Litchfield enquirer., 1843-11-23
From the Massachusetts Ploughman.
ROTATION OF CROPS RENOVATION
"a u OF GRASS LANDS.

OF the same sort. IhaYe had opportunity to
try the experiment to my satisfaction but
have entertained a notion" that if the fielG
were naturally suitable for that crop, all
that was wanted to insure success was a lit.
tie more manure. A very intelligent Irish.
man once worked with me, Of whom sought
information as to the method of culture in
his country, so world renowned for its good
potatoes. He stated that it was common
practice there to turn over the sod,and plant
potatoes two years, manuring we'll the first
year, and that usually more abundant crop
was obtained the second year, without ma
nure, than the first with it. Very likely this
result would not continue for a succession
of years without greater outlay for manure
than would be necessary where regular no.
tation was the order. Will not some one
who has had good potatoe land and who has
tried the experiment, give the result!
when was in Concord the other day, at
the Agricultural Exhibition, happened 10
hear two gentlemen discuss the subject of
feeding the rowen from moving lands. One
OF them stated the case of lot of IS acres,
which, recently on passing into the hands of
the present owner, yielded but l6 tons of
nay, or half ton TO the acre, the first year.
The after growth was left to rot on the field
no great quantity one might be excused
tor guessing. on land yielding but half ton
OF hay. Well the second year gave twenty
tons; the third twenty -four, think it was
at any rate there was regular rapid in.
crease in the quantity of hay till now it a.
mounts to abou: fifty tons. And this result
obtained by merely having the aftcr-growth
for top dressing. No other top-dressing,
no other means whatever, were used to i'm
prove the land. Now wish TO inquire Mr..
Editor, if this is not very remarkable case.
Do such marked results usually follow
similar course? 1t SO the folly of cutting
the rowen, with scythe or cattle'S teeth
must be apparent TO every experienced, OBJ
serving farmer. Why then do so many per.
sist in SO runous practice? But perhaps,
(and am inclined to believe this,) all land
will not show so decided an improvement
from the mere omission to cut the rowen-
Indeed have known land that needed fire.
qucnt top. dressing, to keep up its fertility,
even when the rowen was left 10 decay on
the field. And l confess have still some
remaining doubts whether on hard upland,
where the caltle's feet will do no harm, the
after.growth may not be of more value 10
feed off than to decay on the surface. Have
you, Sir, any facts in store that may serve
to remove The doubts of novice!
Oct. l6, le43. NJ.
GOur intelligent correspondent, who
lives near this city, has touched upon sub
jects that have often been discussed, yet far
mers still disagree as TO results; we must
make great allowance tor various soils.
In regard to fall feeding of moving
grounds, there has long been prevalent
notion that If we keep the cattle away and
suffer all the after-growth to lie and rot, the
harvest will not be diminished by time. A
wealthy farmer in Winslow, (Maine,) many
years agotred this plan,and we have known
others 10 try it. We have now, a half acre
ofmowing ground, in dur own garden,whic
was mowT for number Of years in success.
sion, and mown but once each year, without
feeding. Yet the harvest diminished from
year to year, and the last year, we ploughed
il, turning the burrows fiat, and laid it again
| TO grass. Not only this lot only, but all the
lots we have ever noticed, will run out,or bind
out, unless top dressings are often applied :;
and if the land is low and wet, coarse and
sour grasses will creep in, even with Top
dressings. ,.... ...
We object to feeding moving grounds
close, in the fall for if the soil is left bare
the frosts operate unfavorable,and the spring
rains dry off too rapidly for the benefit of the
new growth. Showers in May are not re-
tanned on tho surface half so long, as when
there is a quantity of vegetable matter on
the surface. ..-.
But 1t we let all the roWen remain it will
obstruct the Scythe the next season, and il
often makes a harbor for mice. The rowen
makes excellent fall feed and we cannot well
do without it. When it is not mown off we
like 10 see it trampled down and fed down,
unless the land is wet and poachy /; and that
which is trampled down close will be of
much more service to the next crop than
that which stands erect.
We have long since come to the copclu
sion that it is not good policy, in any part of
the country. to exclude entirely our stock
from our moving fields. If we live near
large markets we want the rowen for our
mich cows: and if we live far in the interi.
or we need it for cows or for fatting stock
They will afford us the means for top:dress.
ing, or OF dressing on the lurrow when we
plough for the purpose Of re-seeding
In regard to continuing potatoes year to
year on the same land, there is now not
much difference of opinion among farmers
in any quarter of New England yet this
crop may be retained longer on clay soil
than on our sandy loans. We lived for ten
years on the banks of the Kennebec river
and raised many potatoes for market. In
that region potatoes are more liable to be in
jured by rust than in Massachusetts. and we
have often taken notice that rust was much
more prevalent when the land was planted
Farmers in New Hampshire and Vermont,
who have raised largely for the iistileres,
agree on this point. In Rhode Island and in
the valley of The Connecticut, we have often
conversed with farmers on this subject, and
we find but little difference of opinion among
1 them.
Ireland is q country well adapted 10 the
M IT, L.