race, are 

 furnished the most splendid habiliments which 

 bedeck royalty and nobility — the most useful and 

 durable fabrics worn by the great mass of civil- 

 ized society. An imperfect idea of the annual 

 worth of these labors may be gathered from the 

 consideration that in our own republic alone, the 

 consumption of silk goods — the product of for- 

 eign worms — amounts yearly to twelve millions 

 of dollars. 



The time will come, unquestionably, when this 

 fact, now so notorious, will seem more like fable 



— and when too, taking into view our undoubted 

 resources and facilities, it will be [ilaccd among 

 the severest reflections upon the character of the 

 age. Ignorance of the subject must then consti- 

 tute the only plea of those who would palliate the 

 negligence hitherto prevailing. Or, if that excuse 

 avail not, it must be said that a strange apathy — 

 an unaccountable indifference — perhaps an un- 

 pardonable disregard of one of the highest and 

 most important of our interests, has pressed upon 

 the subject like an incubus, and prevented or jiros- 

 trated every eft'ort to arouse popular attention. 

 Eager, and wide awake, as we proverbially are, 

 in all matters involving prospects of profit, it must 

 be confessed that in relation to|the details connect- 

 ed with the growth and manufacture of this pre- 

 cious material, we have heretofore been — not 

 slow and sure' — nor even 'slow and easy' — but, 

 cul[iably tardy. 



According to an authentic estimate of the value 

 of silk goods imported into the United States, the 

 average sum of one dollar for every individual 

 population, is annually paid for articles which we 

 ourselves are capable of drawing from the very 

 earth — thus sending twelve millions of capital 

 unnecessarily out of the country, to reward the 

 industry and enrich the skill of other lands. The 

 ingenious caterpillar to whom we are rendering 

 this extravagant tribute, and the plant which con- 

 stitutes its food, may be reared and made to thrive 

 in our own territory and upon S[)0t3 otherwise 

 useless, and even comparatively barren — in every 

 respect as advantageously as in the most favored 

 climate of the old world. 



Perhaps from the absence of practical informa- 

 tion touching the minutiae of this business — the 

 common and erroneous impression that in the 

 culture of the tree, and in the management of the 

 insect, as well as in the manufacture of the fila- 

 :iient, there is much troublesome intricacy — the- 

 latter notion a natural consequence of the former 

 want of knowledge — these together have constir- 

 tuted probably the most formidable obstacles to t((e 

 establishment and progress of this great branchiof 

 national industry. Involuntary ignorance tua^ ba: 



