VOI.. XII. NO. 34. 



AND HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 



267 



u base. Of the Brassica tribe of plants then- are 

 different species, ami also varieties of two of these, 

 to wit: cabbages of several varieties, common tur- 

 nips of several, and the cabbage-turnip, or ruta- 

 baga, of which there are no varieties. The cab- 

 bages are valuable for their heads, or leayes ; the 

 common turnip, for its bulbous root ; and ruta-baga 

 for its bulbous stalk. 



Now, if Bceds for ruta-baga, and for cabbages, 

 were constantly raised beside each other, the con 

 sequence would he, that the bulb of the former 

 would become less, and its foliage more extended; 

 while the head or foliage of the cabbage would les- 

 sen, and its. stalk become somewhat bulbous: and 

 if all the species and varieties of the plant were 

 constantly grown together, for seed, they would 

 gradually become more assimilated, and the most 

 valuable parts of each, of course, lessened in pro- 

 duct. 



• But sometimes an improvement of seed is to be 

 effected, by growing varieties of the same plant to- 

 gether. Of Potatoes, for instance, there are many 

 varieties, some preferable for one particular quality, 

 and some for another ; some for greatness of pro- 

 duct, aiul others for mealiness, and fineness of 

 taste ; and, in such case, by growing them togeth- 

 er, a race is produced which, in part, partakes of 

 the good qualities of each. 



The same may be observed of many other plants : 

 and in some instances, perhaps, improvements 

 might he made, by blending the most valuable 

 qualities, of plants of different species, together. 



Such, we conceive to be, the doctrine of Mr. 

 Cooper; and we are of opinion that, in general, it 

 is well founded. Mr. C. also contends, and we 

 think with much truth, that there is a natural dis- 

 position in all seeds, or plants, gradually to become 

 habituated to the soil, or climate, in which they 

 are grown. 



BARLEY. 



Barley, as a field crop, has been cultivated from 

 time immemorial. It is not known of what coun- 

 try it is a native, nor at what time it was first cul- 

 tivated. At this time it is much more extensive)} 

 cultivated in England than it is in this country; 

 Few crops require more care in the cultivation, or 

 are more apt to disappoint the cultivator in all the 

 good wheat growing districts of the United States, 

 than Barley. 



There are six species of Barley at present culti- 

 vated in England, viz. 



Spring or Summer Barley. — There are two vari-i 

 eties of this species, but the one commonly culti- 

 vated (II. vulgan) may be" distinguished from the 

 Siberian Barley by the heads being much larger, 

 and as Well as beards arranged in double rows, 

 whereas tl ilier is single,of which the heads ap- 

 pear flat. This is considered the best kind of 

 barley for malting as the husk is light. 



Winter Barley. — There are three kinds of win- 

 ter barley which are at present cultivated for pro- 

 fit, besides two or three species and varieties that 

 are cultivated as matters of curiosity. 



The common or long eared Barley. — (H. disti- 

 chon) is perhaps cultivated more than both the 

 other species. Both heads, and awns, or beards, 

 •of this kind are much longer than those of other 

 kinds of winter barley. The heads of this kind 

 are flat, and do not appear more than one half 

 their width in thickness. 



Square Winter Barley. — The heads of this kind 

 of barley, though not as long as tin: foregoing, are 

 much thicker, and have the appearance ol being 

 square, the grains being arranged in four distinct 

 rows. This is accounted a hardier species than 

 the long eared, and not as subject to be injured by 

 the winter. 



Big or Barley big. — This species has large 

 square heads, with grains arranged in six rows 

 and is cultivated on account of its being earlier 

 than the common or square barley. It is not val- 

 ued so high for malting as either of the other two 

 varieties mentioned. 



Soil and Climate. — Barley succeeds best in a 

 cool damp climate, and there upon a fine warm 

 sandy loam ; hut where the climate is warm, and 

 dry, as in most of New York, a loose soil, rather 

 moist than dry, produces the best crops. 



The best crops of Bat ley grown in the State of 

 New York, are upon a high range of table land on 

 the North side of the Mohawk River near Fair- 

 field. From the elevation of this range of land, 

 it is too cool, to produce either corn, or wheat, 

 unless when the seasons are usually favorable, but 

 it produces barley in great perfection. 



In preparing lands for winter Barley, the course 

 taken is the same as in preparing for wheat, and 

 i lie sowing done in the same maimer, but there 

 should be twice as much seed sown upon an acre 

 as of wheat. 



Fresh stable manure should never be used upon 

 land to be sown with barley as it will generally be 

 found to do more hurt than good. Lands for 

 Barley should always, where the soil will allow of, 

 he ploughed deep, and after seeding, the process 

 should he finished with the roller. There is not 

 a crop raised where the use of this implement is 

 more important. By examining the plant, it will 

 be seen at once, that it is not well calculated to 

 stand the drought, as the roots are small and do 

 not penetrate deep, and it has a great proportion, 

 of broad, thin foliage. 



