I No. 4, 



AND GARDENER'S JOURNAL. 



tione of tillnge divide and spread its roots and seeds, 

 [eventunlly filling up the soil to such a degree, that or- 

 dinary, and otherwise sufficient cultivation, produces 

 Jittle or no return of grain; and land seeded for mea- 

 dows, where it exists in the soil, produces one or two 

 meagre and inferior crops of hay, and is then run out. 

 But the most common mode of disseminating this 

 grass, is by sowing clover seed cliafl' mixed with its 

 jeeds, having been mowed from land where it exists; 

 iind in this manner whole fields, previously exempt, 

 laave been at once filled up with Blue Grass, An 

 ibvious preventive in this case, will be to use the clo- 

 cr mill and sow the clean seed — although an opinion 

 3 very prevalent that the seed in the chaff is more 

 ikely to vegetate and survive than if sown clean. 



A more pernicious, but somewhat similar variety of 

 fttiss is found on some farms in this section, called 

 iuick Grass or wild rye, (TiUicum repms.J They 

 ppear much alike in their general character, modes 

 f propagation, and injurious effects; and both re- 

 [uire the most thorough and persevering care in culii- 

 ation to destroy them. The extreme severity of our 

 finter frosts; and also the usually continued drouth 

 nd heat of our long summers, aflord us facilities for 

 lis purpose which are not possessed by the agricultu- 

 Ist of Great Britain. Numerous experiments con- 

 rm the opinion that the vegetative powers of this 

 rasa are very much weakened by exposing the root 

 ) the action of severe frosts. Accordingly shallow 

 longhing, (as the roots do not run deep,) applied the 

 ;ter in the fall the better, by exposing the tender 

 )Ota to the frost — the tillage to be continued by 

 toughing or harrowing as soon as the land is fit in the 

 )ring, has been found very efTectual. After this pro- 

 ;ss, it is advisable to plant the ground with corn, and 

 iltivate it thoroughly, or to summer fallow for 

 heat. 



In one instance a very heavy coat of Blue Grass 

 rowing on wheat stubble, (the wheat crop was a to- 

 1 failure,) was ploughed in the fall, and though 

 orked in the spring, was wholly unfit for oats or corn. 

 , was sowed with buckwheat at the usual time, 

 hich, producing a heavy growth, completely des- 

 oyed the Blue Grass. The next season however, 

 lere was much very minute Blue Grass in the 

 nd, supposed to have sprung from the seed; which 

 iggests the necessity that the cultivation, or the den- 

 ty of the succeeding foliage, should be such as to pre- 

 9nt this result. Inslancesof success are stated from 

 le ploughing and rolling, performed just before plant- 

 ig with corn. Of this the writer cannot speak from 

 iccessful experience. The usual process of summer 

 .How, by two or three ploughings, commencing in 

 lay or June, although it may produce pretty good 

 rops of wheal, has little effect in permanently des- 

 •oying this grass, or fitting the land containing it for 

 rofitable meadow. In managing a fallow much ad- 

 antage is lost, by failing to apply the harrow, during 

 sying and harvest. The eflects which a harrow ap- 

 lied, once over, every ten days, in dry, hot weather, 

 OS upon all noxious grass within its action, is truly 

 urprising. In cases where small patches of the vari- 

 ly here termed Quick Grass exists, much caution is 

 lecessary to prevent its spread by the plough and har- 

 ow; and when the soil is properly loosened, a man 

 vith a many pronged fork and basket, will find profit- 

 ible emplyment in gathering the roots and carrying 

 hem off the land. , 



;iij!I I Messrs Editors — I consider this, an important eub- 

 iim jcct, and have given it considerable attention for some 

 years past; and as I have not seen much in your paper 

 16)1 especting it, am led to hope that the foregoing sug- 

 1:1 igestions may be useful to some of your readers. 



I am cordially yours, &c. 



JOHN McVEAN. 



Couch Grass. 



The following is from a correspondent of the Yan- 

 kee Farmer. 



Sm — In the fall of 1839, it was recommended in 

 your paper to kill Cmtch Grass by ploughing the 

 ground late in the season, and expose the roots to the 

 action of the frosts, by which their vitality would be 

 destroyed. This advice was again repeated in your 

 editorial remarks in the fall of 1840. But my expe- 

 rience shows me, that late ploughing will not kill 

 Cniic/i, or Tirilcli Grass, as it is sometimes called. — 

 Soon after that notice was published I turned over by 

 ploughing, just before winter set in, a piece of ground 

 which was very much infested by this grass. It was 

 green sward in the spring of that year, and was plough- 

 ed ond planted with Indian corn; and at weeding 

 lime, this grass so completely look possession of the 

 ground, that iherows of corn could hardly be seen, 

 and my neighbors inquired what kind of grain was 

 sown there. Intending this land for turnips the next 

 season, I uirncd this over by the plough, as before sta- 

 led; and what was the result? Not a root of ihe 

 grass was killed, and it appeared in full vigor in 1840, 

 and the field looked os green as if covered with a crop 

 of rye. What was then lo be done 1 This would be 

 a troublesome tenant with my turnips, and having the 

 advantage of prior possession, and firmer hold of the 

 soil, would contend strongly, and perhaps successfully 

 against the young turnip plants, and make the chanct 

 for a small croj), or a good crop, to soy the leost, rath- 

 er doubtful? I iben determined to extirpate it, root 

 and branch, which was accomplished in the fol- 

 lowing manner: — The ground was ploughed and har- 

 rowed, and then my men followed with their lakes, 

 andraked out the roots of the grass into heaps which 

 were afterwards car.ted into the hog-yard; and ibis 

 was done three times before sowing my turnips; and 

 this 60 completely destroyed it, that scarcely a root ap- 

 peared in the subsequent cultivation. 



