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VOLUME III. NO. 21. I 
ROCHESTER, N. Y.—THURSDAY, MAY 20, f852. 
I WHOLE NO. 125. 
Agricultural Department. 
PROGRESS AND IMPROVEMENT. 
CULTIVATION OF CARROTS. 
Carrots as winter feed for cattle and 
horses in connection with hay, are very val¬ 
uable and should be grown by every farmer. 
On land properly prepared, the cultivation 
of this root is attended with little trouble, 
and the return yielded is more profitable 
than almost any other product of the farm. 
Its good influence upon the health and 
thrift of mjjfcch cows, and horses fed in part 
upon it, has avlteadV oeen remarked upon in 
the Rural, so wo will add only a few hints 
upon the best modes of cultivation. 
The carrot, like all other tap-rooted veg¬ 
etables, requires a deep and mellow soil, of 
a sandy or loamy character. It should be 
comparatively free from stone, as these hin¬ 
der tho free growth of the root. It should 
be plowed doeply, the deeper the better, as 
tho carrot will go down as far as tho soil is 
mellow, if it is as rich as it should bo to 
sustain a continued and vigorous growth.— 
It must be manured with at least thirty 
loads of compost, or well rotted stable ma¬ 
nure, per acre, and very thoroughly plowed 
and harrowed so as to be mellow as well as 
rich, and then if properly tended, you may 
be sure of a largo crop of this valuable root. 
An eastern farmer of much experience, 
Mr. Holbrook, of Vermont, recommends 
the selection of a piece of old grass ground, 
of deep fertile soil, from which he says he 
has obtained the largest crops with the least 
labor. Tho following are his directions for 
preparing the ground :—“ Twenty loads per 
acre of partly fermented manuro should bo 
spread upon tho grass, and tho sod and ma¬ 
nure turned under to the depth of eight or 
ten inches in the very nicest style of the 
art. If the top soil will not admit of so 
deep a furrow by reason of a subsoil or hard 
pan near tho surface, or if tho solo of tho 
plow, and tho treading of the team, have 
formed a hard crust by long use in shallow 
furrows, the subsoil plow should be used, 
loosening and pulverizing the earth to such 
a depth as may give full range to the tap¬ 
root of the carrot. But if the surface fur¬ 
row can be taken nine inches deep that will 
answer. Twenty loads of fine manure per 
acre, (compost is the best,) should be spread 
on the inverted furrows, three or four inch¬ 
es deep of the surface made perfectly fino 
and mellow, and well mixed with the manure 
by tho harrow, and the soed immediately 
sown.” In the use of such land, and by such 
a course of treatment we gain a new surface 
soil, comparatively free from weeds; the 
grass is turned under so as to entirely pre¬ 
vent its growth, and tho expense of weeding 
the carrots is not one-third of what it would 
bo on differently prepared ground. 
Any time in the month of May, or even 
tho first week in June, the carrot may be 
sown, and it will continue growing until the 
close of the season. The best time is as 
soon as the ground can be well prepared, 
and while it is yet fresh from the harrow, 
and moist and mellow, — the carrots will 
then start ahead of the weeds, and may 
with much less labor bo kept in advance of 
them. 
The seed, which should bo sown in rows 
with a drill machine about sixteen inches 
apart, should be of a previous years growth. 
About two pounds per acre are required.— 
It is recommended to soak the seed in warm 
water for one or two days before planting, 
then drain them and mix with an equal 
quantity of plaster and ashes, or plaster and 
soot, to separate the seed so that it may he 
evenly distributed. If the drill is properly 
regulated it will save much labor in thin¬ 
ning the carrots, which should stand about 
five inches apart in the rows, one plant in a 
place. If thicker they will not bo as largo, 
and if too thick, the crop will be spoiled. 
