6 



THE NEW GExNESEE FARMER, 



Vol. 3, 



Three Experiments in Wheat Growing. 



Mr. Culman — Wlien I commenced farming, some 

 five or six years ago, having Ijecn previously engaged 

 in mercantile and manufacturing operations, I was told 

 by an esteemed friend, who was a thorough practical 

 farmer, that if I intended to grow wheat successfully, 

 I must in all cases plough my land three times in 

 Bummer fallowing ; for said he, " if you plough once, 

 you will have 10 bushels, if tmce, 20 bushels, and if 

 three timez 30 bushels per acre ; this may not be the 

 exact ratio, but it is near enough for a general rule." 

 Well sir, I commenced in thi.s way and had fair crops, 

 and set down my friends advice as my golden rule. 

 — my bed of Proclstes, and I sawed of the legs and 

 extremeties of all other plans, until they fitted my 

 theory. My land was a rather light soil, and I used 

 clover and plaster freely ; turned in the clover when in 

 full blossom, and gave it two after ploughings. 



My neighbor, whose land was of the same description 

 as mine, and who practised the rotation of clover and 

 plaster, used an entire different process ; he took off 

 from his fiald a clip of grass for hay, or sometimes pas- 

 tused it till about haying time, when he let it grow till 

 about the last of August or first of September ; then 

 he gives it a shallow perfect ploughing with a good 

 green sward plough, turning ever.' thing carefully un- 

 der, and usually rofls it down ; within a few days after 

 and sometimes immediately, drags it once and then 

 BOWS his wheat. 



I was quite determined that his crop should not be 

 as good as mine, but what was my astonishment. 

 when I observed, that from its germination to its ripen- 

 ing, it was as good or better than ray thrice ploughed 

 crop, and finally resulted in a greater yield i>er acre. 

 I then gave it up, as I found others were successfully 

 following the same course. 



A little reasoning on the subject rendered the R.\- 

 TIONALE of the process quite apparent, especially on 

 clean clover lays, free from all foul grasses. The 

 young plant has the benefit of the first and entire de- 

 composition of the rich, succulent herbage which wa: 

 ploughed under ; while m the other process of turning 

 over and over, and consequent exposure to the sun 

 rains, and atmosphere, has its volatile parts more or 

 less exhaled and lost. 



Well sir, "tliinks I to myself," ray rule is infallible 

 as to meadow and pasture lands, wliich contain Jun< 

 grass, red top, and other foul grasses, there can be no 

 gainsaying that doctrine; but alas for the infalibility of 

 genenJ rules and specifics, and for the mutability of 

 preconceived opinions. An acquaintance of jjiine 

 making good crops with once plougliing upon the 

 worst kind of foul grass green sward the country pro- 

 duces, and with considerable less labor than the three 

 plougliijig process is enabled to do. 



He commences at the usual time for summer fallow- 

 ing in June, and turns over liis land in a good and 

 husband-Uke manner, and not in the hclter skelter, 

 hit-or-miss manner in wliich too much of our plough- 

 ing is done, by being run over as if you was rithng a 

 steeple chase ; but carefully and entirely turning everj' 

 green thing fairly imder. It is then left until he finds 

 that the grasses begin to shew life through the fun'ows, 

 when it immediately gets a thorough harrowing, and 

 so on, from two to four times, till the period of sowing, 

 according to the dryness or wetness of the season, and 

 the situation of the land ; the surface is left in fine 

 smooth order for mowing, free from those unsightly 

 and troublesome lumps of undecomposed sods; and as 

 far as my observation has gone, the grasses were as 

 Well got under as nine tenths of the lands fallowed by 

 the old process, and is performed with much less la- 

 bor ; for with a good 30 tooth hinge drag, a team will 

 go over from G to 8 times as much land in a day as 

 they can plough. 



Now sir, in these days of tribulation for farmers, 

 from the depreciation of real estate and low price* of 



the produce of the farm, "when we can't get a dollar 

 a day for labor, and it is State Prison for stealuig," it 

 behooves us to look about our own interests, and if we 

 crn't get rid of our old habits of cxi^enditures, wliich 

 high notions and high prices have saddled us with, we 

 should at least try if we cannot get our usual quantum 

 of produce with less expe.nse and ljeop.. If the 

 saving of a -crop of grass and once ploughing, will give 

 as good or better return than the thrice ploughing pro- 

 <^^^, let those who dare depart from the old beaten 

 track, try it. AGRICOLA. 



Greece, Monroe Co., N. V. 



P. S. In your next paper I propose to give your 

 readers my three experiments upon raising potatoes, 

 and some of my notions about sorts, soils; productive- 

 ness, and their elementary value as a crop comjarcd 

 with the other roots. 



For the iN'crr Gtneaec Farmer, 

 Ploughing Matches. 