Ak old Colony Farmer. 



Plymouth Co. January, 1840. 



For the New Genesee Farmer, 

 Edncation of Farmers' ChUdren"?jo> 3> 



Messrs. Editors — I have spoken of the useful 

 part of education, as it either directly or indirectly in- 

 fluences the mind. I have taken a rather extended 

 education for the general standard, because we are so 

 liable to fall below than exceed the standard, whatev- 

 er it may be. I wish now to consider the real object 

 of education, the dcceloping:, exercising, training the 

 powers of the mind. It is not so much the mere 

 knowledge itself, valuable as that is in various respects, 

 as it is the fitting of the mind for the business and du- 

 ties of life. Of arithmetic, only a few rules find ap- 

 plication in the business of the farmer and of most 

 men; but who would desire his son to study only these 

 rules while the others have a far greater educating 

 power upon the mind. Indeed, if we contemplate' 

 only these subjects which will have a direct application 

 and be direcdy practicable upon the farm, they will be 

 found very few, and the influence of education ex- 

 ceedingly trifling, 03 the time taken to obtain it must 

 be very short. Indeed, of what benefit will be much 

 acquaintance with the art of reading, if only utility 

 is to be studied in all our reading; if only there must 

 be a direct employment of the knowledge on the farm. 

 By auch an education the mind must be left almost 

 untouched. It will be rude and unpolished in its 

 thoughts, low and common in its language; it will be 

 left under the control of the animal nature chiefly; it 

 will have only coarse views and notions of morality 

 and religion, and of responsibility and obligation, it 

 will be more subject to the power of temptation, and 

 more easily seduced into the ways and works of folly 

 and wickedness; or, it must be preserved from vice 

 and crime by the fear of pu.nishment and the strong 

 arm of power, and not by those ennobling moral prin- 

 ciples wliich are suited to our nature and circumstan- 

 ces. 



The young fanner needs this cultivation of mind, 

 this training of the intellect which education gives to 

 prepare him for reading, and all the benefits of that 

 knowledge which now fills the world. A taste for 



reading is as much made and acquired as a laeie for 

 any thing. The untutored mind can have no relish 

 for it, unless it is for the marvellous; '.he curiosity 

 must be excited, or no motive will be presented to the 

 mind little trained by culture. 



The young farmer needs this cultivation too, that he 

 may have on inducement to employ hiamind daily, or 

 often, upon books. The great improvement of mind 

 is made by reading regularly for a short period every 

 day. The instances of this, though far too rare, are 

 abundant to show the great consequence. " Great 

 effects from little causes,'* is the rule of Providence, 

 and ought to be the motto for action. The diligent 

 hand malicth rich, in whatsoever it undertakes. 



The young farmer needs this cultivation also, that 

 he may have some just estimate of himself and have 

 more influence in the world. There must be superior 

 wisdom in him that guides others. Trick ond plan- 

 ning and wiles may succeed perhaps for a time; but all 

 such arts must foil in the end because the ignorance 

 will be disclosed, or ihe supeiior wisdom of others will 

 be discerned. Even good common sense, that best of 

 all human endowments of the intellect, must have 

 knowledge and principles to exercise its power. Tact 

 cannot operate without some materials to act upon and 

 to work wiih. 



The young farmer needs this cultivation also, that 

 he may have some adequate notions of the necessity 

 ond advantage of education ond moral principles in a 

 free community, ond may labor for ihe wider and 

 more general extension of knowledge and virtne. 

 Standing as the very bone and sinew of society, he 

 must have the strength and power which wdl sustain 

 the interests of society. For this end, education in 

 its general meaning, the training of the mind and 

 heart, is the grand means. 



I have spoken of ihe wants of the young farmer in 

 these several respects, for their bearing upon the main 

 object of those papers, that the interests of the farmer 

 suflfer from' the too limited education of his sons 

 compared with that of his daughters. I have already 

 said that I would not diminish the one, but increase 

 the other. These views are not new indeed to many 

 intelligent farmers, but they need to be diffused over 

 the community. They cannot be fully appreciated 

 without ensuring correspondent action. 



I was about to enjoin some views upon the ornamen- 

 lal, as connected with the education of our children, 

 but must defer them to another time. D. C. 



March, 1841. 



Sugar Beets. 



Messrs. Editors — Agricultural chemistry may in- 

 deed cavil at the supposed value of Sugar Beets os 

 food for animals; but the results which nauiie gives, 

 clearly prove ihoi there are some wonder working se- 

 crets in vegetable physiology, which science has not 

 yet discovered. 



A neighbor of mine, who is a first rate gordener, 

 told me that he hod raised 60 bushels of Sugar Beets 

 last year on an incredible small space of ground in 

 his garden. I osked him which wos the most profita- 

 ble, corn or sugar beets. He replied, boih. I then 

 named potatoes, when he burst out into a horse lough, 

 and said that he could roise ten bushels of beets easier 

 than one of pototoes, ond that his cow gave more 

 milk when fed on beets. Added lo this, be said that 

 potatoes wanted digging, ond that, too, by daylight^ 

 in short and often wet days; but that any quantity of 

 sugar beets could be plucked and liouseJ in a singja 

 clear evening, and that the trouble of securing the 

 two crops was also tea to- one in favor of beets. 



SENECA. 



SevMa CO., March 14^ 1841. 



