215 



EXTRACTS FROM CORRESPONDENCE. 



Migration of colored laborers.— (riZes, Tennessee: There has- 

 been of late a great exodus of uegroes to the promised land — Kansas. 

 There is, in consequence, a great opening for industrious farm-hands^ 

 mechanics, and house-help. I know of no section offering so many ad- 

 vantages as East Tennessee. 



Destitution. — Montgomery, Tennessee : The saddest thing we ever 

 saw among us is the gathering of people at the mills for food. Their 

 money and their provisions are now gone. How hundreds of our people 

 are to escape starvation till the crops come we cannot say. 



Grass-culture. — Guthrie, Iowa : Many of our farmers, for fear of 

 being driven to grass, have concluded to go to grass. Tame grasses are 

 to be seen in almost every neighborhood. My Alsike clover came 

 through the winter in good order. Rye also finds favor in some places 

 for pasture; it has stood the winter well. 



Co-operative stock-sale. — Frederick, Maryland : The Patrons of 

 Husbandry of this county held a "stock-sale" April 27, which was- 

 quite a success. It is to be followed semi-annually by others. The 

 Patrons have started a cheese-factory on the co-operative plan. It 

 promises well. 



Eeed-hay. — Edgecombe, North Carolina : Our farmers, to a consider- 

 able extent, are using reeds for long forage. The old reeds are cut down 

 and the young sprouts from the roots are mowed, making a very superior 

 hay, which is well relished by horses. 



Department seeds.— C^ero/cee, Texas: I can fully substantiate the 

 remarks of your correspondent in Waller, Texas, in regard to the seed 

 sent out from the Department. Very few failed to germinate, and the 

 product is the best of their kind. Giles, Tenn. : A poor man residing 

 near me says that the Fultz wheat which he received from the Depart- 

 ment through me two years ago will benefit him this year to the ex- 

 tent of $200. It is the finest wheat in the neighborhood. 



Humane treatment of live stock. — Lincoln, Kansas ;. Sheep have 

 done better the past winter than I ever knew them to do before. Stock- 

 men of all kinds are beginning to learn that it pays to take better care 

 of their stock through the winter than they have been doing hereto- 

 fore. 



Corn-culture. — Clay, Indiana : In 1874 I raised an acre of a new 

 variety of corn ; product, 100 bushels. The ears were from 9 to 14 inches 

 long, with 16 to 22 rows of grain on each. Some ears counted contained 

 1,430 grains. It was planted May 15, on a very rougb sod of new 

 ground, without manure. It ripens before the October frosts. 



Mortality among old people.— Trww&^e, Kentucky : More old in- 

 habitants of our county have died of the prevailing pneumonia than 

 ever before. The type of disease is very severe. 



Orchard- GRASS. — Butler, Kansas : I sowed some orchard-grass seed 

 this spring, and some of the grass has already attained the height of 15 

 inches. 



A fine agricultural region.— Perry, Tennessee : We have a fine 

 county. It is situated, for the greater part, betAveen Buffalo and Ten- 



