112 [Senate 



brought into the condition described, that isy when it is made deepy 

 fine, clean and rich, the cultivation becomes much more easy, as less- 

 labor with the plow will he required to fit it for crops, than previous- 

 to such preparation would have been indispensable. A single plowing" 

 of such lands, inverting a turf or clover lay, followed by the roller 

 and harrow, will make a better bed for the reception of most seedsy 

 than repeated plowings of ordinary lands, and ensure a better crop. 

 It should always be remembered, that if the earthy constituents of 

 a soil — the sand, clay, lime, &c., are present in their proper pro- 

 portions, it is scarcely possible to make it too rich for the perfec- 

 tion of grains; but where this proportion does not exist, excessive 

 manuring will generally be found to give abundance of straw, with 

 little or inferior grain. 



Much, it is believed, is gained by the farmer, in the management 

 of the farm, by paying particular attention to his seeds, and their 



preparation for germination. Good perfect seed, is as ne- 

 Choice and r ^ i • c i i i r i 



preparation cessary lor the production oi a healthy periect plant, as is 



a good conditioned, well formed animal for the production 



of good stock. The substance of the seed forms the first food of the 



young plant, and if this is vitiated or defective in quantity or quality, 



its influence will assuredly be visible in the plant produced. Many 



of the diseases of plants may be prevented by preparation of the 



seed. Thus smut, which is one of the frequent causes of injury to 



wheat, is effectually prevented by a thorough washing in brine, and 



drying in new or caustic lime.* The attack of the wire worm, 



birds, &c., on corn newly planted, is in a great measure checked by 



rolling the seed in tar, and drying it with plaster or lime. There are 



• There is, much to the disgrace and loss of our farmers, large quantities of smutty 

 wheat annually produced in this country. Nothing is easier than to prevent this, and 

 where proper precautions, in the preparation of seed are usetl, smut is unknown. An 

 experiment recorded in the " Annals of Agriculture," made with very smutty wheat 

 gave the following results : 



No. 1, sown dry, no preparation, had on the piece of ground,. ... 377 smutty ears. 



2, washed well in clean water, plot same size, 325 " 



3, " in lime water, " " 43 " 



4, " in a lye of wood a-jhes " " 31 " 



5, " in a brine of salt and arsenic, " 28 " 



6, steeped in lime water 4 hours " 12 " 



1, " in lye 4 hours, " 3 " 



8, " in arsenic 4 hours, " 1 «* 



9, " in lime water 12 hours " 6 " 



10, " in lye 12 hours, " « 



11, " in arsenic 12 hours, " 4 " 



12, " in lime water 24 hours, ** " 



13, " in lye 24 hours, « " 



14, " in arsenic 24 hours, « 5 " 



