1860. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



309 



half pints, was hardly sufficient to test their value 

 in feeding "swine and cattle." 



The Vetch was strongly recommended to me hy 

 an Irishman some years ago, to bo sown with 

 oats, and used as green fodder for milch cows in 

 summer. I procured two quarts of seed, gave the 

 man liberty to select his land, and prepare it to 

 suit himself. The result was a total failure, so 

 far as the Vetches were concerned, very few of 

 them growing more than six inches high. Anoth- 

 er Irishman has since said that the soil, a strong, 

 clay loam, and rather cold, was altogether un- 

 suited to the plant — that in Ireland, it is put on 

 dry, gravelly soils. I feel disposed to give it 

 another trial, though very likely the differences of 

 climate will prevent its successful culture here. 



Hungarian Grass, or Millet. — Several years 

 since I sent to an advertiser in Iowa for a small 

 package of the seeds of this grass. It was said to 

 grow so rapidly, that it would produce two heavy 

 crops of hay, and afterwards mature a crop of seed 

 the same season. I received about a table-spoon- 

 ful of seed, and sowed it in a row that it might be 

 kept clean, in a good lyamy soil, neither light nor 

 heavy, and made rich to give the grass a chance 

 to do the best it could. When it was beginning 

 to head out, a small portion at one end of the 

 row was cut, to test its power to produce a suc- 

 cession of growths. About one-half the plants 

 sent up rather feeble and slender stalks, and ri- 

 pened seed. The second year I sowed about an 

 eighth of an acre. The crop was small, decidedly 

 inferior to common millet growing by its side. It 

 was eaten with avidity by the cattle, who may be 

 supposed to be good judges-of its quality. But 

 after trying it two seasons, I came to the conclu- 

 sion that my soil was not able to keep the prom- 

 ise of those who introduced the plant. It has been 

 cultivated by others with various success ; some 

 finding it a valuable and profitable crop, while the 

 experience of others has been similar to my own. 



A few years ago the Patent Office sent out some 

 Crimson Clover seeds, a paper of which came into 

 my possession. Though sown in Avhat I have 

 found to be good soil for the common red clover, 

 it sent up only single and small stems, flowering 

 the first year, and dying the winter following. I 

 sowed again the last spring on a dry, gravelly 

 soil ; here also the plants shot up and flowered in 

 a small, spindling manner, with every appearance 

 of being an annual, of no value to the farmer. 



So far, I have named only those plants that 

 have not succeeded with me. The list might be 

 extended, but I have hardly left room and time to 

 say any thing of some valuable ones that have 

 proved equal to their recommendations. Among 

 these, there are several varieties of turnip. The 

 Orange Jelly, a round, yellow-fleshed turnip, 

 promises very well. It grows to a good size, keeps 

 well, is tender, and of very fine and delicate fla- 

 vor. I think no one who has eaten it, will will- 

 ingly discontinue its cultivation. The White 

 Strap-Leaf tMYm^, s. large variety, with large and 

 numerous leaves, more suitable for cattle, has 

 also yielded well, when sown as a second crop 

 among some seed parsnips. The Wliife Norfolk, 

 also a large leaved variety, and the Purple-topped 

 Aberdeen, have yielded satisfactory crops. 



In conclusion, let me express the hope that the 

 iailure of some plants, that we experiment upon, 

 may not discourage from the trial in a cautious 



manner, of whatever may offer itself to us with 

 good promise. AVe may meet with frequent dis- 

 apppintments, and few successes. But one real 

 success will counterbalance many failures. A fail- 

 ure here is a temporary affair, a disappointment 

 for the moment only ; but the discovery and 

 adoption of a new valuable plant is a perpetual 

 success ; it carries its benefits into the far future. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 PAKMERS' HOMES AND CHILDKEN". 



I have just been reading H. C. Merriam's arti- 

 cle on the '"Profits of Farming." I like it, be- 

 cause it speaks boldly and freely; let us look 

 the matter fairly in the face, and seek to under- 

 stand the case in all its various bearings. My 

 experience of farmers and farming is not great, 

 and therefore my opinions are of very small val- 

 ue, and I only hope they may provoke you to 

 write a good article illustrating my points. 



Is not the real cause of continued Avant of pecu- 

 niary success on the part of the farmer, the fact 

 that he does not to any great extent put his brain 

 into his work ? May not a farmer think and read 

 as much as any human being ought to do ? Must 

 he not do so in order to cultivate profitably ? And 

 yet how much of their work seems to be done 

 without any forethought. My forming neighbors 

 cart out their manure in the fall and v^inter, be- 

 cause they have time then, and leave it in sti-ag- 

 gling heaps on their land, uncovered, for the earth 

 being then frozen, they can't use that to protect it 

 from bleaching, and the deodorizing eff'octs of 

 sun, wind and rain. Now Avould not that manure, 

 if kept in the barn-cellar until spring, and Avorked 

 over by hogs, be worth about twice as much, so 

 that they could save half the cost of moving it ? 

 Tradesmen, mechanics, merchants, all have to 

 work their heads pretty hard as Avell as their 

 hands ; why should not the rule apply also to the 

 farmer ? Can he, by any other means, expect to 

 see his calUng raised to the noble dignity of a 

 science ? 



Is it not generally the case that the boys with 

 the most active intellects grow weary of the farm, 

 and go to the cities, leaving only the slower and 

 more obtuse minds to carry on the farming, and 

 would not this cease to be so if the farmer em- 

 ployed his mind more, and so kept the active 

 mind of the brighter one fully employed ? Does 

 not the boy compelled by any circumstances to 

 remain on the form, accept the doom somewhat as 

 the criminal accepts his sentence — because he 

 can't help it — and do you expect him to make any 

 progress with such feelings ? As he folloMS his 

 plow from year to year, does he not spend more 

 of his time in thinking of the many pleasures and 

 lighter labors of his city brother, than he does in 

 carefully and laboriously considering how to make 

 his farm pay better ? I say thinking laboriously, 

 for no good comes of anything short of real la- 

 bor, whether of hand or "brain ; light and tran- 

 sient thought will do him little good. In order 

 to be able to think more, he must work his body 

 less severely, and the result of applying his mind 

 to his business will be, more time and ability to 

 think. We must not expect to amend this evil 

 in a moment, but we can, at least, begin at once. 

 Let every farmer do more to induce his brightest 



