204 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER 



JAN. 6, 183 6. 



(From the Ballimore Furrnur.) 

 nil.YBD CtlliTIVATION OP POTATOES. 



We are indelitod to a subscriber in Wasliington 

 county, V.1. for the subjoineil coinnmniration, 

 detailing n series of experiments in the raising of 

 potatoes and rorn iis a crop in common. We 

 thank him for )iis favor; it is just such an essay 

 as iB.n)Ost valuable to agriculturists generally. 

 Practical results are always preferable to specula- 

 tion and theory, because nothing being left to mi- 

 certainty, the husbandman is encouraged to go on 

 and follow the example of his successful neighbor. 

 We could wish that others would tread in the 

 footsteps of our Washington correspondent, and 

 give us statements of their experiments ; the in- 

 terests of the cultivators of the soil would be 

 thereby greatly promoted. 

 To the Editor of the Farmer and Gardener . — 



Sir — 1 have noticed in the Farmer and Gar- 

 dener of the 17th inst. a description of a sample 

 of some fine potatoes presented to you, and also 

 quotations of other samples for inspection, tlie 

 weight of the heaviest of which is five lbs. I 

 would state for the information of farmers, that 

 I have been a potato raiser for many years ; and, 

 perhaps, it may he beneficial to others engaged in 

 their culture to understand my method of raising 

 as also the quantity I liave raised for several 

 years. In 1830, I made an experiment on a new 

 plan in planting a part of my crop : planting corn 

 and potatoes on the same land. I planted my corn 

 six feet east and west, and a row of potatoes be- 

 tween each alternate row, and when I gathered 

 my crop, I was so well pleased with the plan, that 

 I have planted in the same mode ever since, and 

 have succeeded in always producing good crops, 

 except one year, which was a failure from a se- 

 vere drought. In 1831, I had sixteen acres in 

 corn at nine ffeet distance, and potatoes in the 

 centre of the corn rows, my crop was fine : on 

 the sixteen acres the product of potatoes was 2500 

 bushels, corn 25 1-2 bushels to the acre ; the po- 

 tatoes, taken altogether, the largest I have ever 

 raised : one weighed 5 pounds, 9 ounces, a num- 

 ber of other, 4 pounds and upwards ; and I have 

 no doubt hut there could have been from 80 to 100 

 bushels taken from my crop that year, that would 

 have averaged 3 pounds. I have come to the 

 conclusion, that one fourth, if not more, can be 

 raised from the same quantity of seed ; they grow 

 much better than in a patch of entire potatoes. 

 The potato is a vegetable that groyvs best in a 

 cool, moist climate, and I am of opinion the corn 

 crop is but very little diminished in the yield, 

 wliile the potato crop is much i)romoted in tlie 

 product in planting the two crops on the same 

 land. I believe it a great advantage, as in culti- 

 vating the crops thus, but little time is lost. I 

 throw a furrow open and drop the potato on the 

 I»lan of planting corn, and cover tliem with the 

 plough, at the time the corn should be ))loughed 

 the first time. The most labor in raising the 

 potato in this way, is in taking them up in the 

 fall and putting them in the cellar. In 1832 my 

 orop ivas valuable, it yielded 2400 bushels raised 

 the same way. In 1833 I had hut a light crop, 

 as before stated, owing to a severe drought ; in 

 1834, my crop was 2900 bushels, the present cro|) 

 was 2000. The potato is a profitable cro(). — 

 I find them, from experience in feeditig, good 

 food for horses, cattle, hogs, and sheep. The hog 

 is most benefitted to have them cooked and mash- 



ed, and meal mixed among them. It i.s an easy 

 matter, and but little cxijeiise, to have a steam 

 establishment to cook Irom 1 to 20 bushels at the 

 same time. I have one that 8 bushels can be 

 cooked in, in two hours. The plan is simple and 

 cheap. ' Any tolerable handy farmer can fix one 

 with a trifling expense. Corn in the cars, or 

 shelled, cut straw, or any kind of food that it may 

 be necessary to liave cooked, can be prepared in 

 the same establishment without any alterations 

 being necessary in the machine. It may not be 

 uninteresting to state a few circumstances as to 

 the particulars of a part of my crop. In 1834, 

 from 8 acres which I had in corn and potatoes, 

 (it being a part of the laud I had in the mixed 

 crop,, I realized an average of the two crops, corn 

 and potatoes, rating the latter at 20 cents per 

 bushel and the corn at 40 cents^ of .$52 [ler acre, 

 besides pumpkins and beans : of pum])kins, I 

 gathered 6 waggon loads. 



I noticed the description of a large radish iB 

 the essay on vegetables. A radish which grew 

 in my garden this season, weighed 12 )iounds 

 with the tops and the small roots trimmed off. 



Washington County, Fa. W. B. 



(From the New Vork Farmer and Gardener.) 

 SAXONT SHEEP. 

