PROCEEDINGS OP THE FARMERS' CLUB. 275 



the mag'gots had left the roots, lice in millions commenced operations on 

 their leaves ; and the result was that from more than 3,000 hills I harvested 

 about 100 fair heads, but a portion of these were burst open, and had to be 

 disposed of at a low price. 



SWEET CORN. 



" I planted a patch of sweet corn, manured in the hill with the cleanings 

 of a hog-pen. Half of it never came up, and half that did come up looked 

 all summer as though it had the consumption. Part of it did well, but just 

 as it was maturing enough to eat, an army of skunks took possession of the 

 field every night, and, instead of selling corn enough to pay my taxes, as 

 I had anticipated, I hardly got enough for my own use. 



BEETS AND MICE. 



" I planted a large quantity of beets. Some of the common long blood 

 beets were very large, measuring twenty-one inches in circumference and 

 weighing eighteen pounds each, and were very tender and sweet ; but 

 before they were harvested a varmint of the mouse family, dirty-brown 

 color, with thick body, short mane, legs, and tail (is it the gopher?) took 

 possession of the field and destroyed a large portion of the crop. These 

 ' rebels ' burrowed in the ground among the beets, ate into thom under 

 ground or just at the surface, and left nothing but a shell of the beet- 

 The same pests destroyed peas, and often ate every potato in the hill. I 

 tried various ways to get rid of them, but could not make them 'skedaddle,' 

 and now in winter they are gnawing the bark from my thimbleberry bushes. 



PEAS, BEANS, AND TCRKEYS. 



" I planted peas among my potatoes, dropping two to four in each hill, 

 and found that hoeing improved their size very much. When ripe, I pulled 

 and spread the vines on the grass to dry. The next morning, when I went 

 to the farm, which is a mile from my dwelling, I found an army of forty- 

 four turkeys feeding on my peas. I drove the long-necks home to the 

 owner, and requested him to take care of them ; but they often returned, 

 devoured my pole beans as high as their long legs and necks could reach, 

 damaged my cabbages, and several bushels of Baldwin apples. 



POTATOES. , 



" I planted potatoes enough to raise 200 bushels, but, in consequence of 

 the rot, got only 40 bushels of sound ones. 



FRUIT TREES. 



" In the neighborhood are several old orchards, neglected by their own- 

 ers, their trunks filled with borers, and their limbs covered with all manner 

 of vermin, and these pests are taking possession of my young trees set out 

 three years ago. 



HUMAN THIEVES. 



" I have currant bushes that bear two boxes on a limb. Animals in tho 

 human shape enter the field by night and cut up these bushes, loaded with 

 fruit, and carry them off. 



PEAR THIEVES. 



"I have a row of dwarf pear trees that bear from half a peck to half a 

 bushel each. Human animals visit these in the night and rob them of the 



