1863. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



381 



the middle of its height to its summit, which is 

 sometimes divided into two or three terminal 

 branches. The whole is covered, from its roots to 

 its summit, with a fringe of vine-like twigs, ex- 

 tremely slender, twisted and irregular, and re- 

 sembling a parasite growth. At other times, it is 

 snbdivided at the usual height, into three or four 

 long branches, which are wreathed in the same 

 manner, and form a complete plume. 



The elm is the most remarkable of the droop- 

 ing trees, except the willow, which it surpasses in 

 statehness, and in the varietj- of its growth. It is 

 also remarkable for the many forms which it as- 

 sumes in different situations. Often it has a 

 drooping spray only when it has obtained a large 

 size; but it almost invariably becomes subdivided 

 into several equal branches, dividing from a com- 

 mon centre, at a considerable elevation from the 

 ground. One of these forms is that of a vast 

 dome, as i-ei)resented by those trees that send up 

 a single shaft to the height of fifty feet or more 

 without a limb, and branching over with a grace- 

 ful curve from about the middle of its height to 

 its summit, which is sometimes divided into sev- 

 eral branches, giving it a spreading, umbrella-like 

 head. 



These fantastic forms are very beautiful, and do 

 not impress one with the idea of monstrosity, such 

 as is produced by the sight of a weeping ash. 

 Though the elm has many defects of foliage, and 

 is destitute of those fine autumnal tints which are 

 80 remarkable in some other trees, it is still al- 

 most without a rival in the American forest. It 

 presents in its forms a variety not to be seen in 

 any other tree ; possessing the dignity of the oak 

 without its ruggedness, and uniting the grace of 

 the birch with the majesty of the Norway spruce. 



The white elm we consider the most beautiful 

 of the family. Its branches first sjning up, em- 

 bracing the centre, then bend off in finely diverg- 

 ing lines, untd, in old trees, they often sweep the 

 ground with their foliage. 



To a native of New luigland, like ourself, the 

 elm has a value more nearly approaching that of 

 sacredness than any other tree. Setting aside the 

 pleasure derived from it as an object of visual 

 oeauty, it is intimately associated with the famil- 

 iar scenes of home and the events of our own 

 early life. It our mind, it is pleasingly allied with 

 those old dwelling-houses which were built in the 

 early part of the last century, and form one of the 

 marked features of home archiieclure at that pe- 

 riod. They are known by their broad and ample 

 but low-studded rooms, their numerous windows, 

 with small panes, their single chimney in the cen- 

 tre of the roof, that sloped down to the lower 

 story, and their general unpretending a])pearance, 

 reminding one vividly of that simplicity of life 

 which characterized our people before the Revolu- 

 tion. Few, if any, of these old houses are now to 

 be found; but, whenever we see one, we are al- 

 most sure to find it accomjianied by its elm, stand- 

 ing upon the green open space that slopes up to 

 it in front, and waving its long branches in mel- 

 ancholy grandeur over the venerable habitation, 

 which it seems to have taken under its protection, 

 while it droops with sorrow over the infirmities of 

 its old companion of a century. 



C. N. Bement, in Horticulturist. 



V^ice can never know itself and virtue ; but vir- 

 tue knows both itself and vice. 



COVERLNO MAirCTBE. 



The Springfield llcpuljUcan rej)ort8 the discus- 

 sion of farmers at a late session of the Connecti- 

 cut River Harvest Club at which, 



"One of the Granite State farmers present said 

 he plowed under coarse manures, and harrowed 

 in the finer. The de])th' of plowing should depend 

 upon the quantity of manure, just as the quantity 

 of meal regulates the amount of swill. People 

 who do not measure are apt to misjudge in the 

 depth of plowing, and think they plow deeper than 

 they really do. 



Nelson Burroughs, of Gill, thought little bene- 

 fit was derived the first year from manure buried 

 eight inches deep. His largest crops were ob- 

 tained by harrowing in manure. He don't plow 

 as deep as formerly. 



T. J. Field, of Northfield, spoke of two experi- 

 ments where light land was subsoiled with injury, 

 and thought manure buried eight inches deep was 

 seldom heard from. 



President Severance, of Greenfield, thought the 

 roots of crops run deeper than is generally sup- 

 posed. He had measured corn roots that ran 

 down 12, 13 and I<5 inches deep. Broom corn 

 usually roots deeper than corn. A piece of clay- 

 ey loam, subsoiled by him 15 years ago, has ever 

 since borne two good crops of grass per annum. 



Phineas Stedman, of Chicopee, said he harrowed 

 in manure chiefly, and plowed in long manure 

 about five inches deep. Thought the shallow 

 plowing of turf would give a larger crop than 

 deep plowing, but it woultl be more difficult to 

 hoe. 



Messrs. Lyman and Purple, both of Northfield, 

 said they plowed six to seven inches deep, used 

 the Michigan plow, and manured on top more 

 than formerly. If manure needed covering, as on 

 old land, they would plow it with one horse, going 

 the same way as for the main plowing, to prevent 

 starting up the turf. Thev liked manuring in the 

 hill. 



THE FARMER A MA N TTFACTURER. 

 Every farmer, great or small, is a manufacturer. 

 In the manufactory which he superintends, is 

 made butter, cheese, beef, pork, corn, wheat and 

 potatoes — in fact, all the real necessaries of life. 

 No other manufacturer is engaged in a work of so 

 much importance. We could get along without 

 manufactories of silk, cotton, or woolen goods, but 

 let the factories that make our bread and meat 

 cease to work, and ruin — death in its most horrid 

 form — would stare us in the face. There is no 

 work that requires more thought and care — none 

 that makes greater calls for the exercise of the 

 highest faculties of tiie mind, than farming. To 

 no man, in any position of life, is a general knowl - 

 edge of the wonderful laws of nature of more im- 

 portance than it is to the farmer. Cotton, it is 

 well known, can be made into cotton cloth, and 

 wool into blankets and broailcloths ; but the great 

 question with the m mufacturer, is, how this can 

 be done by a judicious selection of materials, and 

 skill in their manufacture, as to afford a profit 

 over cost. On his wisdom in this respe«t, depends 

 the all-important question, whether his business 

 is a success or a failure. Manure acd labor will 

 manufacture crojis to an almost unlimited extent; 

 but on the cost of this manure, and the way and. 



