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TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



years, but for two or three years back they have proved a failure, on ac- 

 count of bhxsting. About the last of August the tops turn perfectly black, 

 and all die oflf in two days' time. The Prince Albert yielded almost as 

 well iis the Peach Blow, but is inclined to be soggy toward spring. The 

 Davis Seedling is now, all things considered, the best potato we raise. It 

 is a good yielder, fair and uniform size, growing better from digging time 

 to spring, and nearly free from rot— the most so of any raised here. 

 We have another potato, a seedling of this county, called by us Wood's 

 potato, and in Boston the Jenny Lind. It is a large, long, reddish potato, 

 not good for the table until midwinter, then fair ; yield great. I have dug 

 a bushel in from six to eight hills often. It is the best potato to feed, all 

 things considered, that is raised, and is growing better, as an eating potato, 

 every year, and sells as high, within six or eight cents, as the Peach Blow.'' 



In answer to the question from Mr. Robinson, Joseph G. French said 

 the statement was correct about the feeding quality and value of the Jenny 

 Lind potato. 



John G. Bergen.— For the purpose of experiment, I planted 14 pieces 

 of land with potatoes last year, and dug the crop in July, with the follow- 

 ing results : The eye end portion of the tuber gave 11 lbs. with the least 

 stalks, and the potatoes averaging largest. The seed of the middle end 

 gave 181- i|3g_ and had too many stalks. The bud end gave 14| lbs. and 

 had too many stalks. The potatoes were the largest where the fewest 

 stalks grew. 



ILLINOIS BUTTER. 



Solon Robinson said : Townsend Seeley, of Kendall, 111., which is on 

 Fox River, south of Ausable Grove, speaks of the country as much better 

 adapted to grass than grain, and thinks if farmers could be induced to plow 

 less and plow better, and seed more land to grass for hay and pasture, and 

 make beef and butter, it would be better for them ; but he says that'but- 

 ter makers are discouraged on account of the prejudice in this city against 

 Illinois butter. He wants farmers advised what to do. This prejudice 

 against Illinois butter is no greater than it is against all western butter. 

 In fact, no greater than it would be against any butter that comes to mar- 

 ket in the same bad condition, or that is made in a country where tlie water 

 will not answer for washing in the laundry ; because, butter to keep well, 

 not only needs to be made from sweet grass, grown upon a soil where no 

 lime abounds, and to be washed in soft cold water, just as surely as a 

 dirty garment needs to be washed in soft hot water. Illinois butter is, 

 when well made, good while new, but the best of it does not keep as well 

 after it comes here as some of our home made. That is one reason why 

 butter making cannot be depended upon for profit in that State. 



GROWING RADISHES. 

 Here is a little piece of information that may be useful to many persons. 

 Thomas Jones, of Centre county, Mich., wants to tell others how to raise 

 jadishes without their being troubled with weeds or worms. It is simply 



