No. 5. Varieties, Properties, and Classijicu/ion of Wheat. 



145 



in it. It had been equally well tended with 

 the remainder of the field previously, and 

 was clean and clear of weeds ; — the ditler- 

 ence consisted in one exposing a loose, li^ht 

 and open surface, and the other beiu<r slight- 

 ly encrusted on top by a rain : throughout the 

 dry weatiier while this presented to the view 

 stinted, earless stocks and curled blades, the 

 other looked and grew finely. The same ef- 

 fect was remarkably manifest in two strips 

 of potatoes ; the soil in one was kept con- 

 tinually exposed to the vivifying intUience 

 of the atmosphere; the other after receiving 

 a complete cleaning was left alone; the 

 vines on this soon withered, were dried up 

 and killed. We dug the ])otatoes, and they 

 were not much larger than hulled walnuts ; 

 the others retained a lively appearance much 

 longer, and when dug turned oul fine large 

 potatoes, although not an average crop. — 

 Now I draw the conclusion, that it is much 

 better during the prevalence of dry weather 

 to keep the ground about tillable crops vitU 

 stirred, I believe the benefit experienced by 

 it, arises from its better adaptation in that 

 etate, to attract the moisture, dews, and other 

 depositions from the air, which will tend 

 greatly to supply the deficiency. 



Secondly — I would enquire of those who 

 are in the practice of raising the sugar bed 

 for stock, whether they are aware that a 

 large quantity of nutriment may be procur- 

 ed from them during their growth, without 

 injury to the root, by stripping off a portion 

 of the under leaves, (which are very succu- 

 lent and eagerly eaten by cattle or hogs,) 

 many of which would otherwise decay upon 

 the plants. 



Thirdly — Are our farmers generally aware 

 liow easily and at what a small expense they 

 may obtain a plenty of delicious eating 

 grapes for their own use. I have heard, that 

 several attempts have been made to intro- 

 duce vineyards in this district, but they have 

 mostly failed, as they require too much at- 

 tention and care in this climate to make 

 them profitable. But this need not deter our 

 agriculturists from having an ample supply 

 for private enjoyment, by availing them- 

 selves of some slightly sheltered situation 

 for their culture, the southern side of a house 

 for instance. I have in mind one vine which 

 in one or two years has produced its posses- 

 sor several bushels of as fine grapes as I 

 would desire to eat ; it occupies but little 

 space which would otherwise be turned to no 

 account, requires no care, but trimming the 

 superabundant wood in the spring, (the 

 work of a few minutes,) is of the Catawba 

 species, and is very easily propagated from 

 slips, these should be about six or eight inch- 

 es long, and about the thickness of a man's 

 Utile finger. When the vines are trimmed 



slips may be saved and depositet? in a cellar 

 mlil lhi> approach of warm we;tthe? ; they 

 should then be set upright wi»h btft otig bucJ 

 above the surface of the ground, whieli 

 should be kept moist; the young vines had 

 better bo trained to a stick or pole. If the 

 foregoing remarks are acceptable perhaps I 

 may again contribute to thy eolu^nns. 



1 should be pleased to see in the Crd/inet, 

 a list of perrr-trecs adapted to our soil and 

 climate, which would form a succession of 

 this agreeable fruit, and some account of 

 their managrement and culture. 



C.B. 



PliiUidelphia County, 11th mo. 13ih. 



On the V^arieties, Properties, and Classi- 

 fication of Wheat. 



[Conliniifd from page lOi'.] 

 ON A CHANGK AND CHOICE OF SEED. 



It is generally believed that an occasional, 

 some say a frequent, change of seed is in- 

 dispensable; otherwise, the plant soon be- 

 coming familiarized to the soil, loathes it, 

 as it were, and consequently diminishes in 

 produce. I am strongly inclined to believe 

 that this is an erroneous idea ; partly owing, 

 not only to negligence in the selection of 

 seed, from the finest of a crop, but also to a 

 want of attention in the arrangement of suc- 

 cession, which I have before s])oken of. 



It is perfectly true that all plants become 

 tired of one soil, and one manure; they, like 

 the human race, have their appetites and 

 loathings, and a person that would be forced 

 constantly to eat the same sort of food, 

 would not only infallibly sicken of it, but 

 most likely suffer in his health. So it is 

 with the cultivation of wheat, or anj' other 

 plant. The best cultivator of Lucerne I 

 have ever known, whose practice extended 

 over forty years experience, assured me, 

 that until he adopted the method of giving 

 it fresh food yearly, he never made it pro- 

 duce as he has since done. One year it 

 was dressed with decomposed manure; the 

 next with ashes ; the third with salt, and 

 the fourth with lime. 



I have applied this principle to wheat — 

 that which is grown on land, manured from 

 the mixnn, one year ; becomes seed for land 

 prepared with lime, that again becomes seed 

 for land dressed with ashes, then for land 

 dressed with mixed manures, and so on, 

 varying the food as much as possible, henco 

 giving a good variety every chance of find- 

 ing a new soil on each occasion. It may be 

 objected that such a system could not be 

 continued on a larger farm, where five or 

 six hundred acres of wheat come into rota- 

 tion : that may be true, to a certain extent; 

 but a little address and judgment, even on 



