178 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



well fed and cleaned, it returns little or no pro- 

 fit from one that is poor, wet or stiff, I make 

 it the basis of my course. It answers all the 

 purposes of a naked summer fallow, in cleaning 

 the ground, and decomposing the soil. Although 

 clay may require to be summer fallowed, for the 

 further purpose ofpulverizing',a fallow crop, and 

 that a lioed crop, I believe every reflecting man 

 will admit, answers every beneficial purpose on 

 light loams and sands. I spread my mani}re, and 

 plough about the first o( May. I prefer this 

 time, because the clover has then acquired a 

 good growth, — and, turned under with the ma- 

 nure, atTords an excellent bed for the roots of 

 the grain, with ample room to range, and abun- 

 dance of food to nourish. I then, either wUh 

 the roller or harrow, close the interstices be- 

 tween the furrows, to prevent the escape of the 

 gasses, and to cover the manure from the ex- 

 hausting influence of the sun and winds. The 

 decay of the roots soon renders the ground 

 permeable to heat, light, air and moisture, 

 which all contribule to promote vegetation. 

 The seed is then planted in hills, at the dis- 

 tance of 30 inches each way. I pass a harrow, 

 at the first dressing, both ways, and with the 

 hoe do little more than destroy the weeds and 

 grass. At the second and last dressing, I plough 

 shallow, and earth or hill slightly, laldag care 

 not to disturb the roots, or to bring the manure 

 to the surface. As soon as the grain is glazed, 

 which has been invariably the first week in 

 September with me, I cut the crop at the surface 

 of the ground, with a hemp hook, laying four 

 hills in a bundle, bind above the ears immedi- 

 ately, take itofi'the field on sleds, and stook it 

 near my barn — and husk it when convenient. 

 By this course 1 save labour, double the value 

 of the fodder, and clear my ground in time for 

 wheat. The stooks will not injure if put up 

 wet, the ears keeping the stooks open to the 

 air. The gypsum is sown before the ground 

 is ploughed. All other things alike. 1 think the 

 clover lay increases the crop from 25 to 30 

 per cent, and tends to counteract the effects of 

 drought. 



2. Whiat. The requisites for a wheat crop, 

 are a clear, mellow and rich tilth. If either of 

 these are wanting, or the soil be very porous 

 or sandy, rye should be substituted. If long 

 manure is applied directly to this crop, it intro- 

 duces weeds and grass; and although the straw 

 may be luxuriant, the grain is often light and 

 shrivelled. If suffered to'ferment in the yard, 

 the manure loses nearly half its value in the 

 process. But applied to corn and potatoes 

 in the spring, it enriches these crops by its 

 grosser and more volatile particles, loses its 

 noxious seeds, undergoes fermentation, and be- 

 comes by the preparation for the wheat crop, 

 intimately mixed and incorporated with the 

 soil. 1 harrow down the crowns of the corn 

 hills with a heavy harrow, plough sow and har- 

 row the seed by passing the harrow both ways. 



I think you have remarked, that wheat will 

 not grow in old soils which do not contain lime. 

 f do not doubt but calcareous matter is essential 

 in a good wheat soil. In Europe, it is applied to 

 a great extent, in tne form of lime, marl and 

 chalk ; and I trust we shall soon become fami- 

 liar with the use of the two former. It cannot 

 be too often mentioned that clay marls general- 

 ly abound in sand districts, at no great depth, 

 as if to incite the research and industry of man; 



and that they constitute the best dressing for 

 the soils which cover them. 



3. Turnips. These constitute an excellent 

 preparatory crop to barley, as they leave the 

 ground clean and mellow. But how is the crop 

 to be consumed, it will be asked. If near a 

 populous town or village, they will find a ready 

 sale. If not, they may be fed on the ground 

 during all October, November, and part of De- 

 cember, to sheep and cattle. And, lastly, they 

 may be buried in pits, like the Swedish turnip, 

 and fed in the spring, when slock are much in 

 want of succulent food. All I raise are taken 

 to market from the field. The best crops 

 which i have ever seen, were taken upon 

 wheat and rye stubbles. Sani'y loams are the 

 best turnip soils. 



4. Barley grows best on sand loams ; and on those 

 is more productive &, [)rofitable than oats or rye ; 

 rye ; and the demand for it is likely to increa e 

 withthe multiplicalion of our breweries. It is re- 

 mended to roll the crop when three or four 

 inches high. Tlie operation induces the plants 

 to throw up additional shoots, and facilitates the 

 growlh of the young grasses. 



5. Clover. Upon this head I have nothing 

 to say, except to reiterate your recommendation 

 from Anders-on, that when made into ha}', clorer 

 should not be s[)read from the swath, and but 

 slightly from the cock. It is worth 30 per 

 cent, more, when ilriod in swath and small cocks, 

 thjin when spread to an intense sun. It' intend- 

 ed to stand more than one year, I sow orchard, 

 lall oat, or liniolhy grass seed with clover. I 

 prefer the two former on account of their ear- 

 ly maturity for the scythe. 



