144 



CORRESPONDENCE. 



are considered preferable to hills, the two large holes 

 are plugged up with leather sheeted with tin, and the 

 plugs, made of the same material, taken out of the 

 smaller holes. The seed is then poured into the hop- 

 per, the horse moves, the sets are cut, and dropped 

 at regular distances. For planting corn, there is an- 

 other set of smaller holes, by means of which corn 

 may be planted in hills or drills upon the same prin- 

 ciple as the potatoes are planted. For fine seeds, 

 such as onion, turnip, carrot seeds, etc., there are tin 

 canisters with holes suitable for sowing such seeds. 

 In connection with the other wheels, there is a seed- 

 wheel by which the whole is regulated. 



Underneath the planter is a large tooth, like that 

 of a cultivator. This tooth makes a suitable place 

 for the seed to fall into, and is placed in front of a 

 hollow sheet-iron tube, through which the seed falls 

 to the ground, and behind the tube are two scrapers 

 so constructed as to cover up corn or potatoes, and 

 two small brooms are used for the purpose of cover 

 ing up the smaller seeds which drop from the tin" 

 canisters. To this part of the planter there is a set 

 in the rear of the hopper, by means of which the 

 drills can be made deep or shallow, as the farmer 

 thinks proper. The whole machinery is simple, and I 

 think will be very beneficial to the farmers of Canada. 

 In a country like this, it is necessary that the far- 

 mer should produce large crops with the least poss j 

 ble expense. Laborers are scarce and wages high ; 

 consequently all labor-saving machines should be 

 used to the best advantage. And indeed, they 

 oui'ht to be introduced at once; for, should the pres- 

 ent war continue in Europe, it will be nearly impos- 

 sible for farmers to procure men at any price to put 

 in and take off their crops. 



If Mr. Nixion's seed drill proves as useful as it 

 promises — and of this I think there can be no doubt 



several acres of corn or potatoes may be planted 



in one day with two men and a horse, especially 

 where the land is properly prepared, and the soil is 

 hght. Few articles now produced remunerate the 

 cultivator better than corn, potatoes, turnips, and 

 carrots. Wheat, certainly, is the great staple of the 

 country, and should be cultivated in the best samples 

 and the largest possible quantities for exportation ; 

 but for home consumption, and for feeding cattle, 

 sheep, and swine, our farmers should raise every 

 bushel of corn, oats, peas, potatoes, beans, carrots, 

 and turnips that it is possible for them to grow, as 

 stock and produce of all descriptions will be likely 

 to bring largely remunerative prices for several years 

 to come. 



Mr. J. W. H. ScHNEiDBK, of this city, has bought 

 out Mr. Nixion's right to the Province of Canada, 

 and consequently the power to authorize parties to 

 manufacture the seed drill, now rests with him. 



Hamilton, C. W. Thomas Webster. 



CULTIVATION OF BAKLEY. 



Mr. Editor : — The time has been when farmers in 

 this county (Sehoharie) could raise barley almost be- 

 yond measure, and with comparatively little labor. 

 But from some cause or causes known to but few, 

 the yield has gradually diminished from year to year, 

 until the present time. Some who formerly grew it 

 in large quantities, do not now sow it at all ; and 

 many upon being asked to assign a reason why it 

 will not yield as well as it once did, simply reply, " I 

 do not know," or else attribute it to the seasons. The 

 true cause will of course appear obvious to all who 

 know that the productions of any soil are composed 

 in part of the same ingredients as the soil upon which 

 they grow. Hence the cause of the failure of the 

 crop in question. The ingi-edients necessary for its 

 production have been exhausted by too much crop- 

 ping. The first thing necessary to be known in re- 

 gard to a difficulty is its cause; the second is a rem- 

 edy which will remove that cause. Now, will some 

 one tell us through the Farmer what this remedy is, 

 and the proper way to apply it ? And, as in this 

 case nature is exhausted, the remedy must be sup- 

 plied, in a measure at least, by artificial means. 

 Therefore, when we know the ingredients composing, 

 the grain, we know what is necessary to produce it: 

 When we take into consideration the manner in whicb 

 farming has been conducted in some sections of this 

 country, it is to be wondered at that the natural fer- 

 tility of the soil is not entirely exhausted. It has 

 been plow, plow, plow, from four to six inches ia 

 depth, and carry the produce to market; and- no r 

 doubt this will be the case to a great extent until 

 the soil does refuse to produce, or until farmers areri 

 well enough acquainted with the chemical propertied! 

 of soils and their productions to take a scientific view 

 of the matter, and to see nature as it is. 



MlDDLEBUKGH, N. Y. M. GaRNSET. 



To Keep Ckows from Corn. — Take a quart oft 

 train-oil.and as much turpentine and bruised gunpow- 

 der; boil them together, and when hot, dip piece8l 

 of rags in the mixture, and fix them on sticks in 

 the field. About four are sufficient for an acre ofi 

 corn. 



