1853. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



203 



If we are considering the depth of plowing, 

 very many things are to be considered, and ought 

 to be understood. There must be considered, the 

 state of the soil and the amount of manure to be 

 put upon it for an immediate crop, for the pro- 

 auction of what may be necessary the first year; 

 the depth necessary for the continued fertility of 

 the soil, the depth necessary for ground much ex- 

 posed to drought, for land much exposed to wet, 

 for side- hills where heavy rains are apt to wash 

 them, for long-cultivated land which has never 

 been plowed deep, and for land which has never 

 before been plowed. Besides, there is the ques- 

 tion between the action of the Subsoil Plow and 

 the Micliigan Double Plow. 



If we inquire whether furrows should be laid 

 flat and smooth, it must be considered whether 

 the peculiar soil or the peculiar season of the year 

 when the peculiar soil is plowed has any bearing 

 on the question. 



All these things, and very many others, have a 

 relation to the subject of plowing. 



There are certain fixed laws in nature, which 

 the well-instructed plowman must understand. 

 These are not to be regarded as either accidental 

 or providential. They do not happen. They are 

 as naturally to be expected as the moon's changes 

 are. They should therefore be considered and 

 understood. 



There are alsoprobabilities to be anticipated by 

 the farmer. These relate to the heat and cold of 

 the seasons — to wet and dry — and to other circum- 

 stances which we may call Providential probabili- 

 ties* 



To know how, and when, to plow, requires that 

 a man should be a wise man, a man of understand- 

 ing, and a real philosopher. Agriculture calls 

 for the services of such men. 



Only one out of many among men are acquaint- 

 ed with the reasons in favor of deep plowing. 

 Few consider the difference of soils, and the loca- 

 tion and situation of soils, as regards the subject 

 of fall-plowing. 



I go to a farmer, and ask his opinifjn in refer- 

 ence to the practice of fall plowing. He is great- 

 ly in favor of it, and is eloquent in advocating the 

 practice. I go to another and find him strongly 

 opposed to the practice. Both are thriving farm- 

 ers ; and each tells me that he has proved his the- 

 ory by years of practice, in which he has tried 

 both ways. But this does not settle the question. 

 I find that the peculiarities of the soil, and the 

 other circumstances which have an influence upon 

 different soils, quite explain the matter. It is not 

 proven that the practice is useful under all cir- 

 cumstances, nor useless under all. 



Farmers have got very much to learn, and who- 

 ever understands this matter fully, if any man 

 does, owes to the public something which will 

 open our blind eyes. 



If any man will write a book on plowing, and 

 faithfully instruct us on this matter of so much 

 consequence" to fiirmers, I will be glad, if I am 

 alive to see it forth coming, to do all in my power 

 to gain it the support which is due to it. 



If there was something like the great and no- 

 table hen-fever, as touching the many important 

 things about plowing, the books would come out, 

 "thick as blackberries in harvest time." We 

 should then perhaps hear of plows that could go 

 alone, and do fine work, if they could not talk. 



But the men who understand plowing are not the 

 men for such fancy work. 



It does really appear to me that the Editor of 

 the New England Farmer made a beginning in the 

 History of the Plow, at the late mass meeting, at 

 Concord, which is worthy of being followed by 

 the History and Philosophy of Plowing. Every 

 young farmer wants to know more about plowing. 



Mason, N. H. 



MILLET. 



In the April number of the monthly Farmer we 

 gave a short paragraph on the subject q[ millet, to 

 be cut green and dried for fodder. Since that time 

 inquiries have been made which seem to call for 

 more particulars in relation to it as a hay crop. 



It has been considerably cultivated in this region 

 by some of the milk producers who pronounce it 

 an excellent article for milch cows and oxen. 

 Their practice has been to sow it, — eight quarts 

 of seed to the acre, — from the 10th to the 20th of 

 June. In the accounts quoted below, the quantity 

 of seed used is much larger than is used in this vi- 

 cinity, and it seems to us more than is necessary. 

 The seed should be sown with great care, sowing 

 both ways across the field, in order to touch all 

 the ground and cover it evenly. The cultivator 

 must exercise his own judgment in regard to the 

 time of cutting. 



The seed is highly relished by birds and fowls, 

 is nutritious, and in some countries is made into 

 bread. We copy two or three paragraphs in re- 

 lation to the cultivation and product of millet from 

 Fessenden's Complete Farmer, published by C. M. 

 Saxton, N. Y. 



"Mr. Ruder, of Pennsylvania, sowed one peck 

 to the acre in May, and put in four acres ; cut it 

 in the middle of August, and dried it in the sun 

 two or three days. He had seventy-five bushels 

 of seed to the acre, and six tons of fodder on four 

 acres. His cattle relished it very well." 



It is stated in the Plough Boy, that millet 

 sowed in June, on good ground, will give from two 

 to four tons of fodder, and from twenty to thirty 

 bushels of seed, equal to corn for fattening hogs. 

 It is cultivated in Pennsylvania and Maryland as 

 a fodder crop, and cut in the milk. It is preferred 

 in the winter by neat cattle to clover. 



A crop of fodder can be produced if sowed as 

 late as the last of July. 



John Hare Poweli , Esq., of Pennsylvania, has 

 given us the following observations on the culture 

 of this crop : 



'I have made many experiments on various 

 soils, and at different seasons, to ascertain the pro- 

 duct as well as the properties of millet. Upon 

 light land, in good condition, it succeeds well. It 

 requires in all cases fine tilth, and as much strength 

 of soil as is necessary to produce heavy oats. I 

 !have not seen either in Europe or America, any 

 I green crop wliich so largely rewards accurate til- 

 lage and plentiful supplies of manure, as the spe- 

 cies of millet usually grown in this and the adjacent 

 counties. I have sown it from the 1st of Alay to 

 the 20th of June, and have invariably obtained 

 more fodder than could have been had from any 



