MONTGOMERY COUNTY LANDS. 351 



But on the occasion referred to, our notice was attracted by the most extraordi- 

 nary AorZ/cM/^?«-a/ display that ever met our eyes, unless it were a field of onions 

 at the Shaking Quaker village at Lebanon. In this case it was a large lot of 

 mammoth cabbages. We should like much to have ascertained the weight of 

 the largest. The size we would not venture to state if we had not such a good 

 backer as Mr. Wierman in anything that he will undertake to back. We will, 

 therefore, aver that he assisted us to measure the diameter of one, not the larg- 

 est in the lot, but the largest among those very near where we were passing. 

 The measurement was upward oi four feet across ! 



It grew on an old dunghill, and had once on it a very large dose of lime. The 

 whole weigat of that crop of cabbages to the acre, and the quantity of milk it 

 would produce from such cows, supposing a pint of Indian corn meal to go along 

 with each head of cabbage, would be a thing to be talked about — it would ! The 

 last field we rode hastily over, on leaving Springfield, was one with a strong grass 

 sward being turned up in the best style for exposure to the winter's frost to kill 

 the grubs and prepare the land for corn next spring. On this lot his whole sys- 

 tem has been now consummated, and next spring is to be renewed. In reply to 

 a request for a brief memorandum of the course through which it had gone, we 

 were favored with the following. We " guess " this large field will produce not 

 less than 60 bushels to the acre, instead of, probably, not over 12 when it was 

 brought under this course of improvement, nine years ago. 



Springfield, Oct. 23, 1847. 



Dear Sir : — You asked me, when you were here, to give you the course iliat had been 

 pursued with a field then being plowed for corn next year. It has twice gone through the 

 rofcition of cropping 1 follow. 



1st year, in corn ; 2d ye;\r, small grain ; 3d year, clover, plastered — first crop mowed, 

 second crop left on tlie ground ; 4th year, clover, gi'azed moderately ; 5th year, wheat ; 6th 

 year, timothy, mowed; 7th year, timothy, mowed; 8th and 9tli years, in pasture. I inva- 

 riably put the manure on the surface when the land is in timothy. I also apply the lime 

 when the land is in grass. I use 200 bushels of imslacked stone-lime to the acre, either in 

 one or two applications : that quantity, iu all, appears to be sufficient for my land. 



Your3 trulj, GEORGE PATTERSON. 



MONTGOMERY COUNTY LANDS. 



EFFECT OF GUANO AS SHOWN BY EXPERIENCE. 



[Extract.] Woodlands, Montgomery Co., Nov. 1, 1847. 



My location is on the Big Seneca, and I again beg leave to refer you to Mr. Far- 

 quhar's description of lands adjacent to that stream. Our soil is a clay, inter- 

 mixed with small but numerous particles of stone, and retains in)provement 

 where improved, longer than almost any lands I am acquainted with. Guano 

 acts on all the lands in our county, where it has been applied, as it has been in 

 a number of places this season, like a charm. Indeed it is charming to the heart 

 to see the beautiful verdure of the wheat fields, as you pass them, giving a prom- 

 ise of a bountiful yield. The contrast between their present and former appear- 

 ance is indeed wonderful, and would be incredible but for the known efficacy of 

 the po\yerful agency of guano. By way of experiment I procured one ton of that 

 article in the fall of 1845, and applied on about eight acres of my poorest land, 

 the product from which was equal to improved land adjacent. Last year I ap- 

 plied nearly three tons to my wheat land, and one ton on my corn land. The 

 wheat land had only recently been inclosed, and was poor indeed. I purchased 

 it a short time since because it lay contiguous to my other land. Owing to a 

 break in the canal my guano did not reach me until some time in November, 



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