American Pocket Library

7/30/2019 American Pocket Library

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NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEDICINEBethesda, Maryland


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THE

AMERICANPOCKET lilBRARYOF

USErUL KNOWLEDGE.

^cr/vn/ ^^-^^r-.COMPILED BY THOMAS C. CLARKE, PHILADELPHIA.

SECOND EDITION.

GRIFFITH & SIMON,No, 188, Norjh Third St. and No. 384, North Second St.

PHILADELPHIA.


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Geoige WuhiagtOB.THE

AMERICAN Jvha AdiimB.POCKET LIBRARY

NilioDjl Gallery and Patent OBSce at Washington.Principal Hall 273 feet long, 63 feet wide, and 30 feet high.OF USEFUL KNOWLEDGE.COMPILED BY THOMAS 0. CLARKE, PHILADELPHIA.

Price 50 Cents. ,

1841.Bn^amngi by T. H. Mumford.

Entered according to ^ctof Congress, in the year 1841, by THOMJlS C. CLARKE,in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the Eastern District of Pennsylvama.

Stereotyped by J. fgan, 18 St. Jajnej Street


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The small type used gives matter 'equal to five hundred

John duincr Adams.AMERICAN POCKET LIBRARYOFUSEFUL KNOWLEDGE;

CONTAININGAgeiculture.Flowers.Birds.Health.Law.Education.Silk and SugarCulture.

Temperance.Statistics.

U. S. Constitu-tion.

Phrenology.Canals and RailRoads.

Dentistry.Religion.ArmyNavy.Cookery.&c., &c., &c.

WILLIAM HENKY HARRISON.WITH UPWARDS OF 100 VALUABLE RECEIPTS.

*3JBSJ3dB


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AMERICAN POCKET LIBRARY.AGRICULTURE

AoTHORiTiEs. ./ttd^-e BueU Sir Humphry Davy, Professor Caiman, Ptddcr,Biddle, J, Quincv^ J* S, Skinner, and others; Papers of the Philadelphia Agricul-tural Society, and the principal Agricultural papers and magazines of the day.

IMPORTANCE OF AGRICULTURE.Tlie task of working improvement on the eirth is

much more delightful than all the vainglory which caobe acquired by ravaging it with the most uninterrupledcareer of conquests." H^ajAing-fon.

The, great business of oiir country is a^icultun.Becnuse it feeds U3, and furnishes Hie materials for ourclothing; it gives employment to five-sixths of ourpopulation ; it is the primary source of individual andnational wealth; it is the nursing mother of manufic-tures and commerce; it is essential to national inde-pt'ndence. Ap'icuUuro is worthy the most liberalpatronage of our governments, state and national ; itought to be enlightened by a better (and thorough) edu-cation of the agricultural class. Agriculture, manufac-tures, commerce, stand together ; but they stand toge-ther like pillars in a cluster, the largest in the centre,and that largest is agriculture. We live in a couutryof small farms; a country, iu which men cultivatewith their own handi, their own fee-simple acres;drawing not only their subsistence, but also their spiritof independence, and manly freedf)m from the grouniltliey plough. They are at once its owners, its culti-vators, and its defenders. And whatever else may beundervalued, or overlooked, let us never forget, thatthe cultivation of the earth is the most important la-bour of man. Man, without the cultivation of (heearth, is, in all countries, a savage. When tillage be-gins, other arts follow. The farmers, therefore, arethe founders of human civilization. If there lives theman who may eat his bread with a conscience at peace,it is the man who has brought that bread out of theearth by his own honest industry. The profession ofagriculture brings with it none of those agitating pas-BioQS which are fatal to peace, or to the enjoymenteven of the common blessings of life: it presents fewtemptations to vicious induigcnce; it is favourable tohexlth and to long life; to h:bits of industry and fru-gality ; to tempei-ance and self-government ; to the cul-tivation of the domestic virtues; and to the calm anddelicious enjoyments of domestic pleasures id all theirpurity and fulnesa!

IMPORTANCE OF AGRICULTURALPAPERS.

A good agricultural paper, contributed to by practi-cal and scientific faimers, will be of service in manypoints of view. It is a storehouse of agricultural know-ledge, from which farmers may always draw some-thins; new and serviceable. For its contents are madeup of the best opinions and best practices, and accurateexperiments of tfie best farmers of the world com'hincd.The leading object, indeed, in the publication of an

agricultural piper, is to afford to frmers a commonmedium through which to impart and receive instruc-tion. Amongst the most intelligent farmers in (heland are always found the best patrons of agriculturalnewspapers; where the land is in the highest state ofcultivation, and where the domestic economy is allregulated in perfect order, you will invariably find ag-ricultural newspapers, and intelligence to appreciatethem : but they are seldom met with, where neglectand ignorance prevail ! Some farmers may fail forwant of sufficient capital, but more for want of suffi-cient knowledge. There is no class who place moreentire reliance on their skill than farmers, yet no onewho is acquainted with the general agriculture of thecountry, will assert that it has yet reached the perfec-tion of which it is susceptible. The intent of cultiva-tion is to obtain the greatest possible amount of producefrom the soil ; the farmer's object being to raise it bysuch means as will afford him the largest profit with(he least labour; and there can be no doubt, that themore scientifically he proceeds, the more effectuallywill both objects be gained.There is not a subject which abtnlutely admits of a

greater improvement than the cultivation of the soil

:

vast improvements are in progress, and will yet bemade to an almost infinite extent ; the slumbering en-ergies of the farmer are awakening up, and agricul-ture, the broad foundation of a nation's prosperity, isunniantling some of the brightest features of her hiddenglory !Encourage your Agricultural Papers^

Measures (a Substitute).A box 24 inches by 16 in.squire and 28 in. deep, will contain a barrel. A boxI^ inches by It) 8-10 in. square, and 8 inches deep, willcontain a bushel. A box 8 inches by 8 4-10 in. square,and 8 inches deep, will contain one peck. A biinches by 4 in. square, and 4 2-10 inches deep,contain one quart.

Musty Grain is made sweet by putting it in boilingwater, (double (he quantify of gnin;, letting it cool inthe water, and then dry it well. Skim the water.A single Weed may draw out the nourishment thatwould have given fulness to half-.i-dnzen ears. To beII . free from taxes, is far less important than to be free

I from weeds.

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AGRICULTURE.From the Jiddrtus of Nichdaa Biddle.Esq., before the

Philadelphia AgricuUural Society, Oct. 1840.Besides lime and other enriching subslances, the

cost of the mere animal manures applied to the soil ofEngland, amounts to three hundred millions of dol-lars; being more than the value of the whole of itsforeign commerce. Yet the grateful soil yields backwith interest all that is thus lavished upon it. And soit \vouId do here, if we would only trust the earthwith any portion of our capital. But this we rarelydo. A farmer who has made any money spends it notin his business, but in some other occupation. He buysmore land when he ought to buy more manure ; or heputs out his money in some joint stock company, toconvert sunshine luto moonshine or he buys shares insome gold mine or lead mine. Rely upon it, ourrichest mine is the barn-yard, and that whatevertemptations stocks or shares may offer, the best invest-nteat for a farmer is live stock and plough-sfiares.No soil can withstand a succession of grain crops;

and instead of letting it lie fallow in order to recruitfrom its exhaustion, as was the old plan, the belterpractice now is to plant in the same Held a crop ofroots. These draw their nourishment from a lowerregion than the grain crops do ; they derive a greatpirt of their food from the atmosphere, by their largeleaves, which at the same lime shelter (he soil fromthe extreme heats ; they provide a fresh and juicy foodfor cattle during the winter, thus enabling us to keep alarge stock, which, in addition to the pro6t on them,furnish abundant manure with which to return to thegrain crops. Now this should be our effortmorerootsmore cattlemore manurethen more grain.

All these improvements which may adorn or benefitour farms, are recommended to ua not only by our ownindividual interests, but by the higher senlimeot of ourduty to the country. This is essentially a nation offarmers. No where else is so large a portion of thecommunity engaged in farming ; no where else are thecultivators of the earth more independent or so power-ful. One would think that in Europe the great busi-ness of life was to put each other to death ; for so largea proportion of men are drawn from the walks of pro-ductive industry and trained to no other occupation ex-cept to shoot foreigners always^ and their own coun-trymen occasionally ; while here, the whole energy ofall the nation isdirected with intense force upon peace-ful labour. A strange spectacle this, of one, and oneonly, unarmed nation on the face of the eirth ! Thereis abroad a wild struggle between existing authoritiesand popular pretensions, and our own example is thecommon theme of applause or denunciation. It is themore important then for the farmers of this countryto be true to their own principles. The soil is theirsthe government is theirsand on them depends mainlythe continuance of their system. That system is, thatenlightened opinion, and the domestic ties are more8t;*ble guarantees of social tranquillity than mere force,and that the government of the plough is safer, and,when there is Dt:ed, stronger than the goveronieDt ofthe sword.

