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CORRESPONDENCE. 



LABOE AKO SMALL FOTATOIS. 



Me. Editor: — Seeing in one of the former num- 

 bers of the Farmer a request for an experiment in 

 regard to large and small potatoes for planting, and 

 not seeing as yet any satisfactory answer, I will give 

 your readers the result of an experiment tried in 

 1825, when I commenced farming for myself 



I selected a long square piece of ground, and pre- 

 pared it by plowing and harrowing, and carrying on 

 manure, which I put in heaps so as to be convenient 

 for manuring six rows of potatoes — each load of 

 manure reaching accross the piece. I then drew fur- 

 rows with a plow lengthwise, and put in the two first 

 rows large whole potatoes; in the second, two large 

 potatoes, cut in three pieces and the three pieces put 

 in a hill; in the third row, I put small whole pota 

 toes; and thus alternately through the piece, putting 

 the manure on the potatoes, and then covering with 

 dirt. I was careful that each kind should have its 

 share of attention through the season, doing the 

 work myself. Now for the result. Of the first, I 

 had forty-four baskets full, nearly all large and good 

 potatoes; of the second, I had thirty-six baskets full, 

 of middling size and quality; of the third, I had 

 twenty baskets full, of inferior size and quality. 



I have practiced planting large whole potatoes 

 since that time, taking care, also, that they are sound 

 and healthy; and I have had but very few rotten 

 potatoes, although some of my neighbors have lost 

 nearly the whole of their crops during the prevalence 

 of the rot George R. Palmer. 



Wii.LKTT, Cortland Co., N. Y. 



ORCHARD GRASS. 



Mr. Editor: — Your favor of the 12th is at hand, 

 and in reply I would say that my father (Z. Cone, 

 late deceased) has had in cultivation the orchard 

 grass for at least fifty years; and always considered 

 it the most profitable of any kind of grass where the 

 soil was adapted for its growth, and superior to all 

 others for the orchard, growing nearly as well in the 

 shade as when exposed to the sun; and for pasture- 

 land it stands pre-eminent, — starting earlier, holding 

 out later, and affording a more nutritious growth 

 than any other of all the different kinds of grass with 

 which I am acquainted. It is also better to sow with 

 clover than any of the other kinds, as it matures at 

 the same time with clover in cutting for hay, and is 

 fit to cut for seed from the 1st to the 5th of July in 

 this latitude. I have seen the orchard grass growing 



finely in the upper portion of South Carolina, in 

 Pennsylvania, in this State, and in Connecticut; and 

 I have no doubt but that it can be cultivated and 

 grown finely in the upper part of the States of Geor- 

 gia, Alabama, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, 

 Delaware, and all the Western States. The western 

 part of this State, and the southern part of Michigan, 

 is admirably adapted for its growth; and, in short, 

 it can be grown on all lands that will produce corn 

 or wheat. 



In traveling through Michigan and this State, I 

 have often wondered why, on their wheat soils, they 

 did not sow orchard grass with their clover. The 

 time for sowing is in the spring with spring crops, or 

 in the fall with wheat — say half a bushel of orchard 

 grass seed, well mixed with from three to four quarts 

 of clover, and harrowed in with the crop of grain 

 sown. 



Herds grass is considered a better kind of hay by 

 some for horses, but orchard grass is better adapted 

 for all other kinds of stock than herds grass, when 

 cut in season. Truly yours, 



Batavia, N. Y. N. K. Cone. 



AGRICULTURAL LECTURES. 



Mr. Editor: — H. \V. Vail, of Newark, N. J., 

 commenced on Thursday evening, February 15th, a 

 course of lectures on Agriculture and Horticulture, 

 at Phillipsburg, N. J., nearly opposite Easton, Pa. 

 His subjects are highly suggestive. Among them 

 are "Fruits and Fruit Trees," "Use of Guano, Super- 

 phosphate of Lime, and care of Manures," " Theory 

 of Vegetable Growth," "High or thorough Farm- 

 ing," and "Vegetable Garden." 



Mr. Vail's lectures are such as an enthusiastic 

 lover of scientific practical farming delights to hear. 

 He is evidently full of his subject, and has had expe- 

 rience which enforces what he says upon practical 

 men. He uses no high-flown or technical language, 

 but handles his subject as though he was not afraid 

 that his hearers should understand all he said. Still, 

 as yet, we fear he is too much in advance of our far- 

 mers to elicit that support which he so richly 

 deserves. Book farming is only beginning to receive 

 attention, but the prospects for the future are bright. 

 Our Agricultural Society, though in its third year, is 

 as large and vigorous as many who number their age 

 by scores. The "Northampton County Poultry 

 Association has not been organized a year, yet its 

 first Annual Exibition, in January, was by far the 

 best we have ever seen. K 



Easton, Pa. 



