IS 11111 
nPslS 
■ » ^7^4 V> 
VOLUME III. NO. 10. S- 
Igrirultnral Department. 
PltOJiUllSS AND IMPKOVEMENT. 
SOWING GRASS-SEED. 
RED TOP — TIMOTHY — CLOVER. 
It is often the caso that the hay crop is 
the most profitable crop the farmer can 
raise. There may be many, and often wide¬ 
ly different circucmstances, that produce 
this result. A location in the vicinity of a 
city, where the demand for hay is constant 
and great, and the price high comparod with 
the cost of producing it, may be one of 
these causes. An additional one may also 
be found in the character of tho soil. The 
land may be rather low, flat and moist, and 
more particularly adapted to grass than grain 
In any circumstances, whore tho ground 
will produco one and a-half to two tons 
por acre, (and good land should do this,) and 
tho average price should be ten dollars per 
ton, I consider this crop more profitable than 
ordinary grain crops, tho relative cost and 
labor of producing being duly considered. In 
thoso circumstances it would bo desirable if 
it wero practicable, to keep tho ground con¬ 
stantly in good condition for the scythe. But 
our cultivated grasses, rod top, timothy and 
clover, will run out in a short time. At tho 
fourth year after seeding, tho intervention 
of Juno grass, and others of comparative¬ 
ly little valuo may bo oxpectod, and a 
new seeding be callod for. This, in tho or¬ 
dinary practice of our farmers, seems to re¬ 
quire a succession of crops in order thor¬ 
oughly to break up tho turf, to decompose 
tho roots, and prepare tho ground profita¬ 
bly for a now seeding. Ilowover suitable 
tho ground may bo for grazing and mow¬ 
ing, and unsuitable for grain husbandry, 
still it would seem to require the culture of 
grain crops for two years—say corn tho first 
year, and summer grain tho second, when 
tho new seeding may take place. In this 
course, during tho season of tho third year, 
a mowing crop may again be realised. 
Now, where the hay crop is the most val¬ 
uable to the farmer, it is exceedingly desira¬ 
ble, the moment it has passed its best estate, 
and begins to decline either in regard to 
quantity or quality, to renew his seeding 
with the least possible loss of time. Any 
course that would defer the crop for two or 
three seasons, should bo avoided if possible. 
I have done this successfully, in the follow¬ 
ing manner:—As early in the spring as the 
mowing land will admit the plow, turn over 
tho sod as flat and smooth as possible—the 
depth of the plowing to be somewhat gov¬ 
erned by the depth of the soil. It should 
at least bo so deep as to allow of three or 
four inches of fine looso mould being pul¬ 
verised by tho harrow, without in the least ; 
degree breaking tho sod. Upon this sow 
and harrow in spring grain, either barley, < 
oats, or spring wheat, as may be preferred, < 
seeding it at tho same time liberally with . 
grass seed, to Jm harrowed in with the grain. 
I he next season, as fine a crop of mowing , 
grass may be expected, as if seeded in the , 
usual way, after a succession of cultivated j 
crops. The decomposition of tho roots of s 
the sod will not only furnish a manure, but t 
will leave the ground light and porous, 2 
granting facilities to tho roots of tho new 
seeding to penetrate tho soil, so as to secure v 
adequate support. c 
It has been considered by some, that seed- ( 
ing in tho spring is not as safe as to seed in ) 
tho fall, at tho time of sowing the winter c 
wheat—the drought of summer sometimes t 
destroying tho young grass when sown in v 
the spring. This may perhaps be true.— c 
Still, I think only.a small portion of the t 
seeding is actually made at the time of sow- v 
ing winter wheat. The common practice " 
is to sow with spring grains ; or if sown on g 
winter wheat, to cast it during the month of a 
March, leaving it to tho frosts and spring n 
rains to give it covering. In this caso it n 
must be at least as much, if not more expos- w 
ed to the heat and drought, than soed later w 
sown but harrowed in. When it has been w 
desirable, to keep the land in the best mow- p 
ing condition, with tho least jmssible inter- gi 
ROCHESTER, N. Y -THURSDAY, MARCH 4, 1851 
WHOLE NO. 114. 
ruption and loss of time, I have found the 
above practice altogether satisfactory. 
