346

NORTHERN CALENDAR FOR NOVEMBER.

subjects embodied in the following schedule, adopted by the executive committee-John. P. Beekman, President, in the chair-several of the premiums, on important subjects (as stated when premiums were first offered months ago), being open to competition from citizens of other states as well as New York-a fact which editors are particularly requested to notice:

PREMIUMS OFFERED

Which were not included in the list published in our May No., page 146 and following:

For the best text-book on agriculture and horticulture, for the use of schools (copyright reserved to the author), $100.

harvests. Good schools must be provided for them, good teachers, and good books. Their minds now, and indeed at all times, should be as closely watched over as the more tangible things of the farm. On their correct moral and intellectual education, depends much, perhaps all their success in after life, and no fences minds. Good seed sown here, on good soil, and well should be neglected, or bars left down in their young cultivated, if the weeds of vice and bad principles are thoroughly extirpated, will never fail of producing an abundant harvest. It is not sufficient that their parents

see them furnished with all the means for mental imalso. Daily examination into the progress of their provement; they must take an interest in their studies children, should be the constant practice of parents; For the best essay, detailing observations made on nexion between their studies and their own business questions asked having a bearing upon them; the conthe culture aud diseases of the potato, with special ref-pointed out, to show that they have a practical applicaerence to the phenomena of the extraordinary visitation tion to the concerns of every-day life; and they should which has largely desolated the potato crop in the be explained and illustrated in such a manner as to United States, and embracing suggestions for counter-excite an interest and inquiry in their young minds. acting the difficulty in future cultivation of that crop- The discipline of the school ought to be inquired into, a gold medal worth $20.

For the best essay on the means of diffusing scientific knowledge in connexion with agricultural and horticultural information, through the instrumentality of the public libraries and schools, with a catalogue of books suitable for the purpose a gold medal worth $20. HENRY O'REILLY, Rec. Sec.,

Agricultural Hall, Old State House, Albany.

NORTHERN CALENDAR FOR NOVEMBER.

and the relative standing of the children; and when praise is due, bestow it; and where censure and even No farmer would think of putting out his land to be punishment are needed, they should not be withheld. managed by an agent without frequent and close supervision. Do not, therefore, put out the minds of your children, which are of infinitely more value, to the management of every individual, without a closer and more thorough attention than he gives to his grounds and his cattle.

Commence spreading out hemp for dew rotting, bearIr is now time to close up the operations of the warming in mind the observations on this subject last month. season, and provide for the cold. Finish collecting in all your crops, corn, turneps, cabbages, &c., and see that your cellars are well secured against frost, and your granaries against depredators. Finish the fall plowing. All clay land should be thrown into ridges for the action of the frost. One good plowing on such land in the fall is worth two or three in the spring, and as the soil has a great affinity for ammonia, while thus exposed, it will absorb large quantities of it brought down in the winter and spring, by the snows and rain, which it will yield to the crops the ensuing season. Examine the winter grain and any water furrows which have become choked up, let them be opened. Standing water will kill any useful vegetable, excepting rice.

KITCHEN GARDEN.-If not done last month, many of the early vegetables may be sown for the ensuing spring, if you have not hot beds for forcing. The beds ought to be thrown up high, so as to avoid water during winter and spring, and being soon dry when the snow is off, the young plants will take an early start. They should be well filled with the heating manure, as horse dung, &c. In these, tomatoes, lettuce, spinage, cress, &c., may be sown. The asparagus bed should have a large supply of rich manure, which the winter rains will drain of all its enriching soluble matters and carry to the lowest roots, and on the opening of spring, will be ready to furnish a fresh treat for the table. Let the lettuces in frames still be exposed to the air during the day, but be covered by the glass at night. Practise the same treatment with cabbages and cauliflowers in frames. Take up all the remaining roots and store as detailed last month. Rhubarb seed can now be sown, and will vegetate better than if kept out of the ground until spring. In the early part of this month, manure and trench the ground intended for early spring crops.

