NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



213 



If we rightly remember, as early as 1790-5, 

 was the attention of Jefierson and Pickerino- directed 

 to the formation of the mould-board of the ploii(jli,on 

 scientific principles. They thought much and com- 

 pared their views. Which originated most im- 

 provement we will not presume to say. Their ob- 

 ject was not so much to secure patents, as to secure 

 improvements. The result was the publication of 

 a new form of structure, with an explanation of 

 the principle of operation. In 1803, Mr. Smith, of 

 Pennsylvania, substituted the casl iron for the 

 ivooden mould-board. Since then a very great va- 

 riety of modifications and combinations, (too nu- 

 merous to mention,) some founded on principles tan- 

 gible, and others on principles imaginary, have been 

 brought forward. But if we do not mistake, near- 

 ly all that is valuable in these improvements was 

 embraced in the contemplations of these original 

 minds. By so doing, they literally converted the 

 weapons they had so successfully wielded into 

 ploughshares — benefiting the world more than any 

 victories at arms. 



Col. Pickering's mind was so disciplined to ac- 

 curacy of thought and logical conclusions, that he 

 could not endure with patience the ill-founded no- 

 tions and whims that frequently have a pervading 

 influence on many minds in the community. Illus- 

 trative of this, we remember an incident that oc- 

 curred at one of the meetings of the board of trus- 

 tees, over which he presided. One of the members 

 of the board, a practical farmer possessed of more 

 acres than ideas, had been discoursing, with more 

 ardor than discrimination, vpon the proper age of 

 the moon, in which bushes should be inoion, that they 

 might not spread again; and had specified a cer- 

 tain day oi Xhe first or last quarter, (we do not re- 

 member which,) in the month of August, provided 

 the moon should be in the right sign, with her 

 horns in right position, &c., &c. The speaker 

 having triumphantly put forth his theory, confirmed 

 by observations for a time the memory of man run- 

 neth not to the contrary, calmly waited for others 

 to say amen! "My friends," says the Colonel, 

 "I hope never again to hear from you, or any other 

 member of this board, anything whatever of the 

 influence of the moon, upon any of the operations 

 in agriculture. I should as soon think of calling in 

 the aid of^the Man in the Moon,' to assist in the la- 

 bors of the field — be they chopping, ploughing, sow- 

 ing, mowing, hoeing, harvesting, or whatever they 

 may be, as to expect any favorable or unfavorable 

 influences, from the age or position of the moon. 

 Let me tell you, that old man, pictured in the 

 Farmer's Almanac, surrounded with the twelve 

 signs, and as many jaw cracking names, and 

 pierced by as many arrows, has done more harm 

 than all the meteorological prognostications of the 

 most weather-wise calculators have ever done good. 

 I want such rules only, for labor, in the operations 

 on the farm, as are supported by reason, and are in 

 harmony with common sense." It is unnecessary 

 to say that the gentleman's argument was never 

 again urged in the presence of the president. 



at 9 and 3 inches were of equal quantity and those 

 at 6 inches, much the most numerous and largest. 

 The deeper the potatoes were planted, the 7nore 

 mealy and finer was the quality. — N. Y. Transac- 

 tions. 



WILD FLOWERS. 



How beautiful is the exquisite native grace of 

 the flowers, seen in all their habits and positions! 

 They know nothing of vanity, its trivial toils and 

 triumphs! In unconscious, spontaneous beauty, 

 they live their joy-giving lives, and yet how all but 

 impossible to man to add to their perfection in a 

 single point ! In their habits of growth, the innate 

 grace may be particularly observed; there is a uni- 

 ty, a fitness, in the individual character of each 

 plant to be traced most closely, not only in form, 

 or leaf, and stem, but also in the position it choos- 

 es, and all the various accessaries of its brief ex- 

 istence. It is this that gives to the field and wood 

 flowers a charm beyond those of the garden. Pass 

 through the richest and most brilliant paterre in 

 the country, with every advantage which labor, ex- 

 pense, science and thought can bestow, and you will 

 find there no one plant that is not shorn of some 

 portion of its native grace, a penalty which it pays 

 for the honors of culture. They are richer per- 

 haps, more gorgeous, the effect of the whole is 

 more striking, but singly, they are not so wholly 

 beautiful. Go out in the months of May and 

 June into the nearest fields and groves, and you 

 shall see there a thousand sweet plants, sowed by 

 the gracious hand of Providence, blooming amid 

 the common grass, in crevices of rude locks, be- 

 side the trickling springs, upon rough and shaggy 

 banks, with a freedom and simple modest grace 

 which must be the despair of gardeners, since 

 quite inimitable by art, with all its cunning. 



THE WHEAT CROP OF OHIO. 



The Cincinnati Nonpariel says: "It is estimated 

 upon a careful examination of the matter, that the 

 wheal crop of Ohio, for the year 1850, will amount 

 to about thirty millions of bushels. The population 

 of Ohio is 1,981,040. Each inhabitant will con- 

 sume one barrel of flour, or four and a half bushels 

 of wheat. It will require 8,918,730 bushels to 

 feed its own population, and leave for sale 21,081,- 

 270. When wheat commands 75 cents in the Lake 

 ports, it netts the farmer 05 cents; the other 10 

 cents is paid for transportation and commission. 

 The surplus wheat will put into the pockets of its 

 farmers $13,702,825, and to the State $15,810,- 

 952. There had been sold, ])revious to the first of 

 January 1851, 4,442,571 bushels, which with the 

 full amount required to feed its population, 8,929,- 

 736 bushels, left on hand at that time for sale IC,- 

 638,997 bushels. The surplus wheat and corn 

 crops of Ohio of the last year are sufficient to re- 

 deem every dollar of her State indebtedness." 



Potatoes. — Experiments as to proper depth to 

 plant — Mr. John Thompson, made an experiment 

 to ascertain the best depth at which potatoes should 

 be planted. The seed was planted in trenched 

 ground at depth of 3, 6, 9, and 12 inches. Those 

 produced at 12 inches were few and small; those 



Ashes to Phevent Bad Odors. — Wood coal, 

 or half burnt peat, or ashes thrown occasionally 

 into privies, destroys the bad smell, and renders 

 them susceptil)lo of being cleaned out and used as 

 a manure (and none more valuable can be obtained) 

 without being attended with any disagreeable 

 smell — and producing a benefit to hoaltii, and com- 

 fort and wealth of community. 



