84 transactions of the american institute. 



Flax Cotton — Information Wanted. 



Mr. Jason Hubbell, of De Kalb county, Indiana, says: 



" What benefits, either morally or otherwise, have mankind received 

 from the cultivation of tobacco, vi^hich in 1850, amounted to 429,390, til 

 pounds ? or from the manufacture of alcohol, to the value of $24,253,176? 

 And why introduce the poppy, encourage its raising, manufacture of opium 

 on an extensive scale ? Let us know the benefits to be derived from this 

 vast amount of labor thus expended. We imported in 1859 $31,000,000 in 

 sugar, 30,000,000 gallons molasses, which we should produce at home. We 

 greatly need information for raising and making flax cotton, in all its vari- 

 ous processes. This we should prefer to tobacco culture, which many are 

 going into largely. By understanding the real merits and demerits of these 

 several branches of labor, I think the morals, as well as the interest, of 

 the farmer might be promoted." 



Solon Robinson — This letter was elicited by our discussions here, depre- 

 cating the culture of tobacco, which appears to be extending all over the 

 United States. In one of our late reports, I gave much information upon 

 the subject of flax cotton, so that I do not propose to enlarge upon it at 

 this time. 



When to Plow Under Green Crops. 



Nathan Vose, of Grant, Lake county, Illinois, gives the following prac- 

 tical information: 



" In The Semi-Weekly Tribune of the 21st of March, I noticed under the 

 head of the Farmers' Club, " that oats and broom corn are condemned as 

 worthless as manure plowed under green crops.' Whatever the Farmers' 

 Club say is generally beyond questi(m, and the above decision may be cor- 

 rect, but I wish to give a few facts, which may modify your decision. 

 Several years ago, wlien breaking up the virgin soil, we quit plowing in 

 July, on account of the drouth. The land was what is here called oak 

 openings; some of it clayey, and some black soil. We had plowed a strip 

 about a rod wide, on the land we were at work upon, when we quit. The 

 land had been pastured, the grass was short, and dried up, but wet 

 weather ensued, and in September, when we finished breaking, the land 

 was in good order for plowing, with a good growth of grass. I sowed 

 the whole to spring wheat. On the land broken, previous to August, the 

 ■wheat stood about four feet high, and gave about 25 bushels to the acre. 

 On that broken in September, it stood about 18 inches high, and gave 

 about six bushels to the acre. That strip, a rod wide, was visible as far 

 as the eye could reach, and remained so for three successive seasons. My 

 September breaking of that year was my last experiment in that line. 

 Now, is it not possible that the use of plowing under the oats and broom 

 corn has something to do with the result ? Clover is i-eady to turn under 

 in June, and as far as my observation and experience goes, a very scant 

 crop of weeds turned under in early summer, is highly beneficial; while a 

 heavy crop of grass or weeds plowed in late in the summer, or fall, is 

 useless. 



