, 1861-04-05
Terms of Subscription:
Agricultural.


hardening, as it is termed. so that the rig
ors of winter are fatal. An oak does no
winter kill, because the texture of the WOO,
is firm. The same is true of seeding frui
trees to a considerable extent Our choic,
varieties of fruit have been produced il
many instances, by high, if not over cult
Fution, and it is an old remark, that thu
hardihood of a tree is sacrificed by thai
culture which produces a superior quality
of fruit We need not expect to procure
trees that will bear the first year of q.
hardy nature as those which produce an
inferior variety. Yet we may do much to
Increase the power of endurance in the ten
der varieties. Whatever is attempted must
be done during the period of growth. The
point to be aimed at is TO check the growth
of the tree early in the season, in order
that the wood may be rendered hard and
firm before winter. A dry autumn pre-
Sents this end. When raius are abundant
and the weather is warm, vegetation goes
on rapidly, often till arrested by sudden
snap, after which there is time for the pro-
cess. But We cannot trust to the weather.
CALVES WITH SHEEP-A correspondent
Of the Germantown Telegraph remarks that
late calves, when they come to the barn in
the fall, will, if confined in yards with older
animals, frequently sicken and become de-
bilitated Being weak and small, they are
usually showed about and deprived of their
due share of the food, and in consequence
'fnli away" rapidly Now, never allow
animals Of this description to associate or
be confined with larger ones, but put them
with my sheep, where there is no danger of
their doing or receing harm Sick calves,
l have observed, often pick up and devour
with avidity the hay and straw from among
the sheep dung. 1t is medicinal, and |
know Of no article that has a more imme-
diate and snlutary effect in restoring dis
eased calves to health than sheep dung. l
have prncticed this usage for many years,
OBd have never lost on animal, though
have had many sick when they came to the
barn.
To PRoTEcT SINGLE RooF FROM FIRE.
The editor of the Albany Knickerbock-
or says that wash composed of lime, salt,
and find sand, or wood ashes, put on the
ordinary wash Of whte-washing, renders the
roof ffy-fold more safe against taking Gre
from falling einders, or otherwise. in case of
fires in the vicinity. 1t pays the expense o
hundred fold in its preserving influence
against the effect Of the weather The
older and more weather beaten the shingles
are, the more benefit derived; such shingles
are generally more or less warped, rough
and cracked. The application of the wash,
by yetting the upper surface, restores them
at once to their original or Grst form, there
by closing the space between the shingles,
and the lime aud sand by filling up the
cracks and spots in the shingle itself, pre-
vent its warping for years, il not forever
INFLUENCE OF EXTREME Coin UPON SEEDS.
Some experiments have been made this
year by Professor Ellie Wartmann, Of Gene
va. Switzerland, on the influence Of extreme
cold upon the seeds of plants Nine vurie-
ties Of seeds, some OF them tropical, were
selected. They were placed in hermetical-
ly-sealed tubes, and submitted to a cold as
science can produce. Some remained ff-
teen days in a mixture of snow and salt;
some were plunged into bath of liquid
sulphuric acid, rendered extremely cold by
artificial means. On the 5th Of April they
were all sown in pots, and placed in the
open air. They all germinated. and those
which had undergone the rigors of frigidity,
produced plants as robust as those which
had not been submitted to this test.
WARvlXG TO HousEKEEPERs.- recipe
to make a labor-saving washing Auid is 60
ing the rounds Of the country papers. The
Ingredients are soft soap, sal soda, and
spirits of turpentine; "the clothes are to
be boiled for fifteen minutes" in this vigor-
Gus detergent, after which they will re-
quire little or no rubbing Of any account" I"
Probably not; they will fall to pieces readi-
Iy enough without the rubbing"
A CONCERT BY THE When, as it
oiten.times happens, we hear the tinkling of
a sheep-bell, or COW bell on the hills, or in
the woods, we are reminded Of the many
pleasing illusions Of the British poets to
this cheerful rural sound The bells, it is
true, are not generally as musical as they
might be, yet they strike pleasant chord
in the heart of every one who loves the
country. 1t has often occurred to us, that
if the manufacturers Of these bells would
make some of superior quality Of tone,
not few farmers would be glad to buy
them for their herds. 1t would be q pleas
mt sound for the traveller, to hear from q
distauce, as the animals wended their home
ward way at night, and it would gladder
the ear Of the proprietor and bis family
We have heard few such bells.
Within short time, we have seen i
stated that certain English nobleman ha
suspended musical bell on the neck OF al
his cows, each bell tuned to different not,
of the scale, and the whole running throngl
several octaves. A visitor to this farm j
charmed by the music, as well as by tb
sleek sides of the cattle. Sometimes h
hears several notes in unison, then sligh
discord, and then a sweet harmony, and al
varied by distance and by the rising an'
falling Of the breeze,