10. 



AND GARDENER'S JOURNAL. 



147 



. ill my hnml>le opinion, nil ihcse etill undc- 

 • i questions niiglil hove been sellled ninny 

 i.i; \ enrs ngo, if those who were most interested in 

 ■m iind Inken the trouble to ninUc a few siieh per 

 tly acciiriUe expcrinienis ns any cultivntor of hie 

 wn <ir others' land might very cneily make; and to 

 ublish the results of the same in our agricultural jour- 

 als. instead of the numerous vague siicculations and 

 leonelusive staienieuts on the foregoing subjects, with 

 hich these journals have so often been tilled. Who- 

 ler I am right or wrong in this opinion, let your 

 :ndcrs determine, niter considering the following 

 terieo to which I respectfully invite their attention. 

 How easy would it have been, in order to settle the 

 rst controversy, for all who felt sutlicient interest in 

 to desire that it should be settled, to spread vegelo- 

 liinal manure equally over a small determinnte 

 laiiiity of land, and then, alternately to plough it 

 ider, and leave it on the surface of exactly equal 

 irtions of this land, and to compare by accurate men- 

 llreMiont, the produce of each portion ? 

 Would it not have been equally easy to settle the 

 n.l controversy, by planting a hke determinate 

 uity of land with as ninny varieties of Indian 

 rn as the experimentalist wished to compare toge- 

 giving to each exactly equal portions of the 

 id, the same distances between the hills and rows, 

 e sa;iie number of stalks in a hill, and precisely the 

 me culture; and then accurately to mensure the pro- 

 ice of each portion ? To prevent the produce from 

 tug much nllected by intermixiure, an oblong form 

 _ht be given to the land on which the experiment 

 13 made, and the rows planted across, to the nuni- 

 r, say, of I'i or 15. Then, by comparing an cquul 

 mber of the middle rows only, the experiment 

 uld approach sullicienlly near absolute accuracy to 

 isty even the most skeptical. 

 To ascertain the best distances at which to plant 

 rn in the richest, the poorest, and the medium qua- 

 ofland, what difficulty would there be in trying 

 such as are most approved by prnctical men, on an 

 lertaincd quantity of land of either of the foregoing 

 alitiirf, giving to each distance exactly the same 

 ed jioition, and then measuring accurnteiy the pro- 

 ce of each portion, as in the other experiments ? 

 With a view to ascertain the best modes of culture, 

 1 it possibly be satisfactorily done without corapar- 

 them at the same time, on exactly equol portions 

 land which is the same in soil, fertility, and situa- 

 n; and can there be any great difficulij', expense, 

 trouble in making this comparison. Yet who, 

 ong our numerous writers on the subject has ever 

 lorted any such experiment ? This, if it ever had 

 in properly made, would have settled for ever, whe- 

 r it bcnehis or injures corn to cut the roots, since 

 tliey wdl lie, more or less, by every mode of cul- 

 e which has ever yet been tried. If the portion 

 and on which fewest roots had been eut produced 

 most corn, and that portion yielded the least 

 ere the root-cutting had been greatest, then surely 

 tirst mode of culture would be preferred by every 

 y, but the obstinate fools who have no better rea- 

 for any thing they do, than that they have always 

 le the same. 



<Viih respect to the cheat or chess controversy, 

 Ti almost afraid to open my' lips, for most of onr 

 tbren who maintain that cheat is the produce of 

 eat, seem to have worked themselves up into such 

 ioleric and bellicose humor on the subject, against 

 who maintain the negative in this matter, that it 

 luite a perilous thing to offer any argument in sup- 

 t of our opinions. I will therefore content myself 

 honly asking a few simple questions. Is it among 

 unknowable things of this world to ascertain the 

 th in regard to this controversy ? If it is, why 

 uld another word be ever said or written about it? 

