14 



water in an iron pot, and as fast as it dissolves i")our it into tlie water in 

 the trongh. Tlien crack a few grains of w heat and dip them in the 

 water, and immediately take them out and lay them in the snn to dry. 

 As soon as the blue color is perceivable on the cracked wheal tlie solution 

 is suflfi(;iently strong. Nail across one end of the trough strips of board 

 to lay the sacks of wheat on to drain. Then lay in the sacks of wheat. 

 My trough is sixteen feet long, and I lay in five sacks, and as soon as I 

 lay in the lifth sack I take out the first one and lay it on the strips to 

 drain. As soon as the sacks are drained the wheat may be sown. 

 Otherwise, lay three strips of board on the floor and place the sacks of 

 wheat on them. As soon as the tier is full lay strips on top of the 

 sacks and another ti^r of sacks, and so on as high as desired. There is 

 no danger of the wheat spoiling if nnder cover. It needs no rolling 

 in lime or ashes. This course has not failed in fifteen years' trial with 

 me. If everything is convenient, with one man to assist, jou can pre- 

 pare enough in a day to sow 1,000 acres. A i)ersou wishing to sow a 

 small quantity can take a smaller trough or a barrel and di[) the sack 

 in, and take it out as soon as the water has penetrated every part of the 

 sack. The main i)oint is to have your solution strong enough, and take 

 your wheat out as soon as every grain is touched by it. 



THE CEREALS IN AEKANSAS. 



Independence County, Arlmnsas. — Wheat, rye, and oats are planted in 

 this section only on »ur very poorest lands. The great alluvial bottoms 

 of the White Eiver, running through the center of the county, are ex- 

 clusively devoted to cotton. Prior to 1800 wheat was sometimes sown 

 npon those lands, and the average product was not less than twenty-five 

 bushels per acre. The universal failure of the cotton planters this 

 season will probably induce them to appropriate more of these rich lauds 

 to grain-growing in the future. In that case the valley of the Upper 

 White Eiver of Arkansas will rival the Shenandoah and Genesee Val- 

 leys of the East. 



GRAPES IN KENTUCKY. 



Fine Grove, Clarlc Connty, Kentuclcy. — Doctor S. D. Martin gives an 

 account of his experiments in cultivating different varieties of grapes. 

 His land slopes gently toward the south, having a fall of about four 

 feet in one hundred yards. The soil is rich, about two feet deep, and 

 laying upon four feet of yellow, tenacious clay, which is underlaid with 

 limestone. The vines on this ground have been growing from two to 

 four years, being a year old when i)lanted. The rows are eight feet 

 apart, running nearly north and south with the slope of the hill, and 

 the Aines from four to eight feet apart in the rows. The ground lias 

 never had any other manure tlian that dropped by stock grazed or fed 

 ui)on it. One row is planted with vines upwards of twenty years old — 

 Isabella and Herbemont. The following summary of experiments is 

 given : 



Anna, a very slow grower, mildewed badly, produced a few sweet 

 grapes ; first crop. 



Alvey, a fine healthy vine, yielded a good crop ; first crop. 



Agawam, Eogers's No. 15, mildewed badly, grapes rotted, not half a 

 crop ; first crop. 



Concord, jiroduced a heavy crop, no rot; second crop. 



Crevelling, early and productive ; first crop. 



Clinton, bore a heavy crop, ripened well, excei)t that a few vines lost 

 their leaves ; second crop. 



