462 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Oct. 



face, and never be plowed under, for the form of 



its ultimate particle is such that rains and dews 

 are sure to carry it downward between tlie parti- 

 cles of soil ; and in over-limed soils, in which 

 ditches have been dug, lime is always found resi- 

 dent upon the surface of the subsoil, and there- 

 fore, as during its descent its chemical action can 

 only occur on ])articles through which it descends, 

 the effect must be greater than if plowed under, 

 for then the portion above it could not be affected 

 by the lime. 



Wood ashes should always be plowed in at the 

 surface, for then the gradual leaching downward 

 of the potash will be brought in contact with all 

 the materials which can be decomposed, or al- 

 tered in their condition, by its presence. 



In the use of superphosphate of lime, it re- 

 quires to be entered in the soil only so far as will 

 cause it to come in contact vt^ith humid portions, 

 so that its slowly soluble character can develop 

 itself, and cause its downward travel to bring 

 about all the chemical changes of which it is ca- 

 pable, and at the same time, present the requisite 

 pabulum to roots. 



We have made some curious experiments, that 

 go to suggest the fact that phosphorus is the true 

 chemical light of the soil. We all know that a 

 plant grown in the dark has no color. The leaves 

 and flowers are white, and when the soil is fully 

 charged with soluble phosphates then this diffi- 

 culty, in degree, is remedied, for the leaves are 

 green and the flowers are varied and intense in 

 their hues. 



With barn-yard manure, and particularly in 

 soils which have been before thoroughly disturbed, 

 we highly approve of the plowing them deeply un- 

 der, for then the volatile portions, while rising in 

 the gaseous form after decomposition, will hs ab- 

 sorbed by the soil, instead of being lost in the at- 

 mosphere, while the straw, litter, etc., will tend 

 to loosen the subsoil, and leave passages through 

 which the air may enter. And this cvration of the 

 soil may represent, in degree, the benefits of un- 

 dei'-draining and subsoil plowing. 



This phenomenon may be observed in the travel 

 of insects in the soil. Thus the seventeen-year 

 locust, which in some localities has already ap- 

 peared above the surface, presents holes to the 

 depth of four feet through which it has risen, each 

 one of which should chide every farmer who has 

 neither under-drained nor subsoil plowed his 

 land. It seems to be a wise provision of nature 

 to do for the lazy agriculturist what he has failed 

 to do for himself. — Ed. of WorJcing Farmer. 



For the New Ensland Farmer. 

 REAKIlSra AND FATTENING OP SWINE. 



Gluttons and dyspeptics have always been in- 

 structed by intelligent physicians to eat slowly, 

 and masticate the food well, and thoroughly in- 

 corporate the same with the saliva, to secure 

 good digestion and a uniform appetite. 



The rule holds good with hogs and should be 

 early taught and enforced, both for the advantage 

 of the pig, and his owner. Everybody knows 

 that a pig cloyed in early youth with strong food, 

 greedily eaten, becomes a dyspeptic, and never 

 does well after. Now, say to your pig, "learn to 

 eat slow, and all, other graces will follow in their 



proper places." Perhaps many good farmers may 

 say "it can't be done." Nothing easier. Give 

 the weaned pig at G or 8 weeks old, in a clean 

 trough, half a teacup of dry shorts or bran, and 

 after his dry food is all eaten, give his drink, and 

 increase the dry shorts according to the age and 

 appetite till 3 months old, then add one-half In- 

 dian meal for two months, and then dry Indian 

 meal till fattened sufficiently. I have followed 

 this plan for five years past with success. I have 

 2 pigs now 5 m.onths old that are fed one quart 

 Indian meal each, three times a day, which takes 

 half an hour to moisten and swallow, and this 

 quantity, with the slops and dish-water, (all of 

 which they take after their meal,) will carry them 

 to 200, dressed, at 6^ months old. At one year 

 old the same breed weigh 400. One at 9 months 

 weighed 375. I have a sow that has brought me 

 126 pigs, and will have another litter in Septem- 

 ber. L. Long. 

 Hohjohe, Mass., 1860. 



EXTRACTS AND REPLIES. 



ITNKXOWN INSECTS. 



I enclose a few msccts now common with me. A 

 fortnight ago I saw tlie first of them. They then were 

 wingless — a few of them showing wings just starting. 

 Now they are to bo found upon apple, ash and maple 

 trees alone. Three days ago I caught a few, winged 

 and wingless — to-day they are all winged. 



I have looked over "Fitch on Insects," but find 

 nothing answering to their description, nor do I recol- 

 lect reading of anything like them in "Ivirby." 



You may know of them, and they may be very com- 

 mon ; if so, I shall get laughed at for my ignorance. 



S. A. Nelson. 



Georgetown, Mass., Aug. 18, 1860. 



Remauks. — These insects were about last year, but 

 seem to have greatly increased this. "When quite young 

 they cluster together on the stem of the tree, and upon 

 touching them suddenly diverge in cveiy direction, 

 like the rays of a star. We know not what they are, 

 or what they are to make. Before the decease of the 

 lamented Dr. Harris, of Cambridge, we had a person 

 to whom we could send samples of strange insects and 

 find out their names, habits, &c., but now we know of 

 no one near us wlio will furnish that much needed in- 

 formation. We thank you (not laugh) for bringing 

 these insects to notice. Quite likely now some one 

 will tell us all about them. 



ALKALINE COMPOSTS. 



In reading your interesting articles on "Composts 

 and Manures," I have not seen any reference to alka- 

 lies. I have a lot of pearlash which I want to convert 

 into the most profitable fertilizer. I thought to com- 

 post it with a very fine meadow muck which I have. 

 Will you be kind enough to give me some information 

 on the subject, through the Farmer f 



Addison, Me., Aug., 1860. John Plummee. 



Remarks. — We regard pearlash as one of the best 

 specific fertilizers, to mingle with muck or loam. Sev- 

 eral years ago, we were engaged in a series of experi- 

 ments in which most of the special fertilizers were 

 tested, such as guano, superphosphate of lime, ground 

 bones, poudrette, salt, &c. Added to these was a cask 

 of potash, containing 700 or 800 pounds. This we dis- 

 solved and sprinkled upon beds of old, finely-pulver- 

 ized muck, and an equal money value of it was ap- 

 plied to the same space of land as was applied in the 

 other fertilizers, and the results were favorable, wheu 

 compared with the other tests. 



