APPENDIX. 449 



to the first, but farther from the plants ; and iii general, we believe, 

 it will be found advantageous to plough and hoe the crops the third 

 time. We have seen it highly recommended to plough among Indi- 

 an corn, as late as in August. Frequent deep ploughing is certainly 

 the best mean of keeping the ground moist, and should never be 

 omited in case of drought. Ground that has become quite dry will 

 be found moist after a thorough deep ploughing. At all events, the 

 ground should be so cultivated as to prevent any weeds from going 

 to sec-d in ihe Fall ; for if this be suffered the ground will remain 

 constantly stocked with the seeds of weeds. 



We advise to the cultivation of the common turnip, the potatoe, 

 and the pumpkin, in the manner we have mentioned, for the pur- 

 pose of affording the early supply of food for feeding and fating cat- 

 tle in the Fall and the forepart of Winter, before the ruta-baga-crop 

 should be used, of which we shall presently speak. We also advise 

 to this variety of crops, in order thai the cattle may have a greater 

 variety of food; a matter of considerable importance in feeding and 

 fating cattle. For this purpose, also, the culture of the cabbage is 

 worthy of attention. Horses, and all sorts of cattle, faten well on 

 pumpkins; but for Swine they should be sleamboilcd, and the seeds 

 taken out, as these prove injurious to those animals, by causing too 

 great a secretion of urine. The seeds afford an oil equal to that of 

 the olive, and are well worth preserving for this purpose. 



As soon as the ears of the corn -crop have somewhat hardened, the 

 crop may be cut up and set in shocks, with the tops tied closely to- 

 g-ether to keep out the rain, in which way the grain will harden as 

 well as in any other, and a great addition of fodder may thus be 

 acquired. 



During the next season, we propose to take two crops from the 

 ground, to wity a crop of ruta-baga, preceded by such Spring-crop 

 as ripens sufficiently early to be harvested in time for preparing the 

 ground for a full growth of this root. In the meridian of Newyork, 

 Mr. Cobbett says that from the 26ih of July until some of the first 

 days in August, is the proper time to transplant this crop, the plants 

 for the purpose being previously grown. The method of cultivating 

 the crop by transplanting, he insists, is the preferable way; and 

 from our own experience we are fully disposed to agree with him. 

 Advancing to the northward, from Newyork, the seasons are shorter, 

 and of course the crop should be transplanted earlier, while at the 

 same time the Spring-crops are later in ripening. At Newyork, bar- 

 ley could be taken from the ground in time sufficient to prepare for 

 ruta-baga: Farther to the north, this could not be the case. In the 

 more northerly p&rts of this State, it would, perhaps, be difficult to 

 find any crop, now raised in this Country, with the exception of flax, 

 that would be sufficiently early. The fact is, we want a particular 

 crop for this purpose ; and that would seem to be the new sort of 

 Spring-wheat lately introduced into France, which is there called le 

 pie de mai> in English., the wheat of May. It is said to be a very 

 productive species of wheat, affording a grain from which flour is 

 made of about a medium whiteness between that of rye and wheat, 

 and in that Country it is fit to harvest in the latter end of May. In 

 this State, it would probably ripen no where later than the first of 

 July, which would be in time sufficient for the crop of ruta-baga. 



Until we can procure this wheat, we can only recommend that the 

 preceding crop be such only as will ripen sufficiently early, and, 

 where none can be had for the purpose, to be content with raising 

 the crop of ruta-baga only in the course of the season. Where pre- 

 vious Spring-crops can, however, be obtained, let them be Uksn 



57 



