160 MONTHLY JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURE. 



Island farmers, who are so liberal in ttieir expenditures for manure ; and also in 

 various other localities.* 



The truth is, too much dependence is placed on growing wheat and corn in 

 this section of the country, 'i hey are our staples ; and the great uncertainty at- 

 tending the growth of the former imperiously demands the substitution, in part, 

 of some other agricultural product. Your suggestion, therefore, is of great value 

 on the subject of barley, and merits especial consideration. I have no experience 

 in growing this grain, and earnestly solicit information. Among the apprehen- 

 sions that may be entertained respecting this product, can we always get a rea- 

 sonable price for it ? Vast quantities are consumed in England for mall liquors, 

 but we are not a beer-drinking people. The Arabs sustain, or formerly did, their 

 unrivaled race of horses on this grain ; and it might be, perhaps, so employed in 

 our own country. t It is stated in the Domestic Encyclopeedia that " calcareous 

 soils which have been long in cultivation, and frequently manured, will yield 

 abundant crops of barley." Such is emphatically the condition of this wheat- 

 growing region ; whether they possess the capacity for producing barley abund- 

 antly, remains to be proved. We want light. 



Of Steeps. — You are aware that I tried the " Chemical Solution," in the hope 

 that something had been found out as an antidote to some of the ills to which 

 the farmer is subject. A letter of inquiry was addressed to me by the vender of 

 the article, respecting its action ; and a true statement was made as to the con- 

 dition of the wheat at that time. Unfortunately, an extract from this letter, 

 which was never designed to meet the public eye, was put forth prematurely, 

 and led some into error. It had the effect of bringing up the wheat earlier, and 

 of producing a striking difference through the winter and spring ; but, as harvest 

 approached,' the superiority was scarcely, if at all, perceptible. But the experi- 

 ment resulted in one very unhappy effect — the wheat thus treated had consider- 

 able smut in it ; while, in its immediate vicinity, that which had been limed and 

 brined, had not a smut-head. Various and conflicting opinions have been pub- 

 lished as to the mode of preventing this disease ; it is a serious evil, and merits 

 the closest attention of the farmer. I had for some years washed my seed-wheat 

 in strong brine, and then applied lime recently slaked. It is true that, after dili- 

 o-ent search, a little smut would occasionally be found, but it was loo unimpor- 

 tant to merit notice. Two years ago I was tempted to depart from this course, 

 bv reading Mr. Ellsworth's Report on this subject, and other authorities. The 

 wheat was accordingly permitted to remain in pickle through the night, and the 

 next morning limed and seeded. It did not seem to me to germinate as well as 

 by the former process, and was not so healthy and vigorous in its early growth. 

 And what appeared to me conclusive of the fact was, that not liking, on two oc- 

 casions, to put my wheat in soak in the evening, being apprehensive of rain the 

 next day, and then necessarily merely washing and liming, there was an obvious 

 superiority in the appearance of the wheat thus treated. The past season, as 

 you are already aware, the Glauber salt was employed exclusively, and much 

 smut was the result. Another farmer of this county had the same result from 

 its use. 



It is unpleasant to diflfer from great names and high authority, but there can 

 be no impropriety in every man giving the result of his own observation and ex- 

 perience. I have no particular theory to establish, and am ready to adopt whal- 



[* We are strongly persuaded lliat if tliis grass, as we have seen it about the head of West 

 River, were spread over tlie ground of tielJs and gardens, quite thinly, soon after the crop \» 

 above ground, and weeded, no other cultivation would bo necessary. This covering of salt grass, 

 free from seed, would keep down the grass and keep the land moist, letting through llie rain and 

 shutting out the sun from tlie ground. It might easily be tried in garden.s, at least Hogs are 

 very fond of il — whether for the sake of the salt, or for any nourishment it may contain, this depo- 

 nent never understood. Very large boatloads were to be had in a very short time ; and being as 

 valuable as manure, as stated by our correspondent, we are quite sure that Lo>i!^ Island farmers 

 would send miles for it ; while on West River we never .«aw it gathered up from the water, ex- 

 cept a few boatloads — ihougli some do haul up the drier, and, as we should think, the much leas 

 valuable eca oar, or sea ooze, or whatever be the proper name. Ed. Farm. Lib.] 



[t It is much used as food for stock in New -York. Mr. Bem., oPMorriaania, a knowing Scotch 

 fiirmcr, vahico it highly, and uiics it freely b that way. Ed- Farm. Lib.] 



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