The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1881-06-16
FARM NOTES.

-APooR farmer, even on good land,
can not grow q good ciop Of corn;
whereas, a good farmer, on poorish land,
may succeed in producing fair yield Of
corn. One can always rate farmer at
his exact value by seeing his corn-field
any time between April and November.
Farm Journal.
A PENNSYLVANIA farmer took the small
est potatoes he could find and planted
them, with admirable results. He then
selected the smallest from the smallest
the next year, and planted them, and
obtained about double the quantity
planted. The third year Ire ran the ex-
pertinent into the ground, and left it
there, the potatoes not being worth dig.
ging.-FdrDi Journal
In SETTING hens, 1t is very important TO
provide dry earth, or some good substi-
Mte, in the bottom of the box or barrel.
Quantities Of chickens are counted on
hat never hatch, every spring, for want
n little common sense i'll this very
ming. A simple nest of hay or shavings
ON bare floor will not answer. The
hen who steals her nest knows how to
do it, and hatch ten out OF every dozen
eggs. Provide something to hold the
heat under the eggs while the hen leaves
the nest to feed, and make it easy for the
hen to supply her wants without absent
ing herself too longfrom the nest.-Io,0a
Homestead.
hsrist speaks in the highest terms OF the
double white-fowered horse-chestnut, as
a shade tree. Its bloom is great at
traction, and its foliage unsurpassed by
any ornamental shade tree in this eli
mate. Not bearing any fruit, it is con-
sequently q clean tree. For lawns or
street shade it is unsurpassed, rs it in
variably grows in beautiful shape
without trimming. Indeed, its symetry
is one of its chief beauties. A proper
consideration Of its merits will induce
amateurs and others to employ it oftener
in the ornamentation of public and
private grounds.
ON CLovER.-An experiment was made
on the Michigan State Agricultural Farm,
showing the result Of sowing plaster on
grass land, in comparison with other fer
tilizers, which we applied one year only,
and the grass carefully weighed the fol-
lowing three seasons, with the following
results: On the plat to which no manure
or fertilizer was applied, the total weight
Of hay yielded per acre was 8, TAO pounds.
Where two bushels of plaster per acre
we're applied, the yield per acre was 49,
226 pounds, gain of 4,484 pounds
Where five bushels Of wood ashes were
applied, the yield per acre was 2,007
pounds, q gain Of 4, 165 pounds. Where
twenty loads Of horse manure were laid
on, the yield was IA, ,6S6 pounds, gain
of 6,224 pounds. From this il appears
that two bushels Of plaster produced
over two-thirds as much increase as
twenty loads Of horse manure, worth ten
times as much as the plaster cost. Old
pasture fields can often be made TO pro-
duce luxuriant grasses by the use of
plaster; but all lands are not equally
benefited by its application.
UNIFORM PRoFIrsoF FARMING. have
recently had occasion to examine some
farm accounts which have been kept fif-
teen years, some notes from which ]
send you, which show the uniformity OF
profit Of the farm, and the stability Of
the business. The farm contains 200
acres, besides sufficient woodland, and
the price of it fifty years ago was $40, 900.
The present owner, who inherited small
part Of it, was to have it at that price il
he could pay for it. The price of the
stock and tools Of the farm was 81, 1872.
so the capital invested was 81, 1872. The
accounts have evidently been kept with
accuracy and in proper manner, giving
all the income of the farm, whether from
sales or from use by the family of the
owner, and giving all the expenses of the
farm, whether from sales or from use by
the family Of the owner, and giving ali
the expenses of the farm-not of the
family-including the cost of boarding
the laborers. Itappears that from 1881 to
1S41 (the first ten years, the average net
annual income was 81 ,15051. For the
second period OF ten years the annual
net income was nearly the same. From
1851 TO 1851 It was 81 $780, At; from 1861
TO 1871 it was 81, 1859. SO, and from 1871
TO 1881 it was 81, ,261. "a. 1t does not ap-
pear that there was O variation of more
than twenty-five per cent. above or be.
low the average in any ten years. II
shows that in the first twenty years the
net income or profit of the farm was al.
most exactly ten per cent. on the capital
invested, besides any increase in the
value OF the land. In the last twenty
years the net annual income has been
ten per cent. on 800, COS. 81. which would
be considered a full valuation of the land.
stock and implements. 1t must be con.
sldered, In looking at the value of the
Investment, that money at the begin
ming was at seven per cent, and now at
nve per oent.-R., In Country Gen.
HeDlan.