No. 11. 



ANDGARDENER'SJOURNAL. 



res 



The Premium Crop ofRutn Bagn> 



T!io cenitirnte resiiccting Mr. Snmuel Wood's 

 crop of Riitn liagn, as repoitr;(l hy the Commitiee on 

 crops, showed eiich a wonderful produce per ncr e 

 that, notwithstanding the respectable ehnractcr of M r 

 \Vo;id, mnny persons besides ourselves, were appre- 

 hensive that sotne mistake had been made about it. — 

 We determined, therefore, to satitfy ourselves, and 

 accordingly look the pains to go to Wheatland and 

 examine the crop. We found that it was indeed a 

 fine crop — roots large, and standing close together, 

 with small necks and tops; but at the same time we 

 were convinced that the yield per acre could not be as 

 great as represented. On inquiry we learned that 

 Mr. Wood was not at homo at the time the admeas- 

 nrenient was mode, and could not inform ue about the 

 particulars; but on finding the persons who made the 

 certificate, the mystery was soon solved by their 

 saying that they vicasurcd tops and all, supposing that 

 the estimates were expected to include the whole 

 annunt of crop produced on the ground, it is true 

 the tops were small, but they were largo enough to 

 make considerable difltrciice in the resrlt. We meas- 

 ured two square rods, in different parts of the ground, 

 end found the product of each to be 7 3-4 bushels of 

 roots, divested of the tops. [One bushel weighed C2 

 pounds.] This would give a product per acre of 1*340 

 bushels, wliioh, while it is a very large crop, and enti- 

 tled to the premium, it is much more within the bounds 

 of reason than the former statement. 



This instance of inaccuracy, affords additional proof 

 of the absolute necessity of adopting some more defi- 

 nite plan for obtaining the account of crops for pre 

 miums; and the Society will doubtless take the matter 

 into consideration. 



Wc are satisfied, however, thai there is no mistake 

 iboutany other of the premium crops. — Eds. 



Harvesting Potatoes. 



Potatoes should be sufl^ercd to lie in the ground un- 

 il they are'fuUy ripe. There is nearly ns much diffe- 

 ■cnce between a ripe potato and an unripe one as bc- 

 ween a ripe apple and an unripe one. Unripe pola- 

 oes are uniformly watery and are some of the jnoet 

 ndigestiblc materials that we meet with. Tui;? is so 

 nuch the case ihRl the stomach has been often known 

 reject this article while it retained all the other 

 naterials admitted at the same time. 



When we have not too much work for the month 

 tf Octoi)er, it is more prudent to let our late potatoes 

 ie until ihnt time than to dig tncm earlier — and when 

 ve dig them, if they are not wet, we should never 

 et them lie in the sun or in the air. Any loam 

 easonably moist, may be allowed to adhere to 

 hem while they lie in the cellar, and we need n'>t fear 

 hey will heat or lot, ad turnips will when put in a 

 real heap where the air cnnnoi have acce-s to them. 

 Purnips are of a nature different from po'.atoes : they 

 :row principally above ground, while all potatoes that 

 re worth saving gow wholly under gruund. We 

 fere once taugiit to dig our potatoes in the morning, 

 hrow them between the rows, and let them dry 

 hrough most of the day — then to tilt them from the 

 art into the door yard to beat off nil the dirt that might 

 dhere to them. But experience has taught us that 

 ais is a branch of fancy farming, and will never an- 

 W' r for practical men. 



When we lived on the Kennebec river, and sent up 

 ^nds of potatoes 'o the Boston market, we often won- 

 ered tlmt our Boston friends were not as fond of the 

 fennebec potatoe as ourselves — but on attempting to 

 lat in Boston some nf \.\^e same potntoei we had sent 

 here, w*e soon perceived the great difference between 



Kennebec p:)tatoe in Boston and a Kennebec pntntoe 

 t home. Our potatoes had been too much exposed 

 9 the air. and though they had not turned green, as 

 bey will do when exposed in the sun. they were spoil- 

 d by exposure. 



Our Kennebec and Penobscot friends should pack 

 ip in light ca?ks nil potatoes sent off to customers 



'horn they expect to trade with a second lime — and 

 ' perfectly tight casks cinnot be obtained, loam or 



ind may be filled into flour barrels with the potatoes. 



The proportij nf .lA3n:s Gowen, Esij., of Pliiladdphia, Imported in 1838, from tht Herd qf Mb. 

 WuiTAKER, of Yorksliirc, England. — (Copied from Farmer s Cabinet.) 



This celebiated and beautiful Cow, is one of the greatest milkers on record; — and what gives her par- 

 ticular inteies. at this time, is the circumstance that a wager of .^50 ) is now pending between her and the 

 Cow '■Blo:30'n;" a statement of the milking powers of which, we gave on page 143. We suo.oin the par- 

 ticulars rer pelting thia tingular wager, from the Philadelphia papers. J^«i7T/ il/airf is 5 pears old — color, 

 roan — thorough-bred Short Horn, and very beautiful. " In point and prop, rtion, in breeding and milking, 

 she is an object that mi^bt satii^fv the taste of the most fastidious breeder." *' On a trial of a week, in the 

 fourth month tjoiu cnlviug, in June, 1839, she gave, on an average, more thai^3*2 quarts of milk per day. 

