378 



'EDITOR'S TABLE. 



J5ifoir'3 I^bie. 



The Genesee Farmer for 1856. — With the present 

 number closes the volume for 1855. The present publisher, 

 who controlled the Farmer from 1849 to 185i, and under 

 whose administration its circulation rapidly increased until 

 it became not onl^' the most valuable, but the most popular 

 agricultural journal in the country — numbering on its books 

 40,000 subscribers — in announcing a new volume for 1850, 

 would assure his readers and friends that he lias made 

 the most satisfactory arrangements for the coming year. 

 He ia determined that nothing shall be lacking on his part 

 to make the Genesee Farmer all that its friends could 

 desire. The best talent and the most extensive experience 

 the country affords are engaged for its pages. 



In addition to other changes for the benefit of our read- 

 ers, we have succeeded in securing the editorial services 

 of Mr. Joseph Harris, who was connected with the 

 Genesee Farmer in 1852 and 1853, and who since then 

 has become favorably known to the agricultural public as 

 one of the principal editors of the Rural Neio Yorker, 

 and during the past year of the Country Gentleman and 

 Albany Culiivator. Although a chemist by profession, 

 Mr. H. has had considerable experience as a practical far- 

 mer, and we have no hesitation in saying that he is the 

 best agricultural writer of the day, uniting practice with 

 science, and never losing sight of the teachings of experi- 

 ence or the well-digested opinions of practical men. It 

 was the present publisher of the Genesee Farmer who 

 had the honor of first introducing Mr. H. to the reading 

 agricultural public, and had the Farmer continued under 

 his control, Mr. H. would never have left it. He will now 

 return to Ilochestej" and the Genesee Farmer, and with 

 this addition to our editorial strength we say again that we 

 are fully prepared to furnish our readers the best agri- 

 cultural journal in the country. 



The NEXT volume (for 1866) will commence on the 

 Jirst of January, but we shall have the first number ready 

 for delivery a week or ten days previous. This volume 

 will be much improved. The pages will be larger and so 

 arranged as to contain about one-third more reading than 

 at present, and we are confident that we shall furnish the 

 readers of the Farmer next year the neatest and for the 

 price the largest and best monthly agricultural jownal 

 in this or any other country. 



To meet the increased responsibility we assume we de- 

 pend upon the voluntary exertions of our friends every- 

 where. We have no paid agents and intend to have none. 

 Instead of paying agents a commission, as is common, we 

 prefer to give our paper to the farmer at the very lowest 

 price *, and but for our exceedingly large circulation, each 

 Tolume would cost us more than the club price. The in- 

 creased size of our journal will enable us to add interest 

 to every department. We call upon our friends, therefore, 

 to prepare themselves for a general and zealous effort to 

 increase our already large list of subscribers. The Far- 

 mer will be continued at the same low price, and it will 

 be worthy the confidence and support of the farmers of 

 the country. During the last three months we have added | 



largely to our subscription list, and our shelves are almost 

 cleared of back numbers. For this result we are indebted 

 to the disinterested labors of our friends. They have our 

 best thanks. Let all now take hold of this work in earnest, 

 and form clubs early. 



Transactions of the New York State Agricul- 

 tural SociEY. — We are indebted to Secretary Johnson 

 for the Transactions for 1854. It is a volume of some 

 1,000 pages, and although it contains much matter of little 

 interest and such as would not be published except by 

 " authority" — such as is of no use except to swell the huge 

 bill of the State printer — yet, on the whole, it is one of the 

 best volumes published of late years by the society. The 

 report of Dr. Asa Fitch, the entomologist of the society, 

 on "The Noxious, Beneficial, and other Insects cf the 

 State of New York," is one of the most valuable papers 

 yet published on this interesting subject. The essay on 

 rain, evaporation, etc., by Hon. Geo. Geddes, we have 

 before alluded to and given an abstract in the September 

 number. It received the society's gold medal. Some may 

 be disposed to question whether it deserves such distinc- 

 tion, for though it abounds with useful facts, they are near- 

 ly all such as have been for many years patent to commu- 

 nity. The essay on "Practical Husbandry" by the Hon. 

 W. C. Watson, received the $100 which has for many 

 years been offered by the society for such a work. It is a 

 plain, practical, unpretending work on general farm prac- 

 tices, containing much useful information. Nevertheless, 

 were we disposed to be critical, which we are not, we 

 might say it was behind the age. A good book on the 

 principles and practices of American agriculture is yet to 

 be written. The " Discussions at the Legislative Agricul- 

 tural Meetings" in Albany last winter ; re r.-adable, but 

 contain notliing new. The reports fj om the v irious coun- 

 ty societies, on the management of the premium farms, on 

 butter and cheese making, etc., are as usual quite interest- 

 ing, but if we could have had them six months ago, they 

 would have been much more so. 



Good Corn Crops. — In the TVa/^^ac^ow^of our State 

 Agricultural Society, W. E. Vail, of Otta, Cattaraugus 

 county, N. Y., states that he raised on four acres of bottom 

 land 400 bushels of shelled corn. The field had been in 

 meadow ten or fifteen years, and the " hay had generally 

 been fed on the land." It was manured and broke up in 

 May about four inches deep, with a lapped furrow. It 

 was harrowed thoroughly and planted about the last week 

 in May — rows four feet by three feet. 



Mr. Allen Sturrino, of Horseheads, Chemung county, 

 raised 217 bushels of ears per acre, without manure, ex- 

 cept a compost of ashes, plaster and lime. Soil a black 

 vegetable mold, plowed and hoed once. 



Lamps, it is said, have a less disagreeable smell if the 

 wick is dipped in hot vinegar and dried before being used. 

 Try it. 



To our Canadian Friends. — AVe shall continue to 

 fur.iish the Faemeb to our Crnidian subscribers free of 

 American postage. 