As soon as the weeds appear, the cultiva¬ 
tion and working of the ground should com¬ 
mence. A light iron-toothed rake is a cap¬ 
ital tool while tho weeds are small; it gives 
a fine mellow surface, and tho work can be 
rapidly performed. The ground should bo 
kept clean with the lioo and rake for the 
first two months and tho tops will then cov¬ 
er the whole sui’faco, keeping down every 
thing else. The Orange carrot is thought 
to be the most valuable variety, though 
some prefer the White Belgium as yielding 
greater crops. From eight to sixteen hun¬ 
dred bushels have been grown per acre.— 
At the lowest rate tho cost is about eight 
cents per bushel, and any farmer who wish¬ 
es to raise cheap and good food for his stock, 
will find this crop ono of tho best and most 
profitable We hope no one who has cows 
or horses to keep will neglect to sow at least 
a dozen square rods of carrots. 
» — - 
THOROUGH FARMING; 
OR, MUCH LABOR ON LITTLE LAND. 
The great secret of European success in 
Agriculture has been described as “much 
labor on comparatively little land.” But 
tho whole tenor of American husbandry from 
the first settlement of the country, has been 
directly the contraay, or, “ littlo labor on 
much land.” And this is the cause of the 
deterioration of our farms and crops,—of 
tho exhaustion of the elements of fertility 
in the one, necessary to the production of 
the other. It requires no groat amount of 
labor or store of knowledge, to grow a crop 
at a cost equal or exceeding its value, and 
leaving tho land poorer than before; but it 
does require both work and wisdom to pro¬ 
duce one which shall bring profit to tho far- 
mor and prepare tho land for greater pro¬ 
ductiveness in future. Any ono who can 
follow tho plow and scatter the seed can do 
the former, but capital, experience and en¬ 
ergy are required to accomplish tho latter. 
Thorough farming bestows much labor— 
wisely directed and skillfully managed labor 
—upon evory acre it cultivates. It drains 
tho land, if it needs it, so that it may bo 
worked in proper season, and no stagnant 
water over stand to chill and blight all 
healthy vegetation. It deepens and thor¬ 
oughly pulverizes the soil, so that every crop 
may freely send down its roots for moisture 
and sustenance; and it adds evory neoded 
manurial element, that their growth maybe 
vigorous and rapid. It suffors no weeds to 
rob tho soil of its riches and tho plant of 
its proper and rightful nutriment; and givos 
tho crop tho needful care and attention 
through all the stages of its growth, from 
the doposit of the soed to the garnering of 
the product. 
“ To cultivate his land well,” says a con¬ 
temporary, “ and to increase its productive 
powers, is a prime object with a good far¬ 
mer. To do this, it is absolutely essential 
that ho employ tho requisite amount of la¬ 
bor. This seems to bo a self-evident prop¬ 
osition, and yot it is more generally disre¬ 
garded in American husbandry, than.any 
other principle of sound economy. Be¬ 
cause wo frequently hoar it said that labor 
runs away with tho profits of farming, our 
farmers lay it down as a maxim to get along 
with as little labor as possible. The conse¬ 
quence is, they attempt to do with less than 
they ought. They are thus out of pocket 
by loss of time, loss of season, and deteri¬ 
oration of land and crop, and in other ways 
of which they hardly dream. There is 
many a farm, of broad and fertile acres, 
furnished with suitable buildings and fences, 
well stocked and provided with all needful 
appliances to make it productive, tho owner 
of which undertakes to carry it on with half 
the force adequato to its cultivation. Is it 
to be wondered at that farming under such 
circumstances is decried as unprofitable ?— 
that the interest on tho investment, the tax¬ 
es, tho repair of buildings and tools, and 
other incidental expenses eat up the profits, 
when these profits are not half what they 
might, by the employment of more labor, 
easily be made to bo ?” 
