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NEW ENGLAND FARMER, 



JtJJLV ai, 1839. 



AND HORTlCULTnRAL REGISTER. 



Boston, Wednesdav, July 31, 1S39. 



WHEAT CROP. 



The abortive attempts made last year in iVIass:iciiusetts, 

 produced so much disappointment, that comparatively 

 little wheat was siivvn this season. What was snwn, 

 liowever, in general looks well ; and, unforseen and uii' 

 controllable accidents excepted, will yield a fair return. 

 We have seen several fields of one, two and four acres, 

 wliieh we have no doubt will yield twenty, twentyfive 

 and thirty bushels to the acre. Tlie failure of the last 

 aeason was no doubt owmg to the severity of the drought 

 in inosi cases. We are more than ever convinced that 

 in must parts of Massachusetts she may easily supply 

 lierown wheaten bread. The great object to be aimed 

 Bt in order to success, is to bring to the surface a fresh 

 soil. We are satisfied that in many cases, the applica- 

 tion of lime to tiie soil would be highly favorable; in 

 no case applied in any leasonable measure can it do 

 barm; and in all it will be ultimately and pemanently 

 beneficial; but as yet we see no reason to alter our ear- 

 ly conviction, a conviction not taken up at random cud 

 capriciously, but growing out of many facts and careful 

 and reiierated experiments, that it is not indispensable. 

 From the best information we can gather, we consider 

 wheat under proper cultivation is ordinarily ns success- 

 Tul as rye; and therefore from its superior value, it may 

 tie strongly lecommcnded as a crop with which to stock 

 down our land, when we propose to lay it in grass. 



One great deficiency in our cnltivalion is, that it is 

 too slovenly for wheat. We do not in some cases, take 

 pains to have our lands thoroughly drained, so that no 

 water may stand upon them, and the ground not be 

 left saturated with water during wintKr, where winter 

 wheal is sowed, or after rains late in the season. Noth- 

 ing is more prejudicial to wheat than this neglect. In 

 tho next place, our grounds are surcharged with weeds. 

 Wlieat is for example, often sown after potatoes. Wlial 

 can he more rare than a clean potato crop ? In general 

 potatoes are manured with the coarsest manure ; and 

 tnuch of it the sweepings of the barn floor full of chaff; 

 and then they are seldom hoed more than twice, more 

 frequently perhaps, but once in a season, so that the 

 weeds ripen their seeds and fill the ground with a per- 

 nicious growth for the next reason, among which we 

 could scarcely e.'cpeet that wheat should flourish. It is 

 not uncommon to see an attempt at raising wheat where 

 Uie weeds entirely overpower the grain. Success under 

 snob circumstances, is certainly not to be loc^ked for. 

 " Can a man gather grapes of thorns or figs of thistles ?" 

 In the account given of the agriculture of Norfolk, Eng. 

 it is saiil that Lord Erskine, in riding over the farm of 

 the distinguished Mr Coke, and surveying bis extensive 

 fields of wheat, discovered a single plant of lavender 

 among the glowing grain. Tiiis was deemed quite re- 

 cnarkable ; and a premium was offered for any one who 

 would discover any weeds in the growing crop Mr 

 Coke we believe not unfrequrntly gels six and seven 

 quarters (eight bushels to a quarter) of wheat to the 

 acre. Our farmers have no patience for any such culti- 

 vation as this, and with ground half prepared, lull of 

 weeds, without water furrows to drain off the wet, and 

 perhaps with seed pnorly selected and but half cleaned, 

 W£ complain that we cannot raise wheat. ills matter 

 of more just surprise that with our modes ofrultivation, 

 if modes they can be called, we can raise anything. We 

 feaowofno experiments having been made with the 



exception of one on a very small scale, of cultivating 

 wheat in drills and hoeing between the drills. This is 

 sometimes done abroad, and Beatson's Cultivator, of 

 which one was imported by the Massachusetts Agricul- 

 tural Society, is used for cleaning between the drills, 

 which are about eight inches apart. It is, we believe, 

 generally conceded, that the increase of the crop in 

 this case will scarcely pay for the extra labor and pains. 

 It is hardly to be expected with our off-hand and sleight 

 of band way of dning things, that such cultivation should 

 be ever dreainpt of among us. Presently, however, we 

 indultie the hope, that by some enterprising and careful 

 farmer, the experiment at least upon a small scale, will 

 be made among ns. We confidently hope in the lan- 

 guage of the times, that the good old Bay State will go 

 ahead in the wheat cultivation ; and we say in the lan- 

 guage of the brave Lawrence, on an occasion of infinite- 

 ly less importance, " Don 't give up the ship." 



H. C. 



SUCKERING INDIAN CORN. 



