1860. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



451 



it such offensive matter, as to compel the intruder 

 to a precipitate retreat." They are of the usual 

 indolent and repulsive habits of the vultures ; and 

 Mr. Audubon, comparing them to a garrisoned 

 half-pay soldier, observes : "To move is for them 

 a hardship ; and nothing but extreme hunger will 

 make them fly down from the roof of the kitchen 

 into the yard." 



The turkey buzzard is two and a half feet in 

 length, and measures six feet, two inches, across 

 the extended wings ; possesses a lofty, soaring 

 flight, and, in common with the other vultures, 

 has the head and neck bare of feathers ; the un- 

 der parts of the ]dumage are of a sooty brown 

 color ; the upper, black or brownish black glossed 

 with green and bronze, with puri)le reflections. 

 They are gregarious and harmless in their habits, 

 never attacking living animals. J. A. A. 



Fur the Neiv England Farmer. 

 CUIiTUEE OF WHEAT. 



A few days since, I adverted to a fine field of 

 ■wheat, now standing, on an average, more than 

 five feet in height, on land of Gen. Sutton. I 

 have since heard of other fields of equal promise, 

 on lands of Mr. Brown, Mr. Berry and others. 

 What surprises me is, that so few should culti- 

 vate a crop so desirable, when it can be grown 

 with so much certainty, and with so little chance 

 of blight. jSIost farmers, when about to lay their 

 land down to grass, use barley or oats, and not 

 wheat. Would not wheat be twice as valuable, 

 and equally favorable for the coming crop of 

 grass ? 



Perhaps the reason why blight does not come 

 upon the grain while growing, is, that care has 

 been used in the selection of the variety to be 

 grown. If by a little care thus applied, a bounti- 

 ful harvest can be secured, of one of the most pal- 

 atable and essential supports of life, is it not the 

 duty of all who have land suitable, to see to the 

 growing of this crop ? If my recollection is right, 

 Bome thirty years since, there Avere many farmers 

 in Massachusetts, who grew their own wheat. 

 Then, for some cause, I know not v,'hat, the cul- 

 ture of wheat fell off; and a field of wheat became 

 almost as rare a sight, as that of a white crow. I 

 entertain the hope that a better time is coming, 

 and the fields before mentioned give evidence of 

 this. P. 



August 6, 1860. 



NUMBEKING SHEEP. 

 A correspondent of the Battle Creek, Mich., 

 JejJ'ersonicm gives the following description of a 

 plan for ascertaining the amount of wool produced 

 by each sheep of a flock belonging to a New Eng- 

 land friend whom he had recently visited : 



"We were handed a sheet of paper upon which 

 was noted the weight of fleece of each sheep in 

 the flock ; opposite was set the number of the 

 sheep, a corresponding number having been brand- 

 ed upon the animal itself at the time of taking 

 its last clip, by applying a mixture of lampblack 

 and tar with cast-iron figures. This course had 

 been pursued for some years, and its results were 

 apparent in a wool crop brought up from an av- 



erage of four pounds to over five, and a corres- 

 ponding increase in the size and quality of sheep. 

 The practice had been to slaughter and otherwise 

 dis])ose of all animals ranking lowest in weight 

 of fleece and to improve upon the quality of the 

 remainder by judicious crossing." 



EXTRACTS AND REPLIES. 



Lwllow, J'L, Aug. U, 1860. 



Mr. Beown : — After an illness of over five months — 

 au illness resulting from conlinement to a scilentary 

 employment in your cit.y — I am once more enjoying 

 the mountain air and the mountain prospects of my 

 native State. To appreciate my enjoyment of the rides 

 and rnmljles which I am now taking among these hills 

 and valleys, one must have experienced the pleasura- 

 ble sensations of returning health under similar cir- 

 cumstances. 



Vegetation looks finely. There has been no drought 

 here this season, and crops now give promise of an 

 alamdant harvest. There is some complaint about hay 

 bcmg rather light. There is considerable yet to be cut, 

 and I believe fiirmcrs generally admit that the quality 

 of hay is good, and the amount nearer an average than 

 was expected early in the season. Showers have been 

 frequent for about a week, and yesterday and to-day 

 have been decidedly rainy. Fears are expressed that 

 the grain which is cut and stooked in the fields will be 

 damaged by sprouting. Considerable wheat is raised in 

 this vicinity, and this, as well as other grain, is said to 

 be well filled and heavy. 



Garden crops lo'>k remarkably thrifty in this town, 

 so far as I have observed ; aud particularly is it true of 

 those in the village, where nearly every square rod of 

 spare land is waving with an almost tropical richness 

 of vegetation. Fruit trees are well laden, and even 

 plum trees are bending with the weight of clusters of 

 fair, smooth plums. I have looked at the fruit in sev- 

 eral gardens, but have not seen a single mark of the 

 eurculio ; and it seems to me that other troublesome 

 insects are far less destructive here than in Massachu- 

 setts. 



There is a woolen factory in this village, at which 

 the operatives commence work at 5 o'clock in the 

 morning, after half an hour's ringing of the Ijcll, and 

 close their day's labor at 7 o'clock in the evening, with 

 a vacation of "half an hour each for breakfast and din- 

 ner. Is not thirteen hours a day too manj' to compel 

 l)oys and girls, men and women, to work in the noise 

 and confinement of a factory ? For a few weeks in the 

 hottest weather, the dinner-time is extended to three- 

 fourths of an hour. Yours truly, 

 * A City Mechanic. 



Remarks. — ^We are delighted to hear of the return- 

 ing health of one of our valued friends and most intel- 

 ligent correspondents, and fervently wish that firm 

 health and a prosperous life may long be his right and 

 left hand supporters. 



CULTURE OF WINTER WHEAT. 



I wish to know how to raise winter wheat ; I shall 

 make the attempt this season, and wish for all the in- 

 formation within reach to assist me 



Inquiring among my neighbors, I almost invariably 

 get for an answer, "Don't know ; never grew it ; can 

 buy cheaper;" &c., &c. 



Now, will you be so good as to insert in the Farmer 

 as soon as convenient, replies to the following ques- 

 tions : 



1. The depth the ground should be plowed ? 



2. Best kind of seed ? 



3. Time of -sowing? 



4. Quantity per acre ? 



5. How deep to cover the seed ? 



6. What quantity and quality of manure ? 



West Roxbunj, Aug. 9, 1860. w. D. H. 



Remarks. — We cannot do better than to give you 

 the practice of Mr. N. F. Morrell, of Sanbomton, 

 N. H., as contained in a letter of his published in the 

 monthly Farmer, for July, 1859. 