IMPORTANT FACTS.*' A spot of land which, when pastured upon, will

yield sufficient food for only one head, will abundantlymaintain four head of cattle in the stable, if the cropbe mown at a proper time and given to the cattle iuproper order. The soiling yields at least three timesthe (juantity of manure from the same number of cat-tle ; and Ihe best and most efficacious summer nianureis made in the stable, and carried to the fields at themost proper period of its fermentation. The cattle,when used to soiling, will yield a much greater quan-tity of milk, and increase faster in weight while fatten-ing than when they roam the fields, and they are lessliable to accidentsdo not suffer by the heat, Hies orinsects, and are not affected by the weather, escapingalso many disorders to which cattle always abroiid areliable. Each head of cattle fed in thest^tble, if plenti-fully littered, yields annually sixteea large double cart-loads of dung.'^

A visiter to the farm of Josiah Quincy, quoted in theFarmers' Cabiuet, says :

His farm is extensive, and surrounded by a flourish-ing hawthorn hedge, but there is not an interior fenceon the premises; the whole presents a single field, de-voted to all the various purposes of agriculture; nopart of it is allotted to pasture, properly speakit;g, ashis cattle are fed in their stalls, and are never suSeredto roam over the fields ; and the advantages of this sys-tem are thus givenfornterly, there were seven milesof interior fences to be kept in repair, but by keeping thecattle up, the whole of this expense is saved : former-ly, sixty acres of this farm were devoted to pasturage,but now, a greater number of cattle by one-third, arekept on the products of twenty acres, and I never sawcattle in better condition. The saving by these meansis enormous, and the immense advantages arising fromit too apparent to be dwelt upon. During the summer,the cattle are fed upon grass, green oats or barley, cutIhe day before, and suffered to wilt in the sun, and tliemanure which is Ihus saved will more than pay for theextra expense and trouble. The farm is most highlycultivated, and every kind of grain and vegetables havea place.Near London, it is the custom to sow large quantities

of oats, to be cut green for stall-feeding the milk-cows;these are always sown on laud most highly manuredfor the purpose, with four, and sometimes five bushelsof seed per acre ; the yield is prodigious, and is foundlo be one of the most valuable crops that can be grown,coming off the land iu time for a full crop of turnipsfor the winter, or of late potatoes.

Fencex. Around each post hill the earth, to carryoff the water, and charr the end a few inrhes abovethe surface. Cedar fences last about 15 years, whichshould lead owners to inquire where the fences are tocome from bereafter.Manure, T.Vtry farmer can double the quantity of

his domestic or yard manure, with scarcely any ad-ditional expense. At least lifty per cent, of Ihe nutri-tive properties of yard manure are lost by drenchingofrains, excessive fermentations, and injurious applica-tion (o soil.


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AGRICULTURE.MANURES.

Under the improved system of a rotation of crops,root culture, and alternation of grass and grain, com'bined with yard and slalUfeedin? of sheep and cattle,the quantity of manure produced on the farms has inmany instances been quadrupled, and the amelioraiionof the soil has been in the same proportion.Ship loads of bones have been carried from thi

country to Europe to be crushed and used as bone-dustill fertilizing their soils; and we have been compelledto purchase, at exorbitant prices, of those nations, thewheat and other grain, that this same manure whave produced at home, and at the same time have lostto our farms the fertility it would have imparted.

Scrapings of streets, leached ashes, lime, refuse fromskin, leather and soap boilers' shops, slaughter houses,bones, weeds, salt, and any kind of animal or vegetablesubstances, by the addition of earlh, may be largely in-creased in quantity and made to enrich aud fertilize thesoil.

Rut whatever improvements or discoveries may bemade, it seems clear that the fanner for manure mustrely mainly on his stables and yards, and his studyshould be to render these most efiicient and available.One main object should be to prevent the escape of theliquid and volatile parts of the manure, as experienceproves that these are the most active in exciting orsupplying plants with food and thus accelerating theirgrowth. The yards and the stables should be pro-vided with litter, such as straw, hay, leaves, weeds,&c., with vegetable mould or muck, with the wash ofroads or the overflowing of streams, in sufficient quan-tities to absorb and retain the urine and other liquidp;irls of the manure, and where these cannot be ob-tained, common earth or drj* sand will be found of greatutility in preventing the loss which must ensue wherethese parts of the mahure are allowed to escape fromthe yard. If when the farmer cleans out his yards, heWere to cover them with a hundred loads of vegetableor absorbent earth, he would find in the followingyear a greater number of loads of the most valuablemanure, the greater part of which, without such pre-caution, would have been wholly loat.

Rotted manure m:iy atford at limes more benefit toa particular crop, or may be more conveniently appliedto some crops; but as a general rule, manure shouldbe rotted in the ground where it is wanted. Somecrops are rarely Injured by any quantity that can begiven them, as corn, potatoes, and roots generally ; ofcourse such should have the advantage of the first pro-cess of decomposition in the manure, while its afterciVffM ia reserved for the grains and gr:sses.The great object in the application of manure should

be, to make it atford as much soluble matter as possi-ble to the roots of the plant ; and that in a slow andgradual manner, so that it may be entirely consumedin foiming its sap and organized parts.

All p-ti niccidcnt plants contain saccharine niu-cil.iginous matter, with woody fibre, and readily fer-ment. They cannot, therefore, if intended for ma-nure, be used too soon after their death.By covering dead animals with five or stx limes

their bulk of soil, mixed with one part of lime, and

suffering them to remain for a few months, their de-composition would impregnate the soil with solublematters, so as to render it an excellent manure, and bymixing a little fresh quick-lime with it at the time ofits removal, the disagreeable effluvia would l* in agreat measure destroyed; and it might be applied inthe same way as any other manure to crops.

Oreeii vegetables^ when put under the soil and sub-mitted to the process of decomposition, are cflicicioui*in restoring exhausted soils. Buckwheat and cloverare striking instances of this power in green crops tofertilize soils, and both have been extensively uted forthis purpose.

PLOUGHING.Much time and labour is saved in ploughing long in-

stead of short ridge*. For instance, suppose the ridgesare 78 yards long, four hours and thirty-nine minuleeare spent in turnings in a day's work of eight hours

!

whereas, if the ridges are 274 yards long, one hour andnineteen minutes are sufficient in the same length ofPlough deep. Lei a fanner examine the extent and

depth to which the roots of grain, in a loose andfavourable soil, will spread, and he will cease to won-der at the failure of a crop where the subsoil has neverbeen stirred by the plough.Small fibrous roots of vegetation extend to a depth,

where the soil is loose and deep ; and w here vegetablesthus take root they are much less affected by drought.The soil being turned up to the action of the sun andair, becomes enlivened, and better fitted for producingvegetation. An acre of land yielding a ton of bay, atthe usual season of ploughing greensward containsmore than twelve tons of vegetable matter, consistingof the roots and lops of grass, and other vegetable re-

13 upon the surface. Such a method of ploughing,then, as will be best calculated to secure for the benefitof the crop, this mass of enriching substance, the farm-er should not hesitate to adopt. By completely invert-ng the sward, and laying it as flat and smooth as thenature of the ground will admit, and then cultivating

thoul disturbing the sod, with the application of adressing of compost, land may not only be kept inheart, but wonderfully improved.

The PIoif^A- By 80 placing the coulter as to formacute angle with the plane of the share, on the land

side, the beam is brought more directly over the centreof the plough, as is the case with Prouty & Mears' im-proved plough, and thereby the power necessary to

ove it, is applied more directly to the centre of re-tance, and the force required to move it, and over-come this resistance, is of course less than when ap-

plied, as in other ploughs, on one side.The difference in the force required for ploughs now,n use, has been ascertained to be 100 per cent. ; ahow-ng the great importance of its structure. The wortwhich one team of horses or one yoke of oxen canperform at one plough, will require Iwo yoke atanother


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AGRICULTURE.GRAINS.

Gtiicral Remarks.The compounds in vegetables really nutritive, are

very few ; farina, or the pure Diafter of starch, glu-ten, sugar, vegetable jelly, oil and extract. Of thesethe most nutritive is gluten, which approaches nearestin its nature to animal matter, and which is the sub-bf.ince that gives to wheat its superiority over everyolht;r grain.There is a particular period at which each species

of seed ou^ht to be joicn, in order to bring the plantsto a perfect state of ripeness.The condilion of the Imd is, in fact, the best guide

for, if it be in a mellow state, between drought andmoisture, the seed may be put in with confidence.Some kinds, however, prefer a dry and warm soilothers, that which is more humid and tenacious. Thus,barley, rye, and buckwheat, succeed best on the for-mer; and wheat and oats on the latler.

Tlir depth at which seed should be stywn is a matterof nicety, as well as of imiiortance. If too deeply bu-ried, germination is impeded, and may be altogetherprevented; while, if sown too shallow, sufficient moist-ure is not left in the surface to afi'ord nourishment tothe roots of the plants.The depth at which seed ought to be placed must,

therefore, be regulated by the nature of the soil. Ifstilii more moderate covering should be used than ifli^ht and porous; wheat, barley, and oats also requiremore than rye or buckwheat ; but, except in a few in-stances, from one and a half to three inches, is in everycase, the lowest to which it should be carried.

Setd should be selected from the earliest and mostperfect growth of the preceding year. Too mucli at-tention cannot be bestowed on this part of the opera-tion, as every kind of seed will produce its like. Latesowing requires one-third more grain to the acre, thanif put in early. Land, naturally very rich and loohighly manured, is apt to cause during the hot seasonof summer a too rapid growth of the straw, at the ex-pense of the seed.

Wheat.The white are superior In the quality of their pro-

duce ; the red are the more hardy ; and in general, thethin and smoolh-chatfed are preferred to the woollyand thick chaffed.The produce of wheat sown in spring acquires the

habit of coming much sooner to maturity, than theproduce of that sown in autumn. Hence the farmer, Iwhen he sows wheat in spring, should sow the produce iof that which had been already sown in spring, andnot the produce of that which had been sown in

'

autumn.This change in the habit of ripening, though it may !

at first view appear somewhat singular, takes place in jall the cereal gnsses, and also in many other cultivated 'plants. The minor varieties of any species of wheat,under given conditions, will remain unchanged for anindefinite period; under other circumstances, however,they degenerateand hence, particular kinds that wereonce valued, have now ceised to be so.The soils of the lighter class are the best suited to

wheal ; and it is an error in practice to force the pro- I

duction of wheat on soils, and under circumstanceswhich are better suited to the production of the othergrains.No wheat, however clean or beautiful, should be

sown without being soaked 12 hours in a pickle ofstrong ley, brine strong enough to float an egg, or limewater, and after being drained, should be rolled in pow-dered lime.As the wheat crop generally receives no after-culture,

the soil should be brought into as fine condition as pos-sible. Manuring and thorough culture are indispen-sable.

If it be desirable to sow wheal after a fallow crop ofrye, oats, &c., the land should be immediately plough-ed or thoroughly harrowed after it is clearedthen onegood ploughing with sufficient harrowing is a goodpreparation for the seed.As a large crop cannot be sowed in a few days, it is

better to begin a fortnight too early than a week toolate.Two bushels of seed to the acre of winter wheat, isnot too much : less than six or seven pecks should neverbe sown.By sowing too thin, the growth of weeds is encou-

raged to the great detriment of the growing crop andthe loss of the owner.

