138 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



their peculiar properties. In fruits we have more 

 systems. We have varieties adapted to different pur- 

 poses and seasons, and the cultivator can select such 

 as suit his purpose. Improvements may be made by 

 further experiments, in order to learn the best kinds 

 of wheat, and other grain. A little seed of an im- 

 proved variety will cost but a trifle, and it can soon 

 be increased to an ample supply. 



Mr. Felton, of Brookficld, said that he had planted 

 five kinds of corn, in order to get the best kind. He 

 planted one kind from Canada, which increased very 

 much in size in four years. He alluded to a new 

 kind of rye cultivated in his vicinity, called white 

 rye, which was considered superior. He spoke of 

 the Indian wheat, a kind of buckwheat, which in his 

 region was preferred to the common buckwheat. It 

 yielded more, but the grain was a little inferior, on 

 account of a thick hull. He made inquiries as to 

 the value of millet, and remarked that the seed was 

 considered valuable for fowls. 



Mr. Cole remarked that, as a grain crop, millet 

 would not generally yield so niuch profit as some 

 other kinds ; and for fodder, corn is more profitable, 

 as it produced a larger crop, and the fodder was 

 excellent. The seed of millet is very good for fowls, 

 and when they need exercise, as is often the case in 

 winter, it may be covered in earth, and they Avill 

 have to scratch well to get enough to support them. 



Mr. Daggett spoke highly of the Indian corn crop. 

 He thought a field of fine corn both valuable and 

 beautiful. There were varioiis ways of cultivating 

 it. He ploughed, in the fall, lands not in sward, 

 manured in the spring, and then ploughed deeply. 

 He found a compost of barn manure mixed with the 

 bed of coal-pits an excellent manure for corn. He 

 planted deeper than fanners generally, and he found 

 it a protection against drought. He cuts his stalks, 

 dries them one day, and then cures them in the barn. 

 He makes the husks palatable to cattle by sprm- 

 kling them with salt when mowed away. He thought 

 that he covered his corn three inches deep. 



Mr. I.athrop, of South Hadley, said that he 

 ploughed his greensward in the spring, as late as it 

 would answer, so as to plant in season ; generally 

 he ploughs about the 10th of May. The sod will 

 decay the sooner if the ploughing be delayed till the 

 grass has started, as it will decompose sooner than 

 the sod that is turned over in the fall. After plough- 

 ing, he spreads the manure and harrows it in ; and 

 he would rather have two cords thus applied than 

 three cords ploughed under. He plants deep, directs 

 his workmen to cover three inches deep, and step 

 both feet on the hill. He supposes that his men do 

 not actually cover more than two inches deep, and 

 after the earth Ls pressed down, it is probably from 

 one to one and a half inches deep. "When planted 

 in this manner, tlie crows never pull up his corn, 

 though he has no scarecrows ; but they pass on and 

 pull up his neighbors' corn, even when they have 

 images to frighten them. AVhcn planted deep, the 

 roots shoot down and become strong by the time the 

 )>lades get above the surface, and if the crows attempt 

 to pull it up, they only break it off, and after trying a 



little, they leave it. His soil is sandy loam, mixed 

 with clay. Nearly all soils in this state will bear 

 this deep planting, but it would not be proper on 

 heavy soils. He ploughs eight or nine inches deep. 

 He prefers cutting com up at the root, when the crop 

 is rather light ; but it is inconvenient to harvest 

 heavy crops in this way. Com cut up at the ground 

 is easily husked, by two men standing on either side 

 of a table, on which a bundle is placed, and husked 

 by both, and then one throws away the bundle of 

 stalks, while the other places another bundle on the 

 table. We should raise corn as late as will ripen in 

 our climate. If one kind of com ripens in three 

 fourths the time of another kind, it will yield only 

 three quarters as much. The later kind has an ad- 

 vantage from the decomposition of the sod. Mr. L. 

 said that the white rye was thought much of in his 

 region. The long bearded, red chaff" winter wheat 

 was the best. It was preferred to the white flint. 



Mr. William J. Buckminster, of the Ploughman, 

 said that millet was a valuable crop to sow when it 

 was out of season for other crops. It would bear 

 late sowing. A peck is sufficient seed for an acre, as 

 it is fine. It needs good soil in fine tilth. He re- 

 marked that there was a variety of com. In planting 

 this grain, it is best to plant twice as much as should 

 stand, as the insects may destroy a part ; and if they 

 do not, the largest plants may be selected, and the 

 others removed with very little trouble. 



A vote of thanks was passed to Mr. Calhoun, 

 president, and to Mr. Daggett, vice-president, for 

 their faithful attention to their duties. Adjourned 

 to the second Tuesday after the meeting of the 

 legislature in January next. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 LARGE FOWLS. 



Mr. Editor : Allow me to say through your col- 

 umns, in reference to the size of the " Royal Cochin 

 China fowls " lately imported by me, that I never 

 claimed any very extraordinary dimensions or weight 

 for them, as some persons pretend to suppose. Gen- 

 tlemen who have seen them, however, have admitted 

 that they are full large enough for beauty, and all 

 practical purposes. I have never attempted, either to 

 compare my fowls with, or to compete with, any other 

 gentleman's birds, nor shall I do so. / am satisfied 

 with them, and that is one point gained. 



For my Chittagonfj fowls, however, I do claim, that 

 they are the largest birds in America, at this time, so 

 far as I am acquainted. I have two hens of this 

 breed now laying, which will weigh, one over eleven 

 pounds, the other nearly ten and a half. I have three 

 pullets, which will draw strong ten pounds each, and 

 four more, that have 7iever yet laid ait egg, that ap- 

 proach nine pounds each. This is size enough for me ! 



As to comparing my stock with any other varieties, 

 I have never done so. I think my Cochin Chinas 

 very superior fowls, in plumage, size, and model ; 

 and I am sorry to learn that a wrong construction has 

 been put upon my having lately sent my birds to 

 Messrs. Ruggles, Nourse, & Mason's to be seen. 

 The Cochin Chinas exhibited there a few days since, 

 will now weigh about eighteen pounds per pair. 

 They are eight months old, only. 



Yours, &c., G. P. BURNHAM. 



RoxBURT, Mass., April 8. 



