146 



T II E N E W G E N E 5? r E F A R M E R, 



Vol. 1 



Hints for tlic .tluntli. 



During thismontb, tUe fanner coinnicnces securing 

 h ro t c ops — k'l tl is he (lone in f«jiion, r.nd well per- 

 formed, that a part be not loot by Uaete and lateness. 



But care is berc necessary. Potatoes are sometimes 

 dng early, well secured, and lUirkly covered with two 

 a'ternating coats of straw and carlb, as tlicy should be 

 when preserved on open ground; but still a large part 

 are lost. This is owing to a want of zcntUution in 

 autumn. Potatoes, buried early, should be protected 

 fiom the efiecis of the warm, damp and confied air, 

 by means of a hole in the top of the heap, made by 

 thrusting in a stick. On the approach of severe frosts 

 this is to be stopped. 



Potatoes kept in cellars, are well preserved as fol- 

 lows: — Provide necessary bins, cover the whole bot- 

 tJm witli ennd, line the sides with smooth neatly cut 

 Bods, fill them with the potatoes, and cover the whole 

 with beaten sods. For immediate use, they may be 

 kept in barrels. 



Mangel wurlzel should be harvested by the end of 

 the month, or they may be greatly injured if not 

 wholly destroyed by frost. 



Ruta bagas should not be loft later than the begin- 

 ning of next month, for the same reason. By far the 

 most convenient instrument we know of, was descri- 

 bed by Erastus Skinner, of Steuben county, in the 

 Cultivator. It consists of a combined instrument, — a 

 email, very sharp hoe on one side, for cutting oif ilie 

 tops, which is done at a blow while the roots are in the 

 ground,— and a double pronged hook on the other side, 

 for pulling the roots from the ground. 



The same care, relative to ventilation, is needed for 

 this crop, »s fur potatoes, with the additional precau- 

 tion of continuing it through winter. 



Apples, being abundant this season, should be all 

 carefully collected and preserved for the winter feed- 

 ing of domestic animals, when not needed for other 

 uses. 



Hogs should be fed with great regularity, the feeding 

 places kept clean, and the pens well littered. By ne- 

 glecting these, twice the amount of food may be giv- 

 en, and produce less effect. 



Cattle and other animals, intended to befed qn roots 

 through winter, should be gradually inured to them, 

 as some require time to induce them to cat freely, 

 and sudden changes sometimes lead to mischief. 



Animals, whether kept in the stable or otherwise, 

 ehould have plenty of straw as- liner, not only to con- 

 tribute to their comfort and good vonditien, but for the 

 free nroduction of manure. Let ofull supply of straw 

 for this purpose be therefore provided in season. 



Timely care should be taken that straw for the win- 

 ter feeding of cattle, be well preserved. A good cop.-, 

 trivance for this purpose is as follows ;~-get four 

 strong posts in the form of a square, and somewhat in- 

 clining towards each other ; to the tops of these poets, 

 fasten four strong rails, thus forming a square frame, 

 supported by ihe posts. Next, place rails, at n dis- 

 Mnce of about a foot from each other, inclining upon 

 the inside of this frame, their lower ends resting upon 

 the ground, and the upper spreading outwards, and 

 forming thus a largo rack, for the reception of the 

 straw, which Is built as a stack within it. As the 

 straw is eaten away, the mass above descends and 

 supplies its place. 



Hay-racks for horses, arc better if made vertical, 

 than inclining outwards, the ascending breath of the 

 onimal not so eoon injuring the hay, and the hay seed 

 not fillin,i its mane. One of the best modes of con- 

 struction is to place the rack vertically at a proper dis- 

 tonce from the wall, and another rack (or grate) at 

 right angles to the lowest edge, through which the 

 tay-seed falls into a box or trough underneath, and is 

 Removed when necessary^ 



Let the farmer prepare to accomplieh os much 

 ploughing before winter os practicable, for early epting 

 crops. 



And lastly, let none forget to plant ornamental trees 

 and shrubs about his houfe, and at other suitable pla- 

 ces, and he will not only tinder his home exceedingly 

 more pleasant, but he will be acting the part of a true 

 patriot, by increasing the attractions, the health, and 

 the consequent value of his country. Now is the time, 

 and a few days will accomplish wonders. * 



The Hauiiah Apple. 



This new and excellent variety deserves notice. — 

 The following is a brief description: — 



SUiii about oce-third of an inch in length, inserted 

 in a deep hollow; fruit (lattish, somewhat conical, and 

 sometimes slightly pentagonal, of medium size,yellow, 

 covered with rich streoks of bright red; cahjx closed, 

 and inserted in a regular shallow depression. Flesh 

 yellowish white, tender and breaking, of an exceed- 

 ingly agreeable sub-acid aromatic flavor. It ripens a- 

 bout the middle of the ninth month, (Sept,,) and con- 

 tinues for a month. Several amateurs have pronun- 

 ced it fully equal to any apple ol its season. 



It originated on the grounds of Asa B, Smith, of 

 Alacedon, Wayne county, N, Y, • 



The Jiew Wheat. 



The new variety of wheat mentioned in our last 

 number as having been cidtivated by A, D, Gage, of 

 Alacedon, we have since been informed, was original- 

 ly discovered by Jonatlum iSoitle, of Perrinton, some 

 years since, and it is therefore proposed to give it the 

 name of its discoverer. We hope we shall give our 

 readers ih^ight name at last. 



