418 



FARMERS' REGISTER— LEGISLATION FOR AGRICULTURE. 



rust and several diseases of animals, more espe- 

 cially as regards the manner of their Ibrniation. 

 As far as my observations extend, the established 

 belief that extremes of moisture and warm weather 

 are the most efficient causes, is correct. I think 

 rust could not possibly occur without them; but 

 other circumstances, equally important ni the pro- 

 duction of it, have geneially been overlooked, 

 which I will now consider. 



Rust never makes its appearance while the plant 

 is passing through its different progressive stages 

 of developement and growth, nor do we ever meet 

 with it until the wheal has attained to that degree 

 of maturation, in which the whole fructification, 

 as well as every other part of the plant, is inca]ia- 

 ble of any fiirther enlargement. The doughy 

 state of the pericarp or grain, is the only stage in 

 which wheat can rust. In this state, the slow and 

 regular supply of sap best answers the purposes 

 aiKl demands of the elaborating organs of the 

 fructification. Should the supply now be greatly 

 augmented by the occurrence of warm damp 

 weather, more especially if it exceed the demands 

 of the elaborating organs, it not only disturbs the 

 function of secretion in the spike or head, but con- 

 tinues to accumulate, until the delicate vessels of 

 the culm or straw, immediately below the head, 

 give way by rupture, and it is the sap discharged 

 l>y these ruptures, drying and encrusting upon 

 the culm, which forms rust. In this condition, as 

 these ruptures never heal, the necessary supplies 

 to the head must be continually intercepted, and 

 being thus in a great degree cut off, the grain shri- 

 vels, and either rots, or becomes so imperfect as to 

 be almost useless. Rust is to be observed in small 

 quantities, more or less, every season — but it only 

 deteriorates the crops of wheat, and thus becomes 

 an object of serious attention, when it forms in 

 large quantities. The black spongy formation 

 ■\vhich frequently takes the place of the ear, in 

 maize or Indian corn, the smut of the oat, the 

 spots in the ripe tobacco leaf, and the rust of the 

 cotton plant, all result from the same cause, (viz.) 

 want of balance between the supplying and se- 

 creting organs, and consequent disorganizations 

 from superabundant supplies of sap. 



To remedy these evils, the bedding system, (it 

 has occurred to me,) might be found adequate, and 

 eminently useful. Thelieds should be so formed 

 and graduated as to prevent the too free, and long 

 continued supply of moisture, which will also ef- 

 fectually guard against the dangers resulting from 

 redundancy of sap. Beds might easily be con- 

 structed (on land naturally too moist,) in such a 

 manner as to discharge more readily, the super- 

 fluous moisture, by draining and evaporation. 

 They should be arranged with spaces' between of 

 sufficient width to allow a horse to pass Avith ease, 

 and whenever the season is very wet, the furrows 

 should be deepened, and the margins of the beds 

 taken off whh a dagon plough, or disturbed Avith 

 a coulter; more especially about the time of the 

 doughy state of the grain. A new and more porous 

 surliice about the margins being thus exposed, and 

 the furrows made dee])er, the superfluous moisture 

 escapes with greater facility'-, both by evaporation 

 and draining. This operation may be repeated 

 several times during the doughy stage of the grain, 

 siiould the season prove very wet. More danger 

 is likely to result to the wheat crop, from excessive 

 than defective moisture. Dry seasons always pro- 



duce wheat of good quality, which compensates 

 for the deficiency in quantity. Seasons wet and 

 cold, rarely ever induce rust, because the low tem- 

 perature rather retards the circulation, and pre- 

 vents an excess of sap. For the same reason, 

 rust is seldom met with in cold countries. 



The foregoing is at the disposal of the Editor of 

 the Farmers' Register — and as its author (a me- 

 dical man) does not profess much experience in 

 husbandry, he prefers to write over the signature 

 of 



MEDICO- AGRICULTURIST. 



ON LEGISLATION FOR THE BENEFIT OF AG- 

 RICULTURE. 



To the Editor of the Farmers' Register. 



* * * * I trust you will pardon a 

 lew remarks and suggestions which shall be 

 thrown out principally in the way of interrogation. 

 I have obtained a "smattering" of information 

 concerning the "Fellenberg School." Would it 

 comport with your designs and inclinations, to lay 

 before the public some more particular account 

 than has hitherto been given with us, of the na- 

 ture, principles, and objects of that institution? 

 Could not something on the same plan, or with 

 improvements in its modification, be established, 

 with a reasonable prospect of usefulness and suc- 

 cess, in Lower Virginia? What is your opinion 

 of agricultural societies and manual labor schools? 

 Would it not be expedient to make them the sub- 

 ject, especially the latter, of legislative interposi- 

 tion, and to endeavor, by means of them, to excite 

 in all our educated youth a taste for agriculture, and 

 thus unite the advantages of a complete physical 

 and intellectual education, in those whose talents 

 and influence would be brought to bear with great- 

 est power upon the best interests of the commu- 

 nity? For one, I should regard it as ominous of 

 o-ood were all our professional men to manifest an 

 earnest solicitude on this subject; I mean the con- 

 nection of literature loith the pursuits of agricul- 

 ture. Would it be consistent with your views of 

 propriety, or with the objects of your Journal, to 

 form, in conjunction with some of your able coad- 

 jutors, the resolution to give to the legislature of 

 this commonwealth no rest till thej' shall consent 

 to lend their countenance and patronage to the 

 cause of agriculture? What are our political 

 strifes in relation to the candidates for the presi- 

 dency, and an hundred other like absorbing themes 

 of petty party animosity and zeal, when compared 

 with agricultural improvements in their broad and 

 deep bearing upon the great and fundamental in- 

 terests of the American people? Trifles "light as 

 air." I have hope from recent events, that Vir- 

 o-inia, whose eyes are beginning to be opened, will 

 rapidly advance in shaking oft' her former disre- 

 putable torpor in regard to these things, and that 

 the day is not far distant when she shall be wide 

 awake, and perceive with a clear and unclouded 

 vision that her agriculture and her glory must rise 

 or fall together. 



A LOVER OF HUSBANDRY. 



[Our views respecting the necessity for, and impor- 

 tance of legislative aid to agricultural improvement, 

 and the means to be used for that end, concur generally 

 with those intimated by the foregoing queries of our 