G. Riita itiga. The value of Ibis plant has 

 lately been subjected to so full a discussion, that 

 I will barely remark, that I have grown it five 

 years, and am confirmed in the utility of its cul- 

 ture. 



Without investigating the physiology of plants, 

 it is enough for the present to observe, thai 

 they are furnished with different systems of 

 roots, through which the plants are principally 

 supplied with nourishment; that some of these 

 search for food near the surface, and that others 

 penetrate for it deep in the soil ; that some 

 render llie soil hard and compact — others loose 

 and iriable ; — that some plants exhaust the soil, 

 while others fertilize it ; and Ihat the object of 

 a rotation is, to make such a seleclion from dil- 

 ferent classes, as shall produce the greatest pro- 

 fit lo the cultivator, without impoverishing his 

 soil. How far the course I have adopted is cal- 

 culated to attain this end, I leave for the pub- 

 lic to determine. J. BUEL. 



FOR THE NEW E.\'GLAND FARMER. 



Mr. Fditor, — If you think the following can in any 

 degree be useful to the public you are at liberty to in- 

 sert it in your valuable jiaper. 



Manure has become so essential to the growth 

 of vegetation and the raising of good crops that 

 '.he farmer who has not a quantity of it to appl}' 

 annually to his land can expect but a small pro- 

 duction and consequently, at best, a scanty re- 

 ward for his labor and toil. 



It is, therefore, important that every farmer 

 exert himself to make as much of this valuable 

 article as the immediate benefit and advantages 

 derived therefrom will amply repay him besides 

 essentially improving the quality of his soil and 



increasing the value of his farm. — By carej 

 attention and gooi management every (ard( 

 may make a sufficient quantity of manure ye; 

 ly lo answer every ordmary purpose in farmit 

 Yet it is an indisputable fact that few make ^ 

 as much as they might with a little more c| 

 and exertion. 



Il is now ten or twel ve years since 1 have t 

 cupied a small farm during which time I ha' 

 paid some attention to the business of makii 

 manure. — 1 have adopted various methods ai 

 tried several experiments relative thereto, b 

 have hit upon no plan which answers the pu 

 pose so well as a careful attention to my 

 From them I can obtain a greater quanlity" 

 good manure at a trifling expense than in i 

 other way that I have ever tried. I nsuai! 

 kee(i and fallen four hogs in a year. These 

 keep confined in a yard twenty feel square wit 

 a warm and convenient shed attached thereto; 

 a shelter for them during the night time and: 

 cold and stormy wealher. Into their yard 

 put the scrapings of ditches, the dirt which 

 continually collecting in and about the dwellic 

 house and other buildings, together with lli 

 straw with which they are littered, frequenli 

 clearing it out of their house and granting ihei 

 a fresh supply. During the summer season lo 

 ten throw in large quantities of weeds, brake? 

 and other rubbish that may come to hand, whic: 

 helps to increase both the quantity and qualili 

 of the manure in this way 1 make from 25 toj 

 loads of manure in a year which answers a mot 

 valuable purpose than that which 1 take ftoi. 

 the stable or barn-yard. 



The last spring I planted a field containiD: 

 two acres with corn. One half of the piece wr 

 manured in the hill with ten loads from the k: 

 pen, the other half with the same quantity oflk 

 best manure the barn-yard afforded. 



A visible difference was to be seen in II' 

 growth of the corn through the season and; 

 the time of harvest the difference was still mOJ' 

 discernible. That part manured from the lio; 

 pen produced ears generally much larger tfam 

 that manured from the barn-yard, a great pro- 

 portion of the stalks bearing two, and many c 

 ihem three ears each. 



Having harvested and measured my cora,i 

 find the result to be as follows : — The produce 

 of the part manured from the hog pen 50 bu- 

 shels; while that of the other part was butl- 

 busheh making a dilfercnce ol'8 busliels in4a»o; 

 of the "brmer. 



I hive lately taken twenty-eight loads (■ 

 strong iianure from my hog yard which h?.' 

 been cdlected the past year, and which willl)i 

 a suflScent quantity lo manure two and a hall 

 acres ir the hill and shoulil the difference be*'; 

 great ir ils favor the next, as it has been Ihi^ 

 year th( extra produce will more than rcps) 

 the whdje expense of making the manure. 

 A Far.mcr. 



Worceier, December., 1823. 



'ECONOMY IS WE.4LTn." 

 This lafenic remark of Franklin, which has 

 probably teen the means of saving thousands 

 from povelv, is the motto of a sort of family 

 diary, entiUd, The Expense Book., calculated <« 

 be a record f HonsehoW Expenditures and Com- 

 mon Place hinarks^ published by 1. Hoil, BDii 

 for sale by t% principal booksellers. It cod- 

 sists cflableiin which a square is allotledfoi 



