846 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



July 



dun, a library ; geological, niineralogioal and 

 botanical collections ; also collections of woods, 

 seeds and resins from the forest ; collections 

 of comparative anatomy, wool, agricultural 

 products, models of instruments of tillage, 

 instruments for surveying and physical science, 

 and a well appointed chemical laboratory. It 

 may be called the model agricultural college 

 of the world, and as such, its mode of rearing 

 young stock cannrrt, fail to be of interest to our 

 farmers . — I lica Htvald. 



MOISTURE FOR GARDEN CROPS. 



It seems to me that far too little attention 

 is given to the importance of moisture in 

 proper quantities for the rapid and healthy 

 growth of vegetables. In general, our lands 

 are subject to periodical Hoods, alternating 

 ■with severe dought, and unless very favorably 

 situated as regards both drainage and reten- 

 tion of moisture, cannot produce the best re- 

 sults. 



The plains of Arlington in ^liddlesex 

 county, owe their celebrity as the garden of 

 Massachusetts, quite as much to their peculiar 

 situation in regard to moisture, as to any other 

 circumstance ; the soil of these plains is most- 

 Iv a very fine sandy loam, resting on a subsoil 

 of very fine sharp sand, not naturally rich soil, 

 but capable, under the high manuring and 

 great skill of the farmers, of producing most 

 wonderful crops, except in some places where 

 too elevated above the water level ; the best 

 of this plain land is only two to six or eight 

 feet above the permanent water leval of Spy 

 Pond ; the lower parts have been tile drained 

 in some cases, and the subsoil is so very fine 

 that it constantly soaks up the water fi^m be- 

 low like a sponge, giving a luxurious growth 

 to vegetation in time of drought, seldom to 

 be seen elsewhere. These plains will gener- 

 ally produce a good crop of celery after early 

 onions, cabbage, lettuce, &c. During the se- 

 vere drought of last summer, some of the cel- 

 ery on the higher parts suffered much, but on 

 the lower and underdraincd portions, the crop 

 was remarkably fine, and sold at great prices 

 in consequence of the failure of the highlands. 

 Some of the farmers of the lowlands informed 

 me that they were obliged to run a one-horse 

 roller between the rows in order to pack the 

 surface .after cultivating, and to prevent ex- 

 cessive evaporation from the scorching winds 

 ■which prevailed. In this way they jiroduced a 

 splendid crop of celery without watering. 



Farming land of tliis character lias been 

 lately sold for farming purposes at SllKK) per 

 acre, distant bh miles from Boston market. 

 The fineness of the subsoil, together with the 

 nearness to permanent water level, constitute 

 the great value of these lands. A soil equally 

 good to all appearance, but having a subsoil 

 of coarse gravel, would be much inferior. 

 There is an opinion prevalent among many 

 ■writers, that land constantly tilled will with- 



stand the effects of drought better than when 

 not tilled ; very possibly this may be true, but 

 the Arlington gardeners generally prefer to 

 run a roller after the cultivator and hoe in 

 time of severe drought, thinking that the ex- 

 cessive evaporation from a loose surface is 

 thus checked, and the roots kept moist. So 

 far as I know, this practice is not general in 

 any other neighborhood. — W. D. rhilhrick, 

 Middlesex Co., Mass., in Country Gent. 



To REMoyE THE Taste of Wood. — A 

 new keg, churn, bucket, or other wooden ves- 

 sel, will generally communicate a disagreeable 

 taste to anything that is put iiUo it. To pre- 

 vent this inconvenience, scald the vessel well 

 with boiling water, letting the water remain 

 in it until cold ; then dissolve some pearlash 

 or soda m lukewarm water, adding a little 

 lime to it. AV'ash the inside of the vessel well 

 with this solution. Afterward scald it well 

 with hot water, and rinse with cold water 

 before you use it. The reason for this is the 

 ready combination of resinous matter with 

 alkalies to form compounds soluble in alcohol. 



'abies' fteparlm^nt. 



THE OLD ARM CHAIR. 



BY ELIZA COOK, 



I love it, I love it, and who shall dare 



To chide me for loving that Old Arm Chair ? 



I've treasured it long as a holy prize, 



I've bedewed it witli tears, and embalmed it with sighs. 



Would you learn the spell? a mother eat there, 



And e sacred thing is that Old Arm Chair. 



In childhood's hour I lingered near 



That hallowed spot with listening ear; 



And gentle the words that mother would give, 



To fit me to die, to teach me to live. 



She told me ill would never betide— 



With truth for my creed, and God for my guide : 



She taught me to lisp my earliest prayer, 



As I knelt beside that Old Arm Chair ! 



I sat and watched her many a day 



When her eyes grew dim and her locks were gray; 



And I aliTiost worship)>ed her when she smiled, 



And turned from her Bible to bless her child. 



Years rolled on, the last one sped. 



I learned how much the heart can bear 



When I saw her die in that Old Arm Chair. 



'Tis past — 'tis past, but I gaze on it now 



With quivering breath and throbbing brow; 



'Twas there she nursed me, 'twas there she died. 



And memory flows with lava tide. 



Say it is folly, and deem me weak, 



While the scalding drops start down my cheek — 



But I love it, I love it, and cannot tear 



My soul from that mother's Old Arm Chair. 



SUMMER DRIIfKS. 



In the Galaxy Nebulte we find the following ad- 

 vice as to summer drinks : — 



The return of the warm season naturally brings 

 to mind various preparations for hot weather. One 

 of these our countrymen and countrywomen have 

 always strangely neglected— the preparation of 



