No. 63.J 181 



ing, where corn may not be produced. On the more elevated parts 

 of the southern towns, however, the earlier sorts of corn are to be 

 preferred^ and even then, in such places, barley perhaps may be pre- 

 ferred. 



The quantity of oats cultivated in this county is immense; it be- 

 ing the custom with many farmers, where spring grains are more 

 grown than winter wheat, to continue to sow oats after the indispen- 

 sable part of their spring work is done, as long as there is a probabi- 

 lity of their ripening in autumn. Oats are a crop rarely lost in con- 

 sequence of unfavorable weather, and are equaled by few for the 

 purposes of feeding to animals. In one respect oats seem better 

 adapted to animals than any other grain; they evidently combine in 

 a superior degree, the necessary proportions of bulk and nutriment so 

 essential to the animal. There is no other grain so much used for 

 horses and sheep, and there is none on which they keep or thrive bet- 

 ter. Some farmers who grind corn or peas for making pork, prefer 

 using one-third oats to either of the former, thinking their pigs do 

 better on this mixture, than on pure corn or pea meal. Great quan- 

 tities of grass seeds are sown with spring grains, but they sometimes 

 tail in consequence of being too long delayed. Grass seeds must be 

 sown as early as they will vegetate in the spring, as the great dan- 

 ger to them arises from the occurrence of severe drouth before the 

 young grasses are sufficiently rooted. Grass seeds will succeed with 

 either spring wheat, barley or oats, and farmers choose among them 

 at pleasure, although two things may be deemed indispensable to 

 success, a rich soil and early seeding. 



Potatoes are the favorite root crop in Onondaga, and very large 

 quantities are cultivated. Turneps, beets and carrots are grown to 

 some extent, but far short of what it i^ believed the interests of the 

 farmer demand. Experiments have seemed to show, that the ruta 

 baga could not be relied upon with as much certainty as the beet or 

 carrot, in field culture, owing, it is supposed, to the great heat of our 

 summer months; though where it has succeeded, the crop has been 

 large and valuable. Is it not possible that farmers in this country 

 have made a mistake in adopting the English time of sowing for this 

 root? In that moderate, moist climate, where drouth rarely occurs, 

 the turnep, if sown late, never suffers for moisture. Here, unless the 

 vigorous tap root has forced its way to some depth, the occurrence of 

 one of our hot dry seasons must be fatal to the plant. Would not a 

 few weeks earlier sowing, by giving the plant the chance of becom- 

 ing bettter rooted, increase the probabilities of success to the crop? 

 As it is necessary in all cases, to sow the beet and carrot early, they 

 rarely fail, when on soils of suitable depth and quality, of giving good 

 crops. We think the carrot one of the crops that best reward the 

 farmer; but to grow it to advantage requires a rich, light soil, not too 

 dry, but free from all stangnant subsoil water. There is no animal 

 to which the carrot does not seem grateful; and of the necessity of 

 some kind of green food for stock of all kinds, during our long win- 

 ters, no good farmer can doubt. Cut straw and carrots, or even po- 

 tatoes, will keep horses and cattle in very good condition, vvhere work 



