GIIjc .farmer's ittoniljhj bisitor. 



165 



if past all recovery, took to a growth unexam- 

 pled in the course of our observation ; and of 

 these generally we have observed that the crop 

 of these planted as late as June, was from one- 

 third to one-half greater than from those plant- 

 ed the latter part of April and early in May. 

 The cause for the difference is to he found in 

 the circumstance that the early planted were at 

 the critical point when the tubers were forming 

 or had formed to the attainment of a partial 

 growth. The drought was earlier than common 

 ns it was more severe, so that while nearly all 

 the early potatoes were arrested in their growth, 

 the later planted potatoes escaped its effects. 

 The effect of the abundant fine rains upon these 

 late planted potatoes, and indeed upon almost 

 every other growth of the esculent kind, was 

 like that upon the grasses: none of them seem- 

 ed to feel the stinting effect of the long previous 

 drought through which they had lingered — all 

 came up and grew as if they had now first start- 

 ed from the planting or sowing. Generally it 

 may he anticipated that the earlier planting will 

 better escape the effects of the drought of sum- 

 mer than the later planting. The past season is 

 an exception which ought not perhaps to influ- 

 ence the future practice of the farmer. 



The drought of summer does not often so 

 much affect the main crops of New England as 

 the later frost of spring and the earlier frost of 

 autumn. Frequently are Indian corn and pota- 

 toes exposed to injury from these. There are 

 some low lands surrounded by green woods, 

 shutting out the early influence of the sun, where 

 the frost strikes almost every month of the year. 

 The lands surrounding our numerous lakes and 

 ponds and along the living streams of considera- 

 ble width, are usually exempt from frost some- 

 times for weeks after it has stricken down the 

 crops upon the plains. The black growth of 

 evergreen pine and hemlock is peculiarly favora- 

 ble to the appearance of early frost. The high- 

 lands covered with the natural oak, maple and 

 birch, are generally free from frost. There is a 

 wide difference in the season of frost between 

 fields opened to a free circulation of air and 

 those shut in, especially by a hemlock or pine 

 forest. There is also a very decided advantage in 

 relation to exemption from frost in the better culti- 

 vation and dressing of lands : lands highly stimu- 

 lated with manures — lands that have imbibed a 

 living principle from deep ploughing — lands that 

 throw into vegetation an exuberant growth from 

 well mixed stimulating manures — will by no 

 means be so soon affected by frost as lands lying 

 dead and cold from superficial cultivation. Let 

 all our farmers regard this fact as being likely to 

 exempt their crops a fortnight to a mouth from 

 the effects of late and early frosts. 



Western Red Potatoes. Four years use of 

 Guano. 



In answer to our friend in Danbury, Ct., we 



would say that our Western Red potatoes are 



unlike the Peach Blow, several kinds of which 



last, differing from each other, we have seen. 



Two several lots of Western Reds from 



Oneida county, New York, we have received 



at the distant points of two years from 



each other, which were exactly the same. Other 



kinds somewhat resembling them have been 



shown us in various instances. One kind called 



the Jackson Reds has come very near them. 



Our Western Reds have a delicate outside skin 



with a thicker under skin which forms a most 



palatable part of the potato w hen cooked : this 



characteristic has distinguished them from all 

 others. We have sold about six hundred bush- 

 els of these potatoes in the Rostou market this 

 fall at an advance of seventy-five cents and a 

 dollar in the barrel above the price of the common 

 Pink Eyes. The Western Reds were this year 

 the most productive potatoes of our own plant- 

 ing. We saw no difference in the crop from 

 small or large potatoes planted. Indeed we 

 made as much as possible of the larger potatoes, 

 dividing them with a few eyes in a place. Of 

 the small potatoes we have reserved for seed, 

 we mig'il spare a few barrels to those wishing 

 them: they are worth to us two dollars the bar- 

 rel. 



In relation to Guano as a manure, our Con- 

 necticut friend will be informed, that the editor 

 of the Visitor has continued to use it in increased 

 quantities for the last four years. For the two 

 first years we used the stronger kind of Peruvian 

 Guano, by placing a small dose, less than a com- 

 mon table spoonful, near by, in each bill, but 

 apart from the seed. We thought this too con- 

 centrated, and for the two last years we have 

 applied the weaker or African Guano, mixing it 

 with an equal quantity of ground plaster at the 

 rate of about three hundred pounds each to the 

 acre. In both ways, our opinion has been that 

 the Guano, at the stated L,ondou or New York 

 prices ($40 and $25 per ton) to be as cheap ma- 

 nure as we could purchase. The advantage of 

 this manure is that, when the ground is ready Im- 

 planting or sowing, a large field may be prepared 

 in quick time. We have always applied the Gu- 

 ano as the last thing to be done before the seed 

 is covered in the ground, and we mix it with the 

 earth with the plough or harrow as soon as pos- 

 sible after the manure is strewed over the ground. 

 From garden experiments made the last season, 

 we are of opinion that the greatest benefit from 

 Guano will be derived when applied to the 

 ground in a liquid state. A small quantity mix- 

 ed and stirred in water, much diluted, will have 

 a great effect in stimulating vegetable growth. 

