14 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER, 



JCI-T 93, J«P4. 



NEW ENGLAND F A R 31 E R. 



BOSTON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, JULY 23, lf!34. 



COMMUNICATIONS. 



The above is a representation of that very useful but 

 too much neglected machine, tlie Roller. It is formed 

 after a model first oonstructed by Eltas Phinney, Esq. 

 of Lexiujiton, Mass. figured and described in the New 

 England Fanner, vol. ix, p. ■22, and in Fessenden's Com- 

 plete Farmer, p. 348. This implement is 6 feet in length, 

 and 5 feet in diameter. It turns on an iron axis of the 

 same length, by 1 1-2 inches in diameter, is of two parts 

 of 3 feet each. 



Mr. Piiinney says that this roller presents the follow- 

 ing among other advantages : " If the ground be very 

 mellow a small roller is apt to draw it into ridges, the 

 sjnall stones to be crowded into heaps before it, rather 

 than pressed into the eaith, wliere they lie, and the sur- 

 face consequently left uneven ; and when used upon the 

 ground in the spring of the year, which had been sown 

 with grass seed the fall previous, the roots of the tender 

 plants are often injured by its teiulency to drag rather 

 than to roll over the ground. These difficulties are all 

 cureil by enlarging the diameter. The large roller also 

 moves easier, and the weight falling more directly on the 

 small stones, they are butter pressed into the earth ; the 

 lumps of earth more finely broken, and the surface much 

 smoother." 



In a vnlual)le pa])Br "on the uses and value of the rol- 

 ler," by John Lowf.ll, Esq. publislied in the JVew Eng- 

 land Farmer, vol. vi, p. 147, the writer oliserves " On 

 grain and grass lands 1 apply the roller in the Spring 

 after the sowing, but not until the surface has become so 

 hard and dry that the horse's hoof shall not penetrate the 

 soil too deeply. I precede the rolling with a light har- 

 row uidoacUul, never fearing the occasional dislodgnii-nt 

 of the plants. I then follow with the roller, though the 

 plants are ofu;n four or fivo inches high. The roller 

 then settles tlie roots firjuly in the ground, which had 

 been raised by the preceding winter's frost, and in one 

 ■week I perceive the lienehcial effects of the roller, though 

 its first anil innnediale efl'ect seems to those miaccustom- 

 ed to its use, pernicious and destructive. The roller 1 

 have used has beim of freestone, 18 inches in diameter 

 and 3 1-2 feet in length ; its weight I should suppose 

 could not l)e less than .500 lbs. at the least; but as such 

 rollers cannot lio ('asily procnre<l, a smooth log of 18 in- 

 ches in diameter, or a plank one of two feet will answer 

 equally v\ell, having diri^clly over the axis a box filled 

 with stones to smdi a weight as a conunou horse can 

 conveniently drag over an nudulaiing surface. This cim 

 only be settled by eacli individual, according to the 

 fltreiigth of his horse, and the inequality of the groimd of 

 which every man on the sjiot can alone be the competent 

 judge. 



" I have no hesitation to say that anjong all the im- 

 provements of modern husbandry the roller holils iUi iiu- 

 i)o;la!)t and almost indispensable place." 



For the New-Evglajid Farmer. 



Mr. Fessenden — Your correspondent "A Dor- 

 chester Farmer" may be plea.sed to learn that if 

 his " I'omine de Terre" l>e dead, as he supposed, 

 it neither sud'ered of "a rose in aromatic jiain" 

 nor was smothered among Dahlias. No, sir, our 

 "apple of the earth" sustained the dignity of a 

 " Lord of acres" among his brothers tuherosa of 

 the Dahlia tribe; a true disciple of the utilitarian 

 school, he seemed proudly conscious that altliongli 

 they found more favor in the eyes of some, many 

 more were desirous of favor in his eyes: it was 

 consigned to the hands of a practical and carefid 

 cidtivator, who placed it " beneatli tlie sod," ami 

 although dead, the vital part has gernnnated de 

 nouveau, and gives promise that its progress may 

 not disappoint the hopes of its friends, and par- 

 ticularly those of the valued member and benefac- 

 tor of the Society in whose charge he was pleased 

 to place it, of this a report iji due time may be ex- 

 pectecf. A Cultivator. 



July 19. 



For the New Englmnd Farvier. 

 COAV CABBAGE. 



Plymouth, July ISth, 1834. 



Mr. Fkssexcen — Dear Sir, It is not a very 

 pleas:uit duty to comply with your request in the 

 last f'armer respecting the Cow Cabbage concern. 

 I have merely to say that the plant has proved to 

 be a worthless article. I distributed a very con- 

 siderable quantity of the seed produced the first 

 year, and I believe in every inst.iiue in New Eng- 

 lanil it degenerated to such a degree as to disap- 

 point expectation, and its cultivation was relin- 

 quished. But the letter which I published on the 

 subject gained for me quite a flattering 7}oloriely. 

