\ III,. X*. -NO. 4 4. 



AND HORTICULTURAL R E (^, I S T E R . 



S33 



»iil pcciii to bo the 6o!)cr triilli, when we rc- 

 t ii|iiiii tho iiatur.-il rapiJ tendency to docsy in 

 «c soils, wliicli will, and can, cunliniio bo \ong 

 i no longer than while atiiios|>horic nir find* free 

 iniios of access to the decaying mutter — whether 

 )C tho fibre of iinrcinoved roots of pUnts grown 

 he soil, or manure applied, or vegetable growth 

 nc>l under — to displace or dissipate the gas 

 ch ever envelopes decaying substances, and 

 icli somewhat in proportion as it is confined, 

 •sis llic further decomposition of remaining mat- 

 aiiJ by thus inducing a less rapid rato of do- 

 po.-iitioD, and being itself taken up by the roots 

 }lanl:>, would benefit the filling out of the crop, 



U not so soon set at perfect liberty and given 

 he atmosphere, by tho fiee in<;rcs3 and egress 

 hat unsatcd i.nd untiring agent of dissolution. 

 I'hc action of ammonia, generated so abundantly 

 animal manures when buried in tlio soil, also in- 

 isei tho demand for the roller, by accelerating 

 work of evaporation ; as it not only prepares 

 crude substances in the manure for rapid dieso- 

 on, but seizing upon the inert vegetable matter 

 he soil, neutralizes its acidity, and in reducing 

 ) a soluble state, ctfccts perhaps as much in days, 

 unaided spontaneous decomposition does in 

 ks. The effect of this is seen in the large 

 y growth of stalks, and diminutive starved crop 

 ars, where corn is planted over a small quanti- 

 f uncompounded quick manure, on dry sandy 



1 of medium quality. And so sure is this rc- 

 , that some farmers will not apply manure for 



rn crop on pine plains, tiiinking it injurious, or 

 luctive of stalks only ; whereas the injury aria- 

 in such cases, is not justly attributable to the 

 of manure, but to its uncoinbined or unskillful 

 .ication, and the subsequent mismanagement of 

 soil. It is said by Dr. Dana, to be this prop- 



of ammonia whicli renders animal manure so 

 lable in neutralizing the acidity of peat and 

 mp muck in compost, and preparing those siib- 

 icos for immediate use ; and it is doubtless this 

 lerty which accounts for the long known, but 

 aplaincd fact, that tillage land, once put in a 

 ily productive state by the application of farm 

 1 manure, and impoverished, is again rendered 

 le with more difficulty than land of the same 



ral quality and equally unproductive, which 

 never been treated with manure. 

 "he roller provides against excessive action and 

 Doration, by closing the pores or interstices in 

 1 measure as to hold in partial duress the mat- 

 beneath, for the more exclusive and more last- 

 benefit of the growing plants, and its efficiency 

 his respect, and in sccurini,' the primal growth 

 lover or grasses for enriching the soil, seem to 

 e little doubt that it is an indispensable imple- 

 it for the profitable cultivation of light lands, 

 :ther exhausted or fresh. Soils sufficiently 

 ipact to give suitable protection and mechani- 

 support to young grasses, do not require roU- 



except to reset grasses or grain thrown out by 

 t, or to give a smooth finish after seeding, which 



be done with good effect on heavy lands, only 

 !n the surface lumps are friable ; and lands free 

 n excess of moisture, and sufficiently porous to 

 lit the roots of plants to extend freely, do not 

 jire under-draining or subsoil-plowing. 

 The effect of compressing the surface of light 

 is, as seen in the grass sward that follows the 

 ding of a seldom used path over an old field, 



hardly have escaped tho notice of any one, 



prenciiting an it frequently docs, a verdant stripi- 

 amid n lifeless waste. 



In di.HCUS8ing thus far, tho subject of " renova- 

 ting exhausted lands," I have, Mr Kdilor, Ptniyed 

 into other fields almost imperceptibly, and have 

 I'con led to say much moro than 1 intended to, or 

 |irrlinps than mny be thought worth a phico in your 

 journal. And lest I should give still further occa- 

 sion for tho use of your "editorial shears," I will 

 omit the detail and result of simio Bmall experi- 

 ments which 1 did intend to give as further cvi- 

 dence in the case, or to illustrate some of the prin- 

 ciples recited. 



Yours, respcctfullv, 



WILLIAM CLARK, Jr. 



.Yorlhampton, March, 184"^. 



VILLAGK FARMING. 



It is all fudge to suppose that a man must live 

 ill the country in order to be a farmer. All expe- 

 rience proves that extensive farming business can 

 be carried on in every village. 



For example, every village farmer can keep a 

 //en-ery supplied with 50 or 100 chickens, which 

 will fat easily on his neighbors' gardens. 



Every man should have at least two cows and 

 other horned cattle. In the summer they will do 

 well in the woods, and in the winter they pick up 

 a very respectable living from the farmers' wagons 

 us they come into town. \Vc have cows among us 

 tlial can climb a ladder, or a ship's rigging. 