 ,t is not, can airy one oblige me so far as to name 

 ngle experiment, among all which have been so 

 ed and stated as proofs that wheat will turn to 

 at, which is not most palpably defective in several 

 3ntial particulars ? 1 can truly say that I have 

 'er seen even a solitary one, but that which was 

 de in 1833 by Messrs. Thomas and William J. 

 eke and yourself. This is to be found in the first 

 lime of your Regisler, on the 83d and 84th pages; 

 I to my mind is most conclusive proof that for 

 sat to produce cheat, is quite as great an impossibil- 

 as for " thorns to yield grapes," or for thistles to 

 iduce figs. I will further ask, if any experiment 

 de with less particularity and accuracy than the 

 : just referred to, ou^ht to be regarded, even in the 

 jhtest degree, as contributing towards settling this 

 'ch and long agitated controversy, or indeed, 

 »uld be entitled to a place in any of our ngricultur- 

 pnpers T Sone, I think, who really desire to come 



at the truth in this matter could reasonably object to 

 the editors of these papers requiring equal or even 

 greater aeeuraay and mimileness in the experiments 

 which they may be required to repiut for either of the 

 pnriies ccncerned. If the zeal of those who maintain 

 the allirmalive in this controversy, be not sufficient 

 when stimulated by the hope of victory, to impel them 

 to take the trouble of making such experiments as 

 have just been suggested, I would beg leave hereby 

 to call tleir attention to your pledge — innde a few 

 months ngo, to pay one hundred dollars — not " in 

 rags," but in good lawful money, to any one who 

 can prove by similar experiments, well nuthenticntcd 

 in all their particulars, that he has succeeded in con- 

 verting tcliciU into client. 



I could mention several other subjects upon which 

 much diHbronce of opinion has been exprcssedj for 

 many years past, and which still occasionally appear 

 in our ngriculturnl pnpers. Serving no other purpose 

 than to show the great disproportion in number be- 

 tween the multitude who prefer writing out and pub- 

 lishing their conjectures on these topics, and the few 

 who choose the less easy, but more troublesome road 

 of accurate experiments to solve their doubts. But 

 until this be generally done in regard to all matters 

 which can be settled fay the experimental process, the 

 readers of our agricultural journals, (good as I admit 

 most of them to be) will have to pay for much that 

 affords them little, if any satisfactory information. If 

 ^* action, action, action,^-'' he essential to form the 

 finished orator, I would say that — experiments, exper- 

 iments, accurate experiments are equally, nay, more 

 important, to form the complete'farmer. I remain, 

 dear sir, vours very sincerely, 



JAM£»M. GARNET T. 



From the New England Farmer. 

 Hay Seed upon Inverted Sod. 



Many of our moist lands upon our dry nplands and 

 the bog-meadows, though natural to grass, occasion- 

 ally need renovating. As long as a common top- 

 dressing will call a good crop, nothing more should 

 be done than to apply the manure on the surface. 

 But when the better grasses have run out, and when 

 moss begins to collect upon the surface, it is necessa- 

 ry to plough such land. But where the plough will 

 do its woik tolerably well, it is not necessary to plant. 

 These lands which arc wet and heavy in the early part 

 of the season, and which bake in the scorching months 

 of July and August, are not profitable for tillage. — 

 They may yield a crop of potatoes, and possibly of 

 corn, but the chances for this are small, and it is usu- 

 ually bad working these wet spots in the early part of 

 the season. The best way to treat them is, to turn 

 the land over as soon as it can conveniently be done 

 after the crop of hay has been removed; to plough 

 in etich direction that the dead furrows shall come in 

 suitable places for surface drains, to roll well; and 

 then put on a dressing of compost. When this has 

 be&n done, sow hay-seed and harrow thoroughly. 

 Then use the roller again, and the next season you 

 may obtain a fair crop of hay, and the following year 

 you probably will get a henry burthen. Herds-grass 

 is better for these moist grounds than clover or red- 

 top. No one who has been acustomed to this process 

 will ever think of tilling any wet lands that can be 

 laid over smooth by the plough. 



The process here recommended has been repeatedly 

 urged upon our farmers, by Mr. Buckminster, editor 

 of the Boston Cultivator; and as lar as he has influen- 

 ced them to comply with h:a advice in this matter, he 

 has rendered them good service. 



This is the proper season of the year for working 

 all low lands, and it is by attention to them, that our 

 farmers generally must hope to thrive. They repay 

 the labor and expense bestowed upon them better than 

 most of the high grounds. 



Cactu.s Triangularis. 



