1853. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



429 



In selecting hay seed, great care is requisite to 

 prevent deception. Much of the clover seed now 

 retailed, is damaged by fermentation. Seed "got 

 out" in a proper condition, if "packed" or stored 

 in large masses, always undergoes a process which, 

 if not actually fatal to the germinating principle, 

 at least greatly diminishes its vigor. A healthy 

 and vigorous plant can only spring from a healthy 

 and vigorous seed. 



For the Neio England Farmer. 



MONTHLY FARMER FOR AUGUST. 



For our bird's-eye view of the contents of this 

 number, we propose to attempt an arrangement 

 by subjects. First then, in alphabetical as well as 

 numerical order, belongs what is said of 



AUGUST. 



Editorial observations on the characteristics of 

 the month, with regrets that the merry-making? 

 with which our ancestors celebrated the close of 

 harvest-time, are not observed by us. Followed 

 by hints for the month on the turnip crop, re- 

 claiming meadows, grapes, grains, celery, budding, 

 muck, &c. 



BUTTER. 



" How is it produced 1 " The writer doubts the 

 ability of any butter-maker in the State to answer 

 the question, and he wants some chemist to do it. 

 Chaptal, he says, dodges it. Perhaps he did not 

 know. Chemists don't know every thing. The 

 $10,000 offered by the State for the " application 

 of science " to the cause and remedy of the potato- 

 rot, is yet in the treasury ! while the insiduous 

 disease, nothing daunted, is still doing its fatal 

 work, mysteriously alike to the learned Professor 

 and the unlearned Plowboy. 



CULTIVATION. 



" Swamps — di-aining." On land drained by the 

 Editor, according to the directions of this article, 

 three tons to the acre of herdsgrass, red-top and 

 clover, were harvested this year, whei'e one ton of 

 meadow grass, skunk cabbage, hardback and 

 hassock grass grew two years ago I " " The 

 Drought " does not injure thoroughly cultivated 

 land. ." Hoeing Corn," the more the better; but 

 we are cautioned against " Hilling Plants," be- 

 cause nature don't. But nature does mulch; how 

 far is this an argument for hilling? " Much labor 

 on little land " recommended, and an instance of 

 the " Effects of deep Plowing " in Maine is given, 



FOREIGN CORRESPONDENCE. 



" Down East," by Mr. Taylor, gives us infor 

 mation on raising oats, and on various other farm- 

 ing matters, in New Brunswick. In addition to 

 the reply of the Editor to Mr. T.'s inquiries in 

 relation to threshing clover seed, I will say that 

 years ago I saw a mill for this purpose, in which 



been first separated from the haulm or straw. 

 We have here also a flattering notice of " Agri- 

 culture in France ; " and " A Residence in China'' 

 gives us some queer things about the Celestials ; 

 but the question asked some time ago in the 

 Farmer, How do the Chinese preserve the fertility 

 of their soill is not answered. Pity there are so 

 few farmers among the multitude of Americana 

 abroad. 



FRUIT. 



An inquiry for information on raising and iin- 

 proving our " Indigenous Fruits and Shrubs," has 

 called out a very able reply ; in eonnectiofl with 

 which the article on " Cross Fertilization " should 

 be read. We have also an article on the " Effect 

 of high Culture on Fruit Trees," a notice of a 

 " Rare and Pleasant Book," printed in 1631 ; In- 

 stances and theory of " Girdled Apple Trees" 

 living after the bark was removed for the space of 

 five inches; a picture, description, and recom- 

 mendation of " The Black Tartarean Cherry ; " 

 and in the article, " Apple trees killed by Potash," 

 are suggestions and facts in relation to other 

 washes. 



GARDEN. 



" History and Culture of the Mignonette ; " 

 Report of the "Horticultural Exhibition at Con- 

 cord, Mass. ; " A pleasant article on the "Use of 

 Flowers " — their being placed in church is new to 

 us ; with Figures and description of " Pruning 

 Shears." 



GRAIN. 



" Ergot in Rye" — an account of a paper on 

 this subject, read before the French Academy of 

 Science. 



HAT. 



The haying season being over, we find but little 

 on this topic, except some remarks on "Hay Caps." 



IMPLEMENTS. 



A cut and description of a simple apparatus for 

 " Raising Water by Wind ; " " Pruning Shears " 

 illustrated and described ; " Cross-cut Feed Cut- 

 ter," about to be made by Mr. Ferry; "The 

 Wheel Hoe " recommended; and some hints on 

 " Good Tools for Boys," from which I must quote 

 one sentence : — " If you wish to discourage your 

 boys, and drive them off to the city, to sea, to 

 California, give them rusty hoes, broken shovels, 

 dull scythes, &c., to work with." 



The various articles on this subject, in the num- 

 ber before us, are worth the subscription price of the 

 Farmer for a year to every person who cultivates 

 a single plant or tree, or who has a spark of curi- 

 osity for the " little folk " of the animal kingdom. 

 On the " Palmer Worm," or " New Insect," we 

 find communications from Professor Harris, Cam- 

 bridge ; II. M. Stimpson, Saxonville ; R.C.Stone, 

 Sherburne ; S. G. E., Chester ; J Lake, Topsfield ; 



the work was done by water-power. I can give'B. M., York Co., Me., and remarks by the editor 

 no description of it, further than to say, it was aiAn article by Mrs. DarUng, New Ha\en, Ct., and 

 cheap, simple machine, fitted up I think in a saw-ione copied from the Maine Farmer, charging in 



mill l)uilding, and, like it, served a whole neigh 

 borhood. A shaft faced with sheet iron, punched 

 like a grater, two or three feet wide, and perhaps 

 twice as deep, played up and down, nearly in 

 contact with a similar stationai-y grater-plate. 

 Between these two rough surfaces the seed was 

 rapidly and effectively " threshed," after having 



sects with producing the black knot in plum trees, 

 are certainly interesting if not conclusive. The 

 ladies will thank the Editor for an infallible pro- 

 tection against " The Moth." Tlie " Rose Bugs," 

 and other insects injurious to vegetation, the wri- 

 ter thinks may be greatly tlnnned off by a union 

 of effort for their destruction on the part of those 



