The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1860-04-04
American institute Farmers Club.

American institute Farmers Club.
THE QUANTITY OF SEED PER ACRE
This question of the day was called up
and opened by the Secretary, who read
the following statement furnished by one
of the oldest and best seedsmen of the
United States Alexander Smith, No. Ga
White Street, New York.
Wheat, rich land, 2 bushels; poor land,
p.
Rye, on rich land. 2 bushels; on poor
land, p.
Barley, rich land. p bushels; poor
land, 8.
Oats, on rich land, bushels, on poor
land, 81.
Glover, (red top,) IL pounds.
Timothy, peck.
Grass Cred top) bushels.
Orchard, Il to 9 bushels.
Solon Robinson-I would surely dou-
ble the dose of Timothy, or else mix that
and the clover seed together.
POTATO SEED.-Wm. S. Carpenter-I
have tried great many experiments with
potatoes, and haze come to the conclu.
sion that two eyes to the hill is better than
more seed. I plant in drills. Is inches
apart in the drill, and rows feet apart.
do not approve of deep planting. This
requires 8 or bushels per acre.
CLovER-I would SOW April l, ten
pounds to the acre upon winter-grain
II ell IL usth 9th
at the rate of II pecks per acre, which 1
take care not to cover deeply, never over
an inch.
Corn depends upon the quality Of the
land, which can not be too highly mauured.
I plant rows three feet apart and seed in
drills, one in place, eight inches apart, l
grow the improved King Philip, 100
bushels per acre.
4 OATs.-I SOW three to four bushels to
the acre, and get IS bushels per acre as o
crop. I think oats are generally seeded
too thinly.
RYE.-One and one-half bushels pei
acre, upon we'll ll-prepared ground, carefully
put in, is about the right quantity apor
our Westchester farms. 1t is not gener
ally sown as thick as that by most farmers
WHEAT Il would SOW two bushels pei
acre; and if the land is in good condition
fair crop can be grown in this region.
POTATOES. Mapes-In an ex
pertinent in Bermuda, made with militar,
exactness, with whole and cut potatoes
!, and at all depths, the following result
were ascertained, Whole potatoes CAV
the best monetary results, and the bes
potatoes. The experiments were mad
!. under the direction of General Betson, an
he has published large, book full of thes
r. nice details. Some gentlemen at tn
American Phalanx, in New Jersey, trie
a the experiments carefully, and came to th
y conclusion that General Betson did.
! ! have also tried these. and other exper
l. ments, and have come to the same cor
= clusion, that whole potatoes for seed al
i. altogether the most profitable. / woul
q plant those of large size, and very rouut
Potatoes left in the earth where the
:. grow over winter, are much the most soil
~ and nutritious. A potato will be pr
: : served sound through winter at less tha
!, one foot deep.
Mr.. Carpenter-We all know that
a whole potato pushes forward earlier tha
:, cut ones But as there is an average
- eight eyes to tuber, there will general
n be TOO many stalks. Where l plant tN
70 eyes, my potatoes grow sound, and
C large size. I believe that three inches
20 ho oA
ir Prof. Mapes-Upon two fields, OF
= : under drained. and one not, both plantt
no alike, with the same seed, the crop near
ID all rottel upon the under drained Ian
7 When I plant whole potatoes, my crop
re of very even size.
to Mr. Carpenter-My neighbors ha
~ become convinced that great saving CT
., q be made in seed potatoes by cutting Il
IN seed, and that the result is in all respec
% as good as when they plant their Sc
ch whole. My crop last year produced
:, bers rather too large to suit this narkt
,iif Seed may be put in the ground as So
~ =. as it is cut, or kept out, and coated wi
Mt plaster or dry dust.
od Mr.. Suydam, farmer, of Long Island,
~ The farmers on the island who grow pot
p toes for this market have studied q 60
deal about how to plant potatoes and ht
to save seed. Some of them cut tn
seed like Mr.. Carpenter, and plant it
On drills twenty inches apart, the rows
three feet distance. Others plant in
we same way, with whole seed, and. I belle
= with results universally in favor of
he whole seed, though it uses more seed, t
d. quantity being IL to IA bushels an &C
lid -.s ------->>>>---
gh As Far as They Go.
We have lust heard good 'un. n