108 



THE NEW GENESEE FARMER, 



OL. 



vice vcr«n, nnd huiice a cumJensation of llic nqiicoue 

 parliclos ; the 'lew-drop ol evening is first seen upon 

 B blade of grnss at its higbeel point. 



Hoat and ni isiure are necc3i^ry to vegetation, and 

 ihr more von cun obtain ol tbcte agcnia tor yiuir 

 plants, the more vigoroualy will vegetation l)e sus- 

 ta ucd. Llnic, when applied to o Bliirsoil, renders it 

 more friable, porous or mellow, and it becornee more 

 easy to cultivate : the plough docs nit meet with the 

 •^ime rebia:anco: the routs of the grass and weed* are 

 mnrc easily Boparaied from the s :)il, and may therefore 

 be more readily destroyed, and a tborongli tillage or 

 pulveri/r4iii)not the land is thereby greatly laeiliiated. 

 liosidei, we find thit vegetation ia most vigorons 

 where the soil is adapted to secure ibe latgesl amount 

 of these supplies; and consequently that sojl which by 

 nature or cultivation is capable of imbibing and re- 

 taining the largest amount of these indispensable ele- 

 nionts, has the greatest capacity for producing vegeta- 

 tion. A sandy soil ajjpcars too porous to retain heal 

 ■ t night, to promote to any im|iortant e.ttcnt a con- 

 densation 01 tbo atm->splicre, and thus supply itself 

 \vSth eulficient moisture from dew — be8id(.a. it is too 

 read.lydraiiieJ; while a clay or compact soil becomes 

 indurated upon its surface, and neat from the sun 

 cannot suHicienlly penctr'ctc it to be avadabic forn like 

 purp )3e: but when these are properly mixed and com- 

 Dtnod with other eiirlhs, sucli as lime, marl, or with 

 ■lan ire, the S'mI opens its pores to rcfcivc the inv'^o- 

 raii'ig iiitlueiice of the sun during the day, nnd at 

 ntgiil the heated e-\hnlarions escaiiing from it, produc- 

 ing a greater ain->unt of dew, gu|jply the plants, nest- 

 led in it^ borom. With li^C' esary moisture Irom the 

 pure and bounteous fountains of the atino-phere. 



Some farmers think that lime is injurious to wheat 

 land — that it makes the soil cold, nnd that their lands, 

 when drcised witli it, are more apt to produce mildew- 

 ed grain than they were belore it wa.s applied. 7'hnt 

 this, in many in-tancrs, has appeared to be so, I do 

 not ilouhi, because lite soil, by its application, is ren- 

 dered more productive, and therefore we have mora 

 gra^s, which, under our present system of sowing 

 grass-seed with wheat, ia injurious to that crop, as i 

 have contende-l in a firmer paper. Toll, in bis cx- 

 cenoiit 'rrentise on Biight, says, "Wheat being 

 doubdesa originally a native of a hot coumry, it le- 

 quire-. by its c mstitulionn conaideiable degree of hen L 

 to bring it to piM lection : and if much of ttiatdegne 

 of li-"aL is wiini.ng, it will be the weaker, and wnen 

 tbo sufir r.iys caniio; reich the lower pans of the 

 eta'ks, the lowest leaves and kno's cannot do their 

 olHcc;*' and hence the niaturity of ilie plant is pro- 

 tj'aclL-d, because "the lower parts of the stalks miisi 

 receive the greater share of heat, being nearer the 

 point of incidence of the sunbeams reflected by the 

 ground." Bong dopriv^:d ot iliis genial and ne-.-essa- 

 ry heat, since it is shaded near the rnota by grnis, and 

 belli:; iiiibedded in to,> moist and cobl a soil, it has not 

 the power of elaborating its sap or evaporating its 

 tluids, and is iberefire slow in ripening; a;id henet 

 the crop, becoming diseased, ia frequently destroyed 

 by mildew. 



