Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1873-02-28
Reported for the VERMONT FARMER
EAST ST. JoHNSBURY FARMERS
CIlIR

Subject Of discussion Friday evening, Feb.
2Oi What IL the most profitable crop 10
TRise, and the best method OF cuItivRtinRi 1T"
A. X. Hovcy: | should think II depended
somewhat on the circumstances of the diff
ferent farmers. Nearly all, | think, would
admit that the hay crop is of first Importance,
for ii is certainly the only crop that pays us
much. My way of growing grass, rs you all
know. is to top dress my moist land, of which
! have large quantity, and when manure
the dryer portion of my farm, and raise DIFF
fercnt crops, my prime object is to get it into
good condition to stock down for the pro-
duction of hay, then is the time for us to get
return for the labor and capital expended.
Tfmore of my land consisted of dry soil,
should not calculate to raise grain on all that
| cultivated each year, hut sow on grass
seed Immediately after manuring. ! should
break up piece soon after haying, and har-
row in good coat Of manure, then brush in
the grass seed, and thus get good crop If
grass started without cNhaustng any of the
manure. ! think the corn crop is next in
Importance to hay, on those farms adapted
10 it, hut every one must take into consdcrl.
ton what his soil is best fitted for, and then
raise principally the'crop most suited To its
| capacity.
| +. l.. Hovey guess | shall he under the
necessity of telling u story. The great secret
Of raising any kind of crop IS, abundance Of
manure. | got sued one time, n good while
ago. and went TO - lawyer-Judge Ross-for
counsel, andto him did not want to stand
trial unless pretty sure of success, and for
! illustration he told me the following: There
was one time young man studying law with
Il very eminent and successful lawy err, and
I after he was all fitted for the profession and
about to launch out into the world to make
II practical application of his abilities. he re-
quested to know the great secret of his
teachers wonderful success. The eminent
member Of the bar promised TO make ii all
plain to HIM for the consideration ofthe sum
of 500, which the youngster at once paid.
Then the lawyer told him the great secret OF
success in any case was the preponderance III
evidence ON your side. Some time after they
met each other at quite distance from
home. and the young lawyer, being short OF
funds, borrowed 500 of the other. and never
after said anything about paying, until being
dunncd for it one time Inc denied having cv-
er borrowed the money, saying to be success
FIJI in law, you must have the propondoancc
of evidence ON your side. So with ma
nurc we must have plenty of It in our favor
and then we are sure of success Ii is my
opinion certainly that grass is the most i'm.
portant crop to raise in this part of the coun.
Ia I,af tt,,s,
there is only one correct way, and that is "a
top dress grass land In raising crops II
should be nn object to raise the largest crops
mt the same time eNhnusting the soil the
least. | hold this: any crop while growing
during its first stages, takes little nourish
ment from the soil II gets its manure most
~ from the atmosphere, but when the seed,
begin to grow il eNhausts the soil and use,
up the manure. This being the ease you eat
see the importance of cutting your grass
early.
j. Lawrence, Secretary of the Passumpsi,
Club; My duties in clubs are different from
most members. II has been my lot TO report
rs well rs could, what the others said so
have not cultivated the faculty of speaking
publicly very much. | can say, rs far rs m,
experience goes, the hay crop is the crop
ALL that is, il will pay better than anythin,
else we can ralse, but to make il success I
wants cutiyatng just rs much rs anythin,
else. For instance, suppose you have Ian,
for corn, you fix II for that crop. Now sup
pose instead of this you sow oats, for in
stance, and stock il down in the fall will
grass seed, then You cut your oats beior,
ripe for fodder, and the labor is very little
and you have the foundation for good crol
of hay for the next three or four years
} Compare this with the system of raising
crop of corn first, and then seeding down af
ter crop of gram, The difficulty is You ge
too much manure out of the ground belor
you come to the grass crop. The grassshoul'
have the first use Of the manure, for II pay
better ON grass than to raise a crop before
} Many complain that they do not get an
} catch, The trouble is they have eNhauste'
most of the manure from the soil befor
stocking down Top dressing is all right OF
most land hut one difficulty is farmers wal
till the grass is all bound out, and then to
. dressing cannot be applied with any goo,