1869. 



NEW ENGLAND. FARJ^IER. 



183 



the present excellencies of form, but to in- 

 crease the wool in thickness on all parts of the 

 body, and in extent around the face and upon 

 the legs and lower parts of the body. The 

 buck used the present year has a light brown 

 face and legs. It is evident that if breeders 

 were so disposed they could in a few years 

 radically change the complexion of these parts. 

 With the darkest style, it is true the wool near- 

 est the face has a dark color, but this breed 

 has so long been distinguished in some degree 

 by its color, that breeders would do well to 

 adopt a standard of excellence towards which 

 they will aim. 



The bucks, being of different ages, are not 

 quite as even in size, but they manifest the 

 |iood quality of improving with age in length, 

 thickness, style and weight. This flock is 

 supposed to have been the first started on the 

 island, and so well have they done that they 

 are now found in all parts of it and in many 

 places on the adjoining main land. 



A. T. Peckham, South Portsmouth, R. I., 

 has a flock from which he has killed several 

 that dressed from sixty to eighty-three pounds 

 of meat, which was sent to New York market 

 where it was esteemed highly and sold at 

 twenty cents a pound. 



W. L. Sissons, Portsmouth, R. I., has a 

 very even lot of fifteen ewes, and tells me that 

 eight out of ten have twin Iambs, and he had 

 one lamb that dressed one hundred and eight 

 pounds when less than a year old. It had an 

 abundance of food and was a cosset. He has 

 a flock of twenty-five lambs about ten months 

 old, all of which are fine animals. 



These breeders are quite unanimous in the 

 belief that these sheep should not breed be- 

 fore they are two years old. The flock could 

 be increased more rapidly if allowed to breed 

 younger, but it would not only be an injury to 

 the ewe, but the lambs from young ewes 

 sometimes lack proper nourishment. 



Mr. Buffum has done a good work for the 

 country in devoting his attention to develop- 

 ing the good qualities of this breed of sheep, 

 near a large city, where land is very high, and 

 so many other pursuits tend to turn attention 

 away from these animals. Those who have 

 purchased and bred these sheep pure, or as 

 cro^ses, seem to be sure they never will be 

 obliged to sell as low as the store sheep from 

 Meiino crosses, and the use and appreciation 

 of good mutton is likely to increase as care is 

 taken to furnish it. z. E. J. 



Fihode Island^ 1869. 



For the New England Farmer, 

 CAN WE BAISE WHEAT? 



nOME-MADE FERTILIZERS. 



I notice in Farmer of January 23, an ex- 

 pression in favor of a Wheat Growers' Con- 

 vention, which struck me favorably. I noticed 

 also the remarks following in which you say 

 one acre uf land well manured, will grow 20 



bushels wheat, or 50 bushels com, or 150 

 bushels potatoes. 



The question arises, which is the most profit- 

 able ? I answer, they are all profitable. Let 

 us have them all, and hay into the bargain. 



How shall we do it ? All lands that will 

 grow wheat will not grow good potatoes. 

 What of that? All cows that give a good 

 pail of milk will not give good butter ; but 

 they may produce good cheese. 



Now, I say, let every farmer consider him- 

 self lord of the soil, on whom all of God's 

 human creation depend for sustenance ; and 

 let him act worthy of his calling, or else back 

 down and give room for more wide awake 

 lords of the earth. 



The question arises, shall we send to Bos- 

 ton, New York, or some other distant city to 

 get advise, compost, &c. ? No ; let us rather 

 take Paul's advice to the women, "Learn at 

 home." 



Have a good mellow manure heap made in 

 the course of the summer, from yarding the 

 cattle on muck swamps, rich loam, with ma- 

 nure from the horse stable, hog yard, hen 

 roost, backhouse, ashes and wash room. 



After haying plough, say two acres for 

 corn, turn it over completely. Then take 

 and plough two acres of such land as you 

 think will not grow corn or wheat, for pota- 

 toes. In the spring, harrow and plant corn, 

 putting in the hill your mellow manure. Cart 

 on to your potato land a light coat of yoyr 

 green dung, spread and harrow it in, then 

 plant your potatoes. After haying, plougla 

 for your next years' planting. After harvest- 

 ing, plough your corn and potato ground. In 

 the spring put on a good coat of green duMg and 

 harrow well. Sow the corn land to wheat and 

 grass, the potato land to oats or barley, as 

 you like, and grass. After all is done sow on 

 about twenty bushels ashes to the acre, if yom 

 can possibly get them, and nine cases out of 

 ten, in the fall you will find you have good 

 corn, good potatoes, good wheat, good oats, 

 and the next season two tons of hay to the 

 acre. 



Now, young farmers, — I call you young, be- 

 cause I am an old man, — follow your hand, and 

 in a few years you will find yourselves in pos- 

 session of good "gilt edged" butter, cheese, 

 pork, beef and potatoes for the market, and 

 iu want of a larger barn wherewithal to house 

 your cattle and store jour grain and hay. 



It is very profitable to have some stimulat- 

 ing compost to put around the corn soon after 

 the first hoeing. What shall we use ? Have 

 they got it in Boston ? Yes ; and so have 

 you, my good fellow, if you will put your 

 head and hands to work. If you have muck, 

 use that for dry land ; if not, go into the 

 wettest place, the deadest hole you can- find on 

 your farm ; dig anything you can get there ; 

 expose it to winter's frost, then put six bush- 

 els ashes to a cord of it ; dissolve four pounds 

 of copperas in water, procure one barrel of 



