Mr. D. W. LOTHROP, of West Medford, said plication, the speaker said he had but little faith if farmers would lay it down as a general rule to in deep plowing, as on certain soils it tends to take care of the ammonia in manure, all the oth-bring up a cold soil which requires an immense er ingredients would take care of themselves. amount of manure upon it. There was no reaThe speaker considered it a good plan to use son for deep plowing, and the speaker recomliquid manure, which enters immediately into use. mended the application of manure near the surHe was something of a horticulturist, and he had face. The cultivation of Indian corn the speaker been in the habit of sinking a barrel in his gar-regarded as the most profitable business the den in order to collect all the water from the farmer could engage in, but it must be cultivated sink. Where he made an application of the on certain principles. With the method of deep same he found it very valuable for various pur-plowing, manuring in the hill, hoeing the corn poses. The speaker alluded to the application three or four times with rather lazy men, &c., it of charcoal around trees, and said, so far as his could not be expected the cultivation of Indian experience went, it was excellent as an absorb- corn would prove profitable. But by a systeent, when finely pulverized. The speaker be- matic method, the cultivation could be made lieved that snow was more beneficial to the more profitable than any other crop. The apground than rain. In regard to the liquid ma-plication of manure on corn has not been profinure of cows, he said that he had recently looked table. We plant for corn and not for stalks, into a work, by Mr. Johnston, which stated that and the application of manure in the hill tends the liquid manure of cows during a year, gener-to the last result. Our cultivation of Indian ally amounted to from 1200 to 1500 gallons. corn had been absurd. The speaker believed the Now, if a cow voids 1200 gallons of liquid proper way was to spread the manure. manure in a year, it would produce 250 pounds Mr. INGALLS believed great benefit was to be of ammonia, which would amount to $31.- derived from the composting of manure. He had The speaker was somewhat astonished at such a not much faith in the quality of manure made statement, and he was inclined to think it could in the barn cellar, as the farmer would not get hardly be worth so much. The ammonia of good, as much corn, load for load, of such manure as rich manure, however, flowing into the Thames that of another kind. The great difficulty in refrom London (gross flowage daily 115,000 tons,) gard to composting manure was on account of had been estimated at about 3800 tons daily, the soil to which it was to apply. which was fully sufficient to manure over 50,000| Mr. MERRIAM had no faith in the system of acres of land. At this ratio, the flowage in the concentrated manures. He thought farmers harbor of Boston would be sufficient to manure should rely wholly upon the manures manufac5000 acres. The speaker observed that the clouds tured in the cow and hog-yard. He had found were the great public store-house of liquid man-muck, saturated with the urine of neat cattle, ure; and in the annual fall brought down 20 lbs. worth all solid excrements.

of ammonia and 100 lbs. of nitric acid to the Mr. PARKER, of Worcester, had had much exacre. The acid united with the soda, lime and perience in concentrating manures, and was of potash in the soil, and formed their correspond- the opinion that no benefit was derived from ing nitrates, which are known to be powerful guano or similar manures, with the exception of fertilizers. ashes. He had found dried charcoal to be of advantage by sprinkling it in horse stables.

Mr. CHENEY, of Holden, thought all manures should be worked over and made fine. The Mr. RICHARDSON, of Winchester, thought too speaker was not certain in his own mind, whether much stress was laid on the ammonia in manures. it would pay to take the spring manure which is Mr. BARBER, of Gloucester, offered a few rein the barn cellar and go through the long pro- marks in regard to the best method of compostcess of composting it. His own method was to ing manure, after which the meeting adjourned. cart it on the land, and spread it and plow it in. The subject announced for discussion at the He thought this was the best way. Farmers who next meeting was the "renovating of our pasdepend upon corn and potatoes, can hardly afford tures and other worn out lands.” time to compost all manure, and it requires so

much work it seldom pays.

CURE FOR WARTS.-If they give you no special Mr. MERRIAM, of Tewksbury, had composted inconvenience, let them alone. But if it is of everything in the shape of manure for two years. essential importance to get rid of them, purchase He keeps his horses and cattle together in order half an ounce of muriatic acid, put it in a broadbottomed vial, so that it will not easily turn over; to do so, and in the spring plowed the yard and take a stick as large as the end of a knittingmixed the whole together, and he found such needle, dip it into the acid, and touch the top of manure valuable. In alluding to the application the wart with whatever of the acid adheres to of manure to Indian corn, and its modes of ap- the stick; then, with the end of the stick rub the

"Although there have been added in this Com- they neglect this precaution, spasms result. The monwealth to the lands under improvement since chemical tests for it are numerous, but only one 1840, 300,000 acres, and although the upland and or two can be relied upon as thoroughly acc other mowing lands have been increased more rate.-Scientific American. than 90,000 acres, or nearly 15 per cent., and the tillage lands increased more than 40,000 acres in the same period, yet there has been no increase in grain crops, but an absolute depreciation of 600,000 bushels.

