416 



Cassia chamcechristi. — Mr. E. J. Peck, of Liudou, New Jersey, 

 writes as follows in reference to this plant : 



The " partriclge-pea" seed receivetl from the Department was sown on a dry loam soil, 

 nearly all the seed vegetating and producing thrifty plants twenty inches in height. 

 It commenced blooming about August 1, and continued to throw out an abundance of 

 flowers until September 15, and ceased by the 25th. During the time it was in blos- 

 som the humble-bee was very attentive, but during the entire time I never saw a 

 honey-bee on the plant, although it was in bloom during the greatest scarcity of 

 honey-yielding plants this section has known for several years. As a plant for bee 

 pasture.it has not the least value. 



Dakota Tereitory. — Lieutenant E. B. Northnp, Seventeenth 

 United States Infantry, in a recent communication to this Department, 

 states that at the Indian agency at Fort Berthold, in tfte northern i^art 

 of Dakota, large quantities of melons, cabbages, tomatoes, &c., have 

 been grown this year. At Fort Stevenson, about thirty miles south, 

 the garrison have about 20 acres under cultivation, and have raised, this 

 year, about 300 bushels, of potatoes, 50 bushels of onions, 30 bushels of 

 beets, 75 bushels of ruta bagas, &c. 



Drained land and drought. — A correspondent at Milo, ISew 

 York, says : " Drained land has stood our two-years' drought better 

 than undrained, and a free use of gypsum has helped out the crops very 

 much." 



Sugar culture in Australia. — lu an address delivered at Mel- 

 bourne upon ^he practicability and advantages of sugar i^roduction iu 

 Australia, Eev. Mr. Holland stated that he commenced the culture sev- 

 enteen years ago, and after much investigation in regard to the variety 

 of cane best suited to his purpose, he had found the '^plauter's friend" 

 to be the species best adapted to the general requirements of the col- 

 ony. It produces sugar and rum of the best quality, while all portions 

 of it can be utilized. The seed and cane are excellent fodder for stock, 

 and paper can be made from the leaves. A company has beeu formed 

 to export what is called the " half stuff" to Eugland, to be made into 

 paper. The trash (crushed cane) supplies fuel for the manufacture of 

 the sugar. The soil best adapted to the growth of this variety is that 

 of a sandy, loamy uature, on a limestone formation. It yields 20 to 25 

 tons per acre, and matures within six months ; other varieties yield 30 

 tons per acre, but require two years to mature. There were instances 

 where it produced 25 tons 12 cwt. of stalks per acre, sufficient to give 

 1^ tons of sugar, 00 gallons of spirits, 40 bushels of seed, and 10 tons 

 of fodder. Mr. Holland estimates a net profit of £750 the first year on 

 a farm of 50 acres, after paying all expenses of machinery, buildings, 

 culture, &c. ; the second year the profit is much larger, no extra ma- 

 chinery, i&c, being requisite. He urged the formation of a company to 

 engage in the business on a large scale, and expressed the opinion that 

 eventually it would become the back-bone industry of the colony. 



Grinding wheat without millstones. — A paper was recently 

 read before the British Association of Science, at Edinburgh, upon a 

 new mill for grinding wheat. It is described as reda(;ing the grain by 

 percussion while it is unsupported and projected through the air. When 

 passing through the macihine the wheat is struck by a series of bars 

 moving in opposite directions, which reduce the wheat so quickly to a 

 state ready for bolting that no injurious heat is caused ; hence the flour is 

 superior to that obtained b}^ the usual process, and produced at less cost. 

 Ajii Edinburgh firm has one of these disintegrating flour-mills in full 

 operation, and its advantages over the millstones that it supersedes ere 



