Vol. XI.-No. t. 



AND HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 



51 



From the Memoirs of the N. Y. Board of Agriculture. 



ON LIMING SEED-WHEAT. 



Sir — In answer to your inquiry on the subject 

 of smut in wlieat, I will state to you what has 

 fallen under my observation. 



When I resided in Seneca county, several years 

 ago, my attention was particularly drawn to this 

 suhject, by observing that while myself and neigh- 

 bors were mnch injured by smut in our wheat, the 

 crops of Mr C. uniformly escaped. I inquired in- 

 to the cause of the singular exemption, and learnt 

 that it was owing to the seed ha\ing been limed. 



In 181G, therefore, I washed my seed, put about 

 three pints of lime to each bushel, mixing it well, 

 and let it lie in a heap twelve hours before sowing. 

 My crop was perfectly clean ; while, I can say, 

 all my neighbors had more or less smut. 



In 1817, part of my seed was washed and limed, 

 as in the preceding year ; another part was wash- 

 ed and limed, and a pint of salt to each bushel 

 mixed with the lime ; a third parcel was washed 

 in strong pickle and limed ; and a fourth sown 

 without any preparation. The result was as fol- 

 lows : The first had a little smut ; the second 

 none ; the third none ; and the fourth was a quar- 

 ter smut. All on the same kind of land, and all 

 sown in good weather, between the 5th and 15th 

 of September. 



In 1819, Mr L. bi> iijht his seed of my neigh- 

 bors, Mr B. and Mr (.;. and myself, and sowed all 

 without preparation. Mr G.'s crop was from seed 

 had of me the year before, and sowed without pro- 

 cess. It was found on li[.ivesting the crop, that 

 part sown with my seed was free from smut ; that 

 sown with G.'s seed had a little ; that sown with 

 B.'s seed was one fourth smut. This statement I 

 had from Mr L. 



I mention this circumstance to show that seed 

 Vvheat well cleaned as mentioned, will have an ef- 

 fect for two or three crops, but I would never re- 

 commend to sow wheat without salt and lime. 



As the Hessian fly has never yet troubled us in 

 Alleghany, I am unable to speak of the efficacy of 

 preventing the ravages of that insect. 



I beg leave to suggest to farmers, the propriety 

 of spreading their straw upon their pasture grounds, 

 either in the spring or fall. It will shield the 

 ground from the extreme cold which often breaks 

 the fibrous roots of the grasses. In summer it 

 shields the ground from the scorching rajs of 

 the sun, prevents the evaporation of moisture, 

 fertilizes the soil, and causes a strong rich sward ; 

 and when ploughed, will be equal to a coat of 

 manure. JAMES M'CALL. 



J. 13del, Sec'y, &c. 



HAMS. 



Perhaps there is no subject .of equal interest 

 among farmers, on which there is such a contra- 

 riety of opinion, as on that of curing hams. Al- 

 most every farmer, who is found of good ham or 

 wishes to procure a good price for if, has opinions, 

 forms or receipts, peculiar to himself; and after 

 all, the article is seldom procured in the country 

 much superior in taste or flavor to that of com- 

 rtion salt pork. 



The plan which I pursue is extremely simple, 

 and, I have no hesitation in saying, produces hams 

 equal to anything of the kind which I have ever 

 tasted, not excepting the celebrated hams of Vir- 

 ginia, of England, or tlie still more famous of Ca- 

 labria. 



The hams, as soon as they are sei)arated from 

 the body of the animal, are to be closely packed 

 in a clean, tight, commtm sized barrel ; and to a 

 full barrel add a pickle made by dissolving eight 

 quarts of clean Liverpool salt and four ounces of 

 saltpetre, in a sufficient quantity of rain or brook 

 water to cover the whole. In this situation they 

 are to remain until removed to the smoke-house, 

 which should be from eight to twelve weeks. 



The smoking process is to be conducted alto- 

 geth'T with the wood of the sugar-maple or hick- 

 ory ; the former is preferred. And when suffi- 

 ciently smoked, those that are intended for inune- 

 diate use, may be hung up in a dark garret, or if 

 the weather be too cool, in the cellar ; as freezing, 

 particularly if often repeated, is very injurious. 

 Those that are intended for summer use, are to be 

 well whitewashed with lime, and when dry, wrap- 

 ped in paper and packed away in new dry house- 

 ashes, and then set in a cool place in the cellar. 

 Particular care is requisite to prevent its being 

 heated too much while in the smoke-house, as this 

 is very destructive to its fiiie flavor. 



From the Geneace Farmer. 



ARCHITECTURE. 



,1ii Encyclopedia of Cottage, Farm and Villa 

 Architecture, is the title of a work publishing in 

 London, from the prolific pen of John C. Lou- 

 don. The agricultural and horticultural commu- 

 nity have probably derived more benefit from the 

 labors of this indefatigable writer, than from the 

 labors of any other man living. His Encyclopre- 

 dias of Gardening and Agriculture embrace all 

 that is recent and useful in the science and prac- 

 tice of these branches of labor ; to which the 

 Gardener's Magazine serves as a sort of adden- 

 dum, by narrating the improvements and discover- 

 ies, in the economy of rural labor, which are con- 

 tinually developing. His Encycloptedia of Plants 

 and Blagazine of Natural History are also useful 

 and interesting v/orks to the practical agricul- 

 turist. 



