49 



From somewhat less than an acre of ground I have, in one 

 year, taken over two hundred dollars worth of peas, beans, tur- 

 nips, cabbages, beets, squashes, cucumbers and potatoes. The 

 turnips followed the peas on the same ground. But the past 

 year, in consequence of the distance from market, and the extra 

 labor and care required, I have mostly given up the raising of 

 sauce, and have had under cultivation, corn, two and a half acres ; 

 potatoes, two and a half; French turnips, half an acre ; cabbages 

 and fodder corn, half an acre. Potatoes are planted on sward 

 land, ploughed the previous fall, manured lightly and ploughed 

 again in the spring. They are planted in pieces and in drills, 

 putting the pieces eighteen inches apart ; in this way have fewer 

 small potatoes than when several pieces are put in hills further 

 apart. Have been much troubled with rot some years, but prob- 

 ably not more than other farmers, particularly since I have raised 

 Davis' seedlings and Danvers seedlings for a main crop. Rot 

 here has invariably been greater in potatoes raised on low, moist, 

 loamy soil, and least in those raised on dry, gravelly hills. I 

 raise the purple top, strap-leaved turnip, and a superior white 

 French turnip. The latter are sown about the first of July, on 

 land that was well manured in the spring, and has received two 

 or three ploughings. Raised two hundred and fifty bushels on 

 less than half an acre. This ma}'' not be a great crop, but it is 

 about as much as is profitable for a table tui-nip. I sold seventy- 

 five bushels to neighboring families, and fed the remainder to my 

 cows and oxen. The strap-leafed I sow about the first of August, 

 on sward land, ploughed after haying. Raised one hundred and 

 thirty-three bushels last year, and fed to the cattle. 1 have 

 never found butter injured by feeding cows with turnips or the 

 leaves of them. Usually withhold turnips for two weeks from 

 cattle going to be slaughtered. 



Of fruit, I have not much in bearing. Have set out about one 

 hundred apple trees w^ithin a few years ; these are doing well for 

 their situation. I made a mistake in not setting them all together 

 on some of my best land. They are now scattered about so much 

 on rocky hill-sides, and by the sides offences, that I cannot take 

 that care of them which they need. I do, however, keep the 

 ground around them ploughed and planted most of the time. 



I use Ruggles, Nourse & Mason's " deep tiller" plouglis, — 

 Nos. 37, 32 and 31. Each lot of land receives one thorough 

 ploughing every time it is midcr cultivation, having a man to 

 follow the plough, and pick off or dig out the stones. This is the 

 way to dig out small stones most easily. 



My woodland helps to give employment to men and teams in 

 the winter season, Avhen New England fanners usually have but 

 little Avork to be done on the farm to advantage. 



I have never kept a strictly " farm account." But from my 