“ Labor is tho root and spring of all prof¬ 
it.” But well-directed, earnest, thorough 
work is required to produce largo results 
and full remuneration for 6uch outlay of 
toil and care. Tho farmer who gives the 
cultivation which is needed on fivo acres, to 
fifteen or twenty, does no part of his work 
well, and must fail of getting a profitable 
crop. Fivo acres of corn, producing four 
hundred bushels annually, Is far better for 
the farmer and the country, even if the 
same expense be incurred in its production, 
than sixteen acres skimmed over to yield 
tho same amount. Half a dozen choice, 
thrifty, and productive fruit troes are worth 
more than a hundred poor onos, and, while 
the latter seem only a curse to the owner, 
tho former will prove n source of continual 
and increasing profit. Tho best stock—cat¬ 
tle, horses, shoep, and swine—are tho cheap¬ 
est in tho end, and bring far richer returns 
than tho low-priced and little-worth varie¬ 
ties. 
Science is giving its aid to Agriculture, 
and no ono can bo a thorough farmer unless 
he keeps paco with the improvements which 
the newly roused spirit of inquiry is daily 
bringing out for practical and profitable ap¬ 
plication. Yet the small number of those 
who carry out in farming, from the fancied 
want of capital and labor, the improvements 
which they seo might and should bo made 
around them, show us that it is not so much 
enlightenment to the room and chance for 
improvement, which is noeded, as an awa¬ 
kening to tho losses sustained, and tho prof¬ 
its which might bo gained by giving moro 
careful, thorough, and wide-awake attention 
to thoir business. If the farmer can be 
brought to believe that draining, manuring, 
&c., will add largely to tho products of hi3 
farm, and that for want of theso improve¬ 
ments ho is losing hundreds of dollars an¬ 
nually, he will bo induced to attempt them, 
and if he doos this on a well-considered, 
well-arranged plan, wo have no fear that ho 
will over relapse into his former mode of 
operation. If ho can bo convinced that 
“ much labor on littlo land ‘ is the secret of 
success, wo shall see no more largo fields 
cultivated in a slovonly manner, and yield¬ 
ing like tho gardens of the slothful—for if 
he can do no more, ho will rather bostow all 
the means ho can command upon less sur¬ 
face, and perform what ho attempts, as it 
should be, promptly, thoroughly and well. 
Let tho maxim of “littlo labor on much 
land” bo forever discarded. There is no 
use in cultivating ten acres of ground for 
one hundred and fifty bushels of whoat, 
when three or four will suffico to produce 
tho samo, nor need wo raiso horses worth 
$60 each, and cows worth $10, when 
it will cost little moro to feed and bring up 
those worth from three to fivo times these 
amounts. In the orchard it is as easy to 
have the best as that which is worthless, and 
it only roquires labor and caro to produce 
from a single acre groater profit than is 
now received from many a farm of ono hun¬ 
dred acres. 
TO KEEP HENS FROM SCRATCHING PEAS. 
Having been much troublod with lions 
scratching up my peas when sown both in 
tho garden and field,-1 determined in some 
way to “ head them.” 
I had a piece near my barn which I wish¬ 
ed to sow with field peas, and I knew tho 
hens would got them all if I did not find 
some preventive ; and having some gas tar, 
which I procured to roll my seed corn in to 
keep the crows from pulling it up, I stirred 
somo of this upon tho seed poas, and then 
sprinkled plaster upon them. After sowing, 
the hens came out in swarms, anticipating a 
delicious repast, but seeing the state the 
seed was in, thoy did not care about it.— 
This may be of interest to gardeners who 
have had tho vexation of sooing thoir early 
peas scratched up by tho hens, after being 
at great pains to prepare the ground and 
sow them. F. w. l. 
Greece, Monroe Co., N. Y., 1852. 
Plowing in the Rain. — Inquiry .—Will 
some person who has had experience to 
judge from, please state through tho Rural, 
the reason why plowing in the rain impov¬ 
erishes the soil? I am young and have had 
littlo experience in the matter.—A. G. IIall. 
Soot, it has been ascertained, contains 50 
per cont of potash. 
THE POTATO BLIGHT. - ANOTHER THEORY. 
