478 



for binding-, and on that account too much grain is lost between and in 

 the water drills. 



Henderson County, Illinois. — About two years ago I received some 

 wheat fioni the Department, called Russian wheat; I sowed it and 

 harvested a very poor quality of wheat, but the season was very un- 

 favorable. I sowed it again and this year thrashed nine bushels of ex- 

 cellent wheat. It is all sown again this fall and looks fine. 



The English turnip seed has given very good satisfaction, also the 

 peas and many other garden seeds. I have distribnted the seeds free of 

 charge, and the Dei)artment has many thanks for the same. 



Golnmhia County, Oregon. — I received last fall one quart Tappahannock 

 wheat from the Department. Sowed last of September, broadcast. 

 Harvested July 9. Lost in thrashing about 10 pounds; yield 82 

 jjounds. The heads were medium size. Grain plump and larger than 

 those received from the Department. Ripened thirteen days earlier 

 than any other wheat raised here. The White Polish wheat was sowed 

 at the same time, but not one-third of it came up. Did not do well. 



PREMIUM CORX CROP li^ PENNSYLVANIA. 



The Brandy wine Farmers' Club of Chester County, Pennsylvania, has 

 awarded to David H. Brownsoii, of Guthrie ville, the premium for the 

 best four acres of Indian corn, his crop averaging 127 bushels and 33 

 pounds to the acre. The height of the stalks varied from 13 to 10 feet, 

 many measuring seven inches in circumference. In his statement to 

 the club, Mr. Bronson said that last fall and spring he applied 100 wagon- 

 loads of unleached livery and barn-yard manure, broadcast, on 25 acres 

 of clover and timothy sward, 50 loads of which were hauled a distance 

 of three miles, all furrowed down in April and the first week in Ma3^ 

 On the land on which the premium crop was grown, he applied, in 

 addition to the stable manure, on the sod, three ox-cart loads of hog- 

 pen manure to the acre. After plowing and thoroughly pulverizing the 

 soil, he marked out rows one way 3^ feet apart, dropping the corn by 

 hand, two grains, 15 to 18 inches apart, and applied to each hill a hand- 

 ful of hen manure, ashes, and plaster, of equal parts, covering with hoe 

 May K). On 12 acres of the 25 cultivated, 500 bushels of lime Avere 

 applied and cultivated in ; the remaining 13 acres had ])reviously been 

 limed on tlie sod. In regard to the use of fertilizers Mr. Bronson re- 

 marked : 



Observation has taught nie to believe that farmers who have almost abandoned the 

 use of lime, and snbstitnted many of the various so-called fertilizers, are impoverishing 

 their lands, and have been deprived of their hard earnings, having been induced to 

 jjurchase by the ingenuity of muuufacturers, i)roducing numerous testimonials of their 

 magic results. 



If we were (entirely dependent upon the patent manures in the market, our land 

 would in time become almost as liarren as that of the great Sahara, and our children 

 would be ciying for bread. Twenty-five yeaisback, Brandywine and her sister town- 

 ships were illuminated almost nighty by the light from some lime-kiln in the neighbor- 

 hood; to-day we lind them converted "into ice-houses, and the trade entirely in the 

 hands of the few wlio make it a special business. When we aii]dy lime and barn-yard 

 manure, we need no stakes to mark the result. Their application has long since ceased 

 to be an experiment — tlie effects are evident. Kaw-bone, beyond douljt, is an excellent 

 fertilizer; yet its market value is such that the farmer cannot aliord to apply it in 

 quantities necessary for a pernumeut substitute for lime. An old horse, after liaving 

 faithfully served tlie will of his master and ])aid tlie debt of nature, is more valuable, 

 properly' managed, than one ton of most of the fertilizers in the market. The deposits 

 in the heuuery are valuable when mixed in equal i^arts with plaster, and applied to 



