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times with baud-lioe, and was dug tlie middle of October. Yield 42^ 

 bushels, or equal to 583 bushels per acre. Ground seeded at the rate of 

 3if bushels per acre, with a failure of over one-third of the seed to 

 grow. I have twenty potatoes which weigh between three and a half 

 and four pounds. One, when dug, weighed over six pounds. These 

 potatoes are solid to the center, cook up mealy, and of better quality 

 than the Peach-blow, as the Peach-blowinthis region grows hollow and 

 the center of the potato does not cook well. 



Cohimhia, S. C. — Some details relative to the lucerne seed obtained 

 from the Department may not be without interest. I live in what, 

 as compared with other lands in this vicinity, are called " sand hills," 

 one and a half mile from Columbia, a place of resort for health. 

 The soil of Columbia and much of the country is stiff' red clay ; but 

 mine, liglit-gray lands, that soon wash to white sand, and require con- 

 stant fertilizing to keep them up; also great care to prevent washing. 

 In this soil I i^lanted the lucerne, in my garden ; one bed, broadcast, 

 and allowed it to grow without cultivation ; another bed I drilled, and 

 had it occasionally worked. Both beds had been coated with barnyard 

 manure, and sprinkled with the debris from a burnt building. The sea- 

 son was favorable to it, as we had plenteous rains. The broadcast bed 

 has grown, and to-day is as greeu as you can imagine green to be, 

 though it had been repeatedly cut down; and it has settled all 

 doubts I ever had of our ability to raise crops of this sort. That which 

 was drilled and worked surpassed all expectation. To give a more 

 graphic idea of yield, my children have thirty-eight grown English 

 rabbits, with many young ones, and these two beds have supplied tbem 

 with green food. I am sure they, together, eat as much as a horse 

 would eat, if not more; and I think it worth considering when two 

 beds of 20 by 20 feet supply such a quantity. We are vastly troubled 

 here with two injurious grasses — tvire or joint g)'ass and nut grass — of 

 which we find it very difficult to give any Northern man a correct idea. 

 To eradicate them is next to impossible ; certainly so with the latter. 

 It sends its riuts down for two or three feet sometimes, and deeper, 

 according to the excellence of cultivation. The more work done, the 

 more it spreads ; and as soon as it is discovered the only way is to 

 abandon the land for a term of years to broom-sedge, and allow it be 

 smothered out. As they both die in winter, but come again in spring, 

 I firmly believe that lucerne sown upon this land thickly, and well 

 manured, would smother them out, and be highly x^rofitable also. 



LIVE STOCK IN MUSCATINE, IOWA. 



Muscatine County, loica. — The raising of horses has been overdone in 

 this county. We, as a farming class, have been crazy on the subject of 

 speed, and are now reaping the fruits of our folly. Had we a number 

 of years ago entered into the raising of horses for the farm instead of 

 the turf, we would not have the comparatively worthless animals now 

 on our hands — not fast enough to win or large enough to work. The 

 majority of farmers are, however, again raising such horses as will always 

 find ready sale. The Percheron is meeting with much favor. Mules 

 are almost entirely neglected. Those wanting them, in most cases, go 

 to the neighboring section of Illinois, where they are quite extensively 

 raised. All kinds of cattle are receiving increased attention. For beef 

 the short- horn takes the precedence, but for dairy purposes the Alderney 

 and Jersey are especial favorites. We think the day is not far distant 



