IBo7. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



311 



and those which are fattened on the rich meadows 

 afford beef of the best quality. But the greatest 

 aim of the farmer, is to produce the finest milk, 

 butter and cheese ; for from these comes their 

 greatest gain — and a Dutchman has always an eye 

 10 that, as well as we of the new world, and the 

 rest of the old world — and there is but little to 

 choose in this respect among the nations and peo- 

 ple of the earth — the only difference being the 

 mode of olitaining it. What is more legitimate and 

 hon I rable than to gath r it from the earth and its 

 produciions, which God in his wisdom has given 

 us ? — Correspondence Christian Witness. 



For the New England Farmer. 



IMPORTANCE OF GOOD SEED. 



Mr. Editor : — Do our farmers enough appre- 

 ciate the advantage of obtaining for planting and 

 sowing, the best kinds of seed ? I think not ; and 

 to illustrate, I will give a few examples in my own 

 experience. I have of late years raised a variety of 

 corn, a cress between the Canada and the common 

 lirge eight-rowed yellow corn. It had the merit 

 Of ripening early, the ears were compact, and well 

 fiiled out, and I was satisfied that I had a good av- 

 erage kind of corn. Happening last year to see 

 some of a neighbor's seed corn, and liking the ap- 

 pearance of it, I exchanged a barrel with him, pay- 

 ing him 2<5 cents to boot. I planted the new kind 

 on about G acres, and think, for my 25 cent invest- 

 ment, I realized $40 worth more corn than I 

 should htive done had I planted the old kind. I 

 had just 90 bushels from an acre, judging from one 

 square rod, that was measured off by the commit- 

 tee of the Agricultural Society, to whom I put in 

 my corn for a premium. I kept an accurate ac- 

 count of the crop, and the shelled corn cost me but 

 22.^ cents per bushel. I therefore gained A'astly by 

 getting a better variety of seed. 



I planted last year two varieties of potatoes in 

 an orchard. On one side, under the trees, 1 plant- 

 ed Chenangoes ; on the other side, Jenny Linds, a 

 variety of potatops looking very much like the Ko- 

 han, and very productive. They were manured 

 and treated alike in all respects. At digging time 

 it took 120 to 130 hills of the Chenangoes to make 

 a bushel, and only from 10 to 12 of the Jenny 

 Linds. By the way, there are two or three kinds 

 of Chenangoes, and my experience teaches me that 

 none of them are productive in the shade. I have 

 given my experience in these two cases, because I 

 think our farmers do not take sufHcient pains to 

 get the best seed ; and I am always willing to con- 

 fess my shortcomings, if it will set others to think- 

 ing and improving their waj's. 



A word in regard to the Michigan double plow. 

 I wish more of our farmers who are about purchas- 

 ing a large plow, would be induced to buy one of 

 the J. Nourae Eagle double plows. I know from 

 experience, that, after using it for a year or two, 

 they Avould value it as highly as I do mine, and 

 could I not replace it, 1 would not sell mine for 



Mr. French, in a late paper, says his present 

 hobby is draining tile. In looking over my field: 

 at the present time, I would add my testimo 

 ny to his, that on most of our land, drainage of 

 some kind is of paramount importance, as the 



groundwork of all good farming. I think our sea- 

 sons have changed considerably of late years. We 

 now have much more rain in the spring than we 

 formerly did ; consequently, our plowlands are too 

 moist to work easily, and if our small grains and 

 corn are not got in early in the spring, it proves a 

 source of serious detriment to us throughout the 

 season, in relation to our work ; and the crops are 

 also much lighter ; especially is this the case with 

 oats, of v/hich, if we wish a heavy kernel, (and we 

 must have it to comply with the law, or else give 

 five pecks to a bushel,) we must sow them early. 

 Mr. French speaks of draining tile. This, in many 

 localities, is undoubtedly the best and cheapest ma- 

 terial for draining land, but where small stones are 

 plenty, as they are with me, I should recommend to 

 dig the ditches three feet deep, as wide as you 

 choose, according to the amount of stone you have 

 to dispose of, make a channel by laying down stones, 

 say three inches apart on the bottom of the ditch, 

 and covering tjiem with flat stones, then fill in with 

 small stones to within one-half foot of the surface, 

 place on top of them the sods taken from the sur- 

 face, bottom up. This will be a good receptacle for 

 a great many small stones, which are a complete 

 nuisance on many of our farms. 



I want to sow a piece with wheat, Mr. Editor. 

 What is the best kind to sow on a piece of land that 

 is so wet that I shall have to defer it till late, say the 

 middle of May ? L. H. Hildreth. 



Westford, JJpril, 1857. 



Remarks. — We do not think the question is set- 

 tled what kind of spring wheat is best in our cli- 

 mate. The Canada Club wheat is best for your 

 purpose. It is a rapidly growing variety, is hardy, 

 and is frequently sowed in Canada as late as the 

 first of June. 



The Age op Seeds. — The fact that age adds 

 value to seeds may be perfectly familiar to agricul- 

 turists, but it is new to us. A gentleman in this 

 city is in the habit of saving his melon seeds until 

 they are six or seven years old, and maintains with 

 entire confidence, that, in consequence^ they germi- 

 nate more readily, and originate more prolific plants. 

 This theory has recently received striking confirma- 

 tion in France. In 1852, as we learn from the Par- 

 is correspondent of the N. Y. Times, a few grains 

 of wheat were discovered in the tombs of some an- 

 cient mummies found in the south of France, sup- 

 posed to have been 2,000 years old. They were 

 planted, and produced the astonishing amount of 

 1,200 grains to one. The Government assumed 

 charge of the matter, and since that, the product 

 has been magnified in such an immense proportion, 

 that the minister of agriculture is now enabled to 

 distribute large quantities over the empire, with in- 

 structions from the government farm as to the best 

 mode of cultivation. 



It is suggested that the immense productiveness 

 of this wheat is owing to the long rest of the seed. 

 We imagine that it would be hard to find sufficient 

 cause in any other direction. It opens a very fine 

 field for speculation and inquiry, and if any of our 

 readers have facts bearing upon the subject, we 

 should like to get hold of them. — Springfield J?c- 

 publican. 



