d. & 



AND GARDENER'S JOURNAL. 



V21 



any of oUr friends have done nobly, nnd perhaps our 



ccess is as great as was lo have been expected under 



1 the circumstances; but it is also true that many 



>ve not done what they could, or what we consider 



eir duig fo us and their neigkbora requires of tlicm, 



We frequently find respectable farmers who hove 



sver been shown a copy of the New Genceee Farra- 



', and would readily have subscribed for it if they 



ad been solicited to do so. There are thousands of 



ich farmers in the land, and one or more can be 



uiid in almost every neighborhood. We are quite 



ire that if our readers would only try, our subscrip- 



on list would be doubled in less than one month. — 



Ve know the cry of " hard times" is still sounding 



iroughout the land, and we feel there is too much 



jaeon for it; but at the same time we are unwilling 



) believe that the farmers of this rich country are un- 



Me to raise fifty cents, or that they arc unwilling to 



ive it for this paper, if some friend would rightly pre- 



nt the subject to them. It may be that some have 



jlaxed their efforts, from the belief that enough has al- 



lady been done lo secure the support of the poper; 



ut we are sorry to say such is not the case. The pre- 



3nt list of subscribers will not pay the expense 



fpubhshing the present edition through the year; and 



(though we have pledged ourselves to continue its 



lublication through the year, we will not promise that 



shall be continued any longer than that time unices 



lere is a considerable increose of subscribers. We 



aould exceedingly regret the discontinuance of the pa- 



er, and so we know would hundreds of others, but 

 ?hen we have sacrificed time, labor, nnd health in the 

 mdertaking, without compensation, it cannot be ex- 

 ccted that we should sacrifice money also. We 

 inowour readers will not ask it — we do not ielieve 

 iey icill allow it.. If we judged rightly last year 

 'hen we declared that the agricultural community of 

 *ld Genesee and the Great West demanded the con- 

 nuance of the Genesee Farmer, we shall expect to 

 eceive a speedy answer to this appeal; but if we were 

 listaken we must abide the consequences. Readers, 

 'hat is youransioer? 



BATEHAM &. MARSHALL. 

 Rochester, Aug. 1, 1840. 



A Voice from lUichigau. 



The following letter is one among many of a similar 

 nport, which we have received during a few months 

 Bot, from various parts of the Western country. — 

 iis. 



Messrs. Editors — I wish, through the medium of 

 onr paper, to address a word or two to the friends of 

 agriculture generally, and particularly to those of the 

 Vest. I have waited until more than one half of the 

 ret year of the " New Genesee Farmer" has expired, 

 lat I might judge correctly of its merits, and of the 

 airit with which it would be sustained, before taking 

 ny active measures for its support. But although at 

 rst prejudiced against it by cautions which were issu- 

 d by L. Tucker in the old Genesee Farmer, and 

 ontinued after " the project of J. E Force" was 

 bandoned, I have become satisfied, and doubt not all of 

 a readers are also, that whether the New Genesee 

 'armer has the spirit of the old or not, it is managed 

 ?ith a spirit and ability which will not suffer by a coni- 

 arioon with any other work of its kind in the United 

 Uates; nnd will I trust, be able to " stand" altogeth- 

 er on ■' its own merits." 



The particular reasons why I would urge upon them 

 Is support are, first, that it is a good practical work, 

 irell adapted to the soil, climate, and mode of cidtiva- 

 ion in the West; and second, that it is endeavoring 

 o sustain ilrelf m its infancy against a strong and un 



ral journals, particularly when afforded at the trifling 

 expense of the one now under consideration. Coses 

 very frequently occur in which the information con- 

 tained in one number might be of more value than the 

 cost of the subscription during the whole period of a 

 man's natural life. I would therefore make this prop- 

 osition to each of the subscribers of the New Gene- 

 see Farmer, that they, by their solieations among their 

 friends and neighbors, procure at least two new sub- 

 scribers each, and as many more as they can. The 

 money can be handed in to their.Post Masters, who are 

 all requested to'actas agents,nnd who can remit the mo- 

 ney free of postage. I willingly pledge myself to any 

 who will take and read it all attentively, and will pre- 

 serve the numbers, that if they do not feel satisfied at 

 the end of ihe year, that they have received the full 

 worth of their money, if they will forward ine their 

 papers, I will refund their money, postage and all, in 

 full. 



By thus affording this trifling aid, which is in the 

 power of all, we may sustain a paper which will not 

 only bo a benefit to ourselves, but to our country at 

 large. 



Messrs. Editors — Enclosed, I send you three dol- 

 lars for the persons whose names are annexed. I will 

 endeavor to obtain more subscribers soon. 

 Yours, ifcc, 



J. F. CHUBB. 



Byron, Kent co., Michigan, July 1840. 



cent and a half a bushel, 

 ther fair trial. 



Uon't give up before ono- 



ust opposition; and finally, that it is not only for the 



ntercst of the farmer fo read, but to siipport agricultu- course we have seen turnips raised at a cost of only a 



Hints for the Month. 



The wheat crop being gathered, farmers should now 

 spare no pains to procure clean seed fc- the succeeding 

 crop. The beet varieties of wheat should be sought, 

 and the seeds of all weeds, especially of chess, careful- 

 ly cleaned out. 



