PLANTING. 83 



AGRICUTTURE. 



PLANTING. 



The time is now near at hand, when the provident and indus- 

 trious farmer must commit the seed to the earth, in order to obtain 

 a crop for future consumption. Many have a set time for this 

 business ; — some particular day of the month ; — the particular 

 phase of the moon ; — the blossoming of some shrub, or the first ap- 

 pearance of some bird in Spring, is generally the monitor to warn 

 the husbandman that seed time has come, and, if he would reap an 

 abundant harvest, he must prepare for it now. I'he general ap- 

 pearance of the natural objects around us — vegetable, as well as 

 animal, are pretty sure indications of the advance of the seasons. 

 As it regards the changes of the moon, we are not yet Lunatic 

 enough to observe, or be influenced by them, in our movements. 

 We have made some experiments upon the subject of planting 

 various kinds of seeds, with the view of ascertaining how early it 

 will do to plant them in this climate ; and also, how late in the 

 season it will do. In the latter case, we have subjected ourselves 



to not a little ridicule by the " lookers on," and . We have 



here, a mind to digress a little, and say a few words on Agricultural 

 experiments. We have been guilty of trying a few. Have dared, 

 in more than one instance, to step out of the beaten track of those 

 around us, and stray a little for amusement, — not for proft. No 

 small share of the amusement consisted in listening to the sage re- 

 marks that have been made upon us, and the fun that the imtty 

 and the wise have had at our expense. We have been honored 

 with the title of Book farmer — Fine farmer — Simphlon — nay, one 

 old man, (whose grey locks we should have felt disposed to resjiect, 

 had no! his tongue betrayed the vacuwn which they covered.) 

 openly, and loudly proclaimed us a Fool I ! and all, forsooth, be- 

 cause we planted a few potatoes late in the summer,* in order to 

 ascertain how large they would grow, between then and frost ; ap.d 



* They were planted on the 25lh and 26th of June, were tlie Chenango 

 Potato, a sort somewliat earlier than the common Orange. Had it not 

 been for a drought, whicii s( t in ahout tlie time tlie tubers were ih\nung, 

 they would have done well. As it was, they grew to a middling size, and 

 cost, including expense of breaking up tiie ground, &c. 35 cents j)er bush- 

 el. The breaking up of the sod is considered by Political Economists, as 

 fixed capital. The expense of that should, therefore, be deducted, whieli 

 will bring the cost of the crop somewhat less. We have known potatoes — 

 planted (in IMaine) on tlie 4lh of July, and yield a good crop. The suc- 

 cess must depend, however, upon the seasoii. 



