Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1860-10-06

THE IhPHOV VEmDNT OF PLSIUItES.
A fine Field of Potatoos-vfi lter Wheat Grown
on old PuSt'uC Land with the use of Bone
Dust.
The Improvement. with reasonable cost of
the old run-out pastures of New England, is, TO
my mind, an interesting subject. and one of the
most important branches Of cultivation our
farmers can undertake. Having had my at
tentlon directed to this subject for several years,
| have been induced to try various methods for
the renovation Of such lands--thc results of
some OF which have been given in former COM
munications to the Farmer. Several interest
ing Improvements Of these Lands are now in
progress in my immediate nelghborhood; and
having to-day visited some of the fields either
already made productive as pasture, or under.
going tilage, to bring them into that condition,
1t is now my purpose to give the details, in
part, of what was observed. In communica-
tion to the Farmer, in August or September Of
the year 1856, ! described tract of sixty or
more acres OF worn-out pasture-and, then re-
Gently purchased by our Vermont Asylum, the
improvement of which had become a desirable
object. and one in which, from some official CON
nectiou with the Institution, felt an active in
tcrest. This tract lies more or less rolling. but
nowhere so steep, or uneven. as to be incun-
vepient or Objectionable for plowing. The i'm
provcmcnts commenced upon it five years ago
have been steadily progressing since, in pieces
of ten to fifteen acres each, until some of them
now have sufficient age to give them Il certain
character, from which some conclusions can safe
ly be drawn. | shall first speak Of three fields
comprised within this tract
The first piece looked at to-day, n field of
about fifteen acres, is now covered with prom
Using crop Of potatoes The land was the old
est kind Of bound-out pasture, covered with
moss. and feeble growth of inferior grasses,
interspersed with sweet fern, shrub pine and
other bushes. The largest bushes were snaked
out, root and branch, by taking a chain-hitch to
them with the oxen; and others were cut down
to the ground, and the little Stumps turned un-
der by the pillow. In November last, the break
ng-up pow, drawn by four oxen, was started,
and the land turned over about eight inches
deep, in the incest and most thorough style.
In April last. it was narrowed furrowed out in
rows one way, three feet and half apart. and
a shovel full of compost. made of muck and
ashes, was dropped omce in every three feet i0
the rows The potatoes were dropped upon the
compost. and the planting finished about the
20th of April. The muck used had lain in
large pile on dry land, for wear or more; and
last fall it was compoSted with unleached ashes,
using about three bushels Of ashes to an on
cart load, or one.t third of a cord of muck. After
lying in a heap few weeks, the compost was
ed land, and deposited in heaps of ten to twenty
loads each, at convenient places for reloading
and dropping in the hills at planting time.
The pOt1tOeS were hoed twice, using the horse
and cultivator between the rows of each hocii =.
The tops have made a large and healthy growth
th,. 'tard about three i,et high, and spread
out latc.ally, SO a. to touch each other from
row to row. The hills were examined day in
various parts Of the field. and the potatoes fou.d
10 be large and sound, and promising good
yield. 1t is well known, that Of late years, our
best potatoes usually come from these oh pas
ture lands. The varieties planted are New
Jersey Peach Blow, the Davis Seeding, and
the Prince Albert or St. Helena. The New
Jersey Peach Blow. strong growing, healthy
and excellent variety. bears no resemblance to
the kihd commonly known as Peach Blow
throughout New England.
Ills piece OF land is to be plowed again, late
this fall, and narrowed smooth and fine, On
light snow in April following, it is TO he lhcr-
ally seeded with red and white clover, herds
grass and red top Seeds for pasture. No grain
is to be sowed, as crop Of that kind would
draw too much from the land, and injure it ma
terall, for pasturage. Besides, the grasses will
catch better, and sooner afford full bite of
pastur0ge. if sown alone, than they would if
shaded and encumbered with grain crop. The
o'u HN'hN AuihNu AilhSl, anu lbtttN anu SUI
ducd by cultivation, will afford nouriShment to
the new grasses, and thus secure productive
pasture for several years.
In November coming, some fifteen acres of
adjoining land, similar to what this piece was,
will be plowed up, and next season manured
and planted with potatoes, and afterwards seed
ed down to pasture. If, however, experience
should indicate that an additional stimulus to
the land would on the whole, be advisable then
future fields will be dressed with about 500
pounds oil bone dust per acre, at the time they
are re-seeded to pasture.
The next field visited was piece containing
twelve acres, plowed up five years ago, this pres
ent month, and eight acres dressed with 400
pounds of bone dust per acre, two acres with
300 pounds of Peruyin guano to the acre, and
two acres each with twenty bushels of unleach-
ed ashes, and the land Immediately stocked
down with grass for pasture, no grain crop
being taken off. Having spoken fully of this
1 field in a communication TO the Farmer four
years ago, and again two years ago this present
month, need not now go into particulars about
it. Suffice it to say, that the land has afforded
excellent pasturage ever since it was thus dress
ed and re-seeded, and the cows appear to be very
fond of the herbage, for they keep always crop
ped as short and smooth as a newly -shaven lawn
indeed, any one acre has been more valuable
of the adjoining land not yet in like manner
taken in hand for improvement. The contrast
between this piece and another of about equal
size lying beside it. but not yet assisted by cu-
tivation, is strikngly favorable to the former,
that wish every reader of these remarks might
have been with me to-day to observe it. 1t
may be remarked in passing, that, while each OF
the three fertilizers used on tAis field gave good
results, the bone dust appears to be of the most
lasting benefit to the land.
Another field of about ten acres was looked
at, which two years ago bore remarkable crop
of potatoes. 1t was manurcd in the hills with
muck and ashes, and planted and cultivated in
a manner similar to the fifteen acres first men,
toned in this article. After harvesting the po-
tatoes the land was plowed again, and smooth
ly narrowed, and the following spring, or a year
ago last April, it was stocked to grass for pas
ture, no grain Icing sown. The grass came ur
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