THE FARMERS' REGISTER. 



13 



Fown in wheat three clays befcre. Soil, a s'licious | " y/prillSlh, 1533. The growili ofphinteon ihe 

 loam, (which hail been marleJ in 1S20,) on a re- j sriuare i:3 \ery mean, (fxeiierally six or seven inches 

 lenlive subsoil, which by preventing itie sinking ! in hei</Iil,) and hut lew are livinjr compared to the 

 of the water Iroin rains, keeps the surliice verv | number of rrrains sown. Every row however lias 

 wet throuorli winter and spr ng. The eurlace ofj some plants hving. llalC the marked row where 

 this pan of the field is o very jrenile slope, declin- : the worst seed was nsed, and as much of the one 

 in<f towards ihe north, and ihe lowest spot of the \ adjoining was cut down this day within an indi of 

 whole (and therelore the most exposed lo water) i the ground, and the parts so treated were also 

 ie wiiere the space was marked (or this experi- | marked. 



ment. There the surface becomes level. Tiie " y«/ie 3(/. We again carefully exanuned the ex- 

 whole field, including this spot, had been ploughed periment together, 10 know and report the final 

 five or six inches deep last winter, (or corn, and j re-ult. Not a single head of cheat or speli is in 

 well cultivated, but not later than tlie beginning the whole space. The cut plan's have grown as 

 of July. All remained very clear of weeds. j tall, and are not perceptibly worse than^ the ba- 



"The space was slightly smoothed by the broad lance in the pame rows, 'i'he row sown with the 

 hoe, merely lo level the clods, but not broken any j very im[ier(e( I grains, has a still more scanty 

 where an inch deep, and generally not cut at all. | growth than ilie others, but had twenty-four heads 

 As the corn had been tilled level, and not hilled, of wheat iiiiis whole lergih ; a few of these heads 

 the surliice required but little smootiiing. Wheat had not come out of the boot and perhaps will not 

 was selected lor the trial which had passed throuirh produce grain — but iliey were opened and found lo 



a cockle sieve, and of course was all either shrivel- 

 led, or very small grains if plump. Lines were 

 slightly traced along the edge of a straight rod, 

 (not more than half an inch deep,) and a few 

 seeds, varying from three to seven, were placed 

 accurately at every six inches of the line, by 

 notches on the rod made at those distances. The 

 seed was carefully cleaned of every grain of cheat, 

 spelt, and cockle. Half the square was thus plant- 

 ed in such rows six inches apart, and the remain- 

 der in similar rows twelve inches apart. For fear 

 that even this very defective seed might not be 

 bad enough to insure the change !o cheat, one ol 

 the subscribers picked out a number of the most 

 shrivelled and imperlect grains, all of which he is 

 confident will bring cheat, if tiiey are capable of 



be wheal, like all the rest which were out. 



"The adjacert parts of the field of wheat contain 

 a few scattering stalks of cheat, and still fewer of 

 spelt. The seed had been well cleaned, (though 

 probably not perlectly,) bv the hand-sieve. 

 Thomas Cockk. 



EdMTND RUFFIN.* 



'^Prince George Co., June 4, 1833."' 



RHUBARB PLANT. 



From the Ciiltivntor. 

 This excellent perennial, (called, in New Ens- 

 land, the "Apple-pie Plant," from the fact that 

 pies made of^il,so miich resemble those made 

 producing any thing, which is very doubtful from ! from (he Apple.) not only makes a very superior 

 their appearance. One of the rows was planted and grateful pie, but is said by medical men lo 

 with these grains, four being carefully deposited : make'a very healthful one. A plan (Ijr its culture 

 at each distance ol^ six inches. All the seeds were i which we have seen adopled wiih very good suc- 

 covered with about half an inch of mould taken ! cess, is this:— In the spring, before the leaves put 

 by the hand from the intervals between the lines ; ' out, place your roots in a lii.'ht soil, well manured, 

 and the whole space was then slightly beaten When the leaves are well grown, take common 

 over with the flat of the broad hoe. | barrels, and after removing ihe heads, place them 



" About four feet widih adjoining the square, and j over the plants. As the leaves spread, the sides 

 of similar unbroken corn land, was strewed broad- ] of the barrel will support them, and you will soon 

 cast with similar defective seed, covered as shal- see them risintr above the top. By adopting this 

 low as possible. j plan, leaves will grow much fisier, and are "more 



"The earth dry at this time, and in fine order for delicate, making better pies and more of ihem. 



ploughing. The weather uncommonly warm lor 

 the last three days. 



"Present and assisting at the making of this ex- 

 periment, and undersigned, Thomas Cocke and Ed- 

 mund RufHn of Prince George county, and Wil- 

 liam J. Cocke of Sussex — the first a believer and 

 the second an unbeliever in the change of wheat 

 to cheat, and the third undecided. It was our de- 

 sign in this experiment to bring into operation eve- 

 ry cause to which this change is usually ascribed 

 by different persons, namely, 1. imperfect seed 



This plant may be forced in the winter season 

 with but little trouble, and thus made to supply a 

 family with excellent pies, not inferior to those 

 made of the apple, all the year. In order to eflect 

 this, the roots should be taken from the garden 

 in autumn, and placed in water-light kegs, or 

 large pots ; some fine garden loam should then 

 be put in, and water poured upon it, that it may 

 settle well among and around the roots, wiiich 

 should be placed level with each other, a li;tle be- 

 ow the surface of the earth. The whole sheuld 



2. thick sowing— 3. a wet soil— 4. hard or unbro- j then be covered with other pots of the same size, 



ken soil — 5. grazing or mowing, which is to he 

 done next spring. 



" If any cheat or spelt, should grow in this square 

 from any other seed, it cannot be mistaken for the 

 product of the wheat we have planted, unless the 

 plants should stand in one or more of the positions 

 BO accurately fixed by measured distances. 



Thomas Cocke. 

 Edmukd Ruffin. 

 William I. Cocke. 

 " October 20 th, 1832. 



to exclude the light, and well supplied with water. 

 The heat of the kitchen, or, towards spring, of a 

 tight warm cellar, will afford asufliciently high tem- 

 perature. Plants of one year old will answer to 

 (orcein this manner. The stock of the leaf must 

 be peeled, cut into small pieces, and prepared for 

 pies in the same manner as apples. 



* Dr. William I. Cocke was absent, and therefore 

 did not sign, — Ed. 



