1853. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



93 



forcing the air out of the body, they can dart down 

 from the gnnitest heights with astonishing velocity. 

 No doubt the same luachiuci-y forms the basis of 

 their vocal power, and at once resolves the mys- 

 tery. 



BULL RINGS. 



ly unnecessary, and causes a waste of the nitro- 

 genous parts of the bone. A much better plan is 

 to throw them into dilute sulphuric acid, and af- 

 ter a week draw off the super-phospliate of lime 

 formed by the solution of {tart of the bones in the 

 sulphuric acid, and break the bones — they are ea- 

 sily broken after such treatment, and may then 

 be returned to the dilate sulphuric acid for furth- 

 er solution. We name this for the use of those 

 who are too lar from the large markets to procure 

 phosphate of lime in any other form than as whole 

 bones ; but when the native apatite of Dover, 

 N. J., or Crown Point, Lake Champlain, or the re- 

 fuse bone-black of tlie sugar refiners can be pro- 

 cured and treated with sulphuric acid, its cost will 

 probably be less than that of collecting bones, ex- 

 cept in the vicinity of slaughter houses. — Ibid. 



"Put not your trust in princes," is good sound 

 doctrine, and we wish to add, as somewhat more 

 in our line, — nor in bulls. These animals may be 

 docile and manageable for years, and then sud- 

 denly become dangerous, and destroy limb and 

 life. A farmer in S. had a fine animal, which he 

 had been in the habit of fondling in the pasture, 

 and who never had shown any vicious propensi- 

 ties ; but upon neglecting these attentions, one 

 day, the bull suddenly turned upon and wounded 

 him so that he lived but a short time. They 

 should never be trusted. The insertion of a ring 

 in the nose is not a cruel process when properly 

 done, — not as much so as the heathenish practice 

 of boring the ears of children. With a suitable 

 punch, a little larger than the ring to be inserted, 

 the cartilage of the nose may be perforated at a 

 single blow, with very little pain. The ring may 

 then be put in place and screwed together, and 

 the wound will soon heal over. In this manner 

 the most fractious animal may be managed with 

 too much troulile. 



Manuring FRutx Trees. — ^lany fruit trees which 

 have been considered valueless, may l)e recovered 

 by being manured in fall and winter ; and during 

 warm days wlien the surflice of the soil is not 

 frozen, even stimulating manures may be applied, 

 with impunity and covered with earth. Thus Pe- 

 ruvian guano, now applied, will be so divided 

 through the sjil by spring, as not to injure the 

 young spongioles from the roots when they re- 

 sume growth ; whereas, if ap[ilied after the spring 

 growth commences, tlie spongioles would be in- 

 jured. Lime, ashes, and other manures appro- 

 priate to different soils and trees, may be applied 

 in a similar manner. 



Peach trees should be laid bare to the top of 

 the roots at this season, and the crops of the next 

 year will be materially increased, while the frosts 

 destroy the ova of insects resident in the surface 

 soil. — Workinir Farmer. 



Burning Bones. — We see some of our cotem- 

 poraries are recommeding the burning of bones to 

 render them easily reducible, by breaking before 

 dissolving them in sulphuric acid. This is^entire- 



For the New England Farmer. 



ANALYSIS OF SOILS. 



Mr. Editor : — A few days since, a young gen- 

 tleman, son of a substantial farmer of tins place, 

 called on me to inquire, where he could go to learn 

 how to analyze soils, and to witness practical il- 

 lustrations of experiments of this kind. I was 

 mortified, not to be able to name any place with- 

 in Jifiy miles, where this information could be ob- 

 tained. I told him that an experimental depart- 

 ment in agriculture was getting under way in 

 connection with the college at Amherst, where 

 this kind of instruction would be dispensed ; but 

 whether students would be admitted for a short 

 time, or on what terms they would be admitted, 

 I was unable to say. I inquired of him, what at- 

 tention he had given to agricultural studies. He 

 said he had read Prof. Leibig's works, and sever- 

 al others, — and took your paper, and read it care- 

 fully, — and knew most of the elementary substan- 

 ces to be found in soils, but did not know their ex- 

 act proportions, or how to ascertain them. He 

 said he had much leisure in the winter months, 

 and should be glad to devote his attention to it if 

 he could find some one to direct liim in so doing. 

 If he could be informed what articles of chemical 

 apparatus Avere needed to proceed in an analysis 

 of soils, in a manner to be relied on, he should like 

 to obtain them ; as he knew several of his associ- 

 ates who contemplated farming as their emplov- 

 ment, and would be glad to possess the informa- 

 tion. I was pleased with the intelligent inquiries 

 of the young man, and placed in his hands such 

 books as I had at command, which I thought would 

 assist him. But books alone will not be sufficient. 

 He will need some experienced hand to guide his 

 experiments, at least for a time. Presuming that 

 he is only one of the many similar cases, within 

 the limits of the circulation of your paper, I 

 thought I would state his case to you ; and hope 

 you will be able to give such advice as will be of 

 service. Perhaps, if you should mention bis case, 

 at the next meeting of the Board of Agriculture, 

 some of the gentlemen thei-e would be al'le to tell 

 something about it. We have had much /alk about 

 agricultural education ; it seemstome almost time 

 to have something besides (alk, — in the form of 

 experimental instruction. * 



Jan. 3, 1853. 



Remarks. — Amherst, and the ]\Iount Airy Insti- 

 tution, are the only places within our knowledge, 



