RAISING SHEEP AT THE WEST.-MEETING OF THE STATE AG. SOCIETY. 31 ually did this; having unintentionally been delayed of a choice quality for grazing purposes, abounding in cutting his hay, till in the stage above mentioned, as it does, in a variety of nutritious grasses, the when he says he got better hay than that cut at the wild pea, &c., &c. But this does not usually spring usual time along side of it; and at the end of five up in sufficient abundance to afford a full bite beyears, the gradual improvement in quantity reached fore May, and the first severe frosts of autumn two and a half tons. He accounts for it (the in- injure it to such an extent, as to make it entirely crease in quantity), by supposing that, when cut in worthless to sheep. A few days' pasturage on it, in its green state, the roots bleed and die out. But this condition, will kill off sheep as rapidly as rot. here is something very inconsistent with the preva- Excepting some three or four of the summer months, lent theory on this subject. First, the quality of then, the prairies are worthless as sheep-walks, and the hay is generally thought to be better when cut other sources than the natural pastures must be proin a green, juicy state, and that if left till ripe, the vided for them. This can only be done by preparhay becomes hard and woody, and difficult of mas-ing sufficient pasturage from the cultivated grasses. tication and digestion. But this man's experiment On these they can subsist as on similar pastures leads to a different conclusion. Second, he claims elsewhere; but the rigors of cold weather will renan increase in quantity. But the common theory is, der ample provision necessary for the late fall, winthat the oftener vegetation is cut off (under certain ter, and early spring months, as with us. Good limits of course), the more young shoots will ap-grass, straw, pea or bean vines, grain and roots, pear from the old stocks, and the strength of the are just as essential to the health, thrift, and prosoil, not being required to ripen the seed, will cause duction of sheep on the prairies, as in similar fatithem to grow more luxuriantly. Third, an extra- tudes at the east. ordinary improvement of the soil is also stated. The profits of sheep-raising at the West must, But vegetable physiologists say that the greatest therefore, be reduced to an approximate level with exhaustion of the soil takes place during the ripen-those elsewhere. Then the low price of land is in ing of the seed. Therefore, the soil would have their favor; here, proximity to market, and the less taken from it, were the hay cut before this higher price of mutton, give us a decided advantime, and of course its improvement be more rapid tage; and the improvements made here in fences, under any restoratives that might be applied to it. roads, buildings, &c., may well nigh neutralize the Therefore we conclude, that the results are to be difference in the first cost of land. Certain it is, ascribed to the peculiarities of the season, or some that the advantages of sheep-raising in the West are other cause than the cutting at the particular time not such as to alarm our Eastern shepherds, from an apprehension that their business will be taken out Yet, the writer's confidence in his discovery is of their own hands. It is now, and probably will so great that he says he will "take a poor field, continue to be a lucrative occupation with our that shows only a few spears of timothy growing Western husbandmen, and as such, should enter in it, and by these simple means engage to cut largely into their arrangements; but its monopoly two and a half tons per acre of superior hay." can nowhere be secured, we believe, on this conAnd so he might, but his success would be owing tinent. stated. to something else than that to which he ascribes it. AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. THE annual meeting of the New York State Agricultural Society will commence its session in the city of Albany on the 3d Wednesday (21st) of January, 1846, and continue two days. One prominent reason I will mention in conclusion. ANNUAL MEETING OF THE N. Y. STATE Professor Johnston mentions in his lectures, that in the fourth or fifth year of a grass crop, the quantity of vegetable matter in the roots, is four times that contained in any hay crop that could be taken from it in any one year. The continual decay and decomposition of these roots furnish the means of increased fertility; and hence the ameliorating influence of laying land down to grass. A. R. D. Hackettstown, Warren Co., N. J., Dec. 18, 1845. Our correspondent shall be answered next month. RAISING SHEEP AT THE WEST. The meetings for business will be held at the State Geological Rooms, commencing at 10 o'clock A. M., on Wednesday. A public meeting will be held at the Assembly Chamber of the Capitol on Wednesday Evening, where there will be a public discussion of subjects interesting to agriculturists. On Thursday evening, the annual Address will be delivered by the President of the Society. Farmers, and the public generally, are invited to be present. L. TUCKER, Rec. Secretary. AN opinion has been very prevalent for a long time at the East, that sheep can be fed nearly throughout the year on the natural pastures of the prairies. Though we have never entertained this SAVE YOUR HAY-SEED.