3 18 Improvement in Grinding Wheat. 
On the nature of litter given to animals. — It has been ascer- 
tained that the straw of our various cultivated plants is of very 
diiferent relative value as manure. It is not, however, our inten- 
tion to enter at too great length on this part of the subject, and 
we will only urge upon those interested in this question to waste 
no kind of vegetable matter within their reach. " And when 
they have not sufficient straw to absorb the liquid manure, we 
would strongly urge the use of sawdust, or even sand, — above all, 
waste nothing. 
Without saying more, we give the following extracts: — Oat 
straw contains a large quantity of potash: we may thence con- 
clude, that for a field to produce good oats, the soil must at least 
contain a sufficient quantity of that substance. There can be no 
disputing this assertion, and it may, perhaps, in part explain why 
such beautiful oats are grown in the neighborhood of the 
Cheviot Hills There is a good deal of basalt in that district 
which it is well known yields a large proportion of potash. " The 
straw of buckwheat contains a much greater proportion of mag- 
nesia than almost any other of our cultivated plants. It may, 
therefore, be inferred that a favorable soil for this plant must con- 
tain plenty of magnesia. These soils are generally very poor, 
yet seem the most favorable for the growth of buckwheat. It is 
evident from the above that the future researches of science will 
undoubtedly prove of great importance to practical acgriculture." 
Without entirely disagreeing from the above statements, it is also 
necessary to bear in mind that the presence of one substanc alone 
is not sufficient to insure the vigorous growth of plants. Thouo-h 
potash and magnesia may be necessary to the growth of oats and 
buckwheat, there are many other substances which we must at 
least allow to be useful to these two plants. 
Improvement in Grinding Wheat. — A new mode of grinding 
has of late been invented in Maryland, consisting of ridding the 
grain of its skin or bran before grinding. This is said to be done 
very completely, and to be attended with several important ad- 
vantages. These are, that all the different sorts of wheat, the red 
as well as white, are rendered equally good, other things being 
equal, whereas the red wheats are now sold in most markets for 
several cents less per bushel than the white. All the brown 
particles are removed eflectually from the flour; a saving of from 
40 or 50 pounds per barrel is gained; time is also saved to the 
amount of from 25 to 50 per cent. The flour is greatly improved 
for hot climates — a very important item to the shipping interest. 
— Prairie Farmer. 
