Willamette farmer., March 17, 1876, Page 3, Image 3

Bees.
Bee Keepers.
Praelicat Hints.
We find in the Journal of Agriculture some
" practical hints " by J. P. N. Brown, a bee
keeper of Augusta, Georgia, which we quote:
How la Protect Comb From the Moth Larva.
Bee keepers should never melt np good worker
comb, but carefully save it for guides and for
filling up frames, so as to give the bees a start
in the spring. It can be vry easily protected
and saved from the ravages of the worms by
fumigating it with sulphur. For this purpose
procure a good sized dry goods box. Mail sup
ports across near the top upon which to hang
your frames ot comb. If you have loose comb
you can lay it across the top of your frames.
Gut a hole six inches square at the bottom of
one side of the box, through which to pass your
fumigating materials. Fit a slide to this hole.
Use several thicknesses of old blankets or car
pets for a cover.
Prepare your brimstone matches by passing
ribbons cnt from a newscaner tbroush melted
sulphur. This should be melted in a shallow
iron vessel, and great care taken not to get it
too hot or it will ignite, and give off snlphurons
acid and fumes, which ate very injurious to the
lungs. Break up these sulphur ribbons into
Eieces about three inches long. Lay about
all a dozen pieces on a small plate, ignite and
at once pass the plate through the bole in the
box and close the slide. Every hatched worm in
the comb will be killed, and it is quite probable
that the sulphurous fumes will destroy the vi
tality of all moth eggs. Allow the box to re
main closed at least twenty-four hours before
removing the comb.
Look Out tor Ants.
When the weather gets cold ants will some
times collect over or near the ends of the frames
under the honey quilt, where it is warm, and
sponge on the bees. If not dislodged a large
nest of these vermin will consume considerable
honey.
Hives.
Now is the time to think of getting hives,
honey boxes, etc., ready for spring operations.
If you make your own hives select well sea
soned lumber, put them together accurately
and substantially, and well paint them. Hives
thus made cost a little more, but are the cheap
est in the end. The reader mart here bear es
pecially in mind that theue of frameB in hives
is public property that he can make and ar
range them as he has a mind, without caring a
" continental " for any patent. It is also well
to recollect that large yields of honey are less
dependent upon this or that sort of a hive than
the man.
Bee Pasturage.
Those who intend sowing white Dutch plover
for bee forage should lose no time in doing it.
In our climate it must be bowu early, bo as to
get rooted before the hot and dry weather comes
on. If sown late it is very difficult to get a
stand. It will grow in a sandy soil if suffi
ciently rioh, but it thrives best where there is
some clay. Save your poplar timber. Plant
young trees of it m your low lands. If yon
want shade trees in yards eelect the varnish
tree. It is a fine bee tree and very ornamental.
It grows well in this latitude and further south.
The linden is a good bee tree but it is of such
slow growth that it takes many jears before it
produces a return.
THe Dhy-
The Grasses.
The following note on the grasses mentioned
was read by John Henderson before the New
York Farmers' Club recently :
In the laying down of lands to grass, the
plants must be Buited to the quality of the soil,
as some delight more in moisture than others ;
some succeed the best in clayey soils, others in
those of a loamy kind, some in such as partake
f the nature of peat, and a few in the calcare
ous sort. But from the vague manner in which
soils are frequently described, and the various
acceptations of the same terms in different
parts of the country, it is difficult for a farmer
who reads an account of the agriculture in any
other section than that in which he resides to
judge what relation such a soil may bear to
that which he himself occupies. It is there
fore evident that a certain amount of knowledge
of the components of arable soils is necessary
lor a proper unuerBiauuiug u B""" VUH....O. i
As stated in the previous paper the grasses
bost suited to light loamy soils will receive onr i
attention in this, and here it is proper to re-1
mark that by the term loam is meant that kind i
:i mii;nh annMta In h nn intimate mix. '
m buii u.b. .j'fc -" --
tureof all the other earths reduced to a fine
and equable state. It Is of different colors.