We have also ascertained further particulars of its 

 extraordinary productiveness. Our next neighbor, 

 who had several acres, had an averaged crop exceeding 

 thirttjjire bushels tQ the acre, although his white flint 

 wheat, with equal advantages, yielded only about 

 licenty ; and among a number of other fields, some 

 sown late and after corn, none fdl below thirty bush- 

 els to the acre. We believe all these experiments were 

 performed on a grovelly or sandy loam, never subject 

 to baking, nor heaving by frost. * 



A Tact. 



Accidents sometimes lead to important results. A 

 a/press vine was plonted on sandy loam, fertile for 

 common crops, but grew only an inch or two, and 

 continued stationary for several weeks. A quantity 

 of soap suds was then thrown upon it, and it imme- 

 diately commqricod a vigorous growth, and advanced 

 fciner In twenty-four hours than it bad done in weeks 

 before. * 



Domestic Conveuiences"-Cisterus. 



Every farmer should give particular attention to 

 convenience of bis household department. Female 

 labor may be lessened to a surprising degree by study- 

 ing this part of domestic economy. To contribute our 

 mite, we here briefly give an account of the canstruc- 

 liofi of a rain-water cistern of our own. 



The pit for the cistern was dug so that the outside 

 of the cellar wall formed a part of one side. The 

 wall was built of cobble stone in common Ijme mor- 

 tar, one Toot in thickness. The bottom, which was 

 hardpan, was first covered with cobblestones, of uni- 

 form size, laid in water-lime mortar; a coat of the 

 same mortal was laid upon this; and a second coal of 

 smallerstones completed the bottom. The whole inside 

 then received two costs of water lime mortar. By ap- 

 plying these to the walls before they had become dry, 

 and then drying very gradually, they were wholly free 

 from cracks. After remaining a few weeks, protected 

 by boards from the sun, — the upper edge of the wall 



was covered with a layer of wnter-limc mortar; two 

 inch while oak plonks covering the whole, (except a 

 small curb, for the entrance of water and cleaning the 

 cistern.) was laid on this mortar; a cost of water-linio 

 mortar was then spread upon the ploidi; thick white 

 oak slabs were laid again on this coat of mortar; ono- 

 ther coat of mortar upon the slabs, and several inches 

 of compact earth, forming with the ploidis and slabs, 

 a little more than a foot in thickness, compleied the 

 covering, Th)s io sufticicnt to prevent the water from 

 freezing in the coldest weather, through the c<irb, (18 

 in. by 2 ft. ) is left open. It also prevents all access of 

 surface water. 



The cistern adjoins the kitchen, and a lesd pipe, one 

 inch in diameter, passes f. om near the bottom, through 

 the cellar wall, obiiqnely upwards, to the kitchen 

 floor, where it is attached to the lower end of a small 

 and good pump. Thus, plenty of rain water is at all 

 times at perfect command. The cistern is between 

 6 and 7 feet in diameter, about five feet deep and holds 

 about 40 barrels. Care should bo taken to procure 

 good water lime, failure often arising from had mate- 

 rial. • ' 



Aphides or Plant Iiice« 



A few weeks ago, a number of young cherry trees 

 in the nursery, became infested with plant hce; and 

 though we destroyed thousands by passing them be- 

 tween the thumb and fore-finger, they continued to 

 extend along the rows. We found ourselves in serious 

 difficulty. It was no small job to repeat our visits to 

 so many trees; besides, their vigor was checked, aiid 

 some, in consequence of this drain of their jjiicea, en- 

 tirely ceased to grow. Assistance however, came at 

 length from an unexpected quarter. A worm ? which 

 at first we suspected of feeding on the leaf, was obser- 

 ved to devour them; but not less efficient was the 

 Coecinella or Lady-Bug; and between them not a sin- 

 gle aphis is now to be found on those trees which a- 

 bounded with them so lately. The lady. bug keeps 

 possession yet, taking shelter under the leaves which 

 the lice had caused to curl. 



We wish all our readers to become acquainted with 

 these useful and beautiful insects. The shape of the 

 Cuccineila is nearly hemispheric, the upper part con- 

 vex and the lower flat. More than twenty years ago, 

 nearly two hundred species were distinguished. Somo 

 have red or yellow shells with black dots; others red 

 shells with yellow dots; a third kind have red or yel- 

 low shells spotted with Khile ; and a fourtli have yel- 

 low shelliB spotted with rcrf. Nicholson says, "They 

 all feed, both in their Urea and complete state, on tht 

 aphides or plant lice ; and arc very serviceable in pu* 

 ri/ying Tcgetablcs of the myriads with ichieh Ihry are 

 of ten infested." Hereafter we shall talie the liberty 

 to colonize them when we have particular jobs for them 

 to do; and oji all occasions treat them as our friends. 



With that worm ? we hope to become better ac« 

 quaintcd. t 



Fiuit Trees Splitting Down. 



For want of a little care when the trees were small, 

 we have lately lost somo lorgc limbs of both peach 

 ond plum trees, — the weight of fruit combined with 

 wet leaves and high winds, having split them down. 

 Yet losses of this kind are easily prevented. Let the 

 prmcipal branches bo diverged nearly at right angles 

 with the main trunk, and nature will provide a sort of 

 net- work of the hardest and firmest wood, to connect 

 them together; but where the branches rise up almost 

 parallel, as their diameters increase, the bark of each 

 is pushed together, but it cannot coalesce; and in a 

 few years one or both will full, often to the deatruc 

 lion of the tree, 