-Many farmers never opinion ourselves, yet we have been unwilling to think of saving the offal from the cattle or horse speak of it, without more definite information than manger, but throw it away, or into the manure we have hitherto had. We have made extensive heap. In either case the seed is lost, and in the inquiries on the subject recently, and have further last it becomes a great nuisance, if the manure be testimony of some authentic written sources, and applied to hoed crops. We saved sufficient hay particularly from the editor of the Prairie Farmer, chaff one winter from feeding twenty-three head of which induces us to state most explicitly, that all animals, to stock down ten acres of meadow. Besuch opinions are entirely unfounded. fore sowing it we were careful to pick out all the The herbage on the rolling prairie, is frequently weeds. 32 PAULOWNIA IMPERIALIS. - -HOGS RUNNING AT LARGE. PAULOWNIA IMPERIALIS. in allowing a swine to go at large. His only reEXTRACT from the Annals of the Royal Society sources are two-the garbage he may occasionally of Horticulture of Paris, on the subject of the flow-pick up, and the plunder he may secure from the ering of this new ornamental tree, imported from neighbors' fields, gardens or store-houses. The first Japan, as reported by M. Newmann: will be just in proportion to the filth of the neigh "I have the honor of informing the Royal Society borhood; yet it is unaccountable, that those who of Horticulture, that many of the buds of the Pau- manufacture garbage, should not have it consumed lownia Imperialis, on the tree growing at the by their own swine, and on their own ground. If Museum of Natural History, which were formed it be good for anything, it is good for them there, the last autumn, and which consequently have sus- and if not convenient to be fed at home, let it be tained the rigor of the past winter, are at this date converted into compost, or disposed of to their (April 29th) expanded into perfect flowers of a neighbors for feeding. bright blue color, very much resembling those of As to the other resource, the plunder from their the gloxinia caulescens. They are large and remain neighbors, this is of a perfectly piratical character. for many days. There are seven or eight combined Any man who turns his swine into the road with in each erect panicle, around which they are sus- the expectation,or even probability, of their intruding pended, and they exhale a sweet and agreeable on another's premises, may with more propriety go odor. During the period when these flowers are himself, and steal an equal quantity of grain, vegedeveloping their beauties, the foliage also expands, tables, meal or pork. The last is altogether the giving to this fine tree a magnificent appearance. most respectable and economical mode of accomIt is a phenomenon altogether new for flower buds plishing a given object. This he does openly and to be so well preserved during the winter, after above board, and takes only what can be judihaving been so perfectly formed. The blue color ciously used; while the other is taken by a sneaking, of the flowers of the Paulownia is a peculiarity filthy, disgusting agent, who is sent on an errand, his which will cause it to be greatly sought for by owner is somewhat ashamed, or more probably, amateurs. This much admired tree, which grows afraid to undertake personally; and who, in the acwith astonishing vigor, has formed shoots during complishment of his mission, gormandizes frequentthe third year of its growth, more than ten feet in ly to his own injury, eating enough at once, to last a length, with leaves twenty inches in length, and more considerate hog two or three days; and like twenty-two in breadth; and when growing in quite many of his biped kindred, trampling, soiling, and indifferent soil such as the Jardin du Roi. ~ At Ver-wasting what he cannot use. sailles, Mr. Massey has planted some trees in peat The annual expense of fencing some villages soil, one of which has formed shoots thirteen feet against hogs, and the injury done by them in spite in height in a single season. This tree is called in of all hindrances, is several hundred dollarsJapan Kiri,' and a genus has been formed of it enough to buy half the pork consumed by the inhaunder the title of Paulownia, in honor of her Impe-bitants; and all this inconvenience is suffered and put rial Highness, the hereditary Princess of Holland. up with, that some few