396 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Sept. 



back board should be as much higher than the 

 front, as will give a proper pitch to the sash for 

 conducting off the water. Pieces of two inch stuff, 

 should be placed in the corners, and the boards 

 nailed to them, to keep the whole stiff. The sash 

 should be narrow, so as to be easily moved, and 

 run up and down, not crosswise, the glass lapping, 

 80 as not to leak. This is all that is necessary, 

 with regard to construction ; preparing the hot- 

 bed, and managing it, require constant and care- 

 ful attention. 



We can give you but little aid, we fear, about 

 "a small hot-house." All houses for the purpose 

 of starting and growing plants, are rather expen- 

 sive. A good one — not an extravagant one — will 

 cost from six to ten dollars for each running foot, 

 built of the ordinary dimensions, say 12 by 32 feet, 

 or in about that proportion. A gentleman who is 

 interested in such houses, recently informed us 

 that he can construct a good house for less than 

 five dollars per running foot, — one that will well 

 answer all ordinaiy purposes. 



Your question, in regard to the management of 

 manure so as to kill the seeds, is an important one, 

 as living seeds, spread with manure, not only per- 

 petuate a useless labor, but greatly exhaust the 

 resources of the soil, in the millions of weeds 

 which they produce. We know of only one way 

 to prevent their germinating, and that is through 

 the agency of fermentation. If this process is 

 properly conducted, we think it would not only 

 destroy the vitality of seeds, but vastly increase 

 the value of the manui-e. But it is a nice process, 

 and few, perhaps, will be willing to give it the 

 necessary time and attention. 



The manure should be thrown into large heaps, 

 and a lower place than the heap stands on be made 

 near it, so as to catch all the drainage that escapes, 

 which should be taken up and thrown over the 

 pile two or three times each day. In throwing 

 up the pile, place two or three smooth poles in an 

 upright position, and throw the manure round 

 them so that when the pile is finished these poles 

 will stand in the midst of it. The heap must 

 stand out doors, as the barn cellar would probably 

 be too cool for the fermentative process to go on. 

 After the pile has been set up for tAvo or three 

 days, and repeatedly saturated with its own drain- 

 age water, by drawing up one of the stakes and 

 grasping it with the hand, the state of tempera- 

 ture may be ascertained. If it is found to be 

 quite warm in some places, and cooler in others, 

 it will become necessary to overhaul the heap, and 

 break up and thoroughly mingle the whole. In 

 a day or two apply the test again, occasionally 

 drawing out a small portion to learn what its con- 

 dition is. Great care must be observed not to al- 

 low fermentation to proceed too far, as "fire-fang," 

 as it is pfiUod. would rnsup. and the hean be trreat- 



ly injured. If fermentation is kept within proper 

 limits — and the heat of the poles and examina- 

 tions of the manure itself Avill always determine 

 this — the manure will become nearly black, and 

 quite fine, and we believe the vitality of the seeds 

 will be destroyed. In addition to tliis the manure 

 is rendered more valuable in every respect by the 

 process ; it can be more easily handled and ap- 

 plied to the soil or crops, and it is thought by in- 

 telligent farmers that one cord of it will produce 

 more crop the first year than two cords in the 

 crude form in which manure is generally applied. 



Will you try this process, and inform us how 

 you succeed ? 



The onions which you inquire about are proba- 

 bly produced from what is called the "top," or "po- 

 tato" onion. This produces a cluster of bulbs, or 

 ofi'sets, in number from two to twelve, and even 

 more, uniformly beneath the soil. Or, the onions 

 that come along so early may be obtained in the 

 following manner : Sow the seed of common onions 

 so late as to get little bulbs of the size of a cranber- 

 ry by the last of August, then take them up care- 

 fully, and dry them, and pack away secure from 

 frost. Quite early in the S])ring, as soon as the 

 soil will permit it, plant these little bulbs in favor- 

 able situations, and they will soon produce fair 

 sized onions. 



The size of the peas of which you speak may 

 be owing to the high culture which they receive. 

 There are, however, several varieties which vary 

 considerably in earliness and in size, such as the 

 Dan. O'Rourke, Champion of England, Missouri 

 Marrowfat, &c. &c. 



TUBULAR BRICKS. 



The society for improving the condition of the 

 laboring classes in London, highly commend the 

 use of tubular bricks for purposes of construction. 

 According to an official statement made by the 

 society, a size has been chosen which, with the 

 omission of the headers, reduces, by about one- 

 third, the number of joints, and greatly improves 

 the appearance of the work, giving it more bold- 

 ness of effect and resemblance to stone than that 

 of ordinary brickwork. This size is twelve inches 

 long, and three courses rise one foot in height — a 

 size equally convenient for the workmen in the 

 manufacture and in the use of the bricks. Nine 

 bricks of this kind and size will do as mucli wall- 

 ing as sixteen of the common sort, Mhlle the 

 weight of the former but little exceeds that of the 

 latter. When passing through the macliinc, or in 

 the process of drying, any number may be readily 

 splayed at the ends for gables, or marked for clo- 

 sures, and broken off as required in use, or they 

 may be perforated for the purpose of ventilation. 



In one ton of cabbage there are 189 ounces of 

 sand, 184 of salt (chloride of sodium,) 279 of sul- 

 phuric acid, 15G of phosphoric acid, 72 of magne- 

 sia. 052 of lime. 208 of soda, 6G1 of potasli. 