Messrs. Editors :—Whilst reading over 
Mr. Hildreth’s remarks on the leaf blight 
on pear trees, published in the Rural of 
tho 29th January, it occurred to mo that 
this blight was the samo as that which has 
for somo years past made such havoc upon 
tho potato crop. Last year this disoase 
prevailed generally over this county, and 
dostroyod nearly the whole crop of potatoes. 
About tho 10th April I planted my Mer¬ 
cer potatoes, to have them oarly for family 
use ; the ground was woll manured, and the 
potatoes kept well hoed. On the 20th June 
wo had excellent potatoes for table use ; we 
kept on digging them as wo wanted until 
about 20th July, when I noticed that black 
Spots were forming upon the loaves; this 
soon became general, the leaves withered, 
and tho vines finally died. We kept on 
using tho potatoes, occasionally finding one 
with black streaks through it, evidently dis¬ 
eased. In a short time thoy all becamo un¬ 
fit for uso, somo of them containing a liquid 
substance something like rotten eggs. On 
another part of tho farm I had about three 
acres of potatoes planted the first of June, 
which I hoped might oscape tho disease, but 
I was soon disappointed. Black spots com¬ 
menced forming on the leaves oarly in Au¬ 
gust, and tho disease took the samo course 
as described above. 
I had read in several newspapers that an 
insect had been discovered in the vine, 
which was thought to bo tho cause of this 
disease. Having a great curiosity to see 
this great dopredator,—I resolved that it 
would havo to lie vory closo if it eluded my 
observation. Aftor having made repeated 
search, and given the subject a pationt and 
and laborious investigation, my verdict was 
that tho saicl insect was not guilty in man¬ 
ner and form as charged in the newspapers. 
My observations woro* confined to the vino, 
the stem, and the tuber. I think that tho 
black spots on tho leaves, woro tho effect of 
a previously diseased vino, tho same as an 
eruption of tho skin is caused by an impure 1 
state of tho blood. I noticed that in tho 
early stages of tho diseaso tho sap in tho 
stem and vine, was much darker colored 
than in the healthy state, — and invari¬ 
ably thore was an inky deposit in streaks 
through tho potato. 
Having these facts on my mind when I 
read Mr. II.’s remarks on the leaf blight, 
ascribing that disoase to a species of fungus, 
the whole secret was revealed, and 1 was 
furnished with a satisfactory theory of tho 
potato diseaso. The black spots on tho leavos 
aro a collection of fungus seeds which germi¬ 
nate and protrude their roots thro’ the leaves 
of tho potatoes—when the dow or rain fulls 
upon them, a portion of the coloring matter 
is absorbed from tho fungus, convoyed thro’ 
the sap, and deposited in tho potato,—caus¬ 
ing its final destruction. 
Taking for grantod that this theory is 
correct—what shall bo applied as a remedy? 
I would recommend that tho oarliest varie¬ 
ties of potatoes be planted as early as can 
be done in tho spring—so as to have them 
grown before the fungii ripen their seeds— 
as soon as tho potatoes aro sufficiently ma¬ 
tured cut off tho vines, and let tho fungii 
family seok somo more worthless vegetable 
for future use. Thos. F. Lambson. 
Dclmar, Tioga Co., Pa 1852. 
IMPROVEMENT IN THE PLOW. 
We are now using in this State, an imple¬ 
ment recently invented—it is callod a Point¬ 
er Plow, and we think here, that it is the 
greatest improvement that haB been made 
in the plow lino for many years. It is a 
small plow attached to the beam of a com¬ 
mon plow with a band, in tho samo way that 
a coulter or cutter is attached—cutting a 
furrow before tho plow about half tho width 
of a common furrow and about two inches 
deep. It is not liable to clog, and places 
tho manuro and grass in such a position 
that it is completely covered by the furrow. 
For plowing in coarse manure, clover, stub¬ 
ble, &c., it works admirably. It costs hero 
two dollars. Linus Cone. 
Troy, Oakland Co., Mich., 1852. 