The yards should be well bedded with turf, peat, or muck, weeds, refuse straw, and other vegetable matters; and so constructed that the soluble parts of it, which are the best, shall not be drained off to help inundate the roads and ditches. If time permits, drains should be made to carry off the latent water, which destroys the crops, or diminishes them so much as hardly to pay for the raising. Underground, in preference to surface drains, should always be constructed, unless large quan- FRUIT GARDEN AND ORCHARD.-Gooseberries, curtities of water are required to pass. Give all your rants, and raspberries, may now be transplanted. Of roots in heaps for the winter an additional covering be- the latter the red and white Antwerp are considered the fore the ground is frozen. Have all the barns and most desirable. Do this the early part of the month, sheds well covered and mended, and the racks and and in the latter part lay down the raspberries, and mangers all tight, and in order, that no hay or proven-cover them with sedge or any kind of litter. Cover der may be wasted. Before the ground is frozen, look well to your fences. No meadows, winter grain, or even pastures, should be exposed to poaching from cattle, sheep, or hogs. An animal will frequently do more FLOWER GARDEN AND PLEASURE GROUNDS.-The hurt in one of them in a day at this season, than in a directions for last month will also apply to this, while week while the ground is well settled in summer. In the ground is free from frost. The latter part of the the meantime the household plants-the children-month cover the flower borders and bulbous beds, and should not be neglected, and especially the older ones also all flowery plants and shrubs with a litter of straw who have helped through the labors of the summer and or of salt hay.

the strawberries with litter or they may be killed, or at least injured, by the winter. Dig and trench or plow the ground intended for planting in the spring.

FOREIGN AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

FOREIGN AGRICULTURAL NEWS.

By the steamship Acadia we are in receipt of our European journals to the 4th of October. MARKETS.-Ashes. Large sales in Pots and little doing in Pearls-a slight advance has taken place. Cotton remained without change since the departure of the Caledonia on the 19th ult., so that the depression of price during the month of September has been only d. per lb. There is a steady demand. Stock on hand at Liverpool on the 1st of October, 904,500 bales, against 814,000 same date last year. Flour and Grain still continue excessively dull. Provisions. Beef, Pork, and Cheese, considerable inquiry, especially of the finer kinds; Lard had advanced from 6d. to 1s. per cwt.; English Cheese is short in quantity this year, owing to the great drought. Naval Stores were quite active. Tallow and Tobacco the same.

Money is easy and abundant, though a good demand

exists for it.

American Stocks. A slightly increased confidence is taking place in them.

Trade still continued active.

per ton.

The

The Harvesting of grain was nearly over. crops are good and uncommonly well secured. Guano from Ichaboe was selling from £6 to £6 5s. When it can be had in the U. S. as reasonably our farmers will use large quantities. Wool. About 20,000 bales of Australian was advertised in London for sale soon at auction. A large number of buyers were flocking in, and good prices for it were anticipated.

American Hay. That which has been exported to England was of timothy or herds-grass, which being much coarser than English hay, prejudiced buyers against it. They formed their opinion of the hay from its coarseness, and not from its quality for feeding. We are persuaded that for nutriment it is equal, if not superior to most English. The prices it sold at were low, and in several instances subject the shippers to a loss. We hope the English people will try the quality of our hay before they allow their prejudices to condemn it.

Sales of Durham Cattle.-These continue to bring high prices in England. Mr. Whitaker has just sold his entire herd at auction, consisting of 79 head. The highest price obtained was for Buchan Hero, 350 guineas ($1,750); the lowest, a cow, at £25. The lot averaged £51 7s. ench (say $250). Mr. Yorke had a large sale averaging £35 each. Mr. Smith also had a spirited sale of Durhams. Several of the above animals were purchased for the continent. The King of the French bought the Earl of Buchan, calved July, 1843, for 200 guineas.

347

Acre. It has been asserted by some, and sneered at by others in this country, that 100 bushels of wheat could be easily grown upon a single acre. It will be seen that the following little experiment in England produced at the rate of 320 bushels! The imperial bushel contains 2,218-192 cubic inches; the Winchester (our fore, is to the Winchester as 1 to 969447. The Engcommon bushel), 2,150-42; the imperial bushel, therelish quarter of wheat is 8 imperial bushels of 70 lbs. each, equal to 93 American bushels of 60 lbs. each. 32 grains of wheat, at 6 inches distance, an inch and At the end of August, 1843, I planted in my garden a half deep; the seed was of the first-rate quality. to 28 stems and ears each; the average number of ears This seed produced this year 32 plants, having from 10 was 16; the average weight of each plant 14 ounce. An acre of land would contain, at 6 inches distance, 174,240 plants; the produce 304,940 oz., or nearly 19,600 lbs., 320 bushels, or 40 quarters per acre. The expense of dibbling would be more than saved by the diminished quantity of seed required. I do not mean to state that such a result would be obtained upon a large scale; but I think it is worthy of trial, when we know that the average produce is only 2 quarters per acre, and that it is possible (?) to grow 40: it will be Try a breadth in your fields an inch and a half deep; allowed that there is ample scope for improvement. put 1 grain, and 1 only, in each hole-plant it at 6 or 8 inches distant-be sure to plant good seed-get as much produce as you can, but go for 40 quarters per acre.

