248 



THE GENESEE FARMER. 



MULES vs. HORSES FOR STEADY LABOR. 



The prominent reasons for using mules in team- 

 iiu; and farm labor in preference to horses are briefly 

 exhibited in tiie following views : They live to a 

 much greater age; a mule has scarcely attained his 

 matured strength at twelve years old, an age in 

 which horses have commenced a rapid deterioration 

 in value and usefulness; the average life of the 

 mule is about thirty years, but often at forty they 

 are known to perform efficiently the most laborious 

 services. A team of mules will accomplish almost 

 the labor of horses with a consumption of about 

 one-third less provender. ^Vithin the last few 

 years mules have been extensively introduced into 

 the teaming operations of the manufacturing dis- 

 trict in which I reside, and are universally consid- 

 ered there more elHcient and economical for that 

 use than horses. !Mules are subject to but few of the 

 diseases which prevail, and are so destructive, 

 among horses. Their hard skin and short hair 

 render them less liable to be galled by the harness 

 or atiected by cutaneous diseases. They are said 

 never to be infested by vermin. The hoof of the 

 mule is essentially a horny substance, and of slow 

 growth, and hence his shoes are seldom cast or 

 displaced in the i)Osition, but remain until worn 

 out, firmly on the feet. The vision of the mule is 

 much more quick and distinct than that of the 

 horse, and therefore they are less liable to shy or 

 become frightened. They are sure-footed to a 

 proverb. The mule excels the horse and emulates 

 the ox in his steady and uniform efforts in labor. 

 It is objected to mules that besides their disagreea- 

 ble braying, they are obstinate and slow, but these 

 defects I believe may be overcome by gentleness 

 and practice. 



If these various traits of usefulness are possessed 

 by the mule, the conclusion seems to be irresistible 

 that his general introduction to the labor of the 

 farm would be an important and most desirable 

 improvement. The breeding of these animals is a 

 pubject worthy the serious and considerate retlec- 

 tion of the farmer. It is evident to my mind that 

 mules may be bred with less care and expense than 

 horses, and that they will command a price nearly 

 equal to that of an ordinary horse, while the de- 

 mand for them is prompt and continually increas- 

 ing.— W. C. Watson. 



TmcK OR Tniy Sowixo. — I am about to "flag" 

 great part of a field of Wheat drilled with i^ 

 pecks of seed per acre. It is too thick. Had 1 

 Sown 2 bushels it would h.ive gone down in the 

 Gra«s. The field was Wheat in 1857 and Beans in 

 1858. So much for deep cultivation, drainage, and 

 cleanliness. A thick crop is not always the result 

 of a thick sowing. Much money is lost by sowing 

 large quantities on highly farmed lands. If I were 

 to catechise a farmer I sh Mild say : How many 

 bushels of crop do you get for one bushel of seed ? 

 A Russian nobleman told me to-day he got 2 to 

 2i for one. I replied that tny crops which he was 

 looking at would most probably yield 40 for one. 

 In Oats and Wheat we need not be alarmed at 

 linssian productiuns just yet. His land was sandy 

 ^ iiiil bogL'v, in the same province as St. Petersburgh. 

 Hoeing and weeding is not a Russian jiractice, con- 

 qi:ently they are sure at any rate of a good crop 

 of weeds. — J. J. Mkcui, Tijjtree, Bng., June^ 1859. 



SOWING WHEAT. 



Editors Gexesee Farmer : — There is no ques- 

 tion, in my mind, that drilling in seed wheat is on 

 aU soils better than broadcast sowing. So much 

 greater a proportion of the seed is likely to germi- 

 nate, that a much less quantity of grain is required 

 to sow an acre. The use of a drill also saves all 

 the labor of harrowing where the soil is well pre- 

 pared before-hand. In fact, it is better not to har- 

 row the land after drilling in the wheat, as the 

 slight ridges left by the drill are gradually crumbled 

 down by the rain and frost, and form a protective 

 covering to the young and tender plants in autumn 

 and winter. 



But every farmer can not afford to buy so expensive 

 an article as a drill-machine, and some soils are too 

 stony and cloddy to allow of its use. Others again are 

 of a light sandy description. On such soils, broad- 

 cast sowing answers very well, if followed by the 

 roller to crush the clods or render a light soil more 

 compact and prevent its washing by heavy rains. 

 But on all well prepared loams, it is of no advantage 

 to use the roller, the frosts of winter performing the 

 operation more gradually and beneficially ; and on 

 such soils the roller is of most benefit when used 

 in the spring ; it then compresses the roots of the 

 plant into the soil, after the disintegrating effects 

 of the frosts are over. Wheat grown on a loamy 

 soil, the surface of which is left very smooth and 

 compact in the fall, is liable to be winter-killed by 

 being heaved out in the winter and early spring by 

 the frost, which on a more ridgy and uneven sur- 

 face breaks down and crumbles the projecting soil. 

 But on sandy soils, however compact they may be, 

 who ever heard of wheat being winter-killed? 

 The surface moisture that falls on such soils is too 

 quickly absorbed for the frost to have time to pro- 

 duce any evil effect. a. b. 



Charlottecill e, C. IP. 



QUARTERLY MEMORANDA FROM "DOWN EAST.'* 



Messrs. Editors: — The weather during the month 

 of June was not so good as we had reason to ex- 

 pect, according to the preceding month. Low 

 temperature, frequent and heavy rains, and frosts, 

 were comftnon. The latest frost was on the eve of 

 the 12th ult. — slight; one on the Cth ult. did con- 

 siderable damage to corn, sijuashes, beans, etc. 

 Heavy rain storm on the 18th ult., quite destructive 

 to roads, bridges, and crops. 



This month so far has been good "growing 

 weather." The growing crops ai'e generally look- 

 ing well. Corn fair. Potatoes look well; early 

 varieties in blossom. Oat-s. particularly greensward 

 sown, are good. Grass is pretty good ; we have 

 just fairly commenced haying. 



Apj)le trees were in full blossom on the 2d of ' 

 June. According to present indications the apple, 

 crop will be small, if not a complete failure. Lilaol 

 in full blossom on the 4th ult. Pceonies by the 

 middle of the month. Roses are just in blossont 

 Strawberries were ripe by the 22d ult., nearly • 

 fortnight earlier than usual ; selling now at 10 ct*. 

 per quart. They have been quite plenty, but have 

 now most all ripened. 



The warmest day yet this year was on the 29ti 

 ult., when the mercury indicated 90 deg. July 8th 

 the mercury indicated 83 deg. Fah. 



Bel/asi, Jle,, July 9th. 1969. G. E. BEACKETT. 



