471 



planted in drills contained of dry matter, the water being evaporated in 

 a drying closet, 17 per cent., while that from corn sown broadcast con- 

 tained bnt 8 per cent., in which sugar and gum were almost entirely 

 wanting. This illustrates the great superiority of stalks collected just 

 as the ear begins to form. -^jf'^i 



At a meeting of the Western Kew York Dairymen's Association, in 

 September, Mr. Lewis F. Allen stated that, in experimenting with fod- 

 der-corn, he had planted one acre in sweet corn, which grew to a height 

 of about 2^ feet, feeding being commenced when the corn began to tas- 

 sel. The acre supplied sixteen cows twenty-three days, (equivalent to 

 feeding one cow three hundred and sixty-eight days,) yielding about 8^ 

 tons. Common Ohio green corn, of which the crop was double that of 

 the sweet corn, was then fed, and. the cows appeared to relish it equally 

 well. The result was a steady increase of milk and a large increase of 

 butter. 



In respect to a substitution of lucern in place of fodder-corn, Mr. 

 Martin said that the value of the former as a food for dairy cows would 

 appear to have been overrated to some extent. It belongs to the clover 

 family, and the milk of cows fed upon it is not equal for purposes of 

 butter and cheese to milk from the grasses proper ; and the butter and 

 cheese obtained from feeding it are deficient in keeping qualities. 



Mr. E. W. Stewart brought forward the practice of Mr. Fry, who raised 

 corn in drills, dropping the seed in every third furrow. One acre sup- 

 plied one hundred and five cows four days, equivalent to feeding one 

 cow four hundred and twenty days. Mr. Stewart held that when the 

 corn-plant began to tassel it contained all the constituents of the grain. 



Mr. Pierce, of East Hamburgh, said that he had not found sowed 

 corn capable of increasing the production of milk after it had fallen off, 

 but that if the feeding was commenced in season the flow would be kept 

 up, and the cows sustained in good heart and flesh. 



AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES AND FARMERS' CLUBS. 



A correspondent in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, writes urging 

 the formation of farmers' clubs and the frequent meeting of farmers for 

 comparison of views, &c. He says : 



If we had farmers' clubs organized in all the towns, and these in communication with 

 a central head, any important fact established could be at once made known to all the 

 clubs thronghoiit the country. The most important work for the clubs would be to 

 establish facts by actual experiments. This is our great want at present. We have 

 very little positive knowledge in regard to the best methods of applying labor or ma- 

 terial to the soil for any crop. Take Indian corn, for example. We find great differ- 

 ence of opinion in regard to the plowing of the land, the application of fertilizers, the 

 planting of seed, and the cultivating and harvesting of the crop. This ought not to 

 be. It is true that climate and soil have something to do with the methods ; but with 

 organized effort and experiment the best methods of planting and cultivating our prin- 

 cipal crops may be developed, and thereby some progress be made in the right direc- 

 tion. Let a farmers' club be formed in every town, and let no year i^ass without the 

 institution of some experiment in agriculture for the instruction of the members, and 

 when the results are important let the facts be communicated to the Department of 

 Agriculture for more general dissemination. 



The Concord (Massachusetts) Farmers' Club presents the following 

 list of subjects to be discussed by members during the ensuing winter, 

 one being assigned to each Av^eekly meeting, from ]!^ovember 2 to April 

 18, the meetings to be held at the houses of the members : 



Economy of small farms as compared with large ones. Our discussions — what 

 questions shall we select, and how discuss them? Insects injurious to fruit-trees and 