 BIr Editor — Having heard much of the cele- 

 brated flock of Saxony sheep, of the pure Electo- 

 ral breed, kept by Mr Henry D. Grove, of Hoo- 

 sack, Rensselaer county, and wishing to improve 

 my present stock of sheep, I resolved to pay that 

 gentleman a visit. I accordingly availed myself 

 of a leisure time, and set out witli a determination 

 to purchase a few, and gather information from 

 his experience. Accordingl}', after a speedy pas- 

 sage of two and a half days, I found myself, an 

 entire stranger, at the house of Mr Grove. I was, 

 however, received with the kindness and welcome 

 I might have expected from an old acquaintance ; 

 after an hour or more of chat, we took a ramble 

 over )iis farm, which I found in excellent order, 

 although upon which perhaj)s considerable im- 

 provements might be made, as he informed me 

 there had already been made; and were still ma- 

 king. He showed me his small stock of excellent 

 short horn cattle, all in high condition, and with 

 which I was well pleased. We next proceeded 

 to a field where were his buck lambs, aljout 30 in 

 number; we yarded and examined these tho- 

 roughly, as we did also his ewe lambs in an ad- 

 joining field ; we next yarded his older bucks, 

 and took a searching look at them. His whole 

 flock of about 150 ewes were yarded, and J had 

 an excellent opportunity of exanjining them singly, 

 and found them to be much superior to what I 

 had anticipated. Having taken plenty of time, 

 and exercised my utmost carefulness and attention 

 in the examination of Mr Grove's flock, I think I 

 can say, and that too without awogance or du- 

 plicity, it is decidedly the best flock within the 

 circle of my acquaintance, especially his ewes, 

 his buck lambs, and reserve service bucks. And, 

 further, I would most candidly recommend to 

 those wishing to improve their flocks, to visit Mr 

 Grove, and examine his flock for themselves; I 

 feel fully assured none such would return to their 

 homes without at least one of his full blood Elec- 

 toral Saxons. I left home, not expecting to pur- 

 chase more than two or three, but finding tliem 

 .so excellent, could not leave without taking eleven, 



4 grown bucks, 3 buck lambs, and 4 ewe.s, which 

 cost from $15 to .$20 per head at Mr Grove's; 

 cost to transport by waggon to West Troy, $3 50, 

 from thence to Manlius, on boat, $5 50, toll 78 

 cents ; cost of keeping up, $3 50. 



Since my arrival at home, I have been persuad- 

 ed, by some particular friends to let them have 

 one a piece, three of them, two grown bucks and 

 one buck lanjb, at $25 per head, and so well are, 

 my neighbors generally pleased with these sheep, 

 that I presume I could sell the remaining ones at 

 a much higher rate. 1 very much approve of Mr 

 Grove's winter management of sheep, which it 

 may not be amiss to notice in this place. He has 

 a large barn built on a side hill descending to the 

 east; the upper part of the building is for keeping 

 the hay, and the basement serves as a shed, or 

 stable, for it may be closed by doors, or they may 

 remain open, at pleasure. At one end is a large, 

 warm, and commodious cellar, where potatoes, 

 turnips, &c, are kept for winter feeding; these 

 are cut in a trough containing 3 or 4 bushels, with 

 an instrument not unlike two spades, the edges 

 crossing each other at right angles, and fitted to a 

 handle about 4 feet long, with which a man will 

 cut 2 or 3 bushels per minute. His racks are 

 light, convenient, and simjjle, consisting of three 

 small poles, the one at bottom receiving the rounds 

 of each side and one pole on each side at top, the 

 rounds two feet long and three fourths of an inch 

 in diameter, and the top poles separate about two 

 feet, then a light manger about two feet wide and 

 one foot from the ground, the rack is set firm 

 lengthwise in the centre of the manger, which 

 catches all that falls from either side of the rack, 

 and is an excellent plan to feed grain, potatoes, 

 &c. It is the opinion of Mr Grove, (and I count 

 him good authority,) that potatoes are jireferable 

 to turnijis for sheep, because they are a much 

 more substantial food, and will never cause sheep 

 to scour, if they are regularly salted, and other 

 wise properly fed. He also considers it highly 

 necessary that sheep should be regularly bedded 

 with straw; his racks and manger, where his 

 .■^heep are fed, are kept constantly under cover. 

 Mr Grove keeps a regular record of birth, deaths, 

 sale.s, and every circumstance relative to his flock 

 is the)-e exactly recorded, every sheep is numbered 

 by marking the ear, and the number is strictly 

 recorded, and many peculiarities highly interest- 

 ing I might state; but I will conclude by advising 

 my brother farmers to go and see Mr Grove, and 

 hear from his lips, and learn by his experience, 

 many things for their welfare. 



Manlius, Oct. 27, 1835. Farmer C . 



London WAiters. — The waiter alone in a first 

 rate London hotel, requires at least ten dollars a 

 week from each person, for his own private fees. 

 Resides this, there are other servants to ptiy, tlie 

 bill exclusive. Two guineas are often charged 

 for a room for one evening with a pair of wax 

 candles. Stage drivers at the end of a day's jour- 

 ney, expect two shillings English (four shillings 

 our money) extra from each passenger. Payment 

 to ordinary servants in New York money is as 

 follows : for one bed one night, two shillings to 

 the maid — the porter two shillings — waiter two 

 shillings — boots one shilling — all exclusive of 

 the bill. — JV. Y. Mirror. 



We err often, not because we know not, but 

 because we do not reflect. 



