48 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



growth of that and other grasses tried is very much 

 impeik^d hy crop gruss, which t'prings up in May 

 and June, very soon after land is hrouglit into cul- 

 tivation, and covers all the soil which has been re- 

 cently ploughed, making constant labor necessary in 

 the corn and cotton crops, and out-growing and 

 smothering the young tame grass ; after w heat and 

 oats are cut it comes up, where not checked by 

 weeds, and makes a dense growth, from ono to three 

 feet high, and making, when cut, 5 to 30 luuidred 

 pounds of good hay; it dies with frost, and at times 

 declines before that, having come to maturity. An- 

 other draw-back to the tame grasses is the dew ber- 

 ry vines, and a very coarse grass, the broom-sedge 

 or broome-straw which u-iU grow evei-yv^here, and 

 overshade and outgi-ow and suiother and poison in 

 a year or two, every pasture I have seen attempted. 



Our population is hardy, but being able to get a 

 support easily, not apt to overwork themselves; la- 

 bor readily obtained at 50 cents per day, or when 

 employed by the year and a house found, $10 per 

 month', in both cases finding themselves; the num- 

 ber of slaves small. 



The example of a few good farmers, who would 

 show us a little Yankee tact and thrift, would do 

 much to introduce b:^tter and more profitable firm- 

 ing among us. 



If the forgCfing is areni)table. Mr. Editor, I may 

 at some other time say soraetliing of our climate., 

 seasons, fruit &c. 



A. S., of Oak-wood Farm. 



RosweU, Cobb Co., Georgia, Jan. 2, 1851. 



Remarks.— The preceding article will be inter- 

 esting, as it shows what farmers arc doing in oth- 

 er parts of the world; but the reader will be as- 

 tonished at the low price of labor, and he will nat- 

 urally be lead to inquire wliat makes the vast difler- 

 ence in the price of labor in New England and 

 Georgia. It would be supposed that the cheapness 

 of lands, and their fertility at the South, would en- 

 able the planter or farmer to pay good wages for 

 labor, — Ed. 



For the Ifetv K-nglar.d Farnitr. 



CEMENTING OEI.LARS. 



ll is getting to be quite a common thing for those 

 who are troubled wit'n wet cellars to have the bot- 

 toms cemented; many, too, wliose cellars are dry, 

 are doing the same. It is, too, a grand improve- 

 ment. By having a cellar bottom cemented, and 

 the cement evenly laid on, it is equal to having a 

 btoue bottom, with an entire Hat surface. Those 

 who are troubled witli rats and mice in their cel- 

 lars, can easily get rid of them by this means. Peo- 

 ple being near water are often annoyed with wiiarf 

 rats, which are far more troublesome than the com- 

 mon rat. But there are other nice things about ce- 

 ujenting cellar bottoms. They can always be kept 

 clean with very little trouble, and there is no dirt 

 to be carried up stairs on one's feet. Cellai's fitted 

 in this way are fine for keeping milk ; every thing 

 in the dairy line may be kept in nice order. But 

 i'l regard to wet cellars, every one who is troubled 

 in this way, knows very well tiiat a cellar which 

 i.as water in it six months out of twelve is of but lit- 

 tle value, to say nothing of tiic injury done to the 

 lower part of the housj, by the dampness from the 

 cellar. Now it seems to me that th.is may be pre- 



vented. I cannot bring proof positive, however, 

 from my own experience as yet, although I have 

 heen trying the experiment in a cellar dug a year 

 and a half ago. After completing the digging of 

 the cellar, I dug down some fifteen or twenty inches 

 and found water. During the summer the water 

 kept about the same depth, but as soon as tlie fall 

 rains commenced, the water raised and flowed in- 

 to my cellar^ and so remained through the winter 

 and spring, varying from four to eight inches deep, 

 Tliere being no chance for a drain, T resolved on 

 cementing the bottom and sides of the walls. In 

 the first place I paved the Iwttoin w ith small round 

 stones, and then filled the crevices with fine gravel. 

 This done the surface was awopt over, and two 

 coats of cement put on the sides of the wall. Now 

 it istrikes me that this will 1h; a preventive, as this* 

 cement after it becomes hard seems to take the na- 

 ture of stone; it becomes more solid and impervious 

 in a damp place than in a dn'. There is one thing 

 connected with this matter, about which I wish for 

 information. Not wishing to be deprived of the 

 spring in my cellar, I stoned it up and fitted a sort 

 of cistern, raised from twelve to fifteen inches above 

 tlie lx>ttom of the cellar. I have };;-en told that in 

 case of pre.ssuie, the water will be forced up this 

 cistern alx^ve its level, and run over into the cellar. 

 Now the question is. will the water in this cistera 

 t ise above its level ? 



Smitbficld, R. L 



A . ToDi>- 



TO FRS SERVE HAMS THROUGH THS 

 SUMRIER. 



jMessks. Editors: — As the time of year is ai 

 hand {o\ good house-keepers to put away their 

 hams for summer and fall use, and as 1 hoar so 

 much about hams not keeping through the summer^ 

 I have thought it best to send you my method of 

 taking care of them; and those of your subscribers 

 who will try it as it ihould be tried, may write me 

 if it fail, and I will pay the postage. 



Make a number of cotton bags, a little larger 

 than your hams; after the hams are well smoked, 

 place them in the bags; then gel the very best kind 

 of sweet, well made hay, cut it with a cutting-box 

 or knife, and with your hands press it well around 

 the hams in the bags: tie your bags with good 

 strings, put on a card the year, to show their age. 

 and hang them up in your garret or some dry room; 

 and my word lor it, if you let them hang for five 

 years, they will be better for boiling than on the 

 day you put them up. I have kept them seven 

 years, and have some now that are four years old. 

 This method costs but little, as the bags will last 

 for years. Tlie only loss is the h.ay, and that the 

 cattle will eat if given to them in the winter. No 

 flies or bugs will trouble the hams if the hay is 

 well pres.sed around them, the swotting of the 

 hams will be taken up by the hay, and the hay will 

 impart a fine flavor to the hams. — W. T Cuyles. 

 —CuylfrvUk, N. Y., March, 1850. 



Genesee Fimncr. 



M'uTTON Broth. — Put into a two-quart saucepan 

 one pound of mutton chops, cleared from fat, one 

 onion, half a dozen corns of black pepper, and three 

 pints of cold water; let it warm gradually, when it 

 boils, skim it, cover the pan close and set it over a 

 gentle fire till the chDjs are cooked, which will be 

 (if the meat is not too iresh,) in three-quarters of 

 an hour. 



