ism 



THE GENESEE FARMER. 



257 



successive days, strengthened by the hope and belief 

 that we were entering upon a system which, ii 

 tinued, from year to year, would in duo time work a 

 large and positive benefit. The following table gives 

 a full and particular statement oi' the trials — classi- 

 fying the implements in order, from the lesser to the 

 greater power required to overcome the resistance 

 offered. 



BY STATIONARY POWER. 



. G Inches — Width of Furrow, 12 Inches. 



1. Burrall's Wheel Plow, No. 2 - 290 lbs. 



2. Burrall's Wheel Plow, No. ii,-- 295 



3. Lamport Iron Beam, from Ovid, 340 



f. Burrall's Wheel flow, No. 4, 345 



5. Perm Van Plow 355 



6. Burrall's WheelPlow, No. 5,... 356 



?. Buck Eye, Iron Beam, 372 



8. Crane Plow, with Cutter, 415 



9. Burrall's Landside, 427 



10. Dundee Plow, 441 



11. Burrall's Landside, No. 5, 485 



12. (nine Plow, with Coulter --- 493 



13. Waterloo, [withdrawn.] 



14. Pastern, [not regularly entered.] 



by horse power. 

 Depth of Furrow, 7 Inches — Width of Furrow, 13 Inches. 



1. Burrall's Wheel Plow, No. 3, 489 lbs. 



2. Peim Van Plow 493 



3. Burrall's Wheel Plow, No. 5, 511 



4. Burrall's WheelPlow, No. 4.... 519 



5. Lamport Iron Beam, from Ovid, 520 



6. Dundee Plow, 520J 



7. Burrall's Landside, No. 2, 524 



8. Crane Plow -- -- 533 



9. Burrall's Landside, No. 5, 673 



The trial by horses having been made on the second day, 



several owners of plows entered did not appear in time 



The plowing performed by the several implements 

 was good and uniform, evidencing much skill on the 

 part of the plowmen. Understanding that the chief 

 object of of the trial was to ascertain the true and 

 reliable estimate of the power necessary for good 

 work, we do not deem it necessary to particularise 

 the work of any one plow; all were good, and the 

 facts set forth in the above table will enable every 

 man to draw right conclusions and safe estimates. 

 Among other facts presented to our notice were two 

 frames of the Sheel-wheel Plow, which had been 

 used for several years. They were worn through 

 the mould-boards, and the wheel had yielded on its 

 margin, being the substitute for a landside; on ex- 

 amination, the journals, or points of the axle of the 

 wheels were sound and perfect. 



Having witnessed the excitement among men of 

 science, as well as among a large assembly of prac- 

 tical farmers, convened on this occasion, we respect- 

 fully urge upon the farmers of this State, and upon 

 agricultural mechanics, frequent meetings and inter- 

 views upon the plan of, and with similar objects to, 

 this meeting in Seneca County. The true interests 

 of both will be substantially promoted, and science 

 w 7 ill be more kindly courted, to deepen our furrows, 

 to pulverize our soils, and thus add to our general 

 prosperity. 



B. B. Kirtland, Rensselaer Co., 

 Elias Cost, Oaks Corners, Ont. Co., 

 John Mallorv, Penn Yan, Yates Co., 



Judges of the Trial of Plows. 

 Saturday, Sept. 1, 1849. 



The cultivation ol the soil, in a free country, is 



ghest and noblest profession in which man can 



be engaged — as it is the foundation of all true wealth. 



HEMLOCK, HEMLOCK SOIL, AND TAN AS MANURE. 

 , PHAS. 



1 lr-.vii.oi i. eems to be i ted, in < 



localities, with Buch other qualifiers as wo^d ; 

 to the ao\ i< natu- 



ral state it i 



heat, or that it is u ually I 

 her lo\ '..-■. We tl iate with it the 



- 

 But in all this we mistake and far un 

 Heaven's gifts, and one of earth's ornai 

 if you please where wild nature d 'lies com] 

 tion in romantic scenery, and you will find it. In 

 the park it is indispensable, and for i 

 hedge its bright evergreen leaves cam: i 

 Its timber is excellent feed for the iron 

 lumber is valuable for the builder, the bark for the 

 tanner — as are also the bark, gum, oil and 

 the physician. 



But can we speak thus favorably of the hem 

 soil ? 1 think if we look to the pioneer for an 

 answer, it will be a prompt and decided no. It 

 seems to be rather an uphill business to com:,; 

 making a farm of land covered with heml ick. It is 

 not unfrequcntly the case, that the pioneer, { 

 taking a hemlock sweat of ten or twelve years. 

 discouraged, or gets the western fever, s lis ou 

 loss, and goes west. His successor, having come 

 from the worn out lands of the cast, takes hold 

 high hopes, and is determined to prove to the world 

 that he has made a good bargain. His first cr 

 not first rate, the second is better, the third is still an 

 improvement, and in a few years we find his name 

 is registered among the competitors for premium 

 crops. Although this is but a fancy sketch, yet is a 

 true picture of thousands of cases in our country. 

 Hemlock muck, as is illustrated in the tanning pro- 

 cess, by its miserly astringency, absorbs and h 

 the geine of the soil, (which is the nutriment of the 

 plant,) for at least ten or fifteen years; after which 

 hemlock land may be considered good. Now it 

 seems to me to be a great while to wait; and if any 

 of your scientific writers will tell us of a shorter 

 way to come at the availability of hemlock soil they 

 will do a great public favor. 



In the last number of the Farmer, page 244, on 

 the culture of the plum, spent tan-bark is highly 

 recommended for mulching. In Cole's American 

 Fruit Book, page 224, Messrs. A. D. Williams & 

 Son, of Roxbury, Mass., are quoted as having made 

 very successful use of spent tan-bark in invigorating 

 old and decaying cherry trees and improv; 

 ones. Although the application was a deci d 

 to the cherry trees, yet the writer gives us a caution, 

 and recommends experiments on a small scale, on ' 

 account of the injurious effects of tan on vegetation. 

 I think if the tan is thoroughly saturated with animal 

 matter there will be no risk; but on the contrary, 

 would be a slow but valuable manure. And as 

 hinted above in reference to hemlock soils, if some 

 application could be made to hasten the decay of tan, 

 it might be found to bo a valuable manure. Hin- 

 manville, JY. Y., Oct., 1849. 



It should be a fixed principle never to suffer the 

 soil to deteriorate; for, as it costs as much to cultivate 

 a soil producing only half a crop as a full one, it is 

 perfectly clear that it is the interest of the cultivator 

 to keep his land always in a good state. 



