THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



79 



similar effect was observed on tomatoes, when 

 the manure they received, which was well rotted, 

 had a small quantity of lime thoroughly mixed 

 with it. The growth of their stems was mo- 

 derate, and the product in fruit, very abundant. 

 Others, manured without lime, grew abundantly 

 in stem, and the product of fruit not quite so 

 great. Slacked lime was used. The difference 

 might have been owing to other causes ; at any 

 rate, more experiments are needed. 



Early Lettuce. — This was obtained at least 

 three weeks earlier than other lettuce sown in the 

 hot bed, by taking up plants, sown the previous 

 autumn in open ground, and transplanting them 

 into the hot bed as soon as it was made. They 

 were urged forward in growth rapidly, by the 

 new heat they received, and formed heads four 

 or five inches in diameter, while the other lettuce 

 was hardly an inch high. — Cultivator. 



For the Southern Planter. 



King William, Feb. 15, 1843. 



Messrs. Botts & Burfoot, — I send you below 

 a condensed statement of some of the experi- 

 ments reported to the King William Working 

 Agricultural Society at their fall meeting. You 

 are aware each member is bound by the con- 

 stitution to report an experiment made by him- 

 self to every meeting under the penalty of one 

 doilar. The day of our meeting at Mulberry 

 Hill Tavern was not very favorable, neverthe- 

 less, it was well attended and some specimens 

 of superior butter, articles of domestic manufac- 

 ture and animals were exhibited. On such of 

 these as were thought worthy premiums were 

 awarded, and an interest in the Society excited 

 which we hope will be increased and lead to 

 valuable results. 



Respectfully your friend, 



W. GwATHMEY. 



Lewis Littlepage's Experiments. 



1. Impressed with the opinion that fall fal- 

 lowing for corn was more injurious to the land 

 than spring, about 25th of March this year, he 

 prepared the land and planted in corn, which 

 proved a very short crop — the fallow was in 

 clover — the cut worm very destructive. His 

 conclusion is that the loss of corn is greater 

 than the benefit to the land. 



2. The rows on which corn was shocked, in 

 his wheat field, were sown in oats in spring — 

 and clover seed sown over the field. That on 

 the oat rows grew much more luxuriantly, and 

 when the same field was fallowed for wheat, the 

 effect was very apparent in that crop also. 



George R. Tram's Experiments. 

 1. Soaked seed corn in copperas water two 

 days, (half pound to the gallon of water.) It 



was not pulled up by the crows or destroyed by 

 cut worm. Other corn adjacent, without cop- 

 peras was destroyed. 



2. In 1841, sowed clover seed after corn, the 

 last time it was worked. They came up and 

 the crop succeeded very well. 



Corbin Braxton's Experiment. 

 Planted harvest beans which did not mature 

 in time for ruta baga. 



Edivard HHPs Experiments. 



1. On peas planted with corn. Two rows of 

 com planted in peas, every other hill, yielded by 

 accurate weight one pound of corn less than 

 the two next adjoining without peas, both cul- 

 tivated alike, 



2. On drilled wheat. An acre drilled nine or 

 ten inches apart, cut and threshed carefully, 

 yielded only a few gallons more than an acre 

 sown broadcast, immediately adjoining. Consi- 

 ders it not worth the additional trouble of drilling. 



William S. Fontaine's Experiments. 



1. On harrowing in clover seed the last of 

 March on wheat, alternate rows were left un- 

 harrowed. The harrowed wheat, to the eye, 

 for a fortnight appeared benefitted. The clover 

 to this time is better set. 



2. Ten acres of purple straw wheat was cut 

 in the dough state — product about 60 bushels, 

 very much shrivelled, and unsaleable if it had 

 not been mixed with the rest of the crop. Ten 

 acres, rather better land, fully ripe, gave me 82 

 bushels wheat, plump to the eye, and weighing 

 57 lbs. to the bushel. 



From a partial experiment he is induced to 

 believe that wheat after corn, produces more in 

 single than double beds. 



Richard Gwathmey's Experiment. 

 Discovering rust in his late crop of wheat, 

 he commenced harvesting, and continued six 

 days. Having carefully stacked the first and 

 last days, cutting separately, he selected a dozen 

 bundles from each, and threshed them ; and on 

 weighing, he found the product of the first dozen 

 to be three-fourths of a pound heavier than the 

 last. He afterwards sowed ten grains of the 

 green parcel, each of which sprouted readily 

 and put up a vigorous spire. 



William Gwathmeifs Experiments. 

 1. Lime applied on low light land with black 

 soil, (150 bushels to the acre,) will not destroy 

 sorrel. Six rows of this limed land without 

 any other manure than the natural grass, yielded 

 763 ears of corn, measuring 7 bushels. Six of 

 the same adjoining, liberally top-dressed with 

 stable manure, when the corn was well up, 

 yielded 1,000 ears, measuring 10^ bushels. — 

 Six, of land adjoining, top-dressed with the ma- 

 nure alone, yielded 777 ears, measuring 7£ 

 bushels. 



