382 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



fortunate neighbor shews all the marks of sterili- 

 ty. He may labor with equal if not more assidui- 

 ty, but the question is, does he labor scientifically? 

 Because to labor advantageously, he should study 

 to attain the science peculiar to his pursuits. The 

 good effects derived from irrigating certain soils 

 depend chiefly on chemical and mechanical causes. 

 Water to produce vegetation is essentially requi- 

 site. Land which during winter and spring has 

 the necessary supply of water, acquires a nourish- 

 ment which it produces during the summer, and 

 becomes highly necessary during the summer heat 

 for vegetation. If the water flow over calcareous 

 earth, it will be found of incalculable service. So 

 will river water, as containing a great quantity of 

 organized matter, if the river flow through a cul- 

 tivated country. Fallows are considered general- 

 ly of the greatest importance to the farmer for 

 many reasons ; they mollify the ground, they de- 

 prive it of excessive humidity and open it for the 

 action of atmospheric air , they purify it from weeds 

 and much redundant matter, particularly when it 

 is not of a nature to admit the action of fire. Ma- 

 ny, against this excellent practice of making fal- 

 low ground, are wont to give some lame or unrea- 

 sonable excuse, all which have a greater tendency 

 to protect idleness than to stimulate industry. I 

 am ready to admit that it is not every kiud of soil 

 which receives benefit, by being turned up in the 

 autumn; this, to all farmers, is already well known. 

 Here the farmer must be left to his own discretion 

 and experience. The earth which we find in the 

 soil, if I may so express it, of some fallow ground, 

 does not combine with oxygen or azote, but that 

 which unites with carbonic acid is found in abun- 

 dance. Nitrous salt is copiously produced, by thus 

 exposing vegetable and animal matter to the ac- 

 tion of the atmosphere ; the azote, thus absorbed, 

 forms ammonia, which is useful for vegetation. 

 Notwithstanding some other objections to the ma- 

 king of fallow ground, it must be admitted that 

 the action of the sun on its surface will not be 

 without a good effect. When the ground is not 

 employed by producing nourishment for cattle, it 

 Bhould he employed otherwise, advantageously, so 

 as to become a nourishment or manure for itself. 

 This can be done by many artificial means ; such as 

 artificial meadows, as in England, Scotland, and 

 many other countries. The inhabitants of Sweden 

 pay more attention to the irrigation and manuring 

 of their lands, than any other people mentioned in 

 the history of Europe. France is far behind Eng- 

 land in point of agriculture, but the industrious 

 Swede, in this science, has no competitor. Agri- 

 culture, in Sweden, is not only patronized by the 

 government, but also receives every possible en- 

 couragement ; notwithstanding their long winter, 

 which is full nine months, it is really astonishing 

 to find how rapidly they advanced since the year 

 1840. They were tributary, at one time, to Po- 

 land, whence they received their wheat provisions. 

 They now export in grain more than half what 

 they consume. The peasant is no longer obliged 

 to mix the powdered barks of trees with his flour 

 to make bread. The report of what they sow 

 to the produce of wheat, is from one to eight, and 

 variously from one to six. That of potatoes is from 

 one to eleven. They have appropriate agricultu- 

 ral schools in Stockholm, the capital, and in differ- 

 ent parts of the provinces. Their system, in time 

 of peace, is to transfer the soldier into a cultivator. 



Each soldier has a house, stable and barn, and five 

 acres of land to cultivate. Thus in the space of a 

 few years the Swedish government, and individu- 

 als of every rank, by a noble emulation, in all de- 

 partments of agricultural pursuits have rendered 

 themselves independent of their neighbors and giv- 

 en to the world an example of industry well wor- 

 thy of imitation. The earth is man's domain, but 

 without agriculture it would remain sterile. 'Tis 

 the first science according to this world, and the 

 science of the first man. It is the nourishing moth- 

 er of all industry. By it man turns to his own 

 profit the soil and all its various productions, with 

 its minerals and metals, and all the animals which 

 live on its surface. If by medicine man may be 

 succored in his infirmities, is it not to agriculture 

 that medicine owes her most energetic and effica- 

 cious remedies? That all riches come from the 

 earth, is an old and solid axiom; wishing, there- 

 fore, that it may be abundantly realized by the 

 industrious farmer, I remain his sincere friend, 

 Boston, June 20, 1852. j. b. m. 



TIME OF CUTTING GRAIN. 



As we have often stated, all grain should be cut 

 before it becomes full or dead ripe — when the stem 

 becomes yellow or arid four or five inches below 

 the head, it should be cut ; for from that period 

 the grain receives no benefit, as the sap cannot cir- 

 culate beyond the arid line. It may be set down 

 as a safe rule — Cut from 7 to 10 days before TnE 

 grain is dead ripe. If cut at this period, there 

 will be but comparatively little loss from shatter- 

 ing ; the grain will be more in quantity, better in 

 quality, and make better flour, and what is not 

 less important, save it from rust, while the straw 

 will be greatly enhanced in quality as stock-prov- 

 ender. 



Upon the subject of early cutting, we will copy 

 two extracts which we gave in our July number of 

 last year, in order that our new subscribers may 

 have the benefit of them. 



M. Cadet de Vaux, of France, has recommended 

 as an important innovation the reaping of corn 

 [small grain] before it is perfectly ripe. This prac- 

 tice originated with M. Sallcs of the Agricultural 

 Society of Besiers ; grain thus reaped (say eight 

 days before it is ripe) is fuller, larger and finer, and 

 is never attacked by the weevil. This was proved 

 by reaping one-half of a piece of corn-field, [wheat] 

 as recommended, and leaving the other till the usu- 

 al time. The early reaped portion gave a hecto- 

 litre (about 3 bushels) of corn [wheat] more for 

 an acre of land than the later reaped. An equal 

 quantity of flour from each was made into bread ; 

 that made from the corn [wheat] reaped green gave 

 7 lbs. of bread more than the other in 2 bushels. 

 The weevil attacked the ripe, but not the green. 

 The proper time for reaping, is when the grain 

 pressed between the fingers has a doughy appear- 

 ance, like bread just fresh from the oven when 

 pressed in the same way. 



Upon the same subject, Mr. John C. Iieid, of 

 Laporlc, Indiana, gives the following as his ex- 

 perience : — 



"The first when cut was in dough, the last very 

 ripe. The first cut weighed 65 lbs. per bushel ; 

 the last GO to 63 lbs. The first made the finest 

 flour, and the greatest quantity to the bushel." — 

 American Farmer. 



