THE PENINSULA FARMERS' CLUB. 437 



but difficult iu practice. Near large cities, where labor is readily and reason- 

 ably obtained, one may succeed with them; but here where labor is not easily 

 procured I only believe in specialties to a very limited extent. In choosing 

 our crops we must not lose sight of the fact that our soil needs to be 

 brought to a higher state of cultivation, and that the way to accomplish this 

 is by enriching it with manure. Our fruit trees need fertilization ; other fer- 

 tilizers not being accessible we must depend on our barn-yards, and grow a 

 large proportion of crops that are convertible into manure there. I will men- 

 tion corn and grass for this purpose. I would recommend the production of 

 potatoes as remunerative. Squashes might also bo profitably grown, but we 

 must rely on those crops as most profitable for which we receive the greatest 

 amount of dollars and cents, unless they at the same time tend to enrich our 

 soil and bring our farms into better condition. 



Mr. Tracy. — What success did 1sh\ Grey meet with in growing sweet corn 

 this year ? 



Mr. Grey. — My sweet corn resulted in a one-fourth crop. 



Mr. Curtis. — I plant sweet corn in hills. By selecting early kinds and plant- 

 ing early I always have good crops. But I only plant a small quantity for 

 family use. Common, corn failed this year; but I believe as good corn can be 

 grown here as " ever grew in Egypt." Owing to the early snows I was obliged 

 to store my corn damp this year. My horses and cattle seem to prefer it so to 

 being dry. They eat the wet stalks up clean and will leave even hay for them. 

 Mr. Montague realized 100 bushels of corn per acre this year, yet I do not 

 believe we can yet afford to raise it for market. 



Mr. Grey. — Does any one know of tests by chemical analysis having been 

 made of the relative nutritive properties of sweet and common corn ? 



Mr. Tracy. — Dr. Miles, of the State Agricultural College, has made such 

 tests, but I am not prepared to say with what result. 



Mr. Avery. — Although sweet corn when properly cured is better than com- 

 mon corn for fodder, the former costs so much more trouble to raise than the 

 latter that I believe the advantages in growing them are equal. I believe in 

 corn for fodder ; but not in feediug stock on it exclusively. They need change 

 of diet. 



Mr. Tracy. — I believe it profitable to grow fodder corn. My "Dent "was 

 drawn in wet, and my cattle thrive on it. I like "Dent" better than any 

 other corn except "Smut-nose," which ripens earlier. 



Mr. George Parmelee. — With regard to the nutritive properties of corn fod- 

 der I would say that much depends on the time of cutting. If cut while 

 green, and consequently before the grain fills, it is more nutritive than when 

 allowed to fully ripen. I think it necessary for the well-being of cattle 

 to vary their food. I concur in Mr. Tracy's opinion that apples and corn can- 

 not generally be favorably grown in the same locality. Apples grown on the 

 shores of a large sheet of water always succeed better than those grown in the 

 interior of the country. Corn on the contrary does better in the interior than 

 in the vicinity of water. 



Mr. Porter. — I believe milch cows do better on corn fodder than any other, 

 and that common corn is more nutritive than sweet corn. I like "Smut- 

 nose " best for fodder. It grows high and slim, and the cattle eat most of the 

 canes. 



Mr. Montague. — I prefer "Dent" to all other corn as fodder. It yields well, 

 and the cattle like it. I should like to know what crops we are to raise next 



