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friend. I have done it for several years, and have never taken any time that was necessary to be devoted to other business. Every farmer has leisure time enough to keep ten books, which had better be applied to that purpose than doing a great many things which they now do on rainy days and other leisure hours. It is not necessary to have a complete set of books like a merchant, one being sufficient. Take a common account book, costing about half a dollar, and take a certain space for each field, making it debtor on the left and creditor on the right side, in this manner:

Date.

DR.

CORN-FIELD.

Dols. Cts, Date |

CR.

Dols. Cts. Whenever you do anything to your crop, put down on the Dr. side the actual worth of it, and thus continue to do until your crop is secured, and you know how much you have expended on it. Then place on the Cr. side the actual value of your entire crop, corn fodder, pumpkins, and all that is of any worth. Then balance the accounts some of these long winter evenings, and you will know just how much your corn has cost per bushel, and whether you have made or lost on it.

As a great many farmers are wholly unacquainted with any system of book-keeping, but would like to try it, I will make an extract from my book for the past year which will show what I think to be a very good system of keep ing farm accounts, and at the same time give the result of an experiment in raising corn.

My corn-field consisted of four acres, two of which I plowed in the fall. The soil, a slatey loam, was very uniform, and was all manured alike, and cultivated alike with the exception of the plowing in the fall, and I will state here that the two acres plowed in the fall gave seven and a half bushels more corn than the other, the one giving 82 and the other 894 bushels of shelled corn.

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cause everybody knows that it isn't. Being thus thrown
upon my own resources, I refer to my geological map, and
endeavor to throw a little light upon the mystery by its aid.
In vain; for I find that the three counties of England pro-
ducing the best cheese are not situated on similar soil.
shire is on the new red sandstone; North Wilts and Gloucester
are on the oolitic limestone; Cheddar, on the carboniferous
strata,"

Che

Mr. TEGETMEIER the writer alluded to, accordingly concludes that the cause of the differences must be sought in other sources; and there is little doubt but that it depends almost entirely on the process of manufacture.

In fact this conclusion is borne out by farther testimony; the Agricultural Association of Ayrshire, Scotland, have made it the subject of careful inquiry, actually sending a deputation to inquire into the plans adopted in those counties of England which produce the best cheese. The decision at which they arrived was that the quality of the cheese depends wholly upon the observance or non-observance of certain simple precautions, and that the price of the cheese depends wholly upon its quality. They were better pleased with the method adopted in the Cheddar district than with any other; the best Cheddar cheese always realizes from $16 25 to $18.75 per cwt, while that of an inferior quality may be unsaleable stated as follows: at half this price. The general principles of the method are

"The milk is employed without the removal of any of the cannot both be made out of the same portion of milk. The cream; for, as might be imagined, butter and good cheeso liquid used to coagulate the milk is rennet, which is obtained by steeping in water the salted and dried stomach of the calf; these rells, as they are termed, should never be used until twelve months old. It is a remarkable proof of the power of the animal juices, that the rennet obtained from one vell is sufficient to curdle enough milk to make half a ton of cheese. Before the rennet is added, the evening and the morning milks are mixed together, and the temperature of the whole is raised to 80°, by heating a portion and mixing it with the remainder. In one hour the whole is coagulated. Portions of the whey are then drained off and heated. The whole of the curd is now minutely and most carefully divided; after which, as much of the heated whey is added as will raise the temperature again to 80°. It is then left for an hour, when the whey is drawn off and heated rather higher than before. The curd is again minutely broken, and pailfulls of heated whey are forced in, so as to raise the temperature to 100. The whole is constantly stirred during the time, so that the curd becomes somewhat consistent. It is then left half an hour, in order that it may settle, when the whey is dipped out, and the last portions drained off without pressure. The curd is then cut into large slices, turned, and allowed to drain for half an hour, and when its temperature has fallen to 60°, it is subjected to a moderate pressure for half an hour. At the expiration of this time, it is broken fine in a curd ill, and the best refined rock salt added (in the proportion of two pounds to one hundred weight of curd,) made into cheeses, and placed in the cheese-press. The next morning it is turned and pressed again; and the third morning it is laid upon the shelf, having been previously laced up in a piece of canvass, to preserve the shape whilst drying. The drying is accomplished in a well-aired cheese-room, kept at a temperature of from 55° to 60°.

