118 



THE NEW GENESEE FARMER, 



Vol. 3 



TRANSACTIONS OF THE NEW YORK 

 STATE AGRICULTURAI. SOCIETY. 



The Report of the Jeflcrson County Agricultural 

 Society is exceedingly well drawn up. We give mere- 

 ly an analysis or abridgement of its contents. 



The report commends the practice of manuring fal- 

 lows for wheat. It would have been gratifying and 

 instructive, had the committee informed us when and 

 how this manure was applied ; whether at the first 

 ploughing or at the last ; what manure is applied and 

 in what condition ; whether ploughed in or dragged in ; 

 and in what quantities. 



The average yield of cheese to a cow, 309 pounds, 

 by which we suppose is intended new milk cheese only, 

 is respectable, but not more than that, in a country 

 where the pasturage is so abimdant. The yield of but- 

 ter, 112 pounds to & cow, is much less than it should 

 be. In Cheshire, Mass., 500 lbs. of new milk cheese 

 and 25 lbs. of butter are not infrequently obtained to a 

 cow, in dairies consisting of thirty and forty cows, and 

 we have known, of butter, 180 lbs., 200 lbs., 212 lbs. 

 obtained to a cow, where several cows have been kept. 

 We speak in tliis case of native stock altogether; what 

 might be done with the Improved Stock and with bet- 

 ter keeping, remains to be seen. 



Premiums appear to have been bestowed upon three 

 farms, although ten farms are briefly referred to. The 

 names of the successful competitors in these cases do 

 not appear, and in only one case is the town referred 

 to in which the farm is situated. This is a singular 

 omission, for which undoubtedly the committee had 

 their reasons, but do not give them. No. 5 particular- 

 ly, is represented by the committee as being "as fine a 

 farm, in all respects, as the county affords. There 

 are on it 750 rods cedar post and board fence and 350 

 rods staked with perpendicular stakes." Now it miist 

 be admitted that this is a very meagre account, and 

 about as instructive as if the coimnittee had told us of 

 a farm in the moon of as many acres and with just as 

 many rods of stone wall. 



We like very much the suggestion of the committee 

 to give a premium to the best farm in each town ; and 

 we mean no disrespect in remarking upon the deficien- 

 cies of their valuable report; but the object of agricul- 

 tural premiums is not merely to stimulate agricultural 

 skill, industry, and enterprise; but also, and chiefly, to 

 obtain from another man's success such information of 

 his mode of operation as may enable us to obtain simi- 

 lar results. From a farmer, who becomes the subject 

 of a premium, we should have so extended an account 

 of his whole farm management, operations and experi- 

 ments, that his farm may serve as a pattern and guide 

 for others. But where not only the farm management 

 is not detailed, but even the names of the farmers and 

 the places are not given, certainly the public are httle 

 benefitted ; and one of the best objects of giving pre- 

 miums is entirely defeated. — Ed, 



Jefferson County Agricnltural Society. 



Paid in premiums, $385 00. 



The viewing committee visited twelve towns of the 

 county, and inspected twenty-two farms and eighteen 

 dairies. It is the unanimous opinion of the commit- 

 tee, that the premium should hereafter be given for the 

 best farm in each town. 



Desirable Improvement.— "We distinguish a most 

 gratifying improvement throughout the county. The 

 committee regret that less attention is paid to ornament- 

 ing the front yards of the new houses with shade trees 

 and shrubbery, than they deserve. Attention paid to 

 these interesting objects, is labor well applied. 



PaUtrws Mamired.—We observed a great deal of 

 land so\Ting to wheat. We never saw fallows in finer 

 condition. Among the gratifying improvements every 

 where observable in our husbandry, the renewed atten- 

 tion now paid to manuring the fallows is very conspic- 

 uous. In the first settlement of the county, good crops 



were raised without manure; but the generality of our 

 lands demand it. Diligent attention paid to accumu- 

 lating heaps of compost for our fallows, can alone en- 

 sure us a reasonable prospect of a profitable crop. 

 Whether lime can not be used to as great advantage, 

 as in some of the older States remaihs to be seen. To 

 our knowledge the experiment has not, as yet, been 

 fairly tried. 



AypU Orcliards. — We saw enough lo convince Us, 

 that with proper attention, the common prejudice that 

 apple trees will not flourish well north of the Black 

 river is erroneous. We passed some as fine orchards 

 in this section, as are to be found in any other parts of 

 the country. 



Fencing. — Great improvement has taken place in 

 fencing. Some farms that we ^itcd are almost whol- 

 ly fenced with straight post and board fence, thus mak- 

 ing a great saving of land, as well as a permanent and 

 handsome banier. 



Public Roads. — We found the roads perfectly good ; 

 though much of this is owing doubtless to the dry sea- 

 son, yet in turnpiking and bridges there is a gradual 

 improvement. In the town of Alexandria, the newest 

 in the county, we found the roads fully equal to those 

 in the oldest town. 



Canada Thistle. — We saw less of that pest to our 

 farms, the Canada thistle, than has heretofore been ob- 

 served. Our good farmers have learned to exterminate 

 them by thorough ploughing and mowing. It is the 

 duty of the path-master to have these cut from the 

 roads, but surely no good farmer would allow them to 

 remain on roads passing through his farm, even should 

 the overseer neglect his duty, which is manifestly the 

 case in some places. 



