Year: 1865




Having seen something of the way
that planted crops are tended in the west,
| thought few suggestions to farmers
about here, as to putting in and cultiva-
ting corn, potatoes, &C., especially on
old farms, where the land is well cleared
of roots and stones, might be acceptable,
| present the following. Every such
piece of land is an artificial prairie, and
can be cultivated the same way, and with
the same amount of labor, that a prairie
is, excepting the labor OF manuring.--
First then-Mark off the land in rows
each way, either by furrowing one way
and marking it the other, by drawing
marker across the furrows, or by marking
each way with the marker, which is the
prairie style and is the fastest, neates:,and
hest way where the manure has been
plowed in, and the furrows are not need
ed for manuring in the hill. A good
marker can be made in few minutes by
mailing board or slab across several short
hoard runuers, say four or five, at the
distance apart that you want your rows,
or the runners may be fastened to the
top piece, so that they may be adjusted
by a slide and pin, for rows wide or close
ly planted. A tongue is required by
which to draw the marker, and it may
be made to draw by hand, or with team
it with team, the driver can steady it
by riding upon it, but on most farms about
here the hand marker will be found pref
cradle. 1t should have at least four run
ners, and then after marking straight
across once, you can let the out side run
ner follow back in the out side track each
lime, making all your rows straight,
which is very important, since straight
rows are much easier and better to culti-
yate than the curving, angling, zigzag
ones, that we so often see. In this way
you can mark six rows at one shout"
and no farmer can object to this way of
marking on account of the time that it
takes, for, when the marker is ready. he
can check off his field in straight rows
each way, in about one third the time re-
quired to furrow out one way, and what
Is OF vastly more importance, it can be
tended with less than half the labor re-
qulred by the crop that is put in in rows
only one way, by plowing ont each way,
with the small cultivator. pow, for when
this is well done, the grass and weeds are
nearly all covered, and there is but little
left for the hoe to do. The ground is all
completely stirred in this way, leaving it
in the most favorable condition for the
growth of the crop The first blowing
should be done as soon as the crop is up
enough so that the rows can be seen.
and tae plow should be run very light
and close to the row so as to take out or
cover all the weeds in the rows at the
first plowing, and those farther from the
plants can be attended to little later
A common error is to run the plow near
The centre OF the space, and considerable
distance from the plants, leaving the hills
'ill covered with weeds, to wilt there
i'll theJ are removed or covered with
hoe. To say that there are many acres
'fthe cultivated land tliroughoutthe New
England States that might be tended al
most entirely with the plow, kept clear of
weeds and prodoce as good or better crops
han with the old aud more expensive
way OF tending principally with the hoe,
) no exaggeration, and ifany farmer who
'eads this article shall find in it any sug.
,estions which may benefit him, the OBJ
ect of the writer will be attained.


Yours Respectfully,


+. p. CHENEr.


West Glover, April 27.