192 



GENESEE FARMER. 



Aug. 



within a fourth of an inch of the surface; on 

 the unsubsoiled, it was dry to the depth of an 

 inch, the balance below dryer than the fornier. 

 In the one the subsoil was filled with corn roots 

 in search of food and water, in the other they 

 were turned aside by the subsoil. The corn 

 on the wet swale was as good if not better than 

 any portion of the field. .Judging from the 

 present crop, I am of the opinion, that subsoiling 

 this wet swale was an advantage to the crop of 

 one hundred per cent, notwithstanding the ob- 

 jection raised by some, to subsoiling wet land 

 without ditching. 



In consequence of an experiment by which I 

 wished to test two varieties of corn, which crossed 

 the field in an opposite direction to that of the 

 subsoiling, I only compared three rows of shocks, 

 five rows in each shock, each row of shocks 

 gathered from twenty-one rods »f ground. The 

 result was as follows : 



No. 1. not subsoiled. gave 606 lbs. of eai-s. 



2. 3 rows suUsoiled, 2 rows not, . . ,. 646 '• " 



3. subsoiled, 676 " ■ - 



The subsoiled gave at the rate of 73 bushels 

 to the acre ; that not subsoiled 65 bushels per 

 acre ; a difTerence sufficient to pay for subsoiling. 

 I considered the subsoiled part as having been 

 previously inferior for corn. I aimed to be ac- 

 curate ; if there was any difference in the pre- 

 vious condition of the soil, or in estimating the 

 results of the experiment, it was in favor of the 

 unsubsoiled portion. From the observation of 

 the effects of subsoiling, so far as it has been 

 practiced by myself and others, my mind has 

 become settled in the conviction, that subsoil 

 plowing upon most, if not all of the land of this 

 county, will prove very beneficial for corn and 

 all crops usually raised by us. 



I may be mistaken, but I fully believe, that 

 subsoiling thoroughly performed, will prove 

 more profitable to farmers for the outlay, than 

 any other one improvement. I have never an- 

 ticipated much improvement from it, until after 

 one crop of clover. Then, I expect a complete 

 preparation of the soil for wheat. It is unneces- 

 sary for me to describe, with what ease a clover 

 root will penetrate the loosened subsoil, and even 

 go further in search of food, gaining strength 

 with every additional inch of depth, bringing 

 the salts of the lower strata to the surface for its 

 use, and affording by its decay, when turned 

 under by the plow, rich stores of food for wheat. 

 In conclusion, I would recommend subsoiling in 

 the spring and fall, or when the ground is wet 

 sufficiently deep, at any time in the summer. 

 It does well for a summer fallow, if broken up 

 early. It is beneficial to any crop. The ex- 

 pense is about the same as for breaking up sod 

 groimd. And finally, if this short and imper- 

 fect essay shall persuade one farmer of this 

 county to practice deep tillage with subsoiling, 

 the object of the writer will be attained. — Trans- 

 actions N, Y, State Ag. Society, for 1847. 



A Word abost the Slate Fair at BulTalo. 



There will be a goodly number of gentleman 

 attend this grand Rural Jubilee from the Souths 

 and other portions of this broad Republic ; and 

 the writer is particularly anxious that the agri- 

 culture of Western New York — its domestic 

 animals, dairies and fruits, shall be most honor- 

 ably represented at the approaching Exhibition. 

 Before the Erie Canal was completed, his hum- 

 ble tent was pitched in that portion of his native 

 St'ite. Western New York is the garden of this 

 Union ; and the tillers of her fertile soil are not 

 surpassed in this wide world, by any similar 

 class, for intelligence, public spirit, virtue, and 

 all the traits of character \\hich distinguish a 

 highly civilized, Christian people. 



Friends! your agricultural reputation is at 

 stake. The fair at Saratoga last Autumn was in 

 some degree a failure. What the most distin- 

 guished and useful Agricultural Society irt 

 America lost in character at its last public exhi- 

 bition, you are expected to regain with interest. 

 We have all confidence in the President, Sec- 

 retary, and other officers of the Society. They 

 are all gentlemen of large experience in such 

 matters, and will provide ample and satisfactory 

 accommodations for every thing to be shown at 

 the Fair. A long residence in the city of Buffalo 

 warrants us in assuring the thousands of readers 

 of the Farmer that they will be justly treated 

 during their attendance at this Festival, by the 

 Hotel keepers and others. The Queen City of 

 the Lakes knows her duty in the premises ; and 

 it will be discharged to the letter. Expecting 

 that the Buffaloes will all be turned out to grass, 

 to give strangers a resting place under shelter, 

 we speak for a little room to lie on the floor of 

 some old friend. 



We like the idea of Messrs L. F. Allen and 

 J. M. Sherwood, in offering to sell at the Fair 

 a portion of their celebrated pure blood cattle 

 and sheep. Several gentlemen at the South 

 have spoken to us to purchase stock for them ; 

 but we say to all, go, see and buy for your- 

 selves. A lot of Ayrshire cattle, directly from 

 the North of England, which landed at Charles- 

 ton, and were goingto Tennessee, passed through 

 this city a few days since. We hear a good 

 deal of inquiry for Devons, Our friend Gar- 

 butt must be on hand. 



Augusta, Ga., July, 1848. 



Early Walcheren Cauliflower. — This 

 delicious new Cauliflower has been furnished 

 abundantly in market, since the 12th or 14th of 

 July, by Mr. Donnelan of Greece. Mr. D. 

 says that in earliness and delicacy of flavor it 

 surpasses all others. To our taste it is certainly 

 superior to any we have used. Every man who 

 has a garden should cultivate it. 



