The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1857-01-03
Cbc Californian.
AGRI(I I.TIRAI..


SWEET pOTAToES.-Some + 900 bushels
OF sweet potatoes have been grown the past
season from one and half acres of land. by
Caleb Bates of Kingston, Massachusetts,
He procures the seed from the South direct
ly, every year, and starts the slips in hot beds:
so that they are ready to transplant as
soon as the ground is made suitable Exper-
lments IN raising this delicious tuber have
been successfully made in Michigan. They
nave long prOspered in Ohio; and the Caro-
linas are likely to be no longer monopoli>ts
of this favorite escuent, although thev will
continue to produce the bes, in the world.
HE HOH>E.-lf you have the care of
horses. remember that a horse is more easily
taught by gentle than by rough usage. If
you use him we'll he will be grateful he will
listen for and show his pleasure at the sound
OF your tootstep. AS to his food, YOU should
do by him as you do by Yourself" Little and
often" As tor his work, begin early, and
then YOU need not hurry. Remember it is
the speed, and not the weight, that spols
many true hearted worker.
IMPORTANCE OF DEAINING-Of the i'm
portanrc Of drainage as a mearS of meliorat-
ing the soil, most persons are not sufficiently
aware-none but those who have witnessed
the GOOD effects Of this process can properly
appreciate lis great benefits; for it has been
we'll and trul y said, that. by draining, the
soil is kept from being too wet and also pre-
served from the effects of drought that it is
warmed 10y the summer showers, and escapes
the chilling influence of excessive moisture,
and is kept from bein. baked by excessive
heat-that it is percolated by currents of the
ail-pervadlng air, laden with treasures of food
for the plants. while at the same time the
cu'tin" blasts Of wind pass harmle>>lv over it
without drying oat all the moisture, and pro-
duclng excessive cold by evaporation>.
SHEEP IN WINTFK.-A well Informed
writer upon the care of sheep remarks that
much OF the success of the wool grower de-
PrndS upon the winter management of his
flock. Sheep are animals which pay their
owners better for good care and keeping than
any other stock usually kept on farm but
if feed with stinnv hand, or nerlected. if
suitable convenlences are wanting. they pay
perhaps as poorly as any. The annual loss
TO the nltcd States, resulting from want
OF suitable sheds and other conyenenccs for
III" winter accommodation of sheep. is i'm
mcnse. The promptinys of >clt-intere>t
would seem sufficient 30 induce farmers to a
dopt better system Of winter Arrangement.
No intelligent farmer at this dav will attem;t
to deny the principle that warm enclosures
are an equivalent to a certain extent to food
\ variety OF well conducted experiments
have conclu>ivcly demonstrated the fact. A
large proportion of food consumed in winter
is required for keeping up the animal heat,
and consequently in proportion as the apart
mentS are warm, within certain limits the
less amount Of food will be required The
other extreme. too close apartments. would
be oEj EjectIona1Ie from the impuritv of the
air, and should be avoided. Sheep have very
little reason to fear injury from this cause
The ma lority suffer for want OF shelter, and
a suitable quantity and variety in their win
ter food. Many tocks are brought to their
winter quarters in fair condition., but are fed
so sparincy that the growth of their wool is
almost wholly arrested !urir" the winter
season, the fodder given them being only Suf-
ticient to sustain the vital functions. Under
such circumstances the food consumed hv
them is in fact nearly lost.
DAIRY AND GRAIN PRoDUCTs OF TIE
UNITED STATES.-It is a fact that the dairy
products of the North are OF more value than
all the products of the South. The dairy pro-
duct of New York alone, in 1880, was l29,-
jo7 .5o7 pounds of butter and cheese Ohio
produced 55,2GS.93l pounds Pennsylvania,
i2.3s4.452 pounds: Vermont, 2o.s5S,Sl4
Massachusetts,, lJ,lJ?.Jl2; Illinois, l3,SO4,-
.GS; Inliana. Is ,Go6,o ,o99 Maine, ll,G1S,-
265; Connecticut, II SCI ,396 New Ilamp-
shire lO,l13.Gl9. The whole of the Slave
States produced G7,?4919S pounds; while
the Northern States produced $40, ,932. .00l
The whole wheat crop Of the United States, by
the last census, was 100, ,4Sj.9l4 bushels more
than one-hat of it being produced from the
soil Of New York, Pennsylvania Ohio and
Illinois while all the slave holding States
together produced 27,s93. zoo bushels The
whole rye crop was l4.lSS,Sl3 bushels, of
which ll,1.?,j 300 bushels were raised in
New England, New York, New Jersey and
Pennsylvania. The oat crop was G,5s4.-
l79, one half being raised in New England,
New York, New Jersey and Ohio
! ArrLES IN REMARKABLE STATE OF