hoggish individuals may al"It is not for the beauty of its flowers alone that low their brother swine to enjoy a free range. this splendid tree has been dedicated to this Princess, but it is for the additional circumstance that the leaf of the Kiri,' adorned with triplicate branches of its flowers, has long served as the emblem of the renowned hero Faikasama,' who is still held in the highest veneration by the inhabitants of Japan." I send you the above translation, supposing it might be acceptable to many of your readers. WM. R. PRINCE. Prince's Linnaan Garden and Nurseries, } Flushing, HOGS RUNNING AT LARGE. Ir is an old adage that "wonders will never cease;" and certainly we have no stronger illustration of the proverb, than is to be found in the almost universal practice of allowing swine to run at large. There ought to be a State law against it, and we would that it could be made a national one, that not a swine in the Union should be allowed to set his foot on other than his owner's premises. Such a law, however, unless it was confined to the quadruped division of the species, might result in thinning off the population of some of the emporiums of politics and official distributions, and other places of frequent resort; yet it is probable, with an equal advantage to the public, as the restriction of "the larger liberty "of their bristly compeers. I can see no one advantage, even to the owner, If there were any advantage to the owner in this practice, besides the robberies his swine accomplish, there would be some compensation in it; but there is none. The hog that rambles abroad is subject to injury from dogs, men, carriages, and locomotives, while his gain is not equivalent, with all his filchings, to make up to his carcass the waste of his extra exercise. Any man who keeps a hog or hogs should, both by statute and public opinion, be compelled to "circumscribe the area of their freedom" to their own pen, for his own interest, as well as for decency's sake. So repugnant to a reflecting person's feelings, is the result of a hog's rambles in a neighborhood, that we have known an otherwise pretty and thriving village or town, deprived of some of its best occupants in consequence of being compelled to share its pleasant walks and shaded avenues with such company. QUIRK. PRESERVING POULTRY AND GAME FRESH.-This delicious meat, and even small sheep, may be kept fresh two months of the winter, by first cooking, and then hanging them up to freeze in a cold room. Freezing makes the meat more tender, and it also partially absorbs the spices of the stuffing, and becomes very delicious in its flavor in a few weeks. Poultry, &c., may be preserved by having the insides taken out, and charcoal dust put in their place, and then hung up as above; also by putting it down in cold lard." AT this season, when the thronged streets of our cities look like summer flower gardens, or with richly tinted silks, and splendid stuffs of every hue, bedecking winter in all the gorgeous colors of an American autumn, those who do not love Nature for her own sake, may contrast these gas-lighted streets, and the ever moving crowds, with the leafless trees, bleak fields, and rugged walks of the country; and wonder how any one, left free to choose, should stay from the delights of a city life a single day after the fall of the first leaf had rung the knell of departed summer. them home, they truly declared, they had never passed a happier day-and promising to "come soon again," took a merry leave of their hospitable host and hostess. While sweeping round the lawn and through the fine old avenue of giant oaks, they agreed that Cousin Mary had not made such a bad choice after all, for with such an establishment, even winter in the country might be tolerated! This was the bright side of an unknown picture, and they had not gone far before the scene changed. Huge masses of clouds obscured the horizon, and threatened a storm; the bright noon-day sun had thawed the roads, through which the heavy wagons had ploughed deep ruts; and these a keen frost had hardened into frightful jolts, in going over one of which a spring broke, and the gay party were obliged to walk to the nearest smith, where they waited, shivering in the cold night air, until the carriage was brought up and repaired. By the time they were again on the road it was dark as Erebus -not a star to be seen; the moon had gone down, and the sharp wind blew the fast falling snow in their faces. At last they reached home, where Papa and We will fancy some of these gay young butter-Mama had become uneasy, and were waiting their flies of fashion, whose ideas of the country were return in anxious impatience, blaming them for gathered in an occasional ride, or during a railroad staying so late. Chilled and out of humor they excursion to some watering place-on calling to took their tea, and then related the chapter of