THE GENESEE FARRIER. 



145 



during the summer, leaving it ridged \ip in the fall. 

 Or where people cannot aflbrd, or have not time, to 

 sumnier fallow as much as they ro([uirc for spring 

 wheat, they can often raise very good crops by taking 

 pea or potato land, plowing it as soon as the crops 

 are off, giving it a dressing of manure, and ridging it 

 up before frost s;'ts in. In the spring, run a cultiva- 

 tor over it until it is well stirred up to the depth of 

 three or four inches. Spring wheat requiies a fine, 

 mellow soil, but not deep; hence it is better to culti- 

 vate iu the spring than to plow. Sow about the 

 tenth or tiftceuth of May, and you will generally 

 evade the midge, the fly being gone before the wheat 

 is' far enough advanced for them to injure it. — 

 Sow one and a half bushels per acre. If your 

 land is in good order, this will be plenty thick 

 enough. 



The Fife wheat is the favorite among the farmers 

 here, as it never rusts, however late it is sown. 



JS'eu'castle, Durhan Co., C. W. J. E. Bkman. 



ON THE CULTIVATION OF EYE. 



Op this grain we have but one species and but 

 two varieties in this section that we know of, namely — 

 winter and spring rye. Laud containing a large pro- 

 portion of sand is best adapted for rye, which is said 

 to be the only grain that will mature on land con- 

 taining over eighty-five per cent, of sand. Lands of 

 this nature may be very properly called " rye lands." 

 But rye is not confined exclusively to sandy soils; it 

 ■will grow on almost any soil that is dry enough for 

 cultivation. While it will produce better than any 

 other cereal on poor lands, the richer the soil the 

 more vigorous and luxuriant will the crop be. 



Perhaps your Genesee farmers would do well to 

 substitute winter rye for wheat in some instances. 

 As a general rule, land that will produce but a light 

 crop of wheat will produce a heavy crop of rye. It 

 may be sown about the same time as wheat, not less 

 than two bushels per acre, well harrowed in. It 

 needs but a slight covering, and the land should be 

 well pulverized with the harrow before sowing. Good 

 land will generally produce thirty bushels per acre. 

 We think rye is the most certain crop that can be 

 sown on all soils. Rye may therefore be considered 

 a great boon to the inhabitants of sandy and poor 

 countries. Without it, many districts would have 

 been almost uninhabitable. When fully ripe, the 

 grain is easily shelled ; therefore rye growers should 

 observe Cato's maxim: "Secure your crop two days 

 too soon, rather than two days too late." 



H. H. Taylor. 



East Rodman, Jefferson Co., JY. Y. 



ON THE CULTIVATION OF OATS. 



The common white oat is most generally cultiva- 

 ted with us, and is probably besfadapted to the soil and 

 climate of this latitude. The chief peculiarities of 

 this grain, and which distinguish it from nearly all 

 others, is that it will grow on almost any soil, and 

 may be sown year after year on the same soil with 

 tolerable success. It will flourish on the coldest soils 

 and on the most tenacious clays, as well as on poor 

 sands and gravely land. The reason of this probably 

 is that oats appropriate to their nourishment every 

 particle which the soil will yield, and which would 

 not be absorbed by other plants without time and 



tillage. When cultivated on a fertile soil, however, 

 they are nuich more profitable. 



Oats may be sown from April to June, but like all 

 other sprmg grain, the earlier the better after the 

 soil is dry enough to work. It is a well established 

 fact that early sown spring grain, with very few ex- 

 ceptions, is heavier anil better than late sown. A 

 good way to raise oats, is to plow the land in the 

 fall, and in the spring cultivate thoroughly with a two 

 horse cultivator, and sow not less than three bushels 

 of good clean seed per acre. Harrow in and roll 

 down, and when a part of the heads are turned, cut 

 and cure well, and the straw will make very good 

 fodder especially if not more than half threshed. — 

 The yield will be from ten to sixty bushels per acre, 

 according to the season, richness of soil, &c. 



H. H. Taylor. 



East Rodman, Jeff. Co., JV. Y. 



ON THE CULTIVATION OF BROOM CORN. 



The first thing of much importance in raising 

 broom corn is the selection of a soil, and its proper 

 preparation for the seed. It is asserted by some that 

 any soil upon which Indian corn will grow and thrive, 

 is equally as good for broom corn. This, however is 

 hardly true. All coki, stiff, and wet soils should be 

 avoided, also those which are infected with roots or 

 noxious weeds. A warm, rich and finely pulverized 

 soil is needed for the growth of broom corn, and after 

 it has got started, great care must be taken to sub- 

 due and keep the weeds down, or the weeds will sub- 

 due the broom corn, and instead of tall, handsome 

 stalks, you will have a few pale, sickly looking plants. 

 Take my word for it, if you would have your broom 

 corn tall and thrifty, you mvst subdue the weeds. 



The ground should be manured, plowed and har- 

 rowed the same as if prepared for Indian corn, except 

 perhajDS, a little more pains must be taken in prepar- 

 ing and mellowing the soil. Plant as early as the 

 weather will permit, say from the 20th of April to 

 the 15th of May, in rows three feet and a half apart, 

 and hills about twenty inches apart in the row. I 

 generally plant about a dozen seeds in a hill, and at 

 the second hoeing when the broom corn is about 

 eighteen inches in height, thin out each hill to seven 

 or eight stalks. 



Ashes are very beneficial to broom corn, if strewed 

 around each hill, but care must be taken not to have 

 them lie against the stalks, or they will do more harm 

 than good. The ashes will serve to keep the com 

 ahead of the weeds, which otherwise might over-run 

 and destroy it. 



I cultivate my broom corn three times during the 

 summer, hoeing it each time, and at the last time hiU 

 up the plants a little as this will serve to keep them 

 from being blown over by the August winds. 



As soon as the seed has perfectly ripened, I go 

 through my fields and " table " the head, which in 

 other words means the breaking down of the top of 

 each plant so as to remain iu a horizontal position. 

 Before severe frosts come on, I go through the field 

 with a good sharp knife and cut off the brush just 

 above the upper joint. The brush is spread out on 

 a kind of rack or trellis prepared for the purpose. — 

 As soon as the brush is perfectly dry, the seed should 

 be separated from it which is done iu various ways. 

 I use the " comb," which is made by sawing a board 