Ploughing in wheat is best, especially on worn land.The depth at which the seed is buried is more regular,and gives the young plants a stronger bold on the soil.

Com,As a general rule it may be laid down that any cropwhich matures so large a quantity of seed, must exhaust

the fertility of a soil much more than a crop whichdoes not produce seed, such as the root crops.There is probably no other crop that produces so

much nourishment for man and beast as this does. Itwas the opinion of *' Arator," that it was '* meal, mea-dow, and manure." And the manure which might bemnde from the fodder that is produced, if returnedagain to the soil from which it was taken, would keepit in a constant stite of fertility, and in fact increase itfrom year to year.To Plant, plough well in the fall and early in the

spring. Manure and harrow well. Select from thehost stalks large sound earsthrow out the small, ill-shaped grains from each end. Soak in strong liquid ofrich manure 12 hours. Put four grains in hills fourfeet apart each \v^y. Cover one and a half inchesdeep, and press down with foot or hoe. Apply leachedashes or plaster, after the corn is up. Use the cultiva-tor inste:id of the plough, which cuts the roots andmakes them bleed^besides, all that is now needed isto keep the ground loote, well pulverized and freefrom weeds.The ravages of the wire-worm may be stopped by

slacked stone lime.Of all the grains, corn is the most valuable, taking

into view quantity and price. Soaking the seed in asolution of saltpetre keeps off the worm and largelyincreases the crop.Topping the stalks diminishes the grain from 6 to 8

bu-^hels the acre, without a corresponding increase offodder.Grind corn in the ear for feeding. Pure com mc:il

does not appear sufficiently to distend the stomach to


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AGRICULTU RE.j I

bring into exercise its digestive faculties fully, without[I takiog so much as to clog and impair ilw functions|, eventually. For this reason, a mixture of leas nutri-

' live materials is desirable; and one of our most suc-cessful feeders of pork lias assured us, that he ahva)8mixed oa!i with his corn, in Ihe proportion of one-fourth, previous to grinding, and thicks he should finda profit in exchanging corn for oats, bushel for bushel,rather than feed the former to his pigs clear. The cob,possessing nutriment in itnelf, makes about the requi-site mixture with the grain, and hence is of great valuefor the purpose of feeding.

In any district where Indian com is extensivelygrown, a miller would find it for his interest to attacha cob-cracker lo his machinery, as the farmers wouldfind themselves well repaid by the great s,\viDg audsuperiority of the meal so made, for feeding.

SEEDING.Of all the practices constituting good husbandry, none

are more replete with beneficial effects, and which bet-ter repay the outlay, than that of seeding. It has be-come an established practice with good farmers to seedfrequently with clover and timothy.The natural grasses yield less of quantity and nutri-

ment than either clover or timothy, and some others ofmore recent introduction.

Independent of this, its fertilizing properties to thesoil must be considered. Whereas, grounds not seed-ed, by being loo much exposed, soon become of so com-pact a nature as to render them in a degree imperviousto either heat or moisture, without which they cannotbe capable of the leust productiveness.Autumn is deemed the best time for sowing timothy,

and the spring for clover.

ALTERNATE CROPS.The summer and winter food must have a due pro-

portion to each other, and the fields of grain are not toexceed the fields of meliorating crops, rAje preservethe soil, as well as produce crops ; but grain reducesthe soil in producing the crops. Aim at income fromlivt stock, which improves^ rather than from grai/i,which impcvtrishcs your land.

SAVING CLOVER SEED.The difficulties of saving the seed are imaginary;

the process is simple and easy. After the clover fieldhae been cut or grazed, let the second crop come on.The second crop produces more seed than the first,

and hence the economy of first cutting or grazingthe field ; though from that cut for hay, a carefulhusbandman might easily sav.e sufficient seed forhis own use. Mow when about two-thirds of theheads have turned brown, because, if cut sooner, toomany seeds are unripe, and if later, too many bhatlerout of the beads io cradling and handling.

POTATOES.Potatoes in general afford from one-fiflh to one-se-

venth of their weight of dry starch.One-fourth part of the weight of the potatoe at least

may be considered as nutritive matter.

The best potatoes are heavier than Ihe inferior vari-eties.The American Farmer iayn : For some seasons past,

I have only planted the top eyes, and 1 li;*ve Ihe bestcrop and the driest potatoes in the country. After thetop is cut oft", the lemainder beeps belter aud longerfit for use. If housekeepers in towns were to preservethe cuttings of the tops of their potatoes, there wouldbe sufficient to plant all the country, without the costof a cent for seed !Preserving Po(a(oej. Potatoes should bedug-during

dry weather. They should be exposed as short a limeas possible to Ihe light, as it always injures their qualityfor whatever use they are intended. They should bekept in a state similar tii thai before they are dug,that is, secure from air and light, with a slight degreeof moisture to prevent witherinj?, and a tcmptiature solow as to keep tliem from vegetating. The differencein the quality caused by good and bad keeping is veryrarely appreciated.In planting, have a good supply of rich earth

around ; but elevate the hills as litlle as possible afterplanting, in order to leave the tubers to grow at thedepth which they choose for themselve'i. Besides, amore even surface is better adapted to obI;iin a suppi)of moisture, by admitting (he rain, &c. The distanceof the hills should be governed by the spice occupiedby the tops ; for much of the nutriment of vegetableris taken from the air, and the tops should iherefure b.allowed to expand.

STOCK.Treat Domestic AnimaU kindly and tenderly.Domestic animals of all kinds, from a horse down tc

a chicken, should be treated with gentleness and mild-ness ; men or boys vvho are nibh and b;ul-'f.mpered,ought not to be permitted to have charge of them or tointerfere v% ith their management. Animals thiit arekept in constant fear of suffering never thrive well,and they often become vicious and intractable by un-kind and cruel treatment.

Keep Stock in good condition.An animal may be kept short of food in the latter

part of the fall or first of winter, a' a small saviit:; offood, but at a loss in the condition of the animal. It islike salting a hog with a pound of salta saving ofsalt but lafs of bacon. One dollar saved by short keep-ing of animals, will be a loss of five dollars. It willcost more through the winter, and the profit from theanimals, either in growth or milk, will be lost

Provide comfortable sheds and stables. Rememberthat a wa7it of cornfm-t is always a waste of flesh.Give a sufficiency of food and drink, with great regu-larity. A meal ten minutes later than the usual timecauses the animal to fret, and fretting lessens flesh.Most animals will drink several times a day, andshould therefore have it as often as they want it.They should have plenty of clean litter as often asneeded. With such management there will be an al-most incredible saving of food.

Tight stables should always be ventilated. Jhebreath and manure from animals always causes impure


15/74

AGRICULTURE.Coarse hay and straw are reaJily eaten by cattle,when brine is >prinkled upon them.Coni-stalk fodder should ahvays be cut or chopped,othciniae Ihc body of the stalk i wasted. This isthe best jnrt. It is sweetebt and inosf nutritious. And

it is the chief part in bulk. Chop it fine, and cattlewill eat il, if the fodder h-s been well cured.Quantiry.Au acre of corn-stilks, cut and wellsecured, and chopped when fed, h (^uite as good as anacre of hay.Currying.Nothing conlribu'ea more to the healthand appearance of cattle, than fretjuent curryiogs andrubbings; and nothing enjoys currying more, or showsgre iter improvement from it, than hogs.Hovtn CaUle.~-A band of straw, the size of thewrist, placed in the nmuth, drawing it ii?hl, and m:ik-iii^ fast the ends over the head, just behind the horns,\viU came the bens' to endeavour to rid itself, by chew-ing the band ; :iiid the act of moving the tongue andjaws will permit the pent-up air to escipe.

Ooer-Fccditii; Administer a pint of cider and halfa pouud of old cheese, grated and mixed.

Remarks on Neat Cattle.I. The head BUiall and clean, to lessen the quantity

of offal. 2. The neck thin and clean. 3. The carcasslar^e, the chest deep, and the bosom broad, with theribs standing out full from the spine. 4. The shoul-ders should be light of bone, and round off at the lowerpoint 5. The back ought to be wide and level through-out ; the qnarters long; the thighs thin, and standingnarrow ;il ihe round bone; Ihe udder targe when full,but thin and loose when emptywith large dug-veins,and long elastic teats. 6. The boucs, in general, lightand clean.To Select.Adopt the practice of selecting best limbsevery ye.ir, for stock. In a few years you have first-rale sheep. The same course will produce the sameeffects in every kind of animal.

THE HORSE.There U nr> more danger of injury to the horse than

to ourselves by eating a hearty meal when warm. Andwho ever heard of a man killing himself with a heartydinner, because he ate il when he was fatigued orheated I

It is hard driving immediately after eating grainthat kills the horse. Not an instance can be shown inwhich he has sustained injury from eating grain merelybecause he was warm.We have known men, prudent in most matters, yetguilty of stuffing their hoi'ses wjih grain in the Dioro-ing just before Stirling on a journey IHow absurd to let your horse stand for hours, after aviolent exercise, to chop up his own fodder and attempt

to appease his hunger on hay.Give the horse half a bushel of oats or one peck ofcorn if he has been used to grainas soon as you leadhim into the stable, and he will fill himself in an houror two, and be willing to lie down and enjoy a nap,even before you retire to rest yourself.

In any part of the country, if you see the grain putinto The manger you may be pretty sure the hostler hasnot f'trgotlcn his duty.

IVatcrin^. If you ride moderately, you ouglil tolet y 'ur horse drink at any time on Ihe way ; but if hehas been long without water, and Is hot, a load of coldwater, greedily swallowed, will chill and deaden thelone of the stomach: but (wo or three swallows arereally necessary to coot his mouth, and may be allowedhim at any time.Spavins are seldom cured : though cures arc madeby Rigler, at Frankford, Pa.Heaves.Mix ashes in his food, and lime>water forhis drink.

