1864. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Fur the New England Farmer. 

 A HINT ABOUT DRAINING. 



Messrs. Editors : — Enclosed is three dollars 

 to pay for the Farmer for two years. It is un- 

 certain about my living to need it ; but as the 

 success of agriculture is my highest earthly ob- 

 ject, I do not know of anything better than to do 

 what I can to sustain the Farmer, both by word 

 and deed. I have told of my success in farming, 

 and will now tell of one mistake which I think 

 others may profit by avoiding. 



I have a piece of land containing seven or eight 

 acres, lying in the form of a basin, which, when I 

 was a boy, was chiefly covered with large bushes 

 and brambles, except about one acre in the mid- 

 dle, which was too wet to bear bushes. My fa- 

 ther had a shallow ditch dug through the middle 

 of it before I took the lead. I have since cleared 

 the whole and underdrained one half. My mis- 

 take was, in not digging the main drain deep 

 enough. I hope that those who come after me 

 will be able to dig it one foot deeper, for the ditch 

 I have at present only drains the shoalest of it, 

 about fifteen or eighteen inches, and I would not 

 recommend any one to drain less than two or two 

 and one half feet. I have experienced so much 

 benefit from my imperfect draining, that I would 

 advise all who have land that needs draining, to 

 underdrain so far as they are able. I would give 

 advice similar to that of the Dutchman to his 

 son, ''Never to run in debt; but if he did run in 

 debt let it be for manure." I would say let it be 

 for underdraining. T. Haskell. 



West Gloucester, Dec. 13, 1863. 



Remarks. — Friend Haskell is one of the old- 

 est subscribers to the Farmer. He is now, we 

 believe, past "threescore and ten," but still full of 

 interest in the progress of the art which he loves 

 80 well. That he may read and be edified, and 

 write and edify others for many years to come, is 

 our sincere wish. 



For the NetP England Farmer. 

 THE "WAR AND AGRICULTURE — THE 

 MOON — PREMATURE BIRTHS. 



As I ride along the road I have noticed that 

 not one-fourth as much land is plowed this fall 

 as usual. If there is little land plowed I am 

 afraid we shall fall short of products. Plow one 

 acre to help support our army in the field. If 

 you have not the necessary men's help call on the 

 mother or sister to give you a helping hand. 

 They had rather do it than let the sons of the 

 country suffer. We read that in the time of the 

 Revolution the mothers, with their babes nestled 

 down by the side of the bushes, toiled from sun- 

 rise to sunset in the fields ! All men to war, 

 none to farm. Let that cry be an untruth, or 

 else let those mechanics who are building shops 

 calculate to put their hand to the plow in the 

 spring. 



The. old women used to talk of planting in 

 the right time of the moon. I never thought 

 that there was anything in it, but this vear I saw 

 that which ought to make me a believer. I saw 

 bean vines that were planted near the full of the 

 moon, and not ten feet distant, on the same kind 

 of soil and situation, were a lot planted on the 



decrease, and about the same time. Those which 

 were planted on the growing, grew well and bore 

 finely. The others did neither bear nor run to 

 vines, but squat upon the ground. 



I see that my theory in regard to premature 

 births does not coincide with that of yours, but 

 the reasons given by you, I don't see to hit or 

 controvert my theory. I saw that a correspond- 

 ent of an agricultural journal in England, consid- 

 ering upon the same subject, copies my article 

 entire, and then goes on to say that I express his 

 mind ; that he for years has been inclined to the 

 same opinion, but that he has of late become sat- 

 isfied. 



Now is the time to turji up the muck ; the 

 frost will take out the acid and fine it up ; then 

 in the spring tumble it over ; if to plant after the 

 seed is in, throw on ashes and lime in equal parts, 

 but do not forget to put a little manure in the 

 hill. s. P. M. 



Dover, N. H., November, 1863. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 METEOROLOGICAL RECORD FOR 

 OCTOBER, 1863. 



These observations are taken for and under the 

 direction of the Smithsonian Institution. 



The average temperature of Oct. was 49° ; av- 

 erage midday temperature, 57°. The correspond- 

 ing figures for Oct., 1862, were 50° and 55°. 

 Warmest day, the 4th, averaging 64° ; coldest 

 day, the 28th, averaging 32°. Highest tempera- 

 ature, 72° ; lowest do*, 21°. 



Average height of mercury in the barometer, 

 29.35 ins.; do. for Oct.,, 1862, 29.28 ins. High- 

 est daily average, 29.70 ins. on the 29th ; lowest 

 do., 29.08 ins. on the 4th. Range of mercury 

 from 29.04 ins. to 29.74. Rain fell on eleven 

 days ; amount of rain, 3t9o ins. ; sixteen wet days 

 and 3.52 ins. rain in Oct., 1862. There were two 

 entirely clear days — on two days the sky was en- 

 tirely overcast. A. C. 



Claremont, N. H., Nov., 1863. 



WINTERING BEES. 



The Effect of Ice or Frost on Bees and 

 Comb. — When the bees are not smothered, this 

 water in the hive is the source of other mischief. 

 The combs are quite certain to mould. The wa- 

 ter mould or dampness on the honey renders it 

 thin, and unhealthy for the bees, causing dysen- 

 tery, or the accumulation of faeces that they are 

 unable to retain. When the hive contains a very 

 large family, or very small one, there will be less, 

 frost on the combs, — the animal heat of the first 

 will drive it off ; in the latter there will be but lit- 

 tle exhaled. 



Frost mat Cause Starvation. — This frost 

 is frequently the cause of medium or small fami- 

 lies starving in cold weather, even when there is 

 plenty of honey in the hive. Suppose all the 

 honey in the immediate vicinity of the cluster of 

 bees is exhausted, and the combs in ever)' direc- 

 tion from them are covered with frost : if a bee 

 should leave the mass and venture among them 

 for a supply, its fate would be as'certain as star- 

 vation. And without timely intervention of warm- 

 er weather, they must perish I'—Quinby's Mysteries 

 f Bee-Keeping. 



