The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1874-08-19

er seeding is SO 8 bushels. The differ
ence in Nos. ard 8, with four eyes to
piece, is in favor of No. 8 by 60 12 BUSH
els; while between this and No. ., with
only one piece in hill is falling off of
81 LIZ bushels.
Concerning No. 0, care was taken that
no piece should be planted having more
than five eyes, and in my memorandum, at
the time of planting, find this note; Gre
quiring much care in cutting, and but few
of the seed-cnds left in.
The largest yield was that of No 10, (and
if remember rightly no plaster was pvt in
these hills,) $40 bushels requiring 43 l-2
bushels of seed. Between Nos. 10 and IL
the potatoes were equal in size, but the lat
ter yielded &C bushels less per acre. Again,
simply difference in cutting seed shows
between Nos. ~ and Is an increased yield
of 20 bushels in No. 10, with only an in
crease of 3-4 bushels of seed; while too
much cutting, as in No. IA, shows a dimn-
ished yield of % bushels as compared with
No. 10.
The second largest yield, No. 81, shows
an undue proportion of small potatoes,
20 l-2 bushels. This was doubtless owing
to the fact that each eye grew independent
ly, and in many of the hills there were IS
or 20 different stalks.
Again, the difference in favor of stronger
seeding is plainly marked in Nos. 10 and
20, with small undeveloped tubers cut in
two and planted one and two pieces in a
hill, in favor of the latter, by Sc 10 bush
els
i the seed-end better than the stem-end
| for planting? If a potato is planted whole,
the eyes on the seed-e are those mainly
which send forth shoots, the large proper
| ton remaining dormant but the cut pota-
| to, and those eyes which in the uncut tuber
do not terminate, send forth shoots, and
are equally healthy and prolific. In COM
parison of Nos. 1G and II, which were the
same potatoes except that the seed and
stem-ends were planted in rows by them
selves, the latter shows nearly double the
weight of seed used. and an increased yield
of SO l-2 bushels.
In Nos. 81 and ~, large proportion of
missing hills is shown. From each potato
was cut out, with a sharp-pointed knife,
every eye, or indication of an eye, which
could be seen without the aid of a magni-
flying glass. As a general rule, these po-
tatoes came u, slowly, some not making
their appearance till the latter part of July
and, considering the disadvantages under
which they grew, and the number of miss
ing hills the average yield is quite large.
| do not pretend to affirm that this system
of treatment is favorable to a prolific yield,
but one of these hills contained SO potatoes,
large and SMALL and the largest one would
weigh nearly IA pounds.
In seasons of great scarcity with the poor
the inside of the potato may be eaten, and
if pared thickly, tie parings planted. But
the practice should not be commended, as
the result in No. 25 evidently shows that by
this process the vitality of the tuber is i'm
paired.
My universal practice, for field-culture,
has been to select mediumszed but we'll
developed tubers. and if not too large, plant
| them whole; otherwise, cut them length.
wise into two, and rarely into three pieces
The general practice in this locality is what
may be termed surface-culture. The seed
bed is well prepared, the ground marked
off with horse-marker, and the potatoes
pressed into the ground with the foot, and
covered with the hoe. As soon as they are
up sufficiently TO indicate the rows, the
cultivator is run between them, and they
receive a slight hoeing. With the second
hoeing is included the process of killing,
and the cultivation is finished.
THE GRASS CROP.
The following is from the pen of 0. S.
Bliss the excellent editor of the agricultural
department of the St. Adams AdUe1iser
The grass crop is mostly harvested, and il
is a favorable time for farmers to consider
well what they may and ought to do to make
a better crop next year 1t is undeniably
true that our grass crop is deterioratnG
year by year, and we are doing compare.
lively little toward its improvement. We
have taken not little pains this season tc
examine many meadows with especial refer.
ence to acquiring an intelligent idea of The
subject, and we are more than ever con-
firmed in the opinion that an immediate
and radical reformation in our treatment OF
| all our grass lands, is necessary to the pro
! fitable prosecution of any of those branches
of farming which are dependent upon this
crop. There are meadows all around us
| indeed, we believe it to be the rule rather
than the exception, where the hay crop al
this time is not much if any more than hall
what 1t was twenty years ago, and vastly
inferior at that. This is an unpleasant
statement, and we have not much data with
which to prove it, but there is scarcely q
farm now occupied by the same person a.
at that time, where in half an hours con
versation, the fact may not be conclusively
drawn from the farmers own statements
however strenuously he may argue at the
start that such is not the case.
What we may do to restore our meadows
to their pristine condition of fertility, is
question not easily answered. There are
so many different things to contend against
each affected by an endless variety of cir
cumstances, that any suggestions adapted
to a general application, must be quite gen
eral in their nature. Probably no other one
course would be more generally proftabl,
than top dressing, If farmers generally have
the means at hand with which to thorough
ly do the work. Farm yard manure is o
course the best of all application, but there
is hardly any substance to be named in thu
way of fertilizer that will not be beneficial
upon some soil. We once top dressed
poor, sandy knoll with the stifiest and mos
stubborn clay, dug from the subsoil nea
by, with most excellent and paying results
We have seen the scrapings of bitches, an(
even the earth dug out in making
them, applied with profit. We have
less faith in swamp muck than many
others have, and yet we would not discour
age its use. We have used several kind
Of commercial fertilizers with good effect
but it is very questionable whether we eve
get our money back except from the use o
gypsum and leached ashes. Wherever tn
crop is largely composed of clover, gypsum
will pay and we have yet to learn of an,
soil which has long been under cultivation
where the leached ashes of the soap con
Germs and the asheries will not pay. W.
would rather take our chances of gettin,
our money back from an application o
leached ashes at the price at which they ar
available in this market than any other fer
tilizer of which we have any knowledge.
great many of our meadows have be
come so foul that all effort to restore then
by top-dressing without re-seedng will al
ways prove Of little avail. The creates
drawback upon the system of blowing then
up and re-seedng is the prevalent system
of taking off an exhaustive grain crop CIV
cry time they are plowed If, instead o
that course, we pillow and Immediately re
seed for grass, the very best results may b
confdentally expected Our course woul
be to pillow as soon after haying as possible
harrow thoroughly with the Randall whee