378 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[October, 
NORWAY- OATS. 
The experience of hundreds of reliable farmers during the 
past season wore titan sustains every claim heretofore made 
in favor of this grain. They have been thoroughly tested in 
sixteen different States, ami the reports from all quarters are 
most enthusiastic. Wc shall give extracts from letters, with 
the full address of the writers, who can be referred to if any 
of the readers wish to do so. We are introducing an im 
provement which has genuine merit, and is of vast import- 
ance to the farming interests of the country, and we prefer 
to let the farmers themselves tell the story, as they have 
done in the following 
TESTIMONIALS. 
Under date of August 18th, 1SSS, Gen. Thomas, Lieut.- 
Gov. of Vermont, says: "I have seen the Norway Oats, 
raised by D. W. Ilamsdell, crowing in fields in this section, 
for the past three years, and I consider them far superior 
to any other oats in the country, for their great yield per 
acre, and excellent quality. The straw grows very strong, 
and they are not so liable to lodge as the other kinds." 
R. II. Hyde, Esq., West Farlee, President or Orange Co.. 
Vt. Agricultural society, Aug. 4th, 'G3, says: "Their ability 
to produce more than twice as many bushels to the acre, and 
their hardiness and thrifty growth, rendering tlicm much 
les3 liable to be destroyed by storms or disease, are points 
which no intelligent fanner can overlook. The question to 
be decided by fanners is not whether they can afford to buy 
the seed, but rather, can they afford to continue to plow and 
cultivate their land for 30 or 40 bushels to the acre, weigh- 
ing 30 lbs. or les* to the bushel, when they can just as well 
raise 100 bushels, weighing 40 to 4.i lbs. to the bushel on the 
saino ground with the same labor? 
lean recommend them to farmers an being all that you 
claim for them, and am glad to know that you will be able 
to supply tit cm to a larger extent the coming season than 
.,|-,j;v 
Hon. Orange Comstock, of West Farlee, Vt.. Aug. lTlh, *68, 
says: " I have this day examined some Norway Oats grown 
by P. R. Robinson of tins place. I have lived to see 77 years, 
and can truly say 1 never saw such ft splendid specimen of 
oats before. The heads are from 13 to IS Inches long, the 
meat very large and floury. Mr. Uarasdell hns my best wish 
cs for his succt'M hi an enterprise of great value to our 
II. CTease of Hartford. Vt., Aug. 1st, *G8. says: "Having 
grown from seed of the celebrated Norway Oats for the last 
three seasons, 1 am pleased to add with others testimony in 
favor of their merits. Their wonderful productiveness at 
once attracted my attention from the first, being the seed of 
one head, which gave one unusual large bundle, 
Satisfied of their superiority over all gram I ever saw, I 
purchased one peck of Becd of Mr. 1). W, Rftiusdell, proprie- 
tor of Norway Oats, at the rate of $13 per bushel. Adding 
With this what 1 had raised, the following spring I sowed 13 
quarts upon l£ acre of corn ground, sown broadcast, and no 
manure. The result was highly satisfactory, giving me 4> 
bushels of measured oats. Reducing this to our standard 
weight would give me 51 bushels from 13 quarts. The whole 
field averaged live feet In height, and gave me heads stxtt en 
inches long. 1 have this season a field of 14 acres which are 
now nearly ripe, and are certainly a sight to behold, having 
massive heads measuring 12 to IS inches, and from 200 to 400 
kernels to the head. As a further test I have planted one 
ounce (COO grains), each grain one foot apart, and as a proof 
of their enormous growing and spreading qualities, they now 
stand as thick as a mat, completely covering the ground, 
and stalks larger th:m common rake teeth. Too much can- 
not be said in favor of so valuable an acquisition as the Re- 
markable Norway Oats." 
Prom Col. A. R. Lansing, of Janesvllle. Wis. "Sirs:-ln 
the month of May last, a friend of mine, by the name of D. 
