400 



FA RIMERS' REGISTER— CHEAT AND AVIIEAT. 



The Dutcli generally, and a good many others, 

 believe that the growth and perlection of vegeta- 

 bles depend, to a considerable extent, on the state 

 of the niuon at the time of planting or sowing 

 iheir roots. Such as potatoes, turnips, beets, &c. 

 &c., should be planted or sowed on the decrease, 

 and wheat, peas, &c. on the increase of the moon. 

 They also believe that pork and beef should be 

 Elaughteved belbrc I he lull. 



In the year 1833, the following experiment 

 passed under my observation. Three days before 

 the full moon in INIarch, two rows of Irish pota- 

 toes were planted, and two weeks after a further 

 planting was made, to some extent; the soil, seed, 

 and preparation bemg the same. When potatoes 

 were expected for use, the first planted were not 

 larger than peas, while the second \vere as good as 

 expected — became very fine, and in the course of 

 the sunmier ceased to grow, and the tops died. 

 The first planting grew to a great length, (one 

 plant measured eight feet ten inches,) and con- 

 tinued green till frost, when they were dug, and 

 produced about a third, possibly half" as much 

 as first planted. I have at other times had pota- 

 toes of similar character, but did not attend to the 

 state of the moon. Many farmers, no doubt, have 

 observed that their 'Tops of wheat, corn, &c. or 

 part of them, sometimes turned out worse than 

 from the nature of the soil, and other -circum- 

 stances, they expected. Still I admit that it re- 

 quires many experiments made with accuracy and 

 judgement, to establish, beyond doubt, the exis- 

 tence of such a principle: and although the Dutch 

 who universally believe and act on it, are noto- 

 riously more successful than most others, yet it 

 niay be that this success is the result of more care- 

 ful tillage. 



If such an influence does exist, it is important to 

 the interests of agriculture that it be satisfactorily 

 established. As radishes are of quick growth, an 

 experiment might be easily made, and repeated as 

 often as necessary, by sowing a few seed every 

 week for four or eight weeks. 



It is to be hoped, Mr. Editor, that you, or some 

 of your intelligent correspondents, will be able to 

 give us some light on the subject, and let us knew 

 whether it is any thing more than "a mere matter 

 of moonshine," 



AN INQUIRER. 



CHEAT AND WHEAT. 



To the EJitor of the Fanners' Register. 



In looking over the Farmer's Register, J have 

 been struck with the readiness with which some 

 of your correspondents gave into the notion, that 

 a certain portion of their wht^at was trarsmuted 

 into cheat, upon what I consider to be verr insuffi- 

 cient testimon3^ Sometime in the month of May 

 or June last, I had occasion to leave kmie for 

 Bomc days, and when I returned, on inquiring of 

 my overseer how the wheat crop came en, he, in 

 a most desponding tone, informed me thatthe pros- 

 I)ect was vepy bad — "that all the wet places had 

 turned into cheat." I laughed heartily at him for 

 entertaing such a notion — tor I had always thought 

 it absurd. I went to examine, and somewhat to 

 my surprise, found that in those parts of the field 

 which had not been properly drained, tiie wheat 

 had entirely disappeared, and nothing but cheat 

 remained. I did not infer, however, that the wheat 



had turned into cheat, but that the wheat had 

 been destroyed by too nuich wet, and that the 

 cheat, being a hardy plant, had survived, and hav- 

 ing nothing to interfere with it, had grown very 

 vigorously, so as to cover the ground. I at once 

 instituted a strict examination, and found that the 

 cheat was very much mixed throughout my crop. 

 There were as many plants in the most vigorous 

 parts of the wheat as in the wet spots; but the 

 wheat being more vigorous, either concealed the 

 cheat, or checked its growth, so that it could not 

 be as distinctly seen. I never have believed that 

 wheat changes its essential quality so far, as to 

 become another plant, of a totally different nature. 

 Many experiments have been tried to establish the 

 fact — but none that have come to my knowledge, 

 have been satisfactory. When I first took pos- 

 session of the farm on which I live, the cheat was 

 growing on various parts of it. It has rapidly in- 

 creased, so as to become a serious evil: but I can 

 account for its increase on principles much more 

 rational than that of its originatmg from the wheat. 

 I have known the fact that it existed in my seed 

 wheat fi-om the first, and that it has gradually in- 

 creased; but I am well satisfied its increase has 

 been owing to my using seed thus mixed with 

 cheat. The cheat grows very luxuriantly in va- 

 rious parts of my land. It is not destroyed by 

 rest, nor by cultivation. It will spring up for years 

 on the same spot, and it would be matter of sur- 

 prise, if it did not mix in the wheat crop. Give 

 me seed free from cheat, and land where cheat has 

 never grown, and I have no fears that cheat will 

 show itself in the crop; but let the seed once get 

 among your wheat and it will never be eradicated 

 unti/ some more efficient mode of cleanmg is re- 

 sorted to, 



THE TIME TO CUT TOBACCO. 



To the Editor of the Farmers' Register. 



In the last number of the Register I find a 

 communication on the subject of the management 

 of tobacco, signed "Wardsfork," in which the 

 planters are cautioned against letting their tobacco 

 get thoroughly ripe. Whilst I cannot pretend to 

 set myself up as a guide to the distinguished 

 planters of Wardsfork generally, I doubt not, a 

 large majority of them will bear me out in saying, 

 that "Wardsfork" (skilflil as I know him to be) 

 is here out of the secret. It has been held by 

 them as essential to a crop of good qualit)', that it 

 should be suffered to get thoroughly ripe before it 

 is cut. The only evidence Wardsfork gives, is 

 that the heaviest and highest price tobacco he 

 ever made, was cut before it became very ripe. 

 This opinion is new to me, and to many others — 

 and I appeal to the planters of Wardsfork, whe- 

 ther this is not a heresy, and whether Wardsfork 

 ought not to sustain his doctrine Avith more con- 

 clusive testimou}^, (than the weight and price of 

 his tobacco) before he incurs the responsibility of 

 leading many, who have great confidence in his 

 skill and opinions, to follow his example. I will 

 venture to assert, that of the ten or twelve dis- 

 tinguished ] lanters on Wardsfork, he is the only 

 one that entertains that opmion. And it seems to 

 me, that it is contrary to the very nature of things. 

 There is a point of maturity m every species of 

 vegetation, beyond which it must decline: but that 



