303 



THE GENESEE FARMER. 



Tliere are a variety of methods resorted to for 

 the purpose of arresting fermentation and keeping 

 the cider sweet, such as putting a handful of well- 

 powdered clay into each barrel ; or two or three 

 pounds of newly-burned charcoal, reduced to a 

 powder, are added to each barrel of cider as it 

 conies fi-om the press. This makes it as black as 

 ink at first, but it finally becomes remarkably clear. 

 Others add a little mustard seed. Another method 

 is to place a few gallons of cider in the barrel, and 

 then a rag dipped in brimstone is attached to a long 

 tapering bung; this is ignited, and the bung loosely 

 inserted. After the brimstone is consumed, the 

 barrel is rolled till the cider has absorbed the sul- 

 phurous acid gas. The barrel is then filled up with 

 cider. The sulphurous acid gas, acting on the 

 Hlhmninous matter in the cider, arrests fermenta- 

 tion. The only objection to this method is that if 

 too much gas is absorbed, it may prove injurious. 



A much better method, and one which obviates 

 This difficulty, is to have the sulphurous acid gas 

 absorbed by lime. In otlier words, to put a little 

 sulphit-e of lime (not sulphate of lime, or gypsum,) 

 into the barrel with the cider. When the cider 

 begins to ferment, the acetic acid formed unites 

 with the lime and liberates sulphurous acid gas, 

 :ind this immediately checks fermentation. The 

 sulphite is nearly insoluble in water, and lies inert 

 ;md harmless at the bottom of the barrel till it is 

 needed. This is a very simple and effectual method 

 of arresting fermentation at any stage desired. Of 

 i;ourse, in all cases the cider should be kept as cool 

 .•ts possible, without allowing it to freeze ; and the 

 Toore effectually the air can be excluded, the better. 



CULTIVATION OF WHEAT. 



Editors (Genesee Fakmer: — If I am correct in 

 presuming that your journal discusses, as well as 

 advances, opinions in regard to agriculture, perhaps 

 you would allow me to make a remark or two on 

 jin article in your August number, entitled " Culti- 

 vation of Wlieat." 



You say : ^' Wheat likes a firm, compact soil ; and 

 if left somewhat rough and cloddy, it is none the 

 worse (a) : and you advise shallow plowing (b). 

 Now, the deeper you i)low, (I am speaking, of 

 course, of a good depth o^soil,) and the higlier the 

 <tate of ])ulverizatinii you arrive at, the greater will 

 be the yield of grain. Yon seem to set a high value 

 on English farming; and I give this as an opinion 

 formed after liaving seen and traveled for years 

 over the best farming lands, and been among the 

 best fjirmers in that country. But, instead of har- 

 rowing in the wheat, as you advise, they plow it 

 ju (<•). I am certain tliat deep plowing and, as 

 much as possible, pulverizing the {.oil, will bring 

 the greatest croi)s. If the season be dry, the roots, 

 owing to the looseness of the soil, shoot beyond, 

 and are not dependent upon, tlie hot dust covering 



the moist and rich soil which, under this system, 

 supplies the plant with nutriment. Again ; if the 

 season be wet and cold, there is not so much danger 

 of the plant suffering by the water standing around 

 the roots. In fact, the loose soil is one large drain. 

 Whereas, by shallow plowing, in a dry season, the 

 wheat is burnt up, because the sub-soil is too hard 

 for it to root deeper and obtain moisture; in a wet 

 season it suffers from the cold and water penetra- 

 ting and standing by every fibre. Why should not 

 the soil be cultivated as deep as the roots will 

 strike? I have detected fibres extending from the 

 root to a distance of twelve inches from the sur- 

 face of the soil, and some of my friends have found 

 them at fifteen and eighteen inches distance. We 

 can't always plow this depth, but we should do the 

 most we can. 



Now to the looseness of the soil. Lime is mostly 

 used on heavy wheat lands in England. Is it as a 

 manure? No. It is as a rectijier. It loosens the 

 soil, pulverizes the clods, and enables the roots to 

 expand themselves, and obtain what nutriment the 

 soU naturally contains, which nutriment would not 

 be available but by this pulverizing process {d). 

 In the article, "Plowing vs. Spading"' in the 

 August number of the Oenesee Farmer., Baron von 

 LiEBiG says: "If the food of plants in the soil can 

 not move toward the roots, it is evident that the 

 roots must spread about and look for food." He 

 advocates the spade. And why ? It " breaks, 

 turns, and mixes it thoroughly." 



In wet, cold, and sour lands, you advise to plow 

 into high ridges, and make deep, well-cleaned fur- 

 rows. I agree with you on this pointy except that 

 I would advise it on all lands. 



West Jersey, lU., Aug., 1859. JOHN C. COPESTAKE. 



Remarks. — (a) Is not that true ? Is it not, as we 

 said, " easy to make the surface too fine and smooth 

 for wheat"? 



{h) We did not '■'■advise shallow plowing." We 

 merely stated that "the best English wheat-growers 

 seldom plow deep for wheat.'''' Is not this a fact ? 

 It is hardly necessary, we hope, for us to say we 

 are earnest advocates of deep plowing and thorough 

 pulverization of the soil. 



(c) We have seen seed wheat plowed in m Eng- 

 land ; but it is not at all the general practice. It is 

 the exception and not the rule. 



(d) If we are to understand from this that the 

 value of lime is owing merely to its mechanical 

 action, in rendering the soil loose, we must differ 

 from our correspondent. 



■ II u 



Is IT WELL TO CnANGE TUE PASTURE OF CoWS? 



We had supposed that it was; but in the Report 

 of the Committee appointed by the New York 

 State Agricultural Society to visit dairy farms, it 

 is stated that Edwin Pitcher, of Martinsburg, wlio 

 hfis a dairy of eighty cows, " has but one pasture 

 in summer for liis cows (except about twenty acres 

 for night pasture), which he deems preferable, as 

 the cows are more contented, and do better through 

 tlie season than when changed in their pasture." 

 What say our correspondents? 



