404 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER, 



JUNE 21, 1S43- 



Frcmi the American Agnculluiist. 



RRMRDIKS AGAINST THE TURNIP FLY. 



As the ciilllvaliDii oT tlio different kinJs of tur- 

 nip is becoming somewhat extensive in the United 

 Stati's, and wlierever adapted lo soil and ecnnomi- 

 ral feedin;;, is a valuable crop, a few hiols for 

 their protection against enemies may be nsefnl. 

 The principal danger to the turnip plant is imme- 

 diately after it appears above the surface of liio 

 {.'round. There are a variety of insects that feed 

 upon and destroy it during the first few weeks of 

 its existence ; but its most considerable enemy is 

 » small black bug, that seizes ujjon the tender coty- 

 ledons the moment they make their appearance. 

 Where the enemy is not in sufficient force to c«n. 

 eiime all the vounjr leaflets as they appear, the 

 plant ivill make a jrradual, though slow progress ; 

 and when so far advanced as to be able lo put 

 forth its larger and more fibrous leaves, it will 

 generally reach maturity. But it must be remem- 

 bered that any diminution of iis leaves, especially 

 ill its early existence, is prejudicial to its growth. 

 The leaves are to plants what the lungs are to ani- 

 mals, and in nearly all cases they superadd, in 'no 

 small deirree, the functions of the stomach also; 



! the value of the above applications for killing the 

 insect, they arc all directly beneficial in promoting 

 llie growili of the p 



lo the full value of the 

 cost of the material and labor. 



Folding sheep on the grounds where turnips are 

 to be sown, is an excellent preparation. New 

 land, when it can be had, is admirably adapted for 

 a turnip crop, as it is free from injects, and pos- 

 sesses an abundance of the alkalies, which are ev- 

 ery way suited to the rapid growth of the turnip 



about as if drunk. It is sometimes made into hay, 

 which is nutritive, but tedious to make, and should 

 be consumed before winter. It is often j;rnwn on 

 poor, exhausted soils, and plowed in when in bloom 

 In this way it increases very inaterially the fertili- 

 ty of the soil, and it is a mode often practiced in 

 Essex, Suffolk, and Norfolk, (Eng.,) and in Scot- 

 land. Mr Ballingal has given an account of his 

 experiments with it upon a clay loam recently 

 limed ; from the result of which lie warns his broth- 



crop, is a good precaution, as thereby a portion of 

 the eggs and insects are destrojed. Deep plowing 

 will exterminate all that are placed so far beneath 

 the surface as to be unable to reach it again. The 

 use of long manure, or sowing on a stubble field, 

 are objectionable, as they harbor and protect the 

 insects. 



Where enemies are numerous, 3 or 4 pounds of 

 seed should be sown in drills, and twice as much 

 more broadcast, which affords more food for the 

 fly, and there may possibly be sufficient left for a 

 crop, after supplying the foragers with all they 

 want; the excess, if any, may be thinned with the 

 culfivator and hoe. But in all cases the soil should 

 be in good condition, and be prepared with some 



for in addition to throwing off a portion of the stir- i rich, stimulating manure, such as night-soil or otli- 

 plus moisture, oxygen, &c., taken in by the roots, j er concentrated aliment, by which the plant will 



they absorb carbim largely from the carbonic acid 

 of the atmosphere, which becomes fixed in the veg- 

 etable as a liTge proportion of its nnttured sub- 

 stance. Of course the early leaves of all plants 

 should be protected with the utmost car6. 



For the protection of the turnip, I have found no 

 more efficacious means than soaking the seed in 

 the most offensive tiinner's oil for two or three days 

 previous to sowing. This saturates the seed with 

 the repulsive taste and odor, and as the germ which 

 first appears above ground, is furnished (-xc/wsiDe/^ 

 from the seed, the cotyledons, which are most ex- 

 posed to the insect, are charged with a flavor every 

 way adapted to their protection from its ravages. 

 In addition to this great advantage, the oil is one 

 of the most nutritious siib.-tances for the support of 

 the young plant, and helps it forward with a rapid 

 growth, by which it sooner gets beycuid the reach 

 of danger. 



Phosphoric acid, in the proportion of ] part of 

 ncid lo 2 of water, forms a steep or soak which 

 gives wonderful acceleration to the growth of 

 plants : soak in this 20 lo 50 hours. 



After soaking, the seed can be pre|)ared for sow- 

 inn-, by mixing with plaster, ashes, or air-slacked 

 lime, so intimately mixed, as to obviate any incon- 

 venience from adhesiveness of the seeds. 



If the insect is found to pursue the plants after- 

 ward, they may be sprinkled with the stale liipiid 

 from a tanner's lime pit. This is most convenient- 

 ly done with a common watering-pot. If u tan 

 nery is n^t accessible to the farmer, he may easily 

 prepare any desirable qua:ility of liquid, equally 

 valuable, by collecting stale urine and the strong- 

 est drainings from the dung heap, in large hogs- 

 heads, or what is better, in permanent cisterns, 

 which should have a place in every farm-yard, add- 

 ing lime in proportion to the quantity of liquid. 

