1853. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



365 



can be produced without an actual combustion of 

 the heap. 



On the contrary, many seeds appear to derive an 

 actual advantage from it,— the heat to which they 

 are subjected, inducing a more speedy germination 

 and development, so that by the time the soil is fit 

 for their reception, or for the reception of the ma- 

 nure in which they are contained, they are Justin 

 the proper condition to take root and vegetate, be- 

 fore those upon which the husbandman bases his 

 expectation of a crop, have had time to swell. 

 Owing to this premature development, the fields 

 are often stocked with a spurious vegetation, and 

 that which was supposed to be the true economy, 

 results in a ruinous waste ; the small quantity of 

 manure accruing from the decomposition of the 

 haulm, being purchavsed at an enormous outlay of 

 labor ; and what is still worse, the soil instead of 

 being purged of its noxious weeds is fouler and 

 more prodigally infested than before. Those per- 

 sons, therefore, who contemplate cleanliness of 

 cultivation, should destroy the weeds that infest 

 their fields before they mature their seeds. This 

 may require care and labor but is not impractica- 

 ble. But s]iould any escape the hoe, the scythe, 

 or the hand, let them be carefully gathered to- 

 gether in some convenient place and burnt. 



The thistle, in some districts is one of the most 

 troublesome weeds with which the American far- 

 mer is called to contend. Yet we often see it 

 growing in farm yards, gardens, by the road-side, 

 and even in the corners of cultivated fields, in 

 patches sufficiently extensive to ensure the pro- 

 duction of seed enough to "stock" an entire town- 

 ship ! 



This is bad policy. Although the thistle is a 

 "hard customer," and a most impoverishing ten- 

 ant, it is yet a harder master. "When once per- 

 mitted to usurp the soil, its eradication is attend- 

 ed with much difficulty, and its toleration with 

 ruin to the richest soil. It is now common to 

 consider all productions as loeeds, which are not 

 purposely planted or sowed. The wheat that veg- 

 etates in the corn field, and the corn plant that 

 springs up accidentally among the cultivated plants 

 of the garden, is as much a weed in the strict ac 

 eeptation of the term, aS the burdock which rears 

 itself in the pasture, or the thistle which fouls the 

 mowing field. 



As most species of spurious vegetation are of an 

 indigenous character, they possess, naturally, a 

 hardiness and vigor of constitution which enables 

 them to subsist and flourish on soils which are 

 poor and thin, and to survive injuries, which no 

 valuable or cultivated plant, not indigenous in the 

 soil, can do. This tenacity of life will suggest the 

 necessity of extra hoeings, and greater care in 

 their eradication than is usually bestowed. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 STATE REFORM SCHOOL AGAIN. 



Mr. Editor: — Some of your correspondents 

 kindly endeavor to remove the stigma impressed 

 on the Institutiim at Westborough, by the sup- 

 posed neglect of the personal condition of the boys. 

 No one will more heartily rejoice, than myself, if 

 this can be fairly done. Having advised to the 

 committant there of several boys, and given the 

 assurance, that they would be well cared for, I 

 could not endure the thought, that anything should 

 appear to the contrary. An Institution like this, 

 under the special guardianship of the State, espe- 

 cially the State of Massachusetts, which has the 

 reputation of being the model example in all be- 

 nevolent enterprises, should be, like Uissar's wife, 

 above suspicion. 



I perceive that something is said about using 

 the lands connected with this farm, and the two 

 other farms lately purchased by the State, for the 

 purpose of experiments in agriculture. Why may 

 not this be done ? At either of the Institutions, 

 it will be easy to command any amount of labor 

 that may be desired, at the same time promoting 

 the health and comfort of those that labor. 



Will it be said that the lands are not fitted for 

 successful experiments 1 Then let the experiments 

 be fitted to the lands. The lands are a part of the 

 Commonwealth, and we want to know, how all 

 our lands can be turned to the best account. He 

 who can show how two bushels of grain can be 

 made to grow, where but one grew before, will 

 deserve well of his country. A proper examina- 

 tion and analysis of the soils on these estates, will 

 soon enable the Board of Agriculture to do this. 

 My notion is, to place the cultivation of these lands 

 under their direction, so far as it can be done with- 

 out prejudice to other more imperative purposes of 

 these establishments. 



June loth, 1853. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 GIRDLED APPLE TREES. 



Mr. Brown : — Dear Sir, — I noticed in the last 

 number of your valuable paper, an article respect- 

 ing apple trees ; stating that they would grow af- 

 ter being girdled, if taken care of. I have a case 

 to prove that they will grow without any care. 



Last June I grafted some small trees in my pas- 

 ture, leaving some of the larger limbs to grow un- 

 til this season. In July I visited them, and found 

 one had too many limbs, taking all of the sap 

 from the scions. I took my pen-knife and cut 

 away the bark from two of them, for the space of 

 five inches, thinking it would kill them. I did 

 not visit them again until a few days before I re- 

 ceived your June number of the Farmer. Judge 

 my surprise, when I found these limbs all in full 

 leaf, drawing from the others nearly all of the sap. 

 I examined them closely, to see if their was not 

 some communication, but found none. I saw, how- 

 ever, that new bark had been formed on the limb 

 part, nearly three inches, but none on the part 

 next the body. This led me to conclude that the 

 watery matter collected from the ground by the 

 spongioles, is sent up through the woody fibres 

 to the leaves, and there changes its oxygen for 

 carbon, the material it wants to form wood ; and 

 descends along the trunk forming a layer of wood 

 next to the bark. Now if there is a place denuded 



