From the Ohio Farmer. habits and customs of a community differing essentially from our own, if they lead directly to nothing valuable, have at least a tendency to imThis interesting tree was discovered by Mr. provement. They beget a spirit of comparison: Nuttal, in the vicinity of the Rocky Mountains, we are enabled to see how others execute the in the year 1810, and introduced by him into some same, or nearly the same work, which we have of the gardens in the Atlantic States. It is per-been used to do in a different manner. Improvefectly hardy. In Winship's Nursery at Roxbury, ments are thus carried from one region of country in Massachusetts, it flourishes as well as in its na-to another with rapidity, which would have been tive soil and climate, and during the last autumn years in finding their way in the gradual advancehis trees were literally loaded with fruit, which ment of science. Peter the Great of Russia acthangs in racemes of the size and appearance of ed under these opinions, when he labored in the red currants. The fruit ripens late in the fall. It ship yards of England. is sub-acid and palatable in its natural state, and Our eastern brethren are a great way ahead of also makes an excellent preserve. us in industry and skill in the labors of the farm. The tree belongs to the Linnæan class "Dice-This is caused partly by the climate, which is cia," and it is said that it is necessary to place both barren and fertile plants in contiguity, in order, successfully, to raise the fruit-of this however, I have some doubts. Gentlemen of taste could not expend a few dollars to better advantage in ornamenting their gardens, than by procuring several of those trees. MISSOURI REMARKS ON THE AGRICULTURE OF RHODE ISLAND. cool and invigorating during the heats of summer, having by no means the same tendency to relax and enervate the animal system, that is experienced under the warmer sun of a more southern latitude, and partly by early habits of industry. On the 20th of July, the crop of hay was not entirely secured, and it was said to have been much injured by fogs and wet weather, which had prevailed for some weeks. It accounted to me for the labors of harvest being continued on Sunday. I could not fail to remark the facility with which the grass was collected in wind-rows, by means of a horse rake. I am induced to heThe following remarks upon the agriculture of lieve that this rake could be beneficially used in Rhode Island, were made during a short visit of gleaning our wheat fields, where the land is free pleasure to the delightful summer retreat, New- from stumps and rocks, and where the grain is port. They were made solely for individual grat-sowed broad-cast and level. With this impresification, and may be found scarcely worthy of a sion, I will give a brief description of the impleplace in your Register. Observations upon the 'ment, and subjoin a drawing of it. To the Editor of the Farmers' Register. It consists of a beam of sufficient size, say four to guide him properly, and another boy sometimes inches square, and from nine to ten feet in length, follows with a hand rake to collect small portions into this beam, teeth twenty inches long are mor- of the hay, which may accidentally be left; but ticed, about three inches apart. These teeth are where the implement is skilfully used, it gets. the two and a half inches wide where they enter the grass up perfectly clean. beam, and curve on the lower side, being at the I should think that one man and a small boy to shoulders flush with the lower side of the beam. direct the horse with this rake, would perform the In the upper part of the beam, handles are fixed work of ten men with the common hand rake. It somewhat like those of a plough, except that is probable that this implement may have been in they bend much more, so as to be conveniently use in Virginia, but I do not remember to have held, as the rake is drawn with the teeth flat upon seen it. I am convinced of its utility in collecting the ground, and going points foremost. On each hay, and I should think it useful in gleaning fields side of these handles, which are in the centre, slen- of small grain where so much is left on the ground der upright pieces are fixed in the beam about two in our slovenly mode of harvesting. Palemon feet high to retain the hay in the rake. would here have no occasion to direct his laborers It is drawn by a horse, with long rope traces, to leave something for the "lovely young Lavinia." fastened at each end of the rake, by means of an I doubt if any portion of Europe can be found anger hole through which the rope is passed and more highly cultivated than this island, if we exknotted. When the rake is filled, it is elevated cept the immediate vicinity of London, and some by the handles and the grass deposited at given part of Tuscany. Every where the earth is made spaces, in wind-rows. A boy rides the horse useful. The fields are small, containing from five to fifteen acres, all rectilinial, and for the most part enclosed by stone walls; sometimes planks