174 



KEW ENGLAND FAEMER. 



April 



and prisoners has shown that about nine-tenths 

 of the crime is caused by intemperance. Yet it 

 has been found a few years ago that crime was in- 

 creasing in France six times more rapidly than 

 the population. A distinguished banker in Paris 

 has given the returns of the quantity consumed 

 by that city. The amount was 130 bottles of wine 

 and G of ardent spirits, consumed on an average 

 by each inhabitant, Avithin the walls. Outside the 

 walls, there was no excise, and the amount was 

 much larger. The amount consumed in France was 

 I,0o3,797,8o4 gallons of strong drink of all kinds 

 — over a thousand million gallons — an average to 

 each person of forty-two and a half gallons a year 

 — equal to four and a half gallons of pure alcohol 

 to each. In the United States, at the same time, 

 there was only a gallon and an eighth of alcohol 

 consumed by each person. Some travellers pass 

 rapidly through France, Italy, and other coun- 

 ti'ies, visit the cities and splendid streets, sec noth- 

 ing behind the scenes, and then return home and 

 report "no drunlvcnness in wine countries." But 

 others who have examined more tlioroughly have 

 told a different story. J. Fennimore Cooper said 

 some years ago, "A residence of six months in 

 Paris changed my views entirely. I have taken 

 unbelievers with me into the streets, and have 

 never failed to convince them of their mistake in 

 the course of an hour. On one occasion we 

 passed thirteen drunken men in an hour." An 

 eminent French general stated that "the ration to 

 each soldier was a bottle of wine a day — the use 

 of that bottle only stimulated the appetite for 

 more, and their small pay was usually squandered 

 to purchase it — that want and insubordination in 

 the army could be traced to Avine ; and most of 

 the crime and poverty, especially in the districts, 

 to the same cause." When I^ouis Philippe was 

 king he expressed his conviction to a distinguished 

 American "that total abstinence was the only true 

 t.mporance, and that the drunkenness of France 

 was on wine." His son made a similar remark, 

 and added that "it Avoukl be a blessing to France 

 could all the grapevines be destroyed, except so 

 far as they furnish food." 



For the New England Farmer. 



layhstq new shingles over old 



ONES. 



Some time within two years, I think, inquiry 

 Avas made through the Farmer relative to this sub- 

 ject. I have searched for it, but do not readily 

 find it, so I must depend upon memory. At the 

 time the inquiry was made, I thought I would re- 

 ply, but hoping that some other person would do 

 it, I neglected it. I have often thought f)f it since, 

 and have looked carefully for some further re- 

 marks, but having seen none, and thinking it a 

 matter of too much importance to pass longer "un- 

 noticed, I will give the result of my observation. 



The practice of laying new shingles over old 

 ones has been in vogue here a number of years, 

 is constantly gaining favor, and has become quite 

 general. The objections to the plan are, that it 

 takes longer nails, and is, consequently, a little 

 more expensive : and that any water which may 

 leak through the new covering will be retained 

 by the old longer than by the boards, if the old 

 shingles were removed ; hence the roof will be lia- 



ble to rot sooner. Practically, however, these ob- 

 jections have but little weight. Poofs thus cov- 

 ered are found to be more nearly impervious to 

 water than single covered ones, and they are a 

 much better ]n'otcction against snow, very seldom 

 admitting any, consequently they are Avarmer. I 

 have had several roofs shingled in this manner 

 within a few years, and I like the plan much. The 

 general favor in Avhich the practice is held, is 

 pretty good evidence of its utility. 



I intend to collect some facts relative to this 

 subject, and if I obtain any of general interest, I 

 Avill place them before the readers of the Farmer. 

 I hope others will also give their experience in 

 the matter. L, Vaenet. 



Bloomjield, C. W., 2d mo., 1860. 



EXTKACTS AND KEPLIES. 



CPw^NBERRY MEADOW — HUNGARIAN GRASS SEED — 

 OIL MEAL. 



I have a piece of land that is quite wet, cold and 

 sour ; it bears grass only St for bedding. I want 

 to know, if the land is suitable, how to proceed 

 with it, in order to fit it for cranberries j how to 

 set the ])lants, and at what time to set them ? (a.) 



Can I get the Hungarian grass seed in your 

 city ? If so, where and at what price, -what time 

 to sow and cut it, and if a middling quality of soil 

 will produce a fair crop ? (b.) 



Also, the cost of linseed oil meal per hundred, 

 and if given to cows, Avill it cause a greater flow of 

 milk ? (c.) G. A. Gibson. 



Wesfjield, Mass., Feb., 1860. 



PiEl\L\RKS. — (a.) If the land is covercd A\-ith 

 bushes and coarse grass, flow it two or three years 

 until they are killed — then set the plants twelve 

 inches apart, in October, and flov/ it thi'ough the 

 winter. If you cannot Avait for this process, cut 

 the bushes and burn them, grub off the hassocks, 

 and make the meadoAV as level as you can. If you 

 cannot floio the land, set the plants as early in the 

 spring as you can. We cannot tell you Avhether 

 the land is suitable or not, without seeing it ; but 

 almost any moist land Avill produce cranbernes, if 

 bushes and grass are kept aAvay from them. 



(b.) Hungarian grass seed is sold by Nourse & 

 Co., 34 Merchants' PiOw, for about 84 per bushel. 

 SoAV in April, and cut for fodder when in bloom, 

 or for seed when the seed is ripe. 



(c.) Oil meal is selling at about $2 per hundred 

 l^ounds. It Avill increase the flow of milk when 

 fed to cows. 



THE ONION DESTROYER. 

 Nothing has been heard from the son of the 

 Green Mountains about his remedy for the onion 

 destroyer, since his reduced pro])osa] to sell out, 

 for the moderate sum of sixty thousand dollars. 

 An investment that, abating all contingencies, if 

 judiciously placed, avouUI yield a constant income 

 of three thousand dollars a year, during life, and 

 leave a permaneat residuum for the little ones. 

 What a pity that such enterprise should not be 

 adequately rCAvardcd ? If I should guess (as all 

 Yankees are privileged to do,) be did uot find tlia 