Spite of all that prejudiced ignorance asserts, there is no doubt but that the inferior character of certain kinds of cheese depends mainly upon three or four causes: firstly, on the impoverishment of the milk by the removal of cream; secondly, on the employment of an excess of rennet, which produces a too rapid coagulation; thirdly, on the use of too high a temperature, from which results a hardness of the curd; In the Cheddar plan--the low temperature of 80° in the first and lastly, on the occasional want of cleanliness in the dairy. stages gives richness of taste, and the greater heat employed afterwards renders easy the separation of the whey.

Cheese Making-Skill more than Soil. An objection frequently brought forward, if the farmers of one locality are asked why the cheese they make does not sell at so high a price in market as that manufactured by their brethern in other localities-is" that the land is not adapted for cheese-making, and that it would be almost a waste of material for them to attempt to make good cheese." A recent English writer in commenting on this fact says, "On further inquiry as to whether it is the peculiar geologie formation, or any remarkable difference in the species of grasses peculiar to THE ANNUAL REGISTER OF RURAL AFFAIRS.-" Brim the district that is the cause, I am again informed, this time full of good things," says the Ohio Cultivator. "Many a rather dogmatically, that the land is not adapted for cheese- large dollar book is not worth half so much as this little making, and that 'it's no use asking any more questions, be-volume, which can be had for only 25 cents."

The most extreme and ultra cleanliness is absolutely indispensable, as a single drop of milk sinking into an absorbent floor will cause the cheese made during a whole season to become sour and valueless."

the Interior, as to how our agricultural interests might best be promoted. That committee had unanimously reported

THE UNITED STATES AG, SOCIETY. The eighth annual meeting of the United States Ag. So-in favor of the creation of a Department of Agriculture, ciety commenced its session in the Smithsonian Institution, Washington, Jan. 10—the President, Gen. TILGHMAN of Maryland, in the chair-Maj. B. P. POORE, Secretary, to whom we are indebted for an account of its doings, from which we make the following abstract:

with a cabinet officer at its head, and had made sundry valuable suggestions. He moved that a committee be appointed to wait on Mr. Whiteley, and ask a copy of the paper for presentation to the U. S. Society to-morrow. The resolution was adopted. Mr. Calvert, as President of the Maryland Agricultural College, invited members of the Society to visit the college before their return home.

The President rend his annual address, referring to the reports of the secretary and treasurer to show the workings of the society and its operations during the past year, and also its present condition. He recommends an increase of the salary of the secretary, whose time, he states, has for several months past been entirely devoted to the business of the society. He also recommends the purchase, of books for the use of the society. The Quarterly Bulletin published by the society had done much towards forward-bate the question awhile, it would be accomplished. ing the interests of agriculture.

Col. Johnson of New-York, said he hoped that this report of the Advisory Board would be brought forth, for it was the only real thing of value done by that body. He thought our agricultural interest would never be fully fostered and advanced until a department was created. He ment, and thought if our Members in Congress would desaw no great difficulty in the way of organizing a Depart

appropriately addressed by the President of the Society, to which Mr. Buchanan replied in a few brief remarks, Fawks' for his steam plow, was delivered to Mr. Buchanan, The splendid Gold Medal, valued at $200, awarded to Mr. to be by him presented to Mr. F.

Reference is made to the annual exhibition at Chicago, meeting by invitation, was conducted to the platform, and The President of the United States having attended the and a detailed account given of its conduct and successa success never before equalled by any previous exhibition of the kind in the country. Articles were on exhibition from twenty-two States and Territories, and the exhibition room was crowded daily. Suggestions were made as to the correctness of awards of medals; among which was a recommendation for the appointment of a general superintendent for this purpose. Recommendation was also made to change the time of opening and closing of the annual exhibitions; also for a change of discretionary premiums-on account of the difficulty in giving them out without dissatisfaction to the recipients-to diplomas. Recommendation was also made that the Presidents of each of the similar societies of Europe be made honorary members of this society; also, that application be made to Congress for a charter for the society.

Allusion was made to the late Harper's Ferry raid, as being productive of danger to the agricultural interests of the whole country, and members from both sections of the country (the South and the North) were called upon to do their respective duties in allaying the prevailing domestic

dissension.

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The Secretary's report was then made, in which statement is made of the transactions of the Society in the publication of the Journal of Agriculture, and of the letters received during the year in answer to circulars, nearly eight hundred of which have required replies. The office at Washington has been open through the year, for the convenience of all interested in the subject of agriculture. On motion of Hon. M. P. Wilder of Mass., a committee of one member from each state and territory present was appointed to report nominations for officers for the ensuing year.

