1861. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



47 



I did not observe on the island any unsuccess- 

 ful experiment in farming, by anybody who de- 

 served success. I did see a single cow drawing a 

 plow in a miserable garden, and a single steer 

 harnessed to a wagon drawing a ragged-looking 

 driver, and poverty following close upon intem- 

 perance ; and as cause and effect seemed to main- 

 tain their usual relations, I expect when energy 

 and industry, supported by the requisite skill, 

 shall enter upon Long Island barrens, to see 

 fruitfulness and prosperity attend their labors. 



EXTRACTS A]M"D REPLIES. 

 PORTABLE GKIST MILLS. 



I want to get some reliable information in re- 

 gard to the "portable" grist mill which I saw ad- 

 vertised in your paper. I want to know whether 

 it may be driven by one of A. W. Grey's single 

 horse power ? These Powers are being manufac- 

 tured in this town, and sold to the farmers round 

 the country to thresh grain and saw wood with a 

 burr saw, and drag or cutting-off saw, and are one 

 of the greatest labor-saving machines we have 

 among our farmers. I have from three to five 

 hundred bushels of grain to grind, every year, 

 and I have to haul it some two miles to get it 

 ground, and frequently have to go the second 

 time after it, which is no small job in the spring, 

 when the roads are muddy. How fast can they 

 grind, and are they durable, &c., &c. ? What do 

 they cost ? 



If you can give the desired information in your 

 weekly Farmer, I have no doubt but there are 

 others in want of some information upon the 

 above subject, who would be much obliged for 

 the same. 



I have been driving one of Hickock's Portable 

 or Hand Cider mills this fall, with my horse pow- 

 er, and I am very much pleased with the opera- 

 tion. I can grind with ease two bushels per min- 

 ute, and the horse hardly knows he has done any 

 thing. If I can get a grist mill that will do as 

 well, I should be very glad. 



S. W. SOUTHWORTH. 



Mlddletown, VL, 1860. 



Remarks. — We cannot give the information 

 desired above, and shall be glad to have some 

 person in possession of the facts supply it. The 

 matter is an important one. 



MIXING AND APPLYING PAINTS. 



Can you inform me if there is any work which 

 gives full directions for mixing and applying 

 paint, especially for graining ? I would like one 

 which treats the whole subject in a thorough man- 

 ner. If there are several books of the kind, 

 please state their comparative merits, with the 

 price of each. Wm. F. Bassett. 



AshfieU, Dec, 1860. 



Re^l\rks. — The only work we can recall upon 

 the subject is "The Painter's and Varnisher's 

 Ouide," which is sold by A. Williams & Co., Bos- 

 ton, for about 75 cents. 



wheat and oats in reading, vt. 



I sowed one bushel of tea wheat on 120 rods of 

 land, April 27, without manure the present year ; 

 planted with corn and potatoes and manured high- 

 ly last year. Cradled Aug. 20, in a very dry time. 

 Threshed with a machine, Nov. 8, and got a yield 

 of 21i bushels of very nice wheat. 



I also sowed 5 pecks of oats on J of an acre of 

 land, manured highly last year, mowed them Aug. 

 21, rather green, threshed at the same time of 

 wheat, 69 bushels of heavy oats. G. 



Beading, Vt, Nov. 28, 1860. 



TAN BARK — SODA ASH — LEACHED LIME. 



Is tan good for composting ? Will it be profi- 

 table to buy it ? 



Is soda ash and leached lime, such as is always 

 found at the soap shops, good for manure, or for 

 composting ? Will it pay to buy it ? 



George E. Mitchell. 



Somerville, Nov., 1860. 



Remarks. — Tan bark would scarcely pay for 

 hauling far. If nothing were paid for it, it would 

 be economy to haul two or three miles when dry 

 and light, and when other work would not press. 



For remarks upon soda ash, see weekly Farmer 

 for Oct. 27, and Monthly Farmer for Dec, page 

 548. 



For the New Eingland Farmer. 

 A K"EW INSECT— PSOCUS VENOSUS. 



Mr. Editor : — The insect so accurately de- 

 scribed by "S. A. N." in your last, belongs to the 

 Psocidce, a small family of the order Neuroptera, 

 consisting almost entirely of species that are ben- 

 eficial or at least not injurious, to living vegeta- 

 ble substances. The description, which applies 

 to the most common species in this part of the 

 country, is that of the Fsocus venosus, or the 

 "veined Psocus" of Burmeister, so called from the 

 prominent veins of its fore-wings. It occurs gen- 

 erally in large numbers on the trunks of various 

 trees, old paUngs and mossy stones, and is sup- 

 posed to feed upon the minute insects and ani- 

 malcules, or the decaying vegetable matter which 

 is found there. P. R.* Uhler, Esq., of Baltimore, 

 informs me that they are very numerous on the 

 orange trees in Florida. Very little is distinctly 

 known of their habits, and any information on 

 that point will be acceptable. 



Francis G. Sanborn. 



Andover, Nov. 28, 1860. 



The Seckel. — This pear often succeeds poorly 

 as a dwarf. The editor of the Country Gentleman 

 has a dwarf Seckel that has done finely this year 

 on his grounds, a strong clay loam. It has borne 

 a full crop, most of the specimens of which have 

 averaged in measurement three inches long, and 

 two and a half in diameter. They would not be 

 recognized as Seckels, being as large as medium 

 sized Flemish Beauties ; while in flavor they were 

 equal to the Seckel grown on standards, with less 

 of the musky perfume. 



