204 



THE farmers' CADINET. 



VOL. I. 



Contrast this with the product of 1834. 

 Labor getting- hay, say $20 00 



Interest on land, 49 00 



$G9 00 

 Credit by six tons inferior hay, 



say$S, 48 00 



Actual loss, $21 00 



The same result has followed all my efforts 

 to improve my fields, and I am fully per- 

 suaded, that no amount of labor or money, 

 can be expended in the cultivation of the 

 soil, that will not return four fold to the 

 granary, or the store house. Yet these facts 

 are lost upon the mass of farmers, already 

 too wise to learn — who are contented with 

 obtaininor from their lands, one third the 

 quantity they are capable of producing — ap- 

 parently contented too, to deprive them- 

 selves of the comforts, luxuries, and 

 rural embellishments, that make a home 

 pleasant, and life a blessing; and continue 

 to jog on in the path their fathers trod, turn- 

 ing neither to the right hand nor the left, 

 though the bright goddess, plenty, with 

 happiness and honor in her train, invites 

 them at every step. 



I would recommend under-draining to the 

 serious attention of every farmer. Without 

 it, the richest portion of my farm would be 

 unproductive, and I have observed many fine 

 fields, not only lying useless, but disfigured 

 by cat-tails, rank weeds, &c., which a few 

 dollars expended in judicious draining, would 

 make the most profitable and ornamental 

 part of the farm. In making drains, T have 

 dug a ditch three and a half feet deep and 

 two feet wide, and filled half full, with round 

 stones, taking care to leave a number of 

 places for the water to pass, or else placing 

 large stones upon each side and laying aflat 

 stone across, leaving but one passage for the 

 water, and fill up with earth. Both kinds 

 appear to answer well, but I prefer the first, 

 as by dividing the water into several streams, 

 there is less fear of undermining. 



My crop of ruta bagas has not been so 

 large as some I have seen noticed in the 

 agricultural papers, yet it has been extremely 

 profitable, and as food for stock, has far ex- 

 ceeded my expectations. I have made no 

 positive experiments in feeding, to ascertain 

 its relative value, but I have no doubt from 

 what I have observed, that it is worth half 

 as much as corn for fattening, and for milch 

 -cows and sheep, I know of no article of food 

 that will compare with it. By the aid of the 

 drill barrow and cultivator, the cost of raising, 

 per acre, is certainly not so much as corn, 

 while the produce is about twenty times as 

 much. I sowed the present year two and a 

 Jialf acres, the 20th June. The ground was 



laid in gentle ridges two feet apart, and the 



plants, when thinned out, stood ten inches 

 from each other in the rows. I think one 

 foot by two and a half would have been bet- 

 ter. At harvesting I measured off 12 square 

 rods, and found the product to be one hun- 

 dred bushels, which would give l,333j 

 bushels per acre. My average crop, how- 

 ever, fell considerably short of this, owing 

 to early drought and the insects; yet this 

 shows what may be raised, under favorable 

 circumstances^ 



I cannot close this communication without 

 urging upon every man who tills an acre 

 of ground, the importance of taking an ag- 

 ricultural journal. It has been of incalcu- 

 lable benefit to me, and much of my success 

 in farming is to be attributed to the knowledge 

 I have obtained from the pages of the Cul- 

 tivator. Yours, with respect, 



L. CHANDLER BALL. 



Hoosick Falls, Renselaer county. 



Farmer's IVork. 



This is a fine montli for business, brother 

 farmers ; — though the earth is bound in frost, 

 there is much to do. An early start these 

 short days is essential to success in business. 

 Long evenings will afford much leisure for 

 social chat — visits, reading, reflection, and so 

 on and so forth, wliich siiould not interfere 

 with affairs of the first importance. Perhaps 

 an old croney. Jack Frost, may trouble you 

 vvith his salutations these cold mornings, and 

 take you by the ears as he gives you a cordial 

 grasp of the hand. None are e.\empt from 

 his officious visits and intrusions; as a mo- 

 dern poet justly observes — 



" He pinches the prince at the nose ; 



He's never a servant to fear ; 

 He seizes bis heel and his toes, 



And gives him a nip at the ear." 



Kandali.. 



But a little stir and activity will keep him 

 at a respectful distance. He that prepares i 

 for the surly blast and goes forward enjoys I 

 life, while the lounger that is dosing over a ' 

 lean fire, burning hiis shins and freezing his 

 back, smoking his pipe and quaffing cider, 

 works much more liard, in laboring to kill 

 time, than do the industrious in pursuing their 

 occupations with pleasure and success. Be- 

 sides the latter have great advantage as to i 

 health — the busy will not wear out half so 

 soon as the lazy will rust out. See to your 

 wood pile. Is it in a growing state or in a 

 decline? If the latter'bc the^ case consider 

 wiietiier it will bear the waste for a year or 

 more. Every farmer should provide as early 

 as possible in the winter a suificicnt quantity 



