NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



lade of various substances ; as wood, freestone, 

 ■ranite or cast iron; but on the whole the two 

 rtter are to be preferred. It is of importance, 

 bat the weight of the roller should be in pro- 

 ortion to the surface on wliich it is to be em- 

 loyed. The best plan, is that of having two 

 oilers, each about two feet and a half in length, 

 nd both placed in one frame, so as to roll 

 iear of one another. This is the most suitable 

 oth for corn crops and sown grass, as it neither 

 ears up the tender soil, nor injures the yoima; 

 lants. Besides the hibor in turning is much 

 ^ss severe on the frame and on the cattle. Ev- 

 rv farm ought to be provided with rollers of 



iVerent diameters and weights, so as to suit 

 he several purposes to which they are destin- 

 d ; those of a small diameter are generally ap- 

 lied to land in tillage ; and those of a large di- 

 meter, with double shafts, to grass land. Heavy 

 oilers aro of great use, for destroying worms, 

 lugs, and other vermin in the soil. 



An intelligent farmer maintains, that if drain- 

 ag is the first, manuring the second, and culti- 

 ation the thinl, rolling ought to be considered 

 (le fourth principal operation in the processes 

 f a"'riculture. — Its importance indeed, is becom- 

 ig more apparent, and new advantages are de- 

 lved from its use both on arable and on grass 

 mds. 



Wheat should always be rolled in the Spring, 

 fter frosts, as it makes the soil adhere more 

 losely to the roots of the plants, encourages 

 egetation and strengthens the stems, and ren- 

 ers the grain more perfect. When any crop 

 ; sown with nrtiticial grasses, rolling is partic- 

 larly necessary, to make an even surface, bruis- 

 ig all clods, and pressing down any stones it 

 lay not be thought necessary to carry off, to 

 icilitate the future operation of the scythe, 

 tats in a light soil, may be rolled to advantage, 

 nmediately after the seed is sown, unless the 

 round be so wet as to cling to the roller. Af- 

 ;r turnips are sown in drills, they ought to be 

 nmediately rolled, to make the soil compact, 

 nd to promote their speedy germination. Not 

 nly for turnips, but for all other crops, rolling, 

 tarticularly during the night, is found to be an 

 Ifficient means of destroying skigs, snails, the 

 fire worm, and other vermm, so destructive to 

 lonng plants. Flax ought to be rolled immedi- 

 itely after sowing ; it makes the seed vegetate 

 iqually, and prevents after growth ; the bad ef- 

 ects of which are visible iu every step of the 

 •rocess for dressing flax. 



The other advantages for rolling arable land 

 ipe, that it renders a loose soil more compact 

 nd- solid. This encourages the growth of 

 •lants, by pressing the soil to their roots. It 

 ikewise keeps in the moisture, and prevents 

 rought from penetrating. When the soil is 

 worked up lightly, moisture either filters thro' 

 t too quickly, or is easily evaporated. In a dry 

 eason this may occasion a very material dirler- 

 ;nce in the crop, more especially in a light soil. 

 lolling is executed to most advantage across the 

 lirection of the ridges, because more adapted 

 ensure full benefit to the furrows which olh- 



nvise may not be properly gone over. 



^N hen a large field is to be rolled, a number 

 't rollers onght at once to be set at work, oth- 

 rwise an opportunity may be lost never to be 

 egained. ____ 



It h.^s long been considered, as arj incontro- 

 ortible proposition, and approaching to the na- 



ture of an axiom, "That whoever could make 

 two ears of corn, or two blades of grass, to grow 

 upon a spot, where only one grew before, 

 would deserve better of mankind, and do more 

 essential service to his country, than the whole 

 race of politicians put together." 



There nevei was a greater instance of sophis- 

 try, than this doctrine of Swift's, who seems not 

 to have been at all aware, of the immense bene- 

 fits, conferred upon agriculture, by a judicioiis 

 system of civil policy. In fact, the prosperity 

 of agriculture, depends upon the politician. The 

 better and more equitable the civil policy of a 

 country, the more perfect will its agriculture be- 

 come. Those politicians or statesmen, therefore, 

 who, by removing every obstacle, and ttirnish- 

 ing every proper encouragement to agriculture, 

 promote its advancement, hava a higher claim 

 to the gratitude of mankind, than those who 

 have merely performed a secondary or practi- 

 cal part, which part, they never could have per- 

 formed at all, but under the protection of wise 

 laws, regularly administered, and executed with 

 impartiality and vigor. — Ibid. 



Rules to be observed regarding tlie Improvement 

 of Waste Lands. 

 In tha cultivation of wastes, the following 

 rules are laid down by the most successful im- 

 provers. 



1. Not to put in practice an}' scheme of im- 

 provement, without the fullest deliberation, nor 

 without the command of an adequate capital. 



2. Not to begin on too great a scale, nor un- 

 til, by experiment it be found, that the design 

 is suitable to the soil, situation and climate. 



