1863. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



187 



trees and flowers is an object of exquisite pleas- 

 ure, are so full of inspii-ation, so vitalized by the 

 fervent enthusiasm of the writer of them, that cold 

 or coarse indeed must be the taste and feelings of 

 any reader who did not catch from these beautiful 

 outpourings some portion of the fine spirit and 

 fine taste which dictated them. They must have 

 yielded, to many hundreds of the readers of this 

 journal, enjoyment of the most refined and exquis- 

 ite nature : and if any reader should have failed 

 to receive from them an impulse toward making 

 his or her home a liith more a home of beauty this 

 spring, and every spring, than it ever was before, 

 or failed to make a resolution to that effect strong 

 enough to set him or her to work in making one 

 or more additions to the embellishments of home 

 and its surroundings, then, surely, such a reader 

 has not read it in an appropriate or an appreciate- 

 ive mood of mind, and might be more fortunate 

 in catching from them inspiration and impulse if 

 he or she should give them another perusal. Sure- 

 ly, these outpourings of a soul so inspired by a re- 

 fined taste and exquisite love of the beautiful in 

 nature, cannot fail to lead some of the readers 

 thereof to make their homes still more beautiful 

 than ever they have been before, by neater door- 

 yards, or more flowers, or the planting of one or 

 more ornamental shrubs or trees. If a few evei*- 

 greens should be interspersed with the deciduous 

 trees around a farm-house, it would have a much 

 more cozy and comfortable appearance, especially 

 in winter. I make this suggestion for those who 

 may have been inspired by the words of Mr. Mead, 

 and who are resolved to add something every sea- 

 son to the embellishments of their home. The 

 passages referred to, may be found on pages 105 

 and 106. 



I find several passages of the article on "The 

 Clover riant,'' marked in the way already named. 

 In the paragraph devoted to a statement of the 

 soils most favorable to clover, I find on the mar- 

 gin an interrogation point, indicating doubt as to 

 the correctness of the assertion that the growth of 

 8orrel and dock shows that the soils infested with 

 these weeds are overcharged with acid. I know 

 that this is a supposition pretty generally accept- 

 ed ; but can the writer of the article under notice, 

 or any other believer of this theory, give us any 

 satisfactory proof or demonstration of it? The 

 two paragraphs devoted to a consideration of the 

 principal causes which prevent a good "catch," or 

 which destroys the young plants, are very valua- 

 ble, and if duly considered and acted on, might 

 prevent much loss and disappointment. 



There are several marked or noteworthy pas- 

 sages on page 111, in which we have a report of a 

 discussion on the subject, "Hotc to Make and Ap- 

 plif Manures." The testimony in favor of ashes 

 will probably induce several readers to make a 

 more liberal use of them, — greatly to the benefit 

 of their corn and grass crops. Farmers would be 

 wise and benefited if they heeded the cautions given 

 by some of the speakers as to commercial manures, 

 which have so often been jiroved to be fraudulent 

 and adulterated impositions, and seldom, even 

 when tolerably genuine, worth the price at which 

 they are sold. I find three prominent exclamation 

 points, indicating great surprise, opposite to the 

 statement that "sand is a better absorbing materi- 

 al than muck," and that sand is equallj' as valua- 

 ble as muck. 



The article entitled "Hints on Building Barns" 

 must be one well worthy of attention, and of more 

 than one perusal probably, as I find a good many 

 pencil marks on its margin. 



"27ie Care of Bouts" is a marked and probably 

 valuable article. On page 1 23, under the heading 

 "Maine Dairies" there is a hint as to the pecuni- 

 ary saving which might be made by a better 

 knowledge and practice of the art of cheese-mak- 

 ing. Cheese is now high and in great demand, both 

 at home and abroad, and enterprising farmers 

 would find the making of good cheese, worth now 

 in New York 14 to 16 cents per pound, one of the 

 most profitable directions in which they could ex- 

 ercise their enterprise. 



There must be many valuable facts and hints in 

 the reports of Legislative Agricultural Meetings, 

 on page 123-125, as I find that the pencil has been 

 pretty freely and frequently used on the margins 

 of these pages. More Anon. 



For the Neto Enaland Farmer. 

 HO^W SHALL I BUILD MTT BAKN"? 



Friend Brown : — I have subscribed to your 

 Monthly Farmer for four years, and during that 

 time have obtained much valuable information 

 from its pages. Whenever I have been in doubt 

 as to the best way of doing anything I had in 

 hand. I have drawn on the Monthly Farmer for 

 information, and my draflft have always been hon- 

 ored at sight by the editor, or some of his numer- 

 ous correspondents. While tendering my acknowl- 

 edgments for past favors, I beg leave to apply 

 once more to my fountain of knowledge. 



On my farm are two old barns, which must be 

 replaced by one new one before next winter. The 

 farm is situated on the southern slope of a hill, 

 contains fifty aci'es, and cuts about twenty tons of 

 hay. The barn must be large enough to accom- 

 date two horses, eight head of cattle, and the jpay 

 and grain crop of the farm. 



Will not one of your numerous and kind cor- 

 respondents be good enough to give me the di- 

 mensions of the barn I shall need, the best plan 

 to build it, on, and any other information as to lo- 

 cation, interior arrangements, &c., he may deem 

 useful to me? always remembering that, as I am a 

 poor man, and dead set against mortgages, I shall 

 have to study economy in my estimates. 



Scituate, April 20, 1863. ' A Subscriber. 



Late Pears. — We have received some seed- 

 ling pears of our old friend and correspondent, 

 Dr. S. A. Shurtleff, of Brookline. They are 

 now perfectly fair and sound, of medium size, and 

 have a pleasant flavor. They came from a seed- 

 ling tree grown on his grounds. We think it will 

 prove a valuable coolving pear, or it may be a good 

 dessert h-\x\t, a month or two later! The Doctor 

 will please accept our thanks for his attention. 



Great Horticultural Show. — The last hor- 

 ticultural show in Namur was the most remarka- 

 ble ever seen in Belgium. More than 30,000 

 sjjecimens of fruit were exhibited, composing 

 8000 varieties. It required 9000 plates to hold 

 it. The Belgium gardeners produced the finest 

 apples, and the French the finest grapes. 



