FARMERS' INSTITUTES. 91 



Once plowing §3 00 



Harrowing and cultivating.. 3 00 



Seed. --- 2 50 



Drilling 1 00 



Eight days' tending 12 00 



Pulling and pitting . 12 00 



Manure — - 12 50 



Total S45 00 



Alowing only 450 bushels per acre the cost is but ten cents per bushel. A 

 yield of 750 bushels would reduce the cost to si.x cents per bushel. 



Upon the relative value of roots for fattening purposes, as sliown by analysis, 

 I will not dwell, but my experience iu feed to breeding or store hogs is that 

 beets or carrots fed once each day are worth fully one-third as much as corn. 

 I would advise every one present who keeps a cow or pig to sow beets or carrots 

 for winter and spring feeding. 



At the conclusion of his paper, Mr. Warren called attention to some speci- 

 mens of the Snow Flake potato, and asked for the experience of those who 

 had tried this variety. 



Mr. Escott. — I have raised tliis variety, and have only one fault to find with 

 it: there is apt to be in each hill a large number of small potatoes. 



Prof, Beal. — At the College we have tried a large number of varieties of 

 potatoes, and we think tlie Alpha and Early Ohio for early, and Brownell's 

 Beauty and Beauty of Hebron for late, are the best. 



DISCUSSION. 



What is thought of a i)repared manure as follows: gypsum or plaster mixed 

 with ashes and hen manure, and allowed to stand five or six months before 

 using? 



Mr. Kedzie. — I do not think it advisable to make this mixture. The alkali 

 of the ashes would set ammonia free from the hen manure whicli would escape. 

 I can see no advantage in mixing with plaster. 



Prof. Beal. — As good a way to compost hen manure as any is to mix it with 

 dry, loamy soil. 



Question. — Is barn-yard manure better plowed under or applied to the sur- 

 face? 



Prof. Beal. — Harrowing it under will probably give as good i-esults as any 

 way. 



Question. — What is tlie best breed of slieep, all things considered, for this 

 region? 



Prof. Beal. — It is difficult to tell. Depends largely on whether mutton or 

 wool is wanted. In general I would recommend the American Merino. 



Question. — What breed of cattle is best adapted to a mixed system of farm- 

 ing ? 



Prof. Beal. — I cannot say. Each breeder thinks his breed is the best. 



Question. — In what way does a plant derive aid from the use of plaster? 



Mr. Kedzie. — Plaster acts as a food for plants by furnishing it wiih lime and 

 sulj)huric acid, both of which the plant rociuires. Plaster also probably acts 

 on the vegetable matter of soils, and converts a portion of it into ammonia 

 for the use of the plant. 