In the appiicniion of lime to land, much rare nnd 

 close olwer^'atioii is required, to produce the best re- 

 su'la. The farmer should not be too gciwrnvs: he 

 should ni". forget that lime rjid earth eonsiiiiue moy- 

 tar, nnd therefore his care should be only to apply so 

 much to his soil, if light, as will render it sulTlciently 

 compact to retain rnoir^turc and heal; for n sandy soil 

 is composed ol aphcrica! particles, and is t(x> readily 

 ventilated nnd diainrd ol ils moiRtiire, and being mix- 

 ed with lime, the interstices being close.!, the S'ul is 

 gren;Iy improved. Alter several ycaisof experience 

 and can*ful *>bservation, I am convinced that lime, 

 wlien npiilied to n samly soil, renders it more compact 

 and miu-h more productive; nnd that nianuie, when 

 a;tplieil lo it after a drcrsing of lime, will have a much 

 more la^tin^ influence than it would have had belore 

 its ajiplieation. Upon heavy soil?, lime should be ap- 

 plied only in sncb proporlions os Will render it mo-t 

 mellow or friable : any thing beyond ihis, will be 

 f.)und to be injurious. It is not material, as I appre- 

 hend, wh'ilher ii ba put on in a hot or cold sta'o, be- 

 cnu-ii- it issi>iui cooled uii ler thent'iuwpheri'- infliicni-c 

 after belna slaked, anti cannot be [iloughcd in nller 

 lining «;iread before it becomes chill, d. 1 nsunlly np- 

 \Aj it in ihe spring, when i)rciinring for corn, the 

 Workin:' of which, and theprejiaration of the land for 

 Ittiaequent crops, thoroughly mix it with the soil. I 

 obtiin the lime when ready to apply it. have it placed 

 in a silmtion convenient lor walcr, whcicit ia imme- 

 diately slaked: and as it falls, it is caned nut and 

 spread upon the Ir.ivl i>revioufcly ploughed, w huh, after 

 fcieing hatrowsd, is a'.iuck out atvtl planitd. I ha\p 



applied It in oiUer ways, but the results were never so 

 satisfactory. 



1 have Ijccn tolil by some farmers, that the greatest 

 benefits from ilic use ol lime on their land are exhib- 

 ited in about seven yeitrs atcr its application; some 

 say iiij'oitrycura; eoioe contend ihat they have seen 

 iis etb'Cls the second) ear, and others say that they 

 never saw any elicct whatevir from ils application, 

 although they put it on in generous qunnti lies. Now, 

 I \erily believe all these staiementa lo be true, and 1 

 account for this singular anotnaly in the following 

 manner. In the latter instance, the lime wne plough- 

 ed in 80 deep that it was never mixed with llie soil, 

 and ihcrcfiirc produced no cHect ; nnd in the former, 

 ihe admixinie took place probably in one, four, or 

 seven yeais after it was applied. In S'imc eases, it ia 

 said, land has been injured liy it. lam inclined lo 

 believe thai in those cases liie farmer tias been loo 

 generous, and would recommend as a corrective, that 

 he plough deeper, nnd ihereby mix more earth with 

 liislimc. He wilt thence have the advantage of a 

 deeper soil. As the quantity bestadapU'd lo improve 

 mo<t soils, I would recommend from f oly to filiy 

 bushels unslaked to the acre I have found excellent 

 results on sundy, clayey,* nnd loamy soils, from the 

 application of that quantity. As I have never farmed 

 limestnne or red shell soils, I cannot sdviae respecting 

 them. 



I therefore repeat, mix your soil well with the lime 

 which yon may put ujion it — pclveiize it thoroughly — 

 destroy all natural vegetation, if you wish lo raise 

 naluralized crojis — exeicise a sound judgment ns lo 

 time and method, and you will seldom liiive reason to 

 complain, in this part of Pennsylvania, at least, either 

 of an ungrateful soil, or an unlavnrablc climate. 



KENDEHTON SMITH. 



The Flowers of Sum ncr. 



In writing our sketches of the flower garden, we 

 hnve not had leisure to examine what we said in our 

 first Tuliime, on the same subjects; nnd possibly some 

 things may be repented. 



Paonia is a spbndid genus, nnd 17 species were 

 known in Ib'^y. The single flowers are gone in n 

 few days, but the double are more durable. Tiie enr- 

 lieai kind that we have seen is P. tenvifoVui, which 

 spreads tl.r nigh the ground, nnd ill n few years forms 

 n stool of Ecvorai feet in dinmeter — ^flowers single, of 

 the brightest crimson 



Soon after appears P. movtan, a shrub from China, 

 growing to the heighlof three feet in England, nnd 

 attaining the same stature in this climate. A well 

 grown " tree" (for so it is called) niny be three feel 

 or more across, presenting n magnificent display in all 

 its varieties that have con;e undtr our notice, though 

 die flowers vary in color. It is hardy, and starts to 

 grow very early in the spring. 



P. offic'nnlis wns introduced from Switzerland in 

 1.546, nnd has spread into some fine varieties. The 

 double Eorts are the comnton crimson, the rosy, nnd 

 the whitish, or the iilbisaas. Sahincs crimson is one 

 of the finest of ihe single sorts. 



This plant and P. corntlina are the only two spe- 

 cies credited to Europe, the eastern sitle of that conii- 

 ncnt having furnished most of thcspcc'es. P. elbijlo- 

 ra (called the Chinese) though herbnceous, sometimes 

 attains the height of -1 feet, and is very fhowy. Four 

 double vaiieties of this species arc now blooming in 

 our garden, viz' Ilumei, Whitleii, frngrans, and 

 Reevcsii — the lad, a blusb color, fading nfter it opens. 