and post and rails. The crops cultivated are grass, corn, potatoes, onions, rye and oats-the largest portion being in grass, the next largest in corn, potatoes, &c. I can give you no better idea of the high cultivation and consequent value of the soil, than by stating the prices of land in rent and in fee. and produced the most beneficial effects. Lands that yielded eight hundred weight of grass to the acre, in an undressed state, would produce as much as two tons if dressed in this way. The grasses used in the greatest quantities, are vulgarly known by the name of rock weed and ribbon grass. The former is a narrow leafed plant with many joints, at which a number of small roots shoot, resembling very much in appearance our wire grass, which if I mistake not is the fiorin grass of Ireland. The a corn blade severed in the middle, but very thick, and covered with a fine polish as if it was varnished. It derives its name doubtless, from its resemblance to ribbon. This grass may be found in considerable quantities in the rocks on the sea shore, floating in situations where I have fished for the black fish. A gentleinan has within a short time, purchased about forty acres of land near the town of New-latter is a large and long leaf, not unlike in shape, port, for which he gave five hundred dollars per acre the buildings upon this land were very ordinary, and could not have been estimated at more than 1500 dollars. The common annual rent of land, from all I could learn, varied from three to ten dollars per acre. Lands adapted to the growth of the onion rented highest, that crop yielding a greater profit to the acre than any other. It will at once be supposed that lands that sell and rent at these prices are not permitted to lie idle: they are all under the plough, or mowed for hay. No fields are seen covered with rank luxuriant and pestilential weeds: the seeds of these plants which so much abound with us, and are even valued as returning vegetable matter to the soil, seem here to be extirpated by cultivation carefully conducted through a series of years. It surprised me, that under this aspect of the country, I seldom found persons actually laboring in the fields. It seemed as if some friendly fairy did the work by star light. This is to be accounted for, however, by the energy with which they work when actually engaged. They do not stop to gaze at you as you pass by, and if you enter their fields and talk to them, they converse with politeness, but do not cease to labor. I should think that one Rhode Island laborer would perform as much work as two and a half of the southern slaves. Corn is here planted about the 10th of May. From three to five stalks are permitted to grow in a hill, distant from each other two feet one way, and three and a half the other. It produces about fifty bushels to the acre. They plough their corn three times, and work it after each ploughing with the hoes, the earth being drawn up to the stalks very high. They give this hill to prevent the corn from being prostrated by the wind, and consider it more necessary to cultivate this small species of corn with a hill, than the larger southern corn, in consequence of the size of the stalk. Grass is produced at the rate of from two to three tons to the acre, for which they receive at market from seventy-five cents to one dollar per hundred weight. I was particular in the inquiries I made in relation to the effect produced by the application of marine weeds as manure, which I have observed to be applied on this island, as a top dressing to grass lands. These grasses are probably loosened from the rocks, and the bottom of the sea, by the percussion of the waves; and in particular seasons, when the wind blows in shore, they are collected in large quantities upon the beach, from which they are carefully hauled as manure, and applied to most of their crops with great benefit, particularly to potatoes, corn and grass. Upon the latter they usually put four oxcart loads to the acre, which are equal to six loads, drawn by our oxen in eastern Virginia. This The farmers preferred these marine manures to the best stable manure, or the dung of animalstheir effects of course being greater. In addition to these marine manures of vegetable basis, they use great quantities of fish called menhaden, which are taken in large numbers by fishermen, whose business it is to look out for them on the sea shore. When a shoal of them appears, a boat loaded with the rope of one end of the net, and the seine, goes out beyond the fish, and the fishermen throw out the net, so as to encompass them: another boat attends with the rope, to attach it to the other end of the seine, and thus it is drawn to the shore. These fish are very fat, and seemed to be the same fish known to us, by the name of ale wife or old wife. They are purchased on the shore at 17 cents a barrel, and applied to the land as a top dressing for grass, and I believe sometimes ploughed under. The land thus dressed produces grass of a superior quality, and to use an expression of a farmer 'it makes