35^" 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Nov. 



ed, and other measures taken to prevent water 

 getting into the yard, beside what may fall direct- 

 ly upon it in ram, and if liquid in any quantity 

 runs from it after rains, there is a loss of a half or 

 more of the original value of the contents of such 

 a yard. But this is a kind of mis-management so 

 often reprobated as to make farther remarks upon 

 it but little needed. 



In some sections of our country, perhaps even 

 in thrifty New England, there is a great want of 

 economy in allowing the dung of hens and other 

 poultry to go to waste. Bushels and even barrels 

 of it go to waste on a great many, or perhaps a 

 majority uf farms every year. This is certainly 

 the more remarkable as it is pretjry generally 

 known that, tcJicn kept dry and othencise properly 

 cared for, it is not far behind guano in real value. 

 Perhaps as guano is sold at about $60 per ton, or 

 three cents a pound, in and near seaports, and as 

 transportation would make it cost considerably 

 more in inland localities, it would be no over-esti- 

 mation of the value of good hen-manure to call it 

 worth $40 per ton or two cents per pound, in any 

 locality more than 50 or 100 miles from the sea- 

 coast. Now as guano, when unadulterated and 

 when judiciously used, almost always produces 

 ample paying returns, and as hen manure, when 

 composted with muck or other suita1)le material, 

 has been found to yield returns, in corn and other 

 crops, not far behind guano, is it not almost unac- 

 countable that a manure well worth twenty or thir- 

 tj' times as much as ordinary yard manure per ton 

 should be so generally neglected and unused ? 



Of other neglected sources of fertility and plant 

 food, and of other opportunities for the exercise of 

 economy and skill, we may have occasion to speak 

 at some future time. INIORE Anon. 



For the Ke:c England Farmer. 

 S"WALIiO-WS AND GULLS. 



Being one of your subscribers, and a constant 

 reader of your paper, T notice that your ear is 

 open to listen to all why may have anything valu- 

 able to communicate, as well as answers for the 

 many questions asked by your inquisitive subscrib- 

 ers. Living up here in a high, hilly section of 

 New Hampshire, I have noticed this season a few 

 incidents which may be useful to some, and en- 

 tertaining, perhaps, to many. 



You, or some of your subscribers, in one of the 

 July immbers of your paper, observed that the 

 martins and swallows leave your vicinity some 

 time about the 27th of July. I noticed that here 

 the swallows' were more plenty than usual at tliat 

 time ; that they were together, often on the roofs, 

 of buildings and fences, and were full of chat and 

 very sociable, and there appeared to be many young 

 ones with them. They remained, however, with- 

 out any apparent change until past the 20th of 

 August, when we had a very heavy shower with 

 much thunder and lightning. The next day there 

 were but few swallows about, but they soon began 

 to be more plenty, and some of them evidently 

 but lately out of the nest. They began again to 

 gather upon the buildings and fences, and were 

 quite plenty until the 27th and 28th of August. 

 Occasionally we saw a few flying up high until 1st 

 and 2d of Sept., then all disappeared. 



Their first appearance here was somewhat duri- 

 ous. Quite early in May, or last of April, one 

 pleasant evening, I was riding down a hill, the 



road running in a gorge, or valley, north west. 

 As I came near the muddy marshes, or meadows, 

 the swallows came rushing up the valley by thou- 

 sands, flying northwest to southeast. I never saw 

 them ia such flocks before. This was the first of 

 their appearance last spring. Where did they 

 come from ? 



Another incident occurred here on the first of 

 August. We had a very heavy shower of rain 

 with thunder and lightning, and a powerful wind, 

 which concentrated upon the road leading from 

 Marlow to Stoddard in a perfect whirlwind, tear- 

 ing up trees by the roots and damaging buildings. 

 The next morning after the rain, in the road near 

 the Ashuelot river, I saw a most beautiful bird 

 somewhat larger than a dove. He was in the 

 road, which was lined on either side with alders, 

 weeds and tall grass, and was trying to make his -M 

 escape. ^ 



I caught him and found one of his wings brok- 

 en. This was tied up and cared for and soon got 

 well. It proved to be a sea-bird of the gull spe- ■ 

 cies. He was very fond of fish and and a bath, fl 

 and would wash himself several times a day, 

 seeming all the time to be entirely contented with 

 us. On Sunday, August 9, however, while all 

 were at meeting, he left, and is probably in some 

 of your Massachusetts bays. How came he so far 

 from the sea coast up among our rugged hills ? 



Marlow, N. H., 1863. p. T. 



For the New England Farnier. 

 TOBACCO IN HAMPSHIRE COUTSTTY. 



Tobacco. Who would have thought that this 

 lovely valley was destined to become a tobacco 

 growing region ! That these beautiful fields were 

 to be perverted to the production of the filthy 

 weed ! Yet such is the fact. The tobacco fever 

 has become an epidemic, and is fast becoming a 

 mania. Very few escape. Unlike other fevers it 

 never turns, but goes on, increasing in intensity 

 until it becomes chronic, and will doubtless burn 

 while the fuel lasts. Many, who last season 

 boasted their "virtue fixed" — who were principled 

 against the heresy and would never defile their 

 hands or pollute their soil with the filth, are now 

 letting land to their neighbors, or, mayhap, per- 

 mitting the "boys" to raise an acre or two, or three 

 or four — the father, lil^ good old Eli, winking at 

 the pecadilloes of his sons, by building a large 

 barn, tobacco sheds, in which to screen their j:>fe«- 

 der. 



Church members seem about as eager as others 

 to enter this scrub race. There are, however, 

 some worthy exceptions — some who have not yet 

 "bowed"' down to this idol. I know of no cler- 

 gyman whose love of the narcotic has led him to 

 engage in its culture. And multitudes of good 

 men all around us, (on the hills,) though they 

 have looked down upon our golden fields with 

 moistened eyes, have refrained entirely from the 

 production of the stinking plant. Cause — why? 

 They had not a foot of land adapted to its pro- 

 duction. Our friend Trask will need a new engine, 

 if he is to withstand the mighty current which is 

 now surging up through this valley. I opine that 

 it is no easy matter to make even a good man see 

 a moral consideration, when a gold dollai^s press- 

 ing down each of his eyelids. Well, we are most- 

 ly in for the production of the weed. It would fill 

 your down-easter with wonder and amazement to 



