58 



THE GENESEE FARMER 



Feb.'26, 183i 



a slick in different places: yet after a few 

 weeks it ro ted, and flowered in autumn. — 

 On the contrary, I have never succeeded with 

 one of those cuttings from which I removed 

 the large leaves. 



FOR THE GENESEE FARMER. 



GREEN-HOUSE PLANTS. 



The unusually cold weather of the present 

 season has proved seriously injurious to many 

 areen louse plants, as few buildings, not par- 

 ticularly prepared for the purpose, are proof 

 a"ainst cold, so long continued ; and it is not 

 unfrequently the case, that plants become fee- 

 ble for want of experience in their managers, 

 and consequently perish by a slight frost, which 

 they would havq resisted, had their vital action 

 been healthy. Light, Heat and Air, are indis 

 pensahle to the healthy growth of plants; but 

 as these cannot b« supplied in the cold season, 

 with sufficient regularity, it is advisable, at 

 this time that while we guard against frost, 

 we also avoid that degree of heat that would 

 eau-c tender plants to form n.'w shoots ; for 

 they may be kept in a state perfectly healthy, 

 for a considerable length nf time, without 

 growing; and such is the constitution of most 

 plants, tnat their growths are periodical, re- 

 quiring intervals of rest. 



When the heat is such as to promote vege- 

 tation, where a sufficient quantity of light and 

 air cannot be furnished, planis will always 

 send up slender and long jointed shoots, of a 

 palo and sickly hue, tending to exhaust the 

 root, to unfit the whole plant for the functions 

 of a healthy vegetation, and to expose it to 

 every casualty. To prevent these evils, ex- 

 pose your plants to as much light and air as 

 you can, without danger of frost, and avoid a 

 redundancy of water. If the eartl) appears 

 dry on the surface, some suppose water is im- 

 mediately necessary, but this is not always 

 the case. If on removing a little of the sur- 

 face you find the earth moist, that is, sufficient 

 for this season of the year, and when water is 

 needed, supply it in small quantities, until tin 

 winter is so far passed that you may reasona- 

 bly expect to supply the necssnry light, heat, 

 and air, when you may water alillle more free 

 !y; always observing that aloes and all succu- 

 lent plants require less water than others; 



When plants are slightly frozen, they may| 

 generally be preserved with but little injury, 

 by raising their temperature gradually, with 

 cold water This may be done by setting the 

 pot in a tub, and sprinkling it freely with a wa- 

 tering pot ; or if the plant be small it may be 

 entirely immersed until the leaves are soften 

 ed. I succeeded last winter in saving some 

 of the tenderest geraniums, although repeat- 

 edly frozen ; and a hearing orange tree bed 

 the surface of the earth in I lie pot, frozen hard 

 for several days, yet some of the fruit, which 

 was then about half grown, remained on; it 

 has since ripnned, and proved good. S. C. 

 Linden Hill, 2rt mo. 



He took much pains with his flock of sheep, 

 so that previous to the merino speculation, he 

 had become famous abroad for his particular 

 breed of sheep, which was generalb' reported 

 he brought from England with him, as he came 

 from that country. Farmers would come Irom 

 fifty loan hundred miles to purchase the Tone- 

 clitfe breed of sheep, for which they would 

 pay from live to fifteen dollars, and go home 

 well satisfied. 



This gentleman, finding the rage r or his 

 breed of sheep, was willing to keep their his- 

 tory out of sight; not that he wished to de- 

 ceive any one, by telling them what was noi 

 true ; but perhaps he did not choose to tell 

 more than was inquired for. to his own disad- 

 vantage. This rage, for this particular breed 

 of sheep, was quite considerable, and brought 

 many an honest dollar to the family. A friend 

 of mine happened to be conversing wilh him 

 as to his breed of English sheep, he replied, 

 '• that his sheep were no more English than 

 his neighbour's, for they were sheep that he 

 procured in that part of the country." Thi- 

 rather surprised my friend, who had been led, 

 from their size and shape, to consider them as a 

 distinct breed : " but," continued ho, "lean 

 tell you where the difference has originated ; 

 when tiie butchers or drovers come to pur 

 chase sheep of you, you allow thotn to select, 

 but when they come to purchase of me, I se- 

 lect for them." 



I hafc every reason to believe that this fine 

 flock of aheep was brought to that desirable 

 perfection by a course of breeding in and in. 

 and tliat too in the course of twelve or fifteen 

 years. What encouragement to young farm- 

 ers, to begin early to improve their stock; and 

 should this communication induce any one to 

 commence a similar experiment, either with 

 cattle, sheep or hogs, it will have answered 

 the purpose for which it was intended, by 



Yours, &c. T. P. 



I was led to these reflections, by hearing a 

 prediction that the cold will be so intense to- 

 morrow, during the eclipse, that many people 

 will perish. It is mortifying to him who feels 

 any pride in his countrymen, to know that a 

 fablo so ridiculous, should gain a moment's se- 

 rious attention ; or that well-dressed people; 

 in genteel companies should indirectly avow 

 their belief, by asking, " Would it not be very 

 strange, if it should so happen? Don't you 

 think it would he very remarkable I" I think 

 it would be very remarkable, if such folks be- 

 lieve in the diurnal motion of the earth ; o: 

 know why the sun stiajs off so far to the 

 south in winter. Q. 



Feb. II. 



FOR THE CNNESEE FARMER. 



