THE GENESEE FARMER. 



on of the seed and the growth of the young 

 ant, and also accelerate early maturity with a 

 ore highly elaborated leaf. 

 So much for the essay. 



We had forgotten all about the matter, when one 



ening coming up from New York on the steamer, 



M. Saxton, the well-known agricultural book 



blisher, introduced us to Mr. Lindsley, of "West 



griden, Ot. He inquired if it was the Mr. 



iRRis who wrote the Essay on Phosphates, and 



being answered in the affirmative he asked us if 



3 recollected making some remarks about the in- 



lence superphosphate was likely to have on to- 



,cco. We recollected. " Well," said he, " I tried 



and it had just the effect you said it would 



■vey 



If this should prove to be the case, the very best 

 inure that could possibly be used for tobacco at 

 e North would be superphosphate of lime. It 

 ly not give a very large growth, but it would 

 satly improve its quality — and this is what is 

 sired. 



We would use it in this way : First, after pre- 

 ring the bed for the seed, scatter over it broad- 

 st from two to three lbs. of superphosphate per 

 lare rod ; rake it in and sow the seed. It will 

 t hurt the seed. 



rhe superphosphate will hasten the germination 

 the seed and the growth of the young plants, 

 will develope the fibrous roots of the plants, so 

 it when they are pulled up there will be more 



I adhering to them, and they can be transplanted 

 th less uncertainty. In transplanting we would 

 ily the superphosphate at the rate of 300 lbs. 

 ' acre, in the hills. It will not hurt the roots 

 the plant if put in the hole with them, but it 



II be better perhaps to mix the superphosphate 

 ittle more with the soil, though the great value 

 superphosphate consists in giving the plants an 

 'ly start, and for this reason it should be near the 

 )t8 during the early growth of the plant. 



[f our correspondent does not wish to g© to the 

 pense of purchasing superphosphate at the rate 

 $45 per tun — though we feel considerable con- 

 ence that it will pay — he might try plaster, and 

 the same way. If there was any reliance to be 

 iced on the theory that the composition of the 

 163 of a plant indicate what manures are best 

 ted for its growth, lime and magnesia would be 

 ) specific manures for tobacco — inasmuch as 

 ese substances are found in large quantities in the 

 1 of tobacco. But we know from repeated ex- 

 nmenta, that the theory is not correct. About 



one-half of the ash of potatoes and turnips consists 

 of potash, and yet these plants are rarely benefitted 

 by an application of potash. On the other hand, 

 turnips contain very little phosphates, while the 

 asli of wheat is nearly all phosphates of lime and 

 potash, and yet phosphates are exceedingly benfi- 

 cial as a manure for turnips, while they have usu- 

 ally little effect on wheat. The theory, therefore, 

 that the composition of the manures should cor- 

 respond to the composition of the ashes of the crop 

 to be grown is not always true, and there is no 

 proof that it is true in any case. 



HIGH FEEDING. 



In fattening cattle and sheep, or in keeping milch 

 cows, few farmers appreciate the advantages of high 

 feeding. A large amount of food is required to 

 keep the animal alive, and the milk or flesh and fat 

 which we obtain is derived from the food given in 

 excess of this quantity. If a horse will draw a 

 tun, and the empty wagon weighs 15 cwt., we can 

 only take a load of 5 cwt. ; but attach another 

 horse and we can then take a load of 25 cwt. In 

 other words, the effective power of the two horses 

 is Jive times as much as the one. 



It is so in feeding milch cows and in fattening 

 cattle and sheep — it is the few pounds of extra feed 

 that we give which produces the desired milk and 

 fat. To give only enough food to keep the animals 

 in a stationary condition, when the object is to get 

 them fat, is manifestly absurd, and to give them 

 only a little more than is necessary, and thus get 

 only a little fat, is also very poor economy, when 

 by a few pounds more food we might double or 

 tretle the amount of fat or milk. 



We do not mean to be understood as saying thaS 

 farmers do not let their fattening cattle and sheep 

 have all the food they will eat. This is not tlie 

 case. They let them have food enough but it is 

 not as nutritious as it should be. We do not feed 

 enough grain. 



We are aware that this will seem strange doc- 

 trine to some of our readers in this vicinity, and in 

 the Eastern States, where grain is now so high, and 

 beef, mutton and pork so low. But in truth, 

 this does not affect the question. Hay is quite aa 

 high, relatively, as grain, and if it will pay at all to 

 fatten cattle or sheep, it will pay to feed them 

 well. In fact, it will not pay to feed them in any 

 other way. We do not say that cattle can be fat- 

 tened here at a profit. We hardly see how such can 

 be the case, at the present price of beef and grain, 

 but it is useless to attempt to obviate the difliculty 

 by stinting them in their food. If high feeding does 

 not pay, poor feeding certainly will not. 



