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THE GENESEE FAKMER. 279 ^^' 



tation which we already need in greater abundance in order to produce good crops of wheat. Ezra 

 Harrington. — Greene, Trumbull Co., Ohio. 



Herewith I send you three of the most approved varieties of wheat grown in this district They 

 are known here by the names of Blue Stem, White Bearded, and l\nnessee. 



The Blue Stem is rather late, but grows large, and is very productive. The straw is stiff and stands 

 up well. As yet it is a sure crop, makes excellent flour, and commands the highest price of any 

 vaiioty known here. 



The White Bearded is a rather early wheat of large growth, stands up well, and yields well. The 

 grain is very sound and heavy, and makes excellent flour. 



The Teniiessce is a middling early wheat Smooth, white chaff, rather weak straw. Not very pro- 

 ductive, but makes excellent flour. 



We have also the Mediierranean, Golden Chaff, Red Chaff, Smooth and Velvet N. Y. Flint, &c., 

 but the three described are considered the best here. Robert Fkaizer. — Danville, Ind. 



Solving Oats with Wheat. — A farmer residing in Grundy county, Illinois, having repeatedly 

 tried the experiment of sowing oats with wheat as a protection from the severity of the winter, 

 is fully satisfied that it will answer a good purpose. After his ground is prepared for the wheat, 

 he first sows one bushel of oats per acre and then puts the usual quantity of wheat, and har- 

 rows them in together. He has this season three difi"erent pieces of wheat on the s^me ground, all 

 prepared alike. On the first piece he sowed with the wheat one bushel of oats per acre ; on the 

 second, half a bushel ; and on the third, no oats at all. The same kind and quantity of wheat was 

 sown on each. The first piece is good, without any chess. The second piece is a middliiig crop, 

 with a little chesa The third piece is nearly all chess, and not worth harvesting. 



A subscriber to the Farmer here has this season tried the experiment of sprinkling his onion beds 

 with brine, made by adding salt to water till it would swim an egg, and then to one part of the brine 

 put two parts of water. This mixture will kill all the grass without injuring the onion plants, 

 thereby saving much labor. Henry Watkins. — Heed's Grove, III. 



The fact stated by our correspondent is of much value, and. the practice of sowing a 

 few oats with winter wheat on soils on which it is apt to winter-kill, should be more 

 generally adopted. The oats kill out in the winter, and afford protection and manure 

 to the wheat plant. 



The mixture of salt and water, though it might have answered to a charm in this 

 particular instance, should be used with caution ; for we are constantly informed of 

 experiments with salt where the whole crop was destroyed. 



Soaking Corn in a Solution of Hartshorn. — Reading, in the April munber of the Farmer, that 

 soaking corn in a solution of hartshorn was attended with great benefit, I was induced to try it I 

 put two ounces of hartshorn to a peck of corn, and soaked it six hours, planting it immediately after- 

 wards, and rolling it in plaster as I planted. I also planted corn in the same field, rolling it in 

 plaster without soaking in the hartshorn ; and there is no difference in the corn. I also road tliat 

 salt on potatoes was good. I tried it, and it proved fatal. A Subscriber. — Starke county, Ohio. 



At the time we received the above communication, Mr. Bigelow, of Orleans county, 

 N. Y., was in our office, and said that he and many fanners of that neighborhood had 

 used the solution of hartshorn for corn, just as did our friend, with the most beneficial 

 results — the corn soaked was at least a foot higher than that not soaked in the harts- 

 horn, other things being equal. 



It is known that ammonia, or hartshorn, has a very stimulating effect on corn, and 

 indeed on all vegetables ; but we can hardly see how it is possible that the small quan- 

 tity which corn would imbibe by soaking in such a weak solution, could have a fertili- 

 zing effect on the plant. If it does any good, it must be in strengthening the germi- 

 nating principle, and giving the plant a good start, so that it can afterwards better help 

 itself. K any others of our readers have tried it, we should Uke to hear the result. 



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