The Chorlestown Courier soys, we were among 

 the gratified beholders of the magnificent and nmner- 

 ous bloom of this rare plant, at Mr. L. B. Baker's, 

 on Wednesday night last. The plant is in a state of 

 most luxuriant vegetation, growing in a box contain- 

 ing rocks, superficially covered with sand, and of 

 course deriving its nourishment chiefly from the at- 

 mosphere. When we saw it, thirteen moguificent 

 flowers, gigantic in size, yet graceful in form ond ex- 

 quisite in beauty, simultaneously expnnded their pe- 

 tals to delight the eye, while nl a little distance a 

 pleasant fragrance was diffused. The evening be- 

 fore, seven flowers, on the same plant, had commen- 

 ced and closed their ephemeral bloom. We carried 

 away one of those rich blossoine of night, kindly pre- 



sented to us by their proprietor, and found to our 

 agreeable surprise tiint, by deposittng it in a jar of 

 water, its existence was prolonged, and it bloomed 

 belle of the rosy morn as well as the curtained night. 

 The bloom of this plant is one oi nature's mysteries 

 — floral beauty the most rare and exquisite, destined 

 only to hang on the brow of night, like n rich jewel 

 in the lOthiop's ear, and to close its petals in early 

 and lovely death aa midnight tolls its knell— depend- 

 ent too wholly on human aid to prevent it from be- 

 ing born to blush unseen and waste its sweetness on 

 the desert air. 



A fine specimen of this beautiful Cactus owned by 

 Mr. Otis Everett, jr., which opened its blossoms on 

 Wednesday last, and was witnessed by many of his 

 friends, all of whom speak in the highest terms of its 

 beauty and frogmnce. The flower is very large, of 

 a pure white, with 60 enter and 18 inner petals G 

 inches in length. It commenced opening at 4 P. M. 

 was half open at 7, fully expnnded at 10, and closed 

 next morning at 7 o'clock. This plant came from 

 the interior of the island of Cuba. Truly is it said 

 that this is one of "nature's mysteries." — Boston 

 Transcript. 



The Pear Tree. 



We are told that many persona are afraid to plant 

 pear trees lest they should die with the firc-Uigld ; 

 that they ha\e done their best to save the trees, but all 

 to no purpose ; and that they now settle down in de- 

 spair. In reply to this melancholy account however, 

 we can repeat the assurance that we have not lost a 

 single tree bij the fire-hliglit in twenty years. It has 

 been in our fruit garden several times, but always 

 seemed to walk out again as fast as we did ; for we 

 cut off the injured hranchee without delay and burnt 

 them immediately, — destroying ns we believed, the 

 whole colony of insects that had committed the depre- 

 dation. 



As soon as the leaves begin to blacken on the 

 branches, for two feet or more near their extremities, 

 let the owner waken up at once, lay aside all other 

 business, and proceed with as much zeal to the task as 

 he would drive the pigs from his garden. We arc 

 satisfied it is the putting off till a more convenient 

 season in such eases, that proves so fatal to the penr 

 tree. The stable door may be locked when the horse 

 is stolen ; and the limb may be cut off when the in- 

 sects are gone to another part of the tree. Did you 

 cut offthe limb below where it was dead, say a foot or 

 more? " No — we only cut offthe dead part" — leav- 

 ng the insect at work below. Did you burn it when 

 twas cut off? " Why — no — we left it under the 

 tree" — for the insect (if there) to go up again at hia 

 leisure. 



Culture of Silk. 



It is indeed "an ill wind that blows nobody good." 

 The subsidence of the mulberry speculation is follow- 

 ed by cheering attention to the manufacture of silk. The 

 immense quantity of trees lately propagated for spec- 

 ulauon, essentially aids those who now embark with 

 a view of pursuing the Silk Culture as a steady busi- 

 ness. The vice of speculation is thus rendered trib- 

 utary to honest industry; and we confidently predict 

 that the crop of silk, in three or four years, will prove 

 that, whatever evils may have deluged the country 

 through the speculating monia, the "mulberry fever" 

 isfoUowed by healthy and efiicient action in the great 

 cause of rendering our country independent of foreign 

 nations for an ample supply of Silk. 



We congratulate thousands of thrifty farmers npon 

 the pleasant and profitable employment which the 

 silk business affords to the females and children in 

 their families — affording means and inducements for 

 industry that may essentially serve those families 

 throughout life — promoting comfort and independ- 

 ence, and yielding returns that would guard against 

 pecuniary distress, should the ordinary means of sup- 

 port be curtailed by the loss of biisband or father, or 

 by other reverses of fortune. B. 



