1869. 



NEW ENGLAOT) FARMER. 



241 



from half an acre of Downer's Prolific and 

 Early Scarlet witbout any stable manure be- 

 ing applied for eight years. I used mud, or 

 rather rich vegetable matter, taken from pond 

 holes surrounded by cultivated land. This 

 is equal to about forty-five bushels per acre. 

 I do not make this statement thinking it a 

 great yield, but as a matter of interest to some 

 ■who may not have plenty of stable manure. 



I am often asked the question whether our 

 markets will not soon be glutted with straw- 

 berries. Of course I cannot answer positively, 

 f ut think those who raise varieties which our 

 New England markets demand, and put them 

 up in a proper manner, are in little danger of 

 a glut at an early day. 



I do not know that I ever had a good crop 

 •without winter protection, and never expect 

 to, unless the ground should be covered wiih 

 snow. Stable manure is the best covering; 

 rye or wheat straw. Lay and oak leaves are 

 good for low ground. Pine needles will an- 

 swer ; a thin covering only is required. The 

 mulch should be removed early in the spring, 

 as it will have a tendency to heat the plants. 



1 noticed in the Fai;mek of February 1,3, 

 an essay by Fred. G. Pratt, in whicli he says 

 that strawberries grown in the hot lands of 

 New Jersey are inferior as to quality, to those 

 grown in the cool climate of New England. 

 I fully agree with this statement, and should 

 judge the piece was written by a piactical 

 fruit grower. I intend planting two acres of 

 Downer's, Wilson and Ea ly Scarlet, and the 

 same of Wilson's blackberry, thus showing 

 my faith by works. 



Room will not allow me at present to make 

 any remarks on blackberry and raspberry cul- 

 ture, but I would like to hear the experience 

 cf some practical grower. E. W. Shaw. 

 ^Carver, Mass., March, 1869, 



For the N'ew England Farmer. 

 CO-OPEEATIVB FARMHSTG. 



The past season has been an unfavorable 

 one to commence this novel and important en- 

 terprise. Late planting, short summer and 

 early frosts, together with haid soil, scarcity 

 of labor and team work, are conditions not 

 favorable to a very flattering report of the first 

 season's operations of the North P^aston Plant- 

 ing Company. Nevertheless we will endavor 

 to give the facts regardless of consequences. 



The Original Plan 



Was simply this: — A certain patch or field 

 was hired for a year. An estimate was made 

 of the cost of cultivating a crop upon it, 

 whether of corn, vegetables or other produc- 

 tions. If the cost was e^timati-d, say, at lifty 

 dollars, we then issued fifty tickets, and sold 

 the same te A, B, C, &c., at one dollar each, 

 with the promise to deliver at harvest, one-lif- 

 tieth part of the crop to each ticket holder. But 

 if the cultivation and other expenses exceeded 



fifty dollars, then part of the crop must be 

 sold, or more tickets issued to pay the excess. 



The Object 

 Was to induce persons of small incomes to 

 save up and invest a part of their earnings 

 froQi time to time in sums so small that they 

 would scarcely miss the money, while at the 

 same time they would be paying in advance 

 for a portion of their family supplies. 



The Little we Did. 



We planted only six acres of ground the 

 past season, three to potatoes, one to corn, 

 the remainder to beans, squashes, cabbage and 

 turnips. We hired the land, labor, and team 

 work, bought the manure and seed, — all cf 

 which was procured with difficulty and at large 

 prices. 



Results. 



The outlays upon our potato patches amount- 

 ed to two hundred and seventy-eight dollars. 

 The cash value of the crop, at retail prices, 

 amounted to two hundred and eighty-three 

 dolUrs ; giving us five dollars profit. 



The expenditures upon our corn patch 

 amounted to seventy-eight dollars. The cash 

 value of the crop was only fifty-eight dollars, 

 leaving us minus twenty dollars; returning 

 only sevent)-four cents on a dollar share. 

 This may have a hard look for co-operative 

 farming, but we do not consider it by any 

 means as <lecisive. Through many mistakes 

 and some unavoidable casualties, we obtained 

 only about half the crop that usually grows 

 upon similar patches of ground. 



Upon our bean field we expended fifty dol- 

 lars. The value of the crop was tifty-five 

 dollars ; giving us five dollars profit. 



The outlay upon our cabbage and turnip 

 patches amaunted to fifty dollars. The value 

 of the crop was fifty-seven dollars ; leaving 

 seven dollars as profit. 



Upon the whole operation we have lost three 

 dollars; — amounting to one and one-h ilf (.-ems 

 per share and the interest for a few months 

 upon the investment. 



"Will this Method of Farmino: Piiy? 

 Yes, we believe it will, under judicious man- 

 agement. Our expenses were too large b}' 

 one-quarter. By hiring our ground for oiil)' 

 one season our loss may be estimated at five 

 dollars per acre, and it is believed that at 

 least ten per cent, on the sum expended should 

 be allowed for the unfavorable character of 

 the past season for maturing crops. Witb 

 these allowances can we do any belter with 

 our money than to employ it in fanning ? 



Suggestions for Future Operations. 



Let a few honest persons in each town.ship 

 organize a planting company, and insteaa ct 

 hiring ground and planting as w.e havedotie i'.i 

 tliis lirst attempt, contract with the farniets 

 round about to plant, sow, and cany thiougii 

 any crops desired by the organization. All 

 to be Well cared for, harvested and delive.'-ed 



