50 
[February, 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
spaced and arranged under proper heads so as to 
show -what special duties are to be performed, and 
by whom to be attended to when at leisure. 
If the Principal would carry with him a small 
book, composed simply of two pieces of pasteboard, 
also spaced and ruled, and in it note each matter 
that required attention out of the common order 
of business, as it occurred to him, and at con¬ 
venience transfer them to the shop memorandum, 
to be there ready for suitable occasions, he would 
find it would insure the prompt performance of 
many small duties liable to be forgotten, the ac¬ 
cumulation of which is often more burdensome 
to the mind of a business man, than those of larger 
moment. Miquon. 
N, B.—Previous to affixing the tools to the wall, 
the size of the space to be occupied should be 
marked upon the floor, and the arrangement first 
made there. Some article should be selected as a 
starting point or centre, around which the others 
should be placed so as to produce a symmetrical 
effect. If not at first satisfactory, change the posi¬ 
tion of some, or all—arrange and re-arrange them, 
until they meet approval. 
The ink used for making, should be a little thick¬ 
ened with the “ grounds,” and mixed upon a slate. 
The lines should be made dark, and on one side [ cor¬ 
responding throughout the whole side\ the lines should 
be made much heavier than the other, to increase 
the effect, and add to the distinctness of shape, 
when the tools are absent. 
Persons may make their own brushes, thus: Pre¬ 
pare a piece of wood about the size of a .pen handle 
—then with a sharp knife make two slits in one 
end, the tenth or twelfth of an inch apart, and 
about an inch in depth. Then cut out the tongue 
thus formed, and fill the space with bristles (from 
an old brush), and secure them there by wrapping 
with thread. If the edges of the wood near the end 
are thinned, it makes a neater job. To get the 
bristles in nicely, cut the ends off straight, lay them 
crosswise in the opening, then bend them down, 
and wrap tight. Cut off the outside ends square, 
about a quarter of an inch from the stick. The 
brush is then complete, like the sample herewith. 
A little chalk rubbed over the place to be mark¬ 
ed, will cause it to receive the ink without diffi¬ 
culty, and the ink will not run. 
I send a sample of the book above referred to, for 
thy own use. It is made of French paste board, 
part of the lid of a glove box being peculiarly suit¬ 
able. It is 6inches long by 3 inches wide; made 
in two pieces, and hinged by tape or ribbonf passed 
through holes in the edges, herring-bone style, thus 
forming a double hinge. 
This book should always be carried in a suitable 
pocket, inside the vest , left hand side. The vest is 
most suitable, as one rarely changes that, and it 
leaves the coat pocket for other uses. M. 
Editorial Remarks.—"W e are happy to have 
the privilege of placing before a vast multitude 
of readers the above communication, with the 
engravings, which, in part, originally appeared- 
in a journal of only limited circulation, and 
were therefore not generally seen. The hints 
about the marking out the place of each tool 
back of where it is hung, are admirable. The 
Brush and Memorandum Book, or tablet, re¬ 
ceived, we have sketched above. They are 
easily made; they can be seen on our exhibi¬ 
tion tables. 
Townsend Sharpless has carried out in his 
business in Philadelphia the same systematic 
order indicated by his tool-house, and has at¬ 
tained eminent success. Energy, patient effort, 
and systematic habits , will seldom fail to secure 
success. Let us here caution the reader against 
tinning from the perusal of this chapter with 
the remark, or feeling, that “this is all very well 
for the rich man, with his 200 tools, and time 
and money to carry out such a system.” Nay, 
friend, the same plan is equally applicable in 
the barn, or out-house, or shed, {as well as in the 
house,) of the poorest farmer in the land. It is 
time-saving and room-saving, to have a place 
for the ax, hammer, saw, chisel, shovel, hoe, 
scythe, rake, etc., and to have their place prop¬ 
erly indicated. 
The Chestnut Tree. 
For ornamental purposes, the Chestnut {Casta- 
nea vesca,) is hardly inferior to that monarch of 
the forest, the oak. Its branches ramify more 
loosely, and spread over a greater surface in 
proportion to its bight than most of the oaks. 
It also grows more rapidly, and in the forest it 
often rises ninety feet. It attains to great age, 
and then is of immense size. Its dark, finely 
cut and glossy foliage, its lofty and massy head, 
covered at certain seasons with golden flowered 
tassels, and then with clusters of fruit, render it 
a grand and picturesque object in the landscape. 
With several of the old Italian artists, it was 
made a favorite feature in their paintings. 
