No. 4.] FIELD CROPS. 331 



Upon this acre the rotation has been corn, corn, oats, grass 

 and clover, grass and clover, corn and rye. The mustard 

 was sown after the rye was removed, the past season. On 

 this land corn has each year been most increased by the 

 muriate of potash, oats and the hrst cut of hay by the nitrate 

 of soda and clover by the potash. Not one of these crops 

 has been much increased by the dissolved bone-black. The 

 mustard, on the other hand, made almost no growth except 

 on the plats which have been manured with the dissolved 

 bone-black. Even on that which for seven years has re- 

 ceived only bone-black the growth was good. 



In view of these results, I am led to advise the liberal use 

 of superphosphate with muriate of potash in connection with 

 manure for this crop. As it makes its growth chiefly after 

 warm weather, it will be unnecessary to supply much nitro- 

 gen in available form. 



Planting, Culture, Harvesting and Storing. 



The Swede as a field crop for stock should be planted 

 early in June, in rows about thirty inches apart. About 

 two pounds of seed per acre are required. I have found 

 Laing's Swede the most satisfactory variety. The plants, as 

 is well known, can be transplanted with far greater facility 

 than mangels, but still it is desirable to avoid this labor. 

 The culture and general management are the same as for 

 mangels, but much less laborious, on account of the more 

 rapid growth. 



The Swede is less injured by frost than almost any other 

 farm crop, and may stand in the field, as a rule, until early 

 in November. It may be harvested and stored as described 

 for mangels, save that it will be preferable to cut the lops. 



It is used to greatest advantage as food for sheep, young 

 cattle and horses. 



The Potato. 



As is generally well known, the cultivated potato is an 

 improved form of species indigenous to South America, 

 Chili and Peru, it is thought. In the wild species the tubers 

 are of very small size, and have a bitter flavor. Seed bulbs 

 and seed are abundantly produced. The ability to produce 



