1859. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



293 



bushels for one. An acre planted at the same 

 distances as the >ast, would produce 540 bushels, 

 requiring 3G bushels of seed. 



In lot 3, 22 ozs. produce 512 ozs., equal to 23 

 bushels for one. An acre ])lanted 3x2^ feet 

 •would produce 412 bushels, requiring 18 bushels 

 of seed. 



In lot 4, 11 ozs. produce 400 ozs., equal to 3G 

 bushels for one. An acre, planted 3 f^ 24- feet, 

 would produce 322 bushtls, requiring 9 bushels 

 of seed. 



In lot 5, 13 ozs. produce 400 ozs., equal to 30 

 bushels for one. An acre planted 3 ^124 would 

 produce 322 bushels, requiring 13 bushels ©f 

 seed. 



In lot 6, 13 ozs. produce 528 ozs., equal to 40 

 bushels for one. An acre planted 3x24 would 

 produce 425 bushels, requiring 10 bushels. 



It will be seen, therefore, that potoates plant- 

 ed as in lots 1st and 2d, the entire produce is 

 greatest, but the amount of seed demanded is 

 enormous. In lots 4th and 0th, the produce is 

 quite large, and the amount of seed is the small- 

 est. 



Shall we, then, use the large potatoes or the 

 small ? I answer, if a man has little land and a 

 plenty of large potatoes for seed, let him plant 

 them, either whole or cut in four pieces, and four 

 pieces put in the hill. If, however, he has much 

 land and but few seed potatoes, let him use the 

 small ones, cut in two pieces, and two pieces put 

 in the hill. w. c. 



Clinton, Ms., 1859. 



Remarks. — The attention of Mr. Baylies, of 

 Taunton, is respectfully called to this article. 



For the Netc England Farmer. 

 MIGRATION OF SWALLOWS. 



Quite a number of articles have appeared in 

 the Farmer within the last few years, relative to 

 the habits of swallows, and the time of their mi- 

 gration, but I do not recollect that any account 

 from this region has appeared. I will therefore 

 relate the result of my own observations, made 

 »ast fall. 



About the 21st of the 7th month, 1858, these 

 lively summer birds began to congregate in con- 

 siderable numbers upon the telegraph wires, and 

 the roofs of barns. These meetings were held 

 daily, and their numbers continued to increase. 

 Soon it became apparent that some important 

 event was about to take place. Sometimes large 

 companies would commence an incessant chatter- 

 ing, very much resembling a set of politicians 

 when discussing some momentous question, in 

 the result of which all are expecting to be bene- 

 fited. Presently all would rise, and after per- 

 forming certain gyratory evolutions, would re- 

 turn to their places. 



The multitude then assembled were nearly all 

 common barn swallows, and about the 30th of 

 the month they left for parts unknown. 



The 13th of the 8th month I saw large num- 

 bers of the white-bellied swallows assembled on 

 the "wires," but on the 14th very few were seen. 

 All did not leave, however, for some of this va- 

 riety, and a few of the former, were seen as late 

 as the Glh of 9th month, though they were evi- 



dently young ones. A few chimney swallows 

 were observed the 16th of 8th month. 



The 2nd of 9th month I saw from fifty to sixty 

 white-bellied swallows in a distance of about two 

 and a half miles, 23 in one flock, and upwards 

 of 30 in another ; a few barn swallows were with 

 them. A considerable portion of the whole were 

 scarcely full-fledged. In another place I saw a 

 large number, probably more than a hundred, on 

 a dead tree by the side of a mill-pond. Thty 

 performed various evolutions, such as they usu- 

 ally do when collected in other places. I have 

 no idea that they were preparing to take a dive 

 into the mud. They are too lively and too beau- 

 tiful to hybernate in such quarters. It is much 

 more reasonable to suppose they were preparing 

 for a long journey, and that they soon took their 

 flight to more genial climes. The 6th I saw thir- 

 teen swallows of the same variety as the last, and 

 I do not recollect that I saw any after that day. 



Bloonifield, C. W., 1859. L. Vaknet. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 POTATO KOT. 



Mr. Editor : — Among all I have read on this 

 subject, I do not recollect any description of the 

 attending circumstances, or, as a physician would 

 say, any statement of the "symptoms." And, it 

 appears to me that it is misapprehending or over- 

 looking these, which has led to such a variety 

 of opinions relative to the cause ; I mean, when 

 the rot prevails so as to constitute an epidemic. 

 [ have observed, somewhat particularly, these 

 attending circumstances, and I have noticed that 

 they were essentially alike, every year the rot 

 has prevailed. The disease commences its rav- 

 ages the last half of August, usually ; sometimes, 

 between the first and tenth of September. The 

 potato vines are green and luxuriant, and the tu- 

 bers unripe. The thermometer ranges from sev- 

 enty-six to eighty degrees in the shade ; the wind 

 southerly, usually south-west, and blows very 

 briskly ; there is more or less rain — not often a 

 great quantity ; frequently only a heavy mist, 

 sometimes attended with fog. Such, according 

 to my observation, have uniformly been the symp- 

 toms attending the potato disease. If we have 

 a cold rain, or hot, dry weather, or if the potato 

 vines are dead and the tubers ripe, I have never 

 known the rot to prevail. In the same field I 

 have had early potatoes by the side of late ones; 

 the former were uninjured, the latter rotted bad- 

 ly. Last year, I planted a part of my early po- 

 tatoes quite late, the last of May ; the last of 

 August, when the rot commenced, the vines were 

 growing, were very green, the tubers were un- 

 ripe, and they were diseased worse than any 

 other kind I raised ; while those that were plant- 

 ed early, were unaff'ected ; and, indeed, I had 

 never had this kind, (early blues,) rot before. 



The mischief to the potato, under the above 

 circumstances, is done very suddenly. I have 

 noticed the tops to begin to wilt and turn black 

 in a few hours, and the tubers to be afi'ected, 

 after the first indications appeared. The conclu- 

 sion to which I came, the second year the rot 

 prevailed, was, that it was produced by atmos- 

 pheric influence, combined with the circumstan- 

 ces mentioned above ; the juice of the top is poi- 



