THE GENESEE FARMER. 



Ill 



EXPEEIMENT WITH POTATOES, 



Thb New Torh Ohserver publishes the results of 

 some experiments on potatoes by O. S. Oumings 

 Esq., of Springdale Farm, near Trenton Falls, N.Y. 

 "With the Observer, we regret that the experiments 

 were on too small a scale, but the results are never- 

 theless interesting and worthy of record. They 

 agree in the main with our own experiments. (See 

 Genesee Farmer for April, 1858.) 



Each experiment consisted of seven hills. Soil a 



gravelly loam, which had received a light dressing 



of rotten manure before plowing. Seed, one large 



vhole potato in each hill. Planted June 5, 1858. 



Tariety, Hough Purple Chili, The result was as 



)llows : 



Mr. OuMiNGS also made some experiments on the 

 same soil, with large and small potatoes as seed, 

 cut and uncut. They were on the same space of 

 'and Cseven hills). The following are the results : 



imall potatoes, one in 

 each hill, 87 potatoes — 4 lbs. 8 oz.; sovind. 



Large potatoes, one in 



each hiU 53 " 12 « 12 " " 



Small potatoes, cut in 

 two, two pieces in 

 each hill, 44 " T " 8 " 



Large potatoes, cut in 

 two, two pieces in 

 each hUl, Ill «« 15 « 8 " 1 rotten. 



. .PA0A8 IN AusTEALiA. — Chaeles Ledgee, an 

 English merchant who has been engaged in the 

 Alpaca wool business for some years in Peru, has 

 succeeded in importing 280 alpacas into Austraha. 

 The Australian Gazette says : 



" The animals, at the departure of the mail, were 

 quietly grazing near the city (Sydney), apparently 

 well contented with the change of climate and 

 acene which they have experienced." 



LICE ON CATTLE, SWINE, AND CALVES. 



The true ox-louse, (Ecematopinus eurysternus,) 

 fig. 1 — 2 the same magnified — is flat, and of a 

 chestnut color, with an oval head, a dirty white 

 body, with two rows of spots down the back. It 

 has two short horns and six stout legs ; the shanks 

 toothed, the claws strong, tipped with black. — 

 (3, one of the eggs or nits magnified.) 



The swine-louse (ff. suis), fig. 4 — 5, magnified 

 — is of a rust color; the nead is very long, the 

 trunk broader; body dirty white. The eggs are 

 •blong, of a yellowish-white, and sha-greened. 



The calves'-louse {E. miuli), fig. 6 — 7, magni- 

 fied — is a narrower species; of a chestnut color, 

 excepting the body, which is dirty white, with two 

 rows of oblong spots ; the head is oval, but elonga- 

 ted, with short horns, 



"We have repeatedly published methods of de- 

 stroying these troublesome parasites ; but if the 

 animals are kept clean and well fed, they will sel- 

 dom be troubled. 



Hungarian Grass. — This grass has attracted a 

 large share of attention at the "West, where it has 

 supplied, to a great extent, the place of timothy 

 grass, which it is difficult to grow on account of 

 its winter-killing. It is nearly or quite identical 

 with the common millet, Setaria Gennanica, 

 growing perhaps not quite as large-strawed and a 

 trifle smaller seed, or about the same as millet on 

 rather poor soil, sowed quite thick. That it is val- 

 uable as a forage plant, all know who have ever 

 grown the millet to any extent ; and to the farm- 

 ers at the "West it has been a great boon, from its 

 quick and luxuriant growth. It is an annual, thriv- 

 ing best on warm, rich, sandy soil, and may safely 

 be calculated to yield from two to three tons of 

 cured hay which horses or cattle prefer to the best 

 timothy. To be obtained in the best form for hay, 

 it should be cut as soon as the seeds on the tops of 

 the stalks begin to turn, and before the bulk of 

 them are ripe. We commend it, either as Hunga- 

 rian grass or millet, to the attention of farmers, not 

 for making their fortunes, but as an excellent aux- 

 iliary as food for farm stock. This is the testimony 

 of farmers in Monroe county, N. Y., who have 

 grown it, and have no seed to sell, either as millet, 

 Hungarian grass, or " Honey Blade grass." 