Of the work which heads this article, I have 

 hastily perused Part I. published in April ; and 

 am induced to believe, that although it is particu- 

 larly valuable for the meridian of Europe, ii; will 

 nevertheless become highly serviceable in improv- 

 ing our taste in rural architecture, and of promot- 

 ing economy and comfort. The work is to be 

 arranged in four divisions, and illustrated with 

 more than five hundred designs of cottages, farm 

 houses, farmeries and villas, in lithography and on 

 wood. Each part will be sold separate. The 

 number under examination contains 64 pages of 

 letter |)ress, 12 lithographic plates, finely executed, 

 of designs of buildings, and more than 100 en- 

 gravings on wood. The work is valuable, to the 

 country builder, in particular, and will afl'ord val- 

 uable information to all who are about to embark 

 in building. It is to be embraced in twenty num- 

 bers, each of which, except the first, will be sold 

 at 5s. sterling. 



Albany. /. B. 



THE BLUE BIRD. 



I was amused the other day with the boldness 

 of a Blue Bird which flew at me repeatedly in 

 defence of her brood. The young birds had just 

 come out, and were perched on a tree in the fruit 

 garden, which I happened to approach. His ob- 

 ject was only to frighten, however, as he only 



came within three or four feet. I was ])leased 

 with his aflxictionate solicitude for his young. 



This trait of character is not noticed by Wil- 

 son. He describes the Blue Bird as " ol' a mild 

 and peaceful disposition, seldom fighting or (juar- 

 reling with other birds." A friend, howevei-, who 

 has seen them fight with the robins anil with the 

 maiiins, considers them very pugnacious ; and 

 Wilson himself in another place has given an 

 account of their wars, and of their victories over 

 the martins. Like other warriors, however, some- 

 times they have found the tide of battle to set 

 against them, and my friend has seen them routed 

 by the former, and dispossessed of their boxes. 



7 mo. 28, 1832. D. T. 



HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL, 



Kept at the garden of the pioprietor of the New Eng- 

 land Fanner, in Lancaster, Mass., tbirtytive miles went 

 fi'oin Boston, on the river Nasliaway. 



August 5th. Thermomeler, raorning 70, S. E., noon 

 77, S. W., evening 70, iS. W. ; heavy lain through the 

 day. African Hibiscus (a new and splendid annual) in 

 bloom: also. Phlox pyraniidalis, P. alba, and P. purpu- 

 rea, (elegant perennials.) 



6th. Thermomeler, morning 70, S. W., noon 75, S. 

 E., evening 68, N. W.; rainy afternoon. Plilox divari- 

 cata and 1'. paniculota, (elegant perennials) ; also, Dian- 

 thus pumila (a dwarf perennial,) tor the second time this 

 season. 



7(h. Thermometer, morning 64, S. W., noon 68, S. 

 W., evening 72, S. W. ; heavy rain through the night. 



8th. Thermometer, morning 70, S. W., nuon 78, S. 

 W., evening 6U, S. Hedysarum canadense. Cassia 

 marylandica, an i Rexia vnginieum, (indigenous peren- 

 nial.s,) in bloom ; also, the true Lilium suporbum. 



9th. Thermometer, morning 63, S. W., noon 78, S. 

 W., night 69, S. E. ; heavy rain through the ni;;bt. 



10th. Thermometer, morning 77, N. W., noon 80, 

 W., night 77, W. Lilium martagun in bloom. 



lllh. Thermometer, morning 60, S., noon 89, S,, 

 nigh 67, S. W. Dwarf Hyacinth fieaJis and Scarlet 

 Kunneis in bloom. 



12th. Thermometer, morning 70, S. W., noon 82, S., 

 night 65, S. \V. 



13th. Thermometer, morning 71, S. W., noon 85, S. 

 W., night 74, S. VV. Malva alba, and Hibiscus palus- 

 ti-ls, (both h.indsome perennials,) in bloom 



14th. Thermometer, morning 71, S. W., noon 87 S. 

 W., night 7S, S. \V. Wirabilis longiflora (a beauliful 

 annual) in bloom. 



ISth. Thermometer, morning 71, S. W., noon 86, S. 

 W., night78, S. W. 



16th. Thermometer, morning 71, \V. noon 71. S. W., 

 night 62, E. ; severe thunder shower in the night. 



17lh. Thermometer, morning 54, N. E., noou 66, N. 

 E., night !)8, N. E. 



18th. Thermometer, morning 50, S. W., noon 71, N. 

 E., night 61, E. 



19th. Thermometer, morning 57, E., noon 67, N. E., 

 night 65, E. ; rainy. 



20th. Thermometer, morning 67, S. W., noon 76, W., 

 night 71, W. 



21st. Thermometer, moroiag 60, S. W., noon 79 8. 

 W., night 66, S. 



22d. Thermometer, morning Gl S. W., noon 78, S. 

 W., night 66, S. W.; rainy. 



23d. Thermometer, morning 6G, S. W., noon 80, S 

 W., night 66, S.W. 



24th. Thermometer, morning 62, S. W., noon 73 S. 

 W., night 58, N. W. China Asl'ers in bloom ; also, Big- 

 nonia radicans (a splendid creeper,) and Sylphium perfo- 

 liatum. Rainy. 



The Atiican Hibiscus (Hibiscus vesicarius,} is at 



j--^ present in bloom, and a great oi nanient 



to the flower garden. It is of extreme- 

 ly easy culture, should be planted early 

 in the spring, and if necessary ii will 

 bear transplanting ; though, like most 

 annuals, it docs belter by remaining 

 where it is sown. The petals are large 

 and showy, of a straw color, ihe centre 

 a deep rich brown, finely contrasted 

 with the stamens of a brilliant yellow. 

 It flowers very profusely, the blossoun 

 about the size o( a dollar, and coiitia- 

 ues in bloom for several weeks. 