Messrs. Editurs — To your corresponded 

 R. K.'s inquiry, whether from the appearance 

 of a green dye in one ease, and a dark blue 

 precipitate in another, whieh he supposes were 

 produced from an extract from green hemlock 

 boughs, immersed in water, in making new 

 roads, there could not be indigo contained, as 

 the appearance was analagous to that article, 

 I would answer — lhat the hemlock is known 

 to contain a large quantity of tannin, and con- 

 siderable of the Gallic acid, or astringent prin- 

 ciple, which if the water, as it frequently does 

 in particular soils, contains any iron in solu- 

 tion, the same appearance would be induced 

 as ho describes ; and it is most likely attribu 

 table to lhat cause, as from the familiarity ot 

 that article with almost every one, if it con- 

 tained as important a principle as the constitu- 

 ents of indigo. I hink something of the kind 

 would have been discovered before. Y.* 



SELECTION^. 



for the cenesee farmer. 

 CURE FOR SALT RHEUM. 



A few weeks ago, a member of my family 

 had salt rheum on the hands, of more than 9 

 months continuance ; and latterly it formed a 

 spot of an inch diameter, on the face. This 

 disease is well known to subtract largely from 

 personal comfort. 



A case was mentioned of a neighbor, whom 

 suit rheum had nearly covered. She was told 

 to take nitric acid, (aqua fortis) and vinegar in 

 equal portions, and apply a drop or two at a 

 lime, to the skin. She hesitated, and consul 

 ted the family physician. He said it would 

 kill her. However, she determined to try it — 

 applied a little with a feather to one spot — 

 bore the smart — and after an interval, applied 

 it to another soot. She became entirely well, 

 and well she has continued. 



This account encouraged our inmate also 

 to make atrial. The nitric acid and vine 



FOR THE GENESEE FARMER. 



SHEEP. 



Otsego, Feb. 7, 1831. 

 There has always been much said in all ag- 

 ricultural publications, respecting the differ- 

 ent breeds of cattle, sheep and hogs, insomuch 

 that some are almost led to believe, 'hat unless 

 they are fortunate enough to procure some of 

 the favored breeds, they may as well give up 

 raising stock, as to be troubled with it. Now 

 Messrs Editors, 1 consider this all fudge. I 

 have noticed that those farmers who pay most 

 attention to feeding their stock, become cele- 

 brated for their choice breeds. Suffer me, 

 therefore, to givo you a history of an instance 

 of this kind : 



During the early settlement of this county, 

 a family by the name of Tonecliffcame to re- 

 side in this county. The man had considera- 

 ble taste, us to farming operations, was some- 

 thing of an horticulturist, and introduced ma- 

 ny valuable kinds of fruits among us — as the 

 greengage plum, and several other varieties. 



gar was applied, with the end of the finger. 



In four or Jive weeks there was not a trace of salt 



rheum remaining, and nothing unfavorable toll to put walnut leaves enough, that the water may 



'Selected for the Uentsee Farmer, by D. T. 

 From Lawrence's Gardening, printed in 1717. 



Because both grass and gravel walks are so 

 much the ornament and beauty of a garden, 

 and do afford so considerable a pleasure to a 

 thoughtful, contemplative person, I cannot but 

 here insert a speedy effectual method if destroy- 

 ing worms, those filty annoyers and spoilers of 

 the beauty of all walks. 



At any time iu autumn, fill a cistern, or any- 

 large trough, wilh water, putting thereinto a 

 large quantity ol walnui leaves, where lei 

 them steep at least a fortnight or three weeks ; 

 in which time the water will have received 

 such a bitterness, lhat if you pour genilv a 

 small quantity of it on such places as are most 

 annoyed with worms: by thai lime the water 

 can be supposed to re ich them, you will find 

 the worms hurrying in great confusion out of 

 their hulcs. so as to crawl in great plentv un- 

 der your feet, upon the ground, when they may- 

 be gathered up and thrown away. They may 

 indeed bo taken by a candle and lantern in a 

 summer's evening, after rain ; but this may be 

 practiced at am tune in the day, with pleasure, 

 and it will certainly destroy them, if it be but 

 carefully practiced, and repeated ; only be sure 



health has been observed. 



FOR THE GENESEE FARMER. 



THE ECLIPSE. 



No achievement of science is so likely to 

 appear supernatural to an illiterate savage as 

 the fore-knowledge of Eclipses. It is ono of 

 the last pretensions lhat would be allowed, 

 without occular demonstration, or a knowledge 

 of Astronomy; yet occular demonstration has 

 been so often repeated, that neither man, wo- 

 man, nor child stands in doubt when an eclipse 

 is predicted. Ignorant of the principles, how- 

 ever, by which those results arc obtained, the 

 populace credit the astronumer for a knowl- 

 edge of the weather, as well as of the stars. — 

 And why not ? ought he not to bo belter ac- 

 quainted with the movements of the clouds 

 which are so near us, than with the motion of 

 the planets 1 If he can foretell eclipses, why 

 Can t he foretell the wuuther ' v 



be very bitter, otherwise it will do no good. 



VILLAGE GARDENS. 



Selected for the Genesee Farmer, by D. T. 



From Sir Jolnl Sinclair's Code of Agriculture. 

 Round many villages nnd small towns, garden* 

 of moderate size are numerous and productive. 

 It i;. a fortunate circamstanci , ichen manvfactv 

 rers and mechanics taken delight in them : since 

 their health is promoted by the exercise in ihl 

 open air, fop which an opportunity is thus af- 

 forded ; while at the same time, any tendency 

 to immorality is greatly checked by an agreea- 

 ble anil useful means of occupation. The vil- 

 lage gurden is frequently the retreat of the oc- 

 cupier, in the summer evenings, after the la- 

 hours of the day. where he agreeably employs 

 himself, in watching over the progress of his 

 crops, and the success of his exertions. 



In those manufacturing villages, or small 

 towns, where cv number of inhabitants havi 