In regard to grasses, clover is excellent 
for pasture, and to turn under as green 
manure, but not as desirable for hay. Tim¬ 
othy is our standard grass for hay. It is 
natural to a warm, dry soil, as also to damp, 
s moist land. So also is red top—and I am 
1 surprised that this grass does not attract 
more notice, and conciliate greater favor.— 
J In some respects I consider it superior to 
1 Timothy. It attains the samo height—will 
doubtless yield as large a crop—is common- 
1 ly a smaller stalk, of courso moro solid, 
^ heavy and nutritious than the large hollow 
’ Timothy stalk—has more leaves, and the top 
! has a large amount of fine branches, and as 
1 much seed as tho head of Timothy—and I 
1 have yet to seo the time,' when stock of any 
1 kind will leave a branch of it to tako up a 
| stalk of Timothy. Intermixed with Timo- 
1 thy, and cut immediately after having per¬ 
fected their bloom, and well cured into hay, 
wo have the perfection of the article. 
One word in regard to quantity of seed. 
Tho common rule, I suppose, is 8 quarts 
Timothy and 1 quart clover per aero. I 
once practiced this rule for a long period, 
but am decidedly of opinion that we greatly 
err here. An experienced Englishman, for 
many years in my service, used to say, “ we 
sow a vast moro seod in England, six-, than 
you do hei’e.” However cveixly tho quantity 
abovo named may bo spread over aix aero, 
there will be a considerable portion of tho 
sui-face unoccupied for at least tho two first 
years. If double tho quantity of Timothy 
(not increasing tho amount of elovex-,) were 
sown to tho acre, it would px-oduco a gain, 
as I think, of 15 or 20 per cent, in tho crop 
annually, and perhaps moro, until a new 
seeding should be required. e. d. 
THE USE AND VALUE OF STRAW. 
Editors Rural :—Your correspondent J. 
S. G., Hanover, I’a., in his remarks on straw 
as food for stock, in tho last No. of the Ru¬ 
ral says,—‘-Cattle fed on sti-aw alone cannot 
thrive, but cut into chaff and fed with tur¬ 
nips and other roots it is beneficial.” I am 
inclined to think that J. S. G. is mistaken 
in some of his conclusions. Tho value of 
straw depends moi*e upon tho timo when 
cut, and tho manner in which it is secured, 
than upon cleanness from weeds and grass. 
I am very much of the opinion that the value 
of straw, wheat straw in particular, is very 
much underrated. 
I have had some experience in its use and 
for tho benefit of thoso who may think it I 
nearly worthless as food for stock, I will I • 
give my method of preparation and using. 
I cut my wheat as soon as the berx*y is in 
tho doughy state, while the straw is juicy ' 
and somo ol tho middle leaves are yet green, 
bind and shock up immediately in round 
shocks well capped. This, when well dono, 1 
secures the greatest portion of the straw as 
well as the grain from the sun and storm. 
When threshed, seeux-o in stacks or barns as 
well as possible. When put up in this man- ‘ 
nor it will be found to contain much moro ' a 
nourishment than straw that is suffered to s 
stand until dead ripe, and afterward exposed v 
to all tho bleaching of tho sun, dews and b 
. ... - -V '.c 5 ‘ 
ll/il 
■ 
Mm 
j LARGE AND SMALL POTATOES FOR SEED. 
^ iftafe S 52 HSE 
principle. They said, “put a good large 
fiiE sheep above represented were ex- beauty of form; greater woiglxt for their potato in the hill, and it will give tho youmr 
libitcd at tho late State Fair, in this city, sizo than any other sheep; early maturity; plants a good start,” (rather a dear way of 
and took premiums as tho “ best Buck and an unequalled propensity to fatten, and the maiTuring, in these days;) “ tlioy would /row 
Ewe of long-wooled sheep over two years weight of their fleece and length of wool.” faster and larger than small ones, or those 
old I ho buck is owned by J. xMcDonald, They have small heads and very little offal, that had been cut.” While planting the 
ot Warren, Herkimer Co. and the ewe by and are found a valuable breed both for mut- largo ones, I selected enough of the largest 
\ m. Ratiibone ot Springfield, Otsego Co. ton and tor wool, when tho finest of the lat- to plant two rows, and planted them whole- 
rhe principal recommendations of the ter is not tho particular object sought to be also two rows with the smallest and cut 
.NOW iiOlOOSfcor briMMl. tnnir fnlnnss n.nrl nHninn/1 in. 