sad remembrance one of their favorite companions, accidents. The sisters were frightened, and the whose cruel destiny had united her to the man of brothers came to the conclusion that they would her heart, and fixed in the country-half in pity for never be again entrapped into the country in cold her solitude, and half for the sake of a frolic, they weather; "the town was good enough for them.” agree to make her a visit, and spend a day, a win-All the charms of the country had vanished, and ter's day, in the country. A bright sunny morn- they declared that it was a shame for such a pretty ing was chosen, and as they drove rapidly over the girl as Cousin Mary, so clever and well educated, well beaten road, their spirits exhilarated by the pure to be buried alive in that way; and that she had healthful breeze, they could not help expressing the made a great mistake when she threw herself away admiration they felt for the snow-capped hills, with upon a farmer, who would not spend the winter in gigantic icicles hanging from every rugged rock, town. They acknowledged that he had received a and the picturesque groups of merry skaters on classical education, and was an intelligent, generous, every little frozen stream, with their odd-fashioned and fine-looking fellow; but to live out there was fur caps, and scarlet and blue comforters. too bad. They found their friend with her excellent hus- But what was poor Cousin Mary doing all this band and fine children well, and delighted to see time? As soon as her guests had departed, whose them; were ushered into the cheerful parlor with sacrifice to friendship she by no means appreciatedaffectionate haste, and warm welcome-sincere as how could she when she was so stupid as to love the warm-for out of the chilling influence of fashion- country for its own sake, as well as for that of the able life, where the feelings are too often frittered clodpole she gloried in calling her husband-she away upon crowds for whom one cares not, the returned to her parlor, arranged the tea table, closed heart has room to expand, and love dearly where it the curtains, and then by the bright light of the fire, loves at all; and closely does it enfold the favored in the fulness of her happy heart, she romped with few who find footing there. The morning passed her lovely boy; sung her sweet baby to sleep, and quickly and merrily away in admiring "Cousin sat down to wait until her husband should come in Mary's" winter arrangements, and talking over old to tea. Presently he came, glowing with health times and scenes. The plentiful, but unfashionably and happiness-and shaking the snow from his early dinner, the produce of their own farm and hair, predicts fine sleighing on the morrow. They dairy, was served with exquisite neatness, and ex-talked long and earnestly of the visit they had recellently dressed; they did not know how, for the ceived, and good-naturedly, but sincerely regretted short absence of their charming hostess had not that their young friends, who they thought were been noticed. They visited the dairy, and pro-made for better things, should be doomed to waste nounced it perfect; the poultry-yard, Mary's pecu- their energies in a city life; while they congratuliar care; and the small but well-filled green house, lated themselves upon their own far happier lot. which opening from the parlor, imparted, by its The day's cares were over; the table drawn closer tasteful arrangement, an air of elegance to the hand-to the fire; the lard lamp diffused its clear, soft some room. The loveliest flowers were gaily pluck-light through the spacious room, while with readed to be carried to town as trophies of their pil-ing, music, and cheerful, instructive conversation, grimage to "the country;" and while preparing to the evening glided imperceptibly away. The wind return in time to allow the young moon to light whistled around the house and groaned in the trees; but the storm was unheeded by them, save when to the delighted beholder; his throne is a rock. they thought of some neighbor less comfortably pro-crested hill top, robed in ice, from whence comes tected from the inclemency of the season. For crashing down with deafening noise, some rough their own lot they were thankful; there was a deep crag, or huge tree, the patriarch of the forest, that, felt sense of gratitude for their many unmerited after resisting the tempests of centuries, at last in its blessings; "a sober certainty of waking bliss," old age, too proud to bend, yields to a storm less which they could scarcely imagine to exist in the mighty than hundreds that have preceded it. The heartless bustle of a city life, and which they would garden in which Aladdin was so cruelly immersed not have exchanged for any other station however by the wicked magician, where the fruit was exalted. They truly felt that rubies, topazes, and sapphires, and the leaves