ISO 



THE GENESEE FARMER. 



TmOTHY-WHEN SHOULD IT BE CUT. 



Editors Genesee Farmer : — It seems to me a 

 little remarkable that farmers can not agree as to 

 the best period for cutting timothy, some insisting 

 that it ought to be cut in the blossom, or as soon as 

 it is cast ; others, when the seed is mature. It was 

 once thought that the agricultural chemists would 

 settle matters of this kind to the satisfaction of all ; 

 now it is understood that their analyses must be 

 received with a good deal of hesitation. AVhen 

 Leibig's works were published, many farmers were 

 almost persuaded to believe that, with a sack of 

 prepaired fertilizers in one hand, and a bushel of 

 grain in the other, all l)arren places would yield 

 abundant harvests. But these dreams have passed, 

 and we are remitted to practical experiments m the 

 iield ; so let us settle this matter among ourselves. 

 I propose that you request twenty farmers to cut 

 timothy in each stage, feed both kinds of hay, and 

 report the result to you. An ounce of nutritive 

 matter to the square foot makes a large difference, 

 one way or the other, in twenty acres ; and the 

 stomachs of twenty live cattle, on this subject, are 

 worth the analyses of forty chemises — not that the 

 opinions of these gentlemen are entitled to great 

 respect ; they have thrown a flood of light around 

 our piu'suits and constrained science to dignify and 

 adorn our profession. Let them ever be honored 

 for having taught the holder of the plow to reason 

 as he drives Ins teams over fields, beevix. 



POTATO EYES FOR SEED. 



Editors Genesee Farmer: — For the past six 

 years I have experimented considerably in potato 

 planting, and am convinced that most perfect crops 

 of large potatoes will be produced from the eyes 

 only, with a piece of the potato not larger than 

 (jne's thumb nail. I think three eyes are enough 

 to the hill ; and if the hills are three and a half 

 feet apart, the crop can be easily and perfectly cul- 

 tivated with the shovel-plow alone, without the 

 aid of the hand-hoe, though probably the harrow is 

 best for the first dressing. A larger crop can be 

 obtained by planting in drills, witli one eye every 

 eight inches ; but in drills, more labor is necessary 

 to cultivate thoroughly. I am not yet satisfied 

 which are best for seed, large or small potatoes. 

 So much depends on the season, that experiments, 

 carefully conducted for a long series of years, would 

 be necessary to give one accurate knowledge on 

 this point. 



It does not seem to make much difference how 

 dry the eyes become before planting, and T am not 

 sure but it Avill be found most economical to keep 

 eyes for seed which have been cut in the fall, and 

 thoroughly dried; I merely make the suggestion 

 for others to try. I am inclined to the opinion 

 that potatoes- raised from such seed will be com- 

 paratively exempt from the rot. At any rate, let 

 it be tried. I have never tried any too dry to groic 

 loell and x>roduce large potatoes, although the 

 sprouts, when first up, have a very slender, dis- 

 couraging appearance. To those living where pota- 

 toes are worth a dollar per bushel, this may seem 

 of some importance, while here, where they are 

 worth but ten cents, men may laugh at the idea ; 

 yet it is of importance to all. c. eeackett. 



BochesUr, Fulton Co., Ind., April, 1S58. 



A TEW THOUGHTS ON AGRICULTURE. 



Editors Genesee Farmer: — In making a good 

 farm of 2^oor land, a good deal of labor and skill is 

 required. After the land is cleared of the incum- 

 bant wood, the next thing is to get off the stones. 

 These should be taken off as soon as practicable, 

 for they are a serious incumbrance, costing more 

 to "work over and around them than to remove 

 them ; besides, they do, if properly laid up, form 

 fences almost as enduring as the soil itself. The 

 land being cleaned of surface rubbish, the next 

 thing is to see that no water stands upon or slowly 

 filters through the soil, to the bottom of the slopes, 

 carrying off a vast amount of needed heat, or turn- 

 ing sour and injuring or destroying the crops. — 

 Unless your land will clear itself of water so as to 

 be fit to work in twenty-four hours after a heavy 

 rain, it needs underdrainlng. But this is a rather 

 costly job, and should be well done, if done at all ; 

 otherwise it is money thrown away. So, unless 

 yon are al)undantly supplied with the needful, do 

 not try to do too much. But no man who is rich 

 enough to own an acre of land, is so poor as not to 

 be able to do something every j'ear at draining. As 

 it is a business that can be done at all seasons of the 

 year when the ground is not frozen hard, so lay 

 your plans as to invest every spare hour in digging 

 ditches and laying drains ; and if you have never 

 seen it tried, you will be surprised to see the effect 

 it will produce; and once fairly begun, you will 

 not be likely to stop until the whole farm is drained. 

 Manure is not worth half price on wet land. 



After having the land well cleared, well fenced, 

 and well drained, the next thing is to have it well 

 manured. Nothing will come amiss that will decay. 

 But no part of the farm labor needs a more thorough 

 reform than the present method of making and 

 saving manures, not more than one half as much 

 manure is made the country through as might be. 

 That which is made is not worth more than one 

 half as much as it would be if properly taken care 

 of. I keep my manure under cover, and prevent 

 as far as possible, all fermentation, until it is put 

 into the earth, where the escaping gases are caught 

 and retained. I stable all my animals, thereby sav- 

 ing all the manure, instead of letting it be scattered 

 over the f;irm to be washed away by the rains and 

 and melted snows. I feed cut feed altogether, 

 belie^^ng it pays well for the extra labor. Steam 

 the feed and put a little bran or meal on it. By 

 this means, straw, hay, cornstalks, and all, are eaten 

 up entirely, there not being as much wasted in a 

 week as in a single day where long feed is fed ; and 

 I may add, my animals keep in better condition on 



less food. G. C. LYMAN. 



Lynn, Susguehanna Co., Fa. 



Experiment in Feeding Cooked ts. Raw Corn. 

 — I weislied two of my Chester county white sows. 

 No. 1 weighed 392 lbs. ; No. 2, 380. They were 

 something over a year old, and of the same litter. 

 I fed them 17 days. No. 1, on unground boiled 

 corn, consumed 2 bushels and 21 quarts, and gained 

 36 lbs. No. 2, fed on unground raw corn, con- 

 sumed 3 bushels and 13 lbs, and gained only 30 lbs. 

 They were fed with thin slop (for drink) both alike. 

 I purchased one of Hedge's steamers for cooking 

 feed for stock, which answers a good purpose. — 

 Thos. "Wood. — Penningtonmlle, Chester Co., Pa. 



