DOCTOR.-I am not quite sure. I rather think ted. The print too is large, so as not to make that some of them are familiar to me; however, the study of the immortal bard a trial to weak it is an amusing book, full of chit-chat, and I eyes. The second number of the "Flowers of have selected as a specimen of it, for this month's Loveliness" is at your elbow, Laird. Look at the Anglo, one of the most readable. What are you engraving of "the passion flower," and tell me laughing at, Laird ? how you like it. LAIRD. The title o' this book; fancy ony body noo-a-days, when peace congresses are a' the rage, inditing a book called the "Art o' War." MAJOR.-If it is Jomini's book that you are nichering at, you have small cause for mirth. It is a work which cannot fail, at the present moment especially, to interest deeply all students on the tactics of war. LAIRD.-I'll no deny that is very striking, but here is ane I prefer, the Laurel-I like the attitude o' the lassie stannin' up; there's something fine in her attitude. Save us a', Major, what gara you gape yon way? MAJOR.-I am sleepy. The Doctor tempted me to go to a Concert last night, and I am so little used to late hours now that I feel tired. LAIRD.-H.O did ye like it? MASOR.-Very much; I refer you to the Doctor, however, for full particulars. DOCTOR.-Why, Major, what has become of all His principles are laid down with care, and he has illustrated them with vigor, adducing military facts from all ages in support of every position he has advanced. One part, most particu larly, is interesting, where he shows that, speak-your indignation? ing of the Balkan, men generally have been too ready to take for granted that the passes are impregnable-he adduces two instances of this ignorance. Just listen: LAIRD.-Aboot what? DOCTOR.-Our friend was very irate at the ill manners of several of the audience, who got up, while the last song was still unfinished, and bolted to the door, perfectly careless of the fact that they were thereby preventing better mannered persons from hearing what was sung. "I will cite two examples of them of which I was a witness; in 1796, the army of Moreau, penetrating into the Black Forest, expected to find terrible mountains, defiles and forests, which the ancient Hercinius called to memory with frightMAJOR.-The more I think on it the worse ful circumstances; we were surprised after hav-light do these uncivilized creatures appear in. ing climbed the cliffs of that vast plateau, which One person, to whom I made the remark, told look upon the Rhine, to see that those steeps and their counterforts form the only mountains, and that the country, from the sources of the Danube to Donauwerth, presents plains as rich as fertile. The second example, still more recent, dates in 1813; the whole army of Napoleon, and that great captain himself, regarded the interior of Bohemia as a country cut up with mountains; whereas, there exists scarcely one more flat in Europe, as soon as you have crossed the belt of secondary mountains with which it is surrounded, which is the affair of a march." The book will be found by all military aspirants a most valuable one, and even for the every day reader it will have interest. me that it was because it was late, in consequence of the programme being too long. DOCTOR.-And what was your response? MAJOR.-That if it was late, it was owing to the senseless encoring. No fewer than three long pieces were encored-a downright infliction on parties who go to enjoy themselves. DOCTOR.-Nothing at all, my dear Major, to the first night. Nearly every song was encored, and it was as hard, in some cases, as though Hamlet or Richard the Third should be encored at the end of the last act. LAIRD.-But, Doctor, this is no telling me LAIRD.-Weel, weel, I am too auld to begin what I want to hear. How did the concert go sic like studies. Hae ye got onything else, Doc-off? tor? DOCTOR.-Very successfully. The singing DOCTOR.-Yes; a lot of Tallis' books. "Shake- thoughout was good, three duets especially. You speare,” and “Flowers of Loveliness,” to wit. MAJOR.-Shakespeare can never come amiss, come in what guise it may. DOCTOR,-You forgot, I fancy, the American edition of it, for boarding-school girls, with the improper passages cut out. MAJOR.-True; I forgot that. Tallis' version however, is, I am certain, not of that sort. must go, Laird, on the next night. You will be delighted with Griebel's violin, or, if the piano delights you more, you will find Mr. Hayter's music well worth listening to. You are not au fait at modern concert giving, or I would tell you that the selections, in this last affair, gave much more satisfaction than those of the former. Look at the Major, how fearfully he yawns! We must shorten our proceedings in pity to him. DOCTOR.-By no means. It is a capital edition, with good notes, well got up, and finely illustra-Out with your facts, Laird. LAIRD.-There they are, close at your elbow. of wool, is worth as much when left by inheritance Rax them over, and I will read them. [Reads. PLANS FOR THE YEAR. A person who first visits one of our best manufactories, is struck with the perfect order and system that prevail in every part of the establishment. Every man is busy, and every one knows his place; every part of the machinery is perfectly adapted to its intended purpose,-slow and powerful in one part, and light and rapid in another; the power applied to move the whole is just sufficient for all its multifarious operations, and none is wasted; the rough material is carefully worked up in such a way that nothing is lost; and skilful calculations are made of all the expenditure as compared with the future profits, and the whole carefully recorded by skilful clerks, in such a manner that those transactions that contribute most to profit, or those