On motion, President Buchanan, and ex-Presidents Van Buren and Tyler, were made honorary members of the Society.

Mr. Calvert of Md., referring to the defunct "Advisory Board of Agriculturists" which was summoned by D. J. Browne, last winter, said that to a sub-committee of the Board had been referred the question of the Secretary of

After the President had retired, Mr. Loring of Mass.,' read a paper on the subject of cattle-breeding. The views expressed, excited some discussion, in which Mr. Conger and Col. Johnson of this State, and Messrs. Tayloe, Calvert, and Clemsen took part.

On the report of the nominating committee, the following officers were unanimously elected:

President-Ilon. HENRY WAGER of New-York,
VICE-PRESIDENTS.

Alabama-N. B. Cloud.
California-A. W. McKee,
Arizonia-Sylvester Mowry.
Connecticut-H. A. Dyer.
Delaware--John Jones.

Dacotah-A, G. Fuller.

Dist, Columbia-W. W. Corcoran.
Georgia-Richard Peters.

Florida-S. A. Mallory.

Illinois-S. A. Buckmaster.
Indiana-Thos, H. Collins.

lowa-Legrand Byington.
Kansas-W. F. M. Arney.
Kentucky-W. L. Underwood,
Louisiana-J. D. B. DeBow.
Massachusetts-John Brooks.
Maryland-J. H. McHenry.
Maine-E. Holmes.

Mississippi A. H. Harrison.
Michigan-Henry Ledyard,

Minnesota-H. M. Rice.

Missouri-R. Barrett.

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New Hampshire-II. F. French. 17,
New-Jersey-Geo. Hartshorn.

New-York-B. P. Johnson.
New Mexico-M. A. Otero.

Nebraska-W, P. Brown.
N. Carolina-H. K, Burgwin.
Ohio-F. G. Carey.
Oregon-J. H. Lane.
Penn.-Aaron Clement,
Rhode Island-Elisha Dyer.
S. Carolina-F. W. Alston.
Texas-Thomas Affleck.
Utah-W. H. Hooper.
Vermont-Fred. Holbrook.
Virginia-W. A. Spence.
Wisconsin-T, W. Hoyt,

Washington Ter.-I. I. Stevens.

Executive Committee-Ex Officio members, Hon. M. P. Wilder. Tench Tilghman, and B. P. Poore. Members, Hon. B. N. Huntington, N. Y.; J. McGowan, Pa.; Hon. F. Smyth, N. H.; Jno. Merryman. Md.; Col. Horace Capron, Ill.; J. M. Cannon, Esq., Iowa; Col Josiah W. Ware, Va.

Treasurer-Hon. B. B. French, Dist. of Columbia.
Secretary-Maj. B. P. Poore, Massachusetts.

THIRD DAY.

Mr. Calvert of Md., presented a series of resolutions expressing the sense of the Society in relation to agricultural education; also deploring the executive veto of the Morrill bill passed by Congress last year, and calling upon the agricultural societies throughout the states to co-operate with this Society in endeavoring to obtain the passage of a bill containing provisions similar to those contained in said bill. In his remarks Mr. Calvert censured the President for his veto of the Morrill Land-bill, and was replied to by Mr. Mann, when on motion of Mr. Kelley, the subject was laid upon the table.

The Society entered upon the consideration of the sub[ject of the future establishment of an agricultural division by the government, either under the Department of the Interior, or as a separate and independent branch, with a cabinet officer at its head. A protracted and very interesting debate ensued, which resulted in the passage of the following resolution, introduced by Mr. Rockwell of Conn:

Resolved, That the Society would earnestly recommend the creation, at the present time, of a separate Agricultural Bureau in the Department of the Interior.

Addresses were then delivered by Dr. J. G. Cooper on the Forest Trees of America, and by Prof. Henry on Meteorology.

