272 
REVIEW OF THE MAY NUMBER OF THE AGRICULTURIST. 
and look, at a distance, like little shrubberies of 
evergreens. 
The farms are small, each consisting of from one 
to four or five acres ) indeed, every farmer has his 
own little tea garden, the produce of which supplies 
the wants of his family, and the surplus brings him 
in a few dollars, which are spent on the other ne¬ 
cessaries of life. The same system is practised in 
everything relating to Chinese agriculture. The 
cotton, silk, and rice farms are generally all small, 
and managed upon the same plan. There are few 
sights more pleasing than a Chinese family in the 
interior engaged in gathering the tea leaves, or, 
indeed, in any of their other agricultural pursuits. 
There is the old man, it may be the grandfather, or 
even the great grandfather, patriarch like, directing 
his descendants, many of whom are in their youth 
and prime, while others are in their childhood, in 
the labors of the field. He stands in the midst of 
them, bowed down with age. But, to the honor of 
the Chinese, as a nation, he is always looked up to 
by all with pride and affection, and his old age and 
grey hairs are honored, revered, and beloved. 
When, after the labors of the day are over, they 
return to their humble and happy homes, their fare 
consists chiefly of rice, fish, and vegetables, which 
they enjoy with great zest, and are happy and con¬ 
tented. I really believe that there is no country in 
the world where the agricultural population are 
better off than they are in the north of China. La¬ 
bor with them is pleasure, for its fruits are eaten 
by themselves, and the rod of the oppressor is un¬ 
felt and unknown. 
In the green-tea districts of Chekiang, near Ning- 
po, the first crop of leaves is generally gathered 
about the middle of April. This consists of the 
young leaf buds just as they begin to unfold, and 
forms a fine and delicate kind of young hyson , 
■which is held in high estimation by the natives, and 
is generally sent about in small quantities as pre¬ 
sents to their friends. It is a scarce and expensive 
article, and the picking of the leaves, in such a 
young state, does considerable injury to the tea 
plantations. The summer rains, however, which 
fall copiously about this season, moisten the earth 
and air, and if the plants are young and vigorous, 
$iey soon push out fresh leaves. 
In a fortnight, or three weeks, from the time of 
the first picking, or about the beginning of May, 
the shrubs are again covered with fresh leaves, and 
are ready for the second gathering, which is, in 
fact, the most important of the season. The third 
and last gathering, which takes place as soon as 
new leaves are formed, produces a very inferior 
kind of tea, which, I believe, is rarely sent out of 
the district. 
A MINK TRAP. 
Farmers, at certain seasons of the year, are con¬ 
siderably troubled with minks, and owing to their 
wary nature they are seldom caught. A steel trap 
must be skillfully set and baited in order to decoy 
them into it. I have known of a plan, however, 
which succeeded well, which is this :—Put a bar¬ 
rel in some place where they are known to fre- 
? uent; fill it one third full of water ) put therein a 
ew sun-dried fish, or muskrat flesh, and if they 
scent the bait, they will soon find the barrel, which 
they will instantly climb and plunge uncautiously 
into, where they wall soon drown themselves in 
attempting to retrieve their fallen fortune. 
I would recommend the boys to try it, as the 
skins of the animals will repay them for iheir trouble, 
if caught in the fall, winter, or early part of spring. 
J. R. S. 
Stockholm , N. July 12th , 1848. 
REVIEW OF THE MAY NUMBER OF THE 
AGRICULTURIST. 
Time of Planting Indian Corn .—It is somewhat 
unfortunate that this long, inappropriate name for 
this one variety of corn has become so fixed that 
the short and proper name of maize is almost un¬ 
known. Though, in fact, in most parts of the Uni¬ 
ted States, the prefix of Indian , is rarely used, and 
the term, corn, has no meaning, except for this one 
kind. In regard to the time of planting maize, I 
wish the editor of the Agriculturist wmuld con¬ 
struct a table, which would show- the most approv¬ 
ed time for planting, period of maturity, best kind, 
average yield, and price, in several parallels of lat¬ 
itude in the great maize region of this country. 
[We will endeavor to do so.] I fully agree with 
the editor, that very early planting is not the most 
judicious. 
Cultivation of Tomatos .—I am fully satisfied in 
my own mind, that few 7 , if any, of the other varie¬ 
ties of this fruit, are at all equal in richness to the 
large “ common red,” writh deep furrows and high 
protuberances. The largest fruits, and those which 
show a glistening, mealy inside, when broken apart, 
are the only ones from w T hich seed should be saved, 
to suit my taste. 
Apple Orchards—Preventing Worms Ascending .— 
Has any one ever tested the Galvanic battery re¬ 
commended some years ago, to prevent worms as¬ 
cending the trunks of trees I If I remember rightly, 
it was simply tw 7 o bands of zinc and copper. [It 
has been tried, and without the least apparent 
benefit.] 
Improved Pumps .—No part of domestic ma¬ 
chinery has been more improved within a few years 
than pumps. The old clumsy, rotting, filthy, 
vmoden pump will soon be superceded, I hope, by 
the almost eternal, enduring, iron fabric. In some 
vrnlls, w 7 ooden pumps cannot be used, owing to the 
bilge-water taste and smell, w T hich the wrnod gives 
to the water. In iron pumps, the w r ater is always 
sweet and wholesome. 
Iron Safes .—The article described recommends 
itself. But there is another safe which I wish to 
recommend you to get some of “ them cute 
Yankees,” to make and place in your great museum 
of useful things for farmers ; and that is, a seed safe. 
A neat, sheet-iron case of drawers, that would be a 
safe protection against rats and mice, and all kinds 
of creeping things, in w 7 hich to keep garden seeds, 
wrnuld be a most desirable, and I have no doubt, 
saleable article. 
The Cast-Iron Plow .—I am glad to see a deter¬ 
mination, not only by the editor of this paper, hut 
sundry others, to vindicate the claims of some of 
the early inventors of this great blessing to far¬ 
mers, against the arrogant pretentions of those now 
