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NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



March 



That it is possible to make as great an advance 

 upon the present mode of agricultural practice, as 

 has been already effected in manufactures, by the 

 substitution of the spinning frame, and power loom, 

 for the handloom and wheel of "auld lang syne ;" 

 I fully believe, judging from the testimony which 

 has been adduced, I cannot but believe, that the 

 man who cuts 40 or more tons of hay in a season, 

 on a tolerably smooth bottom, jwould find his in- 

 terests promoted, by the use of one of the im- 

 proved mowing machines. The cost of one is 

 about $105, as I learn. This will cut its'lO or 12 

 acres a day, as much as 5 or C men ordinarily mow, 

 at a cost of as many dollars, exlusive of board, and 

 the latter item be reckoned at less than 25 cts. 

 each per day. Then we think it will be fair to as- 

 sume that the expense of mowing ten acres of good 

 grass with the scythe, will average in the State 

 twelve dollars and a half. 



Now, everybody knows that during the hay 

 harvest, labor is scarce as well as dear ; and there- 

 fore, those who have considerable hay to cut, be- 

 gin at least one w^eek before the grass has attained 

 the state most fitting ; and they continue haying 

 at least one week after this period has passed. — 

 Perhaps, it will be a safe calculation, if we assume 

 that those farmers who cut 48 tons of hay, cut 10 

 of it at such a period in the season, (either before 

 it has attained maturity or after that period has 

 passed,) that one-half of its nutritive substance is 

 lost. Assume that this ratio will hold good, with 

 farmers in this State, generally, and we have a 

 loss in the hay crop of one-sixth, just because it is 

 cut out of season. 



If I have assumed too large a per centage of the 

 crop as being cut at an improper season, the read- 

 er can readily perceive the error, and make the 

 proper estimate himself. 



According to the above assumption, the farmer 

 who cuts 48 tons of hay, by a loss of one-half of 

 the nutriment contained in IG tons, actually wastes 

 8 tons ; wastes it just as much as though he 

 pitched it into his barn yard, instead of into his 

 hay mow. 



These 8 tons would be worth, ordinarily, $6 a 

 ton, to feed to stock ; amounting to $48 loss an- 

 nually." Would it not be good policy for the far- 

 mer to stop this leak ; if it can be done by em- 

 ploying machinery, which never sweats, never 

 tires, even though the sun pours forth its hottest 

 rays. Some will bo ready to answer in the affirm- 

 ative, provided the machinery will work well. 



The statement was sent forth to the world, that 

 at the great trial of those machines in New York, 

 last year, some two or three of them did work 

 well on a rather rough bottom, and a light crop, 

 (only about half a ton to the acre) of wire grass, 

 which every farmer knows to be one of the most 

 difficult to cut. 



I need not mention the saving, effected in the 

 substitution of horse labor for manual, in raking, 

 because the subject is familiar to all. 



For four years past, we have raised annually, 

 from 75 to 130 bushels of Indian corn, averaging 

 about fifty bushels to the acre, which has been 

 produced without manure in the hill, it being all 

 spread upon the land when first carted from the 

 barn, and turned under with the plow some 8 

 inches. Sometimes I have re-plowed the land in 

 the spring ; at others, not. The land which I have 

 thus treated, has been river interval and light loams, 

 and gravels. 



Another great misapplication of labor is, in cul- 

 tivating two acres of land to produce the crop 

 which should be obtained from one. If we assume 

 that thirteen days labor are required, in plowirg, 

 planting, and hoeing an acre of ground in corn, 

 it necessarily follows that, if, for want of proper 

 manuring, we are obliged to plow, plant, and 

 hoe two acres to raise fifty bushels of corn, which 

 might be raised on one, we have thrown away 

 thirteen days labor ; as effectually misspent it, as 

 if we had spent the thirteen days in transporting 

 a brick from the back door to the pig pen, and 

 then back to the door again. 



How many farmers are there who prefer loaning 

 money at interest, rather than apply it to the cul- 

 ture of their farms ? Who plod on the "old way" 

 of the boy who put a stone in one end of the bag, 

 to balance the grist in the other? If we would 

 make farming a good business, we must economise 

 our labor. Jabez D. Hill. 



Maine Farmer. 



DWARFING FRUIT TREES. 



The French have a method of cultivating dwarf 

 fruit trees, or trees which have been stultified, by 

 a certain process, which their writers describe as 

 follows : — 



"Young trees are to be treated in the following 

 manner. If there are more than three shoots on 

 the plant, reduce them to that number, and shorten 

 each to three, four and six eyes, according to their 

 strength. The following season, reduce the num- 

 ber of leading shoots to six,- and shorten them to 

 three-fourths of their length, and spur in the re- 

 maining shoots. The tree should be managed in 

 every respect in this manner, until it has attained 

 the required size, which of course depends upon 

 the fancy or convenience of the owner, or conduc- 

 tor of the garden. I make a point of letting the 

 trees take their natural form of growth, as far as 

 the system described will admit ; for I consider it 

 of little consequence what shape is given to the 

 tree, provided my end is attained ; that is, to make 

 every branch, as it were, a long spur, with bear- 

 ing buds from the extremity to the base." 



It is asserted by both French and English wri- 

 ters, that treea so stultified are not so much ex- 

 posed to injury from high winds, that they pro- 

 duce better fruit, bear earlier and more abundant- 

 ly, and occupy less space. Dwarfs are also pro- 

 duced by innoculating on stocks of small growth. 

 The apple is often innoculated on the Paradise or 

 Douciu stock, the peach on a slow growing plum, 

 and the pear on the quince. We have seen large 

 pears on trees not more than five feet high, the 

 tops of which were not possessed of sufficient 

 strength to sustain their weight of fruit without 

 the assistance of props. This is a common result 

 where some varieties of the pear are set in quince 

 stocks. The writer above quoted says : — 



"Two or three years' trial of this method only, 

 might possibly deter many from a continuance of 

 it, in consequence of the young Avood which will 



