I,n0 



THE NEW GENESEE FARMER, 



Vol. { 



TnANSACTIONS OF THE NEW YORK 

 ^ STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



The next paper in the Transactions is the Report 

 of the Corresponding Secretary. Tliis does great 

 credit to his intelligence, zeal, and industry ; and give 

 him claims upon the grateful ackuowlcdgmcntj of the 

 friends of Agricultural Improvement throughout the 

 State. In all such cases as the trust undertaken by 

 him, two things are particularly important ; the first a 

 clear conception of thevpork to be done, and second, all 

 due diligence and perseverance in its accomplishment. 

 In these respects the Secretary desen'es all praise. 



We have room for only a single quotation. 



" The undersigned may be permitted to remark that 

 he deems it one of the first objects of the State Socie- 

 ty, to collect and disseminate information in relation to 

 the most approved methods of conducting every pro- 

 cess of husbandry, on the different soils, and under the 

 varying circumstances which must necessarily exist on 

 a tarritory so eitcnsive and diversified as that of New 

 York. To note also the gradual changes and improve- 

 ments which annually occur in its different sections, 

 and to make them the proiwrty of the whole, is also an 

 important branch of our duties. The unprejudiced 

 observer who turns his eye back thirty, or even ten 

 years, will perceive that changes of great magnitude 

 have taken place. Nor has the skill of the husband- 

 man yet reached its height. Science is daily placing 

 new resources at his command, and pointing out to him 

 potent and unsuspected agencies which, for the want 

 of a proper knowledge of them, have lain dormant 

 within the reach of his hand. Chemistry has consent- 

 ed to become his handmaid ; and geology at his bidding 

 unlocks th» secrets of the earth. Mathematics has 

 wandered from the schools to teach him to construct 

 the utensils of his labor ; and zoology has made known 

 her laws, to enhance the value of the flocks and herds 

 who feed and clothe him. 



The agricultural periodicals of the dar are doing 

 much to disseminate and equalize, among our farming 

 population, the light which is flowing in from so many 

 quarters. It is the duty of the State Society to take 

 the lead in this effort, and to stamp permanently on its 

 aichives every progressive step, which attends the ad- 

 vance of agricultural science. In canclusion, the un- 

 dersigned takes occasion to reiterate tho hope already 

 expressed by him, that the agriculturists of our State, 

 if again called on to contribute their assistance to an 

 undertaking of this kind, will evince as much zeal as 

 they possess ability for the task." 

 AGRICULTURE OF CAYUGA COUNTY. 



Two letters on the Agriculture of Cayuga County 

 are next given. We should be glad to insert the 

 whole, but must limit ourselves to some few quotations. 



" The principal improvements in this county consist 

 in draining, manuring, and the use of clover and plas- 

 ter as a preparation for wheat. Our intelligent farm- 

 ers generally drain each field sufficiently, before break- 

 ing up for wheat or corn. The increased product pays 

 the expense in '.wo or three years. 



The beneficial eflccts of plaster consist cliiefly in pro- 

 ducing a large growth of clover. If this be suffered to 

 fall, or be trampled down by cattle after it has attained 

 its full growth, the land will gensrally produce a large 

 erep of wheat. 



Thesoil is generally adry loam. Tho west, central, 

 and part of the northern and southern sections contain 

 considerable limestone. A part of the northern sec- 

 tions is sandy, with little lime. The hilly parts before 

 mentioned, are nearly destitute of it, 



The principal products of the calcareous parts of the 

 county are, wheat and wool. Considerable quanti- 

 ties of pork and beef are also sent to market ; tho lar- 

 ger portions from such parts of the county as are de- 

 ficient in lime, and theref«re not adapted to the culture 

 of wheat. 



For wheat, naked summer fallows on swarded land, 

 are generally used by our best farmers. In most parts 

 of this county, the crop ought to he sown as early as 

 the Ist of September, and the land should be clean 

 and rich. It has been proposed to sow wheat after one 

 ploughing of grass land. This might answer on san- 

 dy soils, but on clay, the sod would remain inert, ob- 

 struct tho wheat roots, and furnish little nutrunent to 

 the young plants. Frequent ploughings cause the 

 sod to absorb from the atmosphere substances useful to 

 vegetation. 



Barley requires a rich clean soil, and the more tho- 

 roughly it is pulverised, the better. It should be rol- 

 led before the last ploughing, and thoroughly harrow- 

 ed in. Oats are usually sown on stubble land after 

 once ploughing. Spring wheat is but little cultivated 

 where I reside. Until our land can be freed from 

 Canada thistle , charlock, &c., the three last mention- 

 ed crops ought in my opinion to be cultivated as Utile 

 as possible. 



I would say to ray brother farmers, drain thoroughly, 

 cultivate less land, keep less stock, and never go to the 

 expense of ploughing and sowing, until your land is in 

 such condition as to afford a prospect of a remunerating 

 crop. To new beginners I would say, imitate those 

 fames in your neighborhood who obtain the best 

 crops." 



" The condition of agriculture in this county has ma- 

 terially changed within forty years. The town in 

 which I settled was a wilderness, and all that was ne- 

 cessary was to clear off the forest, and wo obtained 

 from thirty to forty bushels of wheat jier acre. 



