60 



the " Transactions " of this Society, and I will not repeat them. 

 My crops for the last year have been less abundant and less val- 

 uable, generally, than usual. Hay and grain were much injured 

 by storms of rain, hail and blasting Avinds. 



I have raised the last summer a small crop of excellent sweet 

 potatoes, with very little care or trouble. The ground was plough- 

 ed deeply and ridged, in rows about tAvo and a half feet apart. 

 Shps were planted about 16th of June, in holes made by hand, 

 into which super-phosphate of lime was put and thoroughly mixed 

 with the soil. Nothing more was done on account of the wetness 

 of the season, except pulling up weeds from the ground. The 

 soil had been highly manured in previous years, and was now too 

 rich for this plant. The tubers in the hills were of good size and 

 flavor, but many more grew between the ridges and ran down a 

 great Avay into the soil. This crop is worthy of our particular at- 

 tention. It grows well in proper soil, and is very profitable. A 

 light, sandy soil, Avith proper manure, may be easily made to yield 

 sweet potatoes of as good quality as the market generally affords. 



I have used for two or three years past one of Allen's moAving 

 machines, and have invariably found it to work Avell when opera- 

 ted by a careful hand, Avith well trained horses or oxen, and sav- 

 ing a large part of the labor and time of hay-making. 



I have ahvays raised a large supply of garden vegetables, and 

 consider the practice one of great importance to the farmer. Car- 

 rots, turnips and pumpkins for cattle have also made part of my 

 field crops. Turnips are soAvn among the corn at second hoeing, 

 and sometimes between roAvs of potatoes. Pumpkins are groAvn 

 in the same way. Both are made a separate crop occasionally, 

 and this I believe to be the best mode of groAving them. 



In harvesting corn, I have practised both the previous cutting 

 of the top stalk, and the cutting up the Avhole crop and stooking it 

 in the field till it is dry. The top stalk retains its freshness and 

 sweetness, if put under cover, the second or third day after cut- 

 ting, and in a position to receive the air freely. But I am satis- 

 fied that the other practice is, on the whole, most useful and 

 profitable. Charles G. Seavall. 



MfilfieM, November, 1857. 



STATEMENT OF E. AND J. SIAS. 



The farm Avhich Ave enter for premium consists of about twenty- 

 nine acres. We purchased it tAventy-five years ago. But about 

 seven acres had then been cultivated, including the land uoav oc- 

 cupied by our buildings and the lane leading to them, and also 

 about an acre of swale land, mostly covered Avith large rocks. 



