02 



GENESEE FARMED. 



ILN'E, 



1845 



nu small matter for the consideration of the econom- 

 ical and forecasting farmer. 



G. New varieties, and the best, are easily obtain- 

 ed from the top-ball seeds ; taking, however, about 

 three years to bring theln to maturity ; after which 

 trial, and a just selection may be made. 



7. It is very easily preserved, whether dried like 

 fniits, or not ; whether reduced to Its farina or 

 starch, or kept in its original state. It never rots 

 without gross abuse or exposure, and it is my opin- 

 ion, that it is never "strong," as it is called, nor of 

 course poi5on!)us, without too much heat from the 

 sun, or fire, or warinth in the cellar, or being too 

 long in warm or hot water at boiling. 



If you wish to have good potatoes, the best they 

 can be when brought on to your table, then defer 

 the digging as long as yon can without danger or 

 injury from frost, — keep them, shaded, moist, and 

 cool, — cook them not too much and as quickly as 

 possible, and then have them away immediately from 

 water and from heat. I think the potatoe in a raw 

 state, cleaned and cut thin without paring, dried and 

 ground to meal, would help much in (my preparation 

 of bread-stuffs, especially griddles and puddings. — 

 Let the curious and economical try it ; as also the 

 beet in the same way. 



As to the merits of different varieties ; after try- 

 ing, probably, as many as fifty, I have come, right 

 or wrong, to the following results ; namely, 



The Chenangos, (known by many different names,) 

 the Leopards, the Long Big Whites, the Oneidas, 

 the deep Blues, and many others, are all deserving 

 the attribute, "good." But on the whole, for real 

 general merit, as to both production and quality, — 

 for early growth, I prefer the Long Reds, (which I 

 produced from the top seed myself,) mixed with the 

 Blue Kidneys and Blue Pointers ; — the Long Beds, 

 after becoming acclimated, for feeding out to live 

 stock ; — and the Carters, far above any others, for 

 late or common table use, and for market. These 

 last yield well on good soil, and do in fact, when well 

 cooked, approach in their quality the nearest of any 

 I have ever know, to good wheat flour. They orig- 

 inated among the Shakers, as I have been informed, 

 and have gained the preference of that shrewd, eco- 

 nomical, and successful agriculturist, Marti:;} Va>- 

 BuREN, ex-President of the U. S. A., and do procure 

 for him an extra price in the city market. They are 

 to be found in various places on and near the Hud- 

 son river, and east of it, and, probably, under differ- 

 ent names, in many other parts of our country. 



As to the manner of seeding, when I prosecuted 

 agriculture, (which I discontinued two years since,) 

 I planted about 15 bushels the acre, cutting the 

 large ones to save seed. After trying the planting 

 of both large and small, cut and not cut, I never per- 

 ceived any difference in the quantity produced. 



With regard to methods of cultivation ; — here we 

 find much prejudice and misconception. 1 will give 

 my own method, towards which I was long ap- 

 proaching, while, in agriculture, as in many other 

 tilings, especially in general and liberal education 

 for both sexes, I was endeavoring with half the ex- 

 pense to double the profit ; — something of an object 

 surely : 



Let sward ground be generally used, after becom- 

 ing well rotted, cither by being plowed long enough 

 beforehand, or by previously growing on it, a crop 

 of oats. Spread on some 30 loads of manure the 

 acre, plow deep and fine just before planting, furrow 



very lightly 3 feet apart, drop your seeds in the fur- 

 rows about a foot apart, cover lightly and level, hoe 

 once at the proper time, and once only, assisted 

 with a light harrow or cultivator, leaving the ground 

 as level as possible, unless it needs draining ; in 

 which case you may plow lightly and " hill up" 

 some. If weeds appear, mow them with the potato 

 tops just before they die either by age or frost, and 

 hay the whole for cattle, which makes excellent hay, 

 if well made. Peas and beans planted in the furrows 

 with the potatoes are sometimes productive, and 

 without Injury. If you wish to get the greatest 

 present profit from well-manured corn ground, then 

 plant with your Indian corn some few pumpkins, 

 and about 5 bushels of potatoes the acre. This I 

 have proved by repeated experiments — But do not, 

 I beg, furrow your ground very deeply for any seed, 

 do not put manure in the "hill" or "hole," — do not 

 plow between the rows, unless your ground need3 

 draining, — do not " hill up ;'* but leave the ground 

 as level as convenient unlil harvest ;^for, the old 

 practices are pernicious errors., causing much hard 

 labor for nothing, or worse. 



It is a maxim with me, founded on both nature 

 and reason, that where there is placed the most ma- 

 nure, there is needed the most water. How does it 

 seem then, I ask in the' name of common sense, to 

 put the manure in the hole, and then by hilling up, 

 shed off the water from the very place where you 

 caused it to be the most needed 1 



I once obtained at the rate of 634 bushels the 

 acre, of early Blue Pointers. But my average crop, 

 for 24 years, in the neighborhood of the Grand Mon- 

 adnock, in " the Granite State," was about 200 

 bushels the acre. During many years, I did not 

 boil, or steam, or bake potatoes for any brute ani- 

 mals, believing it not to " quit cost." 



In 1842, I obtained from one-eighth of an acre, 26 

 bushels of Rohan potatoes, and rising of 600 lbs. of 

 excellent hay, which was worth quite half as much 

 as the potatoes. 



Whoever would grow rich by fanning in high, 

 cold regions, must turn their attention much, and 

 properly, to the growing, and best use, of potatoes 

 and grass, oats and barley. 



With regard to the late disease of the potatoe in 

 this country, general the last year, and partial the 

 year before", I have made very many and strict in- 

 quiries in very different and distant parts of the land, 

 and have finaily come to the conclusion, that it is an 

 epidemic upon that plant, as sometimes upon the 

 people, not yet to be accounted for upon any known 

 principles of nature, but which, like the other, is sub- 

 ject to many and different facilities, and also to many 

 and different obstructions and preventives. 

 Respectfully to all concerned, 



EZEKIEL RICH. 



J\^ear Batavia, J\\ Y., May 11, 1845. 



Recipe for Sweet or other Corn Pudding. — 

 To four dozen ears of corn, (corn to be scored and 

 then scraped from the ear,) add three eggs, two 

 spoons full melted butter, one tea-spoon full of salt, 

 two large spoons full of sugar, one quart of milk, 

 and bake by a steady fire, in tin or earthen pans, two 

 hours and a half, so that the top shall bake brown : 

 then with sweet butter you can have a most sump- 

 tuous repast. It is a Nantucket dish, and 'n corn 

 season is as much the ruling dish as are buckwheat 

 cakes in their time. Try it. J- II. W. 



Rochester, JV'. 1''. 



