226 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



May 



For the New England Farmer. 



OUGHT NEW ENGLAND FARMERS TO 

 RAISE THEIR OWN BREAD P 



This, Mr. Editor, is an important question, and 

 one calling for a candid consideration from every 

 farmer. Of course, I do not include as farmers 

 those who are engaged in market-gardening, or 

 making milk for city or village use. Every man 

 is presumed to know his own business better than 

 those not familiar with all its details — yet most, 

 if not all, in every occupation, may be at times 

 set to thinking by some suggestion cast in their 

 way by others who would not aspire to be their 

 teachers. For this purpose I ask the question at 

 the head of this article, hoping many will give it 

 sufficient attention to see if it cannot be answered 

 in the affirmative in their case. I am fully as- 

 sured that all cannot profitably raise wheat on 

 their lands, yet still fully satisfied that as a gen- 

 eral thing it is possible, and can be done profitably 

 as compared with other crops. I suppose it is 

 true, that the past two years have been very good 

 for wheat growing, and that it will not answer for 

 us to e.\])ect like crops in coming years : still, 

 there is ample testimony to show that in a series 

 of years, uniform success has been the result. 



For the encouragement of those who are dis- 

 posed to see what can be done by trial, I will 

 cite a few instances of success that have come to 

 my knowledge. James Le Barron, of Mattapoi- 

 sett, in 'od, raised two acres that threshed out fif- 

 ty bushels. This past season's crop promised 

 equally well when I saw it. 1 have not learned 

 the amount threshed out. A neighbor of his had 

 a field along side, which was much better, and I 

 judged would turn thirty bushels to the acre, and 

 several around this region have been equally suc- 

 cessful. I v.'as in Little Compton, R. L, recent- 

 ly, and learned that several of the prominent far- 

 mers in that garden of New England had raised 

 large crops of wheat, or rather obtained a great 

 yield per acre ; John and Levy Sisson, getting 

 thirty-five bushels, and their brother, Daniel Sis- 

 son, from two acres, obtaining eighty-eight bush- 

 els. The straw was put into the hay-press, and 

 baled and sold in Providence for fourteen dollars 

 a ton, which I should judge must have paid all 

 the incidental expenses of raising the crop. The 

 last named individual purposes sowing eleven 

 acres this s|)ring. The seed used by the above 

 men is called Japanese spring wheat. 



I doubt if fall sowing, as a general thing, would 

 succeed, when, as with us on the coast, so little 

 snow is to be relied upon to cover it from frost, 

 and save from winter-killing. All clay lands 

 should be avoided for fall sowing, unless well 

 covered with straw, or what is still better, where 

 it can be f)l)tained, sea-weed.* 



From the published testimony of many,I should 

 judge that wheat should be soaked in strong brine 

 previous to sowing, and cither ashes or plaster 

 sifted over it while wet. In many instances this 

 preparation has increased the product twenty per 

 cent. 1 trust the day is not distant, when we 

 farmers of New P^ngland will find that, after all 

 that has been said about our dependence upon 

 what is termed the grain-growing States, we 



* Note bv the Editor. — Thorou^li draining will probably 

 accomplish more than any thing else in i)reventinij the win- 

 ter-killing of wheat. 



cannot only raise our bread, but get more of it 

 from an equal surface, and reap a larger profit 

 than they can possibly do, so far from a market, 

 that consumes it. In many localities the want of 

 suitable mills for farmers to have their wheat 

 made into good family Hour is a serious evil, but 

 one that will soon disappear, when wheat raising 

 has become a fixed fact. The mills will surely be 

 provided. No law is so sure as that supply 

 quickly treads upon the heels of a demand. 



I ask again, who of our New England farmers 

 will raise their own bread, this very year? 



Rochester, March 16, 18GL Joseph Coe. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 PULVERIZATION OF MANURES. 



This is a subject in which I heartily agree with 

 "M. F.," in saying that its importance demands 

 a more thorough attention. I am aware that the 

 former practice of manuring in the hill is fast be- 

 ing superseded by the application of manure 

 broadcast, and therefore the most strict attention 

 should be given to the pulverization of the ma- 

 nure thus applied. The evenness of spreading on 

 the surface is very essential, that the roots of the 

 plants may partake of the manure equally, and 

 thus promote a more even growth through the 

 field. The beauty of a crop is evenness and 

 equality in its growth. I have often heard the 

 remark, "I wonder what makes that corn so un- 

 even." I think if they should pay more attention 

 to the pulverization of the manure, and evenness 

 of spreading, so that the roots of the plants may 

 readily take up the manure, that they would have 

 no occasion to ask, or wonder why one plant does 

 not grow so rapidly as another. This is a sub- 

 ject which has been greatly neglected by the 

 majority of our farmers. Often do we notice 

 newly-seeded pieces, which are striking evidences 

 of the manner in which the manure was applied. 

 My mode of management is as follows : 



Three or four days before I want to use a quan- 

 tity of manure, I fork it up into a heap, occasion- 

 ally applying plaster as an absorbent and pulver- 

 izer, at the same time taking care to break to 

 pieces the largest lumps. After two days, fork 

 over again and cover with plaster, and at the end 

 of the fourth day, the manure will be in prime 

 condition to cart out, and apply broadcast, and if 

 sheep manure (as the most of mine is), you will 

 need a shovel to spread it. Great care should be 

 taken not to let it remain too long in the heap, 

 as it will burn, and thus destroy the life of the 

 manure. 



Uatjleld, March 11, 1861. J. E. w. 



Corn and Cob Meal. — It is suggested by the 

 Homestead that there is something peculiar, and 

 in some cases injurious, in the action of this food 

 upon animals, being strongly constipating, &c. 

 On the presumption that cobs "in a natural 

 state," are not food, it is suggested by the writer 

 that "Cases are rare where products, which in a 

 natural state cannot be used as food, have any 

 considerable value when artificially made eatable." 

 But is this assumption correct ? Green cobs are 