B. Johnson, handed men small handful of oats— just 100— 
which he snid he received from you, and that they were a 
new specimen of oats called Norway Oats, and, as he was 
going away from home and could not give them a trial, 
wished me to experiment with them. 1 have done so. and 
would be pleased to inform you of the result. I scattered 
them thinly on a small piece of well prepared ground. They 
came up quickly, and grew rapidly, and they flourished con- 
tinually to tiie day of harvest. They had no extra chance, 
except the privilege of growing in good Western soil— no 
disadvantage to them, perhaps— and under a Western sky. 
1 had no particular regard for them until by their own su- 
perior merits they commanded them. I now consider them 
a prodigy for an oat— at least prodigious— and my attach- 
ment for them now is so great that $100 could not purchase 
my harvest from the 100 Norway Oats. Now for a statement : 
From the 100 oats sown there came up 3,000 dark green stalks, 
which developed ripe oats. Those straws with their heads 
at the tune of harvesting stood froniG to 6.^ feet in height; 
They resisted the winds and did not lodge, while my com- 
mon English oats were bud down badly. It is my i 
that these oats would average a yield or 200 grains per head. 
1 think this really a low estimate. You will now see the 
surprising, even monstrous, production to be nearly 300,000 
bats from 100 grains. By measurement I had 20 quarts. 
Weight, J7M ft*. The 100 seeds were sown on 30 square feet 
of ground. This would give as the production of one acre 
over Tift bushels, although we could not reasonably expect 
a proportionate yield from so large a quantity of land. But 
I feel almost sure 1 could have grown one-half this quantity 
upon one acre of ray ground this last season if I had had the 
seed. I would further state that these oats have a thin shell, 
and a large, floury meat, and that I consider them a much 
nicer grain In quality than any other oat of my acquaint- 
ance. I sincerely hope that you have had them long enough 
so you can furnish them in small quantities for our Western 
farmers. I will not part with one of mine. Will you please 
inform me how you sell these oats, and in what quantities. 
All who have seen mine will send you orders." 
Yours truly, A. E. LANSING* 
From Adam Rankin, proprietor or the Premium Farm of 
Monmouth Co., Mummmth, 111. "I have not measured thy 
ground yet that I sowed the Norway < >als on, but there is 
ah'.Mit one acre. I sowed them in Mareh, when the cround 
was in fine order, hut just after sowmir there came a very 
hard rain and washed them out sonic, and I did not think 
they would be thick enough, but after they not well started 
thev beat anything, crowins and spreading, that I ever saw. 
Tiuav are thicker and larger than the Surprise Onts. What 
von sent me il l - 1m = !■<•] si cover* I he mound better than V< 
bushels of the Surprise Oats. Thev are the darkest coir 
i I c 
derful yield." 
w, and pre 
) well now lor a most \ 
From A. Caldwell, Osceola, 111.: " 
i wonderful growth and yield with 
nuniend them to my brother fanner: 
A. S. Messrs. r.rook'vn. Iowa, writes; "Those Xmwav 
Onts heat auvlhinsr I .-vcr saw in tin* way of oars, and I rec- 
ommend them to every firmer in the West. I harvested 22 
pound* from the 20u seed I had of you. They ripen as soon 
as the old kinds." 
Hon. George W. Thorne. of Rahway, X. J., says; " To In- 
crease the vield even a small per cent would be regarded as 
:l ■■']' i' it *.iicee<s. but to more than double the crop at once, 
as I believe we mav do by using this seed, is an advantage 
which we cannot afford to overlook." 
. M. P. Hell, Nor 
three bushels. Thev ripen : 
for a pint at tie- game time, sowed them side by side with 
common oats. whfCll from the drouth did not crow over 
eighteen inches while the Norways stood up four feet and 
- " the wonder of 
From C. TV Ballard, of White River. Vt.: 
eight acres of the Norway Oats the past sei 
thorough experience with the various nev 
been introduced. I can t ruthliillv saw these 
to them all, and 1 Wuiiid not grow any othei 
N. II. : " They have 
u of the opinion that 
it green lor fodder." 
they would also be very profitable, to cut 
and my neighbors, when I tell them that I raised two bush- 
els anil twenty-Jive quarts by measure, and over three bush- 
rU b>i weight, all exclaim. 'What! on that little piece of 
ir, and I can 
to call and sec. 
oats, too. and not ciiafl or seeds of any other kind, 
but real Norwav Oats, just such as I bargained for, and I am 
satisfied. Farmers, what more do you want? 