“This is the tree (says Gilpin,) which graces the 
landscapes of Salvator Rosa. The chestnut 
flourished in the mountains of Calabria, where 
he painted. There he studied it in all its forms, 
breaking and disposing of it in a thousand beau¬ 
tiful shapes, as the exigencies of his composi¬ 
tion required.” 
The European varieties resemble our native 
tree, but have this advantage, that they remain 
green several weeks in Autumn, after ours have 
fallen into “ the sere and yellow leaf.” The 
Spanish chestnut, a very beautiful tree, is not 
hardy north of latitude 42°. The common Amer¬ 
ican is hardy everywhere, being found, says 
Emerson, “ on the banks of the Mousam river, 
Maine, above the 43d parallel of latitude, and 
thence southward as far as Florida, and in the 
western States. 
The economical uses of the chestnut are not 
few nor unimportant. Its timber is valuable. 
The timber of old trees is rather loose grained 
and perishable, but that of the second growth is 
hard and durable. For posts and rails, the first 
being charred before setting, it makes an excel¬ 
lent material. By all means let the trees be 
felled in summer, (in what quarter of the moon we 
car.e not). This wood is sometimes used by the 
carpenter for inside finish. We have seen sever¬ 
al private libraries in which chestnut wood con¬ 
stituted the material of the window-frames, doors, 
mantel pieces, and book-shelves, and being oiled 
and varnished, without paiut,the effect was very 
good. In the house of a friend, thus furnished, 
we.hardly know, which to admire most, this, or 
the oak of his hall, or the butternut of his din 
ingroom. “InFrance,” says Michaux, “chest¬ 
nut copses are considered valuable species 
property. Every seven years, they are cut foi 
hoops, and the largest branches serve for vine- 
props; at the end of fourteen years, they furnish 
hoops for large tubs, and at the end of 25 
years, they are proper for posts and light timber.” 
The boys and the squirrels will put in anoth¬ 
er plea for the chestnuts—they are capital things 
to eat! “ Going a nutting,” means a great deal 
of fun. And a peck of chestnuts bought at the 
corner grocery for munching, with lads and 
lasses around the winter fireside, means a great, 
deal of home enjoyment. 
Chestnut trees, like the oak, are hard to trans¬ 
plant, if taken wild from the woods. The best 
way is to buy them from the nurseries, where 
they have been several times transplanted. Or, 
if you are in no haste, raise them from seed your¬ 
self. Choose a rather light soil, and sow the 
nuts in drills. They should not be allowed to 
become dry before planting. Chestnuts not too 
dry may be planted early in Spring. Take fresh 
chestnuts in the autumn, mix them in a box of 
leaf mold and sand, and set them out of doors 
for the winter, guarding them, meanwhile, 
from mice and squirrels. In the early Spring, 
as soon as they begin to swell and sprout, plant 
them out in drills two inches deep, and a foot 
apart in the drills. The second year, take out 
every other tree, to give the remainder a better 
chance to grow into handsome, shapely speci¬ 
mens. By the second or third year, they should 
all be transplanted, so as to fit them for then- 
final removal. 
Garden for an Old Gentleman. 
Mr. Editor I lament to see so many gar 
dens now-a-days made in such a starched up 
manner. Especially do I regret to see the 
“frontward” spaded up and laid off into flower 
beds of all sorts of shapes, triangles, rhomboids 
and so on. Full half of these beds are very 
slovenly kept, and their untidiness makes a neat 
man nervous. But if kept ever so well, the gay 
colors of the flowers right before one’s door, are 
rather exciting to an old man who loves quiet. 
What need of keeping folks in a state of admir¬ 
ing ecstacy all the time ? Why not give us in 
front of the house and along the main walks, 
simply green grass, smooth as you please, and 
trees as fine as you please; and then place the 
flower borders a little one side, where we can. 
easily visit them, and enjoy their colors and 
perfumes when we have a mind to ? Such are 
the conclusions of my long experience: the 
readers of the American Agriculturist may take 
them for what they are worth. 
I am sorry to see so many old gentlemen 
growing indifferent to ornamental gardening, 
and caring only for beets and cabbages. With 
me, the love of my youth and prime keeps fresh 
under my thin grey locks. Sometimes, I fancy 
that I detect fragrance less nicely than I used to, 
and distinguish shades of color less accurately; 
but there is a good deal of enjoyment left me 
yet; and I mean to keep my senses bright by use. 
May I add a word or two of advice about the 
arrangement of gardens ? I don’t like to see a 
jumble of geraniums, heliotropes, verbenas, and 
petunias, in one small bed. The sight gives an 
orderly man the headache. Put each sort of 
plant by itself in masses; or at least, put only 
those together which resemble each other in 
size and form. Probably, the old plan of mix¬ 
ing up shrubs, herbaceous perennials and an- 
