A OI-. XVII. NO. 13. 



AND GARDENER'S JOURNAL, 



101 



varieties of our peat, and especially upon the best 

 mode of converting it into soluble geine. Since 

 by the old methods "of analysis the difterent varie- 

 ties of peat would be found to differ from one 

 another only in tlie quantity of organic matter 

 which they contain, I supposed it would be useless 

 to analyze them, and therefore did not collect speci- 

 mens of the peat and other vegetable matters that 

 occur in our swamps. The doctrines respecting 

 geine put a new aspect upon the case, and lead me 

 to regret that such a collection was not made. The 

 labor of doing it now, however, is small ; and when 

 it is considered what an immense mass of organic 

 matter now lies useless in our swamps, while the 

 fields around them yield but a scanty crop, and 

 that the chief reason why our farmers make so lim- 

 ited a use of this manure, is, that they lind it diffi- 

 cult to convert it into soluble nutriment, I sincerely 

 hope that the government will do all in its power 

 to bring into use this important part of our fossil 

 resources. 



Marsh Mud. — Every intelligent farmer probably 

 knows, that this substance forms an excellent ma- 

 nure ; although I apprehend it is employed far less 

 than its value demands. Ait intelligent farmer in 

 Maryland states, that he " deems it more valuable 

 than barn-yard manure ;" and that "it never failed 

 in any application he had made of it." He also 

 prefers it to marl, because " it is more accessible, 

 its effects are quicker and much more can be done 

 in tlie way of improvement for the same money." 

 At the same time he confesses, that the permanent 

 advantages of marl are much greater ; and thinks 

 tliat marl and marsh mud will both be improved by 

 combination." This last remark appears still more 

 important, when we ascertain what it is that gives 

 an agricultural value to this substance. The fact 

 is, it sometimes contains a large quantity of geine, 

 and sometimes but little, while the quantity of the 

 salts of lime, soda, and magnesia, is rather large ; 

 so that sometimes a mixture of marl will be of ser- 

 vice, and sometimes not. 



Concluding remarks upon Soils. — Though I have 

 dwelt «o long upon the analysis and improvement 

 of our soils, it will be seen that I have touched 

 only a few of its more important features, and that 

 even these are but imperfectly considered. Many 

 minor points, of no small importance, however, have 

 been wholly passed over, or only alluded to ; and 

 sensible that I cannot do them justice at present, I 

 shall not attempt to discuss them. My great ob- 

 ject has been, after ascertaining the greatest defi- 

 ciencies in our soils, to satisfy tlie Government that 

 we have the means of remedying them and of ma- 

 king great improvements in them, by the aid of 

 chemistry. If I may hope that I have accomplished 

 this object, then I take the liberty to inquire, 

 whether it be not important enough, and whether 

 there is not enough still letl to accomplish respect-, 

 ing it, to make the appointment of a State Chemist, 

 desirable ? We ought to have still further experi- 

 ments made on the subject of geine, and the salts, 

 which the soils contain ; also accurate analyses of 

 the crops grown on soils with different manures ; 

 and investigations as to the manner in which cal- 

 careous matter act3_ upon vegetable and animal 

 substances ; as also experiments directed by an able 

 and experienced chemist, on the best mode of 

 bringing into use the vast deposites of geine and 

 vegetable fibre which our state contains. And 

 since we have chemists of this character among us, 

 why should not the services of at least one of tliem 



be secured for this object ? The ideological sur- 

 veyor might often collect substances for analysis ; 

 but if obliged to go as thoroughly into the chemis- 

 try of the subject as is necessary to valuable re- 

 sults, he cannot within any reasonable time accom- 

 plish the more appropriate objects of his appoint- 

 ment. In at least one state of the Union, where 

 geological surveys are in progress, one gentleman 

 is appointed, whose time and attention are exclu- 

 sively devoted to the chemical examination of the 

 soils, ores, &c., collected. And I would fondly 

 believe, that Massachusetts will not rest satisfied, 

 till this work is done at least as thoroughly as in 

 any other state. I believe there is abundant labor, 

 for an experienced chemist upon our soils alone ; 

 but many other substances, found in the state, ought 

 to be analysed, that "their real value may be known. 

 I do not doubt but the Government and every 

 intelligent reflecting citizen will feel the vast im- 

 portance of energetic efforts to improve our soils so 

 that they may sustain a larger population. This 

 is the only way to check the tide of emigration 

 that sets so strongly to the great West. For if 

 our sons can be made to see the soil of New En- 

 gland doubling its increase, as I verily believe they 

 might in one or two decades of years, the rich al- 

 luvia and prairies of the West will not be able to 

 draw them away from the graves of their fathers ; 

 especially if they learn that those fertile regions 

 will at length become exhausted of their geine and 

 salts, and then will probably require as much labor 

 to cultivate as the soils of Massachusetts. 