From Wm. Clark. North Troy, Vt.: " In regard to those 
Norway Oats, I cannot say enomrh to their praise. Thev 
have gone far beyond my expectation. Although it was 
milte iate when 1 sowed them, I think thev are a-* forward 
as our common oat*, that were sown some time before. I 
have not taken extra labor lor the purpose of (retting a 
great yield, and 1 ii ml I have from onlv one oat tweutu-ilre 
lan/e, beautiful stalkx, well filled with oats. I have made 
S'linetliinir. of an esiumite of the vield and find the average 
ab. >nt f,;il from each oat, which 1 think is far aiiead ol any- 
thing ever known." 
From Joseph Griffin, Washington, Vt.: "When my Nor- 
way Oats got up about ten mch'-s hisrh, an ox broke into my 
Ihdd ami ate them all down and pulled them almost all lip. 
1 have no doubt Mr. ox would endorse the Norways hearti- 
ly, for be appeared to take a creat liking to them. 
'I saved a lew roots and transplanted them, and they are 
now well headed out and will average two hundred sce-i* 
to the head, and ten stalks from eaoli oat, making 2,000 from 
a single oat. I selected the best head 1 could find among 
mv common oats and counted the sec, Is. nnd found only On. 
Ot course, if the Norwavs had not bct-n injured they would 
have done much better, but I am satisfied with mv yield as 
it is, and think 1 can s tfely say that thev are the best oats in 
the world. Every farmer who studies ids own interest will 
want this seed, and no farmer would hesitate one moment 
to buy them at almost any price it he once saw them grow- 
They are also much heavier, and yielded 
at literate of two hundred bushels to one bushel of seed. 
Thev are a new species to me, and are as early as the com- 
mon oat. I think that thev are murh better than the com- 
mon oat. for the reason that thev are some ten or twelve 
,- opinion they a 
in nitich pleased with my 
ly i econimeud them to my 
From D S. Put t.-m, Saxton's Kivr. Vt. : "On account of 
• >ving. I did not sow those Norway Oats until very late, 
poor ground at that, but notwithstanding this, they 
oats I ever saw, and yielded at the 
rat? i i eighty bushels to the acre. T.._, 
Si stalks to each oat. 1 can recommend them to tanners 
the best held oat known." 
- varied from 12 
TESTIMONIAL. 
We, the undersigned, having grown the Norwav Oats fur- 
nished hv Mr. U. VT. Kamsdcll. of Chelsea, and ■'■eiiis lnllv 
satisfied mi' their -reat superiority over nil in'jrr oats, both 
in quality and quantity of yiald. most earnestly recommend 
their adoption by fanners everywhere, as a matter ol per- 
sonal prolit to the tanner, as well as a national benefit. 
Mr. Ramsdetrs untiring enargv and perseverance, result- 
ing in so important anil valuable an improvement to the 
agricultural interest of the whole country, entitle him to 
onr most hearty thanks. 
AVc ean assure our brother farmers everywhere that Mr. 
KamsdeH's enterprise is uorlhy of their encouragement 
and support. 
JI. H. (iOODALL, M. D., Greensboro', Yt 
H. DANIELS, 
F. I'AI.Ii WELL, 
SAMl'tL WINt 'IJKSTER, Stannard, •• 
AI.BI'.UT T. Vl'TEN, 
C. J. KliJGSBURT, 
HAIIVKV KIM.Mirr.V. 
Itr-i-KL GAKFIKLD. 
ROUEItT ALSTON. " " 
EvLieut.-ii.-iv. 1U kXII.wr MARTIN, Cutis 
J. R BACON", Chelsea. Vt 
]'. C. .1(1X1 ■>. President Ihoaimn Nat. Hank. 
.TAMI'N HorGHTON. Cashier Orange Co. Hank. 
L. G. IIINKI.KY. foutiM Cletk, Chelsea, Vt. 
K. I! III'.NNI-OX, Washington, Vt. 
HENRY HULL, 
W. SMITH. 
HENRY IJKNNO. 
CHESTER III X BY. 
SAMUEL IlLoDGETT, Stannard, Vt. 