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or drive about in cold weather, and must change my plan, as I find it very difficult to find a man who can purchase stock to meet my views. I have often thought it singular that farmers who see me selling steers from 22 to 24 months old, at from $47 to $60, (very few Every good farmer knows that any domestic animal is at the lowest price,) should keep theirs until 3 or 4 years. a good clock-that it knows, almost to a minute, when the old, and then not have them worth over from $20 to $40, regular feeding time has arrived. If it has been accustom-without making an effort to do better. There is no intellied to be fed with accuracy at the appointed period, it will not fret until that period arrives; after which it becomes very restless and uneasy till its food d comes. If it has been fed irregularly, it will begin to fret when the earliest period arrives. Hence, this fretting may be entirely avoided by strict punctuality; but it cannot be otherwise. The very moment the animal begins to worry, that moment it begins to lose flesh; but the rate of this loss has never been ascertained it is certainly worthy of investigation and can be only determined by trying the two modes, punctuality and irregularity, side by side, under similar circumstances, and with the same amount of food, for some weeks or months molo be

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precaution to be observed in connection with regular feeding, where some judgment is needed. Animals more in sharp or frosty, than in warm and damp weather. Hence, if the same amount by weight is given at every feeding, they will not have enough when the weather is cold, and will be surfeited when it is warm and damp. Both of these evils must be avoided, while a little attention and observation will enable the farmer to do it.

[For the Country Gentleman.]

ON CATTLE FEEDING.

In answer to "A Maryland Farmer," (see Co. Gent., p. 408,) I would say that the calves I intend to sell, I commence fattening when a few days old, by giving oil-cake meal, oat meal, or barley meal, along with their milk. This I continue until they are 3 or 4 months old-then turn them to pasture; but I feed them hay or cut grass from the time they first begin to eat, until they are turned to pasture. Early cut clover hay is much the best and better than pasture, and I don't think costs any more.

The following winter I feed clover hay, with some meal. Good clover hay, with a pint of oil-cake meal, will make them grow finely. The next summer give good pasture, and take them to the yards whenever the pasture fails. Feed two quarts of oil meal daily, with cornstalks or good clover hay-the hay is best with me. In this way I have made them realize me from $47 to $60 each, when 22 to 24 months old. They generally consume from 750 to 1000 lbs. each, of oil-cake meal in all, by the time I sell them.

It is only occasionally that I raise calves. I can do better by purchasing two, three, or four years old cattle (3 and 4 best,) in autumn, and fattening in winter. These I genérally feed on oil cake, corn meal, or meal from other grain, mixed with the oil meal. If oil meal costs little more per pound than other meal, I sometimes feed that alone all the time to part of my cattle. It is better than meal from grain to give lean cattle. They begin to gain much sooner on that than any other food I have ever tried But no farmer ought to buy lean cattle to fatten in winter. They should be good fair beef to begin with. Still lean cattle I have often found to pay well when bought in Feb. or March. Feed them from eight to ten bushels of meal say 480 to 600 pounds each-until the pastures are good, and then six weeks of good pasture will generally make

gence or enterprise in this. I have no doubt there are
numbers of farmers in the State of New-York, that make
as good cattle or sheep as I do, but then they are far be
tween, and perhaps not numerous; but I have done my
best to have a better state of things. The only thing I
ever kept in the dark, was when I commenced feeding oil
able it was, I would not get what I wanted, and for some
cake meal, was afraid if farmers were told how profit-
years I said nothing on that subject.I said nothing about
draining for some years after I commenced. I was afraid
farmers would all go at it, and that would raise the cost on
me; but it let me know that I did not understand human
I did at least so far as feeding oil cake and tile draining
nature among the farming population so well as I thought
were concerned; but they go the tile draining now, and
they will follow with the oil cake, I have no doubt; but as
a whole, their faith is very weak where additional labor and
JOHN JOHNSTON.
cost. has to be encountered.
Near Geneva, Dec. 24.
Vilnos ab To dons
To admom

[For the Country Gentleman.1
SPARRED FLOOR STABLES.
ng guled
EDS. Co. GENT.-Observing in your paper some account
of your Junior's visit to Tiptree Hall, I think it may in-
terest some of your readers to learn that I am acting upon
some of Mr. Mechi's plans, and propose following his
teachings yet further, and sending the results to the Co.
GENT. if acceptable.

I have two young bullocks and a pen full of young pigs, upon his open-boarded floors, and have come to the conclusion that they are "the thing." I had great fears, lest, in this cold climate, the droppings should freeze so as to stop up the spaces; but although my stable is far too cold and open, and we have had much cold weather of late, (as low as 10° below zero,) this has not been the case to any considerable extent. In my pig-pen, which is warmly constructed and pigs packed close, there is no frost at all, and they are perfectly clean and dry, as are the bullocks, although they have never been groomed. During the present scarcity of fodder the advantages of the system are peculiarly manifest. The bedding is set free for food. I cut mine up with hay, with a horse-power cutter, and feed horses, cows and sheep with the chaff. Double the number of animals can be kept, and large quantities of excellent manure, the pure article, can be made. The daily labor of bedding-down, and cleaning out the stables, which is considerable with a large stock, is entirely saved, as also the piling and repiling of the manure. Two or three minutes suffice to take up one of these floors, and a cart or sleigh can be backed in to take the "pudding" (as Mechi calls it) directly to the field.

