156 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



Now, in regard to the best manner of cultivating the crop. I 

 have nothing new, perhaps, to say on this subject. I can only 

 give you the result of my own experience. There are several 

 things that ought to be attended to with great care, and one is 

 the selection of seed. This is a matter which I consider of 

 prime importance ; for if you happen to get poor seed, or seed 

 that will not germinate, your whole operation is frustrated in 

 the beginning ; you are thrown off the track, and do not know 

 what to do with your land if your seed docs not come up. In 

 my own case, if I do not get a good start of the seed, I have 

 almost always found that I do not succeed in getting a good 

 crop. Therefore I consider the obtaining of proper seed a 

 matter of prime importance, and I suppose there is no surer 

 way of doing it than for a farmer to raise his own seed. If he 

 does, then he ought to select carefully the best specimens among 

 his roots — those that are of good size ; that grow smooth, and 

 fair, and sound. In that way he will be pretty sure of getting 

 6ecd that will not disappoint his expectations. If he is obliged 

 to buy, he ought to take the greatest pains to get his seed of a 

 reliable dealer. I know it is a difficult matter, for I have been 

 many times disappointed in this particular myself. I have 

 bought turnip-sccd, for instance, and got for a crop something 

 that would run to top, but make no root — a great coarse, good- 

 for-nothing thing. I was told, only a day or two ago, of a gen- 

 tleman, a member of the Board, I believe, who bought in Boston 

 a very nice marrow squash, which he was told by the man who 

 sold it to him was a genuine article, raised by himself. He took 

 the squash home, saved the seeds, planted them by themselves, 

 so as to be sure of having a nice crop of squashes, took a great 

 deal of pains, and did have a good growth ; but when they 

 began to set he found that three-quarters of them were very 

 good pumpkins, and not squashes. This shows the importance 

 of getting good seed to begin with. 



Then the next thing is the proper manuring and proper culti- 

 vation of the soil. Ilere, again, perhaps I may as well give my 

 own experience ; there are others who will give theirs. I have 

 succeeded best in applying my manure in a green state, or 

 taking what I have made through the summer on to the land in 

 the fall, and covering that manure by ridging the ground ; not 

 ploughing the whole ground, but throwing one furrow upon the 



