NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



215 



passes has a tendency to increase the number of 

 lateral branches ; but we have iiot found this increase 

 of branches or roots accompanied by a corresponding 

 increase in the weii^ht or yield of potatoes. In other 

 words, we have found earthing or '• moulding " up 

 to increase the number of roots, and the number of 

 tubers, but not the yield either in weight or measure, 

 because they were " small potatoes." "We have also 

 noticed that those varieties which throw out a great 

 number of lateral branches, produce many tubers in 

 number, but few in the aggregate weight. 



The editor speaks of potatoes being produced in 

 the dark, which formed all over the branches, of 

 which he gives an engraving. We have often seen 

 potatoes produced in this way — have found them 

 very numerous, but never know any but small-sized 

 ones grown in such circumstances. — Albany Cultiva- 

 tor. 



Remauks by Editor N. E. Farmer. — We have no 

 doubt that the making of high hills around potatoes, 

 as practised by many farmers, is very injurious in 

 dry land. The hill throws the water from the pota- 

 to plant, and it runs down and settles in the hollows 

 between the hills, below the level of the tubers, or 

 the most of the roots, and it soon soaks into the 

 ground. In some eases of high hilling, we have cx- 

 " amined the potato hills, after a powerful ram, which 

 fully saturated lands with an even surface, and the 

 potato hills were dry. 



Large crops of potatoes are raised on burned land, 

 where no hill can be made, and in planting it is 

 difficult to get the potato under the scurf, so as to 

 plant it well. A very little light, fine soil, drawn 

 around the potato plant, leaving the earth a little 

 concave, so as to catch the water and conduct it to 

 the roots, will be beneficial ; but carefully guard 

 against making hills that will throw off the water. 



RECLAIMED LAND. 



To Samuel L. Hinckley, Esq., Secretary of the Hamp- 

 shire, Franklin, and Hampden Agricultural So- 

 ciety. 



Sir : I present to said society the following state- 

 ment of my experiments in "reclaiming wetlands," 

 submitting the same as an application for premium. 



My farm comprises a good deal of low, moist land. 

 I had a swale at the foot and between two small 

 hills, at the top and in the middle of which were 

 two cold springs, and some slough holes, that would 

 not freeze in winter. Beside the uselessness of the 

 land for cultivation, I could not cart over it at any 

 season of the year. This swale was from four to 

 eight rods wide, and about forty rods long. I cut a 

 ditch lengthwise through the centre of it, of four 

 feet depth ; this I half fiUed with stones, covered 

 with brakes, and then filled with dirt, making a 

 blind ditch. This swale now bears the very best 

 English grass, having only been harrowed and 

 sprinkled with hcrdsgrass and clover, and yields 

 quite three tons to the acre. The ground is hard 

 and dry enough, and I can team over it at any time. 

 Some jiortlons of it I have planted to oats, corn, and 

 potatoes, and got good crops. The ditch of forty 

 rods cost me five days' labor in September, at, say 

 seventy-five cents per da}- : the filling with stone I 

 considered no expense, as I was necessarily carting 

 away stone heaps from my upland, and could put 

 them here with as little trouble as elsewhere. The 

 covering took perhaps two or three days' work more, 

 — the whole expense not exceeding six dollars for 

 reclaiming nearly one and a half at res. 



Another experiment. — I have an interval of fifty or 

 sixty acres, nearly in the centre of which was a spot 

 of about two acres, too wet to plough, and covered 

 with little knolls, (probably where trees had been. 

 rooted out,) which made the mowing very difficult. 

 In fact, it was scarcely worth mowing, as there was 

 no grass on the knolls. I ploughed off the knolls, 

 and filled the hollows, covering the ground well with 

 the dirt from the knolls, and yet carting off the com- 

 post heap quite thirty loads, with which I mixed 

 about six loads of stable manure, making a rich com- 

 post bed. I then covered this spot with comjiost 

 manure, at the rate of fifteen loads to the acre. The 

 second year it yielded a very bountiful crop of clover 

 and herdsgrass — at least six times more than before 

 reclaiming. The expenses attending this experiment 

 were about eight days' labor for the two acres, 

 which was amply repaid by the thirty loads carted 

 to the compost heap. I now get not less than three 

 tons to the acre of this heretofore useless spot. 



NATHANIEL EAGER. 



WoRTHiNGTOX, December 30, 1348. 



TURNING IN GREEN CROPS. 



To Samuel L. Hinckley, Esq., Secretary of the Hamp- 

 shire, Franklin, and Hamj)den Agricultural So- 

 ciety. 



Sir : I present to said society the following state- 

 ment in relation to my experiments in " turning in 

 crops, either green or dry, as a manure," submitting 

 the same as an apjilication for a premium, under tha 

 first division of " Experiments on ^Manure." 



This experiment has occupied several years, and I 

 have devoted no little time and attention to the sub- 

 ject, — I am happy to say, with the most satisfactory 

 results. I had about two and a half acres of meadow, 

 which was worn out entirely ; and when I seeded it 

 down, the grass would not take. I commenced by 

 sjireading green stable manure over it, at the rate of 

 about twelve loads to the acre, and ploughed it in, 

 rolled it, furrowed it, and planted to corn, adding 

 about eight loads of manure to the acre in the hill, 

 making in all twenty loads to the acre. I got a fair 

 crop of corn, and next year seeded it down to oats, 

 with about eight pounds clover seed to the acre. 

 The crop of oats was fair. The following June, the 

 clover being very thick, and about knee high, I 

 turned it in very carefully, and sowed it to buck- 

 wheat, getting an excellent crop. I cut the buck- 

 wheat as high as possible, and turned the stubble in, 

 then sowed to oats four successive years, (cradling 

 my oats as high as possible, and immediately turning 

 the stubble in,) and got an increased crop every suc- 

 ceeding year. The manure alone would have run 

 out in two or three years ; but turning in the clover 

 and the stubble every year, enriched the land, and 

 increased the crop. This piece, having been seeded 

 down, now bears very heavy grass, quite equal to 

 three tons to the acre. 



NATHANIEL EAGER. 

 WoRTHiNGTOX, December 30, 1848. 



APPLICATION OF PLASTER AND ASHES 

 TO MEADOWS. 



If a meadow be manured only with plaster of Paris, 

 the crops of grass will be at first greatly increased, 

 but will afterwards diminish ; for the silicate of pot- 

 ash which the soil contained, is soon exhausted by 

 the rapid growth of the grass, and its further increase 

 is checked. But, if the meadow be strewed from 

 time to time with wood ashes, which contain potash, 

 the grass will thrive as luxuriantly as before. — 

 iselccied. 



