FARMS. 137 



besides the advantage of having the work of ploughing and 

 manuring done in the fall, the work of planting may be attended 

 to many days sooner than otherwise. 



Rotation of Crops. — It has been my custom to plough the 

 land in the latter part of summer, or after harvesting a crop of 

 hay, and to plant potatoes the next spring. Then in the fall, I 

 plough in green stable manure, and in the following spring 

 plant peas, cabbages, parsnips, carrots, or some other root crops. 

 If, when these crops are removed, I wish to lay down the land 

 to grass, I sow in the fall winter rye and grass seed, at the 

 rate of four or five pecks of rye with a half bushel each, of 

 Timothy and rcdtop seed. I then pick off the stones, and roll 

 the ground with a heavy roller. If any sods or bushes remain 

 about the fences, they are carefully removed. 



I commonly use clear manure, at the rate of eight cords per 

 acre, at each time of planting, but none at the time of sowing 

 grain or grass seed. When grass seed is to be sown in the 

 spring, I sow with it barley. Wheat and oats do not fill well 

 in this locality. 



I have not been in the habit of using much manure for top- 

 dressing, preferring to invert the sod and seed anew, after 

 manuring, if the field is to be kept in grass. 



My usual practice has been to plough greeensward nine or 

 ten inches deep ; old ground, for planting or sowing, six or 

 eight inches. 



For some years past, I have raised early potatoes, by putting 

 the tubers into beds of manure about the first of April, and 

 transplanting them with care about the first of May, putting 

 into the hill some well-rotted manure. The ground is prepared 

 however, the preceding fall, by ploughing in coarse manure. 

 The potatoes are hoed about one week after being transplanted, 

 and again within ten days afterwards. The crop averages about 

 two hundred bushels of good merchantable potatoes. They 

 will be early ready for the market, be more likely to escape the 

 rot, and to sell for a good price. White Chenango potatoes are 

 the best variety for the Boston market. 



Early peas, for the market, are generally a good crop to raise. 

 Select good seed ; this is very important. Plough as soon as 

 the ground can be furrowed in the spring, putting in manure 

 which has been thoroughly forked over and commenced heat- 

 is 



