285 • 



too light a soil — peiLaps lor want of some miueral ingredient. It" the subsoil 

 could be reached with a plough, and turned up so as to mix it with the sur- 

 face soil, I think it would improve it by furnishing the lacking mineral matter. 

 And if straw was spread over the ground, as soon as the wheat is sown, it would 

 perhaps prevent its being winter-killed. We find many advantages from the use 

 of the drill. The wheat is all covered the same depth, and it comes up eveuly at 

 the bottom of a little furrow, so that the soil during winter, instead of moving from 

 the plants, runs down towards them, and thus prevents them 'freezing out.' 



" I saw McCormick's reaping machines generally in use ; but we prefer Hussev's 

 as being better adapted for general purposes. It is not so liable to get out of 

 order, and can be raised or lowered to suit the lodged or standing grain. The 

 knives can be taken out, ground, and replaced without expense ; whereas, when 

 McCormick's sickles get dull, they must be replaced with new ones. 



*' I think the farmers of that part of the State that I saw, had better sow less 

 wheat and grow more wool ; as the soil is well adapted to grass — and just as 

 fine wool can be raised in Wisconsin as in any other State. Sheep would cost 

 but little in the summer, and in winter they would thrive well on your wild hay. 

 This will, undoubtedly, soon become an important branch of agriculture in your 

 State. 



" Experience has taught me that corn will come up much sooner by being 

 drilled. This I consider an important item, especially in your State, where the 

 summers are shorter than they are here. Our plan, in using it, is to have the 

 ground well harrowed, and then one hand can do all the planting, simply by 

 running the drill over it three feet apart. It goes with one horse, and a man can 

 easily plant eight acres in a day ; whereas it would take four to do it in the com- 

 mon way. The farmers here object to it on account of having to plough all 

 one way ; but this can be ob\"iated, by striking it into rows the other way as 

 soon as you commence tending. I have raised ninety-three bushels of corn to 

 the acre, planted in this way, without the use of the hoe. The drill we use 



costs about six doUai-s, and will last a life-time." 



WILLIAM LAPHAM. 

 Mount Tabor, Ohio, Dec. 1851. 



AGRICULTURE OF WIXXEBAGO COUNTY. 



Neenah, December 29th, 1851. 



Dear Sir — I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your communica- 

 tion of the 1st inst., and in reply, take pleasure in giving such information 

 concerning the agricultural resources and condition of this county, as my 