Grafting the Chesnut on the Oak.-In the department of the Correze, an oak, engrafted eight years ago with chesnut, has produced at length chesnuts of good quality. The success of this experiment is deemed important for extensive districts where the oak flourishes and the chesnut is barren, and where the fruit is needed for food.

Mexican Pheasants.-A pair of these superb birds has recently been sent to the Queen of England. They are of immense size, being nearly as large as a turkey. Their crests are black, resembling in shape a cockatoo's, which it is expected will change to a bright yellow color, when they have attained a certain age. The. feathers from their crests along their backs are perfectly black, having an extraordinary woolly appearance. Their fine full breasts are also black, beautifully spangled with white. Their legs and gills are of a rich red color. They have now become so exceedingly tame that they will feed from the hands of her Majesty and the Prince Consort.

Preserving Apples in Pits.-Apples may be kept in pits after the manner of potatoes; we have seen this Twin Chickens.-It having been deemed advisable practised both in France and England with success; but by Mr. Walters, the superintendent of her Majesty's the fruit does not keep long after it is taken out; conaviary, in order to improve the breed of the genuine sequently, only a small quantity should be taken out at Dorking fowl, that it should be crossed with that of the one time, and the pit should be instantly closed up, to Cochin China fowl, the necessary arrangements were prevent the admission of air. Apples kept in this manmade for that purpose. A Dorking hen, which had ner will be found quite good and sound in the months roosted for some time past with the fowls from China, of May and June, or even July, if they have been pithas recently been in the habit of laying twice, and ted in a careful manner, all bruised ones being rejected, sometimes thrice a week, eggs containing double, or which would destroy the others. A little powdered two distinct yolks. Mr. Walters, determining to try charcoal should be carefully sifted over the apples as the experiment of attempting to hatch one of these they are laid up, which should be done in regular double-yolked eggs, placed it, with several other eggs, layers. The charcoal absorbs any moisture that is under the hen. The result was that two chickens given off by the apples, and keeps all cool. After this were produced from this single egg; one is a cock bird is done, take some clean wheat straw, or hay, and lay of the pure Cochin China breed, and the other is a it over the fruit, to the thickness of a foot, fastening it hen chick of the Dorking species, both of which are down with ropes made of the same material, then cover now five days old and in good health. This is a cir- them up with earth to the depth of a foot. This covcumstance, as we are informed, unprecedented in the ering will prevent any change in the atmosphere from annals of natural history.-New Farmers' Journal. reaching the apples. The operation should be perThree Hundred and Twenty Bushels of Wheat performed in dry weather.-Gardeners' Chronicle.

Instructions for Using Guano.-In the application of, this valuable manure, it is necessary to keep in view its powerful properties, and to exercise great care to prevent its coming into immediate contact with the newly sown seed or the foliage of plants and flowers. It should never be placed in contact with seeds; for all seeds in the process of germination give off a greater or less quantity of carbonic acid and vinegar; and these acids having strong affinities for the ammoniacal portion of the guano, are apt to attract it so powerfully, as to check and even destroy vegetation.

son, the system of cropping, the state of the soil and its previous treatment; therefore the applications may with propriety vary from 2 cwt. to 8 cwt. per imperial acre, when given alone. When a portion of dung, bones, or other manure, has been applied, the quantity of guano must be correspondingly diminished. In apportioning the guano nothing can exceed the accuracy of weights and scales; but it may be convenient to keep in mind that one bushel of sifted guano weighs about 52 lbs. to 54 lbs. For smaller or botanical applications, one heaped pint may be reckoned equal to 1 lb. of sifted guano.

Application. The compost may be sown, either broadcast or in drills, according to crop; but the most successful applications have been made with the use of the common machine employed for drilling the manure and seed at the same time, the operation of this machine being to deposite the guano compost so much deeper than the seed, as to allow a portion of soil to intervene. Whichever may be the mode adopted, the two primary objects of the application should be accomplished, viz., distributing the manure equally and cov

The above is quoted from a Manual on Guano, by James Clark, published in London.