The question is repeatedly proposed, is it best to suck- 

 er our corn .' We believe as a gener.il rule that no 

 glowing plant can be mutilated or stripped of its crown, 

 its limbs, or it'' leaves, without injury ; or at least that 

 it cannot be safely done before the seed is completely 

 formed. There are exceptions to this at least of a qual- 

 ified nature, as where a melon vine is stopped or a gra[ie 

 vine girdled with a view of forwarding the ripening of 

 the fruit. T he suckers of corn are of course notsoiin- 

 portint to the plant as the stalks; and the fodder ob- 

 tained by removing them will be some equivalent for 

 the labor expended in the operation. But upon the 

 whole we hesitate in advising to it. We onre suckered 

 a large field. The growth was most extraordinarily lux- 

 uriant and heavy ; and a gicat deal of the corn was 

 broken down by the process. We did not accurately 

 measure the crop, which some accidental circumstancits 

 prevented our doing; but as well as we could jiidse, 

 the amount of produce was not increased, and the whole 

 field was materially injured. We know a careful farm- 

 er in Middlesex county, who operating on a small scale 

 and with his own hands, in a case too where the field 

 is so small that he finds no difSculty in cirrving out his 

 suckers, who believes that he has derived some small 

 advantage from it. The Rev Dr Lyman, of Hatfield, 

 gave to the Massachusetts Society an account of an ex- 

 periment performed by him, ofsuckerin« a considerable 

 field some years since. We have not seen the account 

 for a long time ; but as well as wc can remember, he 

 regarded the increase of the produce or the saving of the 

 fodder from the suckers as not a compensation for the 

 trouble and the injury to the corn. 'I"he fodder from 

 the suckers is not lost if left standing until the whole is 

 gathered. The judgment of Lorain, whose authority in 

 all matters pertaining to agriculture will not be ques- 

 tioned, is against suckering corn, or cutting the stalks 

 until the cro|i is fully ripened. 



In the southern Stales the leaves of Indian corn are 

 stripped off for the winter fodder of their horses, and as 

 their only practicable substitute for hay. We wish some 

 intelligent southern cultivator, as our respected friend 

 RuBin,of the Farmer's Register, ifthi.-i should mei't hi- 

 eye, or the intelli;rent editor of the Southern Agricultu- 

 rist, would give us their views on this subject and inform 

 us of any satisfactory experiments which may have been 

 made to test the advantages or the injury of the prac- 

 tice. If opportunity presents, we shall advert to the 

 matter of topping stalks and gathering the crop hereaf- 

 ter; old matters indeed, and on which wc have noth- 

 ing novel to recommend, but in respect to which it may 

 be useful to call to recollection some decisive and in- 

 structive experiments which have been made. H. C. 



STEAM NAVIGATION TO ENGLAND AND FOR 

 EIGN NEWS. 



The Great Western has completed another of he: 

 periodical flights over the broad Atlantic in fourteer 

 da)s* passage, it is said that one gentleman who wen 

 out has returned in her; and after transacting consid 

 erable business in London, has reached his family aftei 

 an absence of only six weeks. What is the next mira 

 cle to be performed in the way of travelling ? 



The steamer brings intelligence of a declaration o 

 war on the pait of the Turkish Sultan against his Ma 

 hometan brnther in Egypt, and of tlie kindling of thi 

 fires of strife and resentment between Russia and France 

 — at least of an attempt to rake open the embers and fat 

 the sparks. When will these things have an end I — 

 When will men cease to be savages and tigers, and learr 

 something of Christianity, at least the first letters of iti 

 alphabet! Alas', poor human nature! Humanity i: 

 everywhere trampled upon ; and man ins|>ite ofalltha 

 civilization has done, is still to be classed among lh( 

 most ferocious of the beasts of prey. 



Great riots have taken place among the operatives a 

 Birmingham, and numbers have been shot down by thi 

 dragoons after some of the police had been killed.— 

 These matters are spoken of as coolly and philosophical 

 ly as would be the bunting of wild game and bagginj 

 our patridges and woodcocks at night. In our humbli 

 opinion, the state of society in England is most threat 

 cning to the public peace ; and she is sitting upon the 

 crust of a volcano. Mobs and riots we hold in utter a 

 larm and abhorrence ; but there is too much reason it 

 munv cases of outbreak among the lower classes of thi 

 people, to think that they are in the main right; an< 

 that these are but the effervescences of honest thougl 

 it may be misguided minds, stung to the quick and brok 

 en down with despair under a sense of oppression, cru 

 elty, irijusiicc, and outraged humanity. The day of ret 

 ribuiion must come in the end. H. C. 



Bread Stuffs.— The Pittsburg Gazette of the 2a 

 inst. states that flour was Belli ng there on that day a 

 $3 ,!() per bbl. In some parts ofOliio, it is added, wbea 

 had fallen within three or four weeks past, from $1 5^ 

 to TS cents per bushel. At Louisville, wheat was sellin, 

 at75cts.but it was expected to fall tnG2 1-2 cts. — 7'imes 



Massacliusetts HorticuKutal Society. 



EXHIBITION OF FRUITS. 



Saturday, July 20, 18^9. 



Among the fruits exhibited this day were Peaches o 

 surpassing beauty and exquisite fragrance ; Grapes, o 

 fine ciilor, heavy clusters, and the berries of large size 

 Tlie following gentlemen were the contributors; 



By J. F. Allen, Salem; Royal George Clingstone and 

 Admirable Peaches. 



By Robert Milne, Portland, Me ; Royal George Free- 

 stone Peaches. 



By Or Eiistis, Brookiine ; Black Hamburgh anc 

 White Chasselas Grapes. 



By Otis Johnson, Lynn; Black Hamburgh Grapes 



By Jacib Tidd, Roxbury; Black Hamburgh anc 

 White Chasselas Grapes. 



By Samuel Walker, Roxbury; several varieties o 

 dessert Gc'oseberries. 



By James L. L. F. Warren, Brighton; a number oi 

 sorts of Gooseberries, names unknown. 



By J. Hovey, Roxbury ; Gooseberries and large Dutcl 

 white Currants. 



By Thos. Mason, Charlestown ; Seedling, Barnet, and 

 White Antwerp Raspberries — all very fine. 

 For the Committee, 



E. M. RICHARDS. 



