1868. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



561 



seed. Yield one hundred and seventy-eight 

 bushels. 



The remaining eighth acre, too stony to 

 work well, was wtt, and was planted to Cuscos. 

 U^ed three-fourths barrel seed. Yield forty 

 bushels. 



Early Goodrichs were planted on one-half 

 acre of very wet greenswai'd, with a heavy 

 shovelful of mai-ure in the hill. Used three 

 barrels seed. 1 ield one hundred and fifty- 

 two bushels. 



Then I planted one-fourth of an acre to 

 Gleasons. Land and manure the same as with 

 the Early Goodrich, and seeded about the 

 same. Yield sixty bushels. 



Taking into account the different amounts of 

 seed and manure used, and also the fact that 

 in this section dry land did not give as heavy 

 yield this year as wet, I cannot see any dif- 

 ference in the productiveness of these four 

 kinds. All of them are dry and mealy frOm 

 dry land and not so good from wet land. 



The Gleasons are entirelv free from rot on 

 both dry and wet. The Early Goodrich af- 

 fected a very little on land that was very wet 

 indeed. Of the Harrison one-half bushel in 

 the fifty were affected. The Cusco was af- 

 fected badly on wet, and somewhat on dry 

 land. 



A year ago last spring I paid twenty-five 

 dollars for nine bushels of these potatoes 

 which gave me my start, and I am satisfied 

 that my discarding the old varieties has so far 

 been at least two hundred dollars in my pock- 

 et. The Calico, one of the Goodrich Seed- 

 lings, I threw aside after one year's trial. The 

 Cusco rots too much. The Gleason, Early 

 Goodrich and Harrison are my favorites. 



L. E. BiCKKELL. 



Windsor, Mass., Oct. 15, 1868. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 HOME EMPLOYMENT FOB WOMEW. 



We often hear the exclamation from ladies 

 whose household cares keep them at home, 

 "How I wish I could get something to do to 

 earn money." There is plenty to be done in 

 the school, the shop, the factory, the sick 

 room, &c., if one can go where the work is ; 

 but it is almost impossible to get work which 

 can be done at home. Some indeed find their 

 housework and family sewing sufficient to em- 

 ploy their time, but there-are many who have 

 considerable leisure, which they would gladly 

 spend in something more profitable than "fan- 

 cy work," if they could. This is proved by 

 the avidity with which work that can be taken 

 hone, often laborious and unprofitable though 

 it may be, is sought after. 



There is a natural feeling of independence 

 whieh makes one dislike to receive every dol- 

 lar of spending money from another, though 

 cheerfully granted ; besides it would often be 

 a great help in the family if the wife and 

 daughters could earn their own clothing. 



But what can they do ? I shall not attempt 

 to settle the entire question, but will leave it to. 

 the professional philanthropist, with the assur- 

 ance that it is worthy of special attention. As 

 regards facers' wives and daughters, however, 

 I think the exigencies of the case may be 

 met at least halfway. There is, or might be, 

 for them healthful, pleasant and profitable home 

 employment Is there not, worthy farmer, 

 some little spot of unimproved land near your 

 house, which you have often thought might be 

 made profitable, if you had but the time to 

 take care of it ? Just step into the house and 

 look at the plants growing in the window. 

 What care they receive ! Not a dead leaf, not 

 a scraggy branch, but all fresh, thrifty, and 

 beau* if ul. Notice that elegant shrub, grow- 

 ing from less than a cubic foot of earth, — there 

 is high culture. Now if the same care and 

 culture were applied to that bit of waste land, 

 what might it not produce? The delicate 

 skill which has brought these plants to such a 

 degree of perfection, is just what is required 

 in the successful cultivation of many desirable 

 fruits and vegetables. 



Suppose then, that just for the sake of nov- 

 elty, the ladies try the experiment of "gar- 

 dening for profit." Let the ground be pre- 

 pared this tall for the spring cultivation. 

 There will be plenty of time during the winter 

 to decide what it will be advisable to raise, 

 and the best methods of so doing. Do not 

 undertake the care of more land than can be 

 properly managed. The same system and 

 order upon which the skilful housewife so 

 justly prides herself, should be extended tJ 

 the garden. 



I have forgotten how the question which 

 was discussed in one of the Vermont Farmers' 

 Clubs, "Does Slick Farming Pay ?" was de- 

 cided ; but I am quite sure that slack farming 

 does not pay. 



Gardening is certainly an honorable em- 

 ployment for every one. A little improve- 

 ment in public sentiment which shall make it 

 customary for ladies is very desirable. 



These suggestions are not for those who live 

 in luxury, and have a retinue of servants to 

 attend them, nor for those who in the midst of 

 a large family are already overburdened with 

 care. They are made rather, that those who 

 have spare time and are not afraid of work, 

 may not overlook the pleasant and remunera- 

 tive emplo} ment that is waiting their atteni ion. 



Marlboro', Mass., Oct., 1868. Mattie. 



For the New England Farmer, 







DAIBY STOCK — BUTTEK-MAKINQ. 



IBA&BtRG, VT.,FAEMER8' CLUB, OCT. 18, 1868. 



G. B. Brewster said that in a dairy of twen- 

 ty-five cows two or three, on an average, will 

 fail every year. To supply these, somt hody 

 must raise the htifers, and if others can liford 

 to raise cows to stil, cannot daiiy faimers 