 If applied in too much strength, it will burn up 

 or injure the plant. We have found its greatest 

 evident effect upon the growth and filling of an 

 car of corn. We are not discouraged from the 

 intention of increasing from the last to the next 

 season our quantity of African Guano from four 

 tons to six tons. As the Guano so much resem- 

 bles common and indifferent dirt, there should 

 be some assurance more than its appearance of 

 its genuineness. 



(hnldhatl, J% Nov. 28, 1849. 



Hon. Isaac Him,— Dear Sir: I wish to enquire 

 which you prefer for spring crops — spring or fail 

 subsoil ploughing? 



Do you prefer a subsoil plough which only 

 stirs the subsoil without bringing it up 10 the 

 surface ; or would you like to bring the subsoil 

 up to the top of the two furrows so as intimately 

 to mix the sub and surface soils? 



I am inclined to the opinion that a common 

 plough, if it will cut to a sufficient depth, say ten 

 or more inches, will very well answer the pur- 

 pose of a subsoil plough : passing twice in the 

 same furrow — the second furrow throws the sub- 

 soil up to the top of and against the first furrow 

 and leaves it for the whole depth of the two fur- 

 rows in alternate layers of surface and subsoil. 



Bringing the subsoil up to the surface and ex- 

 posing it to the air and rains gives to it addition- 

 al qualities for vegetable production. The sub- 

 soil thus brought up and exposed absorbs from 

 the atmosphere certain nutritious gases in greater 

 quantities than the surface soil (which has been 

 long exposed to atmospheric influences) is calla- 

 ble of doing. 



Is there much to be gained by subsoiling dry 



sandy lands which have great depth of sand and 

 a very thin light turf on the surface ? 



In subsoiling grass lands would you advNe to 

 apply the manure Indole or after the ploughing, 

 or having u given quantity of manure tor ihe 

 laud, would you apply a part before and a part 

 afier the ploughing ? 



What is the greatest quantity of barn manure 

 that might be profitably applied to an acre? 



Have you bound volumes of the Visitor for 

 sale, and if so, at w hat price per volume — and 

 on what terms would you exchange the bound 

 for unbound volumes? 



Permit me to ask if a brief summary, a con- 

 densation of the more important matters con- 

 tained in the Cultivator and the New Vork agri- 

 cultural papers and published in the Visitor, 

 would not increase the circulation and extend 

 the usefulness of your already valuable Monthly ? 

 I am, very respectfully, 



Your obedient servant, 



JOHN DEWEY. 



N. B. — I would be glad to learn what is the 

 greatest depth of subsoil ploughing of which 

 you have credible accounts — what the greatest 

 depth to which you have gone and what the 

 depth that you think the most profitable. 



REMARKS. 



We have not tried subsoil ploughing in the 

 spring, and we would not at any time do it where 

 fall ploughing was practicable, for the reason 

 that in every kind of soil the action of frost 

 with exposure will, in our belief, belter prepare 

 the mineral manures exposed by the subsoil 

 plough for action at once upon the growing 

 crops. 



In land so fertile and adhesive as the Vermont 

 soil and that of the Connecticut river valley 

 generally one plough to the depth of twelve 

 inches, being at least an addition of one-third to 

 the depth of their common ploughing, might 

 answer all the purposes of eight inches each of 

 the sward and subsoil ploughs upon our inter- 

 vale or plains lands upon the Merrimack. The 

 undersoil there is probably of greater strength 

 and more enduring stamina than the undersoil 

 here. We would not in either case, as the use 

 of the common plough in the same furrow re- 

 peated might do, turn a great quantity of the un- 

 dersoil at once to the surface. It had better, in 

 the course of two or more successive years, be- 

 come gradually intermixed with what is consid- 

 ered from its rich blackness more valuable than 

 the paler soil below, which last, after the due at- 

 mospheric action, is in fact much the more valu- 

 able of the two for every kind of crop. The 

 subsequent reasons presented by Dr. Dewey for 

 the superiority of the undersoil are, in our opin- 

 ion, well and truly stated. 



As much, we believe, may be gained by sub- 

 soiling where there is a great depth of sand un- 

 derlaying as where there is stiff clay, hard pan 

 or loam. Where land is thus treated, the thin 

 light turf will become deepened to the extent of 

 the deep ploughing continued. As deep us is 

 the cultivation, so deep will become the vegeta- 

 ble loam. Generally upon the lightest silicious 

 soils, plaster alone to the amount of one or more 

 hundred pounds to tho acre upon a clover sow- 

 ing will, with deep ploughing, give it a luxuriant 

 growth : the root of this clover, as may be ob- 

 served by the curious, is a wonderful worker in 

 converting light yellow or white coarse sand into 

 black surface soil. Presently this land, changing 

 its natural characteristic appearance, as we have 

 witnessed, will become of a rich chocolate color, 

 almost giving living action to the ground. 



In subsoiling grass lands for a cultivated crop, 

 generally we would apply the stimulating organ- 

 ic manures in the spring upon the surface after 