which occasion loss, are quickly detected. as when paid for each day in cash. An interesting proof of the deceptiveness of present profit was furnished by an experiment performed some years ago in England with two distinct plans of rotation-one, with the wheat crop occuring frequently, and constituting a more exhausting course; and the other more beneficial to the soil, but affording less return in cash. At first the close-cropping course appeared decidedly the most remunerative; but in the course of years the other course had so improved the land, that the minor or secondary crops themselves proved as profitable as the wheat crop had formerly been, which now far exceeded them, and thus rendered the enriching course the best, even throwing out of view its influence on the soil. An even distribution of labor is of much importance, and not unfrequently entirely overlooked. Hands hired for the season commonly Is it so with the farmer? Does he so arrange come to understand the routine of work much his business that every hired man is occupied, better than day-hands, and they work more knowing at any moment what work is assigned cheaply. A farmer sows half his fields with wheat, him, and so that none are idle at one time, and with the hope of realizing a fine sum of money; again overwhelmed with accumulated work at but after the wheat is sown, his men have but another? Is the team power perfectly adapted little to do that is profitable until the next harvest, to the amount of tillage in view, with steady when he may be compelled to pay double or labor, and without over-driving? Is the system even triple wages, all of which trim down the of business such that the farm forces may be even-profits, to say nothing about the "rough materily distributed through the season? And, above al." The appropriation of land to the production all has the careful and keen-sighted farmer ascertained by accurate accounts and by weighing and measuring, which of his operations are paying him best, taking the cost of the rough material, the expense of working it over, and its ultimate avails, all together in the estimate? The farmer's rough material,—the land and the manure applied to enrich it,—is too often left out of his calculations. He counts only the amount of money received at the end of the year, and the cost of labour but nothing more. A system of cropping is pursued that appears to be profitable, because it returns money; but if it is really impoverishing land, the owner is really selling off his farm piece-meal, and it is as great an error to call such a course profitable, as it would be to sell off a ten-acre slice each year, and throw the avails promiscously into the sales of crops. Nay, it is better to reduce the farm in size, than to reduce it in quality, for the reason that a small and fertile farm yields more nett profit, than the same produce from a larger estate cultivated at greater cost. Manufacturers are very careful of the rough material-let no farmer be less so, because, unlike them, he is not compelled to buy his supply every year; for a bale of raw cotton or a ton of some particular product exclusively, has been beautifully advocated by theorists, but in long practice it will not be found to compare with mixed husbandry, that is, with the judicious rotation of crops, combined with raising full herds of domestic animals for the production of manure. In other words, raise plenty of animals, to enrich the crops, which are to feed the animals again. This action and reaction is the best way to create a plentiful surplus for sale, and at the same time preserve or increase the fertility of the farm. There is no error more common than the imperfect execution of certain operations, when the farmer finds himself behindhand, with a deficiency of hands. This error is the cause of the luxuriant growth of mulleins and thistles so often seen in pastures; and of the heavy coating of weeds which overpower young root-crops, and choke the free growth of corn and potatoes. These often consume all the net profits of the crop, and a defective plan thus compels the farmer to labor for nothing. We have known a crop of oats so diminished by a few days delay in sowing in spring, and a large field of wheat by a similar delay in autumn, as barely to pay for seed and labor, which otherwise might have yielded a heavy return. There is no remedy for these evils but a careful production of Vegetables for the use of their and accurate plan of operations at the commence- families, is most surprising. They appear to ment of the year. The course of cropping should think the employment altogether beneath their be distinctly marked out beforehand, and the num- attention. It may be all very well for the ber of acres determined for the oats, barley, corn, women to engage in it, but to suppose that potatoes, carrots, wheat, corn-fodder, and so the farmer himself would do so is deemed forth; the amount of labor for each of these may almost absurd. Ask a farmer why he does be nearly estimated, and the time in the season not set off a piece of his land as a Kitchen when each should be fully completed; and ther, Garden wherein to raise a plentiful supply of making allowance for interruptions, accidents, agreeable and wholesome vegetables, and in and rainy weather, the requisite force may be nine cases out of ten he will reply, “Oh, I timely secured, and the whole machinery move have not the time, and cannot afford the on with regularity and without any derangement. All these plans must be fully recorded in a book labor." Now this is altogether a misapprehenkept for the purpose-if the memory is depended sion. For what purpose has he time at all, on, confusion and failure will be the certain result. but to support comfortably himself and those If possible, the year's