30 



NEW ENGLAND FAEMER. 



Jaw, 



wetness there may be on the skin, but it will do 

 nothin<? more. So saw-dust will take up what- 

 ever liquid manure there may chance to be on the 

 floor of the stable, but it will not suck moisture 

 out of the horse's hoofs. In my own practice, I 

 have long used saw-dust to keep the horses' feet 

 moist, though I do not, for this purpose, use the 

 dust in a dry state. I spread it over the entire 

 floor, two inches thick, sprinkling that which is 

 under the fore feet with water, just enough to keep 

 it moist. The dust under the hind feet gets mois- 

 tened in other ways. By this means the hoof is 

 kept soft and moist, almost as much so as if the 

 animal were running at large in a pasture. Of the 

 valuable liquid manure saved in this way, I need 

 not now speak. — American Agriculturist. 



PAPIEB MACHE. 



Papier mache is not always strictly mashed pa- 

 per — however it may be occasionally — neither can 

 it be uniformly designated as a composition, es- 

 pecially in the production of finer ornamental ar- 

 ticles. When consisting of the pulp of paper, 

 boiled with glue or gum arabic, &c., the cheaper 

 articles are made from it, but the better ornamen- 

 tal work is made by causing sheets of paper to 

 adhere, or to be consolidated together in any re- 

 quired thickness. The pulp is rendered nearly 

 water-proof by uniting with glue a preparation of 

 sulphate of iron ; and almost total incombustibili- 

 ty is secured by combining Avith the water-proof 

 pulp, phosphate of soda and borax. 



All present diversities of papier mache manu- 

 factures may be comprehended and classed under 

 five divisions : 1st, fibrous slabs made only with 

 coarse fibre mixed with earthy matter, then, after 

 the addition of a cementing size, the whole is well 

 kneaded together with the aid of steam — with the 

 proper ingredients, the substance is made fire- 

 proof; 2d, sheets of paper pasted together upon 

 models ; 3d, thick sheets of boards produced by 

 pressing paper pulp between dies ; 4th, carton 

 pierre, prepared from paper pulp, or paper mixed 

 with whiting and glue, pressed into plaster piece 

 moulds, backed with paper, and when sufficiently 

 set, hardened by drying in a hot room ; 5th, Mar- 

 tin's cei'amic papier mache, consisting of paper 

 pul]i, glue, rosin, sugar of lead and drying oil, 

 mixed in certain fixed proportions and kneaded 

 together. It can be kept in a plastic condition 

 for half a year by keeping the air away, and 

 kneading the mass occasionally. The composition 

 was patented in England in 1858. 



For the New England Farmer. 



TKUST. 



'^Perfect love casteth out fear." — IST John 4: 18^ 

 In the arms of my Father 



As a child, trustingly I'll lie. 

 For I know He careth for me. 



He will listen to my sigh. 

 He is like a tender mother 



In his gentle, watchful love ; 

 "He is nearer than a bi'other," 



While He bears my soul above. 



When the storm clouds darkly gathe?. 



And the thunder mutters deep. 

 Then I'll think how great a Father, 



Condescends to guard my sleep ; 

 And I'll nestle closer to Him 



While the forked lightnings gleam. 

 And serenely lean upon Him 



While I watch their fitfiil beam. 



He'll not cast me from Him moumingy 



For "He hears the ravens cry ;" 

 He'll not leave me sorrowing, 



For He stoojM to such as I j 

 And unless His love permits it 



Not a harm can come to me. 

 So why should I not trust it 



When He such a friend can be ? 



O, how sweet to trust all with Him, 



Both the future and the past. 

 Knowing while earth's loves grow dim. 



His win brighten to the last ; 

 Light us through the narrow valley, 



Cheer us up the sleep ascent, 

 Help to make the millions rally 



O'er the path the Saviour went. 

 Harvard, Sept., 1862. 



Glue for Ready Use. — To any quantity of 

 glue use common whisky instead of water. Put 

 both together in a bottle, cork it tight, and set it 

 for three or four days, when it will be fit for use 

 without the application of heat. Glue thus pre- 

 pared will keep for years, and is at all times fit for 

 use, except in very cold weather, when it should 

 be set in warm water before using. To obviate 

 the difficulty of the stop])er getting tight by the 

 glue drying in the mouth of the vessel, use a tin 

 vessel with the cover fitting tight on the outside 

 to prevent the escape of the spirit by evaporation. 

 A strong solution of isinglass made in the same 

 manner is an excellent cement for leather. 



PRUNING FOREST TREES. 



In some notes of "an Agricultural Excursion" 

 by the editor of the Maine Farmer, we clip the 

 following item : 



"Near South Paris we passed a wood lot of sev- 

 eral acres in extent which had recently been 

 trimmed and pruned. The pruning of forest trees 

 has not been so largely practiced in this country 

 as in England, and many of our farmers are op- 

 posed to the plan. But it is evident that trees 

 are weakened by growing in a crowded situation, 

 and thereby become more liable to decay and to 

 the attacks of insects, and if thinned out the air 

 and sun are admitted and a more hardy and vigor- 

 ous growth is obtained. We know of several 

 wood lots Avhere it is the practice of the owners, 

 not only to cut for fire-wood in the fall such trees 

 as are being crowded in their growth and are be- 

 ginning to decay, but to prune in the spring such 

 trees as need to have their superfluous limbs re- 

 moved. By these methods the wood-lot gains in 

 value, while an annual supply for the fire is cut 

 out each year. Some experiments tried in Eng- 

 land to illustrate the advantages of early and an- 

 nual priming of forest trees, gave most gratifying 

 results. An oak of three feet in height planted in 

 1805, had in 1832 (a period of growth of 27 years) 

 attained a circumference of 21 inches ; a beech of 

 3 feet 9 inches high, had a girth in the same period 

 of 27 inches ; an elm of 3 feet 10 inches had in- 

 creased to a circumference of 32 inches ; and an 

 Italian poplar of four feet, reached a girth of 44 

 inches. 