On elevated table lands it is mostly red, on
gradual slopes it is yellow or hazel, and in the
valleys it is almost black. Tbe two first appear
to be deposits from the general, the last from
partial floods. It is found reposing on stone.
on clay, or on gravel ot various uepms, some- (
times in deep beds, but in general always deep
enough for every purpose of the farmer. Its
oonsisteace is friable, readily admitting air and
rain, and as readily discharging all exoess of ,
the latter, only retaining or imbibing from the
air as much as is necessary to vegetation, and ,
neither liable to be parched in summer nor
drenched and chilled by surface water in win
ter. Such being the characteristic of loam or I
a loamy soil, it is in request by every cultiva-1
tor, and everv industrious one endeavors to (
bring his land of an opposite character
as near to me swuuuu om ..... ., ..-
possible. It may readily be perceived, by the
foregoing remarks, how the terms, clayey
loams, gravelly loams, sandy loams, ete.arein
such general use ; and how necessary it is, in
the absence of established ana rename ruies,
by which all soils should be known and clasei-,
fled, to specify distinctly the general character
standing of what grasses are Mutable for it.
For light clayey loams, orchard grass, whether
onm alnna fti- n n mlxtnrA. will Drove ft satis
factory one ; it is a grass which accommodates
uaAt n a vnnAtv of Rnils. and is one of the
E best pasture grasses we have ; its rapidity of
: groww, ine property it iiuboco u. iuui
', severe drouth better than any other grass, its
ijni. ., matnvMw iha Inrnrifimne of its after-
W math, and its power of enduring the cropping
or cattle, entitle it 10 a equi .u
t grass, either native or foreign, that is being
' XL.WI-..t In tVia nnnntv. MAldoW foxtail 18
ISaJso an excellent grass for light day loams. It
Lvyegetates with great luxuriance, auu , uiv
ore, botn as a nr crop ana m uiwK,
natl AnalAnrAA ftfl Anilftl t1 thft b6Bt CTaSS.
hether used as a green fodder or made in hay.
f snoots very rapiaiy aiier ujuwiug, iii
Tery plentiful aftermath. It boa been found
ore naray against irosui mu "j mj.
ms- a properly wnicn recomraeuua o
H.l I- V,i- .nntvw Tt Hill Well With
IUHUUH M vwwm.. - "-
l last season, and is now undergoing a win-
test, xeiiow oat graasvxurau ;""
a-s naturally in dry pastures on rawer ugnt
. gooa sous, yields a cobuuciwic um
herbage, and deserves to form a position
uunm uu ugut, ui km imj. -
wore.
THe Swie YW"
Management of Brood Sows.
It is not a commendable practice to allow
brood sows to run with other swine until the
later part of the period cf gestation, and then
plaoe each one in a pen by herself, for the rea
son that when thus confined alone, bows will
manifest so much uneasiness as to superinduce
premature farrowing. The usual time for ges
tation in sows embraces a period of about six
teen weeks. It is an unusual occurrence for a
fow to exceed or to fall short of this period
Hence, her proprietor can calculate with almost
unerring certainty as to the time when a sow
nill farrow. With proper management, a sow
will seldom lose any of her pigs. On the con
trary, if Bhe is treated injudiciously, she will
be liable to lose all her pigs snd suffer Ujnry
herself. Four to six weeks prior farrowing,
every sow should be separated from the herd
and provided with a comfortable pen and sleep
ing apartment. If she can have the advantage
of a small yard, all the better. The quiet
r .. alA m lu. halter ctilt. Whn Inn
i rHHUH ul u limu .. W" wv -.
I pen is a large one and the weather cold, let one
corner say Bixty ieet fcqumc w . ,,..
off, leaving only a narrow entrance. When
the corner of a large pen is not thus boarded
off, the cold wind and driving storm will some
times whirl around in the apartment and ren
der a corner more uncomfortable than some
other point near the entrance.