The slats or boards should slip into a groove at either end, so that they may be easily lifted. I have no nails in mine. In cold weather I find the droppings have a tendency to pile up under the floor, but by lifting up two or three slats, a man can readily get down and level it. I have only had to do this once as yet, and my beasts have been in since the middle of Nov., besides which my pits are far too small, being only arranged in a temporary way as an experiment. My boxes are about 6 by 10, but for the future I propose making them smaller, say 5 by 7.6, so as to economize the animal heat. The pit under, the

floor must be about 4 ft. in depth, to contain four or five months droppings. I hope next winter to have all my animals, except the horses, on these floors, and expect to find many of your enterprising readers adopting the plan. If by connecting the soiling system with the boarded floors, we can double our stock, and we may safely count on that, it will be great gain.

In practice I find no effluvium or unpleasant smell whatever to arise from the droppings, as they run together so as to exclude air and thus prevent fermentation. Also, I find no difficulty in getting the beasts to go on to the floors, after the first night or two; they run in just as willingly as those that are on the old straw beds. With all deference, I submit that too much has been said about the comfort and warmth of bedding under animals. It must be recollected that on my floors the beasts lie perfectly dry, while on a straw bed they are generally more or less wet, which is not conducive to comfort; and further, if I lie all night without any bedclothes over me, I shall not be kept warm by the bed of down that may be under me. So as I keep in my own animal heat by means of covering, I keep in that of my animals by close packing, and for health and comfort, I think they agree with me in preferring a dry hard bed, to a wet soft one. W. R. FORSTER. Canada West.

[For the Country Gentleman and Cultivator.] Estimate of the Value of our Dairy Products. MESSRS. TUCKER & SON-I have not the egotism te suppose that I shall do justice to the subject on which you have requested me to furnish some papers for publication in your journal.

The subject is too extensive, the facts are varied, the conditions involved are in part obvious, but in very essential and important particulars recondite, and besides iny knowledge and experience are deficient.

Milk of standard quality rapidly decomposes. Curd, the product of milk, including both casein and butter, becomes almost as speedily putrescent and disgusting. It is nevertheless true that this animal product, MILK-subtile, sensitive, perishable-is the basis of a department of husbandry, inferior to no other in importance, viewed in its present condition or future promise.

No doubt there has been much slovenly practice, and perhaps in many cases want of success in the absence of system, method and management, while prejudice has whilom elbowed it out of genteel society.

Were I asked the question, "Is Cotton king ?" the reply would be, "No; but Milk is ;" and to justify this answer a few particulars shall suffice.

It is a truism that a judiciously selected herd of dairy cows, well cared for and thoroughly handled, will, on an average of a series of years, in lots of thirty to eighty, more or less, produce annually from each cow 450 to 550 pounds of cheese. Allowing something for smaller product of cows under four years of age, not usually embraced in such a selection, and also for the fact that the entire number of cows will probably fall below the average quality of dairy herds, and the mini mum average ought to be stated at no less than 400 pounds of cheese as the product per cow. The standard estimate of cotton bales answers in weight to this number, so that one bale of cotton, and the yearly product of one cow in cheese equivalent, are alike in weight. As to prices, the winter's sales for the average of the last seven years are nine and onethird cents at the home delivery within fifteen miles of the farm, and this is by no means the highest range of cheese sales which might be quoted.

The cotton bales reported in census of 1830, were......... 2.445.793 The cows of 31 States and District of Columbia were...... 6,385,094

000,000 pounds, to which add the cheese reported, 105,000,000 pounds, and this makes an actual cheese product of one thousand forty-five million pounds, exclusive of the vast amount of milk consumed in its primitive state, by families in country and cities; and also by animals, to produce other forms of food substances as veal meat and raising young stock.