Some, however, may contend, that it is more im- 

 portant, to transfer the New England character to 

 the unsettled West, than to multiply our numbers 

 and wealth at home. But the history of the world 

 leads us to fear, that New England character can- 

 not long be preserved except upon New England 

 soil ; or upon a soil that requires equal industry 

 for its cultivation. Place New England men where 

 the earth yields spontaneously, and the locks of 

 their strength will soon be shorn. If we look over 

 the map of the world, and the history of the past, 

 we shall find as a general fact, that the brightJst 

 exhibitions of human character have been made, in 

 regions where nature has done less, but art and in- 

 dustry more. If, therefore, we wish to increase the 

 moral power of New England, it must be done by 

 improving her soil, and increasing her resources 

 and her "population. If these views are correct, 

 which I acknowledge do not fall in with the pre- 

 vailing notions, they furnish a new stimulus for 

 vigorous effort in the improvement of our soils. 



Frnm the Genesee Farmer. 



WHEAT WORM. 



No apology can be necessary for introducing this 

 subject so frequently into the columns of the Far- 

 mer. The extent of the interest involved in the 

 progress of the wheat worm can only be estimated 

 by those who have traversed Western New York, 

 and witnessed the quantity of wheat annually sown 

 in this district. We make the following extract 

 from the Seneca Observer, for the purpose of call- 

 ing the attention of farmers to the statements made 

 in^it, and particularly the one that tlie worm con- 

 tinues its ravages after the wheat is ripe and put in 

 the barn. 



We have had the impression, in common with 

 most others, that after the berry had become hard, 

 the ravages of the worm ceased, or was only con- 



tinued on sucli kernels as were attacked before the 

 wheat had become ripened. We have within a few 

 days examined wheat in which worms were found 

 in abundance, and could find no kernels injured, 

 except such as from their shrunken and pale ap- 

 pearance had evidently suffered when in the milk, 

 or before the berry had become ripe. That the 

 weevil, the product of a bug, destroys the grain in 

 th(; mow or the granai-y, is well known ; bnt that 

 the worm, the product of a fly, does the same, we 

 think requires further examination and proof before 

 it is fully admitted. Should such prove to be the 

 fact, it would indeed prove to be an alarming fea- 

 ture in the history of tlie wheat worm. At the 

 east, where its ravages have been the most exten- 

 sive and longest continued, we have never heard . 

 any apprehensions of injury after the wheat had 

 ripened and was gathered. We have instituted 

 some experiments having a bearing on this matter, 

 and we hope farmers generally will lend their aid 

 in elucidating this point. Is not the noise spoken 

 of occasioned by the crawling of the worm and the 

 rustling of the chaff, rather than by its feeding .= 

 and does not the pressure in a mow of wheat 

 cause the speedy death of far the greater part of 

 tJie worms in the gathered grain? It is well known 

 that when wheat is threshed immediately after 

 gathering, the worms will be many times more nu- 

 merous than in the same wheat, if left in the barn 

 for one or two months before threshing. 



"It is curious as well as alarming to observe the 

 operations of this destructive worm. It commences 

 its work early, and continues it late. When in the 

 field, it can be heard making a noise much resem- 

 bling that of the silk worm while eating. After it 

 commences, it devours with all greediness, until 

 the crop is gathered ; and, what is still worse, and 

 perhaps^pot generally known, it continues its work 

 of destruction, after the crop is gathered. Of this 

 fact there can now be no doubt. It has been wit- 

 nessed, by many of the most observing farmers of 

 our neighborhood. This insect can be heard in 

 the moj.E and stacks, and on examining the heads 

 of whea., they are found to contain many of these 

 destroyers. This is the more alarming to the wheat 

 o-rower, as it is ne.xt to impossible for him to thresh 

 out his grain as soon as harvested, owing to the 

 other necessary labor that is pressing upon hun at 

 this season of the year — the completion of his hay- 

 ing, and the preparing of his fallow ground for 

 another crop. Yet he must thresh his wheat or 

 lose a goodly portion of what has been gathered." 

 We do not allow ourselves to indulge in the 

 gloomy anticipations of the concluding paragraphs 

 of the article in the Observer. We remember that 

 when the Hessian fly became so destructive, and 

 its ravages extended so rapidly, many were found 

 who fancied that wheat could never again be grown 

 in the United States. Such predictions have been 

 utterly falsified by the event ; and such we doubt 

 not will be the result in regard to tlie grain worm. 

 As yet we see no reason for deserting the fair fields 

 of Western New York, or abandoning the culture 

 of wheat. Partial failures may indeed be expected ; 

 but the beautiful wheat that finds its way in such 

 quantities to our markets affords conclusive proof 

 that our fields yet yield their increase, and that 

 Providence has not ceased its kindness and its 

 blessings. 



A clergyman in New York advises his hearers to 

 subscribe and pay for a good newspaper. 