plans should be so com- dependent upon him? (higher aims always pletely digested, that the operations of every week may be distinctly laid down on a page allotted for each; the necessary variation of a few days, according to the earliness or lateness of the season, may be easily made afterwards. On such a book as this, notes may be made with the progress of the season, thus perfecting the plan for a second year. A few minutes daily devoted in this way, will accomplish much that is valuable for the farmer, and prevent a great deal of anxiety and confusion. FLOWERS FOR THE SHADE. There are several flowering plants that do better in the shade than when fully exposed, among which are those brilliant evergreen shrubs, the Kalmias and Rhododendrons. The Mezerion succeeds best in the shade, as well as the fuchia japonica, the gentians, chrysanthemums, pansies, the periwinkle, gladiolus floribundus and natalien. sis, the tiger flower, the auriculas, cowslips, and the forget-me-not. Most of the Phloxes, and Ranunculi do well in the shade, and many bulbous plants, as hayicinth, tulips, &c. All our wild flowers from the woods will of course succeed; such for instance as the Hepatica, Claytonia, Erythronium, Trillium, Lilium philadelphicum, Cypripediums, Orchis fimbriata, and Cymbidium. Some evergreens are much better grown in the shade; among them the box, which is always of a fairer green when sheltered from the sun. The English Ivy and the yew are of the same class. This list might, doubtless, be greatly enlarged by those who have had occasion to grow plants in the shade, our experience being quite limited in this direction THE FARMERS' NEGLECT OF THE KITCHEN GARDEN. The reluctance shown by this class of people to give a little time and labor to the supposed.) If, therefore, the products of the kitchen garden will (and who doubts?) most materially add to the comfort and health of a family, and at a far lower cost than the yield of a field, to grudge a little time and trouble is surely inconsiderate if not unreasonable. Very long is the list of choice edibles; a small lot of ground so devoted will afford Asparagus, Sea Kale, Lettuce, Peas, Beans, Squash, Onions, Cabbages, Cauliflowers, Carrots, Salsify, Parsnips, Beets, and Tomatoes, besides many useful herbs. A few days' labor in the year would suffice to give an abundance of these things. Probably there is no one who could raise them to greater advantage than the farmer. In most cases he can choose a suitable soil, and he never need lack manure. Indeed, he ought to have these rich gifts of nature in their highest condition. No one can doubt but that vegetables would contribute to the health and enjoyment of the farmer and his household. Through the greater part of the year he cats salt pork, which is apt to engender scrofula and kindred diseases. It is owing to this extreme use of salt provisions, without the counter tendency of vegetables, that such diseases are so prevalent. If he must feed so much upon salt meat, he ought to provide that which would prevent its injurious effects. I find that such people have no reluctance to eat of them when presented, but do so apparently with as great relish as others, while they neglect their cultivation. The expense of growing vegetables is small. Let us take Asparagus as an exam le. The bed once made will last a lifetime, and two or three dollars will obtain a sufficient stock of plants from any nurserymen. If these things contribute to the health of a the cabbage, tomato, celery, cauliflower, pepfamily, so they do to its enjoyment. How per, melon and cucumber plants needed, with much they cheapen the cost of living, they a sprinkling of early radishes, &c. Where so know best who are careful and industrious large a frame may not be wanted, an old enough to grow them. window may be used for sash, and all expense of glazing avoided. One of the sashes is moved down as in admitting air, and another laid off entirely. Hot-beds should occupy a dry situation, where they will not be affected by the lodgement of water during rains or thaws. They should be exposed to the east and south, and be protected by fences or buildings from the north and north-west. The present month is the time to get things in order, and as the first work is the making of Hot-beds, sash, frames, &c., should be made ready. An amateur gardener, a young friend in Ohio, requests us to give simple directions for making a hot-bed, just for family use, unless we consider it a matter so well understood that the room it occupied would be wasted to most of our readers." The many questions we have asked of us by hundreds of all sorts of persons shows us that many are turning their attention to gardening who never gave the subject a thought before, and that the simplest direc-inches, and in such a case require not more tions in the most ordinary practice are eagerly than two feet of manure; but when forcing sought for, and really needed. We therefore and perfecting vegetables is designed, a percomply with the request of our correspondent, manent heat must be kept up, and the bed giving the system we usually practise, and must be made on the surface, so that fresh have before recommended. and warm manure may be added when neces sary. A depth of three to four feet of manure will in such cases be wanted. Every one should have a hot-bed, if it were only to forward a few plants for the garden. The too prevalent opinion is, that they are expensive and difficult to manage, requiring the skill of the professional gardener. Both suppositions are entirely erroneous. A hot-bed may be constructed by any man of ordinary ingenuity. A frame of about twelve feet long and six wide, which will allow of four sashes, each three feet wide, will be found large enough for any family. It should be made