Year: 1879




AS a general rule, the best time
to sow grass seed is in the early
spring on fine mellow soil. Many
our best farmers advocate sowing
on the last snow, as the ground is
usually honeycombed by the frost,
and the melting Of the snow washes
it into the earth. But az every
field plowed in the fall in this Sec
ton il designed for crop of small
grain, it is found to be more profit
able to SOW in connection with it.


THE BEST POTATOES.


The early rose potato has had it's
day. 1t lacks in good many i'm
portant partic ularS in being the
best we now have, and like many OF
it's predecessors, once famous, must
stand aside for something better.
Among the new kinds three or four
have become prominent and are
worthy of extended trial, chief
among which we would name the
SnoN flake, which, by almost unani-
nous consent, stands at the lead.
II is beautiful in appearance and un-
doubleday the best favored potatoe
grown. Baked it is as mcaly and
as white as flour. The only thing
we have ever urged against il is
that under some conditions it is not
a great yielder.


Early Ohio, seeding of the
Early Rose, is another promising
potato. 1t combines earliness with
good quality, and is very produc-
tive. 1t has been grown to some
extent in this locality, and has given
good satisfaction.


Burbank's Seeding is another
good potato. 1t is a big yieIder,
and ike the Early Ohio is a eed
ling OF the Early Rose.


Extra Early Vermont ripens
about Il week ahead of the Early
Rose, and is more productive. it
seems prcdisposed to disease, and
consequently has not sustained the
reputation it once held. In this To-
cality it has, however, done well.


THE VALUE OF CLOVER.


We believe that it was Mr..
George GeddeS, Of Syracuse, New
York, who once made the state
ment "that the farmers in his To-
calty, although they carefully saved
al the manure they made them
selves, would not haul it mile if
1t were given them" And this was
because they preferred clover,
plowed in, for enriclring their soil,
TO barn ard manure. 1t is com
mon remark of many good farmers
that they are never at loss TO rem
ovate such land as will produce
even moderate crop of il. Coupled
with plaster, a green manure is pro-
vided, evenly distributed over the
soil, whose beneficial effects when
pIowed under are apparent the next
year In largely increased yield OF
grain-in fact, the Improvement of
the land to almost any extent de-
pends wholly on the inclination aud
means OF he owner. But not alone
as a manurial crop is clover valu-
albeit Is one of our best forage
plants. The nutritiye matter con
tanned in it, though relatively less
than that of some other grasses, is
yet in the amount per acre fully
equal TO the average of any of our
grasses, and when properly cured is
most valuable hay tor mich cows,
calves and sheep. 1t is also a great
puiverizer OF the soil, its long tap
roots penetrating TO a greater depth,
drawing up water and nourishment
far below the line made by the
plowshare. The seed can be .sown
IN August or September, but the
best time is in early spring, in con-
nection with our small grains. On
loamy soil from ten to twelve
pounds will he sufficient, while clay
ey lands require usually from twelve
TO sixteen pounds. When used
with timothy, from four to six
pounds should be used on the first
mentioned, and from eight to twelve
on The last kind of soil. After it
has started and the leaves have de-
veloped an application of plaster
will produce wonderful effect.
Glover should be cut after the bios
SONS have assumed a brownish hue,