it graze sweet;' stock of all kinds preferring the spots thus dressed to any other part of the field. The only unpleasant consequence of this sort of manuring is, that the nostrils of the visiter are assailed frequently in his walks by an odor, to which real eau de cologne is, somewhat more agreeable. The facts here stated, the writer received from the laborers themselves, with many of whom be was in the habit of daily conversation, and who were practically acquainted with every thing appertinent to their vocation. I will here take occasion to remark, that these eastern men, are remarkable for the extent and accuracy of their information in relation to the business, in which they are engaged; all the powers of their minds, sharpened as the intellects are by interest, are brought to concentrate their force upon a single point. The space I have already occupied, admonishes me to conclude. -In publica commoda peccem, Si longo sermone morer. Richmond Co., Feb. 7th, 1835. C. From Martin's History of the British Colonies, STRANGLING HORSES. Travelling over frozen rivers orlakes is however, quantity, when thinly spread, covered the ground, not unattended with real danger; the sleigh, its ON THE DIFFERENT EFFECTS OF BURNING, MATTER. To the Editor of the Farmers' Register. horses and passengers, being not unfrequently in- | power on the rail road is at present inadequate for stantly engulfed, and sucked beneath the ice, there the trade and transportation on it, and the directors being no warning of the danger until the horses have therefore determined to increase it greatly sink, dragging the carriole and its inmates after beyond its present amount, by the commencement them. In general, it is fortunate the weak or thin of the fall business." places are of no great extent; and when the horses are found to be sinking, the passengers instantly leap out on the strong ice, seize the ropes which, with a running noose, are placed ready for such an emergency on every sleigh-horse's neck, and, by sheer pulling, the animal is strangled in order to save his life! This is absolutely a fact. If the horse be allowed to kick and struggle, it only serves to injure and sink him; as soon, however, as the noose is drawn tight, his breathing is momentarily checked, strangulation takes place, the animal becomes motionless, rises to the surface, floats on one side, and is then drawn out on the strong ice, when the noose being loosened, respiration recommences, and the horse is on his feet carrioling away again in a few minutes as well as ever. This singular and almost incredible operation has been known to be performed two or three times a day on the same horse; and the Americans say that, like Irishmen, the animals are so used to being hanged that they think nothing about it. Often, however, horses sleigh or carriole, and passengers, are in a moment sunk and swept beneath the ice. The traveller on the frozen rivers, but more especially on the frozen lakes, incurs also great danger from the large cracks or openings which run from one side of the lake to the other, from one to six feet broad, causing, at some distance from the crack, a shelving up of the ice to the height of several feet in proportion to the breadth of the fissure. The sleigh drivers, when they see no other chance of passing or of escape, make the horses endeavor to leap the chink at full gallop, with the sleigh behind them, at the imminent risk of being engulfed in the lake. INCREASE OF TRANSPORTION ON THE The Charleston (S. C.) Patriot of the 4th inst. $24,391 1835 A correspondent in your February No. page 577, very properly comments on the advantage and propriety of every writer for your paper signing his proper name, to all communications, stating facts in agriculture. His remarks are sound, and well expressed. We cannot all write either with elegance or learning. But, there are few farmers that are subscribers to the Register, who are unable to express the results of their experience, in "brief and good phrase." Numbers have already attempted it, under their own signatures, with complete success, and beneficially, to the community. We ought all to be aware that your work is not intended for the display of fine writing or book learning; and, whoever writes for it, should make his style as plain as he can, avoiding technicalities, when it can be done, as well as quotations from the foreign or dead languages. These are but evidences of pedantry, at best, when there is a corresponding expression in our own tongue. The sciences, connected with agriculture, have peculiar terms that cannot be well dropped; but, wherever it is possible, the common parlance mode of conveying the same idea ought to be employed also, that every class of readers may get the meaning with the least trouble. The correspondent alluded to, Peter De Quir, ought to have practised on his own rule. He adds a P. S. to his letter, and asks the following questions, to be answered, either by the editor, or some of his friends: "Is it ever advantageous or proper to burn land? Is there any kind of vegetation which grows in our fields, that it would be more profitable to burn off than plough under? Will the ashes produced thereby, compensate for the loss of vegetable matter? Will not the crop be better the first year when coarse grass or broom sedge is burnt, than it would be, if ploughed in? But will not the land $13,290 be ultimately benefited in a greater degree by turn14,875 ing in such a cover?" 