488 WISCONSIN AGEICULTUEE. 



in four. Of course, I speak of those fields wliich we are unable 

 to manure on account of their distance from the farm buildings. 



The variety of corn best suited to our soil and climate is a 

 matter yet unsettled among our farmers. There are many va- 

 rieties cultivated with every kind of success. Farmer A., plants 

 Ohio Dent, and thinks he gets a far better crop than farmer B. 

 who lives on the next farm and who thinks his red cob dent 

 yields more than A.'s Ohio dent. Farmers C. and D., raise the 

 eight-rowed yellow corn and the Canadian and they won- 

 der why A. and B. will run the risk of their corn's not ripening, 

 and the loss of light crops and poor corn when they could easily 

 get a better variety. 



Here is the proper place for the Society to step in and award 

 its honors to him who shall demonstrate the best variety, and 

 teach the best mode of its cultivation. 



The Potatoe crop is becoming one of very precarious cultiva- 

 tion. To ascertain the cause of the rot, there has been more 

 fruitless research perhaps, than was ever before wasted on a sub- 

 ject of so much importance. Governments and scientific socie- 

 ties have in vain offered prizes to those who would point out the 

 cause and a remedy. The most eminent vegetable Physiologists 

 have in vain sought honor in its investigation. It still remains 

 a mystery. A paper was read in Scotland during the last sea- 

 son, which excited much interest by the idea which was advanc- 

 ed as the principle cause of the rot. The principle laid down 

 was that the varieties of potatoe were cultivated so distinctly 

 and separately, they were on the retrograde, and consequently 

 posessed in themselves the elements of decay aside from any oth- 

 er influence. 



The remedy proposed was to plant different varieties together, 

 so as to let them mix. But our formers will not admit that in- 

 termixing the varieties in the field will have such an effect. 

 The fact is that every thing which man has to do or do with, is 

 either on the march to perfection or else retrograding — there is 

 no such thing as stability in the highth of perfection — cease to 

 advance and we immediately retrograde. 



The corn and potatoe crop should be followed by wheat or 