Size of Farms. — One great error in our farming, 

 observed by us as well as others, is in having too large 

 farms. Except for grazing, it is questionable whether 

 a farm ought to exceed one hundred acres; and one 

 half of this may be considered ample for a farmer who 

 has not afamily ofboystoas-ist him. Isis afacl often 

 spoken of in the older portions of the State, that after 

 the paternal farm has been divided among the children, 

 as much is raised from the parts by increased attention 

 to manuring and cropping, as was formerly raised from 

 the whole. It is very certain that a small farm adjoin- 

 ing the village of Watertown, of about forty acres, is, 

 by thorough culture and undivided attention to that 

 small number of acres, made more profitable to its 

 owner. Hart Massey, Esq., than some farms in the 

 county of three times the size. 



Silk Culture. — The raising of silk worms and the 

 manufacture of silk, is, as we learn, in very successful 

 operation in Carthage. The small children of the 

 family can be employed in this occupation to great 

 profit. 



Cheese Dairies. — The twelve cheese dairies we visit- 

 ed milked in all three hundred and fit^y-four cows. 

 By adding to the gross amount already made one third 

 for the remainder of the season, we find that each cow 

 will have made 309 pounds of cheese. At six cents 

 per pound this brings the earnings of each cow to 

 eighteen dollars and fifty-four cents for the year. 



Butter Dairies. — The six butter dahies offered to 

 our inspection milked one hundred and eight cows; 

 adding one third to the amount now made, they will 

 average one hundred and twelve pounds each; this, at 

 fourteen cents per pound, is equal to fifteen dollars and 

 sixty cents; a difference in favor of the cheese dairies 

 of two dollars and eighty-six cents each cow. 



Premium Farms: — The farm to which the first pre- 

 mium is given, contains about one hundred acres of 

 improved land. The present occupant has been on it 

 thirty-three years ; he originally took up but forty acres, 

 and having paid for that, has been gradually adding 

 to it. It is a grazing farm, and in a high state of cul- 

 tivation^ not a weed or a thistle to be seen upon it ! ! | 



There is on this farm, 550 rods of cedar posts and 

 board fence. 



The second premium has been given to a farm of 

 160 acres, 80 of which are improved. The owner has 

 on it, 700 rods of handsome stone wall, nearly every 

 rod of which was laid by himself. It has a fine or- 

 chard, and is in all respec'.s in the most farmerlike con- 

 dition. 



The third premmra is awarded to a farm in the town 

 of Alexandria. This farm is an example of what can 

 be accomplished in a few years of patient industry. It 

 contains 200 acres, of which 150 are improved. It is 

 mostly a grain farm, in a high state of cultivation, free 

 of weeds and thistles, and has been cleared by the 

 present occupant within the last nine years. There 

 are on it lOOO rods of black-ash fence. 



OuoiKla'ga Agiicultnral Society. 



This is a highly valuable report, and may be rfead 

 vrith advantage by every farmer. Mr. Gaylord's notion 

 that by keeping the locust tree shaded he shall ivoid 

 the attack of the borer, remains to be proved. We 

 should be glad to know on what facts or experience it 

 rests. The most successful experiment, we have 

 known, in expelling and keeping ofl'the borer has been 

 made by Allen G. Metcalf "of Lenox, Massachusetts. 

 He washed his locust trees as thoroughly as he coUlJ 

 with spirits of turpentine mixedwith water. His trees 

 were much infected with the borer. After this they 

 were not found, and when we saw the trees, which 

 was some years after the application, thsy had not re- 

 turned. 



Mr. Gaylord's corn it appears was much injured by 

 the wire worm. We have known one good farmer, 

 who was accustomed, after ploughing green sward, to 

 take a crop of oats, that he might avoid the wire worm, 

 as his com always suffered severely when it was made 

 the first crop in such cases. Another experienced far- 

 mer recommends not ploughing until very late, so that 

 there may be a considerable amount of young grass 

 turned under, upon which the worm's might feed, in- 

 stead of feeding upon the corn. 



We gave an account in a late paper of a skilful far- 

 mer, who was rccustomed to mix saltwitli^hismaniire, 

 by which he, from long experience, was satisfied that 

 his com was saved from the attack of the worm. From 

 this and some other facts known to us, it seems quite 

 desirable that salt should in some way be tried for this 

 object. It is important that it should not be appUed 

 in too large doses. — Remember Lot's wife, poor woman ! 

 —Ed. 



Onondaga Agricultural Society. 



The farm of Silas Gajlord is on the west bank of 

 Skaneatelas lake, and about four miles south of the 

 village. This farm contains 145 acres, 25 of which 

 are covered with wood. The 120 acres are all arable 

 land, and suitably divided into fields, on which is pur- 

 sued a course of crops. A large share of the western 

 part of this farm was formerly so vret as to be unfit for 

 tillage. This Mr. Gaylord has very properly reclaim- 

 ed by underdraining, which is a very profitable opera- 

 tion on lands which are so moist as to be otherwise un- 

 tillable. Twelve hundred rods of stone undcrdrain are 

 already constructed on this farm. The buildings are 

 well located and in good repair. The outbuildings are 

 extensive and convenient, especially the barn, which is 

 very large, with cellar, shed or stabling, under the 

 whole of it. Tills is a great improvement, as it re- 

 quires no additional roof, and furnishes a place where 

 stock can be kept comfortable in the most inclement 

 weather ; a convenient cellar for the preservation of 

 roots, and a place for preserving manure from the great 

 waste attendant on exposing it to the storms of winter 

 and spring. 



The farming tools are in good order, under cover and 

 ready for use. The fences mostly in good order, and 