Prevent Botts by cleanliness, and giving salt oftenand regularly ; and, occasionally, a few potatoes.When your animal has fever, n:\1ure would dictatethat all stmiulating articles of diet or medicine


16/74

AGRICULTURE.Castile soap 2 drachms^ water 1 pint : mix at one idraught, ICropping or Docking manifests a want of feelingand n want of tasle, which should subject the operator

lo (he loss of a tinger by the Banie uselesa and dangerous |process.Glanders is so difficult of cure as to require a sur-geon, and is so fatal and contagious that he should by

ijii means be allowed to go into the neighbourliood ofother horses, nor feed from the same bucket or rack,nor use the same harness. Symptoms are, dischargeat the nose, and swelling of glands under the ihro.it.Soon as removed, putify the stall by lime, washing, &c,5/mn^/ej. Inflamm.ition of under-jaw glands, wit^cou^h. Give, once a day, Fever Powder, viz., anti-

nionial powder 5 drachms, camphor 2 drachms. Mixfor (liree doses.Change from grass to hot stable is injurious.Chronic Cc/u^-A.Blister throat, keep moderatelywarm, re^ulir exercise, and each d.^y tarlarized ant"mony I 1-2 dr., aloes 1 1-2 dr., Castile soap 1 1-2 diSyrup to foim ball.Fever.'li\eed. Give pint castor oil, keep mode-

rately warm, feed warm bran mashes, and adininis'er,once or twice a d.iy, this Fever Powder: camphor 1dr., aniimonial powder 2 1-2 dr. Mix.

Excessive. Purging creates inflammation and ishighly pernicious. Give opium, half a drachm, twicea day, Kub well, keep warm and perfectly quiet. Ifnecessary, blister, and rub with turpentine.Jaundice.Give, daily, opium 1 dr., calomel 1 dr.,and syrup to form a ball.Diabetes.Give animal food, at first as broth, untilhe will feed upon liesh, and omit vegetables and all

lluids as far as possible.The Mange is occasioned by low feeding, want of

cleanliness, or by contagion. Rub with oil turpentine2 oz., sulphur vivum 3 oz., lard 5 oz., mixed.Wind Galls about the fetlock are from hard labour.Cure by blisters and repose.Saddle Galls.ApiAy cold water, sugar of lead, and I thewater or vinegar.Brandy ajvd Salt, two thirds brandy and one third

salt, good for all kinds of galls, wounds, bruises, andioflammatory sores.

SHEEP.Lobelia for Indian tobacco) has been found goodwhere the symptoms of disease are a dmoping, running

at the eyes, weakness in the back and loins, and losingthe use of their hind legs, &c.Foul Noses.Bip a smi^ll mop on the end of a stickin t.-ir, then roll it in salt, and bold it in your sheep'smouth.Tar.During the season of gjaziog, give (ar, at therate of a gill a day for every twenty sheep. Sprinklea little fine salt over it. This promotes their generalhealth.

OXEN.Being well-mated, oxen are more easily trained ; and

the more easily to effect this, much self-denial on thepart of the driver, much coolness of temper, moretraining by motion and less by voice, may be highlyadvantageous to man and beast.

HOGS.Food.It pumpkins, roots, apples, or any of thembe fed to fattening hogs with corn, the advantage willbe salutary. Most of the food for sxvine should becooked. Swine fatten mnch faster on fermented, thanon uufermented food. Salt, charcoal, and once in awhile sulphur, are excelleut for hogs under all circum-stances.Good Medicine.When your hogs get sick, youknow not of what, give them ears of corn, first dippedin tar, and then rolled in sulphur.^ Fact.The first liiter of pigs from a young soware naturally feeble and difficult lo raise, and never per-haps acquire the size and weight that litiers of the samesow do afterwards.

COWS.Currj/mg-.Cattle are well known lo thrive muchbetter where this operation is thoroughly performed,and Dr. B. Rush, in a lecture upon the advantages ofstudying the diseases of domestic animals, stales thatthere ia an improvement in the quality of the milk,and an iucrease of its quantity, which arc obtained bycurrying the cow.Be a-sured by experience of the truth of the saying,that "one cow well milked is worth two badly milk-Curweii, from three acres of grass, cut and fed thir-ty milch cows with 28 lbs. each dty, for 200 days.Their health was excelieot, and their milk supeiit

1 only 6,ilk clcn.n.~The first dnv/n milk contathe second 8, and the fifth 17 per cent, of crKicking.lf the milker will keep his nails short,not one cow in a hundred will kick.

Driv -Thosf vish their cows to give largeiit>:M-3 ui iiiiiK lu me winter season, should give themvarm drink. The extra trouble will be more than re-Mtd in the increased quantity of milk.In milking, be kind and noothiog: the cow will

:ive down her milk more freely.Crcrtrn.Do not milk so far from the dairy as lo let

1 put in the creaming dishes.ilk cool before it i

BEES.Every farmer should keep bees ; a few swarms tofurnish honey for his own use, if no more. They toilwith unremitting industry, asking but a full sweep of~ing. and no monopoly. Everyman, in eithertovyn or country, can keep bees to advantage. Dr.Smith of Boston has an apiary on his house top, fromwhence his little winged labourers traverse the aireight or ten miles in seaich of food. What a deliciousbanquet they afford, from the rich nectar gathered

!

They collect honey and bread from most kinds of foresttrees, as well as garden flowers; orchards, forests, andtreesall contribute to their wants, and their owner isRatified with a taste of the whole. Sweet mignonetteIS especially mentioned as easily cultiv.ated by drills ina garden, and is one of the finest and richest flowers inthe world, from which the honey-bee can extract itsfood.The cobwebs must he kept away from the immedi*ale vicinity of the hive, and all other anuoyances re-moved." Never kill a bee." The smoke of the frnigusmnximus, or common pufl' ball, when dried so as lohold fire, has a stupifying effect on the bees, and ren-ders them as harmless as brimstone does, without anyof its deadly effects. By means of this, weak swarms,^vhich would not live through the winter, may beunited to strong stocks. It is a fact, borne out by ex-penment, that a hive thus doubled will not consumemore honey in the winter than a slock in its naturalstate. This was discovered by a Swiss pastor, De Ge-lior. The additional heat seems (o serve instead of ad-ditional food, to keep up the vitality of the half-torpidbees. A add, dry, dark room, is the best winter quar-ters for bees. They will consume less honey than ifleft on their summer stands, and will not be weakenedby the toss of thous;inds, which, tempted out by thepremature warmth, are caught by the cold winds, fallto the ground and never rise again. 'Di-yiiess is essential ; and venrilation, or proper air-ing of the hives in summer, is the most valuable im-provement in bee keeping.


17/74

AGRICULTURE.POULTRY.Nearly every family can, with very little (rouble,have CR^ in plenty du'rina: the while year ; and of all

the antniiN dometic.ited for (he use of imn, Ihc com-mon dunghill foivl Is capable of yielding the grt:ateslpossible piofit to the owner,

IThe Hen-House should be warm in winter, well

I

ventilated in summer, wbiiewasljpd and kejal clean.I

Roosts of sassafras poles are Itss infested with lice.IHave no eround floor. Supply slacked lime, fine gra-

I vel, or ane, or burnt oyster shells, &c.I

FccdiTis-.They will sinjf over Indian com withmore animalion than any other grain. The hen mustI

have secrecy and mystery about her nest; watch her,, and she wilt forsake her nest, and stop laying.I They eat less, if alluwe.1 to help themselves to what1 they want, than if fed in the usual way j for in thelatter case each tries to i;et as much as it can, and thusburdens itself, but fuidiug in the former case tliat they

! have abundance, thty eat but little and that generally' In the morning early, and in the evening going to roost.A farmer may keep an hundred fowls in his bam,may suffer ihr.m lo trample upon and destroy his mowsof wheat and other grain, and still have fewer eggsthan the cottager who keeps a single dozen who pro-vidi-8 secret nests, chalk egg-i, pounded brick, plentyof Indian corn, a few oats, linie, water and gravel, forthem; and who takes care that his hens are not dis-turbed about their nests. Three chalk eggs in a nestare better than a single neat egg, and large eggs pieaiethemA single dozen fowls, properly attended, will furnisha family with more Ihan 2.000 eggs in a year, and 100full-grown chickens for fall and winter stores. Theexpense of feeding the dozen fowls will not amount to18 bushels of Indian corn. They may be kept in citiesas well as in the countr>-, and will do as well shut upthe year round as to run at large, with proper care.A Fact.F.st^s the nearest to roundness produce fe-males, and those pointed at one end always produceFor Fattening.Boiled Indian, wheat and barley, is

better than oati, rye or buckwheaL One-third is gain-ed by boiling.

MISCELLANEOUS HINTS.IVild Onioii may be destroyed by cuUivatii

ploughing and leaving the fieldall winter.Remember. -'The great rule in relal;

holds perfect in its application to vezetables : breedonly from the best animals ; dcfe-cts and imperfectionshave always a tendency tu projpa^ate thcmseloeSy andare always, in a ^eatcr or less degree, transmitted.

IVheat shoots strongest when there is an interval be-tween the time of ploughing and sowing, but barleyis most vegetative when sown immediately after theplough.

Grease TVhecU.hO parts, by weight, of pulverizedblack lead. .50 of lard, 50 of soap, and 5 ot quick-sil-ver. Rub the lard and mercury fint together, then thelead and 3(^>ap. If well mixed, it is invaluable.

Plants, when drooping, are revived by a fesv grainsof camphor.Flowers beginning to fade, can b restored by put-ting the stems in scalding water.J}acon flams in summer.Psck in a barrel, in

clean dry ashes or charcoal ; he:\d up the barrel ajidput it where it is dry, and as cool as possible.Timber cut in the spring and exposed to the wea-

ther uttM the bark on, decays much sooner than thatcut in the fall.