MESSRS. MCDONALD AND RATHE ONE’S NEW LEICESTER SHEEP. 
Now Leicester breed, are their fulness and | attained. 
vorably (as far as profits arc concerned,) tored, and fed under cover, and about half 
with somo of tho premium flocks that cat my sheds have water in them, so that the 
nearly their xaluo in hay and gx-ain. sheep need not bo oxposed to storms &c._ 
onough for two rows more, two eyos to a 
pioce, threo piecos to the hill; and planted 
all side by side, treating them in all l-espects 
tho samo. While in bloom, one could tell 
which the largo oixos were, a hundi-ed rods 
w sheep need not bo oxposed to storms, &c._ which the large ones were, a hundred rods 
I have also kept my horses on straw du- Last winter I mixed provender with the | from the fiield, their vines being three times 
ring tho winter, for several years, always roots I gavo them, half and half; this winter i as larg0 as the othors - When dug and lying 
nllX+inn- nnrl mlvlnn- wl+L ...nil v... --I xl_t11 . . , ’ Inn + Lr, /vwn.nrl --11 1 
liny mu VYIIIWJI, 1U1 suvuiivi years, always i roots X gavo them, half and half; this winter s ouiors. wnen dug and lying 
cutting and mixing with meal or shorts, un- j they have had roots alone, tho same amount on tho S round tho difference could be seen 
til tho present season. I have kept up from | as last winter mixed, and I am of tho opin- in tho P otatocs > hut not as great as in tho 
four to six horses this winter, fed with un- ion they are doing as well as when fed 1 nth I vincs - Tho lar g° °nes produced more in 
four to six horses this winter, fed with un- ion they arc doing as well as when fed both ! 
cut straw, feeding shorts or meal separately, together. 
and fi-om my experience, I have como to the Mv eWi a oil i ,. , 
. . i , 1 , iV1 y siieus all have doors which may bo I 
conclusion that cutting is entirely unneces- f .in«od »i,™ i , J „ I 
, A / . closed when necessary, and my systom of 
sary, where straw xs plenty. My horses have f n ,i,i nv ; n „. • J , 
V i x J , louueimg is much the same as descri- 
gamed m flesh, on wheat straw and 2 bush- i lof i .• • . 
, r , , .. , , 7 , . u° a 1,1 m y former communication. In 
el shorts per span daily, and have kept in xim f„. C f ni , 
, .... r , , , , tne rust place, the sheep are shut out of 
(rood fondlfion n.t. rmistnnt. nn.rd *i mr nn .1 . , ... 1 
vines. The large ones produced more in 
number than either of the others, but tho 
difference in bulk could not bo seen unless 
it was in favox- of thoso cut—they being 
much more uniform in size than either of 
tho others. 
Potatoes fetching from 12A cts. to 25 cts. 
economical courso, to feed straw and from 
12 to 15 cents worth of shorts per day, to a 
team that labors, or feed hay and grain. 