Weeds should not be neglected at this season. Corn 

 should be cleared of them, late in the season though it 

 may seem. It will save much labor next year. A 

 piece of ground was kept clear of weeds during the 

 season; another, adjoining, but imperfectly; the fol- 

 lowing year the mangel wurtzels on the former piece 

 were cultivated with very little labor, on the latter they 

 were overrun with rank weeds. 



Canada thistles will need attention, that they do not 

 ripen their seed. Field thistles in pastures should be 

 destroyed. Mulling eradicated. 



Root crops, too often neglected in this month, should 

 be kept clean. 



Under draining on wet grounds, is best performed 

 about this time. Farmers, to cultivate their fields pro- 

 fitably and satisfactorily, should have all ports equally 

 dry; all wet portions should therefore be made dry by 

 ditching. 



Open drains are useful only in carrying off surface 

 woter, covered ones for wet grounds and springe. — 

 Open drains are necessarily shallow, or else very wide, 

 and always occupy land; covered ones may be easily 

 and cheaply made of any required depth, and occupy 

 no land. Stones covered with slabs and then with 

 straw, are an excellent filling where soils are friable 

 and consequently apt to fall in. 



Brush drains are made in soft soils where atones are 

 scarce, by plocing freshly cut branches of trees with 

 the leaves on, in a sloping position in the ditch, the 

 leaves upwards, and then filling in the earth. 



Many farmers become discouraged with rata bagas, 

 from the great labor of hoeing at this time. To avoid 

 this difliculty get the ground thoroughly clean before 

 sowing the seed. Begin this fall, and plough and ma- 

 nure the ground; next spring plough ond harrow sev- 

 eral times at intervols. The weeds will be thus killed 

 and the ground made in a first-rate condition, and the 

 subsequent culture will be very trifling. By a similar 



For the iN'cwj Genesee Farmer. 



Bad Seeds— again. 



I purchased in the spring, at the Rochester Seed 

 Store, asmallquantity of mangel wurtzelseed. Some 

 ot them I planted myself, and the ground being dry, I 

 put them in about three inches deep, being resolved 

 they should grow. Another portion of them I left for 

 my hired man to plant, who, I ascertained, put them 

 in still deeper. The first came up rather thinly, al- 

 though abundance of seed was used: and the secoitd 

 scarcely grew al all. As some of my neighbors had 

 been equally unsuccessful, the conclusion necessarily 

 followed that the seeds, if not the venders, were no 

 better than they should he. 



Having some seed still on hand, and a little more 

 vacant ground, after a rain I concluded to plant the re- 

 mainder; but working rather in despair than in hope, 

 I buried them only an inch deep, dropping them by 

 the line without making any furrow. The result was 

 they came up as thickly ns could be eapected from tho 

 best ofeeed with the best of culture. I concluded it 

 must be rather a difficult business to pursue, where 

 one's honesty was thus established merely by accident; 

 and that before condemning others, we should be care- 

 ful that we ourselves had done our part for insuring 

 success. J. 



Wayne Co., July USth, 1840. 

 Remarks. — With all the precaution which can be 

 used, seedsmen are liable to err, ond have sins 

 enough of their own to account for without being made 

 a scape goat for others. Still they are generally made 

 to bear the blame, not only for their own misdeeds but 

 for the mistakes of their customers, and of'en even for 

 unfavorable weather. A number of my customers 

 have complained of the failure of Mangel Wurtzel, Su- 

 gar Beet, nnd Carrot Seed, this spring. But on inves- 

 tigation I have in most coses been able to account for 

 the failure, without attributing it to the seed, although 

 it is generally difficult, or impossible to convince the 

 purchas* that the seed is not at fault. In some few 

 cases I have known those seeds fail, where to all ap- 

 pearance they had been sown under favorable circum- 

 stances; and while I knew for a certainty that the 

 seeds were good, I could not satisfy myself respecting 

 the cause of failure. 



The JVIangel Wurtzel, Sugar Beet and Carrot Seed 

 sold from the Rochester Seed Store this ycor, icas all 

 fresh and good. Most of it was harvested under my 

 own observation; and its vitality was fully tested this 

 spring. Many fine crops are now growing from pre- 

 cisely the same lots of seed as have failed entirely in 

 some cases. In order to satisfy their minds, I now 

 request that any persons who failed, if they havs any 

 of the seed left, will test it carefully themselves. If 

 Mangel Wurtzel or Beet Seed, break open some of 

 the capsules and pick out a few grains of seed without 

 injury, and plant them in a box or pot of fine earth, 

 which keep moist, and stand where it will not be ex- 

 posed to the full heat of the sun. li' Carrot Seed, soak 

 it 48 hours in rain water, and sow it the same os the 

 other. If done with care I pledge myself they wil 1 

 vegetate freely. 



If any of the readers of the Farmer con throw any 

 light on the cause of failure of theee seeds when cir- 

 cumstances oppear favorable fir vegetation, I should 

 be pleased to have them communicate through the co- 

 lumns of the Farmer. 



M. B. BATEHAM. 



Rochester Seed Store, July iStli, 1840. 



Preserring Fruit Trees. — Where your fruit trees ap 

 pear to be overloaded with fruit, it isjbetter that you 

 pick off a part before the weight- is so niin;h increased 

 as to split and destrdi' the trees. 