In Feeding with com, 60 lbs. ground goes as far as100 lbs. in the kernel.j?jjp/e*.Experiments show apples to be e^jnal to

Pears are greatly improved by grafting on themountain ash.Rais and other vermin are kept away from grain by

a sprinkling of garlic when packing the sheaves.Wet Zanrf.Money skilfully expended in drying

land by draining or otherwise, will be relumed withample interest.GroJi.Sweet and nutritious grass gives a richnessand flavour to milk, attainable from do other source.Curing Fodrfer.Bundles may be so placed around

centre-poles as to form a hollow stack, having a fouud-.-ttion of brush, sticks, &.C., admitting a circulation ofair that will thoroughly cure fodder in the shade.Turnips of small size have double Ihe Dutritious

matter that targe ones have.Rtita Baga is the only root (hat increases tn nutri-

tious qualities as it increases in size.In transplanting trees, the hole should not be pro-

portioned to the extent of the roots as they are, but totheir extent as they may bt and should be.Toads are the very best protection of Cabbage*

against lice.Peach Trees are protected from hard winters by co-

vering the roots a foot deep with siiaw, in January,after the ground has become thoroughly frozen, whichkeeps the froat in the ground, and so prevents the sapfrom starting until the Spring ib fairly opened.The Udder of a beef cow, sailed, smoked and dried,

is rich, delicious eating.Lard never spoils in warm weather if It is cooked

enough in frying out.Wash your Butter in cold water, work out all the

buttermilk, pack it in a stone jar, stop the mouth airtight, and It will keep sweet for ever.Tomatoes make au excellent preserve.Swut or Olive Oil is a certain cure for the Jt( of aRattltsnaU Apply it internally and externally.To cure Sa-atckes on a Horse.Wmh (he lege withwarm strong soap uds, and then with beef brine. Two

appUcatious will cure the worst case.A lump of Sal eratus or Pearlash. crowded into thepipe of Poll Evil or Thistleows, two or three times,

rable disease.Corn Meal should never he ground very fine.

the richness of it.Rice is often over-boiled.

rnjuiIt should be boiled but 10

..Diitei, and in no more wafer than it will absorbwhile boiling. Put two cups of riee in three cups ofSulphur is valuable in preserving grapes, plants, &c.Old Briru If sweet and good, and has kept your

old pork good, it will keep the new without boiling.If the brine is full of matter which if has receivedfrom the old pork, il cannot extract the beat juices ofthe new, and is quite as sweet.

fialt U really necessary to horses, cattle, and sheep,and thev should be supplied with it at regular statediutervali throughout all seasons of the year.Manure, on a wet soil, produces but half its effect:

and gypsum, that grand stimulant of dry soils, on awet one is useless.Save your Fire Wood."Mr. Madison, in his Notesof Agriculture, says, " Of all the errors in our ruraleconomy, none perhaps is to be -*o much regretted, be-cause none so difficult to be repaired, as Ihe excessiveaud injudicious destruction of fire wood."

Sm-rel may be killed out by lime, while ashes has noeffect on it.Shumac or Sumac, a poisonous shrub or plant,

! which grows wild in abundance, and freqiDoihingel

nlly wheviil, is used for dyeing in England, at the

rate of thirteen thousand tons per annum. It might bepotatoes to improve hogs, aud decidedly profitable for rate of thirteen thousand tons Pr annufattening cattle. * ' I made a source of profit to our farmers.


18/74

10 AGRICULTURE.iim*.A PeonsylvanU farmer raised 400 bushels

of wheat from a field of laud which five years ageproduced but thirty bushels. He spread fifteen hun-dred bushels of lime on said land.Barley is becoming more an article of diet. It

makes the finest of cakes when prepared like buck'wheat. Farmers are findiug it as poor economy toturn barley into beer to make paupers and criminal:for Iheni to support, as to convert apples inlo cider tocreate an appetite in their children for stronger drink.Ground, it is a most valuable food for all kinds of stock.Sunflower yields 140 bushels per acre, and each

bushel of seed one gallon of good oil. Cost of ex-pressing, 25 cents per gallon. Its leaves furnish pro-vender, and its seed is capital food for poultry, cattle,and hogs. It is a profitable crop od poor soils, re-quiring but little labour.

All Emetic may be made id emergency by takingtwo teaspoousful of mustard mixed with water.Rye is most thrifty on soil of a dry, sandy or gra-

velly texture, if well manured, and winters better theearlier it is sowed. It is the least healthy of all thegrains. Sown early for winter a bushel per acre, andin spring a bushel and a half, wilt generally be suffi-cient The earlier harvested, the whiter the flour;later, the grain may be heavier from the thickness ofthe skin, causing more bran but no increase of flour.Roofs well thatched with rye straw last 20 years.Ccfni.Sprinkling with Bait and water will check

the Wevil.Keeiping Fruits.~-1\\e three best, of eight different

modes, fairly tried, are, I, covering in pure dry sand j2, in dry fern ; 3, in a deal box buried lu the earth jin all cases placed in a cool situation.

Orchards of pear or apple trees are more subject tobliglit and destruction, if open and sloping to the West,than in any other exposure. Either ashes, iron orsoap suds, applied to the roots, have cured blight inpear trees.

Caterpillars and other insects are effectually de-stroyed by a drenching of tobacco juice,Jiidter.Heating the milk in winter, after strain-

ing, to 130 degrees, improves tlie quantity and qualityof butter, and reduces the lime and labour of churciDg.^orer. Kill this insect's eggs in apple and quince

trees by a solution of potash, applied with a brushabout the foot of the tree, occasionally, from April toJune.Draining is important, and covered drains aremore lasting and valuable than open ditches. Cut

drains three or four feet deep, place a row of poles atbottom, then a layer of brush to within ten inches ofthe top, then a few inches of straw or dry leaves, andcover with earth well rammed down.Bone Dust,An English proverb says, "One ton ofbone dust saves the importation of ten tons of grain."AsJieSf although leached, form an excellent manure.Pumpkins m:*y be kept a year, sound and well fla-voured, if carefully gatliered and hung up in a dry

cellar. Or, take out the soft parts, slice, and dry in thesun or oven. Keep dry, and boil ; a rich good food.Ducks, when young, should have but little water,

and be fed exclusively on boiled food, potatoes, &c.Hominy for fattening is good." Salt is health to a gosling, but death to a chicken,"

is an old and true saying.Cider.Cleanse barrels with lime, then rinse well

out. Half a pint mustard seed will preserve it good along lime. Filtering through a hair sieve and rackingoff improves it.

Roots.Feeding with roots, especially with sugar-beet, cannnt be too highly prized, being rich, juicy,fattening, and economical,

' Pork Cured. Soon as cool enough to cut, and beforeit freezes, pack a clean cask full, wiih plenty of salt onall sides of each uiece. Fill up with water, takingcare, by means oi^ a Urge stone, to keep the pork un-der the pickle, and covered from flies, in a cellar.Never boil pickle.Pork Fteding. It is a well ascertained fact thaimore meat will be made on half the weight of corn,

if ground and made into mush instead of being fedwhole.In SnioJiing Hams, &c., be careful not to have the

fire too nigh, or the smoke-house too tight. Il is bestdone in an upper story to which the smoke is conveyedin tubes, from oak or maple chips in the cellar. Inpassing this distance, the vapour which snmke usuallyholds, IS deposited, and the hams are perfectly dry andcool during the whole process.Hollow Horn. Where supposed to exist, feed halfpeck potatoes twice a week, aud treat your cattle

kindly in food and shelter.Timber. To preserve, soak in lime and water, longenough for the lime to penetrate.Sh&ep must be fed well, kept dry, have salt often,and pure air, and be grazed in hilly stony pastures.For packing Plants, use saw-dust.As a general rule, with but few exceptions, square

large fields are more advautsgeuus than small irregularones, requiring Je^s fence, and being more easily wa-tered, manured, ploughed, aud harvested.

SUCCESSFUL FAKMTNG,he Farmers' Cabinet relates an instance of a farm-i the neighbourhood of Amherst, N. H., who com-menced in the world as a day labourer, and who, not-

ithstanding he has at various times sustained heavypecuniary losses in the investment of his funds, ii noworth at least one huridred thousand dollars." This man, when thirty years of age, by the avails

of his industry added to a small legacy, was enabled topurchase and pay, in part, for a farm of one hundredand thirty acres of land, one hundred of which wasunder cultivation, but in a very low state. The farmis altogether upland, with a soil composed of loam,clay, and sand, in the chief of which the la'ter pre-ponderates, the former being least considerable. Whenhe commenced farming, he adopted a particular sys-tem of rotation, to which he has implicitly adheredfrom that lime to the present, which is forty years, andhis success is the best comment on the worth of theexperiment. His mode was as follows: having di-vided his farm into eight fields of equal size, as nearas possible, three of those fields were sowed withwheat each year, one with rye, one planted with corn,two in clover, and one an open fallow, on which crnhad been raised the year previous. One of the tnoclover fields is kept for mowing, the other for pasture,both of which are ploughed as soon afler the harvestas possible, and prepared for wheal in the fall. Allthe manure which is made on the farm for one year ishauled in the spring on the field intended for open fal-low, which is then ploughed, and, afler one or twocross ploughings through the summer, is also sowed

wheat in the fall. The field on which the rye issown is that from which a crop of wheat has beentaken the same year, and which had yielded three

Turnip Fly may be expelled by the use of fish oil, I crops. Corn is planted on the field from which ryele or two gallons to the acre. ( had been taken the year previous, the stubbles of which


19/74

THE SUGAR BEET. 11are ploughed dowo in the fall. Clover seed is sowne.irly io (he spring on two of the wheat fields, thosewhich have been uiost recently manured. By thismethod, each field yields three crops of wheat, two ofclover, one of rye, and one of corn, every eight years.E:ich field, in the mean time, has lain an open fallow,and received a heavy dressing of manure, perhaps atan average of fifteeu four-horse loads per acre. Hiscrop of wheat is seldom less Ihau fifteen hundred bush-els, but often much more. His average rye crop isabout four hundred Mid fifty bushels, and his corn cropannually about five hundred bushels; all which grain,at the present low prices, would amount to more thantwo thousaml dollar-t annually, and al former pricesto double that amount, and bis farm Is withal very

,

highly improved." I

ROCKSAre easily broken in pieces by building a fire on them,

and throwing od water while hot.SMALL FARMS.

