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THE GENESEE FAEMEB. 



79 



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The following table will show the amount of water given off for one grain of dry 

 matter, organic matter, and mineral matter, fixed in the plant : 



No. of graias of water given off for 

 one grain fixed in tiie plant, of— 



Description of Plant 



Wheat, 

 Barley, 

 Beans, 

 Peas, . . 

 Clover, 



Dry Matter 



Inclusive Organic 

 of Ash. only. 



247.4 

 2.57.8 

 208.8 

 259.1 

 269.1 



268.8 

 2S6.0 

 229.7 



288.7 

 314.0 



Mineral 

 Matter 

 (Ash). 



8111.3 

 2G13.S 

 2289.5 

 2527.3 



1S&1.2 



The organic matter was probably derived principally from the water and atmosphere, 

 268 grains of water being necessary to supply one grain of organic matter in the wheat 

 plant, while in the bean but 229 is used. This would also indicate that the bean po.s- 

 sesses the power of abstracting from the atmosphere more of its organic elements than 

 the wheat plant. It is seen that for one grain of mineral matter organized, from 2000 

 to 3000 grains of water are passed through the plant. This affords evidence sufficient 

 to show that few of the substances usually considered insoluble are incapable of beino- 

 taken up by the plant in a sufficient quantity of rain water. These figures, when calcu- 

 lated to the acreage yield of wheat, clover, &c., afford some interesting facts. Thus, an 

 acre of wheat of thirty bushels grain and an equal weight of straw would exhale durino- 

 the spring and summer 355^ tons of water ; or, calculated on 173 days, the duration of 

 the experiment, 4,1 1 1 lbs. per day. An acre of clover that would make two tons of hay, 

 would pass off through its leaves in 101 days 430 tons, or 8,600 lbs, per day ; and this 

 besides evaporation from the soil, which is doubtless great, especially in the case of 

 wheat. The annual fall of rain in different parts of the United States, is from 30 to 40 

 inches. An acre of water one inch deep would weigh 120 tons. If 30 inches fall in a 

 year, it would be on an average 19,700 lbs. per day per acre. As most rain falls when 

 least required by the plants, the above figures are a potent argument in favor of thorough 

 under- draining, to carry off" this immense amount of superfluous water, as well as that 

 arising fi-om springs, which is equally pernicious to the growth of plants. 



FLAX CULTURE. 



TiiERK is much discussion in Great Britain at the present time, as to the necessity of 

 paying $45,000,000 to foreigners for Flax, when their own climate is equally adapted to 

 its gi-owth as that of Belgium and other European countries. It is said that when wheat 

 was from $3 to $4 per bushel, land that was not well adapted to its growth was 

 sown, and though the yield was small, yet, from the high prices obtained, it was profitable 

 to grow it. But now, when wheat is but |1 per bushel, this land can no longer be 

 cultivated with wheat without serious loss. What, therefore, shall bo done with it ? 

 The reply of many intelligent practical farmers is, " cultivate oats, peas, beans, turneps, 

 and flax ;" and there can be no doubt that if free trade continues, which it undoubtedly 

 will, a much smaller area of wheat will be sown in future in England. The same thing 

 is true in relation to France. Free trade with England promised high prices for the 

 surplus wheat and a large breadth of land was sown in consequence ; but prices are so 

 low tliat wheat culture in France is anything but a profitable business and will not be 

 so extensive as in the last few years. We therefore predict somewhat higher prices for 

 the friture. 



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