NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



31 



the idea of great fatigue, and can scarcely be disso- 

 ciated, in tlic mind of the observer, from that of 

 extreme exhaustion and pain. When young, the ox 

 is nimble and sprightly, and as susceptible of speed 

 as the horse. Yet, by wrong habits, he becomes 

 heavy and sluggish in his movements, and finally 

 acquires that slow, snail-like pace, which so greatly 

 diminishes his value, as a draught anunal, for most 

 purposes, and Avhich renders the driving of him 

 wearisome and unpleasant in the extreme. — German- 

 town Telegraph. 



CUT FODDER. 



The practice of cutting, or, as the British agricul- 

 turists denominate it, " chaffing " fodder, is among 

 the most important improvements of the age. 13 y 

 cutting stallvs, straw, and hay, a very large portion 

 will be economized, which, under the old system of 

 feeding, would be wholly lost. One bushel of chaifed 

 fodder, given in a mess tlu-ee times a day, will effect 

 more good than twice the amount in its natural state. 

 The weight of a bu-ihel of chaffed hay is probably 

 about five and a half pounds ; and a horse or ox 

 thrives more on fifteen pounds, thus prepared, (if we 

 may credit the results of actual experiments,) than 

 on fifteen pounds fed whole. This difference is 

 owing in part to the meal with which it is ordinarily 

 mixed ; but when hay is only given, the difference is 

 in the ratio of two to one. When cattle are fed on 

 loose fodder, in its natural state, a very large pro- 

 portion is inevitably lost : the breath of the animals 

 renders it unsavory, and besides, a large amount is 

 rejected or drawn out, and left beneath their feet. 

 Paiticularly is this the case with animals fed in 

 racks instead of troughs. — Olive Branch. ' 



TO BUILD A POLE BRIDGE. 



Mk. Editor : Put your sleepers so that the up- 

 stream side of your bridge will be a little the lowest. 

 This, in case of overflow, will cause the current to 

 press the floor down, instead of lifting it. Having 

 laid down your poles or puncheons for floor, put a 

 strong pole across each end of them. Let the last- 

 mentioned poles be long enough to reach across the 

 bridge, and extend some little distance on each bank. 

 With a heavy mall drive two strong stakes near each 

 end, so as to cross above ; then lay two other heavy 

 poles in the forks fonned by the crossing of the stakes. 

 These last poles will not only sei-ve for banistering, 

 but will confine the bridge to its place, unless the 

 water rise high enough to let them out of the forks. 

 The same plan is a good one to confine rails or pun- 

 cheons on a causeway subject to overflow. — Southern 

 Cultivator. 



POTASH A PROPER FOOD FOR GRAPE- 

 VINES. 



Having, last year, seen it stated in a paper, that 

 the ashes of grape vinos contained a large amount of 

 potash, I caui^ed three vines, of the same size, 'to be 

 planted in boxes filled with equal quantities of earth, 

 in which I noted the following results : — 



No. 1 was supplied, when necessary, with pure 

 water, and in a given time, increased six inches in 

 length. No. 2 was watered with a solution of whale- 

 oil soap, and in the same length of time acquired 

 nine inches of growth. And No. 3 I watered with 

 a solution of potash, and within the same period as 

 above, it grow eighteen inches in length ! 



By the beginning of November, No. 1 and No. 2 

 dropped their leaves, and showed no signs of fruit ; 

 whereas, No. 3 retained its leaves three weeks later, 

 and in the course of the season shot forth several 



bunches of fruit, which, of coui-se, were not suftered 

 to grow. This shows the importance of knoMing 

 what kinds of salts go to form wood and fruit, in 

 order that we may apply such manures to the soil ais 

 the vine or fruit-tree requires. 



I wish we could have full analysis made of our 

 great staple, Indian corn, including the grain, cob, 

 stalk, and blades. — Correspo)ulent of the American 

 Agriculturist, 



PRESERVING SCIONS. 



Scions should be cut at any convenient time from 

 October until the buds begin to start. When cut in 

 the fall, bury them in light soil. When cut in win- 

 tei", they may bo saved in good condition, in the fol- 

 lowing manner : Take a tight box, and wet it inside 

 and out a few times, that the boards may become 

 saturated with moistiu-e. Then put moist sawdust, 

 moss, or earth, in the bottom, or a moist mat or cloth 

 will answer. Lay in the scions ; the larger the 

 quantity, the better they keep. Place a moist mat or 

 cloth over them, cover the box tight, and set it in the 

 cellar. During winter, keep the mat on the top a 

 little moist, and moisten the sides of the box, about 

 once a month. Do not apply water to the scions, as 

 much moisture is injurious ; only keep them, in a 

 moist atmosphere. As vrarm weather comes on in 

 the spring, it may be necessary to moisten the mat 

 and the sides of the box more frequently. In this 

 way scions may be well kept from October to July. 

 Some often apply water to the scions, and drown 

 them, or cause them to start before set. 



For the Xeio EngUmd Farmer. 

 AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY IN NEEDHAM. 



Mr. Editor: At a meeting of farmers of this 

 place, held at the To'wn Hall, in October last, a com- 

 mittee was chosen to report a plan and constitution 

 for an Agricultural Society. The committee subse- 

 quently made theu' report, and last evening the or- 

 ganization of \he society was completed by the 

 choice of the following officers, viz. : Col. Warren 

 Dewing, President ; Messrs. John Bird and Otis 

 Sawyer, Vice-Presidents ; E. K. Whitaker, Secre- 

 tary ; Daniel Kimball, Treasurer ; and Messrs. W. 

 Flagg, W. Pierce, W. M. Stedman, W. A. Kings- 

 bury, R. Ware, J. Fuller, Jr., and T. Kingsbury, 

 Directors. 



The object of the society being the improvement 

 of the town in its agi'icultiu'al interests, a corre- 

 spondence and cooperation with similar societies, 

 elsewhere established, is respectfully solicited. 



Needham, Dec. 30, 1848. 



" Oak leaves," says Thaer, " are not easily decom- 

 posed, and contain an astringent matter, which is 

 highly injurious to vegetation as long as the leaf re- 

 mains undecomposed." 



ACKNOWLEDGMENTS. 



From Jilr. Aaron Sanborn, Hampton FaUs, N. H., 

 a barrel of Red Russet apples, not yet in use. By the 

 kindness of Mr. S., we have had a few of these apples 

 before, and they were in use in April and May. In 

 size, form, color, quality, and time of keeping, they 



