i848. 



GENESEE FARMER. 



143 



enable their roots to permeate deeper and farther 

 laterally, so as to imbibe nourishment from four 

 cubic feet of earth, instead of one, should give 

 a crop four times as large, or one of 60 bushels 

 instead of 15 — the amount harvested by Mr. 

 Humphrey. If the same matter contained in a 

 kernel of wheat or corn, (which is obviously de- 

 signed by nature to feed the young plant and 

 develop its roots and leaves,) could be multiplied 

 three fold, it would treble the capacity of the 

 plant to draw aliment both from the soil and the 

 atmosphere. The difference between a poor 

 soil and a good one, is extremely small, else a 

 little bone-earth, gypsum, wood ashes, night soil, 

 guano, or pig manure, could not give a gain in 

 the crop 50 times larger than all the matter ap- 

 plied weighs. Again, the soil seldom if ever 

 loses of its substance more than from 5 to 12 

 per cent, of the weight of the crop, in organ- 

 izing the same. 



On a poor soil, from some slight defect, the 

 roots of corn fail to spread over more than one 

 fourth of the surface to a reasonable depth, and 

 of course three fourths of the substances in the 

 earth, used in making the plant, never enter into 

 its roots, and all go for nothing. The point to 

 be aimed at is, to make the best possible use of 

 all the elements of cultivated plants which Prov- 

 idence has placed in our surface and sub-soils. 

 A.S birds and human beings that feed on fish, 

 flesh and seeds of plants, furnish the most con- 

 centrated fertilizers in their excretions, all simi- 

 lar elements should be collected and husbanded 

 with the utmost care. Wheat, meat, cheese, 

 and other valuable products are constantly draw- 

 ing phosphates and sulphates from cultivated 

 soils, to be sent to the cities and never returned. 

 Whilst ammonia, nitric acid, carbon, oxygen 

 •and hydrogen, are universally distributed in the 

 air and fall in rain and dew on every acre alike, 

 nothing makes amends for the potash, soda, lime, 

 magnesia, phosphorus, sulphur and chlorine, 

 leached out of the soil and washed into creeks 

 and rivers, or removed into crops, by improper 

 tillage. Hence, we dwell so long and often on 

 ihe fact that, all soils naturally rich in pot- 

 ash, lime, gypsum and bone-earth, are remarka- 

 ble for their fertility. All soils nearly devoid 

 of these earthy minerals are uniformly thin and 

 sterile. Vegetable mould don't make them yield 

 wheat like the gvpseous shales of Wheat-land, 

 Monroe county, N. Y. Re'.y upon it, the com- 

 position of the rocks out of which a soil was 

 made, governs its capacity to feed and clothe 

 mankind. Rocks and soils rich in potash and 

 lime, never lack for the organic elements of 

 crops, so far as we have been able to discover, in 

 any part of the Union. The writer is now en- 

 gaged in the analysis of soils taken from what 

 are called worn-out cotton fields in Georgia. 

 The roots of pines often descend eAght feet into 

 the pervious silicious earth, in order to find the 



earthy minerals indispensable to organize car- 

 bon and the elements of water into wood. 



HESSIAN I'LIES, &c. 



We have collected wheat plants that have ♦he 

 chrysalis of the Hessian fly about their roots, 

 which are now (May 6th,) hatching out. It is 

 about the same time of year that we have wit- 

 nessed the operation in Rochester. Wheat har- 

 vest will be through with in this month. On 

 the limestone lands in the Cherokee region, this 

 crop is largely cultivated, and something later. 

 It seems odd to us that wheat sown the 20th of 

 December should be harvested in May. The 

 thermometer is 86° in a cool brick store ; and 

 whortleberries are nearly ripe. Figs will soon 

 do to eat ; and many have made a good business 

 for the last three weeks, in shipping peas to 

 northern cities by railways and steamers. Corn, 

 peaches, melons, and grapes will go next. 



Aiigustn, Geo., May, 1848. 



Root Crops.— Ruta Bagas, Carrots, &c. 



There cannot be a question on the subject of 

 the value of the root crop to the farmer and 

 stock breeder. Hogs svinter well fed only on 

 Ruta Bagas, or Swedish Turnips ; also working 

 oxen, sheep, young cattle, and cows in calf 

 after the stoppage of milking. They, can easily 

 be kept sound till June or July. Sugar Beets 

 are decidedly preferable to Ruta Bagas or Man- 

 gel Wurtzels, for Milch Cows. But to carrots 

 we give the preference for milch cows, horses, 

 and for fattening purposes. Butter made from 

 carrot feed, has a fine rich flavor, and beautiful 

 color. They can be kept nearly as long as 

 bagas if well secured. 



A much greater bulk of bagas and wurtzels 

 can be raised upon a given quantity of land, than 

 either sugar beets or carrots, but not of real 

 available nutriment. In the carrot and sugar 

 beet, the virtues are more concentrated than in 

 either of the others. Bagas and beets are easiest 

 produced as the seed vegetate quickly and throw 

 out rough leaves, eas;ily to be recognized in 

 weeding ; while carrots are a long while in 

 coming up after planting — are very small, and 

 in their early .stages of slow growth. The weeds 

 increase and overshadow them, rendering the 

 dressing tedious and laborious ; yet with all their 

 required care, they are a most valuable crop ; 

 for there is no possible feed that can be raised 

 upon an acre that gives sa much satisfaction both 

 to man and beast. 



Carrots and Beets should be planted as early 

 as the land can be prepared ; but bagas should 

 not be planted before the 20th of June, or even 

 later. Earlier planting causes them to neck up, 

 burst, and grow unshapely. Imported English 

 seed of bagas are preferable, the crop being so 

 important to the wheat and wool grower in that 