 It was noticed in various parts of the United States, 

 and I soon found myself involved in an extensive 

 correspondence which I believe however was pro- 

 ductive of little profit to either |)arty. Some of 

 the letters came post paid, others tujt. When I 

 sent seed to the western and southern states, I re- 

 ijnested to be informed of the nisult of the trials 

 in those climates, but ihcy disappointed me in ev- 

 ery instance. The last letter which I received 

 came to me at 2.5 cents postage, the writer stated 

 that he had seated himself on a new plantation, 

 ami having beard irmch in favor of Cow Cabbage 

 ti)r winter loilder, he would be glad if the Doctor 

 would send him some seed for trial, but it ujiglit 

 be sent part of the distance by water and he woidil 

 pay the expense. Upon the whole, Mr. Editor, 

 the Cow Cabbage concern has been one of my 

 poorest speculations. 



I iuii with respect your humble servt. 



James Thaciier. 



From the Farmer and Gardener. 

 GAMA GRASS. 

 George Landvoigt, gardener to the establish- 

 ment connected with the Farmer and Gardener, 

 has succeeded in sprouting the Gama Grass Seed 

 in four days, by a method we believe to be entire- 

 ly new ; ami from its coiriplete success in this in- 

 stance, it is a plausible conclusion that the same 

 method will be found equally benefici.d in forward- 

 ing the vegetation of other seeds. The gama grass 

 seed has always been very slow in vegetating, and 

 in some instances baa lain twelve or fourteen 

 months in the ground before the young plant has 

 made its appearance. 



His plan of treatment was this : 'l;ike 

 proof spirits one quart, plaster of paris a 

 double handful, or sufticicnl to nnd;e it ot" 

 the consistence of thin whitewash ; set it 

 by the fire and keep it milk-warm for twen- 

 ty-four hours ; then sow it in ground well 

 prepared, an<l protect it from the heat of 

 the sun in a hot day, or from the cold of 

 such nights as we have had during this ex- 

 periment, by a grass mat. 



]>y this methoil the seeds sprouted ami 

 came up in four days ; and have continued,; 

 notwithstanding the extremely cold weather 

 we have had, to grow finely. Plants thus 

 raised are to be set out at a distance of lv\o 

 feet each way, and in a short lime the 

 ground will be entirely covered with the 

 grass. 



It is highly probable that thorn seed, 

 peach stones, and all other seeds covered 

 with hard coats, may be sprouted in the 

 same way with greater facility and cert.nin- 

 ty than they have heretofore been done. 



PRESERVATION OP POTATOES. 



The last number of the Journal of Agri- 

 culture, coutains some remarks on the preti- 

 ervation of potatoes. Tlie tubers "are peel- 

 ed, rasped, and put into a coarse cloth be- 

 tween two hoards in a press, and pressed 

 into a cake and then dried." In the juice 

 escaping some starch is Ibund. "The cake 

 w ill keep nearly three years perfectly sweet." 

 This operation on a large scale will convert 

 that useful, luit perisb.-ible root into a per- 

 manent supply for the kilclieii,the stable or 

 feeding pyre. 



ITEMS OF laiTELLIGEIVCE. 



Edenton, July '.). — On Tuesday last, the Coron- 

 er of Cliowan county held an inquest over the 

 body of Mrs. Ward, who was found dead in her 

 dwelling, about 20 miles above Edenton. Ver- 

 dict of llie Jury — " that she came to lier death ia 

 consequence ot blows inflicted by her liusband, 

 Micajah Ward, whde in a state of intoxication. 

 Ward has, we understand, made his escape. This, 

 we regret to say, is tlie second case tliat has come 

 to our knowledge within a few weeks, in whicli 

 ardent spirits has been the immediate cause of the 

 destruction of liuman life. 



Nott's Stoves — Lcgul Decision. The sui' 

 pending between Dr. Nott and Mr. James Wi! 

 son in the United States Court, a special referenc 

 ot which for the ascertainment of the facts in li 

 case, was made to the late Cliief Justice Speno', 

 Mr. Justice Woodruff, and Mr. Joseph CurS, 

 af\er a full and protracted hearing, lias been ui-n- 

 imously decided in favor of Dr. Nott. This i'he 

 second decision had on the same side ; andon- 

 sidering the great respectability of the rerees 

 and the length of time occupied in the hefing, 

 and in the making of their decision, the q-sliou 

 of right may be considered as put at rest.-'^'- 1 • 

 paj/er. 



Wheat Crop. The prospects for tl vvhcat 

 crops in the country have greatly improv* during 

 the last tliree weeks. The wheat fic^ gener- 

 ally have an uncommonly fine appeance, and 

 promise tlie fanners an abundant har'st. Tlic 

 crop of grass also promises to be -'y abun- 

 dant — Pounh. Eagle. 