17,459 Many years' observation on the subject of these questions has enabled me to form an opinion on them, which I think is not essentially different from the opinions of most practical farmers. That opinion, however, is at the service of P. D. Q. and others, who have doubts on so plain a subject. $45,624 Showing that the receipts of the present year are nearly double what they were in the correspondent period of the year 1834. This is exclusive of the amount received for carrying the mails. The same paper further states, that the number of passengers (exclusive of those in the company's service) from the 1st of April 1834 to the 1st of April 1835, has been twenty-nine thousand two hundred and forty eight--and that on the 2d inst. 141 passengers went up in the steam car William Aiken, yielding $607 38. "This increased business on the road has greatly exceeded the most sanguine expectations of its projectors, and furnishes the best criterion of its prosperity. It has been found so highly beneficial in extending the business of Charleston, that the There are very few circumstances that can justify burning. With some men, who use small ploughs, and advocate shallow ploughing, it is a custom to burn the dead vegetable matter on their fields, when it is the least in the way of their ploughs, and particularly for corn and oats. I have endeavored to reason several out of the practice; but was actually laughed at by them, as a theorist. I have noticed, that, if the dead matter be so thick as to impede the perfect operation of ploughing it under, the after tillage, if corn be the crop, is more difficult; and when the covering broom sedge or very coarse grass, the first crop is | Those crops have been considered the most imapt to sutter, from the ground not being properly proving which either leave the most on the ground, pulverized in time. If the crop be wheat or rye, or add most to the manure heap. In the culture it is greatly helped by turning in any sort of cover. of tobacco, alí other vegetation is kept entirely Grasses and weeds with their roots and sods are down quite until frost, and all the crop, save the frequently gathered into piles by the harrow, after root and a short end of the stalk, is carried off. bad ploughing; yet, upon these very spots the The renovating nature of the clover crop is mostly crop is almost always more luxuriant and pro- owing to the tap root of the plant being so large ductive-showing, plainly, the advantage of the and long, keeping the land light and divided, and vegetable matter thus gathered together. its yielding such a heavy coat of vegetable matter. It throws up successive crops of spires and leaves in the same season-the earlier constantly falling and decaying amid the springing verdure of the younger growth, until frost chills all vegetable life. Below the mountains the heat of summer matures the greater part of the first crop, and dries up that as well as the younger shoots. But as soon as "the dogs days" are gone, the verdure starts again. Whoever examines a field that has stood in clover, will find it covered with a black fertilizing dust or mould, more or less perceptible, as the rains have been light or heavy. Such of it as has become decomposed is apt to be partly solved by rains, and the whole to be partly mingled with the top soil. From its tender succulent nature, clover rots sooner than weeds or grass, and becomes nutritive to plants. But the same process takes place, and for the same wise purpose of nature, with every species of vegetation, from the majestic forest tree down to hair-like hen's grass-converting all into fertilizing matter. The ratio of their value is probably unknown to the most skilful in the science of chemical analysis. But I did not take up my pen to write an essay on manures. After any heavy covering is ploughed under, which is more easily done with the help of a weighty chain, the harrow should follow while the ground is mellow, and then the roller. The harrow fills up all the cracks and breaks left by the plough, levels and pulverizes the soil; the roller mashes it down and presses the layer of vegetable matter into a small compass. When thus treated, fermentation and decomposition follow as soon as enough heat and moisture are supplied by the seasons. Whatever is thus turned under in the fall or winter, will be found mouldy and tender in the spring, and soon becomes food for plants. Broom-sedge is the most difficult to make rot; but even that rots time enough to benefit wheat. If the unavoidable openings and seams left by the plough be not filled up and pressed down, fermentation will not take place soon enough, in