80 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



of manure, draining, and deep ploughing ; and 

 in connexion with draining the great benefits of 

 subsoiling, which in many cases has been suc- 

 cessfully substituted for draining. The cheap- 

 ness of subsoil ploughs brings them within the 

 reach of most farmers. 



We hasten (omitting many facts mentioned, for 

 want of space,) to a glance at the tabular state- 

 ment and appendices of the report. We note the 

 following facts in regard to Virginia productions 

 from the tabular estimates of the crops of 1844 ; 

 and also annex references from the last year's 

 report, to the crop of 1843, to show the difference: 



Crop of 1843 Crop of 1844 Increase. Decrease. 

 Wheat, 9,004,359 10,805,000 bush. 1,800,641 

 Oats, 12,879,878 14,812,000 « 1,932,122 

 Corn, 45,836,788 38,960,000 " 6,876,788 

 Tobacco, 41,918,040 33,574,000 lbs. 3,344,040 



Mr. E. accompanies the tabular estimates with 

 very interesting remaiks, on the influence of the 

 seasons in the amount of productions of the 

 year ; and as the result of the vast amount of 

 information collected, from every part of the 

 Union, and taking into consideration the seasons 

 and other operating causes, he thinks, that, on 

 the whole, there was no sensible diminution in 

 many of the most important crops. 



From the Commissioner's observations on par- 

 ticular crops we gather the following facts : 



Wheat. — The aggregate amount of the crop 

 of 1844, in the whole country, is a little less 

 than that of 1843, though in Virginia the in- 

 crease was about twenty per cent. The in- 

 creasing ravages of the Hessian fly, threatening 

 every year seriously to lessen the wheat crop, 

 induced Mr. E. to procure from Mr. Herrick, of 

 Yale College, an able paper on this insect and 

 its habits. Mr. H. (who has devoted much 

 time and attention to this subject, and who, our 

 readers perhaps know, is distinguished for his 

 accurate investigations,) gives a very minute 

 account of the fly and its history, ravages and 

 habits, and examines various remedial measures 

 which have been proposed. He entertains the 

 decided conviction, from long observation and 

 practice, that burning the stubble immediately after 

 harvest and ploughing the land is the most practi- 

 cable and effectual mode of exterminating this 

 insect. We wish it was in our power to give 

 the whole of this able paper. To destroy the 

 weevil, all the remedies suggested have reference 

 to modes of keeping the wheat completely dry 

 and immediate grinding, before the sweat takes 

 place. Kiln and other modes of drying are 

 mentioned. To prevent smut various remedies 

 are suggested. Steeping the seed in a very 

 strong solution of glauber salts (sulphate of so- 

 da) — in a strong solution of bluestone (one pound 

 to water enough to cover five bushels of wheat) — 

 leaving seed wheat six days in the field, after 

 harvest, with early sowing. These several re- 

 medies are highly commended by eminent far- 



mers. Gen. Harmon, of New York, furnishes 

 a valuable paper on " Varieties of Wheat." — 

 Passing over the remaining observations of the 

 Commissioner on wheat, as also on oats, barley 

 and buckwheat, we proceed to his remarks in 

 relation to the cultivation of 



Corn. — The crop of this year, in consequence 

 of drought chiefly, has been less, in the whole 

 Union than that of 1843. The appendix to the 

 report contains many valuable papers on the 

 mode of cultivation and the varieties of this fa- 

 vorite and important crop, which we cannot find 

 space even to condense. We note, however, 

 some practical observations from Mr. V. Ells- 

 worth, showing conclusively the great benefit of 

 fall and deep ploughing. He used the subsoil 

 plough. His land yielded 121 bushels of shelled 

 corn to the acre. He, of course, manured well. 

 By experiment, it appears that corn, suffering 

 from drought, is much improved by applying a 

 pint of ashes to the hill. Broom-corn seed, Mr. 

 E. says, is excellent for fattening sheep. A 

 South Carolina Agricultural Society furnishes 

 an essay showing the value of corn sown for 

 fodder, affording good and substantial food easily 

 and cheaply obtained. Farmers are cautioned 

 against the too free use of saltpetre in prepara- 

 tion of seed ; when too much is used the kernels 

 are reddish and decayed. 



Potatoes — The Commissioner's observations 

 on the modes of planting, the quality and selec-, 

 tion of seed, and diseases of potatoes are very 

 extended. Several important papers are fur- 

 nished, occupying more than fifty pages of the 

 appendix, mainly on the new disease, (the Rot,) 

 which has so materially diminished this crop. — 

 We cannot too highly commend this part of this 

 document. 



Hay. — The Bermuda grass (whether the 

 same that bears the name among us is yet un- 

 certain) is being introduced in our country and 

 will be a valuable grass to Virginia. As to the 

 time of cutting grass, it appears, in the opinion 

 of a New Yorker, that at the period between 

 the blossoming stage and the hardening of the 

 seed, the grass contains more of the nutritive 

 properties, and ought to be cut. The generally 

 received opinion of successful graziers is that 

 the more moisture the hay contains, without dan- 

 ger of combustion, the better. This moisture 

 must be, however, " the arterial juice of the grass" 

 not of dew or moisture from absorption. The 

 juice never causes mould. In Orange county, 

 New York, about the 1st August the grass is 

 cut in the morning and mowed in the afternoon, 

 and often put in cock early in the day, to pre- 

 vent its being dry and brittle. Hay is best pre- 

 served when, on being opened, is of a light ma^ 

 hogany or foxy color, and lies very compactly 

 in the stack or mow. The above observations 

 are from a New York farmer. 



Tobacco. — Although the Commissioner's ta- 



