1868. 



NEW ENGLAND FAKMER. 



195 



give more small potatoes. The marvel would 

 seem to be, that they are not all sinall potatoes, if 

 by "butts," he means four potatoes with the tips 

 cut off. If they were of the usual varieties, say, 

 Jackson White, Orono, Mercer, or many others, 

 four butts to the hill would give from 50 to 60 

 vines — enough for eight hills for a healthy, large 

 growth. Should this excessive seeding be adopted, 

 there would scarcely be potatoes enough for seed 

 in New E iigland when planting time arrives. The 

 present price of potatoes, #5.50 per bbl. here, will 

 necessitate great economy in seeding the com- 

 ing spring. While at the East, recently, I was 

 told by one farmer that he never raised so large a 

 crop as last year, from simply planting the eyes. 

 I was much gratified to learn by the statement of 

 "E. B." that drills were most productive, and that 

 flat hills yielded as well as those built up higher. 

 It has been a mooted question whether hilling corn 

 or potatoes, was not only labor lost, but actually 

 injurious, as thousands of roots are cut off. The 

 rains are thrown from tlie hills, and the necessity 

 of hand hoeing greatly increased. H. Poor. 



Brooklyn, L. L, Feb., 1868. 



EARLY GOODRICH POTATOES. — OXFORD DOWN 

 SHEEP. 



Can some of the readers of your excellent paper 

 give information whether there are two kinds of 

 Goodrich potatoes, early and later, as there is a 

 great deal said in favor of Early Goodrich pota- 

 toes ? Also, can any one inform me where I can 

 obtain Oxford Down Sheep Ewes, as they are in 

 great reputation ? An Old Farmer. 



Georgia Plains, Vt., Feb. 3, 1868. 



Remarks. — The Uev. Chauncey E. Goodrich, of 

 Utica, N. Y., who died some years since, experi- 

 mented extensively during the latter years of his 

 life, in raising potatoes from the seed balls. 

 Among the thousands which he produced — one of 

 his best seedlings being No. 310 — few comparative! j"^ 

 proved valuable additions to our choice varieties. 

 Among the best known of his seedlings are the 

 Gleason, Calico, Buckeye, Prince Albert, Early 

 June, several known only by their numbers, the 

 Garnet, Chili, and Early Goodrich. The intro- 

 duction of these varieties entitle him to the rank 

 of a public benefactor. The word "Early" is used 

 simply to convey the idea of early maturity of the 

 kinds to which it is applied. We do not remember 

 whether any other of his varieties bear his name, 

 or not. 



We do not know where the Oxford Down 

 Sheep can be purchased, probably somewhere in 

 Essex County, this State, as Mr. Richard S. Fay, 

 who bred them largely, had his farm in that 

 county. 



LICE ON CATTLE. 



Permit me to say that I have obtained much 

 valuable information from reading the New Eng- 

 land Farmer, and should hardly think of farm- 

 ing without it. The Extracts and Replies are par- 

 ticularly interesting and often instructive, although 

 some of the ideas expressed are not in accordance 

 with my own. For instance, "A Subscriber," at 

 Waterbury, Vt., says that thoroughly dried sand 

 sprinkled over cattle will exterminate lice. Pure 

 sand does not, I think, trouble lice much. To 

 keep the cattle and horses from slipping, I find 

 that a very little sand will answer when I use saw- 

 dust, meadow mud, or loam, for an absorbent, and 



I always use something of the kind in sufficient 

 quantities to take up all the liquid droppings, aa 

 my lean-to floor is perfectly tight. Now my reme- 

 dy for lice is thoroughly dried loam, or very line 

 dirt, sprinkled on them occasionally from nose to 

 tail. It is a sure preventive, and will in most 

 cases clear them ofi", when on. If I happen to buy 

 an animal that is quite lousy, if the dry loam does 

 not prove effectual, I apply ungucntum to the parts 

 where the lice are the thickest, and they will soon 

 "skedaddle," — dead or alive, I don't care which. 

 Northboro', Mass., Feb. 3, 1868. C. Fames. 



BURNING LAND, AND COOKING FODDER. 



In the Weekly Farmer of August 10, and 

 Monthly, 1867, page 438, is an article against 

 "Burning, as a Means of Subduing tlie Rough 

 Places," which I think would be of great benefit 

 to very many farmers, if the suggestions there 

 made were acted upon. But it is difficult to con- 

 vince one that a course which he has long pursued 

 is wrong; and when so convinced, it is difficult to 

 induce him to change an old inveterate habit. I 

 think that any one would admit that the ashes of 

 a load of hay would be far less valuable than the 

 same quantity converted into manure by any 

 other process. Still people continue to burn rub- 

 bii-h which might easily be made into good manure, 

 and it is frequently burnt by the roadside, where 

 what little value the ashes may contain is lost. 



The same writer, "N. S. T." gives us an excellent 

 article on "Feeding Stock, and Cutting and Cook- 

 ing Fodder," in the Weekly, of Oct. 9. and'Monthly 

 Farmer for 1867, p. 503. His views are some- 

 what at variance with the common opinion and 

 common practices ; but are, I think, quite consis- 

 tent with common sense^ and supported by sound 

 reasoning. e. b 



Derry, N. H., Feb., 1868. 



"DOMESTIC ECONOMY, OR HOW TO MAKE HOME 

 PLEASANT." 



Please inform me through the Extracts and 

 Replies columns of your valuable paper, the price 

 of "Domestic Economy, or How to Make Home 

 Pleasant," and you will greatly, greatly oblige 



A Lady. 



North Auburn, Maine, Feb. 11, 1868. 



Remarks.— The papers referred to have only 

 appeared in our columns, as yet. They can be had 

 in our bound Monthly (price $2.25 by mail), which 

 also contains, besides these and other articles of in- 

 terest to "Ladies," most of the agricultural matter 

 that appears in the Weekly Farmer during the 

 year. 



GARGET IN COWS. 



T. Cross, of Montpelier, Vt., will probably find 

 his cow benefited by twenty grains of Iodide of 

 Potash, given three times a day in lier drink. One 

 ounce makes twenty-four doses of this size. We 

 know of no better remedy for the garget. 



VALUE OF CORN COBS. 



Will "E. B." of Derry, N. H., deduce any other 

 idea of the value of corn cobs from the statistics 

 of the State Reform School, than that published in 

 the weekly Farmer of Nov. 23 ; or will he pro- 

 duce more reliable statistics from which we may 

 learn their value as food for farm stock .? It has 

 long been the opinion of some good feeders ttiat 

 cobs were not only worthless but injurious. Bees 

 will gather sawdust and carry it into their hives 

 in the same manner as they do pollen. Is it amis- 