Our present condition is different. We obtain now, 

 rarely more than twenty bushels per acre. The de- 

 crease is owing to the manner of cultivation. Many 

 farmers have been in the habit of planting their lands 

 to corn, or sowing to oats, peas, barley, &c., in the 

 spring, and after taking this crop off in the fall, imme- 

 diately sowing to wheat; after this, peas or barley; 

 thus taxing the land beyond its power of production ; 

 while others, who have pursued the more judicious 

 course of sowing clover after wheat, and rota'ing their 

 crops, are still getting from thirty to forty bushels per 

 acre, if the season be favorable. 



The soil of the most part of this county is peculiar- 

 ly adapted to wheat, especially the southwestern part, 

 in the vicinity of thq plaster beds. Whenever we sow 

 this crop in this region, if we sow after clover and use 

 the plaster freely, we seldom fail of obtaining from 

 thirty to forty bushels per acre. 



The most judicious method, I think, is to sow to 

 wheat in the fall, and the following spring sow from 

 six to eight pounds of clover seed to the acre, with, 

 perhaps, one and a half bushel of plaster. The next 

 season after taking off the wheat, mow the clover the 

 last of June, and plaster well immediately after, then 

 the second crop of clover will start in time to fill well 

 with seed, which will answer to mow early in Septem- 

 ber , from which crop, we get from six to eight bush- 

 els of seed per acre. The next spring after the taking 

 off of the seed clover, we either plough and plant to 

 corn, or let it remain and secure another crop of clo- 

 ver, about the middle of July ; after which, we plouirh 

 and sow to wheat. Frequently, however, before sow- 

 ing to wheat, we roll the ground, and after Icttinj it 

 remain a few weeks we go overit with the harrow and 

 cultivator, which well pulverizes the surface of the 

 ground. The long tap root of the clover makes a fine 

 dressing for the wheat. 



Often of late, after sowing our wheat, we cover the 

 ground from one to two inches with straw, wliich keeps 

 tho ground moist and protects the tender wheat from 

 the spring frosts. 



With respect to the West method of fattening cattle, 

 I consider one bushel of flaxseed worth more than four 

 buehels of eorn, if properly prepared. I will grvs you : 



my method. I put six quarts of flaxseed into a fiv 

 pail kettle, and fill it with water, then hang it over thi 

 fire in the evening and lot it simmer (not boil) all nigb 

 Set it off in the morning, and you will have a kettl' 

 full of jelly. With five or six quarts of this jelly mL 

 the same quantity of shorts or meal, which an ox Oi 

 cow will be exceedingly fond of, after eating of it 

 few times. Any one will be convinced of this wh 

 has been accustomed to feeding oil cake. If the o 

 cake is worth three shilhngs per bushel after extraci 

 ing six quarts of oil, what is the seed worth in th 

 pure state?" 



The agriculture of Courtland County is next no 

 ticed. 

 AGRICULTURE OF CORTLAND COUNT'S 



" This is comparatively a new country. Withi) 

 half a century it was one dense forest. The land 

 which now sell for fifty dollars and more, were pui 

 chased for less than five dollars. We see in almoi 

 every part of the county evidence of well directed el 

 fort in the cultivated fields, comfortable dwellings an. 

 out-houses, public buildings, temples, seminaries c 

 learning, and above all district school houses, whicl 

 are the glory of our county. The general aspect c 

 the county is uneven, though not mountainous. Ther 

 is, properly speaking, no waste landin the county; n 

 large bodies of water; no barren mountcuns, steril 

 plains or sunken swamps. The hills are capable a 

 cultivation to their summits, and afford some of on 

 finest grazing land. The county is remarkably wel 

 watered. 



The soil best adapted to cultivation is a deep grav 

 elly loam, well adapted to the production of grain 

 roots and grass, the three great staples of agriculturs' 

 produce. The state of agriculture in the county i< 

 such as might be expected in a new country. Then 

 are some well cultivated fields, but no well directed syw 

 tem of agriculture prevails. Many fields have boef 

 under the plough for a number of years in succession 

 producing annually small crops of corn and otha 

 grains. 



The most important question remains to be auswe» 

 ed, viz: what agricultiu'al changes are requisite 1 



A well directi d system of convertible husbandryr 

 by which I mean a judicious rotation of crops, and 

 proper attention to the making and application of ma 

 nure. The annual production of all our tillage lam 

 may be doubled in a very few years, and the intrinsi- 

 value of the soil greatly increased. 



An acre of good tillage land in Cortland county 

 with thirty loads of long manure on a clover or gras ■ 

 ley, and properly cultivated, will produce eighty bush 

 els of corn with as much certainty as forty in the com 

 mon way, after other crops, and without manure. Afte 

 corn, the root crop can be cultivated to great advan 

 tage, and without any detriment to the succeeding cro] 

 of spring grain, and after roots the ground will be ii 

 perfect order for the succeeding crop. After roots, sov 

 spring grain, wheat, barley or oats, and sow grass see< 

 and plaster with a liberal hand ; and for two or threi 

 years you may expect three tons of good hay to thi 

 acre, and at the expiration of that time a good grass lej 

 for ant ther f ighty bushels of corn. 



The culture of roots, in a stock county like ours, ii 

 of great importance. Cattle may be well wintered oi 

 any kind of coarse fodder, such as cornstalks or straw 

 with a small portion of roots daily, better than they cac 

 on hay alone. But every farmer must adopt that sys- 

 tem which bests suits his .soil arid circumstances." 



The agriculture of Dutchess county is next report- 

 ed, in a very condensed and business like manner. 

 AGRICULTURE OF DUTCHESS COUNTY, 



"The present state of agriculture is favorable, 

 much improvement having been made of late years. 



Di'tchcBS county has some broken and rugged lands^ 

 but the aspect of the county generally, is very fine. 