Mr. Editor — As ploughing malchcs ore now con- 

 sidered an essential purt of our Agricultural Fairs and 

 are usually mentioned as that part which excites the 

 most interest, it becomes a matter of interesting in- 

 quiry, why they excite so much attention, and wheth- 

 er they niny not be improved eo as to be still more 

 useful and interesting? I have sometimes felt at a 

 lusa OS to the cause of the inlense interest with which 

 thousands look upon a few teams ploughing, when 

 that is the ordinary every day business of the former, 

 and teams may be seen engaged in it almost from one 

 year's end to another. An equal number teams 

 engaged in the ordinary ploughing of the form would 

 scarcely nriest the oltention of the traveller, and would 

 perhaps only elicit n single remark, although greater 

 skill were exhibited in the performance, and teams 

 and ploughs better adapted to the work. It is evi- 

 dent that it is not the raritij of the shoic,nor the beauty 

 or oppenronce of the teoms or ploughs, for these are gen 

 erally quite ordinary in oppeorance. Nor can it be in 

 the work to be done ; for the ground is usually the 

 most unsuitable for ploughing which can any where 

 be found. The Work is beyond the capacity of the 

 team— the plough is not adjusted to the soil, no op 

 portunity being given for regulating the depth and 

 width of furrow which on experienced ploughman is 

 coreful to do, and which requires some three or four 

 bouts to adjust aright. The teams are frightened by 

 the throng which surround them — the ploughman ie 

 excited and nervous by being the object of bo much 

 observation and remark. The word is given and off 

 he goes at the top of his speed, his plough bounding 

 from right to left and making more bullcs the first 

 time through than he would make at home in a week. 

 Geuerollytbe team which is most accustomed to noise 

 and bustle, and the plough which is adopted to no 

 VN'ork in particular, comes out first and wins the day. 



As to the the performance, the judges ore saved all 

 trouble of an opinion upon it, as the stamping of thou- 

 sands of loafers obliterate all distinction of furrows. 



The contest is over, the premiums paid, and who 

 is the wiser for it : teams are over driven, the land is 

 rather injured thsn benefited ; no information is gain- 

 ed as to easy draft of ploughs, the ability to lay over a 

 furrow or give it the requisite slope, width and depth. 



No man is the wiser or better, except those who 

 get the premiums, and they often pay deorly ibr their 

 money by the harm done their teams. And yet mul- 

 titudes go away highly pleased with the ploughing 

 match and think it the most interesting part of the 

 exhibition. Would they not be as tvell pleased had 

 these teams been hitched to logs and drawn, to see 

 which could draw the heaviest log with the greatest 

 speed ? And would they not be almost as much en- 

 lightened in the science of ploughing ? 



It seems to me that ware our AgricuUaral Societies 



to give this subject a little attention, our ploui^bing 

 matches might be greatly improved. As in every 

 other art, the watchword must be onward. But these 

 matches ore now managed just as they were twenty 

 years ago. If we have mode no improvement in 

 Using ploughs in Ivsenty years, we hove greatly im- 

 proved the instrument. We hove not now the sauio 

 obstacles to contend with that wc hod then. Our 

 farms are in a good measure cleared of roots, stump, 

 and stones. Therefore it ceases to be a recommenda 

 tionofa ploughman, that he is skillful in dogginj 

 stumps — wejequire something more. Whotconsii 

 tutes good ploughing? Verily, thot the soil be equal 

 ly broken to a uniform depth. This evidently can- 

 not be done except the furrows be straight. For ii 

 crooked furrows there is an inequality in the width 

 and of course some pons ore more pulverized thai 

 others. Let, then, our ogriculturnl societies rcquin 

 these three things in ploughing, viz : thot the furrow, 

 be straight, and of uniform depth and width. And 

 would suggest that the field be selected beforehand 

 and that a competent committee determine what tha 

 depth and width shall be, by an examinntion of th 

 soil, and let these be published as the rules of th 

 match. If the field be in good condition for plough 

 ing, and the crop that is to follow admit, I woul 

 name five inches for the depth and eight for the width 

 and let the premium be awarded to the man wh 

 shall the most accnrotely comply with these requir< 

 ments. Let ample time be given thot the plonghma 

 may go deliberately at his work, and I am grentl 

 mistaken if these matches do not tend greotly to tb 

 improvement of ploughing in all its variations, or 

 be equally interesting with those whose princijial ri 

 quirement is speed. Yours, &c. 



MYRON ADAMS. 

 East Bloonificld, Dec. 21, l.-j.ll. 



For th& S^'ew GtKesee Farmer 

 The State Fair and Western Cattle. 



Messrs. Editors — I observe that Western Ne 

 York receives severe censures for not being better re 

 resented at the State Fan- at Syracuse, but I thin 

 when all the circumstances arc considered, it will 

 seen that much of this censure is not deserved. 



It is a fact that the farmers of Western New Yo 



are more in debt than those of the Eastern porric 



and when the times are as hard as at present, it ca 



not be expected that tliey can afford to spend as mu 



time and money a.s would be necessary to take aniin 



to that Fair. Let us, before we go further, see wl 



would be the probable expense of taking one anir 



there, with an attendant, say from Batavia ; — 



Fare by Rail-Road to Rochester, 3,0( 



Expenses of man and beast in Rochester, l.Of 



Fare to Syracuse on Boat and feed, 7,0( 



Expenses in Syracuse 2 or 3 days, say .'i.OC 



Returning to Batavia, ] 1 ,2f 



$27, 5C 

 Thus it will be seen that the expenses for one a 

 mal would be as much as the price obtained for 1] 

 pounds of [lork or beef. In this cstunate no allowai 

 is made for the time or services of the man who 

 companies the animal, which would swell the anioi 

 to at least ten dollars more — making no uiconside 

 ble smn, if it has to be made by raising pork or b 

 these times. 



I have no doubt but that Western New York < 

 compete with any other portion of the State in prod 

 ing fine anunals : and I for one should have gone 

 that Fair and taken some stock without calculat) 

 expenses, had I found others in this county willin|; 

 do the same ; but I did not like to be the only rei 

 sentutivc for old Genesee. 



If the farmers of this region had an opportun 

 like those of the East, for transporting their calUi 

 Syracuse fre« of supeiwe, i have ne d»ubt but I 



