72 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER, 



Feb. 



ter prepared soils elsewhere, or are carried to the 

 ocean and arc thus lost for a time from the land. 



Let our readers reflect that both the Tegetable 

 and animal productions of the earth's surface are 

 continually decaying, and tliat nothing but the 

 facts we have stated can account for continued 

 fertility. For if the results of decay could filter 

 downward in solution with water, long before this 

 time, the whole amount of organic constituents 

 would have passed below the fertile surface, all our 

 wells would be filled with masses of filth, and both 

 animal and vegetable life would have ceased. The 

 simple facts are, that all organic manures do decay 

 in the earth's surface, and are only lost by rising 

 in the gaseous form, and not by sinking below the 

 toots of plants, and therefore tliey should be plowed 

 under to such a depth that their resultant gases 

 when rising shall meet with a sufficient quantity 

 of alumina or carbon to arrest them. — Journal of 

 Agriculture. 



For the Ifeiv England Farmer. 

 FARMS— BUTTER. 



Friend Browx : — I have been fur three weeks 

 past viewing the Farms amidst the hills and vales 

 "of the old Granite State." It is rather unfavor- 

 able at this time of the year, to decide on the fer- 

 tility of the soils ; yet, there are some indications 

 left, to tell something of the land in this vicinity. 

 There are many good /arms in Hillsboro' country ; 

 having large dairies, the land l)eing adapted fur 

 grazing, and a large number of cows are kept by 

 many farmers, sometimes fifty. There is a great 

 inquiry vp here about the best 7nod8 of churning, 

 and what churn is best adapted for use where large 

 quantities of cream are to be churned. Please an- 

 swer these inquiries, and oblige a large number of 

 your readers. Yesterday while passing from iNIa- 

 son village to this place, I was deeply interested 

 in the scenery through which I passed. Standing 

 on an eminence, at the east of this village, the 

 scenery around me was beautiful and grand. Be- 

 low me a river, winding along in its serpentine 

 course, 



Leaping, and foaming in sportive giee. 



To find its level 

 In the deep blue sea. 



At tlie east, the Peterboro' Mountain lay along, 

 filling up the back ground with its walls of Granite 

 and Mica slate. And at the west, the Monadnoc 

 Mountain reared its massive top amidst the clouds 

 of heaven. How the soul seems to rise, (at such 

 times,) in adoration and praise, to the author of 

 Heaven and earth, that ho has given us power to 

 admire his works. But we shall never be fully sat- 

 isfied until we stand on Mount Zion above, and 

 drink in those pure and unalloyed delights. 



"Where joys like morning dew dislils, 

 And all the air is love " 



Peterboro\ Dec. 11, 1852. j. k. 



Remarks. — The common thermometer churn is 

 the best we have ever used where not more than 

 SO or 40 pounds of butter a week was made. The 

 common dash churn is used in Western New York 

 in some of tlie large dairies, moved by dog or sheep 

 power, and is preferred to any other. The barrel 

 and rocking churn are also used. Some like one 

 and some another kind, best. 



ALKALINE WASHES FOR THE SUR- 

 FACE OF TREES, 



Almost all the alkalies have in turn been used 

 for this purpose. The trunks of trees have been 

 white-washed with lime, and perhaps this is the 

 worst practice which has l)een cesorted to for the 

 destruction of fungi and insects, and although at 

 the time of its application, the lime is caustic and 

 will decompose parasitical plants, this action lasts 

 but for a very short time. The lime becomes con- 

 verted into carbonate of lime, fills the ultimate 

 surfaces of the bark, and prevents the healthy 

 respiration of the tree ; therefore, trees which 

 have been treated with white-wash, while they 

 present an apparently clean surfiice, are not in an 

 entirely healthy state. 



Solutions of potash Vihen saturated, were found 

 occasionally to destroy the tree, and this gave rise 

 to its use in the form of soap, which will adhere 

 for a greater length of time, and was found to be 

 less deleterious. 



One alkali, (soda) however, may be used with 

 impunity, without tlie fear of injuring the bark of 

 any tree ; for, while it causes the rapid decay of 

 the dead portions of the bark, it has no effect upon 

 the living parts. If the body and branches of a 

 tree be wetted with a saturated solution of a good 

 quantity of sal soda, such as we have often de- 

 scribed as Bleacher's No. 1 Soda, it will invariably 

 improve the health of the tree — the inert portions 

 of the bark Avill be softened, and mosses, and oth- 

 er fungi, will be decomposed — the cocoons and 

 ova of insects will be destroyed. During the af- 

 tergrowth of the tree, the decomposed portions of 

 the bark will be thrown off, leaving a clean and 

 healthy surface. No tree can be fruitful, and im- 

 prove in size and figure, unless its bark be perfect- 

 ly clean. 



The application of soda, made by dissolving one 

 pound in a gallon of water, and applied in spring 

 and late summer, will ensure vigor not attainable 

 without such means, and will do away with the 

 necessity of scraping or slitting trees to prevent 

 their becoming hide-bound. Such trees as have 

 smooth barks, may be rubbed with a woolen cloth 

 one week after the application of the soda, and a 

 shiny smooth surface will be produced. 



We have a few trees in which the soda has been 

 applied for three years in succession to the point 

 where the branches commence, and it is now evi- 

 dent that the portion of the tree thus treated is 

 larger and in finer health than the part immedi- 

 ately above it. We first saw this treatment at the 

 seat of Robert Rennie, Esq., Lodi, New Jersey. — 

 Working Farmer. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 A CRACK FROM THE NORTH. 



There is a profit in pork as well as poultry. The 

 undersigned has recently butchered a swine which 

 had brought a litter of pigs this season worth $30. 

 She was, when butchered, six feet in length, sis 

 feet two inches in girth, and weighed with the 

 rougli fat, six hundred and thirty pounds, at 

 eighteen months old. 



If any of my brother farmers in Massachusetts 

 have, or can, beat this, this season, I will try 

 again next. Richard Whittier. 



Grafton, N. H. 