New-York farmers may smile at the very modest calculation of twenty-four dollars product per cow in the above estimate. If so, they can take an enterprising dairyman's standard of money product, and double the figures, thus showing an excess of one hundred and sixty-three million dollars, yearly product from this humble branch of husbandry, over the entire aggregate of domestic exports; and of sixty-four versal corn crop of this country, estimating the price at forty million dollars over the aggregate of the far famed and unicents per bushels.

The area of Indian corn is given at thirty-one million acres, while that of hay and pasture is put down at thirty-three million acres.

It may be safely estimated that more than one million persons are more or less employed daily in this department of production for at least two-thirds of each year. Onondaga Co., N. Y. JONATHAN E. PETTIT.

Subsoiling Liquid Manure-Green Crops.

MESSRS, EDITORS-Can you inform me which is the best pattern of subsoil plows? I have a farm which has been plowed in five foot lands. The soil, which is clay, seems to be tenacious, and holds water a long time, although it has sufficient fall, and is not at all springy. Do you not think subsoiling would obviate this, and enable me to plow in wide lands, and use a mower and reaper, which, in the present state of things it is impossible to do? How often is the operation necessa ry? Would subsoiling with every corn crop answer through the rota tion? It has never, I believe, been tried in this neighborhood, and I think it the thing required.

I have a pump situated below the barnyard, so that the washings from the manure render the water entirely unfit for use. Can you or

any correspondent inform me of any remedy?

I should like to know of any of your readers who have tried it, what is the best grain to sow for plowing in green for manure-the proper season to plow, and the best crops to sow or plant afterwards. Does this course answer in heavy soils as well as in light ones? Bucks Co., Pa. HENRY C. DAVIS, For land nearly clear of stone, the reversible subsoil plow represented in the annexed cut, (fig. 1,) is the best.*

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song, and has been found to answer well, but it is not equal to that shown by fig. 1, for clear soils.

Stating the home price of cheese and cotton as six to ten, which doubtless gives to the fibrous staple grent advantage in the comparison, and we have a result of estimated cheese Subsoiling is of little use on heavy wet soils, before unvalue of $153,242,256 per annum, and of cotton $97,831,720, derdraining, or its effects are at best but temporary, and while the total domestic exports were less than one hundred last hardly a single season. If the subsoil is broken with and thirty-seven millions. The four special crops, tobacco, rice, sugar, and cotton, it in spring, (and it must be late in spring, after the subsoil (only two of which are food crops,) aggregate 1,630,000,000 pounds, while the milk (cheese equivalent) aggregates 7,554,000,000 pounds.

Referring again to the census statistics of 1850, the total number of pounds of butter, in round numbers, is 313,000,000, and multiplying it by three as a cheese equivalent, gives 940

has had several weeks to become dry enough, or the plow will only work it into mortar,) it may continue mellow through the summer; but the fall raius, or if not the fall, those of spring, will settle the earth back again into its * It is manufactured by Holmes and Stringer, Munsville, N. Y.

original compactness. Underdraining before subsoiling is if an insect produced the evil after the head from this seed of the utmost importance, and will prolong the beneficial is formed. The experiment has also been many times reeffects of the subsoiling through several seasons. We peated, of impregnating with smut through the seed sown. would advise our correspondent to try thorough under- If our correspondents will procure the best achromatic draining, if it is only to the extent of an acre or two, by way microscopes now made, and make a free and accurate use of ́ of experiment. He can also, if he chooses, try subsoiling them, they will probably make many new discoveries of a without it. Compare the results of the two operations highly interesting character. For, to undertake to decide separately, with their results combined. questions of this kind, without the most powerful magnifiers, would be like a person undertaking to read the common type of a book across a river or at midnight.

Washings from the barnyard should never be allowed to run off. Put up eave troughs on the buildings, so that the water from the roofs may not wash the manure; make the manure yard concave or "dishing" if necessary; and keep enough straw or other absorbing substance to hold all the liquid portions. The advantages in saving this valuable part will be greater even than that of the pure water from the well.

The three crops most commonly sown for plowing in, are clover, indian corn, and buckwheat. Clover is usually regarded as best, and is an excellent crop to precede wheat. Buckwheat is more easily raised, but is less enriching. Perhaps, however, this disadvantage is nearly balanced by the two crops which may be buried in a single season. Corn has been less tried; but the heavy growth which it yields when sown in furrows at the rate of two or three bushels per acre, strongly commends its use. All these crops, but the corn especially, need rolling or harrowing, to enable the plow to cover them. Autumn grain may be sown upon the inverted earth, or spring crops the year following. The best time to plow in is between the time of flowering and the ripening of the seed. The decay of the vegetable fibre takes place more rapidly in light than in heavy soils; hence in the latter the plowing may be shallower, and it should be a little earlier, when the fiber will decay more readily.

