AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 595 



proached to eat them, they have been seized and carried off. I 

 once caught one, and was bitten, and scratched so severely, as to 

 be pleased to let the creature go. Insectivorous birds are occa- 

 sionally graminivorous, I will allow, and feast on our grain and 

 fruits, but the injury they do, cannot be compared to the benefit. 



A farmer, will only be truly a farmer, when he seriously sets 

 himself to work to discriminate between the birds and insects, 

 that injure, and serve him; he may then gather together, in one 

 harmonious whole, all living nature. 



Solon Robinson — We have discussed the potato question to 

 some extent lately, and I hope profitably. Last week I read an 

 article from a Leeds (England) paper, which stated that peas 

 inserted in the tuber before planting would produce an increased 

 crop of peas, and wholly prevented the potato rot. Now I will 

 read from the letter of K. K. Kenney, Lorraine county, Ohio, pub- 

 lished in The Ohio Farmer, April 17, the following extract, which 

 gives some valuable information in relation to seed potatoes. 

 Mr. K. says : 



About the first of last May I selected a small piece of ground, 

 made it very mellow, and planted it with care in the following 

 order : 



First, two rows of six hills each, with pieces from medium-sized 

 tubers, each piece having one eye, and four pieces in a hill. Se- 

 cond, do, with whole medium-sized tubers, one in each hill. 

 Third, do, with eyes having very little of the tuber attached, four 

 in each hill. Fourth, do, with small tubers, four in each hill. 

 Fifth, do, with eyes from the seed end of each tuber. Sixth, do, 

 with eyes from the stem end of the large tubers. Seventh, do, 

 with small, unripe tubers, taken up while quite green on purpose 

 for trial. 



At digging time the following was the result : 



Weight of Average No. of Average weight Yield per acre, 



seed. tubers in hill. in 12 hills. Bushels. 



No. lbs. oz. lbs. 



1 19 9 23| 150 



2 3 1 101 30 160 



3 5 8| 24 128 



4 14 15 31 165 



5 1 2 101 34 192 



6. 1 12 12^ 42^ 218 



V---. 5^ 27^ 148 