In conclusion, we desire to impress on the common-sense reasoning cf every man, the paramount impor-tance of having no more land in culture than can bewill cultivated. By no means attempt to manage morethan you can manage well. Be a FARMER, not amere earth-scraper, lazily scratching up sufficient earthto destroy the face of the soil, and throw seed away,or you will always have to scratch hard for a living.But make your farm a source of pride, and it willsurely become a source of profit. Make the object tobe not to have manyy but RICH acres.

THE SUGAR BEET.BY JAMES RONALDSON, PHILADELPHIA.

In the feeding cattle, milk cows, and stock of allkinds, every farmer who his tried the Sugar Beet,knows that it is equal to any, and su{>erior to most ofthe feeds that are used. Its culture is aiteoded wittlittle expense, and in our dry climate is more certainof making a good crop than any other of the rootsgrown for Ihe purpose of feeding stock.A gentleman interested in the growing of sugar-in Louisiani, slates that a crop of Sugar Beets is foundto be superior to all other cmps as a refresher and re-novator of the land after Ihe fourth crop, that is, thefourth yeir of sugar-cane. If it proves suitable formaking sugar from io Ihe cane latitude, the muking offuear will assurae an entirely new character; and inLouisiana, th boiling season will commence with thebeet, and close with the cane, whereby the same capi-ta! lltat is invested in Ihe works, mrichinery, &c., connecled with the boiling house, will prove a great saving on this portion of the planter's capital.As yet the process of extracting sugar from beets hasnot been made sufficiently perfect to obtain the wholeiMCCharine matter as in the case of the sugar-caitherefore the residue forms excellent food for cattle.

Choice of Ground. TiceS. thrives in the soil suited(o the potato. In the .ibsence of manure Ihe roots willbe small, but where they grow fre^h and healthy, it hasbeen found that smalt plants yield a large proportionof sug.ir J but this by no means makes up for the wantof mus.Land essentially ttlffclay is not suitable for beels,beciuse the seed germinates badly, and the rool be-comes forked an^ rises too much above tlie surface,where it becomes hard and reedy. One of the evilsattending forked roots is, that stones, gravel, and earthget enveloped in the interstices, and injure the ma-chine, when the object is to make sugar. Clay soilsare improved by deep and frequent ploughing and har-rowing: the manures best suited to this kind of grounJ,are half-rotled straw, fresh stable dung, leaves, &c.Preparation of the Ground.Here, as in all otherdepariments of the farming business, much of the suc-

cess depends on the skiil and judgment of the farmer.In many cases three ploughings will be necessary, andone of these ploughings should, be before winter, thatthe turned-up soil may be mellowed by the frost; thelast ploughing his to lie in the spring immediately be-fore planting the seed ; two ploughings in this countrywill be found suHicient ; in all cases it should be wellharrowetl, and rolling will be an improvemeut thatamply relays the expense. Deep ploughing is gene-rally useful, but the farmer has to consider the natureof the substrata. It would be improper to turn up,

much of the poor clay or gravel bottom, and wherethe substrata is an open sand, deep ploughing is notrequired. Manure in which the process of fermenta-liun has not advanced far, will answer best for beets,nevertheless all kinds are useful ; but the half-rottenbest divides the soil and suffers the roots freely to ex-OfSovjing in Seds.Jiy this method the whole of

the seed is sown on a small portion of land comparedwith what it is intended to occupy; these plants willbe fit to pull up and plant out where they are finallyto remain, in a month or six weeks from the time ofsowing ; this planting is performed by means of a dib-ble with which boles are made in the ground, alwaysa little deeper than the length of the plant that is to beput into them, and with this dibble the earth must becarefully pressed close to the root. This mode of sow-ing should be thought of only where seed is scarce, thequ^intity to be sown not great, and labour easily pro-cured.Broadcast. Th\i manner is the simplest. Sixpounds of seed will be required where two and a halfor three would have been enough when planted in

drills by the hand, and the produce is never as great asby the following method

:

Rows or Brills.The little furrows into which theseeds are to be dropped are made by a harrow, havingthe teeth at the distance one from another that the rowsof beets are intended to be from each other, and theseed is dropped two or three into the drills at the dis-tance of twelve to eighteen inches apart from eachother. After the planting is finished, the seeds arecovered by having a light harrow with plenty of teethin it drawn over the ground. In this way there is agreat saving of seed and the plants are regularly spaced.Four boys will plant an acre in a day. By using a drilldrawn by a horse, Ihe labour is very much abridgedand the work will be expedited. This machine is,'ery important to those who plant large fields. In fix-ng the distance that is to be between the rows, refer-ence should be had to the kind of horse-hoe that is tobe used in keeping the crops free from weeds. Whenthe plants are far from eich other the roots will growto a large size, and the contrary will result from plant-g them close. The seed should be planted at thedepth of from one to two inches.Time of Scnmng.This depends on the posilion of

the pl;ce and the nature of the soil ; as a general rule,the earlier the better. Provided the land is dry and inproper order, early sowing is particularly importantwhen the object is to make sugar, because the roots ar-


20/74

13 VEGETABLES.rive sooner at maturity aod allow the process of cnish-iDg to commeDce e&rly.

, Of Hoeing.Tew plants suffer more than the beetI from neglect, and the baneful influence of weed-, m ttie

first stages of its vegetAtioa. The ground therefore hasto be kept free of weeds, and it should be kept mellowduring the plant's developement. Beets require oneor two hand thinnings, and as many hand hoemgs. Thefirst of the hoeings should be about when four or hveof the leaves have put out, the second in from three tofive weeks afterwards. All the pl.iutj sate one mustbe pulled up at the time of boeiup; if not properlythinned, there will be a cluster of leaves, but very smallrools ; where there are blanks, they should be filled upwith those pulled up from where there arc too many.After the rows have been carefully freed from weedsand properly thinned, the Iwrse-hoe, cultivator, ordrill harrow can be advantageously run between therows. After each horse-hoeing, remove the earththrown on by the harrow, &c. If any of the beetsshoot out into the seed stalk, cut oil' these stalks, be-cause this growth would be at the expense of the root.Harvestmg-.The evidences of the plant being ripe

are a fiilliug down of the leavei, and those of a brightgreen, turning yellow and brown. The influence ofdrought may brin5 on these appearances; the observ-ing farmer will uoderslaod when this change is causedby heat, or want of moisture; indeed he his to attendto the we.ilher, and the appearance of the approach ofwinter, that he may take advantage of all the crowingseason, and at the same time not be too late in harvest-ing, and thereby expose the crop to be injured by frost.The roots should be pulled by hand, or assisted by thespade when necessary. Shake the earth oft" them, andbe careful Dot to strike one against another or in anyway bruise them : bruising disposes them to rot. CutoflT the tops, being careful not to cut the beet. Theleaves being cut ofl' lei^sens (he disposition of the rootto vegetate, and it prepares them to be housed. Thebeets should lay on the ground until they are dry be-fore they are housed.

/*rejo*ua(ion.The roots must not be left long onthe ground exposed to the air. heat and moisture;much heat or cold are both found detrimental, as a heatof fifty-six to sixty degrees Fahrenheit, in damp wea-ther, will produce a fermentation suflicienl to reducethe quantity of saccharine mailer; and on the otherhand, beets freeze very readily, so that only a few de-grees below thirty-two will dispose them to rot.The best aired cellar is not better for securing thebeet than a judiciously made pit. It is most prudentto make them large, because if a part of the contentst'f a pit begins to spoil, the disease will spread throughthe whole mass. They may be made from four lo fivefeel wide, and eight, ten, or twelve long. One lo twofeet is deep enough ; this hole is to be filled with beets,and piled up until they form a ridge, and the whole isto be covered with the earth dug from the pit ; a drainshould be cut round the heap, to carry oflf all water, itbeing of importance thai the beet be kept dry, and forthis reason, ground natur.illy dry should be ^elected forthe pits : perhaps in our severe climate it may be ne-

cessary to spread a little straw iside, it might rot and spoil the beet;

,eful to open the pits from ' *corn-stalk!

iiJ it may beoutside of the heaps, to keep out the froM } if put lu-ght rot and(pen the pi.. -

keep them fresh, and if any are observed to spoil, thej?^.refully taken out. The preserving ofmoat difficult of all the branches counededBh"uld bebeets is the

with them.Orawing of the Sccrf.It is only in the second yearthat it produces need. The proper lime for choosingthe roots from which the seed is to be pniduced nextyear is when taking up the crop; these should tiehealthy, somewhat above the medium si/e in lengthand thickness ; well formed and no ways furked, andof a fine light colour (if for sugar, perfectly white);they should be kept through winter in sand or dryearth, and placed in a temperate barn or cellar equallyguarded from the influence of heat and cold. Theyshould be planted out in March, or so soon as 'he landis in good order, and at the distance of two or threefeet apart: the branches being liable to spW off, andbreak down, have to be supported by slicks or frames.When the seed is ripe, which will generally be in Sep-tember, the stalks are to be cut off and tied inio bun-dles to dry, and then the seed is beaten off or removedfiom the sterna by hand. The small seeds towards theouter end of the branches do not ripen well. The nextprocess is to expose the seed to the sun, nid then it isput into sacks ajid kept in a dry jjlace. where mice andvermin shall not have access to it. The average yieldof plants in France is from four lo six ounces of goodseed.