Hogs can be easily kept in great abundance, and 

 the more porkish their disposition, the better. 

 They cat up all the filth in the streets, have great 

 regard for the property of their neighborsfand dis- 

 course most eloquent music on c rainy city. We 

 found one in a barrel of flour the other day, but on 

 being reprimanded he ejaculated "ugh!" and took 

 his departure. A sow and sixteen pigs are indis- 

 pensable to every well regulated family. 



We recommend every body to attend to these 

 little matters, and they will soon find that village 

 farming is not only profitable, but interesting and 

 delightful. — Belvidere .Apollo. 



()J=The editor of the Belvidere Apollo is a 

 shrewd one. He sees how the knowing folks man- 

 age. But as his advice omita a few thing.', wo 

 will just hint, that it is profitable to keep a well 

 stocked dove-cot, for in all the spring months the 

 doves will feed without cost upon the neighbors' 

 seed grain, and prevent the plants from coming up 

 too thick. A good largo flock of turkeys, also, 

 will, in the autumn, put themselves in fine ccndi- 

 tion to grace the thanksgiving table, by stuffing 

 themselves in the neighbor's cornfield.^. We will 

 just hint too, that if you turn out your cows or your 

 horse in April, before the bars are put up in the 

 neighborhood, they will find their way into a neigh- 

 bor's field, and pick up half a living. Such little 

 matters arc worth thinking of. 



Washington concludes one of his letters to 

 Arthur Young, in the following beautiful language: 



"The more I am acquainted "with agricultural 

 affairs, the better I am pleased with them ; inso- 

 much that I can nowhere find so great satisfaction 

 as in these innocent and useful pursuits. In in- 

 dulging these feeling.s, I am led to reflect how 

 much more delightful to an undebauched mind, is 

 the task of making improvements on tho earth, than 

 all the vain glory which can be acquired from rav- 

 aging it by tho most uninterrupted career of con- 

 quests." 



Frmn the Maine Cullivilor. 



I'LANTINC; CORN. 

 Mn Kuirnn — Sir — I wi»h to cnmiiiiinicato to 

 the public, through the modium of ymir useful pa- 

 per, a short item in regard to preparing and soak- 

 ing seed corn before planting. Cover the manure 

 three fourth!) of nn inch when put in the hills, no 

 matter whether new or old manure. I have done 

 it for quite a number of years, and find it well re- 

 pays me for my trouble. When dropped upon and 

 well covered, the corn comes up more evenly, and 

 is more likely to come and do well, if it should 

 happen to be very dry. Take 4 oz. saltpetre, and 

 4 cz. copperas to 4 qls. seed — dissolve, soak 24 

 hours before planting, mil roll in plaster. I have 

 tried it, and think it increased my crop ten per 

 cent. I likewise put saltpetre with my blue vit- 

 riol, say 8 oz. of saltpetre and 4 oz. of blue vitriol, 

 to one bushel of wheat before sowing, ond found it 

 to be a great advantage to rny wheat crop. Try 

 it. Perhaps you may hear from me again — if not, 

 you may know I was once a Kennebecker, but now 

 A Down Kasteb. 

 Plymouth, Me., April 2, 1842. 



NEW MODE OF GRAFTING. 



Mr Downing, of Newburg, has lately practiced 

 with success, a new mode of grafting, the object 

 being to test the quality of fruits raised from seeds, 

 in a shorter period than would be possible by per- 

 mitting such seedlings to stand until time of bear- 

 ing. 



The method is, to put the top of a shoot from a 

 seedling tree, or a new variety, when it is desirable 

 to procure a specimen immediately, upon tho top 

 ofathrilty shoot of a middle-aged fruit-bearing 

 tree; tho process being simply to take thrifty 

 shoots, obout a quarter of an inch in diameter, and 

 cut them in a slanting manner clear through, so as 

 to detach about four inches of the top from the 

 rest, making the lino of the angle about un inch — 

 the stock being cut in the same manner. Tho 

 backs are to be then carefully united, and bound 

 with yarn, covering the whole with grafting wax 

 to exclude the air. By this mode, fruit may be ob- 

 tained in (I short time, so as to test its value at an 

 early day, the operation being simple with scarcely 

 a fear of failure. — Selected. 



THE WHEAT CROP. 

 The appearance of wheat in the Western States, 

 and in Genesee county is spoken of as vory fino 

 for this season of the year. The knowledge cf 

 wheat having survived tho winter well, is always 

 considered important in estimating the crop. When 

 it is not winter-killed and comes forth early in the 

 spring, the berry may ordinarily bo expected to 

 fill out before tho summer droughts afl'ect it, and 

 before the fly and the weevil have an opportunity 

 to ravage it. A quick and early growth, is per- 

 haps more important to wheat than to almost any 

 other staple — Selecltd. 



The annual income of the Pope of Rome is said 

 to be $1,500,000, and the priests subject to liia con- 

 trol and ready to do his bidding, are about a million. 



There was a small show of green psas in the 

 Norfolk market on the lOth inst., the first of the 

 season. 



