274 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER, 



March 16, 1832, 



prevent canoes from passing tlirougli among it. 

 Tiie stalk is soft like tlie bulrush, but grows in 

 joints like the reed cane, which it much resembles. 

 It is usual for the Indians to force their canoes 

 through it (just before it ripens) and tie it in large 

 bunches for the purpose of [ireventing the wild 

 ducks and geese from breaking it down and destroy- 

 ing it. When it is fully ripe, thoy pass through it 

 again, and spreading their blankets in the inside o/ 

 their canoes, they bend the bunrhes of the wild 

 rice over them, and thresh ofTthe grain with sticks ; 

 an operation which requires little time, and is gen- 

 erally performed by the women. After drying it 

 in the sun, they put it into skins, for future use. 

 This singular spontaneous grain grows nowhere 

 south of the Illinois river, nor east of Sandusky 

 bay. Every autumn and spring the wild ducks 

 and geese resort to the w'ild rice lakes in flocks 

 incredibly numerous. The Menoraijuies (Folles 

 Avoines or Rice eaters) who live iu this part 

 of the country are distinguished for their comeli- 

 ness.' 



May notthc superiority of form and comjilexion 

 possessed by the individuals of this tribe be in part 

 attributed to the freqnent and long continued use 

 of this kind of rice? Professor Bigelow in his 

 Collection of Plants, has given the following des- 

 cription of this under the name of Canada Rice, 

 (Zizania aquatica). 



This interesting plant grows iu deep water at 

 the edges of ponds and sluggish streams. It re- 

 sembles at a distance, slender shoots of Indian 

 corn, but often grows to the height of five or six- 

 feet from the bottom. C'dm jointed, as large as 

 the little finger. Leaves broad-linear. Panicle a 

 foot or more in length, the fx.wer branches with 

 spreading barren flowers, the upper with ajjpressed, 

 erect fertile ones. The seeds are blackish, smooth, 

 narrow, cylindrical, about three quarters of an 

 inch long, dccidious ; within they are white and 

 farinaceous. It is found in a brook near the Punch 

 bowl, Brookline; in the brook which divides 

 Cambridge from West Cambridge ; iu July, Aug. 

 The Zizania will probably at some day be an ob- 

 ject of cultivation, since it affordsa means of ren- 

 dering nseful large tracts of inundated ground, 

 and stagnant water. Horses appear to be fond of 

 it, and no plant employed as forage, offers a larg- 

 er crop. 



The grain afforded by this jdant has the quali- 

 ties of rice, and is yielded in large quantity. It is 

 however very deciduous, and on this account diffi- 

 ault to collect, since the seeds drop into the water 

 clmost as soon as they are ripe. 



Perhaps some of your correspondents or sub- 

 scribers can furnish some further light upon this 

 subject, and will be so obliging as to inform us 

 whether the culture and growth of this plant has 

 been commenced or attempted in any part of New 

 England. There are many ponds, lakes and 

 rivers in the Eastern States having miuldy 

 bottoms and a suitable depth of water, now un- 

 productive, where this luitrilinus kind of grain 

 might be rniseil with little expense. The seed 

 could undoubtedly be introduced by jjublic sjnrited 

 gentlemen who visit Detroit, or its vicinity, or by 

 some seedsman through some of the traders in 

 Michigan. And if this species has the valuable 

 properties of the common rice, the introduction 

 and cultivation of it is certainly a desideratum, 

 and may hereafter become a source of additional 

 wealth to New England. Novos Strictor. 



FOH THE NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



LEGHORN WHEAT. ! 



Mr Fessenden — It may probably be recollected 

 by some of your numerous readers that I offered a 

 few remarks some time since through the medium 

 of your paper' relative to some experiments made 

 with the Leghorn Wheat. Further experiments 

 justify the conclusion that our climate is not conge- 

 nial to the production of the beautiful material, 

 known by the name of Leghorn Straw, in any 

 good degree of perfection ; yet it appears to be a 

 kind well adapted for the furnishing of the more 

 important one, viz. the Staff of Life. That no 

 error may arise as respects the particular kind, I 

 would observe that a too treacherous memory led 

 me to state in my former communication that the 

 original seed was purchased at Mr Russell's seed 

 store, and requested that the date of the year when 

 purchased (which I left blank) might be filled up 

 by yourself, not doubtijig the correctness of my 

 statement ; this blank was accordingly filled 

 agreeing with the date of the year when Mr Rus- 

 sell had it for sale. This date was 3 or 4 years 

 subsequent to the time that I purchased the origi- 

 nal pint and consequently rendered some part of 

 my communication profectly irreconcilable. To the 

 best of my recollection, now a diplomatic g£ntle- 

 man,* belonging to our government then at some 

 court in Europe, procured one or two bushels of 

 this wheat at or near Leghorn which, with the 

 mode of culture, was transmitted to New England, 

 and the seed, or apart at least, was placed in the 

 hands of some seedsman in Boston for sale, at 33 

 cents per quart. Having sejit instead of purchasing 

 it myself, I am unable to give a more circumstsn- 

 tial account. I have been thus particular that tffe 

 two kinds, viz. the one 1 purchased, and that sold by 

 yourself might not become confounded together 

 and also to learn if possible how others have suc- 

 ceeded. 



