1861. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



143 



which we gave soon after the meeting. The dis- 

 cussions which followed the reading of the Trea- 

 surer's report, were upon apples, currants, straw- 

 berries, raspberries, blackberries, gooseberries, 

 grapes, pears, and pears on quince stocks. These 

 were followed by discussions on the culture and 

 diseases of the grape, and culture of the pear. 

 Reports were read from Committees and from the 

 States. 



The pamphlet is from the press of Benton & 

 Andrews, Rochester, N. Y., and is a credit to their 

 skill in the art. 



For the New England Farmer. 



GETTING IN GRASS SEED— SOMETHING 

 TO MANUKE WITH. 



Mr. Editor : — There are one or two things 

 that I would like to call your attention to, that is, 

 to say a word in addition to your remarks in the 

 Farmer of Jan. 19. 



In "getting in grass seed," I have practiced for 

 several j-ears to wet the grain that I was going to 

 sow, and mix the grass seed thoroughly with it, by 

 putting the grain and grass seed in a tub conve- 

 nient for the purpose and stirring well. The grass 

 seed will adhere to the grain, and will go where 

 that does, and a little practice will enable the 

 operator to sow the grain as conveniently as if 

 unwet. This method will save the expense of a 

 machine, and any one that does not have one, 

 once trying the method I have described, will 

 not spend the time to go over his ground a second 

 time, to sow his grass seed, when he can get it 

 80 much evener applied in this manner. 



I have also found a slab from a saw log better 

 than brush, to give the last finish to seeded land, 

 and better than the roller on heavy land, as it 

 pulverizes the lumps, giving the surface a smooth, 

 fine tilth, without packing it. 



My method is to take a large slab, a foot wide 

 or more, about 9 feet in length, with a 2 inch 

 auger hole at about 2 feet from each end, into 

 which I fosten two small chains, and bring them 

 together in the form of a triangle ; these are at- 

 tached to the whifBetree, and drawn by a horse, 

 with the convex side down. A weight of any de- 

 sired heft can be attached to the top, or the op- 

 erator or teamster can ride on the slab, where 

 the surface is not too unequal or stony. I will 

 suppose that the land has been fitted for the mow- 

 er, and then this is just the thing to "put on the 

 finish." 



As regards "something to manure with in the 

 hill," you recommend to keep the droppings of 

 the roosts of fowls dry, and use half a pint in a 

 hill. Perhaps the muck and plaster would rem- 

 edy the evil I have in mind. It has been my ex- 

 perience, and others of my acquaintance, that the 

 manure of fowls should be wet with soap suds, 

 or something else, before using ; as its dry na- 

 ture attracts all the moisture from the seed, pre- 

 venting its germination. E. S. Allen. 



Jacksonville, Vt., Jan., 1861. 



Remarks.— Capital. This idea of the use of 

 the slab is entirely new to us. If we live long 

 enough, we shall certainly put it in operation. 



For the Neiv England Farmer, 

 POULTRY" RAISING. 



I see in your valuable book, you often publish 

 an account of poultry and their doings. Below 

 is a correct account. Dr. and Cr., for the year 

 1860. If you think it will be any benefit to 

 farmers, or to poultry-raisers, you can make what 

 use of it you think best. 



I have 4 old ducks which have averaged 3 eggs 

 per day since the middle of December. Is that 

 not uncommon, after laying through the summer.** 



Stock op Podltry from Jan. 1, 1860, to Ja^. 1, ISGL 



Jan. 1 , 25 fowls ami 6 ducks, at 50c each $15,50 



" 8 chickens 1 month old 80 



" corn and oats, $3,10, chicken died, 12c 3,22 



Feb. and March, corn and oats 6,00 



April, com and barley, $3.75, 4 hens died, $2 5,75 



May, corn and barley, $3,70, 1 hen died, 50c 4,20 



June, corn and oats, $2,70, meal and shorts, $3,55 6 25 



July, corn and oats, $5,10, scraps, $3 8,10 



Angust, corn and oats 4 85 



Sept., corn and oats, $5, 2 chickens died, 75c 5,75 



Oct., corn and oats 3,60 



Nov., corn and oats 5,15 



" bouyht 6 geese, at 75c each 4,50 



Dec, corn and oats 2,55 



" 3 Geese stolen before Christmas 3.50 



$-9,72 

 Interest on value of stock 1,00 



$80,72 

 January 1, 1861 — Stock on Hand. 



29 Fowls, at 50c $14,50 



12 Ducks, at 50c 6,00 



iJO.so 

 Value of stock January 1, 1860 16.30 



$4,20 

 Increase. 

 .Tan. 1, 19 doz. and 4 ecgs, at 28c, $5.42, ducks sold, 50c. . .6,92 

 Feb., 30 doz., at 27c, $8.10, 1 doz. and 1 D. eggs, at 32c. . .8,42 



March, 28 doz. and 7, at22c, $6,30, 2 hens sold, $1 7,30 



" 2 doz. and 11 D. eggs, at 24c 70 



April, 14.idoz., at 20c, $2,90, 4 chickens sold, $1,60 4,50 



" 5 doz. D. eggs, at 25c, $1,25, 2 barrels manure, $2. .3,25 

 May, 19 doz and 2 eggs, at 20c 3,83 



" 5 doz. and 5 D. eggs, at 25c 1,36 



June, 19 doz. at 20c, $3,80, 9 chickens sold, $3,75 7,.')5 



« 4 doz and 3 D. eggs, at 24c 1,02 



July, 17 doz. and 8 eggs at 20c 3,f3 



" 2 doz. and 7 D. eggs, 52c, 16 chickens sold, §6 6.52 



Aug., 8 doz. and 9 at 2uc, $1,75, 2 Ir- rrels manure, $2.. . 3,75 



" 1 doz. D. eggs. 26c, 10 hens sold, $5 5.26 



" 21 chickens, $9,87, 1 duck, 80 10,67 



Sept., 8 doz. at 20c, $1,60, 1 doz. and 9 D. eggs, 3=0 1,95 



" 7 chickens, $2.62, 8 ducks, $5,50 8,12 



Oct., 6 doz and 3 eggs, at 24c, $1,50, 3 hbls. manure $3.. 4,50 



" 1 doz. and 7 D. eggs, 38c, 6 hens sold, $2 2,38 



" 12 chickens, $4,03, 11 ducks, $8 12 03 



Nov., 12,3 doz. eggs, at 25c 3,12 



" 2 doz and 10 D. eggs, 70c, 2 barrels manure, $2 2,70 



" 15 ducks sold 10,v;7 



Dec. 20 doz. and 1 eggs, at 2.5c, $5,02, manure, $2 7,02 



" 3 doz. -D. eggs, 75c, 8 ducks sold, $4 4.75 



" 3geese, 25yibs., atl3c, $3,28, 2 hens sold, $1 4.2i 



$134 70 

 Value of increase of stock 4,20 



$138,90 



Value of hens' eggs set $3,07 



" ducks' " " 1,18 $4.25 



$134.65 

 Stock and keeping 80,72 



Profit $ 53,93 



Number of Eqgs during the Year. 

 139 dozen and 10 hens' eggs. 

 31 dozen and 9 ducks' eggs. 



225 dozen and 7 



Eggs charged per month as sold from the store. 

 Poultry as per price paid by the butchers. 

 Stock, white shanghai and Muscovy ducks. 

 Salem, Jan., 1861. j. B. 



