3870. 



NEW ENGLAOT) FARMER. 



293 



liberally as to destroy his crops wherever used. 

 But the next season vegetation was much more 

 vigorous where the gas-lime had been applied than 

 elsewhere. He therefore resolved to make another 

 trial but with more caution. Instead of applying 

 it, as before, in the spring, he spread it thinly 

 over the surface in the winter, and after it had re- 

 mained there for some time ploughed it in. He 

 speaks of it as a preventive of "finger-and-toe" or 

 club-foot in turnips, &c. 



The fact, however, that there is so little demand 

 for this article, is perhaps prima facie evidence 

 that farmers and gardentrs do not find it a very 

 valuable fertilizer. 



THE AVILT.IXMSOV WHIFFLETREE. 



By the contrivance shown in the above cut, the 

 Evener and the two Whiffletrees of a double team 

 are combined. As one tug of each horse is 

 attached to the centre, nearly one half of the 

 usual weight of lumber may be saved. Boys 

 whose patience is so often tried and found want- 

 ing by stray legs in turning their team about, will 

 be glad to know that all this bother may be saved 

 by the new whiffletree; and the poor horses that 

 have suffered from galled shoulders will find relief 

 by the wider spread given to the traces by this in- 

 vention. 



STRAWBERRIES FOR MARKET. 



Please publish in the Farmer two or three of 

 the best varieties of strawberries to cultivate for 

 the market. 



A WET MEADOW. 



I have on my farm about four acres of low land 

 that is almost worthless on account of its being so 

 wet. There will nothing grow on it but briers and 

 the poorest kind of grass. A sluggish stream runs 

 through it which is full to overflowing in the win- 

 ter and earlv part of spring, and the land for half 

 a mile below is on about the same level with mine; 

 but ia the summer the stream is twelve or fifteen 

 inches below the bank, and the land is quite dry, 

 and hard enough to drive a team over it. I want 

 to lay this meadow down to English grass, and 

 any information from you how to do it will be 

 thankfully received. 



SEEDING LAND TO GRASS. 



It IS almost a universal practice with farmers in 

 this section to sow grass seed in the spring with 

 some kind of grain ; there are but few who sow 

 grass seed in the fall, and none that sow it alone 

 in the spring. When asked why they sow grain 

 with grass seed they say that the grain protects 

 the young, tender grass from the scorching suns, 

 and we get a crop of grain, whereas we should get 

 nothing if we sowed to grass seed alone. I thought 

 so once myself; but on examining my fields when 

 the grain was two or three feet high, I found that 

 wtiere tlie grain was thin, or on spots where there 

 was no grain, the grass was the most luxuriant. 

 This led me to try the following experiment : — The 

 14th of last May I sowed a half acre of low land 

 to herds grass, clover and redtop ; in a few days 

 the seed came up and grew equal to any of my 

 meadows that had been in grass for years. The 

 4th of August I mowed it, it then being in bloom. 



I did not weigh it, but judged there was a ton and 

 a quarter on the half acre, and the best hay that I 

 put in my barn last year, I should judge by the 

 way the cattle ate it. This experiment has con- 

 vinced me that the spring is the best time to sow 

 grass seed and sow it without anv kind of grain. 

 Long Plain, Mass., April 6, 1870. E. L. 



Remarks. — For information about strawberries, 

 read the article on "The Culture of Small Fruits," 

 by Capt. J. B. Moore, in the Weekly Farmer, of 

 February 5, 1870. He says, "for profit there is 

 nothing better than Wilson's Albany — for eating 

 without cooking there is nothingpoorer in quality." 

 The Agriculturist is recommended for a light soil. 

 Wilson and Cutter's seedling are raised by many. 

 Hovey's Seedling is still cultivated extensively in 

 the vicinity of Boston. 



With regard to the meadow, the first thing needed 

 is to remove the surplus water by drainage. 

 When this is done the land can be ploughed and 

 laid to grass in the early part of September, with 

 much certainty of success. This will be the 

 economical way of treating it. Perhaps an open 

 drain or two may answer. It is difficult without 

 seeing the land and its surroundings, to decide 

 upon the practicability of draining off the water. 



Your observation of crops and experiments are 

 interesting, but a single experiment does not afford 

 sufficient evidence upon which to establish a rule. 

 The half acre sowed to grass was on "low land," 

 and probably quite moist. If the same amount 

 of seed had been put upon drier upland, it might 

 not have come at all, especially if the latter part of 

 May had been clear and hot. We have no doubt 

 that where grain is not sown very thick, it does 

 shelter and protect the young grass \ that is, it 

 affords it just that kind of protection which gar- 

 deners give to young and tender plants ; just that 

 protection which forests give to the young maple, 

 oak and hickory. Sow the seeds of either of these 

 in the open ground, and the plant will not be half 

 as likely to live as it would springing up in the 

 forest. 



Young grass is quite tender, and if sown in the 

 spring, alone, is quite likely to be injured by 

 drought, or scorching suns, unless the soil is very 

 moist. 



TROUBLE IN A HORSE'S SHOULDER. 



As there is no Veterinarian in my neighbor- 

 hood, I wish to inquire if there can be any thing 

 done for a horse which has displaced some or one 

 of the bones in its shoulder, producing what I am 

 told is called in common parlance "shoulder shot." 

 It was done within a week, I think, but how I do 

 not know. There is a depression just back of 

 where the collar comes. It does not seem to 

 trouble the horse. Widow Ignorance. 



April 14. 1870. 



Remarks. — The advice, after making an exam- 

 ination, of your family physician, who under- 

 stands anatomy, would be more reliable than any 

 opinion of ours, based on your description. The 

 diseases and injuries of our domestic animals are 

 not now, if they ever were, considered as subjects 

 below or unworthy the notice or the best skill of 



