SUMMER PRUNING. 
209 
small cost. There is a foundry near me, where 
they can be well made by artisans of merit and 
talent; but I have not dared encourage them 
before there exists a greater demand. Several 
persons have applied to nfe under like circum- 
stances, but whenever the expense of patterns 
can be secured, a machine will readily be pro- 
duced. 
The machine imported by me is kept in con- 
stant work, so great is the demand for tiles. I 
laid about 10,000 on my farm, last autumn, and 
the benefit is now strikingly exemplified. I am 
now thoroughly satisfied as to their importance, 
and economy in their use. It may be some 
time, however, before our farmers, in general, 
will be convinced that a subsoil is wet and poi- 
sonous to their grain, when they do not see it 
standing in puddles on their fields. Several of 
my drains have poured forth streams of pure 
pellucid water, where the surface was dry, soft, 
and pleasant to the tread; and where a sour 
grass was produced, I now have most luxuriant 
wheat plants. This county will exhibit many 
such results this year; and such proofs will 
cause a rapid increase of tile draining from 
year to year. 
J. Delafield. 
Oakland, Rose Hill, Seneca Co., N. Y., 1850. 
SUMMER PRUNING. 
This month, or the next, is the proper season 
for pruning fruit trees, and such others as shed 
their leaves in autumn. In consequence of the 
downward motion of the sap, new wood is formed 
and a more perfect healing of the wounded 
parts takes place, than when the operation is 
performed in winter or spring. 
H3 
Pruning Saw. — Fig. 58. 
The branches should be pruned off close, and 
with a clean, smooth cut, without starting or 
bruising the bark. This may be done with a 
very convenient instrument called a " pruning 
saw," denoted by the above cut. It is construct- 
ed of various sizes, with fine teeth, and is usu- 
ally from 14 to 18 inches long. See pruning im- 
plements, also, at page 33 of the current volume. 
-•- 
CUTTING- AND CURING HAY. 
In passing the hay market near 6th street, in 
your city, when I resided there, I often noticed 
the great difference in the color and quality 
of the loads of hay. While some were of a 
bright green, others were almost black. I be- 
lieve I now understand that the variation de- 
pended upon the time the hay was cut, and the 
manner of curing it. Last summer, I commenc- 
ed mowing my clover when it was in full blos- 
som, when the weather was fine. The previous 
year, the crop was nearly lost by leaving it too 
late, when the clover fell, and so badly lodged 
as to rot a great part of it. I attempted to cure 
it the same day, but as it was by far too green, I 
was obliged to leave it the part of a fine day, to 
the exposure of the sun in the swath, and turn 
it carefully over once. Towards night, I put it 
in small, tall cocks, and left it a day or two. I 
opened the cocks for a short time to dry it, and 
then carted it into the barn. Most of my other 
grass, I cut equally early. 
The result was, that my hay has been of the 
most superior quality, preserving the richest 
fragrance, and the leaves and blossoms of the 
clover, remaining almost entire. The latter, 
when chewed, had the exact taste of the blossom 
upon the growing plant. In feeding, I have had 
it cut up with a hay cutter, mixed with bran 
and ground feed, and given to my stock, which 
would have consumed much more than I had, if 
I had not pursued this economical course. My 
cattle are in fine order, and the cows have given 
milk all winter, instead of drying off as usual. 
At the time of mowing, I selected a strip of 
Timothy grass, which appeared to be pure, and 
left it to ripen. This, I cut in the usual way 
with the scythe, and raked it up with the horse 
rake. After it was carted in, it was left on the 
barn floor for a day or two, and then threshed 
with flails. From what I cut, I cleaned up 
a barrel of seed, and the hay was sold with the 
rest, for the usual price. H. 
.». 
ADJUSTABLE SCREW WRENCHES. 
In the arrangement, combination, and propor- 
tions of the parts, these wrenches are acknowl- 
edged to be the most convenient, efficient, and 
strongest now made, and having been long in 
use and fully proved, are most favorably known 
among our mechanics. 
Adjustable Screw Wrench. — Fig. 59. 
The screw which moves the slidkig jaw is 
most expeditiously and easily operated by the 
thumb of the hand that grasps the handle, and 
the space between the jaws is adjusted to the 
size of the nut or screw, to be turned under any 
circumstances, more easily without than with 
the assistance of the other hand, which may be 
otherwise engaged. 
By placing the screw that moves the travers- 
ing jaw by the side of the shank, or main bar of 
the wrench, the full size and strength is retained. 
-•- 
Rotation of Crops. — Wheat may follow clo- 
ver, beans, peas, the hard crops, or an old turf, 
with decided advantage, as there is a change or 
rotation from one species of plant to a different 
one. Not so, however, when it follows Timothy, 
for here it is one grass following another, the 
wheat being classed by botanists in the order, 
gramine(E,af which it is a true member. Wheat 
does not, therefore, appropriately succeed Tim- 
othy, as it would not herds' grass nor rye grass, 
nor any other of the true grasses, unless first, 
fully and properly dressed with appropriate 
manures. Hundreds of farmers have observed 
this fact, and are surprised at it. Had they read 
the agricultural papers aright, they would have 
learned this was a result not only to be won- 
dered at, but that any other would have been a 
first cause of wonder. 
