Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1871-07-06
From Lynchburg.
For the Fayetteville Observer.
LYNCHBURG, JUNE "a, 1871.


Mr. " 0. Hdllace: The citizens
of our vicinity were interested
and edited yesterday by listen
ling TO a speech on agricultural
topics, delivered by Jno. T. Bax.
ter. He il a practical farmer,
and has tried many experiments
with every animal and every pro-
duct usually connected with the
farm. l design giving only q
lew points of his speech. l did
not hear the first part of it.
When l arrived, he was speaking
in reference to bedding sweet po-
tatoes. To produce very early
slips, he dug hole in The ground,
poured abs ut half bushel oats
to four feet square, put six inches
stable manure on that, then cover
the manure with loose dirt, say
four inches deep. Put the pota-
toes on the dirt, cover very lightly,
let the sun shine OIL them a day,
cover with more dirt, then cover
with boards 10 keep off the cold
rains. But he bedded his potatoes
this year in loose dirt in one cor
ner of the patch. He had slips
early enough, very thrifty and
they grew off we'll after setting
out. He prefers the latter plan,
thinks they will grow better and
produce better potatoes in the same
kind OF dirt which produced the
slips, provided it is the right kind.
He planted Irish potatoes this
year several ways for experiment,
manured some with leached ashes
some with lime, some with rotten
straw, sc. To cover Irish pota.
toes with straw lie thinks the
poorest way obey can be planted.
At least his experience runs that
way. A liberal covering with
wheat bran he thinks the best. He
dwelt at some length on hogs, cat.
tie, sheep, poultry, &c. He thinks
the principal cause of runty stock
of all kinds is the habits, which
farmers have OF neglecting to cross
their stock. He related it as bis
actual experience that a fine breed
of sheep, hogs, poultry, &C., will
become runty and sickly in three
years by allowing the offspring Of
the same parents and the parents
themselves to mix and propagate
from each other. He says when.
ever sows are spayed, whoever per
forms the operation should have 6
good brush. Where the incisior
) is to be made the hair is generally
clipped of with pair of sheer
shears or o sharp knife. The fine
pieces Of hair left there are very
stiff and sharp and if not brushed
} off, will stick to the entrails, caus
ing inward inflammation. Years age
he had a fine breed of logs, some
of which weighed nearly five hun
dred pounds when fattened. One
or two, however, of the same litter
would not fatten. Determined, if
} possible, to ascertain the cause, BIZ
: killed and cut them open. Or
examination he found fine, SHARP
, pieces of hog hair incased in in
famed and purified sores. Hence
) the necessity of good brush wher
sows are spayed. He talked much
about fruit trees-is opposed tt
cultivating orchards except wher
the trees are very young-think'
it Injuries them by bruising the
) roots, thus furnishing harbors FOL
the borer worm. He recommend.
sowing blue gross in peach or
chards-says it is inclined to keep
the surface dry, which, he says, is
favorable to peach trees. Mr.
Editor, this is a very imperfect
synopsis of Mr.. Bakers speech.
| hope l will be able to write you
q more interesting letter some tu.
ture day. ID. B.
P. S. MIR. Baxter's remarks
aroused many old farmers present
to a lively and interesting discus
sion Of agricultural Subjects, and
much valuable information was
elected by private interchange
OF views, theories and facts.