198 [Senate 



Lewis county reports 420 bushels, and Oneida county 384 bushels 

 of potatoes per acre; but the statements are brief and present nothing 

 new in cultivation, success appearing to depend chiefly on manuring 

 and thorough culture. 



7 



RUTA BAGA, 



Statement of John G. Smedberg, of Prattsville, Greene county 

 of his crop of ruta bagas, yielding 1,161 bushels on an acre, and 

 2,173 bushels on two acres and five rods of land, well authenticated 

 by surveyor and witnesses, and to whom was awarded the first pre- 

 mium of the State Agricultural Society: 



The ground being in the spring of 1842, a timothy and couch grass 

 meadow, (soil sandy loam, in a low state of cultivation,) was dressed 

 with about sixty-five loads of manure to the acre, part of it unrotted 

 barn-yard manure, and part of it the refuse of a tannery, (hair, limCj 

 scrapings of hides, &c.,) — the sod turned over and corn planted — 

 crop about forty bushels per acre. (Plowed too deep, say 8 inches^ 

 and couch grass not well kept under.) 



In 1843 it was again in corn, without manure, crop rather lighter 

 than beforej couch grass stronger than last year. 



In order to eradicate the couch grass it was plowed as late as pos- 

 sible in the fall (say 23d and 24th Nov., 1843,) about 3 inches deepy 

 and again about 10th April, 1844, 10 inches deep. It was manured 

 with about forty loads per acre, of unrotted barn-yard manure, plow- 

 ed in, about 4 inches deep. May 12th, and planted with mangel M^urt- 

 zel, on a level surface. May 15th. This seed failed almost totally. 



About half an acre of the ground was then manured with fifteen 

 loads of half rotted horse manure and the whole plowed 8 inches deepy 

 June 6th, ridged with a light corn plow at 30 inches — the ridges 

 slightly flattened by dragging a light stick over them, and the seed 

 planted by a drill barrow, June 7th and 8th, two pounds of " Dick- 

 son's improved ruta baga," procured from Thorburn in New-York, 

 being used. Owing to the drill not covering the seed regularly, va- 

 cancies occurred, when the plants came up, to the extent of at least 

 25 per cent of the ground. These vacancies were replanted by hand 

 June 24th and 27th. 



The crop was weeded with the cultivator and hoe, and partially 

 thinned July 11th and 12th; worked with the cultivator and hoe, and 

 thinned as regularly as possible to 12 inch intervals, July 29th and 

 30th, and harvested between Oct. 21st and Nov. 4th. The tops were 

 cut off by small boys with hoes, and the roots turned out by men 

 with dung forks. Very little dirt adhered to them, after being 

 knocked together before thrown into the cart or basket, and the little 

 that did, and shook down into the cart, was shovelled out after every 

 load. 



