29 



is some reason to hope, that if seasonably and properly applied, this 

 may prove an effectual remedy. A farmer in West Newbury states, 

 that he this year made the experiment of liming his wheat field, hav- 

 ing applied at least one bushel of newly slacked lime to an acre ; and 

 that his grain was comparatively free from the insect, while the ad- 

 joining fields of his neighbors were severely injured. The subject 

 of the worm is of such great importance as to deserve the most anx- 

 ious inquiry and exact and repealed experiments. In some parts of 

 the country, late planting seems to have carried the season of flower- 

 ing beyond the period of the insect, and his ravages have been pre- 

 vented. This insect has been known in Great Britain since the year 

 1828, but the cultivation has not for that reason been abandoned or 

 lessened. 



The expense of cultivating an acre of wheat may be thus stated. 

 Ploughing, $2.50 ; 2 bushels of seed, $4 ; sowing and harrowing, 

 $1.50; harvesting, $2.50; incidentals, $1 ; total, $11. Nocharge 

 is here made for manure, which is applied to the preceding crop, but 

 half of which certainly belongs to this crop ; nor for lime, where 

 any is used. The straw will fully pay for threshing and cleaning. 

 This is customarily given, where there is a threshing machine ; but 

 it is a bad bargain for the farmer. The crop may be estimated at 18 

 bushels ; and when flour is at $8 per barrel, the wheat may be valued 

 at $1.50 ; the produce, $27 ; the expenses, $11 ; profit, $16. 



The average product of wheat in Great Britain, is 18 bushels to 

 the acre ; of New York, 23 ; of Virginia, 7 to 9 bushels. New 

 England has no fixed average, as for several years past, excepting 

 the last, the crop has been to a considerable degree abandoned. 

 Wheat is much valued, as a crop with which to sow grass seed, by 

 all who have practised this mode of laying down land to grass. 



The farmers on Long Island, have been accustomed to send to 

 towns on our sea-shore, to Marblehead for example, to purchase for 

 their wheat fields, our leeched ashes, at 10 cents per bushel ; these 

 contain a good deal of lime, which had been used by the soap boilers. 

 They ascertained that there was an advantage in it. It is known 

 likewise, that foreign agents are visiting different towns and places 

 on the sea board, to purchase the refuse bones, and the animal car- 

 bon, after it has been used by the sugar refineries, in order to en- 



