Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1860-06-09
Correspondence.



Mr.. EDITOR Having for sometime past,
been travelling through the counties Of Nor.
thumberland, Montour aud Columbia, aGd
thinking that through the columns Of your
paper, ] might say word Of interest and
also Of encouragement TO the Farmers, SUB
nit the following:
The weather for the past month, though
wet and cool, has been exceedingly hne tor
the grass and grain, but the farmers say tnat
Il has been rather wet for the corn, espeelaliy
SO on the lower grounds. | think you win
agree with them when tell you that great
many have Just finished planting, and that
there are some who say, that unless there IS
a change 10 the weather soon, they VIII not
be able to realize their expectations, as IL VIII
soop be too late to plant with any certainty
of escapipg the frosts in the fall. As for me,
! think that time is past already. lhough
the corn as yet is o little backward, never LOT
a period of ten years have l seen the grass
and grain present better appearance than
it now does at this season OF the year. Far.
mers have reason to be encouraged, the grain
generally throughout the country looks well.
Il has good color, stands thick and even on
the ground, and think from its early heading
will escape the ravsges Of the weevll, From
the present appearance there will be
rich and bountiiul harvest, and our State Will
yield more grain than it has for the last ten
years.
think i. would be well for Our farmers to
change their seed every few years. Never
SOW the grain you raise more than four years
in succession. Never plant the corn you
raise more than four years IN succession. l
have noticed great difference by changing
seed even in the potato cLop. l believe that
the change of seed is just US essential TO the
production Of good crops, ns the change OF
Al, a,a,,, .f ii ctn Ao i
was travelling few days since in Maine town.
shin, Columbia county, | noticed field of
wheat owned by George Miller which from
the one side as passed along the road, look
ed very tall, had good color, and stood very
thick on the ground. passed along until l
came to the corner, where the road turned
at an angle Of about ninety five degrees, and
passed along the other side thus giving
view of the whole field. When about half
way along this side, wns surprised to see
what difference there was in the same field
of grain.
The grain had been drilled in, and while
this frat part was very thick on the ground,
and about eighteen inches higher than the
other, the second part was very short and
the stalks stood so fur apart that they looked
lonesome, they could have grown as thick as
saplings and not crowded each other, and were
OF pale yellowish color. l supposed the
first part was fresh piece Of ground and had
been manured, while the other had worn out
by tillage. On asking what caused this
difference, however, he told me the land was
of the same quality, and had all been manurad,
but that the one part was sowed with grain
of his ow o raising, while the other he had got
from the West Branch. He regretted that
he had not enough to sow the whole field,
saying that it would have paid him amply to
have paid $500 per. bushel, for the seed
wheat. He attributed the difference to the
change of seed. This is only one case out
of many. Then change your seed every four
years, even if you should get the same kind
and of your neighbor. g. w. +.
Cattawssa Valley, June lst.