394 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER, 



JUNE 80, I8;W. 



biishf!, were obtained in 1836. I am H?sui-e<l, on 

 rpspfctahle authority, that 70 hnshels liave hefii 

 obtained from 1 1-4 acre in llie parish of Sandy 

 Bay ; and the ensuing year, from an acre of ihis 

 land, the remdinih'r beinj; a|i|iro|irluted to tiinii|>.~, 

 40 hnshels were harvestt^d. Oftlie extraordmury 

 success in Haverhid, in enltivatins; rye by phm^rh- 

 ing in fireen crops by which 46 3-4 bushels were 

 obtaine<l from one acre and thirteen rods, 1 shud 

 subjoin the cuhivator's particular account in the 

 Appendix, as a remarkable and instructive exam- 

 ple.* 



Rye straw is always in demand in the large 

 markets for stable litter, and for beds. I have 

 known it sold as high as $S, SIO, and 812 per 

 ton. It is often iiseil to be cut up and s[niid<le<l 

 with meal for horse feed ; and in this way to a 

 degree, it is used with equal advantage as hay. It 

 appears to be necessary that a certain volume 

 should be given to the feed rather than that the 

 feed however nutritious, should be given in a con- 

 centrated form ; but it is not believed that there 

 is uiucli nutriment contained in the straw itself. 

 I know of no experiments made to ascertain the 

 amount of rye, wheat, barley, or oat straw upon 

 an acre ; but where the crop of rye is equal to 

 twenty bushels, it would be fair to estimate a ton. 

 This, at the prices which it usually connnamis in 

 the vicinity of large towns, will nearly or quite 

 pay all the expenses of cultivation. A certain 

 quantity <.f rye, for fatting beef or pork, is of equal 

 value with any grain that can be given. It is an 

 excellent feed for horses mixed with cut fodder. 

 It i.s superior to any other feed to be given to 

 inileh cows for promoting secretions of milk ; and 

 it is a ciop that deserves nuich more attention 

 than it commonly receives. One of the best far- 

 mers in Hauiilton says, he jdways succeeds with 

 rye if put in early. 



Barley is cultivated in many parts of the county 

 to advantage. Some few years since, owing to 

 the importation of some barley from Holland, by 

 a brewer in Newbiuyport, an insect was intro- 

 duced which for several years destroyed the crops. 

 The cukivatimi was generally suspended for a 

 time, and the insect has disappeared, 'i he crops 

 reported to me in different towns in the county, 

 areas follows: in Alanehester 20 bushels to an 

 acre; Gloucester 26 bs. ; Essex 30 bs. ; Ipswich 

 30 bs. ; Amesbury 20 bs; Salisbury SO bs. ; An- 

 dover 54 bs. On one farm in Danvers 220 bush- 

 els have been raised this year, avor.igiu"- 27 1-2 

 bushels to an acre. In Beverly, 633 bushels have 

 • been raised on one farm this year, averaging 38 

 bushels to the acre. At 30 bushels to the acre bar- 

 ley is a valuable clop. For fattening swine, it is con- 

 sidered my many good farmers^ of e^ual value 

 pound for pound wiih Indian corn. To horses it 

 is injurious. At Danvers Alm.s House, it is made 

 to supply the placj of rye and wheat, and nnikes 

 an agreeable bread. 



The price of barley is seldom loss than 70 cents 

 and rarely over $1 per bushel. The seed sown 

 upon an acre is usually 3 bushels. The straw is 

 not of equal value for the market as rye straw ; 

 but considered better for the feed of cattle as it is 

 softer. The expense of cultivation and harvesting 

 may be estimated, exclusive of the seed and ma- 



numS "*'*"'""'"* '^''""d to, will appear in our next 



nil re, at $8 to $10 per acre. It is considered as 

 an exhauster of the soil ; and is not to be chosen 

 for the purpose of laying down land to grass ; the 

 cro[) being usually cut close with a scythe, the 

 ^tu!lble atiords no protection to the young crop. 



A new kisid of barley has been introduced into 

 West Newbury, called by some, the Wheat, by 

 others, the Naked Barley, because it separates 

 easily from the husk. Its yield is said to be equal 

 to that (d' other barley ; and its flour to be supe- 

 rior. It has been cultivated, but not extensively, 

 in the interior of the state. By Davy's tables, bar- 

 ley meal contains a large proportion of nutritive 

 matter, being 920 parts in 1,000 ; 790 of mucilage 

 or starch ; 70 of sugar, and 60 of gluten. 



Oats are considerably cultivated in E.ssex coun- 

 ty. The crop, however, is not large. In Dan- 

 vers 40 bushels to the acre; Metliuen 30 bs. ; 

 Amesbury 30 bs. ; Weidiam 25 bs. ; Ipswich 25 

 bs. ; Hamilton 30 bs. ; Rowley 25, 30 bs. ; West 

 Amesbury 30 bs. ; Salislmry 25 bs. ; Newbury 

 30, 50 bs. ; Andover 50 bs. ; Lynn 50 bs. This 

 would give an average of 33 bushels to the acre. 