My communication is becoming too lengthy 
bushel to the hundred sheep. By tho timo I J 1 LUUK sucn as w oretoc 
all get their rations of roots, wo commence 1 Sma11 for cooking > and cufc a3 before men 
again, shutting them out to fill their man- j f lonod ’ P lantin g throe pieces in a hill, think 
gers or boxes with hav. At noon thnv i ing 1 “ever would do so again, believing tha 
gers or boxes with hay. At noon they have 
oat straw, and at evening hay again. Ileg- 
t ii , . , , «<*t straw, miu ac evening hav again. Rod-- 1 ° — 
or I would say a word about neat cattle and 1 n v« , . ^ ° ® ruin mv cron 
, r P . J . .... ular feeding at about the same time each y p ‘ 
strain. I he great sccx-ct in keeping any " 0d,0n saw a cron of 
. ° t t3 J dav. IS nunctliallv nffrmxWl -..A —lx nai,v “ 
x nn. x x • i • “ .it ituuuL cue same tune each 
straw. I he great seex-et m keeping any ,i.,„ • . ,, c 
®. . , . . ,. L. “ J day, is punctually attended to, and salt is 
kind of domestic animals, is in feeding reg- . • ,, J ,s 
i i • i i . i . “ f, R°pt m all the pens where they can o-et it at 
ular and in rogular quantities. An old , P . 1 g at 
... . , . . pleasure, ihey consume about a bushel 
neighbor of nnno, who had many years .....i .. U. , , msnu 
’ A J , and a quarter of salt per week, 
experience, used to say that thero was noth- T ... 1 
ing liko “going often to look at the calves , St sheann S timo 1 weighed a few of my 
__ . veil.l’llllo- AWOO X* .. l . • 1 
ing 1 never would do so again, believing that 
by planting small ones continually, I should 
ruin my crop. But to my surprise I never 
day, is punctually attended to, and salt is S ! lW 11 Cr0p ol P otatoes 80 uniform in their 
kept in all tho pens where they can get it at S1 f e— 'excellent in quality, and a good yield. 
pleasure. They consume about a"bushel SlUC ° * hat time ’ 1 have takon those rather 
and a quarter of salt per week. ^ small for table use, and cut and planted tho 
neighbor of mine, who had many years and a quarter of salt per week. ‘ ‘ small for table use, and cut and planted the 
experience, used to say that there was noth- T , , . . I same way, finding it quite economical when 
ing like “gotag often to look at the cakes v „t , " “ ® T % {l>wol ™y j potatoes are *1’per bunliel—it 2 Jrtg 
to make them grow.” There is surely much } "‘ * wc8, 0uo wtJ [ g Uod forty-eight on ly from J to i tho quantity used when 
in it, and I believe that if calves are sufli- P . S ^ ei i sieau, ‘& ani the fleece weigh- J pi an ting the large ones whole. 
T-iv^n'f ed ^ t t hey t / ln b ° mat !?' t 1 ° and the fleeco /^^pomid^/d/eei^om^'/' \ Wh en whole potatoes are used for seed, it 
tz z very t: 1 f — weighed ^ 30 bi f eis to - 
Avon, N. Y., Feb S 16, 185 - 2 . and a ’ hal f pounds. They were what I call ! t0 the usod) and tho dlsta “ce of 
-—.—-- my half-bloods. My full blood vearlinp- ' th ° 11 S; Sa ^ bushels, worth #25. When 
WOOL GROWING IN CH AUTAUQUE CO. 6 w e s gave mo an average of five pounds ! CUt P otatoes aro usod ^ fcak <* from 8 to 12 
Messrs. Editors :— Your correspondent, fourteen ounces per head. They wore not bushels to the acre, say ten- — worth Si0, tho 
“4 Farmer of Onondaga,” in reviewing my weighed. Four full blood ye-irlings and my tim ° °* cuttm S not being more than that of 
article in the Rural of Feb. 12, 1851, has stock buck gave fifty-one pounds of wool handling over and dropping tho extra 15 
shown that Sheep Husbandry, on a good viz., buck, fourteen pounds yearling No l' bushels, leaving a balance of $15 in favor of 
I have now a flock of about 100 finc- 
wooled sheep that havo been led on straw, 
and nothing else, for tho last three winters, 
(two before the present,) and for the last 3 
years I havo not lost over three per cent, by 
disease, accident or starvation —and altho’ 
the present winter has been unusually se¬ 
vere, their present appearance would indi¬ 
cate no greater loss for tho remainder of 
the season. I feed them regular every day 
with straw, and as often as twice in each 
week sprinkle a strong brine over it. This 
gives them a relish for their food, and has 
a tendency to keep off diseaso. By this 
method of feeding I have been able to keep 
my sheep, ewes and lambs, (for I keep no 
wethers,) in good condition,—as a proof of 
which, 1 will stato that my last clip of wool 
was sold at 45 cents per lb., averaging $1,87 
per head for the entire flock. This, with a 
good per centago of lambs, will compare fa- 
thus favorably located. As for myself; I five and a-quarter pounds—-the heaviest, six j and too inan y sn li iU as well as hollow pota- 
would state in the first placo, that my farm pounds, fourteen ounces, both raised lambs. | to . eS ‘ The seed l,eing to ° compactly placed 
contains ono hundred and eighty-five acres The full blood lambs camo from the 15th of ' wiH n0t gr0W aS well ~ th ere will bo a large 
_ DnoLnn^vofl anrl tnn ,1 - !I iU. -.axl i. , .. . I number of vines mOVfl tbn 
—one hundred and ten partially improved— April to tho 10th of May, which would mako 
and, cost mo a few years since, $1,695.— their fleeces about fourteen months growth. 