In many instances, sows are allowed to ac
cumulate bedding until a deep hollow about
the Bize of the body is formed. Such a bed is
exceedingly objectionable for a brood sow, for
the reason that young pigs will be liable to get
smothered beneath the dam when she lies
down. Weeds and long straw should not be
allowed in the bed ot a brood sow. In some
instances, a generous supply of long straw is
placed in the sow's sleeping spartment,
around which shelving six or eight inches
high from the floor is attached to the sides of
the pen, so that the little pigs may escape
beneath the shelving when the dam is about to
lie down on any of them. But a far betterway
than this is to dear away all the long straw
and make the beddina of a few basketfuls of
coarsely out straw. Young pigs will never be
come entangled in such bedding. Brood sows
should always be cared for by one person only,
so far as it may be practicable. The danger is
rom over-feeding more tlun all things else.
Whole grain for brood sows in one of the most
objectionable sorts of feed that a sow can be
supplied with, because such food will lie heav
ily in tho rtomach, producing fever, inflamma
tion and n morbid desire for some change of
diet which often induces a bow to devour her
young pigs. For Beveral weeks prior to far
rowing, a sow should be fed on cooked meal
and milk, whioh should be continued for some
time after this period. If potatoes Bnd roots
are given, they should be cooked before they
are fed. If a sow has not the advantage of a
yard, make it convenient to turn her out an
hour or two every day into grass. If o farmer
always has a few lengths of portable fence
about his premises be will find it handy on
many occasious. He can fence in a few rods
of grnsi for pigs, calves, or lambs as required.
After ten or twelve days the pigs can be let out
with the sow. Frequent feeding is better for
the sow than one or two large feeds per day.
If she is weakly or seem to have too many
pigs for her milk, make a mash of whey and
bran, or skimmed milk, meal ond bran, and let
the pigs learn to eat as soon as they will come
to the trough. After the sow has become
strong, and her udder exhibits no signs of
fever, it will be safe to feed her three times a
day, all she will eat of cooked meal, milk and
-i T.:HM U tnantticv nrVian antra mnnnt
have access to the ground nor torass, it is an
excellent practice 10 pane buuo j . - -stalks
through a fodder cutter for them; suoh
J Vtllt faaA nrill.fltQtnnfl fhfl fltnm&Ch
and bowels and keep the system in healthy
condition. PracficaJ Fanner.
The Walking Cure
He has passed Atlanta, Ga., and gone to To
peka, Kansas De Mahler a man who has
traveled around the world and all over it on
foot. He walks for pleasure. Sometimes a
wagoner on the road accosts him with "Strang
er, want a lift?" He always replies, "No;
rather walk," and some miles on passes tbe
home of the wagoner, who by this time has bis
wife and children out to look at the man who
had rather walk than ride. De Mahler goes
trudging on, like the wandering Jew. He has
put 4U.000 miles behind him smoe 1862, and
has acquired such a momentum now that he
can't stop. He must walk to be happy. Of
course he stops sometimes for rest and refresh
ment and sleep, but 'tis only a halt. An At
lanta editor took De Mahler to his house and
got some particulars of his walks in life out of
him.
De Mahler is a Vircinian. He has estates
that yield him such an income as enables
him to go where he pleases and enjoy him
self in his own way. He was wouuded in
the becinnine of our war. and when his
wounds healed he was bent nearly double
and was totally unable to walk. He was
rolled up almost like that being whioh turns
itself into a ball and wheels from place to
place. He went to Paris to get straight
ened out. The surgeons operated upon
bim; but, after a fair trial, they oouldn't
make his head and feet stav at their respec
tive ends of the man. At length they told him
that nothing could effectually oure him but
walking. He resolved to try it. He told his
doctor that be was going to walk out of Paris
and leave France on foot. His doctor told him
be was cruzy. He, however, commenced the
journey, and made only 101 yards from his
lodgings the first day, with the aid of a stick.
The doctor tended him two weeks on his trip,
that is, until he got out of Paris. He had then
begun to improve, and was filled with a glorious
hope. He put bis whole soul into bis walk.
In a month he was on tbe sunny Blopes of tbe
Pyrenees and had begun to straighten up like
a man. He walked on, and on, and on. At
length be was entirely cured and strode with a
firm tread. Thus he walked along tbe world
and across it, and became intensely interested
in his travels. He sailed across the seas, but
walked the decks of vessels in order to seep
bis foot in. On land he seems to walk as natu
rally as the winds blow and the streams flow,
and now be can't stop. He makes pencil
sketches of the best scenes and remembers
every plaoe be has been in and tbe name of
somebody he met and talked to. He is thor
oughly cured of bis war wounds, bat many
Uzy people might think that the onto is worse
than the original infliction.
