76 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



second, 1 lb. 11 oz., and the third, 1 lb. 12 oz., 

 whilst the largest single ear weighed only 1 lb. 

 G oz. 



I have given the above in hopes that it may 

 induce others to turn their attention to the sub- 

 ject, and report the result of their observation, 

 in the Planter. As I have been for several years 

 selecting my seed corn from stalks bearing two 

 or more ears, I think it not improbable that the 

 general size of my corn may be somewhat di- 

 minished. 



The actual weights are given above: the 

 double ears were invariably gathered from the 

 single stalk, and in every case the largest ears 

 were selected from the corn crib as the represen- 

 tatives of the single ears: it is possible that even 

 they may have grown upon stalks bearing dou- 

 ble ears. 



Your obedient servant, 



John Hart. 



Louisa, March, 1843. 



CUTTING WHEAT. 

 In the last volume of the Planter we gave 

 the results of some experiments made by Mr. 

 " Hannam," of England, to ascertain the state 

 in which wheat can be cut to the greatest ad- 

 vantage. These experiments excited great in- 

 terest at the time, and Mr. Hannam's conclu- 

 sions were confirmed by the experience of se- 

 veral of our correspondents. Since that period 

 we have received several contradictory state- 

 ments, and one particularly from a high source, 

 stating that good flour could never be made ex- 

 cept from wheat fully matured. We see from 

 the 1 Cultivator,' that Mr. Hannam has repeated 

 his experiments on a larger scale, and that they 

 have resulted in the strongest confirmation of 

 his original conclusions, viz : that what he terms 

 the "raw" state affords the greatest bulk and 

 weight of wheat, and the best article for manu- 

 facturing purposes. That our readers may the 

 better judge what is intended to be designated 

 by the " raw state" we give a synopsis of the 

 experiments. Five different cuttings were made 

 as follows : 



No. 1, reaped August 12th, stacked Aug. 26th. 

 No. 2, H H 19th, " < : 31st. 

 No. 3, « '* 26lh, " Sept. 5th. 

 No. 4, " " 30th, " " 9th. 



No. 5, « Sept. 9th, " " 16ih. 



No. 1 was very green, only fully formed in 

 the berry, and raw ; No. 5 was fully ripe. No. 

 5, in the sample, was bold, but coarse ; while 

 Nos. 1 and 2 were finer in the skin, but small, 

 showing they had shrunk some. The raw cut 



No. 3, was unexceptionable, being as plump as 

 No. 5, and superior to 1 and 2, in thinness and 

 uniform cleanness of skin. There was little dif- 

 ference between 3 and 4, except that the last 

 was more rough than the first. 



It was No. 3, cut a fortnight before it was 

 fully ripe that is designated as " raw." From 

 the various experiments, which seem to have 

 been fully and fairly conducted, it appears, that 

 No. 3 is superior to all the other varieties ; giv- 

 ing more per bushel than No. 5, by 6^ lbs. of 

 flour; and a gain of about 15 per cent, on the 

 flour of equal measures of grain. 100 lbs. of 

 wheat No. 3, makes 80 lbs. of flour ; while 100 

 lbs. of No. 5, yields 72 lbs. showing an advan- 

 tage of 8 per cent, in favor of grain cut raw. 



In grinding, it was found that No. 5 ground 

 the worst, worse than No. 1. In No. 5, were 

 a greater quantity of flinty particles which 

 would not pass the bolt, than in any of the 

 others. The bran from No. 5 was coarse and 

 heavy ; while that from No. 3 was " thin as a 

 bee's wing." 



The actual value of flour for the purpose of 

 nutrition, depending in a great measure on the 

 gluten it contains, a sample of Nos. 3 and 5, 

 was analyzed by Prof. Johnston, and he found 

 them to contain respectively, No. 3, 9.15 per 

 cent, of gluten ; No. 5, 8.9 per cent, of gluten. 

 Thus proving that the wheat which gave the 

 greatest quantity of flour, gave also the best. 



For the Southern Planter. 

 COAL-TAR QN ROOFS. 



Messrs. Editors, — In your Planter for March 

 "An Inquirer" wishes to know the value of coal- 

 tar applied to the roofs of houses. Some ten 

 years ago, having renewed the shingles on my 

 dwelling, I gave them a coat of the coal-tar, and 

 am well satisfied that the effect has been benefi- 

 cial. It penetrates into the wood about as deep 

 as oil, and it has maintained its, lustre almost 

 unimpaired by the weather. I think it will ren- 

 der the roof as nearly fire-proof as any other 

 liquid substance. The only objection to it is, 

 that it makes the shingles shrink considerably, 

 and inclines them somewhat to crack. This, 

 however, is not the direct effect of the tar; but 

 because of the greater power which the rays of 

 the sun have on all bodies of a black color. I 

 would recommend that the shingles be not more 

 than 4| to 5 inches wide ; that they be nailed 

 on during a dry season and made to fit close ; 

 and that the tar be applied when they are per- 

 fectly dry. The roof should have two coats. — 

 The tar should be warmed over a fire in order 



