78 



THE NEW GENESEE FARMER, 



Vol. 



8. 



3. 



2. Pieces 



1 



2. 

 3. 



For the IVeic Genesee Farmer. 

 Experiments with Potatoes. 



Messrs. EDixyits — Observing in your first volume, 

 various experiin. its suggested on the culturj of the 

 potoio, I bave perlbrmed the following. I selected 

 ground in my potato lot, the soil a mixture of clay and 

 gravel, a moderate portion of stable manure was put 

 upon the sod. then well ploughed and harrowed, and 

 lightly marked with a small plough, about 3 feet apart 

 and IS or 20 inches between the hills. They were 

 planted on the 2d of June, the cultivator passed 

 through them, plaster applied, and some time after 

 they were ploughed and hoed. G. S. T. 



Erie CO. Pa., March, 1S41. 

 1. Pieces one eye only, 21 hills to a row. 



1. 5 pieces each hill. Product 95 lbs. 

 4 " " 96 " 



3 " " 90 " 



sual size, from the top half of the potato, 

 1 6 hills to a row. 

 pieces each hill. Product 81 Iba. 

 3 " " 83 " 



2 " " 88 " 



3. Pieces usual size, from the root half of the potato, 



IG hills to a row. 



1. 4 pieces each hill. Product 87 lbs. 



2. 3 " " 87 " 



3. 2 " " 69 " 



4. Potatoes ordinary size, the pieces quarters, parings 



thick, and cut in 4 pieces, 10 hills. 



1. 1 whole potato each. Product 84 lbs. 



2. 4 pieces ** ** 89 '* 

 8. 4 parings " •' 72 " 



5. Potatoes small ; 8 hills. 



1. 4 whole ones each. Product 44 ILa. 



2. 3 " " " " 43 " 



3. 2 " " " " 44 " 



The above experiments were with Calico potatoes; 

 the following with Scotch Greys. 



6. 30 hills to each row. 



1. 1 whole one each. Product 180 lbs. 



2. 5 pieces " " 127 " 



3. 4 " " " 157 " 

 Remarks. — Accurate experiments are always valu- 

 able, but they require repetition and considerable varia- 

 tion, to establish any point. For instance, a very slight 

 variation in the soil of each row, may cause a difTer- 

 ence in the result, greater ihon any dilTerence in the 

 mode of planting. Hence in trying one mode, seve- 

 ral rows should alternate with each oiher, and their dif- 

 ference be individually, as well as collectively, com- 

 pared. Again, in culling poiatocs, whole ones suc- 

 ceed best in dry seasons, in dry soils, or when planted 

 ehallow and perhaps cut ones when the opposite is the 

 case. These, and many other circumstances, are to be 

 taken into consideration. * 



hes in the rows, the same | usually come in the fiist week of March. A showe i I"'' „ 



feet apart, and eighteen 



time as the other, and in the same manner. As soon 1 and some lightning happened on the 27lIi, at whii 



as it was of convenient height I went through it with 

 the cultivator, followed with the hoe, m\i plastered it; 

 the next time with the plough, followed with the hoe. 

 About toe 15tU of Sept. I cwt up the corn at the roots. 

 After husking and sorting the small ears, I had eighty 

 bushels of ears from the half acre. 



Berkshire Pigs. 



Major E. Corning brought into out neighborhood, 

 in thi- town of Hastings, a full blood Berkshire boar, 

 ond I, like some of the rest of my neighbors, thought 

 that our native breed wos equal to them; but after 

 seeing some of his slock, I purchased a sow that had 

 seven pigs from his boar. The sow was quite small. 

 I fatted her, she weighed only 250 lbs. The pigs 

 I wintered on one-third less feed than I could have 

 done the native breed. On the first of March, I mo- 

 ved into Cnyiiga county, and drove my pigs; I could 

 have sold them on the way two or three limes for six 

 cents per pound, whereas the native breed fetches only 

 three cents. I will give you the result of my pigs 

 when fatted. Very respectfully yours, 



WM. K. JOH.\SON. 



Cato, Aprils 1841. 



ittfi ' 





time the Genesee was high from the melting snow i""* 

 the change to below freezing point on the 29tl "' 

 doubdess prevented much desolation. 



The first half of April was uncommonly cold ; i 

 deed it was not till the 23rd that the mild south wi 

 began to blow upon uc, and the floweis, which opi 

 in the woods near the beginning of the month, begi 

 to appear. Till after this day the grass scarcely sho 

 ed any signs of returning spring. 



April 25, 1840, the temperature was 88 ° , extremi 

 ly hot. April 24, 1841, it was 76° . Exnminoiii 

 shows the great pcculiaiilies of this season. For tl 

 raising of fruit the lateness of the season is considere 

 faviuable. At the same time it increases the farmei 

 expence for the support of his cattle, &c., in no i: 

 considerable degree. C. D. 



For the J\cw Genesee Farmer, 



Education of Farmeis' Chilclren~No. 4. Tltt^^' 



niiiiil" 

 jillfl* 

 caislii* 



jJSjIVifl 



itel't*' 



, ii: 



1 



I 



The Cross Pear. 



In the last numberof the Magazine of Horticulture-, 

 there is an account of this new native variety of the 

 pear,with an outline and description of the fruit, by the 

 editor of that journal. It is supposed to have origina- 

 ted in Ncwburyport; and bears the name of the pro- 

 prietor of the garden where it was discovered about 

 filteen years ago. Our friend R. Manning, whose 

 judgment will not bj disputed, has pronounced it 

 without besitotion, " a most excellent fruit;" and the 

 editor says, " The beauty of this pear, together with 

 its abundont and constant bearing, and its melting flesh 

 and perlumed flavor, render it a desirable variety in 

 collections, and one which will rank with the dish- 

 ing, Seckel, and others of our finest American 

 kinds." 



