1847. 



GENESEE FARMER. 



211 



at the west, where in ten years, by industry and 

 •the rise of property, he may have a valuable es- 

 tate. Others there are who have with difficulty 

 saved enough to move to the west, yet by indus- 

 try and hard work, a few years have seen them 

 comfortably settled on a forty or an eighty of 

 their own ; whereas, had they stayed east where 

 land is high, they would never have thought to 

 do more than support their families. Others 

 again, who have failed east, have emigrated, and 

 in a few years with a new community and new 

 circumstances, have retrieved their broken for- 

 tunes. Finally, the number who have lost prop- 

 erty by moving west 1 think comparatively few. 

 With high esteem, 



J. W. Falley. 

 Hillsdale, Mich., July 11, 1847. 



Deep Plowing;. 



Mr. Editor : — The term deep plowing, or 

 plow deep, is frequently used in your practical 

 paper. The thought often occurs to me how va- 

 rious it is understood by different farmers. One 

 that has practised plowing four inches deep un- 

 •derstands it to mean five inches ; another that 

 has plowed five, understands it to be six inches, 

 ^and so on. I understand deep plowing to be ten 

 inches— very deep, twelve. AH farmers, with 

 few exceptions, say they plow deep. 



Now would it not be well, when speaking of 

 'deep plowing, for the writer to say six, eight, or 

 ten inches, as the case may be, so that all may 



understand alike. Different soils require to 



Soaking Seed Wheat. — Tlie "Farmer." 



I HAVE observed that it has been quite an ob- 

 ject with the farmers, as far as my acquaintance 

 extends, (and I have had some practical knowl- 

 edge in the business heretofore,) to prevent smut 

 in wheat. This may easily be done, and at tri 

 fling cost, by soaking the seed from 24 to 36 

 hours in a solution of blue vitriol. 



Dissolve blue vitriol in the proportion of li 

 oz. to the bushel of seed in warm water sufficient 

 to dissolve ; pour this into cold water sufficient 

 to cover the wheat in a tub or other vessel, into 

 which put the seed wheat ; let it stand (stirring 

 it occasionally to prevent fermentation,) for 24 

 or 36 hours — then drain off" the liquor and sow 

 it, and in no case, if properly prepared, will 

 there be any smut found in the crop. It is prac- 

 ticed in this country by many, and I have tried 

 it myself, and am sure it is a preventive. 



I do not know but all farmers are acquainted 

 with some way of preventing smut in wheat ; 

 but there is no way within my knowledge so 

 simple and easy as vitriol. 



The agricultural interests of this whole farm- 

 ing community might be very much improved, 

 could the farmers be induced to subscribe for 

 and attentively read the " Farmer ;" and why 

 they will not do so generally, is what I cannot 

 understand. They have funds enough if they 

 wish a political paper, and do not neglect their 

 sons and daughters personal appearance as to 



be expensive clothing or fashionable ornaments. 



plowed various depths, but they may be classed 

 so that the common farmer may readily under- 

 stand the kind of soil indicated by the timber they 

 have last produced, as a general thing. So far 

 as my observation has extended, in Western New 

 York, white oak, black oak, and hickory belong 

 'to one class of soils ; beach and maple to another; 

 pine another, and hemlock another. There is a 

 .marked ditference in soils of land differently tim- 

 bered. If all farmers would be to the little troub- 

 le of measuring the depth they plow, much to 

 1hem would be gained. I say it not by way of 

 :satire when I state that but few know the depth 

 they plow ; it takes much practice to guess with 

 accuracy the depth they plow. 



I hold it to be of as much importance to give 

 the precise depth in plowing in giving a descrip- 

 tion of an experiment on an account of a crop of- 

 ■ered for a premium as any one thing. Let all 

 remember that the deeper we plow the larger our 

 farms are, without any additional taxes. 



Penn Yan. 1347. I. Malmorv. 



Medicine for Hogs. — The American Far 

 ■mer furnishes the following: "When your hogs 

 get sick, you know not of what, give them ears 

 of corn, first dipped in tar, and then rolled in sul- 

 pher. 'Tis ten to one that it arrests the disease 

 and restores the pig to health." 



Better store their minds with a thorough practi- 

 cal knowledge of agriculture, and ornament their 

 dwellings with useful and convenient appendages 

 at less expense. 



I have written much more than I intended 

 when I commenced. I only meant to say a word 

 of encouragement because I wish you success in 

 your labors. I believe there is no subject of 

 more importance than agriculture, and endeavors 

 ought not and I believe will not be unassisted to 

 improve it throughout our entire country. — 

 Every pi:inciple of philanthropy and benevolence 

 is, or should be, engaged to exalt agriculture as 

 as a calling, in the score of intelligence, to where 

 its importance seems to indicate it ought to stand, 

 viz : at the head of the most honorable employ- 

 ments in our free and happy country. 



You will pardon my tediousness. 

 Respectfully yours, 



Ira F. Gleason, P. M. 



Clymer, Chau. Co., N. Y., 1847. 



Black and White Paints. — Tools, wagons, 

 (fee, painted black, absorb the sun's rays, become 

 hot, and warp and crack. Painted white, they 

 ]-eflect, and do not absorb the rays, and conse- 

 quently do not become hot, and they remain 

 uninjured by warping. Hence all wooden arti- 

 cles should be painted of some light color. 



