PROCEEDINGS OF THE FARMERS' CLUB. 179 



is in flour by the barrel, which is "seven-quarters," after tlic old English 

 measure of 112 pounds per cwt. If our boards of trade in cities would 

 resolve that all fl nir, after a certain date, should be packed in barrels of 

 exactly 200 pounds, they would do much to abolish that foolish old English 

 custom. We should all try to introduce the decimal divisions of weigiits, 

 count and currency in our trade; and there is no better way to bring about 

 this much needed reform than through our common schools. 



Sweet Potatoes — How to Grow Them. 



A North Cart)Iina sweet potato grower answers the question, " What is 

 the matter with the sweet potatoes?" as follows: "Having had much 

 experience in raising that valuable esculent, I will give it as my opinion 

 that the two principal causes of failure were the deep tillage and probably 

 the kind of manure used. Land for sweet potatoes should not be cultivated 

 to a very great depth, and especially in northern latitudes, as the soil 

 ceases to be a conductor of heat in proportion to the depth to which it is 

 broken. Hence, as they require all the heat that can be given, the ground 

 should not be broken to a very great depth, but kept stirred often while 

 growing. Much depends on the kind of manure used. The potato takes 

 largely into its composition of potash; therefore manures containing it are 

 most suitable. Hence, wood-ashes may be considered about the best 

 manure. All lot manures should be mixed about half and half with ashes, 

 the quality of each being improved. However, the best of all manures 

 that I have ever tried is the dirt and cleanings from under houses, consist- 

 ing largely of saltpeter. In a careful experiment with some ten or a dozen 

 dififerent kinds of manure, I found the scrapings from under houses best; 

 fowl-yard manure second; ashes and barn-yard manure mixed next; ashes 

 next; barn-yard manure next. It is not an unusual thing to hear it said 

 that certain pieces of land are too rich for potatoes, especially barn-yards; 

 but should you give the same a heav}' coating of wood-ashes, you will then 

 find that it is not too rich. It is merely too rich in vegetable matter, but 

 lacks the potash. Potatoes should always be planted in hills." 



Sorghum in Illinois. 



Mr. D. F. Rogers writes from Waltham, La Salle county, Illinois, that 

 " The present season has been very favorable to sorghum, and the breadth 

 planted was very large. La Salle county makes her own molasses this 

 year, and sends a good deal away to other markets. In spite of the con- 

 tinual ciy that tlie cane deteriorates, the average yield this autumn is 

 larger than the three preceding, varj'ing from 160 to 200 gallons per acre, 

 and richer than common in sweetness. This fall we are making it up at 

 fifty cents per gallon, or half the syrup, and the best sells readily at $1.40 

 per gallon. I have been a sorghum boiler for four years, and so speak from 

 experience. We find the best cane " all round" is that which comes the 

 nearest, in its spring, summer and fall habits, to the first importations of 

 Chinese cane, though it will be evident to any one who thinks of the mat- 

 ter, that to keep sorghum seed of an}' variety, or I infer, of any variety pure 

 in flat, open country like this, where winds, birds and bees can carry tho 



