430 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Sept. 



interested. I have sometimes thought one design 

 of insect depredations is to teach man humility — 

 to show him the weakness of his power, the fool- 

 ishness of his wisdom, the fallibility of his sci- 

 ence. One year, for instance, the grasshopper 

 may be a burden — literally swarming in our fields, 

 and filling every square foot of the soil with their 

 eggs. But in lace of your mathematical demon- 

 strations that millions must cover the land next 

 year, there may not be a dozen found on a ten- 

 acre lot. " Is the mole a devourer of vegetables ? " 

 The writer says " No ; he lives on earth worms." 

 " Entomological Discovery " — to destroy the nit 

 of the Curculio. 



MANURES. 



Hints on " Composting," by 11. F. French ; 

 Effects of Potash as a " Special Manure for 

 Grapes ; " different kinds of " Manure for laying 

 down Grass Lands ; " inquiries about " Limefirom 

 Gas Works; " " Barn Cellars, Restorative Gases, 

 and other Speculations," by Silas Brown. 



MECHANICS. 



Mr. Pei'cival, Veterinary Surgeon of the Royal 

 Artillery, Dublin, points out several pernicious 

 " Practices in Shoeing Horses " that smiths often 

 fall into, and gives many practical hints on the 

 subject. Appended to the article on " Raising 

 Water by Wind," are some suggestive remarks 

 on agricultural mechanics. 



PRESERVING TIMBER. 



A communication of facts, showing the practi- 

 cal value of the process of " Kyanizing." The 

 timber used last year in rebuilding the Lowell R. 

 R. bridge over Charles river was, I believe, sub- 

 jected to this process. John Reynolds, agent 

 Vermont Copperas Company, give's a statement 

 of the preservative qualities of Copperas, that may 

 prove of great importance. 



ROOTS. 



A well written article on the " Culture and 

 value of the Parsnip." 



SCIENTIFIC. 



This proves a troublesome "heading." Of the 

 ninety distinct articles in this single number of the 

 Farmer, there is scarcely one that is not more (jr 

 less tinctured with science. Which, then, shall 

 enjoy the distinction of scientific ? I have placed 

 those here which do not appropriately belong to 

 any of our other captions. I could tliink of no 

 better rule. " Lnjjortance of the Leaf to the 

 Plant," and "Circulation of Sap," treat of the 

 growth of plants, and must prove interesting to 

 thinking, inquisitive farmers, although the writer 

 of the latter article says, " There are very serious 

 difficulties attending any theory which has under- 

 taken tn provide fur the circulation of fluids in 

 vegetables." Some account of the newly-estab- 

 lished " New York State Agricultural College," 

 and an exhortation to the Massachusetts B >ard 

 of Agriculture, as "a class of men, hopeful and 

 courageous because they have clear, comprehensive, 

 and wtll defined views of what can be beneficially 

 done in the way of agricultural education," to 

 abandon their " mere discussions," and proceed 

 at once to give " life and an active practical use- 

 fulness to an agricultural College" in Massachu- 

 setts. Illustrating in a familiar manner several 

 scientific principles, we find an article with the 

 caption " How the water boiled away from th.e 

 Potatoes." 



SETTING POSTS — FRONT FENCES — ALDERS. 



The inquiries of a correspondent fur information 

 on these topics, has occasioned a pretty full dis- 

 cussion — the views and suggestions of five or six 

 writers being given in this number. 



STATE INSTITUTIONS. 



On this subject we find two short communica- 

 tions. 



STOCK. 



"Cows and Tar" — a remedy for the garget. 

 The use of collodion recommended "to prevent 

 Cows shedding Milk," and to cure sore teats. 

 " Cows holding up their Milk" cured by putting 

 a weight upon the back. Illustration of the 

 " French Buck Matchless." What a sheep ! 



THE SEASON. 



" Prospects of the Season," in New Hampshire, 

 by A. G. Comings; and in Massachusetts, by the 

 Editor. 



WARTS. 



Recipes for curing warts. We once dislodged 

 a numerous company from our hand by occasion- 

 ally putting a very little spirits of turpentine 

 around the roots of the "old seeder," whose 

 great length exposed it to so frequent rubs as to 

 be kept sore, until it was finally extracted. The 

 small fry, following the footsteps of their illus- 

 trious predecessor, soon disappeared. 



WEEDS. 



A valuable editorial on the subject ; a descrip- 

 tion of a new weed in New Hampshire ; and a 

 sure method of destroying " Canada thistles " in 

 one season. 



Even the foregoing comprehensive summary 

 leaves on hand several articles, that do not seem 

 to belong to either of our divisions, but which 

 have a good claim to especial notice. Auumg 

 them are, " What Farmers most need ; " Statistics 

 of" Agriculture in New Hampshire ; " on "Trim- 

 ming Pine Trees ; " " Saleratus " injurious to 

 health ; " Monthly Farmer for July ; " " Com- 

 munication of Ideas among Cattle; " " Fable of 

 the Rain Drop," and articles appropriate to the 

 Ladies" and to the Boys' Departments. 



}A'inchister, Aug., 1853. A Reader. 



For the New England Ftirmer. 

 TOMATOES. 

 Mr. Editor : — For several years past, I have 

 been in the habit of trimming up my tomato vines 

 pretty closely. After as much fruit is set as will 

 ripen before frost, I go among thera with a pair 

 f shears, cutting off the tops and all young shoots, 

 to prevent any more fruit being formed. In this 

 way they grow larjjer, fairer, and ripen much 

 earlier, as I think. Without this thinning out, 

 the sun's rays can hardly reach them through the 

 rank growth of leaves. I have recommended this 

 plan to sjme of my neighbors, but as they have 

 seen nothing of the kind " in the books," 

 they cannot venture to cut off " such beautiful 

 I tranches, " though they see my tomatoes ripe one 

 or two weeks earlier than any in the neighbor- 

 hood. Now, Mr. Editor, if you think I am right, 

 just give this a little corner in the New England 

 Fanner, and my neighbors will receive it as " by 

 authority." Meg. 



