1853 . 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
161 
row and roller only, in putting in barley; when this is 
harvested, one plowing brings the field into the best con¬ 
dition for wheat, in putting in which the harrow or 
cultivator is again followed by the roller, and a crop 
of clover succeeds. -- 
United States Ag. Society. —A correspondent 
sends us a review of the proceedings, at the last annual 
meeting of this society, which we think it injudicious to 
publish at present. When the Convention, at which it 
was organized, was called, we were decidedly in favor of 
an Agricultural Bureau, under the direction of the Sec¬ 
retary of the Interior, in preference to a voluntary as¬ 
sociation, believing, with our correspondent, that (< a 
good practical straight-forward man, 55 at the head of 
such a Bureau, would accomplish much more for the in¬ 
terests of Agricultural, than could be done by any society. 
Others, eminent for their devotion to the cause, thought 
differently. They considered the organization of a so¬ 
ciety the first object to be accomplished, and the first 
step toward securing the objects we looked for from the 
organization of an Agricultural Bureau. 
The society was organised, and has held its first annual 
meeting under as favorable circumstances as could have 
been anticipated, and we heartily wish it success. To 
carry it, however, into successful operation,.will require 
great prudence and energy, as well as much time and 
means, on the part of its board of managers. With 
these, a successful course may be reasonably anticipa¬ 
ted ; but without them, its failure to accomplish any 
great good, may be confidently predicted. 
Sheep Shearing Festival. —It will be seen, by an 
advertisement in this paper, that Mr. Bingham, of 
Cornwall, Vermont, proposes to renew his annual Sheep- 
Shearing Festival, which is to be held this year, on the 
first and second days of June, at the well known public 
house of Mr. Hyde, in Sudbury. We like this plan, 
as it will afford the public an opportunity to examine 
the sheep with the fleeces on and off, and to test, by the 
scales and their own judgment, the weight and quality 
of the wool. -- 
Canadian Agriculture. —We cannot better set 
forth the efforts making, at least in some parts of Cana¬ 
da, for the advancement of agricultural improvement, 
than by giving the following extract of a letter from 
James Lee, Esq.: <e We farmers of Missisquoi County, 
Canada East, have a good farming county, and try to 
keep up a spirit of improvement among us, by forming 
and supporting agricultural societies. We live under a 
fostering government, who aids us all in its power, by 
public grants, Ac, and has done for thirty years back. 
Could you attend onr annual exhibitions, I doubt not 
you would be surprised to see what a small county like 
ours can do, which only contains four townships. We 
have raised, and in connection with our public money, 
distributed in premiums from $1,100 to $1,200 each 
year, for several years back. I shall forward you two 
acts passed by our Parliament the first part of the pre¬ 
sent session, for your perusal, which I trust, when in 
operation, will enable us to extend the benefits of agri¬ 
cultural information, by establishing model farms, agri¬ 
cultural schools, colleges, See., Ac., which must prove an 
immense benefit to the present and rising generation.” 
Mulching Potatoes. —Being a disciple of reasona¬ 
ble innovation, I became an easy proselyte to the expe¬ 
riment of mulching potatoes, as performed by Messrs. 
Somers & Skinner, and quoted by you from the Plough, 
Loom and Anvil, in your April No. for 1852, page 140. 
I followed their different methods of planting, and 
planted by themselves, in three separate fields, the 
Early Junes, the Mercer and the Moore—-the soils all 
different—each planting yielding the smallest potatoes 
I ever grew—not over one-tenth large enough for the 
table. I would ask Messrs. S. & S., for the information 
of my successors, how they hoed them? I hoed mine 
with the pitchfork ! When the thistles attempted the 
advantage, I inverted the straw once, while wet, which 
was effectual. I would be more general, and detail mi¬ 
nutely every particular, but can see no use of more than 
the result, as any one wishing to try the experiment can 
turn to the Cultivator as above mentioned. I shall try 
it again, and hope that those who have, and do, will re¬ 
port through the Cultivator or Country Gentleman. B. 
The Vermont State Ag. Society has issued its 
list of premiums to be awarded at its next Fair, to be 
held at Montpelier, on the 13th, 14th and 15th days of 
September next. The premium list is a very large one 
for a State of its size, amounting to nearly $3,500, and 
is one of the most complete and best arranged that 
has fallen under our notice. We are pleased to see that 
the premiums for horses, are so arranged, as to call out 
a full exhibition of all the best horses of the State. 
There are three classes of premiums, especially for 
Morgan horses, the descendants of “ Sherman Morgan,” 
the “ Woodbury Morgan,” and the “ Bullrush Morgan,” 
occupying each a separate class. The fourth class is for 
crosses between these three branches of the Morgan 
horse. Competitors for these premiums, must produce 
pedigrees, showing satisfactorily the blood of both sire 
and dam of the animals exhibited, in order that the 
future publications of the society, may furnish records 
of the blood of desirable Morgan horses. With its libe¬ 
ral list of premiums, and its energetic board of officers, 
we doubt not the next Fair of this society will equal the 
most sanguine expectations of its friends, and prove in 
the highest degree creditable to the State. 
• Officers of the Society: —President— Frederick 
Holbrook, Brattleboroh 
Vice Presidents—II. B. Stacy, Burlington, E. Ham¬ 
mond, Middlebury. 
Corresponding Sec'y—J. A. Beckwith, Middlebury. 
Recording See'y—Luther Cross, Montpelier. 
Treasurer—John Spalding, Montpelier. 
Auditor—E. P. Walton, Montpelier. 
Directors—B. B. Newton, St. Albans, Henry Keyes, 
Newbury, E. B. Chase, Lyndon, J. W. Colburn, Spring- 
field, J. W. Vail, Bennington, Geo. T. Hodges, Rut¬ 
land, Portus Baxter, Derby. 
Catalogues of the Cattle to be sold by Col. Sher¬ 
wood, at Auburn, on the 8th of June next, can be had 
at this office. —- 
Fine Crop of Carrots. —William Nelson, of Ash¬ 
tabula county, Ohio, furnishes the Ohio Farmer with a 
statement of a very successful experiment in raising 
carrots by high cultivation, at the rate of 2000 bushels 
per acre, on a small scale. One experiment was made 
on rich land, unmanured, made mellow a foot in depth, 
and yielded as above. Another part of the ground was 
manured in trenches under'each drill, at the rate of 12 
bushels of manure to the square rod. This was planted 
at a wet and unfavorable time, and but little of the 
seed came up, but such carrots as grew, exceeded in size 
the others by fifty per cent, many being five inches in 
diameter, and weighing over four pounds. We have 
long been satisfied, that the cheapest way, by far, to 
raise carrots, is to expend freely at the outset in enrich¬ 
ing and deepening the soil—an expenditure which will 
will be repaid four-fold in the subsequent product. 
Clover Manure for Wheat. —The Michigan Far¬ 
mer furnishes an experiment, reported by O. Hall, in 
which a clover crop was turned under deeply towards the 
close of the summer, and afforded the next year but 12 
bushels of wheat per acre, while a naked fallow adjoin¬ 
ing, similarly treated in all other respects, yielded 18 
bushels. The next year, half of a clover field was plowed 
during the last half of 6 mo. (June) and the other por¬ 
tion a month and a half later. The former yielded 24 
bushels of wheat per acre; the latter but 13 bushels. 
There are several causes which might operate towards 
this result, among which is the want of decay in the 
green crop when plowed late, and the injury it might 
produce by increasing the effects of drouth. During 
wet seasons, or on heavy soils, inclining to be too wet, 
the reverse might take place. The subject is worthy the 
attention, and the careful and accurate experiments of 
farmers. 
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