228 



THE GENESEE FARMER, 



Oct. 



A very pooo colleclion of grains, perhaps the best 

 from our State, was shown by Thomas Bell, Esq., 

 of Morrisania ; bnt we have no show of this kind 

 such as wc ought to have. Russia makes a magni- 

 ficent display of grains, and so does Scotland ; but I 

 will refer to them hereafter. 



Our Genesee flour ranks high, if it does not stand 

 at the head, although from the continent there are 

 some remarkably line samples, and a multitude of 

 exquisitely fine preparations from flt)ur, such as mac- 

 caroni, vermicelli, and other forms of paste used in 

 soups. 



Among miscellaneous articles that attract atten- 

 tion for novelty and mechanism I have noted — a 

 glass case containing the standard weights and meas- 

 ures of the United States, from Prof. Bachu, of 

 Washington. The weights are from 50 lbs. down 

 to the one ten-thousandth of an ounce avoirdupois, 

 and the measures from a half a bushel to a pint. A 

 few coaches, buggies, sulkies, sleighs, fcc, are ex- 

 hibited, all admired for their elegance of finish and 

 extreme lightness, but as a general thing the trim- 

 mings are two flashy, and lack that taste which we 

 find among French carriages. I think Russia pre- 

 sents the finest specimens of a sleigh. Whitmarsh's 

 portable bedstead was quite attractive. It can all be 

 put in a box eight by eighteen inches, and weighs 

 only 20 lbs., from the Patent merchandise Co., 249 

 Broadway. Another patent Jjedstead, the various 

 parts of which are put together in a remarkably sim- 

 ple manner, without screws or bolts, was well exhi- 

 bited, and appeared to excite much interest. A cir- 

 cular office tuhle from tlie South Carolina Rail Road 

 Co., Charleston, is a simple and beautiful thing. — 

 The pigeon holes for papers, fcc, revolves on a 

 pivot in the centre of the table, and persons sitting 

 writing can move it round as they desire. It is very 

 convenient, and the workmanship excellent — very 

 much admired. Several barrels of shoe pegs from 

 New Hampshire, excited no little curiosity. In reply 

 to the question, what would be done with them at the 

 close of the exhibition 1 Some yankee replied that 

 " they would probably be sold for seed oats." " ilr. 

 John Cai.n, of Rutland, Vt., ' a native of the Isle of 

 Man, now an adopted citizen of the United States,' " 

 presents a case of white stone pencils, of which he 

 sells about 3,000,000 annually — the case to be pre- 

 sented to the Prince of Wales. Several very pretty 

 stoves and furnaces were exhibited, but of these the 

 English show is exceedingly rich. Our pails and 

 corn brooms have no competitors. 



I must leave other articles unnoticed till a future 

 letter. P. B. 



Cutting Bushes — "Old of the Moon," fee. — 

 I have heard of this before. My father used to cut 

 some bushes at this time with success, and others 

 have written and commented upon the subject, add- 

 ing, " when the sign is in the heart." I do not mean 

 to laugh at this idea, because I believe there may be 

 truth and reason in it ; but the truth and reason of it 

 depend, I doubt not, on the fact that the willows on 

 which Mr. Curtis experimented, (see Farmer, page 

 190,) had done, or nearly done growing. If so, it 

 accords with my theory as a diOerence of a week 

 or two in the time of cutting, will not essentially 

 alTect the results, especially in the latter part of 

 the season, and with trees or shrubs approximating 

 a full growth. 11. 



ANALYSIS OF THE PARSNEP - (Pastinaca Saliva.) 

 BY J. H. SALISBURY, M. D, 



The specimens for analysis were furnished by Mr. 

 Douw, of Greenbush. They were large, fleshy, 

 crisp, and fine flavored. Length of root, 1 foot ; 

 widest diameter, 3 inches ; average length of tops, 

 29 inches. 



Per ceiUage of water, dry matter, and ash. 



Roots Tops. 



Per centage of water, OD.oSO 89.125 



dry matter, 9.450 10.875 



" ash, 995 1.760 



" ash in dry matter 10.529 1G.184 



Inorganic Analysis of mot and tops. 



^sh of root, m^sh of tops. 



Carbonic acid, 28.20 23.51 



Silicic acid, .65 .92 



Phosphoric acid, 10.55 4.31 



Phosphate of iron, 70 1.43 



Lime, - 3.65 1.32 



Magnesia,... 1.60 .51 



Potash, 8.50 5.33 



Soda 40.25 54..32 



Chlorine,... 60 3.13 



Sulphuric acid, 4.30 3.92 



99.00 98.80 



The inorganic matter of this plant is rich in soda, 

 potash, and phosphoric and sulphuric acids. The 

 analyses will indicate the kind of manure to be used. 



Proximate organic analysis of root. 



100 grains of root, 

 freah. Dry. 



Water, 813.125 



Fiber, 53.250 271.18 



Sugar and extract, 88.000 466.03 



Dextrine, 21.6-50 113.00 



Casein, 1.500 7.93 



Albumen,.. 9.250 18.84 



Starch, 13.950 73.65 



Resin 950 5.01 



Gluten, 400 2.11 



V'ellow coloring matter,. .200 1.06 



Fat, 225 119 



1002.500 1000.00 

 This root, as it will be seen from the analysis, is 

 rich in sugar, dextrine, starch, and albuminous mat- 

 ter, which fits it well to serve as food for stock. 



Early and Late planted Peas. — "Every thing 

 in its time." In the spring of 181G, (I think it was,) 

 the summer of which was known as " the cold sum- 

 mer," my father planted his corn at the usual time 

 of planting, (there being a warm spell of a few days,) 

 after which a cold wet time followed, in consequence 

 of which much of the seed rotted in the ground, es- 

 pecially in the moister parts of the field. These 

 were replanted afterward.s, and at the time of hoeing, 

 (cultivators were not then in use,) the second plant- 

 ing appeared far more promising than the first ; and 

 it was generally remarked that nothing had been 

 gained, but much lost, by early planting. On ac- 

 count of the early cold in the fall, it was found nec- 

 essary to cut up the corn at the ground to save it 

 from the frost. Now the advantage of early planting 

 was manifest. While the late planted was just be- 

 ginning to be glazed, the early planted, in the 

 same hills, or in adjacent hills, was nearly ripe. — 

 The difference was fully equal to the difference in 

 planting. I have noticed a similar difTorence several 

 times since. Age seems necessary to the maturity 

 of the crop. 11. 



