1847. 



GENESEE FARMER. 



lOd 



hills in a German acre. A little cap that .will 

 hold a half ounce is used to measure out that 

 quantity, which is thrown into the hole dug for 

 the potato seed, and covered with a little loose 

 eaj-th. On this the seed is dropped and covered. 



To us, the result of the experiment of the 

 learned Professor is extremely interesting. Ac- 

 cording to our analyses and practical experience, 

 he recommends too little "wood ashes." In- 

 stead of 30 lbs. we should apply at least 200 lbs. 

 to our acre in the way he directs. 50 lbs. of 

 our common salt contain 20 lbs. of soda. This 

 alkali will be set at liberty in the soil if mixed 

 with lime, as Fresenius prescribes. Any body 

 can burn bones and pound them to a powder. 



We trust that many of our readers will try 

 the remedy prescribed by Dr. F., whoselife has 

 been devoted to the investigation of the constitu- 

 ent elements of cultivated plants. 



Carrots and Rowen. 



I DO not know the comparative value of white 

 and yellow carrots. I have fed my cow during 

 the past l"all and winter pumpkins, potatoes, ap- 

 ples, and wliite carrots. I think apples are not 

 valuable for milk. The carrots did not increase 

 the quantity, but made the milk white and the 

 butter lohite, and I fed no more of them. I then 

 had some rowen, although some of it was of the 

 first growth but cut young. This increased the 

 milk and gave it a good color. 



Now as grass is the very best thing to make 

 milk, and butter, and cheese, it strikes me that 

 that is the next best which conies the nearest to 

 it. It may be rowen well cured and saved. If 

 so. is it not as convenient and cheap as roots '? 



J. VV. M. 



REiNtARKS. — Undoubtedly, rowen and good 

 hay are as cheap, if not cheaper than carrots for 

 feeding cows. But where land is dear, and la- 

 bor cheap, as they are in, and near to this city, 

 roots can be grown for cows at a better profit 

 than grass. The yellow carrot and sugar beet 

 we prefer for that purpose. Women can be 

 hired to weed them by the acre at a cheap rate, 

 after a cultivator has done its work between the 

 rows. Almost every farmer can raise an acre 

 or two with signal advantage. 



Calico Corn. — H. W. Townsend, in the 

 Farmer's Cabinet, strongly recommends the 

 "Calico Corn," as being " superior to any Other 

 species, especially for culinary purposes." tie 

 says : — " The bread of the corn, when mixed 

 and prepared for baking in the same manner as 

 loheat Jloin; will become light sooner than wheat; 

 and for pies does not stick together as well as 

 wheat flour. Let a person who has no knowl- 

 edge of the article, make use of the bread, pud- 

 ding, or pies, (wliich occurred at my own table,) 

 and let him be asked of what the article was 

 made, and he would pronounce it wheat — so near 

 does it approach it." 



Small Farms. 



It is seldom that we find so much sound sense 

 in so small a compass, as is contained in the fol- 

 lowing editorial remarks of the Massachusetts 

 Ploughman : 



It is fortunate for mankind, that the farmer of five hun- 

 dred acres can never realize so much nett proiit as the far- 

 mer of fifty acres, ft is njt possible, without remodeling 

 the principles of Geometry, lo bring the tields of a large 

 farm so near to the home barn as the fields of a small one. 



It is fortunate for republican eiiuality, that large capital- 

 ists find it unprofitable to invest largely in forming lands. — 

 [■"cvv of these men are able to obtain four percent, on farms 

 that they may purchase for the purpose of leasiug. This 

 being generally understood, there is a better chance for the 

 farmer of small capital to obtain a sufficient number of acre* 

 to secure an independent living, while he can give all the 

 members of his family full em|)loyment at home. 



So much depends on close attention lo a great variety of 

 detail, that none but the owner, on the spot, can secure all 

 the natural advantages attending the actual possession of a 

 snug farm. What can a distant owner of large tracts make 

 of the eggs and of the poultry, the small fruits and vegeta- 

 bles, and a thousand other little matters, that are a source 

 of proiit to the man in possession ? 



Look to the more important products of the farm also, and 

 note the difi'erence between the large and the small — the 

 distant and the home fields. The four or five hundred acre 

 firmer must cart his manure to distant places — he must 

 bring his hay, his corn, his grain, and his fruits, from dis- 

 tant lots to store them — his laborers must travel to a distance 

 before they can begin — the journey must be doubled at nooii 

 — and lime must be given to return at night. 



But the snug farmer of a few acres may have them all ^k 

 near by him. If he hires laborers, he can see them /row Ais ^P 

 study windtwf!, should he find il necessary to be in his study 

 while his men are out. His whole firm is seen at a glance, 

 and his farm stock stand but little chance of enjoying them- 

 selves long, in a field of corn or oats, should they chance to 

 break into one. 



In Great Britain the lands are owned by a few people, 

 and the number of owners is diminishing from year to year, 

 VVe are told that in Ireland, thousands and tbousands of 

 acres have been lying common and unproductive, while 

 laborers have nothing to do. This state of things cannot 

 long exist, if there remains a spark of real patriotism in the 

 government, A rule should be established that land own- 

 ers must improve the soil or suffer others to take it who wi'l 

 improve il, " Those miserable husbandmen should be 

 turned out and others should take their place," 



In regard to fruit trees, it is a real shame that our farmers 

 cannot supply themselves and have the most important 

 fruits for their families througli the year. How many fami- 

 lies have we who have good apples for half the season .' — 

 We can live long on sweet apples and milk, should our 

 grain crops totally fail us — promdfd ahoays that we lay up the 

 apples ill store, and pay attention to cows. 



In some seasons corn is cut otf. In others, English grain. 

 And ome are uiifivorable for roots and fruits. We shoukl 

 take care to try for a variety and not depend upon a single 

 kind, as the masses do in Ireland. They have but one ar- 

 ticle to depend on, and when that is cut oiTthey starve. 



Undoubtedly, there is danger of running to the 

 opposite extreme, and getting farms too small for 

 the liighest public advantage. There is no gen- 

 et al, or fixed rule that will apply to all cases and 

 circumstances. As much depends on the char- 

 acter of the farmer, as that of the soil he culti- 

 vates. 



The .\pril nunnber of the American Journal 

 of Agriculture and Science, by Prof Emmons, 

 contains many interesting analyses of tlie ashes 

 of t!ie apple, pear, and other fruit trees, as well 

 as of the earthy elements found in many of our 

 forest trees. We shall notice the subject at 

 length in our next. 



