Vo. 



AND GARDENER'S JOURNAL. 



l((9 



(til 



5ri revent, the introduction of vnluable iinprovcnieiue. 

 Some of (hose who sowed tbe nbove seed, liad never 

 i/itt ttenipted gro^/iiig riua bngne before; nnd thie failure 

 in ss diecouragcd ilicm so tbnt Ihcy will not try ngain 

 oit jon. Respoeifully yours, 



fflij ERASTUS SKINNER. 



Prattslmrgh, ;>'. Y-, June 18, 1841. 

 i;|| Remarks — Several instances of diEappoinlment, 

 fin (milnr to tbe above, linve come under our obscivnlion, 

 rithin ten years past; and we biive taken some pniuo 

 3 ascertain ibeir cause, allbougb we have not always 

 I iiceeedtd to our own satisfaction. Tbe difli lent 

 (o >ecic3 of tbe genus Brfisstrtiy including tbe wholt' 

 nm Cabbage and Turnip family, not only mix icUfi each 

 K titer very readdy, but are very liable to degenerate 

 t(i rom want of care in raising the seed, oroibcr uni'a- 

 Ri orabic circumstances. In reference to the case nien- 

 •li ioned by our correspondent, we do not ihink tbe 

 iipii lustard was tbe cause of tbe evil, ahhougb we do 

 .! lOt say it might not have been. Mustard ( Sinnpsis) 

 son i considered by tbe botanists, adirterent genus from 

 lnr, le ruta baga; but it is of tbe same natural family, and 

 ears eucb evident marks of relationsbip tbnt it is more 

 ban probable they will mix, when in bloa-om togcth- 

 r. But if this bad been the cause of tbe difficulty, 

 pi lie plants would not all have run upto seed iiniform- 

 m[ t. We therefore conclude that the true cause was 

 m lie other one alluded to — namely, degeneracy. It is 

 tated that the seed was raised from sviJiU roots — per- 

 il! aps from a crop that was not worth harvesting, and 

 aerefore left in the ground over winter, and allowed 

 ) go to seed — and it is not certain that the process of 

 egeneration bad not been in operation several years. 

 tl jic all events, jt is well known that tbe greatest care 

 1 necessary in raising all kinds of turnip seeds, as 

 'ell as that it be raised under favorable circumsian- 

 es: and as more core is usually bestowed on this bu- 

 ness in England, together with a more favorable 

 imate, it is generally found that imported seed pro- 

 iicea better roots than that raised in this country. 



'he Weathei— the Crops--Harvest Prospects. 



The longest and most severe season ot drought ever 

 nown before harvest in ibis section of country, has 

 een e.tpcrienced this season, and we believe the 

 ime may be said of most parts of the United States 

 nd Canada For about si.x weeks, scarcrly enough 

 Bin fell in this vicinity to moisten the surface of the 

 arth, or to encourage the hearts of its cultivators. 

 list one week ago, however, there commenced a suc- 

 ession of the most I'ruitful sboweis that can be ini- 

 gined ; and all nature now rejoices under their reviv- 

 :ig influence. About 10 days since, we passed over 



part of this and several of tbe adjoining counties. 

 ad it was truly mclnneboly to witness tbe sufTeiing 

 tops, and to bear tbe mournful complaints of tbe 

 aimers. And tiuly many crops have sulTcred, past 

 ecovcry. Grass, of course, is very light. Oats and 

 arley the same. Corn that was planted early, and 

 in ra' her moist soil, looks well, but some pieces are 

 mire failures. Wheat is generally light, and must 

 all somewhat short of an average crop, allbougb 

 »# think it will be better than many have represented. 

 'otatoes came up slowly, and are very backward, but 

 here is still time for them to recover. Beet and car- 

 ot seeds, sown early, have mostly done well, but 

 hose sown later hove generally failed, as is always the 

 osein dry weather. 



The latest accounts from other pans of the country, 

 orm a cheering conirast with those received twojweeks 

 igo. 



**The New York Express states, on tbe authority of 

 lehonal observation during an extensive tour, in the 

 ■* nost productive parts of New .lerfey nnd Pentieylvn- 

 is! lis, that the appearance of the fields of wheat, rye and 

 «t«| promises on alumdant borvest." 



d 



"Tbe Richmond (Virginia) Siar says — A great 

 deal of wheat has been cut, and we rejoice to under- 

 staiui, is ol a very promising ehnraclor. Indeed the 

 barvcot proniif^f B well The prob'tbtliiy i.?, that flour, 

 the gieiit sinple will be vny low during the coming 

 year — ami ibai is no slight comfort to poor people." 



