No. 1. 



AND gardi:ni:r's journal. 



!3 



to a consulprable extent it is Init too true. And it 

 seems to mo that so;iie portion of your columns should 

 occasioiinlly speak out njainst this great e\il. 



The origin of this ihsoase, I Ulieve, may be dated as 

 far back as the (•ullivation of the grain itself; and 

 from that day to the present, numberless exix-viments 

 have be<>n made by agriculturisLs of the old world, as 

 Well as by those of our own country, to ascertain the 

 cause ; and yet up to the present ti;iie, the conclusions 

 which have been arrived at, are not entirely satistacto- 

 ry. One of these cxj)criments ascribes it to too much 

 moisture in the soil, or a too humid atmosphere at a 

 particular stage in the growth of the grain. Another 

 was of opinion that it was causcvl by an insect. An- 

 other t!i,at it was a fungus, and that the |X)wder which 

 is si.niilar to that of the common puff-ball of our fields, 

 was the infecting agent. Another is of opinion that 

 the minute grains of smut arc in fact insects, and that 

 when they coine in contact with tlie sound seed wheat, 

 they adhere to it, and inoculate it in such a manner a- 

 to cause it to produce smut. Another opinion, and 

 which is now generally admitted to be a true one, is 

 that it is a sm.iil parasitic fungus, which being absorbs 

 ed by the roots of the seed grain while in a state of 

 germination, and being thence carried by the sap to the 

 young germen, multiplying rapidly and continues to 

 grow in like manner as the sound grain, which at ma- 

 turity it much resembles. 



But let us turn from the cause to the cure, or rather 

 preventive, which is of far more consequence to the 

 farmers, and tliis is what you should urge upon the 

 notice of 5-our readers, as of paramount importance to 

 them in more ways than one. They need not expend 

 their time nor their money in making experiments. 

 These have already been made in numerous intances, 

 and in every variety of form, by some of the most sci- 

 entific agriculturists the world has yet seen; and the 

 result is, a most complete and efl'ective remedy , and one 

 which comes witliin the reach of every farmer, viz : — 

 To soak the seed in strong brine and then stir into it 

 fresh slaked lime until every kernel is coated. In no 

 single instance within my luiowledge, has this failed 

 when properly appUed ; indeed so perfect a cure is it, 

 that in some sections of Western New York, where 

 formerly the wheat crops were greatly injured, if not 

 entirely ruined by smut, a proper application of this 

 remedy, and an annual continuance of it for a series of 

 years, has totally eradicated the evil ; so much so that 

 brining and liming is now considered unnecessary. 



Great quantities of smut have been harvested in our 

 town the present season, more than for several years 

 previous. Some farmers of my acquaintance have had 

 such an abundant crop of it, that ^t was with much 

 difficulty the hands could attend the machine during 

 the operation of threshing, so dense and suflbcating 

 was the cloud of smut-dust which constantly encircled 

 them. To these farmers, and all otlicrs who are troub- 

 led witli smut in their wheat, I would recommend a 

 thorough appUcation of brine and lime without farther 

 delay. ' J. HORSFIELD. 



CtzstU-e, Wijomvig Co., N. Y. 



Progress of Horticulture— Exhibitions, &c. 



In the last number of the Farmer, we very brief- 

 ly noticed the more interesting portions of the Mas- 

 sachusetts Horticultural Society's report; we now 

 extract from the Magazine of Horticulture, the fol- 

 lowing items of intelligence from the published re- 

 ports of other similar institutions. We agree ful- 

 ly and with much pleasure in the remark of the 

 Editor of the Magazine, that these reports bear 

 sufficient evidence that a taste for fruit and flowers 

 is becoming general and is attracting public atten- 

 tion. 



Essex Co. Natural History Society. — "During 

 the present season, the Horticultural exhibitions at 

 the Society's hall have gone off with great eclat. 



The variety of fruits and flowers was not only 

 greater than at prior seasons, but the number of 

 contributors has very much increaseJ. Several 

 new amateurs have entered the iield, and are be- 

 stowing great attention to the cultivation of flow- 

 ers, particularly of the dahlia, or to the growth of 

 choice and delicious fruits. 



"Ten weekly exhibitions have been held on 

 Wednesday of the respective weeks, and the annu- 

 al on Tuesday and Wednesday, September 14th 

 and loth. The hall was also opened on the even- 

 ing of the I4th of July, for a display of two of 

 tliose favorite flowers of midnight, silence, and 

 darkness, " the niglit-blooming cereus," from the 

 green-liouse of Mr. F. Putnam. About eight hun- 

 dred species and varieties of plants have been ex- 

 hibited in flower ; one hundred and fifty were na- 

 tives of our woods and meadows— the others the 

 product of the green-house and of the garden. Of 

 these last, one hundred and twenty were roses, one 

 hundi-ed and twenty dahlias, sixty geraniums, &c. 

 Of two hundred and thirty-three varieties of fruit, 

 one hundred and twenty-two were pears, twenty- 

 eight apples." 



Amtrican Institute, Neio Yoik. — At the fair of this 

 Institution last October, the exhibition of fruit, 

 vegetables and flowers, was excellent. 



EdiiUtion of the Bmiinstun (N. J.) Lyceum. — 

 The labors of this institution to spread a tase for 

 gardening, have not been in vain. The reporter 

 says : " The fruits exhibited were remarkably 

 fine, and the specimens numerous. The vegeta- 

 bles were greatly increased in number and variety, 

 compared with former exhibitions." 



The collection of hot-house and green-house 

 plants, pjTamids and boquets of flowers was very 

 creditable. 



