182 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



not so sure a crop, rye is sown extensively, and no dilEculty is 

 found in exchanging it for corn, bushel for bushel. 



Buckwheat. This crop is cultivated upon a limited scale. It is 

 sown the last of June or first of July, one bushel being considered 

 suflBcient seed for an acre. This has been regarded as an exhaust- 

 ing crop, but I have the opinion of many practical farmers of the 

 county to the contrary. With a naturally light soil, and an appli- 

 cation of one bushel of gypsum to the acre, good crops of this 

 grain are raised for years in succession upon the same land. It is 

 used to some extent to plow under for manure, instead of clover, 

 and light soils, much worn out by constant cropping, can in a few 

 years be renovated by following this practice. Particular care is 

 necessary in curing this crop, as it should mostly be done by lay- 

 ing it in small bunches after it is cut, and allowing it to remain for 

 three or four days unmoved, and then turning it over, letting it 

 stay about the same length of time before it is hauled in. If cut 

 before frost, the straw makes a very good fodder. Many farmers 

 who make no account of buckwheat as a grain crop, sow a small 

 quantity as food for bees — for the blossoms furnish a rich food for 

 them as long as they remain fragrant. 



Flax, which was an important crop in former years, has gone 

 entirely out of cultivation, 



4. — Potatoes. 



More attention has been given to the culture of potatoes for 

 several years past, than to any other crop ; and this interest is not 

 confined .to the old varieties, but to newer and more promising 

 sorts. It is but a few years since the old red, yellow, peachblow 

 and kidney, were the varieties everywhere grown — now these are 

 almost entirely unknown, while we have in their places the White 

 Mountain, State of Maine, Jackson, Orono, Foot, Jenny Lind, 

 besides numerous other seedling varieties. The Philadelphia or 

 Chenango is grown upon the light, sandy loam of some of the river 

 towns. They are more liable to rot than most other kinds, espe- 

 cially in a wet season ; yet surpassing, as they do, for table use, 

 all other varieties, they arc raised for home consumption and for 

 the Boston market. Next to the Chenango, the Jackson and 

 Carter are the best table varieties. The Jenny Liiid or California 

 is the largest growing sort, exceeding in size and great bearing 

 qualities the old-fashioned long reds. Upon land in a good state 

 of improvement, two hundred and fifty bushels of Jenny Linds are 