 The same season, seven months from calving, she gave, for a week, more than 2i) quarts per d-y; making, 

 on an overage each week, 12 lbs. of delic'ous butter. Again, in 1840, the fourth luunih from calving, she 

 gave in one week, on an average, more than 33J quarts per day." 



(We intend to give portraits of several of the fine animals exhibited at Rochester, as soon ns the drawing* 

 and engravings can be prepared.) 



nd the cost of tianaoortaiion to Boston bv v/ater will 

 be iocreased by the filling. — Bosi. (hilt. 



From the Pennsylvania Inquirer. 



The Cow Dairy Maid. 



We a few days since availed ourselves of a leisure 

 hour to ramble over and admire one or two of the fine 

 properties in the immediate vicinity of Germantown, 

 and afterwards called at Mount Airy, when we were 

 not a little gratified with the sight of Mr. Gowen's 

 celebrated cow Dairy Maid, and her two fine calves 

 Leaudcr and Allen a Dale. This cow is said to be the 

 very acme in point and pedigree of the ** thorough- 

 bred." She is of the Sliort Horn Durham Breed, 

 imported in 1S38, from the herd of that celebrated 

 breeder, Mr. Whitaki^r, of Leeds, Yorkshire. The 

 ciilves are the lined animals of their class we ever be- 

 held. " Lcinder " is rising fifteen months old ; hii- 

 points are said to be perfect, while his size and figure 

 are surprisingly striking. He is beautifully flecked 

 red and while, and sired by the celebrated Englit-h 

 Bull " Piince of Northumberland." " Allan a Dale" 

 is nearly four months old, is large fur his age, and 

 finely pio|3ortioned, is entirely white, like his sire. 

 Col. Wolbert's unrivalled Collostra These two 

 young Bulls from such i^ires and such a dam as Dairj- 

 Maid, cannot but prove a great acquisition to the 

 country, and a source of gratification to the gentleman 

 who has paid so much attention to this imporlant 

 branch of agriculture. 



Pennsylvania, abounding as she does in fertile val 

 leys and rich soil, should not be deficient in fine cattle 

 We trust ere long she will be able successfully to 

 compete with Ohio and Kentucky, which stales, we 

 believe, stand unrivalled in the Union for their supe- 

 rior breedri of cattle. We also hope ihe day is not fai 

 distant when our Legislature will consider it a para- 

 mount dvity to foster and encourage the agriculturnl 

 interests of our State, in order to promote physically 

 and morally the best population a Commonwealth cnn 

 boast of, and the snfcst and surest wealth that can be 

 pr.ssesscd by hercitizens. After all, no slock is com- 

 parable to live stock — so said our friend Mr. Gowen 

 when he promised to give us the resultof Dairy Slaid's 

 yield of Milk, and which wc hnve now the pleasure 

 of laying before our renders, especially (or the benefit 

 of onr agricultural friends throughout the country. 



Djnr Sir — Agreeably to promise, I herewith furnish 



you with a statement of "Dairy Maid's" yield 



milk for one week, Irom June Ist to 7ih, inclusive. 



I Last year, about tne same period from calving, say in' 



the 4th month, I was induced to ascertain precisely, 

 by measurement, the quantity of milk she was capa- 

 ble of yielding, from the circumstance of the apparent 

 quantity she gave over and above what her calf con- 

 sumed : and to lest the truth of the herd who had 

 charge of her from England, "that she would for 

 months after calving give eight gallons of milk a day." 

 The result in June, 1839, proved he was right : she 

 gave on an average more than thirty-lwo quarts per 

 day, and made tweUe pounds of sup rior well woikcd 

 butter. She was not then in as high condition as 

 she now is, I cxpecl an increaEe in the bulter, which . 



II be reported when ascertained. Captain Cooper, 

 Mr. Itanc H. Roberts and Dr. Uhler, can recollect 

 that Dairy Maid was not in good condition lost sum- 



er, which will account for her not yielding as much 

 as she has done this season. 



The first day of the last week's trial was excessively 

 hot, and a heavy gust coming on about live o'clock in 

 the afternoon, she was brought from the field and im 

 mediatcly'milked ; shortening her time, she gave but 

 thirty quarts on that day. The yield, however, on 

 the whole, is unprecedented, averaging over thirty, 

 three and a half quarts per day. It is my firm behef, 

 that had Dairy Maid been milked on the Ist and 2d 



onths from calving, she would have given forty 

 quarts per day. Very respectfully, 



Your obedient servant, 



JAMES GOWEN. 



Mount Airy, 8lh June, 1S40. 

 Dairy Maid's yield of milk in one iteck, from 1st t/ 



June till ~th inclusive. 

 Junelst, Morn, 12 qls. Noon, 8J 



9 



n 



10 

 10 

 9J 



Ev'g, 9|— 30 

 • I lOii— 32 



" i(i|— ;i3i 



" lo|— 35 

 " HH— 35 

 " 10|— 345 

 •' . 105—343 



Total, 235i 



Being on on average more than thirty-three and a 

 half quarts per day. 



We may add that Mr. Gowen's farm is one of the 

 finest in all respects in the county of Philadelphia. It 

 is beautifully marked out, admirably arranged in lU 

 various fields and crops, and in the highest and clean- 

 eet possible stale of cultivation. 