"The Albany Morning Alias savs: — ! he crops 

 throughout the counlry, generally, are represented a^ 

 promising. Though in some pans we notice there 

 may be a falling oli", yet the average will be a good 

 one." 



The Fort Wayne (Indiana) Seiuinel anys: — "The 

 sciison here has been leinarUably backward, but crops 

 arc now coniing on finely. Wheat never bid more 

 fair for an abundant harvest. Onta nnd grass are 

 equally promising. Coin is moie backward, owing 

 to the wet and cold wentber about pliinling time. 

 Some did not come up well, but we have hnd fine 

 weather for several days, and it Iiks grown astonish- 

 ingly." 



Wheat Prospects. — We have the most flattering 

 accounts from all portions of our countiy, of tbe 

 prospect of a plentiful harvest. Kn unuBUnl quriiitiiy 

 of wheat waseown In&t full, and iis appearance now 

 indicnies a grcnt >ield. — Huron (Ohio) Adv. 



The PninesviUe (Ohio) Telegraph, of a late date, 

 says: — 



"Farmers may now obtain seventy-five cents cosh, 

 for wheiii, in our sireels. For Oais, 25 cents; pota- 

 toes, Itj cents. 



These advanced and odvancing prices, and sales for 

 cash, arc encouraging to our larniers, nnd inspire all 

 with fresh hoi-es oi belter limes. Tbe prospect now 

 Is, ihnt noiwiihsinndiiig former feiure, the present will 

 be a seafi.)n of great abundance " 



The Chops. — The Gorniantown (Pa.) Telegraph 

 snys: — "Our farmers have begun in earnest their hny- 

 moking, though niucb '>f the grass appears, from the 

 backwordmss of the spring, to be yet growing. The 

 crop generally, is as good as in any ordinary season ; 

 and should the wentber enable it to be boused without 

 injury, ihe supply ot this sinple prndue-iion, which it 

 renllv is here, will be equal to the demand of the cus- 

 tomary prices." 



The necounls from the western portion of Maryland 

 are decidedly favorable to the growing crops. In 

 Frederick they had refreshing rams last week. The 

 1031 Uuiontown (Pa. J Democrnt hnd a paragraph com- 

 plnining ol the drought, but ils complaint was cut 

 short by copious rains which commenced falling on 

 Monday. 



Tbe Savannah Republicon has intelligence from 

 the interior of Georgia, that tbe promise of the com- 

 ing corn cro]i. now considered ns half secure — is good, 

 the wheat in Upson county, w'lere tbe harvest is coin- 

 mencing, very good, the cotton crop, rather poorly 

 for the present. 



The (New IlaTcn, Con.) Farmers Gazette, of June 

 25, says : — 



"If fine weathei, nnd an abundance of it, tan have 

 a beneficial eire'ct on tbe crops, there is reason to be- 

 lieve that our farmers will thii! year have no cause of 

 complaint. The frequent and copious showers of the 

 post week have bad a most happy efleet on the vege- 

 tation ol Ibis n"ighbiuhood, and dis-ipated the fears of 

 ihoee who have been dispoeed to distrust tbe goodness 

 of Him who has promised that the earth shall yield 

 food sufficient for man nnd beast. We are lold that 

 in consequence of the rain of one day last week, the 

 price ot hay was reduced two dollors. Except in 

 some upland meadows where the drought was partic- 

 ularly severe, it is supposed thai the crop of hay in 

 this vicinity will be asheovy as an overage ol severol 

 years post." 



Sowing Coin for Fodder, 



The severity o( the dioughtat tbe present time, 

 threatens to diminish greatly the crop ofmowing grass 

 the present season. Red clover is now putting forth 

 its full bloom, while the slnlk is not more ihan ten or 

 twelve inches high, instead of twenty-four inches, 

 which it ought to be The lox- toil, or timothy as it is 

 generally termed, is now shooting out its bead, while 

 tbe stalk, on dry soils, is scarcely a foot hiah, when 

 in fnvorab'c seasons it would be two and a ball feet. 

 There is great reason, I think, to apprehend that the 

 crop of mowing grass will be diminished one half. — 

 Tbe seoson is 60 tar advanced, that moilernle rains, 

 even now, could nol, 1 think, relrieve tbe crop. 



To the fanner who has a large stock to sustain 

 through another winter season, and whose calculations 

 tor a comoetent supply of food for them, are bnsed on 

 the certainty of a good, fair, average crop of mowing 

 gra^s. ihe prcseii! n>'cispert, I ibaik, tiiust cause inuch 



an.\iety; and should the drought continue, even a lit- 

 ile longer, itniny nico seriously affect our root culture 

 111 this state of tilings, I consider it an act of prudenro 

 to look about us, ond see whot remedial mcosures, if 

 any, we c(,n rei-ort to. 



