38 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER 



AUG. 3, 18«; 



ANn HORTICULTURAL RFGISTER. 



BosToK, Wednesday, August 2, 1843. 



MUCK OR SWAMP MUD. 



Generally, the liilttr pait of summer is llie most fnvo- 

 rnble time for t:i!iiiig the mud nr muck from (jond-holes, 

 wet meadows and swamps. Now the water is less in 

 the way, and the surface of tho hiwiands is firmer tliat 

 at any other season in the year. In these low .spots are 

 accumulated the remains of the vegetable growth of 

 ages upon ages. This rotted vegetable matter is natu- 

 ral food for vegetable growth. Immersed, as much of 

 it has been, fur hundrerls and thousands of years in stag- 

 nant water, it usually is not good for the soil if applied 

 immediately upon its removal from its bed. Let it be 

 exposed to the action of the weather at least one year, 

 or surely let it get one thorough freezing before it is 

 used as a manure or as an in::redicnt of the compost 

 heap. Jluch of the prejudice against this muck as a 

 fartilizer, has been created by the habit of using it too 

 soon after it is dui;-. When thus used, its effects for the 

 first year are as often injurious as beneficial. And even 

 if useful afterwards, no credit is allowed for the good 

 then done ; the muck was watched the first year, and it 

 was then judged to be of little worth. Afterwards it is 

 Ibrgollen, among the things which operate in producing 

 a good crop. But it does, no doubt, in the end, answer 

 a trood purpose upon all light soils to which it is applied. 



This muck, being almost exclusively vegetable matter, 

 IS obviously most useful on the soils most deficient in 

 vegetable matter, such as the sandy and gravelly. In 

 whatever state it is applied to them, it in the end in- 

 creases their fertility. But notwithstanding this, it is 

 good economy to let the muck take exposure to the ele- 

 ments one season before it is used. Then it may be 

 expected to be serviceable to the first as well as to sub- 

 sequent crops. 



If this brief view be correct, then it is desirable for 

 the farmer who has this article on his premises, to have 

 a pile of it always on hand. There is no danger that 

 one will throw out too much of it. Go to work, then, 

 at the first convenient opportunity, and be throwing it 

 up where it can drain and cook. 



Much of this article can he taken where you want to 

 •pen ditches for draining and improving your wet 

 meadows. To a great extent, muck-digging anil the re- 

 claiming of wet meadows may go on together, and be 

 effected by one and the same operation. Where the 

 two birds can be killed with one stone, few farmers can 

 do any tliirig better than to throw the stone. 



This meadow muck is good for the compost heap, 

 and should be on hand for throwing into the hog-vard, 

 the barn-yard, the barn-cellar, &c. But it should not be 

 used too freely here. All is not good manure that is 

 just thrown into the manure yard and then carted out. 

 One may waste labor in diluting his manuies too much. 

 Two loads of meadow mud or muck to one of dung is 

 as much as is found profitable. 



It is the farmers moro removed from the city, who 

 eannot buy manure if they would, to whom we espe- 

 cially recommend muck digging. They can do it at 

 little cost, and they can add to the fertility of their 

 farms in this way, without feeling the cost, 'I'he low- 

 lands are themselves, when drained, the best lands, and 

 when draining them, one can get a serviceable article 

 for his warm uplands. Go. then, to the pnnd-lioles, 

 swamps and wet meadows. 



For various ways of composting and using meadow 

 muck, see Dr. Dana's .Muck Manual. 



THE SICK ROOM. 



SucccFsive days and nights of watching and anxiety, 

 unfits one for connected thought upon sny othtT subject 

 than sucli as spring up around the bed of sufTenng. 

 Many of the ordinary cares and duties of life must be 

 postponed when sickness lays our kindred upon its rest- 

 less and alarming bed. Our readers must excuse us if 

 we this time speak to them from the hushed and dark- 

 ened chamber, rather than from the sunny field. 



But should we send out to you a thought or reflection 

 from beside the bed where conjugal affection tiembles, 

 or where fever threatens to sever fraternal bonds, we 

 should even then be dwelling upon cares and duties, 

 labors and feelings, which are common to farmers' 

 homes. All of you, at times, must either actor suffer 

 in the sick room, God's will is there to be done or to 

 be borne, Kavored — blessed are they who can brinff 

 with them to the couch of disease, christian faith, and 

 hope, and resignation. Heaven give them to us and to 

 you in greater fullness. 



The arrows of death fly thick across the paths in 

 which you and your kindred walk. An insect, a worm, 

 may be the cause of pain and of death, Ctdd mav snap, 

 fire may consume, water may dissolve the vital cord. 

 Disease, thousand-formed, may meet you in every path 

 and strike you at any hour. The healthful labors of 

 the farm, the simple fiire at your tables, and the free air 

 you breathe, all serve to protect against disease and to 

 prolong your days. But yet disease and death will come, 

 Happy will it be for us when we can look upon them 

 and bear them with unshrinking fortitude and all-con- 

 quering faith. 