For the New England Farmer.

CROPS ON PEAT MEADOWS.

This plain- MR. EDITOR:-I have a peat meadow, three ly shows the condition of agriculture in Massa- acres of which I broke up in the fall of 1855; the chusetts as a whole, and with an increasing pop-following spring I planted the same with potaulation, with good markets, and every facility for toes; they grew finely, but were all destroyed by improving and restoring our lands, it is truly an the great rains in that year; in the fall I levelled alarming state of things."

the ridges and forked over the whole, and plant

Can this be so? We wish Mr. TOWER would ed potatoes again in the spring of 1857, which produced a little over 200 bushels. I have now show us how the fact is obtained. drained it more thoroughly, so that the surface, The reports by CHARLES H. MERRIAM, on to the depth of six or eight inches, is well pulSteers, by SOLON CARTER, on Oxen, by JOHN M. verized; below this the peat is from two to twenHARRIS, on Sheep, by J. S. BROWN, on Vegeta- ty feet deep; have sounded sixteen feet without bles, by EZRA KENDALL, on Farms, by JONAS A. finding bottom. Now what I would like to know is, what crops MARSHALL, on Gardens, by E. F. BAILEY, on will it grow beside potatoes and grass, and must Orchards, and by W. G. WYMAN, on Grain, are all valuable papers, each containing either statements or suggestions that must be valuable to their brother farmers. The statement of JABEZ FISHER, upon the Culture of Pears is an elaboREMARKS.-We have seen corn, oats, cabbages, rate and well-drawn paper, containing much in- beets, carrots, onions, &c. &c., growing on such formation of value to those who wish to engage land as you describe, without its being gravelled, -but that operation would undoubtedly secure We shall be glad to receive a copy of the tran- better grass. With six or eight inches of the sactions of each county society in this or any surface well pulverized, and with sufficient drain

in the cultivation of that delicious fruit.

other State.

STRYCHNINE.

it be gravelled to produce the latter? If you, or
some of your correspondents, will give me your
experience or advice you will confer a favor on
Jan. 26, 1858.
ESSEX COUNTY.

age, such land will produce most crops common to our farms, with the exception of barley. Buckwheat we have seen growing on them with great luxuriance. Many of our readers have had much

This poison which has of late become so notorious in its abuse, (we cannot say use,) is the most uncertain in its action on the human frame; experience with such lands, and perhaps, may give in some producing instant death; the same dose some detailed account of the operations on them. in others only bringing on tetanic convulsions, and in a lucky few no effect at all; and this does THE LATEST INVENTION.-A mill has been not appear to have any relation to the physical started in Haverhill for the preparation of "granstrength of the patient. It is a whitish, crystal- ular fuel." The "masheen" will cut into four line substance, and is extracted from the nut of inch length all sorts of brush, such as hucklea tree called strychnos nux vomica. This tree berry bushes and similar shrubs up to large alder grows in Ceylon, is of moderate size, and has branches. The fuel will light without shavings, thick, shining leaves, with a short, crooked stem. and will burn longer than charcoal, and answer In the fruit season, it is readily recognized by its the same purpose, and it is considerably cheaper rich, orange-colored berries, about as large as The Banner thinks it a good thing, and says it golden pippins. The rind is smooth and hard, will give the farmers in that vicinity a chance to and contains a white pulp, of which many varie- rid themselves of huckleberry pastures, which ties of birds are very fond; within this are flat, are to many a constant source of complaint and round seeds, not an inch in diameter, covered annoyance.

with very beautiful silky hairs, and of an ash grey color. The nut is the deadly poison which PRESERVE THE PAPERS.-Forney's Press has was well known, and its medicinal properties well a very readable article on English and American understood by Oriental doctors, long before newspapers, from which we learn that "three Europe or America had heard its name. "Dog- copies of each newspaper," signed by the pubkiller" and "fish-scale" are translations of two of lisher, must be regularly transmitted to the Stamp its Arabic names. The natives of Hindostan of- Office, which pays full price for them. After the ten eat it for months, and it becomes a habit, expiration of a year, one complete file of each like opium-eating, with the same disastrous re- journal is transferred to the British Museum, sults. They commence with taking the eighth of where they are bound in volumes, and preserved a nut a day, and gradually increase their allow for reference. A most excellent plan it is, and ance to an entire nut, which would be about twen- Macaulay has repeatedly acknowledged his inty grains. If they eat directly before or after debtedness, as a historian, to these valuable food, no unpleasant effects are produced, but if sources of contemporary information.

grass land.