Thi Great World's Fair Exhibition lottery
company, of New York, is in straitened cir
cumstances, and its personal property baa been
seized by tbe 'sheriff.
It is rumored that seven packages of gun
powder were discovered among tbe coal on a
steamer about to sail from Antwerp last week.
fvtlSCELLfJEOdSr
WILLAMETTE FARMER.
Potatoes.
Following is a report of the prize contest in
potatoes, arranged by B. K. Bliss & Son,, of ; -."oTo have" recTntlv be"en
New York: discovered by Mr. T. A. Edi9on, a well known
The soils employed by the contestants were telegraph engineer and invei,. or, of Newark,
of neculiar richness, as the mention will show. N.J. One mode of producing a maiiifesta
Mr' Perkins, who laised 1,666 pounds of ; -MhU forces given by the
Eurekas from one pound of seed ; found a spot Upcm an insulated table place an ordinary
like this: "A mixture of sand and clay, very Morse key and an electro-magnet, tho coils of
rich in vegetable matter to the depth of eighteen j which are so wound that no magnetism U pro
ncu m vegemuie ui .i Am duced in its cores by the pas-a?e of an electric
feet, and underlying this is a gravelly subsoi . 1 current U9e ,or an armature a piece of the
For three years the ground was used as a stock ne,0, cadmlnm t0 one end of WBich (a9teu a flat
yard, the straw being left on the ground to lot , . Th th d , tb pting nttaoU
andbe burned." Another competitor describes P id, ,0 Be,and8rd flxed on the .iAdjust
nis foil as "block loam, four feet d.ep, jm te , the ft gholt dUtftnca awfty (rom the
bonk of a creek, and it has been used for a cat- f . ..., The BtRndnrd is to be con.
tie yard fortenyears." Another, "sb vegetable
mold and Bandy loam, three feet deep, never
cultivated before." Many describe tneir soil
"as deep, very rich, the best potato soil in the
State."
The fertilizers used comprise nearly every
known manure, and the quantities appUed are
not less enormous than the crop raised with them.
Most growers have made compounds of various
materials, and some seem to have faith in com
plicated formulas, which they prepare with the
accuracy of a physician's prescription. About
be value of wood ashes,) ben manure and
nlmtter. however, there seems to be no doubt,
and we find them used by a large majority.
uy a irKo uiuiurny.
Sulphur has been used by many. This sub-
stance does not enter into the composition of
the potato, and it would be interesting to know
if its application actually increases the yield.
Have experiments to this effect been made ?
The faot that single eyes and eyelets will,
with good care, produce large cropx, has been
sufficiently proved. All the large yields were
grown from very small sets. In some cases
single eyes were divided into ten piece-1, and in
one instance 240 sits were made from one
pound, nearly all of which grew well. The sets,
wiih few exceptions, were planted Blngly, yet
we find a product of 970 pounds raised from 52
hills, two sets to each, nearly nineteen pounds
per hill, and C77 bushels per acre. Whether
this large yield is due only to the favorable soil
they grew in a rich black loam, formerly used
as a hog yard and the immense quantities of
ashes applied in the hills and as top dressing
one peck to the hill or to the two-set sys
tem, does not appear. It is to be regretted that
a part of the plat was not planted with one set
to the hill and the produots weighed sepa
rately. A comparison of tbe distances between the
hills, with the average yield per acre, gives a
most interesting unil valuable table, as follows:
Tbe sets planted at a distance of
2x3 feet gave s yield,
2x4 " "
3x3 " "
UU
3x4 '
3HX. 4
4x4 "
4x8 "
per acre, of 378 bushels.
i. 462 ..