Further attempts, I.think, warrant the conclu- 

 sion that it is a valuable acquisition. The last sea- 

 son 82 rods produced 13.J bushels of clear wheat, 

 vveigliing at this time sixtyfour lbs. per bushel ; 

 the near vicinity of the fiekl to the barn gave a 

 number of fowls an opportunity of laying it under 

 severe contribution which continued until threshed, 

 from which it may be reasonable to conclude that 

 the mhole product would have amounted to 15 

 bushels, at least. This was sown on land which 

 had been comparatively well manured for two sea- 

 sons previous, and mostly planted with potatoes; 

 but no manure of any kind was applied the last sea- 

 son. 



The effects of high manuring at the time of 

 sowing appears to proiluce a great and luxurious 

 growth of straw, but rather a diminution of r^-mtra. 

 Although perhaps land could not be made too 

 rich by the apjdication of manure in previous 

 years, as the same would then become completely 

 incorporated with the soil. But one experiment 

 has been made by sowing it with grass seed, and that 

 one answered the most saugifuie expectations, both 

 as to grain and grass. 



It need not probal)ly be stated that wheat can- 

 not be got into the ground too early after the fro-t 

 is out, aiid the land becomes sufiiciently dry to 

 plough. 



[* Mr Davis probably alludes to the Legliorn wheat 

 sent home in 1S21 by Mr Appleton then United States 

 consul at Leghorn. See Hon. Samuel Dana's letter to the 

 Editor of the New England Farmer, vol. 1., page 212. 

 — Editor.] 



The method adopted previous to sowin 

 been to wash the see<l and while wet applv 

 much air slacked lime as would adhere to 

 grain ; this has been left in a lieap from 6 to 

 hours. No one ear of smut has been observec 

 any season, and no disea.^e whatever, except t 

 a few straws scattered over tlie field appea 

 sickly soon after heading out ; in these, after si 

 fruitless attenqjls to ascertain the cause, v 

 fdund, commonly at the ^irst joint from the l 

 williin the cavity, a very nunute wonn,f'Xceedit 

 small, but whose ravages had cut off all c 

 munication between tiie root and head. My 

 norance of entomology and the attacks of ins 

 iu wheat prevent me from determining «hethi 

 be a new unwelcome guest or vvlif-thcr it be 

 same species that is found under similar circ 

 stances in rye while growing. 



Whether the above described kind of wl 

 possesses any decided superiority 07cr other ki 

 I am unable to determine, having never raised 

 other, but the prevailing opinion in this viciui 

 that common wheat cannot be raised to advant 

 as it is subject to blast and mildew. If this o 

 ion be well f<)U)ided,'this kiml then does posse 

 very decided superiority, if future experim 

 produce the like effects as have heretofore res 

 ed. Should any of your numerous readers 1 

 ever attempted to cultivate this kind of w 

 either for the straw or grain it would be |)ecu 

 ly gratifying to learn the results of their ex] 

 ments. 



TO KEEP MICE from PEACH TREI;S. 



Yonr Brookline correspondent res|)i'cting 

 depredation of mice eating the bark of ids ])' 

 tress brings to iinnd an incident which h.qi]) 

 8 or 10 years since ; during that winter the; 

 remained several weeks around a numbir ol 

 peach trees, in consequence of which a ntii 

 were either killed or much injured by the i 

 One fine tree was completely girdled excepti 

 small space on one side, which was saved, ill 

 sequence of a small longitudinal gravel stone 

 accidentally placed perpendicularly againi 

 tree ; taking the hint from this occurrence ana 

 ing a small quantity of gravel around those'j 

 most exposed so as to form an elevation n^ 

 the trunk of 2 or 3 inches, it has hitherto 

 as a complete protection. Any substance! 

 haps, won Id answer equally as well as grav^ 

 such a nature as not to invite and afford 

 quarters to the little mischievous pests. 



PRUNING PEACH TREES. 



One remark will be ottered as to the mod 

 [)ruuiug. This outilit to be effected \i\ hcni 

 doion, that is cut off all the top, to wii' 

 feet of the groinid once in 4 years at Ic m h 

 jmy will result, but more healthy an' 

 wood will be formed and a greater t| 

 fruit be produced ; as peach fees si 

 more than 1 or 2 years in succession, tl, ;. 

 ing spring after a bearing year should 1' 

 to perform the operation. Voting wood will 

 be produced and if the season be* favorable, .\ 

 a good supply of fruit t\\enext year, as the sei 

 year's growth is that which mostly, if not al" 

 produces fruit in the peach tree. The evils 

 contrary course of pruning consist in the I' 

 towards the bottom of the tree licconnng si 

 and dying : the top running up so high as t( 

 exposed to the wind aid consequently being I 

 en off, and often splitting the trunk to the bo 