No. 3 is a side view of the Plow rigged with one of the Stubble mould-boards and the Skim Plow forward, for Double, or

PLOWS AND PLOWING.

not only plan but work out results by their paIn the weekly Farmer of February 20, and in tient, daily labor, and who quickly discover and the monthly for March, page 28, we briefly spoke appreciate whatever will be likely to facilitate of the operation of plowing, of the efforts that their plans and increase their profits. The teams have been made to devise new forms of the for the occasion were a pair of horses, a yoke of plow, and introduced two or three illustrations of oxen and a four horse team, so that whatever the new UNIVERSAL PLOW, recently invented by change was made in the plow for working deep Mr. FREDERICK HOLBROOK, of Brattleboro', Vt. or shallow, narrow or wide furrow-slices, there As the proof of the pudding is in the eating, was a team present ready for it.

so the test of the plow is in the using; for, to The ground to be plowed was free from stones, the eye, it may possess all the graceful curves a portion of it covered with a thick sward, and and nice lines imaginable, in beam, mould-board, the remainder stubble ground. It is scarcely share and cutter, yet upon applying it to the work necessary to occupy space with a detail of the about to be done, it will sometimes fail to accom- precise operations of the several mould-boards, plish it. In the construction of plows, whatever as to inches in depth and width, as there was no be the sort used, there are a few general princi- difficulty whatever in doing as much good work ples that ought invariably to be attended to, and within a limited time as would satisfy the most Mr. HOLBROOK has given these the nicest care. exacting. At high noon the teams went to their It will be seen that he has given that part which provender, and the plow people from labor to re"enters, perforates, and breaks up the ground, freshment. The ample dinner provided by the that sort of long, narrow, clean, tapering, sharp- mistress of the mansion was pretty much a homeened form, that affords the least resistance in made affair; roasted turkey and cranberry sauce, passing through the land; and to the mould-delicious ham and cup potatoes, bread from wheat board, that kind of hollowed-out and twisted that grew in the young orchard, and pies from the form, which not only tends to lessen friction, but apple-trees that stood among the wheat, with vaalso to contribute greatly to the perfect turning rious incidentals, made up the country dinner; over of the furrow-slice." The beam is also so but all this was seasoned with an earnest, intellicontrived that the team may be attached in the gent and instructive conversation upon Plows most advantageous line of draught. and Plowing, in character with the work that had Some of the advantages of the UNIVERSAL been done. It was in reality a feast of reason, as PLOW are these: It is sold with one mould-board well as of the good things which the farm affords. only, or with any number, as the purchaser may Thus physically and mentally refreshed, as soon select. It is a desirable implement if but one as the sun leaned from the zenith to the west, mould-board is wanted, because that one will do men and teams were moving again, and continued thorough and finished work, and when worn away the trial throughout the afternoon. Mr. HOLconsiderably or broken by accident, its place can BROOK invited any objection that presented itself, be cheaply supplied with a new one. Again, the and gave such pertinent illustrations both by purchaser, after obtaining one mould-board, and hand and word, as to satisfy all that he had the standard, share and frame-work to go with it achieved a signal success with the plow. The day can at any time procure such other mould-boards, was not long enough to permit a trial of all the of the series as he would like, at slight expense, mould-boards; but two or three of the intervale, as compared with buying new plows entire; and as many of the upland, the prairie and the double thus he may be induced to employ a larger and mould-board or skim-plow were tested. better assortment of plows, suited to his various Something was certainly due to the skill with fields and modes of culture, than he would other-which the plows were handled, though these exwise use. perienced workmen were unanimous in their The opinion which we offer of these Plows was commendation of every pattern that was tried. not made up in the parlor, by reading descrip- The double plow drew forth lively enconiums; tions and an examination of figures of them, but and it was often said "I have never seen so good by actual trial in the field, and in the presence of work with the skim-plow done before." The many spectators. stubble-plow certainly surpassed in execution any It was on one of those calm and sunny days of we had before seen, in throwing up a large colmiddle November last, that some dozen persons-umn of earth, and leaving it in a loose and well most of them as good at the handle of the plow pulverized condition; and this without an unas any son of Neptune ever was at the helm of a usual strength of team, a pair of horses doing ship-assembled upon our farm to test the Uni- the work.

versal Plow. Mr. HOLBROOK, the inventor, was We feel free to advise our friends to make a present, and assisted throughout the day. His careful examination of the Universal Plow before associates were all practical farmers, men who purchasing.