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THE GENESEE FARMER. 



Dec. 



CULTURE OF THE SWEET POTATO. 



Mkssp.s. Editors : — I have noticed two or three arti- 

 r!es in tlie Genesee Farmer, on sweet potato culture 

 in this State. I have raised sweet potatoes several 

 years past, with good success and very little trouble, 

 as a lux'jry for my own table. 



Four years ago I purchased in Cincinnati some 

 dcizoii potatoes of the red variety, grown in Louisiana. 

 Near the last of May I cut them open lengthwise 

 an'l covered thorn about an inch and a half deep in a 

 hot-bed, the flesh side, or raw part of the potato, 

 downward. At evening I poured boiling water over 

 them, and repeated it again the next evening. In a 

 few days the shoots appeared, and when from four to 

 six incites in length, I pulled them oftj (by placing 

 one hand on the potato, and u«ing the thumb of the 

 other to pull them off,) and planted them in hills in 

 my garden. I proceeded in the same way with every 

 new set of shoots, until near the last of June. 



The season was remarkably warm, and my hand- 

 ful of seed yieided an abundant increase. I never 

 saw finer or larger potatoes in Mississippi, and they 

 far exceeded any I ever saw in Tennessee or the south 

 part of Ohio. Some of them were enormously large. 

 I sold some of them for one dollar per bushel ; but 

 they were mostly used in my own family and given 

 to my friends. I would here reniark that the vines 

 do not die, like the common potato, but remain green 

 and apparently growing, until frost comes ; and 

 whenever the vines are touched with frost, the roots 

 arc atiR'Clcd, and soon rot. I lost a part of my first 

 crop from not knowing this fact — letting them remain 

 too long ill the ground. 



The next spring a friend sent me, from Cincinnatti, 

 a box of sweet potatoes of the yellow variety, which 

 I treateil in the same way, and had a fine crop of 

 large |)otaLoes, some of which were exhibited at our 

 County Fair. The next spring I procured seed from 

 a gentleman near Erie, Pa., who hag cultivated them 

 for many years, and keeps the seed through the win- 

 ter. I had a fair crop, as regards quantity, but they 

 were inferior, both in size and quality, to those grown 

 from seed brought from the south. They were hard 

 and stringy, while the others were exceedingly farina- 

 ceous. I am induced to believe that when raised long 

 from seed grown at the north, they will run out, or 

 80 nearly as to be hardly like sweet potatoes. 



In the spring of 1849 I got seed from Pittsburgh — 

 red, yellow, and white varieties. They all grew 

 well and produced abundantly. The red ones were 

 much the largest, and next in size were the yellow 

 ones. 



All persons in the western part of the State, who 

 own a garden of rich, warm soil, may have their patch 

 of sweet potatoes if they choose. They should never 

 be planted until there is no danger from frost — from 

 the mi<l(lle until the last of May is quite early enough. 

 The hills should be about three feet apart, and care 

 should be taken to prevent the vines from taking root, 

 the consequence of which will he a quantity of small 

 fibrous roots, not fit to eat. A good way is to collect 

 tham in u cluster on the top of the hill. One shoot is 

 sufficient for a hill. John B. Dinsmore. — Ripley, 

 J\: Y. 1850. 



Jerked Beep is the lean parts of the carcass of 

 beef or venison, cut into fine shreds and thoroughly 

 dried in the sun ; or, if the weather proves bad, 

 sometimes bv the fire and smoke. 



CANADA THISTLES, DITCHES, &c. 



Messrs. Editors.^-I am now on the second year 

 with your invaluable paper. I took it at first merely 

 because it was cheap ; I now continue it, because I 

 consider it the most practical and best conducted 

 paper for this part of the State, being situated right 

 in the center of the Genesee wheat growing part of 

 the Empire State. The editors understand and tell 

 us in their paper, the materials of which wheat is 

 made. In regard to the Canada Thistle, I agree 

 with what has been said, that any good wheat land 

 can be freed of them by the plow. About two years 

 ago I purchased a piece of land of ten acres, entirely 

 devoted to Canada Thistles, not a part of it but was 

 full. I concluded to try the plow. I began in good 

 season in the spring, and as soon as the thistles were 

 fairly up, I plowed them under, and repeated the ope- 

 ration five times. The result was that I completely 

 used up the thistles. The same practice may not 

 always be alike successful, but I think it v/ill. 



In regard to Ditching, I am firmly of the opinion 

 that the cheapest and most durable drain is made by 

 digging a ditch about three feet deep, and then fill it 

 up two feet with small sized round stones, then cover 

 over the stones with shavings, and then fill up the 

 ditch. Such a ditch if well made, will stand longer, 

 in my estimation, than any other kind. In the first 

 place, it is cheaper than a ditch with a throat laid in 

 it, and the throat is liable to be filled up by rats and 

 mice digging dirt into it : whereas, in the ditch I 

 refer to, nothing can trouble it. The water washes 

 the stones clean and keeps the drain in good order. 

 There are drains of thirty years standing, in this 

 vicinitv. that work as well as when first completed. 

 C. W'.—Lake Grove, 1850. 



SPAYING COWS 



Messrs. Editors : — Finding that the subject of spay- 

 ing cows is exciting considerable interest among the 

 milkmen around and near our large towns and cities, 

 where milk is the object, I thought a few remarks 

 might not be out of place upon the benefits derived 

 from the operation, which is the continuing in milk 

 any length of time, until old ago prevents. To all 

 engaged in the milk business, and to the many in- 

 quiries relative to the best time for the operation, I 

 would say, not less than twenty days alter calving, 

 and any time between the first of April and the mid- 

 dle of June. As it is not altogether from theory, but 

 a practical knowledge gained by many years' expe- 

 rience both in spaying and milking spayed eows, I 

 think I can judge very correctly of the benefits to be 

 derived from the operation. .\ny further information 

 requested, either by letter or through the Farmer, 

 will be promptly answered. Wm. Carter. — East 

 Btoomfietd, JV. ¥., 1850. 



To Measure Hat in Stacks. — " More than twenty 

 years since," says an old farmer, " I copied the fol 

 lowing method of measuring hay, from some publi- 

 cation, and liaving verified its accuracy, I have both 

 bought and sold by it, and believe it may be useful 

 to many farmers, where the means of weighing are 

 not at hand. Multiply the length, breadth, and 

 height into each other, and if the hay is somewhat 

 settled, ten solid yards will make a ton. Clover will 

 take from ten to twelve yards per ton." 



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