1862. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



351 



and flower-seeds, and the dried herbs and medi- 

 cinal extracts, fluid and solid, in use by physicians, 

 have been largely produced by them. Of late 

 years they give more attention to agriculture and 

 to manufactures than formerly. * * * 



"Their mode of worship is peculiar, as in it they 

 exercise both soul and body. The two sexes are 

 frequently arranged in ranks opposite to and fac- 

 ing each other, the front ranks about 6 feet apart. 

 There is usually an address by one of the elders 

 upon some doctrinal subject, or some practical 

 virtue, after which they sing a hymn ; tlien they 

 form in circles around a band of male and female 

 singers, to the music of whom they 'go forth in the 

 dances of them that make merry,' in which they 

 manifest their religious zeal. * * * 



"They believe themselves to be frequently un- 

 der the immediate influence of spirit agency, both 

 of angels and of the departed members of their 

 own fraternity who have advanced further than 

 those still in the body in the work of the resurrec- 

 tion or redemption from the generative nature and 

 order. They have a ministry, composed of 2 

 brethren and 2 sisters, who have the oversight of 

 from 1 to 3 or 4 societies ; also each family in 

 every society has 4 elders, 2 brethren and 2 sis- 

 ters, who have charge of the family. The tempo- 

 ralities of each family are cared for by 2 deacons 

 and 2 deaconnesses. * * ♦ 



"Their increase during the present century has 

 been moderate, only 3 societies having been 

 formed within the last 50 years, and the growth of 

 those previously in existence having been slow ; 

 but it is a fact worthy of note, that tliey are the 

 only people on this continent, if not in the world, 

 who have maintained successfully for more than 70 

 years a system of living, one of the fundamental 

 principles of which is a community of property." 



As a general thing, their crops look well — their 

 grass crops, especially, ai-e better than I have 

 seen elsewhere. Their great barn is a model, at 

 the "Church Family." Water is introduced from 

 a hill-side a mile distant, with a huge reservoir on 

 another hill, and from thence into all their build- 

 ings. But I have filled my sheet, and must stop. 

 Very truly yours, Simon Brown. 

 Messes. Nouese, Eaton & Toi.man. 



F(JT the New England Farmer. 

 FENCES— CROWS. 



Mr. Editor : — My object in the brief note sent 

 you some time since, was to state what was sup- 

 posed to be a fact that might be of some interest 

 to the public, viz. : that fences built on essential- 

 ly the same plan of Mr. Smith's patent, were erect- 

 ed in this vicinity several years previous to the 

 date of the said patent. 



Since that time, two communications have been 

 published over his name in reference to this mat- 

 ter. Whether he acts the part of a gentleman in 

 insinuating that all who may question his exclu- 

 sive right to a particular principle in fence build- 

 ing are guilty of "stealing at funerals," and of 

 engaging in piratical pursuits generally, I leave 

 for you and your readers to judge. 



Mr. Smith's offer of a right to build the said 

 fence is declined, for two reasons : 



1. I do not wish to avail myself of the benefit of 



his labors without suitable and proper compensa- 

 tion. 



2. I am too well satisfied with fence erected be- 

 fore his patent was obtained, to be under the 

 slightest "temptation" to substitute one that is 

 not essentially better. 



Your correspondents "L. R. E." recommends 

 strychnine to protect corn-fields from crows. I 

 think a better preventive is the coating of the seed 

 with tar. It has been tried by many farmers in 

 this place for several years with entire success. 

 The corn should be wet with warm water and 

 stirred with a stick which has been immersed in 

 the tar, until it is completely coated, and then a 

 small quantity of plaster or ashes should be ap- 

 plied, to prevent its sticking. Farmer. 



South Amherst, June 16, 1862. 



SIMPLE PREVENTIVE OP THE 

 RAVAGES OP MICE. 



Mr. Geo. Jaques, in Hovei/s Magazine, thus al- 

 ludes to the destruction of trees the past winter 

 by the mice, and a simple means of preventing 

 their ravages : — 



"Immense damage has been done to the apple 

 orchards of this country, during the past winter, 

 by mice. This destruction of property is the more 

 to be deplored, since the preventive is so simple 

 and sure. For years the mice have not injured 

 my own trees in the least. My method of defence 

 against them, I regard as infallibly efficacious. 

 Early in November I hoe or spade up around each 

 tree a cone of earth, covering the collar of the 

 tree five or ten inches deep, so that there can be 

 710 cavity under the snow-crust close to the trunk. 

 Hence, it is impossible for mice to approach that 

 particular point upon the tree where they perpe- 

 trate their mischief. Never in one single instance 

 has this preventive disappointed me, and I have 

 pi'acticed it over ten years. 



Truly yours, Geo. Jaques. 



Worcester, May 15, 1862. 



Remarks. — The cone of earth to be placed 

 about the trunk of frait trees will prevent mice 

 from gnawing them under ordinary circumstances, 

 — but when the surface of the ground is covered 

 with ice as it was last Avinter, and deep snows or 

 drifts surround the trees, the mice come out and 

 run upon the top of the snow and gnaw the trees 

 several feet from the ground. We have seen re- 

 peated instances where they had completely ex- 

 coriated all the branches of a young tree, from 

 their junction with the stem two feet outward. Is 

 there not some safe wash, such as a decoction of 

 aloes, or a wash of tar, that would not injure the 

 tree, and be so unpalatable to the mice as to pre- 

 vent their feeding upon it ? A remedy might be 

 found, perhaps, in scattering about wheat, or oth- 

 er grain that had been impregnated with strych- 

 nine. This might be done in autumn after the 

 birds are gone, or during the winter. We are in- 

 clined to think that our grass crops are seriously 

 injured — especially the herds grass — by large num- 

 bers of mice feeding upon their roots. 