 The addition of putrid flesh, fish, &c. will add lo 

 its efficacy. A weak brine, diluted sulphuric or 

 nitric acids (oil of vitriol and uquafortis,) may be 

 eprinklcd over the plants with sncces-. Unleach- 

 ed ashes, lime, plaster, and sool. sown broadcast 

 over the plants after a rain, or while the dew ia on, 

 are sometimes effectuil remedies. In addition to 



be enabled lo push itself rapidly beyond the reac 

 of marauders. Alternating turnips with potatoes, 

 sugar beet, and other crops in no way related to 

 this family of plants, (the crucifeiffi,) is useful, by 

 cutting off ihe supply of food lo its enemies, by 

 which it is starved out or compelled to shift its 

 quarters for subsistence. 



The frequent use of the cultivator and hoe is 

 beneficial in disturbing and destroying the insects, 

 besides materially assisting the growth of the 

 plant. All family weeds, colewort, water-cresses, 

 hedge-mustard, and the like, which afford food to 

 the coninum enemy, should be carefully extermi- 

 nated ; and such other kindred vegetables, as cab- 

 bages, cauliflower, mustard, table and horse-radish, 

 &c., fhoulil be cultivaiud remote from the turnip 

 field, so as to afford no rendezvous for their perpet- 

 uation. U. L. A. 



Burning the rubbish on the land required for this | or farmers that it is "needless to ottempt to grow 



it upon damp soils, or to expect full crops upon 

 Unds exhausted by over cropping." 



In reaping buckwheat, many farmers prefer pull, 

 ing it, as less likely to shed the seed. The niorn- 

 in£r, or late in the evening, should be chosen for 

 this purpose, when the dew is upon the plant. 



M. Vanqnelin found 100 parts of its straw to 

 contain 29..5 of carbonate of potash, 3.8 of sulphate 

 of potash, 17.5 carbonate of lime, 13.5 carbonate of 

 magnesia, 1(5.2 of silica, 10.5 earth of alum, and 9 

 of >vaier. 



Buckwheat is extensively cultivated in the Uni- 

 ted States, the species usually sown being ihe 

 Pohjgonum fiiy;opyruin of botanists. The grain 

 affords a favorite article of food. It is generally 

 thought to be a severe crop upon land, and for this 

 reason is seldom sown on highly imfiroved ground. 

 Rough and hilly districts are considered peculiarly 

 favorable to the culture of liuckwheat, which is ad- 

 mirably adapted to subdue new or wild lands. 



Buckwheat comes to maturity so quickly, that it 

 is usual to sow it upon the same ground from which 

 wheat or other grain crops have been taken. It 

 flourishes best in a mellow, dry, loose, sandy soil, 

 but even on the poorest land, so that it be not 

 moist, it will produce a tolerable crop in from threu 

 to four months after sowing. When intended for 

 seed, it is best to put in the crop early enough to 

 allow the grain to become perfectly matured be- 

 fore frost. In the State of New York, buckwheat 

 is frequently sown in August, along with winter 

 wheat, affording a ripe crop in the fall, without in- 

 jury to the wheat, which gr»ws along with and 

 succeeds it. When sown broadcast, ihe usual 

 manner, a bushel of buckwheat is generally put 

 npon the acre. Half the quantity is said to answer 

 when put in with a proper drill machine. When 

 harvested, it is usual to mow it with the scythe, 

 and allow it to remain some time before it is taken 

 from the field. 



One of the purposes to which buckwheat has 

 been applied, and for which it appears, from the 

 rapidity and exuberance of its growth, peculiarly 

 adapted, is the plowing down the crop to add fer- 

 tilily to the land. This can be done when the 

 soil is loo far exhausted to produce clover for a 

 similar purpose. " We cannot," says the editor of 

 the Theatre of Agriculture, " too much recommend 

 after our old and constant practice, the employment 

 of this precious plant as a manure. It is certainly 

 the most economical and convenient the farmer 

 can employ. A small quantity of seed, costing a 

 mere trifle, sows a large surface, and gives a great 

 crop. When in flower, first roll, and ihen plow it 

 in, and it is soon converted into manure." This 

 crop is recommended by Mr Taylor, in the Maine 

 Farmer, as an ifTectual destroyer of that frequent 

 pest of the field, called couch-giuss, (jtiick-grass, SfC. 

 For this purpose it must be sr)wn as early in the 

 season as frost will permit, and as soon as it gets 

 into flower, rolled down and turned under with the 

 plow, and the same crop again sown. — Far. Encydo' 



BUCKWHEAT. 



Iieat is a plant known 



Buckwheat is a plant known in almost every 

 part of the world. It has been supposed to have 

 been first known in Europe after the time of the 

 Crusade.''. It is well adapted to light and sandy 

 soils. It begins flowering in July (in England,) 

 and is generally fit lo mow about the beginning of 

 October. If put together, says Mr Main, a little 

 green or damp, it does rot much signify, for al- 

 tlmugh ever so mouldy, the grain is never damaged, 

 and the more mon'dy it is, the earlier it can be 

 thrashed. It is the easiest of all barn work for 

 the t.'irasher. 



It must be sown when there is no longer any 

 danaer to be apprehended from the frosts; for so 

 lender is this vegetable at its first appearance, as 

 to be unable at an earlier |!eriod, to withstand the 

 vernal eold. 



It is nn excellent food for poiillry ; pigs thrive 

 upon and are fond of it; it is commonly given to 

 them mixed with potatoes; and when bruised, it is 

 good for horses, two bushels being equal, it is said, 

 to three of oats. Cows when fed with it, yield a 

 large increase of milk. Sheep, when fed upon 

 this plant when in blossom, stagger and tumble 



