THE GENESEE FARMER. 



47 



potatoes put in half a dozen eyes to the hill, or one 

 whole potato, but to p:et nice, larpre ones, do not put 

 in more than three eyes in any instanco. 



The culture is simfily passing through tliem twice 

 each way with the horse hoe and tilling with the hand 

 implement. If I expect to hoe twice, I make small 

 hills at lirst, and finisli them up on the second hoe- 

 ing. I think it would be a capital plan to harrow the 

 whole surface as soon as the plants appear, with alight 

 harrow, but have not yet tried it. 1 generally find it 

 pretty mellow hoeing, am very little troubled by sod?, 

 if the plowing was done properly, and generally keep 

 a clean surface without exlra labor. 



After hilling, 1 find it a good plan to top drees 

 each hill with a spoonfall of plaster. Have never 

 been troubled with the disease, more than those who 

 plant without fresh manure, and in all cases have as 

 good crops as are produced in the neighborhood by 

 &ny course of treatment. F. B.—J\'iagara Co., 

 A*. Y. 



Cultivation of Potatoes without the use of the 

 Hano IIoe. — Messrs. Ens: — lu the summer of 1855 

 I hit upon a plan of cultivating potatoes with as lit- 

 tle labor as any I have seen reconmiended. The 

 ground (the sward having been turned, manured and 

 planted with corn the year before) should be plowed 

 as sooH as it is dry enough in the spring, and if time 

 permits allow the weed seeds near the surface to ger- 

 minate. Then give it a thorough plowing again, 

 mark it with a plow three feet apart each way; drop 

 one medium sized potato in each cross, covering with 

 light mould about two inches deep, the seed having 

 been selected carefully, using nothing smaller than a 

 hen's egg, and if twice as large, split in two, none the 

 worse; neither should they be planted untU the 

 ground is dry, if it is in May. 



When they get out of the ground about four or six 

 i&ehes, take one horse, and a half mould board plow, 

 go through them both ways, plowing two furrows in 

 a row as close to the hill as practicable, turning the 

 farrows from it, and be not afraid to let the plow run 

 in, as now is the time to protect the crop from the ef- 

 fects of drought. At intervals of about one week, 

 stir the ground three times with a small plow, turn- 

 ing the dirt towards the hills, kicking the dirt oil' with 

 the foot where it pushes the tops over two much. — 

 The ground by this time is thoroughly pulverized, 

 and there will be no weeds except, perhaps, a few in 

 the hill which are speedily removed by hand, taking 

 two rows at a time. From a Young Farmer who 



PRBFER3 DlGGINO POTATOES TO PuLTJNG WeEDS IN 



Autumn. — Yorktoum,, If 'est. Co., JY. Y. 



WIl^TEEING CALVES. 



Messes. Editors: — As i was attending to my four 

 calves, the other day, a looker-on said to me, " Why 

 take so much pains to stable your calves — many peo 

 prle let them take their chance with the other stock 

 through the winter." A mighty poor chance, I tho't 

 ft would be; for a farmer who would do that, would 

 not take much pains for the comfort and thrift of any 

 of his cattle. 



There is " a more excellent way," — one more satis- 

 iictory to the " merciful man," and in the result which 

 follows. Calves "that take their chance," are the 

 »ame breed which furnish crows with bait and the 

 tanners with hides in spring time. If they live it 

 ti^^ all summer for them to get ready to grow again 



— if ^OHi^''' enough, they will stand another winter and 

 fill the ranks of the bony cows and unruly steers, 

 which are the pests of our highways. My calves 

 don't need lifiina; to get them up, — open the door 

 and ihey are leadj to run and jump, and all sorts of 

 •'co'.v-capers." 



I'll tell you how I keep them — and it is at a small 

 expense, too. They have a stable partitioned oDT in 

 one of the sheds, 14 ftct square, with rack and man- 

 ger in one corner. 'J'heir apartment is close, except 

 an open window on the east side, to let in light and 

 air, and so sheltered that the wind does not blow in 

 on that side three times through the winter. I feed 

 them good hay twice a day, oat straw and chaff once, 

 and water them daily. It would be better if they 

 could have running water close at hand to drink at 

 will, but tltte winter water is a scarce article; our wtU 

 is dry, and the pond frozen nearly to the bottom. — 

 Their stable is kept well littered and level, but at one 

 time, the weather being pretty warm it got rather 

 soft, so I changed them into another shed until this 

 got frozen dry again. Their coats arc smooth and 

 sleek, and have a very diiJereut appearance from that 



i presented late in the fall, when kept out of doors, be- 



I fore I got the stable ready for them. 



There will be a lot of first-rate manure in that ata- 



I ble in the spring: former trials have convinced me 

 that one load of it is worth three ef common yard 

 manure, and it is worth while to get as much good 

 manure as you can — it tells en the yield amazingly — 

 and, do you know, — all you increase the product 

 above a certain point (the cost of production) is clear 

 profit. Then, brother farmer, give your calves -a 

 chance, don't wait for them to take it — you will firid 

 it to, pay in more ways than you think of. Fap.meb B 

 —Jan. 13, 1857. 



AGKISULTUEAL EEADmG. 



^ Editors Generbe Farmer. — Having spent con- 

 siderable time in getting subscribers for an agricul- 

 tural journal in this neighborhood. I have observed 

 that those who have taken an agricultural paper this 

 year have never refused to subscribe for the ensuing 

 year. But where the land looks poor I always think 

 that no agricultural paper ever enters the owners 

 house, and that he reads little, if asj,,butis willing to 

 do as his fathers did before him. I will give an inci- 

 dent of my experience with one of thai class. In 

 going my rounds, I approached the homestead of Mr. 



, and after the compliments of the day were over 



I drew from my overcoat pocket a specimen copy of 

 an agricultural journal with the request tkat he would 

 subscribe for it, after looking it over for aAvhile he 

 handed it back saying " he guessed he would'nt take 

 it, for he did not believe it would be any use to him, 

 for all they, (the papers,) talked about is to dr&iu! 

 lime and manure your land, and I know that already." 

 His last wheat crop belied his knowledge of agricul- 

 tural science, for his land yielded at the rate of ten 

 bushels per acre, while his more intelligent neighbor 

 obtained twenty bushels per acre. Farmers "must 

 Ftudy if they wish to raise remunerating crops. But 

 "just as the twig is bent, the trse 's mclined:" eo be- 

 gin young. 



The importance of good reading for farmere' sona 



and daughters, is not appreeiated as it should be. 



Home must be made attractive if you wish to see 

 your sons and daughters grow up intelligent men and 