SMUT IN WHEAT.

We have received a few communications, taking the position that smut in wheat is caused by an insect. One of them states "that all the theories and suppositions of the fungus origin of smut, rust, &c., are founded upon mistaken views of the subject, I many years ago satisfactorily demonstrated, by long continued observation and experiments on my own farm."

We are not however informed what were the nature and character of these observations and experiments, and especially whether they were conducted under a powerful achromatic microscope-an indispensable requisite to such investigations.

We never yet found the man, no matter how much he might have previously doubted the fungus character of rust, who questioned this character a moment after a careful examination through such a microscope. The plants are most distinctly seen with root, stem, and seed-vessel, so far as cryptogamous plants are furnished with these parts; there is no chaos or confusion about it; every sin gle plant is like all the rest. And the seeds are so minute that they will flow through the sap-vessels with perfect freedom, and impregnate every part-ready to burst into living plants whenever peculiarities of the weather favor their development. The same is true, in part, with the smut in wheat.

We have found by our own experiments, and many other observers have arrived at the same result, that washing smutty seed, greatly lessens the tendency to smut in the product; and washing in lime water, nearly or wholly destroys this tendency. This could not well be the case,

[For the Country Gentleman and Cultivator.] tos PRODUCT OF ONE COW EDITORS OF Cultivator and Co. GENT.-Having seen various statements in your journal of the quantity of milk given by different cows in stated periods, I send you a statement of two years doings of one that I owned for the last five years, but lost in calving a few weeks since. She was said to be one-half native and one-half short horn; her appearance warranted the latter, at least. Living in the city, I could make no dependence on pasture, but have had to depend on what I gave her in the barn. gave the most milk the first year, as you will see by milked and fed her myself, and I am satisfied I can make statement annexed. I account for this in two ways. I more milk (in the pasture I have) to have my cow calve in winter, when I can feed, cut feed, roots rowen oil meal and flax seed, than I can on grass, when I can't add the former. I am not one of those who are able to make large quantities of milk on grass alone. I can't obtain the latter, and therefore had to find substitutes, or rather auxiliaries, and plenty of them.

She

I have often heard it advanced that cows giving large quantities, could not give good milk. In answer to this, I will say that one season, when farrow, I took the cow into the country where my family were staying, from July to October. When she was giving on an average nine quarts daily, after using all we wanted in a family of seven persons, my wife made over seven pounds butter per week for fourteen successive weeks, which I think is proof positive thaher milk was A. 1. The most she ever gave me in twentyt four hours, milked 6 A. M. and 6 P. M., was twenty-three quarts one and a half pints.

1856-Took calf away Feb, 1st,
Amount milk from July 1st to Jan. 1st,..
do from August 1st to Feb. 1857,.
Number of quarts in one year..

1857-Took calf away July 1st.
Amount milk from July 1st to Jan 1st.
do from Jan. 1st. to July 1st., 1859,...
Number of quarts in one year...

Total for two years,...

Quarts.

2.459

1,928

4,387 at 5e $219,35 Quarts.

2.239-2

1,683

3,922-2 at 5e $193.12

$515.47

All the milk not used in the family was sold at the store at 5c per quart, many milk carts selling at 6 the year through. H. B. CONGDON, Providence, R. I.

Asparagus and Pie-Plant.

The Gardener's Monthly recommends that Asparagus be planted "twenty inches to two feet from plant to plant, and the rows eighteen to twenty inches apart." [The plants are often set four times as near together, in which case it is impossible for them to develope themselves properly and become of the largest size. For horse-culture, the rows may be 30 With rich inches apart, and the plants 15 inches in the row. soil, this will make "giant asparagus of any sort."] A depth of two feet is recommended for the soil-and the roots set four inches under the surface. Fertility of soil is all important. The editor says there is a good deal of humbug" about the recommendation of salt for asparagus.

PIE PLANT-The following sorts the same journal states to be best: Prince Albert and Tobolsk for earliness; Magnum Bonum, Victoria, and Cahoon's Mammoth, for size and productiveness; Linnæus, for size and quality; and Prince of Wales and Crimson Perfection, for beauty of color. Each plant should have an area of at least two feet square for its proper development, and a very rich soil.

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