ROOT CROPS. 253 



Stirring the ground frequently, while crops are growing, is 

 admitted by all farmers to be good husbandry. Some of our 

 Irish and German friends, who succeed in raising on their small 

 garden plats very fine crops of their favorite vegetables, work 

 over and loosen the soil every few days throughout the season, 

 with a manure fork or a spade, and they doubtless find their 

 account in so doing. If frequent ploughing before planting is * 

 equally beneficial to the succeeding crop, the fact should be 

 known to all farmers, and the practice should be adopted, by 

 all at least who own teams. If it is profitable for Mr. Thomas, 

 it is certainly worthy of a trial by others. 



Henry M. Porter, of Halifax, had one-quarter of an acre of 

 dark loam, in grass without manure in 1869, in corn in 1870. 

 It was manured with 5 loads of 30 bushels each, of barnyard 

 manure, 5 loads of similar manure spread and ploughed in, 7 

 inches deep, in May, 1871, when 25 bushels of leached ashes 

 were spread and worked in with the horse hoe, harrow and 

 bush, in June, and sowed June 27th, with one-quarter of a 

 pound of Sweet German and ruta-baga turnip seed ; hoed 

 twice with hand hoes, and harvested October 1st. Product, 

 9,320 pounds, or 155^ bushels, being at the rate 6211 bushels 

 per acre. 



Potatoes. — The committee say Thomas 0. Jackson, of Plym- 

 outh, planted 120 rods of heavy loam, which was in potatoes 

 and garden vegetables in 1869 and 1870 ; manured with 36 

 loads of stable manure of 30 bushels each, in 1869, with 40 

 loads in 1870, and with the same quantity spread and ploughed 

 in, 8 inches deep, April 10th, 1871 ; harrowed and furrowed; 

 planted April 13th, in drills 2 feet apart, seed 1 foot apart in 

 the drills, using 12 bushels ; harvested the second week in Sep- 

 tember. Product, 15,452 pounds, 257^ bushels, being at the 

 rate of 343f $ bushels per acre. Expenses : ploughing, $6 ; 

 harrowing, $3 ; manure, $40 ; planting, $15 ; cultivation, $9 ; 

 harvesting, $21. Total, $94. 



Mr. Jackson in his statement says : " Before the potatoes 

 appeared the ground was thoroughly bushed, thereby killing the 

 small weeds. It was afterwards hoed once with a horse hoe, 

 and dressed with hand hoes, and it was once ploughed between 

 the rows and again dressed with hand hoes. The potatoes are 

 the Early Rose, and are of good size and of the first quality, 