' 651 "
" 441 "
. 372
312 "
" 332 "
88 "
The large number of data of which the above
figures form an average give these statistics a
special value. It will be seen tnat although
the greatest yields from one pound grew from
hills four feet apart, the largest crops per acre
were raised at distances of tbree feet each way,
and that as the distanoes between the hills are
increased or decreased tbe yield diminishes in
regular proportion. In the first case there re
mains wasted ground which is not reaebed by
the roots of the plants, and in the latter tbe
roots are so crowded that they cannot obtain
all the nourishment they are capable of con
suming. The mode of planting and cultivating with a
large number of the best cultivators consists in
orossing their fields with farrows six and more
inches deep. The sets are dropped at tbe
crossings and immediately covered with about
two inches or soil or bompost'.Tbe",fnes aa
they grow are hilled np gradually and fre
quently to a final hight of twelve to eighteen
inches. Then large, broad hills are made, us
ing all the soil between the rows.
The Mechanical Age.
The London Times, criticising Lord Derby's
Manchester speech, says:
However quick other countries may have
been to develop the great meohonioal discov
eries of the century, it is to England that thoso
discoveries are mainly due; and our riches
have been derived as much from the genius
and nntiont intelligence of men like SteDhenson
and Faradav. as from onr stores of coal and
iron. But until recently manufactures and ma-.
chinery were regarded very much as outlying
provinces of human energy, which might be
left to take care of themselves. They brought
wealth to the country and fortunes to Individ-,
nals, but tney were regaruea as no more a mat- that it might possibly be used for sending mes
ter of general concern than any other trade. Baoes by uninsulated wires burled in the earth
luey aru iww wwuimhiw muu ui puuiiu or In tue ocean. liUl no racis uuvo ueouucvoi
care: and even in his capaoity of Foreign Sec- nn,t whlnh irarr.im nnvsnch assumption. In
retary, Lord Derby was invited at Munches-
ter to treat them as of primary importance. .
Without going the length of Dr. Ployfair tbe ,
other day, and treating the natural sciences as
almost a substitute for all human oultnte, it is
evident that, as a matter of fact, all culture is
being brought to bear upon them, and that
tney are aosormng energy ana attracting
thought in every sphere of life. In view ot
this remarkable revolution of thought one is
a little provoked by the very matter-of-fact
reasons which are usually alleged in explana
tion of it, and Lord Derby, in the greater part
of his Manchester speech, was too true to bis ha
bitual caution in contenting himself with reit
erating them. Lnbor, he says, is dear, and is
m.nFA,'nn,lit la nnnaannAntlv mn i
and more necessary to invent labor-saving ma-1
chinery. Similary, at Leeds, the other day, I
even the apostles of science could find little
more to tell us than tht other nations are
threatenlno to undersell us. and that we need all
soientifio appliances to hold our own
All tbis is, no doubt, true, but the reality is
too vast and broad to be adequately represented
by such statements of the case. To say that
we must invent better maohinery because labor
is dear, however accurate, is nevertheless some
thing of a reversal of the order of facts. What
has madelabor dear in England? Above all,
tbe invention of machinery. A machine is
only matter animated by intelligence: and it is
not merely because the wants of men have
grown more numerous, but because their intel
lects have grown more active, that they have
at length reached a stage of tbelr development
at which they are concentrating their energies
on asserting the dominion of intelligence over
Natnre. It is this which is implied when we
call the present a mechanical age.
Eoipt and Japan. It is a fact worthy of
record that the very first to arrive on the ground
of tbe foreign contributions to tbe Centennial
was that of Egypt, tbe oldest of known nations
making her friendly offering to tbe youngest.
Speedily upon this came tbe practical demon
stration of the friendly spirit of Japan 19 cars
loaded with ber exhibits bavins reached the
Centennial grounds on tbe 17th' of December.
Tbe North American thinks there is a better
illustration of tbe impoitanee'of the exposi
tion to be gleaned from tbese two items than
from a volume of argument.
