1861. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



421 



never rains, yet the soil is kept fertile by the in- 

 undations of the Nile. On the west of Egypt, 

 lies the great desert on which rain never falls, 

 and on which all climatic conditions are forbid- 

 ding. On that belt of land from the Persian Gulf 

 to the Atlantic Ocean, there are no conditions fa- 

 vorable to fertility. There is no other part of 

 the globe where conditions are so unfavorable to 

 fertility as in this vast and partially unknown 

 country. South of this on the eastern coast the 

 conditions of fertility are favorable as far as re- 

 gards the winds. If there ia a very lofty range 

 of mountains near the eastern coasts, there may 

 be a desert region in the interior, but if those 

 mountains are not lofty, it is moreprobable that 

 those regions possess a fair proportion of fertility 



D. BUCKLAND. 



THE FLAIL. 



ET ANSA L. AHGIER. 



A song for the flail ! the smooth-handled flail. 

 As stroke after stroke it comes down ; 



While the golden grains fly, wheat, barley, or rye, 

 The toil of the farmer to crown. 



The useful and useless he thus will divide ; 



And gathering each in its turn, 

 The former with care, for the garner prepare. 



The latter he'll scatter or burn. 



And what is earth more than a great threshing-floor, 



With the wrong and the right thickly strown? 

 But Truth's iron flail, them both shall assail ; 

 To the winds then shall falshood be thrown. 

 -Boston Recorder. 



EXTRACTS AND REPLIES. 



A WINE PRESS— CURRANT BUSHES — INSECTS ON 



CABBAGES. 



Can you inform me where and at what price, a 

 press which will remove the juice from currants, 

 for the purpose of making wine, can be obtained ? 

 I suppose there are different sizes and kinds of 

 them. I should want one of small size for fami- 

 ly use, but of good strength and quality, and one 

 which will do its work effectually. 



At what distance should common red currant 

 bushes be set in fields to grow in the tree form ? 



Will ashes or lime prevent the depredations of 

 lice and other insects, or of worms on cabbages ? 

 Is it best to sow seed to raise cabbages in the 

 hills, or in beds to transplant ? 



A Monthly Reader. 



Frarildin, July, 1861. 



Remarks. — Such a press as you inquire for 

 can be purchased for $5,00. But do you need it ? 

 Nothing is more simple, or, scarcely more easy, 

 than to mash the currants with the hands, as the 

 women mix bread. A bushel of them may be 

 mashed in a very few minutes. Then take a large 

 linen or tow towel and wring the juice from the 

 pulp, not being particular to wring it very dry. 

 A gentleman who has been making currant wine 

 for thirty years said to us, the other day, that, 

 having used the press and the hands, he should 

 employ the latter, although the press stood direct- 

 ly by him. 



Currant bushes ia fields should be set five or 



six feet apart, if they stand in clumps, or clus- 

 ters, so as to leave room to cultivate with ahorse 

 where the bushes have considerably expanded 

 themselves. It is well enough to cultivate the 

 currant in the tree form, as a matter of fancy in 

 the garden, — but, as a matter of profit, we think 

 four times as much may be realized in the bush, 

 as in the tree form. Beside, as bushes, they per- 

 petuate themselves, for many years, while as a 

 tree, when the single plant dies from age or inju- 

 ry the hill is entirely gone. We speak from ex- 

 perience, having tried both ways for several years. 

 Ashes and lime both prevent, in some measure, 

 the depredations of lice on cabbages, though they 

 may not be effectual. They are excellent in pro- 

 moting the growth of the plants. There is no 

 difficulty in making transplanted cabbages live, if 

 they are taken up when quite small. If they are 

 not more than two inches high when removed 

 they are more certain to live and make a good 

 growth than when left to grow larger before being 

 transplanted. It is a good plan, however, to sow 

 in hills, scattering the seeds considerably, and at 

 the proper season of pricking them out, leave but 

 one plant in each hill. 



the armt worm. 



On Saturday last, my attention was called by 

 an intelligent observer to a worm about an inch 

 in length, and very numerous, almost covering 

 the earth in the particular locality in which they 

 were seen, which was low, marshy ground. I was 

 informed that a similar worm had appeared in 

 other places in this neighborhood. They were 

 gradually advancing towards the brook, near the 

 tanneries of our village, one of which is occupied 

 by my son. I picked up half a dozen of these 

 worms, and placed them in a vial, and filled it 

 with grass. They appeared to eat as though they 

 had no time to spare, and soon devoured it all. It 

 has been replenished half a dozen times since. 

 Now only two worms are to be seen. What has 

 become of the others, I know not — unless they 

 have been eaten by their companions. These are 

 all the facts I have witnessed. I presume they 

 are they same worm that has made such destruc- 

 tion in fields of grass and grain in other places ; 

 but must leave to others to tell what they know 

 about them. It is important that their habits 

 should be observed and recorded. J. W. P. 



South Danvers, July 31, 1861. 



THE ARMY WORM. 



The army worm, as it is supposed, has made its 

 appearance in immense numbers on a field of oats 

 belonging to Mr. Benj. Porter, in this town. 



Any information showing how they may be ex- 

 terminated, or their ravages stopped, will be of 

 great advantage to our people. 



I learn that a train of guano laid round a field 

 will prevent them from entering it, and judging 

 from what I have seen, it is very distasteful to 

 them, to say the least. C. P. Preston. 



Danvers, July 30, 1861. 



