10 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



EVERGREENS FOR ORNAMENT. 



In setting ornamental trees, evergreens are gen- 

 erally too much neglected, so that -where we see 

 beautiful scenery in summer, after the season of the 

 "scar and yellow leaf," nothing remains but the 

 monotonous scene of leafless trees, and the hoarse 

 winds perform a dirge among the naked branches. 



By interspersing evergreens among other trees for 

 ornament, there is a greater variety and a more 

 pleasing landscape in summer, and in the cold season, 

 the scene is checkered with something fresh and 

 lively, with dark-green foliage, beautifully contrast- 

 ed with the wliite mantle that wraps the earth, 

 breaking the sameness often seen in white snow, 

 white houses, and white fences. 



Boston Common, for want of evergreens, is robbed 

 of all its beauty and splendor, when stern Winter 

 lays his icy hand upon it. As some, trees are decay- 

 ing on that beautiful summer spot, we advise the 

 trial of evergreens in their place ; and the change of 

 crops, by species so various, will give the advantage 

 of rotation in favor of success. 



One of the most beautiful of all evergreens is too 

 much neglected. It is the hemlock, of a rich, dark 

 green ; and when its young shoots, of a lighter shade, 

 start late in spring, they form a most pleasing con- 

 trast with the darker hue of a previous growth ; 

 and then it is the most beautiful of all evergreens. 

 The hemlock flourishes on various soils, fr-om wet 

 swamps to the diy mountam top. 



ENTOMOLOGY. 



The science of entomology, or a knowledge of 

 insects, is assuming an importance with the cultiva- 

 tor, as these little, yet powerful enemies are becom- 

 ing numerous and destructive, especially on land 

 long cultivated ; and the greatest skill is necessary 

 in order to war successfully against them. The first 

 study is to learn their habits, that wc may attack 

 them in the most tender or exposed stage, or most 

 convenient time. 



Dr. Harris, now Librarian of Harvard University, 

 Cambridge, has rendered essential service to the com- 

 munity, by his valuable treatise on " Insects Injuri- 

 ous to Vegetation," which is the best work of the 

 kind published in this country. 



The following extract from an address of Judge 

 Darling, before the New Haven, (Ct.,) Agricultural 

 and Horticultural Society, on " Injurious Insects," 

 portrays, in a clear manner, the extensive operations 

 of these formidable enemies : — 



*' The Author of our being, when he created our 

 race, was i:)lcased to give us ' dominion over the fish 

 of the sea, and over the foAvl of the txiv, and over the 

 cattle, and over all the earth, and over every cree]^- 

 ing thing that crcepcth upon the earth.' We have 

 been in a great degree successful in asserting our 

 rightful dominion over all except those ^creeping 

 things^ the insect world. They as yet are in many 

 respects our masters. We must have leave from 

 them to enjoy even our persons, sleeping or waking, 

 in comfort. Fighting for it from ' seed-time to har- 

 vest,' wc may get 'food to eat and raiment to put 

 on,' but we must feed and v.car in all haste, or some 

 insect will expose us to starvation and rags. We 



sow and insects reap ; and we content ourselves as 

 well as wc can with gleaning. Take for illustration 

 the case of one of our most valuable fruits. We plant 

 the seed of an apple. If some insect has not eaten 

 out its substance, it springs up ; but before it reaches 

 the surface, a grub gnaws off its root. If it comes to 

 the air, the cut-worm is ready to mow it down. If 

 suffered to grow, the plant-louse sucks out its juices. 

 As it increases in size, countless caterpillars, with 

 names unknown to most of us, besides the bag- worm 

 and canker-worm, names unhappily too familiar, 

 devoiu' its leaves ; thus depriving it at once of food 

 and breath. While the tree is thus devoured with- 

 out, other insects bore out the wood within. But 

 the tree blossoms, if an insect has not eaten the flow- 

 er buds, and the fruit sets. The plum-Aveevil puts its 

 new-moon mark upon the young apple, and it drops 

 from the tree. What escapes the weevil, the apple- 

 moth takes possession of for its ofFsf)ring. We may 

 have the apple, but we must take it with its disgust- 

 ing mhabitant. Fortunate the farmer of this vicinity 

 may bo, the present season, if he obtains from a tree 

 that should yield him ten barrels of fruit, ten fair 

 apples. This is one sample of insect depredation. 

 Time is not allowed me for particular reference to 

 other cases. Your own sorrowful recollections of 

 ruined crops, of fruits lost or made disgusting, of 

 flowers despoiled of beauty, wiU supply ample reasons 

 for regret, that we have failed so lamentably to ob- 

 tain dominion over these ' creeping things.' " 



HOW TO RAISE THIRTY BUSHELS OF 

 WHEAT PER ACRE 



WHERE YOU COULD NOT RAISE TWEXTY BEFORE. 



Eds. Cultivator : Where you have a good clover 

 sod, let the clover grow until the first week in June ; 

 then take a good team and x)lough, and turn the clover 

 all under ; then roll the sod down fiat, and let it lay 

 eight or ten days ; then take a light harrow or culti- 

 vator, and pulverize the ground fine, and about the 

 25th of June sow two and a half bushels of corn to 

 the acre, and after harrowing it well, roll it down 

 smooth. About the last week in August, take your 

 roller and press the corn down as fiat as possible, 

 going round with the roller the same y<&\ you intend 

 to plough the land ; then plough the land as deep as 

 possible, and turn all the corn under ; follow with 

 the roller, pressing all down flat. Thus you have 

 two crops well mixed with the soil for manure. 



Then take a light harrow or cultivator, and pul- 

 verize the ground fine, and sow your wheat about the 

 middle of September ; and if you do not have one- 

 third more wheat than you do where you summer 

 fallow, tell me I am mistaken in a cheap method of 

 manuring land. The corn will grow so thick that it 

 will keep every other plant down, and leave the 

 ground clean, and if there arc a few small leaves of 

 the corn scratched up with the harrow, it will afford 

 a good top dressing for the wheat. 



AuuuRN, Sept. 22, 1848. IRA HOPKINS. 



— Alhanij Cultivator. 



Warmth of the Snow Blanket. — At the French 

 Academy of Science, (^larch 14th, 1848,) M. Arago 

 read a communication on the warmth imparted to 

 the earth by a covering of snow, and respecting 

 which there has hitherto been much skepticism. M. 

 Arago stated that ^l. Boussingault had ascertained 

 the truth of tlie theory beyond the possibility of 

 doubt, during the past winter. He fomid that a 

 thermometer plunged in snow to the depth of a 

 decimetre, (about four inches,) sometimes marked five 

 degrees of heat greater than at the surface. — Medical 

 TiTnes. 



