168 



NEW ENGLAND FAEIVIER. 



April 



caution against running our cultivators down 

 too deep, for the same reason. 



Zenas Lord. — I "top" my corn, as it ripens 

 better. I think I lose nothing in fodder, 

 though a little more labor. In dropping seed 

 corn I take pains to scatter the kernels ; hoe 

 twice? and do it right. I ploiJ^h five to six inches 

 deep, turning manure under. I reject the tips 

 and buts of ears for seed. I get usually sixty 

 bushels to the acre. I farm on a small scale. 



Mr. Clay — (hill farmer.) I have been here 

 but a short time; formerly live 1 in "Orange 

 County." There I always had good corn, 

 though my neighbors did not. I ploughed 

 some seven inches deep, and am doing the 

 same here. I am not quite sure it is the best 

 way. Occasion dly I have ploughed a portion 

 of a field, alike in other respects, considerably 

 less in depth, and have thought the crop 

 was better. I have thought one reason why 

 corn did not fill out better was we planted 

 too far apart, so that the pollen missed coming 

 in contact with the silk. I think hoeing twice 

 well — the second, about the usual time of the 

 third hoeing — is sufficient. 



Horace Goodhue — (hill fiirmer.) I plough 

 about four inches deep, turning manure under, 

 and use about one-third of a spoonful of com- 

 post in the hill, made of hog and horse ma- 

 nure, with the washing and slops of the house 

 sink well mixed up, carted out upon the field 

 in the fall. Another very excellent compost 

 is hen manure mixed with rich earth, putting 

 a small handful in the hill. I am satisfied that 

 corn needs something to stimulate it in the out- 

 set. As to seed corn, the better way is to se- 

 lect it from the field from stalks having two or 

 more ears, trace it up and hang it where it 

 will dry well, as it is apt to hurt in the field 

 or before it is husked, if deferred ; I shell off 

 tips and buts. 1 prefer the hinge harrow, 

 with thirty half-inch steel teeth. 



Mr. Farewell — (hill farmer.) I plough my 

 manure under six or eight inches. I believe 

 manure loses one-half of its strength by evap- 

 oration wht n left upon the top of the ground. 

 Last year I planted corn taken from the bin 

 and it came up well. I know of no reason 

 why a portion of the seed ear should be re- 

 jected. I once heard of a man who, probably 

 from tradition, had been accustomed to reject 

 the tips of the ears for seed, but his hired man 

 by some misconception of his directi6ns plant- 

 ed all tips, and the best piece of corn they 

 ever had was raised. (Applause.) 



D. C Wright — (meadow farmer.) I have 

 tried all kinds of ploughing ; have ploughed 

 in fall with "Michigan Double Plough" very 

 deep ; then in spring about one-half as deep 

 not turning up the sods ; but I think about 

 four inches, for clover land, turned just as you 

 want to plant, is best, turning manure under. 

 It is very important to put some stimulant into 

 the hill to start the corn. I save hen nianure 

 in barrels, and in the spring moisten it with 

 the liquid manure from low places in the yard, 



then mix in plaster. I roll my seed corn in 

 hot soap and plaster, and know it is highly 

 beneficial. I plant three and one-half feet 

 each way, four stalks in a hill. When I plough 

 for oats I plough as deep as I can. 1 reject 

 the tips of the ears of seed corn, believing the 

 small kernels produce feeble stalks. I select 

 my seed as recommended by Mr. Goodhue. 



N. G. Fierce — I don't believe that cultivat- 

 ing deep or late in the season, even though 

 some roots are severed, is any injury to the 

 corn. In one instance, at least, my crop was 

 nearly doubled by late cultivation, as com- 

 pared with a portion of the same field where 

 such cultivation was omitted. 



Mr. Floyd believed the plan of ploughing 

 in manure was based simply on the practice of 

 our fathers. When placed upon the surface 

 the rains and dews prepared it for the imme- 

 diate use of the plant, but when buried six 

 inches deep it was of little use to the corn, if 

 to any other crop. 



Mr Porter Rice, in reply to the President, 

 who asked how it was that he always kept his 

 work ahead so much better than most of his 

 neighbors, said, "I get up earlier." 



Capt. Titeomb alluded to the prevalence of 

 smut in corn, and believed it was caused by a 

 superabundance of manure in immediate con- 

 tact with the roots, which so far stimulated 

 the circulating fluid as to cause the kernels to 

 become ruptured before the enamel is matured. 

 He also spoke of the Goodrich potatoes as a 

 "complete humbug." 



NEW ENGLAND AQ'IL SOCIETY. 

 After the acceptance of the charter at the 

 late meeting of this society, the following 

 constitution and by-laws, reported by a com- 

 mittee consisting of Davis and Goodman, of 

 Mass., Peirce, of Me., Smyth, of N. H., Ba- 

 ker, of Vt., Perry, of Vt., and Hyde of 

 Conn., was adopted : — 



Art. 1st. The offleere of the New England Agricul- 

 tural Society shall coufist of a Presideut, Bf cretary, 

 Treasurer and also a Vice President, from each Btate, 

 and nine reanagtrs from each of the New England States, 

 all of whom shall constitute the Board of Managers of 

 the Society, 



Art. 2. The President, Secretary and Treasurer 

 shall bo separately chosen by ballot at the annual meet- 

 ing of the Society, and at the same time the members 

 from iho said New Kngland States, present, respectively 

 shall nominate: such Vice Presidents and managers to 

 be voU'd lor by the Society. 



Art. 3. The Presideut, Vice President, Secretary 

 and Treasurer shall cons itute the Kxeoutive Com- 

 mittee, and the vote of ^ mnjority of the same or a ra i- 

 jority in attendance at a meeting regularly called, shall 

 be necessary to authorize all contracts, expeiiditures 

 and business in relation to the Society, and such votes 

 shall be regularly entered and re'^oidtd, and such re- 

 cords preserved among the archives of the Society. 



Art. 4. The Board of managers shall prepare the 

 necessary by laws for the Society, shall meet at least 

 once in each y. ar at such time and place as they hhall 

 appaiul and shall prepare the premium litt by appuint- 

 iiig the necessary committees. 



Art. 5. There shall be appointed by the Executive 

 commiUee annua ly an officer to he called Superinten- 

 dent of Fairs, whos-j duties shall be to personally over- 