of the trees were emeralds, never, even in my childish fancy, rivalled the glories of sunrise after an ice storm. Who ever witnessed this scene of exquisite splendor without feeling what has been so beautifully said by Nature's truest poet, "Is winter hideous in a garb like this?" E. S. "God made the country and man made the town. What wonder then that health and virtue, gifts That can alone make sweet the bitter draught That life holds out to all, should most abound And least be threatened in the fields and groves!" This is no fancy sketch. There are thousands, who are surrounded by all the luxuries and elegances of life, and calculated to shine in any sphere, and who have feelings and tastes refined enough to enjoy MILKING. I don't know anything about which the only truly independent life-that of a man, who folks are so careless in the winter, or that is owning and cultivating the soil he stands upon, and more disagreeable to us women, than the manner in unshackled by ceremony, except such as good feeling which the milking is done. Many farmers do not and unselfish habits produce, feels that he is free, and bed their cows at all, and the consequence is, they blesses God that he is so. The charms and the lie down in their filth, and get up in the morning pleasures of a country life cannot be enumerated, with bags too shocking to look at. Set a boy or were volumes filled with the catalogue. Who has man then to milking, and nine out of ten will not ever seen a snow storm without being entranced by half clean the cow's bag before they commence; so its beauty? How noiselessly the feathery flakes the dirt falls into the pail, and by the time they descend, and cover with the mantle of purity, all have finished stripping the cow, the milk is a nasty that was dark and barren in the prospect. How mess indeed!-hardly fit to give a pig, much more exquisite the fairy frostwork on every spray; to be brought into a decent dairy. Pah! it makes and when the tempest has sighed itself to sleep, me sick to think of the thing! Who would drink how beautiful and delicate the long drifts on it if they knew this? or use it in any cooking? or the fields and hill sides, curling over with their own weight like waves of the sea, and taking in their shadowy curves, the same green hue; or settling in heavy masses on the evergreens, and weighing them down in graceful sweeps, as they stand out in bold relief from the dark background. Then the merry sleigh bell; the gay parties; the pleasant visits to far off friends; and it is so invigorating, after being shut up during the storm, to feel the pure healthful air rushing past, as one is borne rapidly along over the smooth white roads. make butter from it? If it was not for being MAKING STOCKING YARN.-Many has been the time that my mother has come to me, saying, But then comes a thaw, followed by a cold driving" Johnny, get off the dye-tub," when comfortably rain that freezes as it falls, encrusting every object seated upon it in the corner of the old stone chimwith its icy robes. The sheets of water dashing ney, drying my stockings, after a day spent in sledagainst the windows almost obscure the light of ding wood on a Saturday, or during school vacaday; everything without is bleak and dreary, and tion. Yes, the old dye-tub stood in the corner within doors no one wishes to venture beyond the twenty-four years ago; and when I went home last precincts of a blazing fire. All are glad to betake November, there it stood, as if it had never been themselves to early rest, to sleep away the cheer-moved since I left. It holds precisely seven galless hours, feeling as if an air of gloom pervaded lons, and when a fresh dye is to be set, it is filled even the snug bedrooms. Morning steals upon two-thirds full of chamber ley, with six ounces of them calm and bright, as if the wind had never best Spanish-float indigo, put into a small bag, made learned to blow, and with the rising sun such a of cotton cloth, tied up and thrown in for the dyescene of inimitable splendor bursts upon their sight, ing. Here it lies in the liquor which is kept at a as they had not dreamed of. The Storm King had moderate heat, for several days, when the indigo is been abroad, and all nature, to do him honor, is squeezed gently with the hand, and the wool then dressed in his gorgeous livery of robes embroidered with living gems; the meanest slaves in his train, the withered herbage and dry sticks, are decked in an array of jewels that the proudest earth-born monarch might envy. His sceptre is some tall pine, each twig and leaf glittering with diamonds of the purest lustre, multiplied indefinitely by the passing breeze which shakes them off with lavish profusion as it bends its majestic head, as if in mock reverence put in, and occasionally stirred and examined from day to day, until the color suits. The wool is now taken out of the liquor, and