A Newly Discovered Force (?)
i The .cientifio world, just at the present time,
nected by wire to one end of a glass rod or tube,
kv two ret lnno. Tha other end of the tube
connects by wire with a graphite point (a lead
pencil will answer). Another graphite point is
connected by wire to a gas pipe or other suit
able mass of metal, not In contact witti the ap
paratus; and the two points, in position simi
tar to the arrangement for producing the
electric light, may be placed in a box from
which lisbt is excluded, but with a hole in the
Ion for "nliRnrvxhnn. Place 10 or 15 Bunsen
cells in circuit with the key and the coils in
the usual manner. Now, if the koy be closed,
a spark of considerable brilliancy wilt be evolved
,v - ,, i,if- ! !,, nnnino no
j contlnuityf ft however,' (the battery circuit
...iiXi,.. ., n,t r it. Knnn.Minn
remaining closed), any part of the connection
between tbe gas pipe and the cadmium i
broken, and contacts be made either slowly
or rapidly between the disconnected points,
tbe spark reappears at each contact.
It is here that the phenomena are surprising,
and apparently nnexplainable. The graphite
is not in the battery circuit, nor in any other.
Moreover, it is separated from the rei of the
apparatus by the glass tube. This alone
would seem to prove that the force is not eleo
trical, at least as the term is generally under
stood; and when supplemented by the fact
that the most delioate galvanometer and the
chemicals most sensitive to the electric current
fail to note its presence, this conclusion must
be accepted.
' Many experiments have been made with a
view of obtaining some definite knowU dge, but
nothing has been developed beyond tbe facts
above stated, and in addition that, like elec
tricity, the now force passes through or over
some substances better than it does over
others, and also that, as the resistance ot one
of its best known conductors is increased Dy
lencth the snark d-crensea'in brilliancy.
All the manifestations thus far obtained have
been of the feeblest kind, no feeble indeed that
the current cannot be made to make a record
sufficient to allow of its use for telegrapbio or
any other yet known practical purpose.
It does not seem to be either magnetic or
electric, although pertaining to the nature of
both. Mr. Edison called it "etherio force;"
but for what reason does not appear. At first,
efforts were made to conneot it with Beichon
bach's "odio force." It was also referred to
what were denominated "weak spatks" of
electricity, discovered several years ago, by
Prof. Beiss, of Germany.
But the nhenomena oonnected with this new
manifestation, when carefullv studied, do not
Beem to admit of either referenco, and scien
tists are inclined to acknowledge that Mr. Edi
son has really made a discovery whioh has here
tofore escaned notice.
Dr. Beard, however, is inclined to think that
the phenomena may be due to a peculiar form
of electrical induction, and that it Is, after all,
only a new phase of electrioity. Mr, Edison
prefers to consider it rather a now form of
heat or light, rather than of electrioity.
The weicht of evidenoe. according to George
M. Beard, M. D., in the Scientific American, is
in'fuvor of n new-AUadiant force,, somewhere
between light and heat on the one hand and
magnetism and eleotrioity on the other, with
some of tbe features ot all these forces." Ho
would place it nearer to magnetism and elec
tricity than to light and heat.
One of its peculiarities is that while electric
ity prefers to pasaby points, tbis new force ap
pears to prefer to pass through or over largo
surfaces; thus a large surface of tin foil, several
inohes square, will conduct it from one mass ot
iron to another more readily than will two
points projecting toward each other from the
two masBC-8 of iron.
. It does not respond to any of the physical
tests of electricity, except ine spurn.
It produces no pnyBioiogicai eneots upon
i mn.icnlar tissues, as does electrioity,
I Glass, rubber, paraffine, dry wood,
etc
1.1.1. ...... . ... .lHtna ts alaAvim'ttr nra
;e"rood conductors to this new force,
it passes quite readily over non-insulated
conductors as along a wire laid upon the
ground,
por this latter reason it was assumed at first
deedl as yet, no practical application can be
Hfim fnr thin nnw force if suoh it is. Scien-
tists will wotoh with much interest for further
developments, and it cannot be doubtod,
whatever tbe final results may be, that tho ear
nest investigations now in progress must result
in an important extension of our kuowlodgo
of tho phenomena under discussion.
