58 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Ex-Gov. Hill, of New Humpsliire, being called 

 on, addressed the meeting. He said that for sev- 

 eral years he had taken a deep interest in the sub- 

 ject before the meeting. He thought that it was at 

 the bottom of all other improvements. He consid- 

 ered the under layer of soil more valuable than the 

 surface soil. He had been led to this practice 

 from the luvorable effects which he saw from it on 

 the farm of the gentleman wlio had just spoken. He 

 thought that by the application of sub-soiling to our 

 light soils, they would become our most profitable 

 lands. Our whole lands may become as a garden. 

 He thouglit that capital and labor could be as prof- 

 itable invested in farming in this part of the coun- 

 try as in any other place. The poorest soils by 

 deep stirring may be greatly improved. By plough- 

 ing deep and mixing the manure well with the soil, 

 it will do more good. On light soils it generally 

 escapes at the surface from too shallow an applica- 

 tion. Manures do not waste by descent. The soil 

 or sand is generally pure below where the soil has 

 become stirred. 



Mr. Amasa Walker, Secretary of State, said that 

 he purchased a piece of wet land, that did not yield 

 any income. He thorough-drained it by digging 

 drains three and a half to four feet deep, throwing 

 the mud on one side, and the gravel on the other 

 After exposing the mud two or three years to the 

 action of the frost and atmosphere, he hauled it in- 

 to his barn-yard, and it was worth enough to pay 

 for digging the ditches. The gravel was spread 

 over the land with excellent effect. Highland grass- 

 es came in, and he got good crops where he applied 

 no manure, but better where he manured. With a 

 little manuring these lands continued to yield large 

 crops of grasses, which cost him much less than 

 grass rai.^ed on high land. He filled his drains to 

 wilhin one foot of the top, with stones from tlie 

 high land, which were a nuisance there. He then 

 inverted the sods on the stones and filled them up 

 with materials from the ditch, which were left for 

 that purpose. Mr. Walker remarked that when he 

 was travelling in England some years ago, he was 

 astonished at the great variety of ploughs used there. 

 At Ransom's Agricultural House, there were 107 

 kinds of ploughs, and he was informed that 25 was 

 considered an ordinary supply for one farm. But 

 here one plough is often used for all soils, and for 

 all purposes. We do not plough sufficiently. 



Gen. Gushing, of Newbury, read a letter handed 

 to him by an intelligent Scotch agriculturist, on 

 draining, which he read. It was stated that when 

 draining was first introduced into Scotland, the 

 drains were made about one and a half to two feet 

 deep, and about 18 feet apart. After 10,000 miles 

 were laid, it was found that they were not suffi- 

 cient. Then they were made from two and a half 

 to three feet deep, and forty feet apart. This sys- 

 tem cost less, and was more effectual. A great 



depth, with a great distance, was tried, but with 

 unfavorable results. 



The discussion continued on Pase 6G. 



FINS SUFFOLK PIGS. 



We have noticed at the stall No. 28 Faneuil 

 Hall Market, a fine lot of Suffolk pigs, which were 

 raised, fatted, and brought to market by Mr. J. L. 

 Lovering, Hartford, Vt. These pigs, 12 in num- 

 ber, weighed 3,470 lbs. In age they ranged from 

 6 to 14 months, only two were over a year old, and 

 they weighed over 400 lbs. apiece. Some that 

 were 10 months old weighed 300 lbs. 



These pigs were fattened largely on apples. They 

 were also fed on small potatoes, and corn meal. 

 Mr. L. like most other persons who keep the Suf- 

 folk breed of hogs, think that they produce more 

 pork in proportion to the food that they consume, 

 than any other breed. This breed is of a moder- 

 ate or rather small size, compactly built. The 

 head, legs, and tail are very small; and the bones 

 are very small. The flesh is thick on all parts of 

 the body, and the skin so thin that the blood veins 

 appear very prominent through it. 



The smallness of the least valuable or waste 

 parts, is not the only advantage in this deservedly 

 popular race of hogs, for the flesh is very tender, 

 of a fine texture, and remarkal)ly sweet. We con- 

 sider the pork decidedly superior to that of our 

 common breeds. The very peaceable disposition 

 of this breed is no small recommendation. Mr. L. 

 can fill orders for live pigs. 



HOW COAL SHOULD BE CONSUMED. 



Notwithstanding the general use of anthracite 

 coal in families, few persons know exactly how to 

 use it properly. This business is usually entrust- 

 ed to servants, and as their experience has taught 

 them — the more wood the more fire — they throw 

 on the coal on the same principle, expecting the 

 same results. This practice, however, destroys 

 the draught necessary to consume the coal, and the 

 consequence is that the sulphuric gases, instead of 

 being consumed, are dispersed through the rooms 

 of the house, to the injury of health, and frequent- 

 ly the spoiling of the food in the process of cook- 

 ing. No stove should ever contain, on a fair aver- 

 age, a greater layer than four inches of coal — less 

 in a majority of cases will answer. A beautiful 

 red heat is then generated, the coal parts with all 

 its inflammable elements, and deposits its earthy 

 matter in fine particles in the receiver Try the 

 experiment and see the results. Anthracite would 

 be the only fuel used for domestic purposes in ev- 

 ery family, if the proper mode of making a coal 

 fire was more generally understood. — Public Ledg- 

 er. 



Vegetable Perfumes. — The leaves of southron- 

 wood, like those of all other plants having highly 

 scented leaves, will be found, if held up to the 

 light, to be full of transparent dots. These are 

 cells containing the fragrant oil which gives out 

 the perfume. By bruising the leaves these be- 

 come broken and the scent stronger. 