consequence of a too free circulation of air: and the soil on top, not coming near enough to the earth below, is apt the sooner to suffer from drought. But these things are too plain to occupy more time in explaining. Some of the largest corn crops ever produced in the United States, were made on land, in good heart, that was covered over with a thick sod and coat of vegetable matter. It was well manured, broad cast; whirled completely over, harrowed and pressed down with the roller. But the after tillage was not more than three inches deep; neither breaking nor turning up the sod again. I am inclined to think that all vegetable matter put below the operation of tillage and pressed down, must greatly improve the land, and if not disturbed, enfarge the crop growing, during the process of decomposition. The stratum will not be thick: it freely admits and retains moisture, and as soon as the mould commences to rot, supplies abundant food to the roots that are spreading out in every direction in search of food. The tobacco planter's mode of cleaning new ground, by raking up the leaves and trash and half decayed vegetable matter, and then burning it all, is a wasteful operation. These materials, if spread on exhausted spots in the fields, and ploughed in, would impart life enough to throw up such a crop of rye, or oats and clover, as to make it easy afterwards to restore them to their original fertility. The use of wheat straw, chaff, or leaves will result in the same benefit. It is contended by some of the best farmers, that top dressings of straw and chaff is the best mode of using them for improving land. He that advocates burning, will be convinced of its rapidly impoverishing effects, by taking an acre of his best soil, cultivating it in his usual waycarrying off all the crop, and after small grain, burning off the stubble, and then the grass in the fall and burning the grass also in the fall, after Cor. This process will entirely exhaust the vegetable matter in the soil, and render it literally steril. That ashes are stimulating to plants, or rather, aid in the process of feeding them, is well known, and they are highly valued by every good husbandman. But I have never seen any vegetable growing in pure ashes, and infer that their action is in combination with earth and putrescent matter. The quantity of ashes left on land after burning, is so small, compared with the quantity of unquestionable food for plants that would be created by the decomposition of the same covering, that the loss by burning must be manifest. Let any one burn a portion of hay, straw, grass, or weeds in such a way as to save all the ashes. He will be surprised at the smallness of the quantity. Let him spread it on a plot of ground, and then spread the same weight of the material burnt, on another plot of the same size, and either plough in or not. The mere contemplation of what would be the result, it seems to me, will decide the question. If not, I am egregiously mistaken in my notions, and ashes are worth more than their weight in silver ! It is sometimes necessary and "advantageous" to burn meadows when they begin to be overrun with broomsedge; for the three-fold purpose of destroying the seeds of the sedge-giving the grass a chance to rise and cover the ground in the spring before the later growth of sedge puts up-and enabling the mower to cut the grass clean. When it is not convenient to plough up and re-seed the meadow, burning will make it hold out against the encroachments of wild growth two years, and sometimes more, beyond the time at which, without burning, the hay would hardly be worth cutting. Wire grass and its roots should always be burnt; and so ought thistles. Fire is the surest destroyer of these pests. Briers are easily cut down with knives made for the purpose, and they form a valuable covering over galled spots, or add to the manure bank. When not in patches the plough sufficiently masters them. Annual burning tends to impoverish and harden the soil of even the richest wood land. I have, Mr. Editor, in a lame, and I fear, tedious manner, endeavored to answer your correspondent, Peter De Quir. Since he did not act on his own recommendation to others, he cannot complain that his queries have not been responded to in propria nomine. But, if he does, he has only to adopt the Arabic mode, and read backwards. RIUQEDRETEP. REMARKS ON THE PAPERS CONTAINED IN To the Editor of the Farmers' Register. Presuming that the chief motive of all who write for your paper, is, a sincere desire to benefit the cause of agriculture, I shall take it for granted that none will be displeased by the expression of any doubts or objections to which their communications may give rise-provided there be nothing blameable in the temper or manner of doing it. Nearly as much good may sometimes be done in this way, as in any other. Influenced by this belief, I shall proceed without farther preface, to offer such remarks as have suggested themselves to my mind in perusing your February No. They will be presented without connection, and