THE GENESEE FARMER. 



rr 



MARKING OUT LAND FOR CORN. 



It needs no argument to show the advantages of 

 marking out land for com. If marked both ways, 

 60 that the hills are perfectly straight, and at equal 

 distances apart, the horse cultivator can be run so 

 close to the corn as to render hand-hoeing nearly 

 unnecessary. 



There are many different kinds of markers. A 

 New Jersey correspondent of the American Agri- 

 culturist gives the following description of a 

 marker which he has invented. He says : 



Fia. 1 — A KEW JEESBT CORN MAKKBB. 



** In making the implement, the runners, r, r, 

 are, of course, set as far apart, as the rows of corn 

 are intended to be. To the middle of one of the 

 beams, 5, a guide-pole, p, is attached, so as to ad- 

 mit of its being swung over to operate on either 

 side of the sled. This pole is made twice the 

 length of the distance between the runners ; thus, 

 if the two rows are to be four feet apart, the guide 

 pole must be eight feet long. On the outward end 

 of the guide pole, a shoulder is cut, to enter a Iiole 

 in the block, to, which is to serve as a marker. 

 The block turns on the pole, when the latter is 

 changed from one side to the other of the sled. A 

 stout pin is set in the lower end of the block, at 

 right angles with it, to make a distinct mark on the 

 surface of the ground. Two pins are also placed 

 in the top of the runners, to keep the guide-pole 

 in place, when in use. 



" In operating with the marker, the driver takes 

 his place upon the sled, and marks the first two 

 rows by following guide stakes, or the line of the 

 fence. The guide-pole being swrng over on the 

 3ide of the unmarked land, the marker traces a 

 line in the centre of the space between the next 

 two rows, and on reaching the end of the field, the 

 horses are turned, the guide-pole reversed, and the 

 team is driven so as to keep the guide-line exactly 

 between the horses, and thus the rows are made 

 parallel with those previously marked." 



We fail to see any advantage this plan has over 

 the old-fashioned marker, used in this section, and 

 •which any one can make in a few hours. If the 

 corn is planted three feet four inches apart, which 

 ■ is the common distance here, take a pole (a,) a lit- 

 tle over ten feet long, and bore four holes through 

 it, three feet four inches apart, with an inch and a 



half augur, and drive in four wooden teeth, (b. ', 

 b, &,) about sixteen inches long. They should in- 

 cline backwards somewhat so that they will not 

 pull up the sods. A pair of old plow handles are 

 frequently attached to guide it by, but it ia better 



FIG. 2— COMMON CORN MARKER. 



to have a handle (c,) extending nearly the whole 

 length of the marker. This is easily attached to 

 the pole by pins, (d, d,) and the advantages of it are 

 that you can walk closer to the marker, and on the 

 side nearest the marked land, so as to be able to 

 guide it more easily in the old lines. Only one 

 horse is required, and if he occasionally deviates 

 from the exact hne of march, the marker can be 

 still kept straight. This cannot be done with the 

 sled. Three rows are marked at a time — one tooth 

 running in the old line as a guidel 



Sometimes a sled with three runners is used, one 

 running in the old line, but besides requiring two 

 horses it is no better, if as good, as the conaraoii 

 pole marker. 



SUTFOLK AND CHESTER WHITE PIGS. 



Mk. Heney White, of Canada, whom we have 

 long know as a successful prize winner at the Pro- 

 vincial Fairs, writes us that he has tried many 

 different breeds of pigs including Yorkshire, Berk- 

 shire, Byfield, Grass, Landshark, Suffolk, and many 

 others, but gives the Suffolks the decided preference. 

 They not only mature early, but are excellent gra- 

 siers. He says, " I am convinced from experience 

 that I can make 100 lbs. of pork, 15 per cent, 

 cheaper from the Suffolks than from any of the 

 above named breeds. Many object to the Suffolks 

 on account of their being small. I slaughtered 

 three pure bred Suffolks the past fall. No. 1, 3 

 years and 2 months old, dressed 381 lbs. He was 

 the winner of the First Prize at our County Fair in 

 1860, 1861, and 1862. No. 2, 18 months old, 

 dressed 363 lbs. No. 3, 11 months old, dressed 271 

 lbs. She was the winner of the First Prize as the 

 best Suffolk sow Tinder 12 months old." 



These are by no means heavy hogs. No. 2 is 

 pretty good, but we think an eighteen months' pig 

 should weigh 400 lbs. 



Mr. White adds : " I think it a bad practice to 



