Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-02-21

WlldJ GntH huOW LlllouSH tlC NOl"i'ho '"
the FREEMAN
When anything about the farm OF build
ings gets out of repair, see to it at once
and don't let it remain until it is all gone
to pieces. A large expense can be saved
to every farmer annually by attending to
this.
We have received the report of Mr..
Bliss committee to award prizes for the
largest yields of potatoes of certains varie-
ties. We would direct the attention of
farmers who fear excessive manuring, to
the astonishing amounts used by different
competitors, Mr.. Pearson added to an
already rich soil about 60 two-horsc loads
of manure, nearly zoo bushels of wood
ashes and "a bushels of lime per acre, to-
gether with bone-dust and other fertilizers
in smaller quantities. Mr.. A. Rose, after
covering his land three inches thick with
rotten barn.yard manure and three bush
els of wood-ashes per square rod, applied
in addition large shovelful of rotted hen
manure and two hand>luls Of ashes to each
hill, besides several surface dressings with
other fertilizers. But all this must appear
but small attempt at enriching the land,
to our Scotch friend, Mr.. Robertson, who
would not entrust his seed to IL black sandy
loan, four feet deep, undcrdrained and
trenched to probably the entire depth, be-
fore spading, under II coat of wcll-rottcd
COW dung, and applying after to the hills
three cart loads of wood-ashos, two of
sheep-droppings, and several other ferti-
izcrs.
In cutting potatoes we can also see to
what extent it may be carried, even TO dis
secting of the eyes. In one case a pound
of potatoes was divided into 900 sets.
These practical tests of the feasibility Of
raising large crops from small sets, be-
come of much importance in seasons of
scarcity of seed potatoes. For it is shown
here that, even without carrying the divi-
sion of the eyes to extremes; nine-tenths
ofthe seed may be saved.
One of the kinds grown, the Alpha, has
been designated by the committee as Il
valuable acquisition, rs much the earliest
of all the varieties, They say:
1t was found to be " fit for use in sixty
days from the day of planting of excel
lent quality when cooked in any way, and
gaining steadily in quality and yield. In
this latter respect the Alpha differs from
most new seedlings. But few improve af.
ter the third year, while many deteriorate
rapidly. The Alpha, when first brought
TO notice, was below medium size, and so
delicate that it was thought only suitable
for garden culture. But gradually we
found it increasing in size and productive
ness, while it retains its earliness and eX-
cellent quality. That it will henCeforth
rank as the earliest potato for the field us
well as the garden, and that it yields enor
nous crops, even under ordinary culture,
has been sufficiently proved by Mr., Clute's
1885 pounds, grown without any manure
whatever.
TO those OF our readers who noticed in
our report of the Dairyman's meeting at
Burlington the rather spicy debate on the
relative pleasures and profits of farming;
an incident of the late meeting of the State
Board of Agricultme at Woodstock will be
suggestive.
Mr.. Chapman, member of the board,
said they had at some of their meetings in
other counties taken vote us to the
amount of profit averaged by the farmers
of the county for the year." and asked
such as thought the farmers of Windsor
county had made an average profit Of two
hundred dollars each, to rise. Not IN in
dvidual rose. He next asked that those
who thought an average profit OF one hun
dred dollars had been made to rise. One
gentleman rose to ask whether this profit
was after taking out interest for capital
invested in farm and stock. Mr. Chap
man said that of course the interest ut six
per cent on capital invested should be de-
Quoted before profits could be calculated
No one rose at the one hundred,dollar-
bait. Another gentleman suggested that
Mr.. Chapman put the question whether
farmers after deducting expenses had real
lied six per cent on their capital, which
he did, but not one rose to affirm this most
moderate estimate.