Gerural Remarks.The Beet is found, under somecircumstances, to degeuerate, the seed of the whiteplant producing yellow and red roots: this tendencymay be checked by chant^ing the seed from ciay tosandy, and from sandy to clay soils. The seed, if care-fully preserved from moisture, insects, and vermin,will keep for several years; but after f'ur years, itwill not be prudent lo sow it. When the object is tomake sugar, care should be taken to have seed thatwill produce white roots; and early sowinsj will alFordthe opportunity of commenciog the crushing and boil-ing at an early period. The early bruisings producethe largest proptTtion of sugar.When ihe Beet is employed in feeding cattle, one ofthe effects will be, lo produce more and riclur ni.i-Dure, and this will place in the farmer's power the en-tire command of his farm; he c.m do with it hat-ever he pleases. Every encouragement is held out forthe culture of bee'. It being a green crop, draws muchof its nourishment from the atmosphere; and in placeof exhausting the land, leaves it in fine onler, lor anycrop the farmer niay choose lo put on it. Beets in noway interfere with the cultivation of wheat, clover,barley, Indian corn, potatoes, turnips, &.r.. With theaid of a few beets, the profitable effects of that mostuseful grain, Indian corn, will be greatly increased infeeding cattle. Calves fed with beefs or roots in theirfirst winter, will generally be as good animals at tlieend of two years, as tho-e that have been fed the firstwinter on dry food and corn, will be at the end ofthree years.

VEGETABLES.JlrUchoke.So\v early In Ihe Spring, In rows three ( Becls.Soiv in drills, rrnm early In the Spring (illinches apart, or plant muckers. the middle i.f Suniiiicr. Leave Ihe plants 6 lo S inches^sparagiu.Sow in April, in good rich soil. *P""' '" ">' drills.T.T^ 1 ,.- T. .- t T^ i- T,, 1 .L ' Borecole is an excellent green. Sow in Fall, eitherBEANS Englif Diwr/. -Plant as early m the broadcast or in drills, as for \Vinler Spinach. 'Spr.ng as the ground w.ll work.

| ^_._^^^^^ ^^^^^^^ ^^^ ^^^^.^^^^^^ J ^^ _^ ^^^^,1 ^^^^Kidney Cmar/s.Plant from end of April to about which are allached in Ihe slem. Sow in the middle of20lh August. ; Sprinsr, -nd treat as Winter Cabbage.Pote or flimninf.Plant beginning of May, and at

|Brocoli produces heads like Cauliflower. .Sow in

intervals through the season. seed bed about Ihe middle of Spring. I'raiieplaiit in


21/74

HORTICULTURE. 13rich ground wheu 8 or 12 inches high, and treat asWinter Cabbage.Cabbage Fnr early cabbage, sow in Autumn, inseed beds. Protect during Winicr; tran-plaul early in

(he Spring. Fur late cabbajje, sow in seed bed, niiddleof Spring. Tiansplant early in Suiimier.Cardoon is much used for salads, soups, and slews.Treated much like Celery.Cauliflower.Sow, for early, in seed beds, in Au-tumn : protect from frOst, in cold frames, and tr.ins-

plant in rich ground after froat ceases. For Ute, ma-nage as Brocoli.Carrots should be sown eirly Id the Spring, in deep-dug and well-manured ground, iu drills twelve or

eighteen inches apart.Celery should be sown early in the Spring, in light

rich moist soil. Tran^iplant in trenches, highly ma-nured, when about b inches high. Blanch by earthingup as they advance in growth.Cheroil.A small salad. Sow early in the Spring,

and after heat of Summer.Crcjy.Used as a salad. Sow very thick, in shallow

drills, at intervals through the season.Com Salad Used as a salad during the Winterand Spring. Sow thick, in drills, about Ist of Septem-ber, and cover with straw on the approach of cold.

Cttcumbers should be planted first week in May, inhills 4 leet apart : prepare the ground by incorporatinga shovelful! of rotten dung in each hill.

Egg-Ptant.5rt\v in hot-beds early in the Spring;transplant in rich warm ground late in the Spring,about 30 inches apart. Egg-plant seed will not vege-tate freely without a substantial heat.Lettuce should be sown in seed bed, in the middle ofSeptember : protect the plants throut^h the Winter, andearly in the Sprim; transplant in rich ground ; or sowin hot-beds in March, and at intervals throughout the

A/eZon.Plant in hills, in light sandy earth, aboutthe first week in May.Mushroom Spawn should be planted in hot-bedi of

dung, covered with earth.Mustard.Sown like Cress, and used for a salad.Nasturtium.Sow in May. The (lowers and young

leaves are used as a salad; the seed-pods, with fool-

alalk, are gathered whilst green, and pickled aa a sub*stituie for capers.

Okra, or Gombo, is one of the best of vegetablePlant in May. The seed >hould be sown thick, as it iliable to rot in the ground. Very rich ground is re-quired.Onions should be sown in drills, early in the Spring,in rich ground, thin, to stand 2 or 3 inches apart.Parsley should be sown early io the Spring. Soak

in warm water before sowing.Parrni;j.Sow in drills 18 inches apart, io good and

deep-dug ground, early in the Spring.Peas.The best soil for Peas is a li^hl loam. '

early sorts require rich ground. Sow in drills as earlyin the Spring as the ground will work.Pepptr.Sow late in Spring, in drills, on a w;

border; or in a frame or hot-bed, in March: set outplants 18 inches apart.Pmnpkin. The Mammoth Pumpkin has beengrown to the enormous weight of 225 pounds. Plantearly in May, in rich soil, in hills, 8 to lO feet aparteach way.Radish.The early kinds should be sown as soonas the ground can be worked, in a sheltered siluititRhubarb should be sown in Autumn or early in

Spring : when in the Kvter, transplant in the ensiSpring to desired situation. The slems are used fortirts, and are fit for use before green fruit can be ob-tained, being a very desirable substitute.

Salsify, or Vegetable Oyster should be sown duringApril. The roo;s boiled, made into cakes, with paste,and fried like oysters, much resemble them.Spiiiach should be sown as soon as the ground can

be worked. The soil cannot l>e too rich for Spinach.5(/uas/i.Cultivate same as Cucumber.Tornalo.Sow in hills 3 feet apart, on a warm bor-der, early in the Spring. As the plants advance id

growth, give them support,runup.For summer use sow early in the Spring.For main crop sow close of summer. The Ruta Bagarequires more lime to mature, and should be sown atAromatic and Sweet Herbs.Anise, Brazil (sweet).Caraway, Coriander, *FKnneI, *Lavender, Maryeold

Pot, Marjoriim (sweet), ^Sage. Summer Savorj-, Wiiter Savory, Thyme, *Mint, *Rosemary, Dill.Those marked with a * are perennial, and when

once obtained may be preserved for years. The othersare annuals.

HORTICULTURE.BY HENRY A. DREEU.

FLOWERS.General Directions for their Cultivattcn.

The Flower Garden has always been the object ofadmiration: its refinement and delicacy have neverbeen questioned, while its proper cultivation and at-tention are universally considered as evidences of lasteand intellect.

6'mT The first requivile to ensure the heallhygrowth of flowers, is soil. That most suited to thecultivation of earden flowers, is a rich mellow loam,which should be well manured and pulverized late inthe fall, or as early as possible in the spring. Whenground is of a hard and clayey nature, the addition ofsand will tend to render it less adhesive, and thus en-able your tender varieties to strike their roots deep inIhe earth when Ihey might otherwise perish withdrought. The garden should have a regular supply of

every fill.

Annual seeds may be sown from the Ist April to the1st June, with variation- of success. Those sown ear-liest, flower sooner and more profusely. Sow eithesmall beds or in drills from one-fourth to one inchdepth, according to the size of the seed. In a mnnihto six weeks they will be ready (o Iran-plant. Be care-ful to do this during cloudy and rainy weather. Re-move your plants carefully; set (he larger floweringkinds in the rear, the smaller in front. Above allthings, be careful not to crowd them, as one heallhyplant is more beautiful in a garden ihan fifty sickly andattenuated. 'I ie your taller-growing kinds to paintedrods; this gives an air of ne^tlness, indispensable in agarden. If the weather, at (he time of transplanting,is dry and warm, water them well for a week, andkeep them entirely shaded from the sun. Do not setall out at once, but from time to time, lest a hot seasonshould prematurely arrive. Many tender annuals, thatdo not vegetate freely in the open ground, and which,after vegetation, a slight chill might destroy, may bebrought forward in the following manner :


22/74

14 HORTICULTURE.Cultivators desirous of obtaining an eirly bloom,may commence by sowing; their seed early in March,

in pots or buxes of earih in the hou^e, givinst them a;much sun as possible during the warmth of the day,and protecting them from the influence of a chill dur-ing night. This operilion must, however, be per-formed with great care, 1o scarcely cover the moredelicate kinds, while the stronger-growinjc may besown a quarter of an inch in depth. A very dehcatew;ttering-not, which sutlers the water to fall like ashower of dew over the earth without washing awaythe most delicate seed, should be used. Give only asuiiicient quantity of water ; the greatest fault with theinexperienced is their propensity to drown every plant,which is equtlly injurious with depriving the plantsentirely of sustuuance. Preserve each kind distinctlylabelled.However, the most proper method, and that mostgenerally practised by families having large gardens,IS to "throw up" a small hot-bed, in which the potscontaining ^eed may be plunged to their rims, or sownin shallow drills on earth previously placed over themanure, and should then be bt)elled to prevent mis*take. The Cyprus Vine, Scarlet Morning Glory, andother species of the Convolvol.icex, should be iioakeda few hours in warm water before being placed in theground. They will then vegetate much earlier andmore regularly, and will blo?som sooner. Muiy vari-eties will vegetate much sooner by covering them wifha hand-glass, which should be taken off shortly aftertheir appearance above ground, lest they should berendered weak and sickly by coiifinenieDt.Cover the bed up carefiilty at night, for fear of sud-

den cold chilling the plants. Give Ihcm air by raisingthe sash on every fine day : this will render them moreh:irdy, and capable of enduring transplanting wiih lessdanger.Lupins deli'ht in a half-shady spot, and should

never be transplanted : the seed may be sown early inMarch, in the open ground, and, when in city culture,kept moist af


