48 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



about seed. I do not know as to that, but I feel that the 

 farmers of Massachusetts are sowino; witli the seed that they 

 purchase a good many weeds. Down in Hingham and aljout 

 there the land is covered with wild carrot, so that in the 

 blossoming season it appears to be as white as it is about 

 here with snow this mornino;, and that wild carrot has got 

 into a good many farms. There is a firm in Binghampton 

 who are sending out circulars to farmers in which they 

 claim that their grass seed is free from weed seed. If we 

 can only get grass seed that is pure you can see how valualile 

 it must be. Any farmer would rather pay three times the 

 price for grass seed that he knew to be perfectly pure, 

 thoroughly clean, than for that which he does not feel sure 

 about. I would like to have Professor Roberts tell us 

 whether he knows anything al)Out it, whether it is a hum- 

 bug, or whether this seed is so clean that the farmer can 

 depend upon it. 



Professor Roberts. I am well acquainted Avith Mr. 

 Whitney. The firm is entirely reliable. I am constantly in 

 correspondence with them, for I buy all my seed from them. 

 It may be news to you, but they are trying to discover the 

 value of this weed seed for feeding purposes. 



Mr. Stoddard. The question which comes to a young 

 farmer taking an old farm is, " What can I best o-row to 

 feed my cattle? " " How shall I best feed my cattle? " is a 

 question that every farmer must decide for himself. Some 

 of the speakers have advocated purchasing most of our cattle 

 foods, others home-grown foods. I have always advocated 

 home-grown foods. Having had some ex})erience in the 

 West and also here, I believe thoroughly in corn as food 

 for annuals. I believe in growing corn on every farm. I 

 can hardly agree with some of the theories })ut forward by 

 our good friend Professor Roberts ; they arc hardly borne out 

 by my experience. I should not advise any young man to 

 plough up the larger ])art of an old farm, and be to the ex- 

 pense of cultivating that large farm for a few bushels of corn. 

 It seems to me he had better plant fewer acres, put on less 

 labor, and get more returns. 



Professor Robeiits. Will the gentleman allow me to 

 correct him? I said that I spread the manure over the 

 farm, not that I ploughed it all up. 



