12 



SILK MANUAL, AND 



comparatively dry, especially if we defer the coat- 

 ing for a few days, I have believed it in a better 

 condition to receive the paint, than when the buds 

 are just opening into leaf. The argument that 

 the new wood in summer pruning immediately 

 begins to cover up the wound, I think possesses 

 but little weight." 



Mr Kenrick, in the New American Orchardist, 

 says — "The most suitable time for pruning is that 

 interval between the time the frost is out of the 

 ground in the spring, and the opening of the 

 leaf." 



The result of these conflicting opinions in our 

 mind has been, not that pruning- was not useful 

 and indispensable, but that it makes but little dif- 

 ference at what season of the year the operation 

 is performed, with the exception, perhaps, of a 

 month or two in the spring, while the sap is 

 ascending most rapidly, and in consequence the 

 tree is most liable to suffer injury from bleeding. 

 If, as Judge Buel states, one of the results of sum- 

 mer pruning is to prevent tlie formation of sprouts 

 or shoots from the wound, a great point has been 

 gained ; but we do not recollect any expei'iments 

 that go to sustain this opinion, agreeable as it cer- 

 tainly is to the correct theory of vegetation. It 

 is to be wished that farmers and orchardists 

 would, by fair and thorough experiment, settle the 

 question of pruning, and by publishing the results, 

 enlighten the great body of their brethren on this 

 topic. Till this is done, let farmers prune their 

 orchards when most convenient, (with the excep- 

 tion made above,) and a great increase of fruit, 

 both in quality and quantity, wiil, we are confi- 

 dent, he the result. W. (jI. 



Grakting Wax. — We would advise our farm- 

 ing friends to prepare, in the course of this month, 

 when stornjy days prevent work abroad, a quan- 

 tity of grafting wax ; as it is sometimes inconve- 

 nient to allow time when wanted, and the hus- 

 bandry of time is one of the secrets of success in 

 farming. The following proportions of the usual 

 materials have been recommended as good, viz : 

 two and a half pounds of rosin, one pound of 

 beeswax, and one pound of tallow; or one pound 

 rosin, three pounds beeswax, and two pounds tal- 

 low ; but the recipe we use, and which we know 

 to be good, is as follows, — half a [oimd of tallow, 

 one pound of beeswax, and two j;ounds of rosin, — 

 the whohi melted together, and then worked in 

 water like shoemaker's wax into rolls for use. 

 Where the grafting is to be performed in the 

 nursery, or on small trees or branches, the most 

 convenient fnode of applying the wax in by 

 having it on strips of muslin of a width propor- 

 tioned to the size of the tree, from one to thi-ee 

 inches. These strips of muslin are prepared by , 



taking cotton cloth, cutting it into strips and dip- 

 ping them into the wax when melted. When the 

 branches are large, it is best to apply the wax 

 directly to the cut limb, and when of a |;roper 

 consistence and temperature, with the hands kept 

 slightly greased, the use of this composition is 

 perfectly easy and effectual. If you make a little 

 more than you use this spring, it will not be lost; 

 we have some two years old, which retains all its 

 good qualities. — Genesee Farmer. 



Important Invention. — Mr William Kean, of 

 Haverstraw, has, in conjunction with MrThaddeus 

 Selleck, obtained lettei-s patent for a machine for 

 cutting screws, which probably excels anything of 

 the kind now in use in Europe or America. The 

 principle ?)f the machine consists in circular dies, 

 which have a motion towards each other, while, 

 at the same time, they make upwards of 500 revo- 

 lutions a minute. These dies receive the screws 

 at the top of a cast iron pot in which they are 

 secured, and when it obtains its proper thread, it 

 is thrown off by means of an inner spindle, and 

 another instantly takes its place, the dies pi-eserving 

 their usual velocity, without changing their rotary 

 , motion. The saving of screws is another imj)or- 

 tant consideration in favor of these machines, as 

 it is difficult to spoil one upon them. Their con- 

 struction is simple, and we understand that one, 

 containing four sets of dies, and upon which a 

 boy can turn off thirty gross per day, can be built 

 at a cost not exceeding $150. They are now in 

 operation at Selleck & Keau's Screw Factory at 

 Samsondale, in this town. 



The above article is copied from a late number 

 of the North River Times, published at Haver- 

 straw, N. Y. The machine therein sjioken of, 

 will, undoubtedly, jierform all that is said of it, 

 but as to its "excelling anything of the kind in 

 Europe or America," that nmst be a great mistake. 

 A machine has recently been invented by C. Read 

 & Co. of Worcester, which will cut 30 gross of 

 screws per day, with one pair of dies; and one 

 boy can tend from two to four machines, accord- 

 ing to the length of the screw. They have 

 several of the above now in operation at their 

 manufcictory. We understand they contemplate 

 extending their works, being unable, at present, to 

 meet the demand for their screws. 



Corn Rolls. — Take a quart of meal, a spoon- 

 ful of lard, and two spoonfuls of yeast ; mix with 

 warm water until the dough is quite soft. Het it 

 in a warm place at night to rise, and bake it in a 

 pan or in cakes in an oven for breakfast. This 

 bread will bake very well in a stove. 



