1871. 



]SrEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



547 



October is a Good Time for Draining. 



Some years ago, it was the common opinion 

 that the foundation and main spring of all 

 good farming, was through the agency of ina- 

 nure. There is abundant reason to change 

 this opinion somewhat, in regard to many 

 pieces of our best lands. 



The grass crop in New England is one of 

 the most important. For this, our moist lands 

 are best adapted. We can get it on friable 

 uplands. But it is more expensive there, be- 

 cause they are more easily affected by drought, 

 and of course run out quicker. On thousands 

 of acres of moderately low lands, the grasses 

 will flourish for many years, if cold icuter is 

 not allotced to stand near the surface. 



In order to effect this, these lands should be 

 drained with tiles ; not stones, because the 

 soil is usually deep in them and sooner or 

 later mice will find their way through them, 

 rain and sand will follow in their paths, the 

 stones become obstructed and the drain 

 spoiled. If upon digging to the depth of 

 four feet, the hard pan is reached, it may be 

 safe to use stones. But unless stones are 

 abundant, and near at hand, it will be cheaper 

 and safer to use tiles. 



If the farmer is not acquainted with the 

 manner of laying tiles for draining, and con- 

 templates using them, he will be a gainer by 

 spending a day or two in looking at others 

 doing the work and conversing with them as 

 to the best modes of proceeding. 



At any rate, drain. Drain with something ; 

 sticks or boards or stones. Failing in these, 

 make open drains, although they are tempo- 

 rary in their nature, ugly -looking and expen- 

 sive . But they are better than nothing. 



Stone or Wooden Fences. 

 We hope the day will come when the only 

 fences upon our farms, will be those around 

 grazing lands. Fields abutting on the high- 

 way, handsomely finished off" and running 

 down to the sidewalks or edge of the road, 

 are more beautiful to our eye than when en- 

 closed by fences of any kind, — stone walls, 

 rails, pickets or hedges. There is no need of 

 them. The laws of all the New England 

 States forbid stock of any kind running at 

 large ; and in the few cases of passing droves, 

 or of driving stock to pasture, a little extra 

 help would be needed for a few times only, 

 before the cattle would learn to keep the high- 



way. If half-starved, they would undoubt- 

 edly insist upon trespassing wherever they 

 could find something to eat, when it ought 

 not to be considered a hardship by the owner 

 to pay the damages they might cause. 



What a vast saving might be found in dis- 

 pensing with these fences. Use those now 

 standing for building or other purposes and 

 erect no more. 



There being no fences to care for except 

 about the grazing lands, let those be of a 

 permanent character, so as to prevent edu- 

 cating breachy cattle. 



When this becomes the general practice, 

 there will be opportunity not only to remove 

 the stones from the fields, to drain them, 

 level, remove brush, and make them conven- 

 ient in every respect, but also to embellish 

 the farm with beautiful and profitable sugar 

 maple trees on the roadsides, keep a neat 

 lawn in the front, or near the house, and as- 

 sist the women in cultivating fruits and ilow- 

 ers. 



The beautiful OcxonER will suggest to the 

 progressive farmer many other things which 

 may appropriately be done at this season. 

 Using the time wisely and well, will afford 

 many pleasant reflections, when wintry skies • 

 prevent us from laboring in the fields. 



J^or the Nezc England Farmer. 

 THE UTILIZATION OF BEST FRUITS. 



BY GEOEGE RUSSELL POAVERS. 



A vegetable diet has been declared to be 

 impracticable by many persons who have tried 

 one for a limited time. The reason of fail- 

 ures of such attempts is that they have not 

 been conducted on a sound, scientific basis. 

 The scientific world is unpractical, and the 

 practical world is unscientific. A certain com-- 

 bination of element is necessary to sufficiently 

 sustain the human system. In northern regions 

 oil is especially necessary. Yet it is in north- - 

 em regions that people have often attempted 

 to sustain themselves on a thin, watery diet of ' 

 acid fruits, and nitrogenized roots and seeds. 

 In northern climates oleaginous products are 

 sparsely distributed by nature. The walnut 

 of the Mediterranean and the olive are per- 

 haps produced in sufficient abundance to sup- 

 ply a great semi-tropical belt with oil and 

 concentrated fibres, but farther north, nut- 

 food is scarcer, although cultivation might 

 produce it to such a degree, if properly econ- 

 omized, as to make indigenous trees meet the 

 wants of men up to the fiftieth pai-allel of lati-i - 

 tude. 



The black and white walnuts, the chestnuts.,. 



