VOL,. XV. NO. 35. 



AND GARDENER'S JOURNAL 



277 



injury to our fruit and forest trees, — when, In 

 truth, he is doing no injury to tlie tree. He is 

 furnished, by a kind Providence, witli a hill capa- 

 ble of (jenetrating the bulk, and a long, barheil 

 tongue to draw out the insects, wliich are destroj'- 

 ing the tree. 



It is usual to stone the sparrow from our gar- 

 dens, under the supposition that he picks up the 

 seeds which we have deposited there, when he is , 

 really devouring nothing but the gru'iis and otiier 

 insects, in wliicli the rich garden earth abounds 

 and which are the real destroyers of the seeds. — 

 It has been calculated, by observation, that a sin- 

 gle sparrow, with young, devours 3360 caterpillars, 

 in a week, or 480 per day. 



Reptiles are universally dreaded and e.xterniina- 

 ted ; yet a more harmless race, certainly if we 

 speak of Massachusetts only, does not exist. Rep- 

 tiles prey sometimes upon each other, hut gener- 

 ally upon mice, insects and worms, of which they 

 destroy incalculable numbers. Every toad a man 

 can intro<luce into his garden, renders it less like- 

 ly that he will be molested by really destructive 

 vermin. 



No State is so largely concerned in the fisher- 

 ies as .Massachusetts, — and it is certainly discred- 

 itable to us, that the inhabitants of our waters 

 should bo so imperfectly known ; and no St.ate 

 turnishes such an o|)p(irtunity as this, of becoming 

 acquainted with the inhabitants of our Atlantic 

 waters. 



Perhaps no portion of the animal creation af- 

 fords so wide a field for important research, as the 

 insect tribes. Their ravages are enormous, while 

 their rniinber and minuteness render opposition 

 by physical tbree, nugatory. The history of the 

 weevil, the liessian Hy and the canker worm, fur- 

 nisljes examples in point. By a knowledge of the 

 habits of the latter it is not diflicult to restrain 

 their inroads. How much is yet to be learned 

 respecting the numerous caterpillars, and grubs, 

 and weevils, which infest our State, no farmer or 

 gardener needs to be toM. The simple fact that 

 every boy crushes the caterpillar, while he ad- 

 mires and cherishes the butterfly, the "arent of 

 all the caterpillars, shows how much need there 

 is of general information, and that our agricultu- 

 rists shoidd be informed of suchsiinple, practical 

 truths as shall render their operations more suc- 

 cessful. 



An important article in daily use by every phy- 

 sician is the blistering fli). These flics are now 

 all imported from the south of Europe. But ev- 

 ery farmer should know, sliat several species of 

 flies, equally effectual as the Spanish fly, abound 

 in every potato fiehl. 



In this connection, we may mention another 

 important article of commerce, the medicinal 

 leech. There are several species of leech in our 

 waters, and some of them might, doubtless, be 

 improved and multiplied, so as entirely to super- 

 cede the foreign animal. 



It is important, also, that our forest trees should 

 be better known by our farmers ; and the differ- 

 ent vegetables and grasses which their respective 

 districts are best adapted to produce. This may 

 be effected by a botanical, in connection with a 

 geological survey of the State. 



We instance these few examples, to shew the 

 nature and importance of the information to be 

 expected from the researches into the natural his- 

 tory of this State. A volume of similar facts, al- 

 ready known, might be adduced. We apprehend 



no book could be presented to the people which 

 would eidtauce the success of the laboring clas- 

 ses, or be read with more avidity and usefulness 

 by the school boy, than a history of the natural 

 productions of Massachusetts. 



In conclusion, we would add, that we most ear- 

 nestly hope, that such measures will be deviscl 

 by the Legislature, as will conduce to a more thor- 

 ough \ino\v\ei]gp. of the natural history of the State 

 in all its branches, — and for a collection and pres- 

 ervation of such objects of interest and usefulness, 

 as will advance the interests of science and human 

 ha]q)iness. 



Most respectfully submitted in behalf of the 

 Committee. Augustus A. Gould. 



Boston, Feb. 13, 1837. 



Lime SPRKADER. 



Ttic difficulty of making an uniform distribu- 

 tion of any given quantity of lime on an acre of 

 ground, and the injury experienced by laborers 

 engaged in the operation, have long been felt by 

 the Agricultural community, and we are, there- 

 fore, happy in believing that both these inconven- 

 iences have been obviated by the invention of 

 our ingfeni )us townsman, Francis II. Smith, Esq., 

 who, we believe, has succeeded in so construct- 

 ing a cart, than any given number of bushels of 

 either stone or shell lime, may be equally sprearl 

 over the entire surface of a field of any I'limen- 

 sions. His cart has been submitted to the test of 

 [iractical experiments upon the farms of several of 

 the gentlemen in this vicinity, and as we learn, 

 gave the most decided satisfaction in every in- 

 stance. . Tlie last experiment is thus flatteringly 

 sjioken of by several of our most extensive and in- 

 telligent landholders, and from our personal knowl- 

 edge of the accomplished inventor's acquaintance 

 with mechanics as a science, we have no doubt 

 it will receive the approbation of the entire farm- 

 ing and planting interests. — Baltimore Far. 