23/74

MANUAL FOR PRODUCING SILK. 15In roomt, plants should enjoy as much of the lightanJ BUii from the window as potgible, be oOeti turned,

iCiving them a suiiply of fresh air in fine, soft weather ;divest them of all dead leaves, and water them as na-ture indicaies by (he c.trth dryiii(< in the pots. Toomuch waler sours and rots, loo little dries up the plant,and breeds iiisecis^ ic. Flants \a a growing stale re-quire more water.Seeds should be saved from the plants in the health-

iest stale, and those first ripe are the best. Clean theseeds, and preserve only those that are full and plump,throwing out those of a light quality.Leaves are the principal organs of respiration, sy*

nonyiiious with the lungs of animals. Dead or decay-ing le^ve-s are apt to breed insects.Plants of all kinds should be so situated that the

sun and air may h.ive free access to any part of theleaves, fruit, and all parts as far as possible.The Dahlia thrives best in a deep, rich, loamy soil,

with the full benefit of ûn and air. In winter, theroots should be cleared of decaying parts, dead stalksor tubers, and kept in a temperature a few det;reesabove freezinj;. For Inte flowers, plant 1 ile. So-seed in May, in open grounds ; but in a pot of light,

dv soil, as early ^ . ". * .*about middle of May. Divide the roots :ind plant inrich. I first April, and tran^^plantMarch as soon as the eyes begin to push out, in potsgreen-house, and traDsplant when the weather is set-

FRUIT TREES.Fjiiits, in a ripe and perfect state, are beneficial to

health, if not eaten to excess.Stunted trees never become vigorous, nor whea too

long crowded ia nurseries.In Graftins;, 2.5 well placed are belter than 100gnifts pl.ical at random, and ten placed injudiciously

will change the whole lop of a tree in a few years,when 200 grafts may be so scillerod as not materiallyto change the top of the tree or its fruit. Graft onlyon such as are sound and vigorous.Has^^lin^ off limbs and branches and leavingstumps on the trees, which rot off and let the water

into the trunk, soon destroys the Iroe; therefore al-ways cut or saw off smooth, when the wound will healand the bark gro%v over.Sound vigorous trees, and no other, should be set

out, as they take do more trouble or space than tlieworthless ones.

Budding' should only be done with fresh buds, onvery Biiiail slocks of vigorous growth. Begin after sapstarts, until 1st June. Later will do. M.^ke inciMonlike a T ; raise the corners and insert the bud with aslittle of the wood as possible, and babd.ige, not tootight, for three weeks.Scions may be cut in February or March, before orat the time the buds begin to swell ; or take grails siê

of a pipe-stem, from bearing branches, not from sideshoot? nor the rank growth of the top. Put in earthone third their length, keep from frofit, and occasion-ally sprinkle to prevent shrivelhug, but not so wet asto sprout them.

Composition.Rosin 8 oz., beeswax 3 oz. ; melt upwith lard, and work tt like shoemakers' wax: forwounds made in priming or grafting.Split the stock, drive in a wedê 6 or 8 inches long,open the split so as to admit the graft freely, sharpen

end of gi-aft and inîcrt, matching the wood of graft andWood of the stock ; remove the wedge carefully,cover smooth over with composition, tight, to excludeair, and the sap will force its way to the graft.Secrf.Select from healthy trees, sound, ripe andfair fruit, and place in sand, in a cellar or other cuol,damp place, until time to plant. If kept too diy, theyseldom vegetate. Let the wil be go-xl, well worked,not too wet J cover up and press the ground mode^rately over. Plant in Fall, t)eiore the ground is frozen,or in Spring soon as the ground can be worked.

Soil.Low, wet or marshy ground is not suitable.Soil appropriate for crops ot grain is also adapted tothe cultivation of fruit Irees, shrubs or vines. Occa-sional digging, mellowing the ground, keeping downunderbrush and weeds, and manuring, are beneBcial.

Cleanliruss is essential. Destroy all caterpillars,noxious worms and insects, and prune off all affectedparts. Scrape off rough ragged baik and moss, andwash well with soap suds or cover with a co>tt of lime-wash. Remove all suckers from the rooifi, sidebranches and excrescences.Grubs, which occasion disease, may be prevented by

coating the roots and lower trunk, about July 1, withtar, tr;iin oil, or whitewash, and sprinkling a littlelime, ashes, or soap suds, on the ground around thetree. When seriously affected, dig the earth from theroots near the burface, and êarcb thoroughly in thebark for Ihe grub ; cleanse off the gum, &c., wash withley or soap suds, or rub dry ashes over ihem, and closeuj) with good fresh earth. Doing this as occasion re-quires, will eoaure health and vigour.

A MANUAL FOR PRODUCING SILK,Containing Directions for growing the Mulberry Tree,managing the Eggs, feeding the Worms, securing

the CiKoons, and reeling the Silk ; comprising thewhole process of Silk M>king. Compiled from au-thentic sources, by the Secretary of the "NationalAs.


24/74

16 MANUAL FOR PRODUCING SILK,The Cocoonery. ~Coq\^ airy siluarioiguardiDgas far as possible against exiren

hciit or cold, dimpness, or too great dryness. Cobb,Smith, Terhoven, and olhers, agree in three tiers ofpine boards fixed on upright po>ts, four feet wide, andtwo and a half feet above one anolher, with room topass all around the fiaiue so as easily to reach any partof it.

The, Hatching.Hztch theeg:gs in a pasleboard box,or on sheets of p:per, a table, or shelf. An ounce will((ive about 30,000 worm*, and upwards. Those thatappear red when hatched are worthless, and s-hould bethrown away. Give ihe worms young leaves, towhich they will adhere j then raise the leaf, and thusconvey them to their proper places. Keep otf rats,mice, roaches, and spiders, and especially ants, whichguard against bv smearing the upright posts, end:;, &c.,wiih tar or molasses, or set the ends in a cheap pan,which fill with water. Hat^h when your leaves aresufficiently forward to insure a supply.The Feeding.Give the young worms as many cutleaves as they will eat, and no more, feeding eight or

ten times a day, and as late at night as you can. Nei-ther stmt the worms nor waste the leaves. The leivesshould be fresh, clean, and not wet. (Since thisManual was compiled, an important invention hasbeen natented, by Mr. Edmund Morris, Burlington, N.J., which in its simple, lapid and ecomimical onera-(ion, not only promises to supersede al! other modes offeeding, but to eflect a revolution in the business itselfforming a new era in Ihe history of Silk Culture.)Mr. M'Lean fed his worms without hurdles, removingthe litter every third day. Keep the worjos quiet,well ventilated, and do not handle or kill them by toomuch cire. Air-sl.*cked lime sprinkled over theshelves, and lightly over the worms themselves, oncein two or three days, during the latter pari of the feed-ing, is found highly advaut.tgeous. Some have pro-duced a pound of silk from only 50 or GO pnunds ofleaves, but 150 pounds is a fair and ample allowance.The W^iwdm?.Straw tied in small bundles and seton the shelves will do, but green oak bushes seemmore natural to them, which they like to conceal them-selves among.Preserving Cocootw.Gather the cocoons from theseventh to the tenth day, and spre;id them to dry.Select those intended for seed, strip ott the floss, spreadthem out thin, and in two or three days the moths eatout. Each female lays about 450 eggs, on muslin orpaper hung vn. The moth in your silk cocoons, im-

mediately kill, either by exposing to a hot sun underglasses, or by hiking in an oven not too hot, or suffo-cate the moth by burning charcoal in a close room ; ineach c.ase omitting the operation as soon as the wormis dead, which ascertain by opening a cocoon. Gen-erally from a half to one or two hours will answer.Reeling.The Piedmonfeae Reel is the best, and issold for about 15 dollars. For the double operation ofreeling and twisting, Brooks' machine has received Ihehighest commendationprice 40 dollars. To transpor'cocoons, pack them in dry boxes or barrels, shakingthem down, but be careful not to mash or inden' them'.In measuring, the bushel is heaped if the floss is on, or

best, [done before the chrysalides arc killed and the cocoonsdden I become dried. The heat of the water may be rai5edto near the boilitig point, when a handful or two ofcococns may be thrown into the basin, which must begently presed under the waler for a fe

I 'y readily doe! with it off.Those who prefer reeling themselves

so by observing the foUoivingZ)iVcc(iom. Before the reeling is commenced, thecocoons must be stripped of their flo-ss, and sorted intoseparate parcels, according lo qualiy. The fine co-are strong, hard, and of a fine close grain ; thelarger, and of a more loose open grain ;e those formed by two worms, the

h made of broom corn. The heat of (hewater will soon soften the gum of the silk, and therebyloosen the ends of the filaments ; you then stir the co-coons as gently as possible with the bru>:h, until someof the fil:tmenis adhere to it; they are tlien separatedfrom the brush, which is laid aside, and the hlamen sraised up and trie cocoons gently combed down betweenIhe fingers, as they are raised out of the water; thi' iscontinued, until the floss and false ends are all drawnoff, and the fine silk begins to appear, the fibres arethen broken off and laid over the edge of the basin ; Ihefloss Is then cleared from the brush and laid aside asrefuse silk, and the operation continued until a sufl^cientnumber of fibres are thus collected to make a thread ofIhe size required ; you then unite the fibres, and passingthe thread through the eye-; or guides, attach it to oneof the arms of the reel. When two skeins are intendedlo he reeled, another thread is prepared iu like man-

nd passed through other guide wires and attachedto the reel. The threads being faslei.ed to the reel, it

turned with a steady motion, until the threads runfreely and easily, for it will happen that some of theends taken to compose the thread will prove false, and

ill require to be again added anew to keep up thetuber designed for the thread. II is necessary lo putmore cocoons than is intended to continue. Whilei reel is turning, the reeler must continually be

gathering fresh ends to add to the thread as they may berequired, because Ihe internal fibres ai e much finer thanthose composing the external layers. In adding freshends, Ihe reeler must attach them to the thread that is

ling, by gently rolling them between the thumb nndfinger. A handful of cocoons must occasionally be"nto the basin, and wholly immersed in the

water, to be ready as wanted, to keep up the thread ofrequired; care, however

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