64 TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



nior, and as suoli sIkhiIiI Ik^ fustcrcd. Sd arc cmws and skunks, for tlicy 

 coiisiinio an cnorinons <|nantity of Itcctlcs. As to k('<'|tinjj: 11m; ntscbuji's oil' 

 tin* <:^rai)i'vii;!'s with a wliitc clotli, I sliouM liko to know wlictlicr the rlotli 

 serves as a " scaie-crow," or wlietlier the vine must be entirely covered 

 "with the cloth to prevent the destrnclive di-predations of the beetle fami- 

 liarly called roscbui^". The writer nf the above letter says that he shonid 

 writ** oftener, Imt he is afraid of criticism; that he makes no pretensions to 

 scholarship — " I only ;;o thrt)U<^h the world with my eyes open." No, sir, 

 you do not. If you did, you wouh! see how incurrectly you spell many of 

 your words. ()|»en your eyes, sir, and you will resolve never to write 

 another Utter to an editor witlmut referring," to that Webster's Dictionary, 

 that you speak of, to see that every word is sp(dled correctly. (Jrammar 

 and style we never criticise. I<;iiorance of facts that ylare every one in 

 th(! lace, so- that they may be seen by openinj;' the eyes, we do criticise. 

 So we do doj>-niatical assertions, which a.e easily seen to be erroneous by 

 any one who opens his eyes. AVe have no malice in our criticism. It is all 

 for the ;j^eiieral g-ood. 



A Phenomenon in Farming. 



A Scotch farmer raised a crop of potatoes early last season on part of 

 the field, sowing turnips broadcast without nianure, and on the other part 

 sowing-, at the same time, drilled turnips, to which he api)lied tii cwts. 

 Peruvian guano and 2.^ cwts. dissolved bones. All was eaten off by sheep, 

 and the whole field sown with wheat. Singidar to say, the crop is decidedly 

 supcrif)r on the land where there had been no manure. Can any of our 

 readers explain the phenomenon ? 



Prof. Mapes. — Probalily this matter, like many others, is overstated. It 

 is like a great many statements of farmcMs' experiments in this country. 

 It is no argument against the use of manure. 



Mr. John G. Bergen. — Tlu; matter niay and ni;i\ iku lie overstated, but 

 this is a fact in regard to all similar statements. The facts given a it- 

 based upon the experiments of one year; they are not snllicient basis lor 

 an opinion. I have often seen similar results upon the market garden 

 farms in this vicinity, wher" a field planted ail to one crop this year, anil 

 all treated ccpially alike as to manure and cidtivation, may show a marke<l 

 dilference in the growth t.if the crop up to a given row. On referring back 1 

 have found the field was treated last year exactly alike, so that the difl'e- 

 rence could not be traced to that or the preceding year, i>ut n|ion looking 

 still further back om; or two years, I havy invariably found the cause to 

 proceed from tlx- diflereiit manner of cultivating, manuring, or the kind of 

 crop grown. This ])roves that the soil feds the influence of tieatment for 

 several years. 



Amount of Flaxseed Per Acre. 



.\| r. <'. I>. r'aridiain writes to Tin- lUirnl Xrir Yorhr : " I have li:id a good 

 di'al of experieiice in raising an<l dressing flax for the l.ist twenty years, 

 having raist'd yearly fro?ii twr-nty to fifty acres. I have sf»wn dilferent 

 amountH of seed, Inu I think one bushel per acre enough for any land. I 

 hfivi- sown more, but, as a general thing, heavy rains will knock it down, 

 it will sDoil, prodiicc but litth- seed, and not near as mtn-h flax when dressed 



