50 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
tion, seed, plaster, and clover. No account has been 
kept of these items, but practical men, like yourselves, 
can judge of the estimate I herewith submit. 
You will recollect that this land is free from stone, 
stumps, and every thing that can obstruct the plow, and 
that clay and sand are so mingled, that it is of very easy 
cultivation. 
First Year— Summer fallowed. 
Second Year— The first crop, wheat was harvested, and cost as 
follows: 
Breaking up one acre, with one span of horses, two- 
thirds of a day,. $1-33 
Harrowing same one-fifth of a day,. 40 
Cross plowing same twice, one day, -. 2-00 
Harrowing same three times, half a day,. 1-00 
Seed wheat, and sowing same,. 1-50 
Harvesting 20 bushels of wheat to the acre, and draw- 
in same,. 1-50 
Threshing 20 bushels of wheat, at 10 cts.. 2-00 
Cost of first crop, per acre,. $9 73 
This crop being a failure, the charges above for harvesting 
-and threshing are high. 
Third Year —The second crop, corn, cost— 
Plowing and harrowing one acre, one day,. $2-00 
Marking both ways,. 25 
A man one day, planting one acre,. 75 
11 lt hoeing . 7o 
“ u u u second time,. 75 
The cost of cultivating one acre for both hoeings, • • • • 60 
A man three days harvesting at 75 cts.. 2-25 
Seed corn, and drawing corn to crib,. 25 
Cost of second crop per acre,. $7-50 
Fourth Year— Third crop, corn, cost same as second,* $7-50 
Fifth Year— Fourth crop, oats, cost— 
Plowing one acre, half a day,. $1*00 
Harrowing in seed, quarter of a day,.. 50 
Three bushels of seed oats, at 37£ cts.. 1*12 
Harvesting one acre,. 1*25 
Threshing seventy bushels of oats, at 4 cts.. 2 80 
Cost of fourth crop per acre.. $6-67 
Sixth Year— Fifth crop wheat, put in after oats, cost— 
Twice plowing one acre, one day,. $2*00 
Harrowing one acre, quarter of a day,. 60 
Seed, and sowing,. 2*00 
Harvesting and drawing into barn, ••• • . 1-50 
Threshing 20 bushels of wheat, at 10 cts.. 2 00 
Cost of one acre of fifth crop,. $8-00 
Eighth Year— Sixth crop, oats on clover sod, cost— 
Plowing one acre,. . $1-33 
Harrowing in oats, quarter of a day,. 60 
Three bushels of seed oats, at 37£ cts.. 1*12 
Harvesting one acre,. 1*25 
Threshing 65 bushels of oats, at 4 cts.. 2-60 
Cost of one acre of sixth crop,... $6*80 
Einth Year —Seventh crop,wheat'sown after oats, cost— 
See fifth crop,.. $S-00 
Eleventh Year— Eighth crop, wheat, summer fallowed, 
cost—See first crop,. $9-73 
Twelfth Year— Ninth crop, barley, 1843, Cost- 
Plowing one acre of sod,. $1-33 
Harrowing seed quarter of a day, • •••• . 50 
Bolling the ground after sowing.. 25 
Three bushels of seed, at 50 cts.*. 1*50 
Harvesting,.*. 1-25 
Threshing‘54 bushels, at 6 cts.... 3-09 
Cost of one acre of ninth crop,.*. $7-92 
During these twelve years, clover was sown four times, 
and plaster six times, costing in all about,. $4-00 
The total value of products of one acre, is.$209-30 
The total cost of production for an acre, is. 75 85 
The value of products over cost of production,.$133-45 
Which divided by the number of years, gives for the an¬ 
nual profits,.*. ll*ll! 
In this estimate, nothing has been charge'.! for fences 
or taxes. On the other side of the account might have 
been credited to the land, the value of pasture after the 
"wheat had been harvested; the straw too was worth 
eome*hing, and the cornstalks; these three items will 
more than balance the fencing and taxes. 
No very large crop has been raised during the whole 
time, unless ** &arlev should be so considered. The 
prices for which I have sold, have not been extraordi¬ 
nary, and I have suffered one almost entire failure, and 
one partial failure of a wheat crop. No particular skill 
has been applied, nor is there any particular good for¬ 
tune to credit the result to. The soil alone, by its na¬ 
tive energy and good qualities has produced the result, 
the last crop of the series being the heaviest of all. Pro¬ 
duction has been pushed more with a view to see when 
the soil would be exhausted, than how fine crops could 
be obtained, or how the most money could be realized. 
Respectfully your friend, Geo. Geddes. 
Camillus, N. Y., Sept. 28, 1843. 
MERCER OR CHENANGO POTATOE. 
We have heard some complaints within a few years, 
that this potatoe was not as good as it used to be, or that 
it had degenerated. The following extract which we 
make from a well written communication in the Maine 
Farmer, agrees so well with our experience and opinions, 
that we feel a pleasure in laying it before the readers of 
the Cultivator. The remedy he proposes will not fail. 
“ But has the Chenango degenerated? We answer yes*, 
The Chenango when first introduced into this state, was 
a mixture of two distinct varieties; one kind is always 
very good, and always produces its like, while the other 
is comparatively bad, and yields after its kind. Every 
body knows, for every body has eaten Chenangoes, that 
some of them when cooked, are white, dry, and good 
flavored, while others are very dark blue through the 
whole potatoe, watery and strong flavored. The light 
kind is always fit for the table, and the dark, never. The 
light kind are the best formed and yield the best. The 
dark kind does not ripen so early as the light. In the 
raw state, it is difficult, if not impossible, to distinguish 
in all cases the one from the other, but when cooked or 
cut, they are easily distinguished. The dark variety has 
increased upon the light, and being unfit for the table, 
has caused the Chenango to be less esteemed. As we 
planted this year but two acres, we concluded to improve 
the Chenango for our own use; and accordingly when 
cutting our seed, we rejected the dark kind; and the bar¬ 
rel we send is a fair sample of the produce. The result 
is as w'e expected, and is satisfactory. We now know 
the Chenango can be so improved in a single season, as 
to be as perfect a variety as ever grew; that is, that eve¬ 
ry potatoe of suitable size to cook, will be good when 
cooked.” 
IMPROVED VARIETY OF RICE. 
The South Carolina Temperance Advocate, publishes 
the proceedings of the State Ag. Society of that state, 
among which we notice that mention is made of a new 
variety of rice, called the “big grained rice.” It was 
first discovered in 1838. A person found a part of an 
ear lying in the barn yard during the threshing season, 
and from its peculiarity was induced to preserve it. Sub¬ 
sequent experiments have proved it to be unusually pro 
ductive. Mr. Joshua John Ward, states that in 1840 he 
planted not quite half an acre with this seed, which 
yielded 49^ bushels of clean winnowed rice. In the year 
1842, he planted four hundred acres with this seed, and 
being so perfectly satisfied with both the product and 
the improved quality of the same, he was induced in the 
succeeding year (1843,) to sow with it his entire crop. 
The first parcel, when milled, consisting of eighty bar¬ 
rels, netted fifty cents per cwt. over the primest new rice 
sold on the same day. 
Mr. Ed. T. Heriot, states that he planted of this seed 
in 1839. two fields, one of 15, the other 10 acres, which 
yielded 73 bushels per acre. The average crop from the 
same fields had been only 33 bushels per acre. 
KNITTING MACHINES. 
A correspondent inquires where the rotary knitting 
machines may be had? Can any one answer? 
A meeting was recently held at Burlington, New Jer~ 
sey, at which it was resolved to form a State Horticul 
tural Society. 
