202 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



city. It is put up in cases at a dollar each. Some- 

 times in tin cans ai 50 cents each. It is a cheap 

 wash, as it is very strong, and is diluted with a 

 large quantity of water. 



Tp wash the bodies of trees, add only a small 

 quantity of water, that it may be very strong. But 

 to kill insects on tiie foliage of trees, use 36 parts 

 of water to 1 of soap; and then it must not be ap- 

 plied in a hot sun, but when the sun is nearly down, 

 or when it is cloudy. 



STEWART'S PATENT STUMP MACHINE. 



In our paper bearing date of February 1st, we 

 gave our readers a representation of this machine. 

 We would again call attention to it, for the pur- 

 pose of describing its operation, which we had the 

 pleasure of witnessing on the 4th inst. 



The machine consists of a beam or lever, thirty 

 feet long, a chain of twelve rods, and shears about 

 sixteen feet in perpendicular height; scissors about 

 six feet in height may sometimes be substituted 

 for these. At five feet from the end of the lever a 

 chain is attached, which, being passed round a 

 stump or rock, forms the fulcrum on which the 

 lever turns. The chain is attached to the other 

 side of the lever at distances from one to five feet 

 from the fulcrum. The weight of the chain is 

 about two thousand pounds; but as it is divided in- 

 to sections of eight or ten feet, it is not diflUcult of 

 transportation, and the weight is of much advan- 

 tage in the operation of the machine. By apply- 

 ing a power of one ton at the long arm of the lever, 

 it may be made to exert a force upon the stump 

 equal to four hundred tons. 



The exhibition which we witnessed was in 

 Fitchburg, upon a field owned by Rev. Mr. Trask, 

 of that place. This field had been covered with a 

 growth of pines, which were cut off three years 

 ago, and the stumps had begun to show but slight 

 signs of decay. At 9 o'clock, A. M., two or three 

 hundred people were present, and many hundreds 

 more must have witnessed the operation during the 

 day. Among these were many practical farmers 

 and mechanics, who manifested much interest in 

 the exliibition, and perfect satisfaction as to the 

 result. 



During the two hours we were present, we saw 

 about thirty stumps pulled, varying from one to 

 two and a half feet in diameter, and having roots 

 extending in some instances over a circle of twen- 

 ty-five or thirty feet. By using the shears the 

 largest stumps were drawn out in four or five min- 

 utes, and simply by means of the lever, five smaller 

 ones were removed in less than ten minutes. It 

 was not necessary to move the machine to effect 

 this, since nearly three acres can be cleared with 

 it in the same position. Three or four stumps can 

 be pulled at once when near each other, with near- 

 ly as much ease as one; and to remove one Innulred 



from a field would be no more than a day's work 

 for three men and a pair of horses or oxen. 



These machines are manufactured by Messrs. 

 Willis & Kilburn, of Orange, Mass., at a cost of 

 about three hundred dollars, including the right of 

 use in two or three towns. 



The ease, regularity and quickness with which 

 this machine performs its work, must recommend it 

 to the consideration of all who have such work to 

 be done; and as the cost is not great, there should 

 be at least one in every neighborhood. It needs 

 only to be seen to have its utility duly estimated, 

 and it will at once supercede the old method of 

 digging out the stumps, at a greater expense, and 

 a useless sacrifice of time; 



We hope other agricultural papers, particularly 

 those at a distance, will notice this machine, and 

 the manner of its operation, and thus aid in giving 

 it that extensive popularity which it deserves. 



CORN FOR FODDER. 



There is no plant cultivated in this country that 

 yields so large a crop of excellent green and dry 

 food for stock as Indian corn. It also affords the 

 advantages of rapid growth and easy culture. As 

 a substitute for pasturing, it is one of the very 

 best, being almost equal to luxuriant grass, and 

 far superior to scanty herbage, which is frequent- 

 ly all that cattle can obtain, in time of drought, 

 which often occurs late in summer and early fall. 

 When corn is grown of a suitable size, and well 

 cured, it is equal to good hay for winter food. 



In the older parts of the country, particularly 

 among milkmen around cities and large towns, 

 corn for fodder has been considerably cultivated 

 for several years; and they know the value of it 

 well. But in the interior, farmers have paid less 

 attention to the subject, and in consequence, in 

 time of drought, late in the season, they often have 

 to feed their cattle from tlie barn to supply the de- 

 ficiency of pasturage; and in this way they reduce 

 their winter supply for fodder, which is already 

 sufficiently small. 



It is yet in season to plant coin for late green 

 crops, or of dry fodder. If the land be rather 

 coarse and rough, harrow frequently, until the soil 

 becomes a fine tilth, manure well and mix the ma- 

 nure intimately with the soil. Wood ashes is an 

 excellent manure in part. Sow pretty thick in 

 rather broad drills about three feet apart, and when 

 the plants are sufficiently large, run the cultivator 

 between the drills', and give a light dressing with 

 a hoe. No more cultivation will be needed, as the 

 plants will soon shade the land and keep down the 

 weeds. Will farmers who have never tried the 

 value of fodder corn, make an experiment on a 

 small scale? 



When the heart is pure, there is hardly any- 

 thing which can mislead the understanding in mat- 

 ters of innaedialc [)':rsoniil conoprnnient. 



