'^^^•] -^ore About Terra Culture. 



577 



Other subject, without passion, without prejudice. There are a -reat 

 many, m these days, who some how or other enjoy an extrayrgant 

 reputation for wisdom, who never give a decisive and unequivocal 

 opinion in any case. Like the Delphic Oracle, they are always sure 

 to be right, because the prediction would fit any result. In the pres- 

 ent case, though not in accordance with our nature, without any 

 pretensions to infallibility, it may be safe in us to adopt the same 

 course ^ 



We have been giving some attention to various experiments for a 

 few weeks past in the cereals. We have just sowed our forty-eighth 

 variety of wheat; we have also completed sowing some forty^six 

 kinds of grasses, mostly received through the United States Patent 

 Umce. 



The difference in the product of these grains, after having been 

 sowed but four weeks, was surprising ; the Terra-cultured wci-^hin- 

 eight times as much as the common-cultured. We exhibited to our 

 class in college a stool of barley, the product of one grain, which in 

 BIX weeks had tillered fifty-two stalks, and upon inspection, many 

 more seemed to be germinating, distinctly visible upon removing 

 the outer leaves. Our observations in relation to the newly discov° 

 ered law of vegetable physiology-to fruit and fruit trees-to shrubs 

 and plaiit-s-have been, up to this time, quite satisfactory, and have 

 materially modified our views as to the propriety of many practices 

 recommended by those high in authority. As our attention has been 

 directed especially to wheat, to modes of culture recommended most 

 approved, etc, we have thought it would not be unintorestin.^ to 

 give our readers a specimen of the inculcations of our Savan, Tfter 

 the light of all the traditions, and history, and science of near two 

 thousand years-and, from our present, as a stand point-note the 

 progress, and especially the degree of uniformity, or contrariety pre- 

 sented by such survey. 



We will begin our quotations from what may be called the great 

 Agrieu tural work of our times, which ramifies through every agri- 

 cultural periodical or paper in our country, and whose light most are 

 disposed most implicitly to Mlo^-Loudon's Sncyclopcedia of Aari- 

 c«fe«re_we shall confine our readings chiefly to the preparation of 

 the ground, manner of sowing and quantity of seed. 



;0u soils really calculated for wlcat, summer fallow is the first and leading step to 

 g«nago„dcr„p„faatg>.ai„. The fi.. fun-ow should be given before winlr 1 a^ 

 .arly a. otter operafoas on the farm will admit , and eveiy attention should be u^ed to 



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