Perpetual seed-time and perpetual harvest reign to- 

 gether in the moral world. The seed of perennial 

 plants may be sown each day and each hour. Their 

 culture is never over. Humble trust in Him who gives 

 sunshine and showers, seed-time and harvest, whose 

 agency and help is seen in every furrow you turn, in 

 each springing |dant, in every blade of grass, in each 

 blusliing fruit and whitening grain — humble trust in 

 Him — sincere devotedness to his will — doing justly to 

 man, and loving mercy — reverencing God in every daily 

 act— and treating all men always as brethren — these 

 things — this sowing to the spirit, may be going on while 

 one is tilling the natural field, or gathering the earth's 

 bounties into his storehouses and barns, 



'I'imes will come — they do come — wlien the inner 

 man needs the fruits of wise and faithful spiritual cul- 

 ture. Stand by the bed of sickness, hear the racking 

 and consuming cough, see the choking blood flow from 

 ruptured lungs, feel the burning temples and the fitful 

 pulse — observe the twitching muscle and the restless 

 limb — observe there the weariness and languor and 

 pains of wearisome days and wearisome nights, and the 

 darkened chamber of sickness if unillumined by religious 

 faith and hope, seems but the portal to a dark and end- 

 less night — 10 hopeless annihilation. But to the illu- 

 minu'd eye of christian faith, there is opened a bright 

 world beyond, where may be seen those who were 

 sown natural bodies, raised spiritual bodies, and dwell- 

 ing in the bosom of infinite love, and enjoying the soci- 

 ety of the holy and the happy. To that v/orld, hope 

 carries one's suffering friend, and his own soul. Sick- 

 ness to him then, is only the instrument of that death 

 which is but an entrance upon a nobler life. 



There are sweeter fruits and more precious grains 

 than those which grow in your gardens and fields 

 When the shadows of closing life deepen upon the eyes 

 of the body, then the worth and richness of tlie fruits of 

 the spirit become more visible and distinct. The faith- 

 ful soul, nourished by these, ^^feels strong for its flight 



to that world where there is laid up for it a crown of 

 joicing. Bereaved affection can dry its tears in 

 trust that the beloved dead still live — live in peace ; 

 joy. Let us not forget to sow the seeds of the bel 

 fruits and richer grains that grow in the fair fields of 

 world above. 



Productive Farming — or a Fnmiliar Digest of the 1 

 cent Discoveries of Liebig, Johnston, Davy, and c 

 er celebrated writers on Vegetable Chemistry, sIk 

 iug how the Results of Tillage might be gres 

 augmi-nted. By Joseph A, Smith. 



Such is the title of a work of 150 pages, price 31 

 cents, sent us by Redding & Co., 8 State sirt 

 who have it for sale. We have had no opportunity 

 past week, on account of sickness in our family, to ri 

 any thing, and have not turned over the leaves of 1 

 book. Tlie compiler has a good field, and if he I 

 done his work well, the book must be worth much ni 

 than its cost. 



MASS. HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Saturday, July 29, 181G 

 A meeting of the Society was held. The Preside 

 M, P, Wilder, Ksq. in the chair. Mr. Walker, fror 

 special committee appointed at the last meeting, mad 

 verbal report, that it was e.vpedient to hold the usi 

 exhibition of Fruitsand Flowers the present year; whi 

 report was unanimously accepted. 



A committee of tliree was chosen to nominate a Co 

 mittee of Arrangements, who reported as lollows : "1 

 committee would nominate the following gentlemen 

 constitute the Committee of Arrangements for the .' 

 nual Exhibition the ensuing year, with power to fill ' 

 cancies, and add to their number, if they deem it ex| 

 diem, viz : Messrs Samuel Walker, B, V, French, 

 Johnson, Josiah Stickney, J, A. Kenrick, C. M, H 

 vey, Joseph Breck, J. F, Allen, J. L. L. F. Warrc 

 Si muel Pond, David Haggersion, F, W, Macondri 

 Choever Newhall, and Dr J, C, Howard" 



Vi.tcd, to accept the above report with the amen 

 ment, that the cominitlee have authority to make cho 

 of sub-committees, and also to report the day of the e 

 hibition at the next meeting of the Society. Adjourn 

 for two weeks, 



EBExN, WIGHT, Rec. SccVy. 



[Want of time and the length of the reports compf 

 us to defer the account of Saturday's exhibition,] 



Jj" We were favored with a most refreshing rain i 

 Sunday, which greatly revived the drooping crof 

 There had been but one or two slight showers for furl 

 three days previous. 



It is slated that so severe has been the drought in tl 

 Connecticut valley, llial the farmers liave been obliji 

 to feed out hay to their cattle, there being no grasi 

 the fields. 



Lightning — Wh ile so many deaths by lightning ai 

 occurring in difl"crent parts of the country, it is iiiipo 

 tant to remember one simple prescription, viz : wheni 

 person is struck down by lightning, lose no time i 

 dashing cold water upon him, even if he is apparenti 

 dead. By this means many lives may he preserve 

 which would otherwise be lost. — Salem Re:;. 



The Buffalo Advertiser says, Mr Alonzo L. Fish, i 

 Herkimer, from only 20 cows, mode last season, 13,99 

 pounds of excellent cheese, besides 301 pounds of goii 

 butter. To eay nothing of the butter, there was a pt( 

 duct equal to 700 pounds of cheese to each cow. 



