124 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



March 



ting a lower estimate on liis land, he could afford 

 to raise other crops, — Indian corn, wheat, barley 

 or oats — and wait patiently for better times. 



If a market for them is not too far off, could he 

 not cultivate the small fruits, especially strawber- 

 ries, or asparagus, and find a fair return from 

 them ? The latter crop is made very profitable by 

 many persons living twenty or thii-ty miles from 

 any large market. 



It is quite probable that there are some particu- 

 lar localities, where farming is less profitable than 

 it generally is ; and so it must be with the carpen- 

 ter, tradesman, and any other occupation. 



EXTRACTS AND BEPLIES. 



PASTURE — COMPOST HEAP — SUBSTITUTE FOR 

 ASHES — A LOAD OF MANURE. 



1. I am clearing a piece of ground which has 

 been used for more than half a century as a cow 

 pasture ; for several reasons I do not wish to 

 plow it. Will you inform me through the Far- 

 mer if ground bone or superphosphate of lime 

 would be good for a top dressing, and if so, how 

 much to the acre ? Or what can I do to improve 

 it? 



2. I have several cords of soil composed of yel- 

 low loam, clay and decayed vegetable matter; 

 what can I mix with it to make a good compost ? 



3. I notice in the Farmer th^t ashes is frequent- 

 ly recommended for composting and fertilizing, 

 and I know that it is good — but I am situated 

 where coal is mostly used, and, therefore, I can 

 not procure wood ashes. Is there anything that 

 can be profitably used as a substitute ? 



4. Most of the statements published in regard 

 to the application of manure speak of so many 

 loads being used. How much do farmers mean 

 by a load ? Would it not be more definite if 

 they were to say cords or bushels ? 



In return for the information here asked for, I 

 shall be hajjpy, whenever I may be able to commu- 

 nicate for the benefit of your readers. c. G. 



Hingliam, Jan., 1862. 



Remarks. — 1. Bone dust and superphosphate 

 of lime are both good for the old pasture. If you 

 wish to be liberal with it, apply 100 lbs. of the 

 former and 300 lbs. of the latter, per acre, as soon 

 as the ground is bare. Then spread as many 

 bushels of the soil Avhich you speak of, as you can 

 afford on top of the bone dust and superphosphate. 

 Upon these scatter white and red clover, a little 

 redtop, timothy and orchard grass seeds, and har- 

 row thoroughly each way. You may succeed un- 

 der this process ; a slight dressing of fine, rich 

 compost would make it nearly certain. 



2. Lime, ashes, bone-dust, guano, superphos- 

 phate, fish, sea-weed, Avash from the house and 

 barn, are all good. If you can find a cask of dam- 

 aged potash at low price, dissolve it and sprinkle 

 the heap, overhauling it for the purpose. 



3. Stone or oyster shell lime can, in some 

 measure. See preceding answer. 



4. A cord of manure is about 100 bushels. The 

 common ox-cart, even full, holds about 25 bush- 

 els ; heaped, about 30 bushels ; so that a cord of 

 light manure will usually be haided at three loads. 

 We think it would be better to use the term 

 "bushels" or "cords" in speaking of quantities of 

 manure. 



HOW TO PACK EGGS FOR TRANSPORTATION. 



I often have the question asked, "How shall I 

 pack eggs for transportation ?" To all such inqui- 

 ries I would answer, select a strong, wooden box, 

 fill from the bottom tAvo inches deep with bran or 

 shorts, then wrap every e^g in wool and place 

 them, point downward, upon the bran, being care- 

 ful to leave about half an inch between each egg. 

 After placing the first layer, fill in two inches 

 more with bran, and place the eggs as before. 

 When the box is full with at least three inches of 

 bran over the top layer, jar the box gently so as 

 to fill every cavity between the eggs, screw on the 

 cover marked "eggs," and you may send them by 

 express safely. I have sent eggs of the Brahma 

 fowls by express to every New England State. A 

 gentleman in New Jersey raised 8 chicks from 12 

 eggs which were packed and sent him by express. 

 I have found that eggs packed in this manner 

 generally succeeded well in hatching. 



Salem, Jan., 1862. John S, Ives. 



now TO GET AND USE MUCK. 



Having seen so much said of muck in the Far- 

 mer, it has induced me to ask you a few questions 

 on the subject as to its value. Will it pay to get 

 it at tliis season of the year ? If procured in the 

 fall, how shall it be kept from freezing so that it 

 can be spread under cattle ? 



Chester, Ct., 1862, A Subscriber. 



Remarks. — It is an excellent time to haul 

 muck in the winter that has been previously 

 thrown out. Where water does not follow the 

 spade too rapidly, the winter is also a good time 

 to throw it out. Muck that is intended to be used 

 for bedding cattle should be thrown out in the 

 summer, or early autumn, and when dry, carted to 

 some shed, cellar, leauto, or other place of conve- 

 nient access to the cattle stalls. 



A SURE cure for CHILBLAINS. 

 Soak the feet a few moments for three nights in 

 succession in water in which hogs have been 

 scalded, and it will prove a sure cure for that 

 troublesome complaint. 



One who bas Tried it. 



Remarks. — As such water as our correspon- 

 dent describes is not always at hand, we suggest 

 that the afflicted drop a pint of wood ashes into a 

 bucket of warm water, and wash the feet in that. 



A nice hog. 



Mr. PuEscoTT Young, of Sugar Hill, N. H., 

 recently killed a hog of the Chester breed, about 

 18 months old, which weighed when dressed 025 

 lbs. A. Wells. 



Sugar Hill, N. H., 1862. 



