372 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Aug. 



strown with forgotten papers of seeds for next 

 year's sowing ; a distaff, with some few shreds of 

 flax remaining, is thrust in a crevice of the raft- 

 ers overhead ; and tucked away, close under the 

 eaves, is "the little wheel," that used to stand by 

 the fire in times long gone. Its sweet, low song 

 has ceased; and perhaps — perhaps she drew those 

 flaxen threads — but never mind — you remember 

 the line, don't you ? 



"Her wheel at rest, the matron charms no more." 



Well, let that pass. Do you see that little 

 craft careened in that dark, corner ? It was red 

 once ; it was the only casket in the house once, 

 and contained a mother's jewels. The old red 

 cradle, for all the world ! And you occupied it 

 once ; ay, great as you are, it was your world 

 once, and over it, the only horizon you beheld, 

 bent the heaven of a mother's eyes, as you rocked 

 in that little barque of love, on the hither shore 

 of time — fast by a mother's love to a mother's 

 heart. 



And there, attached to two rafters, are the frag- 

 ments of an untwisted rope. Do you remember 

 it, and what it was for, and who fastened it there ; 

 'Twas the children's swing. You are here, in- 

 deed, but where are Nelly and Charley ? There 

 hangs his little cap by that window, and there, 

 the little red frock she used to wear. A crown is 

 resting on his cherub brow, and her robes are 

 spotless in the better land. 



EXTRACTS AND KEPLIE3. 

 OVERFEEDING OF CATTLE. 



I thank you for communicating to the public 

 the sound views of the "Wilmington Farmer" as 

 to "bedding of cattle." It is true there is no 

 man among us better qualified to speak on this 

 subject than Mi*. Sheldon. For fifty years he has 

 been employed in teaming, more or less, often 

 having more than twenty yoke of oxen at a time 

 — and surely he must be a dull scholar if he has 

 not learned enough to make his opinion worthy 

 of regard. 



I was also struck with what he says of the 

 "cattle disease" as being caused by "overfeeding." 

 May not this term "overfeeding" prove to be 

 a solution of the whole mystery. I do not per- 

 sonally know anything about Mr. Chenery's sta- 

 ble or manner of feeding — but do know he is one 

 of those gentlemen who import animals from 

 abroad without much regard to the expense ; and 

 it is not rash to presume he may feed them in 

 the same manner. I think I should place more 

 confidence in the opinion of Farmer Sheldon, 

 than in all the fancy farmers within twenty miles 

 of the city. A Lookeh-on. 



June 17, 1861. _ 



SUPERPHOSFHATE AND WIRE WORMS. 



I see that Josiah White in the last Farmer 

 recommends superphosphate as a cure for the 

 wire worm. I have a little experience to state, 

 and would like an explanation. I bought three 

 bags superphosphate, two of Coe's and one of 

 Mapes'. The latter I put in the hill for corn on 

 a reclaimed muck meadow. Not a worm was 

 seen during the whole time of preparing the land 

 for planting. In less than one week there were 

 from five to fifteen worms in each hill. One or 



two full grown wire worms and the rest appeared 

 to be youngsters, from one-fifth to one-half as 

 large. They were all greedily devouring the 

 corn. It came up pretty well, but it appears to 

 fear the weather above, and is waiting. Please 

 solve the problem. I used Coe's on dry upland 

 with good efi'ect. Was the worm in embryo in 

 the "super," or did it attract the "varmints." 

 Were they little wire worms, or were they a new 

 species of imps? I can find only now and then 

 one left, and they are small. Granite Quill. 

 Weare, N. U., July 1, 1861. 



P. S. I had almost forgotten to state that the 

 worm alluded to above did not make his appear- 

 ance in some one hundred hills manured with 

 strong hog manure. 



Remarks. — Cannot solve your problem, Mr. 

 auill. _ 



KIRBT's AMERICAN HARVESTER. 



As I have a farm to superintend, and wages are 

 high, I obtained one of the Kirby American Har- 

 vesters as a mower, last season, on trial. I had 

 a heavy piece of clover, badly lodged, which it 

 seemed impossible to cut with a scythe. I put 

 the two horse machine into it, which cut it all off 

 smooth, greatly beyond my expectations. This 

 year I have obtained one, as I cannot M-ell get 

 along without it. Being a constant reader of the 

 Farmer, and seeing the Manny, the Woods and 

 the Buckeye cracked up to the highest notch, I 

 wish to say that I cannot well conceive of any 

 mower doing the work better than the Kirby. 

 Mr. Draper says in a few days after the trial the 

 Buckeye received the first premium over at least 

 six or eight other machines. Now, if I mistake 

 not, the Kirby received the first premium as a 

 combined machine at the Syracuse trial by the 

 United States Agricultural Society, and for inge- 

 nious adaptation of cutter to uneven surfaces, at 

 the Syracuse trial in 18o7. S. H. Whitcomb. 



Marlboro' Depot, N. H., June, 1861. 



HARD milking HEIFER. 



I have a young cow, just come in, that shows 

 every mark of making an excellent cow, only she 

 milks very hard. I should be pleased if you, or 

 your correspondents, would inform me if there is 

 any remedy. Foster Taylor. 



Williamsport, Pa,, Jidy, 1861. 



Rem.\rks. — We do not know of a remedy. 

 Who will reveal one ? 



appearance OF THE CROPS. 



Grass promises well, especially on land liber- 

 ally fertilized, though many fields are beginning 

 to show the pinching operations of a want of 

 moisture. For several days tliere have been in- 

 dications of coming showers, all of which have 

 passed by without rain ; verifying the old adage, 

 "all signs fail in a dry time." Many are now 

 cutting their grass and making it in first rate 

 order. Better cut too soon than too late, — "a 

 stitch in time saves nine." 



Corn and other hoed crops have a healthy as- 

 pect — though corn is not near as large as usual 

 at this time. The moderate temperature , has 

 checked it. There has been scarcely a day 