In the course of my experience I have known occa- 

 aioiinlly just such a state of thinga. I have known 

 not only just such, but much more pictsing necessi- 

 ties to exist; and the best remedial course 1 liavc ever 

 pursued, has been to sow n crop of corn, broad east, as 

 soon as the deliciency of the hay crop had become 

 certain. 



A small amount of good ground thus cullivotcd, 

 will produce a very great onicunt of excellent fodder. 

 I have sown from one acre to six acres. The product 

 will be prodigious — several tons per acre. 



My prectice bos been to sow two and a holf bushels 

 good seeel corn per acre on the furrows befeue harrow- 

 ing; then to drag it thoroughly the same way it was 

 ploughed. The seed will toll mostly into the furrows, 

 and being well dragged will thus be deep enough to 

 have strength of root suflicient to sustain a tall etnlki 

 I bnvetiied different quantities cf teed. Tbe results 

 from the quantity niiincd above, I hove found most 

 iatisfnctory. With this quoiiliiy the stalks will stand 

 so thick as to glow up tall and slender. Cnitle will 

 consume them entirely. 



One, by no means unimportant item in the value of 

 this nop is, there will ordinarily be found quite a 

 quaiuiiy of small cars of corn — much of it ripe — a 

 f"ull sufficiency for slock which has been accustomed 

 10 moderate feeding of grain during the winter 

 season. 



To horvest the crop, tbe sickle is ured most advan- 

 tageously. When cut, tbe -la'Us should be bound in 

 small bundles, and be set up to cure in small stouts; 

 and when slocked forwiiiier, let it he stacked nsatihe 

 South, around a slnck pole, only the length o.'"a shecf 

 i'rom the pole, (n this cose the bulls, or bottom end 

 of tbe stalk, will all be exposed to thenir, and tbe pro- 

 cess of curing will be giaduol and safe. It must be 

 remembered that it is nn excceding'y succulent siolk, 

 nnd is cut green, ond will need core and time to safely 

 cure it. I hiive lost a large quantity by henting, after 

 I coi«idered it cured, by putting it into a large filncl , 

 so as to exclude the oir. 



Anoiher biuefit of this crop is, if sown about this 

 time, it con be followed by wheat in the loll. It can 

 be cut ond taken f om ibc giouiid in good season to 

 sow wheat. I have had turf ground turned over, 

 sowed wilh corn, nnd found it in a more snt:s!octory 

 condition for wheat, than when summer fallowed. — ■ 

 The ground hns been kept dnmp and moitt by the 

 shode of the corn, and tbe tnrf has been sufficiently 

 decomposed. A single ploughing al'icr ibecorn is cut 

 off, is all that is needed tor sowing. — Horheslrr Duiiy 

 Dcmocrct. A FARMER. 



The follovi-ing remarks, by protessor Dewey, were 

 suggested by an article on ihis subject in oni last. 

 Killing IiRt»i. 



Thenard has proposed sulphuretted hydrogen. The 

 question is, how can it be applied 7 Use a lubnlared 

 retort, containing nil the mnteriala except the sulphu- 

 ric acid. When the neck of the letort has been sur- 

 rounded with mortar in the rat's hole, the sulphuric 

 ae-id is to be turned in through the lubulure, and the 

 stopple immediately inserted. The gas will then pass 

 into the hole, and to the lower parts, as its Bjiecifio 

 gravity is n Utile greater than that of oxygen gas, oHd 

 about one-fifth heavier than ntmosphwic air. While 

 the gas is very falal teonimals it is not so to man, nt 

 leost to near the some extent. Ch.en.ists often breathe 

 considerohle of it. Probably no danger would result 

 from using common retort, tbe neck of which should 

 be mortared in the hole expeditiously. It is more 

 proboble that a worse evil would result frcm the dcoth 

 ofnumbers of rale in an inaccessible place. Tbe ex- 

 istence of tbe sulphuretted hydrogen will be known 

 by ita offinfire odours, wliicb is ihat of jujtrifijiiig 

 c^gs. If the rats cannot escape, they wiU doubi'ese 

 be poisoned. If they can escape by means of their 

 various pa^^engea under ground, they will flee with all 

 rapidity from so noisome and fetid an intruder as this 

 gas. This cfTect is as readily produced by the beating 

 of a drnm in the cellar, without ory exposure to a 

 substance so ofl'ensive. ond at n m leh cheaper rate. 



e. R 



