1846. 



GENESEE FARMER. 



41 



For the Genesee Farmer. 



Yates Counly Farmer's Club. 



Ed. Gex. Farmer— x1I</ l>ear Sir: The 

 Iriends of xigriculture have formed in tliis coun- 

 ty a Fanner's Chib. 



Tlie [Ann is to hold semi-monthly meetings, 

 for dissertations, conversation, &c. At our meet- 

 ings we have a short lecture, on some subject 

 chosen by the speaker himself — after which tiie 

 subject thus treated of, is made the subject of 

 conversation — all the members who desire par- 

 ticipating therein. It is not a debate or discus- 

 sion, but a familiar conversation, in which all 

 reserve is thrown aside, and yet in which the 

 utmost decorum and gentlemanly conduct is ob- 

 served. For instance : at the last meeting one 

 of the members, (having two weeks previously 

 announced his subject,) read a dissertation on 

 the properties and uses of Vegetable Mould. — 

 After this, the Club spent an hour or more in 

 talking the subject over, and in giving tiie result 

 of experience in cultivating different kinds of 

 soil, as well those in which humus, or vegetable 

 mould, was predominant as those where it was 

 not. Many interesting facts were elicited and 

 much valuable information gained. 



After this, another lecturer was appointed — his 

 subject announced — and the Club adjourned at 

 about 9 o'clock, having spent the evening to the 

 apparent satisfaction of all present. 



At a previous meeting, the Club took up the 

 subject of Rail-i'oad transportation of produce, 

 and came to the conclusion, and thus resolved, to 

 ask the Legislature, at is present session, to pass 

 an Act compelling the Rail-road Companies be- 

 tween Buffalo and Albany to carry live stock, 

 fresh ■provisions, and the products of the dairy, 

 at all seasons of the year, at rcasonahle rates, 

 and that the State relinquish all toll to itself on 

 these articles, when thus transported on the Rail- 

 roads. 



The interests of Western New York were 

 thought intimately connected with this subject. — 

 But I am making this article too long. I designed 

 merely to call the attention of yourself and read- 

 ers to the organization of the Club and its plan, 

 hoping that the farmers in other counties might 

 see the advantages of such Clubs, and follow the 

 example of the Farmers of Yates county. 



I have thought I would sittempt a kind of con- 

 densed report of the conversation at the meetings 

 of our Club, for publication. I am satisfied it 

 would be very interesting and highly useful. — 

 Perhaps I will try my hand. 



I am yours truly, D. A. Ogden'. 



Pcnn Yari, Jan. 13, 1846. 



Pearls are found in rough oyster-shells. — 

 How strange ! Why were they not placed in a 

 cologne bottle ? 



To love our neighbor as ourself would soon 

 convert the world into a paradise. 



Cisterns. 



Many farmers might conveniently, and with 

 great advantage, furnish themselves economical- 

 ly with an extensive and permanent supply of 

 water, when otherwise deficient, by construct- 

 ing cisterns. Where they have compact clay 

 land, no furtlier preparation is . necessary for 

 ordinary use for stock, than to excavate to a suf- 

 ficient size ; and to keep uj) the banks on every 

 side, place two frames of single joice around it 

 near tiie top and bottom, between which and the. 

 banks heavy boards or plank may be set in an 

 upright position, reaching from top to bottom. 

 The earth keeps them in place on one side, and 

 the joice prevents them falling in. They re- 

 quire to be only tight enough to prevent the clay 

 from washing in. No appreciable quantity of 

 water will escape from the sides or bottom. — 

 We have had such an one for years without re- 

 pairs or any material wasting of water. This 

 should be made near the buildings; and the 

 rains, carefully conducted, by the eaves-troughs 

 and pipes from an extensive range, will afford 

 an ample supply. For household purposes, one 

 should be made with more care and expense, and 

 so constructed as to afford pure filtered water at 

 all times. These may be formed in various 

 ways, and of different materials, stone, brick, or 

 even wood ; though the two former are prefera- 

 ble. They should be permanently divided into 

 two apartments, one to receive the water, and 

 anotlier to be used as a reservoir to contain such 

 as is ready for use. Alternate layers of gravel, 

 sand, and charcoal at the bottom of the first, and 

 sand and gravel in the last, are sufficient ; the 

 water being allowed to escape from the bottom 

 of the former into the latter, through the sever- 

 al layers mentioned, will be rendered perfectly 

 free from all impurities, and furnishes the purest 

 water in the world. Some who are particularly 

 choice in preparing their water, make use of fil- 

 tering stones, but this is not essential to securing 

 a choice article. Occasional cleaning may be 

 necessary, and the substitution of new materialfe! 

 will at all times keep them sweet. — Am. Agri- 

 culturist. 



Save your Ashes — Not sell them. — Those 

 that have good house ashes are informed that 

 over one half of all earthy matter in potatoes is 

 pure potash, from the lack of which most farmers 

 lose from .50 to 100 bushels per acre every year. 

 Suppose one has available potash enough to pro- 

 duce 140 bushels of this valuable crop per acre, 

 and enough of every thing else that Nature uses 

 to form potatoes to make 300 bushels. There 

 the absence of this indispensable alkali will occa- 

 sion a loss of 160 bushels. And yet in one ton 

 of good potatoes there is but 12 lbs. of potash, — 

 As we have stated in another article, 59 per 

 cent, of the ash of corn stalks is carbonate of pot- 

 ash (pearlash.) Save the alkalies and give them 

 j to your hungry crops. 