of common two inch plank-the back about three feet high, the front about half that, the ends having a regular slope from back to front. This will give an angle sufficient to throw off rain, and give the full benefit of external heat and light to the plants within. If the beds are narrower, the front must be higher in proportion. The sides and ends are simply nailed to a strong post, four inches square, placed in each corner. For the sash to rest and slide upon, a strip six inches wide is placed upon the frame, the ends morticed or sunk into the sides of the frame so as not to cause a projection. The sashes are made in the ordinary way, but without cross bars; and in glazing, the lights are made to overlap an eighth or quarter of an inch, to exclude rain. Such a frame, costing but a mere trifle beyond the labour, will last for years, and furnish all Where it is intended to merely grow plants for transplanting to the garden, they may be sunk in the ground to the depth of eighteen Manure for hot-beds requires some preparation. It should be fresh manure, placed in a heap, and turned and mixed several times, and producing a regular fermentation. It is thus made to retain its heat a long time; otherwise it would burn and dry up, and become useless. The mould should be laid on as soon as the bed is settled, and has a lively regular-tempered heat. Lay the earth evenly over the dung about six inches deep. Radish, and lettuce require about a foot of earth. After it has lain a few days it will be fit to receive the seed, unless the mould has turned to a whitish colour, or has a rank smell, in which case add some fresh earth for the hills, at the same time holes should be made by running down stakes, to give the steam an opportunity to escape. Those who wish to force cucumbers, &c., should begin, in this section, if the weather is favourable, by the the 1st of March. For raising plants, the middle is time enough, "NE PLUS ULTRA”—A FINE LATE BROCOLL Pre-eminently superior among the new varieties of vegetables which from time to time come before the public, stands this new Brocoli, being by far the best variety of that field only once for wheat, and that after harvest. The field contained about 40 acres. Previous to draining, it was one of my wettest fields, and in dry weather, even in April or May, was very hard to plough, often having to get coulters and shares sharpened every day, when we used wrought iron shares. I bought oxen in spring so that I could put a yoke of ox esteemed vegetable that has yet come under my notice; and possessing as it does all the good qualities which its name implies, I feel I shall be doing the public a service by making its merits more generally known. For the last three years I have grown this sort along with others of known excellence, with the same unvaried result in favor of the "Ne Plus Ultra," and during the last year, a sea-en and a pair of horses to each plough, and owson of unparalleled fatality to Brocolies, while others were killed this sort stood uninjured, producing it's fine heads in May and June, equal if not superior to other sorts in favorable seasons. The chief merits of this Brocoli consists in its being very hardy, possessing a dwarf habit, with large and compact rich cream-colored heads, which are protected by ample smooth glaucous foliage, and it has the richest flavor in the whole tribe. Need I say more than this, that it possesses all the finest qualities of the far-famed Penzance Brocoli, in addition to a hardiness which has long been a desideratum in that otherwise excellent sort. No garden, however small, should be without it. PRESERVING EGGS. The newspapers are constantly furnished with new rules for preserving eggs. the latest is the following: "Wrap each egg One of closely in a piece of newspaper, twisting it tightly to keep out the air, place them in lay: ers in a box with the small ends down, and set them where they will be cool without freezing." We have no doubt this is a good way, but it would be nearly as difficult to exclude the air by printing paper as by gauze or net work paper being a very porous substance. The great secret of success in preserving eggs is to keep the small ends downwards, the air-bubble which occupies that end supporting the weight of the yolk, and preventing its adhesion to the shell. If the egg is laid on its side, this adhension will soon take place and the egg will be spoiled, no matter how ever completely excluded from the air. Eggs preserved as above, or by packing in salt, or oats, or on shelves purposely made for them by boring with large auger holes, so as to hold the egg upright, without allowing it to pass through, are all good ways, provided the small end is kept downwards. There are other requisites that should not be forgotten; for example, the eggs should be quite fresh when packed away, and especial care should be taken that none are cracked, as those soon spoil, and communicate the fermentation to the others if they are in contact or close proximity. Packing in salt is a good way, but it is not so convenient as the others, because the salt in apt to become hardened, and to adhere to the shells. A cool place is indispensable. ing to the great drought before, during, and His furrow was about at the rate of nine inches deep, yet the clover field about the same season of the year and «Seneca County Ploughs," I think them the With regard to Newcomb & Richardson's best I ever used. They are of light draught and do their work perfectly. Try them brother farmers, and if they don't please you, lay the blame on me. They are manufactured at Waterloo, Seneca co. I procured two of them last year, and will get other two this Last spring I concluded to plough a clayey spring. Yours truly, JOHN JOHNSTON. THE EFFECTS OF DRAINAGE ON TILLAGE, |