1862. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



283 



months at the ordinary^ speed of ascension ?_ Why, 

 more than the whole vine would contain if it were 

 composed entirely of sap. 



It is during this period that new roots are 

 formed very rapidly. The separation and distri- 

 bution of the albuminous and starchy matters, 

 caused by the end osmotic entrance of new fluids 

 fi-oni the fruitful earth, furnish abundant material 

 for these ; and the delicate fibres now push out 

 in great numbers, and preparations go on through- 

 out the whole plant for the new work before it 



This is the reason why late fall or early spring 

 planting of fruit trees is more successful than 

 summer planting. As soon as the leaves appear, 

 the whole energies of the plant are directed as 

 before — first to the young and tender buds, next 

 to the formation of new wood and roots, and last- 

 ly to the development of the luscious fruits. The 

 circulation of the sap now goes on regularly and 

 orderly, the general system supplying from its in- 

 exhaustible fountains support to athousand par- 

 ticular systems till the close of the season. 



Now, sir, there may be errors here mixed up 

 with some ti-uth. To me, at least, it appears to 

 be truth ; but as we cannot trust to appearances 

 I wish to have it tried in the great crucible of 

 practice, by careful experiment. — Gardener's 

 MontMy. 



WASH FOB HARNESSES. 



Take Neat's Foot Oil, and Ivory, or Patent 

 Black — the latter well pulverized, or to be made 

 so before using. Mix thorouglily — adding the 

 black until the oil is well colored, or quite black. 

 In cool weather the oil should be warmed some- 

 what before mixing. With a sponge apply a light 

 coat of the mixture — only what the leather will 

 readily absorb, unless the harness is dry — which 

 will be in from two hours, to a half or a Avhole day, 

 depending upon the weather and previous condi- 

 tion of the leather — wash thoroughly with soap 

 suds. In making the suds, use good Castile soap 

 and cold rain water — (warm water should never 

 be used on harness leather.) Apply the sponge. 

 Rub off >vith buckskin. This will give the harn- 

 ess a nice, glossy surface, and the leather will re- 

 tain a good color, and continue pliable for months. 

 If it becomes soiled with mud or sweat, an appli- 

 cation of soap and water, as above directed, (with- 

 out oiling,) will be sufficient to give it a bright ap- 

 pearance. 



Two applications of this oil and black mixture a 

 year (or once every six months,) will be sufficient 

 to keep harness, as ordinarily used, in good order. 

 It may be necessary for livery men, and others 

 who use harness constantly, to apply the oil oftener 

 — but in most cases two oiHngs a year, and wash- 

 ing with suds when soiled, will keep a harness in 

 good trim for sight and service. Tliis process ■will 

 pay a large dividend in extra service and durabil- 

 ity, to say nothing of improved appearance. Al- 

 derman Baker assures us that the same, or a sim- 

 ilar application is just the thing for carriage tops 

 which are made of top leather. The only differ- 

 ence in treatment, that less oil should be used, or 

 rather a lighter coating applied — and it should be 

 washed off before drying in, top leather being 

 thin, and much more penetrable than harness. 

 Of course, the mixture would not answer for enam- 

 elled leather, of which some carriage tops are con- 

 structed. — Exchange. 



For the New England Farmer, 

 AMOWa THE GREEN" MOUNTAINS. 



The Weather — "Sugaring" — Farminf; — Snow Drifts — Thunder 

 Showers— Hi fzh Water — The I'rospoct — Sheej) and Lambs — 

 How Fed — Jlanagement of Stock — Mark of a Good Farmer. 



Mr. Editor : — It is Monday, the 5th day of 

 May. The weather is fine, and really spring-like. 

 The three short weeks of sugaring — all we have 

 enjoyed the present season — are past, and about 

 half the amount of sugar usually made, we have 

 stored away as the "sweets" of our labor. Very 

 little has been done yet at farming ; the ground 

 is wet and cold, and occasionally spotted with 

 banks of drifted snow. The streams are now quite 

 high, and the Passumpsic meadows, as seen from 

 my window as I write, are well overflowed, the re- 

 sult of warm weather, rains and thunder showers, 

 the latter of which visited us during the afternoon 

 of Saturday last — being the first of the season. 



Grass looks well, and the soil which has lain 

 well protected beneath four or five feet of light 

 snow, for nearly five months, without receiving a 

 single draught of the needful by way of rains or 

 showers, till about two weeks ago, is now well 

 watered, and preparing to receive the seed ready 

 and waiting to be bestowed upon it, with a prom- 

 ise of a liberal return. 



The spring, previous to the middle of April, was 

 dry and moderate, afi"ording fine weather for sheep, 

 and especially early lambs. 1 have one lot of 26 

 ewes, wliich have raised 38 lambs — 24 of them be- 

 ing twins. The sheep are fed on hay, clover and 

 herdsgrass, with an additional daily allowance of 

 eight quarts of a mixture of oats and beans. (A 

 good preventive of ticks.) 



I do not allow my sheep, or stock of any kind, 

 to leave the yard until they can make their living 

 on grass ; feeding fields during the spring, or even 

 late in the fall, after the late rains begin to soften 

 the sod and soil, is veiy injurious to the grass- 

 roots, especially if the land is lately seeded ; and 

 the stock will do quite as well, safely enclosed in 

 the yard, and fed on good hay — and such should 

 always be reserved for spring feeding — with such 

 additional etceteras as may be provided for them. 



Stock of all kinds should receive extra care and 

 keeping during the spring months. The "old 

 coat" should be started while at the barn — the 

 earlier, the better — by means of a few roots, or a 

 little grain, in addition to a full allowance of good 

 hay, that they may be all ready to feed and "grow 

 fat," when turned to grass. I am better pleased 

 with the term "spring fat," than "spring poor." 

 The skeleton may be an object of interest, and 

 perhaps profit to the anatomist ; but to the agri- 

 culturist, or stock-grower, such an olyect moving 

 within the enclosure of his barn-yard is of little 

 interest, and of less profit. Our creatures should 

 come out in the spring in good condition, exhibit- 

 ing a healthy and thriving appearance ; flesliier, if 

 possible, than when they came to the barn in the 

 fall ; it speaks well for the farmer ; it is a mark 

 of a successful stock-grower, with whom farming 

 will pay ! I. W. Sanborn. 



Lyndon, Vt., May, 1862. 



Cheap Summer Feed for Hogs. — A corres- 

 pondent of the Homestead gives the following as 

 an economical manner of summer feeding hogs, 



