138 



THE GENESEE FARMEK. 



be continually cultivate the same plant on the same 

 field." The efForts of this great chemist to attain 

 this end have hitherto failed, because he propounded 

 his scheme on the assumption that the raanurial re 

 quirements of plants were correctly indicated by their 

 chemical composition. This idea has been proved er- 

 roaeou?, and we have to obtain this knowledge by 

 inductive experiment. 



Our knowledge of this matter has been greatly en- 

 larged by the experiments of Lawes, Boussingault, 

 and other agricultural chom.ists who have united 

 " practice with science," but we are still very much 

 in the durk; and these able writers themselves tell us 

 that, at present, practical experience is our safest 

 guide. In fact, their experiments, up to this time, 

 have done little more than to explain the rationale 

 of systems of rotation which experienced farmers 

 had already adopted. 



Where artihcial manures are not used, we may 

 safely assume that it is poor economy to sow one 

 grain crop after another. Science and practice alike 

 teach that all the cereals should be alternated with 

 root crops, or with clover or other leguminous plants. 

 Of course, the precise method of the rotation will 

 vary with the nature of the soil and climate, and 

 with the price of the various farm products. 



We a-e aware that good wheat is fiequently ob- 

 tained after Indian corn and after barley, and that 

 this fact militates against the law we have laid down. 

 We are also aware that there are several practical 

 difficulties to be encountered if we adopt the rule of 

 never sowing two grain crops in succession. Still, it 

 is a violation of sound theory, and farmers should 

 endeavor to meet and overcome these difficulties, as 

 far as possible. An esteemed Canadian correspon- 

 dent gives us the following rotation, as well adapted 

 to a light, loamy soil : 1, hoed crops, either roots or 

 Indian corn, well manured ; 2, spring grain, either 

 barley, spring wheat or oats, and seeded down — (the 

 latter are not as good for seeding down with as the 

 former ;) 3, meadow ; 4, pasture ; 5, pasture with 

 sheep ; 6, wheat after one plowing. We should pre- 

 fer to seed the barley or spring wheat with clover, 

 and let it lie only two years, following with wheat 

 also seeded dorvn with clover. For a heavier soil, 

 our correspondent recommends : 1, fallow, or peas ; 

 2, wheat ; 3, hoed crops, either roots or corn ; 4, 

 spring grain, seeded down ; .\ meadow ; 6, pasture. 

 "We should, in most cases, prefer to seed the wheat 

 ■with cluver, and let it lie one or two years, instead of 

 folio niut' it with corn. 



Mr. H H. Taylor, of East Rodman, Jefiferson 

 Co., X. Y., gives us the following rotation, which he 

 says is decidedly the best system for that se(;tion of 

 country, and whicli may safely be followed wherever 

 clover and timothy thrive well. We give it in his 

 own words : " First year turn over the sod in the 

 fall or spring, (we prefer fall plowing,) and plant 

 Avith corn, potatoes and beans, or sow with [leas. 

 Plow in the fall after the crop is taken off. The 

 second year sow with spring wheat or barley. 

 Plow again as soon as the crop is secured. In the 

 spring, give it a coat of barn -yard manure, well 

 plowed in. If the previous crop was wheat, sow 

 b-T'li'v : it' barley, sow oats or sprint^ rye, and seed 

 ^wn with timothy and clover, Mow or pasture 

 truia ilnee tv) seven years. Sow a bushel of plas- 

 ter per acre, at least every other spring. When 

 tii« f raw begins to run out, turn over the turf 



again, and go through v.ith the same system of ro- 

 tation, and, with thorough cultivation, the land 

 will pay well, and increase in productiveness. Soils, 

 like animals, require rest, vviiich they obtain while 

 in grass — especially if in pasture. A few yeara 

 since we came into possession of a piece of land 

 which was considered entirely ran out by bad cul- 

 tivation and succesgive crop[)ing. The year pre- 

 vious the oat crop was not considered worth har- 

 vesting, and the cattle were turned in to secure the 

 crop. We plowed the land two or three inches 

 deeper than it had ever been before, sowed it witli 

 oats early in the spring, and seeded d( wii with 

 timothy and clover, and harvested IHveniy bushels 

 of oats per acre. We then let it lie in pasture five 

 years, the most of the time fed by sheep, when it 

 was turned over in the fall, and the next spring 

 planted with corn and potatoes, yielding sixty bush- 

 els per acre of the former, and two hundred of the 

 latter. We plowed again in the fall, and the next 

 spring sowed with wheat and seeded down again. 

 Not having any manure to put on, the yield was 

 twenty-five bushels per acre. The next spring we 

 sowed one bushel of jilaster per acre, and cut a 

 ton and a half of hay. The land is now in good 

 condition for meadow, or any kind of grain." 



ITEMS SUGGESTED BY THE APEIL KTJMBES. 



The month was ushered in by a snow storm, but 

 none the less prompt was the Genesee Farmer. 

 Nearly a hundred practical articles are contained in 

 this number. Let me remark, as usual, on a few of 

 ihem. 



Cultivation of Bart.et. — Among the first crops 

 to be sown comes this, now popular, grain. It should 

 be sown if possible in April, out not before the soil 

 is fit for working. Barley has been sown in this vi- 

 cinity in March the present year, but in miserable 

 order, on fall-plowed land, without previous harrow- 

 ing. The culture you recommended agrees with the 

 practice of our best farmers, and has been generally 

 successful. Last season we seeded our barley sow- 

 ing to clover, but with very poor success. I think 

 grass seed does much better with wheat and rye than 

 with any spring grain. In any case, a dressing of 

 plaster should be given to insure a better growth. 



Cultivation of Oats. — On sod ground we seldom 

 have very good crops of oats. Last year, we thought 

 by plowing early, and harrowing and gang-plowing 

 betbre sowing, to get a good crop, but it was a very 

 poor one. On mucky soils we have had very good 

 success, when the season suited, but the oats are gener- 

 ally of light weight I have tried the White Poland 

 oats for several years, but got only small crops — 

 generally of first rate grain, however. 



Ten Rules for Making Butter. — These rules 

 agree with our practice very well, except in regard 

 to skimming tjiilk and working butter. We had 

 rather the milk would be loppered — take off a little 

 of the sour milk, it will do no harm. If ash the 

 churn as much as you please, but keep the water out 

 of the butter. Working it as much as is here 

 reconmiended will get out all the butter-milk — at 

 least we keep butter for months thus made. 



Cultivation of Carrots. — I tried to raise twenty 

 bushels of carrots last year, and got about four, at a 

 cost of some seventy-five cents a bushel Shall try 

 it again pn a different plan, and think E. S. H. gives 