LIME SPREADER. 



Having this day witnessned at the Orange farm, 

 the operation of Francis II. Smith's machine for 

 spreading lime, we cheerfully unite in giving our 

 opinion of the resnlt. The shells were thrown 

 into the cart direct from the kiln. These were 

 sufficiently ground up and distributed with uni- 

 formity over the land as the cart was moved along. 

 We are of opinion that no manual operation coulil 

 do the work so well. The quantity per acre, 

 judging merely from observation, in the three sev- 

 eral degrees exhibited to us, was about 50, 100 

 and 200 bushels. It is evident, however, that the 

 quantity may be regulated at pleasure. This ex- 

 periment was made with shell lime. One of the 

 undersigned has with the machine covered seven 

 acres with stone lime, with great expedition and to 

 his entire satisfaction. We are of opinion that it 

 is equally adapted for spreading ashes, marl or 

 any friable manure. We are so well pleased with 

 the machine, that we have each of us ordered 

 one from Mr Eastman. 



J. W. Patterson, 

 James Swan, 

 Robert Gilmor, Jr. 

 S. W. Smith, 

 Wm. Donnell. 

 Baltimore, Dec. 29, 1836. 



J. S. Eastman has now put twelve of the above 

 machines in hand, which will require six or eight 



weeks to conqjiete. Part of them are already 

 engaged ; those who wish to have it in time for 

 operating in the Spring, are advised to leave 

 their names at his .Agricultural warehouse in Pratt 

 street. 



The cost of the machine, including the parent 

 right, is $100. To apply the machinery to a 

 wagon or cart, S45. In five minutes the machi- 

 nery may be detached, and leave a useful planta- 

 tion cart. 



FUEI.. 



A cord of dry wood of any kind, contains the 

 same quantity of carbonaceous or cond)Ustilde mat- 

 ter, as a cord of green wood ; and in the combus- 

 tion of the green wood, a large proportion of the 

 heat produced, is employed to convert the sap in- 

 to vapor, where it becomes latent, and is lost. 



Dry hickory is cheaper at four dollars a load, 

 than dry white wood at two dollai-s. The follow- 

 ing table shows the comparative value of different 

 kinds of fire-wood, as ascertained by the experi- 

 ments of Mr Bull of Philadelphia. It should be 

 remarked, however, that the Oak of Pennsylva- 

 nia is more compact, and makes better fuel than 

 the Oak of Michigan, at least this part of Michi- 

 gan. Our maple too, is a heavier wood, and 

 makes better fuel than the white ash. 



Powiids per cord. Per ceiil of comparatlTC 



Hickory 4169 100 



Pignut 4241 95 



Chestnut Oak 3955 ' 86 



White Oak 3821 81 



Red Oak 3254 69 



Yellow Oak 2919 60 



White Ash 3450 77 



Black Birch 3115 6^ 



White liirch 2369 48 



Rock Maple 2878 60 



White Maple 2668 54- 



Yellow Pine 2463 53 



Pitch pine 1904 43 



White Pine 1868 42 

 Michigan paper.] 



Potatoes. — And as I have an opportunity, I 

 will send the result of an experiment which I 

 made in planting potatoes in 1835, to which, it 

 you think it will be of any use, you can give a 

 place in your paper. 



I had supposed that the seed end of the potato 

 was nearly all that was valuable for planting; but 

 the result of my experiment was the reverse of 

 this. I had supposed that small ones were nearly 

 as good as large ones ; but from experience I am 

 convinced that it is a mistake. 



I i)lanted one row of seed ends, two in a hill, 

 one, with one in a hill ; one, with two smallish 

 potatoes, about as large as bun's eggs, in a hill ; 

 and one, with one large potato in a hill. Of these 

 five rows, the two last exceeded the rest, by more 

 than all the seed that was planted in them — the 

 last of the two exceeded the other. 



As it is a time when people feed potatoes to 

 cattle, I would recommend to select the largest, 

 and preserve them till seed-tiire. And one thing 

 more, see to it that you have some of the best kinds 

 of potatoes ; for the jiotato is an important crop 

 in these cold seasons. Julius Hazen. 



Vermont Far.] 



Disi.nterested.xess. — Interfering with your 

 neighbor's business to the neglect of your own. 