Louiscille (Ky.) and Jefferson Co. HoriicvUural 

 Society. — The exhibition of this society in Septem- 

 ber last, being its first, shows that there is a lively 

 spirit of improvement going on in that region. The 

 report enumerates a much greater variety of fruit 

 and flowers than might be expected in that qimrter. 

 Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, (Philu'd.) — 

 In concluding a long and interesting report of the 

 Fall exhibition of this Society, the committee make 

 the following remarks: " The onward march of 

 horticulture in this community was strikingly man- 

 ifest at the present exhibition ; the great improve- 

 ment in all the departments of that science was 

 evinced in the increased variety of exotic plants, 

 the successful culture of the rarer and fiaer fruits, 

 and the remarkable progress in the growth of cul- 

 inary vegetables. Nor was the growing interest 

 which our citizens generally feel in the subject, 

 less apparent or less gratifying on the occasion, 

 for at no former period have the rooms been more 

 thronged with visitors, or more animated by a de- 

 lighted and refined public. "- 



These items are such as every farmer should 

 peruse with interest, and be stimulated by tliera to 

 devote that attention to the production of fruit and 

 vegetables particultirly, as their importance in do- 

 mestic and rural economy would plainly suggest. 

 It is not our wish to . infringe on the Agricultural 

 character of the Farmer with such notices as will 

 merely interest the scientific Horticulturist, and 

 which would be neither read nor cared for by the 

 great mass of its readers, but we think it the duty 

 of every Agricultural Journal to keep regulary be- 

 fore its readers the progressive com'se of those 

 branches of Horticulture, to which every well- 

 sher of his country should wish public attention 

 might be efl'ectua'.ly and generally directed. E;^- 

 ample is very powerful, and wherever examples 



are afforded us of our brethren in various parts of 

 the country uniting their efl'orts to promote the ad- 

 vancement of Horticulture, to increase in quantity 

 and quality the products of the soil, thereby aid- 

 ing onward the great cause of human improve- 

 ment and human happiness, and when those noble 

 efforts are successful, as they generally are if prop, 

 criy directed, we consider that they should at least 

 receive a brief notice in every journal devoted to 

 the interests of the cultivator. 



It must be through the influence of Agricultural 

 Journals, that any thing like the general attentioa 

 of community can be directed to the advantages to 

 be derived from the practice of Horticulture, and 

 they must be the principal channels throu;»h which 

 that knowledge must be conveyeil so essential to 

 its progress. The circulation of books or period- 

 icals exclusively Hoiticultural, is exceedingly lim- 

 ited in any part of this country, in the West par- 

 ticularly, nor can Ihey be made to circulate until 

 both taste and skill have been disseminated ; to do 

 this, we would repeat, 7n'isl be the work of Agri- 

 cultural Periodicals, and it is pleasing to see that 

 some of the leading journals have already expres- 

 sed their intention of giving the subject tiie atten- 

 tion it merits, or at least more than heretofore, 

 during the ensuing year. We hope that all will 

 consider the propriety o f doing so and ilo it. P. 

 Scarlet Fever. 



A correspondent snys, "The happiest elTecis hnvs 

 resulted from wnthing the patient in weak lye which 

 feels a little slippery to the fingers. It is beat to be- 

 gin in time, wiiun the fever or redness first appears ; 

 nnd with a cloth or sponge apply it all over the child 

 every few hours ; but if the feverhasgot up, itshould 

 he repeated every live minutes till the hoot abates. 

 One of our children was getting better under ihia 

 treatment ; but his nurse observed in the night, he 

 was again very hot, she washed him all over, nnd in 

 a lew minutes every trace of fever hnd left bim. He 

 felt cool, slept comfonobly till morning, and has hod 

 no return of it since. Even bathing the feet in weak 

 lye bos a very soothing effect. 



"Bleeding and strong ecthartics ore l/ad — n.iuse- 

 ating doses of ipecac g-oorf. If the throat is swelled, 

 apply Bwcet oil, or a liniment made of iliis and ogua 

 ammonia, and drink fieely of slippery elm, cotiiep, or 

 sage tea. 



"If the awelling is very bad, it is best to call in the 

 doctor — or blister, 'md apply n bag of hops dipped in 

 waim vinegar round the neck from ear to car, the suf- 

 ferer breathing the fumes of the vinegar. Gargling 

 n strong infusion of Seneca snake root or Cayenne 

 pepper will do for large children or grown perenns ; 

 nnd nl'terwords «ae vinegar of squills. Give a doeo 

 of cnlomel when the skin begins to peel olf ; end be 

 very careful l^ir many doye after, not to tnke cold.'' 



" The country is full of RtsoimcEe, nnd the people 

 t'uil of energy, nnd thogicnt nnd petmnneiu remedy 

 ibr present einbarrassmenlE muBihc sought i?:. indysti-y, 

 econo-my, the observance of good faitli, and the favor 

 [ibie influence of time." — TylcT^s Message, 



A EOTTLF. OF PoRT Wlnt., of Ncw York mnnufoc- 

 lure, has been found to contain .*? ounccS of olcohol, 4 

 nf cider, ]J of sugar, 2 of alum, I of tartaric ncid, and 

 4 of concentrated solution of logwood. 



New doctrines never please the old. They like to 

 fancy that the world has been losing wisdom int<tead of 

 goining it, since they v.-ere young. 



Love labor ; for if you do not want it for food you 

 may for physic. It i& wholesome for the body and 

 mind. 



Lsarning is obtained only by labor : it cannot ba 

 bought with money ; otherwise the rich would uni- 

 lormly bo intelligent. Learning regards all men aa 

 equal, nnd bestows her treasures on those only who 

 work for them. 



Let him who regrets the loss of time make a proper 

 U90 of that which is to come. 



