21fl TnE YEAR-BOOK OF AGRICULTURE. 



It is estimated by intelligent farmers In Indiana th.it their river-bottoms, which used to 

 produce an average crop of sixty bushels of corn to the acre, now produce only forty. In 

 Wisconsin, which is younger ^ t i 1 1 , it is estimated that only one-half the number of bushels 

 of wheat are now raised on the aero which were raised twelve years ago. 



These estimates arc based on the returns made to the Patent Office, and are as reliable as 

 any now before the public What, then, is the conclusion of the whole matter? It is this, 

 thai the Boils of New England, after all the admonitions we have received upon the subject, 

 are annually growing poorer, and that even the virgin lands of the Great West are rapidly 



becoming exhausted of their fertility. Other and better modes of cultivation must there- 

 fore be introduced and practised, or our countryd^iow the granary of the world — may at 

 no very distant day become dependent on other lands for its daily bread. Within titty years 

 our population will undoubtedly reach the enormous number of one hundred millions; but 

 the grave question is, How are these myriads to bo fed, and clothed, and educated, if OUT 

 present impoverishing agricultural processes are to be continued? We have territory 

 enough, and it is naturally rich enough to support a population of one thousand millions — 

 a Dumber .to which we may yet attain; but how can they be sustained, unless some method 

 is devised to keep up the productive capabilities of our country, and to return to OUT libe- 

 rally discounting soils as much, at least, as we abstract from them ? This is a problem which 

 many thoughtful and tar-seeing men are beginning to ponder, and which requires but little 

 wisdom to solve. — New England Farmer. 



Experiments in Feeding. 



The following account of trials in feeding stock, instituted by John Brooks, Esq., of 

 Princeton. tdaSBachusetts, is communicated to the Journal of the United States Agricul- 

 tural Society, ls.'il. The points for determination were the influence of different kinds of 

 food in the production of milk, and the proportion of solid manure to the hay consumed: — 



December 17, 1851, commenced feeding two cows about 7 months after calving; the cows 

 were gravid, and expected to calve about March next; live weight, 1G00 lbs.; one of them 

 44 and the other 31 months old. Each trial continued 5 days. 



First 5 days fed on 2 per cent, of live weight of hay, cut daily 32 lbs. 



2 lbs. of Indian meal, bay value 8 " 



liny vnluo of daily fond 40 " 



Hay value of 5 days' food 200 " 



Cost of 5 davs' food, hav at A cent per 11) $1.00 



Milk in 5 days 01875 lbs. 



Cost of milk, (hay at J cent, a lb.,) 1-6 cents to the lb., or 3-2 cents the wine quart. 



,v> oond TriaL 



Fed 6 dayi on 2* per cent, of live weight of cut hay. 



Cut hay daily 40 lbs. 



Cut hay in 6 day- 200 " 



1 t of :> day-* food, hay at \ cent per Hi $1.00 



Milk in :> days 60 lbs. 



Cost of milk, (hay at \ cent per lh.,) l«6 cents the lb., or 38 cents the wine quart. 

 These trials show that L' lb-, of Indian meal are \ery nearly eipial to -J per cent, of live 

 weight of hay, or that one pound of meal is equal nearh to 4 lbs. of good English li i\ . 



Third TriaL 



Fed D OUt hay 16 lbs. 



83 lh-. oat itraw, hay rains Hi " 



2 ids. Indian meal, baj ralue s " 



Bay value of i I daily 40 " 



liny value of •• days' food 100 " 



Cost ••( bay at A cent per II $1.00 



Di dad •> li'.-. hay and straw not consumed 2J 



$0.1)7 i 

 Milk in 'j day, Ml lbs. 



C of milk, i hay at ,1 cent a pound,) 1*99 cents the ll»., or .">'.' cents the wine quart 

 The hay and straw cut given wet; the meal lifted "Ver the hay and straw. This trial seems 

 to show that J 11 iw are not e.pial for milk to 1 11.. of hay. 