3. When the intention is to cultivate peat- 

 moss, not to begin cropping, till at least one 

 season after the drains are completed, and the 

 soil thoroughly reclaimed from superiluou"; 

 moisture. In flow or spongy mosses, a longer 

 time is nccossar}', and it is desirable to expose 

 the soil to the action of the atmosphere, during 

 the frosts of winter. 



1. To plough or delve peat-moss in autumn, 

 that it may be effectually exposed to the win- 

 ter tVost and rains, and not to the summei'"s 

 heat, wliich hardens it, and prevents its decom- 

 position. 



5. Whatever is done, to do it effectually ; not 

 to think of laying on four acres, the manure 

 necessary for three ; nor the lime, chalk, earth, 

 clay, sand or gravel, upon two acres, that should 

 be employed in covering only one. 



6. To carry on the improvement of waste 

 lands, without encroaching upon the dung ne- 

 cessary for the improved part of a farm, as dung 

 ought never to be brought from a good soil to 

 lay upon a bad one. Unless dung therefore can 

 be procured from a neighboring town or village, 

 it will be better to leave the lands in their nat- 

 ural state, except in cases where the soil, by 

 being pared, burnt, limed, or marled, or cover- 

 ed with chalk, clay, earth, &.C. will pay the ex- 

 pense of the improvement. 



7. The last rule is, to lay down land, improv- 

 ed from waste, more especially in high and 

 bleak situations, as soon as possible into grass, 

 and to retain it in that state as long as it is tol- 

 erably productive. For though grain and roots 

 may be cultivated on waste lands, when prop- 

 erly improved, yet grass pastured, particularly 

 b}' sheep, is principally to be depended on for 

 improving all weak soils, in barren districts. In 



£71 



such cases, it is (Vom grass alone that remuner- 

 ation can be looked for by the improver of waste 

 lands. Even though soils of this description do 

 not produce grass in murh abundance, or of 

 good quality, yet when in pasture they produce 

 something, and a slop is put to farther expen- 

 diture. — Ibid. 



Ditching. — When bushy ground, full of strong 

 roots, is to be ditched, the Rev. Mr. Eliot wise- 

 ly recommends beginning the ditch in the win- 

 ter, when the ground is frozen two or three 

 inches deep. The surface may be chopped in- 

 to pieces by a broad axe with a long helve, and 

 the sods pulled out with an instrument made 

 like a dung croom. The farmer may probably 

 hit upon a good time for this work in Decem- 

 ber, when there happens to be no snow, and 

 when it will not interlere with other farming 

 business. The lower part of the ditch may be 

 done in the following summer, or autumn. In 

 a free and firm soil, a ditch may be begun with 

 a plough, drawn by an orderly team that will 

 keep to the line. This saves labor. 



To make a ditch straight, and equal in all its 

 parts, it is recommended that the work be reg- 

 ulated by a frame of slit deal, nailed together, 

 to the exact size of the intended ditch. It may 

 be a rod or more in length, and as wide as the 

 intended ditch. — Dcane^s JV. E. Farmer. 



Rice Jelly. — This is one of the best and most 

 nourishing preparations of rice, particularly for 

 valetudinarians or convalescents. It is thus 

 made : Boil a quarter of a pound of rice flour, 

 with half a pound of loaf sugar, in fl quart of wa- 

 ter, till the whole becomes one uniform gelatin- 

 ous mass ; then strain oft' the jelly and let it 

 stand to cool. .\ little of this salubrioas food ea- 

 ten at a time, will be found very beneficial to 

 those of a weakly and infirm constitution. 



Chemical Agency by the Magnet. — Mr. J. Mur- 

 ray states, that he had succeeded in decomposing 

 l)y the magnet, every metallic salt to which he 

 had applied it. One instance of this fact, so inter- 

 esting to science, we quote for the sake of its 

 tendency'. ' A solution of p€rniit«ea(c ot mercu- 

 ry was, by the magnet, soon reduced to metallic 

 or running mercury.' — Hence fine steel filings, 

 magnetized, administered in syrup, will be an 

 admirable antidote to corrosive sublimate. 



London paper. 



Sir John Sinclair, in his Code of Health de- 

 clares that the modern art of Fencing is pot on- 

 ly conducive to longevity, but absolutely enlar- 

 ges the bones of the chest and thorax. Locke 

 calls it an essential part of good education. — 

 IVright on Elocution, praises it as an auxiliary 

 to Eloquence. Chatham, in one of his letters to 

 his nephew, Lord Camelford, assures him, it will 

 place his head upright and plant him well upon 

 his legs. — Xational Ga:ctte. 



There is not an earthly beauty that I look 

 upon, that has not something in it spiritual to 

 me. And when my mind is fair and open, and 

 soul right, there is not a flower I see that does 

 not move my heart to feel towards it as a child 

 of God. All that is, to my mind, is a type of 

 what shall be ; and my own being and soul seem 

 to me as if linked with eternity. — Idle Man. 



