The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1851-09-25
Correspondence of the Pioneer.
ITAsCA, Sept. l6, 1851.

lTAScA, Sept. 10, 1901.
DEAR Col. 10 make the time pass
pleasantly in doors, while the rain pouring
down in torrents makes it very unpleasant
out, | will write you a few lines.
The weather thus far this month has been
anything but favorable to the farmers; we
have had eight drenching rains, which mast
cause much damage to the oats in our vi
cnity, rs most Of them remain in the shock
the weather not having favored the stack-
ing of them since harvest; the straw will be
Of little or no value while the oats cannot
fail to be musty. have not heard of the
condition of the crop above, but hope it has
Jared better fate. The old custom of
New England farmers of building large,
tight-rootrd barns, is the only remedy "a
gainst yearly loss Of grain crops in the
West, and farmer who carries on grain
growing extensively here, will lose by stack
ing hay and grain in FIVE years, enough to
build IA large aud convenient barn.
In the Eastern States, n good farmer is
known 10y the appearance of his buildings,
the house being of moderate size while the
barn is three or four times rs large, and
perhaps fifty acres in crops. With us how
different; from fifty to FIVE hundred and oft
Ell thousand acres are yearly planted for
single farms, large house well finished and
furnished, while as an offset one or more
log harms with hay roofs, serve as shelter
for the stock. We of the West must re-
form in this particular if we wish to pros
per IN our vocation.
l learn that the rot has made It's appear
ance among the potatoes in the upper part
Of Benton county, and Mr.. Beatty informs
me that his crop will be of more value to
the soil than to his purse; as yet my crop
has not been troubled otherwise than with
the rust. planted early, and the potatoes
were nearly ripe before the rust touched the
tops; last year the potatoes were planted
both early and late to uy the experiment
which were most liable TO disease, the early
or late ones; those planted on the 18th of
May were perfectly sound; those on the
| 9Th Of June were diseased, while those oil
the 29th of June were equal to the earliest,
though smaller; and ! have. come to the
conclusion that the time of planting has lii
tie to do with the rot. 1t is becoming an
unsafe crop in the West. In Scotland they
obtain a better and surer crop 10y planting
seed which is gathered before fully ripe
Another preventative Of there is such q
thing is 10 expose the seed as soon as dug
| to the sun, light and air, and well dried for
I
in dry place where air is excluded until
the moment Of planting The only obiec-
| ton to applying this method is, that where
the crop is large the expense would he
greater than the value of the seed in the
spring. But as the common potatoe bids
fair TO make its exit in a few years, we must
find some other esculent to take it's place:
aud | am inclined to think we have il in the
sweet potatOe, (coavoiruivs Lofatas.) Our
soil s well adapted to their culture, the
ground needing to be well pulveriZ,d and
mannred. + or the benefit of those who
may wish to try them, will quote n few
lines relative to their culture. "Make the
ground into beds four feet wide with the
piow, and strike light furrow through the
centre IN which to place the seed If the soil
is dry, or plant on the surface if vets
"When the season is sufficiently long to
mature them, the potatoo may he most con-
venently planted 10y cutting the seed into
slips and laying them six or eight inches
apart, III the place where they ere to ma
ture. Large potatoes divided into pieces
of proper size, are better for seed than
small ones uncut; cover about two inches
with light mould. When they begin 20
sprout, the plow may he run close 10 The.
rows on either side, to remove the earth
and allow the full benefit of the sun aud air
10 the roots; and as the plant advances in
growth, the earth may gradually he resior-
ed to them hy the plow and hoe. When
the vines are so large as to he injured by
the plow, the hoe only should he use,-ihe
hill should he following towards The plants
so as to retain the rain which falls. They
are fit for gathering when the vines are
dead.'
"When the season is short or early, po-
tatoes are wanted TO be planted on hot
bed, made of warm manure, (that of the
horse is most heating,) with a covering of
four inches of fine mould. After splitting
| the potatoes, place them on this and cover
with three inches of light earth As the
sprouts appear, draw ami transplant them