wrung clean of it. and then put out to dry, after which it is mixedone part a beautiful, deep indigo blue, and two parts white wool. Next it is carded at the factory, and then spun on a hand wheel in my mother's old kitchen, and thus girls are never out of knitting-yarn from one year's end to the other. JOHN DOLITTLE. Of the natural Order Graminea, or true grasses, there are believed to be about 2,000 species, or nearly one-twentieth part of the whole number of flowering plants, known at present to HERE, boys, you have a funny looking fellow, botanists. Of these a large proportion are, directly indeed. Mr. Bement, in his Poulterer's Compa- or indirectly, useful to man; and the almost uninion, says, "This bird, by modern writers, is con- versal distribution of grasses wherever the human sidered a species, rather than a variety. It is of foot has trod, seems to warrant the assertion, that good size, and the whole body is covered with they are the most important of any known tribe of feathers, the webs of which are disunited some- plants-if not more so than all other groups of what in the manner of some of the feathers of the vegetable productions; the nutritious herbage, and ostrich and the peacock, and appear some like hairs the farinaceous albumen of the seeds, constituting and glossy silk. The legs are covered on the out- the chief support of man, and the herbivorous aniside to the toes. Individuals of this sort differ in mals, whether domesticated, or left free to be hunted respect to color, as in other varieties; some are pure at will, for food or raiment. Generally humble in white, and others of a dingy-brown; and all of appearance, and low in stature-seldom rising more them with dark-colored legs, nor are the legs al- than a few feet from the ground-there is little to ways feathered. This bird is indigenous in Japan, remind one of their vast importance in the scale of where it is much prized, and is also found in China, organized creation-the bamboos, and a few other where they are frequently offered in cages for sale tropical species, alone rising to the height of trees. to the Europeans. The skin and bones are said to They grow in every soil and climate on land and be black, which gives it, when cooked, an unfavor-in water-in the torrid zone, and the frozen wastes able appearance, on which account it is in disrepute." of Spitzbergen and on the rocky declivities of our northern Andes, they flourish, almost on the confines of the region of eternal snow. Under the equator they grow, like other plants, singly, or nearly so; while in the temperate climes of the northern hemisphere, they cover vast districts, to the almost total exclusion of every other species of vegetation. My subject being slightly scientific, I shall write in very short chapters, for fear of tiring the boys with dry matter and hard names, so this will do for the present. In my next I shall explain what true grass is, and give some account of its different varieties. My articles will require some study from the boys; but inasmuch as I intend to make them very wise on these matters before we get through, I hope they will bear it patiently, and continue with me to the end. M. G. A CHAPTER ON GRASSES.-No 1. Things which Farmers Boys ought to know.Among the many things which farmers' boys should be familiar with, not the least important appears to be a knowledge of the names, properties, and uses, of the plants they cultivate; for why should they, with eyes to see, and understandings to comprehend the wonderful variety and beauty of the vegetable creation, which comes under their daily notice, be as ignorant of their nature as the animals for whose use they are planted and gath-bu ered? It is a bold assertion, but perhaps not far from the truth, that farming is rapidly advancing to the rank of a science; but if it is ever to be so considered, it must be by farmers becoming acquainted with those sciences, without whose aid they can never hope to be more than mere tillers of the soil. At the head of these are chemistry, mineralogy, and botany. If my very humble efforts in these numbers to awaken an interest in the pursuit of natural science among the younger members of the agricultural community are crowned with the least success, and tend to induce some one better qualified for the task to continue what I have begun, I shall have reason to feel peculiarly gratified." NOTHING is more neglected in their food and drink, at this season of the year, than the poultry. Too many farmers leave their fowls to pick up a scanty existence from the dung-heap; and, as for water, they do not think of providing it at all, though all the ponds and aqueducts may be frozen up, rendering it impossible for the poor birds to get a drop to quench their burning thirst; for thirst they have in winter as well as summer-just as much, boys, as you. This cut will be explained in our next. |