 This species grows freely from seeds, springing up in 

 many parts of the garden, but requiring several years 

 tobr'ng-lhem into bloom. 



The glutinouslocusi (Uohhtiu vifcosu) produces ils 

 pink flowers in abundance; nnd but few trees are more 

 ornamental. It increases snfTiciently from ils horizon- 

 tal roots. It is a native of the Souihern Stales, 

 though hardy here; and is classed wiih timber trees, 

 sometimes growing 40 feet high, according to Elliott. 

 In this northern land, however, it has the habit of n 

 shrub — 1(1 or !,"> feel high. 



Philaihljilius. This genus of six or eight species, 

 produces only whit« Sowers. /*. hirsutu$ is much 



I'll 



^1 



►it 

 till 



taller than P. coronarius, though L"udon only marl 

 ed it 3 feet high ! The flowers arc also much large 

 and whiter, but. scarcely so fragrant. The variet 

 called " double flowering," has not a tenth of its flow 

 era double. Another called " nanus" is hardly worn 

 cultivating. Both these varieties belong to P. con 

 nnrius, which is n native of Europe. 



The flowering ash ( Onms eiiropaui) at the heigl 

 of 5 feet bloomed with us this seosin lor ibo fir 

 time. The flowers Ore while, vei^ small, nnd gro 

 in panicles. 



The his is finely represented in this month, 

 large kind with light blue flowers, is remarkable fJ^* 

 its delicacy; and appears lobe a variety of / gfrrm«7i ^■ 

 en. Four tall sorts with yellow flowers also shine ou t*" 

 While moat of the species exhibit their blossoms co, 

 spicuously on their summits, one called ihe blue Ru 

 sian, hangs ils flag half mast high — down among tl ■" 

 leaves. Two bulbous species from Spain (the Spa *" 

 ish nnd the English) have run into many varieties 

 of each kind have been advertised; but though son ** 

 of the Spanish Iris, are beautiful, others have n lur 

 or dingy aspect, and are not worthy of culiivatio 

 .\11 the sorts that we have seen of the English I 

 however, are splendid. 



Wislarin speciosa, a twining shrub, with blue pt' 

 pie flowers in dense racemes, is n native of the Sout 

 but endures our win;er». It deserves n place amo 

 fine plnnts. 



Spliait aruncus, 4 feet high, is very showy; I 

 though its wh.tc flowers are small, they are vf 

 abundant Its inflorescence is also singular. In c 

 opinion, it ie finer than any herbaceous species fn 

 the eastern continent: nnd a worthy congener of 

 American variety of S. lulmlu. 



Dracoeephaliim rinjschianum resembles the tlysS' 

 but its flowers are a fine rich blue. It is on old 

 habitnnt uf the gardens. 



Jasminum livmile is the only species of the ge 

 that succeeds here in the open border. It is i 

 sometimes dnmoged by the winter; but when 

 I'rosia are not very severe, its yellow s'ar-like flow 

 make a pleasing display in the following scaton. 

 is probably n native of Italy. 



We have two varieties of Chionanihva rirgini 

 now in flower both marly of the same age, but 

 hioad leaved kind is the taller, with fene.' blosso 

 Tl.e narrow leaved variety is loaded with bloom. H 

 is ihe white Fringe Tree. 



The fine purple flowers of J'aboscvm purpi/ri 

 may be seen by early risers, but they begin lo shr 

 ns soon as the sun shines out with power. 



For Lilies, Pinks, Roses, &c. see New Gene 

 Farmer Vol. 1. 



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8iiUTioasKiita Ilaga Seed. 



Mr.ssRS. Editors — Lnst season on« of our D 

 chnnts bought n quantity of ruia baga seed, and sol 

 out 10 n number of farmers in this vicinity. Itcanu ■lit 

 well, and the plants appeared like genuine till after "tei 

 second hoeing, when the roots were about as It 

 as a mnn's finger, the lops then nil branched out 

 run up to seed; so that ihe crops were an entire : 

 ure, much lo the disnp)K>inlment and Iocs of 

 farmers. 



On inquiry, it was ascertained ibat the seed 

 raised from small ruta bagas, nnd was surroundei 

 mixed wilh mustard when growing. 



Now, I wish 10 nsk whether the mustard caused 

 degeneracy of the ruta baga seed, and if not, v 

 did ? If you, or your correspondents can explain 

 matter, it may be of service to others. We farr 

 are, at best, slow enough to adopt any new artici 

 system of cultivation; nnd when failure or ditappt 

 mcnl orciire, it often tends to chock, if not cmi! 



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