Preparation.-To secure its safe application, it has been found most effectual to mix it with about four times its own bulk of finely sifted mould, ashes, or charcoal, or even with sand, if the soil be of a cold clayey nature; and that the mixture may be complete, the guano should, before mixing, be carefully passed through a fine garden sieve. That portion of the guano, such as the undecomposed bones, beaks, or claws of birds, which can not be passed through the sieve, will nevertheless be found strongly impregnated with ammoniacal salts, and by steeping in water, will readily yield a rich liquid manure. An intelligent farmer in Dum-ering it speedily. friesshire, in reference to the necessity of mixing the guano before applying it to the soil, writes as follows:The objects of mixing guano are, 1. To partly disin- Effect of Folding Sheep on Wheat.-This experifect it by absorbing its volatile products and diminishing ment was tried on a field in 1843, plowed down and its smell. 2. To separate its active particles, and prepared for wheat, manuring it with 20 loads of dung, thereby diminish their action on each other. 3. To mixed with double that quantity of earth, and tilled in present it to warm soils in a form in which its action the following October. In March, 1844, folded Southwill be less violent at first, but more protracted and down sheep and lambs on it by night, to the proportion steady than when given in an unmixed state. Of of from 800 to 1,000 sheep to the acre, changing their course, the colder the soil, and the earlier the season ground every night, and turning them into grass paswhen sown, the less quantity of mixed is needed, and ture by day. The difference between the wheat grown conversely. But as a general rule, it should be mixed on the folded ground, and on the portion not folded was as equally as possible, with four times its bulk of finely very manifest. Specimens of wheat affected by the sifted, moderately dry, black or brown colored earth, or foregoing modes of management were produced, fully peaty matter, sawdust, slightly burnt clay, charred turf, confirming the statements made.-New Farmers' Jour. coal or peat ashes, whichever of these substances can be most conveniently had. Perhaps newly burnt charcoal used as soon as cold, is the best matter that can be had for mixing; but as it can seldom be at the farmer's command, any of the above matters will answer in its stead.

A mixture of gypsum with guano can seldom do any hurt, and for turneps or clover on light soils, it may often be advantageous.

A very simple and economical mode of preparing guano for use, is to spread 2 cwt. of dry sifted mould, &c., three or four inches thick; lay 1 cwt. of sifted guano over it, and 2 cwt. of the mould, &c., on that again; leave the heap for two or three days protected from the weather, then let it be well mixed, and sifted through a common garden sieve. Thus prepared, it can be sown without inconvenience to the farmer, and spread without loss evenly over the field.

Guano may be also used with equal safety in a liquid state, dissolved in water, and perhaps this is the most effectual mode of developing its powers, for like all concentrated fertilizers, it requires a considerable supply of moisture, and has always exhibited the most productive results during wet seasons. For this reason it is particularly desirable that the dry mixture or compost, as we shall call it through these directions, should be used immediately before rain. But as irrigation is too tedious and costly for extensive operations, the liquid application is a most necessarily confined to the flower and kitchen garden.

Apportionment.--The quantities in which guano should be used, are necessarily regulated by the variety of crop and vegetation, also by the period of the sea

Monster Mushroom.-A mushroom was gathered on Tuesday last in a field belonging to Edmund Hornby, Esq., of Dalton Hall, which measured thirty inches in circumference, and was upward of one and a half inches thick.-Ib.

Number of Bees and Cells in a Hive.-A bee-hive, which was opened by Swammerdam, was found to contain one queen bee, 33 males or drones, 5,635 working bees, 45 eggs, and 150 worms. Total population, 5,854; for whose accommodation there were 3,392 war cells for the use of the working bees, 62 cells containing bees' bread, and 236 cells in which honey had been deposited: in all 3,620 cells. From this observation it may be presumed that the hives contain 5,000 to 6,000 inhabitants, among which there is only one female, viz., the queen bee, and from 3,000 to 4,000 cells.—Ib.

Yellow Millet.-This is the Chinese peasant's plant par excellence. Its grain is the basis of his nutriment. The stalk is food for his cattle, in the place of hay, which they have never thought of cutting. The straw of another species of millet, which attains a height of fifteen feet, is used to make the fences of his garden. and serves also for fuel.

Curious Hen.-There is now in the possession of Mr. Hook, boot and shoe maker, Norfolk street, a very curious hen. It is without any beak, and resembles the face of a dog. It can procure its food with the greatest facility, and we understand is complete master of its companions.

A White Swallow was taken out of a nest in Twyning church last week by a Mr. Thomas Brown, plumber, of Tewkesbury, and was kept alive for a couple of days. It has since been stuffed.

EDITOR'S TABLE.