The expense of cultivating, is thus calculated 

 by an experienced farmer in Newbury, who esti- 

 mates his crop at about 50 bushels to the acre: 



Ploughing $1,50; harrowing $1,50; hiirvesling 

 $2,50; threshing and cleaning $5,00; seed 3 

 bushels ; if soweil alone, 2 bs. if with grass seed, 

 say $1,50; total $12. This yield considerably 

 exceeds the average through the country. '1 he 

 expense of threshing is much too high. The 

 general price of oats per bushel is 50 cents. The 

 last year has been an exception ; and when hay 

 is at $20, and corn at $1 they will generally com- 

 mand 62 1-2 cents. The farmers disapprove the 

 use of them as a crop with which to lay down 

 land to grass; and yet they are nincb used in this 

 way. They are general favorites because the 

 cultivation of them is easy ; and it is thought they 

 will put up with almost any treatment. One 

 great difficulty in the way of cultivating them is 

 their liability to blight, especially where the land 

 is rich and highly manured. A kind of oats cul- 

 tivated in the central and northern parts of this 

 county, and known by the local name of Kilham 

 Oats, from the gentleman, who, it is said, introdu- 

 ced them from abroad, has iiitherto not been 

 known to be blighted, though it has been cultiva- 

 ted here for some years, its weight is about 33 

 pounds to the bushel ; its yield to the acre is good 

 as others. 



The 'lartarian. or as Boiiie call it, the Horse- 

 Mane Oat, from the grain hanging together on 

 one side of the p;micle, is sometimes cultivated. 

 Its straw is stouter than thecottimon oat, and, per- 

 haps, less likely to be lodged. It is as productive 

 as the common oats ; but it i« not thought to pos- 

 sess any decided advantage over them. 



BncKWHEAT. — The Tartarian, or smaller kind 

 of buckwheat, has been recently introduced into 

 the county. It is known under the name of In- 

 dian Wheat. It has been cultivated in Beverly, 

 Wenham, nn<l Lynn. It does not demand a rich 

 soil ; may be sowed about the 10th of June ; and 

 may be expected to yield under good cultivation, 

 fiom 35 to 50 bushels to the acre from 12 to 16 

 quarts sowed. Much larger crops have been re- 

 ported, ll weighs 49 or .-iO pounds to the bushel ; 

 25 lbs. and by close milling, 35 lbs. of flour have 

 been obtained from a bushel, which makes fine 



cakes.when eaten warm ; and quite tolerable bread. 

 It forms a valmible feed for stock ; ami the culti- 

 vation of it may be extended to much advantage. 

 Potatoes. — The next principal crop cultivated 

 in the county, is potatoes. This crop is cultivated 

 nwre or le.ss on every farm, principally for mar- 

 keting, but in no case very extensively. One 

 farm return, gives 1300 bushels raised, which is 

 probably as large as any in the county 



The yield is rated in Wnjhfjm at 1.50 bushels ; 

 Rowley 75 to 200 bs. ; Amesbury 300, 320 ; 400 

 bs. common on one farm ; Salisbury 100, 200 bs. ; 

 Newbury 250, 300 bs. ; Saugus 150, 200 bs. ; Man- 

 chester 260 bs. ; Sandy Bay 300 lis.; Beverly 200 

 bs. ; and on 4 1-2 acres this year 278 bs. to the 

 acre; Haverhill 400 bs. The kinds raised are 

 the August whites, a very early variety; the En- 

 glish whites, a round potato ; the Biscuit potato, 

 a round potato with a brown rough skin, mealy 

 and productive ; the La Platji, or long red well 

 known ; and the Chen.mgo, sometimes called the 

 Mercer, or Penn.sylvauia Blue. These last are 

 early and large bearers ; ami command a good 

 price in market. 



The amount of seed varies from 6 bushels to 

 25 bushels. All are agreed that the seed should 

 be large and fair. The point so much debated, 

 whether the potatoes when planted, should be cut 

 or not, remains undecided. The majority of the 

 farmers |)lant in hills 3 1-2 feet apart; but most 

 of them admit that they are able to obtain larger- 

 crops in drills. Excellent cro[is have been grown 

 where the whole work w.is done by the plough ; 

 the land was i"urrowed, and the seed dropped in 

 the furrow, and then covered with the plough. 

 They were afterwards cultivated with the plough 

 only. When ripe, the plough was pa.ssed through 

 the drill, and the potatoes thrown out ; the field 

 was afterwards harrowed, which brought all the 

 remaining ones to the surface ; and was thus left 

 in a thoroughly pulverized and neat condition for 

 a grain or grass crop. 



It is the custom of one fanner to cut the seed I 

 end from his potatoes, in the winter at his leisure 

 for planting and use the other part for his swine! 

 In this way a eonsideralde saving is made. 



One (iirmer has obtained three crops of pota- 

 toes from the same tuber.s, by plucking the sprouts, 

 and planting them; and availing himself of a hot 

 bed to forward the growth. 



By recent exact experiments in Great Britain, 

 it seems decided that no advantage comes from 

 planting whole over cut sets ; and that deep plant- 

 ing is unfavorable to the product; as a potato 

 planted an inch under the surface will produce a 

 greater number of potatoes than one planted at 

 the depth of a foot ; much earthing up of potatoes 

 therefore is not approved. The advantage of! 

 plucking off the buds of the potato before they 

 unfold themselves, instead of suffering them to 

 remain imtil the balls are formed, is to iticreasu 

 the product one sixth. 



" Potatoes may be preserved by heir>g rasped or 

 ground to a pulp, and afterwards pressed with a 

 heavy press, and then dried like (dieese. Potato 

 cakes of this sort have been found to keep per- 

 fectly sweet for years; and it is thought that ships 

 bound on long voyages, might find it advantageous 

 to take their potatoes in this form." 



Land of a calcareous nature produces the best 

 potatoes. Clay land produces those of a poor 

 quality. Gypsum in the hill is generally supposed 

 to improve both the quality and the product. 



