342 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



main in tcinrow till toward night of the first day 

 after mowing, and then ^?7c/»'«^'- it into small cocks 

 of eighty or a hundred pounds each, (green hay,) 

 and raking up the scatterings afterward, with a 

 hand lake. 



In this condition it should be allowed lo remain 

 for five or six days, if the weather be fair, and be- 

 fore getting in, it may be turned up — simply re- 

 versing the cocks, the bottoms of which will gen- 

 erally be a little moist in consequence of absorption 

 of water from the ground. By permitting sorrel 

 to stand til! the seed ripens, the value of the crop 

 {or hay will be materially diminished, as the seed 

 will be shattered out in cutting and conveying to 

 the barn. When ground, sorrel seed makes a meal 

 highly valuable as a feed for hogs, &c. — A New 

 Englander. — Near Claremont, N. H., July 2, 

 185 1 . — Gcrmaniown Telegraph. 



MULCHING— A NEV/ METHOD. 



Mr. Editor: — I dislike straw for "mulching," 

 and would recommend a substitute. My method is 

 the following. I make a square frame of boards 

 by nailing together four strips four feet long and 

 six inches wide at the corners. This I place around 

 the tree, and fill it to the top with leaves. A 

 slight sprinkling of soil serves to keep the contents 

 in statu quo, and the box has a neat and tasty ap- 

 pearance, especially where the trees are in fre- 

 quented places. The boxes cost but a mere trifle, 

 as any one who can use a handsaw and hammer 

 can construct them, and besides, there is no incon- 

 venience experienced from the scattering and blow- 

 ing about of straw. — Secor. — Roxborough, May 

 21, 1851. — Germantown Telegraph. 



illctliamcy' Dtpartninit, 3>'cV:\ Ki. 



AMERICAN MECHANISM A.T THE 



WORLD'S FAIR. 



The London Chronicle remarks that, although 

 the number of articles sent from the United States 

 to the Exhibition is neitiier what was expected of 

 them, nor, we believe, does it adequately represent 

 their capabilities ; there are, nevertheless, many 

 things in their collection which may be examined 

 with interest and profit, and which do credit to 

 their industry, ingenuity and skill. 



"Foremost among the articles displayed in this 

 division of the Exhibition are a coach, three or 

 four wagons, a "buggy," technically so called, and 

 a trotting "sulky." We call these "foremost," 

 because, both by the prominent place they occupy, 

 and on account of the real merit of the vehicles 

 themselves, they are really so. The coach — styled 

 by the exhibitor a "carriola" — is a very creditable 

 piece of of workmanship. It is of good design, ap- 

 parently well built, and is finished with great re- 

 gard to good taste. There is nothing of the gew- 

 gaw style about it. The color, decorations, mount- 

 ings, finish, ornaments, are all rich and neat. It 

 sweeps gracefully over its curve, as a coach ought 

 to sweep. The carvings on it are admirably well 

 executed, and for symmetry and good keeping in 

 every part, from the step of the footman to the 

 board of the driver, it deserves high commendation. 

 The wheels are much lighter than in carriages of 

 a similar kind in England. This is claimed as a 



decided improvement. Certainly the appearance 

 of the vehicle is improved by the absence of that 

 bulkiness which gives a lumbering aspect to many 

 an English carriage; and if the roads of our trans- 

 atlantic brethren are not too rough to deal fairly 

 with such wheels, we know not why they should 

 be considered unsafe upon our English turnpikes. 



"The other vehicles exhibited are respectively 

 entitled a York wagon, a Prince Albert wagon, a 

 slide top buggy and a trotting sulky. The chief 

 characteristic of all these is their extreme lightness 

 of weight, when compared with their size. They 

 are richly finished within and without, and beauti- 

 fully carved ; they are upholstered with exceeding 

 taste, made with a constant regard to the comfort 

 of the rider, and exhibit very considerable artistic 

 merit in their design. 



"There are several sets of harness, both single 

 and double, among the articles exhibited, which 

 deserve notice. One is a r-ich and elegant speci- 

 men of manufacture. It is made of leather of the 

 best quality, and of solid silver, with graceful and 

 appropriate designs. In this, as in all other har- 

 ness shown, there is a remarkable lightness and 

 airiness, and an obvious endeavor to do away with 

 all superabundance of weight. 



"On a bay, in the main aisle, on the south side 

 of the building, are two chandeliers and several 

 lamps, from a manufactory in Philadelphia. The 

 great use of oil in the United States has led to 

 many improvements in lamps — especially in those 

 on the solar principle, as it is called, (where in- 

 creased draught is made to bear upon the combus- 

 tion,) which are unknown among us. Unpretend- 

 ing as these lamps appear, it is stated that they 

 will give an amount of light greater by one-half 

 than any other in use. The chandeliers hanging 

 above them are graceful specimens of workman- 

 ship, designed in good taste, and showing a crystal 

 purity of glass. The casting is remarkable for 

 its fineness, sharpness and uniformity. The branch- 

 es, formed by arabesque scrolls, profusely orna- 

 mented with birds and flowers, delicately sculp- 

 tured or in bold relief, with centers of richly cut 

 glass, claim particular attention for their elegance 

 and lightness of design. This is among the young- 

 est branches of manufacture in the United States, 

 it being scarcely fifteen years since every chande- 

 lier, girandole, mantel lamp and candelabra used 

 in that country was imported from Europe; and it 

 argues considerable enterprise and perseverance on 

 the part of the manufacturers, that they have at- 

 tained so much excellence as to be willing to vie 

 in the Exhibition with the oldest and most celebra- 

 ted houses in the world. 



"In piano-fortes, there is a show highly credita- 

 ble to the manufacture of musical instruments in 

 the United States. There is a seven-octave grand 

 piano forte ; a semi grand, and other instruments 

 of less pretension but of much merit. There are 

 two from a manufactory of Philadelphia, in neat 

 and very unpretending cases, which combine all 

 the best qualities of the highest rank of pianos. In 

 breadth, freedom, and evenness of tone; in prompt- 

 ness and elasticity of action ; and in a combination 

 of everything that is rich and sweet in this descrip- 

 tion of instrument, they claim to be unsurpassed. 



"There are shawls of beautiful color, and a high 

 perfection of manufacture ; white cotton goods, 

 which, in bleaching, finishing and putting up, ap- 

 pear equal to Manchester products ; some very 