Tbeatment op Skkd Wukat. A wheat
grower writes to the Practical Farmer concern
ing tbe use of brine in washing seed wheat. He
says: "I know, from long experience, that
washing the seed in brine as strong as it can be
made, will prevent smut. Strong brine will
enable the farmer to skim out liRht wheat,
ohess, and almost anything else that may be In
the seed, as the brine will bring all such light
grain to the surface much better than mere
water. While the wheat 18 in tue Dnne, me
whole should be stirred as long as any foul
seed or light wheat will rise to the surface.
One bushel, at once, in a barrel, is sufficient
with plenty of brine; then dip brine and wheat
into a basket. When drained a few minutes,
empty the grain on a clean floor. Take the
same brine for another batob, and so on until
you have as muoh as you wish to sow on that
day; then sift on slacked lime gradually, while
another person follows around the heap and
stirs it with a shovel; put on lime until the
wheat will not stiok together; then let it be
sown and immediately covered. The lime will
then oontinue to stick to tbe wheat and be a
good manure.
JlPANUK AOBICOXTUBAI, CoLLIOB. AcOOrd-
ing to the Springfield Republican, onr agricul
tural college experiment is to be repeated in
Japan. The Japanese government have been
for some time endeavoring to engage President
W. 8. Clarke to found for tbem an agricultural
institution after the plan of tbe one at Amherst.
Tbe trustees have granted him a year's ab
sence, and such arrangements will be made
that it is believed his going will not prove in
jurious to the Massachusetts college. Ample
capital will be furnished. Col. Clarke is au
thorized to engage bis assistants, and in
every way to conduct the undertaking after his
own methods. A special minister has been in
tbe country effecting the arrangement.
Sub-Soiling.
(From raclflc Rural Press.
Where shall we seek the agency which will
give us richer fields? This is an important
question to those whose Hcres seem to tire t'
former crops and have reduced their yield by a
third or a half, or two third', within a score
of years. We do not intend to instance the
need of restoring to tho laud fertilizers which
represent tbe wealth which has been taken
from it, nor to say that tbe fields have been
cropped to death. We wih at tbis time to call
attention to tbe subject ot sub-soiling, in order
that our farmers may tbink seriously of it, and
arouse an interest which will test its value.
There is reason in the sob-so ing practice,
where the soil is deep enough. It will not do
In shallow soil where all the productive mate
rial can be buried under an unproductive sub
soil. But where the rich alluvial deposit ex
tends downward from five to fifty feet, it is
evident that the farmer who bus only been
tickling the surfiee with his plowshare, has a
' mine of fertility below if he can bring it to the
light. 'IhiH lie can do Dy letting bis plow
strike deep, bringing to tbe air a most produc
tive sub-soil, which will restore to him the
crops of old.
In England the farmers aro now being won
to steam cultivation because it enables them to
strike deep into the wealth of the sub-foil.
The London Agricultural Gazette notes this ad
vance in practice. Even on light soils it is
economical. The deeper that light soils are
stirred, the more retentive they will be of
moisture. Suppose this were done even a yard
deep, so that the rust of ages was broken to
that depth, certainly the moisture that is stored
in greater depth would be less exhaustible in
summer. Thus light soils are made, from
being more retentive of moisture, more capable
of producing both green food for stock and ce
reals. Ana ine aavanrage oi aeep culture lor
light soils is only equaled by the same practice
in heavy soils; a oulture which will overcome
their tenacity, admit the wholesome action of
tbe air and doubling their ptoductive power.
This has been the result of experiments in
deep culture in England. How like a perfect
answer to a need it comes to those who are fa
miliar with the requirements of California
fanners to insure the success of their crops.
What do our farmers think of the prescription ?