.1. WILSON. Cabot, Vt. 
V. \V. II \l E, Membei Mate Assembly 
SAMCEL IlKMIS, Marsliliehl. Vt. 
ISAAC BEM1S. 
JOHN Bol. 1 OX. Cabot. Vt. 
Aud two Uundred others. 
Opinions of the Press, 
The New Yoik Independent says:— "We have reason to 
accept and welcome the Norway I lals as a new and valuable 
addition to the grain resources of the country." 
Moore's Rural New-Yorker savs:-"Thi8 new variety is 
atlraciiug much attention, and those fortunate enough" to 
obtain the seed last vear have gathered very large \ields 
from it. We have received a package of heads, with stems 
attached, from Messrs. .Ioncs A- Ci.wiK. New York, and are 
much i ' 
heavy.' 
The New England Farmer says:-" Thev are a wonderful 
grain, and no humbug." 
The New York Tribune savs:-" They are being raised 
with success by many fanners." 
The Boston Traveler Bays :—" They arc truly wonderful, 
savs :— " Wo know that niauy 
of the testimonials are from lltx class men." 
CAUTION 
The acknowledged 
duccd speculator? to act 
All our -Train sold last year in qn 
was under contract to furnish u 
who advertise White Norwav ( 
full printed history of 
ity of the Norwav Oats has in- 
athat they have them forsale. 
nor* than 1 pint, 
product. Tljose 
eenuli 
U r;i 
>lill 
CARD TO TIIE PUBLIC. 
This is to certify" that I have appointed Messrs. .To\*rs & 
Clark, of New Tork, mv sole nercnts f--r the sale of the 
V i wa\ oats, for the season r.f is.is aiul 18*19. 
The necessity f»r a more central depot, as well as the ex- 
tensive correspondence attending tin- hutlncs^. mv own at- 
tention hcinir devoted to the conducting of mv farms, ren- 
dered tin* step necessary. Fanners desiring to procure the 
genuine Norway Oats, raised In- me. should send their orders 
direct to them, as no other agents will be appointed. 
Aug. 1st, 1963. U/W. liAMSDELL, Proprietor. 
CPRDEIi AT OXCE. 
Farmers are reminded that although we have compara- 
tively a large quantitvol these oals f..r sale, it will not be 
possihle for ns to supply all. Last vear we were compelled 
to return several thousand dollars, for want of seed, and 
were ottered as Inch as liflv dollars for a sing!.' bushel. We 
have a large number of orders which were put on our hooks 
as earlv as June last, lrom parties v. ho wet e determined to 
be in season this year. It ict.l nut Jn In ,r,„l ; it vou wish 
to make sure, order at once, tor i he stock will all be sold 
long beh.ie spring. Weshalllill all orders la the order of 
their receipt, on the plan of " first come, first served." 
HOW TO OBTAIN TIIE NORWAYOATS. 
pted the agency of Hie Norway Oats, we shall 
$ 1.53 
1.00 
furnish them on the follow!] 
One quart, prepaid, by post 
... 4.00 
One naif-bushel, " '• " ■' 6 00 
One bushel. " " '• " .... 10 0) 
Two and one half bushel bags il.00 
■When one bushel or more is ordered, they will be shipped 
by freight line when de-lreil. liciuil I am-es should lie In 
cheeks, dralts. post oliiee orders, or il* in in.nirv. hv expn 
or registered letters. In oi.lernig. give your I'. O." addle 
als. 
ollie 
-.rev 
If 
required, we will send C. O. II.. but we prefer that all orde 
slioul 1 be accompanied w ith the money. As to our rcspou- 
ability, vvereler to the following well known parlies: 
Messrs. TI.vp.ccc. & BnoTiices, New York. 
C. A.SrcvEXs i- to.. 
^ AstttNo ro\ IIaoi.ky. Ksq.. t'oopcr Inslitnte, New York. 
Messrs. (J. Collamoc.e & Co., 731 Broadway, " 
ZW Write our address plainly on the. envelope, and al- 
ways put our box number un, as well as our place of busi- 
ness, as follows: 
JOXES & CLARK, 
P. O. Bex 5.GS9. 30 Ldbarty-st., New York. 
