1861. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



557 



our impression that cows chew bones on the sea- 

 coast, where they are not only constantly inhaling 

 the salt sea breezes, but a considerable poi'tion of 

 the hay they eat is salt or marsh hay. Perhaps 

 some of our correspondents who are in the habit 

 of giving constant attention to their cattle, may 

 give information on the subject. 



i^r the New England Farmer. 

 WHEN SHALL "WE PLOW? 



Mr. Editor : — This is a subject of much im- 

 portance to every "tiller of the soil." Many of 

 the farmers in this vicinity are doing their work 

 in the fall ; others continue in the old way of 

 plowing in the spring immediately before seeding. 

 From observation, as well as from experience, I 

 am inclined to believe that fall plowing is prefer- 

 able, especially for the small grains. 



The action of the frost and atmosphere have a 

 beneficial effect upon the newly-turned soil, pul- 

 verizing the hard lumps of earth, and the better 

 fitting it to receive the seed in the spring. Be- 

 sides this, grain can be sown several days earlier 

 than -when the plowing is delayed until spring. 

 This is a decided advantage, as everyone is aware 

 that early sown grain fills better than that sown 

 late. As to land intended for corn, I am not so 

 fully satisfied as to the best time for plowing; 

 however, I am inclined to the belief that the fall 

 is as well ; as thousands of insects will be de- 

 stroyed by the frost. 



Whatever difference of opinion there is as re- 

 gards the time of plowing, there is one fact all 

 ■will concede ; that it should be done well, whether 

 it be done in the fall or spring. To do the work in 

 a proper manner, it requires a good team, a good 

 plowman, and a good plow. If either of the above 

 requisites are wanting, we cannot expect perfect 

 ■work. The team should be strong and well 

 trained to the work. The plowman should be a 

 good teamster, and have experience in the busi- 

 ness. The last, but not the least, is the plow. 

 Although there are, at the present day, many 

 good plows, perhaps there are none without im- 

 perfections. In the last ten years, I have bought 

 no less than ten new plows, and notwithstanding 

 I have some very good ones, none seemed to be 

 Just the thing until I tried the "Cylinder Plow," 

 manufactured by Smith & Field, Greenfield, Mass. 

 The fault with some of my plows is in the width 

 of bottom ; not leaving the furrow wide enough 

 for the team to travel in. Another fault is, that 

 while they would do good work on level land, 

 free from stone, they do not work well on stony, 

 rough ground. The "Cylinder Plow" does the 

 best work on stony land of any one I have ever 

 used. It turns a furrow wide enough for the team 

 to travel in, and turns it well. It is, I believe, of 

 easy draft, and my men say that it is the easiest 

 plow to hold that they ever used. From the pe- 

 culiar construction of this plow, I am satisfied 

 that it is well adapted to all kinds of plowing, 

 and I can cheerfully recommend it to all those 

 in want of a good plow. Geo. Campbell. 



West Westminster, Vt, Oct. 18, 1861. 



his farm, and observed it critically. We have 

 never seen the plow to which he refers, but 

 should have much confidence in it, from Mr. C.'s 

 recommendation. 



Remarks. — We know Mr. Campbell well, and 

 something of his mode of farming, having visited 



EXTRACTS AND REPLIES. 



THE RUTA BAGA CROP. 



1. Is the ruta baga crop a profitable one ? 



2. What kinds of soil will it grow on to advan- 

 tage ? 



3. Are ashes a good fertilizer for them ? 



4. At what place can a person get good seed ? 



5. What is the best time for sowing ? 



6. Is broadcast sowing or regular sowing to be 

 preferred ? 



7. At what distance apart would it be proper 

 to sow the seed, if it ■was sown at regular inter- 

 vals? 



8. What would be a fair crop for an acre ? 



9. Is it a sure crop ? 

 10. Is it exhausting ? 



A Monthly Reader. 

 Franklin, Mass., Oct. 29, 1861. 



Remarks. — 1. Under proper management, the 

 ruta baga crop is a profitable one. 



2. It will grow well on any good corn land. 

 We have known it to produce well on highly ma- 

 nured plain or sandy land. 



3. Ashes are an excellent fertilizer for them — so 

 is superphosphate of lime. 



4. The seed can be procured at the agricultural 

 warehouses. 



5. There are various practices as to the time 

 of sowing. Slight frosts do not injure them, and 

 they will grow late in the autumn, consequently, 

 they may be sown later than many other seeds. 

 Some time during the first half of June will be 

 sufficiently early, and some good cultivators de- 

 lay even later than this. 



6. There is no question in our mind but that it 

 is cheaper and easier to sow in regular rows. 

 The crop can then be mainly tended with the 

 horse and cultivator. It is more convenient to 

 weed and thin them, and to determine at once by 

 the eye, what space to leave between them. 



7. The rows should be at least two and a half 

 feet apart, and the plants one foot apart in the 

 rows, and a good crop will then cover the whole 

 ground, before it is time to harvest it. 



8. A fair crop would be six or seven hundred 

 bushels. By high manuring and careful cultiva- 

 tion, you may attain to eight or ten hundred 

 bushels per acre. 



9. The crop is as sure as our other crops ordi- 

 narily are. 



10. It is thought to be an exhausting crop. 

 Many good farmers say that a second crop of ru- 

 ta bagas on the same land cannot be obtained, 

 and that it is difficult to get a good corn, grain 

 or potato crop, without high manuring, on land 

 just devoted to the ruta baga. 