Summer barley should be sown about the same 

 time as oats, and lands capable of producing good 

 crops.ol'the one, will be found suitable for the other. 



From the great quantity of foliage produced by 

 winter bailey, when sown early in the fall, in 

 countries where the snows lie deep and long, it is 

 found advantageous to feed it to calves or sheep 

 previous to the setting in of winter, to prevent it 

 from moulding. 



Harvest Management. — There is more care re- 

 quired in the management of this than any other 

 crop raised upon a farm. If cut too soon it will 

 he found very difficult to separate the awns, or 

 beards, unless thrashed iu a machine ; if allowed 

 to stand too long, the ears are apt to break off, at 

 the bend of the straw, near the head. If cut green, 

 and suffered to remain upon the ground, to render 

 the awns brittle, through rain storms, many of 

 the grains will vegetate, which renders them of 

 little worth for malting. Where farmers are pro- 

 vided with thrashing machines, the better way is 

 to allow barley to stand until fully ripe, then cut it 

 with a scythe, and let it remain upon the ground 

 a day or two, if the weather is favorable, then 

 take it directly to the machine, and thrash and 

 clean it. 



The quantity of bailey, produced per acre, is 

 quite variable. We have sowed good lands, that 

 did not produce more than twelve bushels, and 

 we have seen upon lands, that were no better in 



quality, nor better prepared, crops that would ave- 

 rage fifty bushels, much depending upon climate 

 for its perfection. In England the average pro- 

 duce is allowed to be about twenty-eight bushels 

 per acre. 



From the uncertainty of the crop, bailey is cul- 

 tivated but little for any other purpose but malt- 

 ing for beer. So that the market price will de- 

 pend upon the distance at which the crop is raised 

 from a brewing establishment. 



In some parts of Europe barley is extensively 

 used for making bread, but In this country where 

 in most parts a bushel of wheat may be raised as 

 cheap as a bushel of barley, it is not likely to 

 come into use as an article of food. — GoodseWs 

 Genesee Farmer. 



CHEMISTRY IN THE KITCHEN. 



Why is it necessary to mix lime with ashes, 

 which we are about to leach to obtain ley to 

 make soap ? The correct answer to this question 

 will explain the reason why our good housewives 

 do not always succeed in making good soap, and 

 will suggest a remedy for the evil. Common 

 soap is a compound chemically united of potash 

 or alkali, and grease, fat or tallow. The alkali 

 is naturally combined with carbonic acid, for which 

 it has a stronger affinity than it has for grease^ 

 hence while it continues united with the acid, it 

 will not unite with the grease, and produce good 

 soap. But lime having a stronger affinity for the 

 acid than the alkali has, extracts it from the ley, 

 and the alkali then readily unites with the grease 

 and forms soap. From this it will be seen, that 

 the lime should be fresh burnt, and spread over 

 the bottom of the leach tub, so that the ley all fil- 

 ters through. — Gen. Farmer. 



From the Genesee Farmer. 

 THE BITTER ROT IN APPLES. 



The following paragraph is from the letter of a 

 distinguished correspondent. 



" A history of the culture of fruit trees since the 

 settlement of this country, is greatly wanted to re- 

 move the discouragements that occasionally occur. 

 Some thirty years ago, the Vandevere — the queen 

 of culinary apples, — and the Grey House that holds 

 the same rank as a cider apple, — were so affected 

 by the Bitter Rot, especially the former, as 10 ren- 

 der them nearly useless. 1 have now both varie- 

 ties, and they have not been for years affected 

 with that disease." 



We remember, when the Bitter Rot was so 

 prevalent, to have heard the cause ascribed to the 

 decline of the variety by Old Age, a doctrine to 

 which we have seen no good reasons for subscrib- 

 ing. We have been long satisfied that cultivators, 

 speaking of them as a body, but of course, admit- 

 ting of many exceptions, have too much theory and 

 too little observation. The facts which we have 

 just presented to our readers must cither prove an 

 erroneous ascription, or that Old Age is not.an in- 

 curable disease ; and we think there need not be 

 much hesitation in deciding this point. 



We have lately seen it stated that liming the 

 land is a preventive of the Bitter Rot ; but to 

 what extent, or with how much precision, the ex- 

 periments were conducted, we have not been able 

 to learn. We know that our esteemed correspon- 

 dent considers lime as indispensable in his system 

 of manuring; but we know not if it has been ap- 

 plied to his orchards ; and we would now respect- 

 fully make the inquiry of him, with a view to its 

 influence on the fruit. 