without regarding any thing but the order in which the several articles commented upon, follow each other in your paper. What is meant by the terms-"brakes" and "peat-moss" in Mr. James Hale's premium dissertation? The first is a provincialism not understood in middle Virginia, and the second is not generally believed to exist in the United States-if what is so called in England, Scotland, and Ireland can be found in them at all. Mr. Hale's plan for collecting and making manure by "a compost heap," I like much, saving the location which he recommends; since I am perfectly sure that no farmer with a Virginia-nose could possibly be prevailed upon to concoct such "a rank compound of villainous smells," (as Falstaff said by the buck basket,)—"not far distant from the back part of his house." With Galen's communication, I was, upon the whole, much pleased; although I must say, that he delivers his opinions-however important the subject, rather too abruptly. For instance, he asserts-without the slightest doubt or qualification, that, as to plants, "the earths afford no real nourishment themselves, but act entirely as exciting agents." Now, do not all agriculturists admit that there is such a thing as the food of plants, and that it is supplied either by the earths, or by water, or by both? Will they not also admit, that "exciting agents" cannot, with any propriety, be called suppliers of food? Where then is Galen's authority for assuming that as a fact universally admitted, in support of which, he offers nothing, but his ipse dixit? His concluding sentence furnishes another instance of a highly important assertion, entirely without qualification, or illustrative argument to sustain it. I subjoin his own words: "There is a wonderful similarity between the vegetable and anilaws-the various agents that act upon them are mal world; they are both governed by the same similar," (to both these assertions there are numerous and striking exceptions,)-"their organization in many respects the same, and they both assertion also, is much too broad; for, not to cavil at possess motion, sensation, and life." This last the term, "possess motion," instead of the power of motion, the motion and sensation ascribed to vegetables are as really unlike the motion and senbe, betweer. which any sort of resemblance has sation of animals, as any two things can possibly been supposed to exist. Such fanciful analogies may do very well as ornaments of style, but not for scientific agriculture. Your correspondent N. E. Read, in his valuable communication, has stated many interesting facts. Few of your friends, probably, have furnished more within the same compass. His general remarks, before he comes to specifications, are particularly good. As to his "new method of preserving sweet potatoes," I have no doubt of it being good; but if an old, a cheaper, and safer mode will answer perfectly as well, why change it? Such a method has been followed in my part of the country, as far back as I can remember, and has been practised with entire success. It is to put them away in dry sand—as I__see also recommended in your February No. Thus preserved, I have often eat them late in April perfectly sound; and this mode has the advantage over Mr. Read's in keeping the roots under lock and key, in a cellar, where they are safe from the depredations of our slaves, who have quite as "sweet a tooth" for sweet potatoes as we ourselves have. Of his plan for preserving dried peaches, apples, &c., I can say, probatum est. Is it a fact so well established as to justify his unqualified assertion of it, that "farm-yard manure" should be suffered to remain from spring and summer, "till the next fall, when, together with the dung and urine of cattle, with which it is mixed, it makes an excellent manure, and should be carted out and laid in large heaps, for the pur- His remarks headed "Tar, Pine-tree, wood for pose of being placed in the hills of Indian corn or fuel," appear to me of so much value, that I potatoes the ensuing spring?" Is it another fact should rejoice to see them in some of our newspaalso so indisputably settled as to require no proof, pers-taking place of the miserable party politics that, "stable-dung and animal manure ought to with which they are so incessantly gorging and be spread on tillage-land designed for corn or po- disgusting all true, honest lovers of their country, tatoes the spring after it is made, and well mixed all who really prefer its peace, harmony, and hapwith the soil by the harrow first, and then the piness to all other political considerations whateplough?" Has he ever made fair comparative ver. As fire dispels noxious and fœtid miasmata trials of any different plan, or seen others make from the natural atmosphere, so might such publithem, where the manure was applied on the sur-cations-treating as the latter part of Mr. Read's face, and in a much fresher state? If he has not, can he be called a competent judge? does, of a most important branch of rural economy -dispel from our political party-papers, by their |