Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1858-07-30
AGRICULTURAL.
From the Germantown Telegraph !
CUTTING TIMBER FOR FENCING.
Avn Ola Farmer,s ExperIence.

There never will be much Improvement in
the plaass systen OF method Of far ming, or any
thing else, if We place implicit confidence,
without investigation, in the opinion and prac
tees of others, ancient or modern. Any man
Is liable sometimes to be mistaken: and espe-
cially, if this belief is grounded wholly, or in
part on theory; or on the opinion of his father,
or some other great man, If we try the thing
several times with the same result, it will very
much establish the fact Of the truth or falsity
of the matter in hand. "Experieuce is the
best kind of knowledge that CAP be acquired. "
According to my experience, the time that
has been considered as the best for cutting TIM
ber, where durability is required, is mistake.
That time was in the old Of the moon in Feb
ruary, when il was said there was smaller
quantity Of sap in The wood, than at any other
time in the year. And they likewise held the
idea that fence posts ought 10 be seasoned be-
fere they were set in the ground.
had posts made frem the body of large
chestnut tree, that grew by itself; il was cut
about the midd@aof April, made into posts,
and put up without seasoning. They general
ly stood about twenty years; at the end Of thir
iy-four years the last of them wsse taken up,
and were not then entirely rotten. Again,
cut white oak in the beginning Of May, when
there was full flow Of sap; their general du-
rsbility was seventeen years; and some of those
made Of the limbs, were taken up after they
had stood twenty-five years, and were not yet
rotten.
Again, cut another chestnut, aud eighteen
feet from the stump, l made gate post OF the
body, peeled off the bark aud planted it while
yet green. The post has been standing since
1911, and it shows no sign of being rotten ex-
cept small hollow in the top of it. cut an
other thrifty white-oak at the standard time in
February, and planted the posts the spring fol-
lowing. The gronnd III which the fence was
set, in all three eases, was alike. At the end
Of six years, from planting this last batch of
posts, there were SO many of them rotten as to
be easily broken off even With the top Of the
ground. have not been much in the practice
OF w-iiing for posts to season before they were
used, thought sometimes happened; but the re-
suit was always in favor of the green posts.
When thesap is displaced by seasoning, all
4hs cavities are filled with air, which when bur-
led IN the ground, become partially dislodged
by water, producing mixture very unfavora-
Lle to the durability Of the wood. If the air
could be excluded; the buts Of posts would last
a great length Of time, as where logs have been
found several feet below the surface of the
ground, in low, swampy places, that in all pro-
bability have lain there many hundred years.
~ hen posts are planted in a green state, the
zap prevents in part The admission of the air,
and hence their lasting longer. If timber is
cut for rails, when the sap is running, the bark
stripped off and the rails made Immediately, :,
they will last onc-fourth longer than if cut at
any other time and have the bark loft on. The
inside bark, when it remains on the wood, is the
first part to decay and rot, and being closely
connected with the sap of the wood, and being
Of porous nature, contains air aud water
enough to carry the process of decay into the
wood, when, il the bark is peeled off, the sap
part of the wood DRIES in short time, and In
great measure prevents decay.
have noticed that posts made from the limbs
and upper parts of the tree, always lasted the
longest.
It IS bad plan to bank dirt up around tho
posts in setting fence, to turn the water off; as
with all that can be ,no there will be DISTURB
enough left, in company with the air, to Pro-
mote speedy rotting. The air should as much
SIS possible be excluced from the post, below
the top of the ground aud to do this, make a
hollow, or dish around each post, to catch the
water, and the longer the water stands there
the better for the post.
PRACTICAL FARMER.
23d ucnrd, Philadelphia, Sd No Isl. 1855.
REcEIPT FOR MAKING loE CREAM.-Two
quarts good rich pilk; four fresh eggs three
quarters pound of white sugar six teaspoons
Of Bermuda arrow root. Rub the arrow-root
Eu.ooli in little cold milk, beat the eggs and
sugar together; bring the milk to the boiling
point then stir in the arrow-root; remove it
then from the fire and immediately add the eggs
snd sugar, stirring briskly, 10 keep the eggs
from cooking, then set aside to COOL Ii ia
s,aed With extracts let it be done jusl before
putting it in the freezer If the vanilla bean
is used, it must be boiled in the milk.
'NUnele Toms Cabin" has received the an
proval of the Pope as an ultra Roman Catho-
lie novel. Au ingenious, but not very proba-