Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1855-02-24
LFor the Bradford Reporter.1

| Mr. EDIroR:-As farmer am very glad
you have determined to devote a portion of
your paper to agricultural articles. The farm
ing interest are entirely too much neglected by
the Country press generally; and it has often
been matter Of surprise to me, The bulk
of our population issomposed of farmers, and
as the success Of a newspaper depends upon the
number of its subscribers, is it not tstrange that
publishers do no seek for this circulation in the
only place where it can be found? / think
you have struck the right ven-I hope so at
all events
In your introduction of this subject, you very
correctly condemned the habit which prevails
, among agricultural writer's, of so interlardlng
with techncalities, their productions, that the
common reader cannot understand them. This
is great objection to writings of this kind
and the grave reason why so little interest is
felt by the practical farmer, in what he calls
L" book farming" Your wisdom is manifest in
your determination to discard all articles of this
description.
The small article in your last, comparing
the real friendship, proud independence, perse-
vering industry, generous hospitality and alb
sence of pride and vanity of the real farmer,
with the deception, disingenuous servility,
scheming Establishments, cold-shouldered hospi-
tality and contemplate artifcalities of fash
ionable town life, pleased me much. That
same article contains volumes of truths; and
would that its trueisms were more known and
initiated. But enough of prefacing.
You invite farmers to write for your agricul-
tural columns, and this brief article was COM
menced in compliance with this invitation. [
have little time and cannot write much; but |
make beginning, and sincerely hope my broth
er farmers will follow up and take advantage
of your kind proposition. | will conclude by
detailing my mode of raising potatoes. The
gathering of this crop always appears to lie to
be the most difficult part; and, | believe it is
generally considered the most expensive. The
idea of taking up with the hand-hoe an acre of
potatoes is certainly formidable, especially in
uQIdN NOrdDle SEASONS, anu nave pIactlceu WlIn
entire satisfaction to myself, for several years
the old Irish mode of planting and gathering
| think it saves one-fourth of the usual expense
in the latter item: The process is simple -
After the ground is plowed and well narrowed,
we furrow one way, drop our seed in drills
twelve inches apart, then throw a light furrow
over it from each side; when up, we scatter
equal quantities of ashes and plaster over, plow
twice and leave them. In the fall when we
take up, we take light furrow from each side
of the drill then run the plow through the cen
tre and have hands to follow and pick up;
when the whole piece is gone over in this way,
we harrow it both ways. This levels the ground
and leaves it in a good condition, and brings
up most of the potatoes that were not brought
out in the plowing. Since l have followed
this mode, my potatoe crops have been as good,
in quantity and quality, as they were when |
planted and gathered in the old way.
Yours, &c, G.