NATIONAL AID TO AGRICULTURE. 
TnE Agricultural Interest of the Unitod 
States has been loft to take care of itself 
without any special ai«i or encouragement 
from the Government, although each Presi¬ 
dent from Washington to Adams, for thirty- 
six years consecutively, recommended meas¬ 
ures for tho improvement of Agriculture or 
national schools. Tho samo principles woro 
advocated by each, and no subsequent Pi os- 
ident has advised against their adoption — 
Both Taylor and Fillmore havo directed 
attention to the establishment of an Agri¬ 
cultural Bureau,-j-and tho latter, in his last 
annual message, uses the following language 
on the subject: 
“Agriculture may justly be regarded as 
tho great interest of our people. Four- 
fifths of our activo population are employed 
in tho cultivation of the soil, and the expan¬ 
sion of our settlements over new territory 
is daily adding to the number of thoso en¬ 
gaged in that vocation. Justice and sound 
policy, therefore, alike require that tho Gov¬ 
ernment should use all the moans author¬ 
ized by the Constitution to promoto the in¬ 
terests and welfaro of that important class 
of our fellow-citizens. And yot it is a singu¬ 
lar fact that, whilo tho manufacturing and 
commercial interests have engaged the at- # 
tention of Congross during a largo portion 
of every session, and our statutes abound in 
provisions for thoir protection and encour¬ 
agement, little has yot been dono directly 
for tho advancement of agriculturo. It is 
time that this roproach to our legislation 
should bo removod; and I sincerely hope 
that the present Congross will not closo thoir 
labors without adopting efficient moans to 
supply tho omission of those who havo pro- 
ceded thorn. 
“An agricultural huroau, charged with tho 
duty of collecting and disseminating inform¬ 
ation as to the best modes of cultivation, and 
of tho most effectual means of procuring 
and distributing seeds and plants and other 
vegetable productions, with instructions in 
regard to tho soil, climate and treatment 
best adapted to thoir growth, could not fail 
to be, in tho language of Washington, in 
his last annual messago to Congross, a 
‘ vory cheap instrument of immense national 
bonefit.’” 
Appropriations for tho collection of Agri¬ 
cultural statistics by tho Patent Office, woro 
first made in 1839, and have been continued 
nearly every year since, yet amount in all 
to only $29,000. And this is tho sum‘total 
of governmental aid to agriculture (with tho 
oxception of tho oxpensoof printing tho Ag¬ 
ricultural Reports of tho last two years,) 
from tho founding of the Government until, 
now, a period of seventy-five years. Tho 
business of collecting-theso statistics oil tho 
part of our Government is confined to a 
single clerk, supervised by tho Commissioner 
of Patonts, an officer mainly as well as la¬ 
boriously occupied with duties of a vory dif¬ 
ferent class. It is no wonder that tho ro- 
sult of tho appropriation of even this pit¬ 
tance, should prove rather unsatisfactory, 
yet meagre as it is compared with what it 
might be, thore is by tho people moro call 
for this Report than for any, or all other 
documents of a public character and print¬ 
ed at public expenso. 
There is not an Agricultural School aided 
or patronized by Government in Amorica, 
though thore is not a country in Europe but 
has ono or moro supported at public ex¬ 
pense. Under tho present state of Con¬ 
gressional opinion and action, wo seo littlo 
prospect of their establishment hero. Even 
tho outlay of $10,000 for tho establishment 
of an Agricultural Bureau, as proposed in a 
bill agreed to by ono of tho House Com¬ 
mittees, sooms too much to bo granted to this 
greatest Interest of tho country. This bill 
authorizes tho appointment every four years 
of a Commissioner of Agriculturo, with 
a chemist, and clerk, as assistants, whoso 
duties shall bo to collect agricultural statis¬ 
tics, procure and distribute valuable grains, 
seeds, cuttings, buds, etc., analyzo minerals 
and soils, as woll as obtain information and 
institute experiments bearing on tho culture 