On this I keep four hundred sheep, two Joseph J. Conet. 
cows and a pair of horses. I sold my wool Ellington, Chautauque Co., Feb., 1852. 
for $696,70, sheep to tho amount of $181, ~ - 
and increased-my flock $25 in value by tho * orAT ° ^ 0T ' Another preventive .— 
number of lambs kept above that of old PIant >’ our P otatoes in thc usual way, and 
_ 1 __ ..1, __1 i. 1 
- -LXV/ 1 I 1 U 1 U 1 vtll U1 , x* • 
April to tho 10th of May, which would make num,,er ot vines morc than can possibly 
their fleeces about fourteen months growth. g . r0W Wcl1 antl COmo to maturity. By cut- 
Josepii J. Conet. tke s . 00t ^ can P ut moro even, spread 
Ellington, Chautauque Co., Feb., 1852 . better, and have a moro equal chance to 
-- grow. * Is there not as much danger of seed- 
> The Potato Rot.— Another preventive.— ing too high in planting potatoes, as thero is 
Plant your potatoes in the usual way, and of corn or any other crop ? I wish more of 
when the sprouts appear aboveground, tako our scientific men would give their exneri- 
sheep sold. I received for butter $ 49 . 95 , w n° n the sprouts appear above ground, tako our scientific men i 
for oats $156, and $25 for wheat, making the fr0m 0n0 half to a bushel of dry (wood) enco in the matter. 
A Subscriber for the Rural. 
Alfred, Allegany Co., N. Y., 1852. 
whole receipts for products of the farm as 1CS > P C1 acre, and sow it broad cast ovor A Subscriber for the Rural. 
$1,133,65. I bought ono hundred and twen- ground whfle the dew is on. Repeat the Alfred, Allegany Co., N. Y., 1863. 
ty-fivo bushels of corn at 44 cents per bush- ash f over / f vontk da y until tho cro P i8 w 0 od _ for Er/V Wnnxl * * I, • 
ol to food out to my shoop. but I summered m! T lu— 7' 1 ' ' f proof by actual cx P OTi ""=»‘« son ”, lh ™I jj! T T 
over a ton of hay, somo fifteen bushels of f bo relled on - your P otatoos wil1 b » fro « sh „^ a 
com, and oats enough to last untU I thresh- fram rot v Wm. H. Clakk. . p W an^der shelter to dry. 
, ° Chnstiansburgh, Va., Feb., 1852. Tt has been lound that fuel seasoned in the 
° l rpl- n °. W cr0 P‘ — - --a.- wood-house is worth nearly one-third more 
1 his winter I havo four hundred and fifty He only is independent who can maintain than that left oxnosed to tho 
sheep, which I keep in nine flocks, all shol- 
Christianshurgh, Va., Feb., 1852. ^ bas been found that fuel seasoned in the 
- - -- -- wood-house is worth nearly one-third more 
He only is indopondent who can maintain than that left oxposod to tho weather thro* 
himself by his own exertions. the summer. 