We have been muoh interested in a letter
from a farmer tn the Germantown Telegraph,
in which he claims that be has discovered a
new farm under the old one. It is a happy
way of expressing the same idea whioh we are
describing. His narrative is very interesting:
" Some four years ago the Boston and Maine
railroad extension to Portland was built
through, and followed the northeast boundary
of mv farm on its entranoe to this city. For 60
rods a cut was excavated 20 fcot deep, the earth
of which was carted out on one side and covered
four acres of mowing laud from six to 10 feet
deep. This dump was composed of loam, sand,
gravel, clay and rooks, and it was declared by
the committee that .the field was ruined, and I
obtained damages' for tbe full value ot the
ground. Being driven with other work, I
allowed tbis dump to remain unmolested for
two years to warm and dry. Being an eyesore
and scab on the farm, I determined to abate it
as soon as poBsible. I firBt hauled off all the
stones and put them into a good wall, making
a piece some forty rods long; then plowed the
ground and leveled it with the Bcraper for the
mowing machine; plowed again and carted on
a light dressing of manure, and all was leveled,
harrowed thorouithly and sowed to grass seed
in August, 187-1. Last summer, to my own
surprise and tbat of every one, I cut tbe heaviest
crop of bay I ever saw grow. Now this goes to
convince me tbat the earth is composed of veg
etable substances all tbe way through, and is
only waiting for the plow to bring it to the sur
face to warm and dry in order to produce beau
ful crops. Any one having an old worn-out
farm which he has beoome siok of, has only to
procure one of our modern steel plowB and
gauge it to twice the depth he has been accus
tomed to plow; break up that hard pan undor
neath and bring it to the surface, and thus at
once secure drainage, heat and moisture. By
doubling the depth of your plowing you doublo
the capaoity of your soil to produce crops, and
perohanca turn up a new farm which may
please you better than tho old one."
We hardly think our discoverer of the new
farm could prove tho statement that the earth
in " vegetable substance all the way through."
He probably means that plant food exists
deeper than we think. Ho has the idea, how
ever, and although wo do not believe that farm
ers are destined to become miners, still in most
cases they wilt find that thero is wealth lower
than they work.
Fhost in Fi.opiuA.-Mr. Brogdon,late editor of
the Jlural Xtio Yorker, writes that he has not
bo much confidence as ho bad in Florida tber
mometrical reports. He says he knows Jack
Frost's work when he sees it. He says, also,
tbitt there has bien n curling up of orange
leaves in certain situations; the bananas have
succumbed, and thiir broad, green, glossy,
upright leaved nro now drooping and withered.
Tbe castor bean plantH have lost their semi
tropical beauty. The faot is worthy of note.
There is another point in the agricultural
promise of Florida which is worth quoting,
from Mr. Brogdou's writing. It is as follows:
Two men from Michigan who have been
through tho State with a view to investing in
homes, if they liked it, told me that they should
start borne to-day satisfied that no well-to-do
Michigan farmer, unless his or his family's
health required a milder climate, could im
prove his condition by coming hither and
entering into any unrieulturul pursuit. An In
diana family went home a day or two sinco
with tho Himio conviction, iney unci oeen in
tho State some months. I am simply reporting
isolated facts, let it be remembered. There
are probably a great many ot an entirely oppo
site character. Tbree men from bleak Kan
tucket have just gone back "tick at heart"
which means homesick, I reckon. They had
traveled an the Indian river and thereabouts.
and up the St. John', and did not conclude to
stay the winter through, though thoy were
prepared to do so if they thought best. A Min
noantAn mild he bad snent a ' hean" in travel
in tbe Statu, and "couldn't see it." He has
gone back,
The Uhk or Bklth. A correspondent of the
Si-lrhtitln Amtrlcan save : "After many year-'
experience with belts of all kinds, I have
learned that it will require tbe most power with
the short, tight belt, especially if the pulley re
ceiving tbe power to be muoh smaller than the
one giving tt. With the tightener there is a
greater length of belt brought In contact with
tbe pulley, consequently the belt can be muoh
looser, snd thereby lessen the lriotiou upon
. rani aI14. lAtls4 lis nnlr
the bearings, ine uguwuer j y
heavy enough to take up the slaok of tbe belt,
which should be quite loose when relieved of
the weight of the tightener, which should
always be close to tbe pulley receiving the
power! If the power Is carried horizontally
the long and loose belt will have a similar effeot,
as the slack ot tbe belt will always be found on
the side of tbe bdt goingjrpm the giving to the
reoeiving pulley, whioh will, If it be the top
side, sag so aa to bring a much greater length
of belt in contact with tbe pulley than in tbe
case of the short, tight belt'
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