We copy his description of the fruit: 



** Fruit medium size, roundish, two and a half inch- 

 es in length, and two and a quarter inches in diame- 

 ter. Stullc three-quarters of an inch long and very 

 thick, inserted in a slight cavity. Eye small, ond 

 considerrbly depressed. Skin smooth, deep yellow, 

 red on the sunny side, very lussety round the eye, 

 and covered all over with nissety dots, and sprinkled 

 with small black spots, flesh melting, juicy, and 

 swpet, with a perfumed and agreeable flavor. In eat- 

 ing in December, sometimes earlier (in November) 

 and occasionally keeping till February." t 



Indian Corn. 



Messrs. EniTORs — I had two pieces of corn; the 

 first two acres were clover sod — the seed the twelve 

 and sixteen rowed, known lus ihe SU'nton corn; it 

 was put into the ground dry, on the 15th of May, the 

 rows three feet opart each way. During the season I 

 •flustered one half, and ashed the other once, and went 

 through with the cultivator once each woy, and once 

 each way with the plough, followed with a hoe each 

 time. About the 20th of September, the corn was 

 cm up ot the roots, and stooked for ripening. After 

 husking and sorting all the small ears. I sold eighty- 

 eight bushels of shelled corn frotn the two acres. 

 Had I managed it as I did with the other piece, 

 I think I should have got double the crop, with one- 

 hird more labor. The other piece, one half acre, 

 was corn stubble of no richer soil than the other; 

 I drew on it filteen loads of long manure, and spread 

 it equally over the ground ; planted it in rows three 



The Season. 



Amidst the oft- repeated remarks upon the peculiari- 

 ty of the season, let us recur to the records of post 

 ra for thiir evidence upon the point. 



Isl half & and li^lf of month. 



Mean temp, of Mar. 1838, 30,53 36,66 mean 33,59 



" 34,02 



" 34,28 



" 28,88 



" 37,24 



" 48,.58 



" 48,78 



" 40,80 



ild of March 



8 cold as the 



ON REFI^EME^T OF MANNERS. 



Messrs. Editor- — It bus been my endeavor 

 show the 'necessity of giving more education to oi 

 sons, that they may have advantages equal to those 

 our daughters, and take equal rank with them in s 

 ciety. I was brought up a farmer's son, and rejoia 

 that I know by experience the necessity and virtue a 

 labor and industry. I am able to speak of whati 

 have seen ; and can give some reasons for facta whiof 

 I did not then understand. I saw indeed that tli| 

 daughters were generally in advance of the sons til 

 all those acquisitions which make an impression upon 

 others, and see the same to hold true at the present 

 day. Besides the greater degree of education in pro- 

 portion and the greater lincility with which the femota 

 attains thot which is interesting, there is another fa{4 

 which has far too wide and gieat an influence for mo^ 

 ny years, and often through the growth of both.-^ 

 There is not the same successful moulding of Hie Tnaot 

 ners of the sons, nor the same attention to their dj-esn 

 nor the same introduction of them into society. B 

 there is company at all, the daughters more nnturallf 

 fall into it, ond enjoy its advontages; the sons are if 

 the field, or at work in the garden or yard, and theiS' 

 clothing is suited to their work, ond not to visiting of 

 attending on company. The drets of the daughters il 

 often, not of a belter kind, but more atiractice. The 

 sons, when in early youth, often ocquire o distoste for 

 seeing company for the.'^e leasons, and avoid for mors 

 thou is for their good oil the means of social improve- 

 ment thus thrown in their way. Often too, they ore 

 ass dated with hired help of no refinement and im- 

 provement, whose influence is pernicious upon their 

 minds in every social respect. It thus happens thai 

 youth passes away before they begin to feel the itn- 

 portance and desirableness of society ; and their 

 manners and course of life have not fitted them to in. 

 terest others or to impart to them much pleasure. I 

 know that often the son is in fault, in that he excludes 

 himself far beyond what his Jrarents or hie sisters de- 

 sire, from seeing company and enjoying the benefits of 

 social intercourse. Let, however, the circumstances 

 be considered, and probably there will be found room 

 for improvement on more than one side. The posses- 

 sion of good-breeding, politeness, and good mannersi 

 is not made of as much consequence to the son, and 

 in the view of the son. His mind is mt impressed 

 with its value in an equal degree. And yet rusticity] 

 coarseness, vulgarity, impoliteness, have no necessary 

 connection with a farm and our agricultural pursuits. 

 The fine manners and gentlemanly appearance of ma- 

 ny a farmer, who have in some way become excep- 

 tions to the too generol fact, present us with all the 

 testimony needed in the cose. Bet manners will be 



10, 

 ijjinS '' 

 ilJ. I^ 



" " " 1839, 32,45 35,60 



" " " 1.^'40, 33,98 34,58 



" " " 1841.23,82 23,76 



" " April, 1838, 37,04 37,45 



" " " 1839, 4o,30 48,87 



" " " 1810, 42,86 54,71 



" " " 1841, 35,84 45,15 



This comparison shows the uncommon c 

 and April. The first half of March was 

 mean of Februory. March 17lh, wna the coldest 

 morning in the three yeors past, being 5^ below cy- 

 pher. On the 7th day there fell 14 inches of snow, 

 and on the 13th also 12 inches, ond several inches 

 more in the following days, so that the snow was 

 nearly two feet on the level after settling several ' 

 inches. Tho birds appeared about the 20th, which I rude and coarse, and the appearance unf repofgersaig 



